Again, Christians may be pressed to live godly in Christ Jesus, from the purpose for which they were chosen in Christ, from the grand design of his death, of their effectual calling and of the gospel, to make them holy in heart and life. They were all chosen in Christ, to be conformed to his image, and to be holy and without blame before him. And whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate, to be conformed to the image of his Son.* According as he hath chosen us in him, from the foundation of the world; that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. The till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.* Shall we in these views, live in a loose, careless manner? Can we be willing to counteract the design of our election, of the death of Christ, of our effectual calling, and of the gospel? Can any true Christian do this? Certainly he cannot. Who ever does it has an evidence in him that he is an hypocrite, and that he hath no part, nor inheritance among the saints. How should these considerations awaken all our concern to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called, and, like the apostle, forgetting the things which are behind, tọ press toward the mark for the prize of our high calling of God in Christ Jesus? death of Christ was for the same purpose, the sanctification of the church: That the saints might perfect holiness in the fear of God. It is written, Christ gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar Further, the glory of God, people zealous of good works. the honor of Christianity, and Even as Christ loved the church the salvation of our fellow men and gave himself for it; that he are highly concerned in the inmight sanctify and cleanse it offensive and holy walking of with the washing of water by professors. Nothing so dishonthe word, that he might present ors God, injures the cause of it unto himself a glorious church, Christianity, opens the mouths not having spot, or wrinkle or of infidels and blasphemers aany such thing; but that it gainst God and our holy relishould be holy and without blem-gion, and puts such a stumbling ish. Christians are also called block in the way of men's beto be holy. Who hath saved us lieving, as the loose, unholy and called us with an holy call-walking of professing Christians. ing. The grand design of the This furnisheth infidels with one. gospel, as it respects the saints, of their most artful and plausible is their sanctification. For this arguments against the religion its teachers, ordinary and extra- of Jesus. Loose and scandalous ordinary, were given; for the professors are some of the most perfecting of the saints, for the grievous enemies of Christ and edifying of the body of Christ, the gospel. They are the Judases, who, in his own visible family, betray him and his dear. Rom, viii. 29. + Ephes. i. 4. Ephes. v. 25, 26, 27. § 2 Tim. i. 9. Ephes. iv. 11, 12, 13. these therefore be to persuade us to live wholly to God? He admits his people into covenant with him, that they might cleave unto him, and be unto him for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory. He hath commanded that we conduct ourselves in such a manner, as that he may in all est interests. The apostle Paul therefore, in his day, testified against them, even weeping, that they were the enemies of the cross of Christ, and that their end is destruction. The unholy lives of those who have professed the Christian religion, have probably done more dishonor to the Saviour, and been a greater in-things be glorified : That whethjury to the church than all the bloody persecutions which have been raised against it. Can any of us be willing to act this ungrateful, perfidious part, and to be brought forth at last to the perdition of ungodly men? er we eat, or drink, or whatsoev. er we do, we do all to the glory of God.|| Jesus Christ humbled himself unto death that his Father might be glorified, and sin. ners saved. This was the language of his heart when his soul On the other hand, when pro-was troubled, and sorrowful unto fessors live godly in Christ Je- death, Father, glorify thyself. sus, it does great honor to God He chose rather to suffer the and to the gospel, and puts a agonies of the garden, the shame. wonderful beauty upon the ful and cursed death of the cross, churches. Hence our Saviour than that his Father should not hath testified, Herein is my Fa- be glorified, and than that lost ther grorified, that ye bear much men should not be saved. Can fruit. This shows the excel- we be his unless the same spirit lency of religion, that it is heav-be in us? Can we be his discienly and divine. Its effects on individuals and on society in their piety, righteousness, sobriety, humility, peaceableness, and in whatever is lovely and of good report, show that its author is God, and bring the highest honor to him. It gives others conviction of the truth of the gospel, and causes them, while the fight of true Christians shines before them, to glorify our Father who is in heaven. The self-denial, patience, fortitude and holy lives of the apostles, and primitive Christians was one of the principal external means, in their day, of bringing men to the belief of the truth. It is still equally important and necessary, to promote the same end. What powerful motives should * Phil. i. 18, 19. † John xv. & ples if we regard not his glory, the honor of his gospel and the advancement of his kingdom? These lie near the heart of God and our Lord Jesus Christ. They are of great consideration with all those who keep cove nant with God. Let me then, dear brethren, plead with you, the honor of the Redeemer, his glorious example, the honor and advancement of Christianity, the encouragement, edification and comfort of your brethren in Christ, and the conviction and salvation of those who believe not, to engage you in a most strict, zealous and persevering walk with God. Suffer me to plead with you all the solemn and weighty considerations sug gested in these papers on coven. Jer. xiii. 11. 1 Pet. iv. 11. anting, and keeping covenant | ples? who walked with God in with God. times of great and general wickedness; and whom he delivered and honored above all the men who have lived upon the earth. Shall I mention Phinehas who was zealous for the Lord, and to suppress the wickedness of his people, and that it was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for ever more ?