PREFACE
*1 1. the following Sermons contain the substance of what I have been preaching for between 8 and 9 years last past. (foot in the year 1747) during that time I have frequently spoken in public, on every subject in the ensuing collections and I am not conscious, that there is any one point of doctrine, on which I am accustomed to speak in public, which is not here, incidentally, if not professedly, lad before every Christian reader.every serious man who peruses these, will therefore see, n the clearest manner, what these doctrines are which I embrace and teach as the essentials of true religion.
2. but I am throughly sensible, these are not proposed in such a manner as some may expect. nothing here appears in an elaborate, elegant or oratorical dress. if it had been my desire or design to write thus,my leisure would not permit. but, in truth, I, at present, designed nothing less; for I now write, as I generally speak, ad populum, - to the bulk of mankind, to those who neither relish nor understand the art of speaking; but who, notwithstanding, are competent judges of those truths which are necessary to present and future happiness. I mention this, that curious readers may
*2 spare themselves the labour of seeking for what they will not find.
3. I design plain truth for plain people. therefore, of set purpose,I abstain from all nice and philosophical speculations; from all perplexed and intricate reasonings and, as far as possible, from even the show of learning, unless in sometimes citing the original Scripture. I labour to void all words which are not easy to be understood, all which are not used in common life and in particular, those kinds of technical terms that so frequently occur in Bodies of Divinity, those modes of speaking which men of reading are intimately acquainted with, but which to common people are an unknown tongue. yet i am not assured, that i do not sometimes slide into them unawares. It is so extremely natural to imagine, that a word which is familiar to ourselves is so to all the world.
4. Nay, my design is in some sense, to forget all that ever I have read in my life. I mean to speak, in the general, as if I had never read one author, ancient or modern (always excepting the inspired). I am persuaded, that on the one hand this may be a means of enabling me more clearly to express the sentiments of y heart, while I simply follow the chain of my own thoughts, without entangling myself with those of other men and that, on the other, I hall come with fewer weights upon my mind, with less of prejudice and preposession, either to search for myself or to deliver to others, the naked truths of the gospel.
5. to candid, reasonable men, I am not afraid to
*3 lay open what have been the inmost thoughts of my heart. I have thought, I am a creature of a day, passing through life as an arrow through the air. I am a spirit come from God and returning to God; Just hovering over the great gulf till, a few moments hence, I am no more seen. I drop into an unchangeable eternity! I WANT TO KNOW ONE THING -THE WAY TO HEAVEN.
HOW TO LAND SAFE ON THAT HAPPY SHORE.
GOD HIMSELF HAD CONDESCENDED TO TEACH THE WAY.
FOR THIS VERY END HE CAME FROM HEAVEN.
HE HATH WRITTEN IT DOWN IN A BOOK.
O GIVE ME THAT BOOK!
AT ANY PRICE, GIVE ME THE BOOK OF GOD!
I HAVE IT. HERE IS KNOWLEDGE ENOUGH FOR ME.
LET ME BE HOMO UNIUS LIBRI. (foot - A MAN OF ONE BOOK.)
HERE THEN I AM , FAR FROM THE BUSY WAYS OF MEN.
I SIT DOWN ALONE. ONLY GOD IS HERE.
IN HIS PRESENCE I OPEN, I READ HIS BOOK, FOR THIS END, TO FIND THE WAY TO HEAVEN.
IS THERE A DOUBT CONCERNING THE MEANING OF WHAT I READ?
DOES ANYTHING APPEAR DARK OR INTRICATE?
I LIFT UP MY HEART TO THE RATHER OF LIGHTS;
'LORD, IS IT NOT THY WORD, 'IF ANY MAN LACK WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD? '
'THOU GIVEST LIBERALLY AND UPBRAIDETH NOT'.
THOU HAST SAID, 'IF ANY BE WILLING TO DO THY WILL, HE SHALL KNOW.
I AM WILLING TO DO, LET ME KNOW THY WILL.
I THEN SEARCH AFTER AND CONSIDER PARALLEL PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE,
'COMPARING SPIRITUAL THINGS WITH SPIRITUAL.
I MEDITATE THEREON WITH ALL THE ATTENTION AND EARNESTNESS OF WHICH MY MIND IS CAPABLE.
