SERMONS ON PUBLIC OCCASIONS. SERMON I. CAUTION RECOMMENDED IN THE USE AND APPLICATION OF SCRIPTURE LANGUAGE. Even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to 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.-2 Peter iii. 15, 16. Ir must not be dissembled that there are many real difficulties in the Christian Scriptures; whilst, at the same time, more, I believe, and greater, may justly be imputed to certain maxims of interpretation, which have obtained authority without reason, and are received without inquiry. One of these, as I apprehend, is the expecting to find, in the present circumstances of Christianity, a meaning for, or something answering to,' every appellation and expression which occurs in Scripture; or, in other words, the applying to the personal condition of Christians at this day, those titles, phrases, propositions, and arguments, which belong solely to the situation of Christianity at its first institution. have been equally strange, if the great, and, in many respects, the inevitable alterations, which have taken place in those circumstances, did not vary the application of Scripture language. I design, in the following discourse, to propose some examples of this variation, from which you will judge, as I proceed, of the truth and importance of our general observation. First; At the time the Scriptures were written, none were baptized but converts, and none were converted but from conviction; and conviction produced, for the most part, a corresponding reformation of life and manners. Hence baptism was only another name for I am aware of an objection which weighs conversion, and conversion was supposed to be much with many serious tempers, namely, that sincere in this sense was our Saviour's proto suppose any part of Scripture to be inappli- mise," he that believeth, and is baptized, shall cable to us, is to suppose a part of Scripture to be saved;" and in the same his command to be useless; which seems to detract from the St. Paul," arise, and be baptized, and wash perfection we attribute to these oracles of our away thy sins :"+ this was that baptism, "for salvation. To this I can only answer, that it the remission of sins," to which St. Peter inwould have been one of the strangest things invited the Jews upon the day of Pentecost; the world, if the writings of the New Testa- that "washing of regeneration," by which, as ment had not, like all other books, been com- St. Paul writes to Titus," he saved us."§ posed for the apprehension, and consequently adapted to the circumstances, of the persons they were addressed to; and that it would Mark xvi. 16. Acts xxii. 16, Titus iii. 5. SERMONS ON PUBLIC OCCASIONS. Now, when we come to speak of the baptism any alteration of the author's meaning, e. g. uncircumcised :"+"The church that is at Ba- Secondly; The community of Christians were at first a handful of men, connected amongst themselves by the strictest union, and divided from the rest of the world by a real difference were so much offended by the preaching of of principle and persuasion, and, what was the Gospel to the Gentiles, St. Paul maintains, Thirdly; In opposition to the Jews, who more observable, by many outward peculiari- with great industry, that it was God Alties of worship and behaviour. This society, mighty's intention from the first, to substitute, considered collectively, and as a body, were at a fit season, into the place of the rejected set apart from the rest of mankind for a more Israelites, a society of men taken indifferently gracious dispensation, as well as actually dis-out of all nations under heaven, and admittinguished by a superior purity of life and con- ted to be the people of God upon easier and versation. In this view, and in opposition to more comprehensive terms. This is expressed the unbelieving world, they were denominated in the Epistle to the Ephesians, as follows:in Scripture by titles of great seeming dignity" Having made known unto us the mystery and import; they were "elect,' "saints;" ;"* they were called," of his will, according to his good pleasure "in Christ;"+ they which he hath purposed in himself, that, in were 66 a chosen generation, a royal priest- the dispensation of the fulness of times, he hood, a holy nation, a peculiar people." That might gather together in one all things in is, these terms were employed to distinguish Christ." This scheme of collecting such a the professors of Christianity from the rest of society was what God foreknew before the mankind, in the same manner as the names of foundation of the world; was what he did Greek and Barbarian, Jew and Gentile, dis- predestinate; was the eternal purpose which tinguished the people of Greece and Israel from he purposed in Christ Jesus; and, by conse other nations. The application of such phrases quence, this society, in their collective capato the whole body of Christians is become now city, were the objects of this foreknowledge obscure; partly because it is not easy to con- predestination, and purpose; that is, in the ceive of Christians as a body at all, by reason language of the apostles, they were they of the extent of their name and numbers, and "whom he did foreknow," they "whom he the little visible union that subsists among did predestinate;" ¶ they were them; and partly, because the heathen world, Christ before the foundation of the world ;"** with whom they were compared, and to which they were elect according to the foreknowledge "chosen in comparison these phrases relate, is now ceased, of God the Father."