CORNELL 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME 
 OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT 
 FUND GIVEN IN 1891 BY 
 
 HENRY WILLIAMS SAGE 
 
Cornell University Library 
 BR 45.B21 1781 
 
 Eight sermons preached before the Univer 
 
 3 1924 026 429 310 
 
The original of this book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924026429310 
 
EIGHT 
 
 S E R M O N S 
 
 PREACHED BEFORE THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY of OXFORD, 
 
 In the YEAR 1781, 
 
 At the LECTURE founded bv the late 
 
 Rev. JOHN BAMPTON, M. A. 
 
 CANON OF SALISBURY. 
 
 By TIMOTHY NEVE, D. D. 
 
 CHAPLAIN OF MERTON COLLEGE. 
 
 OXFORD: 
 
 Printed for D. Prince and J. Cooke, J. and J. Flecher ; 
 J. F. and C Rivihotok, and T. Cadell, London. 
 
 m DCC LXXX 1. 
 
 9 
 
Imprimatur, 
 
 SAM. DENNIS, 
 
 Vice-Can. Ox on. 
 June 19. 1781. 
 
.TO THE REVEREND 
 
 The VICE-CHANCELLOR 
 
 AND 
 
 HEADS of COLLEGES; 
 
 The following SERMONS, 
 
 PREACHED 
 
 AT THEIR APPOINTMENT, 
 
 ARE 
 
 RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED 
 
 BY THEIR 
 OBLIGED HUMBLE SERVANT, 
 
 T. NEVE. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 TH E following plain Difcourfes arc 
 fent abroa'd into the world merely in 
 compliance with the injunctions of the 
 Founder of that annual Lecture at which 
 they were preached. With regard to the 
 manner in which the Author of them hath 
 difcharged the truft delegated to his care, He 
 can only fay, that with more leifiire and 
 fewer avocations, his work might probably 
 have been lefs faulty and better finifhed. 
 But he hopes the nature of his fubject is 
 fuch and fo important, as may atone for 
 fome defects in the execution -, and that 
 the obligation of their publication will be 
 a fufficient apology for it. 
 
 Many attacks have been made of late, 
 not only on fome of the leading Articles of 
 Chriftianity, but even on the general plan 
 and defign of it : And thefe have been in- 
 deed the more dangerous, from the artful- 
 nefs of the mode, and from the variety and 
 
 fpeciouf- 
 
ii PREFACE. 
 
 ipecioufnefs of the colouring in which they 
 have been delivered. Againft writers of 
 this ftamp are thefe Difcourfes chiefly le- 
 velled i and perhaps there is nq better me- 
 thod of confuting them, than by dating 
 the truth in its genuine and fcriptural light, 
 and giving the general arguments tha.t fair 
 arrangement whfch may be necefTary for 
 fhofe, who either cannot, ox vfill not * exa " 
 mine and fearch c^ilig^nttly the whole Bpqfe 
 of God. 
 
 The grand point which the Author has 
 principally attempted to Uluftrate, is, that 
 well, known but top rmich neglec/ted truth, 
 that Jefus Cbriji is, the Saviqijr of the 
 Worldi, and the Redeemer of Mankind. 
 This fundamental dodtr^ne is firft proved 
 .by the ancient Scriptures, or the argument 
 from Prophecy y an, argument* which^ in 
 its fulj fcope. and, completion, is, irrefijftibk,, 
 and muft convince every candid an.dim.par-* 
 tial mind, : But ifi prefer to induce men to 
 judge for tftemfelves what is, right, and. to, 
 fqarch the Scriptures^ whether the, grand 
 dogrines. of the Chriftian Faith are con- 
 
 , tained 
 
PREFACE. iii 
 
 tained therein, he has endeavoured to re- 
 commend the knowledge and ftudy of them 
 by fottie very powerful and perfuafive mo- 
 fives. He has in the next place confidered' 
 the fuperior defifeabl'e nature of the true 
 knowledge of God and (Thrift, "and the 
 comparative excellencies of the Chrif- 
 fian tlifcoveries over the greateft efforts of 
 unaffifted Reafon, and even the earlier Re- 
 velations of God! himfelf under the Mofai- 
 cal oeconomy. Thefe, as fo mafly prepa- 
 ratory ftepS, tended to introduce the pef- 
 fon arid character of Jefus the Son of God, 
 whole offices and high cOffimiffion he hafh 
 explained, and fhewed him to. be every 
 Way qualified for the very important errand 
 dn which he was fent ; a Light fo lighten 
 the Gentiles, that all fl'efh mould fee, and 
 partake of the Salvation of God. 
 
 Thus was God reconciling the world 
 unto himfelf: This was his gratuitous 
 overture of Love and Mercy. It next be- 
 hoves us to reflect, what part or mare be- 
 longs to Us, fO render this fo great Salva- 
 tion efTecHuaT. This idea hath given occa- 
 fion to an examination into the honour and 
 
iv PREFACE. 
 
 reverence due to that blefled Son of God, 
 who hath done fuch glorious things for us; 
 and alfo hath led to an expofition of the 
 nature and efficacy of our Chriftian Faith, 
 and the neceflity of the publick confeffion 
 or avowal of that faving vital Faith which 
 is the natural certain confequence of its 
 proceeding from confirmed principles of 
 rational conviction. But alas ! as all are 
 not Chrift's that are called by his holy 
 name : The laft point, as no improper 
 conclufion of the foregoing obfervations, is 
 an inquiry into the caufes and reafons why 
 this Faith thus important and thus recom- 
 mended, is not more generally and univer- 
 fally effectual to influence the heart and 
 affections -, and how, after all, it happens,, 
 that fo many mould difregard their own 
 plain intereft, and that in a matter of fuch 
 effential and eternal confequence. 
 
 The Author hopes he has treated thefe 
 momentous fubjects with a tolerable degree 
 of precifipn and accuracy; and heartily 
 wifhes his labours may be received by 
 others, with that fincerity and good meaning 
 with which" they were written by himfelf. 
 
ExtraB from the lafi Will and Tes- 
 tament of the late Rev. JOHN 
 BAMPTON, Canon of SalifburyV 
 
 '* I give and bequeath my Lands 
 
 " and Eftates to the Chancellor, Mailers, 
 " and Scholars of the Univerfity of Ox- 
 " ford for ever, to have and to hold all 
 " and lingular the faid Lands or Eftates 
 " upon truft, and to the intents and pur- 
 '* pofes hereinafter mentioned ; that is to 
 " fay, I will and appoint, that the Vice- 
 '« Chancellor of the Univerfity of Oxford 
 " fdr the time being (hall take and receive 
 " all the rents, ifllies, and profits thereof, 
 " and (after all taxes, reparations, and ne- 
 " ceflary deductions made) that he pay all 
 «* the remainder to the endowment of eight 
 " Divinity Lecture Sermons, to be efta- 
 " blifhed for ever in the faid Univerfity, 
 " and to be performed in the manner fol- 
 " lowing : 
 
 " I direct and appoint, that, upon. the 
 " firft Tuefday in Eafter Term, a Lec- 
 " turer be- yearly chofen by the Heads' of 
 
 '" Colleges; 
 
" Colleges only, and by no others, in the 
 " room adjoining to the Printing-Houfe, 
 '* between the hours of ten in the morn- 
 " ing and two in the afternoon, to preach 
 " eight Divinity Lecture Sermons, the year 
 '.' following, at St. Mary's in Oxford, be- 
 " tween the commencement of the laft 
 " month in Lent Term, and the end of 
 " the third week in Aft Term. 
 
 " Alfo I direeT: and appoint, that the 
 " eight Divinity Le&ure Sermons fhall b& 
 " preached upon either of the following 
 " fubje&s — to confirm and eftablifh the 
 ** Chriftian Faith, and to confute all he- 
 " retics and fchifmatics — upon the divine 
 " authority of the Holy Scriptures — upon 
 " the authority of the writings of the pri- 
 '.' mitive Fathers, as to the faith and prac- 
 " tice of the primitive Church — upon the 
 *' Divinity of our Lord and Saviour Jefus 
 " Chrift — upon the Divinity of the Holy 
 " Ghoft — upon the Articles of the Chrif- 
 " tian Faith, as comprehended in the 
 ** Apoftles' and Nicene Creeds. 
 
 " Alfo I direcTi, that thirty copies of the 
 " eigfeit Divinity Ledture Sermons mail be 
 
 *' always 
 
" always printed, within two months after 
 «« they are preached, and one copy fhall be 
 «* given to the Chancellor of the Univer- 
 " fity, and one copy to the Head of every 
 " College, and one copy to the Mayor of 
 " the City of Oxford, and one copy to be 
 *« put into, the Bodleian Library ; and the 
 " expence of printing them fhall be paid 
 "out of the revenue of the Lands or 
 " Eftates given for eftablifhing the Divinity 
 " Ledture Sermons j and the Preacher fhall 
 " not be paid, nor be entitled to the re- 
 *« venue, before they are printed. 
 
 «* Alfo I diredt and appoint, that no 
 " perfon fhall be qualified to preach the 
 " Divinity Leclure Sermons, unlefs he hath 
 *« taken the Degree of Mafler.of Arts at 
 '« leaft, in one of the two Univerfities of 
 " Oxford or Cambridge ; and that the 
 " fame perfon fhall never preach the Divi- 
 " nity Ledture Sermons twice." 
 
 The clear income of Mr. BamptonV ejiate 
 amounts to about 120 1, per ann. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 S E R M O N I. 
 
 Jefus Chrift the predicted Meffiah. 
 
 John v. 29. the lafl claufe. 
 — 'they are they which tejiijy of Me. Pig. 1 
 
 SERMON II. 
 
 The true knowledge of God and Chrift. 
 
 John xvii. 3., 
 
 This is life eternal, that they might know thee 
 the only true God, and Jefus Chrijl, whom 
 thou hajlfent. — — 25 
 
 S E R M O N III. 
 
 The comparative excellency of Chriftian 
 morality. 
 
 I Cor. i. 21. middle claufe,, 
 The world by wifdom knew not God. 53 
 
ii CONTENTS. 
 
 SERMON IV. 
 
 Pre-eminence of .the Chriftian over the 
 Mofaical Law. 
 
 Gal. lii. 21. latter part. 
 If there bud been a law given, "which 
 
 could have given life, verily rigbteoufnefs 
 ffiauld have been by the laiff. - 1 — 85 
 
 SERMON V. 
 
 Time and place of birth, and the perfofi 
 of Chrifl: confidered. 
 
 Lu£e iL 11. 
 
 Unte yem h hem this day in th city of 
 David, a Saviour, which is Chfift the- 
 Lord. — — — — in 
 
 SERMON VI. 
 Difhonouring Chri& is difhonouring God. 
 
 John; v. 23, latter pafd. 
 
 - — He that honour eth not the Son? honour eth 
 not the Father which hathfent him, 139 
 
CONTENTS. iii 
 
 SERMON VII. 
 
 The neceffity of inward Faith and outward 
 Confqffion. 
 
 Rom. x. 10. 
 
 With the heart man believeth unto Rightesuf- 
 nefs, and with the mouth confejjion is made 
 unto Salvation. 173 
 
 SERMON VIII. 
 
 The caufes of the inefficacy of the Word 
 and Faith. 
 
 Heb. iy. 2. 
 
 Unto us was tkfi- Go/pel preached, as well as 
 unto them, but the word preached did not 
 
 . profit them, not being mixed with faith 
 in them that heard it. 207 
 
Lately publijhed by the fame Author, 
 
 The comparative Bleffings of Chriftianity, 
 a Sermon preached before John Earl of 
 Weftmorland, Chancellor, and the Uni- 
 verfity of Oxford, upon Acl Sunday, 
 July 8. 1759. 
 
 ALSO, 
 
 Animadverfions upon Mr. Phillips's Hif- 
 tory of the Life of Cardinal Pole, 1766. 
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 Pag. 64. note', 1. i. Naturas, read Natura — P. 71. 1. 7. 
 Teimony, /Wteftimony — P. 105. 1. 3. note d , Teftameuto, 
 read teftamento— P. 143. 1. 2. after prefent, add with him 
 »-P. 170. 1. 3. from the bottom, note % after one, add as. 
 
( I ) 
 
 SERMON I. 
 
 John v. 39. the laft claufe. 
 
 they are they which tejiify of Me. 
 
 The whole verfe runs thus, 
 
 Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye 
 have eternal life, and they are they which 
 tejiify of Me. 
 
 IF we attentively confider either the ex- 
 alted character of the Speaker of thefe 
 words, or the plain fignification of the 
 words themfel ves, we cannot but look upon 
 them as bearing a mofl important tefti- 
 mony to the grace and condefcenfion of 
 the Almighty, in fupporting the feveral 
 manifeftations of his will with fuch clear 
 „ A evi- 
 
2 SERMON I. 
 
 evidence of their fupreme authority, that 
 our acquiefcence in, or belief of them, muft 
 manifeftly appear the genuine refult of 
 rational perfuafion and conviction. 
 
 To foretel future events, to point Out 
 perfons hereafter to exift, and circumftan- 
 tially to defcribe the feveral diftinguifhing 
 peculiarities of their lives and actions, muft, 
 when the determined period arrives cor- 
 refponding with the antecedent prediction, 
 demonftrate the intervention of a fuperior 
 Being, and raife the attention of the world 
 to regard it as proceeding from the determi- 
 nate counfel and foreknowledge of him % whofe 
 word pall accomplijh that which he pleafethi 
 and it jhall pro/per in the thing whereto he 
 fends it \ 
 
 Viewed in this light, the affertion of our 
 bleffed Lord in the text, if underftood with 
 a view to the full fcope of this argument, 
 is a fufficient vindication of his divine mif- 
 fion j an ample proof that he affumed no 
 novel or unheard of character j that he at- 
 tempted no other change in the religious 
 fyftem of the Jews than what a long fuc- 
 
 1 ASs'ix. 23. b If. lv. ii. 
 
 ceffion 
 
SERMON I. 3 
 
 ceffion of their own Prophets had previoufly 
 and fignificantly marked out. Inftead there- 
 fore of being looked upon by them with an 
 evil eye, as the enemy of their Law, they 
 Ought rather to have efteemed him as the 
 continuator and perfecter of it. 
 
 " c The Old Teftament, fays our Church 
 *' in one of her Articles, is not contrary to 
 *« the New : for both in the Old and New 
 '* Teftament everlafting life is offered to 
 " mankind by Chrift, who is the only me- 
 *« diator between God and man, being both 
 *' God and man." A declaration this, not 
 only verified by that famenefs of plan and 
 defign obfervable in each, but by the ex- 
 prefs teftimony of Scripture itfelf. To 
 this purpofe, the author of the Epiftle to 
 the Hebrews begins his glorious defence 
 of Chriftianity with this expreffive pofi- 
 tion. God, who at fundry times and in di- 
 vers manners, Jpake in time pajl unto th& 
 fathers by the prophets, hath in thefe lafi days 
 fpoken unto us by his Son * j clearly inti- 
 mating, that the Chriftian as well as Jewifh 
 Religion owed its original to one and the 
 
 c Art. vii. d Heb.'i. i, z. 
 
 A 2 fame 
 
4 SERMON L 
 
 fame divine Author j came equally recom-* 
 mended to the notice and efteem of man- 
 kind, and bore equal credentials of God's 
 immediate infpiration: with this fpecial dif- 
 ference however, that the Chriftian was to 
 be introduced and eftablifhed in the world 
 at its predefined feafon, when it fhould 
 fuperfede the neceffity and obligation of the 
 other. 
 
 The Gofpel of Chrift therefore could 
 not be propofed to the world at its intro- 
 duction, like the religion of nature, ac- 
 cording to the fcheme of 'modern infidels, 
 as only fit or reafonable to be complied with, 
 but as a matter ;of general and indifpenfable 
 duty, enacted under the fevereft penalties 
 by the authority of its divine Legiflator. 
 We cannot then wonder at the zeal and 
 earneftnefs of the ApofUes and firft Preach- 
 ers of it -, or that fo many mould be repre- 
 fented as prefiing into that Religion which 
 offered the Kingdom of Heaven to its pro- 
 felytes, and invited every individual to con- 
 fider it as particularly addrefTed to himfelf 
 by that God, who hath a right to command 
 his obedience, and a power to punifh his 
 neglect or rejection of it. 
 
 And 
 
S E R M O N I. 5 
 
 And not more with zeal, than with fin- 
 cerity and truth, did the Apoftles commend 
 themfehes ' and their dodtrine to every man's 
 (onfcience in the Jight of God: not indeed 
 with the enticing words of man's wifdom f , by 
 philofophical and metaphyfical proofs, or 
 abftradted reafonings; for thefe are not level 
 to the capacities of the generality of man- 
 kind; but by the plaineft narrations of 
 fa<fts done upon earth, and confirmed by 
 miracles from heaven, evincing that God 
 was in them of a truth z , in demonjiration of 
 thefpirit and of power b . 
 
 Thofe who have attempted to maintain 
 that Grange fuggeftion, " that Chriftianity 
 "is not founded on argument," feem to 
 forget what hath been proved beyond all 
 contradiction; that there are no clearer 
 grounds and reafons, nor any of greater 
 moral certainty, than can and have been 
 given for the truth of the Gofpel: But 
 thefe, after all, have no greater weight than 
 the force of moral evidence : This was 
 
 e 2 Cor. iv. z. ' i Cor. li. 4. * l Cor.xiv. 25. 
 * I Cor. ii. 4. 
 
 A 3 not 
 
6 SERMON I. 
 
 not the apoftolical method of arguing; 
 which was a fimple atteftation of fads or 
 hiftorical truths, the teftimony of which 
 all were capable of understanding, becaufe 
 it was fuited to the capacities of all. 
 
 The Apoftles, in Confirmation of what 
 they faid and what they did* were con- 
 tinually appealing to the written word of 
 God, to the Law, and to the Prophets; 
 to the Scriptures acknowledged, by thofe 
 who were referred to them,, to be written 
 under the immediate direction of God's 
 holy Spirit. Our blefTed Lord himfelf con- 
 defcended to take this method for the 
 .conviction Of others of the truth of his 
 dodtrine and his miffion ; which appears as 
 well from the words and reafonings of the 
 text, as from that memorable conference 
 with the two Difciples going to Emmaus ; 
 when beginning at Mofes, and all the Pro- 
 phets, he expounded unto them in all the Scrip- 
 tures, the things concerning himfelf' 1 . With 
 great propriety therefore did he aflure the 
 Jews* that had they believed Mofes, they 
 would have believed him k . By appealing to 
 ' Luke xxiv. 27. k John v. 46. 
 
 this 
 
SERMON I. 7 
 
 this allowed authority, St. Peter at his firft 
 Sermon converted three thoufand fouls ' to 
 the faith of Chrift then newly rjfen from 
 the dead. Thus like wife, in that noble 
 apology which St. Paul made before Agrip^ 
 pa and Feftus, he maintained that he wit- 
 nejj'ed or teftified, Joying, none other things 
 than thofe which the Prophets and Mofes did 
 Jay Jhould come m . Thus at Theflalonica, 
 thus at Beraea, thus at Rome, he reafoned 
 and proved- from the Scriptures, that Jefus 
 was the Qhrif n . 
 
 It would be endlefs to multiply HJlirno-* 
 nies to this purpofe. Such appeals as they 
 are numerous, io are they the ftrongeft 
 foundation s of a Cfrriftian faith. They who 
 receive the Scriptures as the revealed will 
 of God will be more effectually convinced 
 by allegations derived from that decifive 
 authorityj than from all the fpecious prin- 
 ciples, or refined theories, which the wit 
 of thofe who are mfe in their own conceits' ', 
 may plaufibly or needlefsly invent to vin- 
 dicate the ways of God to man. Such 
 
 1 ABs n. 14. m ABs xxvl. 22. 
 
 " Aft* xvii. 3. 1 1. xxviii. 23, &c. " Rom. xii. 16. 
 
 A 4 under- 
 
8 'SERMON I. 
 
 undertakings indeed are rather fuperfluous. 
 The rule is this, and it is enough : If God 
 hath faid it, it muft be true; if he hath 
 commanded it, it muft be done; if he hath 
 forbidden it, it rriuft be avoided. Thefe 
 are plain and intelligible truths to all, and 
 like firft principles are fo felf- evident, that 
 they admit' of no difpute. Scriptural ar- 
 guments are therefore the fureft, the plained, 
 and the ftrongeft to believers. 
 
 They who would flight fuch a {landing 
 Revelation, which God hath made the ftated 
 ordinary means of grace and converfion, 
 would equally difregard a meffenger, though 
 one rojefrom the dead toperfuade them f . Such 
 an awful apparition might terrify and afto- 
 nifh them at the time, but the effects of it 
 would be tranfitory, and would vanifh as 
 fpeedily as the fpe&re itfelf : the other 
 would approve itfelf the moft rational, ge- 
 neral, and lafting means of conviction, as 
 containing the fureft evidences of our Faith, 
 and being able to make us wife unto Salvation % 
 
 t Luke xv'u. 31. * 2 Tim, Hi, 15. 
 
 In 
 
SERMON I. g 
 
 In conformity therefore to the will and 
 direction of the liberal Founder of thefe 
 exercitations, that his preachers mould con- 
 firm and ejlablijh the main articles pf the 
 Chrijiian faith in general', it furely can 
 be no improper introduction to the fuc- 
 ceeding difcourfes, to point out fome of the 
 leading or principal paflages in the Old 
 Teftament, which are clear atteftations of 
 the Meffiah* from his primary defignation 
 to his perfonal advent or manifestation in 
 the flefh. 
 
 As the redemption, or recovery and re- 
 iteration of mankind to future eternal hap- 
 pinefs, is that gracious overture of his, love 
 which God hath communicated to us thro* 
 the medium of the Scriptures j it may 
 well be fuppofed, that fufficient intimation 
 would be given of the means intended by 
 God to efFe<ft it : That nothing might be 
 wanting from time to time to Strengthen 
 the expectation, and direct the profpect of 
 believers, in proportion to that degree of 
 Jight, grace, and knowledge, which he 
 
 r Sec the Will. 
 
 vouch- 
 
io SERMONi, 
 
 vouchfafed to beftow upoir them. With- 
 out the agency of a fuperintending Provi- 
 dence, it would have been an utter impofli- 
 bility to imagine, that a regular, well ar- 
 ranged, and confiftent plan, could be car- 
 ried on for upwards of four thoufand years j 
 and under the adminiftration of different 
 perfons of various countries, callings, and 
 interefts, who, in their feveral fucceflive 
 generations, fhould have the fame point 
 perpetually in view ; to which, as to, a 
 common center, they mould all uniformly 
 tend, without any the leaft variation or 
 contradiction. Such a continued harmony 
 and union, both of fcheme and fentiment, 
 muft owe its progrefs as well as its rife to 
 that God who is great in counfel, and mighty 
 in work ', who giveth wifdom, and knowledge ; 
 and wider/landing*. This connected plan 
 of the divine Decrees, fo vifibly and re- 
 gularly purfued, muft, in thex feveral ftages 
 of its advancing maturity, neceflarily raife 
 the expectation, and excite the regard 
 of every age to . that grand and mo- 
 mentous period, which mould convin- 
 cingly difplay the tranfcendent dignity 
 of that extraordinary difpenfation ordained • 
 • Jer. xxxii. 19. * Prov. ii. 6. 
 
 to 
 
SERMON I. ii 
 
 to be over all, and to take place in its ap- 
 pointed time. 
 
 Very high indeed can we trace both the 
 neceffity and difcovery of a Mediator and 
 Redeemer; the feed of the woman Jhall bruife 
 the ferpeni 's head u , was the earlieft promul- 
 gation of the deftined bleffing, and was 
 pronounced immediately after that fatal 
 tranfgreffion of our firft progenitor, which 
 made infirmity permanent w . From hence 
 do we date, if not the rife, at leaft the firft 
 publick intimation of Chriftianity. 
 
 This original grace and promife was fome 
 time after renewed to Abraham, and the 
 certainty of its accomplishment, by repeat- 
 ed affurances, confirmed to him and his 
 family. More explicit difcoveries of this 
 intended blefling were afterwards commu- 
 nicated to the patriarchs Ifaac and Jacob. 
 To the dependents of the latter it was 
 more particularly limited, being reftrained 
 to the pofterity of his fon Judahj from 
 whom mould proceed that great illuftrious 
 Prophet, whom God would raife up, and 
 
 ■ Gen. iii. ij. w z JSJdr. iii. 22. 
 
 unto 
 
is S E R M O N I. 
 
 unto him fhould the gathering or obedience 
 of the people be 1 . Out of the tribe bear- 
 ing his name, in later times, was the regal 
 houfe and family of David, in a more efpe- 
 cial manner, fele&ed as a type or reprefen- 
 tation of the predicted Meffiah, and the 
 ftate of his kingdom : the fpirit of pro- 
 phecy emphatically pronouncing that the 
 root ofjejfe, the father of the line of Da- 
 vid, or his pofterity, Jhall Jland for an en- 
 Jign to the people; to it Jhall the Gentiles 
 feek z , or betake themfelves. 
 
 1 That thefe circumftances, fo minutely 
 prophetical of the Meffiah, were eminently 
 fulfilled in the perfon of our Jefus, we have 
 every reafonable, every poffible fatisfaclion 
 that the argument will admit of. We 
 have a twofold hiftory of his pedigree 
 refpe&ing the fucceffion of his natural 
 and legal parentage, tranfmitted to us by 
 two of the Evangelifts, who wrote the hif- 
 
 y Gen. xlix. 10. nnp* from np». Di&oaudiens fuit, pa- 
 ring obedivit, fo Aynfworth. In this fenfe the word is ren- 
 dered by our tranflatora, Prmrbs xxx. 17. It occurs only 
 in thefe two places, 
 
 1 If. xi. 10. um, cum praepofione bn, non fignificat 
 quaerere, fed tendere, confluere aut fe conferre. T)ejit. xii. 5* 
 Bootii Animadv. ad Textuin Heb. Vef . Teft. L. i. c. v. 
 (. vl. p. 36. 
 
 tory 
 
SERMON I. 
 
 *3 
 
 tory of his life, in the very age in which 
 he had appeared, and within a very few 
 years after his afcenfion. 
 
 Had the relations they give of our blef- 
 fed Lord's defcent been as falfe, or incon- 
 fiftent, as fome cavillers have taken pains to 
 reprefent them, they would have been in- 
 ftaritly detected at the very time of their 
 publication. The Jews would have ob- 
 jected to their report, and called the vera- 
 city of their tables in queftion. As no- 
 thing of this appears, their teftimony muft 
 remain unimpeached. Some difficulties 
 may feem perhaps to embarrafs both the 
 genealogies in their prefent ftate; yet are 
 they eafily reconcileable, and the objections 
 of no material confequence : Both of them 
 being full and clear in this principal point, 
 (which indeed is all that we are required 
 to believe concerning them, and is enough 
 for our comfort and fatisfa&ion) that Jefus 
 was of the feed of Abraham, of the family 
 of David, and born in the flefh of the 
 Virgin Mary c . 
 
 c See this fubjeft very accurately confidered, in Mr. Yard- 
 ley's Critical Examination and Defence of the Genealogies 
 of Jefus Chrift, as recorded by St. Matthew and St. Luke. 
 
 So 
 
14 SERMON I. 
 
 So incontrovertible was this particular, 
 that the author of the Epiftle to the He- 
 brews appeals, in the moft direct and pofi- 
 tive terms, to the Jews themfelves for the 
 truth of it. It is evident, fays he, that our 
 Lord/prang out of Judah d . This facl: they 
 neither did, nor could pretend to deny. 
 His parents, at the general taxation of the 
 empire, had been publickly regiftred as be- 
 ing of the houfe and lineage David e . In 
 a cafe of fuch high importance, and which 
 would be fo much enquired into by the 
 Jewim people, it was abfolutely incumbent 
 upon the Evangelifts to be exaft and faith- 
 ful in collecting and preferving the records 
 of the origin and birth of Jefus Ohrift ; 
 " fo as to deliver a truth, not only that 
 " could not be gain-faid; but alfo, that 
 *' might be proved and eftablifhed from 
 " certain and undoubted rolls of anceftors, 
 ** at that time well enough known, and laid 
 " up in the publick repofitories, and in the 
 ** private alfo f ." 
 
 i Heb. vii. 14. e Luke ii. 4. 
 
 * JLightfoot'a Hois Hebrakae, &c. Vol. II. p. 96. 
 
 Thofe 
 
S E R M O N I. 15 
 
 Thofe perfons, likewife, who were more 
 immediately called to the prophetical func- 
 tion, -expatiate largely in their defcription of 
 his character and office, in all its feveral 
 branches; delineating, with the utmoft pre- 
 cifion, the greatnefs and extent of thole 
 bleffings to be derived from him, who, 
 like the fun in the natural world, fhould 
 arife with healing in his wings* j and be the. 
 fource and fountain of religious grace and 
 knowledge to every people, and nation, and 
 language : It being the principal purpofe 
 of their appointment to tejiify beforehand 
 the fufferings of Chriji, and the glory that 
 jhoula ] follow h . 
 
 The Prophet Ifaiah, who, by way of 
 eminence and diftindtion, is called the 
 Evangelical Prophet, becaufe he foretold fo 
 great a variety of events, refpedting the 
 regal and facerdotal, the exalted and the 
 humiliatory ftate of the Meffiah, is very 
 copious upon this fuhjecT:. His whole 
 book is full of the moft fublime and mag- 
 nificent images expreffive of the grace, and 
 
 s Mai. iv. 2. h 1 Pet. i. 1 1 . ' 
 
 love. 
 
i6 SERMONI. 
 
 love, and goodnefs of God; and of the 
 ilate and the privileges, of the glory and 
 the felicity of Chrift's kingdom. He ac- 
 quaints us with all the memorable circum- 
 ftances attending his nativity, with the 
 greatnefs of his excellency, his high origi- 
 nal, his inherent divinity, and his pre- 
 exiftent ftate; with the value and efficacy 
 of his furFerings, his complete fatisfadtion, 
 and his meritorious interceffion j with the 
 rejection of the Jews, and with the call 
 and acceptance of the Gentiles. Thefe are 
 topicks on which he dwelleth with parti- 
 cular ardour and energy. 
 
 This is the language of fucceeding Pro- 
 phets, hiving wafers, fays Zechariah, Jhall 
 go out of Jerufalem -, the Ljsrd Jhall be king 
 over all the earth : in that" day there Jhall be 
 one Lord, and his name one J : Jeremiah \r 
 righteous branch of David, the Lord feho- 
 vah our righfeoufnefs k : Ezekiel'j one king, 
 and one Jhep herd of Ifrael 1 : Micah'j ruler 
 in Ifrael, whofe goings forth have been from of r 
 old from everlajling m : Haggai'j defire of all 
 nations " •• ' Malachi'j mejfenger, or angel, of 
 
 1 Zath. xiv. 8, 9.. k Jer. xxiii. 5, 6. * Exek. 
 
 xxxvii. 22. 24. m Mic. v. 2. " Hag. ii. 7. 
 
 the 
 
S E k M"Q N £ 17 
 
 ffo covenant . Thefe feveral predictions are 
 abundantly expreffive of the eternity, the 
 divine nature, and-perfon of the Mefliah, and 
 have been always conftahtly applied-, by the 
 ancient Jews to the -tfi fne* of his appearing,, 
 To the fame purpole, in like manner, 
 Jacob's Shiloh p , Balaam's far of J&cob and 
 Jceptre' of lfrael q , Job's *7KA r , or refcuer 
 from deftru&ion and death, and the like, 
 cannot be confiftently interpreted, accord- 
 ing to ' the general tenor of Scripture ; if 
 they be not confideted'- as fo many concur- 
 rent references to the perfon and grace, the 
 power and kingdom of Chrift 4 How ama- 
 zingly full and particular in his predictions, 
 and punctual in all the circumftances of 
 them, is the Prophet Daniel in ftating thd 
 precife time of Mefliah' s appearance ; and 
 how exactly correfpondent is the narrative 
 of the evangelical hiftbrians to the minu- 
 teft tranfadtions, ages before pronounced to 
 be performed by him, who was to be the 
 Mefliah ; fo that the predictions have al- 
 ready received an abundant verification in 
 their accomplifhment. 
 
 Mal.iW.'i. 
 
 i" Gen. *lix. 10. 
 
 ' Num. xxitf. 17. 
 
 * Job xix. 25, 
 
 
 >' 
 
 •' ' ' 
 
 B 
 
 But 
 
i9 SERMON I. 
 
 But moreover befides thefe direcl: alln- 
 fions and prophecies, there were feveral 
 perfons, events, and things under the 
 Jewifh difpenfation, intended either as em- 
 blematical reprefentations, or prefigurative 
 types, forefhadowing by fome legal cere- 
 mony or other, the various ftates of the 
 Meffiah ; and in- their general plan tending 
 to illuftrate the grand doctrine of the me- 
 diatorial fcheme. The command to Abra- 
 ham to, offer his fon Ifaac* •, the blefling 
 imparted to Judah ' ; the fufferings, exal- 
 tation, and perfon of Jofeph ; the prieft- 
 hood of Melcbizedek and Aaron j the call, 
 election, and government of Mofes; the 
 triumphs of Jojhua; the reign of David-, 
 the redemption of the firft-bornj the bra- 
 zen ferpent -, the killing of facrifices, more 
 efpecially of the Pafchal Lamb ; the ac- 
 tions and ceremonies upon the great day 
 of expiation, attending both xhtfcupe goat, 
 and the goat appointed for the Jin offering* 
 whofe blood was to make atonement v ; All 
 thefe various myftical emblems, whether 
 
 * Gen. xxii. 22. Gen. xlix 8—12. 
 
 T Lev. xvi. 
 
 perfonal, 
 
SERMONJ. 19 
 
 perfonal, occafional, or perpetual, look to 
 one and the fame grand character which 
 gave them their importance. 
 
 Indeed the whole Gecbnomy of the Jew- 
 ifh law, as the authority of Infpiration 
 aflures us, was our Schoolmajler to bring us 
 to Chrijl u , having a fecondary and fymbo- 
 lical meaning, only to be illuftrated by a 
 Saviour's perfon, acts, and character.' And 
 though from the nature, fubjeft, and de- 
 fign of the Old Teffiament, a literal and 
 hiftorieal fenfe is manifeftj yet as the feve- 
 ral particulars were analogical to the fign s 
 and? times of the Mefliah, and the chief, re- 
 femblances remarkably coincident in both, 
 they may juftly bfe deemed appropriated to 
 him, as having their completion in the 
 correfpondent antitypes of the Chfiftiaii. 
 difpenlation. 
 
 The truth of this will be evident, if we 
 advert to the general fcope of the Epiftle 
 to the Hebrews •, which, whilft it explains 
 "the whole fyftem of the Gofpel by proofs 
 drawn from the Old Teftament. (which 
 
 ■ Gal. 'ill. 24. 
 
 ' B 2 were 
 
20 SERM ON I. 
 
 were arguments well calculated to convince 
 that people^) is the beft of comments upon 
 the Levitical law : It alfo, by the cleared 
 and moft folid reafoning, demonftrates the 
 reciprocal connection between the two Reli- 
 gions ; that each in its refpedtive adminif- 
 tration tends to the fame end, being only 
 one continued harmonious illuftration of 
 the wifdom, power, and goodnefs of God, 
 exerted. for the advantage of mankind; the 
 one fb elucidating the other, . that the Law 
 is not improperly ftyled the Gofpel veiled, 
 and the Gofpel. the Law revealed, as its veil 
 tvas done ansa ay in Chrijl* : that fo from 
 contemplating the authority* love» andcoUn- 
 fel of God> the glory of his Son might be 
 more confpicUous, and that oxxx faith and 
 hope through him might ultimately be or reft 
 in God*. 
 
 The books and prophecies of the Old 
 Teftament wer& written many centuries be- 
 fore the coming of Chrift, We have re- 
 ceived them from the profefFed enemies to 
 his faith : whofe intereft it would have 
 
 w I Cor. iii. 14. E» Jfpsw ^iny»iu\. 
 * I Pet. i. 21. 
 
 been, 
 
SERMON I, 21 
 
 been, either to have fuppreffed the truth, 
 or to have given a different interpretation 
 of thofe paflages in the Old Teftament, 
 which we conftantly appeal to as clear tef- 
 iimonies of our Jefus being the JYJeffiah. 
 This however they have not done. Some 
 indeed of the later Rabbinical writers have 
 taken a greater latitude in their expofitions 
 of thofe facred volumes : yet the more an- 
 cient Jewifh dodtors invariably interpret 
 thofe very paffages, as actually prophetical 
 of, and folely applicable to that perfon 
 and character whom they ftill fondly ex- 
 pert : whofe coming is even at this day, a 
 fundamental article of their Creed, and the 
 fubjedt of their Prayers, and expreffed fre- 
 quently in thofe very words of Scripture 
 which are applied in the New Teftament 
 to the Meffiah r . 
 
