Part 36

Morality therefore being so essential to, and so important a part of pure and undefiled Religion, it is one great recommendation of the Christian Religion, that it contains a system of perfect and finished morals. There is not a single defect in its morals--not a single false virtue to be found in it, or one vice, however specious countenanced. This cannot with truth be affirmed of any, or all the best systems of heathen philosophy and morals. The heathen moralists have, we concede, said many fine and beautiful things of Virtue: and given many rules of moral conduct which are both just and weighty. They painted too, in lively colours, the frailties and miseries of man. But the most amiable and pure systems among them allowed of self-murder, and many other absurd and inconsistent follies and vices. They either had no idea at all, or not any just one concerning the high moral duties of forgiveness of injuries--the love of enemies--self-denial--humility--and unlawfulness of revenge. On the other hand, in the morals of the Gospel there is not one blemish. They are above censure, and demand admiration. They are both pure and sublime. Only hear, as one instance, among many others equally noble and beautiful, how the Apostle Paul sums up, and presses home moral duties. _Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things._--When our Lord had finished his sermon on the Mount, in which we have a glorious epitome of the morals, which he taught, and the motives from which they should flow, the great concourse of people, who had convened to hear him, were astonished at his doctrines. _And it came to pass when Jesus ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes._ He delivered truth with so much force and energy; his address and eloquence were so much the perfection of propriety: _for he spake,_ in this sense, _as never man spake_: the doctrines were so plain and pure: and the principles from which he taught us our actions should proceed, were so holy and sublime, that we need not be surprised, that the multitude were full of admiration. The Christian Religion, therefore, is most EXCELLENT on account of the purity, perfection, and sublimity of its morals; and of course, worthy of all acceptation.----

_Ninthly,_ A further argument to prove the inherent worth and beauty of our holy Religion, is that it gives us so much light, in to the great plan of the divine government. Without this revealed light, we could never know any thing about the grand end of God in the Creation, preservation, and government of the world. Reason cannot open to us these ends. The Bible is a history of divine Providence and the work of redemption. It is a comment upon the works of God. This is a most convincing proof of its divinity; and of the glory of that religion which it contains. Without it, all would be mystery to us. We could not satisfy ourselves with respect to any thing around us. We could not go so far as to prove that the world had a beginning in time, or that it did not exist from everlasting. We could not offer any rational view, why we were made; much less could we give any satisfactory account, why so many evils take place, or so much disorder is permitted in the system of the world. Reason, though it may lead up the mind, through nature's works, to nature's God; though it may discover to us many parts of duty, could never be able of itself, to give us any _light_ into the end of God, in the formation of man, and government of the universe. But the Gospel informs us fully, what this world was brought into existence for--what man was placed in the scale of rational being for, and that the present life is a state of probation and education to prepare us for another, a state of remuneration. This is confirmed by every thing we see around us. Man is to live hereafter. Time is to introduce an Eternity. All the events of Providence are ordered or permitted with a view to another world. This is the only key which can open to us the designs of Providence, in the permission of sin:--the continuance of moral evil, and, of course, natural evil:--in the disorders of the world:--the inequities, which we cannot help beholding:--the oppression of Virtue: the triumphs of vice--so often observed, and so deeply afflicting to the pious in all ages. Without the supposition that this is a probationary state, and that it looks forward to a retribution state, all would be to us, a pathless wilderness--a labyrinth, out of which we could have no clue to guide us. This world could not possibly be formed on any other plan. And the history of it cannot be understood or explained on any other ground. If this were the _last_ state of man, certainly we might expect a very different arrangement, in the government of it. We should either see perfect happiness every where enjoyed--no storms arising--no clouds interposing--but one continued scene of order, peace, and delight; or complete wretchedness. Had God intended it for a place of perfect happiness, we should not see it overspread with innumerable miseries; we should not be pained with the sight of so much folly and vice. Had he intended it for a place of _sorrow only,_ we should not see human life blessed with such a rich profusion of mercies. But when we consider this world as represented, in the sacred Volume, as a probationary state, all is LIGHT; every thing we meet with may be easily solved. This mixture of good and evil is necessarily implied in a state of probation. We are here to exist with a reference to a future world. We are upon our trial. If we abuse our advantages and neglect our duty, we shall sustain hereafter all the ill-consequences of our folly and madness. If we rightly improve this state of probation, ample rewards will be conferred upon us. We are here in our education for another stage of our existence. According to Christianity, God's end in all things is his own name--or glory--and the best good of the Universe--its greatest eventual perfection. It assures us, which is a cordial to support us, under all dark and distressing calamities, that in the last result of all things, perfect justice will be done--order will be educed out of confusion--peace out of contention--light out of darkness--and happiness out of misery. _Our God is in the heavens, and doth whatsoever he will.--Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth._--While Christianity informs us of God's last end in Creation and Providence, and the nature of true Virtue, consisting in a conformity of heart to his moral image, and conformity of life to his law, it opens to us the only way of acceptance with him, and the full remission of all sin. This leads me to observe----

