"to us

mercy, through the great Mediator and solace his mind, and he knows, of the new covenant. Of this sal- amidst his pains and sorrows, that vation we may hereafter enlarge;" blessed is he whose iniquities are at present it suffices to say with the forgiven, and whose sins are coPsalmist, "If thou, Lord, should vered." mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall The uncertain continuance of this stand? But there is forgiveness with vain life is the space allotted us by thee, that thou mayest be feared." the long-suffering of our offended The inevitable certainty of death, God, to seek the reversal of that the uncertainty of the time and man- sentence which relates to our final ner in which each person shall die, condemnation. To direct our course with the manifold troubles and sor- in this important pursuit, rows of life, the turbulency of the are committed the oracles of God," passions, the remorse and terrors," which are able to make us wise and the anguish of the closing scene unto salvation by faith in Jesus of wicked men, are no feeble em- Christ." Information, counsels, inblems of the confinement, chains, vitations, warnings, and promises, and tortures of a condemned crimi- suited to our case, are there given nal, terminating only in his execu-us; means of grace are appointed, tion: the miseries which they occa- in which we may apply for every sion to each other, aptly represent needful blessing; and especially the those scenes which meet the obser- Holy Spirit is promised to all who vation of such persons as are con- humbly seek and depend on his versant with prisons; in which gracious teaching, sanctifying and wretched men have little relief from comforting influences, and seek the anguish of their own minds, ex- these blessings by earnest prayer; cept in reproaching and plaguing so that no man (whatever his sins, their companions in guilt: and the habits, temptations, or situation may dissipated, sensual, and noisy plea-be) can come short of this salvation, sure, by which at other times they provided he seek for it in the apstun reflection, and excite transient pointed way, and with a diligence turbulent joy, resembles the drunken suited to its inestimable value. This carousals of the criminals, their is the situation of every man so long singing and dancing in their chains, as life continues: for that judicial and the infatuated levity of some of blindness and obduracy, to which them, even to the very moment of many are given up, consists in a execution. But the believer has total and final neglect, contempt, or another prospect opened to his abuse of this salvation. But when view; he is indeed a criminal, but death removes a man out of this he is pardoned and reconciled to his world, his opportunity is over, and prince; a few days he must abide in his state fixed to all eternity. his prison previous to his regular We are then criminals, reprieved discharge, but when the other cri- for a short and uncertain time, by minals shall be led to execution, the mercy of our prince, that we he will not only be set at liberty, may have an opportunity of casting but admitted to the presence and ourselves on his clemency, and seekfull favour of his gracious Benefacing a pardon, in a way which for his tor, ennobled with the greatest dig- own glory he hath prescribed. If nities, and enriched beyond expres-we avail ourselves of this advantage, sion in the mean time, the hopes the more terrible part of our punishand earnests of such felicity support ment will be remitted, and the re

mainder will be counterbalanced by and when it is condemned to endure
most animating hopes and consola- his tremendous wrath, and to be
tions, sanctified to our greatest given up to the unrestrained fury
good, and soon terminate in ever- of all vile affections, in the company
lasting felicity; but if we neglect of fallen spirits for evermore. This
so great salvation, our vain and vex-loss is incurred by sin; but the for-
atious worldly pursuits and plea-feiture is ratified by the sinner's
sures will soon issue in final and persevering impenitence, unbelief,
eternal misery.
and disobedience: the pleasure,

Our first great business and inter-profit, honour, power, or ease which
est, therefore, during our present men seek by continuing in sin, is
uncertain state, must be to prepare the price of their souls: they are
for death and judgment, by seeking so infatuated, as thus to sell them
"eternal life, as the gift of God for the most worthless trifles; be-
through Jesus Christ our Lord:" cause (like our first parents) they
for if we succeed in this grand con- credit Satan's lies more than the
cern, all inferior disappointments or truth of God, through desire of the
losses will shortly be most amply forbidden fruit; or because they
made up to us; but if we fail in this put off the grand concern to a fu-
respect, our present successes will ture season, and quiet their consci-
only serve to aggravate our future ences (as debtors do their importu-
anguish. Every pursuit, which is nate creditors), by fixing on some
incompatible with this primary in- future time of intended amend-
terest, must be madness and ruin, ment; or because they think their
however fashionable, reputable, lu- state good, when God's word de-
crative, or agreeable it may other-clares the contrary. Thus their op-
wise be. Not only inferior elegances, portunity elapses, and too late they
distinctions, and honours, but even understand the energy of the ques-
crowns and sceptres, the splendour tion, "what shall a man give in
of courts, the councils of statesmen exchange for his soul?"
and senators, the grand concerns of
This shows us the importance of
empires, yea "all the kingdoms of our Lord's exhortation, "seek first
the world, and all the glory of them," the kingdom of God and his righ-
dwindle into utter insignificancy, teousness." Admission into that
and fade as a withering flower, kingdom which God hath set up
when compared with eternal hap- among men, by the gospel of his
piness or misery: "For what is a Son, the privileges of which consist
man profited, if he gain the whole in righteousness, peace, and joy in
world, and lose his own soul?" The the Holy Ghost; the holiness and
soul of man, bearing the natural blessings of that kingdom for our-
image of God in its noble powers selves, and the peace, prosperity
and faculties, capable of being re- and enlargement of it in the world,
newed to his moral image, "in should be sought by diligence in all
righteousness and true holiness," appointed means, as our grand ob-
being endued with the capacity of jects, with the first and best of
most exquisite pleasure, or most our time and affections, in prefer-
inconceivable anguish, and formed ence to all other things, and with a
to subsist in happiness or misery, willingness to part with, or venture
through the countless ages of eter-whatever comes in competition with
nity, is lost, when the favour and them, even if that should be our
image of God are finally forfeited, estates, liberty, friends, or life itself.

