Wm.  PRIESTMAKy 
 
 55  NO.  266, 
 
 % 
 
 II        ARCH    STREET,    PHILADELPHIA.        «^ 
 
 M     *'.».«»»f.»Of.«.»'»»>^»»»«'«»«B«»»«>«»>»»»«««»«  ■«■««■« 
 
 '       V,  / 
 c.j 
 
 Shelf 
 
 oi 
 
 PRINCETON,  N.  J.                        ^' 
 
 Division 
 
 Section 
 
 Number 
 
y^f.,.,.   ..-• 
 
Jl  C/ui/n/ijIiJiTiJ  I//- 
 
 T.KMii,/  Si>/jii,t//-. 
 
^. 
 
 .  /'/  If/,  r^<f  /»^ 
 
 S  E  R  M  O  n'^S 
 
 O  N    T  H  E 
 
 Following    SUBJECTS, 
 V  I  z. 
 
 The  Religion  of  Chriil. 
 Chriftian  MoraJiiy. 
 Excellence  of  Chrift'sDofirines 
 The  Poflibility  of  Miracles. 
 Charafter   of   Chrift   and  his 
 
 Apoftks,. 
 Defign  of  their  Miracles. 
 Certainty  of  the  Mi-racles. 
 Refurxeftion  of   Chraft  ;    and 
 
 Confequences  of  it. 
 
 His  not  appearing  t9  all  the 
 
 People. 
 Of  Chrift's  Afcenfion. 
 The  Defcent  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 TheBodrine  of  a  Refurieftioa 
 
 explained. 
 The  Change  made  by  it  in  the 
 
 Saints. 
 Obgeftions  ag-ainft  a  Refiirrec- 
 
 tion  anfwered. 
 
 BY    THE    LATE    REVEREND 
 
 SAMUEL     C  HANDLER, 
 
 D.  D.  and  F.  R.  and  A.  S.  S. 
 
 Publifeed  froRi  his  MANUSCRIPT, 
 WITH 
 
 A      PREFACE, 
 
 Giving  a  Brief  Account  of  the  Life,  Character. 
 and  Writings  of  the  A  U  T  H  O  R, 
 
 By  T  H  O  M  A  S   A  M  O  R  Y,  D.  D; 
 
 The    SECOND    EDITION. 
 VOL.      L 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Frinted  for  J.   Buckland,    in  Pacer-nofter-Row  ;   and 
 E.   and    C.  DiLLY,    in    the  Poultry. 
 
 M,DCCLXIX. 
 
{     in     ) 
 
 THE 
 
 P  R  E  F  A  C  E. 
 
 WE  at  length  offer  to  the  world  the 
 four  Volumes  of  Dr.  Chandler '^ 
 Sermons,  publiQied  according  to 
 his  diredlions  in  his  lafl:  wilL  The  licknefs 
 of  the  Editor  occafioned  a  delay  in  the 
 publication.  Moft  of  thefe  Sermons  were 
 tranfcribed  for  theprefsby  the  Doctor  him felf, 
 and  the  few  others  are  cither  fuch  as  he  had 
 declared  his  intention  to  print,  or  were  added 
 at  the  requeil  of  fome  of  his  moft  judicious 
 hearers.  They  are  the  Doctor's ^£'«i^f;7^  works, 
 and  have  undergone  no  other  alterations,  thaa 
 were  neceifarily  to  be  made  in  pofthumous 
 Sermons  ;  that  they  might  appear  tolerably 
 corred:.  The  Subfcribers  are  defired  to  ex- 
 cufe  the  want  of  one  of  the  difcourfes,  pro- 
 mifed  in  the  introduction  to  the  Sermons,  on 
 the  Exveilence  of  our  Saviour  s  'Doctrines.  The 
 lofs  of  it  was  not  perceived,  'till  leveral  of  the 
 difcourfes  were  printed  off,  and  it  could  not 
 be  recovered  after  the  ftrideft  fearch.  The 
 lofs  is  however  the  lefs  important,  as  the 
 iermon  was  wholly  employed  in  illuftrating  a 
 A  2  .  confequence. 
 
iv  The    P  R  E  F  A  C  E. 
 
 confequcnce,  which  every  judicious  Reader 
 will  himfelf  draw,  from  comparing  the  per- 
 fedlion  of  the  docftrincs  and  morals  of  Jefus 
 Chrift,  with  the  circumftances  of  his  birth 
 and  education  :  "  That  he  was  indeed  what 
 he  claimed  to  be,  the  Son  of  God,  and  filled 
 with  his  fpirit." 
 
 We  hope  the  Pveader  will  find  In  the  firfl 
 volume  many  important  obfervations,  fet  in  a 
 light  fitted  to  increafehis  faith  in  the  Chriftian 
 revelation,  and  his  value  for  it ;  and  particu- 
 larly in  the  Sermons  on  the  Afcenfwn  of  Chrifiy 
 and  the  Effii/Jori  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  prac- 
 tical difcpurfes  will  be  found  judicious  and 
 ajiim(itcd  \  and  fliould  any  Readers  be  lefs 
 pleafed  with  fome  Sermons  in  \ht  fourth  vo- 
 lume, on  a  controverted  fubjecfl,  and  think 
 the  account  therein  given  of  the  corruption  of 
 humari  nature  to  be  aggravated  above  ladl  and 
 experience  j  we  beg  them  to  con (ider,— -that 
 the  Dodor  allows  this  diforder,  as  far  as  it  is 
 natural^  to  be  in  no  fenfe  q\m  fault,  or  imputed 
 ;o  us  as  fuch  by  God  our  Creator  ;  but  to  be 
 merely  a  trial  of  our  virtue,  and  obedience 
 to,  our  heavenly  Father,  who  will,  as  becomes 
 his  equity  and  goodnefs,  make  every  reafonable 
 allowance  for  it,  and  grant  anfwerable  afjiftance 
 to  thofe  who  afk  it,  and  who  hath  provided 
 a  fuitable  ;TW^£/y.  That  the  honour  of  God  as 
 our  Creator  and  moral  Governor  is  thus  vindi- 
 cated  i  and  perfons  may  amicably  differ  as  to. 
 the  more  or  lefs  of  this  natural  diforder  and 
 ^^paknefs,  and  be  left  to  determine  their  fcn- 
 
 timents 
 
The     PREFACE.  .  r 
 
 .timents  by  impartial  obiervation|  [and  expe- 
 rience. 
 
 The  charge  given  by  Dr.  Chandler,  that 
 his  funeral  Sermon  iliould  be  imthout  a  cha- 
 racfler  of  him^  feems  to  lay  a  reftraint  upon 
 the  Editor  from  prefixing  to  thefe  volumes, 
 that  account  of  his  life  and  charader,  which 
 his  diftinguiflied  abilities,  learning,  and  Na- 
 tion, might  give  the  publick  reafon  to  expedt  : 
 But  which  the  Dod:or  himfdf  hath  by  his 
 works  rendered  in  fome  meafure  unnecelTary* 
 For  every  attentive  Reader  will  from  thefe  in- 
 fer, the  uncommon  quicknefs  and  penetration  of 
 ,his  judgment f  the  large  variety  and  extent  of 
 his  lear?iingi  the  warmth  and  vigour  of  his  ima- 
 gination,  and  his  ftrong  attachment  to  the  caufe 
 of  rational  piety i  pra5lical  Chrijiianity^  and  re-^ 
 ligioui  and  civil  liberty  :  Which  rendered  him 
 fo  able  a  defender  of  the  Chriftian  caufe,  (o 
 injlrudlive  and  animatijig  a  preacher,  fo  fucccfs^ 
 fill  a  champion  for  liberty  and  the  protedant 
 Diffenters,  and  fo  much  an  honour  to  them, 
 as  to  give  great  reafon  to  regret  his  death  in 
 the  advanced  age  of  Seveniy-three,  for  its  be- 
 ing a  coniiderable  lofs  to  the  learned  ?nd 
 Chriftian  world. 
 
 Dr.  Chandler,  in  confequence  of  a  long 
 and  clofe  application  to  the  {ludy  of  the  bell 
 ancient  Greek  writers,  hidoiical,  moral,  and 
 poetic j  left  in  his  ifiter leaved  bible  a  large  niim- 
 ,ber  of  notes,  of  great  ufe  for  illuflrating  the 
 language  and  fentiments  of  the  facred  writers, 
 cfpecially  of  the  New  ^cjlojnent.  As  thefe 
 will  do  eminent  honour  to  the  Dodior's  mc- 
 A  3  mory, 
 
'^  The    PRE  F  A  C  E, 
 
 flnory,  as  a  fcholar  and  a  critie,    aiid  prottr 
 of  confiderable  fervice  for  explaining  the  fa-- 
 cred  writings  -,  fome  of  his  friends  delign  foon 
 to  publifh  theniv     The  Dodlor  alfo  in  his  will 
 exprelTed  a  concern,  to  have  the  principal  of 
 his  works  which  he  had  then  publifhed,  and 
 which  were  grown  otit  of  print,  reprinted  in 
 four  volifmes,  odavov     Th^  two  frji  of  thefe 
 fhould   contain    his   Defences   of  Chrijiianity 
 againft  CoUinSy  Morgariy  and  others  5  to  which 
 will  be  made  confiderable  additions  from  his 
 M.S.  the  third  his  Sermons^    and  thQ  fourth  his 
 Hijiory  of  Perfeeuiion,     The  price  of  the  four 
 t^olumes,  'tis  compacted,  cannot  be  kfs  than  20= 
 fliilling&.   They  who  are  difpofed  to  encourage 
 this  publication  are  defired  to  fend  in  their  names 
 to  the  following  Bookfellers^Mry  Buckl  and, 
 in  Paternafter-Kow  ;  Meffrs.  Dilly,  in    the 
 Poultry^  and  Mr.  William  Davenhill,  in 
 Cornhill;  who  will  put  the  work  to  the  prefs,  as 
 foon  as  a  number  of  books  are  engaged  for,  fuf- 
 ficient  to  defray  th-e  expence  of  the  impreffion. 
 
 Here  the  Editor  intended  to  have  clofed  his 
 account  of  the  charadler  and  writings  of  Dr. 
 Chandler  ;  but  fome  friends,  for  whofe  judge- 
 ment he  hath  s  deference,  thinking  that  a 
 a  more  particular  relation  of  the  education 
 and  life  of  fo  eminent  a  perfon  was  exped:ed 
 hy  the  publick,  and  would  be  acceptable ; 
 he  colledted,  and  has  added  the  following  brief 
 fnemoirs. 
 
 Dr.  Chandler  was  defcended  from  anceftors- 
 lieartily  engaged  in  the  caufe  of  non-con formttyt. 
 a^nd  fufFerers  for  the  liberty  of  confcience.  His 
 
 Grandfath^ 
 
tile    PREFACE.  vii 
 
 Xrrandfather  Chandler,  a  tradeiman  at  Tnunton 
 in  Somerfet,  was  much  injured  in  his  fortune 
 by  the  perfecutions  under  Charles  II.  but  bore 
 .■chearfuJJy  thefpcHingcfhis  gocds^  that  he  might 
 :preferve  his  peace  of  mind,  and  his  title  to 
 the  better  and  more  enduring  J'uhjtance  m  Heaven 
 inviolate. 
 
 His  Father,  the  reverend  Mr.  Henry  Chand- 
 ler,  was  a  dillenting  minifter  of  confiderable 
 worth  and  abilities,  who  fpent  the  greater 
 part  of  his  minifterial  life  at  Bathy  where  he 
 maintained  an  honourable  name.  Mr.  Samuel 
 Chandler  his  elder  Son,  the  fabjed:  of  the 
 prefent  memoirs,  was  born  at  Hungerford  in 
 Berks,  where  his  Father  was  then  a  Miniftcr, 
 -A.  D..  1^93.  Difcovering  early  a  genius  for 
 learning,  it  was  cultivated  with  care,  and  he 
 was  placed  under  mailers,  with  w^hom  he 
 made  fuch  improvements  in  ckffical  learning, 
 .that  few  carry  from  the  college  fo  large  a 
 iftock  of  this,  and  particularly  of  the  Greek, 
 as  he  was  mafter  of  before  he  went  to  the 
 academy. 
 
 Being  determined  for  the  miniftry,  he  was 
 firft  fent  to  an  academy  at  Bridgewater,  under 
 the  diredion  of  the  reverend  Mr.  Moore  i 
 ^whence  he  was  foon  removed  to  Gloucejler, 
 that  he  might  be  a  pupil  of  the  very  learned 
 and  ingenious  Mr.  Samuel  Jones,  who  had 
 opened  an  academy  in  that  city  with  great 
 reputation,  which  he  long  fupported.  Mr. 
 Jones  being  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  bent  on 
 advancing  the  character  with  which  he  fct 
 out ;  applied  himfelf  with  uncommon  care 
 A  4  and 
 
tiif  The    P  R  E  f'  A  C  E. 
 
 and  diligence  to  cultivate  the  minds  of  hh 
 pupils  ;  in  which  he  was  not  a  little  animated 
 by  the  diftinguifhed  geniufes  of  feverai  of 
 them  >  one  of  whom  was  the  famous  Dr. 
 Butler,  who  died  Bifhop  of  Durham,  and 
 another  the  late  Archbifhop  of  Canterbury^ 
 The  emulation  which  fuch  companions  in 
 fludy  mult  excite,  and  the  mutual  light  and 
 affiflance  they  would  communicate,  could 
 not  but  greatly  contribute  to  rendcF  Mr. 
 Chandler  richly  furnifhed  in  the  feverai  parts 
 of  literature  and  fcience,  to  which  he  applied  ; 
 and  particulafly  in  critical^  biblical,  and  orien^ 
 ial  learning.  And  the  acquaintance  and 
 friendfhip  which  then  commenced,  was  con- 
 tinued with  reciprocal  inftances  of  efteem 
 and  regard  to  the  end  of  life,  notwith« 
 ilanding  their  different  ftations  and  engage- 
 ments. 
 
