the author's intention, if such it was, has been rendered of little effect. But how fashionable soever it may be at this time of day, those men grossly impose upon themselves, who confine their religion within the moral scheme of the OLD Whole Duty of Man, and so rest their acceptance with God upon the mere performance of the obligations of morality, and slight and ridicule the Christian religion: how foolishly such men deceive their own souls, is described with such clearness and energy by the late archbishop SHARP, that I shall give it the reader in his own words: It is not enough (says this judicious and orthodox divine) to entitle any man to everlasting salvation; that he practiseth the duties of natural religion, unless he also believe and embrace that religion which God has revealed by JESUS CERIST, supposing he has opportunities of coming to the knowledge of it, Bare morality or honesty of life, without a right FAITH, will not save a man's soul, supposing that the man hath opportunities of coming to the knowledge of that right FAITH; and this consideration I seriously address to all those among us, who think it so indifferent a matter what religion or what faith they are of, provided they are but honest in their lives. They think nothing of fends God but the open violation of those rules of morality, which all the world must acknowledge themselves obliged to ob serve, and which it is scandalous not to observe. But this is a grievous mistake, and of most pernicious consequence. It is certain, that wherever God has revealed his will, and declared upon what terms he will bestow salvation upon mankind, there all men are, under pain of damnation, obliged to embrace his revelation, and to believe, and profess, and practise according to the doctrines of such revelation. And it is certain likewise, that God hath fully and entirely revealed his will by JESUS CHRIST and his apostles in the New Testament; and so reveal ed it, as to exclude all men from the hopes of salvation, who, having opportunity of knowing JESUS CHRIST and his doctrines, do not believe in him. And therefore for any man to reject this method of God, and to say, I hope to be saved by another way than God hath appointed, is the extremest folly in the world: let every one therefore among us, as they would not be undone to all eternity, endeavour to instruct themselves aright in the true religion. All their pretended moral honesty will not in the least excuse them before God, if, when having means to find the truth, they do not embrace it, but continue infidels or mise believers. If they had been born and bred in a heathen country, where they had no opportunity of coming to the knowledge of God's revealed will, I know not how far their justice and temperance, and other good moral qualities, might avail them toward the procuring of God's acceptance: but to live in a Christian country, nay and to be baptized into Christ's religion, and yet to be pagans as to their notions and opinions; not to believe in JESUS CHRIST, but to think to please God in the way of the philosophers; there is nothing in the world to be said in their excuse for this. And they will at last find true what our Saviour hath pronounced, that this is their condemnation (and a heavy one it will be) that light is come into the world, but they have loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. For every one that doth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved *. Therefore, I have endeavoured to supply the foregoing defects of the OLD Whole Duty of Man, even such defects as the said archbishop, as the above cited author himself of the Lively Oracles †, affirm to be so fatal to every man's eternal salvation, by furnishing the age we live in with a Duty of Man, much better suited to the Christian religion, and the occasions of the present times. Though It may not be improper here to take notice of two sorts of men, who are not likely to relish the following pages; namely, such as would gladly bring all religion into contempt, and such as think nothing should interfere with public preaching from the pulpit. As to the first, nobody can be ignorant but that the age we now live in has produced many men, who make light of the Christian religion, and talk contemptuously of our Saviour and his doctrines: but are we thence to conclude, that there is no reason, no argument, no evidence to be offered for Christianity, nor to enforce its faith and practice, because these men, whọ are acknowledged to have wit and parts, make it their business to run it down? No, this would be a very false and unjust conclusion. And if you can imagine otherwise, you are strangely mistaken in your men: they never much applied their minds to examine these things; they have, perhaps, got some commonplace heads, with which they think they can disparage Christianity; and it is likely they have wit enough to set off those things to advantage. But as for serious thinking and putting things *John iii. 19, 20. See also the Testimonies from Scripture, &c. at the end of this Preface. together, and making a solemn judgment of what is true or false in those matters, as in the presence of God, and as in a business whereon their everlasting salvation or damnation does depend; I say, as for this, you may assure yourselves these men never did it, nor are they capable of doing it; it is not in their nature to give themselves so much trouble, as such a work will require; and therefore we may be sure their infidelity does not proceed from any want of evidence, or arguments, for the truth of the Christian religion. In a word, All our natural and civil duties are strongly tied upon us, by virtue of our profession of Christianity: and it is very much to the honour of our religion, that it is wholly taken up in providing for the security and benefit of mankind, even in this