* And that God hath not only set these examples before us, for our encouragement and imitation in the worst times; but that he hath made exceedingly great and precious promises to all those who will walk with him in those dark and evil days? That to those, who feared him and thought upon his name, at a time of uncommon infidelity and licentiousness, among his ancient people, he promised, That a book of remembrance should be written before him, for them? That they should be unto him, as his peculiar treasure, and that he would spare them, in the day that he maketh up his jewels, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him?t That he promised unto the few names in Sardis, who had not defiled their gar And what shall I say more? Shall I plead with you the happy effect which this would have upon our churches? That it would cause them to look forth as the morning; make them beautiful as Tirzah and comely as Jerusalem: That this would engage the presence of God with them, to comfort, edify and protect them? When the spices of the churches, and of the Christian garden flow out, then their Beloved comes into his garden and eats his pleasant fruit. Then shall we know, when we follow on to know the Lord: Then his going forth will be prepared as the morning: Then will he come unto us as the rain; as the latter and former rain unto the earth. He will give us great refreshment and joy in his ordinances, secret, private and public. Shall I mention how in this way you will assure your hearts before God? The light, peace and triumph it will give you in the hour of death? Shall I plead with you the degeneracy of the times? that error is coming in like a flood that iniquity abounds, and the love of many waxethments, that they should walk cold? The necessity which with him in white; and that he there is of good people's arising declared them to be worthy? and standing in the gap, and making up the hedge--The special duty of all Christians acting in character, as the salt of the earth and the light of the world, to prevent total corruption and darkness? Shall I plead with you the peculiar honor of faithfulness to God and our covenant engagements, in times of great and general corruption? Shall I name unto you Enoch, Noah, Let and Elijah, Daniel and the three children, as your exam These are some of those weighty considerations, of those endearing and forcible examples, which God hath set before us, to engage our fidelity in his service. By these he commands. us, pleads with and presseth us to keep covenant with him. And do not our hearts, in contemplation of them, burn within us? Is not our zeal enkindled, and are Psalm cvi. 30, 31. ↑ Malachi iii. 16, 17. the Spirit, if any bowels and mer. cies, let us, I beseech you, fulfil the joy of the apostles and of all good men, by being like minded, to perform these duties, having the same love, being of one ac Thoughts on Heb. vi. 4, 5, 6. "FOR it is impossible for those, who have been once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the not our resolutions invigorated? Shall we not, deeply impressed and impelled by their united energy, lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and run with patience the race which is set before us, look-cord, of one mind, observing all ing unto Jesus the author and things whatsoever Jesus hath finisher of our faith? As we commanded us. Amen. have received him, shall we not walk in him, rooted and established in the faith, as we have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving? Shall we not watch and pray always; praying with all prayer and supplication, in the spirit, with all perseverance and supplication for all saints? Shall we not wrestle with God, that the spirit of primitive Christianity may be poured out upon all our church-world to come, If they shall fall es, and upon their pastors? That we and all our brethren may maintain a more close and humble walk with God? That this address might be succeeded to this happy effect on ourselves and others? Shall we not strive to grow more and more in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? To excel in the religion of the closet, of the family and of the house of God; and in the constant, cheerful discharge of all relative duties? Shall we not exhort one another daily, and consider one another to provoke unto love and good works? Shall we not do these duties so much the more as time flies away, and as we see the day of death and judgment approach-be experienced, by natural men; ing? Shall we not from this time shake off all slothfulness and be fervent in spirit serving the Lord? Dear brethren, if there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of away, to renew them again unto repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to open shame." MEN EN of different religious sentiments, do not agree in their interpretation of this passage of scripture ; nor indeed do all those who harmonize, as to the general scheme of doc trines, contained in the word of God. Among those who main| tain, that all true saints will persevere to final salvation, there are two different constructions. Some believe, that, by being en lightened, tasting the heavenly gift, &c. the apostle meant to express only such things, as may and that falling away, in which they are said to crucify to them. selves the Son of God afresh, must be taken to mean the unpardonable sin. It is believed by others, that the apostle is here speaking of the distinguish the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin. This sinning wilfully is explained, ver. 29, by having done despite unto the Spir ing experiences of real saints; and for some important purpose, which accords with this interpre tation. I shall offer a few remarks on the former interpreta-it of grace. But if this be the tion, and then attempt to main- thing intended, in the passage tain the latter. under consideration, it is difficult to account for its being ex does not comport with the example referred to by Christ, from which we are to learn the peculiar nature, and circumstances of the sin, which is unto death. It does not appear that those who blasphemed the Holy Ghost, by ascribing the casting out of dev It will probably be agreed, on all hands, according to the ex-pressed by the idea of falling press tenor of the words, that away; though this, in its confalling away, in the sense here sequences, must imply crucifyintended, is a sin, for which ing the Son of God afresh, and there is no repentance, nor for- putting him to an open shame. giveness. But the point in ques-Falling away, even in this sort, tion is, whether this be the sin unto death, spoken of by St. John, and which Christ tells us, shall never be forgiven. This sin he has defined, with great precision, so as to render it distinguishable from all other sins, in the gospel according to Matt. xii. 31, 32, "Wherefore I say untoils, by Christ, to the agency of you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven: but whosoever shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come." The sin here described is doubtless that of which the Scribes and Pharisees were guilty, on this occasion, when ascribing the miracles which Christ wrought, and particularly his casting out devils, to the agency of Beelzebub, the prince of devils. This they probably did, not only through the strength of malice and opposition to Christ, but against a full conviction of their own consciences. This agrees with Heb. x. 26. For if we sin, wilfully, after that we have received the knowledge of VOL. V. No. 12. Beelzebub, were chargeable with. falling away, and crucifying the Son of God afresh; however they sinned wilfully, and did despite unto the Spirit of grace. They too had received the knowledge of the truth, from the personal ministry of Christ, in such sort, as to have been convinced, that he was the Messiah, and that he cast out devils, by the Spirit of God. It does not appear, however, that they had experienced any thing more than this. In their case, therefore, there was no falling away. They had nothing previously, from which they could have fallen. The idea, therefore, that, in order to committing the unpardonable sin, men must be partakers of the Holy Ghost, otherwise than to be understandingly convinced of his divine existence and operations, is not supported by any evidence from the word of God. Hence Paul, in the madness with which he opHhh |