Page images
PDF
EPUB

fure; to infpire holy men to pub- | lish to others and commit to writing, for the benefit of the church, in all ages, the revealed mind of God; to renew, and fanctify the veffels of mercy and effectually work in them to will and to do, fo as ultimately to bring them to glory; even all thofe whom the Father gave to Chrift as the reward of his fufferings, and his crown of glory.

The covenant of grace, as it is termed by theological writers, is nearly connected with that of redemption.

This confifts in the gracious promises of God to believers in Chrift, on account of his finished redemption.

This covenant was adminiftered to Adam in the promife refpecting the feed of the woman: To Noah in the ark, and in the rainbow To Abraham in the promise of his feed in whom "all the families of the earth fhould be bleffed." It was wrapped up in the prediction of dying Jacob refpecting the tribe of Judah-of the coming of the Shiloh and the "gathering of the people to him :" To David in the promife of a fon to set on his throne forever: To Ifaiah that he fhould reign in Mount Zion, in Jerufalem, and before his ancients gloriously. As the time of the Redeemer's incarnation approached, the grace to come to us by him was more clearly announced. It was foretold that he should be bruised for our tranfgreffions, that the chastifement of our peace fhould be him, and by his ftripes we fhould be healed; and that Meffiah fhould be cut off, but not for himself.

on

ed." "All whom the Father giv eth to me fhall come to me, and him who cometh to me I will in no wife caft out."

All the promises of this covenant reft on the ftability of the covenant of redemption, and cannot fail if that be fulfilled. But that is founded on the counfels and the perfections of God.

This leads to a direct confideration of the doctrine of the decrees of God. By which we underftand his eternal, unchangeable purpofe, refpecting all events, all creatures, and all their actions.

It is not defigned at prefent, to collect the fcriptural arguments for the proof of this very important doctrine. It refults directly from the perfections of God, and is as much an effential truth of natural religion as of that which is revealed. is revealed. It is implied in the covenant of redemption and of grace. It is at the foundation of the whole mediatorial fyftem, with all its moft interefting and diffufive fruits and confequences, through the fucceffive ages of the world, to its final diffolution ; yea, thro' the undefcribed, the unlimited duration of eternity.

were

That all who fhall be finally faved from among men, "from the beginning chofen to falvation, through fanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth," is fo evidently a branch of the general doctrine that it will not be queftioned where that is admitted.

The doctrine of the faint's perfeverance and final glory, refts on many fcripture declarations, on the gracious promifes of God to all his redeemed, on the covenants of grace and redemption, on the power and grace of Chrift, and many truths which have al

Finally, in the new teftament, this gracious covenant is propounded inthe moft explicit terms, He who believeth fhall be fav-ready paffed in review.

But this will be

more fully manifeft from attending to it as exifting in the minds of good men, and powerfully influencing their views and affections.

(To be continued.)

The refurrection of Chrift from | Christianity. the dead, is an important and efsential doctrine of Christianity and in a sense, fundamental. So that if this were falfe the whole fyftem must be given up. This doctrine harmonizes with the divine types and promifes which preceded the incarnation with the prophecies of Chrift himfelf-it is attefted by his infpired apoftles, and they wrought many miracles in his name for the confirmation of the truth teftified, and with the truth of this is intimately connected the truth of all the fubfequent articles of Christianity.

The future refurrection of the bodies of the faints to an immor

tal life in heaven, is fo infeperably connected with the refurrection of Chrift, that the latter having taken place, the former is placed on the ground of equal certainty; as the holy apoftle Paul has clearly proved in the fifteenth chapter of his firft epistle to the Corinthians.

Indeed, the refurrection of the dead, both the righteous and the wicked, the general judgment and final ftate of believers and unbelievers, are abundantly revealed in the holy fcriptures.

Thefe doctrines agree with that of the accountability of man, the righteoufnefs of divine government, the doctrine of redemption by Christ, and with all the promifes and threatenings of the holy fcriptures. They will not be queftioned by thofe who believe the Chriftian fyftem in general, and have any proper difcernment of the excellence and confiftence of its feveral parts.

This brief view of natural and revealed religion, as to the agreement of the refpective doctrines of each, affords no inconfiderable evidence of the divine origin of

FOR THE CONNECTICUT EVAN-
GELICAL MAGAZINE.

A ferious addrefs to profeffing Chrif
tions, on the duty and vafl import-
ance of acting with fleady and per-
fevering vigilance, wifdom and
fortitude in the fpiritual warfare.
(Continued from p. 126.)

