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readily acknowledge the defectiveness of reason with respect to the understanding of themselves; but insolently arrogate, a right to determine things in the nature of God.

It is true, ignorance the more invincible, is the more excusable: but when the error of the mind is from the vicious will, both the error and the cause of it are sinful and inexcusable. When the corrupt will has an influence upon the understanding, and the mind is stained with some carnal lust, when a temptation diverts it from a serious and sincere considering the reasons that should induce us to believe divine doctrines, their unbelief will be justly punished. The scripture declares, "that an evil heart is the cause of unbelief:" pride, and obstinacy of mind, and carnal lusts, are the cause that so many renounce those eternal truths by which they should be saved.

Thirdly. It is alledged, that speculative errors cannot be damnable.

To this I answer,

The understanding of man in his original state, was light in the Lord, and regular in its directions, now it is dark and disordered and in the points of religion that are revealed, any error induces guilt, and if obstinately defended exposes to judgment. Some truths are written because necessary to be believed, others are to be believed because written.

According to the quality of the truths revealed in scripture, such is the hurtfulness of the errors that are opposite to them. Some truths are necessary, others profitable: some errors are directly opposite to the saving truths of the gospel, others by consequence undermine them. "Those who deny the Lord that bought them, are guilty of damnable heresies," capital errors, "not holding the head." Col. 2. 19.

The doctrine of the Trinity is not a mere speculative truth, nor the denial of it a speculative error: the trinity is not only an object of faith, but of worship. In baptism, we are dedicated to the Sacred Trinity, "in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost," which clearly proves they are of the same authority and power, and consequently of the same nature: for it is impossible to conceive of three infinite beings, for by necessity one would limit another. The apostle declares, "Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh :" the nature and end of this divine mystery, is to form the spirits of man

to believe, and love, and obey God. For in it there is the clearest revelation of God's admirable love to men, of his unspotted holiness, his incorruptible justice, the great motives of religion. In that divine doctrine we have the most ravishing image of piety and virtue, the most becoming the nature of God to give, and of man to receive.

Briefly; God commands us to believe in his Son: without faith in him we are incapable of redemption by him. When Christ performed miraculous cures, he required of the persons whether they did believe in his divine power, and what he declared himself to be. Electing mercy ordains the means and the end the apostle "gives thanks to God, because he has chosen. the Thessalonians to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and the belief of the truth." 2 Thes. 2. Holiness and faith in the doctrine of the gospel, are indispensable qualifications in the learned and ignorant, that would be saved by the Son of God. It is a high contempt of the truth and goodness of God, not to yield a firm assent to what he has revealed concerning our salvation by his incarnate Son. He that believes not the record that God hath given of his Son, "makes God a liar." 1 John 5. 10. This infinitely provokes him, and inflames his indignation. To disbelieve the testimony that Jesus Christ has given of the divinity of his person and doctrine, is to despise him, it robs him of his essential and his acquired glory by the work of our redemption. There can be no true love of God without the true knowledge of him, as he is revealed not only in his works, but in his word. Our Saviour, who is "the way, the truth, and the life," has declared, when he gave commission to his apostles to preach the gospel to the world, "whoever believes and is baptized, shall be saved, whoever believes not shall be damned." We cannot make laws to be the rule of God's judgment, but must receive them. However some may flatter erring persons in their security, it will be found in the great day, that infidelity in the light of the glorious gospel, will have no excuse before God.

The doctrine of the gospel is like the pillar of cloud and of fire, that was darkness to the Egyptians, but enlightend the Israelites in their passage out of Egypt: it is concealed from the proud, and revealed to the humble. The human mind is imperious and turbulent, and averse from submitting to God's autho

rity, who commands the wise and most understanding to yield full assent to his word, as the meanest capacities. "The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." There is no proportion between the faculty and the object. You may as well see an angel by the light of a candle, as see the great mysteries of the gospel by the natural mind, their reality, beauty, and excellency, so as savingly to believe them. "Faith is the fruit of the Spirit :" Eph. 1. 17. who is styled the "Spirit of wisdom and revelation," who discovers the object, and enlightens the mind to see it, and by free preventing-grace inclines the will to embrace it. "The Holy Spririt alone can pull down strong holds, and cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." 1 Cor. 10. The Spirit overcomes the pride of the natural understanding by the authority of the revealer, and enlightens the ignorance of it by the infallible revelation. Violence, and temporal respects, may by terrors and allurements make men hypocrites, but cannot make them sincere believers: there will be a form of religion without, and atheism within. It is special grace inspires the elect of God with light to see spiritual things, and requires special thankfulness.

