Sermons on the following subjects ...

f-

V

^2 * ^v^ ^ '

I THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY,
I Princeton, N. J. f-~- j-

Cibrarjp of trhe trheolocjical ^cmmar;p

PRINCETON . NEW JERSEY
PRESENTED BY

Mr. G.A. 3tarr
Ro.v^ Books

sec

WITHDRAW^

u./

SERMON ;

O N T H E

Following Subjects,

VIZ.

The miraculous Birth of C h r i s t.

The Predi<aion of the Messiah.

The Character of the Messiah.

Of theFulnefs of Time in which
Christ appeared.

Of the Meaning of. The Name of
GOD.

The Dodlrines of Religion reafon-

ablc to be believed.
Unreafonable ExpecElations not to

be gratified in Religion.

How the Law is faid to be the
Strength of Sin.

How Christ lias enabled us to
conquer Sin,

How Christ has ^iven us the
Vidtory over Death.

The In^cufablenefs of rejedling
theGofpel.

Different Temper? judge diSerent-
ly of Religion.

Of the Refurrettion of Christ.

Of Christ's Defcent into Hell.

Of C h r I s t's Sitting on the Right
Hand of GOD.

The Converfation of Chriflians is
in Heaven,

Of the Spiritual Nature of the
Gofpel.

By SAMUEL^ CLARKE, D.D.

late RecSor of St yames\^ Wejimmjler,

Publijhed from the Author'^ Manufcripf^
By John Clarke, D.D. Dean oi Sarunt.

VOL. V.

The Second Edition.

LONDON,

Printed by W. Bothaw^ for J a M e s and J o H N K n a p t o n,
at the Crown in St Tauh Church-yard. MDCCXXXI.

9n- Lr

\r^HSOLGG:

\

yemQ^^^^^>:s^^^m

tiZif3f^tS&''fSei^fl*S<i3f'iO^*emSi<2<ifSi:ifiiii^f^<f.

CONTENTS.

S

ERMON I. The miraculous Birth
of C H R I s T. [ Preached en Chrijl^
maS'Day, ]

Matt. 1. 22, 23.

iVbie) all this was done^ that it might be
fulfilled which was fpoken of the Lord
by the Prophet^ faying -^ Behold^ a Vir-
gin Jh all be with Childy afidjhall bring
forth a Son^ and they Jh all call his Name
Emmanuel, which being interpreted is
God with Us, Page i

S E R M. II. The Prediaion of the M e s-.
SI AH. [Preached on ChrifimaS'Day,]

Isaiah ix. 6.

Unto Us a Child is born. Unto Us a Son
is given, and the government Jloall be
upon his fijoulder ; and his Name Jl:>all
he called Wonderful, Counfellour, The

. y o L. V. A 2 mighty

CONTfiltfTS..

77iighty God, the everlajimg Father y the
Prince of Peace. 2 1

SERM. III. The Charafter of the Mes-
s I A H. [Preached on Chrijlmas-Day,]

Gal. iv. 4, 5.
But when the fulnefs of time was come^
God fent forth his Son made of a woman^
7nade under the law ; *To redeem them
that were under the law^ that we might
receive the adoption of Sons. 47

SERM. IV. Of the Fulnefs of Time in
which Christ appeared. [Preached^
on Chrijimas-Day.']

Gal. iv. 4, and 5.
But when the fulnefs of time was come^ God
fent forth his Son^ made of a woman^
made under the law j To redeem them
that were under the law^ that we might
receive the adoption of Sons. 65

SERM. V. Of the meaning of. The
Name of G OD. [Preached on Epiphany, ]

Mal. i. II.

For from the rifng of the Sun^ even imt$

the going down of the faine, my Na?ne

JJjall be great a?nong the Gentiles ; axd

in every place ^ Incenfe ft:all be offered

nnto my Name^ and a pure Offering ;

for

CONTENTS.

for my Name fiall be Great among the
Heathen^ faith the Lord of Hofts, 87

SERM. VI. The Dodnnes of Religion
reafonable to be believed. [^A Pajion-^
Sermo7L]

Matt. xii. 39, 40.

jln evil and adulterous generation feeketh
after a Sign^ and there Jhall no Sign be
given to it^ but the Sign of the prophet Jo-
nas. For as fofias was three days and
three nights in the whale's belly \ fo Jhall
the Son of Man be three days and three
nights in the Heart of the Earth, iq()

SERM. VII. Unreafonable Expedlations
not to be gratified in Religion. \^A Paf
fmi'Sermon^

Matt. xii. 39.

An^evil and adulterous generation feeketh
after a Sign, and there Jhall No Sign be
given to it, but the Sign of the Prophet
yonas. 131

SERM. VIII. How the Law is faid to
be th<e Strength of Sin. [^A Paffion'Ser--
mon.]

I C o R. XV. 56 and ^y.

^he Jiing of Death is fin, and the
Jlrength of Jin is the law 3 but thanks

be

CONTENTS.

he to God which gheth us the vidioryi
through our Lord J ejus Chriji. 155

S E R M. IX. How C H R I s T has enabled
us to conquer Sin. [Preached on Eajler^
Day,]

I Cor. XV. 56 and ^y.

T'he Jli?2g of Death is fiuy and the Jlrength
of Jin is the law -, But thanks be to God,
which giveth us the vidfory^ through our
Lordjefus Chriji. 189

SERM. X. How Christ has given us
the Vidory over Death. [Preached o?i
Eajler-Day,]

I CoR.xv. 56, 57.

I'hejiing of Death is fin^ and the Jlrength
of fm is the law ; But thanks be to God
which giveth us the Victory ^ through our
Lord J efus Chriji. 21 j

SERM. XI. The Inexcufablenefs of re-
jefting the Gofpel. [Preached on Whit--
funday, ]

H E B. ii. 3 and 4.

How Jh all we efcape^ if we negleB fo great
falvation^ which at the firfl began to be
fpoken by the Lord,, and was confirmed un-
to us by them that heard him ^ God alfo
bearing them witnefs^ both with figns and
wonders^ and with divers miracles and

CONTENTS.

gifts of the Holy Ghojiy according to bis
own fVill? 245

SERM. XII. Different Tempers judge
differently of Religion, [^Preached on
Eajier-Day.]

J Cor. i. 22, 23, 24.
For the ye%ios require a Sign^ and the Greeks
feek after Wifdom : But we preach Chriji
fructfied^ unto the Jews a fumbling--
blocks and unto the Greeks foolijhnefi :
But unto them- which are called^ both
Jews ajid Greeks, Chrifl the Power of
God, and the Wifdom of God, 273

SERM. XIII. Of the Refurredion of
Christ. \P reached on Eafer-Day.]

I C O R. XV. 14.

And if Chr if be not ri fen, then is our Preach-
ing vai?i, and your Faith alfo is vain. 295

gERM. XIV. Of Christ's Defcent

into Hell, [Preached on Eafer-Day^

Psalm xvi. 9, 10,

}Vherefore-77iy Heart was glad, and my
glory rejoiced ; my Flefi alfo. fall rejl
in Hope. For why ? T^hou fait not
leave my Soul in Hell ; neither fait
thou fuffer thy Holy One to fee cor-
ruption. 321

S E R M.

CONTENTS.

SERM. XV. Of Christ's fitting on
the Right Hand of GOD. [Preached

on Afcenfion-Day'^

Heb. vlii. I.

Now of the things which we have fpoken^
T'his is the Sum : We have fuch an
High'Prie/i^ who isfet on the right hand
of the throne of the Majefy in the Hea-
vens, 243

SERM. XVI. The Converfation of
Chrillians is in Heaven. [Preached on

jifcenfon-Day.l

Ph il. iii. 2a.
For our Converfation is in Heaven ; Jr&m
whence alfo we look for the Saviour, the
Lord Jefus Chrijl. 365

SERM. XVII. Of t;he Spiritual Nature

of the GofpeL [Preached on Whitfunday^

2 C o R. iii. 17, j8.

Now the Lord is ^hat Spirit ^ a?td where
the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Li-
berty ; But we all with open face, he-
holding as in a glafs the Glory of the
Lord, are changed into the fame Image^
from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit
of the Lord» 389

SERMON

;^X^Jif1f. • •f*' ,

SERMON I.

The miraculous Birth of Christ.
[Preached on Cbnjhnas-Ddy.]

Matt. i. 22, 23.

Now all this was done^ that it might be

fulfilled which was fpoken of the Lord

by the Prophet^ /dying-. Behold, a Vir-

gi?ijljall be with Child, a?2d fiall bring

forth a Son, and they Jl: all call his Name

Emmanuel, which being interpreted is

God with Us,

T IS a very tfual Method with S e r m.

Unbelievers, And yet here, ^•

before I proceed, it may be ^"^'^^^^
proper and neceflary to pre-
mife, that by Unbelievers I
would at This Time be underftood to
Vol. V. B mean

Z *fhe miraculous Birth of Chrift. •

S E R M* mean, not^ men of fuch a difpofition as
^- St Thcmas was before his Converfion ; ra-

^■'^^^ tional and inquifitive perfons, Lovers of
Truth and Virtue, men defirous to know
and to obey the Will of God, and care-
ful to keep a Confcience void of Offence
both towards God and towards Men ; yet,
at the fame time, fenfible of the Diffi-
culties wherewith the Divine Providence
has thought fit to permit even very im-
portant Truths to be fometimes attended ;
and careful, for That Reafon, not to be
impofed upon, nor to receive things with-
out good Evidence, either of Reafon, or
of Revelation : Thefe, I fay, are 7iot the
Unbelievers I would at prefent be under-
ftood to have in View. For concernins:
foch perfons as thefe, our Saviour feems
to fpeak, when he fays, they are mf for

Mark xii. from the Kmgdom of God, But there is

^^' another fort of Unbelievers^ who, having

no right fenfe of the Liberty of Human
Adlions, of the natural, and eflential Dif-
ftrence of Good and Evil, of the Moral
Government of God over the World, of a
Judgment to come, and of a Future State
of Rewards and Punifhments; do there-
fore

The miraculous Birth of Chrift. 3
fore feek all poffible opportunities, not of S e r m,
enquiring into, and impartially examining, y^^^^^l^-/
but of cavilling againft the Authority of
Chrift and the Truth of his Religion, as
being the great Support and Confirmation
of thefe Doftrines of Nature, with the
Belief of which all Notions of Fatality
or Neceffity, and all Licentioufnefs either
of Sceptical Opinions or of Vicious Prac-
tice, is altogether inconfiftent.

Now oiThis fort oi Unbelievers^ I fay,
the ufual Method is to attack fome par-
ticular uncertain Doftrines in the Syjlems
of difagreeing Sedts of Chriftians, and
then conclude that they have deftroyed
Chrijlianity itfelf : Or they fet themfelves
to expofe particular Weak Writers ; and
then leave it to be fuppofed, that All
Defenders of the Dodtrine of Chrift are
Fools : Or they pick perhaps out of Bet-
ter Writers fome inconclufive Reafonings,
and weak Arguments ; trufting it will
thence be inferred, that there is no Strength
in the Strongejl : Or they reprefent Chri-
ftianity as relying upon fome Foundation^
upon which it does not rely ; and then
conclude that it has no Foundation at all :

Vol. V, B 2 Or

^^^Y"^

4 I'be miraculous Birth of Chrift.

S E R M. Or they demonftrate fome Fa5ls to be fto
iu^ Pr^^j? of the Truth of the Gofpel, which
tiever were intended for Proofs ; and then
infer, that there is no Proof of it at all : Or
they drefs up particular Fadts or Dodrines,
in ridiculous Circumjiances\ and then re-
prefent the things themfelves, as Objedts
of Ridicule : Or they lay great Strefs up-
on fome very obfcure^ or more difficult
Prophecy : and thence infer, that no Strefs
is to be laid upon Any : Or becaufe, in
the nature of the Thing, almoft Any fmgle
Prophecy may poffibly be imagined appli-
cable, in fome fenfe or other, to Some
Other perfon ; therefore all of them toge-
ther^ centring uniformly in Chrijl and in
Him alone^ yet are not rightly /;/ FaSl ap-
plied to Him.

The words of my T'ext are a parti-
cular and very remarkable Injlance of
Some of the Cafes in the foregoing Ob-
fervation. It has been fuppofed by Many,
that this fingular and yitiraculous Fad:, of
the manner of our Lord's Birtb^ record-
ed thus in the Begimwig and fir ft En-
trance of the Gofpel-Hillory, both by
St Matthew and ^uLuke; and urged more-
over

The miraculotis Bi?^th of Chrift. 5

over by St Matthew as an nnqueilionable S e r m.
Verification of an Antient and (at firft ^*
Sight) as remarkable a Prophecy, as any ^^^^^
is to be found in the whole Old 'T'ejia-
tnent : It has been fuppofed (I fay) by
Many, that T'hh Miraculous FaB, thus
circumflantiated, and thus ufliering-in the
whole following Hiftory of the Gofpel,
muft needs have been intended by the
Evangeliil, as a primary and fuiidamenal
Part of the Proof of our Lord's divine
Commiffion. Which fince in reality it
could ?20t fojjibly be ; as being a Fad: which,
in the nature of things, could not iffelf
be proved, till the Truth of ChriR's Mif-
fion and the Veracity of his Follov/ers had
Jirji been clearly eftabliihed : Hence they
have endeavoured to deftroy the Autho-
rity of the Sacred Writer, as infixing (at
the very Beginning of his Hiflory) upon
a Proof which could not poffibly be of
any Ufe towards the Convidlion of Unbe-
lievers y and as confirming it by a Pro-
phecy ^ which they think cannot be fliown
to be rightly applied, fince the Words
may be capable of another Interpretation.

B 3 Fqf,

6 "The miraculous Birth of Chrift,

S E R M. F o R the removing therefore of This

^- Prejudice, and to clear more fully the

^^'^^ Meaning and Intent of my Text, I fhall

endeavour diftindlly to make out the three

following Particulars.

1. That this Hiftory of our Lord's
miraculous Birth^ evidently in fadt was
noty and in the nature of Things could not
pojjibly be, intended by the Evangelift in
this place, as any Proofs for the Convic-
tion of Unbelievers, either of the Digni-
ty of Chrift's Perfon, or of the Truth of
his Dodrine, or of the Reality of his Di-
vine Commiffion.

2. That yet neverthelefs, in the Na-
ture of the Thing, when a Perfon of fuch
Dignity as our Lord profeffed himfelf to
be, and with fuch a Divine Commiffion,
was to come into the World; this one
particular Diftindlion, the miraculous man-
ner of his Birth^ was in itfelf a very rea^
fonable^ proper^ and not incredible Circum-
ilance.

3 • That confequently the Sacred Wri-
ter of the Life of our Saviour, hzdjuji
reafon^ when aflured of the Truth of the
Faft from things which followed^ to in-

fert

The miraculous Birth of Chrift. 7
fert this miraculous Circumftance into the S e r m.
Beginm7ig of his Hijlory ; and, in That ^J^^^
Manner and to That Purpofe for which
he relates it, had a jujl Rights and good
and fufficieiit Grounds^ to apply the Pro-
phecy here cited, as a Prediction of it.

I. I fay, This Hiftory of our Lord's
miraculous Birth, evidently in fadt was
not, and in the Nature of Things could
?tot pojjibly be, intended by the Evangelift
in this place, as any Proof, for the con-
^idtion of Unbelievers, either of the Dig-
nity of Chrift's Perfon, or of the Truth
of his Dodlrine, or of the ReaHty of his
Divine Commiffion. That it could not
foffibly be alledged in way of Proof oi any
of thefe things to Unbelievers, is moft
evident for This Plain Reafon; becaufe in
the Nature of Things the Fad was itfelf
incapable of being proved, till the Truth
of Chrift's Miffion and the Veracity of
his Followers had frjl been eftabliflied.
And that in faB it was never by the
Evangelift inte?ided as fuch, appears no lefs
evidently from hence ; that though both
by St Matthew and St Luke it be laid
down as the Beginning and Foundation of
B 4 their

8 T'he miraculciis Birth of Chrift.

Se R M. their Account of the Life of Chrift, yet
^.v ill the Account they give us of his Preach-
ing^ it is never once mentioned by Either
of Thefe very Evangelifts, or by Either
of the Two Other Evangelifts, as ever d-
ledged by Chriji in proof of his being the
true Mefliah. Nor in the Book of the
ABsy is it ever mentioned as urged by the
ApoftleSy in 'Their Preaching at any time
either to /fe^ws or Gentiles, Nor in any
of the EpifJes of Paul^ of of any other
of the Apoftles, is it ever referred to un-
der That View. It would have been ab-
[urd to alledge, in preaching to Unbe-
lievers, a Fadl which iffelf prefuppofed i\\Q
Truth of Chrift's Miffion ; and which
could not have been proved, without firft
taking for granted the Truth of That very
Dodtrine, in Proof of which This Fafl:
was to have been alledged. But the Be-
ginning of the Hijlory of the Life of
Chrift, is a very different thing from the
Hi/lory of his begiiiiting to Preach the
Gofpel. What happened Firfl in TiV;/^,
could not but of neceffity be Lafl in
Proof: The Credibility of the Invifible
Miracle of his Birth^ depending entirely

on

"Jhe miraculous Birth of Chrift. 9

on the Vifible miraculous Proofs, by which S e r m,
our Lord afterwards gave Evidence of his J^^.^
own Commiflion, and by which his Apo- ^^^''^'^
ftles afcertained T'heir own Veracity, and
the T^ruth of the Accounts they gave con-
cerning Tlim,

2. Though it could not indeed be al-
ledged properly, in Froof of the Truth of
his Dodlrine to Unbelievers; yet never-
thelefs, in the nature oj the Things when
a Perfon of fuch Dignity as our Lord pro-
fefled himfelf to be, and with fuch a Di-
vine Commiflion, was to come into the
World ; this one particular Diftindion,
the miraculous manner of his Birth^ was
in it f elf a very reafonable, proper^ and not
incredible Circumftance. We are taught
in Scripture, that as the firji man and his 1 Cor. xr.
Pofterity, were of the Earthy Earthy \ the^"^'
fecond man was the Lord from Heaven,
And our Lord himfelf frequently declared
to his Difciples, that he came down from Joh iii.13.
Heaven ; that he came forth from the ^^^' ^ '
Father^ and came into the World, The
Meaning of thefe Expreflions is explain-
ed to us in Other places ; where it is de-
clared that he was in the Beginiting T^he.

Word

1 o The miraculous Birth of Chrift.

S E R M. Word of God^ the original Revealer of the
^- Will of the Almighty to his Creatures,

^^^^^ long before he wa^ made Flejh and dwelt
among Usy even from the Creation of the
World : Having been ( as St Paul ex-

PhiKii. 6.preffes it) in the Form of God, that is, in
' '° the Prophetick Language, the Angel or
Meffenger of the Covenant, before he took
upon him the Form of a Servant, and was
made in the Likenef of Men, and found
in fajhion as a Man -, Phil. ii. 8. Nov/
This being the Cafe -, The moft obvious
manner in which it might naturally be
expelled that fo extraordinary a Perfon, a
Perfon of fuch Dignity as to have had

Job. xvii. glory with God before the World was -, I

^ fay, the manner in which it was moft

7iatural to have expected that fuch a Per-
fon fhould come into the World, was in
a way different from the Sons of Men,
It was the ^Appointment of Divine Wif-
dom, for Reafons of Government in the
infinite and eternal Kingdom of God over
the Univerfe, that his Mercy and Com-
paffion towards Penitent Sinners fliould
be difpenfed in a particular Method
through the Atonement made by the

Blood

7he miraculous Birth of Chrift. 1 1

Blood of Chrift. In order to make This S e r m.
Atonement, and to become capable of ^V^,^
Suffering as a Sacrifice by the fhedding of
his Blood, it was neceffary for the Son of
God to have a Body prepared for him ;
Heb. X. 5 ; and to be born after the Like-
nefs of Men : Ch. ii. 14 ; Forafmuch as
the children are Partakers of Flefi and
Bloody he alfo himfelf likewife took part of
the fame, that through Death he might de-
firoy him that had the Power of Deaths
that is, the Devil. Yet, being fuch a
Perfon as the Scripture defcribes him,
fent down immediately from Heaven ^ his
Birth could not naturally, if I may fo
fpeak, but be, miraculous, as the Text
reprefents it. And miraculous as it was,
it was yet really, in the nature of the
T'hing, nothing more miraculous, except-
ing only that God has not thought fit
to do the like continually ; it was in it f elf,
I fay, not at all more miraculous, than
what we vulgarly call (without Any
Meaning or Signification in that Phrafe, )
the Courfe of Nature -, that is, the Courfe
of a mere empty Word, or abftraB Notion^
which has no Being or Reality of Exif-

tence^

I 2 The miraculous Birth of Chrift.

S E R M. tencc^ and confequently cannot be the effi-
*• cient Caufe of any thing.

3. This miraculous Birth of Chrift,
the Evangelift had jujl reafon^ when af-
fured of the Truth of the Fad from
things which followed^ to infert at the
Beginning of his Hiftory of our Saviour's
Life ; and, in That Manner, and to That
Purpofc for which he relates it, had a
juJl Right ^ zr\A good a72djtifficient Grounds^
to apply the Prophecy here cited, as a Pre-
diction of it.

When our Lord firft told his Difci-
Joh.iii.13. pies that he came down from Heaven^ that
be came forth from the Father^ and came
into the World \ they did not clearly un-
derhand his Meaning ; nor probably did
the Bleffed Virgin herfelf comprehend the
Reafon of That miraculous Work which
God worked in Her, But, as St. Luke
tells us, Mary kept all thefe things^ and'
pondered them in her Hearty ch. ii. 19 : And
fo did his Difciples, both with regard to
Mar. ix. ^hj^^ and to Many Other things that Je-
Luke ii. fus did and faid -, Which at firft they
5^:}^"^^' under flood not. and were afraid to ask him.
Ion. viii. But when Jefus was glorified; Joh. xii. 16,
'^-^•^- and

The miraculous Birth of Chrift. 13
^nALukexxxiw, 8; then remembered they and S e r m,
underftood many things that were written ^J^^,,
of hi?n, and done and fpoken by him.
Again; J oh ii. 22 j When Jefus was rifen
from the Deady then his Difciples remem-
bered that he had faid thefe things unto
them : And they believed the Scripture^
and the Word^ which fefus had faid.
When our Lord, by his Refurreff ion from
the Dead, had confirmed to his Difciples
all the Miracles which he had worked,
and all the Dodlrines which he had taught
in his Life-time ', and particularly, before
his Afcenfion into Heaven, had explained
to them the manner of his Dejcent from
thence -, which, among other things, in-
fared them of the Truth, and unfolded to
them the Reafon, of the Miraculoufnefs
of his Birth : Then had they juft grounds
to declare the Dignity of his Perfon, and
to exped: that Credit fiiould be given by
Believers to the Accounts they had recei-
ved of this miraculous Nativity ; though
it was what, in the Nature of the Things
could never properly be alledged in their
Preaching, among the Proofs they were
to urge for the Conviction of Infidels.

Further:

1 4 T^he miraculous Birth of Chrift.

Serm. Further: When our Lord, after
I- his Refurredlion, beginJiing at Mofes and
^^^^ all the Prophets^ had expou?ided unto his
Apoftles in all the Scriptures the things
concerfiing himfelf^ and opened their Un-
derjlandingy that they might underjland
the Scriptures-, Luke xxiv. 27, 45 ; Then
they faw plainly, (and any one Now^ who
will trace the whole Thread of the Old
Teflament, may plainly fee) that there
is a continued Series and Connexion, one
uniform Analogy and Defign, carried on
for many Ages by Divine Prefcience through
a Succeffion of Prophecies ; which, as in
their proper Centre, do All meet together
in Chrijl, and in Him only ; however the
Ji?2gle lineSy when confidered aparty may
many of them be imagined to have ano-
ther Diredion, and point to intermediate
Events. Nothing is more evident^ than
that the Whole SucceJJton of Prophecies^
can poflibly be applied to None but Chriji.
Nothing is more miraculous, than that
they fhould all of them be capable of be-
ing poflibly applied to Him. And what-
ever intermediate Deliverances or Deli-
verers of God's People, may feemingly or

really

"The miraculous Birth of Chrift. 1 5
really be fpoken of upon particular Oc- S e r m*
cafions ; nothing is more reafonable than ^^^1^
to believe 5 (in the Apojlles certainly, who
converfed perfonally with our Lofti after
his Refurredlion, nothing could be more
reafonable than to believe,) that the Ul-
timate and General View of the Prophe^
tick Spirit Always was fixed on Him^ of
whom in So^ne of the Antient Prophecies
it is exprefsly affirmed, that God's Servant Eiek.
David Jhall be the Prince over his People Danfvil^*
for ever j that his Dominion fhall be an 14-
everlajiing Dominion^ which flmll not pafs
away ; and his Kingdom^ that which Jhall
not be dejiroyed. The Apoftle St Matthew
therefore had a jiiji Right, and good and
jufficient Grounds^ to apply to our Lord
the Prophecy cited by him in my Text.
Nor is it of any moment, to what perfon
Aha:z perhaps might think it confined ;
or in what fenfe even Ifaiah himfdf, pof-
fibly, might underftand the words. For
the Prophets themfelves faw Thefe things,
but as through a Glafs^ darkly ; even as
the Apojlles afterwards did, and JVe ft ill
do, things that are yet future. For which

reafon.

1 6 'The miraculous Birth of Chrifl.

SERM.realbn, no Prophecy of the Scripture is
(as St Peter tells us) of any private In-
terpretation ; that is, it relates not to
things within the Prophet's owji [i'J'/ot^]
perfonal Knowledge ; For the Prophecy
came 7iot in old time by the Will of Man,
but Holy men of God fpake as they were
moved by the Holy Ghoji, So that even
the Prophets themfelves could do nothing

f Pet. i, more, but enquire and fearch diligently ;
as the fame Apoftle expreffes it : Search-
ing what, or what manner of time^ the
Spirit of Chrifl which was in them did
fignify, when it teflified beforehand the
Sufferings of Chrifl^ arid the glory that
jhould follow. Which things, not on-
ly the Prophets, but even the Angels
(fays he) deflre to look into: AH that was
pofjible, and all that was intcjided, and all
that was ncedfil to be under flood by
Thofe who lived in the Ages before our
Saviour, was, that God defigned by his
Prophets to keep up in the world a per-
petual Expedtation and Reliance upon his
Promifes in general, that his True Wor-
fhippers fliould be fure finally to meet
2 with

^he miraculous Birth of Chrift. 1 7

with an everlajling Deliverance ; and a S e r m.
Saviour^ of whofe Kingdom there fhould ^*
be no End. This is- what Abraham faw ^^^^^^^'^
afar off^ and rejoiced and was glad. And
This is what All the Prophecies in the
Old Teftament moft evidently end in^
whatever intermediate Events fometimes
they may occafionally begin with. Tthat
Prophecy particularly, cited here by the
Evangelift in my Text, has at leaji thus
much in it ; what conftruftion foever be
put upon the Words. Whatever can be
imagined to have been in this Prediftion
promifed perfonally to Ahaz^ was fulfil-
led in its Seafon : But that the words in
the Text had principally^ if not foleh\ a
Reference to fome far greater and more
lading Event ; cannot (I think) be doubt-
ed by any rational perfon, who confiders
the Solemn Apojlrophe from Aha:^ to the
ijohole Houfe of Judah^ wherewith they
are introduced : Hear ye now, O Houfe If. yii. i3»

of David ; the Lord himfelfjhall give

you a Sign, (that is, not a Sign to "That

generation then prefent ; but to Them a

Promife oi what (howXA fi?iaUy ht a Sign

Vol. V. C ' or

1 8 The miraculous Birth of Chrifl.

S E R M. or Evidence of God's everlafting Care of
^* his People,) Behold^ a Virgin Jhall con-
ceive^ and bear a Son^ and Jhall call his
Name ImmanueL And Thi^ is ftill the
more refonable to be fo underflood, if it
be compared with what the fame Prophet
fays concerning the fame perfon in a chap-

II m. 6. ter nearly following : Unto Us a Child is
born^ unto Us a Son is given^ and the Go^

vernment fiall be upon his Shoulder : Of

the hicreafe of his Government and Peace

there fiall be no Endy -from henceforth

even for ever.

The Application of what has been
faid, is > that We who are perfwaded of
the Truth of Chrift's MiJJiony and confe-
quently of his Do^rine^ muft endeavour
to live fuitably to That Holy Religion, of
which We make Profeffion : Always re-
membring, that the End and Defign of
the Gofpel is to T^each us, that denying
Ungodlinefs and worldly Liijis, we Jhould
live foberly^ right ecufy, and godly in this
prefent World j looking for that bleffed
Hope, and the glorious appcara?ice of the
Great God^ and of our Saviour Jefus

Chrijl.

The miraculous Birth of Chrift. 1 9

€hnji. And particularly that at This S e r m,
time when wc commemorate his Birth, ^•
we keep the Feajl^ not with the Leaven of^^^^^
Malice and Wickednefs^ or of Rioting and
Debauchery ; but with the unleavened
Bread of Sincerity^ Sobernefs, and Truth*

^

O L.

C 2

SER-

[21]

SERMON II.

The Predidion of the Messiah.
[Preached on Chrijimas-Day,]

Isaiah ix. 6.

Unto Us a Child is borriy unto Us a Son
is given, and the government Jhall be
upon his Jhoulder \ and his Name fiall
be called Wonderful, Counfellour, The
. mighty God, the everlajiing Father^ the
Prince of Peace,

O D, the Supreme Governour S e r m.
and Lord of the Univerfe ; ^^^
who worketh all things after ^-^"^^^
the Council of his Will ; having
appointed, in the unfearchable Wifdom
C 3 of

L/"V^SJ

2 2 The PrediSiion of the Meffiah.

S E R M. of his Government that the Method by
■*^* which finful men (hould be brought un-
to Salvation , fhould be by his Son's
Appearing and Suffering in the Fleih ;
thought fir, from the Beginning of the
World, to give men at fir ft obfcure No-
tices, and afterwards by degrees clearer
and clearer Predidions, of a Saviour who
fhould come in the fulnefs of Time, ta
be their Redeemer, Mediator, Interceffor
and Judge. In which whole Difpenfati-
on, as in all other Matters, when we af-
firm that God difpofes things after the
Connfel of his own Will^ we muft always,
take care fo to underftand this, and other
the like Expreffions of Scripture, that it
may fignify, not what vain and prefumpr
tuous men are apt to mean, when 'They
talk of afting according to their mvn Will
and Pleafure^ that is, arbitrarily and
without reafon j but the meaning of this
fort of expreffions, when applied to God,
who can never pleafe to do any thing but
what is beft, is This only ; that his mere
Will and Pleafure ought abundantly to fa-.
tisfy us, that tho' we do not perhaps know
in particular what all the reafons are, yet

in

"The PrediSilon of the MelTiah. 23

in reality there always are in the things 5 e r m.
them/elves the greateft and ftrongeft reafons,
upon account of which every thing that
He does, is in itfelf the beft and fitteft
to be done. Having therefore in per-
fecfl Wifdom, as Supreme Governour and
Lord of all, determined to bring finful
Man to Salvation by this particular Me-
thod ; he opened his divine Intention at
firfl obfcurely to Adam , by promifing
that the Seed of the Woman Jhoiild briiife
the Serpent's Head: And afterwards a
little further to Abraham^ by fhowing
him that in His feed fould all the Na-
tio?is of the Earth be blejfed : Then ,
with ftill more diftindt circumftances, to
Mofes ; under the numerous types and
(hadows of the Law. And laftly, more
and more plainly and explicitly, as the
Time drew nearer, by full and clear Pre-
didtions of many fucceffive Prophets, Un-
der all which feveral Difpenfations, they
who obeyed the word of God, according
to the manner in which it was Then re-
fpeftively revealed to them, were each of
them entitled to the Benefit of the whole
Salyation -, and , notwithftanding their
C 4 different

24 The PrediEiion of the MefTiah.
S E R M. different degrees of Knowledge, are all of
^^^^L^ ^hem finally to be gathered together into
One in Chrift ; fo that He, to whom
much is revealed, fhall have nothing o-
ver ; and He, to whom was revealed but
little, ihall have no lack 3 when, at the
confummation of all things, they fhall all
meet in one great and general Affembly of
the firft-born which are written in Hea-
ven ; Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apoftles ;
and whofoever have in all Ages, after the
pattern of thefe great Examples, obeyed
the Commandments of God as made
known to them, whether by the Light of
■ Nature, or by the Law of Mofes^ or by
the Gofpel of Chrift,
j^ Of all the Prophecies In the Old Tefta-

^' ment, concerning this Method which the
divine Wifdom has appointed, of brings
ing men to Salvation ; there is none that
contains a clearer and more diftindl, a ful-
ler and more particular predidlion,^ than
the words now read unto you for the Sub-
jed of our prefent Meditations : TJnto us
a Child is born. Unto us a Son is given, and
the Gove?i2?7ient fiall be upon his fioulder j
(ind bis. Name Jh all be called Wonderful^

Counfellor^

The FrediSiion of the Meffiah. 25

Cou?tfello7\ T'he mighty GoJ^ The everlajl- S e r m.
i?jg- Father^ The Prince of Peace. In ^I*
difcourfing upon which words at This ^-^'"^'^^
Time, the Method fhall be, to confider
and explain diftindly the feveral particu-
lars, whereof the Text confifts, in the
Order they lie -, and from each particular
fo explained, to infer in its place, as wc
go along, what may be ufefuUy and prac-
tically deduced therefrom.

U?2fo Us a Child is born : Thefe words,
as they found in the EngUJh^ may feem at
firft fight to exprefs nothing more, than
the natural Birth of fome eminent perfon.
But in the ftrivft fenfe of the original, and
according to the intention of the whole
Prophecy, it is plain they muft be fo un-
derflood, as if they had been thus rendred ;
Unto us is born The Child^ abfolutely and
by way of eminence ; That Child ^ whom
ell the Prophecies from the beginning of
the World, in their final intention pointed
at ; whom this Prophecy of Ifaiah, thro'
every part of it, defcribes under different
Characters ; and whom the Text may
reafonably be fuppofed to refer to as par^
ticularly beforc-ineritioned 3 ch. vii. H-

The

c/vn;

26 The PrediSlion of the Mciliah.

S E R M. ^he Lord himfeJf Jhall give you a Sign ;
}}l . ^^^^^^> ^ Virgin Jhall conceive and bear a
Son, and Jhall call his Name hnmanuel.
This Birth of Chrift; as its being of a
Virgin, was a mark of Dignity more
than human ; that He, who by the Will
of his Father was the Author of Nature,
might be diftinguiflied by being born not
after the Coiirje of Nature j fo the Birthy
itjelf, his being born at ally and coming
into the World as a Child, was an evi-
dence of the reality of his Incarnation.
He was ^//W (faith St Paul) infajhionas
a Man, and was made in the likenefs of
Men : The meaning is j not in the like-
nefs of our nature, in the appearance on-
Jy, as oppofed to the reality ; but he was
made after the likenefs of other Men, by
really partaking of our infirm Nature.

I N order to redeem mankind after that
Method which the Wifdom of God had
from the beginning appointed, it was ne-
ceflary that Chrift fliould Jujfer -, and in
order to That Suffering, it was neceflary
that he fhould be born after the likenefs of
Men. Forajmuch as the children (faith the
Apoftle) are partakers of Flejh and Bloody

he

"The PrediBion of the Meffiah. 27

he alfo himfelf took fart of the fame, that S e r m,
through Death he might defroy him that ^^*
had the Power of Deaths that is, the De-

€ijil* Wherefore in all thi72gs it heho^

njed him to be made like unto his Brethren,
(tempted in all points like as we are, only
without fin ; and capable of being tout:h- ch. iv. 15.'
ed with the feeling of our infirmities ; )
that he might he a merciful and faithful
High-Priejl in things pertaining to God^
to make reconciliation for the Sins of the
people 5 For in that He himfelf hasfuffered
being tempted, he is able to fuccour them
that are tempted-, Heb. ii. 14. And from
hence the fame Apofi:le in another place,
though T^here indeed he fy^2k.sfguratively
concerning Chrifii's inyftical Body the
Church, yet from hence it is that the
Ground of his manner of exprejfing him-
felf h taken; We are members (faith he)
of his Body, of his Flefi ajid of his
Pones,

The proper life of ihis> firjl Obferva-
tlon in the Text, the humiliation of Chrift
in his Birth, is what St Paul infers from
the fame obfervation -, PhiL ii. 5 -, Let This
mindy the fame humble imnA, be in Tou^

which.

28 T*he PrediEiion of the Mefliah.

S E R M. which was alfo in Chrijl Jefus ; who thd

^^' he was in the form of God^ inverted with

^ Divine Authority and Dominion, yet was

not greedy of appearing as God (fo the

words are in the Original;) but took

upon him the form of a fervant^ and was
made in the Likenefs of Men ; and glori^
fed not Himfelf to be made an High-Prief^
but was glorified by Him that begat him ;
Heb. V. 5 ; and honoured not Himfelf
but was honoured by Him that fent him ,
Job. viii. 54.

I T follows ; Unto Us a Son is gi-
ven. And thefe v/ords alfo, like thofe
fore-going, muft be underftood abfolute-
ly and by way of Eminence : Ujito its is
given The Sen -, That Son of Man^ who
was Jh^ as no other ever was, the Son of
Man ; who was fo^ as no other ever can
be, the Son of God: 'That divm^ Perfon,
wlio was the Subject of all the Prophecies,
from the foundation of the World, and
the Expedation of all Nations. The
original of xht former character, his being
the Son of Man^ is that fublime defcrip-
tion which the prophet Daniel g\vt% of his
Vifion ; ch. vii. 13 ; I faw in the Night-

yifoT^s^

The PrediBion of the Meffiah. 29

ViJionSy and behold ^ one like the Son of S e r m,
Man, came with the clouds of Heaven, and ^^*
came to the antient of daySy and they
brought him near before him ; and there
was given him dominion and glory a?id a
Kingdom. From this prophetical de-
fcription it is, that our Saviour in the
Gofpels is fo conftantly charadlerized by
That Title of the Son of Man : Mat. xxiv.
30; Then Jhall appear the Sign of the Son of
Man in Heaven^ (the Signal given you by
the Prophet Daniel^ the Signal of That
Son of Man there defcribed,) and they
Jhall fee him coming in the clouds of Ilea-
ven with Power and great Glory. And
yoh. iii. 13 ; The Son of Man which is in
Heaven. And in the book of the Revela-
tion. ch. i. 1 3 ; the very words of Daniel
are tranfcribed ; one like unto the Son of
Man ; and ch. xiv. 14 ; Upon the cloud one
faty like unto the Son of Ma?u The other
charadter of our Saviour, his being the
Son of Gody was given him frji upon ac-
count of his being bo?^n mtraculoufly of
the Virgin by the immediate Power of Luc i. 32;
God, Luc. i. 35 J Then again, upon ac- ^^^ ^- ^'
count of his being raifedfrom the dead by

the

$5 The Predttiton of the Mefliah.

S E R Ms the like miraculous Power of the i\l-
^^- mighty 5 Rom. i. 4: Adls xiii. 33. And
laftly, upon account of his being revealed
to be That divine Perfon, who, deriving
his Being from the Father in a fingulaf
and incomprehenfible manner; and ha-
ving been with the Father, from the Be-
ginning 5 and having had Glory with
Him, before the World was ; and having
origiially exercifed the Father's Power^
in the Creation of the World ; and ha-
ving fince in all ages appeared in the form
of God^ as the Word, the Meffenger, the
Reprefentative, the Image^ of the Inviji-
hie God ; at length, in the Fulnefs of

Ioh.i. 14. Time, was made Flejh and dwelt among
us, and we beheld his glory ^ the glory as of
the only-begotten of the Father^ full of
grace a?jd truth.

Unto C/Jr, fays the Prophet in the
Text, is this Son of God given : uuto
t/i, as it was T^hen literally underftood,
the pojlcrity of Abraham^ the Nation of
the Jews -, but, as it is Now diftindly re-
vealed in the Gofpel, and as it was even
^hen obfcurely predifted, unto Us Geji-
tiles alfo is he given 5 unto us that are far

4^

l*h^ PrediSiion of the MefTiah. 3 1

of, as well as to them that are near ; unto S e r m.
us Sinner Sy of all Nations and of all Ages ; El-
even unto all Mankind, who are willing ^"-^^^^
to repent, and reform their manners, and
make acknowledgment of the Truth ;
For God would have all men to be faved^
and wills 7iot that any fkould perijl^, but
that all Jhould come to repentance : Nay
even to nem therefore which never heard
of him, muft the Benefit of his Coming
extend, according to the proportion of
their Capacities unknown to us \ For the
Mercy of God is, without exception, over
all his works.

T o Us is This ^on given. It is not with-
out reafon, that the word given m fo care-
fully and conftantly inferted, and fo great
an emphafis and ftrefs laid upon it, in al-
moft all the Texts of both the Old and
New Teftament, which mention the cora-
ing of Chrift into the World. The intent of
It is, to exprefs to us diftindly the refpec-
tive parts, which the Father and the Son
bore in the redemption of the World ;
that neither the One, nor the Other, nei-
ther he that gave, nor he that was willing
to be given for us, fhould be defrauded

of

3 2 T'he PrediSiion of the MeiliaL

S E R M. of their proper Honour. That God gai^e
^^» his Son, out of his bofom -, is expreffive

^^^f^ to us of the Father s Supreme Authorifyy
and of his original, effential, and eternal
Goodnefs : That the Son gave himfelf for
us, or was willing to be given^ denotes the
Love of Chriji towards Mankind ; and
explains the Jujlice of his being appoint-
ed to fuffer, tho' he was an innocent per-
fon ; becaufe T^hat appointment, as it was
by the Will of the Father, fo it was alfo
by his own free confent. The firfi of
thefe, viz, the Supreme Authority of the
Father^ is fet forth in thofe Texts of
Scripture, where it is affirmed that in
thefulnefs of Time God fent forth his Son,
Gal. iv. 4 'y that he faved us according to
his own purpofe and grace in Chriji Jefus^
2 Tim. viii. 9 ; even according to the pur-
pofe of Him who worketh all thijigs after
the counfel of his own Will-, Eph. i. 11.
And indeed in the Nature of things it is
evident, that the Supreme Power to
whom the fatisfadion is to be made, muft
appoint what fatisfadtion he will be pleaf-
ed to accept. The Seco?id of thefe, viz.
the original Goodnefs of the Father^ is

fet

The PrediSlion of the MeiTiah. 33

fet forth in thofe Texts, where the Scrip- S e r m,
ture teaches us, that God Jo loved the ^^*
Worldy that he gave hh only begotten Son^ v-rv^^
that 'whofoever believeth on him Jhould not
perifjj^ but have everlajling life ; Joh. iii.
16 ; and I Joh. iv. 9 * In this was mani-
fejied the Love of God towards uSy becaife ^
that God fenf his only-begotten Son into the
Worlds that we might live through Him ;
and ver. io\ he loved us^ andfent his Son
to be the propitiation for cur Sifis, The
third particular, viz, the Love of Chj'-iji
in being willing to be thus fent or given
for us, is exprelTed in thofe Texts, where-
in we are taught, that Chrift gave himfelf
a rajifom for all ^ i Tim. ii. 6 ; that he
gave himfelf for us, that he might redee?n
m from all iniquity ; Tit. ii. 14. And
Bodi thefe together, (the Authority and
Goodnefs of the Father in giving his Son,
and the Love of Chrljl in being willing
to be given for us^) are exprefled in one,
Gal/i. 4; who gave himfelf yir us, ac-
cording to the Will ^ God and our Fa-
ther.

Vol. V. D The

34 ThePrediSiion of the Meffiah.

S E R M. The Vfes of T'his particular, are ; i/?,
^^^Jj- that we acknowledge primarily the origin
nal effential Goodnefs and Compajjion of
God our Father, as the jirji Caufe and
Author of our Salvation ; upon which
account, St Paul frequently ftiles the Fa-
ther, God our Saviour ; and that therefore
we look not upon him as a cruel and im-
placable Judge ; but on the contrary ex-
toll with all thankfulnefs our Redemption
through Chrift, to the praife of the glory of
His Grace, who has made us accepted in the
beloved, and has given us the Adoption of
children by Jefus Chrifl to himfelf, accord-
ing to the good pleafure of his own Will ;
Eph i. 5. 2.dly, That in the next place
we thankfully exprefs our Gratitude alfo
to our Saviour himfelf, who condefcend-
^d for our fakes to become Pvlan ; who
Kph. V. 2 . loved us, and gave himfelf for us ; and
Rev. i. 5. wajhed us from our Sins in his own bloody
^nd has made us Kings and Friefts to God
and his Father, ^dly. That from T^his
Great Inftance of the divine Grace and
Goodnefs, we learn to depend upon the
fame Beneficence for all other good things
llkewife : For He that fpared not his own

Son^

II.

Tthe PrediSiion of the Meiliali. 35

Son, but delivered him for us all, how S e^r m.
Jhall he not with Him alfo freely give us
all things; Rom.vm, 32. Not, a Liberty
to fn, that Grace may further abound ;
God forbid ; but all good things, all
things really profitable to our prefent and
future Happinefs. Lajily, that from this
wonderful Love of God towards Us, we
learn our own Obligation to love one ano-
ther ; I Joh. iv. 1 1 ; Beloved, if God Jo
loved Us, we ought alfo to love one ano-
ther.

And thus much concerning the firft
part of the words, Unto us a. Child is born^
Unto us a Son is given,

I T follows ; And the Govern?ne?it fall
be upon his Shoulder, The Jews, though
they acknowledged thefe words were to
be applied to the Meffiah, yet they under-
fcood them of the Dominion only of a
temporal Prince, who fhould fubdue their
enemies for them. But the opening of
this Prophecy by degrees in further pre-
dictions, was fuch as ousiht to have ?iven
'Them better Norio!>s of this matter \ and
the Account IVe have in the New Tefta-
ment of the accompli (lament of all thofe

Vol. V. D 2 predic-

36 ThePrediSlion of the Mefliah.

S E R M. predldlons has from Us removed all ap-
pearance of difficulty in the underftand-
ing them. The true meaning of the
words, is begun to be opened in the very
next verfe immediately following the
Text J Of the increafe of his goverjiment
and peace there pjall be no end, upon the
T'hrone of T)avid\ and npoji his Kingdom y
to order it^ and to ejlablifl^ it ivith judg-
ment and with ju/iice from henceforth even
forever-, ver. 7. In the Prophecy of Z)^-
niel, it is explained a little further ; ch. ii.
-d.4; ^he God of Heaven Jh all fet up a

Kifigdom which Jhall never he dejlroyed,

and it fmll Jland for ever. And Hill more
clearly 5 ch. vii. 13 ; / jaw in the 7iight-
vifions, and behold, one like the Son of ma?i
came with the clouds of Heaven, and came
to the Antient of days, a7id they brought
him near before him ; And there was given
him dominion and glory and a Kingdom,
that all people, nations and la?iguages
ffjould ferve him-, his do?mnio?i is an ever-
lafting dominion, and his Kingdom that
which fmll not be deflroyed. This was a
fufficiently plain intimation, that the
Kingdom of the Mefiiah was not to be

a worldly

The PrediSiion of the Meffiah. 37
a worldly temporal Kingdom. The Ap- S e^r m.
plication of thefe Prophecies to Chrift, is ,^y>^p^
made exprefsly by the Angel to the Blef-
fed Virgin 5 Lukei, 32: He pall be great ^
and jhall be called the Son of the Higheji,

and he pall reign over the hoiij'e of

Jacob for ever^ and of his Kingdom there
Jhall be no end. What manner of Domi-
nion this was to be, our Saviour himfelf
began more clearly to explain ; Mat. xxviii,
1 8 : All Power is given to me in Heaven
and Earth, This difcovered that it was
to be a fpiritual Kingdom, more exten-
five, as well as more lajli?ig^ than Earth-
ly Dominions. The Principal ji&s of
Power in this fpiritual Kingdom, are ex-
preffed by St. Peter ; Aols x. 42 : He is or-
dained of God to be Judge of ^ick and
Dead'y and that through his Name whofoever
helieveth in him jhall receive remifjion of
Sins, And the full Extent of this whole
Domi?2ion is fet forth by St Paul, in thofe
paffages of his Epiftles, where he tells us
that ChnU ftteth at the right hand of the Hcb. xW.
throne of God, bdng Head over all things -, g j, j ^^
exalted far above all prificipality, andpow^ ^^^'^\- ^^•

ery and mighty a?id dominion^ and every ^^)^_i.
D 3 name

Phil. ii. 1 1.

"The PrediSiion of the Me/Tiah.

name that is named not only in T^his Worlds
but alfo in that which is to come ; Angeh
i^Vti iii. ^'^^ Authorities and Powers being made
zz. Jii-hje^i unto him^ and all things put under

1 Cor. XV. his feet. To which defcription, the Apo-
Eph.i.22. ftle yet thought it neceflary to add the
^^'^■'^■^' following caution; i Cor. xv. 24, 27;
But when he faith all things are put under
hi?n, it is manifejl that he is accepted which
did put all things under him ; And ( iii the
end ) when all things fiall be fubdued unfa
bifn^ then Jljall the Son alfo himfelf befub-
jeB unto Him that put all things under
Him, ( having delivered up the Kingdom t&
God even the Father, ) that God even the
Father may be all in all. Which deliver^
ing up of the Kingdom, if any one asked
how it is confiftent with thofe foremen-
tioned prophecies of his reigning for ever ;
the Anfwer is plain, That as of the Sai?jtSy
under Chrift their Head and Lord, it is
affirmed, Rev.xxiu 5, that they Jloall reign
for ever and ever \ fo of Chrift in an in-«
finitely higher fenfe, even after his deli-
vering up the Kingdom to the Father, it
will Hill be true, that of his Dominion
with and under the Father, there fb all be

m

"The PrediSiion of the Mefiiah. 3 9
no End. And This is the full meaning of S e r m.
^hat Expreffion, T^be Government Jhall ^
be upon htsJJjoulder,

The remaining part of the Text, is a
further Defcription of the Per/on, upon
whofe Jhoulder it was prophefied This Go-
'verninent jhould be ; it is a further defcrip-
tion of his Pei^^on, under four diftincl
Names or Charadlers. The Firfi is ; And
his Name jhall be called Wonderful, Coiin^
fellor. The term, Wonderful, fignifies,
that the Perfon was to be of Secret and
Greater Dignity, than the Jews expedl-
ed : And fo the word is of the fame im-
port, with that more antient intimation
given to Jacob, when he wreftled with
him ; Gen. xxxii. 29; Wherefore is it that
thou dof ask after my Name ? and to Ma-
noah\ Judg. xiii. 18 5 Why askefi thou thus
after my Name, feeing it is fecret ? The
other term, Counfellor, fignifies the Re- ^.^^x-^^
"uealer of the Secret Counfcl of God ; For f^^^^^^
fo the Gofpel is frequently ftiled in Scrip- Ads xx.
ture, the whole Coujifel of God -y the hid- ^cor. ii.7.
den wifdom ; the myjiery which has beeft hid Eph.iii. 9,
from ages and from generations, but now ts coi.i.2.6.
made manifeji to his Saints j the my f cry ^^m. xvi.
D 4. which

40 I'he PrediSzion of the Melliah.

S E R M. ivhicb was kept fecret fince the World be-^

^^' gafiy but now is made majufejl : and by the

Scriptures of the Prophets, according to the

commandment of the everlafting God^ made

known to all Nations for the obedience of

Rev^xix ^^'^i^* Upon T^his account it is, that

n- " Chrift is called ^he Word of Ged^ the

^^^•"'•^•Revealer of his Will, lU Angel or Mef

fenger of his Covenant^ and, in the words

of the Text, Wonderful^ Counfellor,

The Second Charadter is, He fhall be

called T^he mighty God^ or mighty Lord.

The meaning of which phrafe, has been

already in good meafure explained under

that foregoing charafter, T'he gover?iment

Jl:all be upon his J};)Oulder \ And the com-

pleat import of it is more fully expref-

fed to us in thofe places of the New Te-

Heb. I. 1. ftament, wherein Chrift is ftiled Heir of

Adsx. 36. ^11 things^ Lord of all or over all^ Lord

11. jfiv. 9. both of the Dead and Livings the Prince

^^^..^- 5- of the Kings of the Earth, the Lord of

xvil. 14. •'' o> J > */

xix. 16. Lords and King of Kings, and, in one

word, (by the appointment of the Fa-

Hebi.S. thcr,) our Judge, our Lord, and our God :

■^^xV'28. The Sum and Intent of all which Titles

together, is accurately fct forth by St;

2 Paul

T'hePr edition of the Meffiah. 41

Paul in that moft lively defcription ; S e r m.
Phil ii. 9 ; God has give?i him a Name ^J^l.
which is above every Name ; that at the
name of J ejus every k?ieepouldbow^ (every
Creature fliould fubmit to His Authority,)
of things in Heaven^ and things in Earthy
and things under the Earth ; and that
ever tongue jhould confefs that fefus
Chriji is Lordy to the glory of God the
Father.

The "Third Charader is, He fiall be
called the everlafting Father. Which
Phrafe, as it lies in our Tranflation, is
very apt to be miftaken. For if thereby
be underftood, that the Son is the Father ;
this would be plainly coiifounding the Per^
fins of the Father and the Son, and (by
a manifeft Abfurdity) making the Son to
be the Father of Himfelf Which man-
ner of fpeaking is fo much the worfe,
becaufe there were in the Primitive times
certain Falfe Teachers who did fo fpeak,
and whofe Dodtrine (being of worfe con-
fequence than at firft fight appeared) was
feverely reproved by the Apoilles. He is
an Antichrijl, faith St John, thfit denietb
the Father and the Son\ iJokYuzz: And

they

42 7^^ p7^edi&io7t of the Meffi^h,

S E R M. they JJjall bring in, faith St Feter, dam-

^^' fiable herefies, even denying the Lord that

bought them ; 2 Pet. ii. i ; fpeaking of

thofe, who in reality denied our Saviour

to have any Being at all, by making the

Son to be nothing elfe but merely another

Bed Co. Name for the Father. The true render-

Lxx? ^"S therefore of thefe vi^ords of the Pro-

iii<r«p^o/A- phet, is, not the everlajling Father, but

K^. ' the Father or Lord of the future ever^

rt. cerning v^hich the Apoftle declares ; Heb. ii.

Vugg. ^ , ^-{^^1- ^Q Chri/l only, and not to AngelSy
hath God put in Jubje5tion this Age to
come.

Laflly ; T H E Fourth and Lafi Charac-
ter here given to our Saviour, is, that He
fhall be called like Prince of Peace. The
meaning of which Title, was firft in fome
degree explained by the Angels to the
Shepherds, when they fung that Hymn ;
Luke ii. 14 ; Peace on Earth, good will
towards Men ; which was well anfwered
with That Hofannah, the Difciples fung
to our Saviour ; ch. xix. 3 8 : Peace in Hea-
ven, that is, reconciliation with God.
More diflindly afterwards by ^u Peter i

The PrediSiion of the Mefliah. 43

ABs X. 36, 43 ; Godfent unto the children S e r m-
of Ifrael, preaching peace by Jefia Chrift^ ^^*
he is Lord of All-, (that is, eftablifhing ^^^^^^^
Peace and Unity between Jews and Gen--
tiles, under Jefus Chriji their Common
Lord^) that through his Name whofoever
helieveth i?i him^ jhould receive remijjion of
Sins. Moft fully and clearly of all, by
St Paul, Rom, v. 1 : Being jujlifed by
Faith, we have Peace with God, through
our Lord Jefus Cb^iji : and Eph/u. 14;
He is our Peace, who hath made Both One,
that is, both fews and Gentiles ; and hath

reconciled Both unto God in one Body

by the Crofs, having preached Peace

to you which were afar off, and to them
that were nigh : and Col, 19; // plea-
fed the Father by Him, (having made

Peace through the Blood of his Crofs) to

reconcile all things unto himfelf-, and

you that were fometimes alienated, and
Enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet
Now hath he reconciled. The Ufes of
this laft particular are ; Fi?ji, Since God
has gracioufly been pleafed to fend us this
Word of reconciliation by the Prince of
Peace, that therefore We on our part be
dfo willing to be reconciled to Him^ by

forfaking

12.

44 ^^ PrediSiion of the Meffiah.

S E R M. forfakjng thofe Sins which ate the caufe

^^- of his difpleafure ; Now then, faith St

Patd, we are ambajfadors for Chrijl 5 a^

though God did befeech you by ics \ we pray

you in Chriji's Jiead, be ye reconciled to

Gad', 2 Cor. V. 20. Secondly^ Having fo

great an IntercefTour for us, as the Prince

of Peace Himfelf, the Son of the living

Hcb.iv. God ; that therefore w^e come boldly unto

Eph. iii. ^^^ 'throne of Grace^ having accefs with

confidence through the Faith of him 3 Heb.

