of

By bequest

William Litkens Shoemaker

/

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHY:

OR, AN ATTEMPT TO DISPLAY

4

BY INTERNAL TESTIMONY,

EVIDENCE AND EXCELLENCE

OlS

REVEALED RELIGION.

WITH

JJSr APPEJ^DIX,

ON MR. PAINE*S PAMPHLET, ON PRAYER, ETC.

By VICESIMUS KNOX, D. D.

X.ATE FELLOtST OF ST. JOHN^& COLLEGE, OXFORD; AND NOW MASTE^l OF TUNBRIDGE SCHOOL.

Hoc PbilosophidS genus in affectibus situtn est, verius quant in sylla*. gismis ; vita est magis, qudm disputatio; Afflatus poiius quatn eruditio; traiisfortnatio magis, quam ratio, Erasmus,

Tantum esto docilis et multum in hdc Philosophia promovisti. Ipsa suppeditat Doctorein Spiritutrit qui nulli sese lubentius impertit, quam simplicibus animis. At rursiim ita non deest injimis, ut summis etiam sit admirabilis. ^id autem aliud est Christi Philosophia, quam ipse Renascentiam vocat, quam instauratio hente condiie naturce. Ibid.

nNEYMA Z£:20nOIOYN, ' IGoR.xv. 45.

FIRSr AMERICAN EDITION^

WITH A TRANSLATION OF ALL THE GREEK, LATIN, ETC. qUOTATION^, ANNEXED.

PHILADELPHIA :

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY JOHN HOFF, NO. 48, CHERRY-STREET,

1804.

Gift.

"W. L. SlaoeniakeT 1 8 'vo

PREFACE.

As every attempt to illustrate and recommend opinions on Religion, which oppose prejudices, is peculiarly obnoxious to the misconceptions of the ignorant, the mis- representation of the malevolent, and the rash censure of the thoughtless ; (who rudely and hastily condemn, what they scarcely allow themselves even time to understand;) I think it proper to entreat all who honour this book With any degree of their attention, duly to consider the autkorities, human as well as scriptural, on which it is founded; and not to reject doctrines in which their own happiness is most deeply concerned, till they shall have invalidated those authorities^ and proved themselves superior in sagacity, learn- ing, and piety, to the great men whose sen- timents I have cited in support of my own. Let the firm phalanx of surrounding authori- ties be first fairly routed, before the oppo- nents level their arrows, even bitter words, at him who, in these papers, ventures to en-

ir PREFA CE.

force a doctrine, unfashionable indeed, but certainly the doctrine of the Gospel.

There is no doubt but that my subject is the most momentous which can fall under the contemplation of a human being ; and I therefore claim for it, as the happiness of mankind is at stake, a dispassionate and un- prejudiced attention.

The moral world, as well as the political, appears at present, to be greatly out of orden Moral confusion, indeed, naturally produces political. Let all who love their species, or their country, calmly consider whether the neglect or rejextion of Christianity msiy not be the real cause of both : and let those who are thus persuaded, co-operate with every at- tempt to revive aud diffuse the true Spirit OF THE Gospel. "Let us meekly instruct " those that OPPOSE themselves,^'^ (if God, peradventure, wiWgive them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth ^ '^ not being over- *' come of evil, but overcoming evil with ^' good.''!

Nor let a private clergyman, however in- considerable, be thought to step out of his province, in thus endeavouring to tranquil- lize the tumult of the world, by calling the

* 2 Tim. \\. 25. t Romans, xii. 21.

PREFACE. ^

attention of erring and wretched mortals to the gospel of peace, lie is jusnfied, not only by the general principles of humanity, but by the particular command of the religion of which he is a minister. Thus saith the apostle:

" Feed the flock of God, as much as lieth <' in you, taking the oversight thereof, not by " co7istraint^ but willingness ; not for filthy " LUCRE, but of a ready mind.^ Take heed '' to all the flock, over the which the Holy ^' Ghost hath made you overseers^ to feed " the Church of God, which he hath purcha- *^ sed with his own blood /'f

This I have humbly attempted ; and, in imitation of a most excellent prelate,J I have adapted my book to all; yet various pans of it more particularly to various descriptions of men; some to the great, some to the learned, but the greater part to \\\t people: remember- ing the Apostle's example, who says, '^ To " the weak became I as weak, that I might *' gain the weak: I am made all things to all ^' men, that I might by all means save some; " and this I do for the Gospel's sake, that " I might be a partaker thereof with you.''j|

* 1 Pet. V. 2. t Acts, XX. 28.

:j: Bishop Saimderson, who preached in an appropriate manner, ad aulam, ad cleruniy ad populum. See the titles of his Sermons. H 1 Cor. xi. 23.

A 2

VI PREFACE.

And now, readers, before you proceed any farther, let me be permitted to say to you, *' The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and *' the love of God, and the fellowship of the *' Holy Ghost, be with you,'* in your pro- gress through this book, and also through life, even to its close.

Si

CONTENTS.

Section

I. Intrqductory. .... Page 13

II. On the Sort of evidence chiefly recommended and at-

tempted to be displayed in this Treatise. - 24

III. On the Prejudices entertained against this Sort of evi-

dence, and against all divine and supernatural Influ- ence on the Mind of Man. - - - 28

IV. The proper evidence of the Christian Religion is the

Illumination of the Holy Ghost, ghining into the Hearts of those who do not close them against its entrance. The opinion of Dr. Gloucester Ridle>y cited. - 33

V. The true and only convincing evidence of the Religion

of Christ, or the Illumination of the Holy Ghost is offered to all. - - - -. 36

VI. Opinions of Bishop Taylor respecting the evidence of

the Holy Spirit; *' shewing" (as he expresses it) how ** the Scholars of the University shall become most *' LEARNED and most useful." - - 40

VII. Passages from the celebrated Mr. yohn Smithy Fellow of Queen's College, Cambridge, corroborative of the Opinion that the best evidence of the Christian Reli- gion arises from the energy of the Holy Spirit. 48

VIII. Dr. lsa<ic Marroi^'s Opinion of the evidence of Chris- tianity, afforded by the illuminating Operation of the Holy Spirit"; and on the Hojy Spirit in general. 51

3X. Bishop BiiWs Opinion on the evidence of the Spirit of God on the Mind of Man, and its Union with it ; the Loss of that Spirit by Adam^s Fall,^ and the Recove- ry of it by Christ. .... 5;^

X' The Opinions of Bishop Pearson and Doctor Scott, Author of the Christian Life, and an Advocate for natural Religion, against spiritual Pretensions- 62

Vlll CONrENTS.

Sectiok Page

XI. Opinion of Bishop Saunderson 6n the Impossibility of be-

coming a Christian withoui supernatural Assistance. 64

XII. Bishop Smalridge on the absolute Necessity of Grace. C^

XIII. Human Learning highly useful, and to be pursued with all Diligence, but cannot, of itself, furnish evi- dences of Christianity completely satisfactory, like those which the heart of the good Christian feels from di'uine Lifluence: with the opinion of Doctor Isaac Watts. - - - : . 73

XIV. The Opinion of Doctor Lucas, the celebrated Author of a Treatise on Happiness, concerning the evidence

of Christianity arising from divine Communicatioji. 81

XV. Passages from a well-known Book of an anonymous Author, intitled, Ininard Testimony. - - 86

XVI. Dr. Townson^s Opinions on the evidence which is in this Book recommended as superior to all others. 87

XVII. Dr. Doddi'idge on the Doctrine of Divine Influence. 90

XVIII. The Opinions of Mr. Locke and Mr. Addison. 9J XIX The Opinion of Soame Jenyns on the fundamental

Principles of Christianity. - - . Qf

XX. The Opinion of Bishop Horsley on the prevalent Ne- glect of teaching the peculiar Doctrines of Christi- anity, under the Idea that Moral Duties constitute the Whole or the better Part of it. Among the peculiar Doctrines is evidently included that of Grace, which the Methodists inculcate, (as the Bishop intimates,)

not erroneously. . - - - Qg

XXI. The Church of England teaches the true Doctrine oif Grace. - - - - - 104

XXII. On the Means of obtaining the Evidence of Christi- anity, afforded by the Holy Spirit. - - 108

XXIII. Temperance necessary to the Reception and Conti- nuance of the Holy Spirit in the Heart, and conse- quently to the Evidence of Christianity afforded by Divine Illumination. - - - 111

XXIV. On improving Afflictions duly as a Means of Grace and Belief in the Gospel. - - 114

XXV. On Devotion — a Means, as well as an effect of Grace: — no sincere Religion can subsist without it. 115

XXVI. On Divine Attraction. - - - lia

coN'fE'srs. ix

Section l*2,gc

XXVII. On the Difficulties of the Scripture. - - 121

XXVIII. The Omnipresence of God a DcK:trine univer- sally eJlowed ; but how is God every where present but

by his Spirit, which is the Holy Ghost. - 12S

XXIX. the "Want of Faith could not be criminal, if it de- pended only on the Understanding; but Faith is a Virtue^ because it originates from virtuous Disposi- tions favoured by the Holy Spirit. - 127

XXX. Of the scriptural Word " Ukction ;" its high mys- terious Meaing. - - - 129

XXXI. On what is called by devout Persons Experience in Religion. - - - - 131

XXXII. On the Seasons of Grace. • - 135

XXXIII. Of mistaking the effects of imagination for the Seasons of Grace. - . - 137

XXXIV. Of seasons of Desertion, or supposed Absence of the Spirit. - - - - 1S9

XXXV. Of the Doctrine, that the Operations of the Hcly Spirit are neveh distinguishable from the Operations

of our own Minds. - - - - 141

XXXVI. Of devotional Feelings or Sentiments. 144

XXXVII. Of Enthusiasm. - - - U7

XXXVIII. Cautions concerning Enthusiasm. - 151

XXXIX. Of being RIGHTEOUS over-much. - 154 XL. All extravagant and selfish Pretensions to the Spirit to

be anxiously avoided, as they proceed from and cherish Pride, and are frequently accompanied wiih Immorality. 159

XL I. Affected Sanctity, Demureness, Canting, Sourness, Censoriousness, ignorant and illiterate Preaching, no Marks of a State of Grace, but contribute to bring the whole Doctrine pf Divine Energy into Contempt, and to diffuse infidelity. - - - 163

XLII. Bishop Lavirigtoji'' s 0^imor\y respecting the extrava- gancies and follies of fanatical Preachers, and pre- tenders to the Spirit. - . , . 165

XL II I. Pride the great Obstacle to the general Reception of

the Gospel of Grace. - - , . 168

XL IV. The universal Prevalence of the Holy Spirit — the genuine Grace of the Gospel — highly conducive to the happiness of cm/ Society ^ as well as of individuals. 171

X CONSENTS*

Section Page

X'LV. Of Holiness — its true Meaning, and absolute Neces-

sity. ..-.-- 174

XLVI. Of a good Heart. .... 177

XL VII. On the superiorMorality of the Christian Philosopbr. 181

XLVIII. The true Genius and Spirit of Christianity produc- tive of a certain Tenderness of Conscience , or feiellng of Reciitude, more favourable to right conduct, than any deducticns of unassisted Reason, or heathen marality. 183

XLIX. The great Advantage of Christian Philosophy being

taught by a commanding Authority. - 186

L. Morality or orbedieiKe to the Commandments - of - Gcd in social intercourse and personal conduct, remarkably insisted upon in the Gospel. - - 191

LI. Unbelievers not to be addressed merely with subtle Rea- soning, which they always oppose in its own way, not 10 be ridiculed, not to be treated with severity, but to be tenderly and affectionately exhcrted to prepare their hearts for the reception of the imnard ^witness, and to relume the hgbt of' UJe^ vvhich they have ex- tinguished, or rendered faint, tlirough pride, vice, or total neglect. - „ . . 193

LII. Of the inadequate Idea entertained by many respectable • Persons concerning Christianity; with a Suggestion on the Expediency of their considering the true nature of Christian Philosopliy. ... 197

LIII. On IndiiTerence and insensibility to Religion, arising from hardness of heart. No progress can be made in Christian Philosophy in such a State, as it is a State, incompatible with the divine influence. - 200

LIV. A Self-examination recommended respecting religious

insensibility. . , . . . 203

LV. The Sum and Substance of Christian Philosophy the Rentival of the Heart by Divine Grace; or the soften- ing it and rendering it susceptible of virtuous and benevolent impressions, by cultivating the two grand principles — Piety to God, and Charity to Man. 207

LVI. On spiritual Slumber, as described in the Scriptures, and

the Necessity of being awakened. - - 200

LVII. On the Peace of God, that calm and composed State, ■which is produced by the Chrietia?i Philosophy, and is

CONTEIfrs, XI

Sectiov JPag^

unknown to the Epicurean, Stoic, a,nd all oth^ Phi- losophy, antient and modern. - - - 223

LVIII. General Reflections on Happiness — Errors in the pur- suit of it. — No sublunary Happiness perfect — Christ's Invitation to the wretched. Christian Philosophy af- fords the highest earthly Satisfaction. Its Summiim Bonum is a State of Graccy or the enjoyment of divine Favour. .«-..- 2o5

LIX. Apologetical conclusion; with a Recapitulation, and addition of a few particular* respecting the preceding Subjectg, - - - - 244

APrENlDIX.

No. I. Cursory Remarks on one or two Objections in Mr. Pained last Pamphlet, against the Authenticity of the Gospel. - - - - 291

No. II. . .- - . . 313

No/IIL ----- 323

No. IV. - . - - ^ 325

No. v.* - ^ - " - 326

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHY:

OR,

YHE EVIDENCE AND EXCELLENCE OF

REVEALED RELIGION-

SECTION I.

Cupimus enim investlgare quid verum fit ; neque id solum, quod cum veritate, pietatem quoque praeterea erga Deum habeat conjunctarn. S ado let.

INTRODUCTORY.

I

ENTER on the subject of this volume with un- affected diffidence. I tread on holy ground with awe* Though much of my life, devoted to letters from the earliest age, has been spent in reading the best writers on the Christian doctrine, and more in contemplation of it, yet a sense of its high importance, and of my own fallibility, has long restrained the impulse which prompt* ed me to engage in its public discussion. NotbJng but conscious rectitude of intention, co-operating with the hope of obtaining the aid of God's holy Spirit, and the reader's indulgence, could animate the tremulous mind in an enterprise to which it feels and avows itself une- qual. A conviction that the subject is peculiarly sea«- sonable, has contributed to overcome reluctance. The TIMES indeed appear to me to call upon every professor of Christianity to vindicate, in the manner best adapted to his abilities and opportunities, its controverted truth, its insulted honour; and if I shall be fortunate enough to

fi

14 CHUlStlAN PHILOSOPffr*

communicate one suggestion to the wavering mind, which may conduce to this great purpose, my labour will not be in vain, nor my undertaking deemed rashly adventurous. I shall have accomplished my wish. To diffuse the sunshine of religious hope and confidence over the shadowy path of life; to dissipate the gloom of doubt and despair; to save a soul from death; objects so desirable, inspire an ardour which enables zeal to triumph over timidity.

That unbelief in Christ is increasing in the present age, and that the spirit of the times is rather favourable to its increase, has been asserted by high authority, and is too notorious to admit denial. The apostacy of a great nation, in the most enlightened and polished part of Europe; the public, unblushing avowal of atheism among some of its leaders ; the multiplication of books on the Continent, in which Christianity is treated as a mere mode of fanaticism ; all these circumstances have combined, with others, to cause not only an indifference to the religion of Christ, but contempt and aversion to his very name. It were easy to cite contumelious re- proaches of his person, as well as audacious denials of his claim to divine authority. But I will not pollute my page, which however it may be deformed by error, shall not be stained with the transfusion of blasphemy. It is to be wished that all such works could be consigned to immediate and everlasting oblivion ; but, I am sorry to say that they are diffused with an industry, which, if it appeared in making proselytes to virtue, would be in the highest degree meritorious. Almost every indivi- dual in our own country can now read ; and manuals of infidelity, of infidelity, replete with plausible arguments, in language level to the lowest classes, are circulated among the people, at a price which places them within reach of the poorest reader. They are despised by the rich and neglected by the learned, but they fall into the

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPKT. 15

hands of the poor, to whom any thing in p,rint bears the stamp of authority. At the same time, it must be la- mented that there are treatises of a higher order, on the side of infideHty, which come recommended to the su- perior ranks, to men of knowledge and education, with all the charms of wit and elegance.

But it cannot be said that the apologists and defenders of Christianity, in our country, have been few, or un- furnished with abilities natural and acquired. Great have been the efforts of our profoundest scholars, both professional divines and laymen, in maintaining the cause of Christianity, and repelling by argument, by ridicule, by invective, by erudition, the assaults of the infidel. But what shall we say? Notwithstanding their stupendous labours, continued with little intermission, the great cause which they maintained, is evidently, at this moment on the decline. Though many of them, not contented with persuasion and argument, have pro- fessed to DEMONSTRATE the truth of the Christian re- ligion, it is certain that a very great number of men in Christian countries continue unpersuaded, unconvinced, and totally blind to their demonstration. Such being the case, after all their voluminous productions, is it not to conclude that their modes of defence, however cele- brated, are either erroneous or defective? Had their success been equal to their labours and pretensions, infi- delity must now have been utterly exterminated.

I feel a sincere respect for the learned labours of theo- logists, the subtilty of schoolmen, the erudition of critics, the ingenuity of controversialists; but I cannot help thinking that their productions have contributed rather to the amusement of recluse scholars already persuad- ed of Christianity, than to the conversion of the infidel, the instruction of the people. It appears to me, that some of the most elaborate of the writings in defence of Christianity are too cold in their manner, too meta-

16 CHRISriAN fHILOSOPHr*

physical or abstruse in their arguments, too little ani- mated with the spirit of piety, to produce any great or durable effect on the heart of nnan, formed as he is, not only with intellectual powers, but with fine feelings and a glowing imagination. They touch not the trem- bling fibres of sensibility. They are insipid to the palate of the people. They have no attractions for the poor, the great multitude to whom the gosfiel was particularly preached. They are scarcely intelligible but to scholars in their closets, and while they amuse, without convinc- ing the understanding, they leave the most susceptible part of man, his bosom, unaffected. The busy world, eager in pursuit of wealth, honour, pleasure, pays them no regard; though they are the very persons whose attention to religion, which they are too apt to forget entirely, ought chiefly to be solicited. The academic recluse, the theologist by profession, may read them as a task or as an amusement ; but he considers them as works of erudition and exercises of ingenuity, claiming great praise as the product of literary leiaure, but little adapted to impress the heart, or convert the infidel or the profligate. The people are erring and straying like lost sheep, but in these calls they cannot recognize the voice of the shepherd. Such works indeed seldom reach the people ; and while they are celebrated in academic cloisters, their very existence is unknown among the haunts of men, in the busy hum of cities; where it is most desirable that they should be known, because there the great majority of human creatures is assembled, and there also the poison of temptation chiefly requires the antidote of religion. What avails it that defences of Christianity are very learned and very subtle, if they are so dry and unaffecting as to be confined in their ef- fects to sequestered scholars, far removed from the active world, and probably so firmly settled in the faith,

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHT.

17

as to require no new persuasives, no additional proofs to render them faithful followers of Jesus Christ?

Apologies and attacks of this kind have very little effect in silencing infidel writers or changing their opinions. They frequently furnish fresh matter for dis- pute, and indeea i>ut arms into the hands of the enemy. By provoking discussion on points that were at rest, they rouse sophistry from its slumbers, and blow the trumpet of polemical wars, which do great mischief be- fore the re-establishment of peace. In the issue, the contending parties are silenced rather from weariness in the contest, than from conviction ; and Te Deum^ as is usual in other wars, is sung by those who are said to be vanquished, as well as those who claim the honour of undisputed victory.

Thus it has happened that the writings of men, no less benevolent in their intentions than able in their ex- ertions, have sometimes not only done no good to their cause, but great injury. They have revived old cavils and objections, or invented new, in order to display in- genuity in refuting them; cavils and objections which have frequently been answered, or which might never have occurred ; but which, when once they have occur- red, produce suspicion and unsettled notions on topics never doubted, and among honest men whose faith was firmly established. Such conduct is like that of a physician, who should administer doses of arsenic to hia patients, in order to prove to them, at their risk, the sovereign power of his nostrunu The venom, finding a constitution favourable to its operation, triumphantly prevails, and the preventive remedy cannot rescue the sufferer from his hapless fate.

I am persuaded, that even a sensible, thinking, and learned man might live his whole life in piety and peace, without ever dreaming of those objections to Christiani- ty, which some of its most celebrated defenders have

B 2

18 CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHT.

collected together from all ages and a great variety of neglected books, and then combined in a single portable volume, so as to render it a convenient synopsis of in- Jidelity, What must be the consequence? It must at least disturb the repose of the sensible, thinking, and learned man ; and if it should be read and understood by the simple, the unlearned, the unthinking, and the ill-disposed^ I am of opinion that its objections w^ould be studied, its solutions neglected ; and thus a very large number of recruits enlisted volunteers in the army of unbelievers.

