HOW JOHN BERRIDGE DISCOVERED HIS MISTAKE.
MY desire and intention, in this letter, is to inform you what the Lord has lately done for my soul. In order to this, it may be needful to give a little previous information of my manner of life from my youth up to the present time.
When I was about the age of fourteen, God was pleased to show me that I was a sinner, and that I must be born again before I could enter into His kingdom. Accordingly, I betook myself to reading, praying, and watching, and was enabled thereby (as I flattered myself) to make some progress in sanctification. In this manner I went on though not always with the same diligence, till about a year ago. I thought myself in the right way to heaven, though as yet I was wholly out of the way, and imagined I was travelling towards Zion, though I had never set my face thitherward. Indeed, God would have shown me that I was wrong by not owning my ministry; but I paid no regard to this for a long time, imputing my want of success to the naughty hearts of my hearers, and not to my own naughty doctrine.
You may ask, perhaps, “What was my doctrine?” Why, dear Sir, it was the doctrine that every man will naturally hold whilst he continues in an unregenerate state, that we are to be justified partly by our faith, and partly by our works. This doctrine I preached for six years at a curacy which I served from college, and though I took some extraordinary pains, and pressed sanctification upon them very earnestly, yet they continued unsanctified as before, and not one soul was brought to Christ. There was, indeed, a little more of the form of religion in the parish, but not anything of the power.
At length I removed to Everton. Here again I pressed sanctification and regeneration as vigorously as I could; but finding no success, after preaching two years in this manner, I began to be discouraged. Now some secret misgivings arose in my mind that I was not right myself. These misgivings grew strong, and at last very painful. Being under great doubts, I cried unto the Lord very earnestly—Lord, if I am right, keep me so; if I am not right, make me so. Lead me to the knowledge of “the truth as it is in Jesus.” After about ten days’ crying unto the Lord, He was pleased to send an answer to my prayers, and in the following wonderful manner. As I was sitting in my house one morning, and musing on a text of scripture, the following words were darted into my mind, and seemed, indeed, like a voice from heaven:—”Cease from thine own works.” Before I heard these words my mind was in a very unusual calm; but as soon as I heard them, my soul was in a tempest directly, and tears flowed from my eyes like a torrent. The scales fell from my eyes immediately, and now I clearly saw the rock I had been splitting upon for nearly thirty years. Do you ask what this rock was? It was—some secret reliance on my own works for salvation.
I had hoped to be saved partly in my own name, and partly in Christ’s name, though I am told there is salvation in no other name, except in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts iv. 12). I had hoped to be saved partly through my own works, and partly through Christ’s mercies; though I am told we are saved by grace through faith, and not of works (Eph. ii. 8-9). I hoped to make myself acceptable to God partly through my own good works; though we are told we are accepted in the Beloved (Eph. i. 6). I hoped to make my peace with God partly through my own obedience to the law; though I am told that peace is only to be had by faith (Rom. v. 1). I hoped to make myself a child of God by sanctification; though we are told we are made children of God by faith in Christ Jesus (Gal. iii. 26). I had thought that sanctification was the way to justification; but now I am assured that sanctification follows after justification; or, in other words, that we must first be justified by faith, before we can have any true sanctification by the Spirit. When we are justified, it is done freely and graciously, without the least merit of ours, and solely by the grace of God, through Jesus Christ (Rom. iii. 24-28).
All that is previously needful to justification is this, that we be convinced by the Spirit of God of our own sinfulness (Isaiah lxiv. 6); convinced that we are the children of wrath, by nature, on account of our birth-sin (Eph. ii. 3), and that we are under the curse of God on account of actual sin (Gal. iii. 10). And under these convictions, to come to the Lord Jesus Christ, renouncing all righteousness of our own, and relying solely on Him who is appointed to be the Lord of our righteousness (Jer. xxiii. 6). Again, Christ says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden [with the burden of sin] and I will give you rest;” i.e., I will take the burden away; I will release you from the guilt of sin. Where you may observe that the only thing required of us when we come to Christ, is to come burdened, and sensible that none can remove this burden but Christ. Again, Christ did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. See also Luke iv. 18. Hear how He cries out, (Isa. lv. 1), “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters. . . yea come, buy wine and milk [i.e., the blessings of the Gospel] without money and without price”—where we are ordered to bring no money, i.e., no merit of our own. We must not think to make a purchase of these blessings by any deserts of ours. They are offered freely, that is, graciously, and must be received freely; nothing more is required from us but to thirst after them. Why was the Pharisee rejected (Luke xviii. 14)? Because he came pleading his own works before God. He was devout, just, chaste, and abstemious, and thanked God for enabling him to be so: very well, so far all was right. But then he had some reliance on these works, and therefore pleads the merits of them before God; which shows that he did not know what a sinner he was, and that he could only be saved by grace, through faith. He opens his mouth before God, and pleads his own cause, though God declares that every mouth shall be stopped before Him, and the whole world brought in guilty before God (Rom. iii. 19). And why was the publican justified? Not on account of his good works; but because he was sensible of his evil ones, and accordingly self-accused, self-condemned, and crying out only for mercy. And now, dear Sir, hear what is the rise and progress of true religion in the soul of man.
