Afp. Let me afk my Theron; Is there no Wickednefs, but Riot and Debauchery, Profaneness and Injuftice?-Unbelief, though it may pass without Cenfure or Notice in a System of Morality, is, in the Volume of Revelation, declared a capital Crime. Our LORD, fpeaking of the HOLY SPIRIT, mentions it as a fignal Part of his Office, That He ball convince the World of Sin.-Of what Sin? Scandalous Violations of moral Rectitude? This were a needlefs Employ. The Light of Reafon is fufficient, to evince fuch a Charge; and the Court of Confcience is erected, to pafs the deferved Sentence.-Of Sin, adds the heavenly TEACHER, because they believe not on me*: on my Death, as the Cause of their Forgiveness; on my Righteousness, as the Ground of their Acceptance; on my SPIRIT, as the powerful Principle of their Holiness.

Unbelief treats GOD as a Liar t; because it rejects the Teftimony, which He has bore concerning his beloved SON.-Unbelief tramples on the Blood of CHRIST, and is a moft contemptuous Affront to all his faving Offices.-Unbelief would counteract the Operations of the HOLY GHOST; whofe peculiar Work it is, to teftify of CHRIST, and make manifeft his Righteousnefs. To fay all in a Word; Unbelief is that great, that comprehenfive Sin, which fcornfully rejects, or impioufly renounces, the moft glorious Method of Salvation, which Omnifcience itfelf could devife .

* John xvi. 9.

+1 John v. 10.

The

Bengelius makes no Scruple to affirm, Pejus eft non credere Evangelio, quam Sodomitas imitari. That is; Not to believe the Gospel, not to receive the glad Tidings of Grace in CHRIST, is more provoking, and will

prove

The wicked Man, therefore, never turns from his Wickedness; till He turns, by a true Faith, to JESUS CHRIST. Till then, He is a Rebel against the Gospel, however He may pay some specious and partial Regard to the Law. So flagrant a Rebel, that he ftands particularly excepted, even in the Act of Evangelical Indemnity. For, as He that believeth on the SON, hath everlasting Life; fo, He that believeth not, is condemned already, and the Wrath of GOD abideth on him *.

Ther. What are the Pfalmift's Sentiments on this Subject? Does not He represent the Matter in a very different Light? Thou, LORD, art merciful; for Thou rewardeft every Man according to his, not Another's, Works ↑.

Afp. Weighty Saying! May it impress our very Hearts!-GOD is merciful, and therefore rewardeth. From whence it appears, that what We call a Reward, is really an Act of Mercy, rather than of Juftice. The Wages of Sin is Death; but the Gift

(fays

prove more deftructive, than the Sin of Sodom. This He grounds, not on the Reafons affigned by Afpafio, but on that which includes them all, and furpaffes them all, even our LORD's own Declaration, Matt. x. 15.

*

John iii. 18, 36. The Words are exceedingly emphatical, and no lefs awful.-Not barely He shall come into Condemnation, but He (that believeth not) is condemned already. Though ever fo civilized or refined in his outward Converfation, He lies under a Sentence of Death, and is the Object of divine Wrath.-Which not only will visit Him, but abideth on Him. So that, where-ever He may be, whatever He may do, the Dif pleasure of the tremendous JEHOVAH hangs over Him, like a moft dreadful Sword. Which, if He dies in fuch a Condition, will inevitably fall upon him, and cut him in Pieces eternally.

+ Pfal. lxii. 12,

(fays the Apoftle, altering his Style, and making a very obfervable Diftinction) the Gift of GOD is eternal Life *.

The infpired Writer fubjoins, not for, but according tot, every Man's Works. A Man's Works are the Meafure, not the meritorious Caufe. To merit, is the fole Prerogative of the SAVIOUR's Blood and Obedience. To these it is owing, that our imperfect Services are honoured with any Acceptance; much more that they are recompenfed with any Reward.-Though, after a Sinner is juftified, his own Deeds find Favour in the Sight of the LORD: yet in the Juftification of Sinners, GOD has no Refpect to any human Performances. He has no Refpect to one Man as better than another, but to the Righteoufnefs of his bleffed SON.

alone.