As an exemplification of what I have here advanced, I mention, in this place, Bishop Warburton's View of Lord Bolingbroke's Philosophy. There the unbeliever sees the scattered arguments of scepticism and unbelief all picked and culled for him, without any trouble of his own, and marked with inverted commas, so as to direct the eye, without loss of time, to their immediate peru- sal. The book becomes an anthologia of infidelity. The flowers are gathered from the stalks, and conveniently tied up in a nosegay. The essence is extracted and, put into a phial commodious for the pocket, and fitted for hourly use. The late Bishop Home, in his facetious Letters on Infidelity, has also collected passages from obscure books and pamphlets, and sent them abroad in such a manner as must of necessity cause them to be read and received, where they never would have found their way by their native force. These ingenious and well-meaning divines resuscitate the dead, and give life to the still-born and abortive offspring of dullness and malignity. I might mention many more instances of similar imprudence, in men of the deepest erudition and the sincerest piety ; but I am unwilling to follow their example, in pointing out to unbelievers compendiums, abridgments, and manuals of sceptical cavil. To say in their excuse that they refute those arguments which they

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHT, 19

insert so liberally from the writings of the unbeliever, may prove our candour, but not our judgnient or know- ledge of human nature. Evil is learned sooner and re- membered longer than good; and it would be better ta let many pamphlets of the deists sink into oblivion, than to preserve and extend them, by extracting their most noxious parts, and mixing them with the productions of men of learning and piety. The refutations are oftea long, laboured, and tedious, while the objections are short and lively. They are therefore either not read or soon forgotten, while a flippant sarcasm attracts atten- tion and fixes itself in the memory. It must also be allowed, that the refutations are too often unsatisfactory : and that the weakness of a fence invites new attacks, and gives fresh courage to the enemy.

I think the style and manner of some among the cele- brated defenders of Christianity extremely improper. It is not respectful. It treats Jesus Christ as if he were inferior to the person who takes upon him to examine, as he phrases it, the pretensions of Jesus Christ. To. speak in an authoritative, inquisitorial language of the author of that religion by w^hich the writer himself pro- fesses to hope for salvation, can never serve the cause of Christianity. Think of a poor, frail, sinful mortal sit- ting a self-appointed judge, and like a lawyer in a hu- man court of judicature, arraigning Jesus Christ, the Lord of life, just as a venal solicitor might have ques- tioned the two thieves that were crucified with him, had they been accused at a modern police-office. The cold yet authoritative style of the tribunal has been much used in examining^ as it is called, that religion which brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. You would think the learned theologist, who assumes the office of an examiner, another Pontius Pilate. He sits in the seat of judgment, and with judicial importance coldly pronounces on the words and actions of that Sa-

20 CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPnr.

viour, whom he owns to be the great Captain of salva- tion.

In such defences or examinations, Jesus Christ is spo- ken of in terms that must divest him of his gloiy, and therefore vihfy him in the eyes of the gainsayers, and all unthinking people. But how, on the contrary, do \X\^ prophets represent him? Language has no terms of magnificence adequate to his dignity.

The prophets describe Jp:sus Christ as the most august personage which it is possible to conceive. They speak of him indeed as the seed of the %voman and the Sonofmmi; but at the same time describe him of celes- tial race. They announce him as a being exalted above men and angels ; above " all principality and power ; as " the Word and the Wisdom of God; as the Heir of " all things, by whom God made the worlds; as the " Brightness of God's glory, the express Image of his " Person."

Thus speak the prophets of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Now let us hear an ingenious apologist and defender of him and his religion. A reverend au- thor, highly estimable for his learning and ingenuity, and whom I sincerely esteem, speaking of Jesus Christ, in a book professedly written to vindicate his truth and honour, repeatedly calls him, " a Jewish fieasant^' and a " peasant of Galilee*" " For what are we compar- '' ing?" says he, (in a comparison of Jesus Christ with Mahomet) " a Galilean peasant, accompanied with a " few fishermen, with a conqueror at the head of his " army;" and again, in the next page, " a Jewish pea- " SANT overthrew the religion of the world."

Unbelievers are commonly men of the world ; fasci- nated by its pomps and vanities. Is it the most likely means to overcome their prejudices, and teach them to bow the knee to Jesus, thus to lower his personal digni- ty \ Was there any occasion for it? Do not the prophets,

CRRISflAN PHILOSOPnr. 21

as I have just now observed, exalt him above every name? Why call him peasant? The term I think by no means appropriate to him, siipposini^ that it were not an injudicious degradation of his character in the eyes of unthinking worldlings and malignant unbeliev- ers. There is something peculiarly disgusting in hear- ing dignified ecclesiastics, living in splendor and afflu- ence entirely in consequence of the religion of Jesus Christ, speaking of him in their defences of his religion, as a PEASANT, as a person, compared to themselves, vile and despicable. Such arguments as this appellation is meant to support, will never render service to Christi- anity. The representation becomes a stumbling-block and a rock of offence. I might however produce seve- ral other instances of the great writers who have afford- ed precedents for such degrading appellations of Jesus Christ. But neither the infidel nor the Christian will easily believe that the man who calls his Saviour a/ze-a- sant^ after the glorious representations of him which the prophets give, feels that awe and veneration which is due to the Son of God, the Lord of life, the Saviour and Redeemer. I forbear to specify them. One instance is sufficient to point out my meaning, and shew the rea- son why some ingenious apologies for Christianity are totally ineffectual.

Dry argumentation and dull disquisition, unanimated by the spirit of piety and devotion, will never avail to convert unbelievers, and to diff*use the doctrines of Chris- tianity. Life, death, heaven and hell, are subjects of too much importance to be treated by a sincere mind, duly impressed by them, with the coolness of a lawyer giving an opinion on a statute or case in which ajiothtr's pro- perty or privileges are concerned. The spirit of piety seems to have been wanting in some of the most logical and metaphysical defenders of Christianity. They speak ^f Christ, when they are examhiing the truth of the doc-

22 CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHT.

trine, with calm indifference, as if they were dull virtuo- sos discussing the genuineness of a medal, or the authen- ticity of a manuscript, valuable only as an amusing curi- osity. If St. Paul had been no warmer an advocate than certain famous apologists for Christ's doctrine, he would never have prevailed with the Gentiles to relin- quish their polytheism, and we of this island should, at this day, have remained in the darkness of idolatry. Without the spirit of piety, all proofs and defences of Christianity are a dead letter. The multitude will not even read them ; and infidels, if they do not despise them too much to attend to them at all, will only read to find fresh matter for cavil and objection.

I may be v/rong in my theory. I therefore appeal to fact. The fact is evident, that, notwithstanding all that has been written to dernonstrate Christianity, by argu- ment drawn from reasoning and history, infidelity has increased, and is every day increasing more and more. I^et those who think the dry argumentative apologies irresistibly convincing, now bring them forward, and silence the gainsayers at once. The demonstrations of a Huet, the evidences of a Clarke, the reasonings of a Locke, a Grotius, a Hartley, should be presented in the most striking manner, by public authority, and if they are really efficacious in producing conviction, we may be assured that infidelity will vanish at their appearance, like the mists of an autumnal morning, when the meri- dian sun breaks forth in full splendor. But the truth is, they are already very much diffused, and yet the Chris- tian religion is said to be rapidly on the decline.

Therefore it cannot be blameable to attempt some other method of calling back the attention of erring mor- tals to the momentous truths of revealed revelation.

I have conceived an idea that our old English divines were great adepts in genuine Christianity, and that their i^^ethod of recommending it was judicious, because I

CHRISTIAN PHIlOSOPHr. 2S

know it was successful. There was much more piety in the last century than in the present; and there is every reason to believe that infidelity was rare. Bishop Hall appears to me to have been animated with the true spirit of Christianity ; and I beg leave to convey my own ideas on the best method of diffusing that spirit, in his pleasingly-pious and simple language.

^' There is not," says the venerable prelate, so much " need of learning as of grace to apfirehend those things " which concern our everlasting peace ; neither is it our <' brain that must be set to work, but our hearts. " However excellent the use of scholarship in all the " sacrexl employments of divinity ; yet in the main act, " which imports salvation, skill must give place to af* " FECTioN. Happy is the soul that is possest of Christ, " how poor soever in all inferior endowments. Ye are " wide, O ye great wits, while ye spend yourselves in ^' curious questions and learned extravagancies. Ye shall " find one touch of Christ more worth to your souls than " all your deep and laborious disquisitions, hi vain shall " ye seek for this in your books^ if you miss it in your "bosoms. If you know all things, and cannot say, / <^ kiiow whom I have believed^ you have but knowledge " enough to know yourselves completely miserable. The " great mysteries of Godliness, which to \ht great clerks *' of the world, are as a book clasped and sealed up, lie " open before him, (the pious and devout man) fair and *' legible; and while those book-men know whom they " have heard of, he knows whom he hath believed^^

Christianity indeed, like the sun, discovers itself by its own lustre. It shines with unborrowed light on the devout heart. It wants little external proof, but carries its own evidence to him that is regenerate and born of the Spirit. " The truth of Christianity," says a pious author, " is the Spirit of God living and working in it; " and when this Spirit is not the life of it, there the

"24 CflRISflAN PHILOSOPHr*

" outward form is but like the carcase of a departed " soul.'*

Divinity has certainly been confused and perplexed by the learned. It requires to be disentangled and sim- plified. It appears to me to consist in this single point, the restoration of the divine lifc^ the image of God, (lost or defaced at the fall) by the operation of the Holy Ghost.

When this is restored, every other advantage of Chris- tianity follows in course. Pure morals are absolutely necessary to the reception of the Holy Ghost, and an imavoidable consequence of his continuance. The at^- tainment of grace is then the unum necessarium. It includes in it all gospel comfort, it teaches all virtue, and infallibly leads to light, life and immortality.

SECTION 11.

On the sort of EvideJice chiefly recommended and attempt*' ed to be disjilayed in this Treatise.

Qiiid est fideliter Christo credere ? est fidelitcr Dei mandata ser- vare. Salvian, c/e Gub. lib. 3.

A THINK it right to apprize my reader, on the very threshold, that if he expects a recapitulation of the external and historical evidence of Christianity, he will be disappointed. For all such evidence I must refer him to the great and illustrious names of voluminous theologists, who have filled with honour the professional chairs of universities, and splendidly adorned the annals of literature. I revere their virtuous characters; I highly appreciate their learned labours ; I think the student who is abstracted from active life, may derive from them much amusejnenty while he increases his stores of criti-

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHT. 25

cal erudition, and becomes enabled to discourse or dis^ pute on theology. But men, able to command their time, and competently furnished with ability for deep and extensive investigation, are but a small number in the mass of mankind. That systematic or speculative trea- tise which may delight and instruct such men, in the cool shade of philosophical retirement, will have little effect on the minds of others who constitute the multi- tude of mertals, eagerly engaged in providing for the wants of the passing day, or warmly contending for the glittering prizes of secular ambition. Indeed, I never heard that the laborious proofs of Christianity, in the historical and argumentative mode, ever converted any of those celebrated authors on the side of infidelity, who have, from time to time, spread an alarm through Chris- tendom, and drawn forth the defensive pens of every church and university in Europe. The infidel wits wrote on in the same cause ; deriving fresh matter for cavil from the arguments of the defenders ; and re-as- sailing the citadel with the very balls hurled from its bat- tlements in superfluous profusion.

What, then, it may be justly asked, have I to offer? What is the sort of evidence which I attempt to display ? It is an internal evidence of the truth of the gospel, consequent on obedience to its precepts. It is a sort of evidence, the mode of obtaining which is pointed out by Jesus Christ himself, in the following declaration : <' If any man will do his will, he shall know of the ;" DOCTRINE whether it be of God*."

But how shall he know? By the illumination of THE HOLY Spirit of God, which is promised by Christ, to those who do his will.

Therefore if any man seriously and earnestly desires to become a Christian, let him begin^ whatever doubts

* John vii. 17.

c

26 CHRISflAN PHILOSOPHT.

he may entertain of the truth of Christianity, by firac- tising those moral virtues, and cultivating those amiable dispositions, which the written gospel plainly requires, and tlciQ grace of God, will gradually remove the veil from his eyes and from his heart, so as to enable him to see and to love the things v/hich belong to his peace, and which are revealed in the* gospel only. Let him make the experiment and persevere^ The result will be the full conviction that Christianity is true. The sanctify- ing Spirit will precede, and the illuminating Spirit fol- low in consequence.

I take it for granted, that God has given all men the means of knowing that which it imports all men to know ; but if, in order to gain the knowledge requisite to be- come a Christian, it is necessary to read such authors as Grotius, Limborch, Clarke, Lardner, or Warburton, how few, in the great mass of mankind, can possibly acquire that knowledge and consequent faith which arc necessary to their salvation?

But every human being is capable of the evidence which arises from the divine illumination. It is offered to all. And they who reject it, and seek only the evi- dence which human means afford, shut out the sun, and content themselves either with total darkness or the fee- ble Hght of a taper.

" There is" (says the excellent Bishop Sanderson) " to the outward tender of grace in the ministry of the ^' £^ospel, annexed an inivard offer of the same to the " HEART, by the Spirit of God going along with his " WORD, which some of the schoolmen call aitxilium « gratids gencrak^ sufficient of itself to convert the soul " of the hearer, if he do not resist the Holy Ghost, and <' reject the grace offered ; which, as it is grounded on " these words. Behold I stand at the door and knock^ and " upon very many passages of scripture beside, so it « ^tandeth with reason that the offer, if accepted^ should

CHRIS'tlAN PHILOSOPHr. ^f

^^ be sufficient^ ex parte sua^ to do the work, which, if " not accepted, is sufficient to leave the person, not ac- " cepting the same, in-excusable.'*

The outward testimony to the truth of the gospel, is certainly a very strong^one; but yet it is found insuffi- cient without the inward testimony. The best under- standings have remained unconvinced by the outward testimony ; while the meanest have been fully persuaded by the co-operation of the inward^ the divine irradiation of the Holy Ghost shining upon and giving lustre to the letter of revelation.

But because the doctrine of divine influence on the human mind is obnoxious to obloquy, I think it neces- sary to support it by the authority of sonie of the best men and soundest divines of this nation, ouch are the prejudices entertained by many against the doctrine of divine influence and the witness of the Spirit, that I can- not proceed a step farther, with hope of success, till I have laid before my reader several pe^ssages in confir- mation of it, from the writings of men who were the ornaments of their times, and who are at this day esteemed no less for their orthodoxy and powers of rea- son than their eloquence. I make no apology to my reader for the length of the quotations from them, be- cause I am sure he will be a gainer, if I keep silence that they may be heard in the interval. My object is to re-establish a declining opinion, which I think not only true, but of prime importance. I therefore with- draw myself occasionally, that I may introduce those advocates for it, whose very names must command at- tention. If I can but be instruinental in reviving the true Spirit of Christianity, by citing their authority, their's be the praise, and mine the humble office of re- commending and extending their salutary doctrine.

^' And if it shall be asked (to express myself nearly in the words of Archbishop Wake) why I so often chuse

28 CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHT.

the drudgery of a transcriber^ the reason is shortly this: I hoped that quotations from departed writers of great and deserved fame would find a more general and un« prejudiced acceptance with all sorts of men, than any thing that could be WTitten by any one now living, who^ if esteemed by some, is yet in danger of being despised by more; whose prejudice to his person will not suffer them to reap any benefit by any thing, however useful, that can come from him ; while such passages as these which I cite, must excite respect and attention, unmix- ed (as the authors are dead) with any malignant senti- ment or prepossession against them, such as might close the eyes of the understanding against the radi-' ance of truth."*

SECTION IIL

On the prejudices entertained against this Sort of Evi* dence^ and against all divine and supernatural Iriftuence on the Mind of Man^

klJiNCE the time of archbishop Laud, the most celebrated defenders of Christianity have thought it proper to expatiate, with pecuUar zeal, on the excel- lence of natural religion. They probably had reasons for their conduct; but it must not be dissembled, that in extolling natural religion tbey have appeared to de- preciate or supersede revelation. The doctrine of su^

* The following text may, I think, confirm the opinion advan-* ced in this Section, that the best evidence will arise from

OBEDIENCE :

** And we are his witnesses of these things ; and so is also th^ " Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that OBEY <* him," Acts, v. 37.

CRRISflAN PHILOSOPHr. 29

fietmatiiral assistance^ the great privilege of Christianity, has been very little enforced by them, and indeed rather discountenanced, as savouring of enthusiasm, and claim- ing, if true, a decided superiority over their favourite religion of nature.

Upon this subject, a very sensible writer thus ex- presses his opinion:

" Towards making and forming a Christian, li super- " natural assistance of the divine Spirit was necessary at " the beginning of the gospel, I do not see what should " render it less necessary at any time since, nor why it " may not be expected now. Human learning and hu- " man wisdom have rashly and vainly usurped the place " of it.

'' It is observable that these old principles are still to be ^^ found among dissenters, in a good measure, which is " the reason why their opponents have dropped the use " of them.

" As these doctrines were the principles and language " of the dissenters, and others, who followed the stan- " dard of the Parliament against King Charles the First, " though they were not the particular motives of the war, '^ nor could contract any just blame from the unhappy " issue of .that war; yet, at the restoration of King " Charles the Second, the resentment which took place " against dissenters ran high, and I apprehend led the " church clergy not only to be angry with the men^ but " to forsake their principles too, though right and inno- " cent in themselves, and aforetime held in common " among all Protestants."

This, the author thinks, gave rise to the excessive zeal for enforcing natural religion, and for mere moral preach- ing, to the exclusion of the distinguishing doctrines of Christ, and particularly those sublime mysteries respect- ing the operation of the Holy Ghost, the very life and soul of Christianity.

c 2

30 CHRlS'flAN PHILOSOFHT,

" Every thing/' says he, " besides morality began from? " that time, to be branded with the odious term of enthu-- " siasm and hypocrisy. That the cause of religion (ob- " serves the same w^riter) has declined for many years, " every person appears sensible. Among the various " reasons assigned for it, the principal, in my opinion,, <' is, that the established ministers have suffered it to die " in their own hands, by departing from the old method <^ of preaching, and from their first and original tenets; " which has given countenance to what is called natural " religion, in such a measure, as to shut out revealed " religion and supersede the gospel!

" It is in vain to cry out against deists and infidels, " when the Protestant watchmen have deserted their " post, and themselves have opened a gap for the ene- " my. Learning and oratory, it must be owned, are " arrived at great perfection, but our true eld divinity is " gone. Amid these splendid trifles, the gospel is " really lost.*"

It is certain, that the profligate court of Charles the Second, in its endeavours to discredit the dissenters, many of whom wei^ admirable scholars and divines, as well as holy and exemplary men in private life, contri- buted much to explode all doctrines concerning the Spi- rit. Unfortunately those clergymen who wished to bq favoured at court, too easily conformed their doctrines to its wishes ; and arguments from the pulpit united with sarcasms from the seat of the scorner, to render all wi\a maintained the doctrine of grace suspected of enthusi- asm and hypocrisy. Ridicule, in the hands of the autiior of Hudibras, though intended only to serve political pur- poses, became a weapon that wounded religion in its* vitals.

* See a Letter signed Fauli?mst published in 1735.

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHT, 31

The sect of Christians denominated Quakers, cer- tainly entertain many right notions respecting divine influence: and therefore, as the Quakers were disliked by the church, the doctrines which they maintained >vere to be treated with contempt. The Spirit, whose operations they justly maintain, became, under the di- rection of worldly policy, a word of reproach to them. Consequently aspiring clergymen, wishing to avoid every doctrine which could retard their advancement, or fix a stigma of heterodoxy upon them, were very little inclined to preacl? the necessity of divine illumi- nation. They feared the opprobrious names of enthu- siasts or hypocrites, and so became ashamed of the gos- pel of Christ.

In process of time, arose the sect of the Methodists ; who, however they may be mistaken in some points, are certainly orthodox in their opinions of the divine agency on the human soul. They found it in the scriptures, in the liturgy, in the articles, and they preached it with a zeal which to many appeared intemperate, and cer- tainly was too- little guided by discretion. The conse- quence v/as, that the spiritual doctrines^ already vilified by the court of Charles the Second, and by the adver- saries of the Quakers, became objects of general dislike and derision.

In the meantime, the gospel of Jesus Christ suffered by its professed friends as well as declared enemies* Regular divines of great virtue, learning, and true piety, feared to preach the Holy Ghost and its operations, the main doctrine of the gospel, lest they should counte- nance the Puritan, the Quaker, or the Methodist, and lose the esteem of their own order, or of the higher powers. They often contented themselves, during a long fife, with preaching morality only ; which, without the Spirit of Christianity, is hke a beautiful statue from the hand of a Bacon ; however graceful its symmetry and

32 CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPIir.

polished its materials, yet wanting the breath of life, it is still but a block of marble.

These prejudices remaininjc^ at thisday,! have thought it right to recommend the sort of evidence which this book attempts to display, by citing the authority of great divines, who, uninfluenced by secular hopes or fears, have borne witness to the truth as it is in Jesus. They are among the most celebrated theologists of this nation ; and such as few among living or recent writers will pre- sume to vie with, in extent of knowledge, in power of expression, and zeal for Christianity.

Bitter is the anger of controversialists in divinity. Arrows dipt in venom are usually hurled at a writer, who ventures to recommend a doctrine which they dis- approve. I must seek shelter under the shields of such men as Bishop Taylor, Doctor Isaac Barrow, and others, in and out of the establishment, who fought a good fight and KEPT THE FAITH, haviug no regard to worldly and sinister motives, but f^dthfully endeavouring to lead those, over whom they were appointed guides, by the radiance of gospel light, from the shadowy mazes of error into the pleasant paths of piety and peace.

