Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

ness of God." These are mysterious expressions, and can be understood, only by a spiritual discernment. The Apostle speaks of our comprehending the measure of that which is infinite, of knowing that which passes knowledge, and of our being filled with the fulness of God. But this is parallel with the forecited passage, eye hath not seen, &c. The meaning of which is, that those things in which the Christion's enjoyments consist, are of such a nature, so spiritual and resned, that they are not the objects of our senses neither are they aitainable by our natural understandings, and the exertion of our natural powers. Lye hath not seen them, nor car heard them, nor the heart of man conceived of them, but God hath revealed them to us by his spirit.

reasoning and intellectual powers. The difference appears to be as great as that between the evidence of hearing and seeing. What I receive from the information of another, respecting any person or place, I may believe and assent to; but if I have myself seen the person, or been to the place, I have greater evidence from my own observation, than I could have by information. I not only believe it, but I know it, with all the certainty with which I can know any natural object. And can I entertain a doubt, while the object is before my eyes? Would it be rational for me to be so unbelieving as to scruple my senses, and seek after some greater evidence? Where shall it be found? And if we can obtain such a knowledge of natural objects, as will exclude every 3. A true knowledge of the doubt, is it not reasonable to gospel, implies an established suppose that God hath given us persuasion and certainty of the the means of knowing, with at things known. This is a natu- least an equal certainty, spiriral and inseparable consequence, tual objects, which are of infiof a true spiritual discernment. nitely greater importance to us? It tends to establish the Chris- It surely is, or there could be no tian in the truth; and the Apos- meaning in that spiritual knowltle speaks of this establishment edge, of which the scriptures so as an essential mark of the much speak. It is true, this is Christian character. Col. i. 23. the knowledge of faith, but that "If ye continue in the faith, is as certain as the knowledge of grounded and settled, and be sense-and indeed more so.not moved away from the hope Can we have higher evidence of the gospel which ye have than the divine testimony-the heard, and which was preached truth of God in the declaration to every creature which is un- of his word? And cannot our der heaven." The internal evi- internal and spiritual sense of dence, the Christian hath of his spiritual objects, be as discernreligion, is more weighty, pow-ing, as keen and accurate as our erful and conclusive, and tends natural senses are of natural obmore to establish and confirm jects? This is the representahis faith, than every argument tion the Bible gives us of the from without; and all the con- matter. "He that believeth viction he could otherwise ob- hath the witness in himself."— tain by the improvement of his He has that experience of the

spiritual discernment? Is this true liberality? Is this the ex.

power of divine grace upon his own heart, which gives him full conviction. He sees such beau⚫ercise of the Christian spirit?

ty in God's word, such divine wisdom and glory in the whole, and every part of the gospel plan, that he knows it to be from God. Our Saviour told the Jews, "My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." He shall know of the doctrine-he shall not be in doubt, or hesitation about it; at a loss whether to believe or disbelieve it, but he shall know. If the mind be but rightly disposed toward God, he will at once embrace the gospel, and is prepared to be established, grounded and settled in the truth. "I am the good Shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine-they know his voice-a stranger will they not follow, but flee from him, for they know not the voice of strangers.

If these ideas be just, (and I consider them supported by the Bible,) they may teach us what to think of that boasted liberality of sentiment, which, by many, is extolled as the glory of the age. This seems to consit, not so much in a man's believing his own sentiments as every one's else, or his being so unsettled and undetermined in his own religious faith, that he can believe that another, who thinks entirely contrary to him in every point, and perhaps denies the essential, fundamental truths of the gospel, may yet be as right as he, and so embrace him as a good Christian-both journeying to heaven, tho' by different routs. Is this the effect of a

Is this a gospel faith? Is this to be fully persuaded in one's mind, and settled and grounded in the truth? With as much propriety and with infinitely less hazard, might the Christian give up the evidence of his natural senses-and if, while in the act of tasting honey, a by stander should say, it is vinegar, and another, it is gall, he should liberally acknowledge, and say, it may be you are right-it may be vinegar, or it may be gall; I am not certain it is honey, and we may all be right. Would not such a man be viewed an idiot? And is the religious liberality I have described less ridiculous? It is vastly more so, and it is simply owing to the want of a spiritual discernment, that it is not viewed in this light.

This knowledge, of which I have treated, will correct the errors and mistakes of mankind respecting the proper objects of happiness, if they will impartial. ly view themselves in the glass which the gospel holds before them, and submit their reason, judgment and choice to the direc tion of the unerring wisdom of God's word. But alas! how widely different do they appear-how contrary to each other in their nature and tendency when bro't into a comparative view! The men of the world manifest a temper and disposition of heart, wholly dissimilar, and contrary to that which characterizes the children of God, and in the ex ercise of which their comfort and enjoyment consist. Alas! they are blinded by their preju dices, not only to their own character, but to the only proper ob

ject of happiness and the way of obtaining it. A deceived heart hath turned them aside, and hence they call evil good, and good evil; put darkness for light, and light for darkness; bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter; mis. ery for happiness, and happiness for misery. They are strange ly and unreasonably disaffected towards the true character of the blessed God, and hence all his ways are displeasing to them; and hence too their prejudices are extended, and carried through to every part of that system of truths and duties which is built upon the character of God as its foundation, and is revealed and unfolded to us in his word. The pride and arrogancy of their hearts is so great, that they will not bow to the authority, nor submit to the government of God. "The wicked, thro' the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God; God is not in all his thoughts." Men of the world have such mistaken views of God, of the nature of his service, and the duties he requires of them, as to think that in devoting themselves to him, they must abandon their own happiness, own happiness, and give up every comfort and enjoyment in life. To such dangerous errors, men are exposed by spiritual blindness, and a carnal taste. But is any such idea involved in the subject to which we have now at tended? Is it in any measure conveyed or countenanced in the infallible instruction of God's word? There we read, "Blessed is the people who know the joyful sound." Is then the knowledge of the joyful sound of the gospel destructive of our happiness and comfort! Do the

