the language, culloms, and
fentiments of the biblical
writers are fo far to be ad-
mired, yea fo far to be cre-
dited, as they agree with thefe
fuprcme models of learning,
and fentiment, and tafte f
The prophet, that hatha dream ,
let him till it as a dream : but
he, that hath my -word, let him
/peak my nuord as it if. Is not
my ivord tike fin? jer. xxiii.
28, 29. Truth, like fire,
has properties of its own-
neither need paufe for a pat-
tern from the trutli and the
fire of Greece. See Meric
Crfiai'hns Letter to Dr. Petir
Du Mouli;i^'\66<:).

c. Princioles of religion



( Ui )

nated ; and on this as on one of the principal foun-
dations, S. Paul eftabhfheth our hope for the fu-
ture, God^ having begun a good uork in us, will
perform ittothedayofChrift: and ellc where, God
is faithful^ who hath called you to the felloivjhip of
his for, 3 It was by a principle of wifdom and
foreknowledge, that Jeliis Chrift fought this para-
lytick patient in the temple, in order to teach him
his duty, to furnilh him with the means of doing
it, and to give him a more particular knowledge
of the friend, who had healed him -, for he well
knew, that a tender faith, fuch as that of this man
was, had neea of frefh and continual aid, as a
young plant needs a prop to fupport it againft
winds and llonns.

In like manner, if you had to examine thefe
^yords of Jefus Chrift to the Samaritan woman,
Co and call thy hujhand^ John iv. You might

ex-



are efTential to the ininlfler of
Chrift. All churches adl as
if they thought an unprinci-
pled minifter a cur e to his
people, therefore all require
real or pretended principles.
A candidate for orders in the
eftablifhed < hurch is obliged
to profefs, that he is mo'ved
by the holy Ghnft to take or-
ders ; and, if he afpire to be
a bifhop, he is obliged to
profefs, that he does not af-
pire to that honour, 'Nolo
Epifcopari. Among the pro-
teftant-di (Tenters a confeflion
of faith is ufually required
at ordination, that is, a pro-
fefTion of the minifter's own
religious principles is re-
quired. Our old divines fup-



pofed principles of four forts
neceffary to a minlller. " I.
Verfonal principles for the
government of himfelf — 2.
Domefiick principles for the
management ot his family—'
3. Po/Z/zV^i/ principles for the
regulation of his conduft to-
ward thofe, who were -with-
out — And lailly. Official prin-
ciples for the execution of
his minijlry." The firfl are
cognizable by God, the fe-
cond bv his/aw:/y, the third
\)Y go'vcrnmcnf., and his neigh-
bours, the laft by the church,
over which bv their own,
choice he ou!!;ht to be ap-
pointed overfeer, infpeftor,
or bifhop. Vid. Nichol. Hem-
mingii FciJIor. ad init.



( H2 )

examine the intention of Jefus Chrift in this
exprcffion. (9) He did not fpeak thus, becaufe he
was ignorant what fort of a hfe this woman lived.
He knew that, to fpeak properly, {he had no

hufband.



(9) Conflder the intenticn of
Jefus Cbrijh Jelus Chrilt
often fpoke obfcuiely to his
ciifciples, and in parables.
Kis intention in fpeaking {ot
was the moii: wife and bene-
volent, that could be ima-
gined. Had h; only defjgn-
ed to inform his difciples of
truths, he would have deli-
vered his fentlments in the
plained manner: but he in-
tended to exercife their minds,
to form in them a hahii of
thinkings reflecting, and rea-
ibning, and fo to endear truths
to them by giving them the
pleafure of difcovering them.
Lazaret h our friend fleepcth — •
Defray this temple — Ye pall fit
on tnvelve thrones judging the
twelve tribes i Sec. Exem-
plum autem de templo re-
Ilaurando, et de duodecim
fedibus apoilolorum ea int.;:-
tione a Chriilo prolatum eft,
u t difd. rlu77i dfcendi, ac fu-
diiim de von inie'leilis inqui-
readi, et interrogandi accende-
ret. Ziegicri in Grotii de jure
vel, et par. libros animadverf-
Bues. lib. iii. cap. I .