Whatever obloquy may follotv the teaching' of such doc- trine^ I shall incur it with alacrity, because I believe it to be the truth, and that the happiness of human nature is highly concerned in its general reception. I will humbly say, therefore, with St. Paul, " I am not asham- *' ed of the gospel of Christ Jesus, for it is the power " of God unto salvation."*

And as to those who deny the doctrine of divine influ- ence, I feai- they are guilty of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. I speak diflidently, as it becomes every mortal on a subject so momentous; but let those who are eager to deny and even deride the doctrine, consi-

* Rom. L 16.

CHRISTIAN PHlLOSOPHr. 53

der duly what is meant by the sin against the Holy Ghost, and let them remember this tremendous decla- ration of our Saviour himself, that blaspi-iemy against THE Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven.* All other sins, we are expressly told, may be remitted, but on this the gates of mercy are closed. The denial of the Spirit's energy renders the gospel of no eifect, ex- tinguishes the living light of Jesus Christ, and involves wretched mortals in the darkness and death of Adam> fallen from the state of primitive perfection. It is re- presented as the greatest of all sins, because it is pro- ductive of the greatest misery.

SECTION IV.

The firofier Evidence of the Christian Religion is the Ilhc* mination of the Holy Ghost j shining into the Hearts of those who do not close them against its Entrance^ The Opinion of Dr\ Gloucester Ridley cited*

XN ONE says St. Paul, can say Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy GnosT.f If, then, St. Paul be allowed to have understood the Christian religion, it ia certain, that mere human testimony will never convince the infidel, and produce that faith which constitutes the true Christian. Our theological libraries might be clear- ed of more than half their volumes, if men seeking the evidence of Christianity^ would be satisfied with the declaration of St, Paul, and of the great Author of our religion.

There is a faith very common in the world, which teaches to believe, as an historical fact, that a person of

* Matth, xii. 31. \ I Cor. xii. 3.

Sf4 CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHT.

the name of Jesus, a very good man, did live on earth, and that he preached and taught, under the direction of God or divine providence, an excellent system of mo- rality; such, as^ if duly; observed, would contribute to their happiness, and recommend them to divine favour. But this kind of faith is not the right faith; it believes not enough, it is not given by the Holy Ghost ; for he, in whom God dwelleth, confesseth that Jesus is the Son of God, and the Saviour of the world*; but they who ac- knowledge Jesus only as a good man teaching morality, know him not as a Saviour. Socrates taught fine mo- rality; and so did Seneca, Epictetus, and many more; but they had not and could not teach the knowledge which leadeth to salvation.

" Illuminating grace," says Dr. Gloucester Ridley, " consists not in the assent we give to the history of " the gospel, as a narration of matters of fact, suffi- ^' ciently supported by human evidence; for this may " be purely the effect of our study and learning. The " collating of copies, the consulting of history, the com- " paring the assertions of friends and the concessions of "enemies, may necessitate! such a belief, a faith " which the devils may have, and doubtless have it. " This sort of faith is an acquisition of our own, and not

" a GIFT." But FAITH IS THE GIFT OF GoD.

" There may be a faith," continues Dr. Ridley, ^' w^hich is not the work of the Spirit in our hearts, but " entirely the effect of human means, our natural facul- *' ties assisted by languages, antiquities, manuscripts,

* 1 John, iv. 13, 14, 15.

t^loi ivi^ynuig ij^yivof/^ivi, Basil in Psal. 195. — The right faith is not that which is forced by mathematical demons^raiion, whether we ivi'i or not ; but that which grows in the mind from the operation or energies of the Spikit.

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPnr^ S5

" criticism, and the like, without any divine aid) except " the bare letter of the revelation; and as this faith may ^' rise out of human abilities, so may it be attended with *' pride in our supposed accomplishments, envy of others " superior skill, and bitter strife against those who mis- " take or oppose such truths ; and is therefore no mani- " festation of that Spirit which resisteth the firoud^ and " dispenses its graces only to the humble. This wis-

" DOM DESCENDETH NOT FROM ABOVE. But the trUC

" saving faith, at the same time that it informs the un- ^^ derstandmg, influences the will and affections; " it enlightens the eyes of the heart*, says the apostle : " it is there^ in the heart, that the Christian man be- ^' lieveth; and if thou believest with thine heart, thoi6 <^ shalt be savedj; while infidelity proceedeth from an " averseness of our affections,— ^om an evil heart ofun^ « belief \:'

It is not therefore strange, that learned apologists, well acquainted with scripture, should, after reading these strong declarations, that the heart must be im- pressed before faith can be fixed in it, should studiously avoid every topic which addresses itself to the affections^ and coldly apply themselves to the understanding, in a language and manner which might become a mathe- matical lecturer solving a problem of Euclid.

Infidelity is increasing, and will continue to increase, so long as divines decline the means of conversion and persuasion which the scriptures of the New Testament declare to be the only effectual means ; so long as they

* IIs(pcSli(rfAiy6Vi rovg 6(p6xX(xovg t*j Koc^^ioig, Ephesians, i. 18. — Enlightening the eyes of the heart. Almost all the old MSS. read zot^iocq^ and not dixyotoi^y as it stands in our printed copies.

See MilFs Lectiones Variantes. RiDLjgy,

t Rom. X. 9. J Heb. ii. 12.

S6 cHRisfiAyf PHiLosornr.

have recourse to human reason and human learning ONLY, in which they will always find opponents very powerful. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia*, and then she attended to the things which were spoken of Paul. The Lord opens the hearts of all men at some period of their lives ; but the vanity of the world, the cares of gain, the pride of life, shut them again^ and re- ject the Holy Ghost. It is the business of divines to dispose those who are thus unfortunate and unwise, to be ready to receive the divine guest, should he again knock at the door of their hearts ; but in doing this, they must preach the true gospel^ which is not a system of mere human morality or philosophy, but the doctrine of gracef.

SECTION V.

The true and only convincing Evidence of the Religion of Christy or the Illumination of the Holy Ghost is offered

to ALL.

A ROM the eternal Fountain of light, both na- tural and spiritual, there streams a light which light eth every one that cometh into the world* Whoever loves that which is good and just and true, and desires to act a virtuous part in his place allotted to him in this world, whether high or low, may be assured of the blessing of of heaven, displaying itself not perhaps in worldly riches or honours, but in something infinitely more valuable, — a SECRET INFLUENCE upon liis heart and understand- ing, to direct his conduct, to improve his nature, and to

* Acts, xvi. 14.

t It must be tanght mediate per verbiim, immediate /er Spi^

HITUM.

CHRISriAN FHILOSOPHT. 37

lead him, though in the lowly vale, yet along the path of peace.

The nature of all men was depraved by the fall of Adam. The assistance of God's Holy Spirit was with- drawn. Christ came to restore that nature, and to bring down that assistance, and leave it as a gift, a legacy to Jill mankind after his departure.

In Adam all die, says St. Paul, but in Christ shall all be made alive. That is in Adam all die a spiritual death, or lose the Paraclete^ the particle of the divine nature, which was bestowed on man on his creation ; and in Christ all are made alive, spiritually alive, or rendered capable, if they do not voluntarily choose darkness ra- ther than light, of the divine illumination of the Holy Ghost. ThQ ^Im is taken from the eyes of all, but the eye-lids remain, which may be closed by voluntary con- nivance, or by w icked presumption.

" I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh*."

^' The grace which bringeth salvation hath appeared '^ unto ALL men."— ^" This is the light which lighteth " every man that cometh into the world." — " It is his " will, that all men should be saved, and come to the " knowledge of the truth." — " Christ came to save sin- " ners ; and we have before proved, both Jews and Gen- " tiles, that they are all under sin." — " Come unto me " all ye that labour and are heavy laden." — " He has " propitiated for the sins of the whole world. Plis " grace has been openly offered to all men in the gos- « pelf."

These passages, which no sophistry can elude, are sufficient to prove that the internal evidence of the gospel has a great advantage over the external, in the

* Joel, ii. 28.

t 1 Tim, ii. 4. 1 Tim. i. 15. Rom. iii. 9. Matth. ii. 28v 1 John, ii. 2 Tit. ii. 2.

SS CHRIS'TIAN PHILOSOPHT.

circumstance of its universality. All may be convinced by it who are willing*. But can this be said of dry, logical, systematic testimonies, which require learning, sagacity, and time^ to be comprehended? Such testimo- nies are fit iorfrw^ and appear unlikely to produce vital religion in any. They serve men to talk about, they furnish matter for logomachy ; but they leave the heart unaffected. Neither Jesus Christ nor his apostles thought proper to address men systematically. And are critics, linguists, and logicians wiser than the Author of their religion, and better informed than his apostles ?

The word of God is like a two-edged sword j invincible where it is properly used; but the word of man is com- paratively a feeble weapon, without point or edge. The word of man alone, though adorned with ail eloquence, learning, and logical subtilty, will never stop the progress of unbeHef. The word of God rightly ex- plained, so as to administer grace to the hearers and readers, will still preserve and extend Christianity, as it has hitherto done, notwithstanding all the opposition of the world, and those unfeeling children of it, whose hearts are hardened and understandings darkened by the pride of life. If, therefore, as St. James advises, any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth TO ALL moxi liberally^ and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. The wisdom here meant is that which maketh wise unto salvation ; and certainly is not to be found in the cold didactic writings of those who rely entirely on their own reason, and deny or explain away the doctrine of grace. 3

Grace is the living gospel. Perishable paper, pens, ink, and printer's types, can never supersede the daily,

* H ^gy yot.^ )C^^^^ g<? IIANTAS iKKS^vlecu Chrysostoh i?i yoan. Mom.'^For grace indeed is poured oiit upon all.

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHT. 59

hourly operation of the omniscient and omnipotent Crea- tor and Preserver of the universe.

Let us remember, " that to every man is given the " manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal." 1 Cor. xii. 7.

Mr. Paine, in his attack on Christianity, sums up all his objections at the close. The first and greatest is this, and I give it in his own words, though it is con- trary to my practice, and opinion of propriety, often to cite the cavils of unbelievers : " The idea or belief of a " word of God existing in print, or in writing, or in " SPEECH, is inconsistent with itself, for reasons already " assigned. These reasons, among many others, are " the want of an universal language ; the mutability of " language ; the errors to which translations are subject; " the possibility of totally suppressing such a word ; the " probability of altering it, or of fabricating the whole, " and imposing it upon the world."

Now these objections cannot possibly be made to the evidence of the Spirit of God, the manifestation of the Sfii^ rit given to every man ; because the Spirit speaks an uni- versal language^ addressing itself to the feelings of the heart, which are the same, whatever sounds are uttered by the tongue ; because its language is not subject to the mutability of human dialects ; because it is far removed from the possibility of misrepresentation by translators ; because it cannot be totally suppressed; because it can- not be altered ; because it cannot be fabricated or im- posed on the world; because it is an emanation from the God of truth, the same yesterday, to-day, and for- ever. This evidence sheds its light all over the Chris- tian world, and is seen, like the sun in the heavens, by all who use their visual powers, unobstructed by self-raised clouds of passion, prejudice, vice, and false philosophy.

40 CHRISriAN PHILQSOPIir.

SECTION VL

Ofiinions of Bishop Taylor resfiecting the Evidence of the Holy Spirit ; " shewing''' (as he expir esses it) " how " the Scholars of the University shall become most " LEARNED and most useful*''

" VV E have examined all ways, in our inqui- " ries after religious truth, but one ; all but God's way*. " Let us, having missed in all the other, try this. Let " us go to God for truth ; for truth comes from God " only. If we miss the truth, it is because we will not " find it ; for certain it is, that all the truth which God " hath made necessary, he hath also made legible and " plain; and if we will open our eyes we shall see the " sun, and if %ve will walk in the light we sluill rejoice in " the light. Only let us withdraw the curtains, let us ^^ remove the impediments, and the sin that doth so <' easily beset us. That is God's way. Every man " must, in his station, do that portion of duty which God " requires of him; and then he shall be taugkt of " God all that is fit for him to learn ; there is no other way '^for him but this. The fear of the Lord is the begin- " ning of wisdom; and a good understanding have all " they that do thereafter. And so said David of him- '' self: I have more under stcmding than my teachers ; be^ " cause I keep thy commandments. And this is the only " way which Christ has taught us. If you ask, what is " truth ? you must not do as Pilate did, ask the question, " and then go away from him that only can give you an " answer; for as (iod is the Author of truth, so he is " the Teacher of it, and the way to learn is this; for

* See Bishop Taylor's Via Zntclligcntia,

CHRIS'flAN PHILOSOPHr. 4l

" SO saith our blessed Lord; If any man will do his will,

" he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or no*

" This text is simple as truth itself, but greatly com- " prehensive, and contains a truth that alone will enable " you to understand all mysteries, and to expound all " prophecies, and to interpret all scriptures, and to " search into all secrets, all, I mean, which concern our " happiness and our duty. It is plainly to be resolved " into this proposition:

" The way to judge of religion is by doing " OUR duty; and theology is rather a divine " life than a divine knowledge.

" In heaven indeed we shall first see and then love ; " but here on earth we must first love, and love will " open our eyes as well as our hearts, and we shall then " see and perceive and understand.

" Every man understands more of religion by his " affections than by his reason. It is not the wit of the " man, but the spirit of the man; not so much his head " as his heart that learns the divine philosophy.

" There is in every righteous man a new vital prin- " ciple. The spirit of grace is the spirit of wisdom, " and teaches us by secret inspirations, by proper argu- " ments, by actual persuasions, by personal applications, " by effects and energies ; and as the soul of man is the " cause of all his vital operations, so is the Spirit of God " the life of thai life, and the cause of all actions and ^^ productions spiritual ; and the consequence of this is " what St. John tells us of; Ye have received the unc- " tion fro7n above ^ and that anointing teacheth you all <' things^ — all things of some one kind ; that is, certaiu- " ly all things that pertain to life and godliness; all that " by which a man is wise and hap-fiy. Unless the soul " have a new life put into it, unless there be a vital prin- " ciple within, unless the Spirit of life be the informer of

*^ the spirit of the man, the word of God will be as dead

D 2

' 42 CHRISriAN PHILOSOPHT.

" in the operation as the body in its powers and possi- " bilities.

" God's Spirit does not destroy reason, but heightens " it. God opens the heart and creates a new one, and " without this creaticm, this new principle of life, we may " hear the word of God, but we can never understand it ; *' we hear the sound, but are never the better. Unless *' there be in our hearts a secret conviction by the Spirit " of God, the gospel itself is a dead letter.

" Do we not see this by daily experience? Even those " things which a good man and an evil man know, they " do not know both alike. An evil man knows that God " is lovely, and that sin is of an evil and destructive *^ nature, and when he is reproved he is convinced; and " when he is observed, he is ashamed ; and when he has " done, he is unsatisfied ; and when he pursues his sin, " he does it in the dark. Tell him lie shall die, and he ^' sighs deeply, but he knonx^s it as well as you. Proceed, '^ and say that after death comes judgment, and the poor " man believes and trembles ; and yet, after all this, he " runs to commit his sin with as certain an event and " resolution as if he knenv no argument against it.

" Now since, at the same time, we see other persons, " not so learned, it may be, not so much versed in the " scriptures^ yet they say a thing is good and lay hold of " it. They believe glorious things of heaven, and *' they live accoixlingly, as men that believe themselves. " What is the reason of this difference? They both read *' the scriptures ; they read and hear the same sermons ; " they have capable understandings ; they both believe " what they hear and what they read ; and yet the e^ent " is vastly different. The reason is that which I am now <' speaking of: the one understands by one principle, the ^^ other by another; the one understands by nature, the *' other by grace ; the one by human learning, the other << by DIVINE} the one reads the scriptures without, and

CHRISTIAN PHILOSQPHT. 45

" the other within ; the one understands as a son of man, " the other as a son of God; the one perceives by the " pro]X)rtions of the world, the other by the measures *' of the Spirit; the one understands by reason, the " other by love; and therefore he does not only under- " stand the sermons of the Spirit, and perceive their <' MEANING, but he pierces deeper, and knows the mean- " ing- of that meaning ; that is, the secret of the Spi- " RiT, that which is spiritually discerned, that which ^' gives life to the proposition and activity to the soul- " And the reason is, that he hath a divine principle " within him, and a new understanding ; that is plainly, " he hath love, and that is more than knowledge, as " was rarely well observed by St. Paul. Knowledge " puffeth up ; but charity * edifieth ; that is, charity " maketh the best scholars. No sermons can build you ^' up a holy building to God, unless the love of God be in " your hearts, and purify your souls from all filthiness " of the flesh and spirit.

" A good life is the best way to understand wisdom " and religion, because, by the exfieriences and relishes " of religion, there is conveyed to them a sweetness to " which all wicked men are strangers. There is in the " things of God, to those who practise them, a delicious- " ness that makes us love them, and that love admits us '^ into God's cabinet, and strangely clarifies the under - *' standing by the pMriJication of the heart. For when " our reason is raised up by the Spirit of Christ, it is " turned quickly into experience; when our faith re-- " lies upon the principles of Christ, it is changed into <^ vision; and so long as we know God only in the ways " of men, by contentious learning, by arguing and dis- <^ pute, we see nothing but the shadow of him, and in <' that shadow we meet with many dark appearances,

* Ayat^jj— Love of God.

44 CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHr,

" little certainty, and much conjecture; but when we *' know him Xoyco otTFo^otvrtKu^ yotMv^ voi^iky with the eyes " of holiness and the instruction of gracious experiences, *< with a quiet spirit and the peace of enjoyment, t/ien " we shall hear what we never heard, and see what our ^' eyes never saw; then the mysteries of Godliness shall " be open unto us, and clear as the windows of the " morning; and this is rarely well expressed by the " apostle. '' If we stand up from the dead and awake " from sleep, then Christ shall give us light."

" For though the scriptures themselves are Avritten " by the Spirit of God, yet they are written within and <^ without; and besides the light that shines upon the ^' face of them, unless there be a light shilling within our <' hearts^ unfolding the leaves, and interpreting the mys- ^^ terious sense of the Spirit, convincing our consciences " and preaching to our hearts ; to look for Christ in the ^' leaves of the gospel, is to look for the living among " the dead. There is a life in them ; but that life is, " according to St. Paul's expression, hid with Christ in *' God, and unless the spirit of God draw it forth, ive ^' shall not be able.

" Human learning brings excellent ministeries to- ^^ wards this: it is admirably useful for the reproof of " heresies, for the detection of fallacies, for the letter " of the scriptures, for collateral testimonies^ for exterior " advantages; but there is something beyond this, that " human learning without the addition of divine can " never reach.

" A good man, though unlearned in secular know* " ledge, is like the windows of the temple, narrow with- " out and broad within ; he sees not so much of what " profits not abroad^ but whatsoever, is within^ and con- " cerns religion and the glorifications of God, that he *' sees with a broad inspection ; but all human learning ^' without God is but blindness and folly. One man

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPNT. 45

" discourses of the sacrament, another receives Christ ; " one discourses for or against transubstantiation ; but " the good man feeis himself to be changed, and so " joined to Christ, that he only understands the true <' sense of transubstantiation while he becomes to Christ " bone of his bone, flesh of his flesh, c^nd of the same " spirit with his Lord.

<^ From holiness we have the best instruction. For " that which we are taught by the Holy Spirit of God, " this new nature, this vital principle Vv'ithin us, it is that " which is worth our learning: not vain and empty, idle '' and insignificant notions, in which, when you have " laboured till your eyes are fixed in their orbs, and your " flesh unfixed from its bones, you are no better and no " wiser. If the Spirit of God be your teacher, he will " teach you such truths as will make you know and love *' God, and become like to him, and enjoy him forever, " by passing from similitude to union and eternal fruition.

^' Too many scholars have lived upon air and empty " notions for many ages past, and troubled themselves " with tying and untying knots, like hypochondriacs in " a fit of melancholy, thinking of nothings, and troub- " ling themselves with nothings, and falling out about " nothings, and being very wise and very learned in " things that are not, and work not, and were never <* planted in Paradise by the fi^nger of God. If the Spi- " rit of God be our teacher, we shall learn to avoid evil " and to do good, to be wise and to be holy, to be pro- " fitable and careful ; and they that walk in this way shall " find more peace in their consciences, more skill in " THE SCRIPTURES, moresatisfaction in theirdoubts, than " can be obtained by all the polemical and impertinent " disputations of the world. The .yaan that is wise, he " that is conducted by the Spirit of God, knows better " in what Christ's kingdom doth consiiit than to throw <^ away his time and interest, his peace and safety, for

46 CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHT.

" what? for religion? no: for the body of religion? not " so much : for the garment of the body of religion ? no, " not for so much : but for the friyiges of the garment " of the body of religion ; for such, and no better, are *^ many religious disputes; things, or rather circum- " stances and manners of things, in which the soul and " spirit are not at all concerned. The knowledge which " comes from godliness is ^non^ov rt 'Kota-n^ ctTroht^iMgy " something more certain and divine than all demon- ^' stration and human learning.

