Men do not chuse piety and virtue from any principle within themselves. They chuse their own evil practices which lead to ruin. They actually hate God and holiness, truth and religion, or their conduct would not be such as we see it is, when we carefully examine it. They are not willing to be, and to do, as they ought. They will not, though urged by the weight of the most powerful arguments and all the ardor of importunity, live up to the light which they have; or wisely and diligently improve the talents with which they are entrusted. They hide, like theslothful servant, their talent in a napkin. They have no disposition to improve it. They resemble the prodigal son, in the parable, wasting their substance in riotous living. All men have a propensity to wander from the truth. They do not, and never did, duly and faithfully, improve the light of reason, or those notices of God—of virtue—of the moral law which they had, or now have. All, of course, who shall finally perish, will be self-condemned. They will never have it in their power to say that their Maker has been, either unjust or hard with them; or to reply as the slothful servant did,Lord I know thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed. And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth; lo! there thou hast that is thine.
In the sixth and last place,reason and conscience are insufficient to give us a full and complete system of morality, or moral truths. Let the system of morality taught and believed by the best and wisest of heathen nations, be candidly examined and critically inspected, and it will appear a maimed and imperfect, a broken and defective system. They had endless contentions about what they termed thechief good,that is, the real duty and happiness of man. One of their most eminent moralists reckons up more than one hundred different and contradictory opinions on this subject. Some placed it in self-indulgence: some in riches—some in insensibility—and all in that which never can render us blessed, and in which it can never be found.—Had any one leisure, and could summon up asufficient stock of patience to collect from all the heathen writers on moral subjects, their various and self-contradictory rules of moral living, we should see how utterly unablemerereason is to form a complete system of moral virtue.
It would be great injustice to the subject before us, not to remark here, that some of the greatest moralists among the Greeks and Romans, had seen the writings of Moses, or the New-Testament, and had gleaned from them, a great proportion of the moral lessons which they delivered. Many of them, which is indeed much to their honour, travelled into the famous countries of Asia, where mankind werefirst plantedby the adorable Creator, and where communications from the Almighty were first made to man, and they returned home to their own countries, enriched with the learning of others. But with all these advantages none of them, Socrates, Plato, or Seneca, who were universally known to be most renowned for moral sayings, formed any thing like a full and perfect system. They leave out many important virtues. They admit many odious and horrible vices; such as self-murder, cruelty, incest, and revenge.—And they place all the virtues on a wrong foundation, and persuade to the practice of them from improper and weak, or sinister and wicked motives. Even the celebrated Cato, who gave forth many moral maxims—who was called honest, just, inflexible in integrity—who was said by his contemporaries to be possessed of a stern virtue, put an end to his own life, because he could not bear to be a witness of the corruption and degeneracy of the age, in which he lived.—Few crimesperpetrated by man can be more heinous than self-murder. There is something terrifying in the extreme to think of ushering ourselves, uncalled, unbidden into the presence of the Deity and into the invisible world. Many nations now in the world where the Gospel was never known or christian doctrines propagated, have no idea at all of the Creator of the universe, or immortality of the soul, or pious duties, or fear of, or love to God.—The heathen tribes of this Land, as those tell us who have had the best opportunities of information, where no European has disseminated any seeds of religious belief, have no idea who made them—or who made the world—or of duty to God. In the interior parts of Africa, a late traveller there, asserts, that various tribes, visited by him, as far as he could learn, had no idea at all of any God or religion, or even words to express any worship to be paid to any power above them. But admit this to be a mistake, still truth compels us to believe them extremely ignorant on moral and religious subjects. They have however as bright faculties and powers of mind as the nations who have the Gospel. The immense difference is to be ascribed principally to that very Christianity, which is, alas! so much neglected by us.—
If we would know what light there is in man—what light all men have—or what help all need, we must see what nations, which never enjoyed any divine Revelation, have known—done—and believed as to God, Piety, and Morality. Superficial reasoners, men who indeed pretend to reason and philosophy—and reject the Gospel, andtell us of the sufficiency of nature’s light—of reason and conscience—or any other principle, lose, and bewilder themselves by not fairly looking into the history of the heathen nations and their moral writings, and seeing what their ideas, notions, and improvements have been, and still are. Their history, in truth, is but one continued narrative of ignorance—idolatry—vices—unnatural lusts—wars—bloodshed—barbarity—and misery; and their moral writings, so far as they have reached our times, contain no just or full system of morality at all. If a man were to conform himself to the whole of their rules of moral living, and understood them all, his life would be a scene of inconsistence and error, vice and folly; and his end self-murder. Our modern scepticks, it must be carefully remembered, collect all their ideas of morality and of God, if any just ones they have, and so far as any of their ideas be just, from that very Religion which they reject. They are, therefore, like a wayward and perverse Child that disowns its parent, merely because he wishes him to be good and happy—to be and do right; and takes the indispensably necessary measures for this purpose.—And if, among the haters of Religion, any be found at this day who have adopted the Atheists Creed, under the splendid name of philosophy—it is a most striking proof of what is the subject of this discourse.—Upon the whole, we may come to this conclusion, that all the conduct of man, since the day he was expelled from the earthly paradise for his Apostacy, proves clearly, even to a demonstration, that there is no light in him, or guide to duty and happiness, which may be depended upon—or which is safe for him to trustto—or sufficient to lead him toGodandglory.Without Christ and the Gospel, all is darkness—confusion, and despair. There is no hope, no help, no salvation, no true system even of morality, if we deny a Saviour and his Gospel. See what the pagan world is from the holy Apostle Paul. He will tell you the truth. He will not deceive you by misrepresentation.—But how can I read! How can you hear without confusion!—I shudder at their awful and horrible vices, and utter depravation of heart, and morals.Professing themselves wise, they became fools. And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies with themselves. Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever, amen. For this cause God gave them up to vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature. And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lusts one towards another, men with men, working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet, and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient—being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evilthings, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful.—Here is a true account of the polished heathen of the antient Roman Empire: of their philosophers as well as of the vulgar. More ignorant and Savage nations and tribes are, if possible, still more vile.—What, then, is human nature? What is man’s true state or character before renewed by divine grace?—What! is he as holy and innocent as Adam was when he was first formed? Is he, in his mind, fair and unspotted, as a clean sheet of paper?—Has he a light in himself sufficient to all the ends of spiritual life on earth, and eternal life in heaven! See what mankind are without the Gospel,—Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having ho hope, and without God in the world.
