USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Hampstead > A memorial history of Hampstead, New Hampshire, Congregational Church 1752-1902, Volume II > Part 6
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discovering the being and perfection of God, discovers a most glorious and excellent object, yet that knowledge of God which a sinner has answerable to these discoveries, if he knows not that there is forgiveness with him, which most important and amiable art of the divine character is brought to light only by the gospel. The sinner's mere natural knowledge of God, I say, could be no comfort and benefit to him, but rather fill him with tormenting remorse, anguish, dread and aversion.
How far the light of nature can help us to the knowledge of God has been considered. Let us now inquire how far it can help us to know ourselves. It discovers, indeed, very clearly that we are moral agents, under the moral government of God, capable of happiness, or misery, sinful mortals, etc. But with- out giving a detail of the observation which philosophers have made on the nature and state of mankind, the knowledge of these things can afford us no substantial comfort or benefit un- less we could find good reason to hope that we may be delivered from that state of sin, guilt and misery in which we find our- selves, and attain to a state of true righteousness and blessedness in the favor of God. But such a ground of hope, reason discov- ers not-whatever presumptions and probabilities it may suggest in favor of a future life after death, it gives no information of a state of happiness for a sinner beyond the grave, but rather sug- gests the justest grounds for most anxious and fearful apprehen- sions to a guilty conscience. The more we know of ourselves by the mere light of nature the more our fears and sorrows must naturally increase.
How much reason have we, then, to highly prize the gospel, which alone furnishes sinners with such knowledge of God and themselves as not only most excellent and important in itself, but quite changes that sad and alarming aspect of things exhib- ited. The gospel not only contains plainer and more distinct revelation and perfections of the will of God than reason can discern by the light of nature, but has also brought to view a most glorious and amiable part of the divine character which nature's light did not reveal, the knowledge of which was neces- sary in order to our taking true comfort or deriving substantial benefit from all our other knowledge necessary to relieve a sin-
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ner under anguish, arising from a sense of guilt. necessary to his drawing near to God, beholding his glory, contemplating his perfections, and having delightful acquaintance and communion with him. And that is that there is forgiveness with him, that he retaineth not his anger forever, for he delighteth in mercy, that he is in Christ the father of mercies, reconciling the world to himself. not imputing their trespasses to them. It is the gos- pel only that teaches us that the just God is the Saviour. Here only we find the gracious, inviting name of God, which holds forth encouragement to us to return to him by repentance, to re- joice in the hope of his favor, to trust in him, and fly to the shadow of his wings for protection. To the gospel, then, we are beholden for our most glorious and amiable views of the divine character, and indeed for all of that knowledgi of God which can give comfort and joy, that knowledge which throws light on the dark side of things. In the gospel we see light breaking forth and shining out of darkness, and that God is light and no darkness at all. Well. then. may the believer say with exalting joy, " This God is our God forever. our God, our glory." That knowledge which is the only true God. the eternal life, includes in it the knowledge of Jesus Christ, whom he has sent, and in whom he alone he has truly revealed himself as the object of our faith, worship and happiness. Unbelievers are accordingly described in Scripture as those who know not God and have not seen him.
The gospel opens to view the scheme of Providence in which the divine perfection and character appear in the general majes- ty, glory and beauty. If we consider the work of our redemp- tion by Christ in its distinct parts, and these parts in the con- nection and relation to each other and to the whole scheme, and forming one grand system. If we contemplate the glory of the divine redeemer, his person, character, offices, performances, with the issue and results of the whole, the great salvation which he has effected, the way and means by which he has pro- enred and in which it is applied, how effectually the son of God is destroying the work of the devil, and has opened a way in which the richest of divine grace and beanty are flowing down on the guilty and miserable, raising them from the abyss of
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wretchedness and death to glory, honor and immortality, raising a new and more glorious creation from the confusion and chaos of a ruined world, and all to the glory of God the Father, what sublime, glorious, and important discoveries are these! With the knowledge of these the soul of the believer is fed, is feast- ed, is exalted and ennobled.
