_Seventhly,_ The excellence of the Christian Religion appears from
the gracious influences of the divine spirit, which it offers, and
the reasonableness and moral and doctrinal nature, as well as great
simplicity and plainness of the divine Ordinances, or Sacramental
Institutions, which it bids us celebrate.
The gracious influences of the holy Ghost are offered to enable us to
comply with the whole of our duty, as Christians, and to triumph over
all opposition and enemies in our road to happiness. These influences
are usually distinguished into the renewing or sanctifying--the
awakening and convictive--the supporting and comforting--the
restraining and confirming,--the abiding and indwelling, operations
of grace. Such is the depravity of the human heart that the power of
God is absolutely necessary to bring man to the love of truth and
duty. We depend upon the sovereign grace of God for salvation. And
such assistances of the holy spirit are promised, in the Gospel, as
are altogether proper and sufficient. It doth not offer us salvation,
and leave us in the dark, as to the means of obtaining it, or
destitute of the help, which is necessary to fit us for all that we
are either to do, or to suffer. A merciful and wise God never imposed
on any of his rational creatures, any thing as duty which was not in
its own nature proper, or for the performance of which neither power,
opportunity, nor means were given. He hath graciously appointed all
the means which are necessary to comply with his revealed Will. And
natural strength and power, or rational faculties and capacities
abundantly adequate. Nothing but a disposition to comply with duty is
wanting. _Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life. Thy people
shall be made willing,_ says David, _in the day of thy power._
Nothing prevents our immediate compliance with the gracious proposals
of mercy and salvation made us, in the Gospel, but the wickedness of
the heart. To overcome this wickedness of heart, or enmity against
God, the powerful operations of the holy Ghost are promised. He must
sanctify or regenerate the soul. He must call, convince, awaken, and
renew us. The voice of the Almighty must effectually call us. He who
made and upholds the Universe, by his divine energy must rouse us
from our supineness and lethargic state. By his spirit he
awakens--convinces--and savingly illuminates the soul. The peculiar
office or work of the divine spirit is to apply the redemption
purchased by Jesus Christ. The remedy provided, in infinite mercy, to
heal the moral disorders of the heart and to wash away our sins, is
all-powerful; and is rendered effectual by the kind and quickening
influence of grace. The regeneration of the sinner is the work of
God's spirit. Motives and arguments are unequal to this. It must be
effected by the operations of the holy Ghost. He creates the soul
anew unto good works, which were before ordained that we should walk
in them. Except a man be born again he cannot enter into the kingdom
of God. We are said to be chosen to salvation through the
sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth. In the
following words, the renovation of our nature is attributed to divine
influence--_which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the
flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God._ And in the whole progress
of the christian life, as well as in our entrance upon it, the
gracious aids of the divine spirit are requisite. Divine grace enters
us on the christian course at first. And it must aid us along, in
every step of our way, till we shall be admitted into the regions of
eternal blessedness. And how free and ready God is to impart the
efficacious influence of his spirit, even all that influence which is
needful for us, our Lord himself, who came to reveal his Father's
Will, informs us in the following remarkable passage Luke xi. 5, to
the 14th verse.--_And he said unto them, which of you shall have a
friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, friend
lend me three loaves. For a friend of mine is come unto me, and I
have nothing to set before him: and he from within shall answer and
say, trouble me not; the door is now shut, and my Children are now
with me in bed: I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, though
he will not arise, and give him, because he is his friend, yet
because of his importunity, he will rise and give him as many as he
needeth. And I say unto you ask, and it shall be given you: seek and
ye shall find: knock and it shall be opened unto you. For every one
that asketh, receiveth: and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that
knocketh, it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of you that is
a father, will he give him a stone, or if he ask a fish, will he for
a fish give him a serpent? or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer
him a scorpion? If ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts
unto your Children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the
Holy spirit to them that ask him._ How ready is a gracious God to
bestow upon us, on our earnest, continued, and devout pleadings with
him therefor, all the influence to renew and sanctify us which we
need? He is as ready as tender earthly parents are, and how ready
they are, let their own feelings and the history of all ages and
nations declare, to confer when in their power, on their Children,
good gifts of a temporal nature. He is not backward or reluctant. On
the other hand, he is willing to bless, pity, and save us. Indeed he
waits to be gracious. _And therefore will the Lord WAIT that he may
be gracious unto you: and therefore will he be exalted that he may
have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are
all they that wait for him._ He bears long with us on purpose to
reclaim us from our evil ways, and to bring us to repentance.
Considering the number and aggravations of our sins, our slowness of
heart to believe, how astonishing the long-suffering of the supreme
Being! How pleasing the thought, that he is ready to bestow all THAT
DIVINE INFLUENCE, which is needful to renew our souls, to subdue
within us the power of sin, and to prepare us, in the way of holiness
or progressive sanctification, for the kingdom of heaven! Were he not
more ready to impart spiritual blessings, divine grace, than man is
to give aid to his fellow-men, when in his power, who then would be
saved. We might justly complain and object against his ways.
