hearing prayer, as all can attest who have truly sought him in the way that he hath appointed, through the mediation of Christ. Though they have not every thing they ask, (David was denied his child's life ;) yet they never go to God in vain. When not exempt from sufferings, they are better prepared for them by seeking God. When not delivered, they are at least supported. Yea, they find trials productive of the peaceful fruits of righteousness. It is ever good for them to draw near to God. He has given them exceedingly great and precious promises, and he will fulfil them all; both as to this life, and that which is to

come.

FIFTHLY: The gospel revelation is holy and righteous; it has nothing in it iniquitous or licentious. "I speak righteousness, I declare things that are right."

The descriptions of the Bible are right, agreeing with the true nature of things. God gives us right ideas of himself, and of his moral government; right views of ourselves, of our relation to God, and of our revolt from him; our wretched, fallen state. His requisitions, of service and cordial conformity to his holy law, are perfectly right and even. His denunciations of vengeance are just and right. It is right that the soul that sinneth should die. God's plan of salvation is righteous altogether. No other religion ever attempted to reconcile the honor of God and the happiness of a sinner; or could afford ease to a guilty conscience, without giving the least encouragement to sin, or relaxing obligations to duty. But the gospel revelation consults the rights of deity, and the interests of holiness. It displays the divine righteousness in the salvation of guilty sinners; and while it releases from an obligation to punishment, it confirms and increases our obligations to obedience. secures also the rights of men, as well as those of God: promoting not only piety, but universal justice and benevolence; enjoining to do to others, as you would that they should do to you. Nor does it teach us to be just and kind only conditionally, if others will be very careful to behave properly to us. It shows us that it is infinitely right for pardoned sinners to forgive others, to bless their enemies. How should

It

you bless God for his glorious revelation, and be concerned to improve it, lest if you never should seek him in truth, the very pagans should rise up in the judgment and con

demn you.

You who have sought the Lord, and found it was not in vain, bless him who bade you to seek his face, and inclined you to obey his call; and adore him that you have found him more than answer your expectations. Be ashamed that you should ever grow slack and negligent in so blessed a duty. Attend still to his word, and be concerned to live to his glory.

XLI.

THE WRITTEN WORD OPPOSED TO IMPRESSIONS ON THE IMAGINATION.

JER. Xxiii. 28.

The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord.

THE subject now proposed for consideration, is of great consequence, both to guard professors against entire delusion, and to caution true believers against very injurious mistakes. For, as in the days of inspiration, there were false pretenders to the gift of prophecy, some of whom lay in wait to deceive, and others probably first deceived themselves, and then misled others; so there are now pretenders to Christian experience, some of whom are designing hypocrites, and others unhappy self-deceivers: while not a few real Christians may suffer loss by taking empty chaff for solid wheat, or may be distressed for want of that which is not worth their seeking after.

The text refers more immediately to such as profess to be teachers, but by the fairest analogy, the leading sentiment will apply to all the hearers of the divine word.

It would lead us off from our business to inquire, How the true prophets could distinguish the inspiration of the Spirit, who sometimes communicated instruction in dreams, from the common visions of the night.

It is reasonable to believe that when God made an immediate revelation, he could infallibly assure the recipient that it was from himself; while the importance and consistency of true prophecy, and its evident tendency to God's honor, would commonly satisfy a judicious hearer whence it came. The meaning of the text seems to be, If any one not fully assured of his own inspiration, had a dream which he thought remarkable, let him tell his dream, but not rashly affirm more than he could prove; and whoever had a real revelation from heaven, let him be only concerned to speak it faithfully, without alteration, addition, or suppression, leaving all consequences with God.

But our present business is to consider what we are to learn from this divine admonition, who are favored with the whole Bible, and enjoy the benefit of the written word completed. Surely we ought to treat the Holy Scriptures as a perfect rule, the infallible standard of faith and practice.

No

impressions on the imagination must be regarded by us in competition with the word of God, asleep or awake. That which is fairly grounded on the divine word is like substantial wheat; all other sources of consolation or direction are light and worthless as chaff. Let us therefore,

FIRST, Consider the extent of our obligations to regard the divine word.

