pel. When we preach a free falvation by faith in Jefus, and propofe his obedience unto death, as the fure and only ground of acceptance with God; when we fay, in the words of the apoftle, to the vileft of finners who feel the burden, and fear the confequences of their fins, Believe in the Lord Jefus Chrift, and thou shalt be faved *, an aların is raised, and a concern pretended for the interests of morality. The doctrine of falvation by faith only, is charged with opening a door, a flood-gate for licentioufnefs; and it is supposed, that if this doctrine be true, people may live as they pleafe, and ftill comfort themselves with the expectation of heaven at laft. Confidering our natural propenfity to truft in ourselves that we are righteous, I do not wonder that perfons who are comparatively fober and decent, should fpeak thus, while they are ignorant of the ftrictness of the holy law of God, and of the depravity of their own hearts. But I fometimes wonder that they are not a little difconcerted, by the characters of many (fo different from what they fuppofe their own to be) who join with them in the objections * Acts xvi. 31. they they make. For in this point, with the fober and decent, the licentious and profligate readily concur; and whoremongers, adulterers, drunkards, and profane sweaters, almoft equal them in gravely expreffing their aprehenfions, that the doctrine of falvation. by grace, will prove very unfavourable to the practice of good works. How very remarkable is this that the virtuous and the vile, the most refpectable and the most infamous people, fhould fo frequently agree in fentiment, and unite in oppofing the gofpel, profeffedly from the fame motive. But thus it was at the commencement of MESSIAH's kingdom, kings, rulers, priefts, and people, all confpired and raged against him. Herod and Pilate, the Jewish elders and the Roman foldiers, the Pharifees and the Sadducees, thus differed, and thus agreed. They hated each other till he appeared; but their greater common hatred to him, made them act in concert, and they fufpended their mutual animofity, that they might combine to destroy him. I may feem to have digreffed from the immediate scope of my text, but I judge it proper to bring the fubject home to ourselves. If I confined myself to prove that the enemies of our Lord, when he was upon earth, were very unreasonable and unjust in treating him as they did, I should have an easy task, and, I fuppofe, the ready affent of all my hearers. But there may be perfons prefent, who, though they little fufpect themselves, are equally misled by prejudices; and under a femblance of zeal for a form of godliness, oppofe the truth and power of it, upon the fame principles and in the same spirit, as the Jews and Heathens did of old. The Jews who condemned MESSIAH to death, blamed their forefathers for perfecuting the prophets who foretold his appearance*; but their own conduct towards him was a proof, that had they lived in the days of the prophets, they would have acted as their fathers had done. So the refentment that many, who bear the Christian name in this day, discover against the doctrines of the gofpel, and against the people who profefs them, is a proof that they would have concurred with those who crucified the Lord of glory, had they lived in Jerufalem at that time. * Matt. xxiii. 30, 31. In this prophecy, David, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, fpeaks of the future as actually prefent. He saw the refiftance that would be made to the perfon and kingdom of MESSIAH, by the powers of the world; that they would employ their force and policy to withstand and suppress the decree and appointment of God. The question, Why? implies that their oppofition would be both groundless and ineffectual. 1. It was entirely groundless and unreasonable. MESSIAH was indeed a king, and he came to set up a kingdom that should endure for ever. But his kingdom is not of this world; and, if rightly understood, would give no umbrage to human governments. It does not interfere with the rights of princes. His fubjects are indeed primarily bound by the laws of their immediate king, and they must obey God rather than man*, if man will presume to enjoin fuch laws as contradict his known will. But with this exception, it is a part of the duty they owe to their Lord, to obey those whom he has placed, by his providence, in authority over them. The kingdom of MESSIAH has little to do with what we call politics. His people are taught to render to Cæfar the things that are Cæfar's*, and to yield a peaceful subjection to the powers that be, under whatever form of government their lot may be caft. They are firangers and pilgrims upon earth†, their citizenship, treasures, and converfation are in heaven; and they have no more direct concern with the intrigues and parties of politicians, than a traveller has in the feuds and disturbances which may happen in a foreign country through which he is paffing. They are to obey God, they are to obey kings and governors in fubordination to God, they are to render to all their due; tribute to whom tribute, custom to whom custom, honour to whom bonour. But where they cannot comply with the laws of government, without breaking the laws of God, then they are not to obey, but to fuffer patiently, committing their caufe to him whom they ferve; well knowing that he is able to protect or relieve them, fo far as his wifdom judges it fit, and to make them abundant amends for all they can fuffer for his fake. I am not a direct advocate for the * Matt. xxii. 21. †1 Pet. ii. 11. Rom. xiii. 1, 2. doctrines |