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diff --git a/old/64185-0.txt b/old/64185-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index da7d570..0000000 --- a/old/64185-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,27590 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of A Body of Divinity, Vol. 3 (of 4), by Thomas -Ridgley - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: A Body of Divinity, Vol. 3 (of 4) - Wherein the doctrines of the Christian religion are explained - and defended, being the substance of several lectures on the - Assem - -Author: Thomas Ridgley - -Release Date: December 31, 2020 [eBook #64185] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Richard Hulse, David King, and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. (This file was - produced from images generously made available by The Internet - Archive.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A BODY OF DIVINITY, VOL. 3 (OF -4) *** - - - - - A Body of Divinity - - - - - A BODY OF DIVINITY: - - WHEREIN THE DOCTRINES OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION ARE EXPLAINED AND - DEFENDED. - - BEING THE SUBSTANCE OF SEVERAL LECTURES ON THE ASSEMBLY’S LARGER - CATECHISM. - - BY THOMAS RIDGLEY, D. D. - - WITH NOTES, ORIGINAL AND SELECTED, - BY JAMES P. WILSON, D. D. - - IN FOUR VOLUMES. - - _VOL. III._ - - FIRST AMERICAN, FROM THE THIRD EUROPEAN EDITION. - - PHILADELPHIA: - - PRINTED BY AND FOR WILLIAM. W. WOODWARD, CORNER OF CHESNUT AND SOUTH - SECOND STREETS. - - 1815. - - - - - THE CONTENTS OF THE THIRD VOLUME. - - -QUEST. LXV, LXVI. Of the benefits which the invisible church enjoy by -Christ. - - -_What these benefits are_, _Page_ 9 - - _Union with Christ, and Communion in grace and glory_ 10 - -_Union with Christ illustrated_ 11 - - _by a conjugal union in particular_ 12 - -_The elect united to Christ_ 13 - - _In their effectual calling_ 15 - - -QUEST. LXVII, LXVIII. Of effectual calling. - - -The Gospel-call _described_ 16 - - _Its difference from effectual calling_ _ibid._ - - _How far improved without special grace_ 20 - - _A note_ 19 - - _Not saving without it_ 20 - - _Its efficacy depends on the power of God_ 39 - - _Its issue and consequence_ 26 - -_Offers of grace explained_ 16 - - _God’s design therein_ _ibid._ - -_Effectual calling_ 39 - - _A work of almighty power_ 40 - - _A work of grace_ 59 - - _Wrought by the Spirit_ 54 - - _This doctrine does not savour of enthusiasm_ 55 - - _Objections answered_ _ibid._ - - _His work internal and super-natural_ 57 - - _Objections answered_ 58 - - _God’s power and grace irresistible_ 61 - - _The seasons of effectual calling_ 63 - - _The state of man before and after it_ 28 - - _The_ Pelagians’ _notion of it_ 30 - - _Their account of conversion absurd_ 31 - -_The nature of human liberty_ 34 - -_In what respects the will acts freely_ 35 - - _In what not_ _ibid._ - -_Regeneration before faith_ 26 - - _How it differs from conversion_ _ibid._ - - _A note_ 38 - - _A principle of grace implanted therein_ 46 - - _A note_ 45 - - _Whether good works prepare for it_ 51 - - _Scriptures thought to prove this explained_ 52 - - _Man merely passive therein_ 48 - - _But active after it_ 49 - - -QUEST. LXIX. Of Communion with Christ in _grace_ 65 - - -QUEST. LXX, LXXI. Of Justification _ibid._ - - -_Justification. Its importance_ 66 - - _Wherein it consisteth_ 67 - - _The privileges contained in it_ 69 - - _Pardon and eternal life connected_ 69 - - _Privileges attending it_ 72 - - _Its foundation_ 73 - - _Considered as an act of free-grace_ 74 - - _Note on righteousness_ 74 - - _Man cannot work out a righteousness for it_ 75 - -_Forgiveness of sin explained_ 70 - -_Christ our surety_ 77 - - _He suffered and obeyed as such_ 77 - - _Properties of a surety applied to him_ 78 - - _The Father accepted him as such_ 79 - - _What he did as a surety_ 81 - - _His righteousness imputed for our justification_ 86 - -_God provided a surety_ 95 - - _Note on imputation_ 85, 94 - - _We could not have provided one for ourselves_ 96 - - -QUEST. LXXII, LXXIII. Of justifying Faith. - - -_Justifying faith, a note_ 98 - -_Justification is by Faith_ 99 - - _This not rightly explained by some_ 104 - - _Explained agreeably to scripture_ 106 - - _It cannot be before Faith; how_ 117 - - _It cannot be by works_ 101 - - _Not by repentance_ 101 - -_A full price required by justice_ 103 - - _Forgiveness free, notwithstanding_ 115 - -_God reconciled, not made reconcileable by Christ’s death_ 114 - -_Faith, its various kinds_ 121 - - _Of the Faith of miracles_ 122 - - _Of an historical Faith_ 124 - - _Of a temporary Faith_ 124 - -_Saving Faith explained_ 125 - - _Other graces are joined with it_ 99 - - _But that alone justifies_ _ibid._ - - _How it justifies a sinner_ 98 - - _A note_ 110 - - _It brings in a plea_ 107 - - _What it pleads_ _ibid._ - - _How imputed for righteousness_ 112 - - _Its various objects and acts_ 125 - - _A note_ 126 - - _By Faith we receive Christ_ 127 - - _And give up ourselves to him_ 129 - - _What this supposes_ 130 - - _A note_ 128 - - _Its assent and trust considered_ 119 - - _Of trust in Christ_ 121 - - _Its direct and reflex acts_ 132 - - _When strong, when weak_ 135 - - _Its use in the conduct of life_ 138 - - _How it works in common actions_ 138 - - _How in religious duties_ 140 - - _How it excites other graces_ 141 - - _How to be attained and increased_ 142 - - _How wrought by the word_ 134 - - -QUEST. LXXIV. Of Adoption 148 - - -_This Adoption differs from Man’s_ 145 - - _What is understood by sons of God_ 144 - -_Believers God’s sons in Christ_ 146 - - _Their privileges as such_ 147 - - _Privileges consequent upon Adoption_ 149 - -_How it agrees with justification_ 151 - - _How with sanctification_ 152 - - -QUEST. LXXV. Of Sanctification 152 - - -_The meaning of the word Sanctify_ 152 - - _In Sanctification the soul devoted to God_ 154 - - _And sin mortified_ _ibid._ - -_Proper means of mortification_ 155 - - _Wrong methods taken for it_ 159 - - _Vivification, what it imports_ 159 - -_Holiness, motives to it_ 160 - - _How it differs from moral virtue_ 161 - -_Heathens have, in some things, excelled Christians_ 163 - - _And yet were not sanctified_ _ibid._ - -_Practical inferences from Sanctification_ 165 - - -QUEST. LXXVI. Of Repentance unto life 166 - - - _Repentance what, a note_ 167 - - _The subjects of it_ 167 - - _It is the work of the Holy Spirit_ 169 - - _How wrought by the word_ 169 - - _It differs from a legal Repentance_ 172 - - _Its various acts_ 173 - - _Inferences from this doctrine_ 175 - - -QUEST. LXXVII. Wherein Justification and Sanctification differ 176 - - -QUEST. LXXVIII. Of the Imperfection of Sanctification in this life 178 - - -_The proof of this Imperfection_ 179 - -_Why Sanctification not perfected at once_ 182 - -_Wherein this Imperfection appears_ 183 - -_The conflict of a renewed soul_ 186 - - _Of an enlightened conscience_ 184 - - _Of the spirit against the flesh_ 187 - - _How this is maintained_ 188 - -_Consequences when sin prevails_ 190 - -_Inferences from this Imperfection_ 192 - - -QUEST. LXXIX. Of the saints Perseverance in Grace 194 - - -_This doctrine explained_ 197 - - _Preferable to the contrary_ 195 - - _The Father and the Son glorified by it_ 216 - - _The saints kept by God’s power_ 199 - -_This doctrine proved_ - - _From God’s unchangeable love_ 201 - - _From the covenant of Grace_ 202 - - _From the promises_ 203 - - _An objection answered_ 204 - - _From the saints union to Christ_ 207 - - _From Christ’s intercession_ 209 - - _From the Spirit’s indwelling_ 210 - - _From_ 2 Tim. ii. 19. 217 - -_How the saints cannot sin_ 212 - -_The principle of Grace ever abides_ 213 - -_Shipwreck made of doctrines_ 218 - - _Not of the Grace of faith_ 219 - -_Objections answered, taken_ - - _From instances of apostacy_ 220 - - Solomon’s _case cleared_ 221 - - _He was a true penitent_ 222 - - _Therefore no apostate_ 224 - - _From the apostacy of_ Judas 225 - - _And of the_ Jewish _church_ 226 - - _From the parable of the debtor_ 238 - - _From_ Ezek. xviii. 24. 227 - - Heb. x. 38. 229 - - Chap. vi. 4-6. 232 - - Chap. x. 29. 234 - - 2 Pet. ii. 20-22. 237 - - 1 Cor. ix. 27. 240 - -_Inferences from the saints’ Perseverance_ 241 - - -QUEST. LXXX. Of Assurance of Salvation 243 - - -_What we are to understand by it_ 243 - - _It is attainable in this life_ 245 - - _Without extraordinary revelation_ 247 - -_The Spirit promised, to give it_ 250 - - _In an ordinary way_ 251 - - _How it arises from his witness_ 266 - -_This doctrine savours not of Enthusiasm_ 252 - -_To whom assurance belongs_ 253 - - _The means of attaining it_ 254 - - _Self examination a duty_ 256 - - _How to be performed_ _ibid._ - -_Rule for trying marks of grace_ 259 - - _Uncertain marks of grace_ 260 - - _True marks of grace_ 262 - -_What they must do who know not the time of their conversion_ 263 - - -QUEST. LXXXI. Some true believers destitute of Assurance 268 - - -_What Assurance essential to faith_ 270 - - _And what not so_ _ibid._ - -_Texts relating to this explained_ 271 - -_Assurance may be long waited for_ 272 - - _Lost by manifold distempers_ 273 - - _By sins and temptations_ 274 - -_Deserted believers want Assurance_ 276 - - _Yet supported by God_ _ibid._ - -_Inference from this subject_ 278 - - -QUEST. LXXXII, LXXXIII. Of Communion in glory with Christ enjoyed in -this life 279 - - -_Saints have an earnest of glory_ 280 - -_Wherein this consisteth_ 283 - -_Of the vision of God by faith_ 284 - -_The triumphant death of some saints_ 285 - -_Sinners filled with wrath here_ 288 - - _Inferences from those terrors_ 290 - - _And from the saints present joy_ 291 - - -QUEST. LXXXIV, LXXXV. Of Death 292 - - -_Death, the appointment of God_ 293 - - _Redounds to the saints advantage_ 297 - - _Its empire universal_ 294 - - _Its time uncertain_ 295 - - _Its sting is sin_ 297 - - _How it should be improved_ 295 - - _Its effects on the Spirit, a note_ 300 - - -QUEST. LXXXVI. Of the saints Communion with Christ in glory after death -301 - - -_Of the immortality of the soul_ 302 - - _How this is to be understood_ _ibid._ - - _Asserted by some Heathens_ 303 - - _Denied or questioned by others_ 304 - - _Proved from scripture_ 307 - - _Objections answered_ 310 - -_A note_ 311 - -_The saints perfected at death_ 312 - -_Of purgatory_ 313 - - _No proof for it in scripture_ 314 - -_Heaven the only paradise after death_ 316 - -_Of the soul’s sleeping at death_ 318 - - _How this notion is explained_ 320 - - _How to be opposed_ _ibid._ - - _Proved to be false from scripture_ 321 - -_The soul, at death, waits for the full redemption of the body_ 324 - -_The miseries which the souls of the wicked shall then endure_ 325 - - -QUEST. LXXXVII. Of the doctrine of the Resurrection 326 - - -_The Resurrection not contrary to reason_ 328 - - _Clearly revealed in scripture_ 329 - -_Fabulous accounts, by Heathens, of persons raised from the dead_ 330 - - _Certain accounts of it in scripture_ 330 - -_The Resurrection proved_ - - _From the Old Testament_ 332 - - _An emblem of it in_ Ezek. xxxvii. 1, _& seq._ 335 - - _From_ Job xix. 25-27. 337 - - _From_ Chap. xiv. 13-15. 339 - - _From_ Dan. xii. 2. 340 - - _The_ Jews _belief of it_ 335 - - Abraham’s _belief of it_ 341 - - _From the New Testament_ 342 - - _From scripture-consequences_ 345 - - _From Christ’s dominion_ 346 - - _Objections answered_ 348 - -_The Resurrection universal_ 353 - - Jews _speak obscurely of it_ 355 - -_The saints shall be raised in glory_ 356 - - _How raised by the Spirit_ 357 - -_The saints found alive at Christ’s coming shall be changed_ 356 - - -QUEST. LXXXVIII. Of the general and final Judgment 359 - - -_A sense of it impressed on conscience_ 360 - - _Christ shall be the Judge_ 362 - - _The solemnity of his appearing_ 363 - - _The manner of his proceeding_ 367 - -_The persons to be judged_ 365 - - _Fallen angels, and all men_ 366 - -_The place of Judgment_ 372 - - _The time of it_ 373 - - _The matter of it_ 369 - -_Whether the sins of the saints shall be published_ 371 - -_Practical inferences_ 374 - - -QUEST. LXXXIX. Of the Punishment of the wicked 376 - - -_The punishment of sin in hell_ 377 - - _Of loss, and sense_ 378 - - _Its degree and duration_ 379 - -_How these subjects should be insisted on_ 381 - - -QUEST. XC. Of the Privileges and Honours of the saints at the last day -382 - - -_They shall be acknowledged and acquitted_ 383 - - _They shall judge the world, and angels_ 384 - - _What meant thereby; quære tamen._ _ibid._ - -_They shall be received into heaven_ 387 - -_Whether known to one another there_ 393 - -_They shall be freed from sin and misery_ 388 - - _Made perfectly happy_ 389 - - _And joined with angels_ _ibid._ - -_Their happiness shall be eternal_ 399 - -_Of the language of heaven_ 390 - -_Of the beatific vision and fruition of God_ 399 - -_A note_ 394, 397 - -_Of degrees of the heavenly glory_ 399 - -_Whether any additions shall be made thereunto_ 399 - -_Inferences from the heavenly happiness_ 403 - - -QUEST. XCI, XCII. - - - _Of man’s obligation to obedience_ 405 - - _Note on the foundation of moral obligation_ 405 - - _God’s revealed will a law_ 408 - - -QUEST. XCIII, XCIV, XCV, XCVI, XCVII. Of the Moral Law 409 - - -_What it is_ 410 - - _What obedience it requires_ 411 - -_Its sanction_ 412 - -_Its use to all men_ 413 - - _To the unregenerate_ 414 - - _To the regenerate_ 415 - -Antinomians, _who are such_ 418 - -_Unguarded expressions hurtful_ 420 - - -QUEST. XCVIII. The Moral Law, where summarily comprehended 421 - - -_Of the law given from mount_ Sinai 421 - - _Of the judicial law_ 422 - - _Of the ceremonial law_ 423 - -_Holy places, with the vessels thereof_ 424 - -_Of ministers in holy things_ 426 - -_Of holy times or festivals_ 427 - - -QUEST. XCIX. Rules for the understanding the Ten Commandments 428 to 431 - - -QUEST. C, CI, CII. The Sum of the Ten Commandments 432 - - -_The preface to them_ 432 - -_Their division into two tables_ 433 - -_Remarks on their subject-matter_ 434 - -_The sum of the first four_ _ibid._ - - -QUEST. CIII, CIV. The Duties required in the First Commandment 435 to -438 - - -QUEST. CV, CVI. The Sins forbidden in the First Commandment 438 - - -_Of atheistical thoughts_ 439 - -_Of idolatry. The origin of it_ 443 - -_Of heart-idolatry_ 447 - - _In idolizing self_ _ibid._ - - _In loving the world_ 448 - - _In regarding the dictates of Satan_ 449 - -_Of the case of the witch of_ Endor 451 - -Joseph _no sorcerer_ 452 - -Moses _no astrologer_ 454 - - _But learned in all the wisdom of_ Egypt _ibid._ - - -QUEST. CVII, CVIII, CIX, CX. An Explication of the Second Commandment -455 - - -_The duties required_ 456 - -_The sins forbidden_ 459 - -_The reasons annexed_ 465 - -_Of Popish superstition_ 460 - - _Of making to ourselves images_ 461 - - _Of image-worship and idolatry_ 462 - - _The Papists guilty of both_ _ibid._ - - -QUEST. CXI, CXII, CXIII, CXIV. An Explication of the Third Commandment -466 - - -_The duties required in it_ 468 - -_The sins forbidden in it_ 469 - -_The reasons annexed to it_ 476 - -_Of religious oaths_ 472 - - _Various forms used therein_ 471 - - _Swearing by God’s Name a duty_ 470 - -_Of profane oaths and curses_ 470 - -_When God’s Name is taken in vain_ 473 - - -QUEST. CXV, CXVI. An Explication of the Fourth Commandment 477 - - -_The sabbath. Its original institution_ 482 - - _A note_ _ibid._ - - _In what respect moral_ 478 - - _In what positive_ 479 - - _Its morality proved_ 480 - - _Objections answered_ 481 - - _Was no ceremonial institution_ 481 - - _Its change proved_ 486 - - _From the example of Christ_ 488 - -_Objections answered_ 488 - - _From the practice of the Apostles_ 491 - - _And of the Christian church_ 494 - -_The proportion of time to be observed_ 495 - - -QUEST. CXVII, CXVIII. Of sanctifying the Sabbath or Lord’s-day 497 - - -_The duties preparatory for it_ 497 - -_The rest required upon that day_ 500 - - _Works of necessity then lawful_ 502 - -_The whole day to be sanctified_ 505 - -_The duties of the evening of that day_ 506 - - -QUEST. CXIX, CXX, CXXI. Of Sins forbidden in the Fourth Commandment 508 - - - _The omission of holy duties_ 509 - - _A careless performance of them_ _ibid._ - -_The reasons annexed to this Commandment_ 510 - - _Objections answered_ 511 - -_The import of the word_ Remember 512 - - _Inferences_ 513 - - -QUEST. CXXII. The Sum of the six Commandments, respecting our duty to -man; or, of doing as we would be done by 514 - - -QUESTIONS CXXIII, CXXIV, CXXV, CXXVI, CXXVII, CXXVIII. An Explication of -the Fifth Commandment 517 - - -_Relations, how founded_ 518 - - _Duties of each differ_ _ibid._ - - _Superiors, why called fathers_ _ibid._ - -_Duties of inferiors to superiors_ 520 - - _Of children to parents_ _ibid._ - - _Of servants to masters_ 523 - - _Of subjects to magistrates_ 525 - -_The necessity and advantage of civil government_ 524 - -_Papists arguments for deposing princes, answered_ 526 - -_The sins of inferiors_ 529 - - -QUESTIONS CXXIX, CXXX, CXXXI, CXXXII, CXXXIII. The Duties of superiors, -_&c._ 530 - - -_The duties of parents to their children_ 531 - - _Of masters to servants_ 533 - - _Of magistrates to subjects_ 534 - -_The sins of superiors_ _ibid._ - -_The duties of equals_ 535 - -_The sins of equals_ 536 - -_Reasons annexed to this Commandment_ _ibid._ - -_Of the promise of long life_ 537 - - _Old age how far to be desired_ 538 - - -QUEST. CXXXVII, CXXXV, CXXXVI. An Explication of the Sixth Commandment -539 - - -_The life of others to be preserved_ 540 - - _When lawful to take it away_ 541 - -_Of duels_ 542 - -Elijah _not guilty of murder_ 543 - - _Nor_ Abraham _in offering_ Isaac 544 - - _Nor_ Moses _in killing the_ Egyptian 545 - -_Self-murder a great sin_ _ibid._ - - _Whether_ Samson _was guilty of it_ 546 - -_God’s judgments on murderers_ 547 - -_Sinful anger is heart-murder_ 548 - -_Passionate men, their sin and guilt_ 549 - - _How to be dealt with_ 550 - - - - - THE _DOCTRINES_ OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION EXPLAINED AND DEFENDED. - - - Quest. LXV., LXVI. - - - QUEST. LXV. _What special benefits do the members of the invisible - church enjoy by Christ?_ - - ANSW. The members of the invisible church, by Christ, enjoy union - and communion with him in grace and glory. - - QUEST. LXVI. _What is that union which the elect have with Christ?_ - - ANSW. The union which the elect have with Christ, is the work of - God’s grace, whereby they are spiritually and mystically, yet really - and inseparably joined to Christ, as their head and husband, which - is done in their effectual calling. - -We have, in the foregoing part of this work, considered man as made -upright at first; but not continuing in that state, plunged into those -depths of sin and misery, which would have rendered his state altogether -desperate, without the interposition of a Mediator; whose designation to -this work, his fitness for, and faithful discharge thereof, have been -particularly considered in several foregoing answers, wherein we have -had an account of his Person as God-man; his offices of Prophet, Priest, -and King, his twofold estate, to wit, of humiliation and exaltation; and -the benefits which accrue to the church thereby. This church has also -been considered as _visible_ or _invisible_; and the former of these, as -enjoying many privileges which respect, more especially, the ordinary -means of salvation. - -We are now led to consider the benefits which the members of the -_invisible_ church, to wit, the whole number of the elect, who have -been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ, their head, -enjoy by him. And these are contained in two general heads; namely, -union and communion with him in grace and glory; which comprise in them -the blessings of both worlds, as the result of their relation to, and -interest in him. First, they are united to him, and then made partakers -of his benefits. All grace imparted to us here, is the result thereof; -as the apostle says, _Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made -unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption_, -1 Cor. i. 30. And elsewhere our Saviour says, _He that abideth in me, -and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit_, John xv. 5. And the -contrary hereunto is inconsistent with the exercise of any grace: -_Without me ye can do nothing_. - -Moreover, that communion which the saints have with Christ in glory, -whereby they who are brought to a state of perfection, participate of -those graces and comforts which flow from their continued union with -him; and the first fruits, or foretastes of glory, which they have in -this world, are also founded on it. Thus the apostle calls Christ in his -people, _The hope of glory_, Colos. i. 27. and speaking of his giving -eternal life to them, he considers them as being _in his hand_, from -whence _none shall pluck them out_, John x. 28. or separate them from -him. So that they shall enjoy everlasting happiness with him, inasmuch -as they shall _be found in him_, Phil. iii. 9. which leads us more -particularly to consider, - -What this union with Christ is. The scripture often speaks of Christ’s -being, or abiding in his people, and they in him; and assigns it as an -evidence of their interest in the blessings he has purchased for them: -and, indeed, it is from hence that all internal and practical godliness -is derived. - -This privilege argues infinite condescension in him, and tends to the -highest advancement of those who are the subjects thereof. Now that we -may understand what is intended thereby, let us take heed that we do not -include in it any thing that tends to extenuate it on the one hand; or -to exalt those who are made partakers of it above the station or -condition into which they are brought thereby, on the other. - -It is not sufficient to suppose that this union contains in it no more -than that his people have the same kind of nature with him, as being -made _partakers of flesh and blood_; he having _himself taken part of -the same_, Heb. ii. 14. He is indeed allied to us, as having all the -essential perfections of our nature: and this was an instance of -infinite condescension in him, and absolutely necessary to our -redemption: nevertheless, this similitude of nature; abstracted from -other considerations, accompanying or flowing from his incarnation, -contains in it no other idea of union, between Christ and his people, -than that which they have with one another; nor is it a privilege -peculiar to believers, since Christ took on him the same human nature -that all men have, though with a peculiar design of grace to those whom -he came to redeem. This I the rather take notice of, because the -Socinians, and others, that speak of this privilege, inasmuch as it is -often mentioned in scripture, appear to have very low thoughts of it, -when they suppose nothing more than this to be intended thereby. - -Again, this union includes in it more than what is contained in that -mutual love that is between Christ and believers, in that sense in which -there is an union of affection between those who love one another; as it -is said, _The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David; and -Jonathan loved him as his own soul_, 1 Sam. xviii. 1. In which respect -believers are united to one another; or, as the apostle expresses it, -their hearts are _knit together in love_, Col. ii. 2. _being like -minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind_, Phil. -ii. 2. or, as he adds, _Let this mind also be in you, which was also in -Christ Jesus_, ver. 5. I say it includes more than this, which is rather -the fruit and consequence of our union with Christ, than that wherein it -principally consists. - -Moreover we must take heed that we do not, in explaining this union -between Christ and believers, include more in it than what belongs to -creatures infinitely below him, to whom they are said to be united: -therefore we cannot but abhor the blasphemy of those who speak of an -essential union of creatures with God; or, as though they had hereby -something derived to them in common with Christ the great Mediator.[1] - -But passing by this method of accounting for the union between Christ -and believers, there are two senses in which it is taken in scripture; -one is, that which results from Christ’s being their federal head, -representative, or surety; having undertaken to deal with the justice of -God in their behalf, so that what he should do, as standing in this -relation to them, should be placed to their account, as much as though -it had been done by them in their own persons: this is what contains in -it their concern in the covenant of grace, made with him in their -behalf; of which something has been said under a foregoing answer;[2] -and it is the foundation of their sins being imputed to him, and his -righteousness to them; which will be farther considered, when we treat -of the doctrine of justification under a following answer.[3] - -Therefore this union with Christ, which is mentioned in the answer we -are now explaining, is of another nature, and, in some respects, may be -properly styled a _vital union_, as all spiritual life is derived from -it; or a _conjugal union_, as it is founded in consent, and said to be -by faith. Now there are two things observed concerning it. - -1. It is expressed by our being spiritually and mystically joined to -Christ: it is styled a _spiritual_ union, in opposition to those gross -and carnal conceptions which persons may entertain concerning things -being joined together in a natural way; and, indeed, whatever respects -salvation is of a spiritual nature. - -It is moreover called a _mystical_ union, which is the word most used by -those who treat on this subject; and the reason is, because the apostle -calls it _a great mystery_, Eph. v. 32. by which we are not to -understand the union there is between man and wife, as contained in the -similitude by which he had before illustrated this doctrine, as the -Papists pretend,[4] but the union that there is between Christ and his -church. And it is probably styled _a mystery_, because it could never -have been known without divine revelation: and as Christ’s -condescension, expressed herein, can never be sufficiently admired; so -it cannot be fully comprehended by us. This is such a nearness to him, -and such a display of love in him _as passeth knowledge_. However, there -are some similitudes used in scripture to illustrate it. As, - -(1.) The union that there is between the _vine_ and the _branches_, John -xv. 1, 2, 5. whereby life, nourishment, growth and fruitfulness are -conveyed to them: in like manner all our spiritual life together, with -the exercise and increase of grace, depend on our union with, abiding -in, and deriving what is necessary thereunto, from him. - -(2.) It is also compared to the union there is between the _head_ and -_members_, as the apostle farther illustrates it, when he styles _him -the head, from which all the body, by joints and bands, having -nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase -of God_, Col. ii. 19. which is a very beautiful similitude, whereby we -are given to understand, that as the head is the fountain of life and -motion to the whole body, as the nerves and animal spirits take their -rise from thence, so that if the communication that there is between -them and it, be stopped, the members would be useless, dead, and -insignificant: so Christ is the fountain of spiritual life and motion, -to all those who are united to him. - -(3.) This union is farther illustrated, by a similitude taken from that -union which there is between the foundation and the building; and -accordingly Christ is styled, in scripture, _the chief corner stone_, -Eph. ii. 20. and a _sure foundation_, Isa. xxviii. 16. And there is -something peculiar in that phrase which the apostle uses, which is more -than any similitude can express; when he speaks of Christ as the _living -stone_, or rock, on which the church is built; and of believers, as -_lively stones_, 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5. to denote, that they are not only -supported and upheld by him, as the building is by the foundation, but -enabled to put forth living actions, as those whose life is derived from -this union with him. - -(4.) There is another similitude taken from that nourishment which the -body receives, by the use of food; and therefore our Saviour styles -himself the _bread of life_, or the _bread which cometh down from -heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die_; and proceeds to speak -of his _giving his flesh for the life of the world_; and adds, _he that -eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him_, -John vi. 48-56. - -(5.) There is another similitude, by which our being united to Christ by -faith, is more especially illustrated, taken from the union which there -is between man and wife; accordingly this is generally styled, a -conjugal union, between Christ and believers. Thus the prophet says, -_Thy Maker is thine Husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy -Redeemer, the holy One of Israel_, Isa. liv. 5. And the apostle, -speaking of a man’s _leaving his father and mother, and being joined -unto his wife, and they two being one flesh_, Eph. v. 31, 32. applies -it, as was before observed, to the union that there is between Christ -and the church; and adds, that _we are members of his body, of his -flesh, and of his bones_, ver. 30. which expression, if not compared -with other scriptures, would be very hard to be understood; but it may -be explained by the like phraseology, used elsewhere. Thus, when God -formed Eve at first, and brought her to Adam, and thereby joined them -together in a conjugal relation: he says upon this occasion, _This is -now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh_, Gen. ii. 23. And we find -also, that other relations, which are more remote than this, are -expressed by the same mode of speaking. Thus Laban says to Jacob, -_Surely thou art my bone and my flesh_, Gen. xxix. 14. And Abimelech -pleading the relation he stood in to the men of Shechem, as a pretence -of his right to reign over them, tells them, _I am your bone and your -flesh_, Judges ix. 2. Therefore the apostle makes use of the same -expression, agreeably to the common mode of speaking used in scripture, -to set forth the conjugal relation which there is between Christ and -believers. - -The apostle, indeed, elsewhere alters the phrase, when he says, _He that -is joined to the Lord is one Spirit_, 1 Cor. vi. 17. which is so -difficult an expression, that some who treat on this subject, though -concluding that there is in it something that denotes the intimacy and -nearness of this union, and more than what is contained in the other -phrase, of their _being one flesh_, nevertheless, reckon it among those -expressions which are inexplicable; though I cannot but give into the -sense in which some understand it; namely, that inasmuch as the same -Spirit dwells in believers that dwelt in Christ, though with different -views and designs, they are hereby wrought up, in their measure, to the -same temper and disposition; or as it is expressed elsewhere, _The same -mind_ is in them _that_ was _in Christ_, Phil. ii. 5. which is such an -effect of this conjugal relation that there is between him and them, as -is not always the result of the same relation amongst men. The reason -why I call this our being united to Christ, by faith, is because it is -founded in a mutual consent; as _the Lord avouches them_ on the one -hand, _to be his people_, so they, on the other hand, _avouch him to be -their God_, Deut. xxvi. 17, 18. the latter of which is, properly -speaking, an act of faith; whereby they give up themselves to be his -servants, to all intents and purposes, and that for ever. - -It is farther observed in this answer. That union with Christ is a work -of God’s grace: this it must certainly be, since it is the spring and -fountain from whence all acts of grace proceed; and indeed, from the -nature of the thing, it cannot be otherwise: for if there be a wonderful -instance of condescending grace in God’s conferring those blessings that -accompany salvation; this may much more be deemed so. If Christ be -pleased to _dwell_ with, and _in_ his people, and to _walk_ _in_ them, 2 -Cor. vi. 16. or as it is said elsewhere, to _live in them_, Gal. ii. 20. -as a pledge and earnest of their being forever with him in heaven; and -if, as the result hereof, they be admitted to the greatest intimacy with -him; we may from hence take occasion to apply what was spoken by one of -Christ’s disciples, to him, with becoming humility and admiration; _how -is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?_ -John xiv. 22. Is it not a great instance of grace, that the Son of God -should make choice of so mean an habitation, as that of the souls of -sinful men; and not only be present with, but united to them in those -instances which have been before considered? - -2. It is farther observed in this answer, that we are united to Christ -in effectual calling; which leads us to consider what is contained in -the two following answers. - -Footnote 1: - - _The first that seems to use this unsavoury mode of speaking, is - Gregory Nazianzen; who did not consider how inconsistent some of those - rhetorical ways of speaking, he seems fond of, are with that doctrine, - which, in other parts of his writings, he maintained. Those words_ - Χριστοποιειν, _and_ θεοποιειν, _which he sometimes uses to express the - nature, or consequence of this union between Christ and believers, are - very disgustful. In one place of his writings, (Vid. ejusd. Orat. 41.) - exhorting Christians to be like Christ, he says, That because he - became like unto us_, γενωμεθα Θεοι δι αυτον, efficiamur Dii propter - ipsum; _and elsewhere, (in Orat. 35. de Folio.) he says_, Hic homo - Deus effectus postea quam cum Deo coaluit ἱνα γενωμαι τοσουτον θεος - ὁσον εκ εινοc ανθρωπος εγενηθη, ut ipse quoque tantum Deus efficiar - quantum ipse homo. _And some modern writers have been fond of the same - mode of speaking, especially among those who, from their mysterious - and unintelligible mode of expressing themselves, have rather exposed - than defended the doctrines of the gospel. We find expressions of the - like nature in a book put forth by Luther, which is supposed to be - written by Taulerus, before the Reformation, called Theologia - Germanica, and some others, since that time, such as Parcelsus, - Swenckfelt, Weigelius, and those enthusiasts, that have adhered to - their unintelligible and blasphemous modes of speaking._ - -Footnote 2: - - _See Vol. II. Quest. 31. page 167._ - -Footnote 3: - - _Quest. 70._ - -Footnote 4: - - _This is the principal, if not the only scripture, from which they - pretend to prove marriage to be a sacrament, and they argue thus. The - Greek church had no other word to express what was afterwards called a - sacrament by the Latin church, but_ μυστηριον, a mystery: _therefore - since the apostle calls marriage, as they suppose, a mystery, they - conclude that it is a sacrament; which is a very weak foundation for - inserting it among those sacraments which they have added to them that - Christ had instituted; for the sacraments are no where called - mysteries in scripture: and therefore we are not to explain doctrines - by words which were not used till some ages after the apostles’ time: - and if there were any thing in their argument_, viz. _that that which - is called a mystery in scripture, must needs be a sacrament, it does - not appear that the apostle calls marriage_ a great mystery, _but the - union that there is between Christ and his church; as he expressly - says in the following words_; I speak concerning Christ and the - church. - - - - - Quest. LXVII., LXVIII. - - - QUEST. LXVII. _What is effectual calling?_ - - ANSW. Effectual calling is the work of God’s almighty power and - grace; whereby, out of his free and special love to his elect, and - from nothing in them moving him thereunto, he doth, in his accepted - time, invite and draw them to Jesus Christ by his word and Spirit, - savingly enlightening their minds, renewing, and powerfully - determining their wills; so as they, although in themselves dead in - sin, are hereby made willing and able, freely to answer his call, - and to accept and embrace the grace offered and conveyed therein. - - QUEST. LXVIII. _Are the elect effectually called?_ - - ANSW. All the elect, and they only, are effectually called; although - others may be, and often are, outwardly called by the ministry of - the word, and have some common operations of the Spirit; who, for - their wilful neglect and contempt of the grace offered to them, - being justly left in their unbelief, do never truly come to Jesus - Christ. - -We have, in these answers, an account of the first step that God takes, -in applying the redemption purchased by Christ; which is expressed, in -general, by the word _calling_; whereby sinners are invited, commanded, -encouraged, and enabled, to come to Christ, in order to their being made -partakers of his benefits: the apostle styles it an _high_, _holy_, and -_heavenly calling_, Phil. iii. 14. 2 Tim. i. 9. Heb. iii. 1. and a being -_called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord_, 1 Cor. i. -8. Herein we are _called out of darkness into his marvellous light_, 1 -Pet. ii. 9. and _to his eternal glory by Jesus Christ_, chap. v. 10. -And, indeed, the word is very emphatical: For, - -1. A call supposes a person to be separate, or at a distance from him -that calls him; and it contains an intimation of leave to come into his -presence. Thus, in effectual calling, he who was departed from God, is -brought nigh to him. God, as it were, says to him, as he did to Adam, -when flying from him, and dreading nothing so much as his presence, when -apprehending himself exposed to the stroke of his vindictive justice, -_Where art thou?_ Gen. iii. 9. which is styled, _God’s calling unto -him_. Or, it is like as when a traveller is taking a wrong way, and in -danger of falling into some pit, or snare; and a kind friend calls after -him to return, and sets him in the right way: thus God calls to sinners, -or says, as the prophet expresses it; _Thine ears shall hear a word -behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it; when ye turn to the -right hand, and when ye turn to the left_. - -2. Herein God deals with men as reasonable creatures; which is by no -means to be excluded from our ideas of the work of grace; though this -work contain in it some superior, or supernatural methods of acting, in -order to bring it about; yet we may be under a divine influence, as -turning to God, or effectually called by him, and accordingly acted by a -supernatural principle; and at the same time our understandings, or -reasoning powers, not rendered useless, but enlightened or improved -thereby; by which means, every thing that we do, in obedience to the -call of God, appears to be most just and reasonable. This gives no -ground for any one to conclude, that, according to our method of -explaining this doctrine, we lay ourselves open to the absurd -consequence fastened upon it; as though God dealt with us as stocks and -stones: but more of this may be considered under a following head. - -We now proceed, more particularly, to consider the subject-matter of -these two answers; wherein we have an account of the difference between -the _external_ call of the gospel, which is explained in the latter of -them, and the _internal_, saving, and powerful call, which is justly -termed _effectual_; and is considered in the former of them. And, - -_First_, Concerning the outward and common call, together with the -persons to whom it is given; the design of God in giving it, and also -the issue thereof, with respect to a great number of those who are said -to be called. - -The reason why we choose to insist on this common call, in the first -place, is because it is antecedent, and made subservient to the other in -the method of the divine dispensation; inasmuch as we are first favoured -with the word and ordinances, and then they are made effectual to -salvation. - -1. Therefore we shall consider what we are to understand by this common -call. - -It is observed, that it is by the ministry of the word, in which Christ -is set forth in his person and offices, and sinners are called to come -to him; and in so doing, to be made partakers of the blessings which he -has purchased. This is the sum and substance of the gospel-ministry; and -it is illustrated Matt. xxii. 1, & _seq._ by the parable of the -_marriage-feast_, which the _king made for his son, and sent his -servants_; by which is signified gospel-ministers, to _call_ or invite, -and therein to use all persuasive arguments to prevail with persons to -come to it: this is styled their being _called_. And the observation -made on persons refusing to comply with this call, when it is said, -_Many are called, but few are chosen_, ver. 14. plainly intimates, that -our Saviour here means no other than a common or ineffectual call. And -in another parable it is illustrated by an _householder’s hiring -labourers into his vineyard_, Matt. xx. 1, & _seq._ at several hours of -the day: some were hired early in the morning, at the _third hour_; -others at the _sixth_ and _ninth_; which denotes the gospel-call, that -the Jewish church had to come to Christ before his incarnation, under -the ceremonial law; and others were hired at the _eleventh_ hour, -denoting those who were called, at that time, by the ministry of Christ -and his disciples: that this was only a common and external call, is -evident, not only from the intimation that they, who had _borne the -burden and heat of the day_; that is, for many ages had been a -professing people, _murmured_, because others, who were called at the -eleventh hour, had an equal share in his regard; but also from what is -expressly said, (the words are the same with those wherewith the other -parable before-mentioned, is closed) _Many are called, but few are -chosen_, ver. 16. - -Moreover, the apostle intends this common call, when he speaks of some -who have been _called into the grace of Christ_; not called by the power -and efficacious grace of Christ, as denoting that the call was -effectual; but called, or invited to come and receive the grace of -Christ; or called externally, and thereby prevailed on to embrace the -doctrine of the grace of Christ: these are said to be _soon removed unto -another gospel_, Gal. i. 6. And elsewhere, chap. v. 7. he speaks of -some, who, when _the truth_, or the doctrines of the gospel, were first -presented to them, expressed, for a time, a readiness to receive it; -upon which account he says, _Ye did run well_, or, ye began well; but -yet they did not afterwards yield the obedience of faith, to that truth -which they seemed, at first, to have a very great regard: upon which -occasion the apostle says, _This persuasion cometh not of him that -calleth you_, ver. 8. - -They who express some regard to this call, are generally said to have -_common_ grace, as contradistinguished from others, who are under the -powerful, and efficacious influences of the Spirit, which are styled -_special_. The former of these are oftentimes under some impressive -influences by the common work of the Spirit, under the preaching of the -gospel; who, notwithstanding, are in an unconverted state; their -consciences are sometimes awakened, and they bring many charges and -accusations against themselves; and from a dread of the consequences -thereof, abstain from many enormous crimes, as well as practise several -duties of religion; they are also said to be made partakers of some -great degrees of restraining grace; and all this arises from no other -than the Spirit’s common work of conviction; as he is said, _to reprove -the world of sin_, John xvi. 8. - -These are styled, in this answer, the common operations of the Spirit: -they may be called operations, inasmuch as they contain in them -something more than God’s sending ministers to address themselves to -sinners, in a way of persuasion or arguing; for, the Spirit of God deals -with their consciences under the ministry of the word. It is true, this -is no more than common grace; yet it may be styled the Spirit’s work: -for though the call be no other than common, and the Spirit considered -as an external agent, inasmuch as he never dwells in the hearts of any -but believers, yet the effect produced, is internal in the mind and -consciences of men, and, in some degree, in the will; which is almost -persuaded to comply with it. These operations are sometimes called the -Spirit’s _striving with man_, Gen. vi. 3. but inasmuch as many of these -internal motions are said to be resisted and quenched, when persons -first act contrary to the dictates of their consciences, and afterwards -wholly extinguish them; therefore the Spirit’s work in those whom he -thus calls, is not effectual or saving; these are not united to Christ -by his Spirit, nor by faith; and this is generally styled common grace, -in speaking to which, we shall consider, - -(1.) That there are some things presented to us, in an objective way, -which contain the subject matter of the gospel, or that call, which is -given to sinners to pursue those methods, which, by divine appointment, -lead to salvation. As _faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word -of God_, Rom. x. 17. so do common convictions, and whatever carries in -it the appearance of grace in the unregenerate. In this respect God -deals with men as intelligent creatures, capable of making such -improvement of those instructions and intimations, as may tend, in many -respects, to their advantage. This must be supposed, or else the -preaching of the gospel could not be reckoned an universal blessing to -them who are favoured with it, abstracting from those saving advantages -which some are to receive hereby. This is here called the grace which is -offered to them, who are outwardly called, by the ministry of the word. - -Offers of grace, and invitations to come to Christ, are words used by -almost all who have treated on this subject: though some, of late, have -been ready to conclude, that these modes of speaking tend to overthrow -the doctrine we are maintaining; for they argue to this purpose; that an -overture, or invitation, supposes a power in him to whom it is given to -comply with it. Did I think this idea necessarily contained in these -words, I should rather choose to substitute others in the room of them: -however, to remove prejudices, or unjust representations, which the use -thereof may occasion, either here or elsewhere, I shall briefly give an -account of the reason why I use them, and what I understand thereby. If -it be said, This mode of speaking is not to be found in scripture; this, -it is true, should make us less tenacious of it. Nevertheless, it may be -used without just offence given, if it be explained agreeably -thereunto.[5] Therefore let it be considered, - -(2.) That the presenting an object, whatever it be, to the understanding -and will, is generally called, an _offering_ it; as God says to David, -from the Lord; _I offer thee three things, choose thee one of them_, &c. -1 Sam. xxiv. 12. So if God sets before us life and death, blessing and -cursing, and bids us choose which we will have; this is equivalent to -what is generally called, an offer of grace. - -And as for invitations to come to Christ, it is plain, that there are -many scriptures that speak to that purpose; namely, when it is said, _In -the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, -saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink_, John vii. -37. And, _Ho every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters_, Isa. lv. -1. And elsewhere Christ says, _Come unto me all ye that labour, and are -heavy laden, and I will give you rest_, Matt. xi. 28. And, _Let him that -is athirst come; and whosoever will, let him take of the water of life -freely_, Rev. xxii. 17. - -(3.) When an offer, or invitation to accept of a thing, thus objectively -presented to us, is made, it always supposes the valuableness thereof; -and how much it would be our interest to accept of it; and that it is -our indispensable duty so to do; which are the principal ideas that I -intend, in my sense of the word, when I speak of offers of grace in the -gospel, or invitations to come to Christ. Nevertheless, taking them in -this sense, does not necessarily infer a power in us to accept them, -without the assistance of divine grace: thus it may be said, that Christ -came into the world to save sinners; and that he will certainly apply -the redemption, which he has purchased, to all, for whom this price was -given; and also, that a right to salvation is inseparably connected with -faith and repentance; and that these, and all other graces are God’s -gifts; and that we are to pray, wait, and hope for them, under the -ministry of the word; and if we be, in God’s own time and way, enabled -to exercise these graces, this will be our unspeakable advantage: and -therefore it cannot but be our duty to attend upon God in all his holy -institutions, in hope of saving blessings: these things may be done; and -consequently the gospel may be thus preached, without supposing that -grace is in our own power: and this is what we principally intend by -gospel-overtures or invitations. - -(4.) Nevertheless we cannot approve of some expressions subversive of -the doctrine of special redemption, how moving and pathetic soever they -may appear to be; as when any one, to induce sinners to come to Christ, -tells them, that God is willing, and Christ is willing, and has done his -part, and the Spirit is ready to do his; and shall we be unwilling, and -thereby destroy ourselves? Christ has purchased salvation for us: the -Spirit offers his assistances to us; and shall we refuse these -overtures? Christ invites us to come to him, and leaves it to our -free-will, whether we will comply with, or reject these invitations: he -is, at it were, indeterminate, whether he shall save us or no, and -leaves the matter to our own conduct; we ought therefore to be persuaded -to comply with the invitation. This method of explaining offers of -grace, and invitations, to come to Christ, is not what we intend when we -make use of these expressions. - -2. We are now to consider the persons to whom this common call is given. -It is indefinite, not directed only to the elect, or those, with respect -to whom God designs to make it effectual to their salvation; for, -according to the commission which our Saviour gave to his apostles, the -gospel was to be preached to all nations, or to every creature in those -places to which it was sent: and the reason of this is obvious; namely, -because the counsel of God, concerning election, is secret, and not to -be considered as the rule of human conduct; nor are they, whom God is -pleased to employ in preaching the gospel, supposed to know whether he -will succeed their endeavours, by enabling those who are called, to -comply with it. - -3. We shall now shew how far the gospel-call may, without the superadded -assistance of special grace, be improved by men, in order to their -attaining some advantage by it, though short of salvation: this may be -done in two respects. - -(1.) Gross enormous crimes may hereby be avoided: this appears in many -unconverted persons, who not only avoid, but abhor them; being induced -hereunto by something in nature that gives an aversion to them. And it -may be farther argued, from the liableness of those who commit them, to -punishment in proportion to their respective aggravations; which must -either suppose in man, a power to avoid them: or else, the greatest -degree of punishment would be the result of a necessity of nature, and -not self-procured by any act of man’s will; though all suppose the will -to be free, with respect to actions that are sinful. It would be a very -poor excuse for the murderer to allege, that he could not govern his -passion, but was under an unavoidable necessity to take away the life of -another. Shall the man that commits those sins, which are contrary to -nature, say, That his natural temper and disposition is so much inclined -thereunto, that he could, by no means, avoid them? If our natural -constitution be so depraved and vitiated, that it leads us, with an -uncommon and impetuous violence, to those sins that we were not formerly -inclined to: whence does this arise, but from the habits of vice, being -increased by a wilful and obstinate continuance therein, and many -repeated acts which they have produced? and might not this, at least, in -some degree, have been avoided? We must distinguish between habits of -sin, that immediately flow from the universal corruption of nature, and -those that have taken deeper root in us, by being indulged, and exerting -themselves, without any endeavours used, to restrain and give a check to -them. - -And if it be supposed that our natures are more habitually inclined to -sin than once they were, might we not so far use the liberty of our -wills, as to avoid some things, which, we are sensible, will prove a -temptation to those particular acts thereof; whereby the corruption of -nature, that is so prone to comply with it, might be in some measure, -restrained, though not overcome: this may be done without converting -grace; and consequently some great sins may be avoided. To deny this, -would be not only to palliate, but open a door to all manner of -licentiousness. - -(2.) Man has a power to do some things that are materially good; though -not good in all those circumstances in which actions are good that -accompany or flow from regenerating grace. Ahab’s humility, 1 Kings xxi. -29. and Nineveh’s repentance, Jonah iii. 5. and seq. arose from the -dread they had of the divine threatenings; which is such an inducement -to repentance and reformation, as takes its rise from nothing more than -the influence of common grace. Herod himself, though a vile person, -_feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy: and when he -heard him, did many things, and heard him gladly_, Mark vi. 20. And the -Gentiles are said to _do by nature, the things_; that is, some things -_contained in the law_; insomuch that _they are a law unto themselves_, -Rom. ii. 14. Therefore they did them by the influence of common grace. -And these things, namely, abstaining from grosser sins, and doing some -actions materially good, have certainly some advantage attending them; -as thereby the world is not so much like hell as it would otherwise be: -and as to what respects themselves, a greater degree of punishment is -hereby avoided. - -3. We are now to consider the design of God in giving this common call -in the gospel, which cannot be the salvation of all who are thus called: -this is evident; because all shall not be saved; whereas, if God had -designed their salvation, he would certainly have brought it about; -since his purpose cannot be frustrated. To say that God has no -determinations relating to the success of the gospel, reflects on his -wisdom: and to conclude that things may happen contrary to his purpose, -argues a defect of power; as though he could not attain the ends he -designed: but this having before been insisted on, under the heads of -election and special redemption, I shall pass it by at present, and only -consider, that the ends which God designed in giving the gospel, were -such as were attained by it, namely, the salvation of those who shall -eventually be saved, the restraining of those who have only common -grace, and the setting forth the glorious work of redemption by Jesus -Christ; which, as it is the wonder of angels, who desire to look into -it; so it is hereby designed to be recommended as worthy of the highest -esteem, even in those who cast contempt on it: and hereby they are -convicted, who shut their eyes against, and neglect to behold that -glorious light which shines so brightly therein. - -_Object._ To this it is objected, that if Christ invites and calls men -to come to him, as he often does in the New Testament; and when they -refuse to do it, mentions their refusal with a kind of regret; as when -he says, _Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life_, John v. 40. -this, they suppose, is no other than an insult on mankind, a bidding -them come without the least design that they should; as if a magistrate -should go to the prison door, and tell the unhappy man, who is not only -under lock and key, but loaded with irons, that he would have him leave -that place of misery and confinement, and how much he should rejoice, if -he would come out; and upon that condition, propose to him several -honours that he has in reserve for him: this, say they, is not to deal -seriously with him. And if the offer of grace in the gospel, answers the -similitude, as they suppose it exactly does, then there is no need for -any thing farther to be replied to it; the doctrine confutes itself; as -it argues the divine dealings with men illusory. - -_Answ._ This similitude, how plausible soever it may appear to be to -some, is far from giving a just representation of the doctrine we are -maintaining: for when the magistrate is supposed to signify his desire -that the prisoner would set himself free, which he knows he cannot do; -hereby it is intimated, that though God knows that the sinner cannot -convert himself, yet he commands him to do it, or to put forth -supernatural acts of grace, though he has no principle of grace in him: -but let it be considered, that this God no where commands any to do.[6] -Our Saviour intends as much as this, when he speaks of the _tree’s being -made good_, before the fruit it produces can be so, Matt. xii. 33. or -that it is impossible for _men to gather grapes of thorns, or figs of -thistles_, chap. vii. 17. implying, that there must be an internal -disposition wrought, before any acts of grace can he put forth: this is -supposed in the preaching of the gospel, or the call to sinners to -repent and believe, which they have no reason to conclude that they can -do without the aids of divine grace, and these they are to wait, pray -and hope for, in all God’s instituted methods. - -Moreover, as for those promises which are made to us, if we would -release ourselves from the chains of sin, and the account given, how -much God would rejoice in our being set free, when the thing is, in -itself, impossible; this is no otherwise true than as it contains a -declaration of the connexion there is between conversion and salvation, -or freedom from the slavery of sin, and God’s conferring many spiritual -honours and privileges on those who are converted; not that it does, in -the least, denote that it is in our own power to convert ourselves: but -that this may be more clearly understood, we shall consider it with -relation to the two branches before mentioned, and so speak of God, -either as commanding, calling, and inviting men to do what is out of -their power, namely, to repent, and believe; or else, as holding forth -promises of that salvation which they shall not attain; because these -graces are out of their power, which contains the substance of what is -usually objected against the doctrine we are maintaining, by those who -are on the other side of the question; who suppose that this method of -procedure is illusory, and therefore unbecoming the divine perfections. -And, - -1. Concerning God’s commanding, calling, and inviting men to do what is -out of their own power; as for instance, bidding a dead man to arise, or -one that is blind to see, or those that are shut up in prison, to come -out from thence. This is to be explained, and then, perhaps, the -doctrine we are maintaining, will appear to be less exceptionable. We -have, elsewhere, in defending the head of particular redemption, against -an objection not much unlike to this, considered how Christ is said to -be offered in the gospel,[7] or in what sense the overture may be said -to be made to all that are favoured with it; and yet the efficacy -thereof, only extend to those whom Christ has redeemed, and shall be -effectually called. But that we may a little farther explain this -matter, let us consider, - -(1.) That the gospel contains a declaration, that God designs to save a -part of this miserable world; and, that in subserviency thereunto, he -has given them a discovery of Christ, as the object of faith, and the -purchaser and author of salvation. - -(2.) He does not therein give the least intimation to any, while in a -state of unregeneracy, that they shall be enabled to believe: and, as -the consequence thereof, be saved. Their names, characters, or places of -abode, or their natural embellishments, who shall attain this privilege, -are no where pointed at in scripture; nor is the book of God’s secret -purpose, concerning election to eternal life, opened, so as that any one -can discern his name written in it, before he be effectually called; for -we have no warrant to look any farther than God’s revealed will, which -assigns no evidence of our interest in the saving blessings of the -gospel, till they are experienced by us, in this effectual call. - -(3.) God plainly discovers to men, in the gospel, that all those graces, -which are inseparably connected with salvation, are his work and gift, -and consequently out of their own power; or that _it is not of him that -willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy_, Rom. -ix. 16. Therefore he no where tells the man, who _is tied and bound with -the chain of his sin_, that he is able to set himself free; but puts him -upon expecting and praying for it, from the _pitifulness of his great -mercy_. He no where tells him, that he can implant a principle of -spiritual life and grace in himself; or that he ought so much as to -attempt to do any thing to atone for his sins, by his obedience and -sufferings, but suggests the contrary, when he says, _Surely, shall one -say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength_, Isa. xlv. 24. - -(4.) He gives none the least ground to expect, or lay claim to -salvation, till they believe; and as faith and salvation are both his -gifts, he puts them upon seeking, and desiring them, in their respective -order; first grace, and then glory. - -(5.) The gospel-call is designed to put men upon a diligent attendance -on the ordinances, as means of grace, and to leave the issue and success -thereof to God, who _waits that he may be gracious_; that so his -sovereignty may appear more eminently in the dispensing this privilege; -and, in the mean time, assigns it as their duty to _wait for him_, chap. -xxx. 18. And while we are engaged in this duty, we are to acknowledge, -that we have nothing that can give us any right to this privilege. So -that God might justly deny success to his ordinances. Nevertheless, if -he is pleased to give us, while we are attending on them, those earnest -desires of their being made effectual to our conversion and salvation, -we may conclude this to be a token for good, that he designs us some -special advantage thereby; and we do not know but that even this desire -of grace may be the beginning of the Spirit’s saving work, and therefore -an earnest of his carrying it on. - -(6.) When God commands persons, in the gospel, to do those things which -cannot be performed without his special grace, he sometimes supposes -them, when he gives forth the command, to have a principle of spiritual -life and grace, which is, in effect to bid one that is made alive, to -put forth living actions; which respect, more especially, the progress -of grace after the work is begun; in which sense I understand those -words of the apostle, _Work out your salvation with fear and trembling; -for it is God which worketh; that is, hath wrought, in you both to will -and to do, of his good pleasure_, Phil. ii. 12. - -2. If we consider the gospel as holding forth promises of salvation, -when, at the same time, it is not in our power to exercise those graces -that accompany it; which gives farther occasion to those that except -against the doctrine we are maintaining, to conclude, that it represents -God as offering those blessings which he does not design to bestow: This -may give us occasion to explain what we mean, when we consider salvation -as offered in the gospel; whereby we understand nothing else but a -declaration, that all who repent and believe, shall be saved; which -contains a character, or description of the persons who have ground to -expect this privilege: not that salvation is founded on dubious and -uncertain conditions, which depend upon the power and liberty of our -will; or impossible conditions; as though God should say, if man will -change his own heart, and work faith, and all other graces in himself, -then he will save him: but all that we mean by it is, that those graces, -which are inseparably connected with salvation, are to be waited for in -our attendance on all God’s ordinances, and when he is pleased to work -them, then we may conclude, that we have a right to the promise of -salvation. Thus concerning the gospel-call, what it is, how far it may -be improved by those who are destitute of special grace, and what is -God’s design in giving it: we now proceed to consider, - -3. The issue and consequence thereof, as it is farther observed in this -answer, that many wilfully neglect, contemn, or refuse to comply with -it, with respect to whom it is not made effectual to their salvation. -This appears from the report that Christ’s disciples brought to him, -concerning the excuses that many made when called to come to the -marriage feast, in the parable: One pretended, that he had _bought a -piece of ground, and must needs go see it_; and another, that he had -_bought five yoke of oxen, and_ must _go to prove them_; and another -_had married a wife, and_ therefore _could not come_. It is elsewhere -said, that _they all made light of it, and went their ways; one to his -farm, another to his merchandise; and the remnant took his servants, and -entreated them spitefully, and slew them_, Luke xiv. 18-20. compared -with Matt. xxii. 5, 6. - -And the prophet introduces our Saviour himself as complaining, _I have -laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought_, Isa. xlix. 4, 5. -And the reason hereof is, because Israel is _not gathered_; which words -are to be understood in a comparative sense, as denoting the fewness of -those who complied with his gracious invitations, to come to him, or -were convinced, by the miracles which he wrought to confirm his -doctrine. - -This is also farther evident, from the small number of those who are -effectually prevailed upon under the gospel dispensation, which the -apostle calls _the grace of God that brings salvation, that hath -appeared to all men, teaching them to deny all ungodliness and worldly -lusts; and to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present -world_. And also, from the great opposition and hatred, which many -express to the person of Christ, who is the subject matter thereof; -which the prophet not only relates, as what was observed in his day, but -foretells, that in after-ages, a great part of mankind would not believe -the report made concerning him; but that he should be _despised and -rejected of men_, who would _hide_, as it were, _their faces from him_, -and _not esteem him_, Isa. liii. 1, 3. This is certainly the highest -contempt of the gospel; for it is an undervaluing the greatest -privileges, as though they were not worthy to be embraced, desired, or -sought after; and inasmuch as this is wilful, arising from the enmity of -the will of man against God, and the method of salvation which he has -prescribed therein, it has a tendency to provoke his wrath; so that -being justly left in their unbelief, they will not come to Christ, that -they may have life. And as they are judicially left to themselves, they -contract a greater degree of alienation from, and averseness to God, and -so never truly come to Jesus Christ; which is an awful and tremendous -consideration. - -This is the consequence of it, with respect to those who have only this -common call; and therefore we must not conclude, that it is sufficient -to salvation, unless there be an internal effectual call; and what this -is, will be considered under our next head; but before we enter thereon, -it is necessary for us to enquire, whether all, at least, those who sit -under the sound of the gospel, have sufficient grace given them, so as -that, by their own conduct, without the internal powerful influences of -the Spirit, they may attain to salvation. This argument is much insisted -on by those who adhere to the Pelagian scheme; and therefore we cannot -wholly pass it over: and for our setting this matter in a just light, -let it be considered; that every one must allow, that all who sit under -the sound of the gospel, have sufficient objective grace, or sufficient -external means, to lead them in the way of salvation; for to deny this, -would be to deny that the gospel is a perfect rule of faith: this -therefore is allowed on both sides; and we think nothing more is -intended, when God says, concerning the church of the Jews, _What could -have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it_, Isa. v. -4. - -But the question is, whether there be a sufficiency of power, or ability -in man; so that without the internal efficacious grace of God, -determining and inclining the will, to make a right improvement of it, -it may be sufficient to the salvation of those to whom it is given? This -is what we cannot but deny. Now, that the external means of grace are -not rendered effectual to the salvation of all who are favoured with -them, is evident; because, as was but now observed, many neglect and -contemn the gospel: and as to others who improve it, so that the means -of grace become effectual, it must be enquired; what it is that makes -them so? How comes it to pass, that the preaching thereof is styled, to -some, a savour of life, to others, a savour of death? The answer which -the Pelagians give to this, is, that they, in whom it is effectual, -render it so, by their improving the liberty of their will; so that they -choose what is represented in the gospel, as eligible, and refuse the -contrary. And if the question be asked, who maketh thee to differ from -another? they have, when disposed to speak agreeably to their own -scheme, this answer ready at hand, I make myself to differ; that is as -much as to say, I have a natural power of improving the means of grace, -without having recourse to God for any farther assistance, in a -supernatural way. - -It may easily be observed, that this supposition is greatly derogatory -to the glory of God; and renders all dependance on him, both to will and -to do, unnecessary: It supposes that we have sufficient ability to work -those graces in ourselves that accompany salvation; otherwise it is not -sufficient to salvation; and therefore it is contrary to all those -scriptures which speak of them as the work, or the effect of the -exceeding greatness of the power of God: which leads us to consider, - -_Secondly_, The doctrine of effectual calling, as contained in the -former of the answers, which we are explaining; in which we may observe, - -I. The character of those who are effectually called antecedent -thereunto. They have nothing that can recommend them to the divine -favour; for being considered as fallen, guilty creatures, they are not -only unable to make atonement for sin, but to do what is spiritually -good: thus the apostle represents them, _as without strength_, Rom. v. -6. which is the immediate consequence of man’s first apostacy from God; -and universal experience, proves that we have a propensity to every -thing that is evil, which daily increases: And to this we may add, that -the mind is blinded, the affections stupified, the will full of -obstinacy, the conscience disposed to deal treacherously, whereby we -deceive ourselves; so that the whole soul is out of order. The apostle -speaks of man _by nature_, as _dead in trespasses and sins, walking -according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the -power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of -disobedience; having their conversation in the lusts of the flesh, -fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and of the mind_, Eph. ii. 1-3. And -the prophet speaks of the _heart_ of man, as being _deceitful above all -things, and desperately wicked_, Jer. xvii. 9. And the apostle describes -some as ‘walking in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding -darkened, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance -that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who being past -feeling, have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all -uncleanness with greediness,’ Eph. iv. 17-19. and others, as being -‘filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, -maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, -whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, -inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, -covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful,’ -Rom. i. 29-31. This, indeed, is spoken of the Gentiles, who were -destitute of the means of grace, and had contracted greater degrees of -impiety than many others; but they, who are effectually called, would -have run into the same abominations, their natures being equally -inclined thereunto, without preventing grace; as some of the church of -Corinth are said to have done before their conversion, whom he speaks of -as once having been ‘unrighteous, fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, -effeminate, abusers of themselves with mankind, thieves; covetous, -drunkards, revilers, extortioners,’ 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10, 11. And elsewhere -he says, ‘We ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, -deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, -hateful, and hating one another,’ Tit. iii. 3. And the obstinacy and -perverseness of men, going on in a course of sin, is so great, that God -reproves a professing people, by telling them, that _their neck was as -an iron sinew, and their brow brass_, Isa. xlviii. 4. Thus they were, -before he _refined_ and _chose_ some of _them, in the furnace of -affliction_, ver. 10. From hence it evidently appears, that men are not -naturally inclined to comply with the gospel-call; but this is a -privilege conferred on them, when, by the Spirit, it is made effectual -to their salvation. - -_Objec._ It is objected, to what has been said concerning persons being -dead in sin, before they are effectually called; that that is no other -than a metaphorical expression; and therefore the sense thereof is not -to be strained so far as to suppose from hence, that they are altogether -without a power to do that which is spiritually good. - -_Answ._ When the state of men, before they are effectually called, -is styled, a death in sin, which is a metaphorical expression, we -must suppose, that there is a sense affixed to it, which, in some -respects, is adapted to those ideas that we have of the word. If -scripture-metaphors prove nothing, because the words are transferred -from their literal sense to some other that is intended thereby, we -shall be at the greatest loss to understand many important doctrines -contained in the sacred writings, which abound very much with such -modes of speaking. We do not suppose the metaphor to be extended so -far, as that a person, dead in sin, is incapable of acting, as -though he was a stock or a stone, the contrary to which is evident, -from what has been before said concerning the power which they, who -are in an unregenerate state, have of doing things materially good; -but we are now considering men as unable to do what is good in all -its circumstances, which may render their actions the object of the -divine approbation, as agreeable to God’s revealed will; and this, -we suppose, an unregenerate person is as unable to do, as a dead man -is to put forth living actions; and the reason is, because he is -destitute of a supernatural principle of spiritual life. Scripture -and experience, not only evince the weakness, blindness, and -disinclination of such, to what is good, but their averseness to it: -So that whatever we do, either in the beginning or progress of the -life of faith, must proceed from a renewed nature, or a supernatural -principle implanted in the soul; which is sometimes called, a _new -heart_, Ezek. xxxvi. 26. a _divine nature_, 2 Pet. i. 4. as well as -a quickening, or being raised from the dead. This leads us to -consider, - -II. The change that is wrought in this effectual calling, together with -the grounds we have to conclude, that it is a supernatural work, or, as -it is styled in this answer, the work of God’s almighty power and grace. -Those whom we more especially oppose in this head of argument, are the -Pelagians, and others; who, though in some things they seem to recede -from them, yet cannot support their cause without giving into their -scheme, when treating on the subjects of free-will, nature and grace: -these all allow that there is a change made in conversion or effectual -calling; but they suppose that it is a change in man’s natural temper -and disposition, rather than what arises from a supernatural principle, -which, according to them, consists in overcoming those habits of sin, -which we have contracted, and acquiring habits of virtue, a ceasing to -do evil, and learning to do well; and that it is in their own power -supposing the concurrence of God as a God of nature, or at least, some -superadded assistances, from the external dispensations of providence, -which have an influence on the minds of men, to produce this change; by -this means they think that grace is first attained, and we disposed to -comply with the external call of the gospel, whereby it is rendered -effectual. - -They sometimes indeed, use the word conversion, and speak of the power -and grace of God herein; and that they may not seem to detract from the -glory thereof, they profess themselves to adore and magnify God as the -author of this work; but all this amounts to no more than nature acting -under the influence of common providence. Something, indeed, they -ascribe to God; but much less than what we think the scripture does. - -That which they ascribe to him therein, is, - -1. That he has made man an intelligent creature, having a power capable -of choosing whatever seems advantageous, or refusing what appears to be -destructive to him; and in order hereunto, he is able to discern, what -is his duty and interest; and when the will duly attends to these -dictates of the understanding, it has a power inclining it to be -influenced thereby, and embrace whatever overtures are made conducive to -his future happiness. - -2. Whereas the understanding and reasoning powers and faculties, are -oftentimes impaired and hindered, in their method of acting, by some -accidental inconveniences of nature, such as the temperament of the -body, or those diseases which it is sometimes liable to, which affect -the mind; these God, by his powerful providence, removes, or fences -against, that the work may go on successfully. - -3. Sometimes our outward circumstances in the world, give a different -turn to our passions, and hinder us from entertaining any inclinations -to religion; therefore, they suppose, that there is a farther hand of -providence in ordering the various changes or conditions of life, as to -what concerns the prosperous or adverse circumstances thereof, whereby a -sanguine temper is changed to that which has more of a melancholy or -thoughtful disposition in it, more inclined to be afraid of those sins -that are like to be prejudicial to him; an angry and choleric temper, -changed to another that has a greater mixture of meekness and humility; -and whatever hinderance may arise from his conversing with those who -tempt him to lay aside all thoughts about religion, or by loading it -with reproach, to make him ashamed to pretend to it, the providence of -God so orders circumstances and things, as to make them unacceptable to -him, or him disinclined to converse with them: by this means there -arises a congruity, as they call it, between men’s natural dispositions -and that grace which they are called, by the gospel, to exert, when they -are persuaded to comply with it, without which the overture would be in -vain. - -4. Providence farther performs its part, by over-ruling some concurring -circumstances external to, and thought of, by him, in casting his lot -among those who are able and desirous to persuade him to alter his -sentiments, in matters of religion whose industry and zeal for his good, -accompanied with their skilfulness in managing those persuasive -arguments used to convince him, have a great tendency to prevail upon -him; hereby he is persuaded to give the hearing to that which before he -despised, and made the subject of ridicule; and sometimes the motives -and inducements that are used, accompanied with the pathetic way of -address, in those whose ministry he attends on, is very conducive to -answer the end attained thereby, namely, his conviction and altering his -conduct of life, pursuant thereunto; all which is under the unforeseen -direction of providence. - -5. They add, that there is a kind of internal work in exciting the -passions, by a general influence upon them, leaving it, notwithstanding, -in man’s power to determine them, with respect to their proper objects; -and as for the will, that still remains free and unbiassed; but by this -moral suasion, or these rational arguments, it is prevailed upon to -comply with that which is for its advantage. According to this method of -accounting for the work of conversion, what they attribute to the grace -of God, is nothing more than what is the result of common providence; -and it is supposed to act no otherwise than in an objective way; and -that which gives the turn to all is, the influence of moral suasion, -whereby men are prevailed on; but in all these respects, they are only -beholden to God, as the God of nature: and when this is called, by them, -a display of divine grace, nature and grace, in this matter, are made to -signify the same thing, without scripture warrant. - -Moreover, since, it is plain, all this may be done, and yet persons -remain in an unconverted state, and the gospel-call be ineffectual, they -suppose there is something to be performed on man’s part, which gives a -sanction to, and completes the work: accordingly he must rightly use and -improve the power of reasoning, which God has given him, by diligently -observing and attending to his law; and he must persuade himself, that -it is highly reasonable to obey it; and must also duly weigh the -consequence of his compliance or refusal, and endeavour to affect -himself with the consideration of promised rewards and punishments, to -excite his diligence, or awaken his fears; and must make use of those -motives that are proper to induce him to lead a virtuous life; and when -he is brought to conclude this most eligible, then he must add hereunto, -the force of the strongest resolutions, to avoid occasions of sin, -perform several necessary duties, and associate himself with those whose -conversation and example may induce him to be virtuous; he must attend -on the word preached, with intenseness of thought, and a disposition to -adhere, with the greatest impartiality, to what is recommended to him -therein, as conducive to his future happiness: by this means he is -persuaded; and from thence proceed those acts of grace, which -afterwards, by being frequently repeated, arrive to a habit, which, if -it be not lost by negligence, stupidity, and impenitency, or adhering to -the temptations of Satan, being brought into a state of conversion, he -is in a fair way to heaven, which, notwithstanding this, he may of by -apostasy, since the work is to be carried on by him, as it was at first -begun, by his own conduct. - -This account of effectual calling or conversion, supposes it to be -little more than a work of common providence; and all the grace they -seem to own, is nothing more than nature exerting itself under the -conduct of those reasoning powers which God has given it. None pretend -to deny that our reasoning powers are herein to be exerted and improved; -or that those arguments, which tend to give conviction, and motives to -enforce obedience, must be duly attended to: neither do we deny that -there is a kind hand of providence seen in over-ruling our natural -tempers and dispositions, in giving a check to that corruption that is -prevalent in us; and in rendering our condition of life, some way or -other conducive to a farther work, which God designs to bring about. We -also assert, that providence greatly favours us in bringing us under the -means of grace, or casting our lot in such places where we have the -advantages of the conversation and example of others, who are burning -and shining lights in their generation; nor is it less seen in adapting -a suitable word to our condition, or in raising our affections, while -attending to it: but all this falls very short of effectual calling, as -it is a display of God’s power and grace. This work is no more than -natural; whereas conversion is a supernatural work. Hitherto we may be -led by common grace; but effectual calling is a work of special grace; -the effect of this is only a change of life: but we assert, and have -scripture ground for it, that there is in that a change of heart. This -scheme supposes the very principle and spring of grace to be acquired by -man’s improving his natural powers, under the conduct of God’s -providence: whereas, we suppose, and shall endeavour to prove, under a -following head, that it is not acquired, but infused, and is the effect -of divine power. This supposes the work to be brought about by moral -suasion; and that the understanding, taking in the arguments that are -made use of in an objective way, the will is induced to compliance, by -choosing that which is good, and refusing that which is evil: whereas, -we assert, that the will of man is bowed and subjected to Christ, its -enmity overcome; and accordingly we are said to be made willing in the -day of his power. - -But since that which bears the greatest share in this work, according to -them, is the will and power of man, determining itself, by proper -motives and arguments, to what is good; which supposes, that it acts -freely therein. This may give us occasion to consider the nature of -human liberty; we do not deny, in general, that man is endowed with a -free will, which exerts itself in things of a lower nature, to that -which we are speaking of, for this is as evident, as that he is endowed -with an understanding: we shall therefore, in speaking concerning the -liberty of the will of man, (1.) Consider what are the essential -properties of liberty,[8] without which, an action would cease to be -free. And, (2.) How far the power of man’s free-will may be extended, -with a particular view to the matter, under our present consideration. - -1. Concerning the nature and essential properties of human liberty. -They, whose sentiments of free-will and grace we are opposing, suppose -that it is essential to a free action, or otherwise it could not be -denominated free, that it be performed with indifferency, that is, that -the will of man should be so equally poised, that as it determines -itself to one extreme, it might as well have determined itself to the -other: therefore, he that loves God freely, might, by a determination of -his will, as well have inclined himself to hate him; and on the other -hand, he that hates God, might, by an act of his will, have determined -himself to love him: the balance is supposed to be equal, and it is the -method that the person uses to determine his will, that gives a turn to -it. And from hence they infer, that they who persevere in grace, which -they do freely, may, for the same reason, apostatize; yea, they proceed -farther, at least some of them, who have maintained, that our Saviour -might have sinned, and consequently the work of our redemption have -miscarried in his hands; because, according to this notion of liberty, -he acted freely in all those exercises of grace; which, we suppose, were -no less free, because they were necessary; and also, from this account -they give of liberty, they infer that the angels and glorified saints -might sin, and so lose that state of blessedness, which they are -possessed of; otherwise their obedience is not free; which absurdities -are so apparently gross, that they who duly weigh them, will not easily -give into this notion of liberty. And there is another absurdity, which -the Pelagians dare not assert; for it would be the greatest blasphemy -that could be contained in words, though it equally flows from this -method of explaining the nature of liberty; that either God must not act -freely, or else he might act the contrary, with respect to those things -in which he acts, like himself, as a God of infinite perfection; and -accordingly, if he loves or delights in himself freely, or designs his -own glory, as the highest end of all that he does, and uses means to -bring about those ends which are most conducive thereunto; wherein his -holiness, wisdom, justice, and faithfulness appear, I say, it will -follow from their scheme, and I cannot but tremble to mention it, that -he might do the contrary; and what is this but to say, that he might -cease to be God. - -The arguments which they who attempt to support this notion of liberty, -insist on, are taken from the ideas which we generally have of a -person’s acting freely; as for instance, if a man performs any of the -common actions of life, such as walking, sitting, standing, reading, -writing, &c. freely, he may do the contrary. - -But to this I answer, That there is a vast difference between asserting, -that many of the actions of life are arbitrary or indifferent, so that -we might do the contrary; and saying that indifferency is essential to -liberty; for that which is essential to an action must belong to every -individual action of the same kind.[9] Thus concerning their notion of -liberty, whom we oppose. - -But on the other hand, that which we acquiesce in, is, that its -essential property or nature, consists in a person’s doing a thing -without being laid under a natural necessity to do it;[10] or doing it -of his own accord, without any force laid on him.[11] Others express it -by a person’s doing a thing out of choice, as having the highest reason -to determine him so to do.[12] This is that notion of liberty which we -cannot but approve of; and we are now to shew, - -(2.) How far the power of man’s free-will may be extended, with a -particular view to the matter under our present consideration. Here let -it be observed, - -_1st_, That the power of man’s will extends itself to things, within its -own sphere, and not above it; all actions and powers of acting, are -contained within certain limits, agreeable to the nature and capacity of -the agent. Creatures below man, cannot put forth rational actions: and -man cannot put forth supernatural actions, if he be not made partaker of -a divine or spiritual nature, as being endowed with a supernatural -principle, such as that which is implanted in regeneration. Consider him -as an intelligent creature, and it is agreeable to his nature to put -forth free actions, under the conduct and direction of the -understanding; but if we consider him as renewed, converted, or -effectually called, and acting agreeably thereunto, then he is under the -influence of an higher principle, which I call a _divine nature_, -according to the phrase which the apostle uses, 2 Pet. i. 4. The former -of these supposes no more than the concourse of common providence, which -at first gave, and then maintains our reasoning faculties; whereas the -latter supposes, that we are under the influence of the Spirit; whereby -we are enabled to act in a supernatural way, our natures being renewed -and disposed thereunto, in which we are not divested of the liberty of -our wills; but they are improved and enabled, to do what before they -were averse and disinclined to. - -That man acts freely in those things which are agreeable to his nature, -as an intelligent creature, all will allow. Moreover, we consider the -understanding and will, as both concurring in actions that are free, and -that one of these is subservient to the other; as for instance, we -cannot be said to desire, delight in, choose, or refuse a thing unless -we have some idea of it, as an object, which we apprehend meet to be -desired or rejected. - -And if it be farther enquired, Whether the will has, in itself, a power -to follow the dictates of the understanding, in things that are -agreeable to our nature, and be generally disposed to do it, unless -biassed by the passions, inclining and determining it another way? This, -I think, is not to be denied; but in our present argument, we are to -consider the will of man as conversant about things supernatural, and -accordingly, must give a different account of Christian liberty, from -that which is merely human, as before described. The Pelagians will -allow what has been said concerning the nature of liberty in general; -but the difference between us and them is, that we confine it within its -own sphere; whereas they extend it farther, and apply it to -regeneration, effectual calling, and conversion; in which respect it -discovers itself no otherwise than as enslaved to, or a servant of -sin;[13] and the powers and faculties of the soul, with relation -hereunto, are weakened by the prevalency of corruption, so that we are -not able to put forth those actions which proceed from, and determine a -person to be _renewed in the spirit of his mind_; or to have _put on the -new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness_. - -Again, if it be farther enquired; whether the will necessarily follows -the dictates of the understanding, so that the grace of God takes its -first rise from thence? that which I would say in answer thereunto is, -That the understanding, indeed, represents things spiritual and heavenly -to us, as good and desirable, and worthy of all acceptation; and gives -us an undeniable conviction, that all the motives used in scripture, to -choose and embrace them, are highly probable; but yet it does not follow -from hence, that the will of man is always overcome thereby;[14] and the -reason is, because of that strong propensity and inclination that there -is in corrupt nature to sin, which bids defiance to all those arguments -and persuasions that are used to the contrary, till we are brought under -the influence of a supernatural principle, implanted in the soul in -effectual calling. - -And this leads us farther to enquire: Whether, supposing a man has this -principle implanted in effectual calling, he then acts freely; or, what -is the liberty of man’s will, when internally moved and influenced by -divine grace? In answer to which, we must consider, that special grace -does not destroy, but improve the liberty of man’s will: when there is a -new nature implanted in him, it discovers its energy, and makes a change -in all the powers and faculties of the soul; there is a new light -shining in the understanding, vastly different from, and superior to -that which it had before; and it may truly be called, _The light of -life_, John viii. 12. not only as it leads to eternal life; but as it -proceeds from a principle of spiritual life: and this is what we -generally call _saving knowledge_; as it is said, _This is life eternal, -that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom -thou hast sent_, chap. xvii. 13. Now this light in the understanding, -being attended with power in the will, it is hereby induced to comply -with its dictates, not barely as being prevailed on by rational -arguments, but as there is a divine power accompanying them; it is not -indeed prevailed on without arguments; for the Spirit makes use of the -word to persuade, as well as to direct; though we do not, with the -Pelagians, say, that the will is overcome only by arguments, as though -the victory was owing to our power of reasoning; yet we freely own, that -we act with judgment, and see the highest reason for what we do: we are -enabled to use our reasoning powers indeed; but these are sanctified by -the Spirit, as well as the will renewed; and both concur together, in -order to our receiving and improving the doctrines contained in the -gospel; and the Spirit of God also removes those rooted prejudices which -we had entertained against the way of salvation by Christ: so that upon -the whole, the gospel has its use, as it directs and excites our faith: -our reasoning powers and faculties have their use also, as we take in, -and are convinced, by what is therein contained; all this would be to no -purpose, if there were not a superior power determining the will to a -thorough compliance therewith. We do not deny that moral suasion -oftentimes has a tendency to incline a man to the performance of moral -duties; but it is what I rather choose to call evangelical persuasion, -or the Spirit of God setting home upon the heart and conscience, what is -contained in the gospel, that makes it effectual to salvation.[15] Thus -concerning the nature and extent of human liberty; but inasmuch as this -is not to be assigned as that which renders the gospel-call effectual, -let it be farther considered, - -III. That this is brought about by the almighty power of God, as it is -observed in this answer, that it is a work of God’s almighty power and -grace: this is that which enhances the excellency and glory of it, above -all the works of common providence: however, when we say that it is a -divine work, this is hardly sufficient to distinguish it from what the -Pelagians often call it, by which they intend nothing more, than the -powerful work of God, as the God of nature and providence; therefore we -must farther consider it as a work of divine power, exerting itself in a -supernatural way and not only excluding the agency of creatures, as -bearing a part therein, but as opposed to those works which are brought -about by the moral influence of persuasive arguments, without any change -wrought in the will of man; in this sense we understand effectual -calling to be a work of God’s almighty power. - -And that this may appear, let it be premised, that it is not -inconsistent with God’s dealing with men as intelligent creatures, -endowed with liberty of will, for him to exert this power, since special -providence, or efficacious grace, does no more destroy man’s natural -powers, by its internal influence, enabling and exciting them to do what -is supernaturally good, than common providence’s being conversant about -the free actions of men, makes them cease to be free; only the former -exerts itself in a different and superior way, producing effects much -more glorious and excellent. - -This being supposed, we shall, without pretending fully to explain the -manner of the divine agency, which is principally known by its effects, -endeavour to shew, - -1. That effectual calling is, in a way of eminency, the work of divine -power as distinguished from other works, which are, in their kind, the -effects of power in a natural way. - -2. We shall also observe what effects are produced thereby, and in what -order. - -3. Consider it, as it is, in a peculiar manner, attributed to the Spirit -of God; and also shew, that it is a wonderful instance of his grace. - -4. We shall consider this divine power as irresistible, and consequently -such as cannot but be effectual to produce what is designed to be -brought about thereby. And, - -5. Speak something concerning the season in which this is done, which is -called God’s accepted time. - -1. Effectual calling is eminently a work of divine power; for the proof -hereof, we have not only many express texts of scripture that -sufficiently establish it, but we may appeal to the experience of those -who are made partakers of this grace. If they compare their former and -present state together, they may easily perceive in themselves, that -there is such a change wrought in them, as is contrary to the -inclinations of corrupt nature; whereby the stubbornness and obstinacy -of their wills have been subdued, and such effects produced in them, as -they never experienced before; and the manner of their production, as -well as the consequences thereof, give them a proof of the agency of God -herein, and the glory of his power exerted, so that they who deny it -must be unacquainted with themselves, or not duly observe that which -carries its own evidence with it.[16] - -But we shall principally take our proofs from scripture, in which we -have an account of the beginning of this work, which is styled the new -birth; wherein we are said to be made _partakers of the divine nature_, -2 Pet. i. 4. that is, a nature that is produced by divine power; and we -are said to be _born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of -the will of man, but of God_, John i. 13. And the gospel, which is the -instrument that he makes use of in calling effectually, is styled, _The -rod of his strength_, Psal. cx. 2. the effect thereof, ascribed to the -_revelation of his arm_, Isa. liii. 1. the season in which this is done, -is called, _The day of his power_, Psal. cx. 3. and it is, by a -metonymy, called, _His power_, 1 Cor. i. 18. Rom. i. 16. The cross of -Christ is also, when preached, and made effectual for the answering this -valuable end, styled, The _power of God_, 1 Cor. i. 24. Moreover, the -progress of this work is ascribed to the _power of God_, 1 Thess. i. 5. -it is this that _keeps_ those who are effectually called _through faith -unto salvation_, 1 Pet. i. 5. And that this power may appear to be -extraordinary, the apostle uses an uncommon emphasis of expression, when -he calls it, _The exceeding greatness of his power_, and, _the working -of his mighty power_, Eph. i. 19, 20. which words[17] can hardly be -translated without losing something of their force and beauty; and, -indeed, there is not an expression used in scripture, to signify the -efficacy of divine power, that exceeds, or, I may say, that equals them. -And that it may appear more strong, the apostle, in the following words, -represents it as being no less than _that power which wrought in Christ, -when God raised him from the dead_. - -And to all this let me add, that something to the same purpose may be -inferred from those metaphorical expressions, by which it is set forth, -as it is called a _creation_: thus, when we are made partakers of this -privilege, we are said to _be created in righteousness and true -holiness_, Eph. iv. 24. And the apostle seems to compare this with the -creation of man at first, after the image of God, which consisted -principally in righteousness and true holiness, and accordingly -considers this image as restored, when a principle of grace is -implanted, whereby we are again disposed to the exercise of -righteousness and holiness: and elsewhere he says, _We are his -workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, that we should -walk in them_, chap. ii. 16. where he supposes, that this creating power -must be exerted before we can put forth good works; and therefore it can -be nothing less than the power of God; and it would not have been styled -a _creation_, if it had not been a supernatural work, and therefore it -is, in that respect, more glorious than many other effects of the divine -power. - -It is also styled, _a resurrection from the dead_: thus the apostle -says, _You hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins_, -chap. ii. 1, 5. in this respect it certainly exceeds the power of men. A -physician, by his skill, may mend a crazy constitution, or recover it -from the confines of death; but, to raise the dead, exceeds the limits -of finite power. This mode of speaking our Saviour makes use of to -signify the conversion or effectual call of sinners, when he says, _The -hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the -Son of God; and they that hear shall live_, John v. 25. He had, in the -foregoing verse been speaking of their _having eternal life_, and _not -coming into condemnation, and being passed from death to life_, who hear -his words and believe; and then it follows, that _the hour is coming_, -that is, the time is near at hand, to wit, when the Spirit shall be -poured forth, and the gospel-dispensation be begun, and it _now is_, in -some degree, namely, in those who were converted by his ministry, _when -the dead shall hear his voice and live_, or pass from a state of -spiritual death to life, as a means for their attaining eternal life. -This is much more agreeable to the context, than to conclude, as some -do, to evade the force of this argument; that our Saviour speaks -concerning some who were then, or should hereafter be raised from the -dead, in a miraculous manner; which, they suppose, contains the sense of -the words, _now is_, and that _the hour is coming_, refers to the -general resurrection; but this seems not to be the sense of the text; -because our Saviour supposes them, in a following verse, to be -astonished at this doctrine; as though it was too great an instance of -power for him to implant a principle of spiritual life in dead sinners; -and therefore he proves his assertion from his raising the dead at the -last day: _Marvel not, for the hour is coming_, that is, at the end of -the world, _when all that are in their graves shall hear his voice_, -John v. 28. This cannot well agree with the sense before given, of -Christ’s raising the dead, as referring to the general resurrection; for -that would be to answer their objection, or put a stop to their wonder -at what he had said concerning it, by asserting the same thing in other -words; whereas, if you suppose the dead’s _hearing his voice_, to imply -a spiritual resurrection; and _the dead raised out of their graves_, to -be an argument to convince them that his power was sufficient to bring -about this great effect; there is much more beauty in the expression, -and strength in the reasoning, than to take it otherwise. - -This is so plain a proof of the argument, we are endeavouring to defend, -that nothing farther need be added: however, I cannot but mention -another scripture, in which our Saviour says, that _no one can come to -him, except the Father draw him_, chap. vi. 44. where Christ, by _coming -to him_, does not mean attending on his ministry, which did not require -any power to induce them to it; but _believing on him_, so as to _have -everlasting life_, in which sense, _coming to him_, is often taken in -the gospels, ver. 47. and this is the immediate consequence of effectual -calling. Now when our Saviour says, that _none can_ thus _come to him_, -without being _drawn by the Father_, we may understand what he means -here, by what is said in a following verse, namely, their being _taught -of God_, and having _heard and learned of the Father_, ver. 45. such, -says he, _Come unto me_. Now this _teaching_ certainly implies more than -giving a rule of faith contained in divine revelation, for Christ is not -here proving the necessity of divine revelation, as elsewhere; but is -speaking concerning the saving efficacy thereof; and none can deny that -many have been objectively taught, and instructed by the word, who have -not come to Christ, or believed in him to everlasting life: the words -are a quotation from the prophets, to which he refers; who intimate, -that they should be _all taught of God_; which certainly implies more -than an objective teaching and instructing; for in this sense, they, -having divine revelation, were always taught of God: and it is a special -privilege, which the prophet Isaiah mentions, when he foretels this -matter, as appears by his connecting it with that great peace which they -should have, or the confluence of saving blessings, which should attend -it, Isa. liv. 13. And the prophet Jeremiah, who speaks to the same -purpose, says, _They shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and -every man his brother, saying, know the Lord; for they shall all know me -from the least of them, even to the greatest_, Jer. xxxi. 33, 34. that -is, they shall not only have an objective revelation, or that which some -call moral suasion; but this shall be made effectual to their salvation; -and in order thereunto, God promises that he would _put his law in the -inward part, and write it in the heart_; and elsewhere, to _give_ them -_a new heart_, and to _put a new spirit within them_, and hereby to -_cause them to walk in his statutes_, Ezek. xxxvi. 26. So that it is not -barely a rectifying some mistakes which they were liable to; but -producing in them something, which they had not before; not building -upon the old foundation, but laying a new one, and so working a change -in the powers and faculties of the soul; and as they were before, -obdurate and hardened in sin, he promises to _take away the heart of -stone, and give them an heart of flesh_; and by his _word_, which is -compared to an _hammer, to break the rock in pieces_, Jer. xxiii. 29. -This is certainly a work of power; but that it is so, will farther -appear from what follows, in considering the work itself; which leads us -to shew, - -2. What effects are produced by the power of God, when we are thus -called. - -(1.) The first step that he is pleased to take in this work, is in his -implanting a principle of spiritual life and grace, which is absolutely -necessary for our attaining to, or receiving advantage by the external -call of the gospel; this is generally styled regeneration, or the new -birth; or, as in the scripture but now referred to, a _new heart_. - -If it be enquired, What we are to understand by this principle? We -answer, that since principles are only known by the effects which they -produce; springs of acting, by the actions themselves, we must be -content with this description; that it is something wrought in the heart -of man, whereby he is habitually and prevailingly biassed and inclined -to what is good: so that by virtue hereof, he freely, readily, and -willingly chooses those things which tend to the glory of God; and -refuses, abhors, and flees from what is contrary thereunto; and, as this -more immediately affects the understanding, whereby it is enabled to -discern the things which God reveals in the gospel in a spiritual way, -it is styled, his _shining in the heart_, 2 Cor. iv. 6. _to give us the -light of the knowledge of his glory_, or, his giving _an eye to see, and -an ear to hear_, Deut. xxix. 4. As it respects the will, it contains in -it a power, whereby it is disposed and enabled to yield the obedience of -faith, to whatever God is pleased to reveal to us as a rule of duty, so -that we are made willing in the day of his power; and, as it respects -the affections, they are all inclined to run in a right channel, to -desire, delight and rejoice in every thing that is pleasing to God, and -flee from every thing that is provoking to him. This is that whereby a -dead sinner is made alive, and so enabled to put forth living actions. - -Concerning this principle of grace let it be observed, that it is -infused and not acquired. The first principle or spring of good actions, -may, with equal reason, be supposed to be infused into us, as -Christians, as it is undoubtedly true, that the principle of reasoning -is infused into us as men: none ever supposed that the natural power of -reasoning may be acquired, though a greater facility or degree thereof -is gradually attained; so that power, whereby we are enabled to put -forth supernatural acts of grace, must be supposed to be implanted in -us; which, were it acquired, we could not, properly speaking, be said to -be born of God. - -From hence I am obliged to infer, that the regenerating act, or -implanting this principle[18] of grace, which is, at least, in order of -nature, antecedent to any act of grace, put forth by us, is the -immediate effect of the power of God, which none who speak of -regeneration as a divine work, pretend to deny: and therefore, I cannot -but conclude, that it is wrought in us without the instrumentality of -the word, or any of the ordinary means of grace: my reason for it is -this; because it is necessary, from the nature of the thing, to our -receiving, improving, or reaping any saving advantage by the word, that -the Spirit should produce the principle of faith; and to say, that this -is done by the word, is in effect, to assert that the word produces the -principle, and the principle gives efficacy to the word; which seems to -me little less than arguing in a circle. The word cannot profit, unless -it be mixed with faith; and faith cannot be put forth, unless it -proceeds from a principle of grace implanted; therefore this principle -of grace is not produced by it: we may as well suppose, that the -presenting a beautiful picture before a man that is blind, can enable -him to see; or the violent motion of a withered hand, produce strength -for action, as we can suppose that the presenting the word in an -objective way, is the instrument whereby God produces that internal -principle, by which we are enabled to embrace it. Neither would this so -well agree with the idea of its being a new creature, or our being -_created unto good works_; for then it ought rather to be said, we are -created by faith, which is a good work: this is, in effect, to say, that -the principle of grace is produced by the instrumentality of that which -supposes its being implanted, and is the result and consequence thereof. - -I am sorry that I am obliged, in this assertion, to appear, at least, to -oppose what has been maintained by many divines of great worth; who -have, in all other respects, explained the doctrine of regeneration, -agreeably to the mind and will of God, and the analogy of faith.[19] It -may be, the principal difference between this explication and theirs is, -that they speak of regeneration in a large sense, as including in it, -not barely the implanting the principle, but the exciting it, and do not -sufficiently distinguish between the principle, as implanted and deduced -into act; for, I readily own, that the latter is by the instrumentality -of the word, though I cannot think the former so; or, it may be, they -consider the principle as exerted: whereas I consider it as created, or -wrought in us; and therefore can no more conclude, that the new creation -is wrought by an instrument, than I can, that the first creation of all -things was. - -And I am ready to conjecture, that that which leads many divines into -this way of thinking, is the sense in which they understand the words of -the apostle; _Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of -incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever_, 1 -Pet. i. 23. and elsewhere, _Of his own will begat he us with the word of -truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures_, James -i. 16. Whereas this does not so much respect the implanting the -principle of grace, as it does our being enabled to act from that -principle; and it is as though he should say, he hath made us believers, -or induced us to love and obey Him by the word of truth, which supposes -a principle of grace to have been implanted: otherwise the word of truth -would never have produced these effects. Regeneration may be taken, not -only for our being made alive to God, or created unto good works, but -for our putting forth living actions, proceeding from that principle -which is implanted in the soul. I am far from denying, that faith, and -all other graces, are wrought in us by the instrumentality of the word; -and it is in this sense that some, who treat on this subject, explain -their sentiments, when they speak of being born again by the word: -therefore I persuade myself, that I differ from them only in the -acceptation of words, and not in the main substance of the doctrine they -maintain.[20] - -(2.) The principle of grace being implanted, the acts of grace in those -who are adult, immediately ensue; which implies a change of our -behaviour, a renovation of our lives and actions; which may properly be -called conversion. - -Having explained what we mean by regeneration, under our last head, it -is necessary, in this, to consider how it differs from conversion; in -which I shall take leave to transcribe a few passages from that -excellent divine, but now mentioned. “Regeneration is a spiritual -change; conversion is a spiritual motion; in regeneration there is a -power conferred; conversion is the exercise of this power; in -regeneration there is given us a principle to turn; conversion is our -actual turning: in the covenant, the new heart, and God’s putting the -Spirit into them, is distinguished from their walking in his statutes, -from the first step we take, in the way of God, and is set down as the -cause of our motion: in renewing us, God gives us a power; in converting -us, he excites that power. Men are naturally dead, and have a stone upon -them; regeneration is a rolling away the stone from the heart, and a -raising to newness of life; and then conversion is as natural to a -regenerate man, as motion is to a lively body: a principle of activity -will produce action. The first reviving us is wholly the act of God, -without any concurrence of the creature; but, after we are revived, we -do actively and voluntarily live in his sight. Regeneration is the -motion of God in the creature; conversion is the motion of the creature -to God, by virtue of that first principle; from this principle all the -acts of believing, repenting, mortifying, quickening, do spring. In all -these a man is active; in the other, he is merely passive.”[21] This is -what we may call the second step, which God takes in effectual calling; -and it is brought about by the instrumentality of the word. The word -before this, was preached to little or no purpose; or, it may be, was -despised, rejected, and disregarded; but now a man is enabled to see a -beauty, and a glory in it, all the powers and faculties of the soul, -being under the influence of that spiritual life implanted in -regeneration, and inclined to yield a ready and cheerful obedience to -it; and this work is gradual and progressive; and as such, it is called -the work of sanctification; of which more under a following answer,[22] -and is attended with repentance unto life, and all other graces that -accompany salvation; and in this respect we are drawn to Christ by his -word and Spirit, or by his Spirit making use of his word, our minds -savingly enlightened, our wills renewed, and determined to what is good, -so that hereby we are made willing and able freely to answer the call of -God, and to accept of, and embrace the grace offered and conveyed -therein; as it is expressed in the answer we are explaining. - -The first thing in which that change, which is wrought in effectual -calling, manifests itself is, in our understandings’ being enlightened -to receive the truths revealed to us in the word of God; and accordingly -we see things with a new and different light; behold a greater beauty, -excellency and glory in divine things, than ever we did before: we are -also led into ourselves, and convinced of sin and misery, concluding -ourselves, by nature, to be in a lost and undone condition; and then the -soul sees the glory of Christ, the greatness of his love, who came to -seek and save those that were lost, who is now precious to him, as he is -said to be to them that believe; and pursuant hereunto the will, being -determined, or enabled so to do, by the Spirit of God exciting the -principle of grace, which he had implanted, accepts of him on his own -terms; the affections all centre in, and desire to derive all spiritual -blessings from him; Thus the work of grace is begun in effectual -calling, which is afterwards carried on in sanctification. - -And inasmuch as we are considering the beginning of the work of grace in -effectual calling, I cannot but take notice of a question, which -frequently occurs under this head, namely, Whether man, in the first -moment thereof, _viz._ in regeneration, be merely passive, though active -in every thing that follows after it? This we cannot but affirm, not -only against the Pelagians, but others, whose method of treating the -doctrine of divine grace, seems to agree with theirs. And here, that we -may obviate a popular objection, usually brought against our assertion, -as though hereby we argued, that God dealt with men as though they were -machines, and not endowed with understanding or will let it be observed; -that we consider the subjects of this grace no otherwise than as -intelligent creatures, capable of being externally excited and disposed -to what is good; or else God would never work this principle in them. -Nor do we suppose, however men are said to be passive in the first -moment in which this principle is implanted, that they are so -afterwards, but are enabled to act under the divine influence; even as -when the soul of Adam was created at first, it could not be said to be -active in its own creation, and in the implanting those powers which -were concreate with it; yet it was active, or those powers exerted -themselves immediately after it was created. This is the state of the -question we are now debating; and therefore we cannot but maintain, that -men do not concur to the implanting the principle of grace; for then -they would be active in being created unto good works; which are the -result, and not the cause of that power which is infused into them, in -order thereunto. - -This is sufficiently evident, not only from the impotency of corrupt -nature, as to what is good, but its utter averseness thereunto, and from -the work’s being truly and properly divine; or (as has been before -observed) the effect of almighty power. This is not a controversy of -late date; but has been either defended or opposed, ever since -Augustine’s and Pelagius’s time. Many volumes have been written -concerning the aids and assistances of divine grace in the work of -conversion. The School-men were divided in their sentiments about it, as -they adhered to, or receded from Augustine’s doctrine: both sides seem -to allow that the grace of God affords some assistance hereunto; but the -main thing in debate, is, Whether the grace of God only bears one part -in this work, and the will of man the other; like two persons lifting at -the same burden, and carrying it between them. Some have allowed the -divine concourse as necessary hereunto, who yet have not been willing to -own that man bears no part in this work; or, _that it is God that works -in us, both to will and to do of his own good pleasure_, Phil. ii. 13. -which, the apostle asserts in so plain terms, that the most known sense -thereof, cannot well be evaded; and, indeed, were it otherwise, it could -hardly be said, that _we are not sufficient of ourselves, to think any -thing as of ourselves_; which, though it be immediately applied to -ministers, is certainly, by a parity of reason, applicable to all -Christians, 2 Cor. iii. 5. nor would it be, in all respects, true, that -we are _born of God_; or, that we, who before were dead in sin, are -raised to a spiritual life, or made, with respect to the principle of -spiritual actions, new creatures; all which is done in regeneration.[23] - -We might also take occasion, under this head, to observe, what we often -meet with in practical discourses and sermons, concerning preparatory -works, or previous dispositions, which facilitate and lead to the work -of conversion. Some assert, that we must do what we can, and by using -our reasoning powers and faculties, endeavour to convert, or turn -ourselves, and then God will do the rest, or finish the work which we -have begun: and here many things are often considered as the steps which -men may take in the reformation of their lives, the abstaining from -gross enormities, which they may have been guilty of, thinking on their -ways, and observing the tendency of their present course of life, and -setting before themselves those proper arguments that may induce them to -repent and believe; and then they may be said to have prepared -themselves for the grace of God, so that it will ensue hereupon. And if -there be any thing remaining, which is out of their power, God has -engaged to succeed their endeavours, so that he will bring them into a -state of regeneration and conversion. - -This method of accounting for the work of grace, is liable to many -exceptions, particularly as it supposes man to be the first mover in his -own conversion, and the divine energy to be dependent upon our conduct; -the contrary to which, is not only agreeable to scripture, but the -divine perfections; as well as to the doctrine we have been maintaining, -concerning effectual calling’s, being a divine work in the most proper -sense thereof. But that we may impartially consider this matter, and -set, what some call a preparatory work, in a just light, let it be -observed, - -1. That these preparatory works must either be considered as good in all -those circumstances that are necessary to denominate them good, and -particularly they must proceed from a good principle, that is to say, a -principle of regeneration; or else they are only such works as are -materially good, such many perform who are never brought into a state of -conversion; or if, on the other hand, they are supposed to proceed from -such a principle, then they are not, from the nature of the thing, works -preparatory to the first grace, but rather consequent upon it. - -2. It is one thing for us to assert, that it is our duty to perform all -those works which some call preparatory, for conversion; such as -meditation, attendance on the ordinances, duly weighing those arguments, -or motives, that should lead us to repentance, and the exercise of all -other graces; and another thing to say, that every one who performs -these duties, shall certainly have regenerating grace; or, it is one -thing to apply ourselves to the performance of those duties, as far as -it is in our own power, and, at the same time, to wait, pray, and hope -for success to attend them; and another thing to assert, that it shall -always attend them, as though God had laid himself under an obligation -to give special grace to those, who, in this respect, improve that which -is common, the contrary whereunto may be observed in many instances. And -when we have done all, we must conclude, that the grace of God, if he is -pleased to give success to our endeavours, is free and sovereign. - -3. They who say, That if we do all we can, God will do the rest, advance -very little to support their argument, since there is no one who can -pretend that he has done what he could: and may we not farther suppose, -that God, in a judicial way, as punishing us for the many sins we -commit, may deny this success: therefore, how can it be said, that it -will necessarily ensue. - -4. When we perform any of those duties, which some call preparatory to -conversion, these are to be considered as the Spirit’s preparing his own -way thereby, rather than corrupt nature’s preparing itself for grace. We -are far from denying that there is a beautiful order in the divine -dispensations; the Spirit of God first convinces of sin, and then shews -the convinced sinner where his help is to be had; and enables him to -close with Christ by faith. He first shews the soul its own corruption -and nothingness, and then leads him to see Christ’s fulness; or that all -his salvation is reposed in his hands, and enables him to believe in him -to the saving the soul; one of these works, indeed, prepares the way for -the other: nevertheless, none of them can be said to prepare the way for -regeneration, which is the work of the Spirit of God; and without it, no -other can be said to be a saving work. - -_Object._ It is objected, that there are several scriptures which seem -to speak of common grace, as being preparatory for special. Thus the -scribe, mentioned in the gospel, who expressed himself _discreetly_, in -asserting, that _to love God with all the heart, and with all the -understanding, soul, and strength; and to love our neighbour as -ourselves, is better than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices_, is -said not to be _far from the kingdom of God_, Mark xii. 34. And -elsewhere, we are exhorted _to ask_, and a promise is annexed thereunto, -that _it shall be given us, to seek and we shall find_, Matt. vii. 7. -And in another place, _to turn at God’s reproof and he will pour out his -Spirit_ unto us, _and make known his words unto us_, Prov. i. 25. And -several other scriptures, in which super-added grace is connected with -duty enjoined, which duty is supposed to be in our own power, and to be -preparatory for it. - -_Answ._ (1.) As to the first of these scriptures, in which our Saviour -tells the scribe, that he was not _far from the kingdom of God_; he -intends nothing else hereby, but that the profession he made, which he -calls, his _answering discreetly_, was not very remote from that which -was made by them, who were the subjects of his kingdom: it was the -doctrine he mentions, that Christ commends; and therefore it must not be -inferred from hence, that he had regard to his state, as though his -inward temper of mind, or moral conduct of life, was such as more -immediately disposed him for a state of grace, so that he was, at the -same time, hovering between a state of unregeneracy and conversion. - -(2.) As for that instance, in which persons are supposed to prepare -themselves for that grace which God gives in answer to prayer, by -performing that duty, as though he had obliged himself to give whatever -they ask for, relating to their own salvation; this cannot be the sense -of the scripture but now mentioned, or any other, to the like purpose; -unless it be understood of the prayer of faith, under the influence of -the Holy Spirit; but this supposes regenerating grace; and therefore it -is foreign to the argument, in which man is considered as preparing -himself for the grace of God, and not as expecting farther degrees of -grace, upon his being inclined, by the Spirit of God, to seek them. - -(3.) As for the other instance in the objection, relating to God’s -engaging _to give the Spirit_, and to _make known his words_ to those -that _turn at his reproof_; this, I conceive, contains in it nothing -else but a promise of the Spirit, to carry on the work of grace, in all -those in whom it is begun. Though _turning_, in scripture, be sometimes -taken for external reformation, which is in our own power, as it is our -indispensable duty; yet, whenever a promise of saving blessings is -annexed to it, as in this scripture, it is to be understood as denoting -the grace of repentance. And if it be said, that this is God’s gift, and -therefore cannot be the subject of an exhortation, it may be replied -hereunto; that saving grace is often represented, in scripture, as our -act, or duty, in order to the performance whereof we ought to say, as -the church is presented speaking, _Turn thou me, and I shall be turned_, -Jer. xxxi. 18. that is, I _shall return unto thee with my whole heart, -and not feignedly_, chap. iii. 10. - -The same reply might be given to their sense of several other scriptures -brought to maintain the doctrine of preparatory works, performed by us, -as necessarily inferring our obtaining the special grace of God. But I -shall close this head with a few hints taken from that excellent divine -before mentioned. “Man cannot prepare himself for the new birth: he -hath, indeed, a subjective capacity for grace, above any other creature -in the inferior world; and this is a kind of natural preparation, which -other creatures have not; a capacity, in regard of the powers of the -soul, though not in respect of the present disposition of them. He hath -an understanding to know, and when it is enlightened, to know God’s law; -a will to move and run, and when enlarged by grace, to run the ways of -God’s commandments; so that he stands in an immediate capacity to -receive the life of grace, upon the breath and touch of God, which a -stone doth not; for in this it is necessary, that rational faculties -should be put as a foundation of spiritual motions. Though the soul be -thus capable, as a subject, to receive the grace of God, yet it is not -therefore capable, as an agent, to prepare itself for it, or produce it. -It is capable to receive the truths of God; but, as the heart is stony, -it is incapable to receive the impressions of those truths. Though some -things, which man may do by common grace, may be said to be -preparations, yet they are not formally so; as that there is an -absolute, causal connexion between such preparations, and regeneration; -they are not disposing causes of grace: grace is all in a way of -reception by the soul, not of action from the soul: the highest morality -in the world is not necessary to the first infusion of the divine -nature: if there were any thing in the subject that was the cause of it, -the tenderest, and softest dispositions would be wrought upon; and the -most intelligent men would soonest receive the gospel. Though we see -them sometimes renewed, yet many times the roughest tempers are seized -upon by grace. Though morality seems to set men at a greater nearness to -the kingdom of God, yet, with all its own strength it cannot bring it -into the heart, unless the Spirit open the lock: yea, sometimes it sets -a man farther from the kingdom of God, as being a great enemy to the -righteousness of the gospel, both imputed and inherent; and other -operations upon the soul, which seem to be nearer preparations; such as -convictions, &c. do not infer grace; for the heart, as a field, may be -ploughed by terrors, and yet not planted with any good seed; planting -and watering are preparations, but not the cause of fruit; the increase -depends upon God:”[24] thus this learned author. And he also farther -proves, that there is no obligation on God, by any thing that may look -like a preparation in men; and adds, that if any preparations were our -own, and were pure, which they are not: yet they cannot oblige God to -give supernatural grace: which leads us, - -3. To consider that this work is, in a peculiar manner, attributed to -the Spirit of God; the only moving cause whereof, is his grace. That the -Spirit is the author of this work, is not to be proved by experience, as -the expressions of divine power therein are, but by scripture; and the -scripture is very express as to this matter. Thus, when God promises to -_give a new heart; to take away the heart of stone, and to give an heart -of flesh, and to cause his people to walk in his statutes_, Ezek. xxxvi. -26, 27. he would _put his Spirit within them_; and elsewhere they are -said to have _purified their souls in obeying the truth, through the -Spirit_, 1 Pet. i. 22. And our Saviour asserts the necessity of our -being _born of the Spirit_, John iii. 5. in order to our entering into -the kingdom of God: so that from these, and several other scriptures, -that might be referred to, it appears, that effectual calling is the -internal powerful work of the Holy Ghost.[25] - -_Obj. 1._ It is objected, by some, that this doctrine savours of -enthusiasm; since it supposes that there is no difference between the -Spirit’s internal influences, and inspiration; and to pretend to this, -now the miraculous dispensation, which was in the apostle’s days, is -ceased, is vain and enthusiastic. - -_Answ._ To this it may be replied, That the charge of enthusiasm is very -unjustly deduced from this doctrine; for we must distinguish between the -extraordinary, and the ordinary influence of the Holy Ghost; the former -is allowed by all, to be now ceased; and therefore they who pretend to -it, are liable to this charge; but it is a very great dishonour cast -upon the Holy Ghost to deny his powerful influence or agency in the work -of grace; and it renders the condition of the church, at present, in a -very material circumstance, so much inferior to what it was of old, that -it is incapable of attaining salvation; unless it could be proved that -salvation might be attained without the divine energy. - -But, that we may farther reply to this objection, let it be considered; -that the Spirit’s influence, as subservient to the work of grace, is -evidently distinguished from imputation: the latter of these was a -peculiar honour which was conferred upon some persons, who were either -to transmit to the church a rule of faith, by the immediate dictates of -the Holy Ghost; or else they were favoured with it to answer some -extraordinary ends, which could not be attained without it, namely, -their being furnished with wisdom, as well as courage and boldness, to -maintain the cause, which they were not otherwise furnished to defend, -against the opposition that it met with from their persecuting and -malicious enemies, that so it might not suffer through their weakness; -as when our Saviour bids his disciples _not to take thought what they -should say_, when brought before rulers, _&c._ but promises, that _the -Spirit should speak in them_, Matt. x. 18-20. And in some other -particular instances we read, especially in the church at Corinth, that -when ministers had not those advantages to qualify themselves to preach -the gospel, which they afterwards were favoured with, some had this -extraordinary gift, so that they spake by the Spirit; but this was only -conferred occasionally, and for some special reasons: and therefore, -those scriptures that speak of the influences of the Spirit, which were -more common, and immediately subservient to the work of grace in the -souls of those who were the subjects thereof, were, at that time, the -same with them that we are pleading for, which were designed to continue -in the church, in all the ages thereof: thus when persons are said, -_through the Spirit to mortify the deeds of the body_, Rom. viii. 13. -this does not respect any extraordinary dispensation, which they were -then under, since it is the duty of all men, in all ages, without the -extraordinary influences of the Spirit, to mortify the deeds of the -body; and therefore we may expect this powerful energy as well as they, -or else our condition would be very deplorable. - -And besides, we never find that extraordinary gifts were immediately -subservient to the subduing corruption, or, at least, that every one -that had them, did mortify sin, and so appear to be internally -sanctified: whereas, this is a character of those who are so; and not to -have these influences, determines a person to be in an unregenerate -state, or _to live after the flesh_, which is opposed to it, and so to -be liable to death, ver. 12. No one can suppose, the apostle intends, in -the foregoing verse, when he says, _If ye live after the flesh, ye shall -die_; that if ye are not under inspiration, ye shall die, as living -after the flesh: but the method of reasoning is strong and conclusive, -if we understand the divine influence as what is distinct from -inspiration, and consequently a privilege necessary for the beginning -and carrying on the work of grace, and so belongs to believers in all -ages. - -Again, when the Spirit is said _to help our infirmities_, ver. 26. in -prayer: is not prayer as much a duty now as it was when they had -extraordinary gifts? therefore, ought we not to hope for the assistance -of the Spirit, in all ages? and consequently the Spirit’s help, in this -respect is not confined to that age, when there was a miraculous -dispensation, or extraordinary inspiration. - -And when it is elsewhere said, _As many as are led by the Spirit of God, -they are the sons of God_, ver. 14. can we suppose, that none were the -sons of God but such as had extraordinary gifts? Does not this privilege -belong to us, as well as unto them? If therefore we are the sons of God, -as well as they, we have this evidence hereof, according to this -scripture; namely, our _being led by the Spirit of God_; though we -pretend not to be led by him, as a Spirit of inspiration. - -And to this we may add, that the apostle elsewhere speaks of some who -were _sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise; which is the earnest of -our inheritance_: and these are described as _trusting in Christ after -they had heard the word of salvation_, and _believing in him_, Eph. i. -13, 14. But this belongs to the church in all ages; therefore sealing is -not a privilege confined to those who had the extraordinary gifts of the -Holy Ghost; but to believers as such. - -Moreover, it is said, _The Spirit beareth witness with our spirits, that -we are the children of God_, Rom. viii. 16. Therefore, some persons may -know themselves to be the children of God, in a way of self-examination, -by the witness of the Spirit, which is common to all believers; without -pretending to be inspired therein; which would be to know this matter -without the concurring testimony of our own spirits. Many things, of the -like nature, might be observed, concerning the other scriptures, that -are generally brought to prove, that believers, in our day, are made -partakers of the powerful influences of the Holy Ghost; though they -pretend not to the Spirit of inspiration; which is a sufficient answer -to this objection. - -_Object._ 2. If it be farther objected, that if the Spirit does work -internally in the souls of men, we are not to suppose, that he works a -change in their wills, but only presents objects to them, which they by -their own power, improve, and make use of, for their good; even as a -finite Spirit may suggest good or bad thoughts, without disposing us to -comply with them; or, as the devil is said to work in men, who is -called, _The Spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience_, -Eph. ii. 2. - -_Answ._ To this it may be replied, that an objective influence, properly -speaking, is no influence at all; much less is it becoming the dignity -of the Holy Ghost, to say, That he hath no more an hand in the work of -conversion, than that which a mere creature might have. I will not deny -that the Greek word,[26] which signifies energy, or internal working, is -sometimes taken for such a kind of influence as is not properly the -effect of power, as in the instance contained in the objection; yet, let -it be considered, that the same word is often used, in various other -instances, in senses very different, when applied to God and the -creature; where the word, in itself, is indeterminate; but the -application of it sufficiently determines the matter; so as to leave no -doubt, as to the sense of it. Thus to make, form, or produce, when -applied to God, and the thing made, formed, or produced, is represented -as an instance of his almighty power, which exceeds the limits of finite -power, this determines the sense to be very different from making, -forming, or producing, when applied to men, acting in their own sphere: -so the apostle speaks of building, in a very different sense, as applied -to God and the creature, which no one is at a loss to understand, who -reads the words; _Every house is builded by some man; but he that built -all things is God_, Heb. iii. 4. Now, to apply this to our present -purpose, we do not deny, that a finite spirit has an energy, in an -objective way; but when the same word is applied to God’s manner of -acting; and is represented as has been before observed, as an instance -of his almighty power, producing a change in the soul; and not only -persuading, but enabling him to perform good works, from a principle of -spiritual life, implanted, this may easily be understood as having a -very different sense from the same word, when applied to the internal -agency of a finite spirit; and therefore this objection does not -overthrow the argument we are maintaining. - -_Object._ 3. It is farther objected against what has been said -concerning this powerful work of the Spirit, as being illustrated by the -similitude of a person’s being raised from the dead; that this contains -in it nothing supernatural, or out of the power of man; since the -apostle says, _Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and -Christ shall give the light_, Eph. v. 14. If arising from the dead be -the effect of almighty power, when applied to the work of grace, it -seems preposterous for this to be recommended as our duty: and if it be -not a work of almighty power, then those scriptures that illustrate -effectual calling by the resurrection of the dead, are nothing to the -argument for which they have been brought. - -_Answ._ Some suppose, that its being assigned as a matter of duty for -sinners to rise from the dead, does not infer, that it is in their own -power; but, that it only signifies, that none can expect eternal life -but those who rise from the death of sin; and accordingly, as the -promise, here mentioned, relating to our _having light_, is said to be -_Christ’s gift_, so the power to perform that duty, which is inseparably -connected with it, to wit, _rising from the dead_, is to be sought for -at his hand. But if this answer be not reckoned sufficient, I see no -absurdity in supposing, that these two expressions, _Awake, thou that -sleepest, and arise from the dead_, import the same thing. Sleep is, as -it were, the image of death; and therefore, by a metaphorical way of -speaking, it may be here called _death_; and if so, the apostle commands -believers to awake out of their carnal security, or shake off their -stupid frames, as they expect the light of eternal life: however, if it -be taken in this sense here; yet when we meet with the words -_quickened_, or _raised from the dead_, elsewhere, they may be -understood in a different sense, as denoting the implanting a principle -of grace in regeneration, as will appear by the context: thus when God -is said to _quicken those who were dead in trespasses and sins; who -walked according to the course of this world, fulfilling the desires of -the flesh, and of the mind; and were, by nature, the children of wrath_; -and to do this with a design to shew the _exceeding riches of his grace, -and kindness towards them_; and as the consequence thereof, to work that -faith which accompanies salvation, which is not of themselves, but his -gift: I say, if these things are mentioned when we are said to be -_quickened_, or _raised from the dead_, certainly it argues more than a -stupid believer’s awaking from that carnal security, which he is under, -who is supposed to have a principle of spiritual life, whereby he may be -enabled so to do. - -_Object._ 4. It is also objected to what has been said, concerning -effectual calling’s being a work of divine power, that those scriptures, -which speak of it as such, denote nothing else but the power of working -miracles; whereby they to whom the gospel was preached, were induced to -believe; as when the apostle says, _His preaching was in demonstration -of the Spirit, and of power_, 1 Cor. ii. 4. that is, the doctrines he -preached, were confirmed, and the truth thereof demonstrated by the -power of the Holy Ghost, enabling them to work miracles: and _the -kingdom of God is not in word, but in power_, chap. iv. 20. that is, the -gospel is not only preached, but confirmed by miracles: _Our gospel came -to you in power, and in the Holy Ghost_, 1 Thes. i. 5. that is, as some -understand it, the gospel which we preach, was confirmed by the power -and miraculous works of the Holy Ghost; which has no reference to the -internal efficacious influences of the Spirit put forth in effectual -calling. - -_Answ._ Though we often read that the gospel was confirmed by miracles: -nevertheless, I cannot see that this is the principle, much less the -only sense of these scriptures, and some others that might have been -produced to the same purpose. - -As to the first of them in which the apostle speaks _of his preaching, -being in the demonstration of the Spirit, and of power_; it may be -observed, that in the preceding chapter he had been speaking concerning -Christ preached, and his glory set forth among them, as the power of -God; that is to say, the power of God rendered the preaching thereof -effectual to the conversion of them that believed; which he concludes to -contain in it no less a conviction of the truth of the Christian -religion, than if he had wrought signs or miracles, which the Jews -demanded, and which he had no design to work among them: therefore, why -should we suppose, that when he speaks _of his preaching being in the -demonstration of the Spirit, and of power_, that he intends the -confirming his doctrine by miracles, and not in the same sense as he had -before signified Christ to be the power of God. - -And as for the other scripture, in which it is said, _The kingdom of God -is not in word, but in power_; that is to be understood by comparing it -with what immediately goes before, in which he says, that _I will come -to you shortly, if the Lord will and know not the speech of them who are -puffed up, but the power_. It we suppose, that by _them who are puffed -up_, he means some of their teachers, who swelled either with pride or -envy, and probably were sowing some seeds of error among them; it does -not seem to be a just sense of the text, to explain the words when he -says, _I will know not the speech of them who are puffed up, but the -power_, q. d. I will not so much regard the doctrines they deliver, as I -will enquire and be convinced, that they have confirmed them by -miracles. For he would rather regard their doctrine than their pretence -to miracles; or have said, I will not enquire whether ever they have -wrought any miracles or no, but what efficacy their doctrine has had: -and therefore the apostle, by _knowing the power_, does not mean that of -working miracles, but he intimates that he would know, not only what -doctrines these persons taught, but what success attended their -preaching; and then he adds, that _the kingdom of God_, that is, the -gospel-state is advanced and promoted, not barely by the church’s -enjoying the means of grace, such as the preaching of the word; but _by -the power of God_, which makes the word preached effectual to salvation, -whereby sinners are converted, and many added to the church, such as -shall be saved. - -As to the last scripture mentioned, in which the apostle says, _Our -gospel came to you, not in word only, but in power_, I cannot think that -he has any reference in that place, to the confirming the gospel by -miracles; because this is assigned as a mark of their election, -_knowing, brethren, your election of God; for our gospel came unto you, -not only in word, but in power_, &c. Now, whether we take election for -God’s eternal design to save them, or for the execution thereof, in his -applying the graces of the Spirit to them; or if we take it in the -lowest sense, which they, on the other side of the question, generally -give into, for their being a choice, religious unblameable society of -Christians, excelling many others in piety: this could not be evinced by -the gospel’s being confirmed by miracles; and therefore this sense seems -not agreeable to the apostle’s design; and consequently the objection -taken from those scriptures, that speak of the power of God in -conversion, as implying nothing else but his power, exerted in working -miracles, will not, in the least, be sufficient to weaken the force of -the argument we are maintaining. Thus concerning effectual calling’s -being a work of power, attributed, in particular, to the Holy Spirit. - -There is one thing more observed, in the answer we are explaining, which -must be briefly considered; namely, that it is a work of grace, which -was the internal moving cause thereof; or, the reason of God’s exerting -his divine power therein. Effectual calling must be a work of grace, -without any motive taken from them, who are the subjects thereof; -inasmuch as they had before this, nothing in them, that could render -them the objects of divine love, being described as _dead in trespasses -and sins, alienated from the life of God_, and _enmity_ itself _against -him_: so that their condition, antecedent hereunto, cannot be supposed -to be the moving cause hereof; for that which is in itself, altogether -unlovely, cannot afford a motive for love to any one that weighs the -circumstances of persons and things, and acts in pursuance thereof. - -_Object._ But whereas it is objected, that though the present condition -of unregenerate persons cannot afford any motive inducing God thereunto, -yet the foresight of their future conduct might. - -_Answ._ To this we answer, That all the good which shall be found in -believers, is God’s gift; he is the finisher as well as the author of -faith; and therefore it cannot be said, that any thing out of himself, -was the moving cause hereof. And to this we may add, That God foresaw -the vile and unworthy behaviour of believers, proceeding from the -remainders of corrupt nature in them, as well as those graces which he -would enable them to act: so that there is as much in them that might -induce him to hate them, as there is to move him to love them; and -therefore we must conclude, that his love proceeds from another cause; -or that it is by the grace of God alone, that we are what we are: which -leads us to consider, - -4. That the power and grace of God, displayed in effectual calling, is -irresistible, and consequently such as cannot but be effectual to -produce that which is designed to be brought about thereby. To deny -this, would be to infer, that the creature has an equal, if not a -superior, force to God: for, as, in nature, every thing that impedes or -stops a thing that is in motion, must have an equal force to resist with -that which is affected by it; so, in the work of grace, if the will of -man can render the power of God of none effect, or stop the progress of -divine grace, contrary to his design or purpose, this must argue the -creature’s power of resisting, equal to that which is put forth by God, -in order to the bringing this work to perfection. This consequence is so -derogatory to the divine glory, that no one who sees it to be just, will -maintain the premises from whence it is deduced. - -If it be said, that God may suffer himself to be resisted; and his -grace, that would otherwise have been effectual, to be defeated; this -will not much mend the matter; but only, in order to the avoiding one -absurd consequence, bring in another; for if every one would have, what -he purposes to be done brought to pass, and would not be disappointed, -if he could help it, the same must be said of the great God. Now if God -could have prevented his purpose from being defeated, but would not, -this argues a defect of wisdom; if his own glory was designed, by -purposing to do that which the creature renders ineffectual, then he -misses of that end, which cannot but be the most valuable, and -consequently most desirable: therefore, for God to suffer a purpose of -this nature, to be defeated, supposing he could prevent it, is to suffer -himself to be a loser of that glory which is due to his name. Moreover, -this is directly contrary to what the apostle says, _Who hath resisted -his will_, Rom. ix. 19. or who hath rendered the grace, which he -designed should take effect, ineffectual, or, which is the same thing, -who can do it? - -The ground on which many have asserted, that the grace of God may be -resisted, is taken from some scriptures, that speak of man’s being in -open hostility against him. Thus we read of a bold daring sinner, as -_stretching out his hand against God, and strengthening himself against -the Almighty, running upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses -of his bucklers_, Job xv. 25, 26. And Stephen reproves the Jews as -having _always resisted the Holy Ghost, both they and their fathers_, -Acts vii. 51, 52. and the Pharisees are said to _have rejected_, Luke -vii. 30. or, as the word[27] might have been rendered, _disannulled the -counsel of God against themselves_. And elsewhere, the prophet speaks of -God’s _stretching out his hand all the day unto a disobedient and -gainsaying people_, Rom. x. 21. These, and such like scriptures give -occasion to some to suppose, that the power and grace, as well as the -purpose of God, may be resisted. - -But that we may understand the sense of these scriptures, and, at the -same time not relinquish the doctrine we are maintaining, and thereby -infer the consequence above-mentioned; we must distinguish between our -opposition to God’s revealed will, contained in his word, which is the -rule of duty to us; and resisting his secret will, which determines the -event. Or, as it may be otherwise expressed, it is one thing to set -ourselves against the objective grace of God, that is, the gospel, and -another thing to defeat his subjective grace, that when he is about to -work effectually in us, we should put a stop to his proceedings. The -former no one denies; the latter we can, by no means, allow of. Persons -may express a great deal of reluctancy and perverseness at that time, -when God is about to subdue their stubborn and obstinate wills; but the -power of God will break through all this opposition; and the will of man -shall not be able to make his work void, or without effect. The Jews, as -above-mentioned, might _resist the Holy Ghost_, that is, oppose the -doctrines contained in scripture, which were given by the Spirit’s -inspiration; and they might make this revelation of no effect, with -respect to themselves; but had God designed that it should take effect, -then he would have prevented their resisting it. Israel might _be a -gainsaying people_, that is, they might oppose what God communicated to -them by the prophets, which it was their duty and interest to have -complied with; and so the offers of grace in God’s revealed will, might -be in vain with respect to them; but it never was so with respect to -those whom he designed to save: and if the hardened sinner, _stretching -out his hand against God_, may be said hereby to express his averseness -to holiness, and his desire to be exempted from the divine government; -he may be found in open rebellion against him, as hating and opposing -his law; but he cannot offer any real injury to his divine perfections, -so as to detract from his glory, to render his purpose of no effect. -Moses speaking concerning God’s works of providence, says, _They are -perfect; for all his ways are judgment_, Deut. xxxii. 4. And elsewhere, -God, by the prophet Isaiah, says, _I will work, and who shall let it_, -Isa. xliii. 13. From whence he argues, his eternal Deity, and -uncontroulable power, when he says, _before the day was, I am he, and -there is none that can deliver out of my hand_; so that if a stop might -be put to his works of providence, he would cease to be a God of -infinite perfection; and may we not from hence infer, that his works of -grace are not subject to any controul; so that when he designs to call -any effectually, nothing shall prevent this end’s being answered, which -is what we intend, when we speak of the power and grace of God as -irresistible; which leads us to consider, - -5. The season or time in which persons are effectually called; which in -this answer, is said to be God’s accepted time. If the work be free and -sovereign, without any motive in us, the time in which he does it, must -be that which he thinks most proper. Here we may observe, - -(1.) That some are regenerate in their infancy, when the word can have -no instrumentality, in producing the least acts of grace; these have -therefore the seeds thereof, which spring up, and discover themselves, -when they are able to make use of the word. That persons are capable of -regeneration from the womb, is no less evident, than that they are -capable of having the seeds or principle of reason from thence, which -they certainly have; and if it be allowed, that regeneration is -connected with salvation, and that infants are capable of the latter, as -our Saviour says, that _of such is the kingdom of God_; then they must -be certainly capable of the former; and not to suppose some infants -regenerate from the womb, would be to exclude a very great part of -mankind from salvation, without scripture-warrant. - -(2.) Others are effectually called in their childhood, or riper years, -and some few in old age; that so no age of life may be an inducement to -despair, or persons be thereby discouraged from attending on the means -of grace. Thus it is said concerning Josiah, That _in the eighth year of -his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of -David, his father_, 2 Chron. xxxiv. 1. and David was converted when he -was a _youth, a stripling of a ruddy and beautiful countenance_, 1 Sam. -xvi. 12. compared with chap. xvii. 56, 58. And Moses seems to have been -effectually called, when he left Pharaoh’s court; and _it came into his -heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel_; at which time he -was _forty years old_, Acts vii. 23. And Abraham seems to have been made -partaker of this grace, when he was called to leave his country, when he -was seventy-five years old; before which, it is probable, that he, -together with the rest of his father’s family, served other gods, Josh. -xxiv. 2. compared with Gen. xii. 4. And we read, in one single instance, -of a person converted in the very agonies of death, _viz._ the thief -upon the cross, Luke xxiii. 43. - -(3.) Sometimes, when persons seem most disposed hereunto, and are under -the greatest convictions, and more inclined to reform their lives, than -at other times, the work appears, by the issue thereof, to be no more -than that of common grace, which miscarries and leaves them worse than -they were before; and, it may be, after this, when they seem less -inclined hereunto, that is, God’s accepted time, when he begins the work -with power, which he afterwards carries on and completes. Some are -suffered to run great lengths in sin, before they are effectually -called; as the apostle Paul, _in whom God was pleased to shew forth all -long suffering, as a pattern to them which should hereafter believe_, 1 -Tim. i. 16. So that the time and means being entirely in his hand, as we -ought not to presume, but wait for the day of salvation in all his -ordinances; so, whatever our age and circumstances are, we are still -encouraged to hope for the mercy of God, unto eternal life; or, that he -will save and call us, with an holy calling. - -Footnote 5: - - That the invitations of the gospel are not restricted to a few amongst - a larger number who hear them, is clear, from various considerations. - - The term evangel, or gospel, importing good tidings, evinces, that it - is designed not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance and - salvation. - - The blessings, which it announces, lead to the same conclusion; - liberty is offered to the captives, and the opening of the prison to - those who are bound; those who labour and are heavily laden, are - invited to seek, and obtain rest: those who hunger and thirst after - righteousness, are assured that they shall be filled; the riches of - grace and of glory are promised to the poor in Spirit; sight is - offered to the blind; and howsoever diseased, those who are afflicted - are invited to come to the great Physician; and even those who are - dead in sin are revived by his life-giving word. Such are the - circumstances of the worst of men, who are consequently the objects of - the mercies proffered in the gospel. - - The unregenerate elect, who stand amongst those who will not be saved, - are like them, possessed of prevailing inclinations to sin, and - equally impotent to good: they are all equally guilty of an aversation - of heart from God, and so possess in themselves nothing which can - evidence a right to gospel blessings more than others. - - The invitations of the gospel are in universal terms, and although - such terms are sometimes restricted by the sense, yet where no such - restriction appears, they are to be taken in their own unlimited - extent; the ransom is asserted to have been rendered for all; the Lord - willeth not the destruction of any, but that all should turn and live; - Christ proclaimed to sinners, _if any man thirst, let him come unto me - and drink_; and directed his disciples to go and _teach all nations_; - and it is his will, that the gospel should be preached _unto every - creature_. - - If in the day of final account, the abominable crimes of Sodom and - Gomorrha shall evince less guilt than the impenitency of Chorazin and - Bethsaida; the aggravation of guilt, which the gospel produces, - demonstrates that its messages are directed unto the worst of men, as - well as others. - - Those who are guided by the light of nature, are guilty, because they - violate the rule of conscience: such as possessed the law of God were - still more guilty, but sinners under the light of the gospel, who - trample under foot the blood of Christ, and despise and reject the - mercies of the gospel, are guilty in the highest degree. It is just - that they should not receive the offered pardon, but remain under the - condemnation of the law, the dominion of iniquity, the slavery of - Satan, and be left in their beloved darkness until they sink in - despair. Yet nothing but their own aversion rejects the invitation, or - prevents their salvation: they are straitened in their own bowels, and - are the causes of their own destruction. Thus salvation is offered in - general, and God is just, though the application of it is plainly - special. - -Footnote 6: - - Vide Fuller’s “Gospel worthy of all Acceptation.” - -Footnote 7: - - _See Vol. II. page 333._ - -Footnote 8: - - _This is what is generally called the_ formalis _ratio of liberty._ - -Footnote 9: - - _We generally say, that whatever is essential to a thing, belongs to - it as such. And there is a known rule in logic_, A quatenus ad omne - valet consequentia; _and the then absurd consequences, above - mentioned, would necessarily follow from it._ - -Footnote 10: - - _In this respect divines generally consider liberty as opposed to - co-action: but here we must distinguish between a natural co-action - and a moral one. Liberty is not opposed to a moral co-action, which is - very consistent with it. Thus an honest man cannot allow himself in a - vile action; he is under a moral constraint to the contrary; and yet - he abstains from sin freely. A believer loves Christ freely, as the - apostle Paul certainly did; and yet, at the same time, he was under - the constraint of the love of Christ; as he himself expresses it_, _2 - Cor._ v. 14. - -Footnote 11: - - _This divines generally call_ spontaneity. - -Footnote 12: - - _This some call_ lubentia rationalis. - -Footnote 13: - - _This some divines call_ voluntas serva. - -Footnote 14: - - _The question between us and the Pelagians, is not whether the will - sometimes follows the dictates of the understanding, but, whether it - either always does so? or, if it be otherwise, whether that which - hinders it does not arise from a defect in these dictates of the - understanding? Accordingly they speak of the dictates of the - understanding as practical, and not barely speculative, and with a - particular application to ourselves. They also consider the will as - having been before in some suspense; but that dictate of the - understanding which it follows, is the last, after mature - deliberation; and it is supposed to have compared things together; and - therefore presents a thing, not only as good, but more eligible than - any thing else, which they call a comparate dictate of the - understanding; and by this means the will is persuaded to a - compliance. But though this may be true in many instances that are - natural; yet daily experience proves, that it does not hold good with - respect to things divine and supernatural._ - -Footnote 15: - - The manners and maxims of the world accord with the inclinations of - the human mind, because they spring from them: the dispositions and - the pursuits of men are at variance with the laws of God, the - doctrines of the gospel, and the practice of the saints, this will - appear by comparing them. That the human mind should be brought to - submit to the self-denial requisite to the character of a true - christian, its bias or bent must be changed. Because men are moral - agents, various motives are addressed to them to induce such change, - when not attended to, they aggravate their guilt: when they are - followed by the change, which they have a tendency to produce, those - who yield are said to be “born of the word.” Were it not for the - information we derive from the scriptures we should probably look no - further than the proximate cause, and give man the glory; but these - teach us, that the Spirit of God is always in such change, if it be - real, the efficient cause: “God sanctifies _by_ the truth,” he - “_opens_ the heart to attend” to the word, and when any have _learned_ - from and been _taught_ or _drawn_ by the Father they come unto Christ; - they are therefore also in a higher sense _born of the Spirit_. - - This work of God immediately upon the mind, is possible to him, who - formed, sustains, and knows the secrets of the heart; if we are - unconscious of our creation, support in existence, and the access of - the Searcher of hearts to our minds, we may be unconscious of his - influence to change them. If this were sensible, it might be a motive - incompatible with the safety and moral government of beings, who at - best, whilst here, are imperfectly holy. - - The communication of the knowledge of saving truths immediately is - unnecessary: we have the sacred scriptures, which are competent to - make us wise unto salvation. The inspiration anciently given, is - distinct from the change of bias, or disposition necessary to a - preparation for heaven, might exist without, and is therefore inferior - to it. - - It is not the sole effect of moral suasion, it is a work of the spirit - not the letter, of power not the word: it is a birth, not by “blood, - nor by the will of the flesh, nor _by the will_ of man, but of God,” - and those only “who are of God, hear,” believe, and obey his word. - - This influence is sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, riches to - the poor, health to the sick, and life to the dead. It is not - incompatible with moral agency, for the holy disposition is as free in - its operation, as the former sinful inclinations had been in theirs. - The necessity of it to salvation, is no excuse for the impenitent; - grace is not necessary to the vindication of Divine justice: the - preponderancy of inclinations to evil is the essence of, not an - apology for sin. It is very strange if, because a man is so intent - upon sinning that nothing can change him but the almighty power of the - Divine Spirit, he is on this very account innocent.—It does not render - the preaching of the word unnecessary, for besides that it is - commanded, and important to call men to repentance and faith, when the - grace has been given, God also usually accompanies his ordinances with - his Spirit’s influences, and seems in most cases, to direct in his - providence the blessings of his instructions to those whom he makes - the subjects of his grace. - -Footnote 16: - - “I have seen it objected, that to suppose a change effected in the - heart of man, otherwise than by the power of moral means, is palpably - absurd; as implying an evident impossibility in the nature of things. - It has been said, by a divine of advanced age, and good sense; ‘The - moral change of the mind in regeneration, is of an essentially - different kind from the mechanical change of the body, when that is - raised from the dead; and must be effected by the exertion of a - different kind of power. Each effect requires a power suited to its - nature: and the power proper for one can never produce the other. To - argue from one to the other of these effects, as the apostle has been - misunderstood to do, in Eph. i. 20, is therefore idle and - impertinent.—The Spirit of God is possessed of these two kinds of - power, and exerts the one or the other, accordingly as he wills to - produce a change of the moral or physical kind, in moral beings or - inanimate matter.’ - - “But to this philosophical objection, however plausible and - unanswerable it may appear, I think the reply of our Saviour to the - difficulty started by the Sadducees, respecting the resurrection and a - future state, is neither idle, nor impertinent: ‘Ye do err, not - knowing the scriptures, nor the power of _God_.’ The Almighty is not - limited, as men are, to these two modes of operation, by moral and - mechanical means. The Spirit of God is possessed of a power of working - in a manner different from either of these; that is, supernaturally. - The means by which effects are brought to pass in a natural way, must - indeed be different; according to the nature of those effects, and of - the subjects on which the operations are performed: but when once we - admit the idea of a work properly supernatural—an effect produced not - by the power of any means at all, we instantly lose sight of all - distinctions in the kind of power, or manner of working, adapted to - things of different natures. When God, by his omnipotent word alone, - called all nature into being at first, are we to suppose that he - exerted different powers, according to the natures of the things - designed to be created; and that the power proper to create inanimate - matter, could never create a thinking mind! Are we to conceive that - angels and the souls of men were persuaded into being, by arguments - and motives; and that the material world was forced out of nothing, by - the power of attraction! So, in regard to quickening the dead, are we - to imagine that God can give new life to a soul dead in sin, only by - moral suasion; and that, if he will reanimate bodies which have slept - thousands of years in the dust of the earth, he has no other way to do - it than by a physical operation! The body of Christ was raised to - life, I should suppose, not by any mechanical power, but - supernaturally. In this manner God always works, when he quickeneth - the dead, and calleth things that are not, as though they were. And - what absurdity can there be in supposing Him able to give a new - principle of action, as well as to give existence to any thing else, - in this immediate manner? - - “Some sound and sensible divines, it must be granted, in order to - guard against the notion of regeneration’s being effected by moral - suasion, have called it a physical work, and a physical change; but - very needlessly, I apprehend, and with very evident impropriety. The - change is moral: the work producing it, neither moral nor physical; - but supernatural.” - - DR. SMALLEY - -Footnote 17: - - Ὕπερβαλλον μεγεθος της δυναμεως αυτου—κατα την ενεργειαν του κρατους - της ισχυος αυτου. - -Footnote 18: - - The change in regeneration has been often called the communication of - _a principle of spiritual life_. It is described as life, in the - scriptures. Sensible objects make no impressions on dead bodies, - because insensible; and those, who receive no impressions from divine - truths, but remain unaffected by the charms of holiness, are - figuratively denominated _dead_. Life being the opposite of death, - such as are sensible of the Divine excellencies, and receive the - impressions which religious truths are calculated to make, may, in the - same manner, be termed _living_. Such also are called _spiritual_, - because this holy activity is communicated by the Spirit of God. “You - hath he quickened;” and, because it has for its object the things - which have been revealed by the Holy Spirit. - - These terms are derived from the Scriptures, but the word _principle_ - is destitute of such support. It is found in the Epistle to the - Hebrews: there it is used for those fundamental doctrines, which are - the _beginnings_ of the doctrine of the gospel; but this is not the - meaning of the term in the above description. This change is the - immediate work of God, and not the communication of some operative - axiom of truth. There are natural principles of action; as habit, - affection, and passion: and there are moral; as sense of duty, fear of - God, and love of holiness. These are all termed principles, because - they excite to action, and so are the beginnings, or causes of it. But - it is scarcely in this sense, that the term principle is used in the - description of regeneration; for it is said to be communicated, and so - must mean something distinct from, and the effect of the work of the - Spirit. Accordingly it has been called “a fixed impression of some - spiritual truth upon the heart.” But there is no truth, or other - motive, sufficient to prevail against the obduracy of the unrenewed - heart; or to become a _principle_ of action to a soul dead in sin. - Whatever that is in fallen man, which repels such motives, and - prevents their influence until some more worthy motive is thrown into - the scale, it is the work of the Spirit to remove it, and to give the - soul an activity towards holy things. No intervention of mediate - causes seems necessary; the Spirit of God is the agent; the soul of - the man is the subject of influence; and He is said to _open the - heart, to give a new heart, to create anew, to enlighten the mind in - the knowledge of the truth, to work in us to will and to do_, or _to - give sight to the blind, and hearing to the deaf_. From such - scriptural expressions it may be gathered that sight, knowledge, new - dispositions, and a change of inclinations, are the _effects_ of - regeneration, and not the _thing itself_. - - This change is more important than all the gifts of providence, if man - therefore be the author of it, he is his own greatest benefactor, and - must have the highest glory. If the Holy Spirit acts no otherwise on - the human soul, than by addressing motives, angelic natures do also - this; and no more power is ascribed to the Searcher of hearts, than to - them. Then also it will follow, that all professing christians are of - the same kind; and that it was improperly said, that they “were not of - us,” who afterwards have “departed from us.” Then also the advice to - those who are in the visible church “to examine,” and “prove - themselves,” whether Christ be “in them,” is without meaning, or - utility; because the thing to be inquired for is notorious, that is, - their visible profession. And to “be born again,” is but “to see the” - visible “kingdom” of Christ: and so the proposition spoken to - Nicodemus was merely identical. - -Footnote 19: - - _See Charnock, Vol. II. page 220, 221, &c. and Cole on Regeneration._ - -Footnote 20: - - _See Charnock, Vol. II. page 232, who speaking concerning its being an - instrument, appointed by God, for this purpose, says, That God hath - made a combination between hearing and believing; so that believing - comes not without hearing, and whereas he infers from hence, that the - principle of grace is implanted, by hearing and believing the word, he - must be supposed to understand it, concerning the principle deduced - into act, and not his implanting the principle itself._ - -Footnote 21: - - _See Charnock on Regeneration, Vol. II. page 70, 71._ - -Footnote 22: - - _See Quest._ lxxv. - -Footnote 23: - - When it is said “_no man can come unto me, except the Father who hath - sent me, draw him_,” the negation must be understood as expressive of - _moral_ impotency, and as if it had been said “_ye will not come unto - me that ye might have life_;” but nevertheless as direct proof of the - absolute necessity of divine grace to the salvation of every person - who is saved. That the aid is not merely necessary to the - _understanding_ is evident from the guilt of unregeneracy, and from - the supposition of the Saviour whose reproof implies that it was the - carnality of the _heart_ which created the impotency to come unto or - believe on him. - - The propriety of exhortations to turn, repent, believe, and work out - our own salvation, is obvious; because such impotency is chiefly an - aversion of heart. When such motives are ineffectual, they prove the - inveteracy of the opposition to God, and argue the greater guilt. They - are no evidence that grace is unnecessary, because they have an - important effect in the change of the man’s views, and pursuits, when - the Spirit of God has “_opened the heart_” to receive the necessary - impressions; and because these motives are rendered effectual by the - Divine Spirit. He grants us repentance, turns us, helps our unbelief, - strengthens our faith, and works in us both to will and to do of his - own good pleasure. - - Because it is charged upon the evil that they “resist” the grace of - God, and therefore his Spirit will not always “strive” with men, it by - no means follows, that the success of grace depends merely upon our - yielding; as often as men yield to the strivings of the Spirit, a - victory is obtained; for the carnal heart inclines to evil until - subdued by him: we are “made willing in a day of his power.” Were it - otherwise the glory of man’s salvation would belong to himself, at - least in part; but the language of the believer is “_not unto us, O - Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name, be the glory given_.” Nor is - there any need to suppose man’s salvation thus imputable to himself in - order that the evil may be charged with the blame of his destruction; - for nothing excludes him but his own evil heart, and this is his sin. - - It does not result that the man, who is thus “made willing,” is in - such manner constrained as that his holiness, being the effect of - compulsion, possesses no moral beauty; because he acts as freely as - the evil man does; and even more so, for the latter is a slave to his - preponderating evil inclinations. The believer chooses holiness, and - though he has nothing to boast of before God, his good works may well - justify him before men. - - If it be yet objected, that this is a discouraging representation of - the way of obtaining happiness; it may be answered, that it can - discourage only those, who wish for happiness, at the same time that - they more strongly incline to sensuality; and such ought to be - discouraged in their vain expectations: but it is highly consolatory - to such as prefer holiness and heaven; for it not only discovers to - them, that God has wrought in them to will and to do, but that he is - engaged for them, and will accomplish their salvation. - -Footnote 24: - - _See Charnock on Regeneration, Vol. II. page 147, 148, &c._ - -Footnote 25: - - _When we speak of effectual calling’s being the work of the Spirit, - the agency of the Father and Son is not excluded, since the divine - power, by which all effects are produced, belongs to the divine - essence, which is equally predicated of all the persons in the - Godhead; but when any work is peculiarly attributed to the Spirit, - this implies his personal glory’s being demonstrated thereby, - agreeably to what is elsewhere called the oeconomy of the divine - persons; which see farther explained in Vol. I. page 292, 293_, &c. - -Footnote 26: - - Ενεργεια. - -Footnote 27: - - Αθετησαι. - - - - - Quest. LXIX. - - - QUEST. LXIX. _What is the communion in grace, which the members of - the invisible church have with Christ?_ - - ANSW. The communion in grace, which the members of the invisible - church have with Christ, is, their partaking of the virtue of his - mediation, in their justification, adoption, sanctification, and - whatever else, in this life, manifests their union with him. - -Having considered the vital union which the members of the invisible -church have with Christ in their effectual calling, we are now led to -speak concerning that communion in grace, which they have with him. - -Communion with Christ doth not, in the least, import our being made -partakers of any of the glories or privileges which belong to him as -Mediator; but it consists, in our participation, of those benefits which -he hath purchased for us; and it implies, on his part, infinite -condescension, that he will be pleased to communicate such blessings on -us, and on our’s, unspeakable honours and privileges, which we enjoy -from him: it is sometimes called _fellowship_, 1 John i. 3. which is the -result of friendship, and proceeds from his love: thus our Saviour -speaks of his _loving them, and manifesting himself unto them_, John -xiv. 21. It also proceeds from union with him, and is the immediate -effect and consequence of effectual calling: therefore God is said to -_have called us unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ_, 1 Cor. i. -9. - -And it is farther said in this answer, to be a manifestation of our -union with him. He has received those blessings for us, which he -purchased by his blood; and, accordingly is the treasury, as well as the -fountain of all grace; and we are therefore said to _receive of his -fulness, grace for grace_, John i. 16. And the blessings which we are -said to receive, by virtue of his mediation, are justification, -adoption, and sanctification, with all other benefits that either -accompany or flow from them; which are particularly explained in the -following answers. - - - - - Quest. LXX., LXXI. - - - QUEST. LXX. _What is justification?_ - - ANSW. Justification is an act of God’s free grace unto sinners, in - which he pardoneth all their sins, accepteth and accounteth their - persons righteous in his sight; not for any thing wrought in them, - or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full - satisfaction of Christ, by God imputed to them, and received by - faith alone. - - QUEST. LXXI. _How is justification an act of God’s free grace?_ - - ANSW. Although Christ, by his obedience and death, did make a - proper, real, and full satisfaction to God’s justice, in the behalf - of them that are justified; yet, inasmuch as God accepteth the - satisfaction from a surety, which he might have demanded of them, - did provide this surety, his own only Son, imputing his - righteousness to them, and requiring nothing of them for their - justification, but faith; which also is his gift; their - justification is, to them, of free grace. - -Hitherto we have been led to consider that change of heart and life -which is begun in effectual calling; whereby a dead sinner is made -alive, and one that was wholly indisposed for, and averse to the -performance of good works, is enabled to perform them by the power of -divine grace: and now we are to speak concerning that change of state -which accompanies it; whereby one, who being guilty before God, was -liable to the condemning sentence of the law, and expected no other than -an eternal banishment from his presence, is pardoned, received into -favour, and has a right to all the blessings which Christ has, by his -obedience and sufferings, purchased for him. This is what we call -justification; and it is placed immediately after the head of effectual -calling, as being agreeable to the method in which it is insisted on in -that golden chain of salvation, as the apostle says, _Whom he called, -them he also justified_, Rom. viii. 30. - -This is certainly a doctrine of the highest importance, inasmuch as it -contains in it the way of peace, the foundation of all our hope, of the -acceptance both of our persons and services, and beholding the face of -God, at last, with joy. Some have styled it the very _basis_ of -Christianity; and our forefathers thought it so necessary to be insisted -on and maintained, according to the scripture-account thereof, that they -reckoned it one of the principal doctrines of the reformation. And, -indeed, the apostle Paul speaks of it as so necessary to be believed, -that he concluded that the denying or perverting of it was the ground -and reason of the Jews being rejected; _who being ignorant of God’s -righteousness, and going about to establish a righteousness of their -own, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God_: and -when they shall be called, if their call be intended, in that account -which we have, of _the marriage of the Lamb, and his wife having made -herself ready_, Rev. xix. 7. as many suppose, it is worth observing, -that she is described as _arrayed in fine linen, which is the -righteousness of saints_, or Christ’s righteousness, by which they are -justified: this is that in which they glory; and therefore are -represented as being convinced of the importance of that doctrine which, -before, they were ignorant of. This we have an account of in these two -answers, which we are now to explain, and shall endeavour to do it in -the following method. - -I. We shall consider what we are to understand by the word _justify_. - -II. What are the privileges contained therein, as reduced to two heads, -to wit, pardon of sin; and God’s accounting them who are justified, -righteous in his sight? And, - -III. What is the foundation of our justification? namely, a -righteousness wrought out for us. - -IV. The utter inability of fallen man to perform any righteousness, that -can be the matter of his justification in the sight of God. - -V. That our Lord Jesus Christ has wrought out this righteousness for us, -as our surety, by performing active and passive obedience; which is -imputed to us for our justification. - -VI. We shall consider it as an act of God’s free grace. And, - -VII. Shew the use of faith in justification, or in what respects faith -is said to justify. - -I. We shall consider in what sense we are to understand the word -_justify_. As there are many disputes about the method of explaining the -doctrines of justification; so there is a contest between us and the -Papists, about the sense of the word; they generally supposing, that _to -justify_, is to make inherently righteous and holy; because -righteousness and holiness sometimes import the same thing; and both of -them denote an internal change in the person who is so denominated; and -accordingly they argue, that as to _magnify_ signifies to make great; to -_fortify_, to make strong; so to _justify_ is to make just or holy: and -they suppose, that whatever we do to make ourselves so, or whatever good -works are the ingredients of our sanctification, these must be -considered as the matter of our justification. And some Protestant -divines have supposed, that the difference between them and us, is -principally about the sense of a word; which favourable and charitable -construction of their doctrine, would have been less exceptionable, if -the Papists had asserted no more than that justification might have been -taken in this sense, when considered, not as giving us a right to -eternal life, or being the foundation of that sentence of absolution, -which God passes upon us: but since this is the sense they give of it, -when they say that we are justified by our inherent holiness, we are -bound to conclude, that it is very remote from the scripture sense of -the word. - -We do not deny that justification is sometimes taken in a sense -different from that which is intended by it, when used to signify the -doctrine we are explaining. Sometimes nothing more is intended hereby, -than our vindicating the divine perfections from any charge which is -pretended to be brought against them. Thus the Psalmist says, _That thou -mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou -judgest_, Psal. li. 4. And our Saviour is said to be justified, that is, -his person or character vindicated or defended from the reproaches that -were cast on him; as it is said, _Wisdom is justified of her children_, -Matt. xi. 19. Luke vii. 35. Also we frequently read of the justification -of the actions or conduct of persons, in scripture; in which sense their -own works may be said to justify or vindicate them from the charge of -hypocrisy or unregeneracy. Again, to justify is sometimes taken, in -scripture, for using endeavours to turn many to righteousness: and -therefore our translators have rendered the words, in the prophecy of -Daniel, which signify, _they who justify many, they who turn many to -righteousness, shall shine as the stars_, Dan. xii. 3.[28] - -There are various other senses which are given of this word, which we -pass over as not applicable to the doctrine we are maintaining, and -therefore shall proceed to consider the sense in which it is used, when -importing a sinner’s justification in the sight of God; wherein it is to -be taken only in a forensick sense, and accordingly signifies a person’s -being acquitted or discharged from guilt, or a liableness to -condemnation, in such a way as is done in courts of judicature: thus we -read in the judicial law, that _if there be a controversy between men, -and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them, then they -shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked_, Deut. xxv. 1. -where _to justify the righteous_, is to be understood for acquitting or -discharging one that appears to be righteous, or not guilty, from -condemnation; whereas _the wicked_, that is, they who appear to be -guilty, are to be _condemned_: and in this sense the word is used, when -applied to the doctrine of justification, in the New Testament, and -particularly in Paul’s epistles; who largely insists on this subject. - -Now that we may understand how a sinner may expect to be discharged at -God’s tribunal, let us consider the methods of proceeding used in human -courts of judicature: herein, it is supposed, that there is a law that -forbids some actions which are deemed criminal; and also, that a -punishment is annexed to this law, which renders the person that -violated it, guilty; and then persons are supposed to be charged with -the violation thereof; which charge, if it be not made good, they are -said to be justified, that is, cleared from presumptive, not real guilt: -but if the charge be made good, and he that fell under it, liable to -punishment; if he suffer the punishment he is justified, as in crimes -that are not of a capital nature; or if he be any otherwise cleared from -the charge, so that his guilt be removed, then he is deemed a justified -person: and so the law has nothing to lay to his charge, with respect to -that which he was before accused of. Thus when a sinner, who had been -charged with the violation of the divine law, found guilty before God, -and exposed to a sentence of condemnation, is freed from it, then he is -said to be justified; which leads us to consider, - -II. The privileges contained in justification; which are forgiveness of -sin and a right and title to eternal life. These are sufficiently -distinguished, though never separated; so that when we find but one of -them mentioned in a particular scripture, which treats on this subject, -the other is not excluded. Forgiveness of sin is sometimes expressed in -scripture, by a not imputing sin; and a right to life, includes in it -our being made partakers of the adoption of children, and a right to the -inheritance prepared for them. The apostle mentions both these together, -when he speaks of our having _redemption through the blood of Christ, -even the forgiveness of sins_; and being _made meet to be partakers of -the inheritance of the saints in light_, Col. i. 12, 14. And elsewhere -he speaks of Christ’s _redeeming them that were under the law_; which -includes the former branch of justification, and of their _receiving the -adoption of children_, which includes the latter. And again he considers -a justified person as _having peace with God_, which more especially -respects pardon of sin, and of their _having access to the grace wherein -they stand_, and their _rejoicing in hope of the glory of God_, Rom. v. -1, 2. which is what we are to understand by, or includes in it, their -right to life. - -That justification consists of both these branches, we maintain against -the Papists, who suppose that it includes nothing else but forgiveness -of sin, which is founded on the blood of Christ; whereas, according to -them, our right to life depends on our internal qualifications, or -sincere obedience. And besides these, there are some Protestant divines, -who suppose that it consists only in pardon of sin; and this is -asserted, by them, with different views; some do it as most consistent -with the doctrine of justification by works, which they plead for; -whereas, others do it as being most agreeable to another notion which -they advance, namely, that we are justified only by Christ’s passive -obedience; which will be considered under a following head. Again, there -are others, whose sentiments of the doctrine of justification are -agreeable to scripture, who maintain, that it includes both forgiveness -of sins, and a right to life; but yet they add, that the former is -founded on Christ’s passive obedience, and the latter on his active: -whereas, we cannot but think, that the whole of Christ’s obedience, both -active and passive, is the foundation of each of these; which will also -be considered, when we come to speak concerning the procuring cause of -our justification. - -All that we shall observe at present, is, that these two privileges are -inseparably connected; therefore, as no one can have a right to life, -but he whose sins are pardoned; so no one can obtain forgiveness of sin, -but he must, as the consequence hereof, have a right to life. As by the -fall, man first became guilty, and then lost that right to life which -was promised in case he had stood; so it is agreeable to the divine -perfections, provided the guilt be removed, that he should be put in the -same state as though it had not been contracted, and consequently, that -he should not only have forgiveness of sins, but a right to life. -Forgiveness of sin, without a right to eternal life, would render our -justification incomplete; therefore, when any one is pardoned by an act -of grace, he is put in possession of that which, by his rebellion, he -had forfeited, he is considered, not only as released out of prison, but -as one who has the privileges of a subject, such as those which he had -before he committed the crime. Without this he would be like Absalom, -when, upon Joab’s intercession with David, the guilt of murder, which he -had contracted, was remitted so far, as that he had liberty to return -from Geshur, whither he was fled: nevertheless, he reckons himself not -fully discharged from the guilt he had contracted, and concludes his -return to Jerusalem, as it were, an insignificant privilege; unless, by -being admitted to see the king’s face, and enjoy the privileges which he -was possessed of before, he might be dealt with as one who was taken -into favour, as well as forgiven, 2 Sam. xiv. 2. which was accordingly -granted. This leads us to consider these two branches of justification -in particular. And, - -1. Forgiveness of sin. Sin is sometimes represented as containing in it -moral impurity, as opposed to holiness of heart and life; and -accordingly is said, _to defile a man_, Matt. xv. 19, 20. and is set -forth by several metaphorical expressions in scripture, which tend to -beget an abhorrence of it as of things impure; in which sense it is -removed in sanctification rather, than in justification; not but that -divines sometimes speak of Christ’s redeeming us from the filth and -dominion of sin, and our deliverance from it in justification: but these -are to be understood as rendering us guilty; inasmuch as all moral -pollutions are criminal, as contrary to the law of God; otherwise our -deliverance from them would not be a branch of justification; and -therefore, in speaking to this head, we shall consider sin as that which -renders men guilty before God, and so shew what we are to understand by -guilt. - -This supposes a person to be under a law, and to have violated it; -accordingly sin is described as the _transgression of the law_, 1 John -iii. 4. The law of God, in common with all other laws, is primarily -designed to be the rule of obedience; and in order thereunto, it is a -declaration of the divine will, which, as creatures and subjects, we are -under a natural obligation to comply with; and God, as a God of infinite -holiness and sovereignty, cannot but signify his displeasure in case of -disobedience; and therefore he has annexed a threatening to his law, or -past a condemning sentence, as that which is due for every -transgression: this divines sometimes call the sanction of the law, or a -fence, with which it is guarded, that so, through the corruption of our -nature, we may not conclude, that we may rebel against him with -impunity: this the scripture styles, _The curse of the law_, Gal. iii. -10. So that guilt is a liableness to the curse or condemning sentence of -the law, for our violation of it: this is sometimes called a debt of -punishment, which we owe to the justice of God, for not paying that debt -of obedience which was due from us to his law. Thus, when our Saviour -advises us to pray, that our sins may be forgiven; he expresses it by -_forgiving us our debts_, Luke xi. 4. Matt. vi. 12. so that forgiveness, -as it is a freeing us from guilt, discharges us from the guilt of -punishment which we were liable to. - -There is a twofold debt which man owes to God; one he owes to him as a -creature under a law; this is that debt of obedience, which he cannot be -discharged from; and therefore, a justified person is, in this sense, as -much a debtor as any other. There is also a debt which man contracts as -a criminal, whereby he is liable to suffer punishment; this alone is -removed in justification. - -Moreover, we must carefully distinguish between the demerit of sin, or -its desert of punishment; and the sinner’s obligation to suffer -punishment for it. The former of these is inseparable from sin, and not -removed, or, in the least lessened, by pardoning mercy; for sin is no -less the object of the divine detestation; nor is its intrinsic evil, or -demerit, abated by its being forgiven; and therefore, a justified -person, remaining still a sinner, as transgressing the law of God, has -as much reason to condemn himself, in this respect, as though he had not -been forgiven. The Psalmist speaking concerning a person that is -actually forgiven or justified, says, notwithstanding, that _if thou -Lord, shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?