earth, to fiop the fun, to di-
•vide the fea, and has difco-
vered as much wifdom in vi-
olating the laws of nature as
in eilablilhing them. In like
manner, religion has its laws,
which wifely eftablilli God's
ufual way of working : yet
fonietimes he has been pleafed
to difpcnfe with theie laws
and extend their limits. In-
llead therefore of judging of
the general laws of religion
by particular examples, you
ought to govern your ideas
of particular examples by
thefe general laws. Com-
plaifant diredors! Remifsca-
fiiilts! i'ublick pelts! who
am life your penitents with
deceitful hopes; when a phy-
fician has exhaulled all the
fecrets of his art to rellore
the health of his patient, a«d
fees they are unfuccefsful,
when every fymptom of over-
loaded nature publifhes the
approach of death, he fays,
the cafe of his patient is def-
pcrate, he does not pretend,
God cannot heal him, he
does not even pretend to fay,
he has never leen a recovery
in fuch a cafe, he fpeaks ac-
cording to the ordinary
courfc of nature, according
to the maxims of his art, he
fpeaks as a phyfician, net as
a ivonder-jjcrker. In like
manner, v/hen we fee a raan,
who has perfiiled thirty, forty,
fifty years in criminal habits,
when we ki fuch a man
taken ill and defpairing of
life, weep,'figh, pray, and
pretend to converfion. we
fay, his Hate is fufpici-
ou?, and infinitely fufpici-
ous: but we fpe:ik accord-
ing to the ordinary laws of
religion, and do not mean to
exclude miracles, we know,
God is almighty, &;c." Sur
le renvoi de con^-verjion, torn, ii«
This dilliiiCtion is necef^
fary to the underftanding of
many paflagcs of i'cripture—
to the difculfion of many hif-
torical
C zs^ )
3. I am not afraid to fay, that the fin of thofe
who defer their repentance, is of fo aggravated a
nature, that it renders them altogether unworthy
of God's extraordinary aid to convert them. Such
people are crafty deceivers, who aft fraudulently
with God, and pretend to dupe him with their
artifices •, for they do as much as fay, God calls
us, and, we acknowledge, repentance is juft and
neceffary, if we mean to be faved ; but in order to
this we muft quit our pleafures. What then fhall
we do to enjoy our delightful fins and yet avoid
damnation ? This is the way, we will be wifer
than God •, we will employ all our beft days in
debaucheries and fms, and fo content ourfelves
with them ; and when we are no longer good for
any thing, we will be converted, and fo prevent
our damnation. Do you think, a reafoning fo hor-
rible, a procedure fo deteftable can be agreeable
to God ? Do you think it will extremely invite
him to beftow extraordinary converting grace on
fuch affronting wretches ^ No furely ! What ! be-
caufe God is free in the difpenfation of his grace, is
there any likelihood that he will bellow it to efta-
bliHi and reward deceit ^ (5)
Con-
torical fafts — and to the elii- (5) Will God hefioiM extra-
cidation of many cafes of ordinary grace to renvard de-
confcience — all which may ceit ! Thus amplified by
become fources of innume- Saurin. •' Strange reafon-
rable errors and vices, un- ing I deteftable fophlfm, my
lefs diftindtions be made be- brethren ! this is the higheit
tween ordinary and extraor- pitch of corruption ! this is
dinary — judicial and extra- ingratitude of a fupreme de-
judicial — intrinfick and ex- grce ! how ungrateful foever
traneous. It is needlefs to fome people are, the worll
give inrtances of each : they fhewalittle fenfibility in the
will occur to the leait atten- rnftant of receiving favours ;
ijpn. vvhen they have forgotten
them.