Every one of right state must be greatly delighted with the knowledge of such excellent and sublime truths. If our private interest had been less concerned in them we should have reason to highly esteem the knowledge of Christ as furnishing us with the matter of a most noble and delightful contemplation. The angels desire to look into these things, but we have the more reason to value their knowledge above all others since the great work of redemption was planned for the salvation of man. The great Immanuel is our redeemer, and the Saviour assumed our na- ture ; labored and suffered for us, was delivered for our offences, and ruled again for our justification. The gospel shows us the way in which alone we can be delivered from a state of sin and mis- ery and obtain true righteousness and felicity. In precepts are the law of our lives, its promises and doctrines the foundation of our joy and hopes beyond death-in a word, it is a charter of our privileges. It is the instrument in the mind of the holy spirit by which the divine life is generated and maintained and we are prepared for heaven.
By the help of that light which the gospel holds forth a Christian may also know himself to his comfort and advantage, but though by sin he is a child of death, vet through faith in the righteousness of Christ he is so united to him as to receive righteousness and life from him. and so is pardoned and restored to the favor of God. and as an adopted child is a joint heir with Christ to the heavenly inheritance. That the mortal wound which by sin he has given himself is healing,-that sin and death will at length be abolished in him and swallowed up in victory,-by a gospel, too, as a rule and faithful mirror, we may be informed by our true character and state by looking into this law of liberty and comparing ourselves with it we may learn what manner of persons we are.
How much such a knowledge of themselves as Christians
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might obtain by the light of gospel truth would be for their comfort and improvement cannot now be further insisted on.
II. The excellency of the gospel and the knowledge of Christ therein exhibited therein appears, in that it is sufficient to direct, is how we may escape from the misery and wretched- ness of a state of sin and attain to a state of complete, ever- lasting holiness and blessedness. If we have this knowledge it will make us truly wise. It will guide and enable us to obtain the highest good, perfection, and end of our nature. Other knowledge, however useful it may be to subserve the lower pur- poses and occupations of life, yet will eventually be of no sub- stantial advantage to those who miss of salvation, and to perish miserably. Without this wisdom, which is the principal thing, all our knowledge and accomplishments become vain and worth- less to us, and must soon perish with us. The insufficiency of the light of nature to guide a sinner to true virtue and happi- ness has been noticed. And therefore, though the knowledge of the principles of natural religion is of great importance and use, when joined with the knowledge of Christ and the truths of the gospel, and since it gives a sinner no assurance that sal- vation is obtainable, or in what way he has encouragement to seek or hope for acceptance with God, natural religion is there- fore insufficient, as a rule, to direct us how we may have peace with God and be happy in his favor, without a well grounded persuasion of the pardoning mercy of God, of which the gospel only assures us of our knowledge of the principles of natural religion, instead of showing how we may obtain happiness, can only discover our sin and misery, and so increase our sorrow. But the gospel is a complete and sufficient rule of faith and prac- tice. It contains all the instruction we need in order to our sal- vation. It assures us that there is salvation for the chief of sinners through Christ. It teaches us how God is just in justi- fying them for the sake of the Redeemer's merits, that it is by faith in him that we have access to his grace. Our obligations and encouragements to repent of sin and turn to God, to deny ungodliness and every worldly lust, and live soberly, righteously and godly in the world, are fully and plainly and most forcibly represented. The manner in which we may worship God accep-
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tably, the ordinances and instrumental duties in which we are to seek him. and in which he will draw near to us and bless us, are here fully declared. In a word, the doctrines, precepts, promises and threatenings of the gospel are sufficient to instruct a Chris- tian fully in his religious and spiritual discernments, and fur- nish him with all of the duties and enjoyments of his heavenly calling. In this respect the knowledge of Christ and the mys- teries of the kingdom of heaven far surpasses in excellence all the wisdom of the children of men.