N view of the preceding illuf

IN

tration of the general orders addreffed by the great apoftle to his fellow-Chriftians, it may be obviously remarked, That when finners are truly converted, they have much more to do, than merely to give thanks to God for his wonderful grace, and to fit down and congratulate themselves upon and rejoice in their own happy cORdition. They are not, immediately upon their converfion, to confider their condition as refembling that of foldiers, who at the end of a fuccefsful war, return in triumph, to fpend the refidue of their days in peace, free from the fatigues and toils of war, and in the enjoy ment of the bleffings for which they have been contending; but they are to view it, as bearing a greater refemblance to that of foldiers juft enlifted, and enga ging in a warfare for life; in which they muft ferve, and watch, and fight, to the end of their days with the certain expectation of final victory and triumph to all thofe, who perfevere to the laft, and faithfully obferve and obey the orders of their Prince.

We may further remark, how unlike to what Chriftians ought to be,

fign will comprise the grandeft
difplay of the infinite perfection
and glory of God-the fullest ef-
tablishment of his authority-the
complete recovery and eternal fal-
vation of an innumerable multitude
of the finful, ruined race of man
-an inconceivable addition to
the knowledge and holiness, joy
and happiness, of all holy crea-
tures and the complete difap-
pointment of Satan and all his
perfevering adherents as to their
ultimate end, and their reduction
to a state of the most abfolute fub-

thofe profeffing Chriftians are, who
give way to unwatchfulness, care-
lefsnefs, indolence, cafe and floth;
and instead of standing faft in the
faith, are cafily fhaken, and fuffer
themselves to be turned or drawn
away from it, by the flatteries or
frowns, or fubtle artifices of its
enemies. Wherefore, the appli-
cation of what has been illuftra-
ted, may be by way of ferious ex-
hortation to profeffing Chriftians,
to comply with the directions,
to watch, to ftand faft in the faith,
to act the man, to be strong. Of
the vaft importance of this com-jection as vanquished enemies, un-
prehenfive duty, we furely cannot der the feet of their conqueror,
entertain a doubt, or fail of per- fuffering the vengeance due to
ceiving numerous and weighty their crimes.
motives to it, if we duly confider
the following things; which are
here fubjoined, as well for the
purpose of further illuftrating
fome of the particulars already
fuggefted, as to recommend and
enforce the exhortation, viz.

1. The cause in which we have vifibly enlifted, and for the fupport and fuccefs of which, we are required to watch, to ftand fast, &c. is the most important and interefting that ever existed, or can be conceived. It involves the glory of God, and the most precious interests of the intelligent creation.

A moft daring and impious rebellion hath broken out against the Moft High. It is headed by Satan, who was once a diftinguifhed prince among the angels, and feconded by great numbers of thofe, once holy, but now, apoftate fpirits. Into this rebellion mankind have been drawn, by the artful management of the firft apoftate.

Though Chrift, by his obedience unto death, laid the foundation for and infured the full accomplishment of this great defign; yet much remained to be done, in order to the actual attainment of all these ends. Among other things, Chrift's kingdom muft befet up and maintained in the world, in oppofition to Satan's, and finally prevail over it. Thofe of mankind, who are to obtain the falvation which is in Chrift Jefus, with eternal glory, muft be delivered from the power of fin and Satan, and obtain the victory over them. In accomplishing these ends, which are all comprifed in and neceflary to the fuccefs of Chrift's great defign, he makes ufe of means and inftruments. Among the means which are made effectual to these important ends, the gospel or word of truth holds a distinguished place. They who by reading, preaching or writing, or by their profeffion and practice, and perfevering ftedfaftnefs in the faith-they who in any or all of these ways, clearly exhibit, and properly maintain,

Chrift hath undertaken to crush this dreadful rebellion-to bruise the Serpent's head-to deftroy the works of the devil. The full accomplishment of this great de-and fuccefsfully recommend and

[merged small][ocr errors]

a powerful motive with us, who have given up our names to him, to comply with and execute his orders, To watch, to stand fast in the faith, to act the man, and be ftrong ?-Efpecially when we confider

2. That the enemies oppofed

enforce the gospel, are infiruments under Chrift, and by affiftance derived from him, towards pulling down the strong holds of fin and Satan, destroying the works of the devil, and maintaining and building the kingdom of Chrift. Every advantage which, in thefe or any other ways, any are ena-to the fuccefs of the general caufe, bled to obtain, over fin or Satan, in which we are engaged, and to in their own fouls, or in in others, our perfonal falvation in particuand every degree of fpiritual light, lar, are exceedingly numerous, holinefs or comfort, thus produ- fubtil, crafty and powerful. duced, effected or obtained, contributes fomething towards the fuccefs of the great defign, which Chrift is carrying on, and towards the overthrow and deftruction of his enemies.

