Imagens da página
PDF
ePub

TO THE

Rev. Mr. JAMES HERVEY, &c.

SIR,

WHEN Christ our Saviour was about to go to his Father, be told bis disciples, If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but becaufe ye are not of the world, but I have chofen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. I am persuaded, that by this, he did not only intend to forewarn the twelve of the offence which that generation would take at the ignominy of the cross, but also to intimate, that the case would be the same in all ages; that bis doctrine would meet with great resistance and opposition, and that the temper and character of bis real disciples would be very different from the spirit that would generally prevail in the world. This bath been continually verified in experience. For as many in the bigbest stations, and of bigbest repute for wisdom in the world, did set themselves against the gospel at its first publication, so even where there is a nominal profession of it, there is still an opposition to its doctrines, in their simplicity and purity, by the world, that is to say, those who have most sway in it, who are the most passionate admirers of its fashions, and the most assiduous prosecutors of its bonors and pleasures.

It may be also observed, that there is sometimes, perhaps even generally, a sovereignty of divine providence in the choice of the instruments employed in spreading the gospel. As, at first, twelve illiterate fishermen were chosen; so, often since that time, the weakest and most unlikely bave been pitched upon, that our faith might not ftand in the wifdom of men, but in the power of God. Hence it frequently happens, that it is not only difficult to make men believe the gospel, but even tɔ persuade them to bear it. They are apt to despise and deride the message, because of the meanness of the messenger, or the homeliness of the terms in which it is delivered. This is particularly the case with the present age. From a certain love of ease, and luxury of mind, they despise and trample upon all instructions, which have not something pleasing and insinuating in their dress and form.

You, Sir, are one of those happy few, who have been willing to consecrate the finest natural talents to the service of Christ in the gospel, and are not ashamed of bis cross.

You buve been able to

procure attention upon some subjects, from many who would band'y bave given it to any other writer. This bath made me observe with particular attention, the effect of your last performance, Theron and Afpafio, the character given to it, and the objections

raised against it. And I have always found, that the most specious and plausible objection, and that most frequently made against the doctrine of justification by imputed righteousness, bas been in this case, as indeed usually before, that it loosens the obligations to practice. This is what I bave particularly applied my self to refute in the following essay, because I have rarely observed it done distinctly, and at full length, in any writer. And I bave addressed it to you, as a testimony of my esteem of your excellent and useful writings, as a public declaration of my espousing the same sentiments as to the terms of our acceptance with God, and my ambition of contributing some small assistance to the support of the same glorious cause. It was also no small inducement to it, that thereby it might appear to all, that no external distinctions, or smaller differences, ought to be any bindrance to a cordial esteem and affection among the sincere servants of our common Master.

The greatest part of what follows was first delivered in wo sermons; but it is now thrown into the form of an essay, lest the despised title of a sermon should offend some, and that it might the better admit of several additions, both in the body of the piece, and in the notes, which could not have been so properly delivered from a pulpit. Some of these regard the philosophical principles, which have of late been published among us, of which I propose, in a short time, a much fuller discussion, as there is no way in which the truths of the gospel are more perverted than by what the apostle Paul calls Philofophy and vain deceit, and oppofitions of fcience falfely fo called.

That your useful life may be prolonged, and that you may bave the bonor of contributing more and more to the conversion of sinners, and the edification and comfort of believers, is the earnest prayer of

SIR,

Your most obedient

humble fervant,

J. W.

[merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

A

LL the works and ways of God have fomething in them myfterious, above the comprehenfion of any finite understanding. As this is the cafe with his works of creation and providence, there is no reafon to expect it fhould be otherwife in the astonishing method of the redemption of the world by Jefus Chrift. From this their myfterious nature, or rather from the imperfect meafure and degree in which they are revealed to us, they are admirably fitted for the trial of our ingenuity, humility and fubjection. They are all of them, when ferioufly and impartially enquired into, holy, juft and good; but at the fame time, not beyond the cavils and objections of men of prejudiced, perverse and corrupt minds.