 Mr.  Chandler  leaving  the  academy  began 
 to  preach  about  July,  17 14,  and  entering 
 upon  his  facred  employments  with  fuch  abi- 
 lities, and  thefe  fo  well  improved,  was  foon 
 taken  notice  of ;  and  chofen  to  be  their  mi- 
 nifter  by  the  Frejhyterian  congregation  at  Peck^ 
 bam,  nezr  London,  in  171 6,  and  ferved  them 
 in  the  gofpel  of  Chrift  with  acceptance  and 
 reputation  j  until  be  was  called  thence  to  mi- 
 nifler  to  the  Society  in  the  Old  Jewry,  one  of 
 the  moft  confiderable  churches  in  the  city,  of 
 the  Prelbyterian  denomination.  While  Mr. 
 Chandler  was  employed  at  Peckham,  fome  gen- 
 tlemen, of  the  feverai  denominations  of  Dif- 
 fenters  in  the  City,  came  to  a  refolution  to 
 
 fet 
 
The    P  R  E  J^  A  C  £.  ix 
 
 fet  up  and  fupport  a  weekly  evening  ledure 
 at  the  Old  Jewry,  for  the  winter  half  year  ; 
 the  fubjed:s  treated  in  which  were  to  be  the 
 evidences  of  natural  and  r^-u^"^/^^  religion,  and 
 anfwers  to  the  principal  ohjeBiom  urged  a  gain  ft 
 them  :  And  they  chofe  two  of  the  moft  emi- 
 nent young  miniflers  in  each  denomination 
 for  executing  this  defign.  Of  thefe  Mr, 
 Chandler  was  one,  and  the  very  worthy  Dr. 
 Lardner  znother  ;  who  has  fince  made  him- 
 felf  univerfally, known  and  efteemed,  by  many 
 very  learned,  judicious  and  impartial  writings, 
 in  defence  of  the  authenticity  of  the  New 
 Teftament,  and  the  truth  of  the  Chriftian 
 religion  ;  which  will  do  him  and  the  Dif- 
 fenters  great  and  lafting  honour. 
 
 When  this  ledure  was  dropped,  another  of 
 the  fome  kind  was  fet  up,  to  be  preached  by 
 one  perfon  ;  it  being  judged,  that  it  might  be 
 thus  condu(5ted  with  more  confiftency  of 
 reafoning,  and  uniformity  of  defign  :  And 
 Mr.  Chatjdler  was  chofen  for  this  fervice.  In 
 the  courfe  of  this  le(fture  he  preached  fome 
 fermons  on  the  confirmation  which  miracles 
 gave  to  the  divine  million  of  Chrift,  and  the 
 truth  of  his  religion  ;  and  vindicated  the  ar- 
 gument againft  the  objedions  of  Collins  in  his 
 Grounds  and  Reafons,  &c. 
 
 Thefe  fermons,  by  the  advice  of  a  friend, 
 he  threw  into  the  form  of  a  continued  trca- 
 tife,  and  printed.  This  work  gained  him 
 high  reputation,  and  made  way  for  his  being 
 called  upon  the  firil  vacancy  to  fettle  with  the 
 congregation  in  the  Old  Jewry,  about  the  year 
 
■^  The    P  R  E  f^  A  C  E. 
 
 1725  ;  firft  as  an  ajjiftimty  and  afterwards  as 
 Xh^iv  pajior.  Here  he  miniflered  to  the  religi- 
 Oius  improvement  and  eternal  felicity  of  an  af- 
 ■fedlionate  and  generous  people  for  p'orty 
 years,  with  an  increafing  and  eftablifhed  re- 
 putation ;  which  how  well  it  was  /leferved, 
 bis  difeourfes  formerly  and  now  printed  fuf- 
 ficiently  manifeft.  With  what  vigour,  dili- 
 gence and  conftancy  of  application,  he  alio 
 employed  the  time  not  taken  up  by  the  du- 
 ties  of  his  paftoral  character,  for  improving 
 himfelf  and  benefiting  the  world,  may  he 
 learnt  from  the  feveral  writings  he  publifhed 
 on  a  variety  of  important  fubjeds  -,  a  lift  of 
 which  is  therefore  fubJQined. 
 
 Perhaps  it  may  be  of  ufe  to  ftudious  per^^ 
 Jons  of  tender  conftitutions  to  be  informedj 
 that  Mr.  Chandler  in  the  younger  part  of  life 
 ^vas  fubjedl  to  frequent  and  dangerous  y6"i;£!r^  .5 
 one  of  v^hich  confined  him  more  than  three 
 jnoDths,  and  threatened  by  its  efFe<5ts  to  difa* 
 ble  him  for  publick  fervice.  He  was  there^ 
 fore  advifed  to  go  into  the  ■vegetable  diety  in 
 which  he  continued  for  twelve  years.  This 
 produced  fo  happy  an  alteration  in  liis  con-^ 
 ilitution  j  that  though  he  afterwards  returned 
 to  the  ufual  way  of  living,  he  enjoyed  an 
 uncommon  (hare  c.f  vigour  and  fpirits  'till 
 Seventy. 
 
 Among  other  learned  and  ufeful  defigns 
 which  Mr.  Chandler  had  formed,  he  began  a 
 Commentary  on  the  Prophets.  Having  finifhed 
 Joel,  which  he  publilhed,  and  gone  a  great 
 way  in  Ifaiahy  he  met  with  the  M.S.  Lex^ 
 
 icon 
 
the    P  R  E  F  A  C  E.  rf 
 
 icon  and  Ledures  of  the  famous  Arabic  Pro- 
 feflbr  SchuhefiSj  who  much  recommends  the 
 explaining  the  difficult  words  and  phrafes  of 
 the  Hebrew  Language,  by  comparing  them 
 with  the  Arabic,  This  determined  Mr.  Chand- 
 ler to  ftudy  the  Hebrew  anew,  with  this  light 
 before  him,  and  to  drop  his  Commentary 
 'till  he  fhould  thus  have  fatisfied  himfelf,  that 
 he  had  attained  the  genuine  fenfe  of  the  facred 
 writers  ;  And  having  once  dropt  it,  a  variety 
 of  other  engagements  prevented  his  refuming 
 and  finifhing  his  original  plan. 
 
 While  he  was  thus  employed  in  advancing 
 the  interefts  of  religion,  learning  and  Hberty, 
 he  received  the  higheft  literary  honour  from 
 two  Univerfities,  Edinburgh  and  Aberdeen  5 
 who  each  of  them  fent  him,  unaiked,  the 
 diploma  of  Do£ior  in  Divijiity. 
 
 Before  I  conclude  thefe  brief  memoirs,  I 
 would  mention  two  or  three  fadls,  which 
 juftice  to  the  Dodlor's  memory  will  not  allow 
 me  to  omit.  The  Jirf:  is,  that  the  Widows 
 and  Orphans  of  poor  difTenting  minifters  are 
 greatly  indebted  to  him  for  that  fund  which 
 has  relieved  fo  many  of  their  neceffities.  He 
 iirft  formed  the  delign  of  it,  and  by  his  in- 
 terefl  and  applications  engaged  a  number  of 
 gentlemen  in  the  generous  fubfcription,  that 
 laid  the  foundation  on  which  this  excellent 
 charity  has  fince  rifen  to  its  prefent  greatncfs : 
 And  to  this  fund  he  continued  a  zealous  friend 
 to  the  laft.  Two  other  fa(5ts  I  (hall  take  leave 
 to  tranfcribe  from  the  fermon  preached  after 
 his  funeral. 
 
 The 
 
Mi  The    P  R  E  F  A  C  E. 
 
 The  one  is,  that  the  high  reputation  which 
 he  had  gained,  by  his  defences  of  the  Chriftian 
 rehgion,  procured  him  from  fome  of  the  go- 
 vernors of  the  eftablifhed   church,  the  offers 
 of  confiderable  preferments,  which  he  nobly 
 declined.      He   valued   more  than  thefe  the 
 liberty  and  integrity  of  his  confcience,    and 
 fcorned  for  any  worldly  confideration  to  pro- 
 fefs  as  divine  truths,  dodtrines  which  he  did 
 not  really  believe,  and  to  pradice  in  religion, 
 what  he  did  not  inwardly  approve.     An  ho- 
 nourable facrlfice  to   truth  and  honefty,  and 
 well  compenfated  by  the  affedion  and  gene- 
 rofity  of  his  people  ;  as  far  as  fuch  facrifices 
 are  recompenced  on  this  fide  the  grave. 
 
 The  other  fadt  which  I  would  mention  is 
 this.  When  it  had  pleafed  God,  during  the 
 loft  years  of  his  life  to  vifit  him  with  frequent 
 returns  of  a  mofl  painful  diforder,  he  bore 
 thefe  with  a  refignation  becoming  the  faith 
 of  a  Chrijitarij  grew  vifibjy  more  difengaged 
 from  temporal  things,  and  often  with  warmih 
 declared  ;  that  to  fecure  the  divine  felicity 
 promifed  by  Chrifl,  was  the  principal  and 
 almofl  the  only  thing  that  made  life  defirable. 
 That  to  attain  this  he  would  gladly  die,  fub- 
 mitting  himfelf  intirely  to  God,  as  to  the 
 time  and  manner  of  death,  whofe  will  was 
 moft  righteous  and  good  :  And  being  per- 
 fuaded,  that  all  ivas  'well,  which  ended  well 
 for  eternity. 
 
 Thus  Dr.  Chandler  clofed  a  long,  adive  and 
 ufeful  life,  and  we  trufl  he  is  among  the 
 dead  who  have  died  in  the  Lord,  and  are  blefjed  ; 
 
 whf 
 
The     PREFACE.  xiii 
 
 who  reft  from  their  labour s^  and  whofe  ivorks  foU 
 low  them. 
 
 The  editor,  thanld'ul  to  God,  that  amidfl 
 much  ill  health  he  has  been  able  to  bring  this 
 publicatioa  to  a  clofe,  earneftly  commends 
 thefe  difcourfes  to  the  ferious  and  attentive 
 perufal  of  the  pious  and  judicious,  and  to  the 
 divine  bleffing  -,  praying  that  they  may  pro- 
 duce all  thofe  beneficial  effects,  for  eftablifh- 
 ing  their  faith,  improving  their  temper  and 
 conduct,  and  advancing  their  preparation  for 
 a  blelTed  immortality,  vs^hich  the  author  de- 
 iigned,  and  vv^hich  will  add  to  his  joy,  and 
 the  fplendor  of  his  crown,  in  the  day  of  our 
 Lord  Jefus. 
 
 THOMAS  AMORY, 
 
ACFfRONOLOGICALand  particular  ACCOUNT  of  the  WORKS  of  At 
 Jate  Reverend  Samuel  Chandler,  D.  D.  and  Fellow  of  the  Roya!  and 
 Antiquarian  Societies.     By  R.  Flexman,  Rotherhithe,  Junc4,   1766. 
 
 I.     S     E     R     M     O     N     S. 
 
 f.  T^OING  Good  recommended  from  the  Example  of  Christ  ;  for  the 
 j|_^  Benefit  of  the  Charity-School  in  Gravel-Lane,  Southwark,  Jan.  r, 
 17x7-8.  To  which  is  added.  An  Anfwer  to  an  ElTay  on  Charity-Schoois,  by 
 Bernard  Mandeville,  M.  D.  Auth(.r  of  the  Fable  of  the  Bees.    lyzS.  8vo. 
 
 ACTS     X.     13. 
 9.  Knowledge  and  Pra£tice  neceflary  to  Happinefs  :  At  the  Old  Jewry,  Wed- 
 nefday,  March  1727 — 8.     8vo. 
 
 JOHN     XIII.     17. 
 3,  The  Notes  of  the  Church  confidered  j  at  Silter's-Hall,  Jan.  i6,  with  a 
 Poftfcript  defigned  to  explain  and  jultify  a  Pafl'age  in  the  Sermon  to  which 
 fome  Objeftions  had  been  made.     173s.  8vo.   i  Tim.  iii.  14,   2^. 
 «|„  A  Second  Treatife  on  the  Notes  of  the  Church  5  being  the  Subftance  of 
 Two  Sermons  preached  at  the  Old  Jewry,  Jan.  2Z,  and  29,1734 — c.  8vo« 
 I   T  I  M.     III.     14,  15. 
 
 5.  Eenevolence  and  Integrity,  eflentials  of  Chnftianity  ;  at  the  Old  Jewry, 
 March  3,  to  the  Society  for  relieving  the  Widows  and  Orphans  of  Prote- 
 ftant  Diflenting  Minifters.     1735-6.  4to. 
 
 JAMES     I.     zj. 
 
 6.  The  neceflary  and  immutable  Difference  between  moral  Good  and  Evif, 
 afTerted  and  explained  ;  at  Sahers-Hall,  Sept.  25,  to  the  Societies  for 
 Reformation  of  Manners.     1733.  8vo. 
 
 ISAIAH     V.     20. 
 
 7.  Death  the  Wages  of  Sin,  and  eternal  Life  the  Gift  of  Cop  by  Chrijt  j 
 at  Peckham,  March  8,  on  Occafion  of  the  Death  of  the  Rev.  Dr, 
 Thomas  Hadiield,     1740- 1.  Svo. 
 
 ROM.     VI.     23. 
 S.  The  Danger  and   Duty  of  good  Men,   under  the  prefent  unnatural  In* 
 vafion  ;  at  the  Old  Jewry,  Sept.  29.     1745.  8vo. 
 ISAIAH     VIII.     12,    13. 
 9.  Christ  the  Pattern  of  the  Chriftian's  Glory  ;  at  Hackney,  May  18,  ok 
 Occafion  of  the  Death  of  the  Rev,  Mr.  George  Smyth.     1746.  Svo. 
 PHILIP.     111.     21. 
 50.  National  Deliverances  juft  Reafons  for  public  Gratitude  and  Joy  ;  at 
 the  Old  Jewry,  0£l.  9,  being  the  Day  appointed   for  a  general  Thankf- 
 giving,  on  Account   of  the  Supprelhon  of  the  late  unnatural  Rebellion. 
 J  746.    Svo. 
 
 ISAIAH     XXV.     9. 
 
 11.  St.  Paul's  Rules  of  Charity,  and  his  Manner  of  recommending  it  j 
 at  the  Old  Jewry,  March  i,  to  the  Society  for  relieving  the  Widows 
 and  Orphans  of  Proteftant  Diffenting  Miniilers.     1748.  410. 
 