" And now to conclude : — to you I speak, fathers and " brethren, you who are or intend to be of the clergy ; " you see here the best compendium of your studies, the " best alleviation of your labours, the truest method of " wisdom- It is not by reading multitudes of books, " but by studying the truth of God; it is not by labori- *' ous commentaries of the doctors that you can finish your " work, but the exposition of the Spirit of God ; it is not " by the rules of metaphysics, but by the proportions of ^' holiness ; and when all books are read, and all argu- " ments examined, and all authorities alledged, nothing *' can be found to be true that is unholy. The learning <' of the fathers was more owing to their piety than their " skill, more to God than to themselves. These were " the men that prevailed against error, because they " lived according to truth. If ye walk in light, and live <' in the spirit, your doctrines will be true, and that <' truth will prevail.

" I pray God to give you all grace to follow this wis- " dom, to study this learning, to labour for the under- " standing of godliness; so your time and your studies, " your persons and your labours, will be holy and use- " ful, sanctiiied ancLblessed, beneficial to men and pleas- " ing to God, through him who is the wisdom of the *< Father, who is made to all that love him, wisdom, and ^' righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.*'

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHr. 47

Will any one among our living theologists controvert the merits of Bishop Taylor? Is there one whom the public judgment will place on an equality with him? Will any one stigmatize him as an ignorant enthusiast? His strength of understanding and powers of reasoning are strikingly exhibited in liis Ductor dubitantium^ in his Liberty of Jirophesying^ and in his polemical writings. I must conclude, that he understood the Christian religion better than most of the sons of men ; because, to abili- ties of the very first rank, he united in himself the finest feelings of devotion. His authority must have weight with all serious and humble inquirers into the subject of Christianity, and his authority strongly and repeatedly inculcates the opinion which I wish to maintain, that the best evidence of the truth of our religion is derived from the operation of the Holy Spirit on every heart which is disposed to receive it.

And I wish it to be duly attended to, that the discourse from which the above extracts are made, was not ad- dressed to a popular assembly, but to the clergy of an university, and at a solemn visitation. The Bishop evi- dently wished that the doctrines which he taught might be disseminated among the people by the parochial cler- gy. They were disseminated; and in consequence of it, Christianity flourished. They must be again dissemi- nated by the Bishops and all parochial clergy, if they sincerely wish to check the progress of infidelity. The minds of men must be impressed with the sense of an influential divinity in the Christian religion, or they will reject it for the morality of Socrates, Seneca, the modern philosophers, and all those plausible reasoners, to whom this world and the things which are seen are the chief objects of attention. The old divines taught and preached with wonderful efficacy, because they spoke as men having authority from the Holy Ghost, and not as the disputers of this world, proud gf a little science ac-

48 CHRIS^tJAN PHILOSOPHT.

quired from heathen writers in the cloisters of an acade- my. There was a celestial glory diiTused around the pulpits of the old divines ; and the hearers, struck with veneration, listened to the preacher as to an undoubted oracle. Full of grace were his lips; and lyioral truth was beautifully illuminated by divine* She easily won and firmly fixed the affections of men, clothed, as she was, with light as with a garment.

SECTION VII.

Passages fi^om the celebrated Mr. John Smith, Fellow of Queen's College^ Cambridge^ corroborative of the Opinion that the best Evidence of the Christian Religion arisen from the Energy of the Holy Spirit"^,

D,

' 1 VINE truth is not to be discerned so much " in a man's brain as in his heart. There is a divine " and spiritual sense which alone is able to converse in- " ternally with the life and soul of divine truth, as mix- " ing and uniting itself with it ; while vulgar minds be- " hold only the body and outside of it. Though in itself " it be most intelligible, and such as the human mind " may most easily apprehend, yet there is an incrus- " T ATI ON, as the Hebrew t writers call it, upon all cor- " rupt minds, which hinders the lively taste and relish " of it.

^' The best acquaintance with religion is a know- ^^ LEDGE TAUGHT OF GoD^:: it is a light vi'iiich de- " scends from heaven, which alone is able to guide and <' conduct the souls of men to that heaven whence it

♦ See his Select Discourses. ■ f Incrustamentum inimutiditiei'^An incrustation of filth.

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHT. 49

" comes. The Christian religion is an injBux from God <' upon the minds of good men ; and the great design of *^ the gospel is to unite human nature to divinity.

^^ The gospel is a mighty efflux and emanation of life *^ and spirit, freely issuing forth from an omnipotent " source of grace and love ; that godlike, vital influence, " by which the Divinity derives itself into the souls of " men, enlivening and transfoniiing them into its own " likeness, and strongly imprinting upon them a copy of *' its own beauty and goodness : like the spiritual virtue " of the heavens, which spreads itself freely upon the " lower world, and subtilely insinuating itself into this " benumbed, feeble, earthly matter, begets life and mo- " tion in it ; briefly, it is that whereby God comes to " dwell in us, and we in him.

" The apostle calls the law, the ministration of the " letter and of death, it being in itself but a dead letter, " as all that which is without a man's soul must be ; but " on the other side, he calls the gospel, because of the " intrinsical and vital administration of it in living im- ^' pressions upon the souls of men, the ministration of the " spirit J and the ministration of righteousness ; by which " he cannot mean the history of the gospel, or those " CREDENDA propouttdcd to US to bclieve ; for this would " make the gospel itself as much an external thing as " the law was ; and so we see that the preaching of " Christ crucified was to the Jews a stumbling Mock ^ and « to the Greeks foolishness. But indeed he means a " VITAL EFFLUX from God upon the souls of men, " whereby they are made partakers of life and strength ^' from him.

" Though the history and outward communication of " the gospel to us in scrifitis is to be always acknowledged " as a special mercy and advantage, and certainly no less " privilege to the Christians, than it was to the Jews, to ♦^ be the depositaries of the oracles of God, yet it is plain

50 CHRJS'TJAN PHILOSOPHT.

" that the apostle, where he compares the law and the « gospel, means something which is more than a piece " of book-learning, or an historical narration of the free " love of God, in the several contrivances of it for the " redemption of mankind,

" The evangelical or new law is an efflux of life and « power from God himself, the original of life and « power, and produceth life wherever it comes; and to " this double dispensation of law and gospel does St. " Paul clearly refer, 2 Cor. iii. 3. You are the epistle « of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, <' but with the spirit of the living Goj>.—Mt in « tables of stone; which last words are a plain gloss upon " that mundane kind of administering the law, in a mere " external way, to which he opposeth the gospel.

" The gospel is not so much a system and body of " saving divinity, as the spirit and vital influence of it <' spreading itself over all the powers of men^s souls, and " quickening them into a divine life; it is not so pro- ^' perly a doctrine that is wrapt in ink and paper, as it « isviTALis sciENTiA, a Uviug imprcssiou made ou the " soul and spirit. The gospel does not so much con- " sist in verbis as in virtute ; in the written word, as in " an internal energy."

He who wishes to have an adequate idea of this pro- found scholar and most excellent man, will find a pleas- ing account of him in Bishop Patrick's sermon at his funeral, subjoined to the Select Discourses, which abound with beautiful passages, illustrative of the true Christian philosophy.

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHT. 5\

SECTION VIII.

Dr. Isaac Barrow's Otiinion of the Evidence of Christi' unity ^ afforded by the ilhiminating Ofieration of the Holy Sfiirit; and on the Holy Sjiirit in general,

" \J UR reason is shut up, and barred with va- '' rious appetite35 humours, and passions against gospel " truths; nor can we admit them into our hearts, except ^' God, by his spirit, do set op.en our mind, and work a '' free passage for them into us. It is he who com- " manded the light to shine out of darkness, that must, " as St. Paul speaketh, illustrate our hearts with the knovj^ " ledge of these things. An unction from the Holy One> '' clearing our eyes, softening our hearts, healing our " distempered faculties, must, as St. John informeth us, " TEACH and persuade us this sort of truths. A hearty ^' belief of these seemingly incredible propositions must " indeed be, as St. Paul calleth it, the gift of God, pro- " ceeding from that Spirit of faith whereof the same " apostle speaketh; such faith is not, as St. Basil saith, *' engendered by geometrical necessities^ but by the ef- " fectual operations of the Holy Ghost. Flesh and " blood will not reveal to us, nor can any man with " clear confidence say that Jesus is the Lord (the Mes- " siAS, the infallible Prophet, the universal Lawgiver, " the Son of the living God) but by the Holy Ghost. " Every spirit which sincerely confesseth him to be the " Christ, we may, with St. John, safely conclude to be " of God; for of ourselves we are not sufficient, as the " apostle says, XoyiZ^icr^oci n^ to reason out or collect any " of these things. We never, of our own accord, with- *' out DIVINE ATTRACTION^ should co?ne tmto Christ; that " is, should effectually consent unto and embrace his in- *' stitution, consisting of such unfilausible propositions

52 CHRISTIAN PHJLOSOPHr.

*^ and precepts. Hardly would his own disciples, who f ' had so long enjoyed the light of his conversation and " instruction, admitted it, if he had not granted them " that Sfiirit of truths whose work it was oS>jyg;F, to lead " them in this unknown and uncouth way ; otmy[iXXuv to " tell them again and again, that is, to instil and incul- " cate these crabbed truths upon them; vTrd/^t/Ltvyio-y^iiv, to " admonish, excite, and urge them to the marking and " minding them ; hardly, I say, without the guidance of " this Spirit, would our Lord's disciples have admitted " divers evang-elical truths, as our Lord himself told " them. I have, said he, many things beside to say to *' you, but ye cannot as yet bear them ; but when he, the " Spirit of truth, shall come, he shall conduct you into

<' ALL TRUTH.

" As for the mighty sages of the world, the learned ^^ scribes, the subtle disputers, the deep politicians, the " wise men according to the flesh, the men of most re- " fined judgment and imfiroved reason in the world's " eye, they were more ready to deride than to regard, " to impugn than to admit these doctrines; to the " Greeks, who sought wisdom, the preaching of them " seemed foolishness.

" It is true, some few sparks or flashes of this divine " knovvledge may possibly be driven out by rational con- " sideration. Philosophy may yield some twilight glim- '^ merings thereof. Common reason may dictate a faint " consent unto, may produce a cold tendency after some ^'- of these things ; but a clear perception^ and a resolute '' persuasion of mind, that full assurance of faith and in- " flexible confession of hope o^oAoy^at tjj? iXTrt^dg ujcXtvYHy " which the apostle to the Hebrews speaks of, that full " assurance of understanding, that abundant knowledge " of the divine will in all spiritual wisdom and under- " standing, with which St. Paul did pray that his Colos- " sians might be replenished; these so perfect iUustra-

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPIir. 53

" tions of the mind, so powerful convictions of the heart, " do argue immediate influences from the Fountain of life " and wisdom, the divine Spirit. No external in- " struction could infuse, no interior discourse could ex- " cite them; could penetrate these opacities -of igno- " ranee, and dissipate these thick mists of prejudice, " wherein nature and custom do involve us; could so " thoroughly awaken the lethargic stupidity of our souls; " could supple the refractory stiffness of our wills; could " mollify the stony hardness of our hearts; could void '' our natural aversion to such things, and quell that " (p^oy/i/^u, (rai^y.6^^ that carnal mind, which, St. Paul says, is " enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, " neither indeed can be ; could depress those wJ/^^^ctT^, '' those lofty towers of self-conceit, reared against the '' knowledge of God, and demolish those oy^v^o}(zoi,^ci^ " those bulwarks of self-will and perverse stomach, op- " posed against the impressions of divine faith, and cap- " tivate TToiv voij^cft, every conceit and device of ours to '' the obedience of Christ and his discipline. Well, ^' therefore, did St. Paul pray m behalf of his Ephesians, " that God would bestow on them the Spirit of wis- " dom and revelation in the acknowledgment of him, " and that the eyes of their mind might be enlightened, * so as to know the hope of their calling; that is, to un- *' derstand and believe the doctrines of Clinstianity.**** " We proceed now to the peculiar offices, functions, " and operations of the Holy Spirit: Many such there " are in an especial manner attributed or appropriated " to him; which, as they respect God, seem reducible " to two general ones: the declaration of God's mind, " and the execution of his will; as they are referred to " man, (for in regard to other beings, the scripture doth " not so much consider what he performs, it not concern- " ing us to know it J are especially the producing in us " all actions requisite or conducible to our eternal luippi-

£ 2

54 CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHT,

^^ ness and salvation ; to which may be added, the inter- *^ cession between God and man, which jointly respect " both.

" First, it is his especial work to disclose God*s mind " to us ; whence he is styled the Sfiirit of truths the Sfii- ^^ rit of firofihecy^ the S/iirit of revelation; for that all *' supernatural light and wisdom have ever proceeded ^' from him. He instructed all the prophets that have " been since the world began^ to know, he enabled them " to speak^ the mind of God concerning things present " and future. Holy men (that have taught men their " duty, and led them in the way to bliss) were but his " instruments speaking as they were moved by the Holy ^« Ghost.

" By his inspiration the holy scriptures (the most full " and certain witness of God's mind, the law and testi- " mony by which our life is to be directed and regulated) ** were conceived. He guided the apostles in all truthj " and by them instructed the world in the knowledge of ^ God's gracious intentions towards mankind, and in all '^ the holy mysteries of the gospel : That which in other ^' ages was not made known unto the sons of meriy as it is *' now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the ** Spirit. Eye hath not seen^ nor ear heard^ neither have " entered into the heart ofman^ the things which God hath ^^ prepiaredfor them that love him; but God hath revealed " them to us by his Spirit^ saith St. Paul. jIU the knoiv- " LEDGE we can pretend to in these things doth proceed " merely from his revelation^ doth wholly rely upon his " authority.

" To him it especially belongs to execute the will of " God, in matters transcending the ordinary power and " course of nature. Whence he is called the power of " the Most High^ (that is, the substantial power and vir- " tue of God,) the finger of God (as by comparing the " expression of St. Luke and St. Matthew may appear) ;

CffHISflAK PHILOSOPHY 55

^^ and whatever eminent God hath designed, he is said " to have performed by him; by him he framed the " world, and (as Job speaketh) garnished the heavens. " By him he governeth the world, so that all extraordi- *' nary works of Providence, (when God, beside the com- " mon law and usual course of nature, doth interpose to ^' do any thing,) all miraculous performances are attri- " buted to his energy. By him our Saviour, by him " the apostles, by him the prophets, are expressly said " to perform their wonderful works ; but especially by " him God manages that great work, so earnestly de- " signed by him, of our salvation; working in us all " good dispositions, capacifying us for salvation, direct- ^' ing and assisting us in all our actions tending thereto. " We naturally are void of those good dispositions in *^ understanding, will, and affections which are needful " to render us acceptable unto God, fit to serve and " please him, capable of any favour from him, of any *' true happiness in ourselves. Our minds naturally " are blind, ignorant, stupid, giddy, and prone to error, *^ especially in things supernatural and spiritual, and ab- *• stracted from ordinary sense. Our wills are froward " and stubborn, light and unstable, inclining to evil, and " averse from what is truly good ; our affections are very " irregular, disorderly, and unsettled ; to remove which ^^ bad dispositions, (inconsistent with God's friendship " and favour, driving us into sin and misery,) and to " beget those contrary to them, the knowledge and " belief of divine truth, a love of goodness and delight " therein ; a well composed, orderly, and steady frame " or spirit, God in mercy doth grant to us the virtue of " his Holy Spirit ; who first opening our hearts^ so as to " let in and apprehend the light of divine truth, then, " by representation of proper arguments, persuading " our reason to embrace it, begetteth divine knowledge, " wisdom, and faith in our minds, which is the work of

56 CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHT.

"illumination and instruction, the first part of his office " respecting our salvation,

" Then by continual impressions he bendeth our in- " clinations, and moUifieth our hearts, and tempereth " our affections to a willing compliance with God's will, " and a hearty complacence in that which is good and " pleasing to God; so breeding all pious and virtuous *' inclinations in us, reverence towards God, charity to " men, sobriety and purity as to ourselves, with the rest " of those amiable and heavenly virtues of soul, which '' is the work of sanctification, another great part of his ^' office.

" Both these operations together (enlightening our " minds, sanctifying our wills and affi^ctions) do consti- " tute and accomplish that work, which is styled the " regeneration, renovation, vivification, new creation, " resurrection of a man; the faculties of our souls being " so improved, that we become, as is were, other men " thereby ; able and apt to do that for which before we " were altogether indisposed and unfit.

" He also directeth and governeth our actions, con- " tinually leading and moving us in the ways of obedi- " ence to God's holy will and law. As we live by him, " (having a new spiritual life implanted in us,) so we " ivalk by him^ are continually led and acted by his con- " duct and help. He reclaimeth us from error and sin ; " he supporteth and strengtheneth us in temptation; he " adviseth and admonisheth, exciteth and encourageih " us to all works of piety and virtue.

" Particularly he guideth and quickeneth us in devo- *' tion, shewing us what we should ask, raising in us holy " desires and comfortable hopes, disposing us to ap- " pmach unto God with firm dispositions of mind, love, " and reverence, and humble confidence.

" It is also a notable part of the Holy Spirit's office to " comfort and sustain us in all our religious practice, so

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPRT. 57

" particularly in our doubts, difficulties, distresses, and *' afflictions; to beget joy, peace, and satisfaction in us, " in all our performances, and in all our sufferings, <* whence the title of Comforter belongeth to him.

^'^t is also another part thereof to assure us of God's " gracious love and favour, and that we are his children ; " confirming in us the hopes of our everlasting inheri- " tance. We feeling ourselves to live spiritually by him, " to love God and goodness, to thirst after righteousness, " and to delight in pleasing God, are thereby raised to " hope God loves and favours us; and that he having, " by so authentic a seal, ratified his word and promise, *' having already bestowed so sure a pledge, so precious " an earnest, so plentiful first-fruits, v^^ill not fail to ^' make good the remainder designed and promised us, " of everlasting joy and bliss.'*

Let no man be afraid or ashamed of maintaining opinions on the divine energy^ which are thus supported by the first of scholars and philosophers, Isaac Bar- row.

SECTION IX.

Bishofi Bull's Oftinion on the Evidence of the Spirit of God on the Mind of Man^ and its Union vjith it ; the loss of that Spirit by Adam's Fall^ and the Recovery of it by Christy

" A HE second way," says Bishop Bull, " by " which the Spirit of God witnesseth with our spirit, " that w^e are the sons of God, is by enlightening our " understandings, and strengthening the eyes of our " minds, as occasion requires, to discern those gracious *' fruits and eftects which God hath wrought in us.

58 CHRISflAN PHILOSOPHT.

" The Spirit of God, which in the first beginning of " things moved upon the face of the great deep, and in- " vigo rated the chaos, or dark and confused heap of " things, and caused light to shine out of that darkness, " can, with the greatest ease, when he pleases, cause " the light of divine consolation to arise and shine upon " the dark and disconsolate soul. And this he often " doth. I iTiay here appeal to the experience of " many good Christians, who sometimes find a sudden " joy coming into their minds, enlightening their " understandings, dispelling all clouds from thence, " warming and enlivening their affections, and enabling " them to discern the graces of God shining in their '^ brightness, and to feel them vigorously acting in " their souls, so that they have been, after a sort, " transfigured with their Saviour, and wished, with " St. Peter, that they might always dwell on that mount " Tabor.****

" Man may be considered in a double relation ; first " in relation to ihQnatiiral^ animal^ and earthly life; and " so he is a perfect man, that hath only a reasoimhle soul '' and body adapted to it; for the powers and faculties " of these are sufficient to the exercise of the functions ^' and operations belonging to such a life. But secondly, " man may be considered in order to a suheriiatural end, " and as designed to a spiritual and celestial life; and of " this life the Spirit of God is the principle. For ** man's natural powers and faculties, even as they were " before the fall, entire, were not sufficient or able " of themselves to reach such a supernatural end, but " needed the power of the divine Spirit to strengthen, '' elevate, and raise them. He that denies this, opposes *< himself against the stream and current of the holy *' scriptures, and the consent of the Catholic church. " Therefore to the perfect constitution of man, consi- *< dered in this relation, a reasonable soul and a body

CHRISriAN PHILOSOPHT^ 59

*^ adapted thereunto are not sufficient; but there is ne- *' cessarily required an union of the divine Spirit with " both, as it were a third essential principle. " This, as it is a certain truth, so it is a gteat mystery " OF Christianity.****

" The great Basil, in his homily intitled. Quod Deiis " non est Author p^eccati^ speaking of the nature of man, *^ as it was at first created, hath these words: * What " was the chief or princifial good it enjoyed? The asses- " sioN OF God and it's conjunction with him bt love; ^^ from which^ when it felly it became defiraved with vaH- " ous and manifold evils. So in his book, de Sfiiritu <^ SanctOy cafi. 15, he plainly tells us, t 'I'he dispensation " of God and our Saviour towards man^ is but the recall- " ing of him from the fall ^ and his return into the friend- '' shifi of that God^ from that alienation which sin had *' caused. This was the end of Christ's coming in the ^'fleshy of his life and conversatioii described in the gos- ^' P^h ^f ^^^ passion^ cross j burial^ and resurrection ; that ^' man^ who is saved by the imitation of Christy might re- " gain that antient adoption. Where he plainly sup- " poseth that man before his fall had the adoption of a " son, and consequently the Spirit of adoption. And " so he expressly interprets himself afterwards in the

'' Xoi^ f^ TToXvl^QTroi^ <*pp<y^}i,wflt<7<y Ix^xKaBvi,'"

t " H rov S"g8 f^ coflvi^^ p}^u6jy 7r&^t tov c&v&^sitTroy otKovouiciy ^' uvuycXfitrU i-ftv utto rvig licvfloKneaqy >^ l7rdvod(^ g/j oiKiiLao-iv '^ ^-gS, oiTHi t3? Stflt T^y TffocpotKOviv yivo^lvYi^ ocXXol^tacnax;' ^tu, " tSto, « f^ira, troc^jcog iTiri^n^toc X^<^S* « rm ivoiy[iXiK&)y -zs-oXt- ^'liVfzoiTOjy vTTolvTraortg* tu ttuH' o ^oiv^og' n rx(pyi* i oiva^ccjigy

60 CHRIS'tJAN PHJLOSOPHT.

" same chapter: By the * Holy Spirit we are restored " into paradise^ we regain the kingdom of heaven^ we re- " turn to the adoption of sons, Again, (HomiU advers. '^ Eunonnum 5, p. 117.J which have these express " words : f ^^^ ^^^ called in the sanctifcation of the S/ii- " rit^ as the apostle teacheth. This (Spirit) renews tcSj '^ and makes us again the image of God^ and by the lover ^^ of regeneration^ and the renewing of the Holy Ghost ^ we <^ are adopted to the Lord, and the new creature again ^' partakes of the Sfiirit^ of which being deprived^ it had ^' waxed old* And thus man becomes again the image of ^' God^ who had fallen from the divine similitude ^ and was '' become like the beasts that perish,

" St. Cyril (rth Dial, de Tnn. p. 653.) delivers the ^' same doctrine with great perspicuity and elegancy, " in these words \ For %vhen the animal (viz. man) had ■

" i ih j^ecfTiXiieLi k^xv&iv ^yoSi^^' >! iU vioh<rict> iTrcivG^^, Vide " ejusdem Libri^ cap. 9."