It is a well known maxim
of lawyers. Prior et potentior
eft mens i^uam 'VOX diientis ; and
ti; vines early adopted it as a
rule of invefligating fcrip-
turc. Nicholas de Lyra (ad
cap, xviii. PenleronJ quotes.



as a maxim of Hilary, this
axiom, Intelligentia dicier um
ex caufis funnnda efi diantiSf
that is, from his fcope, dc-
fign, or intention. S. Au-
guftine enlarges on this ar-
ticle in the fifth and tenth
chapters of the third book de
dodt. Chrillian. The writers
of fcripture had, ftri6tly
fpeaking, only one primary
principal meaning in what
they wrote, and this we call
the literal fenfc, fenfum lite-
ralem efle, fays Aquina*,
quem aator fr^ecipue intendit.
Papal divines, fchoolmen,
and many proteftants think,
there is a double meaning,
more properly a twofold fenfe
iij fcripture, a /;V«W and a nnf-
tical meaning, and this laft
they divide into Allegorical —
Tropological — and Anagogical.
When a literal fenfe is tranf-
ferred to morals, it is called
^rripological, as 7hou faalt not
}nuz%le th?. ex, •when he tread-
elh out the corn. Deut. xxv, 4.
transferred by S. Paul to the
fupport of minlfters. i Cor.
ix. 9, 10. A transfer is ana-
gogical, when it regards eter-
nal life. Some divines think,
tliefe diftindions futile, and
call them allegory, concern-
ing which thsy direft. i.
Let your allegory havey^;/))-
turj authcrity, 2. Content
your*



( H3 )

Kufband. It was then, i. A word o? trial -^ for the
Xord faid this to give her an opportunity of mak-
ing a free conftillon, / have no hujbmid. z. It
was alio a word of kwd reproof-, for he intended
to convince her of the fin in which {]je lived. 3. It
was alfo a word of grace-, for the ccnfure tended
to the woman's conlblation. . 4. It was farther,
a word of ivifdom-, for our Lord intended to take

occafion



yourfelf with fuch an applica-
tion as fcripture makes of it.
Allegories prcve nothing.
^heologia Jymhotica non eji ar-
gumevtati'va. Aquin. apud
Keckerman. Rhet. lib. i. cap.

7-3- .

Intention is of the utmoft

importance in cafuijiry, or
confcience-law. An excel-
lent critick obferves — that
*' "y^diij.jA and nrvzxj^A fland
diftinguilhed in fcripture
from each other — that the
iirft is confined to the gram-
matical, or litiral fenie of
the law, and the laft is put
for the mind and intention of
the lawgiver — that Ariitotle
often ufes yfa.u[^ci!]a. for
luritten laws in oppofition to
the njoill of the governor —
that he calls it afonlijh thing
for a go'vernor to follo'w Jiridly
a ivritten lavj — DeRepub. lib.
iii. 15. — that Cicero alfo op-
pofes the letter of the law
again ft the intention of the
law-maker. De hi'vent. i.
38 — that law fpeaks of things
in gen-.ral terms, without
accommod'ting them to
particulur cafes, &c." Le
Qltrc. Sup. te Ham. Mat. v. 1 7.



The intention of the fpeaker
is alfo of great confrquence
in obtaining the true fenfe
of pro'verbial expreffions —
general objt) nations — occ. &C.
For exaiT.ple.

Prov. xviii. 22. WJjofo
findeth a ivife, Jitid th a good
thing. Vvn:iofo findeth a muift
— prud'nt — chajie wife, find-
eth a bUjJing, indeed : but if
a wife poifefs contrary qua-
lities, the finder, I fancy,
will not think her a good
thing, although prudence
may keep him from faying
fo.

Pfalm Iv. 23. Deceitful
men Jhall net li've out half
their days ; that is, yo/^j^ deceit-
ful men fhall not.

cxxviii. 3. The ixife of the
man, ivhfi feiweth the Lcrdy
Jhall be as a fruitful 'vine, and
his children like oli-Tje-plants.
That is, temperance and
chaftity ff£H:r.-7^' produce po-
pulation.

xxxvii. 2 J. 1, ivho am, old,
ne'ver fanu the feed nf the righ-
teous begging bread. It is not
common to fee induftrJous fa-
milies, who alfo are bt'loved,
and therefore kflifted by the
cha-



( 144 )

occafion kt this meeting to difcover himfelf to her;
and more clearly to convince her, that he had a
perfe6l knowledge of all the fecrets of her life,
as he prefently proved by faying, tbou haji well
faid^ I have t]fi hujljand^ for thou hafi had five huf'-
bands^ and he, whom thou now haji, is not thy huf-
kand. (i)

Were



charitable, reduced to beg-
gary.

