From these considerations, arises the importance of inculcating much, and often, the preceptive part of the Scriptures, from the Desk. I well know, that preaching of this nature has been opposed, and censured, by individuals, in several classes of Christians. By Antinomians it may be consistently censured. As these men suppose themselves released from the Law of God, as a rule of duty, by the gracious dispensation of the Gospel; they have considered the preaching of the Law as useless, and even as mischievous. Such sermons as have urged the religious and moral duties of man, they have styled "legal sermons," and those who have delivered them, "legal preachers." By this language they have intended to insinuate, or openly to declare, that the design of such preaching was the establishment of the doctrine, that we are justified by works of Law; and the subversion of the Evangelical doctrine, that we are justified by grace, through faith in the Redeemer. That men have urged obedience to the Precepts of the Scriptures, with this design, I shall not question, any more than that the same men have pursued the same design by descanting on the doctrines of the Scriptures; and even on those, which are purely Evangelical. But, that inculcating the practical duties, which are required of mankind in the Scriptures, is, in this sense, legal preaching, I wholly deny. If this is its true character, Christ Himself was a legal preacher. This Glorious Person in his own discourses has given these precepts, expatiated upon them, and urged obedience to them upon mankind, in a vast multi- tude of forms, to a great extent, and with unrivalled force and beauty. His Sermon on the Mount is an illustrious, and pre-eminent example of this nature.

This error, it must be owned, has not been confined to Antinomians. Zealous men, enrolled by themselves in other classes of Christians, and deluding themselves, almost of course, by the warmth, and haste, with which they decide concerning every subject, have entertained similar views, and adopted similar language. I would ask these men, To what purpose were the precepts of the Scriptures given? Why are they so often, so variously, and so forcibly urged upon mankind? I would ask them, Whether all Scripture is, or is not, given by inspiration of God; and whether it is, or is not, all profitable, not only for doctrine, reproof, and correction, but also for instruction in righteousness? If this inquiry must be answered affirmatively concerning the Old Testament; it cannot be answered negatively concerning the New.

There are those, who, on the contrary, confine most or all of their discourses from the Pulpit to the precepts of the Scriptures; and either wholly, or chiefly, leave the doctrines, which they contain, out of their preaching. Such preachers are equally censurable with their adversaries. No justification can be pleaded for the conduct of either. This separation cannot lawfully be made

VOL. IV.

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by either. God has united them: they cannot, therefore, be disjoined by man. He, who preaches a part of the Gospel, cannot be said to preach the Gospel which Paul preached. He may not, indeed, utter doctrines, or precepts, contrary to those of Paul. But he purposely avoids preaching the whole Gospel of Paul; and although not guilty of denying, or subverting, either the truths, or the injunctions, given us by the Apostle, yet, for mutilating the system, he merits severe reprehension.

Such preachers, as profess the doctrines of the Reformation, have been frequently charged with neglecting, to a great degree, the duty of inculcating the Morality of the Gospel. In solitary instances, the charge may have been deserved. That it is generally just, there is not a single reason to believe. I regard it as one of those general charges, which fall every where, and rest no where: the refuge of weak and unworthy minds, when they wish to indulge a spirit of bitterness by uttering severe imputations, and yet dare not fasten them upon individuals, for fear of being required to support them by evidence. So far as my knowledge of preachers extends, those, who are sometimes called "Evangelical," inculcate the practical duties of mankind with more frequency, and more earnestness, than most other men. They do not, indeed, preach the morals of Heathen Philosophy. But they preach the cordial, principled morality of the Gospel, springing from the faith, without which it is impossible to please God.

In my own view, this preaching is indispensable to mankind: and I cordially unite with the excellent Doddridge in saying, "Happy would it be for the Church of Christ, if these important doctrines of practical religion were more inculcated; and less of the zeal of its teachers spent in discussing vain questions, and intricate strifes about words, which have been productive of so much envy and contention, obloquy and suspicion."

The next subject, which offers itself to our consideration in a System of Theology, is the Nature of that Inability to obey the Divine Law, which is commonly acknowledged to be a part of the human character. It is hardly necessary to observe, that scarcely any moral subject has been more a theme of contention, than this. It is no part of my design to recount the clashing opinions, which have been formed concerning it, or the controversies, to which it has given birth. Metaphysical discussion has, for ages, lavished upon it all its subtilties. As I neither claim the reputation, nor enjoy the pleasure, furnished by disquisitions of this nature, I shall not attempt to add any subtilties of my own to the mass, which has already been accumulated. That ingenious men have, in several instances, thrown considerable light upon this difficult topic, I readily admit; and can easily believe, that it may be illumined still further. It will be a prime part of my own design not to environ it with darkness and perplexity. A plain tale is always attended by this advantage, that it may be easily understood. That, which

I shall utter, will, I hope, be accompanied by the important additional advantage, that it will be true.

