Further, none can deny but that he put marks of particular honour on the firstdayof the week, the day of his resurrection. Why did he do this? Had he not a design or meaning in it? With him, as acting in the character of the only Mediator between God and Man, nothing was contingent or accidental. He was pleased to appear, from time to time, to his Apostles, on thefirstday of the week. John xx. 19.Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them peace be unto you.After seven days more hadelapsed, on the nextfirstday of the week, he appeared again unto his disciples:—he blessed them, and comforted them; verse 26.After eight days, again, his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst of them, and said peace be unto you.This was the second time he set apart and honoured thefirstday of the week, the day upon which he arose from the dead, by meeting with his disciples, comforting and blessing them. Upon thefirstday of the week, he poured out his spirit, in such copious effusions, on his Apostles, at Pentecost. That Pentecost was thefirstday of the week, is manifest from Levit. xxiii. 15, 16. Onthisday, all the disciples were of one accord in one place. Acts ii. 1. To be of one accord in one place is to be there by agreement. They were not there by accident, but by previous appointment. The day of Pentecost, as the word signifies, is fifty days after the Passover, that is, on thefirstday of the week. They met to perform public worship, and preached. The holy Ghost, in his miraculous powers, was then given to the Apostles, which is called beingbaptized with the holy ghost and with fire.Moreover, Christ poured out his spirit, in the gift of prophesy, most remarkably, on his favorite disciple and Apostle John, on thefirst dayof the week—theLord’s day,Rev. i. 10. Now if we allow that Christ had his design in thus honouring, above all other days, thefirst dayof the week; we shall be satisfied that he set it apart for religious purposes, asholytime, to be observed as aweeklySabbath, in his dispensation, to the end of the world.——But,
6thly. What proves, beyond all doubt, theinstitution of thefirst-day Sabbath,is that it was sanctified as adayof public worship, by the primitive Churches, under the order of the Apostles. They usually assembled, on that day, for the great purposes of public worship, of celebrating the holy Ordinance of the Supper, of prayer, of preaching, hearing the word, and singing hymns of praise. They came together, on thatday,by the order of the Apostles. For no man can suppose that the Apostles would administer the Lord’s Supper, and preach to them, and attend upon the other acts of public worship, if they, that is, the Churches had presumed to meet, without their order or direction. Besides, no person of common sense, can imagine all this was mere accident—or that the Apostles were rash and heady in it—or did what they did, without the mind and spirit of Christ. It was new times with them. They were in a critical situation. Every word, every action would be noticed. Enemies were on all sides. They would not, therefore, allowing them to have common prudence and discretion, proceed one step, without Christ’s order and direction, without the mind of the holy Ghost. And we are safe, and only safe, when in our religious principles and practices, we are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.And upon thefirst day of the week,when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them.Here is our warrant for keeping thefirst-daySabbath. Here is a plain account of its institution presupposed, and that the Jewish Sabbath was changed into the Christian Sabbath.—Who, after this, can deny the institution of a Christian Sabbath? Who can, in the faceof plain scripture, say that the New-Testament knows noholytime—noLord’s day—NoSabbath?We may as well reject any duty and all duty, as to deny and disown theLord’s day.—Again, works of charity and mercy, are peculiarly works proper to the Sabbath. And in all the Apostolic Churches, the charitable contributions were to be made, on thefirst day of the week,in preference to any other day. But why? plainly, because the Churches were then met together to attend public worship. And they were to make their collections onthat dayby order of the Apostles 1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2.Now concerning the collection for the Saints, as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia, so do ye. Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.If then, we say, that all days arealike holy,and that no one is to be honoured asholy,in a particular manner, we resist the holy Ghost. Christians were ordered by the Apostles to keep as holy time, thefirst dayof the week. They werecommandedto meet together for public worship. Heb. x. 24, 25.And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, as so much the more as ye see the day approaching.Upon thefirstday of the week were they to assemble to worship God and honour the Redeemer—to pray—to preach, and to hear the word.—Thefirst dayof the week is then the Christian Sabbath, and to be sanctified as such, to the end of the world.
7thly. Another consideration of no small importance to prove that thefirst dayof theweek is holy time, and was set apart by Christ to be a weekly Sabbath, to the end of the world, is that, in the New Testament, it is expressly called theLord’s day.Rev. i. 10.For I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day.Very frequently is the Christian Sabbath denominated the Lord’s day. This is, indeed the New Testament-name for the day. With Christians, in the early ages of Christianity, it went by this name. And so we now often call it. If it be asked, how do we know that the Lord’s day means thefirst dayof the week? Is not God the proprietor of all time? Is not every day equally his, and every day a Sabbath? Nothing can be a greater departure from reason and common sense than to put such questions. It must be clear, as the Sun in the firmament, that St. John designed to inform us on whatparticular dayhe was favoured with those wonderful visions, which are contained in the Apocalypse. But admit that theLord’s daymeant any day indifferently, one as much as another, then his calling the day on which he received his visions, theLord’s day,gives us no information at all concerning the day. It would be saying, I received the visions, on the day, I did receive them. The absurdity of this must be perceived by the weakest mental eye. No man can be so blind, as not to see how ridiculously silly it would have been for the beloved disciple to have talked in this manner. What is intended by theLord’s dayis exceedingly obvious. We know perfectly well what is intended by it, as well as we can know the import of any word, in the New Testament, or in any antient language. In the first ages of Christianity, the whole Church used this expression, theLord’s day,to denote thefirst dayof the week. In allthe writings from the Apostolic times, we find the phrase employed to signify thefirst dayof the week. I appeal to all theChristian Fathersup to the days of the Apostles; and to all men who have ever read any antient Church-history;—or any of the early writers in favour of Christianity, that this is the universal, invariable meaning of the expression theLord’s day.The early writers in defence of Christianity, speak of theLord’s dayin terms of the highest esteem and respect—as the first of days—the best day—the queen of days.And the duties and exercises of public worship, they callLord’s day solemnities.And the very word can import no less, than the first day of the week was set apart by our Lord, as his Sabbath—as a day to be kept holy—and as distinguished from all other days—to be sanctified to the end of the world, as it weekly returns, as the Christian Sabbath—a day to be devoted wholly to God and religion, and to be spent in the private and public exercises of Religion, except so much of it, as may be taken up in works of necessity and mercy. We say theLord’s Supper,to distinguish it from our common meals, an ordinance by which his sufferings and death are commemorated. We say theLord’s prayer: to denote by way of eminence one particular prayer—the prayer which he taught his disciples, and which is an excellent model of prayer. And to call every day theLord’s daywould be as great an absurdity, and abuse of scripture, and of words, as to say that every meal of ours, from day to day, is theLord’s Supper: and every prayer we offer to the throne of grace, the Lord’s prayer. The Sabbath is God’s day by way of eminence; and he has puthis name upon thefirstday of the week to teach us how to spend it, and what use is to be made of it: that it is holy—that it is to be devoted to him—and that we may not do our own work, or find our own pleasure in it.—Where, then, is the person that dares deny the christian Sabbath? That there is really therefore such a day, a time set apart, in which to perform public religious duties is very certain from thefirst dayof the week, being called theLord’s day.