^' kyia vUhriifAi&sc jcv^ioi* KXivij -xeiXiv kIUi^ fHilxXcf/^Zoivacx

\ " AiccviviVKor<^ yag t5 ^dn 73-^og to ^yjj^^jjXs^, >^ rh '' ilgzirotYirov u/xot^ixv Ik tjJ? itird^ctv ^tXoa-x^Ktocg ^pp^/^jixoT©",

" TO ZS-pog B'iiXV ilTCOVOt. dtXfLCO^^Sv XVTOVy 9^ CYlf^dvl ^H S/xj^V UTTC^--

^' UKocXXlg^ >^ t/ yot^ >s^i rm Iktotfuv crvyiiXc^og ayx7rs(pc6VTce,ii ^' ItciI %l 0 rm oXav yivictn^yog ccvxKout^itv ihXm itg ii^XiorrHoc^ " }^ IvKoa-fiiccv tJv Iv u^)^ct7g ra ^ioXia-B-'iio'xv t'lg ^p^o^dy^ ^x^d^ ^' (TJj^avTg, y^ dx.xXX\g iid tjjf Uffxoinlov yifovog uf^x^ixv^ IvKKif *' »v&tq xiroti TO ^To^o<TSo"flf y 'ttoIi ^{tcv Tg; >^ dytov trnv^x^ ^sl-

CnRJSfJAN PHILOSOPHT. 61

*^ turned aside unto ivickedness^ and out of too much love " of the flesh had superinduced on himself the disease of

" «m, fHAr SpiRir WHICH FORMED HIM AFfER fHE DI- " VINE IMAGE, AND AS A SEAL WAS SECREfLTIMPRESSED *^ ON HIS SOUL, WAS SEPARATED FROM HIM, and SO he be-

" came corruptible and deformed, and every nvay vicious. " But after that the Creator of the universe had designed *' to restore to its firistine firmness and beauty that which *^ was fallen into corruption, and was become adulterated " and deformed by sin superinduced, he sent again into it *' that divine and holy Spirit which was withdrawn from " it, and which hath a natural aptitude andpotver to change " us into the celestial image, viz. by transforming us into <' his own like7iess. And in the fourth book of the same ^' work, * When the only begotten Son was made man, find* *' ing man's nature bereft of its antient and primitive goody " he hastened to transform it again into the same state, out <' of the fountain of his fulness, sending forth (the Spirit), " and saying, Receive The Holt Ghost.

" yci(Zivov }iu ro tt^c? tiiecv if^ug /^(Ixp^v&f^ct^uv l^(pg^g;tf«y."

* " 'Org yiyovev iiy^^<y;T(^ o f^ovcyiviig, i^ii/xviv rS TroiXoct, j^ " |y u^x^ocig uyscd^ tjjv uv6^a7ng (pvcriv ev^av, -sfuXtv ocvrhv g/f " iKiivo f/^dx^oi^iiiv *}7Fiiyi\6, kolQutti^ utto TTViyvig rov <3/» zfX- " ^cifx,otl^ hkih Tg >^ Xiyatr XotZiii TTVivfcx aytov.**

St. Cyril.

62 CHRISriAN PHILOSOPHr.

SECTION X-

The bfiinion9 of JBishofi Pearson and Doctor Scott, Author of the Christian Life^ and an Advocate for natural Re* iigion^ against sfiiritnal Pretensions^

JLJISHOP Pearson is in the highest esteem as a 3ivine. His book on the Creed is recommended by tu- tors, by Bishops' chaplains, and by Bishops, to young students in the course of their reading preparatory to to holy orders. It has been most accurately cxatnined and universally approved by the most, eminent the- blogues of our church, as an orthodox exposition of the Christian Creed. Let us hear him on the subject of the Spirit's evidence, which now engages oiir atten- tion,

" As the increase and perfection, so the original or *' initiation of faith is from the Spirit of God, not only " by an external proposal in the word, but by an " internal illumination in the soul, by which we *' are inclined to the obedience of faith, in assenting to " those truths which unto a natural and carnal man are " foolishness. And thus we affn-m not only the revela- " tion of the will of God, but also the illumination of the *' soul of manj to be part of the ollice of the Spirit of « God*."

Dr. Scott, an orthodox divine, a zealous teacher of morality y celebrated for a book intitled the Christian Lifcy says, " That without the Holy Ghost we can do nothing ; *' that he is the AUTHOR and finisher of our faith, who " worketh in us to will and to do of his good pleasure. *' His first office is the informing of our minds with the " light of heavenly truth. Thus the apostle prays that

* Bishop Pearson on the Creed, Art. 8.

CHRIS'flAN PHILOSOPHT. 6^

** the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glo- " ry., would give unto them the Spirit of wisdom and " revelation in the knowledge of him, that the eye^s " OF THEIR UNDERSTANDINGS being enlightened, they " might know what is the hope of Christ's calling*; an^ " we are told, that it is by receiving ^he Spirit oj^ " God, that we know the things that are freely given u^ ^'ofGodf.

" Now this illumination of the Spirit is twofold : first, " external, by that revelation which he hath given us of ^' God's mind and will in the holy scripture, and tha,t " miraculous evidence by which he sealed and attested ^' it;Jor all scrititure is given by inspiration of God\\ or, " as it is elsewhere expressed, was delivered by holy meuj '^ as they were moved by the Holy Ghost \\; and all thos(j " miraculous testimonies we have to the truth and di- " vinity of scripture are from the Holy Ghost, and, upon " that account, are called the demonstration of the Spirit \ " so that all the light we receive from scripture^ and all " the evidence we have that that light is divine, we de- " rive originally from the Holy Spirit.

" But besides this external illumination of the Holy ^^ Spirit, there is also an internal one,, which consists " in impressing that external light and evidence of scrip- " ture upon our understandings, whereby we are enabled ^^ more clearly to apprehend^ and more effectually to be- '^ lieve it.

" For though the divine Spirit doth not (at least in " the ordinary course of his operation) illuminate our " minds with any 7iew truths, or new evidences of truth, " but only presents to our minds those old and primitive " truths and evidences which he at first revealed and ^' gave to the world; yet there is no doubt but he still

* Ephes. i, 17, 18. t 1 Cor. ii. 12.

\ 2 Tim. iii. 16. II 2 Pet. i. 21.

64 CHRISTIAN PHILOSOFnr.

" continues not only to suggest them both to our minds, *' but to urge and repeat them with that importunity, " and thereby to imprint them with that clearness and *' efficacy, as that if we do not, through a wicked preju- " dice against them, wilfully divert our minds from them " to vain or sinful objects, we must unavoidably appre- " hend them far more distinctly, and assent to them ** far more cordially and effectually, than otherwise we *' should or could have done; for our minds are natu^ •' 7^ally so vain and stupid, so giddy, listless, and inad- '* vertent, especially in spiritual things, which are ab- '* stract from common sense, as that did not the Holy " Spirit frequently present, importunately urge, and " thereby fix these on our minds, our knowledge of ^' them would be so confused^ and our belief so wavering " and unstable, as that they w^ould never have any pre* " venting influence on our wills and affections. So " that our knowledge and belief of divine things, so " far as they are saving and effectual to our renovation, ^' are the fruits and products of this internal illumi* ^« nation*,"

SECTION XL

Opinion of Bishofi Sanderson on the Impossibility of be^ coming a Christian without supernatural Assistance^

"XT was Simon Magus's error to think that the " gift of God might be purchased with money; and it <' hath a spice of his sin, and so may go for a kind qf « simony, to think that spiritual gifts may be purchased « with labour. You may rise up early and go to bed

* Scott*s Christian Life, part ii. chap. f.

C^mS'TlAK PHILOSOPHY .65

" late, and study hard, and read much, and devour the " marrow of the best authors, and when you have done *' all, unless God give a blessing unto your endeavours, " be as thin and meagre in regard of true and, yseful " learning,as Pharoh's* lean kine were after they had eaten " the fat ones. It is God that both ministereth seed to " the sower, and multiplieth the seed sown; the prinei- " pal and the increase are both his.'*

" It is clear that all Christian virtues and graces, " though wrought immediately by us, and with the free " consent of our own wills, are yet the fruit of God's " Spirit working in us. That is to say, they do not pro- " ceed originally from any strength of nature, or any *^ inherent power in man's free will; nor ara they ac- " quired by the culture of philosophy, the advantages of " education, or any improvement whatsoever of natural " abilities by the helps of art or industry: but are in " truth the proper effects of that supernatural grace *^ which is given unto us by the good pleasure of God " the Father, merited for us by the precious blood o£ " God the Son, and conveyed into our hearts by the " sweet and secret inspirations of God the Holy Ghost. '^ Love, joy, and peace are fruits, not at all of the llesh, '' but merely of the Spirit.

" All those very many passages in the New Testa- " ment which either set forth the unframableness of " our nature to the doing of any thing that is good, ^» fnot thai we are sufficient of ourselves to think a good " thought ; in me^ that is 271 my Jlesh^ there dwelleth no good <« things ; and the like,) or else ascribe our best perform- " ances to the glory of the grace of God, (xvithout me *' you can do nothing. Ml our sufficiency is of God* JVot *' of yourselves ; it is the gift of God. It is God that

'^ Genesis xli. 21. t 2 Cor. iii. 5. Romans, vii. 18.

F 2

€6 CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPnr,

" worketh in you both the will and deed*; and the like,) " are so many clear confirmations of the truth. Upon " the evidence of which truth it is that our mother the " church hath taught us in the public service to beg at " the hands of almighty God that he would endue ns '^ with the grace of his Holy Spirit^ to amend our lives " according to his holy word: and again, (consonantly to " the matter we are in hand with, almost in terininis^) " that he would give to all jnen increase of grace to hear " meekly his word^ and to receive it %vith pure affection^ " a7id to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit. As without " which grace it were not possible for us to amend our " lives, or to bring forth such fruits, according as God *^ requireth in his holy word.

" And the reason is clear: because as the tree is such " must the fruit be. Do men look to gather grapes of " thoimsj or figs of thistles^ ; Or can they exj>ect from a " salt fountain other than brackish water I Certainly, " what is born of flesh can be no better than flesh. " Who can bring a clean thing out of that which is un- " clean I? Or how can any thing that is good proceed " from a hearty dllihe imaginations of the thoughts where- " of are only and continually evil\\P If we v/ould have the " fruit good, reason will (and our Saviour prescribeth " the same method) that order be taken, first to make '^ the tree good**.

'' But you wdll say, it is impossible so to alter the '' nature of the flesh as to make it bring forth good spi- " ritual fruit; as it is to alter the nature of a crab or " thorn, so as to make it bring forth a pleasant apple. " Truly, and so it is : if you shall endeavour to mend

" the fruit by altering the stock, you shall find the ia-

♦

* John, XV. r. 2 Cor. ill 5. Eph. ii, 8. Phil. ii. 15.

•[• Mat. vii. 16. :j: Job, xiv. 4. || Gen. vi. 5.

** James, i. 21.

CIlRISflAN PHILOSOPHT. 67

" hour altos^ether fruitless; — a crab will be a crab stiil, " when you have done what you can: and you may as " well hope to wash an Ethiopian white, as to purge " the flesh from sinful pollution.

" The work tlierefore must be done quite another way : " not by alteration^ but addition. That is, leaving the " old principle to remain as it was, by superinducing " ab extra a new firmcifile^ of a different and more kindly " quality. We see the experiment of it daily in the " grafting of trees ; a crabstock, if it have a cion of some " delicate apple artfully grafted in it; look what branches " are suffered to grow out of the stock itself, they will " all follow the nature of the stock, and if they bring <^ forth any fruit at all, it will be sour and stiptic. But " the fruit that groweth from the graft will be pleasant " to the taste, because it folio welh the nature of the " graft. We read of "hoyoi^ if^(pv}cg, an engrafted word. " Our carnal hearts are the old stock; which, before the " word of God be grafted in it, cannot bring forth any <' spiritual fruit acceptable to God : but when, by the " powerful operation of his Holy Spirit, the word which " we hear with our ontward ears is inwardly grafted <' therein, it then bringeth forth the fruit of good living. ^' So that ail the bad fruits that appear in our lives come " from the okl stock, the flesh : and if there be any good ^' fruit of the Spirit in us, it is from the virtue of that ^' word of grace that is grafted in us."

What modern philosopher or divine can rival this great prelate ? His Fralectiones rank him with Aristotk i his piety, with the chief of the apostles.

f68 CHRISTIAN PHILOSOP^r.

SECTION XII.

JBishoJi Smalridge on the absolute Necessity of Grace*

H,

.E who is not convinced of the absolute neces^ " sity of God's grace to invigorate his obedience to the " divine laws, must be a perfect stranger to himself, as " well as to the word of God ; and must have been as " careless an observer of what passes ^within his own " breast, as of what is written in the holy scriptures. " When one gives himself leisure to take a survey of " his own faculties, and observes how dark-sighted he is " in the percefitioii of divine truths; with what reluc- " tance he sometimes chuses what his understanding " plainly represents to him as good, and refuses what " his own conscience directly pronounces to be evil; " how apt his affections are to rebel against the dictates " of his reason, and to hurry him another way than he " knows he should, and in his sober mind, very fain " would go; when he sets before his thoughts the great " variety of duties commanded, and of sins forbidden, " and the perverseness of his own depraved nature, " which gives him an antipathy to those duties and a " strong inclination to those sins ; when he reflects on " the power and cunning of his spiritual enemies, always " alluring him to sin, and seducing him from the prac- " tice of virtue ; when he weighs with himself the neces- *' sity of practising every duty, and forsaking every kind of <« wickedness, in order to secure a good title to the pro- " mises of the gospel ; w^hen he takes a view of those " particular obstacles which hinder him in the exercise " of several graces, and of the strong temptations which " prompt him to the commission of several sins ; when " he considers the aptness of human nature to grow " weary of performing the same things, though in them-

CHRIStlAK PHILOSOPNT. 69

•' selves never so pleasant, and its still greater disposi- " tion to grow faint, when the actions continually to be ** repeated are burdensome to flesh and blood; when he ** compares the necessity of perseverance with the dif- " ficulty of it, the prevalence of things present and sen- *' sible with the w'eakness wherewith those objects " affect us that are absent and spiritual ; when, I say, a ** considering man puts all these things together, he *' cannot but be convinced, that narrow is the path that *' leads unto everlasting life^ and that without illumi- '* NATION from the Spirit of God, he shall not be able ** rightly to discern it; that strait is the gate which opens ** an entry into heaven; and that he cannot, by the force of ** his own natural strength, without new power given *' him from above, and the secret influences of God's ** Holy Spirit, adding force and energy to his own en- ** deavc^rs, force his way through it* Conscious, there- " fore, of his own weakness, he will acknowledge the '* necessity of God's grace; and being ready to sink *' through his own natural weight, unless supported by " foreign help, he will cry out with St. Peter, Save mcj ** Lord, or else I/ierish.

" Some philosophers of old flattered the pride and " vanity of men, by teaching them that they wanted ** nothing to make them virtuous, but only a firm and *' steady resolution of being so; that this resolution they •* themselves were masters of, and might exert at their ** own pleasure. They confidently boasted that their *' happiness was a thing wholly in their own power; ** that they need not ^sk of the gods to be virtuous, nor ** consequently to be happy, since they could be so with- ** out their aid or concurrence, or even in despite of '* them. The Pelagians afterwards raised their here- " sies upon the principles which these heathen philoso- " phers had first broached ; they engaged in the quarrel *^ of depraved nature against divine grace : all our disor-

70 CHRJS'TIAN PHILOSOPHT.

" ders they would have to be the effects not of sin but of " nature ; all our evil inclinations seemed to them capa- " ble of being subdued by our own unassisted reason ; " and they did not think the succour of any supernatu^ ^' ral grace necessary either for the combating of vice, or " the maintenance of their integrity and virtue. But the " sober Christian hath learned from the scriptures to " speak and to think more humbly of himself, and more <^ becomingly and magnificently of God ; we are there *' taught that ive are not sufficient of oicrselves to think^ *' much less to do, any thing as of ourselves^ but that our " sufficiency is of God; that it is Gody which vjorketh ^' nvithin us both to will and to do of his good filcasurc ; *' that it is by the Spirit we must mortify the deeds of the " body^ if we would live; that it is God, who, by his Spi- " rit, makes us perfect in every good work to do his will^ f' working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight* ^^ The humble and devout Christian being thus satisfied ;*^ of the necessity of God's grace, both from his own ^^ <e;xperience and from the scriptures, and being assured " of the VITAL INFLUENCES of this spiHt from the pro- " niises made to him in the gospel, will not be over-cu- *' rious to inquire into the secret and inconceivable man- '" ner of its operation. He will choose rather to feel '" these influences, than to understand or explain them, " and will not doubt of that power, which, though he " cannot give an account of as to the manner of its *' working, he plainly perceives to be great and marvel- " lous from its mighty and wonderful effects : for when, ." in reading the holy scriptures, he finds the veil of dark* " ness removed from before his underst'anding ; when " those clouds of ignorance that had overcast his mind, are " presently dispersed; when the doubts under which he " had for some time laboured are on a sudden cleared ; ;" when such pious thoughts as were wont to pass tran- ." siently are long dwelt upon, so as to leave behind them

CHRISTIAN PHJLOSOPHT. 71

*^ deep and lasting impressions; when these arc sug- *' gested to him without his seeking, and are urged and " pressed upon him so importunately, that he cannot " choose but listen unto them; when, from a calm and " serious consideration of the state of his own soul, the ^^ odiousness and danger of sin, the beauty and necessi- " ty of holiness, he is led to make good and pious resolu- " tions of serving God with greater purity for the time " to come ; when he finds a sudden impulse upon his spi- " rits, rouzing him up to the performance of some im- ^' portant duty which he had before neglected; or an *' unexpected check, stopping him in the midst of his " course, when he is rushing on blindly and impetu- <^ ously to the commission of some heinous sin ; when *' in his devotions he finds his attention fixed^ his affec^ *' tions inflamed^ and his heart melted within him; when, " while the voice of God's minister preaching the saving " truths of the gospel sounds in his ears, he is sensible " of an INWARD VOICE speaking with greater force and " efQcacy to his soul, to his understanding, and to his " heart: when, under the pressure of any grievous af- " fliction, he feels unexpected joy and comfort: w^hen " light rises ufi in the midst of darkness ; when there is a gixien unto him beauty for ashes^ the oil of joy for moum^ *' ing^ the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; " upon all these and the like occasions he is sensible of " the presence and aid of God's Holy Spirit, whose " grace alone is sufficient to all these purposes, and ** whose strength is thus 7nade perfect in his weakness.

