Of battle, shed false-honour's dazzling rays, Till youth's warm bosom pant for martial praise; But rather shew where mangled millions hurl'd, By mad ambition, seek another world, Reeking with blood; and let the "Warfiend" see, In dawning reason, his just destiny, But hold-'tis done :-behold the theme divine, Neglected long, in splendid beauty shine; See eloquence unmatch'd, sense, wit, conspire, In union sweet, to fan the poet's fire; By satire's point transpierc'd see folly lie; Writhes with afflictive pangs; and, on her throne Messiah shall be honour'd and obey'd In ev'ry land. The government is laid Into his kingdom, and with one accord THESE Sermons, which are forty-one in number, are designed to illustrate and enforce some of the more important doctrines and precepts of the gospel; and in this attempt it is pleasant to add, that the author has successfully employed his pen. Designed for the edification of those, and such as those, to whom they were first delivered, they contain no profound researches, they display no critical skill, aiming not so much to please the fancy, as to amend the heart. In these discourses, the author combats with much force the prevailing opinion, that the light of nature is sufficient for all the purposes of moral renovation. On this subject he speaks as follows: "But do men really believe the all sufficiency of the light and guidance of nature? And are they truly earnest in their pretensions to morality? Does not daily experience but too evidently shew the weakness and errors of human reason? And where, we may ask, do they find so pure and perfect a morality as that which the Gospel teaches; where, built on so solid a basis, or recommended by such powerful sanctions? "The rules and precepts of the Gospel extend to our very thoughts, as well as actions. There is not a sin or wickedness, however secretly conceived, or lurking in the mind, but it developes and forbids. There is not a virtue or a duty any way connected with the glory of God or the welfare of mankind, but it declares and inculcates. And all this, not as merely by the feeble and uncertain light of nature, but as by the clear and decisive authority of God himself; promoted and encouraged by the bright example of our blessed Lord, and promised assistance of the Holy Spirit; and strengthened and enforced by positive assurances of future and eternal reward or punishment, when at the final judgment every one shall receive according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.' "In all these respects, Heathen knowledge and morality were very defective. How delusive and vain therefore to look to such guides! how lamentable to see men preferably peruse even the best Heathen moralists, as if it were a reproach to their understandings to be found reading the Holy Scriptures! How perverse and absurd to slight and neglect religion and morals cultivated and improved by revelation, and yet pretend to approve and follow both, by the weak assistance of the light of nature, and the old moralists, especially since, at the same time that they forsake Jesus Christ, they incur the risk of losing all the advantages, temporal and eternal, which his Gospel was intended to secure. "As for those hopes which they ground upon God's gracious dealings with the good Heathens, of what use or avail is such a consideration to them? Observe their lives and conversations. Is their virtue greater than their faith? Do they not act against the light of nature, which they admire, as much as against that of Revelation, which they despise? And what if God should vouchsafe to deal graciously with the virtuous Heathens, what encouragement is this to wicked Christians, who moreover profess, or perhaps affect, infidelity under the light of the Gospel? The good Heathens believed and acted according to the light they had. God has now afforded a better, through Jesus Christ; and yet they wilfully refuse the greater, and choose the less, act confidently against both, and still hope for 'eternal life.' "-vol. i. p. 269 to 271. On the necessity and efficacy of an atonement for sin, Dr. Thomas has delivered his sentiments in a plain and unequivocal manner. This he infers from the dispensation of the Jews, from the annunciations of prophecy, and from the unambiguous declarations both of the Old Testament and the New. On this all important doctrine, by which the gospel is distinguished from a mere system of ethics, the author uses the following language: "He was also 'to keep the law, and to die for sin.' This was prefigured by several typical resemblances, and foretold by many clear and express predictions. It was typified in the elevation and effects of the brazen serpent, and the sacrifice of the paschal lamb. It was foretold, that he was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities;' that the chastisement of our peace was upon him;' and that 'with his stripes we are healed; that he was cut off from the land of the living, and made his soul an offering for sin.' "I might adduce many more testimonies to this purpose; but if there be any force in words, or any truth in an inspired writer, we plainly learn from these passages, that the Messiah was to be an humble and a suffering character. Accordingly we find, that the expiation and atonement for sin by the passion and death of Christ, is the leading principle that runs through the sacred writings; the favourite subject of the preachers of the Gospel; and the great doctrine which forms the strong basis of all our best hopes.