_ Psal. cxxx. 3. -He was, at the same time, in a justified state; but yet he concludes, -that there is a demerit of punishment in every sin that he committed; -though, when it is pardoned, the obligation to suffer punishment is -taken away:[29] and therefore, the apostle speaking of such, says, -_There is no condemnation to them_, Rom. viii. 1. We must farther -distinguish between our having matter of condemnation in us; this a -justified person has; and there being no condemnation to us; that is, -the immediate result of being pardoned. - -There are several expressions in scripture, whereby forgiveness is set -forth, namely, God’s covering sin: thus the Psalmist says, _Blessed is -he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered_, Psal. xxxii. -1. or, his hiding his face from it, and blotting it out; or, _when it is -sought for_, Psal. li. 9. its _not being found_, Jer. l. 20. and, -_casting our sins into the depths of the sea_, Micah vii. 19. And -elsewhere it is said, That when God had pardoned the sins of his people, -_he did not behold iniquity in Jacob, nor see perverseness in Israel_, -Numb, xxiii. 21. which amounts to the same thing as the foregoing -expressions of its being covered, hid, blotted out, _&c._ - -I am sensible there have been many contests about the sense of this -scripture; which might, without much difficulty, have been compromised, -had the contending parties been desirous to know each others sense, -without prejudice or partiality. It is not to be thought, that when God -forgives sin, he does not know, or suppose that the person forgiven, -had, before this, contracted guilt by sins committed; for without this, -he could not be the object of forgiveness. When God is said not to look -upon, or hide his face from their sins, it is not to be supposed, that -he knows not what they have done, or what iniquities they daily commit -against him; for that would be subversive of his omniscience: and when -he is said not to mark our iniquities, we are not to understand it, as -though he did not look upon the sins we commit, though in a justified -state, with abhorrence; for the sinner may be pardoned, and yet the -crime forgiven be detested. But God’s not seeing sin in his people, is -to be taken in a forensic sense; and accordingly, when an atonement is -made for sin, and the guilt thereof taken away, the criminal, in the eye -of the law, is as though he had not sinned; he is as fully discharged -from the indictment, that was brought in against him, as though he had -been innocent, not liable to any charge founded upon it; and therefore -the apostle says, _Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? -It is God that justifieth_, Rom. viii. 33. and it is the same, as for -God _not to enter into judgment_, as the Psalmist elsewhere expresses -it; or to _punish us less than our iniquities have deserved_, Psal. -cxliii. 2. In this sense the indictment that was brought against him, is -cancelled, the sentence reversed, and prosecution stopped; so that -whatever evils are endured as the consequence of sin, or with a design -to humble him for it, as bringing sin to his remembrance, with all its -aggravating circumstances, he is, nevertheless, encouraged to hope, that -these are not inflicted in a judicial way, by the vindictive justice of -God demanding satisfaction; but to display and set forth the holiness of -his nature, as infinitely opposite to all sin, and the dispensations of -his providence agreeably thereunto; and that with a design to bring him -to repentance for it. - -And, that this privilege may appear to be most conducive to our -happiness and comfort, let it be considered; that wherever God forgives -sin, he forgives all sin, cancels every debt that rendered him liable to -punishment, otherwise our condition would be very miserable, and our -salvation impossible; our condition would be like that of a person who -has several indictments brought in against him, every one of which -contain an intimation that his life is forfeited; it would avail him -very little for one indictment to be superseded, and the sentence due to -him for the others, executed: thus the apostle speaks of the _free -gift_, being _of many_, that is, of the multitude of our _offences unto -justification_, Rom. v. 16. And elsewhere he speaks of God’s forgiving -his people _all trespasses_, Col. ii. 13. And as he forgives all past -sins, so he gives them ground to conclude, that iniquity shall not be -their ruin; and therefore, the same grace that now abounds towards them -herein, together with the virtue of the atonement made for sin, shall -prevent future crimes being charged upon them to their condemnation. -Thus concerning forgiveness of sin. - -2. The other privilege, which they who are justified are made partakers -of, is the acceptation of their persons, as righteous in the sight of -God: thus they are said to be _made accepted in the Beloved_, Eph. i. 6. -and as their persons are accepted, so are their performances, -notwithstanding the many defects that adhere to them. Thus God is said -to have _had respect unto Abel, and to his offering_, Gen. iv. 4. And, -together with this, they have a right and title to eternal life; which -is that inheritance which Christ has purchased for, and God, in his -covenant of grace, has promised to them. This is a very comprehensive -blessing; for it contains in it a right to all those great and precious -promises, which God has made, respecting their happiness both here and -hereafter. But since we shall have occasion to insist on this in a -following answer, under the head of adoption, which some divines, not -without good reason, conclude to be a branch of justification, or, at -least, to contain in it those positive privileges, which they, who are -justified, partake of, either here of hereafter, we shall proceed to -consider, - -III. What is the foundation of our justification; and that must be -either some righteousness wrought out by us; or for us. Since -justification is a person’s being _made righteous_, as the apostle -styles it, Rom. v. 29. we must consider what we are to understand -hereby; and accordingly a person is said to be righteous who never -violated the law of God, nor exposed himself to the condemning sentence -thereof: in this respect man, while in a state of innocency, was -righteous; his perfect obedience was the righteousness which, according -to the tenor of the covenant he was under, gave him a right to eternal -life; especially it would have done so, had it been persisted in, till -he was possessed of that life; but such a righteousness as this, cannot -be the foundation of our justification, as the apostle says, _By the -works of the law shall no flesh be justified_, Gal. ii. 16. Therefore, -the righteousness we are now speaking of, must be something wrought out -for us, by one who stood in our room and stead, and was able to pay that -debt of obedience, and endure those sufferings that were due for sin, -which the law of God might have exacted of us, and insisted on the -payment of, in our own persons, which, when paid by Christ for us, is -that, (as will be considered under a following head,) which we generally -call Christ’s righteousness, or what he did and suffered in our stead, -in conformity to the law of God; whereby its honour was secured and -vindicated, and justice satisfied; so that God hereby appears to be, as -the apostle says, _Just, and the justifier of him which believeth in -Jesus_, Rom. iii. 26.[30] - -IV. We are now to consider the utter inability of fallen man to perform -any righteousness that can be the matter of his justification in the -sight of God; whereby it will appear, as it is observed in this answer, -that we are not accounted righteous in his sight, for any thing wrought -in us, or done by us. That we cannot be justified by suffering the -punishment that was due for sin, appears from the infinite evil thereof; -and the eternal duration of the punishment that it deserves; as our -Saviour observes in the parable concerning the debtor, who did not -_agree with his adversary while in the way_, but was _delivered to the -officer_, and _cast into prison_; from whence he was not to come out -_till he had paid the uttermost farthing_, Matt. v. 25, 26. that is to -say, he shall never be discharged. A criminal who is sentenced to endure -some punishments short of death, or which are to continue but for a term -of years, when he has suffered them, is, upon the account hereof, -discharged, or justified: but it is far otherwise with man, when fallen -into the hands of the vindictive justice of God; therefore the Psalmist -says, _enter not into judgment with thy servant_, or do not punish me -according to the demerit of sin; _for in thy sight shall no flesh living -be justified_. - -Neither can any one be justified by performing active obedience to the -law of God; for nothing is sufficient to answer that end, but what is -perfect in all respects; it must be sinless obedience, and that not only -as to what concerns the time to come, but as respecting the time past; -and that is impossible, from the nature of the thing, to be said of a -sinner; for it implies a contradiction in terms. This farther appears -from the holiness of God, which cannot but detest the least defect; and -therefore will not deal with a sinful creature, as though he had been -innocent: and as for sins that are past, they render us equally liable -to a debt of punishment, with those which are committed at present, or -shall be hereafter, in the sight of God. Moreover, the honour of the law -cannot be secured, unless it be perfectly fulfilled; which cannot be -done if there be any defect of obedience. - -As for those works which are done by us, without the assistance of the -Spirit of God, these proceed from a wrong principle, and have many other -blemishes attending them, upon the account whereof, they have only a -partial goodness; and for that reason Augustine gives them no better a -character than shining sins[31]: but whatever terms we give them, they -are certainly very far from coming up to a conformity to the divine law. -And as for those good works which are said to be wrought in us, and are -the effect of the power and grace of God, and the consequence of our -being regenerated and converted, these fall far short of perfection; -there is a great deal of sin attending them, which, if God should mark, -none could stand. This is expressed by Job, in a very humble manner; -_How should man be just with God? if he will contend with him, he cannot -answer him one of a thousand_. And, _if I wash myself with snow water, -and make my hands never so clean, yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, -and mine own clothes shall abhor me: for he is not a man as I am, that I -should answer him, and we should come together in judgment_, Job ix. 2, -3, 30-32. when God is said to _work in us that which is well pleasing in -his sight_, Heb. xiii. 21. we are not to understand, that the grace -which he works in us, renders us accepted in his sight, in a forensic -sense, or, that it justifies us; for in this respect we are only _made -accepted in the Beloved_, that is, in Christ, Eph. i. 3. - -Moreover, as what is wrought in us, has many defects attending it; so it -is not from ourselves, and therefore cannot be accepted as a payment of -that debt of obedience which we owe to the justice of God; and -consequently we cannot be justified thereby. Some, indeed, make the -terms of acceptance, or justification in the sight of God, so very low, -as though nothing were demanded of us but our sincere endeavours to -yield obedience, whatever imperfections it be chargeable with. And -others pretend, that our confessing our sins will be conducive hereunto; -and assert, that our tears are sufficient to wash away the guilt of sin. -The Papists add, that some penances, of acts of self-denial, will -satisfy his justice, and procure a pardon for us; yea, they go farther -than this, and maintain, that persons may perform works of -supererogation, or pay more than the debt that is owing from them, or -than what the law of God requires, and thereby not only satisfy his -justice, but render him a debtor to them; and putting them into a -capacity of transferring these arrears of debt, to those that stand in -need of them, and thereby lay an obligation on them, in gratitude, to -pay them honours next to divine. Such absurdities do men run into, who -plead for human satisfactions, and the merit of good works, as the -matter of our justification: and, indeed, there is nothing can tend more -to depreciate Christ’s satisfaction, on the one hand, and stupify the -conscience on the other; and therefore, it is so far from being an -expedient for justification, that it is destructive to the souls of men. - -As for our sincere endeavours, or imperfect obedience, these cannot be -placed by the justice of God, in the room of perfect; for that is -contrary to the nature of justice: We cannot suppose, that he who pays a -pepper-corn, or a few mites, instead of a large sum, really pays the -debt that was due from him; justice cannot account this to be a payment; -therefore, a discharge from condemnation, upon these terms, cannot be -styled a justification. And if it be said that it is esteemed so by an -act of grace: this is to advance the glory of one divine perfection, -and, at the same time, detract from that of another; nothing therefore -can be our righteousness, but that which the justice of God may, in -honour, accept of for our justification: and our own righteousness is so -small and inconsiderable a thing, that it is a dishonour for him to -accept of it in this respect; and therefore we cannot be justified by -works done by us, or wrought in us. - -This will farther appear, if we consider the properties of this -righteousness; and in particular, that it must not only be perfect, and -therefore, such as a sinful creature cannot perform; but it must also be -of infinite value, otherwise it could not give satisfaction to the -infinite justice of God; and consequently cannot be performed by any -other than a divine person. And it must also bear some resemblance to -that debt which was due from us, inasmuch as it was designed to satisfy -for the debt which he had contracted; and therefore must be performed by -one who is really man. But this having been insisted on elsewhere, under -the head of Christ’s Priestly office[32], we shall not farther enlarge -on it; but proceed to consider, - -V. That our Lord Jesus Christ has wrought out this righteousness for us, -as our Surety, by performing active and passive obedience; which is -imputed to us for our justification. We have before considered that it -is impossible that such a righteousness, as is sufficient to be the -matter of our justification, should be wrought out by us in our own -persons; it therefore follows; that it must be wrought out for us, by -one who bears the character of a surety, and performs every thing that -is necessary to our justification; such an one is our Lord Jesus Christ. -In considering this head, we must, - -1. Shew what we are to understand by a _surety_, since it is the -righteousness of Christ, under this relation to us, which is the matter -of our justification. A surety is one who submits to be charged with, -and undertakes to pay a debt contracted by another, to the end that the -debtor may hereby be discharged: thus the apostle Paul engages to be -surety to Philemon, for Onesimus, who had fled from him, whom he had -wronged or injured, and was hereby indebted to him; concerning whom, he -says, _If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine -account; I, Paul, have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it_, -Philem. ver. 18. And elsewhere, we read of Judah’s overture to be surety -for his brother Benjamin, that he should return to his father, as a -motive to induce him to give his consent that he should go with him into -Egypt: _I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if -I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the -blame for ever_, Gen. xliii. 9. This is so commonly known in civil -transactions of the like nature, between man and man, that it needs no -farther explication; however, it may be observed, - -(1.) That a person’s becoming surety for another, must be a free and -voluntary act: for to force any one to bind himself to pay a debt, which -he has not contracted, is as much an act of injustice, as it is in any -other instance to exact a debt where it is not due. - -(2.) He that engages to be surety for another must be in a capacity to -pay the debt, otherwise he is unjust to the creditor, as well as brings -ruin upon himself: therefore it is said, _Be not thou one of them that -strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts, if thou hast -nothing to pay; why should he take away the bed from under thee?_ Prov. -xxiii. 26, 27. - -(3.) He who engages to be surety for another, is supposed not to have -contracted the debt himself; and therefore the creditor must have no -demands upon him, as being involved together with the debtor, and so -becoming engaged antecedent to his being surety: nevertheless, he is -deemed, in the eye of the law, consequent thereunto, to stand in the -debtor’s room, and to be charged with his debt, and equally obliged to -the payment thereof, as though he had contracted it, especially if the -creditor be resolved to exact the payment of him, rather than of the -original debtor[33]. - -(4.) As debts are of different kinds, so the obligation of a surety -agreeably thereunto admits of different circumstances: thus there are -pecuniary debts resulting from those dealings or contracts which pass -between man and man in civil affairs; and there are debts of service or -obedience; as also debts of punishment, as has been before observed, for -crimes committed; in all which cases, as the nature of the debt differs, -so there are some things peculiar in the nature of suretyship for it. In -pecuniary debts the creditor is obliged to accept of payment at the hand -of any one, who at the request of the debtor is willing to discharge the -debt which he has contracted, especially, if what he pays be his own; -but in debts of service or punishment, when the surety offers himself to -perform of suffer what was due from another, the creditor is at his -liberty to accept of, or refuse satisfaction from him, but might insist -on the payment of the debt by him in his own person, from whom it was -due. - -2. Christ was such a surety for us, or substituted in our room, with a -design to pay the debt which was due to the justice of God from us. -Here, that we may assume the ideas of a surety but now-mentioned, and -apply them to Christ, as our surety, let it be considered; - -(1.) That what he did and suffered for us was free and voluntary; this -appears from his readiness to engage therein, expressed by his saying, -_Lo, I come to do thy will_, Heb. x. 9. And therefore whatever he -suffered for us did not infer the least injustice in God that inflicted -it[34]. - -(2.) He was able to pay the debt, so that there was not the least injury -offered to the justice of God by his undertaking. This is evident, from -his being God incarnate; and therefore in one nature he was able to do -and suffer whatever was demanded of us, and in the other nature to add -an infinite value to what he performed therein. - -(3.) He was not rendered incapable of paying our debt, or answering for -the guilt which we had contracted by any debt of his own, which involved -him in the same guilt, and rendered him liable to the same punishment -with us, as is evident from what the prophet says concerning him, who -speaks of him, as charged with our guilt, though _he had done no -violence, neither was any deceit found in his mouth_, Isa. liii. 9. That -which the prophet calls _doing no violence_, the apostle Peter referring -to, and explaining it, styles _doing_, or committing _no sin_ of any -kind. He was not involved in the guilt of Adam’s sin, which would have -rendered him incapable of being a surety to pay that debt for us; -neither had he the least degree of the corruption of nature, being -conceived in an extraordinary way, and sanctified from the womb[35]. Nor -did he ever commit actual sin, for he was holy, harmless, undefiled, and -separate from sinners. - -(4.) Another thing observed in the character of a surety, which is very -agreeable to Christ, is; that what he engaged to pay was his own, or at -his own disposal, he did not offer any injury to justice, by paying a -debt that was before due to it, or by performing any service which he -had no warrant to do. It is true, he gave his life a ransom, but -consider him as a divine Person, and he had an undoubted right to -dispose or of, lay down that life which he had as man. Did he consent, -in the eternal transaction between the Father and him, to be incarnate, -and in our nature to perform the work of a Surety? this was an act of -his sovereign will; and therefore whatever he paid as a ransom for us, -was, in the highest sense, his own. The case was not the same as though -one man should offer to lay down his life for another, who has no power -to dispose of his life at pleasure. We are not lords of our own lives; -as we do not come into the world by our own wills, we are not to go out -of it when we please; but Christ was as God, if I may so express myself, -lord of himself, of all that he did and suffered as man; by which I -understand that he had a right as God to consent or determine to do, and -suffer whatever he did and suffered as man; therefore the debt which he -paid in the human nature was his own. - -(5.) As it has been before observed, that in some cases he that is -willing to substitute himself as a surety in the room of the debtor, -must be accepted, and approved by him to whom it was due; and in this -respect our Saviour’s substitution as our surety in our room, had a -sanction from God the Father; who gave many undeniable evidences that -what he did and suffered for us, was accepted by him as really as though -it had been done by us in our own persons, which, as was before -observed, might have been refused by him, it being the payment of a debt -of obedience and sufferings. Now that God the Father testified his -acceptance of Christ as our surety, appears, - -1. From his well-pleasedness with him, both before and after his -incarnation; before he came into the world, God seems to speak with -pleasure in the fore-thought of what he would be, and do, as Mediator, -when he says, _Behold my servant whom I uphold, mine elect, in whom my -soul delighteth_, Isa. xlii. 1. And he is also said to be _well pleased -for his righteousness sake_, ver. 21. or in his determining before hand -that he should, as Mediator, bring in that righteousness which would -tend to magnify the law, and make it honourable. - -Moreover, his having anointed him by a previous designation to this -work, as the prophet intimates, speaking of him before his incarnation, -Isa. lxi. 1, 2. is certainly an evidence of his being approved to be our -surety. And when he was incarnate, God approved of him, when engaged in -the work which he came into the world about: thus, when he was solemnly -set apart, by baptism to the discharge of his public ministry, we read -of a voice from heaven, saying, _This is my beloved Son, in whom I am -well pleased_, Matt. iii. 17. And to this we may add, that there was the -most undeniable proof of God’s well pleasedness with him, as having -accomplished this work, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at -his own right hand, in heavenly places. - -2. This may be farther argued from his justifying and saving those for -whom he undertook to be a surety, before the debt was actually paid; and -his applying the same blessings to his people, since the work of -redemption was finished. The application of what Christ undertook to -purchase, is an evidence of the acceptableness of the price. And this -may be considered, either as respecting those that were saved before his -incarnation and death; or those who are, from that time, in all -succeeding ages, made partakers of the saving benefits procured thereby. -Before the actual accomplishment of what he undertook to do and suffer, -as our surety, God the Father trusted him, and, by virtue of his -promising to pay the debt, discharged the Old Testament saints from -condemnation, as effectually as though it had been actually paid. There -are some cases in which a surety’s undertaking to pay a debt, is -reckoned equivalent to the actual payment of it; namely, when it is -impossible that he should make a failure in the payment thereof, either -though mutability, or a fickelness of temper, inducing him to change his -purpose; or from unfaithfulness, which might render him regardless of -his engagement to pay it: or from some change in his circumstances -whereby, though he once was able to pay it, he afterwards becomes -unable: I say, if none of these things can take place, and especially, -if the creditor, by not demanding present payment, receives some -advantage, which is an argument that he does not stand in need thereof: -in these cases the promise to pay a debt is equivalent to the payment of -it. - -Now these things may well be applied to Christ’s undertaking to pay our -debt: it was impossible that he should fail in the accomplishment of -what he had undertaken; or change his purpose, and so, though he -designed to do it, enter into other measures; or, though he had promised -to do it, be unfaithful in the accomplishment thereof, these things -being all inconsistent with the character of his person who undertook -it; and, though he suffered for us in the human nature, it was his -divine nature that undertook to do it therein, which is infinitely free -from the least imputation of weakness, mutability, or unfaithfulness: -and, whereas the present payment was not immediately demanded, nor -designed to be made till the fulness of time was come, his forbearance -hereof was compensated by that revenue of glory which accrued to the -divine name, and that honour that redounded to the Mediator, by the -salvation of the elect, before his incarnation; and this was certainly -an undeniable evidence of God’s approving his undertaking. - -And since the work of redemption has been completed, all those who are, -or shall be brought to glory, have, in themselves, a convincing proof of -God’s being well pleased with Christ, as substituted in their room and -stead, to pay the debt that was due from them to his justice, as the -foundation of their justification. From hence it plainly appears, that -Christ was substituted as a surety in our room and stead, to do that for -us which was necessary for our justification; and we have sufficient -ground to conclude, that he was so from scripture, from whence alone it -can be proved, it being a matter of pure revelation. Thus he is said, in -express terms, to have been _made a surety of a better testament_, Heb. -vii. 22. and that as our surety, he has paid that debt of sufferings -which was due from us, is evident, in that he is said to _offer himself -a sacrifice for our sins_, ver. 27. and to have been _once offered to -bear the sins of many_, chap. ix. 28. and from his being holy, harmless, -undefiled, and separate from sinners, the apostle argues, that he had no -occasion to offer a sacrifice for himself, or that he had no sin of his -own to be charged with, therefore, herein he bore or answered for our -sins: thus the apostle Peter says, _He bare our sins in his own body, on -the tree, by whose stripes we are healed_, 1 Pet. ii. 24. And elsewhere, -we read of _his being made sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be -made the righteousness of God in him_, 2 Cor. v. 21. that is, he, who -had no guilt of his own to answer for, submitted to be charged with our -guilt, to stand in our room and stead, and accordingly to be made a -sacrifice for sin; all this implies as much as his being made a surety -for us. But this having been particularly insisted on elsewhere in -speaking concerning Christ’s satisfaction, which could not be explained -without taking occasion to mention his being substituted in the room and -stead of those for whom he paid a price of redemption; and, having also -considered the meaning of those scriptures that speak of his bearing our -sins, we shall proceed to consider[36], - -3. What Christ did, pursuant to this character, namely, as our surety, -as he paid all that debt which the justice of God demanded from us, -which consisted in active and passive obedience. There was a debt of -active obedience demanded from man as a creature; and upon his failure -of paying it, when he sinned, it became an out-standing debt, due from -us; but such as could never be paid by us. God determines not to justify -any, unless this out-standing debt be paid; Christ, as our surety, -engages to take the payment of it on himself: and, whereas this defect -of obedience, together with all actual transgressions, which proceeded -from the corruption of our nature, render us guilty or liable to the -stroke of vindictive justice, Christ, as our surety, undertakes to bear -that also: this we generally call the imputation of our sin to Christ, -the placing our debt to his account, and the transferring the debt of -punishment, which was due from us to him, upon which account he is said -to yield obedience, and suffer in our room and stead, or to perform -active and passive obedience for us; which two ideas the apostle joins -in one expression, when he says, that he _became obedient unto death_, -Phil. ii. 8. But this having been been insisted on elsewhere, under the -head of Christ’s satisfaction[37], where we shewed, not only that Christ -performed active as well as passive obedience for us, but endeavoured to -answer the objections that are generally brought against Christ’s active -obedience, being part of that debt which he engaged to pay for us; we -shall pass it by at present. - -But that which may farther be added, to prove that our sin and guilt -were imputed to him, may be argued from his being said to be _made a -curse for us_, in order to his redeeming us from the curse of the law, -Gal. iii. 13. and also from his _being made sin for us, that we might be -made the righteousness of God in him_, 2 Cor. v. 21. And also from other -scriptures, that speak of him as suffering, though innocent; punished -for sin, though he was at the same time the Lamb of God, without spot or -blemish; dealt with as guilty, though he had never contracted any guilt, -and being made a sacrifice for sin, though sinless, which could not have -been done consistently with the justice of God, had not our sins been -placed to his account, or imputed to him. - -It is indeed a very difficult thing to convince some persons, how Christ -could be charged with sin, or have sin imputed to him, in consistency -with the sinless purity of his nature, which some think to be no better -than a contradiction, though it be agreeable to the scripture mode of -speaking, _viz._ _He was made sin for us_, and yet _knew no sin_, 2 Cor. -v. 21. However, when we speak of sin’s being imputed to him, we are far -from insinuating, that he committed any acts of sin; or, that his human -nature was, in the least, inclined to, or defiled thereby; we choose -therefore to use the scripture phrase, in which he is said to have -_borne our sins_, rather than to say, that he was a sinner; much less -would I give countenance to that expression which some make use of, that -he was the greatest sinner in the world; since I do not desire to apply -a word to him, which is often taken in a sense not in the least -applicable to the holy Jesus. We cannot be too cautious in our -expressions, lest the most common sense in which we understand the -greatest sinner, when applied to men, should give any one a wrong idea -of him, as though he had committed, or were defiled with sin. All that -we assert is, that he was charged with our sins, when he suffered for -them, not with having committed them; but with the guilt of them, which, -by his own consent, was imputed to him; otherwise his sufferings could -not have been a punishment for sin; and if they had not been so, our sin -could not have been expiated, nor would his sufferings have been the -ground of our justification. This leads us to consider, - -4. The reference that Christ’s suretyship-righteousness has to our -justification. This is generally styled its being imputed; which is a -word very much used by those who plead for the scripture-sense of the -doctrine of justification, and as much opposed by them that deny it; and -we are obliged to defend the use of it; otherwise Christ’s -righteousness, how glorious soever it be in itself, would not avail for -our justification. Here it is necessary for us to explain what we mean -by the imputation of Christ’s righteousness. - -There are some who oppose this doctrine, by calling it a putative -righteousness, the shadow or appearance of that which has in it no -reality, or our being accounted what we are not, whereby a wrong -judgment is passed on persons and things. However, we are not to deny it -because it is thus misrepresented, and thereby unfairly opposed: it is -certain, that there are such words used in scripture, and often applied -to this doctrine, which, without any ambiguity or strain on the sense -thereof, may be translated, to reckon, to account, or to place a thing -done by another to our account; or, as we express it, to impute.[38] And -that, either respects what is done by us; or something done by another -for us. The former of these senses our adversaries do not oppose; as -when it is said, that Phinehas _executed judgment, and it was counted -unto him for righteousness_, Psal. cvi. 31. that is, it was approved by -God as a righteous action; which expression seems to obviate an -objection that some might make against it; supposing, that Phinehas -herein did that which more properly belonged to the civil magistrate; -or, that this judicial act in him, was done without a formal trial, and, -it may be, too hastily; but God owns the action, and, in a way of -approbation, places it to his account for righteousness, that it should -be reckoned a righteous action throughout all generations. - -Again, sometimes that which is done by a person, is imputed to him, or -charged upon him, so that he must answer for it, or suffer the -punishment due to it: thus Shimei says to David, _Let not my Lord impute -iniquity unto me_, 2 Sam. xix. 19. that is, do not charge that sin, -which I committed, upon me, so as to put me to death for it, which thou -mightest justly do. And Stephen prays, _Lord, lay not this sin to their -charge_, Acts vii. 60. impute it not to them, or inflict not the -punishment on them that it deserves. No one can deny that what is done -by a person himself, may be placed to his own account; so that he may be -rewarded or punished for it; or it may be approved or disapproved: but -this is not the sense in which we understand it when speaking concerning -the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us; for this supposes that -which is done by another, to be placed to our account. This is the main -thing which is denied by those who have other sentiments of the doctrine -we are maintaining; and, they pretend, that for God to account Christ’s -righteousness ours, is to take a wrong estimate of things, to reckon -that done by us which was not; which is contrary to the wisdom of God, -who can, by no means, entertain any false ideas of things; and if the -action be reckoned ours, then the character of the person performing it, -must also be applied to us; which is to make us sharers in Christ’s -Mediatorial office and glory. - -But this is the most perverse sense which can be put on words, or a -setting this doctrine in such a light as no one takes it in, who pleads -for it: we do not suppose, that God looks upon man with his all-seeing -eye, as having done that which Christ did, or to sustain the character -which belongs to him in doing it; we are always reckoned, by him, as -offenders, or contracting guilt, and unable to do any thing that can -make an atonement for it. Therefore, what interest soever we have in -what Christ did, it is not reputed our action; but God’s imputing -Christ’s righteousness to us, is to be taken in a forensic sense, which -is agreeable to the idea of a debt being paid by a surety: it is not -supposed that the debtor paid the debt which the surety paid; but yet it -is placed to his account, or imputed to him as really as though he had -paid it himself. Thus what Christ did and suffered in our room and -stead, is as much placed to our account, as though we had done and -suffered it ourselves; so that by virtue hereof we are discharged from -condemnation.[39] - -This is the sense in which we understand the imputation of Christ’s -righteousness to us; and it is agreeable to the account we have thereof -in scripture: thus we are said to be _made the righteousness of God in -him_, 2 Cor. v. 21. the abstract being put for the concrete; that is, we -are denominated and dealt with as righteous persons, acquitted and -discharged from condemnation in the virtue of what was done by him, who -is elsewhere styled, _The Lord our righteousness_; and the apostle -speaks of his _having Christ’s righteousness_, Phil. iii. 9. that is, -having it imputed to him, or having an interest in it, or being dealt -with according to the tenor thereof; in this respect he opposes it to -that righteousness which was in him, as the result of his own -performances: and elsewhere Christ is said to be _made of God unto us -righteousness_; that is, his fulfilling the law is placed to our -account; and the apostle speaks of _Christ’s being the end of the law -for righteousness to every one that believeth_, Rom. x. 4. which is the -same with what he asserts in other words elsewhere concerning the -_righteousness of the law’s being fulfilled in us_, chap. viii. 3, 4. -who could not be justified by our own obedience to it, in _that it was -weak through the flesh_, or by reason of our fallen state; therefore -Christ did this for us; and accordingly God deals with us as though we -had fulfilled the law in our own persons, inasmuch as it was fulfilled -by him as our surety. - -This may farther be illustrated, by what we generally understand by -Adam’s sin being imputed to us, as one contrary may illustrate another; -therefore, as sin and death entered into the world by the _offence of -one_, to wit, the first Adam, _in whom all have sinned; so by the -righteousness of one the free gift_, Rom. v. 18. that is, eternal life -_came upon all men_, to wit, those who shall be saved _unto -justification of life_; and for this reason the apostle speaks of Adam -as the _figure of him that was to come_, ver. 14. Now as Adam’s sin was -imputed to us, as our public head and representative, so that we are -involved in the guilt thereof, or fall in him; so Christ’s righteousness -is imputed to us, as he was our public head and surety: and accordingly, -in the eye of the law, that which was done by him, was the same as -though it had been done by us; and therefore, as the effect and -consequence hereof, we are justified thereby. This is what we call -Christ’s righteousness being imputed to us, or placed to our account; -and it is very agreeable to the common acceptation of the word, in -dealings between man and man. When one has contracted a debt, and -desires that it may be placed to the account of his surety, who -undertakes for the payment of it, it is said to be imputed to him; and -his discharge hereupon is as valid as though the debtor has paid it in -his own person. This leads us, - -VI. To consider justification as it is an act of God’s free grace, which -is particularly insisted on in one of the answers we are explaining; for -the understanding of which, let it be observed, that we are not to -suppose, that when we are justified by an act of grace, this is opposed -to our being justified upon the account of a full satisfaction made by -our surety to the justice of God; in which respect we consider our -discharge from condemnation, as an act of justice. The debtor is, -indeed, beholden to the grace of God for this privilege, but the surety -that paid the debt, had not the least abatement thereof made, but was -obliged to glorify the justice of God to the utmost, which accordingly -he did. However, there are several things in which the grace of God is -eminently displayed, more particularly, - -1. In that God should be willing to accept of satisfaction from the -hands of our surety, which he might have demanded of us. This appears -from what has been before observed, namely, that the debt which we had -contracted was not of the same nature with pecuniary debts, in which -case the creditor is obliged to accept of payment, though the overture -hereof be made by another, and not by him that contracted the debt: -whereas the case is different in debts of obedience to be performed, or -punishment to be endured; in which instances, he, to whom satisfaction -is to be given, must accept of one to be substituted in the room of him -from whom the obedience or sufferings were originally due; otherwise, -the overture made, or what is done and suffered by him, pursuant -thereunto, is not regarded, or available to procure a discharge for him, -in whose room he substituted himself. God might have exacted the debt of -us, in our own persons, and then our condition had been equally -miserable with that of fallen angels, for whom no mediator was accepted, -no more than provided. - -2. The grace of God farther appears, in that he provided a surety for -us, which we could not have done for ourselves; nor have engaged him to -perform this work for us, who was the only person that could bring about -the great work of redemption. - -The only creatures who are capable of performing perfect obedience, are -the holy angels; but these could not do it, for, as has been before -observed, whoever performs it must be incarnate, that they may be -capable of paying the debt, in some respects, in kind, which was due -from us; therefore they must suffer death, and consequently have a -nature which is capable of dying; but this the angels had not, nor could -have, but by the divine will. - -Besides, if God should have dispensed with that part of satisfaction, -which consists in a subjection to death, and have declared, that active -obedience should be sufficient to procure our justification; the angels, -though capable of performing active obedience, would, notwithstanding, -have been defective therein; so that justice could not, in honour, have -accepted of it, any more than it could have dispensed with the -obligation to perform obedience in general; because it would not have -been of infinite value; and it is the value of things that justice -regards, and not barely the matter of perfection thereof in other -respects: so that it must be an obedience that had in it something -infinitely valuable, or else it could not have been accepted by God, as -a price of redemption, in order to the procuring our justification: and -this could be performed by none but our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious -author and procurer of this privilege. - -It was impossible for man to have found out this Mediator or Surety; so -that it had its first rise from God, and not from us; it is he that -found a ransom, and laid help upon one that is mighty; this was the -result of his will: therefore our Saviour is represented as saying, _Lo -I come to do thy will_, Heb. x. 7. as the apostle expresses it. That we -could not, by any means, have found out this surety, or engaged him to -have done that for us which was necessary for our justification, will -evidently appear, if we consider, - -(1.) That when man fell, the Son of God was not incarnate; and provided -we allow that fallen man had some idea of a Trinity of persons, in the -unity of the divine Essence, which is not unreasonable to suppose; since -it was necessary that that should be revealed to him before he fell, in -order to his performing acceptable worship; yet, can any one suppose -that man could have asked such a favour of a divine person, as to take -his nature, and put himself in his room and stead, and expose himself to -the curse of that law which he had violated; this could never have -entered into his heart; yea, the very thought, if it had taken its rise -first from him, would have savoured of more presumption than had he -entreated that God would pardon his sin without a satisfaction. But, - -(2.) If he had supposed it impossible for the Son of God to be -incarnate, or had conjectured that there had been the least probability -of his being willing to express this instance of condescending goodness, -how could he have known that God would have accepted the payment of our -debt, at the hands of another, or have commended his love to us, who -were such enemies to him, in not sparing him, but delivering him up for -us? if God’s accepting of a satisfaction be necessary, in order to its -taking effect, as well as the perfection or infinite value of it; it is -certain, man could not have known that he would have done it; for that -was a matter of pure revelation. Moreover, - -(3.) Should we suppose even this possible, or that man might have -expected that God would have been moved to have done it by intreaty; yet -such was the corruption, perverseness, and rebellion of his nature, as -fallen; and so great was his inability to perform any act of worship, -that he could not have addressed himself to God, in a right manner, that -he would admit of a surety; and God cannot hear any prayer but that -which is put up to him by faith, which supposes a Mediator, whose -purchase and gift it is; and therefore, since the sinful creature could -not plead with God by faith, that he would send his Son to be a -Mediator, how could he hope to obtain this blessing? it therefore -evidently follows, that as a man could not give satisfaction for -himself; so he could not find out any one that could or would give it -for him. And therefore, the grace of God, in the provision that he has -made of such a surety as his own Son, unasked for, unthought of, as well -as undeserved, is very illustrious. - -3. It was a very great instance of grace in our Saviour, that he was -pleased to consent to perform this work for us, without which the -justice of God could not have exacted the debt of him; and he being -perfectly innocent, could not be obliged to suffer punishment, which it -would have been unjust in God to have inflicted, had he not been willing -to be charged with our guilt, and to stand in our room and stead. And -his grace herein more eminently appears, in that though he knew -before-hand all the difficulties, sorrows, and temptations, which he was -to meet with in the discharge of this work; yet this did not discourage -him from undertaking it; neither was he unapprised of the character of -those for whom he undertook it: he knew the rebellion, and guilt -contracted thereby, that rendered this necessary, in order to their -salvation; and he knew before-hand, that they would, notwithstanding all -the engagements he might lay on them to the contrary, discover the -greatest ingratitude towards him; and, instead of improving so great an -instance of condescending goodness, that they would neglect this great -salvation, when purchased by him, and thereby appear to be his greatest -enemies, notwithstanding this act of friendship to them, unless he not -only engaged to purchase redemption for, but apply it to them, and work -those graces in them whereby they might be enabled to give him the glory -which is due to him for this great undertaking. And this leads us, - -VII. To consider the use of faith in justification, and how, -notwithstanding what has been said concerning our being justified by -Christ’s righteousness, we may, in other respects, be said to be -justified by faith; and also shew what this faith is, whereby we are -justified: which being particularly insisted on in the two following -answers, we shall proceed to consider them. - -Footnote 28: - - ומצדיק. - -Footnote 29: - - _The former of these divines call_ reatus potentialis, _the latter_, - reatus actualis; _the former is the immediate consequence of sin, the - latter is taken away by justification._ - -Footnote 30: - - Righteousness is taken ordinarily to signify a conformity to laws, or - rules of right conduct. Actions, and persons may respectively be - denominated righteous. The moral law, which is both distinguishable by - the moral sense, and expressly revealed, requires perfect and - perpetual rectitude in disposition, purpose, and action. Because none - are absolutely conformed to this law, none can fairly claim to be in - themselves, simply, and absolutely righteous. Men are said therefore - to be righteous comparatively, or because the defects of many of their - actions are few, or not discernible by their fellow men. _To be made_, - (or constituted) _righteous_, or, to _be justified_, in the sight of - God, in scriptural language cannot mean, _to be made inherently - righteous_. It is God who justifies, he cannot call evil good, and - cannot be ignorant of every man’s real demerit. This righteousness of - the saint has not consisted, under any dispensation, in his own - conformity to the Divine law; “_In the Lord have I righteousness_;” - “_That I may win Christ and be found in him, not having my own - righteousness_.” If it did, there would be no necessity for the aid of - God’s Spirit to sanctify the nature of the justified person. To be - justified or constituted righteous, is therefore to be _treated and - accepted as righteous_. If God _justifies the ungodly_, his truth and - justice must be clear. He cannot be induced to depart from perfect - rectitude, and strict propriety. When the ungodly are justified, or - treated as if righteous, it is not on their own account, for their - righteousness is defective; but _by the obedience of one_, (that is - Christ,) _many are made righteous_. The term _obedience_ excludes the - essential righteousness of Christ as God. And his righteousness which - he rendered in our nature can neither be transfused into, nor - transferred unto his people, so as to be theirs inherently. Nor can an - infinitely wise God consider the righteousness of one man to be the - personal righteousness of another. But one person may receive - advantages from the righteousness of another. Sodom would have been - spared if there could have been found ten holy men in it. Millions may - be treated kindly, because of favour or respect had for one of their - number espousing the cause of the whole. One man may become the surety - of, and perform conditions for many, or pay a ransom for them, and - purchase them from slavery. If it be said that one may not lay down - his life, especially if it be important, for the preservation of - another’s; yet Christ was the _Lord of life_ and possessed what no - mere creature can, the right to lay down his life, and power to take - it up again. The importance of the satisfaction should be adequate to - the honour of the law. But that every objection to such substitution - might be removed, it is shewn that, this was the very condition upon - which the restoration of the saints was suspended in the purposes of - God before man was created; and was _promised us in Christ Jesus - before the world began_. Justice therefore can neither object to the - substitution, nor withhold the rewards. - -Footnote 31: - - _Splendida peccata._ - -Footnote 32: - - _See Vol. II. Page 275._ - -Footnote 33: - - _The distinction often used in the civil law between_ fide-jussor - _and_ expromissor, _or a person’s being bound together with the - original debtor, and the creditor’s being left to his liberty to exact - the debt of which of the two he pleases, which is called_ fide-jussor; - _and the surety’s taking the debt upon himself, so as that he who - contracted it is hereby discharged, which is what we understand by_ - expromissor, _has been considered elsewhere. See Vol. II. Page 174, - 186._ - -Footnote 34: - - _Volenti non fit injuria._ - -Footnote 35: - - _See Vol. II. Page 281._ - -Footnote 36: - - _See Vol. II. page 288._ - -Footnote 37: - - _See Vol. II. page 280-293._ - -Footnote 38: - - חשב λογιζω. - -Footnote 39: - - I am not without painful apprehension, said Peter to John, that the - views of our friend James on some of the doctrines of the gospel, are - unhappily diverted from the truth. I suspect he does not believe in - the proper _imputation_ of sin to Christ, or of Christ’s righteousness - to us; nor in his being our _substitute_, or representative. - - _John._ Those are serious things; but what are the grounds, brother - Peter, on which your suspicions rest? - - _Peter._ Partly what he has published, which I cannot reconcile with - those doctrines; and partly what he has said in my hearing, which I - consider as an avowal of what I have stated. - - _John._ What say you to this, brother James? - - _James._ I cannot tell whether what I have written or spoken accords - with brother Peter’s ideas on these subjects: indeed I suspect it does - not: but I never thought of calling either of the doctrines in - question. Were I to relinquish the one or the other, I should be at a - loss for ground on which to rest my salvation. What he says of my - avowing my disbelief of them in his hearing must be a - misunderstanding. I did say, I suspected that _his views_ of - imputation and substitution were unscriptural; but had no intention of - disowning the doctrines themselves. - - _Peter._ Brother James, I have no desire to assume any dominion over - your faith; but should be glad to know what are your ideas on these - important subjects. Do you hold that sin was properly imputed to - Christ, or that Christ’s righteousness is properly imputed to us, or - not? - - _James._ You are quite at liberty, brother Peter, to ask me any - questions on these subjects; and if you will hear me patiently, I will - answer you as explicitly as I am able. - - _John._ Do so, brother James; and we shall hear you not only - patiently, but, I trust, with pleasure. - - _James._ To impute,[40] signifies in general, to _charge_, _reckon_, - or _place to account_, according to the different objects to which it - is applied. This word, like many others, has a _proper_, and an - _improper_ or figurative meaning. - - First: It is applied to the _charging_, _reckoning_, or _placing to - the account_ of persons and things, THAT WHICH PROPERLY BELONGS TO - THEM. This I consider as its _proper_ meaning. In this sense the word - is used in the following passages. “Eli _thought_ she, (Hannah,) had - been drunken—Hanan and Mattaniah, the treasurers were _counted_ - faithful—Let a man so _account_ of us as the ministers of Christ, and - stewards of the mysteries of God—Let such an one _think_ this, that - such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be - also indeed when we are present—I _reckon_ that the sufferings of this - present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall - be revealed in us.”[41] Reckoning or accounting, in the above - instances, is no other than judging of persons and things _according - to what they are, or appear to be_. To impute sin in this sense is to - charge guilt upon the guilty in a judicial way, or with a view to - punishment. Thus Shimei besought David that his iniquity might _not be - imputed to him_; thus the man is pronounced blessed to whom the Lord - _imputeth not iniquity_: and thus Paul prayed that the sin of those - who deserted him might _not be laid to their charge_.[42] - - In this sense the term is ordinarily used in common life. To impute - treason or any other crime to a man, is the same thing as charging him - with having committed it, and with a view to his being punished. - - Secondly: It is applied to the _charging_, _reckoning_, or _placing to - the account_ of persons and things, THAT WHICH DOES NOT PROPERLY - BELONG TO THEM, AS THOUGH IT DID. This I consider as its _improper_ or - figurative meaning. In this sense the word is used in the following - passages—“And this your heave-offering shall be _reckoned_ unto you - _as though it were_ the corn of the threshing-floor and as the fulness - of the wine-press—Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and _holdest_ me for - thine enemy—If the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, - shall not his uncircumcision be _counted_ for circumcision—If he hath - wronged thee, or oweth thee aught, _put that on mine account_.”[43] - - It is in this _latter_ sense that I understand the term when applied - to justification. “Abraham believed God, and it was _counted_ unto him - for righteousness—To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that - justifieth the ungodly, his faith is _counted_ for righteousness.” The - counting, or reckoning, in these instances, is not a judging of things - _as they are_; but _as they are not, as though they were_. I do not - think that faith here means the righteousness of the Messiah: for it - is expressly called “believing.” It means believing, however, not as a - virtuous exercise of the mind which God consented to accept instead of - perfect obedience, but _as having respect to the promised Messiah_, - and so to his righteousness as the ground of acceptance.[44] - Justification is ascribed to faith, as healing frequently is in the - New Testament; not as that from which the _virtue_ proceeds, but as - that which _receives_ from the Saviour’s fulness. - - But if it were allowed that faith in these passages really means the - object believed in, still this was not Abraham’s _own_ righteousness, - and could not be properly _counted_ by him who judges of things as - they are, as being so. It was _reckoned_ unto him _as if it were_ his; - and the effects, or benefits of it were actually imparted to him: but - this was all. Abraham did not become meritorious, or cease to be - unworthy. - - “What is it to place our righteousness in the obedience of Christ, - (says Calvin,) but to affirm that hereby only we are _accounted_ - righteous; because the obedience of Christ is imputed to us AS IF IT - WERE OUR OWN.”[45] - - It is thus also that I understand the imputation of sin to Christ. He - was accounted in the divine administration _as if he were, or had - been_ the sinner, that those who believe in him might be accounted _as - if they were, or had been_ righteous. - - Brethren, I have done. Whether my statement be just or not, I hope it - will be allowed to be explicit. - - _John._ That it certainly is; and we thank you. Have you any other - questions, brother Peter, to ask upon the subject? - - _Peter._ How do you understand the apostle in 2 Cor. v. 21. _He hath - made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the - righteousness of God in him?_ - - _James._ Till lately I cannot say that I have thought closely upon it. - I have understood that several of our best writers consider the word - αμαρτια (_sin_) as frequently meaning a _sin-offering_. Dr. Owen so - interprets it in his answer to Biddle,[46] though it seems he - afterwards changed his mind. Considering the opposition between the - sin which Christ was made, and the righteousness which we are made, - together with the same word being used for that which he was _made_, - and that which he _knew not_, I am inclined to be of the doctor’s last - opinion; namely, that the sin which Christ was made, means _sin - itself_; and the righteousness which we are made, means _righteousness - itself_. I doubt not but that the allusion is to the sin-offering - under the law; but not to its being _made a sacrifice_. Let me be a - little more particular. There were two things belonging to the - sin-offering. _First_: The imputation of the sins of the people, - signified by the priest’s laying his hands upon the head of the - animal, and confessing over it their transgressions; and which is - called “putting them upon it.”[47] That is, it was _counted_ in the - divine administration _as if the animal had been_ the sinner, and the - only sinner of the nation. _Secondly_: Offering it in sacrifice, or - “killing it before the Lord for an atonement.”[48] Now the phrase, - _made sin_, in 2 Cor. v. 21. appears to refer to the _first_ step in - this process in order to the last. It is expressive of what was - preparatory to Christ’s suffering death rather than of the thing - itself, just as our being _made righteousness_ expresses what was - preparatory to God’s bestowing upon us eternal life. But the term - _made_ is not to be taken literally; for that would convey the idea of - Christ’s being really the subject of moral evil. It is expressive of a - divine _constitution_, by which our Redeemer with his own consent, - stood in the sinner’s place, as though he had been himself the - transgressor; just as the sin-offering under the law was, in mercy to - Israel, reckoned or accounted to have the sins of the people “put upon - its head,” with this difference; that was only a shadow, but this went - really to take away sin. - - _Peter._ Do you consider Christ as having been _punished, really and - properly_ PUNISHED? - - _James._ I should think I do not. But what do you mean by punishment? - - _Peter._ An innocent person may _suffer_, but, properly speaking, he - cannot be _punished_. Punishment necessarily supposes _criminality_. - - _James._ Just so; and therefore as I do not believe that Jesus was in - any sense criminal, I cannot say he was really and properly punished. - - _Peter._ Punishment is the infliction of natural evil for the - commission of moral evil. It is not necessary, however, that the - latter should have been committed by the party—Criminality is - supposed: but it may be either personal or imputed. - - _James._ This I cannot admit. Real and proper punishment, if I - understand the terms, is not only the infliction of natural evil for - the commission of moral evil; but the infliction of the one _upon the - person who committed the other, and in displeasure against him_. It - not only supposes criminality, but that the party punished was - literally the criminal. Criminality committed by one party, and - imputed to another, is not a ground for real and proper punishment. If - Paul had sustained the punishment due to Onesimus for having wronged - his master, yet it would not have been real and proper punishment _to - him_, but _suffering_ only, as not being inflicted in displeasure - against him. I am aware of what has been said on this subject, that - there was a more intimate _union_ between Christ and those for whom he - died, than could ever exist between creatures. But be it so, it is - enough for me that the union was not such as THAT THE ACTIONS OF THE - ONE BECAME THOSE OF THE OTHER. Christ, even in the act of offering - himself a sacrifice, when, to speak in the language of the Jewish law, - the sins of the people were put or laid upon him, gave himself - nevertheless THE JUST FOR THE UNJUST. - - _Peter._ And thus it is that you understand the words of Isaiah, _The - Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all_? - - _James._ Yes, he bore the punishment due to our sins, or that which, - considering the dignity of his person, was equivalent to it. The - phrase “He shall bear his iniquity,” which so frequently occurs in the - Old Testament, means, he shall bear the punishment due to his - iniquity. - - _Peter._ And yet you deny that Christ’s sufferings were properly - _penal_. - - _James._ You would not deny eternal life which is promised to - believers to be properly _a reward_; but you would deny its being _a - real and proper reward_ TO THEM. - - _Peter._ And what then? - - _James._ If eternal life, though it be a reward, and we partake of it, - yet is really and properly the reward of Christ’s obedience, and not - our’s; then the sufferings of Christ, though they were a punishment, - and he sustained it, yet were really and properly the punishment of - our sins, and not his. What he bore _was_ punishment: that is, it was - the expression of divine displeasure against transgressors. So what we - enjoy is reward: that is, it is the expression of God’s - well-pleasedness in the obedience and death of his Son. But neither is - the one a punishment _to him_, nor the other, properly speaking, a - reward _to us_. - - There appears to me great accuracy in the scriptural language on this - subject. What our Saviour underwent is almost always expressed by the - term _suffering_. Once it is called a _chastisement_: yet there he is - not said to have been chastised; but “the chastisement of our peace - was _upon him_.” This is the same as saying he bore _our_ punishment. - He was made a curse for us: that is, having been reckoned, or - accounted the sinner, as though he had actually been so, he was - treated accordingly, as one that had deserved to be an outcast from - heaven and earth. I believe the wrath of God that was due to us was - poured upon him, but I do not believe that God for one moment was - angry or displeased _with him_, or that he smote him from any such - displeasure. - - There is a passage in Calvin’s _Institutes_, which so fully expresses - my mind, that I hope you will excuse me if I read it. You will find it - in Bk. ii. chap. xvi. § 10, 11. “It behoved him that he should, as it - were, hand to hand, wrestle with the armies of hell, and the horror of - eternal death. The chastisement of our peace was _laid upon him_. He - was smitten of his Father for our crimes, and bruised for our - iniquities: whereby is meant that he was put in the stead of the - wicked, as surety and pledge, yea, and as the very guilty person - himself, to sustain and bear away all the punishments that should have - been laid upon them, save only that he could not be holden of death. - Yet do we not mean that God was at any time either his enemy, or angry - with him. For how could he be angry with his beloved Son, upon whom - his mind rested? Or how could Christ by his intercession appease his - Father’s wrath towards others, if, full of hatred, he had been - incensed against himself? But this is our meaning—that he sustained - the weight of the divine displeasure; inasmuch as he, being stricken - and tormented by the hand of God, DID FEEL ALL THE TOKENS OF GOD WHEN - HE IS ANGRY AND PUNISHETH.” - - _Peter._ The words of scripture are very express—He hath _made him to - be sin for us_—He was _made a curse for us_.—You may, by diluting and - qualifying interpretations, soften what you consider as intolerable - _harshness_. In other words, you may choose to correct the language - and sentiments of inspiration, and teach the apostle to speak of his - Lord with more decorum, lest his personal purity should be impeached, - and lest the odium of the cross, annexed by divine law, remain - attached to his death: but if you abide by the obvious meaning of the - passages, you must hold with _a commutation of persons_, the - _imputation_ of sin and of righteousness, and a _vicarious - punishment_, equally pregnant with _execration_ as with _death_. - - _John._ I wish brother Peter would forbear the use of language which - tends not to convince, but to irritate. - - _James._ If there be any thing convincing in it, I confess I do not - perceive it. I admit with Mr. _Charnock_, “That Christ was ‘made sin’ - _as if he had_ sinned all the sins of men; and we are ‘made - righteousness,’ _as if we had_ not sinned at all.” What more is - necessary to abide by the obvious meaning of the words? To go further - must be to maintain that Christ’s being _made sin_ means that he was - literally rendered wicked, and that his being _made a curse_ is the - same thing as his being punished for it according to his deserts. - Brother Peter, I am sure, does not believe this shocking position: but - he seems to think there is a medium between his being treated _as if - he were_ a sinner, and his _being one_. If such a medium there be, I - should be glad to discover it: at present it appears to me to have no - existence. - - Brother Peter will not suspect me, I hope, of wishing to depreciate - his judgment, when I say, that he appears to me to be attached to - certain terms without having sufficiently weighed their import. In - most cases I should think it a privilege to learn of him: but in some - things I cannot agree with him. In order to maintain the _real_ and - _proper punishment_ of Christ, he talks of his being “guilty by - imputation.” The term _guilty_, I am aware, is often used by - theological writers for _an obligation to punishment_, and so applies - to that voluntary obligation which Christ came under to sustain the - punishment of our sins: but strictly speaking, guilt is the _desert_ - of punishment; and this can never apply but to the offender. It is the - opposite of innocence. A voluntary obligation to endure the punishment - of another is not guilt, any more than a consequent exemption from - obligation in the offender, is innocence. Both guilt and innocence are - transferable in their effects, but in themselves they are - untransferable. To say that Christ was _reckoned_ or _counted_ in the - divine administration _as if he were_ the sinner, and came under an - obligation to endure the curse or punishment due to our sins, is one - thing: but to say he _deserved_ that curse, is another. Guilt, - strictly speaking, is the inseparable attendant of transgression, and - could never therefore for one moment occupy the conscience of Christ. - If Christ by imputation became _deserving_ of punishment, we by - non-imputation cease to deserve it; and if our demerits be literally - transferred to him, his merits must of course be the same to us: and - then, instead of approaching God as _guilty_ and _unworthy_, we might - take consequence to ourselves before him, as not only guiltless, but - meritorious beings. - - _Peter._ Some who profess to hold that believers are justified by the - righteousness of Christ, deny, nevertheless, that his _obedience - itself_ is imputed to them: for they maintain that the scripture - represents believers as receiving only the _benefits_, or effects of - Christ’s righteousness in justification, or their being pardoned and - accepted for Christ’s _righteousness sake_.—But it is not merely _for - the sake_ of Christ, or of what he has done, that believers are - accepted of God, and treated as completely righteous; but it is IN him - as their Head, Representative, and Substitute; and by the imputation - of that _very obedience_ which as such he performed to the divine law, - that they are justified. - - _James._ I have no doubt but that the imputation of Christ’s - righteousness presupposes a _union_ with him; since there is no - perceivable fitness in bestowing benefits on one _for another’s sake_ - where there is no union or relation subsisting between them. It is not - such a union, however, as that THE ACTIONS OF EITHER BECOME THOSE OF - THE OTHER. That “the scriptures represent believers as _receiving_ - only the benefits or the effects of Christ’s righteousness in - justification,” is a remark of which I am not able to perceive the - fallacy: nor does it follow that his obedience itself is not imputed - to them. Obedience itself may be and is imputed, while its effects - only are _imparted_, and consequently _received_. I never met with a - person who held the absurd notion of imputed benefits, or imputed - punishments; and am inclined to think there never was such a person. - Be that however as it may, sin on the one hand and righteousness on - the other, are the proper objects of imputation; but that imputation - _consists_ in charging or reckoning them to the account of the party - in such a way as to _impart_ to him their evil or beneficial effects. - - _Peter._ The doctrine for which I contend as taught by the apostle - Paul, is neither novel, nor more strongly expressed than it has - formerly been by authors of eminence. - - _James._ It may be so. We have been told of an old protestant writer - who says, that “In Christ, and by him, every true Christian may be - called _a fulfiller of the law_:” but I see not why he might not as - well have added, Every true Christian may be said to have been slain, - and, if not to have redeemed himself by his own blood, yet to be - worthy of all that blessing, and honour, and glory, that shall be - conferred upon him in the world to come.—What do you think of Dr. - CRISP’S Sermons? Has he not carried your principles to an extreme? - - _Peter._ I cordially agree with WITSIUS, as to the impropriety of - calling Christ _a sinner, truly a sinner, the greatest of sinners_, - &c. yet I am far from disapproving of what Dr. CRISP, and some others, - _meant_ by those exceptionable expressions. - - _James._ If a Christian may be called _a fulfiller of the law_, on - account of Christ’s obedience being imputed to him, I see not why - Christ may not be called _a transgressor of the law_, on account of - our disobedience being imputed to him. Persons and things _should be - called what they are_. As to the _meaning_ of Dr. CRISP, I am very - willing to think he had no ill design: but my concern is with the - meaning which his words convey to his readers. He considers God in - charging our sins on Christ, and accounting his righteousness to us, - as reckoning of things _as they are_. (p. 280.) He contends that - Christ was _really_ the sinner, or guilt could not have been laid upon - him. (p. 272.) Imputation of sin and righteousness, with him, is - literally and actually A TRANSFER OF CHARACTER; and it is the object - of his reasoning to persuade his believing hearers that from - henceforward Christ is the sinner, and not they. “Hast thou been an - idolater, says he; a blasphemer, a despiser of God’s word, a profaner - of his name and ordinances, a thief, a liar, a drunkard—If thou hast - part in Christ, _all these transgressions of thine become actually the - transgressions of Christ, and so cease to be thine; and thou ceasest - to be a transgressor from the time they were laid upon Christ, to the - last hour of thy life_: so that now thou art _not_ an idolater, a - persecutor, a thief, a liar, &c.—thou art not a sinful person. Reckon - whatever sin you commit, when as you have part in Christ, you are all - that Christ was, and Christ is all that you were.” - - If the _meaning_ of this passage be true and good, I see nothing - exceptionable in the expressions. All that can be said is, that the - writer explicitly states his principle and avows its legitimate - consequences. I believe the principle to be false.—(1.) Because - neither sin nor righteousness are _in themselves_ transferable. The - act and deed of one person may _affect_ another in many ways, but - cannot possibly become his act and deed.—(2.) Because the scriptures - uniformly declare Christ to be sinless, and believers to be sinful - creatures.—(3.) Because believers themselves have in all ages - _confessed_ their sins, and applied to the mercy-seat for - _forgiveness_. They never plead such an union as shall render their - sins not theirs, but Christ’s; but merely such a one as affords ground - to apply for pardon _in his name_, or _for his sake_; not as worthy - claimants, but as unworthy supplicants. - - Whatever reasonings we may give into, there are certain times in which - _conscience_ will bear witness, that notwithstanding the imputation of - our sins to Christ, _we are actually the sinners_; and I should have - thought no good man could have gravely gone about to overturn its - testimony. Yet this is what Dr. Crisp has done. “Believers _think_, - says he, that they find their transgressions in their own consciences, - and they _imagine_ that there is a sting of this poison still behind, - wounding them: but, beloved, if this principle be received for a - truth, that God hath laid thy iniquities on Christ, how can thy - transgressions, belonging to Christ, be found in thy heart and - conscience?—Is thy conscience Christ?” p. 269. - - Perhaps no man has gone further than Dr. CRISP in his attempts at - consistency; and admitting his principle, that imputation consists in - a transfer of character, I do not see who can dispute his conclusions. - To have been perfectly consistent, however, he should have proved that - all the confessions and lamentations of believers, recorded in - scripture, arose from their being under the _mistake_ which he labours - to rectify; that is, _thinking_ sin did not cease to be theirs, even - when under the fullest persuasion that the Lord would not impute it to - them, but would graciously cover it by the righteousness of his Son.—— - —— - - _John._ I think, brother Peter, you expressed at the beginning of our - conversation, a strong suspicion that brother James denied the - _substitution of Christ_, as well as the proper imputation of sin and - righteousness. What has passed on the latter subject would probably - tend either to confirm or remove your suspicions respecting the - former. - - _Peter._ I confess I was mistaken in some of my suspicions. I consider - our friend as a good man; but am far from being satisfied with what I - still understand to be his views on this important subject. - - _John._ It gives me great pleasure to hear the honest concessions of - brethren, when they feel themselves in any measure to have gone too - far. - - _Peter._ I shall be glad to hear brother James’s statement on - _substitution_, and to know whether he considers our Lord in his - undertaking as having sustained the character of a _Head_, or - _Representative_; and if so, whether the persons for whom he was a - substitute were the elect only, or mankind in general. - - _James._ I must acknowledge that on this subject I feel considerably - at a loss, I have no consciousness of having ever called the doctrine - of substitution in question. On the contrary, my hope of salvation - rests upon it; and the sum of my delight, as a minister of the gospel, - consists in it. If I know any thing of my own heart, I can say of my - Saviour as laying down his life _for, or instead of_ sinners, as was - said of Jerusalem by the captives—_If I forget_ THEE, _let my right - hand forget: If I do not remember_ THEE, _let my tongue cleave to the - roof of my mouth_! - - I have always considered the denial of this doctrine as being of the - essence of Socinianism. I could not have imagined that any person - whose hope of acceptance with God rests not on any goodness in himself - but entirely on the righteousness of Christ, imputed to him _as if it - were his own_, would have been accounted to disown his substitution. - But perhaps, my dear brother, (for such I feel him to be, - notwithstanding our differences,) may include in his ideas of this - subject, that Christ was so our _head_ and _representative_, as that - what he did and suffered, we did and suffered in him.—If no more were - meant by this, resumed James, than that what he did and suffered is - graciously accepted on our behalf _as if it were ours_, I freely, as I - have said before, acquiesce in it. But I do not believe, and can - hardly persuade myself that brother Peter believes, the obedience and - sufferings of Christ to be so ours, as that we can properly be said to - have obeyed and suffered. - - Christ was and is our _head_, and we are his members: the union - between him and us, however, is not in all respects the same as that - which is between the head and the members of the natural body: for - that would go to explain away all distinct consciousness and - accountableness on our part. - - As to the term _representative_, if no more be meant by it than that - Christ so personated us as to die in our stead, that we, believing in - him, should not die, I have nothing to object to it. But I do not - believe that Christ was so our representative, as that what he did and - suffered, we did and suffered; and so became meritorious, or deserving - of the divine favour.—But I feel myself in a wide field, and must - entreat your indulgence while I take up so much of the conversation. - - _Peter and John._ Go on, and state your sentiments without apology. - - _James._ I apprehend then that many important mistakes have arisen - from considering the interposition of Christ under the notion of - _paying a debt_. The blood of Christ is indeed the _price_ of our - redemption, or that for the sake of which we are delivered from the - curse of the law: but this metaphorical language, as well as that of - _head and members_, may be carried too far, and may lead us into many - errors. In cases of debt and credit among men, where a surety - undertakes to _represent_ the debtor, from the moment his undertaking - is accepted, the debtor is free, and may claim his liberty, not as a - matter of favour, at least on the part of the creditor, but of strict - justice. Or should the undertaking be unknown to him for a time, yet - as soon as he knows it, he may demand his discharge, and, it may be, - think himself hardly treated by being kept in bondage so long after - his debt had been actually paid. But who in their sober senses will - imagine this to be analagous to the redemption of sinners by Jesus - Christ? Sin is a debt only in a metaphorical sense: properly speaking, - it is a _crime_, and satisfaction for it requires to be made, not on - pecuniary, but on moral principles. If Philemon had accepted of that - part of Paul’s offer which respected property, and had placed so much - to his account as he considered Onesimus to have “owed” him, he could - not have been said to have _remitted_ his debt; nor would Onesimus - have had to thank him for remitting it. But it is supposed of Onesimus - that he might not only be in debt to his master, but have “wronged” - him. Perhaps he had embezzled his goods, corrupted his children, or - injured his character. Now for Philemon to accept of that part of the - offer, were very different from the other. In the one case he would - have accepted of a pecuniary representative; in the other of a moral - one; that is, of a mediator. The satisfaction in the one case would - annihilate the idea of remission; but not in the other. Whatever - satisfaction Paul might give to Philemon respecting the wound - inflicted upon his character and honour as the head of a family, it - would not supersede the necessity of pardon being sought by the - offender, and freely bestowed by the offended. - - The reason of this difference is easily perceived. Debts are - transferable; but crimes are not. A third person may cancel the one; - but he can only obliterate the _effects_ of the other; the _desert_ of - the criminal remains. The _debtor_ is accountable to his creditor as a - _private_ individual, who has power to accept of a surety, or if he - please, to remit the whole, without any satisfaction. In the one case - he would be just; in the other merciful: but no place is afforded by - either of them for the _combination_ of justice and mercy in the same - proceeding. The _criminal_, on the other hand, is amenable to the - magistrate, or to the head of a family, as a _public_ person, and who, - especially if the offence be capital, cannot remit the punishment - without invading law and justice, nor in the ordinary discharge of his - office, admit of a third person to stand in his place. In - extraordinary cases, however, extraordinary expedients are resorted - to. A satisfaction may be made to law and justice, as to the _spirit_ - of them, while the _letter_ is dispensed with. The well-known story of - Zaleucus, the Grecian law-giver, who consented to lose one of his eyes - to spare one of his son’s eyes, who by transgressing the law had - subjected himself to the loss of both, is an example. Here, as far as - it went, _justice and mercy were combined_ in the same act: and had - the satisfaction been much fuller than it was, so full that the - authority of the law, instead of being weakened, should have been - abundantly magnified and honoured, still it had been _perfectly - consistent with free forgiveness_. - - Finally: In the case of the debtor, satisfaction being once accepted, - justice _requires_ his complete discharge: but in that of the - criminal, where satisfaction is made to the wounded honour of the law, - and the authority of the lawgiver, justice, though it _admits_ of his - discharge, yet no otherwise _requires_ it than as it may have been - matter of promise to the substitute. - - I do not mean to say that cases of this sort afford a competent - representation of redemption by Christ. That is a work which not only - ranks with extraordinary interpositions, but which has no parallel: it - is a work of God, which leaves all the petty concerns of mortals - infinitely behind it. All that comparisons can do, is to give us some - idea of the _principle_ on which it proceeds. - - If the following passage in our admired _Milton_ were considered as - the language of the law of innocence, it would be inaccurate— - - “——Man disobeying, - - - He with his whole posterity must die: - Die he, or justice must; unless for him - Some other able, and as willing, pay - The rigid satisfaction, death for death.” - - Abstractedly considered, this is true; but it is not expressive of - what was the revealed law of innocence. The law made no such - condition, or provision; nor was it indifferent to the law-giver who - should suffer, the sinner, or another on his behalf. The language of - the law to the transgressor was not _thou shalt die, or some one on - thy behalf_; but simply _thou shalt die_: and had it literally taken - its course, every child of man must have perished. The sufferings of - Christ in our stead, therefore, are not a punishment inflicted in the - ordinary course of distributive justice; but an extraordinary - interposition of infinite wisdom and love: not contrary to, but rather - above the law, deviating from the letter, but more than preserving the - spirit of it. Such, brethren, as well as I am able to explain them, - are my views of the substitution of Christ. - - _Peter._ The objection of our so stating the substitution of Christ, - as to leave no room for the free pardon of sin, has been often made by - those who avowedly reject his satisfaction; but for any who really - consider his death as an atonement for sin, and as essential to the - ground of a sinner’s hope, to employ the objection against us, is very - extraordinary, and must, I presume, proceed from inadvertency. - - _James._ If it be so, I do not perceive it. The grounds of the - objection have been stated as clearly and as fully as I am able to - state them. - - FULLER - -Footnote 40: - - חשב; λογιζομαι. - -Footnote 41: - - 1 Sam. i. 13. Neh. xiii. 13. 1 Cor. iv. 1. 2 Cor. x. 11. Rom. viii. - 18. - -Footnote 42: - - 2 Sam. xix. 19. Ps. xxxii. 2. 2 Tim. iv. 16. - -Footnote 43: - - Num. xviii. 27-30. Job xiii. 24. Rom. ii. 26. Philem. 18. - -Footnote 44: - - Expository Discourses on Gen. xv. 1-6. Also Calvin’s Inst. bk. iii. - ch. xi. § 7. - -Footnote 45: - - Inst. bk. iii. ch. xi. § 2. - -Footnote 46: - - p. 510. - -Footnote 47: - - Lev. xvi. 21. - -Footnote 48: - - Lev. i. 4, 5. - - - - - Quest. LXXII., LXXIII. - - - QUEST. LXXII. _What is justifying Faith?_ - - ANSW. Justifying faith is a saving grace, wrought in the heart of a - sinner, by the Spirit and word of God; whereby he, being convinced - of his sin and misery, and of the disability in himself, and all - other creatures, to recover him out of his lost condition, not only - assenteth to the truth of the promise of the gospel, but receiveth - and resteth upon Christ and his righteousness therein held forth, - for pardon of sin, and for the accepting and accounting of his - person, righteous in the sight of God for salvation. - - QUEST. LXXIII. _How doth faith justify a sinner in the sight of - God?_ - - ANSW. Faith justifies a sinner in the sight of God; not because of - those graces which do always accompany it, or of those good works - that are the fruits of it; nor as if the grace of faith, or any act - thereof, were imputed to him for justification; but only as it is an - instrument, by which he receiveth and applieth Christ and his - righteousness. - -We choose first to speak to the latter of these two answers, in which -faith is considered as that whereby a sinner is justified, before the -former of them, inasmuch as it seems better connected with what has been -before insisted on, in explaining the doctrine of justification. And in -considering the account we have of justifying faith, there are two -things, which may be taken notice of, in this answer. - -I. It is observed, that though there are other graces which always -accompany faith and good works, that flow from it; yet none of these are -said to justify a sinner in the sight of God. - -II. How faith justifies, or what it is to be justified by faith.[49] - -I. That though there are other graces which always accompany faith, and -good works that flow from it; yet none of these are said to justify a -sinner in the sight of God. There is an inseparable connexion between -faith, and all other graces; which, though it be distinguished, is never -separate from them. They are all considered as _fruits of the Spirit_, -Gal. v. 22, 23. thus the apostle reckons up several other graces that -are connected with faith, and proceed from the same Spirit, such as -_love_, _peace_, _joy_, _long-suffering_, _gentleness_, _goodness_, -_meekness_, _temperance_: and the same apostle commends the church at -Thessalonica for their _work of faith; and_ considers this as connected -with a _labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ_, -1 Thess. i. 3. And the apostle Peter exhorts the church, to which he -writes, to _add to their faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, to -knowledge temperance, to temperance patience, to patience godliness, to -godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity_, 2 Pet. -i. 5, 6, 7. which supposes that all these graces ought to be connected -together. And the apostle James calls it a _dead faith_, James ii. 17. -which has not other works or graces joined with it; and, indeed, these -graces are not only connected with it, but flow from it, or are the -fruits thereof: thus we read of the _heart’s being purified by faith_, -Acts xv. 9. that is, this grace, when acted in a right manner, will have -a tendency, in some degree, to purge the soul from that moral impurity, -which proceeds out of the heart of man, and is inconsistent with saving -faith: and elsewhere we read of _faith as working by love_, Gal. v. 6. -that is, exciting those acts of love, both to God and man, which contain -a summary of practical religion. It is also said to _overcome the -world_, 1 John v. 4. and it enables Christians to do or suffer great -things for Christ’s sake, of which the apostle gives various instances -in the Old Testament saints, Heb. xi. But, notwithstanding the connexion -of other graces with faith, and those works which flow from it, we are -never said, in scripture, to be justified thereby; not by love to God; -nor by any act of obedience to him, which can be called no other than -works: whereas, when the apostle speaks of our justification by faith, -he puts it in opposition to works, when he says, that _a man is -justified by faith, without the deeds of the law_, Rom. ii. 28. - -_Object._ To this it is objected, that the apostle here speaks -concerning the ceremonial law, which he excludes from being the matter -of our justification, and not the moral law, or any evangelical duty, -such as love and sincere obedience, which, together with faith is the -matter of our justification. - -_Answ._ To this it may be replied, That when the apostle speaks of our -justification by faith, without the deeds of the law, he does not hereby -intend the ceremonial law; for those whom he describes as justified -persons, are said to be, in a following verse, not only Jews, but -Gentiles, that were converted to the Christian faith; the former, -indeed, were under a temptation to seek to be justified by the -ceremonial law, and so to conclude that they had a right to eternal -life; because of their being distinguished from the world, by the -external privileges of the covenant which they were under, many of which -were contained in, or signified by that law: but the Gentiles had -nothing to do with it, and therefore never expected to be justified by -the ceremonial law; accordingly, when the apostle speaks of -justification by faith without the deeds of the law, he cannot hereby be -supposed to intend the ceremonial law. And if we look a little farther -into the context, we shall find, by his method of reasoning, that he -excludes all works in general, and opposes faith to them; for he argues, -that we are justified in such a way, as tends to exclude boasting; but -he that insists on any works performed by himself, as the matter of his -justification, cannot do this any otherwise than in a boasting way, -valuing himself, and founding his right to eternal life, upon them. We -are not therefore justified by them, but by faith; that is, we are -justified in such a way as that, while we lay claim to the greatest -privileges from Christ, we are disposed to give him all the glory, or to -renounce our own righteousness at the same time that we have recourse to -his righteousness for justification, by faith. - -But that it may farther appear, that our justification by faith, is -opposed to justification by works, either those that accompany or flow -from it, we may apply what has been before suggested, in considering the -matter of our justification to this argument. If we consider the demands -of justice, or what it may in honour reckon a sufficient compensation -for the dishonour that has been brought to the divine name by sin, or -what may be deemed a satisfactory payment of the outstanding debt of -perfect obedience, which was due from us, or punishment, which we were -liable to, according to the sanction of the divine law; we may easily -infer, that no obedience, performed by us, though including in it the -utmost perfection, that a fallen creature is capable of attaining, is a -sufficient satisfaction; and if there can be no justification without -satisfaction, then we cannot be justified thereby. Therefore it is a -vain thing for persons to distinguish in this case, between works done -before and after faith, as though the former only were excluded from -being the matter of our justification; or to say, as some do, that we -are not indeed justified by obedience to the moral law, but by our -obeying the precepts which our Saviour has laid down in the gospel, such -as faith, and repentance, _&c._ which they call obedience to the gospel -as a new law: but let it be considered, that these evangelical duties -are supposed to be performed as the result of a divine command, which -has the formal nature of a law, whether they be contained in the moral -law or no; therefore, when we are justified by faith in opposition to -the works of the law, this must be opposed to obedience of any kind -performed by us. - -And this also appears from the nature of faith, to which justification, -by the works of the law, is opposed; for faith is a soul-humbling grace, -and includes in it a renouncing of all merit, or inducement taken from -ourselves, as a reason why God should bestow on us the blessings we -stand in need of; it trusts in Christ for righteousness, and in him -alone, and therefore turns itself from any thing that may have the least -tendency to eclipse his glory, as the only foundation of our -justification: therefore, when we are said to be justified by faith, and -not by the works of the law, the meaning is, we are justified in such a -way as tends to set the crown upon Christ’s head, acknowledging him to -be the only fountain from whence this privilege is derived. - -It follows from hence that our justification cannot be founded on our -repentance; though this is often maintained by those who are on the -other side of the question, who suppose, that justification contains in -it nothing else but forgiveness of sin; and if offences are to be -forgiven by men, upon their repentance, or confessing their fault, then -forgiveness may be expected from God, on our repentance: and some use a -very unsavoury way of speaking, when they say, that our tears have a -virtue to wash away our sins; and that they may give farther countenance -to this opinion, they refer to that scripture, in which it is said, -_Repent, that your sins may be blotted out_, Acts iii. 19. and others of -the like nature; by which we are not to suppose, that the apostle means, -that forgiveness of sin is founded on our repentance, as the matter of -our justification in the sight of God; but that there is an inseparable -connexion between our claim to forgiveness of sin, (together with all -the fruits and effects of the death of Christ, whereby this blessing was -procured) and repentance; so that one is not to be expected without the -other; and though men are to forgive injuries in case the offender -acknowledges his fault, and makes sufficient restitution; this they may -do, inasmuch as the offence is only committed against a creature; and -especially if the offence be of a private nature. But supposing this -should be applied to juridical and forensick cases, will any one say, -that the prince is obliged to forgive the criminal who is under a -sentence of condemnation, because he is sorry for what he has done, or -confesses his fault? Would this secure his honour as a law-giver? And if -hereupon the offender were to be discharged from his guilt, would not -this be a defect in the administration of the legislature? How then can -this be applied to forgiveness, expected at the hand of God; in which -justice, as well as mercy, is to have the glory that is due to it; and -we are not only to be acquitted, but justified, or pronounced guiltless, -since our acknowledgment of our offence cannot be reckoned a sufficient -satisfaction to the justice of God? - -_Object._ It is objected, by those on the other side of the question, -that though repentance be not in itself a sufficient compensation to the -justice of God for the crimes which we have committed; yet God may, by -an act of grace, accept of it, as though it had been sufficient[50]. -This they illustrate by a similitude taken from a person’s selling an -estate of a considerable value, to one who has no money to buy it, -provided he will pay a pepper-corn of acknowledgment. Thus, how -insignificant soever, repentance, or any other grace, which is deemed -the matter of our justification, be in itself, it is by an act of -favour, deemed a sufficient price. - -_Answ._ In answer to this I would observe, that the objection, which was -before brought against the doctrine we have been maintaining, concerning -the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, namely, that it was a putative -righteousness, a not judging of things according to truth, and the like, -seems to be of no weight when it affects their own cause; otherwise we -might turn their argument against themselves, and ask them; whether this -be for God to judge according to truth, when that is accepted as a -sufficient payment, by his justice, which is in itself of no value? But -passing this by, we may farther observe, that this is wholly to set -aside the necessity of satisfaction, as the Socinians do; and therefore -it is no wonder that they make use of this method of reasoning. As for -others who do not altogether deny this doctrine, yet think that a small -price may be deemed satisfactory for sin committed. That which may be -replied to it, is, that if justification, as tending to advance the -glory of divine justice, in taking away the guilt of sin, depends upon a -price paid that is equivalent to the debt contracted; and nothing short -of a price of infinite value can be reckoned an equivalent thereunto, -then certainly that which is performed by men, cannot be deemed a -sufficient payment, or accepted of as such. - -It is a vain thing for persons to pretend that there is a difference -between satisfying God, and satisfying his justice; or, that to satisfy -God is to pay a price, be it never so small, that he demands; whereas, -satisfying justice is paying a price equal to the thing purchased; since -we must conclude, that God cannot deem any thing satisfactory to -himself, that is not so to his justice. Therefore, this distinction will -not avail, to free their argument from the absurdity that attends it. - -We might here observe, that as some speak of pardon of sin’s being -founded on our repentance; others speak of our justification as being by -the act of faith, or by faith considered as a work, and in defending -justification by works, as though it were not opposed to justification -by faith (the contrary to which has been before proved) they argue, that -we are often said, in scripture, to be justified by faith; but this -faith is a work; therefore it cannot be denied but that we are justified -by works. To which it may be replied, that it is one thing to say, that -we are justified by faith, that is, a work, and another thing to say, -that we are justified by it as a work; or, it is one thing to say, that -we are justified for our faith, and another thing to say, that we are -justified by it; which will more evidently appear under the following -head, which we proceed to consider; namely, - -II. What it is for us to be justified by faith, or how faith justifies. -None can, with the least shadow of reason, deny, that justification by -faith, is a scripture-mode of speaking, though some have questioned, -whether the apostle’s words, _being justified by faith, we have peace -with God through our Lord Jesus Christ_, gives countenance to the -doctrine of justification by faith; for they observe, that by putting a -stop immediately after the word _justified_, the sense would be, that -they who are justified by Christ’s righteousness, have peace with God by -faith, through the Lord Jesus Christ: but though this will a little -alter the reading of the text; yet it will not overthrow the doctrine of -justification by faith, as contained therein. For if we understand our -_having peace with God_, as importing, that peace which they have a -right to, who are interested in Christ’s righteousness, and not barely -peace of conscience: then it will follow, that to have this peace by -faith, is, in effect, the same as to be justified by faith; and this -farther appears, from the following words, _by whom also we have access -by faith into this grace, wherein we stand_. The _grace wherein we -stand_, is that grace which is the foundation of our justification, and -not barely peace of conscience: when we are therefore said to have -access by faith unto this grace, it is the same as for us to be -justified by faith. - -Moreover, this is not the only place in which we are said to be -justified by faith; for the apostle says elsewhere, _We are justified by -the faith of Jesus Christ_, Gal. ii. 16. or by faith in Jesus Christ, -and again, _the just shall live by faith_, Rom. i. 17. which, agreeably -to the context, must be understood of their being justified by faith; in -which sense the apostle particularly explains it elsewhere, Gal. iii. -11. and in another place he speaks of _the righteousness of God which is -by faith of Jesus Christ_, Rom. iii. 22. and also of a believer’s -_waiting for the hope of righteousness by faith_, Gal. v. 5. We must not -therefore deny that justification is by faith; but rather explain the -sense of those scriptures that establish this doctrine, agreeably to the -mind of the Holy Ghost therein. - -There are various methods taken to explain the doctrine of justification -by faith; particularly one that we think subversive of justification by -Christ’s righteousness: the other, that which is contained in the answer -which we are explaining. - -1. As to the former of these, namely, that which is inconsistent with -the doctrine of justification by Christ’s righteousness. This is -maintained by those who plead for justification by works; and -consequently, they say, that we are justified by faith, and all other -graces; which they call the conditions of our justification in the sight -of God; and indeed to be justified by faith, according to them, is -little other than to be justified for faith: whether they reckon it a -meritorious condition or no, they must own it to be a pleadable -condition; otherwise it would have no reference to justification; and if -it be taken in this sense, our justification depends as much upon it, as -though it had been meritorious. This is the account which some give of -justification; and to prepare the way for this opinion, they suppose, -that the terms of salvation, in the gospel, which are substituted in the -room of those which were required under the first covenant made with -Adam, are faith, repentance and sincere obedience, instead of perfect; -and that God in justifying a penitent, believing sinner, pursuant to the -performance of these conditions, declares his willingness, that there -should be a relaxation of that law which man was at first obliged to -obey; and accordingly, that sincerity is demanded by him instead of -perfection, or substituted in the room of it; this they call the new -law, or others style it a remedial law: so that instead of being -justified by Christ’s yielding perfect obedience, or paying the -out-standing debt, which we were obliged, by reason of the violation of -the first covenant, to pay, we are to be justified by our own imperfect -obedience. - -But that which may be objected to this method of reasoning, is, that it -is inconsistent with the holiness of the divine nature, and the glory of -the justice of God, detracts from the honour of his law, and is, in -effect, to maintain that we are justified without satisfaction given. -For though these terms of our justification, and acceptance in the sight -of God, may be falsely styled a valuable consideration; yet none will -pretend to assert, that they are an infinite price; and nothing short of -that (which is no other than Christ’s righteousness) is sufficient to -answer this end. I am sensible, that they who lay down this plan of -justification, allege in defence thereof; that though these terms of -acceptance are of small value in themselves; yet God, by an act of -grace, reckons the payment of a small debt equivalent to that of a -greater, as has been before observed. And they speak of faith and -repentance as having a value set upon them by their reference to the -blood of Christ[51], who merited this privilege for us, that we should -be justified in such a way, or upon these conditions performed: they -call them indeed easier terms, or conditions, and include them all in -the general word sincerity, instead of perfection. But they are -nevertheless somewhat divided in their method of explaining themselves, -inasmuch as some suppose these conditions to be wholly in our own power, -without the aids of divine grace, as much as perfect obedience was in -the power of our first parents; whereas others ascribe a little more to -the grace of God, according as they explain the doctrine of effectual -calling; though they do not suppose, that these conditions are -altogether out of our own power; and they so far lay a foundation for -the sinner’s glorying herein, as that, they suppose, our right to -justification and eternal life is founded on them. - -I cannot but think this method of explaining the doctrine of -justification to be subversive of the gospel, and that it is highly -derogatory to the glory of God to assert that he can dispense with the -demand of perfect obedience, and justify a person on easier terms; which -is little better than what the apostle calls _make void the law_: this, -says he, we are far from doing _by faith_, or by our asserting the -doctrine of justification by faith in Christ’s righteousness; _but we -rather establish it_ hereby: and to say that God sets such a value on -our performing these conditions of the new covenant, as that they are -deemed equivalent to Christ’s performing perfect obedience for us, this -reflects on his glory, as set forth, to be a propitiation for sin, to -declare God’s righteousness in the remission thereof; and detracts from -the obligation which we are laid under to him, for what he did and -suffered in our behalf, for our justification. - -Moreover, to assert that God sets this value on our performances, -pursuant to Christ’s merit; or that they are highly esteemed by him, -because they are tinctured with his blood; this is contrary to the -design of his death, which was, not that such an estimate might be set -on what is done by us; but rather, that the iniquities that attend our -best performances may be forgiven; and that (though, when we have done -all, we are unprofitable servants,) we may be made accepted in the -Beloved; and having no justifying righteousness of our own, may be -justified, and glory in that which he hath wrought out for us. - -And as for the supposition, that faith, repentance, and new obedience, -are not only conditions of justification, but easy to be performed: this -plainly discovers, that they who maintain it, either think too lightly -of man’s impotency and averseness to what is good, and his alienation -from the life of God, or are strangers to their own hearts, and are not -duly sensible that it is God that works in his people both to will and -to do, of his own good pleasure. - -The only thing that I shall add, in opposition to the doctrine of -justification by works, is, that whatever is the matter or ground of our -justification in the sight of God, must be pleadable at his bar; for we -cannot be justified without a plea, and if any plea, taken from our own -works, be thought sufficient, how much soever the proud and deluded -heart of man may set too great a value upon them; yet God will not -reckon the plea valid, so as to discharge us from guilt, and give us a -right and title to eternal life on the account thereof; which leads us -to consider, - -2. The method taken to explain this doctrine in the answer before us, -which we think agreeable to the divine perfections, and contains a true -state of the doctrine of justification by faith. We before considered -justification as a forensic act, that we might understand what is meant -by our sins being imputed to Christ our Head and Surety, and his -righteousness imputed to us, or placed to our account. And we are now to -speak of this righteousness as pleaded by, or applied to us, as the -foundation of our claim to all the blessings that were purchased by it. -Here we must consider a sinner as bringing in his plea, in order to his -discharge; and this is twofold. - -(1.) If he be charged by men, or by Satan, with crimes not committed, he -pleads his own innocency; if charged with hypocrisy, he pleads his own -sincerity. Thus we are to understand several expressions in scripture to -this purpose; as for instance, when a charge of the like nature was -brought in against Job, Satan having suggested that he did not serve God -for nought; and that if God would touch his bone and his flesh, he would -curse him to his face: and his friends having often applied the -character they give of the hypocrite to him, and so concluding him to be -a wicked person, he says, _God forbid that I should justify you_; that -is, that I should acknowledge your charge to be just; _till I die, I -will not remove mine integrity from me: my righteousness I hold fast, -and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I -live_, Job xxvii. 5, 6. that is, I never will own what you insinuate, -that my heart is not right with God. And David, when complaining of the -ill-treatment which he met with from his enemies and persecutors, who -desired not only to _tread down his life upon the earth_, but to _lay -his honour in the dust_; to murder his name as well as his person, he -prays, _Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according -to mine integrity that is in me_, Psal. vii. 8. What could he plead -against maliciousness and false insinuations, but his righteousness or -his integrity? And elsewhere, when he says, _The Lord rewarded me -according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands -hath he recompensed me: For I have kept the ways of the Lord; his -judgments were before me. I was also upright before him, and have kept -myself from mine iniquity_, 2 Sam. xxii. 21, _&c. seq._ it is nothing -else but an intimation, that how much soever he might be charged with -the contrary vices, he was, in this respect, innocent: and though God -did not justify him at his tribunal, for this righteousness; yet, in the -course of his providence, he seemed to approve of his plea, so far as -that whatever the world thought of him, he plainly dealt with him as one -who was highly favoured by him; or whom, by his dealings with him, he -evidently distinguished from those whose hearts were not right with him. -It is true, some who plead for justification by our own righteousness, -allege these scriptures as a proof of it, without distinguishing between -the justification of our persons in the sight of God, and the -justification of our righteous cause; or our being justified when -accused at God’s tribunal, and our being justified, or vindicated from -those charges that are brought against us at man’s. - -(2.) When a person stands at God’s tribunal, as we must suppose the -sinner to do, when bringing in his plea for justification in his sight; -then he has nothing else to plead but Christ’s righteousness; and faith -is that grace that pleads it: and in that respect we are said to be -justified by faith, or in a way of believing. Faith doth not justify by -presenting or pleading itself, or any other grace that accompanies or -flows from it, as the cause why God should forgive sin, or give us a -right to eternal life; for they have not sufficient worth or excellency -in them to procure these blessings. Therefore, when we are said to be -justified by faith, it is by faith, as apprehending, pleading, or laying -hold on Christ’s righteousness; and this gives occasion to divines to -call it the instrument of our justification. Christ’s righteousness is -the thing claimed or apprehended; and faith is that by which it is -claimed or apprehended; and, agreeably to the idea of an instrument, we -are said not to be justified for faith, but by it. Christ’s -righteousness is that which procures a discharge from condemnation for -all for whom it was wrought out; faith is the hand that receives it; -whereby a person has a right to conclude, that it was wrought out for -him. Christ’s righteousness is that which has a tendency to enrich and -adorn the soul; and faith is the hand that receives it, whereby it -becomes ours, in a way of fiducial application: and as the righteousness -of Christ is compared, in scripture, to a glorious robe, which renders -the soul beautiful, or is its highest and chief ornament; it is by faith -that it is put on; and, in this respect, as the prophet speaks, its -beauty is rendered _perfect through his comeliness, which is put upon -him_, Ezek. xvi. 14. so that Christ’s righteousness justifies, as it is -the cause of our discharge; faith justifies as the instrument that -applies this discharge to us; thus when it is said, _the just shall live -by faith_, faith is considered as that which seeks to, and finds this -life in him; the effect is, by a metonymy, applied to the instrument; as -when the husbandman is said to live or to be maintained by his plough, -and the artist to live by his hands, or the beggar by his empty hand -that receives the donative. If a person was in a dungeon, like the -prophet Jeremiah, and a rope is let down to draw him out of it, his -laying hold on it is the instrument, but the hand that draws him out, is -the principal cause of his release from thence; or, that we may make use -of a similitude that more directly illustrates the doctrine we are -maintaining, suppose a condemned malefactor had a pardon procured for -him, which gives him a right to liberty, or a discharge from the place -of his confinement, this must be pleaded, and his claim be rendered -visible; and after that he is no longer deemed a guilty person, but -discharged, in open court, from the sentence that he was under. Thus -Christ procures forgiveness by his blood; the gospel holds it forth, and -describes those who have a right to claim it as belonging to him in -particular: and hence arises a visible discharge from condemnation, and -a right to claim the benefits that attend it. If we understand -justification by faith, in this sense, we do not attribute too much to -faith on the one hand, nor too little to Christ’s righteousness on the -other. - -And we rather choose to call faith an instrument, than a condition of -our justification, being sensible, that the word _condition_ is -generally used to signify that for the sake whereof, a benefit is -conferred, rather than the instrument by which it is applied; not but -that it may be explained in such a way, as is consistent with the -doctrine of justification by faith, as before considered. We do not deny -that faith is the condition of our claim to Christ’s righteousness; or -that it is God’s ordinance, without which we have no ground to conclude -our interest in it. We must therefore distinguish between its being a -condition of forgiveness, and its being a condition of our visible and -apparent right hereunto. This cannot be said to belong to us, unless we -receive it; neither can we conclude that we have an interest in Christ’s -redemption, any more than they for whom he did not lay down his life, -but by this medium. We must first consider Christ’s righteousness as -wrought out for all them that were given him by the Father; and faith is -that which gives us ground to conclude, that this privilege, in -particular, belongs to us. - -This account of the use of faith in justification, we cannot but think -sufficient to obviate the most material objections that are brought -against our way of maintaining the doctrine of justification, _viz._ by -Christ’s righteousness, in one respect, and by faith in another. It is -an injurious suggestion to suppose that we deny the necessity of faith -in any sense, or conclude, that we may lay claim to this privilege -without it; since we strenuously assert the necessity, on the one hand, -of Christ’s righteousness being wrought out for us, and forgiveness -procured thereby; and, on the other hand, the necessity of our receiving -it, each of which is true in its respective place. Christ must have the -glory that is due to him, and faith the work, or office that belongs to -it. - -Thus we have considered Christ’s righteousness as applied by faith; and -it may be also observed, that there is one scripture, in which it is -said to be _imputed by faith_, as the apostle Paul, when speaking -concerning Abraham’s justification by faith, in this righteousness, -says, _It was imputed to him for righteousness_; and adds, that _it was -not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him, but for us -also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe_, Rom. iv. 22, 23, 24. -in which scripture, I conceive, that imputation is taken for -application; and accordingly the meaning is, the righteousness of Christ -is so imputed, as that we have ground to place it to our own account, if -we believe; which is the same with applying it by faith.[52] - -And whereas the apostle speaks elsewhere of _faith’s being counted for -righteousness_, ver. 5. it must be allowed, that there is a great deal -of difficulty in the mode of expression. If we assert that the act of -believing is imputed for righteousness, as they who establish the -doctrine of justification by works, or by faith as a work, we overthrow -that which we have been maintaining: and if, on the other hand, we -understand faith, for the object of faith, _viz._ what was wrought out -by Christ, which faith is conversant about, and conclude, (as I conceive -we ought to do,) that this, is imputed for righteousness, this is -supposed, by some, to deviate too much from the common sense of words, -to be allowed of: but if there be such a figurative way of speaking used -in other scriptures, why may we not suppose that it is used in this text -under our present consideration? If other graces are sometimes taken for -the object thereof, why may not faith be taken, by a metonymy, for its -object? Thus the apostle calls those whom he writes to, _his joy_, that -is, the object, or matter thereof, Phil. iv. 1. And in the book of -Canticles, the church calls Christ _her love_, Cant. iv. 8. that is, the -object thereof. And elsewhere, hope is plainly taken for the object of -it, when the apostle says, _Hope that is seen, is not hope: for what a -man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?_ Rom. viii. 24. By which he plainly -intends, that whatever is the object of hope, cannot be in our present -possession: and Christ is farther styled, _The blessed hope_, Tit. ii. -13. that is, the person whose appearance we hope for. And Jacob speaks -of God as _the fear of his father Isaac_, Gen. xxxi. 53. that is, the -person whom he worshipped with reverential fear; in all which cases the -phraseology is equally difficult with that of the text, under our -present consideration. Thus concerning Christ’s righteousness, as -wrought out for us, and applied by faith; which is the foundation of all -our peace and comfort, both in life and death; and therefore cannot but -be reckoned a doctrine of the highest importance: we shall now consider -some things that may be inferred from it. And, - -[1.] From what has been said concerning justification, as founded in -Christ’s suretyship-righteousness, wrought out for us, by what was done -and suffered by him, in his human nature; and the infinite value -thereof, as depending on the glory of the divine nature, to which it is -united, we cannot but infer the absurdity of two contrary opinions, -namely, that of those who have asserted, that we are justified by the -essential righteousness of Christ as God[57]; and that of others, who -pretend, that because all mediatorial acts are performed by Christ only -as man: therefore the infinite dignity of the divine nature, has no -reference to their being satisfactory to divine justice. This is what -they mean when they say, that we are justified by Christ’s righteousness -as man, in opposition to our being justified by his essential -righteousness as God[58]: whereas, I think, the truth lies in a _medium_ -between both these extremes; on the one hand we must suppose, that -Christ’s engagement to become a surety for us, and so stand in our room -and stead, and thereby to pay the debt which we had contracted to the -justice of God, could not be done in any other than the human nature; -for the divine nature is not capable of being under a law, or fulfilling -it, or, in any instance, of obeying, or suffering; and therefore, we -cannot be justified by Christ’s essential righteousness, as God; and, on -the other hand, what Christ did and suffered as man, would not have been -sufficient for our justification, had it not had an infinite value put -upon it, arising from the union of the nature that suffered with the -divine nature, which is agreeable to the apostle’s expression, when he -says, _God purchased the church with his own blood_, Acts, xx. 28. - -[2.] From what has been said, concerning the fruits and effects of -justification, as by virtue hereof our sins are pardoned, and we made -accepted in the beloved, we infer; that it is not only an unscriptural -way of speaking, but has a tendency to overthrow the doctrine we have -been maintaining, to assert, as some do, that God is only rendered -reconcileable by what was done and suffered by Christ. This seems to be -maintained by those who treat on this subject, with a different view. -Some speak of God’s being rendered reconcileable by Christ’s -righteousness that they might make way for what they have farther to -advance, namely, that God’s being reconciled to a sinner, is the result -of his own repentance, or the amendment of his life, whereby he makes -his peace with him; which is to make repentance or reformation the -matter of our justification, and substitute it in the room of Christ’s -righteousness: therefore, they who speak of God’s being made -reconcileable in this sense, by his blood, are so far from giving a true -account of the doctrine of justification, that, in reality, they -overthrow it. - -But there are others, who speak of God’s being reconcileable as the -consequence of Christ’s satisfaction, that they might not be thought to -assert that God is actually reconciled by the blood of Christ, to those -who are in an unconverted state, which is inconsistent therewith; -therefore they use this mode of expression, lest they should be thought -to give countenance to the doctrine of actual justification before -faith; but certainly we are under no necessity of advancing one -absurdity to avoid another: therefore, let it be here considered, that -the scripture speaks expressly of God’s being reconciled by the death of -Christ; and accordingly he is said to have _brought_ him _again from the -dead_, as a _God of peace_, Heb. xiii. 20. And elsewhere, he speaks of -_God’s having reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ_, 2 Cor. v. 18. -and not becoming reconcilable to us. Again, _When we were enemies we -were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being -reconciled, we shall be saved_, Rom. v. 10. that is, shall obtain the -saving effects of this reconciliation _by his life_. And again, _Having -made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all -things to himself: and you that were sometimes alienated, and enemies in -your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled, in the body of -his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable, and -unreprovable in his sight_, Col. i. 21, 22. Where he describes those who -were reconciled as once enemies, and speaks of this privilege as being -procured by the death of Christ, and of holiness here, and salvation -hereafter, as the consequence of it; therefore it is such a -reconciliation as is contained in our justification. - -But though this appears very agreeable to the mind of the Holy Ghost, in -scripture, yet it must be understood in consistency with those other -scriptures, that represent persons in an unconverted state, as _children -of wrath_, Eph. ii. 3. and being _hateful_, Tit. iii. 3. that is, not -only deserving to be hated by God, but actually hated, as appears by the -many threatnings that are denounced against them, and their being in a -condemned state, that we may not give countenance to the doctrine of -some, who, not distinguishing between God’s secret and revealed will, -maintain that we are not only virtually, but actually justified before -we believe; as though we had a right to claim Christ’s righteousness -before we have any ground to conclude, that it was wrought out for us: -but what has been already suggested concerning justification by faith, -will, I think, sufficiently remove this difficulty. - -The only thing that remains to be explained is; how God may be said to -be reconciled by the blood of Christ, to a person who is in an -unconverted state, and as such, represented as a child of wrath? for the -understanding of which, let us consider, that so long as a person is an -unbeliever, he has no ground to conclude, according to the tenor of -God’s revealed will, that he is reconciled to him, or that he is any -other than a child of wrath. Nevertheless, when we speak of God’s being -reconciled to his elect, according to the tenor of his secret will, -before they believe, that is in effect to say, that justification, as it -is an immanent act in God, is antecedent to faith, which is a certain -truth, inasmuch as faith is a fruit and consequence thereof: whereas, -God does not declare that he is reconciled to us, or give us ground to -conclude it; whereby we appear no longer to be children of wrath, till -we believe. If this be duly considered, we have no reason to assert, -that God is reconcileable, rather than reconciled by the death of -Christ, lest we should be thought to maintain the doctrine of -justification, or deliverance from wrath, as a declared act, before we -believe. And to this we may add, that God was reconcileable to his -elect, that is, willing to be reconciled to them before Christ died for -them; otherwise he would never have sent him into the world to make -reconciliation for the sins of his people: he was reconcileable, and -therefore designed to turn from the fierceness of his wrath; and in -order thereunto, he appointed Christ to make satisfaction for sin, and -procure peace for them. - -[3.] There is not the least inconsistency between those scriptures -which speak of justification as being an act of God’s free grace, and -others, which speak of it as being, by faith, founded on Christ’s -righteousness; or between God’s pardoning sin freely, without regard -to any thing done by us to procure it; and yet insisting on, and -receiving a full satisfaction, as the meritorious and procuring cause -of it. This is sometimes objected against what we have advanced in -explaining the doctrine of justification, as being, in some respects, -an act of justice, and in others, of grace; as though it were -inconsistent with itself, and our method of explaining it were liable -to an absurdity, which is contrary to reason; as though two -contradictory propositions could be both true; namely, that -justification should be an act of the strictest justice, without any -abatement of the debt demanded, and yet of free grace, without -insisting on the payment of the debt: but this seeming contradiction -may be easily reconciled, if we consider that the debt was not paid by -us in our own persons; which had it been done, it would have been -inconsistent with forgiveness’s being an act of grace; but by our -surety, and in that respect there was no abatement of the debt, nor -did he receive a discharge by an act of grace, but was justified as -our head or surety, by his own righteousness, or works performed by -him; whereas, we are justified by his suretyship-righteousness, -without works performed by us; and this surety was provided for us; as -has been before observed; and therefore, when we speak of -justification, as being an act of grace, we distinguish between the -justification of our surety, after he had given full satisfaction for -the debt which we had contracted; and this payment’s being placed to -our account by God’s gracious imputation thereof to us, and our -obtaining forgiveness as the result thereof, which can be no other -than an act of the highest grace. - -[4.] From what has been said concerning justification by faith, we -infer, the method, order and time, in which God justifies his people. -There are some who not only speak of justification before faith, but -from eternity; and consider it as an immanent act in God in the same -sense as election is said to be. I will not deny eternal justification, -provided it be considered as contained in God’s secret will, and not -made the rule by which we are to determine ourselves to be in a -justified state, and as such to have a right and title to eternal life, -before it is revealed or apprehended by faith: if we take it in this -sense, it is beyond dispute, that justification is not by faith; but -inasmuch as the most known, yea, the only sense in which justification -is spoken of, as applied to particular persons, is, that it is by faith: -therefore, we must suppose, - -_1st_, That it is a declared act. That which is hid in God, and not -declared, cannot be said to be applied; and that which is not applied, -cannot be the rule by which particular persons may judge of their state. -Thus, if we speak of eternal election, and say, That God has -peremptorily determined the state of those that shall be saved, that -they shall not perish; this is nothing to particular persons, unless -they have ground to conclude themselves elected. So if we say that God -has, from all eternity, given his elect into Christ’s hands; that he has -undertaken before the foundation of the world, to redeem them; and that, -pursuant hereunto, God promised that he would give eternal life unto -them; or, if we consider Christ as having fulfilled what he undertook -from all eternity, finished transgression, brought in everlasting -righteousness, and fully paid the debt which he undertook; consider him -as being discharged, and receiving an acquittance, when raised from the -dead; and all this as done in the name of the elect, as their head and -representative; and if you farther consider them, as it is often -expressed, as virtually justified in him; all this is nothing to them, -with respect to their peace and comfort; they have no more a right to -claim an interest in this privilege or relation, than if he had not paid -a price for them. Therefore, we suppose that justification, as it is the -foundation of our claim to eternal life, is a declared act. - -_2d._ If justification be a declared act, there must be some method -which God uses, whereby he declares, or makes it known. Now it is -certain, that he, no where in scripture, tells an unbeliever that he has -an interest in Christ’s righteousness, or that his sins are pardoned, or -gives him any warrant to take comfort from any such conclusion; but, on -the other hand, such an one has no ground to conclude any other, -concerning himself, but that he is a child of wrath; for he is to judge -of things according to the tenor of God’s revealed will. Christ’s -righteousness is nothing to him in point of application; he is guilty of -bold presumption if he lays claim to it, or takes comfort from it, as -much as he would be were he to say, some are elected, therefore I am. -Nevertheless, - -_3d_, When a person believes, he has a right to conclude, that he is -justified, or to claim all the privileges that result from it; and this -is what we call justification by faith, which therefore cannot be before -faith; for that which gives a person a right to claim a privilege, must -be antecedent to this claim; or, that which is the foundation of a -person’s concluding himself to be justified, must be antecedent to his -making this conclusion; and in this respect, all who duly consider what -they affirm, must conclude that justification is not before faith. - -[5.] From what has been said concerning the office or use of faith in -justification, as it is an instrument that applies Christ’s -righteousness to ourselves, we infer; that it is more than an evidence -of our justification: we do not indeed deny it to be an evidence that we -were virtually justified in Christ as our head and representative, when -he was raised from the dead, in the same sense as it is an evidence of -our eternal election: but this is equally applicable to all other -graces, and therefore cannot be a true description of justifying faith. -If we are justified by faith, only as it is an evidence of our right to -Christ’s righteousness, we are as much justified by love, patience, and -submission to the divine will, or any other grace that accompanies -salvation; but they who speak of faith as only an evidence, will not say -that we are justified by all other graces, in the same sense as we are -justified by faith; and indeed, the scripture gives us no warrant so to -do. - -[6.] From what has been said concerning faith as giving us a right to -claim Christ’s righteousness, we infer; that a person is justified -before he has what we call, the faith of assurance; of which more -hereafter: therefore we consider the grace of faith, as justifying or -giving us a right to claim Christ’s righteousness, whether we have an -actual claim or no. This must be allowed, otherwise the loss of this -assurance would infer the suspension or loss of our justification, and -consequently would render our state as uncertain as our frames, or our -peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, as liable to be lost as -that peace and joy which we sometimes have in believing, and at other -times are destitute of. - -[7.] From what has been said concerning justifying faith’s being -accompanied with all other graces, we infer; that that faith which is -justifying, is also a saving grace, or a grace which accompanies -salvation; but yet there is this difference between saving faith, as we -generally call it, and justifying, in that the former respects Christ in -all his offices, the latter considers him only in his Priestly office, -or as set forth to be a propitiation for sin. And this leads us to -consider the grace of faith in its larger extent, both with respect to -its acts and objects, as contained in the former of the answers we are -explaining: and therefore, - -We are now to consider the nature of faith in general, or of that faith, -which, as before explained, we call justifying. There are some things in -this grace which are common to it with other graces; particularly, it is -styled a saving grace, not as being the cause of our salvation, but as -it accompanies, or is connected with it. Again, it is said to be wrought -in the heart of a sinner, to distinguish it from other habits of a lower -nature, which are acquired by us; and it is said to be wrought by the -Spirit and Word of God; by his Spirit, as the principal efficient, who, -in order thereunto, exerts his divine power; and by the word, as the -instrument which he makes use of. The Word presents to us the object of -faith; and it is God’s ordinance, in attending to which, he works and -excites it. - -Moreover, there are several things supposed or contained in this grace -of faith, which are common to it, with other graces. As when a believer -is said to be first convinced of sin and misery, and of his being unable -to recover himself out of the lost condition in which he is, by nature; -and the impossibility of his being recovered out of it by any other -creature; in all these respects, faith contains in it several things in -common with other graces; particularly with conversion, effectual -calling, and repentance unto life. These things, therefore, we shall -pass over as being considered elsewhere, and confine ourselves to what -is peculiar to this grace mentioned in this answer; only some few things -may be observed concerning it, as it is styled a saving grace, and -wrought in the heart of man, by the Spirit and Word of God; and we shall -add some other things, of which we have no particular account in this -answer; which may contain a more full explication of this grace: in -speaking to which, we shall observe the following method; - -I. We shall consider the meaning of the word _faith_, in the more -general idea of it. - -II. We shall speak particularly concerning the various kinds of _faith_. -And, - -III. The various objects and acts of saving faith; especially as it -assents to the truth of the promise of the gospel, and receives, and -rests upon, Christ and his righteousness, held forth therein. - -IV. We shall consider it as a grace that accompanies salvation, and -wrought in the heart by the power of the Spirit, and instrumentality of -the word. - -V. We shall consider it as strong or weak, increasing or declining, with -the various marks and evidences thereof. - -VI. We shall speak of the use of faith in the whole conduct of our -lives; as every thing we do in an acceptable manner, is said to be done -by it. - -VII. We shall shew how it is to be attained or increased, and what are -the means conducive thereunto. - -I. Concerning the meaning of the word _faith_, in the more general idea -thereof. It is either an assent to a truth, founded on sufficient -evidence; or a confiding or relying on the word or power of one, who is -able and willing to afford us sufficient help or relief.[59] - -1. As to the former of these, as it contains an assent to a truth -proposed and supported by sufficient evidence. This is more especially -an act of the understanding; and it is necessary, in order hereunto, -that something be discovered to us, as the matter of our belief, which -demands or calls for our assent; and that is considered either only as -true, or else, as true and good: if it be considered only as true, the -faith, or assent that is required thereunto is speculative; but if we -consider it not only as true, but good, or, as containing something -redounding to our advantage; then the faith resulting from it is -practical, and seated partly in the understanding, and partly in the -will; or, at least, the will is influenced and inclined to embrace what -the understanding not only assents to as true, but proposes to us as -that which if enjoyed would tend very much to our advantage. - -As to this general description of faith, as an assent to what is -reported, founded upon sufficient evidence, we may farther consider;[60] -that it is not in our power to believe a thing, unless the judgment be -convinced, and we have ground to conclude it to be true, and accordingly -there must be something which has a tendency to give this conviction; -and that it is what we call evidence: every thing that is reported is -not to be credited; since it has very often no appearance of truth in -it: and it is reasonable for the understanding, to demand a proof before -it yields an assent; and if it be a matter of report, then we are to -consider the nature of the evidence, whether it be sufficient, or -insufficient to persuade us to believe what is reported; and according -to the strength or credibility thereof, we believe, hesitate about it, -or utterly reject it. If, according to our present view of things, it -may be true or false, we hardly call it the object of faith; we can only -say concerning it, that it is probable; if it be, on the other hand, -attested by such evidence, as cannot, without scepticism be denied; -hence arises what we call certainty, or an assurance of faith, supported -by the strongest evidence. - -Moreover, according to the nature of the evidence, or testimony, on -which it is founded, it is distinguished into human and divine; both of -these are contained in the apostle’s words, _If we receive the witness -of men, the witness of God is greater_, 1 John v. 9. As for human -testimony, though it may not be termed false, yet it can hardly be -deemed any other than fallible, since it cannot be said concerning -sinful man, that it is impossible for him to lie or deceive, or be -deceived himself; but when we believe a thing on the divine testimony, -our faith is infallible: it is as impossible for us to be deceived as it -is for God to impart that to us, which is contrary to his infinite -holiness and veracity. It is in this latter sense that we consider the -word _faith_, when we speak of it as an act of religious worship, or -included or supposed in our idea of saving faith; and so we style it a -firm assent to every thing that God has revealed as founded on the -divine veracity. - -Let us now consider faith as it contains an assent to a thing, not only -as true, but as good; upon which account we call it a practical assent, -first seated in the understanding; and then the will embraces what the -understanding discovers to be conducive to our happiness; we first -believe the truth of it, and then regulate our conduct agreeably -thereunto. As when a criminal hears a report of an act of grace being -issued forth by the king, he does not rest in a bare assent to the truth -thereof, but puts in his claim to it. Or, as when a merchant is credibly -informed, that there are great advantages to be obtained by trading into -foreign countries; he receives the report with a design to use all -proper methods to partake of the advantage; as our Saviour illustrates -it, when he compares _the kingdom of heaven unto a merchant man seeking -goodly pearls; who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and -sold all that he had, and bought_, Matt. xiii. 45. We have sufficient -evidence to support our faith, that there is forgiveness of sin, through -the blood of Christ; and that all spiritual blessings are treasured up -in him, for the heirs of salvation: in this respect faith does not -contain a bare speculative assent to the truth of this proposition; but -it excites in us an endeavour to obtain these blessings in that way -which is prescribed by him, who is the giver thereof. - -2. Faith may be farther considered, as denoting an act of trust or -dependence on him, who is the object thereof. This is very distinct from -the former sense of the word: for though it supposes indeed an assent of -the understanding to some truth proposed; yet this truth is of such a -nature, as that it produces in us a resting or reliance on one who is -able, and has expressed a willingness to do us good; and whose promise -relating hereunto, is such, as we have ground to depend on. This -supposes in him, who is the subject thereof, a sense of his own weakness -or indigence, and in him that is the object of it, a fitness to be the -object of trust, for his attaining relief: thus the sick man depends -upon the skill and faithfulness of the physician, and determines to look -no farther for help, but relies on his prescriptions, and uses the means -that he appoints for the restoring of his health; or, as when a person -is assaulted by one who threatens to ruin him, and is able to do it, as -being an over-match for him, he has recourse to, and depends on the -assistance of one that is able to secure and defend him, and thereby -prevent the danger that he feared. Thus Jehoshaphat, when his country -was invaded by a great multitude of foreign troops, being apprehensive -that he was not able to withstand them; he exercises this faith of -reliance on the divine power, when he says, _We have no might against -this great company, that come against us; neither know we what to do, -but our eyes are upon thee_, 2 Chron. xx. 12. And God is very often, in -scripture, represented as the object of trust: so the church says, _I -will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength_; and -elsewhere, _he that walketh in darkness and hath no light_, Isa. xii. 2. -that is, knows not which way to turn, is helpless and destitute of all -comfort, is encouraged to _trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon -his God_, chap. l. 10. This is truly and properly a divine faith, and -accordingly an act of religious worship; and is opposed to a _trusting -in man, and making flesh his arm_, Jer. xvii. 5. and it supposes a firm -persuasion, that God is able to do all that for us which we stand in -need of; and that he has promised that he will do us good, and that he -will never fail nor forsake them that repose their trust or confidence -in him: with this view the soul relies on his perfections, seeks to him -for comfort, and lays the whole stress of his hope of salvation on him, -not doubting concerning the event hereof, but concluding himself safe, -if he can say, that _the eternal God is his refuge, and underneath are -the everlasting arms_, Deut. xxxiii. 27. This leads us, - -II. To consider the various kinds of faith, as mentioned in scripture. -Thus we read of a faith that was adapted to that extraordinary -dispensation of providence, in which God was pleased to confirm some -great and important truths by miracles; which is therefore styled a -faith of miracles. There is also a faith that has no reference to a -supernatural event, or confined to any particular age or state of the -church, in which miracles are expected, but is founded on the -gospel-revelation, which, how much soever it may resemble saving faith, -yet falls short of it; and there is a faith which is inseparably -connected with salvation. - -1. Concerning the faith of miracles. This is what our Saviour intends, -when he tells his disciples, That _if they had faith as a grain of -mustard-seed, they should say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder -place, and it should remove; and nothing should be impossible unto -them_, Matt. xvii. 20. This is such a faith that many had, who were not -in a state of salvation; as is plain from what our Saviour says, that -_many will say to him in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in -thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name have -done many wonderful works? to whom he will profess I never knew you_; -and his commanding them to _depart from him_ as having _wrought -iniquity_, chap. vii. 22, 23. And the apostle Paul supposes, that a -person might have _all faith_, that is, this kind of faith; _so that he -might remove mountains_, 1 Cor. xiii. 2. which is a proverbial -expression, denoting, that extraordinary and miraculous events might -attend it; and yet, at the same time, be destitute of _charity_, or love -to God, and consequently without saving grace; and so appear, in the -end, to _be nothing_. - -Some have questioned whether this faith of miracles was peculiar to the -gospel-dispensation, in the time of our Saviour and the apostles, and so -was not required in those who wrought miracles under the Old Testament -dispensation; though others suppose, that, from the nature of the thing, -it was always necessary that faith should be exercised, when a miracle -was wrought; though it is true, we have little or no account of this -faith, as exercised by those that wrought miracles before our Saviour’s -time; and therefore, we cannot so peremptorily determine this matter; -but according to the account we have thereof in the New Testament, there -were several things necessary to, or included in this faith of miracles. - -(1.) Some important article of revealed religion must be proposed to be -believed; and in order thereunto, an explicit appeal made to God, in -expectation of his immediate interposure in working a miracle for that -end: every thing that was the object of faith, was not, indeed, to be -proved true by a miracle, but only those things which could not be -sufficiently evinced without it, so as to beget a divine faith in those -who were the subjects of conviction. We never read that miracles were -wrought to convince the world that there was a God, or a providence; or, -to persuade men concerning the truth of those things that might be -sufficiently proved by rational arguments: but when there could not be -such a proof given without the finger of God being rendered visible by a -miracle wrought, then they depended on such an instance of divine -condescension; and the people who were to receive conviction, were to -expect such an extraordinary event. - -(2.) It was necessary that there should be a firm persuasion of the -truth of the doctrine, to be confirmed by a miracle in him that wrought -it, together with an explicit appeal to it for the conviction of those -whose faith was to be confirmed thereby: and sometimes we read, that -when miracles were to be wrought in favour of them, who before had a -sufficient proof that our Saviour was the Messiah, it was necessary that -they should have a strong persuasion concerning this matter, and that he -was able to work a miracle; otherwise they had no ground to expect that -the miracle should be wrought: in the former instance we read of -Christ’s disciples working miracles for the conviction of the Jews, and -exercising, at the same time, this faith of miracles; and in the latter -a general faith was demanded, that our Saviour was the Messiah, before -the miracle was wrought; in which sense we are to understand his reply -to the man who desired that he would cast the Devil out of his son; _If -thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth_, Mark -ix. 23. _q. d._ Thou hast had sufficient conviction that I am the -Messiah, by other miracles, and consequently hast no reason to doubt but -that I can cast the Devil out of thy son; therefore, if thou hast a -strong persuasion of the truth hereof, the thing that thou desirest -shall be granted: and elsewhere it is said, _He did not many mighty -works because of their unbelief_, Matt. xiii. 58. - -(3.) How much soever a person might exercise this strong persuasion, -that a miracle should be wrought, which we generally call a faith of -miracles; yet I cannot think that this event always ensued without -exception. For sometimes God might refuse to work a miracle, that he -might hereby cast contempt on some vile persons, who pretended to this -faith of miracles; who, though they professed their faith in Christ as -the Messiah, yet their conversation contradicted their profession, and -therefore God would not put that honour upon them so as to work a -miracle at their desire; much less are we to suppose, that he would work -a miracle at any one’s pleasure, if they were persuaded that he would do -so. Again, sometimes God might refuse to exert his divine power, in -working a miracle, in judgment, when persons had had sufficient means -for their conviction by other miracles, but believed not. And finally, -when the truth of the Christian religion had been sufficiently confirmed -by miracles, they were less common; and then we read nothing more of -that faith which took its denomination from thence. - -2. There is another kind of faith, which has some things in common with -saving faith, and is sometimes mistaken for it, but is vastly different -from it. This, in some, is called an historical faith; and in others, by -reason of the short continuance thereof, a temporary faith. An -historical faith is that whereby persons are convinced of the truth of -what is revealed in the gospel, though this has very little influence on -their conversation: such have right notions of divine things, but do not -entertain a suitable regard to them; religion with them is little more -than a matter of speculation; they do not doubt concerning any of the -important doctrines of the gospel, but are able and ready to defend them -by proper arguments: nevertheless, though, in words, they profess their -faith in Christ, in works they deny him: such as these the apostle -intends when he says; _Thou believest that there is one God, thou dost -well: the devils also believe and tremble_, James ii. 19. And he charges -them with a vain presumption, in that they expected to be justified -hereby; whereas their faith was without works, or those fruits which -were necessary to justify, or evince its sincerity; or to prove that it -was such a grace as accompanies salvation; and therefore he gives it no -better a character than that of a dead faith. - -As for that which is called a temporary faith, this differs little from -the former, unless we consider it, as having a tendency, in some -measure, to excite the affections; and so far to regulate the -conversation, as that which is attended with a form of godliness, which -continues as long as this comports with, or is subservient to their -secular interest: but it is not such a faith as will enable them to pass -through fiery trials, or part with all things for Christ’s sake, or to -rejoice in him, as their portion, when they meet with little but -tribulation and persecution, in the world, for the sake of the gospel. -This will evidently discover the insincerity thereof; for it will wither -like a plant that is without a root: our Saviour speaks of it in the -parable, of the _seed that fell upon stony places, where they had not -much earth, and forthwith they sprang up, because they had no deepness -of earth; and when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they -had no root they withered away_; which he explains of him, _who heareth -the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in -himself, but endureth for a while; for when tribulation or persecution -ariseth, because of thy word, by and by he is offended_, Matt. xiii. 5, -6. compared with ver. 20, 21. This parable had a particular relation to -the Jews, who heard John the Baptist gladly, rejoicing in his light for -a season; and seemed to be convinced, by his doctrine, concerning the -Messiah, who was shortly to appear; but when they apprehended that his -kingdom, instead of advancing them to great honours in the world, was -like to expose them to tribulations and persecutions they were offended -in him; and this is also applicable to all those who think themselves -something, and are thought so by others, as to the profession they make -of Christ and his gospel; but afterwards appear to be nothing, deceiving -their own souls. This leads us, - -3. To consider faith as a grace that is inseparably connected with -salvation, which is called justifying faith, and also a saving grace, in -this answer, in which the nature thereof is explained; and what may be -farther said concerning it will be considered under the following heads, -which we proposed to insist on in the general method before laid down; -and therefore we shall proceed, - -III. To speak concerning the various objects and acts of saving faith. - -1. Concerning its objects. Every thing that is the object thereof, must -take its rise from God; for we are now speaking concerning a divine -faith; and inasmuch as saving faith supposes and includes in it an -assent to the truth of divine revelation, we are bound to believe -whatever God has revealed in his word; so that as all scripture is the -rule of faith, the matter thereof is the object of faith: and as -scripture contains an historical relation of things, these are the -objects of faith, and we are to yield an assent to what God reveals, as -being of infallible verity. As it is a rule of duty and obedience, we -are bound to believe so as to adore the sovereignty of God, commanding -to submit to his authority therein, as having a right to give laws to -our consciences, and acknowledge ourselves his subjects and servants, -under an indispensable obligation to yield the obedience of faith to -him: as it contains many great and precious promises, these are the -objects of faith, as we are to desire, hope for, and depend on the -faithfulness of God for the accomplishment of them; and more -particularly considering them as they are all, yea and amen, in Christ -to the glory of God. As for the threatnings which relate to the wrath of -God, due to sin, and warnings to fence the soul against it, and induce -us to abhor and hate it; these are objects of faith, so far as that we -must believe and tremble, and see the need we stand in of grace, which -we receive by faith to enable us to improve them, that through the -virtue of Christ’s righteousness we may hope to escape his wrath; and by -his strength be fortified against the prevalency of corruption, that has -proved destructive to multitudes. - -But the principal object of faith is God in Christ, our great -Mediator:[61] thus our Saviour says, _Ye believe in God, believe also in -me_, John xiv. 1. This is sometimes styled coming to the Father by him; -as it is elsewhere said, _No man cometh unto the Father but by me_: or -else, coming to him as Mediator immediately, that in him we may obtain -whatever he has purchased for us, and thereby may have access to God, as -to our reconciled God and Father; and in so doing, obtain eternal life, -as he expresses it; _He that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he -that believeth on me shall never thirst_, chap. vi. 35. Which leads us -to consider, - -2. Those particular acts of saving faith, in which we have to do with -Christ as Mediator, whereby we have access to God, through him: there -are several expressions in scripture, by which these acts of saving -faith are set forth, some of which are metaphorical; more particularly -it is called a looking to him; thus he is represented, by the prophet, -as saying, _Look unto me, and be ye saved all the ends of the earth_, -Isa. xlv. 22. Sometimes by coming to him, pursuant to the invitation he -gives, _Come unto me all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will -give you rest_, Mat. xi. 25. which coming is elsewhere explained, as in -the scripture before-mentioned, by _believing in him_, John vi. 35. And -as we hope for refreshment and comfort in so doing, it is set forth by -that, metaphorical expression, of _coming to the waters_ and _buying -wine and milk without money and without price_, Isa. lv. 1. that is, -receiving from him those blessings which tend to satisfy and exhilirate -the soul, which are given to such as have nothing to offer for them; and -sometimes it is represented by flying to him; or, as the apostle -expresses it, _flying for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before -us_, Heb. vi. 18. as alluding to that eminent type thereof, contained in -the man-slayer’s flying to the city of refuge, from the avenger of -blood, and therein finding protection and safety: this is a description -more especially of faith as justifying; in which respect it is elsewhere -described, as _a putting on the Lord Jesus Christ_, Rom. xiii. 14. or -the glorious robe of his righteousness, on which account we are said to -be _clothed with the garments of salvation, and covered with the robe of -righteousness_, Isa. lxi. 10. And when we are enabled to apprehend our -interest in him by faith, together with the blessings that are the -result hereof, we are said to rejoice in Christ Jesus. There are many -other expressions by which this grace is set forth in scripture; but -those acts thereof, which we shall more especially consider, are our -receiving Christ, giving up ourselves to him, and trusting in, or -relying on him. - -(1.) Faith is that grace whereby we receive Christ. Thus it is said, _as -many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, -even to them that believe on his name_, John i. 12. This contains in it -the application of an overture made by him; not barely of something that -he has to bestow, which might contribute to our happiness, but of -himself. Christ has many things to bestow upon his people; but he first -gives himself; that is, he expresses a willingness to be their Prince -and Saviour, their Prophet, Priest, and King; that being thus related, -and adhering to him, they may be made partakers of his benefits, which -are the result thereof; and accordingly the soul, by faith applies -itself to him, and embraces the overture. Hereupon he is said to be -ours; and, as the consequence thereof, we lay claim to those benefits -which he has purchased for us, as our Redeemer. Christ is considered as -the first promised blessing in the covenant of grace; and _with him_ God -_freely gives_ his people _all things_ that they stand in need of, which -respect their everlasting salvation, Rom. viii. 32. - -This supposes the person receiving him to be indigent and destitute of -every thing that may tend to make him happy, brought into the greatest -straits and difficulties, and standing in need of one who is able to -afford relief to him. He has heard in the gospel, that Christ is able to -supply his wants; and that he is willing to come and take up his abode -with him; accordingly the heart is open to embrace him, esteeming him to -be altogether lovely and desirable, beholding that excellency and glory -in his person, that renders him the object of his delight, as he is said -to be _precious to them that believe_, 1 Pet. ii. 7. looking upon him as -God-man Mediator, he concludes, that he is able to save, to the -uttermost, all that come unto God by him; and that all the treasures of -grace and glory are purchased by him, and given into his hand to apply -to those who have an interest in him: he expects to find them all in -Christ, as the result of his being made partaker of him; and accordingly -he adheres to him by this which is called an appropriating act of faith; -whereby he that was before represented in the gospel, as the Saviour and -Redeemer of his people, the fountain of all they enjoy or hope for, and -by whom they have access to God, as their reconciled God and Father, is -applied by the soul, to itself, as the spring of all its present and -future comfort and happiness.[62] - -(2.) Another act of faith is giving up ourselves to Christ. As, in the -covenant of grace, God says, _I will be to them a God, and they shall be -to me a people_, faith builds on this foundation; it first apprehends -that he is able and willing to do them good, and make them happy in the -enjoyment of himself; and with this encouragement the soul receives him, -as has been but now observed; and pursuant hereunto devotes itself to -him, as desiring to be amongst the number of his faithful Servants and -followers. God sanctifies or separates them to himself as the objects of -his discriminating grace and love; and they desire, as the consequence -hereof, to give up themselves to him. Two things are supposed in this -act of self-dedication. - -_1st_, A firm persuasion and acknowledgment of his right to us; not only -as the possessor of all things, which he has an undoubted right to as -God, as the potter has a right to his clay, the Creator to the work of -his hands; but that he has a right to us by purchase, as Mediator, in -which respect faith, and in particular, that which we call saving, of -which we are now speaking, has more especially an eye to him; _Ye are -not your own_, says the apostle, _for ye are bought with a price_, 1 -Cor. vi. 20. and therefore this act of faith is an ascribing to him that -glory which he lays claim to by right of redemption: and as God has -constituted him heir of all things, more especially of those who are -called his peculiar treasure: so the believer gives up himself to him. -Before this, the matter in dispute was, who is Lord over us? Whether we -ought to be at our own disposal or his? Whether it be expedient to serve -divers lusts and pleasures, or be subject to him as our supreme Lord and -Lawgiver? But the soul is thoroughly convinced, by the internal -efficacious work of the Spirit, that our great Mediator is made of God, -both Lord and Christ; and that no one has a right to stand in -competition with him; and that we owe not only what we can do, but even -ourselves unto him; and as the result hereof, devotes itself to him by -faith. - -_2d_, This also supposes that we are sensible of the many blessings that -he has in store for his people; and therefore we give up ourselves to -him in hope of his doing all that for us, and working all that grace in -us which is necessary to our salvation; but more of this will be -insisted on, when we consider him as the object of trust. All that I -shall add at present, under this head, is, that having this view of the -person of Christ, as one who demands obedience, love and gratitude from -us, we give up ourselves entirely, and without reserve, to him: thus the -apostle says, _They first gave their own selves to the Lord_, 2 Cor. -viii. 5. and exhorts the church to _yield themselves unto God, as those -that were alive from the dead_, Rom. vi. 13. and, to _present their -bodies_, that is, themselves, and not barely the lower or meaner part of -themselves, _a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is -their reasonable service_, chap. xii. 1. and as the result hereof, we -say by faith, Lord, truly I am thy servant, and desire to be so for -ever; work in me what thou requirest, and then command what thou -pleasest: I am entirely at thy disposal, do with me as seemeth good in -thy sight; only let all the dispensations of thy providence be instances -of thy love, and made subservient to my salvation. - -This is represented as our solemn act and deed; whereby, with the most -mature deliberation, we make a surrender of ourselves to him: the -prophet speaks of it as though it were done by an instrument or deed of -conveyance; and our consent to be his, is represented by a giving up our -names to him; _One shall say, I am the Lord’s, and another shall call -himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand -unto the Lord, and sirname himself by the name of Israel_, Isa. xliv. 5. -This is done with the highest veneration, as an act of religious -worship, and with the greatest humility, as being sensible that we give -him nothing more than his own; that he is not profited hereby, but the -advantage redounds entirely to us. We do it with judgment; as faith -always supposes a conviction of the judgment, it considers those -relations which Christ stands in to his people, and endeavours to behave -itself in conformity thereunto: we are desirous hereby to give up -ourselves to him as a Prophet, to be led and guided by him in the way of -salvation; as a Priest, to give us a right to eternal life, as the -purchase of his blood; as an Advocate to plead our cause; and as a King -to give laws to us, and defend us from the insults of our spiritual -enemies, and advance us to those honours which he has laid up for his -faithful subjects. We give up ourselves to him to worship him in all his -ordinances, in hope of his presence and blessing to attend them, in -order to our spiritual and eternal advantage; and we do all this without -the least reserve or desire to have any will separate from, or contrary -to his. - -(3.) Another act of faith consists in a fixed, unshaken trust and -reliance upon him. This, as was before observed, is a very common and -known acceptation of the word _faith_. As we depend on his promise, as a -God that cannot lie, and give up ourselves to him, as one that has a -right to us; so we trust him, as one whom we can safely confide in, and -lay the whole stress of our salvation upon. This act of faith is more -frequently insisted on in scripture than any other, it being a main -ingredient in all other graces that accompany salvation; and there is -nothing by which God is more glorified: it is not one single perfection -of the divine nature that is the object thereof; but every thing which -he has made known concerning himself, as conducive to our blessedness; -we trust him with all we have, and for all that we want or hope for. -This implies in it a sense of our own insufficiency and nothingness, and -of his all-sufficient fulness. The former of these is what is sometimes -styled a soul emptying act of faith; it is that whereby we see ourselves -to be nothing, not only as we cannot be profitable to God, or lay him -under any obligations to us, as those who pretend to merit any good at -his hand, but as unable to perform any good action without his -assistance; in this respect it says, _surely, in the Lord have I -righteousness and strength_, Isa. xlv. 24. and there is nothing tends -more to humble and abase the soul before him than this. - -And hereby we are led to another act, which more immediately contains -the formal nature of faith; in which it depends on the all-sufficiency -of God, and his faithfulness to supply our wants, and bestow the -blessings which he has promised: God the Father is the object of this -trust or dependence, as the divine All-sufficiency is glorified, grace -imparted, and the promises thereof fulfilled by him, through a Mediator; -and Christ is the object thereof, as the soul apprehends him to be full -of grace and truth; sees the infinite value of his merit, and his -ability to make good all the promises of the covenant of grace, and -thereby to render him completely blessed. When we trust Christ with all -we have, or hope for, this supposes that there is something valuable -which we either enjoy or expect; and that we are in danger of losing it, -unless it be maintained by him, who has undertaken to _keep_ his people -_by his power through faith unto salvation_, 1 Pet. i. 5. and to perfect -what concerns them. We have souls more valuable than the whole world, -and we _commit the keeping of our souls to him in well-doing as unto a -faithful Creator_, chap. iv. 19. and merciful Redeemer; being assured -that _none shall_ be able to _pluck them out of his hand_, John x. 28. -and we also commit all the graces which he has wrought in us to him, to -maintain and carry on to perfection. And since we are assured, that all -the promises are in his hand, and that he has engaged to make them good -to us, we are encouraged to trust him for all that we expect, namely, -that he will conduct us safely and comfortably through this world, and -at last receive us to glory; and in so doing, we have the highest -satisfaction; or, as the apostle expresses it, _We know whom we have -believed_, or trusted, _and are persuaded that he is able to keep what -we have committed unto him against that day_, 2 Tim. i. 12. or the day -of his second coming, when grace shall be consummate in glory. - -These acts of faith are generally styled, by divines, _direct_; in which -we have more immediately to do with Christ, as our great Mediator, or -God the Father in him; and being, properly speaking, acts of religious -worship, the object thereof must be a divine person. But there is -another sense of the word _faith_; which, as it does not contain in it -any act of trust or dependence, as the former does, so it has not God -for its immediate object, as that has; and this is what we call the -_reflex_ act of faith, or the soul’s being persuaded that it believes; -that those acts of faith which have God or Christ for their object, are -true and genuine. This every one cannot conclude at all times, who is -really enabled to put forth those direct acts of faith, that we have -been speaking of; and it is the result of self-examination, accompanied -with the testimony of the Holy Spirit to his own work. - -Some indeed have questioned the propriety of the expression, when this -is styled an act of faith; as supposing that nothing can be so called, -but what hath a divine person for its object: but we have before -considered that faith, in a sense different from that in which we have -now explained it, may be conversant about divine things; therefore, as -we may be said, by a direct act of faith, to trust in Christ; we may be -persuaded, by this reflex act, that we do so: and this is more -immediately necessary to assurance, together with that joy and peace -which we are said to have in believing. But this we shall have occasion -to insist on under a following answer.[63] - -IV. We are now to consider this grace of faith as that which accompanies -salvation, upon which account it is called a _saving grace_; and also, -that it is wrought in the heart by the power of the Spirit, and by the -instrumentality of the word. We do not suppose that every act of faith -denominates a person to be in a state of salvation; for there is a bare -assent to the truth of divine revelation, that may, in a proper sense, -be styled _faith_; and there may be an external dedication to God, a -professed subjection to him, which falls short of that faith which has -been before described, as it does not proceed from a renewed nature, or -a principle of spiritual life implanted in the soul. There may be a -willingness and a desire to be saved, when the heart is not purified by -faith; a hearing the word with gladness, rejoicing in the light that is -imparted thereby, for a season, and doing many things pursuant -thereunto, in some, who shall not be saved: but faith is often-times -described as referring to and ending in salvation; thus we are said to -_believe to the saving of the soul_, Heb. x. 39. and, to _receive the -end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls_, 1 Pet. i. 9. This -consists, more especially, in those acts of faith, that contain in them -an entire subjection of all the powers and faculties of the soul to -Christ, arising from the views which it has of his glory, and its -experience of his almighty power, which is not only the way to, but the -first fruits of everlasting salvation. This is such a receiving and -resting on Christ for salvation, as has been before described. - -And this grace is farther said to be wrought in the heart of a sinner, -by the Spirit. We have before considered effectual calling, as a work of -divine power, and proved, that the Spirit is the author of it;[64] and -that they, who are effectually called, are enabled to accept of, and -embrace the grace offered in the gospel; from whence it is evident, that -faith is the fruit and consequence of our effectual calling; and -therefore it must be a work of the almighty power and grace of the Holy -Spirit. And, this it farther appears to be, from that account which we -have thereof in several scriptures: thus the apostle Peter, describing -those he writes to, as having _obtained like precious faith, through the -righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ_; and also as having -_all things that pertain unto godliness_, in which faith is certainly -included, he ascribes this to the _divine power_, 2 Pet. i. 1. compared -with the 3rd verse. And elsewhere we read _of the exceeding greatness of -the power_ of God exerted _in them that believe_, Eph. i. 19. And when -the work of faith is carried on, or fulfilled in the souls of those in -whom it was begun, it is considered as an effect of the same power, 2 -Thess. i. 11. And, as all that grace, which is the effect of divine -power, is ascribed to the Holy Ghost, when he is said hereby, as acting -in subserviency to the Father and Son, to demonstrate his Personal -glory: so the work of faith, in this respect, is represented as his -work; upon which account he is called the _Spirit of faith_, 2 Cor, iv. -13. - -But that which we shall more particularly consider is, that this grace -of faith is wrought by the instrumentality of the word. We have before -observed, that the principle of grace, implanted in regeneration, is the -immediate effect of the divine power, without the instrumentality of the -word; but when the Spirit works faith, and all other graces, which -proceed from that principle, then he makes use of the word: thus the -apostle says, _Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God_, -Rom. x. 17. As it is necessary, in order to our seeing any object, that -the eye be rightly disposed and fitted for sight, and the object -presented to it: so there are two things necessary to faith, namely, the -soul’s being changed, renewed, quickened, and so prepared to act this -grace; and the objects being presented to it, about which it is to be -conversant; which latter is done by the word of God: so that the soul is -first internally disposed to receive what God is pleased to reveal -relating to the way of salvation by Jesus Christ before it believes; and -this revelation is contained in the gospel, which is adapted to the -various acts of faith, as before described. - -1. As faith implies a coming to Christ, or receiving him; the word of -God reveals him to us as giving an invitation to sinners, encouraging -them thereunto; thus our Saviour says, _If any man thirst, let him come -unto me, and drink_, John vii. 37. And, as a farther inducement to this, -it sets forth the advantages that will attend it, to wit, that he will -not reject them, how unworthy soever they be; as, he says, _Him that -cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out_, John vi. 37. And there are -many other privileges which he will bestow on them, namely, the -blessings of both worlds, grace here, and glory hereafter, all which -contain the very sum and substance of the gospel. - -2. If we consider faith as including in it a giving up ourselves to -Christ, to be intirely his; the word of God represents him as having an -undoubted right to all who do so, inasmuch as they are bought with the -price of his blood, given to him as his own, by the Father. And as they -devote themselves to him, to be his servants, it sets before them the -privileges which attend his service, as they are delivered from the -dominion of sin, and a servile fear and dread of his wrath; lets them -know the ease, pleasure, and delight that there is in bearing his yoke, -and the blessed consequences thereof, in that as they _have their fruit -unto holiness, the end thereof shall be life everlasting_, Rom. vi. 22. - -3. As faith looks to Christ for forgiveness of sin, in which respect it -is called justifying faith; so the word of God represents him to us, as -having made atonement for sin; as set forth to be a propitiation to -secure us from the guilt which we were liable to, and the condemning -sentence of the law; as bearing the curse, and, as the consequence -thereof, giving us a right to all the privileges of his children. It -also represents this forgiveness as full, free, and irreversible; and -the soul, by faith rejoices in its freedom from condemnation, and that -right and title to eternal life, which is inseparably connected with it. - -4. As faith includes in it a trusting or relying on Christ, the gospel -represents him as an all-sufficient Saviour, _able to save to the -uttermost all that come unto God by him_, Heb. vii. 25. and as faith -trusts him for the accomplishment of all the promises, it considers him -as having engaged to make them good, inasmuch as _they are yea and amen -in him, unto the glory of God_, 2 Cor. i. 20. And therefore, he runs no -risque, or is at no uncertainty as to this matter; for Christ’s -Mediatorial glory lies at stake. If there be the least failure in the -accomplishment of any promise; or any blessing made over to his people -in the covenant of grace, which shall not be conferred upon them, he is -content to bear the blame for ever: but this is altogether impossible, -since he that has undertaken to apply the blessings promised, is -faithful and true, as well as the Father that gave them; and this -affords them _strong consolation, who are fled for refuge, to lay hold -on the hope set before them_ in the gospel, Heb. vi. 18. Thus Christ is -set forth; and agreeably to this discovery made of him, faith takes up -its rest in him, and therein finds safety and peace. - -V. We shall now consider faith as strong or weak, increasing or -declining, with the various marks and signs thereof. As habits of sin -are stronger or weaker, the same may be said concerning habits of grace. -It is one thing for them to be entirely lost; and another thing to be in -a declining state: their strength and vigour may be much abated, and -their energy frequently interrupted; nevertheless God will maintain the -principle of grace, as we shall endeavour to prove under a following -answer.[65] Grace is not always equally strong and lively; the prophet -supposes it to be a declining, when he says, _Revive thy work, O Lord, -in the midst of the years_, Heb. iii. 2. and our Saviour’s advice to the -church at Sardis, implies as much, when he exhorts them _to strengthen -the things which remain, that are ready to die_, Rev. iii. 2. and when -he bids the church at Ephesus to _remember from whence they were fallen, -and repent and do their first works_, chap. ii. 5. Some are said, as -Abraham, to be _strong in faith, giving glory to God_, Rom. iv. 20. and -others are reproved, as our Saviour does his disciples, at some times, -when he says, _O ye of little faith_, Matt. vi. 30. As our natural -constitution is not always equally healthy and vigorous, nor our -condition in the world equally prosperous, the same may be said -concerning the habits of grace; sometimes they are strong, and then, as -the apostle says concerning his beloved Gaius, 3 John ver. 2. _the soul -prospereth_, and we _go from strength to strength_, Psal. lxxxiv. 7. -from one degree of grace to another; but, at other times, we are ready -to _faint in the day of adversity_, and our _strength is small_, Prov. -xxiv. 10. This cannot but be observed by all who are not strangers to -themselves, or who take notice of the various frame of spirit, which are -visible in those whom they converse with. - -But if it be enquired; by what marks or evidences we may discern the -strength or weakness of faith? though this will more evidently appear -from what will be said under a following answer,[66] when we are led to -speak concerning the reason of the imperfection of sanctification in -believers; yet we shall not wholly pass it over in this place; and -therefore, it may be observed, that the strength or weakness of faith, -is to be judged of by that degree of esteem and value which the soul has -for Christ, and the steadiness, or abatement of its dependence on him. -The greater diffidence or distrust we have of self, and the more we see -of our own emptiness and nothingness, the stronger is our faith; on the -other hand, self-confidence, or relying on our own strength is a certain -sign of the weakness thereof. - -Again, strong faith is that which carries the soul through difficult -duties; as the apostle says, _I can do all things through Christ which -strengtheneth me_, Phil. iv. 13. Whereas weak faith is ready to sink -under the discouragements that it meets with; the former is _stedfast, -unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord_, 1 Cor. xv. 58. -the latter is like a reed shaken with the wind. Strong faith, as it is -said of Job, Job i. 21. blesses God when he strips him of all earthly -enjoyments, and rejoices that the soul is _counted worthy to suffer -shame for his name_, Acts v. 41. and this carries him above those fears -which have a tendency to deject and dishearten him: _He shall not be -afraid of evil tidings, his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord_, Psal. -cxii. 7. Whereas, weak faith is borne down, with discouragements; he -finds it hard to hold on in the performance of his duty, and sees -mountains of difficulties in his way; whereby the soul is ready to -conclude, that he shall not be able to get safely to his journey’s end. -He does not rightly improve the consideration of the almighty power of -God, and his faithfulness to his promise, in which he has engaged, that -_the righteous shall hold on his way; and he that hath clean hands shall -wax stronger and stronger_, Job xvii. 9. And when we sustain losses and -disappointments in the world, or things go contrary to our expectation, -then we are ready to say with the Psalmist, _Hath God forgotten to be -gracious? hath he, in anger, shut up his tender mercies?_ Psal. lxxvii. -9. and sometimes conclude, that we have no interest in the love of God, -because the dispensations of his providence are afflictive, and fill us -with great uneasiness. In this case fear looks upon every adverse -providence, as it were, through a magnifying glass, and apprehends this -to be but the beginning of sorrows; for it cannot say with the prophet, -_I will trust and not be afraid_, chap. xii. 2. _for in the Lord Jehovah -is everlasting strength_, chap. xxvii. 4. - -Moreover, the strength or weakness of faith may farther be discerned by -our enjoying, or being destitute of communion with God; our conversing -with him in ordinances, or being deprived of this privilege. We may -conclude our faith to be strong, when we can say as the apostle does, -_Our conversation is in heaven_, or we live above: but when, on the -other hand, we have too great an anxiety or solicitude about earthly -things, and an immoderate love to this present world, this argues the -weakness thereof. The difference between these two may also be -discerned, by the frame of our spirit in prayer. When faith is strong, -the soul has a great degree of boldness or liberty of access to the -throne of grace; a greater measure of importunity and fervency, -accompanied with an expectation of the blessings prayed for, by a secret -and powerful intimation from the Spirit, as a Spirit of grace and -supplication; from whence it infers, that he that excites this grace -will encourage it, as he _says not to the seed of Jacob, seek ye me in -vain_, chap. xlv. 19. - -We might also add, in the last place, that strong faith may likewise be -discerned, when it is accompanied with an assurance of an interest in -Christ’s righteousness, and our right and title to eternal life founded -thereon, or that God will guide us by his counsel, and afterwards -receive us to glory, and a persuasion wrought in the soul by the Spirit, -that nothing shall separate us from his love: whereas weak faith is -attended with many doubts concerning our interest in Christ; sometimes -fearing that our former hope was no other than a delusion, our present -experiences not real, the ground we stand on sinks under us; and we are -ready to conclude, that we shall one day fall by the hands of our -spiritual enemies. When I speak of these doubts and fears, as an -instance of weak faith, I do not say that they are ingredients in faith; -for they are rather to be considered as a burden and incumbrance that -attends it, so that though there be some good thing in us towards the -Lord our God, or a small degree of faith, like a grain of mustard seed, -these doubts proceed from the weakness thereof, as opposed to that which -is strong, and would denote the soul to be in a happy and flourishing -condition; which leads us, - -VI. To speak concerning the use of faith in the whole conduct of our -lives; as every thing that we do in an acceptable manner, is said to be -done by it. It is one thing occasionally to put forth some acts of -faith, and another thing to live by faith; which, as it is the most -noble and excellent life, so nothing short of it can, properly speaking, -be called a good life, how much soever many are styled good livers, who -are wholly strangers to this grace. The apostle Paul speaks of this way -of living, and considers it as exemplified in himself, when he says, -_The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son -of God_, Gal. ii. 20. He speaks of it as his constant work, or that -which ran through the whole business of life. Whether we are engaged in -civil or religious duties, they are all to be performed by faith. Here -we shall consider the life of faith; - -1. As it discovers itself in all the common actions of life; in these we -act as men: but that faith, which is the principal ingredient in them, -and their chief ornament, denotes us to walk as Christians; and this we -are said to do, - -(1.) When we receive every outward mercy, as the purchase of the blood -of Christ, as well as the gift of his grace; and consider it as a -blessing bestowed by a covenant-God, who, together with outward things, -is pleased to give himself to us; which infinitely enhances the value of -the blessing, and induces us to receive it with a proportionable degree -of thankfulness. - -(2.) When we set loose from all the enjoyments of this world, not taking -up our rest in them, as though they were our portion or chief good; and -therefore, the esteem and value we have for them is very much below that -which we have for things divine and heavenly. When we use them to the -glory of God; and account the best outward enjoyments nothing, if -compared with Christ; as the apostle says, _I count all things but loss -for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, and do count them but -dung, that I may win Christ_, Phil. iii. 8. This act of faith will quiet -our spirits under afflictions, and induce us to submit to the disposing -providence of God; when our best outward enjoyments are removed, or we -called to suffer the loss of all things for Christ’s sake, or by his -sovereign will. - -(3.) When all the success which we hope for in our secular employments, -is considered as an instance of that care which Christ takes of his -people, in which he over-rules and orders all things for his own glory, -and their welfare; and therefore, we are persuaded that he will cause -whatever we take in hand, to prosper, provided he sees that it is best -for us; and if not, we are disposed to acquiesce in his will. This is -such an instance of faith as will put us upon doing every thing in the -name and to the glory of Christ, and fortify us against any -disappointment that may attend our expectation, in every employment -wherein we are engaged. - -(4.) When outward blessings, instead of proving a snare and temptation, -to draw off our hearts from Christ, are a means to bring us nearer to -him, so that if our circumstances are easy and comfortable in the world, -and we have more frequent opportunities offered to us, to engage in -religious duties than others, we are accordingly inclined to embrace -them; and when every thing we enjoy, as an instance of distinguishing -favour from God, above what many in the world do, excites in us a due -sense of gratitude, and an earnest desire and endeavour to use the world -to his glory. - -(5.) When adverse providences, which sometimes have a tendency to drive -the soul from Christ, and occasion repining thoughts, as though the -divine distributions were not equal, are made of use to bring us nearer -to him, so that whatever we lose in the creature, we look for, and -endeavour to find in him. And when, with a submissive spirit, we can -say, that he does all things well for us, as we hope and trust that he -will make even those things that run counter to our secular interests, -subservient to our eternal welfare; and as the result hereof, endeavour -to keep up a becoming frame of spirit, in such a condition of life, as -has in itself a tendency to cast down the soul and fill it with great -disquietude. - -(6.) When we devote and consecrate all we have in the world to God, -considering, that as we are not our own but his; so all we have is his; -and when hereupon we are endowed with a public spirit, desirous to -approve ourselves blessings to mankind in general, to the utmost of our -power; and when we have done all, not only say with David, _Of thine own -we have given thee_, 1 Chron. xxix. 14. but as our Saviour taught his -disciples to say, _We are unprofitable servants_. - -(7.) The life of faith discovers itself in the government of our -affections, namely, as they are kept within due bounds, set upon right -objects, and rendered subservient to promote Christ’s glory and -interest. Hereby are we prevented from setting our affections -immoderately on things of this world, when faith shews us that there are -far better things to draw them forth, which deserve our highest love: it -also prevents our being worldly and carnal, as though we were swallowed -up with the things of sense, and had nothing else to mind, and religion -were only to be occasionally engaged in; or, as though an holy, humble, -self-denying frame of spirit were inconsistent with worldly business. -Faith suggests the contrary; puts us upon making religion our great -business, and engaging in secular affairs, rather as a necessary -avocation from it, than that which is the chief end of living. It also -puts us upon glorifying Christ in our secular concerns, as we manage -them in such a way as he ordains; and hereby the soul is kept in a -spiritual frame, while abiding with God in the calling whereunto he is -called. This we attribute more especially to the grace of faith, not -only as it is connected with, and (as will be observed under our next -head) excites other graces; but as it has its eye constantly fixed on -Christ as its object, and by this steers its course, and takes an -estimate of the valuableness and importance of all the affairs of this -life, by their subserviency to our salvation, and the advancement of his -glory therein. - -2. Faith discovers itself in the performance of all religious duties, -and the exercise of all other graces therein. Thus we read of the prayer -of faith, whereby a soul hath access to God as a father, in the name of -Christ; firmly relies on the promises which are established in him, and -has a liberty to plead with him, and hope of acceptance in his sight. -Moreover, when we wait on God to hear what he has to impart to us in his -word, faith having experienced some degree of communion with him -already, and had some displays of his love, puts the soul upon desiring -more, as the Psalmist says, _My soul thirsteth for thee; my flesh -longeth for thee, to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee -in the sanctuary_, Psal. lxiii. 