X. 19 ; Having therefore, brethren, bold-

nefs to enter into the Holiefi by the blood of

yefuSy by a new and living way which he

hath confecratedfor in ; and having an

High-Priefi over the houfe of God ; let us
draw near with a true Heart, in full af-
furance of Faith, Thirdly, That yet we
be careful to confider, that this peace and
reconciliation purchafed for us by Chrift,
is only upon condition of our future obe-
dience : For fo the Apoflle adds in the
words next immediately following thofe

now cited ; let us draw near i^i full

ajj'urance of faith, having our Heart
fprinklcd from an evil cojifcience, and our
bodies wajl:ed with pure Water j that is,
having our minds cleanfed with that pu-
rification

7le PrediBmi of the Meiliah. 45

rlfication from wickednefs, the Sign and S e r m.
Emblem of which is the Baptifm of Wa-
ter : And Col. i. 23 ; God hath now re-
conciled you to himfelf, faith St. Paul^ if
ye continue in the faith ^ grounded and fet^
tledy and be not moved away from the hope of
the Gofpel. Fourthly ^ That having fo great
a Mediatour as the Prince of Peace appoint-
ed us of God^ we fufFer no others to be
joined with him by humane invention. For
as worfhipping any other God^ befides the
Father Almighty^ is Idolatry againft God :
So worfhipping any other Mi?^/^/^z/r, befides
his only Son our Lord, is Idolatry againft
Chriji^ or fetting up Idol-Mediatours. They
who worfhip Saints and Angels, beguile
themfelves of their reward^ faith the Apo-
ftle, not holding the Head^ which is Chrijl ;
CoL ii. 18. Lajlly^ Upon this particular
great occaiion of commemorating thank-
fully the Birth of the Prince of Peace,
let us keep the Feaft worthily and as be-
cometh Chriftians ; not with old leaven, nei-
ther with the leaven of malice and wicked^
nefs, or of rioting and debauchery, but
with the unleavened bread of Sincerity ^
SobernlTs and "Truth.

SERMON

[47]

SERMON III.

The Charadter of the Messiah.
[Preached on Cbrijlmas-Day.]

Gal. iv. 4, 5.
But when the fulnefs of time was come^
God fent forth his Son ?nade of a woman^
made under the law ; T^o redeem thenf
that were under the law, that we might
receive the adoption of So?2s.

HE principal Defign of St Pauls e r m.
in this Epiftle, is to vindi- HI.
cate the truth and jullice of ^■^'^"^
God in abolifliing the few-
ijh religion fo far as concerned the Gen^
///^Converts, and eflablifliing the Chri-

Jlian

3

48 The CharaSier of the Mefllah.

jlian alone in its room : againft thofe who
^^^- contended that even the Gentile Difciples
were obliged to obferve the law of Mofes^
and that the Religion of Chrift was to be
added to That of Mofes^ and not That of
Mofes to be taken away by Chrift. Amongft
many Arguments which the Apoftle makes
ufe of to confute thefe falfe Teachers, he
begins this \vth chapter with the Similitude
of a young Heir's being under Tutors and
Governours ; rer. i and 2 ; Now I fay\
that the Heir, as long as he is a childy
differ eth nothing from a Servant, though
he be lord of all-, But is under Tutors
and Governours, imtil the time appointed
of the Father. Which Similitude he ap-
plies in the 3^ verfe, and in the words of
the Text ; Even So JVe, fays he, when we
■were children, We of the Jewifj difpen-
fation, were in bofidage under the elements
of the world y But when the fulnefs of time
was come, God fent forth his Son made
of a woman, 7nade under the law, to re^
deem them that were under the law, that
we might receive the adoption of Sons. The
Meaning is : Before the World was pre-
pared for the reception of the Gofpel,

God

The CharaEier of the Mefliah. 49

God thought fit to oblige men to obferve S je r m.
thofe firft and more imperfed: rudiments, ^^^*
which were inftituted in the Jewifi law j ^^^^^^
But when the time was come that the Mef-
Jiah fhould appear, God did by him abo-
lifh T!hat inftitution of religion, (at lead
as to the Neceffity of its being em.braced
by the Gentiles) and redeemed or freed
men from the fervile obedience thereof;
requiring from them thenceforward, only
That free. That manly and rational obe-
dience, which is the duty and privilege
not o^ Servants but of Sons ; T^hat we
might receive the Adoption of Sons,

I N the Words we may obferve, i/?,
The Charafter of the perfon fent into the
World ; God fent forth his Son. 2dl)\ His
Condition and Manner of Converfation
among men ; he was made of a wofnan,
made under the law, '^dly^ The Defign
of this his coming ; it was To redeem
thofe that were under the law, that we
might receive the adoption of So?2s. And
^thly^ The particular Time of his ap-
pearing ; When the fulnefs of time was
come.

Vol. V. E 17?, Here

50 T'he CharaBier of the Mefliah.

S E R M. I/?, H E R E is the Character of the per-
^^^- fon fent into the World ; Godfent forth

^-'"^''^ his Son. The Phrafe is of the fame im-
port, with thofe other expreffions we meet
with in Scripture j God Jo loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Sony that
whofoever believeth in him fiould not /<?-
rijh^ but have everlajling life ; Joh. iii. i6 :
and, God who at fundry times and in di^
vers 7nanners fpake in times pafi unto the
fathers by the prophets^ hath in thefe laft
daysfpoken unto us by his Son-, Heb. i. i.
The Meaning is : God having of ol^ efta-
bliihed feveral Forms of Religion among
men, by divers ways of revelation, by
difcovering himfelf to the Patriarchs, by
the delivering of the law to MofeSy and
by the preaching of the prophets ; and all
thefe Methods having proved feverally in-
effedual to make men truly virtuous, to
recover God's Creation from the Corrupt
tion and Bondage of Sin, and much more
infufficient to aflford any effeftual means
of redeeming them from the Guilt there-
of \ he did at laft in mercy and compaf-
fion to mankind vouchfafe to afford them
one more clear and perfeft revelation of

his

The CharaSier of the Meffiah. 5 1

his Will, by the preaching of a perfon S e r m .
of far greater excellence and authority than m*
Any before \ even by his own Son, This ^^-^^^^
cxpreffion therefore of Gods fending forth
his Sony implies plainly thefe two things ;
Jirjiy that the perfon here declared to be
fent forth into the World, was in a An-
gular and peculiar manner the Son of
God; and 2///y, that he was with God,
before he was fent into the World. ly?.
The perfon here declared to be fent into
the World, was in a peculiar manner the
Son of God. Many Sepfes there are in
which a perfon may be faid to be the Son
of God y and in great variety of fignifi-
cation does the Scripture itfelf make ufe
of this expreflion. The Angels are ftyled.
the SonsofGody Job. xxxviii. 7 ; and Adam
is faid to be the Son of Gody Luk. iii. 38 ;
becaufe immediately created by him :
They who are fanSiified by the Spirit of
Gody are called the Sons of Gody Rom. viii.
14 ; becaufe they live in obedience to his
government, and fo are Members of his
Family or Houfehold ; They who fhall be
thought worthy to obtain that life which
is to comCy are called the Sons of Gody Luk.
Vol. V, E 2 xx. 36;

52 "The CharaSier of the Meffiah.

S E R M. XX. 36 ; becaufe they are as it were anew
^^^' created of God, being the Children of

^^^ the refurrecftion, to eternal Happinefs :
They who are appointed to any high Of-
fice by the fpecial and immediate Will of
God, are alfo called Gods^ or the Sons of
God, becaufe they adl in his ftead, or as
his Vicegerents ; and in this Senfe our
Saviour himfelf ufes the phrafe in his
Reply to the Jews-, John x. 34 ; Is it not
written in your law^ I f aid ye are Gods ?
If he called them Gods, unto whofn the
word of God came, aiid the Scripture can-
not be broken. Say ye of hifn whom the
Father hath fanBified and fent into the
world, thou blafphemejl, becaufe I faid I
am the Son of God ? Thefe therefore and
fome other Senfes there are, in which the
Scripture gives men that great title of
being the So?2s of God, And the reafon
why any perfon is fo called, is generally
exprefsly added, or at leaft plainly inclu-
ded in the words ; as in the inftance of
Adam -, of thofe who fliall be raifed from
the Dead ; and of Princes, or fanftified
Men and Prophets being ftiled the Sons of
God, But when the title is given to our

Bleffed

The CharaEler of the Meffiah. 53

Blefled Saviour it is given him either ab- S e r m.
folutely and by way of eminence, or with ■^^^•
fome high and particular Note of diftin-
(ftion. It is fometimes given him abfo-
Jutely and by way of eminence ; as in the
Text he is called The Son of God ; and
then 'tis plain from the manner of the ex-
preffion, that it is to be underilood in a
high and peculiar Senfe : For when a
title which may be given men upon dif-
ferent refpedls, and frequently is fo in
very different fignifications, according to
the occafion upon which it is conferred,
and with manifeft reference to that oc-
cafion 'y when I fay fuch a title is given
to any particular perfon abfolutely and by
way of eminence^ it is manifeft it is then
to be underftood in the higheft and moft:
excellent Senfe. In other paflages of Scri-
pture, this title is given him with fome
high and particular Note of dijlinBion^
as only begotten, beloved, God's dear Son,
his own Son, and the like : Rom, viii. 3 ^
What the law could not do in that it was
weak through the flejlo, God fending hh
own Son in the likenefs of fm fid fief , and
for Sin, /. e . as the Words may more
E 3 properly

54 T'he CharaBer of the Meffiah*

S E R M. properly be rendred, by being a Sacrijfice
III. j-Qjr Si?i^ condemned Sin in the jiejh : and

^^^ yob. i. 14 ; 'The Word was made jiejh ^ and
dwelt amongfl us^ and we beheld his glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the
Father y full of grace and truth. The
Angels (as I before obferved) are called
the Sons of God 5 Job xxxviii. 7. But unto
which of the Angels faid he at any time
with fo peculiar ah Emphafis, Thou art
my Son^ this day have I begotten thee ? Heb.
i. 5, This therefore is fo diftinguifhing
an expreffion, that it neceffarily implies
our Saviour to be the Son of God in a
different and more exalted fenfe than the
Angels themfelves are ; For in the next
verfe the Apoftle brings Them in as his
Minifters, fubjected unto him, and pay-
ing honour to him ; ver. 6 ; When he
bringeth in the firjl begotten into the
World, he faith. And let all the Angels
of God %vorJhip him. And ch. ii. ver. 16 ;
'Tis faid, He took not on him the nature
of Angels, (which fhows that it would
have been a great condefcenfion in him
to have done even That ) but he took up-
on him the jeed of Abraham^ /. e, the na-
ture

The CharaSier of the MelTiah. 55

ture of Man : But becaufe this was writ- S e r m.
ten to the JewSy among whom Chrift was ^^^•
born, and to whom he firft preached,
therefore it is not faid the Nature of
Men, but the Seed of Abraham. Further j
even in that Angular and peculiar appli-
cation of it to our Lord only, there is alfo
fome variety : For he is fo ftiled, on ac-
count of his miraculous conception, Luke
i. 35; then, of his Office, Joh.x. 34;
then, of his Refurredlion, ABs xiii. 33, and
Rom, i. 4 ; then, of his being appointed
Heir of all things, and as a Son in his own
houfe i Heb, iii. 6. But beyond all this, there
is ftill fomething further implied in the Ufe
of this Phrafe : For the Text fuppofcs,
fecondly, that he was with God, in the
bofom of the Father, before he was fent
into the World ; God fent forth his Son ;
For though the word which we here
render, fend forth, be alfo applied in Scri-
pture to God's fending his Prophets to the
Jews, and our Saviour's commiffioning
his Apoftles to preach the Gofpel -, and
fo may properly fignify in general, only
the appointing^ a perfon to execute any
office or commiffion, yet when it is ap-
E 4 plied

56 T^he CharaSier of the Meffiah.

S E R xM. plied to our Saviour's coming into the
III. Worlds (or coming forth from the Father

^^'^ into the World ) as in the words now
mentiond, it clearly implies, that he who
was thus fent into the world from God,
was with God, in the glory of the Father,
before he w^s fent into the World : As
appears both from the natural Force of the
expreffion itfelf, and more fully from thofc
parallel places of Scripture, which men^
tion to us the fame thing. Job, xvii. 5 ;
Our Saviour prays thus to his Father, And
noWy 0 Fat he r^^ glorify me with thine own
felf with the glory which I had with thee
before the world was : Again Joh, iii. 13 ;
No man hath afcended into Heaven^ but
he that came down from Heaven, even the
Son of man which is in Heaven : And a-
gain, ch. xvi. 28 ; he faith unto his Dif-
ciples, I came forth from the Father, and
am come into the worldly again, I leave
the world, and go to the Father. Which
words his Difciples thought fo plainly to
fignify his having been with God, in the
glory of the Father, before he was fent
into the World -, that they immediately
anfwered him j ver« 29 ; Now fpeakejl thou

plainly.

The CharaSier of the MefTiah. 5 7

plainly, and fpeakejl no parable : By this S e r m.
we believe that thou came ft forth from '
God, The life the Scripture makec of
This confideration, of the Dignity cf U)e
Perfon, by whom God has been plcaied
to declare his Mercy in the Gofpel -, that
it was the only begotten Son of God, fent
down from Heaven to take our Nature
upon him ^ I fay, the life which the Scri-
pture makes of This confideration, is
This : Heb, ii, 2 5 If the word fpoken by
Angels was Jledfajl, and every traiifgref
fion and difobedience received a juji re-
compence of Reward j How Jhall we e-
fcapCy if we negleB fo great Salvation^
which at the fir ft began to be fpoken by the
Lord!

Secondly, Here is a defcription of this
divine Perfon's condition, and his manner
of converfation in the World s He was
made of a woman, made under the Law.
He was made of a Woman, /. e. he be-
came truly and really a Man ; not taking
upon him only the limilitude of our Na-
ture, and appearing in the form and ap-
pearance of a Man, but being really and
tfuly fuch 5 fubjedfed to all the infirmities

5 8 l*he CharaSier of the Meffiah.

S E R M. c/* humane nature^ and tempted in all point i
^^^- like as we are^ yet without fin -, Heb. iv. 15.

^^^"^^'^ For (as the Apoftle obferves ; Helf, ii. 17 ;)
in all things it behoved him to be made
like unto his brethren^ that he might he a
merciful and faithful High-priejl ^ in things
pertaining to Gody to make reconciliation
for the fins of the people : For in that he
himfelf hath fufferedy being tempted^ he
is able to fuccour them that are tempted.
It follows \ he was made under the law ;
i, e, he was fubjedt and obedient to it. By
the laWy fome underftand here the moral
law of God 3 and that, by our Saviour's
being made under the law, is meant his
performing perfed: and complete obedi-
ence to the law of God : that fo, by ha-
ving in his own perfon unfinning obe-
dience to the law of God, he might
become the Author of eternal Salvation^
to all thofe that fhould believe and re-
pent ; and that by having firft obeyed thofe
commandments himfelf, to which he re-
quired obedience from others, he might
become an example of obedience to his
Difciples. All which, is indeed very true :
But yet, becaufe by the law the Apoftle

in

The CharaEier of the MefliaL 59

in this Epiftle means generally the cere- S e r m,
monial law, or that part of the Mofaick ^^^'
inftitution which is oppofed to the Chri-
ftian religion, ind fuperfeded by it ; and
becaufe 'tis mojft probable he muil in this
place concerning our Saviour's fubmit-
ting to that law, which in the words im-
mediately following 'tis faid the defign of
his coming into the World was to redeem
men from ; therefore 'tis more reafonable
to conclude, that, by his being ?nade un-
der the law^ the Apoftle intends in this
place, that our Savioux was born in the
nation and under the religion of the
"Jews ', that he was circumcifed according
to the commandment of Mo/es ; that he
fubmitted to and performed the whole ce-
remonial law, (fulfilling even in that {cnfQ
all righteoufnefs;) that having perfeftly
obeyed the law in his Life, he might for
ever abolifh that part of it at his Death,
and free his followers from the Servitude
thereof.

^dfy. Here is the End and De/gn of
his coming thus into the World, fet forth
in the laft part of the words -, T<? redeem
them that were under the law^ that we

might

6o The CharaSier of the Meffiah.

S £ R M. might receive the adoption of Sons, The
^^^' fame phrafe the Apoftle again makes ufe
of in the Epiftle to the Roma?is -, ch. viii.
ver. 15 ; 2> have not received the Spirit of
Bondage again to fear ^ but ye have received
the Spirit (j/'adoption, whereby we cry Abba^
Father ^ /. e. God deals not with Us as a Ma-
fter with his Servants, but as a Father with
his Sons, requiring of us not any hard
and burdenfome fervice, but only a ratio-
nal and iinccre obedience. Our Lord came
to redeem them that were under the law ;
/. e, to abrogate the burdenfome ceremo-
nies of the Jewijh inftitution 3 'That we
might receive the adoption of Sons 5 i, e.
that he might eftablilli with men a New
Covenant, which Ihould be moft eafy to
obferve, and xxio^fufficient tajuftify thofe
that fliould obferve it. Moft eafy to ob-
ferve, is this Covenant of the Gofpel ;
becaufe its precepts are not pofitive and
carnal Ordinances, but the great duties of
the moral and eternal law of God, which
are abfolutely and in their own nature
moft acceptable to God, and moft per-
fec^tive of men; and 'tis xno^ fuficient to
juftify thofe who ftiall live according to it,
2 becaufe

T'he CharaEier of the MefTiah. 6 r

becaufe their works fliall not be iudeed S e r m.

ITT

with ftriiftnefs and rio;our, but through ^^^-
the interceffion of Chrifl, their fincerity
fhall be accepted inftead of perfed: obe-
dience: In the former refped: (its being
eafy to obferve;) the Chriftian inftitution
is called the Law of liberty \ Jam. i. 25 :
and the glorious liberty of the Sons of
God ; Rom, viii. 2 1 : and GaL iv. 7 ; Where-
fore thou art no more a feriaJity hut a Son.
In the latter refped:, namely, in refped:
of its fufficiency to juftify thofe that fhall
live fuitably to it, the Chriftian inftitu-
tion is called the righteoufnefs of God:
Rom. iii. 20, 21 j By the deeds of the law
there floall no flefo be juftified. But now
the righteoufnefs of God without the law
is manifefled^ being witnefed by the law
and the prophets ; e^-jen the righteoufnefs
of God, which is by Faith in Jefus Chrift,
unto all and upon all them that believe ;
And, by it all that believe are jufiified fro?7i
all thi?igs, from which they could not he
jujiified by the law of Mofes ; Ads xiii. '^9.
There being feveral great Crimes, for
which no regular Expiation was allowed
under the law j from which Curfe, men

are

62 The CharaEier of the Meffiah.

S E R M. are now by true Repentance and Amend-
^^^* ment, delivered under the Gofpel: Which
is therefore ftiled the Righteoufnefs of
God to men. This is the Adoption, where-
by we become Sons of God, and Heirs of
Salvation : This is the Liberty wherewith
Chrift has made us free : We are not ob-
liged to any impoffible performances, nor
to any grievous and burdenfome rites > but"
if we lincerely repent, and return to the
obedience of God's Commands, according
to the gracious Terms and Conditions of
the Gofpel ; we fhall, through the inter-
ceffion of Chrift, be accepted by our hea-
venly Father. But then we muft always
remember that ^without this obedience we
fliall ftillbe rejeded, notwithftanding what
our Saviour has done for us ; nay we fhall
be condemned with fo much a fever er
Sentence, as he has afforded us greater
means and opportunities of Salvation.
Chrift has given us the adoption and the
liberty of Sons ; but if we abufe that li-
berty to rebel againft God and difobey
his Commandments, living vicioufly and
profanely in this prefcnt World j it had
been better for us not to have known the

way

The CharaSier of the Meffiah. 63

'Way of truths than after 'we have known S e r m.
//, to turn from the holy commandment ^"*
delivered unto us. Our Saviour has pur-
chafed redemption for us upon the gra-
cious terms of Faith and Obedience ; but
without this Obedience, we can have no
benefit, even of T^hat moft perfeft re-
demption. Chrift has fuffered for us,
that we might receive the adoption of
Sons ; but if we continue not to live vir-
tuoufly as becomes the children of God,
it will nothing profit us to have received
this adoption. They ojily who are led by
the Spirit of God^ ere the Sons cf God ;
Rom. viii. 14. Wherefore ff we refift and
grieve that good Spirit by afiy vicious
practices, we have no part in him, nei-
ther will God receive us either as his Sons
or his Servants. Whofoever is born of God^
faith St John, doth not commit Sin, for
bis feed remaineth in him, and he cannot
Jin becaufe he is born of God : In this the
children of God are ma?iifeji and the
children of the devil : Whofoever doth not
right eoufiefs, is not of God, neither he that
lo^jeth not his brother ; i Joh iii. 9 : A-
gain ; ver. 2 \ Beloved ^ now are we the Sons

of

64 The CharaSier of the MeiHah.

S E R M. (9y^ Qod^ and it doth ?20t yet appear what
^^^' we /JmU be ^ But we know that when he
Jlmll appear^ we JJjall be like hirn^ for we
Jhall fee hi?n as he is ; i, e, God doth in
This world acknowledge us as his chil-
dren ; how much 7nore hereafter, (hall he
that thus Jpared not his own Son^ but de-
livered him up for us all^ receive us to
the more immediate injoyment of himfelf ?
But then he adds immediately ; ver. 3 3 £-
very man that hath this hope in him^ pu-
rifieth himfelf even as he is pure. This is
the only pofible condition, upon which we-
can obtain the Salvation of the Gofpel.
Nay, on the contrary, we cannot efcape
being condemned to a feverer puniihment,
if we negled: the offer of fo great a Sal-
vation. For if he that defpifed Mofes laWy
died without mercy ^ Heb. x. 28 ; ^ how
much forer punifinent fiall he be thought
worthy^ who hath troden underfoot the Son
of Gody and hath coimted the blood of the
CovenaJity wherewith he was fanSlifiedy an
unholy things and hath done defpite unto the
Spirit of Gf^ace ?

SERMON

[65]

wutUBtmnnnnimiiunuumuui

SERMON IV.

Of the Fulnefs of Time in which
Christ appeared.

\F reached on Chrijlntas-Day,']

Gal. iv. 4, 5.

But when the fulnefs of time was conie^
God fent forth his Son made of a woman ^
made under the law ; T^o redeem them
that were under the law^ that we might
receive the adoption of Sons,

T remains, that I proceed now S e r m*
in the 4th and laft place, to ^^;
confidcr the Time of our ^
Saviour's appearing iu the
fle(h ; When the fulnefs of
time was come. Now here, By the fulnefs
Vol, V. F of

66 Of the Fulnefs of T^ime

Se R M. of timCy we muft underftand fbaf time*
^^' which God in his infinite Wifdom thought
nt to appoint ; And we may confider it ei-
ther with refpeft to God's Fore-determina-
tion ; and then it was therefore the fuhiefs
of time^ bccaufe determined and fore-ap-
pointed of God ; or we may confider it
abfolutely as the fitteft and moft proper
feafon ; and then it was fore-appointed by
the Wifdom of God, becaufe it was in it-
felf the fulnefs of time, if ; We may
confider it with refped to God's Fore-de-
termination ; and then it was therefore
the Fulnefs of time, becaufe determined
and foretold by the prophets.

According to that antient predic-
tion of ^^f^^; Go72.xYix. 10; theMeffiah
was to appear before the total diflblution
of the fewifj Government. Thefcepter
(Jmll not depart from yudah^ nor a law-
giver fro?n between his feet^ till Shiloh
come J and unto him fall the gathering of
the people be. By the word Shiloh^ the
antient Jewif interpreters conflantly un-
derftood the MefTiah; and the Jews at
this day are not able to Interpret it to any
other tolerable Senfe : Now it is certain,
that after our Saviour's Coming ; as foon

as

in which Clirift appeared. 67

as the gathering of the people, ( or as the S e r ^f,
word may no lefs properly be rendered, the ^.^^
obedience of the people) was come in to
him ; viz, as foon as he had fettled that
iriflitution of Religion, which he came
into the World to eftablifli j Jerufaleni
ivas deftroyed, the whole nation of the
yews difperfed, and fcattered among all
people ; and the conftitution of their go-
vernment entirely difTolved. Our Saviour
therefore did appear exadlly at that period
of Time, which the Prophecy of Jacob
had fo many ages before exprefsly deter-
mined. Again -, the Prophecy of Mala-
cbi ', ch. iii. i ; determines the Coming
of our Saviour to be before the dellruc-
tion of the Second Temple ; . Bebo/d I will
fend my mejfenger^ ajid hefiall prepare my
way before me^ and the Lord whom ye feek
fhall fuddenly come^ he ftjall fuddenly come
to his temple ; even the mefjmger of the co-
venant^ whom ye delight in^ behold he foall
come^ faith the Lord of hojis. And That no
lefs remarkable prediction of Ha^gai ;
ch. ii. ver. 6, 7, and 9 ; 'Ithus faith the
Lord of hojis^ Tet once it is a little while
and I will pjake the heavens and the earthy
Vol. V. F 2 and

68 Of the Fulnefs of Time

S E R M. a7id the fed and the dry land ; And I will
^ ^ • Ojake all 7iations. and the defire of all na-
tionsfiall come^ and I will i^ This houfe
with glory\ faith the Lord of hofls ; T!he
glory of this latter houfe fhall be greater
than of the former ; and in this place will
1 give peace. The folemn and fuhlime
introdii3ion with which this prophecy is
ufhered in, fliows plainly that fomething
of very great moment is therein foretold
and promifed ; And the Words of the Pre-
didlion itfelf fufficiently intimate, when
and in whom they were to be fulfilled.

T^he defirc, or (as the w^ord may more
properly be rendered,) the expec5lation of
all nations ; is a clear and undifputed
character of the Meffiah : And as to the
filing That Hoife with greater Glory tha?i
the former, it is well known that That Se-
cond Temple was very far from equal-
ling the Glory of Solomon's, in the mag-
nificence of its Building, or in its rich or-
72anients : And befides the fews thcm-
felves confefs, that the Second Temple
always wanted thofe five things, which
were juftly efteemed the great Glory and
Excellence of the firft. It wanted the

JJrini

in which Cliri/l appeared. 69

TJrim and ^hummin. the Ark of the Cove- S e r m,

• TV

nant^ the Fire from heaven which burnt ^^,.^^1^
continually on the Altar ^ the Sheciiiah or
vijible appearance of the glory of God^
and the Spirit of Prophecy. It remains
therefore that the Glory wherein this Se-
cond Temple was to exceed the Firft,
covild be no other than This , that it was
to be honoured with the Prefence of
the Kifig of Glory, even the promifed Mef
fias ; Which would indeed be a izr great-
er Glory, than all the riches of Solo?nons
Temple. Accordingly our Saviour did
appear, during the ftanding of that Se-
cond Temple ^ he was prefented therein
by his parents, and acknowledged by «S/-
meon and Anna, who praifed God for him,
and fpoke of him to all thofe that looked
for redemption in Ifrael -, He alfo fre-
quently Taught therein, and by his Gra-
cious prefence filled that houfe with glo--
ry ', with the Glory, as of the only-begot-
ten Son of God, full of Grace and
Truth ; with the Glory of God, manifeft^
ed in the moft illuftrious miracles ; with
the glorious DoBrine of Peace and Salva-
pon, of Grace, Righteoufnefs, and Truth.
F 3 And

7o Of the Fulnefs of Time

S E R M. x\nd to demonftrate that this prophecy
^^* was fulfilled in him^ and could not pof-
fibly belong to any other, God, in his
righteous judgment, not many years after
our Saviour's Paffion, fuffered this Tem-
ple, at the final deftru6lion of the City
and People, to be fo utterly overthrown
and deftroyed, that 72ot one Ji one was left
upon another^ nor could it ever by any in-
duftry be built again. Lajily\ That moft
clear prophecy oi Daniel-, ch. ix. ver. 24;
Seventy weeks are determined upon thy peo-
ple, and upon the holy city, to finifo the
tranfgrejjion, and to make an end of Jins,
and to ?nake reconciliation for iniquity,
and to bring in everlajling 7'ighteoufnefs,
and to anoint the mojl Holy -, (who in the
next verfe is called hy name, Meffiah the
Prince;) This prophecy, I ixj, deter-
mines the time from the rebuilding of the
city after the captivity to the coming of
the Meffias, to be feven times Seventy,
'-oiz. Four hundred and ninety years : Ex-
adly after which period of time, (the
different computations of Chronologers in
this point, being but fmall Niceties 3) ex-
actly, I fay, after this period of time, the

Hiftory

in which Chrift appeared. 7 1

Hiftory of our Saviour fliows us that he ap- S e r m.
peared in the World. It is evident there- ^^^.^A^
fore that the incarnation of Chrift was in
thefidnefsoftime-y that is,exadly at the time
foretold and fore-determined by the Pro-
phets. Andi indeed thefe Prophecies v^ere fo
plain, that about the time of our Lord's
appearance, the Jews, and from them
the Roma7is, and all the Eaftern parts of
the World, were in great expedation of
fome extraordinary perfon to arife, who
fhould be Governour of the World. This
made Herod fo inqulfitive and follicitous,
about him that was born Jiing of the yews ;
St Mat, ii. 2 : And this gave occafion to
the impoftors, 'Theudas and Judas of Ga-
lilee ^ ( of whom we read ; Acfs v. 36.)
.to profefs themfelves to be fome great
perfons, and to draw away much people
after them. Thtjews were at that Time
filed with expedation of the appearance
of their promifed Meffiah ; and from
thence thefe Deceivers took occafion to
fet up for themfelves -, But as they mana-
ged their impofture in Such manner, as
to fuit with the prejudices and falfe noti-
ons the Jews had then conceived of their
F 4 expeded

7 2 Of the Fulnejs of T'ime

S E R M. expeded Meffiah, fo they a6led diredly
J^^^- contrary to his TV//^ charader ; and their

^■^''"^^"*^ defigns came accordingly to a deferved end.
But 2dlyj Though it be evident that
our Saviour came into the World in the
fulnejs of time, viz, at the time foretold
by the prophets, yet the queftion may ftill
return, why was That time determined
rather than any other, and accordingly
foretold by the Prophets; for, without
doubt, it was in itfelf abfolutely the fittefl
and tlie propereft feafon ; and the Incar-
nation of our Lord was therefore by the
Prophets fixed beforehand to that time, be-
caufe it was the full, or moft proper Sea-r-
fon. And to This queftion it might be
fufficient to anfwer, that the time of our
Saviour's incarnation, as all Other times
^nd feafons which the Father has put in his
own power, was therefore the fitteft, and
the propereft feafon, becaufe it was the time
chofcn by the infinite and unerring Wif-
dom of God: But yet it cannot be deni-
ed to be an argument worthy our confide-
ration, to enquire into the reafons of our
Saviour's Coming into the World at fuch
a particular time rather than any other,

fo

in which Chrift appeared. 73

fo far as the hiftory of the Scripture^ S e r m.

which is what God has thought fit to

open to us of his Divine Counfel ; and fo
far as the dejjg?i itfelf of our Lord s co-
ming, will fuggeft to us. -Now Two
reafons there feem to have been more ef-
pecially, of our Saviour's appearing at
That time : The firft is, becaufe the in-
fufficiency of the Jewijh difpenfation,
as well as of natural religion, was then,
after a long trial, become fufficiently ap-
parent : Apparent ; not to God^ who
knows all things at Once, and makes ac-
cordingly Provifion for all things from
the Beginning ; and who is able to judge
all men with juftice and equity, accord-
ing to their refpedive Circumftances un-
der Every Difpenfation : but to Me72, to
whom the Counfel of God is opened by
degrees, and by the Events of things ;
to T'hemy the infufficiency of the JewiJJj
Difpenfation was by that Time become
apparent. What the law could not do^
faith St Paidy in That it was %veak through
the fiejh^ God fending his own Son in the
likenefs of finfiil flefi^ and for Sin coji-
deinnedfm in thcflejh 5 Rom. viii. 3. And

in

74 ^f i^^ Fulnefs of Time

S E R M. hi the Epiille to the Hebrews, the fame
^^' Apoftle all along infifts on the inftifficiency
^'^^^^^^ of the yewijh inftitution, as an Argument
to demonftrate the necejjity of introdu-
cing the Chrijlian : For if that firjl co-
'venant, faith he, had been faultlefs, then
fiotdd no place have been fought for thefe-
cond -y Heb. viii. 7 : and ch. vii. ver. 18 ;
There is verily a difannuUing of the com"
mandment going before, for the weaknefs
and iinprofitablenefs thereof In the old
World, when men had entirely corrupted
themfelves, and almoft wholly loft that
natural and traditional Knowledge of
God, which was at firft the foundation
of their Religion, and the rule of their
Jives 5 God began to reveal himfelf to
Abraham and the Patriarchs ; and chofe
their Pofterity to give them afterwards
his Laws by Mofes, and to make them the
Standard of true Religion, and of the
Worfliip of the One God, to all Nations.
Again, when this new Difpenfation of
Providence began likewife to grow inef-
fedual as the former had done, through
the Vanity and Superftition wherewith it
was by degrees over-run , When the com-
mandments

in which Chrift appeared. 75

mandments of God were almoft wholly S e -. u.
fwallowed up by the traditions of Men, ^^^
and the weightier matters of the law
forced to give place to the fuperftitious
docftrines of the Scribes and Fharifces -^
then was the time for him to appear, who,
as the prophet Malacbi defcribes him, 'wai
to be like a refiner s Jire^ and like fullers
foap ; who was to fit as a refiner and pu-
rifier of filver^ and to purify the Jons of
Levi, a72d purge them as gold and fiver ^
that they might offer unto the Lord an offer-
ing in right eoufnefs 'y Mai. iii. 3.

2dly ', The Second reafon, why we may
fuppofe our Saviour appeared juft at the
time he did, was becaufe the World was
at that time by many extraordiary cir-
cumflances, peculiarly prepared for his
reception. The great defign of his Co-
ming, (we know,) was to eftablifh a Re-
ligion, which as it was to continue for
ever without any further alteration, fo it
v/as not (like the Jewifij difpenfation ) to
be confined to one particular Nation or
People, but to ht preached to all the na-
tions of the earth from one end thereof un-
to the other : His Dominion fhall be alfo

from

Ar

/

76 Of the Fulnefs of Time

S E R M.from the one Sea to the other, and from the
^^' Flood unto the World's end : All Kin^s
fiall fall down before hiniy all nations
fnall do hi?n Service ; Pf. Ixxii. 8, 11.
The Gofpel of Chrift, was to be an uni-
verfal Religion ; a light to lighten the Gen-
tiles, as well as to be the glory of his peo-
ple Ifrael \ According to that remarka-
ble prophecy of Ifaiahy ch. xlix. ver. 6;
It is a light thing, that thou fl:ould be
my fervant to raife up the tribes of Jacoby
and to refore the preferred of Ifrael ; /
will alfo give thee for a light to the Gen-
tiles, that thou may eft be my falvation un-
to, the ends of the earth. Now about the
time of our Saviour's Birth, it is obferva-
ble there was a concurrence of many
things in the World, to promote and fur-
ther the propagating of Such a Religion.
The Romans had then conquered almoft
all the known parts of the World; they
had fpread and fettled their language a-
mong all the nations of their conquefts,
and had made the communication eafy
from one part to another. They had
moreover improved moral Philofophy to
its greateft height ; and by having framed

better

in which Chrift appeared. 77

better notions of God and of the nature of S e r m,
things, than were ufual in the idolatrous ,^..^1.
Heathen World, they were in fome mea-
fure prepared for the Reception of the
Truth. This appears plainly from the
vaft numbers of Profelytes^ which were
about this time converted to the Jewifi
Religion -, fo far converted, as to believe
in and woriliip the One only true God,
and to obey the moral Law, yet with-
out obferving the ritual and ceremonial
performances of the Mofaick inftitution.
Thefe Profelytes are they which in the
Hiftory of the Acis of the ApofJes are
ftiled devout men^ "worflnppers of God^ and
men fearing God -, Of v/hom how great
numbers there were at That time, may be
{t&n in the 2d chapter of the ABs-y ver. 5,
&c. where it is faid that thei'-e were dwell-
ing at yerufalem devout ?ne?i out of every
nation under heaven ; Parthia?!^^ and
MedeSy and Elamites^ and the dwellers in
Mefopotamia^ and in Judea^ and Cappa-
docia^ in Pofitus, and Afia, Phrygia^ and
Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of
Libya^ about Cyrene, and jlrangers of
RomCy jews and prcflytes^ Cretes afid

Arabians^

78 Of the Fuhefs of T'ime

S E R r.i. rabia?2S^ we do hear them /peak in our
^^' tongues the wonderful works of God-

^-^"^^^^^^"^ Further j the great improvement and in-
creafe of Learning in the World about
this time, (according to that prophecy of
Daniel^ Many floall 7'un to and fro^ and
knowledge fdall he increafed \ ) gave occa-
fion to the Jewijlj books to be difper-
fed through the World : And particu-
larly, the tranflating of the Bible fome
few Ages before the Birth of Chrift, in-
to one of the then moft known and
univerial languages upon Earth, which
had before been confined in a peculiar
language to the Jews only ; v^as a Angu-
lar preparative to the reception of that
great Prophet and Saviour of mankind,
whofe Coming w^as in that Book fo plain-
ly and fo often foretold. Indeed this
feems to have been the firft ftep of God's
difcovering himfelf further than by the
Light of Nature to other nations as well
as to the Jews, and of his giving the
heathen alfo the knowledge of his revealed
laws ; And remarkably inftrumental it af-
ti^rwards appeared to be, in the propa-
gating

i7t which Clirift appeared. 79

gating the Chriftian religion through the S e r m.
Gentile World. sj^^

B u T I barely mention thefe things, as
only brief intimations to inquifitive and
confiderate perfons ; and haften in the
laft place, to draw fome more univerfally
ufeful and practical inferences, from the
particulars of the dodtrine contained in
the Text. And ly?, If our Saviour came
into the World precifely at the time de-
termined and foretold by the prophets ;
then have we from hence an unanfwera-
ble proof of our Saviour's being the
true Meffiah. For if our Lord appeared
exadly at that time, which God by his
Holy prophets had before appointed
fhould be the time when the promifed
Meffias, the defire and expectation of na-
tions, was to appear ; and no other per-
fon did arife near that time, to whom
that Charader could poffibly belong -,
then have we an undeniable evidence that
our Saviour was that Perfon, whom the
prophets did point at and defcribe. And
this evidence is fo convidive and unan-
fwerable, that the ^ews at this day have
no other way to elude the force of it, but

by

So Of the Fulnefs of Tim^

Se R M.bv pretending that though God had in-
^^' deed foretold pofitively by his Prophets

^^^"^^"^ that the Meffias fhould appear about that
time, yet for the Sins of that nation he
has deferred the fending of the Mefliah,
and xht fulfilling of thofe prophecies, for
above Seventeen hundred years. But
there are moreover two peculiar circum-
ftances, which make this argument yet
more ftrong and concluding ; xh^firfi Is,
that as our Saviour appeared exadly at
the time determined by the prophets, fo
his chamber agreed perfectly with all the
defer iptions, which the prophecies had
given of T'bat perfon, whofe Coming was
foretold. I need not enlarge upon This
particularly ; the Evangelifts having in
their gofpels, with all clearnefs and evi-
dence, applied to the Hiftory of our Sa-
viour all the feveral paflages of the pro-
phets,, which fpeak of the time and place
of the birth of the MelHah ; the majiner
of his education \ the courfe of his life ;
the nature and extent of his doctrine ; the
peculiar cir cum fiances of his paffion and
death ; and That moft remarkable in-
ftance of the divine power, his Refurrcc-

tion

in which Chrift appeared. 8t

tion from the Dead. The Other obferva- S e r m«
ble circumflance is, that as the character i^J.,^
of our Saviour was exacftly agreeable to
the prophets defcription of the true
Mefliah, fo it was very different from^
and almoft contrary to, the charaSler of
that imaginary Meffiah whom the Jewi
expefted. And This particular Circum-
flance, is a dcmonftration that our Sa-
viour had no defign of impofing upon the
people. The Jews expected a temporal
Prince, to appear in all the Splendour,
glory and power of this world ; to deliver
them from their Subjedlion to the Ro?nan
yoke, and to reftore again the kingdom
to IfraeL 'Tis manifeft therefore that
whatever Deceiver would have fet up
himfelf for the Meffiah, and hoped to be .
owned as fuch by the people of the Jews^
muft have indeavoured to have appeared
in fuch a Charafter, as the Jent^s ex-
pecSed; he muft have blown the trumpet
to fedition, and by gathering men after
him, have indeavoured to make himfelf
their Prince and King : And in Fadt, this
method we find thofe impoftors did take,
whofe Attempts are mentioned^ A^s v. 36*
V o L. V. G But

82 Of the Fuhefs of Time

S E R M. But our Saviour^ diredlly contrary to the
^^- expeftation of the Jews^ was a man,
^^ with refpeft to all worldly grandour, of
no form or comlinefs ; a man of Sorrows
and acquainted with grief; a perfon of
feemingly mean extraction, and of grea-
ter humility : So that when fome of the
multitude would by force have made him
a King, he was content even to work a
Miracle, to efcape out of their hands.
'Tis manifeft therefore that he had no
ambition, to exalt himfelf among the
people. Now when in fuch a perfon,
whofe charafter was entirely contrary to
the humour and expecftation of the people,
it appeared yet manifeflly, that in Him
was really fulfilled every thing, that was
fpoken in the law and in the prophets
concerning the Meflias that was to come ;
it is no lefs than a demonftration that this
was the very perfon, to whom thofe pro-
phecies did exprefsly point. 2.dly\ If our
Saviour, (the perfon fent into the world
to be the Author of our Religion,) was,
notwithftanding his taking upon him that
humble Form, yet in reality no meaner
a Perfon than the only begotten Son of

God J

in which Chrifl: appeared. 83

God ; this may convince us of the divine S e r m.
Authority of our Religion, and the indifpen- ^ V-
fable neceffity of paying Obedience to its ^'"^^^^'^
laws. The Natural knowledge of the diffe-
rence of Good and Evil, which even the
heathen World was capable of attaining,
was truly and properly a Difcovery of the
Will of God ; But becaufe this difcovery
was very obfcure, and very hardly fuffici-
cnt to prevail over the corruptions of
Mens depraved Nature ; therefore the
times of that ignorance God winked at ;
Acfts xvii. 30 : But now that the wrath of
God is clearly and exprefsly, and by a
meflenger of fuch Dignity as his own
Son, revealed from heaven againft all
ungodlinefs and iinrighteoufnefs of men •
now that he hath fully and diftindly de-
clared that he hath appointed a day in the
which he will judge the world in right eouf
nefs by that man whom he hath ordained ;
Now he commandeth all men abfolutely^
every where to repent. God hath now fent
his la/i meffenger to warn Men of their
fin and danger ; even his own beloved
Son ; and if they will not hear and obey
bim^ they muft exped: to fall under fo
V o L. V. G 2 much

§4 Of the Fulnefs of Time

S E R M. much a more fevere puniflimenr, as they
^^ • defpife a clearer Revelation of the Will of

^^^^*^ God, and trample under foot a more glo-
rious Mejj'cnger of his covenant. If the
ivordfpoken by Angels, faith the Apoftle ;
if the Mofaick law, was jledfajl ; and
every tranfgrefjion and dtfobedience receiv-
ed ajuji recompence of reward-. How Jhall
we efcape^ if we negle£i fo great falvati--
on^ which at the frjt began to be fpoken
by the Lord ; Heb. ii. 2 and 3 ? And ch.
xii. ver. 25 ; See that ye refufe not him
that fpeaketh ; For if They efcaped not^
who rcfifed him that fpake on earth ; much
more fiall not We efcape^ if we turn a*
way from him that fpeaketh from heaven.
And again, in the Epiftle of St Jude ;
the danger of impenitent Chriftians under
fuch clear means of Knowledge is repre-
fen ted by the Apoftle under this fevere
fimilitude, ver. 5 and 6 ; I will therefore

put you in remembrance^ that the An-

gels which kept 7iot their firfl ejlate^ but
left their own habit ation^ he has referved
in everlajling chains under Darknefs^ unto
the judge?nent of the great Day.

Zdly.lT

in which Chrift appeared. 85

3^/)', I F this Divine per/on^ the Au-S e r m.
thor of our religion, notwithftanding the ^^*
exceeding dignity of his nature, yet con- ^^-^"^^^^^
defcended to become truly and really a
man y fubjefting himfelf to all the infir-
mities of human nature, aftd being in all
things made like unto his brethren, Jin on-
ly excepted ; This may convince us of the
reafonablenefs of our Holy Religion j
and of the poffibility of our paying obe-
dience to its laws. Had God fent his
Son in great Glory , and in the Form of
Gody to reveal his Will to us by his abfo-
lute command only ; fuch an extraordinary
Revelation, like the Mountain that burn-
ed with Fire, would indeed have fufRci-
ently convinced us of the neceffity of Re-
ligion and the indifpenfablenefs of obedi-
ence. But when this great perfon vouch-
fafed to become, not only the Author of
our Religion , but in our own nature
the pattern alfo of our duty ; this demon-
ftrated to us, that our Obedience was to
be as reafonable, as it was indifpenfable.
For by this means we have a perfect and
familiar example of Holinefs and Obedi-
ence fet before us j by which we plainly
G 3 fce^

86 Of the Fulnefs of Time^ Sec.

S E R M. f«e, that God requires nothing of us, but
^^' what our Saviour himfelf, when he fubmit-

^"^^^f^ ted to become Man, did think reafonable
to pradlife. Indeed , we cannot be in
all things perfedl, as he, who is our pat-
tern and example, was perfeft : But to
follow a moft perfeft Pattern, is, even tQ
an imperfed: Copier, a fingular Advan-
tage ; and our Duty, is not to equals but
to imitate fo far, as the infirmities of our
nature will permit , with Sincerity and
Conftancy. We fhall in our proportion,
be made as like him in our happinejs as
we have been in the performance of our
duty.

SERMON

[ 8?]

SERMON V.

Of the meaning of, The Name
of G O D.

[Preached o?i Epipha?iy.^^

Mal. i. II.

For from the rijing of the Stin^ even wito
the going down of the fame, my Na?ne
fjall be great among the Gentiles-, and
in every place, Incenfe fiall be offered
unto my Name, and a pure Offering ;
for my Na?7ie jl^all be Great ayjtong the
Heathen, faith the Lord of Hofls.

N dlfcourfing upon thefe S e r m.
words of the Prophet, I {hall ^*
\fl explain diftindly the prin- ^^^^^^
cipal acceptations, or the moil
remarkable of thofe feveral
different Senfes, in which this Phrafe, the
G 4 Name

8 8 Of the meaning of

S E R M. Name of God, is ufed in Scripture ; From
^' whence in courfe will appear, what is

^"^^^^^ meant in general by its being Great a«
mong Men, And This being explained,
I fliall then in the 2^ place, confider. What
That glorious Event in particular is,
which we find predidted in thefe fublime
prophetick Expreflions : From the rifmg
of the Sun, even unto the going down of
the fame, my Name Jhall be Great among
the Gentiles -, and in every place, Incenfe
fiall be offered unto my Name, and a pure
Offering, faith the Lord of Hofls,

I. I N the ijl place, the Name of God,
according to the nature of the fewifh
language, fignifies fometimes God himfelf
Thus, praifrng or blefjing the Name of
God, is praifing God himfelf -, and calling
upon the Name of the Lord, is the very
f^me, as calling upon the Lord, Some-
thing anfwerable to which manner of
fpeaking, there is in many other inftances
of the Hebrew language, and in the Ana--
logy of exprefjion in all languages. Thus
Heb. viii. i ) The Throne of the Majefty in
the heavens, is, the Throne of God : And
P/; gxlv. 55/ will f peak of the glorious.

Honour

T'he Nameof GOD. 89

Honour of thy Majefty, and of thy won-- S ,e r m.
droits works y

Now when the Name of God, or any ^-'^'^
other phrafe of the like nature, is thus
made ufe of to fignify God himfelf -y it is
plain that by his Name being Great among
Men, is meant Their acknowledging or
profefling him to be the True God, and
their Adhering to the Worfhip of Him
only, in oppoiition to all Idolatry and
Falfe Religions. Mic. iv. 5 5 All people
will walk every one in the Name of His
God \ and We will walk in the Name of
the Lord our God for ever and ever : Will
walk in his Name, that is, we will con-
tinue ftedfafl: in his True Religion and
Worfhip ; fanBifying the Lord God in our
Hearts^ (as St Feter expreffes it,) and not
being afraid of Their Terrour^ not fearing
Their Falfe Gods, who fill the Minds of
their Worfhippers with endlefs Dread,
and vain imaginary Superftitions. Ac-
cording to the fame Analogy of Speech ;
That Precept in the Law, Thou (halt not
profane the Name of thy God, is as much
as to fay, Thou fhalt not incourage Ido-
latrous PraQices, by letting thy children

go Of the niea7it72g of

S £ R M. pafs through the Fire to Moloch j Lev. xviii.
• 2 1. And in the Pfalmift's expreffion,
forgetting the Name of God^ means, for
the fame reafon, falling into Idolatry :
PfxUv. 20; If we have forgotten the
Name of our God, or f retched out our
hands to any Strange God. Nay, even,
mentioning the Name of other Gods, de-
notes, in Scripture-phrafe, a tendency to
Idolatry ; In all things that I have faid
unto you , be circianfpeB , a?id make 7io
mention of the Names of Other Gods^ nei-
ther let it be heard out of thy Mouth -, Ex-
od. xxiii. 13.

T H I s is the firft and moft ufual Signi-
fication of this phrafe, The Na?ne of God;
"Tis ufed to denote God himfelf And be-
caufe his Name, in This fenfe, is Then
Great among Men, when they moft uni-.
verfally acknowledge him to be the True
God, and adhere to the Worfhip of Him
only ', hence, in a fenfe ftill more figura-
tive, the Name of God is fometimes ufed,

2d/y, T o fignify his True Religion aftd
Worflrip. Thus Deut, xii. 5 ; The place
which the Lord your God Jhall chufe out
of all your Tribes^ to put his Name there.

The

T'he Name of GO D. 91

The Meaning: is : The Place where he S e r m,
fliall appoint his Servants, the ProfeiTors
of the true Religion, to appear before him
with the External Tokens of their Ho^
mage and Worfliip. And m T'his fenfe,
the Name of God is then Great m
the World ; when they who profefs his
True Religion, and adhere to the Wor-
ihip of Him alone, and to That manner
of Worfliip which He has appointed, do
Honour to this their profeffion, by a
fuitable pradlice in the whole courfe of
their lives ; fliowing forth the Eifed of
their Religion, in the Fruits of Righte-
oufnefs and true Virtue ; and letting their
Light Jbjlnne before me7i^ that Others fee-
ing their good Works^ may glorify their
Father which is in Heaven, The Apoftle
St Paul^ in his 2 T'hef i. 12, ufes exadlly
the fame manner of fpeaking ; We pray
always for you^ fays he, that our God
would fulfil all the good pleafure of his
goodiiefsy and the work of Faith with Pow-
er ; 'T'hat the Name of our Lord Jefus
Chrif may be glorified in you : His Mean-
ing is, that the Religion of our Lord Je-
fus Chrifl may by your Pradlce be re-
commended

92 of the meaning ofy

Se KM, commended to the World, and the excel-
^' lency of it made manifeft before Men.

^^^^ Again, Rom, ii. 245 fpeaking of Such as,
on the contrary, difcredited their Holy
Profeffion by an unfuitable and unworthy
behaviour ; l^hou (fays he) that make fl thy
Boajl of the Law, through breaking the
Law dip^omurejl thou God ? For the Name
of God is blajphemed among the Gent He $y
through you. The Name of God, that is,
the Religion and true Worjhip of God, is
reviled and ill fpoken of among Infidels^
upon account of the ill lives of its un-
worthy Profeflbrs.

3^/y, I N other places of Scripture, this
phrafe, The Name of God, is made ufe of
to exprefs thofe adorable Perfediions or
Attributes, which are as it were the pro-*
per Denomination and Character of the
divine Nature. Thus Exod, xxxiv. 5 ; The
Lord defcended in the cloud, and fiood there
with Mofes, and proclaimed the Name of
the Lord : The Lord paffed by before him^
and proclaimed -, The Lord, the Lord God^
merciful and gracious, long-fuffering and
abundant in goodnefs and truth : Keeping
mercy for thoufands, forgiving iniquity and

tranf-

Ihe Name of GOD. 93

tranfgrejfion and Siriy and that will by «o S e r m.
means clear the guilty : vifiting the ini^ ^'
quity of the Fathers upon the children^ and ^^^^^'^^
upon the childrens children^ unto the third
and to the fourth generation. Here the
Name of God, fignifies the Characfter or
Defcription of God, contained in a fum-
mary recapitulation of the Divine Perfe-
Bions in general. The Same, at other^
times, denotes more diftindlly {omc fpe-
cial and particular Attribute, to which
the occalion peculiarly refers. Thus Pf. .
XX. 2 J Tlfe^Name, (that is, the Power, )^
the God of Jacob defend thee. And Pf ix.
10 ; "They that know thy Name, (that is,
whohaveajuft Notion of thy Veracity
and Goodnefs,) will put their "Trujl in
Thee.

A N D in T[*hefe fenfes of the phrafe, the
Name of God is then truly Great among
Men, when, having juft and worthy No-
tions of the Divine Perfeftions, and living
under the continual influence of thefe im-
preffions upon their Minds, they Ihow in
their whole Behaviour that they really and
habitually fear bis Power, admire his
Wifdom^ revere his Jujlice, love his Good^

nefsy

94 '^f ^^^ meanmg of^

S E R M. fiefs ^ and rely upon his 'Truth : In all their
^' Words and Actions, acknowledo-ins; Him
to be the only Potentate -, Him, only Holy ;
Him, only Wife ; and that, abfolutely and
itriftiy fpeaking, there is none Good, but
One^ that is God,

4.thly, There is ftill another fcnfe of
the phrafe ; in which the Name of God
fignifies in Scripture the Authority of God,
or his divine Comniijjion, Thus E^xod,
xxii. 20 ; Behold^ I fend an Angel before
. thee 'j Beware of Imn^ and obey his Voice y
provoke him not ; For my Name ( that is^
my Authority J is in him. Again, jfoh. v.
43 ; / a?n come^ fays our Saviour, in my
Father s Name, that is, with his Divine
Commifjion, In like manner the Apoftles,
when they were examined before the
High-Priert concerning their having heal-
ed a lame man ; A5ls iv. 7 ; By ^vohat Pow-
er^ or by what Name have ye done This ?
immediately they replied. By the Name
of Jefus Chrifi of Nazareth^ whom Te
crucified, whom God raifedfrom the deadly
even by Him ( by Flis Name and Power ^
by bis Authority and Commifjion delivered

to

'.yv^j

"The Name of GOD. 95

to Us ) do€i this man fiand here before you S e r m.
Whole, ^•

And according to T^hh laft fenfe of
the phrafe, the Name of God muft be the^t
underftood to be Great among Men, when
a juft Regard and cheerful Obedience is
paid to whatever appears vefted with His
Authority : When the Laws of Nature
are obeyed, as being eftabliilied by his
Supreme Authority in the Creation of
things ; And the Precepts of the Gofpel
likewife, as being by Revelation authori-
zed from the Same Supreme Power.

And Thus having at large explained
the principal Acceptations, or the mod
remarkable of thofe feveral different Senfes,
in which this phrafe, l^he Name of God^
is ufed in Scripture 5 and what accord-
ingly is meant in general by its being
Great : It remains in the

11. id place, that I proceed to con-
fider, ijohat that glorious Event in parti-
cular is, which we find predicted in thefe
fublime Prophetick Expreflions : Frojn the
^ifng of the Sun^ even unto the going down
of the fame^ 77iy Name fiall be great a-
mong the Gentiles j And in every place^

Incenfe

g6 Of the meaning ofy

S E R M. Incenfe Jhall be offered unto my Na?n^^
^^,^1^ ^^^ ^ pur^ Offering ; For my JSIame J}:all
be great among the Heathen^ faith the
Lord of Hofis. Now in this predidlion
there is evidently contained, i/?, Some-
thing comminatory^ or by way of Threat^
ning^ with regard to the Jews ; And,
2^/y, a particular Promife in relation to
the Gentiles ; joined with a general Decla-
ration concerning the State and Condition
of the Univerfal Church in the future and
latter Ages of the World.