Nor are we even allowed" to fear assiduous attention and liberal comthem who can only kill the body, pensation will not be withheld; but and after that have no more that they who would teach men the way they can do," when this would lead of eternal life, must not expect us to incur his displeasure," who is much regard, even if they desire no able to destroy both body and soul other recompense. in hell." A proper attention to our But time and room would fail, worldly business and interests would should we attempt to enumerate come in as a part of our duty to God, the proofs of man's folly and madto his church, to the community, ness in this respect. Even the and to our families; every thing law-very messages of God, respecting ful and expedient would thus be judgment, eternity, and his great rendered subservient to our grand salvation, instead of meeting with object, and all things needful would a serious regard, are often set to be added to us; but men are ruined music, and profanely employed to by reversing God's order, and seek- vary the species of pleasurable dising first the world, and the things sipation! Nay, they are often that are in the world, even "the preached out of ostentation, avalust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, rice, envy, or strife; heard as a and the pride of life." matter of curiosity or amusement;

66

Even where gross vices and open or contended for in pride, virulence, ungodliness are avoided, how great- and furious anger! The grand buly are persons of all ranks, endow-siness of most men seems to be, to ments, and professions, " careful and avoid the burthen of reflection, to troubled about many things," instead cause time to glide away as imperof attending simply and diligently to ceptibly as possible, and so appathe one thing needful, and decidedly rently to shorten the span allotted choosing that good part which them to prepare for eternity. Well would never be taken from them." might the Psalmist then say, "RiMen's thoughts, contrivances, hopes, vers of water run down mine eyes, fears, joys, sorrows, maxims, wis- because men keep not thy law." dom, assiduity, and conversation, But, O ye giddy sons and daughters are almost wholly engrossed by the of Adam, what will ye think of your perishing, vexatious trifles of time. present pursuits, when death shall Every vague, strange, and uninter-summon you to God's tribunal ? esting report is more attended to What will then your riches, pleathan 66 the glad tidings of salva- sures, decorations, elegances, hotion;" every science deemed better nours, or dignities avail you? What worth cultivating than the know- comfort will the knowledge of all ledge of God; every question is languages and sciences then afford? thought to be sufficiently important W hat will you think of your present to set the ingenuity of men at work anxious cares, covetings, envying, to give it a satisfactory answer, ex- repinings, and disputes, when the cept it be inquired, "what must we night cometh in which no man can do to be saved?" and such topics work? Seek, then, the " Lord while only excite astonishment, disgust, a he may be found, call upon him short silence, and the starting of while he is near: let the wicked some more congenial subject. If a forsake his way, and the unrighteman pretend to teach others the way ous man his thoughts, and let him to health, to riches, to the enjoy- return to the Lord for he will have ment of life, or how to appear to ad- mercy upon him, and to our God, for vantage among their companions, he will abundantly pardon."

ESSAY VI.

On the Deity of Christ.

|the language of inspiration unmeaning, if not absurd); and others deem him a mere creature of some supraangelic nature, and only called God THE doctrine of a Mediator, through in consequence of his mediatorial whom a just and holy God deals exaltation. But the idea of a creamercifully with believers, is the ture, however exalted, being adgrand peculiarity of revelation; and vanced to divinity, is so repugnant it must therefore be of the greatest to all rational principles, as well as importance for us to form a proper to the declarations of Jehovah, that estimate of the personal dignity of" he knows no god besides himself, this Mediator. The doctrine which and will not give his glory to anoI shall here attempt to establish ther," that it will not be necessary from Scripture, may be thus stated: to discuss the subject with any par"That Jesus Christ is truly and ticular respect to these distinct opireally God, one with, and equal to nions; but merely to show, that the Father; being from eternity our Redeemer is by nature "God possessed of all divine perfections, over all, blessed for evermore." At and justly entitled to all divine ho- present I shall adduce a few select nours; yet personally distinct from arguments in direct proof of this the Father, and so called his own point, leaving some other things Son, his only-begotten Son, &c.: that belong to the subject to be disbut that, in order to the perform-cussed in the next Essay. ance of his mediatory office, he as- I. The reader will naturally turn sumed our nature into personal his thoughts to those Scriptures in union with the Deity; became one which Jesus Christ is expressly with us, truly man, like us in all called GOD, and LORD. "Without things, sin alone excepted; and that controversy," says the apostle, he is thus God and man in one mys- 66 great is the mystery of godliness, terious, incomprehensible Person; God was manifest in the flesh” (1 so that all the fulness of the God-Tim. iii. 16). He not only allows head dwells in him bodily." his doctrine to be very mysterious,

