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of the ordinary course of God's Spiritual providence. That exceptions to this assertion may have existed, I am not disposed to deny. That they must have been comparatively few is, I think, clearly evident from the fact, that no satisfactory reasons have appeared, even to the mind of charity itself, to believe them numerous. If God has pursued, in countries unenlightened by the Gospel, a different system of dispensations from that, which we have been contemplating; it must be admitted, that we have no evidence of this fact; or at least none, which can be pronounced satisfactory. The Scriptures certainly give us very little information, of this nature; and the history of mankind furnishes still less. Without limiting the mercy of God, or attempting to investigate his Spiritual providence, with respect to nations who have not the Gospel, it may safely be concluded, that the instances, which they furnish, of apparent renovation, are very few.

A benevolent man, who casts his eye over the Western wilderness, and surveys with attention the moral conduct of its inhabitants, will find very little, of this nature, to satisfy his wishes, or his hopes. Independently of the moral effects, produced upon these nations by the labours of Missionaries, he will find sin prevailing, and ravaging, in all the forms of turpitude, compatible with their circumstances, and in every degree, not førbidden by their poverty, ignorance, and imbecility. Our Saviour has taught us, that we are to discern the character of men by their fruits. This equitable and decisive rule of judging is no less applicable to these nations, than to ourselves. But what are the fruits, produced by these men? Certainly they are not such, as are meet for repentance; such, as spring from confidence in God; such, as indicate, even remotely, the influence, or even the existence, of real virtue. After the most charitable and indulgent allowance for their ignorance; after all the palliations, which the most benevolent mind can elicit from their moral disadvantages; their fraud, treachery, cruelty, pride, implacability, and revenge, present a picture of depravity, which it is impossible not to understand, and acknowledge. No penitents, in the mean time, are visible among them. No symptoms of reformation are found. On the contrary, one unvarying,

sluggish, gloomy stream of corruption appears to have flowed heavily onward from remote generations to the present hour; and to wind its Lethean course through all these nations, wherever, and however, situated.

On the ground, once inhabited by these people, the New-Eng land Colonists have dwelt almost two centuries. Among them Religion has generally prevailed. The proof is that, which has been already mentioned. They have brought forth the fruits, specified in the Gospel as evidences of a virtuous character, in instances, whose number it would be difficult to limit. Whence this mighty difference in nations, planted on the same soil, and living under the same climate? The only satisfactory answer is, that the people of New-England have possessed the Gospel and its Ordinances; have built Churches; settled Ministers; attended the Public Worship of God; read the Scriptures; and educated their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. None of these things were possessed, or done, by their savage predecessors. In a word, the people of New-England have had the Gospel: the Savages have not.

In those countries, also, where the Gospel has been enjoyed, and disciples have actually been made, all, or almost all, persons of this character have become disciples by means of the Gospel itself. Such persons, with scarcely an exception, probably without an exception, when conversing on their regeneration, declare that every thing in their own minds, which yields them consolation, or hope, is, in their view, fairly referable to the truths of the Gospel, presented to them in some form or other. A vast multitude date all their hopes from the Preaching of the Gospel; and feel completely assured, that faith, if it has come to them at all, has come by hearing; as hearing has by the Word of God. Others attribute this blessing to the indirect influence of Preaching, operating upon their minds through a succession of events. Others ascribe it to an early Religious Education, making deep impressions on their minds in the happy period of childhood. Others, still, attribute it to the Reading of the Scriptures; to the Reading of Religious Books; to the Religious Conversation of Good Men; or to the Life and Conduct of such

In these several ways, the truths of the Gospel are often

The

exhibited with peculiar strength, beauty, and efficacy. mode, in which they are conveyed to the mind, is of no other importance, than as it renders the truths themselves more explicit, or more impressive. The truths are the substance, and the soul, of this interesting process.

As the language of all such persons concerning this subject is the same; it must, I think, be admitted to be true. Their number has been too great to allow the suspicion, that they can all have been deceived. They have lived in so many ages, and countries, have been of so many different characters, have received so widely different educations, have lived in so widely different circumstances, and have entertained, in other respects, so widely different opinions, as to render it incredible, that they should all have been prejudiced concerning this subject, and impossible, that they should have united in exactly the same set of prejudices. At the same time, multitudes of them have been eminently distinguished for wisdom, candour, and self-knowledge. It cannot be reasonably supposed, that immense numbers of such men should, with respect to such a subject, be uniformly deceived in exactly the same manner. Beyond all this, it appears, at least to me, to be an indefensible imputation upon the character of God to suppose, that he would, in this case, leave his children to false apprehensions, and suffer them universally to believe, that this mighty blessing came to them all in a way, which was imaginary, and by means, to which it was in no degree attributable.