I think it proper, here, to subjoin a few passages of Scripture, out of many, which declare that mankind are corrupted and depraved—or that they have no principle within them, sufficient to enable them to attain to eternal life without the powerful operations of divine grace.—How full to this purpose are those words (Gen. vi. 5).And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart is evil from his youth.—The Psalmist David fully testifies what man is when he puts himself forward as an example.Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.—Behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my Mother conceive me.—The prophet Jeremiah speaks of man’s depraved state in very strong terms.—The heart is deceitful aboveall things, and desperately wicked, who can know it?It follows,I the Lord search the heart,to give to every man according to his works.If the heart be deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked,is it, at the same time possessed of any degree of a holy principle—or has it any light to guide it to heaven, or to be a sufficient directory in matters of faith and practice?—How the Apostle Paul viewed man as he is in himself, appears from the long quotation above made from him, and also from the following words—What then are we better than they? no, in no wise, for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin. As it is written, there is none righteous, no not one.—And again,Now we know that what things soever the law saith: it saith to them who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God—for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.The same inspired teacher leads the mind to the source of all, the sin of the first man, who stood as a public head for all his posterity.Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin: and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.—Again,you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.—Our blessed Lord himself says,he came to seek and save that which was lost. If we be not lost we need no Saviour, or atonement, or help.—It appears, then, with an evidence exceedingly strong, that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God—and that man, in a natural state,is wretched,and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. He has no principle in himself, by whatever name it may be called, which can, being duly exercised,form him for the service of God on earth, or his immediate presence in heaven.
What remains is to add a few reflections by way of improvement.
1. And what hath been said teacheth us the importance of realizing the misery and ruin of the condition of all men, as they are born into the world. A want of belief, or due sense of this, leads to a denial of the Gospel—to a rejection of the propitiatory sacrifice of the Redeemer—to almost every heresy and error. Men cannot bear to admit so mortifying a truth as that of their ruined and fallen, guilty and miserable state. Pride rises up, and repudiates the unpleasing doctrine. One says we are not depraved: another affirms which indeed is the same thing, that we have a light of our own adequate to all the purposes of our salvation:—a third contends that there is a portion of real saving grace in every human heart. All these, in effect, disown the scripture doctrine of the text, the utterly ruined and perishing condition of man in himself. The truth endeavoured to be established in the above discourses, is that the light of reason or highest wisdom of mankind is insufficient to teach us the true and saving knowledge of God. It is of the utmost moment to realize this.The world by wisdom knew not God.—Where there is no vision the people perish: but he that keepeth the law happy is he.—To open their eyes,is the design of the Gospel,and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sin, and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me. Understand ye brutish among thepeople! and ye fools when will ye be wise? He that planted the ear shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see? he that chastiseth the heathen, shall he not correct? he that teachest knowledge, shall he not know? The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanity.—I know you,says our Saviour,that the love of God is not in you.—Can any one who seriously believes the scriptures, hold that man has any principle, let it be termed how it may, that can be adequate to all the end of spiritual life here, and eternal life hereafter?—That there is in fact no saving knowledge of God out of Christ, is plain from Acts iv. 12.—Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.He that hath not the son, hath not the father. Deny Christ and reject his Gospel, and you reject life. Misery is, then, inevitable. You must realize that you are, in yourselves, lost and guilty,—wretched and undone,—hopeless and perishing.
2. We infer from the foregoing subject the infinite grace and condescension of the Deity in making arevelationof his will, and of theway of salvationto mankind. He was under no obligation to do it. It would not have been either cruel, or hard, or unrighteous in him, to have withheld all pity from them, and to have let them die in their sins. Most justly might a holy and sovereign God have given them all over to the fatal effects of their own folly. It is no injustice or partiality in him to take one and leave another, because he is not obliged to have mercy on any one. If he reveal his will to any nationor people: or if he sanctify, pardon and save one individual, it is all of free grace. All the glory is his, when he sheweth mercy: all the shame and guilt of sin, if we die in our iniquities, are ours.—Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they will walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.
If the great Lord of heaven and earth give his Gospel to one nation and not to another:—or if he pardon, renew and save one individual and not another: if he bestow upon one ten, upon another five, upon another one talent only: if he impart to one a disposition to improve, by his power and spirit, and not to another—does he do any wrong?—May he not do what he will with his own? Who can find fault? If all have forfeited every claim to mercy, who can complain of either cruelty or injustice on the part of heaven, if it be withheld? Where shall the vile monster, the impious wretch be found who will rise up and impeach the holiness, wisdom and benevolence of God, because he is a sovereign?—Let such if any there be come forward and make good their charge, for their controversy is with the Almighty. By him we are told that we are vile, guilty, perishing, and ill-deserving sinners, that there is no principle in us, while unrenewed, that is sufficient, duly cultivated, to our salvation. Such as affirm that there is, must dispute it out, with him whose is the Universe, whose is the power and glory. That he should condescend to reveal his will to us—to open a plan of life, of restoration to his favour, and to holiness, and happiness, is admirable grace, is such a display of compassion as may well excite within us, every grateful sentiment.
3. We, therefore, further infer from the foregoing subject, the duty of gratitude that we enjoy the light and advantages of a divine Revelation. This light is rich and glorious: those advantages are many and precious. How affecting is the idea of the perishing state of man!—How isthe gold become dim and the most fine gold changed!—Who but must weep over the situation of the heathen, that are without hope and without God in the world:—who are in darkness:—who are worshipping dumb Idols: who are bowing down to stocks and stones:—who have Gods many and lords many: who believe in polytheism, and have changed the truth of God into a lie:—who pay honours divine to the sun, moon and stars.—They do not know that there is but one God—or how to serve him, or that he can, and will pardon them. To them all is darkness and mystery. No ray of revealed light reaches them, and they have no rational view of moral and divine things.——Who made us to differ? Who ordered our birth and education in a land of Gospel light and liberty—a land of civil and religious freedom, while such an handful only of the human race either know or enjoy the rights of man?—We know or may know, duly using our reason and the light of the Gospel, the way of truth. We know that there is but one God, one Mediator, one salvation, one way to life eternal.—Happy are ye in knowing the Gospel of the grace of God—in having the holy scriptures in a language which you understand! Happy are ye in having the privilege of public worship!—He showeth his word unto Jacob, his statues and his judgments unto Israel: he hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments they have not known them. Praise ye theLord.—At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee O father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hath revealed them unto babes.—Why art thou, O America, so highly exalted—so eminently distinguished by all the light and privileges of the Gospel, and civil freedom!—How unnatural, how barbarous any of thy citizens, if they despise these:—if they exert any power to take from thee, thy glory—thy beauty—thy praise, the Gospel of the grace of God: or to oppose or corrupt it; or if they refuse to be thankful for it!—O for a note of praise sublime to ascend from every American tongue and fervour of gratitude to go up from every American heart to the throne of the Universe—that we have all thelight, privileges,andordinancesof the christian religion:—delightful, pleasing, divine Religion, pure and undefiled!—May all our hearts welcome thee to our choice—and, then, we are happy. Thou art the glory of any land, the guide of the youth, the support of age, the solace of all thy friends!——Happy is that people whose God is the Lord!