IF ANY DOUBT STILL REMAINS, I CONSULT THOSE WHO AR EXPERIENCED IN THE THINGS OF GOD
AND THEN THE WRITINGS WHEREBY, BEING DEAD, THEY YET SPEAK.
AND WHAT I THUS LEARN, THAT I TEACH.
*4 6. I have accordingly set down in the following sermons what I find in the Bible concerning the way to heaven with a view to distinguish this way of god from all those which are the inventions of men. I have endeavoured to describe the true, the scriptural, experimental religion, so as to omit nothing which is a real part thereof and to add nothing thereto which is not. and herein it is more especially my desire,
First,to guard those who are just setting their faces toward heaven
(and who, having little acquaintance with the things of God, are the more liable to be turned out of the way")
from formality,
from MERE OUTSIDE RELIGION,which has almost driven heart religion out of the world...and
Secondly, to warn those who know the religion of the heart, the faith which worketh by love, lest at any time they MAKE VOID THE LAW THROUGH FAITH, and so fall back into the snare of the devil.
7. by the advice and at the request of some of my friends, I have refixed to the other sermons contained in this volume, 3 sermons of my won and one of my Brother's,preached before the University of Oxford. my design required some discourses n those heads and I preferred these before any others, as being a stronger answer than any which can be drawn up now, to those who have frequently asserted that we have changed our doctrine of late and do not preach now what we did some years ago. any man of understanding may now judge for himself, when he has compared the later with the former sermons.
*5 8. but some may say, I have mistaken the say myself, although I take upon me to teach it to others. it is probable many will think this and it is very possible that I have. but I trust, whereinsoever I have mistaken, my mind is open to conviction. I sincerely desire to be better informed. I say to God and man, 'what i know not, teach thou me!'
9. are you persuaded you see more clearly than me? it is not unlikely that you may. then treat me as you would desire to be treated yourself upon a change of circumstances. point me out a better way than I have yet known. show me out a better way than I have yet known. show me it is so, by plain proof of Scripture. and if I linger in the path I have been accustomed to tread and am therefore unwilling to leave it, labour with me a little; take me by the hand and lead me as i am able to bear. but be not displeased if I entreat you not to beat me down in order to quicken my pace. i can go but feebly and slowly at best. then, I should not be able to go at all. may I not request of you, further, not to give me hard names in order to bring me into the right way. suppose I were ever so much in the wrong, I doubt this would not set me right. rather, it would make me run so much the farther from you and so get more and more out of the way.
10. Nay, perhaps, if you are angry, so shall i be too and then there will be small hopes of finding the truth. if once anger arise..this smoke will so dim the eyes of my soul, that I shall be able to see nothing
*6 clearly. for God's sake, if it be possible to avoid it, let us not provoke one another to wrath, let us not kindle in each other this fire of hell, much less blow it up into a fame. if we could discern truth by that dreadful light, would it not be loss,rather than gain? for, how far is love, even with many wrong opinions, to be preferred before truth itself without love! we may die without the knowledge of many truths and yet be carried into Abraham's bosom. but, if we die without love, what will knowledge avail? just as much as it avails the devil and his angels!
the God of love forbid we should ever make he trial! may He prepare us for the knowledge of all truth , by filling our hearts with all His love and with all joy and peace in believing!
SERMON 1
*7 SALVATION BY FAITH
Preached at St. Mary's, Oxford, before the University, on June 18, 1738
'By grace are ye saved through faith.' Eph, 2.8
1. all the blessings with God hath bestowed upon men, are of His mere grace, bounty or favour;
His free, undeserved favour;
favour altogether undeserved;
man having no claim to the least of His mercies.
it was free grace that 'formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into him a living soul' and stamped on that soul the image of God and 'put all things under his feet'. the same free grace continues to us, at this day, life and breath and all things. for there is nothing we are, or have, or do, which can deserve the least thing at God's hand. 'All our works, thou, O God! hast wrought in us'. these, therefore are so many more instances of free mercy and whatever righteousness may be found in man, this is also the gift of God.