Prov. xxii. 6. Train tip a
child in the <vjay he JJoould go ;
and nvhen he is old he ivill not
depart from it. Pious prin-
ciples inftilled in youth fd-
dom fail of operating in old
age.

I Cor, X. 33. / ftrive to
pleafe cdl the 7ncn, of whom I
have been fpeaking, in all
lawful, and expedient things.
Gal. i. 10. If I pleafed men
by preaching another gofpel,
/ fhould not be the fsr'vant of
Chrijl.

(l) Woman cf Samaria. Bi-
fhop Maffillon has a fermon
on delaying converiion, from
the fame pallage. Mr. C.
fpeaks of the principles of
Chrifi"^ words to the woman.
The bifliop treats of the fiu^/-
OTaw's principles in her an-
fwers. " I remark (fays he)
three principal excufes, which
Ihe makes ufeof to avoid ac-
cepting the merciful offers of
Jcfus Chrift. I. An excufe
oijiaiion, or condition. She
is a woman of Samaria, and
therefore forbidden to grant
what the Saviour aflccd of
her, bo^M is it that thou - - -



afhefi nxater of me, tvho am a
nvoman of Samaria ? 2. An
excufe on account of the dif-
ficidty ; the njoell is deep, and
there is nothing to draiu ^with.
Finally, an excufe on ac-
count of the great 'variety of
opinions, which made it doubt-
ful whether (he Ihould ivor-
fhip nxjith her fathers in that
mountain, or, as the fewos
faid, at fenifaletn. Let us h^ar
ourfelves in this woman. 1*he
excufes, which {he oppofes
againft the grace of Jefus
Chrift, are fuch as we every
dayoppofe againft it. We pre-
tend to find in om Jlations of
life rcafons for a worldly con-
du£l. We can form excufes
concerning dijpcuhy, for we
frame an impradlicable idea
of virtue. In fine, we find
in pretended uncertainties, and
contradiftions concerning
doftrines^ and rules of life,
motives of fecurity, which
Calm our confcienccs in the
commiflion of the moft niani-
feft crimes. Let us confound
thcfe three excufes by open-
ing the hiftory of our gofpel.'*
Majf. Ser. Careme, torn. iii.
<S, ircijieme.



t 145 )

Were you going to explain the ninth verfe of
the firft of A6ls, where it is faid, When Jcfus was
taken up^ his difciples beheld him^ it would be pro-
per to remark the fentiments of the difciples in
that moment, and to lliew from what principles
proceeded that attentive and earneft Ipoking
after their divine mafter, while he afcended to
heaven. (2)



(2) The apoftks looked after
ye/us 'with lively fentiments.

opavau Tov ava^aivovra, E^xipov

HOii BCTKtpTUV ', OCKCVffOV TH %plS"8

^eyovTog^ OTi avs€aivov Kai na-
TsQaivov (Tuvex'^i- touto ^b etti-
Bv/j-ouvTiov Eni/ i^eiv to 'srapa-

on avs^aivov km ycariQaivov,
avrov aKouaov "KtyovToq' AvrapTt
c^J/EcrSe Toug oupavag ocviujixivoug,
not,i T«$ ay/£?kS5 ts ^eow ova-
CaivovTocg xat HaTaCaivovTOig

iTTl TOV UiOV TH avhpUTm' TOIOV-

Tov yap Tuv spuvxuv to k^og'
ouh TOV Kaipov ava/A,Evou(TiVy
a'Khoi 7i:po>.a/xSavsai tuv Trpo-

^EcrjXICtV TYI Vl^OVYI, ^IM TUTO KiX-

TaSaiviscnv sTreiyo/xevoi to naivov
Jtxi Tsapa^o^ov skeivo iS'eiv $£«//«,
avBpw^ov sv ovpavco (pavEvTW
Old THTo 'sravTuxou ayfey^oi.

Hat 0T£ ETIXTETO, KOil OTB

KvircKTo, Hai avpispov ore avE^rj'



i^ou yap 5vo {<p^(riv) ev saBriTi
'AauTTpa ^la tov (rxyi/^aTog rriv
r,^ovvv ^nXouvTEg. &cc. John i,
51. Aft. i. 10. Chryfofl.orat:
in afcenfonem D.N.I. C. torn,
V. orat. 87,

Interpreters have been
greatly embarrafied in recon-
ciling what S. Luke fays
XX iv. 50. Jefus led his difci-
ples out as far as to Bethany y
with what the fame S. Luke
fays, Afts i. 12. The apojiles
rettirned from mount Olivet,
But Olivet, fays Mr. De
Beaufobre, was fituated be-
tween Bethphage and Betha-
ny, and our Lord afcended
from that part of the moun-
tain, which lay nextBethany,
fo that there is no contradic-
tion in the Evangel ift's ac-
counts, for they mean the
fame place. See Selden de
jur. Nat. ct Gent, and Bafiage
Annal. Folit, Eccl. â– 



yoL. II.