8thly. A further argument, that there is really aChristian Sabbath,is taken from those passages of scripture, which represent the happiness of heaven as the constant keeping of a Sabbath. Heaven is an eternal Sabbath. It is a state of perfect rest, devotion, bliss; and holiness. A rest which God hath prepared for his people. It was customary among the Jews to represent future happiness under the idea of a Sabbath, and to expound many of those passages in their law, where the Sabbath is mentioned as typifying or prefiguring the heavenly state. The rest of the Sabbath is an emblem of the rest of heaven. The duties of it are to fit us for the employment of heaven. The worship of it, is to prepare us for the exalted services of the temple above, where there will not be one cold heart—one false worshipper—one dissenting voice.There remaineth therefore a rest for the people of God,a keeping of a Sabbath. But where would be the propriety of representing heavenly happiness, as an eternal Sabbatism—an eternal rest, if there were no Sabbaths to be observed on earth by Christians? None can suppose that the joys of a blessed immortality would be represented by an old abrogated Jewish rite. But if there be noSabbath under the Gospel, or day of sacred restweeklyto be observed, they are so represented. And to say that under the New-Testament every day is a Sabbath, is to assert not only what is very unreasonable, but to confound language; and to affirm what is altogether contradictory to the whole New-Testament.
9thly. The last argument, which will be urged to prove the reality of a Christian Sabbath, is that the whole Christian Church, with very few exceptions, have kept thefirst dayof the week, as holy time. However differing in other things; and they have differed very widely on many important points, still the different communions of God’s people, from age to age, since the time of the Apostles, have been intirely agreed in this, that there is aweeklySabbath under the Gospel dispensation, to be kept holy unto the Lord, and to be devoted to religious worship. This must satisfy every candid mind which has no prejudice, that the spiritual religion of Jesus Christ hath aholy Sabbath,even were there no old-Testament-Sabbath, or were the fourth commandment expunged from the decalogue. That the fourth commandment is of perpetual obligation, and never was abolished has been the common belief; and is founded on arguments, which can never be overthrown. Men may cavil at and object against them. But it is one thing to cavil at, and another fairly to answer an argument. It is one of the ten commandments. And we may as well take away any other of them, or all of them, as this. It is of a moral nature. And what is of a moral nature is of perpetual obligation. It was, with the rest, given by God himself from Mount Sinaiamidst thunder and lightning, fire and smoke. Moses, in all his directions to the people of Israel, speaks of it in terms of the highest respect, as a branch of the moral law.—The prophets, all place it upon a level with other parts of the laws of virtue, and duties of morality. And it would be exceedingly improper to insert a merely ceremonial or temporary law, in the list of precepts universally allowed to be moral—and of perpetual obligation, and to speak of them all asthe law—themoral lawof the ten commandments. Thus evident is it that the fourth commandment is not to be erased from the ten. And the substance or essence of it, which is, that the seventh part of time is to be kept holy unto God, hath been in all the ages of the Christian Church strenuously maintained. In all countries, where the Gospel hath been published, we find from ecclesiastical history, that all Christians, even from the times of the Apostles, a few excepted, have observed thefirst-day-Sabbath. That this is fact, may be adduced as proofs, all the writings which speak of the doctrines and practices of the Church, of thefirst—second—and thirdcenturies. This will not be denied. It is asked, then, what reason can be assigned why, in the primitive purity of the Christian Religion, thefirstday of the week was observed as the Christian Sabbath? How could this be, if it were not an order of the Apostles—if Jesus Christ instituted no Sabbath? For anorderof his Apostles is equivalent to his ownexpressinstitution. Is it supposable that any ambitious and aspiring Christians would, in the times next to the Apostles, set apart one day of the week as a Sabbath? Would they venture upon such an usurpation? And, before Christianity wascorrupted by designing men, is it possible that thefirst dayof the week should beuniversallykept as holy time, had not the inspired Apostles set the example? If there had been no Apostolic practice and example in this case, if the Gospel knew nothing of such a day, as we call the Christian Sabbath, the first observers of it were introducing an innovation—an important innovation. And could the innovation universally be adopted? And no one be found to object against it; or to raise a cry against such a piece of will-worship; no tongue, in the strains of pious eloquence to bear testimony against it—no pen be drawn to transmit to posterity a conscientious protest? Can any reasonable person believe this? But it may be asked, did not manyinnovations,andsuperstitious rites creepinto the Christian systemgradually, imperceptibly—andwithout opposition?Were not the abominations of the Romish Church, brought in in this manner? And did not some of theseinfallible Fathers,in the papal chair, ordain the Sabbath; as they did innumerable feast, and fast-days? Certainly not, for thefirst dayof the week was observed as aweeklySabbath, six hundred years, before Antichrist arose: observed in all countries, where the Gospel was known: among all denominations: universally even in the age next to the Apostles. This cannot be said of anyinnovationswhich were ever made.—We then come to this conclusion, that thefirst dayof the week has been observed, as the Christian Sabbath, ever since thevery dayin which Christ arose from the dead—in all ages—in all countries—in all communions, a few only excepted. A mere handful of professing Christians, held to the seventh-day or Jewish Sabbath, and from that singularityare called seventh-day-baptists. Here and there one likewise in one place or another, have called in question themoralityof the Sabbath.—Can it be possible for any one to believe that the whole christian world, even in the days of the Apostles, and in the purest times, during the long period of seventeen hundred years, have been in so gross and abominable an Error, as keeping thefirst dayof the week as holy time, if the Gospel be a stranger to any such institution, as the Christian Sabbath?—When I use the termsgross and abominable Error,I do not use too strong terms. For a most gross and abominable Error it is, indeed, if there be no institution of thefirst daySabbath in the Christian Religion, or what is tantamount to it. We are, in this case, guilty of will-worship—of superstition—of instituting in Christ’s kingdom a day for religious worship, unknown to theauthorof our salvation. Vilely presumptuous should we be to do this. Did I believe that Jesus Christ had no Sabbath day in his Gospel, I should shudder with horror to look back on the long period of seventeen hundred years, and see almost the whole christian world, in all countries, of all communions, and in the purest times in the Apostle’s days, plunged into so great and dreadful an Error—guilty of making laws in Christ’s kingdom—of usurping his kingly office—and of tearing from him, his sceptre.——Besides all this, how often hath a gracious and merciful God, blessed the Christian Sabbath: poured out, in rich abundance, his sanctifying spirit, on his worshipping Assemblies: comforted, enlightened—instructed—and animated those, who have conscientiously observed the Sabbath? But if it be not a day of his own appointment,would it not be countenancing human inventions and innovations in Religion, so often to have displayed his power and grace on that day—so often to have blessed it for the consolation of his people, and their edification?—It hath indeed been one of the chief meansof preserving Religion in the world to this day.