 2    C  O  R.     IX.     12. 
 To  which  are  annexed   a   Paraphrafe   and  critical  Commentary  on  the 
 Eighth  and  Ninth  Chapters  of  the  Second  Epiftle  to  the  Corinthians. 
 
 12.  The  Incurablenefs  of  Superflition  ;  or  the  Impofllbihty  of  preferving 
 the  Proteftant  Religion  and  Liberties,  under  the  Government  of  a  Popifh 
 Prince;  in  Two  Dilcourfes  delivered,  as  to  the  Subftance  of  them,  at  Little 
 St.  Helen's,  the  Firft  of  Auguft,  tj  the  Society  that  fupport  the  Lord  s-Day 
 Morning  Lefture  there,  in  Commemoration  of  the  happy  Acceffion  of  the 
 prefent  Royal  Family  to  the  Tiirone  of  Great  Britain.     1749.  8vo. 
 
 M  1  C  A  H     IV.     5. 
 ^3.  The  Scripture  Account  of  the  Caufe  and  Intention  of  Earthquakes  ;  at 
 the  Old  Jewry,   March  11,    1749,    on  Occafion  of  the  Shocks   of  XTk. 
 Earthquake,  on  Feb.  8,  and  March  8.     I750.  Svo. 
 >  J  O  B     IX.     5,    6. 
 
 74.  The  Charafler  and  Reward  of  a  Chriftian  Bifljop  ;  at  Clapham,  June 
 14,  on  Occafion  of  thp  Dsath  of  the  Reverend  Mr.  Mofes  Laiwni»,H. 
 37i2.  Svo,  I    PET,     V.     4., 
 
(    15    > 
 
 X^,  The  Excellency  of  the  Knowledge  of  Chnfr;  at  Haherdaflier^s-HilJ^ 
 Nov.  lo.  to  the  charitable  Society  for  promoting  religious  Knowledge 
 among  the  Poor.     1752.  Svo. 
 
 PHILIP.     III.     7,  S. 
 
 36.  Signs  of  the  Times  ;  at  the  Old  Jewry,  Feb.  16,  1759,  th:  Day  ap- 
 pointed for  a  public  Faft.      1759.    Svo. 
 
 M  A  T  T  H.     XVI.  3. 
 
 17.  Preaching  the  Gofpel  a  more  cfFeiflual  Method  of  Salvation,  than  Hu- 
 man Wifdom  and  Philofophy  ;  May  31,  1759,  at  Le-win's  Mead,  Briftol, 
 »t  the  Ordination  of  the  Reverend  Mr.  Thomas  Wright.     17  eg.  8vo 
 
 1  C  O  R.     I.     21. 
 
 ig.  The  Charaaer   of  a  great  and  good  King,  full  of  Days,  Riches  and 
 
 Honour  ;   On  Occafion  of  the  Death  of  his  lale  Majefty,  King  Ceorge  II. 
 
 of  glorious  and  bleffed  Memory  ;  at  the  Old  Jewry,  Nov.  9.   1760    Svo 
 
 I     C  H  R  O  N.     XXIX.     27,  28. 
 
 39.  The  Original  and  Reafon  of  the  Inftitution  of  the  Sabbath  ;  in  Two 
 
 '  Difcourfes  at  Salteis-Hali,  Dec.  17,  1760,  to  the  revived  Society  for  the 
 
 Reformation  of  Manners.     1761.  8vo. 
 
 GEN.     II.     2,    3. 
 op.  The  Nature  and   NecelTity   of   Redeeming    the  Time,    in   Two  Ser- 
 "  mons,  publilhed  in  the  Pradtical  Preacher,  Vol.  lY.   pages  36S—4i6< 
 J  763.  Svo, 
 
 E  P  H  E  S.     V.  16. 
 ai.  A  Charge  at  the  Ordination  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Edward  Harwood  of  Bri». 
 ilol,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Benjamin  Davis  of  Marlborough  j  Od.  16,  176  c» 
 at  the  Old  Jewry.     1765.  Svo. 
 
 2  T  I  M,     II.  15. 
 
 Funeral  Oration  at  the  Interment  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Ifaac  Watts,  annexed 
 to  the  Funeral  Sermon,  on  Occafion  of  his  Death.  By  David  Jennings,. 
 1749.  Svo. 
 
 II.     DISCOURSES  and  TRACTS  in  DIVINITY. 
 
 3.  A  Paraphrafe  and  critical  Commentary  on  the  Prophefy  of  Joel. 
 1735.  4to. 
 
 a.  A  Vindication  of  the  Chriftian  Religion,  in  Two  Parts,  i.  A  Difcourfc 
 of  the  Nature  and  Ufe  of  Miracles.  2.  AaAnfwerto  a  late  Book,  in- 
 titled,  A  Difcourfe  of  the  Grounds  and  Reafons  of  the  Chriftian  Religion, 
 by  Anthony  Collins,  Efq;  with  a  Preface,  containing  fome  Obfervations  on 
 the  Importance  of  rational  Religion,  and  the  Principles  and  Claims  of 
 civil  and  religious  Liberty.      1725.  Svo. 
 
 The  2d.  Edit,  of  this  Book  was  publi/hed,  17" 8. 
 
 J.  Reflexions  on  the  Conduft  of  modern  Deiftf,  in  their  late  Writings 
 againft  Chriftianity  ;  occafioned  chiefly  by  Two  Books,  intitled,  A  Dif- 
 courfe of  the  Grounds  and  Reafons  of  the  Chriftian  Religion,  and  the 
 Scheme  of  literary  Prophefy  confidered,  both  by  Anthony  Collins,  Efq; 
 •with  a  Preface,  containing  fome  Remarks  on  Dr.  Rogers's  Preface  to  hit 
 Eight  Sermons,  on  the  Neceflity  of  a  Divine  Revelation,  and  the  Truth, 
 and  Certainty  of  the  Chriftian  Revelation.     1727.  Svo. 
 
 4|..  A  Vindication  of  the  Antiquity  and  Authority  of  Daniel's  Ptophefies, 
 and  their  Application  to  Jefu?  Chrifl:  ;  in  Anf^xer  to  the  Objeftions  of 
 the  Author  of  the  Scheme  of  literal  Prophefy  confidered  ;  with  a  Pre- 
 face, containing  fome  Remarks  on  the  Nature,  Defign,  and  Application 
 of  Scripture  Prophefies.     1728.  Svo. 
 
 3.  Plain  Reafons  for  being  a  Chriftian.     1730.  Svo. Though  the  late 
 
 Dr.  William  Harris,  and  Dr.  Samuel  Wright,  aflift:ed  in  preparing  this 
 valuable  Tra£l  for  publick  View,  they  freely  and  generoufly  acknov.-- 
 ledged — that  the  Scheme  and  principal  Materials  were  furni(hed  by  Mr. 
 Chandler.  Dr.  Wright  appears  to  have  been  the  Editor,  by  an  authentic 
 Tefliimony  under  his  Hand,  in  the  CoUeflion  of  Mr.  Flc^fman.— rTli«  li. 
 ^i  following  Editioni  sf  this  Piece,  arc  ia  iiqio. 
 
(  I6  ) 
 
 *.  A  Vindication  of  the  Hiftory  of  the  Old  Teftament  ;  in  Anfwer  to  the 
 Mifreprefentations  and  Calumnies  of  Thomas  Morgan,  M.  D,  and  Moral 
 Philofoplier.     1740.  8vo. 
 
 7.  A  Defence  of  the  Prime  Miniftry  and  Charafter  of  Joseph  :  In  Anfwer 
 to  the  Mifrep/efentations  and  Calumnies  of  the  late  Thomas  Morgan, 
 M.  D.  and  Metal  Philofopher.     1742.  8vo. 
 
 S.  A  fliort  and  plain  Catechifm,  being  an  Explanation  of  the  Creed,  Ten 
 Commandments,  and  the  Lord's  Prayer  5  by  way  of  Queftion  and  An- 
 fwer.    1741.   iimo. 
 
 g.  The  WitnefTes  of  the  Refurredlion  of  Jefus  Chrift,  re-examined,  and 
 their  Teftimcny  proved  entirely  confiftent.  1744.  ?vo.— — This  Tra£t 
 ■was  occafioned  by  a  Pamphlet,  intitled,  The  Refurre>5tion  of  Jefus  confi- 
 dered,  by  a  Moral  Philofoplier,   Mr.  Peter  Annett. 
 
 Jo.  A  Review  of  the  Hiftory  of  the  Man  after  God's  own  Heart  ;  in  which 
 the  FaKhoods  and  Mifreprefentations  of  the  Hiftorian  [J,  N.]  are  expofed 
 and  corre£led.     1762.  8vo. 
 
 ji.  A  Critical  HJftory  of  the  Life  of  DAvin  ;  in  which  the  principal 
 Events  are  ranged  in  Order  of  Time  ;  the  chief  Obieftions  of  Mr.  Bavle 
 and  others,  againft  the  Character  of  this  Prince,  and  the  Scripture  Ac- 
 count of  him,  and  the  Occurrences  of  bis  Reign,  are  examined  and 
 refuted  j  and  the  Psalms  which  refer  to  him  explained,  in  2  vols.  ?vo, 
 
 III.  TRACTS  againft  the  PAPISTS. 
 
 1.  An  Account  of  the  Conference  held  in  Nicholas-Lane,  Feb.  13,  1734^ 
 between  two  Romifli  Priefts  and  feme  Proteftant  Divines  ;  with  fome 
 Remarks  on  a  Pamphlet,  intitled,  The  Conferences,  &c.  truly  ftated, 
 J735.  8vo. 
 
 3.  Great  Biitain's  Memorial  againft  the  Pretender  and  Popery  ;  [the  Sub- 
 ftance  of  a  Difcourfe  preached  at  Salter's-Hall,  Nov.  5,  1745. J  to  which 
 is  annexed.  The  Method  of  Dragooning  the  French  Proteftants,  after  the 
 Rerocation  of  the  Edift  of  Nantes,  under  Lewis  XIV.  exrrafted  from  a 
 French  Piece,  tranflated  1686.  1745.  i2mo. This  learned  and  ani- 
 mated Addrefs  was  fo  feafonable  and  acceptable  to  the  Public,  that  it  foon 
 parted  through  ten  Editions  ;  and  many  thoufand  Copies  were  difperfed 
 through  the  Kingdom,  in  that  interefting  Period  of  an  unnatural  and  un« 
 pi-uvoked  Rebellion. 
 
 IV.  MISCELLANEOUS    TRACTS. 
 
 1.  A  Letter  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  John  Guyfe,  occafioned  by  his  Two  Sermons 
 on  Ailsix.  20.  in  which  the  Scripture  Notion  of  preaching  Chrift  is  ftated 
 and  defended  ;  and  Mr.  Guyfe's  Charges  againft  his  Brethren,  are  confidered 
 and  proved  groundlefs,     1729.  8vo, 
 
 2.  A  Second  Letter  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  John  Guyfe,  in  which  Mr.  Guyfe's 
 Latitude  and  reftriflive  Ways  pf  preaching  Chrift  are  proved  to  be  entirely 
 the  fame  :  the  Notion  of  preaching  Chrift  it,  farther  cleared  and  defended  j 
 the  Charge  alledged  againft  him  of  defaming  his  Brethren  is  maintained  and 
 Supported  ;  and  his  fulemn  Arts  in  Controverfy  are  confidered  and  expofed, 
 
 J730.  8vo, 
 
 3.  The  Difpute  better  adjufted  about  the  proper  Time  of  applying  for  a 
 Repeal  of  the  Corporation  and  Teft  A£ts,  by  (hewing  that  Some  Time  is 
 proper  ;  in  a  Letter  to  the  Author  of  the  Difpute  adjufted,  viz.  the  Rt.  Rev, 
 Dr.  Edmund  Gibfon,  Lord  Biftiop  of  London.     1732.   8vo. 
 
 4.  The  Cafe  of  the  Proteftant  Diffenters,  with  Reference  to  the  Corpora- 
 tion and  Teft  A£ls.     A  fingle  Sheet.      1736. 
 
 5.  A  Letter  to  the  Rt.  Hon.  [Sir  fohn  Barnard,  Kt.]  the  Lord  Mayor  ; 
 ©ccafioned  by  his  Lordship's  Nomination  of  Five  Perfons,  difqualified  by  Aft 
 of  Parliament,  as  fit  and  proper  Perfoiw  to  fcrve  the  Office  of  Shcriti*,   in 
 
 whitfe 
 
\     «7     ) 
 
 Vr^ich  the  Nature  and  Defign  of  the  Corporation  A£[  is  impartially  confidere4 
 and  ftated.     1738.   Svo. 
 
 6.  The  Hiftorv  of  the  Inquifition,  by  Philip  a  Limborch,  ProfefTor  of  Di^ 
 Vinity  amongft  the  Remonftrants  ;  tranflated  into  Eneilfli  ;  to  which  is  pre- 
 fixed, a  large  Introduction  concerning  the  Rife  and  Progrefs  of  Peifecution, 
 and  the  real  and  pretended  Caafes  of  it.      1732.  z  vols.  4to. 
 
 7.  An  Anfwer  to  the  brief  Remarks  of  William  Berrimah,  D.  D.  Redlor 
 of  St.  Andrew  Undcrfliaft,  and  I'ellow  of  Eton  College  ;  on  Mr.  Chandler's 
 Introdudion  to  the  Hiftory  of  the  Inquifition,  in  a  Letter  to  the  faid  Doftor, 
 17^3.   Svo. 
 
 8.  A  Second  Letter  to  WiJiiam  Berriman,  D.  D.  &c.  in  which  his  Review 
 of  his  Remarks  on  the  Introduction  to  the  Hiftorv  of  the  Inquifition  is  cnn- 
 fidered,  and  the  Charaders  of  St.  Athanafius,  and  Martyr  Laud,  are  farther 
 ftated  and  fupported.     J733.  Svo. 
 
 g.  A  Vindication  of  a  Palfage  of  the  Rt.  Rev.  the  Lord  Bifliop  of  London, 
 in  his  Second  Paftoral  Letter,  againft  the  Mifreprefentations  of  William  Ber- 
 riman, D.  D.  in  a  Letter  to  his  Lordfhip.      1734.  Svo. 
 