 In fhort, the fum and fubftance of the 
 Scriptures is plainly this, the Revelation of 
 Chrift, or the tefiimony of Jefus z . He who 
 is promifed in the Old Teftament, is exhi- 
 
 v See Bi&op Chandler's Defence of Chriftianity, ch. ii. 
 feft. i. p. 49» &c. See alfo Dr. LightfdOt's Works, fnjfm. 
 * R(v, xix 10. See Bp. Hard's Wafburton's Le&ures. 
 
 B 3 bited 
 
22 SERMON J.. 
 
 bited in the New as fully anfwering all the 
 different ideas of fo publick and compre- 
 henfive a character *. If the witnefs of the 
 former be true, fo mull the other, as being 
 foretold by that, be alfo true; and, both 
 eonfidered together, amount to a full, co- 
 gent, and fiifficient atteftation, that our 
 blefled Jefus was the perfon fo fpoken of 
 before , that he came from God, and that 
 his religion being thus evidently of Divine 
 Appointment, mull be the only poffible 
 way of Salvation. 
 
 Thus may we confidently truft the caufe 
 and merits of Chriftianity to a ftridt and 
 
 a Totum vetus Teftamentum Chriftum in fe continet, ut 
 poftea ab Apoftolis eft praedicatus. . . . Hinc difcitur et hoc, 
 legem et Prpphetas nequaquam cognofci, aut rite praedicari, 
 fi non in iis involutum Chriftum invenias et adores. Verum 
 quidem eft, haud apparet in his Pannis Chriftum effe involu- 
 tum : quare et Judaei Videre ipfum nequeunt. Contempti 
 a3eo et nulla fpecie Panniculi funt, neglefta verba quae viden- 
 tur de nullius pretii verbis externis loqui, ut fane per fe in-v 
 telligi nequeant : propterea ex Novo Teftamento, ex Evan- 
 gelio lucem inferri illis, et cognofci ea oportet. . . . Primum 
 ex Evangelio Chriftum difcere oportet : inde illico videre licet 
 quam pulchre omnia veteris Teftamenti ipfum refpicianty et 
 de eo teftantur. . . . Summa haec eft totius divinae Scripturae. 
 I^utheri Poftillae majores, feu Conciones ex evangelicis hifto- 
 riis defumptae per univerfum annum. Bafileae, 1546. fol. 
 Concio in Feft. Nativ. Chrifti, p. 58, 
 
SERMON I. 
 
 2 3 
 
 impartial examination of the Scriptures. 
 The facts related in them were not done in 
 a corner. The writings which preferve 
 the memorials of them are not kept fecret 
 from public view and infpedfcion. All men 
 are earneftly invited to fearch and enquire 
 whether thefe things are fo or not ; that 
 from their own obfervation they may know 
 and be convinced of the truth and certain- 
 ty of them j and that .there are the mod 
 undoubted affurances of their genuinenefs 
 and authenticity. Whatfoever is produced 
 out of thefe ftandiqg and infpired records 
 of truth and antiquity, cannot but moft 
 fatisfactorily confirm the credibility of the 
 Gofpel, which was from the beginning of 
 time originally decreed to be eftablimed 
 upon the foundation of the Jewifh cove- 
 nant : for thefe things were written that we 
 might believe that Jefus is the Chrifl, the Son 
 of God b j be of whom Mofes in the law, and 
 the prophets did write c ; who came not to 
 defray the law and the prophets, but to fulfil 
 them d -, for to him do they all look, and of 
 him do they all tefify. 
 
 b John xx. 31. c John i, 45. 
 
 4 Matt. v. 1 7. 
 
 B 4 
 
( *5 ) 
 
 SERMON II. 
 
 John xvii. 3. 
 
 ^his is life eternal, that they might know thee 
 the only true God, and Jtfus Chrijl, whom 
 thou haflfent. 
 
 TH E contemplation of the being of 
 God, and of his goodnefs to man- 
 kind, as difplayed in the immenfe 
 variety there is in nature, and in the 
 beauty, order, aiid excellency of the works 
 of Creation, is a nqble and delightful em- 
 ployment of the human mind. But this, 
 glorious as it is, affords only a fpeculative or 
 philofophical knowledge of God j fuch 
 indeed as may convince an Atheift, but 
 
 not 
 
26 SERMON II. 
 
 not fatisfy the ardent defires of a Chrif- 
 tian. To know or believe in general that 
 there is a God, fome fupireme felf-exiftent 
 Being, who is the author of nature, who 
 hath given life and being unto us, and to 
 every other creature, muft undoubtedly yield 
 us no fmall pleafure in the difcovery, from 
 the exercife and improvement of our intel- 
 lectual faculties ; but can fwjjgeft to us no 
 nearer a relation to him, than that of 
 Creator and Governour of the univerfe. 
 
 But how low and imperfect will this 
 feem, when compared with that more ufeful 
 and comfortable knowledge which we learn 
 from the Gofpel ; this moft reviving doc- 
 trine, God in Chrijl, reconciling the world 
 unto himfelf* j and Chrijl in us, the hope of 
 glory*. This acquaints us with the near 
 and dear relation which we bear to God j 
 that he regards us not only as his creatures, 
 but his children ; that he looketh upon us 
 with all the affectionate tendernefs of a 
 parent j that he hath provided all things 
 for our well-being in this life, and fitted 
 
 a 2 Cor. v. ic b Col. i. 27. 
 
 US 
 
SERMON II. 
 
 27 
 
 us for eternal happinefs in a future ftate j 
 that by adoption and grace he hath exalted 
 us to the high honour of becoming his 
 fons, and heirs of the kingdom of heaven. 
 
 The metaphyfical proofs of God are dif- 
 ficult and intricate, and generally beyond 
 the reach of common capacities ; but the 
 Scriptures lay before us the plaineft and 
 moft amiable idea, of his being a God of 
 infinite mercy, love, and confolation. To 
 confider him in no higher light than as the 
 author of nature, is next almoft to the not 
 knowing him at all : For, as St. Paul ar- 
 gues with his Roman converts, though the 
 invifble things of him from the creation of the 
 world are clearly feen, being underjlood by the 
 things that are made, even his eternal Power 
 and Godhead '' \ yet he maintains, that fuch 
 knowledge is altogether infufficient for 
 practice : Becaufe, that when men knew 
 God, or had thus traced out his footfteps 
 by reafon and philofophy, they, neverthe- 
 lefs, glorified him not as God d . Though 
 jheir minds were enlightened, and their 
 
 c Sm.}. 20. d Rom. i. 21. 
 
 under- 
 
2a SERMON II. 
 
 underftandings improved with this degree 
 of natural knowledge ; ftill their hearts 
 were fo darkened by polytheifm and idola- 
 try, that they changed the glory of the incor- 
 ruptible God, into an image made like to cor- 
 ruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted 
 be t afts, and creeping things'. What a de- 
 plorable account is. this of pagan theology! 
 ierving however to convince us from facl:, 
 that'fuch an imperfect knowledge of Re- 
 ligion which men derive from nature and 
 reafon, exclufive of Revelation, cannot pre- 
 ferve them either from the groffeft idolatry 
 and fuperftition, or from entertaining the 
 loweft fentiments of the Deity. This is 
 fufficiently apparent from the pradlice of 
 all the heathen nations, which ever have 
 been, or are ftill this day upon every part 
 of the earth -, who can be considered in no 
 other religious light, than as ignorant wor- 
 Jbippers of an unknown God f . 
 
 This was the ftate of Religion, even in 
 the politeft and moft, civilized parts of the 
 world, before the manifeftation of the Son 
 of God in the flefh. Almoft, in the lite" 
 
 e Rim. i. zj. f 43i xvii. 23. 
 
 ral 
 
SERMON II. 29 
 
 ral fenfe of the words, they had no hope, 
 and were without God in the world % ; igno- 
 rant of his true nature ; and paying a blind 
 fervice and homage to dumb idols of wood 
 and ftone. To evince the vaft difparity 
 between Heathenifm and Chriftianityi and 
 the miferable condition of the former, 
 there cannot be a ftronger or more expref- 
 five idea conveyed to us, than that conftant 
 and familiar image of dafknefs contrafted 
 with light j which fo frequently occurs in 
 Scripture, to denote the forlorn ftate of 
 that fpiritual death and wretched ignorance 
 which univerfally prevailed j till God who 
 commanded the light to Jhine out of darknefs, 
 Jhinedin our hearts, to give the tight of the 
 knowledge of the glory of God in the face or 
 perfon of Jefus Ghrift K ; who is elfewhere 
 defcribed as that true light, which, coming 
 into the world, enligbteheth every man 1 : 
 
 8 Epbef. ii. 12. 
 
 * 2 Cor. iv. 6. 
 
 1 John f. 9. So is this verfe rendered by Doddridge in 
 his Expofirion, and hy Beaufpbre and Lenfant in their tranfla- 
 tion of the New Teijament, and by Dr. Hammond : Com- 
 pare John iii. 13. xi. 27. and xii. 46, in his Annotations. 
 
 To 
 
30 SERMON II. 
 
 To this' celeftial Light did the Scrip- 
 tures of the Old Teftament bear witnefs* 
 To this evidence did the blefled Jefus ap- 
 peal. By fulfilling ancient prophecies; by 
 figns, and wonders, and miracles ; by com- 
 municating the fame aftonifliing powers to 
 his Difciples, and by many other infallible 
 proofs ; it was clear, and undeniable, that he 
 was that Redeemer, who had been fo long 
 before ordained in Heaven, revealed in Pa- 
 radife, forefeen by the Patriarchs,, and fpo- 
 ken of by all the Prophets: ' With fuch 
 indifputable credentials of authority, every 
 word which proceedeth out of his moutA k de- 
 mands an humble and a ferious attention : 
 for never man /pake like this man 1 . His, 
 love and the greatnefs of his. power tofave 
 them to the uttermojl, sobo come unto God by 
 bim m , no where appear in ftronger colours, 
 than in thofe endearing expreffions of his 
 felected for the fubject of our prefent me- 
 ditations. This is life;eternal to know thee 
 the only true God, and f ejus Chrifi, whom 
 thou has Jent, as the great Prophet, Prieft, 
 
 k Luke iv. zz. ' John vii. 46. 
 
 in, Hi^ v ji_ 25. 
 
 and 
 
SERMON II. 3 i 
 
 and King into the world, to publifli the 
 everlafiing. GoJpel a , and to eaufe right eoufnefs 
 and praife . to fpring forth before all the 
 nations °. 
 
 This; is the great and glorious truth in- 
 culcated in the text, which we will en- 
 deavour to illuftrate, by eonfidering, 
 
 Firft, The force and meaning of the 
 words : 
 
 Secondly, The doctrine contained in 
 them : 
 
 Thirdly, The defifeable nature of the 
 knowledge they inftill and recom- 
 mend. . 
 
 The words- themfelves may perhaps well 
 enough bear another confirmation, and by a 
 fmall alteration in the punctuation, be thus 
 rendered : This is life cternaj to know thee, 
 and Jefus Chrift, whom thou haft fent, to 
 
 ■ Rev. av, 6. 
 " Jf.lxi.il. 
 
 be 
 
3$ SERMON H. 
 
 be the only true God B . Thu? making 
 them bear their teftimony to the eflential, 
 inherent divinity of the bleffed Jefus and 
 his confubftantiality and coequalityi. with 
 the Father : Thus was this verfe understood 
 and interpreted by fome of the ancient wri- 
 ters of the church. In this fenfe they well 
 agree with the reafoning in the context *« 
 Our bleffed Lord, in the courfe of his pa- 
 thetick addrefs to the Father, appeals to 
 that original glory* which he had in unity 
 with him, as his eternal coeffential Son, be- 
 fore the birth of time, or the existence of 
 things, even before the world was ' •, and 
 proclaims aloud, that having finijhed the 
 work he had gimn him to Jo', and being no 
 more to continue in the world, he was coming 
 to him l , to refume his prilling glory. 
 
 Taking the words however in the fenfe 
 and order in which they are placed in out 
 
 tranflation, they-' are eminently declaratory 
 
 - 1 * ■ t 
 
 P Awry ' it w enmitf Z,avi list yttanmat al ivi ygioi oiXr,ditn 
 
 ' See Wheatly's Lady Moyer's Leftures, Sermon V. 
 p. 250, note [B.] Novatian and S. Auftin cited- by hirn. See 
 alio Ambrofius de Fide, L. v. ,cap. i. Inter Opera, vol. iv. 
 p.183. 
 
 * John xvii. 5. s John, xvii. 4. 
 
 * John xvii. 11. 
 
 Of 
 
SERMON II. 
 
 33 
 
 of our Saviour's "mediatorial powers ; ex- 
 prefsly defining life eternal to be, or to 
 confift in the knowledge of God in thrift. 
 Such, and fo great, is his tranfcendent 
 excellency, who is the exprefs image or 
 reprefentation of the per/an of the Deity " ; 
 and who, in a peculiarly eminent man- 
 ner, could manifeft his name and will, unto 
 the world*. The Almighty himfelf, From 
 the fpirituality and immenfity of his ef» 
 fence, is an object too refplendent for hu- 
 man eyes to behold, or for the human 
 underftanding to comprehend. Through 
 this appointed medium, his Son fen t in t hi 
 likenefs of fnfuljle/h *, hath he condefcended 
 familiarly to manifeft himfelf to the fons 
 of men -, that fo, the glories of that Su- 
 preme Being, the author of life and im- 
 mortality, who dwelleth in the light, which 
 no man can approach unto, iihom no man 
 hath feen nor can fee y , might be plainly dis- 
 coverable in him, who is the incarnate 
 brightnefs of his glory, and the exprefs image 
 of his perfdn * : Hence it might truly, and 
 
 " Heb. 1. 3. w John xvii. 6. x ..Rom. v/ii, 3. 
 
 * 1 Tim. vi. 16. * Otb. j. 3. 7 . 
 
 with 
 
34 SERMON II. 
 
 with ftricl: propriety of fpeech, be faid of 
 them who bad known andfeen him, that they 
 bad known andfeen the Father alfo \ 
 
 Our blefTed Lord doth indeed in the 
 paffage before us, call God the Father, the 
 only true God. Yet certainly, not with any 
 intention to exclude himfelf from a right 
 to that appellation ; or to fuggeft . any 
 contradistinction between himfelf and the^ 
 Father; but in direct oppofition to idols, 
 to the falfe and fictitious gods of the hea- 
 then world b . Eternal life is here affirmed 
 to depend as much upon the knowledge of 
 Jefus Chrift, as upon the knowledge of 
 God the Father : Both, in this refpect, are 
 fpoken of, as of the fame divine nature, 
 and equal in power, dignity, and glory : 
 the knowledge of both, as God and as 
 Mediator, is equally neceffary j the life of 
 grace opening the way to the life of glory. 
 
 This is that faving neceffary knowledge 
 revealed to us in the gofpel ceconomy : and 
 
 * Jifot viii. 19. and xiv. 9. 
 
 k Dr. "Randolph's Vindication of the Do&rine of the Tri- 
 nity, part ii. p. 66. Dt r Bifliop's Moyer's Lectures, Sermon 
 II. p. 54 — 60. 
 
 we 
 
SERMON. II. ^35 
 
 we then know €hrijt, when we attend to 
 him as the Son of: God j when, in an ho- 
 neft and good heart we receive the declara- 
 tions he hath made of the will of his hea- 
 venly Father ; and are thoroughly fenfible 
 that there is none other name under heaven 
 but his, whereby we mujl be faved*. To 
 give us the compleateft idea of the nature 
 of this faith; it is the uniform language of 
 Revelation, that He only that hath the Son 
 hath life eternal*. Hejhall not come into con- 
 demnation, but is pajfedfrom death unto life". 
 With fuch fuitable marks of love and 
 mercy is the blefied Jefus, conjointly with' 
 the Father, recommended to us as the au- 
 thor of our faith, the encourager of our 
 hopes, and the beftower of life eternal. 
 This is the knowledge held out to us in 
 the text. 
 
 We will now, fecondly, confider more 
 largely the Doctrine taught and contained 
 in it. 
 
 c ABs iv. iz. * Jibn v. ii, 12. 
 
 v. 24. 
 
 C 2 The 
 
36 SERMON II. 
 
 The moft endearing reprefentation that 
 can be made of the Gofpel of Chrift is, 
 when it is exhibited as the difplay of Di- 
 vine Philanthropy, offering life and pardon 
 to as many as will anfwer the call. It then 
 eminently appears the power of God unto 
 Salvation f , communicating to the world 
 the ineftimable treafures of that heavenly 
 wifdom which terminates in the honour of 
 God, and the benefit of mankind : A 
 knowledge not confifting of idle fpeculati- 
 ons, but fubftantial virtues. 
 
 Indeed to know God as he is, and to 
 order our conceptions aright concerning 
 him, though an effential and primary part 
 of Religion, is yet the peculiar gift of 
 him, from whom comet h every good and 
 perfefi gift E . How vainly did the ancient 
 philofophers employ themfelves in the 
 fearch of happinefs, or the fupreme good; 
 concerning which there were almoft as 
 many opinions as men; all their enqui- 
 ries ending in the fame doubt and dark- 
 
 t Rom.\. 16. e Jam. L 17. 
 
 nefs, 
 
SERMON II. 37 
 
 nefs, in which they were originally involved. 
 Whereas we Chriftians are made acquainted 
 with every important truth, whether re- 
 lating to God the firft caufe, or to his 
 agency in fecond caufes, upon the fureft 
 ground, and moft infallible teftimony, the 
 word and (pint of God. And this is the 
 criterion of our faith, If any man will do 
 his will, he Jhall know of the doffrine, whe- 
 ther , it be of God h . The evidence of its 
 divine authority will readily be acknow- 
 ledged by thoie, who compare the inward 
 dictates of their hearts with the leading 
 principles of their Religion. 
 
 What excellency of fpeech or charms of 
 eloquence can fo effectually operate upon 
 an upright mind, as the plain perfuafive 
 oratory of the Gofpel ? How powerfully 
 does it enforce upon the confidences of 
 men, the great truths of God's high At* 
 tributes, his providence, his will, his com- 
 mands, his promifes, and his threatnings ? 
 Where are the arguments for the immor- 
 tality of the foul, a future judgement, and 
 
 * John vii. 17. 
 
 C 3 ever- 
 
38 S E R M O N II. 
 
 everlafting rewards and punifhments, de- 
 clared with fuch perfpicuity, credibility, 
 and authority,- fo as to need no extraordinary 
 fkill, fagacity, penetration, or judgement, 
 to underftand their import, and perceive 
 their force ? He who receiveth this tejli- 
 mony, will fet to his feal that God is true 1 , 
 and will fulfil his gracious promifes, that 
 whofoever believeth in him Jhall not perijh, as 
 in his natural ftate he certainly would do, 
 but have eternal life k . 
 
 This fpiritual eternal life refults 
 from the knowledge of God and Chrift, 
 and is the blefled confequence of the 
 Gofpel Covenant; which, at its earlieft 
 dawn, was attended with fuch prodi- 
 gious efficacy and aftonifhing operations, 
 as fully attefted its author and finifher to 
 be God, In his own perfon he is defcribed 
 to be God manifeft in the Jle/h 1 : "It be- 
 " coming him by whom all things are, 
 " to be the way of Salvation- to. all, 
 "that the institution and reftitution of 
 " the world might be both wrought by 
 
 s John iii. 33. k John iii, 15. 
 
 1 1 Tim. iii, 16. 
 
 one 
 
SERMON II. 
 
 39 
 
 r « one hand '." Moreover, the reforma- 
 tion of manners, which accompanied the 
 manifeftation of this grace, befpeaks its 
 hi£,h original. When the whole world lay in 
 wickednefs m and idolatry, fiibjeB to the Prince 
 of the power of the air n , under the prevail- 
 ing influence of the great adverfary to God 
 and man ; what lefs than a Divine Efficacy 
 could convince and reclaim it ? What lefs 
 than the Son of God manifejied, could fo 
 effectually dejiroy the works of the Devil". 
 
 It is recorded of one of the greateft phi- 
 lofophers and flrongeft reafoners of heathen 
 antiquity, that he went thrice into Sicily 
 to convert two tyrants p j and each time re- 
 turned without fucceis. His arguments^ 
 though fupported with all the eloquence 
 of human wifdom and addrefs, were not 
 fufhcient to overcome the prejudices of 
 thofe two finners. But when Peter, full 
 of the Holy Ghoft, preached in the name 
 
 » Hooker's EccIelGaftical Polity, Book V. Seft.ci. 
 
 m Jobnv'.q. ■ Ephef.W. z. * ijohnm.%. 
 
 r The elder and the younger Dionyfius of Syracufe. 
 Diog. Laertius de vitis Philofophorum, vol. i. edit. Meibo- 
 nrtii, in vit. Platonis, L, iii. fegiri. 18—23. et Plntarchi 
 Vita Dionis. 
 
 C 4 of 
 
40 SERMON II. 
 
 ©f. Jeftra, multitudes were . converted at 
 once : and when Paul, rejecting all the fu- 
 perfluous ornaments of man's oratory,* came 
 mid declared the tejiimony of God 9 , and the 
 mind of Chrift r , he. not only converted the 
 kingdom of Sicily, but almoft the whole 
 World. So widely different are the power 
 and effect of 'divine and human operation, 
 the opinions formed by the reafoning of 
 philofophy, and the conviction Wrought 
 by the evidences of the Gofpel. 
 
 Indeed, what influence could the maxims 
 of Pagan theology well have upon the hearts 
 of men, when it was a matter of the utmofl 
 indifference into what religious fedt or party 
 any of them were received. The philofo- 
 phers in general did not attempt to enjoin 
 their dogmas upon the cogent principles' 
 of duty and obligation. They deemed it 
 fufficient to conform to the eflablifhed 
 Rites of their country's religious worfhip K 
 With a different view was the knowledge 
 of God in Chrift recommended; not to 
 
 ' i Cor. ii. ». ' i Cor. ii. 16. 
 
 f See Pythagoras's ©oMen. Verfes, hit. and Plato'* 
 Phcedon, circa fin. 
 
 this 
 
SERMON II, 41 
 
 this or that individual, to this or that 
 nation, but to every creature, to the whole 
 world, that the world through him might 
 be faved'. The difobedience of the firft 
 Adam had involved all his pofterity, even 
 the whole human race, in his fall and con- 
 demnation. The meritorious perfect obe- 
 dience of this our iecond Adam, is exhi- 
 bited in the Gofpel, making as many righ- 
 teous, unto jitfiificaUon of life ' : . As the fall, 
 was upiverfal, To was the redemption, and 
 extended to all, for that all have finned* : 
 not, Jiowever, abfolutely or unconditional- 
 ly j for though propofed and offered to all, 
 it is profitable only to thofe who hear, who 
 receive, and who with the heart believe 
 unto effectual j unification. Such a faith 
 welcomes Chrifl in all his offices ; for 
 it admits his Revelation, trufts in his 
 Atonement, and flies to him for Righteouf- 
 »efs and Life eternal. This is what an 
 Apoftle calls the fubjlance, or confident ex- 
 pectation, of things hoped for, the evidence, 
 or conviction, of things not feen™. On this 
 we found our claim, our efpecial privilege 
 
 " Jebti iii. 17. • Ram. v. 18. w Heb. xi. 1. 
 
 * /lim.'v. 12. 
 
 to 
 
42 SERMON II. 
 
 to be called the Sons ©f God. By this we 
 are entitled to thofe bleflings, to which 
 belong both the promife of the life that now 
 is, and of that which is to come *. 
 
 Lord, may we all fay with St. Peter, to 
 wfeom fhall we go, thou haji the words of 
 eternal life y : 'Thy words are fpirit and they 
 are life z ; they guide us to, and >theyfanc- 
 tify us through the truth * ; and thereby are 
 we delivered from the fear of evil, and the 
 power of the evil one. The fure and hap- 
 py effedl of this gofpel Spiritual knowledge* . 
 is a chearful and unfeigned obedience to 
 the will and commands of our Mafter; 
 for hereby do we know that we know him, if 
 we keep his commandments b . x This is life 
 eternal, or the way and means to obtain it, 
 thus and after this manner, to know the 
 only true God, and fefus Chrift whom he 
 bathfent. This includes the whole Chris- 
 tian difpenfation, what all muft believe and 
 do, to inherit eternal life. 
 
 * i Tim. iv. 8. y John vi. 68. * John vi. 63. 
 
 » John xvii. 20. b 1 fobs ii. 3. 
 
 Thirdly^ 
 
SERMON -II. 43 
 
 Thirdly, Proceed we now to confider 
 the defireable nature of this knowledge. 
 
 It is the higheft and mod fublime know- 
 ledge that can poffibly be recommended; 
 having the mod glorious objects ■ to con- 
 template, and being converfant with the 
 moll important truths. The wifdom of So- 
 lomon was fo renowned as to draw admirers 
 from diftant nations to hear and to learn 
 from him : yet the Chriflian Lawgiver 
 and Teacher is infinitely wifer and greater 
 than that aceomplimed Prince, though he 
 exceeded all the kings of the earth in nsuifdom c . 
 The doctrines of Chrilt, as taught in the 
 Gofpel, however to perifhing finners they may 
 feem foolijhnefs d ; yet are they mod fignal 
 and illuftrious memorials both of the power 
 and the wifdom of God". They contain 
 not indeed the worldly knowledge of any 
 fcience, art, or profemon, invented and im- 
 proved by human induftry and penetration: 
 but, in them is declared the wifdom of that 
 Almighty Being who is only wife; who of f 
 
 c i Kings x. 23. d 2 Cor. i. 18. 
 
 • 1 Cor. i. 24. : . 
 
 and 
 
44 SERMON II. 
 
 and in himfelf,knoweth and feeth all things; 
 even the knowledge of his Attributes and 
 perfections, as far as the human mind can 
 comprehend him; and his relation to all 
 his creatures, more efpecially to us men, 
 to whom he thus communicates the grate- 
 ful intelligence of all high and heavenly 
 myfteries. 
 
 How diligent are we to fearch into the 
 hiftories of former ages ? how eager after 
 new difcoveries, which concern us little or 
 not at all ? how fond to hear and read of dif- 
 tant nations and people; not fo much perhaps 
 for any propofed advantage, as to indulge 
 a laudable defire of knowledge ? Is it be- 
 caufe we are delighted with the relation of 
 things ftrange and uncommon ? afluredly, 
 there is nothing can be reported of any peo- 
 ple or country whatfoever, that exceeds the 
 bounds of Nature or the reach of Reafon : 
 nothing new or wonderful like thofe inex- 
 hauftible and unfearchable myfteries of the 
 love and greatnefs, the grace and glory of 
 Chrift, whereby we are filled with all the 
 fulnefs of God f . Nay, fuppofing all to be 
 
 f Epbtf. iii. 19. 
 
 true 
 
& E R M O N II. 45 
 
 true which we are told of the riches, 
 power, and grandeur of the greateft princes 
 of the world ; what are they to the infi- 
 nite majefty of him, who is the King of 
 kings and the Lord of heaven and earth, 
 and to the all-fufficient fulnefs of our Re- 
 deemer? Our knowledge of the former, 
 however pleafing or ornamental, is yet 
 circumscribed within a fhort period of 
 time, and the narrow bounds of our fi- 
 nite mallow underftandings : but the know- 
 ledge of God in Chrift, reaches from 
 •the beginning of time to the endlefs ages 
 of eternity ; and is replete with the glad 
 tidings of fuch bleffirigs which eye hath not 
 feen, nor ear heard', neither hath it entered 
 into the heart of man to conceive the things 
 •which God hath prepared for them that love 
 him*. , ' 
 
 Under the influence of fuch. conviction 
 St. Paul, though brought up at the feet of 
 Ganialiel, and taught according to the beft 
 and raoft perfeB manner of the law h , a great 
 orator, and an eminent proficient in all 
 divine and human literature, counted all 
 
 * i Cor. ii. 9. h Alii xxil. i 3. 
 
 thefe 
 
46 SERMON II. 
 
 thefe rare endowments, and even his na- 
 tional privileges, but as fo much kfs, when 
 put in competition with the excellency of the 
 knowledge ofChriflfefus our Lord 1 ; which, 
 as he elfewhere exprefles it in very empha- 
 jical words, is without controverfy, the great 
 and incomprehenfible myjtery of godlinefs k , 
 the moil important and wonderful know- 
 ledge, and what only is neceffary to be 
 iought after and acquired. 
 
 In good truth, the do&rine of C^hrift's 
 Incarnation and Paffion, and of his un- 
 fpeakable love in our Redemption, infi- 
 nitely furpafTes all that can be fan! or 
 thought. If this doth not challenge a fub- 
 miffive and anxious attention, furely no- 
 thing can. This hath been the joyous con- 
 folation of holy and pious perfons in every 
 age of the world ; this is that of which 
 the Prophets of old enquired and fearch- 
 ed diligently 1 ; this is what Abraham the 
 father of the faithful rejoiced to fee m ; 
 and not he alone, but many kings and 
 prophets dejired " the fame : -yea, the very 
 
 1 Phil iii. 8. fc i Tim. iii. 16. • i Pet. i. io. 
 
 ■» fohn viii. 56. ■ Luke x. 24. 
 
 angels 
 
SERMON II. 47 
 
 angels tbemfehes in heaven, who enjoy the 
 beatifick vifion of God, account this know- 
 ledge of the Gofpel, this love of God in 
 Chrift, as a part of their happinefs; for 
 they defire to look into thefe things % and, 
 with the utmoft wonder and rapture, to 
 contemplate and adore this manifold wifdom 
 of God''. What a reproach will it be to 
 us, if we mould be unaffedted by the love 
 of Chrift for us ; if we " fhould not often 
 " entertain ourfelves with the delightful 
 " admiration of him, and the redemption 
 " he hath wrought for us. Towards this 
 " good and neceflary -work, we have not 
 " only the examples of the bed of men 
 " that have been, but we have them fel- 
 " low-fervants, and fellow-ftudents, if that 
 "can perfuade us, that we may all ftudy 
 " the fame leffon with the very angels, and 
 " have the fame thoughts with them V to 
 animate our;love and devotion, and excite 
 us to join them in their celeftial hymns, 
 faying, hteffing, and honour, and glory, and 
 
 * i Pet. i. 12. ' p Eph. iii. 10. 
 
 1 Archbifliop Leighton's Devotional Commentary upon 
 the firft Epiftle of St. Peter* ch; i. ver. iz. vol. i. p. n8. 
 the laft Edinburgh edition, 1748. 
 
 power, 
 
43 SERMON II. 
 
 fonoer, be unto him that Jittetk upon the 
 throne, and unto the Lamb, that was Jlain, 
 for ever and ever \ 
 
 If this be the euchariftical chant of an- 
 gels and glorified fpirits, what better em- 
 ployment can we have upon earth, than to 
 make that frequently the fubjec"t of our 
 meditations, which is to be hereafter our 
 everlafting fong of praife -, that with thofe 
 bleffed and exalted beings we may be enabled 
 to comprehend the breadth, and length, and 
 depth, and height, and to know, as far as 
 human infirmity will admit, that affec- 
 tionate love of Chrijl which pajj'eth know- 
 ledge % which exceedeth our moft elevated 
 conceptions. What fublimity of doclxine, 
 what excellency of wifdom, what labour 
 of love, are apparent in the myfterious ar- 
 ticles of our redemption ! It carries us 
 back, upon the moft infallible grounds, to 
 our creation in a ftate of innocency ; it 
 acquaints us with our fall, it aflures us of 
 our recovery, and gives us the promife of 
 an inheritance, incorruptible, and undefiled, 
 
 * Rev. v. 12, 13. * Epbef. iii. 18, 19. 
 
 and 
 
SERMON II. 
 
 49 
 
 and which fadetb not away, being referved in 
 heaven for us*; fhewing us in one view, 
 what we were, what we are, and what we 
 may hope to be hereafter. The wifeft fages 
 of the Gentile World were utterly ignorant 
 of thefe wonderful particulars: having no 
 conceptipn of; the ftate from whence they 
 had fallen, they could have no apprehenfion 
 of any remedy adapted to reftore them to 
 their primitive perfection. 
 
 pfow have the wife and learned of this world 
 continually involved themfelves in conten- 
 tions and difputes concerning the v,ery prin- 
 ciples of natural things ? With how much 
 labour and ftudy did one great Philofopher 
 find out this untruth, that the world is 
 eternal ? r- How fond were the learned and 
 polite Athenians of this ridiculous conceit, 
 that they were the original offspring of 
 their own foil, and that they fprang, like 
 plants and trees out of the earth, by fome 
 fortuitous concurrence, they knew not what ? 
 How far more confonant to the dictates of 
 
 1 i Pet. i. 4. 
 
 v Ipfa ex fefe fuos eives genuiHe dicitar, et eorum eadem 
 terra parens, altrix, patria dicitur. Cicero. Orat. pro L. 
 Flacco. 
 
 P Reafon 
 
50 SERMON II. 
 
 Reafon and the voice of Wifdom is that 
 doftrine of Revelation, which teacheth us, 
 that in the beginning God created the heaven 
 and the earth °: That he formed man out of the 
 duji of the ground, and breathed into hisnoflrils 
 the breath of life, and man became a living 
 foul"" f Thus we trace our origin and de- 
 fcent, and are all the fons of Adam, who was 
 the- Jon of God*. If the ftudy of antiquity- 
 can delight us, here is the genuine account 
 of the primeval' fource of things, before 
 which there is nothing, but he who formed 
 all things, and is himfelf the ancient of 
 days*. And the fame Divine Authority, 
 that thus acquaints us with the beginning 
 of all things, informs us alfo, that in the 
 beginning, or before all things, the word 
 was with God, and was God; that all things 
 were made by him ; that in him was life, and 
 the life was the light of men K . In fo emi- 
 nent a manner is diftinguifhed the antiqui- 
 ty of this knowledge of the only true God, 
 and of fefus Chrijl whom he hathfent. 
 
 .But as the moft powerful incentive to the 
 defire of this heavenly knowledge, we may 
 
 "Gen. i. i. * Get;. 11. 7. * Luie'm. 38. 
 
 y Dan. vii. 9. * John i. 1—4. 
 
 refledv 
 
S E R M O N II. 51 
 
 reflect, that even in our prefent ftate of weak- 
 nefs and imperfection, it fupplies us with the 
 beft and moft lading comfort and delight; 
 not only from the aflurance of the pardon of 
 our fins, but from the pleafing profpedt of 
 glory and immortality. This it was which 
 gave the Apoftles and fkft Chriftians fuch 
 exceeding joy and hope in believing, and 
 fuch invincible courage in fuffering. The 
 fame animating and well-grounded confi- 
 dence will alfo fupport us under our re- 
 fpedtive trials ; will make us innocent and 
 chearful in our lives j will take off the 
 fting and terror of death j will give us 
 the moll folid joy in believing j and, in the 
 end, will minijter an entrance unto us abun- 
 dantly, into the everlqfting kingdom of our 
 Lord and Saviour Jefus Chri/i \ 
 
 » z Pet. i. 11. 
 
( S3 ) 
 
 SERMON III. 
 
 i Cor. i. 21. middle claufe. 
 Hhe world by wifdom knew not God. 
 
 The whole verfe runs thus, 
 
 For after that in the woifdom of God t the 
 world by wifdom knew not God, it pleafed 
 God, by the foolijhnefs of preaching, tofave 
 them that believe '. 
 
 TH E Gofpel of Chrift can never ap- 
 pear in a more advantageous and in- 
 terefting light, than when contrafted with 
 
 a The traniktors of this paflage have fcrupuloufly retained 
 
 the order of the original words, and thereby occafioned a 
 
 perjslexity ; which will foon vaniih, if we re&ify that inver- 
 
 D 3 ' fiori 
 
54 SER MO N III. 
 
 the efforts of the moil illuftrious fages of 
 the heathen world to inveftigate religious 
 truths : the little progrefs they made in 
 their refearches, is a convincing proof of 
 the natural impotency of man, to fearch out 
 God, or to Jind out the Almighty unto per- 
 fection*. The errors and abfurdities of their 
 theological difquifitions, were, in a great 
 meafure, the unavoidable confequence of 
 their prefuming to {peculate upon thofe 
 fubjecls, which neither their acuteft pene- 
 tration could explore, nor their moft en- 
 larged underftandings comprehend : Yet 
 there abounded among them perfons of the 
 moft: exalted genius, and moft refined abi- 
 lities, who occafionally valued themfelves 
 in exerting their beft talents for the in- 
 flection of mankind. 
 
 fion of the phrafe, (fo familiar to the learned languages, but 
 fo unufual in our own) and render the words, not as they 
 are placed, but as they ought to be conftrued. Kirai\ j«g e» 
 7i) <n<pnt rn ^tn xx. tytu o wr/WS •^l^ ""K ovQias tvv ^ov. "After 
 " that the world, by wifdom; knew not God in the wifdom of God r 
 " it ftenfed God, &c." That is, when men with all their 
 wifdom could not difcover God in his works, thofe evident 
 marks of hi» wifdom, he revealed himfelf to. them by his 
 word. 
 
 b Job xi. 7. 
 
 St. 
 