It is obvious, that no argument but even appears to glory in it as can be brought against the doctrine" the great mystery of godliness;" of our Lord's essential Deity, as nor could it be controverted or dehere stated, from those Scriptures nied, that it was a great mystery. which speak of his human nature, We may therefore be sure, that his mediatorial office, or his infe- they, who would so interpret his riority to the Father in both these words as to render his doctrine respects; for our doctrine implies scarce mysterious at all, do not unthis, and even essentially requires derstand them: but they, who supit; as an ambassador, though sub-pose him to mean, that Jesus was ordinate by office to his prince, is Emmanuel, God with us; that the not supposed to be of an inferior child born at Bethlehem was the nature, or of inferior abilities to him. mighty God, as the prophet foretold, We need not therefore discourse on consider his proposition both as a this part of the subject: it is gene- great mystery, and as the source, rally allowed by all, but deists and centre, and support of godliness atheists, that Christ is come in (Isa. vii. 14; ix. 6). It would be the flesh;" though numbers con- superfluous, in this brief attempt, to tend that he could not have come do more than refer the reader to the in any other way (which renders well-known passages to this effect

(John i. 1-18; Phil. ii. 5-8; Col. called on the name of Jesus; and i. 15-17; Heb. i.), and to entreat they only who called on him were him to read them with attention, as delivered. As therefore the Scripthe word of God, and with earnest ture cannot be broken, Christ is prayer to be enabled to understand Jehovah: Paul considered him as and believe them; for it seems im- such, and the event demonstrated possible for human language to ex-him to be so. The Psalmist says, press any sentiment more strongly" Taste and see that Jehovah is than they do the Deity of Christ. good:" to this the apostle maniHe, "who was in the beginning festly refers, when he uses these with God, and was God;" "who words, "If so be ye have tasted that made all things," so that "without the Lord is gracious-to whom comhim was not any thing made that ing, as to a living stone," &c.; and was made;"" by whom and for whom in what follows, the attentive reader all things were created, and by whom will perceive that he applies to all things consist," and who " up- Christ what the prophet had spoken holds all things by the word of his of Jehovah God of Hosts himself power,' must be "God over all, (Psalm xxxiv. 8; Isaiah viii. 13— blessed for evermore;" for "he 15; xxviii. 16; 1 Pet. ii. 3—8). that made all things is God," which Isaiah had a most extraordinary surely none but an avowed atheist vision of Jehovah in his temple; will deny. and the evangelist declares, that he

These, and several other pas- then "saw the glory of Christ, and sages of this kind, will come again spake of him" (Isaiah vi.; John under consideration towards the xii. 39-42); and Paul applies to close of this Essay: and this first Christ's coming to judgment what argument may be concluded, by de- the same prophet had written of siring the reader to consider what Jehovah swearing by himself, "that the apostle meant by saying, "The every knee should how to him, and second man is the Lord from hea- every tongue confess to God" (Isa. ven," if Christ be only a mere man, xlv. 21-25; Rom. xiv. 9--12). or a created being? (1 Cor. xv. 47.) Indeed the whole passage referred II. Several texts of the Old Tes-to, especially the last verse, "In tament concerning Jehovah are ap- Jehovah shall all the seed of Isplied in the New to Christ. The rael be justified, and shall glory," prophet declares, "that whosoever proves that Emmanuel was espeshall call on the name of Jehovah cially meant, in whom alone beshall be delivered :" this the apostle lievers are justified, and glory (1 applies to Christ (Joel ii. 32; Rom. Cor. i. 30, 31). Instances of this x. 13); for he adds, "how shall they kind might be easily multiplied; call on him of whom they have not but I would rest the argument prinheard? or how shall they hear with- cipally on those which follow. Jeout a preacher?" &c. Now it is hovah, speaking to Moses, declared manifest, that Joel predicted the his self-existent, immutable, and judgments which awaited the Jews eternal Deity, by saying, I AM for rejecting the Messiah (Acts ii. THAT I AM; and ordered him to 16-21): but they certainly did inform Israel, that I AM had sent call upon Jehovah as the God of him to them." This Christ extheir fathers, to deliver them, and yet they were not delivered, because they would not join with those who

pressly applied to himself when he said to the Jews, " Before Abraham was, I AM." Had he said, before