When the Spirit of God hath convinced any person that he is a child of wrath, and under the curse of God, in which state every one continues to be till he has received Jesus Christ into his heart by faith, then the heart of such an one becomes broken for sin; then, too, he feels what he never knew before, that he has no faith, and accordingly laments his evil heart of unbelief. In this state men continue, some a longer, some a shorter time, till God is pleased to work faith in them. Then they are justified, and are at peace with God (Rom. v. 1). They have their sins forgiven them; for this is the meaning of the word peace. See Luke vii. 48-50. When we have received faith from God, for it is His gift—Eph. ii. 8, to justify our persons, then we afterwards receive the Spirit to sanctify our hearts, and now the work of sanctification goes forward; now his fruit is more and more unto holiness; now the love of God is shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Spirit (Rom. v. 5); now he walks in the comfort of the Holy Ghost (Acts ix. 13); now he is filled with joy and peace in believing (Rom. xv. 13); now he rejoiceth with joy unspeakable and full of glory (I. Pet. i. 8); and now he hath the Spirit of God bearing witness with his own spirit, that he is a child of God (Rom. viii. 16; I. John v. 10). These are things that I was an utter stranger to before, notwithstanding all my reading, watching, and praying; and these are things that every one must be a stranger to, until he is made a child of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
But to proceed: though a believer be continually more and more sanctified in body, soul, and spirit, yet his hopes of heaven are not built on his sanctification, but on Christ; he knows that he is only complete in Christ (Col. ii. 10). Accordingly, though he labours to abound in all the fruits of righteousness, yet, like Paul, he desires to be found only in Christ, not having, that is, not relying on, his own righteousness, but on the righteousness of God, by faith (Phil. iii. 8, 9).
And now let me point out to you the grand delusion which had liked to have ruined my soul. I saw very early something of the unholiness of my nature, and the necessity of being born again. Accordingly, I watched, prayed, and fasted too, thinking to purify my heart by these means, whereas it can only be purified by faith (Acts xv. 9). Watching, praying, and fasting are necessary duties; but I, like many others, placed some secret reliances on them, thinking they were to do that for me, in part at least, which Christ only could. The truth is, though I saw myself to be a sinner, yet I did not see myself an utterly lost sinner, and therefore I could not come to Jesus alone to save me. I despised the doctrine of justification by faith alone, looking on it as a foolish and dangerous doctrine. I was not yet stript of all my righteousness—could not consider it as filthy rags, and therefore I went about to establish a righteousness of my own, and did not submit to the righteousness of God by faith (Rom. x. 3). I did not seek after righteousness through faith, but, as it were, through the works of the law. Thus I stumbled and fell (Rom. ix. 31, 32). In short, to use a homely similitude, I put the justice of God into one scale, and as many good works of my own as I could into the other; and when I found, as I always did, my own good works not being a balance to the Divine justice, I then threw in Christ as a makeweight. And this every one really does who hopes for salvation, partly by doing what he can for himself, and relying on Christ for the rest.
But, dear Sir, Christ will either be a whole Saviour, or none at all. And if you think you have any good service of your own to recommend you unto God, you are certainly without any interest in Christ; be you ever so sober, serious, just, and devout, you are still under the curse of God, as I was, and knew it not, provided you have any allowed reliance on your own works, and think they are to do something for you, and Christ to do the rest.
