THIS is a part of a remarkably full and clear prophecy of the Messiah. The sacred historians scarcely write on his incarnation, life, sufferings and death, with greater perspicuity and precision, than the evangelic prophet. These beautifully plaintive words are quoted by the evangelist John, and the apostle Paul, who inform us they were originally addressed to God, and had immediate reference to Christ's rejection by the Jewish nation. By this report, or doctrine, as the marginal reading is, taken in a large sense, may be designed the inspired writings in general, or the whole subject of the gospel ministry; but in the strict accep­tation, it relates immediately to the scheme of salvation by Jesus Christ, and calls our particular attention to his incarnation, sufferings and death. The truth and excel­lency of natural religion, have rarely been called in question, but who has believed the report in contem­plation? This some reject, and others still less ingenuous, wrest to their own destruction. The preaching of the cross, or the sublime, yet unpopular doctrine of the bible, is to them that perish, foolishness; but to us who are saved, it is, instrumentally, the power of God. Our text implies, that God has some faithful ministers among men, who call on his name, and are concerned for his glory, to whom he has committed a report, or system of doctrines, sufficiently authenticated, which they plainly, fully, and consistently declare; and which those to whom it is addressed are bound to believe, according to the nature and degree of evidence pro­duced; but that, from some cause, they are lamentably incredulous. These propositions compose a foundation, on which might be shewn the characteristics of gospel ministers, the contents of their report, the evidence of its authenticity, the motives inducing a declaration of the whole divine counsel, the nature, kind, degrees, [Page 4] grounds, use, objects of, and obligations to faith; to­gether with the causes and consequences of unbelief: But your time on the present interesting occasion will not admit, and my feeble talents are very unequal for the consideration of these important things at large. I shall only attempt, as the Lord may assist,

First, A brief recital and illustration of the leading doctrines of our faith, reported in the gospel.

Secondly, To shew of whom, and the grounds on which, faith is required in our gospel report, considered as it respects the whole of divine revelation. And

Lastly, I shall endeavour to answer a few of the most plausible and popular objections against this scheme.

First, I am to attempt a brief recital and illustration of the leading doctrines of our faith as reported in the gospel. The very foundation of revealed religion, which stands with distinguished glory and lustre, is the sacred and mysterious doctrine of the blessed Trinity. This,

First, demands our most serious and devout attention. That there is a God, is as evident as that there is an universe. Deity is inscribed in glaring and indelible cha­racters on every object. And that there is, and can be but one God, is also evinced by reason. But for the knowledge of three distinct persons in the indivisible God Head, we are wholy indebted to revelation. This is confessedly a great mystery. But how can it be other­wise, as it respects the mode of the incomprehensible Jehovah's existence? With submission, I conceive all endeavours to elucidate it (to say the least) are unneces­sary. One justly observes, "That reason never shews itself more reasonable, than when it ceases to reason about things above reason." This peculiarly abstruse point, upon God's authority, demands our unreserved faith, with the most profound adoration and awe. It was stated and maintained with an energy and evidence divinely glorious at Christ's baptism, and is forcibly inculcated every time that sacred ordinance is adminis­tered. Simon Magus held, that the Father, Son, and [Page 5] Spirit, are only characters of one person considered in different points of view, or according to his different manner of operation. But the admission of this idea would render all the scriptures that relate to the im­portant subject, unintelligible and absurd. The Three that bare record in Heaven, and whom we worship as the one eternal God, are persons, to whom all the attributes of Deity are indiscriminately applicable. This glorious peculiarity of revealed religion, is denied, opposed and rediculed by Arians, Socinians, and Deists, of every description. 'Tis what these rationalists, as they are fond to be called, with all their erudition and sagacity cannot apprehend, and their preposterous con­clusion is, therefore it is false and absurd. But these black epithets, upon the same principle, may be be­stowed upon many of the most stubborn facts. When our learned opponents explain the union betwixt their own bodies and minds, and shew how any being can exist without a cause, or be the cause of its own ex­istence, we shall pay an implicit deference to their other logical decisions. But at present, we deem it highly rational to believe the account God has plainly given of himself, however incomprehensible by us. His know­ledge, also, is too wonderful for us; yet we must believe and confess,

Secondly, That his understanding is infinite. The sublime doctrine of divine fore-knowledge, is no incon­siderable part of our invaluable report. The ancient veterans of Jesus Christ, in the cause of God and truth, used it with happy and never-failing success, in over­throwing all systems that taught, or implied contingen­cies, as applied to God. Their most acute and powerful adversaries could neither evade nor withstand the force of arguments properly drawn from this source: And all advocates for the invincible system of eternal truth, may ever avail themselves of this resistless and divine weapon. Some have the daring effrontery to deny God's fore knowledge of the free volitions of moral agents, which, in my judgment (one attribute [Page 6] of Deity being as perfect as another) is the same in effect, as to deny his being infinitely just. But from the highest authority, we know that his wisdom is illimitted. "He looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole Heaven." And the same in­finite discernment that penetrates the most secret recesses of immensity now, intimately pervades all the dark intricacies of futurity. "His eyes are in every place, beholding the evil and the good;" and both good and evil, as they originate in, and proceed from the heart. "He fills Heaven and earth, and knows the thoughts of the mind afar off." Not only the pre­sent but the most remote thought. "Hell and destruc­tion are," and were from eternity, "naked before him: How much more the hearts," and all the free volitions, "of the children of men?" There can be nothing concealed in the most distant and darkest gloom, from the only wise God, with whom the light dwells. These, and many other similar assertions, with which the scriptures abound, have all been demonstrated by his fore-telling, particularly, at the distance of ages, a multitude of deep and intricate events, depending for their existence, on the free volitions of moral agents. And if God's knowledge of that which to us is future, is perfect; and who can say it is not, all the objects of it, or events foreseen, must be from some cause abso­lutely necessary. That which to us is past, and cannot be otherwise, can be no more certain as it respects God, than all that is yet to come. With him, the future is as the present and the past. Well might an adoring apostle exclaim, O the depth of the riches of the know­ledge of God! It is true, fore-knowledge has no influence on its subjects; yet all must grant, that their existence, by some means, is made as certain and inevit­able, as the knowledge that comprehends them, is clear and infallible. No mathematical axiom can be more self-evident, than that certain fore-knowledge has an indissoluble connection with that which is certainly fore-known. He who will not allow this, can deny, that [Page 7] "Things equal to one and the same thing, are equal to one another." With the same variety and strength of evidence, the divine oracles declare,