S E R M O N III. S5 
 
 St. Paul, who at his coiiverfion was par- 
 ticularly commiflioned to preach the Gof- 
 pel to the Gentiles*, was well aware of their 
 high pretentions to wifdom and knowledge, 
 and therefore neglected no opportunity to 
 prove and expofe the infufficiency of their 
 feveral attempts at religious, reformation. 
 He lays it down, as an infallible rule, that 
 the things of God knoiveth no man, but as he 
 receives them from the fpirit of God d , the 
 real illuminator of the mind. He is eve? 
 magnifying the grace of Chrift, and, by 
 a variety of arguments and illuftrations, la- 
 bouring to convince them, that all the ido- 
 latry, fuperftition, and depravity of man- 
 ners.* which their own moralifts candidly 
 acknowledged, as too predominant amongft 
 them, were entirely owing to their utter 
 ignorance of the nature of God, and the 
 fpirituality of his worfhip. To ftate thefe 
 matters fully and clearly, he took great 
 pains to explain the feveral foundations 
 upon which reafon and faith were builded ; 
 the one requiring proof, argument, and 
 
 c A8fxxsi\, 17. * 1 Cor. ii. 11, 12. 
 
 D 4 . demon- 
 
56 SERMON III. 
 
 demon ftration ; the other, appealing to the 
 evidence of a divine, fupernatural, and in- 
 controvertible authority, even the teftimo- 
 ny of God himfelf. To receive this tefti- 
 mony is faith ; to know its Divine Au- 
 thority, is the work ' of reafon, in percei- 
 ving the clearnefs, and judging of the fadts 
 and circumftances of the evidence. 
 
 The Saviour of the world hath moft 
 exprefsly allured us, that this is life eternal, 
 that men might know the Father, the only 
 true God, and Jefus Chrijl whom he hath 
 fent". This is that divine and fpiritual 
 wifdom taught and enforced only in the 
 fchools of the Prophets and Apoftles ; thofe 
 holy men of God, who fpake, and wrote, as 
 they were moved by the Holy Ghojl f . This 
 kind of knowledge therefore is the pro- 
 per fubjecT: of religious faith ; and, as fuch, 
 demands the fubmiffion of the undemand- 
 ing. 
 
 Such however is the arrogance and per- 
 verfenefs of fallible men, the proud boaf- 
 
 e John xvii/3. f 2 Pet. i. 21. 
 
 ters 
 
SERMON III. 
 
 5? 
 
 ters of wifdom and fcience, that they fre-^ 
 quently raife doubts and objections even in 
 the plaineft articles of religious truth. 
 Hence, fome have not fcrupled fo prdpof- 
 teroufly to magnify the powers of the hu- 
 man mind, as to feem well difpofed to put 
 it upon a level almoft with the revealed 
 will of God, and to fet up /the obfcure 
 and imperfect light of human reafon, in 
 competition with the fuperior advantages 
 of Divine Grace. Hence the Scrip- 
 tures have been depreciated to make room 
 for the wild conjectures of heathen philo- 
 fophy ; as if human wifdom could direct 
 us, by as near and fure a way, to happi- 
 nefs and life eternal, as what God himielf 
 hath pointed out in his word. Hence alfo, 
 fo many ingenious romances have been 
 publiiihed in fupport of, what the writers 
 have been pleafed to ftyle, the Religion of 
 Nature, the more to extol that, and to de- 
 grade the bleflings of the Gofpel : This, 
 they would infinuate, hath no pre-emi- 
 nence as a rule of life ; and reflect not, ' it 
 is from their knowledge of Chriftian graces, 
 that they fo clearly fee trj.e nature and obli- 
 
 . gation 
 
58 SERMON IIL 
 
 gation of that morality which they £o affecl: 
 to admire. 
 
 St. Paul, whofe eminent abilities re- 
 markably diftinguifhed him ; and whofe 
 miffion carried him to perfons of the high- 
 eft rank, and to places famous for the en- 
 couragement of arts and fciences, had fre- 
 quent occafions to debate this point. When 
 engaged with the philofophers and the 
 great men of Greece and Rome, with all 
 the arts of a polifhed addrefs, he produced 
 a variety of arguments peculiarly calcula- 
 ted to raife their attention, by reafoning 
 upon fubjedls immediately connected with 
 their wifdom andphilofophy. And at length 
 declared to them, that by perfevering in 
 fuch vain deceits, after the traditions of men* ; 
 by their idolatry and polytheifm, they had, 
 in reality, changed the truth of God into a 
 lye; for they worshipped and ferved thofe 
 creatures h , which by nature are no gods \ 
 
 Convinced of this himfelf, he was an- 
 xioufly folicitous to guard all his converts 
 
 8 Col. ii. 8. * Rom. i. 25. 
 
 1 Gal. iv. 8. 
 
 againft 
 
SERMON III. 59 
 
 againft being feduced from the faith by the 
 enticing words of fuch mens wifdom k ; left 
 they mould b^Jpoiled, or made a prey of, 
 by reverting to the rudiments, or elements, 
 of worldly 1 wifdom and fcience. This wifr 
 dom, he exprefsly tells the Corinthians in 
 the words of the text, is no better than 
 fo much fooli/fcne/s } as, by a partial attach- 
 ment to the gaudy colourings of a verbal 
 oratory, the plain engaging iimplicity of 
 the crqfs of Chrifi would be deprived of its 
 peculiar glory, and thereby be made of none 
 effeSl m . Where, fays he, is the wife ? where 
 is the fcribe f where is the difputer of this 
 world? hath not God madefoohfl), or mad the 
 wifdom of this world" ; by eftablifhing fuch 
 a fcheme of Salvation which their learning 
 and philofophy could never have thought 
 of ? Nay, though the being and wifdom of 
 God were evident, from the works of Crea- 
 tion and Providence, yet the world by wif- 
 dom knew not God. All the powers of na- 
 ture and reafon, improved to their utmofl 
 perfection, coujd never attain to the true 
 knowledge of the Deity, or lead men to 
 
 fc i Cor. ii. 4. ' Col. ii. 8. m 1 Cor. i. 17. 
 
 ■ 1 Cor. i. 20. E/**g«ww. 
 
 glorify 
 
6o SERMON JII. 
 
 glorify him as fuchj as the author and 
 objedt of eternal life. But it pleafed God 
 to remove all thefe obftacles, and to call 
 them t>y that which thofe fages termed, 
 the fooUJhnefs of preaching ; for fuch it feem- 
 ed to them, as their pride would not per- 
 mit them to enquire, and therefore they 
 could not underftand, how he, who ap- 
 peared as a man, could be the Son of God ; 
 or how he, who did die, could be the au- 
 thor of life : though the fe important fads 
 contained in them the greateft miracle of 
 Divine Power, the greateft myftery of Di- 
 vine Wisdom and Love. 
 
 From this view of things is exhibited 
 the manifeft difference there is between 
 true and falfe Religion j that which we 
 learn from nature and philofophy, and that 
 which is after Chriji" j the one leading to 
 error, the other the declaration of truth. 
 Though this point was touched upon in 
 the preceding Difcourfe, yet it is worthy 
 of a more minute and diftindt enquiry. 
 We will therefore now more particularly 
 
 • Col. ii. 8. 
 
 confider 
 
SERMON III. 61 
 
 confider the comparative excellency of 
 Chriftian graces, with their correfpondent 
 virtues, as inculcated upon the principles 
 of Natural Religion. 
 
 It hath already been confidered how vain 
 and uncertain the furmifes of the ancient 
 heathens were, when they fought after the 
 knowledge of God by the mere light of 
 nature. They had no idea, becaufe they 
 had no principles to argue from, of thofe 
 myfterious articles, which Revelation hath 
 difcovered : of the dodlrines of the Trinity, 
 1 of the . vicarious fatisfadtion of Chrift, of 
 his preternatural incarnation, of his meri- 
 torious death and paflion j thefe and the 
 like they could fcarce have any conception 
 of. The fame alfo is obfervable of the 
 dodlrine of the refurredlion of the dead ; 
 the affertion of which expofed our Apoftle 
 to the derifion of the Epicureans and Stoicks*'; 
 the moft learned, and, if there could be 
 any Religion, where there was fo much 
 ignorance of God, the moft religious of 
 all the philofophers. Nay, fo far were 
 
 ' 4&s xvji. 1 8. 
 
 they 
 
62 SERMON III. 
 
 they from acquiring any true knowledge, 
 even of themfelves and of the end of their 
 creation, that, after all their mod elabo- 
 rate enquiries, they were not able to dis- 
 cover wherein their own happinefs con- 
 fifted. Their morality was wholly con- 
 fined to outward actions j.they did not, fo 
 much as in theory, underftand what was 
 the true perfection of virtue. But when 
 they attempted to treat of the nature of 
 the Deity, of his unity, of the foul of 
 r man, of heaven or hell, or, in their own 
 language, of the infernal regions, or of a fu- 
 ture ftate: here their boafted fcience ended 
 in fancy, or wifli, or at beft in probability. ■• 
 So vain is the expectation of gathering the 
 fruit of true wifdom, where it was neither 
 fown nor planted. 
 
 Let us however come nearer to the 
 point, and view thofe virtues and graces 
 which, as men, we are bound to have, and 
 to exert towards - God and towards our 
 neighbour. — In thefe particulars it may 
 perhaps feem dubious at firft fight, whe- 
 ther Chriftianity hath any advantage over 
 heathenifmj or whether the philofpphers 
 
 have 
 
SERMON III. 63 
 
 have not given as good moral lefTons and 
 rules of life, as Chrift and his Apoftles. 
 Who is not almoft perfuaded, that they 
 have written fufficiently about moral obli- 
 gation, and well enough defined the boun- 
 daries of virtue and vice ? Who alfo hath 
 not heard of the patience of Socrates, the 
 juftice of AriftideSi the integrity of Cato, 
 the moderation of Scipio, arid the clemen- 
 cy of Caefar ? It would be endlefs to recite 
 examples of the very many illuftrious men, 
 who exhibited ftriking proofs of rare and 
 extraordinary virtues. But, if the light of 
 nature, nurtured by philofophy, be thus 
 able to make men virtuous; -mail we there- 
 fore take upon us to aflc, what need is there 
 fo greatly to magnify Chriftian graces, when 
 heathen precepts may, if attended to, have 
 equal influence ? If fo, it fhould feem, that 
 the fuppofed afcendency of the Gofpel arifeth 
 more from the prejudices of education, and 
 the authority of teachers, than from the 
 truth of the matter itfelfj and is grounded 
 more upon partiality and opinion, than 
 knowledge and argument. 
 
 To 
 
$4 SERMON III. 
 
 To little efredr. indeed is the Gofpel of 
 Chrift recommended as the Revelation of 
 the moft high God, if the fancies and er- 
 rors of men may be brought in competi- 
 tion with it, and any frivolous allegations 
 be imagined able to impair its credit. 
 
 It hath been already obferved, that in 
 thofe duties which immediately concern 
 the Deity, philofophy cannot, in any degree, 
 bear a comparifon with Gofpel Theology. 
 If moreover we contemplate thofe intel- 
 lectual virtues, which perfect the unders- 
 tanding, who fceth not, that the knowr 
 ledge of God is the moft principal, in 
 which human wifdom, having taken great 
 pains, hath found little fuccefs ' ? And in 
 a more particular manner, with regard to 
 the affections of love, fear, honour, and the 
 like, and the actions whereby they are to 
 be exprefled, which is properly the worfhip 
 
 of God, how blind, bow profane, or ra- 
 
 >■ 
 
 i Pro comperto aliquid affirmare, aut de t>ei naturas aut 
 de ejus voluntate, folo dudtu hurrianae rationis, quam fit ihtu- 
 tum ac fallax, docent tot diffonantia, non lcholarum modo in- 
 ter .fe, fed et fingulorum philofophorum placita. 
 
 Grotius de Veritate C. R. L. iii, C. iz. 
 
 ther 
 
SERMON III. 6$ 
 
 ther how impious, were the fpeculations 
 of philofophers. Or if a few amongft 
 them, endowed with fuperior mental pow- 
 ers, had haply attained to fome lively per- 
 fuafion of the being of God, his unity and 
 fpirituality : yet how fhamefully, abfurdly, 
 and wickedly did they join at the fame 
 time in the worfliip of a rabble k of Gods 
 and GodderTes, a^ainft the light of convic- 
 tion, and the testimony of their own con- 
 fciences. Sq unable was natural reafon to 
 form a model of Religion, pure from the 
 flains of vice, profanefiefs, and idolatry : 
 -—whereas, according to the Chriftian fyf- 
 tem, Religion is the mother and miftrefs 
 of all virtues. Nay, who is there among 
 Chriftians fo void of honefty, fo carelefs 
 of his reputation, who would not difdain 
 to be, or to be thought fuch as the very- gods 
 of the heathens are reported and defcribed 
 to have been, which yet thofe great men 
 
 ' Quamobrem major ccelitam populus etiam quam Homi- 
 num intelligi poteft, cum finguli quaque ex fehiet ipfis toti- 
 dem Deos facjant..'— Of liich Deities; well - ijl?ght he obferve, 
 ne Deum quidem pofle omnia. Namque nee fibi poteftmor- 
 tern confcifceie fi velit . . . nee mortales <eternitate donare, aut 
 revocare defundlos, &c7 Plin. Nat. Hift. L. ir, C. J. See 
 alio Cicero de N. D. Lib. Hi. 
 
 E them- 
 
66 SERMON III. 
 
 them&lves ferupled not to revere as the 
 objects of publick adoration ? 
 
 That the argument however may feem 
 not to be fupported more by authority than 
 by reafon ; let us try the utmoft ftretch of 
 human wifdom in moral virtues, refpedling 
 the exercife of focial and relative duties 
 from man to man. The generality of the 
 heathens had little or no other notion of 
 happinefs, but to live with as much eafe, 
 plenty and delight, as they could j tor 
 which, if a certain degree of vain glory 
 be added, we have the fum total of all 
 they either imagined or defired. Relative 
 duties, enforced by no better motives, muffc 
 needs want their proper fupportj and it 
 was little to be expedted* that thofe men 
 would be fcrupuloufly virtuous in their be- 
 haviour to others, who had fo little regard 
 to their own private virtues. Their: prin- 
 ciples, in facl: were very corrupt, and their 
 practices in confequence alike infamous j 
 infomuch that God gave ibem up, as the 
 Apoftle obferves to the Romans, to unclean- 
 n<$ t to vile off eftions*, and to fuch filthy 
 
 5 Rom. i. 24. z6. 
 
 vices 
 
sermon in. e 7 
 
 vices as are urtfeetnly to fpeak of. This 
 was notorioufly the cafe over all the Gen- 
 tile world; and was palliated by cuftom 
 aind prefcription both with the learned and 
 the vulgar. Surely the knowledge of God, 
 aind the practice of moral virtues, muft in 
 vain be fought after amongft fuch frnne'rs. 
 
 There are two* virtues a-boVe the reft, 
 which in our daily intercou'rfe and converfe 
 with the World, we have frequent occa'fiori to 
 exercife, Juftiee, and Fortitude : upon thefe 
 the Philofophers have defcanted nobly, and 
 have given fitch- rules concerning them, as 
 have done honour to themfelves and to hu- 
 man nature. &kt, f& far k this from de- 
 tracting from the fuperior excellency of 
 Ghriftianity, that it is a confirmation of 
 its merit : It mews, tfoa't what our Bleffed 
 Saviour taught is agreeable to the more ex- 
 alted, rectified understandings of men of 
 the moft enlightened capacities ; that it 
 falls in with the powers of natural con- 
 fcience, aJnd adds new life and vigour "to it. 
 If however this plea in their behalf be 
 tkorOtg^ity examined, we mall fobnr fee 
 jhow much they fall ffoort of the perfe&ion 
 
 E z of 
 
68 S E R M O N III. 
 
 of Chriftian morality in- thofe common 
 Virtues which are confefledly their fort. 
 
 The higheft pitch of jufticein the fchool 
 of gentile Ethicks was this rule, not to 
 do to others, what we would not have 
 done to ourfelves. A noble maxim this 
 for philofophy to give, and no mean attain- 
 ment to arrive: at this knowledge j efpe- 
 cially if in this negative precept, the pofi- 
 tive part be implied, which is particularly 
 enjoined to us Chriftians. Wbatfoever ye 
 •would that men jhould do unto you, do ye even 
 fo to them*, is our general direction. The 
 heathen precept is calculated folely to prevent 
 our doing hurt : the Chriftian commandment 
 is to do all the good in our power -, nay, 
 to return good for evil, even to our ene- 
 mies; and in thofe inftahces alfo, wherein 
 we have fuffered by them. 
 
 The light of reafon does indeed for- 
 bid us to do evil by injuftice j the light of 
 grace exhorts us to do good from the prin- 
 ciples of duty. He who doeth no injury, 
 is deemed virtuous by philofophy: but, by 
 
 1 Matt. vii. 1 2. 
 
 our 
 
SERMON III. 6g 
 
 our divine law, he who forbears to do an- 
 other the fame kiridnefs he would wifh to 
 receive himfelf, is a finner. As much 
 then as doing, virtuoufly is fuperior to do- 
 ing nothing, fo much more refined and 
 excellent is the Chriftian'' precept of -juf- 
 tice, than the heathen notion of it. 
 
 To evince this, let us coiifider what one 
 of the beft and wifeft of the gentile Philo- 
 fophers advances upon this fubjecl: in his ce- 
 lebrated Book of Offices -, a laboured fyfte- 
 matical performance, which is univerfally al- 
 lowed to be the beft of its kind, and the great" 
 eft effort of human wifdom, and compare it 
 with our theology.' The firft duty, fays 
 this great Reafoner, of juftice is, that no 
 man hurt another, except he be provoked 
 by an injury u . Is this a doctrine fit to be 
 named with the Chriftian law? Shall he 
 prefume to direct us in our duty to one an- 
 other, who allows us the liberty of revenge, 
 when irritated by an injury ? What a more 
 fublime and generous leflbn doth our maf- 
 ter dictate to 'us, Love your enemies, blefs 
 
 " Juftitise primum munus eft, ut ne cui quis noceat, nifi 
 Jaceflitus injuria. Cicero de Offic. L. i. C. 7. 
 
 • E 3 them 
 
70 SERMON III. 
 
 them that curfe you, do good to them that 
 hate you, and pray for them which defpitefully 
 ufeyoft, and perfecute you™ . We are exci- 
 ted to the performance pf this amiable dif- 
 interefted virtue, from the view of God's 
 univerfal benignity, and our relation to, 
 and refemblance of him,, when we culti- 
 vate fo godlike a principle j when we thus 
 overcome evil with goad-" , and abhor and fup- 
 prefs every vindictive tendency. 
 
 If w,e confider the other capital virtue 
 ©f fortitude ; the higheft elevation of it 
 amounted only to repelling an injury r » and 
 teftjfying a ftokal infenfjIpsUity as»d con- 
 tempt of death z j though not, at the fame 
 time, without fhuddering a,t the terrors of 
 it *,: But what innumerable teftirftonies 
 
 T Matt,-y. ,4.4. *. Item. xii. 21. : 
 
 y Forces st magnanimi-funt liabendV, -norrtjiri, faciunt, fed 
 qni propulfantiinji^iaiji. 'Qiqerp de Offic. J<.ii.; %, 19. 
 
 z Appellate eft enirn,a viro virtus, vi" au$em propria 
 majcjme eft forthi$o, cnjus -mutiera duo font' maxima* mortis 
 dplpriftjue contemptio, SFivfpijl. fijuafft? L. ii. S. 17. 
 
 a Here all their Jieroifn^^rajled them. It was/0 like tekjfig 
 a leap in the -dark, that it is no wander if they who reckoned 
 tJveBifelvqs.rjioJf worthy. q£ Ijfe, fhould^eftify thejgrejteft in- 
 dignation, * when they found themfelVes likely foon.to T>e de- 
 prived of it and all its blefljngs_; for they, looked not into 
 futurity. The Grecian^ rhojaijft, icruples riot to fay, %t ^ 
 ■nurif! in xctj fa «fe« it&t cuifytov, fin "9»m6t©» x«f m t%ou- 
 
SERMON III. ^| 
 
 can Cbriftianity produce of faints, mar- 
 tyrs, and confeffors, of every age and fex, 
 infinitely furpaffing the reports of heathen 
 hiftories; and amply expreffive of that pa- 
 tience* magnanimity, and joy which they 
 manifefted in their trials and fufFeringSjfa/" 
 the word of God, and for the teimony of 
 Jefus\ 
 
 Cato is highly and Repeatedly extolled, 
 by the fame great author above referred to, 
 for his fortitude in being his own execu- 
 tioner'. But furely the defperate exit of 
 that celebrated perfon, fo renowned for his 
 
 yam Auwiigji ri> xt^jieia xaf ungrri Sfa/. VTrsftUH et ouiiu, til 
 x&Kv), n «w ai%£cr, re fm. jutf om> tiv fgtXitv 4$i» H^aiui %yn 
 
 tu ioiisto yx% p&Msu. ZJLu oc%k>v, »af 8r@- jj-tymot x^xjuv cnn>&- 
 f«T«v aJhi. y. Ariftotelis Ethic. Nicom. L. iii. C. 9. A 
 few chapters before he had mentioned death as theqbjecV.o/ 
 the grBateft terror, becaufe it was the fcdnclunon or end' of 
 all lyings. .L. iii. C. 6. Indeed, he could* not wejl ,oon.fi<ter 
 it in any other light ; having in his firft book, after much 
 logical debate, concluded the chief gootl' of man R> coniift 
 only of . things connefted wjjh the happiness and qnjpynu;nt& 
 of. this prefent life. 
 
 b Rev. vi. 9. 
 
 c Cato autem fie abiit e vita, ut c r aufem mpj-iundi nafturh 
 fe efle gauderet. Vetat enim dpminans ilje in nobjs Deus in- 
 juflu hinc nps fto (Jemigwe : cum vero cau|am juftam Dieus 
 ipfe dederit .... tanquam a magiftratu aut ab aliqua potef- 
 tate legitima, fie a Deo evocatus atque emiflus exierit. 
 
 Tufcyrt. Qsjeft. L. i. S. 30. 
 
 E 4 auftere 
 
yz SERMON III. 
 
 auftere inflexibility, ought rather to b 
 afcribed to fear and weaknefs, than to re 
 fortitude of mind d . Had he poflefied the 
 true fpirit of heroical refolution, he would 
 have triumphed over the malice of a con- 
 quering enemy- He. would have deipifed 
 that power* whpfe rage and tyranny he fo 
 greatly apprehended, as to lay violent hands 
 upon himfelf ; that he might cowardly fly 
 from, it, and avoid the mortification of be- 
 ing; obliged to the clemency of his adver- 
 fary, fpr the prefervatipn of his life. 
 
 In the next place, let us carry on the 
 comparifqn farther, and attend to the mo- 
 tives, influence, and efficacy of religious 
 principles, Here the fuperiority of the 
 Gofpel will appear to great advantage ; 
 as its views exceed thofe of human 
 wifdom,' not only in difcerning what true 
 virtue is, but in effecting a virtuous obe- 
 
 * Die- eas quse nunc funt, et futura viderit, et ne fierentj 
 contenderit, et, fa&a ne videret, vitam reliquerit. 
 
 Ep. ad Atticum; L. xii. Ep. 4. 
 
 Haec differentia naturarum tantam hatet vim, ut nonnun- 
 quam mortem fibi ipfe confcifcere alius debeat, alius in eadera 
 caufa non debeat .... Catoni autem cum incredibilem tri- 
 buiflet natura gravitatem, eamque ipfe perp'etua "conftantia ro- 
 boraviflet, ferhperque in prppofito fufceptoque confilto per- 
 rnaniiffet, moriendum potius, quam tyranni vultus adfpicien- 
 dus fuiti De Offic. L. i. S. 31. 
 
 dience. 
 
S E R M ON: HI. 73 
 
 dience. True jt is, that fome amongft us 
 may have fo high a veneration for the wri- 
 tings of the pagan moralifts, as to be able 
 to felect from the mafs fome mining fragr 
 ments, and to difplay them with uncom- 
 mon triumph and oftentation, as fufficientr 
 ly powerful and perfuafive to the love and 
 practice . pf. virtue, fo as to render other 
 inducements abfolutely needlefs. 
 
 But in moral duty and obligation, we 
 muft attend to the matter itfelf, more than 
 to the force of oratory, or laboured rheto- 
 rick, as the ftrongeft means of perfuafion j 
 and befides the duty recommended muft 
 be either neeeflary, fuitable, or convenient. 
 In this refpeft, how much more forcible 
 muft ,Chriftian motives be, than thofe of 
 nature. If authority can influence, what 
 are men to Qod ? Wife men, fuppofing 
 them fuch to wifdom itfelf? If evidence 
 of truth be looked for, the fame points 
 have the fame proofs in one, as in the 
 other, with the peculiar confirmation of 
 certainty in the word of God : An irre- 
 fiftible argument this, which philofophy was 
 ignorant of, and could not pretend to. The 
 beft of the ancient fages were but men, 
 
 their 
 
74 SERMON III. 
 
 their writings only the compofitions of 
 men, reafoning from prefumption and pro- 
 bability, not from aflurance and demon- 
 ftration ; whereas the Revelation of God 
 muft be true : It commands, as well as 
 teaches : It hath the fandtion and obliga- 
 tion of an eternal and immutable law, 
 which the other bath not and wants. 
 
 What moreover is the" ground upon 
 which human Wifdom forms her exhorta- 
 tions to Virtue ? and what are the motives 
 to fupport it ? Chiefly this, that Virtue 
 was to be defired for its own fake, and was 
 its own reward. A flippery ground indeed, 
 where even ftrong men could hardly keep their 
 footing, and the reft were fure to fall d . It 
 is almoft next to an impoflbility to per- 
 fuade him, who looketh for happinefs only 
 in this lifey where fenfe too commonly 
 warps the judgement, that virtue is feli- 
 
 • H«qc cawfa eft, -cur psasceptis eorum rmlhis obtemperetj 
 quoniam aut ad vitia erudiunt, fi yqluptatem defendunt ; aut 
 fl virtutem aflerunt ; necjue peccato iPcenam minantur, nifi fo- 
 lius tprgitudittis ; neque wti)tp idjum premium f$Y\q&ftyrj 
 nifi folius honeftatis, et Laudis ; cum dicant, non proper 
 aliud, fed propter feipfam expetewdam effe virtutem. 
 
 L. C. Jjaftantjus, L. iii. S. 27. 
 
 cky j 
 
SERMON III. 75 
 
 cijty; fince dptily experience muft convince 
 him of the contrary. Upon how much 
 better a foundation do we Christians build 
 our hopes of happinefs, even upon the vera- 
 city of God who ccmnot tye*-, and in cenfe- 
 quence- thereof upon his goodnefs, which 
 hath been by the cleareft demonftration 
 evinced to us in Chrift Jefus. In gofpel 
 language, holjnefs or righteoufnefs is called, 
 in one word, obedience j fin or vice, dis- 
 obedience. Hence do we learn, that vir-i 
 tue (or godlinefs, as Revelation calls it) is 
 to be defired and followed, beeaufe com- 
 manded by God, who beft knows what is 
 right and true : and as we and all things 
 elfe received our being from his will and 
 appointment, what he commands muft be 
 good and juft, and his will muft be the rule 
 of goodnefs to all his creatures. This is that 
 eternal foundation which cannot be fhaken j 
 this the rock upon which Chrift hath build- 
 ed his Church fo firm, that it cannot be 
 overthrown. 
 
 The chief arguments amongft the hear 
 thens to enforce the love and practice of 
 
 e Tit. i. ,2. 
 
 virtue 
 
76 SERMON III. 
 
 virtue fprang from this principle, the hope 
 of glory among men after their deceafe, 
 or a pofthumous reputation, which they 
 dignified with the pompous name of im- 
 mortality. Hence one of their graveft wri- 
 ters hefitates not to affirm, that there 
 would be nothing left to encourage worthy 
 men to virtuous adtions, if we take, away 
 the reward of praife and glory f . Though 
 this fame philofopher wrote a treatife to 
 prove, that virtue alone is fufficient to 
 make men happy *.. And yet this very 
 virtue which was thus to confer all this fe- 
 licity, he did not deem to be the gift of 
 God, but a perfonal acquifition \ 
 
 ' Nullam enim virtus aliam mercedem laborum, pencil* 
 lorumque defiderat, praster hanc laudis, et glorias. 
 
 Cicero. Orat. pro Atchia Poeta, S, 1 1. 
 
 The fame reflection occurs in the fifth Phjlippick ; and in 
 a fragment preserved by La&antius he exprefles himfelf in 
 thefe words* Vult plane virtus honorem ; nee eft virtutis 
 ulla alia merces. La&antius, L. v. S. 18. 
 
 * Tufcul. Difput. L. v. 
 
 h Virtutem nemo unqiiam acceptam Deo retulit. Nimirum 
 refte : propter virtutem enim jure laudamur, et, in, virtut? 
 re£le gloriamur : quod non contingeret, fi id donum a Deo, 
 non a nobis haberemus . , . Num quis, quod bonus vir eflet, 
 gratias Diis egit unquam ? at quod dives, quod honoratus, 
 quod incolumis, jovemque optimum, maximum, ob eas res 
 appellant, non quod nos juftos, temperatos fapientes efficiat, 
 fed quod falvos, incolumes, opulentos, copiofos .... Judi- ' 
 
 cium 
 
SERMON III. 77 
 
 Alas ! what a ftrange kind of immorta- 
 lity was that, which depended upon a 
 breath of air, and the applaufe of a capri- 
 cious multitude, without any other view, 
 than to have a name recorded in the annals 
 of hiftory . The hopes of a future ftate could 
 have no weight with men of this clafs : They 
 knew not what it meant. The love of 
 fame, not the defire of happinefs, was their 
 ruling paflion. Not but that fear of pu- 
 nifhment was as much the check, as this 
 luft of renown was the fpur to their out- 
 ward actions. Poor incentives thefe to real 
 inward virtue, which is neither to be en- 
 forced by terror like a Have, nor allured 
 by the wages of an hireling. 
 
 With nobler views doth Gofpel Theo- 
 logy, which is morality exalted, perfuade 
 Men. To know by exprefs Revelation, 
 that godlinefs hath the promife of the life that 
 
 cium hoc omnium mortalium eft, fortunam a Deo petendam, 
 a feipfo fumendam eflc fapientiam. 
 
 De Nat. Deorum, L. iii. S. 36. 
 
 What a falling off is here, from the grand and elevated 
 
 fentiments delivered in Sea. 66. Book a. of the fame work. 
 
 now 
 
78, SERMON III. 
 
 now is, and of that which is to come 1 , is the 
 utmoft that wife and good men could wifh 
 for, to diredt and animate them in the 
 parfuit and practice of Religion. Can we 
 think-, that virtue when alone is more 
 lovely and defireable, than when the affu- 
 rance of God's love and favour, is fuper- 
 added to the pleafing confcioufnefs of ha- 
 ving done our duty ? Though it may be 
 poffible to attain to fuch refinement in fpe- 
 culation, as to difregard prefent advantages; 
 yet who can be fuppofed fo negligent and 
 unwife, as to defpife that perfection of 
 virtues which unqueftionably leadeth to 
 everlafting life ? 
 
 Some indeed of the brighteft charac- 
 ters of antiquity puihed their enquiries fo 
 far as to arrive at fome confufed notion of 
 the immateriality of the foul, but mixed 
 with- fo much uncertainty and error, and 
 fpoken of with fo much doubt and diffi- 
 dence, that it may well be queftioned whe- 
 ther they really believed it or no". Some 
 
 1 i tim. iv. 8. 
 
 k See Dr. Randolph's Sermon tipon' RiHt. i. 26. eiititle'd", 
 7 he Ufe of Reafon in Matters of Religion, p. 24. 
 
 imagined 
 
SERMON IIL 7 j 
 
 imagined human fouls to be particles of 
 the Deity, or anima mundi ; that as fuch 
 they might have pre-exifted in an unknown 
 feparate ftate j and might, as probably, ex- 
 ift after the diflblution of the Body. Others 
 fuppofed a tranfmigration of them from 
 one body to another; and that they went 
 tp fome fortunate iflands or elyfian fields 
 during their ftate of feparation from the 
 Body. With fuch extravagant and chime- 
 rical reveries did they am life themfelves j 
 betraying utter ignorance of the fubjedt in 
 queftion, and that all which they faid* wai» 
 mere fi&ion and groundlefs conjecture. 
 
 Bu-t whatever imaginary notions they 
 might entertain of a fu>ture ftate, it was 
 only the fuppofition of the foal's feparate* 
 exiftence. They had not the leaft thought 
 or apprehennon of the immortality of the 
 body by a refuf region from the dead. Her© 
 the voice of natural Religion wis totally 
 filent. Indeed fome elevated minds, in their 
 pbik*fojphkal retreats, went fo far as to 
 imagine the body might perhaps be nothing 
 more than the ihell or covering, not the 
 man himfelf. Sometirales they called it 
 
 the 
 
80 /'SERMON III. 
 
 the prifon, fometimes the grave of the foul } 
 which never could enjoy its full and per- 
 fect liberty* till it had fhaken off its mor- 
 tal perifhable part. Thefe were but the 
 guefles of a few : Had they been favoured 
 with our light and certainty, how would 
 they have exulted in the glorious hope, 
 that both body and foul, would hereafter be 
 united and purified in a ftate of complete 
 and endlefs blifs. 
 
 Tbis is the knowledge which the Gofpel 
 done Can difcover: this is the comfort it 
 offers to us, from the fupreme authority 
 and pleafure of the Almighty j from him 
 Cometh our wifdom and truth, our know- 
 ledge and certainty. Whereas the light of 
 nature being grounded upon human wif- 
 dom and reafon corrupted and depraved ; 
 can only fpeak of fuch great articles by 
 weak arguments, and often from uncertain 
 likelihoods concludes certain untruths. Such 
 and fo great is the difference between the 
 wifdom of God and the wifdom of man. 
 From the former, we have all that the 
 faving knowledge of divine Revelation can 
 impart: from the latter, only what the im- 
 perfect 
 
SE R M O N Up 8 1 
 
 perfect furmifes of Uninformed opinion can' 
 ihggeft; without any authority to fupport 
 fuch random fuppofitions. 
 
 By the comparifon in thefe few particu- 
 lars here attempted, the fuperior excel- 
 lency of the Gofpel State is clear and ma- 
 nifeft. We cannot but acknowledge, that 
 no precepts of philofophy can fo inflxudl 
 usf, no examples of hiftory fo move us, no 
 fweetnefs of numbers fo allure us, no force 
 of eloquence fo perfuade us to godlinefs 
 Or virtue, as the motives, evidence, and 
 authority of the revealed will of God., So 
 great and powerful is the wifdom of God, 
 fo weak and unavailing the wifdom of 
 marl's reafon. 
 
 Thus doth God deflroy the wifdom -of the 
 •wife, andiring to nothing the under/landing 
 of the prudent 1 . But notwithftandirig this 
 defnohftfatidn of the fpirit, and power, and 
 wifdom of God, there are thofe who ob- 
 ftinately refift fuch evidence, 'the natu- 
 ral man receiveth not the things of the 
 Spirit of God : for they are fiolifhitefs 
 unto him i neither can he know them r 
 
 1 I Cor. i. 19. 
 
 F 1 becaufe 
 
8 2 SERMON III. 
 
 becaufe they are Jpiritually difcerned™. They 
 are not proved from principles of natural 
 knowledge, which is the only wifdom he 
 admires. Such human reafoners did from 
 the beginning, fuch do ftill reject and op- 
 pofe the Gofpel ; while the charms of the 
 •wifdom of words", and the arts of, eloquence 
 are abufed to deprive us of our confolation, 
 and to rob us of our reward in Chrift °. 
 They may indeed pretend great matters, 
 to fet us free from the prejudices of educa- 
 tion, and the burthenfome yoke of Reve- 
 lation. But for what purpofe ? unlefs to 
 bring us into the wretched ftate of hea- 
 thenifm -, that is, of doubt, of ignorance, 
 of error, and perplexity. Whatfoever fuch 
 difputers may affirm, none can be real 
 friends to virtue, who are enemies to Chrif- 
 tianity. 
 
 Let not therefore our conftancy be maker* 
 by thofe falfe pretences to clearer light, or 
 
 m i Cor. ii. 14. * 1 Cor. i: 17. ' 
 
 " Such endeavours to corrupt jbeftm,p{icrty that is in Chrift, 
 (2 Cor. xi. 3.) the Apoftle in one place calleth u zruhxtcXeyiti, , 
 ( Col. ii. 4. ) in another, m ■attfais Kii^ummis tmpiut bopis, 
 (1 Cor. ii. 4.) that he might guard us againft being (educed 
 by fuch plaufible fpecious reaionings, which are founded more 
 upon the fubtlety of evafions, and the arts or embellishments 
 of ftyle and language, than the force of truth and conviftion. 
 
 greater 
 
SERMON III. 83 
 
 greater knowledge. Of ■ divine matters 
 Reafon alone is an incompetent judge, and 
 .can go no farther than opinion, which may 
 be ill founded and erroneous : Now error 
 in fpeculation is often the real caufe, and 
 more often the alleged and pretended caufe 
 of immoral and vicious practice. Let di- 
 vine Revelation therefore, the unerring 
 rule of our Faith have its perfedt work; 
 let it correct our opinions, and direcl: our 
 conduct. Let us hold faft our profeffion, 
 as we are taught ; knowing from whom 
 we have learned, and how fure and certain 
 the hope of our calling is r in Chrifl, who is 
 both the power, and the wifdom of God" 1 unto 
 Salvation. 
 
