thinking well of themselves at the expense of their Creator's character: but that which silences them will satisfy the righteous, and fill them with sentiments of the highest admiration and esteem. Their present feelings will not be so extinguished as to render them hard-hearted towards any creature. They will rather be overcome by the consideration of the righteousness and fitness of the divine proceedings. If they be swallowed up, it will not be in selfishness, but in the love of God, to whose will all inferior affections ought to be, and will be subordinate. There is a satisfaction felt by every friend of justice in the conviction and execution of a murderer. Humanity in this case is not extinguished, but enlarged: it is individual compassion overcome by regard to the general good. Thus in whatever light we consider the coming of our Lord, it is a "blessed hope," and "a glorious appearing" to all that love it. The happiness of Jacob in reviewing the issue of that mysterious train of events which brought him and his family down to Egypt, must have overbalanced not only the sorrows which he felt during the suspense, but the joy of his whole life: much more will the happiness of saints on reviewing the issue of all the dis pensations of God overbalance, not only their former afflictions, but all their preceding joys. Great however as their happiness will be at the appearing of Jesus Christ, the language used in reference to that period shows it to be but an introduction to greater joys. "Then shall the King say to them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from before the foundation of the world-ENTER YE INTO THE JOY OF YOUR LORD!" The likeness to Christ which is attributed to our seeing him as he is, seems to be expressive of something more than a freedom from sin. It denotes not a negative but a positive blessing; not an instantaneous, but a gradual assimilation, like that which is insensibly contracted by being in the company of one with whom our hearts unite. We shall doubtless, from our first introduction into his presence, on leaving this mortal body, be so far like him as to have no remains of contrariety to him: but a positive like-mindedness with him may nevertheless be capable of perpetual increase,, as his mind shall be more and more discovered by us. The spirits of the just made perfect are happy as be`ing free from every degree of misery; but not so filled with positive enjoyment as to be incapable of receiving more: and thus it may be with respect to positive holiness. What is holiness but that in which the whole law is summed up, LOVE? But love is capable of becoming more rooted and grounded, as well as more intense, as the worth of its object becomes more known and appreciated. And as every degree of attainment capacitates the mind for greater attainments, and the object to be known passeth knowledge, there is reason to believe that the things which God hath prepared for them that love him, include nothing less than an eternal accumulation of blessedness. * 1 John iii. 2. THE END. AN ESSAY ON TRUTH: CONTAINING An Inquiry into its Nature and Importance; WITH THE CAUSES OF ERROR, AND THE REASONS OF ITS BEING PERMITTEÐ. BY ANDREW FULLER. THE multifarious and discordant sentiments which divide mankind, afford a great temptation to skepti cism, and many are carried away by it. The open enemies of the gospel take occasion from hence to justify their rejection of it: and many of its professed friends have written as if they thought, that to be de cided, amidst so many minds and opinions, were almost presumptuous. The principal, if not the only use which they would make of these differences is, to induce a spirit of moderation and charity, and to declaim against bigotry. To say nothing at present how these terms are perverted and hackneyed in a certain cause, let two things be seriously considered :-First, Whether this was the use made by the apostles of the discordant opinions which prevailed in their times, even amongst those who "acknowledged the divinity of our Saviour's mission ?" In differences amongst Christians which did not affect the kingdom of God, nor destroy the work of God, it cer tainly was: such were those concerning meats, drinks, and days*, in which the utmost forbearance was inculcated. But it was otherwise in differences which affected the leading doctrines and precepts of Christianity. Forbearance in these cases would, in the account of the sacred writers, have been a crime. Let us candidly inquire, Christian reader, whether, notwithstanding the diversity of sentiments in the Christian world, truth may not be clearly ascertained? Whether it be not of the utmost importance? Whether the prevalence of error may not be accounted for? And lastly, Whether the wisdom, as well as the justice of God, may not be seen in his permitting it? WHAT IS TRUTH? In attempting to answer this question, I desire to take nothing for granted, but that Christianity is of God, and that the scriptures are a revelation of his will. If Christianity be of God, and he have revealed his will in the holy scriptures, light is come into the world, though the dark minds of sinful creatures comprehend it not. It does not follow, because many wander in mazes of fruitless speculation, that there is not a way so plain that a way-faring man, or one who "walketh in the truth," though a fool, shall not err. The numerous sects among the Greeks and Romans, and even among the Jews, at the time of our Saviour's *Rom. xiv. 17. 20. |