Thirdly, The existence of an eternal, determinate and untrustrable counsel, the evolution of which will not be effected by less than the consummation of all things; nor prior to that period. God's sovereign and eternal will, being infinitely free to form his wonderful plan of operations, by effecting and permitting, as seemed good in his own sight; this is properly and emphatically called, "THE COUNSEL OF HIS OWN WILL." "A decree is declared: The decree of the Most High, which shall not pass."

And what can be more rationally supposed, than that God would not begin to act without proposing a deter­minate and important end? And to devise and secure all the means leading to, and inseparably connected with its accomplishment, was equally eligible and necessary. God's ultimate end in all his works, of nature, provi­dence and grace, was neither the happiness nor misery of any, or all his creatures, but his own declarative glory. "He made all things for himself." And this important truth extending its influence to all parts of the divine system with which it is connected, merits the strictest attention; many scriptures and dispensations being inexplicable without the reflection of its rays. Though there is no distinction betwixt the prescience and counsel of God, as immanent acts of the divine mind, in order of time, both being eternal, yet this was prior to that in order of nature. God did not foresee the events of time, and their final issue, falling out for­tuitously as some: or by an undesigning fatality, as others suppose, and decree accordingly; but with sovereign freedom and infinite skill, he drew his inimitable plan; and as the effect of his righteous and immutable decrees, foresaw its happy and exact execution. The admirable chain of providence respecting man, has been let down for enough to discover a design, too grand and consistent to be dependent on the giddy and clashing volitions of [Page 8] short-sighted mortals. Had they been all left to their sinful propensities, exposed to the violence of their own base and turbulent passions; without restraint, or quickening and directing influence from on high, the inevitable result must have been, their universal de­struction.

Blind chance is as incompetent to the government of the moral, as it would have been to the formation of the natural world. God's providence is universal and par­ticular. To answer his wise and holy purposes, he effects the good which exists, permits the evil, and re­strains the rest. And as the most minute incident may have an astonishing influence on a long series of interes­ting dispensations, all things were made the subject of divine determination. There is an indissoluble conca­tination betwixt things more distant and disproportioned, than the extremes of time; or the fall of a sparrow and the revolution of a kingdom. "The very hairs of our heads are numbered." Those who grant this, are prepared,

Fourthly, To contemplate, with awful and delight­ful reverence, the stupendous displays of God's sove­reign, electing and eternal love. This incomprehen­sible love, is the most interesting animating, and delightful theme, that ever exercised a created mind. Love is an essential attribute of the divine nature. "God is love." His love, like himself, is without beginning or end. He has loved all the objects of his present favor, with an everlasting love. He is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works. But his love to his redeemed is special, without the least imaginable injury to the rest of his creatures. It is with respect to this special love, that those who are not the objects of it, are represented in holy writ, as com­paratively hated, without the consideration of their having done either good or evil.

But even these have great reason to be thankful; and are highly culpable in having an evil eye, a murmuring heart, or a caviling tongue, because their bountiful [Page 9] benefactor is transcendantly good to others. Let the creature who has not received as much as it deserves, demand a recompence of God. But if he is indebted to none, let him without censure, do what he will with his own. When he was pleased to set up Christ in the office of mediator, as head of all principalities and powers, who had a right to be dissatisfied at being left to occupy an inferior sphere? God's setting up his only begotten son from everlasting, could do no shadow of injury to any, while it was infinitely advantageous to innumerable millions. For he was chosen as a head, and with reference to a body, which was accordingly chosen in him, irrespective of works of righteousness, from eternity. And who among the non elect, God having dealt bountifully with them, could say that they were wronged in not being made to share the still richer communications of his exuberant goodness, and the manifestations of his special love. Were complaints, on the score of an unequal distribution of the divine bounty just, there would be matter of universal murmuring. Every species of inferior creatures might repine, be­cause they are not a superior link in the chain of being, from the meanest animalcule, to the flaming seraph; who, likewise, dissatisfied with finite powers, might aspire at deity.