I/?, With regard to the jews^ there
is contained in the Text, Something Com-
minatory^ or in the way of Threatning ;
as is evident from the Coniiexion of the
words. For xho, former fart of the chap-
ter, is a fevere expoftulation with That
people, upon account of their unworthy
behaviour in the Service of God : And
this Complaint againft the Jews^ is im-
mediately followed with God's declaring
in the Text, that his Name fliould be
Great among the Gentiles, The Advan-
tages which the fewijl? Nation enjoyed,
were very extraordinary ; in that to Them
were committed the Oracles of God. He

f}:owed

the Name of GOD. 97

■floowed his Word unto Jacob, hh Statutes S e r m,
and Ordinances unto IJrael', He had ^^^ ,^-.^1,
dealt fo with any Other Nation, neither
had the Heathen Knowledge of his Laws,
Anfwerable to thefe high privileges, it
was reafonable to exped:, that their im-
provements in Virtue and all Holinefs,
(hould have been proportionably Great :
For to whom much is given, of Him, ac-
cording to the Rule of Equity, will be
much required. But fo contrary to this
expectation was the Behaviour of That
people^ that with a juft Severity God
complains of them by the Prophets, ver. 6.
of this chapter 5 If I be a Father, where
is mine Honour ^ If I be a Majier, where

is my Fear? If ye offer the blind for

Sacrifice, is it not evil ? and if ye offer the

lame and fick, is it not evil? 1 have

no pleafure in you, faith the Lord of Hojis,
neither will I accept an Offering at your
hands. And then it follows in the words
of the Text, For from the rifing of the
Sun, even unto the going down of the fame ^
my Name Jhall be great among the Gen-
tiles. The Threatning contained in This
V o L. V. H expoftu-

98 Of the meaning of

S E R M. expoftulation, is exacftly the fame with
• that of our Saviour in the Gofpel ; T^he
Kifjgdom of God Jhall be taken from you^
and given to a Nation bringing forth the
Fruits thereof The Accomplifhment of
which Threatning upon the people of the
yews^ both for the unparallelled manner
of its execution, and for the unexampled
length of the time of its continuance, has
been fo confpicuous 5 that now, near feven-
t^'^VL hundred years after the deftrudlion of
yerufaleniy they remain at this very day
a living and ocular demonftration of the
Truth of all the antient Prophecies which
concern their State. But

2dly'y The Text contains a particulaf

Promife in relation to the Gentiles -, joined

with a general Declaration concerning the

State and Condition of the Univerfal Church

an the future and latter Ages of the World :

In every place , Incenfe Jloall be offered unto

my Name, and a pure Offering-, For m^

Name fmll be Great among the Heathen^

faith the Lord of Hojls, Notwithftanding

That ftrong and fettled Prejudice among

the JewSy of which we find great Re-

I mains

The Name of GO D. 99

mains even among our Saviour's own Dif- S e r m.
ciples, that That Nation v^as always to '^*
be the Alone peculiar people of God ;
yet we find in the Prophecies of the Old
Teftament many very clear intimations,
like This in the Text, that, in the days
of the Mefliah, the Favour of God fhould
be extended to the Gentiles, and his Know-
ledge fpread among the Nations of the
Earth ; 7/^ Ix. 3 ; I'he Gentiles Jhall come
to thy Light, and Kings to the irightnefs
of thy Rijing : And ch. xlix. 6 ; It is a
light thing that thou floouldejl be my Ser-
njant to raife up the 'Tribes of Jacob, a?id
to rejiore the preferved of Ifrael ; / "will
alfo give thee for a Light to the Gentiles,
that thou may eft be my Salvation unto the
Ends of the Earth. Thefe Prophecies
plainly began to be fulfilled, at the time
when the Apoflles were commanded to
prgj.ch the Gofpei to the Gentiles as v/ell
as to the Jews -, and the full accompli//j'
went of them will then take place, when
the fame everlafting Gofpei ihall either
effedually prevail, or at leaft fcall have
been preached and tendered in its purity.
Vol. V. Hz among

ICO Of the 7?ieanmg of

S E R M. among all Nations. I?i every place ^ In^
• cenfe Jhall be offered unto my Name, and ct
pure Offering. Incenfe^ (which Is the
Prayers of the Saints-, Rev. v. 8.) and this
phrafe, a pure Offerings are plainly in-
tended to exprefs That fpiritual Religion^
That JVorJhip of the Father in Spirit and
I'ruth according to the Gofpel of Chrifl^
which is oppofed to the carnal Ordinances
and literal Sacrifices of the Je^vs, and of
which thofe Sacrifices and external Pu-
rifications were but Types and Figures.
Hence the Chriftian Worfliip, the Wor-
ihip of God out of a pure hearty and of
a ^ood conjcience^ and of faith imfeigned ;
is elegantly ililed a Spiritual Sacrifice;
I Pet. ii. 5 : the Sacrifice of Praife to God
continually, Heb. xiii. 15: the prefenti?ig
ourfelves a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable
to Godj which is our reafoijable Service-,
Rom. xii. i. The Metaphor is exadj^ of
the fame iort, as That whereby Chrifti-
ans are called "The true circumcifion^ the
•circumcifion made without hands ; as being
^hat in reality, in the true and fpiritual
Effect of which the circumcifion in the

flefi

TJoe Name of GOD. loi

fiePd made with hands was but ql p:adow or S e r m.
figurative Reprefentation. For circiimGi" ^ •
fwjiy fays the x^poftle, Rom. il. 28, is not ^-"'"V"^
Tthaf which is outward in the Jiejh ; but

circumcijion is T^hat of the Hearty in

the Spirit^ and not in the letter ; whofe
praife is not of men^ but of God, The
charaBer therefore of the Cbrijlian Wor-
fhip, fet forth in the Text under the pro-
phetick figures of Incenfe and a Pure
Offerings is, that it confifl:s in what St
Paul calls Liftifig up Holy hands, i Tim.
ii. 8, without Wrath and Doubting \, It
confifl:s in approaching God, not with
the Sacrifices of Beajis, or Oflferings of the
Fruits of the Earth ; but with the oflfer-
ing up of Ourfelves to his Service, in all
holinefs and righteoufnefs of Life ; Ap-
proaching him with Minds duly fenfiblc
of the inexpreflible Excellency of the Di-
vine Majefty, with Hands clear from all
iniquity and unjuft Praftices, with Hearts
free from all Impurity and Moral Turpi-
tude. This is the Pure Offerings truly
acceptable unto God : And This, he fore-
tells by the Prophet, fhall in due time be
H 3 offered

102 Of the meaning of

S E R M. offered unto his Name in ^m try place ^ frofji
^' the rifing of the Siifiy even unto the going
down of the fame ; for my Name JJjall be
great amo7ig the Heathen^ faith the Lord
of Hojis. The Promfe is indeed here
made particularly to the Gentiles: But
from leveral other paflages of Scripture,
parallel to This, there feems reafon to ex-
pert that God's Antient people alfo fliall
be converted, when once the fulnefs of
the Gentiles is come in ; If xlix. 22 ; and,
xi. 12; and Ix. 10 ; ^hus faith the Lord'
God ', Beholdy I will lift up my hand to
the Gentiles^ and fet up my fandard to the
Nations ; and they foall bring thy Sons in
their arms^ and their Daughters fall be-
carried upon their foulders. And he full'
fet up ancnfignfor the Nations^ and ft) all
affhnble the Outcafts of Ifrael^ and gather
together the difperfed of Judah from the
four Coj'7iers of the Earth, And the S^ns
of Strangers ftjall build up thy Walls, and
their Kings pall ?ni?iifer unto thee ; For
iu my wrath I fmote thee^ but in my Fa-^
'■jour have I had tnercy on thee. Our Sa-
viour himfelf predifts fomething of the

fame

The Name of GOD. 103

fame nature ; Luke xxi. 24 , Jeriifalem S e r m.

Jhall be troden down of the Gentiles^ till

the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. And
St Paul feems to intimate the fame thing ;
Rom. xi. 25 ; Blindnefs in part is happened
to Ifrael^ untill the Fulnefs of the Ge?itiles
be come in. After which Great Event,
the Scripture is full of very Sublime
Defcriptions of a State of extraordinary
Happinefs to enfue ; Ifxi* 6; andlx. 18;
^he Wolf alfo Jhall dwell with the Lamb^
and the Leopard Jhall lie down with the

Kid', and a little child fh all lead them.

They Jhall not hurt nor dejlroy in all my

Holy Mountain -, for the Earth Jhall be

full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the

Waters confer the Sea : And thoujhalt

call thy Walls Salvation, and thy Gates

Praije: Thy people alfo Jhall be All

righteous, they Jhall inherit the Land for
ever.

Whatever be the true Meaning of
Thefe and the like Prophecies : Whether
there be a time ftill to come, wherein
they fliall be accomplifhed literally; Or
whether they are intended only to exprefs
H 4 the

104 Of the meaning of

S £ R M. the natural and genuine T/endency of the
^- univerfal and fincere Pradlice of Chri-
ftianity in the prefent World, and the
real Effect which fhall be obtained by it
in the World to come : Whatever, I fay,
be the Itrid: and literal Meaning of thefe
Prophecies ; it becomes not Us to be too
curious and inquifitive after the particu-
lar Times and Sea fans which the Father has
put in his own Power ; But in general^
the Ufes we are to make of all thefe Pre-
diftions, are very obvious. In the

jji place, I T is Our Duty, in our whole
Behaviour and Practice, to promote, as
much as in Us lies, the Knowledge of
God, and the Intereft of True Virtue
and Righteoufnefs amongft Men. This
is contributing Our Part, towards the in-
troducing That happy State and Confti-
tution of things, which is the Accomplifh-
ment of the fore-mentioned Prophecies.
And when we have thus done our Own
Duty, we are then to remember the Ad-
monition of our Saviour, Luke xxi. 19;
Jn your patience pojfejs ye your Souls -, and
j-^ly upon the Providence of God, to ac-'
'"^ \ ■ complifli

Itl^e Name of GOD. 105

/complifli the Great Events v/hich he has S e r m.
promifed, in his own Manner and at his '
own T^ime, In matters of T'hii nature,
which have not a conditional dependence
upon the Behaviour oi Jingle perfons, but
relate to the General Scheme of Provi-
dence in the Government of the World >
In T'hefe things, I fay, the Gifts and Cal-
li?ig of God are without Repentance -y Rom,
xi. 29. The Promifes of God will cer-
tainly be accomplifhed, and his Purpofe
{hall not fail. But becaufe it is not for
Us to know beforehand, the exadl Times
and Seafons which. God has appointed ; the
Duty therefore of every particular Chri-
ftian, whatever be the Circumftances of
Time and Place in which Providence has
fixed him, is to take care that He himfelf
be in the Number of thofe, who, in all
Holy cmiverfation and godlitiefs^ look for^
and hafie unto^ the Coming of the day of God ^
Z Pet. iii. 12.

zdly '^ Another Inference arifing from
the confideration of fuch Predidions as
This in the Text, is, that we may hence
learn to jujlify to ourfelves the various

Methods,

io6 Of the meanmg of

S E R M. Methods, in which the Wifdom of God
'^^' has chofen at divers times to reveal itfelf
to the World. With regard to ftngk
perfo?is, to whom Providence has given
very different Jiatural capacities;^ or dif-
ferent Means and Opportunities of Kno^uo-
ledge^ or different Manners of Kevelation^
the divine Juftice and Equity coniifls in
judging them finally according to their
refpedlive Abilities, accepting every one
according to what he has^ and not accord-
ing to what he has not. With regard to
Whole Nations^ the juftification of the
Divine Wifdom, is his fo doing what he
pleafes v/ith his own, as, through a Suc-
c^Jion of various and great Events, to
accomplifh General De/igns of Mercy and
Goodnefs. Of This, St Paul has given
us an admirable Inftance, in his account
of God's fetting up firft the Nation of
the Jews, and afterwards the Churches
of the Chriftian Gentiles, to be the Stan-
dard of true Religion to the World ; in-
tending to finifli the whole Difpenfation,
by having Mercy upon Both ; Rom. xi,
305 For as ye (Gentiles) in times pajl

ha've

The Na77te of GOD. 107

have not believed God^ yet have Now ob-SERM^
tained Mercy through Their (the Jews) Y^.,^^
Unbelief: Eve?i Jb have Thefe aljb now
not believed^ that through your mercy
They alfo may obtain mercy. For God
hath concluded them All in unbelief that
he might have mercy upon AIL O the
depth of the Riches both of the Wifdom
and Knowledge of God ! How unfearchable
are his Judgments^ and his Ways pajl find-
ing out !

'i^dly and Laftly^ The Lafl Inference
I fliall draw from what has been faid, is
This. In the words before my Text, the
reafon given of God's rejecSing the fews^
is the unworthy manner in which they
had behaved themfelves, while unto them
were committed the Oracles of God. In
the T^ext itfelf the acceptablenefs of the
converted Gentiles unto God, is exprefled
by their offering up unto his Name a
Pure Offering, Which Pure Offerings
denotes the Holinefs and real Purity of
the Gofpel'difpenjation^ in oppofition to
the external Ceremonies of the Jewijh Law..
If therefore We^ under the greater Light

of

io8 Of the 7neaning of &c.

S E R M. of the Everlajling Gofpel, ftill live vici^
^* oujly and corruptly^ as the Jews did under

^^^^ thofe carnal Ordinances ; how much more
Jevere Judgments fhall we have reafon to
expeft, than what fell even upon That
People ! For (as St Paul exxellently ar-
gues, i?0/^. xi. 20;) Becaufe of Unbelief
They were broken offy and Thou [iandejl
by Faith : Be not high-minded^ but fear :
For if God fpared not the natural Branches^
take heed leji he alfofpare not T'hee,

SERMON

[ '09]

SERMON VI.

The Doctrines of Religion reafona-
ble to be believed.

[A Pajion-Senno?!]

Matt. xii. 39, 40.
Afi evil a?2d adulterous generation feeketh
after a Sign, and there Jhall no Sign be
given to it^ but the Sign of the prophet
fonas. For as Jonas was three days
and three Jiights in the whale's belly 5 fo
Jloall the Son of Man be three days and
three nights in the Heart of the Earth,

HEN our Saviour firft preach- S e r m*
ed to the Jews the Gofpel of VL
the Kingdom, he proved to ^•""'V^J
them his divine Commiffion
and the Truth of his Doftrine, not only

from

no 7^^ DoSirines of Religion

S E R M. from the Prophecies of the Old Tefta-
^^* ment, from the things written In the Law,
and in the Prophets, and in the Pfalms,
concerning him ; but alfo by the mighty
Works which he himfelf performed, as
direft and Immediate Evidences of his be-
ing the Promifed Meffiah. The DoBrine
he taught, being a Dodlrine of Purity and
Great Holinefs, abfolutely requiring a Re-
formation of Manners, and fuch an cf-
fedlual Amendment of Life, as muft
fhow forth itfelf in the real and habitual
Pradlice of true Virtue and Righteouf-
nefs ; 'T'his T)o6lrlne was therefore ex-
tremely difagreeablc to the Pharifees and
Chief men among the yews^ who were
perfons of a haughty and tyrannical Spi-
rit, covetous and ambitious, and, In or-
der to ferve the Purpofes of temporal
Power and fpiritual Pride, infinitely zea-
lous of all the external Forms and Cere-
monials of Religion. For This reafon,
they hated, above all things, the Spirit
with which our Saviour taught ; the Spi-
rit of Meeknefs and Humility, the
Spirit of Goodnefs and Equity, the

Spirit

reafonable to he believed. 1 1 1

Spirit of Love and univerfal Charity. S e r m.

And accordingly they fet themfelves, up- ^'

on all occafions, to revile his Dod:rine
and calumniate his perfon. In which
matter, it v^as no great difficulty for them
to meet with Succefs; becaufe the preju-
diced Vulgar, who conld very hardly di-
ftinguifli between the Traditions of their
Elders and the Commands of God, muft
needs be prone to look upon our Lord as
an Enemy to the One, becaufe he preach-
ed againft the Other. But the Miracles
which our Saviour worked, were harder
to withftand : For the people could not
eafily be perfwaded, that God would
give a Deceiver Power to perform as
mighty Works, as thofe by which the Law
of Mofes had itfelf been at iirft eftablilli-
ed. Here therefore the malice of the
Pharifees, was to exert itfelf in a more
extraordinary manner. And when they
could not deny the ??iiraculous FaSis them--
felves, they pretended that the Power
which worked them was the Power of
Satan : Ver. 24th of this chapter. They
faid, he doth not cafi out Devils, but by

Beelzebub

112 The DoSirines of Religion.

S E R w. Beelzebub the Prince of the Devils. Arid
^^- whenfoever he taught, without working
fome immediate Miracle ; then they pre-
fently called upon him again, to fhow
them a Sign: Ver. 38 ; Then certain of
the Scribes and Pharifees afijweredy faying,
Majier^ we would fee a Sign from thee.
Thus againft wilful perverfenefs there is
No remedy. If he fpake to them with fo
much reafon and good?iefs^ as never man
fpake ; ftill his Dodtrines wanted to be con-
firmed by a Miracle, And if he confirm-
ed what he taught, by undeniable Mira-
cles ; then the Power which worked them,
was the Power of Satan, For This rea-
fon, to the Pharifees who called upon
him to fliow them a Sign, he gave this
fevere Reply in the words of the Text^
An evil a?id adulterous generation feeketh
after a Sign, and there Jl: all no Sign be
given to it^ but the Sign of the Prophet
yonas : For as jfo7ias was three days and
three nights in the whale s belly, fo Jlmll the
Son of man be three days and three nights
in the heart of the Earth. The declara-
tion here made by our Lord, is of the

fame

feafoHahh to be believed. 113

fame nature with That in the Prophet S e r m*
Ifaiah'y ch. vii. 13; Hear ye now^ Ohoufe ^^•
if David ', Is it a fmall thing for you to
weary Men^ but will ye weary my God aU
fo ? Therefore the Lord himfef Jhall give
you a Sign ; Behold^ a Virgin Jhall co?i^
€eive and bear a Son^ and Jhall call his
Name ImmaJiuel. The Jews in Ifaiah'%
time, like the Pharifees in our Saviour's^
after all the mighty works that God had
done for them, ftill continued impenitent :
And as often as they were called upon to
repent, they prefumptuoufly demanded
i7iore Sig?is, In way of Reproof for this
Perverfenefs of theirs, and as a {landing
Declaration of God's having done, on His
part, what was fit for Him to do ; the Di-
vine Wifdom, both in the days of Ifaiah^
and in the days of Chrijl^ refers fuch per-
fons to the fettled and univerjal Evidence
of Revelation ; viz, the miraculous Fulfilling
of the Antient Prophecies concerning
the promifed Mejfias, The Sign referred
to by Ijaiah, is the Birth of Chrift; Be-
holdy a Virgin JJjall conceive. That re-
ferred to by our Saviour in the Text, is
V oL. V. I his

114 The DoEirmes of Religion

S E R M. his Refurreftion ; T^he Son of man fhall
^^- be three days and three nights in the heart

^"^^^^"^"^ of the earth.

There is in thefe words one Diffi-
culty ^ how our Lord is here faid to have
been three days and three nights in the
heart of the Earth, when in the Hif-
tory of all the Gofpels it appears, that
having been buried the jirfi day in the
eve?iif2g, and rifing again the third day in
the morjii?ig, he confequently remained in
the Sepulchre but two whole nights, and
one whole day. Now in order to under-
ftand this rightly, it is to be obferved that
the Jews in Their language, as We alfo
frequently do in Otirs^ by the word (day)
mean the Space of twenty four hours.
And in all languages Nothing is more
common, than for the Name of the Whole
to be made ufe of to exprefs a Fart.
Whatever therefore is begun on the firjl
day, and finif]:ed on the third ^ may in u-
fual and vulgar Speech (which is always
the language the Scripture fpeaks in) be
rightly faid to be three days in doing.
But Tl6/i may perhaps feem a matter of
fmaller importance ; Though, indeed,- it

can

reafonahle to be believed. 115

can never be without its Ufe, to fliow the S e r m.
confiftency of fuch Texts of Scripture, as ^^*
at firft fight may appear not to agree to-
gether.

Another Inquiry therefore, naturally
arifing upon thefe words, is, for what
reafon our Saviour continued in the Se-
pulchre juft fuch a determmate time be-
fore his Refurredion. Now, befides that
This was neceffiiry for the fulfilling of the
Prophecies that went before concerning
him, (which is the reafon alledged in the
Text;) it was moreover neceffary in the
nature of the thing itfelf that he fliould
continue fo long a time in the grave, to
fhow that he was really dead -, and he was
to continue there no longer^ that (as the
Scripture expreffes it) the Holy One might
not fee corruption.

The words of the Text being thus
explained ; the matter of inftrudion
therein contained, may be reduced to
the following Heads.

i/?, That the Dodtrinc of religion is

in itfelf reafonable to be believed,

Vol. V. I 2 and

U^/-NJ

1 1 6 T^he DoSirmes of Religion

S E R M. and fufficiently evidenced by the

^^' Jlanding and w^iverjal Signs or

Marks of Truth. It is fuppofed in
the words, that, what our Saviour
here calls the Sig?i of the Prophet
fonas^ was fufficient to render That
generation of the "Jews inexcufable
in their Unbelief

2^/f, Here is a Defcription given of
wicked men, in one particular and
remarkable part of their charadler ;
that they are apt continually to re-
quire ynore and more Signs, and to
tempt God without reafon and with-
out end. An evil and adulterous,
generation feeketh after a Sign.

"^dly. The declaration our Saviour
here makes, plainly implies, that
there are juft and good reafons, why
God fliould not gratify the unreafo-
nablc expectations of prejudiced and
corrupt Minds. There fiall 720 Sign
he given to it^ but the Sign of the
Prophet Jonas.

1/ T H E

reafonahle to be believed. iiy

I/?, T H E Dodrine of Religion is in it- S e r m.
felf reafonable to be believed, and fufRci- ^'^•
ently evidenced by the Jla?jding and iini- ^^-^^^^
verfal Signs or Marks of Truth: 'Tis
Juppofed in the words, that what our Sa-
viour here calls the Sig?t of the Prophet
yo7ias, was fufficient to render That ge-
neration of the Jews inexcufable in their
Unbelief.

Religion is in its Nature a Trial or
Probation of men's Hearts -, and is there-
fore effentially inconiiftent with all com-
pulfive Motives, with fuch Motives as
deftroy the nature of a Trial or Probation ;
Deut, viii. 2 ; 'The Lord thy God led thee

thefe forty years in the Wildernefs^ to

prove thee, to hiow what was in thine
heart, whether thou wouldefi keep his com-
mandments or no. The Meaning is, not
that God wants any information with re-
gard to Hi?nfelf: But he puts men in a
probation-ftate, in order to their Own Be-
nefit ; that by virtuous Anions they may
obtain an habitual Love of Virtue ; and
by labouring in the rational Search after
Truths and perfevering patiently in the

I 3 Pra^ice

1 1 8 T'he DoEirtnes of Religion

S E R M. PraBice of Right, they may be purified
^^' and 7nade white and tried 'y Dan. xii. lo.

^^^^ For, as the Apoflle St Jafnes exprefles it,
the T'rying of our Faith worketh Patience ;
ch. i. 3. God could, if he pleafed, even
out of the fiones of the Street^ raife up
children unto Abraham ; or irreliftibly
compel the moft obdurate Sinner to obey
his Commandments. But This, is not
dealing with T'hem as rational Agents ;
nor could fuch an Obedience be any more
acceptable to Him, than the abfolute Sub-
jedion of the 7naterial World to his Om-
nipotent Will, gives irrational Beings any
Title to the Efteem and Character of Mo-
ral Goodnefs or Virtue. Were God by
his Almighty Power to overrule and pre-
vent all Poffibility of Difobedience or
Moral Evil, as fome men fancy it would
be glorious for him to do ; it would in-
deed have the contrary effed:, and deprive
him of the Glory of all his Moral At-
tributes. For though he would ftill conti-
nue to be a Mighty Creator and All-Pow-
erful Lord, yet he could in no fenfe be a
Moral Governoiir or Judge of the World,

nor

reafonable to be believed. 119

nor have Any Exercife of his Moral Per- S e r m.
fediions. All Religion or Virtue, con- ^^'
fifts in the Love of Truth, and in the
Free Choice and Prad:ice of Right, and
in being influenced regularly by rational
and moral Motives. By Thefe things
therefore God tries or proves men's Obe-
dience ; and under various Circum-
ftances, and by various Methods of mani-
fefting himfelf to them, he exercifes
their Faith and Patience and Virtue. By
induing men originally w^ith Reafon and
JJnderJlandmg^ with a natural Knowledge
of Good and Evil, and a Coiifcience of the
difference between Virtue and Vice ; By
the Witnefs that God bears to himfelf in
the Works of Nature^ and by the various
Difpenfations of his All-wife Providence ;
in which Vifible EffeBs, the Power and
Government of the /;i;i;//?/5/^ God are clear-
ly and continually feen, fo that they, who
attend not to them, are without excufe :
By thefe things, does God perpetually call
men to religion -, and hold out unto them
an imiverfal Light, in all Places and at all
Times. And had men 720 other Difcovery
1 4 of

120 T'he DoSirines of Religion

S E R M. of the Will of God, than This ; yet theif
^^' choofing to depart from the natural Law

^•^"^^-^ of everlajling Right eoufnefs^ would juftly
denominate them afi evil and adulterous
gejieration of Mankind. But bejides this
Voice of Nature in the vifible works of
God, and in the mind and confcience of
every particular perfon ; the divine Pro-
vidence has moreover, in compaffion to
the ignorance of the Weak, and for a 7V-
ftimony againft the perverfe and corrupt,
in almoft every Age of the World, raifed
up Eminent Preachers of Right eouf?2efs 5
fuch as was Enoch before, and Noah at the
time of the Flood, and Job and the Pa-
triarchs after it ; to excite and call men
to the pradice of their Duty. And to
the Nation of the Jews, he gave 2ifland-
ing Revelation of his Will ; inviting them
continually to Repentance by his Meffen-
gers the Prophets, and at laft by his Son
fefus Chrijl, their prornifed and long ex-
pedited Meffiah : Manifefting his manifold
Wifdom, at fun dry times and in diverfe
manners of Revelation ; as he had before
done in the various dijiribution of the Na--

tura.^

reafonahle to he believed. I2t

tnral 'Tale?2fs of men^s rational Facul- S e r m.
ties^ Capacities, and Abilities ; intending ^^*
finally to judge All his Servants, according ^-'^'^
to what every one in particular has, and
not according to what he has not : And in
each of thefe various Difpenfations, gi-
ving fuch degrees of evidence and tejli"
mony to the Truth, as might be a proper
Tryal of good and w^ell-difpofed Minds,
neither credulous beyond reafon, nor pre-
judiced againjl reafon, but prepared al-
ways to receive the Truth, and to obey it.
Thus, to That generation of the Jews
who lived in our Saviour's time, the pro-
per and fufficient evidence of our Lord's
being the promifed Meffias, to all fuch as
impartially fearched the Scriptures, was
the fulfilling of the Prophecies that went
before concerning him, and particularly
That moft miraculous One of his Refur-
redion from the Dead. Which was a
Siign not poflible to be refifted by Any^
but by a very corrupt and adulterous ge-
neration ; by a generation oi fuch men, of
fuch perverfe and incorrigible Sinners, the
defcription of whom^ (v/hich was the

zd Par-.

12 2 I'he DoSif^ines of Religmz

S E R M. '2d Particular I obferved in the text, )
^^' the defcripticn of them, in one remarka-
ble part of their character, is, that they
are apt continually to require more and
more Signs, and to tempt God without
reafon and without end : An evil and a-
dulterous generation J'eekcth after a Sign,
The wickedelT: of men cannot bear the
Thoughts of fighting openly againft
God ; and therefore, to give fome degree
of Eafe to their Minds, they generally take
great pains to impofe upon themfelves,
with fome flight objedlions either againft
the Bei?2g of God, or againft the evidence of
his Laws and Commands. T'he fews^ fays
St Paul, require a Sign, and the Gentiles
feek after Wifdom ; i Cor. i. 22. The hu-
mour of the Gentile World, was to value
rhemfelves upon their Logick and Philofo-
fhy \ and therefore the corrupt part of
T^bcm could always rejedl any religious
Truth, by drawing objections againft it
from the received Maxims of their Schools^
The Jewijlo nation valued themfelves
upon the miraculous things, which God
had done for their Fathers j and therefore

the

reafo7tahle to be believed. 123

the corrupt part of Thejjt, could always S e r m,
rejed: a7iy religious Truth, by continually ^J-
requiring ??iore and greater Miracles to be ^-'^"^^^"^
worked in confirmation of it. Of This,
the behaviour of That people in the JVil^
demefs is a remarkable and very marvel-
lous Inftance. By a continued fenes of
Miracles, God had refcued them from
Egyptian Slavery and Idolatry, and was
guiding them in the Wildernefs like a
Flock, to the pofleffion of the good land
which he had promifed to their Fathers.
Marvellous things (as the Pfalmift repre-
fents this matter in a moil elegant and af-
fectionate defcription, P/T Ixxviii. 13;)
Marvellous things did he in the fight of out
forefathers^ in the land of Egypt ^ even in
the field of Zoan. He divided the Sea^
and let them go through -, he made the 'wa-
ters to fiand on a heap. In the day-time
alfo he led them with a cloud \ and all the
night through^ with a light of fire. He
clave the hard rocks in the wildernefs^ and
gave them drink thereof^ as it had been out
of the great depth. He brought waters
out of the fiony rock, fo that it gufied out

like

1 24 The DoBrines of Religion

S E R M. like the River:,, Further, ver. 24. : He com^
7nanded the clouds above, and opened the
doors of heaven. He rained down manna alfo
upon them for to eat, and gave them food
from heaven. So man did eat Angels food ^
for he fent them meat enough. He cay-fed the
eafi wind to blow under heaven, and thro"
his power he brought in the fouth-wefi wind.
He rained flefh upon them as thick as dujl,
and feathered fowls like as thefand of the
Sea, He let it fall among their tents, even
round about their habitation. And again,
ver. 5 3 ; iiZ^ led them forth like JJjeep, and
carried them in the wildernefs like a flock.
He brought them out fafely , that they
ficuld not fear ; and overwhelmed their
enemies with the Sea, He brought them
within the borders of hisfanBuary, even to
his mowitain which he purchafed with his
right hmid. He caft out the heathen alfo
before them ; caufed their land to be divi-
ded among them for an heritage, and made
, the tribes of Ifrael to dwell in their tents.
Sufficient Signs Thefe, any unprejudiced
perfon would judge, to convince even the
tnoft obftinate and perverfe, the moft evil

and

reafonahle to be believed. 125

and adulterous generation. But fo fami- S e r m,
liar were thefe Marvels become to them, VI.
that (it appears) they had no more influ- ^-/^/"^
ence upon Them, to bring them to true
Amendment and Reformation of Man-
ners, than the Works of Nature, ( which
are in Truth the continual miraculous o-
perations of the omnipotent Power of the
God of Nature,) have upon Us. This al-
fo is moft pathetically fet forth in the
fame Ixxviiith Pfalm ; ver. 18 ; Tet for all
this they finned more againjl him^ and pro-
voked the moft Higheft in the Wildemefs :
They tempted God in their hearts, and re-
quired meat for their Luft, They fpake
agai?ft God alfo, faying, JJjall God prepare
a Table in the Wildemefs ? He fmote the
ftofiy Rock indeed, that the water gufl:ed
out, and the ftreams foiled withal ; but
can he give Bread alfo, or provide flejld for
his people? (Their Argument was exadtly
the fame , as that of the Pharifees to
whom our Lord replies in my Text :
They acknowledged that he had healed
many difeafed perfons here upon Earth ;
But could he fiiow them alfo a Sign from

Heaven ?J

126 "The DoEirmes of ReIigio?i

S E R M. Heaven ?) Further, ver. 3 2, of the fame
VI. Pfalm, For all this they have finned yet

^^y^^"^^ more^ and believed not his wondrous works :
ver. 1 1 ; T'hey kept not the Covenant of
God, and would not walk in his law ; But
forgat what he had done, and the wonderful
Works that he had Jhowed for them j
ver. 42 ; They turned back and tempted
God, and moved the Holy One in Ifrael :
'They thought not of his hand, and of the
day when he delivered the 771 from the haiid
of the Enemy ; How he had wrought his
Miracles in Egypt, and his Wonders in
the field of Zoan, And again, ver. 27;
They tempted and difpleafed the moft High
God, and kept 7iot his Teftimo7iies ; But
turned their backs, and fell away like their
forefathers, farting afide like a b7^oke7t
Bow, For they grieved hi7n with their
hill-altars^ and provoked him to difpleafure
with their Images, A more lively and
affedtionate defcription of the perverfe-
nefs of incorrigible Sinners, cannot pof-
fibly be given. Other Accounts of the
fame nature, we find in the hiftory which
the Old Teftament gives us of the beha.-

viour

reafonahh to he believed. . 127

viour of That people. When the Egyp- S e r m.
tians purfued after them into the Wil- ^^•
dernefs ; then^ as if he who had brought ^'^^'^^
them out of Egypt with a mighty hand
was not able to proted: them in their
journey ; they faid, Wherefore hafi tkou
thus dealt with us, to cany us forth out of
Egypt ? Exod, XIV, II. When the Eg-r/'-
tians wGrQ all deftroyed, and they had no-
thing to oppofe their progrefs but the fo-
litary Wildernefs ; then, as if he who had
delivered them from the Hod of Pharaoh^
was not able to feed them in the Defert,
they faid, Te have brought us forth into
this Wilder7iefs to kill this whole Afembly
with hunger-, Exod. xvi. 3. When God
miraculoufly fupplied them with Bread
from Heaven -, then, there was nothin(y
at all hefdes this manna-. Num. xi. 6:
And when, by another miracle, he had
quenched their Thirfl -, then, he fmote
thejiony rock indeed, that the waters gujlj-
ed out ', but can he provide Flefh afo for
his people? Pf Ixxviii. 21. And when, by
a third miracle, he fed them to the full
with quails j for all This, they fmned yet

128 T^he DoBrines of Religion

S E R M. more^ and believed not his iioondroiis ivorki%
^^' ver. 32. Wh^n Mofes tarried longer in the

^^^^^^^^^ Mount than They expefted ; then, they
could not live without their Leader, but
mull 7nake Gods to go before them ; for^
as for This Mofes, they knew not what
was become of him ; Exod» xxxii. i :
When he continued with them, and put
himielf conftantly at the Head of them;
then^ ye take too 7?iuch upon you\ where^
fore lift ye up yourfehes above the congre^
gat ion of the Lord ? Numb. xvi. 3. When
God commanded them to go up, and
take poffeflion of the good Land which
he had provided for them -, then, the peo^
pie of the land v^txt fro?ig, and the Cities
ivalledy and the children of Anak there^
and we be not able to go up agaijiji the
people, and the land is a land that eateth
up the inhabitants thereof and we faw
Giajits there, and would God we had died
in the land of Egypt, or would God we
had died in this Wildernefs -, and where^
fore has the Lord brought us unto this
land, to fall by the fword? Num. xiii,
28, &c. But when the Lord hereupon

commandGd

reafonable to be believed^ ti^

commanded them not to go up \ then, Lc> S e r m,
^e be here, and will go up unto the place ^^..,1.
which the Lord has promifed \ ch. xiv. 40.

I SHOULD proceed to Other Inftances
of the unreafonable behaviour of finful
men in this refped: : But the time not per-
mitting me to finifli this Subjeft Now, I
fhall at prefent add only a word of ap-
plication, and fo conclude.

I BELIEVE there are very few perfons,
who read thefc portions of Scripture^
without cenfuring in their own minds
the behaviour of the Jews, and faying
within themfelves, as did thofe whom our
Saviour defcribes ; M^z^/.xxiii. 30; If We
had been in the days of our Fathers, we
would not have been partakers with them
in Thefe things. But to every impeni-
tent Sinner, in the prefent as well as
in former times, the experience of the
World, and the reafon of things, and the
judgment of confcience, and the Scrip-
ture of Truth fays, l^hou art the man.
For all thefe things are examples unto JJs,
and they are written for our admonition^
upon whom the ends of the IVorld are come.

Vol. V. K God

130 "The DoEiri7ies of Religmt^ &C.
S E R M. God calls Us to Repentance, by the con

tinual Witnefs which he gives to himfelf

in the Works of Creation, in the Reafon
and Nature of Things, in the eflential
Differences of Good and Evil, in the
voice of Confcience, in the difpenfations
of Providence, in his Mercies and Judge-
ments, in the completion of Prophecies,
in the Works and Preaching of Chrift and
his Apoftles, in the Promifes and Threat-
nings of the Gofpel. And if all T'hefe
things move men not, the Scripture de-
clares there JI: all no Sign be given to us,
but the Sign of the Nations who were
deflroyed by the Floods and the Cities
who perifhed in the Overthrow of Sodom.
For as in the days before the Floody and
before the deftruftion of Sodom^ men
were eating a7id drinking^ and hiew 7iot
until the Waters came and took away the
one, and the Fire the other ; fo alfo, fays
our Lord, Jhall the Coming of the Son of
Man be.

SERMON

[ '3' ]

SERMON VII.

Unreafonable Expeftations not to
be gratified in Religion.

[A P 00072' Sermon.]

Matt. xii. 39.

An evil and adulterous generation feeketh
after a Sign, and there fhall No Sign be
given to ity but the Sign of the Prophet
yonas.

O D, who IS the Supreme Go- S e r m.
vernour of the Uni verfe, (hows ^^^I-
forth his infinite Wifdom and ^-^^^"^
Goodnefs, in creating a Va-
riety of rational Creatures in
different Circumftances, and expecting
Vol. V. K 2 from

132 XJnreafonahle ExpeSiations

S E R M. from them a proportionable Ufe of the
^^^* Talents committed to them, according to
their different degrees of Light and Know-
ledge, and according to their refpedive
Capacities and Abilities. To Angels^ ha-
ving given Knowledge and Powers far fu-
periour to thofe of Men ; he expefts of
them accordingly an Angelical Obedience.
To McJi^ having difpenfed various Talents
and various Degrees of Knowledge, at
fundry times and in divers manners, ac-
cording to his own good pleafure ; after
the fimilitude of the Great King in our
Saviour's Parable, who, in the diftribu-
tion of Employments among his Servants,
without injury to any one, did what he
pleafed with his own : To Men^ I fay,
God having difpenfed various Talents and
various degrees of Knowledge, he expefts
of them a Return proportionable to what
is given them ; Not over-ruling their Ac-
tions by the Force and Power of an ir-
refiftible Light ; but trying their Obedi-
ence by the Willingnefs of their Endea-
vours to feek after Knowledge, and to
guide themfclves by That degree of Light

(what-

not to be gratified in Religion. 133

(whatfoever it be) whereby his Will is in S e r m.
any meafure made known unto them. ^^^•

In the State of Nature, God made ^^'^'^^
himfelf known to Men by the Arguments
of Reafon, by the Works of Creation, and
by the difpenfations of Providence \ ha-
inng never left himfelf wholly without wit-
nefsy but fending men rain and jruitful
SeafonSy and filling their Hearts with Food
and Gladnefs ; the iiivifible things of God
from the creation of the World being clear-
ly feen and underfiood by the things that
are made, even his eternal Power and
Godhead \ Rom. i. 20. If the Nations of
the World, forfaking this Univerfal Lights
fall into the abfurdeft and mofl unrea-
fonable Idolatries, and into confequently
vicious and corrupt Pradtices of all kinds ;
they are evidently (as St Paul declares)
without Excufe ; and there is no injuflice
with God, if to fuch evil and adulterous
generations of men there be no other Sign
given, but the Signs of Nature and Rea-
fon and Confcieiice, and the perpetual uni-
yerfal Works of God.

K 3 UNOElt

Lnrsj

134 Ufireafonahle ExpeSiations

Serm. Under the Go/pel^ God has made him-
ll L . ^^^f known to Men by the Revelation of his
Soft, confirmed by Signs and Wonders and
Miracles of the H/)ly Ghofi^ by the Comple-
tion of Prophecies^ and by the Analogy of the
Whole Series of Events from the Beginning
of the World. If under this greater and
clearer light of Revelation, men ftill con-
tinue impenitent ; not bringing forth the
fuitable Fruits of Righteoufnefs, nor li-
ving ^worthy of their holy vocation^ and as
becometh the Gofpel of Chrijl ^ the wrath
of God is mgre feverely revealed from
Heaven, againfl all uwighteoufnefs and
ungodlinefs of Such inen > and there fhall
no further Sign be given to fuch an evil
and adulterous generation^ but tl:ie Sign
of the Son of tnan coming with the clouds
cf Heaven^ in flame of fire taking Ven--
geance on them that know not God^ and
that obey not the Gofpel,

Under the JewiP:> ftate, God mani-
fefted himfelf to That People by the Law
of Mofes^ by the continual Preaching of |
the Prophets, and finally by the acccom-
plifhment of the whole difpenfation in the

Lifs

not to be gratified in Religion. 135

htfe and Death and RefurreBion of Chriji. S e r m.
And when they who faw Theje mani- Y^l^
feftations of God, were not thereby pre-
vailed upon to bri?2g forth Fruits meet
for Repentance^ and anfwerable to the
Light that was then come into the World %
but, on the contrary, cavilled at our
Lord's Dodlrine and Miracles, and con-
tinually required More Signs 5 our Lord,
with juft indignation, gives them the Re-
ply in the Textj An evil a?id adulterous
generation feeketh after a Sign^ and there
Jhall No Sign be given to it^ but the Sign
of the Prophet fonas : For as Jonas was
three days and three nights in the Whale's
Belly ^ fo floall the Son of Man be three
days and three nights in the Heart of the
Earth.

In difcourfing upon which words, I
have before obferved, that the matter of
inftrudtion therein contained, may be re-
duced to the following Heads.

iy2. That the Doftrine of Religion

is in itfelf reafonable to be believed,

and fufficiently evidenced by the

K 4 Jianding

136 Unraafonahle ExpeSiations

S E R M. Jianding and uJiiverfal Signs or Marks
VII. of Truth. It isfuppofed'm the words^

S^^^^^r^ that, what our Saviour here calls the

Sign of the Prophet fonas^ was fuffir
cient to render That generation of the
yews inexcufable in their Unbelief.

2^/y; Here is a defcription given of
wicked men, in one particular and
remarkable part of their Charafter ;
that they are apt continually to re-
quire more and more Signs, and tcj
tempt God without reafon and with-
out End. An evil and adulterous
generation feeketh after a Sign,

yily J The declaration our Saviour
here makes, plainly implies, that
there are juft and good reafons, why
God fhould not gratify the unrea-
fonable expedlations of prejudiced
and corrupt Minds. There Jhall No
Sign be given to ity but the Sign of
^he Profhet Jonas,

The Firjl of thefe, I have already
gone through 5 and have Ihown, that the

Dodlrine

not to he gratified in Religion. 137

Dodlrlne of Religion is in itfelf refona- S e r m.
ble to be believed, and fufficiently evi- ^^1^
denced by x\\tjlanding and univerfal SigJts
Qv Marks of T^ruth, According to our
Saviour's Suppofition in the words of the
Text ; that, v^'^hat he here calls the Sign
of the Frophet Jonas^ was fufficient to
render That generation of the Jews inex-
cufable in their Unbelief.

The Second Obfervable, was^ the De-
fcription here given of wicked men, in
one particular and remarkable part of
jheir Charadler ; that they are apt con-
tinually to require more and more Signs,
and to tempt God without reafon and
without End ; An evil and adulterous ge^
neration feeketh after a Sign, And This
Obfervation I at large illuftrated by That
remarkable Injiance the Scripture gives us,
of the behaviour o£ the people of the Jews
in their paflage through the Wildernefs ;
which is fo diftindlly recorded in the
Books of Mofes^ and fo frequently alluded
to in the Pfalms, and in St Paul's Epiftles
to the Corinthians and to the Hebrews^ as
a ftanding Admonition and Caution to

pervcrfe

J ^8 Unreafonable ExpeBations

S E R M. perverfe Minds, in all fucceeding genera-
"• tions.

I SHALL Now proceed io{ovnt Other
Inftances of the like Sort, in which the
Unreafonablenefs of tempting God in this
manner, will ftill further appear. In our
Saviour's timc^ the fame Spirit of Per-
verfenefs, which the Scripture calls an
£vil heart of Unbelief (meaning always
by Unbelief not a reafonable Caution in
with-holdi?ig the Afent^ but a captious De^
fire of evading the reafons of convi^ion \ )
In our Saviour's time^ I fay, the fame
perverfe Spirit, which appeared fo re-
markably in the yews of old in the Wil-
dernefs, continued fiill in the corrupt part
of That Nation: So that whatever Me-
thod the divine Wifdom thought fit to
make ufe of, in order to bring them to
Repentance ^ they could Always render it
incffedlual. ^John the Bapti/i came unto
them, Jieither eating Breads nor drinking
Wine y Luke vii. 3 3 5 that is, he came in
the more f eve re way of aufterity and mor-
tification ; and they faid^ He hath a Z)<?-
vil ; that is, they charged him with be-
ing

not to be gratified in Religion, 139

ing enthujiajiick and mad. On the other S e r m.
hand, the Son of man is come eating and ^.,^J.
drinking \ ver. 34 ; that is, in the more
familiar way of a free converfation ; and
thty f aid ^ Behold a gluttonous man and a
wine-bibber^ a friend of Publicans and
Sinners. The Methods of Proceeding
were Both of them right, in their proper
Time and Place ; and Wifdom is juftified
ef all her children ; But incorrigible men
could equally find Objedlions againft BotL
Our Saviour therefore, in a moft elegant
parable, compares them to crofs and per-
vcrfe children, whom neither Mirth nor
Serioufnefs could pleafe : Ver, 3 i ; Where-
unto Jloall I liken the men of 'This gene--
ration ? and to what are they like ? They
are like unto children fitting in the market-
-place ^ and calling one to another^ and fay-
ing J We have piped unto you^ and ye have
not danced ; isoe have mourned to you^ and
ye have not wept. When the men of Naza-
reth heard what mighty works our Lord
had done at Capernaum^ they faid, What-
foever we have heard done in Capernaum^
do alfo her^ in thy own country 5 Luk. iv. 23 ,

On

140 Unreafonahle ExpeBations

S I R M. On the other hand, when he did Won-

^^'- ders in his own country, then their Kn-

fwer was, Depart hence ^ and go into Ju^

dea^ that thy Difciples alfo may fee the

li^orks that thou doejl \ If thou do thefe

things^ fiow thyfelf to the world-, Joh. vii. 3.
When our Lord had miraculoufly healed
many difeafed perfons here upon Earthy
then the Pharifees faid unto him, Majler^
we would fee of thee a Sign from Heaven :
And when there came unto him a voice
from Heaven, Joh. xii. 28; the Evange-
iift tells us, ver. 37. xhzi yet they believed
not on him. When the Chief Priefts and
Elders faw our Saviour crucified, they
faid. Matt, xxvii. 42 ; He faved other s^
himfelf he cannot fave ; if he he the King
of Ifrael^ let him now come down from the
crofsy and we will believe him : But when
he was rifen from the Dead, to the Ter-
rour of their own Soldiers, whom they
had fet to watch him ; then they gave
them money to report, that his Difciples
had come by night, and ftolen him away ;
ch. xxviii. 13. Thus, of tempting God ;
and of continually requiring more and

greater

not to he gratified in Religion. 141

greater Signs, and of finding Means to S e r m.
elude the Arp;uments and Motives of Re- ^^* ,
ligion, there is no End. The Temper
from which all This proceeds, is of the
fame kind with That T'empthig of Fro-
vidence^ which the Gofpcl emphatically
reprefents to us in the hiftory of our Sa-
*uioiirs temptation ; Where Satan placing
him upon a pinnacle of the temple^ argue*^
with him, that, if he was the Son of God,
he might fafely venture to caji himfelf
down from thence : For if God owned
and declared him to be his Son^ and had
fo peculiar a Favour for him ; why {l:iould
not he preferve him from being hurt in
his Fall ', Matt, iv. 6. The Ground up-
on which incorrigible Sinners rejeft all
the Arguments and Motives of Religion,
is generally of the like Nati^re. If it be
the Will of God, that men fhould believe
and aB in fuch or fuch a particular man-
ner ; why does not he compel them fo
to do ? why does not he perpetually give
them Signs from Heaven ? why does he
not turn their Hearts^ which way foever
he pleafes ? for Who has refijled his Will ? \

The if

iS

142 Unreafonabh ExpeEiatmis

S E R M. The Anfwer is very plain j that God
^^' does not abfolutely will fuch and fuch
things to be done, but his V/ill is that
men fliould chufe to do them upon rea-
fonable Motives : In which alone confifts
the effence of all Virtue^ and of all Reli^
gion, God does not therefore by irrefifti-
ble Motives compel men to obey him ;
becaufe, if he did, it would for That
very Reafon be in T^hem No Act of
Obedience, But he tries their Obedience,
by the proper Inftruments of Perfwa-
Jon ', and by Motives fuited to the nature
of rational and free Agents. Of Thefe,
Some love the knowledge of T^ruth ; and
are always ready, according to the degree
of the Light afforded them, to do what
is Right: And thefe our Saviour, in his
parable of the Sower, very fignificantly
compares to Good Ground. Others love
Darknefs rather than Light^ and Argu-
ments of Reafon make no Impreffion up-
on them, and their Hearts are as hard
as the Nether-miljione. To Thefe^ the ex-
quifite Works of Nature prove not the
Being of God ; the Revelation of the Go^

?iot to he gratijied in Religio?2. 143

fpel, difcovers not to them his Will : S e r m.
And fhould God vouchfafe them ftill J^
Other Calls to Repentance, they would
prove equally ineffectual ; neither would
they be perfwaded^ even though one rofe
from the Dead. Of This we have a re-
markable Inftance ; Joh.xn.g^ 10; Much

people came^ not for fefus fake mly\

but that they might fee Lazarus alfo^ uohom
he had raifed from the Dead: But the
chief Priefs confulted, that they might
put Lazarus alfo to Death, Thefe were,
in the ftrongeft Senfe of the words in my
Text, an evil and adulterous generation j
altogether unworthy of having any fur-
ther Signs given them ; and whofe beha-
viour abundantly juftifies our Lord's de-
claration in the following part of the^
Text, (which was the

T'hird and Laft thing I propofed to
fpeak to ; 'viz, the Declaration our Sa-
viour here makes,) plainly implying that
there are jw/? and good reafons^ why God
fhould not gratify the unreafonable ex-
pcdtations of prejudiced and corrupt
minds : Inhere Jhall No Sign be given to

this

144 Unreafonabk RxpeSiattons

S E R M. thh generation, but the Sign of the Prophet
^^^' Jonas, Now the reafonablenefs of thfs
Proceeding, is very evident from what
has been already faid. Eternal Life, is
the Gift of God: And the Defign of God,
{his juj} and reafonable Defign,) is to be-
ftow this free Gift, upon thofe who by
an habitual PraBice of Virtue, fhall have
their Minds qualified for That Happy
State. The Practice of Virtue confifts,
in the willing Choice of what is good, and
avoiding what is evil: And the Time of
this Choice, is the prefent Jlate of Pro-
bation. God could, if he had pleafed, by
giving no free Will to his Creatures, have
prevented all pofjibility of Moral Evil.
But then the whole Creation of God, would
have been only a great Machine ; in which
the Omnipotence indeed of the Maker,
would have appeared ; but he would have
been no King, no fudge, no Moral Go--
vernour ; nor could have difplayed any
of thofe 7?wre excellent Perfedfions, of
yujlice, Mercy, and the like, in which the
Glory of the Almighty principally eon-
fifts. Thefe have ?io place, but where

there

Hot to he gratified in Religion. 145

there are SubjeBs capable of obeying or S e r m.
dij obeying. The proper Tryal of which dis-
obedience, is That Freedom oj Will^ which, ^-^"VXI
according as it is determined in different
Circumftancesby the reajbnablenefs of what
is good or the inticements of what is evily
renders the /Igent morally good or eviL
God therefore, according to his own good
pleafure, places men in all variety of
Circumflances in this probation-ftate 3
And the Juftice, and Wifdom, and Good-
nefs of his Government confifts in finally
judging them All with Equityj according
to their refpedtive degrees of Light and
Knowledg^fe. The firft Root and Foun-
dation of Virtue, is the fmcere Defire of
knowing the Will of God, and impartially
fearching after the Truth : And, as a pro-
per Tryal of This difpofition, the Wif-
dom of God has been pleafed fo to order
the Notices given of himfelf to Mankind
both by Nature and Revelation^ that //
any man will do his Will^ he fhall know
of the dodtrine 5 and, if he defires ?jot to
pra5life it, even the knowledge of it fhall
be hid from him : Tc? Him that hath.
V o L. V. L Jlmll

146 Unreafonahle ExpeSiations

S E R M. fcall be given ; and from Him that hath
^^- not^ pall be taken away even T'hat which

^'^^^^'^ he hath. By the Light of Nature, God
manifefts himfelf to men in the works of
Creation -, Vilibly enough, to thofe who,
as St Paul exprelTes it, feek the Lord, if
haply they may feel after him, and find
him : But yet at the fame time in fuch a
manner, as that vicious and ill-difpofed
men, feeing, may ftill 720t fee -, and hear^
ing, may ftill not hear -, but may go on to
afcribe the moft perfed: works of infinite
Wifdom, to Fate, to Chance, to Nothings
By Revelation, God has declared his Mer-
cy towards Sinners: Signifying unto them,
that as a Great King over numerous Na-
tions, confidently with the Laws of his
univerfal Kingdom, j^ardons, in fome re-
bellious City, by the interpofition of his
beloved Son, as many as, by his Son's in-
vitation and perfwafion, return to their
Duty ; fo alfo will God, the Supreme
Governour of the Univerfe, accept all
thofe, whom the Spirit of Chrift, (in-
viting them either under the ftate of Na^
tare, by fuch Preachers of 7'ighteoufnefs

as

not to be gratified i7t Religion. 147

as was Noah and the Patriarchs \ or under S e r m.
the Law^ by Mofes and the Prophets ; or '^^^•
under the Go/pel^ by our Lord himfelf and ^^^^*^
his Apojiles^) whom (I fay) by A?iy of
thefe means, the Spirit of Chrift fliall
bring to Repentance. And the Evide?ices
of this Revelation^ (in the fame manner,
and for the fame reafon, as the Evidences
of God in the Works of Creation^) are
fitted to fatisfy an iinprejudiced Mind,
and yet are not fuch as cannot be refifted.
When the "Jews demanded of our Saviour
fuch a Sign, as was given to their Fathers
when the Heavens rained down Manna
for them to eat, J oh. vi. 6 ; he would not
gratify them with a new miracle, but
gave them the true interpretation of the
anfie?2t one : / am, fays he, the Bread of
Life ; the Bread of God is He which com-
eth down from Heaven, and giveth Life
unto the World. Again, When the Pha-
rifees asked of him a Sign from Heaven-, Matt. xvi.
his Anfwer was; Luk. xii. 56; Te bypo-^^
f rites, ye can difcern the face of the sky
end of the earth ; hut how is it, that ye
do not difcern this T*ime ? referring them
Vol, V. L 2 to

148 Unreafonable ExpeEiationi

S E R M. to the Prophecies , which much more
"^^11- plainly pointed out the 'fime of his Co-

^"^'^^'^"^ niing, than ever the face of the Sky fore-
iignified the Weather. Thefe Prophecies
he fulfilled, in his Life and by his Death 5
by many miraculous Adfions, and miracu-
lous Snferi?tgs, And when he was raifed
up the third da)\ God fiewed hifn openly ;
not to all the people^ Ads x. 41 ; but unto
Witnefes chofen before of God, and com'-
7nanded to preach unto the people : God here
likewife doing, not every thing that could
he done, not every thing that unreafon-
able men might expeft fhould be done,
but what he himfelf faw fit and proper
to be done. According to that affedion-
ate obfervation of our Saviour, Luk. iv.
25 ^ / tell you of a truths many widows

^ were in Ifrael in the days of EliaSy but

^ unto none of them was he fent^ fave

unto a widow of Sarepta : And many

Lepers were in Ifrael in the time of Lit'
feus the Prophet^ and none of them was
cleanfedy faving Naaman the Syrian, God
has given us Faculties, to enable us to
fearch after and to find the Truth j and

he
3

not to be gratified in Religion. 149

he cxpedrs we fhould attend with an im- S e r m.,
partial and unprejudiced mind (which is '^^^^•
the proper Duty of Rational Creatures,) ^'^^^^*
to the Light he thinks fit to afford us.
Why^ even of yourj elves ^ fays our Saviour,
judge ye not what is right ? Luk. xii. 57.
They who do thus judge ; who, with a
mind defirous to do the Will of God,
receive and embrace the doftrine of Truth .
not carelefsly, creduloufly, and implicitly ;
but with reafon, with examination, with
attention, with fuch impartial confidera-
tion and inquiry, as enables men to find
(by obfervation and care) what Others are
blind to, and to be ready always to give
a reafon of the Hope that is i?i them i
Thefe are the perfons, whom the Scrip-
ture commends for their Faith ; for ha-
ving the Virtue of Faith -, in oppofition
to the Vice of Infidelity, and to the Folly
of Credulity, For, we walk by Faith, not
by Sight y 2 Cor. v. 7 : by a rational per-'
fwafion, not by Necejfity : Seeing (^s St Paul
elegantly defcribes it ; Seeing) through a
glafs (through a defcrying-glafsj darkly '/l<rc;rr^,,.
I Cor. xiii. 12 5 not beholdijig, as in a glafs
L 3 (as

150 U?treafonahle ExpeBations

S E R M. (as in * a looking-glafs^) with open face ;
^'^^' 2 Cor. iii. 18. And This is That which

J-O^"^ makes Faith and Hope to be Virtues :
For Hope that is feen^ is not Hope ; for^
what a man feeth^ why doth he yet hope
for ? But if we hope for 'That we fee not^
then do we with patience wait for it ; Rom.
viii. 25. The God ^Nature, in whom
we live and move and have our Beings and
who is not far fro?n every 07ie of^us, is
TiOt vifible to mortal eyes : But the Light
of Nature affords rcafonable men, very
great Arguments to believe and truft in
him -y And This, is a commendable and
well-grounded Faith. For Faith is the
Sub fiance of things hoped for^ the evidence
of things not feen : And the commenda-
tion of Mofes's patience in Egypt, before
God*s revealing them himfelf to him,
was, that he ijtdiired^ as feeing him who is
invifible ; Heb. xi. 27. The Evidences of
natural reafon and of the moft demon-
ilrable Truths, do not force themfelves
upon All men ; But to the itnpartial and
attentive^ to the unprejudiced and confide-
rate, they appear in their full Strength ;

and.

not to he gratified in Religion. 151

and, for That reafon, 'tis an Adl of Vir- S e r m.
tue to be guided by them. For the fame ^^^*
reafon, in matters of Revelation likewife ;
Blejfedy fays our Saviour, are they that
have not feen^ and yet have believed \ Joh,
XX. 29. That is : Not, they who are
credulous^ and believe without reafon \ but
they who, like the Bereans^ are convinced
of the Truth by Searchi?2g into the
grounds of it. The Trial of whofe Faith,
faith St Peter, will be found unto Praife
and Honour and Glory at the appearing
of yefus Chrifl : Whom having notfeen, ye
love ', in whom, though Now ye fee hint
not, yet believing ye rejoice with joy un-
fpeakable and full of glory ; i Pet. i. 7.
This is the charaBer the Scripture gives
us of the Virtue of Faith, and the com-
mendation of thofe who are eminent for
having it. On the contrary, they who
by prejudices and vicious inclinations are
prevented from fearching after the Truth,
and, inftead of attending to and examin-
ing what is Right, feek rather for Cavils
induftrioufly to evade the evidence and
conviftion of it 5 thefe are the perfons
L 4 wliom

152 Unreafonahle ExpeSiatiom

S E R M. whom the Scripture with the greateft fe^
^^^- verity condemns for their infidelity^ as be--

^^^^'^ ing an evil and adulterous generation. The
uncirciimcifion which is by nature ^ faith
St Paul, if it fulfil the Law, Jhall it not
judge thee, who by the letter and circum-
cifion dofl tranfgrefs the Law ? Rom. ii. 27.
iatt. xii. And our Saviour ^ T'he men of Nineveh^
fays be, fljall rife in judgement with this
generation , and jloall cofidetnn it > be^
caufe they repented at the preaching of fo^.
nas, and behold a greater than fofias is
here, Perfons thus refifiing the Truth,
our Lord, after the firft and fecond ad-.
monition, rejedled ; and refufed to give
them any further Signs : and commanded
his Dijciples in like manner, to fiake off
the dujl of their feet for a tefiimony againji
them, and not continue to cafi their pearls
before fwine. God had dealt with the
yews of old, after the fame manner %
PfAxxx'h 12 ', My people would ?iot hear my
voice, and Ifrael would not obey me ; aS'^.
J gave them up unto their own hearts lufiSy
and let them follow their own Imaginations.
And to men in future Ages^ who ihall

be

not to he gratified hi Religion. 153

be found of the fame temper, the Scrip- S e r m,
ture threatens that God, in jufl anger, ^^'
fhall even fend them fir ong delufion^ that ^"-^"^^^"^
they may believe a Lye-, 2 Th. ii, 11. The
Bffe^ of mens being in this manner given
up for their Abufing the divine patience
is thus expreffed by the Pfalmift : Pjl
Ixxviii. 60 ', When God heard thisy he was
wrothy and took fore dijpleafure at Ifrael :
So that he forfook the tabernacle in Shilo^
even the Tent that he had pitched among
pien : He delivered their power into cap-
tivity^ and their beauty into the enemy's
hand : He gave his people alfi) over zmta,
the /wordy and was wroth with his. inhct
ritance. And by our Saviour in his af-
fedlionate lamentation over Jerufalem i
Matt, xxiii. 37 ; O Jerufalem, Jerufahn^
thou that killefi the prophet s^ and fionefi
them which are fent unto thee ! How of-
ten would I have gathered thy children to-
gethery even as a hen gathereth her chick-
ens under her wingSy and ye would not /
B^eholdy your houfe is left unto you deflate.