We are bound to submit implicitly to its decisions respecting every article of faith, and to adhere to it stedfastly in every branch of obedience, treating it as a sufficient directory in all our religious concerns. We are not authorized to expect any addition to it, nor may we dare to make any diminution from it. We must not presume to adulterate it, nor indulge a wish to have it altered. We should be anxious to understand its full import, and readily bow to its authority. It is a folly to wish it to say more, and a sin to want it to mean less. 2 Tim. iii. 15—17. It is able to make us wise to salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus, being all given by inspiration, profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." We must be entirely governed by the word of God, in forming

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all our religious opinions, in judging of our spiritual estate, in learning our whole duty; what we should pursue, and what we should avoid; and in conducting ourselves under providential trials. We cannot learn from it what it

was never intended to reveal. We should reverence the silence of scripture, not intruding into things unseen. The Bible is not intended to gratify curiosity, but to reveal what is needful and profitable. Many things are concealed respecting angels, the universe, future events. Some things respecting the church and the world are revealed. We must use great caution and modesty as to unfulfilled prophecy. There

is no revelation of future events as to individuals; as to life and death; riches and poverty; the continuance or the removal of affliction. This is not needful.

SECONDLY: Notice some of the various ways in which many have been seduced from paying a proper attention to the word of God.

Some have been drawn aside from the word of God by an undue regard for human authority. The papists forbid individuals to judge for themselves of the meaning of scripture, and require them to believe as the church believes. Nominal protestants may lay an improper stress on the opinion of individuals, or bodies of men, though they deny the existence of an infallible guide. Many set up their own reasonings and prejudices, in opposition to scripture authority. It is by the faculty of reason that we judge of the truth and meaning of scripture; but we must not judge of particular doctrines by the opinion of our reason, or by some previous opinion that we supposed rational. It is by the faculty of sight we judge of optical glasses, but we must not judge of things shown us by the glass by what we see without it. Others have given heed to imaginary new revelations, made to themselves, or others, in addition or opposition to the word. Some, who are not aware what they are doing, have in a manner set aside the authority of scripture, by a dependance on immediate impulses, or sudden and powerful impressions on their imagination, whereby they conceive information is given them of things not previously revealed. Some, indeed, who give heed to such impressions,

imagine they honor the Bible, because the impression is made in the words of scripture. But still it is following a new revelation, if the thing taught was not originally contained in those words, or at least not contained in some part or other of the word of God. If we regard the mere sound

of scripture phrases, without our having respect to the connexion in which they stand, or examining their true import, we are in danger of being led astray. So are we liable to be deceived, if we lay the chief stress on the manner of their occurring to our minds, rather than on their original and abiding sense. Our ground of dependance should be on the word itself, and not on any circumstances attending its impression on our minds; yet I have known good persons question the validity of the consolation received from the word, merely because they were reading it; i. e. because they were in the way of their duty!

THIRDLY: I would proceed, therefore, to lay down some useful rules to guard against these dangerous mistakes, especially arising from the latter sources.

First: The Bible says nothing to individuals, but what it says to all of the same character. Let us therefore consider, to what characters the different parts of the divine word are addressed. Moral precepts are addressed to men, simply as rational, accountable creatures, and are universally obligatory. Not one law for the good, and another for the bad. Positive precepts are binding on all the seed of Abraham, and on all true believers. Gospel invitations are addressed to sinners, described only by their wants and wretchedness, as necessitous, miserable, unworthy, and guilty. No need of a new revelation to warrant application to Christ. The descriptive promises are made to true believers only, who are often described indeed by other graces, as well as principally by their cordial reception of Christ, or by their coming to God in his name, and sincerely acquiescing in his method of salvation. By this you should try your being in a justified state, and not by immediate suggestion unaccountably borne in on the mind. If you are interested in Christ, all the promises are yours, that relate to spiritual and eternal blessings. And as to temporal good, though God has