With respect to the _two sacraments_ of the Gospel, Baptism and the
Lord's Supper, they are plain in their design; and viewed as means of
religious instruction, and considering our make and condition in the
world, they are altogether reasonable. We are composed of body and
soul, which strongly and reciprocally affect each other. Jesus
Christ, our only Redeemer is gone to Heaven, and we expect his return
again into this world to judge it, at the last day. We are
exceedingly apt to forget him, like servants their absent Lord; we
need, then, some special monitors to bring him often to our grateful
and affectionate remembrance, in his wonderful condescension and
meritorious sufferings, and bitter death on the Cross. For he hung on
the bloody Cross to expiate human guilt. The Ordinance of the supper
is happily calculated to keep alive, the memory of his sufferings and
death for sinners, by an affecting symbol: and the ordinance of
baptism to impress the mind with a deep conviction of the need of
having our polluted natures cleansed by the sanctifying power of
grace. They both aid the devotions of the mind by outward and
sensible signs. Much instruction, in the things of God and our
everlasting peace, is contained in them. They teach us more
affectingly than we could, perhaps, be otherwise taught, some of the
most important truths of the Gospel. They, in fact, do us good just
as the other means of religion do us good, by making us better; by
enlightening the mind and impressing the heart. They do not operate
for our benefit, like a _spell,_ or _charm._ They are _rational_
institutions, and tend to promote our spiritual edification and
comfort, as means of religion. We most sincerely regret, that, in any
instances or age, they have been misapprehended, and made to subserve
the purposes of superstition. But doctrines as well as ordinances
have been, through the ignorance and perverseness of men,
misunderstood and abused. All the friends of virtue lament that this
has been the case, but it cannot be pleaded as an objection against
the reality of divine ordinances.--It is we conceive, a mark of great
wisdom as well as of goodness, that it has pleased the God of all
grace and mercy, to take this way, by divine ordinances, to quicken,
to instruct, to warn our hearts in the things of his kingdom. He
knows infinitely well, what means to employ to bring us to himself,
the fountain of all good, to induce us to repent of sin, to lead
pious lives, and to prepare us for future rest and glory. We should
be sincerely thankful for all the means he has appointed; and most
diligently improve them, for the important purposes of his glory and
our eternal Salvation. Exceedingly wrong, therefore, are those
pretended Christians who deem divine ordinances useless--who turn
them into allegory and figures, who treat them with impious scorn; as
if wholly unworthy the nature of the spiritual religion of Jesus
Christ, and hindrances in the way to eternal life. For they are
really WELL ADAPTED to answer important moral and doctrinal purposes,
and to fill the mind with fervent piety. Instead, then, of being a
disadvantage to, they are a powerful recommendation of the Christian
Religion. They are a part and instance, indeed, of its
excellence.----Further;----
_Eighthly,_ Another proof of the EXCELLENCE of the Gospel is, that it
contains a system of the most perfect and finished morals. In respect
to the morality of the Gospel, even its most inveterate enemies allow
it to be excellent; and much superior to any rules of conduct and
happy living to be gleaned from all the writings of the sages of
pagan antiquity. Without morality there can be no true Religion.
Morality is an important branch of Religion--is essential to it. To
place religion altogether in piety, or altogether in Virtue is a very
great error. It is an error, too, peculiar to no times. It has
prevailed more or less in every age of the Christian Church. "It has
run through all the different modes of false religion. It forms the
chief distinction of all the various sects, which have divided, and
which still continue to divide the Church--according as they have
leaned most to the side of belief, or to the side of morality.
"Did we listen candidly to the voice of scripture, it would guard us
against either extreme. The Apostle Paul every where testifies, that
by no works of our own, we can be justified; and that without faith
it is impossible to please God. The Apostle James as clearly shows,
that faith, if it be unproductive of good works, justifies no man.
Between those sentiments, there is no opposition. Faith without
works, is nugatory and insignificant. It is a foundation, without any
superstructure raised upon it. It is a fountain which sends forth no
stream--a tree, which neither bears fruit, nor affords shade. Good
works, again, without good principles, are a fair, but airy
structure--without firmness or stability. They resemble the house
built on the sand--the reed, which shakes with every wind. You must
join the two in full union, if you would exhibit the character of a
real Christian. He, who sets faith in opposition to morals, or morals
in opposition to faith, is equally an enemy to the interests of
Religion. He holds up to view an imperfect and disfigured form, in
the room of what ought to command respect from all beholders. By
leaning to one extreme, he is in danger of falling into vice; by the
other of running into impiety."
Morality therefore being so essential to, and so important a part of
pure and undefiled Religion, it is one great recommendation of the
Christian Religion, that it contains a system of perfect and finished
morals. There is not a single defect in its morals--not a single
false virtue to be found in it, or one vice, however specious
countenanced. This cannot with truth be affirmed of any, or all the
best systems of heathen philosophy and morals. The heathen moralists
have, we concede, said many fine and beautiful things of Virtue: and
given many rules of moral conduct which are both just and weighty.
They painted too, in lively colours, the frailties and miseries of
man. But the most amiable and pure systems among them allowed of
self-murder, and many other absurd and inconsistent follies and
vices. They either had no idea at all, or not any just one concerning
the high moral duties of forgiveness of injuries--the love of
enemies--self-denial--humility--and unlawfulness of revenge. On the
other hand, in the morals of the Gospel there is not one blemish.
They are above censure, and demand admiration. They are both pure and
sublime. Only hear, as one instance, among many others equally noble
and beautiful, how the Apostle Paul sums up, and presses home moral
duties. _Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever
things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are
pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good
report: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on
these things._--When our Lord had finished his sermon on the Mount,
in which we have a glorious epitome of the morals, which he taught,
and the motives from which they should flow, the great concourse of
people, who had convened to hear him, were astonished at his
doctrines. _And it came to pass when Jesus ended these sayings, the
people were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one
having authority, and not as the scribes._ He delivered truth with so
much force and energy; his address and eloquence were so much the
perfection of propriety: _for he spake,_ in this sense, _as never man
spake_: the doctrines were so plain and pure: and the principles from
which he taught us our actions should proceed, were so holy and
sublime, that we need not be surprised, that the multitude were full
of admiration. The Christian Religion, therefore, is most EXCELLENT
on account of the purity, perfection, and sublimity of its morals;
and of course, worthy of all acceptation.----
_Ninthly,_ A further argument to prove the inherent worth and beauty
of our holy Religion, is that it gives us so much light, in to the
great plan of the divine government. Without this revealed light, we
could never know any thing about the grand end of God in the
Creation, preservation, and government of the world. Reason cannot
open to us these ends. The Bible is a history of divine Providence
and the work of redemption. It is a comment upon the works of God.