SERMON

[ '55]

SERMON VIII.

How the Law is faid to be the
Strength of Sin,

[A PaJfionSermon.l

I C o R. XV. 56 'and c^j.
T'he fiing of Death is Jtn^ and the
Jlrength of fn is the law ; but thanks
be to God which giveth iis the vidlory^
through our Lord Jefus Ch^iji.

^^gjl H E Apoftle having in the ^^v. m,
former part of this Chapter, VIII.
proved at large the truth of O^V^-?
the refurredlion of Chrift,
and the certainty of the fu-
ture refurrecftion of Chriftians ; and ha-
ving from thence taken occafion to give a

full

156 How the Law is faid

S E R M. full and particular account of the order
^^^^- and manner of the refurredlion of the

^^^^^ body ; he concludes his whole difcourfe
with this triumphal exclamation ; So then
when this corruptible fjall have put on in-
corruption^ and this mortal /hall have put
Gn immortality^ then Jhall be brought to
pafs the faying that is written^ Death is
fw allowed up in victory ^ i, e. utterly and
for ever ; O death where is thy Jiing ? O
grave, where is thy viBory ? T!he Jiing of
death is fn, and the flrength of fm is the
law '^ but thanks be to God which giveth us
the viBorjy through our Lord Jefus ChriJI.
I {hall endeaVour 17?, To explain the
words briefly, and fhew in what Senfe Sin
is faid to be the fling of deaths and the law
the flrength of fin, 7.dly, I fhall indea-
vour to fhow how and by what means
Chrift gives us the viftory, over the law
which is theftrength of fin ^ over Sin which
is the fiing of deaths and finally over
Death it felf 5 And lafily^ I fhall draw
fome praftical Inferences from the whole.
Firft, I fhall indeavour to fhew in what
Senfe Sin is faid to be the fiing of deaths

and

to he the Strength of Bin. 157

md the law the firength of fin. That by S e r m*
Sin's being the fting of death, is meant ^^^^*
that Sin is the caufe of Death, and that ^"^^^^^
'tis Sin only that makes Death terrible, is
evident. T'he firjl mention we find of
death's being in the World, is upon Adam's
committing the firft tranfgreffion ; In the
day thou eatejt thereof thou /halt furely
die 5 Gen. ii. 17. And the caufe of the
continuance of its dominion ever fince in
the World, is the conformity of the reft
of mankind to that of their Forefather ;
As by one man fin firjl entred into the
world, and death by fin 5 and fo death has
fince pajfed upon all men, for that all have
finned ', Rom. v. 12. The Apoftle lays it
down as a maxim, that the caufe of the
dominion of death, is fin -, and becaufe it
might be objedted that fince Sin is^^not
imputed where there is no law, Ichere-*
fore thofe who lived between Adam and
Mofes, without any exprefs revealed Law,
(hould feem not to be concluded under
the fentence of death ; he adds, that even
in that time, men had fome difcovery of
the Will of God j So that before the de-
livery

158 How the Law is /aid

S E R M. livery of Mofes's law Sin was in the
vIII. World ; and therefore death did reign
from Adam to Mofes, even over them that
had not finned after the fimilitude of A-
dam's tranfgreffion ; that is, who had not
indeed like Adam finned againft a pofitive
and immediate Revelation of the Will of
God, with an exprefs threatning of death
annexed ; but yet had finned againfl: fuch
a law, as they had fufiicient reafon to be
aflured was a difcovery of the Will of
God. The Scripture is very exceeding
full in this point; inculcating every
where, that as the knowledge of God
and Obedience to his commands is life^
\o the immediate and neceflary confe-
quence of Sin is death. When lujl has
conceived^ it bringeth forth Si?i^ and Sin
when it is finiped, bringeth forth death ;
St fames i. 15. What fruit had ye then
in thofe things^ whereof ye are 720W af:a^
med ? for the end of thofe things is death -,
Rom. vi. 21 : and ver. z^ ; the wages of
fm is death. Moreover, as Sin is xh^tcanfe
of death, fo alfo is it T^hat only which
makes Death it fclf terrible. 'Tis not

barely

to be the Strength of Sin. 159

barely the reparation of Soul and Body, S e r m.
which is the terrour of death ; but that "^1^^-
reparation, as inflidted byy and accompa- ^-^^^^^
nied ivith , the wrath of God. Death
may poffibly be otherwife fo far from ter-
rible, that it may be and often is expeded
by good men with joy and comfort, as
an enterance into life and happinefs. 'Tis
Sin only which is the horrour of death,
and which gives it that fling, which
makes it really infupportable even to the
moft diftant thought. When the death
of the Body is the forerunner of that
death of the Soul, from which there is
no hopes of releafe, but the wrath of
God i^iuft abide on it for ever ; then is it
that death appears truly dreadful and
terrible. This is that which makes
wicked men, confcious of their own guilt,
and fenfible of the wrath of God hang-
ing over their heads, fo amazed at the
approach and even the thoughts of death :
They cannot bear to think on fo affright-
ing a profpedl, but are even overwhelmed
and fwallowed up with aflonifliment and
defpair : Not that they fo dread death

barely

l66 How the Law is fatd

S E R M. barely and in it fclf, (for they could call on
^^^^- the hills to fall on thenty and to the moun^
taim to cover them\ they could jeek death
when they cannot find ity and defire to die
when death jhall fee from them ; Rev^
ix. 6.) but it is ih^ vonfequences of death.
That fting which Sin gives it, that they
are fo terribly andfo jujlly afraid of

But to proceed : T^he ftrength of Sin^
faith the Apoftle , is the law ; The
ftrength of Sin, viz. that which gives it
its power and efficacy. Tis evident that
Sin is the tranfgreffion of the law, and
that where there is no law there is no tranf
grefjion ; Rom. iv. 15 ; By the law there^
fore is the knowledge of fm y Rom. iii. 20 :
or as the Apoftle more fully exprefTes
himfelf ; ch. vii. ver. 7 and 8 ^ / had not
known fin but by the law ; for I had not
known luji except the law had f aid , Thou
Jhalt not covet ; But fin taking occafion by
the command?ne?it^ wrought in me all man-
ner of cojicupifcence j For without the law
fin is dead : that is, the knowledge of Sin
muft needs be, by the knowledge and pro-
mulgation of the law that forbids it. But

this

to he the Strength of Sin. i 6 1

this is not all ; For in this fenfe, by every S e r m.
declaration of the Will of God, by J^
every command and prohibition, is the
knowledge of Sin ; and fo the Gofpel it
felf might as properly be ftiled the ftrength
of fm, as the law. Since therefore by
the LaWy the Apoftle plainly means That
difcovery of the Will of God which was
made to mankind before the Coming of
Chrift; and particularly that which was
given to the Je^ws ; in oppofition to the
Chriftian or Gofpel-difpenfation : it is cer-
tain that by its being tht Jlrength of fin^
muft be underflood Something more,
than barely its being the occafion of the
knowledge of Sin. It remains therefore^
that it muft fignify the making fuch a
difcovery of the heinous nature and guilt
of Sin, as yet either not to afford a poffi-
bility of avoiding it, or not to difcover
any fufficient means of recovering from
it. Now in what fenfe, and how far this
may be truly applicable to the JewiJJj
Law, is of fome difficulty to determine :
(For if the Jews under the law had nei-
ther any poffibility of avoiding Sin, nor
Vol. V. M yet

1 62 How the Law is /aid

SERM.yet any fufficlent means of recovering
^^^^- from the guilt of it, it would follow that

^^^"^^^^ people were in much harder circumftances
than the reprefentations which the Scrip-
ture makes to us of God's difpenfations
and dealings with them allows us to fup-
pofe: I fhall therefore for the clearing
this whole matter, and to fliow both in
what fenfe the Law is called the Strength
of Sin, and how our Saviour has given us
the vidtory over it, (which was the firft
thing I propofed to fpeakto,) endeavour
briefly to prove thefe following Propo-
iitions. i/?, That the Original Law of
God requires exaft, perfecS, and unfin-
ning obedience ; which fince Man through
the weaknefs and corruption of his nature
is not capable of performing, men are all
thereby necelTarily concluded under Sin.
2dlyy That that Law, under which the
yews were, fo far as it is diftinguiflied
from, and oppofed to, the Grace or Go-
fpel of Chrill ; is the fame with the Ori-
ginal Law of God, in its full force and
feverity. 3^/)', That yet God never dealt
with men according to the ftridnefs and

rigour
I

to he the Strength of Sin. 163

rigour of that Law, but always anticipa- S ?rm.
ted the favour of the Gofpel, and dealt

with men according to the Gracious
Terms of the New Covenant. /i^thl)\
That Our Saviour at his appearance,
openly promulged and declared to all the
World the lefs fevere Terms of this Cove-
nant of Grace, and by that means totally
freed men from the fear and bondage of
that rigorous Law, which was really in
force until the time of his appearing ;
excepting only as God was pleafed to an-
ticipate the Grace and Favour of the
New Covenant, at firft by the fecret dif-
penfations of his Mercy, and the obfcure
promifes of a Redeemer to come; and
afterwards, as the time of the promife
drew near, by the more open and plain
declarations of the prophets, i/?. The
Original Law of God requires exad;, per-
fect, and unfinning Obedience ; which
fince man through the weaknefs and cor-
ruption of his nature, is not capable of *"
performing, men are thereby neceffari-
ly concluded under Sin. This is evident
from the confideration of the Nature of
Vol. V. M 2 God,

164 How the Law is fat d

S E R M. God, and of the true and Original notidil
^^^^- of a Law, The Authority of God being
fupreme, and the condition of his crea-
tures abfolutely dependant ; Obedience
entire and conftant, univerfal and perpe-
tual, is plainly and naturally due to his
commands : The nature alfo of a Law
being to require obedience ; and provi-
lion for reconciliation after a violation of
it, not being originally in the condition
of a Law, but only an after-provifion of
Favour and Mercy : it is plain that origi-
nally to the Laws of God, there is due a
perfed: and unfinning Obedience. That
therefore which the original law of God
declares, is this ) that as God is himfelf
a Being of infinite purity and holinefs, fa
he cannot be pleafed with any creature,
that imitates not that purity according to
the utmoft capacity of its nature 5, that as
there are eternal meafures of Good and
Evil, Right and Wrong, which are as un-
changeable as the nature of God and the
conftitution of things, fo God cannot pof-
fibly delight in any creature that obferves
not thefc eflential and fundamental laws

of

to be the Strength of Sin, 165

of his Kingdom ; that therefore men who S e r m.
arc made capable of knowing God, are ^^^^'
bound to worfliip him as God, without
giving any part of that honour to another
which is due only to him^ or paying him
that honour which is due to him, in a
way not becoming the excellency of his
nature; And in brief that knowing the
eternal rules of juftice and equity ; ho-
nefty and fidelity, temperance and fobrie-
ty, to be the laws of his Kingdom, they
are bound to be true and jull in all their
dealings one with another with all fimpli-
city and fincerity of mind, and to live in
Sobriety, Temperance and Chaftity, with
all Purity and Holinefs : And this they
are bound to do, conflantly and at all
times ; the original law of God affuring
indeed thofe that obey it in all points of a
reward and the favour of God ; but not
providing any expiation, nor pointing
with any certainty at the means of recon-
ciliation, for thofe who {hall at any time
have tranfgrefled and incurred God*s dif-
pleafure. It is true the World always had
great and reafonable hopes, that God
M 3 would

v^-y^^

166 How the Law is faid

S E R M. would be merciful to returning Sinners?
^^^^* and accept repentance inftead of perfe(5t
innocence ; But then thefe hopes were not
founded on the Original condition of the
law of God ; but either on men's natural
notion of the mercifulnefs and placability
of the Divine nature (fuch as the Hea-
then World has always depended upon ;)
and thefe were only probable and hopeful
prefumptions ; or elfe on the obfcure pro-
mifes made to Adam and the Patriarchs of
a Meffias to come, (fuch as the holy and
devout men before the giving of the Law
of Mofes grounded their expeftations of
mercy upon 5) and thefe were the firft be-
ginnings of the declaration of the Cove-
nant of Grace. The Original law of
God therefore, required perfedl unfinning
obedience ; and thereby, fince no man
was able to perform it, neceflarily con-
cluded all men under Sin. 2dl)\ That
Law, under which the Jews lived, fo far
as it is diftinguiilied from, and oppofed
to, the Grace or Gofpel of Chrift ; is the
fame with the original Law of God in its
full Force and Severity. This is evident

from

to he the Strength of Sin. 167

from Its retaining and confirming all the S e r m.
moral precepts of Nature, with exprefs ^^^^•
promife indeed that the man which doth
thcfe things Jl: all live by them j Rom. x. 5 ;
but with moft rigorous threatnings alfo,
that Curfed Jhould be every one that con-
tinued ?2ot in all things which were writ~
ten in the book of the Law to do them'j
Gal. iii. 10 5 not affording any expia-
tion for great and wilful fins paft, but
denouncing death without mercy againft
them ; nor indeed allowing any atone-
ment even for fmaller Sins, but fuch as
plainly owed all their efficacy, to their
being types of the mercy of the Co-
venant of grace. The fame alfo is clear
from the Apoftles attributing all thafe fe-
verities to the Jewip Law, which are
properly true only of the Original law of
God ; and his oppofing it direftly to the
grace and mercy of the Gofpel-Covenant.
The law^ faith he, is holy^ and the com-
mandment holy, and juji and good -y Rom.
vii. 1 2 ; it was fuch as if it were exaftly
obeyed, would certainly juftify a man^,
M 4 /. r.

1 68 How the Law is faid

S E R M. /. ^. make him appear righteous in the
^^^^- Sight of God, and entitle him to the re^

^^^^ v/ard of obedience ; the doers of the law
Jhall be jujtifiedy Rom. ii. 13. But the
corrupt eftate of humane nature being
fuch, that no man can obey this law in all
points without finning, but that in many
things we offend all, for all have fin7ied and
come fiort of the glory of God ; Rom. iii,
23 : hence .the law which was ordained
to the end that men obeying it might at-
tain life and happinefs, ferved only to
their Condemnation, by working in their
Confciences a Conviction of their duty
which they ought to have performed, and
of the Wrath of God hanging ov^r their
heads for not performing it : The com^
mandinenty faith he, which was ordained to
life^ I found to be unto death Rom. vii,
JO, And upon this account (I fuppofe)
are thofe fo frequent expreffiops of the
Apoftle 'y that the law worketh wrath^
Rom. iy. 15 ; that by the deeds of the law
there fd all no fefj be jufiified in the fight
cfGod) Rom. iii. 20 : that as many as are

■ "I

to be the Strength of Sin. 169

ef the works of the law are under the curfe ; S e r Mv
Gal. iii. 10, And that the law eiitered ^ ■
that the offence ?night abound', Rom. v. 20:
that is to fay, not that it was defigned to
that end, but that in facft and by confe-
quence it did become a means of aggra-
vating fin and rendering it more exceed-
ingly criminal ; It is true the Lav/ did in-
deed appoint certain facriiices of expiation
for fin ; but fuch as had not in themfelves
Any efficacy to expiate fin, any otherwife
than as they typified that great facrifice
which was once to be offered for the
Sins of the whole World : The Taber-
nacle was a figure for the time then pre-
fent, in which were offered both gifts and
facrifices, that could not make him that
did the fervice perfecft, as pertaining to
the confcience; For the law having ajloa-
dow of good things to come^ and not the
very image of the things^ can never with
thofe facrifices^ which they offered year by
year continually^ make the coiners there-
unto perfect; Heb. x. i. Hence though
thofe good men who lived before the
cpniing of Chrifl, were indeed justified -,

yet

170 How I be Law is f aid

S E R M. yet they are faid to be juftiiied, how ? not
VIII. by the works of the law, but by faith \ as

^■^^'"^'^^ St Paid reafoneth in his whole fourth
Chapter to the Ro?nans ; His meaning is ;
They trufted not to ritual and ceremoni-
ous performances, but looked through the
types and fliadows of the law to the pro-
mifed Meffiah, being fully perfwadedthac
wliat God had promifed he w^ould aflu red-
ly perform ; and this was counted unto
them for righteoufnefs. Thus of Abra-
ham particularly it is faid by the Apoftle,
that he was not jiijlijied by the works of the
Idw^ fo as to have wherewith to glory before
God ; but that he was jufiified by Faith :
and in like manner all the holy men, who
lived under the law, did not expeft to be
jufiified in the fight of God by the works
of the law, but by their faith in God, and
trufl in his promlfes. So the law was
their Schoolmafter to bring them unto
Chrift; and though they knew that no-
thing in the law could of it fclf avail ef-
feftually to the forgivenefs of fins, yet
they continued with patience walking in
the Commandments of God, and waiting

for

to he the Strength of Sin* lyi

for the confolation and redemption of i/- S e r m.
rael -, and accordingly when the fulnefs of ^^^^•
time was come^ God fent forth his Son^ made ^^^^*^
[of a Woman^ made'] tinder the law, that
he might redeem thofe that were wider the
law. The fewijh Law therefore, fo far
as it was diftinguifhed from, and oppofed
to, the grace or gofpel of Chrift, was the
fame with the original law of God in its
full force and feverity ; and no flefh could
be juftified thereby.

3^/y, Yet God never dealt with men
according to the ftriftnefs and feverity of
that Law, but always anticipated the fa-
vour of the gofpel, and dealt with men
according to the gracious terms of the new
Covenant. Thus though no fleili could
be juflified by the law, yet both the Pa-
triarchs who lived before the law (as 1
have already obferved,) and all Holy men
who lived under the Law, were juftified ;
and this their juftification wai by Faith, i. e,
by the terms of that new Covenant, which
in the fulnefs of time was to be promulged
openly and plainly to the whole world.
Wherefore, though the Law appointed no

e\"«

1J2 How the Law is f aid

S E R M. expiation for great and prefumptuous Sins,
VIIL yet God always pardoned Sinners upon

^^^^^^^^^ their true repentance, (as appears in the
cafe of David and otheT^s^) and as the
times of the gofpel grew nearer and near-
er, began by degrees to declare by his Pro-
phets, that he would do fo. David^
when he had committed thofe crying Sins
of Adultery and Murder, acknowledges
that the feverity of the law allowed no
Sacrifice of expiation for him ; Thou de^
fireji not facrifice^ elfe would I give it thee^
but thou delightefi not in burnt-offerings 5
Pf. li. 16: Yet he hoped that upon his
hearty repentance, forgivenefs would not
be impoffible to be obtained at the Hands
of God ; A broken and contrite hearty O
God, faith he, thou wilt not defpife-^ ver.
17: and the event difcovcred that he did
indeed obtain it. And God afterward by
the Prophet Ezekiel declared publickly to
the whole people of the Jews^ that when
a wicked man turneth away from his wick--
ednefs^ and doeth that whick is lawful and
rights he fliouldy^i;^ his foul alive. Thus
though the Law, flriftly fpeaking, was in
2 force

to he the Strength of Sin. 173

force with its full feverity until the appear- S e r m.
ing of our Saviour, yet God never dealt ^^^^*
with men according to that feverity, but
always anticipated the Favour of the Gof-
pel, and judged men by the terms of the
Covenant of grace. The Law was by
Mofes, Grace and "Truth by Chrijl,

\thl)\ This new Covenant of grace,
which, before the coming of our Saviour,
lay hid in the fecret difpenfations of God's
mercy, and began in part and by degrees
to be difcovered, firft by the obfcure pro-
mifes of a Meffiah to come, and after-
wards by the more plain declarations of
the Prophets ; was at our Saviour's Ap-
pearance openly eftablifhed, and the
terms of it publickly promulged to the
whole World; fo as to deliver men en-
tirely from all fear of that rigour of the
Law, which the Apoftle ftiles the ftrength
of Sin, This deliverance of men by the
Gofpel from the burden and feverity of
the Law, the Apoftle in the Text calls a
Viftory 'y and This Vidlory our Saviour
obtained for us, principally by thefe two-
things : I/?, By giving himfelf a facrifice

and

174 How the Law is /aid

S E R r^. and propitiation for fins paft, from which
^^^^- men could not bejuftified by the Law;

^'•'''"^^^ and 2^/y, By propofing openly the gra-
cious terms of Faith and Repentance to J
thofe who believed and were defirous to
obey him. i/?, He gave himfelf a facri-
fice and propitiation for fins pafl:, from
which men could not be jufl:ified by the
law, viz. When it was not confifl:ent with
the wifdom of God in his government of
the world, to let fin go unpunlfhed, and
yet he would have mercy upon finful
man, he fent his own Son info the world
in the likenefe of finful jlefhy to bear our
punijloment^ and fo for fin ( or as the
words may moft properly be rendered, by
being a facrifice for fin ) condemjied fin
in theflejh \ Rom. viii. 3. Hence Chrift is
faid to have obtained redemption for us,
Heb. ix. 12: to have put away fin by the
facrifice of himfelf Heb. ix. 26 : to have
given his life a ranfom for inany^ St Mat.
XX. 28. for many : that is, for all thofe
that pould believe and obey him-, as it is
explained by St Patd^ i Tim. ii. 6 : to
have bought us with a price^ I Cor. vi.

20 : m

to he the IStrength of Sin. 175

ZO\ to be the propitiation for oiir Jins^ S e r m,
Joh. ii. 2 : and to have pur chafed a church }^
ninth his bloody Ad:s xx. 28 : with many
the like expreflions, which do all plainly
fignify, that Chrift by his death and the
fhedding of his moft precious blood, has
made full and fufficient fatisfadtion to the
juftice of God for the fins of the whole
world, that is, for as many as fliall out of
the world flee unto him, and fubmit them-
felves to the terms of the new covenant,
whereof he is made the mediatour. For
if the blood of bulls and of goat s^ and
the afloes of an heifer Jprinkling the un-
clean^ fanBifieth to the purifying of the
flefh ; How much more Jhall the blood of
Chrijly who through the eternal Spirit offer-
ed himfelf without fpot to God^ purge your
Confcience from dead works toferve the liv-
ing God', Heb. ix. 13, 14. 2dly, Our
Saviour has openiy propofed to all the
v/orld, the gracious terms of Faith and
Repentance ; of Faith, that men believe
on him as the Saviour of the world and
the Mefliah that was to come, profeffing
themfelves fubjefts of his Kingdom ^ and

of

176 How the Law is fatd

S E R M. of Repentance, that men turn from tli6
VIII. evil of their ways, and conform their

yj^^^T^^ lives to the laws of that Kingdom, whofe
fubjetfis they profefs themfelves to be i
That they believe on him whom God
hath fent ; and that they live fuitably to
that belief, with fincere endeavours tO
obey the whole gofpel, and hearty forrow
and perpetually labouring after amend-
ment, for all their failures in that obedi-
ence. Thefe are now the gracious terms
of the Gofpel, which in the New Tefta^
ment are every where preached as the con-
ditions of Salvation. This was the Sum
of "John Baptift's preaching, who was fent
to prepare the way before Chrift 5 RepeJit
ye^ for the kingdo^n of heaven is at hand%
St Mat. iii. 2 : with this our Saviour him-
felf began his miniftry ; "^he time is ful^
filled^ and the kingdom of God is at handy
Repent ye and believe the Gofpel 'y Mar. i. 15:
with This he concluded his charge to his
Difciples after his refurrection ; Go ye into
all the worldy and preach the gofpel to
every creature -, He that believeth and is
baptized^ i. e. he that believeth and enters

into

to be the Strength of Sin. lyj

iflto an obligation to live fuitably to that S e r m.
belief, fhall be faved ; Mar. xvi. 15 and 16. '^^^^*
This his Difciples after his afcenfion pub- ^^^^*^:
lifhed to all the world, ^r£'^6'y6/V2^ repentance
and remifftofi of Jin s in his name among all
nations^ beginning at yeriifalem ; Luk. xxiv.
47. Laftly, this is the Sum of all their
exhortations, contained in their epiftles
to the feveral churches which had be-
fore believed through their preaching.
And becaufe this Repentance or turning
from a life of fm unto a life of righ-
teoufnefs, is the fumm of Religion un-
der the gofpel-difpenfation, therefore is
it in Scripture expreffed by great variety
oi phrafes, to the different capacities and
underftandings of men. Sometimes it is
called turning to the Lord, that thofe
who by a courfe of fm had been ene-
mies to God, might by forfaking their
fins and following after righteoufnefs, be
reconciled to him : Sometimes it is cal-
led Converfion^ a word of the fame im-
port with that of turning to the Lord :
Sometimes it is called the renewing of our
mind \ Sometimes putting on the ?iew man^
V o L. V. N elfe-

1 7 8 How the Law is /aid

S E R M. elfewhere the new Creature^ to fignify an
VIII. entire change and reformation of life :

^^^"^"^^ and mofi: frequently it is ftiled Regenera-
tion^ the new birth, newnefs of life, and
the like; All which phrafes are made
ufe of to imply this one thing, that thofe
who have been dead in trefpajfes and SinSy
thofe who by any means have been en-
gaged in a wicked courfe of life, muft
as it were by a new birth, by a thorough
and entire reformation of life and man-
ners, enter into a new courfe of life, and
begin a life of righteoufnefs and holinefs.
So careful has the Spirit of God been, that
no one fhould be ignorant of that which
is fo much his neceffary and indifpenfablc
Duty. Nothing is now required of us
but that Aoyrx-T) Aocrpei'ct, that reafonable
fervice, of forfaking our Sins, and obey-
ing in our lives and aftions thofe com-
mands of God, which are fo reafonable
in themfelves, and fo evidently perfeftive
of our nature, fo neceffarily, approved by
the minds of men, and the reafon of their
obligation fo immediately acknowledged
by the confcience, that thev may truly be

/aid

to be the Strength of Sin. 179

faid to he written in our hearts ; Heb. viii. S e r m.
10 ; Yet to incourage our practice, they ^^^^*
are moreover moil fully explained, moft ^^^""^^^^
earneftly inculcated, and moft ftrongly in-
forced by the moft powerful motives in
the New Teftament. We are not now
obliged to thofe numberlefs ritual perfor-
mances, which in the Scripture are called
weak and beggarly elements^ and a burden
which neither we nor our Fathers were able
to bear : Our religion confifts not now in
fuch outward Ceremonies, whofe obfer-
vance was difficult, and their fignification
oftimes obfcure : But the righteoufnefs
which is of faith fpeaketh on this wife, fay
not in thine hearty who Jhall afcend into
Heaven to bring Chriji down froin above ?
Or who Jhall defend into the deep to bring
up Chrift again from the dead ? But what
faith it ? The word is nigh thee^ even in
thy mouth , and in thy heart ; Rom. x. 6,
7 and 8 ; that is ; the Gofpel-Covenant
confifts not of fuch ftridl, difficult terms,
as are above the reach of our knowledge or
our ftrength ; but fuch as may eafily be
underftood by us, and performed alfo by
V o L. V„ N 2 the

i8o How the Law is /aid

S E R M. the afliltance of Chrift that ftrengtheneth
^'^^^* us. A fincere endeavour to perform our

^^^^^"^^ whole duty, is the condition of the Gof-
pel ; and he that fo defires to do the Will
of God, can neither want knowledge to
underftand his duty, nor power to per-
form it : He fhall know of Chrift's doc-
trine, whether it be of God ; and when
he comes to praftife it, {hall find his yoke
eafy and his burden light. In a word, the
Terms that Chrift by his death has pur-
chafed for us, are plainly thefe ; that
whereas by the tranfgreffion of the
Original law of God, which required
perfed and unfinning Obedience, all men
were become guilty before God ; and
whereas by the addition of the Ceremo-
nial rites and facrifices of the Jewi/h law^
which in their own nature could not a-
vail to expiate Sin, men could not be ju-
ftified from the tranfgrefrions they had
committed ; it is now declared by the
Gofpel-Covenant that whofoever belie-
ving in the name of Chrift fliall repent
him heartily of his former Sins, and for
the future endeavx)urwith all his jmight to

obey

to be the Strength of Sin. 1 8 1

obey iincerely, tho* not without infirmi- S e r m.
ties , all the Commandments of God ; ^^^^•
fhall through the redemption purchafed ^^^^^-^
by the Blood of Chrift have his fincerity
accepted inftead of perfecfl obedience, and
thereby be juftified from all things from
which he could not be juflified by the
law 5 And this is that jufiification by faith
onl)\ which Si Paul in his Epiftle to the
Romans fo often oppofes to being jujlified
by the works of the law. Having thus en-
deavoured briefly to explain what is meant
by the Law being the Strength of Sin -, and
by what means our Saviour has delivered
us from it, or given us the vidtory over it ;
I fhould proceed now in the 2d place to
confider how he gives us the Victory over
Sin which is the Sting of Death ;-^And
this he does, by delivering us iji from the -^
dominion, and zdly from the guilt and pu-
nifliment of Sin. Firft, he frees men from
that bondage and thraldom, into which Sin
has reduced them ; and then thofe who are
fo freed he delivers from that punifliment,
which mull: have been the neceffary con-
fequence of their being inthralled to Sin.
N 3 But

1 82 How the Law is f aid

S E R M. But the time not permitting me to enter
^^^^' upon this, I fhall only draw an inference
^^'^ or two from what has been already faid,
I and fo conclude. And \Ji from what has

been faid, we may underftand why St Faul
in his writings concerning the yewijh
Law, always defcribes it as of fuch feve-
rity by which nofejh could pojjibly be ju^
fiified : when yet it is plain God never
dealt with men according to that feverity :
and why he fo exceedingly magnifies the
grace and mercy of the Gofpel, notwith-
flanding it be evident that God always
dealt with r;ien according to that indul-
gence. Now the plain folution of this dif-
' ficulty is this. The Apoftle fpeaking of
the Law, is not to be underftood complex-
ly of God's whole difpenfation and deal-
ing with the Jews^ but of the Law pro-
perly and ftridly , as it is diflinguifhed
from and oppofed to the Gofpel; 'i^iz.
fuch as it was in itfelf, and fuch as it re-
ally would have been, if the Gofpel-Co-
venant had never been efiabliilied. For
though there was indeed indulgence under
the Law 3 yet that indulgence was not

from

to be the Strength of Sin. 183

from the Law, but an anticipation, as I S e r m.
have faid, of the mercy of the Gofpel. ^^^^•
The Law itfelf was not therefore the lefs ^*^^
fcvere, becaufe the indulgence of the Gof-
pel extended itfelf backward even under
the times of the Law -, neither is the mer-
cy of the Gofpel to be therefore the lefs
magnified, becaufe it is no other than
what had in effedl before been indulged
under the Law. For fmce the one was in
itfelf really as fevere as it is defcribed, and
had no indulgence but what was borrowed
from and founded upon the other, there
is no reafon at all why this fhould be con-
lidered when the one is fpoken of in op-
polition to the other y which is the ftate
of the Apoftle's argument ; and therefore
he moft reafonably aggravates the feverity
of the Law, and upon the comparifon
moft juftly magnifies the mercy and fa-
vour of the Gofpel : Gal. ii. 21 ; If righ-
teoufnefs came by the LaWy then Chrifi is
dead in vain,

Q-dly^ From what has beeen faid, we

may learn, that the whole defign and ef-

fedl of the Gofpel, ^-^vas not to deflroy^ but

N 4 ' tQ

184 How the Law is f aid

S E R M. to fulfil the Law, The whole defign of
^^^^- all God's difpenfations with mankind, is to

^""^"^''^^ prevent or deftroy Sin. This the Law
was to do originally, by requiring perfedt*
and unfinning obedience : But when in-
ftead of this, it only concluded all men
under Sin ; the defign of the Gofpel was
to effecft the fame, by requiring and by
accepting Repentance ; which being no
other than renewed obedience, it is plain
the Gofpel does not deftroy, but eftablilh
the Law. The feverity indeed of the
Law was fo far to be qualified by the in-
dulgence of the Gofpel, that it might not
be any longer the Strength of Sin : But
the Gofpel did not take away the obliga-
tion of the Law , fo as to be itfelf
the caufe and the occafion of finning.
The moral Law denounced a Curfe a-
gainft every one that continued not in all
the works thereof to do them ; and the
Gofpel delivers all thofe from this Curfe,
who by true Repentance renew their Obe-
dience : The Ceremonial Law was an in-
fupportable burden of rites, infufficient of
themfelves to make any expiation for fin ;

and

to he the Strength of Sin, 185

and the Gofpel, by exhibiting the true S e r m.
and fufficient expiation, has delivered all ^^^^•
men from the burden of this yoke. As ^--^"^'''^
therefore thofe perfons [Judaizing Chri-
ilians] in the primitive times were very
unreafonable, who contended that any of
thefe ritual obfervations were of neceffity
to be kept up after the comimg of Chrift •
fo thofe Perverters of Chriftianity in later
ages are on the other fide much more un-
reafonable, who contend that the moral
Law has been abolifhed by Chrift. The
Gofpel accepts indeed the terms, of Faith
and Repentance ; but 'tis only for the fake
of the Fruit and EffeB of them, which is
renewed obedience. So that nothing can
be more abfurd, than for Chriftians to
think themfelves excufed from holinefs of
Life and thofe duties of religion, which as
the unchangeable Nature of God and of
the things themfelves had made the necef-
fary requifites, fo the Gofpel alfo has made
the exprefs condition of their being accept-
able to God. Our Saviour himfelf tells us,
that Not every one that faith unto me, Lord^
l^ordjJ}:all enter into tkeKingdom of Heaven^

but

1 86 How the Law is f aid

S E R M. but he that doth the Will of my Father which
^^11- is in He($vefu The Gofpel itfelf fpeaks

^^^""^^^^ aloud, and tells us, that we tnujl deny un-
godlinefs and worldly lujls^ that we Jhould
live job erly^ right eoujly^ and godly in this pre^
fent worlds looking for that blejfed hope^ and
the glorious appearing of the great God,
and our Saviour fefus Chrijiy Who gave
himfelffor us^ that he might redeem us from
all iniquity^ and purify u7ito himfelf a pe^
culiar people^ zealous of good works. The
Apoftle St Pauly That great vindicator of
the liberties of Chriflians, warns and per-
fwades us, and repeats it with great earnefl-
nefs over and over again; Be not deceived -y
and let no man deceive you with vain words ;
neither fornicators^ nor idolaters^ nor thieves^
nor covetous^ nor drunkards^ and fo on;
7. e, no one that allows himfelf and con-
tinues in any one known vice ; ihall ac-
cording to the terms of the Gofpel of
Chrift, inherit the Kingdom of God, For^
Not every one that faith unto me^ Lordy
Lord^ Jhall enter into the Kingdom of Hea-
ven^ faith our Saviour, but he that doth the
Will of my Father which is in Heaven.

Lafify,

^

to be the Strength of S'm. 187

Lajilyy From what has been laid, we S e r m,
may learn to reconcile the Severity and ^^"'
the Compajfion of God ; the Severity^ in ^^^^^^
giving a Law, which required finlefs Obe-
dience ; and the CompaJ/ion in mitigating
it, by the Grace and Mercy of the Gofpel ;
Which Grace extended itfelf backwards
to good men under the Law ; and the Se-
verity will reach forward to the impeni-
tent under the Gofpel. O the depth of the
riches both of the wifdom and hiowledge of
God I how unfe arch able are hisjudgeme?2ts^
a?td his ways pafi finding out I To conclude
therefore, Let us then heartily fet about the
reformation of our lives, and by obedience
to God's commands indeavour to walk wor-
thy of that religion we profefs, adorning
the dodlrine of God our Saviour in all
things. Let us confider and admire the
infinite wifdom and mercy of God, in re-
ftoring men to a capacity of attaining that
happinefs by the obedience of the fecond
Covenant , which they utterly forfeited
by the tranfgreffion of the firft ; and let
us not fruflrate the grace of God by the
difobedience of our lives, leaft there re-
main

i 8 8 How the Law is faid

S E R M. main no more Sacrifice for our Sin : For
VIII. ij the word fpoken by Angels was Jied^

^'^^'^^'^ fajfy cind every tranfgrejfion and difobe-
ditnce received a jiijl recompence of re-
ward 'y how Jhall we efcape if we negleSi
fo great Salvation^ which at the firfl be-
gan to be fpoken by the Lord^ and was
confirmed unto us by them that heard
him ? For if we fin wi fully after we have
received the Knowledge of the T^ruth j that
is, if Chriftians live as thofe who know
not God, in the PracSice of any vice or de-
bauchery whatfoever j there remaim no
more Sacrifice for Sin, no new Difpenfa-
tions ; but a certain fearful looking for of
judgement, and fiery indignation^ which fid all
devour the adverfaries.

SERMON

[ >89]

SERMON IX.

How Christ has enabled us to
conquer Sin.

[Preached on Eajier-Day,']

I C o R. XV. 56 and c^j,
T'he Jiing of Death is Jin^ and the
JireJigth of fin is the /aw ; ifut thanks
be to God which giveth us the vi^ory^
through our Lord Jefus CbriJI,

H E N he who was the defire S e r m,
and expecftation of Nations IX.
appeared firft in the World, ^^^"^^^"^
it highly concerned all thofe
who looked for redemption
in Ifrael^ rightly to underftand the end

and

1 90 Hgw Chrifl: has enabled us

Serm. and defign of his coming: And if we
IX. vvho live at this diftance of time after

^^^^^^^^^ his appearing in the flefh, expeft yet to
be partakers of the common Salvation
which he has purchafed for us 5 it high-
ly concerns Us alfo to underftand wherein
that Salvation confifts, and how and on
what conditions he has purchafed it for
us. The Jews who lived about the time
of his coming, milled by a partial appli-
cation and wrong interpretation of the
prophecies that went before concerning
him, expeded a temporal pri?7ce to appear
271 the power and fplen dour of this worlds
who jlmdd deliver their nation from that
Jlavery i?ito which the Romafis had fubdued
the?n, a?id rejlore again the kingdom to
Ifrael'y They expecfted that Jerufalem
fliould have become once again the Head
of the nations, and the glory of the whole
Earth ; They expelled that MeJJiah the
p'ince JJjoidd have come to fit upon the
throne of David for ever, and to have
eflahlified a kingdofn among them which
Jhould have had no end. And fo indeed
he did ; though in a fenfe far different

from

to conquer Sin. 191

from what they expedled. Nay, his Dif- S e r m.
ciples themfelves were for a great while ^^•
fo blinded with the fplendour of this opi- ^"^^^^
nion, that they underftood none of thofe
prophecies that related to his Humilia-
tion, Sufferings, and Death; As appears
from St Peter's undertaking to rebuke
him when he began to foretel how many
things he Jljould fuffer of the Jews j and
from his Difciples asking him even after
his refurredtion if he would at this time
reftore again the kingdom to IfraeL But
as he himfelf a little before his death
witneffed before Pontius Pilate that good
confeffion, that his kingdom was not of
this world ; fo his Difciples, after his re-
furredtion and afcenfion, began to have
their eyes opened, and to underftand that
the defign of his coming into the World
was wholly Spiritual. And as at the de-
fending of the Holy Ghoft they were
more perfedlly inftrudled in the nature
and end of That his Spiritual kingdom, fo
did they afterward in their infpired wri-
tings deliver to us^ what they then re-
ceived from that unerring inftrudlor :

Namely,

192 How Chrijfl: has enabled ui

S E R M. Namely, that the true end and defign of
IX. Chrift's coming into the World, was to

^-^"'^'^'^ deliver men , not from their Temporal
Enemies, but to fave them from their
Sins. Now This he does, by delivering
us I/?, from the power and dominion of
Sin ; and 2^/y, from the guilt and pu-
niiliment thereof. Firft he delivers men
from that Bondage and Slavery into
which the praftice of Sin has reduced
them ; and then thofe who are fo freed,
he delivers from that punijhment which
muft have been the rieceffary confequence
of their being enflaved to Sin. Thefe are
the two great defigns which exhauft the
whole hiftory of our Saviour ; there be-
ing nothing that he either faid or did,
which was not direited to one of thefe
great ends. \fi then. We are to fhow,
how Chrill delivers us from the dominion
or praBice of Sin. That the fervice of
Sin is an intolerable thraldom, All who
are fo unhappy as to be engaged in any
habit of Vice, do fadly experience ; and
it may alfo eafily be obferved by others.
This deplorable ftate^ it fitly defcribed by
2 Solomon

to Conquer Sin. 193

Solomon under the perfon of a foolifh S e r m,
young man, drawn away with the entice- 1.

ments of a Strange woman -, Prov, vii. 22.
He goeth after her Jlraightway as an ox
goetb to the Jlaughter^ or as a fool to the
correBio?i of the Jiocks, till a dart Jirike
through his liver ^ as a bird hajieth to the
fnare^ and knoweth not that it is for his
life. This is the cafe of all, who are
under the dominion and habit of any Sin ;
they know not whither they are going,
but are hurried away blindfold with eve-
ry temptation, being intangled in the fnare
of the Devil, and taken captive by him
at his will. Hence fuch a ftate of Sin
is ftiled in Scripture a yoke^ burden^ cap-
tivity, bondage, thraldom, and the like ;
and habitual Sinners are defcribed to be
dead in Sin, to let Sin reign in their
mortal bodies, to be yS/^ under Sin, to be
in captivity to the law of Sin and Death,
to be hardned through the deceitfulnefs of
Sin, to be fuch as cannot ceafe from Sin,
and, by a phrafe which includes all thefe,
to be Servants of Sin 5 being conftrained
I to obey it in the lufls thereof, even againft
V o L. V, 0 the

104 J%''t£; Chrift has enabled us

S E R M. the didates of their reafon and confci-
IX. tncQ y for to wJoom ye yield your/elves fer-^

^^'^''^^^^^ ^ants to obeyy his fervants ye are to who7n
ye obey^ Rom. vi. 16. Now That which
Chrift has actually done for us in order
to the delivering us from the dominion
of Sin, may briefly be exprefled in thefe
two propofitions j i/?, that he has made
a moft clear difcovery of the Will of God
to mankind ; and idly^ that he has ena-
bled them to obey the Will of God ac-
cording to that difcovery. ly?. He has
made a moft clear difcovery of the Will
of God to Mankind. He has plainly and
fully made known to us, the heinoufnefs
of Sin, and the neceflity of Repentance 5
he has moft exadlly defined the bounds
of our duty, and given us an example of
the prailice of it in his own life ; he has
more clearly revealed the great motives
of religion, and urged them upon men
with much ftronger advantage. To fliow
thcfc things at large, would be to repeat
the whole hiftory of our Saviour ; and
no man can read the New Teftament
wherein That hiftory is contained, with-
out

to conquer Sin. j[95

out obferving that all his difcourfes and S e r m,
all the a<aions of his life, were directed 1^-
principally to Thefe ends : To convince
men that Sin is fo hateful to God, and
fo inconfiftent with the honour of his
laws, that he would not pardon it even
in thofe whom he defigned to have mercy
upon, without firft infliding the punifli-
ment that was due to it, upon his only
Son. To affure men, that a life of Vir-
tue and true Righteoufnefs, is the only
and indifpenfable condition of T^hat Co-
venant, wherein God has promifed to fave
them from everlafting deftrudlion. That
therefore unhfs we repent^ we muft perijh^
Luke xiii. 5. That without HoUnefs^ no
man [hall fee the Lord^ Heb. xii. 14. That
no man who continues in the praftice of
any known Sin, floall in any wife enter in-
to the kingdom of God^ 1 Cor. vi. 9 ; and
that, however vain men may deceive
themfelves, no pretence whatfoever, no
not of having preached or worked miracles
in the name of Chrifl^ fliall be accepted
inftead thereof, Matt,v\\. 21. Further;
is it not a very Advantagious ilating of
Vol. V. O a the

196 How Chrift has eiiabled us

S E R M. the bounds of our duty, to have given us
^^- fuch a compleat and pcrfedt rule of Life
and manners, as the Holy Scriptures can-
not but be acknowledged to be ? Is it not
a fufRcient Security againft ignorance and
miftake in our duty, to have fuch a Rule
given us as contains in the plaineft w^ords
all things needful for our information in
all neceffary truth, and for the confuting
of all pernicious errour ; for correcting and
reclaiming us from all Sin, and for our
inftrudlion and encouragement in all Righ-
teoufnefs ? to have fuch a Rule, wherein
our duty is fet down both in general and
in particulars ; with great variety of ex-
preffion, repeated, urged, and inculcated
upon the meaneft capacities, and exem-
plified in the lives of holy men, as pat-
terns propofed to our imitation ? The
Hiftory of our Saviour*s life, is a com-
pleat example of all virtues ; but more
efpecially of Patience, Charity, and Con-
tempt of the World : His Sermons contain
fuch excellent and perfed rules of Mora-
lity, as have raifed the admiration even
of the moft implacable enemies of his

Religion j

to conquer^ Si?t, 197

Religion; and his Parables are Deckra- S e r m.
tions of the nature and defign of the ^^^^^
Gofpcl-difpenfation by fuch plain and
eafy fimilitudes, as the vulgar were able
to bear, and thofe who were well-difpofed
were capable of underftanding. The
Sermons of the Apojlles contain fuch
proofs of the truth and certainty of the
Chriftian Religion, as were neceffary to
the converfion of Infidels ; and their E-
piftles are filled with the inforcements of
fuch Chriftian Duties, as are neceffary to
the Salvation of believers ; containing al-
fo Exhortations to the pradice of fpecial
duties, upon particular and emergent oc-
cafions. So that every man that fincerely
defires to know the will of God and to
obey it, without being prejudiced with
Partiality and Difputes, with Paffions and
Intereft, may here find his duty written
in fuch legible charaders, that he that rum
may read it : Lajlly^ Men's duty being
thus made known, is it not a moft clear
and advantagious revelation of the pow-
erful Motives and Inforcements of that
duty ; to be affured that there is a future
O I ftatQ

tqS How Chrift has enabled us

S E R M. ftate of Rewards and Punifhments, where-
^X' in God will judge the world in right eouf-

^^'^ fiefs^ and render to every man according to
what he has done in the body^ whether it
be good or evil \ and to be aflured of the
certainty of that ftate, not by the uncer-
tain and difagreeing conjeftures of fuch
men, as undertook to prove it probable
by difficult and abftrufe reafonings, but
by the teftimony of one, who by that
convincing proof of his Refurredion from
the Dead, did undeniably demonftrate
that he had himfelf been in that invifible
ftate?

But 2^/y, As Chrift has thus made a
moft clear Difcovery of the Will of God
to Mankind, fo hath he alfo enabled them
to obey the Will of God according to that
difcovery. As he has provided a fuffi-
cient remedy againft Ignorance of our
duty^ fo he has likewife made a fufficient
provifion againft our Inability to perform
it. Now this he has done, i/?, By re-
quiring ealier conditions of us, than could
without his mediation have been accepted.
And ^dly^ By gracioufly affording us his

affiftancc:,

to conquer Sin. i99

affiftaiice, to perform what he fo requires. S e r m.
ly?, He requires eafier conditions of us, ^'^•
than could without his mediation have ^•^^>»^
been accepted. It is the great and pecu-
liar privilege of the Gofpel-difpenfation,
that whereas the original law of God
required perfedl unfinning obedience, and
confequently men in this corrupt eftate
were thereby of neceflity concluded all
under Sin j the covenant of mercy efta-
blifhed by the Death of Chrift, has re-
laxed that rigour which the Apoftle calls
the Jlrength of Sin, and reduced the con-
dition of Salvation to fuch terms, as are
not impradticable, nay nor indeed grievous
to human nature, even in this prefent
ftate ; He has reduced it to the gracious
terms of Faith, and unfeigned Repen-
tance y a Repentance, and fincere Endea-
vours to obey his Commandments to the
beft of our Ability for the time to come.
But if Chriftians will ftill continue in
the pradlice, and under the dominion of
Sin, notwithftanding this way which
Chrift has opened for them to Salvation;
it is their own fault and their extreme
O 4 foily

200 How Chrift has enabled us

S E R M. folly here, and will be their condemnation
^^* and mifery hereafter. It is true, fiich is

^^'^ the corruption of our nature and the
vveaknefs of our faculties, that we are
not indeed fiifficient of our/elves to do or
thiJik any thing as of otirfelves^ 2 Cor. iii.
5. But then it is true alfo, that we have
a much greater Sufficiency, even that Suf-
ficiency which is from God, as the Apo-
ftle immediately adds : which is the fe-
cond thing whereby I faid our Saviour
enables us to obey the will of God, ac-
cording to that difcovery of it which he
has made to us in the Gofpel ; he enables
us, by gracioufly affording us his afTift-
ance, to perform what he requires of us.
Though we have indeed contracted much
Weaknefs and Impotency by our wilful
degeneracy from Goodnefs, yet That
Grace which the Gofpel offers us for our
affiflance, is fufficient for us ; / can do
all things, faith St Paul, through Chrift
that ftrejigthejieth me, Phil, i v. 13. Though
we are indeed encompaffed with many
and potent enemies, whofe bufinefs it is
to tempt us and to deter us from our

dutys

uoro

to co7iquer Sin, 201

duty ; yet are we indued with a power, S e r m.
by which we are enabled to refift and to ^^^
conquer all thefe temptations ; For greater
is he that is in us^ than he that is in the
world ; I Joh. iv. 4 : So that in all thefe
things we are more than conquerours through
him that loved iis ^ Rom. viii. 37. God
knoweth the frailty of our nature, and
confidereth how many temptations we
are continually liable to \ he remeinbereth
whereof we are made^ and confidereth that
we are but Duji ; He knoweth our ene-
my's ftrength and our own weaknefs, and
therefore he affords us the continual af-
fiftance of his Holy Spirit, to fupply our
natural want of power. He has promifed
to fuccour all thofe who fincerely deiSre
to obey his will 5 and, if we be riot want-
ing in our own endeavours, we may rely
upon hi7n^ that he will be faithful to his
promife, and not fufi'er us to be tempted
above what we are able ; but will with
the temptation alfo make a way to efcape^
that we may be able to bear it \ i Cor. x.
13. Thus in order to the delivering us
from the habit and power of Sin, our

Saviour

202 How Chrifl 6as MahUd us

S E R M. Saviour by making a moft clear Difcovcry
J[^ of the Will of God to Mankind, and by
enabling them to obey the Will of God
according to that Difcovery, has put us in
our own power, if we for our part will
but accept this deliverance, and, by the
way which he has opened for us, retreat
out of the bondage of Sin and Satan into
the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Chrifl has compleatly performed his office
for us ; he has paid the price ^ he has re-
deemed us out of captivity : It is our part
to take care that we continue not wilfully
in the fervice of Sin, leji we be found ts
do defpite unto the Spirit of GracCy cru^
cifying to ourf elves the Son of God afrejh^
and putting him to an openjhame. Now
this is what Chrift has done for All thofe
in general, to whom the Gofpel is preach^
- ed : But then 2^/v, Thofe who accept of
this deliverance from the dominion of
Sin, that is, who by Repentance and true
Amendment of life embrace the terms of
the Gofpel ; thofe, and thofe only, he
further delivers from the guilt and pu-
nifhment of Sin: And in order to this

to conquer Sin. 203

I/?, He hath vindicated the honour of S e r m.

IX.

God's laws by taking upon himfelf the *^-

punifhment of their Sins ; and 2i/>', He
fts at the right hand of God, ready to come
in the glory of his Father with his holy
Angels, adlually to deliver them from
That punifhment of Sin, which Jhall fi-
nally be inflicSted on them that would not
be delivered from the dominion of it ; even
on thofe who hiow not God and obey
not the Gofpel', i. e. who either embraced
not the Gofpel at all, when it was preach-
ed to them ; or pretending to embrace it,
yet obeyed it not. i/?, He has vindica-
ted the honour of God's laws, by taking
upon himfelf the punifhment of their
Sins, who repent and embrace the terms
of the Gofpel. He condefcended to be
made Sin for us, who himfelf knew no Sin,
that we might be made the righteoufnefs of
God in him, 2 Cor. v. 21: to be made Sin
for us, i, e : to be made a Sacrifice for
our Sins, that we through that expiation
might become fubjefts capable of the mercy
of God. He took upon him our Na-
ture, and was clothed in flefh, partly in-
deed

204- How Chriil: has enabled us

S E R M. d*ed that he might preach the Will of
^^- God to mankind in a nearer and more
condefcending converfation with them ;
but principally, that he who in the form
of God could not fuffer, might become
capable of fufFering by being made in the
likenefs to man. He lived a moft inno-
cent and fpotlefs life, that he might in-
deed fet us an example that we fhould
follow his fteps; bur chiefly, becaufe as
it was required that the typical Sacrifices
under the law fliould be whole and with-
out blemifli ; fo it was neceffary that he,
who was to be the real expiatory Sacrifice
for the Sins of others, fhould have none
that needed expiation of his own ; For
jiich an High prieji becafne us^ who is ho-
ly^ harmkfs^ undejiled^ feparate from Jin-
ners^ and made higher than the heavens ;
Heb. vii. 26. He fuffered a {hameful and
ignominious Death upon the Crofs, that
he might indeed give us an example of
patience and readinefs to fuffer ; but the
principal defign of it was, that he might
put away Sin by the facrifice of himfclf,
and obtain eternal redemption for us

through

to conquer Sin. 205

through Faith in his Blocd. His Refur-Sn^^M.
redion, was the demonftration of this ^^-Y^J
Sacrifice's being accepted by God j and
his Afcenfion into Heaven, was in order
to plead the merits of his Sufferings be*
fore God, and interceed for thofe, who
according to the terms of the Gofpel-
Covenant fhould be capable of receiving
the gracious benefits purchafed by his
Death: Wherefore 2^/y, He now fits at
the right hand of God, ready to appear
in the glory of his Father with the Holy
Angels, adually to deliver all thofe from
the punifhment of Sin, who have before
been delivered by him from the dominion
thereof This fitting at the right hand
of God, fignifies his having fubdued all
his enemies, and his being fully inflated
in his Regal power ; All things being
aBually made JubjeB unto him^ always ex-
cepti?jg him, as St Paul diredls, who did
put all things imder him. All power both
in heaven and earth is now committed un^
to him ; being exalted far above all prin^
cipality^ and power ^ arid mighty and do-
minion^ and every name that is named not

only
I

2o6 How Clirift has enabled us

S E R M. only in this world, but alfo in that which
^-^- is to come ; God having put all things un-
der his feet y and given him to be the head
over all things to the Church, When
therefore this his Mediatorial kingdom
fhall be iinifhed, and the number of his
Elecft accomplifhed, then unto them that
look for him jfhall he appear the fecond time
without Sin unto Salvation, Hcb. ix. 28.
Then fhall he redeem his Eleft from
death, and ranfom them from the power
of the grave : Then Jh all the Sea give up
the dead that are in it, and Death and
Hell Jloall deliver up the Dead that are
in them, ajid death Jl:all be fw allowed up
in viBory ; O Death, where is thy Jling !
O Grave^ where is thy victory I But this
deliverance from the frjl and natural
Death, fhall be common both to the Jufl
and Unjufl. It is the Second death that
fhall be properly and finally the punifh-
ment of Sin ; and from This, the Jufl
only fhall be delivered. Whofoever be-
lieveth on me, ft:) all never die, Joh. xi. 26 :
that is, ( as the words may more properly
be vtuitvQ^d,) fiall not die for ever. On

the

to conquer Sin. 207

the Tuft the Second death Ihall have no S e r m,
•^ IX.

power, but they fhall be priefts of God *^'

and of Chrift ; they ftiall be made com
pleatly happy both in Body and Soul, and
Ihall reign with him for ever and ever.