XIIL



C H^ )

XIII.

Consider Consequences. (3)

Thus, when you explain the doflrine of God's
mercy, it is expedient (at leaft fometimes.) to re-
mark



(3) Ohfewe confequences.
By this method Silvanus, an
ancient abbot of a monaftery,
convinced a travelling monk
of his errcneous notions of
two paflages of holy fcrip-
ture. The ftory is this.
** na.piCa.Ki ri( ctusAaof tco
ACCa. S/A.oud.t'i', &c. A cer-
tain brother came to the con-
rent at mount Sinai, and,
finding the monks all at
tvork, fhook his head, and
faid to the abbot. Labour 7iot
for the meat) that perijheth.
[John vi. 27.] Mary chofe the
good part. [Luke x. 42.] Za-
chary, faid the old abbot to
his fervant, give the brother
a book, and fhew him into a
cell. There fat the monk
alone all day long. At night,
wondering that nobody had
called him to dinner, he goes
to the abbot. Father, fays
he, don't the brethren eat
to day ? O yes, replied the
abbot, they have eaten plen-
tifully. And why, added
the monk, did you not call
me? Becaufe, brother, re-
plied the abbot, you are a
fpiritual man, and have no
need of carnal food. For our
parts, God help us ! we are
â– earnai, we are obliged to



eat, and therefore we work :
but you, brother! you have
chofen the good part, you fit
and read all day long, and
are above the want of meat,
that perijheth. Pardon me,
father, 1 perceive my miftake.
I do, fubjoined the old man:
but remember, Martha is as
neceflary a chriftian as
Mary." Jpothcg. patrum. in
Cotelerii Ecclejia Greeccs mo-
nument, torn. i.

Reafoning by illation, in-
dudion, and confequences,
is a fair method of arguing:
but it requires the utmoft
caution to reafon accurately
in this way. All inferences
have fome evidence, or no
evidence, fome probability,
or no probability, a flight
prefumpcion, or a clear de-
monllration according to the
falfehood, inanity, probabi-
lity, or certainty of ail the
premifes, from which they
are drawn. Thus an infe-
rence drawn from many pre-
fumptive premifes may have
a high degree of moral cer-
tainty, the inference con-
taining in one aggregate fum
all the evidence of the pre-
fumptive premifes, from
which it is drawn, put to-
gether*



mark thtf good and lawful ufes, which we ought
to make of it. Thefe ufes are to renounce our-

felves



gether. Inference thus re-
itmbles the income of a lord
of a manor; for his fortune
is the aggregate of many
fmall farms and quit-rents
paid by a great number of
poor copyholders, and te-
nants; or, it refembles the
clear call of a minifter to the
paftoral office made up of a
large majority of feparate
votes.

** Probable evidence, fays
one of our beft reafoning di-
vines, is effentially dillin-
guifhed from demonftrative
by this, that it admits of
degrees; and of all variety
of them, from the higheil
moral certainty to the very
loweft prefumption - - That
the flighteit poffible prefump-
tion is of the nature of a pro-
bability, appears from hence ;
that fuch low prefumption
often repeated will amount
even to moral certainty - - -
In quelHons of difficulty, or
fuch as are thought fo, where
more fatisfaftory evidence
cannot be had, or is not feen ;
if the refult of examination
be, that there appears upon
the whole, any the loweft
prefumption on one fide, and
none on the other, or a
greater prefumption on one
iide, though in the loweft de-
gree greater ; this determines
the queftion, even in matters
of fpeculation, and, in mat-
\%r% of praftiije, will lay us



under an abfolute and formal
obligation, in point of pru-
dence and of ir.tereft, to a£t
upon that prefumption or
low probability, though it
be fo low as to leave the
mind in very great doubt
which is the truth." Bp.
But/er's Analogy. Introduction,

Dr. Watts gives an exam-
ple of inductive reafoning.
" The dodrine of the Soci-
nians cannot be proved from
the gol'pels, it cannot be
proved from the Afts of the
apoftles, it cannot be proved
from the epiftles, nor the
book of revelations, therefore
it cannot be proved from the
new teftament." The Soci-
nians deny the conclufion by
diiputing the premifes. The
Dr. adds, " This fort of ar-
gument is often defeftive,
becaufe there is not due care
taken to enumerate all the
particulars on which the con-
clufion fhould depend," and,
may we not add, becaufe the
particulars enumerated are
not fufficiently afcertained?
Logick, iii. 2,7.