( 359 )
Confider, I intreat you, there cannot be a more
foolifh and rafh defign than that of putting off
repentance to old age, fince it takes for granted
the moft doubtful and uncertain tl/ing in the world,
which is that we fhall live to a hoary old age. Is
not this the o-rofleft of all illufions ? I omit uro-ino-
what all the world knows, that no one can allure
hinifeif of the morrow. I fay to you fomething
more ftrikins;. Make the different orders of men
pafs before your eyes, count them one by one,
and, it is certain, the number of thofc, who die
before they are thirty years of age, is incomparably
greater than of thofe, who come to that age. How*^
many die between thirty and forty ! how few arrive
at fifty! fewer ftill live to fixty, and how very
fmall in all ages and countries is the number of
old men. ^ In a city, which contains a million- of
fouls, you will find two, or perhaps three thou-
fand old people, that is, in the proportion of two or
three hundred to every hundred thoufand fouls. (6)
Now,
them, indeed, they may be-
come ungrateful : but be-
hold ! in this iinner's reafon-
ing a new kind of outrage,
a wicked arc of inclofing
within the circumference of
his ingratitude the prefent
and the future, favours re-
ceived, and favours expell-
ed! In the perpetration of
every crime I fliall remind
myfelf of mercy one day to
be bellowed, and fliall find
in this idea a motive for firm-
nefs in rebellion, and bold-
liefs in fin. Is not this an
excefs of corruption ? This
is the moft deteftable ingra-
titude ! &c." Saur. renvoi,
iom. ii.
" Quid ergo, fratres ?
Cum nos multis peccatis et
criminibus fentiamus obnox-
lO!-, numquid defperandum
ell ? Abfic hoc a populo
Chrirtiano. Non quidem
defperandum eft; fed nee ir>
ipfis' peccatis inimica fecuri-
tace perfeverandum. Qui
enim dixit, cum converius
ingemueris, falvus en's : ipft:
dixit, nolite tardare converti
ad Dominum, nee diff"eratis
de die in diem." CaJ'arii.
ferm. 102, /;/ appe?id. Aug,
op. torn. V. p. 374.
(6) The 'Vitality of old peo-
ple is in the proportion of ti.uo
or three hundred to e-very hun-
dred
( 3^o )
Now, allowing this, what foolifh fecurity is it to
imagine you lliall be in the happy number of
thefe two or three hundred, in a multitude of a
hundred thoufand ! Were a man to hazard his for-
tune on fuch an uncertainty he would pafs in the
world for a madman, and all his relations and
friends, his wife and children would pity and con-
line him : but thou ! milerable wretch ! doft thou
hazard thy falvation, thy foul, the friendfliip of
ihy God, thine eternal happinels on this frivolous
hope! and to complete thy m.ifery, does thy wife,
do thy children, thy friends, thy relations, do all
the world let thee go on to do fo ! or, if they advife
thee, doft thou pay no regard to their advice!
The iccond illuiion, wliich beguiles multitudes,
is an imagination, that they discharge their duty,
when.
ind thcufand. This obfer-
vation is not ftridtly theohgi-
i-al : but it is pertinently in-
troduced here, and mayicrve
for an example of what our
I>r. Gill recommended in an
ordination fermon from 2
Tim. ii. 7. Con/icier ivhat I
Jay ; and the Lord gi-ve thee
utiderjHanding in ail things.
Confidcr principally re-ueakd
truths : hot, as all fciences
3nay fubferve religion, do
not neglefl the acquiiition of
human knowledge.
This article belongs to
fo-Vitical ariihmetick, and wri-
ters en the doftrine of life-
annuties treat of it with great
perfpicuity, and, in general,
on folid principles. Mr. De
Moivrc Dr. Halle}- Sir
William Petty — Arbuthnot —
J)avenant-^-King Kerffe-
boom — and others have be-
llowed much laudable labour
on this fubjeft. The fub-
ilance may be found in Pof-
tlethwaite's Diftionary, un-
der the word ANNUITY-
There is a wonderful ten-
dency in remarks of this kind
to aroufeand aficcl the bulk
of ordinary hearers: but they
ought to be made very fel-
dom, and very foberly. It
is not neceffary for a preacher
to inveftigate thefe articles
with the accuracy of an an-
nuitant; it is. fufficient for
him to have the authority of
allowed judges for what he
affirms, and it is enough for
him to fpeak in genera!
terms, as Mr. Claude does :
" The proportion is of two
or three hundred."
( s6i )
v/hen, without concerning themfelves about their
own falvation, as the apoftle commands, they
employ themfelves about that of ofber people.