2. wherewithal then shall a sinful man atone for any the least of his sins? with his own works? No. were they ever so many or holy they are not his own, but God's but indeed they are all unholy and sinful themselves, so that every one of them needs a fresh atonement. only corrupt fruit grows on a corrupt tree. and his heart is altogether corrupt and abominable, being 'come short of the glory of God', the glorious righteousness at first impressed on his soul, after the image of
*8 his great Creator. therefore, having nothing, neither righteousness nor works, to plead, his mouth is utterly stopped before God.
3. if then sinful men find favour with God, it is 'grace upon grace!' if God vouchsafe still to pour fresh blessings upon us, yea, the greatest of all blessings, salvation.
what can we say to these things, but, 'Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift! and thus it is. herein 'God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died' to save us. 'By grace, then, are ye saved through faith. Grace is the source, faith the condition, of salvation.
now, that we fall not short of the grace of God, it concerns us carefully to inquire,
I. What faith it is through which we are saved?
II. What is the salvation which is through faith?
III. How we may answer some objections.
I. What faith it is through which we are saved.
1. and First, it is not barely the faith of a heathen. Now God requireth of a Heathen to believe, 'that God is; that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him' and that He is to be sought by glorifying Hi as God, by giving Him thanks for all things, and by a careful practice of moral virtue, of justice, mercy and truth toward their fellow creatures. a Greek or Roman, therefore, yea, a Scythian or Indian, was without excuse if he did not believe thus much: the being and attributes of God, a future state of reward and punishment and the obligatory nature of moral virtue. for this is barely the faith of a Heathen.
2. nor, secondly, is it the faith of a devil, though this goes much farther than that of a Heathen. for the devil believes, not only that there is a wise and powerful God, gracious to reward and just to punish, but also, that Jesus is the Son of God, the Christ, the Saviour of the world. so we find Him declaring, in express terms, (Lk 4.34) 'I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God'. nor can we doubt but that unhappy spirit believes all those words which came out of the mouth of the Holy One; yea and whatsoever else was written by those holy men of old, of 2 of whom he was compelled to give that glorious testimony, 'these men are the servants of the Most High God, who show unto you the way of salvation'. thus much, then, the great enemy of God and man believes
*9 and trembles in believing, - that God was made manifest in the flesh; that he will 'tread all enemies under his feet' and that 'all Scripture was given by inspiration of God'. this far goeth the faith of a devil.
3. Thirdly. the faith through which we are saved, in that sense of the word which will hereafter be explained, is not barely that which the Apostles themselves had while Christ was yet upon earth; though they so believed on Him as to 'leave all and follow Him' ; although they had then power to work miracles, to 'heal all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease'; yea, they had then 'power and authority over all devils' and which is beyond all this, were sent by their Master to 'preach the kingdom of God.
4. what faith is it then through which we are saved? it may be answered, First, in general, it is a faith in Christ. Christ and God through Christ, are the proper objects of it. herein, therefore, it is sufficiently, absolutely distinguished from the faith either of ancient or modern Heathens. and from the faith of a devil it is fully distinguished by this, - it is not barely a speculative, rational thing a cold, lifeless assent, a train of ideas in the head, but also a disposition of the heart. for thus saith the Scripture, 'With the heart man believeth unto righteousness' and 'If thou shalt confess with they mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe with thy heart, that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved'.
5. and herein does it differ from that faith which the Apostles themselves had while our Lord was on earth, that it acknowledges the necessity and merit of His death and the power of His resurrection. it acknowledges His death as the only sufficient means of redeeming man from death eternal and his resurrection as the restoration of us all to life and immortality; inasmuch as he 'was delivered fro our sins and rose again for our justification'. Christian faith is then, not only an assent to the whole gospel of Christ, but also a full reliance on the blood of Christ; recumbency upon Him as our atonement and our life, As Given For Us. and Living In Us. and, in consequence hereof, a closing with Him and cleaving to Him, as our 'wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption' or, in one word, our salvation.
II. What salvation it is, which is through this faith, is the Second thing to be considered.
10 1. and, First, whatsoever else it imply, it is a present salvation. it is something attainable, yea, actually attained, on earth, by those who are partakers of this faith. for thus saith the Apostle to the believers at Ephesus and in them to the heathen of all ages, not, Ye Shall Be (though that also is true,) but, 'Ye ARE SAVED through faith'.