I now proceed to acquaint you with the success I have lately had in my ministry. As soon as God had opened my own eyes, and showed me the true way to salvation, I began immediately to preach it. And now I dealt with my hearers in a very different manner from what I had used to do. I told them very plainly that they were children of wrath, and under the curse of God, though they knew it not; and that none but Jesus Christ could deliver them from that curse. I asked them, if they had ever broken the law of God once, in thought, word, or deed? If they had, they were then under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them.” And again, “He that keepeth the whole law and yet offendeth in one point, is guilty of all.” If, indeed, we could keep the whole law, without offending in one point; if we had done, and continued to do, all the things in God’s law, then, indeed, we might lay claim to eternal life on the score of our own works. But who is sufficient for these things? If we break God’s law, we immediately fall under the curse of it, and none can deliver us from this curse but Jesus Christ. There is an end, for ever after, of any justification from our own works. No future good behaviour can make any atonement for past miscarriages. If I keep God’s laws to-day, this is no amends for breaking them yesterday. If I behave peaceably to my neighbour this day, it is no satisfaction for having broken his head yesterday.
If, therefore, I am once under the curse of God, for having broken God’s law, I can never after do anything of myself to deliver me from this curse. I may then cry out, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death?” and find none able to deliver but Jesus Christ (Rom. vii. 23-25). So that if I am once a sinner, nothing but the blood of Christ can cleanse me from sin. All my hopes are then in Him, and I must fly to Him, the only hope set before me. In this manner, dear Sir, I preached, and do preach to my flock, labouring to beat down self-righteousness, labouring to show them that they were all in a lost and perishing state, and that nothing could recover them out of this state, and make them children of God, but faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And now see the consequence. This was a strange doctrine to my hearers. They were surprised, alarmed, and vexed. The old man, the carnal nature, was stirred up, and railed, and opposed the truth. However, the minds of most were seized with some convictions, and the hearts of some were truly broken for sin; so that they came to me, as those mentioned in the Acts, thoroughly pricked to the heart, and crying out, with strong and bitter cries, “What must I do to be saved?” I then laid the promises before them, and told them, if they found themselves under the curse, Christ was ready to deliver them from it. If they were really weary and heavy laden, Christ would give them rest. If their hearts were broken for sin, and they would look up unto Christ, he would heal them. I exhorted them also to thank God for these convictions, assuring them it was a token of good to their souls; for God must first smite the heart before He can heal it (Isa. xix. 2). I generally found that they received comfort from the promises; and though they complained much of the burden of sin, and of an evil heart of unbelief, yet they always went away refreshed and comforted. Many have come to me in this manner, and more are continually coming; and, though some fall off from their first convictions, yet others cleave steadfastly unto the Lord. They begin to rejoice in Him, and to love Him: they love His Word, and meditate much on it; they exercise themselves in prayer, and adorn their profession by a suitable life and conversation.
And now let me make one reflection. I preached up sanctification very earnestly for six years, in a former parish, and never brought one soul to Christ. I did the same at this parish for two years, without any success at all; but as soon as ever I preached Jesus Christ, and faith in His blood, then believers were added to the Church continually—then people flocked from all parts to hear the glorious sound of the Gospel, some coming six miles, others eight, and others ten, and that constantly.
And now let me ask, What is the reason why my ministry was not blessed when I preached up salvation partly by faith and partly by works? It is because this doctrine is not of God, and He will prosper no ministers but such as preach salvation in His appointed way, viz., by faith in Jesus Christ. Let me now apply myself to your own heart; and may God dispose you to receive my words in the spirit of meekness. Indeed, Sir, I love and respect you, else I could not have written to you so freely. Are you, then, in the same error that I was in for nearly forty years, viz., that you must be saved partly by faith and partly by works? And have you constantly preached this doctrine? Then you may be certainly assured of these two things: first, that you never yet brought one soul to Christ by your ministry; and secondly, that you are not yet in the way to salvation yourself. Oh! be not displeased with me for telling you the truth.
But you will say, perhaps, that you have not only been sincere, but ever zealous in preaching the Word of God. So was I; but there is a zeal which is not according to knowledge, and that zeal I had, though I knew it not. You may say farther, that you have read and prayed much. So did I; but still I knew nothing as I ought to have known, until God was pleased to show me that I was blind, and then I cried heartily to Him for light and direction, and He opened my eyes (John ix. 39).
Dear Sir, will you attend to the following advice? It is very safe advice, be the state of your soul what it may—pray to God to lead you into the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus. Beseech God to keep you in the truth, if you have received it; or if you are in error, to reveal it unto you. If you will do this heartily and constantly, God will not suffer you to abide long in the darkness—if, indeed, you are in darkness (James v. 1).
