But the truth is this; God, who gave all men one law, gave every man that share of reason which he enjoys: fools are capable of receiving no law; and no man is farther capable than in proportion to the degree of reason which God has given him : and consequently, in truth and equity, the law is no farther a law to him, than his reason is capable of receiving it. And since reason comes as much from God as the law itself; it is wrong to imagine that the true sense of the law is the only and the single rule by which God will judge: since it is evident in equity and justice, that the sentence on every man must arise from the complex consideration of the law that was before him, and the degree of reason which he had to apply it. This great difficulty therefore, I beseech you, trust with God; and doubt not but that the righteous Judge of the world will do righteously. SUMMARY OF DISCOURSE XVI. EPHESIANS, CHAP. II.-VERSE 18. THE text rightly understood will give us a distinct conception of the Christian religion as distinguished from all others, natural, or pretending to revelation; inasmuch as the access unto God which this opens to us, is different from that exhibited by the others. All religions having the same end, viz. to please God, by serving him according to his will, for the sake of happiness here and hereafter, they differ in the means which they prescribe for this purpose. Two things to be regarded in the choice and appointment of these means; the holiness and majesty of God, and the nature and condition of man: reasons for this given. In all places where the gospel is unknown, or schemes are set up in opposition to the gospel, men split on one or other of these rocks: the gentile religion is inconsistent with God's holiness, as allowing of impure rites and vicious practices; injurious also to his majesty, as dividing the honor due to him among the creatures; natural religion again, founded on the purity and holiness of God's nature, prescribes a worship pure and holy, but prescribes it to men who have lost these qualities, and are unable to perform the rigorous conditions: thus it requires brick, as it were, without straw; and can afford no settled peace or satisfaction. Hence it appears how deplorable the condition of mankind must have been without the interposition of God by a new revelation; since every religion that could be framed would be deficient in one or other of these respects this point enlarged on. The Christian religion alone has effectually provided against both objections: this shown at some length. Some observations drawn from the text, and what has been already said on it. First; these means of salvation which Christianity has provided, viz. the assistance of the Spirit, and the mediation of the Son, were necessary to the life of the world, the state and condition of man considered. Not meant that they were so absolutely necessary that an all-powerful and all-wise God could not save the world by any other method; but that the condition of man before the coming of Christ was such that he could not, by the help of reason and nature, so apply himself to God as to be secure of his pardon and mercy; but there was a necessity of providing other means; and those we have being made choice of by God, we may safely affirm that such were necessary for the salvation of the world. The truth of the proposition thus limited, plainly shows the reasonableness of the gospel, and God's wisdom in the revelation of it: for suppose the contrary to be true, that men were able of themselves to do God's will, engage his favor, and obtain salvation, and it will then be hard to account for the reasonableness of Christianity and God's wisdom, which provides preternatural assistances to serve ends which could be accomplished without them but if we consider man in the state in which Scripture represents him, we shall see the want there was of the Mediator for our reconciliation with God, and the Holy Spirit for his influence in subduing our unruly passions. The economy of God in the gospel dispensation, closely shut up in the words of the text, explained for a distinct conception of it, we must conceive the Spirit of God as always present with us; the Son as always in the presence of the Father; each exercising their respective offices: this will teach us what it is to have access by the Spirit, through Christ: this point enlarged on. But, Secondly; these being the necessary means of salvation, it was likewise necessary to reveal to the world the doctrines con cerning the Son and the Holy Spirit: and the belief of them is necessary to every Christian, as far as the right use of the means depends on the right faith and belief of the doctrines. Whosoever denieth the Son, saith St. John, hath not the Father: for since we can only come to the Father through the Son, to deny the Son is to cut off all communication between us and the Father. The same may be said of the blessed Spirit, through whom we are in Christ: if any man, says St. Paul, have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his : our Saviour himself has told us, this is eternal life, to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent. When we were to be put under the conduct of the Spirit, and all our hopes rested on obedience to his holy motions, was it not necessary to inform us who this Spirit is? and that he is sufficient to the office allotted him, viz. to instruct us in the ways of God, and to rescue us from the powers of evil? Human reason may find it hard to conceive that this holy Spirit is the eternal Spirit of God, &c.; but it would be harder still to believe that the Spirit could do what is ascribed to him in Scripture, unless he were this glorious person: this point enlarged on God therefore has dealt with us more like reasonable creatures, in declaring the dignity and power of the persons in whom we are to trust, than if he had required from us the same faith in them without such a declaration and this shows how foolishly men sometimes charge God, when they complain of the heavy burthen laid on their faith and understanding by the gospel doctrines in this respect. : We see now what every Christian has to hope for from the assistance of the Spirit, and intercession of the Son: we were all strangers to God, and children of disobedience; but are now reconciled to him, and can approach him as our loving Father. Having this access, our all depends on the use we make of this great privilege. By having access to God, we are not placed in a state of security, but in one of probation : this idea enlarged on to the end. DISCOURSE XVI. EPHESIANS, CHAP. II.-VERSE 18. For through him we both have an access by one Spirit unto the Father. THESE words, rightly understood, will give us a distinct conception of the nature of the Christian religion, as it stands distinguished from all others, whether natural, or pretending to revelation. All religions pretend to give access to God, by instructing men in what manner to approach him by prayer and supplication; how to please him and obtain his favor and protection, by such works as each religion accounts to be holy and acceptable to God; and how to reconcile ourselves to him, after having offended him by our transgressions, through sorrow and repentance, or such other means as have been devised and instituted as effectual to this end. But the access to God, which the gospel opens to us, is to be had only under the guidance and direction of God's holy Spirit, and in the name and through the mediation of God's own Son. This access is the only one which the Christian religion knows any thing of; for we cannot come to God but by his holy Spirit, and through his Son: and this is what no other religion does or can pretend to. The end of all religion is manifestly this, to please God by serving him according to his will, in order to obtain of him happiness in this world and in the next: for the belief that God is the Governor of the world, and the Giver of every good thing, is the foundation of all the religious worship and honor which are paid to him. All religions being thus far the same, they differ when they come to prescribe the method, and to appoint the proper means by which God is to be served and applied to. Two things there are, which must necessarily be regarded in |