There are in general two ways of doing this. i.
By faying the fineft things in the world about
religion. Obferve what pafles in the world. You
will hiirdly find one among many employed about
his own converfion : yet every body will tell you,
we ought to be good people — the corruption of
the age we live in is prodigious — there is hardly
any virtue or good faith — there is very little pro-
felTion of praftical religion, and almoft no real
godlinefs. Thefe common-place-fayings are in the
mouths of all : but, with all thefe fine fpeeches,
you will rarely find one retiring from general
views, ferioufly reflecting on himfelf, and faying
What am I ? Am I not like others ? Since I allow,
every one ought to correct himfelf, is it not jufb
that I fhould begin with myfelf, put the firil
hand to the work, and let an example to my bre-
thren ! (7)
The fccond way of pretended concern about
the falvation of others, without attending to your
own, is ftill more fcandalous than the firft. It
con fid 3
(7) Many bad tnen fay fne Some think a fulnefs of talk
things about religion. The ajull ground lor fufpedting
excellent Mr. Edwards, than the talicer to be a Pharifec, aa
whom no man hath written oftentatious hypocrite. Others
better on religious afFeftions, rafhly pronounce him, on
fays, " Fluent fervent abun- the fame account, an emi-
dant talking of religious fub- nently pious man. The pro-
jefts is no certain fign of truly bability lies again/} the great
gracious afFeftions; iovhmay talker in the opinions of Ed-
proceed from holy afFedions, wards — Shepard - Flavel— &-c.
and it may not. There are SccEdi.oar(is onrelig, affg^ions.
two extremes in this cafe, part z. /. 3.
Vol. II. Z z
( 3^2 )
confjfts In being always on the watch to cenfure
and (lander the aftions of others. If they be
really blame-worthy, you v/ill hear them exclaim
againil the crime, they will appear to be extremely
oiiended, they will let them off with the blackeil
circumftances, and exaggerate them in every de-
gree : but if the aftions of others be apparently
good and virtuous, not being able to condemn
them in themfelves, they will condemn them in
their principles. It is only, fay they, theeffedl of
ambition or hypocrify, they only want to make a
parade, to be talked of, and raiie their credit and
reputation with good people. Certainly all thefe
are very diftant from St. Paul's meaning, when he
fays, work cut your own jalvation, I will not fay,
we fliould entirely negledl: the falvation of our
neighbours, God commands, and charity obliges
lis to attend to it, and it would be a very unworthy
and wicked faying, fhould any, like Cain, cry out
Am I my hrothefs keeper. However, I do affirm,
it is not this only, which ought to employ us, it
is not our firft, and principal occupation ; we
muft begin by working out our own falvation, to
this we muft particularly apply ourfelves, left
while we corred others we become incorrigible our-
felves. / keep under my body, fays the apoftle, and
bring it into fubje£iion -, left that, by any means^
when I have preached to others^ I myfelf Jloould be caft
away, (8)
But
(8) Deluded people cenfure pies. Firft, tliey are col-
andjlatider ethers. Mr. Claude leftors, carriers, vvholefale
c.or.fiders flanderers, thatexc- and retail venders of all the
crable clafs of bad men, as improper aSiions^ that are
trafficking in two forts of com- performed within their circle,
inodities, aclious aad princi^ i''ar from the chrillian difpo-
fition
( 363 )
But it is time to pafs to the fecond part of this
fermon, in which 1 require lefs the attention of
your minds than the emotions of your hearts. I
intreat you both fimply to hear and judge of the
truth and importance of what I fay to you, and
to aft yourfelves. May your confciences do what
my tongue di6lates, work cut your own fahation !
let us work at it now, without putting it off to
another time, and let a juil comment of thefe
divine v/ords be found to day in the exad obedi-
ence, which we render to them.