Ther. Does not this Expofition of yours, clafh with that truly generous Acknowledgment of St. Peter? In every Nation, He that feareth GOD, and worketh Righteousness, is accepted with Him ‡. Here, it is undeniably evident, that Acceptance with our CREATOR, is founded on a Man's own Piety, and perfonal Integrity; upon his fearing GOD, and working Righteoufness.

Afp. Rightly to understand this Text, We should enquire into the Circumstances of the Hiftory.—The Apostle had been strongly and most unreasonably prejudiced in favour of the Jews; imagining, that the Salvation

* Rom. vi. 23.

.So the Apoftle fpeaks .על מעשהו not כמעשהו ?

Every Man fhall receive his own Reward, nala, not dia

τον ιδών κοπον. I Cor. iii. 8.

Acts x. 35.

Salvation of CHRIST, like the Difpenfation of Mofes, must be confined to his Countrymen.-But now, having confidered the Purport of his late heavenly Vision; having compared it with the angelic Meffage, delivered to Cornelius; and being made acquainted with the Character of that valuable Man; He breaks out into this truly catholic Declaration."My Prejudices are vanifhed. My Sentiments are "enlarged. From the Inftance before me, it is de"monftrably certain; that the HOLY ONE of "Ifrael, does no longer appropriate the Bleffings " of his Covenant, to any particular Perfon, Fa"mily, or People. But, in every Nation, He that feareth GOD; and, from a Principle of Religion "in the Heart, worketh Righteousness in the Life, “is accepted with Him. So accepted, as to be an Object of the Divine Favour, and an Inheritor "of the Kingdom of Heaven."

This, I think, is the exact Meaning of the Place. And let it be recollected, that no One truly fears, or can poffibly please GOD, without Faith. That no Prayers can be set forth as the Incense; no Alms can go up as a Memorial before GOD; nor any Sacrifices be acceptable in his Sight, but only through JESUS CHRIST. For which Reafons, it seems neceffary to fuppofe, that Cornelius, though a Heathen by Birth, had believed through Grace.-Nay; it is evident from the Context, that he had heard of CHRIST; had fome Acquaintance with the Design of his Coming, and the Execution of his Office †; enough to be the Ground

*Heb. xi. 6.

† See Fer. 36, 37.

of

Indeed it could hardly be otherwife; fince Cornelius was ftationed at Cæfarea; the Refi

dence

of a real, though perhaps an infantile Faith. The Bufinefs of the Apoftle was, to lead this Convert into the clear Light, and full Privileges of the Gospel; to ratify and confirm his Title to them, by the facred Seal of Baptism; and introduce Him, as the Firft-fruits of the Gentiles, into the Christian Church.

Nothing therefore can be concluded from this Paffage, but that the glad Tidings of Christianity are for Jews, for Gentiles, for all People-that, by Faith, even the Gentiles obtain a good Report, and are enabled to bring forth the Fruits of Righteousness-and Faith, though weak, yet if fincerely improved, will certainly be increafed; will "go "from Strength to Strength."

Ther. Does not our SAVIOUR, in defcribing the Process, and foretelling the Iffue of the laft decifive Tryal, affign a Kingdom to the Righteous? Affign it in this precife View, as a proper Remuneration of their own good Works; faying, in the most exprefs Terms; Come, ye Bleffed of my FATHER, inherit the Kingdom prepared for You, from the Foun dation of the World: FOR I was an hungred, and Ye gave me Meat; FOR, &c. FOR, &c. *

Afp. Be pleafed to take notice of the Expreffion. They are bidden to inherit: and what is freer than an Inheritance? Was your Patrimony the Reward

of

dence of the Lord Lieutenant; and Seat of the Civil, as Jerufalem was of the Ecclefiaftical Government. In a Place of fuch general Refort, fo very remarkable an Event could not be unknown. Efpecially, as Philip the Evangelift had fixed his Abode in that City. See Ats viii. 40.

* Matt. XXV. 30.