4. We infer from this subject, the absolute need of the divine teachings in order to be saved. We are not of ourselves sufficient to change our own corrupt hearts. Paul may plant and Apollos water, but it is God who giveth the increase. Means are to be employed—divine grace is to be sought importunately and perseveringly—the ministrations of the Gospel are to be attended upon diligently, carefully, and heedfully. But the power of God must call and quicken, sanctify and save the soul. Listen not then, for a moment, to such as tell you, that you have a treasure in yourselves, if you will attendto it, in a proper manner, which is sufficient to all the ends of a holy life, and future blessedness.—Such only deceive themselves. They do but dream in Religion. They are sadly ignorant of the first principles of the Oracles of God.—
In the fifth and last place, we infer from this subject the obligation upon us to improve faithfully the light and advantages of a divine Revelation. We are particularly distinguished on account of our religious privileges. We enjoy the benefit of the outward ministrations of the sanctuary. Gospel truths, and ordinances are dispensed to us. The doors of God’s house are always open to us. We have the holy Sabbath. On the part of God, what could have been done more for his Vineyard than has been done? Now all these advantages we are to improve, with faithfulness and diligence. Letusnever disesteem them, letotherssay or do what they may, or speak ever so hard things of the Gospel, or its institutions. Profane and irreligious men will scoff at all serious piety. Let us never be seduced by the artifices of such, as lie in wait to deceive; or be ashamed of the Gospel of the Son of God; for it is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. If we abuse the light which we enjoy, and misimprove our religious opportunities and advantages, our guilt will be exceedingly aggravated, and our final ruin, if we perish, proportionately dreadful.For that servant which knew his Lord’s will and prepared not himself, nor did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes.—For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required.
The ways in which the holy Scriptures are perverted by unlearned and unstable men.
2 PETER,iii. 16. 17.
As also in all his Epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. Ye therefore, beloved seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
The holy scriptures, though by divine grace able to make us wise unto salvation, are almost wholly disused by multitudes, who nevertheless would wish to be thought friends to the religion and morals which are taught in them. They even lie by, in many houses covered with dust, as if of no consequence in the direction of human life, and unworthy of a careful attention or serious perusal. Their purity, their beauty, their sublimity, which some of the best and greatest characters that ever adorned human nature, have not only admired, but extolled, are overlooked, either through a want of discernment to acknowledge,or of taste to relish their merit.—Some read them only from custom or for amusement.—Others read them merely to cavil at, reproach, and pervert them. Others, again, search them, not to be guided by the light which they shall exhibit, but to support or confirm the opinions, which they have previously imbibed, and are resolved not to relinquish. Hence not only different, but contradictory principles are pretended to be drawn from them.
Like all other things of importance and worth, they are liable to be abused and misapplied. It is however no valid, nor, indeed, plausible objection against their divinity, or usefulness, that they are capable of being misconstrued and misunderstood. If it please the majesty of heaven and earth to speak to man, at all concerning his duty and happiness as a moral agent, he must speak to him in man’s language. But all human language is imperfect, capable of being perverted and wrongly construed—of course, the holy scriptures are so. In truth, every thing done by man is imperfect. He lives in an imperfect world. His language, when most refined, is imperfect.—It would therefore, bespeak a high degree of folly and inconsideration either to disesteem, or to think meanly of the holy scriptures, because they have been misimproved and profaned. And, it is equally disgraceful to reason and repugnant to philosophy to look upon them as fabulous, or to imagine that no certain and fixed system of doctrines is contained in them, merely because different sects of Christians have understood them differently, and drawn from them, not only different, but contradictory tenets.
The serious mind will most sincerely regret, what cannot be acknowledged, that they have been so often and so grossly perverted. The candid and honest will not be prejudiced against them, or neglect, most diligently to attend to them, though they have been so much misapplied and misunderstood.
To guard, therefore, against the danger and commonness of wresting and perverting the word of God to our destruction is a subject highly important and interesting in itself; at all times proper; but at this day, it is apprehended, to be peculiarly seasonable. It is a subject seldom discussed, but if properly managed may be eminently useful to all christian families and individuals. It may be made very subservient to advance the cause of rational religion, and to prevent the mind from what is visionary and fanciful in matters of infinite concern.
The time and attention of the hearer will consequently be well employed, if his mind may be deeply impressed with the importance of rightly understanding the scriptures and with the greatness of the danger of wresting them to his own destruction, as is often done by unlearned and unstable men: and the pains and anxiety of the speaker will be amply rewarded, if he may but bring any assistance to, or suggest what may prevent any one, if it be, even, but one, from wresting them to his own destruction. For the salvation of one soul is of more worth than the material world, and the loss of one, or his final destruction is greater than words can describe.For what shall it profit a man if he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul.—
These considerations have induced me to make choice of the passage now read, as the subject of discourse at this time. It contains the danger and commonness of the sin of perverting and abusing the scripture to our destruction. It stands connected with the foregoing verses in this manner. St. Peter had been describing, with great force and solemn grandeur, the end of the world—the dissolution of the system of creation—and the coming of the son of man to judge the Universe. He speaks of the heavens passing away with a great noise—the Elements melting with fervent heat—the Earth and all its works being consumed in one universal conflagration—the day of judgment—the perdition of ungodly men—the new heavens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness—the perfection of felicity for the pious and virtuous. In the text he informs us, that St. Paul, his brother in the kingdom and patience of Christ, had, in all his holy Epistles to the Churches, spoken of these grand and solemn subjects; and that some things contained in his Epistles were difficult to be understood—that is, required attention and care not to misapprehend him. He does not mean that St. Paul was an obscure or unintelligible writer. This would have been a high impeachment and reproach. It would have been at the same time altogether unjust. For he is a nervous and plain writer. He is a strong and close reasoner. And his writings will be admired as long as there shall be either genius or piety in the world. The difficulty then of understanding some things penned by him, under divine inspiring influence, is not owing to any deficiency in perspicuity and clearness of style, but to thespiritual nature and grandeur of the subjects, of which he treated.—After this sublime description of the end of all things, St. Peter, in the two verses immediately preceding the text, addresses a most judicious and pertinent exhortation to the Christians, to whom he wrote, in these words:Wherefore, behold, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blemish. And account that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our brother Paul also, according unto the wisdom given unto him, hath written unto you; as also in all his Epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures unto their own destruction. Ye therefore beloved, seeing ye knew these things before, beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.The Apostle was extremely solicitous lest the Christians to whom he directs this catholic or general Epistle, should be seduced from steadfastness, and fell into the errors and delusions of wicked men, who were active in attempts to lead away others from the truth. Men who have embraced errors, are always busy in strengthening their party, by propagating their pernicious principles, and proselyting others to them. And upright and honest Christians are in danger of such, as lie in wait to deceive. They should, therefore, always be upon their guard lest they be seduced, and fall from their steadfastness. Theunlearnedandunstable,who pervert scripture and people who are illiterate—of small reading and observation—who are givento change, are frequently altering their principles, laying aside the opinions which they once entertained, and taking up new ones. Such people as have not capacity and stability to weigh the reasons of any opinion, but believe as accident—passions, or prejudices dictate—as they chance to read, or hear. One Commentator thinks that the Greek word translatedunlearned,may meanunteachable.But I do not find that it is ever so used in any Greek author. Besides, if it were, it could not be the meaning of it here.Unlearnedthen,heremeans people of small reading—of little reflection and observation—especially of little knowledge in divinity—and of much conceit. And ignorance is usually confident and impudent. Such wrest and pervert scripture to their own destruction. They cannot, meekly and quietly, receive instruction from the knowing and learned: but undertake to interpret and explain for themselves and others. Being perverse and self-willed, they turn a deaf ear to what is offered by the wise and judicious. They lean to their own understandings. Such selfconceitedandignorantpeople, and withal,unstable,turn the scripture to a wrong and false meaning—make it speak what it was never intended to speak; and going by their false and erroneous interpretations, are plunged into fatal errors—and ruined forever—go down to the grave with a lie in their right hand—are left of God, in his sovereign pleasure, a prey to their own chosen blindness, and perish eternally in their heresies and delusions. Happy those who keep clear of such perverters of scripture!—To wrest the word of God to our own destruction,is to misinterpret and misconstrue it to such a degree—as to deduce from it fatal errors—or essentially false principles, and to live and practice according to such misinterpretations and misconstructions. The end of all this, is final ruin—or misery in a future world. How affecting the idea, that the scriptures, which were given to man for his onlyinfallible guidethrough a world of sorrow and tears, and to meeten him for a full and perfect blessedness in heaven, should by a corrupt and perverse mind, be turned to his destruction! But alas! so they often are—have been in past ages, and will be in future.