I now proceed to give you some further account of myself, and of the impediments which kept me from the truth. When I first came to the University, I applied myself diligently to my studies, thinking human learning to be a necessary qualification for a divine, and that no one ought to preach unless he had taken a degree in the University. Accordingly, I studied the classics, mathematics, philosophy, logic, metaphysics, and read the works of our most eminent divines; and this I did for twenty years, and all the while was departing more and more from the truth as it is in Jesus, and vainly hoping to receive that light and instruction from human wisdom which could only be had from the Word of God
During this time, I was thought a Methodist by some people, only because I was a little more grave, and took a little more pains in my ministry than some others of my brethren: but in truth I was no Methodist at all, for I had no sort of acquaintance with them, and could not abide their fundamental doctrine of justification by faith, and thought it high presumption in any to preach unless they had taken holy orders. But when God was pleased to open mine eyes, about half-a-year ago, He shewed and taught me other things. Now I saw that nothing had kept me so much from the truth as a desire for human wisdom—now I perceived that it was as difficult for a wise or a learned man to be saved—as it was for a rich man or a nobleman (I. Cor. i. 26). Now I say that God chose the foolish things of this world to confound the wise, for two plain reasons. 1st. That no flesh should glory in His presence (I. Cor. i. 29). 2ndly. That faith did not stand in, or was not produced by the wisdom of man, but stood in the power of God (I. Cor. ii. 5).
Now I discovered that no man could understand the Word of God but by the Spirit of God (I. Cor. ii. 12). Now I saw that every believer was anointed by the Holy Spirit, and thereby led to the knowledge of all needful truths (I. John ii. 20). . . .
And now, dear sir, let me open my sin and shame unto you. I solemnly subscribed to the Articles of our Church, and gave my hearty assent and consent to them. Amongst the rest, I declared that we are accounted righteous before God, only for the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by faith, and not for our own works and deservings, and that we are justified by faith only, as it is expressed in the Eleventh Article. But though I solemnly subscribed to this Article, I neither believed nor preached it; but preached salvation partly by faith and partly by works. And oh! what dreadful hypocrisy—what shameful prevarication was this! I called, and thought myself a churchman though I was really a dissenter and a schismatic; for I was undermining the fundamental doctrine of our Church, and the fundamental doctrine of the Gospel, namely, justification by faith only.
If you read over the homilies of the Church—if you read over the Fathers of the Church—if you read the works of the good old bishops that were published a hundred years ago, you will there find the Gospel of Christ preached, and the true doctrine of our Church. But since that time, I mean in the last century, our clergy have been gradually departing more and more from our doctrines, articles, and homilies; so that at length there was scarce a clergyman to be found but who preached contrary to the Articles he subscribed. And almost all the sermons that have been published in the last century, both by bishops and curates, are full of the soul-destroying doctrine, that we are to be justified partly by our own works, and partly by Christ’s merits.
Do you ask how all the clergy came to fall into this pernicious doctrine? I answer, ‘Very easily. Every man, whilst he continues under the power of the carnal mind, and is not awakened to see his utterly lost condition, is naturally disposed to embrace this doctrine. For not being convinced, by the Spirit of God, that all his righteousness is as filthy rags (Isa. lxiv. 6), and that he is without health and strength in himself (Rom. v. 6); I say, not being convinced of this, he naturally goes about to establish some righteousness of his own, and cannot submit to the righteousness of God by faith. Not being yet sensible of his utterly lost and helpless state, he must have some reliance on himself; and thus, instead of looking wholly to Jesus Christ for salvation, he looks partly to Christ and partly to himself; instead of seeking for righteousness and strength from the Lord Jesus Christ, he seeks for it partly from Christ and partly from himself; instead of seeking to be justified in the Lord, he seeks after justification partly through the Lord and partly through himself. But see what Christ says of this matter (Isa. xlv. 22-25).
And now let me ask how the whole Church of Rome happened to depart from the simplicity of the Gospel, and to fall into this doctrine of works and faith which we now preach? It was owing to the depraved nature of man, which makes him think himself to be something, and that he can do something, though he is nothing, and can do nothing to justify himself in God’s sight.
At the Reformation our Church returned again to Jesus Christ, and placed justification on the Gospel footing of faith only. And so it continues to this day; but though our homilies continue sound and evangelical, yet our clergy have departed once more from both, and are advancing to Rome again with hasty strides; preaching, in spite of articles and subscription, that most pernicious doctrine of justification by faith and works. Which doctrine, I am verily assured, no one can hold, and be in a state of salvation. But I trust God is once more visiting, in mercy, our poor, distressed Church.
