Imatges de pàgina
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new age of it; to finish transgression, to make an end of sins, and to bring in everlasting righteousness". O yes, says a minute philosopher, if there was any need of a revelation at all, it was indeed high time that it should make its appearance. But this tedious delay is our grand objection against it. Why did God defer the times of reformation so long? Why did he not interpose before the reign of Tiberius? Philosopher, he did! He interposed at sundry times, and in divers manners; he revealed his will to the patriarchs and to the fathers, by the prophets, by such measures and degrees as the ends of his government required, or his wisdom saw most expedient. And if he did not do all that you think he might have done, one reason of this might be, to convince such persons as you, by all the history and experience in the world, how little mere reason is qualified to be the sole guide in matters of religion : a point, alas! which you are not sufficiently convinced of, even to this day. Twice, at least, revealed religion, or, if that word offends, God's pure religion, (which is just the same thing,) was universal, in the families of Adam and of Noah. How long in either case it remained so, or by what means it was corrupted, are inquiries too intricate to be satisfied now. But when, after the flood, a new deluge of impiety had overspread the earth, and there were almost as many idolaters as men, God saved again from the general shipwreck the family of one worthy person, whose posterity he multiplied as the stars of heaven. And, after several occasional revelations, he gave them an institute of religion, and a written law; which, though not designed to u Dan. ix. 24.

be universal, yet gave light to the world much further than the confines of Judæa; and would have done so more effectually still, if the opaque body of men's supine ignorance and stupid prejudices had not intervened. At last, in the fulness of time, he sent his Son; whose mission, if it can be proved by other arguments, such as prophecies, miracles, and the like, the question about the fitness of the time must lie, as far as I am able to judge, between the wisdom of God and the wisdom of an unbeliever; and he, who cannot tell which of these should preponderate, must certainly weigh them in the balances of deceit.

Indeed, here is the root of the whole matter. Infidels may clamour as much as they please about the proper time of introducing revealed religion, but their real sentiment is, that there is no time proper for it at all. Yet, upon serious thoughts, it seems almost a necessary consequence from the doctrine of Providence, and God's moral government of mankind. Can we think, that the Father of the spirits of all flesh should give us food and raiment, should send us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, and provide us all things needful for the body, and at the same time utterly neglect to make any provision for the soul; never once afford one ray of supernatural light to those that sit in darkness, to give them the knowledge of salvation, and to lead them in the way everlasting? To pretend that reason is sufficient for all this, is only to argue against history, fact, and experience; and saying, that reason is able to do something which it never has done, and is never likely to do to the end of the world. A conx Gal. iv. 4.

sistent deist must allow, that right reason has had very little sway in the religious concerns of mankind; and that, excepting himself and his fraternity, they now are, and always have been, led astray by the grossest religious delusions. Upon his principles the Deity has never in the least interposed, either to prevent these corruptions or to reform them. With what consistence then, or candour, can this man object against revelation, that it is not ancient enough, or not universal, i. e. that enough has not been done by it; when, upon his own principles, the Deity has done nothing at all? Thick clouds are a covering to him that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaveny, without ever regarding the errors and corruptions of his family here on earth. Sentiments of this sort, though designed it may be to subvert only revealed religion, yet must shake the foundations of natural; and it will not perhaps be found upon trial very easy upon this scheme to vindicate the doctrine of Providence, to defend the wisdom and goodness of God's moral government of the world, and the equity of his intending to judge it.

Whereas, on the other hand, the principles of true natural religion, Deity, Providence, moral government, and judgment to come, fairly and fully explained and understood, lead us, as it were, directly to the confines of revelation; and dispose us more readily to embrace the salutary truths of the gospel : to know which, and to practise them, is, at least in our present state, the highest perfection of human nature.

y Job xxii. 14.

SERMON XV.

MATTH. XXV. 28, 29, 30.

Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. IF there be any inquiry of greater consequence than another, it is that which relates to the nature and design of human life. What is man, and whereto serveth he? What is his good, and what is his evil? Is it all circumscribed within the circle of this life, or is there another? And has the happiness or misery of that other any connexion with our behaviour here? It is impossible wisely to take a single step in life, without regulating it by this view; and it is our great interest, and our chief duty, to satisfy ourselves on this head, upon which our whole conduct depends.

And the satisfaction so much wanted, and of such great importance, may be easily obtained; partly by reason, from the constitution of our own frame, and of the world in general; but more clearly and fully by the revelation of Jesus Christ. It is this great Teacher who has best acquainted us with our being's end and aim; not indeed in a speculative way, to gratify curiosity; but so far as the subject is of moral import, and the knowledge of it necessary to

enforce that virtue which he came to establish in the world. The conduct of life is trusted with ourselves; and therefore so much of the theory of it as is useful to this purpose is laid open to our view. But truth alone, truth abstracted from all moral influence, from all tendency to make us better, is not our proper, at least not our principal business; and is left by our Lord, in a great measure, to be part of that reward, which he will sometime bestow on them who obey him. There is not, perhaps, a chapter in the whole New Testament which lays before us a plainer representation of the present and of the future state, and of the connexion they have with one another, than this out of which my text is taken and yet it appears to have been all subjoined, in order to recommend and enforce that constant watchfulness in duty, and habitual readiness to meet our Lord when he cometh, which is mentioned towards the close of the preceding chapter. This is the manifest intent and tendency of the parable of the ten virgins, of the parable of the talents, and of that full, distinct, and clear account of the proceedings at the day of judgment, which follows them; in which our Lord speaketh plainly, and speaketh no parable.

Many useful observations, no doubt, may be made upon the several parts of the parable, distinctly; but the general doctrine and result of the whole, as well as of the words I have read in particular, seem to terminate in these two points; which will be the subject of this discourse:

First, That the present life is a state of trial, and, Secondly, That this state of trial will be decisive and final.

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