This is a most convincing proof of its divinity; and of the glory of
that religion which it contains. Without it, all would be mystery to
us. We could not satisfy ourselves with respect to any thing around
us. We could not go so far as to prove that the world had a beginning
in time, or that it did not exist from everlasting. We could not
offer any rational view, why we were made; much less could we give
any satisfactory account, why so many evils take place, or so much
disorder is permitted in the system of the world. Reason, though it
may lead up the mind, through nature's works, to nature's God; though
it may discover to us many parts of duty, could never be able of
itself, to give us any _light_ into the end of God, in the formation
of man, and government of the universe. But the Gospel informs us
fully, what this world was brought into existence for--what man was
placed in the scale of rational being for, and that the present life
is a state of probation and education to prepare us for another, a
state of remuneration. This is confirmed by every thing we see around
us. Man is to live hereafter. Time is to introduce an Eternity. All
the events of Providence are ordered or permitted with a view to
another world. This is the only key which can open to us the designs
of Providence, in the permission of sin:--the continuance of moral
evil, and, of course, natural evil:--in the disorders of the
world:--the inequities, which we cannot help beholding:--the
oppression of Virtue: the triumphs of vice--so often observed, and so
deeply afflicting to the pious in all ages. Without the supposition
that this is a probationary state, and that it looks forward to a
retribution state, all would be to us, a pathless wilderness--a
labyrinth, out of which we could have no clue to guide us. This world
could not possibly be formed on any other plan. And the history of it
cannot be understood or explained on any other ground. If this were
the _last_ state of man, certainly we might expect a very different
arrangement, in the government of it. We should either see perfect
happiness every where enjoyed--no storms arising--no clouds
interposing--but one continued scene of order, peace, and delight; or
complete wretchedness. Had God intended it for a place of perfect
happiness, we should not see it overspread with innumerable miseries;
we should not be pained with the sight of so much folly and vice. Had
he intended it for a place of _sorrow only,_ we should not see human
life blessed with such a rich profusion of mercies. But when we
consider this world as represented, in the sacred Volume, as a
probationary state, all is LIGHT; every thing we meet with may be
easily solved. This mixture of good and evil is necessarily implied
in a state of probation. We are here to exist with a reference to a
future world. We are upon our trial. If we abuse our advantages and
neglect our duty, we shall sustain hereafter all the ill-consequences
of our folly and madness. If we rightly improve this state of
probation, ample rewards will be conferred upon us. We are here in
our education for another stage of our existence. According to
Christianity, God's end in all things is his own name--or glory--and
the best good of the Universe--its greatest eventual perfection. It
assures us, which is a cordial to support us, under all dark and
distressing calamities, that in the last result of all things,
perfect justice will be done--order will be educed out of
confusion--peace out of contention--light out of darkness--and
happiness out of misery. _Our God is in the heavens, and doth
whatsoever he will.--Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent
reigneth._--While Christianity informs us of God's last end in
Creation and Providence, and the nature of true Virtue, consisting in
a conformity of heart to his moral image, and conformity of life to
his law, it opens to us the only way of acceptance with him, and the
full remission of all sin. This leads me to observe----
_In the last place,_ that the PRINCIPAL glory of the Gospel, is its
revealing to us a mediatorial Salvation, the only way to pardon--the
recovery of lost man by the sufferings and death of the Son of God.
This, indeed, as the attentive hearer will easily apprehend, is the
GREAT EXCELLENCY of our Religion. That which more than any thing
else, or all things else, shows its glory and worth. This is the
chief excellence. All that hath been above illustrated, if united
together is far from being equal to this; and was but preparatory to
it. This was designedly reserved for the last and crowning glory of
all. As sinners we want a method revealed, or to be shown, how we may
obtain forgiveness and the divine favour, acceptance with a holy and
sin-hating God. This the Gospel clearly reveals to us; and in this
consists its glory. This distinguishes it from all false
religions--from all the religions ever broached in the world. There
is one God and one Mediator between God and man. Other foundation can
no man lay, that that is laid even Jesus Christ. We are redeemed with
his precious blood. He is the lamb of God that taketh away the sin of
the world. No man can come unto the Father but by him. He is the way,
the truth, and the life. Through him, as an exalted Redeemer,
repentance and remission of sin are preached to an Apostate world. He
came to seek and to save that which was lost--to call sinners to
repentance.--_Be it known unto you, therefore men and brethren, that
through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by
him all that believe, are justified from all things from which ye
could not be justified by the law of Moses._ Neither is there
Salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven
given among men, whereby we must be saved. The CHIEF MERCY of the
Deity to a ruined world is the gift of a Saviour. This is the
unspeakable gift. None can be compared to it. It is infinitely above
all others. Whenever the inspired penmen touch upon this theme, the
LOVE of God in giving his son to make a propitiation for sin, they
seem to be carried out of themselves. They delight to dwell upon it.
They are raised beyond their ordinary pitch. They labour for language
to describe it. They know not how to speak worthily upon it; where to
begin, or where to end.--They exclaim, O the _length,_ the _depth,_
the _height,_ the _breadth_ of the love of God; his redeeming love!--
All indeed that Jesus Christ did, and suffered was to open a way for
our pardon, and to lead us to life eternal; a life of pardon and
acceptance with God, which might be compatible with the claims of
strict justice. FOR THIS, he lived a painful life. FOR THIS, he
condescended to be clothed in human flesh. FOR THIS, he died on the
Cross, an ignominious death. FOR THIS, he lay in the cold and silent
grave. FOR THIS, at the destined moment, he burst asunder the bonds
of death, and arose in triumph, as a mighty conqueror over death and
hell; for as he was wounded for our transgressions, so he was raised
again for our justification. FOR THIS, he ascended, in a visible
form, before chosen witnesses, into heaven. When we behold him coming
into the world--living--suffering--bleeding--dying--numbered with
transgressors, for he was crucified between two malefactors, as if
the greatest criminal of the three--and suspended on the cross on
Calvary's top, between the heavens and the earth, as if unworthy of
either--we see him as the GREAT PROPITIATORY SACRIFICE for sin.