love and service of God, in the least deprive us of the enjoy ment of created good? And is it the same to walk in the light of God's countenance, as to walk in the bitterness of spir it, in sorrow, and melancholy sadness? No. The very r verse of all this is truth. Godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. Godliness with contentment is great gain." Instead of diminishing, it vastly increases our enjoyment. The happiness of a rational being must be a rational happiness, and not the happiness of a brute. The practice of religion is the most rational employment, and therefore affords the only happiness which is suited to the nature, satisfactory to the desires, and corresponding with the dignity of a rational being. In darkness, it gives light-in adversity, comfort-from evil, it derives good-from bitter, extracts sweet-in pain, it affords pleasure, and in the agonies of death, inspires a song of triumph, in the blessed hope of eternal life. "Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing shall offend them. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee."Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. Let us give over every other pursuit of happiness, chuse the comforts religion affords--acquaint ourselves with God, and thereby good shall come unto us. ASAPH.

[blocks in formation]

signifies some image, or repre- | Adam and Christ, we may find,

sentation. The holy places, in the temple, were figures of the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus;

that in some things, Adam wa6 a striking figure of him; but in other things he bore no resem

and the figures of the cheru-blance to him, any more than bim, which were carried in the the golden cherubim over the temple, were images or repre- mercy seat, in the temple, resentations of the Angels, which sembled, in all things, the living surround the throne of heaven. ones with God in glory. In this sense, Adam was a figure of Christ. He was in many things an image, or representation of Christ. And hence the Apostle calls him "the figure of him that was to come," and in writing to the Romans and Corinthians, he enlarges on the resemblance between them.

It may be proper to notice some things, in the first place, in which Adam was unlike to Jesus Christ, and then other things in which he was the figure of him. He was unlike him in his person. Adam was a mere creature—was but of yes, terday, frail, dependant and Lad no power of his own. But Christ is the same yesterday, to-day and forever-is called the mighty God, and has all power in heaven and on earth. Though he became man also, he still retained his divinity. "In him dwelleth all the fulness of the God-head bodily." "The first man, Adam, was of the earth, earthy; the second man was the Lord from heaven." Adam was the Son of God only by creation, Christ by generation was the only begotten of the Father. The difference in person was very great.

It may be remarked, that figures are usually inferior to the thing, which they are designed to represent. The whole Levitical economy was figurative of Christ and his dispensation; but the priests, sacrifices and temple of that dispensation, were altogether inferior to the Great High Priest, the sacrifice which takes away sin, and the temple of God which is above. So it may be found, in contemplating the subject, that Adam was far inferior to Christ in those things, in which he was a figure of him. Besides: Figures rarely comport in all respects with the object they are designed to represent. There may be a striking resemblance in some things, and none at all in others. A marble statue, suitably formed, is the figure of a man, but it is the figure only of his shape, it is no representation of him in its color, the materials of which it is composed no image of his life, motions, or moral character. In all these things it is entirely different: So by attend-of Christ. ing to a comparison between of rebellion

Adam was also different from Christ, and wholly opposite to him, in his moral character.Their characters were directly contrary to each other in those things in which he is to be considered as the figure of Christ. The Apostle is not speaking of him as he was before his apostacy, but in his apostacy, when he calls him the figure of him which was to con.c. This will appear evident when we come to notice those things, in which he was a figure Adam was in the act against the express

tions. The whole race of mankind descended from him.This is revealed to us, and testified by the scriptures. Nor is it unlawful, where we have scripture testimony, to adduce other evidence also, for particular reasons. That mankind are all of the same species is evident from the analogy of na

command of God, eating of the forbidden tree, which was to be a witness for Adam, that he acknowledged God as his sovereign, or a token that he cast off his allegiance. But Christ was infinitely holy, and came to do the will of his Father, who is in heaven. God testified of him that he was his beloved Son, in whom he was well pleas-ture, among other animals, for

ed.

As Christ and Adam were different in every thing which respected person and character, so they were also in the effects and consequences which their doings had upon others, as will be particularly noticed in its place. Besides: Adam, in the matter in which he was the figure of Christ, acted without any regard to those whom his deeds affected in their most interesting concerns. But Christ, in what he did, was actuated by a spirit of the most wonderful love and compassion for those whom his conduct affected.Nothing can be more remarkable than the indifference of the one, and the benevolence of the other, towards those who were concerned. Our Lord and Adam differed from each other in many other respects, which might be mentioned. But sufficient notice has been taken of their difference. Let us hasten to consider,

Secondly, some things in which Adam was a figure of Christ. Adam was the Father of an innumerable progeny, which were to descend from him in his moral likeness; in conformity to the universal course of providence, by which all creatures propagate their own likeness, not only in body, but in their natures and disposiVOL. V. No. 3.

the progeny produced by the mixture of animals of different species, will never propagate, which does not hold true of the different colors and complexions to be found among mankind, and so proves by analogy, that they are all of the same species, and so derived from one common head, even Adam. So Christ also is a Father.

He is called the everlasting Father. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father. His seed is also an innumerable company which no man can number. Isaiah speaks of him as a Father having a seed, saying, When thou shalt make his seed an offering for sin, he shall see his seed. All his disciples are the sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty, because they are born of incorruptible seed-are created anew in Christ Jesus, and have his spirit. They derive their regeneration, or being quickened from spiritual death, from him, and from the agency of the holy spirit, whom he hath sent into the world. Christ, speaking of the new birth says, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and M

« EdellinenJatka »