life; its general bent and tendency is to set men at ease, and make them happy, by securing to all the duties due from each other, and from the want of which proceeds all the mischief in the world; it does not leave men to be moved by such considerations alone as natural reason can suggest, but furnishes them with better. Now certainly nothing can be more to the advantage of any man, than that all the people with whom he has to do, should be commanded by God, to show him mercy and to do him justice, and to do him all good offices, and to suffer none to do him injury: nothing, I say, is more likely to secure a man's peace and happiness, than such a fence as this; and yet this is the fence that Christianity provides for every single person in the world. In fine, there never has been any religion ever framed to make men happy, even in this life, like that of Jesus Christ, if it were thoroughly pursued; for a man cannot possibly be made uneasy or miserable, or suffer any evil at the hands of another, without the violation of some Christian command, which, if obeyed, would have secured him from it. So that, what reasons these men really have for slighting and ridiculing the Christian religion and the ministers thereof, let the world judge. We cannot enter into the hearts of men, to see upon what motives they act, and under what influences they reason; but when we consider the strength and clearness, or the evidences of Christianity, with the advantages and excellencies of the gospel institution, and the strict restraints it lays upon excess and uncleanness of all kinds, we cannot but see that it requires the greatest degree of charity, to inscribe their infidelity to any thing but the love of vice, or the love of contradiction. Then as to such who are so tenacious of preaching as to oppose all written discourses, I desire it may be observed, tha though preaching is usually allowed the pre-eminence of written discourses, yet, if men would hear or read them with due attention, they might be effectual to the same ends and purposes; for, notwithstanding what may be urged in favour of the voice, the air, and the action of a preacher; still, what is uttered with the voice passes off so fast, that men of ordinary capacities are not able to judge of the soundness of it; and the exhortations to virtue often have but little effect; because the rules and directions which we hear concerning it, are so very apt to slip out of our memories; whereas written discourses are always with us; and we may have recourse to them whenever we please, to recover what we have forgotten; to examine and satisfy ourselves in any thing we doubt of, and by leisurely searches and inquiries we may, by their assistance, attain to the knowledge of those sublime truths, which would otherwise be too hard for us. And therefore I cannot but infer, that it is a great, though common mistake with some readers, to think, that written discourses cannot have their due praise, but there must be a design of degrading and undervaluing preaching: but I trust I cannot be suspected of so invidious an insinuation, when I declare the following discourses are by no means intended to hinder any one's attendance on divine service, but are accommodated to the occasions of such as cannot be always present at the public worship; and to the use of families and private persons who religiously keep the sabbath, and endeavour to spend their leisure hours in the improvement of their Christian knowledge. And those who shall think fit to make use of them for such purposes, I hope, by GOD's blessing, will greatly benefit at least their children and servants: and I trust they may be so far useful to themselves, as to bring to their remembrance the most necessary directions for their Christian conduct in this life. To conclude: I am but little concerned for those consures the men I have been speaking of may pass upon this performance; because the design of it, with well-disposed minds, will excuse for many imperfections; and if I can but in any degree promote a sense of religion, or a due respect for its ministers, where they are wanting, or contribute to the improvement of them, where they are already entertained, I shall be much better pleased than to be an author of some account in the opinion of the greatest critic. London, 1747 TESTIMONIES FROM SCRIPTURE, THE LITURGY, ARTICLES, HOMILIES, OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, PROVING That the OLD Whole Duty of Man was very improperly so called, and has been dangerously received under that Title; because the ARTICLES of the Christian Faith are entirely omitted in that Book; and, without Faith in these Articles, the most diligent Practice of the Duties, there treated of by that Author, is not sufficient to secure a Christian his eternal Salvation. 1 Tim. ii. 5. John xiv. 6. 1 John iv. 14. Luke xix. 10. 1 John iv. 9. John iii. 17. John xx. 31. John iii. 15. 1 John v. 11. Heb. ii. 10. Acts iv. 12. FROM SCRIPTURE. THERE is one mediator between God and men, even the man Christ Jesus. No man cometh unto the Father but by him.—The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the World. To seek and to save that which was lost.- That we might live through him. That the world through him might be saved.-That beliering we might have life through his name. That whosoever believ eth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.-Eternal life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.-Who is the captain of our salvation.-Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.-The just shall live by FAITH. Rom i. 17; Gal. iii. 11; Heb. x. 38. FROM THE LITURGY (Office for the Sick.) THERE is none other name under heaven given to man, in whom and through whom thou mayst receive health and salvation, but only in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. |