After thus introducing and opening the words selected for present meditation, it is proposed in dependence on divine strength, to enumerate and explain the various ways, in whichunlearnedandunstable menpervert the scriptures to their own destruction.
They were given to us on purpose to teach and instruct us in the right way of worshipping and serving God in time, and preparing us for the glorious services and employments of the heavenly state. Our best good, here and hereafter, are aimed at, in that Revelation of the divine will, which we enjoy. Indeed our felicity, in subordination to the divine honour, is consulted in that manner, in which it ought to be, according to reason, and the nature of man, both in Creation and Providence, as well as in the sacred Volume. On the part of the Maker of all things there is no want either of wisdom to contrive our happiness, of grace to prepare us forit, or of goodness to effect it. Consequently, if we, at last, fail of life, the fault is alone imputable to ourselves. We are left to act out our own hearts, in regard to things divine: whether we will chuse the way of life or of death. Hence it comes to pass, that the scriptures are wrested or turned to our own destruction. That which was ordained for our good, is, by the amazing corruption and depravity of our hearts, turned into poison, misapprehended and misapplied. It may here be remarked, as worthy of special attention, that the reason why the word of God, in the writings of the old and New Testament, is so frequently and so grossly perverted, is not because these writings are not wisely composed and properly expressed; for they are plain—perspicuous—beautiful—and sublime to admiration; but because of the perverseness, wilful blindness, and vile prejudices of mankind. Had we a good and honest heart, or a single eye to the truth, we should not fall into any fatal or essential errors. Much of the corruption of human nature, therefore, is to be seen, in the strange and absurd constructions put upon particular passages of sacred Writ. And what is very surprising is, that all profess to be faithful and impartial; and the most through self-flattery and self-blindness, actually fancy themselves to be in the right.This is the condemnation that light is come into the world, but men love darkness rather than the light—the light of truth, or of true doctrines. People will not seek or come to the light of divine truth, because their deeds are evil. While unsanctified, they hate God. They hate his truth. They hate his ways. They delight not in the pure and strict principles of Religion. Hence all theCorruptions and Abuses of Christianity in former and later days; and perversion and misunderstanding of scripture.
1. And one way in which primitive Christianity is corrupted, and the holy scriptures perverted and wrested to people’s destruction is by refusing to take the words in their well known and established signification, and wishing to shape them to pre-conceived opinions. As they were written for our instruction and guidance in all things relating to faith and practice, so we are to abide by the common and obvious import of the words used. The only proper and just way of discovering the real and true meaning of scripture-words, is to see how they are generally used by the inspired writers. The most of the words, have a fixed signification, as much as any words can have. Those, whose import is hard to discover, are few in number, and relate to certain customs or rites in the antient nations, now in the lapse of centuries, unknown. And, none of these phrases necessarily obscure by reason of customs now unknown, contain essential doctrines. The things necessary to be believed in order to obtain salvation are few, and so obvious that none can dispute or mistake them, but those who chuse to do it. If any rule of interpreting scripture be so just, at first view, as to be incontrovertible, it is this, that it is to be its own expositor—it is to be interpreted by itself—passages not so plain or clear, by those which are as plain as words can be—things not necessary or essential, by those which are necessary and essential. Do we wish to know the true meaning and spirit of scripture, we are to observecarefully how the words used, upon which we may be contemplating, are generally used in other parts of scripture; what the common known import of words is; and also how the sacred writers generally use them. They are likewise to be understood according to the analogy of faith, or the system of truths most evidently taught us in divine Revelation. The figurative and metaphorical language is to be conceived of from plain and unfigurative. And both according to the subject treated.—When we open the sacred Volume, we should be willing to be guided altogether by what it contains. It contains what we are to believe concerning God, and the duty required of us. We should not aim to make it speak according to ideas and opinions on religious subjects, which we have previously formed—or bend it from its easy natural sense, to conform to certain favourite authors uninspired, whom we passionately admire. If we will arbitrarily, or at our pleasure, take scripture and compel it to accord to our tenets or principles, already imbibed, whether from accident or reflection, or from corrupt writers; being, mean while, resolved to get passages of scripture to favour or support them, whether wrongly or rightly applied, we are certainly guilty of the sin of wresting it to our spiritual hurt, or even final destruction. Because, in this way we shall never fail to misuse it. We shall make it say any thing, we please to admit—or to deny any thing we wish to have it deny. It can, of course, be no rule of life to us, or standard of faith. One man will make it say one thing, and another, a directly opposite thing. Hence, it hath been unjustly charged with contradictingitself, by infidel Cavillers.—Also, serious and honest minds, but not of extensive information, or accuracy of judgment, have often been bewildered and confounded by opposite and contradictory interpretations. Were men to pervert any good writer on common subjects, or any antient Classical author, as they do the word of God, they would be justly chargeable either with incapacity or disingenuity: they would be complained of for the want of fairness, or be accused of willful perversion. No person who pretends to own the truth of scripture can be honest in his enquiries after duty from it, who is not disposed heartily to take it just as it is, without compelling it to speak a language wholly foreign from its most obvious meaning. In general, it has one plain, fixed meaning. And this would be as easily comprehended, were we honest to ourselves, and diligent in our search into it, as the meaning of any plain good writer. To suppose otherwise would be not only to asperse theSacred Oracles,but to impeach the divine wisdom and goodness. Because, for the same reason that God, infinite in mercy and benevolence, would give to a world lying in sin and wickedness, a revelation of his will at all, he would give one that could be easily understood where there were good and upright intentions in studying it.