 JO.  The  Hiftory  of  Peifecution,  in  Four  Parts.  I,  Among  the  Heathens. 
 I(.  Under  the  Chriftian  Empero;s.  Ill,  Under  the  Papacy,  and  Inquifi- 
 tion. IV".  Among  Proteftants  j  with  a  large  Preface,  containing  Remarks 
 on  Ur.  Rogers's  Vindication  of  the  Civil  Eftablifliment  of  Religion. 
 1736.  Svo. 
 
 In  this  Performance,  the  Introduftion  toLimborch's  Hiftory  of  the  In- 
 iquifition  is  inferred  at  large,  with  additional  Improvements,  and  farther  Re- 
 marks on  Dr.  Berriman  ;  and  in  the  Third  Part,  a  judicious  Abridgement  of 
 the  Hiftory  of  the  Inquifition.  The  Remarks  on  Dr.  Rogers,  are  allowed 
 by  the  moft  irrtpartia!  Judges  to  be  a  complete  Defence  of  the  Principles  of 
 civil  and  religious  Liberty,  in  Oppofition  to  the  moft  plaufible  and  infidious 
 Claims  of  the  Hierarchy,  in  Favour  of  Impofuion  and  fpiritual  Tyranny. 
 
 II.  The  Cafe  of  Subfcription  to  explanatory  Articles  of  Faith,  as  a  Quali- 
 fication for  Admiflion  into  the  Chriftian  Miniftry,  calmly  and  impartially  re- 
 viewed ;  in  Anfwer  to,  i.  a  late  Pamphlet,  intitled,The  Church  of  England 
 Vindicated,  in  requiring  Subfcription  from  the  Clergy  to  the  Thirty-nineAr- 
 ticles.  2.  The  Rev.  Mr.  John  White's  Appendix  to  his  Third  Letter  to  a 
 l)iflt;nting  Gentleman.  To  which  is  added,  The  Speech  of  the  Rev.  Johi 
 Alplionfo  Turretine,  previous  to  the  Abolition  of  all  Subfcription  at  Geneva  j 
 tranflated  from  a  Manufcript  in  the  French.      1748.  Svo. 
 
 He  likewife  wrete  the  Dedication  to  his  Majefty  King  George  the  Firft, 
 which  is  prefixed  to  the  Works  of  the  Rev.  and  Learned  Mr.  John  Howe, 
 M.  A.  formerly  of  Magdalen-ColJege,  Oxford.  Alio  a  Preface  to  the  fol- 
 lowing Pieces  : 
 
 A  Supplement  to  Plutarch  ;  or  the  Lives  of  feveral  eminent  and  illuftrious 
 Men,  omitted  by  that  Author  5  extracted  from  the  Latin  and  Greek  Hifto- 
 tians  ;  by  Thomas  Rowe.     1728.  Svo. 
 
 Caffiodorii  Scnatoris  Complexiones  in  Epiftolas,  Afta  Apoftorolnm  et 
 Apocalypfin,  e  vetuftiflimis  Canonicorum  Vcronenfiutn  Membranis  nuper 
 erutas.  Editio  altera  ad  Florentinam  fideliter  expreffje,  oper-i  et  cura 
 Samuelis  Chandleri.     1722.     iimo. 
 
 He  alfo  wrote  the  Life  of  Mrs.  Mary  Chandler,  his  Sifter,  infsrted 
 in  the  Lives  of  the  Enzlifh  Poets;  written  by  Theophilus  Gibber, 
 Robert  Shields,  and  Others  j  in  five  vols,  tzmo;  for  R.  Griffiths. 
 1756. 
 
 Belides  the  preceeding  Difcourf^j  and  Trcatifes,  he  wrote  about  Fifty 
 Papers  in  a  Weekly  Publicatioi,  intitled,  The  Old  Whig,  or  Coft* 
 Aftent  Proteftant,  ia  Defence  of  thg  Principks  gf  civU  ^^i  rdifc'iouJ  Li- 
 fccrty.     173s— J738. 
 
 Vot.  I.  > 
 
(     xviii     ) 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 TO     THE 
 
 FIRST    VOLUME. 
 
 Serm.  I.  'T^  H  E  Religion  of  Chrift  repre- 
 i     Tented.  John  vii.  46.    The  Officers 
 
 faidy  never  manfpake  like  this  man.  p.  i. 
 
 Serm.  11.  A  View  of   Chriftian   Morality.     "Hhe 
 
 fame  Text.  p.  38. 
 
 Serm,  III.  The  Excellency  of   the  doflrine   of 
 
 Chrift.     The  fame  Text.  P-  7^- 
 
 Serm.  IV.  The  Poffibility  of  Miracles,  and    the 
 
 Nature  of  Chrift's   Miracles.     John   iii.    2. 
 
 Rahhi^  ive  kno-iv  thou  art  a  teacher  come  from 
 
 God  \  for  no  man  can  do  thefe  miracles  "johich 
 
 then  doejl,  tmlefs  God  be  iznth  him.  p.  106. 
 Serm.  V.  The  Charader  of  Chrift  and  his  Apo- 
 
 ftles.     The  fame  Text.  p.  140. 
 
 Serm.  VI.  The   Defmn   of  their  Miracles.     The 
 
 fam.e  Text.  p.  175. 
 
 .Serm  VII,    The  Certainty    of  the  Miracles  of 
 
 Chrift.    The  fame  Text.  p.  208. 
 
 Serm.  VIII.  The  Refurreftion  of  Chrift  a  certain 
 
 Faft.    A6ts  ii.  32.    This  Jefus  hath  God  raifed 
 
 up.,  ijvhereof  -we  are  allwitneffes.  p.  2^3. 
 
 Serm.  IX,  Important  Conlequences  of   Chrift's, 
 
 Rerurre<5lion.     The  fame  Text.  p.  252. 
 
 Serm.  X.  The  principal  Objedtion  to  the  Refur- 
 
 reflion  of  Chrift  anfwered.     Afts  x.  40,  41. 
 
 Him  God  raifed  up  the  third  day^  andfje-wed  him 
 
 cpenly  j  not  to  all  -ptopU^  but  unto  witnefjes  cl^o- 
 
 fen 
 
CONTENTS.  xix 
 
 fen  before  of  God  :  Even  to   us,  ivho  did  eat 
 and  drink  with  him  after  he  rofefrom  the  dead, 
 
 p.  269. 
 
 Serm.  XI.  Of  Chrift's  Afcenfion.  Ads  i.  9, 10,11. 
 And  when  he  had  fpoken  thefe  things,  while  they 
 beheld  be  was  taken  up  ;  and  a  cloud  received 
 him  cut  of  thnrjight,  ^c.  p.  ^00. 
 
 Serm  XII.  Farther  i:^ roofs  of  Chrift's  Afceniion. 
 The  fame  Text.  p.  ^6^. 
 
 Serm.  XIII.  The  Defcent  of  the  Holy  Spine  on 
 the  Apoftles.  Ads  ii.  i — 4.  And  when  the 
 day  of  Pentecojl  was  fully  come,  ^c.      p.  ^46. 
 
 Serm.  XIV.  The  Proof  of  Chriftianity  drawn 
 from  the  Gifts  of  the  Spirit.     The  fame  Text. 
 
 p.  381, 
 
 Serm.  XV.  The  Do6lrine  of  a  Refurredlion  ex- 
 plained. 1  Cor.  XV.  35.  But  fome  man  wHi 
 fay  ;  how  are  the  dead  raifed  up,  and  with  -what 
 bodies  do  they  come  ?  p.  408- 
 
 Serm.  XVf.  Of  the  advantageous  Alterations 
 made  in  x.\\q  Bodies  of  Saints  when  railed. 
 The  fame  Text.  p.  430^ 
 
 SjiRM.  XVII.  Objedtions  againfl  a  Refiirredior^ 
 anlwered.     The  fame  Text^  P«  45U 
 
Lately  Printed  for  J.  Buckland,  in  Paternofter- 
 Row,  and  E.  and  C.  Dilly,  in  the  Poultry  ; 
 
 I.  SERMONS  on  the   following  Stibjefts  5 
 VIZ. 
 
 VOL.    I. 
 Of  the  Worth  of   the   Soul, 
 
 and  the  Folly  of  lofing  it. 
 On  Divine  Providence. 
 Of   the   Connediori    between 
 
 Faith  and  Salvation. 
 The  Wifdom  of  worldly  Men, 
 
 a  Reproof  to  that  of  good 
 
 Men; 
 Of  the   Government  of    the 
 
 Spirit. 
 Of    the   Prevailing    Love   of 
 
 Pleafure. 
 Of  Declenfions  iii  Religion. 
 Of  the  Abufe  of  National  Pri- 
 vileges. 
 
 VOL.   ir. 
 
 The  Refurreaion  of  Chrift  il- 
 luHrated  and  improved. 
 
 The  Gofpel  hid  from  the 
 Wife  and  revealed  to  Babes. 
 
 The  Pharjfee  and  the  Publi- 
 can. 
 
 The  Superiority  of  the  Way 
 of  God  to  thofe  of  Men. 
 
 The  Duty  of  working  out  oar 
 j-ali/ation  explained  and  en- 
 forced. 
 
 Idolatry  and  Vice  alike  un- 
 manly. 
 
 Good  Men  the  Excellent  of 
 the  Earth. 
 
 The  ApoftoHcal  Benediftion 
 on  Seif-Examination. 
 
 The  Duly  of  praying  for,  and 
 con  fulling  the  Profperity  of 
 cur  Country. 
 
 By   the   late  Reverend   and  Learned 
 
 Mr.  JOHN     BARKER. 
 
 The    SECOND    EDITION. 
 Price  of   the   Two   Volumes  bound,   Eight  Shillingi* 
 
 ikC 
 
 II.  The  LORD'S  DAY  EVENING  ENTERTAINMENT? 
 Containing  fifty  two  Pradlical  Difcourfes  on  the  moft  ferious 
 and  important  Subjects  in  Divinity,  intended  for  the  Ufc  o^ 
 Families,  in  Four  Volumes. 
 
 III.  CHRISTIAN  MORALS,  or  Difcourfes  on  the  feveral 
 Human,  Divine,  Chrill;ian,  and  Social  Virtues,  being  a 
 Sequel  to  the  Lord's  Day  Evening  Entertainment,  in  Two 
 Volumes. 
 
 IV.  SELF-KNOWLEDGE  ;  a  Treatlfe  Ihewing  the  Nituf« 
 and  Benefit  of  that  important  Science,  and  the  Way  to  at* 
 tain  it  ;  intermixed  with  various  Refledlicns  and  Obfervationj 
 on  Human  Nature  ;  Price  Four  Shillings  in  8vo.  in  i2mo. 
 Two  l:billing3. 
 
 %•  The  Three  laft  Articles  were  wrote  by  John  M.'isoh,  M.A» 
 
(   »   5 
 
 SERMON     I. 
 
 The  Religion  of  Chrift  reprefcnted. 
 John    vii.    46. 
 
 The   Officers  faid  :   Never  ma7t  fpake 
 like  this  man, 
 
 ^  I   ^  H  E  feaft   of  tabernacles  was  one  of 
 fi        thofe  three  fblemRiiies,  on  which  all 
 
 -*"       the  men  in  the  whole  country  of  Jtidea 
 were  to  appear  before  the  Lord  in  yeruj'alem, 
 there  to  offer  up  their  facrifices  in  the  temple. 
 As  this  feaft  was    approaching,    our   Lord's 
 brethren^  or  kinfmen,y2?/W^  him  :  Go  into  Judea, 
 that  tfy  difciples  alfo  may  fee  the  works  that  thou 
 doeft  5  for  there  is  no  man  that  doeth  any  thing  in 
 fecret^  and  he  himfelj  feeketh  to  be  known  openly. 
 i.  e.  No  man,  who  feeks  to  be  acknowledged 
 in  any  publick  character,  or  to  be  univerfally 
 received  and  believed  in  as  a  prophet,  doth 
 thofe  works   in    a  private  obfcure  part  of  a 
 country,  on  which  the  proof  of  fuch  chara(5i:er, 
 and  prophetick  office  depends.    If  thou  do  theje 
 things,  if  thou  haft  tlie  power  to  do  thefe  mi- 
 racle Sj^Z'^w  thyfflfio  the  world,  'lo  them  opealv 
 
 Vol.  L       "  B  at 
 
2        TBs  Religion  of  CJmft  reprefinted,     Serm.  i , 
 
 at  Jerufalem^  when  the  whole  nation  is  aflem- 
 bled  there,  that  they  may  fee  them,  and  be 
 convinced.  But  though  our  Lord  did  not 
 choofe  to  go  up  pubUckly  with  them  to  Jeru" 
 jxilemt  yet  he  wen-i  foon^  after  them  in  a  more, 
 private  manner;  and  in=the  midft  of  the  feafi: 
 he  went  into  the  tempk,  and  openly  taught 
 his  dodrine  to  the  whole  coneourfe  of  people 
 afiemblcd  there.  The  effect  of  this  was,  that 
 many  of  the  people  believed  ofi  him,  and  faidi 
 When  Chr'ijl  ccmeth  jldcAl he  do  more  miracles  than 
 thtfe,  which  this  Man  hath  done?  When  the  Pha~ 
 rifees  heard  that  the  people  murmeredfuch  thingf 
 concerning  him^  they  were  moved  with  envy 
 and  indignation,  and  together  with  the  chief 
 priefts  fent  officers  to  apprehend  him.  But 
 his  time  was  not  yet  come,  and  the  officers^ 
 Snilead  of  executing  their  commiffion,  became 
 themrelve;s  his  admirers,  aad  returned  to  the 
 chief  priefcs  an-d  pbari-fces  without  their  pri- 
 foner;  and  upon  beipi-g  interrogated:  IVh^ 
 have  ye  not  brought  him'^  ^key  afij^wered  in  the 
 v/ords  of  my  text:  Never  man  fpake  like  this 
 man.  They  were  fo  chaFmed  and  ftruck  with 
 his  doctrine,  as  that  they  had  no  power  to- 
 apprehend  hi^n ;  but  confelled,  that  as  a 
 teacher  he  was  fuperior  to  all  that  went  before 
 him.  And  the  more  thoroughly  the  doiflrine 
 of  our  blelled  Saviour  is  confidered,  the  more 
 abundantly  it  v;ill  appear,  that  this  obfervation 
 of-  the  officers  concerning  him  is  true  :  That 
 iisvcr  man  fpake  like  thii  man.  In  explaining 
 which  words,.  I  ihall  condider 
 
 L  The 
 
Serm.  i.      ^he  Religion  of  Chrijl  reprefented,        3 
 
 L  The  Nature  of  his  DG^n?ie^  or  what  he 
 fpake. 
 