2. Ye are Saved (to comprise all in one word) from sin. this is the salvation which is through faith. this is that great salvation foretold by the angel, before god brought His First-0begotten into the world: 'Thou shalt call His name Jesus. for He shall save His people from their sins' and neither here nor in other parts of holy writ, is there any limitation or restriction. all His people or, as it is elsewhere expressed, 'all that believe in Him', He will save from all their sins, from original and actual, past and present sin, 'of the flesh and of the spirit'. through faith that is in Him, they are saved both from the guilt and from the power of it.
3. first. from the guilt of all past sin. For, whereas all the world is guilty before God, insomuch that should He 'be extreme to mark what is done amiss, there is none that could abide it' and whereas, 'by the law is' only 'the knowledge of sin', but no deliverance from it, so that, 'by fulfilling the deeds of the law, no flesh can be justified in Hissight' now 'the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ is manifested unto all that believe'. now 'they are justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ'. 'Him God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for (or by) the remission of the sins that are past'. now hath Christ taken away 'the curse of the law, being made a curse for us'. He hath 'blotted out the handwriting that was against us, taking it out of the way, nailing it to His cross'. 'there is, therefore, no condemnation now, to them which' believe 'in Christ Jesus.
4. and being saved from guilt, they are saved from fear. not indeed from a filial fear of offending, but from all servile fear,; from that fear which hath torment; from fear of punishment; from fear of the wrath of god, whom they now no longer regard as a severe Master, but as an indulgent Father. 'They have not received again the spirit of bondage, but the Spirit of adoption, whereby they cry, Abba, Father: The Spirit itself (note - Himself?)
*11 also bearing witness with their spirits, that they are the children of God.' THEY ARE ALSO SAVED FROM THE FEAR, THOUGH NOT FROM THE POSSIBILITY, OF FALLING AWAY FROM THE GRACE OF GOD AND COMING SHORT OF THE GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES. thus have they 'peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. they rejoice in hope of the glory of God. and the love of God is shed abroad in their hearts, through the Holy Ghost which is given unto them'. and hereby they are persuaded, (though perhaps not at all times, nor with the same fulness of persuasion) that 'neither death, nor life, nor things present nor things to come nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate them from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord'.
5. again, through this faith they are saved from the power of sin, as well as from the guilt of it. so the Apostle declares, 'ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins and in Him is no sin. whosoever abideth in Him, sinneth not'. I John 3.5, etc. again, 'little children, let no man deceive you, He that committeth sin is of the devil. whosoever believeth, is born of God. and whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. once more, 'we know, that whosoever is born of God sinneth not, but he that is begotten of God, keepthe himself and that wicked one toucheth him not. I John 5.18
6. he that is, by faith, born of God, sinneth not
1. by any habitual sin; for all habitual sin is sin reigning, but sin cannot reign in any that believeth. Nor.
2. by any willful sin; for his will , while he abideth in the faith, is utterly set against all sin, and abhorreth it as deadly poison. Nor
3. by any sinful desire, for he continually desireth the holy and perfect will of God and any tendency to an unholy desire he, by the grace of God, stifleth in the birth. Nor.
4. doth he sin by infirmities, whether in act, word, or thought, for his infirmities have no concurrence of His will and without this they are not properly sins. thus, 'he that is born of God doth not commit sin', and though he cannot say, he hath not sinned, yet now 'he sinneth not'.
7. this then is the salvation which is through faith, even in the present world. a salvation from sin and the consequences of sin, both often expressed in the word Justification, which,
*12 taken in the largest sense, implies a deliverance from guilt and punishment, by the atonement of Christ actually applied to the soul of the sinner now believing on him an a deliverance from the power of sin, through Christ Formed In His Heart. so that he who is thus justified, or saved by faith, is indeed Born Again. he is Born Again of the Spirit unto a new life, which 'is hid with Christ in God. and as a new-born babe he gladly receives the adolon (Greek) 'Sincere Milk of the Word, and grows thereby' going on in the might of the Lord his God, from faith to faith, from grace to grace, until, at length, he come unto 'a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
III. the First usual objection to this is,
1. that 'to preach salvation or justification, by faith only, is to preach against holiness and good works'. to which a short answer might be given: 'It would be so, if we spake, as some do. of a faith which was separate from these, but we speak of a faith which is not so. ' but productive of all good words and all holiness'.