++ This doctrine has no or is removed from our observation. Suppo- thing in it harsh or obscure. sing, therefore, these expressions to have a we made of it? The rejection of the Jews, and perpetual meaning, and, either forgetting the the adopting another community into their But what have original use of them, or finding that, at this place, composed, whilst it was carrying on, time, in a great measure exhausted and insig- an object of great magnitude in the attention nificant, we resort to a sense and an applica- of the inspired writers who understood and obtion of them, easier, it may be, to our compre-served it. This event, which engaged so much hension, but extremely foreign. from the design the thoughts of the apostle, is now only read of their authors, namely, to distinguish indivi- of, and hardly that the reality and the imduals amongst us, the professors of Christianity, portance of it are little known or attended to. from one another: agreeably to which idea, the Losing sight, therefore, of the proper occasion most flattering of these names, the "elect," of these expressions, yet willing, after our "called," "saints," have, by bold and un-fashion, to adapt them to ourselves, and findlearned men, been and their own party with a presumption and ed with them, we have learnt at length to apappropriated to themselves ing nothing else in our circumstances that suit. conceit injurious to the reputation of our reli-ply them to the final destiny of individuals at gion amongst them that are without," and extremely disgusting to the sober part of its professors; whereas, that such titles were intended in a sense common to all Christian converts, is well argued from many places in which they occur, in which places you may plainly substitute the terms convert, or converted, for the strongest of these phrases, without *Rom. viii, 33. i. 6, 7. 1 Pet. ii. 9 Rom, viii. 1. the day of judgment; and upon this foundation, has been erected a doctrine which lays the axe at once to the root of all religion, that of an absolute appointment to salvation or perdition independent of ourselves or any thing we can do; and what is extraordinary, those very arguments and expressions (Rom. chap. ix. x. xi.) which the apostle employed to vin * 1 Cor. vi, 1. Rom. xvi. 7. ¶ Rem. viii, 29. +1 Cor vii. 18. dicate the impartial mercies of God, against again, understand these phrases to signify nothe narrow and excluding claims of Jewish thing more, than that gradual amendment of prejudice, have been interpreted to establish life and conversation, which reason and relia dispensation the most arbitrary and par-gion sometimes produce in particular Christitial that could be devised. ans: of which interpretation it is truly said, Fourthly; The conversion of a grown per- that it degrades too much the proper force of son from Heathenism to Christianity, which is language, to apply expressions of such energy the case of conversion commonly intended in and import to an event so ordinary in its own the Epistles, was a change of which we have nature, and which is common to Christianity now no just conception: it was a new name, with every other moral institution. Lastly; a new language, a new society; a new faith, a third sort, in order to satisfy these expresa new hope; a new object of worship, a new sions to their full extent, have imagined to rule of life: a history was disclosed full of dis-themselves certain perceptible impulses of the covery and surprise; a prospect of futurity Holy Ghost, by which, in an instant, and in was unfolded, beyond imagination awful and a manner, no doubt, sufficiently extraordinary, august; the same description applies in a great they are "regenerate and born of the Spirit;" part, though not entirely, to the conversion of they become "new creatures :" they are made a Jew. This, accompanied as it was with the the "sons of God," who were before the "freed from pardon of every former sin (Romans iii. 25.)" children of wrath;" they are was such an æra in a man's life, so remark-sin," and "from death;" they are chosen, able a period in his recollection, such a revo- that is, and sealed, without a possibility of lution of every thing that was most impor-fall, unto final salvation. Whilst the patrons tant to him, as might well admit of those of a more sober exposition have been often strong figures and significant allusions by challenged, and sometimes confounded, with which it is described in Scripture: it was a the question-If such expressions of Scripture regeneration," ," or a new birth; it was to do not mean this, what do they mean? To be" born again of God, and of the Spirit ;"+ which we answer, Nothing: nothing, that it was to be "dead to sin," and "alive from is, to us; nothing to be found, or sought for, the dead;" it was to be buried with Christ in the present circumstances of Christianity. in baptism, and raised together with him ;"§ More examples might be produced, in which it was "a new creature," and a new crea- the unwary use of Scripture language has been tion "¶ it was a translation from the condi- the occasion of difficulties and mistakes-but tion of "slaves to that of sons ;"** from I forbear-the present are sufficient to show, strangers and foreigners, to be fellow-citi- that it behoves every one who undertakes to zens with the saints, and of the household of explain the Scriptures, before he determine to God."++ It is manifest that no change equal whom or what an expression is now-a-days to or similar to the conversion of a Heathen can be applied, to consider diligently whether it be experienced by us, or by any one educated admit of any such application at all; or whein a Christian country, and to whom the facts, ther it is not rather to be restrained to the precepts, and hopes of Christianity, have been precise circumstances and occasion for which from his infancy familiar: yet we will retain it was originally composed. the same language; and what has been the I make no apology for addressing this subconsequence? One sort of men, observing no-ject to this audience; because whatever relates thing in the lives of Christians corresponding to the interpretation of Scripture, relates, as I to the magnificence, if I may so say, of these conceive, to us; for if, by any light we may expressions, have been tempted to conclude, that the expressions themselves had no foundation in truth and nature, or in any thing but the enthusiasm of their authors. Others cast upon these ancient books, we can enable and invite the people to read the Bible for themselves, we discharge, in my judgment, the first duty of our function; ever bearing in mind, that we are the ministers not of our own fame or fancies, but of the sincere Gospel of Jesus Christ. 2 Q |