" How the operation of God's Holy Spirit is consistent " with the freedom of our own wills; how far we are *^ passive and how far active in those good thoughts, " words, and works, which are wrought in us by the '^' influence of this Holy Spirit, the practical Christian " doth not much trouble himself to inquire. Whatso- " ever is good in him, that he devoutly ascribes not unto

72 CHRISTIAN PHlLOSOPHr.

" himself, but unto the grace of God which was afforded *' him ; O Lordy not unto me, but unto thy name be the " glory; or having by his former sins justly merited to " be left destitute and forsaken ; in the latter case he is as " ready to make Daniel's humble acknowledgment; O '' I^ordy righteousness belongeth unto thee^ but unto me con- ^'fusion of face. He will leave it to others to dis/iute " about the nature, extent, and efficacy of this grace, " and will make it his own chief labour to obtain, to ^' cherish, and to improve it; he strives, according to " the best of his judgment, to form right notions of its " efficacy, but he is still more solicitous that no mis- " takes in his opinions about it may have any dan- " gerous influences upon his practice. He cannot be " very wrong in his notions, whilst he believes that man's " will is neither so free, as without God's grace to do " good, nor so enslaved, as not to be at liberty either to '^ concur with or to resist that grace ; but whether these " notions about a matter so intricate be exactly right or " not, he is fully assured that he cannot be mistaken in " his measures of acting, if he exerts his own endeavours " with as much vigour and earnestness, as if by them " alone he were finally to stand or fall ; and, at the same " time, implores God's grace with as much fervency, as " if that alone could support him : if he neither relies so '^ far on his own strength, as not humbly to acknowledge " that it is God alone ivho works in him both to will and to " r/o, nor so far depends on the grace of God to save " him, as to forget that he is required to work out his " own salvation — if lastly, at his approaches to the holy " altar, he doth prepare himself for the reception of the " blessed sacrament, with as much care, diligence, and " scrupulosity, as if the benefits he there expects did " entirely depend upon the disposition he brings along *' with him, and his own fitness to communicate, ^nd <^ yet at the same time, not trusting on his gwn ipiper-

CHRISriAN PHILOSOPHT. 73

•* feet righteousness, but on God*s infinite mercy, he *' doth there, with faith, with humility, with reverence, •* address himself to that blessed Spirit, who is the •* ^ver of every good and perfect gift^ that he may be " filled with his grace and heavenly benediction."

I cannot but hope that these opinions of a classical scholar, a man adorned with all elegant and polite learn- ing, as well as with philosophy ; a man, whose habits of life and social connections tended to remove him from all contagion of enthusiasm, will have great weight with the elegant and polite part of the world, in recommend- ing the neglected or exploded doctrine of grace. No man needs blush to entertain the religious sentiments of Bishop Smalridge ; nor can folly or fanaticism be rea* sonably imputed to divines like him, whose minds were enriched with all the stores of science, and polished with all the graces of ornamental literature.

SECTION XIII.

Human learning highly useful^ and to be pursued with all Diligence <i but cannot^ of itself furnish evidences of Christianity completely satisfactory^ like those which the Heart of the good Christian feels from ^>^e divine Influ- ence: with the Opinion of Doctor Isaac Watts.

1-4 EARNING should be the handmaid of reli- gion. She must not take upon her the office of a judge or arbitress. Her employment is highly honourable and useful, though subordinate. Let learning be cul- tivated, and continue to flourish and abound. Religion is the sun to the soul ; the source of fight and the che- risher of life. But because there is a sun, must there be no inferior lights? God has made the moon and the stars also, and pronounced that they are good.

G

74 CHttlSriAlf PHILOSOPHT.

Never let the enemies to Christianity triumph oveir it, by asserting that it is an enemy to learning, and tends to introduce the ignorance of barbarism. Learn- ing, under due regulations, contributes to soften the mind, and prepare it for the divine agency. A learned, virtuous, and religious man, whose reHgion is vital and truly Christian, is a superior being, even in this mortal state, and may be imagined, by us his fellow- creatures, to be little lower than the angels.

Nobody can hold learning, and the inventions of hu- man ingenuity, in higher esteem than myself; I look up to them with affection, and admiration. But after all, and however perfect and beautiful they may be, Ihey are but human, the product of poor, stiort-Hved, fallible mortals. Whatever comes from the Father OF LIGHTS, from him who made that mind which is capable of learning and science, must deserve more at- tention and honour than can possibly be due to the most beautiful and stupendous works of human ingenuity. These are not to be slighted, but beloved, pursued, re- warded. But I am a mortal. Every moment is bringing me nearer to that period when the curtain shall fall, and all these things be hidden from my eyes* My first attention and warmest affection therefore ought to be fixed on things spiritual and eternal.

All arts, all sciences, must be secondary and instru- mental to the attainment of divine illumination. I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, says Jcsus Christ. Can any reasonable man rest satisfied without coming to the light after such a declaration? Will he be contented with the radiance of dim lights and false lights, when he is invited to approach the brilliant and the true ?

Learning is necessary for the purposes of this life ; it is an ornament and a defence. It is highly useful in religious investigation. It furnishes arguments to en- force morality, to persuade to all that is good and great,

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHr. 75

and to deter from folly and vice. But let it ever keep to its own office, which is certainly, in religious matters, ministerial. It can amuse ; it can inform ; but it cannot supply the smmnwn bonum; it cannot raise fallen man to his original state. Grace only can restore man to God's image. If learning could have done it, why were the heathens unrestored? are not the infidels often learned? and would not the advent of our Lord and Saviour have been superfluous, if learning could have repaired the ruins of the fall ?

Few (as I have already said) in the mass of mankind are learned. They are perhaps as one to a million. What is to become of the millions then, if the gospel of Jesus Christ, by which alone they can live in the sweet tranquillity of a state of grace, and die with reli- gious hope and confidence, cannot be received, with suf- Jiciem evidence j without deep learning, logical and me- taphysical disputation? What i^iofirove it to thenty wiib have neither books, leisure, nor ability to study, if God himself do not teach them by his Spirit? Blessed be his name, he has taught them, and continues to teach them. It is among the learned chiefly that infidelity prevails. She inhabits libraries, and walks abroad in academic groves, but is rarely seen in the cottage, in the field, or in the manufactory. The poor and the tmlearned do in general believe in the gospel most firmly. What is the evidence which convinces them? It is the witness of the Spirit; and thanks be to him who said my grace is sufficient for thee* " He that be- ** lieveth on the Son of God hath this witness in him- '^ self.''

The opinion of a man like Dr. Isaac Watts on the true nature of Christianity, is almost of itself decisive. He was not only a devout and zealous Christian, but a profound scholar, a natural philosopher, a logician, and

76 CHRISTIAN PHTLOSOPHr*

a metaphysician. His life and conversation exhibited a pattern of every Christian virtue. Let us hear him.

*' Every true Christian," says he, " has a sufficient " argument and evidence to support his faith, without "' being able to prove the authority of any of the cano- ** nical writings. He may hold fast his religion, and be *' assured that it is divine, though he cannot bring any ** learned proof that the book that contains it is divine «' too ; nay, though the book itself should even happen " to be lost or destroyed: and this will appear, with open ** and easy conviction, by asking a few such questions •' as theses

** Was not this same gospel preached with glorious " success before the Nev/ Testament v/as written ?

«■ Were not the same doctrines of salvation by Jesus *' Christ published to the world by the ministry of the ** apostles, and made effectual to convert thousands, " before they set themselves to commit these doctrines " to writing?

<* And had not every sincere believer, every true con- ** vert, this blessed witness in himself, that Christianity '* was from God?

** Eight or ten years had passed away, after the ascen- ** sion of Christ, before any part of the New Testament ** was written; and what multitudes of Christian con- *' verts were born again by the preaching of the word, ^* and raised to a divine and heavenly life, long ere this ** book was half finished or known, and that among the *' heathens as well as Jev/s. Great numbers of the ** Gentile world became holy believers, each of them '* having the efiistle of Christ imtten in the heart, and ** bearing about within them a noble and convincing ** proof that this rehgion was divine ; and that without *' a written gospel, without e/iistles, and without a Bible.

" In the first ages of Christianity, for several hundred ** years together, how few among the common people

cnRisfiAn PHJLosoPHr. '*

" were able to read? How few could get the possession "or the use of a Bible, when all sacred as well as pro- " fane books were of necessity copied by writing? How " few of the populace, in any large town or city, could " obtain or could use any small part of scripture, before " the art of printing made the word of God so common ? " And yet millions of these were regenerated, sanctified, " and saved by the ministration of the gospel.

" Be convinced then that Christianity has a more " noble inward witness belonging to it than is derived " from ink and paper, from precise letters and sylla- " bles. And though God, in his great wisdom and " goodness, saw it necessary that the New Testament " should be written, to preserve these holy doctrines " uncorrupted through all ages, and though he has been " pleased to be the invariable and authentic rule of our " faith and practice, and made it a glorious itstrument " of instructing ministers and leading men to salvation " in all these latter times ; yet Christianity has a secret " witness in the hearts of believers, that does not depend " on their knotvledge and proof of the authority of the " scriptures^ nor of any of the controversies that in lat- " ter ages have attended the several manuscript copies " and different readings and translations of the Bible.

" Now this is of admirable use and importance in the " Christian life, upon several accounts. First, if we con- " sider how few poor unlearned Christians there are " who are capable of taking in the arguments which are " necessary to prove the divine authority of the sacred ^' writings; and how fev/, even among the learned, can " well adjust and determine many of the different read- " ings or different translations of particular passages in " scripture. Now a wise Christian does not build his " faith or hope merely upon any one or two single " texts, but upon the general scope, sum and sub- ^' stance of the gospel. By this he feels a siiirituah

G 2

78 CHJRJStlJN PHJLOSOPHT.

" life of peace and piety begun in him. And here lies " his EVIDENCE that Christianity is divine, and " that these doctrines are from heaven, though a text " or two may be falsely written or wrong translated, and " though a whole book or two may be hard to be proved " authentic.

" The learned well know what need there is of turn- ^^ ing over the histories of antient times, of the tradi- " tions and writings of the fathers, and all authors pious " and profane; what need of critical skill in the holy " languages and in antient manuscripts ; what a wide " survey of various circumstances of fact, time, place, " style, diction, is necessary to confirm one or another " book or verse of the New Testament, and to answer " the doubts of the scrupulous, and the bold objections " of the infidel. Now how few of the common rank of " Christians, whose hearts are inlaid with true faith in *' the Son of God, and with real holiness^ have leisure y " books, instruction, advantages, and judgment sufficient " to make a, thorough search into these matters, and to " determine, upon a just view of argument, that these *^ books were written by the sacred authors whose '^ names they bear, and that these authors were under " an immediate inspiration in writing them. What a " glorious advantage is it then to have such an infal- " lible testimony to the truth of the gospel wrought ^^ and written in the heart by renewing grace, as does " not depend on this laborious, learned, and a r gum en- a tative evidence of the divine authority of the Bible, " or of any particular book or verse in itl

" Secondly, if we consider what bold assaults are " sometimes made upon the faith of the unlearned <' Christian by the deists and unbelievers of our age, " by disputing against the authority of the scripture, <« by ridiculing the strange narratives and sublime doc- " trines of the Bible, by setting the seeming contradic-

CRRISflAN PHILOSOPHT. 79

" tions in a blasphemous light, and then demanding, " How can you prize or how can you believe that this " book is the word of God, or that the religion it teaches '' is divine?' In such an hour of contest, how happy is " the Christian that can say, ' Though I am not able " to solve all the difficulties in the Bible, nor maintain " the sacred authority of it against the cavils of wit and ^' learning, yet I am well assured that the doctrines of " this book are sacred, and the authority of them divine ; " for when I heard and received them, they changed " my nature, they subdued my sinful appetites, they " made a new creature of me, and raised me from death " to life; they made me love God above all things, and " gave me the lively and well-grounded hope of his love. " Therefore I cannot doubt but that the chief princi- " PLEs of this book are divine, though I cannot so well " prove that the very words and syllables of it are so " too ; for it is the sense of scripture, and not the mere ^' letters of it, on which I build my hope. What if the " scripture should not be divine? What if this gospel '' and the other epistles should not be written by inspi- " ration ? What if these should be merely the v/ords of " men, and not the very word of God ? — Though I can- " not recollect all the arguments that prove Matthew, " Mark, and Luke to be divine historians, or Peter and "Paul to be inspired writers; yet the substance and " chief sense of these gospels and their epistles must *' needs be divine; for it has begun the spiritual

" AND ETERNAL LIFE IN MY SOUL; and THIS IS MY

" WITNESS, or rather the witness of the Spirit of God " within us, that Christ is the Son of God, the " Saviour of sinners, and the religion that I pro- " fess and practise is safe and divine.'

" And though there are many and sufficient argu- " ments drawn from criticism, history, and human " learning to prove the sacred authority of the Bible,

60 CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHr.

" and such as may give abundant satisfaction to an " honest inquirer, and full satisfaction that it is the " word of God; yet this is the chief evieence that " the greatest part of Christians can ever attain of the " divine original of the holy scripture itself, as well as " the truth of the doctrines contained in it, namely, " That they have found a holy and heavenly change pass- " ed upon them, by reading and hearing the proposi- " tions, the histories, the precepts, the promises,^ and " the threatenings of this book; and thence they are " wont to infer, that the God of truth would not attend " a book, which was not agreeable to his mind, with " such glorious instances of his own power and grace. " I have dwelt the longer on shewing that the inward " Hvitness is such a witness to the truth of the Christian " religion as does not depend on the exact truth of let-- " ters and syllables^ nor on the critical knowledge of the " copies of the Bible, nor on this old manuscript or the " other new translation, because every manuscript and " every translation has enough of the gospel to save " souls by it, and make a man a Christian ; and because " I think this point of great importance in our age, " which has taken so many steps to heathenism and " infidelity; for this argument or evidence will defend " a Christian in the profession of the true religion, " though he may not have skill enough to defend his « Bible.

" Why do you believe in Jesus?" asks the unbeliev- " er. If you have this answer ready at hand, ' I have

" FOUND the efficacy AND POWER OF THE GOSPEL

" IN MY heart;' this will be sufficient to answer every " cavil.

" The words of St. Paul to the Corinthians have a " reference to our present subject. Ye are manifestly " declared to be the efiistle of Christ ?ninistered by us;. <^ written not with ink but with the Sfirjt' of The Lir^

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHr. 81

*' 727C, God; not in tables of stone ^ but injieshly tables of " the heart^:'

Thus far Dr. Watts, in his sermons on the inward Witness to Christianity^ where the reader will find a great deal of truly evangelical instruction. For my own part, I cannot but think this good man approached as nearly to Christian perfection as any mortal ever did in this sublunary state; and therefore I consider him as a better interpreter of the Christian doctrines than the most learned critics, who proud of their reason and their learning, despise or neglect the very life and soul of Christianity, the living everlasting gospel^ the superna- tural operation of divine grace. And be it ever re- membered, that Dr. Watts was a man who cultivated his reason with particular care, who studied the ab* strusest sciences, and was as well qualified to become a verbal critic, or a logical disputant on the scriptures, as the most learned among the doctors of the Sorbonnej^ or the greatest proficients in polemical divinity.

SECTION XIV.

The Opinion of Dr* Lucas, the celebrated Author of a Treatise on Happiness^ concerning the Evidence of Christianity arising from diviiie Communication.

" X HERE is,'* says Dr. Lucas, " no great " need of acquired learning in order to true illumina- '^ tion. Our Saviour did not exact of his disciples, as ^ a necessary preparation for his doctrine, the know- ^' ledge of tongues, the history of times or of nature ; ^' logic, metaphysics, or the like. These indeed may ^^ be serviceable to many excellent ends: they may be

* 2 Cor. iii. 2, 3.

82 CHRISTIAN PHILOSOFHr.

" great accomplishments of the mind, great ornaments, " and very engaging entertainments of life. They may " be, finally, very excellent and necessary instruments " of, or introductions to several professions and employ- " ments; but as to religious perfection and happiness, to " these they can never be indispensably necessary.

" A man may be excellently, habitually good, with- " out more languages than one ; he may be fully per- " suaded of those great truths, that will render him " master of his passions and independent of the world ; " that will render him easy and useful in this life, and " glorious in another, though he be no logician nor me- " taphysician.

" The qualifications previously necessary to iUumina^ " Hon are two or three moral ones, implied in that " INFANT temper which our Saviour required in those " who would be his disciples, — humility, impartiality, " and a thirst and love of truth."

" There is a knowledge, which, like the summit of " Pisgah where Moses stood, shews us the land of Ca- <' naan, but does not bring us to it.

" How does the power of darkness, at this moment, ^' prevail amidst the light of the gospel ? Are men igno^ " rant? No: but their knowledge is not such as it ought " to be ; it is not the light of life.

" The understanding does not always determine the " will.

" Though every honest man be not able to discover " all the arguments on which his creed stands, he yet " may discover enough; and what is more, he may " have an inward, vital, sensible proof of them; " he may feel the power, the charms of holiness, ^a- ^^ fierience its congruity and loveliness to the human ^' soul, so as that he shall have no doubts or scrufiles. " But besides this, there is a voice within, a divine " Teacher and Instructor.

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHT. 83

" Extraordinary natural parts are not necessary to •^ illumination. The gospel takes no notice of them. " Such is the beauty of holiness, that it requires rather ^> a fine sensibility arising from purity of heart, than " quickness of intellectual apprehension, to render us

" ENAMOURED of it."

A truth which involves the present and eternal hap*" piness of human beings, cannot be placed in too great a variety of lights, or too repeatedly enforced. " He ^' that soweth to the Sfiirit^'' says St. Paul, " shall of ^' the Spirit reap life everlasting*." When such is the harvest, every benevolent mind must wish to urge man- kind, in this their seed-time, to sow to the Spirit. What is so important cannot be inculcated by too frequent repetition. I therefore quote authors which occur to me in the course of my reflections on the subject, whose opinions, though similar, may add weight to doctrines already advanced. Such is the above from Dr. Lucas, a most excellent divine, never charged with the least tendency to blameable enthusiasm.

I wish my reader to pay particular attention to what he suggests on the infant temper, required by our Lord in his followers. " Except," says Jesus Christ, " ye be converted, and become as little children^ ye shall " not enter into the kingdom of Godf." — " Verily I say " unto you. Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom " of God as a little child, he shall not enter there- "in|."

The amiable dispositions of infants must therefore be produced in the heart, before the religion of Christ can be received into it. But are such dispositions best pro- duced, or can they be produced at all, by subtle dispu- tations, by cold argumentation, by bringing forward objections in order to display ingenuity in answers,

^ Galatians, vi. 8. f Mat. xviii. 3. \ Mark, x. 14.

84' CRRISriAN PHILOSOPHr.

laboured indeed and sagacious, but, after all, unsatis* factory to many, and unintelligible to more ?

Yet this mode of recommending Christianity is the only one approved by some persons of high authority ; and there are those who would not venture to preach the doctrine of grace, the teaching of God and a sjiiritual understanding^ lest they should be numbered with enthu- siasts, and lose all chance of promotion and worldly esteem. This danger must be voluntarily incurred by all who would succeed in repelling the rapid advances of modern infidelity. Christianity flourished wonder- fully while its genuine doctrines, the glad tidings of grace, were preached ; and it has been gradually declin- ing, ever since it has become fashionable, in order to discountenance fanaticism, to recommend mere heathen morality as the essence of Christianity, and to make use of no other arguments to prove the truth of it, but such as an ingenious man, without the smallest particle of religion in his heart, might produce. Professional ad- vocates, furnished with human arguments only and ex- ternal evidence, appear to the true Christian, as well as to the unbeliever, like lawyers pleading for a/ee, on that side of the question which they know to be wrong, or at least are not convinced is right. It is indeed certain that a dull and plodding scholar may make a wonderful display of erudition in defence of Christianity, without feeling a lively sense of it himself, or communicating it to his readers. His materials supply the adversaries, with arms for fresh attacks, and at the same time fail in building an impregnable rampart round the citadel which he undertakes to defend. There is usually some weak place at which the enemy enters ; and, having once entered, he takes possession of the fortress, and uses the stores and ammunition against the very persons who collected them with so much labour*

CRRISriAN PMILOSOTHTi 85

Nothing of this kind can happen when recourse is had to the teaching of the Spirit. It overcomes the heart; it brings it to the lovely state of infantine innocence and simplicity ; and renders him who, like St. Paul was a persecutor of it, a warm friend and advocate.

It is certain that the argumentative mode of address- ing unbelievers, and a reliance on external evidence, has hitherto failed. Many of the most learned and able men of modern times, who were capable of understand- ing the historical, logical, and metaphysical defences of Christianity, have read them without conviction, and laughed at their laborious imbecillity.

It is time to try another mode : And all who are sin- cere Christians will favour the experiment; for they would rather see men converted to the true religion, though they should become fervent, and zealous even to a degree of harmless enthusiasm, than totally alien- ated from it, and enlisted under the partizans of infi- delity.

If men of the world and men of learning'^ will not interpose to prevent the divine energy, we shall see it produce its genuine effects in all their vigour and ma- turity, as well in the world of grace as of nature. A secret operation gives life and growth to the tree, and so will it to the human soul. " I am the vine^ ye are " the branches,** says our Saviour: the branches will soon wither and decay, if the sap flows not to them fix)m the vine.

* Nee Philosophos se ostentent: sed satagant fieri Theodi- mACTi. Greg. ix. Ep. ad Univ. Paris,

S6 CHRISriAlfr PHILOSOPHY

SECTION XV.

Passages from a well-known Book ofcCn anonymous Author^ intitled Inward Testimony.

Ri

.EAL Christians find, that as soon as they " apply themselves to know what is comfirehensible in the " sacred scriptures, and to a sincere endeavour to do ^' what IS firacticable^ so soon a faith in its incompre- " HENsiBLE doctrines is produced, and then is fulfilled, " that he that doth the will of God shall know of the doc- *' trines whether they be of God,

'' The DIVINE Spirit concurs with the outward reve- " lation in changing a man's sceptical disposition, and " then he is fixed: otherwise he would be as ready as " ever to embrace the first filausible g^rgument against " the gospel.