The application I (hall make of what
hath been faid, fhall be only in thefe two
brief inferences: i/?, If Chrift delivers
no man from the punifhment of Sin, who
is not firft delivered from the fervice and
dominion of it ; then no man who con-
tinues in the fervice and dominion of
Sin, can expedt to be delivered from the
punifhmenc thereof. Chrift has indeed
given himfelf a propitiatory Sacrifice, a
full, perfeft, and fufficient Oblation for
the Sins of the whole World 5 but it i$
not that the whole World, or that any
particular perfons ftiould abfolutely and
unconditionately be thereby excufed from
the puniftiment of Sin j but that all thofe
who by true Repentance turn from Sin
and become righteous, fhould obtain Re-
miflion and Reconciliation with God :
For he did not die, that he might indulge
men in Sin, but that he might fave thenx

from

20 8 How Chrift has enabled tis

S E R M.from it. Chrift ha^ indeed brought Life
IX. and Immortality to light, and opened an
abundant entrance into the Kingdom of
God ; but it is not that any unreformed and
unrenewed nature (hould be made par-
taker of that Spiritual Happinefs, or be
admitted to have a fhare in thofe pure and
undefilcd Rewards ; but that thofe who
have broken off their Sins by Repentance,
and their Iniquities by Righteoufnefs and
(hewing mercy to the poor, (which is the
Wedding-garment required by our Lord
in the Parable,) fliould be entertained at
the eternal Supper of the Lamb : For as
impoffible as it is for God to ceafe to be
holy, or for the purity of the Divine Na-
ture to be reconciled to Sin, fo impoffible
is it for a wicked man to obtain remiflion
whilfl he continues wicked, or for a
Sinner to be admitted into the kingdom
of Heaven. Be not deceived, faith St Paul^
neithe7' fornicators, nor idolaters, nor aduU
terers, nor effefni?iate, nor abufers of them-
felves with ?nankind, nor thieves, nor co-
vetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor
extortioners^ that is, no unrighteous per-

fon

to conquer Sin. 209

fon that continues in the praftice of any S e n m.
known Sin, Jhall inherit the kingdom of ^^»
God'y I Cor. vi. 9 : Again, GaL 21 % ha- ^^^^^^
ving reckoned up the like catalogue of
Sins, he adds, of the which I tell you be^
fore , as I have alfo told you in time
paji^ that they which do fuch things^ /J:all
not inherit the kingdom of God. And £-
fhef V. 6 ; Let no man deceive you with
vain wordsy Jor hecaufe of thefe things co-
meth the wrath of God upon the children
of difobedience» o.dly^ If Chrift delivers
no man from the dominion of Sin any
otherwife than by giving him a clear
know^ledge of his duty, and a fufficient
pov^er to perform it, then no man who
makes not ufe of that knowledge and
power to an adlual performance of his
duty, can be delivered from the dominion
of Sin. Chrift hath completely perform-
ed hh office for us % but if We will not
alfo perform what remains for m to do
for ourfelves ; if we will yet chufe rather
to continue in the fervice of Sin, than to
come forth into the glorious liberty to
which we are called ; we muft, notwith-
V o L. V. P ftanding

210 How Chrifl: has enabled us

S E R M. ftanding all that Chrift has done for ug,
■*^- continue ftill under the dominion of Sin,

^"^'"^^•^ and fhall at laft fall into the puniJJment
thereof. The Imputation of the Righte-
oufnefs of Chrift, (which fomehave vain-
ly depended upon, while they themfelves
continue to live in open contempt of his
righteous laws,) is a falfe and groundlefs
imagination : 'Tis the unalterable Nature
of Things, and the Will of God ; that
if we exped; to be made happy for our-
felves, wc 7nuji alfo become righteous for
ourfelves. Righteoufnefs is not an out-
ward imaginary quality, but an inward
and real difpofition of the heart and foul,
which muft ihow forth itfelf in real and
fubftantial adls of Holinefs and Piety.
Little childre72y let no man deceive you j
he that doeth righteoufnefs^ is righteous ;
I Joh. iii. 7 : And St James ^ ch. i. 27 ;
Fure religion and undefiled before God
and the Father is this, to vift the father^-
lefs and widows in their afiiBion, and to
keep himfelf unfpotted frofn the world.
Let no man therefore deceive himfelf
with vain imaginations, in h©pes of being

accounted

to conquer Sin. 2H

accounted righteous any other way, than S e r m.
by that which God has propofed to us in .-yl^
his holy Scriptures : Let us confider how
great things Chrift has done in order to
our Salvation ; and let us fhew forth our
thankfulnefs for what he has done for us,
by heartily fetting about what he has ab*
folutely required that we ihould do for
ourfehes : Let us fincerely endeavour to
obey the Will of God as difcovered to us
in the Gofpel ; and then we may firmly
hope for (and fhall certainly obtain) re-
miffion, not through the merits of that
our Righteoufnefs which is imperfed:, but
through the redemption purchafed by the
Blood of Chrift, wherein we are by that
fincere, though imperfeft Righteoufnefs,
made capable of having a fhare.

V©L, V. Pa SER-

[ "3 ]

SERMON X.

How Christ has given us the
Vidory over Death.

[Preached on Eajier-Day,]

I Cor. XV. 56 and ^y.

The Jling of Death is fin^ and the
Jirength of fin is the law ; i?ut thanks
be to God which giveth us the viBory^
through our Lord Jefus Chrifi.

Proceed now to the third and S e r m.
laft Thing I propofed, which X.
was to fhow how Chrift gives ^^^"^^'^
us the ViBory over Deaths
which is the lajl enemy to be de^
firoyedy i Cor.xv. 26 ; Death is either na-

P 3 rural

214 How Chrift has given us

S E R M. tural and temporal, which is the Death
^- of the body; or eternal, which is the

^^^^^ Death and the Deftruftion of the Soul.
In the Old Teftament, Death generally
fignifies that temporal Death, which is the
diflblution of the body -, tho* when it is
threatened as the punifhment of Sin, it
praefigures and includes in it eternal Y>t2xh,
Which is alfo fometimes exprefsly threat-
ned even in the Old Teftament ; thus
Ezek. xviii. z6 ; When a righteous man
turneth away from his right eoufnefs^ and
committeth iniquities^ and dieth in them,
for his iniquity that he hath done Jhall he
die ; the manner of expreffion is very ob-
fervable : If he repent not of his iniquity
but dieth in it, then for the iniquity that
he hath done fhall he die. In the New
Heftament^ Death, when 'tis threatened to
Sinners, fignifies almoft always eternal
Death ; the Gofpel containing, as a more
clear difcovery of life and immortality, fo
alfo a more exprefs revelation of the wrath
of God from Heaven, againft all unrigh-
teoufnefs and ungodlinefs of men. Now
over both thefe kinds of Death, Death

tern-

the ViSiory over Death. 215

temporal and eternal, Chrift gives us the S e r m.
viftory , or delivers us from the pow- ■^'
er of them : The powder of temporal Death
is univerfal, as the puniftiment threatened
to yf^^;;^*stranfgreffion v^as extenfive \ and
the deliverance from it fliall be alfo uni-
verfal ; For as in Adam all die, all are be-
come fubjedl to mortality ; even fo in
Chriji Jloall all be made alive \ i Cor. xv.
22. Eternal Death is the punifliment of
unrepented Sin, and from This all thofe
who repent and obey the Gofpel, fliall be
delivered by Chrift.

I SHALL conlider iji the vidlory that
Chrift gives us over temporal Death ; and
for the clearer explaining the nature of
this viftory, fliall indeavour to fliow ly?.
That there fliall be a refurredlion of the
body, and 2^/y, in v^hat manner the body
fliall be raifed.

1/?, That there fliall be a refurredlion of
the body. That the foul fliould furvive the
diflblutioa of the body, and be capable of
receiving in a future State the rewards or
punifliments due to the good or evil it had
done in this life, was clearly enough de-
ducible from the light of nature, and

P 4 proved

2i6 How Chrift has given us

S E R M. proved by undeniable reafonings : But that
X. the body fliould be again formed out of

^^^^^^^^^ the duft, and reunited to the Soul, from
which it was feparated by Death, was a
Doctrine, which as it could not be proved
merely by rcafon and argument, fo the
Philofophers, who pretended to be the
great mafters of reafon, looked upon it as
the moft impofTible thing in nature. Some
of them reckoned it among thofe things,
which they thought were not in the pov^^-
ever even of their Godsthemfelves to effedl ;
and we read of certain Philofophers, j^B,
xvii. 1 8 'y who incountered St Paid^ and
when they heard of the refurredlion, they
mocked him, faying, that he feemed to be
a fetter forth of firange Gods^ becaife he
preached unto them "Jefin and the Kefur^
reBion. Yet is there nothing in any wife
impoflible, or contrary to reafon, in this
great Myftery : For lohy fliould it be thought
a thing impofjible that God fjould raife
the dead? Why {hould it be more impof-
fible for God to gather together the dif-
perfed parts of a corrupted body, and re-»
unite them to their former Soul, than to

creait?

the VtSiory over Death. 217

create matter at firft out of nothing, and S e r m.
then form it into a humane body, and /^_^
breathe Into it the breath of life ? Why
fhould any man be fo weak as to imagine,
that he, who at the creation feparated the
confufed mafs of matter into fo many dif-
ferent forts of bodies, cannot with the
fame eafe at the general Refurredlion fe-
parate again the fame confufed matter,
and affign to each particular body its
own parts ? If it is not difficult for him
to number the Stars of Heaven and call
thein all by their names \ it can be no diffi-
culty to him to keep an exaft account of
all our fcattered parts ; and to recoiled:
and reunite them when he pleafes. 'Twas
not therefore becaufe the thing is in itjfelf
at all impoffible, but only becaufe the.
manner of it is a myftery not difcover-
able barely by the light of nature, that the
Heathen World was utterly ignorant of
the Refurredion from the dead. The
proof therefore of this great truth muft
be founded in Revelation, and fought for
only in the Holy Scriptures. And here it
muit be confefled, that the "Jews had not

a cle^

2 1 8 How Chrifl has given us

S E R M. a clear and exprefs revelation of this mat-
^- ter : Yet were they by no means wholly

^'^^"''^'^^ ignorant of it; there being feveral paffages
in the Old Teftament, from whence the
hope of a Refurreftion might very rea-
fonably be colledled. The tranflation of
Enoch and Elijah into Heaven with their
bodies, was an earneft of what might fi-
nally be expefted, by thofe who ihould
follow their example in pleafing God;
and the ftrid: command that Jacob and
yofeph gave, not to be buried in Egypfy
but to have their bones carried up into the
land of Canaan and laid in the Sepul-
chres of their Fathers ; was to many of
the antient Jews an argument or type of
their hope of a Refurredion. That the
thing was not in itfclf impoflible, the in-
ftances of fuch as were adually raifed
from the dead by the Prophets, was a fig-
nal proof And Ifaiah xxvi. 19 ; T^hy dead
menjloall live, together with my dead body
fiall they arife : awake and fmg, ye that
dwell in diift : for thy dew is as the dew of
herbs, and the earth fhall caft out the
dead. And the vifion of Ezekiel, fet down

in

the ViBiory over Death. 219

in the 37^^ Chapter of his Prophecy, tho' S e r m.
it fignified indeed primarily the Reftau- ^•
ration of Ifrael to their own land, yet ^^^'^^
in all probability, confidering the pecu-
liar Emphafis and particularity of the de-
fcription, it was intended remotely to
point at a greater and more general Re-
ftauration ; Behold a valley full of dry
bones ^ and there was a noife ^ and behold
a fiaking, and the bones came together^
hone to his bone^ the fnews and the fiejlj
came up upon them^ and the skin covered
them above, and their breath came into
them, and they lived and food upon their
feet^ and behold a great multitude. But
that paffage in the Prophet Daniel, tho'
by fome it be, with great violence to the
Words, otherwife interpreted ; is moft
exprefs, and by the ancient fews under-
ftood of the Refurreftion \ Dan, xii. 2
and 3 ; Many of them that feep in the daft
of the earth fall awake, fome to everlajl^
ing life, and fome to fairie and everlafing
contempt -, and they that be wife, fall
fine as the brightnefs of the firmament,
and they that turn many to right eoufiefs,

as

2 20 How Chrifl has given us

SERM.^i the Jlars for ever and ever^ and thou
^- Jhall reji and (land in thy lot at the end

^^^^^^^ of the days -, Dan. xii. 13. Laftly, that fo-
lemn Prophecy of Job^, ch. xix. ver. 23 ;
Oh that my Words were now written !
Oh that they were printed in a book !
That they were graven with an iron pen
and leady in the rock for ever ! For I
know that fny Redeemer liveth^ and that
he JJjall fajid at the latter Day upon the
earth : And tho' after my skin worms de^
froy this body, yet in my fefi Jhall I fee
God : Thefe words, I fay, tho' by many
of the ancient fews they were interpreted
concerning a future State without refpeft
in particular to the Refurredlion of the
body, and by fome later Interpreters are
underftood only of his reftitution to his
temporal greatnefs 5 yet becaufe of their
being introduced with fo very folemn and
weighty a preface, as containing fome-
what of the higheft moment and impor-
tance -y they are by others not without
great reafon thought to be fpoken con-
cerning the Refurre(5lion of the body.
And that the Jews did believe, that the

bodies.

the VtSiory over Death. 221

bodies, at lea ft of fuch remarkably pious S e r m.
men, jfhould rife again, appears plainly "^•
from the tranflation of the laft Verfe of ^^-^^^^
the book of Job according to the Seventy,
which in their Veriion runs thus ; So Job
diedy being old and full of days -, But 'tis
written that he flmll rife again with thofe
whom the Lord raifes up. The Jews
therefore had at leaft an obfcure and inde-
terminate expedlation of the Rcfurredion
of the body ; Nay, the later Jews more
certain : For fo one of the feven Brethren,
2 Mace, vii. 9, 1 1 ; when his hands were
to be cut offj T'hefey fays he, / had from
Heaven^ and for his laws I defpife them^
and from him I hope to receive them a^
gain : For the King of the World P^all
raife us up^ who have died for his Laws^
to everlajiing Life, But now in the New
Tejlament this Dodlrine is fo clearly re-
vealed , that it may juftly be wondered
how it was poffible for any one that be-
lieved the Gofpel at all, to doubt of the
certainty of it. Yet we read that there
were, even fo very early as in the days of
the Apoftles themfelves, who concerning

this

2 2 2 How Chrifl: has given us

S E R M. this truth, did err, faying that the r^-
X- furreBion is pajl already, and overthrou^

^^^"'^^'^ the faith of fome -, 2 Tim. ii. 18. But as
their opinion was fo abfurd as to need
no confutation , fo in a little time it en-
tirely vanifhed of itfelf. I fliall not
therefore infift on any other argument
for the proof of this dodlrine, than that
which the Apoftle makes ufe of in this
Chapter; which is the Refurredtion of
Chrift : For, faith he, if there be no re-
furreBion of the dead, then is Chrifl not
rifen ; And if Chrifl be 720t rifen, then is
our preaching vain, and your faith alfo is
vain ; But now Chrift is rifen from the dead^
and become the firft fruits of them thatfept),
ver. 13, 14. The force of which argu-
ment is plainly this : If there be no re-
furredion of the dead, then is that doc-
trine, which the Apoftles preached con-
cerning it, erroneous and falfe ; and if
that do6lrine be falfe, then the refurrec-
tion of Chrift, which is the proof of that
dodlrine, muft likewife be falfe : If there-
fore the refurredion of Chrift be true, as
he had before proved by a cloud of Wit-

nejfes

the ViSiory over Death. 223

nejj'es at the beginning of the Chapter, S e r m.
then the Apoftles doftrine, of which that ■^•
his refurredtion was the evidence, muft ^^^^^
alfo be true \ and if the Apoftles preach-
ing, and the promifes of God made
known by the Gofpel, be true, then Jldall
the dead certainly rife again. That is : As
certain as the refurredion of Chrift is true,
as certain as the Chriftian Religion is a
revelation credibly attefted to be from
God ; fo certain is it, that there fhall be
a refurreftion of the dead : If Chrijly who
is our Heady be rifen 5 then Jhall we alfo
rife with him unto glory, I am the refur-
region and the life^ faith our Blejfed Sa-
vioiir ; Joh. xi. 25 ^ and this is the Will of
him that fent me , that every one which
feeth the Son and believeth on hijn^ may
have everlafling Life^ and I will raife him
up at the lajl day ; Joh. vi. 40 ; which laft
words, that there might be no room for
doubt concerning them, are repeated ?io
lefs than/o^r times in that Chapter. Now
that this promife ihall certainly be fullfil-
led, God hath given us affurance by rai-
fing up him before-hand to be the frji-

fruits

2 24- How Chrifl: has given m

S E R M, fruits from the dead : He hath appohifed
-^» a day^ in the which he will judge the

^•^^^^ world in right eoufnefs^ by that man whom
he hath ordained ; whereof he hath given
afurance unto all meny in that he hath rai^
fed him from the dead ; Afts xvii. 3 i. The
Refurreclion of Chrifl is fuch an earneft
and pledge of our refurredion, as not
only dcmonftrates the pofibility of the
thing, but gives aflurance alfo of the cer^
tainty of it: For, that the fame power
that raifed up him, can alfo raife up us^
is evident \ and that it will do fo, we are
aflured by his promife , who raifed up
Chrift to that very end, that he might
give us aflurance that he would alfo raife
up us. But here fome man will fay. How
£ire the dead raifed up, and with what
body do they come ? Which is the

2d Thing I propofed to fpeak to, name-
ly, the manner how the deadflmll be raifed >
and to thi% queftion wx may anfwer in the
Words of StPauly i Cor. xv. 36 ^ Thoufool^
that which thou foweji is not quickened except
it die y And that which thou foweji , thou
foweji not that dody that fJ: all be^ but bare

grain^

the ViSiory over Death. 225

grain^ fuppofe of wheat or of fome other S e r m.
grain ; But God giveth it a body as it hath '^•
fleafed hi my ajid to every feed his own bo^
dy. From which fimilitude of the Apoftle,
we may lafely colled: thefe two things ;
ly?, That in the whole the fame body
which died, fhall be raifed again; o.dly^
That yet it fhall rife with very great alte-
rations, ly?, That in the whole, the fame
body which died, fhall be raifed again,
appears in general from the Apoflle's
ufing the fimilitude of Corn : For as Corn
groweth not indifferently out of any groundy
but there mufl be feed fown out of which
it may fpring^ and therefore every fort of
grain produceth Corn of its own likenefs
and peculiar form ; So at the refurreftion,
the bodies of them that arife, fhall not be
formed indifferently out of any matter,
but the bodies that die, thofe mortal and
corruptible bodies, fhall be in a figurative
fenfe as it were the feed and material prin-
ciple of thofe immortal and incorruptible
ones, into which we fhall then be quick-
ened. Indeed whether in equity, and in
order to a jufl retribution, it be neceffary
Vol. V. Q, abfo-

2 26 How Chrift has given us

abfolutely in the nature of the thing, that
the fame Body fhould be raifed again, we
cannot certainly tell; becaufe we know
not diftindtly how far the fame body is
neceffary to conftitute the fame perfon.
But though it cannot be proved that God
is abfolutely bound in juftice to unite the
Soul to the fame body from which it was
feparated by death, yet that in fadl he
isdUI do fo, the expreffions of Scripture
concerning this matter do fufficiently in-
rimare : When the Apoftle alTures us, that
the body Jl:all rife again^ and that He that
raifed up Chrijl from the dead fiall alfo
quicken our mortal bodies, he does not fay
only that the Soul fhall be again united
to matter, but alfo that the body which
died iliall be quickened or made to live
again ; For this corruptible mufl put on
^corruption, and T^his mortal 7nufl put on
immortality -, which is not faying only
that the Soul, which was before united
to a ?no?'tal afid corruptible body, fliall at
the refurreftlon be clothed with an im^
mortal and i?icorruptible one -, but that This
fame body, which is now mortal and cor-

ruptiblCj

3

the ViBory over Death. 227

ruptible, Jhall then put on immortality and S e r m.
i?tcorruption, To which purpofe it is af- ^y^,
firmed in Scripture, that the fea Jhall give
up the dead that are in it, and death and
the grave jhall deliver up the dead that
are in them, and they that Jleep in the
dufi of the earth Jhall hear the voice of
Chrijl and rife: And indeed, having one
example of it in the refurreSion of Chrift,
and knowing that in all cafes it is as eafy
for God to raife the fame Body as to fram^e
a new one, no reafon can be imagined
why it (hould not be fo. But it is true,
the parts of one body may pofTibly be fo
fcattered and perhaps incorporated among
the parts of another body, that it fliall
not be poffible for every particular body
to arife with juft the fame parts, of
which it confifted at the time of its dilTo-
lutlon: Neither is there any neceflity at
all either in nature or Scripture that ic
fliould do fo. How far therefore each
body ihall confift exadlly of the fame
matter, or what change of parts may be
admitted, is a vain, empty and needlefs '
fpeculation ^ a nicety, which as it is not
Vol. V. Q 2 poffible

2 28 How Chrlft has given us

S E R M. poflible for us to determine, Jo neither is it
^- necefTary for us to know : Sufficicfif it is to

^^'^ ail wife and good purpofes, that we beheve
and affirm with St Paul^ that as out of a
grain of cornfown in the earth there fprifigs
an ear of the fame kind ; fo from a mortal
and corruptible body buried in the ground^
there Jhall he raifed an immortal and in-
corruptible 07ie. For zdly-y Though in the
whole the fame body that died fhall be
raifed again, yet {hall it rife with very
great alterations : As thoufowef not that
body that fo all be^ but bare grain ^ fi^PP^f
of wheat or of fome other grain^ but God
giveth it a body as it hath pleafed hi?n j fo
alfo is the refurreBion of the dead. What
thefe alterations fhall be, the Apoftle tells
us in the 42, 43 and 44//? Verfes of this xv/^
Chapter of i Cor. It isjown in corruption
it is raifed in incorruption ; // isfown in dif
honour y it is raifed in glory ^ // is fown in
weaknefsy it is raifed in power ; // isfown
a natural body^ it is raifed afpii^itual bo-
dy, I ft. // is fown in corruption ^ it is
raifed in incorruption ; i. e. The body
which has now in it fuch manifeft prln-
I ciple$

the ViSio7y over Death. 229

ciples of mortality and corruption \ which S e r m.
confiils now of fuch brittle and tender ■^•
parts, that every the leafl: violence dif-
turbs and unfits them for their operations ;
which is now fubjedt to fo many cafual-
ties, and has its continuance depending
upon the fit difpofition of fo many little
and eafily difordered parts, that it is a
greater wonder how we continue to live
a day than why we die after fo few
years fpace ; this body fhall at the refur-
reftion be perfeftly refined and purged
from all the feeds of mortality and cor-
ruption ; fhall be made up of fuch parts
and fo conflituted, as fhall neither in them-
felves have any tendency to difTolution,
nor be capable of being any way difor-
dered and unfitted for their proper func-
tions ; in a word, fhall fpring up into an
incorruptible and immortal fubflance,
which fhall be fitted to endure as long as
the Soul to which it is to be united, even
to all eternity. Again, it is fown in dif-
honour^ it is raifed in glory ; i. e. That
body, which at death feems fo bafe and
abjedl, fo vile and contemptible, fhall at
th^ refurredion be transformed into a
Q 3 bright

230 How Chrift has given m

S E R M. bright and beautiful and glorious body.
^- Neither ought it at all to feem ftrange to
us, that it (hould be capable of receiving
fo great a change ; For if even in this
mortal life the motions of the Soul, J07
and hope, innocence and an aflbrance of
the favour of God, can fhew forth them-
felves with fo remarkable a Vigour, and
as it were with a luftre, in the coun-
tenances of men ; if St. Stephen^ inno-
cence and joyful alTurance, could make his

face fo appear as it had been the face of an
Angel y and Mofes'i converfmg with God
upon the Mounts could make his face fo

Jhine^ that the Children of Ifrael were not
able to look upon him for the bright nefs ajid
glory of it 5 how much greater change
muft the ftrong and powerful operations
of a glorified Soul, ravifhed with the bea-
tifick vifion of God, make in a fubtle, im-
mortal and incorruptible body ? Butbefides

-this, we are moreover aflured, that Our Sa-
viour fhall alfo by his immediate power^
even by that mighty working whereby he
is able to fubdue all things unto himfelf
change this our mle body that it may he

fajhioned like unto his glorious body 3 PhiL

the ViEiory over Death. 231

ill. 21. And what fort of body his glo- S e r m.
rious body is, may in fome meafure be ■^^•
gathered from the Hiftory of his transfi-
guration, where his face is defcribed to
have Jhined like the Sim, and his raiment
to have become Jhining^ exceeding white
asfnow, Jo as no /teller on earth could white
them ', St Matt. xvii. 2 : compared with
Mar. ix. 3 : and from the defcription of
his appearance to St ^6?/';^ ; Rev. i. 14: His
head and his hairs were white like wool, as
white as fnow, and his eyes were as aflame
of fire, and his feet like unto fine brafs,
as if they burned in a furnace. Such
therefore ihall be the glorified bodies of
the Saints at the refurredlion ; namely,
made like unto the glorified body of
Chrift. And this perhaps is what is in-
timated by our Saviour in that promife ;
St Matt. xiii. 43 : T'hen fioall the righteous
finne forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of
their Father ; and in that Prophecy of
Da?iiel', ch. xii. v. 3 : They that be wife
fimll fidine as the brightnefs of the firjna-^
menty and they that tur?i many to right e-
oufnefs as the Stars for ever aiid ever -y
and by the Author of the Book oiWfdom-y
Q 4 ch.

232 How Chrift has given us

S £ R M. ch. ili. 6y y I As gold in the furnace has he
X. tried them, and received them as a burnt^

^^^ offering : They Jhalljhine, and run to and
fro like f parks among the Jlubble : They
f) all judge the nations^ and have dominion
over the people ; and their Lordjhall reign
for ever. Further, // isfown in weaknefi^
it is raifed in power ; i. e. that body^
which is now fo weak and feeble, fo fub-
jedl to difeafes and indifpofitlons, fo flow,
heavy and unaftive, that it clogs the foul,
and retards its fpiritual flights and opera-
tions 5 fhall then become fo ftrong and
powerful, fo aftive and vigorous, as even
to be alTifling to the moft fpiritual mo-
tions of the Soul, to become every way a
fit Organ and Inftrument of its moft ex^
alted operations, and fliall continue in
that perfeft health, ftrength and vigour
for ever : For God Jhall wipe away all
tears from their eyes -, and there Jhall be
no more death, neither forroWy nor crying^
7ieither jhall there be any more pain , for
the former things are pajfed away \ Rev. xxi,
4. Laflly, it is [own (i natural body^ it is
raifed a fpiritual body -, i. e. That body,
which is now fitted only for this animal

Ufe^

the ViEiory over Death. "i^l

life ; which confifts of fuch grofs fub- S e r m.
fiance, and that in continual change, as ^Z-
needs perpetually to be repaired with the ^^^*^
fuitable nourifhment of meats and drinks,
to be fuftained and kept in order with la-
bour and exercife, and to be refreflied
with fuch pleafures as are fuitable indeed
to this animal life, but are far beneath the
excellent nature of the foul, and prove
oft-times hurtful and injurious to it 5 T^hh
lody^ I fay, fhall at the refurreftion be-
come of a more refined and fpiritual na-
ture, jfhall be wholly delivered from all
thofe wants and incumbrances which
are now fo neceffary to the preferva-
tion of the animal life j and fhall be "

entirely freed from all appetites to fuch
pleafures, as are now the fnares and
temptations of the Soul. All which,
our Saviour feems plainly to Intimate, in
that anfwer of his to a captious queflion
propofed by the Sadducees 5 St. Luc. xx.
35 : Tthey which Poall be accounted worthy
to obtain I'hat world and the refurreBion
from the deady neither marry nor are gi-
ven in marriage 5 neither can they die any

more^

234 How Chrift has given us

S E R M. more^ for they are equal or like unto the
^- Angels, Having thus explained the nature
^^'^>r^ of the vidlory that Chrift gives us over
temporal death,

2dly y I proceed now in the 2d place
to confider the Vidtory which Chrift fhall
give to all his faithful Servants over
that death which is eternal : And of this,
very briefly. The victory over tempo-
ral death fhall be in fome meafure (as
has been already obferved) univerfal ;
For all jfhall rife again from the dead,
and all both juft and unjuft fiiall be
clothed with immortal and incorruptible
bodies which fhall never be diiTolved any
more : But though there fhall be no more
diffolution of the body, nor feparation of
the foul, yet is there a greater deftrucSion
into which they who believe not God and
obey not his Go/pel Jhall at lajl fall ; and
that is, the fecond death ; Rev. xxi. 8 : ^he
fearful^ the unbelieving^ the abominable^
and murder ersy and whoremongers^ and for-
cererSy and idolaters^ and all liarSy JJjall
have their part in the lake that burneth
mthfire and brimftoney which is the fecond

death

the VlSiory over Death. 235

death. Now from thh death, thofe and S e r m.
thofe only fhall be delivered by Chrift, ^j^^^.
who hear the Word of God and keep it \
who hearken imto the commands of God^
end in their lives obey them ; I'hey that
overcome^ foall not be hurt of the fecond
death, for on them the fecond death hath 720
power, but they Jljall be Priejis of God and
ofChriJi, and foall regn with him for ever^
Rev. ii. 11: compared with Ch. xx. ver. 6.
And of this we muft underftand that pro-
mife of our Saviour ; St. Joh, xi. 26 : who-
foever liveth and believeth in me, foall never
die, or (as the words may more properly
be rendered) jloall not die for ever ; i. e.
{hall never fall into eternal death. That
which Chrift hath already done towards
delivering his Servants from the power of
this death, is his making provifion for
their deliverance from the dominion and
from the guilt of Sin, of which this
death is the confequence and punifhment.
That which ftill remains, and which he
will yet do for them, is to acquit them
publickly at the great day of judgement,
^nd then in purfuance of that fentence of

abfo^

236 How Clirifl: has given us

S E R M. abfolution, aftually to inflate them in his
■^* Kingdom of Glory. The refurreftion of
t':ie dead is only in order to that final
judgement, which fliall pafs upon all man-
kind ; for God hath appointed a day in the
which he will judge the World in right eouf-
72efSy by that man whom he hath ordained^
even our Lord J ejus Chrijt ; at whofe ap-
pearance all that are in the graves Jh all
hear his voice^ and live, and Ji and before
his judgement feat ^ and he Jh all judge the??i
according to their works : The folemnity of
which great day, cannot be more lively
exprelTed, than in thofe prophetick words
of Daniel -, Chap. vii. ver. 9 : / beheld
till the thrones were cajl down and
the antient of days did fit, whofe gar-
ment was white as the fnow, and the
hair of his head like the pure wool ; his
throne was like the fiery flame, and his
wheels as bur?2ingflre j A fiery fire am if-
fued and came forth from before him,
thoufand thoujdnds minifired unto him, and
ten thoufand times ten thoufand flood be-
fore him \ //j<? judgement was fet, and the
books were opened: From which place moft

of

the ViBiory over Death. 23.7

of the expreffions which are made ufe S e r m,
of in the New Teftament to fignify the J\'
Second coming of Chrift, are plainly bor-
rowed. At this great Solemnity, all thofe
who have embraced the gracious terms
of the Gofpel, and through the mercy of
God have by Repentance and Obedience
delivered themfelves from the Power and
Dominion of Sin, iliall by their Saviour
and Judge be publickly acquitted before
Men and Angels, and pronounced free
from the Guilt and from the Puniihment
of Sin : For whofoever Jhall co?2fefs me he^
fore men^ faith our Saviour, /. e, whofo-
ever fhall not be afliamed of the Religion
of Chrift, but notwithftanding all the
Difcouragements he may meet with in
the World, iliall perfift in it and obey it,
him jhall the Son of 7nan confefs before his
Father which is in heaven^ and bejcre the
angeh of God^ i. e. he fhall acknowledge
him for his true and faithful Difciple,
and ihall pronounce that bleifed Sentence
upon him, Well done, good and faithful
fervant, ejiter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
The Servants of Chrift being thus pub-
lickly

238 Hgw Chrifl: has given us

S E RM. lickly acquitted at the general Judgment,
^- fliall in purfuance of this Sentence enter

^'^^'^^ with him into Heaven, and be adlually

inflated in his Kingdom of glory ; and io

{hall they ever be with the Lord. T'his

is the confummation of the Gofpel-oeco-

nomy, and the acco?npUJhtnent of the

Kingdom of Chrifl: : Thus Chrift, having

totally fubdued all his Enemies, jloall for

ever be glorified with his faints ; and they

fiall be before the throne of God, andfoall

ferve him day and night in his te?7iple-y

and he that fitteth on the throne Jh all dwell

amo?7g them : they fiall hunger 7io morey

neither thirji any more, neither Jljall the

fun light on the?n nor a?iy heat : for the

lamb which is in the midfi of the throne

fnall feed them, and foall lead the?n unto

living fountains of water, and God Jhall

wipe away all tears from their eyes ^ and

they foall for ever fing that joyful fong of

praife \ Rev. i. 5 : \J71to him that loved us

and wajhed us from our fi?is in his own

blood, and hath made us kings and priefis

to God ajid his Father, to him he glory arid

dominion for ever and ever. Amen,

Having

the ViElory over Death. 239

Having thus at large explained how S e r m,
Chrift gives his Servants the Vidlory over ^•
their laft enemy, which is Death, I ihall
only draw an inference or two from what
has been faid, and fo conclude. And ift^
If thefe things be fo, then let us, as the
Apoftle infers in the words immediately fol-
lowing the Text, bejledfajiy unmoveable^
always abounding in the work of the JLord^
forafmuch as we hiow that our labour Jhall
not be in vain in the Lord, Our Saviour
has alTured us that if we be ftedfaft in
our Religion, and perfevere in our Obe-
dience to it, nothing fhall by any means
hurt us, but we P^all be more than con--
querours over all our enemies^ even over
Death itfelf, I am^ faith he, the refur-
reElion a?id the life ; he that believeth on
mey though he were dead^ yet fh all he live ;
Joh. xi. 25. Now what greater encourage-
ment can any man defire than to be affured
that his labour ff:all fiot only not be in vain^
but that it (hall alfo meet with a great
and inexpreffible reward? And what grea-
ter lev^'ard can poffibly be propofed, than
di^i^^erancc from death and an entrance

into

2^o How Chrifl I) as given u^

S E R M. Into life eternal ? If then we in earneft
-^- believe thefe things, as by our Religion

^^^^ we profefs and pretend to do, let us alfo
confider them and urge them upon our
felves ; let us by frequent meditation,
convince our felves of the truth and im-
portance of them 'y and let us always fo
live^ as being under the power of thefe
convidions. Let not the terrour of fhort
and temporary evils drive m into Sin,
who are convinced that the confequence
of that fin, will be mifery and death
eternal ; and let not the allurements of
iliort and tranfitory pleafures withdraw
ui from our duty, who are convinced
that the performance of that duty, will
be life and happinefs for even The re-
ligion of Chrift requires nothing of us
but what is extremely reafonable and ma-
nifeftly for our advantage, namely, to live
foberly, righteoujly^ and godly in this prefe?it
World ; yet does it promife to obedience
fuch an infinite reward, as life from the
dead, even life eternal ; and he that will
not by fuch a motive be perfwaded to
be ftedfaft in fuch a religion, muft have

loft

the ViEiory over Death. 241

loft all fenfe, I do not fay only of vir- S e r m.
tue and goodnefs, but alfo of his own X.
intereft and happinefs. 2^/y, If Chrift ^^''"V'^J
has taken away the Jling of dfath^ and
gives us the vidtory over it ; then good
Chriftians ought not to be afraid and ter-
rified at death, any more than at an ene-
my that is already conquered, and can
do them no hurt. Chrijl hath both died
for us and is rifen again^ and one great
reafon why he did fo , was to affure us
that as it was not poffible for him to be
holden of deaths fo neither fhould we be
detained by it j for he took part of flefl^
and bloody that through death he anight
deflroy him that had the power of deaths
i. e. the Devil ^ and deliver them who
through fear of death were all their life-
time fubjeB to bondage 5 Heb. ii. 14 and
15. Chrift has made death to be nothing
elfe but a paffage unto life eternal, to
all thofe who fhall obey his command-
ments ; Let us then fmcerely indea-
vour to obey the commands of God, and
death fhall have no fting, nothing that
is terrible in it. He that has either from
V o L. V. R the

1\2 How Chrift has given us

S E R M. the beginning, or after true Repentance^
^- made it the principal bufineis of his life,

^-^'^^'^ to live foberly, rightcoufly, and godly ;
rnay v/ithout fear expedt the approach
of deaths nay even with joy and comfort
hope for it. And this the generality of
mankind are fo fenfible of, that tho' they
defire not to be like the Servants of God
in their lives^ yet they cannot but wifh
with Balaam to be like them in their
deaths ; Num. xxiii. lo 5 Let me die the
death of the righteous^ and let my lajl
end be like his. ^dly and lajlly, If Chrift
will give all his Servants viftory over
death, then we ought not to grieve im-
moderately at the death of our friends
who die in the Lord. I would not have
you ignorant^ faith St Paul^ concerning them
that are ajleep^ that ye Jorrow net even
as others that have no hope ; For if we
believe that Jefus diedy and rofe again^
even fo them alfo which fleep in fefus^
will God bring with him, i Theff. iv.
13. If we believe that there fliall be a
refurreftion from the dead , we ought
not to forrow immoderately for the

de-

the ViSiory over Death. 243

departure of thofe, who have left this S e r
wicked and miferabie world,

and

are

X.

gone to reji from their labours ? For fo ^"^^^^
faith the Spirit of God, Rev, xiv. 13 j

Blejfed are the dead that die in the
Lord^ from henceforth yea faith the Spi^
rit y that they may reft from their la^
bours^ and their works do follow them.

Vol. V.

R 2.

SER.

I 2+5 ]

SERMON XL

The Inexcufablenefs of rejeding
the Gofpel.

[Preached on Whitfunday,^

H E B. ii. 3 and 4.

How Jhall we efcape^ if we negleSi fo great
falvation^ which at the jirjl began to be
fpoken by the Lord^ and was confirmed
u7ito us by them that heard him ; God
alfo bearing them witnefs^ both withfigns
and wonders^ and with divers miracles
and gifts of the Holy Ghofiy according
to his own will ?

iiii

H E S E words contain an Ac- S e r m.
count, how utterly inexcufable ^^•
all men are, who negleft the ^^''^'^^^^
Salvation of the Gofpel ; either

by rejefting it through Unbelief, when of-
R 3 fered

L/'W

^^6 ^he Imxctifablenefs of

S E R M, fered unto them j or by living unworthily
2^^ of it, after they have pretended to em-
brace it. Many confiderations there are,
w^hich highly aggravate the fault of fuch
perfons as contemptuoufly neglefl: the pro-
pofal of a Favour, which 'tis both their duty
and their greateft intereft to accept ; and
many circumftances make them more and
more inexcufable, and juflly to deferve
the fevereft punifliment, for their ingra-
titude and contempt. The intrinfick
Goodnejs and ExcelleJicy of the Tubing it-^
felf^ which they defpife and negleft ; the
great value^ the neceffity and Angular im-
porfancc of it ; the exceeding great benefit^
which, by being duly received, it would
bring along with it ^ and the Extreme
Eivih which arc confequent upon the
negledl of it ; The Power and Authority^
the Greafnefs and Goodncfs of the Perfon,
whofe Favour we make light of y our
Subjedion to him and Dependance upon
him^ as our abfolute Governour ^ or our
Obligations to him, as out* greateft ^.-7^.?-
faBor : The Dignity and Excellency of
the Perfon , by whofe interpofition the

Benefit

4

rejeSiing the G of pel. 247

Benefit is procured, and by whom it is S e r m.
conveyed or fent to us : The great T>iffi- ^^*
culties that were neceflary to be under- ^^^^*^
went in order to obtain it, or the great
Coft that was requifite to purchafe it '
The Strength and Clearnefs of the Evi-
dence, and the Number and Greatnefs of
the Proofs, made ufe of to affure us of the
Certainty of it : All thefe areCircumftan-
ces which greatly increafe our Obligation,
to accept with Thankfulnefs the Advan-
tage propofed, to make that due Ufe of
it for which it was conferred, and be in-
fluenced by it in all the Adlions of our
Lives. And if we neglecft or defpife it,
or behave ourfelves ill and unworthily
under it t, all the fame circumflances do
highly aggravate our guilt, render us ve-
ry inexcufable, and make us juftly to de-
ferve the fevereft of punifliments for our
ingratitude and contempt. To rejedt
That, which in the nature of the thijjg
itfelf is of the higheft Excellency and in-
trinfick Goodnefs, is a Mark of the greatefl
Depravity and Corruption , of Manners,
To defpife That, which is of the laft and
R 4 utmoft

248 The Inexcufahlenefs of

S E R M. utmoft importance to us ; on the due re-
-^^- ceiving , or on the neglefting whereof,
depends the greateft Happinefs or the ex-
tremeft Mifery our Nature is capable of;
is the greateft Folly and Stupidity ima-
ginable. To difobey the Commands of
our Supreme Governour^ whofe Power is
abfolute , and his Authority uncontroul-
able ; is the higheft Infolence ; and to
oppofe the Will of our greateft Be?ie^
fadior^ is the bafeft Ingratitude : To flight
and rejedt a gracious Propofal of Mer-
cy, procured for us by the interpofition,
and conveyed to us by the hands, of a
Perfon of the greateft Dignity and Ex«
cellency ; and who was like wife in order
thereunto, neceffarily to condefcend and
fubmit to undergo great Sufferings and
Indignities ; is the higheft degree of Per^
verjhiefs poffible. And to withftand and
not be convinced by ftich Proofs, as both
in Number, Strength, and Clearnefs, are
the beft and greateft Evidence that can
be expected or in reafon defired 5 is the
utmoft Obftinacy, and moft inexcufably
wilfal Oppofition to Truth. Now all

thefe

rejeSiing the Gofpel. 249

thefe aggravating Circumftances attend the S e r m-
rejefting, or (which is the very fame X^«
thing) the difobeying the Gofpel ; and ^^^^^"^
they are moft of them contained in thefe
w^ords of the Apoftle ; How Jhall we f-
fccipe^ if we negleB Jo great falvatiouy
which at the jirjl began to be Jpoke?t by
the Lordy and was confirmed unto us by
them that heard him \ God alfo bearing
them witnefs^ both with figns and wonders^
and with divers miracles and gifts of the
Holy Ghojly according to his own will ? In
the words,

17?, H E R E is the intrinfick Goodnefs
and Excellency of the Thing itfelf, which
wicked men rejed: ; intimated as a juft
ground why they fhould not efcape unpu-
nifhed. It is in itfelf or in its own Na-
ture a great Salvation ; a Salvation from
Sin and Mifery , from the Power and
Tyranny of the Devil, and from the pu-
nifhment of Death.

zdly^ Here is a great Aggravation of
the Sin of rejecting the Gofpel ; in that it is
a Salvation not ovXy great in itfelf but aU

fo

250 TIdc Inexcufahlenefs of

S E R M. fo offered unto us by exprefs revelation
^I- from God himfelj,

^^-^'^'^"^ ^dl)\ H E R E is the Dignity and Excel-
lency of the Perfon, by and through whom
this Salvation is propofed to us ; mention-
ed as a further Aggravation of the Sin of
rejeding it. It was at the Jirft begun to
be fpoken by the Lord.

j\.thly and Lajlly, The Strength and
Clearnefs of the Evidence, and the Num-
ber and Greatnefs of the Proofs, made
ufe of to affure us of the Truth and
Certainty of the Gofpel ; is of all others
the highejl Aggravation, of the Guilt of
thofe v^ho neglefl: or difobey it ; and that
which of all other circumftances renders
them the moft utterly inexcufable : God
elfo bearing them witiiefi^ both with Jigns
and wonders^ and with diver i miracles and
gifts of the Holy Ghoft^ according to hii
own will. The principal and moft re-
markable of all which Signs and Won-
der, being that plentiful Effufion of the
Holy Spirit upon the Apoftles, which we
this day commemorate ^ I {hall therefore

be

rejeSfing the Gofpel. 251

be very brief upon all the former Heads. S e r m.

ly?, H E R E is the intrinfick Goodnefs and X^-
Excellency of the Thing Hjelf which wic- ^-'^"^^'^
ked men rejecfl ; intimated as a juft ground
why they ihould not efcape unpuniflied.
It is 171 itfelf a great Salvation -, a Sal-
vation from Sin and Mifery, from the
Power and Tyranny of the Devil, and
from the puniihment of Death. Sin, in
its own Nature, even feparate from the
confideration of its being an obftinate dif-
obeying the revealed Will of God, is in
itfelf utterly unreafonable and inexcufable :
'Tis ading in oppofition to the known
reafon and proportion of things ; contra.-
ry to that eternal Order and Equity,
which God has eftabliflied in the origi-
nal conftitution of Nature ; oppofite to
the Light of Reafon, the dilates of Con-
fcience, the unprejudiced Judgement of
our own Minds, the agreeing Opinion of
all wife and good men, nay and even of
bad men themfelves too -, contrary to all
our natural Notions and Apprehenfions,
of the Attributes and Will of God 5 de-
ftrudtive to the publick Welfare and

Happi^

252 The htexcufahlenefs of

Se RM.Happinefs of Mankind, the Health of
■^*- our own Bodies, the Peace of our Minds,
and the Support of our good Name and
Reputation amongft wife and reafonable
men : 'Tis a fubje6ling our reafon to vile
affeftions, to inordinate and brutifh ap-
petites, to difordcrly and ungoverned Paf-
fions \ Which is the greateft and the worfl:
flavery in the world ; to fee and approve
what is good, and yet not be able to
prevail with ourfelves to praftife it ; to be
fenfible of the deftrudive confequences of
Sin, and yet, through the Strength of evil
Habits, continue under the power and
dominion of it \ To feel ourfelves de-
prived of our prefent Happinefs, and of
our beft hopes of all that is to come ;
and yet continue in the praftice of fuch
Vices, as are the only Caufes of all this
Mifery : This is evidently the greateft
Milcry, and moft flavifh Bondage that
can be. Now to have a way propofed
to us, of being delivered from this Body
of Sin, into the glorious Liberty of the
Children of God; to have a method laid
before us, of being r^fcued from this Mi-r

fery,

3

rejeSiing the Go/pel. 253

ifery, and put into a way of fecuring both S e r m,
cur prefent Happinefs and that which is ^^*
to come : This is the Offer of z great Sal- ^^^'""^^"'^
vation ; This whoever (hall negled, is
abfolutely inexcufable, and juflly deferves
to fall into that Mifery, from which he
would not accept a deliverance. The
Light of Nature itfelf diredls us thus far,
and that which all true Philofophy pre-
tended to, was to convince men of the
reafonablenefs and neceffity of endeavour-
ingy by all the helps of Reafon and natu-
ral Religion, to deliver themfelves from
this bondage and flavery of Sin. The
Gofpel propofes to us an infinitely, more
effeftual way of obtaining this end, than
any Philofophy under the Light of Na-
ture was ever able to do ; fhowing us
mofl clearly the heinous Nature of Sin,
and the dreadful Confequences of it ; all
the Obligations of our Duty in a more
clear and particular manner, and the in-
finite Advantage of complying with them ;
the true expiation of Sin, and the cer-
tainty of our Repentance being acceptable
in the fight of God, and effedual to obtain

Pardon 5

254- 2/5^ Ine'xcufahlenefs of

S E R M. Pardon ; and affording us fufficient Helps
^^- and Affiflances, to enable us to perform

^^^^^ what it requires of us, in order to our
future and eternal Happinefs. This is,
in the Nature of the Thing itfelf, a great
Salvation ; and the neglecting of which,
(even feparate from the Confideration of
the particular Difhonour done to God by
rejecting an immediate Revelation of his
Will, ) is intrinfically in itfelf a moft in-
excufable Negledl , and juftly deferving
the fevereft of Punifhments.

But then 2^/y, This further Confider-
ation, that the Gofpel is an exprefs and
pofitive revelation of the Will of God^ is a
very high Aggravation of the Sin of neg-
iedling fo great a Salvation. He that •
defires not to be delivered from the Do^
minion of Sin, and has no thirft after a
Life of Righteoiijhcfs ; for T'hat very rea-*
fon deferves not to be faved from the pu^
nifhment of Sin, and is in his Nature un-
qualified for the Rewards of Holinefs*
But when to this choice of Wickednefs,
there is added moreover a direct Con-
tempt

rejeSiing the Go/pel, ^55

tempt of God ; when God has de- S e r m,
clared to men his Will by an immediate ^^^
Revelation, and confirmed the Obligati- ^"•'^"^^"^
ens of Nature by his pofitive Command;
when he has offered us Pardon upon our
lincere Repentance, and vouchfafed us
the Affiflance of his Spirit to enable us
to perform it, and promifed us eternal
Life upon our performance of it, and has
obliged us to accept this Salvation under
pain of the fevereft penalties ; the wrath
of God being now moft exprefsly revealed
from Heaven againft all ungodlinefs and
unrighteoufncfs of men ; After all this,
to continue ftill to defpife fo great Salva-
tion, is adding Rebellion to our Sin, and
with a high hand exalting ourfelves againft
God ; it is an avowed defpifing and con-
temning his Authority, and exprefsly de-
claring that we iioill not have Hun to reign
over us. If therefore Sinning barely a-
gainft the Law of Nature^ was fufficient
to confign men to unavoidable Deflrudli-
on ; how fhall We efcape, if we continue
to Sin both againft Nature and Revela-
tion ? If the Servant that knew not his

Lord's

256 T^he Inexcufahlenefs of

S E R M. Lord's Will, was yet to be beaten with
XI- ftripes, becaufe he did things in them-

^^^^""^ felves worthy of ftripes ; how much more
feverely muft They exped: to be punifhed,
who do the fame things in dired oppo-
fition to the exprefs Will and known
Command of their Mafter ? This was the
Reafon why God punilhed the Sins of
his own people the Jews^ with greater
Severity than thofe of the Heathen : And
fo Now in like manner, whereas the times
of ignorance God winked aty as the Apoftle
expreffes it, A5ts xvii. 30; that is, he was
lefs ft rift and fevere with men before the
Revelation of the Gofpel -, Now, on the
contrary, under pain of his fevereft dif-
pleafure, he peremptorily commands all
men every where to repent ; There be-
ing no excufe left, nothing that can
alleviate their condemnation, if men, af-
ter that the cleareft Light is come into
the World, will ftill obftinately continue
in their works of Darknefs.

3^/)', The Dignity and Excellejicy of
the Per/on, by and through whom this
great Salvation is propofed to us, is a

further

rejeBing the Go/pel. 257

further Aggravation of the Sin of rejedt- S e r m.
ing it. It was at jirjl begun to be fpoken ^^*
by the Lord -, that is, as the fame Apoftle ^^
expreifes it in the foregoing chapter, God
who at fundry times and in divers man-
ners /pake in time paji unto the fathers by
the prophets^ hath in thefe laji days fpoken
unto us by his Son, The Dignity of the
Perfon, by whofe interpofition any Fa-
vour is procured, and by whom it is
tranfmitted, fhows both the Greatnefs and
Importance of the Thing itfelf, and the
Love and Condefcenfion of the Original
Author of it , And the neglecfling it in
this cafe, implies not only Folly, Info-
lence, and Rebellion, but moreover, the
greateft Obftinacy alfo, which no Autho-
rity can prevail over ; and the bafeft In-
gratitude, which no Kindnefs or Conde-
fcenfion can overcome : Which therefore
whofoever is guilty of, muft be confelTed
moft juftly to deferve the fevereft of Pu-
niihments. This (the Ingratitude of re-
jcfting a Mercy, offered with fo much
Love and Condefcenfion, by the hands of
a Perfon of fo great Dignity,) is what
Vol. V. S Our

258 l^he Inexcufahlenefs of

S E R M. Our Saviour compelled the Jews to ac-
■^^* knowledge , and made them condemn
themfelves for it with their ow^n mouths,
in the Parable of theHoufeholder ; St Matt.
xxi. 3 3 ', who having planted a vifieyard^
and let it out to husbandmen^ firjl fent his
fervants to receive the fruits of it ; and
when the husba?2d?nen had refjled and Jlain
the fervants^ he afterwards fent his own
Son to them^ faying. Surely they will re^
verence my Son , But him alfo they refjled
and few : Whereupon when our Saviour
appealed to the Pharife^s themfelves, to
^udge what it was fit for the Lord of the
vineyard to do unto thofe husbandmeji j They
immediately replied, He will mifer ably de-
firoy thsfe wicked men, and let out his
vineyard unto other husbandmen , which
Jhall render him the fruits in their feafons :
Unwarily pafling a jull fentence againft
Themfelves ; that for rejefting the Gof-
pel preached by Chrift himfelf, they de-
ferved a feverer condemnation, than their
Fathers who had before rejeded the
preaching and admonitions of the Pro-
phets. The fame Argument is ufed by

the

rejeEiing the Go/pel 259

the Apoftle, in the words immediately S e r m,
preceeding the Text j If the word, faith ?^
he, fpoken by Angels was Jiedfajl, and
every tranfgrejjion and difobedience received
a juji recompence of reward \ how JJjaU
we efcape, if we negleB fo great falv at ion ^
which at the firfl began to be fpoken by
the Lord? And ch. x. ver. 28; He that
defpifed Mofess law, died without mercy :
Of how much forer punij}j??jent, fuppofe
ye, fhall he be thought worthy^ who hath
troden under foot the Son of God ? and
ch. xii. 25. See that ye refife 7iot Hi?n that
fpeaketh : For if They efcaped not, who
refufed him that fpake on Earth, much
more fo all not we efcape, if we turn away
from him that fpeaketh from Heaven.

A^thly and Lajily, The Strength and
Clearnefs of the Evidence, and the Num--
ber and Greatnefs of the Proofs, made ufe
of to affure us of the Truth and Cer-
tainty of the Gofpel ; is the higheft Ag-
gravation of the guih of thofe, who ne-
gleft or difobey it -, and that which of
all other things renders them the moil
abfolutely inexcufable. The Gofpel was

V o L. V. S 2 at

26o 7he Inexcufablenefs of

S E R M nf jirjl begun to be fpoken by the Lord^
^^' and 'icas afterwards confirmed to us by them
**" that heard him -, God alfo bearing them,
witnefs^ both with figns and wonders^ and
with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy
Ghoji ; whereof that which we T'his day
commemorate, was both the Foundation
of all the reft ; and in itfelf alfo of the
greateft Efficacy and of the largeft Ex-
tent.