I have now finished the argument in favour of the institution of the Christian Sabbath. And that you, my hearers, may feel that conviction, which it ought to produce, and that justice may be done to it, I will very concisely recapitulate what has been illustrated, and present it to you in one view. The supreme Being, at the close of Creation, in his infinite wisdom and goodness, set apart for religious purposes, a seventh portion of time. And the day thus sanctified and blessed, and which some suppose was the first day of the week, but I conceive not upon sufficient grounds, was most probably observed, from Adam to Moses. The original institution of the Sabbath was renewed by Moses, ratified by the fourth commandment, and observed most strictly by the antient Church of God from Moses to Christ. A greater obligation lies upon Christians to keep a weekly Sabbath in memory of the work of Redemption, than on the Israelites to keep one in memory of their deliverance from slavery and oppression in Egypt. We are expressly told, in prophesy, that a Sabbath was to be observed in Gospel times. The Jewish Sabbath was abolished, or the seventh day Sabbath was changed into the Christian or first day Sabbath. Jesus Christ distinguished, with peculiar marks of honor, the first day of the week, the day of his resurrection.—The first day of theweek was sanctified, as a day of public worship, by the primitive Churches under the order of the Apostles.—The first day of the week is expressly called, in the New-Testament, theLord’s day,the common appellation of the Christian Sabbath. The happiness of heaven is represented, as the constant keeping of a Sabbath.—The law of the Sabbath, is a moral law, and as such perpetually binding. The whole Christian Church, from the days of the Apostles, have, a few only excepted, kept the first day of the week as holy time. God hath, from age to age, blessed the Sabbath, or first day of the week, by the communications of his grace and spirit on that day. No men or body of men could appoint a day for public worship, without usurping in Christ’s kingdom, to be weekly observed as a Sabbath.—No human appointments or inventions are admissible in the Christian dispensation—and the Christian Sabbath has been one of the principal means of preserving, in the world, to this day our holy religion.—These are the reasons why all Christians are to observe, as holy time, the first day of the week. These reasons appear to me abundantly sufficient to justify us in the religious observation of the Christian Sabbath, as it is usually called, and have done so to thousands of pious Christians and Ministers much wiser and better than myself, even to almost thewhole Christian world.That man who denies what, all the wise and good, great and learned—all Christians in all ages, deem sacred, and fully contained in the holy scriptures, had need to look well to his arguments. He ought, in all modesty and diffidence, to ask himself, “who—and what am I, that I should rise up against, and condemn thewhole christian world,a few only excepted?”
Perhaps it may not be improper here, to pay a moment’s attention to a question which has been sometimes asked, as an objection to the Christian Sabbath: it is this, why have we not anexpressandformalaccount of the abolition of the seventh-day or Jewish Sabbath, and the institution of the Christian or first day Sabbath in the room of it? In a point of such acknowledged importance, would it not be reasonable to expect some very express and minute instruction? It would be sufficient to reply, who are we, that we should undertake to say how minutely or expressly a point should be revealed; or that we should dictate to infinite Wisdom what kind of information to give us? But it is apprehended there are very obvious reasons why we have not a minute and explicit account of the change of the Jewish into the Christian Sabbath. Every thing in the Gospel dispensation is gradually opened. Consideration is had to the weaknesses and prejudices of the Jews. Christ, with admirable wisdom, adapted his instructions to the minds of his hearers: opening one thing after another, in a happy succession, as they could bear it, or comprehend him. So did his Apostles. And they followed a perfect example. It is sufficient, entirely so, if, in the end, we havecompleteandfullinstruction. And that we have on the subject before us, I trust is clearly proved by the foregoing reasoning.
Having finished what I intended on this important subject, I shall make the application, in the words of a late amiable writer—“If,” says he, addressing himself to people on their abuse of the Sabbath, “you will proceed in profaning it, give me leave to say you will be more inexcusablethan ever. You are answerable to God for your contempt of his institutions, and all the injury you hereby do, to your own souls, to the souls of others, and to the credit and interest of Religion.” May I not hope, some of you are resolved, never more to abuse or mis-spend sacred time? that you and your houses will more carefully sanctify the Sabbath, and more steadily serve the Lord? Give me leave to add one general remark on the whole subject of Sabbath-Sanctification. In order to judge of the character of my acquaintance, and their real state towards God, I have always observed and enquired,how they kept the Sabbath.I look upon the religious observation of it, as a good proof of their piety; and a neglect of it, as a melancholy proof, that they are insincere in heart, whatever they may profess; and by taking in the whole of their conduct, as far as it hath come to my knowledge, I think I have not been deceived in my sentiments concerning them. Those that have most strictly observed the Sabbath, have been in other respects,the best Christians: those that have been careless herein, have shown by other instances in their behaviour, that they have nothad the root of the matter in them.So that upon the whole, I must be of the same mind, with that pious Divine, Mr. Bolton, “it is a thousand to one that a strict observer of the Lord’s day is sincere towards God; and as great odds that a Sabbath-breaker, however he may deceive himself, is ahypocrite.”—I conclude this discourse and subject with the words of Nehemiah, after he had described his zealous attempts to promote the sanctification of the Sabbath,Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.Amen.
The Parable of the Tares.
MATTHEWxiii. 24–31.
Another Parable put he forth unto them, saying, the kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field, but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the Tares also. So the Servants of the householder, came and said unto him, sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field, from whence then hath it Tares? And he said unto them an enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, wilt thou then we go and gather them up? But he said, nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest, I will say to the reapers; gather ye together first the Tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.
There was something, in the manner in which our blessed Saviour taught his hearers, peculiarly pleasing and inimitably beautiful. Being the great prophet in his church, he reveals unto us the will of God for our Salvation, not only in a clear, but in the fittest manner.He spake as never man did, not only as the Religion which he preached was more heavenly and divine, than the world was ever before made acquainted with, but as the power and force with which he spake exceeded all that is human.And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine. For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.His address was no doubt the perfection of propriety. His words were not calculated by any splendor to create surprise, but, being well chosen and plain, were adapted to carry conviction to the conscience, and to move the heart. He had, as is very apparent and is generally remarked, an admirable talent at moralizing and spiritualizing upon incidents and objects around him. And he did it, not with the formal airs of affectation, or appearing to invite others to take notice of his superiour sanctity—or to come and see how good he was. It was perfectly easy for him to converse on divine subjects. Whenever a fit opportunity or occasion offered to diffuse religious instruction, he failed not to embrace it. And when he undertook to illustrate any divine truth or doctrine, he seemed to be at home, and in his element—about his proper work and business. He showed that he was a teacher come from God by the heavenly truths which he delivered, as well as miracles which he wrought. He opened the nature of his kingdom, and of the Gospel by natural and easy similitudes. His Parables are well chosen and happily expressed. They will indeed bear the closest and most critical examination. They have been admired by the best judges, and will be admired as long as there shall be genius, learning, or taste in the world.
The greatest scholars have been the most pleased. And, the fact is, the Religion which he taught would be worthy of the attention of all, were it considered in no other view than as a friend to peace, literature, and civil happiness. For it can never long consist with barbarism and general ignorance among a people. Ignorance is so far from being the parent of Christian devotion, that when very great, it totally destroys it. The bitter and implacable foes, therefore, of the Christian Religion, who with its utter extirpation from the earth, and exert themselves mightily to accomplish their wish by impious scoffs and low raillery, will never be able to succeed, till they have banished learning. There may be superstition, where science is gone, but no true Religion. And the more ignorant and uninformed a people, there will superstition reign in horrors proportionally greater.