" We have some, who, by their mere notional know-r " ledge of revelation, the outvjard testimony to Christi- " anity, disbelieve the reality or necessity of any ac- " quaintance with the inward testimony^ by which the " DIVINE Spirit produces a serious spiritual frame, " fitting the soul to receive the sanctifying impressions " of an outward revelation. They think that reading " of sacred scripture, and forming from thence right " notions of Christianity, in order to talk of it, with a " going the round of common duties, and a not being " guilty pf common sins, is the %vhole of the Christian " religion, and all the meetness that is necessary for " heaven. A serious heavenly frame, suitable to " the true notion of revelation, has no place in them ; " they ridicule it in others, and name it affectation, " rather than any real part of Christianity.

" An ingenious mind may argue for God against the " athdst; for Christ against the Socinian; and for the

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHT. 87

" outward testimony of the Spirit of Christ against " the Deist; and he himself be no real Christian: but no " person can well display this inward testimony of Christ ^' in the soul, without the experience of it*/'

SECTION XVI.

Dr. Townson's Olilnions on the Evidence which is in this Book recommended as sujierior to all other.

^^ If the w^ord was enforced by miracles in the " times only of its early publication, it has the standing " support and evidence of another power, which is ^^ still as operative,^ where we will allow it, as ever. This *' is declared and promised in the following passage: ''' Jesus answered than and said^ My doctrine is not mine^ " but his that sent me. If any man will do his will^ he shall '' knoTo of the doctrine whether it be of God^ or whether I ^^ sjieak of myself.

" The person who enters on the study of a science, '• of which he has only a general idea, must receive *'' many things at first on the authority of his instructors. " And surely there is no one, who, by his life and works, ^' has such claim to trust and confidence in his words as *' tlie Author and Finisher of our faith. If then we " really desire to know the certainty of his doctrine; if '• we have the courage to sacrifice meaner pursuits to ^' the wisdom that is from above, and the felicity of at- " taining it; we shall study the truth of his religion as he " directs, by the practice of its lavn^s. And this

* Jam hie videte magnum sacramentiim, Fratres. Magisteria forinsecus adjutoria qusedam sunt et admonitiones ; Cathedram

tN COELO HABET QUI CORDA DOCET.

August. Tr. 3. in 1 Joan.

88 CHRISflAK PfflLOSOPJir*

" method, he assures us, will yield us the repose and " comfort oi firm fiersuasion. Continuing stedfast in ^^ such a course of discipline, we shall not seek after " signs from heaven, nor ask to behold the blind receive " their sight, the lame walk, the deaf hear, or the dead " raised up. The healing efficacy and blessed influ- " ence of the gospel will sufficiently vouch for its truth " and excellence.

'^ The EVIDENCE which thus possesses the soul is not " liable to be impaired by time, as might an impression " once made on the senses; but will shine more and " more unto a perfect day. For the practice of reii- *' gion, by Jiurifying the hearty will raise and improve " the understanding to conceive more clearly and judge " more rightly of heavenly things and divine truths: " the view and contemplation of which will return upon ^' the heart the warmth of livelier hopes and more vigo- " rous incitements to obedience ; and effectual obedience " will feel and testify that it is the finger of God.

" For is nature able, by its own efficiency, to clear the " eyes of the mind ; to rectify the will ; to regulate the " affections; to raise the soul to its noblest object, in " love and adoration of God ; to employ it steadily in " its best and happiest exercise, justice and charity to ^^ man ; to detach its desires from the pleasures, profits, " and honours of the world; to exalt its views to hea- '' venly things ; to render the v^^hole life godly, just, and " sober? He, who impartially examines his own moral " abilities by the pure and searching light of the gospel, " must discern their defects and weakness in every part; ^' and when he well considers the tenor and spirit of this " gospel, must acknowledge that he is not of himself " sufficient for the attainments to which it calls, and *' conducts its faithful votary.

" What then is it that hath taken him by the hand, <' and, leads him on in this rising path of virtue and

CHRIS'TIAN PHILOSOPHr.

98

" holiness ; that prevents his steps from sliding ; or if " his foot hath slipped, raises him again ; that keeps him « steady in the right way ; or, if at any time he hatk " wandered out of it, recalls him to it; that strengthens " him to resist temptations, or endure toils, and so con- " tinue patiently in well doing; that, as he advances, ^' opens to his faith a still brightening view of the hea- " venly Jerusalem, through the gloom which our earthly " state hangs upon death and futurity ; and animates him ^' to live and walk by this faith ?

'' If these are exertions beyond the sphere of mere " human activity, the question, whence such improve- " ment of soul and spirit and life proceeds, will admit of " an easy and clear answer. It is God who blesses our " earnest petitions thcit we may do his will, and our sin- " cere endeavours to do it, with the grace of his Holy " Spirit ; who worketh in us both to will and to do of his ^' good pleasure; and thus verifies and fulfils the promises, " made by Christ to those who ask in his name, of succour " and strength from on high. Christ therefore is his '' beloved Son, by whom w^e are redeemed, and in whom " we are accepted. The religion which he hath taught " us, so worthy of God in the theory, and so favoured by " him in the practice of its laws, proves its heavenly " origin by the fruit it produces; and brirfgs its divinity " home to the breast of the devout professor by expe- " RiENCE of its power unto salvation.

" It is natural to conclude, that he who has this con- " viction of its certainty will be desirous of persuading . " others to the belief and practice of it; and \vill be of " an apt and fit disposition to instruct them in it."

There are scarcely any recent divines, whose opinions ought to have more weight than those of Dr. Townson. He lived, as he wrote, according to the true gospel. He is universally esteemed by the most learned and judi- cious theologists of the present day; and his opinions

H 2

50 CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHT.

alone carry with them sufficient authority to justify me fully in recommending that evidence of the gospel truth which arises from divine influence, consequent on obe- dience to its precepts. An orthodox life, I am con- vinced, is the best preparative to the enteitainment of orthodox opinions; and I rejoice to find such men as Tounson enforcing the doctrine, " that if any man will " do the will of Christ, he shall know of the doctrine " whether it be of God." He does not refer us to sys- tematical or philosophical works, but to the teaching of the Holy Ghost, for the attainment of this knowledge ; a knowledge, compared to which all other is to man, condemned as he is shortly to die, but puerile amuse- ment, a house of cards, a bubble blown up into the air, and displaying deceitful colours in a momentary sun« shine.

. SECTION xvn.

JDr. Doddridge on the DGctrine of Divine Influence*

« Ai

uNY degree of divine inPxuence on the mind, " inclining it to believe in Christ and to practise virtue, " is called grace. All those who do indeed believe in ^* Christ, and in the main practise virtue, are to ascribe "it not merely or chiefly to their own wisdom and " goodness, but to the special operation of divine grace " upon their souls, as the original cause of it. None " can deny, that God has such an access to the minds of " men that he can work upon them in what manner he " pleases : and there is great reason to believe, that his " secret influence on the mind gives a turn to many of " the most important events relating to particular per-

CHRISriA}^ PHILOSOPHr. 91

" sons and societies*, as it is evident many of the public ^' revolutions, mentioned in the Old Testament, are " ascribed to this cause t« Though the mind of man " be not invincibly determined by motives, yet in mat- " ters of great importance it is not determined without ^' them: and it is reasonable to believe, that where a " person goes through those difficulties which attend " faith and obedience, he must have a very lively view " of the great engagements to them, and probably, upon " the whole, a more lively view than another, w^ho, in " the same circumstances, in all other respects acts in " a different manner. Whatever instruments are made " use of as the means of making such powerful impress " sions on the mind, the efficacy of them is to be ascribed " to the continual agency of the first cause. The preva- " lence of virtue and piety in the church is to be ascribed " to God, as the great original Author, even upon the " principles of natural religion* Good men in scripture, " who appear best to have understood the nature of God, " and his conduct towards men, and w^ho wrote under " the influence and inspiration of his Spirit, frequently '^ offer up such petitions to God, as shew that they be- " lieved the reality and importance of his gracious agen- " cy upon the heart to promote piety and virtue :j.. God " promises to produce such a change in the hearts of " those to whom the other valuable blessings of his word " are promised, as plainly imphes that the alteration " made in their temper and character is to be looked " upon as his workl.l.

* Prov. xxi. 1.

t Ezra, i. 1. Religion of Nature delineated, p. 105 — 107.

I Psal. li. 10—12. xxxix. 4. xc. 12. cxix. 12. 18. 27. 33—37. 73. 80. 133. 1 Chron. xxix. 18. 19. Eph. i. 16, &c. Col. i. 9— 11, &c. slm.

II Deut. XXX. 6. Psal. ex. 3. Jer. xxxi. oo. xxxi. 39, 40. Ezek. xi. 19, 20. xxxvi. 26, 27. Compare Heb. viii. 8—15.

92 CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHr.

" The scripture expressly declares, in many places, ^' that the work oi faith in the soul is to be ascribed to " God, and describes the change made in a man's heart, "when it becomes truly reli^ous, in such language as " must lead the mind to some strength superior to our " own by which it is effected*. The increase of Chris- " tians in faith and piety, is spoken of as the work of " God; which must more strongly imply that the first " beginnings of it are to be ascribed to himf. The " scripture does expressly assert the absolute necessity " of such divine influences on the mind, in order to faith ♦' and holiness, and speaks of God's giving them to one " while he with-holds them from another, as the great " reason of the difference to be found in the characters " of different men in this important respect:}:.

" It appears probable from the light of nature, and " certain from the word of God, that faith and repen- " tance are ultimately to be ascribed to the work of spe- " cial grace upon the hearts of men ||. As to the man-

* John, i. 13. iii. 3. 5, 6. Acts, xi. 18. xvi. 14. 2 Cor. iii. 3. Eph. i. 19, 20. ii. 1. 10. iv. 24. Phil. i. 29. Col. i. 11. 12. ii. 12, 13. Vid. James, i. 18. 2 Tim. ii. 25. To this catalogue we scruple not to add Eph. ii. 8. though some have objected that ts/Jo cannot refer to ?s-i5"S&'? ; since the like change of genders is often to be found in the New Testament ; compare Acts, xxiv. 16. xxvi. 17. Phil. i. 28. 1 John, ii. 8. Gal. iii. 16. iv. 19. Matth. vi. idt. xxviii. 19. Rom. ii. 14. Eisner's Observ. vol. i.p. 128. Raphel. Observ. ex Herod, in Matth. xxviii. 19. Glassii Op. 1. iii. Tract, ii. de pr- Can. xvi. p. 524—526.

t Psal. cxix. 32. Phil. i. 6. ii. 13. 1 Cor. vii. 25. iii, 7. iv. 7. XV. 10. 2 Cor. V. 5. Heb. xiii. 20, 21. 1 Pet. v. 10. Jude, ver. 24, 25.

:j: Deut. xxix. 4. Matth. xi. 25, 26. John, vi. 44, 45, 46. xii. 39, 40. Rom. ix. 18.— 23.

II Lime-street Lect. vol. ii. p. 242 — 245. Tillotson's Works, voh ii. p. 80, 81. Limb. Theol. 1. iv. c. 14. § 4, 21. Brandt's Hist, of the Ref. vol. ii, p. 75, Doddridge on Regen. Serm, vii.

SMRIStlAN PHILOSOPirr, $S

" ner in which divine grace operates upon the mind, " considering how little it is we know of the nature and <' and constitution of our own souls, and of the frame of " nature around us, it is no wonder that it should be un- " accountable to us *. Perhaps it may often be, by im- ^' pelling the animal spirits or nerves, in such a manner '' as is proper to excite certain ideas in the mind with a " degree of vivacity, which they would not otherwise " have had: by this means various passions are excited; " but the great motives addressed to gratitude and love " seem generally, if not always, to operate upon the will " more powerfully than any other, which many divines " have therefore chosen to express by the phrase of de- *' kctatio victrix\.^

SECTION XVIII.

The Opinions of Mr* Locke and Mr. Addison.

At will be difficult to prove that any of the modern worshippers of their own reason possess under- standings better illuminated than those of the great ornaments of our country, Locke and Addison; and they have left on record their opinion on the reality and

p. 221 — 233. Jortin's Six Dissertations, No, 1. Warbiirton*s Doctrine of Grace. Fost. Sermons, vol, ii. No. 5. prses. p. 104, 105.

* John, iii. 8.

t Compare Deut. xxx, 6. Psal, cxix, 16. 20, 32, 47, 48. 97. 103. Psal. xix. 10, 11. Rom. vii. 22. 1 John, iv. 18, 19. Rem. v. 5. Le Blanc's Thes. p. 527, § 53. Bum. Life of Roch. p. 43—51. Barclay's Apol. p. 148. Burnet on Art, p. 120. Whitby Com- ment, vol. ii. p. 289, 290, Scougal's Works, p. 6—10. Seed's Serm. vol. i. p. 291. Ridley on the Spirit, p. 210. King's Origin of Evil, p. 71, 376—380, fourth edition.

94 CRRISflAK PHILOSOPHT,

necessity of supernatural assistance. It is evident, I think, that Mr. Locke's understanding and temper were very little inclined to admit any thing fanatical. He appears to have weighed well, in the balance of reason, whatever he advanced ; and therefore his testimony may be supposed to hctve authority on the minds of those who, in forming their religious principles, lay claim to pre-eminent rationality.

Mr. Addison is universally allov/ed to have united in himself the scholar, the philosopher, and the gentleman. His liberal and polished mind always appeared to me peculiarly formed for theological subjects, and he treats them in a most pleasing and persuasive manner. Let us hear both these great men on our present subject.

" To these I must," says Mr. Locke, " add one ad- <^ vantage more we have by Jesus Christ, and that is, " the promise of assistance. If we do what we can, " he will give us his spirit to hclfi us to do what, and " how we should. It will be idle for us, who know not " how our own spirits move and act us, to ask in what " manner the Spirit of God shall work upon us. The " wisdom that accompanies that spirit knows better than " we hov/ we are made, and how to work upon us. If " a wise man knows how to prevail on his child, to bring " him to what he desires, can we suspect that the spirit ^' and wisdomi of God fciil in it, though we perceive or '' comprehend not the ways of his operation? Christ has <' promised it, who is faithful and just, and we cannot " doubt of the performance. It is not requisite, on this <' occasion, for the inhancing of this benefit, to enlarge " on the frailty of minds, and weakness of our consti- <' tutions; how liable to mistakes, how apt to go astray, " and how easily to be turned out of the paths of virtue. " If any one needs go beyond himself and the testimony " of his own conscience on this point; if he feels not his <' own errors and passions always tempting him, and

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHr. 95

<^ often prevailing against the strict rules of his duty, he ^' need but look abroad mto any age of the world to be " convinced. To a man under the difficulties of his " nature, beset with temptations, and hedged in with " prevailing custom, it is no small encouragement to set " himself seriously on the courses of virtue and practice <' of true religion, that he is from a sure hand and an *' almighty arm promised assistance to support and " carry him through."

Let us hear also Mr. Addison, a lay divine of the first order.

" We who have this veil of flesh standing between '' us and the world of spirits, must be content to know " that the Spirit of God is present with us, by the effects " which he produceth in us. Our outward senses are " too gross to apprehend him; we may however taste " and see how gracious he is, by his influence upon our " minds, by those virtuous thoughts which he awakens " in us, by those secret comforts and refreshments which '" he conveys into our souls and by those ravishing joys " and inward satisfactions which are perpetually spring- " ing up and diffusing themselves among all the thoughts *' of good men. He is lodged in our very essence^ and is " as a soul tvithin the soul^ to irradiate its understanding ^ " rectify its will^ jiurifij its passions and eidiven all the " flowers of man. How happy therefore is an inteilec- " tual being, who, by prayer and meditation, by virtue " and good works, opens this communication between God " and his own soul ! Though the whole creation frowns " upon him, and all nature looks black about him, he " has his light and support within him, that are able to ^' cheer his mind, and bear him up in the midst of all ^' those horrors which encompass him. He knows that ^' his helper is at hand, and is always nearer to him than " any thing else can be, which is capable of annoying or ^' terrifying him. In the midst of calumny or contempt,

^6 CHRISriAN PHILOSOPRT,

" he attends to that being who whispers better things *' within his soul, and whom he looks upon as his de- <^ fender, his glory, and the lifter-up of his head. In ^' his deepest solitude and retirement he knows that he " is in company with the greatest of Beings ; and per- ^^ ceives within himself 5z/cA real sensations of his ^' firesence^ as are more delightful than any thing that " can be met with in the conversation of his creatures, ^f Even in the hour of death he considers the pains of *' his dissolution to be nothing else but the breaking ^^ down of that partition which stands betwixt his soul " and the sight of that Being, who is always present " with him, and is about to manifest itself to him in " fulness of joy.

" If we would be thus happy, and thus sensible of ^' our Maker's presence, from the secret effects of his " mercy and goodness, we must keep such a watch over " all our thoughts, that, in the language of the scrip- *^ ture, his soul may have fileasure in us* We must take " care not to grieve his Holy Spirit, and endeavour to <^ make the meditations of our hearts always acceptable " in his sight, that he may delight thus to reside and " dwell in us. The light of nature could direct Seneca " to this doctrine in a very remarkable passage among ^^ his epistles: ' 8acer ineat in nobis spiritus bonorum " malorumque custos ct observatory et quemadmodmn nos *' illu7n tractamus^ ita et ille nosJ* There is a Holy Spi- " rit residing in us, who watches and observes both good " and evil men, and will treat us after the same manner " that we treat him. But I shall conclude this discourse " with those more emphatical words in divine revela- " tion: ^' If a man love me^ he will keep, my woi'ds; a?id " my Father will love hirn^ and we will come and make our *' abode with him,"

I cannot help observing, that after the sour and bitter potions administered by tlie metaphysical sceptres of

C^mS^IAN PHILOSOPHT* 9^

i*ecent times, the pages of the Spectator seem to afford the heart a delicious ahment or a balsamic medicine. If men did not too much resemble the prodigal in the gospel, they would surely rejoice to feed on manna at their father's table, rather than on husks with swine.

SECTION XIX.

The Ofiinion of Soame Jenyns on the fundamental Prin^ ciples of Christianity.

" If Christianity is to be learned out of the New " Testament, and words have any weaning affixed to " them, the fundamental principles of it are these:

" That mankind came into this world in a depraved " and fallen condition; that they are placed here for a " while, to give them an opportunity to work out their " salvation ; that is, by a virtuous and pious life to purge *' off that guilt and depravity, and recover their lost state " of happiness and innocence in a future Hfe ; that this " they are unable to perform without the grace and " ASSISTANCE OF GoD ; and that, after their best endea- " vours, they cannot hope for pardon from their own " merits, but only from the merits of Christ, and the " atonement made for their transgressions by his suffer- " ings and death. This is clearly the sum and substance " of the Christian dispensation ; and so adverse is it to <^ all the principles of human reason^ that if brought be- " fore her tribunal, it must inevitably be condemned. If " we give no credit to its divine authority, any attempt " to reconcile them is useless, and, if we believe it, pre- " sumptuous in the highest degree. To prove the Rea- " soNABLENEss of a rcvelatiou, is in fact to destroy it; " because a revelation implies information of something

96 CMRISfJAN fHILOSOPIir.

" which reason cannot discover^ and therefore must be ^< different from its deductions, or it would be no revela- « tion."

The opinion of a professed wit and man of fashion may have weight with those .who are prejudiced against professional divines. It has been doubted by many whether Mr. Jenyns was a sincere Christian. I am inclined to believe that he was sincere. As, in recommending Christianity, it is right to become all things to all men^ that we inay save somcy his testimony is admitted in this place, though his lively manner of writing throws an air of levity on subjects, which, from their important nature, must always be considered as grave by all the partakers of mortality, who think justly and feel acutely.

SECTION XX.

The O/iinion of Bishofi Horsely on the prevalent JSTeglect of teaching the peculiar Doctrines of Christianity^ under the Idea that Moral Duties constitute the Whole or the better part of it. Among the peculiar DoctHnes is evidently included that of Grace^ which the Metho* dists inculcate^ (as the Bishofi intimates^) not errone^ ously.

-DISHOP Horsleyhas proved himself a mathe- matician and philosopher of the first rank, as well as a divine. All his works display singular vigour of intel- lect. He cannot be suspected of weak superstition op wild fanaticism. To the honour of Christianity, the editor of Newton, as well as Newton himself, is a firm supporter of its most mysterious doctrines. I desire

tHRISriAN PHILOSOPffr» 99

the reader to Weigh well the words of this able divine, as they were delivered in a charge to his clergy.

" A maxim has been introduced;" says he, " that the " laity, the more illiterate especially, have little concern " with the mysteries of revealed religion, provided they " be attentive to its duties ; vi^hence it hath seemed a safe " and certain conclusion, that it is more the office of a ** Christian teacher to press the practice of religion upon " the consciences of his hearers, than to inculcate and " insert its doctrines.

" Again, a dread of the pernicious tendency of some " extravagant opinions, which persons, more to be " esteemed for the warmth of their piety than the sound- " ness of their judgment, have grafted in modern times, " upon the doctrine of justification by faith, as it is stated " in the lith, 12th, and 13th of the Articles of our " Church, (which, however, is no private tenet of the " church of England, but the common doctrine of all " the first reformers, not to say that it is the very comer- " sione of the nvhole By stem of redemfition^ adrea,dof the " pernicious tendency of those extravagant opinions, '^ which seem to emancipate the believer from the autho- " rity of all moral law, hath given general credit to " another maxim; which I never hear without extreme ^^ concern from the lips of a divine, either from the pul- " pit or in familiar conversation ; namely, that practical " religion and morality are one and the same thing: that ^' moral duties constitute the whole, or by far the better " part, of practical Christianity.