The ftronger the Evidence of any
Truth be, the more inexcufable is the
making oppofition to it. And the high-
eft Aggravation of this crime, is, to con-
tinue to oppofe a Truth, after the beft
and greateft Evidence has been given of
it, that the Nature of the Thing was
capable of. Oppofition in this cafe, a-
gainft the greateft Evidence that is rea-
sonably to be expefted, can proceed from
nothing but either incurable Obftinacy
and Perverfenefs ^ or a Love of fome
things, and a refolution not to part with
them, the keeping of which is incon-
iiftent with the acknowledgement of the
Truth. And this is plainly the Cafe of

thofe

rejeEltng the GofpeL 261

thofe who rejedl the Gofpel , after the S e r m.
undeniable Evidences that have been given ^^•
of the Truth of it by the T^ejlimony of the ^^^^*^
Spirit, Their rejecting it, cannot pro-
ceed from want of fufficient Convidlion,
but 'only from a love of Vice, and a re-
folution not to be reformed; which is a
degree of incorrigiblenefs, in which there
is no hope of excufe, and for which there
remains no remedy ; and which there is
no hopes of amending. When clear Light
is come into the World, and men ftill
continue their works of Darknefs ; then
it becomes evident that their wickednefs
proceeds not from Ignorance and want of
Inftrudlion, but from Will and Choice ;
they love Darknefs rather than Light, and
ftand in open defiance to God and his fu-
preme Authority. This is what our Sa-
viour fays of the Jewi-, St Joh^ xv. 22 ;
If I had not come and fpoken unto them^
they had not had Sin ; but 7iow they have
no cloak for their Sin : If I had not dojie
among them the works which no other man
did, they had not had Sin ; but 7iow they
have both feen and hated both me and my
S 3 Father^

262 T^he Inexcufablenefs of

S E R M. Father, This is the reafon of his de-
^^- daring to the cities of Judcea^ that it
jhoiild be more tolerable for Sodom and
Gomorrah in the day of fiidgeinent than
for T'hem ; becaufe if the mighty works
that were done in T'hemy had been done
in Sodom , it nivould have repented in
fackcloth and afhes. This is the reafon
of his declaring to thofe Pharifees, who
blafphemed the Holy Spirit, that they
Jhould never have forgivenefs neither in
this Worlds nor in that which is to come ;
becaufe they refilled the laft and greateft
means , that God would ever make ufe
of to bring them to repentance ; and not
refifted it only, but reviled it alfo : They
faw with their own eyes the cleareft and
ftrongeft proofs of the Truth of the
Gofpel, that could poffibly be given ; and
yet they not only withftood the Evidence
of thofe mighty works, but alfo blaf-
phemed the Holy Spirit by which they
were worked. Their Crime was Angu-
lar and unexampled; and their Con-
demnation, was likewife fingular. But
all others alfo, who rejed the Gofpel,

are.

rejeSiing the GofpeL 263

are, in proportion to the greatnefs of the S e r m.
Evidence they refift, and according; to the ^^'
degree of their Obflinacy and Wickednefs
in fo doing, inexcufable in like manner,
and Defpifers of the Tejlimony of the
Spirit,

The Tejlimony which the Spirit of
God has given to the Truth of the Go-
fpel, contains a great Variety of unde-
niable Proofs, which St Paul calls the
Power and Demo?iJlration of the Spirit*
The many large and particular Prophe-
cies, which from the beginning of the
World were didtated by the Spirit^ con-
cerning the Perfon of our Saviour, and
the Nature, Succefs, and Effefls of his
Doftrine : The Conception of our Lord
by the Miraculous Operation of the Spirit y
and the manifold Wonders which at-
tended his Birth : The Vifible Defcent of
the Spirit upon him at his Baptifm, ac-
companied with a Voice from Heaven,
declaring him to be the beloved Son of
God: The Miracles which he worked
during the courfe of his Miniftry, by the
Spirit of God 5 avS the Scripture frequently
S 4 exprelTes

264 7he Inexcufahlenefs of

S E RM. expreffes it: His Refurreftion from the
i^ Dead, which likewife the Scripture af-
cribes to the Power of the fame Spirit ;
Rom, viii. ii; and i Fet, iii. 18. But a-
bove all, that moft plentiful Effufion of
the Spirit upon the Apoftles at Pentecojl ;
whereby they were indued with Power
from on high, to preach the Gofpel with
Authority and Efficacy ; being enabled
particularly to fpeak with tongues, and
to do even greater Works than our Sa-
viour himfelf had worked upon Earth,
according to his Promife which he made
to them before his departure ; Thefe
TeJli?nonie5 (I fay) of the Spirit of God y
contain fuch demonftrative Proof of the
Truth of the Gofpel, as leaves Them who
rejed it, capable of no excufe ; fince they
defpife the laf and greatejl means, that
Jhall be, or indeed could be made ufe of
for their convidion and reformation. This
laft Miracle in particular, the Gift of
Tongues to the Apoftles, was of all others
the ftrangeft, and in its nature and cir-
cumftances the greateft and moft aifed:-
ing that could be conceived. The Apo-

ftles.

rejeSlhig the GofpeL 265

files, on whom this Gift was beftowed, S e r m.
were men, whofe Parentap;e and Educa- ^ * .
tion were well known to all that dwelt
in yerufalem ; They were known to be
illiterate and mean perfons ; perfons whofe
Employment had been laborious, and their
manner of life from the beginning, fuch
as afforded them neither Time nor Op-
portunities, of being {killed in the Learn-
ing and Cuftoms of their own Country,
much lefs of having ftudied the languages
of other Nations. Had they been men
of a polite and learned education, brought
up in the ftudy of their own Law, and
in the fchools of the Scribes and Phari-
fees; it might have been imagined that
this their fkill in foreign languages might
be the Effed: of Study and Induftry, of
Art and Defign, in order to gain Applaufe
from the people, and fet themfelves up as
Heads of new Seds, and Teachers of po-
pular Dodrines. But fo far from Thig
was their cafe, that on the contrary they
were defpifed and contemned by their own
countrymen for that very reafon, becaufe
being well acquainted with their Educa-
tion

266 The Inexcufablenefs of

S E R M. tion and manner of Life, they did not think
•^^- it poffible that any Wifiom could be found

^■^'"^^''^ in Them^ or any Knowledge proceed from
their lips. Exactly as they had formerly
faid of their Mafter, when he went up
into the Temple and taught : St "Job, vii.
14 ; How knoweth this man letters^ having
never learned ? And St Mar, vi. 2 5 From
whence has this man thefe things ? and
what wifdom is this which is given unto
him ? Is not this the carpenter the Son of
Mary\ the Brother of fames and fofes^
and of Juda and Simon ? and are not his
fijlers here with us ? Herein therefore
confifted the Greatnefs of the Miracle,
that men of no Education fpake different
languages perfeBly \ and that they did it
im?nediately and at once ^ without any
Time, Inftrudtion, or Study. Neither
was there any room for any Fallacy or
Deceit in this matter : For this thing was
not done in a Corner, but publickly in
the midfl of ferufalem^ and in the pre-
fence of innumerable witnefTes; and that
not otice only, but with a continued and
permanent Eifed:. The WitnefTes alfo

that

rejeSling the GofpeL 267

that were prefent, were the beft and moft S e r m.
competent Judges that could be ^ being "^^•
perfons of different Nations, gathered to- ""^^^^
gather at Jerufakm upon account of the
Feaft, to whom all the languages which
the Apoftles fpoke, were feverally natural ;
fo that they could not be deceived, or
impofed upon in this whole proceeding.
The Natives of "Jeriifalem^ who under-
ftood not the tongues which were fpo-
ken, nor knew whether they were really
any languages at all ; might indeed mock,
and fay that thefe men were full of new
wine, Afts ii. 13; but the foreigners, who
heard each his own proper language, could
not but be juftly filled with wonder and a-
mazement. The Inhabitants of Jerufalem^
were witnefTes that the Apoftles were illi-
terate men, and underftood no language
but their Mother- tongue, nor were ca-
pable of ufmg any Art or Fraud in this
matter ; and the Strangers were witneiTes,
that what they uttered were true and real
languages, and therefore could not be the
effeft of wioe or madnefs. The Tefti-
mony therefore of Both together, made
2 the

2 68 The hiexcufablenefs of

Serm. the miracle certain, unqueftionable and
^^* manifeft -, and accordingly the EfFed: of

^^^^*^ it, was proportionably great. For fo we
^ read ; A5is\\. ver. 41 ; that the fame day ^
there were converted about three thoiifand
Souls, This was the immediate 'EffeB of
the gift of Tongues at that very Time ;
and the Vfefiilnefs of it afterwards^ was
peculiar and more remarkable, than of all
other Miracles whatfoever. For this en-
abled the Apoftles to preach the Gofpel to
all Nations, with fuch fpeed and incre-
dible fuccefs, that though men of other
Religions endeavoured to make Con-
verts as well as they, and fome Seds of
the Jews particularly were infinitely
induftrious and would compafs Sea and
Land to gain a Profelyte j yet the
Preaching of the Apoflles, like the day
fpringfrom on high^ like the morning-light^
which in a moment difpels the darknefs frofn
under one e?id of Heaven to the other ^ pro-
pagated the Gofpel in a very few years to
a vaftly larger extent, than ever any other
religion was propagated in the compafs
of many Ages. This gift of Tongues

ceafed

rejeSiing the GofpeL 269

ccafed indeed after fome time, as other S z r m.
Miracles did ; becaufe all thefe fort of ^^•
gifts were beflowed not for their own ^-^^'^
fake or intrinfick worth, but only in or-
der to the propagation of the Gofpel, and
to convince men of the Truth of that
Religion, whofe principal end and dcfigu
confifted in thofe gifts and graces of the
Spirit which were to continue for ever.
Which end being once obtained, and the
Gofpel eftabliflied in the World, thefe mi-
raculous gifts ceafed ; having been given,
as St Paul expreffes it, not for them that
believe^ but for them that believe not. But
thofe gifts of the Spirit, in which confifts
the renewal of the mind of man, and
which are the Springs of all virtues which
make us like unto God ; thefe are to con-
tinue through all Ages ; and are fo much
more excellent and more deiirable than
the former, as the End is better and more
excellent than the Means. In our Savi-
our's and in the Apoftle's time, it was very
natural to the Weaknefs of Men, to be
moft ambitious of fuch gifts, as made the
greateft appearance, and could not but

gain

270 The Inexcufablenefs of

S E R M. gain the greateft efteem and applaufe in
^^' the eyes of the World : But our Saviour

^^^^ himfelf cautioned his Difciples, not to re--
joicefo much at their being indued with a
power of working Miracles^ as at their
Names being written in Heaven : And St
Paul afterwards took great pains to con-
vince his hearers, that though it was in-
deed lawful to covet miraculous gifts^ yet
he could fiill Jhow unto them a more excel-
lent way \ that it was a greater and far
more defirable thing, to inftrud: men in
their plain and neceffary duty, than to
work the moft ftupendous miracle ; a7id
that Love and Goodnefs^ Righteoufnefs and
Holinefsy Meeknefs and Charity^ were things
more excellent and valuable in themfelves^
than to be able to fpeak with all the
*Tongues^ cither of Men or Afigels. The
reafon is plain, becaufe the one is benefi-
cial only to Others^ but the other to our-
felves likewife ; He that works a Miracle
or fpeaks with Tongues to convince an-
other, may yet pofiibly himfelf have no
title to the rewards of the Gofpel ; but
He that is indued with thofe gifts which

are

rejeBing the GofpeL 271

are the end and defign of the Gofpel, S e r m.
and for the fake only of which all the ^^[*^
reft were given, doe^ thereby fecure his
own Salvation, as well as promote the
Salvation of others. Let us then by
Charity and Goodnefs and the pradice
of all virtues fecure to ourfelves that
which is moft excellent j and then though
the gifts of Miracles, be not continued
to us, yet we fhall obtain the End for
which alone thofe gifts have ever been
given to Others. For, he that fpeaks
with Tongues for the converfion of o-
thers, may (without the Virtues of Meek-
nefs and Humility, Love and Charity,)
himfelf poffibly become a Caft-away :
But he whofe Mind is indued with thofe
inward Virtues, which are the more ex-
cellent gifts and fruits of the Spirit, has
attained that End^ for the promoting of
which, the other outwardly brighter and
more refplendent Gifts, were all intended
but as Means,

SERMON

t 273 ]

SERMON XII-

DiiFerent Tempers judge diffe-
rently of Religion.

[Preached on Ea/ier-Day.']

I Cor. i. 22, 23, 24.

For the Jews require a Sign^ and the

Greeks feek after Wijdom : But we

preach Chrijl crucified^ unto the jews a

Jiumbling'block, and u?ito the Greeks

foolifonefs : But unto them which are

called^ both Jews ajid Greeks^ Chrifl the

Power of God^ and the Wifdom of God,

N the following Difcourfe S e r m*
upon thefe Words, I (hall ift XII.
explain diftind:y the feveral ^■''''^^"^
Expreflions contained in the
Text; and 2^/;*, I (hall de-
duce fome ufeful Inferences therefrom.
Vol. V. T I. In

1

1

274 Different "Tempers judge

S E R M. I. I N order to Explain diftindly the
-^^^' feveral Expreffions made ufe of in the

^*'^'"^'''*^ Text, it is to be obferved that the Doc-
trine tiierein contained, confifts plainly
of the three following Heads, i/?, That
the Great and general Difference, between
the Humours or Tempers of the Nation
of the 'Jews on one hand, and the Greeks
(who were Then the principal and moft
polite part of the heathen World) on the
other hand, was This; That the Jews^
in T^heir examination into the Truth of
any Dodrine propofed to them, were al-
ways apt to infill: prefently upon fome
Miracle, upon fome T^oken to be fhowii
them, in proof of tlie Doctrine's coming
from God ; Whereas the Temper of the
Gentiles was, to expert convidlion by Dif-
fiitation and Argument^ according to the
Philofophy of the Times they lived in,
which was efteemed the Wijdom of the
Age then prefent : The Jews require a
Sign, und the Greeks feek after Wifdom.
zdly-y That Perfons of Both thefe Tem-
pers, and that pretended to make ufe
of each of thefe ways of judging, were

I gene-

differ enlly of Religion, 275

generally extreamly prejudiced againft the S e r m.
Dodrlne of the Gofpel : Infomuch that the '^^^^•
coming of Chrift into the World, in the
manner he did, in a mean, humble and
lowly appearance, teaching a Doctrine of
Morality, Plainnefs and Simplicity ; was
both a great Difappointment to the Jews^
who expecfted one that fliould in a mi-
raculous and pompous manner deliver
them from their Enemies ; and at the
fame time was no lefs difagreeable to the
then prevailing fafliion and method of
the Gentiles^ who judged of Doftrines by
the Eloquence, and Oratory, and Artful-
nefs in Difputing, of Thofe who taught and
maintained them : We preach Chriji cruci^
Jied, tmto the Jews a ftumbling-block, and
ufito the Greeks Foolifhnefs. 3^/y, That
neverthelefs, in Truth and Reality, fetting
afide Prejudices and Corrupt Notions, the
Doftrine of Chrift was accompanied with
the highejl and mofl compleat Evidence, ac-
cording to Both thefe Methods of judging :
It was attended with the fuUeft Dem.on-
ftrations of Divine Power, in the Miracles
God worked by him ; And it had all real
Vol. V. T 2 marks

276 Differ e7tt "Tempers judge

SERM.marks of Wifdom, in its perfe<5t agree-
XI^- ablenefs to the Dictates of True and Im-

'^^'^'^^^'^ partial Reafon : But inito them njohich are
called^ both Jews and Greeks, Chriji the
Power of God, and the Wifdom of God.
\fi. The Great and general Difference,
^between the Humours or Tempers of the
Nation of the Jews on one hand, and the
Greeks (who were Then the principal
and moft polite part of the Heathen
World) on the other hand, the Apoftle
obferves, was This ; That the Jeivs, in
^heir examination into the Truth of any
Dodlrine propofed to them, were always
apt to infift prefently upon fome Mira-
cky upon fome T'oken to be fliown them,
in proof of the Dodlrine's coming from
God y Whereas the Temper of the GV;/«
tiles was, to exped: convidlion by Difpii-
tation and Argument , in Methods anfwer-
ing to the Philojbphy of the Times they
lived in, which was the Standard of Wif
dom of the Age then prefent : T^he Jews
require a Sign, a?id the Greeks feek after
Wifdom. As to the Temper of the
Greeks in this matter ; nothing is more
I note-

differ e7itly of Religio?2. 277

notorious in Hiflory, than that about the S e r m.
Times of our Saviour and his Apoftles, ^^^*
the things principally efteemed among ^^^^^^
them were Oratory and the Art of Dif-
fitting : Oratory^ by which Things were
fet forth in a beautiful Light, adorned
with proper figures, made pleafing and
acceptable to the Hearers by a Variety
of agreeable expreffions ; And the Art of
DifputtJjgy by which every thing could
be fupporfed with fo?72e plaufible Argu-
ments^ every thing could be oppofed with
S>ome feeming Dificulties^ and every Diffi-
culty could by men of Parts and Ingenui-
ty have Something offered in Reply to it.
Thefe Inftances of Skill, in themfelves,
and when applied to good Purpofes, were
Both of them really ufeful and valuable.
By Oratory, Truth and Right reprefented
in a good View, and clothed in proper
and agreeable expreffions, appeared with
a Greater Luftre, and made more Advan-
tagious Impreffions : And by Skill in ar-
guing, Reafon was taught to exert itfelf
in its full Strength, and Truth to fliine
forth in its peculiar and inimitable Clear-
T 3 7ief\

278 Different T^empers judge

S E RM.nefs. ^ni more frequently^ among vicious
■^^^- and corrupt Men, thefe Inftruments and
Ornaments of Reafon were perverted to
very wrong and contrary Purpofes. By
Oratory^ the Deformity of unrighteous
FraSlices was covered with the deceitful
Appearance, and painted over with the
beautiful Colours oifujl and Right : And
by Skill in difputing, the plaineft truths
wcvt perplexed with fuch Intricacies^ and
the groifeft Errours concealed under fuch
Forms of Arguing^ as altogether con-
founded, to common Underflandings, the
Difference between Truth and Errour.
This was what the corrupt Part of the
Greeks called Wifdom. As to the Tem-
per of the yews-. They, having received
their Law by Revelation from God^ were
never much accuftomed either to value
in themfelves^ or to regard in Others^ That
. nice and abftrad: Reafoning, which was
all that the Gentile Philofophers had to
depend upon ^ The fews, I fay, never
much attended to This fort of Learning ;
But, whenever any Doftrine was propofed
£Q them which appeared to be New, im-
mediately

differently of Religion. 279

mediately they infifted, that the Author S e r m.
of it fhould, by workino; fome Miracle^ -^^2.* .
give evidence of his being fent from God.
Thus Job, iv. 48 : Except ye fee Signs and
Wonders^ ye njcill not believe : And Matt.
xvi. I : Tbe Pharifees dejired hinty that he
would JJjow them a Sign from Heaven,
Nor wxre they to blame in fo doing,
when the Doftrine to which their
Affent was expedled, was propofed to
them as of Divine Revelation ; and
when their demanding fuch evidence,
did not proceed from any unreafonable-
nefs or perverfenefs of Temper, but from
a fincere Defire of having fuch Satisfac-
tion, without which a reafonable Perfon
could not juftify his Aflent from being
credulous and weak. But more frequently^
under pretence of expeding Further Sa-
tisfadlion, an obftinate and malicious
Temper perfifted continually in requiring
more and more Signs, for no other reafon
but becaufe they refolved not fo be con->
vincedy being like the Deaf Adder which
Jloppeth her ears, which refufeth to hear
the Voice of the Charmer^ charm he never
T4 Jo

2 8o Dtffere?2t Tempers judge

S E R M.yj wifely. Which Sort of perfons, our Sa-
■^^^' viour reproves therefore with a very juft
and proper Severity ; Matt, xii. 3 9 : An
evil and adulterous generation feeketh af-
ter a Sign, and there flo all no Sign be given
it^ hilt the Sign of the Prophet ^onas :
For as Jonas was three days and three
nights in the Whale's belly, fofhall the Son
of man be three days and three nights
in the heart of the Earth : 'The men of
Nineveh fljall rife up in judgmejit with
this generation, and fhall condemn it j be-
caufe They repented at the preaching of
Jonas^ and behold a greater than Jonas
is here : The ^leen of the South fl^all rife
up in judgmejit with this generation, and
fhall condemn it ; for fl:e came from the
uttermofl parts of the Earth to hear the
wifdom of Solomon, and behold a greater
tha7i Solomon is here. The Meaning is :
God had given them Signs abundantly
fufficient, to convince any reafonable and
unprejudiced perfons; wherewith if they
would not be fatisfied, he would leave
them to themfelves. And This may fuf-
fice for explication of ihtfrfl part of the

Text,

differently of Religion. 281

Text, the Gejieral Obfervation concerning S e r m.
the different Temper or Humour of the ^^^^
Jewijh and Gentile Nations : The Jews
require a Sign, and the Greeks feek after
Wifdom.

2dl)\ The Second Particular in the
Text, is the Obfervation, that Perfons of
Bofh thefe Tempers, and that pretended
to make ufe of Each of thefe ways of
judging, were generally extremely preju-
diced againft the Dodrine of the Gofpel :
Infomuch that the coming of Chrift into
the World, in the Manner he did, in a
mean, humble, and lowly appearance,
teaching a Dodlrine of Morality, plain-
nefs and fimplicity 5 was both a great
Difappointment to the Jews^ who expeft-
ed one that (hould in a miraculous and
pompous manner deliver them from their
Enemies; and at the fame time was no
lefs difagreeable to the then prevailing
Fafliion and Method of the Gentiles, who
judged of Doftrines by the Eloquence,
and Oratory, and Artfulnefs in Difputing,
of Thofe who taught and maintained
them : ^e preach Chriji crucified, unto

the

282 Different Tempers judge

S'E Ru. the Jews a Stumbling-Block^ a fid unto the
^^^- Greeks Foolijlmefs, The "Jews thought

^^ that no other Sign was a Mark of the
true Meffias, but Delivering them from
their Temporal Ejiemies -;, and that the
Power ef God could no otherwife be ma-
nifefted in him, than by eftablifliing him a
Kingdom in this World, When therefore
our Lord came in Ariother manner,
preaching humility and meeknefs^ patience
and charity ; calling them to virtue and
goodnefs^ inftead of Earthly Power and
Dominion : Though they were aftoniflied
at the Excellency of his Doftrine, and at
the Greatnefs of his Works ; and won-
dered, whence has This man this wijdom,
and thofe mighty works % yet prefently they
fay, Is not this the Carpenters Son? Is
not his Mother called Mary ? and his Bre-
thren, James and Jofes and Simon and
Judas ? and his Sijlers, are they not all
with us ? whence then has this man all
tbefe things ? and they were offended in
him. Matt. xiii. 15. Nay, even his Own
Difciples'y whenever he began to fpeak to
them of his Sufferings and Death, im-
mediately

iz.

differently of Religion. 283

mediately they rebuked him, faying. Be it S e r m.
far from thee, Lord ; This fhall not be ,3srsJ
unto thee. And when he had adlually Matt. xvU
fufFered, they faid with a defponding
heart, We trufled that it had been He
which fhould have redeemed Ifrael -, Luke
xxiv. 2 1. And even after they were fatisfied
of the Truth of his Refurredtion, yet ftill
their antient Prejudices put them upon
feeking after the fame S^ign or Token as
before \ Lord, wilt thou at this time re-
Jiore again the Kingdom to Ifrael ? Ads i.
6. So that, confidering how great a
Stumbling-block This Circumftance was to
the whole Nation of the Jews, it was
with very good reafon that our Lord pro-
nounces ; Matt. xi. 6 : Bleffed is he whofo-
ever fhall not be offended in me. As to
the Gefitiles', They, as I now obferved,
being ufed to judge of Dodlrines by the
Eloque?2ce, and Oratory^ and Artfulnefs in
Difputing, of thofe who taught and main-
tained them ; it is no wonder that the
Plainnefs and Simplicity of the Gofpel,
which took no care to pleafe and enter-
tain them with artificial compofuions,

nor

284 Differe72t Tempers judge

[. nor to try their Parts and gratify their
Vanity with nice and fubtle Difputations,
but aimed wholly at reforming their Man-
ners, and withdrawing them from idola-
trous Imaginations to the Service of the
One Living and True God, in Holinefs,
Righteoufnefs and Charity ; it is no won-
der, I fay, that this Plainnefs and Simpli-
city of Dodlrine was ofFenfive to 'Them^
as it is Now to All forts of men who place
religion in Forms and Ceremonies, and
in certain Syflems of Opinions of which
they underfland little ; Nor ought it at
all to feem ftrange, that the Epicvream
and the 5/^/V^i, Adts xvii. 18, fhould en-
counter St Faul with That contemptuous
queftion. What will thuB abler fay'? This
therefore is the Second Obfervation con-
tained in the Text ; that Perfons of fuch
different T'empers^ and that made ufe of
fuch different ways of judging^ as the
"Jews and Gentiles did, were yet both of
them under very Great Prejudices againft
the Dodlrine of the Gofpel : JVe preach
Chrijl crucifed^ unto the Jews a Stumbling"
blocky and unto the Greeks Foolijlmefs,

differ e?itly of Religmt. 285

3^/y, The ^hird and Laft Obferva- S e r m,
tion contained in the Text, is ; that not- ■^^^•
withflanding thefe pretended Objections,
yet, in Truth and Reality, fetting afide
Prejudices and corrupt Notions, the Doc-
trine of Chrift was accompanied with
the higheji and tnoji compleat evidence^ ac-
cording to Both the fore-mentioned Me-
thods of judging : It was attended with
the fuUeft Demonftrations of Divine Pow-
er, in the Miracles God worked by him ^
And it had all real Marks of Wifdom^ in
its perfed: Agreeablenefs to the Diftates of
True and impartial Reafon : But unto
them which are called^ both 'Jews and
Greeks^ Chriji the Power of God, and the
Wifdom of God, As to the Jews ; (who,
in judging of the Truth of any Doftrine,
always infifted principally upon Proofs
or Tokens of the Teacher's Authority ^
upon Signs or Evidences of his htm^g fetit
from God',) To the Jews, I fay, The nu-
merous particular and diftindt Prophecies
which were fulfilled in the Perfon of our
Saviour, and in Him Only; befides all
fuch as were typical, and had any Am-

bi^uitv

286 Different Tempers judge

S E R M. biguity in them : And the Miracles which
^^^- he worked during the Courfe of his Mi-

^^'^^^'^^^^ niftry, nothing inferiour nor lefs confpi-
cuous than thofe by which Mofes of old
proved the Truth of his Commiflion;
Thefe were abundant Evidence^ in their
Own way ; Evidence, to Them, who re^
quired a Sign, than which no greater
Sign could poffibly be given, of the im-
mediate interpolition of the Power of
God, For whereas our Lord's coming in
a mean EJlate, was fo great a Stumblings
block to them ; and the principal Sign
they expeded, was his fetting up a tem^
poral Kingdom with Great Power and Glo-
ry: This, in Truth and Reality, would
have been but a fmall manifeftation of
the Power of God, in comparifon of that
which has and will be fliown forth by
tht Jpiritual Kingdom he has eftablifhed.
For how poorly would the great Promifes
of God made to Abraham, and the Pa^
triarchs, and to good men in all Ages ;
how poorly^ and in how low a fenfe,
would thofe Promifes have been fulfilled
to "^hem^ barely by giving their Pojierity^

Many

differ e7ttiy of Religion. 287

Many Ages after Tihetr Deceafe, a tempo- S e r m,
vary Kingdom ; in comparifon of That '^^^*
glorious accomplifliment of them in ^-^^^^
Chrift's fpiritual Kingdom, wherein A-
hrabam, Jfaac and "Jacobs and all the
faithful Servants of God who have lived
in all Ages, fhall themfehes literally and
perfo7ially inherit the Promlfcs. Upon
which account, the Apoftle to the He-
brews elegantly obferves ; Heb. xi. 16:
Wherefore God is not ajhamed to be called
Their God; For he hath prepared for Them,
(not for their Pojlerify only, when they
themfelves were to be ro more ; hut) for
Them hath he prepared a City, On the
Other hand, as to the Gentiles^ who af-
feded to depend entirely on Reafon and
Arguments ; the Gofpel, though it defpi-
fed the Vanity of Oratory^ and chofe not
to recommend itfelf in the fet Forms of
artificial and perplexing Difputation ; (for
which caufe it feemed Foolifhnefs to con-
ceited Philofophers ; ) yet in point of I'rue
Reafon, JVifdom and Goodnefs, it approved
itfelf to be a Dodlrine in all Refpedh
Excellent, and truly worthy of God :

Chrijl,

288 Different Tempers judge

S E R M. Chrijl, the Wifdom^ as well as the Power ^
XII. of God. By the* Gofpel, All the Great

^-^^"^^'"^ Truths of Natural Religion, difcoverable
by Reafon and Argumentation ^ the Being
and Attributes, the Government and Pro-
vidence of God,^ the Unalterablenefs of
Moral Obligations, the Immortality of the
Soul, and the Expectation of future Re-
wards and Punifliments ; all thefe Great
Truths (I fay) difcoverable in good mea-
fure by Argumentation and Reafon, were
by the G(9/^^/ more plainly and exprefsly
revealed, more diftindlly and clearly ex-
plained, more ftrongly and powerfully
in forced. And the additional Revelation,
of Chriji's being appointed an Intercelfour
for penitent Sinners, and the "Judge of
the World ; was an advantagious confir-
mation of all the fame Truths, and a
moid wife and proper encouragement to
the pradice of Virtue. By This means,
a well-attefted Interpofition of Divine
Authority^ became unto All men a juft
ground of AlTent to thofe Truths, which
10 make out by the Help of Reafon only,
was a Work of Difficulty, Time, and

Studyo

differently of Religion. 289

Study. By This means, Inflruftlon in S e r m.
matters of Religion became very fbort ^"*
and eafi^ even to the Meaneft Capacities.
And whereas the Befi and Greatefi Phi^
Igfophers w^ere in continual Difputes, and
in many degrees of Uncertainty, concern-
ing the very fundamental and moft im-
portant Dcxftrines of Truth and Reafon ;
Among thofe, on the contrary, who have
embraced the Gofpel of Chriji^ there
never was the leaft room for Difpute
about Any Fundamental -^ All Chriftians,
at all Times, and in all Places, having
ever been baptized into the Profeffion of
t;he Same Faith^ and into an Obligation
to obey the Same Cofnmandments, And
it being notorious, that all the Conten-
tions that ever arofe in thfe Chriftian
World, have been merely about the fe-
veral Additiom^ which every Seel or Par-
ty, in dire<a: contradidion to the exprefs
Command of their Mailer, have endea-
voured prefumptuoufly to annex, by their
Own Authority, to His Dodrines, and to
Hh Laws. How much therefore, and
how juji ground foever, has been given
V o L. V. U by

290 Different Tempers judge

S E R M. by thofe who Call themfelves ChriJlianSy
^^^- to the Reproach of Them which are with-

^"^'"''^'^ out ; yet Chrijl himfelf^ that is, the Go-
fpel in its native Simplicity as delivered
by Him^ has abundantly, to all Reafonable
perfons among the Gentiles^ manifefted
itfelf to be the Wifdom of God ; as well
as it appeared to be the Power of God,
in Signs and Wonders unto the Jews.
Unto them which are called^ both Jews
and Greeks, Chrijl the Power of God, and
the Wifdom of God,

IL The Words and Dodtrine of the
Text being thus largely explained, it re-
ryiaips that I conclude with drawing two
oir three ufeful Inferences from what has
been faid.

And ly?, From hence it appears, how
Fcoliili it is to endeavour, as fome have
done, to oppofe 7?^^;^ and Revelation to
each other. For both of them, are the
glorious Gifts of God; and Each of them
eftabllflies and confirms the Other. The
Quibbling indeed, and vain Methods of
Difputing, among the greater part of the
Heathen Philofophers ; were only Sha-
dows

differently of Religion^ 291

dows of Reafoningy falfely fo called. But S e r jm.
l^rue Reafon^ is the Great Glory of IJu- ^^^•
mane Nature : Aijid upon account of the ^•^""^^"^
Gofpeh Agreeablenefs to ^his^ it is, ,that
the Apoflle in the Text gives it that High
Charafter, of being the Wifdom as well
as the Power of God. To iniagine Rea-
fon and Revelation at variance with each
other, is the like abfurdity, as fuppofijig
the Eye to fee contrary to what the Ear
hearsy or that God fhouldmake 0;?^Senfe,
or Faculty, to contradidl another. Vaia
men may poorly and weakly fancy, that
they can fometimes promote One Truth
at the Expence of Another: But the
Works of God y are uniform and con-
fiftent, of a piece from One end to the
other : And what our Saviour fays con-
cerning PerfonSy afting wifely and ufeful-
ly in different ways ; that Wifdom is ju^
fifed of All her Children ; may equally
be applied to Things likewife, that IVif
dom is jufified in All her Difpenfa-
fJons.

Vol. V. U 2 zdl)\

292 Different Tempers judge

S E R M. 2^/y, I F the Power and Authority^ ss
^^^- well as the Wtfdom of God ; that is, if Z)/-

^^^^^^^ <ui}ie Revelation^ as well as argumentative
Proof; be a juft Ground of Aflent, or
Evidence of Truth: Then ought we al-
ways to take great heed, leaft at any time
we weaken the Strength of that Autho-

• rity, by blending things of Humane in-

vention with thofe whofe Inflitution is
'Divine, For whereas weak men think,
by means of fuch confufion, to Jlrengthen
their Own Authority with the mixture of
Divine ; the Real Effeft, on the contrary,
always is, that the things of Divine Au-
thority are infenfibly weaknedy by being
inade lefs diftinguifliable from what is
merely Huma?ie.

3^/v and lajlly^ From the manner in
which Chriji is here called I'he Wijdom
and T^he Power of God, we may learn
rightly to underfland Other the like figu-
rative expreffions frequently found in
Scripture. For as Chrift is here ftiled the
Wijdom of God, becaufe his Gofpel is
agreeable to True Reafon ; and the Power

of

differ e7^tly of Religion. 2 9 3

of. God, becaufe his Dodlrine was con- S e r m,
firmed by mighty Works and Miracles : ^^^'
Sp, in Other places, he is filled The
Word of God, becaufe he is the Revealer^
of his Will to Men ; and he is the Wa)\
the Door^ the I'riith and the Life^ becaufe
he has diflinftly made known to us the
Terms and Means of Salvation. And by
the like figure of fpeech, the Sacramen-
tal Bread and Wine is ftiled the Body and
Blood of Chrijl^ becaufe it is a Solemn com*
memoration of his Death. And Chri-
fliam are by the Apoftle faid to be the
Circumcifion made "without handsy becaufe
xhty fpiritually are, what the Jeivs were
typically by Circumcifion which was
literal And Praife or Thankfgiving has
the name of Sacrifice given to ir,
becaufe it is a Signification of the fame
Temper and Difpofition of Mind ,
which Sacrifices were intended to ex-
prefs, and which alone made thofe Sa-
crifices acceptable before God. With
many other the like Inftances : In
which , a careful confideration of tke
U 3 ground

294 Different Tempers^ &c.

S E R M. ground and reafon of the Manner of
^^^Exprcffion, may eafily prevent Great
^^^^^^ Mifunderftandings of Many Paflages in
Scripture,

SERMON

[ 295 ]

SERMON XIII.

Of the Refurredlion of Christ.
[Preached on Eafter-Day.^

I C O R. XV. 14.

And if Chrijl be not rifen, then ts our
Preachmg vain, and your Faith aljo is
vain,

H E great Foundation of our s e r m
Hope of Immortality, is the XIII.
Revelation of the Gofpel ; 0^"V*\;
and the great Evidence of
the Truth of that Revelati-
on, is the Refurredtion of Chrifl. With-
out the Revelation of the Gofpel, our
Hope of Immortality, according to mens
U 4 different

296 Of the RefurreBion of Chrift.

^ E R M. diifFerent Abilities in philofophical Sp^-
^^^^' culations, had continued difputable ; and,

^^'^ without the Refurredtion of Chrift, the
Proofs of the Truth of the Gofpel-Reve-
lation had been finally fruftrated. As
therefore the Truth of the Chriftian Re-
velation, is of the greateft importance to
mens Souls, in the ivhole ; fo the Proof of
the Refurreftion of Chrift, is of the great-
eft importance towards fecuring the Cer-
tainty of that Revelation, in particular.
By the Light of Nature^ the Being and
Attributes of God, were certain and de-
monftrable j the Probability of a Future
State , was great and undeniajple ; the
Expectation of God's dealing mercifully
with penitent Sinners, was reafonable and
hopeful. But by the Revelation of the
Gojpel only, was this great Hope fecured
to us ; the Pardon of Sin declared au--
tbentickly^ by the Authority of God y Life
and Immortality brought to light by TV-
Jhmonyy as well as by rational Arguments ;
the Rewards and Punifliments of Eternity,
dijlindlly fet forth j and the particular

Method

Of the RefurreBion of Chrift. 297

Method of the final Judgement, affeBion- S e r m.
ately reprefented to us. XIIL

I N like manner, as to the "Evidence oi^""^"'^^''^
the T'ruth of This Revelation ; By the
Prophecies of the Old Teilament, it was
long before predided ; By the reafonable-
nefs of the Dodtrine itfelf, it was mad^.
very credible ; By the Witnefs of our
Lord and his Apoftles, it was ftrongly at-
tefted ; By the convidtion and filencing of
its Adverfaries, it was confirmed and c-
ftablifhed ; By many Signs and Wonders
and mighty Works done by Chrift in his
Life, it was for the prefent proved beyond
contradiction ; But by this lajl Evidence
only, by the ReJurre5tion of our Lord from
the Deady was it for ever afcertained to
all generations. For had this laji Proof
failed, all the reft muft in courfe have
fallen with it. The Prophecies would
have appeared wonderfbl, but never fuU
filled; The Dodlrine would have conti-
nued reafonable, but its Author perifla-.
€d ; The Miracles of his Life would have
remained aftonifhing, but ftill confuted by
his Death j His Enemiei would have con-
tinued

298 Of the RefurreBion of Chrift.

S E R M. tinued to infulc him, as did the Jews ;
XIII. ^^ faved others, himfelf he could not fave :

^'^'"^ And his Friends, that loved his Dodrine,
and hoped for the Salvation of God, could
but have joined with his defponding Dif-
ciples j we trufted it had been he which
jhould have redeemed IfraeL In a word,
as St Paul expreffes it in the Text, had
not Chrijl rifen again, then had our whole
Preaching been vain, and your Faith alfo
in vain.

The Refurredtion of Chrift therefore,
being a Fa(5l of fo great importance, on
which the Evidence of the Truth of the
whole Revelation finally depended -, it was
neceffary, in the Wifdom of Providence,
and in the Rcafon of Things, that the
Proof of this great Fadl fhould be made
unanfwerably ftrong. In the following
Difcourfe therefore, I fhall \Ji endeavour
to fet before you briefly, atid in one view,
the particulars of that great and Angular
Care, which was taken to make the Proof
of the Fadl undeniable, that our Saviour
did really rife from the Dead. 2dly, I (hall
confidcr what were the Effects of This his

Refur-*

Of the RcfurreSHcn of Clirift. 299

Refurredlion, with refpedt to Chrifl Ijim- S e r m.
felf 'y and 3^/y, what were the Eflfedts of ^^I-
it with regard to Us. LrV\J

Firft, A s to the extraordinary Care that
was taken , to make the Proof of the
Fad: itfelf undeniable, that our Saviour
did really rife from the Dead ; there was
( I/?, ) in the Jirjl place Notice given of it
antecedently y by the Prophecies of the Old
Teflament delivered long before. Pf, xvi.
10 ; Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell,
that is, in the State of the Dead ; neither
wilt thou fiiffer thy Holy One to fee Cor^
ruption. That This was an exprcfs Pre-
diftion of our Saviour's Refurredion ; the
Apoftles, in their application of it in the
Book of the A5ls, fhow by the following
Argument. The words thus fpoken by
David, muft of neceffity be meant, ei-
ther of Himfelf, or of fome Other Perfon.
Of Himfelf, they could not literally be
meant, becaufe it was not true that He
was raifed before he faw corruption. And
if they were meant of any other Perfon^
the few^ themfelves ( notwithftanding
$ill their Prejudices) would readily ac-
knowledge

300 Of the RefurreSiion of Chrift.

S E R M. knowledge, that That other Per/on fo
-^^^^* mentioned by way of Eminence, could,

^"^^ according to the Analogy of the Prophe-
tick writings, be no other than the Meffiah.
This Argument is ftrongly urged by St.
Peter -, Ads ii, 29 5 Men and Brethren^ let
me freely /peak unto you of the Patriarch.
David, that he is both dead and buried y.
and his Sepulchre is with us unto this day ;
That is, He did certainly fee corruption :
But bei?2g a Prophet^ and knowing that
God had fworn with an Oath to him^ that
of the fruit of his Loins according to the
Flefiy he would raife up Chrijl to fit on his
throne -, He, feeing This before, fpake of
the RefurreBion of Chrijly that his Soul
was not left in Hell, nor his fejh did fee
corruption. And by St Paul in the fame
book ; ch, xiii. 36 ; David (fays he,) after
he hadferved his own generation by the will
of God, fell onfleep, and was laid unto his
Fathers, and faw corruption : But he
whom God raifed again^ faw no corrupt-
iion : Therefore thefe words of the
Pfalmift, Thou Jhalt not fuffer thine Holy
One to fee corruption^ were fpoken, not

of

Of the RefurreSiion of Chrift, 301

of David himfelf, but of the Refurrec- S e r m.
tion of Chrift. After This, and other ^"1.
antient Prophecies ; there were, ( 2dly, ) in ^-'^V^^*
the ne:\f place plain Notifications given
by our Lord himfelf, to his Difciples be-
fore his Suffering ; that they ihould ex-
fe6l his Rifing from the Dead. And be-
caufe it was a matter of the greateft Im-
portancCy he therefore repeated This Ad-
monition to them feveral times. Firft,
beforelns Transfiguration ; (Matt. xvi. 2 1 3)
From that time forth began Jefus to Jhow

tmto his Difciples, how that he mifl

fuffer many things , and be killed,

and be railed again the third day. Then
again, ^r^r his Transfiguration ; (ch. xvii.
9 ; ) y^i they came down from the Moimtain,
yefus charged thefn to tell no mafi the vifion,
till the Son of man be rifen again from the
dead. Again, at his lafl going up to Je-
rufalem; (ch. xx. 17;) he took the twelve
difciples apart in the way, and faid unto

them, T'he Son of man Jhall be betraied

unto the chief Priejls, and they flmll con^

demn him to death, and the third day he

Jl:all rife again. Befides which plain ad-
monitions

30 2 Of the RefurreSiioh of Chrift.

S E R M. monitions to his Difciples^ he gave fome
^I^I- obfcure Hints of it to the whole People
^^"'^'^ alfo J when, upon the Jews requiriiig of
him a Sign, at one time he faid unto them,
( Joh. ii. 19 ;) Dejiroy this Temple, and in
three days I will raife it up : and at atio^
ther time; (Matt. xii. 39;) T:o an evil
and adulterous generation^ there fiall no
Sign be given, but the Sign of the Prophet
'Jonas ; For as Jofias was three days and
three nights in the Whale s belly, Jo Jljall the
Son of Man be three days and three Tiights
in the Heart of the Earth. The Defgn
and life Qf which PredidJions, though not
at all underftood at the time they were
fpoken, is declared to us by the E vajigeliA ^
Joli. ii. 22 ', When therefore he was rjfen
from the dead, his difciples remembred that
be had faid this i0ito them \ crnd fhey be^
licvcd the Scripture, and the word that
jfefus had faid. And, Luke xxu^ 6 ; He-
meiuher , faid the Angel to the perfons
which came firft to the Sepulchre, Re-
member how he fpake unto you,—'fayingy
the Son of Man mu(i be delivered into the
hands of fmful men, and be crucifed, and

the

Of the RefurreSlion of Chrift. 303

the third day rife again \ And they remem- S e r m.
bred his words. Further ; (3^/y,) in order ^^^*
to make the Proof of his Refurredtion ftill ^^^^*^
more evident, the Place and Ma?mer and
Circumjiances of his Burial, were by Pro-
vidence direfted to be particularly re-
markable. Mark xv. 42 5 Jofeph of Ari-
matheay an honourable Counfellor^ begged
his Body^ and wrapped it in fine linnen^
and laid it in his own Sepulchre ; And
this in the prefence of feveral of Jefuss
Followers ; who thereupon refolving to
come and embalm him, were providenti-
ally diredted to become Witneffes of ma-
ny Circumftances attending his Refur-
reBion, Laftly^ The Method which his
Adverfaries themfelves took, to find evi-
dence (as they thought) of the Impofture ;
making the Sepulchre fur e^ fealing the Stone,
and fetti?ig a Watch -y (Matt, xxvii. 66 ;)
was by Providence defigned on the con-
trary, to become a ftrong Proof of the
Truth of his Refurreftion ; taking away
all pretence or poffibility of that plaufible
Gbjeftion, that his Difciples came by Night
and Jiok him away.

These

304 Of the RefurreBion of Chrift.

S E R M. T H E s E are the principal Inftances, of
XIII. the Care that was taken in the Circum-

'-'^^'^''"^ fiances going before our Lord's Refurredti-
on, to render the Proof of the Fad cer-
tain and undeniable. After his Rifing
again, the accumulative Evidence of the
Truth of his being rifen, is much great-
er, not only than what Unbelievers, but
even than Believers themfelves, without
putting together the numerous Circum-
ftances recorded in different places of Scri-
pture, can eafily imagine. ( i/?, ) In xhtfrjl
place, an Earthquake terrified the Watch^
and the Appearance of an Angel made
them become as dead men ^ Matt, xxviii. 2.
Then, {idly,) the perfons who came with a
defign to ejubalm the Body, faw likewife
an Angel, and were told by him that their
Lord was rifen from the Dead ; ver. 6.
Immediately after this, Jefus himfelf ap-
peared to them, and comforted them ;
ver. 9. To which St ^ohn adds this
particular circumflance, ch. xx. 17 ^ that
when one of them embraced his Feef^
rejoicing and worfliipping him upon his
Dilcovering himfelf who he was, he faid

unto

Of the RefurreSiion of Chrift. 305

unto her, T!ouch me not, for I am not yet^^^ m*
afcmded t6 tny Father. Which words ^Ul.
maft Interpreters fo underftand, as if they ^^''V"'^
lignified, Do not detain me Now, as if
you thought I was immediately leaving you ;
For I fhall continue with you fome time^
and am not prefently afc4nding to my Fa-
theri But I think the tfuet meaning of
them is, Do not expedl I fiould continue
with you Now ; for it is expedient and ne-
cejfary, that I firfl afcend to my Father.
And therefore he adds in the very next
words ; But go to my brethren, and fay
unto them^ I afcend to my Father and your
Father, to my God and your God. Tell
them, that I am r if en from the Dead, ne-
ver to die any more \ that I am about to .
return to my Father and your Father, to
my God and your God, to receive full Pow-
er over all things both in Heaven and
Earth, and to prepare a place for you ;
and Then, where I am, there (hall ye be alfo.
After This, ( '^dly, ) he appeared to Two of
his Difciples going to Emmaus \ Luk. xxiv.
13, and talked with them, and expounded
unto them in all the Scriptures the things
Vol, V. X concern*

3o6 Of the RefurreSiion of Chrift.

S E R M. concerning himfelf. Then again [^thly,) he
XI^I- Ihowed himfelf to Peter alone, ver . 3 4 ; and

^^^ I Cor. XV. 5. Then {^fhly,) to St JameSy
ver. 7. After That, {6thly) to Seven oixhe.
Apoftles together; Joh.xxli, Then {yth/y,)
to Ti?;2 of Them, Thomas only being abfent.
Job, XX. 19. And, (Sth/y) a week after, to
all the Eleven 'y ver. 26. l^homashtingpre^
Jent with them ; whofe doubting Faith he
vouchfafed to confirm, by fufFering him
to handle him ; yet at the fame time pro-
nouncing a greater Bleffing upon thofe
who fhould not fee y and yet would believe y
Not that Credulity or Believing without
reafon^ is in any cafe commendable ; but,
that believing, upon reafonable and good
evidence, things not obvious to Senfe ;
fuch as are the Being of the Invifible God,
the Rewards and Puniihments of a future
State which now are likewife invijiblcy
and the Coming of our Saviour to Judg-
ment, though he does not prefently ap-
pear ; are the moil valuable Ads of Reli-
gious Faith and Dependance upon God.
Lajllyy After thefe feveral more private
appearances of our Lord to his Apollles,
3 l^^

Of the RefurreEiton of Chrift. 307

heijoas feen (faith St Paul) of above Jive ^^^J^-
hundred brethren at once ; i Cor. xv. 6 : 3v^
of whom though fome were fallen ajleepy
yet the greater part remained ahve tmto
that prejhit time, when St P<^.7/ wrote
this epiftle to the Corinthians. And in
This manner continued he iov forty days
together, fiowing himfelf alive after his
pajjion by many infallible Proofs^ and
fpeaking of the things pertaining to the
Kingdom of God, Acftsi. 3. After which,
at mid-day, in the prefence of all the
Apoflles, he was taken up from them vi-
libly into Heaven 5 ver, 9. And they were
told by Angels, ver. 11, what /6^ alfo fo*;;/-
felf had before told them in his Life-
time, that in like manner as they faw him
go into Heaven, fo from thence likewife
fhould they fee him co?7ie, at the end of
the World, with Power and great Glory,
even in the Glory of his Father, and all
his Holy Angels with him, to judge the
Quick and Dead with a righteous and
unerring Sentence, rendering to every man
impartially according to his Works. Put
all This Evidence now together, and let
Vol. V. X 2 it

3o8 Of the RefurreSrion of Chrift.

S E R M. It be confidercd fairly in one View ; E-*
•^^"- vidence given by fo many different Per-
fons^ repeated at fo many different l!tmes\
diverfified with fuch variety of circiim-
fiances^ yet all agreeing in fuch a perfecft
Uniformity as to the T'hing itfclf. And
was there ever more undeniable Proof
given, of any matter of Fad: in the
World ? Neverthelefs, after All This, he
appeared again x.o^x. Stephen: A6>svii. 55.
/i(fis ix. 3. And again to St Paul^ as he himfelf tefli-
iCor.ix' fieg^ I Cor. XV. 8. Lajl of all (fays he)
Cal. i. If. he was fee?! of Me alfo^ as of one bom out
of due Time, Befides all which Cloud of
Eye-wit/tcfes^ the Truth of our Lord*s
Refurredlion continued moreover to be
proved, by the Miracles which the Apo-
y/Zt'nvorked in his Name ; i,e. through y6/x
Power and Authority ; Alfo by the Fro-
phecies he himfelf delivered, both before
and after his Suffering ; The gradual ful-
filling of which Prophecies in all fucceed-
ing rimes, has been and is a ilanding
Proof of our Lord's being truly rifen,
and that he is inverted with all Power,
to accompHfli whatever he has foretold.

He

Of the RefurreSiion of ChrlfL 309

He clearly predi(flcd, in the fulleft and S e r m.
moft diflind: manner, the Deftriidion of |J^
Jerufalem^ and the Defolation of the
whoie JewiJJ:) Nation : Which Nation
fhould yet neverthelefs continue in Be-
ing (as we fee in fadl it does at this day, )
till the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled \
Liik. xxi. 24. He foretold, that his Dif-
ciples fhould be hated both by Jews and
Gentiles^ and perfecuted from one City to
another. That neverthelefs their Doc-
trine fliould fpread over the whole Earth,
and, by the mere Force of Truth and
Reafon, of Goodnefs and Charity, iliould
prevail over all the Violence, and be
eflabliflied againjQ: all the Oppofition of
humane Authority. That after having
fo prevailed over all outward Enemies, it
fhould, by an unaccountable corruption
within itfelj\ be over-run with almofl a
total Apoilacy ; the Power and Authority
of Men^ taking upon themfelves to fit in
the Seat of God 5 and compelling all men
by Force and Violence, to fubmit to
Dodrines of their own Invention ; and
turning Chrift's Religion of Peace and
X 3 Love^

3 1 o Of the RefurreSiion of Chrift.

S E R M. Love, of Meeknefs and Charity, into a
-^lil. worldly Religion of Dominion and Power,
of Contentioufnefs, Hatred and Oppreffi-
on. All which prediftions having been
already exaftly and particularly fulfilled,
in the plaineft and moft remarkable man-
ner j give abundant reafon to exped:, that
what ftill remains, fliall likewife in its
time be no lefs punctually accompliilied.
That when the juft pleafure of God has
been performed, and the Chriftian World
ihall for its great Corruptions have been
juftly punifhed by thofe Corruptions them-
felves ; at length the Kingdoms of the
Earth, lliall become the Kingdoms of our
Lord, and of his Chrift ; and men leaving
off to contend about their own vain No-
tions and unreafonable Pretences of Pow-
der and Dominion, {hall agree in the ori-
ginal Simplicity of that pure and unde-
iiled Religion, the Sum of which, our
Lord himfeJf tells us, confifts in loving
the Lord our God with all our Hearty
and cur Neighbours as ourfelves.

The Truth of our Lord's Refurrec-
tion being thus attejled by fuch a Multi-
tude

Of the RefurreEimi of Chrift. 311

tude of Witnejfes, and confirmed by fuch S e r m,
a Number of confequent FaBs^ that it is -^^^^•
hardly poffible the firft Preachers of his ^^^'"^''^
Dodlrine fhould either Themfelves have
been deceived, or be Deceivers of Others y
we may now eafily Anfwer that obvious
Objection, fuggefled ^^i x. 40: why Chrift
after his Refurredlion Jhowed himfelf open-
ly y 7iot to all the people^ but unto Witnef-
fes onlyy chofen before of God. And the
Reafon hereof is the fame, as why in
all other cafes God does not all that he
is able to do, but all that \%fit and right
for him to do. There is in every MeanSy
a certain Fitnefs and Proportion to the
End it leads to ; wherewith if Men will
not be fatisfied, there are no limits to
unreafonable expedations, and no bounds
where groundlefs imaginations may flop.
The Wifdom of God provided as many
unqueftionable Witneffes of the Refur-
red:ion of Chrift, as the Nature of the
Thing required 5 as was fufficient, to
make the Fadl unconteftablej as was fa-
tisfaftory, to any reafonable and unpre-
judiced perfon. To work more miracles
X 4 for

312 Of the RefurreBion of Chrift.

S E R M. for the fake of obftinate and vicious Unbcr
XI^J- lievers, God was not obliged. And, if he

^^^^^'^^ had done it, the Objedion would ftill have
increafed without End. For if it was
not fufficient, that Chrift fhowed himfelf
openly to a Number of Witnejjes \ but it
had been neceffary that he fhould appear
perfonally to the whole City of yerufalem ;
tor the fame Reafon it might be fanfied
neceflary, that he fliould have ihown
himfelf alfo to the whole Jewijh Nation :
and for the fame Reafon, to all other
Nations likewife ; and to Thefe, in Every
Age of the Worlds as well as in One Age j
and that, to every fmgle Perfon, if one
miraculous appearance was not fufficient,
he might have iliown himfelf oftner and
with more miraculous circumftances , and
fo on, without End. Which fhovt^s plain*
ly the Unreafonablenefs of all Such Ex-
pedtations; when men are not fatisfied
with that Evidence which is fit and fuf-
ficient in its kind.

I SHALL conclude This Head, con-
cerning the Evidence of the Fa6i of
phrift's being rifen from the Dead, with
Z pnlj

Of the RefurreEiion of Chrift. 313

only One Obfervation about the Manner S ^^ _W'
of his Rifing. Which is, that in more J^i^
than thirty paflages of the New Tefta-
ment, it is exprefsly affirmed that God
raifed up our Lord from the Dead, or
that he was raifed by the Power of the
Father ; and yet in two or three other
places it is no lefs plainly afferted, that
Chrijl raifed up himfelf. Which different
expreffions might have feemed very diffi-
cult to be reconciled, but that our Saviour
himfelf has in a moft remarkable paiTage
upon this Subje<a, (as it were on purpofe^)
explained them to us with the greateft
accuracy and exadl diftindlnefs : Job, x-
18 ; No many faith he, taketh my Life
from me^ but I lay it down of myfef-y I
have Power to lay it down, and I have
Power to take it again ; This Command-
ment y (that is. This Commiffion, This
Power, ) have I received of my Father. I
proceed Now in the

lid place. To confider what were the
Eff'edis of Chrift's Refurreftion, with re-
fpecl to our Lord himfelf And they
were, i/?, that thereby he was effeftually,

and

3 1 4 Of the Refurre8iio?t of Chrift.

S E R M. and in a moft convincing manner, de-
^^^^' clarcd to be the Son of God-, Declared to
i?e the Son of God with Power, faith St Paul,
by the Refurredlion from the Dead-, Rom.
i. 4. Infomuch that even thofe words
of the PfahTiifi:, Thou art my Son^ this, day
have I begotten thee, are by the fame
Apoftle, in his Sermon to the people of
Antioch, applied to this very purpofe ;
AdsiCm, 32 ; l^he Promife which was made
unto the Fathers^ God has fulfilled ( fays he )
unto Us their children, in that he has raifed
up Jefus again ; as it is alfo written in the
fecond Pfalm, T'hou art my Son, this day
have I begotten thee. Not that Chrift
Then began to be the Son of God, but
that he was Then declared to be fo, by a
moft powerful and eiFedtual Proof; ha-
ving loofed the pains of Death, and fhown
that it was not pofible that he pould he hoi-
den of it, idly. Another £^^^ of Chrift's
Refurredion, with regard to our hord
himfelf, was his being thereby declared the
^udge of ^ick and Dead : Ads x. 40,

42 ; Htm God raifed up the third day,

and commanded us — —to tejlify,^ that it is

He

Of the RefurreSiion of Chrift. 315

He which was or darned of God to be the Se r m-
Judge of Sluick and Dead And ch. xvii. ^^^
3 I ; God hath appointed a day^ in which he
will judge the world in right eoiifnefs by
that man whom he hath appointed^ whereof
he hath given afjurance unto all men^ in
that he has raifed him from the Dead,

If it be here afked, the appointing a
day of general Judgment, being a Truth
of fo great importance to Mankind 5 why
then was it not declared Sooner and Uni-
n)erfally^ in All Ages and to All People ?
The trueAnfwer (I think) is, that in the
Whole, the Ride of Right eoifnefs and tlie
great ExpeBation of a yudgment to come^
is in all Times and in all Places the fame ;
And yet the feveral Difpenfations^ or par^
ticiilar Methods and Degrees of God's
manifefting thefe Truths to Mankind, by
the Light of Nature and Reafon, by Re-
velations to the fews and Patriarchs^ and
by the Gofpel of Chrifl^ are and may as
juftly be very different, as, in other Cafes,
it is lawful for God, the Author of All, to
make people of different Capacities and in
different Circumftances. And accordingly,

what

3 1 6 Of the RefurreSiion of Chrift.