 ' Epbef.j. 18, * iCor.i. 24. 
 
 F 2 
 
( *i ) 
 
 w^iyr^-^^mrm 
 
 SERMON IV. 
 
 Gal. in. 2i. latter part. 
 
 —~~- If there, had been a law given , Which 
 could ihavei given life, verily righteoufmfs 
 .. jhdkld Vhave been -by t the hwl 
 
 TH E R E is no point, which the in- 
 fpired writer of this Epiftle hath 
 more in view, than precifeljfto ^feate the 
 diftindion between the law: and the Gof- 
 pel*, and convincingly to difplay, fay a 
 
 * Lex notatLeam verbi div'mi partem quae praece'ptis r 'et in- 
 terdiftis conltat, cam pollicitatione praemii erga eps qyukddclp 
 audientes Junt, 'et Comminaticfne poense in immorigeros. 
 
 EvaHgeliiim iigri'ificat do&inaiji <3ratise pleniffimazqtie 1 fifu- 
 tis in Chrifto Jefu, ab eleftis peccatoribus- recipiendse per 
 Fidem. Witfii Animadverfiohes Irenicse; "cap. xvii. De 
 praedicatione Lcgis et Evangelii, p. 2 1 8. 
 
 o F 3 great 
 
86 SER MO N IV. 
 
 great variety of arguments, the manifeft 
 fuperiority of the latter. Being called to 
 trreap&ftolicai office by the miraculous in- 
 terpofition of God himfelf, by an extraor- 
 dinary light from heaven, above the bright- 
 nefs of the fun h in wits meridian fplendour ; 
 he was not difobedient unto the heavenly Vifion*. 
 Satisfied that the fame high and Divine 
 Authority which had, in fo memorable a 
 manner, ordained him a Preacher, and an 
 Apojlle i , was not of men, neither by man % 
 but was the direct immediate Revelation of 
 God ; he was the more unwearied in his 
 labours, to infpire others with equivalent 
 fentiments of the truth and importance of 
 the doctrines he had received from fo fu- 
 preme and unerring an inftrudtor. 
 
 When he addreffed himfelf to the Gen- 
 tiles, his aiip was to demonftrate the abfo- 
 lute impoffibility of their attaining the true 
 (knowledge of Religion from the weak ef- 
 forts , of Reafon and Philofophyj which 
 knowledge, in the prefent depraved and 
 corrupted ftate of human nature, could 
 
 * 4&s xxvi. 13. c -dBs xxvi. 19. 
 
 * 1 Tim. if. 7. e Gal. i. 1. 
 
 only 
 
SERMON IV. 87 
 
 only be acquired by the communications of 
 a divine Revelation. When concerned with 
 the Jews, he purfued a different plan of 
 argumentation : He acknowledged the di- 
 vine Original of the Mofaical difpenfation ; 
 but contended that they had overlooked 
 and ftrangely miftaken the whole fcope and 
 intention of it, by a fervile attachment to 
 the external letter of it. They boafted, 
 that in their law, diftinguifhed ordinarily 
 into moral, judicial, and ceremonial com- 
 mandments, was contained every thing ne- 
 ceffary to life and happinefs : and that the 
 punctual performance of the ritual ordi- 
 nances gave them a fufficient plea of merit, 
 to fecure their acceptance with God. They 
 nvere of the feed of Abraham j they had 
 the promifes of God ; they were in the 
 covenant with him, and therefore were 
 undoubtedly entitled to the benefits of it. 
 
 In oppolition to thefe aflfertions the Apof- 
 tle maintained, that they only which are of 
 faith, are to be reckoned the. children of 
 Abraham 1 ; for the promife, being made, to 
 
 * GaLK<\. 7. 
 
 F 4 him 
 
88 SERMON IV. 
 
 him whilft he was in a ftate of uncircumci-r 
 Jioti B , appertained equally to Gentiles and 
 to Jews. True he granted it certainly 
 was, that to render this promife more fig- 
 nally confpicuous, (however unjverfaliy gra- 
 cious the defign of it: was) it was not only 
 appropriated to Abraham, but alfo particu- 
 larly limited by God himfelf to a fingle 
 individual of his family ; for be faith, not, 
 and to feeds as of many ; bitt as of one, and 
 to t by feed, which is Chrift 11 : thus making 
 it to center in one perfon deriving his na- 
 tural defcent from him 1 . But it was through 
 this extraordinary perfon, (he argued) that 
 the great blefling exhibited in the co- 
 venant was to be communicated indiffe- 
 rently, and without refpect of perfons, to> 
 as many as mould hereafter believe in his 
 name. Such is the fubftance of the Apof- 
 tle's reafoning contained in this and the 
 fubfequent chapter. 
 
 Indeed his whole defign and intention, 
 in this pafloral charge to the Galatiai\ 
 
 £ Rom- iv. 10. 
 h Gal. iii. 1 6. 
 1 Doddridge's Family Expdfitor. Vol, v. p. 50. note (a). 
 
 church, 
 
. SERMON IV. 89 
 
 church, is plainly calculated to confirm 
 the peculiar excellency ,of the Gofpel of 
 Chrift, to reprefent the bleffings and privi- 
 leges of it in the moil, engaging apd affec- 
 tionate light, and to vindicate it from the 
 impofitions of thpfe Mbfajcal .rites and, ce- 
 remonie§, which the new converts from JUr 
 daiim were top apt to, imagine, on account 
 of their divine original,, ought not to be 
 Suddenly fuperfeded. This gave him the 
 opportunity to enlarge upon the fpiritual 
 tendency of the Gofpel j that Mofes,was 
 faithful as afervant, in his delivery of the 
 law of rites and ftiadows : but Chrift as a 
 $w k , was in \ fuperipr light, the difpenfer 
 ©i" grace and truth, the life and fubftance 
 of the things teftified beforehand concern- 
 ing him by the Jewifb. Lawgiver. He, ex- 
 horted them therefore toftwdfqft in. the liber- 
 ty wherewith Chrift had made them free, and 
 not to be entangled again with the biirthen- 
 fome ceremonial yoke of bondage l ; a. yoke, 
 which, how long faever they had been ha-? 
 bituated to it, neither their fathers nor they 
 were able to bear ™, 
 
 k Eeb.m. 5, 6. « Gaf. v. 1. 
 
 m A8i xv. 10. 
 
 This 
 
90 SERMON IV. 
 
 This was a favourite topick with him, 
 and makes a principal part in thofe other 
 Epiftles, wherewith he hath enriched the 
 Church : He eagerly took occafion, when 
 ever occafion offered, to magnify the grace 
 of Chrift, and to explain the nature of jus- 
 tification by faith, without the deeds or works 
 of the law ". This alfo is the purport of 
 the whole Epiftle to the Hebrews, which 
 is generally imputed to him, as the writer 
 of it, from the fimilarity of the arguments 
 adduced to prove the impotency of the 
 law, whether moral or Mofaical, to juftify 
 men in the fight of God j for the law 
 made nothing perfeSi ; but the bringing in of 
 a better hope, by the which we draw nigh 
 unto God" and find acceptance with him, 
 adminiftred and fupplied that which was 
 wanting. 
 
 When this better hope was manifefted, as 
 it was firft to be propofed to the Jews, it 
 was incumbent upon the promulgators of 
 it, to fhew its connection with their Reli- 
 
 n Rom. iii. 28. 
 Htb. vii. 1 9. 
 
 gion. 
 
SERMON IV, 91 
 
 gion. Many accordingly were convinced 
 by referring to the things witneff'ed by the 
 law and the prophets*, and believed the re- 
 cord which God gave of his Son fefus 
 Chrijl 9 . But fome of them, either 
 unwilling or unable at once to relin- 
 quish all the prejudices of their education 
 and their ancient principles, were earneft 
 in their attempts to incorporate the rites of 
 their old law with the works of their new 
 faith j efteeming the former, which was 
 confeffedly of divine inftitution, of fo fa- 
 cred and uncontroulable authority, as never 
 to be abrogated. 
 
 Againft thefe erroneous notions, the 
 having recourfe again to fervile carnal or- 
 dinances* , to weak and beggarly elements', as 
 they are exprefsly called, does pur Apoftle 
 vindicate the law of Chrift, and mews its 
 pre-eminence over that of Mofes; which 
 was only meant as the introduction to it, and 
 was to expire when that appeared. All who 
 waited for the confolation of Ifrael, all who 
 looked for redemption in Jerufalem l , expect- 
 ed a purer and more fpiritual Religion, to 
 
 t Rom. iii. zi. * \Jebn v. 10. 20. '. Htb.\%. 10. 
 * Gal. iv. 9. * Lukt ik 25. 38. 
 
 aboliQi 
 
92 SERMON IV. 
 
 abolifh that variety of ritual fervices in 
 their tdmple-worfliip ; which, to anfwer 
 the wife ends of Providence, were impofed 
 on the Israelites only for the deftjned time of 
 reformation u , and till that fuperior and ul- 
 timate difpenfatjon appeared, which was fo 
 to correct and order all things, . that they 
 might beft attain their perfect ftatc. 
 
 For notwithftanding the foundation of 
 the moral Law, and the Levitical reli- 
 gious obfervations were of God's; appoint- 
 ment and direrStion .-, yet as they.confifted 
 chiefly of fuch lifelefs external ceremonies, 
 which did not reach the inward man, they 
 could not confer peace and pardon of fins, 
 or certainty of eternal life. If fuch a law 
 had been given, which could have given life 
 by man's perfect obedience to it, verily 
 righteoufnefs J/jould have been - by the Imv. 
 JBut, fays the Apoftle, fo far is the law 
 from introducing any juftifying righteouf- 
 nefs, that the Scripture hath concluded all v , 
 both Jews and Gentiles alike, under fn, 
 
 * Heb, ix.,10. 
 
 w Gal. jii. 2 2. ZufiiKKutTU i. e. declaravit omnes Ho- 
 rttines conclufos et captivos teneri fub potefiate et dominio Pec- 
 cati, mortifque ac damnationis reos. Stockius fub voce y.\<*u. 
 
 fhut 
 
S'ER M O N IV. 
 
 93 
 
 fliut them up together, as fo many con- 
 demned prlfofters ; that the fromife made to 
 Abraham, that in his feed Jhall all the nations 
 upon earth be bleffed*, might be given to them 
 that believe, and truft in that method of 
 juftification and acceptance, which fhould 
 afterwards be revealed y . Hence, if they 
 were made fenfible of the mifery" of their 
 fallen ftate, they might be delivered as 
 well from the bondage of the natural law, 
 which tended only to darken the undemand- 
 ing, and to blind the heart z ; as from the 
 laborious fervices of the Jewifh law, which 
 was now only to be confidered as having 
 been their rigid fcboolmafler to bring, them 
 unto Chrifl * : For all men are the children of 
 God by faith in him b . 
 
 The many deficiencies and imperfections 
 of the natural and moral law were the fub- 
 je&s c£ the laft difcouffe. The words now 
 before us evidently mark the fame or equal 
 defects 
 
 * Gen. xxii. 18, f Gal. iii, zz, 23. * Ephef. iv. 18. 
 a Gal. iii, 24. b Gat.xA. z6. 
 
 Firft, 
 
94 S E R M O N IV. 
 
 Firft, In the Mofaical or ceremonial 
 law. 
 
 Therefore, from the manifeft impotency 
 of both, to make fatisfadtion for paft of- 
 fences, and to fecure a title to eternal life, 
 will follow, 
 
 Secondly, The neceffity of a better law, 
 to afcertain thefe bleffings. 
 
 After what hath been already remarked, 
 a few obfervations will fuffice to note the 
 comparative weakhefs and unprofitablenefs 
 of the Mofaical law, and its infufficiency to 
 anfwer the great ends of life and falvation. 
 Firft, becaufe the original promifes of this 
 inftitution, taken independently of pofte- , 
 rior declarations, or prophetical illuftra'- 
 tions, were merely of a temporal nature ; 
 fuch as either related folely to the circum- 
 ftances of this prefent life j or fuch, as 
 when viewed in contradiftindtion to the law 
 of grace, life, and fpirit, may warrant us 
 to term the inftitution itfelf an occafional 
 difpenfation. The hopes and future prof- 
 peel; 
 
SERMON IV. 
 
 95 
 
 pe£t of the Jews were therefore confined 
 within & narrow compafs. From rigidly 
 and pertinacioufly adhering to the pre- 
 fcriptive ceremonial part of their Reli- 
 gion, as being of itfelf the available means 
 of juftifkation and falvation, they were 
 thereby diverted from attending to the 
 fpirituality of the promifes hidden un- 
 der the obfcure veil of types and allego- 
 ries : fo that the law was to them, in ef- 
 fect, little better than a dead letter. A 
 future ftate, however the patriarchs and 
 good men amongft them might poffibly be- 
 lieve it b , was not openly or in dire'cY terms, 
 fo promulged to them, as to be made the 
 clear objed: of their faith, or the certain 
 reward of their obedience. Even with the 
 advantages which we Chriftians derive from 
 the knowledge of better promifes", however 
 it may feem deducible from other parts of 
 the Old Teftamenr, this dodlrine is at beft 
 fo obfcurely expreffed in the law, or rather 
 fcarcely more than alluded to ; that it can- 
 not plainly and abfolutely be collected from 
 it : infomuch, that it hath given occafion 
 
 » Heb. xu 
 *■ fle(>. viij. 6. 
 
 Of 
 
$6 SERMON IV-: 
 
 of much doubt and controversy among 
 learned men, whether it made any part of 
 the divine Legation of the Jewifh legifla-^ 
 tor ; as temporal rewards and puniflrments 
 are apparently the only fanctions of the 
 Mofaical covenant. 
 
 Secondly, The law was little more than 
 s covenant of works j or, as our Apoftle 
 elfewhere terms it, the laito of command- 
 ments, contained in ordinances d : Was an 
 outward directory or fyftem of polity, the 
 fuppofed alliance between God and his 
 church ; confirming, for the moft part, of 
 precepts and injunctions to duty", which re- 
 quired a perfect rectitude of life, without 
 imparting ftrength and afiiftance for the 
 work enjoined. It 'was not the obedience 
 of faith which, was required j for what it 
 promifed, it prpmifed not upon condition 
 of believing, but of doing : the man that 
 doe'th them; Jhall liiie in them e . This in- 
 duced the Jews to feek for pardon of fins 
 by their own merit, by what was their 
 own righteoufnefs, by their own works, 
 
 A Epbef. ii. 15. ', ^ 
 
 e Gal. iii. 12. 
 
 and 
 
S E R'M O N IV. n . $f 
 
 and ;by their own' facrifiees j by fuch ex- t 
 ternal obfervarices as had no real excellency 
 to recommend them, but the command of 
 the legiflator. ; Nor could the outward law, 
 whofe administration they were fo zealoufly 
 attached to, ever infure inward and unfin- 
 nirig obedience. Alas ! if man in the full 
 ftrepgth of his paradifiacal innocency could 
 not remain perfect, where could his fecu- 
 rity be, when his ftrength was gone from 
 him, and fuch rigorous demands made for 
 the punctual performance of his duty. 
 
 From the amazing multiplicity of the 
 precepts,from the 'very many injunctions 
 relpecling the particulars of their religious" 
 ceremonies, and from the feveral tedious 
 circiimftances, attending their gifts andfa- 
 crificesi their meafs; and dtinks, and wajh- 
 ings { , which were ! all enforced with very" 
 fevere penalties, it was with great difficulty 
 the Jews themfelves could diftinctly le'arn J 
 all the duties of their law : It was more- : 
 over next to an impoffibility, that they 
 could" "fee eonfcientioufly fatisfiedy* whether 
 
 ' ,v. f fltb.ix.. 9, 10: ' • 
 
 G they 
 
98 SERMON IV. 
 
 they had performed- them, all in due pre- 
 faced order and manner j or whether, not- 
 withstanding their great, defire to fulfil the 
 law,** they might not have contracted fome 
 ceremonial impurity, if not moral alfoj 
 and by that means might have reafon to 
 appcehend, that, they were not cleanfed accord- 
 ing to tfa ^QxfeQ^pmi§catwt of ' thefan&uaryf. 
 
 Such is the impotency of the law, with 
 all its ordinances and inftitutions of wop- 
 {hip, to procure that, expiation of fin,, the 
 neceflity of which was ftiadowed by thofe 
 folerrm, reprefentations. It enjoined an in- 
 tricate cour£e. of formal, expenfive,, and. 
 troublefome duties, and, required compleat 
 and full performance of them all, without, 
 any fecurity of; remijGfion, without any pro- 
 fpecT: of relaxation, or abatement. It deem- 
 ed him who. offended' in one point, alto- 
 gether guilty or obnoxious* to the curfe, and* 
 denounced on the tranfgreflbr this extremet 
 malediction; curfed is. every, one that- con- 
 tinueth not in all things which are written in. 
 the book, of the law to do them 11 . Qbe* 
 
 e 2 Cbron. xxx. 1 9. 
 
 h Gal. iii. 10. refening.to Deut, xxvii. 26. 
 
 dience 
 
SERMON W. 
 
 W 
 
 dienee to fach; a fevcre :fclw, fubh a cove- 
 nant of works, could not be paid by any 
 of the fens of Adam, who are all roblnd 
 fkfners againft it. Juftification therefore 
 could not be attained raider ify for then if 
 ctu/d have given life: And confequently 
 Chriftj who died to redeem us froth the ctirft 
 of the law l , rmift be dead in vdirt k . As 
 thfr law could not thus give life, fo neither 
 could it make the tvorjhippers perfeSij asftr- 
 tabling to the confcimce*. It is ujkjrf this ac- 
 count ftyled in the apoftolical language the 
 ntimfirathn of fin m , of Condemnyifim' 1 ,' arid 
 of death . In oppofititra to the law of 
 grace by ChfHfy which is caHed the minify 
 t ration of ' rigbtedafifefsj of glory 1 , and of life 9 . 
 
 But* moreover the Mofaical ceconomy, 
 though it derived its being and eftablifli- 
 ment from Divine Authority, was only lo- 
 cal' an<§ temporary j it was hot calculated 
 for" universal practice or extent. It was 
 limited 1 to a few,' to a. particular people 
 confined withhr the diftrid of Paieftine, 
 
 i J G"i. iii'. i J. c k Gil. ».. 21. J Hfb.ix, 9; 
 
 m ttorn. vTu. 2. ' *"z Cor. iii. 9. * z Cer. iii. 7. 
 
 ' 2 Cor. viJ $. 1- 
 
 G 2 or 
 
ioo SERMO N IV- 
 
 or the land of Canaan, a fmall, bbfcure 
 corner of the world : It was the religion 
 of thofe, who were within a proper dis- 
 tance of Jerufalem, where was the- temple 
 of God j and where all who feared the 
 name of the Lord God of Ifrael, and 
 hearkned to his voice, were obliged to re- 
 fort fo. many times every year, >to offer their 
 facrifices, and to perform the duties of di- 
 vine, worihip. This was fuch a command, 
 as the reft, of the world could not poflibly 
 have complied with, who lived beyond the 
 boundaries or jurifdidlion of this favoured 
 land: It was not, it could not therefore be 
 intended for general acceptation ; but only 
 to feparate and diftinguifh that chofen peo- 
 ple from other nations -, and to ferve parti- 
 cular purpofes of God's pleafure and pro- 
 vidence. 
 
 But as this law was not univerfally ex- 
 tenfive, fo neither was it calculated for 
 perpetual duration. It was to fubfift no 
 longer than a given predetermined period: 
 The enforcement and obligation of its 
 whole fyftem, agreeably to antecedent de- 
 clarations, were to ceafe, when the feed Jhauld 
 
 come, 
 
S E R M O N IV. ioi 
 
 tome, to whom the promt/? was made q ; 
 whereas had it confifted altogether of effen- 
 tial duties, they would not only; have been 
 for ever binding; .but. tall people every 
 where, and at all", times, muft have been 
 alike fubj eft to it _ . Such an eternal law 
 was referved as the peculiar privilege, the 
 lingular ;happinefs of the Christian cove- 
 nant. Chrift the Meffiah was foreordained 
 to be the termination and accomplifhment 
 of all the ftatutes' and ordinances of "the 
 Jewifli inftitutions.;. .He. was to make full 
 and perfecT: reconciliation* for Jnkfuity >': He 
 was to bring in everlajling righfeoufnefs ' : 
 He was to eflablifh . an univerfal covenant 
 with mankind, ordered an all things and Jure*, 
 and all 'people^ nations, and languages were 
 to be called to accede to it : For his go/pel 
 was to be preached to.. every creature which 
 is under heaven x $ that all men may come unto 
 the knowledge of the .truth u ; and -that in 
 every nation, he that: feareth God, and work- 
 eth right eoufnefs, may' affuredly bs\ accepted 
 with himf. r lot/, s a sriT :i'.- 
 
 * Gat. iii. 19," ' t>an. ix. '4. ' s . z §am, xxiii. 5. ■ 
 
 *CW.i.23.>\ ' " 1 TmJ'n. 4.". ■ " Alls ^135. 
 
 G 3 From 
 
102. SERMON IV. 
 
 From *his comparative iketch of the de- 
 fers both of the law of nature and of 
 ^lofes, we fee how uncertain the duties of 
 the one were, and how difficult thofe of 
 the other j how liable men were to miftake 
 in the former, and how fubjecl: to death in 
 the latter ; the expediency therefore of a 
 better law, 
 
 Secondly, Muft be obvious and uncraef- 
 tionable. By the trangreffion of the law 
 of innocency, man became fubjed: to fin, 
 and to death the inevitable confequence 
 of it. He had offended his Maker, and 
 needed an interceffor to eifedt a reconci- 
 liation with him. Continuing ftijl to fin 
 his own poor ftock of virtue could plead 
 but little in his behalf, and would be but 
 a wretched foundation on which to reft his 
 hopes of recovery from his fallen ftate. 
 The law of nature could give him no in- 
 formation, how this could be brought 
 about : The law of Mofes was little better 
 than a cpvenant of condemnation, ^ei- 
 ther of thefe laws could make th* comers 
 ' thereunto 
 
S -E R & O N it. ro 3 
 
 thereunto perfeB'r it 'being a vain imagina- 
 tion to expett, thatSeir right eoujhefs taiildie 
 fulJBed in us y , when fo great and fo general 
 was the infirmity ofvurflejh*. Not being 
 able to overcome the corruptions • of na- 
 ture, they leave us without the prbipe& 
 of, relief or remedy, fubjeci: to the terrors 
 of their curfes. And why? becaufe they 
 were not of faith*. God had appointed 
 fuch a different method of reconciliation, 
 as would glorioufly exhibit his love to 
 men, and teflify theif filial obedience to 
 him. 
 
 By the rigid demands of the law,' par- 
 don or even companion were excluded i 
 the foul that finiied died withmt m?iy h . 
 The mbftitution of facrifices might have 
 taught men to apprehend the neceffity of 
 a piacular fatisfaftion, adequate to the re- 
 moval of the evil of fin, and to pul-lfy 
 that confcience, which would otherwise 
 cendemn them. The true and only way 
 
 x Htb. x. 1 . * iom. tfiih 4. 
 
 * Rom. vi. 19. ° Gal. iii* ia. 
 
 » Heb. x. 28. 
 
 O 4. ' ^>f 
 
IQ4 SERMON IV. 
 
 _pf reconciliation was at. length exhibited: 
 Chrift the Meffiah appeared as the great 
 and promifed deliverer from the wrath of 
 God, and from the guilt and punifhment 
 of fin. v JHe was an, advocate of prevailing 
 efficacy,, who could fupport his laws by 
 bis own exalted nature and authority : , For 
 he. revealed more clearly, he fealed more 
 powerfully, and brought to their intended 
 perfection all thofe ,; glorious truths and 
 , prom.ifesj: which were before but fajntly 
 , fignified in the outward letter, and fym- 
 bolical reprefentations of' the law. The 
 Jaw of works indeed was good in its time 
 and place i -but the jtaw of ; Jfeijth .was better 
 in its .foundation and in. its end: It illuf- 
 'trated, explained, and 'ripened the. other : 
 . And when both are viewed together, they 
 form that divine, confident, and harmo- 
 nious plan by which the myftery of God 
 and redemption is haftening to its final ac- 
 comblifhment. 
 
 ' This happy concurrence was that mira- 
 culous evidence of God's good will to 
 man, which occafioned the acclamations of 
 admiring angels. A grateful fenfe of the 
 
 bleffings. 
 
SERMON IV. 103 
 
 bleffings of this falvation, a convidtioh of 
 'the guilt and mifery of mankind, an aflu- 
 ranae, that by the deeds of the law jhall 
 no fiefh.: he jufiified", made the Apoftle 
 .dwell: with capture and delight upon this 
 'pkaftng fubjecT: : Him, faith he, that, is 
 Jefus Chrift hath God fit forth, hath pubr 
 lickly exhibited*, to be a propitiation through 
 faith in his meritorious facrificed blood, to 
 idecldre or demonftrate e his right eoufnefi,. or 
 jiiftifying power for the ' remijfion of fins 1 . 
 
 ,1 Such is the nature and perfection of this 
 better covenant, which gives us alfb the 
 moft compleat knowledge of bur duty. 
 \yhat reafon or the light of nature could 
 do, is beft known by what it really. did 
 do j having no fure foundation to. build 
 Upon, it could form no regular fyftem of 
 
 c Rom. iii. 20. 
 
 * isr&ttiTt propofuit,. proprie, denotat ponere ante, Mere et 
 ftature in eonfpeftu alioj-um, &c. Inde transfer! Paulus ad 
 Chrifturii," quent in veteri ' teftameuto per urhbram leg'is ex- 
 hibitum, in novo in prbpatulo Deus pofuit- propitiatoriurrt, 
 atque per Evangelii Pradicationem in confpe&u omnium 
 fticit et manifeitavit. Stockius. 
 
 • e EvfwiiS' fpeciatim potat demonftratiorrern, qua aliquid ita 
 dilucide ac manifefte demonftratur, ut appareat omnibus nega- 
 fique nequeat. Stockius, 
 
 f Rom. iii. 35. , 
 
 Religion 
 
%s6 SERMON IV. 
 
 Religion or Morality fuffieiently perfuafive 
 to virtue, wifdom, and holinefs. Wlio 
 will prefume to fay, it is a matter of mere 
 indifference, whether men have a clear arid 
 certain, or an obfcure and fallible rule to 
 walk by : a rule which cannot fail, or a 
 rule which hath hitherto failed all man- 
 kind, the greateft, the beft, and the wifeft 
 of all ages -, the manifold defecls of which 
 are ftill vilibie, wherever revealed Religion 
 hath not been taught, or eftablifhed. Re- 
 velation alone diftinguifhes itfelf by fo com- 
 pleat a fyftem of duty, a6, when received, 
 is able to convince the judgement, and to 
 influence the pra&ice. Our blefled Lord 
 himfelf fulfilled all righteoufnefs 8 , all the 
 precepts of the natural and the moral law; 
 In him were hid, and from him did proceed 
 as the incarnate wifdom of God, all the 
 treafures of wifdom and knowledge h j and 
 he hath left us his example as the beft in- 
 terpretation of his will, and comment 
 upon his do&rines. 
 
 In truth, where can fuch effe&ual laws 
 and motives to goodnefs be found as in 
 
 f Matt. Hi. 15. h Col. ii. 3. 
 
 the 
 
SERMON IV. *67 
 
 the Gofpel of Chrift ? Where «!fe are the 
 promiCes of the fpirit of graee, that divine 
 extraordinary affiftance which €v enables 
 and ftrengthens us in the performance of 
 our duty, as that, if we are not wanting to 
 ourfelves, we mall be prefented holy t dndun- 
 blameebk, and unreproveable in the fight of. 
 God 1 J 
 
 There is another peculiar excellency in 
 this better covenant, which indeed may be 
 regarded as its greateft bleffing and privi- 
 lege j whieh is, the means of reconciling 
 eurfelves to God upon failure, and even 
 upon repeated failure of duty, if we truly 
 repent. Before the publication of thefe 
 good tidings, who could have prefumed 
 upon the pardon of his fins ? who could 
 thought of fo dear a facrifice, fo valuable 
 a fatisfaftion for them as the death of the 
 only begotten Son of God ? that he mould 
 eome into the world, to give his life a 
 r-anfomfor our fins k , a ranfcm for our ori- 
 ginal, for our adtual, yea for all our 
 fins ; for God made Mm to befn p that is, a 
 
 1 Col. i. 22. 
 * Matt. xx. 28. 
 
 facrifice 
 
io8 S E R M O N IV. 
 
 facrifice for fin, for us, who knew no Jim 
 that we might be made the righteoufnefs of 
 God in him'. 
 
 It is fully fufficient for our comfort and 
 encouragement to be allured, that this doc- 
 trine cometh by the exprefs Revelation of 
 God: Nothing but his fupreme authority 
 could have convinced us that he had formed 
 fuch counfels of mercy and of peace* 1 } and 
 that Chrift's impeccable obedience, and me- 
 ritorious fufferings were neceffary for our 
 redemption. Confiding in the plenitude 
 of this teftimony, we may remain fatisfied 
 with the apoftolical aflertion in the text, 
 that ■. if \ there had been a law given which 
 could have given life, verily righteoufnefs 
 jhould have been by\the, law. But as both 
 Jews and Gentiles are all under fin* ; it is 
 only by, the law of thffpirit of life in Chriji 
 Jefus", that we can have any hope to be 
 jujlified from all things, from which we could 
 not be. jujlified by any other law v , even by 
 that righteoufnefs which is of God by faith 
 
 1 2 Cor. v. zi. m Zecb. vi. 13. " Rom. iii. 9. 
 
 • Rom. viii. z. * ASs xiii. 39, 
 
 in 
 
S E R M O N IV. 109 
 
 in Cbriji % gratuitoufly made over and pro- 
 mifed to them who believe in him for 
 Pardon and Salvation. 
 
 Who this illuftrious Perfon and Cha- 
 racter is mail be the fubjedt of the next 
 Difcourfe. 
 
 ' Phil, iii. 9. 
 
( III ) 
 
 SERMON V, 
 
 MM 
 
 Luke ii. n. 
 
 Unto you is horn this day in the city of 
 David, a Saviour, which is Chriji the 
 Lord. 
 
 ANY previous notifications, great 
 and folemn preparations manifeftly 
 indicate, that uncommon and ex- 
 traordinary circumftances are to be expe&ed 
 as attendant' upon an event, thus formally 
 and frequently predi&ed. Notices of this 
 kind forcibly befpeak. the attention of 
 thofe to whom they are ; addrefled, and for 
 whofe ufe and benefit they are more im- 
 mediately defigned ; and powerfully excite 
 
 them 
 
H2 SERM.ON V. 
 
 them to contemplate the greatnefs and im- 
 portance of the objecT: in whom fuch won- 
 ders are to terminate. 
 
 From thofe feveral pafTages of Scripture 
 which have teen occasionally mentioned 
 in the preceding Difcourfes, we find what 
 various intimations and fromifes God made, 
 unto the Fathers*, of their, future accep- 
 tance and falvation j and that a long fucceflion 
 of Prophets was miraculoufly raifed up, from 
 time to time, toilluftrate the office and king- 
 dom, the grace and glory, of that exalted 
 Perfoh who mould hereafter appear in the- 
 confpicuous character, of the Meffiah, the 
 Redeemer of the world. With this view, 
 every minute circumftance, relative to fo 
 fublime an objecl: of faith and hope, was 
 particularly pointed out; that •when the 
 fulnefs of the time was come b , the comple- 
 tion of the prophecies might be a miracu— 
 lous confirmation of- their Divine Original 
 and : authority. Whereas, if the predic- 
 tions* and their propofed accomplifhm'ent • 
 did not coincide, all that had been fpoken^' 
 
 *['J8ixiu. 32". - 
 
 * ► Gal. iv. 4. - •- 
 
 before- 
 
S- E R M :Q N :jV, ij$ 
 
 beforehandjwas, fpoken jn yain„ -and; tended 
 only to. deceive and to. lead -into* error.',. 
 
 . When ftian loft :his;innpcency in Para- 
 dife,, the benignity of his (Creator, ,did - not 
 long fuffer him ; to feeLtjhe weight of .his 
 difpleafurej he.foongaye him joyful hopes 
 of mercy and forgivenefs. ,Thefe hopes, 
 in later times, were . increaf^d to. the full 
 aflurance of truth and certainty, th,aftGW 
 would bring in everlajling rightepufnefs", and 
 reconcile all things to himfelf*. From the 
 view we have already taken of the merci- 
 ful defigns of Providence, and the;, methods 
 made ufe of,, to accompliih this fcheme of 
 our redemption, , we learn the neceility and 
 vaft importance of the knowledge of God 
 in Chrift. Hence -dp we ralfo, difcoyer the 
 pre-eminence of his Gofpel over the efforts 
 of. unenlightened reafon, ar^dj the improved, 
 but ftill defe&ive law%pf;J$pfes. , .Hence 
 are we; likewife. convinjcec|; oq the^jfureft. 
 grounds,- that all ikf\ promifes.qf ' r <Gad\ in 
 Gbriji are yea, and, in himjimen ',. ineontefr. 
 tably, invariably (fujerand. faithful^,,, To 
 
 c Dan. ix. 24. ' CW.-i. 2p. 
 
 c 2 Cor. i. 20. 
 
 „ „.„, H manifeft 
 
114 S E RMON V"; 
 
 maniTeft thetranfcerident nature of him, who 
 was the declared mediator kt-ween^Odd and 
 men f , thofe bleffed Spirits that are round about 
 the throne of God in the liigheft heavens, 
 were required to pay their attendance upon 
 him their Lord, in the-feveral periods of his 
 rhiriiftry upon earth: His conception was 
 announced by the meffage of an- angel ; the 
 divinity of his perfon was proclaimed by 
 another 'at his incarnation j a voice from 
 feeaven declaring alfo his divinity, was 
 heard at his baptifhv, and at his transfigu- 
 ration ; the angels of 6lifs were the com- 
 forters 6f his humanity in his hours of 
 diftrefs, after his temptation in the wilder- 
 nefs, and in his agony In the garden j they 
 alfo firUt imparted the welcome news of his 
 refurfecYion and Afcerffibn. 
 
 In the hiftory of the chapter from 
 whence the Words of the text are taken, we 
 find^hefe angels, -the' delegated harbingers 
 of his nativity, exulting as being the bleiT- 
 ed inftru'ments of publishing fuch good 
 tidings- of great*- and ^tmiverfal joy, which 
 
 f'tftk: a, 5. 
 
 ] ' would 
 
SERMON V. ii$ 
 
 would accrue from this glorious event to 
 the whole human race; thofe bleffings of 
 Salvation which he would' bring, who is 
 emphatically fly led the flrfl begotten* t the 
 flrfl born of every creature h , and heir of all 
 things) : A multitude of the heavenly hoft 
 is fuddenly introduced finging praifes to 
 God for the birth of that gracious Being* 
 in whofe human nature the Deity dwelt* 
 a.nd who now appeared to put away or abo- 
 lifh Jin by the facriflce of hiriifelf*, and to 
 bring glory to God in the higbefl, and on 
 earth peace, good will towards men 1 . 
 
 And to whom were thefe celeftial agents 
 fent ? to the great men of the world ? No* 
 in no Wife. A few poor fhepherds, en- 
 gaged in their ordinary callings, and at that 
 Very time keeping watch over their flocks™, 
 had the earlieft intelligence that this great 
 bleffing had actually taken piace. To tha 
 meek" and to the poor was the Gofpel to be 
 preached". It was firft preached to thefe 
 low and humble keepers of flieep ; it was 
 
 s Hei. I. 6. * Col. i. 15. * Htb. i. 2. k BeB. 
 ix. 26. 1 Luh\\. 14. m Luke ii. 8, ■ Ifrlxi. 1. 
 • Matt. xi. 5. 
 
 H 2 after- 
 
n6 SERMON V. 
 
 afterwards publifhed to, believed in, and 
 received by the world through the preach- 
 ing of a few weak, friendlefs, unlearned 
 Fifhermen ; to convince the world, that 
 the Almighty, bringeth about his deep de- 
 figns by means contrary to human wifdom 
 and policy ; ufing, for the moll part, the 
 meaneft and moft unlikely inftruments to 
 accomplish his grandeft purpofes j that the 
 excellency of the power may more eminently 
 appear to be of God v , and not of man. 
 
 It may feem perhaps a matter of mere 
 fpeculatiOn, if a prophecy be, as to its 
 main end or deiign, unequivocally fufilled, 
 to enquire, whether all the intermediate 
 occurrences, which occafionally have hap- 
 pened, are of importance fufficient to en-» 
 gage an equal mare of our notice : But in 
 cafes of general import, in matters of fact, 
 and where Deity avowedly hath interfered, 
 no circumftances can appear minute or tri- 
 fling which concern the veracity of God's 
 promifes, or the certainty of our Faith. 
 Thus in the angelical declaration before us, 
 
 p 2 Cor. iv. 7. 
 
 the 
 
S E RMON V. 
 
