418 ECCLESIASTES, Xll. 13, 14. [847.
not Peter, who says, that " in every nation, he that feareth God and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him^." Nor was Paul of their opinion ; for he has declared (and in the very epistle where he most enlarges on the decrees of God), that it is " by patient continuance in well-doing we must attain to glory and honour and immortality '\" And we do not hesitate to say, that if an angel from heaven were to be sent to preach the Gospel, the statements before given would constitute a very principal part of his ministrations. St. John in his visions saw an angel flying through the whole world, to carry the everlasting Gospel to people of all nations and tongues : and the words in which he addressed the whole human race were like those of our text, " Fear God, and give glory to him ; for the hour of his judgment is come^" Here is the very exhortation of Solomon, enforced with the identical consideration which he urges ; and it is expressly called, " The everlasting Gospel." Let those who affect a higher and superior tone be convinced of their mistake. Let them bring forward all the sublimest truths of Christianity in their place ; but let " this be the conclusion of the whole matter;" for, whether they will believe it or not, this is " the one thing needful," and " the whole of man."]
2. To dispel the fears of those whose knowledge is
yet dim —
[As there are many who delight in nothing but the deep- est mysteries of our religion, so there are many who make those mysteries an occasion of continual disquietude. The doctrines of predestination and election are ever present with their minds, as grounds of terror and despondency : they can- not see that they are of the number of God's elect ; and therefore they imagine that all exertions on their part are in vain. But the fears of this people are such as ought no longer to be indulged : for there is no man in the universe that is authorized to consider himself as one of God's elect, any farther than he has " the spot of God's children" upon him. It is by his fear of God, and his obedience to God's commandments, that he must judge of his state before God : and to judge of his election by any other standard, is only to deceive his own soul. If then those who distress themselves about the doctrines of election would dismiss those subjects from their minds, and contemplate only what is more within the sphere of their com- prehension, they would do well. Let me recommend this plan to all. Look not at God's decrees, which you can never ex- plore, but at the visible effects of his grace upon your souls : and, if you can find " the works of faith, and labours of love,
e Acts X. 35. •' Rom. ii. 7. with 2 Cor. v. 10, 11.
' Rev. xiv. G, 7.