The Chapter, out of which our text is taken, is full of the most judicious and instructive Parables or similitudes.—There is no other Chapter in the New Testament, so filled up with them; this being altogether composed of them. It contains eight in number—that of the Sower and his seed, which our Lord himself at the desire of his disciples expounds;—that of the Tares, which he likewise explains;—that of the grain of mustard seed;—that of the leaven put into meal;—that of the treasure hid in the field;—that of the merchant-man seeking goodly pearls;—and that of the net which was cast into the Sea, and gathered of every kind.——Our Saviour retiring from the house in which he was, went to the side of the Sea of Tiberias, which lay near his own Country. Great multitudeswere collected about him to hear his doctrine and learn his character. They pressed so near him, that he thought it most convenient to enter into a ship, which lay there, that he might be in better circumstances to address the mixed multitude, which stood on the shore, and who were all attention to every word which he spake to them. He, as a wise instructor, adapted his discourse to their several capacities and employments. Some of them, probably, were husbandmen, others merchants, and others fishermen. He taught them, heavenly doctrines, by taking Parables from their respective occupations, or from those things, with which they could not be but most intimately and familiarly acquainted.——Parables are representations or similitudes taken from objects of sense, which are plain and obvious, to illustrate and impress upon the mind, things spiritual and divine. And commonly there is oneleading idea,, which the speaker or writer has in view, to explain and enforce. The circumstances in the Parable are to be accommodated to thisoneorprincipal thought.If we could rightly understand our Lord’s Parables, we must not lose sight of the remark now made. Infinite mischief has been done to religion by compelling every small or minute circumstance of a parable to speak forth a distinct idea, or doctrine.——
In the subsequent discourse, my intention is to expound the Parable of the tares, or to make some observations upon it, of a practical nature, and such as, it is apprehended, are just.
The wordTaressignifies any noxious and hurtful weeds or plants, which spring up among, or mingle with the rich and precious grain, and not any one particular or distinct weed, or poisonousplant to the exclusion of all others. All know how detrimental to the Crop such weeds or poisonous plants are. They take away nourishment from the precious grain, and render it less vigorous while it grows. They diminish the harvest in proportion to their number and strength. Accordingly they are a nuisance in the field, grieve the heart, and in the same measure as they prevail, cut off the hopes of the husbandman. And the more fertile the soil, the more luxuriant will be their growth. They make the labour, which hath been bestowed upon the field, of none effect. And it is always with deep regret, that man beholds lost labour, or unsucceeded exertions.
In the Parable of the Tares now before us, we have several truths of very great importance to us both as individuals, and as collected into a Church-State, as minister and people, speaker and hearer.——
In the first place,in the kingdom of heaven, in this Parable, is the Gospel preached, or the dispensation of the doctrines of Religion.—The state of things under the Gospel is very often, in the stile of our Lord, called his kingdom, or the kingdom of heaven, it is presumed no arguments will be needful to prove that the kingdom of heaven here means the State of things under the Gospel-dispensation. This, it is well known, is the common meaning of the expression. In the primitive Apostolic times Christianity had two names of nearly the same import,the kingdom of God—and the kingdom of heaven.These two phrases were brought into common use by John the Baptist, who came to introduce the Messiah, under the signature,of the voice of onecrying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord.—In those days came John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.He took the phrase from the following passage in the prophesy of Daniel.And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces, and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.There is an obvious propriety in calling the State of things under the Gospel-dispensationthe kingdom of God.It is from him as the original source. It aims at his glory ultimately in all its parts. When finished, it will be given up to him, andHewill be all and in all. He, from all Eternity by his unsearchable wisdom, devised the illustrious plan of salvation which it contains. He from motives of overflowing goodness reveals it. He by his power will make it successful. His son, the Messiah, is the prime Minister in it. His spirit sanctifies, and gathers subjects into it.—Inward Religionis also happily described by the name of thekingdom of God.It is God’s kingdom in the soul: is heavenly in its nature: is heavenly in its tendency—and will issue in all the riches of heavenly glory. It comes down from God, in a very important sense, for it is the wisdom that is from above; and is therefore a divine principle, and when completed, it will terminate in God, in the enjoyment and beatific vision of him, who is the sum of all existence and blessedness.
The sower of the seedis our Lord himself, and those, who are in all the ages of his Religion or Gospel kingdom, commissioned and employedby him.The seed sowedis the word of the kingdom. During our Saviour’s personal Ministry, he was assiduous and active in his divine work, patient and persevering under all discouragements and want of success. Herein he was a perfect pattern to all the servants of his household, who are called to minister in holy things, or to sow the seed of the word. That he has ministering servants, and that it is his will there should be, to sow the seed of the word, and to dispense holy ordinances, is as plain as any one principle of his Religion, and cannot be disputed by any, if they would be self-consistent, who seriously believe in divine Revelation. While our Lord was performing his own personal Ministry, he met with great and unjust opposition. He was reviled and abused by those, whom he came to save, whose good he sought with attentive care, and to whom he displayed all the sweetness of a tender and benevolent mind. Very often, indeed, he saw the seed sowed without the desired fruit, and all his exertions to render man happy, repaid with cruel ingratitude. But he went on with his work, as a divine Teacher, with a fortitude, which we cannot help admiring, and which ought to be continually in our eye, as an object of imitation.——He that soweth the good seed is the son of man.
In the next place, another observation upon the Parable of the Tares, is that we can have nopure Churchon Earth. It is not necessary for a Church, in order to be the true Church of Christ, to bepure.If so, we could never have a true Church, for there never was apureone yet, nor ever will be, as long as man is imperfect and unableto lift up the veil, and see what is in the heart, infallibly. There will always be Tares among the wheat, false among true professors—the hypocritical among the sincere, the vile with the precious. The field where the seed is sowed is the world: the good seed are the Children of the kingdom, but the Tares are then Children of the wicked one. By apureChurch is meant a collection of real Saints without one hypocrite, or false-hearted professor. The invisible Church which Christ, at the last day, will present in triumph to his Father, will bepureor spotless, in the highest sense; there will be no hypocrites in it, or any remains of sin. Speaking of this true invisible Church, says the Apostle,that he might sanctify and cleanse it, with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it, unto himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.Nothing unclean or impure can be admitted into the New-Jerusalem or Church of the first born, whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.An unanswerable proof against the notion of apureChurch, is that none can know the heart. It is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it? It is one of the prerogatives of the omniscient God to look into the hidden mysteries of the heart. Before him all things are open. The darkness and the light are both alike with him. His eye pervades the whole immensity of space. It can penetrate the thickest veil of hypocrisy. No fair disguises can screen us from his all-seeing view.All theways of a man are right in his own eyes, but the Lord weigheth the spirits.He searches the heart, and tries the reins of the Children of men. Before we can have apureChurch, we must not only know our own hearts, so as never to be deceived or mistaken about them; but we must likewise know the hearts of others. But the Psalmist exclaims,who can know his errors, cleanse thou me from secret faults.And he prefers to his Maker the following petition:Search, me O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts. And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.In order to have apureChurch, those who admit persons to Church order and privileges, must have the power ofdiscerning spirits,or they cannot shut the door against hypocrites and deceivers. But this power none have. It was peculiar to the Apostles, and to them only upon some special occasions. For Peter when he baptized Simon the Sorcerer, believed him to be sincere. He knew not the baseness and perfidy of his heart. None of the Apostolic Churches werepurein the sense now under consideration, designing and hollow-hearted men there always will be, among the sincere, as a trial of their graces—of their faith, patience, and meekness. There was a Judas among the Apostles. One traitor was found even in our Lord’s own select family. He professed no doubt, as much zeal and love to his Master, as the rest of the disciples. His other fellow disciples, who were with him all the time, never once suspected his sincerity. So artfully did he assume the appearance of a friend to the cause, in which they were all embarked. But yet he was all the while insincere. He became an Apostate from the truth, and betrayed his Masterwith the token of friendship. His name is odious. And has come down to us, loaded with infamy. And it will still descend as an epithet of the most finished treachery.