Within, we have a deceitful, treacherous and wicked heart, exceedingly prone to backflide, and to depart from the living God; yea, a heart, which is deceitful above all things, and defperately wicked-at leaft, fome awful remainders of it in cafe we are Chriftians indeed. Surely then, it concerns us to watch our heart-to keep it with all dili

And as to the enemies from without, what human mind can count their number, or calculate their ftrength, or form any proper conception of the depth of their policy, craft and fubtilty?

Though, to fome, the advantage which any individual, as a fubordinate agent, may obtain, against fin and Satan, by watching and ftanding faft in the faith, and all the benefit thence refult-gence! ing, may feem fuch a mere trifle, as can have no influence in regard to the final fuccefs of Chrift's grand undertaking; yet every fuch trifle makes one of that innumerable multitude and variety of fteps, in the progreffive accomplishment of this great defign, by which the good to be obtained by it, is accomplishing, and will at length be completely attained, and neceffary to the perfection of it; even as every particle of water in the ocean is one of the innumerable multitude of particles of which that vaft body of water is compofed, and neceffary to make the quantity complete.Should not, and will not, this view of the infinite importance of the conteft, which Chrift is conducting to the moft glorious iffue, and of the neceffity and fubordinate influence of the faithful exertions of his fervants, in bringing it to the iffue defigned, operate as

Befides a flattering, a tempting and enfnaring world, that old ferpent, the Devil, with all the infernal legions under him, combine, by every means in their power, to overthrow the faith in general, and to take all poffible advantage of our ignorance and weaknefs, and blinding lufts, and of all the deceitfulness and wickednefs of our hearts, to fubvert our own faith in particular, to draw or drive us into fin, and to destroy our fouls. Nor are thefe invifible foes without their fubordinate agents among men, who act under their influence, and co-operate in promoting their nefarious defigns. Among men there are numerous haters and oppofers of

the truth, of the faith, in which it concerns us to ftand faft. Profeffed unbelievers and avowed oppofers of Christianity, both in Europe and America, have greatly increased within the laft fifty years, or come out to open view, and combined their efforts to root out all revealed religion, with an air of confidence, and an appearance of fuccefs, far beyond what hath been ufual in former times. In Europe, many renouncing the justly abhorred tenets and ceremonies, doctrines and practices of a corrupt and idolatrous church, ran into the oppofite extreme, of renouncing and holding in abhorrence the bible itself, and all revealed religion; and fome of them, even into the wildest atheism. And though they profeffed to leave men to act according to their own judgment with refpect to religion, yet in their zeal to propagate their own opinions and feelings, and to render the bible an object of the utmoft hatred and contempt, they fometimes discovered a spirit, not unlike to that of former perfecutors, and expreffed fentiments plainly indicative of what they would do, if they could. For when a man roundly affirms, "It were better, 'far better, that we admitted, if it ' were poffible, a thoufand devils to roam at large, and to preach 'publicly the doctrines of devils -than that we fhould permit ⚫one fuch impoftor or monster as Mofcs and the bible-prophets to 'come with the pretended word of God in his mouth, and have 'credit among us," who can entertain a doubt, that if it lay in his power, he would effectually prevent among us the existence of men, who avow their belief, that the bible is the word of God, and boldly preach it as fuch?

VOL. III. No. 5.

A a

Of the infidels of the other continent, there are many difciples and zealous fellow-laborers in this country, and fome of them apparently actuated by the like bibleexterminating fpirit.

Befides profeffed unbelievers, there are numerous claffes of masked enemies to the truth, who, under a profeffion of regard to the cause of Chrift, inculcate principles and practices fubverfive of the most effential articles of the Chriftian faith, and destructive to true gofpel holiness.

The doctrine of the Trinityof the proper divinity of Chrift→ of fatisfaction or atonement for fin by his death-of man's total depravity-of a fupernatural change of heart by the special influence or agency of the Holy Spirit-of juftification folely by the righteoufnefs of Chrift, thro faith in him-fome or other of thefe effential articles of the Chrif tian fyftem, as well as others in connection with thefe, perhaps, not lefs effential, are exprefsly des nied, or filently paffed over and cautiously left out, or almost entirely explained away, by many profeffed believers and teachers of the Chriftian religion; whilft the doctrine, that all mankind, whatever be their faith, and what ever their practice in this life, will be finally faved and eternally happy, is zealously contended for and propagated by fome, and embraced by numbers.

Do not these things, my brethren, clearly evince the neceflity, and strikingly display the vast im portance, of acting conformably to the divine orders now under confideration?

When the all important faith of the gospel is thus variously and virulently attacked-when Satan and all his legions of devils, and

« PreviousContinue »