 117 
 
 the time and place of Meffiah's nativity 
 are equally afcertained with the divinity of 
 his perfon : And this feems to have been 
 done with an eye to the accomplifhment of. 
 the ancient Prophecies concerning him, 
 and more perfe&ly to eftablifh the truth 
 and reality of his manifeftation in the fleih. 
 Unto you is born this day, in the city of Da- 
 vid, a Saviour, which is Chriji the Lord. 
 
 Let us confider therefore, 
 
 1. The time, 
 
 2. The place, > 
 
 3. The perfon, _ 
 
 here fo particularly 
 described. 
 
 From the great variety of previous re- 
 ferences to a precife and determinate pe- 
 riod, furmifes of which were not confined 
 within the narrow limits of Paleftine, but 
 had, by tradition or information, attracted 
 alfo the notice of other nations; an uni- 
 verfal expectation was raifed throughout 
 the world, of, the appearance of fome high 
 and wonderful Perfonage in it, at the very 
 "" H 3 time 
 
?i8 S E R M O N V. 
 
 time In which Chrift. was born * : For he 
 was to be as much the dejire of all nations ', 
 as the peculiar hope of thofe, who looked 
 for redemption in Jertjfalem '. 
 
 The Jews, guided by the fure word of 
 Prophecy, were very confident in their ex- 
 pectations of his approaching advent, at the 
 very time when he appeared amongft them. 
 Miftaking indeed the fpiritual meaning, the 
 true intention of the promifes, they pleafed 
 themfelves with the vain notions of a tem- 
 poral Prince, who mould reftore the fplen- 
 dour ,of their fallen kingdom. This too 
 readily difpofed them to liften to the many 
 pretenfions of thofe various impoftors and 
 falfe Chrifts,which ftarted up amongft them 
 in thofe days. They knew that Shiloh or 
 Chrift was to come, when thefceptre was de- 
 parted from fudah '. The deftined period 
 for the accomplifhment of this Prophecy 
 was now at hand. Herod an alien, an 
 
 ' This is noticed by Tacitus, Hid. Lib. v. S. 1 3. and by 
 Suetonius in Vita Augufti, S. 94. and in Vita Vefpafiani, 
 S. 4. 
 
 ' Hugg. ii. 7. » £«2{.u. 38. 
 
 * Gen. xlix. 10. This was \ht firft Prophecy which li- 
 mited -the time of ChrM's Adveh't. . All the three Targums 
 concur in applying it to the.Mafijah. Many of the Jewifli 
 
 writers, 
 
SERMON V. ^19 
 
 Idtimaean by defcent, though a J«\y by Re- 
 ligion, was their king or governor; but 
 was fo appqiptp4 by ;th^ authority of the 
 Roman Power, to which they, were then 
 tributaries. And not long after, when 
 their temple and city were deftrpyed, neir 
 ther fceptre nor lawgiver remained amongft 
 them^ Well therefore might our blefled 
 Saviour reproach the Jews for their blind- 
 nefs and hypacrify,: in being able to difcertf. 
 the face of the Sky, but not the fgns of the 
 times * ; for their objection to him as the 
 Mefliah, had no regard to the time of his 
 appearance, but was levelled againft his 
 per/on alone, as too mean and incpnfiderar 
 ble for £hat exalted chara^er. We know 
 this : man, npbence he is *, and from whom 
 defcended : Is not this Jefus the font of Jo- 
 feph, whofe father and mother we know* ? 
 hut when Ghrijl fpmeth, no man knoweth 
 whence he is w . He is to be born of a 
 Virgin in an ungccpuntable and wonderful 
 manner; he is ?\(p to be the Son of. God, 
 • • 4 . - 
 
 writers, ancient and modern, in like manner interpret it of 
 him; asS&ifo&.js.oneofihe names gi«n to the Meffiah in their 
 Talmud. This is obferved $>y all our Commentators. 
 
 Matt. xvi. 3. * John vi. 4?. 
 
 * J>bn vii. 27. 
 
 H 4 by 
 
 "3 
 
i2o S E R M -N* V. 
 
 by a way ineffable and inconceivable. They 
 therefore rejected him, without enquiring 
 into 1 the authentic relation of his preter- 
 natural -concep'tion, and without attending 
 to the power and energy of his miraculous 
 operations. •' ■ 
 
 - Daniel's LXX Weeks, that is, weeks of 
 years, had fixed the precife time of his 
 comingi' Haggai y and Malachi z had as 
 explicitly prophefkd-, that it fhould be be- 
 fore the destruction of. the fecond temple; 
 which upon that account, as being honour- 
 ed by the perfonal prefence of the .Meffiahi 
 who taught his gloribus doctrines, and who 
 wrought many glorious miracles in it, 
 mould far exceed -in glory all the wonders 
 of the fofoier. 
 
 But moreover this particular time, when 
 Chrift was to be born, not only an'fwered 
 the general Prophecies concerning that 
 event;' but if we attend to other-cenfidera- 
 tions, it feems alfo the fitteft opportunity 
 for carrying on God's good pleafure in this 
 
 v.Hagg. ii. 7.9. 
 * Mai. iii. 1. 
 
 gracious, 
 
SERMON V. 121 
 
 gracious difpenfation. When the greateft 
 part of the known world was under one 
 common empire, fpoke almoft all one lan- 
 guage, were ruled by one law, united by 
 the bleffings of peace, and civilized by arts 
 and learning, then were men at leifure to 
 liften to and to fearch after truth ; and like- 
 ly tq become more and more fenfible of the 
 weaknefs and wickednefs of their own na- 
 ture,' fo as to feel their want of a ray from 
 heaven, and thence be induced to defire it, 
 to illuminate their minds. Then was 
 ufhered into the world the blefled Prince 
 of Peace, and Lord of Life and Glory, the 
 Emmanuel '* or God with us b ; who became 
 incarnate to perfect all the myfterious abyf- 
 fes of God's decrees, and to procure par- 
 
 * bit 12QJ?. A name expreffive of the union of- the two 
 natures in Chrift : of his converfe, as man, with men upon 
 earth ; and of > his (piritual prefenee, as God, with his. people 
 always, even unto the end of the world. Matt, xxviii. 20. 
 Novimus enim ex hoc nomine, 1 . quod falvator nofter fit ve-- 
 rus homo. Eft enim nobifcum, nobifque oft.ats<n&-. 2. quod 
 fit verus Deus. Eft enim bit Deus fortis. 3. quod fit una'per- 
 fona, Deus et Homo. Eft enim Deus nobifcum. ' Et fi con- 
 fideretur hoc nomen ratione officii falvatoris, Paulus inquit, 
 2 Cor. v. 19. Deus erat in Chjrifto, mundum reconcilians 
 fibi fie in Chfifto et per Chriftum Deus iterum nobif- 
 cum eft : Hie eft Scala Jacobi, in qua Angeli ad nos defcen- 
 dunt, et Deus ipfe defuper gratis ocellis nos refpicit. Glaflii 
 Opufcula Ghriftologia, p. 414. b Matt. i. 23. 
 
 don, 
 
m S E R M O N V. 
 
 don, reconciliation, and redemption for us. 
 At this time, the very ftate of things in the 
 world could not but contribute greatly to 
 give thofe bleffings a readier entrance, and 
 jto facilitate the more extenfive propagation 
 of the Gofpel c . 
 
 .. 2- But as the time, fo likewife is the 
 place, in exadt conformity to fcriptural pre- 
 dictions, particularly mentioned, where this 
 Saviour of mankind was born. The Pro- 
 phet Micah, fix hundred years before the 
 time, had pronounced Bethlehem Epbrata 
 by name, the fcene of this event, to dif- 
 tinguifh it from another Bethlehem in the 
 tribe of Zabulon d ; whereas this Bethlehem 
 is fpecified in the book of Ruth to belong 
 to the tribe of Judah " ; and accordingly 
 St. Matthew and St. Luke in their hiftories 
 call it Bethlehem of Judaa f . Here came 
 forth t or was born, that ruler in Ifrael, 
 •whofe goings forth, whofe generation and 
 
 ? Jortin's DifcQurfes concerning the Truth of the Chris- 
 tian Religion, 2d Ed. p. 175, 
 
 d Jojb. jcix. 15. e Rutb i. 1, 2. f Matt. ii. 1. 
 
 Luke ii. 4. 
 
 fbnfhip, 
 
SERMON V. 123 
 
 fonfliip, have keen of old from everlajling z . 
 Of this we have moft undeniable vouchers. 
 By the determinate counfel and foreknowledge 
 of God h , the Roman emperor had ordered 
 a furvey to be taken, and a taxation to be 
 made in all the provinces of the empire. 
 This brought the Virgin and Jofeph to 
 Bethlehem the city of David' 1 -, that, being of 
 that houfe and family, they might alfo be 
 regiftred as citizens of that place. While 
 they were there, the days were accomplijhed 
 ' that Jhe Jhould be delivered* ; and there was 
 Jefus born. 
 
 By this it is manifeft how human circum- 
 ftances or fubordinate caufes, without any 
 previous knowledge or forefight, act in 
 fubferviency to God's predeftinating will 
 
 * Mie. v. 2. CaVltf WD CDtpO 1'rilWDI, are words' 
 Efficiently eftablifhing as well the human nativity, as the 1 
 eternal generation of Chrift. mp frequently fignifies pro- 
 per eternity. Thus Dent, xxxiii. 27. God is called YI^X 
 mp. In -Pfalm Iv. 20. he is faid EHp 3BW. In Habak. 
 i. 1 2. the Prophet afks, OnpD HDN Vcbr\. So that whilft 
 the coming forth of this Ruler out of Bethlehem points out 
 particularly the reality of his humanity ; his goings forth being 
 of old from eviriiifting, do as diftincHy denote his eternal ge- 
 neration and fonfliip by the promife of God, before ever the 
 heavens and the earth were made. 
 " h Jils ii. 23. ' Luke ii, 4. k Luke ii. 6. 
 
 and 
 
124 SERMON V- 
 
 and commands, and execute his decrees. 
 Such ufe doth he make of men as his 
 agents, without their having any fufpicions 
 of it. Thus whilft the emperor of Rome 
 pleafed himfelf in carrying on his own 
 fchemes of worldly power and policy, he 
 was effectually confirming the truth of an- 
 cient Prophecies, and demonftrating the 
 fubje&ion of the Jews to his dominion : 
 And his own Regifters, thofe public Re- 
 cords of the State, became fo many con- 
 vincing evidences of the notoriety of the 
 facl:, that Jefus was born in the place 
 which was marked out by the Prophets* 
 and is called in the text the city of David '. 
 
 ' Many are the appeals which the apologifts and other an- 
 cient writers, in the earlier days of Chriftianity made to theic 
 publick Regifters. Juftin Martyr, who lived about the mid- 
 dle of the fecond century, in his dialogue with Trypho, men- 
 tions thi* taxation of Auguftus ; but in his firft apology, he 
 particularly refers to the cenfual tables to prove that Chrift 
 was born at Bethlehem, and was of the family of David. 
 Clf xcq fyt(ei) fiuix&s ix. T icmygttQm T $j«/$/.'tii SOT Kug/sv<ir 
 ■rv vpi-npie in lxfouts arjaiTif jjiuoisfyuss imprint: Apol. I. ad 
 Antonin. Pjum. S. 44. 
 
 Tertullian, at the expiration of the fame century, in feveral 
 of his works, refers to the fame Records as the molt indifpu- 
 table authority : More particularly, in his fourth book againft 
 Marcion he repeatedly appeals to them, as to the belt vouch- 
 ers for the truth of this matter. In his feventh chapter he 
 fays, De cenfu Augufti, quern teftem fideliffimum dominica; 
 nativitatis Romana archiva cuftodiunt. In his nineteenth 
 
 chapter 
 
SERMON V. 125 
 
 From the time and place of Chrifl's na- 
 tivity proceed we to confider, 
 
 3. The dignity and excellency of his 
 perfon, as pronounced' by the Angel to be 
 a Saviour, Cbrijh the Lord. 
 
 He mail be the Mediator of a new and 
 better covenant between God and man, 
 He (hall fave his people from their fins, is 
 the conftant voice of Scripture and Pro- 
 phecy from the Fall to the Redemption. 
 By deriving our being from the loins of a 
 tranfgreffing progenitor, we are born under 
 the controujing influence of his fallen and 
 
 chapter he. refers to them for further information — apud quos 
 (cenfus fcilicet adlos fub Augufto) genus ejus inquirere potuif- 
 fent. In his thirty-fixth chapter he thu^ exprefles himfelf. 
 Tam diftindla fuit a primordio Judaea gens, per tribus et popu- 
 los et familias et domos, ut nemo facile igriorari de genere po- 
 tuiflet, vel de.recentibus Auguftianis cenfibus adhuc tunc for* 
 tafie pendentibus .... Qui vult videre Jefum, David filium 
 credat per Virginis cenuim. Long after- thefe, Chryfoftom, 
 who flourifhed at the clofe of the fourth' century, in one of 
 his Sermons or Homilies upon Chriftmas-Day, appeals to thofe 
 very Regifters as ftill extant in his time, in the following 
 
 Words. Kaf -p>K ec^eueif -nts hiftsariat xiijd^ois.Kti^tt rm itit 
 Pupus s|s5J» tm%otTte, xaf t xeupt <? eCTitftUtpvif ftcfriwtit «xg/- 
 Zus tthtuf r fixfafSlpov. x. t. a. Homil. in Chrifti Natal. 
 Tom. 5. p. 512, 513. Ed Sav., 
 
 ., corrupted 
 
126 SERMON V. 
 
 corrupted nature, fubjeft to the fentence 
 and condemnation awaiting fin unpardoned, 
 and totally unable of ourfelves to make any 
 equivalent fatisfa&ion. What we could 
 not do for ourfelves, Chrift did for us. 
 He became man, that as man he might 
 fulfil all Righteoufnefs m . " Taking to him^ 
 " felf our flefh, and by his incarnation 
 '* making it his own flefh, he had now of 
 *' his own, although from us, what to 
 " offer unto God for us. And as Chrift 
 ** took manhood, that by it he might be 
 " capable of death whereunto he hum- 
 " bled himfelf j fo becaufe manhood is the 
 " proper fiibjecl of companion and feeling 
 " pity, which maketh the fceptre of his 
 " regency even in the kingdom of heaven 
 «* amiable, he which, without our nature 
 " could not on earth fuffer for the fins of 
 *' the world, doth now alfo by means 
 *' thereof both make interceffion to God 
 " for finners", and exercife dominion over 
 " all men with a true, a natural, and a 
 " fenfible touch of mercy ." So greatly hath 
 God commended his love towards us, in that 
 
 m 
 
 Matt, iii. I j. ■» Heb iv. 15. 
 
 • Hooker's Ecclefiaftical Polity, B. v. S. 51. 
 
 •while 
 
SERMON V. t2f 
 
 while we were ye tenners, Cbriji died for us p , 
 and paid the price of our Redemption j 
 that thus being delivered from the com- 
 mon dangers of perfonal and original evil, 
 we might become members of that myfti- 
 cal body whereof he is head, and thereby 
 be entitled to that eternal glory and happi- 
 nefs which he hath purchafed for us. For 
 him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a 
 Saviour y for to give repentance and forgiveneft 
 of fins' 1 3 and power to become the Sons of God, 
 iven to them that Jhall believe in bis name '. , 
 Indeed, the very name Jefus * indicates 
 
 r Rom. v. 3. « Jits v. 31. ' John i. 12. 
 
 *- Jefus, or God the Saviour. In nomine Jefti (fays the pious 
 John Arndt) totum Evangelium comprehenditur. A name the 
 fame as, and derived from the' Hebrew JWIII*: A word 
 compounded, of IT the common contraction of HIIT, which 
 denotes a being neceffiirily exifting, and which hath being in 
 and from himfelf ; and yt^in, which fignifies a faviour or De- 
 liverer, without defining or determining his nature ; n* there • 
 fore direftly points out the abfolute inherent divinity of Jesus, 
 who, as the true JH0V1* could perfect and compleat that cha- 
 racter typified in the Old Teftament by that J/iyin, whofe name 
 was changed by divine designation into this diftinguifhed appel- 
 lation yanrr. v. Num. xiii. 16. Nulla fcriptura differentia 
 diftinguens hoc Chrifti proprium nomen ab ejus nomine qui Mofi 
 fuecedens populumque ducens in terras pramiffas Chriftutn, 
 aternes quietis datorem, non tantum nominis Jono Jed et rebut 
 geftis adumbravit. ut videfe eft, Aft. vii. 45. */ Heb. iv. 8. 
 v. Grotii Annot. in Matt. i. zi. 
 
 aSa- 
 
128 SE R M O N V. 
 
 a SayiourS the divinity of whofe power can 
 fave us with an everlajling Salvation ". 
 
 2. But this Jefus the Saviour is here 
 called Chrijl, or, which is the fame word, 
 Mejjiah, to denote his apppintment or con- 
 fecration by unction, to that high office 
 which he had undertaken to execute. This 
 was the ufual initiatory ceremony which 
 diftinguifhed the prophetical, the facerdo- 
 tal, and the regal character w . Thus the 
 Prophets, when enfcrufted with any com- 
 miffion of fingular importance, were anoint- 
 ed with oil poured upon them *. Thus, was 
 the high prieft confecrated to his facred 
 function by holy anointing oil 7 . Thus 
 alfo were their kings inaugurated into their 
 exalted office z . Other nations have, in 
 like manner, adopted this religious cere- 
 mony, and from hence have kings them- 
 felves been dignified with the honourable 
 
 * Matt. i. zt. ■ If. xlv. 17. 
 
 w Sometimes indeed perfons are fpoken of as delegated to 
 thefe offices, without the ceremony of any external anointing, 
 yet are faid to be anointed to fuch offices. See Archbifhop 
 Seeker's Leftures on the Catechifm. Lefture VII. 
 
 x 1 Kings xix. 16. y Exod. xxix. 7. 
 
 * I Kingt xix. 15, 1 6. 2 Kings ix. 6. 
 
 appella- 
 
SERMON V. 
 
 129 
 
 appellation of the Lord's anointed. Thus 
 was the Saviour of mankind fet apart and 
 confecrated to his fevcral offices of Pro- 
 phet, Prieft, and King. He was that Pro- 
 phet like J uri'to Mofes, to whom all men were 
 ttquirettd hearken'. He was a Prkftfor 
 ever after' the order of Melchifedek b . He 
 was. that King whom God of old promifed to 
 fet upon his' holy hilt of Sion c . As the taher* 
 nacle, the ark, the altars, and all things 
 pertaining to them were fandtified by the 7 
 efFufion ,of oil, and made mojl holy, and as 
 whatfoever ■ touched them was holy*: So did 
 the fpirit of Jehovah, when fefus aflumed 
 humanity and became inverted with his 
 mediatorial office, fill him with gifts and 
 graces of the Spirit without meafure ' or li- 
 mitation :*?fo that from the anointing which 
 we receive '■of him*, from the overflowing 
 fulnefs of his eflential divinity, do we his 
 people receive grace for, or upon grace E ; 
 deriving from him that illumination and 
 unSlion which 4eacheth us all things h , which 
 fan<9;ifieth us wholly, and by that means 
 
 * Deut. xviii. 18, 19. b Eeb. v. 6. c Pfal. ii. 6. 
 d Exod.-x.xx.. 26—29. e John iii. 34. f 1 'Join ii. 
 27. * John i. 1 6. 
 
 I maketh 
 
130 SERMON V. 
 
 tnaketh or confecrateth us to be Kings and 
 Priefis unto God and his Father *. 
 
 £. To thefe two appellations of a Sa- 
 viour, and of Chrift, is added a third of 
 fimilar, if -not fuperior magnitude, the 
 title of Lord, to denote his power and for 
 vereignty over all things. This is the pe- 
 culiar ftyle of our mafter in the Scriptures, 
 the, Lord or our Lord. Thofe rapturous 
 words pf the P&lrnir), which are fppken 
 by way of apoflrophe to the Son* -thy throne 
 O God is -for ever and eyer k , are produced 
 by the argumentative writer of the Epiftle, 
 to the Hebrews ', as wholly applicatory to 
 him, and to, Con tain a clear and full defcrip- 
 tiqn of him, his ftate, and his. mediatorial 
 kingdom. Thou bqfl crowned him with glory 
 and honour, and haft put all things in fubjec- 
 tion under his feet, is the prophetick tefti- 
 mony of the fame devout writer to Mef- 
 fiah's future grandeur, and is applied by 
 the fame infpired interpreter m , to the per- 
 fon of Chrift, as denoting the extent, lia- 
 bility, and perpetuity of his dominion. 
 
 \ Rev. i. 6. " . Pfal. xlv. 6, » Het* i. 8. 
 
 m Heb. ii. 7. citing Pfal. viii. 5, 6. 
 
 Such 
 
SERMON V. r 3 l 
 
 Such and fo great is the fdprerriacy of his 
 power and authority, that it cannot be 
 fubverted, or himfelf removed from his 
 throne by any, or by all his enemies ; un- 
 limited power in heaven and earth being 
 given unto him. Moreover we are his fub- 
 jecTfs, his " fervarits, and his creatures by 
 every right and claim : And he is declared 
 Our Lord, our Mafter, and our God by 
 every ftyle and title, whether of inheri- 
 tance, or purchafe, or election, or cori- 
 queft. 
 
 All this is fignified under the denomina- 
 tion applied by the Angel to the holy 
 child Jefus, when he was proclaimed to 
 men as their great and adorable Lord. An 
 appellation invariably beflowed upon Chrifl 
 by all the facred penmen of Scripture, 
 whenever there is occafion to name either 
 his perfon or his office : as if the fpirit of 
 Prophecy forefeeing the violent oppofition 
 which would arife in later v times againft 
 the eternal exiftence, the inherent divinity 
 of the Son of God, was peculiarly anxious 
 to remove every objection^ that hu- 
 man wifdom, or rather human weaknefs 
 I 2 might 
 
132 S E R M O N V. 
 
 might prefumptuoufly urge againft it : for 
 furely pure and abfolute Deity cannot be 
 fpoken of in terms of any other fignincation, 
 or in words of fublimer and more myfterious 
 import, than what are afcribed to ye/us 
 when declared to be, by the atteftation of 
 fuch competent witnefles, a Saviour, Chrift 
 the Lord. 
 
 This alio is the teftimony he gave of. 
 himfelf and of his own original powers, 
 when he feverally affirmed, that he came 
 forth from God" ; that he -was his Son" ; that 
 tsohat things foever the father doth, thefe alfo 
 doth the Son likewife p , from the unity of 
 their effence, and their omnipotence : So 
 that they ittho hadfeen him, hadfeen the Fa~ 
 ther alfo q ; as he was the. exprefs image,, the 
 vifible reprefentation or refemblance of his 
 Perfon ', and to whom was joined the fpi- 
 ritual, invifible, divine Nature of the moft 
 high God ; for he was truly and literally 
 God incarnate, God and man. In his con- 
 verfe with men, he diverted himfelf of his 
 greatnefs, 'and took upon him the form of a 
 
 * John xvi. z 8. • John iii. 16. ' John v. 19. 
 
 * John xiv. 9. r Heb. i. 3. 
 
 fervant ; 
 
SERMON V. 133 
 
 fervant * : But notwithftanding this exter- 
 nal humiliation and abafement, he could 
 not relinquish his real nature, his peculiar 
 dignity j for he was, and could be no other 
 than the Son of God, though made in the 
 likenefs of men, and found in fafhion at a 
 man x -, and therefore be thought, or counted 
 it no robbery, or ufurpation of a prerogative 
 which did not properly belong to him, to 
 be equal with God*, or to affume thofe in- 
 communicable names, titles, and Attributes, 
 by which the Almighty hath made him- 
 felf known j and to require from men the 
 homage and adoration due to that fupreme 
 Being. 
 
 To thefe diftinguifhed glories of their 
 Mafter, his Apoftles with grateful joy bear 
 their concurrent evidence. They aflUre 
 us, that after Chrift had offered iij) tiimfelf 
 to God, as the meritorious and propitia- 
 tory facrifice for fin, be entered into beaten 
 itfelf, now to appear in the prefence of God 
 for us", as our all-fufficient and prevailing 
 Advocate and Interceffor. There they re- 
 
 « Phil. ii. 7, 8. " Phil. ii. 6. 
 
 * H(b. iz. 24, 
 
 I 3 prefent 
 
134 SERMON V. 
 
 prefent him placed at the throne of God, 
 not like a petitioner ftanding in a pofture 
 of humble reverence before it, but as par- 
 taker of coeffential and coeternal glory with 
 the Father, fitting down upon it on the 
 right hand of the glorious majejiy of God *, 
 or, as the fame infpired writer afterwards 
 exprefTes it, on the right hand of the throne 
 of the Mkjejly in ■. the heavens 7- In this 
 place, which is the more peculiar refidence 
 and manifestation of the prefence of God, 
 is Chrift defcribed as inverted with an ama- 
 zing plenitude of power •, and all the celef- 
 tial inhabitants which are round about the 
 throne of God are fpoken of as falling down 
 and worshipping him that fitteth upon it ; 
 and calling upon every creature which is in 
 heaven, and on the. earth, and upon univerfal 
 nature, to add their joyful acclamations in 
 concert with the whole choir of Angels 
 and of Saints /o him that Jitteth upon the 
 thrqne, and to the J^amhfo.r ever and ever ' ; 
 even to that myftical Son, of man, who is the 
 frjl and the Iqfii he that fiyeth and was dead: 
 andis alive for evermore* : he who was declared 
 
 1 Heb. i. 3. 
 a Rev. i. 1 7, 1 8. 
 
 y Heb. viii. i . 
 
 * Rev. v, 1-3. 
 
SERMON V. 
 
 '»3* 
 
 to be the Son of God with power b ; arid tho' 
 flain and crucified by enemies (who would 
 not thai he Jhould reign over them") yet hath 
 God made him both Lord and Chrijl A . 
 
 From thefe confideratidns, from the in- 
 trinfick greatnefs of Mefllah's perfon, gifts, 
 and graces, we are called upon by every tye 
 of reafon and of duty, of gratitude and of 
 affe&ion, to rejoice and blefs God for the 
 miraculous incarnation of his Son. If holy 
 men of old, if patriarchs and prophets faw 
 this day at a diftance and were glad e ;i£ 
 they who had only an obfeure vifion, a 
 faint repreferitation of the glory which was 
 to. follow*; could rejoice with joy unfpeakable*, 
 how much exceeding theirs muft bur tran- 
 fports be for the full manifeftation and aC- 
 complifhment of thofe promifed mercies. 
 Bleffed are our eyes for they fee, and dtlr ears 
 for they hear the things which Kings, and Pro- 
 phets, and wife Men dejired to fee and hear h , 
 without the happiriefs of having their wifhes 
 compleated ; Godhavingprovided better things 
 
 * Rem. 1. 4. c Luke xix, 27. d A3s ir. ,36. 
 
 « John viii. 56. '■ •■ ' 1 Pit. i. 11. « iPet. i. 8. 
 
 * Luke x. 24. 
 
 I 4 fir 
 
136 SERMON ,V. 
 
 for us, under the Gofpel covenant ; and 
 hence having determined, that they without 
 us Jhould not be made perfect i j but that he 
 would finally bring all his Jons unto glory k , 
 even unto the full confummation of their 
 hope? through Chrijl, their Saviour and 
 their Lord. 
 
 By this Revelation of divine Philanthro- 
 py did God make known all the myfterious 
 fecrets of his Providence, all the momen- 
 tous articles of grace and truth, of light 
 and life, and fo make them known, that, 
 all the ends of the earth havefeen, , and may 
 become partakers of the fahathh .of God 1 . 
 If therefore deliverance from all evil, fpi- 
 ritual and temporal j ; if the announcing of 
 peace, pardon, and reconciliation between 
 God and man be tidings of joy and com- > 
 fort j if the promifes of good and happi- 
 nefs infinite and eternal be defireable and 
 delightful, then mould his name who fe- 
 cured all thefe ineftimable bleflings be for 
 ever dear and precious to us. With the ut- 
 moil rapture and thankfulnefs mould we 
 
 > Jjfc3. xi. 40. ", k Heh.ii. 10. 
 
 ' Pfal. kcviii. 3. 
 
 praife 
 
S E R M O N V. 137 
 
 praife and magnify him as the fource and 
 fountain of all good here, and of all hope 
 hereafter. For in him mercy and truth have 
 met together m j heaven and earth, God and 
 man were united to blefs and to fave us. 
 
 This is the true foundation of devotion, 
 praife, and love. This will teach us with 
 equal extafy to repeat the Hofannahs of 
 the Angels, and to fing glory to God in the 
 higheji, and on earth peace, good will towards 
 men \ With the heavenly Hoft we mall 
 chant our grateful Hallelujahs,yor the Lord 
 God omnipotent reigneth". We (hall with 
 exulting hearts give our tribute of joy, ho- 
 nour, and adoration, becaufe the kingdoms 
 of this world are become the kingdoms of our 
 Lord, and of his Chrift, and he Jhall reign 
 for ever and ever p : having redeemed unto 
 God by his blood the fons of men out of every 
 kindred, and tongue, and people,, and nation q . 
 Thefe are the wonders which Jefus hath 
 done for us, who was a Saviour, even 
 €hrijl the Lord. 
 
 m Pfal. lxxxv. 10. ■" Luke ii. 10. * Rev. xix. 6. 
 
 t Rev. si. 15. * Rev. v. 9. 
 
( *39 ) 
 
 S E R M O N VI. 
 
 John v. 23. latter part. 
 -He that honour eth not the Son, honour- 
 
 eth not the Father which hathfent him, 
 
 IT is obvious to remark that the Gofpel 
 of St. John is diftinguiihed by a pecu- 
 liar fimplicity of ftyle, by a concife 
 and definite form of expreffion, and by a 
 familiar diction of the utmoft plainnefs in 
 its grammatical conftruction : Neverthelefs 
 it muft be acknowledged, that many of the 
 doctrines and propofitions therein delivered 
 are difficult to be comprehended by the 
 
 human 
 
Ho SERMON VI. 
 
 human mind, and more difficult to be in- 
 terpreted and explained by mere human 
 abilities. The reafon of this difficulty is 
 alfo plain and obvious ; fince however Am- 
 ple and eafy may be the general ftyle, yet 
 the words are often metaphorical and figu- 
 rative : And we need not wonder, that the 
 Evangelifr. fhould adopt this method, and 
 fo far condefcend to human infirmity, when 
 he is delivering the fublimeft truths, and 
 declaring the ineffable myftery and cecono- 
 my of the divine wifdom in the wonderful 
 work of man's redemption. The other 
 Evangelifts, for the mod part, contented 
 themfelves with delivering the hiftorical 
 narration of what Chrift did and fuffered, 
 or thofe things which chiefly afcertained 
 the reality of his human nature : But St. 
 John who probably furvived all the other 
 Difciples of the BlefTed Jefus, and lived 
 long enough to fee herefies and falfe doc- 
 trines creeping into the Church, and 
 threatening the peace of it, formed his 
 Gofpel upon a different plan. In the very 
 introduction of it, he afferts in the moft 
 abfolute and unlimited terms the divinity 
 and eternal pre-exiftence of the Word or 
 
 Logos, 
 
SERMON VI. 141 
 
 Logos, which word was our Jejus; and 
 that all the feveral interefting characters of 
 light, life, truth, grace, and glory, did moft 
 eminently center in> and marked the perfon 
 of the word made jlejh " : His incarnation 
 alfo is related in words of lingular import 
 and enforcement, more fully to infotfm us 
 of the gracious purpofes for which the 
 Deity was pleafed to aflume in a vifible 
 bodily fhape our human nature. • 
 
 After this folemri and emphatical decla- 
 ration of the original glory and dignity of 
 the word; to evidence his oWn convictions, 
 and to keep up the imprefiions they would 
 naturally excite, ;the Apoftle, in the courfe of 
 his hiftory, takes' peculiar pleafurein the reci- 
 tal of thoferemarkableoccurrencesofChrift's 
 life and miniftry, which more immediately 
 tdnded to magnify his inherent grace and 
 power, whichopenly manifefted him to be, 
 in a very figriificant arid appropriate fenfe 
 of the words, the Son of God\ GWhimfelf 
 incarnate, dwelling or pitching his taber- 
 nacle among® us, and exhibiting the laft 
 
 * Jabn i. 14. 
 
 and 
 
142 S E R M O N VI. 
 
 and moft glorious appearance of his She- 
 chinah upon earth. Not that there are 
 wanting in the other facred hifforians fuffi- 
 cient and ample proofs to eftablifh this 
 leading and fundamental article of our faith. 
 They did not however, fo profeffedly enter 
 into the difcuffion of it ; but as occafion 
 might fometimes incidentally lead them, 
 they confirm it, by ufing fuch expreffions, 
 which, compared with other Scriptures, 
 cannot confiftently be otherwife interpreted : 
 for* they feem to take it for granted that it 
 never could be called in queftion ; and was 
 naturally deducible , from the confederation 
 of thofe miracles which Jefus did, and 
 from the view of thofe Prophecies they 
 pointed out, as indifputably fulfilled in 
 him. 
 
 _ But alas! no fooner did Chriftianity gain 
 ground, than terms of art and dodtrines of 
 human philofophy began to be mixed with 
 it j and errors concerning the perfoh, na- 
 ture, and offices of Chrift, were induf- 
 trioufly fpread and eagerly embraced. To 
 obviate thefe alarming mifchiefs, our Evan- 
 gelift, who was honoured with the mod 
 [ , intimate 
 
SERMON VI. 
 
 H3 
 
 intimate confidence of Chrift whilft upon 
 earth, was prefent at every memorable 
 tranfadtion, and was a frequent witnefs of 
 his divine glory, was beft qualified to give 
 the moft fatisfadory account of his antece- 
 dent glory and greatness, and to expofje the 
 error and malignity of thofe perverters of 
 the Faith, who afferted that he was but a 
 mere man. This, which he was beft able 
 to do, he hath done in his Gofpel : In the 
 very, beginning whereof he difcovers his op- 
 pofition to the rifing Herefies of that age, 
 by advancing fuch pofitions as irrefragable 
 maxims, which are in the fulleft repug- 
 nancy to the principles maintained by the 
 abettors of them; and, which it is his di- 
 rect purpofe throughout the whole to de- 
 monftrate to be falfe. 
 
 In the progrefs of his hiftory, in the 
 farther narration of thofe amazing opera- 
 tions which fufficiently vindicated the di- 
 vine authority of the blefied Jefus, and evi- 
 denced bis glory to be the glory as of the only 
 bvgottenof the $ader h , he produces a great 
 
 " John i. 14. 
 
 variety 
 
144 SERMON VI. 
 
 variety of proofs to illuftrate his grand ob- 
 ject, that Jefus was the Son of God. In 
 the chapter from whence the words of the 
 text are taken, we "are informed that our 
 bleffed Lord having miraculoufly healed an 
 impotent man on thtfabbath ' <%, juftified the 
 propriety of; this "action from the objec- 
 tion of its being a profanation of that holy 
 day, by afferting his unity and equality in 
 nature and operation with his Father : My 
 Father ', fays he, worketh' 'hitherto, and I 
 work t j not as an inferior fubordinate in- 
 ftrument, but as a iprincipal' 1 efficient, 
 jointly working- together with him. He 
 affumed no improper claim in thus calling 
 God; •sn*7i^£ tilov, not in a figurative, but an 
 appropriate fenfe, his own peculiar Father. 
 As his Son he was Lord alfo of the Sab- 
 bath d , and to be looked upon in that fupe- 
 rior light. That the Jews, who were pre- 
 fent at this miracle, might by it be convinced 
 of his divinity, he reprefented to them in 
 the moft unequivocal terms his abfolute 
 equality with the Father; from the Follow- 
 ing confiderations, becaufe both are equal 
 
 c John v. 17. 
 d Mark ii. 2S. 
 
 in 
 
SERMON VI. i 45 
 
 i 
 
 in operation, will, and confent j for what 
 things foever the Father doeth, thefe alfo doth 
 the Son likewife". From the affe&ion which 
 the Father beareth to him ; for he lovetb 
 him, andjheweth him all things that himfelf 
 doth f . From his omnfpotency, in railing 
 the dead by the fame effential authority and 
 freedom of will ; for ds the Father raifeth 
 up the dead, and quickeneth them : even Jo the 
 Son quickeneth whom he will*. From his 
 power of judging the world, which the 
 Father hath committed unto the Son h -, and 
 from his partaking of the fame original prin- 
 ciple of life with the Father \ for as the 
 Father hath life in himfelf, fo hath he given 
 to the Son to have life in himfelf 1 , in the 
 fame independent and equal degree. To 
 thefe arguments in proof of his unity of 
 efTence, and equality. in power, glory, and 
 dignity with the Father, he addeth, as com- 
 petent witnefies to corroborate them, the 
 feveral teftimonfes of John the Baptijl*, of 
 his own works 1 , of the Father which had Jent 
 him m , and (f the Scriptures °. "", V . 
 