1, 2. And whatever other ordinances of -divine appointment, we are engaged in, we are hereby encouraged to hope -for his presence, and draw nigh unto him herein, with a reverential fear -and delight, in him: and it puts us upon the exercise of those graces -which are necessary for the right performance of gospel worship in -general. - -These are not only joined with it, but may be said to be excited -thereby; so that faith is, as it were, the principal of all other -graces. Thus when the heart is drawn forth in love to Christ, it may be -said, that _faith worketh by love_, Gal. v. 6. and when this love is -accompanied with _joy unspeakable and full of glory_; this we have in a -way of believing, and that which tends to excite the grace of love, is -the view that faith takes of Christ’s mediatorial glory and -excellencies, and the obligations we are under to love him, from his -grace of love to us; and this is a strong motive, inducing us to express -our love to him, by universal obedience, which is called, _the obedience -of faith_, Rom. xvi. 26. - -When we exercise the grace of repentance, and thereby hate and turn from -all sin, and are, in a peculiar manner, sensible, as we ought to be, of -the sin of unbelief; it is faith that gives us this sense thereof, as it -is best able to see its own defects. When we confess sin, or humble -ourselves before God for it, faith views it not only as a violation of -the divine law, but as an instance of the highest ingratitude; and when -we desire, in the exercise of repentance, to forsake sin, faith makes us -sensible of our own weakness, and puts us upon a firm and stedfast -dependence on Christ, to enable us thereunto; and when, in the exercise -of this grace, our consciences are burdened with a sense of guilt and -unbelief is ready to suggest, that our sins are so heinously aggravated, -that there is no room to hope for pardoning mercy, faith relieves us -against these despairing thoughts, and encourages us to wait for the -mercy of God, who will _abundantly pardon_, Isa. lv. 7. and with whom -there is _forgiveness, that he may be feared_, Psal. cxxx. 4. - -And when we use endeavours to mortify sin, this is to be done by a -fiducial view of Christ crucified; and when we encourage ourselves to -hope that the indictment brought against us for it, was nailed to the -cross of Christ; and that there is _no condemnation to us_, as being in -him, Rom. viii. 1. and that, as the apostle says, _Our old man is -crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed: that -henceforth we should no longer serve sin_, chap. vi. 6. all this is to -be done by faith. - -We might also observe, that the grace of patience is connected with, and -we excited, thereunto by faith. The apostle, Heb. vi. 12. joins both -these together, as supposing that faith affords a motive to patience; -and elsewhere we read, not only of what faith enables us to do, but -bear, in the account which we have, of the great things which the Old -Testament saints did, and suffered by this grace: and therefore, -whatever graces are exercised under the afflictions of this present -life; faith excites in us a resignation to the will of God, and consider -them as the chastisements of a merciful Father, and as _bringing forth -the peaceful fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised -thereby_, chap. xii. 11. and we are encouraged to bear them with such a -composed frame of spirit that they seem light, and not worthy to be -compared with the glory that shall be revealed. This, faith has -constantly in view, setting one against the other; whereby that which -would otherwise be an hindrance to us in our way, is improved, by us, to -our spiritual advantage; and we enabled, not only to go on safely, but -comfortably, till we arrive at the full fruition of what we now behold -at a distance, and rejoice in the fiducial expectation thereof: which -leads us to the last thing proposed to be considered, concerning faith, -namely, - -VII. How it is to be attained or increased, and what are the means -conducive thereunto. Though faith, in common with all other graces, be -wrought in us by the power of God, yet we are far from asserting, that -there is no duty incumbent on us, in the performing whereof, we are to -hope and wait for the divine blessing, upon which all the success -thereof depends. To deny this would give just occasion to charge the -doctrine of efficacious grace, as though it led to security, or -licentiousness; which many do without ground. Though grace and duty are -very distinct, yet they are not inconsistent with each other; the former -is God’s work, the latter our act. - -As for those duties which are required of us, considered as expecting -the divine grace and blessing to attend them; these are, a diligent -waiting on God in all his ordinances; looking into the state of our -souls, by impartial self-examination; calling to mind our past -miscarriages, and what matter of humiliation we have for them in the -sight of God, as also, our natural aversion and inability to do what is -good; our need of Christ’s righteousness, to take away the guilt we have -contracted, and of his strength, to subdue our corruptions, and enable -us to plead earnestly with him for these privileges. - -As for the unregenerate, they must pray and wait on him, for the first -grace, and say, with Ephraim, _Turn thou me, and I shall be turned_, -Jer. xxxi. 18. They must be earnest with him, that he would bestow upon -them the grace of faith; which is styled, his gift; that he would remove -every thing that is, at present, an obstacle, or hindrance to this -grace, all the prejudices which corrupt nature has entertained against -Christ, and the way of salvation by him; and that he would shine into -their souls, to give them the knowledge of his glory in the face of -Christ; reveal his arm, and incline them, by the internal working of his -power, to receive the grace which is held forth in the gospel. These are -duties incumbent on persons who are not called effectually, being -destitute of regenerating grace. - -But, on the other hand, they who have ground to conclude that they have -experienced this grace, though, at present, they apprehend that their -faith is weak, and on the decline; they must be found waiting on God, in -his own way; and be importunate with him in prayer for the revival of -his work, that so they may recover their former experiences; they must -bless him for the privileges they once enjoyed, and be humbled for their -past backslidings, whereby they have provoked him to withdraw from them, -and say with the church, _I will go and return to my first husband; for -then was it better with me than now_, Hos. ii. 7. and, as it says -elsewhere, _Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously; so will -we render the calves of our lips_, chap. xiv. 2. They must lament the -dishonour that they have brought to God; and consider how, by this -means, they have grieved the Holy Spirit, wounded their own consciences, -and made work for a bitter repentance and humiliation before God. They -must be sensible, that it is the same hand which wrought grace in them -at first, that must now recover them from their fallen state, and, by -exciting the principle of grace implanted, bring them into a lively -frame; and when he has done this, they must still depend upon him to -maintain this frame of spirit, as considering that as the beginning so -the progress of grace, is owing to him who is the author and finisher of -faith; who worketh in us that which is pleasing in his sight, and -carries on his own work unto perfection. - -Footnote 49: - - That faith is a holy duty is evident, because it never obtains, except - where the bent, or bias of the mind has been changed by the Holy - Spirit; yet it is like all the other works of man, imperfect, and - might be stronger. That it is necessary in every action is clear, for - whatsoever is not of faith is sin; both because it is the work of an - enemy, and because it cannot be accepted, having no reference to - Christ. Faith is always accompanied by other holy traits of character, - as repentance, love, patience, humility, and the like. The reason of - which is evident; for faith is an act of the renewed man, and all the - other graces must accompany. But it is even less holy than love; “now - abideth faith, hope, charity, (love)—the greatest of these is - charity.” It is incapable of procuring by its righteousness our - justification, because imperfect. If it were the holiness of the duty - of faith, which justifies the man before God, we should read of a - justification by love, patience, humility, or holiness in general. No - such declaration occurs in the scriptures, but the reverse; “for by - the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified,” which is manifestly - spoken not merely of the corporal energy, but of the action taken with - the intention. - - If the righteousness of the duty of faith justifies, there could be no - propriety in saying that we are “justified by Christ,” or his - righteousness; there would have been no need of a Saviour, and all the - sacrifices of former days were useless. - - If we are to depend upon the righteousness of our believing for our - justification, the believing in Christ will be of no importance, - because Christ is then not our Saviour; in proportion as our hopes are - founded upon our own holiness, they are withdrawn from Christ.—This - will also destroy the righteousness of faith, for if it be useless - there can be no holiness in believing. - - If the holiness consist not in the act of believing, but in the - disposition of the believer, and if it is for this, that he is - justified; salvation is then a debt, not grace; we have whereof to - boast; we are justified by the deeds of the law; the offence of the - cross has ceased; and Arians, Socinians, Unitarians, and Deists are - seeking justification also in the same way. - - That repentance, and holiness are necessary to _salvation_ is true, - because every man who is justified is also sanctified; and that faith, - considered as a holy duty, is necessary in the same manner, is equally - true; but faith is also useful in our _justification_, and in a - manner, in which, it does not appear, that repentance and holiness can - be. - - To say that they are conditions of salvation is to speak ambiguously; - that we cannot be saved without them, is as certain as that we cannot - be justified, without being also sanctified; but to say, that by - performing them a title to happiness is vested in us, is to rob Christ - of his glory, and to put the crown on man’s head. Besides, the - condition of holiness is not accomplished till death, and as the - condition of our justification is not performed till then, we are - never justified in life, which is plainly contrary to the scriptures. - -Footnote 50: - - _This is what is generally styled, by a diminutive word_, Acceptilatio - gratiosa, _which is an accepting a small part of a debt, instead of - the whole; a sort of composition, in which, though the payment be - inconsiderable, yet the debtor’s discharge is founded thereon, by an - act of favour in the creditor, as though the whole sum had been paid._ - -Footnote 51: - - _These works they speak of as_ Tincta sanguine Christi. - -Footnote 52: - - “Abraham believed God and it was imputed or counted to him for - righteousness.” This passage of Scripture is found with little - variation also in the Epistle to the Galatians (iii. 6.) and in the - Epistle of James (ii. 23.) and in each of the places it seems to have - been introduced in support of its context from the first book of - Moses. (xv. 6.) - - Moses is giving at that place a visionary (as we suppose) - correspondence between Jehovah and Abraham; in which the Lord promises - to the patriarch to be his “shield and exceeding great reward,” and - upon Abraham’s complaining that he was childless, his attention is - directed to the stars, and he is told that it will be equally - impracticable to number his posterity, and then follow the words - “Abraham believed _in_[53] the Lord, and he counted it to him for - righteousness.” - - Here it is given as an old-testament proof of that which has been a - little before asserted “that a man is justified by faith without the - deeds of the law,” but because this doctrine would seem to make void - the law, the apostle states this objection, then denies it with - abhorrence, and introduces for his support Abraham’s justification - before God, “if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to - glory, but not before God; for what saith the scriptures? Abraham - believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” - - In the letter to the christians of Galatia he aims to bring them back - from depending on their obedience to the moral and ceremonial laws, to - a reliance upon Christ for salvation, he declares that “by the works - of the law no flesh shall be justified” in the sight of God; and that - christians are “dead to the law,” “seek to be justified by Christ,” - and “live by the faith of the Son of God.” He asserts “if - righteousness come by the law then Christ is dead in vain.” He charges - the Galatians with folly. After having heard, seen, and experienced - the doctrines of the Gospel, its extraordinary and ordinary spiritual - powers, to go back to dead works would argue something like - fascination. And then to show that the Gospel mode of justification by - faith was not peculiar to the Gospel he quotes from the book of - Genesis these words; “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to - him for righteousness.” - - The apostle James reprehends such as profess to be believers and yet - are not careful to maintain good works; such professions of faith are - less credible than the fruits of holiness; “show _me_ thy faith - without thy works, and I will show _thee_ my faith by my works.” Faith - without works he pronounces to be dead, not merely inoperative, but - destitute of a living principle. He then introduces Abraham’s example - of offering up Isaac as a proof of his faith; this work being a - manifest effect of his faith in God, justifies, in the sight of all - men, his character as a believer, “and the scripture” he says “was - _fulfilled_ which saith Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto - him for righteousness.” The offering up of Isaac, having taken place - several years after it had been said that “Abraham believed God,” was - an undeniable evidence of the truth, and a fulfilment, of that - scripture. - - Abraham’s faith here mentioned has been understood as implying both - the act of believing God’s promises and his yielding to the call of - God by emigrating, &c.[54] which faith, and its fruits, though an - imperfect righteousness, was, it is alleged, by the favour of God - accepted as a justifying righteousness. - - But the apostle here contrasts faith with works, and denies a - justification before God to be attainable by our obedience, - consequently his introduction of Abraham’s justification by his good - deeds would have destroyed his own argument. - - Others[55] understand Abraham to have been justified on the account of - the mere act of believing: and this has been confined to his faith in - the one promise of a numerous posterity. - - That the Lord[56] “in judging Abraham will place on one side of the - account his duties, and on the other his _performances_, and on the - side of his performances he will place _his faith_, and by mere favour - value it equal to a complete performance of his duty, and reward him - as if he were a perfectly righteous person.” - - Faith is the mind’s assent to external evidence; faith thus strictly - considered as an act, is man’s act, as much so as any can be, and as - the understanding at least in its application to the evidence must be - accompanied by the consent of the will, here is every thing that is - necessary to constitute a work, and accordingly it is commanded as a - duty, the neglect of which is criminal. If it be thus that faith - justifies the believer in the sight of God, then there is no propriety - in saying we are not justified by works, and if it were possible still - less in adducing the example of Abraham’s justification by that which - was no more than a duty to prove that we cannot be justified by works, - “Christ being the end of the law for righteousness to every one who - believeth.” If man can be so justified boasting is not excluded he has - whereof to glory. - - But the design of the apostle was to show that Abraham himself one of - the holiest of men with all his good deeds, and implicit obedience to - divine commands was not justified for his own holiness or godliness, - for that is the opinion he is combating, but by what he calls faith. - When the things which we are required to believe are of a spiritual - nature, the “carnal mind” requires to be freed from its prejudices - before it will “receive them,” and because supernatural aid is - necessary to such minds and all naturally possess them, such “faith” - must unquestionably be “the gift of God” in a sense higher than that - of every other species of faith exercised under the support of Divine - Providence. If faith is a gift of God it merits nothing for us, can - never create an obligation on Divine justice for remuneration, and so - can never be a _justifying_ righteousness. - - In his epistle to the Galatians that which he terms a being “justified - by faith” he also denominates a being “justified by faith in Christ” - so that his justifying faith is not merely a belief of the truth of - what God has spoken, but is connected in some manner with Christ, and - that it is not the mere act of believing in Christ which is the ground - of such justification is plain from this, that he expresses the same - thing by the words, “being justified by Christ.” If it is true that we - are justified by faith, and also justified by Christ, it must be meant - in different senses, and to give effect to these words thus - differently connected, it seems necessary to suppose the righteousness - of Christ as the meritorious cause or ground of justification, and - faith the instrumental. “To as many as received him to them gave he - power to become the sons of God, even to as many as believed on his - name,” or at least as the concomitant of it, where all other - requisites exist as well as grace for its production. - - It is not the _holiness of his faith_ that is accounted for - righteousness to him: faith is a holy duty but not more so than some - others, and not so much so as love, “now abide faith, hope, love, and - the greatest of these is love;” nor are christians ever said to be - justified by love, joy, peace, patience, or by any other grace, except - by faith. From whence it follows that it is not the holiness of faith - for which the believer is justified, and yet that there is some - property not common to any other grace or duty, which must be - concerned in our justification; and no doubt it is because faith lays - hold on him for whose sake alone we can be justified. - - Or faith may be put for its object, as the words fear, hope, joy, and - love are; God is our fear, our hope, &c. “Thy faith hath saved thee,” - it was not her faith, but its object, Christ’s power, that healed her. - - The seed which was promised embraced Christ, whose day Abraham saw - afar off; so this faith had the Redeemer for its object. In the - epistle to the Galatians there follow the quotation these words, “as - many as are of faith are the children of Abraham,” these are called - his spiritual seed, and believe in Christ, now if all who believe in - Christ are thereby the children of Abraham, and Abraham their father - or pattern of faith, his faith must have been of the same kind. There - could have been little propriety in giving a faith of any other kind - as a pattern to those who are to believe in Christ that they may be - “justified by his blood.” - -Footnote 53: - - The quotations of Paul and James follow the lxx. in omitting the _in_. - -Footnote 54: - - Hammond. - -Footnote 55: - - Whitby. Macknight. - -Footnote 56: - - Macknight. - -Footnote 57: - - _This opinion was propagated soon after the reformation, by Andr. - Osiander, who lived a little before the middle of the sixteenth - century._ - -Footnote 58: - - _This opinion was propagated soon after by Stancarus, in opposition to - Osiander, whom Du Pin reckons amongst the Socinians, or, at least, - that after he had advanced this notion, he denied the doctrine of the - Trinity._ [_See Du Pin’s eccl. hist. sixteenth century, book_ iv. - _chap._ 6.] - -Footnote 59: - - _This is commonly called_ fiducia, _and as such, distinguished from_ - fides, _by which the former is generally expressed._ - -Footnote 60: - - _In this respect_ faith _is contra-distinguished from_ science; - _accordingly we are said to know a thing that is contained in an - axiom, that no one, who has the exercise of his understanding, can - doubt of_, viz. _that the whole is greater than the part; or, that a - thing cannot be, and not be at the same time, &c. And every thing that - is founded on a mathematical demonstration, is included in the word_ - science; _to which we may add occular demonstration. Now these things - are not properly the object of faith, or the assent we give to the - truth hereof, is not founded barely upon evidence, in which respect - faith is distinguished from it; for which reason we call it an assent - to a truth, founded on evidence._ - -Footnote 61: - - Truth in the abstract is not the object of faith, but that which is - true. The word of God when represented as the object of faith is not - to be understood of words and letters, nor even of axioms and - propositions, nor is the Divine veracity, though certainly confided - in, the object of faith, or that which is assented unto. The promises - which the old testament-believers had, and reposed in, were not the - objects of faith, but the things which they saw afar off, and which - were the ground of their rejoicing. When we are required to believe - _on_ Jesus Christ, it is not his human, not his Divine nature, not his - person, nor even his mediatorial character which is the object of our - faith; for any of these alone could be no ground of confidence of - salvation, or hope, much less produce joy in the believer. Every thing - essential to our salvation must be considered, as the object of our - faith; the mercy of God, the love of Christ, the purpose and the act - of offering, and accepting the sacrifice to Justice of our sins, and - the warrant to us to fix our hope and trust in this atonement; the - firm conviction of the truth of these things may be denominated faith. - - Yet this conviction, or free assent of the understanding is not the - faith, which accompanies salvation; if we can suppose it possible, - that there should not be a corresponding impression made upon the will - and affections. _With the heart man believeth unto salvation._ In this - expression the heart is not put for the intellectual, but moral - powers, and must not be understood as if the will assumed the office, - peculiar to the understanding, of judging of evidence; but only that - the assent of the understanding must be of such a kind, and to such a - degree, as to produce a decisive co-operation of all the powers of the - man, both of soul and body, to be saved in the way, and by the means - discovered. - - Such an effort for salvation supposes the bent, or bias of the mind to - be inclined towards God, and his glory. And certain it is, that the - work, or act of believing, depends so much upon the moral state of the - man, that although he may assent to every article of faith, and desire - an interest in the advantages of religion, he never believes with the - heart in the sense above mentioned, until this charge has been wrought - in him. On this account faith may well be denominated the work or gift - of God, for he only, according to the scriptures can effect this - change. - - Yet it is not because there is any defect in the evidence of these - important truths; nor because of any natural, that is physical, defect - of the intellectual powers of man, that he does not believe the Divine - revelation; but because his affections are pre-occupied, and his - inclinations directed into another channel, whereby he is unwilling to - apply himself unto these truths, and is prejudiced against the - holiness, which is required, and the self denial that is necessary to - attain the blessings of salvation. - -Footnote 62: - - Faith, according to the beloved disciple John, and the great St. Paul, - is the _belief of the truth_; the _believing that Jesus is the - Christ_; or a giving _credit to the record that God gave of his Son_. - These definitions are all of the same import, and are all divine. - Being dictated by the Spirit of God, they cannot be contradicted by - any, although some have glossed upon them, till they have brought in a - sense diverse from the inspired writers. This faith, when it is - _real_, as distinguished from that uninfluential assent to the gospel, - which crowds, who hear it, profess to have, is an effect of the - _divine influence in us_; hence it is said to be _of the operation of - God_; and that it is _with the heart_ man believeth unto - righteousness. As the righteousness by which the sinner is justified, - is the sole work of Christ _for him_, so this is the work of the Holy - Ghost _in him_, and no less necessary in its proper place; it being - that, without which a sinner cannot apprehend, receive, and rest upon - Christ for eternal life. By faith, as before observed, he becomes - acquainted with the glories of the character of Jesus, the fulness of - grace in him, and the suitableness and perfection of his - righteousness; in consequence of this faith, he admires the Saviour’s - personal excellencies, flies to him, ventures all upon him, and - rejoices in him. These, to speak plainly, are all so many effects of - faith. The sinner must have a view of the Saviour’s excellency, - _before_ he will admire it. He must be persuaded, that Christ is the - only safe refuge, _before_ he will _fly_ to him. He must know that - there is in Christ sufficient matter of consolation, _before_ he will - _rejoice_ in him. Of all these he is entirely satisfied _by faith_ in - the testimony of God: subsequent to which is his _coming_, or _flying_ - to him, _trusting_ in, or _venturing_ all upon him, _rejoicing_ in - him, &c. e. g. Joseph’s brethren heard that there was corn enough in - Egypt; they believed the report: this was faith; upon this they went - down for a supply. Doubtless this was an _effect_ of their faith; for - had they not believed the tidings, they would never have gone. So a - sinner must _believe_ that Christ is a full and complete Saviour, - _before_ he will _run_ or _fly_ to him. Sense of misery, and faith in - his sufficiency, are the main stimulus. Or, I am sick, I hear of an - able physician, I believe him to be so, upon which I apply to him: my - _application_ to him, and my _belief_ of his character, are as - distinct as any two things can be: my _trusting_ my life in his hands, - is an effect of my _believing_ him to be an able physician. This - distinction is obvious in the sacred writings, as well as in the - nature of things. _He that_ cometh _to God, must_ believe _that he - is_. Here is a manifest distinction between _coming_ and _believing_. - - I apprehend that the same distinction should be observed, between - _believing_ in Christ, and _receiving_ him. If so, it will follow, - that “to receive Christ in all his offices, as a prophet, a priest, - and a king,” is not properly _faith_, but an _effect_ of it, and - inseparably connected with it. It is certain that a man must believe - that Jesus is the Christ, and that he sustains these offices, before - he can or will receive him in this light. Christ _came unto his own_ - (meaning the Jews) _but his own received him not_. This refusing to - _receive_ him was not unbelief, but an effect of it. Hence should you - be asked, why they did not receive him? The answer is ready, _because_ - they did not believe him to be the Christ. Nothing is more plain than - that unbelief was the grand _cause_ why they rejected him. On the - other hand, nothing is more evident, than that _receiving_ Christ, is - an effect of _believing_ in him. And should you ask the man who - defines faith, “a receiving Christ in all his offices,” why he thus - receives him? he himself will be obliged to observe this distinction; - for the only just answer he can give you is, “_because I believe_ he - sustains them.” - - Thus we see that faith is entirely distinct from the righteousness - which justifies; at the same time it is indispensably necessary, - answering great and good purposes. Under its influence the sinner - _flies_ to Jesus, the hope set before him, and trusts his immortal - interest in his hands, being perfectly satisfied with his adorable - character. Faith is also the medium of peace and consolation. You may - with equal propriety attempt to separate light and heat from the sun, - as peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost, _from the faith of - God’s elect_. The degree of Christian consolation may be greater or - less, according to the strength and influence of faith. At one time - the believer may have an inward peace and tranquility, which is - exceedingly agreeable. At another time he may be favoured with what - St. Paul calls _joy unspeakable and full of glory_. At another, guilt - may rob him of his comfort, and separate between him and his God. Such - are his exercises in the present state of things. But he is far from - making a righteousness of his _frames_, _feelings_, or _experiences_. - The distinction between these he well understands. The _righteousness_ - by which he expects to be justified, is the work of Christ alone; the - _faith_ by which he is enabled to receive it, is _of the operation of - God_; the consolations that he enjoys are from this glorious Christ, - in believing, or through faith: all as different as A, B, and C. His - dependence for acceptance with God is neither on his faith nor - experiences, but on Christ _alone_. At the same time he cannot - conceive it possible, for a poor, wretched, undone sinner to be - enabled to believe in Christ for eternal life, and not _rejoice_. A - view of the glories of his person, and the fulness and freeness of his - grace, cannot fail of introducing _strong consolation_. - - STILLMAN’S SERMONS. - -Footnote 63: - - _See Quest._ lxxx. - -Footnote 64: - - _See page 39, ante._ - -Footnote 65: - - _See Quest._ lxxix. - -Footnote 66: - - _See Quest._ lxxviii. - - - - - Quest. LXXIV. - - - QUEST. LXXIV. _What is adoption?_ - - ANSW. Adoption is an act of the free grace of God, in and for his - only Son Jesus Christ; whereby all those that are justified, are - received into the number of his children, have his name put upon - them, the Spirit of his Son given to them, are under his fatherly - care and dispensations, admitted to all the liberties and privileges - of the sons of God, made heirs of all the promises, and fellow-heirs - with Christ in glory. - -In speaking to this answer we shall consider, - -I. The various senses in which persons are the sons of God; and -particularly, how they are so called by adoption. - -II. The difference between adoption as used by men, and as it is applied -in this answer to God’s taking persons into this relation, as his -children; from whence it will appear to be an act of his free grace. - -III. We shall consider the reference the sonship of believers has to the -superior and more glorious Sonship of Jesus Christ; and how it is said -to be for his sake. - -IV. The privileges conferred on, or reserved for them, who are the sons -of God by adoption. - -I. We shall consider the various senses in which persons are called the -sons of God. - -1. Some are called the sons of God, as they are invested with many -honours or prerogatives from God, as a branch of his image: thus -magistrates are called the _children of the Most High_, Psal. lxxxii. 6. - -2. Others are called God’s children, by an external federal relation, as -members of the visible church; in which sense we are to understand that -scripture; wherein it is said, _The sons of God saw the daughters of -men_, &c. Gen. vi. 2. And when Moses went into Pharaoh, to demand -liberty for the Israelites, he was ordered to say, _Israel is my son, -even my first-born_, Exod. iv. 22. This privilege, though it be high and -honourable, by which the church is distinguished from the world; yet it -is not inseparably connected with salvation; for God says, concerning -Israel, when revolting, and backsliding from him, _I have nourished and -brought up children; and they have rebelled against me_, Isa. i. 2. and -many of those who are called the _children of the kingdom shall be cast -into utter darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth_, -Matt. viii. 12. - -3. The word is sometimes taken in a more large sense, as applicable to -all mankind: thus the prophet says, _Have we not all one father, hath -not God created us?_ Mal. ii. 10. And the apostle Paul, when disputing -with the Athenians, speaks in their own language, and quotes a saying -taken from one of their poets, which he applies to the great God, as -_giving to all life and breath, and all things_; upon which account men -are called his _off-spring_, Acts xvii. 25. compared with 28. - -4. They are called the sons of God, who are endowed with his -supernatural image, and admitted to the highest honours and privileges -conferred upon creatures: thus the angels are called the _sons of God_, -Job xxxviii. 7. - -5. Our Lord Jesus Christ is called the Son of God, in a sense not -applicable to any other; as his Sonship includes in it his deity, and -his having, in his human nature, received a commission from the Father, -to engage in the great work of our redemption, as becoming surety for -us; which is the foundation of all those saving blessings which we enjoy -or hope for. - -6. Believers are called the sons of God, by a special adoption; which is -farther to be considered, as being the subject-matter of this answer. -Adoption is a word taken from the civil law; and it was much in use -among the Romans, in the apostles time, in which it was a custom for -persons, who had no children of their own, and were possessed of an -estate, to prevent its being divided or descending to strangers, to make -choice of such who were agreeable to them, and beloved by them, whom -they took into this political relation of children; obliging them to -take their name upon them, and to pay respect to them, as though they -were their natural parents; and engaging to deal with them as though -they had been so; and accordingly to give them a right to their estates, -as an inheritance. This new relation, founded in a mutual consent, is a -bond of affection; and the privilege arising from thence is, that he who -is, in this sense, a father, takes care of, and provides for the person -whom he adopts, as though he were his son by nature; and therefore -Civilians calls it an act of legitimation, imitating nature, or -supplying the place of it: and this leads us to consider, - -II. The difference between adoption, as used by men, and as it is -applied in this answer, to God’s taking persons into this relation, as -his children. - -1. When men adopt, or take persons into the relation of children, they -do it because they are destitute of children of their own to possess -their estates; and therefore they fix their love on strangers: but God -was under no obligation to do this: for if he designed to manifest his -glory to any creatures, the holy angels were subjects capable of -receiving the displays thereof; and his own Son, who had all the -perfections of the divine nature, was infinitely the object of his -delight, and, in all respects, fitted to be as he is styled, _Heir of -all things_, Heb. i. 2. - -2. When men adopt, they are generally inclined to do it by seeing some -excellency or amiableness in the persons whom they fix their love upon. -Thus Pharaoh’s daughter took up Moses, and nourished him for her own -son, because he was _exceeding fair_, Acts vii. 20, 21. or, it may be, -she was moved hereunto, by a natural compassion she had for him, besides -the motive of his beauty; as it is said, _The babe wept, and she had -compassion on him_, Exod. ii. 6. And Mordecai adopted Esther, or took -her for his own daughter; _for she was his uncle’s daughter, and was -fair and beautiful_, and an orphan, _having neither father nor mother_, -Esther ii. 7. But when God takes any into this relation of children, -they have no beauty or comeliness, and might justly have been for ever -the objects of his abhorrance. Thus he says concerning the church of -Israel, when he first took them into this relation to him, _None eye -pitied thee, but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the loathing -of thy person: and when I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine -own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live_, &c. -Ezek. xvi. 5. It might indeed be said concerning man, when admitted to -this favour and privilege, that he was miserable; but misery, how much -soever it may render the soul an object of pity, it could not, properly -speaking, be said to be a motive or inducement from whence the divine -compassion took its first rise, as appears from the account we have of -the mercy of God, as founded only on his sovereign will or pleasure; as -he says, _I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy; and I will have -compassion on whom I will have compassion_, Rom. ix. 15. and also, from -the consideration of man’s being exposed to misery by sin, which -rendered him rather an object of vindictive justice than mercy. This -therefore cannot be the ground of God’s giving him a right to an -inheritance; and consequently adoption is truly said, in this answer, to -be an act of the free grace of God. - -3. When men adopt, their taking persons into the relation of children, -is not necessarily attended with any change of disposition or temper in -the persons adopted. A person may be admitted to this privilege, and yet -remain the same, in that respect, as he was before: but when God takes -his people into the relation of children, he gives them, not only those -other privileges which arise from thence, but also that temper and -disposition that becomes those who are thus related to him. This leads -us to consider, - -III. The reference which the sonship of believers has to the superior -and more glorious Sonship of Jesus Christ; and how it is said to be for -his sake. Here we must suppose that there is a sense in which Christ is -said to be the Son of God, as the result of the divine decree, which -contains in it an idea very distinct from his being a divine person; for -that was not the result of the will of the Father; whereas it is said -concerning him, _I will declare the decree; the Lord hath said unto me, -Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee_, Psal. ii. 7. And -elsewhere, _he hath, by inheritance, obtained a more excellent name -than_ the angels; and this is the consequence of God’s saying to him, -_thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee_: and, _I will be to him -a Father, and he shall be to me a Son_, Heb. i. 4, 5. which plainly -refers to Christ as Mediator. Now when we consider this mediatorial -Sonship of Christ, if I may so express it, we are far from asserting, -that Christ’s Sonship, and that of believers, is of the same kind; for, -as much as he exceeds them as Mediator, as to the glory of his person -and office, so much is his Sonship superior to theirs. This being -premised, we may better understand the reference which the sonship of -believers has to Christ’s being the Son of God as Mediator; and -therefore let it be farther considered,[67] - -1. That it is a prerogative and glory of Christ, as the Son of God, that -he has all things which relate to the salvation of his elect, put into -his hand; and therefore, whatever the saints enjoy or hope for, which is -sometimes called in scripture their inheritance, agreeably to their -character, as the children of God by adoption; this is considered as -first purchased by Christ, and then put into his hand; in which respect -it is styled his inheritance, he being constituted, pursuant to his -having accomplished the work of redemption, heir of all things; and as -such, has not only a right to his people, but is put in possession of -all those spiritual blessings in heavenly places, wherewith they are -_blessed in him_, Eph. i. 3. - -2. From hence it follows, that the sonship of believers, and their right -to that inheritance, which God has reserved for them, depends upon the -sonship of Christ, which is infinitely more glorious and excellent. As -God’s adopted sons, they have the honour conferred upon them, of being -_made kings and priests_ to him, Rev. i. 6. These honours are conferred -by Christ; and, in order thereunto, they are first given to him to -bestow upon them: thus he says, _I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my -Father hath appointed unto me_, Luke xxii. 29. Christ is first appointed -heir of all things, as Mediator; and then his people, or his children, -are considered as _heirs of God_, as the apostle expresses it; _and -joint heirs with Christ_, Rom. viii. 17. Not that they have any share in -his personal or mediatorial glory; but when they are styled -_joint-heirs_ with him, we must consider them as having a right to that -inheritance, which he is possessed of in their name as Mediator: and in -this sense we are to understand those scriptures that speak of God’s -being first the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; and then, to wit, in -him our Father; accordingly he says, _I ascend unto my Father, and your -Father, and to my God, and your God_, John xx. 17. And elsewhere, God is -styled _the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ_, and then _the Father of -mercies_, or, our merciful Father, 2 Cor. i. 3. And elsewhere the -apostle says, _Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; -who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings, in heavenly places, in -Christ; having predestinated us unto the adoption of children, by Jesus -Christ, to himself_, Eph. i. 3. compared with 5. and inasmuch as he -designed to _bring many sons to glory_, as being _made meet to be -partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light_; he first _made the -captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings_, Heb. ii. 10. -compared with Col. i. 12. In this respect our right to the inheritance -of children, is founded in the eternal purpose of God, relating -hereunto, and the purchase of Christ, as having obtained this -inheritance for us. - -IV. We are now to consider the privileges conferred on, or reserved for -them who are the sons of God by adoption. These are summed up in a very -comprehensive expression, which contains an amazing display of divine -grace; as it is said, _He that overcometh, shall inherit all things; and -I will be his God, and he shall be my son_, Rev. xxi. 7. It is a very -large grant that God is pleased to make to them; they shall inherit all -things. God is not ashamed to be called their God; and in having him, -they are said to possess all things, which are eminently and -transcendently in him; they have a right to all the blessings which he -had designed for, and which have a tendency to make them completely -happy: in this sense we are to understand our Saviour’s words in the -parable; _Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine_, -Luke xv. 31. Nothing greater than this can be desired or enjoyed by -creatures, whom the Lord delights to honour. But, that we may be a -little more particular in considering the privileges which God confers -on, or has reserved for his children, it may be farther observed, - -1. That they are all emancipated, or freed from the slavery which they -were before under, either to sin or Satan; they who were once the -_servants of sin, are_ hereby _made free from sin, and become the -servants of righteousness_, or become _servants to God_, Rom. vi. 17, -18, 22. _have their fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life; -the Son makes them free_; and therefore _they are free indeed_, John -viii. 36. Before this they are described as _serving divers lusts and -pleasures_, Tit. iii. 3. and are said to be _of their father the devil_, -and to _do his works_, or follow his suggestions, John viii. 44. -ensnared, and _taken captive by him at his will_, 2 Tim. ii. 26. and, as -the consequence hereof, are in perpetual bondage, arising from a dread -of the wrath of God, and that _fear of death_ impressed on their -spirits, by him, who is said to have the _power of death_, Heb. ii. 14. -this they are delivered from, which cannot but be reckoned a glorious -privilege. - -2. They have God’s name put upon them, and accordingly are described as -_his people called by his name_, 2 Chron. vii. 14. This is an high and -honourable character, denoting their relation to him as a peculiar -people; and it is what belongs to them alone. Thus the church says, _We -are thine; thou never bearest rule over them_, Isa. lxiii. 19. namely, -thine adversaries; _they were not called by thy name_. They have also -Christ’s name put on them, _of whom the whole family in heaven and earth -is named_, Eph. iii. 15. which not only signifies that propriety which -he has in them as Mediator, but their relation to him as the ransomed of -the Lord, his sheep, whom he leads and feeds like a shepherd; and they -are also styled his children, _Behold I and the children which God hath -given me_, Heb. ii. 13. and indeed, when he is called a surety, or an -advocate, or said to execute certain offices as a Saviour or Redeemer; -these are all relative terms; and whatever he does therein, is in their -name, and for their advantage; as it is said, _of him are ye in Christ -Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, -and redemption_, 1 Cor. i. 31. - -3. They are taken into God’s family, and dealt with as members thereof; -and accordingly are styled _fellow citizens with the saints, and of the -household of God_, Eph. ii. 19. And as the consequence hereof, they have -protection, provision, and communion with him. - -(1.) They have safe protection; as the master of a family thinks himself -obliged to secure and defend from danger, all that are under his roof, -whose house is, as it were, their castle; so Christ is his people’s -defence, concerning whom it is said, _A man shall be as an hiding place -from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, as rivers of water in a -dry place, and as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land_, Isa. -xxxii. 2. and, as the consequence hereof, it is added, _My people shall -dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet -resting places_, ver. 18. _They dwell on high; their place of defence is -the munition of rocks_, chap. xxxii. 16. He who has subdued their -enemies, and will in his own time, bruise them under their feet, will -take care that they shall not meet with that disturbance from them, -which may hinder their repose or rest in him, or render their state -unsafe, so as to endanger their perishing or falling from it. - -(2.) They enjoy the plentiful provisions of God’s house, and therefore -Christ is called their _shepherd_, Psal. xxiii. 1. not only as leading -and defending them, but as providing for them; _He shall feed his flock -like a shepherd_, Isa. xl. 11. As all grace is treasured up in him, and -there is a fulness thereof, which he has to impart to the heirs of -salvation, that is sufficient to supply all their wants; so they shall -never have a reason to complain that they are straitened in him; the -blessings of his house are not only exhilirating, but satisfying, and -such as have a tendency to make them completely happy. - -(3.) They are admitted to the greatest intimacy, and have sweet -communion with Christ; _the secret of the Lord is with them that fear -him_, Psal. xxv. 14. he deals with them as with friends, and in this -instance in particular, (as he tells his disciples,) that _all that he -has heard of the Father_, John xv. 15. that is, whatever he had a -commission to impart for their direction and comfort, he _makes known -unto them_, which must needs be reckoned a very great privilege. As the -queen of Sheba, when beholding the advantages that they who were in -Solomon’s presence enjoyed, could not but with an extasy of admiration, -say, _Happy are thy men; happy are thy servants, which stand continually -before thee, that hear thy wisdom_, 1 Kings x. 8. much more may they be -happy who are admitted into his presence, in whom _are hid all the -treasures of wisdom and knowledge_, Col. ii. 3. - -(4.) Another privilege which they enjoy, is access to God, as a -reconciled Father, through Christ; they have a liberty to _come boldly -to the throne of grace, that they obtain mercy, and find grace to help -in time of need_, Heb. iv. 18. Whatever their straits and difficulties -are, God holds forth his golden sceptre, invites them to come to him, -asks, What is thy petition? and gives them ground to hope that it shall -be granted, so far as it may redound to his glory and their good. And, -inasmuch as they are often straitened in their spirits, and unprepared -to draw nigh to him; they have the promise of the Spirit to assist them -herein; upon which account he is called the _Spirit of adoption, whereby -they cry Abba Father_, Rom. viii. 15. This privilege is said to be a -consequence of their being sons; _Because ye are sons, God hath sent -forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba Father_, Gal. -iv. 6. By this means they have becoming conceptions of the Divine -Majesty, a reverential fear of, and a love to him, earnest desires of -communion with him, and of being made partakers of what he has to -impart. They have a right to plead the promises; and in so doing, are -encouraged to hope for the blessings contained therein. - -(5.) As God’s children are prone to backslide from him, and so have need -of restoring grace, he will recover and humble them, and thereby prevent -their total apostacy: this he sometimes does by afflictions, which the -apostle calls fatherly chastisements, and reckons them not only -consistent with, but evidences of his love: _Whom the Lord loveth, he -chasteneth; and if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are -partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons_, Heb. xii. 6, 8, 11. The -apostle does not here speak of afflictions as considered absolutely in -themselves, but as proceeding from the love of God, the design whereof -is to do them good; and as they are adapted to this present state, in -which they are training up for the glorious inheritance reserved for -them in heaven, and need some trying dispensations, which may put them -in mind of that state of perfect blessedness which is laid up for them: -and they are rendered subservient to their present and future advantage, -as the afflictions of this present time _bring forth the peaceable -fruits of righteousness_ to them; and when they are, in the end, -perfectly freed from them, will tend to enhance their joy and praise; -which leads us to consider another privilege, which is so great that it -crowns all those that they are now possessed of, namely, - -(6.) They shall, at last, be brought into God’s immediate presence, and -satisfied with his likeness. The apostle calls the perfect blessedness -of the saints, when raised from the dead, and so delivered from the -bondage of corruption, and made partakers of the glorious liberty of the -Sons of God, by way of eminency, _the adoption, to wit, the redemption -of their bodies_; which signifies not only the full manifestation of -their adoption, but their taking possession of their inheritance, which -they are now waiting and hoping for, which is too great for the heart of -man to conceive of in this present state; for the apostle says, _Now are -we the sons of God; and it doth not appear what we shall be: but we -know, that when he shall appear we shall be like him; for we shall see -him as he is_, 1 John iii. 2. So that all the blessings which we have, -either in hand or hope, the blessings of both worlds, which are -conferred upon us from our first conversion to our glorification: these -are privileges which God bestows on those who are his adopted children. - -From what has been said concerning adoption, we may take occasion to -observe, how, in some respects it agrees with, or may indeed, be -reckoned a branch of justification, and in other respects it includes in -it something that is an ingredient in sanctification. We have before -observed, in treating on the former of these, _viz._ justification, that -when God forgives sin, he confers on his people a right to life, or to -all the blessings of the covenant of grace, in which are contained the -promises that belong to the life that now is, and that which is to come. -These are the privileges which God’s adopted children are made partakers -of; and in this respect some divines suppose, that adoption is included -in our justification.[68] - -And if justification be explained, as has been before observed, as -denoting an immanent act in God, whereby the elect are considered, in -the covenant between the Father and the Son, as in Christ, their federal -head; so they are considered as the adopted children of God, in Christ, -and accordingly as they are described as chosen in Christ, unto eternal -life, they are said to be _predestinated unto the adoption of children_, -Eph. i. 6. which is a privilege to be obtained by Jesus Christ: in this -respect all the elect are called Christ’s _seed, that shall serve him_, -Psal. xxii. 30. whom he had a special regard to, when he made his soul -an offering for sin, and concerning whom he had this promise made to him -in the covenant, that passed between the Father and him, _that he should -see them, and the pleasure of the Lord_, with respect to their -everlasting salvation, _should prosper in his hand_, Isa. liii. 10. Now -when Christ is considered as the head of the elect, who are in this -sense called his sons, whom he has engaged to bring to glory, faith is -the fruit and consequence of adoption; accordingly the apostle says, -_Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into -your hearts, crying, Abba, Father_, Gal. iv. 6. - -But as justification is a declared act, and is said to be by faith, so -adoption agreeing with it, is of the same nature; and accordingly we are -said to be the _children of God by faith_, chap. iii. 26. that is, it is -by faith that we have a right to claim this relation, together with the -privileges which are the result thereof. - -Moreover, as adoption includes in it a person’s being made meet for the -inheritance, which God has reserved for him, and so is endowed with the -temper and disposition of his children, consisting in humility, -heavenly-mindedness, love to him, dependence upon him, and a zeal for -his glory, a likeness to Christ; as the same mind is said to be in us, -in some measure as was in him; in this respect adoption agrees with -sanctification, which is what we are next to consider. - -Footnote 67: - - Vide Vol. I. page 279, in note. - -Footnote 68: - - _Vid. Turrett. Theol. Elenct. Tom. 2. Loc. 16. § 7._ - - - - - Quest. LXXV. - - - QUEST. LXXV. _What is sanctification?_ - - ANSW. Sanctification is a work of God’s grace, whereby they whom God - hath, before the foundation of the world, chosen to be holy, are in - time, through the powerful operation of his Spirit, applying the - death and resurrection of Christ unto them, renewed in their whole - man, after the image of God, having the seeds of repentance unto - life, and of all other saving graces put into their hearts; and - those graces so stirred up, increased and strengthened, as that they - more and more die unto sin, and rise unto newness of life. - -1. We shall shew what we are to understand by the word _sanctify_. This -is sometimes considered as what has God for its object: thus he is said -to _sanctify himself_, when he appears in the glory of his holiness, and -gives occasion to the world to adore that perfection, which he is -sometimes represented as doing, when he punishes sin in a visible and -exemplary manner. Thus when God threatens to call for _a sword_, and -_plead against_ a rebellious people, _with pestilence and with blood_, -he is said, by this means, to _magnify and sanctify himself_, so as to -be _known_, to wit, as an holy God, _in the eyes of many nations_. And -when he fulfils his promises, and thereby advances his holiness, as when -he brought his people out of captivity, and gathered them out of the -countries, wherein they had been scattered, he is said to be _sanctified -in them_, Ezek. xxxviii. 21-23. And he is sanctified by his people, when -they give him the glory that is due to his perfection, as thus displayed -and magnified by him: thus God’s people are said to _sanctify the Lord -of hosts_, when they make him the object of their _fear and of their -dread_, Isa. viii. 13. - -However, this is not the sense in which we are here to understand it, -but as applied to men; in which respect it is taken in various senses, -namely, for their consecration, or separation unto God; thus our Saviour -says, when devoting and applying himself to the work, for which he came -into the world; _for their sakes I sanctify myself_, John xvii. 19. But -this is not the sense in which it is to be understood in this answer. - -Moreover, it is often taken, in scripture, for persons being devoted to -God, to minister in holy things: thus Aaron and his sons were -_sanctified, that they might minister unto him in the priest’s office_, -Exod. xxviii. 41. And it is sometimes taken for an external federal -dedication to God, to walk before him as a peculiar people in observance -of his holy institutions. Thus when Israel consented to be God’s people -they are styled, _holiness unto the Lord_, Jer. ii. 3. _the holy seed_, -Ezra ix. 2. and _an holy nation_, 1 Pet. ii. 9. And the church, under -the gospel-dispensation, as consecrated, and professing subjection, to -Christ, or separated to his service, and waiting for his presence, while -engaged in all those ordinances, which he has appointed in the gospel, -is described as _called to be saints_, Rom. i. 7. and they are hereby -related to him, in an external and visible way. Neither is this the -sense in which the word is taken in this answer; in which we are to -understand sanctification as a special discriminating grace, whereby -persons are not barely externally, but really devoted to Christ by -faith: it is the internal beauty of the soul, whereby all the faculties -being renewed, and a powerful, effectual change wrought therein; they -are enabled to turn from sin unto God, and exercise all those graces, -whereby _they walk in holiness and righteousness before him, all the -days of their lives_, Luke i. 75. till this work, which is gradually -carried on here, shall be brought to perfection hereafter. - -2. It may farther be observed, that sanctification as described in this -answer, may be considered as including in it several other graces, some -of which have been already insisted on, namely, regeneration, effectual -calling, and faith; and there is another grace connected with it, which -will be particularly insisted on under the next answer, namely, -repentance unto life; all which graces are said to be wrought by the -powerful operation of the Spirit, in those who were, before the -foundation of the world, chosen to be holy. Regeneration is styled, by -some, initial sanctification, as all graces take their first rise from -the principle which is therein implanted. Effectual calling, or -conversion, is that whereby we are brought into the way of holiness, and -internally disposed to walk therein. Faith is that grace whereby this -work is promoted, as all holy actions proceed from it, as deriving -strength from Christ, to perform them. And repentance is that whereby -the work of sanctification discovers itself, in the soul’s abhorring, -and flying from, every thing that tends to defile it; approves itself to -God as one, who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity without the -greatest detestation. But inasmuch as these graces either have been, or -will be particularly insisted on, in their proper place, we shall more -especially consider sanctification as a progressive work, whereby it is -distinguished from them, by which we daily consecrate, or devote -ourselves to God; and our actions have all a tendency to advance his -glory; and, by the Spirit, we are enabled more and more to die unto sin, -and to live unto righteousness; so that it is not barely one single act -of grace, but it contains in it the whole progress of the work of grace, -as gradually carried on till perfected in glory: this is what we are to -speak particularly to. And, - -I. It includes in it a continual devotedness to God. As the first act of -faith consists in a making a surrender of ourselves to Christ, depending -on his assistance in beginning the work of obedience in the exercise of -all Christian graces; so sanctification is the continuance thereof. When -we are first converted, we receive Christ Jesus the Lord; and in -sanctification we walk in him, and exercise a daily dependence on him in -the execution of all his offices; make his word our rule, and delight in -it after the inward man. How difficult soever the duties are that he -commands, we take pleasure in the performance of them, make religion our -great business, and in order thereunto conclude, that every thing we -receive from him is to be improved to his glory. And as every duty is to -be performed by faith; so what has been before observed concerning the -life of faith, is to be considered as an expedient to promote the work -of sanctification. - -II. In the carrying on of this work we are to endeavour, to our utmost, -to fence against the prevailing power of sin, by all those methods which -are prescribed in the gospel, that so it may not have dominion over us; -this is generally styled the work of mortification. The apostle speaks -of _our old man being crucified with Christ, and the body of sin -destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin_, Rom. vi. 6. and of -our crucifying the flesh with the affections and lusts, and of our -_mortifying the deeds of the body through the Spirit_, Gal. v. 24. that -is, by his assistance and grace, which is necessary in order thereunto, -Rom. viii. 13. - -This is a very difficult work, especially considering the prevalency of -corruption, and the multitude of temptations that we are exposed to; the -subtilty and watchfulness of Satan, who walks about like a roaring lion, -seeking whom he may devour; the treachery of our own hearts, that are so -prone to depart from God; the fickleness and instability of our -resolutions; the irregularity of our affections, and the constant -efforts made by corrupt nature, to gain the ascendant over them, and -turn them aside from God: this it does sometimes by presenting things in -a false view, calling evil good, and good evil; representing some things -as harmless and not displeasing to God, that are most pernicious and -offensive, endeavouring to lead us into mistakes, as to the matter of -sin or duty, and to persuade us, that those things will issue well which -are like to prove bitterness in the end; and attempting to impose upon -us, as though we were in a right and safe way, when, at the same time, -we are walking contrary to God, and corrupt nature is gaining strength -thereby. But this will be farther considered, when we speak concerning -the imperfection of sanctification in believers[69]. Now this renders it -necessary for us to make use of those methods which God has prescribed -for the mortification of sin; and in order thereunto, - -1. We must endeavour to maintain a constant sense of the heinous nature -of sin, as it is contrary to the holiness of God, a stain that cannot be -washed away, but by the blood of Jesus, the highest instance of -ingratitude for all the benefits which we have received, a bitter and an -only evil, the abominable thing that God hates; it is not only to be -considered as condemning, but defiling, that hereby we may maintain a -constant abhorrence of it; and that not only of those sins that expose -us to scorn and reproach in the eye of the world, but every thing that -is in itself sinful, as contrary to the law of God. - -2. We must be watchful against the breakings forth of corrupt nature, -observe the frame and disposition of our spirits, and the deceitfulness -of sin, which has a tendency to harden us, and avoid all occasions of, -or incentives to it, _hating even the garment spotted by the flesh_, -Jude, ver. 23. _abstaining from all appearance of evil_, 2 Thess. v. 22. -And to this we may add, that we are frequently to examine ourselves with -respect to our behaviour in every state of life; whether sin be gaining -or losing ground in us; whether we make conscience of performing every -duty, both personal and relative? what guilt we contract by sins of -omission, or the want of that fervency of spirit which has a tendency to -beget a formal, dead, and stupid frame and temper of mind, and thereby -hinder the progress of the work of sanctification? but that which is the -principal, if not the only expedient that will prove effectual for the -mortifying of sin is, our seeking help against it from him who is able -to give us the victory over it. Therefore, - -3. Whatever attempts we use against the prevailing power of sin, in -order to the mortifying of it, these must be performed by faith; seeking -and deriving that help from Christ, which is necessary in order -thereunto. And therefore, - -(1.) As the dominion of sin consists in its rendering us guilty in the -sight of God, whereby the conscience is burdened, by reason of the dread -that it has of that punishment which is due to us, and the condemning -sentence of the law, which we are liable to; and as its mortification, -in this respect, consists in our deliverance from that which makes us so -uneasy, no expedient can be used to mortify it, but our looking by faith -to Christ, as a propitiation for sin, whereby we are enabled to behold -the debt which we had contracted, cancelled, the indictment superseded, -and the condemning sentence repealed; from whence the soul concludes, -that iniquity shall not be its ruin. This is the only method we are to -take when oppressed with a sense of the guilt of sin, which is daily -committed by us. It was shadowed forth by the Israelites looking to the -brazen serpent, a type of Christ crucified, when stung with fiery -serpents, which occasioned exquisite pain, and would, without this -expedient, have brought immediate death: thus the deadly wound of sin is -healed by the sovereign balm of Christ’s blood, applied by faith; and -we, by his having fulfilled the law, may be said to be dead to it, as -freed from the curse thereof, and all the sad consequences that would -ensue thereupon. - -(2.) As sin is said to have dominion over us, in that all the powers and -faculties of our souls are enslaved by it, whereby, as the apostle -expresses it, _we are carnal, sold under sin_, Rom. vii. 14. when we are -weak and unable to perform what is good, and the corruption of nature is -so predominant, that we are, as it were, carried down the stream, which -we strive against, but in vain: in this respect sin is to be mortified, -by a fiducial application to Christ, for help against it; and herein we -are to consider him as having undertaken, not only to deliver from the -condemning, but the prevailing power of sin; which is a part of the work -that he is now engaged in, wherein he applies the redemption he -purchased, by the powerful influences of the Holy Spirit, and the soul -seeks to him for them. As it is natural for us, when we are in imminent -danger of present ruin, or are assaulted by an enemy, whose superior -force we are not able to withstand, to cry out to some kind friend, for -help; or when we are in danger of death, by some disease which nature is -ready to sink under, to apply ourselves to the physician for relief: -thus the soul is to apply itself to Christ for strength against the -prevailing power of indwelling sin, and grace to make him more than a -conqueror over it; and Christ, by his Spirit, in this respect, enables -us (to use the apostle’s words,) _to mortify the deeds of body_, Rom. -viii. 13. - -And, in order hereunto, we take encouragement, from the promises of God; -and the connexion that there is between Christ’s having made -satisfaction for sin, and his delivering those who are redeemed, from -the power of it, as the apostle says, _Sin shall not have dominion over -you; for ye are not under the law_, that is, under the condemning -sentence of it, _but under grace_, chap. vi. 14. as having an interest -in that grace which has engaged to deliver from sin: in both these -respects we consider Christ not only as able, but as having undertaken -to deliver his people from all their spiritual enemies, to relieve them -in all their straits and exigences, and to bring them off safe and -victorious. This is the method which we are to take to mortify sin; and -it is a never-failing remedy. What was before observed, under the -foregoing heads, concerning our endeavouring to see the evil of sin, and -exercising that watchfulness against the occasions thereof, are -necessary duties, without which sin will gain strength: nevertheless the -victory over it is principally owing to our deriving righteousness and -strength, by faith, from Christ; whereby he has the glory of a conqueror -over it, and we have the advantage of receiving this privilege as -applying ourselves to, and relying on him for it. - -Having considered the way in which sin is to be mortified, agreeably to -the gospel-rule; we shall, before we close this head, take notice of -some other methods which many rest in, thinking thereby to free -themselves from the dominion of sin, which will not answer that end. -Some have no other notion of sin, but as it discovers itself in those -gross enormities which are matter of public scandal or reproach in the -eye of the world, who do not duly consider the spirituality of the law -of God; such-like sentiments of moral evil, the apostle Paul had, before -his conversion, as he says, _I was alive without the law once_, chap. -vii. 9. compared with 7. and _I had not known lust, except the law had -said, thou shalt not covet_. _Sin_ did not _appear to be sin_, ver. 13. -that is, nothing was thought sin by him, but that which was openly -scandalous, and deemed so by universal consent; and therefore he says -elsewhere, that _touching the righteousness which is in the law, he_ was -_blameless_, Phil. iii. 6. or, as Ephraim is represented, saying, _In -all my labour they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin_, Hos. -xii. 8. These persons think they shall come off well, if they can say, -that they are not guilty of some enormous crimes; so that none can -charge them with those open debaucheries, or other sins, that are not to -be mentioned among Christians; or if, through any change in their -condition of life, or being delivered from those temptations that gave -occasion to them; or if there natural temper be less inclined to them -than before, and, as the result hereof, they abstain from them, this -they call a mortifying of sin; though the most that can be said of it -is, that sin is only curbed, confined, and their natural inclinations to -it abated, while it is far from being dead. - -Others, who will allow that sin is of a far larger extent, and includes -in it that which prevails in the heart, as well as renders itself -visible in the life, or contains in it the omission of duties, as well -as the actual commission of known sins; these often take a preposterous -method to mortify it: if they are sensible of the guilt that is -contracted hereby, they use no other method to be discharged from it, -but by pretending to make atonement, either by confessing their sins, -using endeavours to abstain from them, or by the performance of some -duties of religion, by which they think to make God amends for the -injuries they have offered to him thereby: but this is so far from -mortifying sin, that it increases the guilt thereof, and causes it to -take deeper root, and afterwards to break forth in a greater degree; or -else tends to stupify the conscience, after which they go on in a way of -sin, with carnal security, and without remorse. - -Others think, that to mortify sin, is nothing else but to subdue and -keep under their passions, at least, to such a degree that they may not, -through the irregularity and impetuous violence thereof, commit those -sins which they cannot but reflect upon with shame, when brought into a -more calm and considerate temper of mind; and, in order thereunto, they -subject themselves to certain rules, which the light of nature will -suggest, and the wiser Heathen have laid down to induce persons to lead -a virtuous life; and they argue thus with themselves, that it is below -the dignity of the human nature, for men to suffer their passions to -lead their reason captive, or to do that which betrays a want of wisdom -as well as temper; and if by this means the exorbitancy of their -passions is abated, and many sins, which are occasioned thereby, -prevented, they conclude their lives to be unblemished, and sin subdued; -whereas this is nothing else but restraining the fury of their temper, -or giving a check to some sins, while sin in general remains -unmortified. - -As to the methods prescribed by some Popish casuists, of emaciating, or -keeping under the body by physic, or a sparing diet, and submitting to -hard penances, not only to atone for past sins, but prevent them for the -future, these have not a tendency to strike at the root of sin, and -therefore are unjustly called a mortifying of it. For though an -abstemious regular way of living be conducive to answer some valuable -ends, and without it men are led to the commission of many sins; yet -this is no expedient to take away the guilt thereof; neither is the -enslaving, captivating, and prevailing power of indwelling sin, that -discovers itself in various shapes, and attends every condition and -circumstance of life, sufficiently subdued hereby. - -And those common methods that many others take, which are of a different -nature, namely, when they resolve, though in their own strength, to -break off their sins by repentance; or, if their resolutions to lead a -virtuous life are weak, and not much regarded by them, endeavour to -strengthen them, this will not answer their end, sin will be too strong -for all their resolutions, and the engagements with which they bind -themselves, will be like the cords with which Sampson was bound, which -were broken by him like threads. If we rely on our own strength, how -much soever we may be resolved to abstain from sin at present, God will -make us sensible of our weakness, by leaving us to ourselves; and then, -how much soever we resolve to abstain from sin, it will appear that it -is far from being mortified, or subdued by us. Therefore we conclude, -that this cannot be performed, but by going forth in the name and -strength of Christ, who is able to keep us from falling; or, when -fallen, to recover us; and this will be found, in the end, to be the -best expedient for the promoting this branch of our sanctification; -which leads us to consider, - -III. That, in the farther carrying on of this work of sanctification, we -are enabled to walk with God, or before him, in holiness and -righteousness. We are first made alive in regeneration, and then put -forth living actions, which some call vivification, as distinguished -from that part of sanctification, which has been already considered, -namely, mortification of sin. - -This is what we may call leading an holy life, whereby we are to -understand much more than many do, who suppose, that it consists only in -the performance of some moral duties, that contain the external part of -religion, without which there would not be the least shadow of holiness; -and in performing those duties which we owe to men in the various -relations which we stand in to them; or, at least, in keeping ourselves -clear from those _pollutions which are in the world through lust_, 2 -Pet. i. 4. The Pharisee, in the gospel, thought himself an extraordinary -holy person, because he was no extortioner, nor unjust, nor adulterer; -but fasted, paid tithes, and performed several works of charity; and -many are great pretenders to it, who have no other than a form of -godliness, without the power of it, or who are more than ordinarily -diligent in their attendance on the ordinances of God’s appointment; -though they are far from doing this in a right way, like those whom the -prophet speaks of, who are said to _seek God daily, and to delight to -know his ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the -ordinance of their God_; though at the same time, they are said to _fast -for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness_, Isa. -lviii. 2. But, that we may consider several other things, which are -contained in a person’s leading an holy life, let it be observed, - -1. That our natures must be changed, and therefore sanctification always -supposes and flows from regeneration: there must be grace in the heart, -or else it can never discover itself in the life; the root must be good, -or else the tree cannot bring forth good fruit; the spring of action -must be cleansed, otherwise the actions themselves will be impure. Some -persons, who are generally strangers to the internal work of grace, are -very apt to insist much on the goodness of their hearts, and this is -sometimes pleaded in excuse for the badness of their lives; whereas they -never had a due sense of the plague and perverseness of their own -hearts. Good actions must proceed from a good principle, otherwise -persons are in an unsanctified state; and, as they must be conformable -to the rule laid down in the word of God, and performed in a right -manner, and to the glory of God as to the end designed thereby; so they -must be performed by faith, whereby we depend on Christ for assistance -and acceptance, as being sensible of our constant work and business, -whereby we are said to walk with God, as well as live to him. - -2. In order to our leading an holy life, we must make use of those -motives and inducements thereunto, that are contained in the gospel; and -to encourage us herein, - -(1.) We are to have in our view that perfect pattern of holiness which -Christ has given us; he has _left us an example that we should follow -his steps_, 1 Pet. ii. 21. Whatever we find in the life of Christ, -prescribed for our imitation, should be improved to promote the work of -sanctification; his humility, meekness, patience, submission to the -divine will, his zeal for the glory of God, and the good of mankind, and -his unfainting perseverance in pursuing the end for which he came into -the world, are all mentioned, in scripture, not barely that we should -yield an assent to the account we have thereof in the gospel history; -but that the _same mind should be in us, which was also in him_, Phil. -ii. 5. or, as the apostle says, _He that saith he abideth in him, ought -himself also to walk even as he walked_, 1 John ii. 6. And to this we -may add, that we ought to set before us the example of others, and be -followers of them, so far as they followed him: their example, indeed, -is as much inferior to Christ’s as imperfect holiness is to that which -is perfect; but yet it is an encouragement to us, that in following the -footsteps of the flock, we have many bright examples of those, who -through faith and patience, inherit the promises. - -(2.) Another motive to holiness is the love of Christ, expressed in the -great work of our redemption, and in that care and compassion which he -has extended towards us in the application thereof, in all the methods -he has used in the beginning and carrying on the work of grace, in which -we may say, hitherto he hath helped us: this ought to be improved so as -to constrain us, 2 Cor. v. 14. as he has hereby laid us under the -highest obligation to live to him. And as love to Christ is the main -ingredient in sanctification; so when by faith we behold him as the most -engaging and desirable object, this will afford a constant inducement to -holiness. - -(3.) Another motive hereunto is our relation to God, as his children, -and our professed subjection to him; as we gave up ourselves to him, -when first we believed, avouched him to be our God, and, since then, -have experienced many instances of his condescending goodness and -faithfulness; as he has been pleased to grant us some degrees of -communion with him, through Christ; and as he has given us many great -and precious promises, and in various instances, made them good to us; -and has reserved an inheritance for all that are sanctified in that -better world, to which they shall be brought at last: this should induce -us to lead a life of holiness, as the apostle says, _Having these -promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and -spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God_, chap. vii. 1. - -From what has been said in explaining the doctrine of sanctification, we -may infer, - -[1.] The difference that there is between moral virtue, so far as it may -be attained by the light of nature, and the improvement of human reason; -and that holiness of heart and life, which contains in it all Christian -virtues, and is inseparably connected with salvation. All who are -conversant in the writings of some of the Heathen moralists will find a -great many things that tend to regulate the conduct of life; and those -precepts laid down, which, if followed, carry in them a great -resemblance of the grace of sanctification; and herein some, who have -been destitute of the light of the gospel, have very much excelled many -who bear the Christian name: when we find a lively representation of the -universal corruption and degeneracy of human nature, the disorder and -irregularity of the affections, and man’s natural propensity to vice, -rules laid down for the attaining of virtue, by which means men are -directed how to free themselves from that slavery which they are under -to their lusts, and advice given to press after a resemblance and -conformity to God; this carried in it a great shew of holiness. - -A late writer[70] has collected together several passages out of their -writings, with a design to prove, that though they were destitute of -gospel light, yet they might attain salvation; inasmuch as they use many -expressions that very much resemble the grace of sanctification: as for -instance, when one of them speaking concerning contentment in the -station of life in which providence had fixed him, says, “A servant of -God should not be solicitous for the morrow. Can any good man fear that -he should want food? Doth God so neglect his servants, and his -witnesses, as that they should be destitute of his care and providence? -And he adds, Did I ever, Lord, accuse thee, or complain of thy -government? Was I not always willing to be sick when it was thy pleasure -that I should be so? Did I ever, desire to be what thou wouldest not -have me to be? Am I not always ready to do what thou commandest? Wilt -thou have me to continue here, I will freely do as thou willest? Or, -wouldest thou have me depart hence, I will freely do it at thy command? -I have always had my will subject to that of God; deal with me according -to thy pleasure; I am always of the same mind with thee; I refuse -nothing which thou art pleased to lay upon me; lead me whither thou -wilt; clothe me as thou pleasest; I will be a magistrate or private -person; continue me in my country, or in exile, I will not only submit -to, but defend thy proceedings in all things.” We might also produce -quotations out of other writings whereby it appears that some of the -heathen excelled many Christians in the consistency of their sentiments -about religious matters, with the divine perfections; as when they say, -Whatever endowment of the mind has a tendency to make a man truly great -and excellent; this is owing to an internal divine influence.[71] -Others, speaking of the natural propensity which there is in man to -vice, have maintained, that to fence against it, there is a necessity of -their having assistance from God, in order to their leading a virtuous -life; and that virtue is not attained by instruction, that is, not only -by that means, but that it is from God; and that this is to be sought -for at his hands, by faith and prayer: much to this purpose may be seen -in the writings of Plato, Maximus Tyrius, Hierocles, and several -others.[72] - -The principal use that I would make hereof is, to observe that this -should humble many Christians, who are far from coming up to the Heathen -in the practice of moral virtue. And, as for the sentiments of those who -deny the necessity of our having the divine influence in order to our -performing the duties which God requires of us, in a right manner; these -fall very short of what the light of nature has suggested to those who -have duly attended to it, though destitute of divine revelation. When I -meet with such expressions, and many other divine things, in the -writings of Plato; and what he says of the conversation of his master -Socrates, both in his life and death: I cannot but apply in this case, -what our Saviour says to the scribe in the gospel, who answered him -discreetly, _Thou art not far from the kingdom of God_, Mark xii. 34. -These things, it is true, very much resemble the grace of -sanctification; yet in many respects, they fall short of it; inasmuch as -they had no acts of faith, in a Mediator, whom they were altogether -strangers to, as being destitute of divine revelation. - -It is not my design, at present, to enquire, whether they had any hope -of salvation? this having been considered under a foregoing answer[73]. -All that I shall here observe is, that some of the best of them were -charged with notorious crimes, which a Christian would hardly reckon -consistent with the truth of grace; as Plato, with flattering of -tyrants, and too much indulging pride and luxury[74]; Socrates, with -pleading for fornication and incest, and practising sodomy, if what some -have reported concerning them be true[75]. But, without laying any -stress on the character of particular persons, who, in other respects, -have said and done many excellent things; it is evident, that whatever -appearance of holiness there may be in the writings or conversation of -those that are strangers to Christ and his gospel, this falls short of -the grace of sanctification.[76] - -There is a vast difference between recommending or practising moral -virtues, as agreeable to the nature of man, and the dictates of reason; -and a person’s being led in that way of holiness, which our Saviour has -prescribed in the gospel. This takes its rise from a change of nature, -wrought in regeneration, is excited by gospel-motives, encouraged by the -promises thereof, and proceeds from the grace of faith, without which, -all pretensions to holiness are vain and defective. What advances soever -these may have made in endeavouring to free themselves from the slavery -of sin, they have been very deficient, as to the mortification thereof; -for being ignorant of that great atonement which is made by Christ, as -the only expedient to take away the guilt of sin, they could not, by any -method, arrive to a conscience void of offence, or any degree of hope -concerning the forgiveness thereof, and the way of acceptance in the -sight of God: and their using endeavours to stop the current of vice, -and to subdue their inordinate affections, could not be effectual to -answer that end, inasmuch as they were destitute of the Spirit of God, -who affords his divine assistance, in order thereunto, in no other way -than what is prescribed in the gospel; so that as _without holiness no -one shall see the Lord_, this grace is to be expected in that way which -God has prescribed; and every one that is holy is made so by the Spirit, -who glorifies himself in rendering men fruitful in every good work, -being raised by him, from the death of sin, to the life of faith in -Christ; which is a blessing peculiar to the gospel. - -[2.] Since holiness is required of all persons, as what is absolutely -necessary to salvation, and is also recommended as that which God works, -in those in whom the gospel is made effectual thereunto; we may infer, -that no gospel-doctrine has the least tendency to lead to -licentiousness. The grace of God may indeed be abused; and men, who are -strangers to it, take occasion from the abounding thereof, to continue -in sin, as some did in the apostle’s days, Rom. vi. 1. but this is not -the genuine tendency of the gospel, which is to lead men to holiness. -Whatever duties it engages to, they are all designed to answer this end; -and whatever privileges are contained therein, they are all of them -inducements thereunto: are we _delivered out of the hands of our_ -spiritual enemies? it is, _that we should serve him in holiness and -righteousness before him, all the days of our lives_, Luke i. 74, 75. As -for the promises, they are an inducement to us, as the apostle expresses -it, to _cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, -perfecting holiness in the fear of God_, 2 Cor. vii. 1. and every -ordinance and providence should be improved by us, to promote the work -of sanctification. - -[3.] Let us examine ourselves, whether this work be begun, and the grace -of God wrought in us, in truth? and if so, whether it be increasing or -declining in our souls? - -_1st_, As to the truth of grace, let us take heed that we do not think -that we are something when we are nothing, deceiving our own souls, or -rest in a form of godliness, while denying the power thereof, or a name -to live, while we are dead; let us think that it is not enough to -abstain from grosser enormities, or engage in some external duties of -religion, with wrong ends. And if, upon enquiry into ourselves, we find -that we are destitute of a principle of spiritual life and grace, let us -not think, that because we have escaped some of the pollutions that are -in the world, or do not run with others in all excess of riot, that -therefore we lead holy lives; but rather let us enquire, Whether the -life we live in the flesh, be by the faith of the Son of God, under the -influence of his Spirit, with great diffidence of our own righteousness -and strength, and firm dependence upon Christ? and as the result hereof, -whether we are found in the practice of universal holiness, and hate and -avoid all appearance of evil, using all those endeavours that are -prescribed in the gospel, to glorify him in our spirits, souls, and -bodies, which are his? - -_2d_, If we have ground to hope that the work of sanctification is -begun, let us enquire, whether it be advancing or declining? Whether we -go from strength to strength, or make improvements in proportion to the -privileges we enjoy? Many have reason to complain that it is not with -them as in months past; that grace is languishing, the frame of their -spirits in holy duties stupid, and they destitute of that communion with -God, which they have once enjoyed; such ought to remember from whence -they are fallen, and repent, and do their first works; and beg of God, -from whom alone our fruit is derived, that he would revive the work, and -cause their souls to flourish in the courts of his house, and to bring -forth much fruit unto holiness, to the glory of his own name, and their -spiritual peace and comfort. - -As for those who are frequently complaining of, and bewailing their -declensions in grace, who seem, to others, to be making a very -considerable progress therein; let them not give way to unbelief so far -as to deny or set aside the experiences which they have had of God’s -presence with them; for sometimes grace grows, though without our own -observation. If they are destitute of the comforts thereof, or the -fruits of righteousness, which are peace, assurance and joy in the Holy -Ghost, let them consider, that the work of sanctification, in this -present state, is, at best, but growing up towards that perfection which -is not yet arrived to. If it does not spring up and flourish, as to -those fruits and effects thereof, which they are pressing after, but -have not attained; let them bless God, if grace is taking root downward, -and is attended with an humble sense of their own weakness and -imperfection, and an earnest desire of those spiritual blessings which -they are labouring after. This ought to afford matter of thankfulness, -rather than have a tendency to weaken their hands, or induce them to -conclude that they are in an unsanctified state; because of the many -hindrances and discouragements which attend their progress in holiness. - -Footnote 69: - - _See Quest._ lxxviii. - -Footnote 70: - - _See Whitby’s Disc. &c. page 541, in which he quotes Arrian, as giving - the sense of Epictetus, Lib. 1. cap. 9. Lib. 3. cap. 5, 24, 26, 36, - &c._ - -Footnote 71: - - _Vid. Cic. de natura Deorum, Lib. 2._ Nullus unquam vir magnus fuit, - sine aliquo afflatu divino. - -Footnote 72: - - _See Gale’s court of the Gentiles. Book 3. chap. 1. and chap. 10. and - Wits. de Occon. Fæd. 461-463._ - -Footnote 73: - - _See Vol. II. page 489. & seq._ - -Footnote 74: - - _Vid. G. J. Voss. de Hist. Græc. page 22._ - -Footnote 75: - - _See Gale’s court of the Gentiles, Part III. book 1, chap. 1, 2. which - learned writer having, in some other parts of that work, mentioned - several things that were praise worthy, in some of the philosophers, - here takes occasion to speak of some other things, which were great - blemishes in them; and, in other parts of this elaborate work, proves - that those who lived in the first ages of the church, and were - attached to their philosophy, were by this means, as he supposes, led - aside from many great and important truths of the gospel; of this - number Origen, Justin Martyr, and several others. And he further - supposes, that what many of them advanced concerning the liberty of - man’s will, as to what respects spiritual things, gave occasion to the - Pelagians to propagate those doctrines that were subversive of the - grace of God; and that the Arian and Samosatenan heresies took their - rise from hence. See Part III. Book 2. chap. 1._ - -Footnote 76: - - The natural knowledge of God and his goodness, gives some - encouragement to guilty creatures to repent of their sins, and to - return to God by a general hope of acceptance, though they had no - promise of pardoning grace. And this was the very principle upon which - some of the better sort of the Gentiles set themselves to practise - virtue, to worship God, and endeavour to become like him. - - I do not say, that natural religion can give sinful men a full and - satisfying assurance of pardon upon their repentance; for the deepest - degrees of penitence cannot oblige a prince to forgive the criminal: - but still the overflowing goodness of God, his patience and - long-suffering, notwithstanding their sins, may evidently and justly - excite in their hearts some hope of forgiving grace: and I think the - words of my text cannot intend less than this, that God has not left - them without witness, when he gave them rain from heaven, when he - satisfied their appetites with food, and filled their hearts with - gladness. What was it that these benefits of their Creator bore - witness to? Was it not that there was goodness and mercy to be found - with him, if they would return to their duty, and abandon their own - ways of idolatry and vice. Surely, it can never be supposed, that the - apostle here means no more than to say, that the daily instances of - divine bounty in the common comforts of life, assured them, that God - had some goodness in him, and blessings to bestow on their bodies; but - gave them no hope of his acceptance of their souls, if they should - return and repent never so sincerely. The Ninevites themselves, when - threatened with destruction, repented in sackcloth and ashes; for, - said they, Who can tell but God will turn and repent, and turn away - from his fierce anger, that we perish not? Nor were they mistaken in - their hope, for God saw their works, that they turned from their evil - way, and he repented of the evil that he had threatened, Jonah iii. - 5-10. And there is yet a more express text to this purpose, Rom. ii. - 4. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and - long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to - repentance? And if God leads us to repentance, by a sense of his - goodness, surely he gives hope that our repentance shall not be in - vain: and though, perhaps, I could not affirm it with boldness, and - certainty by the mere light of reason, yet I may venture to declare, - upon the encouragement of these scriptures, that if there should be - found any sinner in the heathen world, who should be thus far wrought - upon by a sense of the goodness of God, as to be led sincerely to - repent of sin, and seek after mercy, God would find a way to make a - discovery of so much of the gospel, as was necessary for him to know, - rather than such a penitent sinner should be left under condemnation, - or that a guilty creature should go on to eternal death in the way of - repentance. Cornelius the Centurion, who feared God, who prayed to him - daily, and wrought righteousness, according to the light of his - conscience, had both an angel and an apostle sent to him, that he - might receive more complete instruction in the matters of his - salvation. Acts x. 1-6. and from 30-35.“ Dr. Watts. - - - - - Quest. LXXVI. - - - QUEST. LXXVI. _What is repentance unto life?_ - - ANSW. Repentance unto life, is a saving grace, wrought in the heart - of a sinner, by the Spirit and word of God; whereby, out of the - sight and sense, not only of the danger, but also of the filth and - odiousness of his sins, and upon the apprehension of God’s mercy in - Christ, to such as are penitent, he so grieves for, and hates his - sins, as that he turns from them all to God, purposing and - endeavouring, constantly to walk with him in all the ways of new - obedience. - -In speaking to this answer we shall consider the subject of repentance, -_viz._ a sinful fallen creature; and that, though this be his condition, -yet he is naturally averse to the exercise thereof, till God is pleased -to bring him to it; which will lead us to consider, how the Spirit of -God does this; and what are the various acts and effects thereof.[222] - -1. Concerning the subjects of repentance. No one can be said to repent -but a sinner; and therefore, whatever other graces might be exercised by -man in a state of innocency, or shall be exercised by him, when brought -to a state of perfection; yet there cannot, properly speaking, be any -room for repentance: some, indeed, have queried whether there shall be -repentance in heaven; but it may easily be determined, that though that -hatred of sin in general, and opposition to it, which is contained in -true repentance, be not inconsistent with a state of perfect -blessedness, as it is inseparably connected with perfection of holiness; -yet a sense of sin, which is afflictive, and is attended with grief and -sorrow of heart, for the guilt and consequences thereof, is altogether -inconsistent with a state of perfection; and these are some ingredients -in that repentance which comes under our present consideration. -Therefore we must conclude, that the subject of repentance is a sinner: -but, - -II. Though all sinners contract guilt, expose themselves to misery, and -will sooner or later be filled with distress and sorrow for what they -have done against God; yet many have no sense thereof at present, nor -repentance, or remorse for it. These are described as _past feeling_, -Eph. iv. 19. and _hardened through the deceitfulness of sin_, Heb. iii. -13. as obstinate, and having _their neck as an iron sinew, and their -brow as brass_, Isa. xlviii. 4. And there are several methods which they -take to ward off the force of convictions. Sometimes they are stupid, -and hardly give themselves the liberty to consider the difference that -there is between moral good and evil, or the natural obligation we are -under to pursue the one, and avoid the other. They consider not the -all-seeing eye of God, that observes all their actions, nor the power of -his anger, who will take vengeance on impenitent sinners; regard not the -various aggravations of sin, nor consider that God will, for those -things, bring them to judgment. So that impenitency is generally -attended with presumption; whereby the person concludes, though without -ground, that it shall go well with him in the end; such an one is -represented, as blessing himself in his heart, saying, _I shall have -peace, though I walk in the imagination_; or, as it is in the margin, in -the stubbornness _of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst_, Deut. -xxix. 19. Or if, on the other hand, he cannot but conclude, that with -God is terrible majesty, that he is a consuming fire, and that none ever -hardened themselves against him, and prospered, and if he does not fall -down before him with humble confession of sin, and repentance for it, he -will certainly be broken with his rod of iron, and dashed in pieces, -like the potter’s vessel, broken with a tempest, and utterly destroyed, -when his wrath is kindled; then he resolves, that some time or other he -will repent, but still delays and puts it off for a more convenient -season, and though God gives him space to do it, repenteth not, Rev. ii. -21. Thus he goes on in the greatness of his way, till God prevents him -with the blessings of his goodness, and brings him to repentance. And -this leads us to consider, - -III. That repentance is God’s work; or, as it is observed in this -answer, wrought by the Spirit of God: whether we consider it as a common -or saving grace, it is the Spirit that convinces or reproves the world -of sin. If it be of the same kind with that which Pharaoh, Ahab, or -Judas had; it is a dread of God’s judgments, and his wrath breaking in -upon conscience, when he reproves for sin, and sets it in order before -their eyes, that excites it. If they are touched with a sense of guilt, -and hereby, for the present, stopped, or obliged to make a retreat, and -desist from pursuing their former methods, it is God, in the course of -his providence, that gives a check to them. But this comes short of that -repentance which is said to be unto life; or which is styled a saving -grace, which is wrought by the Spirit of God, as the beginning of that -saving work, which is a branch of sanctification, and shall end in -compleat salvation. - -This is expressly styled in scripture, _repentance unto life_, Acts xi. -18. inasmuch as every one, who is favoured with it, shall obtain eternal -life; and it is connected with conversion and remission of sins, which -will certainly end in eternal salvation. Thus it is said, _Repent and be -converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of -refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord_, chap. iii. 9. and -for this reason it is called a saving grace, or a grace that accompanies -salvation, whereby it is distinguished from that repentance which some -have, who yet remain in a state of unregeneracy. And it is called, -_Repentance to salvation, not to be repented of_, 2 Cor. vii. 10. that -is, it shall issue well; and he shall, in the end, have reason to bless -God, and rejoice in his grace, that has made him partaker of it, who -thus repents. - -IV. We shall now consider the instrument or means whereby the Spirit -works this grace.[77] Thus it is said to be wrought in the heart of a -sinner, by the word of God, as all other graces are, except -regeneration, as has been before observed: we must first suppose the -principle of grace implanted, and the word presenting motives, and -arguments leading to repentance; and then the understanding is -enlightened and disposed to receive what is therein imparted. The word -_calls sinners to repentance_, Matt. ix. 13. and therefore, when this -grace is wrought, we are not only turned by the power of God, but -_instructed_, Jer. xxxi. 19. by the Spirit’s setting home what is -contained therein whereby we are led into the knowledge of those things -which are necessary to repentance. As, - -1. We have in the word a display of the holiness of the divine nature -and law, and our obligation in conformity thereunto, to the exercise of -holiness in heart and life, as God says, _Be ye holy, for I am holy_, -Lev. xi. 44. And to this we may add, that it contains a display of the -holiness of God in his threatenings, which he has denounced against -every transgression and disobedience, which shall receive a just -recompence of reward; and in all the instances of his punishing sin in -those who have exposed themselves thereunto, that hereby he might deter -men from it, and lead them to repentance: thus the apostle speaks of -_the law_ of God as _holy, and the commandment holy, just, and good_, -Rom. vii. 12, 13. and of its leading him into the knowledge of sin, by -which means it appeared to be sin, that is, opposite to an holy God, -and, as he expresses it, _became exceeding sinful_. - -2. Hereby persons are led into themselves; and by comparing their hearts -and lives with the word of God, are enabled to see their own vileness -and want of conformity to the rule which he has given them, the -deceitfulness and desperate wickedness thereof, and what occasion there -is to abhor themselves, and repent in dust and ashes; thus the apostle, -in the place but now mentioned, speaks of himself as _once alive without -the law; but when the commandment came, sin revived and he died_, and -concludes himself to be _carnal, sold under sin_, Rom. vii. 9, 14. This -is a necessary means leading to repentance. - -And we may farther add, that God not only makes use of the word, but of -his providences to answer this end; therefore he speaks of a sinning -people, _when carried away captive into the land of the enemy_, as -_bethinking_ themselves, and afterwards _repenting and making -supplication to him_ therein, 1 Kings viii. 46, 47. And we read of -sickness and bodily diseases as ordained by God, to bring persons to -repentance; thus Elihu speaks of a person’s being _chastened with pain -upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain; his soul -drawing nigh to the grave, and his life to the destroyers_, Job xxxiii. -19, 27. and then represents the person thus chastened, and afterwards -recovered from his sickness, as acknowledging himself to _have sinned, -and perverted that which is right, and_ that _it profited him not_. And -the apostle speaks of _the goodness of God_ in the various dispensations -of his providence, as _leading to repentance_, Rom. ii. 4. But these -dispensations are always to be considered in conjunction with the word, -and as impressed on the conscience of men by the Spirit, in order to -their attaining this desirable end. - -But that we may insist on this matter more particularly, we must take an -estimate of repentance, either as it is a common or special grace; in -both these respects it is from the Spirit, and wrought by the -instrumentality of the word, applied to the consciences of men; but -there is a vast difference between the one and the other in the -application of the word, as well as in the effects and consequences -thereof. - -(1.) In them who are brought under convictions, but not made partakers -of the saving grace of repentance; the Holy Spirit awakens, and fills -them with the terrors of God, and the dread of his vengeance, _by the -law_, by which _is the knowledge of sin_, and _all the world becomes -guilty before God_, Rom. iii. 20. compared with 19. These are what we -call legal convictions; whereby the wound is opened, but no healing -medicine applied: the sinner apprehends himself under a sentence of -condemnation, but at the same time cannot apply any promise which may -afford hope and relief to him; groans under his burden, and knows not -where to find ease or comfort, and dreads the consequence thereof, as -that which would sink him into hell; God appears to him as a consuming -fire, his arrows stick fast in his soul, the poison whereof drinketh up -his spirits; if he endeavours to shake off his fears, and to relieve -himself against his despairing thoughts, he is notwithstanding, -described, as being like the _troubled sea_, when it _cannot rest_, -which _casts forth mire and dirt_, Isa. lvii. 20. This is a most -afflictive case; concerning which it is said, that though _the spirit of -a man will sustain his infirmity_; _yet a wounded spirit who can bear_? -Prov. xviii. 14. - -Thus it is with some when convinced of sin by the law: but there are -others who endeavour to quiet their consciences by using indirect -methods, thinking to make atonement for it, and by some instances of -external reformation, to make God amends, and thereby procure his -favour, but to no purpose; for _sin taking occasion, by the commandment, -works in them all manner of concupiscence_, Rom. vii. 8. And if they -grow stupid, which is oftentimes the consequence hereof, their sense of -sin is entirely lost, and their repentance ends in presumption, and a -great degree of boldness in the commission of all manner of wickedness. - -(2.) We shall now consider how the Spirit works repentance unto life, -which is principally insisted on in this answer. This is said to be done -by the word of God; not by the law without the gospel, but by them both, -in which one is made subservient to the other. The law shews the soul -its sin, and the gospel directs him where he may find a remedy; one -wounds and the other heals; _the law enters_, as the apostle expresses -it, _that the offence might abound_, Rom. v. 20. but the gospel shews -him how _grace_ does _much more abound_, and where he may obtain -forgiveness, by which means he is kept from sinking under that weight of -guilt that lies on his conscience. And it leads him to hate and abstain -from sin, from those motives that are truly excellent; for which reason -it is called evangelical repentance. - -Now that we may better understand the nature thereof, we shall consider; -how it differs from that which we before described, which arises only -from that conviction of sin, which is by the law, which a person may -have, who is destitute of this grace of repentance, which we are -speaking of. Repentance, of what kind soever it be, contains in it a -sense of sin: but if it be such a sense of sin, that the unregenerate -person may have, this includes little more in it than a sense of the -danger and misery which he has exposed himself to by sins committed. The -principal motives leading hereunto, are the threatenings which the law -of God denounces against those that violate it. Destruction from God is -a terror to him; if this were not the consequence of sin, he would be so -far from repenting of it, that it would be the object of his chief -delight. And that guilt, which he charges himself with, is principally -such, as arises from the commission of the most notorious crimes, which -expose him to the greatest degree of punishment: whereas, repentance -unto life brings a soul under a sense of the guilt of sin, as it is -contrary to the holy nature and law of God, which the least, as well as -the greatest sins, are opposed to, and contain a violation of. And -therefore he charges himself, not only with open sins, which are -detestable in the eyes of men; but secret sins, which others have little -or no sense of; sins of omission, as well as sins of commission; and he -is particularly affected with the sin of unbelief, inasmuch as it -contains a contempt of Christ, and the grace of the gospel. And he is -not only sensible of those sins which break forth in his life; but that -propensity of nature, whereby he is inclined to rebel against God; so -that this sense of guilt, in some respects, differs from that which they -are brought under, who are destitute of saving repentance. - -But that in which they more especially differ is, in that saving -repentance contains in it a sense of the filth, and odious nature of -sin, and so considers it as defiling, or contrary to the holiness of -God, and rendering the soul worthy to be abhorred by him; so that as the -sense of guilt excites fear, and a dread of the wrath of God, this fills -him with shame, confusion of face, and self-abhorrence, which is -inseparably connected with the grace of repentance; accordingly these -are joined together, as Job says, _I abhor myself, and repent in dust -and ashes_, Job xlii. 6. or, as when God promises that he would bestow -this grace on his people, he says, _Then shall ye remember your own evil -ways, and your doings, that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves -in your own sight, for your iniquities, and for your abominations_, -Ezek. xxxvi. 31. As before this they set too high a value upon -themselves, and were ready to palliate and excuse their crimes, or -insist on their innocence, though their iniquity was written in legible -characters, as with a pen of iron, and the point of a diamond, and to -say with Ephraim, _In all my labour they shall find none iniquity in me -that were sin_, Hos. xii. 8. or, as the prophet Jeremiah says, -concerning a rebellious people, that _though in their skirts were found -the blood of the souls of the poor innocents_; yet they had the front to -say, _Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me_, Jer. -ii. 34, 35. Notwithstanding, when God brings them to repentance, and -heals their backslidings; they express themselves in a very different -way; _We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covers us; for we have -sinned against the Lord our God_, chap. iii. 25. Now this is such an -ingredient in true repentance, which is not to be found in that which -falls short of it: the sinner is afraid of punishment indeed, or, it may -be, he may be filled with shame, because of the reproach which attends -his vile and notorious crimes in the eyes of the world; yet he is not -ashamed, or confounded, as considering how vile he has rendered himself -hereby, in the eye of an holy God. - -There is another thing which is farther observed in this answer, which -is an ingredient in repentance unto life, in which respect it is -connected with faith, inasmuch as he apprehends the mercy of God in -Christ to such as are penitent; and this effectually secures him from -that despair which sometimes attends a legal repentance, as was before -observed, as well as affords him relief against the sense of guilt with -which this grace is attended. The difference between legal and -evangelical repentance, does not so much consist in that one represents -sin, as more aggravated; nor does it induce him that thus repents, to -think himself a greater sinner than the other; for the true penitent is -ready to confess himself the chief of sinners. He is far from -extenuating his sin, being ready, on all occasions, to charge himself -with more guilt than others are generally sensible of: but that which he -depends upon as his only comfort and support is the mercy of God in -Christ, or the consideration that there is forgiveness with him, that he -may be feared; this is that which affords the principal motive and -encouragement to repentance, and has a tendency to excite the various -acts thereof; which leads us to consider, - -V. What are the various acts of this repentance unto life; or what are -the fruits and effects produced thereby. - -1. The soul is filled with hatred of sin. When he looks back on his past -life, he bewails what cannot now be avoided; charges himself with folly -and madness, and wishes (though this be to no purpose) that he had done -many things which he has omitted, and avoided those sins, together with -the occasions thereof, which he has committed, the guilt whereof lies -with great weight upon him. How glad would he be if lost seasons and -opportunities of grace might be recalled, and the talents, that were -once put into his hand, though misimproved, regained! But all these -wishes are in vain. However, these are the after-thoughts which will -arise in the minds of those who are brought under a sense of sin. Sin -wounds the soul; the Spirit of God, when convincing thereof, opens the -wound, and causes a person to feel the smart of it, and gives him to -know, that _it is an evil thing, and bitter, that he has forsaken the -Lord his God_, Jer. ii. 19. This sometimes depresses the spirits, and -causes him to walk softly, to _set alone and keep silence_, Lam. iii. -28. being filled with that uneasiness which is very afflictive to him. -At other times it gives vent to itself in tears, as the Psalmist -expresses it, _I am weary with my groaning, all the night make I my bed -to swim; I water my couch with my tears_, Psal. vi. 6. In this case the -only thing that gives him relief or comfort is, that the guilt of sin is -removed by the blood of Christ, which tends to quiet his spirit, which -would otherwise be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. - -And to this we may add, that sin is always the object of his -detestation, even when there is an abatement of that grief, which, by -the divine supports and comforts he is fenced against: he hates sin, not -barely because of the sad consequences thereof, but as it is in itself -the object of abhorrence; and therefore his heart is set against all -sin, as the Psalmist says, _I hate every false way_, Psal. cxix. 104. -This hatred discovers itself by putting him upon flying from it, -together with all the occasions thereof, or incentives to it. He not -only abstains from those sins which they who have little more than the -remains of moral virtue are ashamed of, and afraid to commit, but hates -every thing that has in it the appearance of sin, and this hatred is -irreconcileable. As forgiveness does not make sin less odious in its own -nature, so the experience that he has of the grace of God herein, or -whatever measures of peace he enjoys, whereby his grief and sorrow is -assuaged, yet still his hatred of it not only remains, but increases: -and, as the consequence hereof, - -2. He turns from sin unto God; he first hates sin, and then flies from -it, as seeing it to be the spring of all his grief and fears, that which -separates between him and his God. Thus Ephraim, when brought to -repentance, is represented as saying, _What have I to do any more with -idols_, Hos. xiv. 8. reflecting on his past conduct, when addicted to -them, with a kind of indignation; so the true penitent, who has hitherto -been walking in those paths that lead to death and destruction, now -enquires after the way of holiness, and the paths of peace; as he has -hitherto walked contrary to God, now he desires to walk with him; and -having wearied himself in the greatness of his way, and seeing no fruit -in those things whereof he is now ashamed; and being brought into the -utmost straits, he determines to return to his God and Father. And in -doing this he purposes and endeavours to walk with him in all the ways -of new obedience, as the apostle exhorts those who had received good by -his ministry, that _with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the -Lord_, Acts xi. 23. This purpose is not like those hasty resolutions -which unconverted sinners make when God is hedging up their way with -thorns, and they are under the most distressing apprehensions of his -wrath. Then they say as the people did to Joshua, _We will serve the -Lord_, Josh. xxiv. 22. though they are not sensible how difficult it is -to fulfil the engagements which they lay themselves under, nor of the -deceitfulness of their own hearts, and the need they stand in of grace -from God, to enable them so to do. This purpose to walk with God, does -not so much respect what a person will do hereafter; but it contains a -resolution which is immediately put in execution, and so is opposed to -his former obstinacy, when determining to go on in the way of his own -heart. Thus the prodigal son, in the parable, no sooner resolved that he -would _arise and go to his Father_, Luke xv. 18, compared with 20. but -he arose and went. True repentance is always attended with endeavours -after new obedience, so that a person lays aside that sloth and -indolence which was inconsistent with his setting a due value on, or -improving the means of grace; and, as the result hereof, he now exerts -himself, with all his might, in pursuing after those things, whereby he -may approve himself God’s faithful servant; and hereby he discovers the -sincerity of his repentance; which he does, or rather is enabled to do, -by that grace, which at first began, and then carries on this work in -the soul, whereby he _has his fruit unto holiness, and the end_ thereof -_everlasting life_, Rom. vi. 22. - -From what has been said concerning repentance, we may infer, - -(1.) That since it is a grace that accompanies salvation, and -consequently is absolutely necessary thereunto, it is an instance of -unwarrantable and bold presumption, for impenitent sinners to expect, -that they shall be made partakers of the benefits which Christ has -purchased, while they continue in a state of enmity, opposition, and -rebellion against him; or that they shall be saved by him in their sins, -without being saved from them; for _he that covereth his sins shall not -prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them, shall have mercy_, -Prov. xxviii. 13. - -(2.) Since repentance is the work of the Spirit, and his gift, we infer, -that whatever endeavours we are obliged to use, or whatever motives or -inducements are given to lead us hereunto, we must not conclude, that it -is in our own power to repent when we please; and therefore it should be -the matter of our earnest and constant prayer to God, that he would turn -our hearts, give us a true sight and sense of sin, accompanied with -faith in Christ, as Ephraim is represented, saying, _Turn thou me, and I -shall be turned_, Jer. xxxi. 18. - -(3.) Let not those that have a distressing sense of their former sins, -how great soever they have been, give way to despairing thoughts; but -lay hold on the mercy of God in Christ, extended to the chief of -sinners, and improve it to encourage them to hate sin, and forsake it -from evangelical motives, which will have a tendency to remove their -fears while they look on God, not as a sin-revenging Judge, but a -reconciled Father, ready and willing to receive those who return to him -with unfeigned repentance. - -(4.) Since we daily commit sin, it follows from hence, that we stand in -need of daily repentance: and this being a branch of sanctification, as -sanctification is a progressive work, so is repentance. We are not to -expect that sin should be wholly extirpated, while we are in this -imperfect state; and therefore it is constantly to be bewailed, and, by -the grace of God working effectually in us, avoided; that, as the result -hereof, we may have a comfortable hope that that promise shall be -fulfilled, _They that sow in tears shall reap in joy_, Psal. cxxvi. 5. - -Footnote 222: - - It has been, perhaps correctly, asserted that repentance is neither a - duty discoverable by the law of nature, nor the written law of God; - because it is unfit, that a law, appointing death for the violation of - its precept, should also discover to the culprit a way of escape from - its own penalty incurred. - - But there existed purposes of mercy before the law was made; these - have been revealed by a gracious Sovereign; the condition of men, as - prisoners of hope possessing competent evidence of the compassion of - the Lawgiver, points to repentance. Sacrifices in former ages discover - not only a consciousness of guilt, but a glimmering hope at least, of - pardon. It is possible that these were the offspring of tradition - among the Gentiles, rather than the deductions of the light of nature. - But in either way, sorrow for sin is a duty founded on the will of - God. - - It is therefore a duty, perfectly reasonable, and expressly revealed - on the sacred page. The strength to perform it is from the King of - Providence and Grace. - - There is necessary in its production a discovery of guilt, liability - to misery, and entire helplessness. The general belief, or profession - of these truths, does not prove in event to be a cause adequate to - produce a total change in a man’s views, pursuits, desires, aversions, - labours, joys, and sorrows. There is necessary some deep sense, or - strong conviction of guilt. This, with respect to its proximate cause, - may originate in various ways; by reflecting on the Divine Sovereignty - and Majesty; by a solemn contemplation of the excellency and - loveliness of the moral perfection of Deity; by an affecting sight of - his goodness and mercy to the individual in particular; by attending - to the awful subject of Divine Justice, seen in the sufferings of - Christ, or anticipated in the future judgment, and final sufferings of - the damned. Such convictions are produced in great mercy to the - individual, how dearly soever they cost him, whether the prostrated - idols, on which the sensual affections were fastened, were companions, - friends, relations, honour or wealth. Disease, approaching death, or - any thing which shall dissolve the unhallowed attachment to earth, may - by the Divine blessing produce this change, the glory of which will - always really belong to Divine grace, which works unseen. - - The bitterness of such sorrows is sometimes extreme, when he who - wounded alone can cure. The effects of it are subsequently salutary, - both to deter from sin and to strengthen the party’s faith. - - The degrees of penitential sorrow are extremely various in different - converts. He who has been convinced of gospel truths step by step, and - has been in the same manner brought to the love and fear of God, and - to a universal conscientiousness, may have grounds of peace and - comfort equally safe, as he whose convictions have been the most - sensible; for not their height but their fruits prove them to be - genuine. - -Footnote 77: - - Grace here is put for repentance, and not the immediate influence on - the soul. - - - - - Quest. LXXVII. - - - QUEST. LXXVII. _Wherein do justification and sanctification differ?_ - - ANSW. Although sanctification be inseparably joined with - justification; yet they differ, in that God in justification, - imputeth the righteousness of Christ, in sanctification his Spirit - infuseth grace, and enableth to the exercise thereof; in the former - sin is pardoned, in the other it is subdued; the one doth equally - free all believers from the revenging wrath of God, and that - perfectly in this life, that they never fall into condemnation, the - other is neither equal in all, nor in this life perfect in any, but - growing up to perfection. - -This answer being principally a recapitulation of what is contained in -those that have been already insisted on, wherein the doctrine of -justification and sanctification are particularly explained, we shall -not much enlarge on it; but since there are some who suppose that one of -these graces may be attained without the other; and others confound -them, as though to be justified and to be sanctified implied the same -thing; we shall briefly consider, - -I. That which is supposed in this answer, namely, that sanctification -and justification are inseparably joined together; and accordingly, no -one has a warrant to claim one without the other: This appears in that -they are graces that accompany salvation. When the apostle connects -justification and effectual calling together, in the golden chain of our -salvation, Rom. viii. 30. he includes sanctification in this calling. -And elsewhere, when Christ is said to be _made righteousness and -redemption_ to us for our justification, he is, at the same time, said -to be made _wisdom and sanctification_, 1 Cor. i. 31. and we are said to -be _saved by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy -Ghost_, Tit. iii. 5. which is the beginning of the work of -sanctification; _that being justified by his grace, we should be made -heirs according to the hope of eternal life_; and speaking of some who -were once great sinners, and afterwards made true believers, he says, -concerning them, that they were _washed, sanctified, and justified in -the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God_, 1 Cor. vi. -11. And when God promises to pardon and _pass by the transgression of -the remnant of his heritage_, Micah vii. 18, 19. he also gives them -ground to expect that he would _subdue their iniquities_; the former is -done in justification, the latter in sanctification. - -From the connexion that there is between justification and -sanctification, we infer: that no one has ground to conclude that his -sins are pardoned, and that he shall be saved while he is in an -unsanctified state; for as this tends to turn the grace of God into -wantonness, so it separates what he has joined together, and it is a -certain evidence that they who thus divide them, are neither justified -nor sanctified. Let us therefore give diligence to evince the truth of -our justification, by our sanctification, or that we have a right and -title to Christ’s righteousness, by the life of faith, and the exercise -of all those other graces that accompany or flow from it. - -II. We have, in this answer, an account of some things in which -justification and sanctification differ, as, - -1. In justification God imputes the righteousness of Christ to us; -whereas, in sanctification the Spirit infuseth grace, and enableth to -the exercise thereof. What it is for God to impute Christ’s -righteousness hath been before considered; the only thing that we shall -now observe is, that the righteousness whereby we are justified, is, -without us, wrought out by Christ, for us; so that it is _by his -obedience_, as the apostle expresses it, that _we are made righteous_, -Rom. v. 19. and that which Christ did as our Surety, is placed to our -account, and accepted by the justice of God, as though it had been done -by us, as has been before observed: Whereas, in sanctification, the -graces of the Spirit are wrought and excited in us, we are denominated -holy, and our right to eternal life is evinced, though not procured. - -2. In justification sin is pardoned, in sanctification it is subdued; -the former takes away the guilt thereof, the latter its reigning power. -Where sin is pardoned, it shall not be our ruin; but yet it gives us -daily disturbance and uneasiness, makes work for repentance, and is to -be opposed by our dying to it, and living to righteousness. This is -therefore sufficiently distinguished from justification, which is also -to be considered as a motive or inducement leading to it. - -3. They differ, in that justification equally frees all believers from -the avenging wrath of God, in which respect it is perfect in this life, -so that a justified person shall never fall into condemnation; whereas, -the work of sanctification is not equal in all, nor perfect in this -life, but growing up to perfection. For the understanding of which, let -us consider, that when we speak of justification as perfect in this -life, or say, that all are equally justified, we mean, that where God -forgives one sin, he forgives all; so that _there is no condemnation to -them which are in Christ Jesus_, as the apostle says, chap. viii. 1. and -he adds, _Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? it is -God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth? it is Christ that died_, -ver. 33, 34. Were it not so, a person might be said to be justified, and -not have a right to eternal life, which implies a contradiction; for -though he might be acquitted, as to the guilt charged upon him by one -indictment, he would be condemned by that which is contained in another. - -We may from hence infer, that all justified persons have an equal right -to conclude themselves discharged from guilt, and the condemning -sentence of the law of God; though all cannot see their right to claim -this privilege by reason of the weakness of their faith. As for -sanctification, that, on the other hand, is far from being equal in all; -since the best of believers have reason to complain of the weakness of -their faith, and the imperfection of all other graces which are wrought -in them by the Spirit. If it be enquired from whence this imperfection -of sanctification arises, that is the subject of the following answer. - - - - - Quest. LXXVIII. - - - QUEST. LXXVIII. _Whence ariseth the imperfection of sanctification - in believers?_ - - ANSW. The imperfection of sanctification in believers, ariseth from - the remains of sin abiding in every part of them, and the perpetual - lustings of the flesh against the spirit, whereby they are often - foiled with temptations, and fall into many sins, are hindered in - all their spiritual services, and their best works are imperfect and - defiled in the sight of God. - -In this answer we may consider, - -I. That there is something supposed, namely, that the work of -sanctification is imperfect in this life, or that there are the remnants -of sin still abiding in the best of men. - -II. In what the imperfection of sanctification more especially discovers -itself; and in particular, what we are to understand by the lusting of -the flesh against the Spirit. And, - -III. The consequences hereof, to wit, their being foiled with -temptations, falling into many sins, and being hindered in their -spiritual services. - -1. As to the thing supposed in this answer, that the work of -sanctification is imperfect in this life: This must be allowed by all -who are not strangers to themselves, as it is said, _There is not a just -man upon the earth that doth good and sinneth not_, Eccl. vii. 20. fine -gold is not without a mixture of some baser metal, or alloy; even so our -best frames of spirit, when we think ourselves nearest heaven, or when -we have most communion with God, are not without a tincture of -indwelling sin, that is easy to be discerned in us. Whatever grace we -exercise, there are some defects attending it, either with respect to -the manner of its exerting itself, or the degree thereof; therefore -perfection, how desirable soever it be, is a blessing which we cannot, -at present, attain to: And if it be thus with us, when at the best, we -shall find, that at other times, corrupt nature not only discovers -itself, but gives us great interruption and disturbance, so that the -work of sanctification seems to be, as it were, at a stand, and we are -hereby induced to question the truth and sincerity of our graces; and -if, notwithstanding this, we have sufficient ground to conclude, that -our hearts are right with God; yet we are obliged to say with the -apostle, that we are _carnal, sold under sin_; and that, _when we would -do good, evil is present with us_, Rom. vii. 14. compared with 21. which -is an undeniable argument of the imperfection of the work of -sanctification. - -The contrary opinion to this is maintained by many who pretend that -perfection is attainable in this life; and to give countenance hereunto, -they refer to some scriptures, in which persons are characterized as -_perfect_ men; and others wherein perfection is represented as a duty -incumbent on us; as our Saviour says, _Be ye perfect, even as your -Father which is in heaven is perfect_, Matt. v. 48. and the apostle, in -his valedictory exhortation to the church, advises them to _be perfect_, -as well as _of one mind_; as they expected that the God of love and -peace should be with them, 2 Cor. xiii. 11. - -But to this it may be replied, that these scriptures do not speak of a -sinless perfection, but of such a perfection as is opposed to hypocrisy; -as Hezekiah says concerning himself, that he had _walked before the Lord -in truth, and with a perfect heart_, Isa. xxxviii. 3. Accordingly, the -perfection of those who are thus described in scripture, is explained as -denoting their uprightness. Thus Job is described, as _a perfect and -upright man, one that feared God and eschewed evil_, Job i. 1. compared -with 8. though he elsewhere disclaims any pretensions to a sinless -perfection; as he expresses himself, _If I say I am perfect, mine own -mouth shall prove me perverse_, chap. ix. 20. And when Noah is said to -be _perfect in his generation_, this is explained as denoting that he -was a _just_ or an _holy man_, and one that _walked with God_, Gen. vi. -9. - -As for other scriptures, which speak of perfection as a duty incumbent -on us, they are to be understood concerning the perfection of grace, as -to those essential parts thereof, without which it could not be -denominated true and genuine, and not as respecting a perfection of -degrees. True grace is perfect indeed, as it contains in it those -necessary ingredients, whereby an action is denominated good in all its -circumstances, in opposition to that which is so, only in some respects; -and therefore it must proceed from a good principle, an heart renewed by -regenerating grace; it must be agreeable to the rule which God has -prescribed in the gospel, and be performed in a right manner, and for -right ends: Thus a person may be said to be a perfect man, in like -manner as a new-born infant is denominated a man, as having all the -essential perfections of the human nature; though not arrived to that -perfection, in other respects, which it shall afterwards attain to: -Accordingly grace, when described, in scripture, as perfect, is -sometimes explained as alluding to a metaphor, taken from a state of -perfect manhood, in opposition to that of children: Thus the apostle -speaks of some, whom he represents, _as being of full age_; where the -same word is used[223], which is elsewhere rendered _perfect_; and these -are opposed to others whom he had before been speaking of, as weak -believers, or _babes_ in Christ; Heb., v. 13, 14. And elsewhere he -speaks of the church, which he styles the _body of Christ_, as arrived -to a state of manhood, and so calls it a perfect man; having attained -_the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ_; still alluding to -that stature which persons arrive to when they are adult; and these he -opposes in the following words, to children, who, through the weakness -of their faith, were liable to be _tossed to and fro, and carried about -with every wind of doctrine_, Eph. iv. 13, 14. And in other places, -where Christians are described as perfect, there is a word used, which -signifies their having that internal furniture whereby they are prepared -or disposed to do what is good: Thus the apostle speaks of _the man of -God_ being _perfect_[78], that is, _throughly furnished unto all good -works_, 2 Tim. iii. 17. And elsewhere he prays, for those to whom he -writes, that God would _make them perfect in_, or for _every good work_, -to the end _that they may do his will_[79], which is such a perfection -as is necessary to our putting forth any act of grace; and therefore it -does not in the least infer that perfection which they plead for, whom -we are now opposing. - -And, indeed, it is not barely the sense they give of those scriptures -that speak of persons being perfect, which they cannot but suppose may -be otherwise understood, that gives them occasion to defend this -doctrine; but the main thing on which it is founded, is, that God does -not require sinless perfection of fallen man, inasmuch as that is -impossible; and therefore he calls that perfection, which includes in it -our using those endeavours to lead a good life, which are in our own -power. This is agreeable to the Pelagian scheme, and to that which the -Papists maintain, who make farther advances on the Pelagian hypothesis; -and assert, not only that men may attain perfection in this life, but -that they may arrive to such a degree thereof, as exceeds the demands of -the law, and perform works of supererogation; which doctrine is -calculated to establish that of justification by works. - -But that which may be alleged in opposition hereunto, is, that it is -disagreeable to the divine perfections, and a notorious making void the -law of God, to assert that our obligation to yield perfect obedience, -ceases, because we have lost our power to perform it; as though a -person’s being insolvent, were a sufficient excuse for his not paying a -just debt. We must distinguish between God’s demanding perfect -obedience, as an out-standing debt, which is consistent with the glory -of his holiness and sovereignty, as a law-giver; and his determining -that we shall not be saved, unless we perform it in our own persons: and -we also distinguish between his connecting a right to eternal life with -our performing perfect obedience, as what he might justly insist on -according to the tenor of the first covenant, as our Saviour tells the -young man in the gospel, _If thou wilt enter into life keep the -commandments_, Matt. xix. 16. and his resolving that we shall not be -saved, unless we are able to perform it. The gospel purposes another -expedient, namely, that they who were obliged to yield perfect -obedience, and ought to be humbled for their inability to perform it, -should depend on Christ’s righteousness, which is the foundation of -their right to eternal life, in which respect they are said to be -perfect, or _compleat in him_, Col. ii. 10. which is the only just -notion of perfection, as attainable in this life: and, to conclude this -head, it is very unreasonable for a person to suppose that God will -abate some part of the debt of perfect obedience, and so to call our -performing those works, which have many imperfections adhering to them, -a state of perfection, which is to make it an easier matter to be a -Christian than God has made it. Thus concerning the thing supposed in -this answer, _viz._ that the work of sanctification is imperfect in this -life. - -But before we dismiss this head, we shall enquire, why God does not -bring this work to perfection at once, which he could easily have done, -and, as it is certain, will do, when he brings the soul to heaven. In -answer to which, we shall consider in general, that it is not meet for -us to say unto God, Why dost thou thus? especially considering that -this, as well as many of his other works, is designed to display the -glory of his sovereignty, which very eminently appears in the beginning, -carrying on, and perfecting the work of grace: we may as well ask the -reason, why he did not begin the work of sanctification sooner? or, why -he makes use of this or that instrument, or means, to effect it rather -than another? which things are to be resolved into his own pleasure: but -since it is evident that he does not bring this work to perfection in -this world, we may adore his wisdom herein, as well as his sovereignty. -For, - -1. Hereby he gives his people occasion to exercise repentance and godly -sorrow for their former sins committed before they were converted. -Perfect holiness would admit of no occasion to bring past sins to -remembrance; whereas, when we sin daily, and have daily need of the -exercise of repentance and godly sorrow, this gives us a more sensible -view of past sins. When corrupt nature discovers itself in those that -are converted, they take occasion hereby to consider how they have been -transgressors from the womb; as David, when he repented of his sin in -the matter of Uriah, at the same time that he aggravated the guilt of -his crime, as it justly deserved, he calls to mind his former sins, from -his very infancy, and charges that guilt upon himself which he brought -into the world; _Behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my -mother conceive me_, Psal. li. 5. And when Job considers God’s -afflictive providences towards him, as designed to bring sin to -remembrance, and desires that he would _make him to know his -transgression and his sin_; he adds, _Thou writest bitter things against -me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth_, Job. xiii. 23, -26. sins committed after conversion were brought to mind, and ordered as -a means to humble him for those that were committed before it. As for -sins committed before conversion, they could not, at that time, be said -truly to be repented of, since that would be to suppose the grace of -repentance antecedent to conversion; therefore if the work of -sanctification were to be immediately brought to perfection, this -perfect holiness would be as much attended with perfect happiness, as it -is in heaven, and consequently godly sorrow would be no more exercised -on earth, than it is there; whereas God, in ordering the gradual -progress of the work of sanctification, attended with the remainders of -sin, gives occasion to many humbling reflections, tending to excite -unfeigned repentance, not only for those sins committed after they had -experienced the grace of God; but for those great lengths they ran in -sin before they had tasted that the Lord was gracious; and therefore he -does not bring the work of sanctification to perfection in this present -world. - -2. Another reason of this dispensation of providence, is, that -believers, from their own experience of the breakings forth of -corruption, together with the guilt they contract thereby, and the -advantage they receive in gaining any victory over it, may be furnished -to administer suitable advice, and give warning to those who are in a -state of unregeneracy, that they may be persuaded to see the evil of -sin, which, at present, they do not. - -3. God farther orders this, that he may give occasion to his people to -exercise a daily conflict with indwelling sin. He suffers it to give -them great disturbance and uneasiness, that hereby they may be induced -to endeavour to mortify it, and be found in the exercise of those graces -which are adapted to an imperfect state, such as cannot be exercised in -heaven; nor could they be exercised here on earth, were they to be -brought into and remain while here in a sinless state; particularly -there could not be any acts of faith, in managing that conflict, whereby -they endeavour to stand their ground while exposed to those difficulties -that arise from the perpetual lustings of the flesh against the spirit; -which leads us to consider, - -II. In what the imperfection of sanctification more especially discovers -itself. This it does, not only in the weakness of every grace, which we -are at any time enabled to act; and the many failures we are chargeable -with in the performance of every duty incumbent upon us; so that if an -exact scrutiny were made into our best actions, and they weighed in the -balance, they would be found very defective; as appears from what has -been said under the foregoing head, concerning perfection, as not -attainable in this life. - -But this more particularly appears, as it is observed in this answer, -from the perpetual lustings of the flesh against the spirit. Thus the -apostle speaks of, _the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit -against the flesh_, Gal. v. 19. and so of the contrariety of the one to -the other; _so that we cannot do the things that we would_, and points -out himself as an instance hereof, when he says, _I know that in me, -that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing; for to will is present -with me, but how to perform that which is good, I find not; the good -that I would I do not, but the evil which I would not, that I do_, Rom. -vii. 18-23. and this reluctancy and opposition to what is good, he lays -to the charge of sin that dwelt in him, which he considers as having, as -it were, the force of a law; and in particular he styles it _the law of -his members warring against the law of his mind_, which is the same -thing with the lusting of the flesh, against the spirit: so that from -hence it appears, that when God implants a principle of grace in -regeneration, and carries on the work of sanctification in believers, he -does not wholly destroy, or root out those habits of sin which were in -the soul before this, but enables us to militate against, and overcome -them by his implanting and exciting a principle of grace; and from hence -arises this conflict that we are to consider. - -Indwelling sin is constantly opposing; but it does not always prevail -against the principle of grace. The event or success of this combat is -various, at different times. When corrupt nature prevails, the principle -of grace, though not wholly extinguished, remains unactive, or does not -exert itself, as at other times; all grace becomes languid, and there -appears but little difference between him and an unbeliever; he falls -into very great sins, whereby he wounds his own conscience, grieves the -holy Spirit, and makes sad work for a bitter repentance, which will -afterwards ensue: but inasmuch as the principle of spiritual life and -grace is not wholly lost, it will some time or other be excited, and -then will oppose, and maintain its ground against, the flesh, or the -corruption of nature; and, as the consequence hereof, those acts of -grace will be again put forth, which were before suspended. - -Having thus given an account of the conflict between indwelling sin and -grace, we shall now more particularly shew, how the habits of sin exert -themselves in those who are unregenerate, where there is no principle of -grace to oppose them. And then, how they exert themselves in believers; -and what opposition is made thereunto by the principle of grace in them; -and how it comes to pass that sometimes one prevails, at other times the -other. - -1. We shall consider those violent efforts that are made by corrupt -nature, in those who are unregenerate, in whom, though there be no -principle of grace to enable them to withstand them; yet they have a -conflict in their own spirits. There is something in nature, that, for a -time, keeps them from complying with temptations to the greatest sins; -though the flesh, or that propensity that is in them to sin, will -prevail at last, and lead them from one degree of impiety to another, -unless prevented by the grace of God. In this case the conflict is -between corrupt nature and an enlightened conscience; and that more -especially in those who have had the advantage of a religious education, -and the good example of some whom they have conversed with, whereby they -have contracted some habits of moral virtue, which are not immediately -extinguished: it is not an easy matter to persuade them to commit those -gross, and scandalous sins, which others, whose minds are blinded, and -their hearts hardened to a greater degree by the deceitfulness of sin, -commit with greediness and without remorse. The principles of education -are not immediately broken through; for in this case men meet with a -great struggle in their own breasts, before they entirely lose them; and -they proceed, by various steps, from one degree of wickedness unto -another[80]. A breach is first made in the fence, and afterwards widened -by a continuance in the same sins, or committing new ones, especially -such as have in them a greater degree of presumption. And this disposes -the soul to comply with temptations to greater sins; whereas, it would -be to no purpose to tempt him at first, to be openly profane, blaspheme -the name of God, or cast off all external acts of religion, and abandon -himself to those immoralities which the most notoriously wicked, and -profligate sinners commit, without shame, till he has paved the way to -them by the commission of other sins that lead thereunto. - -That which at first prevents or restrains him from the commission of -them, is something short of a principle of grace which we call the -dictates of a natural conscience, which often checks and reproves him: -his natural temper or disposition is not so far vitiated, at present as -to allow of, or incline him to pursue any thing that is openly vile and -scandalous; he abhors, and, as it were, trembles at the thoughts of it. -Thus when the prophet Elisha told Hazael of all the evil that he would -do unto the children of Israel, that he would _set their strong holds on -fire, slay their young men with a sword, dash their children, and rip up -their women with child_; when he heard this, he entertained the thought -with a kind of abhorrence, and said, _But what, is thy servant a dog, -that he should do this great thing_, 2 Kings viii. 12, 13. Yet -afterwards, when king of Syria, we find him of another mind; for he was -a greater scourge to the people of God than any of the neighbouring -princes, and _smote them in all the coasts of Israel_, chap. x. 32. - -Now that which prevents these greater sins, is generally fear or shame; -their consciences terrify them with the thoughts of the wrath of God, -which they would hereby expose themselves to; or they are apprehensive -that such a course of life would blast their reputation amongst men, and -be altogether inconsistent with that form of godliness which they have -had a liking to from their childhood. But since these restraints do not -proceed from the internal and powerful influence of regenerating grace, -being excited by lower motives than those which the Spirit of God -suggests, in them who are converted; since natural conscience is the -main thing that restrains them, corrupt nature first endeavours to -counteract the dictates thereof, and, by degrees, gets the mastery over -them. When conscience reproves them, they first offer a bribe to it, by -performing some moral duties, to silence its accusations for -presumptuous sins, and pretend that their crimes fall short of those -committed by many others; at other times they complain of its being too -strict in its demands of duty, or severe in its reproofs for sin. And if -all this will not prevail against it, but it will, notwithstanding, -perform the office of a faithful reprover, then the sinner resolves to -stop his ears against convictions; and if this will not altogether -prevent his being made uneasy thereby, he betakes himself to those -diversions that may give another turn to his thoughts, and will not -allow himself time for serious reflection; and associates himself with -those whose conversation will effectually tend to extinguish all his -former impressions of moral virtue; and by this means, at last he -stupifies his conscience, and it becomes, as the apostle expresses it, -_seared with a hot iron_, 1 Tim. iv. 2. and so he gets, as I may express -it, a fatal victory over himself; and from that time meets with no -reluctancy or opposition in his own breast, while _being past feeling, -he gives himself over unto lasciviousness, to work uncleanness_, and all -manner of _iniquity with greediness_, Eph. iv. 19. which leads us to -consider, - -2. That conflict which is between the flesh and spirit, in those in whom -the work of sanctification is begun. Here we shall first observe, the -lustings of the flesh; and then the opposition that it meets with from -that principle of grace which is implanted and excited in them, which is -called the lusting of the spirit against it. - -(1.) How corrupt nature exerts itself in believers, to prevent the -actings of grace. Here it may be observed, - -[1.] That that which gives occasion to this, is the Spirit’s withdrawing -his powerful influences, which, when the soul is favoured with, have a -tendency to prevent those pernicious consequences which will otherwise -ensue. And God withdraws these powerful influences sometimes in a way of -sovereignty, to shew him that it is not in his own power to avoid sin -when he will; or that he cannot, without the aids of his grace, -withstand those temptations which are offered to him to commit it. Or -else, he does this with a design to let him know what is in his heart; -and that he might take occasion to humble him for past sins, or present -miscarriages, and make him more watchful for the future. - -[2.] Besides this, there are some things which present themselves in an -objective way, which are as so many snares laid to entangle him. And -corrupt nature makes a bad improvement thereof, so that his natural -constitution is more and more vitiated by giving way to sin, and defiled -by the remainders of sin that dwelleth in him. The temptation is -generally adapted to the corrupt inclination of his nature, and Satan -has a hand therein. Thus if his natural temper inclines him to be proud -or ambitious, then immediately the honours and applause of the world are -presented to him; and he never wants examples of those, who, in an -unlawful way, have gained a great measure of esteem in the world, and -made themselves considerable in the stations in which they have been -placed: if he is naturally addicted to pleasures, of what kind soever -they be, then something is offered that is agreeable to corrupt nature, -which seems delightful to it; though it be in itself, sinful: if he be -more than ordinarily addicted to covetousness, then the profits and -advantages of the world are presented as a bait to corrupt nature, and -groundless fears raised in him, of being reduced to poverty, which, by -an immoderate pursuit after the world, he is tempted to fence against. -Moreover, if his natural constitution inclines him to resent injuries, -then Satan has always his instruments ready at hand to stir up his -corruption, and provoke him to wrath, by offering either real or -supposed injuries; magnifying the former beyond their due bounds, or -inferring the latter without duly considering the design of those whose -innocent behaviour sometimes gives occasion hereunto, and, at the same -time, overcharging his thoughts with them, as though no expedient can be -found to atone for them. Again, if his natural constitution inclines him -to sloth and inactivity, then the difficulties of religion are set -before him, to discourage him from the exercise of that diligence which -is necessary to surmount them. And if, on the other hand, his natural -temper leads him to be courageous and resolute, then corrupt nature -endeavours to make him self-confident, and thereby to weaken his trust -in God. Or if he be naturally inclined to fear, then something is -offered to him, that may tend to his discouragement, and to sink him -into despair. These are the methods used by the flesh, when lusting -against the spirit; which leads us to consider, - -(2.) The opposition of the spirit to the flesh; or how the principle of -grace in believers inclines them to make a stand against indwelling sin, -which is called the lusting of the spirit against the flesh. The grace -of God, when wrought in the heart in regeneration, is not an unactive -principle; for it soon exerts itself, as being excited by the power of -the Spirit, who implanted it; and from that time there is, or ought to -be, a constant opposition made by it to corrupt nature; and that, not -only as the soul, with unfeigned repentance, mourns for it, and -exercises that self-abhorrence which the too great prevalence thereof -calls for; but as it leads him to implore help from God, against it, by -whose assistance he endeavours to subdue the corrupt motions of the -flesh; or, as the apostle expresses it, to _mortify the deeds of the -body_, Rom. viii. 13. that by this means they may not be entertained, or -prove injurious and destructive to him. - -And inasmuch as there is something objective, as well as subjective, in -this work; since the power of God never excites the principle of grace -without presenting objects for it to be conversant about, there are -several things suggested to the soul, which, if duly weighed and -improved, are a means conducive to its being preserved from a compliance -with the corrupt motions of indwelling sin: these are of a superior -nature to those made use of by an enlightened conscience, in -unregenerate persons, to prevent their committing the vilest -abominations, as was before considered; and indeed, they are such as, -from the nature of the thing, can be used (especially some of them) by -none but those in whom the work of grace is begun. Accordingly, - -[1.] A believer considers not only the glorious excellencies and -perfections of Christ, which he is now duly sensible of, as he is said -to be precious to them that believe; but he is also affected with the -manifold engagements, which he has been laid under to love him, and to -hate and oppose every thing that is contrary to his glory and interest. -The love of Christ constraineth him; and therefore he abhors the -thoughts of being so ungrateful and disingenuous as he would appear to -be, should he fulfil the lusts of the flesh: the sense of redeeming love -and grace is deeply impressed on his soul; he calls to mind how he has -been quickened, effectually called, and brought into the way of peace -and holiness, and therefore cannot entertain any thoughts of relapsing -or returning again to folly. - -Here he considers the great advantage which he has received, which he -would not lose on any terms. The delight and pleasure which he has had -in the ways of God and godliness, has been so great, that corrupt nature -cannot produce any thing that may be an equivalent for the loss of it. -He is very sensible that the more closely he has walked with God, the -more comfortably he has walked. And besides this, he looks forward, and, -by faith, takes a view of the blessed issue of the life of grace, or -those reserves of glory laid up for him in another world, which inclines -him to cast the utmost contempt on every thing that has the least -tendency to induce him to relinquish or abandon his interest therein. - -[2.] He considers and improves those bright examples which are set -before him, to encourage him to go on in the way of holiness; takes -Christ himself for a pattern, endeavouring, so far as he is able, to -follow him; walks as they have done, who have not only stood their -ground, but come off victorious in the conflict, and are reaping the -blessed fruits and effects thereof. - -[3.] He also considers, as an inducement to him to oppose the corrupt -motions of the flesh; that he has by faith, as his own act and deed, in -the most solemn manner, given up himself to Christ entirely, and without -reserve, and professed his obligation to obey him in all things, and to -avoid whatever has a tendency to displease him. And therefore he reckons -that he is not his own, or, at his own disposal, but Christ’s, whose he -is, by a double right, not only as purchased by, but as devoted and -consecrated to him; and therefore he says with the apostle, _How shall -we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?_ Rom. vi. 2. He says -to this purpose, I have given up my name to Christ; and I have not, -since that time, seen the least reason to repent of what I did; I have -not found the least iniquity in him, neither has he been an hard master; -but, on the other hand, has expressed the greatest tenderness and -compassion to me, to whose grace alone it is owing, that I am what I am. -Shall I therefore abandon his interest, or prove a deserter at last, and -turn aside into the enemies’ camp? Is there any thing that can be -proposed as a sufficient motive hereunto? Such like thoughts as these, -through the prevailing influence of the principle of grace implanted and -excited by the Spirit, are an effectual means to keep him from a sinful -compliance with the motions of the flesh, and to excite him to make the -greatest resistance against them. - -Thus we have considered the opposition that there is between the flesh -and spirit, and how each of these prevail by turns; we might now observe -the consequence of the victory obtained on either side. When grace -prevails, all things tend to promote our spiritual peace and joy; we are -hereby fortified against temptations, and enabled, not only to stand our -ground, but made more than conquerors, through him that loved us. -However it is not always so with a believer; he sometimes finds, that -corrupt nature prevails, and then many sad consequences will ensue -hereupon, which not only occasion the loss of that peace and joy which -he had before; but expose him to many troubles, which render his life -very uncomfortable; and this leads us to consider, - -III. What are the consequences of the prevailing power of indwelling -sin. When the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and God is pleased to -withhold his grace, the soul is subjected to many evils, which are -mentioned in the remaining part of this answer, as, - -1. A believer is foiled with temptation. Satan gains ground against him -by this means, and pursues the victory which the flesh has obtained -against the spirit; hereupon his conflicts are doubled, arising not only -from _flesh and blood; but the rulers of the darkness of this world_, -Eph. vi. 12. as the apostle expresses it: now his difficulties encrease -upon him, his enemies are more insulting, and he less able to stand his -ground against them, his faith weakened, and his fears encreasing, so -that he is perpetually subject to bondage; sometimes inclined to think -that he shall one day fall, and whatever he formerly thought he had -gained, he lost by the assaults of his spiritual enemies; and at other -times, to question whether ever he had the truth of grace or no; in -which case his spirit must needs be filled with the greatest perplexity, -and almost overwhelmed within him. And he is destitute of that boldness -or liberty of access to the throne of grace, and that comfortable sense -which once he had of his interest in Christ, and finds it very difficult -to recover those lively frames which he has lost, or to stand his ground -against the great opposition made by corrupt nature, which still -increases as faith grows weaker. - -2. Another consequence hereof, is his falling into many sins. By which -we are not to suppose that he shall be so far left as to fall into a -state of unregeneracy, or lose the principle of grace that was implanted -in regeneration: nevertheless, when this principle does not exert -itself, and corrupt nature on the other hand, is prevalent, it is hard -to say how far he will run into the commission of known and wilful sins. -As for sins of infirmity, they cannot be avoided, when we are in the -best frame: but in this case we shall find a person committing -presumptuous sins, so that if we were to judge of his state by his -present frames, without considering the former experiences which he has -had of the grace of God, we should be ready to question, whether his -heart were right with God. - -And as for sins of omission, these generally ensue hereupon; he cannot -draw nigh to God, with that frame of spirit, which he once had, and -therefore is ready to say, _What profit should I have if I pray unto -him?_ Job xxi. 15. and sometimes concludes, that he contracts guilt by -attempting to engage in holy duties. And to this we may add, that he is -hindered in all his spiritual services, as it is farther observed in -this answer: thus the apostle says, _When I would do good, evil is -present with me_, Rom. vii. 21. He finds his heart disposed to wander -from God, and his thoughts taken up with vanity; upon which account it -may be truly said, that his best works are not only imperfect, but -defiled in the sight of God, who searcheth the heart, and observes the -various steps by which it treacherously departs from him, and can find -no way to recover itself till he is pleased to revive his work, take -away the guilt which he has contracted, recover him out of the snare -into which he has fallen, and so cause the work of grace again to -flourish in the soul, as it has once done. - -We shall conclude with some inferences from what has been said -concerning the imperfection of sanctification in believers, together -with the reasons and consequences thereof. - -1. Since sinless perfection is not attainable in this life, we should -from hence take occasion to give a check to our censorious thoughts -concerning persons or things, so as not to determine persons to be in an -unconverted state, because they are chargeable with many sinful -infirmities, which are not inconsistent with the truth of grace: some -abatements are to be made for their being sanctified but in part, and -having the remnants of sin in them; and indeed, the greatest degree of -grace which can be attained here, comes far short of that which the -saints are arrived to in heaven; accordingly the difference between a -believer and an unregenerate sinner is not in that one is perfect, and -the other imperfect; for when we consider the brightest characters given -of any in scripture, their blemishes as well as their graces are -recorded; so that none but our Saviour could challenge the world to -convict or reprove them of sin. The apostle speaks of Elias, as a _man -subject to like passions as we are_, James v. 17. and he might have -instanced in many others. Therefore, when we are sensible of our own -imperfections, we ought to enquire, whether the spots we find in -ourselves, are like the spots of God’s children? or, whether these -infirmities may be reckoned inconsistent with the truth of grace? which, -if they be, though it affords matter for humiliation, that we are liable -to any sinful failures, or defects; yet it will be some encouragement to -us, and matter of thanksgiving to God, that notwithstanding this, our -hearts are right with him. That we may be, in some measure, satisfied as -to this matter, let it be considered, - -[1.] That we must distinguish between a person’s being tempted to the -greatest sins, which are inconsistent with the truth of grace; and his -complying with the temptation. A temptation of this kind may offer -itself, and at the same time grace may exert itself in an eminent -degree, by the opposition that it makes to it, whether it arises from -indwelling sin, or Satan. - -[2.] When we read of some sins that are inconsistent with the truth of -grace, such as those which the apostle speaks of, when he says, that -_neither fornicators nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor -abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor -drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of -God_, 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. and elsewhere, _the fearful and unbelieving_, as -well as those who are guilty of other notorious crimes, are said to -_have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone_, -Rev. xxi. 8. We must distinguish between those who are guilty of these -sins in a less degree than what is intended, when they are said to -exclude from the kingdom of heaven; and others being guilty thereof, in -a notorious degree, with greater aggravations: Thus unbelieving fears in -those who are called to suffer for Christ’s sake, if they do not issue -in a denial of him, are not altogether inconsistent with the truth of -grace, though they render a person guilty before God. And the least -degree of covetousness, though it is not to be excused, yet it does not -exclude from the kingdom of heaven; but the prevailing love of the -world, or the immoderate pursuit of it in those who use unlawful means -to attain it, or have a rooted habitual desire after it, more than -Christ, or put it in his room, this is to be reckoned a mark of -unregeneracy. - -[3.] We must distinguish between sinful infirmities and allowed -infirmities, or such who sin through surprize, as being assaulted by an -unforseen temptation, when not being on their guard; and the same sin -committed with deliberation; the latter gives greater ground to fear -that a person is in a state of unregeneracy than the former. - -We must also distinguish between sins committed and repented of, with -that degree of godly sorrow which is proportioned to their respective -aggravations; and the same sins committed and continued in with -impenitency; the latter gives ground to conclude, that a person is in an -unconverted state, though not the former. And the difference arises not -barely from the nature of the crimes, for we suppose the sins in -themselves to be the same; but from other evidences which a person has -or has not of his being in a state of grace. - -2. From what has been said concerning the opposition that there is -between natural conscience and corrupt nature in the unregenerate, we -may infer; that it is a great blessing to have a religious education, as -it has a tendency to prevent many enormities, which others, who are -destitute of it, run into: Accordingly they who have had this privilege -ought to bless God for, and make a right improvement of it. But since -those principles which take their rise from thence, are liable, without -the grace of God prevent it, to be overcome and lost; let us press after -something more than this, and be importunate with God, whose providence -has favoured us thus far, that he would give us a better preservative -against sin, or that the prevailing power thereof may be prevented by -converting grace. - -3. From the opposition that corrupt nature makes in believers to the -work of grace, we may infer that the standing of the best of men, or -their not being chargeable with the greatest sins, is not so much owing -to themselves as to the grace of God, by which we are what we are, and -therefore the glory thereof belongs intirely to him; and that we have -reason, when we are praying against our spiritual enemies, to beg that -God would deliver us from the greatest of them, namely, ourselves; and -that he, who has a sovereignty over the hearts of all men, and can -govern and sanctify their natural tempers and dispositions, would keep -us from being drawn aside thereby. This should also induce us to walk -watchfully, and to be always on our guard, depending on the grace of God -for help, that indwelling sin may not so far prevail as to turn aside -and alienate our affections from him. - -4. From what has been said concerning the flesh and spirit prevailing by -turns, we infer the uncertainty of the frame of our spirits, and what -changes we are liable to, with respect to the actings of grace, or the -comforts that result from it. This somewhat resembles the state of man -as subject to various changes, with respect to the dispensations of -providence; sometimes lifted up, at other times cast down, and not -abiding long in the same condition: Thus we are enabled, at some times, -to gain advantage over indwelling sin, and enjoy the comforts which -arise from thence; at other times, when the flesh prevails, the acts of -grace are interrupted, and its comforts, almost, if not entirely lost. -What reason have we therefore to bless God, that though our graces are -far from being brought to perfection, and our frames so various; yet he -has given us ground to conclude, that grace shall not wholly be lost, -and we are assured, that our state, as we are justified, is not liable -to the same uncertainty, so that that which interrupts the progress of -sanctification, does not bring us into an unjustified state, or render -us liable to condemnation? - -5. From the inconveniences we sustain by the flesh prevailing against -the spirit, as we are foiled by temptation, fall into sins and are -hindered in spiritual services, we infer the great hurt that sin does to -those who are in a justified and sanctified state, as well as to others, -who are under the dominion of it. And therefore it is a vile and -unwarrantable way of speaking which some use, who say, that because -nothing shall separate them from the love of Christ, or bring them who -are justified, back again into an unjustified state, that therefore sin -can do them no hurt; as though all the consequences of the prevalency of -corrupt nature, and the dishonour we bring to God, and the guilt we -contract hereby, could hardly be reckoned prejudicial; but this is such -a way of speaking as confutes itself in the opinion of all judicious and -sober Christians. - -Again, we might also infer, from the consequences of the prevalency of -corruption, as we are liable hereby to be discouraged from, or hindered -in the performance of duty; that we ought, if we find it thus with us, -to take occasion from hence to enquire, whether some secret sin be not -indulged and entertained by us, which gives occasion to the prevalency -of corrupt nature, which we ought to be humbled for. Or if we have lived -in the omission of those duties which are incumbent on us, or have -provoked God to leave us to ourselves, and so have had an hand in our -present evils; this affords matter of great humiliation. And we ought to -be very importunate with God for restoring grace, not only that our -faith may not fail; but that we may be recovered out of the snare in -which we are entangled, and may be brought off victorious over all our -spiritual enemies. - -Footnote 223: - - Τελεσος. - -Footnote 78: - - Αρλος. - -Footnote 79: - - _The word is_ καταρτισαι; _which signifies to give them an internal - disposition or fitness for the performance of the duties which they - were to engage in_, _Heb._ xiii. 21. - -Footnote 80: - - _It is a true observation which some have laid down in this known - aphorism_, Nemo repente fit turpissimus. - - - - - Quest. LXXIX. - - - QUEST. LXXIX. _May not true believers, by reason of their - imperfections, and the many temptations and sins they are overtaken - with, fall away from the state of grace?_ - - ANSW. True believers, by reason of the unchangeable love of God, and - his decree and covenant to give them perseverance, their inseparable - union with Christ, his continual intercession for them, and the - Spirit and seed of God abiding in them, can neither totally nor - finally fall from the state of grace, but are kept by the power of - God, through faith unto salvation. - -It is natural for persons, when they enjoy any blessing, to be -solicitous about their retaining it; otherwise the pleasure that arises -from it; if it is like to be short and transitory, is rather an -amusement than a solid and substantial happiness. The same may be said -of those graces and privileges which believers are made partakers of, as -the fruits and effects of the death of Christ: These are undoubtedly the -most valuable blessings; therefore it highly concerns us to enquire; -whether we may assuredly conclude, that we shall not lose them, and so -fail of that future blessedness which we have had so delightful a -prospect of? - -The saints’ perseverance has not only been denied by many since the -reformation, and, in particular, by Papists, Socinians, and -Remonstrants: But by the Pelagians of old; and all those whose -sentiments bear some affinity to, or are derived from their scheme. And, -indeed, when we find persons endeavouring to establish the doctrine of -conditional election, universal redemption, &c. or when they explain the -nature of human liberty, as they do, who make the grace of God to be -dependent on it for its efficacy in the beginning and carrying on the -work of conversion and sanctification; and accordingly assert, that the -will has an equal power to determine itself to good or evil; or, that -the grace of God affords no other assistance to promote the one or fence -against the other, than what is objective, or, at least, by supporting -our natural faculties; and if there be any divine concourse, that it -consists only in what respects the external dispensations of providence, -as a remote means conducive thereunto, the event hereof depending on our -own conduct or disposition to improve these means: I say, if persons -maintain these and such-like doctrines, it is not to be wondered, when -we find them pleading for the possibility of a believer’s falling -totally and finally from the grace of God. For they who have brought -themselves into a state of grace, may apostatize, or fall from it. If -the free-will of man first inclined itself to exercise those graces -which we call special, such as faith, repentance, love to God, &c. then -it will follow, that he may lose them and relapse to the contrary vices; -and by this means men may plunge themselves into the same depths of sin -and misery from whence they had before escaped; and, according to this -scheme, there may be, in the course of our lives, a great many instances -of defection from the grace of God, and recovery to it, and finally, a -drawing back unto perdition: Or if a person be so happy as to recover -himself out of his last apostacy before he leaves the world, then he is -saved; otherwise he finally perishes. This is a doctrine which some -defend, the contrary whereunto we shall endeavour to maintain, as being -the subject insisted on in this answer. - -But before we proceed to the defence thereof, it may not be amiss to -premise something, which may have, at least, a remote tendency to -dispose us to receive conviction from the arguments which may be brought -to prove it. Thus we may consider that the contrary side of the question -is in itself less desirable, if it could be defended. It is certain, -that the doctrine of the possibility of the saints falling from grace, -tends very much to abate that delight and comfort which the believer has -in the fore-views of the issue and event of his present state. It is a -very melancholy thought to consider, that he who is now advanced to the -very borders of heaven, may be cast down into hell; or that, though he -has at present an interest in the special and discriminating love of -God, he may afterwards become the object of his hatred, so as never to -behold his face with joy in a future world; or that, though his feet are -set upon a rock, yet his goings are not established; though he is -walking in a plain and safe path, yet he may be ensnared, entangled, and -fall, so as never to rise again; that though God be his friend, yet he -may suffer him to fall into the hands of his enemies, and be ruined and -undone thereby, as though his own glory were not concerned in his coming -off victorious over them, or connected with the salvation of his people: -So that as this doctrine renders the state of believers very precarious -and uncertain, it tends effectually to damp their joys, and blast their -expectations, and subject them to perpetual bondage; and it is a great -hindrance to their offering praise and thanksgiving to God, whose grace -is not so much magnified towards them, as it would be, had they ground -to conclude that the work which is now begun, should certainly be -brought to perfection. - -And on the other hand, the doctrine which we are to maintain, is in -itself so very comfortable, that if we were, at present, in suspense -concerning the truth thereof, we cannot but desire that it may appear to -be agreeable to the mind of God: It is certainly a very delightful thing -for us to be assured, that what is at present well, shall end well; that -they who are brought to believe in Christ, shall for ever abide with -him; and that the work of grace, which, at present, affords so fair and -pleasing a prospect of its being at last perfected in glory, shall not -miscarry. This will have a tendency to enhance our joy in proportion to -the ground we have to conclude that the work is true and genuine; and it -will excite our thankfulness to God, when we consider, that he who is -the author, will also be the finisher of faith: So that it is certain -this doctrine deserves confirmation; and accordingly we shall endeavour -to establish our faith therein in the following method: - -I. We shall consider what we are to understand by persevering in grace, -or falling from it. - -II. We shall prove, that the best believers would certainly fall from -grace, were they left to themselves: So that their perseverance therein, -is principally to be ascribed to the power of God, which keeps them, -through faith, unto salvation. - -III. We shall consider, what ground we have to conclude that the saints -shall persevere in grace; and so explain and illustrate the several -arguments insisted on in this answer; to which we shall add some others -taken from several scriptures by which this doctrine may be defended. - -IV. We shall endeavour to answer some objections that are generally -brought against it. - -V. We shall consider what we are to understand by persevering in grace, -or falling from it. - -1. When we speak of a person as persevering in grace, this supposes that -he has the truth of grace. We do not hereby intend that a person may not -fall away from a profession of faith; or that no one can lose that which -we generally call common grace, which, in many things, bears a -resemblance to that which is saving. We have before considered, that -there is a temporary faith, whereby persons appear religious, while it -comports with their secular interest; but when they are called by reason -of persecution or tribulation, which may arise for the sake of the -gospel, to forego their worldly interests, or quit their pretensions to -religion, they fall away, or lose that grace which they _seemed to -have_, as the Evangelist expresses it, Luke viii. 18. We read of some -whose hope of salvation is like the spider’s web, or the giving up of -the ghost; but these are described not as true believers, but -hypocrites. It is beyond dispute that such may apostatize, and not only -lay aside the external practice of some religious duties, but deny and -oppose the doctrines of the gospel, which they once assented to the -truth of. - -2. It is certain that true believers may fall into very great sins; but -yet they shall be recovered and brought again to repentance: therefore -we must distinguish between their dishonouring Christ, disobeying his -commands, and thereby provoking him to be angry with him; and their -falling away totally from him. We have before considered, when we proved -that perfection is not attainable in this life, that the best men are -sometimes chargeable with great failings and defects. And indeed, -sometimes their sins are very heinously aggravated, their conversation -in the mean while discovering that they are destitute of the actings of -grace, and that to such a degree that they can hardly be distinguished -from those who are in an unregenerate state: accordingly it is one thing -for a believer not to be able to put forth those acts of grace which he -once did; and another thing for him to lose the principle of grace: it -would be a very preposterous thing to say, that when David sinned in the -matter of Uriah, the principle of grace exerted itself; yet it was not -wholly lost. It is not the same in this case, as in the more common -instances of the saints’ infirmities, which they are daily chargeable -with, in which, the conflict that there is between the flesh and spirit -appears; for when corrupt nature exerts itself in such a degree that it -leads persons to the commission of deliberate and presumptuous sins, -they hardly appear to be believers at that time: nevertheless if we -compare what they were before they fell, with what they shall be when -brought to repentance, we may conclude, that they did not, by their -fall, bring themselves altogether into a state of unregeneracy. - -3. It is beyond dispute, that as a believer may be destitute of the acts -of grace; so he may lose the comforts thereof, and sink into the depths -of despair. Of this we have several instances recorded in scripture, -which are agreeable to the experiences of many in our day: thus the -Psalmist, at one time, speaks of himself, as _cast down_, and _his soul -disquieted within him_, Psal. xliii. 5. and cxvi. 3. And at another time -he says, _The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat -hold upon me._ And elsewhere he complains, _Will the Lord cast off for -ever? will he be favourable no more? is his mercy clean gone for ever? -doth his promise fail for evermore? hath God forgotten to be gracious? -hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies_, Psal. lxxvii. 7-9. And -again, a believer is represented as being altogether destitute of a -comfortable sense of the divine love, when complaining, _Thou hast laid -me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps. Thy wrath lieth hard -upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Wilt thou shew -wonders to the dead? Shall the dead arise and praise thee? Shall thy -loving kindness be declared in the grave, or thy faithfulness in -destruction? Thy fierce wrath goeth over me, thy terrors have cut me -off_, Psal. lxxxviii. 6. _&c._ And it is certain, that when at any time -he falls into very great sins, which seem inconsistent with a state of -grace, he has no present evidence that he is a believer; and is never -favoured with a comfortable sense of his interest in Christ, nor is the -joy of God’s salvation restored to him, till he is brought unfeignedly -to repent of his sin. Former experiences will not evince the truth of -grace, while he remains impenitent. It is a bad sign when any one, who -formerly appeared to have the truth of grace, but is now fallen into -great sins, concludes himself to be in a state of grace, without the -exercise of true repentance; for this can be deemed little better than -presumption: however, God, whose mercy is infinitely above our deserts, -will, in the end, recover him; though, at present, he does not look like -one of his children. - -4. There are some who suppose that a believer may fall totally, though -not finally from grace. And their reason for it is this; because they -conclude, as they have sufficient warrant to do, from scripture, that -they shall not fall finally, inasmuch as the purpose of God concerning -election, must stand; if they had not been chosen to salvation they -would never have been brought into a state of grace: they are supposed, -before they fell, to have been sanctified; whereas sanctification is -inseparably connected with salvation; and therefore, though they -consider them, at this time, as having lost the grace of sanctification, -and so to have fallen totally; yet they shall be recovered, and -therefore not fall finally. Sanctification is Christ’s purchase; and -where grace is purchased for any one, a price of redemption is paid for -his deliverance from condemnation; and consequently he shall be -recovered and saved at last, though, at present, he is, according to -their opinion, totally fallen. - -These suppose, not only that the acts of grace may be lost, but the very -principle, and the reason hereof is, because they cannot see, how great -and notorious sins, such as those committed by David, Peter, Solomon, -and some others, can consist with a principle of grace: this indeed cuts -the knot of some difficulties that seem to attend the doctrine of the -saints perseverance, though falling into great sins: nevertheless, I -think it may easily be proved, which we shall endeavour to do, that they -shall be preserved from a total, as well as a final apostacy: or, that -when they fall into great sins, they do not lose the principle of grace, -though it be, at present, innactive; which we shall take occasion to -insist on, more particularly under a following head, when we consider -that argument mentioned in this answer for the proof of this doctrine -taken from the Spirit and seed of God abiding in a believer, as that -which preserves him from a total as well as a final apostacy. - -II. We shall now consider, that the best believers would certainly fall -from grace, were they left to themselves: so that their perseverance -therein is principally to be ascribed to the power of God, that keeps -them through faith unto salvation. This is particularly observed in this -answer, in which several arguments are laid down to prove the doctrine -of the saints’ perseverance in grace, and it is supposed to be founded -on his power, and will, to maintain it. God is styled _the preserver of -men_, Job vii. 20. inasmuch as he upholds all things by the word of his -power, so that independency on him is inconsistent with the idea of our -being creatures; and we have no less ground to conclude, that his power -maintains the new creature, or that grace, which took its first rise -from him. Should he fail or forsake us, we could not put forth the least -act of grace, much less persevere therein. When man at first came out of -the hands of God, he was endowed with a greater ability to stand than -any one, excepting our Saviour, has been favoured with, since sin -entered into the world; yet he apostatized, not from any necessity of -nature, but by adhering to that temptation which he might have -withstood. Then how unable is he to stand in his present state, who is -become weak, and, though brought into a state of grace, renewed and -sanctified but in part; having still the remainders of corruption, which -maintain a constant opposition to the principle of grace? Our -perseverance in grace cannot therefore be owing to ourselves; -accordingly the apostle ascribes this to a divine hand, when he says, -that _we are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation_, 1 -Pet. i. 5. - -A late celebrated writer, on the other side of the question,[81] -attempts to evade the force of this argument to prove the doctrine of -perseverance, though I think, without much strength of reasoning, when -he says; that all who are preserved to salvation, are kept by the power -of God, but not that all believers are so kept. - -To which it may be replied, that all believers, whose character answers -that of the church, to which the apostle writes, shall be saved; namely, -all who are _begotten again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of -Jesus Christ, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that -fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for them_; whose _faith_, after it -has been tried, shall be _found unto praise, and honour, and glory, at -the appearing of Jesus Christ_, 1 Pet. i. 3, 4, 7. I say, these shall -certainly be saved: therefore, if all who are thus preserved to -salvation, are kept by the power of God, this is all we need contend -for. And whereas he adds, that when they are said to be kept through -faith, the meaning is, they are kept, if they continue in the faith. To -this it may be replied, That their continuance in the faith was put out -of all dispute, by what is said concerning them in the words going -before and following, as row referred to. And as to his argument, it -amounts to no more than this; that they shall be kept by the power of -God, if they keep themselves; or they shall persevere if they persevere, -to which I need make no reply. - -But since our main design in this head is not to prove that believers -shall persevere, which we reserve to our next; but to shew that whatever -we assert concerning their perseverance, take its rise from God; we -shall consider this as plainly contained in scripture. Accordingly the -apostle speaks of the Lord’s _delivering him from every evil work, and -preserving him to his heavenly kingdom_, 2 Tim. iv. 18. Jude, ver. 1. -and the apostle Jude speaks of believers as _sanctified by God the -Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called_, or as being first -called, and then preserved by God the Father, through the intervention -of Christ, our great Mediator, till they are brought to glory. And our -Saviour, in his affectionate prayer for his church, a little before he -left the world, says, _Holy Father, keep, through thine own name, those -whom thou hast given me_, John xvii. 11. which not only proves that the -perseverance of the saints is owing to God, but that the glory of his -own name is concerned herein; therefore it is not from ourselves, but -him: and there is another scripture, in which our Saviour, speaks of the -perseverance of his _sheep_ in grace, and of his giving them eternal -life, and adds, that _they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck -them out of his hand_, chap. x. 28. therefore it is owing to his care, -as the great Shepherd of the sheep, and to his power, that is superior -to that of all those who attempt to destroy them, that they shall -persevere in grace. And this leads us to consider, - -III. What ground we have to conclude that the saints shall persevere in -grace, and so explain and illustrate the arguments insisted on in this -answer, together with some others that may be taken from the sense of -several scriptures, by which this doctrine may be defended. - -1. The saints’ perseverance in grace may be proved from the unchangeable -love of God, and his decree and purpose, relating to their salvation, in -which it is discovered and executed. That God loved them with a love of -good-will, before they were inclined to express any love to him, is -evident; because their love to him is assigned as the effect and -consequence of his love to them, as the apostle says, _We love him -because he first loved us_, 1 John iv. 19. Therefore this love of God to -his people, must be considered as an immanent act; from whence it -follows, that it was from eternity, since all God’s immanent acts are -eternal: and this is particularly expressed by the prophet, when he -says, _The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved -thee with an everlasting love_, Jer. xxxi. 3. If this be meant of a love -that shall never have an end, it plainly proves the doctrine we are -defending; but inasmuch as the words that immediately follow, -_Therefore, with loving kindness have I drawn thee_, seem to intimate -that this everlasting love is that which was from everlasting; as his -drawing them or bringing them into a converted state is the result -hereof: therefore this everlasting love is the same as his eternal -purpose, or design to save them. If there be such an eternal purpose -relating to their salvation, this necessarily infers their perseverance; -and that there was such a design in God has been already proved under a -foregoing answer[82]. And they who are the objects of this eternal -purpose of grace are frequently described, in scripture, as believers, -inasmuch as faith and salvation are inseparably connected together; -therefore, the execution of God’s purpose in giving faith, necessarily -infers the execution thereof, in saving them that believe. - -That this purpose of grace is unchangeable, has been before proved[83]; -and may be farther argued from what the apostle speaks concerning _the -immutability of his counsel_, shewn to the _heirs of promise_, as the -ground of that _strong consolation_ which they have _who are flying for -refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before them_, Heb. vi. 17, 18. -Therefore, if God cannot change his purpose, relating to the salvation -of believers, it necessarily follows, that they shall certainly attain -this salvation, and consequently, that they shall persevere in grace. - -_Obj._ To this it will be objected, that though God may be said to love -his people, while they retain their integrity, yet they may provoke him -by their sins to cast them off; therefore the present exercise of divine -love to them is no certain argument that it shall be extended to the -end, so as that, by virtue hereof, he will enable them to persevere, and -then bring them to glory. - -_Answ._ To this it may be replied; that we do not deny that believers, -by their sins, may provoke God so far, as that, if he should mark their -iniquities, or deal with them according to the demerit thereof, he would -cast them off for ever; but this he will not do, because it is -inconsistent with his purpose to recover them from their backslidings, -and forgive their iniquities. Moreover, it cannot be denied, that, -notwithstanding God’s eternal love to them, there are many instances of -his hatred and displeasure expressed in the external dispensations of -his providence, which are as often changed, as their conduct towards him -is changed; but this does not infer a change in God’s purpose: he may -testify his displeasure against them, or as the Psalmist expresses it, -_Visit their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquities with -stripes_, Psal. lxxxix. 