The apostle Paul, in his epiftle to the Romans, among whom he had never been in perfon, at great length establishes the fundamental doctrine of the gofpel, that finners are juftified by the free grace of God, through the imputed righteousness of a Redeemer. To this doctrine men do by nature make the ftrongeft oppofition, and are, with the utmoft difficulty, brought to receive and apply it. We may well fay of it in particular, what the fame apofile fays of the truths of God in general, that "the natural man "doth not receive them*." It is therefore highly neceffary to prevent or remove, as far as poffible, the objections that may be brought against it by the art or malice of Satan,

[blocks in formation]

who will, no doubt, bend the chief force of all his engines against this truth, knowing that the cordial reception of it is a fure and effectual, and indeed the only fure and effectual means of deftroying his power and influence in the heart. Accordingly we find the apoftle, in the fixth chapter of the above-named epiftle, and firft verfe, fuppofes an objection made against this doctrine in the following terms, "What fhall we fay then? fhall we continue in fin, that grace may abound?" To which he answers, by rejecting the confequence with the utmoft abhorrence, and in the strongest manner affirming it to be without any foundation.

From the introduction of this objection by the apostle, we may either infer, that there were, even in these early days, fome who branded the doctrine of redemption by the free grace of God with this odious confequence; or that he, by the infpiration of the Almighty, did forefee that there fhould arife, in fome future periods of the Chriftian church, adverfaries who would attempt to load it with this imputation; or that the doctrine is indeed liable, on a fuperficial view, to be abused to this unhappy purpose, by the deceitful hearts of men, who are wedded to their lufts. It is probable that all the three observations are just; and the two laft render it a peculiarly proper fubject for our attention and confideration at this time, and in this age.

It is well known that there are many enemies of this doctrine, of different characters, and of different principles who all agree in affaulting it with this objection, That it weakens the obligations to holinefs of life, by making our' juftification before God depend entirely upon the righteoufnefs and merit of another. And fo far, I think, we muft join with the adverfaries of this doctrine, as to lay it down for a principle. That whatever belief or persuasion by its native and genuine tendency, weakens the obligations to practice, must be falfe. And I will alfo affert, in oppofition to fome modern infidels, (though fome may) think that my cause might avail itself of the contrary opinion) that a man's inward principle, or the perfuafion of his mind, hath a neceffary and unavoidable influence

upon his practice. So that, if I am not able to fhew, that juftification through the imputed righteoufnefs of Chrift, is fo far from weakening the obligations to holiness, that on the contrary, the belief and reception of it, as its neceffary confequence, must make men greater lovers of purity and holinefs, and fill them with a greater abhorrence of fin, than any other perfuafion on the fame fubject, I am content to give up the cause.

I hope we may be indulged a candid hearing on this fubject, as experience does not seem to be unfavorable to the doctrine I am allaying to defend. If it appeared in fact that its friends, upon a fair and juft comparison, were more loose in their practice than their adverfaries of any of the oppofite opinions, it would be a ftrong prejudice against it; or rather, if this were always the cafe, it would be an unquestionable evidence of its falfehood. But doth not the contrary appear on the very face of the world? Are not the persons who profess to deny their own righteoufness, and hope for juftification through Chrift, ordinarily the most tender and fearful of finning themfelves, and the most faithful and diligent in promoting the reformation of others? And do not all careless, profane and fenfual livers, almost to a man, profess themselves enemies to this doctrine? I could almoft appeal to any one who hath the leaft experience of, or commerce with the world, whether he would expect to find, upon a strict search and enquiry, the worship of God more conftantly attended, the name of God more regularly called upon in families, children and fervants more carefully instructed, and more dutifully governed, a greater freedom from levity, profanity, unchaf

That is to fay, So far as it can be applied to practice, and so far as it is real or prevalent above its oppofite; for there are many truths of a religious nature which men think they believe fometimes, but which yet their corrupt paffions often make them doubt of; and thefe doubts are nine parts in ten of their lives obfervant to their minds, as vindication of their licentious practice: in fome fenfe, fuch may be faid to act in contradiction to their principles; but they are principles either not really believed, or, which is the fame thing, not habitually recollected; and none can expect that men will act upon a principle, though ouce ever fo firmly believed, if it be forgotten, or at the time of action entirely out of view.

« AnteriorContinuar »