us a; his having bought us with the price of his own blood; joined us to himself, and made our bodies his members b; as also the inhabitation of the Spirit, for our bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost c; and the resurrection of the body at the last day. They therefore who are Christ's must crucify the flesh, with the affections and lusts d. And if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his e.

Thus have we considered the several duties we owe to God -to one another and to ourselves, which are all comprehended in the general phrase in our text, of the fruits of holiness.

And now it remains that I close the whole with two or three reflections, which, however important, the length of this discourse will but just allow me to mention. We hence see the infinite excellence and utility of true religion. For if the du ties that have been described are of such consequence to the comfort and usefulness of individuals, and to the general welfare and happiness of society; that surely is most worthy of our attention and regard, which sets these duties in their true light, and furnishes us with the noblest motives to urge us to them, and the only effectual aids to enable us to perform them in a right manner. By this extensive view we have taken of the fruits of holiness, we are also naturally led into an examination of ourselves, whether we are Christians indeed, what is the general tenor of our conduct, and by what motives we are influenced. By their fruits, says our Saviour, ye shall know them f.-And since those who, as the apostle expresses it in this context, have from their heart obeyed that form of doctrine which was delivered unto them, are nevertheless deeply sensible of innumerable follies and sins; how shall we sufficiently admire and adore that grace, which has made so free and ample a provision for our final acceptance and salvation in Jesus Christ! Thus hath the blessed God, of his infinite mercy, effectually relieved us of those distressing fears which would have miserably perplexed and impeded us in the path of duty; and at the same time, as effectually secured to himself alone the glory of our everlasting salvation. But of these things we shall have occasion to discourse hereafter.

a John i. 14. d Gal. v. 24.

b 1 Cor. vi. 30. xvii. 15.
e Rom. viii. 9.

c Ver. 19. ƒ Matt. vii. 20,

DISCOURSE IX.

THE DIVINE ORIGIN OF RELIGION.

JAMES III. 17.- -The wisdom that is from above. WHATEVER treatment serious religion may meet with from the generality of mankind, it certainly is the noblest guest that ever visited our world. A thousand gifts it pours into every breast that receives it,-gifts which directly tend to enrich and adorn the mind, and to cheer and gladden the heart. What they are we have in a former discourse seen. Let us now enquire whence this most kind and benevolent stranger comes; or, in other words, trace religion back to its divine origin, shew its heavenly extraction, and how it is first generated in the soul of man. An argument this, which, while it still farther evinces the excellence and importance of it, will teach us our infinite obligations to the grace of God for it. This wisdom, says our text, is from above.

That the apostle is here speaking of the religion of the heart, and of the genuine fruits of it in the life, will clearly appear from the context, and indeed from the general scope of the epistle. Many there were, even in those early ages of the church, who, amidst all their pretended zeal for the doctrine of Christ, indulged a temper and conduct directly opposite to the true spirit and genius of the gospel. In this letter, therefore, directed to the dispersed Jews, he sets himself with great earnestness to reprove the folly and presumption of these men; shewing that faith without works is dead, being alone, and that it cannot truly exist in the mind, if its influence be not felt in the heart, nor its effects seen in the life. And since they talked much of their superior wisdom and knowledge, to the utter neglect of vital and practical religion, he urges on them, wise as they would seem to be, their obligations to love and obedience. • Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge amongst you? Let him shew, out of a good conversation, his works with meekness of

wisdom a. Whence he takes occasion, with great justness of sentiment, and force of expression, to describe the different characters of that wisdom which is from beneath, and of that which is from above. As to the former, the wisdom of which these vain and formal professors boasted, he tells them, it is earthly, sensual and devilish, it derives from the world, the flesh and the devil, and its maxims being agreeable to corrupt nature, have a very general and powerful influence. But the wisdom that is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