How unreasonable then to look for perfection in any, or apureChurch! Untold mischief has been done to Religion by the pretenders to apureChurch. They usually divide and break up the peace of Churches. Censoriousness occupies the place of Charity. Meekness, humility, condescension, and brotherly love fall before a mad and intemperate zeal, self-confidence, ignorance, and high pretensions to superior sanctity.
Though nopureChurch is to be seen on earth, and the idea of it, be a vain and delusive one, yet all the real friends of the Gospel ought to strive to have the greatest purity in doctrines—in worship—in discipline, in ordinances, and conduct. That Church is the purest, which is the most scriptural in its doctrines, ordinances and worship, discipline, and manners. Churches should take the greatest care to be built upon the only foundation, the order and faith of the Gospel, rejecting all human inventions and traditions, having the word of God for their only rule of faith and practice.
How happy would it be, if we have no Tares to defile and dishonour the cause of God, and to injure the precious grain! They often spring up, where good seed had been sown and where least expected. Every thing on earth is changing. Misfortunes and evils arise from quarters, where comfort and happiness were most looked for. While we deplore the mutability of all human things, we may learn the most useful lessons; andone of the most useful is the folly of trusting our own hearts, or the stability of others. Tares are sowed in the field.In the parable of the sower,, the seed means the doctrines of the Gospel.In the Parable of the Tares,the seed sown seems to mean pious and upright members of the Gospel-kingdom; orsecondly,truth, as truth is instrumental in saving and enlightening the soul. TheTares,mean then, not hypocrites only, but errors, heresies, and divisions among the professing people of God. One of the clearest proofs of human depravity is the proneness of man to wander into the wilderness of error and delusion. Though conscience and reason be on the side of what is right and just in doctrine and practice, yet the corrupt passions or evil dispositions of the heart lead to all that is wrong. The good man drops tears of grief over abounding errors and immoralities—the want of union, of charity—of peace in the Church of God. We do not see eye to eye. Before there will be a full uniformity of opinions on the doctrines of Religion, we must wait till the openings of celestial day, when that which is in part shall be done away, and that which is perfect is come. But it is exceedingly comfortable to think, however many tares there are in the Church here below, there will be none in the Church above in heaven. No enemy will gain entrance there, to sow them. In the Church triumphant will be no tares, or errors, or evils. In its harmony there will be no interruption. In its doctrines, no dissent. In its worship no coldness. And in its peace no end. But here in the Church militant, there will be hatred, variance, strife, hypocrisy, and errors. Tares will infest the field. And it is worthy of particular notice, they are always sowed by an enemy, open orconcealed.But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed Tares among the wheat, and went his way. The enemy that sowed them,says our Saviour, is the Devil: He does it by his agents. In the original it is anenvious man: one who hates Religion; and the order and peace, purity and harmony of the Church; one who hates Christ and his ordinances and doctrines, and wishes to make mischief and spread confusion.The enemy comes into the fieldand is active and zealous tosow Tares,what may corrupt and poison, the grain, or hurt the harvest.The enemyis sly and concealed in doing his mischief—he came in the night,while men slept, sowed his Tares, and went away.The servants are astonished when, in process of time, they discover the evil.But when the blade sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the Tares also.In nature’s soil evil seed soon springs up. And so it does when sown in the garden of the Lord.—False doctrines or errors soon spread, being agreeable to the vicious inclinations of the heart.—Often what is most pleasing and promising at first turns out, to our great mortification, far otherwise. When we hoped for a plentiful harvest, and the ground was highly cultivated,tares appeared also.This teaches us to rest our hope in him, who changes not; and whose favour is life. How artful is the enemy of our souls, and of the peace and welfare of the Gospel-kingdom! He is full of devices—of subtle devices. And his instruments and agent to carry on his designs, are usually chosen with skill.
In the third place,, We notice in this parable of the Tares, the great tenderness and care of the Householder for the precious grain. A rash proposalwas made by his servants to go and gather up the Tares. They were honest in this proposal, and doubtless viewed it best to root out the Tares immediately. But though the proposal were well meant, yet it was mis-timed. We admire the honesty and faithfulness of the servants. But they could not perform what they were willing to undertake. It is impossible to keep hypocrites, false professors, pretended friends, errors and heresies—delusions and false religions, visions and impulses from mingling with the Children of the kingdom, or to prevent the tares from being among the wheat.So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field, from whence hath it Tares? He said unto them an enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, wilt thou, then, that we go and gather them up? But he said, nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.Thus wonderful is the tenderness of Christ for the pious and upright. He dearly values his friends and the truth. He will preserve and bless them, and in due time own it. He always had his Church in the world, and always will have. The gates of hell shall not prevail against it—No antient or modern heresy or superstition shall destroy it. They may injure it. They may exceedingly distress and persecute it. But no weapon formed against Zion however much at present it may, shall eventually prosper. There is no enchantment against Israel, or divination against Jacob. Error may come in like a flood—the love of many may wax cold, and infidelity may diffuse, far and wide, its poison.—But the cause of God will live and remain, in spite of all persecution or opposition from Earth or hell. The wheat mustnot be rooted up. Jesus Christ will protect and defend his true Church, in the darkest times. If tares be sown while men sleep, they shall not be permitted to destroy the valuable grain. “While Ministers, while Magistrates, while Parents,” says one, “sleep, the enemy sows tares.”