The law came by Moses, but grace and truth by Jesus Christ; and he
fulfilled all righteousness. He put an honour, by what he did, and by
what he suffered, by his active and passive obedience, on the divine
character, law, and government. To all worlds, he has given full
proof that pardoning mercy may be consistently exercised to all
penitents--that the ruler of the Universe may be just and yet justify
the believer--that an honourable door of salvation is opened. He
indeed bore the sinner's shame and iniquities as his substitute; and
accordingly is made unto all that believe, wisdom, righteousness,
sanctification, and redemption. Through his peace-speaking blood a
way of life and forgiveness for, even the chief of sinners on their
repentance is made known. A holy, and righteous, and sovereign God,
who is bound to consult the honour and glory of his own character,
law, and government, and the welfare of the system of the Universe,
can be just and yet forgive the sinner, who repents and believes in a
Saviour. Man may be saved, and yet his salvation honour his Maker, as
the all-wise and all-holy Jehovah. He is glorified in our recovery
from sin to holiness, and more glorified, than if we had been left to
perish, unpitied; and the law had been executed upon us, in all its
awful rigours.----Here consequently is the PECULIAR GLORY or
PRINCIPAL EXCELLENCE of the Gospel.--its revealing to us a
mediatorial interposition--a way of pardon and felicity consistent
with all the divine attributes. It honours, indeed, the DIVINE BEING,
and all his perfections, wisdom, goodness, mercy, and justice, while
it provides, in the most ample manner, for the sinner's relief and
salvation.
Would any then enquire after the peculiar glory or excellence of the
Gospel they may at once receive a full answer, on what I have now
stated.--A VICARIOUS RIGHTEOUSNESS--a PARDON PURCHASED by the
precious blood of the Son of God--the CROSS of Christ--is the sum and
substance--the GLORY of the Gospel. Sin is expiated by an adequate
sacrifice--everlasting righteousness is brought in--the divine honour
is secured--and all the law magnified. This is the EXCELLENCE of the
Christian Religion. Unless we see this; we see nothing of the worth
of a Saviour--and we know nothing either experimentally, savingly, or
even speculatively of the GLORY of the Gospel.
I have now considered, at some length, the general excellence of the
Christian Religion. Had my illustrations and arguments been such, as
the dignity and grandeur of the subject required, I should hope that
every hearer would receive such a sense of the excellence of that
Religion, in which he was born and educated, and which blesses, with
its salutary rays, as a divine light, our happy Country, as would
never wear off, but lead to a temper of mind and conduct of life
conformable to its precepts.--In as few words as they can be
expressed, permit me, to recapitulate all the arguments and
considerations which have been enlarged upon in these discourses, and
present them, in one united view, that they may all have their proper
weight on the mind. The Christian Religion then is excellent, as it
shines gloriously above all other religions.--As it contains an
admirable system of doctrines, and a plain and rational mode of
worship:--as it lays before us the best system of duties, all of
which are reasonable, and the most weighty and solemn motives to
enforce them:--as it comprises in it the most precious promises, and
furnishes the richest supports, in days of adversity and misfortune,
far surpassing all that could be derived from reason and philosophy,
though these a wise man will by no means despise:--as it builds
itself upon no selfish foundation,--as it prohibits all moral evil,
and every thing which would interrupt our peace and comfort as
individuals, or the harmony and benefit of society, which it consults
and secures:--as it offers the most gracious, and sufficient
assistances to enable us to perform all required duty, and hath but
two _sacramental institutions,_ both of which are reasonable, having
a doctrinal and moral tendency,--as it exhibits a perfect and sublime
morality which the life of its FOUNDER happily exemplified: for the
example which he set us of Virtue and goodness is indefective:--as it
gives us so much light into the great plan of the divine
government:--and as it reveals a mediatorial salvation, the only way
of pardon and acceptance with the omniscient--and all-holy God. Well
may the Gospel, be called the _Gospel of_ God--the _Gospel of the
grace_ of God--the _glorious Gospel of the blessed God_--the _power
of God_ unto salvation--the _wisdom that is_ from above--the _mystery
hid_ from ages--the _Gospel of_ Christ--good _news of salvation_--and
_the Gospel of our salvation_--the _grace_ of God--and _the Gospel of
peace._
The whole will be concluded, with only one request to the hearer,
that as he would act up to the dignity of his rational nature--as he
would admit nothing, which is contrary to, or reject nothing which is
consistent with, reason--that as he would be happy on earth--and
happy after death, so he would, with fairness and candor, with all
due seriousness and deliberation, examine the merits, the internal
worth and beauty, the EXCELLENCE of the Christian Religion, that from
a full conviction of its being worthy of all acceptation, he may
conform his life to its precepts, be interested in the righteousness
of its author, and build his hopes upon its promises--and, then, its
rewards will be his portion, when time is no more.--And now to the
King, eternal, immortal, and invisible, be rendered, through Jesus
Christ, all honor, glory, and praise, from all on earth, and all in
heaven!----_AMEN!_
Transcriber's Notes.
Detailed changes:
- On page vii., change the reference 2 Thessalonians, 2. 15 to
2 Thessalonians, ii. 15, for consistency.
- On page 11, change the reference from "EPHES. II. 12." to
"EPHESIANS ii. 12." to match the style used in the rest of the
book.
- On page 13, in the "first thing proposed" paragraph, change the
Roman "I" to an Arabic "1" for consistency with later numbers.
- On page 15, change "all will berewarded according to their
character and works" to "all will be rewarded . . . ."
- The break between pages 15 and 16 is in the word "denied":
de|nied. In this and all subsequent cases, the whole word was
moved to the earlier page.
- On page 20, capitalize "Sirs" and "We" in the quotation of
Acts xiv. 15.
- On page 21, in point 3, change "indispensibly" to "indispensably"
twice.
- On page 22, change "to do justly and and love mercy" to "to do
justly and love mercy."
- The break between pages 22 and 23 is in the word "unto": un|to.
- The break between pages 23 and 24 is in the word "homage":
hom|age.
- The break between pages 26 and 27 is in the word "happy": hap|py.
- On page 27, the sentence "We proceed--as was proposed--" was
centered in the original, which stands out in the narrow column
of the book. The Transcriber removed the formatting.
- The break between pages 31 and 32 is in the word "information":
informa|tion.
- On page 33, insert a period after ". . . please their Idol."
Change "Carthagenians" to "Carthaginians."
- The break between paged 36 and 37 is in the word "intended":
in|tended.