But the ingratitude, pride, and rebellious ambition, that prompt to such daring impiety, and a conduct so dreadfully perilous, must ever furnish sad monuments of signal vengeance. The order of the visible and ne­cessary subordination which exists among the creatures, shall never be violated. God's choosing a certain and definite number from among men in, and giving them as a portion, and charge to Christ, as their glorious head and representative, rendered the condition of others, by no means worse than the law of their creation had made it. God was under no obligation to elect any man, or election was of debt contrary to scripture; and consequently he had an indisputable right to pass over whom he pleased. The fulfilling of no future [Page 10] conditions by the creatures, induced God's choice; nor were characters, but persons, the objects of it. Men are not elected because converted; but converted be­cause elected. Faith and obedience are not causes, or conditions, but fruits and evidences of election. The elect being loved with an everlasting love, they are drawn with loving kindness. They were chosen to holiness, as well as, and in order to happiness. They were chosen to salvation through sanctification of the spirit, and belief of the truth. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," says the seraphic Paul, "who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. He hath saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began." And whom he thus fore-knew, we are to observe,

Fifthly, "He also did predestinate to the adoption of sons. The elect are "Predestinated to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ, in whom they have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will." Men are not ordained to eternal life because they believe; but as many as are ordained, or predestinated to eternal life, believe. Pre­destination, taken in its largest sense, has all creatures and events for its objects in a certain sense; but that branch of it which respects the elect, is well defined by the 39 ^th article of the English national church, in the following words: "Predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby, before the foun­dations of the world were laid, he hath constantly de­creed, by his counsel, secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation, those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honor." After [Page 11] these authorities, it would be superfluous to add any thing more on this head. As election supposes refusing, or passing by some; so predestination to life, as some are finally lost, leads us

Sixthly, To consider the particular decree that res­pects them. "If our gospel be hid," says St Paul, it is hid to them that are lost." And we learn by St. Peter, that there are some, "Who stumble at the word, being disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed." These are they "Whose names were not within the book of life from the foundation of the world." The decree which justly appointed them to wrath is called reprobation. We read of some stiled reprobate silver, and of others, who concerning good works were reprobate. The word in both these places signifies adulterated, or counterfeit. In this sense, God never reprobated any man. Men have reprobated and ruined themselves. Though eternal life is God's gift, through Jesus Christ, without respect to any merit in the heirs of it; eternal death is the just wages of sin. God never punishes any man unless he deserves it; and then only in exact proportion to his demerit. Man has no one to blame for his reprobation and destruction, but himself. Reprobation, as it is God's act, does indeed signify, abandoning to eternal misery; but it is for infinite and voluntary offences against his royal law and authority. All men act with the natural liberty of the will, and are worthy of praise and blame, gracious reward, and righteous punishment according to their works. "Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap." Some divide reprobation into preterition and predamnation. Preterition found and left the non-elect like the rest of the human race, doing them neither good nor harm; and predamnation was their righteous ap­pointment unto wrath, for their foreseen wickedness. A creature is never sent to hell, the bedlam of the universe, as a creature, or while it is fit for any other place. Damnation is of the sinner. All the damned are vessels of wrath, fitted by their God provoking sins, [Page 12] for destruction. These are the ungodly men, who, as such, were before of old, ordained to this condemnation. And it was undeniably as just, upon perfect foresight of their sins, to predetermine, as it is actually to inflict their damnation. "I cannot think," says that emi­nently great and good man, president Davies, "that the events of time, or the judicial process of the last day, will furnish God with any new intelligence to enable him to determine the final states of men more justly than he could from eternity." The non elect were left to enjoy common gifts, blessings and privi­ledges, in a providential way; but eventually to perish in and for their sins. From this awful truth, permit me to call your attention,

Seventhly, To the covenant of redemption. The bles­sings of the elect were secured by covenant. God made a covenant with his chosen, ordered in all things and sure. It was between the eternal Three, in behalf of the elect: Provision was made in this eternal contract to effect their recovery from the dire effects of the fall, in a way that would manifest, magnify, and do infinite honor to every divine perfection. The righteous law of God was viewed as shamefully violated, and divine justice, as thereby infinitely injured. Men were viewed as depraved, guilty, helpless and condemned creatures, without the least inclination or ability to satisfy for their offences or to return to God. Now God could not deny himself. He would by no means, as law­giver and judge, acquit the guilty. He would not agree for grace to reign but through righteousness; or to justify the ungodly, unless he could do it justly; jus­tice being essential to the divine character.

And though he might have exacted satisfaction of the [...] bankrupts themselves, he not only admitted, but exercised his wisdom goodness and mercy in providing a surety in the person of his own Son. The Father was to prepare him a true body and a rational soul, through the agency of the Holy Spirit, of the nature of man the transgressor, which in the fulness of time, [Page 13] he was to take into an inseparable union with the divine nature, as it existed in his person, that he might be a suitable mediator between God and man. In this ca­pacity he stipulated to magnify and make honorable the law, by a personal obedience adequate to all its exten­sive requisitions; and to satisfy the utmost demands of justice, by the sacrifice of his soul and body in the room and stead of his people, whose transgressions were all accordingly imputed to, or laid upon him. He then, as their covenant-head, received in their behalf, all the great and precious promises which enrich and adorn the inspired volume; together with all gifts, graces and heavenly blessings that were to be confer­red upon, and applied to the whole church, by the divine spirit. And the sacred compact was ratified by oaths, promises and blood. By this eternal contract the travel of Christ's soul was secured: Hence, "He shall see his seed, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand." Of the accomplishment of this, there can be no reasonable doubt, when it is considered.

