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the Gospel, and the diligent, anxious use of those, which I have styled Means of Grace, have been actually followed by faith, repentance, and holiness, from the promulgation of the Gospel to the present time. The same things may, therefore, be reasonably expected to produce the same consequences hereafter.

III. I shall now endeavour to explain the Influence of these Means upon Mankind.

Before I begin this explanation, I wish to remark, that, although I should fail of giving a satisfactory account of this subject, the failure would, in no degree, affect the truth of the doctrine. If the evidence alleged has been sufficient, and the conclusions have been fairly drawn; then the doctrine is true. Nor will my ignorance, or that of any other persons, concerning the Manner, in which the event referred to is accomplished, and the doctrine true, make any difference with respect to the principal point. We know, perfectly, the Existence of many facts; while of the Manner, in which they are accomplished, we are unable to form any adequate conception.

The Influence of the Means of Grace upon mankind may, if I mistake not, be explained under the two general heads of Instruction; and,

Impression.

These I shall now consider, in the order already specified. 1. The Means of Grace become such by Instruction.

It will be universally acknowledged, that men, according to St. Paul's declaration, cannot believe on him, of whom they have not heard; nor call on him, in whom they have not believed. If God, the Father, or the Son, be unknown; it is plain, that He can neither be trusted, invoked, nor obeyed. There can be no known relation, in this case, between the creature and the Creator; and therefore, on the part of the creature, no known, or possible, duty to the Creator. Where there is no law, there is no transgression; and where there is no knowledge, either actual or possible, of a law, there is, in the fullest sense, no law. The knowledge of God, therefore, his Law, and our obligation to obey it, is indispensable even to our possible obedience, or disobedience.

When mankind had fallen, and Christ had made an expiabe for their sins; it was equally, and absolutely, necessary, in order to their acceptance of Christ, which then became their duty, that they should know this Glorious Person, in such a sense, as i enable them to exercise farth in him as their Redeemer. Winout such knowledge, it is naturally impossible for us to believe in Him at all. The same things are equally true of every regious duty, and subject. We cannot perform any duty, however well disposed, unless it be known to us; nor be required to perform it, unless such knowledge be attainable.

Thus it is evident, that the Gospel is indispensable to the very existence of Christianity in the mind of man: and, as the Gospel cannot be of any possible use to man, unless known by him; so the knowledge of the Gospel is indispensable to the existence of faith, repentance, and holiness.

It is indeed perfectly obvious, that God can, with infinite ease. reveal the fundamental truths, and all other truths, of the Gospel to any man immediately, as he did to St. Paul. This, however, is not to be expected; as it is certainly no part of his ordinary providence. In the usual course of that providence, men are taught the Gospel by Preaching, Reading, and other modes of instruction. These, or some of these, are therefore indispensable, in the usual course of things, to the existence of Christianity in the minds of men. Hence, in one respect, the Gospel is said to be the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth and hence, in the same respect, it is said, that, when the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

In the same manner Religious Education, Meditation, Correspondence with religious men, and the Reading of religious Books, become, thus far, Means of salvation to mankind. In all these ways the Word of God is made known to mankind: and all of them have, and were designed by God to have, their peculiar advantages.

Among the things, most necessary to be known by us in order to our salvation, our own hearts, or moral characters, hold a primary place. I know of no manner, in which he, who feels himself to be whole, can realize, that he needs a physician. To

the existence even of a wish for deliverance, the sense of danger, or distress, is absolutely necessary. If we are now conscious of being holy, or of being safe; we, certainly, can never desire renovation, forgiveness, or expiation; nor seek for a deliverer to save us. While such a consciousness continues, no reason can be perceived by the man, who experiences it, why he should look for Salvation from Christ, any more, than why an Angel, who has never fallen, should look for salvation from the same source. But sin, and the moral distress, and danger, occasioned by it, have their seat in the heart. If, then, the heart be unknown; these will also be unknown: and the mind will never seck, nor wish, for deliverance from them. Of course, it cannot, and will not, expect its salvation from the Redeemer.

