3. An account of his manners, where you have a brief description of a christian conversation, ' Herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence both towards God and towards men.' My business is not to discuss all these branches of Christianity apart, and in their full latitude, but to give you the sum and delineation of all religion in one view. Therefore observe —
420 SERMONS UPON ACTS XXIV. 14-16.
Doct That true cbristianity is such a believing the truths contained in the scriptures as produceth an hope of eternal life, and is expressed in an impartial, uniform, and constant obedience.
Here is Paul's apology ; faith at the bottom, hope as the immediate effect and product of it, and an holy conversation as the fruit and consequent. The same method is observed in other scriptures ; as
1 Tim. i. 5, ' The end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.' The com- mandment is the gospel institution, and this received with a pure heart and faith unfeigned produceth a good conscience, which shows itself in love to God and men, by a true and lively faith in Christ. The Holy Ghost purifieth the heart and conscience, and so produceth love :
2 Peter i. 5, 6, ' Add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness.' In the chain of graces faith is the root of all. I sliall — (1.) Examine the expressions here used; (2.) Give some reasons why this is true Christianity.
I. Examine the expressions here used.
First, Concerning faith, 'Believing all things that are written in the law and the prophets.'
1. Here is the object, or things believed, ' Things written in the law and the prophets.'
2. The extent, ' All'
3. The act, ' Believing.'
1. The object, ' Things written in the law and the propnets.' Law and prophets is an expression commonly used for all the scriptures then extant : Mat. xi. 13, ' For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John ; ' and Luke xvi. 29, ' They have Moses and the prophets ; let them hear them.' The books of the Old Testament are thus called. We christians, who have received the canon and rule of faith more enlarged, are said ' To be built on the foundation of the prophets and apostles,' Eph. ii. 20; so that now the object of our faith is prophets and apostles. The object of faith may be considered formally or ma- terially. Materially, such things as God hath revealed; formally, because God hath revealed them. If God hath revealed what is in the writings of the apostles, then we are to believe them. God's veracity is the ground and support of our faith, into which it is ulti- mately resolved. His instruments in revealing are the prophets and apostles. We know God hath revealed the things written by them, partly because these writings are delivered to us by the universal tradi- tion of the church, and the testimony of christians through all succes- sions of ages, in whose experience God hath blessed these writings for conviction, conversion, and consolation ; and partly because of the consent between the prophets and the apostles, the one foretelling what- ever the other declared as accomplished : Acts xxvi. 22, 'Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come.' Partly because the doctrines have an im- press of God upon them, as everything that hath passed his hand hath. How do I know a fly, gnat, or any other creature to be made by God ? God hath set his signature upon them : Ps. xix. 1, ' The heavens
SERMONS UPON ACTS XXIV. 14-16. 421
declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork.' So the scriptures agree with the nature and properties of God. As God is wise, powerful, and good, these doctrines become his wisdom : they have the stamp of his moral goodness, which is his holiness ; and as for his power, they that feel it not fear it : John iii. 20, ' For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the liglit, lest his deeds should be reproved.' There is something that alarmeth the conscience. And partly because it agreeth with the nature of man, so far as a man hath any good left in him. It agreeth with the necessities of man, his guilty fears and his desires of happiness. For his guilty fears, men, that by reason of sin are afraid of God's j ustice, can- not be quieted by any other means, but are by this : Jer, vi. 16, ' Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way. and walk therein, and you shall find rest for your souls ; ' Mat. xi. 28, ' Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' In life and death the conscience is quieted. So for desires of happiness. Men rove and grope about for some satisfying good : Acts xvii. 27, ' That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him ; ' And Ps. iv. 6, * There be many that say, Who will show us any good ? ' Life and immortality are brought to light in the scriptures, and the way to obtain it clearly revealed : Ps. xvi. 11, ' Thou wilt show me the path of life ; in thy presence is fulness of joy, and at thy right hand are pleasures for ever- more.' Partly because God hath witnessed and attested it by his Spirit : Acts v. 32. ' \Ye are witnesses of these things, and so is also the Holy Ghost' Without, by miracles and other wonderful effects ; within, by enlightening the heart and mind, inclining and exciting us to believe it upon these motives and arguments : 2 Cor. iv. 6, ' God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ ; ' so as to discern God's impress. Upon these accounts we receive what is written in the prophets and apostles as revealed by God.