Lastly, That redemption by Christ, as it respects the satisfaction of justice, is finished and compleat. All who were chosen in, and given to him, he covenanted in behalf of, and obeyed, suffered and died for, to put an end to their transgressions, and bring in for them an everlasting righteousness. For these many, for this all, he gave his life a ransom. This is the church he pur­chased with his blood. And for these, distinguished from the world, he intercedes. These are the ransomed of the Lord, who shall return to Zion with songs and ever­lasting joy. These are redeemed from among men, out of every tongue and kindred and people; and, as a consequence, washed in the blood of the Lamb. Christ will accomplish his whole undertaking. It never shall be truly said of him, "He began to build, but was not able to finish." If he undertook, absolutely, to save the whole human race, there is nothing but change of mind, or want of power, neither of which can be ascribed to him, that can hinder an universal salvation; [Page 14] which does not, however, appear to be the doctrine contained in the oracles of God. If he satisfied uncon­ditionally for all the sins of all men, not a soul in justice can be damned. But if he only satisfied for part of the sins of all men, however considerable a part that might be, they will have to answer for the other part, and there being an infinite evil in the least sin, not a soul can be saved. If Christ did not satisfy for unbelief, as well as other sins, all unbelievers must necessarily be lost, nothing having the efficacy to cleanse from sin, but his invaluable blood.

From which it evidently appears, that either Christ did not satisfy for their sins who are finally lost, or that men may perish everlastingly for the very transgressions to which he put an end by the vicarious sacrifice of him­self. And if this is a possible case, I beg leave to ask, what besides the death of Christ, is sufficient to keep a soul from condemnation. If the merits of Christ alone are not sufficient to rest upon for salvation, what in addition to them is, should doubtless be precisely ascer­tained. It is said, that he undertook to save men con­ditionally; but if he only undertook to save those who are finally lost upon conditions which he knew would eventually never be fulfilled, he in fact never designed their salvation at all and consequently did not die, nor intercede for them. His life was infinitely too dear to lay down at uncertainties; much less for the salvation of those whom he knew would be finally lost; and least of all for those who were lost already when he died. It appears that he obeyed, suffered and died for the elect only, who are called accordingly, by invincible grace, out of darkness into light, justified by his righteousness imputed to them, sanctified by his grace implanted in them, and kept by divine power, through faith unto salvation. Admonished by my assigned limits, I pro­ceed,

Secondly. To shew of whom, and the grounds on which faith is required in our report, considered as it respects the whole of divine revelation.

[Page 15]First, I am to shew of whom this faith is required. It will doubtless be attended with little difficulty to prove, if a negative may be admitted, that faith is never required without information and testimony. All agree that a revelation is not made to many who are lost; and yet some say that no man is condemned but for unbelief. But how can it be supposed, that a person who never heard, or obtained knowledge of our report, by any means, can be concerned with it as an object of faith? That faith through the powerful influence of the Holy Spirit may virtually, or essentially exist, without the use of external means, and so produce the salvation of the subjects of it, is readily allowed; but that even this is required without being produced, much less the exercise of it, must be denied. A man can be under no obligation to believe, without a revelation: An angel in Heaven is incapable of this. For faith comes by hear­ing, and hearing by the word of God, in the manner effects are produced by their cause. Objects may exist without any connection with, or relation to faith; but faith cannot exist without reference to an object, real or understood, and an object revealed. Facts must really or possibly exist, to become objects of faith; then they must be revealed, and the revelation requires, and can only produce a faith according to its own nature. Faith never puts its object into existence, as some have absurdly represented, and facts are true whether they are be­lieved or not. Some confess, that an historical faith without information, or a saving faith, with a merely external revelation, is more than man can produce; but they argue that his ability in his present state, is not the standard of his duty, and that God justly requires that of him now, which, through his own voluntarly contracted depravity, he cannot perform.

But though, in a qualified sense, we grant this, it will not follow, that God will require any thing inequit­able or unreasonable of his creatures, as that unques­tionably would be, for which he never gave them a capacity. And it is evident, that man in his primoeval [Page 16] state, had no power to believe without a revelation. And how can it be supposed, I speak with reverence, according to our ideas of justice, that that can be justly required of man, to which his nature and powers in their highest perfection were inadequate? What God calls us to perform, is but our reasonable service. And yet it must be owned, that duties are required of us, for which we have not, at present, a moral ability. It would be impious in the highest degree, for us to deny that it is our indispensable duty, to love the Lord our God, with all our hearts, minds and strength, and our neighbours as ourselves; and it would be equally false and absurd to say, that we have a moral power to dis­charge this important obligation in our depraved state. But as we were originally sufficient for these things, and have no one to blame but ourselves, that we did not continue so, we are without excuse in not living in the constant habit and exercise of them. We must own, that all the duties required of our common parents, when recent from their Maker's hands, by the moral law, may be demanded, with equal justice, of their posterity; but they are under no further obligations until they have a revelation from heaven. The obe­dience which our parents owed the moral law prior to the fall, was without controversy, due then from their posterity, who seminally and representatively ex­isted in them; and the law being as unalterable as the divine perfections of which it is a transcript, the very same obedience must be as justly due sinc the fall. The guilty loss of our moral power to obey, by no means slackened our obligations to obedience. The divine law, founded in eternal equity, and the various relations sustained by all intelligent creatures to God and each other, form the universal, perpetual, and unalterable criterion of vice and virtue. "By the law is the knowledge of sin." If the law might have been satis­fied with the best obedience of which fallen men are capable, Christ need not have come to magnify and make it honorable. For it is evident that in the righte­ousness [Page 17] which has the approbation of the law, a man may be justified before God. The scriptures and facts too, declare our guilt of the first man's offence. And the loss of our original righteousness abstractedly con­sidered, being our common sin, or sin of our nature, cannot be admitted as an excuse, but is rather an aggra­vation of our want of conformity unto, and transgres­sion of the divine law. A man's voluntary intoxication, especially when he is apprized and warned of its effects, furnishes him with no admissible apology for any conse­quential misdemeanor. But as it did not become the duty of Adam to believe in the Messiah, until he was revealed unto him, and then only according to the man­ner in which he was revealed, so his sons can be under no obligation to believe either in the written, or essen­tial word, without a revalation.