III. It is a further argument or evidence of the excellency in the gospel that the truths it reveals are proposed to us in such a manner, confirmed with such evidence, and accompanied with such divine influence on the minds and hearts of the children of men.
It may be counted an excellency of the gospel revelation that God, in his goodness and wisdom, has proposed and deliv- ered his will in writing, moving and inspiring holy men to record divine oracles as a rule of faith and practice for all sue- ceeding ages. This is much better adapted than oral tradition to preserve a divine revelation and transmit it, uncorrupt, to re- mote nations and successive generations ; and if men expected immediate revelations, impostures and enthusiasts would have a great advantage to deceive mankind with vain pretences. The plainness with which those things are delivered which are of the greatest and most general importance is also to be noticed as an excellency of the Christian revelation, whereby it is fitted to convey that instruction to persons of weak understanding which is most necessary for them.
And though some truths which are also of great use are more darkly proposed, but plain truths are sometimes expressed in a way not easy to our understanding, this does not lessen the ex- cellence and usefulness of the gospel revelation. But several important advantages arise from this very circumstance which some are ready to complain of.
I say this is no objection to the divine excellency and divine original, unless it be, though an objection against the divine wisdom and goodness of providence, that many points of knowl- edge for the great use and improvement, comfort, and even
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preservation of life, are not acquired without much attention and diligence. And unless reason, principles of and the natural religion be objected to, because many important truths in moral- ity will not be discovered or understood without careful and close attention. It must indeed be difficult for low, stupid, gross minds to understand sublime, heavenly and spiritual doctrines, however plainly they are expressed. Nor will it be easy for those who are children of knowledge, and have scarce learned the rudiments of Christianity, to digest the strong meat which is provided for men of full age : the forms of expression in an- cient writings will also seem hard to those who are not acquaint- ed with them. And we all know how prejudice darkens the mind. But we may also suppose that some truths are more darkly expressed to exercise our diligence in searching them out, for it is the will of God that we seek for wisdom as for silver, and dig for it as for hidden treasures. And this leads me to observe that the more obscure passages are productive of impor- tant advantages beyond what a revelation plain in all of its parts to a meanest capacity could have afforded. For by search- ing the Scriptures we find out what we do not understand, we become better acquainted and furnished with what we do under- stand.
And besides, we find that the knowledge acquired by close and painful attention is ordinarily more firmly fixed and thoroughly wrought into our minds, and further. it was fit that suitable in- struction be adapted to different capacities. It may be added that some things. particularly in the prophecies which are yet to be fulfilled, seem to have been obscurely expressed, because it was not designed that they should be distinctly understood till they should be explained by the events of Providence. The sublime majesty and force of language which distinguishes many parts of the inspired writings might also be mentioned as an excellency in the manner in which divine truths are proposed to us, and a mark of the heavenly original. Which leads us to ob- serve that the evidence confirming the truth of the gospel which conveys to us the knowledge of Christ is a great argument of its excellency. This evidence is the testimony of God himself to the truth of it. No argument can be plainer, none more con-
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vincing and conclusive. A child can understand and feel the force of it, and the greatest master of reasoning can propose no stronger or more perfect demonstration. The testimony God has given in the clearest and most striking manner, by a visible descent of the Holy Ghost upon Christ, by a voice from heaven, "This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased ; hear him." By the miracles wrought by Christ, by raising him from the dead, by receiving him up into heaven by the light of many spectators, by enabling the apostles to speak all manner of tongues and work the most astonishing miracles in the name of Jesus, by giving the gospel a miraculous propagation. without any external compulsion or worldly allurements or advantages, and by instruments weak, mean and contemptible in the eyes of the world, and that in opposition to all of the vices, lusts, prejudices, false philosophy, superstition, witchcraft, and state policy in the world. supported by the civil authority with all of the terrors of penal and sanguinary laws executed upon the Christians in num- berless influences, with unexampled severity and cruelty.