-Which brings me, secondly, to observe, as was proposed, the propriety and fitness of the Gospel doctrine of the redemption of sinners by a crucified Saviour. : "If we look into the several religions then prevailing in the world, when our blessed Lord first appeared, we find sacrifices made a principal part; which are an indubitable and convincing evidence, that some other atonement for sin was thought necessary, beside repentance and amendment. Sacrifices were the only standing means of salvation among the Jews nor were they wanting among the Heathens; whose philosophers, notwithstanding they placed little or no confidence in the efficacy of sacrifices, acknowledged and lamented the want of some certain means of reconciliation with God. For as all men had sinned, all stood in need of pardon and forgiveness. It was not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sin.' But how, or by what means, or by whom, pardon was obtainable, natural reason, in its utmost improvements, could give no positive assurance; natural reason might suggest such qualities, as should be proper and requisite in the person who attempted this atonement. It might direct such holiness as to merit the divine favour by a perfect obedience; such resignation as to undergo the punishment due to sin; and such exaltation as to stamp a value upon his sufferings sufficient to satisfy the justice of offended heaven. But these were qualities which no mere human being ever possessed; but all which, as the Gospel assures us, were found fully accomplished, and most illustriously displayed, in the person of Jesus Christ. And therefore it is, he is set forth to us as a redeemer; in whom we have redemption through his blood, for the forgiveness of sins; that he came to give his life a ransom for all; that he hath once suffered for sins, that he might bring us unto God.' "This is so evidently the doctrine and tenor of the New Testament, that one would think no serious and unprejudiced inquirer could have the smallest doubt upon the subject. It is so familiar in the common instances of life, that one person should undergo pains and hardships for the sake of others, and even the good to prevent the misery and promote the welfare of the wicked, that though we could not have expected, we may well believe the truth of the Apostle's declaration, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.' We see not indeed the exact reasons how or why his death produces our salvation; neither know many people how the steps taken by their friends have proved effectual for their benefit; but we see daily, that from regard to the services and intercessions of some, favours have been done to others very wisely and justly, which else neither wisdom nor justice would have permitted. Nor is there any difficulty with respect to the justice of laying the punishment of sinners upon an innocent person, who submits to it freely and of his own accord; and where the party offended is willing to accept the commutation. And such was the sacrifice of the death of Christ, and such the acceptation of it by the Father. "Let men therefore be disposed to object and cavil as they please; men who never manifest more the vanity and folly of their understandings, than when they presume to arraign proceedings, no part of which can be known but by revelation; or set up their own reason as a standard for revelation, and resolve to believe nothing, but what reason alone dictates or explains. Every true Christian, however, will admire and adore God's infinite wisdom and goodness, in discovering such an expedient to reconcile his attributes of justice and mercy, and will acknowledge himself bound, in the strictest bonds of gratitude and love, for so stupendous an instance of Christ's tenderness aud compassion, as to become so ignominious but willing a sacrifice for us." -vol. i. p. 182 to 187. REVIEW.-The Life of John Goodwin. (Concluded from col. 1056.) Of the general character of Mr. Goodwin, a very accurate judgment may be formed by the different views and the judicious extracts he has in which Mr. Jackson has placed it, made from his valuable works. He has thus made him his own biographer. Considering the number, and frequently the abusiveness, of his assailants, during the time of his chief controversies, it is truly astonishing what meekness of wisdom appears in all his replies. Not only is the hand of a master visible, but all the sanctified dispositions of a Christian, mixed with such innocent playfulness of imagination, and such truly classical taste, as throw an irresistible charnı around the productions of his pen. Take as a specimen his reply to Mr. Walker, one of his bitterest anta But while the author lays down this doctrine