S E R M. what God, when he comes to judgement
XIII. wiWJinally require of Men under thefe dif-
^^'^^^'^''^ ferent circumftances, will be proportio-
nally different. For the Judge of the
whole Earth, will do what is right, and
with Equity fliall he judge the Nations.
I'he Go/pel was preached before, fays the
Apoftle, even in tjie days of Abraham^
GaL iii. 8. And ev^n the Gentiles^ which
have not the Law revealed, are yet a Law
unto themfelves, jhomng the work of the
Law written in their hearts, Rom. ii. 14.
So that, upon the whole, God is 710 re-
fpeBer of perfons | but in every nation^ he
that feareth Hifn and worketh righteoif
Adsx- 34. ;7^^ i^ accepted with him : For, 720t the
Hearers of the Law arc juji before God,
but the Doers of the Law jh all be jujli^
fed: ver. 13. And on the contrary, as
many as have finned without law^ Jhall aU

fo perijh without law, in the day when

Godjlmll judge the Secrets of Men by fe-
fus Chrift y ver. 1 6.

I T remains that I proceed in the
III^ and Laft place, T o confider what
are the Eff'eBs of our Lord^s Refurredtion,

with

Of the ReftirreBion of Chrift. 317

with refpecft to Us. And they are; i/?, Se r m*.
our Jiifiificatioiu That is to fay ; The XIIl.
Refurredtion of Chrift from the dead, was
on God's part a pubhck and authentick
Declaration of his accepting the Sacrifice
of the Death of Chrift, as an Atonement
for the Sins of All that truly repent. This
is the Meaning of thofe PafTages of St
Faul, where he tells us, that Chrijl was de^
liver ed for our Offences^ and ratfed again for
our Jujiification-, Rom. iv. 25. That/F<?,
that is, wicked men, both among Jews and
Gentiles, having been dead in Sin, that is,
having been in a State of condemnation ;
God, who ratfed Chxii^from the dead, hath
quickened Us together with Him, (has re-
ftored us to the hope of eternal life,) ha^
vi7Jg forgiven us all Trefpaffes ; Col. ii. 13.
And that, if Chriji be not raifed, we are
yet in our Sins : i Cor. xv. 17; that is, if
Chrift be not rifen, we have Then no evi-
dence of God's having accepted Chrift's
Mediation for us; nor confequently of
our being juftified, or having our Repen-
tance accepted ; to fuch degrees and Pur-
pofes at leaft, as God has now declared that

it

3 1 8 Of the RefurreSiion of Chrift.

S E R M. It (hall be accepted through Faith in
XIII. Him.

^^^"^^^ 2dly, The fecond EfFea: of the Refur-
redion of Chrift, with regard to Us ; is
our SanBification or Regeneration : That
is, our riling from the death of Sin, unto
a Life of Righteoufnefs ; Rom, vi. 4 : We
are buried with him by Baptifm into
Deathy that like as Chrift was raifed up
frotn the Dead by the glory of the Father ^
even fo v^e aljb Jhould walk in Newnefs of
Life ; That having been planted together
171 the likejiefs of his Deaths we fljould be
alfo in the likenefs of his Refurredlion, The
Meaning of the Apoftle is ; that the Death
and Refurredlion of Chrift, into which
we are Baptized, and whereof Baptifm is
an Emblem, ought to be a perpetual ob-
ligation upon us, to rife from the Death
of Sin unto the Spiritual Life of Righ-
teoufnefs and Holinefs; CoL ii. 12, and iii.
I ; Buried with him in Baptifm^ wherein

alfo ye are rifen with him, ^f y^ then

(faith he) be rifen with Chrijl^ feek thofe
thi?2gs which are above ; For ye are deady
that is, dead /o Sin, (as the fame Apoftle

explains

Of the RefurreEiion of Chrift. 3 1 9

explains it ; Rom, vi. 2 :) and your Life /i S e r m.
hid with Chriji in God, And what he ^^I^-
means by That Phrafe, hid with Chriji in ^^^^^^^
God, is explained in the next verfe, ch. iii.
3 : When Chrift, who is our life, jJoall ap-
pear, then Jhall ye alfo appear with him
in glory.

For 3^/y, The T:hird and Lajl EfFedl
of the Refurredtion of Chriji, with re-
fpedl to Us, is the Affurance of Our Re-
furredion likewife, unto Glorification ;
I Cor, XV, 20; Now is Chrifi rifen fro?n the
Dead, and become the firft-fruits of them
that fiept. And therefore This is con-
ftantly ufed by the Apoftles, as a perpe-
tual Argument of Confolation to good
Chriftians; i 'Pet,\, 3 : Blejfed be theGod
and Father of our Lord Jefus Chriji, who
according to his abundant inercy has begot-
ten us again into a lively hope, by the
refurreBion of (fefus) Chrifi from the
Dead : Rom. viil. 1 1 ; If the Spirit of
him that raifed up J ejus from the Dead,
dwell in you -, he that raijed up Chrifi from
the Dead, fijall aljo quicken your mortal
bodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

And

320 Of the RefurreSiion of Chriff.

S E R M. And i 7h, iV. 14 ; If we Mieve that Je-^
y^x died and rofe again^ even jo Them aU

^^^^ Jo which Jleep in "J ejus will God bring with
him.

Blessed and Happy are They, who
Jhall be thought worthy to obtain That
Life, and the Refurredlion from the Dead \
For from thenceforth they Jhall be before
the Throne of God, and Jhall ferve him day
and night in his Temple ; And God pall
wipe away all Tears from their Eyes ; and
there Jhall be no more Death, neither for-^
row nor crying ; neither Jl^all there be any
more pain : For the j'ormer things are paj^-^
Jed away.

SERMO>N

t 32' ]

SERMON XIV.

Of Christ^s Defcent into Hell.
[Preached on Eajler-'Day^

Psalm xvi. 9, 10.

tVherefore my Heart was glad, and my
glory rejoiced ; my Flejh alfo Jhall rejl
in Hope. For why ? Thou Jhalt not
leave my Soul in Hell ; neither Jhalt
thoufuffer thy Holy One to fee corruption*

H E AfBiaions and Calami- S e r m.
ties which fall upon Many ^^^•
men in this prefent State, are ^^^^^^^^
of fuch a nature, that, were
it not for the Hopes which
True Religion and the Knowledge of
God affords, their only Comfort would
Vol. V. Y bq

32 2 Of Chrift'j" Defcent into Hell.

S E R M. be That expedation of Deaths which
y^^ ^^^^ elegantly expreffes, ch. iii. 17;
Inhere the wicked ceaje from troubling^ and
there the Weary be at Reji : There the
PrifQ?jcrs reji together^ they hear not the
*Voice of the Opprejfour : T'he Small and
Great are There ^ and the Servant is free
jrom his Mafler, But True Religion af-
fords virtuous and good Men a very
different Profped: ; and teaches them to
expedt, that, if God does not think fit to
deliver them out of their Troubles Here^
(which yet he fometimes does in a very
extraordinary and unexpeded Manner 5)
yet even the Grave itfelf puts not an end
to his Power of Redeeming them 5 but he
can and ijoill raife them up again, to a fu-
ture and a better Life. So that they may
look upon Death itfelf not barely as a
putting an end to their prefent AfBidti-
ons, but as a Paffage to a Glorious and
Immortal State. Wherefore my Fleflj alfo^
fays the Holy Pfalmift, jhall rejl in Hope :
For u'hy? Thou Jh alt not leave my Soul in
Hell ; neither jhalt thou fufer thy Holy
One to fee corruption.

The

Of Chrift'i" Defcent i?tto Hell. 323

The Pfahn, of which thefe words S e r m.
are a part, feems to have been written ^1^-
by David in the time of fome particu-
lar perfonal Calamity, Ver. i ; Preferve
me^ O God y for in thee have I put my
Truft. The ^Ground of This his Truft,
he exprefles to be his Adherence to the
True Religion, in oppofition to the Idola-
try of the Nations about him : Ver. 4, 6 ;
They that run after another God ^ fiall

have great Trouble \ but The Lord

himfelfis the Portion of Mi?ie iiiheritance^
and of my Cup. The particular afflidion,
which he here refers to, whatfoever it
was ; he acknowledges, proved beneficial
to him, in fixing his Mind more fieddily
upon things relating to \\isfpiritual efiate :
Ver. 8 ; 1 will thank the Lord for giving
me warning ; my Reins alfo chaflen me in
the night-feafon : I have fet God always
before ?ne ; for he is on my right hand^
therefore I fioall 72ot fall. And then he
adds, in the words of the Text, the Com-
fort arifing to him from the fe?jfe of this
Improvement : Wherefore my Heart was
glady and ?ny Glory rejoiced ; my Flefi:) al-
V o L, V. * Y 2 fQ

3 24 Of Chrift'j Defcent into Hell

S E R u^.foJJmU rejl in Hope : For why ? Thou wilt
-^^^' not leave my Soul in Hell ; neither /halt

^^^^^^ thou fuffer thy Holy One to fee corruption,
'T I s remarkable here, that the for-
?ner part of thefe words ; My Heart was
glad, aiid my Glory rejoiced-^ are cited,
Afts ii. 26 j according to thcRendring of
the LXX, My Heart rejoiced^ and my
Tongue was glad. Which not only, in
other words, exprefles the vtvy fame fenfe ;
but {hows us alfo what it is, that the
Pfalmifi, in Other Paffages, means by his
Glory, Pfal. xxx. 12, To the end that my
Glory, (that is, that my Tongue,) 7nay
ftng Praife to thee ^ and not be filent.
And Pfal. Ivii. 9 \ Awake up, my Glory ;
awake. Lute and Harp ; I my f elf will a-
wake light early: That is; Both with
my Voice, and with Inftruments of Mu-^
fick, will I fing Praife unto thee.

The latter part of the words ; My
Flejlj alfo Jhall refi in Hope : For why ?
thou wilt 720t leave ?ny Soul in Hell, nei^
ther fialt thou fuffer thy Holy One to fee
corruption : are by Many underftand to be
a highly figurative expreifion in the Pfal-

mift.

Of ChriftV Defcent into Hell 325

mift, of his earned expedlation of a lite- S e r m.
ral and temporal Deliverance from the ^^V.
Afflicftion he was at prefent under. In ^^^^^
like manner as St Paul^ fpeaking of
his own Efcape from a very dangerous
Perfecution, calls it a deliverance from a
great Death ; 2 Cor. i. 9 ; JVe floould not
trujty fays he, in ourfelveSy hut in God
which raijeth the Dead: Who delivered
us from Jo great a Death, and doth de-
liver : In whom we truji that he will yet de-
liver us. And fo likewife Thofe remark-
able Words of Job ; ch. xix. 25 ; i know
that my Redeemer liveth^ and that he Jlmll
Jland at the latter day upon the Earth ;
And though^ after my Skin^ Worms dejiroy
this Bodyy yet in my Flep pall I fee God ;
Whom I fldall fee for myfelf and mine
eyes Jhall behold^ and not Another^ though
my reins be confumed within me : Even
Thefe words, I fay, are by fome Interpre-
ters underftand as a Prcdiffion, in highly
fgurative and prophetical expreflions, of
his Reftoration to his T'emporal Greatnefs
gnd Profperity. But as This is a very
forced Senfe of the words, and, if it were
Y 3 their

3 26 Of ChriftV Defcent into Hell

Serm. their T'rue Meaning, would ftill be at
■^^' leaft the borrowing of a Figure from the

^^^""^■^ Notion and Expectation of a ReJurreElion
from the Dead \ it is more reafonable and
natural to underftand them in that ob-
vious and literal fenfe, wherein they are
clearly and plainly the Expreffion of a
better and more certain Hope, And , for
the fame reafon, the words of jny Text
likewife, if they are ^/ all to be applied
to the Ffalmijl hi'mfelf-, may with a better
emphafis, and as a more aflured Ground
of Hope, be underftood to fignify his ex-
pedation of a Future State, than of a
"Temporal Deliverance. But indeed, in
their real and moji proper Senfe, they are
not applicable to the Ffalmijl himfelf
but to Him of whom David was both a
Prophet and a Type -, The fame Spirit of
God, which through the whole Feriod of
the old Teftament from the Beginning of
the World pointed perpetually to Chrifi
through an innumerable variety of Types
and Prophecies, here likewife direfting
the infpired Penman to fuch Expreffions,
as might be a Jiri^ and literal defcrip-

tiou

Of Chrift'j Defce?2t t?ito HelL 327

tion of the RefurreSion of Chriji^ but S e r m,
could not with the fame propriety be ap-
plied to David. Thus the Apoftle ob- ^^^^"^^^"^
ferves, Ads xiii. 36 5 David^ after he had
ferved his own generation by the Will of
God, fell on Sleeps and was laid imto his
Fathers^ and faw corruption -, But he
whom God raifed again ^ faw no corrupti-
on. And chap. ii. 29 ^ T^he Patriarch
David is both dead and buried, and his
Sepulchre is with us unto This day : "There-
fore being a Prophet^ and knowing that
God had fworn with an Oath to him, that
of the Fruit of his Loins, according to the
Fle/h^ he would raife up Chrift to fit on his
Throne -, He, feeing this before^ fpake of
the RefurreBion of Chriji^ that his Soul ^

was not left in Hell, neither his Flefh did
fee Corruption, And it is remarkable, by
the way ; that, as the fore-cited words of
^ob, which are much more emphatically
defcriptive of the RefurreStion of the Deady
than of his Rejloration to his Temporal
Projperity -, are, in order to excite our
more particular Attention , introduced
with That extraordinary and moft folemn
Y 4 excla-

328 Of Chrift> Defcent into Hell

S E R M. exclamation, Oh that my words were now
XIV. written^ that they werep^nnted in a Book !
that they were graven wit-', an ironpen^ and
lead, in the Rock for ever ! fo This Pfalm^
which contains in it To important a Pro-
phecy of Chrift, is diftingaiflied by a

*MicHam * yy^/^ prefixed at the Head of it, which
in the Original fignifies a Memorial en^
graved on Stone or Marble for perpetuity
pf Ages.

But to proceed^

Concerning that particularly re^
markable Phrafe, Thou palt not leave my
Soul in Hell j 'tis to be obferved, that
though in our prefent language, the word
Helly in common Speech, does Now always
fignify The State of the Damned -, yet in
This Text, it is evident, it cannot be un-
derftood in That fignification. For, that
David was not condemned to That Place
of Torment, is agreed on All hands : And
that Chrijt, of whom David was a Type
and Prophet y did not , by defcending into
Hell, enter into the Place appointed for
the Final Punifhment of the wicked, is
very evident both from Scripture and

ReafQU.

In

Of Chrift'j Defcent into Hell. 329

I N the Scriptures of the OldTeftament^ S e r m.
the word which we render Hell^ fre- X^^-
quentlyfigiiifies only 'The State of the Dead ^-^'""^^"^
in general. Thus Pf, Ixxxix. 47 ; accord-
ing to the Tranflation in our Common
Prayer 5 What man is he that liveth, and
Jhall not fee Death ; andjhall he deliver his
Soul from the hand of Hell ? is, in our
Tranflation in the Bible, Jhall he deliver
his Soul from the hand of the Grave ? And
what Solomon affirms, Prov, xxvii. 20 ; that
Hell and DefruSfion are never full, is
plainly the very fame in fenfe, with what
in cL XXX, 15 ; is Thus expreifed ; "There
are three things that are never fatisfied^
yea four things fay not, it is enough : Tht
Grave, and fo on.

I N the New Tefiament \ the word, Hell^
fometimes lignifies the Place appointed for
the Final Punifiment of the Wicked, and
at other times it denotes only The State of
the Dead in general. But This ambiguity,
is in our own language only, and not in
the Original : For whenever the Place of
Torment is fpoken of, the word Hell, in
the Original, is always Gehennalp : But

when
2

3 3 o Of Chrift'j" Defcejtt into HelL

S E R M- when only the State of the Dead in general
XIV. is intended, 'tis always expreffed by a quite

^■^^"^^^ different Name, which though We ren-
der by the Ja?7ie word Hell, yet its fignifi-
cation is at large The hivifible State,
Thus when St 'James fays , that the

Jam. iii. 6. Tongue , meaning a wicked and profane

Tongue, is a world of iniquity, and

fetteth on Fire the courfe of Nature, and
is fit on Fire of Hell : And when our Sa-

Wa\ xxiii, viour fays to the Pharifees, Te ferpents, ye

33- generation of Vipers, how can ye efcape the

Damnation of Hell ? and tells them, that

when they have gained a Profelyte, they

ver, 15. ^^^^f^^ h'^^^ twofold more the child of Hell^

than themfelves : And when he admonifhes

ch. X. 28. his Difciples to fear Him, who, after he

has killed, is able to defiroy both Soul and

Body in Hell -, and warns them, that who-

foeverfiallfay unto his Brother, Thou Fooly

Watt. V. fi^l^ ^^ i^^ danger of Hell-Fire ; and ad-

jji, and yjf^s them, If thy tight Eye offend thee^
(that is, if the Defire of any thing as dear
to thee as thy Eyes, be in danger to draw
thee into Sin, ) pluck it out and cajl it
from thee -, for it is profitable for thee that

one

Of Chrift'^ Defcent into Hell 331

me of thy Members JJjould perifi\ and not S ^ k m.
that thy whole BodyJJjoidd be cajl into Hell : ^1 V.
In all "Thefe Paffages, I fay, the word Uell''^^"'^^^
\ is, in the Original, Gehe?inah ; which al-
ways fignifies The State of the Damned.
But in Other Places, where wf, in our
Rendring, ftill make ufe of ih^ fame word,
Hell ; the Original has a very different "^'4^,*
word, which fignifies only The Invifible
State, or the State of the Dead in gene-
ral. Thus Matt. xi. 23 ; Thou Capernaum,
wiich art exalted u?ito Heaven, Jhalt be
brought down to Hell: The Meaning is;
That Great and Proud City fhould be le^
veiled with the Duft, iind difappear utter-
ly as Thofe who have been long buried in
the Grave. Again : When the Rich man
in Hell, lift up his eyes, being in Torments ,
Luke xvi. 23 ; the word in the Original
denotes at large That Invifible State of
the Dead in general, wherein were both
Abraham and Lazarus in his Bofom, (and •
the Paradife wherein the Penitent Thief
was to be with our Saviour,) as well as
the Souls of the Wicked in their Tor?ne?its^
Again : When our Lord promifes 5 Matt,

xvit

332 Of Chrift'j' Defcerit into Hell

Serm. xvi. i8 ; that the Gates of Hdl Jhoidd
^^^- not prevail agatnjl his Church; the
VO^ * words, {Gates of Hell,) properly and
i - ftriaiy rendred, fignifie The Pafiage to

the Invifble State, that is. Death : And
the Senfe of his Promife is, that even
Death itfelf (which is the utmoft Ex-
tent of all Perfecution from thofe who
kill the Body, and, after That, have no
more that they can do,) fhould never be
able to fupprefs his Doctrine, and extin-
guilTi his Religion in the World. Laftly ;
When 'tis declared in the Prophecy con-
cerning the end of the World 3 Rev. xx.
13 and 14; that Death and Hell delivered
up the Dead which were in Them ; and
that, after the Judgement, Death a?2d Hell
were cajl into the Lake of Fire ; 'tis very
evident, that Hell in Thefe Paffages can-
not poffibly fignify The State of the
Damned -, but That State of departed Souls
in general, from whence All fhall be fum-
moned at the Great Day of Accounts 5
and which State of Death, or Death it--
felf, after the final Judgement, fliall be no
more. And thus therefore likewife in the

words

Of ChriftV Defcent into Hell. 333

words of my T'exf^ as they are cited out S e r m.
of the Pjalm by the Apoflle St Peter, XIV.
jd^s ii. 2jy Thou wilt not leave 7ny Soulin ^^^^"VNi?
Hell 5 the True and complete fenfe is
plainly This ; Thou wilt not relinqui/h me,
thou wilt not fuffer me to continue^ in the
State of the Dead ; but wilt certainly raife
me up again, at thy appointed fwie,

F R o M This explication of all the Texts
relating to This matter, 'tis very clear that
the Scriptures no where teach, that our
Lord, by defc ending into Hell, ever en t red
into the Place appointed for the Final
Punifhment of the Wicked. Nor is there
any thing in Reafon, from whence it can
by any juft Confequence be inferred, that it
was at all requifite for him fo to do.

I T has been conceived by Some, that it
was needful for our Lord to go down into
the place of Torment, in order to render
his SatisfaBion complete, by undergoing
himfelf the very fame Sufferings, which
were due to Thofe for whom he made Sa-
tisfadlion. But This notion is founded en-
tirely upon a Miftake. For the Satisfac-
tion of Chrift, does not depend upon the

Same

334 ^f Cliri/l'j- Defce7tt into Hell

S E R M. Samenefs of the Suffer Ings^ but upon the
^ good pie aj lire of God who ruleth over all j
who has been pleafed to declare himfelf
appeafed by the voluntary condefcenfion
and Sufferings of our Lord, as a fufficient
Vindication of his Supreme Authority;
fo that he can, upon the Merit of That
Sacrifice, confillently with the Honour
and Dignity of his Laws, accept the Re-
fejitance and Amendme7it of returning Sin-
ners, and Freely forgive them their paft Sins.
But, befides This, Neither was it indeed
pofflble in the Nature of Things, that our
Lord fliould cit all undergo the Torments
of the Wicked. For the Sting of their
Punifhment is the lFor?7i that never dieth^
and an endlefs Defpair of the Favour of
God 'y Which are things altogether impof-
fible to have fallen upon Him,

Others therefore have fancied, that
our Lord defcended into H>//, not indeed to
fuffer any thing there hiinfelf but to deli-
ver Others out of That Place of Torment.
But This alfo is plainly an erroneous opi-
nion. For fmce the Scripture every where
teaches, that as the Tree falleth^ Jo itjhall

lie ',

Of Chrift'^ Defce72t into Hell- 335

lie ; and that, for thofe who die impenitent S e r m.
and unreformed, there is no Redemption ; ^X^V-
'tis certain the Wicked^ when once con- ^"''^
demned, are no more capable of being
dehvered at all. And as to Virtuous and
Good men ; it is no lefs certain that the
Souls of the righteous are in the hand of
Gody and there fiall no T^orment touch thenu
They are in Scripture reprefented as being
in Paradife 5 or in Abraham's Bofom 5
but never as being in the place of I'or-
ment at all.

Lastly, therefore, it has been fup-
pofed by Others^ that Chrlft defcended in-
to the place appointed for the final Pu-
nifliment of the Wicked, to triumph There
over Satan in his own Ki7jgdom. But nei-
ther is This opinion, in any wife, agree-
able to Scripture. For the Devil and his
Angels are not yet confined to the Pit of
Deftrudlion, before the day of Judgement.
And if they were, yet 'T'hat is 720t their
Kingdom^ but their Place of Puni/loment,
The Kingdom of the Devil^ is the Preva-
lency and Dominion of Sin in this World :
And here Chrifl triumphs over him, by

con-

33^ Of ChriftV Defcent into Hell

S E R M. converting men from their Sins and De-
^^^' baiicheries , from their Unrighteoufnefs
and Iniquities, which are the Works of the
Devil 'y to the Practice of Virtue, Juftice,
Goodnefs, Temperance, Charity and
Truth, which are the eftablifliment of the
Kingdom of God upon Earth.

Upon the Whole therefore, there is no
fufficient Foundation, either in the Reafon
of the Things or in the Declarations of
Scripture, to fuppofe that our Lord ever
defcended at all into the Place of Torment^
into the place appointed for the final Pu-
niihment of the Wicked. But the Full
Meaning, both of thofe words in my I'exty
Thou JJ: alt not leave my Soul in Hell ; and
of all the Other Paflages in Scripture, re-
lating to That matter ; is, that our Lord
continued in the State of the Deady in the
Invifible State of departed Souls, during
the Time appointed y but that, it not be-
ing pofjible for him to be holden of Death
he was raifed again without feeing cor-
ruption.

The natural Inference from which
Dodlrine, both of our Lord's overcoming

Death,

Of Chrift'^ Defcent into Hell 337

Death, and of good mens being aflured S e r m.
confequenly that 'They fhall overcome it ^^^ -
alfo ; is That Hope and Comfort to virtu- ^^^^^^
ous and religious Minds under all Tempo-
ral ajfliBions whatfoever, of which the
Pfalmift expreffes his Senfe in the words
whereof my Text are a part. / have Jet
the Lord always before me ; becaiife he is
at my right handy I fid all not be moved.
Therefore my Heart is glad, and my Glory
rejoiceth \ my Flejlo alfo fall refi in Hope.
For thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell,
neither wilt thou fuffer thine Holy One to
fee corruption. Thou wilt floow me the path
of Life ', In thy prefence is Fuhiefs of Joy,
at thy right hand are Pleafuresfor ever-
more.

The Refurredtion of Chrifl, is the
Great Evidence of the Truth of his Doc-
trine. And a Principal Fart of his Doc-
trine, is, the bringing Life and hnmor-
tality to Light -, or, the giving us an Afiu-
rance, that, as Chrijl is rifen from the
Dead, fo We alfo, if we imitate him in
the Obedience of his Life, fliall, after
Death, rife with him unto Glory. The

V o L. V. Z Con^

338 Of ChriftV Defcent into Hell.

S E R M. Condition and Circumftances of this pre-
XIV* fent tranfitory Life are fuch, that, with-

^^^^"^^^"^ out the expeftation of a future and a bet-
ter State, the Satisfadlions of Life are ve-
ry uncertain and precarious, and in Death
there is no foundation of Hope. They
who enjoy the Greatejl Affluence of the
Good things of this prefent time, yet have
them mixed with fo many Interruptions,
with fo many Fears, with fo many Anxie-
ties and Vexations of Life, if in T'hefe
things alone their Profpeft of Happinefs is
terminated ; that, upon the Whole, it can
hardly be faid, that their Pleafures cofnpen-
fate for their Uneafmeffes : But with re-
gard to far the greatejl part of Mankind ;
what St Faul affirms concerning Chrijlians
in particular, that, if in 'This life only xhty
have Hope, they are of all Men the moji
miferable , may, with equal Truth, be af-
{cT zed generally concerning Men j if /';/ This
life only they have Hope, they are of All
Creatures the moft miferable. The wifejl
and bejt men therefore, even in the Hea-
then World, have, in All Ages and in All
Nations, from the confideration of the
I Natural

.y'^'~\J

Of Chrift'i" Defce7U into Hell 339

Natural reafon of T^hings^ from their Idea S e r m,
of the Attributes and FerfeBiom of God^ "^ ^
and from the unequal Dijlribut ion of things
in the prefent Life ; juftly and flrongly ar-
gued themfelves into a Belief and Expec-
tation of a Future and a Better State*
They argued, that nothing can be imagi-
ned more vain and empty, nothing more
void of all Marks of Wifdom, than the
Fabrick of the World and the Creation
of Mankind; if all This v^^as done with-
out any further Defign, than only for the
maintaining a perpetual Succeffion of fuch
jQiort-lived Generations of Mortals, as we
at prefent are -, to live in the utmoft Con-
fufion and Diforder for a very few Years,
and then Perifh eternally into Nothing.
They argued, that, fince This could not
rationally be the cafe, there mujl confe-
quently be a Future State. And if fo ;
then the Calamities and Afflictions, which
in This World often fall upon the Beft
of men, cannot but be intended fome
way for their Benefit, if not Here^ yet cer-
tainly Hereafter.

Vol. V. Z 2 The

340 Of ChriflV Defcent into Hell

S E R M. The Patriarchs of old, who, befides
^I^^- this general Light of Nature^ had more-

^^'^ over fome particular Manifeftarions of
God, carried this matter ftill further :
And though Life and ImmortaHty was not
compleatly revealed to them, yet from the
Maujier of God's dealing with them they
affuredly gathered, that his Promifes did
not terminate in This Mortal Life. Ac-
cordingly, \\\ty Jo behaved themfelves in
this prefent World, as fliowed plainly that
they fought a better coimtr\\ that is, an
heavenly \ Looking for a City which hath
foundations^ "whofe Builder and Maker is
God, They endured by Faith, as feeifig
Htm who is hivifible ; and often were tor^
tured, not accepting Deliverance, that they
?night obtain a better KefurreSlion, Saying
with the Pfilmift in the Text, even in
Death itfelf ; My Heart was glad, and
7ny Glory rejoiced-, 7ny Flejl: alfo flmll reji
in Hope ; For thou will ?2ot leave ?ny Soul
in Hell, 7ior fuffer thy Holy One to fee cor-
ruption.

And if T^his was the Behaviour of
Tliofe who faw the Promifes only afar of\

and

Of ChriftV Defcent into Hell 341

and had them revealed to them oijly in 'Types S e r m.
and Figures-, What manner of perfons \j^
ought We to be, to whom Life and Im^
mortality are now clearly and diftincftly
brought to Light by the Gofpel ! And if we
live "worthy of the Vocation wherewith we
are called ; how gladly may we fay with
St Paul, under Any Troubles of life what-
foever ; that o?ir light affliBion which is
but for a Mo??ient, worketh for us afar
more exceeding and eternal Weight of Glo--
ry : While we look not at the things which
are feen, but at the things which are not
feen ; for the thifigs which are feen, are
temporal, but the things which are not feen ^
are eternal.

SER-.

[ 343 ]

SERMON XV.

Of C H R I s t's fitting on the Right
Hand of GOD.

[Preached on Afcenfion'Day,'\

Heb. viii. I.

Now of the things which we have fpoken^
This is the Sum : JVe ha^ie fuch an
High'PrieJiy who isfet on the right hand
of the Throne of the Majejly in the Hea^
vens,

N the foregoing chapter, the s e r m.
Apoftle fets forth at large the XV.
Excellency, of our Saviour's U^'V^
perpetual and unchangeable
Priefthood ; by comparing it
with That mutable and fuccejjive one a-
Z 4 mong.

344 ^f ChriftV y?///;^g on the

S E R M. mong the Jews : Ver. 23 ; Tbey truly
XV. ^^^^ many Priejls^ becaufe they were not

^^-^^^"^^^ fuffered to continue by reafon of Death :
But this man^ becaufe he continueth every
hath an unchangeable Priejlhood. Where-
fore he is able alfo to fave them to the
titter moji^ that come unto God by him^ fee-
ing he ever liveth to make intercejjion for
them. Forfuch an High Priejl became uSy
who is holy^ harmlefs^ undefiled^ feparate
from Sinners, and made higher than the
Heavens, Who needeth not daily ^ as thofe
High Priejl s, to offer up Sacrifice, fi^fl fo^
his own Si?ts, and then for the peoples \
but has, by Qyie Offering of himfelf, for
ever perfected them that are fandlified.
The full explication of This Dodrine,
and of the Confequences of it, is the Sub-
ject of this Whole Epiftle : And a brief
Summary of it, is given us in the words
of the T^ext ; Now of the things which we
have fpoken, This is the Sum : We have
Such an High Priejl, who is Jet on the
right hand of the Throne of the Majejly in
the Heavens,

Our

Right Hand of GOD. 345

Our Lord, after his Refurredion, as S ^^^•
we find it recorded in the Gofpeh and in ^yy^
the Hiftory of the A^h, JJjowed himfelf
alive to his Difciples by many infallible
Proofs^ being feen of them forty days, and
fpeaking of the things pertaining to the
Kingdom of God \ converfing with them
familiarly, opening their Under (landings,
expounding to them the Scriptures, ex-
plaining to them in all the Prophets the
things concerning Himfelf, diredling them
in what manner they fhould preach the
Gofpel to all Nations, and promifing to
be with them by the Afliflance of his Spi-
rit even unto the End of the World. By
which means when they were fully in-
ftrudled for the execution of their Office,
he departed from them, afcending vifibly
into Heaven, in fuch a manner as is de-
fcribed by St P^^<r/ under the prophetick
words of the Pfalmift, When he afcended
up on highy he led captivity captive, and

gave gifts unto ?nen : Now He that

defended, is the fame alfo that afcended up

far above all heavens, that he might fill

all things. From thenceforth therefore,

ive

3+6 Of Qhx\{)i 5 fjting on the

Se R M. we have (as the Text exprefles it ) fuch an
^^'' High Priejl, who is fet on the right hand
of the Throne of the Maje/iy in the Hea-
vens.

The word, Heaven, when applied to
the Omniprefent God-, as in that expref-
fion of Solomon^ God is in Heaven, and
thou upon Earth, therefore let thy words
be few 5 and in that compellation where-
with our Lord begins his prayer, Our Fa-
ther which art in Heaven ; The word.
Heaven, I fay, when thus applied to God,
does not fignify literally a particular />/^^^,
in point of Situation ; \y\\\. figuratively, a
State of Highefi Dignity and Supreme
Dominion. For God, being effentially
prefent every-^where, cannot be really and
literally in One place more than in Ano-
ther. But he can make particular ma-
nifeftations of his Glory, when and where
and how he pleafes : And where he does
This in the moft confpicuoits manner,
That place is called, by way of Eminence,
his Habitation, his Throne, his Prefence,
Now becaufe the Heavens, are higher than
the Earth 5 h^c^uiQ Thence ^xxt derived all

bene-

Right Hand of GOD. 347

beneficial Influences, upon this lower S e r m.
World ; becaufe ^here is the Habitation ^^^1^
of Angels, attending upon the Commands
of God ; therefore God, who is really and
ejfejitially Prefent every-where alike, yet,
with regard to the Exercife of his Power
and the manifejiation of his Glory, is to
Us reprefented as being particularly in
Heave?!, And T^hither therefore did our
Lord Jefiis Chriji accordingly afcend,
to the Higheft place of Glory and Dig-
nity, to the moft immediate Prefence of
the Majefty of God, to His Father and
Our Father, to His God and Our God;
and is fet down (as the Text with great
elegance expreffes it) on the right hand
of the throne of the Majejiy in the Hea-
vens,

THas phrafe,. The Majejiy, ufed thus
abfolutely and indefinitely, without men-
tioning the perfon to whom it belongs.;
is, in a very fuhlime and emphatical
manner, expreflive of the Supereminent
Glory and Majefty of God, It fets. forth
to us in fuch a fenfe, the fmgular and
tra?2fcendent Glory of the Divine Majefty;

as

348 ^f Chn^' s Jitting on the

S E R ivf . as that, comparatively fpeaking, there is
X^- A^^ other Majefty but His. Thus, in O-

^"^^^^^ ther places of Scripture, when God is
ftiled abfolutely and by way of Eminence,
The Holy 0?2e 3 The Blefled, (as Mar, xiv.
6 1 ; Art thou the Chriji, the Son of the
Blefled ?) The Power, (as in the verfe next
following, Te Jloallfee the Son of man Jit-
ting on the right hand of Power \ ) The
Excellejit Glory, ( as 2 Pet. i. 17 ; There
came fuch a voice to him from The Excel-
lent Glory ; ) The fenfe of thefe expreffions
is, that, comparatively fpeaking, there is
None Holy^ None Blejfed^ None Power ^
fill. None Glorious, but He Alone. Good
Men, are in Scripture frequently ftiled
Holy ; and A?igels, are the Holy Angels of
Gody and yet of him and to him alofie it is
faid. Thou Only art Holy. Angels and
the Souls of Men are Immortal^ and yet
of Him it is in a moft juft fenfe affirmed,
that He only hath Immortality. Others
have Wifdom afcribed to them in their
Degree and Order, and yet He neverthe-
lefs is God Only Wife. Others are, in
their rank and proportion, truly and
2 juftly

Right Hand of GOD. 349

juftly called Good ; and yet Our Lord, Serm,
^ ^ ' XV.

with peculiar Emphafis and High Pro- ^ '

priety, declares, 'There is None Good, tut
One, that is, God. The Scripture, without
Any Scruple, calls Temporal Deliverers,
Saviours ; Nehem. ix. 27. And our Lord
yefus Chriji, in xht/piritual and infinite-
ly higher fenfe, is, by way of Eminence,
ftiled Our Saviour : And yet the Father
Almighty y (who in St Paul's language.
Tit. iii. 4, 5, is God our Saviour which
faves us through Jefus Chrift our Saviour^)
declares concerning Himfelf, Ifai. xliii.
1 1 ; Befides Me, there is no Saviour, The
manner of fpeaking, is \tvy jujl, as well
as lofty and fublime -, and it is ufeful and
proper, in order to keep up in mens
minds a due and awful fenfe of the Su-
preme and unapproachable Greatnefs of
God. Others have Power afcribed to
them, and Dominion and Majejly ; There
are, as St Paul tells us, Gods many, and
Lords many, in Heaven and i?i Earth,
1 Cor. viii. 5. Some falfely fo called ;
Others rightly, mjuch a fenfe as the Scrip-
ture gives the Title of Gods and Lords

to

55^ Of Ohri{\is Jitting on the

S E R M. to Angels and to Men : Yet, for all that,
^^* there isjlill really no other God but One ;

^^''^^^^ and The Majejiy\ abfolutely fpeaking, is
Hh alone. Our High Prieji^ isfet on the
right hand of the Throne, of The Majefty
in the Heavens.

The term, Right Hand, when applied
to God, is not to be underftood literally,
as denoting a particular Situation with
regard to Place, ( for God has no Hands,
no Shape or Parts-,) But it fignifies^^«-
ratively a State of High Dignity, Do^
minion and Power, next and immediately
after God the Father himfelf. Our Sa-
viour's being advanced to the Right Hand
of God, is his being adlually invefted with
That Glory and Dignity, for the Joy of
which, when it was fet before hi?n, he
willingly endured the Crofs, (Heb. xii. 2:)
defpifing the Shame, and is fet down at
the right hand of the Throne of God -, That
is, has overcome Death, and entered into
his Kingdom of Glory, And therefore, m
other places of Scripture, the very fame
Notion is fet forth under the parallel ex-
preffions, that Him hath God exalted with

his

Right Hand of GOD. 351

his right hand, to be a Prince and a Sa- S e r m.
vioiir ; to be Lord both of the Dead and ^' ^
Livi?ig J to be the Head of all Princi^
pality and Power, the Head over all things,
to the Church : That he hath given him
jill Power both in Heaven and Earth, and
put all things inJubje6tion under his feet-,
Angela, and Authorities, and Powers, be-
ing made JubjeSl unto him : That he has
appointed him Heir of all things, and, ac-
cording to the working of his mighty Power^
has fet him far above all principality and
power and might and dominion, and every
name that is named, not only in T'his
World, but alfo in That which is to come ;
That at the Name of Jefus every knee
fiould bow, of things in Heaven, and
things in Earth, and things under the
Earth ; ajtd that every tongue fhould con-
fefs that Jefus Chriji is Lord, to the Glory
of God the Father. All which exalted
charadters, are emphatically included in
this one figurative expreffion ; the right
hand of God, the right hand of the Throne
of the Majejiy in the Heavens,

Lajlly,

35 2 ^f C^^'^^'s Jittiftg on the

S E R M, Lajily^ The word, fitring, or bei?ig fet,
^^ • is likcwife to be underflood, not literally,
^^'^ as denoting a particular corporeal Po-
Jiure -y (for in other places of Scripture
it is expreffed that our Lord Is at the right
hand of God, or that he Stands at the
right hand of Godj) But the word, y?/-
ting^ is for T'his reafon more frequently
ufed in the cafe before us, becaufe it im-
plies, in its figurative Ufe and Significa-
tion, Fulnefs of PoJJeJJion, and perpetui-
ty of retaining the Glory poflefled ; Heb.
X. 1 2 : After ke had offered One Saciijice
for Sins^ he for ever fat down on the right
hand of God ; Fro?n henceforth expeBifig,
till his Enemies be made his footfiool ; For
by One Offerings he hath perfected for ever
them that are SanBified. From the time
of our Lord's afcending into Heaven,
till his Second Coming to Judgment,
there were Many Ages to pafs over : And
therefore St Peter in his Sermon to the
Jewr; AcSs iii. 19, tells them, ih^it when
the times of refre/hing pall come from the
prefence of the Lord^ he flmll fefid Jefus
Chrifl which before was preached unto

them ;

Right Hand of G 0 D, ^S?^

them ; whom the Heaven muft receive, S e r m.
until the times of reftitution of all things, -^ ^^•

The Office which our Saviour executes ^^^"^^^
during this his continuance in Heaven, is
fignified to us in the Text under the cha-^
rader of High Prieji : We have fuch an
High Prieft, who is fet on the right hand of
the Majefly in the Heavens, And the ex-
plication of the Nature of This Office^ as
apphcd to our Lord, is the principal fub-
jeft of this whole Epiftle. Upon which
account the words of the Text are thus in-
troduced by the Apoftle : Of the things
which we have fpoken^ This is the Sum :
We have fuch an High Prieft, who is fet
on the right hand of the Throne of the
Majefly in the Heavens, As, among the
yews^ the High Priejl in the Temple en-
tred o?ice a year into the Holy Place, with
the Blood of Others-, fo Chrijl having
cnce in the End of the World put away
Sin by the Sacrifice of Himjelf, it was
neceflary that Pie with his Own blood fhould
enter once like wife into the Holy Place, in-
to That within the Veil, having obtained
eternal redemption for us : That is, it was

V o L. V. A a necef-

354 ^f Chrift'j' y?///>^ on the

S E R M. neceflary that he fhould afcend into Hea-
■^^- ven, to finifh and prefent his moft ac-
^'^""'^^'"^ ceptable oblation before God , for the
propitiation of the Sins of the World.
For fo the Apoftle interprets it : Chrijl
(fays he) is not entred info the Holy Places
made with hands, which are only the Fi-
gures of the "true ; but into Heaven iffelfy
now to appear in the prefence of God for

us.

The firft and immediate Effedl of this
his Appearing in the Prefence of God for
us , was the Miffion of the Holy Ghoji.
Before our Saviour's Exaltation, the Holy
GhoJi, fays the Evangelift, (fpeaking com-
paratively,) was not yet given^ becaufe
that Jefus was not yet glorified ; Joh. vii.
39. And our Lord himfelf : / tell you
the I'ruth, fays he ; it is expedient for
you, that I go away ; for if I go not away^
the Comforter will not come unto you : But
if I depart, I will fend him unto you ;

and he will guide ye into all Truth.

Accordingly, at the Pentecoft after Chrift's
Afcenfion, the Holy Ghoft fell upon the
Apoftles in a fingular and moft miracu-
lous

Right Hand of G 0 D. 355

lous manner, beyond the Examples of S e r m.
former Infpirations. And by the conti- ^^*
nual affiftance and ordinary operations of
the fame Spirit, has our Lord promifed
to be with us his true Difciples, to ie i?t
the midji of them where-ever two or three
ere gathered together in His Name^ even
unto the End of the World.

But further : The Scripture repre-
fents this our Great High Prieji, as con-
tinually inter ceeding for us at the right
hand of God , from the time of his
Afcenfion till his final coming to Judge-
ment. We have an Advocate with the
Father^ J ejus Chrijl the righteous ; and
he is the propitiation for our Sins : For
our Sins ; that is, for the Sins of all thofe
who truly repent and effeBually amend
their Lives , according to the gracious
Terms of the Gofpel ; and who are there-
fore accordingly reprefented as having
ivajloed their robes^ and ?nade them white
in the Blood of the Lamb. For perfons of
This difpofition, our Saviour is a perpe-
tual and effectual Advocate, to obtain per-
fed: forgivenefs of their paft Sins, and to
V o L. V. A a 2 cleanfe

356 Of Chrift V fttthtg on the

S E R M. cleanfe them by the perpetual affiftance
-^^ • of his Spirit, from all unrighteoufnefs.

^^^^*^ They have an High Friejl^ not "who cannot
be touched "with the fcelmg of their i?ifir-
mities, but who was himfelf tempted in
all points like as They are, yet without
Sin, And he is able alfo, as well as wil-
ling, to fave them to the iittermoji^ that
come unto God by him^ feeing he ever liveth
to make intercejfion for them j Heb. vii. 25-
And becaufe he thus lives for ever^ and
has an unchangeable Priefhood, therefore
he is faid in Scripture to be a Prieft, not
after the Order of Aaron, which was a
perpetual SuccelTion of Priefts not fit ff ere d
to continue, by reafon of death ; but after
the Order of Melchifedcc^ who was both
Prince and High Priefts and of whom is
recorded neither Predeceffor nor Succeffor,
that he might be a Type and Emblem
of Him who ever liveth to make Inter-
ccfjion for us.

Some Unbelievers there have been in
All Ages, and ftill are, who, in oppofi-
tion to this Great Doctrine of Chriftiani-
ty, alledge, that God being always Omni-

prefent
I

Right Hand of GO D. 357

prefent and ready to hear the Prayers S e r m.
which every one offers for himfelf, there- -^^•
fore there was no need of appointing a
Mediator ; and that God always ading,
in his own nature, according to the exadt
Right and Reafon of the Cafe ; therefore
he cannot be changed^ or have Any Af-
fe^ion moved, by the interpofition of Any
Intercefibr whatfoever. But in This mat-
ter they greatly miftake. For if God's
being himfelf every where prefent, were
a fufficient reafon why ?2o Mediator fhpuld
be appointed to intercede for Men ; it
would by the fame argument be alfo a
fufficient reafon, why men {hould neither
pray nor intercede for themfelves : For
God k?iow^ their Wants as perfeftly, even
without their ever praying for T'hemfelves^
as without a Mediator interceeding for
them. If therefore, notwithftanding God's
Omniprefence and Omnifcience, it be ftill
reafonable to require that men fliould
pray for T'hemfehes j in order to keep up
in their Minds a conftant fenfe of God^
and that they may make continual Ac-
knowledgment of their Dependence upon
A a ^ him :

35^ ^f ChrlftV fitting o?t the

S E R M. him : It may in like manner be very rea-
-^^- fonable, in order to keep up in their
Minds a juft fenfe of their own Unwor-
thinefi and of the true Demerit of Sin, to
require of them , that through fuch a
Mediator only, as he has thought fit to
appoint, fhould they have Accefs to Hifji
who is of purer Eyes than to behold ini-
quity. And though it be indeed very true,
that by No interceffion w^hatfoever, can
God ever be moved to a6l otherwife than
is agreeable to perfect Right and Rea-
fon ; yet in cafes of Mercy and Compaffion^
where the whole of what he does, pro-
ceeds from mere Free Bounty \ 'tis evident
he may convey thofe his Free Gifts, in
what Manner, and upon what Terms or
Conditions and through what Inftrume7its
he pleafes ; and may require their being
accepted in that particular Method, or not
at all. For however otherwife it be in all
fuch cafes, where there is any Claim of
fujlice, or Demand of Right; yet un-
doubtedly, in Difpenfations of mere Mer-
cy, that which is true of every Owner
even among frail and mortal Men^ may

with

Right Hand of GO D. 359

with much greater propriety be faid of S e r m.
God s fhall he not do what and how he -^^^•
will, with his own ? LTSTsJ

That which remains, is, to draw two
or three praBical Inferences from the
whole of what has been faid.

And I/?, From the doftrine of our
Lord's fitting at the Right Hand of God
to intercede continually for us, and to
govern his Church by the miffion of the
Holy Ghoft the Comforter, the Apoftle's
inference is very natural. Heb. iv. 16 j Let
us therefore come boldly mito the 'Throne of
Grace ^ that we inay obtain mercy ^ and
find grace to help in time of need : Again,
eh. X. 19; Having boldnefs to enter into
the holiefi by the blood of Jefus, (i^ e, ha-
ving accefs to God through Him.) by a
new and living way which he has confe-
crated for us ; and haviiig an High Prieji
over the houfe of God-, let us draw near
with a true hearty in full afjurance of
faith. For He that fpared not his own
Son ; Rom. viii. 32 3 how fhall he not with

Him alfo freely give us all tlmigs ? JVbo

is he that condemneth? it is Chriji that
A a 4 diedi

360 Of Chrift'^ Jttttng o?i the

S E R M. died^ yea rather that is rifefi again ^ who
■^^ • is even at the right hand of God^ who alfo
maketh ijitercejjion for us.

idl)\ I F We follow the example of our
Lord's Humility and Righteoufnefs here
upon "Earthy we may hope through Him
to be made Partakers alfo of his exalta-
tion in Heaven. I gOy fays he, to prepare

a place for you, and / will cofne a-

gain, and receive you unto niyfelf that
where I am, there Te may be alfo. Again :
l!o Hi?n that overcometh, (that is, who
perfeveres in refifting the temptations of
Sin;) unto Him will I grant to fit with
Me in My Thro72e, even as I alfo over-
came, and am fet down with my Father
in His T'hrone, Thefe Promifes caufed
St Paul fo to exprefs himfelf, as if God had
already raifed us up together with Chrift,
and made us already fit together in heave?2^
ly places in Chrift Jefus ; Eph. ii. 6. The
manner of exprefjion, is highly figura-
five ; But the literal and proper Senfe of
it is what he elfewhere thus explains :
We have Hope, fays he, as an Anchor of
the Soul^ both fure and fledfafiy and which

entreth

Right Hand of G 0 D. 361

entreth into that within the Veil^ whither S e r m.
our Fore-runner is entred for us. And if ^^*
we have this Hope in us, then ought we ^-^>^^^
accordingly toj^^ our affedions on things
above^ not on things in the Earth ; that
where our T'reafure is, there may our Heart
be alfo ', that we may feek thofe things
which are above ^ where Chrijl fitteth on the
right hand of God^ and where our life is
hidy (that is, depofited, laid up for us in
the determinations of the divine good
pleafure, 'tis hid) with Chrijl in God:
that our Converfation, ( the Thoughts of
our Home and final Abode,) may be in
Heaven^ from whence alfo we look for the
Saviour^ the Lord fefus Chrijl ; who, at
his coming, fhall Jo chaiige Us, that we
fhall become like him, when we JJdall Jee
him as he is -, and, as we have born the
image of the Earthly^ we Jhall alfo bear the
Image of the Heavenly, By imploying
our Meditations in 'T^his manner, upon our
Lord's State of exaltation in Heaven ; fo
as to make it a continual Motive to us, to
•prepare ourfelves to become finally Par-
takers of that promifed inheritance 5 we

— fliall

362 Of Chrift'j' fittt7ig on the

S E R M. fliall contribute what in Us lies, towards
^^' fulfilling that Prophecy which he fpake

^^^ before his Death; Joh.xiu 32; Afid /,
if I be lifted up from the Earthy will draw
all men unto me,

3^/)'; Another proper and vcLO^impor-
tant Ufe of the Dodlrine before us, is as
follows. If our Lord came down upon
Earthy to put away Sin by the Sacrifice of
Imnfelf'y and if, in his State of Exaltation
in Heaven^ the Defign of his continual
interceflion with God, and of his whole
Government of the Church by his Spirit,
be ftill always one and the fame, even the
putting away of Sin : Then from hence we
may learn how great and fatal a Corruption
it is of Chriftian Religion, for men who
li^oe wickedly^ in a courfe of Debauchery^
or in the habitual Pradlice of any known
Sin whatfoever, to expert to obtain Sal-
vation by relying prefumptuoufiy upon the
Merits of Chrifi, or upon His Intercefiion^
inftead of obeying his Commands delivered
in the Gofpel. T^he Blood of Chrifi^ who
through the eternal Spirit offered himfelf
without fpot to God^ was fhed, not to ren-
der

Right Hand of G 0 D. 363

der men fafe in unrighteous Living, but S e r m.
to purge the confcience of fuch as truly re- -^ ^•
pent and amend, to purge them from dead
works toferve the living God -, Heb. ix. 14 ;
The End why our Lord gave himfelf for
us, being, that he jnight purify to himfelf
a peculiar people, zealous of good works^
If this great End be attained ; if (accor-
ding to the language of St John) we walk
in the Light, ( that is, in the pradlice of
true virtue and holinefs,) even as God is
Light, and in Him is no darknefs at all ;
then indeed the blood of Jefus Chrif his
Son cleanfeth us from all paft Sin. But if
we fay we have fellowjloip with Him, and
(ftill) walk in dark?2efs ; (that is, continue
to live wickedly, and yet hope for Benefit
from the profeffion of God's true religion
from what Chrift has either done or fuf-
fered for us j ) we lie, and do not the I'ruth ;
I Joh. i. 6.

^thly, and lajlly : A s from what has
been faid , appears the Reafonahlejiefs of
mens applying to God through That One
Mediatour, whom he has appointed 3 fo at
the fame Time appears likewife the Folly^

of

364 Of Chriffj" fittmg on the

S E R M. of their fetting up Other Mediators, of
^^- their own invention ; fuch as are Angels,

^^ Saints, the BlefTed Virgin, and the like.
For there is Ojte Gody fays the Apoftle, and
One Mediatour between God and Men, And
as departing from the One God and Father
of Ally who is above all, and through all^
and in us ally is the firll and highefl Spe-
cies of Idolatry ^ fo another fort of the
fame Sin, is fetting up falfe and imagina-
ry Mediators, by will-worjljip, by a voliin-^
tary humility, as St PaulikWc^ it, andwor-
fjippifjg of Angels -, when men intrude into
thi'dgs which they have not feen , vainly
puffed up by their flejhly inind, and not hold-
ing the Head, from which all the body by
yoints and Ba72ds having noiirijldment mi-
niftred, and knit together, increafeth with
the increafe of God.

SERMON

[ 365]

SERMON XVI.

The Converfation of Chriftians is
in Heaven.

[ Preached on Afcenjion-Day, ]

Phil. iil. 20.

For our Converfation is in Heaven ; fro7n
whence alfo we look for the Saviour^ the
Lord fefus Chrifi,

N difcourfing upon Thefe words S e r m*
of the Apoftle, I fhall i/? en- XVI.
deavour briefly to fliow, what ^^^'^*^^^
is the full 7nea7iing of this
Phrafe, of having our Convert
fation in Heaven \ and 2^/)', what are the

prin-

366 I'he Co7iverfal:ion of Chriftians

S E R M. principal Benefits and Advantages^ which
"^^' may arife to good men from This con-

fideration.

I. A s to the Signification of the Phrafe,
having our converfation in Heaven 5 it may
properly be underftood to imply, three
things.

I/?, Our Meditating frequently upon
That Heavenly State, That Kingdom of
Truth, Virtue and Happinefs, which is
propofed to us as the Reward and End of
our Chriftian Warfare. To converfe with
any Perfon prefent^ fignifies delighting in
his Company^ or being concerned in his Af-
fairs. To be converfant with any perfon
abfentj fignifies holding mutual intercoiirfe
and correfpondence with him \ being folli^
citous about what is done by him, or hap^
pens to him. To have our converfation
in a diftant Place, fignifies being much
There in our Minds \ defiring to have an
infiuenceov intereji^ in what is done There;
and judging, that What pafles There, has
an influence upon Us, affects us nearly^ or
relates to us more if7imediately. When
therefore the Apoftle affirms, as in the

Text,

is in Heaven. 367

Text, that our Converfation is in Heaven ; S e r m.
his meaning is, that though our Perfofis ^^I-
at prefent dwell on Earthy yet our great- ^-^^^^
eji Intereji and Concerns are in Heaven,
Like a Merchant trading in a diftant Coun-
try ; his prejhit Abode may be in foreign
fartSy but his Eft at e^ his Family y his fet-
tled Habitationy is at home ; and it is of
much more importance to him, what the
lajiing State of his Affairs is at Home ;
than what happens to him Abroady with
regard to fuch Accidental temporary Cir-
cumftances, as do not much affed: his main
Concerns in his own Country, Thus Chri-
JliajiSy have their great y their lajling Inte-
reft, in Heaven, And though they cannot y
they ought noty any more than other men,
to be infenfible of what happens to them in
this jhort and tranfitory life, according to
the true proportion of things, and their
real value ; yet every thing herCy ought
chiefly to be confidered, with regard to the
influence 'tis likely to have, upon owx fu-
ture and eternal State, Which right
Judgement and Eftimation of things, 'tis
impoflible men fhould make 3 unlefs by

fre-

368 l^be Converfatio72 of Chriftians

S E R M. frequent and ferious ?neditation^ they (o
^^^' behold the things tJivifible^ as to bring them
to make proportionably as ftrong an im-
preffion upon the Mind^ as Earthly Ob-
jefts do upon the Se?ifes, Many men, like
the Brute Creatures which have No Un-
derflanding, feem hardly to think at all
upon any thing, but what is prefeftt and
fenfuaL But Reafon in general, and Chri-
Jlianity in particular, teaches us, and re-
quires of us, to judge of things according
to their true and real Value \ and to be
more concerned about things at prefent
invijible^ if they be really of greater and
more lajling importance to us, than about
things which do Now more immediately
affeB our Senfes, St Faul^ the great Bu-
fmefs of whofe Life was the Care of the
Churches ; thus writes to the Corinthiam
when at a diftance from them j / verily^
fays he, as abjent in Body^ but prejeiit in
Spirit ; I Cor. v. 3 ; and to the Colojjians ;
ch. ii. 5 \ 'Though I be abfent in the FleJIj^
yet am 1 with you in the Spirit^ joying and
beholding your Order ^ and the Stedfajlnefi
of your Faith in Chrijl, The Defcription

the

is in Heaven. 369

^he Apoftle here gives of himfelf, with S e r ivi.
regard to the employment of his Thoughts ■^^^•
upon his main Concern in T^hh life-, is
what every fincere Chriftian ought to make
good, with regard to his Expectations in
the Life to come. Though he be /;; hh
Body an Inhabitant upon Earth -, and, fo
long as he continues fo, ought not, after
a Monkifh, Superftitious and Enthufiaf-
tick manner, to neglect the Affairs of Him-*
felf his Family^ his Friends^ or his Coun^
try 'y yet at the fame time in Spirit^ In
the bent and habitual dtfpoJitio7i of his
Mindy in the diredfion of the ultimate
View and Aim of all his Adions, he may
properly be faid to converfe^ and to Be^ in
Heaven, Whotvtv fears God 2indi* works
righteoufnefsy and lives with a conftant
Senfe of Religion upon his Mind -, how
little lUme^ oir how fmall Abilities foever
he has for abftraft Meditation, may yet,
even in the midft of his worldly affairs,
be truly faid, in 'This fenfe, to have his
Converfation in Heaven: Becaufe he lives
according to the Laws of Heaven ; has in
his Mind the Temper of Heaven ; and,
^ Vol. V. B b by

370 The Converfatton of Chriftians

S E R M.by the Love of Truth, and Pradlice of
XVI. Virtue, is in a continual Preparation for
^"'^^^'^^^ the State of Heaven, Neverthelefs, though
the Practice of Virtue and Goodnefs is in-
deed the End of all religion, yet frequent
and ferious Meditation is valuable as a
Means to promote That End^ and to encou^
rage That Pradiice.