- On page 37, in the "first of these" paragraph, change "preceeding"
to "preceding." The sentence "We now pass--to observe----" was
centered in the original, which stands out in the narrow column of
the book. The Transcriber removed the formatting. In point 3,
change the question mark after the sentence that begins "When we
ponder deep" to a period.
- The break between pages 37 and 38 is in the word "appear":
ap|pear.
- On page 38, in the sentence that begins "The anxious enquiry,"
change the sentence-ending period to a question mark.
- On page 39, in the first paragraph that starts on the page,
change "dispair" to "despair."
- On page 40, change "incorigible" to "incorrigible."
- The break between pages 43 and 44 is in the word "revelation":
reve|lation.
- On page 48, change "indisipenibly" to "indispensably."
- On page 49, in the quotation of Romans i. 22-31, change
"forefooted beasts" to "fourfooted beasts."
- On page 50, insert a comma into the quotation of the text after
"commonwealth of Israel," update a scripture reference from
"Genesis 6. 5." to "Genesis vi. 5" for consistency, insert
parentheses around that reference for clarity, and insert double
quotes around the quoted scripture.
- On page 51, change "all have sinned and come short of the glory
God" to ". . . glory of God."
- On page 53, in point 2, change "condescention" to "condescension."
- On page 56, change "dispise" to "despise."
- On page 57, change "Gospel truths, and or dinances are dispensed"
to ". . . and ordinances are dispensed." Also insert an apostrophe
into the phrase "Lord's will" in the quotation of Luke xii. 47.
- The break between pages 59 and 60 is in the word "acknowledge":
acknow|ledge.
- The break between pages 64 and 65 in in the word "destruction":
des|truction.
- The break between pages 67 and 68 is in the word "observe":
ob|serve.
- The break between pages 68 and 69 is in the word "contradicting":
con|tradicting.
- On page 70, change "Each writers stile or manner" to "Each
writer's stile or manner."
- On page 72, in the paragraph that starts on the page, change
"erronists" to "errorists."
- The break between pages 74 and 75 is in the word "unfounded":
un|founded.
- A quotation that begins at the bottom of page 74 and continues on
to page 75 has an opening quotation mark at the beginning of each
line. It was transcribed using one opening and one closing
quotation mark.
- On page 76, a rather long sentence begins "The question is not"
and ends "doctrines of the Bible? for this is readily
acknowledged." The Transcriber changed the question mark to a
colon, because this is an assertion, not a question.
- The break between pages 81 and 82 is in the word "spiritual":
spirit|ual.
- On page 85, insert commas into the list "iniquity, transgression,
and sin."
- On page 88, change "indispensible" to "indispensable."
- On page 91, change "What wise and great achievments have ever been
accomplished without perseverance." to "What wise and great
achievements have ever been accomplished without perseverance?"
_(spelling of "achievements" and period to question mark)_
- On page 94, change "If, says he, you neglect the duty . . ." to
"If," says he, "you neglect the duty . . ." to remove the speaker's
interjection from the quoted text. Remove the comma from
"Children's, Children."
- The break between pages 94 and 95 is in the word "Christianity":
Christiani|ty.
- On page 106, change "pinacle" to "pinnacle."
- On page 107, change "harrassed" to "harassed."
- The break between pages 107 and 108 is in the word "whatever":
whatev|er.
- On page 108, change "Whereever any rational creature . . ." to
"Wherever any rational creature . . . ."
- The break between pages 109 and 110 is in a unit that style
indicates should not be broken: "own.--|What." The entire unit
in this and subsequent cases was moved to the earlier page.
- On page 110, in the first paragraph that starts on the page,
change "indispensible" to "indispensable" and "indispensibly" to
"indispensably." In the second paragraph, change "indispensible"
to "indispensable."
- On page 112, change "however great cannot annul is" to "however
great cannot annul it."
- The break between pages 117 and 118 is in a unit that style
indicates should not be broken: "God--|one."
- The break between pages 118 and 119 is in the word "any": a|ny.
- On page 126, change "indispensible" to "indispensable."
- On page 127, set the word "Again" in Roman type because it
represents the speaker's interjection between scripture quotations
(which are set in _Italic._) Remove the Italic formatting from the
word "preached" because it is not part of the quotation of Romans
x. 17 in KJV.
- On page 128, change "indispensibly" to "indispensably."
- On page 129, in the James quotation, change "ingrafted" to
"engrafted."
- On page 131, change "dispise" to "despise."
- On page 133, change "tranquility" to "tranquillity" and
"practised" to "practiced."
- The break between pages 136 and 137 is in a unit that style
indicates should not be broken: "sanctified--|when."
- The break between pages 137 and 138 is in the word "mercy":
mer|cy.
- On page 139, change "indispensible" to "indispensable."
- On page 141, capitalize "Platonic."
- On page 143, change "It's beneficial tendency" to "Its beneficial
tendency" _(contraction to possessive)_
- The break between pages 144 and 145 is in the word "even": e|ven.
- On page 147, there is a lengthy quotation where, in the original,
each line starts with an opening quotation mark. Transcribed using
modern style, with one quote at the beginning. In the sentence
"But can you think," change the sentence-ending period to a
question mark.
- The break between pages 149 and 150 is in the word "esteem":
es|teem.
- The break between pages 150 and 151 is in the word "being":
be|ing.
- On page 154, change "practise condesention" to "practice
condescension."
- On page 155, change "prophecy" to "prophesy." Add a period after
the list "ardour, sublimity, and purity." Change "Prayers, says a
mahomatan writer, are the pillars . . ." to "Prayers," says a
mahomatan writer, "are the pillars . . ." to remove the speaker's
interjection from the quotation.
- The break between pages 156 and 157 is in the word "forsaking":
forsa|king.
- On page 159, change "whether the tribes" to "whither the tribes."
- On page 161, change the word "break" to "brake" to match the KJV.
- On page 170, change "henceforth drank" to "henceforth drunk."
- On page 173, correct a citation from "ii Chapter--42 verse" to
"ii. Chapter--41 and 42 verses."