Here are three remarkable
modern inftances, mentioned
in a book now before me,
which the learned author did
me the honour of fending as a
prefent' (a moft valuable one
it is) a few days ago. " The
fubverfion of freedom was the
evident purpofe of Mr. Hume
in writing the hijiorj of E)i<r-

T 2 land.



( us )

felves— to be fenfible of our infinite obligations to
God, who pardons fo many fins with fo much

bounty



lan^. — I fear we may with
too much juftice affirm the
fubverfion of chrilHanity
to be the objeft of Mr.
Gibbon in writing t^e
bijlory of the decline and
fall of the Roman empire.
— Mr. Lindfey affirms, that
the fathers of the firft three
centuries, and confequently
all chriltian people for up-
ward of three hundred years
after Chrift till the council
of Nice, were generally uni-
tarians." Thefe are bold at-
tempts. By what means do
thefe gentlemen intend to
eftablifh their thefes, and
effedl their ends.? A little
fubverfion does all. Inftead
of beginning by afcertaining
fafts, and then proceeding to
deduce fair inferences, begin
by affuming an inference,
and then accommodate facls
to your afTumption, and your
work will be done. Hear
our excellent author.
*' Whatever occurs in the
ancient writers of hiftory of
a fpeculative nature, we find
to be an inference from a fadl
Anted, without any feeming
view to the dedudion, but
to the unadulterated reprefen-
tation of which the hiftorian
appears to have religioufly
attended. Whatever occurs
in modern writers of hiilory
of a narrative nature, we
find to be an inference from
a fyflem previoufly affumed,



without any feeming view to
the truth of the fads record-
ed, but to the eflablilhment
of which the hiftorian ap-
pears, through every fpecies
of mifreprefentation, to have
zealoufly directed his force."
This is a golden remark,
and of infinite ufe in theolo-
gical controverfy, as the
writer of this decifive refu-
tation of Mr. Lindfey has
moft fully fhewn. Inquiry
into the belief of the Chrijiians
of the firji three Centuries, re'
fpeSiing the one Godhead of the
Father, Son, and Holy Ghoji,
By William Burgh, Ejq.

Natural confequences are
very beautiful. John viii.
14. Though I bear record of
fnyfelf yet my record is true.
— 42. If God nuere your fa-
ther, ye luould lo-ve me. — 46.
If I fay the truths ivhy do ye
not belienje me F — ix. 16. Ho'vj
can a man, that is a Jinner^
do fuch miracles? — 33. If
this man ivere not of Gcd, he
could do nothing— Vieh. ii. 2,
3. If the tijord fpoken by an-
gels qjjas JleJfaJl, and every
tranfgrejfton received a juji re-
wjard, hoiu Jtjall ive ejccpe, if
iMB negle^ a fal-vation fpoken
by the Lord, &c. &c.

" If true religion lie much
in the aff'eBions, fuch means
are to be defired as have
much of a tendency to move
the afFeftions. Such books,
and fuch a way of preaching
the



( H9 )

bounty— to confecrate ourfelves entirely to his
fervice, as perfons over whom he has acquired a
new right — and to labour inceflantly for his glory
in gratitude for what he has done for our falva-
tion. (4)

You

Natural confequence and
lawful ajpimption may be
joined. Thus, one of our
moft refpeftable divines, nar-
rating the Hate of the non-
conformifts in the reign of
Charles 11. and bellowing
duly merited praife on their
extenfive labours, adds,—



the word, and adminiftration
of ordinances, and fuch a
way of worfhipping God in
prayer, and fmging praifes,
is much to be defired, as has
a tendency deeply to affeft
the hearts of thofe who at-
tend the means." Dr. Jo-
natb. Edivards on Religious
Affe^ions, p. 1.

(Qonfequential Reafoning.)
*• If they through many a fharp inclement blaft
The painful period of their labours pafs'd.
Shall we relax our toils, when peace profound
Reigns all abroad, and funbeams blaze around ?