of the atonement as the meritorious cause of the sinner's accept-gonists: ance with God, he does not make void the law through faith. Several of his "If Mr. Walker had an intent,' says he, sermons are exclusively devoted to away in triumph, he was quite mistaken in the 'to have gained ground upon me, or led me the cause of practical godliness, as method of his war. Five sober words, well fruits and effects flowing from a lively balanced with reason and understanding, would faith in Christ, which, by these marks, have wounded me deeper than a thousand is proved to be genuine. In following crackers. If any man speaks reason, I am through its various ramifications this ready to tremhle and do him reverence. Therefore Mr. Walker might have kept his earthimportant topic, Dr. T. conducts us quake, and whirlwinds, and fires, and sold through the duties we owe to God, them for bugbears to scare children; his small and those also which we are bound still voice would soon have laid me at his feet. to discharge towards our neighbours; I dare not indeed deal with him at his own thus exhibiting in one view a system The yoke that Christ hath put about my neck, weapon, I mean railing, however provoked. of morals, that is both luminous and to keep me in compass this way, I dare not comprehensive. The accomplishment break nor cast from me: neither do I know of of this work, he ascribes to the divine any example in all the history of heaven, that agency; uniformly asserting, that "it would bear me out in such a practice. And is God who worketh in us, both to therefore I here promise him, that in all my rewill and to do of his own good plea-ply I will neither call him Socinian, nor Armi sure." In volumes of sermons which are professedly for the edification of plain and unlettered Christians, we have frequently found the disgusting dogmas of sect and party; thus unhappily giving sanction to a suspicion, that such preachers would rather strengthen a party, than convert a soul. From this charge, the discourses before us are pleasingly free. Utility seems to have been the primary object of the author; and we are persuaded, that those who peruse what he has written with an eye to solid improvement, will not find that they have spent their time in vain. nian, nor heretic, nor blasphemer, nor liar, nor lying sophister, nor impudent fellow, or the like. It may be I may now and then administer the infusion of some of these simples, but will never give him the gross substance. to speak evil of me undeservedly, he will not I hope that, having taken a liberty, in folio, be a man of so hard a conscience, as not to give me leave, in decimo sexto, to make merry with him. If he gives me gall and vinegar, and I requite him with pleasant wine, 1 trust he shall have no cause, in the judgment of any reasonable man, to complain. Though I cannot meet with any faithful servant of God, in all that long road that lieth between Genesis the first and the first, and Revelation the last and the last, in a reviling posture; (but only Belial;) yet I find that holy prophet Elijah in Shimeis, Rabshakehs, and such like sons of pleasant discourse with the sleepy Baal, and his zealous and slashing priests. And David, we know, had many troubles, trials, difficulties, dangers, pressures, Doegs, Ahitbophels, tongues as sharp as razors, and that cut like swords, upon him from time to time, yet he contrived all into matter of music and song, and played them off upon his harp.-The great God, by whom I must be judged, as well concerning my carriage in this business, as the other acts of my life, knoweth that I stand clear and free in my spirit to the manu, notwithstanding his seven-fold provocation, wishing him no more evil than I do to myself, and am ready at an hour, upon the acknowledgment of his oversight, to give him the right hand of fellowship.""-pp. 36-38. These sentiments were the product of such a sweetness of temper, as only the grace of God could inspire, in the midst of unmerited and unmerciful provocation. Of this the following quotation is beautifully illustrative, in a reply to Dr. Hill, Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, one of the assembly of divines, a frequent preacher before the long parliaments, and a zealous advocate of the Calvinistic doctrines. This divine having been appointed to preach at St. Paul's Church, before the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the city of London, he availed himself of the opportunity then afforded, to caution his civic auditory against the volume of Mr. Goodwin, entitled, "Redemption Redeemed," as a work replete with the errors of Pelagius and Arminius. In addition to this, he cast some severe reflections upon Mr. Goodwin's character, and charged him with having falsified the numerous quotations contained in his book. In his admirable reply, Mr. Goodwin says: "Sir, you are a gentleman, to whom I never, to the best of my knowledge, gave the least offence. If unwittingly I have done it, I am ready to make you all Christian satisfaction. For your learning and knowledge, according to what grounds I had to make an estimate of