But those who are favored with a revelation, are bound to a correspondent faith. These are the persons of whom faith in our report are required; and upon what grounds, comes next under our consideration. In attending to this matter, it will be necessary to make an enquiry with respect to the necessity of a revelation. It is said by the deists, that a revelation is unnecessary; reason, as possessed by man in his present state, being adequate to all his exigencies: And could this assertion be proved, all would be constrained to allow that super­natural assistance would be superfluous, and that there­fore it would not be afforded. But what our natural light is competent to, let the state of the present Hea­then nations, and the public and well-known practices of the past, at the most enlightened periods, declare. It is notorious that there are nations of men, whose collected wisdom and ingenuity are insufficient, as an elegant writer observes, to form a nail or a hatchet. Their worship is worse than brutal; they are in every respect hateful, hating, and (literally) biting, devouring and massacreing one another. And whether the unassisted reason of such wretched savages, ever so strictly fol­lowed, may be depended upon as a sure guide to virtue [Page 18] and happiness; and what they might do towards form­ing a system of laws and ethics, tending to promote and secure their present and future felicity, I leave my judi­cious hearers to determine. The deplorable condition of these profoundly ignorant and most unhappy beings, who are partakers of all our merely natural advant­ages, and the fragments of revelation found among the more improved heathen nations, tend to prove that even all the improvements in science, arts and civiliza­tion among the latter, are greatly owing to super­natural revelation. And it may be rationally pre­sumed, that if it were not for the very advantages derived from the scriptures, those who are now laurel­led as men of wit and politeness, merely because they can dextrously ridicule every thing that is sacred, might have been like the Hottentots, adorned with the entrails of wild beasts tied to their hair, as ensigns of their su­perior worth and accomplishments. But without some knowledge of the bible, by tradition or otherwise, it has been found by long observation, that no nation or community could ever arrive at any tolerable degree of moral or religious refinement. The public practices of the learned and renowned heathens of antiquity, which were highly esteemed and celebrated by their famous poets and orators, were grossly idolatrous, and most detestably obscene, lewd and cruel. No abstract rea­sonings can affect the validity of these stubborn and melancholy facts, or hinder them from shewing, to all who will calmly consider, the necessity of a revelation from heaven. And none can deny that the thing, in itself, is possible. God is undeniably able to communi­cate divine intelligence to his rational creatures, which his goodness induces a hope for: And who, in our happy land of light, is not convinced that this is done? The glorious effects of supernatural rays, every where evince their divine origin. True light in the moral world, now shines. And all must be constrained to own, that the bible, from its pureness and excellency, has, indisputably, the fairest pretensions to this exalted [Page 19] character: In this respect it has no competitor. The once famous lying oracles among the pagans, have been long since dumb. And no man of candor and information, will put the Alcoran in competition with the writings which we call inspired. For though it is highly vene­rated by the Mahometans, as brought chapter by chap­ter to their founder, by the angel Gabriel; it is an evident medley of paganism, Judaism and christianity, without a single internal mark of originality; much less of inspiration. In a time of gross darkness, it was palmed upon its deluded votaries, in order to unite them together in bloody wars with their neighbors. And the hellish project succeeded. The execrable end was answered to the gratification of the pride, ambition and sensuality of its author. But Mahomet himself, never denied the divine authority of the bible. His pretence was, to revive the primitive way of worship and purity practised by the ancient patriarchs: The Jews readily acknowledge the authenticity of the old testament, which every unprejudiced and discerning person must see stands or falls with the new. And these excellent writings, not only shine with unrivaled splendor, when compared with others, but appear to still higher advantage, both as to evidence and worth, upon an absolute investigation. Both their matter and man­ner bespeak their author. They contain every thing that could be required or expected from a divine revela­tion, and nothing more. They are neither deficient nor redundant. "Indeed," says the great Mr. Locke, "the perfection, the fulness, the comprehension of the holy scriptures, is truly astonishing." Nor is it matter of wonder, that men of such penetration and profound erudition, as Selden, Milton, Boyle, Locke, Sir Isaac Newton, Addison and Lyttleton, ranked among their warmest admirers. They are adapted to every state and capacity; and with a commanding authority, and trans­forming efficacy on the heart, inculcate every thing per­fective of mankind, both in time and eternity. They possess the beauties and excellency of historical, poeti­cal, [Page 20] epistolary, theological and moral composition, in their highest perfection. The simplicity, solemnity, conciseness, sublimity and majesty of their style, excite the admiration of all who have critical knowledge, or a taste for fine writings; to which may be added, the aptness and elegance of their similies, parables, meta­phors allegories, and other elucidating, engaging and striking figures of speech, which are equalled by nothing but the excellency of their doctrines, the purity of their morals, and the importance of the facts they relate or unfold. And this invaluable assemblage of sacred truths, is pervaded by the sweetest harmony, and the strictest consistence. This internal evidence of its divine original is found, upon strict examination, to be irresistibly strong; but it authenticity is also clearly attested, by a cloud of unexceptionable witnesses from without. We find the blessed bible in the highest estimation with all good men, in every age, among whom are many not only of the finest parts and greatest discernment, but such who display its efficacy by a virtuous and exemplary con­duct; a number of whom have, at various periods, but particularly in the early days of christianity, seated the truth of their testimony with their blood. And it is no where treated with contempt but by wicked men whose dislike arises from the reproof it gives their vices which is a most convincing evidence of its intrinsic ex­cellency. The enemies of the christian religion among Jews and gentiles, demonstrate its genuineness, and are every day fulfilling the predictions of its adorable author. And notwithstanding the opposition it meets with from the lusts and passions of men, by a special providence it is permanently established in various populous coun­tries and great nations, and extorts external deference from many who secretly repine at its prosperity; the clouds of ignorance, error and superstition fly before, and the works of darkness languish under its effulgent beams. Its friends and advocates are continually strengthening and multiplying, and its infatuated ene­mies falling before its gentle, though irresistable influence.