 *'Jobirr. 19. 
 
 ' r John v. 26. 
 
 8 John V. 2 1 . 
 
 h John v. 22. 
 
 1 Join v. 26. 
 
 k John' v. 33. 
 
 1 Jobny. 36. 
 
 ■ Jokp v. 37. 
 
 ■ John v. 39. 
 
 
 k 
 
 Upon 
 
!4$ SERMON VI. 
 
 Upon thefe authoritative credentials of 
 his divine origin and miffion, with the 
 greateft propriety and jufiice might our 
 bleffed Lord fay, it was incumbent upon 
 all men, that they ' jhbuld honour the Sdh, 
 even as i hey honour the Father-, for, certainly 
 he who honoureth not the Son, invefted with 
 fuch exalted powers, honoureth not the Fa- 
 ther which h'athfent him. 
 
 In the farther confideratioh of thefe 
 words we will enquire, 
 
 Firft, Who may be reckoned to ho- 
 nour not the Son. 
 
 Secondly, Why- fuch, in reality, ho- 
 nour not the Father. 
 
 The more exalted and the more glorious 
 the worth and dignity of the Redeemer's 
 perfon arid character are, the more, furely, 
 hath God commended his love towards us°. 
 Not thankfully to accept his gracious over- 
 
 Rom. v. 8. 
 
 tures 
 
S E R M O y VI. ? ^ z 
 
 tures thus recommended, muft argue a low 
 efteem. of Chrift, and ajl the precious pro- 
 ipifes of God in him. We need not how- 
 ever go beyond the pale of the Chrifti^ 
 Church to find out thofe who honour not 
 the Sqn^dj" God. They who live in qpen 
 violatioflof his moral iaws, do ., practically 
 difhonour him, are a reproach to hj§, Gofr 
 pel, and to that jfacred «name qf his where- 
 by they are cabled. Others may alfo effec- 
 tually difhonour the Son, of God, wh,q fhall 
 neglect or flight any of his poiitive in^- 
 ititutions, deeming the observation of them 
 a needlefs aft of duty, and that it is a 
 matter of mere indifference whether they 
 are adminiftred or not. Surely they who 
 thus th,ink and acT: with regard to fqch fo- 
 lemn indifpenfable ordinances, and prefume 
 to treat them either with ludicrous mirth, 
 or to explode them with pretended argu- 
 ment, may not unjuffcly be reputed to en- 
 tertain in reality the fame low opinion of 
 him, who appointed thefe as the diftin- 
 guifhing ceremonies of his Religion, as 
 they profefs to have for the obligation of 
 the ritqs themfelves. 
 
 K 2 We 
 
148 S E R M O N VI. 
 
 Wc may delude ourfelves with vain ima- 
 ginations i we may amufe ourfelves in 
 forming many plaufible and ingenious 
 fchemes of Salvation j yet none will ap- 
 prove itfelf fo certain in its principles, fo 
 rational in its inftitutions, fo eafy in its 
 practice, fo forcible in its motives, and fo 
 conducive to virtue and happiriefs, as the 
 full fcheme of Redemption exhibited in 
 Scripture. Yet how frequently have weak 
 and rafh mortals taken upon them to correct 
 and improve this gracious difpenfation, by 
 cutting off what they fancy to be fuper- 
 fluous, or by adding what they judge ftill 
 wanting to its compleat perfection j art- 
 fully endeavouring to obtrude into the 
 world, not fo much the pure, plain, and 
 unadulterated Religion of Chrift, as that 
 modification of it which they have adven- 
 tured; to fuit to their various refinements. 
 Thus whilft fome have fo myftically fpiri- 
 tualized the Gofpel, as almoft, if not en- 
 tirely, to diveft it of external inftitutions, 
 and to leave no apparent figns, no diftin- 
 guifhing marks of a Church or religious 
 Service : Others, in the contrary extreme, 
 
 have 
 
SERMON VI, I49 
 
 have fo loaded it with numberlefs ceremo- 
 nies and iuperftitious fopperies, as to make 
 it confift of little more than a conftant 
 round of outward mew and form, a tire- 
 fome repetition of ufelefs , and Unedifying 
 rites. Both parties at the fame time'ftyling 
 themfelves .Difciples and followers of the 
 v blefied Jefus ; both equally difhonouring 
 him and his holy Religion ; both making 
 the inventions of men, not the word, of 
 God, the controulers or difcriminative cha- 
 ra&erifticks of the laws and precepts of 
 Chrift. 
 
 But moreover, and principally, Chrift 
 may be difhonoured if his divinity be de- 
 nied. This fort of dishonour is what we 
 may prefume the Apoftle chiefly aimed at 
 in the text j and is in effect to reduce him 
 to the level of created beings, and to di- 
 vert him of that eternal glory, which he had 
 with the Father before the world was '. For 
 he either is,, or is not God. If. he be 
 God, to call in queftion his divine inherent 
 excellencies, and to refufe him the honour 
 
 * John xvii. 5. 
 
 K 3 due 
 
150 SERMON VI. 
 
 dae unto him, will, in its confequences at 
 leaft, fall little fhort of Atheifm itfelf. If 
 he be not entitled to that divine character, it 
 will be an equal offence againft God to afcribe 
 thofe perfections to Chrift, which do not 
 in reality 'belong to Mm. But can we al- 
 low ourfelves to fuppofe that the Saviour of 
 mankind, who came into tfoe world as well 
 to promote the honour of God, as the hap- 
 pinefs o'f men, would upon any account, 
 and without any reservation, have made hm~ 
 felf equal with God*, and pronounced that 
 he and his Father are one' ; if he was abfo- 
 lutely nothing more than a finite creature 
 exifting in time, and had no fuch equality 
 with the 'Father, arid no communication 
 or participation of the Deity with him ? 
 Or would he, in juftification of fuch'myf- 
 terious language, have ventured to reprove 
 the Jews for their religious indignation 
 againft him, 'becaufe he plainly cl'airrield fu- 
 preme eflential Divinityas his juft prero- 
 gative, t*y this remarkable vindication -of 
 his affertions; Shall -ft fifefume id fay of 
 ~bim wbomhhe l Father %diti' J ftn$ified, br fo- 
 
 "J John v.. 1 8. .: . ; s. v. ; , 
 
 ' John x. 30. and xvii. 11, zx. 
 
 I lemnly 
 
$ E R M pLtf.yj. i ci 
 
 . i ■ ■ • ■ ; ^ ,■ r 
 
 lemnly . confecrajed and fent into the world 
 in fuch an exalted light, thou blafthemejl, 
 becaufe I /aid, I am the, Son of God'? Be- 
 hold, i" do the miraculous works of my Fa- 
 ther \ which clearly demonftrate a divine 
 agency ; that ye may know and believe that 
 the Father is in me, and I in him ", by fuch 
 an intimate indiflq^uble union, as will fully 
 warrant the ftrongeft deductions, you can 
 draw in proof of my divinity from fuch 
 high, uncommon, and myfterious expref- 
 fiqns. 
 
 The ancient Scriptures reprefent the Al- 
 mighty as jealous of his honour*: my glory, 
 feys the Lord by the Prophet Ifaiah, will I 
 not give to another v i to another,, or to a 
 ftrange Gfod, or tp any being, who hath not 
 the name and nature of the Deity. To 
 -thefe Scriptures did Chrift appeal in his 
 behalf : The conftant mode oir tenor of his 
 ipeeches was fuch as no iubordinate being 
 would dare %o life. .The Jews well knew 
 that Son of God pad MeJudjyv.Qtc convertible 
 terms, fignifying "one and the fame perfon. 
 
 » Jofyx. 36. « John x. 57. ■ J«bn x. 38. 
 
 * If. iliiv 8. xlviii. 1 1. " '" 
 
 K 4 This 
 
152 SERMON VI. 
 
 This honour he claimed : and he who 
 could affirm that all things were delivered 
 unto him of his Father: and no man ftnotveth 
 the Son but the Father : neither knoweth any 
 man the Father, fave the Son * ; had a right 
 to require that they who believe in God, 
 fiould believe alfo in him T . If they doubted 
 of his words, they could not however doubt 
 or deny his works, thofe infallible proofs 
 of his divinity ; for they who heard and faw 
 them were amazed at the mighty power of 
 God* -, well knowing that no man could do 
 thofe miracles which he did, except God was 
 with him*. With fuch fignal tokens of divine 
 favour and approbation, if Chrift was not 
 what he fo folemnly declared he was, we 
 muft fuppofe, what we muft almoft trem- 
 ble to mention, that God fuffered his name 
 and authority to be ufurped by, and to 
 vouch for an impoftor. In the plaineft 
 conftrudlion of the Words, this would be 
 to rob God of that fupreme honour, which 
 is due folely unto him, and to lead men 
 into the grofTeft errors in the very effentials 
 of Religion, nay, into idolatry itfelf j 3nd 
 
 x Matt. jci. ?7. 
 
 * JobtixWj ,i. 
 
 2 Luke h. 43. 
 
 * Jtbn iii. z. 
 
 , 
 
 
 
 
 that 
 
SERMON VI. 153 
 
 that even by him, who, when arraigned 
 before Pontius Pilate the Roman governor 
 for afluming the higheft honours and titles, 
 witnejfed this good confejjion \ that he came 
 into the world, that he Jhould bear witnefs 
 unto the truth c . 
 
 But God manifejled in thefejh* hath ever 
 been ajlone of fumbling, and a rock of of- 
 fence e to the wife men of the world. Not 
 that, though owned to be an inexplicable 
 myftery, they can prove it to imply any 
 contradiction in terms, or any abfurdity in 
 the fuppofition. Such abftrufe fpeculations, 
 from the very weaknefs and imperfection of 
 our faculties, muft necefTarily be involved 
 in fome degree of obfcurity, and be view- 
 ed, as diftant obje&s are, by reflection," 
 through a glafs*: darkly { . We know no 
 more how matter and fpirit act upon each 
 other, than we know the myftery of the 
 Deity : but that they do, is certain ; that 
 the foul actuates the body, we feel and ex- 
 
 b 1 Tim. vi. 1 3. c John xviii. 37. * 1 Tim. iii. 1 6. 
 e 1 Pet. ii. 8. 
 
 f 1 Cor. xiii. 1 2. Ev tuw/nspn per aenigma, i. e. oratio- 
 nera obfcuram, cujua verba quidem audiuntur, fenfus autem 
 pon percipitur. Stockius. 
 
 perience j 
 
.1^4 S E R M p N VI. 
 
 jpgri§nce ; ,an,d .that, from the impulfe of 
 outward objects, it receives numberlefs 
 ideas : but in what manner, is a myftery in 
 jjature, and as much above ,the reach of 
 .our under landing, as any thing which the 
 Scriptures aflert of the being and nature of 
 God, That there is fuch an all-wife, and 
 almighty, and al,l-perfedt being, is unquef- 
 tionable ; but it is beyond the bounded ca- 
 pacities of ,the human mhid, to form an 
 adequate idea of the nature of his effqnce, 
 or .the mode^f his epriftence. 
 
 When therefore we find the highejl 
 -i^ames and .titles, and -all ,tb,e known in- 
 *ppmmunicable properties .and attributes of 
 .the Peity afcribed.to Christ by the infpired 
 Writers pf,$ie Scriptures; may we not rea- 
 ( fpnatyy ; infer* that Jefus, whpfe Difciples 
 .we are , and ;whofe Religion we prpfefs, is 
 .that very-God whpfe wprks;we r admire, and 
 whofarnajefty ,we, adore ? In ^hpfe diw° e 
 ..Q^c^es qf t grace, and wifdom, and frutli, 
 there are fo many paffages, which either 
 positively affirm,' plainly' inculcate, or ta- 
 citly imply, thatrChrift is ^the very and 
 
 eternal 
 
SERMON VI. j SS 
 
 eternal God; the firji and the laft 1 ; from 
 everlasting to everlafting .- He which is 9 and 
 which was, And which is ,to come h ; .the al- 
 mighty ; tie fame, yejlerday, tt> day, and far 
 ever 1 ; that it rnuft require great chicanery, 
 and great fophiftry, to .contisovert and ex~ 
 plain away <fuch forcible evidences. Indeed 
 from the variety of fubterfuges, and withal 
 from the frequent conceflions of fame of 
 the/greateffcoppofers of this Dodxine, who 
 feruple not occafionally to acknowledge;, 
 that thete never was a time when the Son 
 did not neceflarily exift ; we may .form fome 
 judgeBbent of their jembarraffment, and of 
 the, violence they imuft have done to their 
 religious principles, beforethey could prevail 
 upon ihemfelves totally to r<ejie£t the ancient 
 uniform interpretation of* every Church 
 profeffing Chriftianity, from the apoftolical 
 age to the prefent days fc . 
 
 f.toj i, 17. h i^Hii.,4.. 8. and iv. 8. 
 
 1 Eeb. xiii..8. 
 
 k Mr, Whifton himfelf could once fay, though he afterwards 
 beeame a profeJTedrUnitarian; " I believe and am obliged fo 
 " to do, that our Saviour Chrift is truly @ix>%aTns, God and 
 " man ; becaufe I find it every where, plain and evident, .that 
 " the ftyle, titles, attributes, a&ions, and incommunicable 
 " names of 'the eternal Deity, the God of Ifrael, are at kaft as 
 " frequently afcribed to him the Son, as to the Father bjmfelf, 
 
 ,...,, " throughout 
 
156 SERMON VI. 
 
 Such difputers imay perhaps deem them- 
 felves powerful pleaders in behalf of what 
 they term Reafon and Common Senfe, 
 whilft they tauntingly pronounce that " Ig- 
 " norance and Superftition may think to 
 " fcreen themfelves behind the veil of 
 " myftery .... but a fmall degree of ra- 
 " tional refleftion will convince us, that 
 " Revelation and Myftery are in their very 
 " natures as diametrically oppofite to each 
 " other as Chrift and Antichrift, Light 
 " and Darknefs '." Such is the boafted 
 Chriftianity of one who profeffes hlmfelf 
 a fincere Difciple of Jefus Chrift. Nay 
 but, man, who art thou that replieji agaihjt 
 God m ? Shall the perfon faved fay, why haft 
 thou faved me thus ? Shall we not be con- 
 tent to be faved, unlefs we perfectly ap- 
 
 " throughout the whole Bible ; notwithftanding any inability 
 ■' of comprehending the nature of Gpd, and thence of judging 
 " of the unity tor plurality of Perfons in the Divine Effence." 
 Whifton's Theory of the Earth, p. 42. 
 1 The Doctrines of a Trinity and the Incarnation of God 
 examined upon the Principles of Reafon and Common Senfe. 
 By a Member of the Church of England from birth and 
 education, and a fincere Difciple of' Jefus Chrift from choice 
 and rational conviction. Octavo, 1772, Chap. i. Section i, 
 
 p. 78. 79- 
 m Rem. ix, 20. 
 
 prebend 
 
SERMON VI. 
 
 *S7 
 
 prehend the whole progrefs of the Divine 
 Difpenfetions refpedtinjj our Redemption; 
 and, unlefs the nature and wifdom of God 
 be accommodated to our own fond reafon- 
 ings, and the fhallownefs of our own under- 
 ftandings ? Why then are dodtrines of Faith 
 made neceflary conditions of Salvation? Or 
 mall we doubt and reject the truth and 
 wifdom of God's Difpenfations, becaufc 
 his love is greater than our conceptions,; 
 although we are exprefsly told it is fo in 
 his word"? The unbelieving Jews, who 
 were as unwilling as any modern objedtors, 
 to allow the truth of what they could not 
 comprehend, or to acknowledge the divinity 
 of the perfon, and the excellency of the 
 powers of Chrift, whom they faw made in 
 the likenefs of men °, were affured by him ; 
 with a folemn afieveration, (which enhanced 
 their guilt in rejecting him,) that before 
 Abraham was, I am*. The meaning of 
 thefe words they could not mifunderftand. 
 «' It is the very fame expreffion, which 
 " is ufed to exprefs the eternity, and necef- 
 " fary exiftence of the fupreme God q ." 
 
 ■ Rom. xi.,33. c Pbil. ii. 7. P John viii. 5 8. 
 
 •J Dr. Randolph's Vindieat. of the t Xrmity, Part II. p. 7. 
 
 If 
 
158 SERMON VI; 
 
 If the devout followers of Chrift, in obe- 
 dience to his commands, are defirous to ho~ 
 Hour the Son, even as they honour the Father; 
 and who, that they may retain the utmoft 
 reverence and awe for the perfon of their 
 Redeemer, fhal'1 pioufly confefs that he was 
 as truly the Son of God before all time, as 
 the Son of Man in time j will it convince 
 them of the " folly, the unreafonablenefs, 
 " the abfurdity, or the nonfenfe of fuch be- 
 '«« lief," to be haffhly told, that the " efta- 
 *« blifhing the Doctrine of the Incarnation of 
 * c of God, efFe&ually eflablimed Idolatry in 
 «« theChriftian Church': and that the Doc- 
 •* trine of the infeparable Union of the two 
 " natures in Chrift, the blending together in 
 " one compound or monftrous being, the di- 
 " ^vine and the human nature ; is not only 
 ** an abfurd fiction, but an, impious, and 
 ** even blafphemous doctrine • ?" But is this 
 the way to promote the glory of God, or 
 the credit and advancement of Chriftianity, 
 by undervaluing and fpeaking lightly of the 
 honour of its blefled Founder ? If the Laws 
 
 r The Doflrines of a Trinity, &c. p. 1 40. note. 
 • P. 105, 106, and 169. 
 
 and 
 
SERM ON -VI. 
 
 *S9 
 
 and Inftitutions of Chrift have too little in- 
 fluence over thofe Who chearfully look up 
 to hirii, as the prevailing advocate with the 
 Father * ; as his beloved Sort, in Whoik' he is 
 wellpleafed " j and wh&ffl he will always heaf: 
 Certainly they Will have milch lefs weight 
 with thofe who are taught, and are accuf- 
 tomed to confider him in the diminishing 
 light of an inferior, fubordinate, depen- 
 dent creature - x and at beft only a mere hu- 
 man teacher of righteoufnefs \ 
 
 « i John ii. i . ■ Matt. iii. 17. w John xi. 4^. 
 
 * The warm and eager advocate for the Unitarian Syfterh 
 above alluded to, is fo vehement a contender for the fuprerfle 
 •prerogatives of human reafon and iinderftanding, that he fcrti- 
 pies not to aver, " that if they be not the rule of our rell- 
 " gious Faith, it malt be human folly and fuperftition :" 
 (CHap. i. Sedl.i. p. 78.) oftentatioufly magnifying the " irh- 
 " portant fervices which would be done to the great intereft's 
 " of virtue and uncorrupt Chiiftianity, by him who, with an 
 " honeft freedom, would expofe the obvious folly and bane- 
 " ful fuperftition of fome of the prefent orthodox and legally 
 " eftabliftied Dodrihes of our Church." (Prefatory Addrefs, 
 p. 10,1 1 .) To promote this good defign, this writer throughout 
 his book, in very exceptionable language, repeatedly accufes 
 " our Religion of Idolatry and falfliood, begot by the fii- 
 " perftiticius converts from the Greek academy, upon a few 
 " figurative expreflions ef the facred writings." (Pref. p. 43. 
 Nay farther, in another place he fays, " I am bold to 
 *' repeat, that, notwithstanding the verbal and manual 
 «' aflent of fo many thoufands of all rants and ages, which 
 " hath been fuppofed to be ^given to it ; it is impoffible for 
 " any man really and ex ani'mo to have believed the whole 
 " of the firft article of the Religion of our Church, for no man 
 " ever did, or can believe it." (Cli. i. Sea. i. p. 57. The 
 
 fame 
 
x6o S E R M O N VI. 
 
 What could animate the primitive Saints 
 and Martyrs fo patiently to fuffer and fo 
 bravely to die, as the confidence that their 
 Saviour was their God ? It was this which 
 afforded confolation to the firft blefled Mar- 
 fame improper language is again repeated in p. 80.) " To tell 
 " us therefore that the Father and the Son are but one and the 
 " fame being, or that the Son is coeval with the Father, is 
 " to fubvert at once every idea thofe words are ufed to con- 
 " vey to our minds ; fo that when we hear of a Son of one 
 " fubftahee arid eternity with his Father, the founds indeed 
 " are familiar ; but it is as impoffible for us to comprehend 
 " the fenfe, ihould there happen to be any, as if it were a 
 " language totally unknown to us." (P. 66, 67.) But his 
 prefumption proceedeth to greater lengths, when he inde- 
 cently pronounceth, " that every profeffor of our holy Faith, 
 " who worlhippeth Jefus Chrilt as the very and eternal God, 
 " is actually a grofs Idolater. ... By the abfurd luperitkious 
 " Doftrine of a Trinity, and the pretended Incarnation of 
 " the Deity, by which two different natures, by a kind of 
 " theological chymiftry, became amalgamated into one Chrift, 
 " our mod pure and amiable Religion hath received a foul 
 " and dreadful wound, under which fhe hath languifhed 
 " above fourteen centuries, lickly, feeble, and for the moft 
 " part impotent." (P. 73. note, and p. 141. note. Pretended 
 Incarnation, Prefatory Addrefs, p. 41.) He having before 
 obferved, that " the fo celebrated hypoftatic Union, and the 
 " conceit of God's defcending from heaven, and taking our 
 " nature upon him .... is derived from the fource of hea- 
 » thenifli idolatry." (P. 105.) 
 
 But accufing and reviling will not pafs for arguing. Softer 
 words would ha«e been more becoming in a ieribus writer 
 upon folemn and important fubjefts, and not in the leaft have 
 hurt his caufe., Where able and good men are engaged in 
 a controverfy, an humble and -diffident one would care- 
 fully refrain from any expreffions which may give difguft 
 or offence : well knowing how many of equal worth 
 
 and 
 
SERMON VI. 161 
 
 tyr St. Stephen, under the bitter agonies 
 of a moil cruel death. He Jaw the heavens 
 
 and virtue, and full- of the fame h'oneft defires to' promote the 
 faored caufe of Truth and Religion, think differently from 
 him in thefe articles. Indeed according to fuch principles, 
 here is an end at once pat to the neceffity of Revelation ; if 
 reafon, or rather private judgement, be thus made the alU 
 fufBcient teft ofa divine Faith. If this be fo, thejefs per. 
 feft evidence of Gofpel Light mult give Way to the clearer 
 information of man's unerring all-comprehenfiyeiunderftand- 
 ing. But is this the truth as it is in Jefus? Efhef. iv. 21. Or 
 rather, is it not another Gofpel ? Gal. i; 8. For we have not 
 fo learned Chrift. Eph. iv. 20. Can teachers of fuch a fpirit 
 make us wifer and better Chriftians> f Do they reftrain wif- 
 dom to themtelves ? Job xv. 8. And are they alone beft qua- 
 lined to teach and explain the laws of their Redeemer, as being 
 perfectly acquainted with the fublime" and heave'nly Doftrines 
 of his Revelation ? Or are they 1 fuch eminent proficients in 
 fpiritual knowledge, as to be iufficiently able to convince the 
 world, that Articles of Faith are little better than fo many 
 unnecefTary impofitions, fo many tyrannical 'incroachments 
 upon Chriftian liberty, and fo dreadfully offenfive to tender 
 confciences? 
 
 But enough has been faid already.' to confute the pofitions 
 of thefe champions for human, reafon, though not enough to 
 convince thdm' of their errors. Whilft we are in this ftate of 
 pilgrimage, we muft expedt to walk by faith, and not altoge- 
 ther by fight. What is neceflary for us to knpw.is adapted to 
 6ur capacities of knowledge: What is above our capacities, 
 or, thofc fublimer Doctrines of the nature, grace, and defigns 
 of God, we muft acquiefce in the ignorance of, and admit 
 them, fo far as revealed, upon the fple credit of 'God's word. 
 No demonftration, as Mr. Chiljingworth hath well obferved, 
 can be ftronger than this, "God hath. faid fo, therefore it is 
 " true," (Rel. Pro.'- Ch: vi. Seft. lvi.) . So (hat the only 
 queftion in this cafe need be, ; whether the Scriptures, teach the 
 doftrine or not ? If they do, it muft be received, however the 
 Wit of man may labour to throw 'upon it the veil of me'on- 
 fiftency, or cloath it with foreign and unnatural abfurdities. 
 
 ' L ' -'y opened, 
 
t6z SfiRiON VI. 
 
 opened, and the glory of God, and Jefut 
 ftdnding a* the right hand of God 1 ; whofe 
 facred name he ardently invoked, and unto 
 whoie faving power he recommended his 
 departing fpirit. So triumphantly did Faith 
 in Jefus, as the Son of God, difarm the rage 
 and terror of perfecution, how ingenious 
 fbever in the invention, or barbarous in the 
 execution of a vafl: variety of torments : 
 And in a fhort fpace of time this well- 
 grounded Faith, this word of God fo mightily 
 grew and prevailed' over all oppofition, the 
 Lord confirming the word with fgns follow-, 
 ing', that princes themfelves became its 
 "fteady guardians and powerful protectors. 
 
 But no fooner -was the iglorified and ex- 
 alted nature of the Son of Man called in 
 queftion, and men 'became eager to be wife 
 in t'heir own conceits* \ than difcord and 
 fliedding of blood, and every evil work 
 brought indelible infamy upon the Chrif- 
 tian Church, though miraculoufly planted, 
 and peaceably eftabliihed. Hence cbritro« 
 troverfies arofe, which firft -Corrupted the 
 Faith, then vitiated the morals, and finally 
 
 y AGs vif. 55, 56. z Afts xix. zo. * Mark xi\. 
 
 20. b R 0. xii. i6« 
 
 deftroyed 
 
SERMON VI. 163 
 
 defrayed the m©&iiouri&kjg iCfouiichep in 
 tfee world. 
 
 " * ill'. , 
 
 It <wtas this fpirit and lave of J^fienfioii 
 wihioh,. in tihe earlier ages of the .Gofpel, 
 fo *sad%v^paved the way. for Maihon&dta* 
 nifm m the Eaft $ and tfoaafe chutehes 
 whioh were*once fihe glory of thej* inmesv 
 {pan fedl a prey to the .rapid progreis of an 
 iftfpiaas im.poftor. Hbe intemperate dif- 
 euflion of this fublime dodtrine im^ie a lad 
 breach >in the unity ®f the Faithj-and thofe 
 who, became indifferent whether they ad -> 
 h©red to .it or iiojt, eafily ^ot over their 
 fc;ruptes;..«nd hefitated r, jiot 4 rpuMtWy: to 
 /feny^eJjerdrtk&bmtgkt.thm*. 
 
 fifo fooner sflfo wasitfoe Broteftaot Refor- 
 mation of the Ohurch ~effe<aed in later ages, 
 but the like difgraceful feuds commenced 
 afrdlh, and being new qntodelled into Soci- 
 niafiifih, oectffioned eqadldiiikBiifeances. T.he 
 churches of Hungary, Poland, and Tran- 
 fylvania, where itfchiejysprevailed d , (as : had 
 
 ■: :':.' tl'UL 
 
 c 2 'Pet. ii. 1. 
 
 d Lampe Hiftpria Ecclefiae Reformatse'in Himgaria et Tran- 
 fylvania; and Dr. William Berriman's M oyer's Leisures, 
 Jfcrjnea.VIII. throughout. 
 
 L 2 happened 
 
164 SERMON VI. 
 
 happened before to thofe of the Eaft) expe- 
 rienced fi milar devaftation and ruin^frbm thofe 
 magnifiers of human reafon and deniers of 
 the virtue and merits of Chrift's fatisfaction, 
 the proud fcorners of this world, who will 
 not be perfuaded to caji down imaginations 
 or vain reafonings, and e very high thing or 
 ambitious difplay of that falfe wifdom, 
 which exalt eih itfelf againft the knowledge of 
 God', not aware of the neceffity of this 
 humility of the mind, and how earneftly 
 they are admonifhed to bring into, captivity 
 every thought t every prefumptuous arrogant 
 notion, to the obedience of Chriji*. In good 
 truth,, this prurient ipirit of controveriy, 
 this attempt to reduce the deep, things of 
 God, which no man knoweth, but thefpirit of 
 God ! ,, to the ftandard .of human judge- 
 ment and apprehenfion, hath been infinite- 
 ly more baneful to truth and religion, :than 
 all the malice and perfections of the moft 
 inveterate enemies to the crofs of Chrift. 
 
 - e 2 Cor, x. 5. Aoyn-fxa; wScufitmf Ratiocim'tiones ever- 
 tentes, eas nimirurn, quae funt contra Deum et myfteria di- 
 vina. Stockius. -, 
 
 f 1 Ctt, ii. :o, 11. 
 
 Thofe 
 
SERMON "VI; 165 
 
 Thofe indeed, who thus defpife or deny 
 the Divinity of the Son, profefs however 
 that they are actuated by no other motive 
 than their zeal for the honour of the one 
 fupreme God and Father of all j which 
 honour, if afcfibed to the Son, is abfo-f 
 lutely paying him that divine worfhip, 
 which belongs wholly and folely to the 
 Father. 
 
 ' :f'i 
 
 This brings us to confider, 
 
 Secondly, The other claufe of the words 
 before us, that they who honour not the Son % 
 honour not the Father which hath Jent him. 
 The connexion and union between them is 
 fuch, that the honour is mutual and reci- 
 procal; and that reafbnihg which eftablifhes 
 the homage due to one; confirms it alfo as 
 due to the other. Very little therefore 
 need be added to illuflrate this point. By 
 whatfoever prophet or preacher of righteouf- 
 nefs God fpeaketh to man, he muflf*be re- 
 ceived in that light in which God mall re- 
 veal him : to difparage the office or perfon 
 L 3 of 
 
166 SERMON VI. 
 
 of fuch a meflenger, mull be a flight fhcwn 
 to him who fent him. 
 
 If the fpirit and voice of Infpiration re- 
 prefent Ckrt/H, as the only begotten and the 
 Aehbed Soft of God ; the chara&er, the hke- 
 nefs, the image, the form, the nature, and 
 the mamfefiatim ef him from all eternity, 
 £o as none other ever was, of, without 
 the imputation of blafphemy, could be 
 faid to be j then it mufl be no inconfi- 
 derable offence againft God himfelf, fo to 
 debafe the honour of his Son, as to con- 
 fider him as a finite dependent Being* of 
 a nature different from and inferior to the 
 Father. As a Son he is one with his Fa- 
 ther R , having the fame common undivided 
 nature, eflence, properties', and attributes 
 with him : and what greater honour can 
 redound to him, than when the merito* 
 rious efficacy of our Redemption is com-. 
 iidered to proceed from his own inherent 
 and original grace, will, and power ? 
 
 * Joint, 30. tw» 11* »*., 
 
 Nay, 
 
SERMON VI. 167 
 
 Nay, it muft be the greatefli, impiety to 
 fitppofe, that God would fufFer- fuch a 
 ftumbling block to be laid in our way, as 
 certainly is laid in Scripture, if Chrift, 
 with all theft peculiar tokens of true and 
 proper Divinity, be nothing more than a 
 mere man, a created, precarious being, 
 which he muft be, if he be not truly God. 
 Can we poflibly and ferioufly imagine, that 
 thofe facred penmen, who wrote as they 
 were moved by the Holy Ghoft, would 
 deliver moft effential, neceffary, faving 
 truths, in fo vague and earelefs % manner, 
 as almoft naturally, from the tendency of 
 their reafonings, and tenor pf their expref- 
 fions, to lead us into the grofleft errors of 
 Polytheifm and Idolatry, which, would be 
 the fad, if Chrift is mot to be looked up 
 to as God ? 
 
 Let us not however have lej$ reverence 
 for Jeftjs, than Fikte hjmielf mewed, who, 
 •when be beard tfaitt be had made Mmfelf the 
 Son of God, was the more afraid** Let us 
 
 t 4 not 
 
168 S E R M O N VI. 
 
 not join with the Jews in their clamours a- 
 gainft him, becaufe that he being in appearance 
 a man, made him/elf God 1 . Contemplating 
 only with the eye of weak and fallible rea- 
 fon the external view of his humanity, 
 let us not infultingly fay unto him, with 
 his fellow-fufferer the impenitent male- 
 factor, fave thyfelf and us fc . Alas ! can 
 this man of forrows in his abjedl.abafe- 
 ment prefume to think it not robbery now, 
 to be equal with God ' j behold he hath no 
 form, nor comelinefs, nor beauty, nor ftrength; 
 nor power, that we 'jhould dejire him m ? How- 
 ever worldly fceptical wifdom may judge, 
 thus, let us remember, that it was necef- 
 fary for the Saviour of the world that he 
 might bring many fins unto glory, to bg 
 made perfeSi through fufferings*. And that 
 " the world's Salvation was, without the 
 " Incarnation of the Son of God, a thing 
 " impoflible j not fimply impoflible, but 
 " impoflible, it being prefuppofed that the 
 ft will of God was no otherwife to have 
 " it faved than by the death of his own 
 " Son °." 
 
 1 John x. 33. ■ fc Luke xxiii. 39. > Tb'tl. ii. 6, 
 
 m If. liii. 2. » Heb. ii. ip. 
 
 Hookers Ecclef. Pol. B. v. S. 51. 
 
 Well 
 
S E R M O N VI. 166 
 
 Well therefore might Chrift himfelf 
 fay, bkj'ed is he whofoever jhall not be of- 
 fended in me p . And what faith the Spirit 
 of the Gofpel, of Faith, and of Love ? 
 This will teach us, that to acknowledge 
 and confefs Jefus to be both Lord and Chriji % 
 to be God and Man, will infpire us with 
 the livelieft fenfe of joy, gratitude, and 
 hope. Then fhall we honour the Son, even 
 as we honour the Father : Angels, and Au- 
 thorities, and Powers being made fubjebl unto 
 him'. After many repeated meflages by 
 Prophets and holy Men of old j laft of all 
 Godfent his own Son into the World, in the 
 likenefs of ' fnful Jkjfc', faying, they will re- 
 verence my Son *, the fovereign Lord and 
 heir of all things. 
 
 With fuch extraordinary declarations 
 from heaven to evince this article of 
 our Faith, how chearfully may we truft 
 to the merits of Chrift's perfon,' to the 
 efficacy of his Interceffion, and to the 
 
 * Matt. xi. 6. and Luke vii. 23. 
 
 « 4Ss ii. 36. * 1 Pet. iii. 22. ' R*n. viii. 3. 
 
 ' Matt.txi. 37. 
 
 power 
 
ijiq SERMON VI. 
 
 power of his Grace and Salvation ; when 
 we cOnfider him as that great, glorious, 
 and adorable Being, who proceeded fir th, and 
 came from Gad" ; who was with God, who 
 was God w t and in whom dwelt all th&fuU 
 neft of the- Godhead bodily * .• Who, by his 
 
 ". John viii. 42. w Jebn i. 1 . 
 
 x Got, n. 9, " Every word in this paflage carries along 
 e< w^th it a peculiar force. For it is not faid, that the fuhjefs 
 " of the Divinity lodgeth in Chrift, but of the Deity, or God- 
 " head, the word not being jiMrwns, "but 'jitttrns. Nor is it 
 " Amply faid fa-m-nt, but im fat/rut, to affare us, that we 
 " are to underftand the Deity here in the higheft fenfe. Nor 
 ** yet is it barely fed, that he has arAxgWjegs,' afuhefs of the 
 " Deity, but -n rtjja^i the fulnefo thereof. But, as if it 
 " were not enough to fay the fufyejs, by-way of eminence. 
 " it is called -bm to wktifuf^, all the fuhefs. Befides, it is 
 " not faid, that this all-fulnefs of the Deity hdjpth in Chrift, 
 " but the very contrary ; that, ^toikw e> cwta, it dwelleth in 
 ** bim, as in its proper houfe, feat, or repofnory. And all 
 " this is ftill more confiderable, becaufe it is added, that the 
 ** all-fulnefs of the Deity or Godhead dwells in Chrift m.tgt- 
 " ■mum, bodily, or as Come render it, fubftantially or really. 
 " However the meaning is, that this all-fulnefs of the Deity 
 " dwells in Chrift, not as in the tabernacle and temple 
 " of aid, emblematically and efficiently only : Not under the 
 " notion of a general or universal Prefence or Providence ; 
 " for fo it is every where : Norjinder the idea of z Special 
 " efficiency of the Spirit j for fo God dwelleth in his Saints* 
 " But we are to underft'and it of a real and proper inhabita- 
 " tion, and fuch as denotes a true perfonal union; fuch an one 
 " is peculiar and appropriate to the Logos, in conjunftion 
 " with the man Jefus, with whom he has united himfelf." 
 Fleming's Chriftology, V. 3. p. 625, 626. 
 
 rooft 
 
S E R M O K VI. 171 
 
 mod intimate union with the Deity, is the 
 objefl: of our Obedience, our Worfhip, 
 and our Faith, and is over all, God bkjfed 
 for ever* Amen T . 
 
 ix. 5. 
 
( m ) 
 
 S E R MO N VII. 
 
