the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith that is, the gospel". Gal. 3. 2. In short, that religion which carries you in a course of holy practice, no higher than Judaism in effect, is certainly much short of the design of our Lord, and what your profession of Christianity supposes. But how much more may this be affirmed, if professors among us proceed no further, than the natural religion of the heathen world will carry them? Who, notwithstanding their profession to know God in Christ, yet go no higher than they in point of justice and truth, temperance and sobriety, and in a contempt of this world, as well as value and care of their better part, even their immortal souls: concerning which some heathens speak strangely. "I wonder," says one, "that whereas man consists of a soul and body, that there should be so much care taken about the latter, and the care of the soul be neglected by most, as a hated thing." And several of them have left us various discourses, concerning the greater mischief and malignity that there are in the diseases of the mind, than in those of the body, or the outward man. Maximus Tyrius has a large dissertation on this very subject, and several others of them have wrote to the like purpose. Some of them also have expressed their reverence to God in a surprising manner. "I so live (says one) as always under God's eye, and as apprehending he is ever prying into, and looking upon me." And how pleasant expectations and forethoughts have they had of a future felicity! It is really admirable to think in what transports some of thein have been, in the expectations they had of a happy state for good and virtuous men. Now when paganism does outdo us in these respects, can we be said to answer our profession of Christianity, in which we have such an amiable discovery of God in Christ; and when also we have life and immortality brought to light by the gospel, shining by clear and direct beams. To have christians therefore basely creeping upon the face of this earth, and rolling themselves in the dust, so as some pagans would be ashamed to do! to see them wallowing in the impurities of sensual wickedness, which would have been a reproach to many of them! This is surely not to answer our profession. * 9. Lastly; inasmuch as it is not the best institution in the world that will do our business, without a living religion implanted in us, never rest nor be satisfied without that. And whereas there are two things intimated in the text, to be opposed to true religion and sincere profession, that is, a propension to evil, and an aversion to good; an indulgence in such a * Dissert. 13. Edit. Davis. Lond. 1740, quarte.. course of life as is indeed abominable, with a mind reprobate to every good work; know then, there must be accordingly a twofold power of religion, which must be implanted, to counterwork those two; to wit, a sin-mortifying power, and a quickening power. The former of which takes away the inclination to evil, and the latter an aversion to good. There are sundry other particulars which I should mention, but have not time; only take this one thing with you, that it is never well till the operation of religion be from nature; that is, from our participation of the divine nature, which thus exerts and puts forth itself. SERMON VIII.* IN N the conclusion of the preceding discourse it was observed, that whereas it is not the best institution in the world that can do us any service, without an internal vital principle of religion within us, therefore we should never rest till we find that prevailing in ourselves. Now in order to the obtaining this divine principle so necessary to our eternal welfare, it will be of service to lay down the following directions, in subordination to that last mentioned. Particularly, 1. That wherever this is the real state of the case, that is to say, whoever have not this internal power, this vital principle of religion, let them own it, and tell their souls the real truth of the matter. The principle here spoken of is an implanted power, enabling a person to do good with promptitude, facility and delight. Now if such a principle as this is wanting in any, let them own it, for it is a discernible thing; and consequently where it is in fact discerned, it is fit and requisite that it should be ingenuously owned, or that persons should acknowledge this to be the real truth of the case, VOL. Va * Preached April 24, 1681. I have said that it is a discernible thing. Indeed what reason can be given why it should be otherwise? How can it be imagined that persons should not perceive whether they have such a principle, or power within them, or not? What! is there so small a difference between life and death, that it cannot be perceived? nay that it cannot be perceived by one's self? There is in men however another kind of life, which makes them capable of discussing this point; to wit, the principles of rational nature, by which I am capable of self-reflection; and of debating also this very question, whether I have any further superadded principle or not. And when I hear there is really such a principle that ought to exist in the mind, my duty is to deal closely with myself, and inquire whether I, myself, have ever felt any such thing. The question is not, whether I have any sort of life or power in the general; but have I this life, this power, this which terminates on God? Do I find a living principle within my soul which carries it to God, and makes it tend to him? The apostle Paul bids the christians at Rome to "reckon themselves to be alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord;" (Rom. 6. 11.) and certainly no man ought to judge falsely in his own case. There is a certain divine power which goes along with true religion; as is supposed in that passage of Scripture mentioned before, speaking of persons who had "the form of religion but denied the power thereof." 2 Tim. 3. 5. And again, says the apostle," God hath given to us the Spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Tim. 1. 7. And wheresoever this power, or principle is, it is a kind of natural power; that is, belonging to that new and divine nature; which is in all them that belong to God; in all that are born and begotten of him according to the very design of the gospel itself. For the gospel is appointed for this purpose, to work this divine frame in the souls of men. "The exceeding great and precious promises thereof are given us, that by then we might partake of the divine nature;" (2 Pet. 1. 4.) of a certain divine and godly nature, as those words may be read. The operations of nature though they are silent, yet they are strong and powerful. There is no greater difficulty in the world than to withstand the course of nature. Now whether such a power is working in ourselves, is the point to be considered. Let me then ask my soul, "Do I find myself powerfully withheld from evil, as a thing against my nature? Do I find myself powerfully engaged to that which is good, as if it was connatural to me? most agreeable to my nature? Who is there that cannot tell what his nature is for and against? Do such and such acts flow from me, as the acts of nature do; from their proper and congenial principles? Had I ever such a kind of new nature, withholding me from evil, as a thing I hate; and carrying me to what is good, as a thing I love? There are a sort of living men, in respect of the life of God and religion; and there are a sort of men, who are dead; shall I be always ignorant to which party I belong? What an absurdity were it, if one should always be in doubt what sort of creature he is! that he does not know whether to call himself a man or a brute! what an absurdity, I say, is this! But certainly it is a much more important question, and of greater concernment, to have it decided whether we are the offspring of God or the devil. Whence then am I inspirited? is it from above, or is it from beneath?" It is indeed most shameful to think that such multitudes of persons, that go under the name of christians, should be contented to live all their days, like an amphibious sort of creatures, that they cannot tell themselves what sort of beings they are. Certainly he would be looked upon as a great wonder among men, who should be always ignorant of his own name; that is, not know the name which rightfully belongs to him. So in like manner it is wonderful if persons who are destitute of the divine principle, which makes men real christians, do not discern this to be the case. But where it is in fact discerned, it must be freely owned by all, who desire to obtain it. 2. If you apprehend this to be the case that you have not this principle, acknowledge it however to be a real thing; and that some persons have it, though you have it not. It is too common, when the clearness and force of the matter constrain an acknowledgment, that such a divine power does exist in the souls of men, for persons to satisfy themselves with this, that they are but as other men are; and to reckon theirs to be no worse, than that which is the common case of mankind. All that lies without their compass, or above and beyond theirown perceptions, they take to be mere fancy and fiction; and every body is a hypocrite, or an enthusiast, that pretends to more than they find in themselves. But for what reason is all this? Or why must the experience of any such person be thought the standard of reality? that is, that nothing can be real but what they experience to be so, or exceeds the limits of their own perceptions. What! Is it not apparent to every man, that there are far more considerable realities which we know not, than those which we do know and is there no danger of coming under the character of speaking evil of those things which we know nothing of, which some were stigmatized with by the apostle Jude with so much severity? And I would fain have such consider themselves, what expressions they find scattered up and down in the Holy Scriptures, of such a real thing as lively |