32. Nevertheless he cannot change his resolution -to save them; and therefore, by some methods of grace, he will recover -them from their backslidings, and enable them to persevere in grace, -since his counsel shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure. - -2. Another argument to prove the saints’ perseverance, may be taken from -the covenant of grace, and the many promises respecting their salvation, -which are contained therein. That this may appear, let it be considered, - -(1.) That Christ was appointed to be the head of this covenant, as was -observed in a foregoing answer[84]; and accordingly there was an eternal -transaction between the Father and him; in which, all things were -stipulated in the behalf of his elect, whom he therein represented, -which relate to their everlasting salvation. In this covenant God the -Father, not only promised that he should _have a seed to serve him_, -Psal. xxii. 30. but that he _should see his seed_; and that _the -pleasure of the Lord_, with relation to them, _should prosper in his -hand_; that he should _see of the travel of his soul, and be satisfied_, -Isa. liii. 10, 11. which implies, that he should see the fruits and -effects of all that he had done and suffered for them, in order to their -salvation; and this is not spoken of some of them, but of all; and it -could not have had its accomplishment, were it possible for them not to -persevere in grace. - -(2.) In this covenant, Christ has undertaken to keep them, as the result -of his becoming a Surety for them, in which he not only engaged to pay -the debt of obedience and sufferings that was due from them, which he -has already done; but that he would work all that grace in them which he -purchased by his blood; and he has already begun this work in them which -is not yet accomplished: can we therefore suppose that he will not bring -it to perfection, nor enable them to endure to the end, that they may be -saved, which would argue the greatest unfaithfulness in him, who is -styled Faithful and True? - -Moreover, as there are engagements on Christ’s part, relating hereunto, -and in pursuance thereof, they are said to be in his hand; so the Father -has given them an additional security, that they shall be preserved from -apostasy; and therefore they are also said to be _in his hand_; from -whence _none can pluck them out_; and from thence it is argued, that -_they shall never perish_, John x. 28, 29. And we may observe, that the -life which Christ is said to give them respects not only the beginning -thereof, in the first grace which they are made partakers of in -conversion; but it is called _eternal life_, which certainly denotes the -completing of this work in their everlasting salvation. - -(3.) The subject-matter of the promises contained in the covenant of -grace, relates not only to their sanctification here, but salvation -hereafter; in which respect it is called _an everlasting covenant_, and -the mercies thereof, _the sure mercies of David_, Isa. lv. 3, 4. that -is, either those mercies which David, who had an interest in this -covenant, was given to expect; or mercies which Christ had engaged to -purchase and bestow, who is here called David, as elsewhere, Hos. iii. -5. inasmuch as David was an eminent type of him, as well as because he -was his seed according to the flesh; and that this is the more probable -sense of the two, appears from the following words, in which he is said -to be _given for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the -people_: and if these mercies are in Christ’s hand to apply, it is no -wonder that they are styled _sure mercies_. - -We might here consider the covenant of grace as containing in it all the -promises that respect the beginning, carrying on, or completing the -salvation of his people; and these relate not only to what God will do -for them; but what he will enable them to be, and do, in those things -that concern their faithfulness to him, whereby they have the highest -security that they shall behave themselves as becomes a covenant-people. -Thus he assures them, that he will be to them a God, that is, that he -will glorify his divine perfections in bestowing on them the special and -distinguishing blessings of the covenant; and that they shall be to him -a people, that is, shall behave themselves so as that they shall not, by -apostacy from him, oblige him to disown his relation to them, or exclude -them from his covenant. He has not only encouraged them to expect those -great things that he would do for them, provided they yielded obedience -to his law; but that he would _put his law into their inward parts, and -write it in their hearts_, whereby they might be disposed to obey him: -and when he says, that they _shall teach no more every man his -neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord_, he gives -them to understand that they should not only teach or instruct one other -in the knowledge of God, which respects their being favoured with the -external means of grace; but that they _should all know him, from the -least of them unto the greatest_. This not only denotes that they should -have a speculative knowledge of divine truth, but a saving knowledge -thereof; which is inseparably connected with _life eternal_, John xvii. -3. as appears from its being accompanied with, or flowing from -forgiveness of sin, as it immediately follows; _for I will forgive their -iniquity_; and this is expressed with a peculiar emphasis, which is -certainly inconsistent with their falling from a justified state, when -it is said, _I will remember their sin no more_, Jer. xxxi. 33, 34. And -elsewhere, when God speaks of his _making an everlasting covenant_ with -his people, chap. xxxii. 40. he promises that _he will not turn away -from them to do them good_; and, inasmuch as they are prone, by reason -of the deceitfulness of their hearts, to turn aside from him, he adds, -_I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from -me_; it is not only said that he will not turn from them, if they fear -him; but he gives them security in this covenant, that they shall fear -him: can we therefore conclude that they, in whom this covenant is so -far made good, that God has put his fear in their hearts, which is -supposed in their being believers, shall not attain the other blessing -promised, to wit, that of their not departing from him? - -Moreover, the stability of this covenant, as a foundation of the saints’ -perseverance, is set forth by a metaphor, taken from the most fixed and -stable parts of nature; and it is said to exceed them herein; _The -mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall -not depart from thee; neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, -saith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee_, Isa. liv. 10. - -_Object._ The principal objection that is brought to enervate the force -of this argument taken from those promises of the covenant, which -respect the saints’ perseverance, is, that they are to be considered -either as conditional, and the conditions thereof not fulfilled, in -which case they are not obliging, and therefore God is not bound to give -salvation to those to whom he has promised it, upon these conditions; or -else they are to be considered as made to a political body, _viz._ the -Jewish nation, in which case it is not to be supposed that they respect -their eternal salvation, but only some temporal deliverance which they -were to be made partakers of, that belonged to that church in general; -for everlasting salvation is never considered as a blessing that shall -be applied to whole nations, how much soever an whole nation may partake -of the common gifts of divine bounty which are bestowed in this world. - -_Answ._ In answer to this objection, in both its branches, I need only -refer to what has been said elsewhere. As to the former branch thereof, -we have endeavoured to shew how those scriptures are to be understood -which are laid down in a conditional form, without supposing that they -militate against the absoluteness of God’s purpose, or its -unchangeableness, and independency on the conduct of men.[85] And as to -the latter branch thereof; what has been said in answer to an objection -of the like nature, brought against the doctrine of election by Dr. -Whitby, and others, who suppose that the blessings, which the elect are -said to be made partakers of in scripture, respect the nation of the -Jews, or the church in general, and not a particular number chosen out -of them to salvation; and that the promises which are directed to them, -are only such as they were given to expect, as a church or political -body of men, may well be applied to our present purpose, and serve as an -answer to this objection;[86] therefore all that I shall add by way of -reply to it, in this place, is, - -[1.] If any thing be annexed to these promises of the covenant, that -gives occasion for some to conclude, that it is conditional, we must -take heed that we do not understand such expressions as denoting the -dependance of God’s determinations on the arbitrary will of man; as -though his purpose relating to the salvation of his people were -indeterminate, and it were a matter of doubt with him, as well as with -us, whether he should fulfil it or no; because it is uncertain whether -the conditions thereof shall be performed; for this supposition is -inconsistent with the divine perfections: but, if, on the other hand, we -suppose that the grace or duty annexed to the promise, must have some -idea of a condition contained in it; this may be understood according to -the tenor of God’s revealed will, as denoting nothing else but a -condition of our expectation, or of our claim to the blessing promised; -and then nothing can be inferred from hence, but that some who lay claim -to, or expect salvation, without performing the condition thereof, may -apostatize, and so miss of it; which does not in the least militate -against the doctrine we are defending. - -And to this we may farther add, that when such a condition is annexed to -a promise (for I will not decline to call it so, in the sense but now -laid down) and there is another promise added, in which God engages that -he will enable them to perform this condition, that is equivalent to an -absolute promise; and of this kind are those conditions that are -mentioned in the scriptures before referred to, as has been already -observed. When God promises that he will be a God to them, that he will -forgive their iniquities, and never reverse the sentence of forgiveness, -or remember their sins no more, and that he will never turn away from -them to do them good; he, at the same time promises, that he will put -his law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and put his -fear in their hearts, and so enable them to behave themselves as his -people, or to be to him a people; and when God sets forth the stability -of his covenant, and intimates that it should not be removed, he adds, -that his kindness shall not depart from them, which kindness does not -barely respect some temporal blessings which he would bestow upon them, -but his extending that grace to them that should keep them faithful to -him; and therefore he says, _that in righteousness they should be -established_; which contains a promise to maintain grace in them, -without which they could hardly be said to be established in -righteousness, as well as that he would perform the other things -promised to them in this covenant. - -[2.] As to the other branch of the objection, in which the promises are -considered as given to the church in general, or to the Jews, as a -political body of men; and that this cannot be supposed to respect their -everlasting salvation, but only some temporal blessings which they -should enjoy, it may be replied, That this is to be determined by the -express words contained in the promise: if God tells them that he will -do that for them which includes more in it than the blessings which they -are supposed to enjoy, that are of a temporal nature, we are not to -conclude that there is nothing of salvation contained in them, when the -words seem to imply that there is. And though these promises are said to -be given to the Jews, as a political body of men, and there are some -circumstances therein, which have an immediate and particular relation -to them: yet the promises of special grace and salvation were to be -applied only by those who believed amongst them; and the same promises -are to be applied by believers in all ages; or else we must understand -those scriptures only as an historical relation of things that do not -belong to us; which would tend very much to detract from the -spirituality and usefulness of many parts of scripture. - -To make this appear, we might consider some promises which, when first -made, had a particular relation to God’s dealings with his people in -those circumstances in which they were at that time; which, -notwithstanding, are applied in a more extensive manner, to New -Testament believers in all ages. Thus when God tells his people, in the -scripture before referred to, that _all thy children shall be taught of -the Lord_, Isa. liv. 13. whatever respect this may have to the church of -the Jews, our Saviour applies it in a more extensive way, as belonging -to believers in all ages, when he says, _Every man therefore that hath -heard and learned of the Father, cometh unto me_, John vi. 45. And when -God promises Joshua that _he would not fail nor forsake him_, and -encourages him thereby, _not to fear nor be dismayed_, Josh. i. 5, 9. -when he was to pass over Jordan, into the land of Canaan; and after -that, to engage in a work which was attended with many difficulties: -this promise is applied, by the apostle, as an inducement to believers, -in his day, to be _content with such things as they have_; accordingly -he adds, that what God told Joshua of old, the same was written for -their encouragement, _viz._ that _he would never leave them, nor forsake -them_, Heb. xiii. 5. We cannot therefore but conclude from hence, that -this objection is of no force in either of its branches, to overthrow -the doctrine of the saints’ perseverance, as founded on the stability of -the promises of the covenant of grace. - -3. The saints’ perseverance in grace may be farther proved from their -inseparable union with Christ: this union is not only federal, as he is -the head of the covenant of grace, and they his members, whose salvation -he has engaged to bring about, as was observed under the last head; but -he may be considered also as their vital head, from whom they receive -spiritual life and influence; so that as long as they abide in him, -their spiritual life is maintained as derived from him: if we consider -the church, or the whole election of grace as united to him, it is -called, _His body_, Col. i. 24. _the fulness of him that filleth all in -all_, Eph. i. 23. and every believer being a member of this body, or a -part, if I may so express it, of this fulness, if it should perish and -be separated from him, his body would be defective, and he would sustain -a loss of that which is an ingredient in his fulness. - -Moreover, as this union includes in it that relation between Christ and -his people, which is, by a metaphorical way of speaking, styled -conjugal;[87] and accordingly is mutual, as the result of his becoming -theirs by an act of grace, and they his by an act of self-dedication; -this is the foundation of mutual love, which is abiding, it is certainly -so on his part; because it is unchangeable, as founded on a -covenant-engagement, which he cannot violate; and though their love to -him be in itself subject to change, through the prevalency of corrupt -nature, which too much inclines them to be unstedfast in this -marriage-covenant; yet he will recover and bring them back to him, and -will not deal with them as persons do with strangers, whom they exclude -from their presence or favour, if they render themselves unworthy of it; -but they who stand in a nearer relation to him, and accordingly are the -objects of his special love, shall not be cast off for ever, how much -soever he may resent their unworthy behaviour to him. Not to be separate -from Christ, is, according to the apostle’s expression, not to _be -separated_ from his love; and this, he says, he was _persuaded_ that he -should not be, or _that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor -principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor -height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to do it_, Rom. -viii. 35, 38, 39. Accordingly it is said, that _having loved his own, -which were in the world, he loved them unto the end_, John xiii. 1. - -Here I cannot but take notice of a very jejune and empty sense which -some give of this text, to evade the force of the argument taken from -it, to prove the doctrine we are maintaining. How plausible soever it -may seem to be to those who conclude that this must be the true sense, -because it favours their own cause: by _his own_ they mean no other than -Christ’s disciples, whom he was at that time conversant with; and -indeed, they apply whatever Christ says, in some following chapters, to -them, exclusive of all others; as when he says, _Ye are not of the -world, but I have chosen you out of the world_, chap. xv. 19. and -_because I live, ye shall live also_, chap. xiv. 19. This, they suppose, -respects them in particular; and so in the text before us, _having loved -his own which were in the world_; that is, his own disciples; as though -he had a propriety in none but them; _he loved them to the end_; that -is, not to the end of their lives; for that would prove the doctrine we -are maintaining, but to the end of his life, which was now at hand; and -his love to them, they suppose to be expressed in this, that he -condescended to wash their feet. But if this were the sense of the -words, his love to them would not be so extraordinary a privilege as it -really is; for it would be only an instance of human and not divine -love. And indeed, our happiness consists, not only in Christ’s loving us -to the end of his life; but in his continuing to express his love in his -going into heaven to prepare a place, and there making continual -intercession for us; and in the end, in his coming again to receive us -to himself, that where he is, we may be also; which leads us to -consider, - -4. That the saints’ perseverance farther appears from Christ’s continual -intercession for them. This has been particularly explained in a -foregoing answer;[88] and the apostle speaking of his _ever living to -make intercession_ for his people, infers that _he is able to save them -to the uttermost that come unto God by him_, Heb. vii. 25. This he could -not be said to do, should he leave the work which he has begun in them, -imperfect, and suffer them, who come to him by faith, to apostatize from -him. We have before considered Christ’s intercession, as including in it -his appearing in the presence of God, in the behalf of those for whom he -offered himself a sacrifice while here on earth; and also, that what he -intercedes for shall certainly be granted him, not only because he is -the Son of God, in whom he is well pleased, but because he pleads his -own merits; and to deny to grant what he merited, would be, in effect, -to deny the sufficiency thereof, as though the purchase had not been -fully satisfactory; therefore we must conclude, as he himself said on -earth, that _the Father heareth him always_. It is also evident, that he -prays for the perseverance of his people, as he says to Peter, _I have -prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not_, Luke xxii. 32. And there are -many things in that affectionate prayer, mentioned in John xvii. which -he put up to God, immediately before his last sufferings, which respect -their perseverance in grace; as when he says, _Holy Father, keep through -thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as -we are_, John xvii. 11. and, _I pray not that thou shouldst take them -out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil_, ver. -15. that is, either the evil that often attends the condition in which -they are, in the world, that so the work of grace may not suffer, at -least, not miscarry thereby; or else, that he would keep them from the -evil one, that so they may not be brought again under his dominion; he -also prays, _that they may be made perfect in one_, ver. 23. that is, -not only that they may be perfectly joined together in the same design, -but that this unanimity may continue till they are brought to a state of -perfection; and _that the world may know that God has loved them, even -as he has loved Christ_. And he declares his _will_; which shews that -his intercession is founded on justice, and accordingly contains in it -the nature of a demand, rather than a supplication for what might be -given or denied, namely, _That they whom the Father had given him might -be with him where he is, that they may behold his glory_, ver. 24. all -which expressions are very inconsistent with the supposition, that it is -possible that they, whom he thus intercedes for, may apostatize, or fall -short of salvation. - -_Object._ It is objected by some, that this prayer respects none but his -disciples, who were his immediate friends and followers, and not -believers in all ages and places in the world. - -_Answ._ But to this it may be replied, That the contrary hereunto is -evident, from several things which are mentioned in this prayer, as for -instance, he says, That _the Father had given him power over all flesh; -that he should give eternal life to as many as he had given him_, ver. -2. the sense of which words will sink too low, if we suppose that he -intends thereby, thou hast given me power to dispose of all persons and -things in this world, that I may give eternal life to that small number -which thou hast given me, namely, my disciples; whereas he speaks of -that universal dominion which he has over all persons and things, which -were committed to him with this view, that all those who were put into -his hand to redeem and save, should attain eternal life: and again, he -says, _I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out -of the world; thine they were, and thou gavest them me, and they have -kept thy word_, ver. 6. Did Christ manifest the divine name and glory to -none but those who were his disciples; and were there none but them that -had kept his word? And when he says, that they whom he prayed for, are -the Father’s; and adds, that _all mine are thine, and thine are mine; -and I am glorified in them_, ver. 9, 10. Is the number of those, whom -Christ has a right to, and the Father has set apart for himself, in whom -he would shew forth his glory, as the objects of his love, and in whom -Christ, as Mediator, was to be glorified, so small, as that it contained -only the eleven disciples? Or does it not rather respect all that have, -or shall believe, from the beginning to the end of time? and when he -speaks of _the world’s hating them, because they are not of the world_, -John xvii. 14, 15. and of their being exposed to the evils that are in -the world, or the assaults of Satan, who is their avowed enemy; is this -only applicable to the disciples? And when he says, _Neither pray I for -these alone_, that is, for those who now believe, _but for them also -which shall believe_, ver. 20. does it not plainly intimate that he had -others in view besides his disciples? These, and several other passages -in this prayer, are a sufficient evidence that there is no weight in the -objection, to overthrow the argument we are maintaining. - -5. Believers’ perseverance in grace may be proved from the Spirit and -seed of God abiding in them. When at first they were regenerated, it was -by the power of the Holy Ghost, as condescending to come and take up his -abode in them: thus we read of their being acted by, and under the -influence of, the Holy Ghost, who is said to dwell where he is pleased -to display his divine power and glory; and if these displays hereof be -internal, then he dwells in the heart. Our Saviour speaks of him, as -_another Comforter_ given, _that he may abide_ with his people _for -ever_, chap. xiv. 19. And this indwelling of the Spirit is very distinct -from that extraordinary dispensation which the church had, when they -were favoured with inspiration; for the apostle speaks of it as a -privilege peculiar to believers as such, when he says, _Ye are not in -the flesh, but in the Spirit; if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in -you: Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his_, -Rom. viii. 9. the meaning of which cannot be, that they have no interest -in Christ, who have not the extraordinary _afflatus_ of the Spirit, such -as the prophets had; therefore we must suppose, that this is a privilege -which believers have in all ages. Now if the Spirit is pleased to -condescend thus to take up his abode in the soul, and that for ever, he -will certainly preserve it from apostacy. - -And to this we may add, that there are several fruits and effects of the -Spirit’s dwelling in the soul, which affords an additional proof of this -doctrine: thus believers are said to have _the first fruits of the -Spirit_, ver. 23. that is, they have those graces wrought in them which -are the beginning of salvation; and as the first fruits are a part of -the harvest that will follow, these are the fore-tastes of the heavenly -blessedness which God would never have bestowed upon them had he not -designed to preserve them from apostasy. Moreover, believers are said to -be _sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of -their inheritance_, Eph. i. 13, 14. The earnest, as given by men, is -generally deemed a part of payment, upon which they who are made -partakers thereof, are satisfied that they shall, at last, receive the -full reward; and shall believers miss of the heavenly blessedness, who -have such a glorious pledge and earnest of it? Again, if we consider -_the Spirit as bearing witness with their spirits, that they are the -children of God; and if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint -heirs with Christ_; and that _they shall be glorified together_ with -him, Rom. viii. 16, 17. is this testimony invalid, or not to be depended -on, which it could not be were it possible for them to fall from a state -of grace? - -This testimony is what we depend very much upon, in order to our -attaining assurance that we are in a state of grace, and shall persevere -therein, as will be observed under the next answer; therefore we shall -at present, take it for granted, that there is such a thing as -assurance, or that this blessing is attainable; and the use which I -would make of this supposition to maintain our present argument, is, -that if the Spirit has an hand in working or encouraging this hope that -we have of the truth of grace, and consequently shall persevere therein -to salvation, this argues that it is warrantable, and not delusive; for -he that is the author or giver of it cannot deceive our expectation, or -put us upon looking for that which is not a reality. From whence it -follows, that it is impossible that they should apostatize, to whom _God -has given_ this _good hope through grace_, so that they should fail of -that _everlasting consolation_, which is connected with it, 2 Thess. ii. -16. This consequence will hardly be denied by those who are on the other -side of the question; and we may observe, that they who oppose the -doctrine of perseverance, always deny that of assurance, especially as -proceeding from the testimony of the Spirit: nevertheless, that we may -not be misunderstood, we do not say, that every one who has a strong -persuasion that he shall be saved, shall be saved; which is no other -than enthusiasm; but our argument is, in short, this, that if there be a -witness of the Spirit to this truth, that cannot be charged therewith, -then the doctrine we are maintaining, is undeniably true, which will -more evidently appear from what will be said in defence of the doctrine -of assurance under our next answer. - -And therefore we proceed to the other branch of the argument -before-mentioned, to prove this doctrine, namely, that believers have -the seed of God abiding in them; which is founded on what the apostle -says in 1 John iii. 9. _Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; -for his seed abideth in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of -God_; for the understanding of which let us consider, - -(1.) That by the words, _he cannot commit sin_, the apostle does not -intend that such an one is not a sinner, or that there is such a thing -as sinless perfection attainable in this life; for that is contrary, not -only to the whole tenor of scripture, and daily experience of mankind; -but to what he had expressly said, _If we say we have no sin, we deceive -ourselves, and the truth is not in us_, 1 John i. 8. Therefore, in this -text, upon which our present argument is founded, he is, doubtless, -speaking of persons committing sins, inconsistent with the truth of -grace, as he says in a foregoing verse, _Whosoever sinneth hath not seen -him, neither known him_, chap. iii. 6. it is such a sin therefore as -argues a person to be in a state of unregeneracy; and then, _He that -committeth sin is of the devil_, ver. 8. therefore he certainly speaks -of such a commission of sin, as argues us to be under the reigning power -of the devil: and that this may plainly appear to be his sense, we may -observe, that he elsewhere distinguishes between _a sin that is unto -death_, and a sin that is _not unto death_, chap. v. 16, 17. by which he -does not mean, as the Papists suppose, that some sins deserve eternal -death, and others not; the former of which they call mortal sins; the -latter venial; but he is speaking of a sin that is inconsistent with the -principle of grace, and that which is consistent therewith; the former -is sometimes called _the pollution that is in the world, through lust_, -2 Pet. i. 4. the latter _the spot of God’s children_, Deut. xxxii. 5. -The least sin deserves death, though they who commit it shall not -perish, but be brought to repentance; but the _sin unto death_ is wilful -sin, committed and continued in with impenitency; and with this -limitation we are to understand the apostle’s words, _He who is born of -God doth not commit sin_. - -(2.) We shall now consider the reason assigned, why the person he speaks -of, cannot, in this sense, commit sin; namely, because he is _born of -God_, and _the seed of God abideth, in him_. To be born of God, is what -is elsewhere styled regeneration, or being born of the Spirit, in which -there is a principle of grace implanted, which is here called _the seed -of God_. And, indeed, this metaphorical way of speaking is very -expressive of the thing designed hereby; for as in nature the seed -produces fruit, and in things moral, the principle of action produces -action, as the principle of reason produces acts of reason: so in things -spiritual, the principle of grace produces acts of grace; and this -principle being from God, which has been largely proved under a -foregoing answer,[89] it is called here, _the seed of God_. - -(3.) This seed of God, or this principle is not barely said to be in the -believer, as that which, for the present, is the ground of spiritual -actions; but it is said to _remain in him_. As elsewhere Christ speaks -of the Spirit as _abiding_ with his people _for ever_, John xiv. 16. so -here the apostle speaks of that principle of grace wrought by the -Spirit, as abiding, that is, continuing for ever; and from thence he -infers, that a believer _cannot sin_; for if he had been only speaking -of its being implanted, but not abiding; all that could be inferred from -thence would be, that he does not sin; but whereas, he argues from it, -that he cannot sin, that is, apostatize; it being understood, that this -principle abides in him continually; which plainly contains the sense of -the argument we are maintaining, namely, that because the seed of God -abides in a believer, therefore he cannot apostatize, or fall short of -salvation. - -They who are on the other side of the question, seem to find it very -difficult to evade the force of this argument: some suppose that the -apostle intends no more but that he that is born of God, should not -commit sin; but that is not only remote from the sense of the words -_cannot sin_;[90] but it does not sufficiently distinguish one that is -born of God, from another that is not so; for it is as much a truth, -that an unregenerate person ought not to sin, as when we speak of one -that is regenerate. - -Others, by not sinning, suppose that the apostle means, they sin with -difficulty, or they are hardly brought to commit sin; but as this also -does not answer to the sense of the word _cannot_ sin, so it is -inconsistent with that beautiful gradation, which we may observe in the -words. To say that he does not sin; and then if he commits sin, it is -with some difficulty, is not so agreeable to that climax, which the -apostle makes use of, when he says, he does not commit sin, yea, he -cannot. - -Others suppose that the apostle’s meaning is, that he that is born of -God, cannot sin unto death, or apostatize, so as to fall short of -salvation, so long as he makes a right use of this principle of grace, -which is implanted in him; but by opposing and afterwards extinguishing -it, he may become an apostate. But we may observe; in answer to this, -that the apostle does not attribute his perseverance in grace, to his -making use of the principle, but his having it, or its abiding in him; -and he sufficiently fences against the supposition of its being possible -that the principle of grace may be wholly lost; for then this seed could -not be said to abide in him, nor would the inference deduced from its -abiding in him, namely, that he cannot sin, be just. - -Thus, concerning this latter branch of the argument to prove the saints’ -perseverance in grace, taken from the seed of God, abiding in believers: -But there is one thing must be observed before I dismiss this head, -_viz._ That the principle of grace, which is signified by this metaphor, -though it be, and abide in a believer; yet it does not always exert -itself so as to produce those acts of grace which would otherwise -proceed from it. This cannot be better illustrated than by a similitude -taken from the soul, which is the principle of reason in man; though it -be as much so in an infant in the womb as it is in any, yet it is -altogether unactive; for most allow that such have not the exercise of -thought or acts of reason; and when a person is newly born, it hardly -appears that this principle is deduced into act; and in those in whom it -has been deduced into act, it may be rendered stupid, and almost -unactive, or at least, so disordered, that the actions which proceed -from it cannot be styled rational, through the influence of some bodily -disease, with which it is affected, yet still it remains a principle of -reason. The same may be said concerning the principle of grace; it is -certainly an unactive principle in those who are regenerate from the -womb; and it may cease to exert itself, and be with equal reason, styled -an unactive principle in believers, when they fall into very great sins, -to which it offers no resistance: This we shall take occasion to apply -under a following head, when we shall consider some objections that are -brought against this doctrine, by those who suppose that believers, when -sinning presumptuously, as David, Peter, and others, are said to have -done, fail totally, though not finally. There was indeed a total -suspension of the activity of this principle, but yet the principle -itself was not wholly lost; but more of this in its proper place. We are -therefore bound to conclude, that because this principle abides in them, -they can neither totally nor finally apostatize, and therefore, that -they can neither fall from a state of grace, nor fail, at last, of -salvation. - -Thus we have endeavoured to explain and shew the force of those -arguments which are contained in this answer to prove the doctrine of -the saints’ perseverance. There are several others that might have been -insisted on; and particularly it may be proved, from the end and design -of Christ’s death, which was not only that he might purchase to himself -a peculiar people, but that he might purchase eternal life for them; and -we cannot think that this invaluable price would have been given for the -procuring of that which should not be applied, in which respect Christ -would be said to die in vain. When a person gives a price for any thing, -it is with this design, that he or they, for whom he purchased it, -should be put into the possession of it; which, if it be not done, the -price that was given is reckoned lost, and the person that gave it -disappointed hereby. - -And this argument may be considered as having still more weight in it, -if we observe, that the salvation of those whom Christ has redeemed, not -only redounds to their happiness, but to the glory of God the Father, -and of Christ, our great Redeemer. God the Father, in giving Christ to -be a propitiation for sin, designed to bring more glory to his name than -by all his other works: Thus our Saviour appeals to him in the close of -his life, _I have glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work -which thou gavest me to do_, John xvii. 14. The work was his, and there -was a revenue of glory which he expected thereby; and this glory did not -only consist in his receiving a full satisfaction for sin, that so he -might take occasion to advance his grace in forgiving it; but he is said -to be glorified, when his people are enabled to _bear much fruit_, chap. -xv. 8. Therefore the glory of God the Father is advanced by the -application of redemption, and consequently by bringing his redeemed -ones to perfection. - -The Son is also glorified, not barely by his having those honours, which -his human nature is advanced to, as the consequence of his finishing the -work of redemption, but by the application thereof to his people; -accordingly he is said to be _glorified in them_, chap. xviii. 10. that -is, his mediatorial glory is rendered illustrious by all the grace that -is conferred upon them; and therefore, certainly he will be eminently -glorified, when they are brought to be with him, where he is, to behold -his glory. Now can we suppose, that since the Father and the Son -designed to have so great a glory redound to them by the work of our -redemption, that they will sustain any loss thereof, for want of the -application of it to them, for whom it was purchased. If God designed, -as the consequence thereof, that the saints should sing that new song, -_Thou art worthy, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by -thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation_: -And if God the Father, and the Son, are both joined together, and their -glory celebrated therein, by their ascribing _blessing, glory, and -power, unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for -ever and ever_, Rev. v. 19. compared with 13. Then certainly they will -not lose this glory; and therefore, the saints shall be brought into -that state where they shall have occasion thus to praise and adore them -for it. - -If it be objected to this, that God, the Father and the Son, will be -glorified, though many of his saints should apostatize, and the death of -Christ be, to no purpose, with respect to them, because all shall not -apostatize. The answer to this is plain and easy; that though he could -not be said to lose the glory he designed, by the salvation of those who -persevere, yet some branches of his glory would be lost, by reason of -the apostacy of others, who fall short of salvation; and it is a -dishonour to him to suppose that he will lose the least branch thereof, -or that any of those, for whom Christ died, should be for ever lost. - -We might also add, that for the same reason that we suppose one whom -Christ has redeemed, should be lost, all might be lost, and so he would -lose all the glory he designed to have in the work of redemption. This -appears, in that all are liable to those temptations, which, if complied -with, have a tendency to ruin them. All are supposed to be renewed and -sanctified but in part, and consequently the work of grace meets with -those obstructions from corrupt nature; which would certainly prove too -hard for all our strength, and baffle our utmost endeavours to -persevere, did not God appear in our behalf, and keep us by his power. -Now, if all need strength from him to stand, and must say, that without -him they can do nothing, then we must either suppose, that that grace is -given to all saints which shall enable them to persevere, or else that -it is given to none; if it be given to none, but all are left to -themselves, then that which overthrows the faith of one, would overthrow -the faith of all; and consequently we might conclude, that whatever God -the Father, or the Son have done, in order to the redemption and -salvation of the elect might be of none effect. - -I might produce many other arguments in defence of the saints’ -perseverance, but shall conclude this head with two or three scriptures, -whereby the truth hereof will farther appear: Thus our Saviour says to -the woman of Samaria, _Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give -him, shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him, shall be -in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life_, John iv. 14. -Where, by the water that Christ gives, is doubtless understood the gifts -and graces of the Spirit; these are not like the waters of a brook, that -often deceive the expectation of the traveller; but they are a well of -water, intimating that a believer shall have a constant supply of grace -and peace till he is brought to the rivers of pleasure, which are at -God’s right-hand, and is made partaker of eternal life. Again, our -Saviour says, _He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent -me, hath everlasting life_, chap. v. 24. _i. e._ it is as surely his as -though he was in the actual possession of it; and he farther intimates, -that such are not only justified for the present; but they shall not -come into condemnation; certainly this implies that their salvation is -so secure as that it is impossible for them to perish eternally. - -Another scripture that plainly proves this doctrine, is in 2 Tim. ii. -19. _Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, -the Lord knoweth them that are his; and let every one that nameth the -name of Christ depart from iniquity_; in which words the apostle -encourages the church to hope for perseverance in grace, after they had -had a sad instance of two persons of note, _viz._ Hymeneus and Philetus, -who had not only _erred from the truth_, but _overthrown the faith of -some_; and he cautions every one, who makes a profession of religion, as -they would be kept from apostatizing, to depart from iniquity, _q. d._ -since many of you are ready to fear that your faith shall be overthrown, -as well as that of others, by the sophistry or cunning arts of those -apostates who lie in wait to deceive, you may be assured that their -state is safe, who are built upon that foundation which God has laid, -that _chief corner stone, elect, precious_, viz. Christ, _on whom he -that believeth, shall not be confounded_, 1 Pet. ii. 6. or else, that -the instability of human conduct shall not render it a matter of -uncertainty, whether they, who are ordained to eternal life, shall be -saved or no; for that depends on God’s purpose, relating hereunto, which -is a sure foundation, and has this seal annexed to it, whereby our faith -herein may be confirmed, that they whom God has set apart for himself, -and lays a special claim to, as his chosen and redeemed ones, whom he -has foreknown and loved with an everlasting love, shall not perish -eternally, because the purpose of God cannot be frustrated. But inasmuch -as there is no special revelation given to particular persons, that they -are the objects of this purpose cf grace; therefore every one that names -or professes the name of Christ ought to use the utmost caution, that -they be not ensnared; let them depart from all iniquity, and not -converse with those who endeavour to overthrow their faith. And, indeed, -all that are faithful shall be kept from iniquity by God, as they are -here given to understand that it is their duty to endeavour to depart -from it, and consequently they shall be kept from apostacy. This seems -to be the sense of these words; and it is agreeable to the analogy of -faith, as well as a plain proof of the doctrine which we are -maintaining. - -A late writer[91], by _the foundation of God, which standeth sure_, -supposes the doctrine of _the resurrection_ is intended, which Hymeneus -and Philetus denied, saying, that it _was past already_; this doctrine, -says he, which is a fundamental article of faith, _standeth sure, having -this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his_; that is, he loveth and -approveth of them. But though it be true the resurrection is spoken of -in the foregoing verse, and we do not deny that it is a fundamental -article of faith; yet that does not seem to be the meaning of the word -_foundation_, in this text. For if by the resurrection we understand the -doctrine of the general resurrection of the dead, I cannot see where the -force of the apostle’s argument lies, _viz._ that there shall be a -general resurrection, because the Lord knoweth who are his, since the -whole world are to be raised from the dead. But if by the resurrection -we are to understand a resurrection to eternal life, so that they who -are known or beloved of God, shall have their part in it, and the -apostle’s method of reasoning be this, that they who believe shall be -raised to eternal life; that is, so far from militating against the -argument we are maintaining, that it is agreeable to the sense we have -given of the text, and makes for, rather than against us. - -As to what is farther advanced by the author but now mentioned, _viz._ -that _the Lord knoweth who are his_, is to be taken for that regard -which God had to his apostles and ministers. This seems too great a -strain on the sense of the words, and so much different from the scope -of the apostle therein, as well as disagreeable to the caution given, -that _every one who names the name of Christ_ should _depart from -iniquity_, that no one who reads the scriptures without prejudice, can -easily give into this sense of the text. - -I shall mention but one scripture more for the proof of this doctrine, -and that is in 1 John ii. 19. _They went out from us, but they were not -of us; for if they had been of us, they would, no doubt, have continued -with us; but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they -were not all of us_; for the understanding of which, let it be -considered, that the apostle is speaking of some who were formerly -members of the church, who afterwards turned apostates and open enemies -to Christ, and his gospel: It is plain that the words _they went out -from us_, and _they were not of us_, must be taken in different -respects, otherwise it would imply a contradiction, to say that a person -departed from the faith and communion of the church, when he never -embraced it, or had communion with it; but if they understand it thus, -they left the faith and communion of the church because they were -Christians only in pretence, and did not heartily embrace the faith on -which the church was built; nor were they really made partakers of that -grace, which the apostles, and other faithful members of the church, had -received from God, as being effectually called thereby, the sense is -very plain and easy, _viz._ That there were some false professors, who -made a great shew of religion, and were admitted into communion with the -church, and, it may be, some of them preached the gospel, and were more -esteemed than others; but they apostatized; for they had not the truth -of grace, but were like the seed that sprang up without having root in -itself, which afterwards withered; whereas, if they had had this grace -it would have been abiding, and so they would, _without doubt_, says the -apostle, _have continued with us_; but by their apostacy it appears, -that they were not, in this sense, of our number, that is believers. - -They who understand this scripture, not of persons who were members of -the church, but ministers, that first joined themselves with the -apostles, and afterwards deserted them, and their doctrine, advance -nothing that tends to overthrow the argument we are maintaining; for we -may then understand the words thus, they pretended to be the true -ministers of Jesus Christ, and doubtless, to be, as the apostles were, -men of piety and religion, for, in other respects, they were of them -visibly, whilst they preached the same doctrines; but afterwards, by -departing from the faith, it appeared, that though they were ministers -they were not sincere Christians, for if they had, they would not have -apostatized. - -IV. We shall now proceed to consider the objections that are usually -brought against the doctrine of the saints’ perseverance in grace. - -_Object._ 1. It is objected, that there are several persons mentioned in -scripture, who appear to have been true believers, and yet apostatized, -some totally, as David and Peter; others not only totally, but finally, -in which number Solomon is included; and others are described as -apostates, such as Hymeneus and Alexander, who are said _concerning -faith, to have made shipwreck_, and therefore it is supposed that they -had the grace of faith; and Judas is also, by them, reckoned to have -been a true believer, whom all allow afterwards to have proved an -apostate. - -_Answ._ 1. As to the case of David and Peter, it is true, their fall was -very notorious, and the former seems to have continued some months in a -state of impenitency; and when they fell, there appeared no marks of -grace in either of them. Peter’s sin, indeed, was committed through -surprize and fear; but yet it had such aggravating circumstances -attending it, that if others, whose character is less established than -his was, had committed the same sin, we should be ready to conclude, -that they were in a state of unregeneracy; and David’s sin was committed -with that deliberation, and was so complicated a crime, that if any -believer ever lost the principle of grace, we should have been inclined -to suppose this to have been his case. Nevertheless, that which gives us -ground to conclude that this principle was not wholly extinguished, -either in Peter or him, at the same time that they fell; and therefore, -that they were not total apostates, is what we before observed, that the -principle of grace may be altogether unactive, and yet abide in the -soul, agreeably to the sense we gave of that scripture, _his seed -abideth in him_; and if what has been already said concerning the -possibility of the principle of grace remaining, though it makes no -resistance against the contrary habits of sin, be of any force,[92] then -these and other instances of the like nature, on which one branch of the -objection is founded, will not be sufficient to prove the possibility of -the total apostacy of any true believer. - -2. As to the case of Solomon; that he once was a true believer is -allowed on both sides; for it is said concerning him, soon after he was -born, that _the Lord loved him_, 2 Sam. xii. 24, 25. upon which occasion -he gave him that significant name, Jedidiah, the beloved of the Lord; -and it is certain, that in the beginning of his reign, his piety was no -less remarkable than his wisdom, as appears from his great zeal, -expressed in building the temple of God, and establishing the worship -thereof; and also from that extraordinary instance of devotion with -which he dedicated or consecrated the house to God, 1 Kings viii. 1. & -_seq._ and the prayer put up to him on that occasion, and also from -God’s appearing to him twice: in his first appearance he condescended to -ask him, what he would give him? and upon Solomon’s choosing, _an -understanding heart_, to judge his people, he was pleased with him, and -gave him several other things that he asked not for; so that there were -_not any among the kings like unto him_, chap. iii. 5, 9, 10, 12, 13. -from all this it is taken for granted, that he once was a believer: but, -on the other hand, we must, if we duly weigh the force of the objection, -set the latter part of his life against the former, in which we find him -guilty of very great sins; not only in multiplying wives and concubines, -beyond what any of his predecessors had done, but in that _his heart was -turned away after other gods, and_, as it is expressly said, _was not -perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David, his father_, -chap. xi. 4. And it is also said, that _the Lord was angry with Solomon, -because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had -appeared to him twice_, ver. 9. and on this occasion he determined to -rend part of the kingdom from his son, ver. 13. which came to pass -accordingly; and all this is said to have been done _when he was old_, -ver. 4. And after this we read of several that were _stirred up as -adversaries_ to him, ver. 14, 23, 26. And in the remaining part of his -history we read of little but trouble and uneasiness that he met with; -and this seemed to continue till his death, of which we have an account -in 1 Kings xi. chapter throughout, which contains the history of his -sin, and troubles; and we read not the least word of his repentance -therein; for which reason he is supposed, in the objection, to have -apostatized totally and finally. - -The main strength of this objection lies in the supposition, that -Solomon did not repent of his idolatry which he committed in his old -age, or, as it is supposed, in the latter part of his life, and also -from the silence of scripture as to the matter; especially in that part -of it which gives an account of his fall and death. But this is not -sufficient to support the weight of the objection, and to oblige us to -conclude him to be an apostate; for there is nothing that appears from -the account we have of him in scripture, but that he might have -sufficient time for repentance between his fall and death. It is said -indeed, that in his old age his wives turned him aside, but this they -might do, and yet he not die an apostate; for sometimes that part of -life which is called old age, comprises in it several years; therefore, -when he began to be in his declining age, he might sin, and after that -be brought to repentance. And as for the scripture’s speaking first of -his fall, and then of his death; it does not follow from thence that one -was immediately after the other; since the history of the blemishes and -troubles of his life is but short. - -On the other hand, there are several things which may give us ground to -conclude, that he repented after his fall; particularly, - -(1.) We have an intimation hereof in God’s promise relating thereunto, -in which it is supposed, that God would suffer him to fall, and a -provisionary encouragement is given to expect that he should be -recovered: thus he says, _I will chastise him with the rod of men, and -with the stripes of the children of men; but my mercy shall not depart -away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee_, 1 -Sam. vii. 14, 15. and the same thing is repeated, in which his fall is -supposed, and his recovery from it particularly mentioned, in Psal. -lxxxix. 30-34. as though God had designed that this should be a -supplement to his history, and remove the doubts which might arise from -it, with relation to his salvation. - -(2.) There are some things in other parts of scripture, which give -sufficient ground to conclude, that he was a true penitent, which -plainly refer to that part of his life which was between his fall and -his death. Thus, if we duly weigh several passages in Ecclesiastes, -which none can deny that he was the inspired writer of, inasmuch as it -is said, in the title or preface set before it, that they are _the words -of the preacher, the son of David, king of Jerusalem_, we shall find -many things in which he expresses the great sense of the vanity of his -past life, when he says, _I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know -madness and folly_, Eccl. i. 17. where, by _madness and folly_, he -doubtless intends that which was so in a moral sense, when he indulged -his sinful passions, which respects the worst part of his life. And this -he farther insists on; _Whatsoever mine eyes desired, I kept not from -them, I withheld not my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced in all -my labour_, Eccl. ii. 10. or in all things, which afterwards were matter -of grief and uneasiness to me; in which he observes how he did, as it -were, take pains to bring on himself a long train of miseries that -troubled him afterwards; and then he plainly expresses his repentance, -when he says, _All was vanity and vexation of spirit_, and there was _no -profit under the sun_, ver. 11. as though he should say, I turned from -God to the creature, to see what happiness I could find therein, but met -with nothing but disappointment; he had no profit in those things, -whereof he was now ashamed. It is probable, God shewed him the vanity -thereof, by his chastening him, or visiting his transgressions with the -rod, and his iniquities with stripes, as he had promised to do; and this -ended in vexation of spirit, which is a plain intimation of that godly -sorrow that proceeded from a sense of sin, which made him, beyond -measure, uneasy; and this vexation or uneasiness was so great, that he -says, _I hated life_, that is, I hated my past wicked life, and abhorred -myself for it, _because the work that is wrought under the sun, is -grievous unto me_; that is, the work that I have wrought, was such as -gave me grief of heart; _for all is vanity and vexation of spirit_, ver. -17. that is, this is all the consequence thereof: it cannot be supposed -that he was weary of his life for the same reasons that many others are, -who are deprived of the blessings of common providence, and reduced to -that condition that makes them miserable, as to their outward -circumstances in the world; but it was the uneasiness he found in his -own spirit, the secret wounds of conscience and bitterness of soul, -which arose from a sense of sin, that made him thus complain. - -And elsewhere, he seems to be sensible of his sin, in heaping up vast -treasures, which he calls _loving silver_; and adds, that such an one, -which seems very applicable to his own case, _shall not be satisfied -with silver, nor he that loveth abundance, with increase; this is also -vanity_, chap. v. 10. that is, this had been an instance of his former -vanity: and he adds, _The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he -eat little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to -sleep_, ver. 12. If by this we understand that the increase of riches -sometimes gives disturbance to, and stirs up the corruptions of those -that possess them, and this be applied to himself, it is an -acknowledgment of his sin. Or, if we understand by it that the abundance -of a rich man will not give him rest at night, when his mind is made -uneasy with a sense of the guilt of sin, and this be applied to his own -case, when fallen by it; then it intimates that his repentance gave him -not only uneasiness by day, but took away his rest by night; and it -seems not improbable, that what gave him farther occasion to see the -vanity of his past life, was the sense of mortality impressed on him; -for he says, _It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to -the house of feasting; for that is the end of all men, and the living -will lay it to his heart_, chap. vii. 3. that is, he will, or ought to -improve the sense of his own frailty, which we may conclude he had done; -and therefore adds, _Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness -of the countenance, the heart is made better_, ver. 3. - -But if it be objected, that all these expressions are not applicable to -himself, and many others of the like nature, which might have been -referred to, which are expressive of his great repentance; though I -cannot but think that the contrary to this seems very probable; yet -there is something farther added, that he expressly applies to himself, -which refers to his unlawful love of women: _I find more bitter than -death the woman whose heart is snares, and nets, and her hands as bands. -Whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be taken -by her: behold, this have I found, saith the preacher_, ver. 26, 27. If -these things be not expressive of repentance, it is hard to say what -are. - -And to this we may add, that as he expresses a grief of heart for past -sins; so he warns others that they may not be guilty of that which he -himself found more bitter than death; and accordingly, having described -the arts used by the wicked woman, to betray the unthinking passenger, -he cautions every one to take heed of declining to her ways; inasmuch as -the consequence thereof will be, that a _dart_ will _strike through his -liver_, and he is _as a bird that hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not -that it is for his life_, Prov. vii. 23. compared with the foregoing -verses. He also adds, That _she hath cast down many wounded; yea, many -strong men have been slain by her. Her house is the way to hell, going -down to the chambers of death_, ver. 26, 27. So that we find in Solomon, -two of the greatest evidences that we can have of sincere repentance; -namely, a great degree of sorrow for sin, and an earnest desire that -others would avoid it, by giving those cautions that are necessary to -prevent their falling into the snare in which he had been entangled. - -(3.) There is something spoken in Solomon’s commendation, after his -death, which may be gathered from what is said, that during the three -first years of Rehoboam’s reign, which God approved of he _walked in the -way of David and Solomon_, 2 Chron. xi. 17. where we may observe, that -Solomon is joined with his father David: so that as there were -abatements to be made for the blemishes in David’s reign; the reign of -Solomon had in it great blemishes: but as one repented, so did the -other, and therefore ought not to be reckoned an apostate. - -And to all this we may add, that he was a penman of scripture; and it -does not appear that God conferred this honour upon any that apostatized -from him; but on the other hand, they have this general character given -of them by the apostle Peter, that they were all _holy men of God_, 2 -Pet. i. 21. which we must conclude Solomon to have been, till we have -greater evidence to the contrary than they can produce who deny it. - -3. There are others mentioned in the objection, to wit, Hymeneus and -Alexander, whose apostacy we have no ground to doubt of; but we cannot -allow that they fell from, or lost the saving grace of faith. It is one -thing to fall from the profession of faith, and another thing to lose -the grace of faith; therefore, the only thing to be proved in answer to -this branch of the objection, is, that these persons, who are described -as apostates, never had the truth of grace; or that they only fell from -that visible profession which they made thereof; whereby they were -reckoned to be, what in reality they were not, namely, true believers. -Now that this may appear, let it be considered, - -That the apostle speaks of them as having _departed from the faith_, -viz. the doctrines of the gospel; and that was attended with blasphemy, -for which they were _delivered unto Satan_, which is a phrase used by -the apostle here and elsewhere, for persons being cut off from the -communion of the church; upon which occasion he advises Timothy _to hold -faith and a good conscience, which some having put away, concerning -faith, have made shipwreck_, as these have done. - -Now the main force of the objection seems to lie in this, that they who -have made shipwreck of faith, were once true believers; therefore, such -may apostatize, and so fall short of salvation. - -To which it may be replied, that by _faith_ here, is meant the doctrines -of the gospel, which are often styled _faith_: thus it is said, that the -apostle _preached the faith which once he destroyed_, Gal. i. 23. and -elsewhere, _before faith came_; that is, before the gospel-dispensation -began, and those doctrines were preached that were to be published -therein to the world, _we were kept under the law_, chap. iii. 23. And -again, _Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the -hearing of faith_, ver. 2. that is, by hearing those doctrines that are -contained in the gospel. Therefore, that which he chargeth these -apostates with, is making shipwreck of faith, considered objectively: -they once, indeed, held the truth, but it was in unrighteousness; they -had right notions of the gospel, which they afterwards lost: now the -apostle advises Timothy not only to _hold faith_, that is, to retain the -doctrines of the gospel, as one who had right sentiments of divine -truths, but to hold it _with a good conscience_; for I take that -expression, _hold faith and a good conscience_, to contain an -_hendyadis_; and so it is the same as though he should say, Be not -content with an assent to the truths of the gospel, but labour after a -conscience void of offence towards God, that thou mayst have the -testimony thereof, that thy knowledge of divine truth is practical and -experimental, and then thou art out of danger of making shipwreck of -faith, as these have done, who held it without a good conscience. It is -not said they made shipwreck of a good conscience; for that they never -have had; but _concerning faith_, which they once professed, _they made -shipwreck_. - -The same thing may be said concerning Judas; he apostatized from the -faith, which he once made a very great profession of, being not only one -of Christ’s disciples, but sent forth with the rest of them, to preach -the gospel, and work miracles; yet it is evident, that he had not the -saving grace of faith. For our Saviour, who knew the hearts of all men, -was not deceived in him (though others were) inasmuch as it is said, _He -knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should -betray him_, John vi. 64. However, the principal force of the objection -lies in this, that Judas must needs have been a believer, because he was -given to Christ; and our Saviour says, that _those who were given him -were kept by him, and none of them was lost but the son of perdition_, -chap. xvii. 12. His being styled _the son of perdition_, argues him an -apostate; and his being _given to Christ_ denotes that he was once a -true believer; therefore he fell totally and finally. In answer to -which, - -(1.) Some conclude, that they who are said to _be given to Christ_, are -such as were appointed, by the providence of God, to be his servants in -the work of the ministry. Now it is said concerning them, that they were -given to Christ, to be employed by him in this service; and that all of -them were kept faithful, except the son of perdition. If this be the -sense of their being given to him, it does not necessarily infer their -being made partakers of special grace: it is one thing to be given to -Christ, to be employed in some peculiar acts of service, in which his -glory is concerned; and another thing to be given to him, as being -chosen and called by him, to partake of special communion with him: if -Judas had been given to him in this latter sense, he would not have been -a son of perdition, but would have been kept by him, as the other -disciples were; but inasmuch as he was only given to Christ, that he -might serve the design of his providence, in the work of the ministry, -he might be lost, or appear to be a son of perdition, and yet not fall -from the truth of grace. - -(2.) If, by being _given to Christ_, we understand a being given to him, -as objects of his special love, we must suppose, that all who were thus -given to him, were kept by him; in which sense Judas, who is called _the -son of perdition_, and was not kept by him, was not given to him: -accordingly the particle _but_ is not exceptive, but adversative; and it -is as though he should say, _All that thou gavest me I have kept, and -none of them is lost; but the son of perdition is lost_, I have not -preserved him; for he was not the object of my special care and love; he -was not given me to save, therefore he is lost. Now it is certain, that -the particle _but_ is used in this sense in many other scriptures, -particularly that wherein it is said, _There shall in no wise enter into -it_, that is, the heavenly Jerusalem, _any thing that defileth, neither -whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie, but they which are -written in the Lamb’s book of life_, Rev. xxi. 27. _q. d._ ungodly men -shall not enter in; but they that are written in the lamb’s book of life -shall[93]. Thus much concerning this objection, taken from particular -persons, who are supposed to have fallen from grace. - -_Obj._ 2. The next objection is taken from what the apostle Paul says -concerning the church of the Jews, whom he describes as apostatized from -God; and it is evident, that they are, to this day, given up to judicial -blindness, and not in the least disposed to repent of that crime for -which they were cast off by him; concerning these he says, that they -once were holy; _If the first fruit be holy, the lump is also holy; and -if the root be holy, so are the branches_, Rom. xi. 16. and afterwards -he speaks of _their casting away_, and _some of the branches being -broken off, because of unbelief_, ver. 15, 17, 19, 20. Now if the whole -church apostatized, we must conclude at least, that some of them were -true believers, and therefore true believers may fall from the grace of -God. - -_Answ._ That the church of the Jews apostatized, and were cut off for -their unbelief, is sufficiently evident: but we must distinguish between -the apostacy of a professing people, such as the church of the Jews -were, who first rejected God, and then were cast off by him, and the -apostacy of those who were truly religious among them; the apostle -himself gives us ground for this distinction, when he says, _they are -not all Israel which are of Israel; neither because they are the seed of -Abraham are they all children_, chap. ix. 6, 7. And elsewhere he -distinguishes between one who is _a Jew_, as being partaker of the -external privileges of the covenant, which that church was under, and a -person’s being _a Jew_, as partaking of the saving blessings thereof; as -he says, _He is not a Jew which is one outwardly, neither is that -circumcision, which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew which is -one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and -not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God_, Rom. ii. 28, -29. A church may lose its external privileges, and cease to have the -honourable character given it; the greatest part of them may be blinded, -when, at the same time _the election_, that is, all among them who were -chosen to eternal life, _obtained it_, as the apostle observes, chap. -xi. 7. and thereby intimates, that some who were members of that church -were faithful; those were preserved from the common apostacy, being -converted to the Christian faith. Their privileges, as members of a -church, were lost, but they still retained their spiritual and -inseparable union with Christ, which they had as believers, and not as -the result of their being the natural seed of Abraham, they were made -partakers of the blessings that accompany salvation; and therefore were -not separated from the love of God in Christ, whilst formal professors -and hypocrites, who were Abraham’s natural seed, but not his spiritual, -were cast off by Christ. - -_Obj._ 3. It is farther objected, that there are some who have the -character of righteous persons, concerning whom it is supposed, that -they may fall away or perish; particularly those mentioned in Ezek. -xviii. 24. _When the righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, -and committeth iniquity, and doth according to all the abominations that -the wicked man doth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath -done shall not be mentioned, in the trespass that he hath trespassed, -and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die_: And in Heb. -x. 38. it is said, _The just shall live by faith; but if any man_, or, -as the word should be rendered, if _he draw back, my soul shall have no -pleasure in him_. Therefore, since the righteous man may turn from his -righteousness, and draw back to perdition, the doctrine of the saints’ -perseverance cannot be defended. - -_Answ._ 1. As to the former of these scriptures, we must consider the -sense thereof agreeably to the context, and the scope and design of the -prophet therein; he had often reproved them for those vile abominations -which they were guilty of, and had denounced the threatnings of God, -which should have their accomplishment in their utter ruin; -particularly, he fortels the judgments that should sweep away many of -them before, and others that should befal them in the captivity: this is -the subject principally insisted on by the prophets Jeremiah and -Ezekiel; whereupon sometimes they were represented as disliking the -doctrine, desiring that _smooth things_ might be prophesied unto them, -and _the holy one of Israel might cease from before them_. At other -times they are represented as complaining of the hardship of this -dispensation, intimating that it was unjust and severe, and, at the same -time, justifying themselves, as though they had done nothing that -deserved it; but all this was to befal them for the sins of their -fathers, and accordingly there was a proverbial expression often made -use of by them, mentioned verse 2d of this chapter, _The fathers have -eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge_; by which -they did not understand that we expect to perish eternally for our -fathers’ sins, in which sense it must be taken, if this objection has -any force in it: now God, by the prophet, tells them that they had no -reason to use this proverb, and so puts them upon looking into their -past conduct, and enquiring, whether they had not been guilty of the -same sins that their fathers were charged with? which, if they could -exculpate themselves from, they should be delivered, and not die, that -is, not fall by those judgments which either should go before, or follow -the captivity; for that seems to be the sense of _dying_, according to -the prophetic way of speaking, as we have observed elsewhere.[94] For -the understanding of this scripture we must consider, that the prophet -addresses himself to _the house of Israel_, who are represented, ver. -25. as complaining, that _the way of the Lord was not equal_; or, that -God’s threatnings or judgments, which were the forerunners of the -captivity, were such as they had not deserved; and therefore he tells -them that he would deal with them according to their deserts, ver. 24. -_When the righteous_, that is, one whose conversation before this seemed -to be unblemished, and he not guilty of those enormous crimes which were -committed by others (which may be supposed, and yet the person not be in -a state of grace) I say, when such an one _turneth away from his -righteousness, and doth according to all the abominations that the -wicked man doth_, that is, becomes openly vile and profligate; _shall he -live?_ can he expect any thing else but that God should follow him with -exemplary judgments, or that he should be involved in the common -destruction? _In his sin that he hath sinned shall he die._ And on the -other hand, ver. 27. _When the wicked man turneth away from his -wickedness_; that is, they who have been guilty of these abominations -shall reform their lives, or turn from their idolatry, murders, -adulteries, oppressions, and other vile crimes, that the people in -general were charged with, by the prophet, which are assigned as the -reason of God’s sending this dreadful judgment of the captivity; I say, -if there be such an instance of reformation, _he shall save his soul -alive_; that is, either he shall be delivered from the captivity, or -shall be preserved from those temporal judgments that either went before -or followed after it. This reformation, and deliverance from these -judgments, includes in it something less than saving grace, and a right -to eternal life, which is inseparably connected with it, so that if -nothing else be intended by the _righteous_ and _wicked man_; and if the -judgments threatened, or their deliverance from them, in case of -reformation, includes no more than this, it is evident, that it does not -in the least suppose, that any true believer shall apostatize or fall -from a state of grace. As we may distinguish between eternal death and -temporal judgments; so we must distinguish between a person’s abstaining -from the vilest abominations, as a means to escape these judgments; and -his exercising those graces that accompany salvation. There may be an -external reformation in those who have no special grace, if nothing -farther be regarded than a person’s moral character, or inoffensive -behaviour in the eye of the world. If we only consider him as abstaining -from those sins which are universally reckoned disreputable among those -who make any pretensions to religion, and in this respect he be -denominated a righteous man, such an one may turn away from his -righteousness and become immoral and profligate, and so be reckoned -among the number of apostates: nevertheless he cannot be said to -apostatize or fall from the grace of God, since moral virtue or the -exercise of righteousness in our dealings with men is as much inferior -to saving grace, as a form of godliness is to the power thereof. - -2. As to the other scripture, mentioned in the objection, it is -generally urged against us as an unanswerable argument, taken from the -express words thereof, to prove the possibility of the saints’ apostacy; -and our translation is charged with a wilful mistake, to serve a turn, -and make the text speak what it never intended, since all who understand -the original must allow that it ought to be rendered, _If he draw back_, -which supposes that the just man may apostatize, or draw back unto -perdition. To which it may be replied, - -(1.) That though the words, according to the form in which they are laid -down, contain a supposition, it does not infer the being or reality of -the thing supposed[95]; but only this, that if such a thing should -happen, it would be attended with what is laid down as a consequence -thereof. This is very agreeable to our common mode of speaking, as when -we say; if a virtuous person should commit a capital crime, he will fall -under the lash of the law as much as though he had made no pretensions -to virtue; nevertheless, it does not follow from hence, that such an one -shall do it, or expose himself to this punishment; or, on the other -hand, if a king should say to a criminal, as Solomon did to Adonijah, -‘If he will shew himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him -fall to the earth,’ it cannot be concluded from hence, that he will -behave himself so as that his life shall be secured to him. The -proposition is true, as there is a just connexion between the -supposition and the consequence; yet this does not argue that the thing -supposed shall come to pass. Now to apply this to the scripture, under -our present consideration; the proposition is doubtless true, that if -the just man should draw back, so as to become a wicked man, if he -should lose the principle of grace which was implanted in regeneration, -and abandon himself to the greatest impieties, he would as certainly -perish as though he had never experienced the grace of God; but it must -not be inferred from hence, that God will suffer such an one, who is the -object both of his love and care, thus to fall and perish, so that his -soul should have no pleasure in him. - -(2.) If we suppose the person here spoken of, whom we consider as a true -believer, to draw back, we may distinguish between backsliding or -turning aside from God, by the commission of very great sins; and -apostacy. Or between drawing back, by being guilty of great crimes, so -as to expose himself to sore judgments; and his drawing back to -perdition. The just man in this text, is said, indeed, to draw back, but -he is distinguished from one that draws back to perdition; as it is said -in the following verse, ‘We are not of them who draw back to perdition, -but of them that believe, to the saving of the soul.’ Such a drawing -back as this, though it shall not end in perdition, inasmuch as the -person shall be recovered and brought to repentance; yet it shall be -attended with very great marks of God’s displeasure against believers, -for those sins which they have committed, as well as others; -accordingly, _his soul having no pleasure_ in them, denotes that he -would, in various instances, reveal his wrath against relapsing -believers, as a display of his holiness, who shall nevertheless be -recovered and saved at last. If these things be duly considered, the -objection seems to have no weight in it, though it should be allowed, -that the words upon which it is principally founded, are not rightly -translated. - -However, I cannot see sufficient reason to set aside our translation, it -being equally just to render the words, _if any man draw back_[96]; -since the supplying the words _any man_, or _any one_, is allowed of in -many other instances, both in the Old and New Testament. Therefore there -is not the least incongruity in its being supplied in the text under our -present consideration[97]; and, if it be, the sense that we give of it, -will appear very agreeable to the context; accordingly the meaning is, -‘The just shall live by faith,’ or they who ‘know in themselves that -they have in heaven a better and an enduring substance,’ as in one of -the foregoing verses: These shall live by faith, but as for others who -do not live by faith, having only a form or shew of religion, ‘whose -manner is to forsake the assembling of themselves together,’ as in verse -25. these are inclined to _draw back_; therefore, let them know that _if -any one_, or _whosoever draws back_, it will be at their peril; for it -will be to their own _perdition_; yet saith the apostle, that true -believers may not be discouraged by the apostacy of others, let them -take notice of what is said in the following words, ‘We are not of them -who draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe, to the saving of -the soul.’ These things being duly considered, it will be sufficiently -evident that this text does not militate against the doctrine of the -saints’ perseverance. - -_Obj._ 4. There is another objection brought against the doctrine we -have been endeavouring to maintain, taken from what the apostle says in -Heb. vi. 4, 5, 6. ‘It is impossible for those who were once enlightened, -and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the -Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the -world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto -repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and -put him to an open shame.’ The force of this objection lies in two -things, _viz._ that they are described as total and final apostates; and -also, that according to the account we have of their former -conversation, they appear then to have been true believers. - -_Answ._ This is thought, by some, who defend the doctrine of the saints’ -perseverance, to be one of the most difficult objections that we -generally meet with against it; especially they who cannot see how it is -possible for a person to make such advances towards true godliness, and -yet be no other than an hypocrite or formal professor, are obliged to -take a method to set aside the force of the objection, which I cannot -give into, namely, that when the apostle says, _It is impossible_ that -such should be _renewed again to repentance_; the word _impossible_ -denotes nothing else, but that the thing is exceeding difficult, not -that they shall eventually perish; because they are supposed to be true -believers; but their recovery after such a notorious instance of -backsliding, shall be attended with difficulties so great that nothing -can surmount, but the extraordinary power of God; and though he will -recover them, yet they shall feel the smart thereof as long as they -live; they shall be saved, yet so as by fire[98]. - -But notwithstanding the word _impossible_ may be sometimes taken for -that which is very difficult, I cannot but conclude that the apostle is -here speaking of that which is impossible, with respect to the event, -and therefore, that he is giving the character of apostates who shall -never be recovered. This appears, not only from the heinousness of the -crime, as they are said _to crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, -and put him to an open shame_; but from what is mentioned in the -following verses, in which they are compared to _the earth that bringeth -forth thorns and briars, which is rejected, and nigh unto cursing, whose -end is to be burned_; and from their being distinguished from those who -shall be saved, concerning whom the apostle was _persuaded better -things, and things that accompany salvation_; therefore he is speaking -here concerning a total and final apostasy. - -But that this may not appear to militate against the doctrine we are -maintaining, I shall endeavour to shew, that notwithstanding the -character the apostle gives of the persons he here speaks of they were -destitute of the truth of grace, and therefore nothing is said -concerning them, but what a formal professor may attain to: That this -may appear let it be considered, - -1. That they are described as _once enlightened_; but this a person may -be, and yet be destitute of saving faith. If by being _enlightened_ we -understand their having been baptized, as some critics take the word, -which was afterwards, in some following ages, used in that sense, it -might easily be alleged, that a person might be baptized and yet not be -a true believer: But since I question whether baptism was expressed by -illumination in the apostles age[100], I would rather understand by it, -their having been convinced of the truth of the gospel, or yielded an -assent to the doctrines contained therein. Now this a person may do, and -yet be destitute of saving faith, which is seated not barely in the -understanding, but in the will, and therefore supposes him not only to -be rightly informed, with respect to those things which are the object -of faith, but to be internally and effectually called, from whence -saving faith proceeds, as has been before observed. - -2. They are said to have _tasted the good word of God_; which agrees -with the character before given of those who had a temporary faith[101], -who seemed, for a while, pleased with the word, and their affections -were raised in hearing it; as Herod is said to have _heard John the -Baptist gladly, and to have done many things_; like those whom our -Saviour compares to the seed sown in stony ground, which soon sprang up, -but afterwards withered away. This a person may do, and yet not have -saving faith; for it is one thing to approve of, and be affected with -the word, and another thing to mix it with that faith which accompanies -salvation. A person may entertain those doctrines contained in the word -which relate to a future state of blessedness with pleasure; as all men -desire to be happy, and at the same time be far from practising the -duties of self-denial, taking up the cross, and following Christ, -mortifying indwelling sin, and exercising an intire dependance upon, and -resignation to him in all things: This contains much more than what is -expressed by _tasting the good word of God_. - -3. They are farther described as having _tasted the heavenly gift, and -being made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and of the powers of the world -to come_; all which expressions, I humbly conceive, carry in them no -more than this, that they had been enabled to work miracles, or that -they had a faith of miracles, which has been before described[102], and -proved to fall very short of saving faith[103]. Therefore these -characters given of them do not argue that they were true believers, and -consequently the objection, which depends on the supposition that they -were, is of no force to prove that saints may totally or finally fall -from grace. - -_Obj._ 5. The next objection against the doctrine we have been -maintaining, is taken from Heb. x. 29. _Of how much sorer punishment -suppose ye shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the -Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was -sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the spirit of -grace._ The crime here spoken of is of the heinous nature, and the -greatest punishment is said to be inflicted for it: Now, inasmuch as -these are described as having been _sanctified by the blood of the -covenant_, it follows, that they were true believers, and consequently -true believers may apostatize, and fall short of salvation. - -_Answ._ The force of the objection lies principally in those words, _the -blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified_; which expression is -taken, by divines, in two different senses. - -1. Some take the word _he_ in the same sense as it is taken in the -objection, as referring to the apostate; and then the difficulty which -occurs, is how such an one could be said to be sanctified by the blood -of the covenant, and yet not regenerate, effectually called, or a true -believer: To solve this, they suppose, that by _sanctification_ we are -only to understand a relative holiness, which such have who are made -partakers of the common grace of the gospel: Thus it is said, _Israel -was holiness unto the Lord_, Jer. ii. 3. or, as the apostle Peter -expresses it, _an holy nation_, 1 Pet. ii. 9. as they were God’s people -by an external covenant relation, and by an explicit consent to be -governed by those laws which he gave them when they first became a -church, Exod. xxiv. 3. and publicly avouched him to be their God, and he -avouched them to be his peculiar people, which was done upon some solemn -occasions, Deut. xxvi. 17, 18. Nevertheless, many of them were destitute -of the special grace of sanctification, as it contains in it a thorough -and universal change of heart and life. Moreover, they suppose that this -privilege of being God’s people, by an external covenant-relation, -together with all these common gifts and graces that attend it, was -purchased by, and founded on the blood of Christ, which is called _the -blood of the covenant_, inasmuch as he was _given for a covenant of the -people_, Isa. xlii. 6. and pursuant hereunto, he shed his blood to -procure for them the external as well as the saving blessings of the -covenant of grace; the former of these, the persons here described as -apostates, are supposed to have been made partakers of, as the apostle -says, _To them pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the -covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the -promises_, Rom. ix. 4. they worshipped him in all his ordinances, as -those whom the prophet speaks of, _who seek him daily, and delight to -know his ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the -ordinance of their God; they ask of him the ordinances of justice, and -take delight in approaching to God_; and yet these things were not done -by faith, Isa. lviii. 2. In this respect persons may be sanctified, and -yet afterwards forfeit, neglect, despise and forsake these ordinances, -and lose the external privileges of the covenant of grace, which they -once had, and so become apostates. This is the most common method used -to solve the difficulty contained in the objection. But I would rather -acquiesce in another way, which may be taken to account for the sense of -those words, _the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified_. -Therefore, let it be considered, - -2. That the word _he_ may be understood, not as referring to the -apostate, but our Saviour, who is spoken of immediately before: thus the -apostate is said to ‘trample under foot the Son of God, and count the -blood of the covenant wherewith He, that is, Christ, ‘was sanctified, an -unholy thing.’ That this sense may appear just, it may be observed, that -Christ was sanctified or set apart by the Father, to perform all the -branches of his Mediatorial office, in two respects. - -(1.) As he was fore-ordained or appointed, by him, to come into the -world to shed his blood for the redemption of his people: thus his -undertaking to redeem them is called his sanctifying, or devoting -himself to perform this work, as he says, ‘For their sakes I sanctify -myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth,’ John -xvii. 19. this he did in pursuance of the eternal transaction between -the Father and him, relating hereunto. But it will be said, that this -was antecedent to his dying for them; and therefore, properly speaking, -he could not be said, in this respect, to be _sanctified by the blood of -the covenant_; therefore, to this we may add, - -(2.) That he was also sanctified, or set apart by the Father, to apply -the work of redemption after he had purchased it; which sanctification -was, in the most proper sense, the result of his shedding his blood, -which was the blood of the covenant; so that as he was ‘brought again -from the dead,’ as the apostle speaks, ‘through the blood of the -everlasting covenant,’ Heb. xiii. 20. all the blessings which he applies -to his people as the consequence hereof, are the result of his being -sanctified, or set apart to carry on and perfect the work of our -salvation, the foundation whereof was laid in his blood. - -Moreover, that they who are here described as apostates, had not before -this, the grace of faith, is evident from the context, inasmuch as they -are distinguished from true believers. The apostle seems to speak of two -sorts of persons, to wit, some who had cast off the ordinances of God’s -worship, ‘forsaking the assembling of themselves together,’ who are -distinguished from those whom he dehorts from this sin, who _had_ the -grace of _faith_, whereby they were enabled to ‘draw near to God in full -assurance thereof, having their hearts sprinkled from an evil -conscience, and their bodies washed with pure water;’ concerning these -he says, ‘We are not of them who draw back to perdition, but of them who -believe to the saving of the soul,’ chap. x. 39. Therefore we must -conclude that others are intended in the text under our present -consideration, who were not true believers, and consequently it does not -from hence appear that such may totally, or finally, fall from a state -of grace. - -The apostates spoken of in this and the foregoing objection, were -probably some among the Jews, to whom the gospel was preached, who -embraced the Christian faith, being convinced by those miracles which -were wrought for that purpose, but afterwards revolted from it, and were -more inveterately set against Christ and the gospel than they had been -before they made this profession; and accordingly as they had formerly -approved of the crimes of those who crucified Christ, in which respect -they are said to have crucified him; now they do, in the same sense, -crucify him afresh. And as they had been made partakers of the -extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost; afterwards they openly blasphemed -him, and this was done with spite and malice. These texts therefore not -only contain a sad instance of the apostasy of some, but prove that they -were irrecoverably lost; and this comes as near the account we have in -the gospels of the unpardonable sin, as any thing mentioned in -scripture: nevertheless, what has been said to prove that they never -were true believers, is a sufficient answer to this and the foregoing -objection. - -_Objec._ 6. Another objection against the doctrine of the saints’ -perseverance, is taken from 2 Pet. ii. 20-22. _For if after they have -escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord -and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and -overcome; the latter end is worse with them than the beginning_; and -they are said in the following verse, to _turn from the holy commandment -delivered unto them_; which is compared to the _dog turning to his own -vomit again, and the sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire_. - -_Answ._ To this it may be replied, That though every one must conclude, -that the persons, whom the apostle here speaks of, plainly appear to be -apostates; yet there is nothing in their character which argues that -they apostatized, or fell from the truth of grace; and it is only such -whom we are at present speaking of. It may be observed, that the apostle -is so far from including these apostates in the number of those to whom -he writes this, with the foregoing epistle, whom he describes _as elect, -according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father, through -sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood -of Jesus Christ_, and as having been _begotten again unto a lively hope, -by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, to an inheritance reserved for them -in heaven_, and as such, who should be _kept by the power of God, -through faith, unto salvation_, 1 Pet. i. 2-5. that he plainly -distinguishes them from them. For in verse 1, of this chapter, from -whence it is taken, it is said, ‘There shall be false teachers among -you, and many shall follow their pernicious ways;’ he does not say many, -who are now of your number, but many who shall be joined to the church, -when these false teachers arise. These persons, indeed, are represented -as making a great shew of religion, by which they gained reputation -among some professors, whom they seduced which otherwise they could not -have done; and therefore it is said, ‘They had escaped the pollutions of -the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,’ -and that they had ‘known the way of righteousness.’ Such might indeed be -joined to the church afterwards; but they did not now belong to it; and -what is said concerning them, amounts to no more than an external -visible reformation, together with their having attained the knowledge -of Christ and divine things; so that they were enlightened in the -doctrines of the gospel; though they made it appear, by the methods they -used to deceive others, that they had not experienced the grace of the -gospel themselves, and therefore they fell away from their profession, -and turned aside from the faith, which once they preached. It is one -thing for a formal professor, who makes a great show of religion, to -turn aside from his profession, to all excess of riot; and another thing -to suppose a true believer can do so, and that to such a degree as to -continue therein; this the grace of God will keep him from. - -_Objec._ 7. Another objection against the doctrine of the saints’ -perseverance, is taken from the parable of the debtor and creditor, in -Matt, xviii. 26, _&c._ in which it is said, ‘The servant fell down and -worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee -all. Then the Lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed -him, and forgave him the debt;’ but afterwards, upon his treating one of -his fellow-servants, who owed him a very inconsiderable sum, with great -severity, his lord exacted the debt of him, which he had before forgiven -him, and so _delivered_ him _to the tormentors_, till he should pay all -that was due to him: ‘So likewise,’ it is said, ‘shall my heavenly -Father do unto you, if ye, from your hearts forgive not every one his -brother their trespasses;’ from whence it is inferred, that a person may -fall from a justified state, or that God may forgive sin at one time, -and yet be provoked to alter his resolution, and inflict the punishment -that is due to it, at another; which is altogether inconsistent with the -doctrine of the saints’ perseverance in grace. - -_Answ._ In answer to this we must observe, that our Saviour’s design in -his parables, is not that every word or circumstance contained in them, -should be applied to signify what it seems to import, but there is some -truth in general intended to be illustrated thereby, which is -principally to be regarded therein. Thus in the parable of the _judge_, -in Luke xviii. 2, &c. ‘which feared not God, neither regarded man,’ who -was moved, by a widow’s importunity, to ‘avenge her of her adversary;’ -which after a while, he resolved to do, because the widow _troubled -him_. This is applied to ‘God’s avenging his elect, who cry day and -night unto him;’ where we must observe, that it is only in this -circumstance that the parable is to be applied to them without any -regard had to the injustice of the judge, or his being uneasy, by reason -of the importunity which the widow exprest in pleading her cause with -him. - -Again, in the parable of the _steward_, in Luke xvi. 1, &c. who being -accused for having _wasted his lord’s goods_; and apprehending that he -should be soon turned out of the stewardship, he takes an unjust method -to gain the favour of his lord’s debtors, by remitting a part of what -they owed him, that by this means they might be induced to shew kindness -to him when he was turned out of his service. It is said indeed, verse -8. that ‘the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had acted -wisely;’ whereas, our Saviour does not design, in the account he gives -of his injustice, to give the least countenance to it, as though it were -to be imitated by us; nor by his lord’s commending him as acting wisely -for himself, does he intend that it is lawful or commendable for wicked -men to pursue the like measures to promote their future interest. But -the only thing in which this parable is applied, is, that we might learn -from hence, that ‘the children of this world are, in their generation -wiser than the children of light;’ and that men ought to endeavour, -without the least appearance of injustice, to gain the friendship of -others, by using what they have in the world, in such a way, as that -they may be induced, out of gratitude for those favours, which they -conferred upon them, to shew respect to them; but principally, that in -performing what was really their duty, they might have ground to hope -that they shall be approved of God, and received into everlasting -habitations. - -Now to apply this rule to the parable from whence the objection is -taken, we must consider, that the design hereof is not to signify that -God changes his mind, as men do, by forgiving persons at one time, and -afterwards condemning them, as though he did not know, when he extended -this kindness to them, how they would behave towards others, or whether -they would improve or forfeit this privilege; since to suppose this -would be contrary to the divine perfections. Therefore the only design -of the parable is to shew, that they who now conclude that God has -forgiven them, ought to forgive others, or else they will find -themselves mistaken at last: and though according to the tenor of the -divine dispensations, or the revealed will of God, which is our only -rule of judging concerning this matter, they think that they are in a -justified state, it will appear, that the debt which they owed was not -cancelled, but shall be exacted of them to the utmost, in their own -persons; so that all that can be proved from hence is, that a man may -fall from, or lose those seeming grounds, which we had to conclude that -his sins were forgiven: but we are not to suppose that our Saviour -intends hereby that God’s secret purpose, relating to the forgiveness of -sin, can be changed; or that he, who is really freed from condemnation, -at one time, may fall under it at another: therefore, what is said in -this parable, does not in the least give countenance to this objection, -or overthrow the doctrine we are maintaining. - -_Objec._ 8. There is another objection, taken from what the apostle Paul -says concerning himself, in 1 Cor. ix. 27. _I keep under my body, and -bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when I have preached -to others, I myself should be a cast-away._ Now it is certain that the -apostle was a true believer; yet he concludes, that if he did not behave -himself so as to subdue or keep under his corrupt passions, but should -commit those open scandalous crimes, which they would prompt him to, he -should, in the end, become a cast-away, that is, apostatize from God, -and be rejected by him. - -_Answ._ To this it may be replied, That though the apostle had as good -ground to conclude that he had experienced the grace of God in truth, as -any man, and was oftentimes favoured with a full assurance hereof; yet -he did not attain this assurance by immediate revelation, so as he -received those doctrines which he was to impart to the church as a rule -of faith; for then it would have been impossible for him to have been -mistaken as to this matter: and if this be supposed, then I would -understand what he says concerning his being _a cast-away_, as denoting -what would be the consequence of his _not keeping under his body_; but -not implying hereby that corrupt nature should so far prevail, as that -he should fall from a sanctified state. Now if he did not attain this -assurance by immediate revelation, then he had it in the same way as -others have, by making use of those marks and characters which are given -of the truth of grace; and accordingly he argues, that though, at -present, he thought himself to be in a sanctified state, from the same -evidences that others conclude themselves to be so; yet if corrupt -nature should prevail over him, which it would do, if he did not keep -his body in subjection, or if he were guilty of those vile abominations -which unregenerate persons are chargeable with, then it would appear, -that this assurance was ill grounded, his hope of salvation delusive, -and he no other than an hypocrite; and so, notwithstanding his having -preached to others, he would be found, in the end, among them who were -false professors, and accordingly rejected of God: therefore we may -observe, that it is one thing for a person to exercise that caution, and -use those means to prevent sin, which, if he should commit, would prove -him an hypocrite; and another thing for one that is a true believer, to -be suffered to commit those sins whereby he would apostatize from God, -and so miss of salvation. - -And this will serve to answer another objection that is usually brought -against the doctrine we are maintaining, as though it were inconsistent -with that holy fear which believers ought to have of falling, as an -inducement to care and watchfulness in the discharge of their duty; as -it is said in Prov. xxviii. 14. _Happy is the man that feareth always_; -inasmuch as we must distinguish between that fear of caution, which is a -preservative against sin, and includes a watchfulness over our actions, -that we may not dishonour God thereby; and an unbelieving fear, that -though we are in a state of grace, and are enabled to exercise that -diligence and circumspection that becomes christians, yet we have no -foundation whereon to set our foot, or ground to hope for salvation. Or, -it is one thing to fear, lest we should, by giving way to sin, dishonour -God, grieve his Spirit, and wound our own consciences, and do that which -is a disgrace to the gospel, through the prevalency of corrupt nature, -whereby we shall have ground to conclude that we thought ourselves -something when we were nothing, deceiving our own souls; and another -thing to fear that we shall perish and fall, though our hearts are right -with God, and we have reason to expect that we shall be kept by his -power, through faith, unto salvation. - -We shall conclude this answer with some few inferences from what has -been said, to prove the doctrine of the saints’ perseverance as -contained therein. And, - -1. Since we do not pretend to assert that all who make a profession of -religion are assured that they shall never apostatize, but only true -believers, let unbelievers take no encouragement from hence to conclude, -that it shall be well with them in the end. Many are externally called -who are not really sanctified; and presume that they shall be saved, -though, without ground, inasmuch as they continue in impenitency and -unbelief; such have no warrant to take comfort from the doctrine we have -been maintaining. - -2. We may, from what has been said, observe the difference between the -security of a believer’s state, as his hope is fixed on the stability of -the covenant, and the promises thereof, relating to his salvation, -together with the Spirit’s witness, with ours, concerning our own -sincerity; and that which we generally call carnal security, whereby a -person thinks himself safe, or that all things shall go well with him, -though he make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof: This -is an unwarrantable security in a state of unregeneracy, or -licentiousness, which this doctrine does not in the least give -countenance to. - -3. From what has been said concerning the apostasy of some from that -faith which they once made a profession of, we may infer; that it is -only the grace of God experienced in truth, that will preserve us from -turning aside from the faith of the gospel. The apostle speaks of some -who, by embracing those doctrines that were subversive of the gospel, -are _fallen from grace_, Gal. v. 4. that is, from the doctrines of -grace; concerning whom he says, that _Christ profited them nothing_, or -was _become of no effect to them_, chap. v. 2, 4. that is, the gospel, -which contains a display of the glory of Christ, was of no saving -advantage to them. All the sad instances we have of many, who are tossed -to and fro with every wind of doctrine, and are made a prey to those -that lie in wait to deceive, proceed from their being destitute of the -grace of God, which would have a tendency to preserve them from turning -aside from the faith of the gospel. - -4. Let us be exhorted to be as diligent and watchful against the -breakings forth of corruption, and endeavour to avoid all occasions of -sin, as much as though perseverance in grace were to be ascribed to our -own endeavours, or as though God had given us no ground to conclude that -he would enable us to persevere; and yet, at the same time, depend on -his assistance, without which this blessing cannot be attained, and hope -in his mercy and faithfulness, and lay hold on the promises which he has -given us, that it shall go well with us in the end, or that we shall -have all joy and peace in believing. - -5. Let us not only endeavour to persevere, but grow in grace; which two -blessings are joined together; as it is said, _The righteous also shall -hold on his way; and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and -stronger_, Job xvii. 9. - -6. This doctrine has a great tendency to support and fortify believers, -under the most adverse dispensations of providence, which, at any time, -they are liable to; and to comfort them under all the assaults of their -spiritual enemies; since though they may be suffered to discourage or -give them interruption in the exercise of those graces which they have -experienced, yet grace shall not be wholly extinguished. And sometimes, -by the over-ruling providence of God, those things which in themselves -have a tendency to weaken their faith, shall be ordered as a means to -increase it; so that when they can do nothing in their own strength, -they may be enabled, by depending on Christ, and receiving strength from -him, to prevail against all the opposition they meet with, and come off -_more than conquerors_, at last, _through him that loved them_, Rom. -viii. 37. - -Footnote 81: - - _See Whitby’s discourse, &c._ _page 463._ - -Footnote 82: - - _See Vol. I. Page 469._ - -Footnote 83: - - _See Vol. I. page 481, and page 135-138._ - -Footnote 84: - - _See Vol. II. page 170, 171._ - -Footnote 85: - - _See Vol. I. page 477_, & albi passim. - -Footnote 86: - - _See Vol. I. page 437._ - -Footnote 87: - - _See Page 11, 12, ante._ - -Footnote 88: - - _See Vol. II. page 473-479. Quest._ lv. - -Footnote 89: - - _See Page 30, ante._ - -Footnote 90: - - _The words are_ ου δυναται αμαρτανειν. - -Footnote 91: - - _See Whitby’s Discourse, &c. Page 67, 68, 463._ - -Footnote 92: - - _See page 213, 214, ante._ - -Footnote 93: - - _See several other scriptures, in which_ μη _is taken adversatively_, - Matt. xxiv. 35. Gal. i. 7. Rev. ix. 4. - -Footnote 94: - - _See Vol. II page 333-335._ - -Footnote 95: - - _It is a known maxim in logic_, Suppositio nihil ponit in esse. - -Footnote 96: - - Εαν υποστειληται. - -Footnote 97: - - _It is certain, that the particles_ τις, אשר, _and others of the like - import, are often left out, and the defect thereof is to be supplied - in our translation: Thus it is in_ Job xxxiii. 27. _where the Hebrew - word, which might have been rendered_ and he shall say, _is better - rendered_ and if any say, &c. _and in_ Gen. xlviii. 2. _instead of_ he - told Jacob, _it is better rendered_ one told Jacob, _or_ somebody - _told him; and in_ Mark ii. 1. τις, _which is left out in the Greek - text, is supplied in the translation, in which we do not read it_ - after days, _but_ after some days. _See Nold. Concord. Partic. Page - 41, 42. in which several texts of scripture are produced to the same - purpose, and among the rest, this in_ Heb. x. 38. _which we are at - present considering as what ought to be rendered_ if any one draw - back. _In this and such like instances we may observe, that the verb - personal has an impersonal signification, or that which is properly - active is rendered passively; so_ Eccl. ix. 15. זמצא בה _is not - rendered_ and he found in it, &c. _but_ now there was found in it; - _many other instances of the like nature are to be observed in the - Hebrew text in the Old Testament; and sometimes this mode of speaking - is imitated by the Greek text in the New. I might also observe, with - respect to the scripture under our present consideration, that the - learned Grotius observes that_ τις _ought to be supplied, and - consequently the text ought to be rendered as it is in our - translation_, if any man draw back, _which he observes as what is - agreeable to the grammatical construction thereof, without any regard - to the doctrine we are maintaining, with respect to which, he is - otherwise minded_. - -Footnote 98: - - _To give countenance to this sense of the word_ impossible, _they - refer to some scriptures, in which it does not denote an absolute - impossibility of the thing, but only that if it comes to pass it will - be with much difficulty. Thus it is said_, Acts xx. 16. _that the - Apostle_ Paul hasted, if it were possible for him to be at _Jerusalem_ - the day of Pentecost; _where his making haste argues that the thing - was not in itself impossible, but difficult. And_ Rom. xii. 18. _we - are exhorted_, if it be possible, as much as in us lieth, to live - peaceably with all men; _which shews that it is hard indeed so to do; - nevertheless, we are to use our utmost endeavours to do it, which does - not argue that the thing is in itself altogether impossible. And there - is another scripture they bring to justify this sense of the words in_ - Matt. xix. 23-26. _in which our Saviour’s design is to shew the - difficulty of a rich man’s entering into the kingdom of heaven, which - he compares to a_ camel’s going through the eye of a needle; _by which - very few suppose, that the beast, so called, is intended, but a - cable-rope, which is sometimes called a_ camel; _thus the Syriack[99] - and Arabick versions translate the word_: - - _And a learned writer observes, that the Jews, in a proverbial way, - express the difficulty of a thing by that of a cable-rope’s passing - through the eye of a needle, See Buxt. Lex. Talmud. Pane 1719. and - Bochart Hiero. Part. 1. Lib. 2. Cap. 3. And by_ needle _is not meant - that which is used in working, but an iron, through which a small rope - may be easily drawn; though it was very difficult to force a camel or - cable-rope through it; therefore they suppose our Saviour is not - speaking of a thing which is absolutely impossible, but exceeding - difficult; and this may be inferred from his reply to what the - disciples objected_, who then can be saved, _when he says_, with men - this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. _And to - apply this to the scripture under our present consideration, they - suppose that the apostle, when he speaks of the renewing of those - persons to repentance, does not intend that which is absolutely - impossible, but that it cannot be brought about but by the - extraordinary power of God, with whom all things are possible._ - -Footnote 99: - - The ancient Syriac is ܠܓܡܠܐ the modern is the same word, which is - literally καμηλον _a camel_, not καμιλον _a cable_. This Eastern - proverb is now well established. Vide Campbell, Clarke, &c. - -Footnote 100: - - _We do not find the word used in that sense till the second century_, - _by Justin Martyr [Vid. ejusd. Dial. 2.] and Clemens Alexandrinus [in - Pædag. Lib. 1. cap. 6.] and therefore we are not altogether to take - our measures in explaining the sense of words, used in scripture, from - them, who sometimes mistake the sense of the doctrine, contained - therein. However, if we take the word in this sense, it does not - militate against our argument, since a person may be baptized, who is - not in a state of grace and salvation._ - -Footnote 101: - - _See Pag. 124, 125 ante._ - -Footnote 102: - - _See Pag. 122, 123 ante._ - -Footnote 103: - - _There seems to be an hendyadis in the apostle’s mode of speaking. By - the heavenly gift we are to understand extraordinary gifts, which are - called the Holy Ghost elsewhere_, Acts xix. 2. _because they were from - the Holy Ghost as effects of his power, and wrought to confirm the - gospel dispensation, which is called the world to come_, Heb. ii. 6. - _and therefore they are styled the powers of the world to come_. - - - - - Quest. LXXX. - - - QUEST. LXXX. _Can true believers be infallibly assured that they are - in the estate of grace, and that they shall persevere therein unto - salvation?_ - - ANSW. Such as truly believe in Christ, and endeavour to walk in all - good conscience before him, may, without extraordinary revelation, - by faith grounded upon the truth of God’s promises, and by the - Spirit, enabling them to discern in themselves those graces to which - the promises of life are made, and bearing witness with their - spirits, that they are the children of God, be infallibly assured - that they are in a state of grace, and shall persevere therein unto - salvation. - -Having before considered a believer as made partaker of those graces of -the Holy Spirit that accompany salvation, whereby his state is rendered -safe, and also that he shall not draw back unto perdition, but shall -attain the end of his faith, even the salvation of his soul; it is -necessary for the establishing of his comfort and joy, that he should -know himself to be interested in this privilege. It is a great blessing -to be redeemed by Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit; but it is a -superadded privilege to know that we are so, or be assured that we are -in a state of grace, which is the subject insisted on in this answer: In -which we are led, - -I. To speak something concerning the nature of assurance, and how far -persons may be said to be infallibly assured of their salvation. - -II. We shall endeavour to prove that this blessing is attainable in this -life. - -III. We shall consider the character of those to whom it belongs. And, - -IV. The means whereby it may be attained. - -I. Concerning the nature of assurance, and how far persons may be said -to be infallibly assured of their salvation. Assurance is opposed to -doubting; which is inconsistent therewith; so that he who has attained -this privilege, is carried above all those doubts and fears respecting -the truth of grace, and his interest in the love of God, which others -are exposed to, whereby their lives are rendered very uncomfortable: It -may also be considered as containing in it something more than our being -enabled to hope that we are in a state of grace; for though that affords -relief against despair, yet it falls short of assurance, which is -sometimes called _a full assurance of hope_, Heb. vi. 11. and it -certainly contains a great deal more than a probability, or a -conjectural persuasion relating to this matter; which is the only thing -that some will allow to be attainable by believers, especially they who -deny the doctrine of the saints’ perseverance, and lay the greatest -stress of man’s salvation on his own free-will, rather than the -efficacious grace of God. All that they will own as to this matter is, -that persons may be in a hopeful way to salvation, and that it is -probable they may attain it at last. But they cannot be fully assured -that they shall, unless they were assured concerning their perseverance, -which, they suppose, no one can be; because the carrying on of the work -of grace depends on the free-will of man, as well as the first beginning -of it; and according to their notion of liberty, as has been before -observed under another answer[104], _viz._ that he who acts freely may -act the contrary; and consequently, since every thing that is done in -the carrying on of the work of grace, is done freely; no one can be -assured that this work shall not miscarry; therefore none can attain -assurance; this is what some assert, but we deny. And it is observed in -this answer, that believers may not only attain assurance that they are -in a state of grace, and shall persevere therein unto salvation, but -that they may be infallibly assured hereof, which is the highest degree -of assurance. How far this is attainable by believers, may be the -subject of our farther inquiry. - -It is a matter of dispute among some, whether assurance admits of any -degrees, or whether a person can be said to be more or less assured of a -thing? or whether that which does not amount to the highest degree of -certainty, may be called assurance? This is denied, by some, for this -reason; because assurance is the highest and strongest assent that can -be given to the truth of any proposition; accordingly the least defect -of evidence on which it is supposed to be founded, leaves the mind in a -proportionable degree of doubt, as to the truth of it; in which case -there may be a probability, but not an assurance. If this method of -explaining the meaning of the word be true, then it is beyond dispute, -that they who have attained assurance of their being in a state of -grace, may be said to be infallibly assured thereof: Whether this be the -sense of that expression in this answer, I will not pretend to -determine; neither shall I enter any farther into this dispute, which -amounts to little more than what concerns the propriety or impropriety -of the sense of the word _assurance_. All that I shall add concerning -it, is, that according to our common mode of speaking it is reckoned no -absurdity for a person to say he is sure of a thing, though it be -possible for him to have greater evidence of the truth thereof, and -consequently a greater degree of assurance. Thus the assurance that -arises from the possession of a thing cannot but be greater than that -which attends the bare expectation of it: Therefore whatever be the -sense of that infallible assurance, which is here spoken of; we cannot -suppose that there is any degree of assurance attainable in this life, -concerning the happiness of the saints in heaven, equal to that which -they have who are actually possessed of that blessedness; to suppose -this would be to confound earth and heaven together, or expectation with -actual fruition. - -As to what relates to our assurance thereof, there is another matter of -dispute among some, which I am not desirous to enter into; namely, -whether it is possible for a believer to be as sure that he shall be -saved, as he is that he exists, or that he is a sinner, and so stands in -need of salvation? or whether it is possible for a person to be as sure -that he shall be saved, as he is sure of that truth which is matter of -pure revelation, viz. that he, that believes shall be saved? or whether -it is possible for a person to be as sure that he has the truth of -grace, as he may be that he performs any actions, whether natural or -religious; such as speaking, praying, reading, hearing, &c. or whether -we may be as sure that we have a principle of grace, as we are that we -put forth such actions, as seem to proceed from that principle, when -engaged in the performance of some religious duties? If any are disposed -to defend the possibility of our attaining assurance in so great a -degree as this, as what they think to be the meaning of what some -divines have asserted, agreeably to what is contained in this answer, -that a believer may be infallibly assured of his salvation, I will not -enter the list with them; though I very much question whether it will -not be a matter of too great difficulty for them to support their -argument, without the least appearance of exception to it. - -Nevertheless, (that I may not extenuate or deny the privileges which -some saints have been favoured with, who have been, as it were, in the -suburbs of heaven, and not only had a prelibation, but a kind of -sensation, of the enjoyments thereof, and expressed as full an assurance -as though they had been actually in heaven); it cannot be denied that -this, in various instances, has amounted, as near as possible, to an -assurance of infallibility; and that such a degree of assurance has been -attained, by some believers, both in former and later ages, will be -proved under a following head, which, I am apt to think, is what is -intended in this answer, by the possibility of a believer’s being -infallibly assured of salvation. But let it be considered, that these -are uncommon instances, in which the Spirit of God, by his immediate -testimony, has favoured them with, as to this matter, which are not to -be reckoned as a standard, whereby we may judge of that assurance which -God’s children desire, and sometimes enjoy, which falls short of it: -Therefore, when God is pleased to give a believer such a degree of -assurance, as carries him above all his doubts and fears, with respect -to his being in a state of grace, and fills him with those joys which -arise from hence, that are unspeakable, and full of glory; this is that -assurance which we are now to consider, which, in this answer is called -an infallible assurance; whether it be more or less properly so called, -we have nothing farther to add; but shall proceed, - -II. To prove that this privilege is attainable in this present life; and -that it may appear to be so, let it be considered, - -1. That if the knowledge of other things which are of less importance, -be attainable, then certainly it is possible for us to attain that which -is of the greatest importance. This argument is founded on the goodness -of God; if he has given us sufficient means to lead us into the -knowledge of other things, which respect our comfort and happiness in -this world; has he left us altogether destitute of those means whereby -we may conclude, that it shall go well with us in a better? God has -sometimes been pleased to favour his people with some intimations -concerning the blessings of common providence, which they might expect -for their encouragement, under the trials and difficulties which they -were to meet with in the world; and our Saviour encourages his disciples -to expect, that notwithstanding their present destitute circumstances, -as to outward things; yet their _Father_, who _knows that they had need -of them_, would supply their wants; and therefore they had no reason to -be over-solicitous in _taking thought what they should eat and drink, -and wherewithal they should be clothed_, Matt. vi. 31, 32. and if God, -that he may encourage the faith of his people, gives them assurance that -_no temptation shall befal them, but what is common to men_; or, that -they shall not be pressed down, so as to sink and despair of help from -him, under the burdens and difficulties that, in the course of his -providence, he lays on them; I say, if God is pleased to give such -intimations to his people, with respect to their condition in this -world, that they may be assured that it shall go well with them, as to -many things that concern their outward circumstances therein; may we not -conclude from hence, that the assurance of those things that concern -their everlasting salvation may be attained? or, if the promises that -respect the one may be depended on so as to afford relief against all -doubts and fears that may arise from our present circumstances in the -world; may we not, with as good reason, suppose, that the promises which -respect the other, to wit, the carrying on and perfecting the work of -grace, afford equal matter of encouragement; and consequently, that the -one is as much to be depended on, as the other; so that as the apostle -says, they who have fled for refuge, to lay hold on the hope set before -them, may have strong consolation arising from thence, Heb. vi. 18. - -_Objec._ It will be objected to this, that the promises that respect -outward blessings are not always fulfilled, and therefore we cannot be -assured concerning our future condition, as to outward circumstances in -the world; though godliness, as the apostle says, hath the promise of -the world that now is, as well as that which is to come. This appears -from the uncommon instances of affliction, that the best men often meet -with, which others are exempted from. Therefore the promises which -respect the carrying on and completing the work of grace, will not -afford that assurance of salvation which we suppose a believer may -attain to, as founded thereon. - -_Answ._ In answer to this it may be replied, that the promises of -outward blessings are always fulfilled, either in kind or value. -Sometimes the destitute state of believers, as to the good things of -this life, is abundantly compensated with those spiritual blessings, -which are, at present, bestowed on, or reserved for them hereafter; and -therefore, if their condition in the world be attended with little else -but affliction, they have no reason to say that they are disappointed; -for while they are denied the lesser, they have the greater blessings -instead thereof, so that their assurance of the accomplishment of the -promises of outward blessings, must be understood with this limitation: -but as to spiritual blessings, which God has promised to his people, -there is no foundation for any distinction of their being made good in -kind or in value; if the promise of eternal life be not made good -according to the letter of it, it cannot be, in any sense, said to be -accomplished: therefore, since God gives his people these promises as a -foundation of hope, we may conclude from thence, that the assurance of -believers, relating to their salvation, is as much to be depended on as -the assurance they have, founded on the promises of God, concerning any -blessings which may tend to support them in their present condition in -the world. - -2. That assurance of justification, sanctification and salvation, may be -attained in this life, is farther evident from the obligations which -persons are under to pray for these privileges, and to bless God for the -experience which they have of the one, and the ground which they have to -expect the other. That it is our duty to pray for them is no less -certain than that we stand in need of them; this therefore being taken -for granted, it may be inferred from hence, that there is some way by -which we may know that our prayers are answered, the contrary to which -would be a very discouraging consideration; neither could the experience -hereof be alleged as a motive to the performance of the duty of prayer, -as the Psalmist says, _O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all -flesh come_, Psal. lxv. 2. Nor could any believer have the least reason -to say as he does elsewhere, _Verily God hath heard me, he hath attended -to the voice of my prayer_, Psal. lxvi. 19. And the apostle says, that -_if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us_, 1 John v. -14, 15. and this is said in the following words, to be known by us, we -know that we have the petitions that we desired of him; therefore it -follows, that we may know from the exercise of faith in prayer, for the -forgiveness of sin, that our iniquities are forgiven; the same may be -said concerning the subject-matter of our prayer for all other blessings -that accompany salvation; and consequently it is possible for us to know -whether God has granted us these blessings or no. - -But if it be replied to this, that it is not absolutely necessary that -an humble suppliant should have any intimations given him, that his -petition shall be granted; or that it would be a very unbecoming thing -for such an one to say, that he will not ask for a favour, if he be not -sure before-hand that it will he bestowed. - -To this it may be answered, That we are not only to pray for saving -blessings, but to praise God for our experience thereof; as it is said, -_Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me_, Psal. l. 23. and _praise is -comely for the upright_, Psal. xxxiii. 1. Now this supposes that we know -that God has bestowed the blessings we prayed for upon us. If the -Psalmist calls upon his soul to _bless the Lord for forgiving_ him _all -his iniquities_, Psal. ciii. 2, 3. we must suppose that there was some -method by which he attained the assurance of the blessing which he -praises God for; which leads us to consider, - -3. That some have attained this privilege, therefore it is not -impossible for others to attain it. That some have been assured of their -salvation, is evident from the account we have thereof in several -scriptures, Thus the apostle tells the church he writes to, _God hath -not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation_, 1 Thes. v. 7. and -he says concerning himself, _I know whom I have believed, and I am -persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him, -against that day_, 2 Tim. i. 12. - -_Objec._ To this it is objected, that though it is true, some persons of -old, have experienced this privilege, yet it does not follow from hence -that we have any ground to expect it; since they attained it by -extraordinary revelation, in that age in which they were favoured with -the spirit of inspiration, whereby they arrived to the knowledge of -things future, even such as it was impossible for them otherwise to have -known, at least, they could not without these extraordinary intimations, -have arrived to any more than a probable conjecture concerning this -matter; and this is not denied by those who oppose the doctrine of -assurance: whereas, to pretend to more than this, is to suppose that we -have it by extraordinary inspiration, which, at present, can be reckoned -no other than enthusiasm. - -_Answ._ To this it may be replied, That though God does not give the -church, at present, the least ground to expect extraordinary intimations -concerning their interest in spiritual and saving blessings, as he -formerly did; yet we must not conclude that there is no method whereby -they may attain the assurance hereof in a common and ordinary way, by -the internal testimony of the Spirit; which, as will farther appear -under a following head, differs very much from enthusiasm; since it is -attended with, and founded on those evidences which God has given hereof -in scripture, which they, in a way of self-examination, are enabled to -apprehend in themselves. That this may appear, let it be considered, - -(1.) That there never was any privilege conferred upon the church by -extraordinary revelation, while that dispensation was continued therein, -but the same, or some other which is equivalent thereunto, is still -conferred in an ordinary way, provided it be absolutely necessary for -the advancing the glory of God, and their edification and consolation in -Christ. If this were not true, the church could hardly subsist, much -less would the present dispensation of the covenant of grace excel the -other which the church was under in former ages, as to those spiritual -privileges which they have ground to expect. It is, I think, allowed by -all, that the gospel-dispensation, not only in the beginning thereof, -when extraordinary gifts were conferred, but in its continuance, now -they are ceased, excels that which went before it, with respect to the -spiritual privileges which are conferred therein. Now if God was pleased -formerly to converse with men in an extraordinary way, and thereby give -them an intimation of things relating to their salvation, but, at -present, withholds not only the way and manner of revealing this to -them, but the blessings conveyed thereby; then it will follow, that the -church is in a worse state than it was before; or else it must be -supposed that these privileges are not absolutely necessary to enable -them to glorify God, which they do by offering praise to him, and to -their attaining that peace and joy which they are given to expect in a -way of believing; but if the church were destitute of this privilege, it -would be in a very unhappy state, and retain nothing that could -compensate the loss of those extraordinary gifts that are now ceased. - -They who insist on this objection, and charge the doctrine of assurance -as what savours of enthusiasm, are obliged, by their own method of -reasoning, to apply the same objection to the doctrine of internal, -special, efficacious grace, which we have, under a foregoing -answer,[105] proved to be the work of the Spirit; and if these internal -works are confined to the extraordinary dispensation of the Spirit, then -the church is at present as much destitute of sanctification as it is of -assurance. Therefore we must conclude, that one no more savours of -enthusiasm than the other; or that we have ground to hope for assurance -of salvation, though not in an extraordinary way, as much as the saints -did in former ages. - -(2.) Our Saviour has promised his people the Spirit to perform what is -necessary for the carrying on the work of grace in all ages, even when -extraordinary gifts should cease: accordingly he says, _The Comforter, -which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall -teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, -whatsoever I have said unto you_, John xiv. 26. And elsewhere it is -said, _Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things_, 1 -John ii. 20. And to this privilege of assurance, it is said, _We have -received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, -that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God_, 1 -Cor. ii. 12. And there are many other promises of the Spirit, which -though they had their accomplishment, as to what respects the conferring -extraordinary gifts, in the first age of the church; yet they have a -farther accomplishment in what the Spirit was to bestow on the church in -the following ages thereof, though in an ordinary way. This seems very -evident from scripture; inasmuch as the fruits of the Spirit are said to -appear in the exercise of those graces which believers have in all ages, -who never had extraordinary gifts: thus it is said, _The fruit of the -Spirit, is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, -faith, meekness, temperance_, Gal. v. 22, 23. Now if these graces be -produced by the Spirit, as they are called his fruits, and the exercise -thereof be not confined to any particular age of the church, then we -must suppose that the Spirit’s energy extends itself to all ages. - -Again, believers are said, to be _led by the Spirit_, Rom. viii. 14. and -this is assigned as an evidence of their being _the sons of God_; and, -on the other hand, it is said, _If any man have not the spirit of -Christ, he is none of his_, ver. 9. from whence we may conclude, that -there was, in the apostles’ days, an effusion of the Spirit, common to -all believers, besides that which was conferred in an extraordinary way, -on those who were favoured with the gift of inspiration; otherwise, the -having the Spirit would not have been considered as a privilege -belonging only to believers, and being destitute of it, an argument of a -person’s not belonging to Christ. As for the extraordinary dispensation -of the Holy Ghost, it was not inseparably connected with salvation; for -many had it who were Christians only in name, and had nothing more than -a form of godliness; and on the other hand, many true believers brought -forth those fruits which proceeded from the Spirit, in an ordinary way, -who had not these extraordinary gifts conferred on them. Moreover the -apostle speaks of believers _through the Spirit mortifying the deeds of -the body_, Rom. viii. 13. Now if the work of mortification be incumbent -on believers in all ages, then the influences of the Spirit, enabling -hereunto, may be expected in all ages. Now to apply this to our present -argument; the Spirit’s bearing witness with our spirit, that we are the -children of God, which is the foundation of that assurance which we are -pleading for, is, together with the other fruits and effects of the -Spirit but now mentioned, a privilege which believers, as such, are -given to desire and hope for, and stand in as much need of as those who -had this or other privileges conferred on them in an extraordinary way, -in the first age of the gospel-church. - -And to all this we might add, that the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit -at that time, were conferred on particular persons, and not on whole -churches; but assurance is considered, by the apostle, as a privilege -conferred on the church to which he writes, that is, the greatest part -of them, from whence the denomination is taken; upon which account, the -apostle speaking to the believing Corinthians, says, _We know that if -our earthy house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building -of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens_, 2 Cor. v. -1. by which he does not only intend himself and other ministers, but the -generality of believers, at that time, who are described as walking by -faith: and there are many other things said concerning them in the -foregoing and following verses; which makes it sufficiently evident, -that the apostle intends more than himself and other ministers, when he -speaks of their having assurance, since many had it who were not made -partakers of extraordinary gifts. Therefore we must not conclude that -the church has, at present, no ground to expect this privilege, so that -they are liable to the charge of enthusiasm if they do. But that this -objection may farther appear not to be sufficient to overthrow the -argument we are maintaining, we may appeal to the experience of many -believers in this present age, who pretend not to extraordinary -revelation; and therefore let it be considered, - -(3.) That many, in later ages, since extraordinary revelation has -ceased, have attained this privilege, and consequently it is now -attainable. To deny this would be to offend against the generation of -God’s people, of whom many have given their testimony to this truth, who -have declared what a comfortable sense they have had of their interest -in Christ, and the sensible impressions they have enjoyed of his love -shed abroad in their hearts, whereby they have had, as it were, a -prelibation of the heavenly blessedness; and this has been attended with -the most powerful influence of the Spirit of God enabling them to -exercise those graces which have been agreeable to these comfortable -experiences, whereby they have been carried through, and enabled to -surmount the greatest difficulties which have attended them in this -life. And many have been supported and comforted therewith, at the -approach of death, in which respect the sting thereof has been taken -away, and they have expressed themselves with a kind of triumph over it, -in the apostle’s words, _O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is -thy victory?_ 1 Cor. xv. 55. - -That some have been favoured with this invaluable privilege is -undeniable; the account we have in the history of the lives and deaths -of many, who have been burning and shining lights in their generation, -puts it out of all doubt. And if this were not sufficient, we might -appeal to the experience of many now living, since there is scarce any -age or place in which the gospel comes with power, but we have some -instances of the Spirit’s testimony to his own work, whereby it comes, -with much assurance, a comfortable sense of God’s love, peace of -conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost, which is the first-fruits and -earnest of eternal life. But since this will be particularly insisted on -under a following answer[106], and farther proofs given hereof; we may, -at present, take it for granted, that many have been assured of their -being in a state of grace, who have not made the least pretension, to -inspiration; and to charge them with enthusiasm, or a vain ungrounded -delusion, is to cast a reflection on the best of men, as well as on one -of the highest privileges which we can enjoy in this world. - -I am sensible that it will be objected to this, that though some have -indeed expressed such a degree of assurance, yet this will only afford -conviction to those that have it, who are best judges of their own -experience, and the evidence whereon it is founded; but this is not a -sufficient proof to us, with respect to whom it is only matter of -report: And it may be said, on the other hand, that it is possible they -might be mistaken who have been so sure of their own salvation. - -But to this it may be replied, that it is very unreasonable to suppose -that all have been mistaken or deluded, who have declared that they have -been favoured with this blessing; charity will hardly admit of such a -supposition; and if there be no possibility of attaining this assurance, -they must all have been deceived, who have concluded that they had it. -Moreover, this privilege has been attained, not only by a few persons, -and these the more credulous part of mankind, or by such who have not -been able to assign any marks or evidences tending to support it; but -many believers have experienced it, who, at the same time, have been far -from discovering any weakness of judgment, or disposition to -unwarrantable credulity; yea, they have enjoyed it at such a time when -they have been most sensible of the deceitfulness of their own hearts, -and could not but own that there was a peculiar hand of God herein; and -the same persons, when destitute of the Spirit’s testimony, have -acknowledged themselves to have used their utmost endeavours to attain -it, but in vain. - -As to the conviction which this will afford to us who are destitute -hereof; that though we suppose it true to a demonstration, to those who -have it, as being matter of sensation to them, it is only matter of -report to us; which we are no farther bound to believe than we can -depend on the credibility of their evidence, who have declared that they -have experienced it. To this it may be replied, that if there be such a -thing as certainty founded on report, which to deny, would be the -greatest degree of scepticism; and if this has been transmitted to us, -by a great number of those who cannot be charged with any thing that -looks like a disposition to deceive either themselves or others; then we -are bound to believe, from their own testimony, that there is such an -assurance to be attained by those who pretend not to receive it by -extraordinary inspiration from the Spirit of God. This leads us, - -III. To consider the character of the persons to whom this privilege -belongs. Accordingly they are described in this answer, as such who -truly believe in Christ, and endeavour to walk in all good conscience -before him: these only have ground to expect this privilege. It is an -assurance of our having the truth of grace that we are considering; -which supposes a person truly to believe in Christ; and accordingly it -is distinguished from that unwarrantable presumption whereby many -persuade themselves that they shall be saved, though they be not -sanctified. It is not _the hope of the hypocrite_ we are speaking of, -which, as it is said, shall _perish_, and be _cut off; whose trust shall -be as the spider’s web_, which shall be swept away with the besom of -destruction, and be like the _giving up of the ghost_, which shall end -in everlasting despair, Job viii. 13, 14. and chap. xi. 20. but it is a -well-grounded hope, such as is accompanied with, and supported by the -life of faith; so that we are first enabled to act grace, and then to -discern the truth thereof in our own souls, and accordingly reap the -comfortable fruits and effects that attend this assurance; as the -apostle prays in the behalf of the believing Romans, that _the God of -hope would fill them with all joy and peace in believing_, Rom. xv. 13. -So that an unbeliever has no right to this privilege, and, indeed, from -the nature of the thing, it is preposterous for a person to be assured -of that, which in itself has no reality, as the apostle says, _If a man -think himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself_, -Gal. vi. 3. And if faith be necessary to assurance, then it follows, as -it is farther observed in this answer, that they who have attained this -privilege, walk in all good conscience before God; whereby the sincerity -of their faith is evinced: Thus the apostle says, _Our rejoicing is -this, 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_, 2 Cor. i. 12. - -IV. We are now to consider the means by which assurance is to be -attained, _viz._ not by extraordinary revelation, but by faith, founded -on the promises of God. As to the former of these, we have already -considered, that assurance may be attained without extraordinary -revelation, as has been experienced by some in this present dispensation -of the gospel, in which extraordinary revelation is ceased. And, indeed, -it may be observed, in the account the scripture gives of this -privilege, that it does not appear, that when extraordinary revelation -was granted to many, in the first age of the gospel, that the design -thereof was to lead men into the knowledge of their own state, so as -that they should attain assurance of their interest in Christ, and right -to eternal life that way. The main design of inspiration was to qualify -ministers in an extraordinary way to preach the gospel, as the necessity -of affairs seemed then to require it; it was also necessary for the -imparting some doctrines; which could not otherwise be known: And, -inasmuch as it was an extraordinary dispensation of divine providence, -it was an expedient to give conviction to the world, concerning the -truth of the christian religion, since God hereby was pleased to -converse in an immediate way with men, and testified by this, the great -regard he had to his church, and answered the great ends of inspiration, -in propagating that religion which was then to be set up in the world. -But we do not find that the work of grace was ordinarily wrought, or -carried on this way; nor was it God’s instituted means, without which -they could not attain assurance, which the saints’ arrived to, in that -age of extraordinary inspiration, the same way as we are to expect to -attain it. It is true, God has occasionally intimated, by immediate -revelation, that he would save some particular persons, and that their -_names were written in the book of life_, Phil. iv. 3. but this was a -special and extraordinary instance of divine condescension, that some -should be described by name, in scripture, who had obtained this -privilege; though it is not designed hereby that others should expect to -attain it this way; and therefore it will be hard to prove that the -apostle Paul, and others whom he speaks of, who were assured of their -salvation, though they received the knowledge of other things by -inspiration, were led into the knowledge of their own state in such a -way, much less may we expect to attain assurance by extraordinary -revelation. And this leads us to consider the ordinary means whereby we -may attain it, which is, in this answer, said to be, by faith, grounded -on the truth of God’s promises, and the Spirit’s testimony, whereby we -are enabled to discern in ourselves those graces which accompany -salvation; accordingly we must consider, - -1. That in order to our arriving to a comfortable persuasion that we -shall be saved, there must be promises of life and salvation revealed, -which are contained in the gospel; these are remotely necessary -thereunto; for without a promise of salvation we can have no hope of it; -but notwithstanding these promises are contained therein, yet many are -destitute of it. - -2. It is also necessary, in order to our attaining assurance, that there -should be some marks and evidences revealed in the word of God, as a -rule for persons to try themselves by, in order to their knowing that -they are in a state of grace. Now we may say concerning this, as well as -the former, to wit, the promises of salvation recorded, that though it -be necessary to assurance; yet it is only an objective means for our -attaining it, inasmuch as we are hereby led to see what graces -experienced, or duties performed by us, have the promise of salvation -annexed to them; and therefore let me add, - -3. That it is necessary that we should discern in ourselves those marks -and evidences of grace to which the promise of salvation is annexed; -otherwise we have no right to lay claim to it; accordingly it is our -duty to look into ourselves, and observe what marks of grace we have, -from whence we may, by the Spirit’s testimony with ours, discern -ourselves to be in a state of grace; which leads us to consider, - -(1.) That in order to our attaining assurance, we must exercise the duty -of self-examination. - -(2.) What we may truly call a mark or evidence of grace, whereby we may -discern that we are in a state of salvation. - -(3.) Notwithstanding this we are to depend on, hope, and pray for, the -testimony of the Spirit with our spirits, that we are the children of -God, and that these evidences are found in us. - -(1.) In order to our attaining assurance, it is necessary that we -exercise the duty of self-examination, which is God’s ordinance for this -end. And in order hereunto, let it be considered, - -[1.] That it is certainly a duty and privilege for us to know ourselves, -not only what we do, but what we are; for without this, whatever -knowledge we may have of other things, we are chargeable with great -ignorance in a matter of the highest importance; neither can we be -sufficiently humble for those sins we commit, or thankful for the -mercies we receive. If we reckon it an advantage to know what is done in -the world, and are very inquisitive into the affairs of others, it is -much more necessary and reasonable for us to endeavour to know what more -immediately relates to ourselves; or if we are very desirous to know -those things that concern our natural or civil affairs in the world; -whether we are in prosperous or adverse circumstances therein, ought we -not much more to enquire, how matters stand with us, as to what concerns -a better world? - -[2.] We cannot know the state of our souls, without impartial -self-examination. This is evident from the nature of the thing. As -enquiry is the means for our attaining knowledge; so looking into -ourselves is a means of attaining self-acquaintance. - -[3.] Self-examination is a duty founded on a divine command, and an -ordinance appointed for our attaining the knowledge of our state. Thus -the apostle says, _Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove -your ownselves_, 2 Cor. xiii. 5. and whatever duty God has commanded us -to engage in, as expecting any spiritual privilege to attend it, that is -properly an ordinance for the attaining that privilege; and if so, then -it is an argument to enforce the performance of that duty. Having -therefore proved self-examination to be a christian’s duty, we shall now -consider how it ought to be performed. And here let it be observed, that -as it is God’s ordinance, we are to have a due regard to his presence, -and consider him as an heart searching God, and depend on his -assistance, without which it cannot be performed to any great advantage; -but more particularly, - -_1st_, We are to engage in this duty deliberately. It cannot well be -performed while we are in an hurry of business. As every thing is -beautiful in its seasons, so time ought to be redeemed, and we to retire -from the world, to apply ourselves to this as well as other secret -duties, and the rather, because a rash and hasty judgment concerning any -thing, is generally faulty, and must be reckoned an argument of weakness -in him that passes it, and it will be much more so when the thing to be -determined is of such vast importance. - -_2dly_, It ought to be done frequently; not like those things which are -to be performed but once in our lives, or only upon some extraordinary -occasions, but often, at least, so often, that no presumptuous sin may -be committed, nor any extraordinary judgment inflicted on us, or mercy -vouchsafed to us, without a due observation thereof, in order to our -improving them aright to the glory of God, and our own edification: -Nevertheless, we cannot exactly determine what relates to the frequency -of this duty, any more than we can prescribe to those who are in a way -of trade and business in the world, how often they are to cast up their -accounts, and set their books in order, that they may judge whether they -go forward or backward in the world: Notwithstanding, as the neglect -hereof has been detrimental to many, as to their worldly affairs; so the -neglect of self-examination has been often found an hindrance to our -comfortable procedure in our christian course: However, so far as we may -advise concerning the frequency of this duty, it would redound much to -the glory of God and our own advantage, if, at the close of every day, -we would call to mind the experiences we have had, and observe the frame -of spirit with which we have engaged in all the business thereof. This -the Psalmist advises when he says, _Commune with your own heart upon -your bed, and be still_, Psal. iv. 4. - -Moreover, it is adviseable for us to perform this duty whenever we -engage in other solemn stated religious duties, whether public or -private, that we may know what matter we have for prayer, or praise, -what help we want from God, against the prevalency of corruption or -temptation, or what answers of prayer we have received from him, or what -success we have had under any ordinance, in which we have engaged, as -well as what the present frame of our spirit is, when drawing nigh to -God in any holy duty. - -_3dly_, It ought to be performed with great diligence, inasmuch as it is -no easy matter to arrive to such a knowledge of ourselves, and the -secret working of our hearts and affections, in what respects things -divine and heavenly, or to discern the truth of grace, so as not to -mistake that for a saving work, which has only the external shew of -godliness, without the power of it; this requires great diligence and -industry to know: Accordingly the Psalmist, in speaking concerning the -performance of this duty, says, _I commune with mine own heart, and my -spirit made diligent search_, Psal. lxxvii. 6. The thing to be enquired -into is not barely, whether we are sinners in general, or exposed to -many miseries in this life, as the consequence thereof? for this is -sufficiently evident by daily experience. But we are to endeavour after -a more particular knowledge of ourselves, and accordingly are to -enquire; whether sin hath dominion over us to such a degree, so that all -the powers and faculties of our souls are enslaved thereby, and we -commit sin in such a way, as denominates us, as our Saviour expresses -it, _servants of sin_? John viii. 34. or, whether sin be loathed and -abhorred, avoided and repented of? and as to our state, we are to -enquire; whether we have ground to conclude that we are justified, and -thereby delivered from the guilt of sin, and the condemning sentence of -the law? or, whether we remain in a state of condemnation, and the wrath -of God abideth on us? We must enquire, whether the work of grace be -really begun, so that we are effectually called, and enabled to put -forth spiritual actions from a renewed nature? and whether this work is -going forward or declining? what is the strength or weakness of our -faith? Also we are to enquire, what is the general tenor of our actions? -whether the ends we design in all religious duties are right and -warrantable? whether our improvement in grace bears any proportion to -the means we are favoured with? - -Moreover, we are to examine ourselves; whether we perform all those -relative duties that are incumbent on us, so as to glorify God in our -conversation with men, whereby we endeavour to do good to, and receive -good from them, and accordingly improve our talents to the glory of God, -from whom we received them? These and such like things are to be -enquired into, which will be more immediately subservient to the -attaining this privilege of assurance. - -_4thly_, Self-examination ought to be performed with the greatest -impartiality. Conscience, which is to act the part of a judge and a -witness, must be faithful in its dictates and determinations, it being a -matter of the greatest importance; and therefore, in passing a judgment -on our state, we must proceed according to the rules of strict justice, -not denying, on the one hand, what we have received from God, or -resolutely concluding against ourselves, that there is no hope, when -there are many things that afford matter of peace and comfort to us; -nor, on the other hand, are we to think ourselves something when we are -nothing. - -Therefore some are obliged to conclude, as the result of this enquiry, -into their state, that they are unregenerate and destitute of the saving -grace of God. This sentence persons are obliged to pass on themselves, -who are grossly ignorant, not sensible of the plague of their own -hearts, and altogether unacquainted with the way of salvation by Jesus -Christ, or the method prescribed in the gospel, for the sinner’s -justification or freedom from the guilt of sin, in a fiducial -application of Christ’s righteousness, which is the only means conducive -thereunto; and who know not what is included in evangelical repentance; -how sin is to be mortified, and what it is to depend on Christ in the -execution of his offices of prophet, priest, and king, at least, if they -have not such a degree of the knowledge of these things, though they -cannot fully and clearly describe them, as may influence their practice, -and excite those graces, which all true converts are enabled to -exercise, they have ground to conclude that they are in a state of -unregeneracy. And to this we may add, that a person must conclude -against himself, that he is destitute of the grace of God, if he allows -himself in the omission of known duties, or the commission of known -sins, and is content with a form of godliness, without the power -thereof, or values and esteems the praise of men more than of God; such -must conclude that their hearts are not right with him. - -_5thly_, We must examine ourselves concerning our state, with a -resolution, by the grace of God, to make a right improvement of that -judgment which we are bound to pass on ourselves. And therefore, if we -apprehend that we are in a state of unregeneracy, we are not to sink -into despair; but to wait on God in all his appointed means and -ordinances, in order to our obtaining the first grace, that, by the -powerful influences of the Spirit, there may be such a true change -wrought in us, that we may have ground to hope better things concerning -ourselves, even things which accompany salvation. And if we find that we -have experienced the grace of God in truth, we may be disposed to give -him all the glory; to exercise a continued dependence on him, for what -is still lacking to complete the work, and as we have received Christ -Jesus the Lord to walk in him. - -_6thly_, This duty must be performed with judgment; and accordingly we -are to compare our hearts and actions with the rule which is prescribed -in the word of God, whereby we may know whether we have those marks and -evidences of grace, from whence we may conclude, that we have a good -foundation to build on, and that our hope is such, as shall never make -ashamed; which leads us to consider, - -(2.) What we may truly call a mark or evidence of grace, whereby we may -discern that we are in a state of salvation. In order to our -understanding this, we must consider, - -1. That every thing, which is a mark or evidence of a thing, must be -more known than that which is designed to be evinced thereby. The sign -must always be more known than the thing signified by it; inasmuch as it -is a means of our knowing that which we are at present in doubt about. -As when the finger is placed in a cross-road, to direct the traveller -which way he is to take. - -2. A mark or evidence of a thing must contain some essential property of -that which it is designed to evince: thus the inferring consequences -from premises is an essential property belonging to every intelligent -creature, and to none else; therefore it is a mark or evidence thereof; -so to design the best end, and use those means that are conducive -thereunto, is an essential property of a wise man, and consequently a -mark or evidence of wisdom. And, on the other hand, there are some -things, which are not essential properties, but accidental, as an -healthful constitution is to man, or a particular action, that has some -appearance of wisdom and goodness, but not all the necessary ingredients -thereof, to a wise or good man. - -Now to apply these rules to our present purpose, in determining what we -may call marks or evidences of grace. With respect to the former of -them, _viz._ that a mark must be more known than the thing that is -evinced thereby; we may conclude, that eternal election, or the Spirit’s -implanting a principle of grace in regeneration, cannot be said to be -marks or evidences of sanctification, since these are less known than -the thing designed to be evinced thereby. - -And as to the other rule, _viz._ that a mark must contain an essential -property of that which it evinces: it follows from hence, that our -engaging in holy duties, without the exercise of grace therein; or our -extending charity to the poor, when it does not proceed from faith or -love to God, &c. is no certain evidence of the truth of grace, since a -person may perform these duties and yet be destitute hereof; whereas, -that which is essential to a thing, is inseparable from it. Thus -concerning marks of grace in general; which I could not but think -necessary to premise, inasmuch as some have entertained prejudices -against all marks of grace, and seem to assert, that a believer is not -to judge of his state thereby; than which, nothing seems more absurd. If -they who are thus prejudiced against them, have nothing to say in -defence thereof, but that some assign those things to be marks of grace -which are not so, and thereby lead themselves and others, into mistakes -about them; what has been premised concerning the nature of a mark, or -evidence, may, in some measure, fence against this prejudice, as well as -prepare our way for what may be said concerning them. Therefore we -shall, _First_, consider those things which can hardly be reckoned marks -of grace; and, _Secondly_, what marks we may judge of ourselves by. - -_First_, As to the former of these, what are not to be reckoned marks of -grace. - -1. We are not to conclude that a person is in a state of grace, barely -because he has a strong impression on his own spirit that he is so; -since that is accidental, and not essential to grace, and many are -mistaken with respect to this matter. It is not to be doubted, but they -whom our Saviour represents as saying, _Lord, Lord, have we not -prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy -name done many wonderful works_, Matt. vii. 2. had a strong persuasion -founded on this evidence, that they were in a state of grace, till they -found themselves mistaken, when he commanded them to _depart from him_? -Nothing is more obvious than that many presume they are something when -they are nothing; and, indeed, a persuasion that a person is in a state -of grace, barely because he cannot think otherwise of himself, the thing -being impressed on his spirit, without any other evidence, lays such an -one too open to the charge of enthusiasm. - -2. An external profession of religion, discovered in the performance of -several holy duties, is no certain sign of the truth of grace; for this -many make who are not effectually called. Of such as these Christ -speaks, when he says, _Many are called, but few are chosen_, Matt. xx. -16. And to this we may add, that persons may have some degree of raised -affections, when attending on the ordinances, some sudden flashes of -joy, when they hear of the privileges of believers, both in this and a -better world; though their conversation be not agreeable to their -confident and presumptuous expectation thereof. And, on the other hand, -some have their fears very much awakened under the ordinances, as the -subject of their meditations has a tendency thereunto; others have such -a degree of sorrow, that it gives vent to itself in a flood of tears; as -Esau is said to have _sought the blessing with tears_, Heb. xii. 17. but -yet there is something else wanting to evince the truth of grace. I do -not deny but that it is a great blessing to have raised affections in -holy duties; but when this is only in particular instances, and they are -principally excited by some external motives or circumstances attending -the ordinance they are engaged in; and when the impressions made on -them, wear off as soon as the ordinance is over, in this case we can -hardly determine a person to be in a state of grace hereby. The -affections, indeed, are warmed in holy duties; but this is like an iron -heated in the fire, which, when taken out, soon grows cold again; and -not like that natural heat that remains in the body of man, which is an -abiding sign of life. - -But since this subject is to be treated on with the utmost caution, -inasmuch as many are apt to conclude, that they have no grace, because -they have no raised affections, in holy duties, as well as others -presume they have grace merely because they are affected therein, let it -be farther considered; that when we speak of raised affections, not -being a certain mark of grace, we consider them as being destitute of -those other evidences, which contain some essential properties of grace: -the affections are often raised by insignificant sounds, or by the tone -of the voice, when there is nothing in the matter delivered, that is -adapted to excite any grace, the judgment is not informed thereby, nor -the will persuaded to embrace Christ, as offered in the gospel. There -may be transports of joy in hearing the word, when, at the same time, -corrupt nature retains its opposition to the spirituality thereof. A -person may conceive the greatest pleasure in an ungrounded hope of -heaven, as a state of freedom from the miseries of this life, when he -has no savour or relish of that holiness which is its glory, in which -respect his conversation is not in heaven; and he may be very much -terrified with the wrath of God, and the punishment of sin in hell; -when, at the same time, there is not a due sense of the vile and odious -nature of sin, or an abhorrence of it: such instances of raised -affections we intend when we speak of them as no marks or evidences of -the truth of grace. But, on the other hand, when, together with raised -affections, there is the exercise of suitable graces, and the impression -thereof remains, when their fervency is abated or lost, this is a good -sign of grace; whereas, when they are not accompanied with the exercise -of any grace, they afford no mark or evidence of the truth thereof. - -Now that we may not be mistaken as to this matter, let us enquire, not -only what it is that has a tendency to raise the affections; but whether -our understandings are rightly informed in the doctrines of the gospel, -and our wills choose and embrace what is revealed therein. And if we -find it a difficult matter for our affections to be raised in holy -duties, let us farther enquire, whether this may not proceed from our -natural constitution? and if the passions are not easily moved with any -other things in the common affairs of life; we have then no reason to -conclude that our being destitute hereof in the exercise of holy duties, -is a sign that we have not the truth of grace, especially if Christ and -divine things are the objects of our settled choice, and our hearts are -fixed trusting in him. - -3. The performance of those moral duties, which are materially good, is -no certain sign of the truth of grace; I do not say that this is not -necessary; for when we speak of a mark of grace, as containing in it -what is essential thereunto, we distinguish between that which is a -necessary pre-requisite, without which, none can have grace; and that -which is an essential ingredient in it. Where there is no morality, -there is certainly no grace; but if there be nothing more than this, -there is an essential ingredient wanting, by which this matter must be -determined. A person may abstain from gross enormities, such as murder, -adultery, theft, reviling, extortion, covetousness, &c. and, in many -respects, perform the contrary duties, and yet be destitute of faith in -Christ. The Pharisee, whom our Saviour mentions in the gospel, had as -much to say on this subject as any one; yet his heart was not right with -God; nor was his boasting hereof approved of by Christ. There are -multitudes who perform many religious duties, when it comports with -their secular interests; they adhere to Christ in a time of prosperity; -but in a time of adversity they fall from him; and then, that which -seemed to be most excellent in them is lost, and then they appear to be, -what they always were, destitute of the truth of grace. We now proceed -to consider, - -_Secondly_, What are those marks by which persons may safely conclude -themselves to be in a state of grace. In order to our determining this -matter, we must consider what are the true and genuine effects of faith, -which we find mentioned in scripture, namely, those other graces that -accompany or flow from it; as when it is said to _work by love_, Gal. v. -6. or as we are hereby enabled to _overcome the world_, 1 John v. 4. or -to despise the honours, riches, and pleasures thereof; especially when -standing in competition with Christ; or our hearts are thereby drawn -aside from him: this effect it produced in Moses, when he _refused to be -called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing 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 in Egypt_, Heb. xi. 24-26. and in others, who _confessed that -they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth_, ver. 13, 16. who -_desired a better country_, that is, _an heavenly_; whose _conversation -was in heaven_, Phil. iii. 10. Moreover, we are to enquire whether it -has a tendency to _purify the heart_, Acts xv. 9. and so puts us upon -abhorring, flying from, watching, and striving against every thing that -tends to corrupt and defile the soul! and whether it tends to excite us -to universal obedience, which is called _the obedience of faith_, Rom. -xvi. 26. and a carefulness to _maintain good works_, Tit. iii. 6. which -proceed from, and are evidences of the truth of it? as the apostle says, -_Shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by -my works_, James ii. 18. or, as our Saviour says, _The tree is known by -his fruit_. But that we may more particularly judge of the truth of -grace by the marks and evidences thereof, we must consider its beginning -and progress, or with what frame of spirit we first embraced and closed -with Christ; and what our conversation has been since that time. - -1. As to the former of these, to wit, our judging of the truth of grace -by the first beginning thereof. Here we are to enquire, what were the -motives and inducements that inclined us to accept of Christ? Did we -first see ourselves lost and undone, as sinful, fallen creatures; and -were we determined hereupon to have recourse to him for salvation, as -the only refuge we could betake ourselves to? Did we first consider -ourselves as guilty; and did this guilt set very uneasy upon us; and in -order to the removal of it, did we betake ourselves to Christ for -forgiveness? and did we consider ourselves as weak and unable to do what -is good, and so apply ourselves to him for strength against indwelling -sin, and victory over the temptations which prevailed against us? - -Moreover, let us enquire, whether it was only a slavish fear and dread -of the wrath of God, and the punishment of sin in hell, that gave the -first turn to our thoughts and affections, so as to put us on altering -our course of life? or, whether, besides this, we saw the evil of sin -arising from its intrinsic nature, and its opposition to the holiness of -God; and was this attended with shame and self-abhorrence? and, at the -same time, did we see the excellency and loveliness of Christ? was he -_precious_ to us _as he is to them that believe_? 1 Pet. ii. 7. - -Again, let us farther enquire, what were the workings of our spirits -when we first closed with Christ? did we do this with judgment, duly -weighing what he demands of us in a way of duty, as well as what we are -encouraged to expect from him? were we made willing to accept of him in -all his offices, and to have respect to all his commandments? were we -earnestly desirous to have communion with him here, as well as to be -glorified with him hereafter? were we content to submit to the cross of -Christ, to bear his reproach, and to count this preferable to all the -glories of the world? were we willing to be conformed to an humbled -suffering Jesus, and to take our lot with his servants, though they may -be reckoned the refuse and off-scouring of all things? And let us -farther enquire; whether we did this with reliance on his assistance, as -being sensible of the treachery and deceitfulness of our own hearts, and -our utter inability to do what is good, without the aids of his grace? -did we accordingly give up ourselves to him in hope of obtaining help -from him, in order to the right discharge of every duty? did we reckon -ourselves nothing, and Christ to be all in all, that all our springs are -in him? This was a good beginning of the work of grace, which will -prepare the way for this grace of assurance, which we are now -considering. - -_Obj._ Some will object against what has been said concerning our -enquiring into, or being able to discern the first acts of faith, or -that frame of spirit wherewith we then closed with Christ, that they -know not the time of their conversion, if ever they were converted; they -cannot remember or determine what was the particular ordinance or -providence, that gave them the first conviction of sin, and of their -need of Christ, and induced them to close with him; much less can they -tell what were the workings of their hearts at such a time: It is -impossible for them to trace the footsteps of providence, so as to point -out the way and manner in which this work was at first begun in their -souls. This therefore is not to be laid down as a mark or evidence of -grace, which so few can make use of. - -_Answ._ I am not insensible that this is the case of the greatest number -of believers. There are very few, who, like the apostle Paul, can tell -the time and place of their conversion, and every circumstance leading -to it; or like those converts, who, when the gospel was first preached -by Peter, _were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter, and to the -rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?_ Acts ii. 37. -or like the jailor, who broke forth into an affectionate enquiry, not -much unlike to it; _Sirs, what must I do to be saved?_ chap. xvi. 30. -though the ordinance leading to it was of a different nature. Sometimes, -the way of the Spirit of God in the soul at first, is so discernable, -that it cannot but be observed by them who are brought into a state of -grace; but others know nothing of this, especially they who have not run -into all excess of riot, and been stopped in their course on a sudden, -by the grace of God; in whom the change made in conversion, was real, -though it could not, from the nature of the thing be so plainly -discerned in all its circumstances. Some have been regenerate from the -womb; others have had a great degree of restraining grace, and been -trained up in the knowledge of the doctrines of the gospel from their -very childhood, and retain the impressions of a religious education; -these cannot so easily discern the first beginnings of the work of grace -in their souls; yet they may, and ought to enquire, whether ever they -found, in the course of their lives, such a frame of spirit as has been -before described, which believers have when the work of grace is first -begun, and it is not very material for them to be able to discern -whether these were the first actings of grace or no? The main thing to -be determined is; whether they have ground to conclude, that ever they -experienced the grace of God in truth? In this case, the most that some -can say concerning themselves, is as the blind man says in the gospel, -when the Pharisees were inquisitive about the restoring his sight, and -the way and manner in which this was done; this is all that I know -concerning myself, that _whereas I was blind, now I see_, John ix. 25. -so the true convert says; whereas I was once dead in trespasses and -sins, I am now alive, and enabled to put forth living and spiritual -actions, to the glory of God. This evidence will give as much ground to -conclude that they are in a state of grace, as though they were able to -determine when they were first brought into it. - -2. We may judge of the truth of grace by the method in which it has been -carried on, whether we are able to determine the way and manner in which -it was first begun, or no, as a farther evidence of the truth thereof. -Sanctification is a progressive work; therefore it is not enough for us -to set our faces heaven-ward; but we must make advances towards it, and -be found in the daily exercise of grace, in order to our concluding that -we are in a state of grace. A believer must not only set out in the -right way, but he must hold on therein; he must live by faith if he -would conclude that the work of faith is begun in truth. It is not -sufficient to call upon God, or implore help from him, when under some -distressing providences, and afterwards to grow remiss in, or lay aside -this duty; but it must be our constant work. A true christian is -distinguished from an hypocrite, in that it is said, concerning the -latter, _Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call -upon God?_ Job xxvii. 20. denoting that a true believer will do so. He -is either habitually or actually inclined to it; and that in such a way -as is attended with the daily exercise of those graces, which are the -fruits and effects of faith, whereby he may conclude that he is in a -state of grace. Thus far we have considered those marks or evidences of -grace, which, in order to our attaining assurance, we must be able to -discern in ourselves. But inasmuch as a believer may understand what are -the marks of grace contained in scripture, and, at the same time, -enquire into the state of his soul, to know whether he can apprehend in -himself any evidences of the truth of grace; and not be able to arrive -to a satisfaction as to this matter, so as to have his doubts and fears -removed; let it be considered, - -3. That he must depend on, hope, and pray for the testimony of the -Spirit, with his spirit, that he is a child of God. It will be a -difficult matter for us to conclude that we have the truth of grace, -till the Spirit is pleased to shine on his own work; which, when he -does, all things will appear clear and bright to us, though before this -we might walk in darkness, and have no light. In speaking concerning the -inward testimony of the Spirit (which is necessary to enable a believer -to discern in himself the marks of grace, on which his assurance of -salvation is founded) let it be premised; that as it is a branch of the -Spirit’s divine glory, by his internal influence, to deal with the -hearts of his people; so he does this various ways, according to the -various faculties of the soul, which are the subjects thereof; -particularly, when by his power, he renews the will, and causes it to -act those graces which are the effects of his divine power; then he is -said to sanctify a believer. But when he deals with the understanding -and conscience, enabling us to discern the truth of the work of grace, -that we may take the comfort of it, then he is described, in scripture, -as a witness hereunto, or as witnessing with our spirits, that we are in -a state of grace, the consequence of which is, that _the eyes of_ our -_understanding being enlightened_, we _may know what is the hope of his -calling_, Eph. i. 18. accordingly he gives us to discern that he has -called us by his grace; and, as the result thereof, granted us a hope of -eternal life. - -This is a privilege plainly mentioned in scripture; and we must not -suppose that none had it but those who had extraordinary revelation, -since it is so necessary to a believer’s attaining that peace and joy -which the church, in this present dispensation, is certainly not less -possessed of, than it was in former ages. And that the Spirit gives his -testimony to the work of grace in the souls of believers, though -extraordinary revelation be ceased, is evident from what is matter of -daily experience; since there are many instances of those who have used -their utmost endeavours in examining themselves, to know whether they -had any marks of grace, who have not been able to discern any, though -they have been thought to be sincere believers by others, till, on a -sudden, light has broke forth out of darkness, and their evidences for -eternal life cleared up, so that all their doubts have been removed; and -this they could not but attribute to a divine hand, inasmuch as before -this they could meditate nothing but terror to themselves; and, in this -case, what the apostle prays for, with respect to the church, _That the -God of hope would fill them with all joy and peace in believing, that -they might abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost_, Rom. -xv. 13. is experienced by them: And on this account they are said, to be -_sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise_, Eph. i. 13. whereby their -hope is established, and that is now confirmed to them by this means, -which they were before in perplexity about; so that we have as much -ground to conclude that the Spirit is the author of assurance in -believers, as we have that he is the author of sanctification. - -But that this doctrine may not appear liable to the charge of -enthusiasm, let it be farther considered, that the Spirit never gives -his testimony to the truth of grace in any, in whom he has not first -wrought it; for that would be, as it were, a setting his seal to a -blank. And to this we may add, that he, at the same time, excites the -lively exercise of grace, whereby they are enabled to discern that it is -true and genuine; so that their assurance, though it be not without some -internal, impressive influences, which they are favoured with; yet it is -not wholly dependent on them: Therefore, if you demand a reason of the -hope that is in them, though they ascribe the glory hereof to the Holy -Spirit, as enabling them to discern the truth of grace; yet they are -able to prove their ownselves, after having examined themselves, whether -they are in the faith, by discovering their evidences of the faith of -God’s elect; which argues that their assurance is no delusion. - -Footnote 104: - - _See Quest._ lxvii: _Pag. 15 ante._ - -Footnote 105: - - _See page 54, 55, ante._ - -Footnote 106: - - _See Quest._ lxxxiii. - - - - - Quest. LXXXI. - - - QUEST. LXXXI. _Are all true believers, at all times, assured of - their present being in the estate of grace; and that they shall be - saved?_ - - ANSW. Assurance of grace and salvation not being of the essence of - faith, true believers may wait long before they obtain it; and after - the enjoyment thereof, may have it weakened and intermitted through - manifold distempers, sins, temptations, and desertions; yet are they - never left without such a presence and support of the Spirit of God, - as keeps them from sinking into utter despair. - -Having considered some believers as favoured with assurance of their -being in a state of grace, we are, in this answer, led to speak of -others who are destitute of it. And the general method in which it may -be considered, is, - -I. That there is something supposed, namely, that assurance of grace and -salvation is not of the essence of saving faith. - -II. Some things are inferred from this supposition, namely, - -1. That true believers may wait long before they obtain assurance. And, - -2. That after the enjoyment thereof it may be weakened and intermitted; -the reasons whereof are assigned, _viz._ bodily distempers, sins, -temptations, and divine desertions; yet it is farther added, that they -are never left without the support of the Spirit of God; whereby they -are kept from sinking into utter despair. - -I. As to the thing supposed in this answer, _viz._ that assurance of -grace and salvation is not of the essence of faith. There are many who, -in other respects, explain the nature of faith, in such a way as is -unexceptionable, who, notwithstanding, assert that assurance is of the -essence thereof; in which we cannot but think they express themselves -very unwarily, at least, they ought to have more clearly discovered what -they mean by faith, and what by assurance, being of the essence of -faith; if they mean that no one has saving faith but he who has an -assurance of his own salvation; they not only assert what is contrary to -the experience of many believers, but lay a stumbling-block in the way -of weak Christians, who will be induced from hence to conclude, that -because they cannot tell whether they are true believers or no, -therefore they are destitute of saving faith; upon which account it is -necessary for us to enquire how far this supposition is to be allowed -of, and in what respect denied. - -It is certain, that there are many excellent divines, in our own and -foreign nations, who have defined faith by assurance; which they have -supposed so essential to it, that without it no one can be reckoned a -believer. It may be they might be inclined thus to express themselves by -the sense in which they understood several texts of scripture, in which -assurance seems to be considered as a necessary ingredient in faith; as -it is said, _Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of -faith_, Heb. x. 22. and when the apostle speaks of assurance, as a -privilege that belonged to the church to which he wrote, _We know that -if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a -building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens_, -2 Cor. v. 1. and elsewhere, he so far blames their not knowing -themselves, or being destitute of this assurance, that he will hardly -allow them to have any faith, who were without it; _Know ye not your -ownselves, how that Jesus, Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates_, -chap. xiii. 5. From such like expressions as these, they who plead for -assurance being of the essence of faith, are ready to conclude, that -they who are destitute of it, can hardly be called believers. - -But, that this matter may be set in a true light, we must distinguish -between assurance of the object, _viz._ the great and important -doctrines of the gospel, being of the essence of faith; and assurance of -our interest in Christ being so. The former of these we will not deny; -for no one can come to Christ, who is not assured that he will receive -him, nor trust in him till he is fully assured that he is able to save -him: but the latter we must take leave to deny; for if no one is a -believer but he that knows himself to be so, then he that doubts of his -salvation, must be concluded to be no believer; which is certainly a -very discouraging doctrine to weak Christians. And also, when we lose -the comfortable persuasion we once had, of our interest in Christ, we -are bound to question all our former experiences, and to determine -ourselves to be in a state of unregeneracy, which is, in effect to deny -to give God the glory of that powerful work which was formerly wrought -in us, which we then thought to be a work of grace. - -If they, indeed, mean by assurance, being of the essence of faith, that -an assurance of our interest in Christ is essential to the highest or -most comfortable acts of faith, designing thereby to put us upon -pressing after it, if we have not attained to it; and that hereby God is -very much glorified, and a foundation laid for our offering praise to -him, for the experience we have had of his grace, which a doubting -Christian cannot be said to do; we have nothing to say against it. Or, -if they should assert, that doubting is no ingredient in faith, nor a -commendable excellency in a Christian; this we do not deny. All that we -are contending for is, that there may be a direct act of faith, or a -faith of reliance, in those who are destitute of assurance that they are -in a state of grace; which is the thing supposed in this answer, when it -is said, that assurance is not of the essence of faith. That this may be -better understood, and we be led into the sense of those scriptures that -describe believers as having assurance, such as those but now mentioned, -and others to the like purpose, let it be considered, that there are -many scriptures, in which believers are said to have such an assurance, -as only respects the objects of faith, _viz._ the person, offices, and -glory of Christ, the truth of the gospel, and the promises thereof; -which we do not deny to be of the essence of faith. Thus, when the -apostle prays for the church, _That their hearts might be comforted, -being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance -of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of -the Father, and of Christ_, Col. ii. 2. and when elsewhere he says, _Our -gospel came to you in much assurance_, 1 Thess, i. 5. and when he -exhorts persons to _draw near_ to God, _with a true heart, in full -assurance of faith_, Heb. x. 22. it is probable, that he means in these, -and several other scriptures of the like import, no more than an -assurance of the object of faith. And as for that scripture but now -mentioned, in 2 Cor. xiii. 5. where he seems to assert, that all who are -destitute of this privilege are reprobates; some understand the word, -which we translate _reprobates_, as only signifying injudicious -Christians; and if so, this is not inconsistent with the character of -believers: but others, with an equal degree of probability, render it -_disapproved_;[107] and so the meaning is, that if you know not your -ownselves, to wit, that Christ is in you, you are greatly to be blamed, -or disapproved; especially because this proceeds from your neglect of -the duty of self-examination; by which means you have no proof of -Christ’s being in you, who are so ready to demand a proof of his -speaking in his ministers, as in verse 3. Therefore it does not appear -from this text, that every one who endeavours to know that he is in a -state of grace, by diligent self-examination, but cannot conclude that -he is so, must be determined to be destitute of faith; which would -necessarily follow from our asserting that assurance of our interest in -Christ, is of the essence of saving faith. - -There are other scriptures which speak of assurance as a distinguishing -character of Christians in general; which are usually brought to prove, -that assurance is of the essence of faith, _viz._ 2 Cor. v. 1. _We know -that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a -building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens_; -and, 1 John v. 19. _we know that we are of God_: and in several places -in the New Testament, in which the apostle addresses his discourse to -whole churches, as having assurance, as well as the grace of faith: thus -the apostle Peter, 1 Pet. i. 8, 9. speaks of them as _loving Christ, -believing in him, rejoicing with joy unspeakable and full of glory, and -receiving the end of their faith, even the salvation of their soul_; -which could hardly be said of them, if they were destitute of assurance -of their own salvation. All that I would infer from these and such-like -scriptures is, that it seems probable that assurance was a privilege -more commonly experienced in that age of the church than it is in our -day; and there may be two reasons assigned for this, - -(1.) Because the change that passed upon them, when they were converted, -was so apparent, that it was hardly possible for it not to be discerned. -They turned from dead idols, and the practice of the vilest -abominations, to serve the living God; which two extremes are so -opposite, that their being brought from one to the other could not but -be remarked by, and consequently more visible to themselves, than if it -had been otherwise; but, - -(2.) That which may be assigned as the principal reason of this is, -because the church was called, at this time, to bear a public testimony -to the gospel, by enduring persecutions of various kinds; and some of -them were to resist unto blood. Therefore, that God might prepare them -for these sufferings, and that he might encourage others to embrace the -faith of the gospel, which was then in its infant state, he was pleased -to favour them with this great privilege. And it may be hereafter, if -God should call the church to endure like trials, he may in mercy grant -them a greater degree of assurance than is ordinarily experienced. - -Nevertheless, it may be questioned; whether those scriptures which speak -of assurance, as though it were a privilege common to the whole church, -are not to be understood as applicable to the greater part of them, -rather than to every individual believer among them. For though the -apostle, in one of the scriptures before-mentioned, considers the church -at Corinth, as enjoying this privilege, and concluding that it should go -well with them in another world, when this earthly tabernacle was -dissolved; yet he speaks of some of them, in the same epistle, as not -knowing their ownselves, how that Jesus Christ was in them. And the -apostle John, notwithstanding what he says to the church, _We knew that -we are of God_, in 1 John v. 19. which argues that many of them had -assurance, plainly intimates that all had it not, from what he says, -ver. 13. _These things have I written unto you, that believe on the name -of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life_: and -though in another scripture, but now mentioned, the apostle Peter speaks -to the church to which he writes, as having _joy unspeakable and full of -glory_ consequent upon their faith, which argues that they had -assurance; yet he exhorts others of them _to give diligence to make -their calling and election sure_, 2 Pet. i. 10. these therefore are -supposed, at that time, not to have it: from all which it may be -concluded, that assurance of grace and salvation, is not of the essence -of saving faith; which is the thing supposed in this answer.