I have sent you a couple of books, and a pamphlet, and I make you a present of them. Read them over carefully; and before you begin to read, at any time, look up to the Fountain of wisdom for light and direction. For if you rely on your own abilities, or other men’s labours, God may keep you ignorant of His glorious Gospel, as a punishment for your presumption and neglect of Him.
When I sat down to write, I did not intend to have filled more than half a sheet; but when I took my pen in hand, I knew not how to lay it aside. I have written my sentiments with great freedom, and, I hope, without offence. May God give a blessing to what I have written. May He enlighten your eyes, as He hath done mine; adored be His name! May He lead you by His Spirit to the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, and make you instrumental in bringing souls from darkness into light, and translating them out of the kingdom of Satan into the glorious kingdom of His dear Son. Amen! Amen!
• Jesus in Simon, the Pharisee’s House.
OUR Lord’s conduct, in eating at the Pharisee’s table, is quoted by some Christians in defence of the practice of keeping up intimacy with unconverted people, and going to dinner parties and entertainments at their houses. Those who use such an argument would do well to remember our Lord’s behaviour on this occasion. He carried His “Father’s business” with Him to the Pharisee’s table. He testified against the Pharisee’s besetting sin. He explained to the Pharisee the nature of free forgiveness of sins, and the secret of true love to Himself. He declared the saving nature of faith. If Christians who argue in favour of intimacy with unconverted people will visit their houses in the spirit of our Lord, and speak and behave as He did, let them by all means continue the practice. But do they speak and behave at the tables of their unconverted acquaintances as Jesus did at Simon’s table? This is a question they would do well to answer.—Bishop Ryle.
Aidmheil A’ Chreidimh.
CAIBIDEAL XXXI. Mu Sheanaidhibh agus Ard-Chomhairlibh.
I. Chum gu bitheadh an Eaglais ni ‘s fearr arr a riaghladh, agus ni ‘s mò air a cur suas, is còir na co-thion-ala sin a bhi ann ris an abrar gu coitchionn Seanaidh agus Ard-chomhairlean.
II. Mar dh’ fheudas Uachdarain shaoghalta gu lagh-ail, Seanadh do Mhiniteiribh, agus do dhaoinibh iom-chuid eile a ghairm a chum an comhairle chur riu mu ghnothuichibh a’ chreidimh; is amhluidh ma bhios na h-Uachdarain shaoghalta ‘n an naimhdibh folluseach do n eaglais, feudaidh ministeirean Chriosd, diubh féin, do thaobh an dreuchd; no iad-san maille ri daoinibh iom-chuidh eile, air dhoibh comas fhaotainn o ‘n Eaglaisibh, coinneamh a chumail r’ a chéile ‘n an leithidibh sin do cho-thionalaibh.
III. Buinidh do Sheanaidhibh agus do Ard-Chomhairlibh, gu ministereil, connsachaidhean mu chreidimh agus ceistean coguis a réiteachadh; riaghailtean agus seòladhean chur sios mu aoradh folluseach Dhé, agus mu riaghladh na h-eaglais; casaidean an cuisibh droch-frithhealaidh éisd-eachd, agus an toirt gu crìch le h-ùghdarra: Agus ma tha na h-òrduighean agus na comhairlean so do réir focail Dé, is còir gabhail riutha le h-urram agus le h-ùmhlachd; cha ‘n ann a mhàin air son an co-fhreagraidh ris an fhocal, ach mar an ceudna air son a’ chumhachd leis am bheil iad air air son na crìche sin ‘n a fhocal.
IV. Feudaidh na h-uile Seanadh no Ard-chomhairle, o làithibh nan Abstol, co dhiubh a tha iad uile-coitchionn, no àraid, dol am mearchd; agus chaidh mòran diubh am mearchd: Uime sin cha chóir riaghailt creidimh no dèanadais a dhèanamh dhuibh, ach is còir an gnàthachadh mar an dèanamh, air dha bhi ‘n a òrdugh le Dia, air ‘òrduchadh chuideachadh annta sin araon.
V. Cha ‘n ‘eil Seanaidh no Ard-chomhairle gu h-aon ni a làimhseachadh, no chrochnachadh, ach ni a bhuneas do ‘n Eaglais: agus cha ‘n ‘eil iad ri buntuinn ri gnòthuichibh saoghalta bhuneas do riaghladh dùthcha, mur h-ann le h-iarrtus ùmhal, ann an gnòthuichibh àraid, no le ‘n chomhairle chum toileachaidh na coguis, ma ghairmear chuige sin iad leis an Uachdaran shaoghalta.