them, I proportionably honoured you; and much more because I always conceived you chiefly employed them about that most honourable work of propagating the glorious Gospel of God in the world. That testimony also which, time after time, I received concerning your goodness of spirit, blamelessness of conversation, &c. much advanced my esteem of you. Notwithstanding, had you poured shame and contempt upon my head alone, had you ground to powder only me and my name, you might have done it without trouble or inconvenience to yourself; at least from me. Such millers in black clothing I meet with daily, and let them pass quietly by me. But inasmuch as you have magnified yourself against the truth, yea, several of the most important truths of the living God, it will neither stand with that loyalty of obedience which I owe to the command of God imposed on me in that behalf, nor with that love which I owe to yourself as a Christian brother, to suffer such a sin to rest upon you. I delight not in contests. I am for peace with all men, and for a quiet and retired pilgrimage on earth. So that whensoever I contend with any man, I sacrifice the darling disposition of my soul upon the service of the truth. Nor shall any man approve himself more easy to be entreated, upon any equitable or tolerable account, or more willing to receive satisfaction from him that hath offended him, than I. Therefore, Sir, I beseech you, trouble not yourself either with seeking out, or pretending to find, any other intent of this address to you, than as a simple, plain-hearted, and christian application of mybeloved of my soul, and I trust of your's also, self to vindicate the just right of the dearly truth. "You reflected upon the author of that book' which so torments those that dwell on the face of the earth, as if he falsified, wrested, if it be comely to call a spade a spade, is a perverted authors: the very truth is, that this, pure calumny. The authors cited in the said book, at least the far greater part of them, speak as directly to the heart of the main doctrines maintained in the book, as the author of man, able to prove the least touch of any falsithe book himself. Nor are you, nor any other fying or perverting any author brought upon that stage. If there be any thing mistaken, (as mistakes may be incident to the most upright author to be a man, not a falsifier. There is of men,) in any quotation, this only proves the nothing asserted in the said book, especially in the two main doctrines there contended for, but what, for substance and effect of matter, is plainly affirmed over and over, not only by the most orthodox Fathers, Chrysostom, Augustine, &c. but by the most orthodox writers of later times, as Luther, Calvin, Musculus, and others. Yea yourselves, the preachers of this age, however by times you appear in flames against them, yet otherwhile, and sometimes in one and the same sermon, you give testimony unto them. There is sufficient proof made, page 561 of the book decried by you, that a jury of fifty-two preachers, and among these such as are counted pillars in and about the city of London, in the same pamphlet wherein, as they pretend, they give Testimony to the Truth of Jesus Christ, against Errors and Heresies,' do clearly build up the principal doctrine avouched in the said book, General Redemption by Christ. Yea yourself, in this very sermon, wherein you set yourself with all the might of your indignation against it, gave the right hand of fellowship to it, in granting, that had Judas believed, he should have been saved by Christ. See (I desire it rather to your satisfaction than shame) the doctrine of General Redemption demonstratively proved from such a position as this, p. 113, &c. and p. 135, &c. of that truth-teaching book so often hinted. The Synod of Dort itself acknowledgeth, that If Redemption be not acknowledged as a common benefit bestowed on mankind, that general and promiscuous preaching of the Gospel, committed to the apostles to be perfornied among all nations, will have no true foundation." Therefore whilst you clamour against General Redemption, you not only cry down the glory of the unsearchable riches of the free grace of God, vouchsafed in Christ to the world, but also fight your best friends, as well as those whom you traduce under the name of Pelagians, Arminians, &c.; liveries of like cloth which the servants of truth have been compelled to wear in all ages. Yea, in your inconsiderate contests, you act as men divided against yourselves; and your sayings, like the children of Ammon and Moab, when they came forth to battle against Judah and Jehoshaphat, help to destroy one another. way of answer to those who represent my present judgment as little valuable, because it sometimes stood in a contrary way. Though I know nothing in the allegation subservient to the purpose mentioned, but rather much against it, yet let me say, (1.) That however sin and an evil conversation are just matter of shame, repentance and amendment are truly honourable. Nor do I know why it should be of any more a disparaging interpretation against any man, to reform