- The break between pages 173 and 174 is in the word "believers":
be|lievers.
- The break between pages 174 and 175 is in the word "common":
com|mon.
- On page 177, change "to wash one anothers feet" to "to wash one
another's feet" and add a period after "John xiii."
- The break between pages 178 and 179 is in the word "ordinance":
or|dinance.
- On page 180, in the second paragraph, change "condescention" to
"condescension."
- The break between pages 183 and 184 is in the word "remembrance":
remem|brance.
- On page 186, in the concluding paragraph, change "intirely" to
"entirely" and "pretentions" to "pretensions."
- On page 187, put a period after the chapter number in "Matthew
xxviii."
- The break between pages 189 and 190 is in the word "Sacrament":
Sacra|ment.
- The break between pages 190 and 191 is in the word "ordinances":
or|dinances.
- The break between pages 193 and 194 is in the word "particular":
par|ticular.
- On page 194, change "dispair" to "despair."
- On page 195, put a period after the chapter number "Mark xvi." and
change "whereever you may" to "wherever you may."
- The break between pages 197 and 198 is in the word "professed":
pro|fessed.
- The break between pages 198 and 199 is in the word "Doubtless":
Doubt|less.
- The break between pages 200 and 201 is in the word "baptized":
bap|tized.
- On page 200, change "indispensibly" to "indispensably."
- The break between pages 201 and 202 is in the word "proved":
pro|ved.
- On page 204 is a list of Bible quotations in quick succession. Two
of them are identified as being from the 38th verse of Acts
chapter 8. The reference for the first one, "Here is water," was
corrected to the 36th verse and add "me" into "what doth hinder me
to be baptized?"
- On page 207, add a period after the chapter number for Matthew
xxviii.
- On page 211, change "condescention" to "condescension."
- On page 213, set "that is Christ" in Roman type to distinguish it
from the quoted scripture.
- The break between pages 214 and 215 is in the word "nations":
na|tions.
- On page 215, change "condescention" to "condescension" and "divine
right of baptism" to "divine rite of baptism."
- On page 217, change "washing his disciples feet" to "washing His
disciples' feet."
- The break between pages 217 and 218 is in the word "over": o|ver.
- On page 218, change "exteriour" to "exterior" and "condescention"
to "condescension."
- The break between pages 218 and 219 is in the word "administer":
admin|ister.
- On page 220, change "dependance" to "dependence" and "we and
our's" to "we and ours."
- On page 224, update "To day" to "To-day" to match "to-morrow" in
the next sentence.
- On page 227, change "Turky" to "Turkey."
- On page 228, change "inseperable" to "inseparable."
- The break between pages 228 and 229 is in the word "every":
ev|ery.
- The break between pages 230 and 231 is in the word "profess":
pro|fess.
- On page 231, change "those at Coloss" to "those at Colossae."
- On page 233, set the speaker's interjection, "that is Christ" in
Roman type because it is not part of the quoted verse (Colossians
ii. 12).
- On page 235, change "all Zions friends" to "all Zion's friends."
- On page 236, change "indispensibly" to "indispensably."
- On page 238, change "hauling men and women" to "haling men and
women."
- The break between pages 239 and 240 is in a unit that style
indicates should not be broken: "celebrated|--though."
- On page 240, change "Thiatira" to "Thyatira."
- On page 241, change "Coloss" to "Colossae."
- The break between pages 242 and 243 is in the word "exercised":
ex|ercised.
- On page 244, change "exteriour" to "exterior."
- The break between pages 248 and 249 is in the word "behoved":
beho|ved.
- On page 250 is a lengthy quotation that was originally set with
an opening quotation mark at the beginning of each line. It was
transcribed conventionally, with one opening and one closing
quotation mark.
- The break between pages 252 and 253 is in the word "metaphors":
meta|phors.
- The break between pages 259 and 260 is in the word "important":
im|portant.
- On page 260, insert an apostrophe into a quotation of Malachi
ii. 7, "For the Priest's lips were to keep knowledge."
- On page 264, the discourse ends with a restatement of the text.
However, this was not recognized by the typesetter, so it was set
in Roman type. The Transcriber set it in Italic, and corrected
"understand the scripture" to "understand the scriptures," to
match the text.
- On page 265, change "GALATIONS" to "GALATIANS" in the reference
for the text of the discourse.
- The break between pages 266 and 267 is in the word "dangerous":
dan|gerous.
- On page 267, change "surprized" to "surprised."
- The break between pages 271 and 272 is in the word "institution":
in|stitution.
- The break between pages 272 and 273 is in a unit which style
indicates should not be broken: "promises--|denounce."
- On page 273, change "indispensible" to "indispensable."
- On page 274, change a period to a question mark after the sentence
that begins "Can a case be named" and ends "may not righteously
claim a reward?"
- On page 276, change "can any once" to "can any one."
- The break between pages 276 and 277 is in the word "study":
stu|dy.
- On page 278, insert an apostrophe into "it is the Apostle's own
argument."
- On page 279, a lengthy quote is set in the original with an
opening quotation mark at the beginning of each line. It was
transcribed conventionally, with one opening and one closing
quotation mark.
- On page 280, Change "maintainance" to "maintenance" and "that
teachest" to "that teacheth." A lengthy quote is set in the
original with an opening quotation mark at the beginning of each
line. It was transcribed conventionally, with one opening and one
closing quotation mark.
- The break between pages 281 and 282 is in the word "conscience":
con|science.
- On page 283, capitalize the new sentence "Every one, who looks
upon this passage . . . ."
- On page 288, the first word of the paragraph, "Therefore," was set
in Roman small caps because it was not recognized as part of the
text for the discourse. The Transcriber set it in Italic with the
rest of the quotation.
- The break between pages 288 and 289 is in the word "preached":
preach|ed.
- The break between pages 292 and 293 is in the word "dangers":
dan|gers.
- On page 295, change "compleatly" to "completely."
- The break between pages 298 and 299 is in the word "nations":
na|tions.
- The break between pages 299 and 300 is in the word "agreeably":
a|greeably.
- On page 302, change "surprizing" to "surprising."