In the Text we are informed, that the carnal mind is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be. The words translated the carnal mind, are so ogovnu rns dagxos, the minding of the flesh. To mind, is to regard with attention, respect, or desire. Here it plainly signifies that general course of desires, which is exercised by mankind, in certain circumstances, towards certain objects; and which, in the preceding verse, is declared to be a state of spiritual death; or to terminate in future, everlasting death. It is obviously the prevailing, characteristical course of desire; the whole minding of the flesh. In the Text it is declared to be enmity against God. What is intended by the flesh is explained to us by Christ, John iii. 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. In other words, that which is born of man is possessed of the proper character of man. There are but two kinds of birth, mentioned in the Scriptures; and both these are expressed by our Saviour in this passage: viz. the Natural Birth, and Regeneration. All that, which experiences the Natural Birth, and this only, is declared by Christ to be flesh; as that, which experiences the Spiritual Birth, or Regeneration, is declared to be spirit. The moral character, here intended, is strongly indicated by our Saviour, when he informs us, that, that which is born of the flesh only, cannot, and that, that which is born of the Spirit, can, see the Kingdom of God. This moral character is still more particularly delineated by St. Paul, Galatians v. 19-23. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like. Of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they, which do such things, shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. It will hardly need proof, that the former of these classes of affections and actions, and such as these, are characteristical of man in his natural, unrenewed state; nor that the latter are exhibited by the Scriptures as constituting the true character of the Children of God.

That the affections, here mentioned, are not subject to the Law of God, will not admit of a question: since they are the very things forbidden by that Law. That they cannot be thus subject, while they continue to exist, is equally evident. Nor is it less certain from the proofs, given both by Revelation and Experience, that, where the soul is not renewed by the Spirit of God, they continue to exist through life. Revelation teaches us, that, unless a man be born again of the Spirit of God, he will continue to sustain the fleshly or natural character, while he lives; and that all those, who receive Christ, and become the Children of God, are born, not of

blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Experience shows, also, with a regular testimony, that the native moral character of man continues, in the ordinary course of things, the same through life.

The Nature of this Inability to obey the Law of God is, in my own view, completely indicated by the word Indisposition, or the word Disinclination. To elucidate this position I observe,

1. That the Divine Law originally requires nothing but Affec

tion.

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart; and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Here love to God and man is the only thing, expressly required. But it hardly needs to be observed, that to be inclined, or disposed to love God and our neighbour, is to possess that character, out of which all direct exercises of Love spring of course. He, therefore, who possessed this character, would, whenever his mind was active at all, exercise the affection, which is here required. He would be, and do, all which the Law enjoins, when considered in this point of view: for his disposition, and his exercises, would be the very things which are enjoined. Indisposition, or disinclination, to obey, then, is the only difficulty in the way of obedience; and, with respect to this subject, the only inability of man.

2. When the Divine Law, in its various Precepts, requires external actions, as affections; if our disposition accord with the Precept, the action will of course be performed.

I speak, here, of such actions, as are in our power: for the Law of God never requires any other.

For example, children are required to honour their Parents; particularly to support them, when, from their age, or infirmity, they are unable to support themselves. It will not be doubted, that, if Children are disposed thus to support them, they will actually furnish the support. Men are forbidden to steal. The case, it may be confidently affirmed, was never known, and never will be, in which a man, inclined upon the whole to obey this Command, or entirely disinclined to steal, was guilty of theft. Mankind are forbidden to murder. No man, absolutely indisposed to murder, ever perpetrated this crime. As in these, so in all other cases; as with respect to these Precepts, so with respect to all others; active obedience follows, inseparably, the disposition to obey. Wherever the inclination accords with the Precept, the tongue, the hands, and the feet, conform of course, and entirely, to its decisions.

3. If an Angel were to descend from Heaven, and reside upon the earth; he would, if he preserved his present disposition, obey the Divine Law as truly and as perfectly as he does now.

If an Angel were in this world, and were to possess exactly the same disposition which he possesses in the Heavenly world; he would obviously feel, and act, in the same manner. In other

words, he would be an Angel still. Were we to suppose his faculties lessened to the measure of ours, so that his understanding, and other natural powers, should in no respect exceed those of men; still, if his angelic disposition remained, he would perfectly obey the Divine Law. He would love God with all the heart, and his neighbour as himself. Should we suppose him to be lowered down, still farther, to the level of a child, and to possess no natural powers superior to those usually found in children; he would, nevertheless, if he retained his angelic disposition, continue to be perfectly obedient. Should any person question this; let him remember, that the Child Jesus is, in the Scriptures, pronounced to have been holy, and perfectly obedient, from the womb; and throughout all the successive periods of his life. When his faculties were in the earliest stages of their progress, he as perfectly obeyed, as he did, after he began his public Ministry. It cannot, then, be rationally doubted, that the angelic disposition, whatever might be the natural powers which it governed, would be, and would accomplish, all that is meant by perfect obedience to the Law of God. Of course, the real and only reason, why we perform not this obedience, is, that we do not possess such a disposition, as that of Angels. Our natural powers are plainly sufficient: our inclination only is defective.

4. This disinclination to obedience is still so obstinate and enduring, that it is never relinquished by man, except when under the renewing influence of the Spirit of God.

I have already observed, that those, who receive Christ, and become the Children of God, are declared by St. John, to be born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God; and by our Saviour, to be born of the Divine Spirit. The following passage from the prophet Ezekiel, chapter xxxvii. 24-28, will, I suppose, prove beyond a doubt, if not beyond a cavil, that this disposition is changed only by God Himself. For I will take you from among the Heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you; and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness; and from your idols will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes; and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. In this passage God declares, that he will gather the Israelites out of all countries into their own land; that he will cleanse them from all their filthiness; that he will give them a new heart, and a new spirit; that he will take away their stony heart, and give them an heart of flesh; that he will put his Spirit within them, and cause them to walk in his statutes; that they shall be his people; and that he will be their God. When all this is accomplished, he says, Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that