his judgment than his life; neither of which can be done without "If I knew how to relieve those truths of a change. Nor (2.) can I resent any such conGod, which you desperately affronted, with- formity with my adored Saviour, which conout making a breach upon your reputation, I sists in an increase of wisdom, any matter of should freely pass by mine own interest, and disparagement either to myself or any other demand nothing of you for personal repara- man. Though He indeed was never prevented tions; although I believe that you hardly with error, yet was he post-enriched with know how to provoke at a much higher rate, many things. A man can hardly grow in than you practised provocation upon me: un- grace, and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ less haply that be some allay, that you were our Lord,' without out-growing himself in ravished by some other man's spirit, far worse judgment and understanding; without making than your own, into such a splenetic ecstasy. straight many things in his mind, which were For Dr. Hill hath formerly worn the crown of crooked before. (3.) That chosen vessel Paul a meek, temperate, and christian spirit. But never quitted himself like a man, never conwe read that Moses, the meekest man on sulted peace and glory to himself, till he built earth, was, at the waters of strife, provoked up again that faith which he had destroyed. to speak unadvisedly with his lips; and I, Nor was his authority in the Gospel a whit with many others, believe, that Dr. Hill was lighter upon the balance, because he had once overshadowed with the spirit of some lion or been a Pharisee. (4.) I desire to ask the men other, (which probably I could point at among who make the change of my judgment a spot the herd,) when he conceived those devour- of weakness or vileness in it, Whether theming words' whereof he was delivered in the selves were always in the same mind touching pulpit, May 4th, 1651. The ground of my all things with themselves at present? If so, conjecture is, partly because that which was it plainly argues, that their thoughts and ap born of him here, had so little of his own like-prehensions, now that they are men, are but ness in it; partly because it had so much of such which are incident to children. And if, the likeness of another man. But concerning since their coming to riper years, they have myself, the best is, that neither you nor always stood, and are resolved always to others can value me at any lower rate than I stand, by their first thoughts and apprehendo myself. You trod but upon the earth, when sions in all things, it is a sign that their judgyou trampled me under your feet. ments reside more in their wills, than their pursue me to the grave, you cannot hinder my wills in their judgments, and that they are resurrection; the day whereof will be time much more likely to judge according to appearenough for me to become any thing.'"-pp. ance, than to judge righteous judgment. Yea, there are very few of those who call themselves Ministers of the Gospel, but many times when they preach, within the compass of an hour, either change their judgments or deny them; their doctrine being Samaritan, when their application is a Jew. (5.) If to dig broken cisterns with the forsaking of the Fountain of living water, be the committing of a double evil, how shall not a recoursing to the Fountain of living water, in conjunction with a forsaking of broken cisterns, be the practising of a double duty? To forsake an other: whereas to persist in the same mind, error is one duty, and to embrace truth is ansuppose it to be sound and good, is but a single duty. There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety which is an occasion of multiplied rejoicing in and nine which need no repentance. That heaven, why should it be matter of complaint, charge, or imputation, upon earth? (6.) He is the most likely to give a right judgment between two countries, who hath been an inhabitant of both, and hath acquainted himself with the respective conditions of both. manner, it is so far from being a reason why a man's present judgment should be rejected, that he hath been of a contrary judgment formerly, that it rendereth it the more consider4 C 252-255. If you Nothing, however, seems to have produced greater exasperation on the part of his Predestinarian brethren, than the decisive and avowed change of his opinions from Calvinistic orthodoxy, to those of general redemption, as luminously stated and defended in his great and immortal work, "Redemption Redeemed." Little other resource appears to have been left to his opponents, unable as they were to produce any thing like a refutation of Mr. Goodwin's arguments, than to endeavour to invalidate his book, by invidious representations of its author's instability and tergiversation. To this we are indebted for one of the most masterly touches of his pen, in vindication of his conduct. "I crave leave,' says he, to add a few words concerning the change of my judgment in the great controversy about the Death of Christ, (with the rest depending hereon,) by No. 47.-Vol. IV. In like |