- On page 306, change "dependance" to "dependence."
- The break between pages 307 and 308 is in the word "sacramentally":
sacra|mentally.
- On page 309, change "preceeding" to "preceding."
- The break between pages 310 and 311 is in the word "twinkling":
twink|ling.
- On page 311, remove "is" from "It is was necessary . . . ."
- The break between pages 311 and 312 is in the word "worshipping":
worship|ping.
- On page 313, in the quotation of the fourth commandment, change
"thou shalt not no any work" to "thou shalt not do any work" and
change "heaven and earth, Sea, and all that in them is" to "heaven
and earth, the Sea, and all that in them is."
- The break between pages 314 and 315 is in the word "Sabbath":
Sab|bath.
- On page 318, set the scripture quotation introduced with "It is
prefaced thus" in Italic.
- On page 319, change "dispised" to "despised."
- The break between pages 319 and 320 is in the word "Sabbath":
Sab|bath.
- The break between pages 322 and 323 is in a unit that style
indicates should not be broken: "benefit--|that."
- On page 324, change "sabatism" to "sabbatism."
- On page 325, change "Let any man, saith he, show me . . ." to
"Let any man," saith he, "show me . . ." to remove the speaker's
interjection from the quoted text.
- The break between pages 327 and 328 is in the word "account":
ac|count.
- On page 328, after the "Can any shut their eyes" sentence, change
the period to a question mark.
- The break between pages 329 and 330 is in the word "Christians":
Chris|tians.
- On page 333, the word "Pentecost" appears three times, the first
two in the original as "Pentacost." They were changed to be
consistent.
- On page 335, insert an apostrophe into "deny or disown the
_Lord's day._"
- On page 339, change "That the forth commandment is of perpetual
obligation . . ." to "That the fourth commandment . . . ."
- On page 340, change "lightening" to "lightning."
- The break between pages 341 and 342 is in the word "singularity":
sin|gularity.
- On page 342, insert an apostrophe into "in the purest times in the
Apostle's days."
- On page 344, change "whole Christain world" to "whole Christian
world" the first time that phrase appears in small caps on that
page. Later on that page is a lengthy quote which is set with open
quote characters at the beginning of each line. It is transcribed
conventionally, with one opening and one closing quotation mark.
- On pages 345-6, a long quotation is presented in the original as
follows: "If, says he, addressing himself to people on their abuse
of the Sabbath." However, The Transcriber is under the distinct
impression that the only word quoted is the first one, and that the
rest is an interjection. The closing quotation mark inserted after
"interest of Religion" is an educated guess. The speaker returns
to the first person with the next sentence ("May I not
hope . . .").
- On page 346, the last word of the discourse "AMEN" follows a
scripture quotation. In the original it is set in Italic. It has
been transcribed in Roman because it is not part of the quoted
scripture.
- The break between pages 350 and 351 is in the word "poisonous":
poi|sonous.
- The break between pages 353 and 354 is in the word "unable":
un|able.
- The break between pages 358 and 359 is in the word "proposal":
pro|posal.
- On page 360, change "While Ministers, while Magistrates, while
Parents, says one, sleep, . . ." to "While Ministers, while
Magistrates, while Parents," says one, "sleep, . . ." to remove
the speaker's interjection from the quoted text. Change
"seperation" to "separation." Insert an apostrophe into "the
Apostles' doctrines."
- On page 362, scripture that was quoted on page 361 is quoted
again. The sentence "Then shall the righteous shine forever . . ."
was not recognized as part of the quotation and was set in Roman
in the original. It has been transcribed in Italic.
- On page 364, change "immoveable" to "immovable."
- The break between paged 365 and 366 is in the word "employs":
em|ploys.
- On page 366, insert a period after "a more spiritual way of
serving God." In the last sentence, correct "kingdem of our
heavenly Father" to "kingdom of our heavenly Father."
- On page 367, in the scripture quotation, change "prophesies" to
"prophecies" and insert a comma, change the comma after "fail" to
a semicolon, and insert a comma after "knowledge."
- The break between pages 368 and 369 is in the word "indeed":
in|deed.
- The break between pages 369 and 370 is in the word "joyful":
joy|ful.
- On page 372, change the quotation of 1 Corinthians xiii. 1 from
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels" to "Though I
speak with the tongues of men and of angels" and change "have all
faith so that I could remove mountains, and have no Charity" to
". . . have not Charity" to match the KJV text.
- On page 373, change "benificent" to "beneficent" and "preceeding"
to "preceding." In the quotation of 1 Cor. xii. 1 and 7-10, apply
Reverential Capitalisation (RC) to the word "Spirit" throughout;
change "gift of healing" to "gifts of healing" and "prophesy" to
"prophecy."
- On page 374, in the scripture quotation, apply RC to "Spirit."
At the end of the paragraph, change "Heb. iii. 3, 4" to
"Heb. ii. 3, 4" and the final period to a question mark.
- The break between pages 374 and 375 is in the word "expressive":
ex|pressive.
- On page 377, change "reject them as imposters" to "impostors" for
consistency with other uses on the page.
- The break between pages 378 and 379 is in the word "inspiration":
in|spiration.
- The break between pages 379 and 380 is in the word "inspiration":
inspi|ration.
- On page 380, change "every threatning" to "every threatening."
- On page 382, change "Thy word is a light to my feet, and a lamp to
my paths" to "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my
path" (Ps. cxix. 105).
- On page 384, change "guidence" to "guidance" and, in the list,
insert a comma after "body of men."
- On page 387, change "It is easier, says he, to conceive than to
express . . ." to "It is easier," says he, "to conceive than to
express . . ." to remove the speaker's interjection from the
quotation.
- On page 388, change "merchandize" to "merchandise."
- On page 391, change "imposter" to "impostor."
- On page 395, change "but least this phrase" to "but lest this
phrase."
- The break between pages 396 and 397 is in the word "meaning":
mean|ing.
- On page 399, change "transcendantly" to "transcendently."
- On page 400, change "dependance" to "dependence."
- The break between pages 400 and 401 is in the word "complete":
com|plete.