2. but it may be of use to consider it more at large, especially since it is no new objection, but as old as St. Paul's time. for even then it was asked, 'Do we not make void the law through faith? we answer,
First, all who preach not faith, do manifestly make void the law, either directly and grossly, by limitations and comments that eat out all the spirit of the text, or indirectly, by not pointing out the only means whereby it is possible to perform it. whereas,
Secondly, 'we establish the law', both by showing its full extent and spiritual meaning and by calling all to that living way, whereby 'the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in them', these, while they trust in the blood of Christ alone, use all the ordinances which he hath appointed, do all the 'good works which he had before prepared that they should walk therein' and enjoy and manifest all holy and heavenly tempers, even the same mind that was in Christ Jesus.
3. 'but does not preaching this faith lead men into pride? we answer, Accidentally it may, therefore ought every believer to be earnestly cautioned, in the words of the great Apostle, 'because of unbelief' the first branches 'were broken off and though stnadest by faith. be not high-minded, by fear. if god spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he spare not
*13 thee. behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God! on them which fell severity, but towards thee goodness, if thou continue in His goodness, other wise thou also shalt be cut off'. and while he continues therein, he will remember those words of St. Paul, foreseeing and answering this very objection, (Rom 3.27), 'Where is boasting then? it is excluded. by what Law? of works? Nay, but by the law of faith'. if a man were justified by his works, he would have whereof to glory. but there is no glorying for him 'that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly.' Rom. 4.5 to the same effect are the words both preceding and following the text, Eph,2.4 etc 'God, who is rich in mercy, even when we were dead on sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved,) that he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. for by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves'. of yourselves cometh neither your faith nor your salvation. 'it is the gift of God', the free, undeserved gift, the faith through which ye are saved as well as the salvation, which he of His own good pleasure, His mere favour, annexes thereto. that ye believe, is one instance of His grace, that, believing, ye are saved, another. 'Not of works, lest any man should boast'. for all our works, all our righteousness, which were before our believing, merited nothing of god but condemnation. so far were they from desiring faith, which therefore, when ever given, is not of works. neither is salvation of the works we do when we believe, for it is then God that worketh in us..therefor, that He giveth us a regard for what He Himself worketh, only commendeth the riches of his mercy, but leaveth us nothing whereof to glory.
4. 'However, may not the speaking thus of the mercy of God, as saving or justifying freely by faith only encourage men in sin indeed it may and will: many will 'continue in sin that grace may abound'. but their blood is upon their won head. the goodness of God ought to lead them to repentance and so it will those who are sincere of heart. when they know there is yet forgiveness with him, they will cry aloud that he would blot out their sins also , through faith which is in Jesus. and if they earnestly cry and faint not, if they seek Him in all the means he hath appointed, if they refuse to be comforted till He come, 'he will come and will not tarry'. and He can
*14 do much work in a short time. many are the examples, in the Acts of the Apostles, of God's working this faith in men's hearts. been like lightning falling from heaven. so in the same hour that Paul and Silas began to preach, the jailor repented, believed and was baptized, as were 3000, by St Peter on the day of Pentecost, who all repented and believed at his first preaching. and, blessed by God, there are now many living proofs that he is still 'mighty to save'.
5. yet to the same truth, placed in another view, a quite contrary objection is made. 'If a man cannot be saved by all that he can do, this will drive men to despair'. true, to despair of being saved by their own works, their own merits or righteousness. and so it ought, for none can trust in the merits of Christ, till he has utterly renounced his own. he that 'coeth about to establish his own righteousness', cannot receive the righteousness of God the righteousness which is of faith cannot be given him while he trusteth in that which is of the law.