" Both these maxims are erroneous. Both, so far " as they are received, have a pernicious influence over " the ministry of the word. The first most absurdly " separates practice from the motives of practice. The " second, adopting that separation, reduces practical " Christianity to heathen virtue ; and the two, taken *^ together, have much contributed to divest our sermons

L9FC

100 CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHT.

" of the genuine sjiint and savour of Christianity^ and to " reduce them to mere moral essays: in which moral " duties are enforced, not, as indeed they might be to " good purpose, by scriptural motives, but by such argu- " ments as no where appear to so much advantage as in *' the writings of the heathen moraUsts, and are quite out " of their place in a pulpit. The rules delivered may " be observed to vary according to the temperament of " the teacher. But the system chiefly in request, with " those who seem the most in earnest in this strain of ^' preaching, is the strict but impracticable, unsocial, " sullen moral of the Stoics. Thus, under the influence " of these two pernicious maxims, it too often happens " that we lose sight of that w^hich is our proper oflice, " to publish ^the word of reconciliation, to propound the " terms of peace and pardon to the penitent, and we " make no other use of the high commission that we " bear, than to come abroad one day in the seven, '' dressed in solemn looks, and in the external garb of " holiness, to be the apes of Epictetus.

'^ The first of the two, which excludes the laity from ^' all concern with the doctrinal part of religion, and " directs the preacher to let the doctrine take its chance, " and to turn the whole attention of his hearers to prae^ " tice, must tacitly assume for its foundation (for it can " stand upon no other foundation) this complex propo- " sition : Not only that the practice of religious duties " is a far more excellent thing in the life of man, far ^' more ornamental of the Christian profession, than " any knowledge of the doctrine w ithout the practice ; " but, moreover, that men m.ay be brought to the prac- " tice of religion without previous instruction in its doc- " trines ; or in other words, that faith and practice are, " in their nature, separable things. Now the former " branch of this double assumption, that virtue is a moi^ *^ excellent thing in human life than knowledge, is un-

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHY 10 1

^< questionably true, and a truth of great importance, « which cannot be too frequently or too earnestly incul- " cated. But the second branch of the assumption, that « faith and practice are separable things, is a gross mis- " take, or rather a manifest contradiction. Practical « holiness is the end ; faith is the means : and to suppose " faith and practice separable, is to suppose the end « attainable without the use of means. The direct con- " trary is the truth. The practice of religion will " always thrive, in proportion as its doctrines are gene- ^' rally understood and firmly received; and the prac- " tice will degenerate and decay, in proportion as the " doctrine is misunderstood or neglected. It is true, " therefore, that it is the great duty of a preacher of the " gospel to press the practice of its precepts upon the " consciences of men ; but then it is equally true, that ^' it is his duty to enforce this practice in a particular ^' way ; namely, by inculcating its doctrines. The mo- ^' tives which the revealed doctrines furnish, are the only ^' motives he has to do with, and the only motives by " which religious duty can be effectually enforced.

" I am aware, that it has been very much the fashion, " to suppose a great want of capacity in the common *' people, to be carried any great length in religious " knowledge, more than in the abstruse sciences. That " the world and all things in it had a maker; that the •' Maker of the world made man, and gave him the life " which he now enjoys ; that he who first gave life, can *^ at any time restore it; that he can punish, in a future " life, crimes which he suffers to be committed with im- " punity in this ; some of these first principles of religion *< the vulgar, it is supposed, may be brought to compre- ** hend. But the peculiar doctrines of revelation, the " trinity of persons in the undivided Godhead; the in; " carnation of the second person ; the expiation of sin '^ by the Redeemer's sufferings and death; the efficacy

I 2

102 CHBISriAN PHILOSOPHT,

" of his intercession; the mysterious commerce of "the believer's soul with the divine spirit; " these things are supposed to be far above their reach. " If this were really the case, the condition of man would " indeed be miserable, and the proffer of mercy, in the " gospel, little better than a mockery of their woe ; for ^' the consequence would be, that the common people " could never be carried beyond the first principles of " what is called natural religion. Of the efficacy of " natural religion, as a rule of action, the world has had " the long experience of 1600 years. For so much was " the interval between the institution of the Mosaic " church, and the publication of the gospel. During " that interval, certainly, if not from an earlier period, " natural religion was left to try its powers on the " heathen world. The result of the experiment is, that " its powers are of no avail. Among the vulgar^ natu- " ral religion never produced any effect at all ; among " the learned, much of it is to be foimd in their writings, '' little in their lives. But if this natural religion, a " thing of no practical efficacy, as experiment has de- " monstrated, be the utmost of religion which the com- " mon people can receive, then is our preaching vain, " Christ died in vain, and man must still perish. Blessed " be God! the case is far otherwise. As we have, on " the one side, experimental proof of the insignificance " of what is called natural religion ;* so, on the other, in " the success of the first preachers of Christianity we " have an experimental proof of the sufficiency of re- " vealed religion to those very ends in which natural *^ religion failed. In their success we have experimen- " tal proof that there is nothing in the gi^at mystery of " godliness, which the vulgar, more than the learned, " want capacity to apprehend, since, upon the first " preaching of the gospel, the illiterate, the scorn of <' Pharisaical pride, who knew not the law, and were

CHRTStlAIf PHILOSOPIir. 103

<' therefore deemed accursed, were the first to under- " stand, and to embrace the Christian doctrine.****

" An OYER-ABUNDANT zcal to check the phrenzy of " the Methodists, first introduced that unscriptural " language which confounds religion and morality.**** " The great crime* and folly of the Methodists consists " not so much in heterodoxy^ as in fanaticism : not in " PERVERSE DOCTRINE, but rather in a disorderly zeal " for the propagation of the truth.**** Reason, till " she has been taught by the lively oracles of God, " knows nothing of the sfiiritual life^ and the food " brought down from heaven for its sustenance.*'

The Bishop here intimates, that " our sermons are " often divested of the genuine spirit and savour of " Christianity." If so, it is no wonder that our churches are forsaken and our religion despised. It is a fact, to which I have frequently been an eye-witness, that spa- cious churches in ^London, capable of containing thou- sands, are almost empty, notwithstanding the preachers every where inculcate excellent morality. Wherever indeed there appears, what the common people call, an EVANGELICAL preacher, the churches are so crouded that it is difficult to gain admittance. The multitude hunger and thirst for the spiritual food; yet evangelical preaching is discouraged by many in high places^ because it is said to savour of enthusiasm and to delude the vul-

* The phraseology and charge, in this place, w€ understand from a respectable source, is somewhat exceptionable ; and that some judic'ous and candid readers have expressed their regret that so valuable a book, otherwise, should contain a sentiment so calculated to give displeasure to a numerous and respectable body of christians, who, as the author admits, are zealously engaged in '< the propagation of the truth"— and as a body of people, they consider the charge of fanaticism unjustly applied.

104 CHRIS'TIAN PHILOSOPHr.

-gar*. But it is this preaching alone which will pre- serve Christianity among us, and cause it to be consi- dered as any thing better than a state-engine for the depression of the people.

SECTION XXI.

The Church of England teaches the true Doctrine of Grace.

ii

.N recommending to more general notice the doctrine of grace, I make no pretensions to a new dis- covery. It is obviously the doctrine of the Gospel; it is obviously the doctrine of the Church; it is fully ac- knowledged by all who sincerely use that form of prayer, which is established by the authority not only of those who composed it, but of those who ever since its com- position, even to the present day, retain it in the divine service.

Bishop Gibson, who was certainly a zealous friend to the Church of England, has collected a number of pas-

* Erasmus was a consummate judge of preaching and preach- ers. Let us hear him.

Doctospiito quotquot crediderunt evangelio. Cur enim indocti debeant appellari, quiy (tit nihil aliud,) e symbolo apostolonim didicc' nint illam ultramundanam philosophiam, qiiam non Py- thagoras aut PlatOy sed ipse T> -EI F11.IVS tradidit hominibus; qui a Christo doctl sunt, qua. via ad quern felicitatis scopum tendere. Ubicimque est vera sanctitas, ibi est magna philosophic minimeque vulgaris eruditio. Sed tamen inter hos egregie doctos ex- ceilujity qiiibus peculiar i Spirit us niunijicentid datum est, iit ad •Justitiam erudiant midtos ; qtdbiis Dominus dedit labia, 7ion in qui- bus ilia gentium Tru^a^ fiexaiiima, sed in quibiis ex unctione Spi- RiTUS diffusa est gratia cceLESXis. Erasm. Eccles,

CHRISTIAN FRILOSOPHT. 105

^ages from the liturgy, to shew that the public offices of the Church are duly regardful of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit.

" In the daily service, we pray to God to grant us true <' repentance and his Holy Spirit — ^to replenish the King " with the grace of his Holy Spirit — to endue the Royal " Family with his Holy Spirit — ^to send down upon our " Bishops and Curates, and all Congregations commit- " ted to their charge, the healthful Sjiirit of his grace — " that the Catholic Church may be guided and governed " by his good Spirit^ and that the fellowship of the Holy " Ghost may be ever with us.

" In the Litany we pray that God will illuminate all ^' Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, with the true know- " ledge and understanding of his Word — will endue us " with the grace of his Holy Spirit, and that we may all " bring forth the fruits of the Spirit.

" In the Collects we pray that God will grant us the ^^ true circumcision of the Spirit, that our hearts and all " our members being mortified from all worldly arid " carnal lusts, we may in all things obey his blessed « ^yiij — that God will send his Holy Ghost, and pour " into our hearts the most excellent gift of charity — " that we may ever obey the godly motions of the Spirii " in righteousness and true holiness — that by his holy " inspiration we may think those things that be good, " and by his merciful guiding may perform the same — <' that God will not leave us comfortless, but send to us " his Holy Ghost to comfort us — that by his Spirit v/e " may have a right judgment in all things, and ever- " more rejoice in his holy comfort — that his Holy Spi- " rit may in all things direct and rule our hearts — that " he will cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the in- ^' spiration of his Holy Spirit.

" In the office for Confirmation, we pray for the per- ^' sons to be confirmed, that God will strengthen them

106 CttRISriAN PniLOSOPHT.

" with the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, and daily in- " crease in them his manifold gifts of grace, the spirit " of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel " and ghostly strength, the spirit of knowledge and true " godliness — that he will fill them with the spirit of his " holy fear — and that they may daily increase in his *' Holy Spirit more and more."

The articles of original sin, free-will and justification evince that the Church of England maintains the doc- trine of light, sanctity, and life, deriveable from the ope- ration of the Holy Ghost, And there is a curious pas- sage in a book, written by Archbishop Cranmer and the Committee of Divines, entitled Mcessary Erudition for a Christian Man^ which fully declares, that " besides " many other evils that came by the fall of man, the " high power of man's reason and freedom of will were ^' wounded and corrupted ; and all men thereby brought ^' into such blindness and infirmity, that they cannot " eschew sin, excefit they be illuminated and made free *^ by an especial grace, that is to say, by a supernatural ^' help and working of the Holy Ghost*.'*

There can be no doubt, in the mind of an impartid inquirer, that the church teaches the doctrine of super- natural influence in plain and strong terms; and that it derives it from the holy scriptures. " For it is by the " Spirit of wisdom that our understandings areenlighten- ^' ed: it is by the Spirit that we are rooted and grounded <^ in love, and that our souls are purified in obeying the '^ truth ; it is by the Spirit that we are called unto liber- " ty ; for where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty ; ^^ in a word, it is by the Spirit that all our infimiities

* This book was published by Henry VIII. 1543, and approved by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Lower House of Par-* liament.

CHRISflAN PHILOSOPHT. 107

^^ are helped, and that we are strengthened with might " in the inner man*."

" Without me," says Christ, " ye can do nothing.'^ Our blessed Saviour opened the understandings of his disciples, that they might understand the scriptures. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia, that she attended to the things that were spoken of Paul. The natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God ; for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, in the knowledge of him, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. — No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. — For by grace ye are saved through faith ; and that not of your- selves; it is the gift of Godf*

If there be meaning in words, these passages evince the reality and necessity of internal illumination from the great fountain of light. And what says the homily of the church? " In reading of God's word, he most " profiteth, not always that is most ready in turning of 'S the book, or in saying of it without the book, but he " that is most turned into it, that is, most inspired with <^ the Holy Ghost." In the same homily, a passage from Chrysostom is quoted to the following purport: " Man's human and worldly^ wisdom and science is not

* Eph. i. 17. 1 Pet. 22. Gal. v. 13. 2 Cor. iii. 17. Rora. viii. 26. Ephes. iii. 16, 17.

t John, XV. 5. Acts, xvi. 14. Ephes. i. 17, 18. 1 Cor. xii. 3. Luke, xxiv. 45. 1 Cor. ii. 14. 2 Cor. iv. 6.

108 CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHT.

"needful to the understanding of scripture, but the reve- *f lation of the Holy Ghost, who, inspireth the true mean-' " ing unto them that with humility and diligence do seek " therefore."

In the Ordination Office, the Bishop says to the can- didates for priest's orders, " Ye cannot have a mind or " will thereto of yourselves, for the will and ability is " given of God alone. Therefore ye ought and have " need to pray earnestly for the Holy Spirit. You " will continually pray to God the Father, by the medi- " ation of our only Saviour Jesus Christ, for the heaven- " ly assistance of the Holy Ghost.'*

A great number of citations might be brought to prove that the doctrine of grace or supernatural assist- ance is established by the church in exact conformity to the scriptures * ; but it is not necessary to insist on a truth which is evident to every one who reads the Com- mon-prayer book and the Bible^

SECTION XXII.

On the Means of obtaining the Evidence of Christianity^ afforded by the Holy Spirit*

X NOW come to the most important part of my subject. I have produced, as I intended, the unexcep- tionable authority of great and good men, most eminent divines, to countenance and support me in recommend- ing, above all other evidence, the evidence of the Holy Ghost, to the truth of Christianity. After the suffrages

* It never can be consistent with the character of an honest man solemnly to subscribe to the doctrines of g^ace, seriously to pray in the church for divine influence, and then to teach and preach against the whole doctrine.

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHT. lO^

of such men in favour of this sublime doctrine, no man can justly call it heterodox or improperly enthusiasticah I could indeed cite many other most respectable autho- rities ; but I have already exceeded the just limits of quo- tation. It now remains to point out the means of ob- taining this evidence.

Faith is the gift of God*. To the Giver only it belongs to prescribe the means of obtaining his boun- ty. He has prescribed the written Word and Prayer. Faith cometh by hearings and hearing by the Word of GoDf. But the whole tenor of the Gospel proves, that the written Word has not efficacy of itself to convince our understandings, nor reform our hearts; to produce either faith in God or repentance from dead works, without the aid of the Holy Ghost,

Now the aid of the Holy Ghost is promised to prayer: " If ye," says our Saviour, ^' being evil, know " how to give good gifts unto your children, how much " more shall God give the Holy Spirit to them that "ask him?"

The Holy Spirit, it appears from this passage, is the best gift, which the best, wisest and most powerful of Beings, can bestow, and he has promised it those who ask it with faith and humility. An easy condition of obtaining the greatest comfort of which the heart of man is capable, together with full evidence of the truth of Christianity.

But do the inquirers into the truth of Christianity seek its evidence in this manner? Do they fall on their knees, and lift up their hearts in supplication? It appears rather that they trust to their own Jioiver^ than to the power of God. They take down their folios, they have recourse to their logic, their metaphysics, nay even their mathe-^

* Eph. ii. 8. t Rom. x. 7.

110 CIlRISriAIT PHILOSOPHT*

mattes'*^, and examine the mere historical and extemal evidence with the eyes of criticism and heathen philoso- phy. The unbelievers^ on the other hand, do the same ; and, as far as wit and subtle reasoning goes, there are many who think that a Tindal and a Collins were more than equal to a Clarke and a Coneybeare. There is no doubt but that infidelity is diffused by theological contro-- verst/y whenever the illumination of the Spirit, the sanc- tity of the Gospel, is entirely laid aside, and the v/hole clause left to the decision of human wit and invention.

He that would be a Christian indeed, and not merely a disputant or talker about Christianity, must seek bet- ter evidence than man, short-sighted as he is with the most improved sagacity, ignorant as he is with the deepest learning, can by any means afford. He must, in the words of the Psalmistf, " often his mouth and draw " in the Sftirit.'' The Holy Ghost will give him the SPIRIT OF SUPPLICATION I, whicli wiU breathe out in prayer, and inhale from him who first inspired the di- vine ftarticle [j, fresh supplies of grace. He must con-- tinue instant in ftrayer. This will preserve his mind in a state fit to receive the Holy Visitant from on high, who brings with him balsam for the heart, and light for the understanding. The result will be full evidence of Giiristianity, full confidence in Jesus Christ, joy and peace on earth, and a lively hope of salvation. What a sunshine must a mind in such a state enjoy : how dif- ferent from the gloominess of the sceptic or unbeliever; how superior to the coldness of the mere disputant in scholastic or sophistical divinity !

With respect to the efficacy of prayer in bringing down the assistance, the illumination of the Holy Ghost,

* See Ditton, Baxter, Huet, and many others who undertake to demonstrate J almost gtometrically, the truth of the gospel, t Psal. cxix. 131. \ Zach. xii. 10.

II Divinse particulam aur«e. Hor,

CHRISTIAN PtilLOSOPffr. ill

not merely in teaching doctrinal notions, but in the actuail conduct of life', let us hear the declaration of Lord Chief Justice Hale, whose example I select, because he wa« a layman, a man deeply conversant in the business of the world, a great lawyer, and therefore may contribute to prove, that they who value themselves on their world- ly sagacity, and frequently consider the affairs of re- ligion as trifles, compared with the contests for property and the concerns of jurisprudence, need not, in the most active life and most exalted stations, be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.

" I can call," says he, " my own experience to wit- ^* ness, that even in the extenial actions, occurrences " and incidents of my whole life, I was never disappoint- " ed of the best guidance and direction^ when in humility, " and a sense of deficiency, and diffidence of my own " ability to direct myself, or to grappel with the difficul- " ties of my life, I have implored the secret guidance of ^* the divine Wisdom and Providence,"

SECTION XXIII.

Temperance necessary to the Reception and Continuance of the Holy Spirit in the Hearty and consequently to the Evidence of Christianity afforded by Divine llhnnina^ tion.

X HE Apostle says, Be not drunk with nvine^ roherein is excess; but be filled with the spinir*. The word cci76jrii){. in the original, here rendered excess^ corres- ponds with the Latin prodigalitas, which, in the Roman law, characterised the spendthrift and debauchee, inca- pable, from his vices, of managing his own afl'airs, and

* Eph. V, 18.

112 eHRISflAN PBILOSOPSn

therefore placed by the praetor under the guardianship of trustees, M^ithout whose concurrence he could perform no legal act*. He was considered as an infant and an idiot. The words of the Apostle may then be thus para- phrased. " Be not intemperate in wine, because intem- " perance will destroy your reason, and degrade you to " a state of infantine imbecility^ without infantine inno- " cence-^ but be filled with the spirit; that is, let your " reason be exalted, purified, clarified to the highest *^ state by the co-operation of the divine reason^ which " canndt be, if you destroy the natural faculties which " God has given you, by drunkenness and gluttony*'*

I think it evident, from this passage, as well as from the conclusion of reason, that all excess tends to exclude the radiance of grace. The mental eye is weakened by it, and cannot bear the celestial lustre t»

That great master of reasoning, Aristotle, maintain- ed that pleasures are corruptive of jirincijilts {^■^cc^nx^cii rm oto^^v) ; and many of the antients were of opinion, that vice disqualified for philosophical pursuits, M^here the object was merely terrestrial and human, by raising a thick cloud round the understanding, which the rays of truth could not penetrate. It was for this reason that one of them maintained that " juvenis non est idoneus " moralis fihilosophiie auditor ;'*' that though youth is most in v/ant of moral instruction, yet, from the violence of its passions, and its usual immersion in sensuality, it was the least qualified to comprehend^ he does not say to

* See Dr, Powers Sermon on the text.

fW3, TO TJjj aXn^iiotg svoTTT^itrxcrB-ai jcolXXo?* As it is impossible for an eye, labouring under a malady which causes a defluction, to see clearly any very bright and brilliant object, till the impurity is removed; so if is for the mind, unpossessed of virtue, to reflect the beautiful image of truth, MkrocUs, in Prcef, ad P^tba^K

CHRISI'IJN PHILOSOPHT, 113

adopt or follow, but even to understand^ the doctrines of moral j^hilosophy.

One of our own philosophers*, who in many respects equalled the antients, justly observes, " That anger, im- " patience, admiration of persons, or a pusillanimous " over-estimation of them, desire of victory more than /^ of truth, too close an attention to the things of this ^^ world, as riches, power, dignities, immersion of the " iN^iND INTO THE BODY, and the slaking of that noble and " divine Jire\ of the soul by intemperance and luxury ; " all these are very great enemies to all manner of know- " ledge, as well natural as divine."

I therefore earnestly recommend it to every serious man, who wishes to be convinced of Christianity, to con- sider it in the morning \^ before either the cares of the world, or the fumes of that intemperance \\ which con- viviality sometimes ocpasions, blunt the feelings of the heart, and spreads a film over the visual nerve of the mental eye**.

* Dr, Henry More. f Igi^eus itle vigor.

\ Those that seek