In the fourth place,another observation which I shall make upon the Parable before us, is that a period of separation betweenthe tares and the wheatis fixed by our Lord. Here he gives to all his people, in all ages and places, most needful and excellent instruction and counsel, in their Church state. A rule is here laid before them of prudence, meekness, and wisdom. No rash expedients have his countenance. No undue severity is admissible by him. As he was all meekness and benevolence himself, so he presses, with all the weight of his authority and ardour of persuasion, the same temper upon all his disciples. They are to be meek and lowly in heart as he was.Judge not,says he,that ye be not judged.—Be more ready to take the beam out of your own eye, than the mote out of your neighbour’s eye. Let a bitter censorious spirit never be exercised. Condescension, forbearance, humility and meekness are the temper of the Gospel. But we are not to be indifferent about truth, and duty. We are tohold fastthe form ofsound words,the Apostles’ doctrines;—and tocontend earnestlyfor the faith once delivered to the Saints:—to be firm and courageous in our Lord’s work. But we are not to go and gather up the tares to the danger of the wheat—both must stand till the harvest. A day is appointed, in which exact justice shall be distributed, and a perfect discrimination will be made of charactersand principles. The day is that of the harvest. And the harvest is the end of the world.Let both grow together until the harvest. And in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn. The harvest is the end of the world: the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire: so shall it be in the end of the world. The son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity! and shall cast them into a furnace of fire, there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.There is an inimitable beauty and grandeur in this account of the end of the righteous and wicked, in the day of judgment.
Our blessed Saviour, so much disregarded by impious men—some denying his divinity—some his humanity—some his doctrines—some his spirit—and some his ordinances, will preside in that awful solemnity. Angels will be his attendants. They will be employed as agents in carrying on the important transactions of that day. The judge will appear in all the majesty of God. For he will come in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels. All things will be brought to light. The hidden things of dishonesty will be in open day. Such forms of guilt will be revealed, as shall strike horror into the mind. Clouded characters will clear up. The rotten hearts of false professors will be seen—Errors will be unmasked—and all characters pass in review. A full and perfect separation will be made by him whose eyes are as a flame of fire. We cannot make the separation between the tares and thewheat. It must be left with him, who is the head of the Church, to dispose of all, according to their works.—And he shall render unto every man according to his works.——
The last observationto be made on this Parable, is the different fate of thetares and wheat; the righteous and wicked. Truth and duty will be at last triumphant, and honoured with a glorious reward. Error and all evil will be frowned upon and rejected. Nothing but Virtue will, in the final result of things, be recompensed. All vice, in all its multiplied forms, will be condemned. With the wicked there shall be weeping and wailing forever. They must be cast into a furnace of fire. They will be rendered as miserable as they have made themselves sinful. The more vile the more miserable. The greater their turpitude of heart and the more their sins of life, the heavier will be their condemnation. All things that offend, and that work iniquity shall be gathered out of the kingdom of Christ. The angels will be honoured with the office of making the final separation. And the righteous will be rewarded forever, and the wicked will be punished forever. Our Lord solemnly affirms this. And we may believe him with all possible safety. The wheat shall be gathered into the barn, and the tares be burnt with fire—be always miserable.The son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdomall things that offend,and which do iniquity and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth—strong expressions to denote remorse and anguish.Then shall the righteous shine forever as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.That there will be as wide a difference in the situation of persons, in anotherworld, as there is in their moral characters in this, is altogether consonant to the dictates of sober reason, and is clearly affirmed in the following words,Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into his garner. But he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.If such language as this can be explained away, so as to get rid of the doctrine of the perpetuity of future misery; any could, which might be used. Besides, it is perfectly consistent with reason, that a discrimination should be eternally made, between Virtue and Vice, right and wrong, between the precious and vile. If there should not, it would infringe upon all our ideas of justice. It is, of course, unreasonable to imagine there will not be such a discrimination. The judge of all the earth will do, all that is right to be done; and nothing but what is so. The wicked, therefore, will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.—Can any thing be more absurd in itself, or contrary to reason and nature, or repugnant to revelation, in its whole drift, than to suppose no difference will be made by the Lord of the Universe, between thetares and the wheat—that both will be gathered into one place—and no separation be made.—Certainly there is not. How unaccountable is it, that any, while they hold to the divinity of the scriptures, should affect to believe that all the human race, the wicked as well as the righteous, are at last to be admitted to the joys of a blissful immortality?—After persons have cast off a belief of the scripture, we are not to be surprised that they should embrace any error—or even deny a future state of rewards and punishment, and adopt, as one article of their Creed, the mortality of the soul. For when persons leavethe plain truths and principles of the Gospel, they are on dangerous ground, and no conjecture can be made, how far they may be permitted to proceed in delusion, and vain imaginations, in error and vice—they may not stop till they have landed in absolute scepticism—or atheism. Hence we are exhorted to besteadfast—to beimmovable—toaboundin the work of the Lord. Hence too we are cautioned against instability of principle—Meddle not with them that are given to change.
Having made the observations upon the Parable of the tares, which seemed to be naturally suggested from it, it remains only to close the discourse, with some practical improvement.
And our subject may very properly put us upon a close and impartial examination of our hearts and ways, that we may know to our satisfaction, whether we may rank in the number of the Children of the kingdom, the precious grain. The field is the world: the good seed are the Children of the kingdom, belong to Christ’s kingdom on earth, and are heirs of his kingdom of glory, but the tares are the Children of the wicked one. In all our inquiries into the state and temper of our hearts, we are carefully to guard against self-flattery. Man loves to think well of himself, and ill of others. In general, he is confident that he is right in principles and conduct, and that others, who differ from him, are wrong. Pride, self-will, and sinister motives have too much influence over all, both in forming their principles, and regulating their conduct. A fair outside, and a specious appearance catch many, who have not patience to investigate truth and duty, or discernmentto descry danger, or to detect the insidious arts of the designing.He saith unto them an enemy hath done this.We are to be upon our guard, lest we be led away by the enemy of our souls, and to see that we be true, sincere, and upright—that we act upon pure and worthy motives—that we keep near to the Saviour of the world in duty—that we abide in his doctrines—that we live up to his laws, then shall we have the comforts of his spirit, and at last, the rewards of faithful followers will be conferred upon us.—What great tenderness has he for all his true followers, the Children of the kingdom. Whatever evils are permitted to happen, he will watch and guard them—will protect them in the midst of all dangers, however alarming, and support them in the darkest hours. He has an eye to pity them, and an arm to save them. He is the good shepherd that giveth his life for the sheep. And his sheep know his voice, and a stranger they will not follow.——
2ndly. We learn from what hath been said, how restless and uneasy the enemy of God and man is, except he be plotting evil.The tares are the Children of the wicked one. The enemy that sowed them is the Devil.He is a roaring Lion going about seeking whom he may devour. His devices are as subtle as numerous. Concealed and out of sight, he employs his cunning to ensnare and beguile souls—to ruin the incautious—to sow tares, errors and heresies, false principles and divisions.And while men slept, his enemy came, and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.He is ever active to do all the mischief, in his power, to the truth, to religion, and to the cause of God. His policy is deep laid. The factors or agents whom he employs,are commonly selected with great skill. He is a liar from the beginning; and his attacks are generally begun with misrepresenting the truth, and varnishing over error. His kingdom, indeed, has always been supported, in the world, by delusion and Idolatry—by impulses,orsupposed divine impressionsupon the soul; changing himself into an angel of light, is of all others, his most subtle device, and the most successful. People are usually seduced from the right ways of the Lord, by being made to believe, either by corrupt writings, or by artful deceivers, that error is truth—that superstition is real piety, and enthusiasm a more spiritual way of serving God.—In days of prevailing error and irreligion it is a rich consolation to the serious mind, that God reigns: that the enemy of souls can carry his corrupt designs against piety and Virtue, no further than he is permitted. The wrath of man shall praise God, and the remainder thereof he will restrain. Wise ends are to be answered in all events that take place, in divine Providence. While it is our duty to bewail the evils we behold, our vigilance, and prayerful exertions should be awakened, lest we be led away with the error of the wicked.—
To conclude all, Let us be persuaded to make it our chief concern in life to practise all the great and interesting duties of Religion:—to avoid all vicious and evil courses:—to be preserved from errors:—to cultivate the benevolence and Charity of the Gospel:—to be stedfast in our adherence to him, who died for us:—and to abound in the work of the Lord, that so we may be the Children of the kingdom, and with the righteous shine forth as the Sun in the kingdom of our heavenly Father.—
No immediate inspiration or miraculous teachings of the divine spirit since the Canon of scripture was closed, or since the Apostolic age.
