Alas, there are too leaft in their hearts, ( wrays their fecret t little about them.

out, they might ad rebellious Jews to words which tho

name of the Lord,

thee. But we a thing goeth for And there are

us then cont

abound.

Th

SERMON XLVI.

ACCUSERS CHALLENGED.

ROM. viii. 33.

Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

TH

HOUGH the collating of manufcripts and various readings, has, undoubtedly, been of ufe, in rectifying fome miftakes, which, through the inadvertency of transcribers, had crept into different copies of the New Teftament; yet fuch fuppofed corrections of the text, ought to be admitted with caution, and not unlefs fupported by ftrong reafons, and good authorities. The whole fcripture is given by infpiration of God; and they who thankfully receive it as bis book, will not trifle with it, by substituting

A a 3

tuting bold conjectural alterations, which, though they may deem to be amendments, may poffibly difguife, or alter, the genuine fense of the paffage. Some fancied emendations might be pointed out, fuggefted by very learned men, which do not feem to afford fo ftrong a proef of the found judgment of the propoíers, as of their vanity and rafhnefs. Let the learned men be as ingenious as they please, in correcting and amending the text of Horace, or Virgil, for it is of little importance to us, whether their criticisms be well founded or not, but let them treat the pages of divine revelation with

reverence.

But the pointing of the New Testament, though it has a confiderable influence upon the fenfe, is of inferior authority. It is a human invention, very helpful, and, for the most part, I suppose, well executed. But in fome places, it may admit of real amendment. The most ancient manuscripts are without points, and fome of them, are even without a distinction of the words. With the pointing, therefore, we may take more liberty than with the text; though even this liberty fhould be used foberly. A change in

the pointing of this verse, and the following, will not alter the received fenfe; but, as fome critics judge, will make it more striking and emphatical. If two clauses should be read with an interrogation, instead of a period, the apostle's triumphant challenge, may be expreffed in the following brief paraphrase.

Who fhall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? Shall God himself? So far from it, it is he who justifieth. Who is be that condemneth? Shall Chrift? Nay, he loves them and accepts them. Shall be who died for them, yea rather who is rifen again, who is even at the right hand of God, on their behalf, who alfo maketh interceffion for them? There is not the leaft ground to fear, that he who has promised to juftify them, will lay any thing to their charge; or that he will condemn them, who died to deliver them from condemnation. Nor can any charge of their enemies prevail to the condemnation of thofe, whom God is pleafed to juftify, and for whom Chrift died, and now intercedes before the throne.

The death, the refurrection, and afcenfion of MESSIAH, we have already confidered. I shall speak only to two points, from this verse. I. The

A a 4

I. The title here given to believers, God's elect.

II. Their great privilege, they are justified, It is God who justifieth them.

I. The perfons who will be finally juftified by God, are here styled, his elect. Very near and ftrong is the connection between peace and truth. Yet a mistaken zeal for truth, has produced many controversies, which have hurt the peace of the people of God among themfelves; and at the fame time, have expofed them to the scorn and derifion of the world. On the other hand, a pretended, or improper, regard for peace, has often been prejudicial to the truth. But that peace, which is procured at the expence of truth, is too dearly purchafed. Every branch of doctrine, belonging to the faith once delivered to the faints, is not equally plain to every believer. believer. Some of thefe doctrines, the apoftle compares to milk, the proper and neceffary food for babes *; others, to ftrong meat, adapted to a more advanced ftate in the spiritual life, when experience is more enlarged, and the judgment more establifhed. The Lord, the great teacher, leads his children on gradually, from the plainer

* Heb. v. 13, 14.