[108] - -II. We proceed to consider those things that are inferred from this -supposition, viz. - -1. That a believer may wait long before he attains it: this appears from -what is matter of daily experience and observation. The sovereignty of -God discovers itself herein, as much as it does when he makes the -ordinances effectual to salvation, in giving converting grace unto those -who attend upon them. Some are called early to be made partakers of that -salvation that is in Christ, others late. The same may be said with -respect to God’s giving assurance. Some are favoured with this privilege -soon after, or when first they believe; others are like those whom the -apostle speaks of, _who, through fear of death, are all their life-time -subject to bondage_, Heb. ii. 15. Many have often enquired into the -state of their souls, that cannot discern any marks or evidences of -grace in themselves; whose conversation is such, that others cannot but -conclude them to be true believers; their spirits are deprest, doubts -and fears prevail, and tend to make their lives very uncomfortable; they -wait and pray for the evidence and sense of God’s love to them, but -cannot immediately find it: this the Psalmist speaks of, either in his -own person, or thereby represents the case of many who had the truth of -grace, but not the assurance thereof, when he says, _O Lord God of my -salvation, I have cried day and night before thee; I am afflicted and -ready to die from my youth up; while I suffer thy terrors I am -distracted_, Psal. lxxxviii. compared with the xv. God suffers it to be -thus with them for wise ends. Hereby he lets them know, that assurance -of his love is a special gift and work of the Spirit; without which they -remain destitute of it, and cannot take comfort, either from their -former or present experiences. - -2. They who once enjoyed assurance, may have it weakened and -intermitted; whether it may be entirely lost will be considered under a -following head, when we speak concerning the supports that believers -have, and how far they are kept hereby from sinking into utter despair: -it is one thing to fall from the truth of grace, another thing to lose -the comfortable sense thereof. The joy of faith may be suspended, when -the acts and habits of faith remain firm and unshaken. The brightest -morning may afterwards be followed with clouds and tempests; even so our -clearest discoveries of our interest in the love of God may be followed -with the withdrawment of the light of his countenance, and we be left -under many discouraging circumstances concerning our state, having lost -the assurance we once had. - -If it be inquired, what reason may be assigned for this? I answer, that -it must, in a great measure, be resolved into the sovereignty of God, -who will bring his people which way he pleases, to heaven; and may take -those comforts which had their first rise from himself; and, at the same -time, none must say, why dost thou thus? However, we may observe some -particular reasons, which the providence of God points out to us, to -which we may in other respects, ascribe our want of assurance; and these -may be reduced to four heads, particularly mentioned in this answer. - -(1.) It is sometimes occasioned by manifold distempers, or bodily -diseases: the soul and body are so closely joined to, and dependant on -each other, that the one can hardly suffer without the other. Hence it -is that bodily distempers affect the mind, excite and give disturbance -to the passions; which is a great addition to the uneasiness that ensues -hereupon. When the spirits are deprest, and we are under the prevalency -of a melancholy disposition, we are oftentimes inclined to think that we -are not in a state of grace; and though we were before this disposed to -comfort others in like cases, we are at this time unable to take the -least encouragement ourselves. All things look black and dismal; our -former hope is reckoned no other than delusive, and we brought to the -very brink of despair. And it may be observed, that these sad and -melancholy apprehensions concerning our state, increase or abate, as the -distemper that gives occasion thereunto more or less prevails. - -Now that we may be able to determine whether our want of assurance -proceeds from some natural cause or bodily distemper, we must enquire; -whether, before this, we have endeavoured to walk in all good conscience -in the sight of God? to hate every false way, and make religion the -great business of life, so that we cannot assign any reigning sin as the -cause of our present desponding frame? And also, whether we have been -diligent in performing the duty of self-examination, and have been -sensible that we stood in need of the Spirit’s witness with ours, in -order to our arriving to a comfortable persuasion that we are in a state -of grace? And if, as the result of these enquiries, we cannot see any -cause leading to this dejection of spirit, but the unavoidable -infirmities, which we are daily liable to, then we may probably -conclude, that it arises from a distemper of body. And, in order to our -determining this matter, we must farther inquire; whether some -afflictive providence has not had an influence upon us, to bring us into -a melancholy temper? and whether this does not appear in what relates to -our secular, as well as our spiritual concerns? and if this be the case, -though it be very afflictive, it is not attended with that guilt as it -would be, had it been occasioned by some presumptuous sin; and there are -other medicines to be used when it arises from this cause, besides those -which are of a spiritual nature, that are contained in the gospel; but -what they are, it is not our business, in this place, to determine. - -(2.) There are many sins which are the occasion of a person’s being -destitute of assurance. As all the troubles of life are brought upon us -by sin; so are all our doubts and fears, arising from the want of a -comfortable sense of, or interest in, the love of God. It pleases God, -in the method of his providence, thus to deal with his people, that he -may humble them for presumptuous sins; more especially those that are -committed against light and conviction of conscience, that he may bring -to remembrance their sins of omission, or neglect to exercise those -graces in which the life of faith consists, that hereby they may feel -the effect of their stupidity, indifferency, and carnal security, or -their engaging in religious duties, in their own strength, without -dependence on the Spirit and grace of God, or a due sense of their -inability to perform any duty in a right way. Or, sometimes, as has been -before observed, they want assurance, because they do not examine -themselves, which is God’s ordinance for the attaining this privilege; -or, if they do, they neglect to give that glory to the Holy Spirit which -is due to him, by depending on his enlightening influence, whereby they -may arrive to a comfortable persuasion of their interest in Christ. - -(3.) Assurance is oftentimes weakened and intermitted through manifold -temptations. Satan is very active in this matter, and shews his enmity -against the interest of Christ in the souls of his people, as much as -lies in his power, with this intent, that though it is impossible for -him to ruin the soul, by rooting out that grace that is implanted in it; -yet he may disturb its peace, and weaken its assurance, and, if not -prevented, hurry it into despair. In this case the general design of his -temptations is to represent God as a sin-revenging Judge, a consuming -fire, and to present to our view, the threatenings whereby his wrath is -revealed against sinners; and to endeavour to set aside the promises of -the gospel, from which alone relief may be had. - -Moreover, he puts us upon considering sin, not only as heinously -aggravated, (which may, for the most part be done with justice) but also -as altogether unpardonable; and, at the same time pretends to insinuate -to us that we are not elected, or that Christ did not die for us; and -therefore, what he has done and suffered will not redound to our -advantage. Now there is apparently the hand of Satan in this matter; -inasmuch as he attempts, by false methods of reasoning, to persuade us -that we are not in a state of grace, or that God is an enemy to us; and -therefore our condition is desperate; in which he uses the arts of the -old serpent, that he may deceive us by drawing conclusions against -ourselves from false premises, _e. g._ because we daily experience the -internal workings of corrupt nature, which inclines us to many sins, -both of omission and commission; therefore there is no room for us to -expect mercy and forgiveness from God. And from our barrenness and -unprofitableness under the means of grace, our improvements not being -proportioned to the obligations we have been laid under. Or because we -have had great reason to charge ourselves with many declensions and -backslidings, which afford matter for deep humiliation, and should put -us upon sincere repentance, he endeavours to persuade us that we are -altogether destitute of special grace. And whenever we are unprepared or -indisposed for the right performance of holy duties, and our affections -are not suitably raised, but grow stupid, remiss, and careless therein; -he puts us upon concluding that it is a vain thing for us to draw nigh -to God, and that he has utterly rejected, both our persons and services. -Or, if we are not favoured with immediate returns of prayer, and -sensible communion with God therein; he tempts us to infer, that we -shall never obtain the blessing we are pressing after; and therefore we -may as well lay aside this duty, and say, why should I wait on the Lord -any longer? And if by this method he cannot discourage us from engaging -in holy duties, he sometimes injects blasphemous thoughts or unbecoming -conceptions of the divine Majesty, which fills the soul with the -greatest grief and uneasiness, that hereby he might give us occasion to -conclude that we sin in persisting therein; and by all these temptations -he endeavours to plunge us into the depths of despair. - -As to what concerns the purpose of God relating to the event of things: -when we are led to determine that we are not elected, this is alleged -without sufficient ground, and therein he deceives us, by pursuing the -same false methods of reasoning, and puts us upon presuming to enter -into those secret things which do not belong to us, because we deserve -to be cast off by him for our sins, instead of giving diligence to make -our calling and election sure. It is one thing not to be able to -conclude that we are elected; and another thing to say that we are not -so: the former of these is the consequence of our present doubts and -desponding apprehensions concerning our state; the latter is plainly a -temptation of Satan: this we are often subject to, when we have lost -that assurance of our interest in Christ that we once enjoyed, - -(4.) A believer’s want of assurance is, for the most part, attended -with, and arises from divine desertion; not that we are to suppose that -God will cast off his people, whom he has foreknown, effectually called -and preserved hitherto, so as to forsake them utterly; for that is -inconsistent with his everlasting love, and the promises of the covenant -of grace, which respect their salvation. But that which we understand by -divine desertions, is God’s withdrawing his comforting presence, and -withholding the witness of his Spirit to the work of grace in the soul, -from whence arises those doubts and fears which attend the want thereof; -as God says to his people, _For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but -with great mercies will I gather thee_, Isa. liv. 7. In this respect -they are destitute of God’s comforting presence; though at the same time -they may be favoured with his supporting presence, and those powerful -influences which are necessary to maintain the work of grace; which, at -present, appears to be very weak and languishing. - -And this leads us to consider the last thing mentioned in this answer, -_viz._ That though they are thus described, they are not left without -such a presence and support of the Spirit of God, as keeps them from -sinking into utter despair. This observation ought to be explained and -considered, with certain limitations, lest while on the one hand, we -assert that which affords matter of encouragement to believers, when -they have some degree of hope, we should, on the other hand, throw -discouragements in the way of others, who will be apt to imagine, when -they are ready to sink into despair, that this is wholly inconsistent -with any direct act of faith. I dare not say that no believer was ever -so far deserted as to be left to despair of his interest in Christ: -inasmuch as scripture and daily experience give us instances of some, -whose conversation in many respects discovers them to have had the truth -of grace; whom God has been pleased for wise ends, to leave to the -terror of their own thoughts, and they have remained for some time, in -the depths of despair; and others have gone out of the world under a -cloud, concerning whom there has been ground to hope their state was -safe. Therefore it is somewhat difficult to determine what is meant in -this answer, by a believer’s being kept from sinking into utter despair: -if the meaning is, that they have the supports of the Spirit of God, so -as to be kept from relapsing into a state of unregeneracy, in their -despairing condition, that may be easily accounted for; or, if we are to -understand by it, that believers are not generally given up to the -greatest degree of despair; especially such as is inconsistent with the -exercise of any grace, that is not to be denied. But I would rather say, -that though a believer may have despairing apprehensions concerning his -state, and the guilt of sin lie upon him like a great weight, so as to -depress his spirits, yet he shall not sink into endless misery; for -though darkness may continue for a night, light and joy shall come in -the morning; and accordingly we may consider, - -[1.] That though there are many who are far from having assurance, yet -they are at some times, favoured with a small glimmering of hope, which -keeps them from utter despair. - -[2.] If they are in deep despair, yet they are not so far left as not to -desire grace, though they conclude themselves to be destitute of it, or -not to lament the loss of those comforts, and their being unable to -exercise those graces which once they thought themselves possessed of. - -[3.] A believer, when in a despairing way, is notwithstanding enabled, -by a direct act of faith, to give up himself to Christ, though he cannot -see his interest in him, and so, long for those experiences and comforts -which he once enjoyed; and when he is at the worst, he can say with Job, -_Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him_, Job xiii. 15. - -[4.] In this case a person has generally such a degree of the presence -of God, as that he is enabled to justify him in all his dealings with -him, and lay the blame of all the troubles that he is under, on himself; -and this is attended with shame and confusion of face, self-abhorrence, -and godly sorrow. - -[5.] Despairing believers have, notwithstanding, such a presence of God -with them, as keeps them from abandoning his interest, or running, with -sinners, into all excess of riot, which would give occasion to others to -conclude that they never had the truth of grace. - -From what has been said concerning true believers being destitute of -assurance, and yet having some degree of the presence of God with them -at the same time, we may infer, - -_1st_, That this is not inconsistent with what has been said concerning -a believer’s perseverance in grace; yet it must be considered with this -limitation, that though the truth of grace shall not be lost, yet the -comforts and evidences thereof may, and often are. - -_2dly_, This should put us upon circumspect walking and watchfulness -against presumptuous sins, which, as has been before observed, are often -the occasion of the loss of assurance; and also on the exercise of a -faith of reliance on Christ, for the maintaining the acts of grace, as -well as restoring the comforts thereof. - -_3dly_, This should instruct believers what to do when destitute of this -privilege of assurance. We have observed that this is attended with -divine desertion, which is generally occasioned by sins committed. -Therefore let us say with Job, _Shew me wherefore thou contendest with -me_, chap. x. 2. let me know what are those secret sins by which I have -provoked thee to leave me destitute of thy comforting presence; enable -me to be affected with, humbled for, and unfeignedly repent of them; and -exercise that faith in Christ which may be a means of my recovering that -hope or assurance which I am, at present, destitute of. - -_4thly_, What has been said concerning a believer’s being destitute of -assurance, should put us upon sympathizing with those who are in a -despairing way, and using endeavours to administer comfort to them, -rather than censure them, or conclude them to be in an unregenerate -state; as Job’s friends did him, because the hand of God had touched -him, and he was destitute of his comforting presence. - -_5thly_, From what has been said concerning that degree of the presence -of God which believers enjoy, which has a tendency to keep them from -utter despair, at least, from sinking into perdition, how disconsolate -soever their case may be at present; we may be induced to admire the -goodness and faithfulness of God in his dealings with his people, who -will not lay more on them than he will enable them to bear; though they -are comfortless and hopeless, yet they shall not be destroyed; and, in -the end, they shall be satisfied with God’s loving kindness; and when -the clouds are all dispersed, they shall have a bright and glorious day -in his immediate presence, where _there is fulness of joy_, and at his -_right hand_ where _there are pleasures for evermore_, Psal. xvi. 11. - -Footnote 107: - - _The word_ αδοκιμοι, _though it be sometimes used to signify such as - are rejected as objects of God’s hatred, as in Heb._ vi. 8. _and - consequently is inconsistent with the character of believers; yet, in - other places it may be taken according to the grammatical construction - thereof, as opposed to_ δοκιμοι; _which signifies persons approved_, 2 - Tim. ii. 15. _and so it signifies a person whose conduct is - blame-worthy, or whose actions are not to be approved of; and this may - be applied to some who are not altogether destitute of faith_, _though - they are not able to vindicate themselves in all respects as - blameless. That the apostle uses the word in this sense here, seems - probable from the application he makes of it to himself; it is said, - ver. 3._ Ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, δοκιμην ζητειτε; - _and verse 6. he says_, I trust that ye shall know that we are not - reprobates; _so we render the words_ ελπιζω δε οτι γνωσεθε oτι hμεις - ουκ εσμεν αδοκιμοι; _but it would be more agreeable to what is said in - verse 4. if we should render them, I trust that ye shall know that we - are not disapproved, or that ye shall find a proof of Christ speaking - in us: and in verse 7. he farther says_, I pray to God, not that we - should appear approved. ουχ iνα hμεις δοκιμοι φανωμεν, _that is, I am - not so much concerned about your finding a proof of Christ speaking in - us_; but that ye should do that which is honest, _q. d._ _I am more - concerned for you than myself, though we be as reprobates_, hμεις δε - wς αδοκιμοι ωμεν _that is, whether you think we have a proof of - Christ’s speaking in us or no, or his approving us in the course of - our ministry, my great concern is, that you may be approved; so that - it is plain the apostle uses the word_ αδοκιμοι, _as signifying - disapproved; and therefore as it is applied to those he speaks of in - verse 5. the meaning is this; you seek to know whether we are approved - of God as ministers; therefore I would advise you to examine - yourselves, whether you be in the faith, and to prove your ownselves: - and if you know not yourselves, you are in this respect blame-worthy, - or to be disapproved; especially because you seem to have been - negligent as to the duty of self-examination. Whether he who is - diligent in the exercise of this duty, and yet cannot apprehend that - he is in a state of grace, be, in this respect to be disapproved or - no, it is certain, that he who is a stranger to himself, because of - the neglect hereof, is disapproved._ - -Footnote 108: - - Vide Bellamy’s Works, 3 Vol. p. 81-83. - - - - - Quest. LXXXII. - - - QUEST. LXXXII. _What is the communion in glory, which the members of - the invisible church have with Christ?_ - - ANSW. The communion in glory, which the members of the invisible - church have with Christ, is, in this life, immediately after death; - and at last perfected at the resurrection and day of judgment. - -After having considered believers, or the members of the invisible -church, as enjoying this privilege of union with Christ, and, as the -immediate consequence hereof, communion with him. It has been farther -observed, that this communion with him, is either in grace, or glory. -Their communion with him in grace consists in their partaking of the -virtue of his mediation, in their justification, adoption, and -sanctification; which have been particularly considered, together with -other graces and comforts that accompany or flow from them. We are now -led to speak concerning the communion which they have with him in glory; -which contains the highest privilege they are capable of receiving; -consisting in his giving them some right discoveries of the glory which -they behold and enjoy by faith, in this life, and also of that which -shall be immediate, and, in some respects, complete, after death; and, -at the resurrection and day of judgment, be brought, in all respects, to -the utmost degree of perfection; when their joy, as well as their -happiness, shall be full, and continued throughout all the ages of -eternity. These are the subjects insisted on in several following -answers, which remain to be considered in this first part of the -Catechism. - - - - - Quest. LXXXIII. - - - QUEST. LXXXIII. _What is the communion in glory, with Christ, which - the members of the invisible church enjoy in this life?_ - - ANSW. The members of the invisible church have communicated to them - in this life, the first-fruits of glory with Christ, as they are - members of him their head, and so, in him, are interested in that - glory which he is fully possessed of; and as an earnest thereof, - enjoy the sense of God’s love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy - Ghost, and hope of glory; as, on the contrary, the sense of God’s - revenging wrath, horror of conscience, and a fearful expectation of - judgment, are, to the wicked, the beginning of their torments which - they shall endure after death. - -There are two sorts of persons mentioned in this answer, namely, the -righteous and the wicked, and the different condition of each of them -considered, - -I. With respect to the righteous, who are here styled the members of the -invisible church. There are several invaluable privileges which they are -made partakers of in this life, in which they are said to have a degree -of communion in glory with Christ; particularly as they enjoy the -first-fruits or earnest of that glory which they shall have with him -hereafter: And that, - -1. As they are members of him, their head; and accordingly may be said, -in some respects, to be interested in that glory which he is fully -possessed of. - -2. As they have a comfortable sense of his love to them, attended with -peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, and an hope of glory. - -II. We have an account, on the other hand, of the dreadful condition of -impenitent sinners, when God sets their iniquities in order before them; -which is represented in a very moving way. Thus they are said to be -filled with a sense of God’s revenging wrath, horror of conscience, and -a fearful expectation of judgment; which is considered as the beginning -of those torments which they shall endure after death. - -I. There are several invaluable privileges which the righteous enjoy in -this life, that are styled the first-fruits or earnest of glory. Though -Christ has reserved the fulness of glory for his people hereafter, when -he brings them to heaven; yet there are some small degrees thereof, -which they enjoy in their way to it. The _crown of righteousness_, as -the apostle speaks, is _laid up for them, which the righteous Judge -shall give them at that day_, 2 Tim. iv. 8. to wit, when we shall come -to judgment; then their joy shall be full; they shall be satisfied in -his likeness, and made compleatly blessed: Nevertheless there are some -prelibations, or foretastes, which they have hereof, for their support -and encouragement, while they are in this imperfect state. For the -understanding of this it may be premised, - -1. That we are not to suppose that the present enjoyments which -believers experience in the highest degree, do fully come up to those -that are reserved for them. There is a great difference as to the degree -thereof. As a child that is newly born has something in common with what -he shall have when arrived at a state of manhood; but there are several -degrees, and other circumstances, in which he falls short of it: or, as -a few drops are of the same nature with the whole collection of water in -the ocean; yet there is a very small proportion between one and the -other: so the brightest discovery of the glory of God, which we are -capable of enjoying in this world; or the comfortable foretastes that -believers have of heaven, fall very much short of that which they shall -be possessed of, when they are received into it. And there are very -great allays, and many things that tend to interrupt and abate their -happiness, agreeably to the imperfection of this present state. Whatever -grace they are enabled to act, though in an uncommon degree, is attended -with a mixture of corruption; and as their graces are imperfect, so are -the comforts that arise from thence, which are interwoven with many -things very afflictive; so that they are not what they shall be, but are -travelling through this wilderness to a better country, and exposed to -many evils in their way thither. - -2. All believers do not enjoy these delights and pleasures that some are -favoured with in their way to heaven; the comforts, as well as the -graces, of the Holy Spirit, are bestowed in a way of sovereignty, to -some more, and to others less: Some have reason to say with the apostle, -_Thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ_, 2 -Cor. ii. 14. others are filled with doubts concerning their interest in -him, and go mourning after him all the day; and if they have, at some -times a small glimpse of his glory, by which they conclude themselves to -be, as it were, in the suburbs of heaven, they soon lose it, and find -themselves to be in the valley of the shadow of death, as the disciples, -when they were with Christ at his transfiguration, which was an emblem -of the heavenly blessedness, when his _face did shine as the sun, and -his raiment was white as the light_; which occasioned them to say, _it -is good for us to be here_; before they had done speaking, or had time -to reflect on their present enjoyment they were deprived of it when _the -cloud overshadowed them_, Matt. xvii. 2,-5. so the believer is not to -expect uninterrupted communion with God, or perfect fruition with him -here. However, that which we are at present to consider, is that degree -thereof which some enjoy; which is here called the first-fruits and -earnest of glory. The scripture sets it forth under both these -expressions. - -(1.) They are said to receive the first-fruits thereof; or as the -apostle styles it, _The first-fruits of the Spirit_, Rom. viii. 23. that -is, the graces and comforts of the Holy Ghost, which are the -first-fruits of that blessedness, that they are said to wait for; which -is called _the adoption_, viz. those privileges which God’s children -shall be made partakers of; or, _the glorious liberty_ which they shall -hereafter enjoy. This is styled, the _first-fruits_, as alluding to the -cluster of grapes, which they who were sent to spy out the land of -Canaan, were ordered to bring to the Israelites in the wilderness, that -hereby they might be encouraged in their expectation of the great plenty -that was to be enjoyed when they were brought to it. Or, it has -reference to the feast of ingathering, before the harvest, when they -were to bring the sheaf which was first to be cut down, and _wave it -before the Lord_, Lev. xxiii. 10, 11. compared with Deut. xxvi. 10, 11. -with thankfulness and joy, in expectation of the full harvest, which -would be the reward of the industry and labour of the husbandman. Thus -believers are given not only to expect, but to rejoice in hope of the -glory of God. - -(2.) This is also called an earnest of glory. Thus believers are said to -be _sealed with that holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of -their inheritance_, Eph. i. 13, 14. and elsewhere it is said, _God hath -given us the earnest of his Spirit_, 2 Cor. i. 5. An earnest is a small -sum, given in part of payment; whereby they who receive it, are -encouraged hereafter to expect the whole: So a believer may conclude, -that as sure as he now enjoys those spiritual privileges that accompany -salvation, he shall not fail of that glory which they are an earnest of. -In this respect God is pleased to give his people a wonderful instance -of his condescending love, that they may hereby be led to know what the -happiness of the heavenly state is, in a greater degree than can be -learned from all the descriptions that are given of it, by those who are -destitute of this privilege. Heaven is the port to which every believer -is bound, the reward of all those labours and difficulties which he -sustains in his way to it; and to quicken him to the greater diligence -in pursuing after it, it is necessary that he should have his thoughts, -meditation, and conversation there. The reason why God is pleased to -give his people some foretastes thereof, is, that they may love and long -for Christ’s appearing, when they shall reap the full harvest of glory. -Now this earnest, prelibation, or first-fruits of the heavenly -blessedness which believers enjoy in this life, is considered in this -answer. - -[1.] As it is included in that glory which Christ is possessed of as -their head and Mediator. - -[2.] As they have those graces wrought in them, and comforts flowing -from thence, which bear some small resemblance to what they shall -hereafter be made partakers of. - -[1.] Christ’s being possessed of the heavenly blessedness, as the head -of his people, is an earnest of their salvation. For the understanding -of which, let it be considered, that our Lord Jesus sustained this -character, not only in what he suffered for them, that he might redeem -them from the curse of the law; but in the glory which he was afterwards -advanced to: _Thus it is said, that he is risen from the dead, and -become the first-fruits of them that slept_, 1 Cor. xv. 20. and -accordingly they are said to be _risen with him_, Col. iii. 1. as -respecting that communion which they have with him herein; and when, -after this, he ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of -the Majesty on high, his people are said _to sit together in heavenly -places in him_, Eph. ii. 6. not that we are to suppose that they are -made partakers of any branch of his mediatorial glory, or joined with -him in the work which he there performs, as their exalted head: But his -being considered as their representative, appearing in the presence of -God for them, is a foundation of their hope that they shall be brought -hither at last; and therefore, when he is about to depart out of this -world, he gave an intimation to his people, whom he left behind him in -it, that he went _to prepare a place for them_, John xiv. 3. and assures -them, that _because he lives they shall live also_, ver. 19. - -[2.] The graces and comforts of the Holy Spirit, which believers are -made partakers of, may also be said to be a pledge and earnest of -eternal life. Heaven is a state in which grace is brought to perfection, -which, at present, is only begun in the soul: nevertheless, the -beginning thereof affords ground of hope that it shall be compleated. As -a curious artist, when he draws the first lines of a picture, does not -design to leave it unfinished; or he that lays the foundation of a -building, determines to carry it on gradually, till he has laid the -top-stone of it; so the work of grace, when begun by the Spirit, is a -ground of hope that it shall not be left unfinished. As God would never -have brought his people out of Egypt with an high hand and an -outstretched arm, and divided the red sea before them, if he had not -designed to bring them into the promised land; so we may conclude, that -when God has magnified his grace in delivering his people from the -dominion of darkness, and translating them into the kingdom of his dear -Son; when he has helped them hitherto, and given them a fair and -beautiful prospect of the good land to which they are going, he will not -leave his work imperfect, nor suffer them to fall and perish in the way -to it. Christ, in believers, is said to be _the hope of glory_, Col. i. -27. and the joy which they have in believing, is said not only to be -_unspeakable_, but _full of glory_, 1 Pet. i. 8. that is, it bears a -small resemblance to that joy which they shall be filled with, when -brought to glory, and therefore may well be styled the earnest or -first-fruits of it. - -Now, that this may farther appear, let it be considered, that the -happiness of heaven consists in the immediate vision and fruition of -God, where the saints behold his face in light and glory[109], and enjoy -all those comfortable fruits and effects that arise from thence, which -tend to make them compleatly happy. Thus it is said, _They shall see him -as he is_, 1 John iii. 2. and they are said to _enter into the joy of -their Lord_, Matt. xxv. 21. Believers, it is true, are not in all -respects, said to be partakers of this blessedness here; and their -highest enjoyments bear but a very small proportion to it: Yet, when we -speak of some as having the foretastes of it, we must consider, that -there is something in the lively exercise of faith, and the joy that -arises from it, when believers have attained the full assurance of the -love of God, and have those sensible manifestations of his comfortable -presence with them, that bears some small resemblance to a life of -glory. - -That which in some respects resembles the beatific vision, is a sight of -God’s reconciled face, and of their interest in all the blessings of the -covenant of grace, by faith. It is true, the views which they have of -the glory of God here, are not immediate, but at a distance; and -therefore they are said to _behold_, _as in a glass, the glory of the -Lord_, 2 Cor. iii. 18. Thus we see things at a distance, as through a -perspective glass, which enlarges the object[110], and brings it, as it -were, near to the eye, though in reality, it be at a great distance from -it; and so gives us a clear discerning of that which could otherwise -hardly be discovered: So faith gives us clearer views of this glory than -we could have any other way. Hereby we are said _to see him that is -invisible_, Heb. xi. 27. Thus, when God bade Moses go up to the top of -Pisgah, and strengthened his sight, he took a view of the whole land of -Canaan, though without this he could only have beheld a small part -thereof: So when God not only gives an eye of faith, but strengthens it -in proportion to the views he designs it shall take of the heavenly -state, that lies at so great a distance, the soul is enabled to see it, -and herein has a faint emblem of the beatific vision. - -Moreover, as heaven is a state, in which the saints have the perfect -fruition of those blessings which tend to make them compleatly happy; -the view which a believer is enabled, by faith, to take of his interest -in Christ, and the glory he shall be made partaker of with him, is -sometimes attended with such an extasy of joy and triumph, as is a kind -of anticipation of that glory which he is not yet fully possessed of. -Such an one is like an heir who wants but a few days of being of age; -who does not look upon his estate with that distant view which he before -did, but with the satisfaction and pleasure that arises from his being -ready to enter into the possession of it; or like one who after a long -and tedious voyage, is within sight of his harbour, which he cannot but -behold with a pleasure, which very much resembles that which he shall -have when he enters into it; this is more than a bare hope of heaven; it -is a full assurance, attended with a kind of sensation of those joys -which are inexpressible, which render the believer a wonder to himself, -and afford the most convincing proof to others, that there is something -real and substantial in the heavenly glory, whereof God is pleased to -favour some of his people with the prelibations. That some have enjoyed -such-like manifestations of the divine love to them, and been filled -with those raptures of joy, accompanying that assurance which they have -had of their salvation, is evident from the experience which they have -had of it in some extraordinary and memorable occurrences in life; and -others at the approach of death. - -Of this there are multitudes of instances transmitted to us in history: -I shall content myself with a brief extract of some passages which we -meet with in the life and death of some who appear to have had as -comfortable a foretaste of the joys of heaven, as it is possible for any -one to have in this world. And the first that I shall mention is that -eminently learned and pious Dr. Rivet; who, in his last sickness seemed -to be in the very suburbs of heaven, signifying to all about him, what -intimate communion he had with God, and fore-views of the heavenly -state; his assurance of being admitted into it; and how earnestly he -longed to be there: and, in the very close of life, one who stood by him -could not forbear expressing himself to this purpose; I cannot but think -that he is now enjoying the vision of God, which gave him occasion to -signify that it was so, as well as he was able to express himself, which -account, and much more to the same purpose, is not only mentioned by the -author of his last hours, but is taken notice of in a public funeral -oration, occasioned by his death.[111] - -And what a very worthy writer observes,[112] concerning that excellent -servant of Christ, Mr. Rutherford, who recites some of his last words to -this purpose, is very remarkable, who says, “I shall shine, I shall see -him as he is, and all the fair company with him, and shall have my large -share. It is no easy thing to be a Christian; but as for me, I have got -the victory; and Christ is holding forth his arms to embrace me. I have -had my fears and faintings, as another sinful man, to be carried through -creditably; but as sure as ever he spake to me in his word, his Spirit -witnessed to my heart, saying, Fear not; he had accepted my suffering, -and the outgate should not be matter of prayer, but of praise.” And a -little before his death, after some fainting, he said, “Now I feel, I -believe, I enjoy, I rejoice, I feed on manna, I have angels’ food, my -eyes shall see my Redeemer; I know that he shall stand, at the latter -day, on the earth, and I shall be caught up in the clouds to meet him in -the air. I sleep in Christ; and when I awake I shall be satisfied with -his likeness; O for arms to embrace him!” And to one speaking concerning -his painfulness in the ministry, he cried out, “I disdain all; the port -I would be in at, is redemption and forgiveness of sins through his -blood.” And thus, full of the Spirit; yea, as it were overcome with -sensible enjoyment, he breathes out his soul, his last words being -these; “Glory, glory dwelleth in Emmanuel’s land.” - -To this I may add the account given of that great man Dr. Goodwin, in -some memoirs of his life, composed out of his own papers published by -his son,[113] who intimates that he rejoiced in the thoughts that he was -dying, and going to have a full and uninterrupted communion with God; “I -am going, said he, to the three Persons with whom I have had communion; -they have taken me, I did not take them; I shall be changed in the -twinkling of an eye; all my lusts and corruptions I shall be rid of, -which I could not be here; those croaking toads will fall off in a -moment.” And mentioning those great examples of faith, Heb. xi. said he, -“All these died in faith. I could not have imagined I should ever had -such a measure of faith in this hour; no, I could never have imagined -it. My bow abides in strength. Is Christ divided? No, I have the whole -of his righteousness; I am found in him, not in my own righteousness, -which is of the law; but in the righteousness which is of God, which is -by faith of Jesus Christ, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Christ -cannot love me better than he doth; I think I cannot love Christ better -than I do; I am swallowed up in God:” and then he says, “Now shall I -ever be with the Lord.” With this assurance of faith, and fulness of joy -his soul left this world, and went to see and enjoy the reality of that -blessed state of glory. - -There is also an account, in the life and death of Mr. John Janeway, of -the great assurance and joy which he had in his last sickness, in which -he expresses himself to this purpose; “I am, through mercy, quite above -the fears of death, and am going unto him whom I love above life. O that -I could let you know what I now feel! O that I could shew you what I -see! O that I could express the thousandth part of that sweetness which -now I find in Christ! you would all then think it worth the while to -make it your business to be religious. O my dear friends, you little -think what a Christ is worth upon a death-bed! I would not, for a world, -nay, for millions of worlds, be now without Christ and a pardon. O the -glory! the unspeakable glory that I behold! My heart is full, my heart -is full; Christ smiles and I cannot choose but smile. Can you find in -your heart to stop me, who am now going to the complete and eternal -enjoyment of Christ? Would you keep me from my crown? The arms of my -blessed Saviour are open to embrace me; the angels stand ready to carry -my soul into his bosom. O did you but see what I see, you would all cry -out with me, How long dear Lord, come Lord Jesus, come quickly? Or why -are his chariot-wheels so long a coming?” Much more to the same purpose -may be found in the life of that excellent man, which is exceedingly -affecting. - -And there is another who does not come short of him in his death-bed -triumphs;[114] who says concerning himself, “Death is not terrible, it -is unstinged; the curse of the fiery law is done away: I bless his name -I found him; I am taken up in blessing him; I am dying rejoicing in the -Lord; I long to be in the promised land; I wait for thy salvation; how -long! Come sweet Lord Jesus, take me by the hand; I wait for thy -salvation, as the watchman watcheth for the morning; I am weary with -delays; I faint for thy salvation: Why are his chariot-wheels so long a -coming? What means he to stay so long? I am like to faint with delays.” -After that he said, “O Sirs, I could not believe that I could have born, -and born cheerfully this rod so long: This is a miracle, pain without -pain. And this is not a fancy of a man disordered in his brain, but of -one lying in full composure: O blessed be God that ever I was born; O if -I were where he is! And yet, for all this, God’s withdrawing from me -would make me as weak as water: all this I enjoy, though it be a miracle -upon miracle, would not make me stand without new supply from God; the -thing I rejoice in is, that God is altogether full; and that in the -Mediator Christ Jesus, there is all the fulness of the Godhead, and it -will never run out. I am wonderfully helped beyond the power of nature, -though my body be sufficiently teazed, yet my spirit is untouched.” Much -more to this purpose we have in the latter part of his life, which I -shall close with one thing that is very remarkable. When he was -apprehensive that he was very near his death, he said, “When I fall so -low that I am not able to speak, I’ll shew you a sign of triumph, when I -am near glory, if I be able;” which accordingly he did, by lifting up -his hands, and clapping them together, when he was speechless, and in -the agonies of death. - -Many more instances might have been given to illustrate this argument, -whereby it will evidently appear, that God is pleased, sometimes, to -deal familiarly with men, by giving them extraordinary manifestations of -his presence, before he brings them into the immediate enjoyment of -himself in heaven; which may be well called an earnest or prelibation -thereof.[115] And it may serve as a farther illustration of an argument -before insisted on,[116] to prove that assurance of God’s love is -attainable in this life, from the various instances of those who have -been favoured with it. This assurance, as it may be observed, is -accompanied with the lively acts of faith, by which it appears to be -well grounded; so that, as the apostle says, _The God of hope_ is -pleased to _fill them with all joy and peace in believing_; whereby they -_abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost_, Rom. xv. 13. in -which respect it may be said, to use the prophet’s words, that _they joy -before thee, according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when -they divide the spoil_, Isa. ix. 3. This is like the appearing of the -morning-star, which ushers in a bright and glorious day, and gives a -full discovery to themselves and others, that there is much of heaven -enjoyed in the way to it, by those whom God delights to honour. Thus -concerning the communion in glory, which the members of the invisible -church sometimes enjoy in this life; which leads us to consider, - -II. The miserable condition of the wicked in this life, when God is -provoked, as a sin-revenging Judge, to fill them with a sense of his -wrath; from whence arises horror of conscience, and a fearful -expectation of judgment; which is the beginning of those torments which -they shall endure after death, as it is observed in the latter part of -this answer. We have many instances in scripture, of the punishment of -sin in this world, in whom God is said _to reprove and set_ their -iniquities _in order before their eyes_, Psal. l. 21. which fills them -with horror of conscience,[117] and leaves them in utter despair. They -who once thought themselves in a prosperous condition, concerning whom -it is said, _Their eyes stand out with fatness, they have more than -heart could wish_, Psal. lxxiii. 7. yet their end was terrible, when it -appears that they were _set in slippery places_, being _cast down into -destruction, brought into desolation as in a moment, and utterly -consumed with terrors_, ver. 18, 19. - -We have a sad instance of this in Cain, after he had slain his brother, -and fell under the curse of God, whereby he was sentenced to be a -fugitive and vagabond in the earth. He separated himself indeed from the -presence of the Lord, and the place in which he was worshipped; but -could not fly from the terrors of his own thoughts, or get any relief -under the uneasiness of a guilty conscience; which made him fear that he -should be slain by the hand of every one that met him; and complain, _My -punishment is greater than I can bear_, Gen. iv. 13. - -And some understand that expression of Lamech in the same sense, when he -says, _I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt. If -Cain shall be avenged seven-fold, truly Lamech seventy and seven-fold_, -Gen. iv. 23, 24. The wrath of God was also denounced against Pashur; as -it is said, the _Lord hath not called thy name Pashur, but -Magor-missabib; for thus saith the Lord, I will make thee a terror to -thyself, and to all thy friends_, Jer. xx. 3, 4. - -And Judas, after he had betrayed our Saviour, was filled with the -terrors of an accusing conscience, which forced him to confess, not as a -believing penitent, but a despairing criminal; _I have sinned in that I -have betrayed the innocent blood_; after which it is said, _He departed, -and went and hanged himself_, Matt, xxvii. 4, 5. Nothing is more -terrible than this remorse of conscience, which renders sinners -inexpressibly miserable. This is a punishment inflicted on those who sin -wilfully, presumptuously, and obstinately against the checks of -conscience and rebukes of providence, and various warnings to the -contrary, who treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath; -who are _contentious, and do not obey the truth_; that is, they are so -far from obeying it, that they persecute and oppose it; and, on the -other hand, _obey unrighteousness_: to these belong, as the apostle -says, _indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish_, Rom. ii. 5, 8, -9. This not only waits for them, as _laid up in store, and sealed up -among God’s treasures, to whom vengeance belongeth_, Deut. xxxii. 34, -35. but they are made to taste the bitterness of that cup, which shall -afterwards be poured forth without mixture. In this world _their eyes -shall see their destruction, and_ afterwards _they shall drink of the -wrath of the Almighty_, Job xxi. 20. This is a most affecting subject; -how awful a thing is it to see a person surrounded with miseries, and, -at the same time, shut up in darkness, and left destitute of hope! With -what horror and anguish was the soul of Saul filled, when he uttered -that doleful complaint; _I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make -war against me, and God is departed from me_, 1 Sam. xxviii. 15. much -more for a person to apprehend himself fallen into the hands of the -living God, who is a consuming fire; and having nothing left but the -fearful expectation of future judgment, and an abyss of woes that will -ensue hereupon. These are the evils that some endure in this life; which -is no less terrible to them than the comfortable foretastes of the love -of God are joyful to the saints. - -From the different view of the end of the wicked, and the righteous, -many useful instructions may be learned. - -1. When we consider the wicked as distressed with the afflicting sense -of what they feel, and with the dread of that wrath which they would -fain flee from, but cannot, we may infer, - -(1.) That a state of unregeneracy, whatever advantages may attend it, as -to the outward blessings of common providence, is a very sad and -deplorable condition, far from being the object of choice to those who -duly consider the consequences hereof. The present amusements that arise -from the enjoyment of sensual pleasures, from whence the sinner -concludes himself to be happy, is the most miserable instance of -self-deceit, and will appear to be so, if we consider the end thereof, -or that _the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the -hypocrite but for a moment_, Job xx. 5. and after that, nothing shall -remain but what wounds his spirit, and makes his misery intolerable. - -(2.) When we meet with instances of persons sunk in the depths of -despair, and tormenting themselves with the fore views of hell and -destruction, let this be a warning to others to flee from the wrath to -come. I would not be peremptory in passing a judgment on the state of -those who apprehend themselves to be irretrievably lost, and feel those -terrors in their consciences which no tongue can express. A person can -hardly read the account of the despair of poor Spira, soon after the -reformation; and how much his sentiments concerning himself, resembled -the punishment of sin in hell, without trembling: he was, indeed, a sad -instance, of the wrath of God breaking in upon conscience; and is set up -as a monument to warn others, to take heed of apostacy; and in this, and -suchlike instances, we have a convincing proof of the reality of a -future state of misery; or, that the punishment of sin in hell is not an -ungrounded fancy: nevertheless, it is not for us to enter into those -secrets which belong not to us, or to reckon him among the damned in -another world, because he reckoned himself among them in this. And as -for any others that we may see in the like circumstances, we are not so -much to pass a judgment concerning their future state, as to infer the -desperate estate of sinners, when left of God, and to bless him that it -is not our case. And on the other hand, let not unregenerate sinners -think that they are safe, merely because their consciences are quiet, or -rather stupid, since that false peace, which they have, is no better -than _the hope of the hypocrite_, which _shall perish_, and be _cut -off_; and his _trust shall be as a spider’s web_, if he continue in his -present condition. - -From what has been said concerning the happiness of the righteous, in -the enjoyment they have of the first fruits of the heavenly glory, we -may learn, - -(1.) That this may afford farther conviction to us, that there is a -state of complete blessedness reserved for the saints in another world; -since, besides the arguments we have to prove this taken from scripture, -we have others founded in experience, so far as it is possible for any -to attain to the joys of heaven before they come there. Though the -instances we have here given thereof are uncommon, yet this inference -from them is just, and may afford matter of conviction to those who are -wholly taken up with earthly things, and have no taste of, nor delight -in things spiritual, that religion has its own rewards attending it, and -consequently that a believer is the only happy man in the world. - -(2.) This may serve as an encouraging motive to induce Christians to -hold on their way. Whatever difficulties or distressing providences they -may meet with in this life, if they have the earnest and foretastes of -heaven at any time, this will make their afflictions seem light; -inasmuch as they work for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight -of glory. And if they are rather waiting and hoping for them, than -actually enjoying them, let them adore and depend on the sovereignty of -God, who dispenses these comforts when he pleases: and if they are -destitute of the joy of faith, let them endeavour to be found in the -lively exercise of the direct acts thereof, trusting in Christ, though -they have not such sensible communion with him as others have; and let -them bless God, (though they have not those foretastes of the heavenly -glory, which accompany a full assurance thereof,) if they have a quiet, -composed frame of spirit, and are not given up to desponding thoughts, -or unbelieving fears, and have ground to conclude, that though their -state be not so comfortable as that of others; yet it is no less safe, -and shall, at last, issue into the fruition of that felicity of which -others have the first-fruits here on earth. - -(3.) Let them who are at any time favoured with this privilege of -assurance, and the joy that arises from it, walk very humbly with God, -as being sensible that this frame of spirit is not owing to themselves, -but to the quickening and sealing influences of the Holy Ghost; and if, -by neglecting to depend on him for the continuance thereof, we provoke -him to leave us to ourselves, we shall soon lose this desirable frame, -and be left in darkness: since as without him we can do nothing, so -without his continued presence we can enjoy none of those privileges -which tend to make our lives comfortable, and give us an anticipation of -future glory. - -Footnote 109: - - _See Quest._ lxxxvi. xc. - -Footnote 110: - - Reflecting as mirrors, or beholding as by mirrors. - -Footnote 111: - - _Vid. Dauberi orat. Funeb. ad front. & Hor. Noviss. ad calc. Tom. 3. - Riveti operum: in which he is represented as saying, Nolite mei causa - dolere, ultima hæc momenta nihil habent funesti; corpus languet - quidem, at anima robore & consolatione plena est, nec impedit paries - iste intergerinus, nebula ista exigua, quo minus lucem Dei videam. - Atq; exinde magis magisque optavit dissolvi & cum Christo esse. - Sufficit mi Deus exclamabat subinde, sufficit, suscipe animam meam: - Non tamen moram impatienter fero. Expecto, credo, persevero, dimoveri - nequeo, Dei Spiritus meo spiritui testatur, me ex filiis suis esse. O - amorem ineffabilem! id quod sentio, omnem expressionem alte - transcendit. Veni Domine Jesu, veni, etenim deficio, nan quidem - impatiens Domine, sed anima mea respicit te ut terra sicca. Preces & - votum, ut Deus Paradisum aperiret, & huic fideli servo suo faciem suam - ostenderet; his verbis supplevit; cum animabus justorem sanctificatis; - Amen, Amen. Exinde lingua præpedita verbo affirmare; mox ad vocem - adstantium, ipsum jam visione Dei frui, annuere; paulo post sub mediam - decimam matutinam placide in Domino obdormiit._ - -Footnote 112: - - _See Fleming’s Fulfilling of the Scripture, in fol. Part 1. page 287._ - -Footnote 113: - - _See Dr. Goodwin’s Works, Vol. 5. in his life, page 19._ - -Footnote 114: - - _See the Memoirs of the Life of Mr. Halyburton, Cap. 6._ - -Footnote 115: - - _See this argument improved by Mr. Fleming_, _in his Fulfilling of the - Scripture_, _Edit. in Fol. page 394_, & seq. _in which he takes - several remarkable passages out of Melchoir Adam’s Lives, and gives - several instances of that extraordinary communion which some have had - with God, both in life and death; whose conversation was well known in - Scotland; so that he mentions it as what is a matter undeniably true: - and he relates other things concerning the assurance and joy which - some have had; which has afforded them the sweetest comforts in - prisons and dungeons, and given them a foretaste of heaven, when they - have been called to suffer death for Christ’s sake._ - -Footnote 116: - - _See Page 252, ante._ - -Footnote 117: - - _See Vol. II. page 151._ - - - - - Quest. LXXXIV., LXXXV. - - - QUEST. LXXXIV. _Shall all men die?_ - - ANSW. Death being threatened as the wages of sin, it is appointed - unto all men once to die; for that all have sinned. - - QUEST. LXXXV. _Death being the wages of sin, why are not the - righteous delivered from death, seeing all their sins are forgiven - in Christ?_ - - ANSW. The righteous shall be delivered from death itself at the last - day, and even in death are delivered from the sting and curse of it; - so that, although they die, yet it is out of God’s love, to free - them perfectly from sin and misery; and to make them capable of - farther communion with Christ in glory, which they then enter upon. - -In these answers we have an account, - -I. Of the unalterable purpose of God, or his appointment that all men -once must die; which is also considered as the wages of sin. - -II. It is supposed, that death has a sting and curse attending it with -respect to force. - -III. It is the peculiar privilege of the righteous, that though they -shall not be delivered from death, yet this shall redound to their -advantage: For, - -1. The sting and curse of it is taken from them. - -2. Their dying is the result of God’s love to them; and that in three -respects, - -(1.) As they are thereby freed from sin and misery. - -(2.) As they are made capable of farther communion with Christ in glory, -beyond what they can have in this world. - -(3.) As they shall immediately enter upon that glorious and blessed -state when they die. - -I. God has determined, by an unalterable purpose and decree, that all -men must die. Whatever different sentiments persons may have about other -things, this remains an incontestable truth. We have as much reason to -conclude that we shall leave the world, as, at present, we have that we -live in it. _I know_, says Job, _that thou wilt bring me to death, and -to the house appointed for all living_, Job xxx. 23. and upon this -account the Psalmist says, _I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, -as all my fathers were_, Psal. xxxix. 12. And if scripture had been -wholly silent about the frailty of man, daily experience would have -afforded a sufficient proof of it. We have much said concerning man’s -mortality in the writings of the heathen; but they are at a loss to -determine the origin or first cause of it; and therefore they consider -it as the unavoidable consequence of the frame of nature, arising from -the contexture thereof, as that which is formed out of the dust must be -resolved into its first principle; or that which is composed of flesh -and blood, cannot but be liable to corruption. But we have this matter -set in a true light in scripture, which considers death as the -consequence of man’s first apostacy from God. Before this he was -immortal, and would have always remained so, had he not violated the -covenant, in which the continuance of his immortality was secured to -him; the care of providence would have prevented a dissolution, either -from the decays of nature, or any external means leading to it. And -therefore some of the Socinian writers have been very bold in -contradicting the express account we have hereof in Scripture, when they -assert that death was, at first, the consequence of nature;[118] for -which reason man would have been liable to it, though he had not sinned; -whereas the apostle says, _By one man sin entered into the world, and -death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have -sinned_, Rom. v. 12. - -We have a particular account of this in the sentence God passed on our -first parents immediately after their fall; when having denounced a -curse upon the ground for their sake, he says, _Dust thou art, and unto -dust shalt thou return_, Gen. iii. 19. And it may be observed, that as -this is unavoidable, pursuant to the decree of God, so the constitution -of our nature, as well as the external dispensations of providence, lead -to it. This sentence no sooner took place, but the temperament of human -bodies was altered,[119] the jarring principles of nature, on the due -temperament whereof life and health depends, could not but have a -tendency by degrees to destroy the frame thereof; if there be too great -a confluence of humours, or a defect thereof; if heat or cold -immoderately prevails; if the circulation of the blood and juices be too -swift or slow: or if the food on which we live, or the air which we -breathe be not agreeable to the constitution of our nature, or any -external violence be offered to it; all these things have a necessary -tendency to weaken the frame of nature, and bring on a dissolution. -David includes the various means by which men die, in three general -heads, speaking concerning Saul, _The Lord shall smite him, or his day -shall come to die, or he shall descend into battle, and perish: the Lord -shall smite him_, 1 Sam. xxvi. 10. denotes a person’s dying by a sudden -stroke of providence, in which there is the more immediate hand of God; -and his _falling into battle_, a violent death by the hands of men; in -both which respects men die before that time which they might have lived -to, according to the course of nature; and what is said concerning his -_day’s coming to die_; that is, a person’s dying what we call a natural -death, or when nature is so spent and wasted that it can no longer -subsist by all the skill of the physicians, or virtue of medicine; and -then the soul leaves its habitation, when it is not longer able to -perform the functions of life. - -We might here consider those diseases that are the fore-runners of -death, which sometimes are more acute; and by this means, as one -elegantly expresses it, nature feels the cruel victory before it yields -to the enemy. As a ship that is tossed by a mighty tempest, and by the -concussion of the winds and waves, loses its rudder and masts, takes -water in every part, and gradually sinks into the ocean: so in the -shipwreck of nature, the body is so shaken and weakened by the violence -of a disease, that the senses, the animal and vital operations decline, -and, at last, are extinguished in death.[120] This seemed, so formidable -to good Hezekiah, that he utters that mournful complaint, _Mine age is -departed and removed from me as a shepherd’s tent: I have cut off like a -weaver, my life; he will cut me off with pining sickness: from day even -to night, wilt thou make an end of me. I reckoned till the morning, that -as a lion, so will he break all my bones: from day even to night wilt -thou make an end of me_, Isa. xxxvii. 12, 13. - -We might here consider the empire of death as universal; as the wise man -says, _One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh_, -Eccl. i. 4. and then they pass away also, like the ebbing and flowing of -the sea. Death spares none; the strongest constitution can no more -withstand its stroke, than the weakest; no age of man is exempted from -it. This is beautifully described by Job; _One dieth in his full -strength, being wholly at ease and quiet: his breasts are full of milk, -and his bones are moistened with marrow: and another dieth in the -bitterness of his soul; and never eateth with pleasure: they shall lie -down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them_, Job xxi. 23-26. - -We might also consider the body after death, as a prey for worms, the -seat of corruption; and lodged in the grave, the house appointed for all -living; and then an end is put to all the actions, as well as enjoyments -of this life; and, as the Psalmist speaks, _In that very day_ all _their -thoughts perish_, Psal. cxlvi. 4. Whatever they have been projecting, -whatever schemes they have laid, either for themselves or others, are -all broken: as the historian observes concerning the Roman emperor, that -when he had formed great designs for the advantage of the empire,[121] -death broke all his measures, and prevented the execution thereof. - -We might also consider it as putting an end to our present enjoyments, -removing us from the society of our dearest friends, to a dismal and -frightful solitude. This was one of the consequences thereof, that was -very afflictive to Hezekiah, when he says, _I shall behold man no more -with the inhabitants of the world_, Isa. xxxviii. 11. It also strips us -of all our possessions, and the honours we have been advanced to in this -world, as the Psalmist speaks, _When he dieth he shall carry nothing -away, his glory shall not descend after him_, Psal. xlix. 27. - -We might also consider the time of life and death as being in God’s -hand. As we were brought into the world by the sovereignty of his -providence, so we are called out of it at his pleasure; concerning whom -it is said, _Our times are in his hand_, Psal. xxxi. 15. So that as -nothing is more certain than death, nothing is more uncertain to us than -the time when. This God has concealed from us for wise ends. Did we know -that we should soon die, it would discourage us from attempting any -thing great in life; and did we know that the lease of life was long, -and we should certainly arrive to old age; this might occasion the -delaying all concerns about our soul’s welfare, as presuming that it was -time enough to think of the affairs of religion and another world, when -we apprehend ourselves to be near the confines thereof; and therefore, -God has by this, made it our wisdom, as well as our duty, to be waiting -all the days of our appointed time, till our change come. - -From what has been said under this head, we may learn, - -1. The vanity of man as mortal. Indeed, if we look on believers as -enjoying that happiness which lies beyond the grave, there is a very -different view of things; but as to what respects the world we have -reason to say as the Psalmist does, _Verily, every man at his best -estate is altogether vanity_, Psal. xxxix. 5. We may see the vanity of -all those honours and carnal pleasures which many pursue with so much -eagerness, as though they had nothing else to mind, nothing to make -provision for but the flesh, which they do at the expence of that which -is in itself most excellent and desirable: We may also infer, - -2. That this affords an undeniable and universal motive to humility; -since death knows no distinction of persons, regards the rich no more -than the poor; puts no mark of distinction between the remains of a -prince and a peasant; and not only takes away every thing that men value -themselves upon, but levels the highest part of mankind with common -dust: They who boast of their extract, descent, and kindred, are -obliged, with Job, to say, _to corruption, Thou art my father; to the -worm, Thou art my mother and my sister_, Job xvii. 14. Shall we be proud -of our habitations, _who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in -the dust?_ chap. iv. 19. Are any proud of their youth and beauty? this -is, at best, but like a flower that does not abide long in its bloom, -and when cut down, it withers. The finest features are not only spoiled -by death, but rendered unpleasant and ghastly to behold; and accordingly -are removed out of sight, and laid in the grave. - -3. From the consideration of man’s liableness to death, and those -diseases that lead to it, as the wages of sin, we may infer; that sin is -a bitter and formidable evil. The cause is to be judged of by its -effects. As death, accompanied with all those diseases which are the -forerunners of it, is the greatest natural evil that we are liable to; -sin, from whence it took its rise, must be the greatest moral evil; we -should never reflect on the one without lying low before God in a sense -of the other. The Psalmist, when meditating on his own mortality, traces -it to the spring thereof; and ascribes it to those rebukes with which -_God corrects men for their iniquities_, that they die, and their -_beauty consumes away like a moth_, Psal. xxxix. 11. And elsewhere, when -he compares the life of man to the _grass_, which _in the morning -fourisheth, and groweth up; and in the evening is cut down and -withereth, he immediately adds; thou hast set our iniquities before -thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance_, Psal. xc. 6, 8. -And when Hezekiah had an intimation of his recovery, after he had the -sentence of death within himself, he speaks of his deliverance from the -_pit of corruption_, Isa. xxxviii. 17. as that which was accompanied -with God’s _casting all his sins behind his back_. And since we cannot -be delivered from these sad effects of sin, till the frame of nature is -dissolved, and afterwards rebuilt; it should put us upon using those -proper methods whereby we may be freed from the guilt and dominion -thereof; and accordingly it should have a tendency to promote a life of -holiness in us. - -4. From the uncertainty of life, let us be induced to improve our -present time, and endeavour so to live, as that, when God calls us -hence, we may be ready. And therefore, we ought to pray with the -Psalmist, _So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts -unto wisdom_, Psal. xc. 12. that by this means, that which deprives us -of all earthly enjoyments, may give us an admission into a better world, -and be the gate to eternal life. This leads us to consider, - -II. That death has a sting and curse annexed to it, with respect to -some. Thus the apostle expressly says, _The sting of death is sin_, 1 -Cor. xv. 56. As sin at first brought death into the world; so it is the -guilt thereof, lying on the consciences of men, which is the principal -thing that makes them afraid to leave the world; not but that death is, -in itself, an evil that nature cannot think of without some reluctancy. -And therefore the apostle Paul, although he expresses that assurance -which he had of happiness in another world, which he _groaned_ after, -and _earnestly_ longed to be possessed of; yet had it been put to his -choice, he would have wished that he could have been _clothed upon with -the house which is from heaven_, 2 Cor. v. 2. that is, had it been the -will of God, that he might have been brought to heaven without going the -way of all the earth, this would have been more agreeable to nature. But -when the two evils of death meet together, namely, that which is -abhorrent to nature, and the sting which makes it much more formidable, -this is, beyond measure, distressing. In this answer, the sting and -curse of death are both put together, as implying the same thing. -Accordingly, it is that whereby a person apprehends himself liable to -the condemning sentence of the law, separated from God, and excluded -from his favour, so that death appears to him to be the beginning of -sorrows; this is that which tends to embitter it, and fills him with -dread and horror at the thoughts of it. Which leads us, - -III. To shew that it is the peculiar privilege of the righteous, that -though they shall not be delivered from death, yet this shall redound to -their advantage. That they shall not be exempted from death is evident; -because the decree of God relating hereunto, extends to all men. We -read, indeed, of two that escaped the grave, viz. Enoch, who was -translated that he should not see death, and Elijah, who was carried to -heaven in a fiery chariot; but these are extraordinary instances, not -designed as precedents, by which we may judge of the common lot of -believers. And the saints that shall be found alive at Christ’s second -coming, shall undergo a change[122], as the apostle speaks; which though -it be equivalent to death, it cannot properly be styled a dying; -inasmuch as he opposes it thereunto, when he says, _We shall not all -sleep, but we shall all be changed_, 1 Cor. xv. 51. and he speaks of it -as a future dispensation of providence, which does not immediately -concern us in this present age. Therefore we must not conclude that -believers are delivered from the stroke of death; nevertheless, this is -ordered for their good, as the apostle says, with a particular -application to himself, _For me to die is gain_, Phil. i. 21. And when -he speaks of the many blessings that believers have in possession or in -reversion, he says, _Death is yours_; as though he should say, it shall -redound to your advantage; and this it does if we consider, - -1. That the sting of death is taken away from them. This is the result -of their being in a justified state; for since a person’s being liable -to the condemning sentence of the law is the principal thing that has a -tendency to make him uneasy, and may be truly called the sting that -wounds the conscience; so a sense of his interest in forgiveness through -the blood of Christ, tends to give peace to it; such an one can say, who -shall lay any thing to my charge? It is God that justifieth; or though I -have contracted guilt, which renders me unworthy of his favour; yet I am -persuaded that this guilt is removed; and therefore iniquity shall not -be my ruin; and even death itself shall bring me to the possession of -those blessings that were purchased for me by the blood of Christ, which -I have been enabled to apply to myself by faith; and with this -confidence he can say with the apostle, _O death, where is thy sting? O -grave, where is thy victory?_ 1 Cor. xv. 55. - -2. Their dying is an instance of God’s love to them. As those whom -Christ is said to have _loved in the world, he loved unto the end_ of -his life; so he loves them to the end of theirs, John xiii. 1. And as -nothing has hitherto separated them from this love, nothing shall be -able to do it. There are _three_ instances wherein the love of God to -dying believers discovers itself. - -(1.) In that they are hereby freed from sin and misery; this they never -were, nor can be till then. As for sin, there are the remainders thereof -in the best of men, which give them great disturbance, and occasion for -that daily conflict which there is between flesh and spirit, as has been -before observed. But at death the conflict will be at an end, and the -victory which they shall obtain over it, compleat. There shall be no law -in the members warring against the law of the mind; no propensity or -inclination to what is evil; nor any guilt or defilement contracted; -which would be inconsistent with a state of perfect holiness. And as it -is a state of perfect happiness, there is an entire freedom from all -those miseries which sin brought into this lower world. These are either -internal or external, personal or relative; none of which shall occur to -allay, or give any disturbance to the saints’ blessedness after death. -But more of this will be considered under a following answer; in which -we shall be led to speak of the happiness of the righteous at the day of -judgment, both in soul and body[123]; and therefore we proceed to -consider, - -(2.) That the death of a believer appears to be an instance of divine -love, in that hereby he is made capable of farther communion with Christ -in glory. Persons must be made meet for heaven before they are admitted -to it. Though our present season and day of grace is a time in which God -is training his people up for glory; and there is an habitual -preparation for it, when the work of grace is begun; which is what the -apostle intends when he speaks of some who are _made meet to be made -partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light_, Col. ii. 12. when -they were first translated into Christ’s kingdom: nevertheless this -falls very short of that actual meetness which the saints must have when -they are brought to the possession of the heavenly blessedness. Then -they shall be made perfect in holiness, as will be observed in the next -answer; otherwise there can be no perfect happiness. - -And besides this, the soul must be more enlarged, that hereby it may be -enabled to receive the immediate discoveries of the divine glory, or to -converse with the heavenly inhabitants, than it can be here. The frame -of nature must be changed; which is what the apostle intends, when he -says, _Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither doth -corruption inherit incorruption_, 1 Cor. xv. 50. accordingly he adds, -ver. 53. _This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal -must put on immortality_; whereby he intimates, that frail, mortal, and -corruptible man, is not able to bear that glory which is reserved for a -state of immortality. Therefore the soul must be so changed as to be -rendered receptive thereof; and in order thereto, all its powers and -faculties must be greatly enlarged; otherwise it can no more receive the -immediate rays of the divine glory, than the weak and distempered eye -can look steady on the sun shining in its meridian brightness. In this -world our ideas of divine things are very imperfect, by reason of the -narrowness of our capacities, and God condescends to reveal himself to -us in proportion thereto; but when the saints shall see him as he is, or -have a perfect and immediate vision and fruition of his glory, they -shall be made receptive of it; this is done at death; whereby they are -rendered capable of farther communion with Christ in glory.[124] - -(3.) At death believers immediately enter upon, and are admitted into -the possession of this glory. At the same time that the soul is enlarged -and fitted for the work and enjoyment of heaven, it is received into it; -where it shall have an uninterrupted communion with Christ in glory; -which is the subject insisted on in the following answer. - -Footnote 118: - - _Sequela naturæ._ - -Footnote 119: - - _Before this there was what some call_ temperamentum ad pondus, _which - was lost by sin; and a broken constitution, leading to mortality - ensued thereupon_. - -Footnote 120: - - _See Dr. Bates on Death, chap._ ii. - -Footnote 121: - - _Vid. Sueton. in Vit. Jul. Cæs. Talia agentem atq; meditantem mors - prævenit._ - -Footnote 122: - - _See more of this in Quest._ lxxxvii. - -Footnote 123: - - _See Quest._ xc. - -Footnote 124: - - The belief of a separate state is very ancient. Cicero and Seneca have - asserted, that all nations believed the immortality of the soul. Yet - we know there were not only individuals, but sects who were - exceptions. Saul the first king of Israel believed that the soul - survived the death of the body, or he would neither have made laws - against necromancers, nor have applied to one in his distresses. If - Samuel was raised, it is a fact, directly in point, but the words - though express, are probably an accommodation to the sentiments of - men. The son of Sirach who lived two hundred years before Christ, says - that Samuel prophesied after he was dead. (Ecclus. c. 46. v. 20.) And - Josephus in his account of the life of Saul, shows his belief to be - that Samuel actually arose. The same feats of apparitions which the - disciples had, still exist with the common people, and are proofs that - they entertain the same sentiment. - - Some of the Pharisees, who are represented as believing a separate - state, thought souls might return to other bodies. This was the - opinion of Josephus with respect to the virtuous; and also of those - Jews, who supposed that Jesus was Elijah or Jeremiah; but the question - of the disciples, whether a man had been born blind for his own sins, - implies a possibility of a return also of the wicked into other - bodies. Nevertheless the prevailing opinion of the Pharisees was of a - separate state; otherwise Paul’s professing their sentiments, which - must have been known to him, was disingenuous; nor, if they had known - the difference, would they have protected him. The approbation of the - multitude when he proved the doctrine from the words of Jehovah to - Moses at the bush, (Matt. xxii. 32.) and the parable of Lazarus and - the rich man, evince that the common opinion was such. - - This subject, has been enlightened, not first brought to light, - through the Gospel, but plainly asserted: _this day shalt thou be with - me in paradise. At home in the body, and absent from the Lord, absent - from the body, and present with the Lord_, is descriptive but of two - states. The desire _to depart to be with Christ_, shows an immediate - expectation. And otherwise it cannot be said that the spirits of just - men are _made perfect_. - - The Jews, Greeks, and Romans assigned the Heaven to the gods, earth to - men, and under the earth (שאול, αδης, inferi) to the dead. The - passages “the spirit shall return to God,” and “the spirit of a man - goeth upwards” are not exceptions, for then they would prove that the - evil, as well as the good, went to heaven. That the spirit is disposed - of by God, and that the spirit of a man survives the death of the - body, seem to be all that is respectively implied. Samuel was believed - to come out of, and return to his place under the earth; and Saul was - to be with him, below the earth; but, possibly, in a different - apartment. Thus Abraham and Lazarus were in sight of, and only divided - from the man in torments by a gulph. - - Under the gospel the place of separate saints is represented to be in - Heaven. Heaven had been always assigned to God among the Jews, and - even the heathens thought it the most honourable place: Virgil - assigned it to Cæsar. Jesus declared he came from thence, and would - return thither; and for the comfort of his disciples, told them, he - would prepare a place for them, and take them to himself. They saw him - actually ascend. He is to come from thence, and to bring them with him - to judgment. - - This change of representation implies no contradiction, for pure - spirits are not confined to place. Our souls are connected with our - bodies, and therefore go and come with, or rather in them. But when - the connexion is broken, the soul cannot be said to be in one place - more than another, except as it is occupied with material objects. It - can attend to one thing only at once, and therefore when in, it cannot - be out of the body, and must be wherever occupied, but not in any - _place_, except concerned with material objects. The infinite Spirit - had no connexion with space in all the eternity which preceded - creation; since time began as every thing is known and supported by - him, he is said to be in all places. But the idea of place is not - necessary to our conceptions of Spirit. - - To speak of the planets as the residence of spirits, and to talk of - souls flying through the _visible_ Heavens in quest of paradise is - idle. If all souls must ascend to Heaven, from India they go in a - direction opposite to our course thither. - - There is no sun nor moon enjoyed by saints in glory; the Lord is their - light. And spiritual bodies are not flesh and blood, nor belly, nor - meats; nor corruptible nor mortal; but fit for the society of spirits. - The soul at death is discharged from the prison of these bodies, and - not confined to place. It receives new faculties, which entertain it - with more than substitutes for the sensations it had in the body; it - obtains a perception of light more vivid than in dreams, and - permanent. It enjoys the discernment, society, and communion of other - Spirits; the presence of God and the Redeemer; and progresses in the - knowledge and love of God, and so in holiness and happiness forever. - - - - - Quest. LXXXVI. - - - QUEST. LXXXVI. _What is the communion in glory with Christ, which - the members of the invisible church enjoy immediately after death?_ - - ANSW. The communion in glory with Christ, which the members of the - invisible church enjoy immediately after death, is, in that their - souls are then made perfect in holiness, and received into the - highest heavens, where they behold the face of God in light and - glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies, which, even - in death, continue united to Christ, and rest in their graves as in - their beds, till at the last day they be again united to their - souls: Whereas the souls of the wicked are at death cast into hell, - where they remain in torments and utter darkness, and their bodies - kept in their graves, as in their prisons, till the resurrection and - judgment of the great day. - -Having considered the soul as separated from the body by death; the next -thing that will be enquired into, is what becomes of it, and how it is -disposed of in its separate state? and here we find that there is a vast -difference between the righteous and the wicked in this respect: the -former have communion with Christ in glory, the latter are in a state of -banishment and separation from him; being cast into hell, and there -remaining in torments and utter darkness. Both these are particularly -insisted on in this answer. In speaking to which, we must consider, - -I. That there is something supposed; namely, that the soul of man is -immortal; otherwise it could not be capable of happiness or misery. - -II. We shall consider the happiness which the members of the invisible -church enjoy; which is called communion with Christ in glory. - -III. The misery which the souls of the wicked endure at death; which is -contained in the latter part of the answer. - -I. To speak concerning the thing supposed in this answer; namely, that -the soul of man is immortal. This is a subject of that importance, that -we must be first convinced of the truth of it before we can conclude -that there is a state of happiness or misery in another world. But -before we proceed to the proof of it, it is necessary for us to explain -what we are to understand thereby; accordingly let it be premised, - -1. That we read, in scripture, of the death of the soul, in a spiritual -sense, as separated by sin, from God, the fountain of life and -blessedness, and as being destitute of a principle of grace; whereby it -is utterly indisposed to perform any actions that are spiritually good, -as much as a dead man is unable to perform the functions of life. In -this sense we are to understand the apostle’s words, _She that liveth in -pleasure is dead while she liveth_, 1 Tim. v. 6. And in this respect -unregenerate persons are said to be _dead in trespasses and sins_, Eph. -ii. 1. and a condemned state, which is the consequence hereof, is a -state of death. Now that which is opposed hereunto, is called, in -scripture, a spiritual life, or immortality; but this is not the sense -in which we are to consider it in our present argument. - -2. Immortality may be considered as an attribute peculiar to God, as the -apostle says, _he only hath immortality_, 1 Tim. vi. 16. the meaning of -which is, that his life, which includes his Being, and all his -perfections, is necessary and independent; but in this respect no -creature is immortal; but their life is maintained by the will and -providence of God, which gave being to it at first. - -3. When we speak of creatures being immortal, we must consider them -either as not having any thing in the constitution of their nature, that -tends to a dissolution, which cannot be effected by any second cause; or -their eternal existence, pursuant to the will of God, who could, had he -pleased, have annihilated them. It is in both these senses that we are -to consider the immortality of the soul. - -That it is in its own nature immortal, has been allowed by many of the -Heathens, who have had just conceptions of the spirituality of its -nature, possessed due regards to the providence of God, and those marks -of distinction that he puts between good and bad men, as the consequence -of their behaviour in this life. That the soul survives the body, has -been reckoned, by some of the Heathens, as an opinion that has almost -universally obtained in the world[125]. Thus Plato introduces -Socrates[126] as discoursing largely on this subject, immediately before -his death: and, in some, other of his writings, not only asserts, but -gives as good proofs of this doctrine as any one, destitute of -scripture-light, could do. One of his followers, in the account he gives -of his doctrine, recommends and insists on an argument which he brings -to prove it, which is not without its weight, namely, that the soul acts -from a principle seated in its own nature, and not by the influence of -some external cause, as things material do[127]. And Strabo speaks of -the ancient Brachmans, among the Indians, as entertaining some notions -of the immortality of the soul, and the judgment passed upon it in its -separate state; agreeable to what Plato advances on that subject[128]. - -Some, indeed, have thought that this notion took its rise from Thales, -the Milesian, who lived between two and three hundred years before -Plato, and about six hundred years before the Christian Æra, from an -occasional passage mentioned by Diogenes Laertius, in his life, which is -hardly sufficient to justify this supposition; which he brings in only -as matter of report[129]: And Cicero[130] supposes it was first -propagated by Pherecydes, who was cotemporary with him; though Diogenes -Laertius makes no mention of it. But it may be inferred from many things -in Homer, the oldest writer in the Greek tongue, who lived above three -hundred years before Thales, that the world had entertained some -confused ideas of it in his time: As we often find him bringing in the -souls of the deceased heroes appearing in a form, and speaking with a -voice like that which they had when living, to their surviving friends. -And he not only supposes, but plainly intimates that their souls existed -in a separate state[131]. And in other places he represents some -suffering punishment for their crimes committed here on earth[132]; -which plainly argues, whatever fabulous account we have of the nature of -punishment, or the person suffering it, that it was an opinion, -generally received at that time, that the soul existed in a separate -state. - -And, indeed, this maybe inferred from the doctrine of Dæmons, or the -superstitious worship of the heathens, which they paid to the souls of -those heroes who formerly lived on earth, and had done some things which -they thought rendered them the peculiar favourites of God, and the -objects of worship by men; and that their souls existed with God in -great honour and favour in a separate state[133]. But passing this by, -it may be farther observed, that whatever notions some of the heathens -had of the immortality of the soul in general; they were very much at a -loss, many of them, in determining the place, or many things relating to -the state in which they were; and therefore many of them, with -Pythagoras, asserted the doctrine of transmigration of souls, or their -passing from one body to another; and being condemned to reside in vile -and dishonourable bodies; which, though it perverts, yet doth not -overthrow the doctrine of the soul’s immortality; and others seemed to -doubt whether, after four or five courses of transmigration of souls -from one body to another, they might not at last shrivel into nothing. - -It must also be acknowledged, that there was a considerable party among -the heathen that adhered to the sentiments of Epicurus, who denied the -immortality of the soul, as supposing it to be material. And the -Sadducees are represented, in scripture, as imbibing that notion; who -are said to deny both angels and spirits, Acts xxiii. 8. In this respect -they gave into his philosophy, as to what concerns his denying the -immortality of the soul, or its existence in a future state[134]: But -passing this by, we may observe, that notwithstanding all that has been -said concerning this doctrine, by the better and wiser part of the -heathen in their writings; yet their notions seem very defective, if we -trace them farther than what concerns the bare separate existence of the -soul; or, if they attempt to speak any thing concerning its happiness in -a future state, they then discover that they know but little of this -matter; and many of them, though they cannot deny the soul’s -immortality, yet they seem to hesitate about it; and therefore we may -say with the apostle, that _life and immortality is brought to light -through the gospel_, 2 Tim. i. 10. that is, if we would be sure of the -immortality of the soul, and know its state and enjoyments in another -world, we must look farther than the light of nature for it: and in -seeking for arguments in scripture, we shall find great satisfaction -concerning this matter, which we cannot do from the writers before -mentioned. - -That some of the heathen were in doubt about this important truth, is -very evident from their writings; for Plato himself[135], -notwithstanding the many things which he represents Socrates as saying, -concerning a state of immortality after death, endeavouring to convince -his friend Cebes about that matter, and apprehending that he had so far -prevailed in the argument, as that his antagonist allowed that the soul -survived the body, but yet held the transmigration of souls into other -bodies; this he seems to allow him, and adds, that it is uncertain -whether the soul, having worn out many bodies, may not at last perish -with one that it is united to[136]. And he farther says to him, that I -must now die, and you shall live; but which of us is in the better state -God only knows[137]. - -As for Aristotle, though, in many places of his writings, he seems to -maintain the immortality of the soul; yet in others it appears that he -is in doubt about it; and seems to assert, that neither good nor evil -happens to any man after his death[138]. And the Stoicks, who did not -altogether deny this doctrine; yet they supposed that in process of -time, it would be dissolved[139]. And even Cicero himself, -notwithstanding all that he says, by which he seems to give into this -doctrine; yet sometimes speaks with great hesitation about it[140]. And -notwithstanding what Seneca says concerning the immortality of the soul, -as has been often before observed; yet he speaks doubtfully of it[141]; -so that we must have recourse to scripture, and those consequences that -are deduced from it, as well as those things that may be inferred from -the nature of the soul to prove that it is immortal. And, - -(1.) For the proof of this doctrine, let it be considered, that the soul -is immaterial; which appears from its being capable of thought, whereby -it is conversant about, and takes in ideas of things divine and -spiritual, which no creature below man can do. It has a power of -inferring consequences from premises, and accordingly is the subject of -moral government, capable of conversing with God here, and expecting -rewards or punishments from him hereafter; all this cannot be produced -by matter or motion: As for matter, that is in itself altogether -unactive; and when motion is impressed upon it, the only change that is -made therein, is in the situation and contexture of its parts, which -cannot give it life, sensation or perception, much less a power of -judging and willing, or being conversant about things spiritual and -immaterial. - -(2.) This power of thinking or reasoning was not derived from the body -to which it was united; for that which has not in itself those superior -endowments, cannot communicate them to another: Its union with the soul -cannot impart them to it; for whatever sensation the body has, (which is -below the power of reasoning,) is derived from the soul, as appears from -its being wholly destitute thereof, when the union between the soul and -body is broken: And therefore, since those superior powers, or -excellencies of the soul, are produced by another cause, we must -conclude, that they are immediately from God: This evidently appears -from scripture; the body of Adam was first formed, and then it is said, -_God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life_, Gen. ii. 7. that -is, he put into it that soul which was the spring and fountain of all -living actions; and then it follows, man became a living soul: And it is -considered as a peculiar display of the glory of God, that he _formeth -the spirit of man within him_, Zech. xii. 2. - -(3.) It follows from hence, that the dissolution of the body makes no -alteration in the powers and faculties of the soul; which is not hereby -rendered subject to death. For, as it did not derive those powers from -the body, as was before observed, it could not be said to lose them in -the ruin of the body: Thus our Saviour speaks of the soul as not being -affected with those injuries that tend to the bodies destruction, when -he says, _Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill -the soul_, Mat. x. 28. - -(4.) We have a particular account in scripture, of the soul when -separated from the body, as disposed of in a different way from it; it -does not go down to the earth as the body does, from whence it was, but -_returns to God who gave it_, Eccl. xii. 7. Its return to God supposes -that it was accountable to him for its actions performed in the body, or -the way and manner in which the faculties were exerted; and accordingly, -when separate from it, it is represented as returning to God to give an -account of its behaviour in the body, and to reap the fruits and effects -thereof. And as it is said to return to God; so believers breathe forth -their souls, and resign them by faith into the hand of God, as our -Saviour expresses it, _Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit_, Luke -xxiii. 46. or, as Stephen says, _Lord Jesus receive my spirit_, Acts -vii. 59. - -(5.) The soul’s immortality may be proved from the extent of the -capacities thereof, and the small improvement men make of them in this -world, especially the greatest part of mankind. What a multitude are -there who never had the faculties of the soul deduced into act, in whom -the powers of reasoning were altogether useless, while in this world; I -mean in those whose souls are separated from their bodies as soon as -they are born; others die in their childhood, before reason comes to -maturity; and how great a part of the world live to old age, whose souls -have not been employed in any thing great or excellent, in proportion to -their capacities? Were these made in vain? or did God design, when he -brought them into, or continued them either a longer or a shorter time -in the world, that they should never be employed in any thing that is -worthy of these noble faculties? Therefore we must conclude that there -is another state, in which the soul shall act more agreeably to those -capacities which it is endowed with. - -(6.) This may be farther proved, not only from the natural desires, -which there are in all men, of immortality; but more especially those -desires, which the saints have, of enjoying some things in God, which -cannot be attained in this life. The natural desire of immortality is -what belongs to all: With what reluctancy does the soul and body part; -which arises from a natural aversion to a dissolution, unless there be a -well-grounded hope of a life of blessedness that shall ensue? Moreover -there is not only a desire but an expectation of the soul’s living for -ever, when separated from the body, in a state of happiness; which -believers are made partakers of, as a peculiar blessing from God: -Therefore we must conclude, that he that gave them will satisfy them; so -that as they have a thirst after happiness, which is the effect of a -supernatural power, they shall not be disappointed or destitute of it; -which they must be if the soul does not survive the body. - -(7.) The immortality of the soul may be proved from the justice of God -as the Governor of the world. This divine perfection renders it -necessary that rewards and punishments should be distributed according -to men’s behaviour in this life. We observe, under a foregoing head, -that man is supposed to be accountable to God, from the consideration of -the spirit’s returning to him: And it also follows, from what was said -under another head, concerning the soul’s being the subject of moral -government: But this argument will be farther improved under a following -answer, when we consider our Saviour’s coming to judge the world[142]. -All the use therefore that we shall at present make thereof, is, that -the soul being thus accountable to God, has reason to expect some -peculiar marks of favour beyond what it receives in this world; or to -fear some punishment as the consequence of crimes committed, from the -hand of the supreme Judge of all: Thus it is said, _God will render to -every man according to his deeds_, Rom. ii. 6. And elsewhere, _Every one -shall receive according to what he hath done in the body, whether it be -good or bad_, 2 Cor. v. 10. Now that which makes for our present -argument, is, that the best men in the world do not receive those -peculiar marks of divine favour, as to what respects their outward -condition therein, as some of the vilest men often do: This the prophet -Jeremiah takes notice of, when he says, _Righteous art thou, O Lord, -when I plead with thee; yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: -Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? Wherefore are all they -happy that deal very treacherously?_ Jer. xii. 1. And the Psalmist, when -observing the prosperity of the wicked, says, _They are not in trouble -like other men; neither are they plagued like other men_, Psal. lxxiii. -5. that is, not exposed to those rebukes of providence, as to what -concerns outward things, as good men are. - -That which is alledged by some to solve this difficulty, is, that virtue -has its own reward; and therefore, the good man cannot but be happy, -whatever troubles he meets with in this life, since he has something -within himself that makes him so. But to this it may be replied, that -this cannot give the least satisfaction, that the divine distributions -are just and equal, to those who are destitute of this inward comfort; -and the principal ingredient in that internal happiness which arises -from the exercise of religion and virtue, consists in the divine -approbation, and the interest which such have in that love, which shall -discover itself more fully, when the soul, being separate from the body, -shall enjoy the happiness resulting from it in another world: Therefore, -this is so far from militating against the doctrine we are maintaining, -that it affords a considerable argument to support it. - -If it be objected also, on the other hand, that sin brings its own -punishment along with it, in that uneasiness which the wicked find in -their own breasts; concerning whom it is said, _They are like the -troubled sea when it cannot rest; whose waters cast up mire and dirt_, -Isa. lvii. 20. This also proves the immortality of the soul; inasmuch as -this fear arises from a sense of guilt, whereby persons are liable to -punishment in another world, who are not in the least concerned about -the punishment of sin in this, and are ready to conclude themselves out -of the reach of human judicature; therefore, that which they are afraid -of, is God’s righteous judgments in another world, which they cannot, by -any means, free themselves from the dread of. We must therefore conclude -that this is as natural to man, considered as sinful, as the hope of -future blessedness is to one that is righteous; and both these are the -result of a divine impression enstamped on the souls of men, which -affords an evident proof of their immortality. - -The objections against this doctrine, are generally such as carry in -them the lowest and most abject thoughts of human nature in those who -may truly be said to despise their own souls. When they pretend, as was -before observed, that they are material, this is to set the soul on a -level with the body; for matter, how much soever it be refined, when it -is resolved into the particles of which it consists, has no excellency -above other material beings. - -As to the objections that are brought against this doctrine from -scripture, by which the frailty of this present life is set forth: These -do not in the least tend to overthrow the immortality of the soul. Thus, -when it is said in Eccles. iii. 19, 20. _That which befalleth the sons -of men, befalleth beasts, even one thing befalleth them: As the one -dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man -hath no pre-eminence above a beast; all go unto one place; all are of -the dust, and all turn to dust again._ It is plain, that Solomon here -speaks of the inferior part of man, in which he has no pre-eminence -above the beasts, as the body is resolved into dust, as well as the -bodies of the brute creatures; but then the following words sufficiently -confute the objection, in which it is said, _the spirit of man goeth -upward_; whereby he asserts, not only the superior excellency, but the -immortality of the soul. - -Again, when it is said in chap. ix. 5. _The living know that they must -die, but the dead know not any thing; neither have they any more a -reward; for the memory of them is forgotten._ This is sufficiently -answered by only reading the following words; by which it appears, that -their memory is forgotten; and they are said to have no farther reward -in this world; or, as it is expressed, _They have no more any portion -for ever, in any thing that is done under the sun_; but this does not in -the least intimate that they have no portion in what respects the things -of another world; and, indeed, their labour being unrewarded here, -affords us an incontestible argument, that they shall have it hereafter, -when the soul leaves this world. - -And as for other scriptures, that seem to intimate as though death put -an end to all those actions of religion which were performed by good men -in this life, as in Psal. xxx. 9. ‘When I go down to the pit, shall the -dust praise thee, shall it declare thy truth?’ and, ‘The dead praise not -the Lord; neither any that go down into silence,’ Psal. cxv. 17. and -what Hezekiah says to the same purpose, ‘The grave cannot praise thee; -death cannot celebrate thee; they that go down to the pit cannot hope -for thy truth,’ Isa. xxxviii. 18. These and such-like expressions intend -nothing else but this; that the praises of God cannot be celebrated by -those who are in the state of the dead, in such a way as they were by -them while they lived in this world, _viz._ in the assemblies of his -saints, from which they are separated, being no longer considered as -members of the militant church; neither are they apprized of, or -affected with the things done in this lower world, in which respect they -are said to know nothing: But this does not in the least, militate -against their praising God with the church triumphant, and having those -privileges conferred upon them, which are adapted to a state of -immortality and eternal life. - -As to what is farther objected by others, that the immortality of the -soul respects only the righteous; because the apostle says in 1 John ii. -17. ‘The world passes away, and the lust thereof, but he that doth the -will of God abideth for ever.’ This sense given of the words contradicts -all those scriptures that speak of the punishment of sin in another -world; for if none are said to _abide for ever_, but the righteous, or -they who do the will of God; the wicked must necessarily go unpunished. -Therefore we must understand the word _abiding_ in the same sense as the -Psalmist does, when he says, ‘The ungodly shall not stand in the -judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous,’ Psal. i. 5. -which does not signify their not existing in a future state, but not -being admitted into the congregation of the righteous, or made happy -with them therein.[143] - -II. We shall consider the happiness that the members of the invisible -church enjoy; which is called communion with Christ in glory, as it -includes in it perfect holiness; accordingly we read of _the spirits of -just men made perfect_, Heb. xii. 23. This perfection consists in the -rooting out all those remainders of corruption, and those habitual -inclinations to sin, that they were never wholly freed from in this -world. The most that can be said concerning a believer at present, is, -that he has a principle of spiritual life and grace, which inclines him -to oppose, and stand his ground against, the assaults of sin that -dwelleth in him, whereby it is mortified, but not wholly destroyed. The -work of sanctification is daily growing to perfection, though it does -not fully attain to it: But when the soul leaves the world, it arrives -to perfection in a moment; so that the power which man had at first, to -yield sinless obedience, which was lost by the fall of our first -parents, is regained with great advantage. For this perfection of -holiness not only denotes a sinless state, but the soul’s being -confirmed therein; and accordingly it is said to be received into the -highest heaven, the place into which no unclean thing can enter; where -there is spotless purity, as well as everlasting happiness; and here -they are described as beholding the face of God in light and glory. -These things need not be particularly insisted on in this place, since -the same privileges are said, in a following answer, to belong to -believers after the day of judgment, both in their souls and bodies, -when they shall be received into heaven, and be made perfectly holy and -happy, and be blest with the immediate vision of God[144]; Therefore all -that we shall consider at present, with relation hereunto, is, - -1. That the soul is immediately made partaker of this blessedness on its -separation from the body. - -2. It is farther described as waiting for the full redemption of the -body, which is still supposed to continue under the dominion of death, -though united to Christ, and consequently under his special protection: -Upon which account believers are said, when they die, to rest in their -graves as in their beds, till their bodies are again united to their -souls at the last day. - -1. We shall consider that the soul is made partaker of this blessedness -immediately after its separation from the body, as it is observed in -this answer; which seems to militate against three opinions that have -been advanced relating to the state of separate souls. - -[1.] That of the Papists, who maintain that the soul is not made perfect -in holiness at death, but enters into a middle-state, which they call -purgatory, in which it is to endure exquisite torments, designed partly -as a punishment inflicted for those sins committed in this life, which -have not been expiated by satisfaction made by them, and partly to free -them from the sin which they brought with them into that state. - -[2.] Another opinion which seems to be opposed in this answer, is what -was maintained by some of the ancient Fathers; namely, that the souls of -believers do not immediately enter into the highest heaven before they -are reunited to their bodies, but into paradise; not to suffer, as the -Papists pretend that they do who are in purgatory; but to enjoy those -pleasures which are reserved for them in a place not much inferior to -heaven. - -[3.] There is another opinion which is subversive of the doctrine -contained in this answer; namely, that the soul, at its separation from -the body, sleeps till the resurrection; and consequently, in that -intermediate space of time in which it is separate, it is no more -capable of happiness or misery than the body that lies in the grave. The -absurdity of these opinions we shall take occasion farther to consider. -And, - -[1.] That of the Papists concerning a middle-state, into which they -suppose, souls enter at death, in order to their being cleansed from the -remainders of sin, whereby they are made meet for heaven. This doctrine, -how ludicrous and ungrounded soever it may appear to be, they are so -fond of, that it will be as hard a matter to convince them of the -absurdity thereof, as it was of old to convince the worshippers of Diana -at Ephesus, of their stupid idolatry; because it tends to promote their -secular interest. They first endeavour to persuade the poor deluded -people, that they must suffer very great torments after death, unless -they be relieved by the prayers of their surviving friends; and then, to -induce them to shew this favour to them, as well as that they may merit -some abatement of these torments or a speedy release from them, they -tell them, that it is their duty and interest to leave their estates, by -their last will and testament to pious uses; such as building of -churches, endowing of monasteries, &c. by which means they have got a -great part of the estates of the people into their own hands. And to -carry on this cheat, they give particular instances, in some of their -writings, of souls being released from this dreadful place by their -prayers. - -The account they give of this middle-state, between heaven and hell, is -not only that they are not admitted into the immediate presence of God; -but are exposed to grievous torments by fire, little short of those that -are endured in hell; and if they are not helped by the prayers of the -church, they are in danger of being sent from thence directly to hell, -from whence there is no release. They also add, that the punishment, in -this state, is either longer or shorter, in proportion to the crimes -committed in this world; for which satisfaction has not been made by -penances endured, or money given to compensate for them. Some, indeed, -are allowed, by them, to pass immediately into heaven, without being -detained here; namely, those who have performed works of supererogation; -or if by their entering into a vow of poverty, they have parted with -their estates, while living in the world, for the use of the church, in -which case no end could be answered, by telling them of this fable of -purgatory. Others are told that they may escape it, by entering into a -vow of chastity and canonical obedience; which belongs more especially -to the priests, when entering into holy orders; whereby they take care -to make provision for themselves, that so the deluded people may have a -greater regard to their prayers, since they will find none in purgatory -to perform that service for them. This is so vile and absurd an opinion, -that it cannot but expose the church of Rome to the scorn and contempt -of all who are not given up to strong delusions. - -But though it sufficiently appears, that secular interest is the main -foundation of this doctrine; yet there are some arguments, which they -take from scripture, to support it; which is the only thing that -requires our notice. - -One scripture brought to this purpose, is in Isa. iv. 4. where the -prophet speaks concerning the _Lord’s purging the blood of Jerusalem -from the midst thereof, by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of -burning_; supposing that this should have its accomplishment when the -soul left the body, and was detained in this place of torment. But this -is very remote from the design of the Holy Ghost herein; for it only -contains a metaphorical description of some judgments which God would -inflict on people in this life, and as a means to reclaim them from -them: therefore we often read, in the prophets, of God’s refining his -people _in the furnace of affliction_, Isa. xlviii. 10. and accordingly -it is said, that _the Lord’s fire is in Zion, and his furnace in -Jerusalem_, chap. xxxi. 9. denoting the sore judgments they should -undergo in this world, as a punishment for their idolatry. - -Another scripture, which is miserably perverted, to support this -doctrine, is that in Zech. ix. 11. _By the blood of thy covenant have I -sent forth thy prisoners, out of the pit wherein is no water_; which -they suppose, is to be understood of some state after this life; because -it is called _the pit_; and it is also described as a place of misery, -inasmuch as there is no water, that is, no refreshing comforts; and they -add, that the prophet does not speak of hell because some persons are -described as _sent forth_, or released from it; therefore it must needs -be understood of this middle-state, between heaven and hell. But this is -far from being the sense of the text, since it contains a prediction of -their being delivered from the Babylonish captivity, which, in a -metaphorical way of speaking, is called _the pit, wherein is no water_, -to denote the great distress that the people were to be brought under -therein; thus the prophet Isaiah, speaking of their deliverance from the -captivity, says, _The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and -that he should not die in the pit_, Isa. li. 14. Or else it denotes some -future deliverance, which the church was to expect after great -calamities undergone by them; and this is said to be _by the blood of -the covenant_, denoting that all the happiness the church shall enjoy in -this world, as well as the other is founded in the blood of Christ, -pursuant to the covenant of grace: and if the text must necessarily be -understood of a deliverance from evil after death, it may be considered -as a prediction of our being delivered from eternal destruction, by the -blood of Jesus. - -Again, another scripture which they bring to support this fabulous -doctrine, is in 1 Cor. iii. 13, 14, 15. _Every man’s work shall be made -manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by -fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work, of what sort it is, If -any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a -reward. If any man’s work shall be burnt, he shall suffer loss; but he -himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire_. The reason why this -scripture is forced into that cause which they maintain, is, because we -read of persons being _saved so as by fire_; and this they suppose to -respect that which should follow after the particular judgment of every -one at death in which, a scrutiny shall be made concerning their works, -or their behaviour in this world; and if they are found faulty, they -may, notwithstanding, be saved after they have endured those sufferings -which are there allotted for them. - -But there is nothing in the text that gives the least countenance to -this notion, since the apostle seems to be speaking concerning those -ministers who preach false doctrines, that is, propagate errors not -directly subversive of the fundamental articles of faith, but such as -tend to embarrass the consciences of men, and, in many respects, lead -them out of the way; or of others, who have been perverted by them, and -have embraced pernicious errors, which, in their consequences, are -subversive of the faith, but yet do not hold those consequences: these -may be saved, but their salvation shall be attended with some -difficulty, arising from the mistaken notions which they have imbibed. -Some compare this to a person whose house is in flames, and he saves his -life with difficulty, being scorched thereby. God will, in his own time, -take some method to discover what notions we have received in religion; -and he is said to do it by fire. Whether this, as a learned writer -observes, is to be understood of the clear gospel-dispensation,[145] or -else respects some trying dispensation of providence, accompanied with a -greater measure of the effusion of the Spirit, that shall lead men into -the knowledge of their mistakes, and set them in the right way, I will -not determine. But whether the one or the other of these senses of the -texts seems most agreeable to the mind of the apostle, it is -sufficiently evident that no countenance is given, either in this or any -other scripture, to this absurd doctrine of the Papists. - -Another scripture which they bring for the proof of this doctrine, is in -1 Pet. iii. 19. in which it is said, that our Saviour _went and preached -unto the spirits in prison_. The sense they give of that text, compared -with the foregoing verse, is, that as our Saviour, after his death, -visited those repositories, where the Old Testament-saints were lodged, -and preached the gospel to them, which they embraced; and pursuant -hereupon, were admitted into heaven: so he went down into this -subterraneous prison, and preached to them also; but whether this was -attended with the same success, or no, they pretend not to determine; -but only allege this as a proof that there is such a place: and to give -countenance to this sense they say, that by the prison here spoken of, -the prison of hell cannot be intended; inasmuch as there is no hope of -salvation there, and consequently no preaching of the gospel. And it -cannot be meant of his preaching to any in this world; for they suppose, -that he went after he left the world, and _preached to spirits_, that -is, to persons, whose souls were separate from their bodies; therefore -he went, as they argue, and preached to those that are in purgatory: but -in giving this sense of the text, they are obliged to take no notice of -what follows, which, if duly considered, would plainly overthrow it. - -The meaning of this scripture therefore is this, that our Saviour -preached by his Spirit, to the old world, in the ministry of Noah, while -he was preparing the ark; but they being disobedient, were not only -destroyed by the flood, but shut up in the prison of hell; in which -respect it is said he preached to those that are now in prison: so that -this scripture makes nothing for that doctrine which we are opposing; -nor any other that is or can be brought; so that all the arguments -pretended to be taken from it, are a manifest perversion thereof. - -However, there is one method of reasoning which they make use of, that I -cannot pass over; inasmuch as they apprehend that it contains a -_dilemma_ that is unanswerable; namely, that there is some place in -which persons are perfectly freed from sin, which must be either this -world, or heaven, or some middle state between them both. It is allowed -by all, that there is no perfect freedom from sin in this world; and to -suppose that persons are perfectly freed from sin after they come to -heaven, is to conclude that that is a state of probation, in which the -gospel must be preached, and persons that attend upon it, inclined to -embrace it, which is not agreeable to a state of perfection: and this is -contrary to scripture, which speaks of no unclean thing entering -therein. Therefore it follows, that the state in which they are fitted -for it, must be this which they plead for, to wit, a middle-state, in -which they are first purged, and then received into heaven. - -But to this it may be replied, that it is true, believers are not -perfectly freed from sin in this world, nor do they enter into heaven, -either with the guilt or pollution of their sins upon them; but they are -made perfect in an instant, in passing out of this world into heaven: -the same stroke which separates the soul from the body takes away the -remainders of corruption, and fits it for the heavenly state; it passes -out of this world perfect, though it was imperfect while in it; in like -manner as the body being raised out of the grave is rendered -incorruptible thereby, so that we have no occasion to invent a middle -state, into which the saints are brought. Therefore it follows, as it is -expressed in this answer, that the souls of believers, immediately after -death, are made perfect in holiness. - -[2.] There is another opinion embraced by some of the Jews, and several -of the Fathers, in which they are followed by some modern writers; -namely, that the souls of believers, at death, enter into paradise, -where they continue till they are reunited to their bodies, and, after -the day of judgment, are received into the highest heaven: thus they -understand our Saviour’s words to the penitent thief on the cross, _To -day thou shalt be with me in paradise_, in a literal sense, as -contra-distinguished from heaven. And these assert, that the soul of our -Saviour, when separate from his body, went immediately into paradise, -and not into heaven, till after his resurrection. This is supposed to -import the same thing as _Abraham’s bosom_ does in the parable; and -indeed, the Greek word,[146] in the metaphorical sense thereof, which we -translate _bosom_, signifies a port or haven; which is, as it were, a -bosom for shipping. - -This is described as very distinct from the Popish doctrine of -purgatory; for it is not a place of suffering, but of delight and -pleasure. Tertullian, who gave into this notion,[147] describes it as a -place of divine pleasure, designed for the reception of the spirits of -holy men, being separate either from the world, or other places near it, -by an inclosure of fire, designed to keep the wicked out. - -This is what they suppose the apostle Paul speaks of when he says, that -he was _caught up into paradise_, 2 Cor. xii. 5. and they conclude that -this vision or rapture which he mentions, includes in it what he -experienced at two several times; and that this is agreeable to what he -mentions in verse 1. where he speaks not of one single vision, but of -_visions_ and _revelations_. Accordingly they suppose that he had first -of all a vision of the glory of heaven, and then he had another of -paradise: thus a late writer understands the text.[148] However, I -cannot think that this can be sufficiently inferred from the apostle’s -words, which are, as it were, a preface to introduce the account which -he gives of himself, when he says, _I will come to visions and -revelations_; that is, I will now tell you how God sometimes favours his -people with extraordinary visions and revelations: then he proceeds to -give an instance hereof in himself, as being _caught up into the third -heaven_, or into paradise; for I cannot suppose that he speaks of two -visions, or distinguishes paradise from heaven; and therefore I am -obliged not to pay that deference to the sentiments of the Fathers he -mentions, as he does, but must conclude the notion to be altogether -ungrounded, though it is supported by the credit of Irenæus, Tertullian, -Epiphanius, Methodius, as well as of several Jewish writers; such as -Philo, and some others,[149] - -[3.] We shall now consider another doctrine, maintained by some, which -is inconsistent with what is said in this answer, concerning the souls -of believers being made perfect in holiness, and entering immediately -into heaven, when separate from their bodies, _viz._ that at death the -soul sleeps as well as the body, till the resurrection, when one shall -be raised, and the other awakened out of its sleep. These do not suppose -that the soul ceases to exist; but that it enters into, and continues -in, a state of inactivity, without any power to exercise the faculty of -thinking, and, as a consequence thereof, whilst remaining in this state, -it must be incapable either of happiness or misery. These do not assert -that there shall be no rewards and punishments in a future state; but -that there will be a deferring thereof until the last day. - -This doctrine was generally maintained by the Socinians, as may be seen -in several of their writings referred to by a learned author, who -opposes them;[150] and the arguments by which it is usually supported, -are taken partly from the possibility of the soul’s being destitute of -thought, and partly from those scriptures that compare death to a sleep; -by which they understand not only a cessation of action in the body, but -likewise in the soul. In defence of the former of these, _viz._ that it -is possible for the soul to be without the exercise of thought, they -argue, that the soul of a new-born infant, (or, at least, before it is -born,) has no ideas: though there be a power of reasoning, which is -essential, to the soul; yet this is not deduced into act, so as to -produce thought, or actual reasoning, from whence moral good or evil -would proceed, and a sense of happiness or misery, arise from it. And -this notion is carried somewhat farther by a late celebrated -writer;[151] who, though he takes no notice of the tendency of his -assertion to support this opinion concerning the soul’s sleeping at -death; yet others make a handle of it, to defend it with a greater shew -of reason than what was formerly discovered in maintaining this -argument. - -He asserts, that the souls of those that are adult do not always think; -and particularly when a person is in a sound sleep, that he has no -thought; how much soever there may be the exercise of thought, though -confused and irregular, in those who, between sleeping and waking, not -only dream a thousand things which they never thought of before, but -also remember those dreams when they awake. That a person, in a sound -sleep, has no dreams, and consequently is destitute of thought, he -attempts to prove; inasmuch as when any one is suddenly waked out of a -sound sleep, he can give no account of what he had been thinking of; and -he supposes it impossible for a person who was thinking, to forget the -next moment what his thoughts were conversant about. This is the -principal argument whereby he supports this notion; and he has so far -the advantage thereof, as that it is impossible for us to prove the -contrary from any thing that we know or experience concerning ourselves: -Nevertheless, it will not appear very convincing, when we consider that -there are innumerable thoughts which we have when awake, that we can -hardly give an account of the next minute: And if the thoughts are very -active in those that dream, (who are as much asleep as others that do -not dream; though the sleep may not be so refreshing as if it were -otherwise,) I cannot see how this consequence can be inferred, that -sleep is inconsistent with thought. Moreover, a person who is delirious, -or distracted, undoubtedly thinks, though his thoughts are disordered; -but when the _delirium_ or distraction is over, he can no more remember -what he thought of, than a person that is waked out of the soundest -sleep: This argument therefore tends rather to amuse, or embarrass the -cause they maintain, than to give sufficient conviction. - -Now from this method of reasoning it is inferred, that when the soul is -separated from the body, it is altogether destitute of the exercise of -thought, which is what they mean by the soul’s sleeping: And to give -farther countenance to this matter, they produce several scriptures, in -which death is compared to a sleep; as when God speaks of the death of -Moses, he says, _Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers_, Deut. xxxi. -26. and Job speaks of _sleeping in the dust_, Job vii. 21. And -concerning the resurrection after death, he says, _That man lieth down -and riseth not, till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake nor be -raised out of their sleep_, chap. xiv. 12. and David prays, _Lighten -mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death_, Psal. xiii. 3. and our -Saviour, speaking concerning Lazarus, when dead, says, _Our friend -Lazarus sleepeth; but I go that I may awake him out of sleep_, John xi. -11. which he afterwards explains, ver. 14. when he says, _Lazarus is -dead_. There are several other scriptures to the like purpose, they -bring to prove that the soul sleeps in death, taking the word in the -literal sense thereof. - -But to this it may be replied, that as to what respects the possibility -of the soul’s being rendered incapable of thinking, when separate from -the body; it is no just way of reasoning to infer from the possibility -of a thing, the actual being of it: Therefore if it could be proved to a -demonstration, (as the author above-mentioned supposes he has done, -though, I think, without sufficient ground,) that sleep deprives a -person of thought; yet it will not follow from hence, that the soul, -when separate from the body, ceases to think. When the powers and -faculties of the soul are deduced into act, experience tells us, that -they are greatly improved and strengthened; and therefore the exercise -thereof cannot be so easily impeded as is pretended; especially when we -consider that it does not derive this from the body, which contributes -very little to those ideas it has of things immaterial, which are not -the objects of sense; and how much soever bodily diseases may weaken or -interrupt the soul in its actings, we do not find that they so far -destroy those powers, but that, when the distemper ceases, the former -actings return, like the spring of a watch, which may be stopped by -something that hinders the motion of the wheels, which, when it is -removed, continues to give motion to them as it had done before: The -body, at most, can be considered but as a clog and impediment to the -activity of the soul; and consequently it may be argued from thence, -that in a state of separation the soul is so far from being impeded in -its actings, that it becomes more active than before. - -But that which I would principally insist on, as what will sufficiently -overthrow this doctrine, is, the account which we have in many -scriptures; and several just consequences which may be deduced from -them, by which it will appear, that nothing that has been said -concerning the possibility of the soul’s being unactive, when separate -from the body, can enervate the force of the argument taken from thence -to support the contrary doctrine. It is true, the scripture oftentimes -represents death as a _sleep_, as in the places before-mentioned; and it -is sometimes described as a state of rest, which is of the same import -with sleep; but this is explained as a state of peace, holiness, and -happiness, and not a cessation from action. Thus it is said, _He shall -enter into peace, they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his -uprightness_, Isa. lvii. 2. which is plainly meant of the death of the -righteous, as appears from the preceding verse, where it is said, _The -righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart_. Now these are said -to _enter into peace_; which supposes that they are capable of the -enjoyment of those blessings which the soul shall then be possessed of, -and they are said to _walk in their uprightness_; which signifies their -being active in what respects the glory of God, which is very -inconsistent with the soul’s sleeping, when separate from the body. Rest -and sleep are metaphorical expressions, when applied to this doctrine; -and nothing is more common than for such figurative ways of speaking to -be used in the sacred writings; and therefore it is very absurd for us -to understand the words otherwise in this instance before us. - -We will now proceed to consider those proofs we have from scripture, of -the soul’s being in a state of activity when separate from the body. - -The first scripture that may be brought to prove this, is what the -apostle says in 2 Cor. xii. 2, 3, 4. when speaking concerning himself as -_caught up into the third heaven_; and not knowing whether he was at the -same time, _in, or out of the body_. If he was in the body, his senses -were locked up, and he must be supposed to have been in a trance; which -militates against the supposition that the soul’s power of acting may be -impeded either by sleep or some bodily disease, in which there is not -the exercise of the senses. Or if, on the other hand, he was _out of the -body_, his _hearing unspeakable words_ plainly proves our argument, -_viz._ that the soul is capable of action, and consequently of enjoying -the heavenly glory, when separate from the body. - -Moreover, this is evident from our Saviour’s words to the penitent thief -on the cross, _Verily I say unto thee, to day shalt thou be with me in -paradise_, Luke xxiii. 43. To _be in paradise_ is certainly to be in -heaven in a state of compleat blessedness, where the soul delights -itself in the enjoyment of God, which is altogether inconsistent with a -state of insensibility. Were it otherwise, it ought rather to have been -said, thou shalt be with me in paradise after the resurrection of the -body, than to day. The method which some take to evade the force of the -argument, who say, that _to day_, refers not to the time of his being -admitted into heaven, but to the time when Christ spake these words, is -so low and trifling, that it doth not deserve an answer. - -There is another scripture which fully proves this doctrine, namely, -what the apostle says, _I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to -depart and to be with Christ, which is far better_, Phil. i. 23. In -which he takes it for granted, that as soon as he departed out of this -world, he should be with Christ; which denotes that he should be in his -immediate presence, beholding his glory; which is inconsistent with the -supposition that the soul sleeps at death. And this is farther evident -from what he says, that this is _far better_, which could not be said to -be, if the notion we are opposing were true; for it is so much better -for a saint to be serving Christ’s interest in this world, and made so -eminently useful in promoting his glory, as the apostle was, than to be -in a state of inactivity, wherein the soul is not capable of doing any -thing for him, nor enjoying any thing from him, that there is no -comparison between them; and whereas he was _in a strait_ which of these -two he should chuse, had it been referred to him, the matter might -easily have been determined in favour of his continuing in this world; -for there he was useful; whereas, in the other, he would not only be -useless, but incapable of enjoying those privileges which he was made -partaker of here. - -My next argument shall be taken from what is said in 2 Cor. v. 8. _We -are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and -to be present with the Lord_; where one infers the other, without any -intimation of his waiting till the soul is united again to the body, -before he is admitted into Christ’s presence. - -Again, this farther appears from the words of Solomon, in Eccl. iv. 2. -_I praised the dead which are already dead, more than the living which -are yet alive._ By which we are to understand, that the state of -believers, when they die, is much more happy than it can be in this -life; which supposes that they are capable of happiness, and -consequently that the soul, when separated from the body, is not in a -state of insensibility; which is altogether inconsistent with happiness. - -And to all this we may add what our Saviour says in the parable of the -rich man and Lazarus; the _beggar died, and was carried by angels into -Abraham’s bosom: The rich man also died and was buried, and in hell he -lifted up his eyes, being in torments_, Luke xvi. 22, 23. In which -parable we have an account of the different state of the souls of the -righteous and wicked at death, and not barely what shall follow upon the -resurrection of the body; for when the rich man is represented as being -in torments, he says, in a following part of the parable, _I have five -brethren_; and he would have _had Lazarus sent to testify to them, lest -they should also come into that place of torment_; to which it is -replied, _They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them_, ver. -28, 29. which plainly intimates, that the parable refers to the state of -separate souls, before the resurrection, whilst others enjoyed the means -of grace; and consequently it proves that the soul, when separate from -the body, is capable of happiness or misery; and which is more, is fixed -in one or the other of them. - -As to those scriptures that speak of the happiness or misery of men, as -deferred to the end of the world. It is intimated in the parable of the -tares, that _the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from the -just_, Mat. xiii. 9. and the former are said to be _cast into a furnace -of fire_, ver. 49, 50. and the latter, _viz._ the righteous, to _shine -forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father_, ver. 43. which -respects the dealings of God with man, in the end of time. Moreover our -Saviour speaks of his people as _blessed and recompensed at the -resurrection of the just_, Luke xiv. 14. And the apostle Paul expresses -his hope of a _crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous -Judge, should give him at that day_, 2 Tim. iv. 8. that is, the day of -his coming to judgment; and several other scriptures that speak of what -is consequent to the resurrection. To this it may be replied, that these -scriptures respect not the beginning, but consummation of the happiness -of the saints, or their compleat blessedness in soul and body, which is -not inconsistent with the happiness that separate souls enjoy before the -resurrection. Nor is the misery that is consequent upon the -resurrection, inconsistent with that which sinners endure before it, -when their souls are separate from their bodies. Thus concerning the -happiness of the souls of believers at death; which leads us to -consider, - -2. What is farther observed in this answer, concerning the soul’s -waiting for the full redemption of the body; which though it continues -under the dominion of death, is notwithstanding united to Christ; and -accordingly believers are said to rest in their graves as in their beds, -till the resurrection. - -The souls of believers are described as waiting for the full redemption -of their bodies; which is the same expression that the apostle uses, -Rom. viii. 23. where redemption denotes a full discharge from that -prison, or state of confinement in the grave; in which the body was -rendered incapable of answering the end for which it was redeemed by -Christ, and, at the same time, the soul was destitute of that happiness -which its re-union therewith shall convey to it. Its enjoyments were all -spiritual, and, in their kind perfect; but yet it was naked, or, as the -apostle expresses it unclothed; inasmuch as it wanted that which was -designed to be a constituent part, necessary to compleat the human -nature; without which it was indisposed for those actions and enjoyments -which arise from its union with the body. This it is said to wait for, -as a desire of re-union therewith is natural to it. Nevertheless it -waits without impatience, or any diminution of its intellectual -happiness. - -(2.) As to what respects the bodies of believers, they are said to -continue united to Christ, which is the result of their being redeemed -by him, and of his condescending to dwell in them by his Spirit. -Accordingly his love extends itself to their lower part, as well as to -their souls; and, as the apostle says, _Nothing shall separate_ a -believer _from his love_, no, _not death itself_, ver. 38, 39. upon -which account they are said to _sleep in Jesus_, 1 Thes. iv. 14. or to -_die in the Lord_, Rev. xiv. 14. They are indeed buried in the grave, -and seem to lie neglected like common dust: nevertheless it is said, -_Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints_, Psal. -cxvi. 15. Christ reckons every particle of their dust among _his -jewels_, Mal. iii. 17. and is no more ashamed to own them as his -peculiar care, than he was when they were in their most flourishing -state in this world; and for this reason they are also said to rest in -their graves as in their beds. This is a scripture-expression, as the -Psalmist says, _My flesh shall rest in hope_, Psal. xvi. 9. and the -prophet Isaiah, _He shall enter into peace, they shall rest in their -beds_, Isa. lvii. 2. The body, indeed, remains, at the same time, under -the external part of the curse due to man for sin; yet it is freed from -that which is the most bitter ingredient therein; which will be -abundantly demonstrated when death shall be compleatly swallowed up in -victory. In this the bodies of believers have the advantage of all -others. The frame of nature indeed is dissolved; there is no visible -mark of distinction from the wicked put upon them in the grave; yet -there is a vast difference in God’s account, which one elegantly -compares to the removing of the tabernacle in the wilderness: when the -Israelites changed their stations, all the parts thereof were carefully -taken down and delivered to the Levites’ charge, in order to its being -raised again with honour; whereas, the house incurably infected with the -leprosy, was plucked down with violence, and thrown into an unclean -place with execration. The bodies of the saints are committed to the -bosom of the earth, as the repository Christ has appointed for them; -from whence he will call them forth at last, when their souls shall be -again united to them in the glorious morning of the resurrection. This -leads us to consider, - -III. The misery which the souls of the wicked endure at death, which is -contained in the latter part of this answer. - -We have here a different scene opened, the final estate of the wicked -described in words adapted to strike dread and terror into those who -have, at present, no sense of their future misery: their souls are -considered as cast into, or shut up in hell; their bodies imprisoned in -the grave, and both, the objects of divine wrath. We shall have -occasion, under a following answer,[152] farther to speak concerning the -punishment that shall be inflicted on sinners, whose torments shall be -inexpressible, both in body and soul, after the day of judgment: and -therefore we shall, at present, consider the misery which the souls of -the wicked shall undergo before they are united to their bodies. The -soul, which carries out of the world with it the power of reflecting on -itself as happy or miserable, immediately sees itself separate from the -comfortable presence of God, the fountain of blessedness. And that which -tends to enhance its misery beyond what it is capable of in this life, -will be the enlargement of its faculties; as the apprehension shall be -more clear and its sensation of the wrath of God more pungent; when it -is not oppressed with that drowsiness and stupidity as it was before; -nor will it be possible for it to delude itself, with those vain hopes, -which it once conceived, of escaping that misery, which it is now -plunged into; when all the waves and billows of the Almighty shall -overwhelm and swallow it up. The soul is, in a peculiar manner, the -subject of misery, as it is made uneasy by its own thoughts; which are -compared to the worm that dieth not. While it looks backwards, and calls -to mind the actions of his past life, and all his sins are charged upon -him, this fills it with such a sense of guilt and confusion as is -inexpressibly tormenting; and when he looks forward, there is nothing -but what administers despair, which increases his misery to the highest -degree. These torments the soul endures before it is reunited to the -body, and thereby rendered receptive of others, which we generally call -the punishment of sense, that are conveyed by it. - -The place of punishment is the same that is allotted for soul and body, -_viz._ hell; and this is called utter darkness; which is an expression -used to signify the greatest degree of misery. As for their bodies, they -dread the thoughts of being united to them again; inasmuch as that will -bring with it new accessions of torment. These are considered as liable -to a double dishonour; not only that which arises from their being in a -state of corruption in common with all mankind; but in their being -detained in the grave, as prisoners to the justice of God, from whence -they shall not be released as persons acquitted or discharged, but -remanded from that prison to another, from whence there is no -deliverance. But more of this under a following answer. - -Footnote 125: - - _Vid. Senec. Epist. 117. Cum de animarum immortalitate loquimur, non - leve momentum apud nos habet consensus hominum, aut timentium inferos, - aut colentium. Utor hac persuasione publica. Et. Cic. Tusc. Quest. - Lib. 1. permanere animos arbitramur consensu nationum omnium; qua in - sede maneant, qualesque sint ratione discendum est._ - -Footnote 126: - - _In Phæd._ - -Footnote 127: - - _Vid. Alcin. de doct. Plat. Cap._ xxv. Αυτοκινητον δε φησι την ψυχην· - οτι συμφυτου εχει τηυ ζωηυ, αει ενεργσσαν καθ αυτην. - -Footnote 128: - - _Vid. Strab. Geog. Lib._ xv. Παραπλεκσι δε και μυθους, ωσπερ και - πλατωγ περι τε αφθαρσιας ψυχης, και τωγ καθ᾽ αδη χρισεων, και αλλα - τοιαυτα, περι μεγ τωγ βραχμαναν ταυτα λεγει. - -Footnote 129: - - _Vid. Diog. Laert. in Vit. Thal._ - -Footnote 130: - - _Vid. Cic. Tusc. Quæst. Lib. 1._ - -Footnote 131: - - _Vid, Hom. Iliad. 23._ _lin. 65. & seq._ - - Ήλθε δ᾽ επι ψυχη Πατροκληος δειλοιο, - Παντ᾽ αυτω μεγεθος τε και ομματα καλ᾽ εικυια, - Και φωνην. και τοια πρι χροι ειματα εστο. - Στη δ᾽ αρ᾽ ὑπερ κεφαλης, και μεν προς μυθον ἑειπεν. - - _In which, after he had killed Hector, he addresses himself to his - friend Patroclus, signifying that he had done this to revenge his - death; upon which, the poet brings in Patroclus as appearing to him._ - -Footnote 132: - - _Vid. Odys. Lib._ xi. _lin. 575._ & seq. _in which he speaks of the - punishment of Tityus and Tantalus. In this, as well as many other - things, he is imitated by Virgil. See Æneid. Lib._ vi. _lin. 595_, & - seq. - -Footnote 133: - - _See this argument managed with a great deal of learning and judgment - by Mede, in his apostasy of the latter times, who proves that the gods - whom the heathens worshipped, were the souls of men deifyed or - cannonized after death, from many of their own writers, chap._ iv. - _and Voss. de orig. &c. idol. Lib. 1. cap._ xi, xii, xiii. _who refers - to Lanct. Lib. 1. de fals. Relig. cap._ v. _his words are these; Quos - imperiti, & insipientes, tanquam Deos & nuncupant, & adorant, nemo est - tam inconsideratus, qui non intelligat fuisse mortales. Quomodo ergo, - inquiet aliquis, Dii crediti sunt? Nimirum quia reges maximi, ac - potentissimi fuerunt, ob merita virtutum suarum, aut munerum, aut - artium repertarum, cum chari fuissent iis, quibus imperitaverunt, in - memoriam sunt consecrati. Quod si quis dubitet, res eorum gestas, & - facta, consideret: quæ universa tum poetæ, tum historici veteres, - prodiderunt. Et August. de Civ. Dei, Lib._ viii. _cap._ v. _Ipsi etium - majorum gentium Dii, quos Cicero in Tusculanis, tacitis nominibus - videtur attingere, Jupiter, Juno, Saturnus, Vulcanus, Vesta, & alii - plurimi, quos Varro conatur ad mundi partes, sive elementa transferre - homines fuisse produntur. Et Cic. Lib. 1. de nat. Deor. Quid, qui aut - fortes, aut potentes viros tradunt post mortem ad Deos pervenisse; - eosq; ipsos quos, nos colere, precari, venerariq; soleamus?_ - -Footnote 134: - - _Some have wondered how the Sadducees could deny angels, and yet - receive the five books of Moses, in which there is so frequent mention - of the appearance of angels; and it might as well be wondered how they - could make any pretensions to religion, who denyed the immortality of - the soul; but as to both these, it may be said concerning them, that - they were the most irreligious part of the Jewish nation. To make them - consistent with themselves, is past the skill of any who treat on this - subject. Some suppose that they understand all those scriptures that - speak concerning the appearance of angels, as importing nothing else - but a bodily shape, appearing for a time, and conversing with those to - whom it was sent, moved and actuated by the divine power, and then - disappearing and vanishing into nothing._ - -Footnote 135: - - _In Phæd._ - -Footnote 136: - - _His words are these_; Κεβης δε μοι εδοξε τουτο μεν εμοι ξυν χωρειν, - πολυχρονιωτερον γε ειναι Ψυχην σωματος᾽ αλλα τοδε αδηλον παντι, μη - πολλα δη σωματα και πολλακις κατατριψασα η ψυχη, το τελευταιον, σωμα - καταλεπουσα νυν αυτη απολλυνται και η αυτο τουτο θανατος, ψυχης - ολεθρος επει σωμα γ εξει απολλυμενον ουδεν παυεται. - -Footnote 137: - - Ὁποιεροι δε ημων ερχονται επι αμεινον πραγμα, αδηλον παντι πλην η τω - θεω. - -Footnote 138: - - _Vid. ejusd. moral. Lib._ iii. _cap._ ix. - -Footnote 139: - - _Vid. Diog. Laert. in Vit. Zen._ Την ψυχην μετα θανατον επιμενειν, - φθαρτον δε ειναι; _upon which occasion Cicero says, That though they - assert that they shall continue a great while in being, yet they deny - that they shall exist for ever. Vid. ejusd. in Tusc. Quæst. Lib. 1. - Stoici usuram nobis largiuntur, tanquam cornicibus; diu mansuros - animos ajunt; semper negant._ - -Footnote 140: - - _Et ibid. Ea quæ vis, ut potero, explicabo, nec tamen quasi Pythius - Apollo certa ut sint, & fixa quæ dixero, sed ut homunculus unus e - multis, probabilia conjectura sequens; ultra enim quo progrediar quam - ut verisimilia videam, non habeo; which Lactantius observes, speaking - of him as in doubt about it. Vid. Lactant. de Vit. Beat. Lib._ vii. _§ - 8. And elsewhere he says, in Lib. de Amicitia. Sin autem illa vetiora, - ut idem interitus sit animorum, & corporum, nec ullus sensus maneat: - Ut nihil boni est in morte, sic certe nihil est mali; & in Lib. de - Senect. Quod si in hoc erro, quod animos hominum immortales esse - credam, libenter erro: Nec mihi hunc errorem, quo delector, dum vivo, - extorqueri volo. Sin mortuus, ut quidam minuti philosophi censent, - nihil sentiam; non vereor, ne hunc errorem meum philosophi minuti - irrideant: Quod si non sumus immortales futuri, tamen extingui hominem - suo tempore, optabile est._ - -Footnote 141: - - _Epist. 102. Credebam opinionibus magnorum virorum rem gratissimam - promittentium, magis quam probantium._ - -Footnote 142: - - _See Quest._ lxxxviii, lxxxix. - -Footnote 143: - - The doctrines of the immortality of the soul, and of the resurrection - of the body equally rest upon the will and word of God. But when - viewed with the eye of natural reason, they have been deemed to - possess very unequal grounds of probability. The properties of matter - and of mind are so very different, they have been distinguished by - almost all. If the mind be not matter, no argument for its - extermination can be drawn from the dissolution of the body; and as - its materiality has never been shown, no premises have been found from - which its death can be inferred. Some wise men who had not the - scriptures, have indeed withholden their belief; but the reason is - discernible, they have demanded proofs which the God of nature has not - vouchsafed; and their rejection of the preponderating evidence of - probability, argues weakness and fastidiousness. - - The resurrection of the body has been held to be impossible. If so, - the impossibility should either consist in the absolute incapacity in - the dead body to be raised; but this it does not, for death can only - reduce the body to its first element, and the dust which has been a - body is not any more unfit to be reanimated, than it was to receive - life in the first instance; or it must be owing to some detect of - wisdom or power, or of both in him, who should raise the body; but God - is unchangeable, and in all respects as able to raise him from the - dead, as to create man at the first; and there is no contradiction - implied in the thing, which should prevent the exertion of his power; - a resurrection is therefore possible. - - The usual arguments for its probability drawn from analogy to the - return of day, of spring, of vegetation, &c. are not conclusive. But - those drawn from the resurrection of Christ, from the identity of man - considered as a compound from the removal of moral evil, from which - natural evils arise, from the earnest expectation of animal nature for - a better condition, and from the perfection of the future state, seem - to raise a presumption which is probable; yet these are not - appreciated by the natural man; hence the world has so generally - denied a resurrection of the body. - - The testimony of the Holy Spirit on both points has been always the - same, but not with equal lustre. - - Jesus Christ explicitly affirmed both, and brought his proofs from the - old testament, pressed them as motives of comfort or terror to saints - and sinners, and so connected their truth with that of his own - character, that every thing which proves the latter, is a proof of the - former. Not only did his actually raising the dead, and arising - himself, prove that the dead shall rise, but every prophecy - accomplished in him, and every miracle wrought by him and his - apostles, the continuance of his church, the purity of his system of - doctrines, the doctrines of election, redemption, justification, - regeneration and perseverance, as well as the express declarations on - this subject, both in the old and new testament, all form a solid mass - of evidence upon which the hopes of the Christian may firmly rest. - -Footnote 144: - - _See Quest._ xc. - -Footnote 145: - - _See Dr. Edward’s exercit. Part II. on 1 Cor._ iii. _15. who, to give - countenance to this opinion, produces two scriptures, viz. Mark_ xiv. - _54. and Luke_ xxii. _56. where the word_ φως, _is put for fire; from - whence he supposes, that_ φως _and_ πυρ, _are used promiscuously_. - -Footnote 146: - - Κολπος. Sinus, _a bosom, coast, or haven_. - -Footnote 147: - - _Vid. Tertull. Apologet. Cap._ xlvii. _Et si paradisum nominemus, - locum divinæ amænitatis recipiendis sanctorum spiritibus destinatum, - materia quadem igneæ illius Zonæ segregatum._ - -Footnote 148: - - _See Whitby in loc._ - -Footnote 149: - - _See also his notes on Luke_ xxiii. 43. - -Footnote 150: - - _Vid. Hoornbeck Socin. Confut. Tom. III. Lib._ v. _Cap. 1. who quotes - some passages out of several Socinian writers, among whom I shall only - mention what is said by two of them, with whom several others of their - brethren agree herein. Vid. Socin. in Epist._ v. _ad Volkel. Tantum id - mihi videtur statui posse, post hanc vitam, animam, sive animum - hominis non ita per se subsistere ut præmia ulla pænasve sentiat; vel - etiam ista sentiendi sit capax, quæ mea firma opinio facile potest - colligi ex multis quæ a me dicuntur_, &c. _Et Smalc. in Exam. Error. - Pag. 33. Animam vel spiritum hominis post mortum aliquid sentire, vel - aliqua re perfrui, nec ratio permittit nec scriptura testatur: ut enim - corpus sine anima, sic etiam anima sine corpore, nullus operationes - exercere potest; & perinde sic ac si anima illorum nulla esset, etiamæ - suo modo sit, quia scilicet nullius rei sensum habeat, aut per se - voluptate aliqua fræ possit. And elsewhere the same author is so hardy - as to term the contrary doctrine no other than a fable, in Lib. de Dei - filio, Cap._ vi. _Pag. 43. Quod vern de vita animarum disserit, hoc - instar fabulæ est_, &c. _Spiritum hominis ad Deum redire testatur - sacra scriptura, at eum vivera vita, ut ait Smiglecius, spirituum, & - vel aliquid intelligere, vel voluptate frui hoc extra, & contra - scripturam dicitur._ - -Footnote 151: - - _See Locke’s Essay concerning human understanding, Lib._ ii. _Chap. - 1._ § ix. _to the_ xix. - -Footnote 152: - - _Quest._ lxxxix. - - - - - Quest. LXXXVII. - - - QUEST. LXXXVII. _What are we to believe concerning the - resurrection?_ - - ANSW. We are to believe, that at the last day there shall be a - general resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust; when - they that are then found alive, shall, in a moment, be changed; and - the self-same bodies of the dead which were laid in the grave, being - then again united to their souls for ever, shall be raised up by the - power of Christ; the bodies of the just, by the Spirit of Christ, - and by virtue of his resurrection, as their head, shall be raised in - power, spiritual, incorruptible, and made like to his glorious body; - and the bodies of the wicked shall be raised up in dishonour, by - him, as an offended Judge. - -In the foregoing answers, we have considered the soul and body as -separated by death, the body turned to corruption, and the soul -immediately entering into a state of happiness or misery; and are now -led to insist on the doctrine of the resurrection, when these two -constituent parts of man shall be reunited. And accordingly we shall -endeavour, - -I. To explain what we are to understand by the resurrection of the dead. - -II. We shall prove that there is nothing in this doctrine contrary to -reason, at least, if we consider it as a supernatural and divine work. - -III. We shall farther observe, that this doctrine could not be known by -the light of nature; and therefore we believe it as founded in divine -revelation. - -IV. What arguments are contained in scripture for the proof thereof; -some of which might be taken from the Old Testament, and others from the -New, in which it is more clearly revealed. - -V. We shall answer some of the most material objections brought against -it. - -VI. We shall consider it as universal, as it is here styled a general -resurrection of the dead, from the beginning of time to Christ’s second -coming; yet with this exception, that they who are found alive shall be -changed. And, - -VII. The condition in which the body shall be raised; and those -circumstances of honour and glory, which respect, more especially, the -resurrection of the just. And, on the other hand, we shall consider the -resurrection of the wicked, as being in dishonour, by Christ, as an -offended Judge. - -I. What are we to understand by the resurrection of the dead. We -sometimes find the word taken, in scripture, in a metaphorical sense, -for God’s doing those things for his church, which could not be brought -about any otherwise than by his extraordinary and supernatural power. -Sometimes the work of regeneration is set forth by this figurative way -of speaking; whereby they who are dead in trespasses and sins, are said -to be quickened; and our Saviour speaks of this when he says, _The hour -is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of -God; and they that hear shall live_, John v. 25. But we are to -understand it in a proper sense, as denoting that change which shall -pass upon the body, when it shall be delivered from the state of -corruption, into which it was brought at death, and reunited to the -soul; which is distinguished in a following verse, from this -metaphorical sense of it, when he says, _All that are in the graves -shall hear his voice, and shall come forth, they that have done good -unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the -resurrection of damnation_, ver. 28. This includes in it not barely the -repairing, but the rebuilding the frame of nature; which was not only -decayed, but dissolved in death; or the gathering together those -particles of matter, of which the body was before constituted; which was -not only turned into corruption, but common dust; whereby a new body, as -to the form and qualities thereof, is erected out of its old materials; -otherwise it could not be called a resurrection. It is said, indeed, -that the body shall not, in all respects, be the same that it was when -separated from the soul; as the apostle compares to a _grain of wheat_ -sown in the ground, which, when it springs up, is not altogether the -same as it was before; for _God giveth it a body,[153] as it hath -pleased him, and to every seed his own body_, 1 Cor. xv. 37, 38. It is -the same for substance, as it consists of the same materials, but very -different as to its qualities; as will be farther considered, when we -speak concerning the condition of the body when raised from the dead; -and as it is raised with a design that it should be re-united to the -soul, which will immediately follow upon it; and this union shall be -indissoluble and eternal. - -II. We shall now consider that there is nothing contrary to reason, or -impossible, from the nature of the thing, which might have a tendency to -overthrow this doctrine; especially if we consider it as a supernatural -and divine work, brought about by the almighty power of God. - -If we look no farther than the power of natural causes, we may conclude -it to be impossible for a creature to effect, as much as it was at first -to produce the body of man out of the dust of the ground; but this is -not impossible with God: He that gave life and being to all things; and, -by his sovereign will, puts a period to that life, which had been, for -some time continued by his power and providence, can give a new life to -it; especially if there be nothing in this work that renders it unmeet -for it to be performed by him. - -That there is nothing in the nature of the thing that renders a -resurrection impossible, appears, in that death, though it be a -dissolution of the frame of nature, does not annihilate the body. If the -body, indeed, were annihilated at death, then it would be impossible, or -contrary to the nature of things, that there should be a resurrection -thereof; since the bringing it again into a state of existence would be -a new creation; which, though it would not be too great a work for -omnipotency, yet it could not be styled a resurrection, or restoring the -same body to life that was separated from the soul, to which it was once -united. But when we suppose that the matter of which the body consisted -is still in being, and nothing is necessary to the raising it from the -dead but the recollecting the various particles thereof, and forming it -again into a body, fitted to receive the soul: this is not in its own -nature impossible; nor does it infer a contradiction, so as that we -should argue from thence, that it cannot be brought about by divine -power. - -That this may more fully appear, let it be considered, that nothing -which God has brought into being, can be annihilated, but by an act of -his will; since nothing can defeat or disannul his providence, which -upholdeth all things that were brought into being by the word of his -power. It is also certain, that God has given us no ground to conclude -that any part of his material creation has been, or shall be turned into -nothing; from whence it follows, that the particles of all the bodies of -men, that once lived in this world, though turned to corruption or dust, -are as much in being as ever they were, though not in the same form. - -Again, it is certain that God, who made and upholdeth all things, has a -perfect knowledge of that which is the object of his power, since his -understanding is infinite: therefore he knows where the scattered dust, -or the smallest particles of matter that once constituted the bodies of -men, are reserved: and when we speak of a resurrection from the dead, we -understand hereby the gathering them together, and disposing them in -such a way as that new bodies shall be framed out of them: therefore, -though this could not be done by any but God, it is not impossible, from -the nature of the thing, for him to do it; and that he will do it will -be considered, when we come more directly to the proof of this doctrine. -We shall therefore proceed, - -III. To consider it as a matter of pure revelation, such as we could not -have known by the light of nature, without the assistance of -scripture-light. Something, indeed, might be known by reason concerning -the immortality of the soul, and its being not only capable of happiness -or misery in a future state, but dealt with therein according to its -behaviour in this world: nevertheless, when we enquire into that part, -which the body shall bear therein; whether it shall be raised and -reunited to the soul, to be for ever a partner with it in what respects -its state in another world, or shall remain for ever in a state of -corruption; this cannot be known by the light of nature. - -There are, indeed, many things which we find in the writings of the -Heathen, that discover them to have had some notion of what bears a -resemblance to a resurrection: as when they speak concerning the -transmigration of souls, or their living in other bodies, when separated -from those which they formerly were united to. And others of them speak -concerning the general conflagration, and the restoration of all things, -immediately after, to their former state, as well as give some hints -which are contained in their writings, concerning particular persons -that have been raised from the dead, at least, pretended to have been -so. What we find of this nature therein, very much resembles the -fabulous account we have in the Popish legends of miracles, said to have -been wrought, though without proof: thus we are told of one Aristeas, -the Proconnesian, who had a power of expiring and returning to life at -pleasure, and relating what he had seen in a separate state.[154] The -same is reported of one Hermotimus of Clazomena.[155] But the most -famous story of this kind, is what is related by Plato,[156] and -transcribed from him by Eusebius,[157] concerning one Er, the son of -Armenius; who, after he was slain in battle, and had continued ten days -among other dead bodies, was brought home to his house; and two days -after, being laid on his funeral pile, came to life again: this Plato, -while he is relating it, calls little better than a fable.[158] And it -was treated by others with ridicule, how much soever believed by some -who regarded reports more than solid evidence of the truth thereof. - -I might also mention others, who are said, by Heathen writers to have -been translated into heaven in their bodies and souls[159]: Which might -take its first rise from what they had received by tradition, concerning -the translation of Enoch and Elijah; as the stories of those that were -raised from the dead might be first invented by them with this view, -that their religion might have as great reputation as that of the Jews. - -But notwithstanding these particular instances related by them, of some -translated, or others raised from the dead; there were very few of them -that believed the doctrine of the resurrection; and some treated it with -as much contempt as we do the before-mentioned account which they give -of particular persons raised from the dead[160]. This agrees very well -with what we read in scripture, concerning the treatment the apostle -Paul met with, when he encountered the Epicureans and Stoicks at Athens, -_preaching to them Jesus and the resurrection_, Acts xvii. 18. upon -which occasion they call him _babbler_; and insinuated that he seemed to -be _a setter forth of strange gods_. Oecumenius and Chrysostom think, -that they supposed he reckoned the _resurrection_ among the gods[161], -as well as _Jesus_, whose divinity he doubtless maintained; but whether -they were so stupid as thus to wrest his words, is not material. It is -no wonder to find the Epicureans treating this doctrine with ridicule; -for they, denying the immortality of the soul, could not entertain the -least idea of the resurrection of the body in any sense: Whereas the -Stoicks, though they did not own the doctrine of the resurrection, yet -they could not think it so strange a doctrine as some others might do; -since they held that the soul, after death, continued at least, as long -as the body; and they knew very well, that many of the philosophers -strenuously maintained the transmigration of souls; and, indeed, this -was held by many of them, as well as the Platonists and Pythagoreans; -and therefore the resurrection, though it differed from it, could not -seem so strange and unheard of a notion, as that they should reckon it -among the gods: However, it plainly appears from hence that this -doctrine could not be learned by the light of nature; whatever confused -ideas the Heathen might have entertained by tradition, concerning it. - -Therefore it follows from hence, that we must look for a satisfactory -account hereof from scripture: Thus when the Sadducees put a stupid -question to our Saviour concerning the _woman_ that had _seven -husbands_, which successively _died_; and they would know whose _wife -she should be in the resurrection_; by which they designed to express -their opposition to this doctrine, rather than a desire of information -as to the question proposed: Our Saviour in his reply to them refers -them to the _scriptures_, Matt. xxii 29. as the fountain from whence a -clear and satisfactory knowledge of this doctrine is to be derived as -well as from the _power of God_. This divine perfection argues the -possibility thereof, the justice and goodness of God, its expediency; -but the scriptures, which contain a revelation of his will, represent it -as certain; and this leads us to consider some arguments that are -contained in, or deduced from scripture for the proof thereof; and here -we shall consider, - -1. Those proofs which we have for it, taken from the Old Testament. -These I chuse first to insist on, because I am sensible there are many -who think, that the church knew nothing of it, till it was revealed, by -our Saviour, in the New Testament: This very much detracts from the -importance of the doctrine, as well as renders the state of those who -lived before Christ’s incarnation, very uncomfortable, since the saints, -according to this opinion, must have had no hope of a glorious -resurrection to eternal life. This notion is defended by many who extend -the darkness of the dispensation farther than what is convenient; and -among others, it is generally maintained by the Socinians, probably with -this design, that since according to them, our Saviour had little else -in view, in coming into the world, but to lead men into the knowledge of -some things which they were ignorant of before; this might be reckoned -one of those doctrines that he came to communicate. Thus Volkelius -denies that there were any promises of eternal life made to the church -under the Old Testament; and concludes that there was no one who had the -least surmise that any such doctrine was contained in those scriptures -which we commonly bring from thence to prove it[162]. And to give -countenance to this opinion, several quotations are often taken from -Jewish writers, since our Saviour’s time, who either speak doubtfully of -this matter, or give occasion to think that they did not understand -those scriptures which establish the doctrine of the resurrection in the -Old Testament, as having any reference to it. - -Therefore it may not be amiss for us to enquire; what were the -sentiments of some of the Jews about this matter? Every one knows that -there was one _sect_ amongst them, namely, the Sadducees, who -distinguished themselves from others by denying it: And Josephus gives -the largest account of any one, concerning another _sect_, to wit, the -Essens, who affected to lead a recluse life, in their respective -colleges, and were governed by laws peculiar to themselves: Among other -things which he relates concerning their conduct and sentiments, he -says, that it was an opinion established among them, that the bodies of -men were corruptible, and the matter of which they were compounded, not -perpetual; though the soul remained for ever: And then he represents -them as speaking, according to the Pythagorean and Platonick way, -concerning the body’s being the prison of the soul, and its remaining -when released from it, and of the soul’s dwelling in a pleasant place, -and enjoying many things that tend to make it happy, &c.[163]. -Nevertheless, his account of them is so short, and the expression on -which the whole stress of this supposition is founded, a little -ambiguous, namely, that the bodies of men are corruptible, and their -matter not perpetual, which may be understood as agreeing with the -common faith concerning man’s mortality, and the body’s turning to -corruption, and not remaining in the same state in which it was; that it -seems to leave the matter doubtful, whether they asserted or denied the -resurrection. It is also supposed, that Philo denied this doctrine from -several passages observed in his writings, which a late learned writer -takes notice of[164]; but this is only the opinion of a single person, -who, according to his general character, seems to be halting between two -opinions, to wit, the doctrine of Moses, and the philosophy of Plato; -and therefore I take his sentiments, about this, to be nothing else but -an affection of thinking or speaking agreeably to the Platonic -philosophy, which had probably given such a tincture to his notions, -that he might deny the resurrection. And if the Essens, -before-mentioned, should be allowed to have denied it, they received it -from their attachment to the same, or, at least, the Pythagorean -philosophy: But we cannot from hence conclude that the doctrine of the -resurrection was denied by the main body of the Jews, or the greatest -part of them; or by any, excepting those who were led out of the way, by -the writings of the philosophers: Which gave occasion to the apostle -Paul to warn the church to _beware of philosophy and vain deceit, after -the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after -Christ_, Col. ii. 8. as foreseeing that some of them, in after-ages, -would, in many respects, corrupt the doctrines of the gospel, by -accommodating them to, or explaining them by what they found in the -writings of the Heathen philosophers, as Origen, Justin Martyr, and some -others did; and he seems to take the hint from what had been before -observed relating to the corruption of the Jewish _faith_, by those who -were attached to them. Thus concerning the opinion of those Jews, who -are supposed to deny the doctrine of the resurrection. - -On the other hand, there are several Rabbinical writers, who -sufficiently intimate their belief of this doctrine; though it is true, -some of them infer it from such premises, as discover great weakness in -their method of reasoning. Thus the learned bishop Pearson observes, -that they produce several places out of Moses’s writings, which when the -resurrection is believed, may, in some kind, serve to illustrate it, but -can, in no degree, be thought to reveal so great a mystery[165]. And Dr. -Lightfoot produces other proofs, which they bring for this doctrine, as -little to the purpose[166], of which all the use that can be made is, -that we may from hence observe, that they believed the doctrine we are -maintaining, to be contained in scripture. Whether they were able to -defend it by shewing the force of those arguments on which it is founded -therein or no, is not much to our present purpose, my design in -referring to their writings being to prove that this doctrine was -embraced by the Jews, in the ages before, as well as since our Saviour’s -time. It is true, the Talmud, and other writings, which are generally -quoted for the proof of it, are of later date, and the most ancient of -the Chaldee paraphrases now extant, is supposed to have been written -about that time, or, at least, but little before it: And there are no -uninspired writings, relating to the Jewish affairs, more ancient, -except those which we generally call Apocryphal; which most suppose to -have been written about 150 years before the Christian Æra. And it is -very evident, that about that time the doctrine of the resurrection was -believed by the Jewish church; as the author of the book of Maccabees, -in the history of the martyrdom of the seven brethren in the reign of -Antiochus[167], represents some of them in the agonies of death, as -expressing the firm belief they had of a resurrection to eternal life; -their mother, in the mean while, encouraging them from the same -consideration. These, as it is more than probable, the apostle includes -in the number of those noble Old Testament worthies who were _tortured, -not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better -resurrection_, Heb. xi. 35. which is an undeniable evidence that the -church at that time believed the doctrine of the resurrection. - -All that I shall add under this head is, that how weak soever the -reasoning of some Jewish writers, concerning this subject, has been, -there are others who give substantial proofs from the Old Testament; -which not only argues that they believed it, but that their belief -proceeded from a just conviction of the truth thereof. And they give the -same sense of some of those scriptures which are generally produced for -the proof hereof, as we do[168]. - -The first scripture that we shall take notice of, is what contains the -_vision_ mentioned in Ezek. xxxvii. 1, _& seq._ concerning the _valley -which was full of bones_, which were _very dry_: Upon which occasion God -says, _Son of man, Can these bones live?_ to which he replies, _O Lord -God, thou knowest._ And afterwards we read of God’s _laying sinews, and -bringing up flesh upon them, covering them with skin, and putting breath -into them_; and their being hereupon restored to life. I am sensible -that they who are on the other side of the question, pretend that this -is no proof of a resurrection; because the design thereof was to -illustrate and make way for the prediction mentioned in the following -verses, concerning the deliverance of God’s people from the Babylonish -captivity: But that which seems to have its weight with me is, that God -would never have made use of a similitude to lead them into this -doctrine, taken from a thing which they had no manner of idea of: But if -we suppose that they believed that there shall be a resurrection of the -dead, agreeable to the literal sense of the words here made use of to -illustrate it, then the argument taken from thence is plain and easy, -_q. d._ as certainly as you have ground to believe that the dead shall -be raised at the last day (which though it could not be brought about by -any natural means, yet it shall be effected by the power of God;) so -your deliverance, how unlikely soever it may appear to those who look no -farther than second causes, shall come to pass by God’s extraordinary -power and providence, which will be as life from the dead. - -And whereas it is farther objected, that when God asked the prophet, -whether _these dry bones could live_? He seems to be in doubt about it; -which argues that he had no idea of the resurrection of the dead. To -this it may be replied, that his doubt respected an event that should -immediately ensue; he knew that God could put life into these bones; but -whether he would do it now or no, he could not tell: Therefore it does -not contain any disbelief of the doctrine of the resurrection at the -last day; and, indeed, this scripture, how little soever it may seem to -some to make for the doctrine we are maintaining, is alleged by others, -as an undeniable proof of it. Tertullian expressly says, that this would -have been a very insignificant vision, if this doctrine were not -true[169]. And Jerome speaks to the same purpose, supposing that God -would never illustrate any truth which they were in doubt of, by a -similitude taken from an incredible fiction[170]. And Menasseh Ben -Israel, a learned Jew, supposes this text to be an express and -infallible proof of the resurrection; which plainly argues that he -thought the Jews, in former ages, were convinced of this doctrine -thereby[171]. - -But supposing this scripture be not reckoned sufficient to evince the -truth of this doctrine, there is another which has more weight in it, -_viz._ that in Job xix. 25-27. _I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that -he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though, after my -skin, worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I -shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another, -though my reins be consumed within me._ Job, as is generally supposed, -lived in Moses’ time; therefore, if it can be made appear that he -professes his faith in the doctrine of the resurrection, we may conclude -that the church was acquainted with it in the early ages thereof; and -nothing seems more evident, from the plain sense of the words, than that -he here professes his faith in, and encourages himself from the hope of -future blessedness, both in soul and body, at Christ’s second coming in -the last day. - -It is with a great deal of difficulty that they who deny this doctrine, -are obliged to account for the sense of this text, so as to evade the -force of the argument taken from thence to prove it. These suppose that -Job intends nothing hereby but a firm persuasion which he had, that he -should be recovered from that state of misery in which he then was, -which not only affected his mind, but his body, as it was _smitten with -sore boils, from the sole of his foot unto his crown_, Job ii. 7. _his -flesh_ being _clothed with worms_, and his _skin broken and become -loathsome_, chap. vii. 5. and accordingly he says, I shall be redeemed -from this affliction, and brought into a happy state before I die; and -so they suppose that the words are to be taken in a metaphorical sense; -and therefore do not prove the doctrine of the resurrection. But this -will appear to be a very great perversion of the sense of this text, if -we consider, - -1. In how solemn a manner he brings it in, in the verses immediately -foregoing. _Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were printed -in a book! that they were graven with an iron pen and lead, in the rock -for ever!_ Which seems to import that he had something to communicate, -that was of far greater moment than the account of his deliverance from -the afflictions he was under in this world. Therefore it seems more -agreeable to understand the sense of the words, as denoting that great -and important truth, in which all believers are concerned, relating to -Christ’s second coming, and the happiness that his saints shall then -enjoy in soul and body; this deserves to be writ with a pen of iron, -that it may be transmitted to all generations. But, - -2. It is evident that he is here speaking of something that should be -done, not whilst he lived, but in the end of time; for he considers his -Redeemer, as _standing in the latter day upon the earth_. The person -whom he here speaks of as his Redeemer, is, doubtless, our Saviour, who -is frequently described, both in the Old and New-Testament, under that -character: And, if at any time God the Father is called the Redeemer of -his people, it may farther be observed that he is never said in -redeeming them to make himself visible to their bodily eyes, or to stand -upon the earth, much less to do this in the latter or last day, in which -Christ is said to come again in a visible manner, to raise the dead and -judge the world: And this Job intends when he says, _In my flesh shall I -see God, whom I shall see for myself and mine eyes shall behold, and not -another_. - -3. It is evident also that he intends hereby something that should befal -him after his death, and not barely a deliverance from his present -misery in this world; for he speaks of his _skin_ or body as devoured by -_worms_, and _his reins consumed within him_; which can intend no other -than a state of corruption in death. - -4. It does not appear that Job had any intimation concerning the change -of his condition in this world, before God turned his captivity, having -first made him sensible of his error, in _uttering that which he -understood not_, when he testified his reconciliation to his friends, -notwithstanding the injuries he had received from them, by _praying for -them_, chap. xlii. 3, 10. And, indeed, he was so far from expecting -happiness in this life, that he says, _Mine eye shall no more see good_, -viz. in this world, chap. vii. 7. and hereupon he takes occasion to -meditate on his own mortality in the following words; _The eye of him -that hath seen me shall see me no more; thine eyes are upon me, and I am -not_: And after this he prays, _O that thou wouldst hide me in the -grave_, chap. xiv. 13. &c. And immediately before he speaks of his -Redeemer as living, and the deliverance which he should obtain in the -latter day, in the text under our present consideration, he earnestly -desires the compassion of his friends: _Have pity upon me, have pity -upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me_; which -does not well agree with the least expectation of a state of happiness -in this world; in which case he would not need their pity; he might only -have convinced them of the truth thereof, and it would have given a turn -to their behaviour towards him; for we find, that, when God blessed his -latter end more than his beginning, every one was as ready to comfort -him concerning the evil that the Lord had brought upon him, and shew -their very great respect to him, by offering him presents, as any were -before to reproach him. Therefore upon the whole, it is very evident -that Job is not speaking concerning his deliverance from his present -evils in this world, but of a perfect deliverance from all evil in the -great day of the resurrection: Accordingly we must conclude, that the -doctrine of the resurrection is plainly asserted in this scripture; and -indeed, Jerome says, that no one who wrote after Christ has more plainly -maintained the doctrine of the resurrection than Job does in this -scripture, who lived before him[172]. - -There is another scripture, by which, if I do not mistake the sense -thereof, Job appears to have had a steady faith in the doctrine of the -resurrection, and was firmly persuaded concerning his happiness, when -raised from the dead, namely, in chap. xiv. 13, 14, 15. in which he -says, _O! that thou wouldst hide me in the grave, that thou wouldst keep -me secret until thy wrath be past_; that is, till a full end is put to -all the afflictive providences which men are liable to in this present -world, namely, till the day of Christ’s second coming; or, _that thou -wouldst appoint me a set time, and remember me_; namely, that thou -wouldst deliver me from the evils which I now endure. As to the former -of these expedients, to wit, his deliverance by death, that he counts a -blessing, because he takes it for granted that _if a man die he shall -live again_, ver. 14.[173] and therefore says, _all the days of my -appointed time_, that is, not of the appointed time of life, but the -time appointed that he should lie in the grave, in which he desired that -God would hide him; there, says he, I shall wait, or remain, _till my -change come_, that is, till I am changed from a state of mortality to -that of life. And he goes on in the following words, _Thou shalt call_, -that is, by thy power thou shalt raise me, _and I will answer thee_, or -come forth out of my grave; and hereby thou wilt make it known that thou -_hast a desire to the work of thine hands_. - -If it be objected to this sense of the words, that Job says, ver. 12. -that _man lieth down, and riseth not till the heavens be no more; they -shall not awake nor be raised out of their sleep_; therefore he is so -far from expecting relief from his misery in the resurrection, that he -seems plainly to deny it. To this I answer, that he doth not deny the -doctrine of the resurrection in those words wherein he says that they -_shall not be raised from the dead, till the heavens be no more_; which -seems to intimate that he concluded that the dead should rise when the -frame of nature was changed, as it will be, at the last day, in which -the heavens shall be no more. I confess this sense is not commonly given -of these verses, nor any argument drawn from, them to prove a -resurrection from the dead; therefore I would not be too tenacious of -mine own sense thereof; but I cannot but think it more probable than the -common sense that is given of the words, and if so, it may be considered -as a proof of the doctrine that we are maintaining. - -There is another scripture which plainly proves the doctrine of the -resurrection, namely, Dan. xii. 2. _Many of them that sleep in the dust -shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting -contempt._ This scripture is brought by several Rabbinical writers, as a -proof of this doctrine; and the words are so express, that it will be -very difficult to evade the force of them; though, it is true, some -modern writers, who are ready to conclude that the Old Testament is -silent as to the doctrine of the resurrection, take the words in a -metaphorical sense, for the deliverance of the church from those -grievous persecutions which they were under in the reign of Antiochus; -and so _sleeping in the dust_ is taken, by them, for lying in the holes -and caves of the earth, the Jews being forced to seek protection there -from the fury of the tyrant: But this cannot be properly called -_sleeping in the dust of the earth_; and their deliverance from this -persecution is not consistent with the contempt that should be cast on -some that were raised out of the dust; nor could the happiness that -others enjoyed in this deliverance, be called _everlasting life_, it -being only a temporal salvation, that according to them, is here spoken -of; and it must be a straining the metaphor to a great degree, to apply -the following words to their wise men and teachers, after this -deliverance, that they should _shine as the brightness of the -firmament_; therefore this sense has such difficulties attending it, -that every person who is not prepossessed with prejudice must give into -the literal sense of the text; and confess that it is an argument to -prove the doctrine of the resurrection. - -The only difficulty that is pretended to be involved in this sense of -the text is its being said, _Many of them that sleep in the dust shall -awake_; whereas the doctrine that we are defending, is that of an -universal resurrection. But since we shall have occasion to speak to -that under a following head, we shall rather choose to refer it to its -proper place, in which, according to our designed method, we are to -consider that all who have lived from the beginning to the end of time, -shall be raised. - -There are other scriptures in the Old Testament that might be brought to -prove this doctrine, such as that in Deut. xxxii. 39. in which God says, -_I kill, and I make alive_; and that parallel text, in which the same -thing is confessed, and farther explained, by Hannah, in her song, in 1 -Sam. ii. 6. _The Lord killeth and maketh alive, he bringeth down to the -grave, and bringeth up._ I know that death and life are sometimes taken -for good and evil; but why should deliverance from the miseries of this -present life be represented by the metaphor of a resurrection, and this -attributed to the almighty power of God, if the doctrine of the -resurrection was reckoned by the church at that time, no other than a -fiction or chimera, as it must be supposed to be if they had no idea of -it, as not having received it by divine revelation? - -We might, as a farther proof of this doctrine, consider those three -instances that we have in the Old Testament of persons raised from the -dead, namely, the Shunamite’s child, by the prophet Elisha, 2 Kings iv. -35. and the man who was cast into his sepulchre, that _revived and stood -on his feet_, when he touched his _bones_, chap. xiii. 21. and the widow -of Zarephath’s son, by the prophet Elijah, on which occasion it is said, -_He cried to the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee let this -child’s soul come into him again_; and accordingly the soul of the child -came into him again, and he revived, 1 Kings xvii. 21, 22. From hence we -must conclude, that this doctrine was not unknown to the prophet; for if -it had, he could not have directed his prayer to God in faith. And these -instances of a resurrection of particular persons could not but give -occasion to the church at that time, to believe the possibility of a -resurrection at the last day; so that it might as reasonably be expected -that God will exert his power by raising the dead then, as that he would -do it at this time, unless there was something in this possible event -contrary to his moral perfections; but the resurrection appeared to them -as it doth to all who consider him as the governor of the world, and as -distributing rewards and punishments to every one according to their -works, as not only agreeable to these perfections, but, in some -respects, necessary for the illustration thereof. Therefore we must -conclude, that as they had particular instances of a resurrection, which -argued the general resurrection possible, they might easily believe that -it should be future; which is the doctrine that we are maintaining. - -To this we may add, that the patriarch Abraham believed the doctrine of -the resurrection; therefore he had it some way or other revealed to him, -before the word of God was committed to writing. This appears from what -the apostle says when speaking concerning his offering Isaac, that _he -accounted that God was able to raise him up even from the dead_, Heb. -xi. 19. From hence it is evident that he was verily persuaded when he -bound him to the altar, and lifted up his hand to slay him, that God -would suffer him to do it, otherwise it had been no trial of his faith, -so that his being prevented from laying his hand on him was an -unexpected providence. Now how could he solve the difficulty that would -necessarily ensue hereupon; had he expected that God would give him -another seed instead of Isaac, that would not have been an -accomplishment of the promise which was given to him, namely, that in -Isaac his seed should be called; therefore the only thing that he -depended on, was, that when he had offered him, God would raise him from -the dead, and by this means fulfil the promise that was made to him -concerning the numerous seed that should descend from him; therefore it -cannot be supposed that Abraham was a stranger to the doctrine of the -resurrection. - -There are other scriptures by which it appears that the doctrine of the -resurrection was revealed to the church under the Old Testament -dispensation, either from the sense of the words themselves, or the -explication thereof in the New, which refers to them: thus it is said in -Psal. xvi. 10. _Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou -suffer thine holy one to see corruption_; which the apostle Peter quotes -to prove the resurrection of Christ, in Acts ii. 24-27. If David -therefore knew that the Messiah should be raised from the dead (which, -as will be considered under a following head, is a glorious proof of the -doctrine of the resurrection of the saints) we cannot suppose that he -was a stranger to this doctrine himself. - -Again, it is said in Isa. xxv. 8. _He will swallow up death in victory_; -and this is mentioned immediately after a prediction of the glorious -provision, which God would make for his people under the -gospel-dispensation, which is called, by a metaphorical way of speaking, -ver. 6. _A feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat -things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined_; and of the -gospel’s being preached to the Gentiles, ver. 7. which is expressed by -his _destroying the face of covering, and the veil that was spread over -all nations_: therefore it may well be supposed to contain a prediction -of something consequent thereupon, namely, the general resurrection: and -there is another scripture to the same purpose, viz. Hos. xiii. 14. _I -will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from -death: O death, I will be thy plague; O grave, I will be thy -destruction_; and both these scriptures are referred to by the apostle, -as what shall be fulfilled in the resurrection of the dead; when he -says, _Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death -is swallowed up in victory: O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where -is thy victory?