2. Another way in which unlearned and unstable men wrest the holy scriptures to their destruction is by taking them unconnectedly and detachedly. If we pay no attention to the particular subject, on which the inspired penman is discoursing, it is not to be expected that the truesense will be obtained. For there is an order and a connexion in every good writer. He speaks according to his subject, and if we would not mistake him, it is incumbent upon us to attend carefully and critically to it. It is impossible for us to keep from misunderstanding an Author, if we overlook his subject or general scope and design. Each writer’s stile or manner is particular to himself. And this is as true of the inspired writers, as of uninspired. The supernatural aids, with which the former were blessed by the immediate influence of the holy Ghost, did not destroy or take away this peculiarity. St. Paul’s manner and diction for example are very different from St. John’s, as every one who has any knowledge of language, must own.
The occasion, likewise, as well as the subject, upon which the sacred penman is speaking, must be duly noticed. If we be doubtful about the real and true meaning of any passage of scripture, we must observe the persons or characters of whom, or to whom the words in question are spoken. Overlooking these, is a fruitful source of perverting scripture. If we will take scripture expressions in a detached manner regardless of the connexion, we can prove any thing and every thing we wish to prove, or support any scheme of principles, in religion, however absurd and irrational, even though blasphemous. In this way, usually, all erroneous persons, who adopt and zealously endeavor to propagate heretical principles, and divisive practices, conduct. They never hearken to the connexion or to the analogy of faith, but recite, at random, texts which in sound seem to accord with theirsingular notions. They never stop to examine, with coolness and candor, what may be offered against them, like rational men, impartially desirous of finding the truth, whether it shall make for or against them. This is an extremely common way of abusing and misapplying scripture. How frequently dounlearnedandunstablemen practice it to their own destruction! And how often, too, do artful and designing men practice it, who know better, and who know that they are endeavouring to impose on the world! Many, no doubt, read and study the Oracles of God, on purpose either to misrepresent or ridicule them. To affirm this, is neither, it is apprehended, uncharitable or uncandid. For were not this actually the case, how is it possible, that there should be so many strange, absurd, and wild schemes of religion—such irrational and blasphemous principles—such gross corruptions of christianity. Many heresies, in the various ages of the world, and various christian countries, have sprung up to the disgrace of reason and religion:—dangerous and fatal heresies—and all from this fruitful force,misunderstandingandmisapplyingparticular passages of scripture detached from the general connexion, which may seem in the sound, or at first hearing, to support the tenets, which, the abettors of such tenets, adduce them to support. Some may be plausible. And when much art, sophistry, and false reasoning are used, may deceive even such persons as are, in a measure, upon their guard.
All errors and false systems of doctrine not only originate from an abuse and perversion ofscripture, but clearly argue the great degeneracy and corruption of human nature. Were not man a depraved creature, or were he as he was, when first formed in Paradise, he would never wander into erroneous principles. He would never be attached to them. He would never disgrace himself by unwearied efforts to proselyte others to them. Persons who have embraced errors like the troubled sea, whose waters cast up mire and dirt, are restless and uneasy. They havecommittedthemselves to the business of faction; and are zealous to diffuse the poison of their errors, as extensively as possible. Long since did our Lord make the remark; and every age and country have verified it.Wo unto you Scribes, Pharisees, Hypocrites; for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of Hell than yourselves.
It is to the benevolent mind, painful to recollect, that errorists of every description, are more active and laborious to disseminate their mischievous opinions, than the lovers of truth are, the true principles. One cause no doubt is that false principles are pleasing to depraved nature. But the truth, in things moral and divine, though approved of by natural conscience and reason, is never approved of by the unsanctified heart. To receive the truth in the love of it, is the mark of a gracious state. It is one of the most amiable tempers which man ever exercises.—It is also melancholy to think, that persons who have embraced error, are far more anxious to gain proselytes to theirfalse creed,than to promote peace, charity and holy living. Theytitheanniseandmint,and neglect the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith. They are not contented to enjoy their own singularity of opinion and practice, and the right of private judgment; but, like insurgents in civil government, go about to bring others over to their party.—Hence unhappy differences in the church.—Hence hard speeches and reviling of others.—Hence strange abuse and perversion of scripture.
3. A third way, in which unlearned and unstable men wrest the scriptures to their own destruction, is by false glosses, strained, and fanciful comments, and indulging prejudice while it is read or heard. It would be tedious and endless to go over, even in imagination, with the strange and unnatural comments often put upon plain passages of inspired truth—or the parables used by our Lord—or the transactions recorded in scripture. Some glosses are put upon them, which a sober and thinking mind would conceive impossible to enter the fancy of man. I shall take leave to mention one, out of innumerable others which might be mentioned with equal propriety.—The transfiguration of our Saviour on Mount Tabor, has been cited, and commented upon, to prove that there are not Gospel-ordinances in the New-Testament-dispensation.—A man must have a surprising talent at discovering anoccultmeaning in scripture to draw an argument against theplainandexpressInstitutions of the Gospel, from that glorious transaction. Perhaps we cannot find among any disputers, such instances of evading, perverting, and twisting plain and obvious points,as among different sectaries of Religion. Truth, amid such collisions and oppressions, may eventually shine forth with a superior splendor.—It is therefore some consolation to reflect that the Christian Religion may be, in the end, advantaged, by the errors and divisions, which a holy Providence suffers to take place. They never can avail to destroy the cause, which they now dishonour. While we see, to our great grief, errors and delusion spreading, our minds ought to be deeply affected with the impression that we do not love, naturally, the great truths and doctrines of the Gospel. Mankind are exceedingly averse, naturally, from the soul-emptying—soul-humbling—Christ-exalting doctrines of God’s word. And consequently, the scriptures are not read or heard with that honest intention to be led into all truth and duty, with which they ought to be. We often, hence, see them misunderstood and misapplied to the ruin of such, as thus wrest them.
4. A farther way, in which the word of God is wrested from its proper meaning byunlearned and unstable men,is their refusing, thro’ pride and self-conceit the necessary helps to understanding them rightly. They look only on one side.—They read only on one side. Tradition, love of novelty or affectation, lead them astray. They may have so high an esteem of someone leaderof a Sect—or inticing author—or may so biass their minds by envy, or prejudice, as will end in mis-understanding the word of God.—We should always suspect our own impartiality and honest views. We should ask ourselves such questions as these, “Am I willing to know the truth? Do I entertain no prejudices, unfoundedand unreasonable, against such and such doctrines or modes of worship? Do not corrupt and selfish passions warp my judgment? Is not my admiration of such a way—or such an author—or regard to such a man, the cause of my imbibing the principles, I have imbibed? Do I make use of all the helps in my power to search out the true meaning of God’s holy word? Do I repair to his house—to the authorised guides in his Church, for advice, light, and counsel? Am I afraid of delusion—of my own heart, and of temptations?”