1 CORINTHIANSxiii. 8.
Charity never faileth; but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
Few things have been productive of more confusion and mischief, in society as connected with religion or in Churches, than a pretension to the immediate inspiration or miraculous teachings of the divine spirit, or to a special intimacy with the invisible world, in the ordinary ages of Christianity. But strange as it may seem, some have risen up in every age and almost or quite every Christian Country, who have pretended to an immediate call from heaven, and immediate inspiration of the holy Ghost. The same call and the same inspiration or miraculous influence precisely as the Apostles, though perhaps, not in so full a measure. Such pretenders too have never failed to collect followers; some more and some less. As the consequence,they have broken up the regular and stated worship of God, the peace and order of society as far as they prevailed: have made divisions and separations in Religion: and been the direct cause of errors, hatred, animosity, confusion, and impiety. To compute the degree of mischief done to the best of all causes, that of Virtue and piety, by such pretenders, is beyond man’s power. For nothing, like this, tends so directly to destroy all rational piety, and to throw a discredit on all the Redeemer’s interest and kingdom.——What will be attempted, therefore, in the present discourse, will be to prove, by clear and conclusive arguments from scripture, reason, and fact, that there has been no immediate inspiration or miraculous teachings of the divine spirit since the Canon of scripture was closed, or since the Apostolic days.—Then some objections will be invalidated;—and some cautions offered to prevent any abuse of the subject;—After which a very brief improvement will follow, and close the whole.
The chief thing intended, is to prove by clear and conclusive arguments from scripture, reason, and fact, that there has been since the Apostolic age, no immediate inspiration, or miraculous teachings of the divine spirit.
This subject is of high importance in regard to the interests of morality, as well as of Religion. For all pretences to heavenly Visions—dreams—immediate impulses from the holy Ghost—miraculous gifts—direct and special communications with the world of spirits—and messages from the exalted Mediator usually terminate to the disadvantage of Morality, as well as dishonour of pure Religion. Whatever indeedinjures the one, equally injures the other also. Because both are most intimately connected. There can be no Religion of the right kind without morality. And Morality, which is not supported and strengthened by religious principles, is not to be depended upon.—What I have to prove is that all pretence, in the ordinary ages of Christianity, to any immediate inspiration or miraculous influence of the divine spirit is ill-founded—can be nothing short of gross delusion and imposture—is merefanaticism[1]—andthe surest mark, which can be exhibited, of false Teachers, and mistaken notions of Religion.—Before I proceed to the proof of this, it may be necessary, in order to prevent misapprehension and all wrong ideas of the subject, to state, in as plain words as can be used, what kind of divine aid or influence the Christian Minister, and the people of God may look for and hope to enjoy; and what they actually experience. That the good man, whether Minister of the Gospel, or private Christian may depend on, and hope for the gracious assistances, or kind influences of the holy Ghost, in the way of means, is certainly a scripture-doctrine: a great support and rich consolation in times of distress, darkness, and doubts, and can be witnessed to by joyfulexperience.—I believe as fully in the doctrines of the gracious influence, of the spirit of God, as I do in the divinity of the scriptures, or reality of Religion. And this gracious influence, is distinguished, with most evident propriety, into the awakening—regenerating—confirming—and indwelling influence of the holy spirit.Paul may plant, and Apollos water, but God alone giveth the increase. By grace are ye saved. You hath he quickened.The grace which saves the sinner is free, rich, sovereign grace. God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and compassion on whom he will have compassion. It is divine influence which awakens the soul, in conviction of sin. It is divine grace which regenerates the soul. Divine grace sanctifies it more and more, in the use of the appointed means and ordinances of God, prayer and other divine institutions. And divine grace meetens it for glory at last. The internal call of the spirit, is the sanctifying work of grace on the soul.—And the faithful Minister of the Gospel, in diligent study, prayerfulness, meditation—reading the scriptures, and collecting and comparing divine truths, may lawfully hope for and rely on the gracious assistances, influences, and motions of the holy spirit upon his soul. He may hope for divine help to enlighten his mind, to impress upon it a deep and affecting sense of divine things, to warm his affections, to fix his attention, and to enable him to speak forth the words of truth and soberness—to deliver the whole counsel of God in the written word, and to speak as a dying man, to dying men. This assistance or gracious influence, he at times experiences. And this is all he can hope for, or that the word of God allows him to pray for, or that any one in thesedays, ever hath. The matter he is to deliver is in the holy scriptures, which he is carefully and duly to collect, and arrange, and unfold. He is faithfully, diligently, and painfully to study the truths, and doctrines, therein contained, and to set them, as far as may be, before his fellow-men, in a clear and plain, in a striking and affecting light. This is all the influence of grace a Gospel-Minister is to expect, or pray for. All beyond this, is beyond the word of God, and beyond reason; and is either delusion and error, or fanaticism, and a heated imagination.——It may be added that regular, learned, and faithful Gospel-Ministers never pretend to any thing further, to any thing more than thisgracious influencenow explained. And this, we contend is only to be hoped for, prayed for or expected, in a close, diligent, painful study—reading—meditation—and seeking to understand aright the holy scripture, to learn the revealed truths of God. We profess to go by nothing higher. We allow of no other rule of faith and practice. To thelawandtestimonyis our Motto. We say, examine all—try all—prove all by this standard. By this, all we say—all we teach is to be scrutinized. We disown all idea of anyimmediate inspirationor miraculous gifts and influence. We come to you, my hearers, only with athus saith the Lordin his written word. We come only in the fulness of theblessing of the Gospel of Christ; knowing only Christ Jesus and him crucified,not in our own fulness, or sufficiency, or inspiration. We disclaim openly all pretensions to animmediate callfrom heaven, as the Apostles had; we pretend only to an internal call of the spirit consisting in a sanctifying work on the soul; betweenthese two calls, there is as wide a difference as between any two opposite ideas. And in all ages of the Church since the days of the Apostles, and among all denominations of Christians the miraculous teachings or inspiration of the holy Ghost are never pretended to, except by either designing Impostors, or self-deceived enthusiasts. All pretence of this nature is held by all orders of Christians, with the above exception, to be imposture, and delusion.