 II.  Shew  you  the  peculiar  and  inccfnparahU 
 excellency  of  it. 
 
 III.  Inquire  ^fi\izX  cfjlfiancet  and qualif  cations 
 he  had  for  it.     And 
 
 IV.  What  Inference  is  to  be  drawn  from 
 hence,  or  the  conclufion  that  naturally 
 refults  from  this  fuperior  excellency  of 
 Chrift's  doctrine,  and  the  known  circum- 
 ftances  of  his  Education  and  Life. 
 
 I  am  to  confider,  what  it  was  that  our  bleffed 
 Lord  fpake,  or  the  Nature  of  that  doSlrine  which 
 he  taught,  which  rendered  him  the  wonder 
 and  admiration  of  his  enemies.  What  the 
 particular  fubjed:  our  Lord  inlifted  on,  when 
 thefe  officers  heard  him,  was,  cannot  certainly 
 be  determined  i  though  by  the  hint  left  by  the 
 apoftle,  it  feems  to  have  been  that  of  the  gift 
 of  the  Holy  fpirit,  which  was  to  be  commu- 
 nicated to  thofe  who  (liould  believe  in  him. 
 For  171  the  lajl  day  of  thefeaft,  Jfus  food  and 
 cried :  If  any  man  thirjiy  let  him  come  unto  jne 
 and  drink',  evidently  referring  to  thofe  words 
 of  Ifaiah  :*  Ho,  every  one  that  thirfeth,  come  ye 
 to  the  waters 'y  where  the  love  and  defirc  of 
 truth,  righteoufnefsandfalvationare  compared 
 to  thirft;  the  dodrines  and  promifes  of  the 
 gofpel  tQ>  waters;  the  reception  of  thefe  doc- 
 trines, and  the  belief  of  thefe  promifes  to 
 drinking;  as  our  Lord  explains  the  word,  by 
 adding:  ilc  that  believes  in  ?ne,  cut  of  hisbdly 
 
 *    Iv.   I. 
 B    2  -  fr^Cill 
 
4       The  Religion  of  Chrift  reprefented.      Serm.  i» 
 
 pjall fow rivers  of  living  waters-,  or  as  he  faith 
 to  the  Samaritan  woman :  T^e  water  that  I 
 Jhall  give  him  fiall  be  in  him  a  well  of  water, 
 fpringing  up  to  everlajling  Life'f,  He  {hall  have 
 within  himfelf  an  eternal  never  failing  fource 
 oT   purity,  peace  and  joy;    as  though  he  had 
 within  Iwmfelf  a  living  fpring  of  the  pureft 
 \Vater,    continually  flowing,    to  quench   his 
 thirft,  and  be  his  perpetual  refre{hment.    Our 
 blefled  Lord,  who  took  occafion  from  almofl: 
 every  occurrence,  to  inculcate  his  do(ftrine  on 
 the    minds    of  his   hearers,   was  led  to  this 
 figurative  difcourfe,  from   the   pradlice  cuf- 
 tomary  on  this  feaftof  tabernacles,  of  drawing 
 water  from  the  fountain  of  Siloah  in  a  golden 
 pitcher,  and  when  mixed  with  wine  pouring  it 
 out  upon  the  dtar,  as  a  libation  to  God.     And 
 as  the  gifts  of  the  fpirit   are  reprefented  by 
 water  in  feverai  places  of  the  Old  Teftament, 
 our   blefled    Lord    fignified,    that  thofb  who 
 believed  on  him  fbould  receive  this  facred  gift 
 in  fuch   a  manner  as  fhould  give    them  the 
 iitmoil:  confolationj  and  be  to  their  minds  a 
 fure    earneft   of   eternal  life   and  blefled nefs. 
 And  it  feems  by  the  context,  that  this  was  the 
 Tubjecfl   on    which    our  Lord  difcourfed,    by 
 which  he  fo  wrought  on  thofe  who  were  fent 
 to   apprehend  him,    as  that  they  could   not 
 perfaade  thenifelves  to  execute  their  warrant 
 vigainll  fo  extraordinary  and  divine  a  teacher. 
 And  though  we  have  but  few,  if  any  of  our 
 Saviour's   difcourfes  at  full  length,  yet  V/hen 
 
 +   fohn  iV.   14. 
 
 the 
 
Serm.  i.  The  Religion  of  Chrijl  reprefinted.  5 
 the  whole  of  his  dodrine  is  confidered,  as 
 contained  in  the  fliort  fragments  that  the 
 Evajigelijls  have  tranfmitted  down  to  us,  it 
 will  appear  altogether  worthy  of  the  charadter 
 of  a  divinely  commiffioned  teacher,  and  fuch 
 as  will  make  him  appear  infinitely  fuperior  to 
 all  other  minifters  that  ever  appeared  in  our 
 world.  Here  let  us  confider  briefly  the  7'eHgion 
 and  morality  of  our  blefTed  Lord. 
 
 I.  The  religion  of  Chrijl.  This  is  a  matter  of 
 the  utmoft  importance,  and  by  which  the  pre- 
 t-cnfions  of  our  blefled  Lord  to  a  divine  com- 
 miffion  may  be  eafily  decided.    If  in  what  he 
 hath  delivered  on  this  head,  there  be  any  falfe 
 reprefentations  of  God,    any  wrong  accounts 
 of   the  nature  of  his  wor£hip,  any  thing  fubr- 
 iiituted  in  the  room  of  real  piety,  any  appear- 
 ing  tincture  of  enthufiafm,    any  marks  and 
 rites  of  fuperftition,  any  thing  unworthy  of  op 
 unfuitable  to  the  purity  and  dignity  of  God 
 and  true  religion,  this  will  furnifhthe  ftrongefl 
 kinds  of    objections   againil  all  claims  of  a 
 divine  authority  and  commiflion,  will  weaken 
 t-he  credit  of  his  chara(5ter,  and  the  foundation 
 of  our  hope  and  faith  in  him,  as  the  Mcfllah, 
 Meffenger  and  Saviour  of  Gq^,     Let  us  then 
 confider 
 
 I.  The  account  \it  gives  of  God  his  heavenly 
 father^  whom  he  conftantly  reprefents  as  the 
 one  true  God.  This  is  life  eternal  that  they  ?night 
 know  thee  the  only  true  GodX-  As  fupream  in 
 majefty  and  perfesftion;  My  Father  is  greater 
 
 %  John  xvii,   3. 
 
 3    3  ^^-^^^^ 
 
€        ^he  Religion  of  Chrifl  reprefented.     Serm.  i. 
 
 than  all^^.  As  the  origin  and  fource  of  all  his 
 own  mediatorial  powers  j  I  live  by  the  father , 
 I  do  nothing  of  ynyjclf^s  as  my  father  taught  me 
 1  Jpeak  ihefe  things '\-.     The  ^-jDords  that  If  peak 
 unto  you  I  [peak  not  of  my  fef-^  but  the  father 
 that  dwelleth  in  me  he  doth  the  works'^.     As  fu- 
 preamly     good      IFhy    callefi   thou  me  good? 
 *There  is  none  good  but  one,  that  is  God  §.     And 
 as   the  divine  goodnefs    is  that  attribute    of 
 God    which    we  are  mod  concerned   to  be 
 eiiablifhed    in,  to   encourage  our  repentance 
 and  return  to  him,  our  Lord  hath  given  us 
 the    fullefl:    and   clearell    account  of  itj  re- 
 prefenting    him    as  continually  kind  in   the 
 common    courfe  of  his  providence  to  the  evil 
 and  the  good,  to  the  jufi  and  the  imjuji  ** ;  a  s  ever 
 difpofed  to  forgive  us  our  trefpajfes  ||||,  how  nu- 
 merous and  aggravated  foever,  upon  our  fin- 
 cere  repentance,  and  application  for  mercy ; 
 even  though  we  ftand  indebted  for  our  loooo 
 talents-^'\-',  and  though  like  prodigals  wt  have 
 wafted    our  fubftance,    reduced   ourfelves  to 
 mifery,   and  forfeited  every  regard  of  paternal 
 compaffion  and   goodnefs  j  and  as  fo  loving  a 
 finful  world,  as  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son, 
 that  whofoever  believes  in  him  fiould  not  peri/h, 
 but  have  everlafling   life;  fending  him  into  the 
 world  not  to  condemn  it,  but  that  the  world  through 
 him  might  be  JavedX'X*     I"  ^  word,  the  whole 
 charadter   of   God,  as  given   by  our  blefifed 
 Lord,  is  fuch  as  is  every  way  fui table  to  his 
 
 •  Jobnx.   29.         |]  vj,  57.  f  viii.  28.  \  xiv,  \p. 
 
 §  Mat.  xix.  7.       •*  V.  45.      jjl!  rcviii.  z\.       \\  Luke  xv.  1 1 
 jt  Johii  iii.   x5,  17. 
 
 infinite 
 
Serm.  i.      ^je  Religkn  of  Cfmjl  reprcfentei  7 
 
 infinite  glory  and  majefty,  and  to  his  infinite 
 compaffionand  mercy  as  the  Father  and  Friend 
 of  mankind  J  fo  that  be  appears  every  way 
 worthy  of  our  holy  reverence  and  fear,  and 
 our  higheil  veneration,  efteem  and  love!  A 
 defcription  this,  adapted  toanfwerall  the  moft 
 valuable  ends  of  pradical  religion,  and  to 
 flrengthen  all  the  obligations  to  univerial  vir- 
 tue and  goodnefs;  and  therefore  fuch  as  be(i 
 faits  the  circunaliances  of  mankind,  and  is  of 
 infinitely  greater  confequence  to  us,  than  the 
 introducing  any  difficult  abftrufc  metaphyiicai 
 fpeculations  in  r-eference  to  the  natare  or  per- 
 fe(^ions  of  God  could  have  been,  which  mi- 
 fiifter  to  difputes,  but  have  feldom  if  ever  been 
 friendly  to  the  in-tereft  of  real  godlineis  and 
 find  fubllantial  morality. 
 
 2.  Nor  is  the  account  delivered  by  our 
 blefied  Lord  of  the  nature  and  extent  of  pro- 
 ^idence,  lefs  excellent  and  rational,  than  the 
 dodtrine  he  hath  given  us  of  God;  extending 
 it  to  the  fowls  of  the  air,  and  the  very  ////?>.<■  ana 
 grafs  ofthefield^,  the  height  oj  our  jlaturc,  and  the 
 very  number  of  the  bain  of  our  head\  ;  and  more 
 efpecially  to  the  fupport  and  comiortablc  lub- 
 firtence  of  life;  man  b-iing  in  the  edimarion 
 of  God  of  much  greater  importance  than  all 
 other  creatures  v/hatfoever.  An  account  ot 
 providence  this,  worthy  the  im:r.enrity  of  his 
 being,  who  is  every  where  prefent,  and  the 
 perfedion  of  his  knowledge,  tj  whr^ni  ail 
 things  arc  open;  and  agreeable  to  the  diclatcs 
 
 *  Mat.  vi.  26.  [1  X.  29. 
 
 B  4  ^^ 
 
$        ^be  Religion  of  Chrifi  npi''gfiijtid,       SerM:'^. 
 
 of  founder  philofophy  itfelf  ainongft- fom0  ><sf 
 the  ancients,  who  acknowledged  tbalprovU 
 dence  extended  to  the  minuteft  things,  dven 
 to  the  leaves  of  the  trees.  •  -*  '  >■-  'fc^a" 
 
 3.  As  to  that  article,  in  which  allftoft  all 
 the  world  ran  into  the  moft  fliameful  miftikeS', 
 the  isoorJJnp  of  God,  he  fettled  it  upon  an  im- 
 moveable foundation  of  eternal  truth,  and 
 'with  fuch  evidence,  as  carries  the  fuUeft  con- 
 vi(ft:ion  to  all  that  impartially  conlider  it.  I'he 
 hour  CO  met  by  when  yefiall  neither  in  this  motinfain, 
 nor  yet  at  Jertifalemy  worJJjip  the  Father'*,  i.  e. 
 when  both  temples  fhall  be  deftroyed,  and  the 
 particular  kind  of  worfhip  in  them  Ihall  abfo- 
 lutely  ceafe.  ^'he  hour  comethy  and  noiv  is^  when 
 the  true  worjhippers  JJ^all  worfhip  the  Father  in 
 Jpirit  Xi  with  pure  affedions,  and  the  inward 
 rational  powers  of  their  mind,  in  oppofition 
 to  merely  external  rites  and  ceremonies  -,  and 
 in  truth,  with  fuch  worfhip  as  hath  its  foun- 
 dation in  the  nature  of  things,  is  fuitable  to 
 the  majefty  and  perfedions  of  God,  and  every 
 way  agreeable  to  his  will,  in  oppofition  to  the 
 fuperftitions,  idolatries,  the  falfe,  abfurd  and 
 impious  rites  and  ceremonies  of  worfliip,  that 
 had  folong  and  fo  univerfallv obtained  amongft 
 all  nations  of  the  earth.  For  the  Father  fecketh 
 fuch  to  worfhip  him  -f-.  Such  worfliippers  alone 
 the  Father  feeks  and  approves  ',  for  God  is  a 
 fpirit,  and  they  that  worfjjip  him  mujl  worfJnp  him 
 infpirit  and  truth  ;  our  blefled  Lord  reducing 
 in  this  fhort,    but  admirable   directory,    the 
 
 •  Johniv.  21.  X  iv.  23^  -f  v.  24. 
 
 worfhip 
 
Scrpd,  f'i       fMRtlipem  of  Cbrift  reprefented.       9 
 
 ^orfliip  of  God  to  its  original  fimplicity  and 
 primitive  purity,  and  fixing  it  on  fiich  a  foun- 
 dation, as  not  to  confine  it  to  any  particular 
 place  or  nation,  but  as  renders  it  capable  of 
 being  performed  every  where  alike,  and  in  the 
 fame  acceptable  manner  by  all  nations  over  the 
 whole  world.  And  agreeable  to  this  general 
 account,  he  declares,  that  thefirjl  and  great  com- 
 mandment isy  that  we  fljould  love  the  Lord  our 
 Gody  with  all  our  hearty  and  with  all  our  foul, 
 and  with  all  our  mnd  X  >  and  this  command  is 
 thejirji  in  nature,  obligation  and  importance, 
 infomuch  that  there  can  be  no  true  reliaion 
 without  it,  nor  any  fervice  acceptable  to  God 
 that  doth  not  proceed  from  it.  And  as  the 
 providence  of  God  is  univerfal,  reaches  to 
 every  event  of  life,  and  never  ceafes  its  in- 
 ipedion  and  care,  he  recommends  a  conftant 
 truft  in  and  dependance  on  him  as  an  efTential 
 branch  of  true  piety  and  religion,  and  the  di- 
 verting ourfelves  of  all  thofe  anxieties  and 
 cares,  that  argue  a  diibelief,  or  a  real  diftrufl 
 of  providence.  Take  no  thought  for  the  lifiy 
 nor  fay  :  What  Jhall  we  eat,  or  what  fJ^all  we 
 drinkt  or  wherewithal  JJ:all  we  be  cloathed ;  fir 
 after  allthefe  things  do  the  Gentiles  feek  §.  Thefe 
 are  the  main  objeds  of  their  care,  and  employ 
 their  perpetual  folicitude,  as  placing  their 
 principal  happinefs  in  them.  Take  you  no  fuch 
 thought.  NeceiTaries  God  will  provide,  j^r 
 your  heavenly  father  k?Joweth  that  ye  have  need  (f 
 all  thefe  things.     But  feek  ye  firfl  the  kingdom  of 
 
 X  Mat.  xxii,  37,  §  vi.  25.. 
 