The proper Subjedls in particular to
be meditated upon^ as being moft likely to
have an immediate Influence upon the
Courfe of our Lives, and to caufe our
Converfation on Earth to be efFedually
preparative for that in Heaven ; are, in
ih^flrfl place, the Nature of God, and of
his Relation to Us: the confideration of
his being hi?nfelf a Perfon infinitely Holy-^
a Lover of Virtue and all Goodnefs-^ a
Hater of Iniquity^ of Debauchery^ and of
every Corrupt Pra6fice j a 'Juft and i2/g"^-
/r(?//i Governour of all things 5 and a ^^^/;/-
///}// Rewarder of them who ferve and
obey him ; in whofe Prefence there will
finally htfubiefs <f Joy^ and at his right
hatid Pleafures for evermore,

\ Jn

h in Heaven. 371

, 1 1^ the next place is the Confideration S e r m.
of Chrift our Great High-Prieft, the Me- ^VL
diatour of the New Covenant ; who gave ^•^^'^
hi mj elf for uSy that by the DoBrifie and
Example of his Life^ and by the Merit
^nd Influence of his Deaths he might re--
deem us from all iniquity^ and purify to
himfelf a peculiar People zealous of good
works : Who is now fat down on the right
band of the Throne of God in the heavenly
places^ to intercede for all thofe that truly
and efFedlually repent : And who, at the
end of the Worlds unto all them who with
patient csntinuance in well-doing look for
him^ Jhall appear the fecond time^ without
Sin, unto Salvation,

The next part of this Contemplationj
tending to make us hunger and thirjl af-
ter Right eoufnefs^ by having at prefent our
Converfation in Heaven j is the confidera-
tion of the Company, by whom that re-
gion of Happinefs is pofl^effed. The So-
ciety of Good Angels y who never departed
from their firfl eftate ; and of Good Men,
who by true Repentance are returned unto
it. The Society of Holy Angels^ who,

Vol, V» B b a goii^g

372 "The Converfaiion of Chriftians

S E R u. going in and out before the Tihrone of God^
X^^' do always behold the Face of our Father 5

^^'^^'^^ even the Father^ of whom the whole Fami"
ly in Heaven afid Earth is named : And
the Society of Holy Meny who, having
wafied their Robes in the Blood of the
Lamby are by Him prefented fault lefs be--
fore the Prefence of his Father's Glory with
exceeding Joy,

The lajl part of this Contemplation,
is the confideration of the Happinefs of
this State itfelf, with regard to Ourfelves.
And in T'his refpeB indeed, it doth not yet
appear what we Jloall be: But we knoWy
that when he pall appear y we Jhall be like
hi?n y for we fiall fee him as he is. At
prefent we fee only, as through a glafSy
darkly ; For Eye hath not feeny nor ear
heardy iieither hath it entered into the Heart
of Man to conceivCy the things that God
has prepared for them that love him: But
Then, toe Jloall fee face to face ; and know^
even as we are knowny i Cor. xiii. 12, In
general only, "This we are Now affured of,
and a fufficient employment it is for our
Meditatio?2s upon This Head 5 that the

Happi-

is in Heaven^ 373

Happlnefs of Heaven, tho' the particulars S e r M'
of it are not yet revealed, is a Great and XVI.
exceeding Weight of Glory ; to v^hich the
Apoftle recko?iSy that nothing in this pre^
fent World is worthy to be compared^ 2 Cor.
iv. 17 ; that it is a Kingdom ^ which cannot
be moved ; a Treafure^ which neither moth
nor ruji doth corrupt ^ and to which Thieves
do not break through andjleal : that it is a
Happintfs pure and unmixed; For all tears
jhall then be wiped from our Eyes ; and
there Jh all be no more Deaths neither for-
^ow nor crying 'y iieither Jhall there be any
more Pain ; for the former things arepaffed
away : Laftly, that it is an enjoyment which
Will fatisfy all our DefreSy an employment
which will improve to the utmoft all our
Faculties % and, which is the Crown of
all, will continue y^r ever; being, as St
Feter exprefles it, an inheritance incorrupt-
tibky undefiledy and which fadeth not away.
I conclude This Head, with the words of ^rchhp.
a moft excellent Writer of our own : " O
" blefled Time, faith he^ when Mortality
" fhallbefwallowedupofLife, and Death
^^ and Sorrow fhall be no more 3 — when we
B b 3 « ihall

37+ 7^^ Converfation of Chriftians

S E R M. " {hall be eafed of all our Pains, and re*

XVI. « folved of all our Doubts, and be purged

^^/"'"'^'^ '' from all our Sins, and be freed from all

" our Fears, and be happy beyond all our

"■ Hopes, and have all this Happinefs fe-

" cured to us beyond the Power of Time

*^ and Change ! " Let every man who lives

in the Pradice of Any known Vice, con-

fider ferioufly with himfelf, how for one

morfel of meat he fells this Birthright.

This is the Jirji thing implied in the
Phrafe of having our Converfation in Hea-^
ven ; rneditating frequently and ferioufly
upon the Happinefs of T'hat State,

2dly ', Having our Converfation in
Heaven^ fignifies, not only meditating up^
on the Happinefs of that State, but prac-^
tically and effeBually fetting our Hearts
and Affedtions thereon. Speculative Medi^
tations within our own Minds^ or moving
Difcourfes and fne Defcriptions to Others^
are of no Ufe ; unlefs the things medita-
ted upon by us, or defcribed to us, afFed:
our Hearts, and operate in their influence
upon our Lives and ABions^ as Realities,
and pQt as Imaginations, The Perfons

Qppofite

is in Heaven. 375

Oppojlte to thofe whofe converfatlon is In S e r m.
Heaven, (as they are defcribed in the ^^^•
Verfe before my Text) are thofe whofe God
is their Belly y who mind earthly things ^
ver. 19. By way of contraries therefore,
they whofe converfation is in Heaven^ are
Thofe only who mind^ (not who can
imagine or defcribe, but who mind,) that
is, who in earneft attend to, as to their
proper and moft important Concern, the
things which are in Heaven : Rom. viii.
5 ; T'hey that are after the Flejh, do mind
the things of the Flejh ; and they that are
after the Spirit ^ do mind the things of the
Spirit. The meaning is ; As worldly and
corrupt Minds, are much more concerned
about their T'emporal, than about their
eternal KSdAxs 'y fo, on the contrary. Per-
fons truly religious, though they by 720 ?neans
7iegle5l the Concerns of this prefent Life,
yet they are really ?72orefollicit8us, they are
more rejoiced or grieved, at the Profped: of
their Eternal, than of their Temporal
State, This is what St Paul exhorts us
to, CoL iii. I ; If ye be rifen with Chrifi^
feek thofe things which are above^ where
Bb4' Qhrifi:

C/'-VX

376 Tloe Conn) erf at ton of ChrlftianS

S E R M. Chrtjl fitteth on the right hand of God : Set
X\^I. your Affeftion on things above^ not on things,
upon Earth : For ye are dead, and your
Life is hid with Chriji in God. Ye are
dead ; that is, ye are by your Profeffion
in Baptifm, dead with Chrift j dead with
Chriji from the rudiments of the World ;
buried with him by Baptifm, into Death ;
dead, to all the vicious Delires, to all the

fnful enjoyments of the World, ^nd your
Life (fays he) is hid with Chriji in God y
that is, your Hope,^ (as it is expreffed, ch, i«
5.) the Hope of eternal Life, is laid up

for you in Heaven, with Chrift our Savi-
our ; laid up, refervediov you, in the de-
terminate Counfel of God, againft the day
of retribution: At which time, when Chriji^
who is our Lfe, Jhall appear, then fid all ye
alfo appear with him in Glory, The 07ily
pofjible Means, by which we can in This
fenfe fix our Affections, by which we can.
in This fenfe come to have our converfa^.
tion habitually in Heaven ; is, that we takp
care, by works of Righteoufnefs and true
Holinefs, by a life of Virtue and real
Qoodnefs^ to fecure to purfelve's an IntereJl

an4

is in Heaven. 377

and a Portion There. Lay not up, fays our S e r m.

^ ^ ^ XVL

Saviour, treafures upon Earthy but lay up for

yourfelves treafures /« Heaven ^ For where
your T'reafure is, there will your Heart be
alfOy Mat. vi. 2 1. The words next following
to thefe, are difficult to be underftood;
unlefs compared with Thefe, by which
their Senfe and Connexion may be ex-
plained : ver. 22, 'T'he Light of the Body, fays
our Lord, is the Eye -, if therefor e thine Ey$
be fingle, thy whole Body fhall be full of
Light ; But if thijie Eye be Evil, thy whole
Body Jloall be full of Darhiefs •, If there-
fore the Light that is in thee be Darhiefs,
how great is that Darknefs ! The Mean-*
ing is : That True "Judgement and Kight
Difcernment of the Difference of Things,
by which T'reafure in Heaven is more va-
lued than 'Treafure upon Earth -, the Re-^
wards of Virtue, than the Pleafures of
Sin ', This true Judgment, I fay, is to the
State of the Soul, what the Eye is to the
Guidance and DireBion of the Body, If
That which fhould be our Guide and our
Jiule, be itfelf dark, be \\:(t\i fundamen-
tally erroneous -, t|ow rniferable muft our
prrours be (

378 The Converfation of Chriftians

Serm. 3^/)', Having our Converfation in
XVI. Heaven^ fignifies in the laft place, accord-

^"^'^^''^ ing to the mofl ftridl and proper Import
of the word in the Original ; having our
Citizenfhip, our Home^ our proper Coiin^
try and Habitation there. The State of
Heaven^ the Happinefs which God has
. promifed in the Life to come, to thofe
who fhali qualify themfelves for it by the
Habits of Virtue here ; is in Scripture re-
prefented under the defcription of a glo-
rious City-, Rev. xxi. 10: He Jhewed me
that great City^ the Holy Jerufalem^ de-
fc ending out of Heaven from God-, having
the Glory of God, and fo on. And even
the Antient Prophets, ufed from the be-
ginning the fame expreffions 3 As appears
in many pafTages of Ifaiah ; And T!ohit
xiii. 16 ; Jerufalem, faith he,yZW/ be built

lip "With Saphires, a7id her Walls with

pure Gold, Of this new and heavenly ^e-
rufalem^ the Apoftle defcribes the Patri^
archs of old to have been Citizens^ while
their dwelling on Earth was but as in ayj?-
reign Country : Heb. xi. 9 ; By Faith, Abra--
ham fojourned in the land of Promife, as in

a ftrange Coimtry y For h^ looked for a

City

is i?t Heaven. 379

City which hath Foundations ; ( in the ori- S e r m.
^ ^ XVI.

ginal it is, he expelled The City which hath ^ '

The Foundations 'y that is, the Founda-
tions of precious Stones^ alluding to the
Prophetic expreffions ; ) whofe Builder and
Maker is God : And ver, 1 3 ; T^hefe all^
that is, the Patriarchs, died in Faith, not
having received the Promifes, but having
Jeen them afar off, and were perfwaded of
them and embraced them, and confeffed that
they were Stra?2gers and Pilgrims on the
Earth 'y For they that fay fuch thifigs, de^
dare plainly tlxit theyfeek a Coimtry, even
a better Country, that is, an heaven-
ly 5 Wherefore God is not ajhamed to be
called their God ; for he hath prepared for
them a City, And All who imitate the
Obedience of thefe Patriarchs, in all Ages
and in all Nations of the World, by a Life
of Virtue and true Goodnefs ; are in like
manner reprefented in Scripture, as being
Members of the fame heavenly City : Eph,
ii. 19; Te are no more ftr angers and Fo-
reigners, hut Fell ov^- citizens with the
Saints, and of the houfehold of God -, afid
are built upon the Foundation of the A-,
fofks und Prophets, Jefus Chrijl himfelf

being

3 So The Converfation of Cliriflians

S E R M. being the chief corner -ft one \ In whom all
^^^' the Building fitly framed together^ groweth
unto an Holy "temple in the Lord. In the
prefent world, upon account of the tran-
fitorinefs of This mortal life, we arc
ftyled Strangers and Sojourners^ i Chr. xxix.

I Pet ii. i^ ; and are exhorted, as Pilgrims^ to pafs
the Time of our fojourning here in Fear,
I Pet. i. 17. For here we have no continu-^
i?2g City^ but wefeek One to come, Heb. xiii.
14. A city to come y that is, t\itNew, the
heavenly ferufalem : For fo St Paul tells
us, Gal. iv. 26 ; Jerufalem which is above^
is the Mother of us all; that is, our pro-
per Home and Country. Heb. xii. 22 -, Te
are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the
City of the Living God, the heavenly ye-
rujalem, and to an innumerable company of
Angels, To the general Afj'embly and Church
of the firfl-born that are written in Hea-
ven, and to God the fudge of All, and to
the Spirits of jufi men made perfeB, And
to Jefus the Mediatour of the New Covenant,
In purfuance of which elegant Defcrip-
tion, virtuous and good men, raifed and
quickened together with Chrift from the
^^eath of Sin^ are, by a lively figure, faid

to

is in Heaven. 381

^o Jit together (even Now) in heavenly Se r m.

flaceSy in ( or with ) Chrijl J ejus, Eph. ii ^ ^ *

6. And to dwell in Heaven : Rev. xiii. 6.
he, ( that is, Antichriftian Tyranny ) opened
his mouth in Blafphemy againjl God, to
hlcifpheme his Name and his T'abernacle,
and them that dwell in Heaven. To blaf-
fheme them that dwell in Heaven ; that is,
as it is explained in the following Verfe, to
make War with and overcome the Sai?its ;
to perfecute the true Worfhippers of God,
whofe Converfation is in Heaven,

IL Having thus at large explained
the Meaning of this Phrafe, of having our
Converfation in Heaven -, it remains that I
proceed, in the 2d place, to confider the
Ufes and Advantages which may arife to
us therefrom. And

ly?, I F we take the Phrafe in Either of
•the 'Two former Senfes, as fignifying that
we Meditate frequently upon the Hea-
venly State, or ( which is the natural con^
fequence of delighting in fuch Meditation, )
fet our Hearts and Affediions thereon ; the
Advantage and Benefit of fo doing, is, that
it will continually put us upon prepari7:g
and qualifying ourfelves, by the Practice

of

382 T'he Converfatton of Chriliians

S E R M. of Virtue, for the enjoyment of That
-^^'^- Blefled State : Ecclus. vii. 36 ; Whatfoever
thou takefi in handy remember the End %
and thou Jh alt 7tever do amifs. The Great
reafon, why the World is generally fo vi-
cious j is becaufe men feldom meditate up-
on the final Confequences of Wickednefs,
and feldom ferioufly refledl upon the real
State of their own Souls. They are like one,
who, walking towards a Precipice, (huts
his Eyes, and perceives not that there is
Any Danger. Conf deration^ is the Eye of
the Soul : And if this Light that is in us,
be itfelf Darknefs ; if our Meditations be
never fixed upon the things which can no
otherwife be difcerned but by ferious and
impartial Meditation ; how great muft the
Darknefs and Blindnefs of our Minds be !
Men upon a Bed of Sicknels, and at the
Approach of Death, generally have very
right Notions of this Matter ; And fince
what will Then be True, we are fure
cannot but be equally True Now ; wife
men will always endeavour, to fix thofe
Thoughts upon their Minds by timely At-
tention, and make them ufeful at prefenty
which hereafter will fix them/elves upon

the

XVI.

is in Heaven. 383

the Mind, whether a man will or no, S e r m
when perhaps it may be too late for them
to be of Any XJk to him. Conjiderate
Chriftians wait continually for the coming
of our Lord Jefus Chriji, i Cor. i. 7 j De-
nying ungodlinefs and worldly lujis -, living
foherlyy right eoiify^ and godly in this pre-^
fent world 5 looking for that blefed Hope^
and the glorious Appearance of the Great
God, and of our Saviour fefm Chrijt.
Thus did the Apojiles themfehes ^ and to
This did they continually exhort Others^
as in the Text ; Brethren^ faith St Paul^
be Followers together of Me^ and mark them
which walk fo as ye have Us for an ex^

ample-, For Our converfation is in

Heavmiy from whence alfo we look for the
Saviour y the Lord Jefus Chriji.

More particularly. Having our con*
verfation in Heaven, as it fignifies medi-
tating upon the Prefence and Attributes of
God, will naturally be upon our Minds a
Jlrong Motive and a conftant AJJiJiance, to
Purity and Holinefs of Life. For if here-
after we (hall therefore be like him, be-
caufe we /hall fee him as he is -, at pre-
fent alfo in proportion we cannot but

imitate

384 T^be Converfatton of Chrlftians

S E R M. Imitate him, if by ferious meditation wc
^^^- accuftom ourfelves to live as Seeing him

^^^^^ who is invijible. And therefore St yohn
rightly infers, i yoh, iii. 3 ; Every man that
hath "This Hope in him^ purifies himfelf
even as he is pure.

Again: Convcrfing in Heaven^ as it
fignifies meditating on the Company by
whom that region of Happinefs is pof-
feft J an innumerable Company of Angels,
and the Spirits of jufi men made perfedl^
living together in compleat and uninter-
rupted Love I and Jefm himfelf, the Me-
diatour of the New Covenant^ w^ho loved us^
and gave himfelf for us All : under This
View, it cannot but be a powerful Argu-
ment perpetually upon our Minds, to live
here alfo, as preparative to That more
perfeft State, in mutual Love^ Forbear--
ance^ and univerfal Charity,

Lafily^ A s it fignifies meditating on the
Greatnefs and Duration of the Happinefs
itfelf, which we fhall There enjoys it is
the great Security, to preferve us from
being overcome at any time by the Temp-
tations of worldly Profperity^ or by the
Fears of Temporal Adverfity, I reckon^

faith

is In Heaven. 385

faith St Paul^ that the Sufferings of this S e r m.
prefent worlds are not worthy to be com- ^ ^•
pared with the glory which JJjall be reveal- Rom. viii.
ed in us. For which caufe we faint not > i^-
but though our outward man periJJj^ yet
the inward man is renewed day by day-
For our light affiidtion which is but for a
moment^ worketh for us a far more exceed-
ifig and eternal 4)eight of glory. While
.we look not at the things which are feen^
hut at the things which are not feen ; for
the things which are feen^ are teinporal •
hut the things which are not feen ^ are eter-
nal y 2 Cor. iv. 16. By This Faith, the
Martyrs of old fuffered themfehes to be
tortured, not accepting deliverance^ that
they might obtain a better RefurreBion -^
Heb. xi. 35. By This Faith, Mofes chofe
rather to fuffer afii5tion with the people of
Gody than to injoy the Pleafures of Sin for
a Seafon ; efleeming the reproach of Chrijl
greater Riches than the T'reafures in E-
gypt ; for he had refpcB unto the recom-
penfe of Reward \ ver. 25, 26. And our
Saviour himfelf ; ch. xii. 2 j for the Joy
that was fet before him^ endured the crofs^
defpifiyig the ^hame^ and is fet down at
V o L. V. C c the

386 T'he Converfatio?t ^ Chriftians
S E R M. the right hand of the Throne of God.

2dly\ And to Conclude. If we under-
ftand the Phrafe, haviijg our Converfation
in Heaven^ to fignify in the latter Senfe
(according to the moft flriB a?id proper
Meaning of the words in the Original,)
having our Citizeniliip, our Home ^ ourpro^
per Country or Habitation in Heaven^ and
confequently lookiyig upon ourfehes as Mem^
hers and SubjeBs of That City or King-
dom which is above : If we confider it un-
der This View, the obvious Inference from
hence is, that then we ought conftantly to
indeavour to obey the Laws of That King-
dom, that is, the Commandments of God >
leaft if, during our Pilgrimage here in a
foreign Country, wc live contrary to
the Laws of Heaven, we be hereafter re-
jected at our return, and refufed admit-
tance into our g^lV?2 City : Rev. xxii. 14 ;
Blejfed are they that do his commandments^
that they may have Right to the Tree of
Life, and may enter in thro' the Gates into
the City ; For without^ are dogs a?2d force-
rers^ and whoremongers and murderers a?id
IdolaterSy and whofoever loveth and maketh

a Lie*

is in Heaven, 387

a Lie, For there fljall in no wife enter in- S e r m,
to it any thing that dejileth ; neither what^ XVI.
foever worketh Abomination, or fnaketh a /, ^- , _
Lie. And the fame thing is expreffed by
our Saviour in the Gofpel ; Lucxm, 26.
When ye begin to fay ^ Lord, open unto us ;

for we have eaten and drunk in thy

prefence, and thou hafi taught in our
Streets -, he /ball fay, I know you not whence
ye are ; depart fro?n me, all ye Workers of
Iniquity, The Laws of our heavenly
Country, and the Cuftoms of a vicious
World, are contrary to each other. Rom.
vii. 22 ; / delight in the Law of God after
the inward man ; but I fee another Law
in my Members, warring againft the Law
of my mind : For the Fief) lufteth againft
the Spirit, and the Spirit againft the Flefh \
and T'hefe are contrary the One to the O-
ther 3 Gal. v. 17. This being the Cafe -, it
follows therefore, as St James concludes,
ch. iv. 4 ; that whofoever will be a Friend
of the World, of the ^^2// and debauched,
of the vicious and corrupt World, muft
needs be an Enemy of God : Becaufe the
Carnal mind is enmity agaijift God -, for it
is not fubjeB to the Law of God^ neither
y o L. V. C c 2 indeed

388 The Converfation^ Sec.

S E R M. indeed can be ; Rom. viii. 7. For This
-^^^- reafon, the Apoftle befeeches us, as being
Strangers a7id Pilgrims here, to ahjlain
from fiejhly Lujls, which war againji the
Soiih, that is, which unfit us for our
heavenly Country, the habitation of ever-
lafting Righteoufnefs and Peace ; i Pet, ii.
1 1 : and exhorts us, not to be conforjned to
This World', Rom. xii. 2 ; but to be tranf-
formed by the renewing of our Mind ; that
is, to prejs forward towards the Mark of
the Prize of our High Calling, forgetting
thofe things which are behind : After the
example of the Patriarchs; Heb, xi. 15;
who truly if they had been mindful of That
Country from whence they came out, they
might have had opportimity to have retur^
ned ', But now they defre a better Country^
that is, an Heavenly, Where, if We al-
fo have our converfation Now, we fhall
together with them be glorified likewife
hereafter.

SERMON

^.

[ 389]

SERMON XVII.

Of the Spiritual Nature of the

6 O S P E L.

[Preached on Whitfunday.^

2 C o R. iii. 17, 18.

Now the Lord is 'J hat Spirit ; and where
the Spirit of the Lord is^ there is Li-
berty ; But we all with open face, be-
holding as in a glafs the Glory of the
Lord, are changed i^ito the fame linage,
from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit
of the Lord,

II E Holy Ghoft having been S e r m.
poured forth upon the Apo- XVJI.
files at Pentecoft in fo very ^-'""^^'"^
fingular and plentiful a man-
ner, as that, before that time
'tis faid, comparatively, 7iot to have been
C c 3 given

39^ Of the Spiritual Nature

S E R I.U given at all; Joh. vii. 39 ; and Thofe who
XVII. ^gj-g j-^Qj. yej- acquainted with T'hat day's
^"^^^^ Miracle , are reprefented as not having
heard fo much as whether there was any
Holy Ghoji, Afts xix. 2 ; that is, whether
there had yet been any fuch plentiful Ef-
fiifion of ir, as the Prophets had foretold :
For This reafon, St Paul in the %th verfe
of this chapter, whereof my Text is the
Conclufion, elegantly ftiles the Go/pel, by
way of Eminence, the Mimjiration of the
Spirit. And from That confideration,
through the njohole chapter, he magnifies
the DoBrine of Chriji, as being more clear
and plain, more powerful and efficacious,
more illuftrious and glorious, than the
Law of Mofes. Ver. 3 ; Te are, faith he,
the epijlle of Chrijl, mintflred by Us, writ-
ten not with ink, hut with the Spirit of
the living God -, not in tables of fio7ie, but
in the fefily tables of the heart: His
meaning is, The Power and Efficacy of
the Gofpel, is as much greater than that
of the Law, as can be exprefled by com-
paring that which is written in a Book,
with that which is imprinted inwardly in
the very Heart and Soul itfelf The fame
4 Argument

of the Gofpel. 391

Argument he purfues ; ver. 6 ^ God hath S e r m.

made us able minillers of the New T^ejla-

. . L/'''"V'*NJ
menty not of the letter^ but of the Spirit ;

for the letter killeth, but the Spirit gi-
*wetb life ; That is, The Gofpel gives us
thofe fpiritunl precepts, whereof the le^
gal Ordinances were but types and Jlja-
dows; (that is the meaning of their be-
ing called the letter or dead letter ;) and
teaches us the way to eternal life^ where-
as the rigour of the Law could end only
in mens cojidemnation. And from hence
he proceeds to magnify the glorious ma-
nifeftation of the Gofpel^ by comparing it
with the Glory that fhined in Mofess
countenance ; which, though fo bright
that the children of IJ'rael could not fled-
faftly behold it, yet was but temporary %

and tranfient, and only a type or figure of
that permanent glory of the Gofpel, which
was to continue for ever ; ver. 7 3 If the
miniflration of Death, written and engra-
ven in flones^ was glorious^ fo that the
children of Ifrael could not Jledfajily be^
hold the face of Mofes for the glory of his
countenance^ which glory was to be do?ie
away ; How Jljall not the minijiration of
the Spirit be rather glorious ? For if the
C c 4 minijlra-

392 Of the Spiritual Nature

S E R M. mlnifiration of condemnation be glory\

• much more doth the miniflration of ricrh-
W'V\J ... Jo

teoufnefs, (of jufttfication^ it fliould be

rendred, ) exceed in glory ; For if That

which is done away was glorious^ much more
T'baf which remaineth ( That which is
Perpetual ) is glorious. And hereupon he
takes occafion elegantly to defcribe the
Blindnefs of the fews after our Saviour's
time, in not feeing through the types and
figures and imperfed: notices of the Old
Teftament; he defcribes it elegantly, by
comparing it to the Veil which Mofes put
upon his Face to conceal the Brightnefs
of it: Ver. xiv % T^heir Minds (faith he)
were blinded ; For until 'This day remain-
eth the fame Veil imtaken away^ in the
reading of the Old Tefament ; which Veil
is done aivay in Chrift : But even unto
This day^ when Mofes is read^ the Veil is
upon their Heart. Neverthelefs^ when it
fiall turn to the Lord^ (that is, when they
lliall believe in Chrift,) the Veil f jail be
taken away. And then he fums up and
concludes his whole Difcourfe, in the
words of the Text : Now the Lord ( fays
he) is That Spirit; and where the Spirit

of the Gojfpel. 393

of the Lord iSy there is Liberty. But We S e r m.
All with open face ^ beholding as in a glafs ^^^11.
the glory of the Lord, are changed into the- ^^^^*^
fame hnage^ from glory to glory ^ even ai
by the Spirit of the Lord, The words are
in themfelves fomewhat difficult, and have
in them feveral phrafes very different from
our prefent manner of expreffing things :
But the general defign of them appears
in fome meafure, from the brief explica-
tion now given of the foregoing part of
the chapter, whereby they are introduced ;
and I ihall now proceed to explain them
movt particularly^ by confidering diftind:-
ly the feveral expreffions in the Order
they lie.

The Lord^ fays the Apoflle, is ^hat
Spirit, That is , Chrift , the Gofpel or
DoElrine of Chrift, is "That Spirit I have
been fpeaking of in this whole Difcourfe ^
That Spirit y or end ajid defign of the Law
which giveth life^ or fhows men the way
to jiijlification ; in oppofition to the dead
letter and to the rigour of the law, which
leads only to condemnation : That Spirit
or final inte?2t of the law, which is ta
continue for ever^ in oppofition to thofe

in^rQ

394 ^f ^^^ Spiritual Nature

S E R M. mere types and JhadowSy which were foon

-^^^^* to be done away : That Spirit or full

Meaning and Signification of the law,

which is oppofed to the Veil of ignorance

znd partial under ft anding of it.

The laord^ is that Spirit : The word,
Lordy is ufed here to fignify the Go/pel or
Doctrine of Chrift^ by the fame figure of
fpeaking, as St Paul elfewhere ufes, when
he advifes Chriftians to marry only in the
Lord^ that is, to Chriftians^ to fuch only
as have received the Gofpel ; and when he
fpeaks of the dead in Chrift ; i, e. of thofe
who died in the profeffion and praftice
of the true Religion ; and commands us
to put on Chrifty i. e. to obey his Doc-
trine.

The phrafe, That Spirit, is made ufe
of to fignify the True Meaning, and final
Intent of the Law ; becaufe the oppofite
words, Fleft:) and Letter, fignify on the
contrary the mere Shadow or Appearajtce
of a thing, without the real Subftance and
true Inte?2tion, Thus J oh, vi. 63 ; // is
the Spirit, faith our Saviour, that quicks
neth, the Flcfh profiteth nothing ; The
u'ords that Ifpeak unto you, they are Spi^

rit

of the Gofpel. 395

rlt and they are Life. Again, ver. 6 ; of S e r m.
This chapter in which the Text is, Able -^"^^J^-
minijlers of the New ^ejia?nent^ not of the ^^^
Letter, iut of the Spirit : And Rom, vii. 6;
T'hat we Jhould ferve in newnefs of Spirit,
and not in the oldnefs of the Letter : The
meaning of which is explained ; ch. ii. 29 ;
He is a few^ which is one inwardly, and
circumcifion is that of the Heart, in the
Spirit, and Jiot in the Letter, whofe praife
is not of Men^ but of God. As therefore
the law of Mofes^ upon account of its
many ritual obfervances, is by a very fig-
nificant Figure, in feveral places of St
Paul's epiftles, called FleJJj -, fo here on
the contrary, concerning the Gofpel of
Chrift, which was the End of thofe types,
it is with no lefs propriety and fignifi-
cancy affirmed, that the Lord is That
Spirit.

I T follows, And where the Spirit of
the Lord is, there is Liberty : Liberty, in
the firft place, from that Fei I of ignorance
and ohfcurity, which remained upon the
Hearts, and perplexed the Underjlandings
of the unbelieving Jews, when the Old
Teftament was read to them: In oppo-

fitioja

39^ Of the Spiritual Nature

S E R M. fition to which, the Apoftle argues ; ver.
^^^^^- 12 of this chapter, that We life great

^^^^'^^'^ plainnefs of Speech^ and not as Mofes which
put a Veil over his Face ; And upon this
account he ftiles the Gofpel, the Mani-
fellation of the T'ruth ; ch. iv. 2 ; and the
Spirit of Wifdom and Revelation ^ Eph*
i. 17.

Then, in the next place, Liberty from
the bondage of that yoke of Ceremonies,
which 7ieither our Fathers nor IVe^ fays
St Peter ^ were able to bear ; A<5ts x. 15.
Concerning which numerous and burden-
fome rites, St Paul alfo is to be under-
flood, when he rejoices that we are now
delivered from the law \ Rom. vii. 6 ; and
compares the Jews^ who were under thefe
legal Obligations, to Servants or to Chil-
dren yet under Age, Gal. iv. 3 ; and ex-
horts thofe, who by embracing the Go-
fpel were difcharged from that Law, to
fand faft in the Liberty wherewith Chriji
had made them free^ and not to be intang^
led again with the yoke of bondage -, ch. v. i.
Which liberty neverthelefs, left any man
fnou'd fo mifinterpret, as to think him^
(elf difcharged thereby from moral as

well

of the Gofpel. 397

well as ritual oblieations, (which is the S e r m.

• • XVTT

abfurd Ufe Some in modern times have _ **

made of thefe Texts, ) he takes care to
add a very exprefs caution ; ver. 1 3 ; Bre-
thren^ ye have indeed bee?2 called unto
Liberty -, only ufe not Liberty for an oc-
cafion to the Flejh : That is ; Do not, un-
der pretence of being fet free from the
Mofaic Obfervations ^ run into immorali-
ties^ which are Breaches of God's ever-
lafting Law : And St Peter in like man-
ner; I Pet. ii. 16; As free ^ yet not ifing
your Liberty for a cloke of malicioufnefs^
(or, as an Excufe for Immoralities^) but
as the Servaiits of God,

A D D to This, that by the Liberty
which the Text affirms is always There^
ivhere is the Spirit oj the Lord ; /. e, where-
ever the Gofpel prevails in Faith and
Pradice ; is meant alfo a Liberty from that
Fear and Terrour^ which under the Law,
could not bat make men (as the Apoftle
to the Hebreivs exprefles it ) all their life-
time fubjetl to bondage ; till they were af-
fured of Pardon by the reconciliation of
Chrift, for fuch things from which they
could not be jiijlifed by the law of Mofes,

In
3

398 Of the Spiritual Nature

S E R M. In This fenfe it is, that St "James ufes the
■^ ^^* word, when he ftiles the Gofpel the per^
feB Law of Liberty-y Jam. i. 25. And by
This is eafy to be underftood That other-
wife difficult expreffion of St Paul-y Rom.
viii. i^ ; Te have not received the Spirit
of bondage again to Fear^ but ye have
received the Spij'-it of Adoption^ whereby
we cry, Abba^ Father \ The meaning is,
we have Now, through the reconciliation
of Chrift, free Accefs to God, not as
Servants to a ftricSt Mafter, but as Sons
to a merciful and compaffionate Father.
Which reconciliation itfelf, ought never-
thelefs to be always carefully fo under-
ftood, not as if God was in Himfelf fe-
vere and cruel before the interpofuion of
Chrift ; but that God, of his own ori-
ginal and eternal Goodnefs, freely pro-
vided for us That reconciliation through
Chrift, which his infinite Wifdom judged
to be the propereft Method of extending
his Companion to us.

Laftly, where the Spirit of the Lord is^
there is Liberty ; not only from the Ter-
rour of pajl Sins, thro' the Redemption of
Chrift 5 but alfo Liberty from the Power

and

of the Gofpel. 399

and Dominion of Sin for the time to come, S e r m.
thro' the affiftance of his Spirit. In This -^^^1.
fenfe our Saviour ufes the word ; St "Joh^
viii. 36 ; If the Son (fays he) fiall make
you free^ ye Jl^all be Jree indeed ; free, m
oppofition to what is exprefled in the 34^^
verfe, Servants of Sin. St Paul in like
manner; Rom. viii. 2 ; 7 he Law of the Spi-
rit of Life in Chriji JefuSy hath made me
ivQ^from the Law of Sin and Death j free,
from the Slavery and Dominion of Wick-
ednefs ; delivered from the bondage of cor--
ruption, into the glorious liberty of the chiU
dren of God.

The words next following in the Text,
But we all with open Face, are not to be
underftood by way of oppofition to what
went before ; For T!hat takes away the
Clearnefs of the Senfe : But the Connexi-
on is, by way of explication of, or Infe-
rence from, the words immediately fore-
going : Where the Spirit of the Lord is,
where the Gofpel prevails effedlually, There
is Liberty ; And tFe all, or, ^nd thtrtforewe
ally all true Chriftians, do with open Face,
not thro* an obfcure Veil as the Jews, but
with open face behold the glory of the Lord.

The

40 o Of the Spiritual Nature

S E R M. The phrafe, with open Face^ fignifieS
^^^^- as much as, clearly^ plainly^ 2iv\di dijlin^'-
ly \ not in types 2x16, p^adows, not in oh^
fcure glympfes and faint reprejhitatiojis^
not in remote hints and diftant proJpeBs ;
but with 2ifiill and direB view, an im-
mediate intuition as of the Subjiance and
reality of things prefent and aBually be-
fore us. We behold the myftery of God
in Chrift, not as the children of Ifrael faw
the brightnefs of Mofes's countenance thro'
the Feil, (which is what the Apoflle here
alludes to;) but with open face ^ ^s Mofes
himfe/f is defcribed to have feen the Lord :
Exod. xxxiii. 1 1 ^ The Lordfpake unto Mo-
fesface toface, as a man fpeaketh unto his
Friend : And Num. xii. 8 ; With Him will
I fpeak mouth to inouth^ even apparently ^
and not in dark fpeeches % and the fimili^
tude of the Lord jh all he behold. Thus to
Us Chrijiians^ the Myftery of God's re-
conciliation to Sinners by the Method of
the Gofpel, the Riches of the glory of this
myjlery (as St Paul ftiles it,) Col. i. 27;
even the my fiery which had beoi hid frorn
Ages and from Generations \ is now made
plain and manifefi : fo plain and open, as

to

of the Go/pel. 401

to be called by way of Eminence, 2 Cor.^ e r m-
iv. 2 ; The Manifeftatlon of the Truth. '^^^^-

We all^ with open Face-, beholding xhc
Glory of the LorcT: That thefe words,
the Glory of the Lord, are to be under-
ftood, not in the literal, but in a figura-
tive fenfe, to fignify the clear and glori-
ous manifejlation of the Will of God by the
Gofpel -y is evident, as from the whole
connexion of the Apoftle's difcourfe in
this place, fo from the many oth^r paf-
fages of Scripture, wherein the Gofpel is
ftiled in like manner the riches of God's
Glory, Rom, ix. 23 -, the riches of the Glory
of this myftery. Col. i. 27 ; the Glory as
of the only -begotten of the Father, full of
Grace and Truth, Joh. i. 14 ; the Light of
the glorious Gofpel of Chrijl, who is the
Image of God, 2 Cor. iv. 4, and ver. 6 ;
the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory
ef God, jhining in our Heart, The words
of that whole verfe, are very remarkable ;
God, who commanded the Light to finne
out of Darknefs, ( that is, who manifefted
his Glory origi7ially in xhcfirft Creation
of Things) the fame God hath Jl.nned in
Vol. V. D d our

40 2 Of the Spiritual Nature

S E R M. <?//r hearts (has manifefted his Glory
XVII. ^YiQ fecond time no lefs confpicuoufly in
our redemption -, ) hath Jhined in our hearts^
to give the Light of the Knowledge of the
Glory of Gody in the Face of Jefus Chrijl.
And thefe two laft expreffions, Chrijl's
being the Image of God, and the Light
of the Knowledge of God's Glory\ Jhining
upon us in the Face (or in the Perfon) of
Chrijl; open to us the Ground and Mean-
ing, of that Similitude the Apoftle inter-
pofes in this part of the Text,

Beholding as in a Glafs, the Glory of
the Lord, That which he hereby in-
tended to exprefs, is, that in Chrijl, who
is the Image of the invifble God, and the
Great Revealer of his Will, we clearly and
plainly behold the whole pleajure of God
towards us. For, the Father, m 7nan hath
jeen at any time y no man hath Jeen, nor
Cdinfee; but the only-begotten Son, which
is in his Bofom, He has declared hij7i ^
and has declared him fo plainly, that he
who has Jeen me, faith our Saviour, has
Jeen the Father, foh, xiv. 9. There is a
phrafe, very like to This in the Tex, ufed
I in

of the Gofpel. 403

in a contrary fenfe by the fame Apoflle, S e r m.
in his former Epiftle to the Corinthians^ XVII.
ch. xiii. 12. Now (fays he) we fee through ^'^^^^^'^^
a glafs darkly y but Then face to face. In
which paflage, feeing through a glafs, fig-
nifies feeing darkly or ohfcurely^ in oppof-
tion to beholding plainly^ face to face :
But here in the Text, the phrafe fignifies
on the contrary, feeing clearly or plainly ;
and is the v try fame as, beholding face to
face : We all, with open face, beholding as
in a glafs the Glory of the Lord. The
words in the Original, are in Both places
more expreffive, than in the Tranflation ;
and (how plainly the Reafon of this dif-
ferent Signification. In one place, the
word, which we render, glafs, fignifies a
perfpeEiive-glafs -, which brings difiant
things into the reach indeed of our Sight,
but ftill very obfcurely, imperfeBly, and
indifiiji^ly -, and does therefore very apt-
ly and by a moft proper fimilitude exprefs
That View of a future ftate, which we
have by Faith and not by Sight. But
now in this other pafl!age in the Text,
the word which we render, glafs, fignifies
Vol, V. Dd 2 zMir-

404 Of the Spiritual Nature

S E R M. a Mirrour or Looking-glafs^ which on the
^^^_^ contrary repreients things plainly and di^
Jii7icil\\ face to face \ and therefore it no
lefs aptly reprefents that clear Light of the
Knowledge of the Glory and Will of God^
which Jldines to us (faith the Apoftle) in
the Face of Jefus Chrijl. We all, with
open face, beholding as in a glafs the Glory
of the Lord,
' It follows, Are changed into the fame

Image : The meaning is, As Chrif is, by
nature, the perfedl Image of God ; fo We^
by communication of Light and Know^
ledge from him, and by the practice of
Righteoufnefe and true Holinefs, in Obe-
dience to him and Imitation of him, are
transformed i?ito the fame hnage. As
Chrift is, by nature, the Son of God; fo
fFe, by Adoption and by the Fruits of his
Spirit dwelling in us, have this Love be-
flowed upon us, that We alfo, fljould be
called the Sons of God. For of his Fulnefs
have we all received, and grace for grace^
Joh. i. 1 6. That is, Through the Fulnefs
of thofe Divine Perfcftions, and of that
Grace which was conferred upon Him

without

of the Gofpel. 4^5

without meafure ; God has commuaicated S e r m.

• • • XVII

to Us a proportionable Fulnefs of Divine .^^..^^

Knowledge and Virtue, according to our

capacities ; and Grace^ that is, Mercy and

Favour, according to the meafure of the

Gift of Chriji.

But more particularly; Being changed

into the fame Image with Chrifl^ fignifies

Two things ; Firji^ being made like to

him in Holinefs here ; and Secondly y being

made like him in Glory hereafter, Firjl^

being changed into the fame Image with

Chrijly fignifies, being made like to him

in Holinefs here. The Image of God in

the mind of Man^ is Virtue and true

Righteoufnefs ; and therefore, when the

Scripture fpeaks of mens reforming from

Vice, or improving in Virtue; it is a very

lively defcription of the Excellency of

their State, to exprefs it by their being

transformed into the Image of God, or

being made after his Similitude or like^

nefs. Thus the Pfalmift ; As for me^ faith

he, / will behold thy prefence in righte^

oufnefs ; and when I awake up after thy

Likenefs, I Jhall be fatisfied with it Pf,

P d 3 ;^vii.

40 6 Of the Spiritual Nature

S E R M. xvii. 1 6. And the Apoftle St Taul^ Rom.
XVII. yjjj^ 29 ; Whom he did foreknow^ he alfo

^^^^'^ did predejiinate^ to be cojtformed to the
Image of his Son, that he might be the
jirjl-born among many brethren. That
God's predejlinating men to be conformed
to the hnage of his Son, does not here
fignify, decreeing concerning the PerfonSy
what they neceflarily fhould do ; but de-
creeing concerning the conditions, what
he would have them do -, is evident from
the parallel place, Eph,n. 10. where the
fame Apoftle tells us that it was, not the
perfons, but the good works, which God
before ordained, that we Jhould walk in
them. Again, Eph/iY, 23. Exhorting men
to the praftice of Virtue, he Thus ex-
preffes himfelf -, Be ye renewed ( fays he )

in the Spirit of your Mind, after God,

( after the example and fimilitude of

God, ) in Right eoufnefs and true Holi^

nefs \ After the Image of Him that cre-
ated you ; as it is, CoL iii. 10. Transform-
ed by the renewing of your Mijid ; as he
expreffes it, Rom. xii. 2.

Our

of the GofpeL 407

Our Saviour himfelf in his Prayer, S e r m.
delivering the fame Notion, fpeaks after .^^^.^^
the following manner, '^oh. xvii. 22 ; Tbe
Glory which thou gavejl Me, I have given
Them, that They may be One even as We
are One : His Meaning is the fame as
That in the Text, PFe bcholdi?2g as in a
glafs the Glory of the Lord, (the Light
of the Knowledge of the Glory of God
in the face of J ejus Chrijl, as it is explain-
ed immediately after,) are changed into
the fame Image, are made partakers of
his Glory, are made (as St Paul elfewhere
fpeaks ) the righteoufnefs of God in Him.
This is xhzfirft fignification of the phrafe,
our being made like to Chrifl in works
of righteoufnefs here,

2.dly, B E I N (J changed into the fame
Image with Chrif, fignifies alfo being
made like him in Glory hereafter. Thus
I Cor. XV. 49 ; As we have born the Image
of the Earthy, we pall alfo bear the
Image of the Heavenly : For, when Chrifl
who is our life fhall appear, then fall
We alfo appear with him in glory : And
Hejhall change this our vile Body, that^olill^,
D d 4 it

40 8 Of the Spiritual Nature

S E R M // may be fafhioned like unto his glorious
bod)\ according to that mighty workings
Fhii iii 'thereby he is able even tofubdue all things
21. unto himfelf. St. John adds another par-

ticular reafon, why we fliall in this fenfe
be changed into the fame Image with
Chrift ; I Joh, iii. 2 : We know^ that when
he fcall appear^ we Jloall be like him ;
For, fays he, we Jhall fee him as he is :
The words are a perfedl Explication of
thofe in the Text ; We all with open face
beholding the Glojy of the Lord, are changed
into the fajne Lnage,

The Next expreflion, from Glory to
Glory^ may be underftood to fignify the
manner of Communication of Chrift
Glory to Us, whether in the way of Righ-
teoifnefs here, or of Happinefs hereafter.
We beholding the Glory of the Lord, are
changed into the fame Image from Glory
to Glory ; that is, by Communication of
Glory to Us, from His Glory : According
to that Expreflion ©f our Saviour, before-
cited, Joh. xvii. 22 ', The Glory which thou
gavef Me, I have given Them ; and that
of the Evangelifc, Of his Fulnefs have

*we

of the Gofpel. 409

we all received Fulnefs, aitd Grace forSER m.
(or from) His Grace, ^nJx*!

But the more natural and obvious
Meaning of the words, from Glory to
Glory ^ is, from one degree of Glory to an-
other : We are changed into the fame
Image from Glory to Glory : That is,
from our Likenefs to Chrift in works of
Righteoufnefs and true Holinefs here, we
fhall improve and go forward unto a
further and more glorious Likenefs to
him in the Enjoyment of eternal Happi-
nefs hereafter. And this is the more
probable to be the true Senfe of the
words, becaufe it is the Nature or Idiom
of the Jewijh language, to exprefs any
improvement in degree, by a repetition of
the fame word. Thus P[. Ixxxiv. 7 ; 'T'hey
Jhall go from ftrength to ftrength 3 that is,
from one degree of ftrength to another :
And Ro7n. i. 17 ; In the Gofpel, the Righ-
teoufnefs of God, (or the Mercy of God,)
is revealed from Faith to Faith ; that is,
frorn one degree of Faith to another ;
from one degree of Clearnefs of revela-
tion, to another -, from a lefs clear dif-

penfa-

wy^sj

410 0/ the Spiritual Nature

S E R M. penfation under the haWy to a clearer one
^^^' under the Go/pel. And Thus therefore in
the Text like wife, from Glory to Glory,
may well be underftood to fignify, from
one degree of Glory to another ; from a lep
degree here^ to a greater and more perfedl
degree hereafter,

Lafly, The Apoflle concludes the
Whole, with the addition of thefe words,
eve?i as by the Spirit of the Lord. The
meaning of which is, that all thefe things
he had hitherto been difcourling upon,
were accomplifhed in fuch a manner^ in
fo wife, fo effeftual, fo glorious a man-
ner, as became the Dignity of the Great
Agent, and were worthy the Operation of
the Spirit of God, . The clear Revealing
tne Gofpel, to be the Spirit and End of
the Law : The Liberty procured men by
this merciful Difpenfation, from the Bur-
den and from the Terrour of the Law;
from the Guilt of paft Sin by Pardon,
which is Jtijiif cation ; and from the Do-
minion of Sin for the time to come,
which is Sandlification : The full and
diftindl Manifeftation of the glorious Pur^-^il

of the Gofpel. 411

pofe of God in Chrift, of bringing men S e r m.
through him to everlafting Salvation : .^^^^j^
The Communication of this Glory of
Chrijl to XJs^ by our being conformed to
his Image in Righteoufnefs here^ and in
Glory hereafter : All Thefe, are the Fruits
of that One and the fame Spirit^ which
worketh all in all^ and diflrihuteth Gifts
to every man federally according to the
Will of God : That Spirit, which infpired
the Prediftions of the Prophets, which
worked Miracles by the Apoftles, which
fpread the Gofpel by the Gift of Tongues,
which rejoices when Men embrace the Doc-
trine of Chrift, and affifts them in prafti-
fing it, and fupports them in fuffering for
it, and brings them finally unto Glory by it.
As St Faul excellently argues, Rom, viii.
10, II', If Chrifl be in you^ the Body is
dead, becaife of Sin ; but the Spirit is
Life, becaufe of Righteoifnefs : And if
the Spirit of him that raifed up Jefus
from the Dead, dwell in you ; he that
raifed up Chrifl from the Dead, fhall alfo
quicken- your mortal bodies^ by his Spirit
that dwelleth in you.

The

412 Of the Spiritual Nature

S E R M. The Application of what has been
X^^^- faid, is : Firjl^ from the true Explication

^^'^'^ of thefe words, T'he Lord is That Spirit,
we may take occafion to obferve, that in
all other places likewife of St Paiir^
epiftles, where the word. Spirit^ is oppo-
fed to, The letter or the Dead letter,
to Flejh or carnal Ordi?2ances -, it always
fignifies the Gofpel, or the fpiritual and
moral Precepts of Chrlft, in oppofition
to the Ceremonies of the Law of Mojes,
Which Obfervation is of great Ufe, a-
gainft thofe who would make Religion to
confift, not in the Pra6tice of Virtue and
true Righteoufnefs, but in unintelligible
myflical and enthufiaftick Notions.

Seco?idl)\ From the right underftand-
ing of thefe next words, Where the Spirit
of the Lord is, there is Liberty ; we may
learn the true interpretation of thofe ma-
ny paflfages, wherein the Apoflle contends
earneftly for the Liberty of Chriftians, or
for their being free from the Law, In
all which places, his Meaning is not, (as
fome in Modern times have moft unrea-
fonably argued,) that Chriftians are dif-

charged

of the Gofpel. 413

charged from any part of the Obligation S e r w.
of the moral Law, or that the Gofpel- r^^^^
difpenfation (as fome Enthufiafts have
imagined) fets men above the confine-
ments of common Morality : But his plain
Meaning, is This only ; that by the abo-
lition of CeremojiieSy we are difcharged
from the Burden of the Law; By the
Pardon declared in Chrift to Penitents,
we are delivered from the Ti err our and
Severity of the Law j and by the Af-
fiftance of his Grace we are made, not
free to Sin^ but free from Sin^ for the
time to come.

T'hirdly^ I f we now with open face be--
hold the Glory of the Lord, i. e. under-
ftand his Will clearly and diJiinBly^ not
in types and ihadows ; then ought we
above all things to endeavour to walk as
children of Lights as becometh thofe who
have fuch clear Knowledge of their Duty,
in all Holinefs and righteous Converfa-
tion.

Fourthly^ I f by this Means we are
cha?iged into the fame Image^ from Glory
to Glory^ i, e. from a Likenefs with

Chrift

414- ^f ^^^ Spiritual Nature^ Sec.

S E R M. Chrift here, to a Likenefs with him here-

XVII. ^ffgj. . ^i^Q^ ought we always to remem-

^^^^^^^ ber, that by no other way can we arrive

at a conformity with Chrift in Glory, but

by a conformity with him firft in Righ-

teoufnefs and true Holinefs,

Lajily, I f all this be worked in us as
by the Spirit of the Lord-, if all thefe Be-
nefits be the Operation of that One and
the fame Spirit, which always works with
us in proportion to our own Endeavours,
and will not dwell in a Soul that is pol-
luted with Sin : Then ought we above all
things to take heed, left by any vicious
practice we quench and grieve this good
Spirit of God, and drive him from us,
and thereby be found to have done de-
fpite unto the Spirit of Grace.

rheEnd of Vol. V.

BOOKS Printed for James and John
Knapton, at the Crown in St. Paul's
Church- Yard.

A Defence of Chriftianity from the Prophecies of the
Old Teftament : Wherein arc confidered all the Objec-
tioiiS againft this Kind of Proof, advanced in a late Dif-
courfe of the Grounds and Reafons of the Chrifiian Keligson^
The jd Edit. ^vo. By the Right Reverend Father in God
Edward Lord Bilhop of Durham.

A Vindication of- the Defence of Chriftianity from the
Prophecies of theOld Teftament: InAnfwer to the Scheme
of Literal Prophecy confider'd. In two Vols, With a Let-
ter from the Reverend Mr. Miijfon, concerning the Religion
of hUcrobiuSy and his Teftimony touching the Slaughter of
the Infants at Bethlehem. With a Poftfcript upon Virgil's
fourth Eclogue. By the Right Reverend Father in God
'Edward Lord Bifliop of Durham.

A Vindication of the Miracles of our Bleflfed Saviour; m
which Mr. Woolfion's Difcourfes on them are particularly
Examin'd, his pretended Authorities of the Fathers againft
the Truth of their literal Senfe are I'et in a juft Light, and
his Objedlions in Point of Reafon are Anfwer'd. Vol. I. In
which the Three firft Difcourfes of Mr. Woolfion are con-
fidered. By the Right Reverend Father in God Richard^
Lord Bifhop of Coventry and Lichfield. The 2d Edi-
tion. 8vo.

An Hiflorical Geography of the Old and New Tefta-
ment: Being a Geographical and Hiftorical Account of all
the Places and Countries mentioned or referred to in the
Books of the Old and New Teftament : Very ufeful for the
under/landing the Hiftory of the faid Books, and of feverdi
particular Tex:s. Throughout is inferted the prcfent State
of fuch Places as have been lately vilited by Perlbns of our
own Nation, and of unqueftionable Fidelity: Whereby the
Work is rendered pleafant and entertaining, as well as ufe-
ful. Illuftrated and adorned with feveral Maps and Cutts,
wherein is reprefented, the prefent State of the Places now
moft remarkable. ln4Vols. 8vo. The Second Edition. By
Edward ^''e Us y D. D. Rector of Cotefbach inLvice/ierfiire.

A Paraphrale with Annotations on all the Books of the
New Teftament. By Edward Wells, D. D. in 2 Vols, 4to.

An Anfwer to the Remarks upon Dr. Clarke's Expoii-
tion of the Church- Catechifm. price i s#

A Defcflce

BOOKS Printed for, &c.

A tJefcnce of the Anfwer to the Remarks upon Dr. Clarke's

Expolition ot the Church-Catechifm, Wherein the Difference
between moral and pojitive Duties is fully dated. Being a
t^eply to a Pamphlet entitled, The Nature, Obligation^ and
lifficacy of the Sacraments conjsder'd. -price i s.

The Innocency of Error alTerted and vindicated. In a Let-
ter to — The Third Edition, very much corredted and
improv'd by the Author, price 6d.

A Vindication of the Innocency of Error, ^c. from the
Milreprefcntations of the Lord Bifliop ot Oxford, price 6d.

The external Peace of the Church only attainable by a Zeal
for Scripture in its juft Latitude, and by mutual Charity j not
by a Pretence of Uniformity of Opinions, pr. is.

The Cafe of Subfcription to the Thirty-nine Articles coii*
Udered. pr, 6d.

A Reply to Dr. Waterland's Supplement to his Cafe of
Arian Subfcription. pr. 6d.

The Authority of the Clergy, and the Liberties of the Lai-
ty ftated and vindicated, in Anfwer to Dv. Rogers's Difcourfe
of the Vilible and Invifible Church. By ui. A. Sykes, D. D.

An EiTay upon the Truth of the Chriflian Religion: Where-
in it"; real Foundation upon the Old Tefiamsnt is fhewn. Oc-
cafioned by the Difcourle of the Grounds and Reafons of the
Chrifltan Religion. By A. A. Syhes, D. D.

Tlie true Grounds of the Expeftation of the Mefliah. In
two Letters. One printed in the London Journal ^ April iff,
1727. The other in Vindication of it. Being a Reply to
the Anfwer publifhcd at the end of a late Letter to Hv. Rogers.
By Fhilalethes. pr. is.

A Letter to the Earl of Nottingham, by a Curate of Lon-
don, pr, 6d.

The Confequences of the prefent Confpiracy to the Church and
State, confuLr'd: In a Sermon preached at the Chapel in
King'Jlreet, near Golden-Square j upon November 5th, 1722.
by A. A. Sykes, D. D. pr. ^d.

A Sermon preached at the Cathedral- Church of Si. faul,
en Monday, ^an. f, 1724, at the Anniverfary Meeting of the
Gentlemen educated at St. Raul's School. By A. A. Sykes, D. D.

The Duty of Love to God, and to our Neighbours. A Sermon
preached at the Alfizes held at Chelmsford in Effex, March 21.
1718. Before the Right Honourable the Lord Chief juftice.
Raymond, and Mr. jufHce Reynolds. By A. A. Sykes, D. D.

A Sermon preach'd at the Affizes held at Brentwood in Ef-
fex, Augufl 7. 1727, before the Right Honourable the Lord
Chief Juftice £jre, and Mr, Baron mle. By A. A. Svkes, D.D

m