He who does not make use of all the assistances, to which, in the course of divine Providence, he hath access, in order to understand the right way of serving and glorifying God, is to be credited in no professions of impartiality or integrity, which he may make.——
5. Another way, in which unlearned and unstable men pervert the holy scriptures, is reading them with a light, trifling and unserious mind, and refusing to seek to God for his grace and spirit to purge away our darkness and prejudices, our evil affections and vain imaginations. A trifling and light temper of mind is a very improper one to read the word of God—or to hear it with. If we be unserious when we read, it is not likely that we shall get any good from it. Our desire, when we either read or hear the word, should be to be spiritually benefited—to get heavenly light and instruction. We are to be guided and directed entirely by holy scripture, and to receive it just as it is. It should be prayerfully read. Our supplication should ascend to the fountain of grace and mercy, wisdom andgoodness, that he would illuminate our darkened understandings—confirm our wavering hearts—establish our faith—undeceive us, if deceived—correct our errors, if erroneous—remove our prejudices against the great and essential doctrines of Christianity, if we be actuated by any—increase our regard to his own word—convince us of sin—save us from the seduction of false principles, the fascinating power of heresy—and direct our hearts into his love, and a patient waiting for Christ. More devoutly, and importunately, and perseveringly should we seek the purifying efficacy of grace divine, to save us from all delusion, and to prevent our placing religion in rites and forms, or outward observances, that we may not, beingled astray with the error of the wicked fall from our own steadfastness.
6. Another way, and the last that will be now illustrated, in which unlearned and unstable men pervert or wrest the scriptures, is in holding that they cannot be rightly understood, without the same immediate inspiration of the holy Ghost which indited them.For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of Man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost.The question is not, whether a renewed heart be of great importance in gaining a true knowledge of the holy scriptures, and give a more lively, solemn and affecting impression of the truths, duties, and doctrines of the Bible: for this is readily acknowledged. But whether it can be understood, in its great principles and doctrines, duties and ordinances, by man, without theimmediate inspirationof the spirit of God. If it cannot, it can do him no good, whileuninspired.And wheninspiredhewill need no written word. If God have given to us a revelation of his will, he intended it should do us good, and be oursole guidein matters of faith and practice. But it can do us no good, if we cannot understand it. If unregenerated persons cannot understand the truths, duties doctrines and ordinances which it contains, it cannot be the mean of convincing them—reproving them—instructing them and warning them. And if we say, they cannot understand it, because it hath ahiddenandmysticalmeaning: We really make it of no worth. We highly impeach it. Thespiritualmeaning of scripture is itstruemeaning. The mostpiousmind can only understand it, in its true sense. Surely we cannot be so rash as to say, that it is anunintelligiblebook—like anenigma.And to say, that it has, beyond the real true meaning—a hidden and mystical one, is not only to say a very unreasonable thing, but is to make scripture dependent on man’s fancy for its meaning. To do this, is to set the scripture aside altogether, and in effect to deny it. If none but Saints, or true believers in Christ can understand it, this consequence will follow, it must be, to all the rest of the world,useless.—And to pretend to any light or guide superior in us, to the word of God, is to renounce it, in truth or in realty.—The fact is, that the scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the rule, by which to try all suggestions and impulses:—the only standard. All our hopes, all our joys, all our doctrines, all our discipline, all our practices are to be tried by them. By them to stand or fall.—This is not intended to disparage the work and office of the holy Ghost in his awakening—sanctifying and indwelling influence on the soul. The holy spirit must sanctify and regenerate us.We wholly depend on thesovereigngrace of God to save us. In ourselves we are helpless and hopeless. His word is to teach us. His spirit to sanctify us. And his son to redeem us.By grace are we saved through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God.—
Guided by these sentiments, you will come to a right understanding of holy scripture, and feel the danger of perverting it; you will easily distinguish between truth and error.—Let the plain sense of scripture, not the suggestions of fancy, or supposed extraordinary impulses on the soul, or opinions of men, be your directory.—Search the Oracles of the one living and true God, with humility and integrity, with a desire to understand them—and a resolution to live up to their divine precepts—earnestly seeking to the throne of grace for divine light and teachings. Thus, may you hope that your diligent endeavours to know the right way of the Lord, will be crowned with happy success.For the meek he will guide in judgment.—The meek he will teach his way.Amen.
Stated prayer a duty binding on all men.
ACTSii. 21.
And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved.
These words are a quotation from the prophet Joel. And the whole quotation is the text, from which St. Peter preached that powerful Sermon, which was the mean of converting three thousand hearers.—He very pertinently applies the passage from that prophet to the remarkable day and time, in which he speaks; being the day of Pentecost, when the Apostles, who were all in one place, of one accord, were endowed with miraculous gifts, and qualified to carry the good news of the gospel, according to their commission, over all the earth. And the words of the text inform us, in a very concise manner, what we are to do, in order to be saved. The condition of salvation, proposed in them, is as easy as it can be made, consistently with the honour of the law, attributes, and government of God. For he, being infinitely wise and gracious, never requires of any of his rational creatures either what is hard and cruel, or unjust andimproper. As he hath been pleased to make us rational creatures and moral agents, so he ever more treats us as rational creatures. In all his laws, commandments, calls, precepts, and requisitions we are considered as being what we are. He never did, and never will, do any thing incompatible either with wisdom and justice, or benevolence and goodness. Indeed, were we to sit down, and in cool and dispassionate reasoning, to propose or desire our own terms of happiness, could we desire or wish for easier, than what are contained in the text.And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved.——It it so indeed?—May we be saved, if we will but accept of salvation, if we desire, or ask for it?—We certainly may. And it is a glorious truth.—It is a pleasing doctrine. It is a delightful thought.—Call not the Religion of the Gospel, therefore, unreasonable. Object no longer to its offers. No more consider it as requiring impossibilities of man. It is the perfection of beauty. It is reason itself:—divine in its nature:—rich in its promises:—plain in its essential precepts:—and heavenly in its tendency.——
In the sequel, we will consider the condition, upon which Salvation is offered to us, in the text: or show that stated prayer is a duty binding on all men.