 Qod, 
 
lo      '^be  Religion  of  Cbrifi  reprefented,     Serm.  r. 
 
 God,  and  his  righteoufnefs  -,  the  other  things  with 
 a  fecondary  inferiour  fubmiffive  care,  and  all 
 of  ihtvajhall  be  added  to  you.  And  as  trull  in 
 God's  providence  naturally  produces  and  ex- 
 prefles  itfelf  by  prayer^  our  blefled  lord  re- 
 commends it  as  an  eflential  duty  of  religion, 
 of  continual  ufe  and  perpetual  obligation,  and 
 hath  himfelf  prefcribed  a  (hort  form,  as  a  di- 
 re<ftory  and  model  for  the  Chriftian  church  in 
 all  ages  of  the  world. 
 
 4.  And  as  the  example  of  God  himfelf  is  in 
 many  refpeds  imitable  by  men,  and  wherever  it 
 is  fo  infinitely  worthy  our  imitation,  hence  our 
 blefled  Lord  hath  comprehended  the  whole  of 
 religion,  in  that  fliort  but  admirable  precept : 
 Be  ye  therefore  perfeSl^  as  your  father  which  is  in 
 Heaven  is  perfe5i.  And  as  the  v/ill  of  God  is 
 the  diredory  and  only  fure  rule  of  religion  and 
 worftiip,  and  obedience  to  his  will  is  what  we 
 all  owe  without  any  refei  ve  or  exception,  hence 
 our  bleflfed  Lord  frequently  defcribes  the 
 whole  of  our  duty  to  God,  and  the  fum  and 
 fubftance  of  the  worfhip  that  we  are  to  pay 
 him,  by  keeping  his  commands,  and  doing  his  willi 
 becaufe  there  is  and  can  be  no  true  worlliip 
 of  God  without  obedience,  nor  any  acceptable 
 worfhip  other  than  what  is  agreeable  to  his 
 will.  And  indeed  we  find  nothing  in  all  our 
 blefled  Saviour's  dodtrine  on  this  head,  but 
 what  is  truly  great  and  excellent,  pure  and 
 fimple,  free  from  art  and  pageantry  ;  nothing 
 in  favour  of  pompous  rites  and  numerous  ce- 
 remonies ;  nothing  but  what  a  reafonable  mind 
 will  acknowledge  the  fitnefs  of  doing.  So  that 
 
 there 
 
Serm.  I.      ^he  Religion  of  Chriji  reprefented.       ii 
 
 there  can  be  no  exceptions  taken  againft  our 
 Saviour's  docftrine,  as  to  the  worfliip  of  God, 
 but  fuch  as  will  equally  hold  good  againft  all 
 kind  of  worfliip  and  devotion  -,  and  the  thing 
 that  feems  to  be  aimed  at  by  the  enemies  of 
 revelation,  is  not  to  exchange  the  worfliip  of 
 God  appointed  by  Ghrift,  for  any  other  better 
 fcheme  of  it,  but  rather  to  banifh  all  kind  of 
 v^^orfliip  from  their  houfes  and  tables  in  pri- 
 vate, and  from  the  houfe  and  church  of  God 
 itfelf  in  the  publick  aflembly  and  congrega- 
 gation.     But  I  may  obferve  further, 
 
 5.  His  avowed  ejunity  to  all  kinds  ofy^- 
 perjUtion,  and  the  method  he  took  to  root  out 
 all  the  feeds  of  it  in  the  minds  of  thofe  he 
 inftruded.  Thus  he  cenfured  the  Scribes  and 
 Fharifees  for  their  long  prayers,  and  condemned 
 the  Heathens  for  their  vain  repetitions  J,  as  if 
 ihey  thought  they  fiould  be  heard  J  or  their  much 
 fpeaking  -f-.  In  like  manner  he  correds  the 
 Jews  for  their  extream  rigidnefs  in  refpedt  of 
 the  reft  of  they^i^/^^//?  day,  when  they  blamed 
 him  for  the  miraculous  cures  he  performed  on 
 it,  and  for  permitting  the  difciples  to  pluck 
 the  ears  of  corn  when  they  were  an  hungred, 
 as  they  pafled  through  the  corn  fields  -,  and  for 
 their  frequently  fcrupulous  wajhings  of  their 
 hands,  their  cups  and  their  platters ;  their  re- 
 fufing  to  converle  with  and  come  near  to  pub- 
 licans and  linners,  for  fear  of  being  denied  by 
 touching  them  j  their  nicety  as  to  the  tythings 
 of  mint,  anifc   and  cumrai?i ;   their   regard    to 
 
 X  Mat.  xxiii.  14.  f  vi.  7. 
 
 hutnan 
 
12^,      The  Religion  of  Chrifi  represented,      Serm.  iv^ 
 
 human  traditions y  and  the  veneration  they  paid 
 to  the  commandments  of  men,  in  things  rela- 
 tive to  the  fervice  and  worship  of  God.  The 
 Scribes  and  Pharifees  were  extremely  fuper^ 
 ftitious  and  rigid,  and  placed  religion,  not  in 
 purity  of  heart  and  fandtity  of  life,  and  obey- 
 ing the  prcfcriptions  of  God  ;  but  in  certain 
 external  forms  and  obfervances,  failings  and 
 bodily  feverities,  and  an  unprefcribed  tradi-. 
 tionary  kind  of  fand:ity,  which  was  fo  far  from 
 promoting  the  great  ends  of  rational  religion, 
 as  that  it  frequently  made  void  the  commands 
 of  God,  and  diffolved  the  obligations  of  men  to 
 obey  him.  And  'tis  obfervable,  that  our  blefled 
 Lord  in  a  peculiar  manner  oppofed  himfelf  to 
 this  generation  of  men,  treated  them  with 
 fharpnefs  and  contempt,  and  pafled  the  fevereH: 
 cenfures  on  them  j  as  having  their  fuperfti- 
 tious  principles  and  practices  in  the  greateft 
 abhorrence,  becaufe  he  knew  them  to  be  fub- 
 veriive  of  all  true  religion  and  morality.  And. 
 it  mud:  be  obferved  in  honour  of  cur  blefled 
 mafter's  character,  that  in  all  the  various  doc- 
 trines he  delivered,  and  the  numerous  precepta 
 that,  he  gave  to  his  difciples,  there  is  not  a 
 {ingle  one  that  can  be  named,  that  argues  one 
 miftaken  principle  of  religion,  or  that  enjoins 
 any  obfervance,  which  hath  the  leaft  tincture 
 of  enthufiafm,  or  which  tends  to  the  encou-t 
 ragement  of  fuperflition.     Let  me  add, 
 
 6.  The  abhorrence  he  fhewed,  in  his  doc«^. 
 trine,  to  all  kind  oi  infmcerity  and  hypocrifyy  in 
 all  things  relating  to  God  and  his  worfhip, 
 how  fincerely  he  rebuked  it,  and  how  fre- 
 
 c^uently 
 
Serm.  i.     I'he  Rdigion  of  Chriji  reprtfented.       13 
 
 quently  he  cautioned  his  difciples  and  hearers 
 againli  it.  *Tis  impoflible  to  read  thofe  parts 
 of  his  hiftory  which  relate  to  this  fubjed-, 
 without  an  inward  veneration  for  the  perfon, 
 who  difcovercd  fo  ftrong  a  deteflation  for  all 
 religious  diffimulation  and  guile,  as  boldly  to 
 reprove  it  in  thole  of  the  hightd  charader 
 and  office,  and  fuch  a  warm  and  generous  love 
 to  integrity  and  truth.  The  Scribes  and  Pha- 
 rifees  made  extraordinary  pretences  to  fandity, 
 and  to  a  godlinefs  and  devotion  fuperior  to  all 
 mankind.  But  'twas  all  oftentation  and  pomp, 
 mere  outfide  and  fhew  ;  whilft  their  tenets 
 and  charadlers  were  abfolutely  deftitute  of  all 
 true  worth  and  goodnefs.  But  with  what  ho- 
 nefty  and  courage  did  our  bleffed  Saviour  expofs 
 thefe  wretches,  and  their  pradices,  and  how 
 excellent  are  thofe  admonitions  he  gives  to  a 
 fecret  humble  modefl  piety  -f-,  in  many 
 inftances  to  be  known  only  to  God,  and  never 
 to  be  practiced  out  of  oftentation,  and  delirc 
 of  receiving  praife  from  men.  The  Scribes  and 
 Pharifees  made  great  pretenfions  to  liberality  ; 
 but  unwilling  to  lofe  the  honour  of  being 
 efteemed  for  it,  they  gave  notice  of  their  alms 
 hy  found  of  inmipet,  that  they  might  receive 
 glory  of  men.  They  pretended  to  great  de- 
 votion, and  in  order  to  have  the  reputation  of 
 peculiar  godlinefs,  they  prayed  fianding  hi  the 
 fynagogues,  mid  in  the  corners  of  free  ts  to  be  feeri 
 of  men,  and  lengthened  out  their  prayers,  for 
 a  pretence  to  devour  widoivs  hotfes.    They  put  on 
 
 t  Mat.  vl.  I — 5. 
 
 great 
 
14       '^he  Religion  of  Chrijl  reprefentei.     Serm.  i. 
 
 great  aufterityand  (hews  of  mortification,  fafted 
 frequently,  and  in  order  to  be  the  more  taken 
 notice  of  put  on  penitential  countenances,  and 
 disfigured  their  faceSy  or  as  the  original  word 
 fignifies,  wholly  diverted  themfelves  of,  quite 
 obfcured   their  natural  look,  and  that  by  an 
 artificial  morofenefsand  fadnefs  of  countenance; 
 and  as  appears  by  the  context,  by  a  negled:  of 
 their  perfons,  and  an  affected  fludied  foulnefs 
 and  foil  on  their  countenances,  thai  every  one 
 might  look  on  them  as  perfons  extremely  mor- 
 tified, and   as  it  were  macerated  or  pale,  by 
 their  frequent  faftings.     But  how  juft  are  our 
 blefied  Lord's  cenfures  of  thefe  pradlices,  and 
 how   wife   the  inftrudions    he   gives  in   re- 
 ference to  them  ;  recommending   the  fecrecy 
 of  the  chfet  for  devotion  and  prayer  to  God, 
 fuch  an  unafi^eded  and  concealed  method  of 
 being  benevolent  and  kind,  as  thzX  our  left  hand 
 Jhould  fcarce  know  what  our  right  hand  doeth,  and 
 the  concealment  rather  of  our  fafts  and  humi- 
 liations by  anointing  our   head,  and  wafhing 
 our   face,  /.  e,  appearing  rather  to  feaft  than 
 faft,  inftead  of  proclaiming  it  to  others,  that  we 
 are  in  a  ftate  of  difcipline  and  mortification. 
 