 Rom. x. io. 
 
 With the heart man believeih unto JLighteouf- 
 nejs, and with the mouth confejfion is made 
 unto Salvation. • 
 
 THE great Apoftle of the Gentiles, 
 in this elaborate part of his Epiftle 
 to the Roman converts, is earneftly 
 iblicitous to eftablifh the profeffion of 
 Chriftianity upon the firmeft foundation, 
 as well with regard to the inward perfua- 
 fion of the mind, as the outward conform 
 mity of the practice. His addrefs was to 
 
 Jews 
 
174 SERMON VII. 
 
 Jews rigidly tenacious of the cuftoms of 
 their fathers; who imagined themfelves 
 fecure in the principles of their Religion, 
 becaufe they were of the feed of Abra- 
 ham, and therefore born within the cove- 
 nant which God made with him and his 
 family; and alfo, becaufe the law itfelf 
 was more peculiarly confirmed to them, in 
 the obfervance of which they expe&ed to 
 be juftified. 
 
 To convince them of their miftakes in 
 thefe particulars, the Apoftle affures them, 
 that they are ■ mot all Ifiael, which are of 
 tyrael 1 : for the, children of the fejh are not 
 ike children of 'God .' but the .children of the 
 promife are counted for the feed b . Nay, 
 moreover, that this very law, on which 
 they thus relied for j unification, was infuf- 
 ficierit for that purpole ; becaufe they fought 
 it n<k by Paith,' but as it were by the 
 works of the Law*. In reality, it had 
 higher views and a further end, namely, 
 to jdire'dl their fiducial regards to Chrift ; 
 whofe Gofpel, fuperfedipg the works of 
 
 4 * Rem. ix. 6. * Rem. ix. 8. 
 
 ' Rom. ix. 32. 
 
 the 
 
SERMON VII. 175 
 
 the ceremonial Law, was to be preached 
 to all men, as well to Gentiles as to Jews, 
 as a compleat everlafting covenant neceffary 
 for Salvation and final" Acceptance with 
 God. 
 
 This founded harm to* thofe who, know- 
 ing the divine original of their Law, could 
 form no idea of any other Righteoufhefs, 
 ■ but what arofe from obedience to that 
 Law. Whoever difcharged his duty in that 
 refpedt, did, in their opinion, as much as 
 God or man could require of him. In 
 anfwer to this the Apoftle argued; that 
 they quite mrftook the intention of their 
 own Law, if they looked not, through it, 
 to Chrift: That Abraham himfelf, their 
 illuftrious anceftor, fought juftification upon 
 the very terms of that Gofpel which he 
 was recommending to them, viz. by Faith 
 in the promifes of God : That, as thefe 
 promifes were made to him when 'he was in 
 uncircumcifion d , both yews and Gentiles 
 were included in them ; for he is the God 
 of them both % and all have peace with him\ 
 
 * Rom. iv. io. • Rov.. iii. 29. 
 
 1 Rom. v. 1. 
 
 being 
 
176 SERMON VII. 
 
 being juftified by the fame means ; by a 
 Righteoufnefs derived folely from Faith in, 
 our Lord "J ejus Chrijl, who is the end of the 
 Law for Righteoufnefs to every one that be- 
 lieveth % . This new and better Covenant, 
 ■not of works, but of grace, was now ma- 
 nifeftly revealed ; and true faith in Chrift, 
 with fincere confeffion of him, were hence- 
 forth made the fiipulated conditions of 
 Salvation. 
 
 The Jewiih zealot might ftartle at the 
 apprehenfion of its abolifhing his old Re- 
 ligion, and all the ritual Ordinances of the 
 Sanctuary. The Gentile philofopher alfo, 
 from feeing no images, no altars, no facri- 
 fices, might be equally offended at a Reli- 
 gion fo void of pomp and fhew : And 
 though he fet no value upon it himfelf, he 
 could not bear to fee his ancient fuperfti- 
 tion run down ; if for no other reafon, but 
 becaufe it was eftablifhed by Law h . Both 
 
 s Ron. x. 4. 
 
 h Ego .eas, (opiniones fcilicet, quas a majoribus accepimus 
 de Diis immortalibus, facra, cjeremonias, religionefque) de- 
 fendant Temper, lemperque defendi : nee me ex ea opinione, 
 quam a majoribus accepi de cultu Deorum immortalium, 
 ullius unquam oratio aut dofti, aut indofti movebit. Cicero 
 de Natura Deorum, L. iii. S. 2. 
 
 however 
 
SERMON VII. i 77 
 
 however were called to relinquifh their pre- 
 judices, and to accede to that real Religion 
 which required them to worjhip God in 
 fpirit and in ttuth l . 
 
 Not that from hence they, or any other 
 future adverfaries, mould conclude, that 
 Chriftianity confifted wholly in mental, fpi- 
 ritual graces ; or that, if a man had what 
 he thought the anfwer of a good confcience 
 from within, was inwardly perfuaded of the 
 rectitude of his actions, there was no occa- 
 lion to (hew any outward conformity to the 
 requifitions of his Faith; or indeed, to make 
 any publick acknowledgement or confef- 
 fion of the Religion which he had embra- 
 ced upon the principles of feafon and con- 
 viclion. 
 
 To guard -againft the mifchiefs of fo 
 dangerous a delufion, the Apoftle expreflly 
 allures his new converts, that as Faith is 
 the root of all inward Religion, fo confef- 
 fionis the neceffary outward demonftration 
 of it : for with the heart man believeth unto 
 
 ' John iv, 24. 
 
 M Righteouf- 
 
i/8 SERMON VII, 
 
 Kighteoufnefs, and with the mouth eonfeflion 
 is made unto Salvation. In the preceding 
 verfe, the order of the words is inverted ; 
 where, fpeaking of the only way to obtain 
 Righteoufnefs or Juftification, he advances 
 this pofition : If thoujhalt confefs with thy 
 mouth the Lord Jefus, and Jhalt believe in 
 thine heart, that God hath raifed him from 
 the dead, thoujhalt be failed*. But though 
 the words may be tranfpofed, the doctrine 
 and fignification of both are the fame : 
 Clearly importing, in the language of a late 
 valuable expofitor, that «' God hath given 
 " a very plain and intelligible Revelation 
 '* in his Gofpel; and the fubftance of it is 
 " this, that if thou dofl confefs with thy 
 " mouthy that Jefus is the Lord, and at the 
 " fame time believe in thy heart, with a 
 " vital and influential Faith, that God hath 
 ** raifed him from the dead, in proof of his 
 «' divine miffion , thou Jlialt affuredly be 
 "faved< .... For it is with the heart that 
 " a man believeth to Righteoufnefs, or fo as. to 
 «' obtain juftification ; nor can any dung 
 " but a cordial affent fecure that; and with 
 
 " Rom, x. 9. 
 
 " the 
 
SERMON VII. 
 
 m 
 
 ** the mouth conftfjicn is made to Salvation* 
 " and that publick profeffion of Chriftia- 
 *« nity is maintained, without which a fecret 
 " conviction of its truth would only con- 
 " demn him V 
 
 This is the Doctrine enforced in' the 
 words before us, which fhall be further 
 confidered, by reflecting, 
 
 Firft, Upon the nature and neceffity 
 of that inward principle of Faith 
 requifite for our Righteoufnefs or 
 J unification. 
 
 Secondly, Upon the equal neceflity of 
 a publick confeflion of it. 
 
 Whatfoever is revealed in the Gofpel, is 
 raoft undoubtedly the object of a Chriftian 
 Faith, and demands our aflent upon the 
 evidence of that divine Authority. But 
 though it be univerfally acknowledged, 
 that it is as much the duty of Chris- 
 tians to believe, as to obey ; yet many 
 
 1 Doddridge's Family Expofitor, Vol. IV. in Loc. 
 
 M 2 arnongfl: 
 
i8o SERMON VII. 
 
 amongft us have widely differed in their 
 notions concerning the nature of this be- 
 lief. Some have looked upon it in no 
 higher light, than as the bare aflent of the 
 mind to the credibility of divine Revela- 
 tion : Thus making it no more a virtue to 
 believe what is related of Chrift in the 
 Scriptures, than what is recorded of emi- 
 nent perfons in the annals of common 
 hiftorians. 
 
 Others, on the contrary, contemplating 
 the excellent commendations afcribed to 
 Faith, the exalted privileges, and the glo- 
 rious rewards hereafter promifed to it in 
 Scripture, have no lefs haftily concluded 
 it to be the fum and fubftance of Religion 
 itfelf : And that nothing more is necefTary 
 to compleat our final Salvation, but an im- 
 plicit acquiefcence in whatfoever they per- 
 fuade themfelves comes recommended to 
 them by fo diftinguifhed an appellation. 
 Both thefe extremes are abfurd and dan- 
 gerous. True evangelical Faith is neither 
 that which arifeth from a view of hiflori- 
 cal evidence only ; nor is it fo meritorious 
 as to fecure to us happinefs and life eternal,. 
 
 without 
 
SERMON VII. 181 
 
 without the concurrent teftimony of thofe 
 ** good works, which fpring out neceflari- 
 " ly of it, infomuch, that by them a lively 
 *' Faith may be as evidently known, as a 
 " tree difcerned by the fruit m :" It is not 
 a bare fpeculative notion of God and Reli- 
 gion, or yielding our aflent to matters of 
 fact undeniably proved. It is not only the 
 fettled conviction of our reafon, but it is 
 the inward perfuafion of the heart and af- 
 fections ; by which it thus becomes the 
 true principle of all virtuous active obe-» 
 dience. 
 
 Confidered in this light, the Chriftian 
 Faith, £o neceflarily inftrumental to j uni- 
 fication, is not fo much a natural as a reli- 
 gious principle. It is a grace which dif- 
 pofeth us to a ready and immoveable truft 
 in God j to a belief in his word, and to an 
 unfeigned fubmiffion to his authority. It 
 is paying an awful deference to the word 
 of God, as fuch ; and not as the refult of 
 any human teftimony, which is weak and 
 fallible ; and our credit thereunto would 
 
 m Art. XII. 
 
 M 3 be 
 
182 SERMON VII. 
 
 be rupre concerned with the matter than 
 with the divine evidence. And though 
 knowledge and understanding are requifite 
 to the perfection of it ; yet as its peculiar 
 character is an allured confidence and a 
 joyful hope, arifing as much from the af- 
 fections, as from the understanding -, it 
 teaches us filently to adore that wifdom, 
 love, and mercy of God, which we can- 
 not adequately comprehend, or fully ex^ 
 prefs. 
 
 True it is, that from mifunderftanding 
 the doctrine of Justification, many unhap- 
 py doubts and difputes have arifen amongfi; 
 Christians concerning the nature, mode, 
 and degrees of it : Some contending warm- 
 ly for the fufficiency of good works ; others 
 as zealoufly maintaining the all-powerful 
 efficacy of Faith ; each pleading apoftolical 
 authority, to exclude what is equally with 
 the other the necefTary condition of justifying 
 Righteoufnefs. There are alfo thofe,who not 
 attending to the difference between divine and 
 human Faith, but fuppofing them both to 
 fpring from the fame fountain, and to be fup- 
 ported by the fame evidence, have been too 
 much inclined to look upon a fiducial aSTent, 
 
 as 
 
SERMON VII. 183 
 
 as a kind of affront upon the human under- 
 ftanding, and an intolerable encroachment 
 upon the liberty of private judgement : It 
 being the firft axiom in their fchool, that 
 Reafon alone is the meafure and flandard 
 of Truth, and a perfect and compleat rule 
 of duty in all cafes, both towards God and 
 man. Moft affuredly an implicit bigotted 
 adherence to the doctrines or opinions of 
 men is fhamefully bafe and fervilej and al- 
 together to regulate our judgement, and to 
 form our condudt upon the conceits and 
 authority of others, of any fedt or party, 
 is inconfiftent with the dignity of Reafon, 
 and the liberty of Chriftians. But, never- 
 thelefs, this very principle which, when 
 considered with refpecl: to men, is pitiful 
 and mean; in regard to God, is virtuous 
 and honourable. 
 
 If we are fatisfied with the authority 
 which enjoins the feveral articles of our 
 belief, it muft be a moft prefumptuous 
 offence to difpute their truth or to refufe 
 our aflent, becaufe we do not perfectly fee 
 and underftand the reafonablenefs or necef- 
 fity of thofe injunctions, or are not able to 
 conclude decifivelyconcerning them. Abra- 
 M 4 ham, 
 
184. SERMON VII. 
 
 ham, who is diftinguifhed as the Father of 
 the Faithful, paid an abfolute unreferved fub- 
 miffion to the will of God, when he left 
 his own country and kindred*, and went out 
 not knowing whither he went °. Nay, when 
 his Faith was put to its ftrongeft trial, and 
 he was commanded to facrifice his Son, the 
 beloved child of his old age, and the fpe- 
 cial heir of promife, he did not argue, but 
 obeyed ; being firong in faith, giving glory 
 to God 9 , he doubted not ; but againji hope 
 believed in, hope *. 
 
 If there be any virtue, merit, or praife 
 in Faith, it muft confift in putting our full 
 truft and affurance in the prornifes of God, 
 in a chearful refignation to his authority 
 as fuch, without the vain attempt to ex- 
 plore or to account for all the difpenfatiops 
 of his providence, or the whole reafon of 
 his laws. " For as nothing finite has reality 
 " enough to reprefent infinite, fo neither can 
 " any thing finite have capacity enough to 
 " comprehend it ... A finite Being there- 
 " fore muft: have a finite understanding, and 
 " a finite underftanding muft have a finite 
 
 n ABs vii. 3. • Eeb. xi. 8. 
 
 P Rom. iv. zo. s Rom. iy. j8. 
 
 per- 
 
SERMON VII. 185 
 
 '* perfection q •" of there could be no dif- 
 ference between beings perfect and imper- 
 fect, finite and infinite. In all cafes, the 
 veracity of God that cannot lye % nor de- 
 ceive, is our fufficient fecurity. To reft 
 our affent upon this, is fixing it upon the 
 very pillar and ground of the truth % whofe 
 foundation ftandeth firm and fure, for its 
 builder and maker is God 1 : So that we may 
 confidently fay with the Apoftle, / know 
 whom I have believed", even him, who is 
 able to make us perfect, thoroughly furnifoed 
 unto all good works w . 
 
 Such is the true Chriftian Faith fo efTen- 
 tially neceflary to Salvation, and fo cer- 
 tainly productive of good works. Ani- 
 mated with this vital principle, we fhall 
 not remain indolently fatisfied with a fecret 
 mental perfuafion onlyj but as we have 
 believed with the heart, fo fhall we, 
 
 Secondly, See the neceffity of eviden- 
 cing thefe convictions ; and fhall rejoice in 
 
 1 Norris on Reafon and Faith, p. 206, 207. 
 r Tit. i. 2. ' 1 Tim. iii. 15. * Eeb. xi. 10. 
 
 • z Tim. i. 12. , w 2 Tim. iii. 17. 
 
 every 
 
i86 SERMON VII. 
 
 every opportunity of making a publick 
 confeffion of them with our mouths, tes- 
 tifying openly to others what we have in- 
 wardly felt and experienced ourfelves. 
 
 As by Faith is meant, not only a general 
 belief in Chrift, but a confidential truft, a 
 cordial acquiefcence in his merits and me- 
 diation, as our Saviour and Redeemer j fo 
 by confeffion, in like manner, fomething 
 more is to be underftood, than a mere ver- 
 bal acknowledgement of what he did and 
 fuffered for us. It is folemnly owning his 
 mediatorial authority, and profefling all 
 gratitude and praife for the bleffings and 
 mercies fecured for us by him, whofe love 
 was ftronger than death: And though this 
 confeffion with the mouth be not an effi- 
 cient caufe of holinefs, it is not improperly 
 reputed one of thofe neceflary good works, 
 flowing from the powerful energy of a true 
 Faith. It is not mechanically repeating a 
 form of words arranged into Creeds and Ar- 
 ticles ; but it is the vifible teftimony of a vir- 
 tuous life, deriving its obedience from evan- 
 gelical motives, which is the true available 
 confeffion of Chrift. And as this confef- 
 fion 
 
SERMON VII. 187 
 
 lion muft be thus illustrated in the pra&ice 
 and lives of men, fo muft it be publickly 
 declared with their mouths ; for to believe 
 in Chrift, and not to publifli and glory in 
 iuch belief, would be, like Nicodemus, to 
 come to him fecretly and in the dark; if 
 jiot rather, like Peter, to renounce him in 
 the hour of difficulty and temptation. 
 
 Whofoever, fays our divine Mafter, Jhall - 
 confefs me before men, openly acknowledging 
 his fidelity to me, him will I confefs aljo be- 
 fore my Father which is in heaven, reward- 
 ing him as folemnly as he hath owned me. 
 But whofoever Jhall deny, renounce, or be 
 afhamed of me, or his relation to me before 
 men, him will I alfo deny, difown, and re- 
 ject, in the moft confpicuous manner, even 
 before my Father which is heaven, and before 
 the angels of God \ 
 
 This declaration abundantly marks the 
 neceffity of an outward profeffion of- the 
 Gofpel, as well as of the inward principle 
 pf Faith. Such a profeffion is neceflary, 
 
 * Afatt. x, 32, 33. Luke xii. 8, 9. 
 
 that 
 
188 SERMON VII. 
 
 that men miftake not in a matter of (o great 
 confequence, but may be ready always to 
 give an anfuuer to every one that ajketh them 
 a reafon of the hope that is in them y ; that 
 they may be taught to avoid error and 
 confufion, and may be early guarded againft 
 any deftrudtive doctrines which, through 
 ignorance or defign, may occafionally be- 
 gin anew to weaken the truths and evi- 
 dences of the Gofpel. Moreover that 
 proper means of defence may be at hand, 
 and comprifed in fuch terms as may beft 
 exprefs the precife meaning of the word of 
 God; thofe leading articles which either 
 comprehend the fundamentals of Chriftia- 
 nity, diftinguifhing it in general from other 
 Religions, or are the defcriptive terms of 
 Gommunion in the feveral Churches of 
 Chrift, have ufually been drawn up under 
 the mode or denomination of Creeds ; and 
 thefe are made the teft of admiffion into 
 the Chriftian Church in general, as well 
 as into the profeffion of every religious 
 community. 
 
 ' i Pet. iii. 15. 
 
 Not 
 
SERMON VII. iS 9 
 
 Not that the Church takes upon heffelf 
 indifcriminately to propofe articles of Faith 
 to be received and affented to, upon her 
 own authority ; but, upon the full perfua- 
 fion and conviction of their being agree- 
 able to the revealed will of God. The 
 Apoftles themfelves judged this to be ex- 
 pedient, the better to deliver down to latefl 
 pofterity, according to the proportion or ana- 
 logy of Faith z , pure and unadulterated 
 that Doctrine which they preached. They 
 plainly forefaw that herefies would, in after 
 times, fpring up and multiply, and fame 
 would depart or apoftatize from the Faith, 
 by giving heed to feducing fpirits \ It was 
 therefore the exhortation of St. Paul to his 
 beloved Timothy, that he fhould keep that 
 which was committed to his truft b : or, as he 
 afterwards explains it, fhould hold fafi that 
 form of found 'words"', that pattern or exem- 
 plar of divine truths, which he had depofited 
 with him. So neceffary did it feem to this great 
 Apoftle, to fecure the affent of believers to 
 
 z Rum. Xli. 6. Kxrx ilu/ KixheytiX) -nis »ifS«;, 
 a I Tim. iv. I . A?n>r>intTaf mis tys ■ai'itvf, 
 b i Tim. vi. 20. c zTim. i. 13. 
 
 that 
 
iao SERMON VIL 
 
 that fyftem of do&rines which he had corn-* 
 mitfed to the particular care of this his 
 favourite convert, bis own fin in theFaith A y 
 as containing neceflary directions to him, and 
 to all future paftors of the church, for the 
 confcientious difcharge of their duty, when 
 advanced to ftations of rule and govern- 
 ment in the miniflry. 
 
 This aflent was originally required of 
 the Catechumens, previous to their Bap- 
 tifm, from the very firft inftitution of Chrif- 
 tianity e . A profeffion of faith, a promife 
 
 d i Tim. i. 2. 
 
 e We read, Ails, ch. ii, that an open publick profeffion, 
 or declaration of obedience to the Faith of Jefus as Lord and 
 Chrift, with repentance of fins, were the terms which St. Peter 
 reprefented to thofe Jews, who were awakened, and converted 
 by his firft Sermon at Jcrufalem upon the day of Pentecoft, 
 as indifpenfable requifites, before they could be received by 
 the initiatory rites of Baptifm into the Gofpel-covenant. Thusi 
 when Philip preached Jefus to the ^Ethiopian Eunuch, whofe- 
 converfion is recorded in Ails, ch. viii. / believe that Jefus 
 Chrift is the Son of God, was the confeffion he made previous 
 to his admiffion into the Ghriftian Church. Thus alfo. Be- 
 lieve on the Lord Jefus Chrift, was the ftipulated condition, 
 when Paul and Silas baptized the Jailer at Philippi, A8s, 
 ch. xvi. This was the apoftolical ufage. «' The declaration 
 " of Juftin the Martyr, (in the next century, Apol. I. Seft. 
 " 79.) concerning Baptifm, Iheweth, how fuch as the Church 
 " in thofe days did baptize, made profeffion of Christian be- 
 «' lief, and undertook to live accordingly." Haoker Ecclef. 
 Pol. B. v. S. 63. 
 
 , of 
 
SERMON VII. 191 
 
 of obedience, by way of folemn ftipulation, 
 was the prefcriptive rule in all the churches. 
 In the infancy indeed of the Gofpel, when 
 faith was ftrong, and errors were few, the 
 form was fhort, and the words were fimple : 
 " Thefubftanceof Chriftian belief was com- 
 " pendioufly drawn up into few and fhort 
 *' articles, to the end that the weaknefs of 
 " no man's wit might either hinder alto- 
 " gether the knowledge, or excufe the ut- 
 " ter ignorance of needful things'." Af- 
 terwards when men began to corrupt the 
 fimplicity of truth, preaching in effecTi an- 
 other Gofpel, than that they had received s t 
 and reproaching the Church, that its high- 
 er!: point of wifdom was implicit belief; 
 and many erroneous notions were raoft in- 
 duftrioufly difleminated : It became necef- 
 fary, not to propofe new articles of Faith, 
 for no Church upon earth is entrufted with 
 fuch powers ; but to afcertain the fenfe and 
 import of thofe before eftablifhed upon the 
 foundation of fcriptural and apoftolical au- 
 thority. 
 
 f Hooker's Ecclef. Polity, B. v. S. 18. 
 < Gal. i. 9, 
 
 In 
 
192 S E R M O N VII. 
 
 In doing this, the Church doth not ar- 
 rogate to herfelf the power of lording it 
 over the confcience ; but only to declare 
 her fenfe and refolution of controverted 
 points ; to preferve peace and unity in her 
 fervices ; and to prevent difienfions and 
 animofities amongft her members. Her 
 determination however is of no farther 
 weight, than as a probable argument for 
 the right interpretation of Scripture ; for 
 after all, faith in fundamentals is the necef- 
 fary undeniable obligation ; and the Scrip- 
 tures, as they are the only center of union 
 between Chriftians, fo are they the fole 
 rule of Chrift's Faith. " Now the prin- 
 " ciples whereupon we do build our fouls, 
 " have their evidence where they had their 
 " original, and as received from thence 
 " we adore them, we hold them in reve- 
 " rend admiration, we neither argue nor 
 " difpute about them, we give unto them 
 " that affent which the Oracles of God re- 
 " quire. . . . That therefore which is true, 
 " and neither can be difcerned by fenfe, 
 " nor concluded by mere natural princi- 
 " pies, muft have principles of revealed 
 
 " truth 
 
SERMON VII. 193 
 
 *« truth whereupon to build itfelf, and an 
 «' habit of faith in us wherewith principles 
 *' of that kind are apprehended V 
 
 As no Religion can be maintained or 
 kept up without fome fyftem of belief ; fo 
 no religious fociety can be eftablifhed with- 
 out fome rule or badge of diftindiion, with-' 
 out fome proof or evidence of the harmony 
 of faith and confeffion received by that fo- 
 ciety. The Church of England, with a 
 candour almoft peculiar to herfelf, freely 
 acknowledges, , '* that whatfoever is not 
 " read in Scripture, nor may be proved 
 " thereby, is not to be required of any 
 " man, that it mould be believed as an ar- 
 " tide of the Faith, or be thought requifite 
 " or neceflary to Salvation 1 ." " That as the 
 -" Church ought not to decree any thing 
 " againft Holy Writ, fo befides the fame 
 " ought it not to enforce any thing to be 
 " believed for neceflity of Salvation k ." 
 And thofe Creeds which me receives, (he 
 receives and profeffes upon the prefumption, 
 " that they may be proved by moil certain 
 
 " Hooker's Ecclef. Polity, B. v. §. 63. 
 1 Art. VI. k Art. XX. 
 
 N " war- 
 
194 SERMON VII. 
 
 " warrants of Holy Scripture '." Where 
 this appeal fails, fhe is defirous that the 
 authority which enjoins fuch doctrines, or 
 interpretations of them, fhould fail alfo. 
 
 Under fuch liberal conceffions and de- 
 clarations, fhe hath adopted and inferted, 
 in the pubiick fervices of her religious Of- 
 fices, thofe formularies or confeffions of 
 Faith, " which were the Creeds of the 
 " Weftern Church before the Reforma- 
 " tion; and becaufe at the Reformation fhe 
 " withdrew from nothing but what was 
 "corrupt; and therefore thefe being Ca- 
 " tholick and found, fhe ftill retains 
 " them m ." But however fo cautious is 
 fhe not arbitrarily to impofe doctrines of 
 Faith upon her members; that if we 
 attend to the reftrictions in thofe arti- 
 cles juft now referred to, it will evidently 
 appear, that thefe feveral Creeds are not 
 received and recommended, either upon 
 their own imaginary authority; or upon the 
 credit of the reputed compofers of them ; 
 but, upon the fuppofition that they are 
 grounded upon the foundation of Scrip- 
 
 1 Art. VIII. 
 
 n Wheadey'* Moyerj Lectures, Sermon II. p. 84. 
 
 ture, 
 
SERMON VII. 195 
 
 tare, as perfe&ly confonant to the Doc- 
 trines delivered in thofe Sacred Writings j 
 and as being little elfe, than fo many al- 
 lowed deduced extracts from them. 
 
 Upon this allegation, the Dodtrines they 
 contain have ever been held as truths of 
 real moment and importance. As fuch 
 they were at firfl compiled ; as fuch they 
 have ever lance been maintained and de- 
 fended ; and as fuch the acknowledgement 
 of them in every Chriftian Church hath been 
 uniformly received, and they have been de- 
 clared to be the Catholick Faith. The for- 
 mal and precife terms indeed in which they 
 are conceived, may not perhaps . be found 
 exprefily or literally, in fo many words in 
 Scripture; yet dp. they contain and. affirm 
 the fame Doctrines which thofe divine Ora^ 
 cles of .truth teach; and exprefs in other 
 terms, or in words of the fame import and 
 fignification. Thefe we mould have been as 
 much obliged to receive and abide by, if 
 they had not been , modelled into the form 
 of Creeds j becaufe they are founded upon 
 the revealed will of God : And the feveral 
 articles which conftitute them, are thofe 
 N 2 very 
 
i 9 6 SERMON VII. 
 
 very Do&rines, in the belief of which 
 Chriftianity conlifts ; and by which Chrif- 
 tians muft hereafter be examined and 
 judged. 
 
 So careful is the Church to inftrudt and 
 retain her members in that found Faith 
 which Chrift and his Apoflles left in 
 charge as a facred depofit ; that as with 
 the heart men are required to believe to 
 j unification, fo with the mouth confefiion 
 mould be made of thofe articles, which the 
 heart acknowledges as containing the fub- 
 ftance of godly Faith. Wbofoever abidetb 
 not in the doSirine of Cbriji, batb not Ggd a , 
 nor any communion or intereft with him. 
 Greeds therefore are neceflary barriers to 
 prevent the inroads of thofe falfe teachers, 
 who either from too violent an attachment 
 to a favourite hypothefis, or» upon the pre- 
 fumption of the powers of natural Reafon, 
 take upon them to contradict, or explain 
 away the peculiar doctrines of Revelation $ 
 fuch who privily bring in, or by various in- 
 finuations, tying in wait to deceive", are affi- 
 duous to introduce damnable herefies, here- 
 
 ■ 2 John, ver. 9. 
 • Epbef. iv. 1 4. 
 
 lies 
 
SERMON VII. 197 
 
 fies productive of calamitous and deflru&ive 
 confequences, which tend to the renoun- 
 cing and denying the powers, grace, merits, 
 fatisfa&ion, and atonement of the Lord that 
 bought and redeemed them p -, even the only 
 Lord God, and our Lord Jefus Chrijl *. 
 
 This is the language of two Apoftles, de- 
 scribing the nature of fuch heinous offences. 
 Indeed the Scriptures throughout fpeak of 
 the authors and fomenters of fuch pernicious 
 Doctrines in terms of the fevereft indigna- 
 tion and abhorrence. They call them ra- 
 vening and grievous wolves', liars \ decei-r 
 vers ', feducers a , falfe prophets, yea Anti-r 
 chrijls w . But notwithflanding all thefe ex- 
 plicit marks of direct reprobation, the fub- 
 tle adverfary of God and man hath ever 
 been inceffant in /owing tares amongfi the 
 wheat x ; and Herefy is a general calamity 
 which hath more or lefs affected the uni- 
 verfal Church, from the very foundation of 
 Christianity : And though it may Some- 
 times affujne an harmlefs and indifferent 
 meaning/ yet in the religious acceptation 
 
 p 2 Pet. ii. 1. 1 Jnde, ver. 4* ' Matt. vii. 15. 
 
 jltls xx. 29. ' 1 John ii. 22. * z John, ver. 7. 
 
 » ijohn ii. 26. w ijobn'w. 1, and 3. * Matt. xiii. 25. 
 
 N 3 of 
 
198 SERMON VII. 
 
 of the word, it is for the mod part un- 
 derstood in a bad fenfe, as implying error, 
 that is, miftaking falfe Dodrines for true: 
 For though every error be not an Herefy, 
 yet falfhood and error conftitute the moft 
 ufual idea of it. It is alfo an error in fun- 
 damentals, fubverfive of truth and piety j 
 as in the inflance before produced by St. 
 Peter, of thofe who denied the Lord who 
 bought them y : Which, whether it precifely 
 means denying the reality of Chrift's human 
 or divine nature, or his fatisfadtion, is an 
 error of the firft magnitude ; whether we re- 
 fer it to the Nicolaitans and Gnofticks, thofe 
 early difturbers of the peace of the Church ; 
 or, whether we apply it to the Arians and 
 Socinians, the fucceeding enemies of the 
 Faith ; or indeed by whatever refpecT: men 
 deny the Lord, their Redeemer, and their 
 God, his nature, or his offices, it muft be 
 an herefy of perdition j fuch as diftin- 
 guiihes itfelf by its oppofition to fome of 
 the main branches of the Gofpel Faith, 
 promotes difcord and confufion ; and by 
 traducing the honour of his Son, is no» 
 fhing lefs than blafphemy againft God. 
 
 ' 2 Pet. ii, i. 
 
 There 
 
SERMON VII. i 9 g 
 
 There are indeed thofe who make He- 
 refy and Schifm, if not the fame, yet as 
 to their confequences very nearly allied : 
 For though the weight and importance of 
 the Doctrine denied be what principally im- 
 preffes the fi'gnature of Herefy upon it ; yet 
 even an error, which is not fundamental, 
 if it be obilinately adhered to, and openly 
 publifhed, leading to the breach of Charity 
 and Peace, may not improperly deferve the 
 name, and incur the fame cenfure. When 
 men rafhly and wantonly adopt any fingular, 
 though not offenfive, opinions in Religion, 
 «( and opinion is only fomething between ig- 
 norance and knowledge) yet if they fharply 
 contend about them, perfevere in, and pro- 
 pagate them to others, they give them in 
 fome degree the nature of heretical pravity. 
 
 Contentions are often as violent about 
 fmaller points, as greater matters. If by 
 thefe means, different Sects are formed and 
 encouraged upon principles of fpeculation 
 and abfolute indifference, we are authori- 
 zed by St. Paul to give fuch diffenfions the 
 appellation of Schifms and Herefies. T 
 N 4 bear, 
 
200 SERMON VII. 
 
 heat, fays. this vigilant Apoftle in one of 
 his Epiftles to the Corinthians, that there 
 be divifons or fchifms among you 2 . From 
 thence afcending as to an higher degree of 
 the fame crime, he adds, for there mujl be 
 alfo herejies among you, that the faith and 
 fteadinefs of thofe which are approved may 
 be made manifejl \ Such differences in opi- 
 nion, when applied to the breaking the 
 peace and unity of the Church by need- 
 lefs and uncharitable difputes, bear the ap- 
 pellation of Schifms. ( If they increafe and 
 proceed fo far as to fubvert the Dodrines 
 of Faith and Truth, they then become the 
 aggravated crime of Herefy. And this is* 
 a kind of luft or wantonnefs of the mind, 
 of fo corrupt and vicious a complection, as 
 to be ranked among the works of the flejh b , 
 proceeding from, that natural corruption 
 which defies the mind c ; for ftrife, feditions, 
 wraths, envyings, and fuch like, are its 
 ufual concomitants. 
 
 Systematical Divines have indeed been 
 too apt to confider Herefy in two lights, 
 
 z 'I Cor. xi. 1 8. *\Cor. xi. 19. * Gal. V. io, 20. 
 e 77/. i. 15. 
 
 as 
 
SERMON VII. 201 
 
 as fimple and compound. A diftinction 
 more nice than necefiary ; for it may pof- 
 fibly happen to be no more than mere 
 opinion or theory; an intellectual error 
 only, and fo not cognizable by man; but 
 folely under his jurifdiction who trieth and 
 fearcheth the heart. It is practical and 
 doctrinal herefy againft which the Church 
 hath power to guard her members, to pre- 
 vent, as much as in her lieth, the publi- 
 cation and infection of fuch error and 
 fallhood j and her cenfures are directed, 
 not fo much againft fimple opinions enter- 
 tained in the mind, as againft errors taught 
 and fcattered abroad d . 
 
 Such are the falfe teachers we find de- 
 scribed by fome ancient writers, who in 
 the name of Chrift and Mofes fight againft 
 them both e . Such are thofe, who fcruple 
 not to communicate with the Church, and 
 perhaps fubfcribe to its Articles, and wait 
 at its Altars -, whilft, by their words and 
 
 d V. Forbefii Inftruaiones Hift. Theol. L. xiv. C. i. dc 
 difcrimine Ecclefiae- Catholics, et Hserefeos, et Schifmatis. 
 
 x«/ s» iogjs <sn©o*T«» t Xu>(jy nff, lux ( W7rT,tm ' Conftitutiones 
 Apoftolicae, L. vi. Cap. 13. 
 
 writings, 
 
202 SERMON Vlf. 
 
 writings, they are induftrioufly fullying the 
 purity of its Faith, and calling in queftion 
 the , truth of its dodtrines ; overlooking, 
 defpifing, or rather infenfible of the im- 
 morality of fo bafe and wicked a conduct, 
 from the prefumptuous confidence of the 
 imaginary inrfocency of their error. Surely 
 they who can fo eafily fatisfy themfelves, 
 had need to examine well the force of 
 thofe arguments from whence fuch conclu- 
 fions are drawn : What they may deem to 
 be merely notional, or fimply fpeculative 
 principles, and too indifferent to have any 
 influence upon pradtice, may perhaps prove 
 to be eflential, fundamental Dodtrines, and 
 the belief of them necefTary to entitle therri 
 to partake of the benefits of Chriftianity, 
 St. Peter and St. Paul, in direct contra* 
 didtion of this fancied abfolute innocence 
 of error, ftrongly maintain the criminal 
 lity of thofe, who, without adting contrary 
 to the convictions of their minds, negledt, 
 (where means of information may be had) 
 a proper impartial care in forming their 
 principles of adtion f . St. Peter in a paf- 
 
 1 See Atls iii. 17. 1 Tim. i. 13. 
 
 fage 
 
SERMON VII. 
 
 203 
 
 fage before referred to, very particularly ac- 
 quaints us with the common methods which 
 thefe deceivers make ufe of to introduce 
 their Doctrines. They privily, fays he, 
 bring in damnable herejies B ; privily, that is, 
 under colour of truth and piety, and a fin- 
 cere regard for the honour of the Gofpel$ 
 not declaring at once their real fentiments, 
 but flyly and artfully ; the word in its ori- 
 ginal meaning is ftrongly expreffive of the 
 craft and fubrie infinuation of fuch repro- 
 bate teachers. 
 