6. but this, it is said, 'is an uncomfortable doctine'. the devil spoke like himself, that is without either truth or shame when he dared to suggest to men that it is such. it is the only comfortable one, it is 'very full of comfort', to all self-destroyed, self-condemned sinners. that 'whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed. that the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him'. here is comfort, high as heaven stronger than death! What! mercy for all? for Zaccheus, a public robber? for Mary Magdalene, a common harlot? Methinks I hear one say, 'Then I, even I, may hope for mercy!' and so thou mayest, thou afflicted one, whom none hath comforted! God will not cast out they prayer. Nay, perhaps, he may say the next hour, 'Be of good cheer, they sins are forgiven thess', so forgiven, that they hall reign over thee no more. Yea and that 'the Holy Spirit shall bear witness with they spirit that thou art a child of God ' O glad tidings! Tidings of great joy, which are sent unto all people! Who, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters. Come ye and buy, without money and without price'. whatsovever your sins be, 'though red, like crimson', though more than the hairs of your heard, 'Return ye unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon you and to our God for He will abundantly pardon.
7. when no more objections occur, then we are simply told, that 'salvation by faith only ought not to be preached as the
*15 first doctrine or , at least, not to be preached to all' but what saith the Holy Ghost? 'Other foundation can no man lay than that which i laid, even Jesus Christ'. So then, that 'whosoever believeth on Him shall be saved' is and must be the foundation of all our preaching,
that is, must be the foundation of all our preaching,
that is, must be preached first.
'well, but not to all'. to whom, then, are we not to preach it? whom shall we except? the poor? Nay; they have peculiar right to have the gospel preached unto them. the unlearned. No. God hath revealed these things unto unlearned and ignorant men from the beginning. the young? by no means, 'Suffer these, in anywise, to come unto Christ. and forbid them not'. the sinners Least of all. 'He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance'. why then, if any, we are to except the right, the learned, the reputable, the moral me. and, it is true, they too often except themselves from hearing, yet we must speak the words of our Lord, for thus the tenor of our commission runs, 'Go and preach the gospel to every creature'. if any man wrest it or any part of it, to his destruction he must bear his own burden. but still, 'as the Lord liveth, whatsoever the lord saith unto us, that we will speak'.
8. at this time, more especially, will we speak, that 'by grace are ye saved through faith' because, never was the maintaining this doctrine more seasonable than it is at this day. nothing but this can effectually prevent the increase of the Romish delusion among us. it is endless to attack, on by one, all the errors of that Church. but salvation by faith strikes at eh root and all fall at once where this is established. it was this doctrine, which our Church justly calls the Strong Rock and Foundation of the Christian Religion, that first drove Popery out of these kingdoms and it is this alone can keep it out. nothing but this can give a check to that immorality which hath 'orespread the land as a flood'. can you empty the great deep, drop by drop? then you may reform us by dissuasives from particular vices. but let the 'righteousness which is of God by fatih', be brought in and so shall its proud waves be stayed. nothing but this can stop the mouths of those who 'glory in their shame and openly deny the Lord that bought them'. they can talk as sublimely of the law, as he that hath it written, by God, in his heart. to hear them speak on this head might incline one to think they were
*16 not far from the kingdom of God, but take them out of the law into the gospel. begin with the righteousness of faith, with Christ, 'the end of the law to every one that believeth' and those who but ow appeared almost, if not altogether Christians, stand confessed the sons of perdition; as far from life and salvation (God be merciful unto them!) as the depth of hell from the height of heaven.
9. for this reason the adversary so rages whenever 'salvation by faith' is declared to the world, for this reason did he stir up earth and hell, to destroy those who first preached it. and for the same reason, knowing that faith alone could return the foundations of his kingdom, did he call forth all his forces and employ all his ears of lies and calumny, to affright Martin Luther from reviving it. nor can we wonder thereat, for, as that man of God observes, 'How would it enrage a proud strong man armed,to be stopped and set at nought by a little child coming against him with a reed in his hand! especially, when he knew that little child would surely overthrow him and tread him under foot. even so, Lord Jesus! thus hath thy strength been ever 'made perfect in weakness!' Go forth, then, thou little child that believest in Him and His 'right hand shall teach thee terrible things!' though thou be as helpless and weak as an infant of days, the strong man shall not be able to stand before thee. t6hou shalt prevail over him and subdue him and overthrow him and trample him under they feet. thou shalt march on, under the great Captain of thy salvation, 'conquering and to conquer', until all thine enemies are destroyed and 'death is swallowed up in victory'.
now, 'thanks be to god, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ' to whom, with the Rather and the Holy Ghost, be blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might for ever and ever. amen.
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