_ 1 Cor. xv. 54, 55. Therefore we cannot but think that -the prophets, and the church in their day, understood the words in the -same sense. - -There is another scripture in the Old Testament, in which the premises -are laid down, from whence the conclusion is drawn in the New for the -proof of this doctrine, namely, when God revealed himself to Moses, -Exod. iii. 6. which our Saviour refers to, and proves the doctrine of -the resurrection from, against the Sadducees. _Now that the dead are -raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord, the God -of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob: for he is not -the God of the dead, but of the living_, Luke xx. 37, 38. which argument -was so convincing, that _certain of the Scribes_, said, in the following -words, _Master, thou hast well said; and after that, they_, that is, the -Sadducees, _durst not ask him any question at all_; so that it silenced, -if it did not convince them. There are some, indeed, who, though they -conclude that it is a very strong proof of the immortality of the soul, -which the Sadducees denied, since that which does not exist cannot be -the subject of a promise; yet, they cannot see how the resurrection can -be proved from it; whereas it is brought, by our Saviour, for that -purpose: therefore, that the force of this argument may appear, we must -consider what is the import of the promise contained in this covenant, -that God would be the _God of Abraham_; which is explained elsewhere, -when he told him, _I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward_, Gen. -xv. 1. He was therefore given hereby to expect, at the hand of God, all -the spiritual and saving blessings of the covenant of grace; but these -blessings respect not only the soul, but the body; and as they are -extended to both worlds, it is an evident proof of the happiness of the -saints in their bodies in a future state, and consequently that they -shall be raised from the dead. This leads us, - -2. To consider those arguments to prove the doctrine of the resurrection -which are contained in the New Testament, in which it is more fully and -expressly revealed than in any part of scripture. Here we may first take -notice of those particular instances in which our Saviour raised persons -from the dead in a miraculous way, as the prophets Elijah and Elisha did -under the Old Testament dispensation, as was before observed. Thus he -raised Jairus’s _daughter_, whom he found dead in the house, Matt. ix. -25. and another, to wit, the _widow’s son at Nain_, when they were -carrying him to the grave; which was done in the presence of a great -multitude, Luke vii. 11, 14, 15. and there was another instance hereof -in his raising Lazarus from the dead, John xi. 43, 44. which he did in a -very solemn and public manner, after he had been dead four days, his -body being then corrupted and laid in the grave, from whence Christ -calls him, and he immediately revived and came forth. These instances of -the resurrection of particular persons tended to put the doctrine of the -general resurrection out of all manner of doubt; and, indeed, it was, at -this time, hardly questioned by any, excepting the Sadducees: therefore -before Christ raised Lazarus, when he only told his sister Martha that -he _should rise again_, she, not then understanding that he designed -immediately to raise him from the dead, expresses her faith in the -doctrine of the general resurrection; _I know that he shall rise again -in the resurrection at the last day_, John xi. 24. upon which occasion -our Saviour replies, _I am the resurrection and the life_, ver. 25. -denoting that this work was to be performed by him. - -Moreover, this doctrine was asserted and maintained by the apostles, -after Christ had given the greatest proof hereof in his own resurrection -from the dead: thus it is said, that _they preached through Jesus, the -resurrection from the dead_, Acts iv. 2. And the apostle Paul standing -before Felix, and confessing his belief of all things which are written -in the law and the prophets, immediately adds, that he had _hope towards -God, which they themselves also allow_; that is, the main body of the -Jewish nation; _that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of -the just and of the unjust_. - -And he not only asserts but proves it with very great strength of -reasoning, in 1 Cor. xv. and the argument he therein insists on, is -taken from Christ’s resurrection, ver. 13. _If there be no resurrection, -then is Christ not risen_; which is a doctrine that could not be denied -by any that embraced the Christian religion, as being the very -foundation thereof; but if any one should entertain the least doubt -about it, he adds, ver. 17. _If Christ be not raised from the dead, your -faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins_; that is, your hope of -justification hereby is ungrounded, _and they also which are fallen -asleep in Christ, are perished_; but this none of you will affirm; -therefore you must conclude that he is risen from the dead: and if it be -enquired, how does this argument prove the general resurrection, that he -farther insists on from ver. 20. _Now is Christ risen from the dead, and -become the first-fruits of them that slept?_ Christ’s resurrection -removes all the difficulties that might afford the least matter of doubt -concerning the possibility of the resurrection of the dead; and his -being raised as the _first-fruits of them that slept_, or, as the head -of all the elect, who are said to have communion with him in his -resurrection, or to be _risen with him_, Col. iii. 1. renders the -doctrine of the resurrection of all his saints, undeniably certain. As -the first-fruits are a part and pledge of the harvest, so Christ’s -resurrection is a pledge and earnest of the resurrection of his people. -Thus the apostle says elsewhere, _If the Spirit of him that raised up -Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead -shall also quicken your mortal bodies_, Rom. viii. 11. And our Saviour, -when he was discoursing with his disciples concerning his death, and -resurrection that would ensue thereupon, tells them, that though after -this he should be separated for a time from them, and _the world_ should -_see him no more_, yet that _they should see him_ again; and assigns -this as a reason, _because I live ye shall live also_, John xiv. 19. _q. -d._ because I shall be raised from the dead, and live for ever in -heaven; you, who are my favourites, friends, and followers, shall be -also raised and live with me there; so that the resurrection of -believers is plainly evinced from Christ’s resurrection. - -I might produce many other scriptures out of the New Testament, in which -this doctrine is maintained; but we shall proceed to consider what -proofs may be deduced from scripture-consequences. And it may here be -observed, that our Lord Jesus Christ, has by his death and resurrection, -as the consequence thereof, purchased an universal dominion over, or a -right to dispose of his subjects in such a way as will be most conducive -to his own glory and their advantage. Thus the apostle speaks of him as -_dying, rising, and reviving, that he might be Lord both of the dead and -living_; and infers from thence, that _whether we live or die, we are -the Lord’s_, Rom. xiv. 8, 9. And his being Lord over the dead is -expressed in other terms, by his _having the keys of hell and death_; -and this is assigned as the consequence of his _being alive_ after his -death, or of his resurrection from the dead, Rev. i. 18. Therefore he -has a power, as Mediator, to raise the dead. And to this we may also -add, that this is what he has engaged to do, as much as he did to redeem -the souls of his people. When believers are said to be given to him, or -purchased by him, it is the whole man that is included therein; and -accordingly he purchased the bodies as well as the souls of his people, -as may be argued from our obligation hereupon, to _glorify him in our -bodies_ as well as _in our spirits which are God’s_, 1 Cor. vi. 20. And -they are both under his care; he has undertaken that their bodies shall -not be lost in the grave; which is very emphatically expressed, when he -is represented as saying, this is _the will of the Father which hath -sent me_, John vi. 39, 40. or, contained in the commission that I -received from him, when he invested me with the office of Mediator; -_that of all which he had given me, I should lose nothing, but should -raise it up again at the last day_. What should be the reason that he -here speaks of things rather than persons, if he had not a peculiar -regard to the bodies of believers? which, as they are the subjects of -his power when raised from the dead; so they are the objects of his -care, and therefore he will raise them up at the last day. - -We might farther consider Christ’s dominion as extended to the wicked as -well as the righteous. He is not, indeed, their federal head; but he is -appointed to be their Judge; and therefore has a right to demand them to -come forth out of their graves, to appear before his tribunal; though -they are neither the objects of his special love, nor redeemed by his -blood, nor the dutiful and obedient subjects of his kingdom; inasmuch as -it is said, _God has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in -righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given -assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead_, Acts -xvii. 31. And elsewhere it is said, that he was ordained _of God to be -the Judge of quick and dead_, chap. x. 42. Therefore we read, that he -shall _sit upon the throne of his glory, and before him shall be -gathered all nations_, Matt. xxv. 31, 32. and of his determining the -final estate, both of the righteous and the wicked, as it is expressed -in the following verses; and this is described more particularly as -being immediately after the universal resurrection; as it is said, ‘I -saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were -opened,’ Rev. xx. 12, 13. which, as will be observed under our next -answer, respects his judging the world; and in order hereto it is -farther said, that ‘the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death -and hell delivered up the dead which were in them; and they were judged -every man according to their works.’ And since Christ is represented as -a judge, it is necessary that he should execute his vindictive justice -against his enemies, and punish them as their sins deserve; but this -respects not only the soul but the body; and therefore Christ that he -may secure the glory of his justice, shall raise the bodies of sinners, -that he may punish them according to their works; and therefore he is -said to be the object of fear, in that he is _able to destroy both soul -and body in hell_, Matt. x. 28. - -Thus we have endeavoured to prove the doctrine of the resurrection by -arguments taken from the Old and New Testament, and those -scripture-consequences from which it may be plainly deduced: so that how -much soever it may be thought a strange and incredible doctrine, by -those who have no other light to guide them but that of nature; it will -be generally believed by all whose faith is founded upon divine -revelation, and who adore the infinite power and impartial justice of -God, the Governor of the world: and, indeed, it is not attended with -such difficulties arising from the nature of the thing, as many pretend, -since we have several emblems in nature which seem to illustrate it; -which are very elegantly represented by some of the Fathers, and -especially by Tertullian;[174] whom the learned and excellent bishop -Pearson refers to and imitates in his style and mode of expression;[175] -his words are these; “As the day dies into night, so doth the summer -into winter: the sap is said to descend into the root, and there it lies -buried in the ground. The earth is covered with snow, or crusted with -frost, and becomes a general sepulchre. When the spring appeareth all -begin to rise; the plants and flowers peep out of their graves, revive, -and grow, and flourish; this is the annual resurrection. The corn by -which we live, and for want of which we perish with famine, is -notwithstanding cast upon the earth, and buried in the ground, with a -design that it may corrupt, and being corrupted, may revive and -multiply; our bodies are fed with this constant experiment, and we -continue this present life by succession of resurrections. Thus all -things are repaired by corrupting, are preserved by perishing, and -revive by dying; and can we think that man, the lord of all those -things, which thus die and revive for him, should be detained in death, -as never to live again? Is it imaginable that God should thus restore -all things to man, and not restore man to himself? If there were no -other consideration but of the principles of human nature, of the -liberty, and remunerability of human actions, and of the natural -revolutions and resurrections of other creatures, it were abundantly -sufficient to render the resurrection of our bodies highly probable.” We -shall now consider, - -V. Some objections that are generally brought against the doctrine of -the resurrection. Some things, indeed, are objected against it, that are -so vain and trifling, that they do not deserve an answer: as when the -followers of Aristotle assert that it is impossible for a thing which is -totally destroyed, to be restored to that condition in which it was -before[176]: And some have been so foolish as to think that those -nations, who burnt their dead bodies, put an eternal bar in the way of -their resurrection; since the particles being so changed and separated -by fire as they are, can never return again to their former bodies; or -they who have been swallowed up by the ocean, and the particles of which -they consisted, dissolved by water; and every one of them separated from -the other, can never be again restored to their former situation. -Such-like objections as these, I say, do not deserve an answer; because -they consider the resurrection as though it were to be brought about in -such a way, as effects are produced by second causes, according to the -common course of nature; without any regard to the almighty power of -God, that can easily surmount all the difficulties which, they pretend, -lie in the way of the resurrection. - -And there are other objections, taken from a perverse sense, which they -give of some texts of scripture, without considering the drift and -design thereof, or what is added in some following words, which -sufficiently overthrows the objection. Thus some produce that scripture -in Eccles. iii. 19, 20, 21. where it is said, _That which befalleth the -sons of men, befalleth beasts. So that a man hath no pre-eminence above -a beast, all go unto one place, and all are of the dust, and all turn to -the dust again_; which we before mentioned as brought against the -immortality of the soul; and it is also alleged against the resurrection -of the body, by those who conclude that it shall be no more raised from -the dead than the bodies of brute creatures. But this is rather a cavil -or a sophism, than a just way of reasoning; inasmuch as the following -words plainly intimate, that men and beasts are compared together only -as to their mortality, not as to what respects their condition after -death; and therefore it is no sufficient argument to overthrow the -doctrine of the resurrection. These and such-like objections are so -trifling, that we shall not insist on them: However, there are three or -four that we shall lay down, and consider what answers may be given to -them. - -_Obj._ 1. It is objected against the doctrine of the resurrection, that -though the power of God can do all things possible to be done; yet the -raising the dead, at least, in some particular instances thereof, is -impossible from the nature of the thing; and therefore we may say, -without any reflection cast on the divine Omnipotency, that God cannot -raise them, at least, not so as that every one shall have his own body -restored to him; since there are some instances of Cannibals, or -men-eaters, who devour one another, by which means the flesh of one man -is turned into the flesh of the other. And in those instances which are -more common, the bodies of men being turned into dust, produce food, -like other parts of the earth, for brute creatures; and accordingly some -of those particles of which they consisted, are changed into the flesh -of these creatures; and these again are eaten by men; so that the -particles of one human body, after having undergone several changes, -become a part of another; therefore there cannot be a distinct -resurrection of every one of those bodies that have lived in all the -ages of the world. - -_Answ._ To this it may be replied, that it cannot be proved, that in -those instances mentioned in the objection, that when one man preys upon -another, or when brute creatures live upon that grass which was produced -by the ground, which was made fertile by the bodies of men turned to -corruption, and it may be, may have some of the particles thereof -contained in them: It cannot, I say, be proved, that these particles of -the bodies of men are turned into nourishment, and so become a part of -human flesh; since providence did not design this to be for food. If so, -then it is not true in fact, that the particles of one human body become -a part of another. But, suppose it were otherwise (to give the objection -as much weight as possible) we may farther observe, that it is but a -very small part of what is eaten, that is turned into flesh; and -therefore those particles of one human body, that by this means are -supposed to pass into another, make up but a very inconsiderable part -thereof. Therefore, if some few particles of one human body in the -resurrection are restored again to that body to which they at first -belonged, this will not overthrow the doctrine of the resurrection of -the same body. If the body of man loses a few ounces of its weight, no -one will suppose that it is not the same body. So when the bodies of men -are raised from the dead, if the far greater part of the particles -thereof are recollected and united together, they may truly be said to -constitute the same body; this therefore does not overthrow the -resurrection of the same body from the nature of the thing. - -_Object._ 2. It is farther objected, especially against the possibility -of the resurrection of the same body that was once alive in this world; -that the bodies of men, while they live, are subject to such -alterations, that it can hardly be said that we are the same when we are -men as when we are children. The expence of those particles which were -insensibly lost by perspiration, and others being daily gained by -nutrition, make such an alteration in the contexture of the body, that, -as some suppose, in the space of about seven years, almost all the -particles of the body are changed, some lost and others regained. Now if -it be supposed that the same body we once had shall be raised, it is -hard to determine; whether those particles of which it consisted when we -were young, shall be gathered together in the resurrection, or the -particles of the emaciated or enfeebled body, which was laid down in the -grave. - -_Answ._ We are obliged to take notice of such-like objections as these, -because they are often alleged in a cavilling way, against the doctrine -of the resurrection. The answer therefore that I would give to this, is, -that the more solid and substantial parts of the body, such as the skin, -bones, cartilages, veins, arteries, nerves, fibres, that compose the -muscles, with the ligaments and tendons, are not subject to this change -that is mentioned in the objection, by evaporation or perspiration; -which more especially respects the fluids, and not the solids of the -body. These remain the same in men as they were in children, excepting -what respects their strength and size: And if the body, as consisting of -these and some other of the particles that it has lost, which the wisdom -of God thinks fit to recollect, be gathered together in the -resurrection; we may truly say, that the same body that once lived, -notwithstanding the change made in the fluids thereof, is raised from -the dead. - -_Obj._ 3. There is another objection which is sometimes brought against -the doctrine of the resurrection of the just, especially against their -being raised with the same body they once had, taken from the -inconsistency hereof, with their living in the other world, called -heaven; which is generally distinguished from the earth, as being a more -pure subtil and etherial region, therefore not fit to be an habitation -for bodies compounded of such gross matter as ours are, which are -adapted to the state and world in which they now live: Whereas, to -suppose them placed in heaven, is inconsistent with the nature of -gravity; so that we may as well conclude a body, which naturally tends -to the earth its centre, to be capable of living in the air, at a -distance from the surface of the earth, as we can, that it is possible -for such a body to live in heaven: Therefore they argue that the bodies -of men, at the resurrection must be changed, so as to become etherial, -which does, in effect, overthrow the doctrine of the resurrection, as -respecting, at least, the restoring the bodies of men to the same form -which once they had. - -Moreover, this objection is farther improved by another supposition: -which gave the Socinians occasion to assert, that the same body shall -not be raised; namely, that if the bodies of men should be the same as -they are now, they would be rendered incapable of that state of -immortality which is in heaven. For by the same method of reasoning, by -which, as has been before observed, they argue that man would have been -liable to mortality, though he had not sinned, _viz._ that death was -then the consequence of nature, inasmuch as the body was to be supported -by food, breathe in proper air, and be fenced against those things that -might tend to destroy the temperament thereof, or a dissolution would -ensue, they conclude that we must not have such bodies as we now have, -but etherial. And to give countenance to this, they refer to the -apostle’s words in 1 Cor. xv. 50. _Flesh and blood cannot inherit the -kingdom of God_: And ver. 40. where he speaks of _celestial bodies_ as -distinguished from _terrestrial_, and of the body’s being raised a -_spiritual body_, ver. 44. And there is another scripture generally -referred to, wherein our Saviour speaks of believers, in the -resurrection, being _as the angels of God_, Matt. xxii. 30. which is to -be understood, at least, as signifying that their motion will be no more -hindered by the weight of the body, than the motion of an angel is; -therefore their bodies must be of another kind than what we suppose they -shall be in the resurrection. - -_Answ._ 1. As to what respects the inconsistency of bodies like ours, -living in the upper world, as being contrary to the nature of -gravitation: It may be answered, that according to the generally -received opinion of modern philosophers, gravity arises from an external -pressure made upon bodies which are said to be heavy or light, according -to the force thereof; and therefore those bodies that are in the upper -regions, above the atmosphere, are equally adapted to ascend or descend; -which sufficiently answers that part of the objection. This a learned -writer takes notice of[177]: And if this be not acquiesced in, he -advances another hypothesis; which, because it has something of wit and -spirit in it, I shall take leave to mention, though I must suspend my -judgment concerning it, whether it be true or false. He says, perhaps, -our heaven will be nothing else but an heaven upon earth; and that it -seems more natural to suppose that, since we have solid and material -bodies, we shall be placed as we are in this life, in some solid and -material orb; and this he supposes agreeable to the apostle Peter’s -words, when he speaks of a _new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness_, -2 Pet. iii. 13. From whence he concludes, that either this world shall -be fitted to be the seat of the blessed, or some other that has a solid -basis like unto it. And to give countenance to this opinion, he refers -to some ancient writers; and particularly tells us, that Maximus speaks -of it as the opinion of many in his time; and Epiphanius brings in -Methodius in the third century, as asserting the same thing. - -2. As to what concerns that part of the objection, that bodies, like -those we have now, are unmeet for the heavenly state, inasmuch as they -cannot be supported without food and other conveniences of nature, which -tend to the preservation of life in this world. To this it may be -answered, that it is not necessary to suppose that the body shall be -raised with such qualities as that it will stand in need of food, rest, -or other conveniences of nature; which, at present, tend to the support -of life: The apostle seems to assert the contrary, when he says, _Meats -for the belly, and the belly for meats; but God shall destroy both it -and them_, 1 Cor. vi. 13. There is certainly a medium between asserting, -with some, that we shall be raised with an etherial body, in all -respects unlike to that which we have at present; and maintaining, that -we shall have such as are liable to the imperfections of this present -state, and supported in the same way in which they now are. - -As to what the apostle says concerning _flesh and blood not inheriting -the kingdom of heaven_, he does not mean thereby that our bodies shall -be so changed, that they shall in no respect consist of flesh and blood: -And when he speaks of _celestial_ and _spiritual_ bodies, it is not -necessary for us to suppose, that hereby he intends ærial or etherial -bodies. But this will be more particularly considered under a following -head, when we speak of the circumstances in which the bodies of -believers shall be raised from the dead. As for that other scripture, in -which they are said to be _as the angels of God in heaven_, that -respects their being immortal and incorruptible; or as the context seems -to intimate, that they need not marriage, to perpetuate their -generations, in that world: Therefore we have no occasion to strain the -sense of the words, so as to suppose that our Saviour intends in his -saying _they shall be as the angels_, that they shall cease to be like -what they were when men on earth. - -_Objec._ 4. The last objection which we shall mention, is taken from its -not being agreeable to the goodness of God, extended to those who are -made partakers of the resurrection to eternal life; inasmuch as it is a -bringing them into a worse condition than the soul was in, when separate -from the body. This objection is generally brought by those who give -into that mode of speaking often used by Plato[178] and his followers, -that the body in this world, is the prison of the soul, which at death, -is set at liberty: therefore they suppose, that its being united to the -body again, is no other than its being condemned to a second -imprisonment, which is so far from being a favour conferred, that it -rather seems to be a punishment inflicted. Others, with Celsus, reckon -it a dishonour for the soul to be reunited to a body that is -corrupted.[179] And others speak of the body as being a great hindrance -to the soul in its actings; and frequently inclining it to the exercise -of some of those passions that tend to make men uneasy, and thereby -unhappy; and that this may, some way or other, take place in a future -state. - -_Answ._ It is no great difficulty to answer this objection, in which -there is not a due difference put between the present and future state -of believers. The only thing which might give occasion to men to -conclude that their souls are imprisoned in this world is, because they -are abridged of that happiness which they shall be possessed of in -another; which the apostle calls _The glorious liberty of the children -of God_, Rom. viii. 21. And as for the reproaches which some of the -greatest enemies to Christianity have cast on this doctrine, these are -not sufficient to beget the least dislike of it in the minds of serious -and unprejudiced Christians. What though the body be turned to -corruption? It shall be raised incorruptible, and in glory; and -therefore shall be a palace fit to entertain its noble inhabitant: what -though it has, in this world, offered many temptations to the soul to -sin, by which it has been sometimes overcome and exposed to those -passions that have defiled, and made it very uneasy; is this to be -objected against its being raised from the dead in such a state of -perfection, that it shall never more contract any guilt, or render the -soul unhappy, by any inconvenience arising from it? But this will -farther appear, when we speak of the condition in which the body shall -be raised under a following head. We shall therefore proceed, - -VI. To consider the resurrection of the dead as universal, including in -it all who have lived, or shall live, from the beginning of time, till -Christ’s second coming, excepting those who shall be found alive; on -whom a change shall pass which is equivalent to a resurrection. - -1. That all the dead shall be raised: this is expressly mentioned in -that vision, _I saw the dead both small and great, standing before God; -and the books were opened; and the dead were judged out of those things -which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea -gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the -dead which were in them; and they were judged every man according to -their works_, Rev. xx. 12, _& seq._ where the Judge is represented as -demanding the bodies of men of all ranks, conditions, and ages, out of -those places where they have been lodged, with a design to reward or -punish them according to their works: therefore, if the justice of God -is to be displayed in this solemn and awful transaction, and the bodies -as well as the souls of men, are the subjects on which this judgment -must pass; then it follows, that it will be universal: thus our Saviour -says, _All that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come -forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life; and they -that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation_, John v. 28, 29. -This is so evident a truth, founded on the divine perfections, as well -as express words of scripture, that it is strange to find that any, who -allow that the dead shall be raised, should deny the universality -thereof. - -However, we meet with several expressions in Rabbinical writers, which -seem to speak of it as a peculiar privilege belonging to some, but not -to all; and therefore they have a proverbial expression, that though the -rain descends on the just and on the unjust, yet the resurrection of the -dead belongs only to the just:[180] and this they infer from the words -of the prophet Daniel, in chap. xii. 2. _Many of them that sleep in the -dust of the earth shall awake_; which words contain a difficulty which -most have found it an hard matter to account for, agreeably to the sense -of the prophet, who speaks, in the words immediately following, of the -consequence hereof, as, _some_ shall awake _to everlasting life, and -some to everlasting shame and contempt_; whereby he divides the world -into two parts, and considers one as happy, the other as miserable; -therefore he must, doubtless, speak of an universal resurrection. But -the great difficulty lies in these words; _Many of them that sleep in -the dust shall arise_; from whence, some conclude that this expression -contains an exception of others who shall not arise: thus some Jewish -writers seem to have understood it; but I rather think, that the word -_many_, there, imports nothing else but the _multitude_, _q. d._ the -whole number of those that sleep shall awake.[181] - -It is somewhat hard to determine what the Rabbinical writers intend when -they seem to confine the resurrection to the Israelites; and some of -them to exclude, not only the wicked from it, but those that had not -addicted themselves to the study of the law, whom they call the Gnam -Haaretz: thus they are represented in scripture as giving them but a -very indifferent character, _The people that knoweth not the law are -accursed_, John vii. 49. by this means they bring the number of those -that shall be raised from the dead into a very narrow compass: -nevertheless they speak of future rewards and punishments in another -world; therefore some have thought, when they exclude all but the -Israelites, and, of them, all but those who were in the greatest -reputation amongst them, that they understand nothing else by the -resurrection, but that which they fancied would happen in the days of -the Messiah; in which, they suppose, that some of the Jews shall be -raised from the dead before the general resurrection at the last day; -and in this sense we may easily understand their exclusive account, when -they speak of many that shall not be partakers of this privilege; and if -it be extended to the resurrection at the last day, then I am apt to -think, that they intend hereby a resurrection to eternal life, and so -some understand that common proverb but now mentioned, concerning the -rain’s descending upon all; but the resurrection’s belonging only to the -just, in this sense; that though the rain descends upon the wilderness, -and barren ground; yet it is only some places which are made fruitful -thereby: accordingly, though the resurrection be universal, both of the -righteous and wicked; yet the resurrection to eternal life belongs only -to the just.[182] - -All that I shall observe at present is, that this is not altogether -disagreeable to the scripture-mode of speaking; which, though in some -places it asserts the resurrection of the whole world, in others, by the -resurrection, we are to understand nothing else, but a resurrection to -eternal life: thus the apostle Paul, when he speaks of his _attaining -unto the resurrection of the dead_, Phil. iii. 11. intends hereby his -obtaining a glorious resurrection. And our Saviour, when speaking -concerning the happiness of the saints in another world, expresses it on -this wise; that they shall be _counted worthy_, or meet, _to obtain that -world, and the resurrection from the dead_, Luke xx. 35. so that -whatever is said by Jewish writers, tending to limit the resurrection of -the dead to eternal life, to some particular persons, it does not appear -but that even they held, in other respects, a general resurrection, both -of the just and unjust; which is as demonstrable as is the resurrection -in general. - -2. They who are found alive at Christ’s second coming, shall undergo a -change; which, though it cannot be called a resurrection, will be -equivalent to it. The apostle Paul gives an account of this, as what was -before unknown to the church; _Behold I shew you a mystery; we shall not -all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of -an eye, at the last trump_, 1 Cor. xv. 51, 52. And elsewhere he speaks -of them when thus changed, as _caught up in the clouds together with_ -other saints, that are raised from the dead, _to meet the Lord in the -air_, 1 Thess. iv. 17. This is no less an effect of almighty power than -a resurrection; for hereby their bodies, though never separated from -their souls, are brought into the same state as the bodies of others -shall be, when re-united to them, and thereby be rendered incorruptible -and immortal, as the bodies of all other saints shall be, and made -partakers of the same glory with which they are said to be raised. We -have an emblem of this in Christ’s transfiguration, when there was such -a change made, for the present, on his body, that his face shined as the -sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And there was not only a -resemblance, but a kind of specimen hereof, in the translation of Enoch -and Elijah, whose bodies were before this, liable to corruption, and all -other infirmities that attend this present life, but were made, in a -moment, celestial and glorious. And the body of our Saviour, though it -was raised from the dead incorruptible and immortal, yet, during the -space of forty days, while he continued on earth, it was not made so -glorious as it was immediately after the cloud received him into heaven, -when it underwent such a change as was agreeable to the place and state -into which he then entered; even so the bodies of the saints, at last, -shall, by this change, be made meet for heaven, and received, with other -saints into it. - -VII. We shall now consider the condition in which the body shall be -raised. And, - -1. Those circumstances of honour and glory which respect more especially -the resurrection of the just: this the apostle mentions, and describes -them as _raised in glory_, 1, Cor. xv. 43. It is the same body indeed, -that is raised, which he illustrates by _a grain of wheat_ springing up, -and changed into a full-grown ear; which, though it be greatly improved, -and very much altered from what it was, when cast into the ground, yet -_every seed_, as he observes, has _its own body_, ver. 38. From whence -we may infer, that the same body shall be raised from the dead, though -with very different qualities. There are several things mentioned by the -apostle, in the account he gives of the bodies of the saints after the -resurrection; which some have attempted to explain in such a way, as is -hardly consistent with a resurrection of the same body. The Socinians -generally maintain that the body shall be altogether new, as to its -substance, as well as its qualities: and others speak of it as an aerial -body; as supposing that the gross and heavy matter, of which it formerly -consisted, is not adapted to an heavenly state, and would render it not -altogether free from a liableness to corruption. This opinion a late -writer mentions, as what was espoused by some of the Fathers, which he -speaks very favourably of; and inasmuch as the apostle calls it _a -spiritual body_, 1 Cor. xv. 45. and seems to distinguish it from _flesh -and blood_, which _cannot inherit the kingdom of God_, ver. 50. he -thinks that though the same flesh and blood may rise from the grave, it -will then or afterwards, receive such a change, as will render it -spiritual and incorruptible; and so, perhaps, when it comes to heaven, -will not be flesh and blood; or, that it will clothed with such an -heavenly body as will keep it from a possibility of corruption; and -accordingly he supposes that the apostle is to be understood in this -sense, that flesh and blood unchanged and unclothed with its heavenly -body, cannot inherit the kingdom of God; and that this body with which -it shall be invested, will be thin, aerial, spiritual, bright, and -shining; and, in that respect, may be called celestial.[183] The reason -he assigns why _flesh and blood_, namely, such as is subject to -corruption here, _cannot inherit the kingdom of God_, is, because the -flesh may be cut and divided, and the blood let out, which would subject -it to corruption; therefore it must be changed, and _put on -incorruption_. - -This account of the bodies of the just after the resurrection, seems, -indeed, to be a medium between the two extremes, either of those who -suppose that the body shall differ but little from what it was whilst -here on earth, or of others, who conclude it to be nothing else but an -aerial body; yet it contains several things taken for granted, without -sufficient proof, which I cannot readily give into: nevertheless what he -farther adds on this subject is undeniably true, _viz._ that the body, -which before was subject to filth and deformity, is raised in glory and -splendor, _shining like the sun_, Matt. xxiii. 43. That which was once -_vile_, is _fashioned like Christ’s glorious body_, Phil. iii. 21. and -is freed from all defect or deformity in its members, and from any -dishonourable parts. Not subject to weakness by labour, decays of age, -to impotency and wasting by diseases; but nimble, strong, active, and -that without reluctancy or molestation, grief, pain, or lassitude; it is -raised a spiritual body, possessed and acted by the Holy Spirit; and -advanced so far to the perfection of spirits, as to be free from -grossness, ponderosity, from needing rest, sleep, or sustenance, and is -fitted for a spiritual and celestial state in which our bodies shall -wholly serve our spirits, and depend upon them, and therefore may be -styled spiritual. If we stop here, without giving too much scope to our -wit and fancy, in advancing things too high for us, and confess that we -know not, or, at least, but a little of the affairs of an unseen world; -or, as the apostle says, _what we shall be_, Phil. iii. 21. we say -enough to give us an occasion to conclude that it is a glorious and -desirable state, and the change wrought therein, such as fully answers -our most raised expectations, and is agreeable to a state of perfect -blessedness. Thus concerning the condition and circumstances in which -the saints shall be raised. - -There is one thing which must not wholly be past over, which is farther -observed in this answer, namely, that the bodies of the just shall be -raised by the Spirit of Christ: This is what the apostle expressly says, -_If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead, dwell in you, -he that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal -bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you_, Rom. viii. 11. The bodies of -believers, which were, in this world, the temple of the Holy Ghost, and -were under his divine influence whilst living, shall not cease to be the -objects of his care when dead; and as an instance of his regard to them, -as well as denoting the subserviency hereof, to their attaining that -complete redemption which Christ has purchased for them, the Spirit, in -a peculiar manner, demonstrates his personal glory in raising them from -the dead: Whereas, others are said to be raised only by the power of -Christ. - -2. We shall now consider the circumstances in which the wicked shall be -raised, namely, in dishonour; or, as the prophet Daniel expresses it, -_to shame and everlasting contempt_. Some marks of dishonour shall, -doubtless, be impressed on their bodies, in that they shall be raised -with all those natural blemishes and deformities, which rendered them -the object of contempt. That part which the body bore in tempting the -soul to sin, shall tend to its everlasting reproach; and when reunited -to it, those habits of sin which were contracted, shall incurably -remain, as well as the tormenting sense of guilt consequent hereupon, -which exposes them to the wrath of God for ever; so that their -resurrection, which renders them immortal, brings upon them endless -misery. And it is said to be brought about by Christ, as an offended -Judge, as the consequence whereof, they are summoned to his tribunal, -who will render to every one according to his works. Which leads us to -consider Christ as coming to judge the world; which is that solemn -transaction that will immediately follow after the resurrection. - -Footnote 153: - - “By affirming, that the grain produced from the seed sown, is not the - very body which is sown, the apostle I think insinuates, that the body - to be raised is not numerically the same with the body deposited at - death, but something of the same kind formed by the energy of God. - Having such an example of the divine power before our eyes, we cannot - think the reproduction of the body impossible, though its parts be - utterly dissipated. Farther, although the very numerical body is not - raised, yet the body is truly raised, because what is raised, being - united to the soul, there will arise in the man thus completed, a - consciousness of his identity, by which he will be sensible of the - justice of the retribution which is made to him for his deeds. - Besides, this new body, will more than supply the place of the old, by - serving every purpose necessary to the perfection and happiness of the - man in his new state. According to this view of the subject, the - objection taken from the scattering of the particles of the body that - dies, has no place; because it does not seem necessary, that the body - to be raised, should be composed of them. For the scripture no where - affirms, that the same numerical body is to be raised. What it teaches - is; that the dead shall be raised.” - - DR. MACKNIGHT. - -Footnote 154: - - _This is reported in a very fabulous manner, and is reckoned no more - than an idle tale by Pliny, who mentions it among other stories of the - like nature. Vid. Plin. Nat. Hist. Lib._ vii. _Cap._ lii. _Animam - Aristæi etiam visam evolentem ex ore, in Proconneso, corvi effigie, - magna quæ sequitur fabulositate. This is also mentioned as a fable by - Origen._ _Vid. Origin. Lib._ iii. _Contr. Cels._ - -Footnote 155: - - _Vid. Plin. Nat. Hist. Cap._ lii. _Reperimus inter exempla Hermotimi - Clazomenii animam relicto corpore, errare solitam, vagamq; e loginquo - multa annunciare, quæ nisi a præsenti nosci non possent; but by the - following words he speaks of him as not dead, but in a kind of - deliquium; corpore interim semianimi; but yet it was given out by - many, that he died and rose again very often. This Lucian himself - laughs at as a foolish tale. Vid. Lucian. Enc. Musc._ - -Footnote 156: - - _Vid. Plat. de Repub. Lib._ x. - -Footnote 157: - - _Vid. Euseb. Præparat. Evang. Lib._ xi. _Cap._ xxxv. _It is mentioned - by Plutarch, Symp. Lib._ ix. _Cap._ v. - -Footnote 158: - - _Macrobius speaking concerning it, in Somn. Scip. Lib. 1. Cap. 1. - represents Cicero as being under a great concern, that this story of - Er was ridiculed, by many who did not stick to say, Visum fuisse Erem, - vitam effundere, animamq; recipere, quam revera non amiserat. See more - to this purpose in Hust. Demonst. Evang. Prop._ ix. _Cap._ cxlii. - -Footnote 159: - - _See a late learned writer, Hody on the resurrection of the same body; - who refers to several places in Heathen writers, of whom some believed - it; others exposed it as fabulous, Pag. 13-16._ - -Footnote 160: - - _Thus Pliny, who a little before related several stories of persons - raised from the dead, notwithstanding calls the doctrine of the - resurrection_, puerile deliramentum. _Vid. Ejusd. Nat. Hist. Lib._ - vii. _Cap._ lv. _and elsewhere he speaks of it as a thing in its own - nature impossible; and therefore concludes it to be one of those - things which God cannot do. Lib._ ii. _Cap._ vii. _Ne Deum quidem - posse omnia, nec mortales æternitate donare, aut revocare defunctos. - And Minutius Felix. Vid. Ejusd. Octav. Cap._ xi. _brings in an - Heathen, who was his friend, railing at it, without any decency, as - though it was no better than an old wives fable; and the principal - argument he produces, is, because he supposes it impossible for a body - that was burnt to ashes, to spring up into life again. And Celsus, - speaking concerning the impossibility of God’s doing any thing - contrary to nature, reckons this among those things. Vid. Orig. Contr. - Cels. Lib._ v. _Page 240. and says, the hope hereof is more worthy of - worms than men and styles it an abominable, as well as an impossible - thing, which God neither can nor will do._ - -Footnote 161: - - Αναστασις. - -Footnote 162: - - _Vid. Volkel. de vera relig. Lib._ iii. _Cap._ xi. _Apparet - promissionem vitæ sempiternæ in prisco illo foedere factam minime - fuisse. And in a following part of this chapter, wherein he - professedly treats on this subject, he adds; Quæ apertis - luculentissimisq; verbis ut in nova scriptura fieri videamus, hoc Dei - beneficium nobis polliceantur. Ex quorum munere, hoc de quo agimus, - nequaquam esse hinc patet, quod antequam Christus illud explicaret, - nemo unquam extitit, qui vel suspicari auderet, tale quid illo - comprehendi._ - -Footnote 163: - - _Vid. Joseph. de Bell. Jud. Lib._ ii. _Cap._ vii. Και γαρ ερρωτσαι παρ - αυτοις ηδε διξα φθαρτα μεν εναι τα σωματα, και τήν υλὴγ ου μονιμον - αυτοις, &c. - -Footnote 164: - - _See Dr. Hody on the resurrection, &c. Page 56-59._ - -Footnote 165: - - _See Bishop Pearson on the Creed, Artic. 11. who observes, from their - writings, that because, in the formation of man, mentioned in_ Gen. - ii. 7. _Moses uses the word_ וייצר, _and in the formation of beasts, - verse 19. the word_ ויצר, _the former having two_ jods, _the latter - but one: Therefore the beasts are made but once, but man twice; to - wit, once in his generation, and the second time in his resurrection. - And they strangely apprehend a proof of the resurrection to be - contained in the malediction_, Gen. iii. 19. Dust thou art, and unto - dust thou shalt return, _q. d. thou art now dust while thou livest; - and, after death, thou shalt return unto this dust, that is, thou - shalt live again, as thou, dost now: And those words in_ Exod. xv. 1. - then sang Moses and the children of Israel; _they render_ he shall - sing, _viz. after the resurrection in the life to come, and from - thence infer this doctrine, which could afford but very small - satisfaction to the Sadducees, while they omitted to insist on other - pregnant proofs thereof_. - -Footnote 166: - - _See Vol. II. Heb. and Talmud. Exercit. on_ John iv. 25. _wherein he - says, that they pretend to prove it from_ Deut. xxxi. 16. _where God - says to Moses_, Thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, and rise again; - _which is an addition to, as well as a perversion of the text; which - says_, the people shall rise up and go a whoring, _&c. and Page 541, - and 787. he represents them as proving it from_ Josh. viii 30. _where - it is said, that Joshua_ built an altar unto the Lord; _which they - translate_, he shall build an altar; _supposing this to be after the - resurrection: And from_ Psal. lxxxiv. 4. Blessed are they that dwell - in thy house, they will be still praising thee, _they suppose is meant - of their praising God after the resurrection. See many other absurd - methods of reasoning to the same purpose, referred to by him in the - same place._ - -Footnote 167: - - _Macab._ vii. 9, 11, 14, 23, 29. - -Footnote 168: - - _Thus Josephus Jacchiades, referred to by Witsius in Symb. Exercit._ - xxvi. § 41. _in explaining that famous text in Daniel_ xii. 2. _says, - Et tunc fiet miraculum resurrectionis mortuorum: Nam multi dormientium - in terra pulverulenta expergiscentur, hi ad vitam æternam, qui sunt - sancti; illi vero ad opprobria & detestationem æternam; qui sunt - impii. Quorum resurrectionis causa est, ut impii fateantur palam, suam - fidem esse falsam, & eos qui ipsis fidem habuerint, prosecutos fuisse - vanitatem atque evanuisse, ipsique agnoscant suos majores falsitatem - possedisse. And Menasseh Ben Israel, de Resurr. mort. Lib._ ii. _Cap._ - viii. _proves it from the same scripture. More to the same purpose may - be seen in Dr. Hody on the resurrection, Page 72. &_ seq. _who quotes - several of the Talmudical writers, as signifying their belief of this - doctrine; and especially Pocock in Maimon. Port. Mos. Cap._ vi. _who - produces a multitude of quotations to the same purpose; in which some - assert this doctrine without proof, others establish it by solid - arguments, and some mix a great many absurd notions with it, which we - shall, at present, pass over_. - -Footnote 169: - - _Vid. Tertull. de Resurrect. Carn. Cap._ xxx. _Non posset de ossibus - figura componi, si non id ipsum, & ossibus eventurum esset._ - -Footnote 170: - - _Vid. Hieron. in Ezek._ xxxvii. _Nunquam poneretur similitudo - resurrectionis, ad restitutionem Israelitici populi significandam, - nisi staret ipsa resurrectitio, & futura crederetur; quia nemo de - rebus non extantibus incerta confirmat._ - -Footnote 171: - - _Vid. Menasseh Ben Isr. Lib. 1. de Resurrect. Cap._ ii. § 4. _Hic - textus expressus est. & infallibilis quo sine omni dubio resurrectio - probatur._ - -Footnote 172: - - _Vid. Hieron. Epist. 61. ad Pammach. de error. Joh. Hieros. Quid hac - prophetia manifestius? Nullus tam aperte post Christum, quam iste ante - Christum de resurrectione loquitur._ - -Footnote 173: - - _The words are put in the form of an interrogation, which sometimes - argues a strong negation, but not always, since here it seems to imply - a concession that he should live again._ - -Footnote 174: - - _Vid Minut. Fel. in Octav. § 33. Vide adeo quam in solatium nostri - resurrectionem futuram omnis natura meditatur Sol demergit, & - nascitur; astra labuntur, & redeunt; fiores occidunt, & reviviscunt; - post senium arbusta frondescunt semina non nisi corrupta revirescunt; - ita corpus in sepulchro ut arbores in hyberno occultant virorem, - ariditate mentita. Expectandum nobis etiam corporis ver est_, &c. - -Footnote 175: - - _See his Exposition on the Creed, Artic._ xi. _and Tertull. de resur. - Carn. cap._ xii. _Aspice nunc ad ipsa qunq; exempla divinæ potestatis: - dies moritur in noctem, & tenebris usquequaq spelitur. Funestatum - mundi honor, omnis substantia deusgratur. Sordent, silent, stupent - cuncta; ubiq; justitium est, quies rerum. Ita lux amissa lugetur; & - tamen rursus cum suo cultu, cum dote, cum sole, eadem & integra & tota - universo orbi reviviscit, interficiens mortem suam noctem, rescindens - sepulturam suam tenebras, hæres sibimet existens, donec & nox - reviviscat, cum suo & illa suggestu. Redaccenduntur enim & stellarum - radii, quos matutina successio extinxerat. Reducuntur & siderum - absentiæ, quas temporalis distinctio exemerat. Redornantur & specula - lunæ quæ menstruus numerus adtriverat. Revolvuntur hyemes & æstates, & - verna, & autumna, cum suis viribus, moribus, fructibus. Quippe etiam - terræ de cœlo disciplina est, arbores vestire post spolia, flores - denuo colorare, herbas rursus imponere, exhibere eadem quæ absumpta - sunt semina; nec prius exhibere quam absumpta: mira ratio: de - fraudatrice servatrix: ut reddat, intercipit: ut custodiat, perdit: ut - integret, vitiat e ut etiam ampliet, prius decoquit. Siquidem uberiora - & cultiora restituit quam exterminavit. Revera foenore interitu, & - injuria usura, & lucro damno: semel dixerim universa conditio recidiva - est. Quodcunq; conveneris, fuit: quodcunq; amiseris, nihil non iterum - est. Omnia in statum redeunt, quum abscesserint. Omnia incipiunt, quum - desierint. Ideo finiuntur, ut fiant. Nihil deperit, nisi in salutum. - Totus igitur hic ordo revolubilis rerum, testatio est resurrectionis - mortuorum. Operibus eam præscripsit Deus ante, quam literis: viribus - predicavit ante, quam vocibus. Præmissit tibi naturam magistram, - submissurus & prophetiam, quo facilius credas prophetiæ, discipulus - natura: quo statim admittas, quum audieris, quod ubiq; jam videris; - nec dubites Deum carnis etiam resuscitatorem, quem omnium noris - restituorem. Et utiq; si omnia homini resurgunt, cui procurata sunt - porro non homini, nisi & carni, quale est ut ipsa depereat ut totum, - propter quam & cui nihil deperit? Et Vid. ejud. apologet cap._ xlviii. - _in which he proves the resurrection of the body from the possibility - of that being restored to a former being, with the same ease that it - was made out of nothing; and shews how God has impressed upon this - world many testimonies of the resurrection; and then he adds, Lux - quotidie intersecta resplendet, & tenebræ, pari vice decedendo - succedunt, sidera defuncta vivescunt, tempora, ubi finiuntur, - incipiunt, fructus consummantur, et redeunt. Certe semina non nisi - corrupta et dissoluta foecundius surgunt, omnia percundo servantur, - omnia de interitu reformantur. Tu homo tantum nomen, si intelligas te, - vel de titulo Pythix discens, dominus omnium momentum et resurgentium, - ad hoc morieris, ut pereas?_ - -Footnote 176: - - _This is what they generally intend by that aphorism, a privatione ad - habitum non datur regressus._ - -Footnote 177: - - _See Hody on the resurrection_, &c. _Pag. 205-208._ - -Footnote 178: - - _Vid. Plat. in Cratyl, who brings in Socrates as gravely punning on - the word_ σωμα, _q. d._ σημα, sepulchrum; _and supposing that this - name, was given to denote that the soul suffers punishment for its - faults, by being detained or shut up in prison. And Seneca speaks to - the same purpose: corpus hoc, animi pondus, & poena est, permanente - illo urgetur, in vinculis est. Vid. Sen. Epist. 65._ - -Footnote 179: - - _Vid. Orig. in Loc. supra citat._ - -Footnote 180: - - _Beneficium pluviæ ad omnes spectare, resurrectionem mortuorum ad - justos tantum._ - -Footnote 181: - - _The words are_, רב’ם מישני, _multi ex dormientibus. Now it is certain - that_ רבים, _is often translated_ a multitude, _or_ multitudes, _and - signifies the same with_ רוב, _or the Greek word_ το πληθος, _as in - Gen._ xvii. 5. _Psal._ cix. 30. _and in several other places. But the - principal difficulty lies in the sense of the particle_ Mem, _which is - prefixed to the following word; and is generally supposed to be taken - distributively; and accordingly the sense must be_, Many, _that is, a - great number, or part, taken out of them_ that sleep, shall awake; - _though, I am apt to think, that the prefix_ Mem _here, is not taken - distributively; but denotes the following word to be in the Genitive - case, as Lamed and Beth often do; and if so, the words may be - rendered_, The multitude of them that sleep, shall awake; _that is, - the whole number of them that sleep shall awake; and so it is the same - with what is mentioned by our Saviour in the text but now referred - to_; all that are in their graves shall come forth, _and be disposed - of in a different way, as he particularly expresses it; which contains - the sense of the prophet’s prediction in this place. There is a - scripture, in which the word_ many _plainly signifies_ το πληθος, - _the_ multitude, _or all mankind: thus the apostle speaks, Rom._ v. - 15. _of_ many, _as_ being dead by the offence of one, _and_ by one - man’s disobedience, many _being_ made sinners; _which none, who allow - all the world to have fallen in Adam, will suppose to be taken in any - other sense. See other instances of the like nature in Glas. Phil. - Sacr. Lib._ v. _Tract. 1. Cap._ xv. - -Footnote 182: - - _Vid. Poc. Not. Misc. in Maimon. Port. Mos. Cap._ vi. _who treats - largely on this subject, and gives an account of the opinions of - several Rabbinical writers concerning this matter; which renders it - needless for me to refer to particular places_. - -Footnote 183: - - _Vid. Whitby in 1 Cor._ xv. 44, 50. _If by the bright and shining - body, which this author speaks of, he intends that it shall be - invested with some rays of glory in the heavenly state, as many others - suppose: this, I think, none will deny since it agrees well with what - the apostle says concerning the body’s being made like to Christ’s - glorious body, and also what the prophet Daniel says, chap._ xii. 2. - _concerning their_ shining as the brightness of the firmament, and as - the stars; _or, as our Saviour says_, Matt. xiii. 43. They shall shine - as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. - - - - - Quest. LXXXVIII. - - - QUEST. LXXXVIII. _What shall immediately follow after the - resurrection?_ - - ANSW. Immediately after the resurrection shall follow the general - and final judgment of angels and men; the day and hour whereof no - man knoweth, that all may watch and pray, and be ever ready for the - coming of the Lord. - -Our Lord Jesus Christ having finished the work which he undertook to -perform, in gathering in his elect, and bringing that grace which he -wrought in them to perfection; the only thing then remaining to be done, -will be his receiving them into his immediate presence, to behold his -glory; and banishing others, for ever, from him, with marks of infamy -and detestation. And, in order hereunto, he will raise the dead, and -give a summons to the whole world of angels and men, to appear before -his tribunal in that day in which he is appointed, by the Father, to -judge the world in righteousness; which is the subject insisted on in -this answer. In speaking to which, we shall - -I. Prove that there shall be a day of judgment. - -II. Consider the person, the character, and the solemnity of the -appearing of the great Judge, to whom this work is committed. - -III. The persons to be judged, angels and men. - -IV. The manner in which he shall proceed in judging them. And, - -V. Some circumstances concerning the place where, and the time when this -great and awful work shall be performed. - -I. We are to prove that there shall be a day of judgment. This is as -evident a truth as that there is a providence, or that God is the -Governor of the world. Every intelligent creature, who is the subject of -moral government, affords an argument for the proof of this doctrine. -And accordingly we must consider them as under a law which he has given, -as that by which they are to be governed. From hence arises our -obligation to duty, and being rendered accountable to the great -Lawgiver, as to what concerns our obedience to, or violation of his law. -And God is obliged, in honour, to make a scrutiny into, or take an -account of our behaviour, that it may be known whether we have obeyed or -rebelled against him. This is evident from the concern which the glory -of his own perfections has herein; and the promises and threatnings -annexed to his law, which he is obliged to fulfil or execute. From -whence it follows, that God will display his glory as the Judge of the -world. - -This is plainly revealed in scripture; it was foretold in the early ages -of the world, as contained in the epistle of Jude, in ver. 14, 15. -_Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute -judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of -all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed, and of all -their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him_: -which words, though they might have a peculiar relation to the judgment -which God would execute in the destruction of the old world; yet it is -plain by the application hereof made by the apostle, that it looks as -far as the final judgment, which shall be in the end of time. And this -likewise appears from what is said in Eccles. xii. 14. that _God shall -bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be -good, or whether it be evil_. There are, indeed, many displays of God’s -judicial hand in the present dispensations of his providence, as he is -said to be _known by the judgment which he executeth_, Psal. ix. 16. The -visible token of his regard to his saints in this world, as well as the -public and dreadful display of his vengeance poured forth upon his -enemies, proclaim his glory, as God, the Judge of all. But inasmuch as -sin deserves greater punishments than what are inflicted here; and the -promises which God has made for the encouragement of his people, give -them occasion to look beyond the present scene of affairs; and -especially since the divine dealings with men, as to what respects -outward things, cannot so clearly be accounted for, while we behold the -righteous oppressed, and many of the wicked having, as it were, more -than heart could wish; this plainly argues, that there is a time coming -when matters will be adjusted; and, as the Psalmist says, ‘A man shall -say,’ or every one shall have occasion to say, ‘Verily there is a reward -for the righteous; verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth,’ Psal. -lviii. 11. - -Moreover, this doctrine is not only revealed in scripture, but it is -impressed on the consciences of men; which, though they never took so -much pains to extinguish their apprehension or dread thereof, it is -impossible for them to do it. That secret remorse or terror which -sinners feel within their own breasts, which makes them restless and -uneasy, especially when they perceive themselves to stand on the -confines of another world, is an undeniable argument that there is a -future judgment. What was it that made Belshazzar’s _countenance to -change_? Why did his _thoughts trouble him, so that the joints of his -loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another_, when he saw -the _hand-writing on the wall_, in the midst of all his mirth and -jollity? Dan. v. 6. Was he afraid of the united forces of the Persians -and Medes, who at that time invested the capital city in which he was? -Did he know that he should be slain before the morning? That was most -remote from his thoughts, as apprehending himself safe from any danger -that might arise from that quarter. Was he afraid of punishment from -men? His condition in the world set him above the dread of any such -event. It was only the sense he had of a future judgment from God, that -produced these effects in him. It was this that made the Heathen -governor _tremble_, when the apostle _reasoned of righteousness, -temperance, and judgment to come_, Acts xxiv. 25. And when he was -disputing with the Athenians, though they mocked and treated what he -said about the resurrection with ridicule; yet none of them had any -thing to object against this doctrine that _God would judge the world in -righteousness_, chap. xvii. 31. - -It may be observed that the doctrine of future rewards and punishments, -as the result of a sentence passed on men after death, is so often -mentioned by heathen-writers, that it is evident they either received by -tradition, or understood it by the light of nature; though, when they -enter into particular explications thereof, we meet with little but what -is fabulous and trifling. Some of them suppose the rewards and -punishments to be in other bodies, agreeably to the doctrine of the -transmigration of souls, as before-mentioned. Others speak of fictitious -lakes and rivers in the other world, where men are doomed to abide, at -least, for some time; though they know nothing of the day of judgment, -or the appearance of the whole world before Christ’s tribunal; which is -a matter of pure revelation[184]. - -II. We are now to consider the person, character, and solemnity of the -appearing of the great Judge, to whom this work is more especially -committed. This is a doctrine that can be known no other way than by -divine revelation. The light of nature, indeed, discovers to us that God -shall judge the world; but there is something more than this may be -learned from scripture, as well as those circumstances of glory with -which this work shall be performed. Accordingly we read, - -1. That the person who is to perform this great work, is the Lord Jesus -Christ; of whom it is said, he shall _judge the quick and the dead at -his appearing, and his kingdom_, 2 Tim. iv. 1. And elsewhere, _We must -all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ_; 2 Cor. v. 10. If we -consider his glory as a divine person, he is fit to engage in it. For as -he knoweth all things, he can judge the secrets of men, which no mere -creature can do; and as he has all the other perfections of the divine -nature, he can display and glorify them, in such a way as is necessary, -in determining the final estate of men, and rewarding every one -according to his work. - -We may also observe, that this is a branch of his Mediatorial dignity, -and contains in it a part of the execution of his Kingly office; it was -contained in that commission which he received of the Father. Thus it is -said, that _the Father judgeth no man_, John v. 22. that is, not in a -visible manner, or by any delegated power, which he is invested with, -‘but hath committed all judgment to the Son,’ and, it is said, he has -‘given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of -man,’ ver. 27. And to this we may add, that it is a part of the work -which was incumbent on him in the application of redemption, which -cannot be said to be brought to the utmost perfection, till the day of -judgment: Thus when he speaks concerning his ‘coming in a cloud with -power and great glory’; then he bids his people ‘lift up their heads, -inasmuch as their redemption draweth nigh,’ Luke xxi. 27, 28. We might -also add to this, that it was very expedient that he should judge the -world, since he was unjustly judged and condemned by the world; -therefore the cause must have a second hearing, that his enemies, at -whose bar he once stood, may be fully convinced, to their eternal -confusion, that he was not the person they took him to be, that he did -not deserve the treatment and rude insults which he met with from them, -when he stood at their tribunal. They asked him this question, ‘Art thou -the Christ, the Son of the blessed?’ to which he replied, ‘I am: And ye -shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming -in the clouds of heaven,’ Mark xiv. 61-64. wherein he applied to himself -what the prophet Daniel said concerning him, Dan. vii. 13. and thereby -intimated, that this would be the most visible and incontestible proof -of his Mediatorial glory, with which he was invested, as the Son of man; -upon which the high-priest rent his clothes, apprehending that he spake -blasphemy; after which they all condemned him to be guilty of death. -Therefore it is expedient that this visible proof of his Sonship and -Mediatorial glory should be given, and that he should perform this great -work, which was incumbent on him, as he gave them to expect. It is his -‘coming with clouds, that every eye shall see;’ that shall oblige ‘them -which pierced him, and all the kindreds of the earth,’ who set -themselves against him, ‘to wail because of him,’ Rev. i. 7. - -It was also necessary that he should judge the world, that he might -publicly vindicate his people, who have been judged and condemned by the -world for his sake; and that his cause and interest, which has been -trampled on by them, might be defended in the most public and glorious -manner, which will afford an everlasting conviction, that he whom men -despised, whose glory was set light by, whose gospel was rejected and -persecuted, is a person worthy of universal honour and esteem. Thus -concerning the person who is appointed to judge the world, and the -character in which he shall do it: which leads us, - -2. To consider the solemnity of his appearing, when engaging in it. The -work being the most glorious that ever was performed since the world was -created, and the honour redounding to Christ as the result thereof, -being the last and highest degree of his state of exaltation; it cannot -but be supposed that he will appear with those ensigns of majesty and -regal dignity that become his character as the Judge of quick and dead: -accordingly we have an account of his ‘appearing in his own glory, and -in his Father’s, and of the holy angels,’ Luke ix. 26. _His own glory_ -respects the rays of his divinity shining forth; whereby it will appear, -that he has a natural right to summon the whole world before him. This -cannot but strike a terror into his enemies, and enhance the joy and -triumph of his friends, and excite the adoration that is due to so -glorious a person. His appearing in _his Father’s glory_, denotes that -this is the highest display of his Mediatorial dignity; the reward of -his having perfectly fulfilled the commission given him by the Father, -and fully answered the end for which he became incarnate. And his -appearing in the _glory of his holy angels_, implies the reverence and -homage which they will pay to him, into whose hands they are given, as -ministering spirits, to fulfil his pleasure, and who always rejoice in -the advancement of his kingdom. - -The angels shall not indeed be employed in raising the dead, for that is -a work too great for finite power; but we read of their ministry as -subservient to the glory of the solemnity, as consisting in their -appearing with Christ as his retinue; so it is said, that he shall ‘come -in his glory, and all the holy angels with him,’ Matt. xxv. 31. These, -indeed make up his train; but do not convey to him the least branch of -that glory or character he is invested with: but it is their honour to -attend him, whose servants they are; their work is to praise and adore -him, and to shew their readiness to fulfil his pleasure, without -desiring to usurp the least branch of his glory. - -The first thing they are represented as doing, is, their attending his -coming with a shout, or the word of command first given forth by Christ, -and transmitted by them to the whole world, whereby they shall be -summoned to appear before him. This shall doubtless be attended with -universal joy and triumph expressed by them. And whereas Christ is said -to _come with the sound of a trumpet_, 1 Thess. iv. 16. this is either -to be considered in allusion to the custom of calling the hosts -together, which was by the sound of a trumpet, Num. x. 2. _&c._[185] or -else we may understand it in a literal sense, for some sound like that -of a trumpet, which shall be heard throughout the world, which shall -have a tendency to excite the joy and triumph of the saints, and to -strike terror into the wicked. And as this trumpet gives an alarm to all -to appear before Christ’s tribunal; the angels are represented as -assisting in bringing them thither. It is by them that the saints _which -remain alive, shall be caught up_ with others _in the clouds to meet the -Lord in the air_, 1 Thess. iv. 17. and they are said to _gather together -the elect from the four winds, from one end of the heaven to the -other_.[186] And elsewhere, our Saviour, speaking of the _end of the -world_, which he calls the _harvest_, represents the angels as -_reapers_, Matt. xiii. 39. which he explains as denoting that _at the -end of the world the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from -among the just_, ver. 49. which plainly intimates that they are to -gather the elect together. And inasmuch as there must be a separation -between them and the wicked, so that one shall be set at Christ’s right -hand, the other at his left; this, as it is more than probable, shall be -done by the ministry of angels, chap. xxv. 32. And then the Judge is -represented as _sitting on his throne_, ver. 31. this is called -elsewhere a judgment-seat, agreeable to his character as a judge; and it -is here styled his throne, as expressive of the majesty and royal -dignity with which he shall perform this great work. Which leads us, - -III. To consider the persons who are to be judged, things being thus -prepared for it; and these are said to be angels and men, _i. e._ all -who are summoned to appear before Christ’s tribunal. Whether the holy -angels are included in the number of those whom Christ will judge, it is -not safe for us to pretend to determine, since scripture is silent as to -this matter. That they are the subjects of moral government is evident, -because they are intelligent creatures; and it follows from hence, that -they are accountable to God for their behaviour as such. It is also -certain, that they are employed by our Saviour, in _fulfilling his -pleasure_; and pursuant thereto, they are _sent forth by him to minister -to the heirs of salvation_, Heb. i. 14. and upon this account it may not -be reckoned foreign to the work of the day, for Christ to give a public -testimony to their faithfulness in the discharge of every work which has -been committed to them; especially since the saints, who, in some -respects, may be said to have been their charge and care, have received -no small advantage from the good offices which they have performed for -them by Christ’s appointment: but more than this, I think, cannot be -determined, with respect to their being judged by Christ. Therefore, -many conclude, that, properly speaking, they are not included in the -number of those that shall be judged by him; and that either because -they are represented as attending him, when he comes to judgment; and -are never spoken of as standing before his tribunal, as persons whose -cause is to be tried by him; or because they are considered, as long -before this confirmed in holiness and happiness, and as beholding the -face of God in heaven; and consequently not to be dealt with as those -who are to undergo a farther scrutiny, in order to their having, a new -sentence passed upon them. - -As to what respects the fallen angels, they are to be brought as -criminals before Christ’s tribunal, in order to his passing a righteous -sentence upon them. Whether the charge of their apostacy from God, shall -be again renewed, and hereby sin traced to the very first spring and -fountain of it, we know not: but all the guilt that they have contracted -since they were, by a former sentence, cast out of heaven, shall be laid -to their charge: all that they have done against the interest of God in -the world, begun in the seduction of our first parents, and continued -ever since, with all those methods of revenge and subtilty whereby they -have opposed the kingdom of Christ in the world, and endeavoured to ruin -his people, will be alleged against them, as well as the bold attempt -they made on him in his own Person, whilst he was in a state of -humiliation. Thus the fallen angels, though represented as cast down to -hell, are yet said to _be delivered into chains of darkness, and -reserved unto judgment_, 2 Pet. ii. 4. Jude, ver. 6. This they are, at -present, apprehensive of, and are accordingly said _to tremble_, Jam. -ii. 19. at the fore-thoughts of it: it may also be inferred from what -they said to our Saviour, _Art thou come to torment us before the time_, -Matt. viii. 29. and, as the result hereof, it is said, that _the devil -was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone_, Rev. xx. 10. _i. e._ -adjudged to endure a greater degree of torment in proportion to the -increase of his guilt. - -But that which is more particularly insisted on in scripture, in which -we are immediately concerned, is what relates to men, as those who are -to be judged by Christ. This is set forth in universal terms; the -apostle says, _We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, -that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to -that he hath done, whether it be good or bad_, 2 Cor. v. 10. men of all -ranks and conditions, _small and great_, Rev. xx. 12. _quick and dead_, -2 Tim. iv. 1. _i. e._ those who died before, or shall be found alive at -his coming, _the righteous and the wicked_, Eccl. iii. 17. and among -these, not only them that have lived under the gospel-dispensation; but -others, who have had no other light but that of nature; _As many as have -sinned without law, shall also perish without law_, Rom. ii. 12. We have -no account, indeed, in scripture, of their being adjudged to eternal -life, for their doing, by nature, some things that are contained in the -law; to suppose this, is to be wise above what is written; and, indeed, -it seems contradictory to those scriptures which assert the necessity of -faith in Christ to salvation; but these are generally described as -suffering punishment proportioned to their works. Thus we read of the -_men of Nineveh_, Matt. xii. 41. _the queen of the South_, ver. 42. _the -inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon_, chap. xi. 22. and those of Sodom and -Gomorrah, ver. 24. as _appearing in judgment_, and exposed to a less -degree of punishment than those that sinned against greater light; but -there is not the least intimation given of their being discharged from -condemnation. Our Saviour, indeed, speaks of the ‘servant which knew his -master’s will, and prepared not himself to do according to it, who -should be beaten with many stripes,’ _i. e._ exposed to a greater -condemnation; nevertheless, he, at the same time, intimates that _the -servant who did not know_, _i. e._ who sinned under greater -disadvantages for want of gospel-revelation, even he _should be beaten -with few stripes_; or adjudged to suffer a less degree of punishment. - -The Pelagians, indeed, have endeavoured not only to exempt the Heathen -from the consequences of this judgment; but some have insinuated as -though they were not concerned in it at all: thus one[187] supposes, -that the persons who are represented as appearing at Christ’s tribunal, -Matt. xxv. and sentenced, by him, according to their works, are only -those who made a profession of the Christian religion. And the principal -argument that he brings to support this opinion is, because they, on -whom a sentence of condemnation is passed, are accused of not -ministering to Christ’s members, which is interpreted as not giving him -meat, when he was hungry, or drink when he was thirsty, _&c._ which -charge could not have been brought against those that never heard of -Christ; or if it had, they might have excused themselves by alleging -that it was impossible for them to shew this respect to him whom they -never knew. But to this it may be replied, that though our Saviour’s -design here, is to aggravate the condemnation of those who sinned under -the gospel, and to charge some with crimes of the highest nature; yet -there is nothing mentioned, exclusive of others, so as to give occasion -to suppose that the judgment of the great day will respect only those -who have set under the sound of the gospel. Therefore we have ground to -conclude, that as the resurrection of the dead will be universal; so all -that have lived, or shall live, from the beginning to the end of time, -shall be the subjects of the judicial proceedings in that solemn and -awful day; which leads us to consider, - -IV. The manner in which Christ shall proceed in judging the world. It is -evident, that the design of this glorious transaction is to determine -the final state of all men, which will be done in a public and visible -manner, that it may appear that the Judge of all does right: this -differs very much from that particular judgment that is passed on every -one at death; in which, though their state be unalterably determined, -yet it is not done in an open and visible manner; but with a design that -the cause should be tried again in that day which is appointed for it. -The account we have in scripture, of the manner in which this shall be -done, bears some resemblance to the proceedings in human courts of -judicature; accordingly the day is set in which causes are to be tried; -the Judge appears with the ensigns of his authority; and being seated on -the tribunal, the persons to be tried appear before him; the cause is -heard; and since all are to be judged according to law, the law is -supposed to be known, or the particular statute, which is the rule of -judgment, must be produced; and whatever charge is to be brought against -any one, it is drawn up in the form of an indictment, and supported by -sufficient evidence, and the persons hereupon acquitted or condemned. In -allusion hereunto we read of Christ’s appearing in a visible manner, -seated on a throne of judgment; or, as it is expressed, of _the Son of -man_, as _appearing with all the holy angels with him_; and his _sitting -upon the throne of his glory, and all nations being gathered before -him_, Matt. xxv. 31, 32. _the judgment seat, and the books opened_, Dan. -vii. 26. Rev. xx. 12. - -The righteous, who are a part of those that shall stand before Christ’s -tribunal, shall be separated from the wicked; the former placed at his -right hand, the latter at his left. With respect to the wicked, an -indictment shall be brought in, in which they shall be charged with the -violation of the holy law of God, with all the aggravating circumstances -thereof, the subject-matter of which is contained in the books that are -said to be opened. And this charge shall be supported by evidence; in -which case men shall be witnesses against one another, so far as they -have been apprised of each other’s behaviour, or immediately concerned -therein: and it is not improbable, that since the holy angels are -conversant in this lower world, as they are sometimes represented as -being present in worshipping assemblies, 1 Cor. xi. 10. and observing -the actions of men, 1 Tim. v. 21. that they shall appear as evidences -against the wicked. And it may be farther observed, that the Judge -himself will be a witness against the criminals, which is not usual in -human courts of judicature; though it does not savour of the least -injustice: thus it is said, ‘I will come near to you to judgment; and I -will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the -adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress -the hireling in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, and that turn -aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of -hosts,’ Mal. iii. 5. The divine Omniscience will put the charge out of -all manner of doubt; from whence there can be no appeal; since it is -impossible for God, either to be deceived himself, or to deceive others. - -But besides this, there shall also be the testimony of conscience, -whereby persons shall stand self-convicted; their ‘own hearts shall -condemn them,’ as well as ‘God, who is greater than their hearts,’ 1 -John iii. 20. Thus it is said, that ‘the consciences of men bear -witness, and their thoughts, in the mean while, accuse or else excuse -one another, in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus -Christ;’ and accordingly ‘every mouth shall be stopped, and all the -world’ of the ungodly ‘become guilty,’ Rom. ii. 15, 16. or appear, by -their own confession, to be so, _before God_, chap. iii. 19. And in -order hereunto, there shall be a particular dispensation of providence, -whereby those sins which have been long since forgotten, shall be -brought to remembrance: this seems intimated in our Saviour’s words in -the parable; ‘Son, remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy -good things,’ _&c._ Luke xvi. 25. and also in God’s _setting the -iniquities_ of sinners _in order before their eyes_, Psal. l. 21. and -this will have a greater tendency to support the charge, than ten -thousand witnesses. - -As to the things that shall be brought into judgment, or be charged, and -proved upon them; these are mentioned in a very particular manner, as it -is said, ‘God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret -thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil,’ Eccl. xii. 14. And -elsewhere, he is represented as ‘executing judgment upon all, and -convincing all that are ungodly of all their ungodly deeds, which they -have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly -sinners have spoken against him,’ Jude, ver. 15. And our Saviour -particularly intimates, Matt. xxv. 42, 43. that their behaviour, under -the means of grace, shall be enquired into, and what they have done -against him, and his interest in the world, alleged against them. - -But now we are speaking concerning those matters which shall be produced -in judgment against the wicked, it may be enquired; whether the smallest -sins committed by them, shall be brought into judgment against them? -This seems to be intimated by our Saviour, when he says, that ‘every -idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the -day of judgment,’ chap. xii. 36. on which some take occasion to complain -of the severity of the divine dispensations, as though it was intended -hereby, that persons shall be condemned to suffer eternal punishments -for a vain thought: but to this it may be replied, that no one will -bring this as an objection against the methods of the divine proceedings -in the great day, who duly considers the infinite evil of sin; or, that -the least sin deserves a sentence of banishment from God, as it is an -affront to his sovereignty, and opposite to his holiness. However let it -be considered that no person in the world shall have reason to complain -that he is separated from God, or rendered eternally miserable, only for -a vain thought, or a sin of infirmity, as though he had been guilty of -nothing else: therefore, when our Saviour says, that ‘every idle word -shall come into judgment,’ the meaning is, that this shall tend to fill -up the measure of their iniquity; so that the punishments which they -shall be exposed to, shall be for this, in conjunction with all other -sins. Every sin brings guilt with it; and all sins taken together, -smaller, as well as greater, enhance the guilt: therefore, our Saviour’s -meaning is this, that every sin exposes men to a degree of condemnation, -in proportion to the aggravation thereof; though they which are of a -more heinous nature, bring with them a greater degree of condemnation. -Thus concerning the charge brought against the wicked. - -The next thing to be considered is, the trial of the righteous, who are -said to stand before Christ’s judgment-seat. Here it may be observed, -that no indictment shall be brought against them, at least, with the -judge’s approbation; for they have been before this acquitted and -discharged, when brought into a justified state; and therefore, as the -consequence hereof, _none_, as the apostle says, _shall lay any thing to -their charge_, since _it is God that justifieth_, Rom. viii. 33. If any -thing be alleged against them by the enemies of God, who loaded them -with reproach, and laid many things to their charge in this world, of -which some have been just, and others unjust and malicious: I say, if -these things should be suffered to be alleged against them, the great -and merciful Judge will appear as an advocate for, and vindicate them -from those charges which are ungrounded; and will farther allege, as a -foundation of their discharge from the guilt of all others, that he has -made a full atonement for them; upon which account, when they are sought -for, they shall not be found in judgment, or charged upon them to their -shame, confusion, or condemnation; but they shall be pronounced -righteous, as interested in Christ’s righteousness; and this shall be -evinced by his producing those graces which are inseparably connected -with, though not the foundation of their justification, that so the -method of the divine proceedings, in this respect, may be vindicated, -and it may appear, that as it is said, without holiness no one shall see -the Lord; so these are holy, and therefore they have this internal -quality, which denotes them such whom God designed to save: this I take -to be the meaning of that expression of our Saviour to the righteous, -when he pronounces them blessed, and invites them to _come and inherit -the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world: for I -was an hungred and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty and ye gave me drink_, -&c. Matt. xxv. 34, 35. where the word _for_ is taken demonstratively, -and, not casually; and denotes that they were such who might expect to -be admitted to this honour and blessedness, as having those marks and -characters of his children upon them, to which the promise of salvation -was annexed; not as though any thing done by them was the cause of it. -From hence it appears, that the graces of God’s people shall be -published before angels and men, to the praise of the glory of him who -was the author of them. - -But there is a difficult question which is proposed by some, namely, -whether the sins of God’s people shall be published in the great day; -though it is certain they shall not be alleged against them to their -condemnation? This is one of the secret things which belong to God, -which he has not so fully or clearly revealed to us in his word; and -therefore we can say little more than what is matter of conjecture about -it. Some have thought that the sins of the godly, though forgiven, shall -be made manifest, that so the glory of that grace which has pardoned -them, may appear more illustrious, and their obligation to God for this, -farther enhanced. They also think that the justice of the proceedings of -that day, requires it; since it is presumed and known by the whole -world, that they were prone to sin, as well as others; and, before -conversion, as great sinners as any; and after it their sins had a -peculiar aggravation: therefore, why should not they be made public, as -a glory due to the justice and holiness of God, and being infinitely -opposite to all sin? And this they farther suppose to be necessary, that -so the impartiality of divine justice may appear. Moreover, since God by -recording the sins of his saints in scripture, has perpetuated the -knowledge thereof; and if it is to their honour that the sins there -mentioned were repented of, as well as forgiven, why may it not be -supposed that the sins of believers shall be made known in the great -day? And besides, this seems agreeable to those expressions of every -word, and every action, as being to be brought into judgment; whether it -be good, or whether it be bad, as in the scripture before-mentioned. - -But it is supposed by others, that though the making known of sin that -is subdued and forgiven, tends to the advancement of divine grace; yet -it is sufficient to answer this end, as far as God designs it shall be -answered, that the sins which have been subdued and forgiven, should be -known to themselves, and this forgiveness afford matter of praise to -God. Again, the expressions of scripture, whereby forgiveness of sin is -set forth, are such as seem to argue, that those sins which were -forgiven, shall not be made manifest; thus they are said to be _blotted -out_, Isa. xliii. 25. _covered_, Psal. xxxii. 1. _subdued_, and _cast -into the depths of the sea_, Micah vii. 19. and _remembered no more_, -&c. Jer. xxxi. 34. Besides, Christ’s being a Judge, doth not divest him -of the character of an advocate, whose part is rather to conceal the -crimes of those whose cause he pleads, than to divulge them. And to this -we may add, that the law which requires duty, and forbids the contrary -sins, is not the rule by which they who are in Christ, are to be -proceeded against; for then they could not stand in judgment; but they -are dealt with according to the tenor of the gospel, which forgives and -covers all sin. And furthermore it is argued, that the public declaring -of all their sins before the whole world, notwithstanding their interest -in forgiving grace, would fill them with such shame, as is hardly -consistent with a state of perfect blessedness. And lastly, the -principal argument insisted on, is, that our Saviour in Matt. xxv. in -which he gives a particular account of the proceedings of that day, -makes no mention of the sins, but only commends the graces of his -saints. Such-like arguments as these are alleged to prove that it is -probable the sins of the saints shall not be exposed to public view, in -the great day. But after all that has been said, it is safest for us not -to be too peremptory in determining this matter, lest, by pretending to -be wise beyond what is clearly revealed in scripture, we betray our own -folly, and too bold presumption, or assert that which is not right of -this glorious Judge. Thus concerning the method in which Christ shall -proceed in judging the world. We are now led to consider, - -V. Some circumstances relating to the place where, and the time when, -this great and awful work shall be performed, at least, so far as it is -convenient for us to enquire into this matter, without giving too much -scope to a vain curiosity, or desire to be wise above what is written. -And, - -1. As to the place; it does not seem probable that it shall be upon the -surface of the earth; because we read, that _they which are_ found -_alive_ at Christ’s coming, _shall be caught up together with them_, -that is, the others who are raised from the dead, _in the clouds, to -meet the Lord in the air_; which immediately follows after the account -which the apostle gives of the Lord’s _descending from heaven with a -shout, with the voice of the arch-angel, and with the trump of God_, 1 -Thes. iv. 16, 17. which is the signal to be given of the immediate -appearance of the Judge: therefore, their being _caught up in the -clouds_, denotes that Christ shall judge the world, in some place above -this earth; otherwise they must be supposed to be caught up thither, and -afterwards obliged to descend from thence, to the place from whence they -were taken, to be judged; which does not seem probable. This is all that -we dare assert, concerning the place where this great and solemn -transaction shall be performed. - -And I the rather observe this, because some are of opinion, that the -valley of Jehoshaphat is designed to be the place, from the application -of that prediction mentioned in the prophet Joel, in chap. iii. 2. _I -will gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of -Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people_:[188] but -that seems to be a prophesy of some signal victory which the church -should gain over its enemies; which shall have its accomplishment before -Christ come to judgment, and be no less remarkable than that which God -gave Jehoshaphat over the Moabites, Ammonites, and the inhabitants of -mount Seir, mentioned in 2 Chron. xx. upon which occasion the place -where it was obtained, was called _the valley of Berachah_, which -signifies blessing: and the prophet does not seem by _the valley of -Jehoshaphat_, to point out any particular place known by that name; but -rather to allude to the signification of the word, as importing the -judgment of the Lord: so that nothing else is intended by it but that -God shall, in the latter day, probably when those scriptures shall have -had their accomplishment, which relate to the conversion of the Jews, -execute some remarkable judgment against the heathen, amongst whom they -were scattered. Therefore it cannot, with the least shadow of justice, -be argued from hence, that this is the place where all nations of the -earth shall be gathered to judgment. Besides, some have observed, that -how great soever this valley may be, it is not large enough to hold the -vast multitudes that shall be convened on this occasion. - -As to what concerns the time when Christ shall judge the world; this is -called, in scripture, _a day_, Acts xvii. 31. not to signify that the -whole work shall be performed in that space of time, which we generally -call _a day_; for that can hardly be sufficient for the performing the -many things that are to be done in it. Some have thought that the whole -process shall take up no less than a thousand years; and suppose, that -the apostle Peter intimates as much, when speaking concerning the day of -judgment, he says, _One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a -thousand years as one day_, 2 Pet. iii. 8. Thus the excellent Mr. Mede -understands that scripture:[189] but since this is not more clearly -explained by other scriptures, speaking to the same purpose, I dare not -be too peremptory in giving into this opinion; but would rather -conclude, that the time of the continuance thereof, is called _a day_, -as denoting a season appointed for the dispatch of a work, whether it be -longer or shorter. Thus Christ calls that season, in which the gospel -was preached to the Jews, _their day_, Luke xix. 42. And therefore it is -the safest way for us to acknowledge this to be a secret which belongs -not to us to enquire into. - -As to the time when Christ shall come to judgment, or when this glorious -day shall begin, that is also considered, not only as a matter kept -secret from us, but from all creatures: thus our Saviour, speaking -concerning it, says, ‘Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the -angels of heaven, but my Father only,’ Matt. xxiv. 36. This is -particularly intimated in the answer we are explaining; and the reason -assigned why it is kept secret from us, _viz._ that all may watch and -pray, and be ready for the coming of the Lord; which is certainly a -matter of the highest importance; and it is evident, that if God had -either revealed the time of Christ’s coming to judgment, or let men know -how long they should continue in this world, before that judgment, which -is past on all at death, it might have given occasion to the corruption -of our nature, to have put off all thoughts about it, till it was at -hand: therefore our Saviour, in wisdom, as well as kindness to his -people, has represented his coming under the similitude of _a thief in -the night_, 2 Thes. v. 2. and accordingly says, _Therefore be ye also -ready; for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh_, Matt. -xxiv. 44. Thus concerning the day of judgment. As to what respects the -consequence hereof, and the sentence which shall be pronounced on the -righteous and the wicked, that is the subject-matter of the two -following answers. - -All that I shall add at present is, some practical inferences from this -doctrine of Christ’s coming to judgment. - -(1.) What has been observed concerning Christ’s coming to judge the -world in his own glory, and that of his Father, and of his holy angels, -should fill us with high and honourable thoughts of him; and since the -angels reckon it an honour to attend him as ministering spirits in that -great day, this should excite in us an holy ambition to approve -ourselves his servants in all things, and to account it our honour that -he will esteem us such. - -(2.) Since Christ at his coming to judgment, will bring all things to -light, and impartially state and try the cause of every one, who shall -be rewarded according to their works; this should silence, and fence -against, all unbelieving thoughts, which may arise in the minds of men, -concerning the seemingly unequal distributions of providence, in God’s -dealing with the righteous and the wicked, as to what respects the -outward affairs of life, and make us easy, though we know not his design -in the various afflictive providences wherewith we are exercised; since -we are not to expect those blessings here, which he has reserved for his -people, at Christ’s appearing to judgment; which, if he is pleased to -bestow upon us hereafter, we shall then have the highest reason to -admire his wisdom, goodness, and faithfulness, in the whole method of -his providential dealings with us. - -(3.) This doctrine tends to reprove the atheism and profaneness of -those, who make a jest of, or scoff, at the day of judgment; like those -the apostle Peter mentions, whom he calls _scoffers, walking after their -own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the -fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning -of the creation_, 2 Pet. iii. 3, 4. It also reproves those who abuse the -day of God’s patience; and because his coming to judgment is delayed, -take occasion to commit the vilest crimes. Thus our Saviour speaks of -some as doing, and intimates that he will _come in a day when they look -not for him, and shall cut them asunder, and appoint them their portion -with hypocrites_, Matt. xxiv. 48-51. - -(4.) This doctrine should stir us up to universal holiness, and the -greatest circumspection and diligence in the service of God; as the -apostle says, when speaking concerning Christ’s coming to judgment, with -those displays of terrible majesty that shall attend it, _what manner of -persons ought we to be, in all holy conversation and godliness, looking -for, and hasting unto the coming of the day of God_, 2 Pet. iii. 11, 12. - -(5.) Since we expect that Christ will judge the world at the last day, -it behoves us to be often judging and trying ourselves, examining how -matters stand between God and us; and whether we behave ourselves in -such a way as that we may be meet for Christ’s coming, and have boldness -in the day of judgment; as the apostle says, _If we would judge -ourselves, we should not be judged_, 1 Cor. xi. 31. that is, with the -judgment of condemnation. - -(6.) It is an inexpressible advantage when we can conclude, upon good -grounds, that this great Judge is our Friend, our Saviour, our Advocate, -and that, living and dying, we shall be found in him; for then, though -he come in such a way as will strike the utmost terror and confusion -into his enemies, we shall be found of him in peace: and the consequence -of this day’s solemnity shall be our admission into his immediate -presence, and being for ever blessed therein. - -Footnote 184: - - _We often read in Heathen-writers, of Æacus, Minus and Rhadamanthus, - as appointed to pass a judgment on every one at death, fix them in - their respective places of residence, and determine their rewards and - punishments. These are generally supposed to have lived about Moses’s - time, and are commended for the exercise of justice, and making laws, - some of which they are supposed to have received from heaven; and as - the reward hereof, have the honour, of being judges of men at death, - conferred upon them. Some have been ready to conclude that the account - which the Heathen give of these three famous law-givers and judges, is - nothing else but a corruption of a tradition which they had received - concerning Moses, the great law-giver to the Israelites, set forth by - different names, with several things fabulous added thereunto. They - who have a mind to see a very learned and critical disquisition on - this subject, may consult Huet Demonst. Evang. Prop._ iv. § 9-13. _And - as for the variety of punishments which these judges inflicted, the - lakes and rivers of fire to which they are condemned, see Plato’s - account thereof, translated by Eusebius, in Præp. Evang. Lib._ xi. - _Cap._ xxxvii. _who thinks that some things mentioned by him, bear a - resemblance to the punishment of sin, which we read of in scripture, - which he supposes he received by tradition, from some that were - acquainted with divine revelation, as he did many other things which - he speaks of in his writings_. - -Footnote 185: - - _See Vol. II. Quest. LVI._ - -Footnote 186: - - _Matt._ xxiv. 31. _This is the most common sense of those words; and - how far soever they are supposed, by some, to be taken in a figurative - sense, for the preaching of the gospel throughout the whole world, - after the destruction of the Jewish state, which some have supposed, - is principally intended by what is mentioned in the foregoing verses; - yet most conclude that several things in this account of Christ’s - glorious appearance, are not without some allusion, at least to what - shall be more eminently accomplished, when he shall come to judgment._ - -Footnote 187: - - _Curcellæus in Dissert. de necessit. cognit. Christ._ § vi. - -Footnote 188: - - _Of this opinion were some among the Papists, and particularly - Cornelius a Lapide, Vid. ejusd. comment in Loc. who describes it as a - place situate at the foot of the mount of Olives, in or near the place - where our Saviour was in his agony betrayed and delivered by Judas, - into the hands of his enemies. Therefore this will be, according to - him, the fittest place for him to execute judgment upon them, and to - appear in this triumphant and glorious manner, in order thereunto. And - this is mentioned by many Jewish writers, who maintained it. Thus the - author of the Chaldee Paraphrase on Canticles_ viii. 5. _speaks to - this purpose, that the dead shall be raised, and the mountain of - Olives shall be cleft, and all the dead of Israel shall come out from - thence; and that the just, who died in the captivity, and consequently - were not buried in or near that place, shall come through the caverns - of the earth, that they may here arise to judgment. And several - Rabbinical writers give into this chimera, which is also mentioned in - both the Talmuds. And many of the modern Jews, as is observed by some - late travellers into the holy land, are so fond of burying their dead - in or near this place, that they might not have far to come under the - earth, when they rise from the dead, and must appear here at the day - of judgment, that they pay a certain sum of money for the privilege of - burying their dead therein. See Hody on the resurrection, Page 70, - 71._ - -Footnote 189: - - _See his works, Lib._ iii. _Comment. apocal. page 662. and his - remains, chap._ xi. _page 748. in which he is followed by some others, - and the learned Gale, in his court of the Gentiles, Part_ I. _Book_ - iii. _chap._ vii. _Page 78. speaks of some Jewish writers as - maintaining, that the world shall continue 6000 years; and from thence - to the 7000th shall be the day of judgment. And he also mentions this - as an opinion which Plato had received by conversing with some of - them; and concludes, that this is the great Platonick year, which is - mentioned by him, and his followers._ - - - - - Quest. LXXXIX. - - - QUEST. LXXXIX. _What shall be done to the wicked at the day of - judgment?_ - - ANSW. At the day of judgment the wicked shall be set on Christ’s - left hand; and upon clear evidence, and full conviction of their own - consciences, shall have the fearful, but just sentence of - condemnation pronounced against them; and thereupon shall be cast - out from the favourable presence of God, and the glorious fellowship - with Christ, his saints, and all his holy angels, into hell, to be - punished with unspeakable torments both of body and soul, with the - devil and his angels for ever. - -Having, under the last answer, taken a view of Christ, as coming to -judgment; and the whole world as seated at his tribunal, the wicked on -his left hand, and the righteous on his right; the books opened, the -cause tried, and the evidence produced; we are now to consider the -sentence that will be past on each of them, together with the -consequences thereof: and particularly we have an account in this -answer, of a sentence of condemnation, pronounced against the wicked, -and the punishment inflicted on them, pursuant thereunto; which our -Saviour expresses in words full of dread and horror; _Then shall he say -unto them on the left hand, Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting -fire, prepared for the devil and his angels; and these shall go away -into everlasting punishment_, Matt. xxv. 41, 45. This includes in it an -eternal banishment and separation from him, in whose favour there is -life. As sin is the object of his detestation, it being contrary to the -holiness of his nature, they who are found in open rebellion against -him, shall not _stand in his sight_, Psal. v. 5. As they did not desire -his special and gracious presence, which his saints always reckoned -their chief joy, in this world; they shall be deprived of it in the -next. And when they are commanded to depart from him, they are described -as _cursed_, that is, bound over to suffer all those punishments which -the vindictive justice of God will inflict, that are contained in those -threatenings which are denounced by his law that they have violated, and -sent down into hell, to be punished with unspeakable torments, both in -body and soul, with the devil and his angels, for ever. Accordingly -there are three things to be considered, relating to the punishment of -sinners in another world, namely, the kind thereof, its degree, and -eternal duration. - -I. As to the kind of punishment; that is generally considered in two -respects, namely, the punishment of loss and sense. - -1. Concerning the punishment of loss. This contains in it a separation -from God, the fountain of blessedness; a being destitute of every thing -that might administer comfort to them; and, as the consequence hereof, -they are deprived not only of fellowship with Christ, but with his -saints. Not that they were ever the objects of their love or delight, -but, on the other hand, their conversation was distasteful and -burdensome; especially when it was in itself most savoury and spiritual: -nevertheless, it is reckoned to be one ingredient in their misery, as -our Saviour expresses it, when he speaks of the _workers of iniquity_, -as first commanded to _depart from him_, Luke xiii. 27, 28. and then -tells them, _Ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the -prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out_: where -the happiness of others is considered as what will raise their envy, and -prove a torment to them. - -2. There is the punishment of sense: this is set forth by those -unspeakable torments to be endured both in soul and body; and because no -pain is so exquisite as that which is occasioned by fire, it is -therefore called _unquenchable and everlasting fire_, Matt. iii. 12. -chap. xxv. 41. As for that enquiry which some make, whether the fire be -elementary or material, like that which is in this world, it savours -more of curiosity than what tends to real advantage: and since it is -called a fire, prepared for the devil and his angels, some have a little -hesitated about this matter, as concluding it impossible for material -fire to affect spirits; but I am not desirous to enter too far into this -disquisition. It is, indeed, a hard matter for us to determine whether, -or how far a spirit is capable of the punishment of sense, any otherwise -than, as, by reason of its union with the body, it has an afflictive -sensation of the evils which that immediately endures; and therefore, -some have thought, that when we read of the fire of hell, it is to be -taken in a metaphorical sense, to denote those punishments which are -most exquisite, and have a tendency to torment both soul and body in -different respects. The soul is to be tormented as the wrath of God has -an immediate access to it, to make it miserable: and though this cannot -be styled the punishment of sense in the same respect as that is of -which the body is the more immediate subject; yet if we take the word -_sense_, as importing an intellectual perception of those miseries that -it undergoes, whereby it is made uneasy, and in a moral sense, subject -to pain, as we sometimes speak of the pain of the mind, as well as that -of the body, then it may be said to endure the punishment of sense, -though it be in a spiritual substance. - -There are various ways by which the wrath of God may have access to the -soul, to make it miserable; and this punishment is sometimes compared to -fire, as it is beyond expression dreadful; and accordingly God, when -inflicting it, is styled, _A consuming fire_, Heb. xii. 29. and _his -jealousy_ is said elsewhere to _burn like fire_, Psal. lxxix. 5. -Therefore, some have described the punishment of sin in hell, as -including in it the insupportable weight of the wrath of God lying on -the consciences of men, and sinking them into perdition; whereby it -appears to be _a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living -God_, Heb. x. 31. A judicious divine considers this as the effect of -God’s immediate presence, as a sin-revenging Judge; and therefore -understands that text, in which it is said, _They shall be punished with -everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord_, 2 Thes. i. 9. -not as denoting an exclusion from his comforting presence, which is an -undoubted truth, and the more generally received sense thereof; but he -speaks of the presence of God, as well as his power, as the immediate -cause of their destruction; in like manner as when the Psalmist joins -both these ideas together, when he says, _Who knoweth the power of thine -anger_, Psal. xc. 11. and it seems most agreeable to the grammatical -construction of the words.[190] This is that punishment which is more -immediately adapted to the soul. - -As for the punishment of sense, which the body shall endure, whether it -be compared unto fire, as containing in it some effects, not unlike to -those produced by fire; or, whether it only signifies that the -punishment shall be most exquisite, as no pain is so terrible as that -which is the effect of fire, I will not pretend to determine. There are, -indeed, other expressions by which it is set forth in scripture, as well -as fire, _viz._ _cutting asunder_, Matt. xxiv. 51. _tearing in pieces_, -Psal. l. 22. _drowning men in destruction and perdition_, 1 Tim. vi. 9. -_a being bound hand and foot_, and _cast into outer darkness_, Matt. -xxii. 13. or, into _a furnace of fire_, chap. xiii. 42. or, _a lake of -fire burning with brimstone_, Rev. xix. 20. some of which are, -doubtless, metaphorical expressions, by which the punishment of sin is -set forth; but whether they are all so we must not be too positive in -determining: however, some suppose they are, because the glory of heaven -is described by the metaphors of _streets of gold, gates of pearl_, Rev. -xxi. 21. _rivers of pleasure_, &c. Psal. xxxvi. 8. and the wrath of God -is metaphorically described, when he is called _a consuming fire_, Heb. -xii. 29. Therefore, as the glory of heaven is represented by metaphors, -denoting that it is inconceivably great; so, if we suppose that the -punishment of sin in hell, is set forth by metaphorical ways of -speaking, we cannot from hence, in all respects, take an estimate of the -quality thereof; nevertheless we must conclude in general from such-like -expressions, by which it is represented, that it is inexpressibly -terrible, such as respects both soul and body, which is called, as has -been observed in different respects, the punishment of sense. Which -leads us, - -II. To consider this punishment, as to the degree thereof, which is -generally described as being various, in proportion to the aggravations -of sin committed; accordingly they who have sinned under the -gospel-dispensation, are considered as exposed to a greater degree of -punishment than others who have not had those advantages. Thus the -apostle says, _Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy, -who hath trodden under foot the Son of God_, chap. x. 29. And our -Saviour speaking concerning the Scribes and Pharisees, who were -notorious hypocrites, whose religion was no more than a pretence, and -made subservient to the vilest practices, tells them, that _they should -receive the greater damnation_, Matt. xxiii. 14. that is, a greater -degree of punishment, as they had contracted greater guilt than others: -and the apostle speaks of some who had had great advantages through the -_riches of God’s goodness and forbearance_ towards them, but yet were -_impenitent_, and hardened in sin; these, says he, _treasure up unto -themselves wrath against the day of wrath_, Rom. ii. 5. that is, add -greater degrees to the punishment which they shall endure in another -world. - -III. We are to consider the punishment, which sinners are liable to in -the world to come, as to its duration, in which respect, it shall be -without intermission, and eternal. That there shall be no relaxation of -punishment, may be proved from what our Saviour says in the parable; in -which the _rich man_, who was tormented in flames, could not obtain _one -drop of water to cool his tongue_, Luke xvi. 26. Thus we read of those -who are said to _drink of the wine of the wrath of God_, which is -_poured out without mixture, into the cup of his indignation_; and that -_the smoke of their torment ascendeth for ever and ever_; and that _they -have no rest day nor night_, Rev. xiv. 10, 11. And our Saviour speaks of -the two main ingredients in the punishment of sin; namely, the -tormenting sense which conscience shall have of the wrath of God due to -it; and the punishment of sense, which is compared to that that proceeds -from fire, and both are described as eternal; where _their worm dieth -not, and the fire is not quenched_, Mark ix. 44, 46, 48. - -That the punishment of sin in another world will be eternal, may be -argued from the impossibility of their obtaining a discharge from the -sentence of condemnation, under which they are, unless satisfaction be -given to the justice of God for sins committed; but this cannot be given -by the person that suffers; inasmuch as his sufferings are due to him, -pursuant to the sentence of the judge, and agreeable to the demerit of -sin; which being, as it is usually expressed objectively infinite, -because committed against an infinite God, and containing a contempt of -his sovereignty and other perfections which are infinite; therefore it -deserves a punishment proportionable thereto. And since the sufferings -of finite creatures are no other than finite, and consequently bear no -proportion to the demands of infinite justice, they must be infinite in -duration, that is, eternal. It may also be observed, that at the same -time that persons are suffering for past sins, they are committing -others. This is not like God’s furnace, which is in Zion; whereby he -designs not to consume, but to refine and purge away the dross and the -tin; for it cannot, in any instance be said, that this is overruled for -good. Therefore the habits of sin are increased rather than weakened -thereby; and consequently sinners are set at a farther distance from -God, from holiness and happiness; which, because it is still increasing, -their punishment must be eternal. - -And to this we may add, that there is no Mediator appointed between God -and them; none who has undertaken to pay this debt for them, and procure -their discharge, as the apostle says concerning those who have _sinned -wilfully after they had received the knowledge of the truth; there -remaineth no more sacrifice for sin_, Heb. x. 26. no advocate to plead -their cause; no ordinances in which the glad tidings of salvation are -published, nor any golden sceptre of mercy held forth to invite them to -come in, or give them hope of finding acceptance in the sight of God; no -covenant of grace that contains any promise that will afford relief; and -no inclination, in their own souls, to return to God with an humble -sense of sin, and desire to forsake it, and from hence arises -everlasting despair, beyond expression tormenting, which the apostle -calls _blackness of darkness for ever_, Jude ver. 13. - -This is a very awful and awakening subject; and many are as little -desirous to hear of these things, as the people were to hear of the -account which the prophet Isaiah gave them of approaching judgments; and -therefore they say, _Cause the holy One of Israel to cease from before -us_, Isa. xxx. 11. But since there is such a passion in men as fear; and -this is oftentimes made subservient to their spiritual advantage, it -pleases God, in wisdom and mercy, sometimes to reveal those things in -his word, which have a tendency to awaken our fears, and to set before -us death as well as life, the threatenings as well as the promises, that -hereby we may see it to be our duty and interest to flee from the wrath -to come; and to use those precautions prescribed in the gospel, which -may have a tendency, through divine grace, to prevent our sinking into -everlasting perdition. They who cast off fear, and think themselves -safe, because the rod of God is not upon them, generally cast off a -sense of duty, and say unto God, _Depart from us; for we desire not the -knowledge of thy ways_, Job xxi. 9, 14. Therefore these subjects are to -be insisted on as warnings to induce men to avoid the rock on which -multitudes have split and perished; not to lead them to despair. -However, there is great need of prudence in applying every truth in such -a way as that it may be of advantage; which renders the work of those -that are employed in preaching the gospel, exceeding difficult: every -one must have those doctrines inculcated and applied to him, that are -adapted to his respective condition, as well as founded on the word of -God; and therefore we may observe, - -1. That such subjects as these, though they are not to be concealed, as -being a part of the counsel of God, and a means ordained by him, to -answer some valuable end; yet they are not only, or principally to be -insisted on, as though there were no passion to be wrought upon but -fear. It is the stupid person that is to be awakened out of his -lethargy, by violent methods: the man that says, I shall have peace, -though I walk according to the corrupt inclinations of my own heart; the -danger is over; or that no ill consequences will attend that wilful -impenitency and unbelief, which is like to prove destructive to him; or, -if a person is willing to deceive himself, and endeavours to extenuate -his sin, apprehending the consequences thereof not to be so pernicious -as they really are; or, that the mercy of God will save him, though -remaining in open rebellion against him, as though there were no arrows -in his quiver, or vials of wrath to be poured forth on his enemies. Such -ought to be dealt with, by representing God as a consuming fire, with -whom is terrible majesty; and they must be told of the punishment of sin -in this and another world, that they may see their danger before it be -too late to escape. If it be said, that the terrors of God have a -tendency to drive persons to despair. To this it may be replied, that -the persons we are speaking of, are so far from despairing of the mercy -of God, that they are inclined to abuse it; and that which is like to be -their ruin, is the contrary extreme, _viz._ presumption; which leads -them to turn the grace of God into wantonness. - -2. As for others, who are humbled under a sense of sin, whose flesh -trembles for fear of God’s judgments, there is not so much occasion to -insist on these awakening subjects, when we have to do with them; for -this would be like adding fuel to the fire. If the heart be broken and -contrite, and is apt to meditate little else but terror; then such -subjects are to be insisted on as are encouraging. Thus when the prophet -Jeremiah had been reproving the people for their abominations, and -threatening many sore judgments which God would execute upon them, he -applies healing medicines; _Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no -physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people -recovered?_ Jer. viii. 22. And elsewhere when he had been reprehending -them for their idolatry, and putting them in mind of those judgments -they had exposed themselves to; he encourages them to _cry unto God, my -Father, thou art the guide of my youth: Will he reserve his anger for -ever? Will he keep it to the end?_ Jer. iii. 4, 5. It is God’s usual -method in dealing with sinners, first to excite their fear by charging -sin on the conscience, and putting them in mind of the dreadful -consequences thereof; in which respect, as the apostle expresses, _The -law enters that the offence might abound_; and then he shews him, that -the soul may take encouragement, when humbled under a sense of its own -guilt; that _where sin has abounded, grace did much more abound_, Rom. -v. 20. The gospel is designed to administer comfort to those, who are -distressed under a dread of the wrath of God. Therefore, there are -promises as well as threatenings; and each of these are to be applied as -the occasion requires it; so that the happiness of heaven is to be set -in opposition to the punishment of sin in hell; and accordingly as the -answer we have been explaining, contains a very awful and awakening -subject; so, in the next, we are led to consider a doctrine which is -full of comfort to those who have an interest in Jesus Christ. - -Footnote 190: - - _See this largely insisted on by Dr. Goodwin, in his works, Vol._ III. - _Book_ xiii. _His critical remarks in chap._ ii. _seem very just_, - viz. _that_ απο _is causal here, as well as in many other scriptures - which he refers to: and his strongest argument to prove that it is to - be taken so in this verse, is, because, as he observes_, απο _must be - applied to_ the glory of his power, _as well as to_ his presence; _so - that if it denotes a separation from the one, it must also denote a - separation from the other; whereas no one supposes that this - punishment consists in a separation from the power of God, but that it - is to be considered as the effect thereof_. - - - - - Quest. XC. - - - QUEST. XC. _What shall be done to the righteous at the day of - judgment?_ - - ANSW. At the day of judgment, the righteous being caught up to - Christ in the clouds, shall be set on his right hand, and there - openly acknowledged, and acquitted; shall join with him in the - judging of reprobate angels and men, and shall be received into - heaven; where they shall be fully and for ever freed from all sin - and misery, filled with unconceivable joys, made perfectly holy and - happy, both in body and soul, in the company of innumerable saints, - and holy angels, but especially in the immediate vision and fruition - of God the Father, of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, - to all eternity: and this is the perfect and full communion which - the members of the invisible church shall enjoy with Christ in glory - at the resurrection and day of judgment. - -We have, in this answer, an account of the great honours and privileges -that the saints shall be advanced to, and partake of, as the consequence -of that sentence that Christ will pass on them, _Come ye blessed of my -Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the -world_, Matt. xxv. 34. which are words that contain a gracious -invitation given them to take possession of that glory which will tend -to make them completely and for ever happy. We have already considered -the righteous as caught up to Christ in the clouds, which is either done -by the ministry of angels, or else their bodies will be so changed, that -they shall be able to mount upward, with as much ease as they are, now -to walk upon the surface of the earth. We have also considered them as -set at Christ’s right-hand. Whether this has any regard to the place of -their situation, we cannot determine; but, according to the scripture -mode of speaking, it certainly denotes the highest honours conferred -upon them; which will be not only spiritual but external and visible; -whereby it shall appear to all, that they are Christ’s peculiar friends -and favourites; and this will tend to raise in them the highest -astonishment, that they should thus be dealt with by so glorious a -person, who were in themselves unworthy of his notice; and it shall -afford matter of eternal praise. What is farther observed concerning -them in this answer, is contained in the following heads. - -I. They shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted. - -II. They shall join with Christ in the judging of reprobate angels and -men. - -III. They shall be received into heaven, in which their happiness is -farther described; as therein they shall be freed from sin and misery, -filled with unspeakable joy, made perfectly holy and happy, both in body -and soul, and admitted into the company of saints and holy angels, and -have the immediate vision and fruition of God to all eternity. - -I. They shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted. Our Lord Jesus was -not ashamed to own his people, when he condescended to take their nature -upon him, and dwell among them; or, as the apostle expresses it, _He is -not ashamed to call them brethren_, Heb. ii. 11. And he gives them many -tokens of his approbation, by those spiritual privileges which he -bestows on them here: but at last he shall own them publicly, in the -presence of the whole world, as a people whom he has chosen, redeemed, -sanctified, and brought the work of grace in them to perfection. He -overlooks all their former failures and defects, and looks upon them as -adorned with perfect beauty, appearing without spot before him, and -having now nothing that may be offensive to his holy eye, or denote them -unmeet for the relation which they stand in to him, and the blessings -which they shall enjoy with him. - -Moreover, it is said that he shall openly acquit them, _i. e._ declare -publicly, that he has given satisfaction for all their offences; and -therefore they are for ever pronounced clear from the guilt thereof. -And, as it was before observed, it is not improbable, that their former -sins shall not be so much as mentioned, being all covered; and if sought -for, shall not be found: but it is certain, that if they shall be -mentioned, it shall not be to their confusion or condemnation; for it -shall be declared, that the justice of God has nothing to lay to their -charge; and, as the consequence thereof, they shall be delivered from -that fear, shame, and distress, which they had before been subject to, -through the afflicting sense of the guilt and prevalency of sin: -however, when they are represented as thus acquitted, this does not -suppose that their sins were not fully pardoned before, or that -justification in this life, is imperfect, as to what concerns their -right to forgiveness, or eternal life. The debt was fully cancelled, and -a discharge given into Christ’s hands, in the behalf of all his elect, -on his making satisfaction to the justice of God; but this was not their -visible discharge; and not being a declared act, it could not be claimed -by, nor was it applied to them till they believed; and then they might -say, Who shall lay any thing to our charge? it is God that -justifieth[191]: nevertheless, their justification, as it is declared -to, and apprehended by faith, could not be said to be in all respects, -so apparent, nor attended with those comfortable fruits and effects, -which are the consequence hereof, as it is when they are pronounced -justified by Christ at death; and even then the discharge is not so open -and visible to the whole world, as it shall be in the day of judgment. - -II. It is farther said, that they shall join with Christ in judging of -reprobate angels and men: this is very often asserted by those who treat -on this subject; and it seems to be taken from the sense which is -commonly given of the apostle’s words in 1 Cor. vi. 2, 3. _Know ye not -that saints shall judge the world_; and, _know ye not that the saints -shall judge angels?_ However, we must take heed, if we apply that -scripture to the case before us, that we do not advance any thing that -tends, in the least, to derogate from the glory of Christ, who only is -fit for, and appointed to perform this great work: therefore, if we -suppose that the apostle is here speaking concerning the judgment of the -great day, the saints are said to judge the world in a less proper -sense; but whatever be the sense in which we explain it, we must not -think that they shall be assessors with Christ in his throne of -judgment: it is one thing for them to be near his throne in the capacity -and station of favourites; and another thing for them to be in it: if -they are in any sense said to judge the world, it must not be -understood, as though the trying of the cause, or passing the sentence, -were committed to them; but rather of their approving what Christ shall -do: this they are represented as doing, when Christ is set forth as -_judging the great whore_, Rev. xix. 2. namely, the anti-christian -powers; they so far join with him herein, as that they ascribe glory and -honour to him, and say, _Righteous are his judgments_. - -And there is another sense in which some understand this scripture, -concerning _the saints judging the world_, as denoting that the public -mention which shall be made of the graces of the saints, their faith, -repentance, love to God, and universal holiness, will have a tendency to -condemn those whose conversation in this world has been the reverse -thereof. Their having forsaken all, and followed Christ, and accounted -all things but loss, that they might win him. The choice which they have -made of suffering rather than sinning, which appears to be an instance -of the highest wisdom, shall condemn the wickedness and folly of those, -who have exposed themselves to inevitable ruin and misery, by being -otherwise-minded. Thus Noah is said to have _condemned the world by_ his -_faith_, Heb. xi. 7. when, in obedience to the divine command, he -_prepared an ark to the saving of his house_, which the world then -thought to be the most preposterous action that ever was performed, -though they were afterwards, to their cost, convinced of the contrary. -And _the men of Nineveh, and the queen of the South_, are said to _rise -up in the judgment with that generation, and condemn it_, Matt. xii. 41, -42. (to wit, objectively, rather than formally,) as their respective -behaviour tended to expose the impenitency and unbelief of the Jews, -whom Christ there reproves. If the saints judging the world, be taken in -either of these senses, it is an undoubted truth: but more than this we -dare not assert. - -Nevertheless, we may take occasion to enquire, whether that text, on -which this doctrine is founded, may not be explained in another sense, -as denoting some privilege which the saints were to enjoy in this world, -when the empire should become Christian; and accordingly, magistrates -and judges should be chosen out of the church, in which respect they -should _judge the world_. This seems, to me, the most probable sense of -the apostle’s words, as an excellent and learned writer understands -them[192]; and it is very agreeable to the context, in which they are -dissuaded, in ver. 1. from _going to law before the unjust, and not -before the saints_, as signifying the inexpediency of exposing those -controversies, that ought to be compromised in the church, before -Heathen-magistrates, as though they thought themselves unfit to judge -the smallest matters, of which he here speaks, not of capital offences, -which were to be tried only by the civil magistrate; and to enforce this -advice, he says, _Know ye not that the saints shall judge the world_. - -_Obj._ 1. It is objected to this sense of the text; that, at the same -time when _the saints_ are said to _judge the world_, he speaks of them -as _judging angels_; which comes not within the province of civil -magistrates; though we suppose them to be Christians. - -_Answ._ To this it may be replied, that when the apostle speaks of the -_saints judging angels_; this is brought in occasionally, the former -sense of _judging_ being more agreeable to the context. But since he is -insisting on an honour that should be conferred on the church, he -farther enlarges on that subject, and so speaks of their _judging -angels_, as denoting that the consequence and success of the gospel -would be an evident conviction to the world, that the Devil’s empire was -weakened, that he had no right to reign over the children of -disobedience, as he before had done. Thus our Saviour speaks of Satan’s -kingdom being destroyed by the preaching and success of the gospel, when -he says, ‘Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of -this world be cast out,’ John xii. 31. And elsewhere it is said, ‘Now is -come salvation and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power -of his Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down,’ Rev. xii. -10. Moreover, the apostle may have a particular reference to their power -of casting out devils, not only in that, but in some following ages, as -our Saviour, promised they should have, before he left the world, Mark -xvi. 17. which is known to have continued in the church till the third -century[193]. - -_Obj._ 2. There is another scripture which seems to favour this opinion, -namely, that the saints shall judge the world in the last day, _viz._ -our Saviour’s words, in Matt. xix. 28. ‘Ye which have followed me in the -regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, -ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of -Israel;’ and that which makes this sense more probable, is what he -speaks of in the following verse, as a reward which they, who had -‘forsaken all for his name’s sake,’ should enjoy, namely, ‘ye shall -receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life.’ - -_Answ._ To this it may be replied, that our Saviour, in one of these -verses, may, without any strain on the sense of the words, be understood -as giving them to expect some honours, that should be conferred on them -here, and in the other, those which they should receive in another -world: As to the honours which were to be conferred on them here, -namely, their _sitting on thrones_, &c. This is said to be ‘in the -regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory,’ -that is, not when the Son of man shall come to judgment; but when he -shall enter into his state of exaltation, and sit at God’s right-hand. -And inasmuch as this was to be done for them _in the regeneration_, it -seems most applicable to the gospel-state; in which, as the apostle -says, ‘Old things are past away; behold, all things are become new,’ 2 -Cor. v. 17. agreeable to what is foretold by the prophet, ‘Behold I -create new heavens and a new earth,’ Isa. lxv. 17. which may well be -called _the regeneration_. And, as for the apostles _sitting on -thrones_, that may signify the spiritual honours that should be -conferred upon them; so that however they might be despised by the -world, they should be reckoned, by all that entertain just notions of -things, the chief and most honourable men of the earth. And, as to what -respects their _judging the twelve tribes of Israel_, that may be -understood of their convicting the Jews, and condemning them for their -unbelief in crucifying Christ, and rejecting and persecuting the gospel. -This they might be said to do, partly in the exercise of their ministry, -and partly in the success thereof, and, indeed, the gospel may be said -to judge men when it convicts and reproves them. If this be the sense of -the text, then it does not respect any honours which the apostles should -be advanced to in the day of judgment; and consequently it does not -appear from hence, that they, any more than other saints, shall bear a -part in judging the world, either of angels or men. - -III. The saints shall be received into heaven. This includes in it their -being brought into a glorious place, and state. Thus the apostle calls -it, _An house not made with hands_, 2 Cor. v. 1. which, doubtless, far -exceeds all the other parts of the creation: For, as the earthly -paradise far exceeded all other places in this world, being planted -immediately by God, and furnished with every thing which might be -delightful and entertaining for man, for whom it was designed: so this -must be supposed to be the most glorious part of the frame of nature, as -being designed to be the place of the eternal abode of the best of -creatures; and indeed, whatever is called heaven in scripture, comes -short of it, this being styled, _the heaven of heavens_, Psal. cxlviii. -4. it is also particularly described as _God’s throne_, Isa. lxvi. 1. -the place of his immediate residence, where he displays his glory in an -extraordinary manner. As for that particular part of the universe, in -which it is situate, it is neither possible, nor of any advantage for us -to determine, any otherwise than as it is described, as being above this -lower world. But the principal thing to be considered, is, the glory of -the state, into which the saints shall there be brought; which is set -forth in this answer, by variety of expressions. - -1. Herein they shall be fully, and for ever, freed from all sin and -misery; which being inseparably connected, they are delivered from both -at once. As to what respects the guilt of sin, this includes in it not -only their being for ever discharged from the guilt of past sins, which -is contained in their being openly acquitted, as was before observed, -but their not contracting guilt for the future; accordingly they are put -into such a state as that they shall be disposed, and enabled to yield -sinless obedience; and as they are presented without spot and blemish -before God, they shall never contract the least defilement, or do any -thing which shall render them unmeet for that glory, to which they are -advanced, afford matter of reproach to them, or provoke God to cast them -out of that place which cannot entertain any but sinless creatures. -Therefore it differs not only from that sinless state in which man was -created at first, but that in which the angels were created, who were -not all confirmed in their state of holiness, so as to render it -impossible for any of them to fall; but this is the happiness of -glorified saints. - -And we may also infer from hence, that there shall be no temptations to -sin; none arising from themselves, since there are no lusts, or -remainders of corruption, to draw them aside from God; and no -temptations from others, since they are all made perfectly holy. The -soul meets with no temptations from the body, as it often did, while it -was subject to the infirmities of nature, in this imperfect state. It -shall never be liable to any weakness, weariness, stupidity, nor any of -those diseases with which it is now oppressed; so that the soul shall -never meet with any temptations arising from thence, inasmuch as the -happiness of the body consists in its subserviency to it, in all those -things that may tend to promote its compleat blessedness. Moreover, they -are also considered as delivered from all misery, whether personal, or -relative. The afflictions of believers are confined to this present -state; therefore in heaven ‘God shall wipe away all tears from their -eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, -neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed -away,’ Rev. xxi. 4. and nothing remains that may tend to abate their -happiness, or render the state in which they are, imperfect. - -2. They shall be filled with inconceivable joys. Thus our Saviour says -to the man in the parable, who had improved the talents he had been -entrusted with; _Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord_, Matt. xxv. 21, -23. and they are said not only to be _presented faultless before the -presence of the glory of Christ_; but _with exceeding joy_, Jude, ver. -24. This is the necessary result of a state of perfect blessedness; -which cannot but administer the highest satisfaction and comfort to -those who are possessed thereof; inasmuch as it not only answers, but -even exceeds their most raised expectations. These joys are not indeed -carnal, but spiritual; for as the greatest delight which the saints have -here, consists in the favour and love of God, and in the bright rays of -his glory shining into the soul, so they shall be perfectly blessed with -this hereafter, in which respect their joy shall be full. - -3. They shall be made perfectly holy and happy, both in body and soul. -The soul shall be unspeakably more enlarged than it was before, as to -all the powers and faculties thereof. The understanding rendered more -capable of contemplating the divine perfections, and it shall be -entertained with those discoveries of the glory thereof, which, at -present, we have but a very imperfect knowledge of: It shall be fitted -to behold the wisdom of God in the works of creation and redemption, and -be led into the deep mysteries of his providence, and the reason of the -various dispensations thereof, which, though they know not now, they -shall know hereafter. The will shall be perfectly free, having no -corrupt nature to bias, or turn it aside, from that which is its chief -good and happiness; neither shall it choose any thing, but what is -conducive thereunto: There are no remains of rebellion and obstinacy to -be found therein, but a perfect and entire conformity to the will of -God. The affections shall be perfectly regulated, and unalterably run in -a right channel, fixed upon the best objects, and not in the least -inclined to deviate from them. And, as for the body, that shall be -fitted for a state of perfection, as well as the soul; for it shall be -raised a spiritual, celestial, and glorious body, and therefore -perfectly adapted to be a partaker with the soul, of that glory which -the whole man shall be possessed of; and sanctified to be a temple of -the Holy Ghost for ever. - -4. They shall be joined with the innumerable company of the saints and -holy angels. The apostle speaks of an _innumerable company of angels, -and the general assembly and church of the first-born_, Heb. xii. 22, -23. to which we are said, in this world, to _come_ by faith; but -hereafter these two assemblies shall be joined together, and make one -body, that so they may, as they are represented doing, with one consent, -_adore_ and proclaim the _worthiness, riches, wisdom, and strength of -the lamb that was slain, who lives for ever and ever_, Rev. v. 11, _& -seq._ Now since the saints and angels are described as making up the -same body, and engaged in the same worship, some have taken occasion to -enquire concerning the means by which they shall converse together in -another world; or, in what manner this united body shall be made visible -to each other; but these things we must be content to be ignorant of in -this present state. However, as to the saints, they shall converse with -one another by the organ of sense and speech; for this is one of the -ends for which the body shall be raised and re-united to the soul; and -it may also be proved, from what we read of Moses and Elias conversing -with Christ at his transfiguration in such a manner, Matt. xvii. 3. - -As for that question which some propose, relating to this matter, _viz._ -whether there shall be a diversity of languages in heaven, as there is -on earth? This we cannot pretend to determine. Some think that there -shall; and that as persons of all nations and tongues, shall make up -that blessed society, so they shall praise God in the same language -which they before used when on earth; and that this worship may be -performed with the greatest harmony, and to mutual edification, all the -saints shall, by the immediate power and providence of God, be able to -understand and make use of every one of those different languages, as -well as their own. This they found on the apostle’s words, in which he -says, _That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and that every -tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord_; which, they suppose, -has a respect to the heavenly state, because it is said to be done both -by _those that are in heaven, and those that are on earth_, Phil. ii. -10, 11. But though the apostle speaks, by a metonymy, of different -tongues, that is, persons who speak different languages, being subject -to Christ, he probably means thereby persons of different nations, -whether they shall praise him in their own language in heaven, or no. - -Therefore some conjecture, that the diversity of languages shall then -cease; inasmuch as it took its first rise from God’s judicial hand, when -he confounded the speech of those who presumptuously attempted to build -the city and tower of Babel; and this has been, ever since, attended -with many inconveniencies. And, indeed, the apostle seems expressly to -intimate as much, when he says, speaking concerning the heavenly state, -that _tongues shall cease_, 1 Cor. xiii. 8. that is, the present variety -of languages. Moreover, since the gift of tongues was bestowed on the -apostles, for the gathering and building up the church in the first age -thereof, which end, when it was answered, this extraordinary -dispensation ceased; in like manner, it is probable that hereafter the -diversity of languages shall cease[194]. - -I am sensible there are some who object to this, that the saints, -understanding all languages, will be an addition to their honour, glory, -and happiness: but to this it may be answered, that though it is, -indeed, an accomplishment in this world, for a person to understand -several languages; that arises from the subserviency thereof, to those -valuable ends that are answered thereby; but this would be entirely -removed, if the diversity of languages be taken away in heaven, as some -suppose it will. - -There are some, who, it may be, give too much scope to a vain curiosity, -when they pretend to enquire what this language shall be, or determine, -as the Jews do, and with them, some of the Fathers, that it shall be the -Hebrew; since their arguments for it are not sufficiently conclusive; -which are principally these, _viz._ That this was the language with -which God inspired man at first in paradise, and that which the saints -and patriarchs spake, and the church generally made use of in all ages, -till our Saviour’s time; and that it was this language which he himself -spake, while here on earth: and since his ascension into heaven, he -spake unto Paul _in the Hebrew tongue_, Acts xxvi. 14. And when the -inhabitants of heaven are described in the Revelations as praising God, -there is one word used, by which their praise is expressed, namely, -Hallelujah, which is Hebrew; the meaning whereof is, _praise ye the -Lord_: but all these arguments are not sufficiently convincing; and -therefore we must reckon it no more than a conjecture. - -As for the opinion of those who suppose that it will not be any -particular language that is, or has been spoken in this world, but one -that is more perfect and significative, and that this is what the -apostle means when he speaks of _the tongues of angels_, in 1 Cor. xiii. -1. To this it may be replied, that it is more than probable, that there -shall be some language which shall be more perfect and significative -than any that is now known in the world; which glorified saints shall -receive by immediate inspiration; yet this does not fully appear to be -the apostle’s meaning in that scripture; since it is not certain that -angels express their ideas by the sound of words; inasmuch as they have -no bodies, nor organs of speech; neither can we certainly determine that -they frame voices some other way. Therefore, _the tongue of angels_, -which the apostle speaks of, is an hyperbolical expression, signifying -the most excellent language, or such an one as angels would speak, did -they use a voice; as _the face of angels_, chap. vi. 15. is expressed to -signify the most bright, glorious, and majestic countenance; and as -_manna_ is called _angels food_, Psal. lxviii. 25. that is, the most -pleasant and delightful: therefore _the tongue of angels_ signifies the -most excellent language. But these things, though often enquired into by -those who treat on this subject, are very uncertain; neither is it of -any advantage for us to be able to determine them. - -But there is another thing arising from the consideration of the saints -being joined in one society, which is much more useful, and, so far as -we have light to determine it, will afford a very comfortable and -delightful thought to us, namely, what concerns their knowing one -another in heaven. The scripture, indeed, does not so fully determine -this matter as it does some others, relating to the heavenly state; yet -many of God’s children have died with a firm persuasion that they shall -see and know their friends, in another world; and have been ready to -conclude this to be a part of that happiness which they shall enjoy -therein; and we cannot think this altogether an ungrounded opinion; -though it is not to be contended for as it were a necessary and -important article of faith. - -The arguments which are generally brought in defence of it, are taken -from those instances recorded in scripture, in which persons who have -never seen one another before, have immediately known each other in this -world, by a special immediate divine revelation, given to them; in like -manner as Adam knew that Eve was taken out of him, and therefore says, -_This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be -called woman, because she was taken out of man_, Gen. ii. 23. He was -_cast into a deep sleep, when God took one of his ribs, and so formed -the woman_, as we read of in the foregoing words; yet the knowledge -hereof was communicated to him by God. Moreover we read, that Peter, -James, and John, knew Moses and Elias, Matt. xvii. as appears from -Peter’s making a particular mention of them; _Let us make three -tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias_, ver. -4. though he had never seen them before. Again, our Saviour, in the -parable, represents the _rich man_ as seeing _Abraham afar off, and -Lazarus in his bosom_, Luke xvi. 23. and speaks of him as addressing his -discourse to him. From such-like arguments some conclude, that it may be -inferred, that the saints shall know one another in heaven, when joined -together in the same assembly. - -Moreover, some think that this may be proved from the apostle’s words, -in 1 Thess, ii. 19, 20. _What is our hope or joy, or crown of rejoicing? -are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? -for ye are our glory and joy_; which seems to argue that he apprehended -their happiness in heaven should contribute, or be an addition to his, -as he was made an instrument to bring them thither; even so, by a parity -of reason, every one who has been instrumental in the conversion, and -building up others in their holy faith, as the apostle Paul was with -respect to them; these shall tend to enhance their praise, and give them -occasion to glorify God on their behalf: therefore it follows, that they -shall know one another; and consequently they who have walked together -in the ways of God, and have been useful to one another, as relations -and intimate friends, in what respects more especially their spiritual -concerns, these shall bless God for the mutual advantages which they -have received, and consequently shall know one another. Again, some -prove this from that expression of our Saviour in Luke xvi. 9. _Make to -yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye fail, -they may receive you into everlasting habitations;_ especially if by -these _everlasting habitations_ be meant heaven, as many suppose it is; -and then the meaning is, that they whom you have relieved and shewn -kindness to in this world, shall express a particular joy upon your -being admitted into heaven; and consequently they shall know you and -bless God for your having been so useful and beneficial to them. - -_Objec._ To this it is objected, that if the saints shall know one -another in heaven, they shall know that several of those who were their -intimate friends here on earth, whom they loved with a very great -affection, are not there; and this will have a tendency to give them -some uneasiness, and be a diminution of their joy and happiness. - -_Answ._ To this it may be replied, that if it be allowed that the saints -shall know that some whom they loved on earth, are not in heaven, this -will give them no uneasiness, since that affection, which took its rise -principally from the relation which we stood in to persons on earth, or -the intimacy that we have contracted with them, will cease in another -world, or rather run in another channel, and be excited by superior -motives, namely, their relation to Christ, and that perfect holiness -which they are adorned with, and their being joined in the same blessed -society, and engaged in the same employment, together with their former -usefulness one to another, in promoting their spiritual welfare, as made -subservient to the happiness they enjoy there. And as for others who are -excluded from their society, they will think themselves obliged, out of -a due regard to the justice and holiness of God, to acquiesce in his -righteous judgments: thus the inhabitants of heaven are represented as -adoring the divine perfections, when the vials of God’s wrath were -poured out upon his enemies; and saying, _Thou art righteous, O Lord, -because thou hast judged thus: true and righteous are thy judgments_, -Rev. xvi. 5, 7. - -5. Another ingredient in the glory of heaven, which is, indeed, the -greatest of all, is the saints enjoying the immediate vision and -fruition of God: this vision includes in it something more than their -beholding the human nature of Christ, as Job speaks when he says, _In my -flesh shall I see God_, Job xix. 26. This, indeed, will be a delightful -object, not only by reason of the glory thereof, but from the love that -they bear to his person, who, in that nature, procured for them the -happiness which they are advanced to. But the principal thing contained -in this vision of God, is, that it is contemplative and intellectual; -for, in other respects, he is invisible: nevertheless there are two ways -by which persons are said to see him; the one is by faith, adapted to -our present state; thus Moses is said to have _seen him who is -invisible_, Heb. xi. 27. that is, to contemplate, adore, and improve the -glory of the divine perfections so far as he is pleased to manifest it -to us in this world; but the other way of beholding him is more perfect, -as his glory is displayed with the greatest clearness, and in the -highest degree in heaven: this the apostle opposes to that vision which -we have of God by faith, when he says, that in heaven _we shall see face -to face, and know even as we are also known_, 1 Cor. xiii. 12. that is, -we shall have more bright and immediate discoveries of the glory of God; -which, when represented by the metaphor of _seeing face to face_, has -some allusion to our knowing persons, when we are in their immediate -presence, which far exceeds that knowledge which we had of them by -report, when at a distance from them: this the apostle expresses by such -a mode of speaking, as cannot well be understood in this imperfect -state, when he says,[195] _We shall see him as he is_, 1 John iii. 2. -which differs from those views which the saints have sometimes had of -the glory of God, when manifested in an emblematical way, in this world; -they also behold it as shining forth in its greatest effulgency. - -Moreover, since the apostle speaks of this as a privilege which should -be enjoyed by the saints at Christ’s appearing, who seems to be the -object more especially here intended, it may denote their beholding his -mediatorial glory in its highest advancement; and this view which they -have of it, is said to be assimilating, as well as delightful; and -therefore he farther adds, _We shall be like him_. And this shall also -be satisfying: thus the Psalmist says, _I will_, or shall, _behold thy -face in righteousness; when I awake I shall be satisfied with thy -likeness_, Psal. xvii. 15. How vastly does this differ from the -brightest views which the saints have of the glory of God here! It is -true they know something of him as he manifests himself in the works of -creation and grace; but this is very imperfect; the object is not -presented in its brightest lustre; nor is the soul, which is the -recipient thereof, enlarged, as it shall then be to take in the rays of -divine glory: however, though this vision of God be unspeakable, and -much more shall be known of his perfections than we can attain to in -this life; yet the saints shall not have a comprehensive view thereof; -for that is not consistent with the idea of them as finite creatures. -Thus concerning the immediate vision of God. - -It is farther observed, that this vision is attended with fruition; and -therefore it is not barely speculative or contemplative, but such as is -felicitating; and accordingly the saints know their interest in God, and -see themselves to be the happy objects of the former and present -displays of the glory of his perfections, and how they have all been -exerted in bringing them to, and fixing them in this blessed state; and -from hence arises that joy which accompanies this vision of God. And -besides this, there are some impressions of his glory on their souls, -which not only occasion, but excite this joy. - -And it is farther observed, that this fruition is of God the Father, -Son, and Holy Ghost. The Father is beheld and enjoyed, as his glory -shines forth in the face of Christ, as bestowing on his saints all the -blessings which he has promised in that everlasting covenant, which was -established with, and in, Christ, as their Head and Saviour; his -purposes of grace, and all his promises, having had their full -accomplishment in him. And the glory of Christ is beheld as the person -to whom the whole work of redemption, together with the application -thereof, was committed, and is now brought to perfection. And the Holy -Ghost is beheld as the person who has, by his power, rendered every -thing which was designed by the Father, and purchased by the Son, -effectual to answer the end which is now attained, by shedding abroad -the love of the Father and Son in their hearts, dwelling in them as his -temple, and in beginning, carrying on, and perfecting that work, which -is so glorious in the effects and consequences thereof. In these -respects they have perfect and distinct communion with the Father, Son, -and Holy Ghost; which far exceeds all they can have here, and is -infinitely preferable to all the delight which arises from that -enjoyment which they have of the blessed society of perfect creatures to -whom they are joined. - -6. The last ingredient in the happiness that believers shall enjoy in -heaven, is, that it shall be to all eternity. As the soul is immortal, -and the body, to which it shall be united, shall be raised -incorruptible; so the inheritance, which is reserved in heaven for the -saints is such as _fadeth not away_, 1 Pet. i. 4. chap. v. 4. This will -tend to make their happiness complete, which nothing could do, were -there not a full assurance of the everlasting duration thereof. It would -be a continual allay to it, and a very uncomfortable thought to -conclude, that though their enjoyments are very great, yet they shall -have an end. The glory of heaven is not like the glories of this present -world, which are but for a moment, and, as it were, perish in the using; -nor like the state of holiness and happiness in which God created man at -first; which, through the mutability of his nature, it was possible for -him to lose: but it is established by the decree of God, founded on the -virtue of the blood of Christ, who purchased for his people eternal -redemption, and in the covenant of grace settled this inheritance upon -them, as an everlasting possession. This is a doctrine so universally -acknowledged, that it is needless to insist on the proof of it; and it -is so frequently mentioned in scripture, that we scarce ever read of the -glory of heaven, but it is described as _eternal_, See Jude ver. 6, and -21. Matt. xxv. 46. Tit. i. 2. Rom. vi. 22. Gal. vi. 8. 1 Tim. i. 16. -Psal. xvi. 11. - -There is one thing more, which, though it be not particularly mentioned -in this answer, I would not entirely pass over, that is, what may be -said to a question proposed by some, _viz._ Whether there are degrees of -glory in heaven? The Papists not only maintain that there are, but -pretend that greater degrees thereof shall be conferred on persons, in -proportion to the merit of their good works here on earth; and therefore -have assigned to them the highest places there, who have performed works -of supererogation, by doing more than was strictly enjoined them by the -law of God. But all Protestant divines, who allow that there are degrees -of glory in heaven, strenuously maintain that these are rewards of grace -as every ingredient in the heavenly blessedness is supposed to be. And -when this doctrine is made the subject of controversy among them; -neither side ought to contend for their particular opinion, as though it -was one of the most important articles of faith, or charge them who -defend the other side of the question, as though they were maintaining -something that was directly contrary to scripture, or of a pernicious -consequence. - -They, on the other hand, who suppose that there are no degrees of glory -in heaven, are afraid, that if they should assert the contrary, it -would, in some measure, eclipse the glory of the grace of God, and give -too much umbrage to the Popish doctrine of the merit of good works. But -this all Protestant divines, as was but now observed, sufficiently fence -against. And, inasmuch as it is farther argued against degrees of glory, -that those external and relative privileges, which they enjoy, such as -election, justification, and adoption, belong equally and alike to all -saints; and the same price of redemption was paid for all, therefore -their glory shall be equal: this method of reasoning will not appear -very conclusive, if we consider that sanctification is as much the -result of their being elected, justified, redeemed, and adopted, as -their being glorified; but that appears not to be equal in all, -therefore it does not follow from hence, that their glory, in a future -state, shall be so. And though their objective blessedness, which -consists in that infinite fulness of grace that there is in God, is -inconsistent with any idea of degrees; yet it does not follow, that the -communications resulting from hence, which are finite, shall be in a -like degree; nor can it be inferred from hence, that if there are -degrees of glory, the state of those who have the least degree, shall be -imperfect in its kind, or have any thing in it which shall afford the -least abatement of their happiness, or be the occasion of envy or -uneasiness, as the superior excellencies of some, in this imperfect -state, often appear to be, since that is inconsistent with perfect -holiness: nor is it to be supposed that there are any degrees, with -respect to the deliverance of the saints from the sins, guilt, and -miseries of this present life, which is equal in all; nor do they, who -think that there are degrees of glory in heaven, in the least insinuate -that every one shall not be perfectly filled and satisfied, in -proportion to his receptive disposition; as a small vessel, put into the -ocean, is equally full, in proportion to its capacity, with the largest; -and therefore none of the saints will desire, nor, indeed, can contain -more than God designs to communicate to them. - -As for that scripture which is sometimes brought in defence of this -opinion, _viz._ the parable of the persons that were hired to work in -the _vineyard_, in Matt. xx. 9. in which it is said, that _they that -were hired about the eleventh hour, received every man a penny_, which -is as much as others received who were hired early in the morning, and -had _born the heat and burden of the day_; that does not sufficiently -prove it, since some of these labourers are represented as _murmuring_, -and insinuating that they had wrong done them, to whom Christ replies, -_Is thine eye evil, because I am good?_ and they are described as -_called_, but _not chosen_, ver. 15, 16. Therefore it is not designed to -set forth the glory of heaven, but the temper and disposition of the -Jewish church, who were partakers of the external blessings of the -covenant of grace, and the gospel-church, as having equal privileges; so -that the arguments generally insisted on to prove that there are no -degrees of glory in heaven, can hardly be reckoned sufficient to -overthrow the contrary doctrine; especially if those other scriptures, -that are often brought to prove that there are, be understood in the -most obvious sense thereof; and they are such as these, _viz._ Daniel -xii. 3. _They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the -firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for -ever and ever_; where the prophet speaks of those who excel in grace and -usefulness in this world; and then considers them not only as _wise_, -but as _turning many to righteousness_; whose glory, after the -resurrection, of which he speaks in the foregoing verse, has something -illustrious and distinguishing in it, which is compared to the -_brightness of the firmament and stars_. - -To this it is objected, that our Saviour, in Matt. xiii. 43. illustrates -the happiness of all the glorified saints, whom he calls _the -righteous_, by their _shining as the sun_; therefore the prophet Daniel -means no other glory but what is common to all saints; and consequently -there are no degrees of glory. But to this it may be replied, that our -Saviour does not compare the glory of one of the saints in heaven, with -that of another; but intimates, that the happiness of every one of them -shall be inconceivably great, and very fitly illustrates it by the -_brightness of the sun_; whereas the prophet is speaking of some that -were honoured above others in their usefulness here; and then considers -them as having peculiar degrees of glory conferred upon them hereafter, -which is something more than what he had said in the foregoing verse, -which is common to all the saints, when he speaks of them as _awaking -out of the dust to everlasting life_. - -Another scripture which is also brought to prove this doctrine, is in 1 -Cor. xv. 41, 42. _There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of -the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from -another star in glory; so also is the resurrection of the dead_; where -the apostle is speaking concerning the happiness of the saints after the -resurrection, whom he compares not with what they were when they left -the world; for then had no glory, being _sown in corruption and -dishonour_; but he seems to compare the glory of one saint, after the -resurrection, with that of another; and accordingly he illustrates it by -the brightness of the heavenly luminaries; every one of which has a -glory superior to terrestrial bodies: nevertheless he seems to intimate, -that if we compare them together, the glory of the one exceeds that of -the other. Thus the glory of the least saint in heaven, is inconceivably -greater than that of the greatest here on earth: it is, indeed, full and -complete in its kind; yet when compared with the glory of others, it may -in some circumstances fall short of it. - -There is another argument brought by some, to prove this doctrine, taken -from the parable of the _talents_, in Matt. xxv. 14, _& seq._ in which -the reward is proportioned to the respective improvement thereof; which -seems to respect some blessings which they were to receive in another -world; inasmuch as our Saviour compares himself to one that is -_travelling into a far country_, and after a long time, returning and -reckoning with his servants: by the former of which is meant, his -ascension into heaven; and by the latter, his return to judgment; and -consequently those regards which differ in degree, must respect some -peculiar glory, which he will confer on his people in another world; -and, indeed, the whole chapter seems to refer to the same thing. The -former parable of the _wise_ and _foolish virgins_ denotes the behaviour -of persons here, and the consequence thereof hereafter: and the latter -part of the chapter expressly speaks of Christ’s coming to judgment, and -dealing with every one according to his works. If therefore the -improvement of these talents respects some advantages that one is to -expect above the other, it seems to intimate that there are degrees of -glory. - -Moreover, this is farther argued from those various degrees of grace -that some have in this world above others, which is a peculiar honour -bestowed on them, and is sometimes considered as the fruit and -consequence of their right improvement of those graces which they had -before received. And this may be considered as laying a foundation for -greater praise; which argues that the soul shall be enlarged in -proportion thereunto; so that it may give unto God the glory due to his -name, as the result thereof. Therefore if we take an estimate of God’s -future, from his present dispensations, it not only removes some -objections that are sometimes brought against this doctrine; but adds -farther strength to those arguments taken from the scriptures -before-mentioned, to prove it. But notwithstanding all that has been -said, on this subject, it is the safest way for us to confess, that we -know but little of the affairs of another world, and much less of the -circumstances of glorified saints, considered as compared with one -another. Nor are we to conclude, if there are degrees of glory, that the -highest degree thereof is founded on the merit of what any have done or -suffered for Christ; or, on the other hand, that the lowest is -inconsistent with complete blessedness; which shall be proportioned to -their most enlarged desires, and as much as they are capable of -containing. Thus concerning the question proposed by some, _viz._ -Whether there are degrees of glory? - -There is another which has some affinity with it, that I would not -wholly pass over; namely, whether the saints in heaven shall not have -some additional improvements, or make progressive advances in some -things, which may be reckoned a farther ingredient in their future -happiness? This is to be insisted on with the utmost caution, lest any -thing should be advanced which is inconsistent with the complete -blessedness, which they are immediately possessed of: however, I do not -think that it will detract from it, if we should venture to assert, that -the understanding of glorified saints shall receive very considerable -improvements, from those objects which shall be presented to them, and -the perpetual discoveries that will be made of the glorious mysteries of -divine grace, whereby the whole scene of providence, and its -subserviency to their eternal happiness, shall be opened, to raise their -wonder, and enhance their praise. Since it is not inconsistent with the -perfect blessedness of the angels, to desire to know more of this -mystery, which they are said to _look into_, 1 Pet. i. 12. and inasmuch -as their joy is increased by those new occasions, which daily present -themselves; why may not the same be said with respect to the saints in -heaven; especially if we consider that this will redound so much to the -glory of God, as well as give us more raised ideas of that happiness -which they shall be possessed of. - -We shall conclude with some practical inferences from what has been said -in this answer, concerning the happiness of the saints in heaven. - -(1.) We may learn from hence the great difference which there is between -the militant and triumphant state of the church. Here they meet with -perpetual conflicts, but hereafter they shall be crowned with complete -victory: now they walk by faith, but then faith shall be swallowed up in -vision, and hope in enjoyment. The saints of God are, at present, in -their minority, having a right to, but not the possession of their -inheritance. Their desires are enlarged, and their expectations raised; -but nothing can give them full satisfaction till they arrive to that -state of perfection, which God will, at last, bring them to. - -(2.) The account which we have of the happiness of heaven, as being of a -spiritual nature, and accompanied with perfect blessedness, and the -enjoyments thereof being agreeable thereto; this may tend to reprove the -carnal conceptions which many entertain concerning it, as though it were -no other than what Mahomet promised his followers; who fancy that they -shall have therein, those delights, which are agreeable to the sensual -appetites of such as have no other ideas of happiness, but those which -consist in the pleasures of sin: neither is it enough for us to conceive -of it, as barely a freedom from the miseries of this life (though this -be an ingredient therein) as if it had no reference to the bringing -those graces which are begun here, to perfection; or it did not consist -in that blessed work of admiring and adoring the divine perfections, and -improving the displays thereof in a Mediator, which the saints shall for -ever be engaged in. - -(3.) Let us not content ourselves barely with the description which we -have in the word of God, concerning the glory of heaven, but enquire, -whether we have a well-grounded hope, that we have a right to it, and -are found in the exercise of those graces which will be an evidence -thereof? It is a very low and insignificant thing for us to be convinced -that the glory of heaven contains in it all those things which shall -render them who are possessed of it, completely happy, if we have no -ground to claim an interest in it; and if we have this ground of hope, -it will have a tendency to excite practical godliness, which it is -inseparably connected with, and affords an evidence of our right to -eternal life: whereas, without this, our hope will be delusive, and we -chargeable with an unwarrantable presumption, in expecting salvation -without sanctification. - -(4.) If we have any hope concerning this future blessedness; this ought -to be improved by us, to support and comfort us under the present -miseries of life; as the apostle exhorts the church to which he writes, -to _comfort one another with these words_, 1 Thess. iv. 18. or from -these considerations; which should also be an inducement to us to bear -_affliction_ with patience, since they _work for us an exceeding and -eternal weight of glory_, 2 Cor. iv. 17. And, - -(5.) Let the hope we have of the privileges to be enjoyed hereafter, put -us upon the greatest diligence in the performance of those duties, which -are incumbent on us, as expectants of this inheritance; and let us -endeavour to have our conversation in heaven, and be frequently -meditating on the blessed employment thereof; and be earnest with God, -that we may be made more meet for, and in the end received to it. - -(6.) If we are enabled, by faith, to conclude that we have a right to -the heavenly inheritance, let us be frequently engaged in the work and -employment thereof, so far as is consistent with this present imperfect -state; let us be much in praising and blessing God, who has prepared -these glorious mansions for his people; and let us set a due value on -the blood of Christ, by which they were purchased; and give glory to the -Holy Ghost, who has given us the earnest thereof; and having begun the -work of grace, will, we trust, carry it on to perfection. - -Footnote 191: - - _Or, shall God, who justifieth?_ - -Footnote 192: - - _Vid Wits. in Symb. Exercit._ 22. § 18-20. - -Footnote 193: - - _See Vol. I. Page 286_ - -Footnote 194: - - _What speech can be without atmosphere, and without flesh?_ - -Footnote 195: - - God is an _infinite_ being. This also is a principle established by - both natural and revealed religion. The soul of man is finite, and, to - whatever perfection it may be advanced, it will always continue to be - so. This is another indisputable principle. It would imply a - contradiction to affirm, that an infinite Spirit can be seen, or - _fully_ known, in a strict literal sense, as it is, by a finite - spirit. The human soul, therefore, being a finite spirit, can never - perfectly see, that is, fully comprehend, _as he is_, God, who is an - infinite spirit. The proposition in our text, then, necessarily - requires some restriction. This inference arises immediate from the - two principles now laid down, and this second consequence furnishes - another ground of our reflections. - - But, although it would be absurd to suppose, that God, an infinite - spirit, can be fully known by a finite human spirit, yet there is no - absurdity in affirming, God can _communicate_ himself to a man in a - very close and intimate manner proper to transform him. This may be - done four ways. There are, we conceive, four sorts of communications; - a communication of ideas; a communication of love; a communication of - virtue, and a communication of felicity. In these four ways, _we shall - see God_, and by thus seeing him _as he is, we shall be like him_ in - these four respects. We will endeavour by discussing each of these - articles to explain them clearly; and here all your attention will be - necessary, for without this our whole discourse will be nothing to you - but a sound, destitute of reason and sense. - - The first communication will be a communication of _ideas_. We shall - _see God as he is_, because we shall participate his ideas; and by - seeing God as he is, we shall become _like him_, because the knowledge - of his ideas will rectify ours, and will render them like his. To know - the ideas of an imperfect being is not to participate his - imperfections. An accurate mind may know the ideas of an inaccurate - mind without admitting them. But to know the ideas of a perfect spirit - is to participate his perfections; because to know his ideas is to - know them as they are, and to know them as they are is to perceive the - evidence of them. When, therefore, God shall communicate his ideas to - us, _we shall be like him_, by the conformity of our ideas to his. - - What are the ideas of God? They are clear in their nature; they are - clear in their images; they are perfect in their degree; they are - complex in their relations; and they are complete in their number. In - all these respects the ideas of God are infinitely superior to the - ideas of men. - - 1. Men are full of _false_ notions. Their ideas are often the very - reverse of the objects, of which they should be clear representations. - We have false ideas in physic, false ideas in policy, false ideas in - religion. We have false ideas of honour and of disgrace, of felicity - and of misery. Hence we often mistake fancy for reason, and shadow for - substance. But God hath only _true_ ideas. His idea of order is an - exact representation of order. His idea of irregularity exactly - answers to irregularity; and so of all other objects. He will make us - know his ideas, and by making us know them he will rectify ours. - - 2. Men have often _obscure_ ideas. They only see glimmerings. They - perceive appearances rather than demonstrations. They are placed in a - world of probabilities, and, in consideration of this state, in which - it has pleased the Creator to place them, they have more need of a - course of reasoning on a new plan, to teach them how a rational - creature ought to conduct himself, when he is surrounded by - probabilities, than of a course of reasoning and determining, which - supposes him surrounded with demonstration. But God hath only _clear_ - ideas. No veil covers objects; no darkness obscure his ideas of them. - When he shall _appear_, he will communicate his ideas to us, and they - will rectify ours, he will cause the scales, that hide objects from - us, to fall from our eyes; and he will dissipate the clouds, which - prevent our clear conception of them. - - 3. Men have very few ideas perfect in _degree_. They see only the - surface of objects. Who, in all the world, hath a perfect idea of - matter? Who ever had perfect ideas of spirit? Who could ever exactly - define either? Who was ever able to inform us how the idea of motion - results from that of body; how the idea of sensation results from that - of spirit? Who ever knew to which class space belongs? It would be - very easy, my brethren, to increase this list, would time permit; and - were I not prevented by knowing, that they, who are incapable of - understanding these articles, have already in their own minds - pronounced them destitute of all sense and reason. But God hath - _perfect_ ideas. His ideas comprehend the whole of all objects. He - will communicate to us this disposition of mind, and will give us such - a penetration as shall enable us to attain the knowledge of the - essence of beings, and to contemplate them in their whole. - - 4. Men have very few ideas _complex_ in their relations. I mean, their - minds are so limited, that, although they may be capable of combining - a certain number of ideas, yet they are confounded by combining a - greater number. We have distinct ideas of units, and we are capable of - combining a few: but as soon as we add hundred to hundred, million to - million, the little capacity of our souls is overwhelmed with the - multitude of these objects, and our weakness obliges us to sink under - the weight. We have a few ideas of motion. We know what space of body, - to which a certain degree of velocity is communicated, must pass - through in a given time: but as soon as we suppose a greater degree of - motion, as soon as we imagine an augmentation of velocity to this - greater degree; as soon as we try to apply our knowledge of moving - powers to those enormous bodies, which the mighty hand of God guides - in the immensity of space, we are involved in perplexity and - confusion. But God conceives _infinite combinations_. He will make us - participate, as far as our minds can, his ideas; so that we shall be - able to give a large expanse to our meditation without any fear of - confusing ourselves. - - 5. In fine, the ideas of mankind are incomplete in their _number_. - Most men think, there are only two sorts of beings, body and spirit; - and they have also determined, that there can be only two. A rash - decision in itself: but more rash still in a creature so confined in - his genius as man. But the ideas of God are _complete_. He knows all - possible beings. He will make us participate this disposition of mind, - and from it may arise ideas of myriads of beings, on which now we - cannot reason, because now we have no ideas of them. A communication - of ideas is the first way, in which God will make himself known to us. - This will be the first trait of our resemblance of him. _We shall be - like him, for we shall see him as he is._ - - The second communication of God to a beatified soul is a communication - of love. We cannot possibly partake of the ideas of God without - participating his love. To participate the ideas of God is to possess - just notions. To possess just notions is to place each object in the - rank, that is due to it; consequently, we shall regard the chief being - as the only object of supreme love. - - What is necessary to answer the idea, that an upright soul forms of - the lovely? The lovely object must answer three ideas: the idea of the - great and marvellous; the idea of the just; and the idea of the good: - and, if I may venture to speak so, of the beatifying. Now, it is - impossible to know God without entertaining these three ideas of him - alone; consequently it is impossible to know God without loving him. - And this is the reason of our profound admiration of the morality of - the gospel. The morality of the gospel is the very quintessence of - order. It informs us, no creature deserves supreme love. It makes this - principle the substance of its laws. _Thou shalt love the Lord thy God - with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind_, - Matt. xxii. 37. - - How worthy of supreme love will this God appear, how fully will he - answer the idea of the _great_ and the _marvellous_, when _we shall - see him as he is_! He will answer it by his independence. Creatures - exist: but they have only a borrowed being. God derives his existence - from none. He is a self-existent being. He will answer our idea of the - magnificent by the immutability of his nature. Creatures exist: but - they have no fixed and permanent being. They arise from nothing to - existence. Their existence is rather variation and inconstancy than - real being. But God, but _I the Lord_, says he of himself, _I change - not_, Mal. iii. 6. _the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever_, Heb. - xiii. 8. He is, as it were, the fixed point, on which all creatures - revolve, while he is neither moved by their motion, shaken by their - action, nor in the least imaginable degree altered by all their - countless vicissitudes. He will answer the idea of the great and - marvellous by the efficiency of his will. Creatures have some - efficient acts of violation: but none of themselves.—But go back to - that period, in which there was nothing. Figure to yourselves those - immense voids, which preceded the formation of the universe, and - represent to yourself God alone. He forms the plan of the world. He - regulates the whole design. He assigns an epoch of duration to it in a - point of eternity. This act of his will produces this whole universe. - Hence a sun, a moon, and stars. Hence earth and sea, rivers and - fields. Hence kings, princes, and philosophers. _He spake, and it was - done; he commanded, and it stood fast. The heavens were made by the - word of the Lord, and all the host of them by the breath of his - mouth_, Psal. xxxiii. 9. God, then, perfectly answers our idea of the - grand and the marvellous. He answers also the idea of the just. - - It was he, who gave us an idea of _justice_ or order. It was he, who - made the greatest sacrifices to it. It was he, who moved heaven and - earth to re-establish it, and who testified how dear it was to him by - sacrificing the most worthy victim, that could possibly suffer, I mean - his only Son. - - Finally, God will perfectly answer our idea of the _good_ and the - _beatifying_. Who can come up to it except a God, who opens to his - creatures an access of his treasures? A God, who reveals himself to - them in order to take them away from their _broken cisterns_, and to - conduct them to a _fountain of living waters_, Jer. ii. 13. A God, - whose eternal wisdom cries to mankind, _Ho, every one that thirsteth, - come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and - eat, yea come, buy wine and milk without money, and without price. - Wherefore do ye spend money for that, which is not bread? and your - labour for that, which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and - eat ye that, which is good, and let your soul delight itself in - fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall - live._ Isa. lv. 1-3. - - We cannot, then, know God without loving him. And thus a communication - of ideas leads to a communication of love. But this communication of - love will render us _like_ the God, whom we admire. For the property - of love, in a soul inflamed with it, is to transform it in some sort - into the object of its admiration. This is particularly proper to - divine love. We love God, because we know his attributes; when we know - his attributes, we know, we can no better contribute to the perfection - of our being than by imitating them, and the desire we have to perfect - our being will necessitate us to apply wholly to imitate them, and to - become _like him_. - - Let us pass to our third consideration. The third communication of God - to a beatified soul is a communication of his _virtues_. To love and - to obey, in Scripture-style, is the same thing. _If ye love me, keep - my commandments_, is a well-known expression of Jesus Christ, John - xiv. 15. _He, who saith I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, - is a liar, and the truth is not in him_, is an expression of our - apostle, 1 John ii. 4. This is not peculiar to the love of God. To - love and to obey, even in civil society, are usually two things, which - have a very close connexion. But, as no creature hath ever excited all - the love, of which a soul is capable, so there is no creature, to whom - we have rendered a perfect obedience. It is only in regard to God, - that there is an inseparable connexion between obedience and love. For - when we love God, because we know him, we are soon convinced, that he - cannot ordain any thing to his creature but what is useful to him; - when we are convinced, he can ordain nothing to be performed by his - creature but what is useful to him, it becomes as impossible not to - obey him as it is not to love ourselves. To love and to obey is one - thing, then, when the object in question is a being supremely lovely. - These are demonstrations; but to obey God, and to keep his - commandments, is to be _like God_. - - The commandments of God are formed on the idea of the divine - perfections. God hath an idea of order; he loves it; he follows it; - and this is all he ever hath required, and all he ever will require of - his intelligent creatures. He requires us to know order, to love it, - to follow it. An intelligent creature, therefore, who shall be brought - to obey the commandments of God, will be _like God_. _Be ye perfect, - as your Father, which is in heaven, is perfect_, Matt. v. 48. _Be ye - holy, for I am holy_, 1 Pet. i. 16. _Every man, that hath this hope in - him, purifieth himself even as he is pure_, 1 John iii. 3. These - precepts are given us here on earth, and we obey them imperfectly now; - but we shall yield a perfect obedience to them in heaven, when we - shall _see him as he is_. Here, our apostle affirms, _Whosoever - sinneth, hath not seen him, neither known him_, ver. 6. that is to - say, he who suffers sin to reign over him, doth not know God; for if - he knew God, he would have just ideas of God, he would love him; and, - if he loved him, he would imitate him. But in heaven we shall see, and - know him, we shall not sin, we shall imitate him, _we shall be like - him, for we shall see him as he is_. - - Lastly, the fourth communication of the Deity with beatified souls is - a communication of _felicity_. In an economy of order, to be holy and - to be happy are two things very closely connected. Now we are in an - economy of disorder. Accordingly, virtue and felicity do not always - keep company together, and it sometimes happens, that for _having hope - in Christ we are_, for a while, _of all men most miserable_, 1 Cor. - xv. 19. But this economy of disorder must be abolished. Order must be - established. St. Peter, speaking of Jesus Christ, says, _The heavens - must receive him until the times of the restitution of all things_, - Acts iii. 21. When all things shall be restored, virtue and happiness - will be closely united, and, consequently, by participating the - holiness of God we shall participate his happiness. - - SAYRIN. - - - - - Quest. XCI., XCII. - - - QUEST. XCI. _What is the duty that God requireth of man?_ - - ANSW. The duty which God requireth of man, is, obedience to his - revealed will. - - QUEST. XCII. _What did God at first reveal unto man as the rule of - his obedience?_ - - ANSW. The rule of obedience revealed to Adam in the estate of - innocency, and to all mankind in him, beside a special command, not - to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, - was, the moral law. - -Having, in the former part of the Catechism, been led to consider what -we are to believe concerning God, and those works of nature and grace, -wherein he has displayed his glory to man, whether considered as created -after his image, or having lost it by sin, and afterwards redeemed, and -made partaker of those blessings that are consequent thereupon; we are -now to consider him as under an indispensable obligation to yield -obedience to God. They who have received most grace from him, are laid -under the strongest ties and engagements hereunto; accordingly we may -observe, - -I. That, obedience is due from man to God. This results from the -relation we stand in to him as creatures;[196] who ought to say with the -Psalmist, _O come let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the -Lord our Maker_, Psal. xcv. 6. and particularly when considered as -intelligent creatures, having excellencies superior to all others in -this lower world, whereby we are rendered capable, not only of -subserving the ends of his providence, but performing obedience, as -subjects of moral government: But if we are redeemed, justified, and -sanctified, and made partakers of all the blessings that accompany -salvation; this obligation to duty, is greater than that of all others, -as the apostle says, _Ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God -in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s_, 1 Cor. vi. 2. And -this may be considered, not only as our duty, but our highest wisdom; as -it is said, _The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from -evil, is understanding_, Job xxviii. 