In the first place, the scripture states the difference between thesanctifying grace,andextraordinary giftsandmiraculous influenceof the holy Ghost. It dwells on this distinction as a most important one: particularly in the first three verses, of this chapter, out of which the text is chosen.Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not Charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling Cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophesy, and understand all mysteries, and have all knowledge; and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains, and have not Charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not Charity, it profiteth me nothing.Charity here is the same as true love to God and man, which is the sum and essence of all Religion. Thesanctifying graceof the holy Ghost implants this in the soul, when the sinner is born again of the spirit of God. The implantation of this in the soul is regeneration—is the new-birth—or spiritual renovation. And thissanctifying workof the spirit upon the soul is altogether different from the miraculous gifts and influence of the spirit; and infinitely above them.The Apostle in stating this difference, puts themiraculous giftsas high as they possibly could go,speaking with the tongues of men and of angels—thegiftof prophecy—understandingall mysteries—having all knowledge—amiraculous faith, that could remove mountains—bestowing all one’sgoods for beneficent purposes—andgiving the body to be burnedin defence of religion. The extraordinary gifts and miraculous powers of the holy Ghost were common at the first setting up of Christianity. What they were, we are plainly told—so plainly that we cannot be ignorant. They were immediate inspiration,—prophesying—speaking with tongues never before studied—healing the sick by a word—raising the dead—and some other extraordinary things. Of these we have a particular account in the preceding Chapter. The Apostle opens the Chapter with informing us that he is about to treat ofspiritual gifts. These never mean thesanctifying or renewing graceof the spirit, but always the extraordinary, miraculous power of the spirit, common in the first age of Christianity, but which have long since ceased.Now concerningspiritual gifts,brethren, I would not have you ignorant.Speaking of the miraculous and extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost, the Apostle says,the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit, the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit: to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy: to another discernment of spirits: to another divers kinds of tongues: to another interpretation of tongues.These are the extraordinary gifts of the spirit, common in the Apostolic age, and called thebaptismofthe holy Ghost, by John the baptist, by Christ, and by his Apostles.This was the manifestation of the Spirit given to every man to profit withal.—Every man, that is, who had these spiritual gifts was to use them for the profit and edification of others. And he knew he had them, by being enabled to work miracles, to actually heal the sick—to foretel future events—to speak with tongues never before studied, and to raise the dead. For actually working miracles is the only way a person can know himself, or show to others that he hasspiritual gifts.These miraculous gifts now have no existence in the Christian Church. They ceased when unnecessary. And inspiration ceased when the canon of scripture was completed. These miraculous gifts and inspiration the Apostles and first Christians had. This is clear from the whole scripture. And accordingly, Mark xvi. 20, it is said,And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.Again—Heb. ii. 3, 4.How shall we escape if neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs, and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the holy Ghost, according to his own will?
2dly. That these signs, or extraordinary gifts and miraculous powers of the holy Ghost were to cease, and not to abide in the Church is declared in so many words in the text.Charity never faileth, but whether there be prophesies, they shall fail, whether there be tongues, they shall cease, whether there be knowledge it shall vanish away.The Apostle uses a variety of very lively and expressiveterms to shew thatallmiraculous gifts of the spirit were to cease, and not to continue in the Church. They shall fail. They shall cease. They shall vanish away. No language can prove to us that no such gifts are possesed by Ministers and Christians, in the ordinary ages of Christianity, if this do not. They are to be done away—to be no more. But the graces of the spirit, or holy tempers of the Gospel are to continue forever.—But now abideth faith, hope, and charity, these three, but the greatest of these is charity.Immediate inspiration, or immediate Calls from God ceased then, when the Gospel-State of things was fully arranged, and the holy Scriptures finished by the Apostles.——
3dly. Miraculous gifts and endowments, immediate inspiration and calls were unnecessary after the Scriptures were finished, and the Gospel kingdom was full arranged, and therefore were discontinued. At the beginning of the Gospel kingdom, they were absolutely necessary to prove the truth of Christ’s mission—and the mission of his Apostles,—and to spread among all nations the glad tidings of the Gospel. No evidence of Christ’s mission, could be so good, suitable, or powerful with all orders of men, as miracles. They were a species of proof adapted to all capacities, and suited to work conviction upon all minds. The unlearned as well as the learned could judge of them. No brilliancy of genius, or extent of erudition was necessary to see their force. All persons, who had the external senses, eyes and ears, could judge of them. But when once confirmed and established, Religion needs them not. And if it need them not, they will not be repeated, or continued. For God does nothingin vain; neither will he exert his almighty power when it will answer no good and valuable purpose, much less where it could manifestly be of very great disservice to the cause of truth. Besides, the Apostle prefers thegracesor sanctifying operations, far above the miraculous gifts of the spirit.—And now show I unto you a more excellent way.
4thly. If any Christians or Ministers of the Gospel in the ordinary ages of Christianity have the extraordinary gifts or miraculous teachings and powers of the holy Ghost, his immediate inspiration, they would beinfallible guidesin things of religion, both doctrines and worship. They would be so, as much as, and precisely in the same sense as the Apostles. But to admit that all real Christians, or true Gospel-Ministers areinfallible guidesin the Church, would be to admit a principle dangerous to the very existence of all religion, and which would inevitably overturn the whole Gospel. To admit that Christ’s true ministers, or that private Christians areimmediately inspired,as the Apostles were, is to admit that they areinfallible guides.Then we can no more dispute them, or object against any thing they preach—or say—or do than we can against the holy Apostles. Every word they speak under this inspiring influence of the holy Ghost, is authentic. Every tenet which they advance is as true as thefour gospels,and has the broad seal of heaven upon it. If this be the case, we ought to obey them, and to receive every word they say, as fully as we do the holy Scriptures, or the Saviour himself. This being the case, all they deliver is inspired truth—the revealed will of God; and it is at our peril todisbelieve. But can this be so? Thenthese inspiredChristians or Ministers can make, or unmake Scripture at pleasure:—can abolish ordinances—can erect a newdispensation—can act in God’s stead.—Then all must bow before them. Churches must fall; human learning must fall—ordinances and stated worship of God disappear, if they say so.—But such pretenders to immediate inspiration and miraculous gifts must prove their pretensions. We deny them. We boldly affirm that there is no such thing on earth as any person or persons, man or body of men having the immediate inspiration and miraculous gifts of the spirit, as the Apostles had. We have a right from scripture to say so. If any pretend to have, we demand of them to prove it. They must not say so, unless they can show it to us. We challenge them to come forward and prove it. We dare not, out of reverence to the scriptures, and the author of our holy Religion, take their word for it. It would be impiety in us to do it—horrible wickedness to countenance or credit such high pretences. They must prove their claims, as the Apostles did, byworks—bymiracles.No other proof is admissible. When they do this, we will bow before them. We will credit them. But until they do, we are bound to hold them asdeceiversandimpostors.All pretence now in this age of Christianity toimmediate inspiration—tomiraculous powers and teachings,where no evidence is given, to confirm such pretence, is blasphemy. When your own Ministers of the Gospel pretend any such thing, my hearers, that moment reject them as impostors, as deceivers, or believe them under an awful self-delusion. This is a point of the highestmoment; we will do to attend most critically to it; and once for all fix our opinion.