[Page 21]If we look back to the primitive state of christianity, we find it surrounded by numerous learned politic and powerful persecutors among Jews and Gentiles, yet gloriously triumphing over all opposition. It made its way without the least external force, with such amazing rapidity through the kingdoms of the world, that this single circumstance is enough to convince any reason­able man, it was assisted by divine power. "Turtul­lian tells the Roman governors, that their corporations, councils, armies, tribes, companies, the palace, senate and courts of judicature, were filled with christians. And Arnobious asserts, that men of the finest parts and learning, orators, grammarians, rhetoricians, lawyers, physicians, philosophers, despising the sentiments they had been once fond of, took up their rest in the christian religlon." Neither secret fraud, nor open violence, could retard its progress. As to the miracles ascribed by the scriptures to Christ and his apostles, their most avowed enemies acknowledged them, though they ab­surdly and blasphemously ascribed them to magic. Than these, nothing at the same distance of time, can be bet­ter attested, And none can deny, that the writers of the scriptures appear to have been good men. Their whole lives and their deaths demonstrated the purity of their intentions. And as they lived in different nations, and in distant ages, it is impossible there could have been any combination among them to deceive. Besides, good men would scorn to deceive, or attempt affixing the seal of heaven to their own performances. From the manner in which they received their various intel­ligence, it is impossible they could have been deceived themselves. And it is certain, from the implacable enmity that wicked men have ever manifested against the scriptures, that persons of their spirit and character never wrote them. Upon these considerations, together with the acknowledged accomplishment of many of their important predictions, we fairly conclude that their author is God. If with this authority and evidence, to mention no more, the scriptures are not believed, [Page 22] by those to whom they are sent, the infidels, virtually, in the judgment of an apostle, give God the lie, and may therefore justly expect, except they repent, the forest condemnation. Yet this sin is as common, as aggra­vated; though it is impossible for a history to be better attested than that of the bible; or more calculated to promote the happiness of mankind, even in this life. Collectively considered, believers are exceedingly nu­merous, but they are comparatively few. In this point of view, we may exclaim "Who hath believed our report?" But dismissing the explication,