The firft a6t, by which we mull begin, is a
holy reconciliation to God. For this purpoi'e hav-
ing caft our eyes on thegreatnefs of the fins, which
we have committed, and which we are perpetually
committing againll him, and having confidered
what favours we have received, and how fhame-
fully we haveabuftd them, having conceived a jufl
grief for our innumerable fms, let us humbly have
recourfe
fltion of pity, they take an in-
fernal pleafure in propagating
evil, and in aggravating it
with a hundred falfe circum-
ftances. Moll: congregations
have one of thefe ; (happy if
they have but one !) he is
generally a great wfayj-z^icw^fr,
though he declares nobody
hears fo little news as he ; a
great dealer in fecrets, though ,
good foul! nobody hates whif-
pering fo much as he does ;
he is exceffively bitfy, though
he never goes out of his v/ay ;
he would be millaken for one
What king {0 ilrong.
Can tie the gall up in
of Samfon's foxes,were we not
to obferve his total want of
fcnfe ; he is, in a word, the
Jack Ketch of the fociety,
who executes all the criminals
that fall into his hands. All
this is wicked : but what fliall
we fay of a wretch, who pro-
ceeds tocenfure t\\Q pri?2ciplci
of good aftions 1 No words
can exprefs the guilt of fuch.
a man. To him may truly
be applied the words of a
prophet. In thee is found the
bleed of the fouls of poor inno~
cents. Jer. ii. 34.
the flanderous tongue
Z, z z
Shakefpear*
' { 364 )
rccouiTe to his mercy. (9) Let each of us in parti-
cular recall his wanderings from God, his tranf-
(9) Hwving conceived a jujl
griif for our . . . fins, let us
. . - ha've recourje to jnercy.
This feems to have been the
true original method of
preaching. It is a ftate of
fadls ; it is founded in the
nature and fitnefs of things ;
and it has been that method,
which the holy fpirit has
thought fit to feal and fucceed
in the hands of his minifters.
Mere defcriptionsof fin affeft,
exhibiting its confequences
affright, vehement cenfures
of it alarm, reafoning con-
cerning it opens the gloomy
road to defpair : but all this
does not convert. On the
ether hand, preaching pro-
fufions of divine goodnefs
without urging the guilt and
mifery of fin, does not an-
fwer the great end of preach-
ing, the ccnverllon of the
foul. It is the union of both
fubjefis, that pofieffes thefin-
ner with a loathing of him-
felf, and a love to God. I
call this the original mtlhod.
Thus S. Peter preached to the
Jews^ Ada ii. Thus S. Paul
preached to the Gentiles, Afts
xiii. xiv. &c. I call this a
Jlating of fads, for it is ftridly
true — that errors and vice
are in the world — that they
are fources of mifery to men,
and reafons of punilhment
with God the judge of man-
grefiions
kind — that God is a merciful
parent as well as an equitable
judge — that his goodnefs fent
his ion to bellow forgivenefs,
wifdom, and virtue as a be-
nevolence — that thefe are fet
before unworthy men in the
gofpel — and that if they have
any fenfe of duty, or any
defire after felicity, they mull
fall in with this eligible plan
of recovery. Thefe are facts,
and a good applicatory fer-
mon only Hates them. I faid,
this method of addrefs is
founded in the nature and fit-
nefs of things. Prefumption
and defpair are the two dan-
gerous extremes, to which
mankind are prone in reli-
gious concerns. Charging
iiome fin precludes the firlt,
proclaiming redemption pre-
vents the lali. I affirmed, the
holy fpirit had fucceeded this
method to the converfion of
fouls. WicklifF, Luther,
L'Knox, Latimer, Gilpin, \^
Bunyan,Livingflonc, Franck,
w'Blair, Elliot, Edwards, Whit- »^
field, Tenent, and all, who
have been eminently bleiicd
to the revival of practical god-
linefs, have conltantly availed
themfelves of this method;
and, prejudice apart, it is
impofTible to deny, that great
and excellent moral effe£ls
have followed. See Gillies'
Succefs of the Gofpel.
( 3^^5 )
grclTions of his laws, how often, and how varioufly
each has diflionoured his calling, with what negli-
gence each has violated his natural and religious
obligations, and particularly thofe, to which his
Chriftian profeffion engaged him. Lcr the paiTion-
ate remember the injullice of their angry tranfports.