28. hereby, in some measure, we -answer the end for which we came into the world. And it is our interest, -inasmuch as it is conducive to, and inseparably connected with our -present and future blessedness: Nevertheless we are to be very sensible -that this is out of our own power, as our Saviour says, _Without me ye -can do nothing_, John xv. 5. Therefore we should exercise a constant -dependence on him, who works in his people both to will and to do, of -his own good pleasure. We might here consider the nature and properties -of that duty and obedience which we owe to God. - -1. If it be such as we hope God will accept or approve of, it must -proceed from a renewed nature, and as a consequence thereof, from a -principle of love to God, as a reconciled Father; not from a slavish -fear and dread of his wrath, as a sin-revenging Judge. Thus the Psalmist -says, _There is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared_, -Psal. cxxx. 4. - -2. It ought to be without the least reserve, as containing a ready -compliance with whatever he commands; and hereby we ought to approve -ourselves to him, as our sovereign Lord and Law-giver, and consider that -we are under his all-seeing eye; and accordingly his glory is to be -assigned as the highest end of all we do. - -3. It ought to be performed with constancy; and therefore it doth not -consist barely in a sudden fit of devotion, arising from the dictates of -an awakened conscience, or the dread we have of his wrath, when under -some distressing providence; but it ought to be the constant work and -business of life. And, - -4. When we have done or suffered most for God, we are not only to -consider ourselves as _unprofitable servants_, Luke xvii. 10. as our -Saviour expresses it; but we must lament our imperfections, and be -deeply humbled for the iniquities that attend our holy things; inasmuch -as _there is not a just man upon earth that doth good, and sinneth not_, -Eccles. vii. 20. - -II. In order to our yielding obedience, it is necessary that God should -signify to us, in what instances he will be obeyed, and the manner how -it is to be performed; otherwise it would rather be a fulfilling our own -will than his. None but those who are authorized hereto, and receive -what they impart to us by divine inspiration, can, without the boldest -presumption, assume this prerogative to themselves, so as to prescribe -to us a rule of duty to God; and therefore it follows, that this -obedience must be to his revealed will. The secret purposes of God are -the rule and measure of his own actings; but his revealed will is the -rule of our obedience. _Secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but -those things which are revealed, belong unto us and to our children_, -Deut. xxix. 29. - -III. The will of God, as thus made known to us, is called a Law: Which, -that we may farther understand, let us consider, that a law is the -decree or revealed will of a sovereign, designed to direct and govern -the actions of his subjects, and thereby to secure his own honour and -their welfare. And if this be applied to the law of God, we must -consider him as our Lord and Sovereign, whose will is the rule of our -actions; and he being infinitely wise and good, is able and inclined to -direct us in those things that are conducive to his own honour and our -safety and happiness; and this he has been pleased to do, and -accordingly has given us a law as the rule of life. - -The laws of God are either such as take their rise from his holy nature, -and accordingly our obligation to yield obedience thereto, proceeds not -only or principally from the command of God, but from their being -agreeable to his divine perfections, which must be assigned as the -reason of his prescribing them as matter of duty. These are all -reducible to what we call, in general, the law of nature; which, because -it is agreeable to the dictates of reason, it is called, by way of -eminency, _The moral law_. Thus when we consider ourselves as creatures, -we are led to confess that we are subject to God, and therefore bound to -obey him; and when we think of him as a God of infinite perfection, this -obedience must be agreeable thereunto; and because he is a Spirit, it -must be performed in a spiritual manner; and as he is a holy God, he is -to be worshipped with reverence and holy fear. Thus far we are induced -to yield obedience by the law of nature. - -But, on the other hand, there are many laws relating to the -circumstances or manner in which God will be worshipped, which are -founded in his sovereign will; and these we call positive laws. Of this -kind was that law given to our first parents, not to eat of the tree of -knowledge of good and evil; and, doubtless, there were many other laws -given to them relating to their conduct of life, and mode of worship, -though they are not particularly mentioned in that short history we have -of the state of man before the fall. As for the moral law, it is said, -in one of the answers we are explaining, to have been revealed to Adam -in his state of innocency, and to all mankind in him. Its being revealed -to man, must be supposed to be a less proper way of speaking; inasmuch -as that method of discovery is more especially applicable to positive -laws; and therefore I would rather chuse to express it as it is in a -foregoing answer[197], by God’s writing his laws in the hearts of our -first parents, or impressing the commands of the moral law on their -nature; so that by the power of reasoning, with which they were endowed, -they might attain to the knowledge thereof. So that man, by the light of -nature, knew all things contained in the moral law. - -As to what is farther said in this answer, that the moral law was given -to man in innocency; that has been considered elsewhere. And as all -mankind were represented by him, so we are to understand those words, -that it was given to all mankind in him. But these things have been -insisted on in another place, as also what relates to his being -prohibited from eating the tree of knowledge of good and evil, I shall -pass it over, and proceed to speak more particularly concerning the -moral law, together with the use thereof to all sorts of men. - -Footnote 196: - - “It may be asked, Is there no _reason_ or _nature_ of things? Yes; as - certainly as there are things. But the nature and reason of things, - considered _independently_ of the divine Will, or _without_ it, have - no more _obligation_ in them, than a _divine worship_ considered - independently of, and without any regard to the _existence_ of God. - For the _Will_ of God is as absolutely necessary to found all _moral - obligation_ upon, as the existence of God is necessary to be the - foundation of religious worship. And the fitness of _moral - obligations_, without the _Will_ of God, is only like the fitness of a - _religious_ worship without the _existence_ of God. - - And it is as just to say, that he destroys the _reason_ of religion - and piety, who founds it upon the nature and existence of God, as to - say, he saps the foundation of moral obligations, who founds them upon - the Will of God. And as religion cannot be justly or solidly defended, - but by shewing its connexion with, and dependance upon, God’s - existence; so neither can moral obligations be asserted with strength - and reason, but by shewing them to be the Will of God. - - It may again be asked, Can God make that fit in _its self_, which is - in _its self absolutely_ unfit to be done? - - This question consists of improper terms. For God’s Will no more makes - actions to be fit _in themselves_, than it makes _things_ to exist - _in, or of themselves_. No things, nor any actions, have any - _absolute_ fitness, and in _themselves_. - - A _gift_, a _blow_, the making a _wound_, or _shedding_ of _blood_, - considered in themselves, have no _absolute_ fitness, but are fit or - unfit according to any variety of incidental circumstances. - - When therefore God, by his Will, makes any thing fit to be done, he - does not make the thing fit in _its self_, which is just in the _same - state_ considered in _its self_, as it was before; but, it becomes fit - for the person to do it, because he can be happy, or do that which is - fit for him to do, by doing the Will of God. - - For instance, the _bare eating_ a fruit, considered in _its self_, is - neither fit nor unfit. If a fruit be appointed by God for our food and - nourishment, then it is as fit to eat it, as to preserve our lives. If - a fruit be poisonous, then it is as unfit to eat it, as to commit - self-murder. If eating of a fruit be prohibited by an express order of - God, then it is as unfit to eat it, as to eat our own damnation. - - But in none of these instances is the eating or not eating, considered - in _its self_, _fit_ or _unfit_; but has all its fitness, or - unfitness, from such circumstances, as are entirely owing to the Will - of God. - - Supposing, therefore, God to require a person to do something, which, - according to his present circumstances, _without_ that command, he - ought not to do, God does not make that which is _absolutely_ unfit in - _itself_, fit to be done; but only adds _new circumstances_ to an - action, that is neither fit nor unfit, moral nor immoral in _itself_, - but _because_ of its circumstances. - - To instance, in the case of _Abraham_ required to sacrifice his son. - The killing of a man is neither good nor bad, considered _absolutely_ - in _its self_. It was unlawful for _Abraham_ to kill his son, because - of the _circumstances_ he was in with regard to his son. But when the - divine Command was given, _Abraham_ was in a _new state_; the action - had _new circumstances_; and then it was as lawful for _Abraham_ to - kill his son, as it was lawful for God to require any man’s life, - either by _sickness_, or any _other means_ he should please to - appoint. - - And it had been as unlawful for _Abraham_ to have disobeyed God in - this extraordinary command, as to have cursed God at any _ordinary - calamity_ of providence.— - - Again, it is objected, _If there be nothing right or wrong, good or - bad, antecedently and independently of the Will of God, there can be - no reason, why God should will, or command one thing, rather than - another_. - - It is answered, _first_, That all goodness, and all possible - perfection, is as _eternal_ as God, and as _essential_ to him as his - existence. And to say, that they are either _antecedent_ or - _consequent_, _dependent_ or _independent_ of his Will, would be - equally absurd. To ask, therefore, whether there be not something - right and wrong, antecedent to the Will of God, to render his Will - _capable_ of being right, is as absurd, as to ask for some antecedent - cause of his existence, that he may be proved to exist necessarily. - And to ask, how God can be good, if there be not something good - independently of him, is asking how he can be infinite, if there be - not something infinite independently of him. And, to seek for any - other _source_ or _reason_ of the divine Goodness, besides the divine - Nature, is like seeking for some external cause, and help of the - divine omnipotence. - - The goodness and wisdom, therefore, by which God is wise and good, and - to which all his works of wisdom and goodness are owing, are neither - _antecedent_, nor _consequent_ to his Will.—” - - HUMAN REASON. - -Footnote 197: - - _See Quest._ xvii. - - - - - Quest. XCIII., XCIV., XCV., XCVI., XCVII. - - - QUEST. XCIII. _What is the moral law?_ - - ANSW. The moral law is the declaration of the will of God to - mankind, directing and binding every one to personal, perfect, and - perpetual conformity and obedience thereunto, in the frame and - disposition of the whole man, soul and body, and in performance of - all those duties of holiness and righteousness which he oweth to God - and man; promising life upon the fulfilling, and threatening death - upon the breach of it. - - QUEST. XCIV. _Is there any use of the moral law to man, since the - fall?_ - - ANSW. Although no man, since the fall, can attain to righteousness - and life by the moral law; yet there is great use thereof, as well - common to all men, as peculiar, either to the unregenerate, or the - regenerate. - - QUEST. XCV. _Of what use is the moral law to all men?_ - - ANSW. The moral law is of use to all men, to inform them of the holy - nature and will of God, and of their duty, binding them to walk - accordingly; to convince them of their disability to keep it, and of - the sinful pollution of their nature, hearts, and lives; to humble - them in a sense of their sin and misery, and thereby help them to a - clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and of the perfection - of his obedience. - - QUEST. XCVI. _What particular use is there of the moral law to - unregenerate men?_ - - ANSW. The moral law is of use to unregenerate men, to awaken their - consciences to fly from wrath to come, and to drive them to Christ; - or, upon their continuance in the estate and way of sin, to leave - them inexcusable, and under the curse thereof. - - QUEST. XCVII. _What special use is there of the moral law to the - regenerate?_ - - ANSW. Although they that are regenerate, and believe in Christ, be - delivered from the moral law as a covenant of works, so as thereby - they are neither justified, nor condemned; yet beside the general - uses thereof common to them with all men, it is of special use to - shew them how much they are bound to Christ for his fulfilling it, - and enduring the curse thereof in their stead, and for their good; - and thereby to provoke them to more thankfulness, and to express the - same in their greater care, to conform themselves thereunto, as the - rule of their obedience. - -In these answers we have, - -I. A description of the moral law, in which we may observe, - -1. That it is a declaration of the will of God to mankind, that so we -may not be destitute of a rule to guide and regulate our behaviour, both -towards God and man. This is the first idea contained in a law; and -there is another, which respects the obligation which we are laid under -hereby, arising from our being creatures, and consequently subject to -God, who, as the supreme governor, has an undoubted right to demand -obedience from us to every thing that he prescribes and reveals to us, -as a rule for our direction therein. Moreover, that which God requires -of us in this law, is, personal, perfect, and perpetual conformity and -obedience thereunto. - -(1.) It must be personal, as denoting that it is not to be performed by -proxy; so that whatever services we may expect from men, we must not -conclude that they can perform obedience for us to God, and thereby -fulfil the obligation we are personally laid under. Yea, we may proceed -farther, and assert, that what Christ has performed for us, does not -exempt us from an obligation to yield perfect obedience; though it is -not to be performed by us with the same view with which he performed it, -as will be farther considered under a following head, where we shall -shew, that though it is not to be obeyed by us as a covenant of works; -nevertheless we are obliged to obey it as a rule of life. - -(2.) Our obedience to the law of God must be perfect. The same -obligation that man was under at first, to yield perfect obedience, -remains still in force, though we are not able to perform it. The -insolvency of man by the fall, did not cancel or disannul this -debt[198]. And how much soever God may own and approve of the sincerity -of his people, which is all the perfection which fallen man can arrive -to in this world; yet we must not suppose, that hereby we fulfil the -obligation which God, as a law-giver, has laid us under. This I the -rather take notice of, that there may not be the least ground to suppose -that we make void the law, but rather establish it, and thereby assert -the right which God has to that perfection of obedience, which is due -from us, though unable to perform it. - -(3.) It must be perpetual, without backsliding from God, or the least -remissness in our duty to him; and therefore there is no abatement or -dispensation allowed of, that may give countenance to the least defect -of this obedience. Thus the Psalmist says, _I will never forget thy -precepts_, Psal. cxix. 93. and, _Every day will I bless thee, and I will -praise thy name for ever and ever_, Psal. cxlv. 2. Moreover, we may -observe, that this obedience is to be performed with the whole man, and -in particular, by the soul, with the utmost intenseness, in all the -powers and faculties thereof. Accordingly our understandings are to be -rightly instructed, as to what respects the matter and manner of -performing it; our wills to be entirely subjected to the will of God, -and our affections engaged therein, as being sanctified and excited by -the Spirit, to the end, that duty may be performed with delight, arising -from the love which we bear to him, whose servants we are. - -It is also to be performed with our bodies. The former, includes in it -that obedience more especially which is internal; this, that which is -external. This is what is styled a lower sort of obedience; and if we -rest here, it is so far from being acceptable, as the apostle says, that -_Bodily exercise profiteth little_, 1 Tim. iv. 8. Nevertheless, as the -body is an instrument of the soul in acting, that service which is -performed therein, is absolutely necessary; and therefore all religious -worship is to be engaged in with a becoming reverence that is external, -as well as that which is internal; without which the soul cannot be said -to engage in any religious duties, in a becoming manner. - -It is farther observed, that this obedience includes in it holiness and -righteousness. The former of these respects more especially our duty to -God, which, being a branch of religious worship, ought to be performed -with a reverential fear of his divine Majesty, and that due regard to -his infinite purity, and entire dedication and consecration of ourselves -to him, as becomes those who are sanctified by his Spirit, and enabled -to exercise all those graces whereby we may approve ourselves his -faithful servants and subjects. The latter more especially respects -those duties which we owe to men, in the various relations we stand in -to them, which is incumbent on us as what is enjoined by God. - -2. The moral law is farther considered as having a promise of life -annexed to it, and a threatning of death upon the breach thereof. This -is what is generally called the sanction annexed to the law. A law -without a sanction would not be much regarded, especially by those who -have not a due sense of their obligation to obedience. Persons are very -much disposed to enquire, when a command is given, what the consequences -of their obeying or disregarding it will be? and this being made known -before hand, is a strong motive to obedience. If God is pleased, out of -his abundant grace, to encourage his people, by giving them to expect -some blessings that he will bestow on those that obey him, it is, in -some respect, necessary that this should be known. But especially since -punishment, in proportion to the nature of the crime, will be the -consequence of disobedience, it is becoming the divine perfections to -let it be known, that the wages of sin is death. And this was not only -annexed to the moral law, but equally impressed on the nature of man, -who could not but know, that rebellion against God would be punished -with a separation from him, and that all those miseries would attend it, -in proportion to the respective aggravation thereof, that it deserves. - -II. We have an account of the use of the moral law since the fall; and -that either with respect to mankind in general, or the unregenerate and -regenerate. And here it is observed, that no man since the fall, can -attain righteousness and life by it; therefore it is not to be used with -that view. From whence we may infer, that this might have been attained -by man before the fall, according to the tenor of the covenant which he -was under, the sum and substance whereof was that _the man that doth -these things shall live by them_, Rom. x. 5. as the apostle says. -Eternal life was promised to man in innocency; and he was then able to -yield sinless obedience, which was the condition thereof. But it is -impossible for fallen man thus to obey; for how perfect soever his -obedience may be for the future, it is supposed, from the nature of the -thing, that it cannot be sinless, after sin has been committed; and it -would be a reflection on the justice and holiness of God, for us to -conclude that he will accept of imperfect obedience, instead of perfect. -Therefore it follows, that a right to life is not to be expected from -our imperfect obedience to the law, as the apostle says, _By the deeds -of the law there shall no flesh be justified_, chap. iii. 20. in God’s -sight; in this respect our own righteousness is represented not only as -faulty and defective, but as altogether insufficient to procure an -interest in the divine favour, or to exempt us from the punishment which -is due to us for sin. It is one thing to say, that eternal life is -connected with obedience, so that no one can have the least ground to -expect it without it; and another thing to say, that it is founded upon -it, or, that it gives us a right and title to it. Nevertheless, we are -not to conclude that the law is of no use; for, - -1. It is of use to all men, in several respects: - -(1.) It informs us of the holy nature and will of God, and of our duty -to him. This is the first idea we have of a law[199], which signifies -more especially a doctrine; and, as the subject-matter thereof, respects -our being taught what we are obliged to, as commanded by a law-giver, it -signifies a law. The divine perfections are eminently instamped on it in -very legible characters; his sovereignty, as having a right to demand -obedience; his holiness in the matter thereof, and in the obligation we -are herein laid under to be _holy in all conversation; because it is -written, be ye holy, for I am holy_, 1 Pet. i. 15, 16. and therefore -this perfection is set forth in those threatnings that are annexed to -it, whereby _the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and -unrighteousness of men_, Rom. i. 18. As it is designed to discover our -secret faults, that we may be humbled for them, and hereby a multitude -of sins may be prevented, so it not only sets forth the holiness, but -the goodness of God; and indeed there is nothing enjoined therein as our -duty, but what includes in it some advantage. Thus the Psalmist -describes it as _more to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold; -sweeter also than honey and the honey comb; and adds, that in keeping -thereof, there is great reward_, Psal. xix. 10, 11. - -(2.) The moral law is of use to all men, as it binds them to perform -that which is therein enjoined as matter of duty, which is another idea -contained in a law, _viz._ as it is that which binds the consciences of -men, that so we may not vainly and presumptuously conclude, to our own -destruction, that we may live as we list, or say, who is Lord over us? -It is a great instance of the care and goodness of God, that he has -taken this method to prevent that ruin which would arise from our -withdrawing the allegiance which we owe to him, and lay us under the -strictest engagement to seek after that blessedness which is connected -with obedience to him. - -(3.) We are hereby convinced of our inability to keep the law, and of -the sinful pollution of our nature, hearts, and lives, as an expedient -to humble us under the sense of sin and misery. The law being spiritual, -we are thereby convinced that _we are carnal_, and _sold under sin_, as -the apostle expresses it, Rom. vii. 14. And he also says, _I had not -known sin, but by the law_, ver. 7. When we consider ourselves as being -obliged to yield perfect obedience, and compare our hearts and lives -therewith, we shall see nothing but holiness and purity on the one hand, -and a wretched mass of corruption and impurity on the other. God demands -perfect obedience; and we are unable, of ourselves, to perform any -obedience. And our best duties being attended with many imperfections, -we are hereby led to be humbled under a sense of sin, whatever thoughts -we, before this, had of ourselves. When _the law enters, sin_ will -_abound_, chap. v. 20. and if we were apprehensive that we were alive, -as the apostle expresseth it, _without the law; when the commandment -comes, sin_ will _revive and we die_, chap. vii. 9. and see ourselves -exposed to the miseries threatened to those that violate it. - -(4.) From hence arises a clear sight of the need that persons have of -Christ, and of the perfection of his obedience. When we find ourselves -condemned by the law, and that righteousness is not to be attained by -our own obedience to it, then we are led to see our need of seeking it -elsewhere; and when the gospel gives us a discovery of Christ, as -ordained by God, to procure for us righteousness, or a right to eternal -life by his obedience, this will shew us the need we have of faith in -him, whereby we derive from him that which could not be attained by our -own conformity to the law. - -2. The moral law is of use in particular to the unregenerate. We have -considered, under the former head, that it is of use to all men (among -whom the unregenerate are included) as it gives them a discovery of the -pollution and guilt of sin; and now we are led to enquire into the -consequence hereof. Sin may be charged on the conscience, and the guilt -thereof make it very uneasy, so that a person may apprehend himself -under the condemning sentence of the law, and yet receive no saving -advantage hereby; he may have a sight of sin, and not be truly humbled -for it or turned from it. In some, corruption is hereby excited, and the -soul grows worse than it was before; thus the apostle says, _sin taking -occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence_, -ver. 8. Others, when filled with a dread of the wrath of God, are -inclined to stretch out their hand against him, and strengthen -themselves against the Almighty; resolving, some way or other, to -disentangle themselves, though they render their condition much worse -thereby. These are compared to _a wild bull in a net, full of the fury -of the Lord_, Isa. li. 20. or, as our Saviour says concerning Paul, -before his conversion, _they kick against the pricks_, Acts ix. 5. Every -step they take to free themselves from the horrible pit and miry clay, -into which they are cast, sinks them deeper into it. Others are -convinced of sin by the law, and, at the same time, despair of obtaining -mercy; they complain with Cain, _My punishment is greater than I can -bear_, Gen. iv. 13. or, as it is in the margin, _Mine iniquity is -greater than that it may be forgiven._ These see themselves lost, or -condemned by the law, but have no sight of Christ as coming into the -world to save sinners, or, at least, the chief of them. The wound is -opened, but there are no healing medicines applied. But there are others -whose condition is no less dangerous, in whom the _wound is healed -slightly_, who _say, Peace, peace, when there is no peace_, Jer. vi. 14. -They are indeed, convinced of sin, and this is attended sometimes with -an external humiliation, arising from the dread of God’s judgments. This -effect it had in Pharaoh, Exod. x. 16, 17. and Ahab, 1 Kings xxi. 27-29. -and they are willing to part with some particular sins, while they -indulge others, that by this partial reformation they may free -themselves from the condemning sentence of the law; but all this is to -no purpose, sin gains strength hereby, and the guilt thereof is still -increased. This is a wrong method taken to flee from the wrath to come; -and therefore, when these convictions of sin have a good issue, in -flying from it, they have recourse to Christ. This is called a being -driven to Christ; by which we are to understand that they see themselves -under an unavoidable necessity of going to him, as not being able to -find peace or solid rest elsewhere. But since this effect is, in a -peculiar manner, ascribed to the gospel, the law being only the remote -means hereof, I would rather express it by their being drawn to him, or -encouraged by the grace contained therein, to close with him by faith; -and then the work is rendered effectual, and convictions end in a saving -conversion. But if it be otherwise, or they apply themselves to indirect -means, to ease themselves of the burden that lies on them, they are -farther described as left inexcusable, and still remaining under the -curse and condemning sentence of the law. - -3. The moral law is of use to the regenerate. In considering which it -may be observed; that there is something supposed in the answer, which -treats on this subject, namely, that they who believe in Christ are -delivered from it as a covenant of works; which is the only sense in -which we are to understand those scriptures, which speak of believers as -_not_ being _under the law_, Rom. vi. 14. and being _dead to the law_, -chap. vii. 4. as _being redeemed from the curse thereof_, Gal. iii. 13. -The moral law is to be considered in two respects, as a rule of life, -and so no one is delivered from it; or else, as a covenant of works, in -the same sense in which it was given to man in innocency, the condition -of which was his performing perfect obedience, in default whereof he was -liable to a sentence of death. In this latter respect a believer is -delivered from it. - -This is the great privilege that such are made partakers of in the -gospel; which sets forth Christ as our Surety, performing perfect -obedience for us, and enduring the curse we were liable to; so that -though it was a covenant of works to him, it ceases to be so to them who -are interested in him; and accordingly it is farther added, that they -are hereby neither justified nor condemned. Not justified; thus the -apostle says, _By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified_, -Rom. iii. 20. This is therefore only to be expected from him who is _the -Lord our righteousness_, Jer. xxiii. 6. _in whom all the seed of Israel -shall be justified, and glory_, Isa. xlv. 25. Nor are they condemned by -the law; for that is inconsistent with a justified state; as the apostle -says, _There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus_, Rom. -viii. 1. However, we must distinguish between a believer’s actions being -condemned by the law, or his being reproved thereby, and laid under -conviction, for sins daily committed; and his being in a condemned -state, according to the sentence thereof. We are far from denying that a -believer is under an obligation to condemn or abhor himself, that is, to -confess that he deserves to be condemned, by God, for the sins that he -commits, which, if he should mark, or punish him according to the -demerit of, he could not stand. Thus the Psalmist says, though speaking -of himself as a believer, and consequently in a justified state, _Enter -not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man living -be justified_, Psal. cxliii. 2. This a believer may say, and yet not -conclude himself to be in a state of condemnation; inasmuch as he sees -himself, by faith, to have ground to determine that he is delivered -from, and so not condemned by the law, as a covenant of works. - -Moreover, it is observed, on the other hand, in the answer under our -present consideration, that the moral law is of use to a believer, in -those respects in which it is of use to all men; and therefore he is -laid under the strictest obligation to perform all the duties which we -owe to God and man, and to be humbled for those defects which he has -reason to charge himself with, which call for the daily exercise of -repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. - -But as to the special use of the moral law to those who are regenerate, -as distinguished from all others, it is said to shew them how much they -are bound to Christ for his fulfilling it, and enduring the curse -thereof in their stead, and for their good. Thus _Christ is_ said to be -_the end of the law for righteousness_, Rom. x. 4. that is, he has -answered the end and demand of the law, by performing that obedience -which it requires, and thereby procuring a justifying righteousness, -which is applied to every one that believes. This lays them under a -superadded obligation to obedience, peculiar to them as believers; so -that they are not only engaged to the practice of universal holiness, -from the consideration of the sovereignty of God commanding in common -with all others, but from _the love of Christ_, which does as it were -_constrain them_ hereunto, 2 Cor. v. 14. And hereby they are said to be -provoked to more thankfulness, as they have greater inducements hereunto -than any others; and this gratitude cannot be better expressed than by -the utmost care to approve themselves to him in all things. Therefore -the grace of God is so far from leading to licentiousness, that all who -have experienced it, are hereby put upon the exercise of that obedience -which they owe to God as their rightful Lord and Sovereign, and to -Christ as their gracious Redeemer, whom they love entirely; and -therefore keep his commandments. - -I cannot but here take occasion to observe, not only with dislike, but a -just indignation, how some, under a pretence of religion, sap the very -foundation of it, while they frequently make mention of the gospel, and -the liberty wherewith Christ has made his people free, and at the same -time abuse it, not only by practising, but pleading for licentiousness. -The Epicureans were libertines among the Heathen, and the Sadducees -among the Jews; but these were vile and profligate out of principle; -either denying the being of a God, or disowning his perfections as well -as future rewards and punishments; and therefore it is no wonder they -had no regard to the divine law. But I want words to express the -wickedness of those who pervert the gospel of Christ, as though that -exempted them from the obligation which all are under to universal -obedience. - -The apostle had to do with some such in his day; and therefore he -represents them as saying, _Is the law sin?_ that is, since we are -delivered from the condemning sentence thereof, may we not take -encouragement from thence to sin? or, as he elsewhere brings them in as -saying, _Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?_ chap. vi. 1. -To both which he replies, with the greatest detestation, _God forbid_. -After this, in an early age of the church, the Nicolaitans, Rev. ii. 6. -and Gnostics, and among them, the Valentinians held these pernicious -opinions, and encouraged themselves in the practice of the greatest -immoralities[200]. And Augustin speaks of the Aetians and Eunomians, who -lived in his time, who pretended that any one who persisted in the -vilest crimes, would receive no detriment thereby, provided they adhered -to the sentiments which they advanced[201]. And there are many, in later -ages, whose sentiments have been, in this respect, subversive of all -religion; and from their denying the obligation we are under, to yield -obedience to the law of God, are justly called Antinomians. - -However, that we may not appear to be unjust to the characters of men, -let it be considered, that we are not here speaking of the charge of -Antinomianism, which some, who defend or oppose the doctrines of grace, -bring against each other; as supposing that their respective sentiments -lead to licentiousness. The Papists and Pelagians pretend, though -unjustly, that the doctrine of predestination, efficacious grace, and -the final perseverance of the saints, is liable to this charge; while -they on the other hand, lay themselves open to the like charge, by -advancing doctrines which have the most pernicious tendency, as -subversive of practical godliness, in various instances; particularly -their asserting, that God in the gospel-covenant, dispenses with -imperfect obedience instead of perfect; and this is no other than what -we are able to perform without the aids of divine grace. But this we -pass over, leaving each party to defend their scheme from this -imputation. - -As to others, who are more especially known by the character of -Antinomians, these are of two sorts, namely, such who openly maintain -that the moral law is not a rule of life in any sense; and that good -works are not to be insisted on as having any reference to salvation; -and therefore, if persons presume, as they, according to them, ought to -do, that Christ died for them, and they were justified before they had a -being, they may live in the practice of the greatest immoralities, or -give countenance to them that do so, without entertaining the least -doubt of their salvation; and that it is a preposterous thing for those -who thus presumptuously conclude themselves to be justified, to confess -themselves guilty of sin; since that would be to deny that they are in a -justified state, or in any sense, to pray for the pardon thereof; since -that would argue that it is not forgiven. Neither can they, with any -tolerable degree of patience, entertain the least exhortations to -practical godliness; because they pretend, that they are exempted from -the obligation to perform any branch thereof, by their not being under -the law. Nay, some of them have been so impudent, and daringly wicked, -as to assert, that if they should commit murder, adultery, or any other -crimes of the like nature, even this would be no bar in the way of their -salvation; nor the most vile sins that can be committed, do them any -hurt, or in the least affect their eternal state. I have, indeed, -sometimes thought that this representation of Antinomianism was no other -than a consequence, deduced from some absurd doctrines that have been -maintained; or that so much of hell could never put on the mask or shew -of religion in any degree; and that this character belonged to none but -those who are open and professed Atheists. But though my lot has not -been cast among persons of so vile a character, yet I have been -informed, by those whose souls have been grieved with such conversation, -that there are some in the world who thus set themselves against the law -of God. - -There are others, indeed, who are styled Antinomians, whose conversation -is blameless, and are not therefore to be ranked with these men, or -judged Antinomians in practice; who, nevertheless, do great disservice -to the truth; and, it may be, give occasion to some to be licentious, by -advancing unguarded expressions, which will admit of a double -construction, without condescending to explain some bold positions, -which they occasionally lay down. - -Thus when they maintain eternal justification, without considering it as -an immanent act in God, or as his secret determination, not to impute -sin to those who are given to Christ; but ascribe that to it, which is -only to be applied to justification, as it is the result of God’s -revealed will, in which respect it is said to be by faith: and when they -encourage persons from hence, to conclude that their state is safe; and -to maintain that it is the duty of every one to believe that he is thus -justified; this has certainly a tendency to lead some out of the way of -truth and holiness, whether they design it or no. And when others speak -diminutively of good works as though they were in no sense necessary to -salvation, because they are not the matter of our justification. This -may give occasion to some to think that they may be saved without them. - -And when others deny the law to be a rule of life, or assert that -believers have nothing to do with it; though, it may be, they understand -nothing else by it, but that it is not that rule, according to which God -proceeds in justifying, or giving his people a right to eternal life; -or, that a believer is not under the law, as a covenant of works; yet -many would be ready to think the words had a different meaning, and so -be led out of the way thereby, how far soever this might be from their -intention. And if a person seems studiously to avoid confessing of sin, -or praying for forgiveness, some would be ready to judge of his -sentiments by his practice; and certainly our denying this to be a duty -in any sense, is not only contrary to scripture, but inconsistent with -that humility and faith which are essential to practical godliness. Or -when persons deny that self-examination is a duty; and speak of all -marks and evidences of grace, though never so just and agreeable to the -scripture-account thereof, as legal, or a low way, in order to a -person’s coming to the knowledge of himself; or suppose that they are -unnecessary, as being inconsistent with the Spirit’s testimony: This has -a tendency to lead to presumption, which is a degree of licentiousness. - -Moreover, when they assert that God is not angry with his people for -their sins, nor, in any sense, punishes them for them, without -distinguishing between fatherly chastisements, and the stroke of -vindictive justice, or the external and sensible effects of that hatred -which God cannot but exercise against sin, and his casting them out of a -justified state: Such doctrines as these lead some persons to -licentiousness, whatever be the secret meaning of those that advance -them. - -We have an instance of this, as the historian observes[202], in -Agricola, who was Luther’s towns-man, and great admirer; who, as it is -probable, did not thoroughly understand what he maintained concerning -the subserviency of the law to the gospel, and its having no place in -the justification of a sinner; or else, from some unguarded expressions, -which he was sometimes apt to make use of; this friend of his took -occasion to advance some Antinomian tenets, _viz._ that repentance ought -not to be urged from the consideration of the breach of the law; and -that the gospel ought to be preached to sinners before they are brought -under conviction by the law; and that how scandalous and debauched -soever persons be in their lives, yet, if they do but believe the -promises of the gospel, they shall be justified. In this, Agricola was -followed by a party of men; and accordingly Antinomianism is said to -have taken its rise, in this part of the world, from that time. Luther, -on the other hand, was forced to take a great deal of pains to rectify -his mistakes; which, though it tended to his conviction, yet it did not -put a stop to the spread of his errors, which he had before propagated. - -As for those who were charged with Antinomianism in England, in the last -century, such as Dr. Crisp, Eaton, Saltmarsh, Town, and others, whatever -their design might be, and how much soever they were remote from the -charge of Antinomianism in practice; though it be alleged in their -vindication, by some, that the principal thing they had in view, was to -bear their testimony against the prevailing doctrine of Arminianism, -that was studiously propagated by some persons of great character and -influence in the nation: Nevertheless, we cannot but conclude, that they -had done more service to the cause of truth, had they been more cautious -in explaining their sentiments, and saved those, who had favourable -thoughts of them in other respects, the trouble of producing some -expressions out of their writings, to convince the world that they did -not hold those dangerous notions which were charged upon them: and it is -too evident to be denied, that many have taken them in the worst sense; -who have from hence been ready to charge the most important doctrines of -the gospel, as leading to licentiousness, and this has made some more -sparing in defending those truths which ought to have been insisted on, -and explained, though in other words more intelligible and -unexceptionable. - -Footnote 198: - - _It is a known maxim in the civil law, Cessante capacitate subditi non - cessat obligatia._ - -Footnote 199: - - _Thus the word_ הודה, _is derived from_ ורה, didicit, _or_ viam - monstravit. - -Footnote 200: - - _Vid. Cov. Hist. lit. Tom. I. Page 30._ - -Footnote 201: - - _Vid. Aug. de Hæres. Cap. liv. where speaking of Eunomius, he says, - Fertur etiam usque adeo fuisse bonis moribus inimicus, ut asseveraret, - quod nihil cuique obesset, quorumlibet perpetratio ac perseverantia - peccatorum, si hujus quæ ab illo docebatur, fidei particeps esset._ - -Footnote 202: - - _See Slled. Comment. de Stat. Relig. & Repub. Lib._ xii. - - - - - Quest. XCVIII. - - - QUEST. XCVIII. _Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?_ - - ANSW. The moral law is summarily comprehended in the Ten - commandments, which were delivered by the voice of God upon mount - Sinai, and written by him in two tables of stone, and are recorded - in the twentieth chapter of Exodus; the four first Commandments - containing our duty to God, and the other six our duty to man. - -Having considered the moral law, as written on the heart of man at -first, and the knowledge thereof, in some degree attainable by all who -exercise their reasoning powers: We are in this, and some following -answers, led to consider that epitome, or abstract thereof, that was -given to the Israelites by the voice of God upon mount Sinai, which is -contained in the Ten Commandments. - -But since we are considering this instance of divine condescension to -them, it may not be reckoned altogether foreign to our present design, -for us to give some brief account of those other laws which God gave, -together with the moral law; most of which were communicated from mount -Sinai: And therefore we may observe, that together with the moral law, -there were several forensic or judicial laws given by God for the -government of the people of Israel, which more especially respected -their civil rights. And there were other laws which had a more immediate -subserviency to their attaining the knowledge of those things which -related to the way of salvation by the promised Messiah, which are more -fully revealed in the gospel: And this is what we call the ceremonial -law. Both these are to be considered before we come to speak concerning -the moral law, as summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments. - -I. Concerning the judicial law. It cannot be supposed that so great a -people, so much interested in the care of God, to whom he condescended -to be their king, should be without a body of laws for their government: -Accordingly there were some given them by him, which were founded in, -and agreeable to the law of nature and nations; which all well-governed -states observe unto this day, viz. that murder should be punished with -death; theft with restitution, or some other punishment that may best -tend to deter from it. Moreover, besides these, there were other -judicial laws given to Israel, which had a more immediate tendency to -promote their civil welfare, as a nation distinguished from all others -in the world; which laws expired when their civil policy was extinct. -And these were, - -1. Such as tended to prevent the alienation of inheritances from the -respective families to which they were at first given. Accordingly God -commanded, that if a man died without children, his brother should marry -his widow to raise up seed to him, to inherit his estate and name, Deut. -xxv. 5, 6. Matt, xxii. 24. - -2. If an Israelite was waxen poor, and obliged to sell his land, for the -payment of his debts; the purchaser was to admit any of his family to -redeem it; or, if they could not, he was, nevertheless, to restore the -land at the _year of Jubilee_, which was every _fiftieth_ year, Levit. -xxv. 11, 12, 13, 25, 26, 27. - -3. If an Hebrew servant was sold for the payment of debts, which he -could not otherwise discharge; his master was obliged to release him -after six years service, Exod. xxi. 2. But if the servant chose to stay -with his master longer than that time, out of the love he bore to him; -then he was to have his ear bored, as a token that he should serve him, -without being subject to the aforesaid laws, which made provision for -his discharge after a certain number of years, ver. 5, 6. - -4. The land was to lie untilled, and the vine-yards and olive-yards were -to be free for every one to come and eat of the fruit thereof every -_seventh_ year; designed more especially for the relief of the poor, -amongst them, who had no distinct inheritance of their own, chap. xxiii. -10. - -5. They were prohibited from taking usury of an Israelite, though they -might of a stranger. The reason of which law might be, either that they -might exercise brotherly kindness and charity to one another, in which -sense the law is in force to this day; especially when the poor borrow -money to supply themselves with necessary food, in which case it is now -unlawful to take usury. Or else it is to be considered, that the -Israelites lived upon their farms or cattle, by which they seldom got -more than what was a necessary provision for their families. And -therefore the paying usury whenever they were necessitated to borrow -money, would have procured their ruin in the end. Therefore they were -not to take usury of an Israelite, but of a stranger they might; because -they enriched themselves by merchandise, and were gainers in a way of -trade, by what they borrowed. - -6. All the males were to come up to Jerusalem, to appear before God, and -perform public worship in the temple three times a year, viz. at the -solemn festivals; the passover, pentecost, and the feast of tabernacles, -Deut. xvi. 16, 17. - -7. Six cities of refuge were appointed for those to fly to, for -protection, who killed any one by accident. Though a near kinsman, as an -avenger of blood might kill the man-slayer before he came to one of -these cities. The design of which law was to induce them to take care -that none might lose their lives through inadvertency. And there was -provision made in these cities for the man-slayer to dwell safely; -whereby a just difference was put between such an one, and a wilful -murderer, Numb. xxxv. 15, 26, 27. Thus concerning the judicial laws. - -II. We now proceed to consider the ceremonial laws that were given them, -the end whereof was to lead them into the knowledge of Christ, and the -way of salvation by him, then to come, Heb. x. 1. Gal. iii. 24, 25. -These may be considered under six heads, which we shall speak briefly -to; - -[1.] It was ordained, that all their males should be circumcised. This -was designed to be a visible mark put on the church, whom God had set -apart for himself, that hereby they might be distinguished from the -world: But the principal design hereof was, that it might be a sign or -seal of the blessings of the covenant of grace, in which God promised -that he would be _a God to them_; and they were hereby to own themselves -as his people, Gen. xvii. 7, 10. - -[2.] There were various ways whereby persons were reckoned unclean, and -ordinances appointed for their cleansing. They were rendered unclean, by -eating those birds, beasts, fishes, and creeping things, which God had -pronounced unclean, and not designed for food, Lev. xi. Moreover, they -were polluted by touching the dead bodies of such unclean birds, beasts, -fishes, or creeping things, ver. 31. Again, some diseases, incident to -the bodies of men, which were more than ordinarily noisome, rendered -them unclean, as the issue, leprosy, _&c._ Lev. xv. 2, _& seq._ and ch. -xiii. and the clothes they wore, the houses they lived in, the beds on -which they lay, their ovens and the vessels used in eating or drinking, -were, on several accounts, deemed unclean, and accordingly were either -to be cleansed or destroyed; otherwise the owners thereof would be -polluted hereby[203]. - -This law was designed to signify how odious and abominable sin, which is -a moral pollution, is, in God’s account, who is _of purer eyes than to -behold iniquity_, Hab. i. 13. We might also observe; that there are -various ordinances appointed for their cleansing, in order to which, -several sacrifices were to be offered, and divers washings with water, -Lev. xiii—15. The former of these signified the way of our being -delivered from sin by the blood of Christ, as the procuring cause of -forgiveness, Heb. ix. 13, 14. Eph. i. 7. the latter, our being cleansed -from sin by the internal, powerful influences of the Holy Spirit, in -regeneration and sanctification, Ezek. xxxvi. 25-27. Heb. x. 22. Tit. -iii. 5, 6. - -[3.] There were holy places, such as the tabernacle and temple, with the -vessels and ornaments thereof. The tabernacle was erected according to -the pattern which God shewed to Moses in the mount, Exod. xxv. 40. and -was so framed, that it might be taken to pieces, and removed from place -to place, as often as the host of Israel changed their station in the -wilderness: And accordingly there were Levites appointed to take it down -and set it up; and also waggons with oxen, to carry it, excepting those -parts of it which belonged to the holiest of all, which were to be -carried on their shoulders, Numb. vii. 6. - -The temple was that fixed place appointed for public worship at -Jerusalem; first built by Solomon, and afterwards rebuilt by Zerubbabel. -And both this and the tabernacle signified, that God would dwell in the -midst of his people, and accept of that solemn and instituted worship -that was to be performed by his church, in all ages. This was designed -to be a type of the incarnation of the Son of God, who is styled -_Emmanuel, God with us_; and in allusion hereunto, he calls his body _a -temple_, John ii. 19. - -Moreover, the courts of this tabernacle and temple, and the ministry -performed therein, had each their respective signification annexed to -them. That, in which the priests came daily to minister, wherein gifts -and sacrifices were offered, prefigured Christ’s offering himself a -sacrifice upon earth, for the sins of his people. And the inner court, -which was the holiest of all, into which none but the high-priest was to -enter, and that with blood and incense, signified Christ’s _entering -into heaven, to appear in the presence of God for us_, Heb. ix. 24. - -As for the vessels of the tabernacle and temple, these were either such -as were in the first court, which is also called _the sanctuary; in -which was the candlestick, the table, and the shew-bread_, Lev. xxiv. -2-7. Heb. ix. 2. the laver and the altar, Exod. xxx. 18. all which were -designed for types. The candlestick signified the church, and the -preaching the gospel therein; whereby light is held forth to the world, -Rev. i. 20. Matt. v. 14. The shew-bread set up, signified the communion -which the members of the church have with Christ, and with one another, -1 Cor. x. 17. as he styles himself, the _bread of life_, or, _the bread -of God, which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world_, -John vi. 33. The laver signified, that when we draw nigh to God, our -persons and services ought to be pure and holy; to which the apostle -alludes, when he says, _Let us draw near with a true heart, in full -assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, -and our bodies washed with pure water_, Heb. x. 22. The altar, which was -holy, and sanctified the gift that the high-priest offered thereon, -Matt, xxiii. 19. so that _every thing that touched it was holy_, Exod. -xxix. 37. this signified, that the divine nature of Christ added an -infinite worth to what he did in the human; in which he offered himself -a sacrifice to God. These were the vessels in the outer court. - -The vessels in the inward court, or holiest of all _in which were the -golden censer, the ark of the covenant, and the Cherubims of glory -shadowing the mercy seat_, Heb. ix. 3-5. were a symbol and type of God’s -special presence with his people, which is their glory; or of the Son of -God’s dwelling with us, in our nature. The mercy-seat, which was placed -over it, signified that the mercy of God was displayed to sinners, -through Christ. The cherubims of glory with their wings spread, -overshadowing and looking down upon the mercy-seat, signified that the -angels behold and admire the stupendous work of redemption, 1 Pet. i. -12. The altar of incense, and the golden censer, were types of the -intercession of Christ for his people; and its fragrancy typified the -acceptableness thereof in the sight of God. - -There were, besides these, three more things in the holiest of all, -which are particularly mentioned, viz. the _pot of manna_, which was -miraculously preserved from corruption throughout their generations, as -a memorial of the bread which God had fed them with in the wilderness, -and a type of Christ, the bread of life, who was to come down from -heaven, John vi. 48-50. There was also Aaron’s rod, which was preserved -in memory of the wonders that were wrought by it in Egypt, at the Red -Sea, and in the wilderness: And it is said to have _blossomed and -yielded almonds_, Numb. xvii. 8. which seemed to typify the flourishing -state of the gospel; which is called, _The rod of God’s strength_, Psal. -cx. 2. Moreover, the two tables of the law were put into the ark, -whereby the exceeding holiness of it was signified; and also that the -law should be fulfilled and magnified by Christ, when he came to dwell -among us. Thus we have given a brief account of the holy vessels of the -temple and tabernacle. - -We might also have added, that there were various ornaments thereof; -they were adorned with silver, gold, and precious stones, carved, and -curious needle-work; which rendered them exceeding rich and beautiful. -The temple in particular, was the wonder of the world, far surpassing -all other buildings, either before or since, Exod. xxv. 3-7. 1 Chron. -xxix. 2-5. And this may be supposed to shadow forth the spiritual beauty -and glory of the gospel-church, and of the heavenly state, in which it -shall be brought to its utmost perfection, Rev. xxi. 11-23. Thus -concerning those holy places, which were immediately designed for -worship. - -There were other holy places, such as the land of Canaan, which was -styled the _Holy land_, and the inhabitants thereof a holy nation, or -_the people of his holiness_, Isa. lxiii. 18. And as this was a place -where God gave them rest, and a settlement, after forty years travel in -the wilderness, it was a type of that rest which the church was to -expect from Christ under the gospel, Isa. xi. 10. Heb. iv. 9. Moreover, -Jerusalem was an holy city, Nehem. xi. 1. Matt. iv. 5. because thither -the tribes went up to worship, Psal. cxxii. 4. and God was present with -them there, Ezek. xxxvii. 27, 28. - -[4.] There were other laws that respected those whom God had appointed -to be ministers in holy things. These were the Priests and Levites, who -were to assist them in some parts of their office; but especially the -high-priest, who was the chief or head of them all, who is considered as -an eminent type of Christ’s Priestly office in several respects, Heb. v. -1-5. And there were various ceremonies instituted, which were observed -in their consecration of them; particularly they were to be washed with -water, Exod. xxix. 4. which was a rite used in the consecration of -persons and things; and signified, that they who ministred in holy -things, should be holy in their conversation. Moreover, there were -several garments to be made and put on them, which are styled _holy_, -and designed _for glory and for beauty_, chap. xxviii. 2, _& seq._ These -signified the dignity and holiness of Christ’s priesthood. And -particularly the breast-plate, which was only worn by the high-priest, -adorned with precious stones, on which the names of the children of -Israel were engraven, with which he was to go into the holy of holies. -This signified the concern of Christ’s people in the execution of his -Priestly office, and his representing them when appearing in the -presence of God for them. Again, they were anointed with the precious -ointment, compounded for that purpose, chap. xxx. 25, 30. whereby they -were set apart, or consecrated to minister in the priest’s office, and -were types of Christ; upon which account he is said to be _anointed with -the oil of gladness above his fellows_, Psal. xlv. 7. - -[5.] There were other laws respecting the temple-service, or the gifts -and sacrifices that were to be offered there. There were many gifts -presented or devoted to God; some of which were not designed for -sacrifice, but to testify their acknowledgment of God’s right to all we -are and have; and among these, the first ripe fruits were offered, or -presented, as gifts to him, Exod. xxix. 29. As for those things that -were designed for sacrifice, these were offered, and their blood poured -forth on the altar; which signified the expiation of sin by the blood of -Jesus, Heb. ix. 22, 23, 26. And that part of the high-priest’s office, -which respected his carrying the blood with the incense, into the -holiest of all, was a type of Christ’s _entering into heaven, there to -appear in the presence of God_ for his people, chap. ix. 24. - -[6.] There were other laws that respected the holy times or festivals, -appointed for solemn worship. Some of these were monthly, as the new -moons; others annual, as the passover; which was not only a sign -memorizing their having been formerly delivered from the sword of the -destroying angel, when he slew the first-born of Egypt; but it typified -our deliverance from the stroke of vindictive justice, on which account -Christ is called _our passover_, 1 Cor. v. 7. There was also the feast -of harvest, in which the first-fruits were presented to God as an -acknowledgment that he has a right to the best of our time and service. -There was also the feast of tabernacles; which not only called to -remembrance their dwelling in tents in the wilderness, but was an -acknowledgment that we are strangers and sojourners upon earth; and was -also a type of Christ, who was expected to come and pitch his tabernacle -among us in his incarnation. There are many other laws, both judicial -and ceremonial, that I might have mentioned; but since these things are -only spoken of occasionally, as being imparted by God to Israel, by the -hand of Moses, from mount Sinai, at the same time, or soon after, the -Ten Commandments were given, Deut. iv. 12, 13. we shall add no more -concerning them, but proceed, - -To consider what is particularly mentioned in this answer, concerning -God’s giving this abstract of the moral law contained in them, which -were first delivered by a voice; in which respect God is said to have -_talked with them face to face_, chap. v. 4. but at the same time there -were many ensigns of terrible majesty attending the delivery of this -law; the _mountain burned with fire_, Exod. xix. 18. There were -_lightnings, thunderings, and earthquakes, and the sound of a trumpet, -that waxed louder and louder; which made the people, and Moses himself, -exceedingly tremble_, Exod. xx. 18. Heb. xii. 18, 19. and there was the -ministry of angels who performed that part of the work which they were -employed in on this solemn occasion. This is described in a majestic -style, becoming the subject insisted on, when it is said, _The Lord came -from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount -Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints; from his right hand -went a fiery law_, Deut. xxxiii. 2. Their ministry might probably -consist in their forming the thunder, lightnings, and tempest. -Nevertheless, the law was not originally from them, but given -immediately by God. And the design of its being given in such an awful -and majestic way was, that God might hereby set forth his greatness, and -fill them with a reverential fear of him; and to intimate, that if they -did not yield obedience to him, they were to expect nothing else but to -be consumed by the fire of his jealousy. However, it was not an -intimation that he designed to destroy, but to prove them; as it is -said, that _his fear might be before their faces, that they should not -sin_, Exod. xx. 20. That which we may farther observe is, that after God -had delivered the Ten Commandments by words; he wrote them with his own -finger, on two tables of stone; in which the moral law is summarily -comprehended; which is particularly explained in several following -answers. - -Footnote 203: - - _See a particular account hereof in Lev. xi 15. Chapters._ - - - - - Quest. XCIC. - - - QUEST. XCIX. _What rules are to be observed for the right - understanding of the Ten Commandments?_ - - ANSW. For the right understanding of the Ten Commandments, these - rules are to be observed, - - I. That the law is perfect, and bindeth every one to full conformity - in the whole man unto the righteousness thereof, and unto entire - obedience, for ever, so as to require the utmost perfection of every - duty, and to forbid the least decree of every sin. - -This implies, that how unable soever we are to yield perfect obedience, -yet it does not cease to be a duty. And though some sins are smaller -than others, yet the least is contrary to the law of God; and therefore -not to be committed by us. - - II. That it is spiritual, and so reacheth the understanding, will, - affections, and all other powers of the soul, as well as words, - works, and gestures. - -This denotes that obedience ought to be performed in a spiritual manner. -God is to be worshipped with our spirits; without which, all external -modes of worship will avail nothing. Nevertheless, external worship is -to be performed and expressed by words, works, and gestures; which -supposes that our understandings are rightly informed, or that we do not -worship an unknown God, and that our wills express a readiness to obey -him out of choice, and without the least reluctancy; and our affections -must centre in him, as performing the duties incumbent on us, with the -utmost delight and pleasure. - - III. That, one and the same thing, in divers respects, is required - or forbidden, in several commandments. - -Thus covetousness is forbidden in the Tenth Commandment. Nevertheless, -as hereby the world is loved more than God, it is a breach of the first -Commandment, and as such is styled _idolatry_, Col. iii. 5. - - IV. That, as, where a duty is commanded, the contrary sin is - forbidden, and where a sin is forbidden, the contrary duty is - commanded. So, where a promise is annexed, the contrary threatening - is included; and where a threatening is annexed, the contrary - promise is included. - -Thus the fifth Commandment requires us to honour our superiors; -therefore it forbids our reproaching or doing any thing dishonourable or -injurious to them, Matt. xv. 4. The eight Commandment forbids stealing; -and it also requires the contrary duty, namely, that we should labour -for a competent maintenance, that we may not be exposed to any -temptation thereunto. Thus it is said, _Let him that stole, steal no -more, but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which -is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth_, Eph. iv. 28. -Moreover, as there is a promise of long life annexed to the fifth -Commandment, this includes the contrary threatening to those that break -it. Thus it is said, _The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth -to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the -young eagles shall eat it_, Prov. xxx. 17. And on the other hand, -whatever threatening is annexed to any commandment, the contrary promise -is included, and belongs to those that repent of, or abhor, and turn -from the sin therein forbidden. Thus it is said, _At what instant I -speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to -pull down, and to destroy it. If that nation against whom I have -pronounced turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I -thought to do unto them_, Jer. xviii. 7, 8. - - V. That what God forbids, is at no time to be done; what he - commands, is always our duty, and yet every particular duty, is not - to be done at all times. - -Thus sin is, under no pretence to be committed. Accordingly Moses, when -he was in a prosperous condition in Pharaoh’s court, though he might -have pretended, that his greatness, and the advantages which Israel -might have expected from it, might have been an excuse for his -continuing to enjoy the pleasures of sin there. Nevertheless, he was -sensible that this would not exempt him from guilt; therefore _he -forsook Egypt, and chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of -God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin_, Heb. xi. 25. Again, what God -commands is always a duty; so that there is no season of life in which -it ceases to be so: as for instance, praying, reading, hearing the word, -&c. Nevertheless these duties are not actually to be engaged in every -moment of our lives. It is always our duty to visit the sick, comfort -the afflicted, defend the oppressed; but such objects do not always -present themselves to us, so as to render it our duty at all times. - - VI. That, under one sin or duty, all of the same kind are forbidden - or commanded, together with all the causes, means, occasions, and - appearances thereof, and provocations thereunto. - -Thus, according to the fourth Commandment, it is our duty to sanctify -the Sabbath, and consequently to avoid every thing that may be a means -or occasion of our breach of it. In the sixth Commandment murder is -forbidden; so is likewise all sinful passion or anger with our brethren -without a cause, Matt. v. 22. And in the seventh, adultery is forbidden; -so is also _looking on a woman to lust after her_, Matt. v. 28. And as -we are obliged to _abstain_ from every sin forbidden, so _from all -appearance of evil_, 1 Thes. v. 22. or what may be an occasion of it. -Thus _fathers_ are _not to provoke their children to wrath_, Eph. vi. 4. -and according to the moral reason of the command, we are not to provoke -any one to wrath, or do that which may excite their corruptions. - - VII. That, what is forbidden or commanded to ourselves, we are - bound, according to our places, to endeavour that it may be avoided - or performed by others, according to the duty of their places. - -Not to endeavour to prevent sin in others, is, in effect, to commit it -ourselves. Thus Eli contracted the guilt of his sons crimes, by not -endeavouring to prevent them. And persons are said to _hate their -brethren in their hearts_ who _do not rebuke them, but suffer sin upon -them_, Lev. xix. 17. And Abraham is commended in that he _should command -his household after him, that they should keep the way of the Lord_, -Gen. xviii. 19. From hence it follows, that it is a duty for parents to -instruct their children in the ways of God, Deut. vi. 6, 7. - - VIII. That, in what is commanded to others, we are bound according - to our places and callings, to be helpful to them, and to take heed - of partaking with others in what is forbidden them. - -That we are to be helpful to others, in that which is their duty, -appears, from our obligation to endeavour that God may be glorified. -Therefore we are, to our utmost, to promote their faith and joy in -Christ. Thus the apostle says, _We are helpers of your joy_, 2 Cor. i. -24. And, on the other hand, we ought to take care that we do not partake -with others in their sin. Thus the Psalmist says, _When thou sawest a -thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with -adulterers_, Psal. l. 18. - - - - - Quest. C., CI., CII. - - - QUEST. C. _What special things are we to consider in the Ten - Commandments?_ - - ANSW. We are to consider in the Ten Commandments, the preface, the - substance of the Commandments themselves, and several reasons - annexed to some of them, the more to inforce them. - - QUEST. CI. _What is the preface to the Ten Commandments._ - - ANSW. The preface to the Commandments is contained in these words - [_I am the Lord thy God, who have brought thee out of the land of - Egypt, out of the house of bondage_] wherein God manifesteth his - sovereignty, as being Jehovah, the eternal, immutable, and almighty - God, having his being in and of himself, and giving being to all his - words, and works; and that he is a God in covenant, as with Israel - of old, so with all his people; who, as he brought them out of their - bondage in Egypt, so he delivereth us from our spiritual thraldom; - and that therefore we are bound to take him for our God alone, and - to keep all his Commandments. - - QUEST. CII. _What is the sum of the four Commandments, which contain - our duty to God?_ - - ANSW. The sum of the four Commandments containing our duty to God, - is, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our - soul, and with all our strength, and with all our mind. - -These answers contain some things necessary to be observed; as, - -I. That the substance of each commandment is to be considered by us, or -what it is, that God enjoins or forbids therein; in which we find that -every Commandment contains a distinct head of duty, and is to be -explained according to the rules laid down in the foregoing answer. And -also that some of them have reasons annexed to them; which is an -instance of God’s condescending goodness, that besides the consideration -of our obligation to obey whatever he commands, because it is his will, -we may have other motives to enforce this obedience. What these reasons -or motives are, will be considered in their proper place. - -II. That here is a general preface, which God has set before the -commandments, which contains several motives to obedience; some of which -were indeed peculiarly adapted to the Israelites, whereby they were put -in mind of their late deliverance out of the land of Egypt. -Nevertheless, if we consider the moral reason thereof, as this, together -with the subject-matter of the commandments, to which it is prefixed, -may be applied to God’s people under all ages, we shall find that it -extends farther than the obligation which Israel was under, as delivered -from the Egyptian bondage. Therefore it may be observed, - -1. That God reveals himself as the Lord, whose name alone is Jehovah, a -God of infinite sovereignty and almighty power, as well as faithful to -his promises; so that whatever he obliges us to do, or gives us -encouragement to expect from him, we have the highest motive and -inducement thereunto. - -2. He styles himself his people’s God; and so puts them in mind of that -relation which they stand in to him, as the result of the covenant of -grace, in which he gives them a warrant to lay claim to those spiritual -blessings which he bestows on a people nigh unto him; and this is -considered as a farther obligation to obedience. The covenant of grace -respects either the external dispensation thereof, which belongs to the -church in general, viz. to all who are made partakers of the glad -tidings of salvation, which are contained in the gospel; or else that -particular claim which believers have to saving blessings which are made -over to them therein, which respects all those graces which God is -pleased to give his people here, and that glory which he has reserved -for them hereafter; and this must certainly be reckoned the highest -motive to duty. - -3. As to what respects God’s having brought Israel out of the land of -Egypt, out of the house of bondage; this is to be extended farther than -that particular providence, which was then fresh in their memories; and -therefore it denotes all the deliverances which God is pleased to -vouchsafe to his people, whether temporal or spiritual; and in -particular, that which was procured for us by Christ, from the bondage -and thraldom of sin and Satan, the condemning sentence of the law, -together with that salvation which is inseparably connected with it; -which is to be improved by us as an inducement to yield universal -obedience to all God’s commandments. - -There are some, indeed, who think that this is a part of the first -Commandment, and so the meaning is, Thou art to know, and practically -consider, that I am the Lord thy God, as containing the affirmative part -thereof; and then follows the negative, Thou shalt have no other gods; -or else they suppose it to be a reason annexed to this Commandment in -particular. But it seems most probable, that it is a preface to all the -Commandments, and accordingly to be applied as a motive to enforce -obedience to every one of them. - -III. We have farther an account of the sum of the four Commandments, -which contain our duty to God. Here it maybe observed, - -1. That the sum of all the commandments is love. This is what the -apostle intends, when he says, that _the end of the commandment is -charity_, or rather _love_, as it ought to be rendered, 1 Tim. i. 5. and -accordingly he says, _He that loveth another hath fulfilled the law_, -Rom. xiii. 8. This love hath either God or man for its object, and -comprizes in it the duties which we owe to God and man: and they are all -reduced to this general head; that hereby we may understand; that -obedience, whether it be to God or man, is to be performed with delight; -otherwise it will be a burden to us and unacceptable to him, who has -obliged us to love him and keep his commandments; because he first loved -us. - -2. These commandments, as they respect our duty to God and man, are -comprized in two tables, which are to be divided according to their -respective objects. Some ancient writers, indeed, have very -injudiciously supposed that the five first Commandments belong to the -first table, and the others to the second; and so make an equal division -thereof; and the Papists have assigned but three to the first table, -making the second Commandment an appendix to the first; and that the -number ten may be compleat, they divide the tenth Commandment into two. -The reason urged by them for this matter, will be considered in its -proper place; but we are bound to conclude that the four first -Commandments contain the duties of the first table, which respect those -which we immediately owe to God; and these are to be performed, as our -Saviour says, _with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all -our mind_, Luke x. 27. which is an idea superior to that which is -contained in the duty we owe to man. And the six last Commandments -contain the duties of the second table, of which our neighbour is the -more immediate object. - -That this division of the Commandments is just, appears from what the -apostle says, when speaking concerning the duty contained in the fifth -Commandment, _Honour thy father and mother_, who calls it _the first -Commandment with promise_, Eph. vi. 2. Whereas it is not the first -Commandment that has a promise annexed to it, since the second -Commandment contains a promise of mercy to thousands of them that love -God and keep his commandments; nor is it the first of the ten -Commandments. Therefore the apostle can intend nothing hereby but that -it is the first Commandment of the second table. - -And now we are considering the Commandments as thus contained in two -tables, and distinguished with respect to the more immediate objects -thereof, we may farther observe; that though both of them are enjoined -by the authority of God, and consequently are equally binding, so that -the obedience which is acceptable in his sight, must be so extensive, as -that we must _have respect to all his commandments_, Psal. cxix. 6. Yet -it may be observed, - -(1.) That the duties of the first table, in which we have to do with God -as the more immediate object thereof, are to be considered as acts of -religious worship, whereby we not only confess our obligation to obey -him; but in performing it, adore and magnify his divine perfections as -the highest end and reason thereof; which is not included in the idea of -the duties which we owe to our neighbour, as contained in the -commandments of the second table. These, indeed are to be religiously -observed, not from any circumstance respecting our neighbour, but as -duties which we perform in obedience to God[204]. - -(2.) Though the principal and most excellent branch of religion consists -in our obeying the commandments of the first table; yet our obedience is -not only defective, but unacceptable to God, if we neglect to perform -those of the second. And, on the other hand, the performance of the -duties of the second table is not sufficient to denominate a person a -religious man, who lives in the neglect of those which are contained in -the first. - -(3.) The duties which we owe to our neighbour, as contained in the -second table, are, for the most part, to give way to those which we owe -to God, pursuant to those which are enjoined in the first, especially -when they are considered as standing in competition with them. Thus we -are obliged, in the fifth Commandment, to obey our parents or superiors. -Nevertheless, if they command us to break the Sabbath, profane the name -of God, or attend on such worship which he has not required, we are to -disobey them, or to _obey God rather than men_, Acts iv. 19. And -elsewhere it is said, _If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy -son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is -as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go, and serve -other gods: thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him_, -Deut. xiii. 6, 8. This our Saviour calls _hating father and mother, -wife, children, and brethren_, Luke xiv, 26. without which we cannot be -his disciples. By which he intends, that if the love which we otherwise -owe to them, be inconsistent with that obedience which he requires of -his followers; or, if we cannot oblige them, and at the same time -perform the duties which we owe to him, the inferior obligation must -give way to the superior. - -Footnote 204: - - _The former of these are generally styled the Elicit acts of religion, - the latter the Imperate._ - - - - - Quest. CIII., CIV. - - - QUEST. CIII. _Which is the first commandment?_ - - ANSW. The first commandment is, _Thou shalt have no other gods - before me_. - - QUEST. CIV. _What are the duties required in the first commandment?_ - - ANSW. The duties required in the first commandment, are, the knowing - and acknowledging of God to be the only true God, and our God; and - to worship and glorify him accordingly, by thinking, meditating, - remembering, highly esteeming, honouring, adoring, choosing, loving, - desiring, fearing of him, believing him, trusting, hoping, - delighting, rejoicing in him, being zealous for him, calling upon - him, giving all praise and thanks, and yielding all obedience and - submission to him, with the whole man, being careful in all things - to please him, and sorrowful when in any thing he is offended, and - walking humbly with him. - -The duties required in this Commandment, are contained in three general -heads. - -I. We are obliged to know God. This supposes that our understanding is -rightly informed as to what relates to the divine perfections, which are -displayed in the works of creation and providence, by which we are led -into the knowledge of his eternal power and Godhead; and this is called -the natural knowledge of God: but that knowledge which we are to -endeavour to attain, who have a brighter manifestation of his -perfections in the gospel, is of a far more excellent and superior -nature; inasmuch as herein we see the glory of God the Father, Son, and -Holy Ghost; or behold the perfections of the divine nature, as displayed -in and through a Mediator; which is that knowledge which is absolutely -necessary to salvation, as our Saviour says, _This is life eternal; that -they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast -sent_, John xvii. 3. By this means we not only know what God is, but our -interest in him, and the foundation which we have of our being accepted -in his sight. - -II. We are farther commanded to acknowledge or make a visible profession -of our subjection to God, and in particular, to Christ, as our great -Mediator: His name, interest, and glory, should be most dear to us; and -we are, on all occasions, to testify, that we count it our glory to be -his servants, and to make it appear that he is the supreme object of our -desire and delight, as the Psalmist says, _I cried unto thee, O Lord, I -said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living_, Psal -cxlii. 5. And elsewhere, _Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is -none upon earth that I desire besides thee_, Psal. lxxiii. 25. - -III. We are farther obliged by this Commandment, to worship and glorify -God, pursuant to what we know, and the profession we make of him as the -true God and our God. To worship and glorify God, is to ascribe all -possible glory and perfection to him, and to have our hearts suitably -affected therewith, as sensible of that infinite distance which we stand -at from him. This is considered under several heads, which contain the -substance of what is required in this Commandment; as, - -1. We must make God the subject of our daily meditation; calling to mind -what he is in himself, and what he is to us, or does for us; which is to -be considered as a means to preserve us from sin, and a spur, to duty, a -motive to holy fear and reverence. - -2. We are to honour, adore, and fear him for his greatness. Thus the -Psalmist says, _Who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord; who -among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the Lord? God is greatly -to be feared in the assemblies of the saints, and to be had in reverence -of all them that are about him_, Psal. lxxxix. 6, 7. - -3. As God is the best good, and has promised that he will be a God to -us; so he is to be desired, loved, delighted, and rejoiced in, and -chosen by us; as the prophet says, ‘With my soul have I desired thee in -the night,’ Isa. xxvi. 9. and the church, ‘I sat down under his shadow -with great delight,’ Cant. ii. 3. and the apostle, ‘Lord, thou knowest -that I love thee,’ John xxi. 15. - -4. As he is a God of truth, we are to believe all that he has spoken; -and in particular, what he has revealed in his promises or threatnings, -relating to mercies which he will bestow, or judgments which he will -inflict. Thus our Saviour says, ‘If I say the truth, why do ye not -believe me,’ John viii. 46. And it is said, when Israel ‘saw that great -work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, -and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses,’ Exod. xiv. 31. - -5. As he is able to save to the utmost, and faithful in fulfilling all -his promises, we are to trust him with all we have from him, and for all -those blessings which we hope to receive at his hands. Thus the prophet -says, ‘Trust ye in the Lord for ever; for in the Lord Jehovah is -everlasting strength,’ Isa. xxvi. 4. And the apostle speaks of his -_having committed_ all to him, 2 Tim. i. 11. as the consequence of what -he knew him to be. - -6. When the name, interest, and glory of God is opposed in the world, we -are to express an holy zeal for it. Thus the prophet Elijah says, ‘I -have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of -Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain -thy prophets with the sword,’ 1 Kings xix. 10. And as to what concerns -our conversation in general, we are to be ‘not slothful in business, but -fervent in spirit, serving the Lord,’ Rom. xii. 11. - -7. Since he is a God hearing prayer, we are daily to call upon him, ‘O -thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come,’ Psal. lxv. 2. - -8. As he is the God of all our mercies, we are to thank and praise him -for them. Thus the Psalmist says, ‘O give thanks unto the Lord, for he -is good; for his mercy endureth for ever,’ Psal. cxxxvi. 1. - -9. His sovereignty and dominion over us, calls for subjection and -obedience, and a constant care to please him, and approve ourselves to -him in all things. Thus the apostle says, ‘Submit yourselves to God,’ -James iv. 7. And the Psalmist speaks of a person’s ‘cleansing his way, -by taking heed thereto according to his word,’ Psal. cxix. 9. - -10. As he is an holy, jealous, and sin-hating God, we are to be filled -with grief and sorrow of heart when he is offended, either by ourselves -or others, as Ephraim says, ‘I was ashamed, yea, even confounded; -because I did bear the reproach of my youth,’ Jer. xxxi. 19. And the -Psalmist, ‘Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they,’ that is, -the world in general, ‘keep not thy law,’ Psal. cxxix. 136. - -11. A sense of our unworthiness and daily infirmities should excite us -to _walk humbly with God_. This is enjoined as a necessary duty, Mic. -vi. 8. and is called a _being clothed with humility_, 1 Pet. v. 5. Thus -concerning the duties required in this Commandment. - -That which may be farther observed is, that it is fitly placed before -all the other Commandments, because it is, from the nature of the thing, -necessary to our performing the duties which are required in them. The -object of worship must first be known before we can apply ourselves, in -a right manner, to perform any duty prescribed, whether respecting God -or man. - -It may be also farther considered, that it is not an easy matter to keep -the Commandment, because of the spirituality and vast extent thereof, -and the many graces that are to be exercised by those that would perform -it aright; and therefore we ought earnestly to beg of God that our -hearts may be set aright with him, and inclined and excited hereunto by -him; which is a peculiar blessing to be desired and expected from the -Holy Spirit. Thus the Psalmist says, _Incline mine heart unto thy -testimonies_, Psal. cxix. 36. - - - - - Quest. CV., CVI. - - - QUEST. CV. _What are the sins forbidden in the first Commandment?_ - - ANSW. The sins forbidden in the first Commandment, are, Atheism, in - denying, or not having a God; idolatry, in having, or worshipping - more gods than one, or any with, or instead of the true God; the not - having and avouching him for God, and our God; the omission or - neglect of any thing due to him required in this Commandment, - ignorance, forgetfulness, misapprehensions, false opinions, unworthy - and wicked thoughts of him, bold and curious searching into his - secrets, all profaneness, hatred of God, self-love, self-seeking, - and all other inordinate and immoderate setting of our mind, will, - or affections upon other things, and taking them off from him, in - whole or in part; vain credulity, unbelief, heresy, misbelief, - distrust, despair, incorrigibleness, insensibleness under judgments, - hardness of heart, pride, presumption, carnal security, tempting of - God, using unlawful means, and trusting in lawful means, carnal - delights and joys; corrupt, blind, and indiscreet zeal, - lukewarmness, and deadness in the things of God, estranging - ourselves, and apostatizing from God, praying, or giving any - religious worship to saints, angels, or any other creatures, all - compacts, and consulting with the devil, and hearkening to his - suggestions, making men the lords of our faith and conscience, - slighting and despising God and his commandments, resisting and - grieving of his Spirit, discontent, and impatience at his - dispensations, charging him foolishly for the evils he inflicts on - us, and ascribing the praise of any good we either are, have, or can - do, to fortune, idols, ourselves, or any other creature. - - QUEST. CVI. _What are we especially taught by these words_ (before - me) _in the first Commandment?_ - - ANSW. These words _before me_, or before my face, in the first - Commandment, teach us, that God who seeth all things, takes special - notice of, and is much displeased with the sin of having any other - god; that so it may be an argument to dissuade from it, and to - aggravate it, as a most impudent provocation, as also to persuade us - to do, as in his sight, whatever we do in his service. - -The sins forbidden in this Commandment may be reduced to two general -heads, Atheism and Idolatry. - -_First_, Atheism; whereby men are so far from taking God for their God, -that they deny that there is a God; or, at least, that he is what he has -revealed himself to be. Thus the wicked man, who is styled a _fool_, is -represented as _saying in his heart, There is no God_. Psal. xiv. 1. -This Atheism is either speculative or practical. The former of these is -that which is seated in the minds and consciences of men; who are so far -blinded, perverted, and deluded, as to think that there is no God. -Though, indeed, there are very few among these who are so bold and -profane as to deny this truth when they attend to the dictates of -nature, or duly exercise those reasoning faculties with which God has -endowed them; which, if they neglect to do, they must be reckoned but -one remove from brutes. Some, indeed, are ready to wish that there were -no God, or inclined to deny those divine perfections that are essential -to him, cast contempt on his government, or, it may be, deny a -providence; which is, in effect, to deny that there is a God. Though it -must be observed, that none proceed to this degree of wickedness, till, -by a long continuance in sin, they are given up to judicial hardness of -heart, and blindness of mind, Rom. i. 28. Eph. iv. 17-20. And even these -have been forced, at some times, to confess that there is a God, with -whom is terrible majesty; when he has broken in on their consciences, -and filled them with the dreadful apprehensions of his wrath, as a -sin-revenging Judge. But where there is one speculative Atheist, there -are a thousand practical ones, who live without God in the world; and -these are described in this answer, as being guilty of those sins which -none who duly consider his divine perfections would venture to commit. - -To enlarge on every one of those instances, particularly mentioned in -this answer, in which this sin is supposed to consist, would require a -distinct treatise, and be inconsistent with our designed brevity in -explaining the Ten Commandments. All that we shall therefore attempt at -present, shall be to consider some instances, in which practical Atheism -discovers itself, together with the aggravations of this sin; and then -we shall enquire what judgment we are to pass concerning those who -complain of atheistical and blasphemous thoughts; and consider whether -this be a degree of that Atheism which we are speaking of; together with -the causes of this sin, and the remedies against it. - -I. The instances in which practical Atheism discovers itself. And, - -1. They are chargeable with it who are grossly ignorant, and know -nothing of God but the name, being utter strangers to those perfections -whereby he makes himself known to the world, or who entertain carnal -conceptions of him, as though he were altogether such an one as -ourselves, Psal. l. 21. - -2. When persons, though they know, in some measure, what God is, yet -never seriously exercise their thoughts about him; which forgetfulness -is a degree of Atheism, and will be severely punished by him, Psal. ix. -17. and l. 22. - -3. When persons maintain corrupt doctrines, and dangerous heresies, -subversive of the fundamental articles of faith, and contrary to the -divine perfections. Of this kind are those that militate against his -sovereignty and dominion over the wills, consciences and affections of -man; when persons conclude that his counsels and determinations may be -disannulled or defeated; or when we suppose that he changes, as we do; -or when, under a pretence of advancing one perfection, we set aside the -glory of another, when in order to magnify his mercy, we disregard his -holiness or justice, and so presume of being happy without being holy; -or when we give way to despairing thoughts, from the consideration of -his vindictive justice, without improving the displays of his mercy, as -set forth in the gospel. - -4. When we repine and quarrel at his providence, and pretend to find -fault with the dispensations thereof, or charge God foolishly, and go -about to prescribe laws to him, who is the Governor of the world, and -may do what he will with the work of his hands. - -5. When we refuse to engage in those acts of religious worship which he -has appointed, or to attend on his ordinances, in which we may hope for -his presence and blessing. - -6. When we behave ourselves, in the conduct of our lives, as though we -were not accountable to him, and had no reason to be afraid of his -judgments. Accordingly, when we set our affections on other things, and -take them off from him, when we are guilty of wilful impenitency and -unbelief, and are incorrigible under divine rebukes; when our hearts and -lives are estranged from him, as though we desired not the knowledge of -his ways; when we resist and grieve his Spirit, are discontented and -impatient under his hand, or ascribe that to second causes, or think -that those things come by chance which are under the direction of his -providence. In these, and many other instances, persons are notoriously -guilty of practical Atheism, which is forbidden in this Commandment. - -II. We are now to consider the aggravations and dreadful consequences of -this sin. - -1. It is contrary to the light of nature, and the dictates of -conscience, a disregarding those impressions which God has made of his -glory on the souls of men. And in those who have been favoured with the -revelation of the grace of God in the gospel, in which his perfections -have been set forth to the utmost, it is a shutting our eyes against the -light and casting contempt on that which should raise our admiration, -and excite in us the highest esteem of him whom we practically disown -and deny. - -2. It is directly opposite to, and entirely inconsistent with all -religion, and opens a door to the greatest degree of licentiousness. To -live without God in the world, is to give the reins to our own -corruptions; it is not barely a sin of infirmity or inadvertency, but a -running in all excess of riot; and therefore the consequence hereof must -be dreadful; for that which strikes at the very being of God, cannot but -expose the sinner to the sorest condemnation. But since there are some -sins mentioned in this answer, which contain a degree of practical -atheism; which believers themselves are prone to fall into, and complain -of, as forgetfulness of God, unbelief, distrust of his providence, -insensibleness under judgments, too great a degree of hardness of heart, -pride, carnal security, discontent and impatience under his -dispensations; this may tend very much to discourage them, and make them -conclude that they are not in a state of grace; especially when they -find, as sometimes they do, atheistical and blasphemous thoughts -suggested to their minds. Therefore we must inquire, - -III. What judgment we are to pass concerning those who are ready to -charge themselves with practical atheism, especially as to what respects -those unbecoming thoughts and conceptions which they sometimes have of -the divine Majesty? whether this be altogether inconsistent with the -truth of grace, together with the causes thereof, and the remedies -against it? It is certain, that the best of God’s people are sanctified -but in part, and therefore are prone to commit those sins which seem to -contain in them a denial, at least, a neglect of that regard which we -ought to have for the divine perfections, and especially when we are not -only followed with vain, but blasphemous thoughts; which gives great -disturbance to us, when engaged in holy duties. This ought to be -reckoned a very great affliction, and occasion many searchings of heart; -since sometimes it brings much guilt with it. Nevertheless, we are not -always from hence to conclude that we are in a state of unregeneracy. It -is the prevalency of corruption, or the dominion of sin, which is -inconsistent with the truth of grace, not the remainders thereof. A -person may have faith, who yet complains of unbelief; he may have a due -regard to God, as to what respects the course and tenor of his actions; -but yet, in many instances, be chargeable with forgetfulness of him. He -may have a love to him, and yet sometimes be guilty of indiscreet zeal, -on the one hand, or lukewarmness and deadness of heart, on the other; -his mind and affections may be sanctified, and yet he be sometimes -followed with atheistical and blasphemous thoughts. - -We have instances in scripture of good men, who have spoken, not only -unadvisedly, but, as we may term it wickedly with their lips. Thus Job -is justly reproved by Elihu for charging God with _finding occasions -against him; putting his feet in the stocks, and marking all his paths_, -Job xxxiii. 10, 11. as though his dealings with him had been unjust and -severe; especially when he says at the same time, _I am clean, and -without transgression; I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me_, -ver. 9. And Jonah, when he was reproved by God for his passionate -behaviour towards him, vindicates himself, and says, _I do well to be -angry, even unto death_, Jonah iv. 9. These are expressions that favour -of a degree of Atheism; and so do those unbecoming conceptions of God, -whereby our thoughts are sometimes defiled and depraved. But it is one -thing to be guilty of this through surprise and the prevalency of -temptation; and another thing to have those thoughts indulged by, and -lodged in us unrepented of. - -And there are some instances in which believers are afflicted with -atheistical and blasphemous thoughts, when it is hard to say that they -contract guilt thereby, or, at least, it must only be reckoned an -infirmity arising from this imperfect state; and that more especially -when they are injected by Satan, and are without the consent of our -wills; but treated with the utmost abhorrence, constantly bewailed and -resisted with all our might; more particularly when we take occasion -hereby to exercise those graces which discover that we have other -apprehensions of God than what are suggested at those times, when we are -hurried by these temptations, and can scarce say, that we have the -government of our own thoughts; especially if we are able to say, at -such a time as our Saviour did, when unadvisedly tempted by Peter, who, -was at that time the Devil’s instrument, to persuade him to relinquish -the work which he came into the world about. _Get thee behind me Satan, -thou art an offence to me_, Matt. xvi. 23. - -And this leads us to consider the causes of such atheistical and -blasphemous thoughts. Sometimes they proceed from a neglect of waiting -on God in his ordinances, or indulging a carnal and stupid frame of -spirit therein, and not maintaining that holy reverence, or becoming -sense of his all-seeing eye, which we ought always to have. Moreover, -there is nothing that has a greater tendency hereunto, than our -conversing with those who make religion the subject of their profane wit -and drollery; especially if we do this out of choice, and do not at the -same time testify a just abhorrence of it. - -As for those remedies which are to be made use of to fence against, and -cure the sinfulness of our thoughts in such-like instances; it behoves -us to repent of those sins, which may have been the occasion of, or -given rise to them. And inasmuch as it is not in our own power to govern -our hearts or affections, or restrain the breaking forth of corruption; -it is necessary for us to commit our souls into Christ’s hands, with -earnest supplications to him that he would sanctify, regulate, and -cleanse our thoughts, and bring us into, and keep us in a good frame. We -ought also to desire, seek after, and improve all opportunities of -conversing with those whose discourse is holy and profitable, Mal. iii. -16. by which means our affections may be raised, and our thoughts -tinctured with divine things, which will leave an abiding impression -behind them, Luke xxiv. 32. Which leads us, - -_Secondly_, To consider this Commandment as forbidding idolatry. Thus, -when it is said, _Thou shalt have no other gods_; the meaning is, thou -shalt not worship idols, or set a creature in the place of God, or pay -that regard to it that is due to him alone. - -Here it may not be inconvenient to consider the difference between -idolatry as it is a breach of the first and second commandment. As it is -a breach of the first Commandment, it contains in it a giving divine -honour to that which is not God; but as it is against the second -Commandment, it is a worshipping God by the creature, to whom an -inferior kind of worship is given. Thus when the Papists worship God by -images, supposing them to be a help to their devotion, or a means of -performing that worship which they pretend to be given ultimately to -God. Or when they ascribe any branch of divine glory to saints or -angels; notwithstanding what they say to exculpate themselves from the -breach of the first Commandment, they are justly chargeable with the -breach of the second. - -We are here to consider, the idolatry more especially that is forbidden -in the first Commandment. Which is either what is more gross, such as -that which is found among the heathen; or that which is more secret, and -may be found in the hearts of all, and is discovered by the practice of -multitudes of Christians, who profess the utmost detestation of idolatry -in the other sense. - -1. As to idolatry, in the former sense, together with the rise and -progress thereof. In considering the first rise of it we may observe, - -(1.) That it proceeded from the ignorance and pride of man, who, though -he could not but know, by the light of nature, that there is a God; yet -being ignorant of his perfections, or of what he has revealed himself to -be in his word, was disposed to frame those ideas of God, which took -their rise from his own invention. Accordingly the apostle says, _When -ye knew not God, ye did service unto them, which, by nature, are no -gods_, Gal. iv. 8. - -(2.) When iniquity abounded in the world, and men withdrew from, and -cast contempt on the ordinances of God, they invented and worshipped new -gods. This some suppose Cain and his posterity did, when he _went out -from the presence of the Lord_, Gen. iv. 16. and the _sons_ of God, that -is, the church, when they contracted marriages with the _daughters of -men_, chap. vi. 2. and joined with them in idolatry; so that it is no -wonder if persons leave the true worship of God, that they should chuse -to themselves other gods. - -(3.) Hereupon God gave them up to judicial blindness; so that they -_worshipped the host of heaven_, Acts vii. 42. as the apostle says the -Heathen did. - -(4.) As to what concerns the idolatry which was practised among the -Israelites, that took its rise from the fond ambition which they had to -be like other nations, who were abhorred of God; counting this a -fashionable religion, and finding the true worshippers of God to be -fewer in number than the rest of the world, so that, as the prophet -speaks, they were _like a speckled bird_, despised and hated by the -Heathen _round about them_, Jer. xii. 9. they approved of, and learned -their ways. It was this that occasioned Solomon to _cleave to them in -love_, 1 Kings xi. 2. which was not much unlike to the argument used by -Demetrius and his followers, why Diana should be worshipped; namely, -_because all Asia and the world worshipped her_, Acts xix. 27. - -(5.) The Devil was permitted, for the trial of the faith of God’s -people, and as an instance of his righteous judgment on his enemies, to -abuse the unthinking part of the world by various signs and lying -wonders. Thus we read of _prophets_, and _dreamers of dreams_, who gave -forth signs and wonders, which God sometimes judicially suffered to come -to pass; whereby many took occasion to go _after other gods_, Deut. -xiii. 1-3. and Antichrist is said _to come after the working of Satan, -with all power, and signs, and lying wonders_, 2 Thess. ii. 9. This was -managed by the craft and covetousness of the priests, who made a gain of -it, and amused the common people thereby. And the Heathen oracles, so -much spoken of by ancient writers, which gave countenance to their -idolatry, are reckoned, by some, to have been no other than a -contrivance of those who had little else but secular interest in view. -And when they predicted things future, or revealed secrets, this was -generally done in doubtful expressions: so that whether the thing really -came to pass or no, the end designed might be answered thereby; and -doubtless there was a hand of Satan herein, to harden the world in that -idolatry which was then practised by them. The gods they worshipped were -as numerous as the countries and kingdoms where idolatry prevailed; -accordingly every nation, yea, every city had its particular god and -distinct modes of worship. - -[1.] Some worshipped the sun, moon, and stars, supposing that their -regular motion and influence on earthly bodies, was not to be attributed -to the all-wise providence of God, but to some intelligent being, which -resided in, and gave that motion and influence to them: upon the account -whereof they worshipped them as gods. This some did in that early age in -which Job lived, Job xxxi. 26. and the Israelites were warned against -it, Deut. iv. 19. And afterwards we read of _idolatrous priests_, who -_burnt incense to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to -all the host of heaven_, and dedicated _horses and chariots to the sun_, -2 Kings xxiii. 5, 11. - -[2.] Others worshipped the earth, and many creatures therein, especially -those that they received a more than ordinary advantage from. Thus the -Egyptians worshipped the river Nile; by the overflowing of which, their -country was rendered fertile. And some who lived in maritime towns, -worshipped the sea, thinking thereby to prevent an inundation from it. -And the Philistines worshipped Dagon; inasmuch, as living near the sea, -it afforded them plenty of fish. - -[3.] Others worshipped those parts of the earth which they most -delighted in; such as gardens, woods, groves, springs, _&c._ which they -supposed to be inhabited by some gods, who produced the advantages which -they received hereby, without regarding the providence of God, to which -every thing is to be ascribed, that the earth brings forth for the -support and delight of men. - -[4.] Others supposed that there were particular gods, who had the -oversight of men, succeeded their undertakings in the various affairs of -life, conducted them when travelling by sea or land, gave good or ill -success to their secular employments, and preserved them in sickness and -health; and accordingly they paid divine adoration to them. - -[5.] Others expressed the regard they had to virtue by worshipping some -men after their death, who had signalized themselves by inventing some -things which were of common advantage to mankind while they lived. And -the Romans were so much addicted to this practice of idolatry, that some -of their emperors, though tyrants and monsters in wickedness, while they -lived, obliged their subjects to perpetuate their memories by -worshipping them as gods when they were dead. - -[6.] Some were so stupid, as that they worshipped stocks and stones, -ascribing divinity to them; in which they acted below the reason of -intelligent creatures. Thus the prophet speaks of their idols as first -_growing in the wood_, then _framed by the smith_, or carpenter, _into -gods_, and afterwards _worshipped by them_, Isa. xliv. 9-17. And the -Psalmist, on this occasion, justly observes, _They that make them are -like them; so is every one that trusteth in them_, Psal. cxv. 4-7, -compared with 8. - -We might, under this head, consider some things mentioned in scripture; -in which idolaters not only acted contrary to the dictates of reason, -but discovered themselves to be cruel and inhuman in their modes of -worship. Thus Baal’s worshippers in Ahab’s time, cut themselves with -knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out of them, 1 Kings xviii. -28. and others made their children pass through the fire, in the worship -they paid to Molech, or the sun, which the Psalmist refers to, when he -says, _They sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, and -shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their -daughters_, Psal. cvi. 37, 38. This, indeed, some think, intends nothing -else but their passing between two fires; so that they were scorched by -them. Yet others, with greater reason, suppose that they were inclosed -in that brazen idol, and so burnt to death in the most barbarous -manner[205]. - -The use which we ought to make of this doctrine, should be to excite us -to bless God for the clear light of the gospel, whereby we are led to -turn from dead idols to serve the living and true God: nevertheless we -are to take heed lest we be chargeable with heart-idolatry; whereby we -may be said to break this Commandment, though it be in a different way -from that in which the Heathen did. This leads us to consider, - -2. That idolatry which is sometimes found among Christians; who, though -they abhor the thoughts of giving divine worship to a creature, yet, if -they look into their own hearts, will have reason to charge themselves -with those things which are in scripture called idolatry; namely, when -they put any thing in the room of God, or love it more than him; and -this may be considered in the following instances. - -(1.) Self may be reckoned among those idols which many, who make -profession of the true religion, pay a greater regard to than to God. -Thus the apostle, speaking concerning the great degeneracy of the world, -among other things, says, that _men should be lovers of their -ownselves_, 2 Tim. iii. 2. so that self-love turns away the heart from -God, and excludes all practical religion. This we may be said to be -guilty of; in which respect we are chargeable with heart-idolatry. - -[1.] When we reject, or refuse to give credit to any of the great -doctrines contained in divine revelation, unless we are able to -comprehend them within the shallow limits of our own understandings; -upon which account some are inclined to treat the most sacred mysteries -of our religion with contempt; and for the same reason they might as -well deny and disbelieve what is said concerning the infinite -perfections of the divine nature, because they cannot be comprehended by -us. This is no other than a setting up our own understanding, which is -weak and liable to err, in opposition to the wisdom of God, and, in some -respects, a giving superior glory to it. - -[2.] When we are resolute and incorrigible under the various rebukes of -providence, and persist in our rebellion against God, notwithstanding -the threatenings which he has denounced, or the judgments which he -executes. When the will of man is obstinately set on those things which -are directly contrary to the will of God; and, though we are warned of -the danger thereof, resolve notwithstanding, to add rebellion to our -iniquities, like the wild ass used to the wilderness, or the swift -dromedary traversing her ways, that cannot be easily turned out of her -course. In this respect the will of man is set in opposition to God; and -therefore he is, for this reason, justly chargeable with idolatry. - -(3.) This also discovers itself in our affections, when they are either -set on unlawful objects, or immoderately pursue those that would -otherwise be lawful; when we love these things which God hates, or covet -what he has expressly forbidden, as Achan did the wedge of gold, and the -Babylonish garment; upon which account _covetousness_ is, by the -apostle, called _idolatry_, Col. iii. 5. And to this we may add, that we -are chargeable with this sin, when we _make provision for the flesh, to -fulfil the lusts thereof_, Rom. xiii, 14. Thus the apostle speaks of -some _whose god is their belly_, Phil. iii. 19. - -And as for those things which are otherwise lawful, we may be guilty of -idolatry in the immoderate pursuit of them, when they take up too much -of our thoughts, time, and concern; when our affections are so much set -upon them, as though we had nothing better to mind; when we are not -willing to part with them when God calls for them at our hands, and are -more cast down at the loss of them, than we are when deprived of those -spiritual blessings which are of the highest importance. In these -instances we may be said to set up self as our idol in opposition to -God. - -And to this we may add, that there is a more subtle kind of idolatry, -whereby self enters into, and takes its place in those religious duties, -which believers are engaged in. Thus when they attempt to perform them -in their own strength, as though they had a sufficiency in themselves, -and had no occasion to depend on the almighty power of God to work in -them that which is pleasant in his sight. And we are farther guilty of -this sin, when, through the pride of our hearts, we are apt to applaud -ourselves when we have performed some religious duties, and expect to be -justified thereby; which is a setting up self as an idol, in the room of -Christ. And lastly, when self is the end designed in what we do in -matters of religion, and so robs God of that glory which is due to his -name. - -(2.) There is another idol, which is put in the room of God; and that is -the world. When the profits, pleasures, or honours thereof are thought -of with the greatest delight, as though they were our chief good, and -pursued with more earnestness than Christ’s interest and glory. When it -has not only the highest place in our affections, but, as it were, -engrosses them; this is that love of the world which, as the apostle -says, is inconsistent with the love of the Father, 1 John ii. 15. and -denotes us guilty of that idolatry which we are now speaking of; more -particularly, - -[1.] When our thoughts are so much engaged in the pursuit of it, that we -grow not only cold and remiss as to spiritual things; but allow -ourselves no time for serious meditations on them, or converse with God -in secret. - -[2.] When the world has our first and last thoughts every day; when we -are so far from following the Psalmist’s example, when he says, _When I -awake, I am still with thee_, Psal. cxxxix. 18. as considering ourselves -under the care of providence, and beholden to God for the mercies which -we enjoy, that we are taken up with nothing else but the projects and -schemes which we lay for the gaining or increasing our wealth, or -worldly estate therein. And this having been the great business of the -day, takes up and engages our wakeful thoughts by night, as though it -were the main work and business of life. - -[3.] When we pursue the world, without depending on God for his blessing -to attend our lawful undertakings, and do not consider the good things -thereof as his special gift, nor the disappointments that attend us -therein, as ordered by his overruling providence, to engage us to walk -more closely with him, and take up our rest in him as our only -happiness. - -[4.] When our hearts are hereby hardened, and grow cold and indifferent -in religion, or when it follows and disturbs us in holy duties, and -renders us formal in the discharge thereof. - -[5.] When the riches, honours, and pleasures of the world have a -tendency to quiet our spirits, and give us full satisfaction, though -under spiritual declensions, and destitute of the special presence of -God, which is our greatest happiness. - -[6.] When we fret, or repine at the providence of God, under the -disappointments we meet with in our secular affairs in the world. And, - -[7.] When we despise the members of Christ, because they are poor in the -world, are ashamed of his cross, and refuse to bear reproach for his -sake. - -(1.) There is another instance of heart-idolatry, _viz._ when we adhere -to the dictates of Satan, and regard his suggestions more than the -convictions of our own consciences, or the Holy Spirit. Satan’s design -in his temptations, is to turn us away from God; and when we are drawn -aside thereby, we may be said to obey him rather than God. This is what -all are more or less guilty of; but some are said, in an uncommon -degree, to be his servants. Thus the apostle Paul styles the _sorcerer, -who sought to turn aside the deputy from the faith, a child of the -devil_, Acts xiii. 10. and our Saviour tells the Jews, _Ye are of your -father the devil; and the lusts of your father ye will do_, &c. John -viii. 44. He is also called _The god of this world_, 2 Cor. iv. 4. and -_the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the -children of disobedience_, Eph. ii. 2. and accordingly he attempts to -usurp the throne of God; by which means he has led a great part of the -world after him. And, as he tempted our Saviour to fall down and worship -him, Matt. iv. 9. though without success, he prevails upon others to do -it to their own ruin. Here it may be observed, - -[1.] That he has propagated several doctrines, in opposition to the -gospel; and, indeed, all those doctrines which are subversive thereof, -take their rise from him. Thus the apostle, speaks of some who, _in the -latter times, should depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing -spirits, and doctrines of devils_, 1 Tim. iv. 1. This they do when they -depart from the way of truth. - -[2.] He has sometimes invented those modes of worship, which have been -observed by some, in imitation of the sacrifices which God had ordained; -and whatever pretence there might be of religion herein, he had -doubtless a design, by this means, to set up himself, in opposition to -God. - -[3.] He has amused and hardened the hearts of his subjects, by pretended -miracles, designed to oppose, and lessen the credit of those real -miracles which have been wrought, to confirm the truth, by the finger of -God, Exod. viii. 7. - -[4.] He has endeavoured to extirpate the true religion, by raising -persecutions against the faithful worshippers of God; which has been his -constant practice, so far as he has been permitted, in all ages. - -[5.] He has excited, in some of his subjects, the greatest degree of -hatred, opposition to, and rebellion against God. Thus he _entered into -the heart of Judas_, Luke xxii. 3. and _filled the heart of Ananias, -that he lied to the Holy Ghost_, Acts v. 3. and has hardened the hearts -of others, that they bade defiance to the Almighty, as Pharaoh, who -said, _Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice?_ Exod. v. 2. - -[6.] He has persuaded many of his subjects to enter into a kind of -confederacy with him, and with one another, to promote his wicked -designs. Thus those wretched Jews did, who _bound themselves under a -curse, that they would neither eat or drink till they had killed Paul_, -Acts xxiii. 14. And we read of others who had _made a covenant with -death and with hell_, Isa. xxviii. 15. The vilest instances of sins of -this nature, were found among some who used sorcery, divination, -witch-craft, and other diabolical practices; which is so horrid a crime, -and so contrary to the dictates of human nature, that had we not an -account of some in scripture, who used those abominable arts, we should -be ready to think that none were ever guilty of them. - -I will not deny but that many things, which are commonly related -concerning witch-craft and sorcery, as practised in latter ages, are -fabulous and incredible; and some things, said to be done by the power -of the Devil, may be accounted for by natural causes; and others are -ascribed to it, which are performed by the concealed arts of some who -get a livelihood by cheating the unthinking part of mankind: -nevertheless, I am far from thinking that the account we have hereof in -scripture, is without any manner of foundation, as some modern writers -suggest. That famous story of the witch of Endor, mentioned in 1 Sam. -xxviii. 7-20. is an argument that there were such persons, at that time, -in the world. - -I am sensible that it will be objected to this, that she was a cunning -woman, who lived by her wits, and deceived Saul, by pretending that she -used some infernal art, as expedient to bring him to the speech of -Samuel; which it may not be amiss for us to inquire into. Therefore let -it be observed, - -_1st_, That it is by no means to be supposed that she raised Samuel from -the dead; for it is out of the Devil’s power to call the soul of a saint -out of heaven, with a design to subserve his interest thereby, and to -set up his kingdom in opposition to Christ’s; and it is not reasonable -to suppose that Samuel should do the Devil so much service after his -death, who was so great an enemy to him in his life. Besides, he was -buried at Ramah, 1 Sam. xxv. 1. and can we think that he should be now -raised at Endor? - -_2dly_, On the other hand, we are not to imagine, that it was a mere -trick or juggle of the woman, whereby she imposed on Saul; for though it -is true, he did not see a shape, yet he heard a voice, and made a reply -thereunto. Moreover we read, that he had an intimation given him, that -Israel should be delivered into the hands of the Philistines; and that -he and his sons should be with him to-morrow; that, is in the state of -the dead; which the woman was not cunning enough to foretel;[206] or if -she had guessed that it would be so, she would hardly have ventured to -tell Saul such ungrateful tidings; which, if he had lived to see himself -cheated, and her prediction confuted, it would have endangered her life. -Had it been nothing but a cheat or juggle, she would rather have told -him, that he would be safe and victorious; for which, if it had come to -pass, she might have expected a reward; and if not, she had nothing to -fear from him as a just punishment of her impiety. - -_3dly_, We must therefore suppose, that she was a professed servant of -the Devil, and _had_, as the text says, _a familiar spirit_; by which we -are to understand that she conversed with Satan; who, that he might -harden her the more in her sin, and lead others, like Saul, into a -credulous, diabolical presumption, might reveal some secrets to her, -and, at the same time, either assume the shape, or, at least, -counterfeit the voice of Samuel. - -Thus concerning those, who, by the practice of these arts, have -professed themselves to be in a kind of confederacy with Satan. It is -certain no good man ever practised them; and therefore some have found -it very difficult to understand the sense of that scripture in Gen. -xliv. 5. concerning the cup that was in Benjamin’s sack; _Is not this -the cup wherein my Lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth?_ And -Joseph himself says, in ver. 15. _Wot ye not that such a man as I can -certainly divine?_ Though Joseph was a prophet, it is certain he was no -diviner in that sense in which the word is commonly used in scripture; -nor was this cup an instrument by which he practised any such art. -Therefore, for the understanding of this scripture, we may consider, - -_1st_, That the word which we render _to divine_, denotes, as it is -observed in the margin, to make trial of, or search after, or to -discover, or find out a matter; and instead of _whereby_, or _by which_, -it ought rather to have been rendered _concerning which_; and then the -meaning of the scripture is only this; _Is not this the cup wherein my -lord drinketh?_ And therefore, if it were lost or stolen, he would soon -miss it; and make inquiry to find out the thief, as he has now done. And -when Joseph says, ver. 15. _Wot ye not that such a man as I can divine?_ -The meaning is, Do you think that one who is so diligent and industrious -in the management of all those affairs that are incumbent on me, would -lose the cup in which I drink, and make no inquiry after it? Did you -expect to go undiscovered, when you had such an one as I to deal with, -who not only have an inclination, but all the advantages that can be -desired, to make search after those who have dealt unjustly by me, as -you have done? - -_2d_, To _divine_ may signify to _prophesy_; and so it may be taken in a -good sense as well as in a bad one. Accordingly, when Joseph’s servants -speak of him as divining concerning the cup, they consider him as one -who had an extraordinary gift from God of revealing secrets. Therefore, -they might easily conclude that he would, by this means, find out the -person who had stolen his cup. This is agreeable to the Egyptian mode of -speaking; for those whom the Hebrews called _prophets_, they called -_diviners_. And Joseph used the same expression when he says, _Wot you -not that such a man as I could divine?_ that is, Did you not know that I -was a prophet, and by this means was advanced to my present honour in -Pharaoh’s court? So that, whether we take the words in this or the other -sense, it does not follow, that he used any arts that were diabolical or -unlawful. - -And now we are speaking concerning those arts, by which Satan deludes -them, who, either directly, or by consequence, pay that regard to him -which is due only to God. It may farther be inquired; what we are to -conclude concerning the practice of judicial astrology, by those, who, -in scripture, are called _star-gazers_, as a term of contempt, whose -profession is universally condemned therein. - -These are, especially in our age, a generation of men, who impose on the -weakness of many superstitious and ignorant people, who, by encouraging -them, are partakers with them in their sin. The art they pretend to, is -not only uncertain, but presumptuous, and contains in it a contempt of -the providence of God, in regarding the signs and intimations, which -they suppose they receive from the stars, concerning the future -contingent events, or those actions which take their rise from the -free-will of man. - -That which I would observe in general, concerning this practice, is, -that we no where find in scripture, that the stars were designed to -signify the prosperous or adverse circumstances in which men shall be in -the world; or to foretel the riches or poverty, sickness or health, -which we should experience in our passage through it, or how long we -shall continue in it; our times and circumstances in the world being -only in God’s hand; and it is in mercy to us that he has concealed these -future events from us. To this we may add, that this art, and those that -use it, is very often spoken against in scripture, and the church warned -against it; when God says, _Learn not the way of the Heathen, and be not -dismayed at the signs of heaven_, Jer. x. 2. And elsewhere, _Thou art -wearied in the multitude of thy counsels, let now the astrologers, the -star-gazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up and save thee_, Isa. -xlvii. 13. And elsewhere, they are ranked with _diviners_, and called -_liars_, chap. xliv. 25. - -If it be inquired, Whether any good men have ever practised this art, -though without pretending to have had any intimation from Satan, but -only proceeding according to the rules prescribed therein? It is not my -business to censure men, but things. Therefore the best that can be said -thereof is; that if any good men have studied or practised it, they have -generally blamed themselves for it afterwards, or, at least, confessed -the uncertainty and presumption thereof. And we read of some that, in -the time of their ignorance, had addicted themselves thereunto; who, -when it pleased God to convert them, have laid it aside, and burned the -books from whence they learned it, Acts xix. 19. - -It is objected against what has been said concerning the unlawfulness of -judicial astrology, that Moses addicted himself to the study thereof, of -whom it is said, That _he was learned in all the wisdom of the -Egyptians_, chap. vii. 22. To which it may be replied, that if, by _the -wisdom of the Egyptians_, we understand, as most expositors do, judicial -astrology, Moses might know, but not approve of, or practise this art, -which was so much in use among the Egyptians. But it may be, nothing -more is intended by it, but his knowing the regular motion of the stars, -and the wisdom of God seen therein, without judging of future events -thereby; which is not only lawful, but commendable: though, I am apt to -think, that by the _wisdom of the Egyptians_, we are to understand those -maxims of state, and the secrets of Pharaoh’s court, which he had an -opportunity to know, as being a great favourite with him, as Josephus -observes, who thinks that he designed that he should succeed him in the -throne[207]. Thus having considered this Commandment as being broken by -Atheism and idolatry, and the various kinds and degrees thereof; which -is called our having other gods; - -We proceed now to inquire what is meant by these words [before me] in -the first Commandment, which are an intimation of the aggravation of the -sins forbidden therein; whereby God puts us in mind of his all-seeing -eye, which ought to deter us from the breach of it; especially when we -consider, that inasmuch as he beholds all our actions, he cannot but be -exceedingly displeased when we entertain any conceptions of him that -tend to question his authority, dethrone his sovereignty, or alienate -our affections from him, and set up any thing in competition with him. -And this should teach us how we ought to set the Lord always before us, -considering him as the heart-searching God, who is jealous for his own -honour, and will not suffer this sin to go unpunished. - -Footnote 205: - - _To this the poet’s observation might well be applied_, Tantum religio - potuit saudere malorum! _Lucet. de Nat. Rer. Lib._ 1. _And that human - sacrifices were offered, appears from what we read of the_ king of - Moab, _who_ took his eldest son, that should have reigned in his - stead, and offered him for a burnt-offering, 2 Kings iii. 27. - -Footnote 206: - - Satan knew the state of the armies, and wished to drive Saul to - despair. - -Footnote 207: - - _Vid. Jos. Antq. Lib. II. Cap. 5._ - - - - - Quest. CVII., CVIII., CIX., CX. - - - QUEST. CVII. _Which is the second Commandment?_ - - ANSW. The second Commandment is _Thou shalt not make unto thee any - graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, - or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the - earth; thou shalt not bow down to them, nor serve them; for I the - Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers - upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that - hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands, of them that love me and - keep my commandments._ - - QUEST. CVIII. _What are the duties required in the second - Commandment?_ - - ANSW. The duties required in the second commandment are the - receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such - religious worship and ordinances as God hath instituted in his word, - particularly prayer and thanksgiving in the name of Christ, the - reading, preaching, and hearing of the word, the administration and - receiving of the sacraments, church-government, and discipline, the - ministry and maintenance thereof, religious fasting, swearing by the - name of God, and vowing unto him. As also the disapproving, - detesting, opposing all false worship; and according to each ones’ - place and calling, removing it, and all monuments of idolatry. - - QUEST. CIX. _What are the sins forbidden in the second Commandment?_ - - ANSW. The sins forbidden in the second Commandment, are, all - devising, counselling, commanding, using, and any ways approving any - religious worship not instituted by God himself, tolerating a false - religion, the making any representation of God, of all, or of any of - the three Persons, either inwardly in our mind, or outwardly, in any - kind of image or likeness of any creature whatsoever, all - worshipping of it, or God, in it, or by it; the making of any - representation of feigned deities, and all worship of them, or - service belonging to them, all superstitious devices, corrupting the - worship of God, adding to it, taking from it, whether invented and - taken up of ourselves, or received by tradition from others; though - under the title of antiquity, custom, devotion, good intent, or any - other pretence whatsoever, simony, sacrilege, all neglect, contempt, - hindering and opposing the worship and ordinances which God hath - appointed. - - QUEST. CX. _What are the reasons annexed to the second Commandment - the more to enforce it?_ - - ANSW. The reasons annexed to the second Commandment, the more to - enforce it, contained in these words, [_For I the Lord thy God am a - jealous God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the - children, unto the third and fourth generation, of them that hate - me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep - my commandments_] are, besides God’s sovereignty over us, and - property in us, his fervent zeal for his own worship, and his - revengeful indignation against all false worship, as being a - spiritual whoredom, accounting the breakers of this commandment such - as hate him, and threatening to punish them unto divers generations, - and esteeming the observers of it, such as love him, and keep his - commandments, and promising mercy to them unto many generations. - -Before we proceed to consider the subject-matter of this Commandment, we -shall premise something, in general, concerning the difference between -it, and the first Commandment. The first Commandment respects the object -of worship; the second, the manner in which it is to be performed. -Accordingly the former forbids, our not owning God to be such an one, as -he has revealed himself to be, in his word; as also the substituting any -creature in his room, or acknowledging it, either directly, or by -consequence, to be our chief good and happiness; the latter obliges us -to worship this God, in such a way as he has prescribed, in opposition -to that, which takes its rise from our own invention. These two -Commandments therefore being so distinct, we cannot but think the -Papists to be chargeable with a very great absurdity, in making the -second to be only an appendix to the first, or an explication of it; the -design whereof seems to be, that they might exculpate themselves from -the charge of idolatry, in setting up image-worship, which they think to -be no crime; because they are not so stupid as to style the image a god, -or make it the supreme object of worship; whereas this Commandment, -forbidding false worship, is directly contrary to their practice of -worshipping God thereby. - -The method, in which this Commandment is laid down, is the same with -that of several others, _viz._ as we have therein, an account of the -duties required, the sins forbidden, and the reasons annexed to enforce -it. We shall therefore - -I. Consider the duties commanded. These are contained in two heads. - -1. The obligation we are under to observe, or attend upon, such -religious worship and ordinances as God hath appointed. Religious -worship is that whereby we address ourselves to God, as a God of -infinite perfection; profess an entire subjection and devotedness to him -as our God; put our trust in him for a supply of all our wants, and -ascribe that praise and glory, that is due to him, as our chief good, -most bountiful benefactor, and only portion and happiness. - -As for the ordinances, our attendance on them depends on a divine -command, to which God has annexed a promise of his gracious presence, -whereby our expectations are raised, that we shall obtain some blessings -from him, when we engage therein in a right manner, in which respect -they are instituted means of grace, and pledges of that special favour -which he designs to bestow on his people. This is that which more -especially renders a duty enjoined, an ordinance. Accordingly our -Saviour says, _Where two or three are gathered together in my name, -there am I in the midst of them_, Matt. xviii. 20. - -Now these ordinances are either solitary or social; such as we are -obliged to perform in our closets, chap. vi. 6. in our families; or in -those public assemblies where God is worshipped. These are particularly -mentioned in this answer; and they are prayer, thanksgiving, reading, -preaching, and hearing the word, the administration and receiving the -sacraments; to which we may add, praising God by singing; all which will -be insisted on in a following answer, and therefore we pass by them at -present, and shall only observe; that as these are duties which are -daily incumbent on us, so there are other duties or ordinances, which -are only to be performed as the necessity of affairs require it; such as -religious fasting, whereby we express public tokens of mourning and -humiliation, and perform other duties agreeable thereunto, when God is -provoked by crying sins; or when his judgments are upon us, and our -families, or the church of God in general. Thus the prophet Joel, when -speaking concerning several desolating judgments, which Israel was -exposed to, commands them _to sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly; -and to weep between the porch and the altar; and say, spare thy people, -O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach_, Joel ii. 15, 17. This -is not to be done at all times, but when the providence of God calls for -it. Therefore we have no warrant for the observation of annual fasts; -when that which was the first occasion thereof, is removed; much less -for those weeks of fasting which the Papists observe, which they call -Lent; for which, no sufficient reason can be assigned why it should be -observed at that rather than any other time of the year. And their -fasting on certain days of the week cannot be vindicated; much less -their doing this without joining other religious duties to it, or their -abstaining from some kinds of food, while they indulge themselves in -eating others that are equally grateful to the appetite; which is a -ludicrous and superstitious way of fasting. - -Again, another occasional duty or ordinance is, our setting apart time -for thanksgiving to God for deliverances from public or national -calamities, or those which more immediately respect ourselves and -families; in which those religious duties are to be performed, that tend -to express our spiritual joy and thankfulness to God, who is the Author -thereof, and at the same time, we are to pray, that he would enable us -to walk as such who are hereby laid under renewed engagements to be his; -thus the Jews observed some days of thanksgiving for their deliverance -from Haman’s conspiracy, Esth. ix. 20, _& seq._ And this is to be -religiously observed, wherein it differs from that carnal joy, which is -generally expressed by those who receive mercies, but do not give glory -to God, the sole Author thereof. - -Moreover, besides these occasional ordinances, there is another -mentioned in this answer, namely, vowing to God. Thus the Psalmist says, -_Vow, and pay unto the Lord_, Psal. lxxvi. 11. which either, more -especially, respects their entering into a solemn obligation, or promise -to give something that was to be applied to the support of the public -and costly-worship which was performed under the ceremonial law; upon -which account it is said, in the following words, _Bring presents unto -him_; or it may be considered as to what concerns the moral reason of -the thing, as including in it our resolution to set apart, or apply some -portion of our worldly substance, as God has prospered us in our secular -affairs, to the maintaining and promoting his cause and interest in the -world. And we ought, at the same time, to devote ourselves to him, -whereby we acknowledge his right to us, and all that we have. Thus the -apostle says, concerning the churches of Macedonia, not only that they -devoted their substance to God, but that they _gave themselves_, also -_unto the Lord_, 1 Cor. viii. 5. - -This does not include in it our resolution to do those things that are -out of our own power; or, that we will exercise those graces that are -the special gift of the Spirit of God, but rather a dedication of -ourselves to him, in hope of obtaining that grace from him which will -enable us to perform those duties, which are indispensably necessary to, -and inseparably connected with salvation. This is such a vowing to God, -as will not have a tendency to ensnare our own consciences, or detract -from his glory, who is alone the Author of all grace; nor does it -contain in it the least instance of presumption, but it is a duty which -we ought to perform by faith, to his glory and our own edification. - -And to this we might add another ordinance, mentioned in this answer; -namely, swearing by the name of God; which, as we have elsewhere -expressed it, contains a swearing fealty to him, and our consecrating -and devoting ourselves to him[208]. And as to what respects swearing, as -it is a religious duty to be performed in subserviency to civil duties, -we shall have occasion to speak of that under the third Commandment; and -therefore we pass it over at present, and proceed to consider, - -2. That these, and all other religious duties or ordinances which God -has enjoined, are to be kept pure and entire. As we are not to cast off -the ordinances of God in general, so we must take heed that we do not, -while we perform some, live in the neglect of others; for that is not to -keep them entire. Thus private duties are not to shut out those which -are social in our families or the public assemblies; nor entrench on -that time which ought to be allotted for them; and, on the other hand, -it is not sufficient for us to worship God in public, and, at the same -time, cast off all secret duties. This reproves the practice of some -modern enthusiasts, who pray not, unless moved by the Spirit, as they -pretend; and deny their obligation to observe the ordinances of baptism -and the Lord’s supper. - -Moreover, as we are to keep the ordinances of God entire, we are also to -keep them pure; that is, to allow of, or practise nothing but what is -warranted by the rules which God has given us in his word, in opposition -to those who corrupt his worship, by intruding those ordinances into it -which are of their own invention; and pretending, that though God has -not commanded them, yet the service which we perform (which can be no -other than will-worship) will be acceptable to him. This leads us, - -II. To consider the sins forbidden in this Commandment. The general -scope and design hereof, as to what concerns the negative part of it, is -God’s prohibiting all false worship, either in our hearts, outward -actions or gestures, whereby we adhere to our own imaginations rather -than his revealed will; which is the only rule of instituted worship. -The things forbidden in this commandment may be reduced to three heads; - -1. A not attending on the ordinances of God with that holy, humble, and -becoming frame of spirit, that the solemnity of the duties themselves, -or the authority of God enjoining, or the advantages which we may expect -to receive by them, call for. When we do not seriously think what we are -going about before we engage in holy duties, or watch over our own -hearts and affections, or else worship God in a careless and indifferent -manner, in which case we may be said to draw nigh to him with our lips, -while our hearts are far from him. - -2. We farther break this commandment, when we invent ordinances which -God has no where in his word commanded; or think to recommend ourselves -to him by such gestures, or modes of worship, which we have no precedent -or example for in the New Testament; this is what is generally called -superstition and will-worship. Thus we read in the degenerate age of the -church, that _the statutes of Omri were kept, and the works of the house -of Ahab_, Micah vi. 16. as intimating that false worship which was -practised by them. And here we cannot but observe, that there are many -things in which the Papists are chargeable with superstition and -will-worship, if not with idolatry. As for instance, - -(1.) Their worshipping the bread in the sacrament, as supposing it to be -the real body and blood of Christ, and not barely the sign thereof; -understanding the words of our Saviour, in which, in instituting this -ordinance, he says, _This is my body_, Matt. xxvi. 26. in a literal -sense; whereas it ought to be taken in a figurative. Again, - -(2.) Their lifting up the bread in the sacrament, pretending that this -is a real offering of Christ, and, at the same time, the people being -obliged to shew all possible marks of sorrow; such as beating their -breasts, shaking their heads, &c. as though they really saw Christ on -the cross; whereas it is a profaning the Lord’s supper, to say that -Christ is really and visibly offered therein by the hands of the priest; -which is contrary to what the apostle says of his being but _once -offered to bear the sins of many_, Heb. ix. 28. - -(3.) They use several superstitious ceremonies in baptism, which have, -indeed, a shew of religion, but want a divine sanction, and are no other -than an addition to Christ’s institution. Thus they use spittle, salt, -and cream, besides the water with which the child is to be baptised, and -anoint it with oil, and use exorcism, commanding the unclean spirit to -depart out of it, and signing it with the sign of the cross; at which -they suppose the Devil to be so terrified, that he is hereby obliged to -leave it, being by this means, as it were, frighted away. But the -principal reason they give for their adding this ceremony to Christ’s -institution, is to signify that the child is hereby obliged to fight -manfully under Christ’s banner; which obligation is neither increased -nor diminished thereby; and it is a sign which he makes no mention of. - -(4.) Their frequent crossing of themselves, as a preservative against -sin, and a means to keep them from the power of the Devil, and to render -their prayers acceptable in the sight of God. - -(5.) The splendor and magnificence of their churches, and especially the -shape and figure of them, as accommodated to that of Solomon’s temple, -and their situation east and west; and also their bowing to the altar, -which is placed in the east; for which there is not the least shadow of -argument in scripture, nor example in the purest ages of the church. - -(6.) The ludicrous and unwarrantable ceremonies used in the consecration -of churches, and the reverence that every one must shew to places thus -consecrated, though it be not in the divine worship. And to this we may -add, that there are many superstitious ceremonies in consecrating all -the vessels and utensils that are used in their churches; yea, the very -bells are baptised, or, as they express it, consecrated that so the -Devil may be afraid of the sound thereof, and keep his distance from -those places of worship in which they are fixed; which charms can be -reckoned no other than the sport of the powers of darkness, or looked on -by them with contempt. - -(7.) They ascribe a divine, yea, a meritorious virtue, to the frequent -repeating the Lord’s prayer in Latin, commonly called _Pater noster_, -and the angel’s salutation of the virgin Mary, mentioned in Luke i. 28. -called _Ave Maria_; which words they put a corrupt sense upon, contrary -to the proper meaning thereof; which, if only recited, whether -understood or no, it is reckoned acceptable service. - -(8.) The distinction of garments, and the relative holiness of persons -that wear them as signified thereby. To which we may add, the canonical -hours which are appointed for the performing divine service; especially -if we consider the reason which they allege for it, namely, because -there was something remarkable done or suffered by Christ, at those -hours in the day. These things argue them guilty of superstition. - -(9.) We might also take notice of the many things which they make -merchandise of, as consecrated bread, wax candles, &c. to which they -ascribe a spiritual virtue, or some advantages to be received hereby, by -those that purchase them; which tends to advance the price thereof. -There are also the relicts which they call the church’s treasure, or -those rarities which they purchase at a great rate; though some of the -wiser Papists have made but a jest of them. We pass by many other -superstitious ceremonies used by them, for brevity sake, and shall only -observe, - -(10.) Their bowing at the name of Jesus; which can hardly be vindicated -from the charge of superstition, especially because no extraordinary -instance of reverence is expressed at the mention of those -incommunicable attributes of God, which are ascribed to him; nor, -indeed, do they bow the knee at the mentioning of the word Saviour, -Christ, or Emmanuel, or when any other divine characters are given him. - -The only scripture they make use of to vindicate this practice, is in -Phil. ii. 10. _That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow_; whereas -it is plain, that this _bowing the knee_ does not signify a bodily -gesture, but only a subjection of soul to Christ, as _angels, -authorities and powers are_ said to be _made subject to him_, 1 Pet. -iii. 22. These, indeed, are a very considerable part of the inhabitants -of heaven, but they have no knees to bow; and as for _things under the -earth_, to wit, the powers of darkness; they do not bow to him in a way -of worship, but are subjected to him as conquered enemies. Which leads -us to consider, - -3. That they are guilty of the breach of this Commandment, who frame an -image of any of the persons of the Godhead, or of any creature in heaven -or earth, as a means or help made use of in order to their worshipping -God. Here it must be enquired, - -(1.) Whether the making images, absolutely, or in all respects, be -unlawful. To which it is generally answered, that if pictures -representing creatures, either in heaven or earth, be made with no other -design, but in an historical way, to propagate the memory of persons, -and their actions to posterity, it seems not to be a breach of this -Commandment. But the sin forbidden therein, expressed in those words, -_Making to ourselves the image or likeness of creatures in heaven or -earth_, is when we design to worship God by them; and accordingly the -using bodily gestures to them, such as those which are used in the -worship of God; as bowing, uncovering the head, &c. wherein a person -designs an act of worship, is idolatry. And if nothing else is intended -but the worshipping of God by them, it can hardly be excused from the -appearance of idolatry at least; so that, according to one of the rules -before laid down for the understanding the Ten Commandments, it is to be -reckoned a breach of the second Commandment; which is what we are now -considering[209]. - -(2.) It must farther be enquired, whether it be unlawful to represent -any of the persons in the Godhead, by pictures or carved images? to this -we answer, that God being infinite and incomprehensible, it is -impossible to frame any image like him, Isa. xl. 18. chap. xlvi. 5. Acts -xvii. 29. Moreover, he assigns this as a reason why Israel should make -no image of him, _because they saw no manner of similitude when he spake -to them in Horeb, out of the midst of the fire_; and adds, _lest ye -corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image_, Deut. iv. 15, 16. And -the apostle styles this an offering the highest affront to God, when he -speaks of some who _changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an -image made like to corruptible man_. Rom. i. 23. - -There are others, who, though they do not much care to defend the -practice of making pictures of God, yet plead for describing an emblem -of the Trinity, such as a triangle, with the name Jehovah in the midst -of it. But that which I would observe concerning this practice is, that -if the design hereof be to worship God by it, it is idolatry; but if -not, it is unwarrantable, and, indeed, unnecessary; since a Trinity of -persons in the unity of the divine essence, is to be understood as -revealed in scripture, and not brought to our remembrance by an emblem, -which is an ordinance of our own invention. - -It is farther enquired, whether we may not describe our Saviour, as he -sometimes is by the Papists, in those things that respect his human -nature? whether we may not pourtray him as an infant in his mother’s -arms; or, as conversing here on earth, or hanging on the cross; as they -not only describe him, but adore this image or representation of Christ -crucified, which they call a crucifix? To this we answer; that whatever -of Christ comes within the reach of the art of man to delineate or -describe, is only his human nature, which is not the object of divine -adoration; and therefore this rather tends to debase than give us raised -and becoming conceptions of him as such. - -As to what is argued by some, to prove that it is not unlawful to make -an image of God, inasmuch as he is sometimes represented as having a -body, or bodily parts; and the prophet Daniel describes God the Father, -as _the ancient of days_, Dan. vii. 9. therefore, they suppose, that it -is not unlawful for them to make such representations of him by images. -To this it may be answered, that God’s being described by the parts of -human bodies, is in condescension to the weakness of our capacities, or -agreeable to human modes of speaking; in which _the eye_ signifies -wisdom, _the arm_ power, _the heart_ love, &c. We are, notwithstanding -those modes of expression, to abstract in our thoughts, every thing that -is carnal, or applicable to the creature when conceiving of him, and -therefore not to give occasion to any to think that he is like -ourselves, by describing him in such a way. The Papists not only plead -for making such like images, but set them up in churches, calling them -the laymen’s books, with a design to instruct them in those things which -the image represents. To which it may be replied, that such a method of -instruction is without any warrant from scripture, as well as contrary -to the practice of the purest ages of the church, who always thought -that the word of God was sufficient to lead them into the knowledge of -himself, without making use of a picture to that end. - -But notwithstanding this colour is put on their practice, of setting up -such-like images in churches; yet there are some who plead for the -worship of images, only with this distinction, that it is a subordinate -or a relative worship that they give to them, while, at the same time, -the highest worship is given to God only; in which respect they cannot -exculpate themselves from the charge of idolatry. And, indeed, in some -of their books of devotion, we find the same expressions used, when they -address themselves to the creature, as though they were paying divine -adoration to God; particularly in the book, that is well known among -them, called the _Virgin Mary’s Psalter_; in which her name is often -inserted instead of the name of God, which is the highest strain of -blasphemy. Thus when it is said, _O come let us kneel before the Lord -our Maker_, Psal. xcv. 6. instead of _the Lord_, they put the _Virgin -Mary_. And when it is said, _Have mercy upon me, O God_, &c. Psal. li. -1. they pray, _Have mercy upon me, O Lady_, &c. which expressions cannot -be read without detestation. And there are many more to the like -purpose, in that book. - -When this has been objected against them as a specimen of their -idolatry, all the reply they make to it is; that the book was written by -a private person, as an help to devotion, but not established by the -authority of the church, which is not to be charged with every absurdity -which some of their communion may advance. To which it may be replied, -that the church of Rome has been very ready to condemn better books, -written by those who were not in their communion; whereas they never -publicly condemned this book, but rather commended it, as written with a -good design. - -Besides we may farther observe, that there are many blasphemous -expressions given to the virgin Mary, in their Breviaries and Missals, -which are used by public authority. Thus she is often addressed to in -such characters as these, viz. the mother of mercy, the gate of heaven, -the queen of heaven, the empress of the world; and sometimes she is -desired not only to pray her son to help them, but, by the authority of -a mother, to command him to do it. At other times they desire her to -help and save them herself; and accordingly they give her the title of -Redeemer, and Saviour, as well as our Lord Jesus Christ. And sometimes -they profess themselves to put their trust and confidence in her. If -this be not idolatry, where is there any to be found in the world? - -To this we may also add, that idolatry which is practised by them in -their devotion, to the images of other saints. Every saint in their -Kalendar is called upon, in his turn; among whom some indeed were good -men, as the martyrs, who refused to be worshipped while on earth; how -much soever these worship them now they are in heaven. But there are -others whom the Popes have canonized for saints, who were little better -than devils incarnate, while they were here upon earth; and others have -been rebels and traitors to their king and country, and suffered the -just reward of their wickedness; such as these are found among those -whom they pay this worship to. There are also others whom they -worshipped as saints; concerning whom it may be much questioned whether -there ever were such persons in the world; these may be called fabulous -saints. Nevertheless, images are made to their honour, and prayers -directed to them. And there are other things worshipped by them, which -never had life, as the picture of the cross, and many pretended relics -of the saints. So that upon the whole, we cannot but think that we have, -in this mode of worship, a notorious instance of the breach of this -Commandment. And we cannot but conclude, that herein they have -apostatized, or turned aside from the purity of the gospel. - -It may be observed, that the church, for the first three hundred years -after Christ, had comparatively, but little superstition, and no -idolatry; but in the fourth Century, superstition began to insinuate -itself into it; then it was that the pictures of the martyrs, who had -suffered in Christ’s cause, were first set up in churches, though -without any design of worshipping them; and this was not universally -approved of. As for image-worship, it was not brought into the church -till above seven hundred years after Christ; and then there was a -considerable opposition made to it by some; and this kind of worship was -set up in one reign, and prohibited in another; but afterwards it -universally prevailed in the Romish church, when arrived to that height -of impiety and idolatry, without opposition, as it is at this day. We -now proceed to observe, - -III. The reasons annexed to this Commandment, which are taken from the -consideration of what God is in himself; _I am the Lord_, or _Jehovah_; -which being a name never given to any creature, is expressive of all his -divine perfections, which render him the object of worship, and oblige -us to perform that worship which he requires, in such a way as is -agreeable thereunto; he also styles himself a God to his people, _I am -thy God_; therefore to set up strange gods, or to worship him in a way -not prescribed by him, is a violation of his covenant, as well as not -performing the duty we owe to him, and would render us unfit to be owned -by him as his people. And it is farther observed, that they who thus -corrupt themselves, and pervert his worship, are styled haters of him, -and therefore can expect nothing but to be dealt with as enemies. This -he gives them to understand, inasmuch as he styles himself _a jealous_, -or sin-revenging _God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the -children_. For the understanding of which, let it be considered, - -1. That though God does not punish children with eternal destruction, -for the sins of their immediate parents, yet these oftentimes bring -temporal judgments on families. Thus, all the children of Israel that -murmured and despised the good land, so far bare their fathers iniquity, -that they wandered in the wilderness near forty years. - -2. These judgments fall heavier on those children that make their -parents sins their own; which was the case of the Jews. Upon which -occasion our Saviour tells them, that _all the blood that was shed upon -the earth, should come upon them, from the blood of righteous Abel, unto -the blood of Zacharias, whom they slew between the temple and the -altar_, Matt, xxiii. 35. They approved of, and committed the same sins -which their fathers were guilty of, and consequently are said to fill up -the measure of their sins; therefore the judgments of God, which they -exposed themselves to, were most terrible. - -3. Whatever temporal judgments may be inflicted on children for their -parents sins, shall be sanctified, and redound to their spiritual -advantage, as well as end in their everlasting happiness, if they do not -follow their bad example; and therefore it is farther observed, that God -_shews mercy unto thousands of them that love him, and keep his -Commandments_. These are very great motives and inducements to enforce -the observation of all God’s Commandments, and this in particular. - -Footnote 208: - - _See more of this in Vol. I. Page 226._ - -Footnote 209: - - _See Page 498._ - - - - - Quest. CXI., CXII., CXIII., CXIV. - - - QUEST. CXI. _Which is the third Commandment?_ - - ANSW. The third Commandment is, _Thou shalt not take the name of the - Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless, that - taketh his name in vain_. - - QUEST. CXII. _What is required in the third Commandment?_ - - ANSW. The third Commandment requires, that the name of God, his - titles, attributes, ordinances, the word, sacraments, prayer, oaths, - vows, lots, his works, and whatsoever else there is whereby he makes - himself known, be holily and reverently used in thought, meditation, - word, writing, by an holy profession, and answerable conversation, - to the glory of God, and the good of ourselves and others. - - QUEST. CXIII. _What are the sins forbidden in the third - Commandment?_ - - ANSW. The sins forbidden in the third Commandment are, the not using - of God’s name as is required, and the abuse of it, in an ignorant, - vain, irreverent, profane, superstitious, or wicked mentioning or - otherwise using his titles, attributes, ordinances, or works; by - blasphemy, perjury; all sinful cursings, oaths, vows, and lots; - violating of our oaths, and vows, if lawful, and fulfilling them, if - of things unlawful, murmuring and quarrelling at, curious prying - into, and misapplying of God’s decrees, and providences, - misinterpreting, misapplying, or any way perverting the word, or any - part of it, to profane jests, curious or unprofitable questions, - vain janglings, or the maintaining of false doctrines, abusing it, - the creatures, or any thing contained under the name of God, to - charms, or sinful lusts and practices, the maligning, scorning, - reviling, or any ways opposing of God’s truth, grace, and ways, - making profession of religion in hypocrisy, or for sinister ends; - being ashamed of it, or a shame to it, by uncomfortable, unwise, - unfruitful, and offensive walkings, or backslidings from it. - - QUEST. CXIV. _What are the reasons annexed to the third - Commandment?_ - - ANSW. The reasons annexed to the third Commandment in these words - [_the Lord thy God_] and [_for the Lord will not hold him guiltless - that taketh his name in vain_] are, because, he is the Lord and our - God, and therefore his name is not to be profaned, or any way abused - by us, especially, because he is so far from acquitting and sparing - the transgressors of this Commandment, as that he will not suffer - them to escape his righteous judgment, albeit, many such escape the - censures and punishments of men. - -As the second Commandment respects the manner in which God is to be -worshipped, agreeably to his revealed will; in this we are commanded to -worship him with that frame of spirit which is suitable to the greatness -of the work, and the Majesty of him with whom we have to do. By the name -of God we are to understand all those things whereby he is pleased to -make himself known; and these are his names, titles, attributes, words -and works. The attributes of God have been largely insisted on in that -question, _What is God[210]?_ His names and titles have also been -considered, as belonging to all the persons of the Godhead, in proving -that the Son and Holy Ghost are God equal with the Father[211]. His word -is that in which the glory that is contained in his names, titles and -attributes, is set forth in the most glorious manner. Thus the Psalmist -says; _Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name_, Psal. cxxxviii. -2. or, thou hast given a brighter discovery of thyself in thy word, than -thou hast done in any thing else, by which thou hast made thyself known -to thy creatures. And as for the works of God, whether of nature or of -grace, these are designed to lead us into the knowledge of his power, -wisdom, goodness, holiness and faithfulness, which are eminently -glorified in all that he does. Now this Commandment respects our having -a due regard to all those ways whereby he makes himself known, and -contains a prohibition of every thing that may tend to cast the least -dishonour upon them. - -The method in which we are led to speak to it, is to consider, - -I. What is required in it. This supposes, that it is an indispensible -duty for us to make mention of the name of God. Since he has given us -some discoveries of himself, by what means soever he has done it, it -would be an instance of the highest contempt of the greatest privilege, -for us to express no regard to them; which they may be said practically -to do, who make no profession of religion, and desire not to be -instructed in those things which relate to the name and glory of God; -which argues a person to be abandoned to the greatest wickedness, and to -live without God in the world. - -Now there are several duties mentioned in this answer, in which we are -said to make use of God’s name; particularly, when we attend on his -ordinances, viz. the word, sacraments and prayer; and take religious -oaths, and make solemn vows; which, doubtless, are to be performed with -the utmost reverence. We have many instances, in scripture, of holy men -who, when they have drawn nigh to him in prayer, have adored his divine -perfections, with a becoming humility. Thus Solomon, at the dedication -of the temple, addresses himself to God; _There is no god like thee, in -heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with -thy servants, that walk before thee with all their heart_, 1 Kings viii. -23. And Jacob, when wrestling with God in prayer, says, _O God of my -father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto -me, Return to thine own country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal -well with thee. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of -all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant_, Gen. xxxii. 9, -10. And Hezekiah expresses himself thus in prayer, _O Lord God of -Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even -thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth, thou hast made heaven and -earth_, 2 Kings xix. 25. And Daniel in prayer, styles him, _The great -and dreadful God, keeping the covenant, and mercy to them that love him, -and to them that keep his commandments_, Dan. ix. 4. And Abraham, when -standing before the Lord, and pleading in behalf of Sodom, says, -_Behold, now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but -dust and ashes_, Gen. xviii. 27. And the inhabitants of heaven, who are -nearest the throne of God, are represented as worshipping him with the -greatest reverence, _casting their crowns before the throne_, in token -of their being unworthy of the honour that they are advanced to, and -saying, _Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour and -power_, Rev. iv. 10, 11. which is to be understood of him, exclusive of -all others. And as this reverence is to be expressed when we ask any -thing at the hand of God, by a parity of reason, it ought to expressed -in any other religious duty, on which he has made, some impressions of -his glory. - -If it be enquired, whether this reverence is consistent with that -boldness which believers are said to have in prayer, when they are -exhorted to _come boldly unto the throne of grace_, Heb. iv. 16. and to -_have boldness to enter into the holiest of all, by the blood of Jesus_, -chap. x. To this it may be answered, that the word there used[212], -which is called boldness, may be rendered a liberty of speech. So that -though he be infinitely above us, and a God of infinite holiness and -purity, and therefore has the utmost abhorrence of sin, which we have -reason to charge ourselves with, yet we are encouraged to come to him, -as sitting on a throne of grace: from whence he displays his glory, as a -sin-pardoning God, who otherwise appears in his jealousy, as a -sin-revenging Judge. Therefore this _boldness_ is nothing else but our -making use of that liberty which God gives us to come into his presence -with hope of being accepted in his sight, in and through a Mediator. - -We might farther observe, that as we are to express an holy reverence, -in drawing nigh to God, in all religious duties; so we ought not to -think of any of his works, but with a due regard to, and the highest -veneration of, his glory shining forth therein. Thus it is said, -_Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold_, Job xxxvi. 24. -and this reverence is to be expressed in our meditations, words and -writings; so that we should never think or treat of divine subjects, but -in an holy manner; we should never speak of any thing, by which God -manifests his glory, but with a design to beget in ourselves and others, -a reverential fear of, and the highest esteem for him. - -II. We are now to consider the sins forbidden in this Commandment; and -accordingly, we violate it by not using the name of God in such a way as -it is required. This includes in it, - -1. The not making any profession of religion, as being afraid or ashamed -to own, that in which the name of God is so much concerned. Persons, -indeed, do not usually arrive to this height of wickedness at once; but -the mind is alienated from God, and his worship, by degrees. There is -first a great deal of lukewarmness, formality, and hypocrisy, reigning -in the heart of man; so that if they attend on the ordinances of God’s -worship, it is with great indifferency, many prejudices entertained -against them, and with such a frame of spirit as savours more -profaneness than true religion. After this they are ashamed of Christ -and his cause, being influenced by the reproach that is cast on it in -the world. Thus the Jews pretended, concerning Christianity, that it was -_a sect every where spoken against_, Acts xxviii. 22. And Demas forsook -the apostle, _having loved this present world_, 2 Tim. iv. 10. being -more concerned for his reputation in it, than for Christ’s interest. -After this, such cast off all public worship; and this is generally -attended with a seared conscience, and running into all excess of riot. - -2. Persons take the name of God in vain, when though they make a -profession of religion, yet it is not in such a way as God has required; -and this is done by using his titles, attributes, or any ordinances or -works, in which he makes himself known in an unbecoming manner; with -ignorance, when we speak of the divine perfections, and, at the same -time, have no just ideas of what is intended thereby; or when we use the -name of God with a vanity or levity of spirit, and mention sacred things -in a common way, whereby we may be said to profane them; or when we -superstitiously pay a kind of veneration to the sound of words, relating -to divine matters, but regard not the thing signified thereby. This is -using the name of God in such a way as he has not required, and -consequently taking it in vain. - -3. The name of God is taken in vain by blasphemy; which is a thinking or -speaking reproachfully of him, as though he had no right to the glory -that belongs to his name; which is, in effect, a cursing him in our -hearts, and offering the greatest injury that can be done, to a God of -infinite perfection; which, though it be no real lessening his essential -glory, yet it argues the greatest malignity, and highest degree of -impiety in those that are guilty of it. This was so great a crime, that, -by God’s command, it was punished with death, Lev. xxiv. 16. - -4. This Commandment is broken by not using religious oaths in a right -manner, or by violating them; and, on the other hand, by all sinful and -profane oaths and cursing. - -(1.) By not using religious oaths in a right manner. It is certain, that -we are, upon extraordinary occasions, to make mention of the name of -God, by solemn oaths, in which we appeal to him as a God of truth, the -searcher of hearts, and the avenger of falsehood. That this is a duty, -appears, - -[1.] In that we have various instances, in scripture, of God’s -condescending to confirm what he has spoken, by an oath; wherein he -appeals to his own perfections for the confirmation of our faith. Thus -he is represented as _swearing by himself_, and by _his holiness_, Gen. -xxii. 16, 17. Psal. lxxxix. 35. - -[2.] There are several examples and commands, in scripture, which make -it our duty to appeal to God, on some occasions, by solemn oaths. Thus -it is said, _Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt -swear by his name_, Deut. vi. 13. And elsewhere, _To me every knee shall -bow, and every tongue shall swear_, Isa. xlv. 23. But we must observe -that there is a vast difference between God’s swearing by himself, or by -any of his perfections, and man’s swearing by him. When God swears by -himself, it is a display of the glory of his perfections, as a God that -cannot lye; but when man swears by him, it is an act of religious -worship, containing an acknowledgment of his perfections, and an appeal -to him, as a God of truth, and the avenger of a lye. Therefore an oath -is not to be taken, but in matters of great importance, which cannot be -decided without it; and being an act of religious worship, it ought to -be performed in the most solemn manner; otherwise we profane the name of -God, and so violate this commandment. This respects not so much the form -used in swearing, as the levity of spirit with which it is done, or our -pretending to confirm that which is false hereby. - -The form used in solemn oaths has been various. - -_1st_, We read of some ceremonies used in swearing, that were only -occasional. Thus when Jacob and Laban took a solemn oath to each other, -at their parting, a _pillar was erected_, and a _heap of stones_ -gathered together, and they both eat upon the heaps and _sware by the -God of Abraham and Nahor, and the fear of Isaac, that they would do no -injury to each other_, Gen. xxxi. 45,-53. Also we read, that when -Abraham made his servant swear, that he would take a wife for Isaac, -from among his kindred, and not out of the land where he dwelt, he -ordered him to _put his hand under his thigh_, chap. xxiv. 2, 3, 4. This -form of swearing seemed to be an appeal to God, as having promised that -his seed should be increased and multiplied, and that in his seed, all -the families of the earth should be blessed; which was a circumstance -well adapted to the matter and occasion of the oath, viz. that he should -provide such a wife for Isaac as God approved of. - -_2dly_, The common form of swearing used of old, seems to have been by -_lifting up the hand_ to heaven, thereby signifying their appeal to God, -whose throne is there; accordingly the _lifting up the hand to heaven_ -imports the same thing as to swear, according to the scripture-mode of -speaking, Deut. xxxii. 40. In this manner Abraham sware, Gen. xiv. 22, -23. and the angel which appeared to John, Rev. x. 5. and this is -undoubtedly, a very good and justifiable form of swearing; and it is -used, in some Protestant countries, even at this day. - -As to the form used by us in public solemn oaths, viz. laying the hand -on the Bible, or on the gospels, and kissing the book, it is no where -warranted by scripture, and therefore is not so eligible as that lifting -up the hand; yet because it is the common legal form used among us, it -is rather to be complied with, than that the duty should be neglected; -because, as has been but now observed, some forms of swearing are said -to have been used in scripture, and not reproved, which were of men’s -invention. And the thing principally to be looked at in an oath, is, the -solemn appeal made therein to God. Therefore it is the frame of spirit -with which this is done, that is chiefly to be regarded. And what we -have promised to do, is religiously to be observed, that so our oaths -may not be violated. - -_Obj._ The objections against the use of religious oaths, are -principally taken from two or three scriptures, not rightly understood, -in which they seem to be forbidden; as when our Saviour says, _I say -unto you, Swear not at all_, Matt. v. 34. and in James v. 12. the -apostle speaks to the same purpose; and it is farther objected, that the -prophet speaks of this as a national sin; when he says, _Because of -swearing the land mourneth_, Jer. xxiii. 10. - -_Answ._ In these scriptures profane swearing is forbidden; whereby -persons make use of the name of God to confirm what they say, in a light -and trifling manner; or swearing by creatures, as the heaven, the earth, -or any creature therein. But they do not forbid swearing, as containing -in it a religious appeal unto God in a solemn manner, for the confirming -of what we assert. And when the prophet speaks of the _land’s mourning -because of swearing_, it may be rendered, as in the margin of our -Bibles; _because of cursing the land mourneth_, intimating, that it was -a custom among them, to imprecate the wrath of God against one another; -which was a sin highly provoked to the Majesty of heaven. And, besides, -it appears that the prophet is speaking of profane cursing or swearing, -by what is said in the words immediately following; _for both prophet -and priest are profane_. So that people of all ranks and degrees, were -profane; the prophets and priests by abusing the sacred mysteries; and -the people, in their common discourse, using oaths and curses; for which -things the land mourned. This is the plain sense of that scripture; and -therefore no arguments can be drawn from thence to prove that solemn and -religious oaths are unlawful. - -It is, indeed, unlawful to swear by creatures, as is observed in the -scriptures but now mentioned; for they are not omniscient, and therefore -not to be appealed to for the decided matters, which are known to none -but ourselves, and the Searcher of hearts; neither are they to be -reckoned avengers of the cause of injured truth; for they have not a -sovereignty over man, or a right to judge and punish them in such a way -as God has; for that belongs only to him, and therefore to swear by -their name, is to give them a branch of his glory, and consequently to -take his name in vain. - -(2.) This Commandment is broken by violating religious oaths, both those -that are assertory or promissory. Therefore, when men assert that, for -truth, which is uncertain; or, especially if they know it to be false, -and so design to deceive, they break this Commandment. As for promissory -oaths, they contain an appeal to God concerning what respects some -things to be done by us, conducive to the good of others. Now we are -guilty of the breach of this Commandment. - -[1.] When we assert a thing, without implying this condition that ought -to be contained in it, if God will, or he be pleased to enable us to do -it. This the apostle particularly mentions, when he blames those who -say, _To day or to morrow we will go to such a city, and continue there -a year, and buy, and sell, and get gain. Whereas they know not what -shall be on the morrow._ And therefore, they _ought to say, If the Lord -will, we shall live, and do this, or that_, James iv. 13, 15. - -[2.] When we promise a thing, that is out of our power to perform; and, -much more, when we do not design to perform it. - -[3.] When we promise a thing, which is in itself unlawful; as the Jews -did, who _bound themselves under a curse, that they would not eat nor -drink till they had killed Paul_, Acts xxiii, 12. If we have obliged -ourselves by an oath, to perform that which is unlawful, as we sin in -making, we should do so in fulfilling it. There are, however, some cases -in which persons may not perform what they have sworn to do, and yet not -be guilty of perjury, or violation of their oaths; as, - -_1st_, When they have used their utmost endeavours to fulfil what they -have promised to do, but yet cannot accomplish it. Though here it must -be observed, that if the thing promised was absolutely out of their -power when the promise was made, the oath (as we but now observed) was -unlawful. But supposing the thing was in their power when they promised -it; but an unforeseen providence has put it out of their power at -present, though they have used their utmost endeavours to perform it, -they are not chargeable with the guilt of perjury. - -_2dly_, If we have promised to do a thing that is for the advantage of -another; but now see reason to alter our mind, apprehending some -detriment will accrue thereby to ourselves; we must, notwithstanding, -fulfil our promise. Thus the Psalmist says, _he sweareth to his own -hurt, and changeth not_, Psal. xxv. 4. However, if the person to whom we -have made the promise, who is to receive the advantage by our fulfilling -it, is willing to discharge us from our obligation, we may omit to do -it, and not be guilty of perjury. - -Here it might be enquired; whether we are always obliged to fulfil a -promise extorted from us by violence? In answer to which, it is -generally supposed, by divines, that we are not. Nevertheless, the -person can hardly be excused from sin in snaking such a promise, when he -designs not to perform it, though some small degree of force or -threatening were used; especially since the will cannot be obliged to -consent, or the tongue to utter the promise. And to all this we may add, -that they are guilty of the breach of this Commandment (how much soever -they may think themselves guiltless) who use equivocations, or mental -reservations, in taking solemn and religious oaths. Thus the Papists -make no scruple of swearing to support the government under which they -live, and yet take the first opportunity that offers to subvert it, -pretending they swore to support it as it stood before the reformation; -or when they swear allegiance to their sovereign, and yet do what they -can to dethrone him; and have this mental reservation, that they -intended only to do it for the present, till they have a convenient -opportunity to join in a successful rebellion. By this means they break -through the solemn tie of religious oaths, elude the law, and impose -upon the common sense of mankind, in such a way, as even the Heathen -themselves are afraid and ashamed to do. - -(3.) This farther leads us to consider this Commandment as broken by -swearing profanely; namely, when we make use of the name of God, and -pretend to confirm what we assert by an appeal to him, and, at the same -time, are far from doing this in a religious manner. This many do, who -give vent to their passions by profane swearing, by invoking the name of -God upon light and trifling occasions, without that due regard that -ought always to be paid to his divine Majesty. - -Under this head we may observe, that cursing is a vile sin, whether a -man imprecates the wrath of God on himself or others. They who curse -themselves, do, in effect, pray that God would hasten their everlasting -destruction; as though their damnation slumbered, or as if it were a -thing to be wished for. These do that which the devils themselves would -not venture to do. And to curse others is to put up a profane wicked -prayer to God, to pour out his vengeance upon them, which is the highest -affront to him; as though the vials of his wrath were to be emptied on -men, when they pleased, to satisfy their passionate revenge against -them. This also includes in it a vile instance of uncharitableness, -towards those whom we are commanded to love as ourselves, Matt. xxii. -39. And how contrary is it to that golden rule laid down by our Saviour, -_All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so -to them?_ chap. xvii. 12. Thus we are said to break this Commandment by -perjury or profane swearing. And to this we may add, that it is -notoriously broken by sinful vows; either when we resolve, or determine, -to do what is unlawful, or bring ourselves under solemn engagements, to -do that which is lawful, to our own strength, without dependance on the -grace of God in Christ. - -(4.) It is farther observed in this answer, that men take the name of -God in vain, by sinful lots; but this is to be farther explained. -Therefore let it be considered; That when lots were an ordinance by -which God, in an extraordinary manner, determined things that were -before unknown; they being an instituted means of appealing to him for -that end; as in the case of Achan and others, Josh. vii. 13, 14. Acts i. -26. then lots were not to be used in a common way, for that would have -been a profaning a sacred institution. But since this extraordinary -ordinance is now ceased, it does not seem unlawful, so as to be an -instance of profaneness, to make use of lots in civil matters; [213] -provided we do not consider them as an ordinance which God has -appointed, in which we think we have ground to expect his immediate -interposure; and to depend upon it as though it were a divine oracle. In -this view it would be unlawful at present, to use lots in any respect -whatsoever. - -(5.) Persons are said to break this Commandment by murmuring, -quarrelling at, curiously prying into, and misapplying God’s decrees or -providences, or perverting what he has revealed in his word, _i. e._ -when we apply things sacred to profane uses, and have not a due regard -to the glory of God, which is contained therein; when we pervert -scripture, by making use of those sacred expressions that are contained -therein, in our common discourse, as some make the scripture the subject -of their profane wit and drollery. This is certainly a taking God’s name -in vain. And, it is farther added, that we do so, by maintaining false -doctrines, _i. e._ when we pretend, that such a doctrine is from God, -when it is not, or that he makes himself known hereby; when the doctrine -is altogether disowned by him. - -(6.) This Commandment is farther broken, by making use of God’s name as -a charm; as when the writing, or pronouncing some name of God, is -pretended to be an expedient to heal diseases, or drive away evil -spirits; which is a great instance of profaneness, and that which he -abhors. - -(7.) This Commandment is farther broken, by reviling or opposing God’s -truth, grace, and ways; whereby we cast contempt on that which is most -sacred, and lightly esteemed that which he sets such a value on, and -makes himself known by. To this we may add, that this is done by -hypocrisy, and sinister ends in religion, whereby we walk, so that we -are an offence to others, and backslide from the ways of God. This is an -abuse of that which ought to be our glory, and a disregarding that, -whereby God manifests his name and glory to the world. - -III. We are now to consider the reasons annexed to the third -Commandment. And these are taken, - -1. From the consideration of what God is in Himself, as he is the Lord, -whose name alone is Jehovah; whereby he puts us in mind of his -sovereignty over us, and his undoubted right to obedience from us; and -hereby intimates that his excellency should fill us with the greatest -reverence and humility, when we think or speak of any thing, by which he -makes himself known. Moreover, he reveals himself to his people as their -God, that so his greatness should not confound us, or his dread, as an -absolute God, whom we have offended, make us despair of being accepted -in his sight. Therefore we are to look upon him as our reconciled God -and Father in Christ; which is the highest motive to obedience. - -2. The observation of this Commandment is farther enforced, by a -threatening denounced against those that break it; concerning whom it is -said, That the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in -vain. This implies that there will be a judgment, a reckoning day, when -all shall be called to an account; and it shall be known whether they -are guilty or not guilty. It is farther observed, that the profaning of -God’s name is a sin that carries in it a great weight of guilt, and -renders the sinner liable to punishment, in proportion thereunto; and -accordingly God is said not to hold them guiltless, or that they shall -not escape the punishment from him; though they may, and often do, -escape punishment from men. - -There are many instances of the profanation of the name of God, which no -laws of man can reach. As when we attend on his ordinances without that -inward purity of heart, and those high and becoming thoughts of him, -which we ought always to entertain. On the other hand, human laws -against open profaning the name of God, are not severe enough to deter -men from it; and if they are, they are seldom put in execution; which is -one reason why we behold the name of God so openly blasphemed, and yet -this iniquity go unpunished from men. Nevertheless, such are to expect -that God will follow them with the tokens of his displeasure, sometimes -with temporal, at other times with spiritual judgments. And this is -assigned as a reason why we ought to make mention of the name of God, or -of every thing whereby he makes himself known, in such a way, as that we -may glorify him thereby. - -Footnote 210: - - _See Vol. I. Quest._ iv. - -Footnote 211: - - _Quest._ xi. - -Footnote 212: - - Παρρησια. - -Footnote 213: - - If they appeal to God in an irreverent manner, they are a violation of - this commandment. If they be not appeals to him, they are in fact, an - application to him without any knowledge of him, and this is Atheism. - - - - - Quest. CXV., CXVI. - - - QUEST. CXV. _Which is the fourth Commandment?_ - - ANSW. The fourth Commandment is, _Remember the Sabbath day to keep - it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work; but the - seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not - do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, - nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is - within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, - the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; - wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it._ - - QUEST. CXVI. _What is required in the fourth Commandment?_ - - ANSW. The fourth Commandment requireth of all men, the sanctifying, - or keeping holy to God, such set time as he hath appointed in his - word; expressly, one whole day in seven, which was the seventh from - the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, and the - first day of the week ever since, and so to continue to the end of - the world; which is the Christian Sabbath, and in the New Testament, - called the Lord’s day. - -In this Commandment it is supposed, that God is the sovereign Lord of -our time; which is to be improved by us, to the best purposes, as he -shall direct. And, inasmuch as there are some special reasons which he -has appointed for the exercise of religious worship, these are called -_holy days_, and as we are to abstain from our secular employments -therein, while engaging in religious duties, they are called _sabbaths_; -and that more especially, because they are sanctified, by God, for his -service. These are considered more generally, as including in them all -those set times which God has appointed in his word, which is contained -in the moral reason of this Commandment; and therefore, if he was -pleased to institute, as he did under the ceremonial law, various -Sabbaths, or days appointed for rest, and the performance of religious -worship, his people are obliged to observe them. And therefore, I take -the meaning of this commandment to be, Remember a sabbath day, or every -sabbath day, or every day which God hath sanctified for that end, to -keep it holy; and then follows the particular intimation of the weekly -sabbath. This, as is observed in the answer we are explaining, was the -seventh day of the week, from the beginning of the world, to the -resurrection of Christ, and the first day of the week ever since; which -is the Christian Sabbath, and, in the New Testament, is called the -Lord’s day. In considering the subject-matter of this Commandment, we -must - -I. Inquire, since it is contained in the decalogue, which is an abstract -of the moral law; whether we are obliged to observe the Sabbath by the -law of nature, or by some positive law. For the understanding of which, -let it be premised, that some laws are moral by way of eminency, or, in -the highest sense, as distinguished from all positive law; and others we -may call moral-positive, that is, the laws are positive; but yet there -is some moral reason annexed to enforce our obedience to them. And this -moral reason is either what is founded in the sovereignty of God -commanding, which takes place in all positive laws, which, in this -respect, are moral, though they could not be known without a divine -revelation; or else positive laws may have a moral circumstance annexed -to them, to engage us to obedience, taken from some glory that redounds -to God, or good to ourselves, by the observation thereof; or from some -other reason which God annexes to them. As for instance, the reason -annexed to the fourth Commandment, is taken from God’s resting from the -work of creation on the seventh day, and its being sanctified for our -performing religious duties therein. Here we shall consider, - -1. In what respects the Sabbath is moral in the highest and most proper -sense of the word, as before mentioned. That this may appear, we shall -lay down the following propositions, which may be considered in their -respective connexion. - -(1.) It is a branch of the moral law, that God should be worshipped. -This is founded in his divine perfections, in the relation we stand in -to him, and in the consideration of our being intelligent creatures, -capable of worship. - -(2.) The moral law obliges us to perform social worship. This appears -from hence, that man, as a creature, is capable of society, and -naturally inclined and disposed to it: which we cannot but know, when we -look into ourselves, and consider the disposition of all intelligent -creatures, leading them together with ourselves, to this end; so that -without any positive law to direct us, we should be naturally inclined -to converse with one another. - -(3.) As man is a creature designed to worship God, as the law of nature -suggests, so it appears, from the same law, that he is obliged to -perform social worship. For if we are obliged to converse with one -another, and thereby to be helpful to each other, in other respects; -certainly we are obliged, by the same law to converse with one another -therein, and to express our united concurrence in those things that -relate to the glory of God. - -(4.) The law of nature farther suggests, that as the whole of our -business, in this world, is not included in that of society, which is -rather to be occasional than stated; and there are other secular -employments, which we are to be engaged in, in which we do not converse -with others; so we are not to spend our whole time in public or social -worship. Therefore, - -(5.) It follows from hence, that some stated times are to be appointed -for this end; and it is agreeable to the law of nature, that God, who is -the sovereign Lord of our time, as well as the object of social worship, -should appoint these times; that is, that he should ordain a Sabbath, or -what proportion of time he pleases, for us to perform those religious -duties which he enjoins, therein. These considerations, relating to our -observation of the Sabbath, are purely moral, and not positive. - -2. We shall shew in what respects the Sabbath is positive, and not moral -in the highest and most propense sense of the word. Here let it be -considered, that it is the result of a positive law, that one proportion -of time should be observed for a Sabbath, rather than another; namely, -that it should be a seventh, rather than a third, fourth, fifth, or -sixth part of our time; for this could not have been known by the light -of nature, any more than the other branches of instituted worship that -are to be performed therein. So that, whether it be the seventh day in -the week, or the first, which we are to observe, this being founded in -the divine will, we conclude it to be a positive law. This we are -obliged to assert, that we may fence against two extremes, namely, that -of those who, on the one hand, deny the Sabbath to have any thing of a -moral circumstance contained in it; and that of others, who suppose that -there is no idea of a positive law in it. That, in some respects, the -fourth Commandment is a branch of the moral law, may be proved from the -following arguments: - -(1.) It is inserted, among other commandments that are moral, which were -proclaimed by the voice of God from mount Sinai, whereas the ceremonial -and judicial laws were not; though they were given by divine -inspiration. _These words the Lord spake unto all your assembly in the -mount, out of the midst of the fire of the cloud, and the thick -darkness, with a great voice; and he added no more_, Deut. v. 22. _viz._ -at that time. - -Moreover, they were written on two tables, with the finger of God, which -none of the other laws were; and were laid up in the ark before the -Lord, Exod. xxxi. 18. all which denotes the dignity and perpetuity of -these laws, above all others that were ceremonial, judicial, or merely -positive. - -(2.) The Sabbath was enjoined to be observed not only by the Israelites, -who were in covenant with God, together with their servants, who were -made proselytes to their religion, and were obliged to observe the -ceremonial and other positive laws; but it was also to be observed by -the stranger within their gates, namely, the Heathen, who dwelt among -them, who were not in covenant with God, and did not observe the -ceremonial law; these were obliged to obey the Sabbath, it being, in -many respects, a branch of the moral law. - -(3.) If the observation of the Sabbath had been a duty of the -ceremonial, and, in no respects, of the moral law, it would have been -wholly abolished at the death of Christ; but, though then the day was -altered, yet there was still a Sabbath observed, after his resurrection, -even when the ceremonial law was no longer in force. - -(4.) The weekly Sabbath is distinguished from all the ceremonial -festivals; which are also called _sabbaths_, in that God lays a special -claim to it, as his own day; and therefore it is called, in this -Commandment, _The sabbath of the Lord thy God_; and it is styled, _his -holy day_; Isa. lviii. 