to ridicule;-and God apprehend them by iris grace-In all fuch inftances, their coming is a partial fulfilment of our Lord's promise in the text, though a fulfilment of it which the event alone can interprete.

46

Having made this general obfervation," that you may be the more induced to ufe the mearts "of propagating Chriftian knowlege," we fhail endeavour, more explicitly, to illuftrate the import of their coming "from the caft and the weft," as a bleffing here promifed, with refpect to Gentile finners:-In as far as connected with th fit ting down in the kingdom of heaven,"-it feems to comprehend their coming to themselves, to Chrift, to the communion of the church on earth,and, in due time, to the triumphant church in heaven, where the patriarchs and all the prophets have, long ago, fat down.

Under the influence of this promife, Gentile finners fhall come to themselves. Before the dayfpring from on high arife, they are generally fo loft in brutal ignorance, that it has been found necef fary, for the fervants of God in the gospel of his dear Son,-firft to make men, before they could attempt to make Chriftians, of them *. And with refpect to the concerns of eternity, the unconverted

part

*The following extract from Mather's life of Mr. John Elliot paftor of the church at Roxburgh in N. England, juftifies this obfervation." He had," fays Mr. Mather, "a double work incumbent on him;--

he was to make men of them, ere he could hope "to fee them faints; they must be civilized, ere they "could be Chriftianized To think on raifing a num"ber of these hideous creatures unto the elevation "of our holy religion, must argue more than common fentiments in the undertaker."-This happened anno 1646.

part of mankind, without exception, are no less befide themfelves, than thofe deprived of reafon, in the common affairs of life. As mad people may imagine that their circumstances are opulent and gay, while they are clothed in rags, meagre through fafting, or galled with fetters;-uuregenerated perfons may make a very falfe eftimate of their fituation, and dream of a ftate from which they are greatly removed. They may think, that they are rich, and increafed with goods, and have "need of nothing;" while,-how melancholy, how fatal the delufion! they "know not that they are "poor, and miferable, and wretched, and blind, " and naked," Rev. i 17. Under this promifed influence, however, as the fuppofed prodigal in -the parable, upon coming to himself, faw that he ftarved, while his father's fervants had abundance, Luke xv. 17. Gentile finners fhall make many interefting discoveries. They fhall fee their natural depravity, their actual provocation, their unfpcak able lofs, their imminent danger; and, upon all these accounts, they fhall feel heart-bitterness, and groan under it.

Having come to themfelves, they fhall likewife come to Chrift. Conviction without converfion, would be no privilege; and, therefore, the latter, as well as the former, is fecured to the Gentiles bythis promife. Though never fo fenfible of their guilty and perifhing ftate, "the God of this world" may continue to blind their minds, and " the light "of the glorious gofpel" may not "fhine unto "them :" 2 Cor. iv. 4. but God, mindful of his grace and truth, fhall fhine in their hearts, and give them "the light of the knowlege of his glory, in the face of Jefus Chrift," 2 Cor. iv. 6. In this light, they fhall clearly fee,-that there is life in Chrift for them; that they may be faved, without

I 5

without prejudice to the facred honours of law and juftice; that, as finners, independent of every thing elfe, the word of falvation is addressed to them; that grace for determining and enabling them to believe, is a part of the offered falvation; and, that believing is not only the mean, but one special evidence of mens intereft in the gospel Saviour.

Such views fhall influence their wills-fo effectually, as to make the divine interpofition quite evident; but fo fweetly, that their compliance shall be as properly their own act, as if no power from on high were exerted for that purpose at all.

Thus illuminated and conftrained, there is no part of the record, concerning Chrift, but what they believe; no part of his falvation, but what they pant after; no duty in the Chriftian life, but what they approve of; no trial in the Chriftian lot, but what they are reconciled to;-nor any thing in the whole plan of grace, but what appears in fuch a light,-fo ordered and fure, that, without exception, it is all their falvation, and all their de fire.

Befides coming to themfelves, and to Chrift, Gentile finners fhall, under the influence of promifed grace, come to a vital communion with the church of God upon earth.—it is not our préfent bufinefs to enumerate the various denominations by which different churches are diftinguifhed; nor to determine which of thofe many diftinctions are most characteristical of the truly New Tefament church-Perhaps, in the greater part, fome thing excellent might be found; and by collecting to gether the feveral excellencies, for which various denominations of churches are most remarkable,for aught we know, fomething nearest to the New Teftament pattern might be produced. But, as this is not to be expected,-churches with defects

and blemishes may, upon the whole, be allowed to bear the name; and, therefore, in capital articles, Gentile converts may hold communion with one or other of them.

Without fuch allowance, there could be no church communion at all; for, with whatever precifion the choice is made, Will any one, who thinks for himself, venture to affirm, that, among the Christians with whom he is denominated, there is nothing exploded, which he would not chearfully adopt; nor adopted, which he would not have all freedom to explode? Sooner may we expect to fee a whole nation of the fame ftature and complexion, than to find a whole church, upon earth, viewing doctrine and worthip, difcipline and government, precifely in the fame point of light.

What, therefore, we intend by the church of Christ, with whom true converts will readily,— must neceffarily, hold communion, is the body of real faints, where-ever they are fcattered, however they are denominated, and by whatever uneffential modes in religion they are diftinguifhed from one another.

With fuch perfons Gentile finners will have one hope, Eph. iv. 4, 7. or inheritance in view;-one Lord, by a joint acknowlegement of Chrift's diviuity, by calling him Lord and Mafter, doing the things which he hath commanded, and availing as much from his kingly as from his prophetical or priefly office;-one faith, or fyftem of Chriftina doctrines, to contend earnestly for: Jade 3.-one baptifm,-agreeing as to the author and ends, however they may differ as to the manner, or proper fubjects, of that ordinance; and, by the Spirit of Chift dvelling in them, they fhall claim intereft in one God, and glory in him as their Father, Gal iv 6.. Having thus been "made to drink into one fpi

16

"rit,”

"rit," they fhall have fellowship together, not on. ly in love to God for what he is, and hath done, but in fervent love toward all his children, and hearty concern that finners, by genuine converfion, may fpeedily be numbered with them.

Gentile finners, under the influence of this promife, fhall come to beaven itself. They fhall come, by a fcriptural perfeverance in the gracious flate, temper, and practice condefcended upon, until their connections with mortality be looted -That they should perfevere, appears from the exhortation to be "ftedfaft and unmoveable, always abound"ing in the work of the Lord," 1 Cor. xv. 58. — That they may perfevere, is evident from the example of those who drew not "back to perdition, "but" believed "to the faving of the foul," Heb. x. 39.-That they must perfevere, or come fhort of eternal life, cannot be difputed, "if he," only, "that endureth to the end, fhall be faved," Matth. x. 22-Nay, that they shall perfevere, is put beyond doubt by the promife in our text; provifion being made for their acceffion to the kingdom, every intermediate pre-requifite muft neceffarily be included.

They fhall come by progrefs and advancement, The life of grace is progreffive in its own nature; -thofe who are animated with it fit not ftill, as if they had attained, or were already perfect;" Philip. iii. 12.-they advance really, though they fhould not always be fenfible of it, toward "the "measure of the ftature of the fulness of Chrift," Eph. iv. 13. in which their conviction, converfion, and Chriftian fellowship, fhall finally iffue.-The propriety of afpiring after fuch, holy progress, is afcertained by the exhortation to grow in grace, 2. Pet. iii. 18-—The poffibility of it is fully vouch ed by the experience of Paul and the believing Ro

23

mans,