DISCOURSE

PSALM XCIV. 19.

XII.

In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my foul.

The old translation renders it thus:

In the multitude of the forrows that had in my heart, thy comforts have refreshed my foul.

DISCOURSE

In Two Parts..

PSALM 1xxxviii. 15.

Page 213

XIII.

While I fuffer thy terrors, I am diftracted. P. 229

DISCOURSE

PSALM XIX. 14.

XIV

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy fight, my ftrength, and my Redeemer,

DISCOURSE XV.

LUKE xii. 21.

Lord, P. 261.

So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is

not rich towards God.

P. 275

DISCOURSE

LUKE xxii. 61, 62.

XVI.

And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter; and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he faid unto him, Before the cock crow, thou sbalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

Page 291.

DISCOURSE

XVII.

MATTHEW xiv. 1, 2.

At that time Herod the Tetrarch heard of the fame of Jefus, and faid unto his fervants, This is John the Baptift, he is risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do fhew forth themfelves in him. P. 307

DISCOURSE

ROMANS vi. 21.

XVIII.

What fruit had ye then in thofe things whereof ye are now afbamed? for the end of thofe things is death.

P. 319.

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DISCOURSE I.

ACTS XV. I, 2.

And certain men, which came down from Judea, taught the brethren, and faid, Except ye be circumcifed after the manner of Mofes, ye cannot be saved. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no fmall diffention and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerufalem unto the apostles and elders, about this question.

W

E learn from the text, and other parts of holy writ, That the earliest and pureft times of the gospel were not free from difputes and controverfies in religion: that the authority of the apofles, tho' confirmed by figns and wonders, was not fufficient to lay the heats and prejudices of men ; which, like ancient inhabitants, having poffeffion and prefcription to plead for their right, were

with great difficulty removed: that the apoftles themselves, however agreed in one and the fame doctrine, were of different opinions as to the prudential methods of dealing with the oppofition they found; fome giving way to the torrent, that men might have time to cool, and recover the calmnefs of reafon and judgment; others endeavouring refolutely to ftem the tide, and not. to give way, no, not for an hour, that the "truth of the gofpel might continue." "Hence: arofe the conteft between Peter and Paul; fo that, as the apostle of the Gentiles himself tells us, he withstood Peter to the face..

966

To the fame caufe likewise we may ascribe: much of the prefent difficulty and obscurity of the books of the New Teftament; for the writers, being neceffarily drawn into controverfy by this. means, which always has, and in the nature of the thing must have, reference to the opinions and prejudices of the difputers; there are many things in fcripture which appear dark to us,. for want of a diftinct knowledge of the errorsand mifconceits which the writers oppofe; many things delivered down to us, in which it is not eafy, at first fight, to distinguish how far the holy penman argues upon the truth of our common Christianity, and how far upon the principles and conceffions of his adverfary. From whence it has come to pafs, that fome things have been taught by unfkilful interpreters of fcripture, as the doctrines of Chriftianity, which were no better than the errors of Judaizing

converts..