_In the last place,_ that the PRINCIPAL glory of the Gospel, is its revealing to us a mediatorial Salvation, the only way to pardon--the recovery of lost man by the sufferings and death of the Son of God. This, indeed, as the attentive hearer will easily apprehend, is the GREAT EXCELLENCY of our Religion. That which more than any thing else, or all things else, shows its glory and worth. This is the chief excellence. All that hath been above illustrated, if united together is far from being equal to this; and was but preparatory to it. This was designedly reserved for the last and crowning glory of all. As sinners we want a method revealed, or to be shown, how we may obtain forgiveness and the divine favour, acceptance with a holy and sin-hating God. This the Gospel clearly reveals to us; and in this consists its glory. This distinguishes it from all false religions--from all the religions ever broached in the world. There is one God and one Mediator between God and man. Other foundation can no man lay, that that is laid even Jesus Christ. We are redeemed with his precious blood. He is the lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. No man can come unto the Father but by him. He is the way, the truth, and the life. Through him, as an exalted Redeemer, repentance and remission of sin are preached to an Apostate world. He came to seek and to save that which was lost--to call sinners to repentance.--_Be it known unto you, therefore men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe, are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses._ Neither is there Salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. The CHIEF MERCY of the Deity to a ruined world is the gift of a Saviour. This is the unspeakable gift. None can be compared to it. It is infinitely above all others. Whenever the inspired penmen touch upon this theme, the LOVE of God in giving his son to make a propitiation for sin, they seem to be carried out of themselves. They delight to dwell upon it. They are raised beyond their ordinary pitch. They labour for language to describe it. They know not how to speak worthily upon it; where to begin, or where to end.--They exclaim, O the _length,_ the _depth,_ the _height,_ the _breadth_ of the love of God; his redeeming love!--

All indeed that Jesus Christ did, and suffered was to open a way for our pardon, and to lead us to life eternal; a life of pardon and acceptance with God, which might be compatible with the claims of strict justice. FOR THIS, he lived a painful life. FOR THIS, he condescended to be clothed in human flesh. FOR THIS, he died on the Cross, an ignominious death. FOR THIS, he lay in the cold and silent grave. FOR THIS, at the destined moment, he burst asunder the bonds of death, and arose in triumph, as a mighty conqueror over death and hell; for as he was wounded for our transgressions, so he was raised again for our justification. FOR THIS, he ascended, in a visible form, before chosen witnesses, into heaven. When we behold him coming into the world--living--suffering--bleeding--dying--numbered with transgressors, for he was crucified between two malefactors, as if the greatest criminal of the three--and suspended on the cross on Calvary's top, between the heavens and the earth, as if unworthy of either--we see him as the GREAT PROPITIATORY SACRIFICE for sin.

The law came by Moses, but grace and truth by Jesus Christ; and he fulfilled all righteousness. He put an honour, by what he did, and by what he suffered, by his active and passive obedience, on the divine character, law, and government. To all worlds, he has given full proof that pardoning mercy may be consistently exercised to all penitents--that the ruler of the Universe may be just and yet justify the believer--that an honourable door of salvation is opened. He indeed bore the sinner's shame and iniquities as his substitute; and accordingly is made unto all that believe, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Through his peace-speaking blood a way of life and forgiveness for, even the chief of sinners on their repentance is made known. A holy, and righteous, and sovereign God, who is bound to consult the honour and glory of his own character, law, and government, and the welfare of the system of the Universe, can be just and yet forgive the sinner, who repents and believes in a Saviour. Man may be saved, and yet his salvation honour his Maker, as the all-wise and all-holy Jehovah. He is glorified in our recovery from sin to holiness, and more glorified, than if we had been left to perish, unpitied; and the law had been executed upon us, in all its awful rigours.----Here consequently is the PECULIAR GLORY or PRINCIPAL EXCELLENCE of the Gospel.--its revealing to us a mediatorial interposition--a way of pardon and felicity consistent with all the divine attributes. It honours, indeed, the DIVINE BEING, and all his perfections, wisdom, goodness, mercy, and justice, while it provides, in the most ample manner, for the sinner's relief and salvation.

Would any then enquire after the peculiar glory or excellence of the Gospel they may at once receive a full answer, on what I have now stated.--A VICARIOUS RIGHTEOUSNESS--a PARDON PURCHASED by the precious blood of the Son of God--the CROSS of Christ--is the sum and substance--the GLORY of the Gospel. Sin is expiated by an adequate sacrifice--everlasting righteousness is brought in--the divine honour is secured--and all the law magnified. This is the EXCELLENCE of the Christian Religion. Unless we see this; we see nothing of the worth of a Saviour--and we know nothing either experimentally, savingly, or even speculatively of the GLORY of the Gospel.