These it is to be remembered are facts which, upon the severest examinations, are found to be supported with accumulated evi- dence. They are reflected by many eye witnesses, whose writings exhibit the marks of a sound. good understanding, strict integ- rity, sincere and fervent piety, who at last sealed their testimony with their blood. They are facts which the ancient adversaries of Christianity never, that we can find, undertook to confute, or even ventured to deny many of the most important of them, though they had every advantage and inducement to have done this if they had not been incontestibly true, and some of the most intelligent of them did even acknowledge the miracles wrought in confirmation of Christianity, as their writing declare.
I might add that the efficacy which the gospel has upon the temper and lives by whom it has been received in faith and love is a most important evidence that it is from God. A divine power has attended it. working a great and divine change in the hearts of men, turning them from the darkness to light, and from the power of satan to God, making them new creatures, raising the most wretched slaves of sin to a heavenly temper and conversation, filling them with the fruits of the Spirit, in
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all goodness, righteousness and truth. A true Christian has a witness in himself that the gospel is divine truth. The blessed change which he finds in himself leaves no room to doubt that the gospel, by means that has been effected, is the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth, to conversion of a sinner to God, is a glorious work of divine power, by which he gives testimony to the truth of Christianity. But this will hereafter be further considered.
Besides the eternal proofs of the truths of the Christian doc- trine, the gospel carries in and upon itself the evidences of its divine original. The consistency of the Christian scheme with itself and with every other known truth is a strong presumption that it is true and divine, for by certain fatality the reveries of enthusiasts and the devices of impostors will run crooked and inconsistent. That the gospel is not calculated to serve the self- ish views of pride, covetousness and sensuality, but is utterly opposed to them, is a strong evidence that it is no contrivance of worldly craft, which is a further and great presumption in its favor ; the purity and the holiness of its precepts and practical rules, which teach us to deny all ungodliness and every worldly lust, and live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world, shows that it is worthy of God according to the clearest and surest of notions which we can form of him, and is calcu- lated to form mankind to such a right temper and behavior as the reason and conscience of every man must approve. Whence then could such a religion be thought to derive its original but from God, the stamp of whose moral perfections is so plainly visible upon it, but the transcendentally generous and amiable character of God, which is displayed and demonstrated by the doctrines and farts exhibited in the gospel, a character in which infinite wisdom, power, holiness and goodness are joined with grace and merey, which grants pardon and salvation to the most guilty and miserable-a character which right reason must ac- knowledge surpasses in glory all that is called God, all that the light of nature can diseover, which is such an evidence of the divinity of the gospel as must carry conviction to every rational mind that duly attends to it. For what can be more absurd than to imagine that imposture or enthusiasm can draw a more amia-
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ble and perfect character of God than reason itself ? Finally, the propheeies of future events, which are utterly beyond the discernments of human sagacity, and which the history and present state of the world shows to have been exactly fulfilled, these are such a seal of the divine inspiration of the Scriptures as cannot be counterfeited, for it is as impossible for an inspired man to be the author of these prophecies as it is for chance to create a world.
So that if we will but duly attend to the contents of the Chris- tian revelation we need be at no loss whois its anthor. Like the creation, it is a work that fathers itself, and the blindness of infidels who see not these evidences of divinity no more prove that they are not real and visible than the blindness of atheists proves that the power and wisdom of God are not seen in the works of creation.
But though the evidences of the truth and divinity of the gospel are so clear and strong, yet they are not apprehended so as to force conviction upon the minds of all to whom they are proposed, for the minds of men are so blinded and their hearts so hardened in sin that there must be a special influence of grace and spirit of God to give them a saving knowledge of Christ and the truth as is in him. An honest heart, a right spirit, a fair mind, is the effect of this divine influence : without the truth will not be embraced with faith and love. But when the mind is opened, and the heart reconciled to the light of the truth, its evidence will no longer appear dim and doubtful- it will shine like the oracle of Urim and Thummim. And how excellent must that knowledge be which is conveyed to the mind by the enlightening influence of the Holy Spirit. But for those who hate the light which reproves their evil deeds, and to harden themselves against conviction and resist the Holy Ghost, the evidence of the truth will answer an important and even against them-it will show what they are, and leave them without a reasonable excuse as unreasonable men. If it does not work conviction in them, it will serve, however, as a touch- stone to discover their character.