I shall lastly endeavour to answer a few of the most plausible and popular objections against what has been delivered. I have shewn that there are three that bear record in heaven, and that these three are one; that God's understanding is infinite; that he works all things according to the counsel of his own will; that there is an election of grace to eternal glory; that the elect are predestinated to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ; that others, for their foreseen sins, are righteously appointed unto wrath; that all gifts and graces bestowed upon the church from age to age, under every dispensation, Christ stipulated for in the covenant of re­demption; that he obeyed, suffered and died for the elect only, to whom accordingly the special benefits of his death are peculiar; that those only who hear are bound to believe; that a revelation never requires a faith differ­ent from its own nature; that supernatural light is ne­cessary, might be expected, and evidently is communi­cated; that the bible contains it; and, upon the internal and external evidence in its favor, is to be received as the record of a divine revelation. And against a system of doctrines so consistent with itself, and all the known attributes of God; so corroborated by all the dispensa­tions of providence; so much for the interests, happi­ness and security of all good men; and so much for the encouragement of all who sincerely desire to be saved from sin and misery, one would think there could be few serious objections. And we are fully persuaded [Page 23] there are none so weighty but may be removed. What has been advanced is indeed mysteriously awful and stupendous, infinitely transcending all the powers of human reason. And if it was otherwise, as it professes to be a revelation of the counsels of eternal wisdom, the origin, revolutions and final states of the rational world, it would be less credible. These are the deep things of God which the spirit reveals, and which angels desire to look into. Had we an exact account of the material system of the universe, in its nature, connection and dependencies, perhaps we should not be less aston­ished. Yet the mysterious nature of some divine truths, is considered, by a certain class of men, as a very capital objection against them. They think it unreasonable to believe without comprehending a proposition. I allude to those incredulous gentlemen (and such as partake mea­surably of their spirit) who can only believe that the harmo­nious and astonishingly grand system, of which the terra­queous globe is a small part, is the illustrious offspring of the great goddess CHANCE; to whom they ascribe their own fearful and wonderful formation, together with the preservation and government of all worlds. And this is no greater an exertion of the credulous faculty, than to believe that a commodious and superb edifice, displaying all the symmetry, proportion and elegance of architecture, may be an accidental coalition of heterogeneous materials. Every article in their creed is as evident, as that a most curious and useful watch, may be the result of a fortuitous collection of splendid particles, independent of ingenuity or design: Or, that a voluminous and accurate history, containing an authentic narrative of the events of an age, and embellished with all the elegancies of diction, may be the production of types and points, formed, and thrown together by accident. But we are told, that our scheme is not only too mysterious for admission, but makes God the author of sin. This we deny. Though we cannot to account for its origin, believe with the Manichoeans, that there are two almighty conflicting principles, who [Page 24] reign independent of each other, one of whom is the author of evil; yet we acknowledge it is dreadfully certain, sin has entered into our system and reigned unto death; but its origin, among the secret things which belong to God, is in many respects, environed with im­penetrable darkness. From his purity and holiness we know that he can tempt no man to, nor have the least fellowship with sin, much less be the author of it; but as he is the Almighty, and does whatsoever his soul pleaseth, it is equally certain that it cannot exist con­trary to his permissive will. It is evident that God could have prevented its existence, and we are sure his goodness and benevolence would have disposed him to it, would it have ultimately answered the most valuable and important purpose. He had, no doubt, infinitely weighty reasons, to us unknown, for forming as he did all his permissive and effective decrees, which he fulfils in a wise, holy, just, and powerful manner; without offering the least degree of violence to the will of a creature. He has permitted poisons to enter into the natural as well as the moral world, and has created their antidotes; and in so doing, was not less holy than wonderful in counsel; and is as pure as excellent in operation. Here the grey-headed objection, "why doth he yet find fault; for who hath resisted his will?" is sure to be revived; but our apostle has answered it. Wicked men and devils must know, that their voluntary wicked­ness shall be righteously punished, though God over­rules it, contrary to their design and intention, for his own glory. The wrath of man shall praise him, and the remainder he will restrain. The wicked are with­out excuse, though with satanical effrontery they [...] against God. Another objection against our repose is, that it charges God with being a respecter of persons. But let it be considered, that a sovereign judge [...] the capacity of a benefactor, may give to one man▪ with­out being under the least obligation to bestow as much upon every one in the same condition; though in the execution of his office, he must pronounce sentence upon [Page 25] every offender, in exact proportion to his guilt. To depart from the line of justice in the last instance, will subject him to a charge of partiality; to which he is never liable, in doing what he will with his own. And who can presume to deny the judge of all the earth the same privilege. In dispensing of his benefits, he may and does open wide his munificent hands, and give liberally to some, while he with-holds from others; which applies to the common bounties of providence, as well as to the special blessings of grace. But as a law-giver and judge, "God will render to every man according to his deeds: To them, who by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, and honor, and immortal­ity; eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness; indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile. For there is no respect of persons with God." When he gives, it is not from a partiality to the objects of his bounty; but from motives of so­vereign goodness within himself. He has as much respect for a Gentile, as for a Jew; for the poor, as for the rich; for the bond, as for the free; for the illiterate, as for the learned. Our doctrines only contend, with the scriptures, for his doing what he will with his own. It is also said, that the doctrine of particular election, represents God as unrighteous and cruel, in passing by a number of fallen men, without giving them a chance for salvation. Please to observe, that those who deny an election of persons to glory, are constrained directly or indirectly to argue, that God was bound by his per­fections, to put the whole lost race of men into a salvable state; for were they to acknowledge, that he might have justly left all men to perish, as trangressors of his holy law, it would undeniably follow, that he might, as he certainly did, leave some men to perish. But if God was bound to make salvation possible for all men, provision for their recovery was no act of mercy, but the discharge of an indispensible obligation. If God [Page 26] could not justly have left sinners to perish in, and for their sins, he was bound in, and by justice to provide for their salvation. But does this accord with the scrip­tures? Do they say that in laying the foundation of our hope, God did by us what justice required; or that he had unmerited mercy upon us? If making salvation possible was required by justice, all that we have to praise God for, on this head, is for not acting contrary, at least, to one of his attributes; which was impossible. But this, with a witness, makes provision for salvation of debt, instead of grace. Again, the advocates for this scheme, which makes salvation possible to all men, grant, it does not make it absolutely sure to any man. Now if this scheme is true, it was not impossible but Christ might have died in vain; but for him to die in vain, according to the counsel of God, is an event unworthy of an all-wise, immutable and almighty being; therefore this celebrated scheme, so congruous to the ideas of natural men, must be false. I speak to those who acknowledge the divinity of Christ, and unto wise men, judge ye what I say. Besides, does this plan exclude boasting, even before God? Was a man to be glorified upon it, might he not rise with propriety before the eternal throne, and addressing himself to the happy intelligences, say, "I confess I fell in Adam, but God being bound to put me into a salvable state, I was capacitated, in common with my species, to save my­self; and, fulfilling the conditions of my salvation, by a steady perseverance, without the least special assistance, I happily arrived at glory. And those indolent and perverse wretches, who are suffering the vengeance of eternal fire, had in every respect, an equal chance with me for a blissful immortality. It was not the impartial Jehovah who made me to differ; by diligence and perse­verance I am what I am!" These, and many other similar absurdities, we must admit, or else acknowledge with St. Paul, that God might have mercy on whom he would, without the shadow of cruelty or injustice. Some who hold that Christ died intentionally for the [Page 27] elect only, think our system deficient, because it does not allow that he died sufficiently for all mankind. But, with all deference, I beg leave to say, that this appears, at least to me, to be a groundless distinction. It is certain Christ's merits were sufficient, had they been designed for such an end, to have satisfied for as many sinful worlds, upon the supposition of their existence and fall, as there are individuals belonging to the hu­man race. But the object cannot be inferred from the sufficiency of Christ's death. He will save no more, and he will certainly save no less, than those for whom, by divine appointment, he died, and for whom he accord­ingly intercedes. All men receive innumerable common gifts and blessings, for the elect's sake, in consequence of Christ's mediatorial interposition; but as he never intended to save those whom he knew would be eventu­ally lost, it appears inconsistent with the divine wisdom and oeconomy, to make provision in his redemption for them. Christ is the common and providential saviour of all men; but he is the special saviour only of those whom he purchased; and to whom he accordingly gives evangelical faith and eternal life. Some think a great difficulty arises here from the obligations all men are under to believe in Christ. But let them distinguish be­tween believing in Christ as the Messiah, with an historic or rational faith which is required, and may be produced by the written word; and believing in him spiritually, as having died for our sins, which faith is of divine operation, and the difficulty vanishes. Their not be­lieving in Christ as the Messiah, was the unbelief for which the Jews were blamed, and for which their punishment will be more intolerable in the day of judg­ment than that of Sodom and Gomorrah, who added not the contempt of the gospel, to the violation of the law. A man will not be blamed, much less damned in the great day, because he did not believe that Christ died for his sins. No consistent Calvinist will grant that any man will be damned, for whose sins of every kind, Christ died; and I suppose there is no one that [Page 28] can think a man may be damned for not believing what is not true. But one of these propositions is true, or no sinner will be damned for not believing that Christ died for him.