(JJ/umpti've Reafoning. )
But fhould we (for who knows what ftorms may rife.
What fudden thunders Ihake both earth and (kies .?)
Be try'd like thefe confelTors, let us dare
The iierceft wrath and heavieft doom to bear;
For Chriji, for confcience wealth and eafe refign.
No frowns, no terrors in their caufe decline."
This, as all the other publi- ing of a word, that is the



cations of this truly worthy
fervant of God, is the lan-
guage of a fair reafoner and
an upright man. Dr. Gib-



theological, juridical fenfe of
it, and fo on. How often
has Littleton's Latin didi-
onary led boys at fchool into



bons in Mr. Palmer's Edit, of bad Latin and Engliih ! For



Calamy.

(4) The doBrine of God's
mercy. A didlionary com-
piled on accurate principles
would affix a great number
of dillinft ideas to each term,
and would inform us, this
^s the literal kn(e of a term,
that is • the metonymical fenfe
yf it, this is the popular mean-



example. " Mifericors — mer-
ciful, pitiful, compallionate,
tender-hearted. Mitis, man-
fuetus. Cicero.'' Homuncio
mifericors would be a very pi-
tiful fellow, and a Tufcan
Lady would be a very unmer-
ciful vixen, although Ihe
were Mauris mitior anguiljus.
(See Horat. Ode x, L. iii.)
I do;



( '50 )

You may alfo obferve the falfe and pernicious
confequences, which ungrateful and wicked men,
who fin tliat grace may abound, precend to derive
from this doclrine. They fay, we are no longer

to



I do not blame the diflionary
above-mentioned, it is a
good one ; nor do I wifh to
fee one compiled on thefe
principles, for it would con-
fift of too many folios to lie
within my reach. I only
Tnean to remind a ftudent
©f divinity — that words arc
jiecefiarily vague and equi-
vocal — that diftionaries and
lexicons are precarious helps
— that each fludent of an art
Or fcience fhould acquaint
himfelf with that fenfe of
terms, which belongs to his
tnxn profeflion, left he fhould
fall into fuch a miftake as
that divine did, who pub-
lifhed a book to prove the
late dodlor Gill worfe than
an Arminian, becaufe he had
affirmed, ♦' a man is to be
juftijied for renouncing in-
fant- baptifm." The Dr.
ufed the word in its popular
fenfe, the zealot took it in
a theological fenfe, and faid
the Dr. held jujlijication not
by gocd works : but by that
ivicked work immerfion.
Ergo Dr. Gill was an Antino-
mian. The fame perfon pub-
Jifned another book to prove
Dr. V/atts, and Dr. Dod-
dridge dangerous innovators,
and heterodox divines tor
Drcluming to fay, •' Dr.



Watts'spfalmsandhymnsawz-
mated c\\n^\2Ln worfhip," for
lo ! Bailey's diftionary fays,
to animate is to enli-ven or
quicken, now who can gi've
life, and quicken a dead ibui
but Jefus Chrirt ? See be-
loved, the fecond of Ephcr
fians, and verfe the firft !

To return, our beft didlio^
naries are necefiarily vague.
" Mercy, fays Dr. Johnfon,
tendernefs ; goodnefs ; pity ;
willingnefs to fpare and fave;
clemency ; mildnefs ; un-
willingnefs to punifh ; par-
don j difcretion.'' Here this
laborious and accurate com-
piler is obliged to leave the
word in a general meaning,
illuftrated by a few pertinent
examples.

Divines diftinguifli the
mercy of God from his lo-ve.
• * God, ivho is rich in MERCY,
J~or his great LOVE, ivherc
ivith he lo'ued us, quickened us
ivith Chrift. Rpli. ii. 4, 5.
The caufes of our falvation
are mercy and love. 1 fliall
give you the dillinflion be-
tween mercy and love. The
objeft of love is the creature
fimply, the objeft of mercy
is the creature fallen into
tnijery. Parents love their
children : but if they be fallen
into raifery love works in a
way



( 151 )

to confider juftice now we are under grace, the
more we fin the more God will be glorified in par-
doning us — this mercy will endure all the time of
our lives, and therefore it will be enough to ap*
ply to it at the hour of death — with many more
fuch falfe confequences, which mufl be both clearly
Hated, and fully refuted. (5)

It



way of pity." &c. Dr.
Goodnuiny torn, i. fer. X, Eph.
ii. 5, &c.

Agreeably to this notion,
mercy, when put for the love
of God, iignifies undefewed
love, and by a figurative tour
it may fignify pardon to the
guilty. Luke xviii. 13. God
be merciful to me a finner!
" I cry you mercy for fufpcd-