13. by way of eminence, to distinguish it from -other days, which he has appointed to be, in other respects, devoted to -his service; and when changed, it is called The _Lord’s day_, Rev. i. -10. which is a peculiar honour put upon it. For these reasons we -conclude, that the Sabbath has in it something moral, and is not a part -of the ceremonial law. - -_Obj._ 1. It is objected, that the Sabbath is included, by the apostle, -among the ceremonial laws, which were designed to be abrogated, under -the gospel-dispensation; and therefore he says, in Col. ii. 16, 17. _Let -no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink, or in respect of an holy -day, or of the new moon; or of the Sabbath days; which are a shadow of -things to come; but the body is of Christ._ - -_Answ._ To this it may be replied, that by the Sabbath days, which are -_a shadow of things to come_, we are to understand the Jewish festivals; -such as the new moons, the passover, pentecost, the feast of -tabernacles, &c. which are often called sabbaths: wherein holy -convocations were held. So that when the apostle says, _Let no man judge -you_, in respect of this matter, he means, let none have occasion to -reprove you for your observing of those days, which were merely -ceremonial, the design whereof was to typify the gospel-rest. Now, that -the apostle does not mean the weekly Sabbath, is plain; for hereby he -would contradict his own practice, and that of the churches in his day, -who observed it; whereas, the other sabbaths were abolished, together -with the ceremonial law. - -Moreover, it is evident, that he intends no more than the ceremonial -sabbaths, or Jewish festivals; because he adds, _Let no man therefore -judge you in meat or in drink_, as well as _in respect of an holy day_, -&c. by which he does not mean, let no man have reason to judge or -condemn you for gluttony or drunkenness, but for your abstaining from -several sorts of meat, forbid by the ceremonial law; by which he means -that the distinction of meats is removed under the gospel-dispensation. -And consequently the ceremonial sabbaths, or holy days, are taken away; -which are intended by the _sabbath day_ in that place, and not the -weekly Sabbath; and therefore our translation rightly renders it, the -_sabbath days_, not the Sabbath day. Or if it ought to be rendered _the -sabbath day_, or the weekly Sabbath, because it is distinguished from -the holy days before mentioned; then it may be farther replied to it, -that he means the seventh-day Sabbath, which was abolished, together -with the ceremonial law, in opposition to the Lord’s day; and how far -this was a sign or shadow of good things to come, will be considered in -what will be replied to the next objection. - -_Obj._ 2. It is farther objected, by those who pretend that the Sabbath -is a branch of the ceremonial law, that it is said, in Exod. xxxi. 16, -17. _The children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath throughout their -generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the -children of Israel for ever, &c._ - -_Answ._ To this it may be replied; that whenever the weekly Sabbath has -an idea annexed to it, agreeably to that of the ceremonial law; as when -it is said to be _a sign_ between God and Israel, as in this scripture, -we are to understand nothing hereby, but that there was a ceremonial -accommodation annexed to it, as an ordinance for their faith, in -particular, signifying the gospel-rest; which signification was not -annexed to it from the beginning; but when it was given to Israel. From -the beginning, it was not a type; but when God gave the ceremonial law, -it was made a type. Even as the rainbow, which proceeds from natural -causes, and was, doubtless, set in the heavens before Noah’s time; yet -it was not ordained to be a sign of the covenant between God and him, -till God ordered it to be so, in his time. Thus God ordained the Sabbath -to be a type or sign to Israel, when he gave them the ceremonial law, -though it was not so before. And at Christ’s resurrection it ceased to -be an ordinance, for their faith in the gospel-rest, or to be observed, -when another day was substituted in the room of it, to wit, the first -day of the week. - -_Obj._ 3. It is farther objected, that when the observation of the -Sabbath was enjoined, God bade the Israelites, in Deut. v. 15. to -_remember that_ they were _servants in the land of Egypt, and that the -Lord_ their _God brought_ them _out thence through a mighty hand, and by -a stretched out arm_; and _therefore commanded them to keep the -Sabbath-day_. - -_Answ._ To this it may be replied, - -1. That God’s bringing his people out of Egypt, is no argument that this -is a part of the ceremonial law, which was given soon after that time. -For we read in the preface to the ten Commandments, of his bringing his -people out of the land of Egypt; which is assigned as a reason why they -should observe all the Commandments. Therefore it might as well be -inferred, that they are all a part of the ceremonial law, as that the -fourth Commandment is so; because enforced by the same motive. - -2. Though this particular reason is given to induce the Israelites to -observe this Commandment, and it is in a more especial manner, applied -to that dispensation of providence which they were lately under; yet -this could not be said to take place in the first institution of the -Sabbath, if we suppose that it was instituted before Moses’s time, which -we shall endeavour to prove under a following head. - -3. This particular reason, taken from their having been _servants in -Egypt_, is added to enforce the obligation laid on masters, to let their -servants rest on the Sabbath-day; namely, because they themselves were -once servants in Egypt, without any regard had herein to the matter of -the Commandments, or any intimation that it is a branch of the -ceremonial law. - -II. We shall now consider when this law, relating to the observation of -the Sabbath, was first given. There are various opinions about this -matter. - -1. Some think the Sabbath was first instituted when God spake to Israel -from mount Sinai; inasmuch as it is one of the ten Commandments, which -God gave them from thence[214]. - -But to this it may be replied, that the Sabbath was observed some days -before Israel came into the wilderness of Sinai, viz. when they were in -the wilderness of Sin. Thus Moses, when speaking concerning their -gathering twice as much _manna_ as was usual, the day before the -Sabbath, assigns this is as a reason for it, _To morrow is the rest of -the holy Sabbath unto the Lord_, Exod. xvi. 13. And that this was before -they encamped at mount Sinai, appears from hence, namely, that it is -said, that _they came into the wilderness of Sin on the fifteenth day of -the second month_, ver. 2. Whereas they did not come into the wilderness -of Sinai, till the _third month_, chap. xix. 1. Therefore, - -2. Others fix the Epocha of the giving this law, from their coming into -the wilderness of Sin; this being the first time, in which the Sabbath -is expressly said to be observed, in scripture. - -But to this it may be replied; that nothing can be justly inferred from -the mode of expression, used by Moses in this scripture, as though it -argued the giving a new law, that had not been before observed; but only -the putting them in mind of the observation of that day, which had, for -some time been disregarded; and accordingly it is assigned as a reason -of their gathering twice the quantity of manna on the sixth day, which -supposes that they knew before hand, that they were to rest on the -seventh; though it is highly probable, that the observation of this -Commandment had been neglected, for some years past while they were in -Egypt; and it may be, that they were not suffered, by those who held -them there in bondage, to observe this, and many other of the divine -laws. Nevertheless, the memory of the Sabbath was not wholly lost among -them, which Moses puts them now in mind of. - -The most probable opinion therefore relating to the institution of the -Sabbath, is, that it was given to man from the beginning; which may be -argued, - -(1.) From the reason annexed to the Commandment, to wit, God’s resting -from his work of creation; and it immediately follows, that when he -rested from his work, he blessed and sanctified the seventh day; that so -man might celebrate and commemorate his power and glory displayed -therein, Gen. ii. 1, 2, 3. - -_Obj._ To this it is objected; that God’s blessing and sanctifying the -seventh day, may be understood _proleptically_, as denoting, that at -first he sanctified, or ordained that it should be a Sabbath, to his -people in the following ages; and that this did not take place till -Moses’s time; and accordingly they suppose, that he having been speaking -of the creation of the world, and God’s resting from his work, gives -them to understand, that this was the reason of the law, which was now -given them, concerning the observation of the Sabbath, which they never -heard of before. - -_Answ._ But to this it may be replied, That this sense of the text will -appear very absurd to any unprejudiced person; since if God’s resting -from his work, which is mentioned immediately before, as the reason of -his sanctifying the seventh day, is to be taken literally, why must his -sanctifying the Sabbath be taken figuratively? if the one be an account -of what was just done, why should the other be an account of what was -not to take place till two thousand and five hundred years after? - -(2.) If God had a church in the world, and public worship was performed -by them from Adam to Moses’s time, then, there were set times, in which -they were to meet together for that end, and consequently a Sabbath, -which was equally necessary for the good of the church, in foregoing as -well as following ages; and therefore we cannot suppose that it should -be denied that privilege then, which had been granted it ever since; or, -that from Moses’s time they should be obliged to celebrate the glory of -God, as their Creator, sovereign Ruler, and bountiful Benefactor; and -that a seventh part of time should be allotted them for this service, by -his express command, and yet he should lose the glory, and his people -the advantage arising from it, before that time. - -_Obj._ It is objected to this, that the scripture is wholly silent as to -this matter, and therefore nothing can be concluded in favour of the -argument we are maintaining. - -_Answ._ Some think that the scripture is not wholly silent as to this -matter; but that it may be inferred from what we read in Gen. iv. 3, 4. -in which it is said, that _in process of time it came to pass, that Cain -brought an offering unto the Lord_; which was, doubtless, an instance of -public worship. We render the words _in process of time_; but they may, -with equal justice, be rendered, as it is observed in the margin, _at -the end of days_; that is, at the end of that cycle of days which we -generally call _a week_, or on the seventh day; then the offering was -brought, and the solemn worship performed, and hereby the Sabbath -sanctified according to God’s institution. But if this argument be not -allowed of, it does not follow that the scripture’s not mentioning their -observing a Sabbath, gives us just ground to suppose that they did not -observe any. It might as well be argued, that because the scripture -speaks very little of any public worship performed before the flood, -that therefore there was none in the world; or, that because we do not -read of the church’s observing a Sabbath, and many other parts of -instituted worship all the time of the judges, which is said to be -_about the space of four hundred and fifty years_, Acts xiii. 20. -therefore it follows that a Sabbath, was not observed by them, during -the whole of that interval, and all instituted worship was wholly -neglected. - -The next thing to be inquired into is, whether the Sabbath was -instituted before or after the fall of our first parents? And it may be -observed; that it appears to have been instituted before their fall; -because the reason of its institution was God’s resting from his work of -creation, of which we read before the account of their fall, as appears -from the scripture before mentioned. - -_Obj._ It is objected that Adam in innocency had no manservant nor -maid-servants, nor stranger within his gate; and therefore was not in a -capacity of observing this Commandment. - -_Answ._ To this it may be replied, That before the world was increased, -our first parents might observe the principal thing contained in this -Commandment, by setting apart a day for religious worship: and when the -world increased, the other part of the Commandment, which was only -circumstantial, might take place. And, indeed, this objection might be -as much alleged against Adam’s being obliged to yield obedience to the -fifth, seventh, and eighth Commandments, as against his obeying the -fourth. - -III. It is farther observed, in this answer, that the day which we call -a seventh part of time, was the seventh day of the week, from the -beginning of the world, till the resurrection of Christ; and the first -day of the week, ever since, to continue to the end of the world; which -is the Christian Sabbath, or the Lord’s day. That the seventh day of the -week was observed as a Sabbath, at first, is taken for granted; and we -do not find that it was abolished by a positive law, so that there -should be no Sabbath; but the day was changed, by substituting another -in the room of it. If, according to the fourth Commandment, there is to -be but one Sabbath in the week, and the other six days thereof are -allowed for our own lawful employments; and if the first day of the week -can be proved, as we shall attempt to do, to be the Christian Sabbath, -then it follows, that the seventh day ceases to be a Sabbath. - -It may be, indeed, observed, from several ecclesiastical writers, that -some in the three first centuries, observed, both the seventh and the -first day of the week. As for the apostles, they often assembled with -the Jews, in their synagogues, on the seventh day, Acts xiii. 14. and -xvii. 2. but this was done with a design to propagate the Christian -religion among them, which could not, with equal conveniency, be done on -other days. And the church afterwards met together on that day, as well -as the Lord’s day, apprehending that though it was not now to be -reckoned God’s holy day, or the Christian Sabbath; yet it was expedient, -that hereby they should keep up the memory of his having, on that day, -finished the work of creation; and others kept it as a day of fasting, -accompanied with other religious exercises, in memory of Christ’s lying -that day in the grave. But this can hardly be justified in them. -However, it is evident that they did not pay the same regard to it as -the Lord’s day, nor style it God’s holy day, nor the Christian Sabbath, -by way of eminency. And some have expressly intimated, that whatever -regard they paid to the seventh day, or what assemblies soever they held -for worship therein, they did not observe it in the same way as the Jews -did[215]; neither were they obliged to hold meetings on that day, as -they were on the Lord’s day, it being, in part, left to their -discretion; and it was supposed, that they had sufficient leisure from -their secular callings; and therefore might attend to the worship of God -on that day, as an opportunity offered itself; though they did not count -it equally holy with the Lord’s day; nor were they obliged, when the -worship was over, to abstain from their secular employment[216]. But -this I only mention occasionally, to obviate an objection taken from the -practice of some of the ancient church, in observing the seventh day of -the week, which does not much affect the cause we are maintaining, our -design being to prove that the first day of the week is ordained to be -the Christian Sabbath. - -But before we enter on that subject, it may be necessary, to prepare our -way for it, to premise, - -1. That it does not, in the least, derogate from the honour and glory of -God, to change the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the -week. It would, indeed, derogate from the glory of God, if he should -take away one Sabbath, and not institute another in the room of it; for -then he would lose the honour of that public worship, which he has -appointed to be performed on that day. - -Moreover, if there be a greater work than that of creation, to be -remembered and celebrated, it tends much more to the advancing the glory -of God, to appoint a day for the solemn remembrance thereof, than if it -should be wholly neglected. And to this we may add, that if all men must -honour the Son, even as they honour the Father, then it is expedient, -that a day should be set apart for his honour, namely, the day on which -he rested from the work of redemption, or, as the apostle says, _ceased -from it, as God did from his_, Heb. iv. 10. - -2. It was expedient, that God should alter the Sabbath, from the seventh -to the first day of the week; for, - -(1.) Hereby Christ took occasion to give a display of his glory, and in -particular of his sovereign authority, to enjoin what time he would have -us set apart for his worship under the gospel-dispensation, as well as -what worship he will have performed therein; and to discover himself to -be, as he styles himself; _The Lord of the Sabbath day_, Matt. xii. 8. - -(2.) We, in the observation thereof, signify our faith, in a public -manner, that Christ is come in the flesh, and that the work of our -redemption is brought to perfection; and consequently, that there is a -way prepared for our justification and access to God, as our God, in -hope of finding acceptance in his sight. - -3. All the ordinances of gospel-worship have a peculiar relation to -Christ; therefore it is expedient that the time in which they are to be -performed, under this present gospel-dispensation, should likewise have -relation to him; therefore that day must be set apart in commemoration -of his work of redemption, in which he finished it, and that was the -first day of the week. - -This leads us to consider, what ground we have to conclude that the -Sabbath was changed, from the seventh to the first day of the week after -the resurrection of Christ. And this will appear, - -(1.) From the example of Christ and his apostles, who celebrated the -first day of the week as a Sabbath, after his resurrection. Thus we read -in John xx. 19. that _the same day at evening, being the first day of -the week, when the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled -for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst of them, and -said, Peace be unto you_. And ver. 26. _After eight days_, or the eighth -day after, inclusive, _again his disciples were within; then came Jesus, -the doors being shut, and stood in the midst and said, Peace be unto -you_. Where we may observe, - -[1.] That it was not merely an occasional meeting, but a fixed one, -which returned weekly. Therefore they met eight days after, or the -following first day of the week; which was the second Christian Sabbath. - -[2.] On both these days of their meeting together for public worship, -Christ appeared in the midst of them, and spake peace unto them; which -includes his owning the day, and confirming their faith in the -observation of it as a Sabbath, for the future. - -_Obj._ It is objected, that the reasons of the apostles’ meeting -together on the first day of the week, was for fear of the Jews; and not -because it was substituted in the room of the seventh day, as a Sabbath -perpetually to be observed. - -_Answ._ To this it may be replied, that they did not meet together for -fear of the Jews; but when they were assembled, the doors were shut for -fear of them. Besides, it may be farther replied, that the fear of -persecution would have been no warrant for them, not to keep the -seventh-day-Sabbath, or to substitute another day in the room of it. To -all which we might add, that they might more securely meet together on -the seventh day of the week, than on any other day, if they were afraid -of disturbance from the Jews; for then they were engaged in worship -themselves; and, it is probable, would be rather inclined to let them -alone, for want of leisure, to give them disturbance in their worship. - -(2.) It farther appears, that the Sabbath was changed from the seventh -to the first day of the week, in that this was a day, in which the -church met, together with the apostles, for solemn public worship. Thus -we read in Acts xx. 7. that _upon the first day of the week, when the -disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them_. Where -we may observe, - -[1.] That it was not a private, but a public meeting of the church; for -it is said, that the disciples, that is, the church, met together. - -[2.] It was not a day occasionally appointed by the apostle, but the -stated usual time of their meeting; for it is not said Paul designed to -preach to them on that day, and therefore they met together; but when -they came together, _on the first day of the week_, that is, on the day -of their usual meeting, _Paul preached unto them_. - -[3.] The apostle had been with them some days before; for it is said in -the foregoing verse, that _he abode there seven days_. Why did they not -meet together, and he preach to them the day before, to wit, the seventh -day of the week, on which day he was with them; but because that was no -longer a Sabbath, but changed to the first day? - -[4.] The end of their meeting was to break bread. Now, though the word -is to be preached in season and out of season; yet no day is so proper -to break bread on, or celebrate the Lord’s supper, as that on which he -rose from the dead. Besides, when a day is particularly described as -that which is set apart for solemn worship, such as preaching and -breaking of bread is supposed to be, that must be understood to be the -Sabbath. - -[5.] They could not be said now to meet together for fear of the Jews, -as was before objected to their observing the first Sabbath; for it was -at Troas, where the Jews had nothing to do, nor could they persecute -them; for it was a church of converted Gentiles. - -_Obj. 1._ It is objected, that the word which we render the _first day -of the week_[217], might be rendered _one day_ of the week, or on a -certain day. - -_Answ._ Our translation of the Greek word, is by far the most proper, as -all know, who understand that language. Besides, the same words are used -in John xx. 1. and Luke xxiv. 1. in both which scriptures Christ’s -resurrection is said to be _on the first day of the week_; how -preposterous would it be, to render them, on a certain day of the week? -and if they are, in those scriptures, and others that might be referred -to, to be rendered, the first day of the week, as all allow they must, -why should they be rendered otherwise in the text under our present -consideration? - -_Obj. 2._ It is farther objected, that their meeting together, on the -first day of the week, to break bread, does not argue it to be a -Sabbath; because formerly the Lord’s supper used to be administered -whenever the word was preached, and that was on other days, besides the -first day of the week; yea, we read, that in some ages of the church, -the word was preached, and the Lord’s supper administered, every day. - -_Answ._ To this it may be replied, That though the Lord’s supper may be -administered on another day, yet this is said to be the day more -especially appointed for this solemn ordinance, or for public worship, -as has been already observed. Besides, though the Lord’s supper was -administered on other days after this: yet it will be hard to prove that -it was administered on any other day but the Lord’s day, in the apostles -time. - -(3.) The change of the Sabbath, from the seventh to the first day of the -week, may be farther argued from 1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2. in which the apostle -says, As I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. -_Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in -store, as God hath prospered him; that there be no gatherings when I -come._ In which words we may observe, - -[1.] That there is a work of charity recommended; a duty most proper for -the Sabbath, as a testimony of our thankfulness to God for spiritual -blessings, held forth to, or received by us, on that day; and it is a -day in which our hearts are most like to be enlarged to others, when -most affected with the love of God to us. Those duties which the prophet -recommends as suitable to a fast, which God had chosen, are very -suitable to all public ordinances, and in particular to Sabbaths, -namely, to _loose the bands of wickedness_, and to _undo the heavy -burdens, and to deal forth bread to the hungry_, Isa. lviii. 6, 7. If -the poor of the church were to be provided for, this was to be done, not -by a private, but a public collection, whereby more might be raised, and -no burden laid on particular persons. It is moreover said, that they -were to _lay by as God had prospered them_; that is, not only in -proportion to the increase of their worldly substance, or the success -that attended their secular employments on other days; but their -compassion to the poor ought to be enlarged, in proportion to the -spiritual advantage they received from Christ, under his ordinances. - -[2.] This was not to be done on one single first day of the week, but on -the return of every first day; as all who read this scripture -impartially must understand it[218]. Therefore it follows, that the -first day of the week was a day in which the church met together for -solemn, public, and stated worship. - -[3.] It was not commanded only to this church at Corinth, but is -agreeable to what had been commanded to _all the churches of Galatia_; -therefore it follows, that the churches of Galatia were obliged to -observe the first day of the week, as well as that at Corinth. And -inasmuch as this epistle is directed to _all that in every place call -upon the name of Jesus Christ_, 1 Cor. i. 2. it may by a parity of -reason, be applied to them; and accordingly it may be argued, that it -was a universal practice of the church, at that time, to meet together -for religious worship, on the first day of the week, which argument -cannot but have some weight in it, to prove the doctrine that we are -maintaining, relating to the change of the Sabbath, from the seventh to -the first day of the week. - -(4.) The change of the Sabbath, from the seventh to the first day of the -week, farther appears, in that there is a day, mentioned in the New -Testament, which is styled _the Lord’s day_. Thus it is said, _I was in -the Spirit on the Lord’s day_, Rev. i. 10. Where it may be observed, - -[1.] That there is a peculiar claim that Christ lays to this day as his -own, distinct from all other days. As the seventh day of the week was, -before this, called, as it is in this Commandment, _The Sabbath of the -Lord thy God_, and elsewhere, his _holy day_, Isa. lviii. 13. so there -is a peculiar day which our Saviour, who is the Lord here spoken of, -claims as his holy day. And what can this be, but that day which he has -instituted in commemoration of his having finished the work of our -redemption? - -[2.] It may be farther observed, that when God is said to lay claim to -things in scripture, it denotes, that they are of his appointment, and -for his glory. Thus the bread and the wine in that ordinance, which -Christ has appointed in remembrance of his death, is called _the Lord’s -supper_, or _the Lord’s table_, denoting that it is an ordinance of his -own appointment; in like manner _the Lord’s day_ may be fitly so called -for this reason, as instituted by him. - -The arguments that have hitherto been brought to prove that the Sabbath -was changed from the seventh to the first day of the week, are -principally such as are founded on a scripture-consequence. We shall now -proceed to prove that this consequence is just, _viz._ that because the -first day of the week was observed by our Saviour, his apostles, and the -church in general, as the Lord’s day, that is, a day instituted by him, -in commemoration of his having finished the work of our redemption; -therefore we ought to observe it for that end. Here it may be -considered, - -_1st_, That it is not to be supposed, that it was universally observed -by the church at random, or by accident, without some direction given -them herein. For since the apostles were appointed to erect the -gospel-church, and, as God’s ministers, to give laws to it, relating to -the instituted worship that was to be performed therein, it is as -reasonable to suppose, that they gave direction concerning the time, in -which public solemn worship should be performed. - -_2dly_, Whatever the apostles ordered the church to observe, in matters -belonging to religious worship, they did it by divine direction; -otherwise the rules they laid down for instituted worship, could not be -much depended on; and they, would doubtless, have been blamed, as not -having fulfilled the commission, which they received from Christ, to -_teach_ the church _to observe all things whatever he had commanded -them_. Nor could the apostle have made this appeal to the church as he -does; _I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God_, -Acts xx. 27. and elsewhere, _I have received of the Lord that which also -I delivered unto you_, 1 Cor. xi. 23. and _I delivered unto you first of -all that which I also received_, chap. xv. 3. Nor would he have acted -agreeably to the character he gave of himself and the rest of the -apostles; concerning whom he says, _Let a man so account of us, as of -the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, -it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful_, chap. iv. 1. -And he says concerning himself, _I have obtained mercy of the Lord to be -faithful_, chap. vii. 25. And elsewhere, _If any man think himself to be -a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I -write unto you, are the commandments of the Lord_, chap. xiv. 37. and -consequently, that whatever directions he gave about the time, as well -as mode of worship, were instamped with his authority; therefore, an -apostolic intimation contained a divine command relating hereunto. - -Those things that were delivered to the church, by persons under divine -inspiration, are not to be reckoned among the traditions which the -Papists plead for, which took their rise in those ages when inspiration -was ceased. The apostle uses the word _tradition_ in the same sense in -which we are to understand a divine oracle, or a command given by those -who were divinely inspired; and accordingly he says, _I praise you, -brethren, that you remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances_, -or, as it is in the margin, _traditions, as I have delivered them to -you_, chap. xi. 2. and elsewhere, he exhorts them, to _hold the -traditions which they had been taught, whether by word, or his epistle_, -2 Thess. ii. 15. that is, all those things which had been communicated -to them by divine inspiration, in whatever form they were transmitted to -them, whether by word or writing; which different circumstances of -imparting them, do not in the least detract from their divine authority. -The laws which God gave to his church, were either immediately from -himself, as the ten Commandments, or else they were given by those who -were inspired for that purpose; and, indeed, the greatest part of -gospel-worship was of this latter sort; and what was transmitted by the -apostles relating hereunto, was either verbal or real; the former -containing an intimation of what they had received of the Lord, the -latter was enforced by their example and practice; which, supposing them -to be under divine inspiration, was a sufficient warrant for the faith -and practice of the church, whether relating to the mode or time of -worship; and consequently the practice and example of the apostles and -church, in their day, in observing the first day of the week, is a -sufficient argument to convince us concerning the change of the Sabbath, -from the seventh to the Lord’s day, which was to be observed, by the -church, in all succeeding ages. - -As to that question which is proposed by some, namely, when it was that -Christ gave instructions to the apostles, concerning the change of the -Sabbath? It is an over-curious enquiry, since it is enough for us to -conclude, that this, together with other laws given by them, relating to -the gospel-dispensation, were given by him, during that interval of -time, in which _he shewed himself alive after his passion, by many -infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, speaking of the things -pertaining to the kingdom of God_, Acts i. 3. of which, we may -reasonably suppose this to have been one. But if this be not reckoned -sufficient for the confirming our faith therein, we have the highest -reason to conclude, that it was given by the inspiration of the Spirit, -whom Christ had before promised unto the apostles to guide _them into -all truth_; and that he should _shew them things to come_, John xvi. 13. -by which we are to understand, that he was to lead them, not only into -those truths, which were necessary for them to know as Christians, but -to impart to the churches as ministers, as a rule of faith and practice. -This is what, I think, may give us sufficient satisfaction, as to the -divine original of the Lord’s day, without our being obliged to have -recourse to an ecclesiastical establishment, without a divine -institution; which would very much detract from the dignity and glory of -it, and the regard that we ought to pay to it, as the Lord’s holy day. -We have considered it as instituted by the apostles; and that they had -instructions in all things relating to the edification of the church; -and that they were so faithful in what they imparted, that they cannot -be, in the least, suspected of intruding any invention of their own into -the worship of God, in this, any more than any other branch thereof, to -suppose which, would leave us in the greatest uncertainty, as to what -concerns matters of the highest importance. - -Thus concerning the observation of the Lord’s day, as founded on a -divine warrant, given to the church by the ministry of the apostles, who -were appointed, by God, to make known those laws to them, which respect -the manner and time in which he will be worshipped, under the -gospel-dispensation. - -The next thing to be considered, is, that the church in, and after the -apostles time, universally attended to the religious observation of the -Lord’s day; which was celebrated as a Sabbath in all succeeding ages. -This is so evident, from the history of what relates thereunto, that it -needs no proof. That the apostles and the church, in their day, observed -it, has been already considered; and that the observation thereof was -continued in the church, after their death, appears from the writings of -most of the Fathers, who speak of it as a day in which the church met -together for public worship, and paid a much greater deference to it -than any of the other days of the week, wherein they occasionally -attended on the exercise of religious duties. Thus Ignatius, who lived -in the beginning of the second Century, advises every one who loved -Christ, to celebrate the Lord’s day, which was consecrated to his -resurrection; and he calls it the queen, and chief of all days[219]. -Also Justin Martyr, who lived about the middle of the same Century, in -one of his apologies for the Christians, says, That on that day, which -they, viz. the Heathen, call Sunday, all who live in cities or villages, -meet together in the same place, where the writings of the apostles and -prophets are read, and we all assemble; it being the day in which God -finished the creation, and Jesus Christ, our Saviour, rose from the -dead. For the day before Saturday he was crucified, and the day after -it, that is, Sunday, he appeared to his apostles and disciples, and -instructed them in those things which we propose to your -consideration[220]. - -In the third Century, when persecution so much raged against the church, -it is well known, that Christians distinguished themselves, by the -character of observers of the Lord’s day, which they reckoned a badge of -Christianity[221]. - -I need not descend any lower, to prove that the Lord’s day was -universally observed by the church, in commemoration of Christ’s -resurrection, in all succeeding ages; for that is generally allowed. -Therefore, all that I shall add to illustrate this argument, taken from -the practice of the Christian church, from our Saviour’s resurrection, -to this day, is, - -_1st_, That it cannot reasonably be supposed, that God would suffer his -church universally to run into so great a mistake, as to keep a wrong -day as a weekly Sabbath; and that not only in one or two, but in all -ages, since our Saviour’s time. Now, whatever error particular churches -have been suffered to imbibe, God has not left them all in general; and -that before the corruption and apostasy of the church of Rome, as well -as since the Reformation, to be deceived, which they must be said to -have been, had they esteemed that God’s holy day, which he has neither -instituted, nor owned as such. - -_2d_, God has not only suffered all his churches to go on in this error, -if it be an error, and not undeceived them, but he has, at the same -time, granted them many signal marks of his favour; and has, to this -day, in many instances, owned the strict and religious observation -thereof; which we can hardly suppose he would have done, if it were not -of his own institution; nor that he would have given a sanction to it, -by being present with his people, when attending on him therein, in the -ordinances of his own appointment. This leads us to consider, - -IV. The proportion of time that is to be observed as a weekly Sabbath. -Thus it is said in this answer, we are to keep holy to God, one whole -day in seven. A day is either artificial or natural. The former is the -space of time from the sun’s rising, to its setting; the latter contains -in it the space of twenty four hours. Now the Lord’s day must be -supposed to continue longer than the measure of an artificial day; -otherwise it would fall short of a seventh part of time. But this has -not so many difficulties attending it, as that has which relates to the -time of the day when it begins. Nevertheless, we have some direction, as -to this matter, from the intimation given us, that Christ rose from the -dead _on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, while it -was yet dark_, John xx. 1. Luke xxiv. 1. Therefore the Lord’s day begins -in the morning, before sun rising; or, according to our usual way of -reckoning, we may conclude, that it begins immediately after midnight, -and continues till mid-night following; which is our common method of -computing time, beginning the day with the morning, and ending it with -the evening; and it is agreeable to the Psalmist’s observation; _Man -goeth forth to his work, and to his labour_ in the morning, _until the -evening_, Psal. civ. 23. Rest, in order of nature, follows after labour; -therefore the night follows the day; and consequently the Lord’s day -evening follows the day, on which account it must be supposed to begin -in the morning. - -Again, if the Sabbath begins in the evening, religious worship ought to -be performed sometime, at least, in the evening; and then, soon after it -is begun, it will be interrupted by the succeeding night, and then it -must be revived again the following day. And, as to the end of the -Sabbath, it seems not so agreeable, that, when we have been engaged in -the worship of God in the day, we should spend the evening in secular -employments; which cannot be judged unlawful, if the Sabbath be then at -an end. Therefore, it is much more expedient, that the whole work of the -day should be continued as long as our worldly employments are on other -days; and our beginning and ending the performance of religious duties, -should in some measure, be agreeable thereunto. Again, this may be -proved from what is said in Exod. xvi. 23. _To-morrow is the rest of the -holy Sabbath unto the Lord._ Whereas, if the Sabbath had begun in the -evening, it would rather have been said, this evening begins the rest of -the holy Sabbath. - -Another scripture generally brought to prove this argument, is in John -xx. 19. _The same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when -the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the -Jews, came Jesus, and stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be -unto you_; it is called _the evening of the same day_; so that the -worship which was performed that day, was continued in the evening -thereof. This is not called the evening of the next day, but of the same -day in which Christ rose from the dead; which was the first Christian -Sabbath. - -_Object._ To this it is objected, that the ceremonial Sabbaths under the -law, began at evening. Thus it is said, in Lev. xxiii. 5. _In the -fourteenth day of the first month, at even, is the Lord’s passover_; and -ver. 32. speaking concerning the feast of expiation, which was on the -tenth day of the seventh month, it is said, _It shall be unto you a -Sabbath of rest; and ye shall afflict your souls in the ninth day of the -month, at even: From even unto even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath._ - -_Answ._ To this it may be answered; that the beginning of sacred days is -to be at the same time with that of civil; and this was governed by the -custom of nations. The Jews’ civil day began at evening; and therefore -it was ordained that from evening to evening, should be the measure of -their sacred days. Our days have another beginning and ending; which -difference is only circumstantial. Whereas, the principal thing -enjoined, is, that one whole day in seven, be observed as a Sabbath to -the Lord. - -Footnote 214: - - “The devoting of a _seventh Part of Time_ in a holy manner to the - Lord, belongs unchangeably to the _moral_ nature and obligation of the - _fourth Commandment_, which is transferred in the New Testament, from - the _seventh_ to the _first_ day of the week. (See _John_ xx. 26. and - _Acts_ xx. 7.) To this it may not be amiss to add the judicious note - of Mr. _Kennicott_ in his dissertation on the oblations of _Cain_ and - _Abel_, p. 184, 185, where he says, ‘The sabbath, or weekly day of - holiness, might well be called a _sign to the_ Jews;’ for the _Jewish_ - sabbath was a _sign_, as being founded on a double reason, the second - of which (the _Egyptian_ deliverance) evidently distinguished that - people from all others, and was therefore as a sign constantly to - remind them of the particular care of heaven, and what uncommon - returns of goodness they were to make for so signal a deliverance. But - there is great reason to believe, that the sabbath of the _Israelites_ - was altered with their year, at their coming forth from _Egypt_; and a - short attention to this point may not be here improper, the case then - seems to be this. At the finishing of the creation, God sanctified the - seventh day; this seventh day, being the first day of _Adam’s_ life, - was consecrated by way of first-fruits to God; and therefore _Adam_ - may reasonably be supposed to have _began_ his computation of the - _days of the week_ with the _first whole day_ of his own existence; - thus the sabbath became the first day of the week; but when mankind - fell from the worship of the true God, they first substituted the - worship of the sun, in his place, and preserving the same weekly day - of worship, but devoting it to the sun, the sabbath was called - _Sunday_; for that _Sunday_ was the first day of the week, and is so - still in the east, is proved by Mr. _Selden_ (Jus. Nat. and Gent. Lib. - 3. Cap. 22.) Thus the _sabbath of the Patriarchs_ continued to be the - _Sunday of the idolaters_, till the coming up of the _Israelites_ out - of _Egypt_; and then, as God altered the beginning of their year, so - he also changed the day of their worship from _Sunday_ to _Saturday_; - the first reason of which might be, that as _Sunday_ was the day of - worship among the Idolaters, the _Israelites_ would be more likely to - join with them, if they rested on the same day, than if they were to - work on that day, and serve their God upon another. But a second - reason certainly was, in order to perpetuate the memory of _their - deliverance on that day from_ Egyptian _slavery_; for _Moses_, when he - applies the fourth Commandment to the particular cases of his own - people, _Deut._ v. 15, does not enforce it, as in _Ex._ xx. 11. by the - consideration of _God’s resting on that day_ which was the sabbath of - the Patriarchs; but binds it upon them by saying, _Remember that thou - wast a servant in Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out - thence through a mighty hand, and by a stretched-out arm; therefore - the Lord thy God hath commanded_ THEE _to keep this_ SABBATH-DAY. - Allowing then the preceding observations, we immediately see, how the - sabbath naturally reverted to _Sunday_, after the abolition of - _Judaism_ without any express command for the alteration. To which he - adds a quotation from Bp. _Cumberland_, (Orig. Gent. Antiq. p. 400.) - which speaks of the _Gentiles_, as called, after Christ’s time into - the same universal church with the Patriarchs; and another from - _Justin Martyr_, Την δε του ηλιου ημεραν κοινη παντες την συνελευσιν - ποιουμεθα επειδη πρωτη εστιν ημερα, ενἡ ὁ θεος το σκοτος δε την υλην - τρεψας, κοσμον εποιησε και Ιησους Χριστος ὁ ημετερος σωτηρ τη αυτη - ημερα εκ νεκρων ανεστη. Apol c. s. 89. The purport of which is, that - all Christians generally assembled for religious worship on the - _Sunday_; because it is the first day in which God finished the - creation of the world; and on the same day of the week, Jesus Christ, - our Saviour, rose from the dead.” - - GUYSE. - -Footnote 215: - - _Vid. Athanas. Hom. de Semente._ - -Footnote 216: - - _Vid. Ignat. Epist. ad Magn._ _And much more to the same purpose may - be seen in a learned book, intitled_ Dies Dominica, _in cap._ iii. _& - alibi passim_. - -Footnote 217: - - Έν τῆ μιᾶ τᾶν σαββάτων. _On the first from the Sabbath_; so the Jews - named the days of the week. - -Footnote 218: - - Κατὰ μίαν σαββάτων. - -Footnote 219: - - _Vid. Ignat. Epist. ad Magnes._ - -Footnote 220: - - _Vid. Just. Mart. edit. a Grab. Apol. 1. § 87, & 89. It may be - observed, that that Father is not alone in his calling it Sunday; for - Tertullian [Adv. Gent. Cap._ xvi.] _calls it so. And Jerom says it may - be so called, because the Sun of Righteousness arose with healing in - his wings; but it is generally called_ the Lord’s day; _and that not - only by others, but by the same Fathers; except in their apologies for - the Christian religion against the Heathen, they used the word in - compliance with their mode of speaking. But that which is more - strange, and savours a little of affectation, is, that Justin, and - some other of the Fathers, should chuse to use a circumlocution, - instead of Friday, as he calls it, the day before Saturday. And - Ignatius, [in Epist. ad Trall.] calls it_ parasceva, _or, the - preparation for the Sabbath, as the Jews did; and Irenæus calls it the - day before the Sabbath, [in Lib._ v. _adv. Her. Cap._ xxiii.] _which - the learned Grabe supposes to be for this reason; that they might shew - how much they detested the name of Venus, to whom Friday was dedicated - by the Heathen. And they ought to have been as cautious of using the - word Sunday, since that was not only dedicated to the Sun. But some - took occasion from thence, to asperse the Christians, as though they - had worshipped the Sun; which Tertullian, in [Apol. adv. Gen. Cap._ - xvi.] _is obliged to exculpate them from._ - -Footnote 221: - - Dominicum agere, _or_ celebrare, _was a phrase well known in that age, - in which many Christians were put to death, upon their being examined, - and boldly professing that they observed the Lord’s day; and the - assemblies, in which all the parts of public worship were performed on - that day, were generally called Synaxes_. - - - - - Quest. CXVII., CXVIII. - - - QUEST. CXVII. _How is the Sabbath, or Lord’s day to be sanctified?_ - - ANSW. The Sabbath, or Lord’s day, is to be sanctified, by an holy - resting all the day, not only from such works as are, at all times, - sinful, but even from such worldly employments and recreations as - are on other days lawful, and making it our delight to spend the - whole time (except so much of it as is to be taken up in works of - necessity and mercy) in the public and private exercises of God’s - worship; and to that end we are to prepare our hearts, and with such - fore-sight, diligence and moderation to dispose, and seasonably to - dispatch our worldly business, that we may be the more free and fit - for the duties of that day. - - QUEST. CXVIII. _Why is the charge of keeping the Sabbath more - specially directed to governors of families, and other superiors?_ - - ANSW. The charge of keeping the Sabbath is more especially directed - to governors of families and other superiors, because they are bound - not only to keep it themselves, but to see that it be observed by - all those that are under their charge; and because they are prone - oft-times to hinder them by employments of their own. - -In explaining the former of these answers, which more especially -respects the manner how the Sabbath is to be sanctified, let it be -considered, - -I. That we are to prepare our hearts, and with such foresight, -diligence, and moderation, to dispose, and seasonably to dispatch, our -worldly business, that we may be more free and fit for the business of -that day. We do not read, indeed, that there is any time sanctified, or -set apart by God, in order to our preparing for the Sabbath; but this -matter is left to our Christian prudence. Yet we read in the New -Testament, of the day of preparation for the Sabbath; that is, the day -before the Jewish Sabbath; which persons who had any sense of the -importance of the work to be performed on the following day, thought it -their duty to prepare for before-hand, at least, to give dispatch to -their worldly business; that their thoughts might be fixed on the work -on which they were to engage on the day ensuing. Thus we read, that -_that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on: And they -returned and prepared spices and ointments, and rested the Sabbath day, -according to the commandment_, Luke xxiii. 54, 56. The mixing of -ointments and spices, which were compounded according to the custom of -those times, for the embalming of the dead, was a work of labour, and -not fit to be done on the Sabbath. Therefore they did this the day -before, that they might not be brought under any necessity of performing -that servile work therein, which might be done on another day. And this -practice of dispatching worldly business, in order to their being -prepared for the sacred employment of the Sabbath, seems to have been -inculcated, when the observation of that day was revived by Moses in the -wilderness of Sin; on which occasion he says, _To-morrow is the rest of -the holy Sabbath unto the Lord. Bake that which ye will bake, and seethe -that ye will seethe: and that which remaineth over, lay it up for you to -be kept until the morning_, Exod. xvi. 23. The meaning of which is, they -were to gather the manna, which would take up a considerable time, and -grind or prepare it for baking or seething; which was a servile, or -laborious work, that might as well be done the day before. Accordingly -they were commanded then to dispatch or finish it, that they might rest -in, and sanctity the Sabbath immediately following. - -As for the time which the more religious Jews took, in preparing for the -Sabbath before it came, something of this may be learned from the -practice of holy Nehemiah; whereby it appears, that they laid aside -their worldly business, in order to their preparing for the Sabbath the -day before, at sun-set, or when it begun to be dark. Thus it is said, -_That when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, -he commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should -not be opened till after the Sabbath_, Neh. xiii. 19. However, this is -discretionary, and therefore some Jewish writers observe, that many of -them began to prepare for the Sabbath the evening before, at six -o’clock, and some of them at three; and others spent the whole day -before in the dispatch of their secular business, that they might be -better prepared for the Sabbath; and this, as to what is equitable or -moral therein, is, doubtless, an example to us: so that we may say as -Hezekiah did in his prayer; _The good Lord pardon every one that -prepareth his heart to seek God; the Lord God of his fathers, though he -be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary_, 2 -Chron. xxx. 18, 19. - -This leads us to consider the duties to be performed preparatory to the -right observing the Lord’s day; and, in order hereunto, we ought, the -evening before, to lay aside our care and worldly business, that our -thoughts may not be incumbred, diverted, or taken up with unseasonable -or unlawful concerns about it. This is a duty very much neglected; and -the omission thereof is one reason of our unprofitable attendance on the -ordinances of God on the Lord’s day. Thus many keep their shops open -till midnight; and by this means make encroachments on part of the -morning of the Lord’s day, by indulging too much sleep; which occasions -drowsiness under the ordinances, as well as their thoughts being filled -with worldly concerns and business therein. And to this we may add, that -all envyings, contentions, evil surmising against our neighbour, are to -be laid aside, since these will tend to defile our souls and to deprave -our minds, when they ought wholly to be taken up about divine things. -Thus the apostle advises those to whom he writes, to _lay aside all -malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil -speaking_, and _as new born babes_ to _desire the sincere milk of the -word, that_ they might _grow thereby_, 1 Pet. ii. 1, 2. - -Moreover, we are to endeavour to bring our souls into a prepared frame -for the duties of the Lord’s day, the evening before, by having our -thoughts engaged in those meditations that are suitable thereunto; -particularly, we are to consider the many lost Sabbaths we have to -account for, or repent of, as also the wonderful patience of God, who -has, notwithstanding spared us to the approach of another Sabbath; and -what precautions are necessary to be used, that we may not profane or -trifle it away. It would also be expedient for us to meditate on the -vanity of worldly things, which we have laid aside all our care about, -and think how contemptible the gain thereof is, if compared with -communion with God, which is our great concern; and therefore we are to -consider ourselves as having a greater work to transact with God on his -own day, and desire to have no disturbance from the world therein. And -to these meditations we ought to join our fervent prayers to God; that -the sins committed by us in former Sabbaths may be forgiven, that he may -not be provoked to withdraw the influences of his Spirit on the -approaching day; and that the world with the cares thereof, may not then -be a snare to us, through the temptations of Satan, together with the -corruption of our own hearts, whereby our converse with God would be -interrupted, that by this means we may wait on the Lord without -distraction. We ought also to pray, that he would also assist his -ministers in preparing a seasonable word, that may be blest to ourselves -and others. Thus the apostle exhorts the church, to _pray always with -all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and to watch thereunto with -all perseverance, and supplication for all saints; and for him, that -utterance might be given unto him, that he might open his mouth boldly -to make known the mystery of the gospel_, Eph. vi. 18, 19. We ought to -be very importunate with God, that he would sanctify, and fill our -thoughts from the beginning to the end of the Lord’s day, which he has -consecrated for his immediate service and glory. - -II. We are now to consider what we are to rest and abstain from, on the -Lord’s day; and this is included in two general heads, namely, not only -from things sinful, but what is in itself lawful, on other days. - -1. As for those things which are sinful on other days, they are much -more so on the Sabbath; for hereby we contract double guilt, not only in -committing the sin, but in breaking the Sabbath; and such sins are, for -the most part, presumptuously committed, and greatly tend to harden the -heart; and not only hinder the efficacy of the ordinances, but if -allowed of, and persisted in, are a sad step to apostacy. - -2. We break the Sabbath by engaging in things that would be lawful on -other days; and that in two particular instances here mentioned; - -(1.) When we engage in worldly employments. These, we are wholly to lay -aside, or abstain from; particularly buying or selling, or encouraging -those who do so. We have a noble instance of zeal in Nehemiah, relating -to this matter; wherein he says, _In those days saw I in Judah, some -treading wine-presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and -leading asses; as also wine, grapes and figs, and all manner of burdens, -which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I testified -against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. There dwelt men of -Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold -on the Sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I -contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, what evil thing -is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath day?_ Neh. xiii. 15, 16, 17. -And the prophet Jeremiah speaks to the same purpose, when he prohibits -their _carrying burdens on the Sabbath day_, or _doing any work_ -therein; and exhorts them to _hallow the Sabbath day, as God commanded -their fathers_, Jer. xvii. 21, 22. This may tend to reprove those -tradesmen who post their books, state their accounts, or prepare their -goods, which are to be exposed to sale on the following day. And if we -do not run these lengths, in profaning the Sabbath; yet we are highly -guilty when our thoughts and discourse run after our covetousness, which -is, in effect, a saying as they did who complained, _When will the new -moon be gone, that we may sell corn, and the Sabbath, that we may set -forth wheat_, Amos viii. 5. This the prophet reproves, when he says, -_They come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as -my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with -their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their -covetousness_, Ezek. xxxiii. 31. - -(2.) The Sabbath is violated by recreations; which we are therefore to -abstain from: otherwise we spurn at the Sabbath; accordingly the prophet -Isaiah speaks of those who sanctify _the Sabbath_, as turning away their -_foot from doing their pleasure on God’s holy day, and calling the -Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable, honouring him, not -doing their own ways, nor finding their own pleasure, nor speaking their -own words_, Isa. lviii. 13. - -[1.] The recreations we are to abstain from, on the Lord’s day, are -unnecessary visits by which the worship of God in families, is -interrupted, the minds of men perverted, and filled with vanity, the -motions of the Spirit quenched, and the advantage of public worship -greatly hindered, if not wholly lost. - -[2.] Walking in the fields; whereby instead of meditating on the word, -the mind is diverted from it. To which we may add, - -[3.] The taking unnecessary journeys; which, according as they are -circumstanced, will appear to be no other than finding our own pleasure, -and doing our own works on God’s holy day. - -We read, indeed, in Acts i. 12. of _a Sabbath-day’s journey_; which -seems to argue, that it was not unlawful to travel on the Lord’s day. -But, that we may not mistake this matter, let it be considered, that _a -Sabbath-day’s journey_, according to Jewish writers, contained the -length of two thousand cubits, or, about a mile; which was, ordinarily -speaking, the length of their cities, together with their respective -suburbs. Therefore, since this is the measure of a Sabbath-day’s -journey, it implies, that they were not to go out of their cities to -divert themselves, or to undertake journeys, under a pretence of -business. Thus they were commanded _to abide every man in his place on -the seventh day_, Exod. xvi. 29. that is, not to wander out of their -tents, to take the air, though they were obliged to go out of their -tents to the tabernacle, the place of public worship, which was pitched -in the midst thereof, for the conveniency of coming to it. Hither, -indeed, they went, from their respective tents; which was the only -journey they took, unless in case of necessity, on the Sabbath-day. - -To this we may add, that it is not lawful, on the Sabbath-day, for -persons to divert themselves by talking of news, or common affairs; -which unseasonable discourse oftentimes gives a check to those lively -frames of spirit we have had under the word preached; and by indulging -such discourse, we not only break the Sabbath ourselves, but by our -example, induce others to do the same. I do not say but that it may be -seasonable to meditate on the providence of God towards the church and -the world, on the Lord’s day, as well as at other times; but then we -must take heed that his glory, and not barely our own diversion, is a -great inducement thereunto. - -III. When it is said, in the fourth Commandment, that _thou shalt do no -manner of work on the Sabbath day_, there is an exception hereunto, or -an intimation, that works of necessity and mercy, though they contain in -them something servile or laborious, may, notwithstanding, be done on -the Lord’s day. Some things are necessary, as they tend to the support -of nature; as eating and drinking; and therefore the providing food for -that end, is, doubtless, lawful; especially if too much time be not -spent therein, too many servants, or others, detained from the worship -of God thereby, or entertainments and splendid feasts made; in which, -variety of things are prepared, to please the appetite; and all this -attended with vain and trifling conversation, unbecoming the holiness of -the day. There are also other works of necessity, which may be done on -the Sabbath-day, _viz._ such as are subservient to the worship of God; -without which, it is impossible that the public exercises thereof should -be performed. Thus, under the ceremonial law, there were many laborious -services that attended public worship; particularly the killing those -beasts that were appointed for sacrifice, on the Sabbath-day; though we -are exempted from this under the gospel-dispensation. To this, it is -probable, our Saviour refers, when he says, ‘Have ye not read in the -law, how that the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are -blameless,’ Matt. xii. 5. that is, perform those servile works, -subservient to public worship; which, according to your method of -reasoning, would be a profaning the Sabbath. - -Here it is enquired, by some, whether it be lawful to kindle a fire on -the Sabbath-day, since this seems to be forbidden the Israelites; to -whom Moses says, ‘Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations, -upon the Sabbath-day,’ Exod. xxv. 3. Some are of opinion, that if this -be lawful at present, agreeably to what we generally practice, it is a -peculiar privilege attending the gospel-dispensation; which may give us -occasion to explain what is meant by this prohibition. - -1. It cannot be hereby forbidden, to kindle a fire, for their -refreshment, in cold weather; for that is as necessary as any of the -other conveniences of life, such as eating, drinking, sitting down when -we are weary, _&c._ and it was done with very little pains or -difficulty; so that it would not much hinder the religious exercises of -that day. On the other hand, the not making a fire, provided the season -of the year was extremely cold, would indispose men for the worship of -God. Therefore, - -2. It is most probable, that the meaning of that scripture is this; that -since, at that time, wherein this law was given, many of them were -employed in the work of building and adorning the tabernacle; which, as -all artificers know, required the kindling of fires for the melting of -metals, heating of iron tools, _&c._ and, whereas the people might be -apt to think, that, because the building of the tabernacle required -expedition, they might kindle fires, and therewith employ themselves in -the work thereof, on the Sabbath-day. Therefore Moses tells them, that -it was not a work so absolutely necessary, as that it required, that -they should attend to it herein; which seems to be the reason of that -law, which prohibited the kindling a fire on the Sabbath-day. - -As for the application of this law, to the dressing of food, which seems -to be prohibited in that scripture, ‘Bake that ye will bake to day, and -seethe that which ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over, lay it -up to be kept for you until the morning,’ Exod. xvi. 23. The meaning -thereof seems to be this; Bake, or seethe that which is necessary for -your food, the day before the Sabbath, and lay up the rest, to be baked -or seethed on the Sabbath. The command more especially prohibits their -gathering manna on the Sabbath, and preparing it for baking or seething; -which would have taken up too great a part of the day, and have been a -diversion from the religious worship thereof. But the baking or -seething, which would have afforded but a small interruption to the work -thereof, does not seem to have been forbidden. - -And this leads us to enquire, what judgment we may pass on the _stoning -the man who gathered sticks on the Sabbath-day_; which we read of in -Numb. xv. 32, _&c._ The gathering of sticks for the making a fire on the -Sabbath-day, seems to be a work of necessity; and therefore some may be -ready to conclude that the punishment inflicted on him was too severe. -But, instead of excepting against the greatness of the punishment -inflicted, I would rather infer from hence, that the crime was very -great. For, - -(1.) He might have gathered sticks on other days, and thereby have -provided a sufficient quantity for his necessary use, on the -Sabbath-day; or else, he should have been content to have been without a -fire on that day; rather than give so ill a precedent of the breach of -the Sabbath. - -(2.) It is probable he did this, not to supply his present necessities, -but to increase his store; and, that he did not gather a few sticks, but -a large quantity; which cannot be pretended to be a work of necessity. - -(3.) It is not unlikely, that the man made a practice of it, for several -Sabbaths together; and so lived in a total contempt and neglect of God’s -public ordinances. - -(4.) It is also reasonable to suppose, that he did this presumptuously, -publicly, and in defiance of the divine command, after having been -reproved for it; and he might obstinately vindicate this wicked -practice, and resolve, for the future, to persist in it; for that is the -nature of a presumptuous sin. And it is plain, that he sinned -presumptuously therein; inasmuch as God, in the verses immediately -foregoing, had threatened, that _the soul that doth ought -presumptuously_, or, as it is in the margin, _with an high hand_, who -_reproached the Lord_ herein, _should be cut off_; and then this account -of the man’s being stoned for gathering sticks on the Sabbath-day, is -brought in as an instance of a just punishment of a presumptuous sinner. - -These things being duly considered, we cannot take occasion from hence, -to conclude, as many do, that there is this difference between the legal -and the gospel-dispensation, in that the Sabbath was formerly to be -observed more strictly than now; and that this was a part of the yoke -which neither they nor their fathers were able to bear, the relaxation -whereof is reckoned a branch of that liberty which we have under the -gospel. But this sounds very ill in the ears of all serious Christians, -who think the duties of religion, and the strictness of our obligation -thereunto, a privilege rather than a burden. Thus concerning the -lawfulness of our performing works of necessity on the Sabbath-day. - -We proceed farther to consider, that works of mercy ought to be done on -that day; such as visiting and preparing medicines for the sick, -relieving the poor, providing food and water for cattle, and other brute -creatures. This our Saviour vindicates by his practice, and illustrates -by asserting the necessity of _lifting out a sheep_, that was _fallen -into a pit_, on the Sabbath-day, Matt. xii. 10-13. However, when we -maintain the lawfulness of performing works of necessity and mercy, on -the Sabbath-day, the following cautions ought to be attended to; - -[1.] Let the necessity be real, not pretended; of which, God and our own -consciences are the judges. - -[2.] If we think that we have a necessary call to omit, or lay aside our -attendance on the ordinances of God, on the Sabbath-day, let us take -heed that this necessity be not brought on us by some sin committed, -which gives occasion to the judicial hand of God; and that province, -which renders it necessary for us to absent from them, should be rather -submitted to, than matter of choice or delight. - -[3.] If necessity obliges us to engage in secular employments on the -Lord’s day, as in the instances of those whose business it is to provide -physic for the sick, let us, nevertheless, labour after a spiritual -frame, becoming the holiness of that day, so far as may consist with -what we are immediately called to do. - -[4.] As we ought to see that the work we are engaged in is necessary; so -we must not spend more time therein than what is needful. - -[5.] If we have a necessary call to engage in worldly matters, whereby -we are detained from public ordinances, we must endeavour to satisfy -others, that the providence of God obliges us hereunto; that so we may -not give offence to them, or they take occasion, without just reason to -follow their own employments; which would be a sin in them. - -IV. We are to sanctify the Sabbath, by spending the whole day in the -public and private exercises of God’s worship, and herein to maintain a -becoming holy frame of spirit, from the beginning of the day to the end -thereof. Therefore, - -1. In the beginning thereof; let not too much sleep make intrenchments -on more of the morning of the day than what is needful, particularly, -more than what we allow ourselves before we begin our employments on -other days. And let us begin the day with spiritual meditations, and -carefully watch against worldly thoughts, as what will give us great -interruption and hinderance in the work thereof. And let us be earnest -with God in prayer, that he would prepare our hearts for the solemn -duties we are to engage in; let us consider the Sabbath as a very great -talent that we are entrusted with; and that it is of the greatest -importance for us to improve it, to the glory of God and our spiritual -advantage. - -2. While we are engaged in holy duties, especially in the public -ordinances of God’s worship, let us endeavour to maintain a becoming -reverence, and filial fear of God, in whose presence we are, and a -love to his holy institutions, which are instamped with his authority. -Let us moreover watch and strive against the first motions and -suggestions of Satan, and our corrupt hearts, endeavouring to divert -us from, or disturb us in holy duties. And let us often lift up our -hearts to God, by spiritual, short ejaculatory prayers, for help from -him, to enable us to improve the word, and, at the same time, -endeavour to our utmost, to affect our hearts with a sense of the -great worth of gospel-opportunities. Let us also cherish, improve, and -bless God for all the influences of his Holy Spirit, which he is -pleased, at any time, to grant to us; or bewail and lament the want -thereof, when they are withheld. - -3. In the intervals between our attendance on the ordinances of God’s -public worship, we are to engage in private duties, and worship God in, -and with our families; and in order hereunto, call to mind what we have -heard, impress it on our own souls, recommend it to those whom we -converse with, and are concerned for; and take heed that we do nothing, -between one public ordinance and another, which may unfit us for the -remaining duties of the day; but, on the other hand, strive against, and -give a check to the least motions thereof in our own souls. - -4. The Sabbath is to be sanctified in the evening thereof, when the -public ordinances are over; at which time we are to call to mind what we -have received from God, with thankfulness, and how we have behaved -ourselves in all the parts of divine worship, in which we have been -engaged. Let us enquire, whether the Sabbath was welcome to us, and we -rejoiced in it as a blessing, as well as set about the observing of it -as a duty? as the Psalmist says, ‘I was glad when they said unto me, Let -us go into the house of the Lord,’ Psal. cxxii. 1. Moreover, let us -enquire, whether our ends were right in all the duties we performed? -whether the glory of God, and the good of our own souls, has been our -great concern? Or, whether we have been only influenced by custom, and -rested in a form of godliness, without regarding the power thereof, and -loved the opinion and praise of men more than of God? Let us enquire, -whether our minds, our affections and outward gestures have been grave, -sedate, and composed, and we ready to receive whatever God has been -pleased to impart in his word? and whether we have had a due sense of -the divine perfections impressed on our spirits, and of the infinite -distance there is between the great God and us? whether we have seen our -need of the word, as Job says, that he _esteemed the words of God’s -mouth more than his necessary food_? Job xxiii. 12. and, whether we have -not only attended to, but applied every truth to our own souls, as -desiring to retain, improve, and make it the rule of our conversation? - -We are also to consider, what we have received from God under his -ordinances; whether we have had any sensible communion with him, any -experiences of his love, or impressions of his power on our hearts? -whether we have had fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus -Christ? whether, as we have gone from one ordinance to another, we have -gone from strength to strength, our faith being more lively, our love to -God increased, and our spiritual joy enlarged by every duty? Let us -enquire, whether, we have learned some doctrine from the word, which we -understood not, or, at least, have been more confirmed therein, after -some degree of wavering, or have been affected with some truth which we -never saw such a beauty and glory in before? whether we have been melted -under the word; if it has been, as the prophet speaks, _like fire_; or, -as _the hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces_, Jer. xxiii. 29. or, as -the disciples say one to another, _Did not our heart burn within us -while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the -scriptures?_ Luke xxiv. 32. - -And we may comfortably conclude, that we have received good under the -ordinances, if we have been brought into an holy and lively frame of -spirit; and the more we attend to them, the more our hearts are drawn -forth to desire and delight in them; and especially when public duties -fit us for private, and from the advantage that we receive from such -opportunities, we are more disposed to walk with God in all the affairs -and businesses of life, so that our whole conversation in this world, -receives a tincture from the benefit which we gain by that communion -which we enjoy with God in his ordinances on his own day. - -Thus we are to take a view of our behaviour when engaged in public -worship; and if we have received any spiritual advantage, the glory -thereof is to be given to God. But if, on the other hand, upon a strict -and impartial enquiry into the frame of our spirits under the -ordinances, we have, as it too often happens, reason to complain of our -deadness and stupidity under them; if we have not experienced that -sensible communion with God, which we have at other times enjoyed, or -have reason to say, that we wax worse, rather than better, under them; -let us dread the consequence hereof, lest this should issue in a -judicial hardness of heart, and habitual unprofitableness, under the -means of grace. We ought, in this case, to search out, and be humbled -before God, for that secret sin, which is as a root of bitterness which -springs up within us, and troubles us; and be still pressing after that -special presence of God in his ordinances, that will have a tendency to -promote the life and power of religion in our souls. - -And to this we may add; that besides our dealing thus with ourselves in -our private retirements, after having attended on public worship, we are -to endeavour to sanctify the Sabbath in our families, in the evening -thereof. Family-worship is to be neglected no day; but on the Sabbath, -it is to be engaged in with a particular relation to the duties which we -have been performing in public; accordingly it is mentioned in one of -the answers we are explaining, that the charge of keeping the Sabbath is -directed to the governors of families, and other superiors; inasmuch as -they are bound, not only to keep it themselves, but to see that it be -observed by all those who are under their charge, and not to hinder -them, as many are prone to do, by employing them in those works which -are foreign to the duties of the day. Masters of families are not only -to restrain immoralities in those who are under their care, on the -Sabbath-day, but to lay their commands on them, to engage with them in -the worship of God therein, as they expect a blessing from him on their -undertakings. Thus Joshua resolves, that _he and his house would serve -the Lord_, Josh. xxiv. 15. and God speaks to the honour of Abraham, when -he says, _I know him that he will command his children and his household -after him; and they shall keep the way of the Lord_, Gen. xviii. 19. -Superiors have no power to dispense with any of God’s commandments, to -disengage those who are under them, from yielding obedience thereunto. -But, on the other hand, they are obliged to see that all, under their -care, perform their duty to God, as well as to them, and, particularly, -that of sanctifying the Sabbath. Therefore they are to restrain them -from taking their own diversions, or finding their own pleasure in -sinful recreations on the Lord’s day; and impress on them those suitable -exhortations, that may have a tendency to promote religion in their -families; by which means they may hope for a peculiar blessing from God, -in every relation and condition of life. - - - - - Quest. CXIX., CXX., CXXI. - - - QUEST. CXIX. _What are the sins forbidden in the fourth - Commandment?_ - - ANSW. The sins forbidden in the fourth Commandment, are, all - omissions of the duties required, all careless, negligent, and - unprofitable performing of them, and being weary of them, all - profaning the day by idleness, and doing that which is in itself - sinful, and by all needless works, words, and thoughts about worldly - employments and recreations. - - QUEST. CXX. _What are the reasons annexed to the fourth Commandment - the more to enforce it?_ - - ANSW. The reasons annexed to the fourth Commandment, the more to - enforce it, are taken from the equity of it, God allowing us six - days of seven for our own affairs, and reserving but one for - himself, in these words, [_Six days shalt thou labour, and do all - thy work_,] from God’s challenging a special propriety in that day, - [_The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God_] from the - example of God, who, _in six days made heaven and earth, the sea, - and all that in them is and rested the seventh day_; and from that - blessing which God put upon that day, not only in sanctifying it to - be a day for his service, but in ordaining it to be a means of - blessing to us in our sanctifying it; [_wherefore the Lord blessed - the Sabbath-day and hallowed it_.] - - QUEST. CXXI. _Why is the word_ Remember _set in the beginning of the - fourth Commandment_? - - ANSW. The word _Remember_ is set in the beginning of the fourth - Commandment, partly because of the great benefit of remembering it; - we being thereby helped, in our preparation, to keep it; and in - keeping it better, to keep all the rest of the commandments, and to - continue a thankful remembrance of the two great benefits of - creation, and redemption, which contain a short abridgment of - religion; and partly because we are very ready to forget it; for - that there is less light of nature for it, and yet it restraineth - our natural liberty in things at other times lawful; that it cometh - but once in seven days, and many worldly businesses come between, - and too often take off our minds from thinking of it, either to - prepare for it, or to sanctify it; and that Satan, with his - instruments much labour to blot out the glory, and even the memory - of it, to bring in all irreligion and impiety. - -The method in which we shall proceed, in speaking to these answers, -shall be, - -I. To consider the sins forbidden in this Commandment; and these are, - -1. The omission of the duties required. Sins of omission are exceeding -prejudicial; because, though they have a tendency to harden the heart, -and stupify the conscience; yet they are, of all others, least regarded. -As for the omission of holy duties, on the Sabbath-day; this is a -slighting and casting away a great prize, put into our hands; and -therefore, in such a case, it will be said, _Wherefore is there a price_ -put into _the hands of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to -it_, Prov. xvi. 16. It may be also observed, that this is generally -attended with the neglect of secret duties, and is an in-let to all -manner of sins, and to a total apostasy from God. - -2. The next thing forbidden in this Commandment is, the careless -performance of holy duties; that is, when our hearts are not engaged in -them, or we content ourselves with a form of godliness, denying the -power thereof, have no sense of God’s all-seeing eye, or dread of -spiritual judgments, or being given up to barrenness and -unprofitableness, under the means of grace. Such a frame of spirit as -this, is always attended with a declining state of religion; especially -if we do not lament and strive against it. - -And to this we may add, that we greatly sin, when we profane the day by -idleness; and that either by sleeping away a great part of the morning -of the day, as though it were a day of sloth, and not of spiritual rest, -designed for religious exercises; or drowsiness under the ordinances, as -though we had no concern in them; whereby we give all about us to -understand, that we do, as it were, withdraw our thoughts from the work, -which we pretend to be engaged in. In some, indeed, this proceeds very -much from the weakness of their natural constitution. Such may be heavy -and weary in duty, though they, are not weary of it; and this is what -they lament, and are far from giving way to; though they are, sometimes, -unavoidably overtaken with it. In this case, though it cannot be excused -from being a sin; yet it is such, as, it is to be hoped, our Saviour -will cover, with the mantle of his love, or, at least, not charge upon -them for their condemnation; though he may reprove them for it, to bring -them under conviction. Thus he dealt with his disciples, when he _came -to them, and found them asleep_, Matt. xxvi. 40, 41. and though he -tacitly reproves them, yet he does not infer from hence, that they were -wholly destitute of faith; but charges their unbecoming carriage -therein, on the weakness of faith, being impowered by the infirmities of -nature, when he says, _The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is -weak_. - -There are other sins forbidden in the fourth Commandment, that are -particularly mentioned in this answer, which have been occasionally -insisted on, in considering how the Sabbath is to be sanctified; in -which we have shewn, that, as we are not to do that which is in itself -sinful, so we are to abstain from our worldly employments and -recreations, and endeavour to fence against that vanity of thoughts, -which will have a tendency to alienate our affections from God, or -hinder the success of ordinances; and therefore we pass them over at -present, and proceed to consider, - -II. The reasons annexed to this Commandment. And, - -1. It is highly reasonable that we should sanctify the Lord’s day, since -he is pleased to allow us six days out of seven, for the attending to -our worldly affairs, and reserves but one to himself. This supposes that -we are allowed to engage in our secular callings on other days: and -therefore, though it be brought in occasionally, in this commandment, it -is a duty belonging to the second table rather than the first; -particularly, it seems to be a branch of the eighth Commandment; -however, it is alleged as a reason of our observing this Commandment. It -is a very large allowance that God has made, of six days in seven, for -our own employments. If, on the other hand, he had allowed us but one -day in seven for them, and laid claim to six days, to be set apart for -religious worship, none would have had reason to complain, since he, -being the absolute Lord of our time, may demand what proportion of it he -pleases; and they who are truly sensible of the real advantage that -there is in the attendance on all God’s holy institutions, and consider -the Sabbath as a privilege and blessing, would not only think it -reasonable, but a great instance of the kindness of God to man, had this -earth so much resembled heaven, that there should be a perpetual Sabbath -celebrated here, as there is there, where the saints count it their -happiness to be engaged without interruption, in the immediate service -of God. - -_Obj._ It is objected, by some, that they cannot spare a seventh part of -time for religious duties, out of their worldly business; and that it is -very hard for them to get bread for their families, by all their -diligence and industry. Others allege, that the Sabbath is their -market-day, wherein, by selling things, they get more than they do on -other days. - -_Answ._ 1. As to the former part of the objection, taken from the -difficulty of persons subsisting their families, it may be replied; that -God is able to made up the loss of the seventh part of time, so that -their not working therein, shall not be a real detriment, to those who -are in the fewest circumstances in the world, God has ordered it so, -that our observing his holy institutions, shall not, in the end, prove -detrimental to us. Thus when Israel was commanded to rest, and not to -cultivate their land for an whole year together, every seventh year, -providence so ordered it, that they were not sufferers thereby, inasmuch -as the year before brought forth enough for three years, Lev. xxv. -20-22. and when they were not to gather manna on the seventh day of the -week, there was a double quantity rained upon them, which they gathered -the day before, Exod. xvi. 22-24. Therefore, why may we not conclude, -that, by the blessing of God, what is lost by our not attending to our -secular callings on the Lord’s day, may be abundantly made up, by his -blessing succeeding our endeavours on other days. - -As to that part of the objection, in which it is pretended that the -Lord’s day is their market-day, in which they expect more advantage than -on other days; it may be replied, that if this is true, it arises from -the iniquity of the times; and it should be a caution to us, not to -encourage those who expose their wares to sale on the Sabbath-day; since -if there were no buyers, there would be no sellers; and this public and -notorious sin would be hereby prevented. We have a noble instance of -this in Nehemiah, whose wisdom, zeal, and holy resolution, put an -effectual stop to this practice, in his dealing with those who _sold -fish on the Sabbath-day_, Neh. xiii. 16-21. First, he _shut the gates of -the city against them_; and when he saw that they continued without the -walls, hoping, by some means or other, to get into the city, or to -entice some to come out to buy their merchandize; then he _testified -against them_, and commanded them not to continue without the walls, and -by this means, gave a check to that scandalous practice. Moreover, this -gain of iniquity is not to be pretended as a just excuse for the breach -of a positive commandment; since, what is gotten in a way of -presumptuous rebellion against God, it is not like to prosper, whatever -pretence of poverty may be alleged, to give countenance thereunto. - -2. Another reason annexed to enforce our observation of the Sabbath-day, -is taken from God’s challenging a special propriety in it. Thus it is -called the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; a day which he has consecrated, -or separated to himself, and so lays claim to it. Therefore it is no -less than sacrilege, or a robbing of him, to employ it in any thing but -what he requires to be done therein. - -3. God sets his own example before us for our imitation therein. Thus it -is said, _In six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and rested the -seventh day, and hallowed it_. It is observed, that God was six days in -making the world; whereas, had he pleased, he could have created all -things with the same beauty and perfection in which they are at present, -in an instant; but he performed this work by degrees, that he might -teach us, that whatever our hand finds to do, we should do it in the -proper season allotted for it; and as he ceased from his work on the -seventh day, he requires that we should rest from ours, in conformity to -his own example. - -4. The last reason assigned for our sanctifying the Sabbath, is taking -from God’s blessing and sanctifying it, or setting it apart for an holy -use. To bless a day, is to give it to us as a particular blessing and -privilege. Accordingly we ought to reckon the Sabbath as a great -instance of God’s care and compassion to men, and a very great -privilege, which ought to be highly esteemed by them. Again, for God to -sanctify a day, is to set it apart from a common, to an holy use; and -thus we ought to reckon the Sabbath as a day signalized above all -others, with the character of God’s holy day; and as such, it is to be -employed by us in holy exercises, answerable to the end for which it was -instituted. - -III. It is observed in the last answer we are explaining, that the word -_Remember_ is set in the beginning of the fourth Commandment; from -whence we may observe, our great proneness, through worldly business, -and Satan’s temptations, to forget the Sabbath. We may also learn from -hence, the importance of our observing it; without which, irreligion and -profaneness would never universally abound in the world; and, on the -other hand, in our observing this day as we ought to do, we may hope for -grace from God, whereby we may be enabled to keep his other -commandments. Again, the word _Remember_, prefixed to this Commandment, -not only imports that we are to call to mind, that this particular day -which God has sanctified, is a Sabbath, or to know what day it is, in -the order of the days of the week; but we ought to endeavour to have a -frame of spirit becoming the holiness of the day, or, to remember it, so -as to keep it holy. It is certain, that it is an hard matter, through -the corruption of nature, to get our hearts disengaged from the vain -amusements and entanglements of this present world; by which means we -lose the advantage that would redound to us, by our conversing with God -in holy duties. Therefore we are to desire of him, that he would impress -on our souls a sense of our obligation to duty, and of the advantage -which we may hope to gain from it. And to induce us hereunto, let it be -considered, - -1. That the profanation of the Sabbath is generally the first step to -all manner of wickedness, and a making great advances to a total -apostasy from God. - -2. The observing of it is reckoned as a sign between God and his people. -It is, with respect to him, a sign of his favour; and with respect to -man, it is a sign of their subjection to God, as their King and -Lawgiver, in all his holy appointments. - -3. We cannot reasonably expect, that God should bless us in what we -undertake, on other days, if we neglect to own him, on his day, or to -devote ourselves to him, and thereby discover our preferring him, and -the affairs of his worship, before all things in the world. - -From what has been said in explaining this Commandment, we may infer, - -(1.) That, this may serve to confute those who think that the -observation of days, in general, or, that the keeping the first day of -the week as a Sabbath, is a setting up the ceremonial law, without -distinguishing a right between a ceremonial and a moral precept. For, -how much soever the observation of the seventh day, might have a -ceremonial signification annexed to it, as it was given to Israel, from -mount Sinai, it is possible for the typical reference thereof, to cease; -and yet the moral reason of the Commandment remain in force to us, as it -is a day appointed by God, in which he is to be worshipped, so that we -may have ground to expect his presence, and blessing, while attending on -him in his holy institutions. - -(2.) Others are to blame, who think that every day is to be kept as a -Sabbath, pretending that this is most agreeable to a state of -perfection. But this is contrary to God’s allowing us six days for our -own employment; and, indeed, none, who make use of this argument, do, in -reality, keep any day as a Sabbath, at least, in such a way as they -ought. - -(3.) Others are guilty of a great error, who think that the Sabbath is, -indeed, to be observed; but there is no need of that strictness which -has been inculcated; or, that it should be kept holy, from the beginning -to the end thereof. Some suppose, that the only design of God in -instituting it was, that public worship should be maintained in the -world; and therefore, that it is sufficient if they attend on it, -without endeavouring to converse with him in secret. - -(4.) What has been said, is directly contrary to their opinion, who -think that the Lord’s day was a mere human institution; without -considering, as has been hinted, that what the apostles prescribed, -relating thereunto, was by divine direction; which opinion, if it should -prevail, would open a door to great carelessness and formality in holy -duties, and would be an inducement to us to profane the day in various -instances. - - - - - Quest. CXXII. - - - QUEST. CXXII. _What is the sum of the six Commandments, which - contain our duty to man?_ - - ANSW. The sum of the six Commandments, which contain our duty to - man, is to love our neighbour as ourselves, and to do to others what - we would have them do to us. - -As the first table of the ten Commandments respects our duty to God, the -other contains our duty to our neighbor; which is comprized in the -general idea of _love_. This is therefore styled the sum of the -following six Commandments; and it is included in our Saviour’s words; -_Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself_, Matt. xxii. 39. and -elsewhere, _Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so -to them_, chap. vii. 12. Here it may be observed, - -I. That we are commanded to love our neighbour as ourselves. This -implies in it, - -1. A caution against a selfish temper; as though we were born only for, -or were obliged to do good to none but ourselves. This is what the -apostle reproves, when he says, _Men shall be lovers of their -ownselves_, 2 Tim. iii. 2. that is, they shall study and consult the -happiness, ease, and comfort of none but themselves. - -2. It farther implies in it, our using endeavours to promote the good of -all, whom we converse with; and thereby rendering ourselves a blessing -to mankind. It does not, indeed, exclude self-love, which it supposes to -be a duty; but obliges us to love others as well as ourselves, in things -that relate to their spiritual and temporal good. This leads us to -enquire, - -(1.) Whether we ought to love others better than ourselves; or what the -apostle intends, when he says, _Let each esteem other better than -themselves_? Phil. ii. 3. - -_Answ._ [1.] It cannot be hereby intended, that they, who have attained -a great measure of the knowledge of the truths of God, should reckon -themselves as ignorant of, or unstable in, the doctrines of the gospel, -as those who never made them the subject of their study and enquiry; -nor, that they, who have had large experience of the grace of God, -should conclude that they have no more experience thereof than those who -are unregenerate, and have not taken one step heavenward. But, - -[2.] The meaning is, that the greatest saint should not think himself -better than the least, any otherwise than as he has received more from -the discriminating grace of God; as the apostle says, _Who maketh thee -to differ from another; and what hast thou, that thou didst not -receive?_ 1 Cor. iv. 7. And, indeed, such an one may see more sin in -himself than he can see in any other; and therefore, may have reason to -reckon himself, as the apostle speaks, _the chief of sinners_, 1 Tim. i. -15. - -[3.] The best saints would have been as bad as the vilest of men, had -they been left to themselves; and it may be, some of them who have had -less grace, have had fewer talents, and opportunities of grace, than -they have had; which they have improved better, in proportion to what -they have received, than they have, the many advantages which God has -been pleased to bestow on them. - -(1.) Our next enquiry may be, whether our love to our neighbour should -extend so far, as that we should be willing, were it needful, to lay -down our lives for them; as it is said, in 1 John iii. 16. _We ought to -lay down our lives for the brethren_; and in Rom. v. 7. _Peradventure, -for a good man some would even dare to die._ - -_Answ._ [1.] By _laying down_ our _lives_ in these scriptures, is -principally intended hazarding our lives, or exposing ourselves to the -utmost danger, even of death itself, for others. But, - -[2.] We are not to do this rashly, and at all times; but when God, who -is the sovereign Lord of our lives, calls us to it. And, - -[3.] This ought not to be for every one, but for the _brethren_, -especially for those who are more eminently useful in the church of God -than ourselves or others. Accordingly the apostle says, _for a good -man_; that is, one who is a common good, or a blessing to many others, -_one would even dare to die_. - -[4.] This must be, at such times, when in exposing ourselves for the -sake of others, we give our testimony to the gospel; and, in defending -them, plead the injured cause of Christ and religion. - -II. This loving our neighbour as ourselves is farther illustrated in -this answer, by doing to others what we would have them to do us. This -is one of the most undeniable, and self-evident truths contained in the -law of nature. So that whatever disputable matters there may be, as to -what respects other duties, this is allowed of by all mankind. Many, -indeed, do not conform their practice to this rule; which gives occasion -to the injuries done between man and man. However the vilest of men, -when they deliberate on their own actions, cannot but blame themselves -for acting contrary thereunto. Thus Saul did, when he said unto David, -_Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast rewarded me good; whereas -I have rewarded thee evil_, 1 Sam. xxiv. 17. Therefore we conclude, that -it is one of the first principles of the law of nature; and may well be -called, as it is in this answer, the sum of the Commandments of the -second table, or that, to which they are all reduced. There are two -things, which we shall lay down, relating to this golden rule, of doing -to others as we would that they should do to us. - -1. It is miserably neglected by a great part of the world; as, - -(1.) By them who turn away their hearts from the afflicted; so as not to -pity, help, or endeavour to comfort them in their distress. The Psalmist -was of another mind, when he says, _As for me, when they were sick, my -clothing was sackcloth. I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer -returned into mine own bosom. I behaved myself as though he had been my -friend or brother. I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his -mother_, Psal. xxxv. 13,-15. - -(2.) They who deny to others those natural, civil, or religious -liberties, which, by God’s appointment, they have a right to, or envy -them the possession thereof, may be said to neglect this golden rule. - -2. We are farther to enquire, how this rule, of doing to others what we -would have them do to us, may be of use, in order to our right observing -the Commandments of the second table? - -_Answ._ The fifth Commandment, which requires the performance of all -relative duties, would be better observed, did superiors put themselves -in the place of inferiors, and consider what they would then expect from -them; and the same they ought to do to them. Again, the sixth, seventh, -and eight Commandments, that respect the life, honour, or wealth of -others; if these are dear to us, ought we not to consider, that they are -so to others; and if we would not be deprived of them ourselves, how -unreasonable is it for us to do any thing that may tend to deprive -others of them? Again, if, according to the ninth Commandment, our good -name be so valuable, that we ought to maintain it, should not this rule -be observed by defamers, slanderers, and backbiters, who do that to -others which they would not have done to themselves? And the tenth -Commandment, which forbids our uneasiness at, or being discontented -with, the good of others, or endeavouring to supplant, or divest them of -the possession of what God has given them in this world. This cannot be -done by any one who duly considers, how unwilling they would be to have -what they possess taken away, to satisfy the covetousness, or lust, of -others. - - - - - Quest. CXXIII., CXXIV., CXXV., CXXVI., CXXVII., CXXVIII. - - - QUEST. CXXIII. _Which is the fifth Commandment?_ - - ANSW. The fifth Commandment is, _Honour thy father and thy mother, - that thy days may be long upon the land, which the Lord thy God - giveth thee_. - - QUEST. CXXIV. _Who are meant by father, and mother, in the fifth - Commandment?_ - - ANSW. By father and mother, in the fifth Commandment, are meant not - only natural parents; but all the superiors in age, and gifts, and - especially such as by GOD’s ordinance, are over us in place of - authority, whether in family, church, or common-wealth. - - QUEST. CXXV. _Why are superiors styled, father and mother?_ - - ANSW. Superiors are styled father and mother, both to teach them in - all duties towards their inferiors, like natural parents, to express - love and tenderness to them, according to their several relations, - and to work inferiors to a greater willingness and cheerfulness in - performing their duties to their superiors, as to their parents. - - QUEST. CXXVI. _What is the general scope of the fifth Commandment?_ - - ANSW. The general scope of the fifth Commandment, is, the - performance of those duties which we mutually owe in our several - relations, as inferiors, superiors, or equals. - - QUEST. CXXVII. _What is the honour that inferiors owe to their - superiors?_ - - ANSW. The honour which inferiors owe to their superiors, is, all due - reverence, in heart, word, and behaviour; prayer, and thanksgiving - for them, imitation of their virtues and graces; willing obedience - to their lawful commands, and counsels, due submission to their - corrections, fidelity to, defence, and maintenance of their persons - and authority, according to their several ranks, and the nature of - their places; bearing with their infirmities, and covering them in - love, that so they may be an honour to them and their government. - - QUEST. CXXVIII. _What are the sins of inferiors against their - superiors?_ - - ANSW. The sins of inferiors against their superiors, are, all - neglect of the duties required towards them, envying at, contempt - of, and rebellion against their persons, and places, in their lawful - counsels, commands, and corrections, cursing, mocking, and all such - refractory and scandalous carriage, as proves a shame and dishonour - to them and their government. - -In the fifth Commandment, no other relations are mentioned, but father -and mother; yet it may be observed, - -I. That, hereby, all superiors in general are intended; as many others -are called _fathers_ in scripture, besides our natural parents, _viz._ - -1. Superiors in age. Thus it is said, _Rebuke not an elder, but intreat -him as a father, and the younger men as brethren; the elder women as -mothers, the younger as sisters, with all purity_, 1 Tim. v. 1, 2. - -2. They, are also called _fathers_, who are superior in gifts; and -accordingly have been the first inventors of arts, which have been -useful to the world. Thus Jabal is said to be _the father of such as -dwell in tents, and have cattle_, Gen. iv. 20. that is, the first that -made considerable improvements in the art of husbandry; and Jubal is -said to be _the father_, that is, the instructor _of all such as handle -the harp and organ_, ver. 21. or the first that made improvements in the -art of music. - -3. Persons to whom we owe, under God, our outward prosperity and -happiness. In this sense Joseph, though a subject, a young man, and a -little before, a prisoner, is called _a father to Pharaoh_, chap. xlv. -8. as he was an instrument to support his greatness, and preserve him -from the inconveniences of a seven years famine. - -4. Princes, great men, and heads of families, are called _fathers_. Thus -Naaman was by his servants, 2 Kings v. 13. - -5. Men of honour and usefulness in the church are so called. Thus when -Elisha saw Elijah ascend into heaven, he cries out, _My father, my -father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof_, chap. ii. 12. -And Joash, the king of Israel, used the same expression to Elisha, _when -fallen sick_, chap. xiii. 14. And this is implied in the apostle’s -styling those whom he had been of use to, for their conviction, and -enlightening in the doctrines of the gospel, _My little children_, Gal. -iv. 19. - -6. Good kings and governors are called _fathers_. Thus it is said, -_Kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and queens thy nursing mothers_, -Isa. xlix. 23. - -II. We have an account, in one of the answers we are explaining, of the -reason why superiors are styled father and mother; namely, to denote, -that they should behave towards their inferiors, with that love and -tenderness, as though they were natural parents. Authority is not only -consistent herewith, but it ought to be exercised, by superiors towards -inferiors, in such a way. Thus Job, when in his prosperity, was, as it -were, a common father to all that were under him; accordingly he says, -_I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had -none to help him_, Job xxix. 12. upon which occasion he says, _I was a -father to the poor_, ver. 16. And ministers, who, in some respects, are -superior in office to others; when their reproofs are mixed with -tenderness and compassion towards the souls of men under their care, are -compared to the nurse that _cherished her children_; as _being -affectionately desirous_, and _willing to impart to them, not the gospel -of God only, but also their own souls, as being dear to them_, 1 Thess. -ii. 7, 8. - -III. We have, in another of the answers under our consideration, an -account of the general scope of the fifth Commandment; and, as it -requires the duties to be performed by every one in their several -relations; these are considered either as superiors, inferiors, or -equals. There are several sorts of relations wherein persons are styled -superior or inferior to one another. - -1. Such as are founded in nature; as that of parents and children. - -2. There are such relations as are political, designed for the good of -mankind, living together as members of the same common-wealth, in which -every one has a right to his civil liberties, which are to be enjoyed by -one, and defended by the other; of this sort is the relation of -magistrates and subjects. - -3. There is a relation founded in mutual compact and agreement, -respecting things to be done, on the one side, and gratifications to be -allowed, on the other; of this kind is the relation between master and -servant. The only difficulty that arises from the account we have of the -obligation of persons to give honour to others, respects superiors -honouring inferiors. For the understanding of which, let it be -considered, - -(1.) That superiors are not obliged to shew the same marks of honour to -their inferiors, as inferiors are bound, by the laws of God and nature, -to express to them. Nevertheless, - -(2.) There is a duty which the greatest owe to the least; and there is -also a degree of honour, which the lowest of men, as reasonable -creatures, or Christians, have put upon them by God; and this is to be -regarded by those who are, as to their condition in the world, superior -to them. - -(3.) The meanest and lowest part of mankind, are, in many respects, -necessary and useful to those who are much their superiors; and are to -be regarded by them in proportion thereto. And the performing the duties -which such owe to them, is called an honouring them. - -IV. We have, in another of the answers we are explaining, an account of -the honour which inferiors owe to their superiors. Here it will be -necessary for us to premise some things concerning the measure of -submission and obedience which inferiors owe to superiors, of what kind -soever the relation be. As, - -1. When the authority God has invested superiors with, is abused, and -the highest end of all sort of government, to wit, the glory of God, and -the good of mankind, can never be attained, nor is, indeed, designed; or -when the commands of superiors contradict the commands of God, we are to -obey him rather than men, Acts iv. 19. - -2. If we cannot obey the commands of superiors, as being unjust, we must -pray that God would interpose, direct, and over-rule their authority, -that it may not be abused by them; or become a snare, or an occasion of -sin, to us. - -3. Though we cannot yield obedience to them, in those things that are -contrary to the laws of God, this does not discharge us from our -obligation to obey their commands, in other things, agreeable thereunto; -since we are not to suppose that the abuse of their authority in some -instances, divests them of it in all respects. - -V. We shall now proceed to consider the duties which inferiors owe to -their superiors. And, - -1. That of children to parents. This is founded on the law of nature, as -under God, they derive their being from them; and they are obliged -thereunto, from a sense of gratitude for that love, tenderness, and -compassion which they have shewn to them. Therefore the apostle says, -that _this is right_, Eph. vi. 1. that is, equitable, and highly -reasonable; and elsewhere, that it is _well-pleasing unto the Lord_, -Col. iii. 20. This duty includes in it several things. - -(1.) They are sometimes to shew the regard they have to them by outward -tokens of respect. Thus Solomon, though his character, as a king, -rendered him superior to all his subjects; yet he expressed a great deal -of honour by outward gestures to his mother; when she went to him to -speak in the behalf of Adonijah: it is said, that ‘the king rose up to -meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and -caused a seat to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right -hand,’ 1 Kings ii. 19. - -(2.) They ought to be ready to do them any acts of service, which are -not unlawful or impossible, when commanded by them. Thus Joseph obeyed -Jacob, when he sent him to see where his brethren were, and what they -were engaged in, Gen. xxxvii. 13. and David obeyed Jesse, when he sent -him to his brethren to the camp of Israel, 1 Sam. xvii. 17, 20. This -service is required more especially of them, while they live with their -parents, are maintained by them, and not, by mutual compact, become -servants to others. - -(3.) Another duty which they owe, is, patient submission to their just -reproofs, design for their good. Thus the apostle says, ‘We have had -fathers of our flesh, which corrected us; and we gave them reverence,’ -Heb. xii. 9. - -(4.) They are to attend to, and comply with, their wholesome advice and -instruction. Thus it is said, _A wise son heareth his father’s -instruction_, Prov. xiii. 1. and, on the other hand, he is branded with -the character of a _fool_ who _despiseth it_, chap. xv. 5. and it is -farther added, _He that regardeth reproof is prudent_. - -(5.) Children are to express their duty to their parents, by a thankful -acknowledgment of past favours; and accordingly ought to relieve them, -if they are able, when their indigent circumstances call for it; and -endeavour to be a staff, comfort, and support to them, in their old age. -This is contained in the message which Joseph sent to Jacob, when he -invited him to come down to him into Egypt, Gen. xlv. 9,-11. So when -Ruth bare a son to Boaz, her mother Naomi’s companions blessed her, and -said, _He shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of -thine old age_, Ruth iv. 15. - -(6.) Children are to pay deference to, and, so far as it concerns the -glory of God, and their own future good, be advised, by their parents, -in disposing of themselves in marriage, or any other important change of -their condition and circumstances in the world. Herein they acknowledge -their authority as superiors, and the care and concern which it is -supposed they naturally have for their welfare, as a part of themselves. -Moreover, by this they pay a deference to their wisdom and judgment, as -being superior in age, and probably, in wisdom, as well as relation. And -this ought to be done out of a sense of gratitude for past favours -received; and prudence will, for the most part, dictate as much, -especially when they depend on them for present, or expect future -advantages from them. This is also an expedient to maintain love and -peace in families, which is oftentimes broken by the contrary practice. -And it may be farther recommended, from the laudable examples hereof in -good men; as Isaac, who submitted to the direction of his father Abraham -herein; and Jacob, Gen. xxiv. who was determined by the consent of -Laban, chap. xxix. Many more instances might be given to the same -purpose. And, on the other hand, Esau’s contrary practice hereunto is -recorded in scripture, as a vile instance of disobedience; _which was a -grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah_, chap. xxvi. 35. And it was, -doubtless, an argument that he had no regard to God or religion. - -Nevertheless, this obligation is not without some exceptions; for, - -[1.] We do not speak of parents that are so far deprived of judgment, -that they are not fit to determine this matter; nor, - -[2.] Such as have divested themselves of the natural affection of -parents, and entertaining an ungrounded prejudice against some of their -children, are endeavouring to expose them to ruin, that they may shew -more kindness to others. These forfeit that right, which is otherwise -founded in nature. - -[3.] If parents, by refusing to comply with the desire of their -children, plainly, in the judgment of the wisest of men, obstruct their -happiness, and the glory of God herein. Or, if they have no reason for -their not complying, or the reason given is contrary to the laws of God, -or the common sense of all impartial judges; especially if the affair -took its first rise from them, and afterwards they changed their mind, -without sufficient ground. This, without doubt, lessens, or it may be so -circumstanced, that it wholly takes away the charge of sin in the child, -in acting contrary to the will of his parents, and fastens the guilt on -them. - -[4.] The case is vastly different, when applied to children who are so -far from being dependent on their parents, that they depend on them. -Nevertheless, in this case, some deference and respect ought to be paid -to them; and as it is the children’s duty, it may be their interest so -to do; since we can hardly suppose, that parents, who depend on their -children, would oppose their happiness, in an affair that is apparently -contrary to their own interest, if they did not think that they had -sufficient reason for it; which ought to be duly weighed, that it may be -known, whether their advice is expedient to be complied with, or no. And -if in this, or any other instance, children are obliged to act contrary -to the will of their parents; they ought to satisfy them, that it is not -out of contempt to their authority, but a conscientious regard to the -glory of God; and that it is conducive to their happiness, in the -opinion of the wisest and best of men. - -2. We shall now consider the duty of servants to their masters. This -depends upon, and is limited by the contract, which first brought them -into that relation, the not fulfilling whereof, renders them guilty of -unfaithfulness. And it is no less an instance of immorality, for them to -rob them of that time, which they have engaged to serve, than it is to -take away any part of their estate. But more particularly, - -(1.) Servants ought to behave themselves, in their calling, with -industry, being as much concerned for their masters interest as their -own. Thus Joseph, though a foreigner, and one who does not appear to -have expected any reward for his service, but a maintenance, served -Potiphar. In the like manner Jacob served Laban, though an unjust, -severe and unrighteous master. This may lead us to enquire concerning -the duty of servants, when their masters are froward, passionate, and -unreasonable in their demands, which renders their service very irksome -and unpleasant; but let it be considered in this case, - -[1.] That, the master’s passion, which is his sin, ought not to draw -forth the corruption of his servant; for, sin indulged by one, is no -excuse for its being committed by another. The apostle Peter supposes -the case under our present consideration, and gives this advice; -_Servants be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good -and gentle, but also to the froward_, 1 Pet. ii. 18. - -[2.] If the master’s demands are unreasonable, the servant must know the -extent of his contract and obligation, which he must, in justice, fulfil -_as unto Christ_, Eph. vi. 5,-8. And, as for those services that are -reckoned unreasonable, and not agreeable to the contract. These, if -demanded, are rather to be referred to the determination of others, -since persons are apt to be partial in judging in their own cause. - -There seems, indeed, to be an exception to this, in some instances, -which we find in scripture, of the unlimited obedience of servants under -the ceremonial law, which was not founded in, nor the result of any -contract between their masters and them; accordingly we read, that -persons became servants, - -_1st_, Through poverty; by reason of which, they sold themselves for the -payment of debts. In this case there was a kind of contract, indeed; and -the service to be performed ought, (pursuant to the law of God and -nature,) to have been agreeable to, and adjusted by the value of the -debt contracted. - -_2d_, Prisoners taken in war, were treated as servants, and, as such, -sold to others. In this case, all the children that were born to them, -during their servitude, were the property of the master; and these are -called home-born servants, who had not so much liberty allowed them as -when they were servants by mutual compact, as is most common among us; -in which case both parties are bound by this agreement. - -3. We proceed to consider the duty of the members of a common-wealth, or -body-politic, to their lawful magistrates, as the apostle says, _Let -every soul be subject unto the higher powers_, Rom. xiii. 1. Here we may -observe, - -(1.) The necessity and the end of civil government. This will appear, if -we consider mankind in general, as prone to be influenced by those -passions, which are not entirely under the conduct of reason, and, if no -check were given to them, would prove injurious to societies. We may -also observe, that God has, in his law, ordained certain punishments to -be inflicted, with a design to restrain those corruptions, and to keep -the world in order. And that this end may more effectually be answered, -it is necessary, that some should be set over others, to administer -justice, in chastising the guilty, and defending the innocent; otherwise -the world would be filled with confusion, and men would commit sin with -impunity; and more resemble brute creatures than those that are endowed -with reason, and as such, capable of moral government; as it is said -when _there was no king in Israel, every man did that which was right in -his own eyes_, Judges xxi. 25. - -We proceed now to consider the advantage of civil government. It is in -itself a blessing to mankind, when it does not degenerate into tyranny. -So that good magistrates are a great instance of divine favour to a -nation; as the queen of Sheba said to Solomon, _Happy are thy men, and -happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee, and -hear thy wisdom. Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighted in thee, -to set thee on his throne, to be king for the Lord thy God. Because thy -God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee -king over them, to do judgment and justice_, 2 Chron. ix. 7, 8. And it -is included among the blessings of the gospel-state, that _kings should -be their nursing fathers, and their queens their nursing mothers_, Isa. -xlix. 23. Such are said, as David was, to be _raised up, to fulfil the -will of God_, Acts xiii. 22. - -Nevertheless, civil government may be so administered, that it may cease -to be a blessing to the subjects. Thus Samuel describes the miserable -estate of a people, whose kings endeavour to establish their own -greatness by enslaving and plundering their subjects _taking their sons_ -and _daughters_ by force, to be their servants; seizing their _fields_, -their _vineyards and olive-yards, and the tenth of their increase_; -which would oblige them to _cry unto the Lord, because of their -oppression_, 1 Sam. viii. 11,-18. And we have an instance of this in -Rehoboam, who was herein as remarkable for his want of conduct, as his -father was for his excelling wisdom. His rough and ill-timed answer to -his subjects, in which gave them to expect nothing else but oppression -and slavery, issued in the revolt of the ten tribes from his government, -1 Kings xii. 13, 14. - -From this different method of the administration of civil government, -whereby it rendered either a blessing or an affliction to the subjects; -we may infer, - -[1.] That when that which is in itself a blessing, is turned into a -curse, this may be looked upon as a punishment inflicted by God, for the -iniquity of a people. Thus he says, _I gave thee a king in mine anger, -and took him away in wrath_, Hosea xiii. 11. - -[2.] We have great reason to be well-pleased with, and to bless God for -the government we are under, as not being exposed to the slavery that -some other nations are; who have no laws, but what result from the -arbitrary will of their prince; and who can call nothing they have their -own. This should make us prize the liberties we enjoy; and be a strong -motive to us to give due and cheerful obedience to our rightful and -lawful sovereign, and all magistrates under him, who rule in -righteousness, and are a terror to evil doers, but a praise to them that -do well. - -[3.] This affords matter of reproof to the restless tempers of those, -who are under the mildest government; which is administered beyond all -reasonable exception, our enemies themselves being judges, who would -confess the same, were they not blinded with prejudice; which puts them -upon betaking themselves to railery, instead of better arguments. These -are reproved by the apostle, who speaks of some _that walk after the -flesh, in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous -are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil, even of -dignities_, 2 Pet. ii. 10. This leads us - -To consider the honour that subjects owe to their lawful magistrates. -Accordingly, - -_1st_, They are highly to resent, and endeavour, in their several -stations and capacities, to check the insolence of those who make bold -with the character, and take the liberty to reproach their magistrates -in common conversation; which is directly contrary to the law of God; -that says, _Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought, and curse not -the rich in thy bed-chamber. For a bird of the air shall carry the -voice; and that which hath wings shall tell the matter_, Eccles. x. 20. - -_2dly_, We are to support the honour of government, by paying those -tributes which are lawfully exacted. Thus the apostle says, _Render to -all their due; tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, -fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour_, Rom. xiii. 7. - -_3dly_, We are to pray for a blessing from God, on the administration of -our civil governors, that it may be under the divine direction, and tend -to answer the great ends of government, viz. the glory of God, and the -welfare of the subject. And here I cannot but observe, that no one on -earth has a power of discharging subjects from their obedience to their -lawful governors, who endeavour to rule them according to the laws of -God and nature, and those fundamental constitutions that are agreeable -thereto. Therefore it is a most detestable position advanced by the -Papists, that the pope has a power to excommunicate and depose sovereign -princes; though it does not appear that he has received any such -authority from Christ, but herein intermeddles with a province that does -not belong to him. For princes do not receive their crowns from him; and -therefore are not to be deposed by him. In opposition hereunto, it may -be alleged, - -_1st_, That this is directly contrary to the temper of the blessed -Jesus, and of the apostles, and primitive Christians; who did not -encourage their followers to depose Heathen kings and emperors; but on -the other hand, exhorted them to _submit to them in all things_, -consistent with the glory of God, and the good of mankind; _not only for -wrath, but for conscience sake_, ver. 5. - -_2dly_, The church has no temporal sword committed to her, all its -censures being spiritual. Temporal punishments are left in the hands of -the civil magistrate; concerning whom, the apostle says, that _he is the -minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be -afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain; for he is the minister of -God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil_, ver. 4. On -the other hand, when speaking concerning those, who have the government -of ecclesiastical matters committed to them, he says, _The weapons of -our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down -of strong holds_, 2 Cor. x. 24. - -The arguments generally used by the Papists, to support the cause of -rebellion, and their usurped power to depose magistrates, who are not of -their communion, are very weak, and most of them, such as may easily be -answered; as, - -1. When they allege the commission given by Christ, to Peter, _Feed my -sheep_, John xxi. 17. They pretend, that to feed, is the same as to -govern; and that this implies a power of punishing; which they suppose -to be so far extended, as that the bishop of Rome may depose sovereign -princes, as occasion offers; and that this power was given to Peter and -his successors, which the popes of Rome pretend to be. - -But to this it may be replied; that this commission given by Christ to -Peter, to _feed his sheep_, imports his feeding them with knowledge and -understanding, and not lording it over God’s heritage. Thus our Saviour -says, _The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they -that exercise authority over them, are called benefactors. But ye shall -not be so; but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; -and he that is chief as he that doth serve_, Luke xxii. 25, 26. -Moreover, their pretence that the bishops of Rome are Peter’s -successors, contains a claim of what they have not the least shadow of -right to; and is, indeed, to place them in Peter’s chair, who are the -greatest opposers of his doctrine. - -2. Another argument they bring, tending to overthrow the power of the -civil magistrate, is, that, as the soul is more excellent than the body, -and its welfare to be preferred in proportion thereunto; so the church -is to take care of the spiritual concerns of mankind, to which all -temporal concerns are to give place; therefore its power is greater than -that of the civil magistrate. - -_Answ._ To this it may be replied; that this similitude does not prove -the thing for which it is brought; and though it be allowed, that the -soul is more excellent than the body; yet its welfare is not to be -secured by inflicting corporal punishments, such as persecutions and -massacres; which, to abate and encourage, is to cast a reproach on -religion; and it will tend very much to weaken the interest of Christ in -the world. - -Moreover, the magistrate is ordained by God, to defend the religious as -well as civil liberties of his subjects; which is included in the -apostle’s exhortation; let prayers be made _for kings and for all in -authority; that we may lead a peaceable and quiet life in all godliness -and honesty_, 1 Tim. ii. 2. and elsewhere we are exhorted, to _submit to -governors, as unto them who are sent by the Lord, for the punishment of -evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well_, 1 Pet. ii. 14. - -3. There is another argument which they make use of, taken from Azariah -the priest’s opposing king Uzziah, for intruding himself into the -priest’s office, in burning incense in the temple. Thus it is said, in 1 -Chron. xxvi. 16-18. that ‘when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to -his destruction. For he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went -into the temple of the Lord, to burn incense upon the altar of incense. -And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him four-score -priests of the Lord, that were valiant men. And they withstood Uzziah -the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to -burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that -are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary, for thou hast -trespassed, neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God.’ To -support their argument, taken from this scripture, they observe, that -the priests, who went in with Azariah, are said to be _valiant men_, and -so ready to commit any hostilities against the king. Azariah also -threatens him, when he tells him, _It should not be for his honour_; and -peremptorily commands him, to be gone out of the temple. This they -suppose, is a flagrant instance of the power of the church over the -civil magistrate, in all those things that interfere with what is -sacred. - -But to this it may be replied; - -(_1st_,) That Uzziah’s sin, according to the law of that dispensation, -was very great, and against an express command of God, who had ordered, -that none should officiate in the priest’s office, but those who were of -the family of Aaron. - -(_2dly_,) Azariah, and the rest of the priests, did not attempt to -depose him, but to prevent his going on in his sin; which would not be -for his honour, as the high-priest tells him. And this he says, not in a -menacing way, as signifying that he would inflict some punishment on -him; but as declaring what God would do against him, that would tend to -his dishonour for this sin. - -(_3dly_,) Though the high-priest, in God’s name, commanded him to go out -of the sanctuary; yet he did not lay violent hands on him, at least, -till the leprosy was seen upon him. Ver. 27. ‘And Azariah the chief -priest, and all the priests looked upon him, and behold, he was leprous -in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself -hasted also to go out, because the Lord had smitten him.’ This they did, -because a leper was not, according to the law of God, to enter into the -congregation, inasmuch as he would defile it. - -(_4thly_,) He was not properly deposed; but, by this plague of leprosy, -rendered incapable of reigning; and therefore ‘he lived alone,’ ver. 21. -‘in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of -the Lord: and Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the -people of the land.’ This was agreeable to the law of God, touching the -leper, in which it is said, that ‘all the days wherein the plague shall -be in him, he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone, -without the camp shall his habitation be,’ Lev. xiii. 46. It may farther -be observed, that his son managed the affairs of the kingdom for him; so -that the use which is made by the Papists of this scripture, to give -countenance to their doctrine of deposing princes, is foreign to the -true sense thereof. - -4. There is one more scripture-example which the Papists bring, whereby -they defend their practice, not only of deposing, but murdering princes; -and that is in 2 Kings xi. 15. _But Jehoiada the priest commanded the -captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, -have her forth without the ranges; and him that followeth her, kill with -the sword. For the priest had said, let her not be slain in the house of -the Lord._ But to this it may be replied, - -[_1st_,] That Athaliah was plainly an usurper, not only by reason of her -sex, since a woman was not to reign over Israel, or Judah: But she -killed all the seed royal, to establish herself in the throne, except -Joash, who escaped, being hid from her fury, in an apartment belonging -to the temple, 2 Chron. xxii. 11. - -[_2dly_,] What Jehoiada did in deposing her, was not only with a good -design to set up the lawful heir; but it was done by an express command -of the Lord, chap. xxiii. 3. - -[_3dly_,] Joash was proclaimed, and anointed, and universally owned as -king by the people, before Athaliah was slain, 2 Kings xi. 12,-14. - -VI. We are now to consider the sins of inferiors against their -superiors. These are expressed in general terms, in one of the answers -we are explaining; namely, neglecting the duties we owe to them, envying -at, and contempt of their persons, places, and lawful counsels and -commands, and all refractory carriage, that may prove a shame and -dishonour to their government; but, more particularly, inferiors sin -against their superiors. - -1. In divulging their secrets; and that either as to what respects the -affairs of their families, or their secular callings in the world. - -2. In mocking, reproaching, or exposing their infirmities. Thus it is -said, _The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his -mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles -shall eat it_, Prov. xxx. 17. - -3. In endeavouring to make disturbance or disorders in families, or the -common-wealth, through discontent with their station as inferiors, or a -desire to rule over those to whom they ought to be in subjection. - -4. Servants sin, in neglecting to fulfil their contract, or do the -service which they engaged to perform, when they first entered into that -relation. Or when they are only disposed to perform the duties incumbent -on them, when they are under their master’s eye, having no sense of -common justice, or their obligation to approve themselves to God, in -performing the duties they owe to man. Thus the apostle exhorts -servants, to _be obedient to them which are their masters, with fear and -trembling, in singleness of heart, as unto Christ. Not with eye-service, -as men-pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God -from the heart_, Eph. vi. 5, 6. - -5. Children sin, by being unnatural to their parents, who refuse or -neglect to maintain them if they need it, especially when they are aged; -whereby they will appear to have no sense of gratitude, for past -favours, nor regard to that duty which nature obliges them to perform. - - - - - Quest. CXXIX., CXXX., CXXXI., CXXXII., CXXXIII. - - - QUEST. CXXIX. _What is required of superiors towards their - inferiors?_ - - ANSW. It is required of superiors, according to that power they - receive from God, and that relation wherein they stand, to love, - pray for, and bless their inferiors; to instruct, counsel, and - admonish them; countenancing, commending, and rewarding such as do - well; discountenancing, reproving, and chastising such as do ill; - protecting, and providing for them all things necessary for soul, - and body; and by grave, wise, holy, and exemplary carriage, to - procure glory to God, honour to themselves, and so to preserve the - authority which God hath put upon them. - - QUEST. CXXX. _What are the sins of superiors?_ - - ANSW. The sins of superiors are, beside the neglect of the duties - required of them, and inordinate seeking of themselves, their own - glory, ease, profit, or pleasure; commanding things unlawful, or not - in the power of inferiors to perform; counselling, encouraging, or - favouring them in that which is evil, dissuading, discouraging, or - discountenancing them in that which is good; correcting them unduly, - careless exposing, or leaving them to wrong, temptation, and danger; - provoking them to wrath; or any way dishonouring themselves, or - lessening their authority, by an unjust, indiscreet, rigorous, or - remiss behaviour. - - QUEST. CXXXI. _What are the duties of equals?_ - - ANSW. The duties of equals are, to regard the dignity and worth of - each other, in giving honour to go one before another, and to - rejoice in each others gifts and advancement, as in their own. - - QUEST. CXXXII. _What are the sins of equals?_ - - ANSW. The sins of equals are, beside the neglect of the duties - required, the undervaluing of the worth, envying the gifts, grieving - at the advancement or prosperity one of another, and usurping - pre-eminence one over another. - - QUEST. CXXXIII. _What is the reason annexed to the fifth Commandment - the more to enforce it?_ - - ANSW. The reason annexed to the fifth Commandment, in these words, - [_That thy days may be long upon the land, which the Lord thy God - giveth thee_] is an express promise of long life and prosperity, as - far as it shall serve for God’s glory, and their own good, to all - such as keep this Commandment. - -1. We are to consider the duties which superiors owe to their inferiors. -Whatever circumstance of advancement one has above another in the world, -this is a peculiar gift of God, and should not give occasion to that -pride of heart which is natural to fallen man, which puts him upon -casting contempt on those who are below him; much less should they -oppress others, who are in a lower station of life than themselves; but -should endeavour to do good to them, and thereby glorify God. And, -indeed, as every relation is mutual, and calls for its respective -duties, so that superiors expect the duty which belongs to them, from -inferiors; it is equally just and reasonable that they should not -neglect those duties which they are obliged to perform to them; though -they be of another nature, different from those which they demand from -them. Here we shall consider, - -2. The duty of parents to children. This not only includes in it the -using their utmost endeavours to promote their worldly advantage, as to -what respects their present or future condition in life; but they ought -to have a just concern for their spiritual welfare, which is a duty very -much neglected, though it be incumbent on all parents, and will be -performed by those who have a sense of God and religion upon their -spirits; this the apostle calls _bringing them up in the nurture and -admonition of the Lord_, Eph. vi. 4. When children are first capable of -being instructed; or when they first take in the knowledge of common -things; then it is the parent’s duty to instil into them those things -that are spiritual. It is, indeed, a difficult matter to speak to them -about divine things, so as to lead them into the knowledge thereof; and -it requires a great measure of wisdom and faithfulness in them. One of -the first duties that they owe to them, is acknowledging God’s right to -them, putting them under his care, giving them up to him, hoping and -trusting in Christ, that he will bestow on them the saving blessings of -the covenant of grace, and that in their early age of life. Moreover, -since children soon discover themselves to have a corrupt nature: This -ought to be checked and fenced against, as much as it is in our power: -Since all habits of sin are of an increasing nature, and though it be -difficult to prevent them; yet we shall find it much more so to root -them out. - -Now that we may instil into the minds of children, the principles of -religion, as soon as they are capable of receiving instruction, let it -be observed, - -(1.) That parents must take great care that they neither speak nor act -any thing before their children, which may tend to corrupt their minds, -or afford a bad example, which it would be of pernicious consequence to -them to follow; nor ought they to suffer those passions to break forth, -which may render them mean and contemptible in the eyes of their -children; or give them occasion, by their example, to indulge the same -passions. - -(2.) They must take heed that they do not exercise severity for trifles, -or those inadvertencies which children are chargeable with, on the one -hand; nor too much indulge them in that incorrigibleness and profaneness -which they sometimes see in them, on the other. - -(3.) They must separate from them all companions, or servants, from whom -they may imbibe the principles of sin, and oblige those who have the -immediate care of their education, to instil into them the principles of -religion, and, at the same time, to recommend to them, the pleasure, -beauty, and advantage of holiness in all, but especially in young ones. - -(4.) The examples which we have, either in scripture, or our own -observation in the world, of those who have devoted themselves to God, -and been religious betimes, is to be frequently inculcated, for their -imitation, with all the affecting and moving expressions that it is -possible for them to use, and with a particular application thereof to -their case; and, on the other hand, the miserable consequences which -have attended persons neglecting to embrace the ways of God in the days -of their youth, and the sore judgments which often ensue hereupon; as it -is said, _His bones are full of the sin of youth_, Job xx. 11. - -(5.) Reproofs for sin are to be given, with a zeal and concern for the -glory of God; and yet with that affection as may convince children, that -in those things, in which they are ready to think their parents their -enemies, they appear to be their greatest friends. - -(6.) They, who have the care of children, ought to take heed, that they -do not lead them into, or give them occasion, to rest in, a formal, or -external appearance of religion, on the one hand; nor, on the other -hand, are they to use any methods which may induce them to think, that, -a burden, or a reproach, which they ought to esteem their delight and -honour. - -(7.) Those opportunities are more especially to be embraced, when -instructions are most likely to be regarded by them; as when they are -inquisitive about divine things. This should give the parent occasion to -be particular in explaining them to them. Thus God commands Israel, -_when thy son asketh thee in time to come, what mean the testimonies and -the statutes, and the judgments; which the Lord thy God commanded you?_ -to _say unto him, we were Pharaoh’s bondsmen_, Deut. vi. 20, 21. and so -they were to relate to them those dispensations of providence towards -them, that gave occasion to these statutes which he had appointed. - -(8.) Parents should let their children know, that their obedience to -God’s commands, will always entitle them to the greatest share in their -affection, that this may be a motive and inducement thereunto. - -2. We are now to consider the duty which masters owe to their servants. -And, - -(1.) They ought to recommend the good ways of God to them, endeavouring -to persuade them to be religious; and, by their exemplary conversation -in their families, whereby they adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour, -in all things, afford them an additional motive hereunto. - -(2.) They should encourage religion in their servants, as well as -diligence and industry. For, as the one tends to their advantage, to -whom their service is due; the other tends to the glory of God, and the -good of their souls, who are found in the practice of it. - -(3.) Masters should endeavour to instruct their servants in the -principles of religion, especially if ignorant. And, - -(4.) They should allow them sufficient time for religious duties; which, -if needful, ought to be taken out of that time, wherein they would -otherwise be employed in their service: And this they ought to do, as -considering, that the best Christians are like to make the most faithful -servants. - -3. We are now to consider the duty of magistrates towards their -subjects. This consists, - -(1.) In their endeavouring to promote their liberty, safety, and -happiness, by the justice and clemency of their administration. Thus it -is said, _He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of -God_, 2 Sam. xxiii. 3. By this means they will lay their subjects under -the highest obligation to duty and obedience; and the respect which they -have from them, will render the station, in which they are, more -agreeable. - -(2.) They ought to defend the rights of subjects, when injured, against -their oppressors; that they may appear to be, as it were, their common -fathers, to whom they have recourse in all difficulties, and find -redress. - -(3.) They ought to encourage and support the common design of -Christianity, by suppressing irreligion and profaneness, and every thing -which is a scandal to the Christian name, or a reproach to a -well-ordered government. This leads us, - -II. To consider the sins of superiors. These sin in their behaviour -towards their inferiors, - -1. By pride and haughtiness; when they treat those who are below them, -with contempt and disdain; as though, because they are not, in many -respects, their equals, they are not their fellow-creatures. This -discovers itself either in reproachful words or actions. Thus the -Pharisees treated those whom they apprehended inferior to them, in gifts -or station, in the church, with contempt; so that they often made use of -that aphorism; _This people, who knoweth not the law, are cursed_, John -vii. 49. - -2. Another sin of superiors is, when masters exact severe and unmerciful -labour, beyond what is reasonable, of their servants, which is little -better than the oppression of the Egyptian task-masters; who commanded -them to make brick without straw, Exod. v. 15,16. and beat, and dealt -severely with them, because they could not fulfil their unreasonable -exactions. - -3. Sin is committed by those who, being princes, or generals, exercise -inhuman cruelty, contrary to the law of nature and nations, towards -their conquered enemies, when they have them in their power. This David -seems to have been charged with, as a blemish in his reign; when he -_put_ the men of Rabbah, after he had conquered them, _under saws, and -under harrows of iron, and made them pass through the brick-kilns. Thus -did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon_; which seems hardly -justifiable by marshal law; and therefore it must be reckoned a failing -in him; especially unless the Ammonites had done something -extraordinary, to deserve such treatment, or had used Israel in the like -manner, so that this might be reckoned a just reprizal upon them, 2 Sam. -xii. 31. - -And to this we may add, that magistrates do not behave to their -subjects, as they ought, and therefore commit sin, when they inflict -punishment beyond what the law directs, or the crime deserves. Thus -small offences are not to be punished with death, as capital crimes are, -since the punishment must be greater or less, in proportion to the -crime. Thus God enjoined a certain number of stripes for some crimes -committed, which they were not to exceed; _whereby their brother would -seem vile unto them_, Deut. xxv. 2, 3. that is, they would treat him -with a greater severity than the nature of the crime demanded. - -4. Superiors sin, when they take advantage on the necessities of the -poor; in buying or selling, which is called, a _grinding the faces of -the poor_, Isa. iii. 14, 15. - -5. Masters, or parents sin, in giving undue correction to their servants -or children, for small faults as when they neglect to perform some -punctilio’s, of respect, which are due to them, with greater severity -than they do, open sins against God, or when they are transported with -unreasonable passion for trifles; whereby they render themselves hated -by them, and provoke them to wrath, rather than answer the end of -chastisement, which is the glory of God and their good. This the apostle -forbids parents to do, Eph. vi. 4. And elsewhere, he speaks of the -_fathers of our flesh chastizing us after their own pleasure_, Heb. xii. -10. as being disagreeable to the divine dispensations, and consequently -not to be justified in them that practise it. - -6. Superiors sin, when they command those things, of their inferiors, -which are in themselves sinful, which they cannot, in their consciences, -comply with. And to this we may add, their demanding those things which -are impossible, and being enraged against them for not doing them. - -7. Superiors sin, when they surmise their inferiors have committed a -fault, which they resent, and punish, without suffering them to -vindicate themselves, though they request this favour in the most -submissive way. This is to extend their authority beyond the bounds of -reason. We shall now consider, - -III. The duty of equals. And, - -1. They ought to encourage and strengthen the hands of one another in -the ways of God, which is the great end and design of Christian -societies. - -2. They ought to sympathize with one another in their weakness, warning -and helping each other, when exposed to temptations, or overcome by -them. - -3. They ought to defend one another when reproached by the enemies of -God and religion. - -4. To love one another, and rejoice in each others welfare And, - -5. To withdraw from the society of those who are a reproach to, or -endeavour to turn them aside from the good ways of God. - -IV. We shall now consider the sins of equals; which they are guilty of, - -1. When they entertain unjust and unfriendly quarrels, contrary to that -love, which ought to be amongst brethren. - -2. When they affect, or usurp pre-eminence over one another; as -Diotrephes did, whom the apostle speaks of, who _loved to have the -pre-eminence amongst them_, 3 John, ver. 9. Christ’s disciples -themselves were sometimes liable to this charge; especially when _there -was a strife among them, which of them should be accounted greatest_, -Luke xxii. 24. which our Saviour is so far from commending in them, that -he reproves them for it. - -3. It is a great sin, when equals endeavour to make breaches amongst -those, who are otherwise inclined to live peaceably with one another. -This is the wretched employment of tale-bearers, busy-bodies, -make-bates, and slanderers, who delight to raise and propagate false -reports; as the Psalmist supposes some inclined to do, who are -distinguished from those who do not _backbite with their tongue_, nor -_take up a reproach against their neighbour_, &c. Psal. xv. 3. and it is -reckoned one of those things which the Lord hates, Prov. vi. 19. - -4. They are guilty of sin, when they insult, and take occasion, to -expose their brethren, for those weaknesses and infirmities which they -see in them, not considering that they are also liable to the same -themselves. - -5. When they endeavour to ensnare and entice others to sin. This vile -practice Solomon takes notice of, chap. i. 10, 15. and cautions those -who are thus tempted against consenting to, or complying with them. We -are now to consider, - -V. The reasons annexed to the fifth Commandment, which are included in -that promise of long life, to such as keep it. It is enquired by some, -whether this promise is to be applied to none but the Israelites; since -there is mention of the land which the Lord gave them, to wit, Canaan? -To which it may be replied; that though they might make a particular -application of it to themselves; yet it extends to men in all ages and -places. Accordingly the apostle Paul mentioning this Commandment, and -the promise annexed to if, instead of those words, _That thy days may be -long in the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee_, alters the mode -of expression, that it may be applicable to us as well as them, when he -says, _That thou mayest live long on the earth_, Eph. vi. 2, 3. This may -give us occasion to enquire, - -1. Whether this promise be made good as to the letter of it, to all that -keep this Commandment; especially since we find, that, according to the -common methods of providence, some good men live but a short time in -this world, when the wicked oftentimes live to a great age. That the -lives of some good men have been short, needs not be proved. Abijah, the -best of Jeroboam’s family, in whom some good thing was found, towards -the Lord God of Israel, died when a child, 1 Kings xiv. 12, 13. And -Josiah, who was one of the best of the kings that reigned over Judah, -lived but thirty nine years; for it is said, that _he was eight years -old when he began to reign; and he reigned thirty and one years_, 2 -Kings xxii. 1. And Enoch excelled all the patriarchs who lived before -the flood, and was more honoured in that he was translated to heaven, -without dying; yet he continued but a little while in this world, if we -compare the time he lived here, with the time which men generally lived -before the deluge; which was but _three hundred and sixty five years_; -whereas, several others are said to have lived above nine hundred years. -And Joseph, who was the most remarkable, for shewing honour to parents, -and performing the duties belonging to other relations, of any we read -of in scripture; he lived but an _hundred and ten years_, Gen. l. 26. -Whereas Levi, who had been a reproach to his father, and a dishonour to -the family in general, lived an _hundred thirty and seven years_, Exod. -vi. 16. - -2. We shall now consider, how such dispensations of providence may be -accounted for, consistently with the promise annexed to this -Commandment. Accordingly it may be observed, - -(1.) That, when God takes his saints out of the world when young, it is -sometimes a peculiar instance of compassion to them, in taking them from -the evil to come. Thus Josiah died, as was but now hinted, when young; -but this was in mercy to him, that he might not see the evil which God -would bring on Judah for their sins, 2 Kings xxii. 20. - -(2.) They are, at their death, possessed of a better world, which is the -best exchange: So that were the matter referred to their own choice, -they would choose heaven before the longest life, and the best -advantages they can enjoy in this world. - -(3.) Old age is not a blessing, unless it be adorned with grace. _The -hoary head is_, indeed, _a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of -righteousness_, Prov. xvi. 13. but not otherwise. Good men are not -destroyed by the blast of God’s wrath, but gathered, like a shock of -corn, when fully ripe; they are meet for, and then received into a -better world. Therefore _the child_ dying in Christ, is said _to die an -hundred years old_, Isa. lxv. 20. - -3. We shall now enquire, how far, or in what respects, we are to hope -for, and desire the accomplishment of the promises of temporal good -things. - -(1.) Temporal good things are not to be desired ultimately for -themselves, but as subservient to the glory of God. And long life in -particular is a blessing, so far as it affords more space to do service -to the interest of Christ in the world. - -(2.) They are to be desired, with an entire submission to the will of -God, and a resolution to acknowledge, that he is righteous, and to -magnify his name, though he deny them to us, as considering that he -knows what is best for us, and may do what he will with his own. - -(3.) We are to desire that God would give us temporal good things in -mercy, as pledges of eternal happiness, and not in wrath. Thus the -Psalmist says; _There be many that say, who will shew us any good? Lord, -lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us_, Psal. iv. 6. - -4. We shall now enquire with what frame of spirit we ought to bear the -loss of temporal good things, which we have been encouraged by God’s -promise, to hope for. In answer to this, let it be considered, that if -God does not fulfil his promise in the way and manner which we expect, -in granting us temporal good things; yet, - -(1.) We must justify him, and condemn ourselves; none can say, that he -does not forfeit all blessings daily. Therefore we are to say; let God -be true, and every man a liar. He is a God of infinite faithfulness; but -we are unfaithful, and not stedfast in his covenant. - -(2.) We are not to conclude, that our being deprived of temporal good -things, which we expect, is a certain sign that we have no right to, or -interest in those better things that accompany salvation; as the wise -man says, _No man knoweth either love or hatred, by all that is before -him_, Eccles. ix. 1. - -(3.) We are to reckon the loss of temporal good things as a trial of our -faith and patience; and endeavour, under such disappointments, to make -it appear, that the world was not the main thing we had in view; but -Christ and spiritual blessings in him, were the spring of all our -religion. - -5. It may farther be enquired; what are those things that tend to make a -long life happy, for which alone it is to be desired? It may be -observed, that life is sometimes attended with those miseries, which -induce a believer to desire to depart, and be with Christ, as the weary -traveller desires rest. And it may be observed, that though, in the -promise annexed to the fifth Commandment, we have no mention of any -thing but long life; yet the apostle, when explaining it, adds, that -they shall have a prosperous life; without which, long life would not be -so great a blessing. Thus he says, _That it may be well with thee, and -thou mayest live long upon the earth_, Eph. vi. 3. Now there are three -things which tend to make a long life happy. - -(1.) Experience of growth in grace, in proportion to our advances in -age, according to that promise, _They shall bring forth fruit in old -age; they shall be fat and flourishing_, Psal. xcii. 14. - -(2.) When we retain our natural abilities, and that strength and vigour -of mind, which we have formerly had. This some are deprived of, through -the infirmities of old age; whereby they may be said to out-live -themselves. It was a peculiar blessing, which God granted to Moses; -concerning whom it is said, that _he was an hundred and twenty years old -when he died_; and yet _his eye was not dim, nor his natural force -abated_, Deut. xxxiv. 7. - -(3.) Old age is a blessing, when our usefulness to others, in our day -and generation, is continued. Thus Joshua died an old man; but it was a -peculiar blessing that he was useful to the end; for in the very close -of his life he _made a covenant with the people in Shechem_, Josh. xxiv. -25. compared with 29. and laid strict commands on them, to behave -themselves towards God, as they ought to do. - - - - - Quest. CXXXIV., CXXXV., CXXXVI. - - - QUEST. CXXXIV. _What is the sixth Commandment?_ - - ANSW. The sixth Commandment is, [_Thou shalt not kill_.] - - QUEST. CXXXV. _What are the duties required in the sixth - Commandment?_ - - ANSW. The duties required in the sixth Commandment are, all careful - studies, and lawful endeavours to preserve the life of ourselves, - and others, by resisting all thoughts and purposes, subduing all - passions, and avoiding all occasions, temptations, and practices, - which tend to the unjust taking away the life of any; by just - defence thereof against violence, patient bearing of the hand of - God, quietness of mind, cheerfulness of spirit, a sober use of meat, - drink, physic, sleep, labour, and recreations, by charitable - thoughts, love, compassion, meekness, gentleness, kindness, - peaceable, mild, and courteous speeches and behaviour, forbearance, - readiness to be reconciled, patient bearing and forgiving of - injuries, and requiting good for evil, comforting and succouring the - distressed, and protecting and defending the innocent. - - QUEST. CXXXVI. _What are the sins forbidden in the sixth - Commandment?_ - - ANSW. The sins forbidden in the sixth Commandment are, all taking - away the life of ourselves, or of others, except in case of public - justice, lawful war, or necessary defence; the neglecting or - withdrawing the lawful and necessary means of preservation of life, - sinful anger, hatred, envy, desire of revenge, all excessive - passions, distracting cares, immoderate use of meat, drink, labour, - and recreations; provoking words, oppressing, quarrelling, striking, - wounding, and whatsoever else tends to the destruction of the life - of any. - -In explaining this Commandment, we are, - -I. To consider the positive part thereof, or the duties required in it, -namely, that we should use all lawful endeavours to preserve our own -life, and the life of others; and consequently we should avoid all those -passions, and other things, which may afford an occasion to take it -away, and live in the constant exercise of the duties of temperance and -sobriety, as to what respects ourselves; meekness, gentleness, and -forgiving injuries, as to what concerns others. - -In this Commandment it is supposed, that life is the most valuable -blessing of nature; and therefore to take it away, is to do the utmost -injury that can be attempted against us. The valuableness of the life of -man appears in four things. - -1. It is the result of the union of the soul with the body, which is the -principle of those actions that are put forth by us as intelligent -creatures; and therefore life is to be esteemed in proportion to the -excellency thereof; which, is the noblest part of the creation, angels -excepted. - -2. Nothing can compensate or satisfy for the taking away the life of -man, how much satisfaction soever may be given for the loss of other -things. - -3. We may observe, that man, in this respect, is the subject of the -divine image; which supposes us to have a more excellent life than any -other creatures in this lower world; and it is assigned as a reason of -our obligation to preserve it, Gen. ix. 6. - -4. Life is given and continued to us, that hereby the most valuable ends -may be attained, conducive to the glory of God, the advancement of -religion in the world, and promoting our everlasting happiness. From -whence we may take an estimate of its excellency; and it contains the -highest motive to us, to yield obedience, to this Commandment. - -This leads us to consider the means which we are to use, to preserve our -own lives, and the lives of others. As to what respects the preservation -of our own life; we are not to rush presumptuously into danger of death, -without a divine warrant, for that is to be prodigal of life. We are -also to exercise sobriety and temperance, avoiding gluttony, -drunkenness, lust, and all exorbitant passions, which tend to impair the -health, as well as defile the conscience. Moreover, when occasion -requires it, we are to have recourse to the skill of physicians, and -make use of those proper medicines, that may conduce to repair the -weakness and decays of nature. - -As to what concerns our endeavours to preserve the lives of others; we -are to caution them against those things, which would tend to destroy -their health, and, by degrees, their lives. And we must also discover -and detect all secret plots and contrivances which may be directed -against them; and we are to support and relieve those who are ready to -perish by extreme poverty; yea, though they were our enemies, Rom. xii. -20. Job xxxi, 19, 20, 22. We are also to defend them who are in imminent -danger of death, Psal. lxxxii. 3, 4. Prov. xxiv. 11, 12. - -Nevertheless, we must not use unwarrantable means, though it were to -save our own lives. As, in times of persecution, we are not to renounce -the truths of God, or give occasion to the common enemy, to revile, or -speak evil of them, to avoid suffering for the cause thereof. This was -that noble principle by which the martyrs, whom the apostle speaks of, -were acted; _They were tortured, not accepting deliverance_, Heb. xi. -35. that is, when they were exposed to the most exquisite torments, and -their lives offered them, in case they would deny Christ, they would not -accept deliverance on so dishonourable terms. Neither are we, at any -time, to tell a lye, or act that which is contrary to truth, though it -were to save our lives. This leads us, - -II. To consider the sins forbidden in this Commandment; and these are -either the taking away of life, or doing that which has a tendency -thereunto. - -1. It is unlawful to take away the life of another. But this is to be -considered with some exceptions, or limitations. - -(1.) This may be done in lawful wars. Thus we read of many wars begun -and carried on, and much blood shed therein, by God’s direction, and -with his approbation and blessing; upon which occasion it is said, that -_the war was of God_, 1 Chron. v. 22. Nevertheless, when wars are -proclaimed, merely to satisfy the pride and avarice of princes, as in -Benhadad’s war against Ahab, 1 Kings xx. 1. _& seq._ or the Romans, who -made war on the countries round about them, merely to enlarge their own -dominions, by ruining others; or, like those which the Devil excites, -and Antichrist carries on against the church, for their faithfulness to -the truth, Rev. xii. 17. chap. xiii. 7. these wars are unlawful; and all -the blood shed therein, is a breach of this Commandment. - -(2.) It is no violation of this Commandment, to take away the life of -offenders, guilty of capital crimes, by the hand of the civil -magistrate; for this is elsewhere commanded, and magistrates are -appointed for that end, Deut. xvii. 8,-10. - -(3.) It is no breach of this Commandment, when a person kills another -without design, or the least degree of premeditated malice. -Nevertheless, the utmost caution ought to be used, that persons might -not lose their lives through the carelessness and inadvertency of -others. - -(4.) In some instances, a person may kill another in his own defence, -without being guilty of the breach of this Commandment. But this is to -be considered with certain limitations; as, - -[1.] If there be only a design, or conspiracy against our lives, but no -immediate attempt made, to take them away; we are to defend ourselves, -by endeavouring to put him that designed the execrable fact, out of a -capacity of hurting us, by having recourse to the protection of the law; -whereby he may be restrained from doing it, or we secured. This was the -method which Paul took, when the Jews had bound themselves with an oath, -to slay him; he informed the chief captain of this conspiracy, and had -recourse to the law for his safety, Acts xxiii. 21. - -[2.] If there be a present attempt made against our lives, we should -rather chuse to disarm, or fly from the enemy, than take away his life; -but if this cannot be done, so that we must either lose our own lives, -or take away his, we do not incur the least guilt, or break this -Commandment, if we take away, his life, to preserve our own, especially -if we were not first in the quarrel; nor give occasion to it by any -injurious or unlawful practices. - -Here it may be enquired, whether it be lawful for two persons to fight a -duel, upon a set challenge, or provocation given? In answer to which, -let it be considered, - -_1st_, That, when a war, between two armies, may be issued, and the -shedding of much blood prevented hereby, it is not unlawful, provided it -be by mutual consent, and with the approbation of those on both sides, -who have a right of making war and peace; and if the matter in -controversy may be thus decided, without tempting providence. We have a -remarkable instance of this, in the duel fought between David and -Goliath, in 1 Sam. xvii. Nevertheless, - -_2dly_, It is unlawful for two persons, each seeming too prodigal of his -life, to challenge, accept of, and, pursuant thereunto, to endeavour to -put an end to each others life, merely to gratify their own passion, or -pride. This, though falsely called honour, will, in reality, render them -vile in the eyes of God, and notoriously guilty of the breach of this -Commandment. - -Here we may consider the wicked practice of those who have obliged poor -wretches, who were under their command, to murder one another for their -diversion. This Joab and Abner did, when they said, _Let the young men -arise and play before us; and every one thrust his sword in his fellows -side_, 2 Sam. ii. 14,-16. There is also an unlawful diversion, which, -though not altogether so barbarous and cruel, is, in some respects, a -breach of this Commandment, _viz._ when persons fight with, and wound -one another, without design of killing, merely to get a little money, -while entertaining a number of unthinking persons with their folly; in -which case they that fight, and they that look on, are equally guilty, -Prov. xxvi. 18, 19. Thus concerning the sin of killing another; we shall -now account for two or three difficulties that occur in scripture, -relating to the actions of some good men, who seem to have been guilty -of the breach of this Commandment; but were not really so. - -_1st_, It is enquired, whether Elijah was chargeable with the breach of -it in destroying Baal’s prophets, which we read of in 1 Kings xviii. 40. -wherein it is said, that _he ordered that none of them should escape; -and he brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there_. - -In answer to which, it may be observed, that it was not a small -inoffensive error that these prophets of Baal were punished for; but -apostasy from God. And that the persons who were thus punished, deserve -it, will appear, if we consider, - -[1.] That, they were the advisers and ring-leaders of all Israel’s -idolatry, and the abettors and principal occasion of that violent -persecution, which then raged against the Lord’s prophets, and true -worshippers. - -[2.] Had they only been false prophets, and not persecutors, they were -according to the law of God to be put to death, Deut. xiii. 6,-9. - -[3.] This was done after a solemn appeal to God, and an answer from -heaven, by fire, which determined, not only who was the true God, but -who were his prophets, and consequently whether Elijah deserved death, -as an impostor, or Baal’s prophets. - -[4.] Ahab himself was present, and all his ministers of state, who had a -right to execute justice on false prophets; and, it is highly probable, -that they consented to, and many of them had an immediate hand in their -death, which might be occasioned by a sudden conviction in their -consciences, proceeding from the miracle which they had just before -observed, or from the universal cry of the people against them; so that -the thing was plainly of the Lord, to whom Elijah brought a great deal -of honour, and was far from being chargeable with the breach of this -Commandment. - -_2dly_, It is farther enquired, whether Abraham’s offering Isaac was a -breach of this Commandment? This is proposed as a difficulty by those -who do not pay that deference to divine revelation, as they ought, nor -consider, that God cannot command any thing which is contrary to his -perfections; nor do his people sin in obeying any command that is given -by him. However, that this matter may be set in a just light, let it be -considered, - -[1.] That God, who is the sovereign Lord of life, may take it away, -when, and by whom he pleases. Therefore Isaac had no more reason to -complain of any wrong or injury done him, by God, in ordering his father -to sacrifice him, than any one else has, who dies by his immediate hand, -in the common course of providence. - -[2.] Abraham could not be said to do this with the temper and -disposition of a murderer, which such have, who are guilty of the breach -of this Commandment, who kill persons in a passion, or out of envy or -malice, being void of all natural affection or brotherly love; but he -acted plainly in obedience to God’s command. His hand was lifted up -against one whom he loved equally to, or, it may be, more than his own -life, and, doubtless, he would rather have been, had God so ordered it, -the sacrifice, than the offerer. - -[3.] This was done, as is more than probable, with Isaac’s full consent. -Hence some think, that his faith was no less remarkable herein than that -of Abraham. His willingness to be offered, evidently appears, in that -Abraham was in his feeble and declining age, and Isaac in his full -strength; for it was not a little strength which was sufficient to carry -wood enough to answer this occasion, which we read he did, Gen. xxii. 6. -Besides, if Isaac had resisted, none was at hand to assist Abraham -against him, and, doubtless, he would have strove in this matter as one -who desired to be overcome. Therefore we must suppose, that it is so far -from being a breach of this Commandment, that it was one of the most -remarkable instances of faith in scripture; and God’s design in ordering -him to do this, was, that it might be a type whereby he would lead him -into the glorious mystery of his not sparing his own Son, the Lord Jesus -Christ, and of his willingness to lay down his life a ransom for his -people. - -_3dly_, Some charge Moses with being guilty of the breach of this -Commandment, in killing the Egyptian, which we read of in Exod. ii. 11, -12. But, to vindicate him from this charge, let it be considered, - -[1.] That the Egyptian, whom he slew, not only _smote an Hebrew_, as it -is in this chapter, but he did it wrongfully, as it is observed in Acts -vii. 24. there was no offence given, nor just reason for this injurious -treatment, and to oppress or abuse one that is in a miserable condition, -as the Hebrews were at that time, is an heinous crime in God’s account. -Moreover, to _smite_, in scripture, is often taken, for to _slay_; so -that it is not improbable, that the Egyptian slew the Hebrew; or if he -did not, it might be such an injury as deserved death; which would have -been inflicted in another manner, had not Israel been denied, at that -time, the protection of the law. - -[2.] Moses was, at this time, raised up, and called by God, to be a -ruler and a judge, to defend the cause of his oppressed people; and in -this action he first began to fulfil his commission; though the people -refused to own him, and seemed to join with those that designed him evil -for it; for which reason their deliverance was put off forty years -longer, while he was an exile in the land of Midian, Acts vii. 24, 26. -compared with 30. Now to slay a public enemy and oppressor, and, as it -is probable, one who had forfeited his life, and that with a commission -from God, to act as a ruler and a judge over his people, cannot be -reckoned a breach of this Commandment. Thus concerning the violation of -this Commandment, as including in it the murdering of our neighbour. - -2. This Commandment is notoriously broken by those who lay violent hands -on themselves, which we have no instance of any good man, in scripture, -that was ever suffered to do, but only such who were, like Saul, -Ahitophel, Judas, and others, of the most infamous character. This is a -sin which is attended with many aggravations; For, - -(1.) It is to act as though our lives were at our own disposal; which -are to be considered as a talent which we are entrusted with by God, to -improve for his glory; and he alone has a right to dispose thereof at -his pleasure. - -(2.) This argues, and arises from, the highest discontent and impatience -under the hand of God, which is contrary to that temper, which we ought -to exercise as Christians, who profess subjection to him. - -(3.) It is contrary to nature, and that principle of self-preservation -which God has implanted in us; and, indeed, he that does this, not only -acts below the reason of a man, but does that which even brutes -themselves are not inclined to. - -(4.) It is a giving place to, and gratifying the Devil, who acts -agreeably to his character, as a murderer from the beginning, when he -tempts men to destroy both soul and body at once. - -(5.) It is presumptuous and bold to resolve, that whatever measure of -duty God has prescribed for us to fill up in this world, we will serve -him no longer. If marshal law punishes deserters with death, is there -not a severe punishment due unto those who do, as it were, desert the -service of God by self-murder? Nothing is more certain than this, that -if duty be enjoined by God, the time in which it is to be performed, is -also fixed by him, and not left to our determination. - -(6.) It is a rushing hastily into eternity, not considering the -consequence thereof, nor the awful tribunal of Christ, before which they -must immediately appear, and give an account of this, as well as other -sinful actions of life. - -(7.) It is done with such a frame of spirit, that a person cannot, by -faith, commit his soul into the hands of Jesus Christ; for that requires -a better temper of mind than any one can be supposed to have, who -murders himself. - -Here it may be enquired, since, as was before observed, no good man was -ever guilty of this crime, whether Samson did not break this Commandment -in pulling down the house upon his own head, as well as the Philistines? - -To this it may be answered, - -[1.] That Samson’s life, at this time, was a burden to himself, useless -to his brethren, a scorn to the open enemy, and an occasion of their -ascribing their deliverance to their idol; and probably, it would have -been soon taken away by them; which circumstances, though they would -not, in themselves, have been sufficient to justify this action; yet -they might justify his desire, that God would put an end, to his life, -and release him out of this miserable world; especially if this would -redound more to his glory than any thing he could do for the future, or -had done in the former part of his life. - -[2.] It plainly appears, that God, in answer to his prayer, not only -gave him leave to take away his own life, together with the lives of his -enemies, but he wrought a miracle to enable him to do it; and therefore -it was a justifiable action, and no breach of this Commandment, Judges -xvi. 28,-30. - -3. We shall now consider the heinous aggravation of this sin, of taking -away the life of another unjustly, and the terrible judgments that such -have ground to expect, who are guilty hereof. - -(1.) According to the divine law, this sin is to be punished with death, -by the hand of the civil magistrate, Deut. xix. 11, 12. Thus Joab, who -had deserved to die for murders formerly committed, was slain, by -David’s order, by his son Solomon; though he sought protection by taking -hold of the horns of the altar, 1 Kings ii. 28, 29. Many other crimes -might be expiated by sacrifices, which God ordained should be offered -for that end; whereas, no satisfaction was to be accepted for this sin -but the blood of the murderer, Numb. xxxv. 31. And it is a matter of -dispute with some, whether kings, who may pardon many crimes, by virtue -of their prerogative, can, according to the laws of God, pardon murder, -without being supposed to extend their clemency beyond its due bounds? - -(2.) God often gives up those who are guilty of the sin of murder, to -the terrors of a guilty conscience, which is a kind of hell upon earth; -as in the instances of Cain, Lamech, and others, Gen. iv, 13,-15. and -23, 24. - -(3.) Such are followed with many remarkable instances of divine -vengeance; so that the blast of providence attends all their -undertakings. Thus David, after he had killed Uriah, was followed with -such rebukes of providence, that the latter part of his life was -rendered very uneasy thereby; and what the prophet foretold was -fulfilled, that _the sword should never depart from his house_; that is, -as long as he lived, 2 Sam. xii. 9, 10. - -(4.) The judgments of God for his sin, are oftentimes transmitted to -posterity. Thus Simeon and Levi’s murder of the Shechemites, was -punished in the tribes that descended from them; who, according to the -patriarch’s prediction, were _divided in Jacob, and scattered in -Israel_, Gen. xlix. 7. And Saul’s slaying the Gibeonites, was punished -in David’s time, by a famine occasioned thereby, 2 Sam. xxi. 1. And the -murders which the Jews had committed on the prophets in former ages, -were punished in the destruction of their state and nation; when _all -the righteous blood_ that had been _shed upon the earth, came upon -them_, Matt. xxiii. 35. - -(5.) Their lives are often shortened, and they brought to the grave with -blood. Thus Absalom perished by the just judgment of God, for the murder -of his brother, as well as his other crimes; and in this the Psalmist’s -observation holds true, that _bloody and deceitful men shall not live -out half their days_, Psal. lv. 23. We are now to consider, - -4. That this Commandment may be broken otherwise than by the taking away -the life of our neighbour. It may be committed by a person in his heart, -when he has not an opportunity to execute his malicious designs; or is -afraid to do it, because of the punishment from men, which will ensue. -Thus the apostle says, _Whosoever hateth his brother, is a murderer_, 1 -John iii. 15. Of this we have an instance in wicked Ahab; who _hated_ -Micajah, because he _prophesied not good concerning him, but evil_, 1 -Kings xxii. 9. And, it is more than probable, that this hatred would -have broke forth into murder, could he have laid hold on the least -shadow or pretence that might have put a colour on so vile an action. -And Jezebel was guilty of this sin, who threatened to murder the prophet -Elijah, chap. xix. 2. and the Jews, who were filled with malice against -our Saviour; for which reason they would have put him to death at that -time; but they feared the people, Mark xi. 18. And as this is a sin that -reigns in wicked men, there are some instances hereof even in good men. -Thus David carried his resentment too far against Nabal, though a -churlish and ungrateful man, when he resolved, in his passion, not only -to take away his life, which was an unjustifiable action, but to destroy -the whole family, the innocent with the guilty, 1 Sam. xxv. 21, 22. and -he was sensible of his sin in this passionate resolution, which -occasioned his blessing God for his preventing it, by Abigail’s prudent -management. - -There is another instance of sinful and unaccountable passion, that -cannot be excused from a degree of heart-murder in Jonah; who was very -angry because God was gracious, and spared Nineveh, on their repentance; -and in this fit of passion, he desires that God would take away his -life, justifies his anger, and, as it were, dares him to cut him off; -which was as bad a frame as ever any good man was in. And all this took -its rise from pride, lest some should think him a false prophet, who did -not rightly distinguish between what God might do, and would have done, -had they not repented, and what he determined to do, namely, to give -them repentance, and so to spare them. I say, rather than be counted a -false prophet, which, it may be, was a groundless surmise, he was angry -with God for sparing it, Jonah iv. 1-4. - -Here it will be enquired, whether all anger is sinful, or a breach of -this Commandment? To which it may be answered, That since the apostle -says, _Be angry and sin not_, Eph. iv. 26. it implies, that there may be -anger which is not sinful; but, on the other hand, may rather be styled, -a zeal for God. Of this kind was that anger which our Saviour expressed -against the Scribes and Pharisees, when he calls them _serpents, a -generation of vipers_, Matt. xxiii. 33. and when he whipped the buyers -and sellers out of the temple; on which occasion it is said, _The zeal -of thine house hath eaten me up_, John ii. 15, 17. And the apostle -reproved Elymas the _sorcerer_, who endeavoured to _turn away the deputy -from the faith_, with words that seemed full of anger; when he addressed -himself to him in this manner; _O full of all subtilty, and all mischief -thou child of the Devil, thou enemy of all righteousness; Wilt thou not -cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?_ Acts xiii. 10. And Peter -could not reprove that vile hypocrite Simon Magus, when he offered to -purchase the conferring the Holy Ghost, without expressing some anger -and resentment, as the cause required, when he says, _Thy money perish -with thee_, &c. chap. viii. 20, 21, yet that he might let him know that -it was only zeal to God that provoked his anger, he gives him friendly -advice to repent of this his wickedness, ver. 22. From whence we may -take occasion to enquire, - -(1.) What is the difference between sinful anger or passion, and an holy -zeal for God? - -[1.] An holy zeal for God, leads us rightly to distinguish between the -person reproved, and his actions, that give us occasion for it; so that -we hate the sin, but not the person that commits it. Thus the Psalmist -says, _I hate the work of them that turn aside_, Psal. ci. 3. But sinful -anger is principally directed against the person with whom we are -offended. - -[2.] The honour of God is the only motive that excites holy zeal; but -pride or evil surmise, is generally the occasion of sinful anger. Thus -Jehu’s executing the vengeance of God, in cutting off Ahab’s wicked -family, was right, as to the matter of it; yet it had a great mixture of -ambition, pride, and private hatred of them, as those whom he thought -would stand in competition with him for the crown; and for this action -he also desires the applause and esteem of the people; and therefore -says to Jonadab, _Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord_, 2 Kings -x. 16. so that the one is attended with many Other graces, the other -with many sins. - -[3.] Holy zeal for God inclines us to express anger against his enemies, -with sorrow and reluctancy, as being grieved for their sin, and at the -same time desiring their reformation and salvation; but sinful anger -meditates revenge, is restless till it has accomplished it, Prov. iv. -16. and pleased with having opportunities of executing it. - -[4.] Holy zeal sets aside, or is not much concerned about injuries as -directed against ourselves; but as they reflect dishonour on the name of -God, or are prejudicial to his interest in the world. With this view it -was that David says concerning Edom, _Happy shall he be that dasheth thy -little ones against the stones_, Psal. cxxxvii. 9. when at the same -time, he professes, that it was for Jerusalem’s sake that he desired the -ruin of his enemies, and not his own; for he says, that he _preferred -Jerusalem above his chief joy_, ver. 6. Whereas, on the other hand, -sinful anger designs or wishes evil to others, to promote our own -interest and advantage. - -(2.) We shall now consider the aggravations of sinful passion. - -[1.] It unfits a soul for holy duties. Accordingly our Saviour advises -his people, first to _be reconciled to their brethren, and then come and -offer their gift_, Matt. v. 23, 24. - -[2.] If attempt to reprove sin, or persuade to duty, in passion, it will -tend to take away the force, and hinder the success of the arguments we -use. - -[3.] It will occasion sorrow and shame, when reflected on in our most -serious thoughts. - -[4.] It will expose us to Satan’s temptations, and occasion a multitude -of sins; therefore the apostle calls it, a _giving place to the Devil_, -Eph. iv. 27. - -[5.] The smallest injuries are hereby magnified, and our resentments -exceed their due bounds. We do not consider, as we ought to do, that the -injuries done against us, are very small when compared with the sins we -commit, whereby we dishonour God. - -[6.] It is opposite to a Christian temper, and very much unlike that -frame of spirit, which our Saviour has recommended concerning loving our -enemies, Matt. v. 44. and is also contrary to his example, _Who, when he -was reviled, reviled not again_, 1 Pet. ii. 23. - -[7.] As it is a stirring up our own corruptions, so it tends to stir up -the corruption of others, and provoke them to sin, as one flame kindleth -another, and hereby increaseth itself, Prov. xxvii. 17. - -(3.) We shall farther enquire, how we are to deal with those whom we -converse with, who are addicted to passion or anger? - -[1.] We are to exercise a calm, meek, and humble disposition, bearing -reflections with patience, and replying to them with gentleness; -especially when it is more immediately our own cause, and not the cause -of God which is concerned herein. _A soft answer turneth away wrath_, -chap. xv. 1. _He that is slow to wrath, is of great understanding_, -chap. xiv. 29, - -[2.] Let us take heed that we do nothing that tends to stir up the -passions of any. If a superior is disposed hereunto, let us prudently -withdraw from him; if it be an inferior, let us reprove him with -faithfulness; if it be in an equal, let us take away the edge of it, by -meekness, love, and tenderness towards him, having compassion on his -weakness; let us bear injuries without revenging them, and _overcome -evil with good_, Rom. xi. 19,-12. - -END OF THE THIRD VOLUME. - - - - - DR. SCOTT’S - - ANSWER TO THE BISHOP OF LINCOLN. - - - PROPOSALS - - BY W. W. WOODWARD, PHILADELPHIA, - - _FOR PUBLISHING BY SUBSCRIPTION_, - - The Rev. Dr. Thomas Scott’s Remarks - - ON - - “_The Refutation of Calvinism_, - - BY GEORGE TOMLINE, D.D. - - LORD BISHOP OF LINCOLN.” - - -The writings of this eminent divine are held in the highest estimation -by the pious of various denominations. He is acknowledged to be one of -the best advocates for evangelical truth, which the present age has -produced. His commentary on the scriptures has passed through three -large editions in this country and a fourth, larger than either of the -former is now preparing for press by W. W. W. in 3 vols. quarto, 7 -dollars per volume, without any marginal references—the notes following -immediately after the text. - -The work now proposed for publication is a most able and elaborate -defence of those doctrines which are commonly called evangelical, and -which are by no means peculiar to the Calvinists. The bishop of Lincoln, -published what he was pleased to call “a Refutation of Calvinism,” under -which “proscribed and odious name,” says the Christian Observer, “he has -attacked some of the fundamental points of that faith, which was once -delivered to the saints.” - -“In this work of the Bishop,” continues the Christian Observer, “he has -greatly mistaken and misrepresented the sentiments and the persons he -undertook to refute, and in many important points has maintained -doctrines contrary to the declarations of scripture.” - -Dr. Scott, in his remarks upon this publication of the Bishop of -Lincoln, most ably defends that system of religion, which a great body -of christians supposed to be contained in the scriptures, from the -uncandid and illiberal attacks of its enemies, and obviates the -unfounded objections which are so often brought up against it. The -reviewers in the _Christian Observer_, after occupying about sixty pages -of their miscellany in commenting on the excellencies of Dr. Scott’s -“remarks,” conclude their review with the following passage. “We cannot, -however, conclude this long extended article, without recommending the -study of Dr. Scott’s laborious work to such of our readers as feel -interested in these discussions. It will amply repay those who are -willing to undertake and patiently to pursue its perusal. If it does not -afford, what cannot be expected from any human performance, a -satisfactory solution of the difficulties which must ever attend _some_ -of the subjects of which it treats, it will be found to contain a large -and valuable mass of observations on other most important theological -topics; and will, at least, leave on the mind of every unprejudiced -reader a strong impression of the extensive scriptural knowledge, the -controversial ability, and what is far more estimable than any other -qualities and attainments, the christian moderation and charity, and the -mature and vigorous piety of its author.” - - -CONDITIONS. - - -_The work shall be comprised in two large octavo volumes—answering as a -sixth and seventh volume to his Miscellaneous works, published by W. W. -Woodward; or will be sold separate in two volumes. It shall be printed -on good paper with a fair type, and shall be delivered to subscribers -for two dollars and fifty cents per volume, bound, and two dollars and -twenty-five cents in boards, payable on delivery of each volume._ - -_Those who interest themselves in the work and procure five subscribers, -they becoming responsible for their subscriptions, shall receive every -sixth copy for their trouble._ - -_The work shall be put to press as soon as a number of subscribers shall -have been procured sufficient to warrant the undertaking, Persons -holding subscription papers are requested to return them by the first -January next, to W. W. Woodward, Bookseller, Philadelphia._ - -Philadelphia, August 21, 1815. - - - - - ● Transcriber’s Notes: - ○ The author’s archaic punctuation, spellings, and capitalization - have been retained. - ○ Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation were made consistent only - when a predominant form was found in this book. - ○ Text that was in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_). - ○ Footnotes have been moved to follow the chapters in which they are - referenced. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A BODY OF DIVINITY, VOL. 3 (OF -4) *** - -***** This file should be named 64185-0.txt or 64185-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - https://www.gutenberg.org/6/4/1/8/64185/ - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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