A SERIOUS ADDRESS, &c.

1 CORINTHIANS, X. 15.

I SPEAK AS TO WISE MEN: JUDGE YE

WHAT I SAY.

THE

HE Gofpel of our Salvation is very justly styled the gofpel of the grace of God; yea, the grace of God itfelf, which bringeth falvation: all its glorious and diftinguishing doctrines exhibit to our view the exceeding riches of divine grace. -Grace laid the foundation of the fpiritual temple; grace raifes the fuperstructure; and the top-ftone will be brought home with fhoutings, crying, Grace! grace unto itor rather to him who has brought it home.

But if any perfons have fuch views of the doctrines of grace, as caufe them to lose

fight of their genuine influence on the hearts of believers, as leffen the importance of chriftian duty, or fuperfede warnings. against fin, exhortations to watchfulness, and diligence in ufing the means of grace, or folemn admonitions by the awful example of others, their ideas do not coincide with those of the infpired Apoftle :-Read

the context.

Having in the preceding chapter spoken of the chriftian life under the idea of running in a race, or being engaged in a warfare, or severe conflict; in the beginning of this chapter, he cautions perfons against resting in external performances or outward privileges, or being fatisfied with the form of godliness, while strangers to its power on their hearts. The Ifraelites were under the cloud, and paffed through the fea; they ate the manna which came from above, and drank of the water which flowed. from the fmitten rock; yet, after all, were overthrown in the wilderness, and many of them perished in their fins.

"Now thefe

things happened unto them for enfamples;

and

and they are written for our admonition wherefore let him that thinketh he ftandeth take heed left he fall." The dear children of God, though they fhall never fall into hell, may fall into error, and fin, fo as to dishonour the Lord, wound their own confciences, and grieve their fellowchriftians.-Therefore, watch and pray, left ye be overcome and fall by temptation.

The words of the text, as they will apply to fubjects in general, upon which minifters of Jefus Chrift may be called to fpeak, are by no means improper on the prefent folemn occafion. I fhall, therefore, as the Lord may enable me, endeavour to addrefs you in a very ferious and affectionate manner.-I speak as to wife men; judge ye what I fay.

Some of you, very probably, poffefs a confiderable degree of natural and acquired wifdom; confequently are wife men as to the things of the prefent world: and many of you, having been taught by the Holy Spirit, are, I believe, made wise unto falvation. However, remember you have nothing

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nothing but what you have received of the Lord; therefore do not glory as though you had not received it.

Permit me to make remarks on my text as I proceed.

First, The words imply, that a true minifter or fervant of Jefus Chrift does not defire an implicit regard to be paid to thofe things which he afferts, but will exhort perfons to examine them, in order to judge of their nature and of their importance.Judge ye what I fay; and, Be ye followers of me, even as I alfo am of Chrift.

Secondly, It is of very great importance in religious concerns, for perfons to be fully perfuaded in their minds by what rule they are to judge, in order to determine what is truth, and what is error.

Shall we appeal to human reafon on this occafion?-it is awfully depraved; blindnefs prevails in the mind of every man by nature; and reafon, without divine revelation, is by no means our standard. Shall we determine by the writings or opinions of eminently great and gracious men, who

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have devoted their time to study and ferious inquiry after truth? I revere the man of found learning, though I can lay no claim to it myself: I venerate the aged minifter of the Bleffed Jefus, whofe hair is grown grey in the ways of righteousness. If I differ from fuch in fome particulars, I do it confcientiously. But, after all, men have been, in fome refpects, mistaken;men are still fallible creatures, who know but in part: therefore, Call no man master upon earth; for one is your mafter, if ye are christians, even Chrift. The rule, the only rule, the everlasting rule by which we are to judge and determine, with reference to divine truth, is the facred word of God. "To the law and to the teftimony; if men speak not according to this word, it is because (in that particular) there is no light in them." Again: "Search the Scripture !-What faith the Scripture ?How readeft thou ?" I do, therefore, feriously exhort you to compare what you may hear at this time with the oracles of God. Judge ye what I fay.