 If the apoftolical age itfelf felt the 
 pernicious effects of a vain, dogmatizing 
 ipirit j if fucceeding periods of the 
 Church have experienced the fame incon- 
 veniences j we are not to expect the pre- 
 fent days to be more exempt from fuch 
 troubles, and fuch complaints ; in which 
 fo many unruly, and vain talkers, and decei- 
 vers^ abound. We have feen what our 
 own Church hath done to preferve the rule 
 
 S 2 Pet. ii. 1 . Omm swgaezelvnv eugtretf tnmXeteii. 
 ^ Tit. i. 1 o. 
 
 of 
 
204 SERMON VII. 
 
 of Faith, as delivered in Scripture, pure 
 and uncorrupt, in order to check the pro- 
 grefs of heretical invaders j that none of 
 her members be feduced for want of pro- 
 per caution or previous inflrudtion : That 
 •we may all /peak the fame thing, and that 
 there be no divijions among us ; but that we 
 be perfeSily joined together in the fame mind, 
 and in the fame judgement '. 
 
 What her dodtrinal principles are, does 
 evidently appear from thofe Creeds fhe hath 
 embodied in her publick religious fervices, 
 as fo many fcriptural truths. Notwithftand- 
 ing all the many popular and plaulible ob- 
 jections which are fo frequently and fo invi- 
 dioufly alleged againft thefe Creeds, this is 
 certain, that none but thofe who are enemies 
 to the Faith of Chrift, will ever oppofe 
 the Do&rines eftablifhed in them. For 
 this reafon it is expedient, and even necef- 
 fary, to retain thefe criterions of found 
 Do&rine. " And when we have no ene- 
 *' mies remaining to find fault with the 
 " Dodrines, there will be none to objecl: 
 
 1 i Cor. L 10. 
 
 " againft 
 
SERMON VII. 205 
 
 " againft the ufe of the Creeds, or fo 
 *' much as to wifli to have them laid 
 " afide k ." For the fame authority 3vhich 
 affirmeth that with the heart, man believeth 
 unto Righteoufnefs i declareth alfo, that with 
 the mouth confejjion is made unto Salvation* 
 
 k Dr. Waterland's Critical Hiftory of the Athanafian 
 Creed, p. zgz. 
 
( 20 7 ) 
 
 SERMON VIII. 
 
 HEB. IV. 2. 
 
 Unto us was the Go/pel preached, as well as 
 unto them, but the word preached did not 
 profit them, not being mixed with faith 
 in them that heard it. 
 
 WHEN we attentively confider thofe 
 feveral evidences, which abun- 
 dantly demonftrate the Gofpel of 
 of Chrift to be the word of God ; fome of 
 which it hath been the endeavour of the 
 preceding Difcourfes to illuftrate :\ It can- 
 not but afford us frequent oqca|ions of 
 
 wonder 
 
208 SERMON VIII. 
 
 wonder and concern to obferve, that its 
 acknowledged truth and importance are 
 not always accompanied with a proportion- 
 able degree of weight and influence on the 
 lives of men ; and that, however excellent 
 its doctrines, however ftrong the motives, 
 or forcible the obligations contained in it 
 are, for promoting virtue and knowledge, yet 
 neverthelefs they are too often found inef- 
 ficient or ineffectual to regulate the general 
 practice of the world. 
 
 Hence wicked men and unbelievers have 
 advanced a popular objection againfl the 
 truth and authority of Chriftianity, by ar- 
 guing, that fuch a fcheme of Salvation can 
 hardly be fuppofed to be the revealed will 
 of the Almighty, from the little efficacy it 
 is feen to have even upon profeffed belie- 
 vers. They hear them fpecioufly haranguing 
 upon all the feveral branches and peculiar 
 characters of their Religion, yet without 
 giving that teftimony of their conviction, 
 and of their faith, which their Mailer hath 
 declared to be the only infallible iign of 
 both, their love to God and man. 
 
 It 
 
SERMON VIII. 
 
 209 
 
 It were to be wifhed indeed, for the ho- 
 nour of Religion itfelf, that this objection 
 could be anfwered by denying the fadt, ra- 
 ther than by feeking after reafons to ac- 
 count for the mifconduct. But whatever 
 be the caufe, it is certainly not owing to 
 any defect in the Gofpel itfelf; either for 
 want of more light, or clearer inftrudtion : 
 For furely, it hath all the external and in- 
 ternal proofs of truth which the moft pro- 
 found enquiry can demand ; and it affords 
 alfo all the moft reafonable conviction that 
 an intelligent and free agent can defire. 
 
 What kind or degree of influence then 
 could fatisfy fuch objectors, unlefs they 
 expected that God mould make men mere 
 machines, and compel them to be good, 
 whether they would or no ? He has fup- 
 ported his word however with as engaging, 
 perfuafive, and powerful motives, as are 
 confiftent with our freedom of will, and 
 moral agency, fo far to direct our obe- 
 dience, as to render us refponfible for our 
 deviations from it. 
 
 O In 
 
2io SERMON VIII. 
 
 In the foregoing part of this Epiftle, 
 the Apoftle expatiates upon the lingular 
 excellency of that Gofpel he was recom- 
 mending to his Hebrew converts, as great- 
 ly fuperior to the word fpoken by Angels". 
 Such and fo great was the original pre- 
 eminence of Chrift, that thofe glorious 
 Beings, who were honourably diftinguifhed 
 at the delivery of the Law, at the promul- 
 gation of the Covenant made with the Fa- 
 thers at mount Sinai, were only fo many 
 minijlring fpirits fent forth b to attend him 
 upon earth, and to acl: in fubferviency to 
 his orders : For exalted as their nature was, 
 it was greatly fubordinate to his tranfcen- 
 dent character, who inherited a more excel- 
 lent name than they% as being the Son of 
 God himfelf. The Jews, had ever been ac-. 
 cuftomed to entertain the profoundeft ve- 
 neration for Mofes their divine Legiflator : 
 He truly, was faithful in all his houfe*, but 
 it was only as ajervant, in an inferior de- 
 partment, appointed far a tijlimony of thofe 
 things which were to be fpoken after % of 
 that better difpenfation which the Apoftle 
 
 * Heb. ii. 2. " Heb. i. 14. c Heb. i. 4. 
 
 * Heb. iii. 2. e Heb. iii. 5. 
 
 was 
 
SERMON VIII. 211 
 
 was now announcing. If they had examined 
 the promifes Of God made to Adam, to 
 Abraham, and to others of their anceftors 
 recorded in the Law and the Prophets, they 
 would have found comprifed in them the 
 fum and fubftance of that dodtrine which he 
 preached unto them : The whole Mofaical 
 adminiftration being calculated to confirm 
 this word, and previoufly to inftrudt them 
 in the nature and meaning, and prepare 
 them for the accomplimment of thofe pro- 
 mifes, until the time of full and final Refor- 
 mation Jhould come { ; when that difpenfation 
 fliould be revealed, in which God would ga- 
 ther together in one all things in Chrijl % , and 
 their religious Worihip and fervices fhould 
 be directed to their proper fpiritual defig- 
 nation. 
 
 Upon this account /'/ was neceffary that 
 the word of God Jhould frjl have beenjpikeri 
 to them h j and they were informed that the 
 prefent more perfect manifeftation of it, 
 by the perfonal appearance and preaching 
 of Jefus or Chrift the Mefliah, was in 
 
 1 Heb. ix. 10. « Epbtf. i. 10. 
 
 h ASs xiii. 46. 
 
 O 2 troth 
 
212 SERMON VIII. 
 
 truth nothing more than the carrying on and 
 compleating of the fame original plan of 
 Revelation, which had been previoufly com- 
 municated to them through the medium 
 of their own Scriptures. From hence arofe 
 the equal obligation of faith and obedience 
 to Chrift in Jew as well as in Chriftian. 
 But with all thefe extraordinary fignatures 
 of divine Authority, the Apoftle obferves, 
 that the word preached, or of hearing, as it 
 is more literally rendered J , adlually pro- 
 fited them not j that is, they received no 
 advantage from, they did not improve it, 
 though it was the foundation of their own 
 Religion ; becaufe it was not mixed with 
 faith in them that heard it. Agreeably 
 to what we are told elfewhere, that faith 
 cometh by hearing, and hearing^ by the word 
 of God k declaring the neceffity of it. This 
 is the Dodlrine meant to be enforced in 
 the paffage before us ■, that as the word of 
 God preached formerly to the Fathers in 
 the wildernefs, became unfruitful to them be- 
 caufe of their difobedience and unbelief 1 ; (o 
 neither will it profit us Chriftians to have the 
 
 1 O tops tsj; cCKorii. 
 
 * Rom. x. 17. ' Heb. iii, 17. 19, 
 
 Gofpd 
 
SERMON VIII. 213 
 
 Go/pel preached, and to hear and read thofe 
 Scriptures which reveal it, unlefs we re- 
 ceive and obey it as the word of God. 
 This will appear more plainly if we con- 
 fider, 
 
 Firft, The connexion between the 
 Word and Faith. 
 
 Secondly, The caufes which obftrucl 
 their united Influence. 
 
 The union between the Word and Faith 
 is fo clofe and intimate, that as Faith can- 
 not be without the Word, fo the Word 
 without or feparate from the other, is no- 
 thing more than a dead letter, or mere ufe- 
 lefs Creed. Not that the efficacy of the 
 Word in the leaft dependeth upon us, for 
 that ftandeth fure and immutable : For 
 what if fome did not believe f pall their un- 
 belief or rejection of the Gofpel, as St. Paul 
 argues with the Romans, make the faith, 
 or promifes of God \ did and without effe5l m ? 
 God forbid, that fuch a thought fhould be 
 harboured ; yea furely, let God be true, but 
 
 m Ross. Hi. 3. 
 
 O 3 every 
 
214 SERMON VIII. 
 
 every. man, who indulgeth fuch blafphe- 
 mous cogitations, a lyar". His promifes 
 are made to faithful fervants : If we believe 
 not, yet he abideth faithful ; he cannot deny 
 himfelf, or fruftrate all his folemn declara- 
 tions of pardon and acceptance. 
 
 This word of God is moreover expreflly 
 noted to be quick and powerful, and exceed- 
 ing Jharp p ; but ftill it cannot penetrate 
 into the heart except Faith (hall firft pro- 
 cure its admiflion j and it will not be the 
 power or inftrument of God unto Salvation, 
 but to thofe who believe, therein indeed is 
 the Righteoufnefs of God revealed from faith to 
 faith*, by frefh, repeated, and increafing ex- 
 ercifes of it j which, in the progrefs of our 
 religious attainments, will be ever opening 
 to us farther and more encouraging views of 
 the inexhauftible grace and fulnefs of that 
 glorified head of our nature, who came that 
 we might have life, and that we might have 
 it more abundantly'. For we muft firft be- 
 lieve the Word, before we can accept or 
 partake of the bleffings of it : Then mail 
 
 * Rom. iii. 4. ° zTvn. ii. 13. » Hib.'w. 12. 
 
 * Rom. i. 16, 17. ' John x. 10. 
 
 we 
 
SERMON VIII. 215 
 
 we be empowered to Jet to our fed, that 
 God is true " j and his justification will ap- 
 pear the fame in every different period of 
 the life of grace. Not that the word is, 
 at any time, lefs powerful, or lefs able to 
 convince or convert us ; but the promife is 
 only to believers : And as there can be no 
 Faith, where there are no Scriptures, or 
 revealed will of God to enjoin and prove 
 it, fo Faith is the life and fpirit of the 
 Word, according to that faying of the Pro- 
 phet, the juji frail live by Faith * ; without 
 <wbich it is impojfile to pkafe God". Indeed 
 wherever the Gofpel is truly received, it 
 never fails of its full fuccefsful efficacy in 
 promoting the interefts of Virtue and Re- 
 ligion. But when any are contented to re- 
 main in an unconverted linful ftate, they 
 may be confidently pronounced to aril good 
 purpofes, unbelievers or rejectors of the 
 Word. 
 
 Such was the power of God, fuch was 
 the operative prevalency of preaching at 
 the beginning, that numbers were con- 
 
 » John iii. 33. « Hcb. ii. 4. 
 
 v Heb. xi. 6. 
 
 O 4 verted 
 
216 SERMON VIII. 
 
 verted at once to the Chriftian Faith. Such 
 alfo of a fudden was the prodigious change 
 of their conduct from fin unto holinefs, 
 that they became as new creatures " : Nay, 
 fo aftoniming was their renovation, that they 
 who had experienced it themfelves, and 
 therefore could beft defcribe it, reprefent it 
 as fimilar in its effects, and as ftrange in its 
 operations, as if it had been a pajjingfram 
 death unto life w : They call it a rifing from 
 the dead x ; a putting on the new man y j a 
 burial with Chriji in baptifm, wherein alfo 
 we are rifen with him through the faith of 
 the operation or energy of God z . 
 
 x This extraordinary effect of evangelical 
 Faith lafted not only during the fervour 
 of apoftolical inftxudlion and example, but 
 continued fome ages after in the Church ; 
 infomuch that ancient ecclefiaftical writers 
 obferve, that when Christians were appre- 
 hended and brought before magistrates to 
 anfwer for themfelves, none were found to 
 come under the denomination of criminals : 
 
 * 2 Cor. v. 17. w 1 John iii. 14. * Epbef. v. 14. 
 y Ephef. iv. 24. 
 
 z Col. ii. 12.' Aisc wis ■aiftus 77)5 mgy«tf th Jus. 
 
 None 
 
SERMON VIII. 217 
 
 None of them was charged with or proved 
 guilty of a breach of the moral law. No 
 other accufation being alleged againft any, 
 but that of a fteady adherence to the Reli- 
 gion of Chrift \ 
 
 Certainly this is an undeniable proof of 
 the power of the Gofpel in thofe primitive 
 times ; and undoubtedly it would have the 
 fame good effecT: upon us, in thefe later 
 days, if we believed it as firmly, and upon 
 the fame principles as they did. Nay, 
 there never was a time, fince the name of 
 Jefus was firft preached, even in the darkeft 
 and moft ignorant ages of the Church, but 
 the minds of believers Were more or lefs 
 affected, according to the fincerity and fim- 
 plicity of their faith. And if we mould 
 compare the Chriftian nations of the pre- 
 
 h This is the great complaint which the ancient apologifls 
 and hiftorians are ever making, that the name of Chriftian. 
 alone, without any other fuppofed or imputed crime, was a 
 fufficient charge for conviflion and execution. Thefe are 
 Chriftians, was a mark of ignominy frequently infcribed upon a 
 tablet denoting their guilt, and carried before them, when 
 the martyrs were expofed to the fury and derilion of a 
 crouded amphitheatre. See Juftin Martyr's Apol. S. 3. and 
 32. Tertullian's Apol. c. 3. and 45. Eufeb. Ecclef. Hift. 
 L. iv. c. 19. and L. v. c. 1. 
 
 fent 
 
218 SERMON VIII. 
 
 fent age, with thofe heathens who are un- 
 acquainted with the GofpeJ, we mall foon 
 be convinced of the amazing difference 
 there is between the knowledge of the 
 Chriftian faith, and the ignorance of it. 
 
 Far be it therefore from us to fuppofe 
 gofpel motives to Godlinefs any ways weak 
 cr inefle&ual, becaufe fome wicked or un- 
 thinking perfons may go under the ap- 
 pellation of Chriftians, upon whom they 
 may feem to have little or no influence; 
 fince there is ample proof of many (very 
 many) whofe general tenor of life demon- 
 strates, how greatly they are perfuaded of 
 the grace and truth of Chriftj whom having 
 not feen t they love e . 
 
 Surely, none of us are fuch poor profi- 
 cients in Virtue and Religion, as not to be 
 able confidently to appeal to our own con- 
 ferences, whether the voice of God, and 
 the fecret whifpers of the holy fpirit of 
 Grace have not frequently prevented our 
 falling into fin - t or, if we have yielded to 
 
 c i Pet. i. 8. 
 
 the 
 
SERMON VIII. 219 
 
 the temptations of it, as frequently awa- 
 kened and urged us to repentance ? And 
 whether they have not afterwards given us 
 the reviving comfortable aflurances that our 
 iniquities are pardoned, and the guilt of 
 them wafhed away by the fprinkling of the 
 blood 'of Jefus Chrijl 6 , who hath obtained eternal 
 Redemption for us e ? Neither can there be a 
 doubt, but that the power and conviction of 
 Faith ftrengthens and preferves us from fin, 
 and invigorates us with the moft animating 
 perfuafions of the bleflings of the Gofpel, 
 through the knowledge of God, and of fe/us 
 our Lord 1 . To as many as thus receive him 
 doth Chrijl give power to become the Sons of 
 God, even to them that believe on his name s . 
 So manifefl is the connexion between the 
 Word and Faith. 
 
 Secondly, We will now confider the 
 caufes which obftrudt, their influence. The 
 firft and general reafon is that which is 
 hinted in the text, the want of a due pro* 
 portion of faith, or a ftrang and leading 
 inclination to unbelief, which in the pre- 
 
 d 1 Pet. i. 2. * Heb. Ix. 1 z. ■ f 2 Pet. i. z. 
 
 * John i. 12. 
 
 ceding 
 
220 SERMON VIII, 
 
 ceding chapter is called an evil heart of 
 unbelief*. The Word, or Gofpel preached 
 as naturally produceth faith, as the caufe 
 does the effcft j but not being properly 
 mixed or incorporated together, they fail of 
 the neceflary beneficial confequences. Not 
 that the Gofpel is either abfolutely rejected 
 or any ways lightly fpofcen of; but becaufe 
 the meaning or import of faith itfelf is 
 greatly miftakenj and fomething very dif- 
 ferent from it ufurps the name, and is 
 deemed the eflence and fubftance, and con- 
 tended for as earneftly as if it was the grace 
 itfelf. 
 
 Faith, in the evangelical fenfe of the 
 word, doth not fignify an opinion taken up 
 at random, or from authority, but a fixed, 
 fleady perfuafion both of the truth and cer- 
 tainty of the things believed, and of their 
 great weight and importance. Becaufe' ini- 
 quity abounds, the love of many is waxed cold 1 ; 
 and numbers take their Religion upon truft, 
 without examining into the nature and foun- 
 dation of it. Giving no earneft heed to the 
 
 * Hti, iii. 12. 
 > Matt. xxiv. 12. 
 
 things 
 
SERMON VIII. 221 
 
 things which they have heard, they eafily let 
 them flip*. They fee nothing divine and ad- 
 mirable in it, nothing fo effectual and per- 
 fuafive as to prevail upon them to anfwer the 
 injunctions of it. They receive indeed and 
 profefs it, 'but as a thing of courfe, and 
 without due attention how much ' their 
 welfare or their ruin depends upon their 
 feeling the power and living the life of 
 Faith j or, on the contrary, yielding to the 
 fuggeftions of negligence and incredulity. 
 
 But it is not a fuperficial affent, which 
 the Scriptures inculcate as that Faiths the 
 fruits whereof will bring Salvation. This 
 is nothing more than a blind opinion j fuch. 
 a mere formal Faith as cannot fupply us 
 with fufficient powers to reftrain the vio- 
 lence of the paffions, or correct the deflres 
 of the will. Indeed this fort of counter- 
 feit Faith doth very often exert itfelf for 
 the name and found of Religion, and ex- 
 ults in its eagernefs and animolity in expo- ; 
 fing the imaginary fin and folly of a diffe- 
 rent judgement with regard to religious 
 
 k Ueb. ii. I . 
 
222 SERMON VIII. 
 
 principles. When this active zeal mall 
 impel men to expreffions of rancour and 
 bitternefs, or to actions of violence and 
 perfecutioni we have too much caufe to 
 fufpedt that they are more folicitous for 
 victory than for truth. The fpirit of the 
 Gofpel is 1 love, gentlenefs, and humility. 
 Where thefe are wanting, whatever preten- 
 fions- we may make to truth and faith, they 
 will be but fo many vain and clamorous 
 appeals j becaufe their necefiary concomi- 
 tants, thofe good fruits of the Spirit, are 
 not found in them. 
 
 Another hindrance detrimental to the fa- 
 lutafy influence of Gofpel Faith is, when 
 men miftake the fhadow for the fubftance, 
 and fuppofe Religion to be what it is not: 
 Making it to confift as much in an at- 
 tention to prefcribed formalities, as in the 
 exercifes of inward piety. This is con- 
 nected with, and- is the natural' confequence 
 of the former obftacle. In this cafe the 
 Gofpel motives, though they may be em- 
 braced and believed, will only excite to 
 outward duties, or (hews of godlinefs, and 
 not in the leaft contribute to forward that 
 cflential change of the heart and affections, 
 
 which 
 
SERMON VIII. 223 
 
 which is the only perfection of true Reli- 
 gion, the only foMd affurance of a juftify- 
 ing Faith. By the rigid and punctual ob- 
 fervance of ritual inj unions, an habitual 
 facility of oftentatious, deceitful Religion 
 may be acquired-, without knowing what 
 is meant by the inward powers of it. 
 
 Thus the Jews of old" were frequently 
 cenfured by our blefled Lord for their 
 fcrupulous adherence to the traditions of 
 their Fathers ; their tenacious obfervation 
 of external rites and fervices too often lead- 
 ing them to negledt the weightier matters 
 of the Law, the moral commandments of 
 God. Chriftians likewife may love the 
 word, and flatter themfelves their faith is 
 perfectly pure and found, becaufethey walk 
 in all the appointed ordinances of the 
 Church, and earnestly prefs uniformity to 
 her laws- upon principles of Neceffity and- 
 Salvation ; whilft it is to be feared, the 1 
 bare profeflion of believing is but too fre- 
 quently miflaken for the inward act of 
 Faith : For the Religion of a Chriftian 
 doth not confift fo much in fine notions,, 
 or orthodox opinions, as in the cultivation* 
 
 of 
 
224 SERMON VIII. 
 
 of thofe feveral virtues and graces which 
 adorn the mind, which fet forth the 
 glory of God, and promote the general 
 good of mandkind. We Christians, fays 
 one of the ancients, do not fpeak great 
 things, but we live them \ They did no- 
 thing for opinion, but every thing for con- 
 fcience fake j remembring that the end of 
 the commandment is charity, out of a pure 
 heart, and of a good confcience, and of faith 
 unfeigned™. 
 
 To thefe reafons which render the Word 
 and Faith ineffectual and unprofitable, 
 others of a more vitiated nature may be 
 added. Such as an inattention to the 
 doctrines of Religion in general, when they 
 are never made the fubject of thought and 
 reflection. Motives are only fo far effectual, 
 as they are applied to the mind : If they 
 are not weighed and confidered, they are 
 of no avail $ like fo many idle and un- 
 meaning words, they vanifti in found, car- 
 rying nothing on to perfection. 
 
 1 Non magna eloquimur, fed vivimus. Min. Fcelix.' ■ '■ 
 Nihil opinhnis gratia, omnia confcient'ne fiiciam; is the faying 
 of another ancient worthy. m i c lim. i. 5. 
 
 Next 
 
SERMON VIII. 225 
 
 Next to this, is that over anxious folici- 
 tude for temporal advantages, which fo en- 
 groffes the time and thoughts of many, 
 that they have no leifure or opportunity 
 duly to attend to the fuperior excellencies 
 of a divine and fpiritual Faith. The feed 
 of the Gofpel, though ever fo good, fown 
 upon fuch a foil is choked with cares, and 
 riches, and pleasures of this life, and brings 
 no fruit to perfection ". Men thus attached 
 to the good things of this world, and ab- 
 forbed in the fplendid pageantries of it, 
 lofe all tafte and relifh of the joys and 
 comforts of Religion, which are only fpi- 
 ritually difcerned° , and with the eye of Faith. 
 
 To fuch the Gofpel is hid, but it is hid to 
 them becaufe they are lojl*. It is not for 
 want of a more perfect Revelation : It is 
 not that the Doctrines of it are obfcure 
 and unintelligible : It is not that the Apof- 
 tles and Evangelifts handled the word of God 
 deceitfully, concealing or difguifing any part 
 of it. Far from it, with the utmoft per- 
 
 n Luke viii. 14. ° 1 Cor. ii. 1 4. 
 
 » 2 Cor. iv. 3. 
 
 P fpicuity 
 
226 SERMON VIII. 
 
 fpicuity and plainnefs, by manifejlation of the 
 truth ', they made it perfectly clear and vi- 
 fible. The darknefs and the ignorance 
 which the Apoftles complained of, origi- 
 nated from the malice of the God of this 
 world, who hath blinded the minds of them 
 which believe not ', in fuch a manner, that 
 they hate the light, neither come to the light, 
 lejl their deeds Jhould be reproved' : For the 
 knowledge of the truth difcovers to them, 
 what they are unwilling to fee, the bafe 
 fervitude of fin, and what they are more 
 unwilling to acknowledge, the danger of 
 their finful ftate. Whilft they refledl, fo 
 long are they miferable : Whilft the Gofpel 
 reafons with them of righteoufnefs, tempe- 
 rance, and judgement to come, they wifh 
 with Felix, to put off fo ungrateful a fub- 
 ject to a more convenient feafon '. Their 
 paflions and their prejudices fo overcome 
 them, that they are deaf to all the advice, 
 and blind to all the motives of the Gofpel, 
 fo that the knowledge of it profits them 
 not. Certainly as the love of God is fo 
 confpicuous in his offers of grace and par- 
 
 r < z Cor. iv. 2. r zCor. iv. 4. 3 John iii. 20. 
 
 ' J,-ly xxiv. 25. 
 
 don, 
 
SERMON VIII. 227 
 
 don* their ftate muft be deplorable, who, 
 through wilfulnefs pervert, through pride 
 defpife, or through careleffnefs neglett them, 
 and thereby unhappily deprive themfelves 
 of the benefit thus gracioufly intended for 
 them. Their only refuge from guilt muft 
 be their ignorance of their duty -, which 
 ignorance proceeds from their unwilling- 
 nefs to be at the pains to enquire after and 
 to underftand the conditions of it j when 
 perhaps they are deficient in no other 
 branch of knowledge, but that which alone 
 is able to make them wife unto Salvation tt . 
 
 Upon thefe accounts, it is no wonder, 
 that the evidences of the Word, and the per- 
 fuafive convidtions of Faith are not accom- 
 panied with better, and more defireable 
 effects. Confidering all things however, it 
 is an abundant proof of their real excel- 
 lency, that their fuccefs and prevalency are 
 fo great in the midft of fuch variety of 
 fedls, and of different religious denomina- 
 tions fc whofe divided, feparate interefts and 
 principles are continually claming with 
 
 8 2 Tim. iii, 15. 
 
 P 2 each 
 
228 SERMON VIII. 
 
 each other; by which unhappy divifions 
 no fmall difcredit is brought on the honour 
 of Religion in general. 
 
 For how can we reafonably expect that 
 the pure and peaceable temper of the Gof- 
 pel mould refide in a turbulent, intolerant, 
 or perfecuting difpofition? How can Chris- 
 tianity be efteemed by thofe who are fo de- 
 voted to the idol of their own proud reafon, 
 as to flight and fcornfully to reject the aids 
 of Grace and Revelation, and to queftion 
 the credibility of thofe Doctrines which 
 their own feeble powers cannot compre- 
 hend ? How amazingly do greatnefs, wealth, 
 and power engage the heart, and indifpofe 
 it for attention to fpiritual truths ? How 
 likewife can the arguments of Religion in- 
 fluence ignorant and vicious minds, who 
 have neither time, nor abilities, nor incli- 
 nation to reflect upon the neceffity, obliga- 
 tion, or importance of them. 
 
 With fo many obflructions to retard its 
 progrefs, the little fway which Religion 
 hath over the world is eafily accounted for. 
 Surrounded with innumerable foliciting 
 
 tempta- 
 
SERMON VIII. 229 
 
 temptations, feduced by the example of a 
 faithkfs and perverfe generation *; we may 
 afk, who is it that bath •warned us to flee 
 from the wrath to come * ? Who is it that 
 at any time difpofeth us to holy duties, to 
 virtuous actions, and infpireth us with 
 good defires? Certainly no inherent natural 
 power of our own, no arguments or per- 
 fuafions of men, but the voice and word of 
 God. It is the found of this trumpet which 
 awakens us from the death of Sin unto the 
 life of Righteoufnefs. It is this divine 
 call of the Spirit which produceth in us 
 a lively faith in Chrift, and a filial obe- 
 dience to his will. Without this, the 
 wifeft inftrudlions of the befi of men will 
 be ineffectual. 
 
 If the word of God be fruitlefs, how 
 much more fo will be the word of men ? 
 If the Scriptures be not hearkened to, 
 which are at hand, and whofe divine Au- 
 thority is acknowledged, it is impoflible to 
 hope, that under the dominion of a variety 
 of prejudices, the words of weak and fal- 
 
 * Matt. xvii. 17. 
 
 * Matt. iii. 7. 
 
 P 7 lible 
 
230 SERMON VIII. 
 
 lible men fhould meet with a favourable 
 reception. But God hath promifed to 
 beflovv a bleffing upon his good feed, when 
 fown upon a proper, kindly foil ; fo that 
 by due cultivation it will fpring up, and 
 bring forth good fruit plentifully, even 
 unto life eternal y . 
 
 Such was the falutary and blefled effed 
 which attended the firft preachers of the 
 Gofpel ; the Lord working with them, and 
 confirming the word with figns following z . 
 And when the miraculous power of his 
 Grace, in the converfion of finners, had 
 once fpread the alarm : Sirs, what mujl I 
 do to be faved* ? was the natural refult of 
 the awakened impreffion : They who were 
 thus moved, gladly received the word h -, and 
 believing, they rejoiced with joy unfpeakable, 
 and full of glory* : The Spirit of God giving 
 this zeal and earneftnefs to as many as were 
 willing to embrace the offers of Gofpel 
 Love. Some indeed were deaf to the call, 
 and believed not : But, mall their unbelief 
 be alleged to exculpate others, who, after 
 
 * John iv. 36. * Mark xvi. 20. a ASs xvi. 30. 
 
 b Jits 11, 41. c 1 Pet. i. 8. 
 
 their 
 
SERMON VIII. 231 
 
 their example, flight all the importunate 
 and" affectionate addreffes which God is 
 ever making to them ? Such muft endure 
 the dreadful confequences of their obfti- 
 nacy and infidelity. God hath fupported 
 his Word and his Faith with a notoriety 
 of evidence fufficient to fatisfy every ratio- 
 nal enquirer. If thefe accumulated proofs 
 perfuade not, nothing can. God hath pro- 
 vided no remedy for thofe who refufe to 
 liften to fuch indifputable teftimonies of 
 his will and authority. They muft perifti 
 through their own gain faying and repro- 
 bate heart. 
 
 So long as there remain men of this 
 difpofition in the world, and fuch there 
 ever will be, fo long will the Crofs of 
 Chrift be maligned. Frefh adverfaries wilL 
 be perpetually fpringing up, well trained 
 and exercifed in all the arts of fophiftry 
 and deceit. Ancient and exploded objec- 
 tions will be from time to time revived; and 
 the moft plaufible appearances of truth and 
 beauty will be employed in decorating anew 
 the moft offenfive opinions. Many indeed 
 and various are the difguifes, and fpecious 
 
 P 4 the 
 
232 SERMON VIII. 
 
 the.fallacious coverings to elude detection :■ 
 For error feldom fhews itfelf in its own 
 natural deformity, and the more fubtle the 
 poifon, the infection is always the more 
 malignant and fatal. 
 
 Such will ever be the cafe, when the 
 pride of human underftanding fhall induce 
 men to truft wholly to the ftrength of their 
 own reafon. This prefumption deceived 
 the philofophers of old. This faint glim- 
 mering light, in like manner, leads mo- 
 dern theorifts into the mazes of error and 
 miftake j when the foolifhnefs of man un- 
 dertakes to folve the myfteries of God, 
 and leaves them to ftand or fall by the de- 
 cifion of that deceitful balance. Hence is 
 it, that many who pretend a veneration 
 for the honour of God and Religion, (hall 
 yet accuftom themfelves to infult the per- 
 fon, and to traduce the Gofpel of his Son ; 
 by reducing the former to the ftate of a 
 mere man, and efteeming the latter as no- 
 thing more than a republication of the 
 Law of Nature. Such reafoners are not 
 difpofed to receive even the plaineft truths : 
 They can fee no neceflity for any Saviour, 
 
 but 
 
SERMON VIII. 233 
 
 but what their own impeffe6fc virtue^ or 
 ideal fincerity can procure j nor any more 
 preferable excellency in the precepts of the 
 Chriftian, than in the di&ates of natural 
 Religion. 
 
 This is facrificing to the idols of a rhi- 
 ferably deluded imagination. They who 
 can thus divert themfelves with the incenfe 
 of their own perfumes, may not a little 
 exult in thofe applaufes which the ftr angers 
 to Revelation too inconfiderately beftow 
 upon them. 
 
 Happily however they have not, they 
 cannot fucceed in their vanities : The <wif- 
 dom of God, how boldly foever impeached, 
 hath been fully jit/?t/ied by the zeal and vi- 
 gilance of her children d : Whilft thefe feats 
 of ufeful and ingenuous learning remain ; 
 fb long, may we pronounce, the Gofpel will 
 be oppofed in vain. The bleffing of God 
 hath fo highly favoured thefe Jchoo/s of the 
 Prophets,' that from thence have gone forth 
 from time to time the ableft champions 
 
 * Matt. ii. 9. 
 
 and 
 
2^4 SERMON VIII. 
 
 and guardians of the faith 'which was once 
 deftvered ta. the faints e j whofe natural and 
 acquired abilities, improved by the know- 
 ledge of God, and fan&ified by his grace, 
 have been nobly exerted in fo meritorious a 
 caufe, and enabled them to dete& the folly 
 andimpoilure of that wifdom which defcendetb 
 $&t from above, and to prove it to be earthly, 
 fwfml, devilijh f . 
 
 We need not refer to the labours of for- 
 mer, days : We can with pleafure eafily re- 
 coiled: and chearfully boaft of a race of 
 prefent worthies, not inferior to the gene- 
 rations that are paft, who, with an inex- 
 haustible fund of literature, and with equal 
 fan&ity of life and manners, have eminently 
 diftiDguifhed themfelves as wt\\ in defence 
 of Revelation in" general, as of particular 
 branches of it: Who have elucidated fcrip- 
 tural difficulties and obicuritiesj have with 
 precjfipn and accuracy marked the progref- 
 five ftages of Prophecies already accomplish-; 
 ed, as well as pointed out thofe that are fuccef- 
 fively receiving their accomplifhment; have 
 
 e Jude, ver. 3. 
 ' James iii. 15. 
 
 evinced 
 
SERMON VIII. a 35 
 
 evinced the nature, importance, and credi- 
 bility of thofe miracles recorded in Scrip- 
 ture, which were the obvious and popular 
 demonftrations of a divine agency ; and 
 have vindicated the fcriptural Do&rine of 
 the Trinity, and the honour, divinity, and 
 perfanality of their Redeemer, and of the 
 Holy Ghoft, from the exceptions of thofe 
 who have called them in queftion, with an 
 arrogance and malignity peculiarly their 
 own. 
 
 It were endlefs to. enumerate the long 
 lift of thofe who have done honour to 
 themfelves, and have reflected credit on the 
 places of their education, by taking an 
 aclive part in favour of the Gofpel of 
 Chrift, whenever the way of truth hath ap- 
 peared' to be evil fpoken of 1 , or infulted. 
 The extenfive knowledge, the found judge* 
 ment, and the manly rational criticifm dis- 
 played upon fuch occafions ought at leaft 
 to fatisfy the objectors to it, that Chriftia- 
 nity is not that irrational unneceffary fyf- 
 tem they' would with to have it repre* 
 
 ' z Pet. ii. z. 
 
 fen ted ; 
 
236 SERMON VIII. 
 
 fented ; but that it is built upon the folid 
 and irrefragable foundation of Reafon and 
 Argument, and is worthy their moft deli- 
 berate attention. Would they but once 
 allow themfelves maturely to confider, and 
 impartially to examine the flrength of the 
 evidences adduced in fupport of the truths 
 of the Gofpel; they would foon difcover 
 the weaknefs of thofe attempts which its 
 adverfaries have pertinacioufly made to un- 
 dermine and fubvert it j and how greatly 
 an obedient, reverential regard to its pre- 
 cepts would contribute to the happinefs of 
 mankind. Awakened by thefe impreffions, 
 they would proceed from flrength to 
 flrength ; would feel the happy effects of 
 increafing light and conviction ; would ac- 
 knowledge the excellency, wifdom* and ne- 
 ceffity of Revelation ; and how much it is 
 their duty and their intereft ferioufly to re- 
 flect upon the rife and foundation of thofe 
 principles, which have hitherto feparated 
 them from the knowledge and love of God 
 in Chrifl; and of what importance it is 
 that they mould no longer continue to 
 cherifh in themfelves, or encourage in others 
 
 an 
 
SERMON VIII. 237 
 
 an evil heart of unbelief*. By purfuing thefe 
 enquiries in the fpirit of humility and de- 
 votion, they would become well qualified, 
 from their own experience, and would re- 
 joice to teftify, with what Angular truth and 
 propriety the apoftolical inference in the 
 language of the text may be applied to 
 unbelievers in general, that the word preached 
 did not profit them, not being mixed with faith 
 in them that heart it. 
 
 h Heb. Hi. 12. 
 
 F I N I S.