CAIBIDEAL XXXII. Mu staid dhaoine an déigh bàis, agus mu Aiseirigh nam marbh.
I. Tha cuirp dhaoine an déigh bàis a’ pilleadh a chum na h-ùrach agus a faicinn truaillidheadhd; ach air d’ an anamannaibh (nach faigh bàs agus nach coidil) seasmlh-uidheadhd neo-bhàsmhor bhi aca, tha iad air ball a’ piil-eadh a dh’ ionnsuidh Dhé a thug uaithe iad. Air do anamannaibh nam fireanach an sin, bhi air an déanamh iomlan ann an naomhachd, tha iad air an gabhail a stigh chum nan nèamh a ‘s àirde a ‘s àirde, anns am bheil iad a’ faicinn gnùis Dé ann an solus agus ann an glòir, a’ feith-eamh ri lànshaorsa an cuirp: Agus tha anamanna nan aingidh air an tilgeadh do Ifrinn, far am fan iad ann an piantaibh, agus ann an ðorchadas iomallach, air an gleid-headh a chum breitheanais an latha mhòir. A thuilleadh air an dà àite so, do anamaibh air an dealachadh o ‘n cuirp, cha ‘n ‘eil an Sgriobtur a’ foillseachadh àit air bith eile.
II. Cha ‘n fhaigh iad-san a gheibhear beò ‘s an latha dheireannach bàs, ach bithidh iad air an atharrachadh, agus bithidh na mairbh uile air an dùsgadh suas, leis na cuirp cheudna, agus cha ‘n ann le cuirp ‘s am bith eile, ged is ann le atharrachadh bhuadhan agus bithidh iad a ris air an eur r’ an anamaibh gu slorruidh.
III. Bithidh cuirp nan eucorach air an dùsgadh suas le cumhachd Chriosd gu eas-onoir; agus cuirp nam firean-ach air an dùsgadh suas le a Spiorad-sa gu h-onoir, agus air an déanamh comh-chosmhùil r’ a chorpa glòrmhor féin.
CAIBIDEAL XXXIII. Mu ‘n bhreitheanas dheireannach.
I. Dh’ òrduich Dia latha anns an toir e breth air an t-saoghal am fireantachd, le Iosa Chriosd, d’ an d’ thug an t-Athair gach uile chumhachd agus breitheanas. Agus anns an là sin, bheirear breth, cha ‘n ann a mhàin air na h-ainglibh a thuit o’ n ceud staid, ach mar an ceudna, thig na h-uile dhaoine an làthair Caithir-bhreitheanais Chriosd, gu cunntas a thabhairt air an smuaintibh, air am briathraibh, agus air an gnìomharaibh agus a chum gu faigheadh iad do réir na rinneadh leò ‘s a’ chorpa, ma ‘s maith no olc.
II. ‘S i a’ chrìoch mu ‘n d’ òrduich Dia an là so, chum gu foillsieheadh e glòir a thròcair, ann an slàinte shlorruidh nan daoine taghta; agus glòir a cheartais ann an diteadh na muinntir a chuireadh air cùl, a’ mhuinntir sin a tha aingidh agus easùmhal. Oir ann an sin imichidh i a fireana chum na beatha shuthain, agus gheibh iad iomlan-achd an aoibhneis agus na fionnaireachd sin a thig o lâth-air an Tighearna. Ach bithidh na h-aingidh, do nach aithne Dia, agus nach ‘eil ûmhal do shoisgeul Iosa Criost, air an tilgeadh ann am piantaibh siorruidh, agus bheirear panas orra le sgrios siorruidh o lâthair an Tighearna, agus o ghloir a chumhachd.
III. Mar is àill le Criost sinn bhi làn dhearbhta gu m bi là breitheanais ann, araon chum sgàth a chu rair na n-uile dhaoinibh roimh ‘n pheacadh; agus a chum tuilleadh sòlais a thoirt do na daoimibh diadhuidh ‘n an trioblaid; mar sin is àill leis, an là ud a bhi neo-aithnichte do dhaoinibh, a chum gu ‘n crathadh iad diubh gach uile shocair fheòlmhor, agus gu ‘m biodh iad do ghnàth ullamh gu bhi ‘g ràdh, Thig a Thighearn Iosa, Thig gu h-aithghearr. Amen.
A’ Chrioch.