membrance. These were elders that served the Lord, and had seen all the works that the Lord had done for Israel; but when that generation were gathered to their fathers, another generation rose after them which knew not the Lord, nor the works that he had done for Israel. Judges ii. 10. But

(2.) If this age, will not allow any thing that is mysterious, we cannot help it. We say, without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. To some it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom, and to others it is not given. Matt. xiii. 11. We preach the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret since the world began. Rom. xvi. 25. We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom that God ordained, before the world unto our glory. 1 Cor. ii. 7. We are to make all men see, what is the fellowship of the mystery, that from the beginning of the world, has been hid in God. Eph. iii. 9. Pray for us, that utterance may be given to us, that we may open our mouths boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel. You are to acknowledge the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ. Col. ii. 2. Deacons are to hold the mystery of faith in a pure conscience. 1 Tim. iii. 9. Let a man so account of us, as ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 1 Cor. iv. 1. We desire to cry out, as the apostle does, O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! Rom. xi. 33.

The article of the Trinity is not the only thing that we must believe, and yet cannot explain. If the objection is of any value here, we may carry it quite through the gospel. I believe the resurrection of the dead, Job xix. 26. that in my flesh I shall see God, and yet that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom. 1 Cor. xv. 50. But when mortality is to be swallowed up of life, what there will be of this body to make it my own, and what those changes are, by which it becomes glorious and spiritual, are things of that naturė that I shall never know until I have them. And therefore, if some man does say, how are the dead raised up? And with what body do they rise? I must answer him as the apostle does, thou fool, that which thou sowest, is not quickened except it die.

3 This polite age, that is supposed to outdo all that went before it, has plainly betrayed and weakened the protestant religion. The glory is departed from our land, both in worship and doctrine. That simplicity of devotion, in which the cause was opened, is over-run with superstition, formality, and the commandments of men. And the truth, as it is in Jesus, which our fathers maintained with the sweat of their brows, and sealed with the blood of their hearts, this is changed into a lie.

The great pillar and ground of truth, that they set up against the man of sin, was justification by the merits of Christ. They who bring in any other righteousness than this, are going back into popery. If we build again the

things that we have destroyed, we make ourselves transgressors. As many as seek to be justified by the law, are fallen from grace. And so, the necessity of almighty grace, to change our natures, the witness of the Spirit to revive our souls, the stability of the covenant, the perseverance of the saints, were the glories that dwelt in our land; and yet these are gone into contempt and darkness. There is a cry of all sorts against them.

In our fathers it was fanaticism, in us it is enthusiasm. These are the weeds, that sprung up since our last liberty. And whether they, who have all gone aside, from what we were taught about the justification of a sinner, the renewal of his nature, and the acceptance of his person; whether they who have destroyed, the whole peculiarity that we have as protestants, are to give us a new foundation, on which we are to build as Christians, I must leave to the end of all things.

(4.) That in this age, there is a decay of religion in families, a want of integrity in conversation, a departure from the simplicity which kept our fathers unspotted from the world, is not to be denied. Whether greater light is to be struck out of prayerless houses, and better notions can be expected from worse people; whether they who take liberties, at which their parents would have trembled, are to be the instructors of the world, will soon be determined. If throwing away their time, at home in cards and dice, and giving up that abroad to plays and taverns, are means of critical learning, we shall have it.

But among these men who seem to be somewhat, what I would now observe, is their notorious hypocrisy, trampling on every principle which they have once maintained, as if they were not ashamed to declare that gain is godliness. 1 Tim. vi. 5. The doctrine of the Trinity they have refused to own. Subscribing to it, they have loaded with as hard names, as are owing to the greatest wickedness. It has been made rebellious, against the authority of Christ, and the sufficiency of the scriptures. It is called an inquisition, a breach of charity, a yoke of bondage.

And yet how easily, has the tail of the dragon, Rev. xii. 4. drawn down these stars of heaven to the earth, and made them do the very action they abhorred; own the very principle they denied; build up again the things they have destroyed, upon no other motive than preferment, the gross wages of unrighteousness! Woe unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward. Jude II. As if in the most literal sense of the word, they would carry a lie in their right hand. This is a politeness, which would have kept our fathers out of jail; but they chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. They had trials of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea moreover of bonds and imprison

ments.

There was no need for them, to quit the pompous advantages, that they who despise

them are stretching to, if they could have acted with such a mastery over conscience: but destruction from God was a terror to them. And whatever indifference they are treated with, may my soul be found at last, among the generations of the faithful, and have no portion in either world with hypocrites and unbelievers.

2. Another argument, is taken from our obligations to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. That this is what we are bound to, cannot be denied; but that it ever should be pleaded, as a reason for our wavering in the faith, is matter of trouble and wonder. You shall have the objection, in the very words of the man that made it," Since the scripture "bids us grow in the knowledge of God our "Father, and of Christ our Saviour, this age "will not count it a profane thing, to attempt "to turn aside the vail of ignorance; and en"deavour at least in some measure to know God, and understand what they are required "to believe concerning him." I answer,

(1.) Growing in the knowledge of Christ, requires no new schemes, any more than growing in grace implies new principles. It is supposed that we do know him, in his nature and his person. We are not waiting for another Jesus distinct from what we have received; or another Spirit besides what we have accepted. The apostle John, who preached up love and charity, made conscience to declare nothing, but what they had heard from the beginning. 1 John i. 1. But if we are to be unsettled with