PREFACE.

THE following two Sermons have been judged too excellent to be suppressed. They were preached, according to the best information, at Biddeford, in the year 1743.

As to their authenticity, they carry in themselves the strongest internal evidences of their being genuine. Whoever reads them, will know who wrote them. "Celebrated writers," as this excellent author observes elsewhere," have a style peculiar to themselves." This was eminently true of himself. His performances (some of his letters excepted, written in the younger part of his life) are indeed "as apples of gold in pictures of silver;" transmitting the most precious truths through the channel of the most elegant, correct expression, and adorning the doctrines of God our Saviour with all the heightening graces of exquisite composition. When Hervey's pencil gives the drapery, truth is sure never to suffer by appearing in an ill dress. His prose is, in general, more lovely and harmonious, more chastely refined, and more delicately beautiful, than half the real poems in the world. With Hervey in their hands, his delighted readers will nigh find themselves at a loss which they shall most admire the sublimity and sweetness of the blessed truths he conveys, or the charming felicity of their conveyance. There is, if the term may be allowed, a sort of family likeness discernible in all this author's pieces. You discover the lively signatures of the parent in every one of his offspring. They not only carry the superscription of his name, but likewise bear the image of

his genius, and are himself at second-hand. Among others, the ensuing performance may be considered as a transparent medium, a screen of crystal, through which the original writer is distinctly seen, and known from every other: a circumstance which, with me, has more convincing weight than the extrinsic attestation of a thousand witnesses.

The сору, from which these sermons are printed, was lately transmitted to me for publication, by a most valued friend of Exeter. I deem it a particular happiness that so choice a treasure should pass, through my unworthy hands, to the church of God. And I rejoice the rather, as I have, by this means, an opportunity of doing myself the honour to bear the most open and public testimony to that grand, fundamental, inestimable doctrine of a sinner's" full, free, and final justification, by the alone obedience and sacrifice of Jesus Christ the righteous."

I shall not detain the evangelical reader from this feast any longer than just to assure him, that neither my excellent friend, who communicated the copy to me, nor myself, who communicate it to the world, propose to ourselves any sort of pecuniary advantage from this publication; nor will we accept any, should the sale be ever so great.

of

Respect for the memory of that holy man of God who preached these sermons, and a hope of their being made useful to such as read them, were the motives which induced us to send them abroad. One would wish to gather up the very fragments that remain of so distinguished a writer, and that nothing so apparently calculated for general benefit might be lost.

thought it necessary to add two or three occasional notes, of whose propriety the reader will judge for himself. AUGUSTUS TOPLADY.

Westminster, July 8. 1769..

SERMON I.

MANY MADE RIGHTEOUS BY THE OBEDIENCE OF ONE.

Two Sermons Preached at Biddeford, 1743.

Rом. v. 19.—“ By the Obedience of One shall many be made Righteous."

"By the works of the law shall no man living be justified," was not long ago the subject of a public discourse; and, I hope, has frequently been the subject of our private consideration. O that the important truth may be written most intelligibly upon our hearts, and beget in us a sound humility and an evangelical poverty of spirit! We then pulled up the wrong foundation; and now permit me to establish the right. We then warned you of the sandy foundation; and now permit me to lead you to the Rock of ages, where you may safely repose all your confidences, and build with the utmost security for a blissful eternity. This is pointed out in the scripture before us; which, though concise in its expressions, is rich and copious in its meanings, and breathes the very spirit of the gospel.

"By the obedience of One shall many be made righteous." The One mentioned in the text, is the man Christ Jesus. The obedience spoken of, includes both his active and passive obedience; the labours of his life, and the agonies of his death: all which he exercised and suffered, in conformity to his Father's will, for the sake of fallen men; that they, by his righteousness, might be made righteous; that, having these credentials, they may be admitted into

the court of heaven; and carrying this passport, may be admitted into "the everlasting habitations."

This doctrine I take to be the most sweet and precious part of our Christian faith; that which gives the most pure and undivided honour to God; which yields the most reviving and solid comfort to the sinner; and in the most endearing and effectual manner promotes every interest of holiness. But asmuch as it is little understood by some, entirely exploded by others, and scarce ever thought upon by more; let us crave your impartial attention while I clear up and confirm it: and not only crave your attention, brethren, but implore the renewing and enlightening influence of divine grace; without which, I am aware, my words will be unintelligible to some, and appear, perhaps, ridiculous to others; for “ the natural man discerneth not the things which are of the Spirit of God;" on the contrary, "they are foolishness unto him." Depending, therefore, on divine grace, let us examine,

I. How the obedience of another can make us righteous.

II. How sufficient Christ's obedience is for this

purpose.

III. How worthy this method of becoming righteous is of all acceptation; and then,

IV. Give some few directions, that may dispose us to rely on, and prepare us to receive the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

I. Let us examine how the obedience of another can make us righteous. This point may be proved and illustrated,

1. From the nature of a surety.

2. From Christ's dying as a sinner for us.

3. From Adam's sin being imputed to us.

1. The doctrine of our being made righteous through the obedience of Christ, may be proved and illustrated from the nature of a surety, who is one that undertakes and engages for another. Let

us suppose the parties were Paul and Onesimus. Onesimus was Philemon's slave. The slave disobeyed his master, ran away from him and his service; not only deserted his service, but stole his goods; turned fugitive and thief at once. For the first of these crimes he deserves stripes and a rod; for the last, death and the gallows. St Paul meeting with Onesimus, learns the state of his condition; and, having been the means of his conversion to Christianity by his preaching, and of his reconciliation to God through Jesus Christ, offers to become his mediator with his offended master. In order to execute which office more effectually, he puts himself in the criminal's stead, becomes answerable for his villany, and takes upon him to make full reparation for the injuries he had done to his master: "If he hath wronged thee ought," says the beneficent apostle," or oweth thee ought, put that to my account; I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it." By this means, the renegade slave is discharged, and Paul the innocent apostle becomes debtor. But how? Not actually, but imputatively; for neither has Onesimus repaid, nor Paul stolen ought; but, by virtue of the undertaken suretyship, Onesimus's debt lies upon Paul, and Paul's freedom turns to the acquittance of Onesimus.

Thus it is in the matter of justification. We had all sinned in Adam; forfeited the favour of God. In order to our reconcilement, God required a full satisfaction to his justice, and a perfect obedience to his laws. These we could not possibly render in our own persons; therefore, Christ graciously presented himself, and undertook to perform both in our stead. Upon me, says the compassionate Redeemer, upon me be their offences laid. If they have transgressed, let vengeance make its demands on me; I will repay to the very utmost farthing; and foras- . much as, through the weakness of their mortal nature, they are not able to yield an exact conformity to the divine laws, I am willing to " fulfil all