The Knowledge of the heart is extensively communicated by the Scriptures: so extensively, that without them, mankind will never understand their true moral character in any such manner, as to produce any Evangelical benefit. But all the Scriptural communications, of this nature, will be useless to us, unless we apply them to ourselves. This application can never be made to any purpose, unless we commune with our own hearts. Self-examination is the direct, and in many respects the only, mode, in which we apply the Scriptural accounts of our moral nature to ourselves. Without such examination we may, indeed, admit the Scriptural accounts concerning human nature, generally; and believe, that other men are sinners, in the manner, and degree, there exhibited. But we shall never realize, that these accounts, in their whole extent, are applicable also to ourselves. Particularly, we shall form no just apprehensions of our odiousness in the sight of God, of the extent of our condemnation by his law, or our exposure to final perdition. The necessity of such examination is therefore absolute.

Further, when we have in fact become convinced of our sin, and our danger, we are still equally unconvinced of our indisposition to return to God by Evangelical repentance and faith. All mankind appear originally to believe their conversion to God to be so absolutely in their power, as that, whenever they shall make serious and earnest attempts to accomplish it, they VOL. IV.

64

When mankind had fallen, and Christ had made an expiation for their sins; it was equally, and absolutely, necessary, in order to their acceptance of Christ, which then became their duty, that they should know this Glorious Person, in such a sense, as to enable them to exercise faith in him as their Redeemer. Without such knowledge, it is naturally impossible for us to believe in Him at all. The same things are equally true of every religious duty, and subject. We cannot perform any duty, however well disposed, unless it be known to us; nor be required to perform it, unless such knowledge be attainable.

Thus it is evident, that the Gospel is indispensable to the very existence of Christianity in the mind of man: and, as the Gospel cannot be of any possible use to man, unless known by him; so the knowledge of the Gospel is indispensable to the existence of faith, repentance, and holiness.

It is indeed perfectly obvious, that God can, with infinite ease, reveal the fundamental truths, and all other truths, of the Gospel to any man immediately, as he did to St. Paul. This, however, is not to be expected; as it is certainly no part of his ordinary providence. In the usual course of that providence, men are taught the Gospel by Preaching, Reading, and other modes of instruction. These, or some of these, are therefore indispensable, in the usual course of things, to the existence of Christianity in the minds of men. Hence, in one respect, the Gospel is said to be the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth and hence, in the same respect, it is said, that, when the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

In the same manner Religious Education, Meditation, Correspondence with religious men, and the Reading of religious Books, become, thus far, Means of salvation to mankind. In all these ways the Word of God is made known to mankind: and all of them have, and were designed by God to have, their peculiar advantages.

Among the things, most necessary to be known by us in order to our salvation, our own hearts, or moral characters, hold a primary place. I know of no manner, in which he, who feels himself to be whole, can realize, that he needs a physician. To

the existence even of a wish for deliverance, the sense of danger, or distress, is absolutely necessary. If we are now conscious of being holy, or of being safe; we, certainly, can never desire renovation, forgiveness, or expiation; nor seek for a deliverer to save us. While such a consciousness continues, no reason can be perceived by the man, who experiences it, why he should look for Salvation from Christ, any more, than why an Angel, who has never fallen, should look for salvation from the same source. But sin, and the moral distress, and danger, occasioned by it, have their seat in the heart. If, then, the heart be unknown; these will also be unknown: and the mind will never seck, nor wish, for deliverance from them. Of course, it cannot, and will not, expect its salvation from the Redeemer.

The Knowledge of the heart is cxtensively communicated by the Scriptures: so extensively, that without them, mankind will never understand their true moral character in any such manner, as to produce any Evangelical benefit. But all the Scriptural communications, of this nature, will be useless to us, unless we apply them to ourselves. This application can never be made to any purpose, unless we commune with our own hearts. Self-examination is the direct, and in many respects the only, mode, in which we apply the Scriptural accounts of our moral nature to ourselves. Without such examination we may, indeed, admit the Scriptural accounts concerning human nature, generally; and believe, that other men are sinners, in the manner, and degree, there exhibited. But we shall never realize, that these accounts, in their whole extent, are applicable also to ourselves. Particularly, we shall form no just apprehensions of our odiousness in the sight of God, of the extent of our condemnation by his law, or our exposure to final per dition. The necessity of such examination is therefore absolute.

Further, when we have in fact become convinced of our sin, and our danger, we are still equally unconvinced of our indisposition to return to God by Evangelical repentance and faith. All mankind appear originally to believe their conversion to God to be so absolutely in their power, as that, whenever they shall make serious and earnest attempts to accomplish it, they VOL. IV.

64

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