IV. The influence and effect which by the divine blessing the gospel and knowledge which it conveys has had upon the
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hearts and lives of men, is a further argument of its appalling excellency. This influence and efficacy has been mentioned be- fore as an evidence of the truth and divinity of the gospel, but it is again called up to view as manifesting the excellency thereof. Other knowledge, however it may civilize and polish the minds and manners of men, yet leave them under the guilt and power of sin and in a most miserable condition. But the gospel has brought to light a righteousness of the knowledge of faith. of which sinners are justified with a knowledge of God, are received into his favor and adopted as his children, and so are the heirs of eternal life. The gospel is also the instrument of delivering a sinner from the power and dominion of sin, and quickening those who were in a state of spiritual death. It is by the word of truth, by the gospel and by the knowledge of Christ which it conveys, that we are begotten and sanctified and made wise for eternity. The power of the Holy Spirit goes with it, changing the soul into the image of God from glory to glory, to deliver the mind from the darkness in which it was bewil- dered with respect to the change of its everlasting peace-a spiritual view of the excellency of Christ and the glorious ob- jects which the gospel reveals as simulates the believer to the image of Christ. Our souls, by beholding, contemplating, and being conversant with such glorious truths, take a heavenly aspect and bias, and our lives esteemed in love by Christians, for their works' sake, according to an apostolic canon for that pur- pose.
Will my reverend fathers and brethren suffer a word of address from one, however unworthy, who has heartily cast in a lot with them. The excellency of the gospel, the dispensation of which is committed to ns, has been in some manner represented, indeed in a very imperfect manner, but your more exact, com- prehensive and penetrating views will easily supply what is amiss and correct what is wanting in the representation. Should it not be then our desire, prayer and endeavor that we may be yet more fully acquainted with those mysteries of divine wisdom and grace which are exhibited in the gospel ? that we may grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ, and have our minds more illuminated, our hearts more affected and transformed by
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it into the image of Christ. and cast in the mould of evangelical truth, wisdom, holiness and joy ?
The ministers of the gospel undertake a trust of very great importance, of no small difficulty. They are entrusted with the dispensation and are set for the defence of the gospel, and who is sufficient for these things ? How rich a treasure is put into these earthen vessels. But then, the vessels containing such a sacred treasure should be clean ones, sanctified and meet for the Master's use. They should be such as have been sweetened and consecrated by the unctions of the Holy One-the stewards of the house of God, who are to feed his household with knowledge and understanding, should be both wise and faithful. They only are qualified. as they ought, have grace as well as gifts, who receive the truth not only in the notion and form, but also in the power and love of it, and experience the sanctifying influ- ence of the knowledge of Christ upon their hearts. though we should cover the best gifts and seek to excel in them for the purposes of edification, yet, unless we are sanctified through the truth, we are not sanctified thoroughly for this great work to which we have been separated. Be it then our care to have our graces in lively exercise, and while we deal out the bread of life to others, not neglect to partake thereof ourselves.
Grace. indeed, is absolutely necessary to one's having a divine call and mission to the evangelical ministry. Nor does the validity or efficacy of divine administration depend on the good attentions of the administrator. This popish error has been constantly rejected by the Protestants. If true saints can have a valid call or mission, then such only are authorized by Christ, and consequently the administration of such only are valid. How, then, could a church know whether they have a valid min- istry or ordinance. as since they cannot know the heart or state of another ? However, though Christ may send his messages of grace by whomsoever he will, yet without grace his call and mis- sion will not be sincerely or faithfully obeyed, and whatever good such may be instrumental of doing to others, no real benefit or comfort will thence accrue to the unworthy instruments, nor does it seem likely that the work of God should prosper in an unfaithful hand.
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