The Jews, with all other men, were in a condemned state when Christ came; and they hated and rejected that glorious light, because their deeds were previously evil. They were told that they were in a state of condem­nation, as the sinful offspring of Adam, as was evident from their not having faith, the only instrument and evidence of personal justification. Some, from sup­posing the scriptures to be full of offers of salvation to all men, infer an universal redemption. And without supposing, either that God is insincere and disingenuous in his offers, or that Christ purchased salvation for many in vain, they must hold, to be consistent with an univer­sal salvation too. But it should be carefully observed, that eternal life is not the offer, but the gift of God. And all invitations to a participation of special benefits are addressed to the characters to whom the promises belong. If Christ, as man, had no right to bestow a place in his kingdom on a petitioner, but according to his Father's appointment, much less have his minis­ters a right to offer salvation to those for whom the Father never may have designed it. There is a division of the word to be made, and the different characters are to have their different portions. Christ crucified, or the gospel, which knows nothing of offers, terms or penalties, but is a declaration of life and salvation through Christ, for condemned, ruined, helpless sinners, is to be preached to every intelligent attending creature. And all that find, and feel themselves condemned, ruined and helpless, are to be encouraged to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ; for such he came to seek and to save. He was anointed to preach good tidings to the meek, and came to bind up the broken hearted; and, not to offer, but to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to comfort all that mourn. The simple, the scorners and [Page 29] sinners of every description, are to be exhorted to attend to the reproofs of wisdom, and use all the public and private means of grace; and repentance is to be preached, and enforced as the duty of all men; for had not a saviour been provided for any man, re­pentance would have been the duty of all sinners; but these are not to be invited to partake of the food and privileges of children. IF children, then heirs. It is said that sinners must have Christ, or life through him offered to them, to leave them without excuse, which involves the absurdity of God's being bound to provide and offer a saviour to fallen men, to leave them inexcuseable; as if the law did not stop every man's mouth, and prove the whole world guilty before God. But Christ came not to condemn the world. It is not Christ, but Moses that accuses men to the Father. It is not the gospel that condemns and leaves men without excuse, but the law. Some, who would be thought great friends to holiness, are apprehensive we neglect the interest of morality, and open a door for licentious­ness, by not making works the condition of salvation; but we most freely leave the world to determine what doctrines have been most owned through all ages, in destroying the works of darkness, and producing the fruits of holiness. If we consider the dead in sin, in no capacity to work for life; we believe those who are the workmanship of God, created anew in Christ Jesus, will work from life. And natural men, who discern not the things of the spirit, but deem them foolishness, have many other motives which are more powerful with them, to discharge the external duties of which they are capable, than the promise of eternal life would be. As to the frivolous, vulgar objections against the doctrines of grace, from their being igno­rantly supposed to render the use of means, holiness, and a judgment to come, unnecessary, because these things cannot change the mind of God, or give him information, they are too palpably contemptible to be regarded. As the light of truth and philoso­phy [Page 30] prevail, our glorious system will shine and tri­umph with peculiar lustre and energy. The more it is studied and investigated, the more perspicu­ously its excellencies appear. It exalts every attribute of deity, shews the necessary dependance of all things on the first cause, gives weight, efficacy and perma­nency to all the divine promises, threatenings, and prophecies, leaves sinners without excuse, excludes boasting from saints, and lays a firm foundation for the full assurance of faith, for the most lively hope, humble resignation, perfect patience, manly fortitude, and ex­alted piety. Heathens could exclaim against vice, as the odious bane of personal and social felicity, with as much pertinence and zeal, as our merely moral preachers, and shew with equal elegance, the nature, beauty, fitness and utility of moral duties: But evangelical preachers not only set morality in a more engaging light, but direct to strength and righte­ousness▪ discover a rational method of acceptance for our persons and performances with an offended God; and engage us in the highest improvement of our nature▪ and the most vigorous exertion of all our powers, for the interests of mankind, and the glory of God, by the most animating and powerful motives drawn from the grand peculiarities of the gospel. Moral, merely moral lights may shine, but evangelical, both shine and warm.

[...] in the candor of this venerable audience, I shall [...] leave the issue of my mite to the deter­mination of heaven, without further trespassing on your patience, by apologising for the consumption of a much larger proportion of time than fell to my years and abilities. The Lord, the Holy Spirit, give each divine truth delivered, its due weight and importance on every mind, influence those immediately concerned for Zion's prosperity, in all their consultations and determinations, direct your hearts into the love of God the Father, and into the patient waiting for Christ our Redeemer. Amen.