Let us humbly pray to the Father of mercies, and of lights, that he would reveal the mysteries of his kingdom to the minds of men. "If the gospel be hid, it is hid to those that are lost, in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them who believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine into them." 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4.

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CHAP. VII.

The power of faith, to overcome all that is opposite to our salvation. A speculative assent to supernatural truths, is not saving. The efficacy of faith against temptations of the world, proceeds from the nature of its objects, and the degrees of assent, and the frequent application of them to our hearts. There is an incomparable difference between the good and evil things that are present, and those that are future. The evidence and importance of future good things, and our interest in them, fixes our assent, and makes it effectual. Justifying faith considered in its nature and purifying virtue. Faith in the disposals of the Divine Providence, is a fundamental principle from whence many practical consequences are derived, The heathens had very disparaging conceits of God's providence. The scripture declares that nothing happens without the knowledge, the will, either permissive or approving, and the ordering-providence of God. This is very influential on the lives of men,

I Will now consider the power and efficacy of faith, to overcome all that is opposite to our salvation.

I shall premise, there is a common delusion that has a pernicious influence upon the minds and lives of many, that those are true believers, who yield a dry and barren assent to the mysteries of the gospel, without the practical belief of them. They do not foment and authorize doubts by the pretence of reason, nor excite revolts in their minds, and entertain objections against supernatural truth; but they never felt the spirit and power of faith in raising them above the low descents of carnal minds, and setting their affections on things above. The love of the present world, like a stupifying wine, causes in them a forgetfulness of heaven, and that which is the most dangerous idolatry in the sight of God, is seated in their hearts. The understanding submits to divine revelation, but the will is rebellious against the divine commands. They believe what is necessary to believe, but not what is necessary to do. They are satisfied with a speculative faith, that costs nothing, and will go with them to hell, for the devils believe supernatural truths. They are rich in the notions of faith, but poor in the precepts of obedience. Now in the language of scripture, saving faith and knowledge of divine, things are productive of such affections and actions as are corre

spondent to the nature of the things believed. If the head be enlightened, and the heart in darkness, if one professes never so fully his assent and adherence to all the articles of faith, and the beams of faith are not visible in his conversation, he is an infidel. "He that says, I know Christ," or which is equivalent, "believe in him, and keeps not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." 1 John 2. 4. Every habitual sinner is an unbeliever. Unfeigned faith receives the word of God in all its parts, doctrines, commands, promises; not only as infallibly true, but superlatively good and precious, and entirely embraces them, with a despising of all things that may come in competition with them, and expresses the esteem and love of them in the practice. The two inseparable properties of saving faith are, it is humble and submissive to divine revelation, it is dutiful and obedient to divine precepts.

This being premised, I will consider the power of faith, proceeding. 1. From the nature of the objects upon which it is exercised. 2. From the degrees of its assent and adherence to them. 3. From the serious and frequent application of the objects to our heart.

1. From the nature of the objects upon which it is exercised; now between them, and the most enticing good things, and the most fearful evil in this present state, there is an incomparable difference. The apostle tells us, "This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith." 1 John 5. Victory supposes a fight, and a fight supposes an enemy: the enemy is declared, the world, including the men of the world, and the things of it. This enemy is in combination with the devil and the flesh. He is styled the "Prince of this world," that manages the temptations of it for the ruin of souls. He tries his poisons according to the dispositions of men, in hopes of working in them. He presents to some a charming cup, to intoxicate them with the pleasures of sin: he tempts others with things of lustre, with titles of honour and dignity, that dazzle their minds, that they cannot give a true and safe judgment of things: he allures others with riches. And as heat is doubled by reflection, so he enforces his temptations, from the prevalency of these motives upon men in all places and times. If these methods are unsuccessful to turn men from God, he tries to make terrible impressions upon the minds of men by afflicting evils, by the rage of the perverse

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