From these considerations it may, I think, with the highest probability be concluded, that mankind are sanctified through, or by means of, the truth of God.

To all that has been here alleged it may, however, be objected, that in the Scriptures our sanctification, particularly our regeneration, is ascribed directly, and solely, to the agency of the Holy Ghost; and that the doctrine, contended for in this discourse, contradicts this part of the scriptural scheme.

To this objection I answer, that the doctrine, for which I contend, is as plainly asserted, and in as many passages of the Scriptures, as that, which is alleged in the objection. If, then, we deny the former of these doctrines; we shall do violence to as

many, and as plain, scriptural declarations, as if we deny the latter. Our dislike of the doctrine, asserted in this discourse, will in no degree justify us in rejecting, or contravening, those passages of Scripture, in which it is asserted. They stand upon their own basis; the authority and inspiration of that Divine Spirit, who, while he challenges this Agency to Himself, has been pleased to attribute also this Instrumentality to his Word. His declarations we are bound to receive as we find them; and can. not alter the obvious meaning, with any better warrant, than we can challenge for altering the words, which contain that meaning. It may be further objected, that this doctrine robs God of his peculiar glory in regenerating the soul of man.

To this I answer, that we are, at the best, incompetent judges of this subject; and are therefore unable to determine, satisfac torily, in what manner God will be most glorified. If God has thought proper to give us such an account of the subject, as has been here specified, it will be found in the end, that he is more glorified in the manner, conformed to these declarations, than in any other. The Psalmist, under the unerring influence of Inspiration, says to God, Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name. Should it prove one of the ways, in which God magnifies his Word, that it is constituted the Means of regeneration to mankind; there can be no reasonable doubt, that it will be found, in the end, perfectly consistent with the most perfect glorification of his Name.

The truth, however, is that neither of these answers is at all necessary to satisfy us concerning these objections. The Spirit of God is, in truth, the only Agent in renovating man; or, in other words, the only Efficient cause of his renovation. This, however, he would be in as perfect a degree, if he were supposed to employ Means in accomplishing this change of character, as if he were supposed to accomplish it without them. The supposition, that an agent, if he employ means to effectuate his purposes, will, on this account, cease to be, or be at all less, an agent, is built upon no known principles of truth or evidence.

The farmer and gardener turn their soil, and plant their seeds: the rain descends upon them, and the sun shines: but all these things do not make them spring up and yield their increase. God

must still interpose with his creative power, to produce these desirable effects; or a crop will be expected in vain. God, therefore, is the sole Agent and Author of the crop; yet the farmer and the gardener, the ground and the seed, the rain and the sunshine, are all Means of its existence. Without these means, there would, according to the established order of things, be no crop. Of course, they are means of its existence; and means indispensable.

It may be said, that these cases are not similar. If this should be said; it would, I think, be said rashly: for Christ himself, St. Peter, St. James, and St. Paul, have all chosen this allusion to illustrate this very subject. See the parable of the sower. See also, 1 Cor. iii. where Paul declares himself to have planted, Apollos to have watered, and God to have given the increase.

With regard to the other objection, it is obvious, that, so far as we can see, the glory of regenerating man is all ascribed to God; and all ascribed in the manner most honourable to him; is attributed to his Spirit as the Efficient cause, and to his Word as the Means. If he has in fact, as, if I mistake not, I have proved, declared that this is the manner, in which he has chosen to accomplish this work; we need not fear, that in giving this account of it we shall detract from his character.

REMARK.

If the scheme of discourse, which has been here exhibited, is just; it will follow, that the Gospel is to be preached to sinners.

My audience may, perhaps, wonder that any evidence should be thought necessary to prove this assertion. If I am not misinformed, however, the assertion has not only been questioned, but denied. That such should have been the fact is certainly wonderful, in my view, as well as in that of others.

When the Gospel was first preached by Christ, the whole world, with very few exceptions, was in a state of sin. The Gentiles were so generally of this character,. that, as a body, they were styled, by St. Paul, sinners of the Gentiles. Gal. ii. 15. To the Gentiles, however, Paul was sent directly by Christ, to preach the Gospel. The extraordinary commission of this VOL. IV.

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