Let the covetous remember the many oblique
ways they have taken to amafs riches. Let the
outrageous, the proud, the ilanderous, the re-
vengeful, remember the injuries they have done
their neighbours. Let the worldly and voluptu-
ous think of the many vain and raj'h defires they
have had for earthly things. In one word, let
each of us review his paft condufl, let each weigh
his actions in the balances of the fandluary •, and,
acknowledging himfelf a tranlgreffor, a difobedi-
cnt and rebellious child, unworthy of the love of
God, fall at the footftool of his mercy with pro-
found humility. This is the a6t of repentance fo
pathetically expreffed in the fifty-firft pfalm. Have
mercy upon me O God, ccccrding to thy loving-kindnsfs;
according to the muUitudes of thy tender mercies, blot
out my tranfgrejfions. Wajh me thoroughly from mins
iniquity^ and cleanfe me from my fin. For 1 acknow-
ledge ?ny tranfgrejfions, and my fin is ever before me.
Againjl thee, thee only have I finned, and done this
evil in thy fight. ( i J This is the repentance, which
the
{\) Jgainfl thee, thee otihY, falfe, and neither can be in-
ha-ue IJtnned. Jt is a ridicu- tended in the text. liinichi,
loiis ienie of this paflage, and after him feveral chrillian
which fomehavegiven. Kings, expofitors take the words to
fay they, when they fin, iin fignify, Tiioii, O God, only
only againit God, and are knaivej} my guilt in thefe
(icccuntable only to him, tranfadions j no mortal is
Botli thefe propofitions are able to prove it. — Calovius,
and
( 3^^ )
the church, afraid of the anger of God, exprelTes
in the fixty-fourth of Ifaiah. IVe are all as an un-
clean thinv^ and all our right eoufnejjes are as filthy rags,
and we all do fade as a leaf, and our mquities like the
wind have taken us away \ and there is none that call-
eth upon thy name, that fiirreih up him f elf to take hold
of thee ', for thou haft hid thy face from us, and haft
confumcd us becaufe of our iniquities. (2) This is the
repentance, which Jefus Chrill propofes to us in
the
and others fay, Againll thee
chiefly have I finned. I have
injured Uriah, and am guilty
on that account : but, great
as that crime may be, it is
not equal in enormity to the
crime, that I have committed
againll thee. " From this
topick, fays Mr. Kenry, Jo-
feph fetched the great argu-
ment againft fin. Gen. xxxix.
9. and David here the great
i!ggran;atio7i of it."
Henry en the place.
(2) The church exprejfeth
repentance in the fixiy-fonrth of
Ijaiuh. This chapter feems
to be a prophetical defcrip-
tion of the Hate of the jevv's
after the dcftruftion of Jeru-
falem. The prophet fpeaks
cf a *ime, when the metro-
polis, the other cities, the
temple, and all their pleafant
things ivere laid ivaj}e. v. lO.
I J. — It was after God had
revealed by his fpirit what
men had not perceived fince
the beginning of the world.
ver. 4. I Cor. ii. 9. — The
prophet perfonates the bulk
of his countrymen at the time
forefcen. None calleth upon
thy name, none ftirreih up hirn-:
J'elf to take hold of thee. ver. 7.
and therefore n.ve are all, the
whole nation, a few individu-
als excepted, are in the con-
dition of a leper, and all our
pharifees and fcribes, and
pretended good men, are in
the ftate of menftruous wo-
men, we are in the ftate of a
tree in autumn, and the pu-
nifliment of our iniquities
hath taken us away ; we are
excluded our religious privi-
leges, and expofed to endlefs
maladies. Immundus, ut le-
profus, feperatus a confortio
hominum et Vi^i. — 'JuJlitia
nojh-(P, Ego de perfonis po-
tius quam de adihus locum
intelligo. Micah vi. 9. Wif-
dom, that is, the 77ian of wif-
dom, &c. Prov. xiv. i.
Fooliilmefs, that is, the fool-
ilh nvoman. Pfal. cxx. 7. I
peace, that is, I am a man of
peace, &c. This form of
fpeaking is equal to a fuper-
lative, extretnely foolifh, excef-
Ji'velj wicked, &c.
Foil Sjno^J.