By wisdom then the apostle most certainly intends, in this place, the religion of the heart. So it is very frequently described in sacred Scripture, especially the Old Testament. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom b. The ways of wisdom are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace c. And it is the highest expression of wisdom in the whole world, however it may be contemned by the proud, and rejected by the vain and sensual part of mankind. If to have just apprehensions of God, his nature and perfections, of ourselves and the state we are in, of Christ and the way of salvation by him, of our duty and the manner in which it should be performed, of our privileges, and the hope that is set before us: if this be a kind of knowledge of the last importance to our present and future interests, then is true religion, in which all this is included, justly styled wisdom. And hence our Lord Jesus Christ, whose doctrine comprehends in it all these discoveries, is called the wisdom of God d. And the apostle Paul, discoursing of the excellence and sublimity of the gospel, thus describes it: We speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the ·world unto our glory. Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory e. I shall not stay here to point out to you the wisdom that is displayed in the doctrine of the Bible, which is the

a James iii. 13. d 1 Cor. i. 24.

b Psal. cxi. 10.
el Cor. ii. 6—8.

c Prov. iii. 17.

great object of religion, nor the wisdom that is expressed in an entire subjection of heart to its sacred dictates, which is the sum of religion; but shall immediately proceed to the main object of this discourse, and that is to shew you, that this wisdom is from above. And here I shall,

I. Inquire in what sense the wisdom of which the text speaks is from above, which will give me an opportunity to illustrate this point, of its divine origin in the heart of man; and then, II. Endeavour, by some plain arguments, to prove and confirm this important truth.

I. In what sense is this wisdom from above? And,

1. If you consider it in reference to those divine truths which are the main objects of it, it is from above. The discoveries of the Bible are necessary to produce that temper of mind towards God, which we have lately been describing, and these discoveries are of divine original. It is by a revelation from Heaven we are assured of forgiveness and eternal life, and instructed in the way by which we become entitled to both these great blessings. And the gospel, considering its peculiarity and glory, loudly speaks for itself, that it is not of human, but divine contrivance. What man could have ever thought of the Son of God's becoming incarnate; and of sinners being justified and saved by his obedience and death? The scheme must have been framed originally in the eternal mind. It is from above, from whence the Saviour himself came, and whither he is now returned. Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory a.' The great variety also of external evidence, both prophetical and miraculous, by which the Bible is supported, sufficiently proves its divinity. So with the apostle Peter we may say, 'We have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ b.' Religion, therefore, objectively considered, is from above.

2. It is, in regard of its tendency and effects, spiritual and divine; and in this sense also from above. It claims the rior faculties of the soul for the proper seat of its residence, and

supe

a 1 Tim. iii. 16.

b 2 Pet. i. 16.

sways its sceptre over the heart and conscience. It transforms the minds of men into the image of God, and makes them partakers of the divine nature a. Its effects are not earthly, sensual and diabolical; but pure, spiritual and celestial. It refines the understanding, enlarges the soul, elevates the heart to God, and prepares it for the business and pleasures of a better world. It dignifies a man far above any other attainment, and puts him in possession of a happiness far more substantial than any other enjoyment can afford. It brings heaven in a degree down into the soul, and in a sense exalts the soul to heaven. In short, it is the first fruits of everlasting life, the beginning of future glory, and the early dawn of that one long and bright day, which shall gladden the fields of paradise to all eternity. But what I have chiefly in view is,

This it is true is af

But religion being

3. That it hath its origin from above. firmed of all the common blessings of life. a gift in its own nature the most excellent and valuable, and by reason of the depravity of mankind, the farthest from their inclination and pursuit; it may with peculiar propriety be said to come down from above. It is the offspring of divine energy, the fruit of the ever blessed Spirit. To ascertain indeed with any precision the manner in which his almighty influence is exerted on the hearts of men, is perhaps an attempt beyond the reach of our feeble capacities. Nor is it to be wondered at, any more than that we cannot comprehend the manner in which the soul operates on the body. But why should the difficulty of clearly explaining it, be admitted as a more solid objection against the fact in the one instance, than in the other? It is, as we shall presently see, the doctrine of the Bible, which, while it allows the divine operations to be very inexplicable to our finite understandings, assures us that every good man is born of God b.

But what I have in the first place to do, is to give a plain and familiar account of the process of this good work on the heart, wherein we shall, I persuade myself, evidently perceive the traces of divine power and goodness. In the mean time there are two or three things to be premised, which will tend to clear the grand point I have in view. And the first is this,

a 2 Pet. i. 4.

1 John v. 1.