The condition upon which Salvation is offered to us, in these words now under consideration, iscalling upon the name of the Lord. And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved.Calling uponthe name of the Lord is, then, the necessary condition of our being saved. How, therefore, the interesting enquiry is, are we to call upon the name of the Lord so as to be saved—or to be intitled to the promised blessing of the text?—Thenameof the Lord here, and in a great variety of other places of holy Writ, means the attributes of the Supreme Being, his nature, and perfections; or God himself, the only proper object of religious fear and adoration. Andcalling upon himfor help and deliverance, in our troubles and distress, and looking to him for temporal and spiritual blessings, for all needed good for time and Eternity, is repairing to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in every time of need, or that we may procure a supply of spiritual provision to aid us, in our journey through life, and to prepare us for everlasting rest.Let us therefore,says the Apostle,come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Calling upon the nameof the Lord is the usual scripture-phrase forstatedlylooking to him as the fountain of light, of goodness, of wisdom, of mercy, and of power, byprayer,that we may obtain all the blessings, whether pertaining to the present or future world, which our circumstances and condition may render necessary. And we are to do this, in all the ways of his appointment, and which reason suggests as proper, whether public, social, or private. I say, which reason suggests as proper: for reason is given to us, to be diligently improved in the things of Religion, as well as of the world, in the concerns of our souls, as well as in our temporal interests, and much more so, as our spiritualconcerns are infinitely more important than our temporal. To set aside reason in our enquiries about truth and duty, would be no less absurd, than to reject the light of divine revelation itself. Reason is a mortal foe to enthusiastic and visionary schemes of religion. And to deny its use or office in things of a spiritual nature, is not only highly absurd, but introductory to fatal delusions. He who will have nothing to do with reason in religion, is just prepared to admit any extravagance or error, whatever in doctrine and worship.——Reason and scripture never contradict each other. And with respect to thestatedduty of prayer as binding on all men, they are perfectly united. Reason pleads for it. Scripture demands it. And thatstated prayerhath a happy influence on every christian grace—on every christian temper—and on the whole of Religion has been generally allowed.
Calling upon the name of theLord so as to be saved, includes the following things; sincerity,—devout affection,—constancy, or on all stated seasons,—perseverance,—penitence,—and correspondent practice. The manner in which the duty is to be performed is of the greatest moment. The temper of heart, with which we come to God, is a capital part of the duty.—Sincerity,therefore, is implied incalling upon thename of the Lord so as to be saved. This stands in opposition to all hypocrisy, or mere formality. No doubt, many have no more than the mere form; and while pious words and expressions are uttered, and with seeming reverence and devotion, the heart bears no part in the whole, but is wandering with the fool’s eyes tothe ends of the earth; goes after its covetousness; indulges vain thoughts; or is unaffected and indevout. The most suitable, pertinent, and happily chosen words may be used, where there is no correspondence of affection. Such merely external performances, or bare lip-service can never ascend with approbation to a holy and omniscient God, who searches the heart and tries the reins of the children of men. External acts of piety, without any devotion of the heart, can be considered in no other light than as hypocrisy and form; and hypocrisy and outward show of religion are most severely reprehended by our Lord, in the words of the prophet Isaiah.Ye hypocrites well did Esaias prophecy of you saying this people draweth nigh unto me with their mouths, and honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.Drawing nigh to God as his people, and honouring him with our mouths, while the heart is far from him, cannot be pleasing to him. There must be the fervour and friendship of an upright heart. St. James, likewise, directs us, in our approaches to a holy God, to avoid all hypocrisy and insincerity, or heart-iniquity.Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purify your hearts, ye double-minded.We must not be double-minded, having one mind for God, and one for the world. Our aim must be to glorify God. Our warmest affections must centre in him, who deserves all love and praise, both of angels and men. We are told, in a most beautiful and affecting manner, by our Lord himself, in his conference with the woman of Samaria, of the absolute necessityof sincerity and devotion of heart in all our addresses to the throne of grace, whether public, social, or private.—But the hour cometh and now is, when the true worshippers, shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a spirit and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth.All right and acceptable worship is in spirit and in truth. To worship God in spirit and in truth is to worship him in a spiritual manner. And a spiritual worship is a sincere, holy, and devout worship. To worship God in spirit and in truth, is to worship him by the gracious aids of his spirit, and with a sincere upright heart, or with a devout temper of mind. To suppose that the only true and spiritual worship of the Deity, is in the hidden recesses of the soul, is not only a gross perversion of our Saviour’s words, but to reject all worship of him altogether. To affirm that all true worship is to be performed in the secrecy and retirement or silence of the soul is to exclude all idea of worship, to deny that man is what he is, composed of body and soul, a material and immaterial part.—Calling upon the nameof the Lord so as to be saved is therefore worshipping him in spirit and in truth, or a devout frame of mind. All our religious duties, indeed, in order to meet with the divine acceptance and approbation, must flow from sincerity of heart.——
Again, calling uponthe name of the Lord so as to be saved, is to worship him withaffectionandreverence.When we draw near to God, hisdread should fall on us and his excellency make us afraid. All right homage paid to him, is accompanied with reverence and Godly fear. The affections of the soul must correspond with the solemnity and importance of the duty performed. When we commune with God in prayer, we should stand in awe and sin not. In our petitions, supplications, confessions of sin, thankful acknowledgement of mercies, and adorations we ought to feel the deepest reverence and warmth, or fervour of affection. The attention should be composed, the thoughts collected, the affections engaged, and the whole soul solemnized. The words spoken are to be accompanied with devout exercises.—All the divine glories are to be revered. High, exalted and reverential thoughts of the Majesty of heaven and Earth, the great object of adoration and religious praise, are to be entertained. Before him angels bow. The homage of the heavenly world is paid with all lowliness and reverence. The blessed inhabitants, thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand, all stand before the throne, and in all the ardour, purity and sublimity of heavenly worship, cry holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory.Who should not fear thee,O Lord,for thou only artholyis the language of celestial adoration. How can that mind, which has a proper sense of the infinite greatness and infinite Majesty of God, help being filled with the highest reverence? He is the king immortal, eternal, invisible. He dwells in light unapproachable and full of glory. He is the blessed and only Potentate, gracious, merciful, slow unto anger, long-suffering—forgiving iniquity transgression and sin, but will by nomeans clear the guilty. The heavenly arches resound with his praises. The temple of the universe is filled with his presence. All nature exhibits his glory. This is that which he hath said, he will be hadin reverence by all them that draw near to him: and will be sanctified by all the people.If the affections of the heart do not go up to heaven, with our petitions and supplications, they will be all in vain.Let us,says the prophet Jeremiah in his lamentations,lift up our hearts, with our hands, unto God in the heavens.There must be the internal homage of the heart, as well as external. Both are necessary. Both must go together—Again—says the Apostle Paul,I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting. Holy handsand withoutwrath and doubtingimply the affections and reverence of the heart:—having no malice or bitter passions toward fellow worshippers.—We are directed, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, in this manner,Let us have grace whereby we may serve God, with reverence and godly fear.Deep reverence and pious fear are requisite in all our addresses to a prayer hearing God. We are, moreover farther commanded not to beslothful in business; but fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.—Fervour and warmth of affection should attend, therefore, all supplications to the throne of grace. A really pious and devout heart is the chief ingredient in all acceptable worship.