( 2,^^1 )
the example of the prodigal Ton, in thefe tender
words of confcflion, Father] I have finmd againfi
heaven and befvre thee^ and am no 'more worthy to be
called thy [on. If our repentance brings us to the
foot of God's tribunal, let it bring us there pro-
foundly humbled-, for God refi^leth the proud, hut
giveth grace to the humble. (3) X-et it bring us
there deeply affeded, for a carelefs repentance is
a treacherous repentance, betraying confcience by
its fears, which are not only ineffeftual, but even
pernicious : juft as the uncertain crifes of difeafes
weaken inftead of relieving nature. As our re-
pentance, however fincere, avails nothing without
a propitiatory facrifice for fin, let us add a holy
and fervent recourie to the blood of Jefus Chrift,
and to the fatisfadtion, which he prefented to God
the father on the crofs. This is the faith, which
is fo often recommended to us in fcripture, and to
which the gofpei is not afraid of joining the pro-
mifes of eternal life. If any manfin (lays St. John)
we have an advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrijl the
righteous, and he is the propitiation for our fins. We
are
(3) Gcd rejtjleth the proud.
James iv. 6. This is part of
a difficult period of Icripture,
concerning which iVir. Claude
gave his judgment in a letter
to a lady, who had required
it. *' There are, fays he,
two difficulties in this pafiage.
The firil is, it is a feemiiig
quotation in the fifth verfc.
But there is no particular
quotation at all; S. James
only fpcaks x\iQ general fenfe
of fcripture ; and the words
would be clearer read thus,
vcrfe 4. Ye adulterers, and
adultereffea, know ye not that
the friendfliip of the world is
enmity againlt God? Who-
foever therefore will be a
friend of the world becomes
an enemy of God. Do ye
think, the fcripture fpeaketh
in vain? — verle 5. The fpi-
rit, that dwellethin us, ilriv-
eth againll envy. — verfe 6.
But he giveth more grace, &c.
— The other diSiculty is the
connedion of the fifch verfe
with the preceding verfes :
but this is diihcult only to
inattentive readei-s," &-c.
Oeu'vres pcjlhum. Let. g. F.v.
( 3^8 )
nre juftljied freely ffays St. Paul) hy God's graa
through the redemption that is in Chili Jefus^ whom
God hath fet forth to be a propitiation through faith
in his blood. Through this redeemer God will be
reconciled to us, and we fliall find grace in his
fioht, when v/e prefcnt ourfelves before him in
tommunion with this great Saviour ; for there is no
ether name given among men whereby we can befaved^
his blood alone deanfeth from all fin. What joy,
my brethren ! to walli in this myftical Jordan !
how happy fliall we be, if we can lay our hands
on the head of this holy vicflim, that in charging
him we may difcharge ourfelves of all our crimes.
Ccme unto me ( fays he) all ye that labour^ and are
heavy laden., and twill give you reji.
As this peace with God is not made in a mo-
ment, there muft be great efforts to bring our
hearts into a ftate proper for fuch a reconciliation.
Having, then, as well as we are able, collected
our own fins before our eyes, let us makefome re-
fieclions on the horrors of them. And frjl, let us
well examine what we are by nature compared with
the great God. A little handful of dull and afl:ies,
a little earth kneaded together with blood, m.ifera-
ble little worms, a leaf carried away with the wind,
a vapour which the fun exhales and diffipates. Are
we not in comparifon of God infinitely lefs than a
drop of water to the ocean, or a grain of land to
the whole univerfe. We have a ilature of five or fix
fcLct, a fubfiftence in the world of a few years,
a life full of infirmities, a death perhaps fud-
den, but, however fo certain that neither reafon
nor obfervation can have the lead doubt about it :
and yet altogether miferable as we are, mifery and
nothingnefs itfelf, we have dared, or rather we
iiavc inceflantly prefumed to of£bid and infult the
infinitg
( 3% )
infinite maje[Vy of our Creator and Lord ! this vain
iliadow vaunts itfelf againft the Tun ! this drop of
water contends with the ocean ! and this ridiculous
grain of fand proudly elevates itfelf againlt the