I have now considered, at some length, the general excellence of the Christian Religion. Had my illustrations and arguments been such, as the dignity and grandeur of the subject required, I should hope that every hearer would receive such a sense of the excellence of that Religion, in which he was born and educated, and which blesses, with its salutary rays, as a divine light, our happy Country, as would never wear off, but lead to a temper of mind and conduct of life conformable to its precepts.--In as few words as they can be expressed, permit me, to recapitulate all the arguments and considerations which have been enlarged upon in these discourses, and present them, in one united view, that they may all have their proper weight on the mind. The Christian Religion then is excellent, as it shines gloriously above all other religions.--As it contains an admirable system of doctrines, and a plain and rational mode of worship:--as it lays before us the best system of duties, all of which are reasonable, and the most weighty and solemn motives to enforce them:--as it comprises in it the most precious promises, and furnishes the richest supports, in days of adversity and misfortune, far surpassing all that could be derived from reason and philosophy, though these a wise man will by no means despise:--as it builds itself upon no selfish foundation,--as it prohibits all moral evil, and every thing which would interrupt our peace and comfort as individuals, or the harmony and benefit of society, which it consults and secures:--as it offers the most gracious, and sufficient assistances to enable us to perform all required duty, and hath but two _sacramental institutions,_ both of which are reasonable, having a doctrinal and moral tendency,--as it exhibits a perfect and sublime morality which the life of its FOUNDER happily exemplified: for the example which he set us of Virtue and goodness is indefective:--as it gives us so much light into the great plan of the divine government:--and as it reveals a mediatorial salvation, the only way of pardon and acceptance with the omniscient--and all-holy God. Well may the Gospel, be called the _Gospel of_ God--the _Gospel of the grace_ of God--the _glorious Gospel of the blessed God_--the _power of God_ unto salvation--the _wisdom that is_ from above--the _mystery hid_ from ages--the _Gospel of_ Christ--good _news of salvation_--and _the Gospel of our salvation_--the _grace_ of God--and _the Gospel of peace._

The whole will be concluded, with only one request to the hearer, that as he would act up to the dignity of his rational nature--as he would admit nothing, which is contrary to, or reject nothing which is consistent with, reason--that as he would be happy on earth--and happy after death, so he would, with fairness and candor, with all due seriousness and deliberation, examine the merits, the internal worth and beauty, the EXCELLENCE of the Christian Religion, that from a full conviction of its being worthy of all acceptation, he may conform his life to its precepts, be interested in the righteousness of its author, and build his hopes upon its promises--and, then, its rewards will be his portion, when time is no more.--And now to the King, eternal, immortal, and invisible, be rendered, through Jesus Christ, all honor, glory, and praise, from all on earth, and all in heaven!----_AMEN!_

Transcriber's Notes.

Detailed changes:

- On page vii., change the reference 2 Thessalonians, 2. 15 to 2 Thessalonians, ii. 15, for consistency.

- On page 11, change the reference from "EPHES. II. 12." to "EPHESIANS ii. 12." to match the style used in the rest of the book.

- On page 13, in the "first thing proposed" paragraph, change the Roman "I" to an Arabic "1" for consistency with later numbers.

- On page 15, change "all will berewarded according to their character and works" to "all will be rewarded . . . ."

- The break between pages 15 and 16 is in the word "denied": de|nied. In this and all subsequent cases, the whole word was moved to the earlier page.

- On page 20, capitalize "Sirs" and "We" in the quotation of Acts xiv. 15.

- On page 21, in point 3, change "indispensibly" to "indispensably" twice.

- On page 22, change "to do justly and and love mercy" to "to do justly and love mercy."

- The break between pages 22 and 23 is in the word "unto": un|to.

- The break between pages 23 and 24 is in the word "homage": hom|age.

- The break between pages 26 and 27 is in the word "happy": hap|py.

- On page 27, the sentence "We proceed--as was proposed--" was centered in the original, which stands out in the narrow column of the book. The Transcriber removed the formatting.

- The break between pages 31 and 32 is in the word "information": informa|tion.

- On page 33, insert a period after ". . . please their Idol." Change "Carthagenians" to "Carthaginians."

- The break between paged 36 and 37 is in the word "intended": in|tended.

- On page 37, in the "first of these" paragraph, change "preceeding" to "preceding." The sentence "We now pass--to observe----" was centered in the original, which stands out in the narrow column of the book. The Transcriber removed the formatting. In point 3, change the question mark after the sentence that begins "When we ponder deep" to a period.

- The break between pages 37 and 38 is in the word "appear": ap|pear.

- On page 38, in the sentence that begins "The anxious enquiry," change the sentence-ending period to a question mark.