Another particular necessarily implied, incalling upon the nameof the Lord so as to be saved, isconstancy,or doing it on allstatedseasons and proper occasions. He who objects againstthestatedworship of God on proper seasons, really discards all worship. The rule of worship is the divine word, and not any supposed internal impulse on the soul. We cannot knowhoworwhento worship God, but by his word. And internal, separate from external homage, is not sufficient. The whole man must bow before the God of the whole earth. To present ourselvesstatedlybefore him, is only to offer him that homage which reason and nature demand. As the good man is said to be sanctified throughout in soul, in spirit and in body; so it is but fit, in the very reason and nature of things, that he should render unto God homage in all these respects. There must be outward reverence and composure, and proper expressions of the inward fervors of the mind. We are to give others proofs that we worship God. We are to glorify him by social and public prayer. All creation as it were, the heavens over our heads, and the earth on which we dwell,silentlyworship its glorious author. By men the praises of creation should be renderedvocal.As a Priest in the temple of the Universe, he is to present prayer and praises to the almighty Architect. Shall he be dumb in praising his God, like themute fishthat can only mean his praise? What was the faculty of speech, which so distinguishes man from all the brutal world, given to us for? Why were we made with social powers? was it not, that we mightjointlyhonor, by prayer the Maker of our frame? If so, there must bestated seasonsfor such divine and heavenly employment. Every work and purpose under the sun must have astatedseason. And the more important the work, the greater theneed for a fixed season, in which to perform it. If God is to be served at all, there must of necessity be certainfixed seasonsin which to serve him. He would not command us to serve him, and allow no fixed time for his service. He is the God of order and not of confusion. He will have every thing done decently and in order. So important and heavenly an employment as that of worshipping and serving him, above all things, must havestatedseasons. To deny anystatedseasons of worship, is to rebel against reason, scripture, and common sense. Every body, of common sense, knows that if an important work be assigned us to perform, there must be a proper time fixed upon in which to perform it. We are not to consult our own feelings or inclinations, as to the seasons of worship, but when thehourof prayer comes, that is, thestatedand fit seasons, we must engage in it, and prepare our hearts to seek the Lord; depending on the assistances of divine grace; knowing that the preparation of the heart and answer of the tongue in man, are both from the Lord. The great original law of worship, isThou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.All intelligent creatures are bound, by the most powerful of all ties, to do this. All men, wherever they dwell, are obligated by Creation, to serve the Creator in all the ways, in which they are capable. Preservation in being lays also a solemn bond upon them. The relation of creatures to a Creator does the same. All the glorious excellencies of the divine character make it an indispensable duty to pay him honour divine. Indeed, the adorable attributes of Godbind us to worship and serve him. And it is as plain, as any point in moral duty, that there must of necessity bestatedseasons, therefore, of worship. Under the law, by God’s own appointment, were themorningandeveningsacrifices. Nature herself fixes upon these seasons. The sun in the firmament teaches us the same lesson. The pleasing succession of day and night points out theseasonsfor family and secret worship. And the Institution of a christian sabbath, specifies thestatedperiods of public worship.
Besides thesestatedseasons appointed and determined by nature and scripture, there are other fit and proper occasions, as Providence may order and overrule things, by either favors or frowns, whether public or private, personal or relative. Upon allfitoccasions, as well asfixedandstatedseasons, our prayers are to ascend to the Almighty ruler of the Universe.—We are to acknowledge him, in all our ways. But we cannot acknowledge him as a prayer-hearing God, without actually praying to him, in all his appointed ways. We are to own him, as a prayer-hearing God, as well as an omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, merciful, glorious, holy, and bountiful God. And no man can devise any way of acknowledging him as a prayer-hearing God, but by actually applying to him,statedly,in prayer. That he is a prayer-hearing God, we are expressly assured, in these remarkable words:O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee all flesh shall come.
It may be, further, observed thatstatedseasons of calling upon the name of the Lord, are essential parts of the duty of worshipping and owninghim. Withoutstatedseasons the duty will die away, and wither, like a plant when the root is materially injured. If man have nostatedseasons to worship God, he will either wholly omit, or infrequently practice the important duty, indeed, one of the most important, of human life and of all Religion, or he will negligently or carelessly perform it. In the very reason and nature of the case, there must be, therefore,statedseasons of worship, stated seasons for public worship, stated seasons for family worship, and stated seasons for secret worship. To have no stated seasons, will, in the end, be to reject the duty altogether. In regard to the support of animal life, though the appetites of hunger and thirst be given as directories, still mankind in general have found it necessary, to prevent intemperance and to preserve health to havestatedseasons for partaking of food. But in regard to the spiritual life, the preservation of religion in the soul, how much more necessary to havestatedseasons for the performance of prayer, which is essential not only to the flourishing state of religion in the soul and in the world, but to its very existence. Such alas! is the deplorable corruption of our nature, that if we will only worship God, when our inclinations direct, or some supposed internal whispering in the recesses of the soul, that we shallsoon forgetall our obligations to him, who is our Maker, Preserver, and bountiful Benefactor. He who denies thestatedseasons of worship cannot be considered, in any other light, than the enemy of all religious adoration and homage.
There must, also, beperseverancein calling upon the name of the Lord, as well asstatedseasons, in order to be saved. Perseverance is necessary in order to be successful. It demonstrates sincerity. It evinces engagedness. As to worldly good, perseverance and patience will work wonders. The diligent hand maketh rich. What wise and great achievements have ever been accomplished without perseverance? Would we succeed in our wishes to obtain and secure temporal felicity we must hold on our way. In religion the direction is to go on from strength to strength, to add one degree of grace to another, to be faithful unto the death, would we receive a crown of life. And perseverance in calling upon the name of the Lord alone proves our being in earnest.
To perform the duty only for a short space or infrequently, to begin the practice of it, and then omit it is a fatal symptom of hypocrisy. Hypocrites never persevere in calling upon God, in a serious and devout manner. It is the observation of an eminent Divine, “that Apostacy begins in the omission of prayer.” As the source of all irreligion and wickedness is forgetfulness of God, and not setting him before us; so the first sign of a man’s being disposed to religion and the service of God is betaking himself to prayer;behold he prayeth.And as a religious concern first shows itself in prayer, so the first symptom of declension, the first step to Apostacy is the neglect or careless performance of it. Speaking of the hypocrite, it is said, in the book of Job,Will he always call upon God?As much as if it had been said, it is a mark of the hypocrite that he will not continue to call upon God. He will omit it. He will pretend excuses for theneglect of it. He will profess to disbelieve the obligation ofstatedworship. Or he will attend only to the duty, in times of trouble and affliction, or under some awakening Providences.