 Again,  they  pretended  great  zeal  for  God, 
 and  an  high  veneration  for  traditionary  do<ftrines 
 and  rites  ;  they  dreiv  near  to  God  with  their 
 mouths,  and  they  honoured  him  with  their  lips.  But 
 ftill  their  heart  was  far  from  Godj  and  though 
 they  pretended  to  worfhip  him,  they  taught  for 
 doctrines  thecoinmandments  of  men^  and  made  the 
 commands  of  God  of  none  efFed  by  their  tra- 
 ditions.   How  worthy  was  fuch  an  iniquitous, 
 
 falfc 
 
Serm.  I.  'the Religion  of  Chriji  reprefented.  i^ 
 falfe  and  deceitful  practice,  or  the  fevereft  cen- 
 fureof  one  that  came  from  God,  and  taught  the 
 dodrine  of  w  rfhipping  God  in  fpirit  and  troth. 
 Again,  they  bound  heavy  hurt  hens  and  grievous 
 to  he  homey  and  laid  them  on  other  mejn  fijoulaen  IL 
 i,  e.  when  they  taught  others,  tney  riguUy 
 infifted  on  the  moil  exadt  and  pundual  ob- 
 fervance  of  the  whole  law  of  Mofes,  moral 
 and  ceremonial,  and  of  their  own  traditionary 
 rites  and  ceremonies ;  but  they  them/elves  willnot 
 move  them  with  one  of  their  fingers  ;  a  proverbial 
 form  of  expreilion,  in  ufe  among  the  Heoreu\ 
 Greek  and  Roman  writers,  to  denoie  their  re- 
 fuling  to  take  any  part  of  this  burthen  on 
 themfelves  when  'twas  not  for  their  intereft ; 
 that  they  were  fo  ready  to  flip  their  own  Ihoul- 
 ders  from  the  burthen,  as  that  they  would 
 not  fo  much  as  touch  it  with  the  top  of  their 
 fingers,  when  ever  their  convenience  or  ad-* 
 vantage  required  it ;  fo  far  were  they  from 
 fubmitting  to  carry  it  themfelves,  even  when 
 they  prefTed  the  abfolute  neceffity  of  others 
 bearing  it  without  mitigation  or  mercy.  An 
 inflance  this  of  the  vileil  hypocrify,  and  that 
 fhewed  the  wickednefs  and  falfehood  of  their 
 hearts.  It  was  from  the  fame  evil  fpirit,  that 
 they  made  broad  their  philaderies,  pieces  of 
 parchment,  on  which  were  written  particular 
 portions  or  pafTages  of  the  law,  which  they 
 bound  on  their  foreheads  and  their  arms,  and 
 enlarged  the  borders  of  their  garment s,  not  out  of 
 any  peculiar  regard  to  the  law  of  Mofes^  but 
 
 11  Mat.  xxi». 
 
1 5      'J'he  Religion  of  Chriji  represented.      Seriti.  i. 
 
 to  be  feen  and  praifed  of  men,  and  that  thefc 
 badges  of  fandity,  as  they  imagined  them» 
 might  fecure  them  the  uppermojl  rooms  atfeaftsy 
 and  the  chief  feats  in  the  fynagogue,  that  they 
 might  be  called  Rabbi  and  Majier,  and  fecure 
 themfelves  dominion,  power  and  wealth.  They 
 were  zealous  in  making  prcfelyies,  but  not  to 
 virtue  and  piety.  They  were  extremely  ftri<5t 
 as  to  fome  oaths,  but  to  others  as  impor- 
 tant they  paid  no  regard.  They  tithed  mint  and 
 anife  and  cummin^  hwl  judgment,  mercy  and  faith, 
 thofe  weightier  matters  of  the  law,  they  intirely 
 "  negle&ed.  They  cleanfed  the  outjide  of  their 
 vejfels,  but  within  were  full  of  extortion  and  ex^ 
 cefs.  They  built  and  garntfjed  the  tombs  and 
 fepulchres  of  their  righteous  men  and  prophets,  out 
 of  a  pretence  to  an  high  veneration  for  their 
 memories  and  charadters;  but  ^€\x hearts,  like 
 thofe  fepulchres,  were  full  of  corruption  and 
 rottenncfs.  In  a  word,  they  were,  as  to  their  cut- 
 ward  appearance  as  to  men,  exceedingly  righ^ 
 teousy  but  within  they  were  full  of  hypocrify  and 
 iniquity.  Had  our  bleffed  Lord  accommodated 
 his  dodrines  to  the  prejudices  of  thefe  men, 
 and  courted  their  friendfhip  by  indulging  their 
 vices,  and  flattering  their  pride,  vanity,  and 
 lucrative  difpofitions,  he  had  fecured  them  all 
 to  his  own  intereft,  he  might  have  rifen  by 
 their  means  to  be  the  temporal  Meffiah  and 
 King  of  Ifrael;  or  at  lead  would  have  been 
 in  a  condition  to  have  had  a  fair  trial  for 
 it,  and  piiihed  his  fuccefs  by  force  of  arms. 
 But  how  juft  was  his  difpleafure,  how  ftrong 
 his  indigna^tion  againft   thefe    men  and  their 
 
 practices  r 
 
^^mf9f^      ^M ^^^g^^ng  ^hifi  reprefenied.      1 7 
 
 pradlicer.  tHow  hcldly  did  he  reprove  and 
 ]:cprqach  them  for  thele  hypocritical  pradices, 
 QAi'd.  tell  them  that  notwithflanding  all  their 
 external  appearances  of  fanclitity,  they  were  in 
 reality  a  gener-atlon  of  vipers,  and  could  not  efcaps 
 the  damnaiion  of  hell. 
 
 In  a  word,  the  whole  condu(fl  and  docflrlne 
 of  our  blelled   Saviour  nianifefts   an  irrecon- 
 cileable  enmity    to   all   falfehood    and  deceit 
 in  the  great  article  of  religion,  and  one  ardent 
 teindeney  of  his  inflruiftions  was,  to  promote 
 that  truth  2iX\di  fmcerity  of  heart,  without  which 
 the   moll  fpecious    profeliions,  and    fplendid 
 appearances    of  devotion    and  piety  arc  of  no 
 riiinner  of  worth  and  vdue  in  themfelves,  can 
 never  be  acceptable  to  God,  nor  of  any  kind 
 of  advantage  to  thofe  who  pracftice  and  place 
 their  dependence  on  them.     And    this  leads 
 me  to  obferve  farther,  that  the  great  terms  of 
 mens  acceptance  with  God,  and  being  intitled 
 to   his  favour,- as  laid   down   by    our  bleffcd 
 Saviour,  are  fuch  as  arife  out  of  the  nature 
 of    things  themfelves,  .  mufl:   be  immutably 
 true,  fuch  as    mulf  take   place  in  every  re- 
 ligious inftitution  that  is  from  God,  and  can- 
 not be  fuperfeded    by  any  poiitive  commaml 
 whilll   God   remains,  what   he  is,    and   men 
 retain   their   natural,  dependence  on   and   re- 
 lations to  him.     And  one   would  think  thit 
 there  could  never  have  been  any  confidcrable 
 mi^akes  on    this    important  article,  or  that 
 thofe  who  have   had   a  free  ule  of  their  rea- 
 fonable   powers,  'could  not  have  been  at  a  lofs 
 with  themfelves  to  determine,  on  what  their 
 Vol.  L  C  intereft 
 
1^      ^he  Religion  of  Chrifi  reprefented,      ScVm.  i. 
 
 intereft  in    the  divine   friendihip   neceflarily 
 depended.     But  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  as  to 
 the  body  of  them  were  grofly  miftaken,  and 
 had  the   moft  pernicious  and  corrupted  fenti- 
 ments  on  thefe  articles.     The  jfews  imagined, 
 that   their  being  Abrahams  pofterity,    their 
 circumcijion  in  the  fieih,  their  having  Mofes 
 his  law,  their  zeal  for  his   ritual,  and  their 
 puncftual  compliance  with  lefTer  external  cere- 
 monial prefcriptions,  would  without  any  other 
 confiderations  be  their  fecurity  from  the  divine 
 difpleafure,  and  for  their  perpetually  remain- 
 ing the  peculiar,  chofen,  favourite  people  of 
 God.     And  in  like   manner   the  G^w/Z/f^  laid 
 the  great  ftrefs  on  their  ^//?J  and  offerings^  their 
 temples  '^v'A  Jacrijices,  in  honour  of  their  Gods, 
 and  indeed  on  every  thing  almoft,  except  thofe 
 which  are  elTential   to   mens  acceptance  with 
 the  true  God,  and  their  happinefs  in  his  ap- 
 probation and  love.  But  our  Saviour  hath  cor- 
 rected every  poffible  miftake  on  this  head,  and 
 hath  fettled  this  great  article   of  religion  on 
 fuch  a  foundation,  and  with  that  full  evidence 
 and  clearnefs,  as  that  it  can  never  be  rcafona- 
 bly  difputed  or  denied.     And  thefe  terms,  as 
 fixed  by  him  are,  faith  in  God  with  all  its  con- 
 ne6ted  graces,  repentance  upon  the  account  of 
 pall:  lins,  and  2,  Jincere  uniform  cmjiant  obedience 
 to  God  for  the  future. 
 
 Thcjirm  belief  of  religious  principles  is  the 
 foundation  of  every  thing  that  is  facred,  and 
 the  mind  deftitute  of  the  knowledge  of  thefe 
 principles,  or  void  of  the  benefit  of  them, 
 muil  v/ant  one  part  of  its  principal  ornament, 
 
 one 
 
Serm.  i.     ^be  Religion  of  Chrijl  reprefmted.        19 
 
 one  thing  necefTary  to  its  approbation  by  the 
 God  of  truth i  efpeciallyas  without  this  know- 
 ledge and  belief,  all  thofe  inward  difpofitions, 
 in  which  the  moral  redtitude  of  the  mind 
 confifts,  will  be  intirely  abfent;  it  being  im- 
 poffible,  that  thofe  inward  fcntiments  and  good 
 a(te<ftions  towards  God,  in  which  the  very  ef- 
 fence  of  true  piety  coniifts,  can  ever  take 
 place,  either  where  there  is  no  proper  know- 
 ledge of  God,  or  where  his  being,  perfedions 
 and  providence  are  queftioned  and  denied. 
 And  if  the  works  of  creation  make  fufficient 
 difcoveries  of  God,  to  all  that  will  with  due 
 attention  of  mind  obferve  them,  and  are  abun- 
 dantly fufficient  to  produce  in  all  reafonable 
 minds  a  (Irong  conviction,  that  God  is,  and 
 that  he  is  mfinitcly  pGix)erfuU  i^ife.  and  gccd-, 
 it  muft  be  the  intention  of  God  in  our  forma- 
 tion, that  we  (hould  fee  and  fubmit  to  the  evi- 
 dence that  he  hath  given  us,  and  in  confequence 
 of  it  acknowledge  his  being  and  perfedions. 
 ,And  for  men  thus  circumiianced  to  talk  of 
 belief  as  free,  and  incapable  of  being  forced, 
 is  to  fay  fomething  that  is  indeed  true  in  itfelf, 
 but  impertinent  as  urged  by  them  -,  becaufe  be- 
 lief is  not  fo  free,  as  that  we  are  in  all  cafes 
 left  at  liberty  to  believe  or  not,  or  to  believe 
 juft  as  our  paliions  or  inclinations  leads  us 5  and 
 though  htWQ^  cannot  be  forced  without  evidence, 
 and  there  can  be  no  fin  in  not  bolieving  with- 
 out Of  contrary  to  convidion,  yet  if  the  evi- 
 dence offered  be  fuch  as  is  enough  to  fatisfy 
 and  convinqe  hcneji  minds,  thofe  that  remain 
 unfatisfied  and  unconvinced  with  that  evidence 
 C  2  muft 
 
20      I'ht  Religion  of  Cbrijt  reprefentedi       Serm.  t. 
 
 muft  want  integrity  of  mind,  and  their  infide- 
 lity  thus  far  muft   be  really  criminal  and  im- 
 moral. And  therefore  wherever  God  is  pleafed 
 10  give  this  fuffxiency  of  Evidence  for  the  truth 
 of  principles,  hemayjufliy  command  the  be- 
 lief of  them;  becaufe  this  is  only  to  command 
 that  integrity  of  heart  which  he  hath  always 
 a  right  to   infift  on;  or  that  men  ihould  im- 
 partially confider  the  evidence  of  truth  which 
 he  hath  fet  before  them,  and  lay  afide  all  thofe 
 prejudices  and  wrong  affecflions,  which  may 
 prevent  the  accefs  of  truth  to  their  minds,  or 
 hinder   them  from  fubmiting   to    the  proof 
 that  attends  it.     And  therefore  faith  in  God, 
 and  in   any   revelation  that  he  hath  made  of 
 himfelf,  is  jufily  required  as  one  of  the  necef- 
 fary   terms  of  Salvation  in  the  favour  and  ac- 
 ceptance of  God,  becaufe  the    proofs    of  his 
 being  and   perfedions  are  every  where,  and 
 always  prcfent  to  mankind;  and  becaufe  every 
 revelation  from   God,    to   whomfoever   it   is 
 given,  muif  carry  along  with  it  the  evidence 
 of  its  own  truth  and    divine  original,  as   it 
 would  otherwife  be  incompleat,  and  abfolutely 
 infufficient  to  anfwer  the  only  end  of  its  being 
 given;  viz.  its  being   believed  and  fubmitted 
 to  by  thofe  who  were  to  receive  it.     And  this 
 belief  is  with   the  greater  reafon  infifted  on, 
 becaufe  the  influence  of  it  depends  on  the  re- 
 ception  we  give  it,    and  becaufe  whatever  be 
 ■  the  intention  of  God  in  granting  it,  this  can 
 never   be  fecured  without  believing  it.     And 
 indeed  there  is  nothing  more  abfurd  and  irra- 
 tional, than  to  make  the  commands  to  believe 
 
 the 
 
Serm.  I.  ^ he  Religion  of  Cbriji  reprcfented.  2i- 
 the  Gofpel  an  objedion  againft  the  truth  of  it ; 
 becaufe  if  it  be  a  divine  revelation,  'tis  impof- 
 fible  it  fhould  be  given  without  God's  intend- 
 ing that  men  fliould  believe  it,  or  that  if  he  did 
 intend  that  they  fhould  believe  it,  he  fliould 
 not  give  fufficient  evidence  of  the  truth  of  it  5 
 or  that  if  he  hath  given  fuch  fufficient  evidence 
 he  fliould  not  require  their  fubmiflion  to  it ;  or 
 that  if  he  doth  require  it,  he  (})ould  not  teli 
 them  fo,  and  pofitively  command  it.  And 
 \vhen  the  principles  of  truth  are  fought  after 
 with  integrity  of  mind,  clearly  difcerned,  and 
 treafured  up  in  a  good  and  honefl  heart,  they 
 are  a  natural  recommendation  of  a  rational 
 being  to  the  God  of  truth,  and  cannot  but  be 
 difcerne4  by  him  with  approbation  and  com- 
 placency. 
 