- The break between pages 401 and 402 is in a unit which style
indicates should not be broken: "heart?|--And."
- The break between pages 402 and 403 is in the word "sacrifices":
sac|rifices.
- On page 403, a lengthy quote is set in the original with an
opening quotation mark at the beginning of each line. It has
been transcribed conventionally, with one opening and one
closing quote. Change "encreased" to "increased."
- On page 406, insert right quotation mark after "perfectly to keep
the commandments of God" the first time the question from the
catechism is quoted. Also, change "It is very extraordinary, says
he, that this sinless perfection . . ." to "It is very
extraordinary," says he, "that this sinless perfection . . ." to
remove the speaker's interjection from the quoted text.
- On page 409, insert a comma into a list after "losses."
- On page 413, change "letter of their's" to "letter of theirs."
- The break between pages 417 and 418 is in the word "dictates":
dic|tates.
- The break between pages 418 and 419 is in the word "diffused":
dif|fused.
- On page 419, change "things of Gods" to "things of God." The text
alludes to Genesis xlix. 3-4. Change "Reuben is, unstable as water
thou shall not excel" to "Reuben is unstable as water, thou shalt
not excel" (_move comma, shall -> shalt_).
- The break between pages 419 and 420 is in the word "pursuit":
pur|suit.
- On pages 421-2, there are two lengthy quotes that in the original
have an opening quotation mark at the beginning of each line. Each
was set conventionally, with one opening and one closing quotation
mark. Also, change "I may, in the holy and righteous Providence of
God, should the Christian say, be left to fall into error and
delusion" to "I may, in the holy and righteous Providence of God,"
should the Christian say, "be left to fall into error and
delusion" to remove the speaker's interjection from his advice.
- On page 422-3, there is a lenghty footnote. From the first
paragraph, insert a period before the dash and remove left double
quotes after. In the second paragraph, insert double quotes around
the genius' statements, avoiding the asides. Remove right double
quotes from the end of the footnote.
- On page 423, change "false Christ's" to "false Christs."
- In the footnote to Discourse XX, which is originally on page 422,
change "desirous of seing . . ." to "desirous of seeing . . . ."
- On page 425, in the 2 Peter ii. 1 quotation, change "bring up
themselves" to "bring upon themselves."
- On page 430, in the 1 Corinthians xv. 58 quotation, change
"steadfast and imoveable" to "stedfast and unmoveable" to match
KJV.
- On page 433, change "Though I speak with the tongues of men and
angels" to "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels"
to match the KJV text and change "benificence" to "beneficence."
- On page 435, there is a lengthy quote which in the original has
an opening quotation mark at the beginning of each line. It was
transcribed conventionally, with one opening and one closing
quotation mark.
- On page 436, change "And we may add Deism, if that may, with any
justice, he called a religion." to "And we may add Deism, if that
may, with any justice, be called a religion." _("he" to "be")_
- On page 437, "behold" to "beheld" in the scripture quotation and
change "ever published to the word" to "ever published to the
world." _("word" to "world")_
- On page 439, change "unnatural and detestible vices" to "unnatural
and detestable vices." _(spelling of "detestable")_
- The break between pages 439 and 440 is in the word "childish":
child|ish.
- On page 441, insert an apostrophe into "For argument's sake."
- The break between pages 441 and 442 is in the word "forgiven":
for|given.
- On page 442, put a period at the end of the sentence "It teaches
us, also, the nature of this atonement."
- On page 443, set the phrase "says the Apostle Paul," in Roman type
because it is not part of the quotation of Galatians v. 24.
- On page 445, change "golden Censor" to "golden Censer."
- On page 447, change "preceeding" to "preceding."
- The break between pages 448 and 449 is in the word "rational":
ra|tional.
- On page 450, change "reconcileable" to "reconcilable."
- On page 452, change "benificence" to "beneficence."
- The break between pages 453 and 454 is in the word "prescribed":
pre|scribed.
- On page 455, insert an apostrophe into "in the mind's view."
- On page 456, change "dependant" to "dependent."
- The break between pages 456 and 457 is in the word
"encouragements": encourage|ments.
- On page 459, change "extatic" to "ecstatic." Change "Moreover you
would there learn, says he, the important lesson . . ." to
"Moreover you would there learn," says he, "the important
lesson . . ." to remove the speaker's interjection from the quoted
text.
- On page 460, set the phrase "to his disciples" in Roman text
because it is not part of the quotation of John xvi. 33.
- On page 461, change "thing upon which it prays" to "preys" and
"fewel" to "fuel."
- On page 468, in the quotation of Mark x. 17-22, change "thou shall
have treasure" to "thou shalt have treasure." Change the comma
after "follow me" to a period. Change "honour" to "honor" twice to
match other uses in that paragraph.
- The break between pages 468 and 469 is in the word "private":
pri|vate.
- The break between pages 470 and 471 is in the word "divine":
di|vine.
- On page 472, change "condescention" to "condescension."
- The break between pages 472 and 473 is in the word "Father":
Fa|ther.
- On page 473, change "condescention" to "condescension."
- On page 476, after the "If God have annexed" sentence, change the
period to a question mark.
- On page 477, change "dissentions" to "dissensions."
- The break between pages 478 and 479 is in the word "happiness":
hap|piness.
- On page 479, in the list of virtues, change "honestry" to
"honesty." Later, change "persuits" to "pursuits."
- On page 480, change "benefitted" to "benefited."
- On page 481, change "recompenced" to "recompensed."
- The break between pages 483 and 484 is in the word "attention":
at|tention.
- The break between pages 484 and 485 is in the word "merciful":
mer|ciful.
- On page 486, change "our Lord himself, when he came to reveal his
Father's will, in forms us . . ." to ". . . informs us . . . ."
- On page 487, change "reclaim us from our evils ways" to "reclaim
us from our evil ways."
- On page 488, change "condescention" to "condescension."
- On pages 490-1, there is a lengthy quote. In the original, there
is one opening quotation mark and one closing quotation mark, on
the following page. It was transcribed with an additional opening
quotation mark at the start of the new paragraph within the
quotation.