- On page 39, in the first paragraph that starts on the page, change "dispair" to "despair."

- On page 40, change "incorigible" to "incorrigible."

- The break between pages 43 and 44 is in the word "revelation": reve|lation.

- On page 48, change "indisipenibly" to "indispensably."

- On page 49, in the quotation of Romans i. 22-31, change "forefooted beasts" to "fourfooted beasts."

- On page 50, insert a comma into the quotation of the text after "commonwealth of Israel," update a scripture reference from "Genesis 6. 5." to "Genesis vi. 5" for consistency, insert parentheses around that reference for clarity, and insert double quotes around the quoted scripture.

- On page 51, change "all have sinned and come short of the glory God" to ". . . glory of God."

- On page 53, in point 2, change "condescention" to "condescension."

- On page 56, change "dispise" to "despise."

- On page 57, change "Gospel truths, and or dinances are dispensed" to ". . . and ordinances are dispensed." Also insert an apostrophe into the phrase "Lord's will" in the quotation of Luke xii. 47.

- The break between pages 59 and 60 is in the word "acknowledge": acknow|ledge.

- The break between pages 64 and 65 in in the word "destruction": des|truction.

- The break between pages 67 and 68 is in the word "observe": ob|serve.

- The break between pages 68 and 69 is in the word "contradicting": con|tradicting.

- On page 70, change "Each writers stile or manner" to "Each writer's stile or manner."

- On page 72, in the paragraph that starts on the page, change "erronists" to "errorists."

- The break between pages 74 and 75 is in the word "unfounded": un|founded.

- A quotation that begins at the bottom of page 74 and continues on to page 75 has an opening quotation mark at the beginning of each line. It was transcribed using one opening and one closing quotation mark.

- On page 76, a rather long sentence begins "The question is not" and ends "doctrines of the Bible? for this is readily acknowledged." The Transcriber changed the question mark to a colon, because this is an assertion, not a question.

- The break between pages 81 and 82 is in the word "spiritual": spirit|ual.

- On page 85, insert commas into the list "iniquity, transgression, and sin."

- On page 88, change "indispensible" to "indispensable."

- On page 91, change "What wise and great achievments have ever been accomplished without perseverance." to "What wise and great achievements have ever been accomplished without perseverance?" _(spelling of "achievements" and period to question mark)_

- On page 94, change "If, says he, you neglect the duty . . ." to "If," says he, "you neglect the duty . . ." to remove the speaker's interjection from the quoted text. Remove the comma from "Children's, Children."

- The break between pages 94 and 95 is in the word "Christianity": Christiani|ty.

- On page 106, change "pinacle" to "pinnacle."

- On page 107, change "harrassed" to "harassed."

- The break between pages 107 and 108 is in the word "whatever": whatev|er.

- On page 108, change "Whereever any rational creature . . ." to "Wherever any rational creature . . . ."

- The break between pages 109 and 110 is in a unit that style indicates should not be broken: "own.--|What." The entire unit in this and subsequent cases was moved to the earlier page.

- On page 110, in the first paragraph that starts on the page, change "indispensible" to "indispensable" and "indispensibly" to "indispensably." In the second paragraph, change "indispensible" to "indispensable."

- On page 112, change "however great cannot annul is" to "however great cannot annul it."

- The break between pages 117 and 118 is in a unit that style indicates should not be broken: "God--|one."

- The break between pages 118 and 119 is in the word "any": a|ny.

- On page 126, change "indispensible" to "indispensable."

- On page 127, set the word "Again" in Roman type because it represents the speaker's interjection between scripture quotations (which are set in _Italic._) Remove the Italic formatting from the word "preached" because it is not part of the quotation of Romans x. 17 in KJV.

- On page 128, change "indispensibly" to "indispensably."

- On page 129, in the James quotation, change "ingrafted" to "engrafted."

- On page 131, change "dispise" to "despise."

- On page 133, change "tranquility" to "tranquillity" and "practised" to "practiced."

- The break between pages 136 and 137 is in a unit that style indicates should not be broken: "sanctified--|when."

- The break between pages 137 and 138 is in the word "mercy": mer|cy.

- On page 139, change "indispensible" to "indispensable."

- On page 141, capitalize "Platonic."

- On page 143, change "It's beneficial tendency" to "Its beneficial tendency" _(contraction to possessive)_

- The break between pages 144 and 145 is in the word "even": e|ven.

- On page 147, there is a lengthy quotation where, in the original, each line starts with an opening quotation mark. Transcribed using modern style, with one quote at the beginning. In the sentence "But can you think," change the sentence-ending period to a question mark.

- The break between pages 149 and 150 is in the word "esteem": es|teem.

- The break between pages 150 and 151 is in the word "being": be|ing.

- On page 154, change "practise condesention" to "practice condescension."