 But  the  belief  of  truth,  however  important 
 in  itfelf,  is  not  all  that  is  neceflary  to  fecure 
 the  friendfhip  of  God,  and  efpecially  to  reftore 
 finners  to  a  ftate  of  peace  and  reconciliation 
 wiih  him.  Sin,  w^hich  implies  difobedicnce 
 of  life,  proceeding  from  enmity  of  heart  ta 
 God,  is  the  forfeiture  of  his  favour,  asid  ren- 
 ders men  obnoxious  to  his  difpleafure.  And 
 whilfl:  men  continue  in  this  Aate  of  difaffedion, 
 and  oppofuion  to  God,  the  fupreme  Governor 
 of  the  world,  and  in  an  habitual  violation  of 
 his  laws  by  wickednefs  and  vice  ;  'tis  not  all 
 the  external  purgations  and  purifications  that 
 they  can  make  ufe  of,  that  can  wa(h  away 
 their  ftains,  and  render  them  clean  in  the  fighr 
 of  God  ;  nor  all  the  moft  coftly  facrifices  they 
 cgn  offer^  or  that  can  be  offeied  for  them, 
 C  3 
 
22       'The  Religion  of  Cbrtjl  reprefented:      Scrm.  i. 
 
 that  can  take  away  their  guilt,  or  make  atone- 
 ment for  their  fins.     Here  can  be  no  remedy 
 without  repentance^  no  regaining  the  favour  of 
 God  but  hyconverjim  and  reformation^  or  in  the 
 Icripture  language,  by  becoming  7iew  creatures, 
 as  to  our  moral  charaders,  temper  and  beha- 
 viour.     Hence    our    blelled    Saviour   was    a 
 freacher  of  repentance'^ ^  declared  the  necelTity 
 and  acceptablenefs  of  it,  encouraged  men  ta 
 it,  and  aflhred  them  they  ficuld  perifi  without 
 it  §,  and  that  it  was  of  great  benefit  to  tjiem, 
 and  that  the  repentance  of  every  fin ner  caufed 
 great  joy  amongll  the  Angels  of  God  in  Heaven 
 itfelf  II  ;  hereby  making  repentance  indifpen- 
 £bly  and  univerfally  neceflary  to  obtain  mercy 
 and  falvation,  and  this  is  the  more  remarka* 
 ble,  in  that  our  blefled  Lord  knew,  ^that  he 
 was  defigned  by  his  Heavenly  Father  as  the 
 great  facrifice   of  atonement  and  propitiation 
 for  tb^  fins  of  the  worlds  and  that  the  offering 
 he  was  to  make  of  himfelf  would  anfwer  every 
 end  that  could  be  attained  by  any  propitiatory- 
 iacrifice.     And  therefore    his   preaching  the 
 doctrine  of  repentance,  as  univerfally  neceflary 
 for  fmners  was  declaring.in  the  firongeft  man- 
 ner, that  even  his  blood  would  not  cleanfe 
 the  impenitent   finner,    that  his  death   would 
 l)e  no  kind  of  fatisfacStion  for  the  guilt  of  ob-^ 
 ilinate  and  incurable  offenders,  nor  his  merits 
 ever   fhelter    them    from    the  condemnation 
 of  God,  and  the  deflru(ftive  confequences  of 
 their  crimes. 
 
 •  Mark  i.  15;.  i  Li4ve:<iiL  3.  !|  xv,  7. 
 
 And 
 
Scrip.  I.      ^the  Religion  of  Chrijl  reprefented.       2^ 
 
 And  inafmuch  as  no  forrow  or  reniorfe  fgf 
 paft  fins  is  of  any  worth  and  aval],  without 
 Jruits  meet  for  repe?itancey  and  unlefs  it  be  pro-. 
 du(ftive  of  an  intire  change  of  temper  and  con- 
 dutt,  and    a  future   life  of  unifornn  regular 
 Conftant  piety  and  virtue  ^  hence  our  bleffed 
 Lord  hath  made  conjlancy  and  refolutimi  and  con- 
 tinued patience  in  our  Chrifti an  faith  ajid  virtue, 
 univerlally  and    unalterably   n-ecefTary   to  ac--^ 
 ceptance  and  falvation  i  and  hath   exprefled 
 this  in  fo  ftrong   a  manner,  as   hath    given 
 oiFence  and  diflaile  to  fome,  who  would  have 
 known    better  had  they   had   a  little   more 
 knowledge    and    learnings    and    impartiality 
 enough  to  judge  of  words  not  by  the  found, 
 but  the  feufe  and  cuilomary  ufage  of  theml 
 Thus  our  blefled  Lord  declares,  that  if  any- 
 man  come  to  me^  and  hate  not  his  father  and 
 piother  and  wfe  arid  children^  and  brethren  and. 
 Jijiers,  yea  and  his  own  life  alfo,,  he  cannot  be  my. 
 difiiple  Ij..     If  candor  and  equity,  and  a  regard 
 to  the  comrnon.  rules  of  interpretation,,  were 
 allowed  to  determine  the  fenfe  of  this  place^ 
 men  would  naturally  conclude  the  meaning  to 
 be  ;   that  fidelity  to  Chrift,  and  conftancy  in 
 religion  and  virtue  mull  take  place  of  all  other 
 (:onfiderations    whatfoever ;    and    that  whea 
 thefe   interefts.  interfere,  and  we  cannot  ad: 
 agreeable  to  the  di(ftates  of  natural  affedion, 
 and  enjoy  the  comforts  of  relative  fociety,  and 
 prel'erve  life  itfeif,  without  betraying  our  prin- 
 ciples^ renouncing  our  rehgion,.  and  difobeying 
 
 ^  Luke  xiv.  26. 
 
 C   4  God  ^ 
 
64       5"^^  Religion  of  Chrift  reprefentcd.      Serm.  i . 
 
 God  ',  we  muft  renounce  all  regards  to  our 
 nearefl:  relations,  and  even  life  itfelf,  adhere  to 
 God,  and  maintain  our  integrity  and  Chriftiari 
 profeffion,  whatever  we  loic  or  fufter  for  the 
 iake  of  it. 
 
 As  to  the  nature  of  the  expreiTion,  though 
 fonie  Chriftian  criticks  have  cenfured  it,  as  not 
 agreeable  to  the  ufual  nieanin^  of  the  words 
 in  Greek  writers,  when  hating  is  put  by  the 
 E  vangehfts  for  lomng  lefs,  yet  they  are  miftaken ; 
 lor  we  have  an  inifance  of  exa.dly  the  fame 
 iorm  of  fpeech,  and  the  fame  fenfe  of  the 
 ^vords,  in  one  of  the  mofi  polite  and  celebrated 
 writers  of  Gr^^r^",  when  (he  was  moft  renowned 
 for  the  elegance  and  purity  of  her  language,^ 
 even  in  Euripides  himiclf ;  who  hath  this  ex- 
 preflion  :  That  when  two  things  offer  them- 
 jfelves  to  our  choice,  he  who  applies  his  mind  to 
 the  one  hates  the  other  -f-,  the  word  hates  being 
 in  the  original  the  fame  with  that  made  ufe  of 
 by  the  Evangelifi ;  which  plainly  demonftrates 
 that  'tvvas  a  proverbial  expreilion,  lignifying 
 that  no  man  can  equally  mind  two  contrary 
 things,  but  by  choofmg  one,  rejecffs  the  other, 
 and  ads  by  it  as  he  would  do  if  he  really 
 hated  it.  And  as  to  ihtfentltnentj  which  is 
 r.onyey'd  to  us,  that  of  renouncing  all  the 
 dearefi  confiderations  of  life,  and  even  life 
 itfelf,  when  v/e  cannot  retain  them  with  ho- 
 nour, without  renouncing  truth  and  our  fide- 
 lity to  God  5  though  incdern  philofophy  be  too 
 fi^ueamifh  and  delicate  to  digeft  it,  a'ntient  phi- 
 
 +  A^uefJ.  Sioh.  p.  36.  1,  2Q. 
 
 lof^^hy 
 
Serm,  I.     The  Religion  ef  Chriji  reprefented.       25 
 
 lofophy  had  ftrength  enough  of  confLitution  to 
 endure  it,  and  law  and  owned  the  reafonable- 
 nels,  truth  and  dignity  of  it.  I  could  parallel 
 the  kntiment  by  many  parages  from  the  an-^ 
 cients.  Let  one  fuftice  irom  Cicero  ||  the  Ro- 
 man Orator,  whofe  judgment  in  this  cafe  is 
 the  moll  exprefs.  "  He  who  deprives  another 
 of  his  property,  and  fecurcs  his  own  advan- 
 tage by'  injuring  another,  is  more  an  enemy 
 to  nature  than  death,  poverty  or  grief,  or  any 
 other  accidents  that  can  happen  to  the  body, 
 or  our  external  circumftances.  Jullice,  libe- 
 rality and  greatnefs  of  mind  are  more  agreeable 
 to  nature,  than  pleafure,  than  Hfe  and  riches, 
 and  to  defpife  thefe  things,  and  efteem  them 
 as  of  no  value,  in  comparifon  with  the  publick 
 utility,  is  an  argument  of  a  noble  and  gene- 
 rous mind  :  and  if  any  one  thinks  that  death, 
 poverty,  grief,  the  lofs  of  children,  relations 
 and  friends  is  lefs  to  be  avoided  than  doing 
 wrong,  he  is  midaken  thus  to  imagine  that 
 any  injury  of  fortune  can  be  more  grievous 
 than  the  vices  and  diforders  of  the  mind." 
 The  very  dodrine  of  our  Saviour,  that  a 
 right  behaviour,  a  good  confcience,  and  the 
 maintaining  our  integrity,  is  preferable  to  all 
 worldly  confederations,  and  (liouM  be  perfe- 
 vered  in  at  the  hazard  of  every  other  intereA 
 whatfoevtr.  Thefe  are  the  terms  of  accept-* 
 ance  with  God,  as  fixed  by  our  bleiTed  Saviour; 
 faith,  repentance  and  conllancy  in  the  profef- 
 ^on  of  true  religion  and  virtue;  and  they  are 
 
 -11  ^'  C)/<-  c.  s, 
 
 terms, 
 
2  6      ^he  Religkn  of  Chriji  reprefented.     Serm.  i, 
 
 terms  that  reafon  didates,  and  revelation  con- 
 firms, and  which  ihew  the  excellency  of  our 
 blefled  Saviour's  do6l:rine,  and  that  'tis  worthy 
 of  being  ?.cknov/ledged  as  a  revelation  from 
 G.o^'     But  farther, 
 
 y.  Let  us  take  a  view  of  the  peculiar  and 
 Jpecuil  moiives,  which  he  offered  to  mankind, 
 tQ  engage  them  to  embrace  and  fubmit  to  the 
 /eligion  he  taught,  and  become  his  genuine 
 dilciples  by  principle  and  practice.  And  thefe 
 ^re  every  way  fuitable  to  the  nature  of  his 
 dodtrine,  and  of  equal  weight  and  dignity  with 
 his  precepts  j  all  derived  from  the  moft  inte- 
 refting  objeds,  and  capable  of  making  the 
 deepefl  and  mofl:  lafting  impreflions  on  our 
 minds. 
 
 As  our  blefled  Lord  came  into  the  world 
 %o  recover  men  from  thofe  corruptions  and 
 vices,  under  the  power  of  which  they  had  been 
 fo  long  and  jniferably  enflaved,  and  to  recon- 
 cile them  to  God  by  the  belief  and  love  and 
 pradice  of  true  religion,  and  to  call  them  t& 
 the  mofl  eminent  and  exalted  duties  of  piety 
 ^nd  godlinefs;  his  miffion  muft  have  been 
 V/holly  ineifedtual,  and  his  dodrine  have  found 
 no  reception  in  the  world,  had  he  not  beep, 
 commiflioned  and  authorifed  to  affure  r^en, 
 that  the  moft  happy  confequences  {hould  at-^ 
 tend  their  becoming  his  difciples,  and  reward 
 their  fincerity  in  believing  and  obeying  his. 
 gofpel.  Unprofitable  truth  will  have  but  few 
 votaries,  and  religion,  v/hen  not  conducive  to 
 happinefs,  will  want  its  moft  powerful  charms, 
 and  make  but  few  conquers  over  the  hearts 
 
 and 
 
Serm.  I.      f he  Religion  of  Chriji  reprefenfed.        27 
 
 and  afFedions  of  mankind.  Happinefs  is  what 
 all  aim  at,  and  every  thing  that  doth  nqt  af- 
 ford fotne  prqfped:  of  it  will  appear  of  little, 
 confequence,  and  to  defervc  but  a  fmall  (hare 
 in  our  regard.  And  therefore  that  chriftianity 
 might  want  nothing  necelTary  to  recommend 
 itfelf  to  mankind,  nor  the  chara(5ter  of  our 
 Lord  appear  in  any  fingle  inftanqe  defedfive, 
 he  was  commidioned  to  give  men  the  prormje^ 
 and  qffiiranccs  of  the  moji  Juhjtantial  bkjjmgs ; 
 that  fo  they  might  be  led  by  the  cgnfiderations 
 gf  their  own  welfare  and  intei;cfl,  to  embrace 
 a  religion  that  w^as  thus  calculated  for  their 
 advantage,  and  in  the  whole  of  it  tended  to 
 promote  their  higheft  and  nobleft  happinefs. 
 The  encouragement  he  promjfed  to  repentance 
 was  mercy  a?jd  forgive7iefs  Uon\  God,  declaring 
 that  God  had  given  him  fQ'wer  io  forgive  Jim  §  > 
 and  to  allure  men  of  it  in  confequence  of  their 
 forfaking  them  \  an  allurance  of  unfpeakable 
 benefit  to  us,  and  necelTary  to  perfuade  linners 
 to  confider  ferioufly  of  their  ways,  to  cheri/k 
 the  purpofes  of  repentance,  and  to  fix  and 
 ilrengthen  the  reiolutions  of  a  new  life  and 
 better  obedience  for  the  future.  As  he  ex- 
 horted men  to  believe  in  him',  and  receive  him 
 as  the  meOenger  of  God  his  father,  he  aiTured 
 them  that  he  would  bring  them  into  a  flatc 
 of  the  ?}2oJl  pcrfcSi  liberty ,  that  they  fhould  have 
 po'wer  to  become  the  children  of  God,  and  that 
 they  fhould  be  united  to  his  heavenly  Father 
 by  the  tie  of  a  perpetual  friendfliip,  and  as 
 
 \  Mat.  ix.  6. 
 
28       ^he  Religion  of  Chriji  reprefented.     Serm.  f . 
 
 the  proof  of  it  fhould  receive  that  blefled  j(^/n> 
 of  God,  which  fhould  be  in  them  a  principle 
 of  truth,  holinefs  and  comfort.     And  as  he 
 made  conflancy  in  his  rehgion  univerfally  ne- 
 ceflary  to  fhare  the  benefits  of  it,  he  propofed 
 the  nobleft  rewards  to  render  his  difciples  fted- 
 faft  and  immoveable,  and  make  them  fupcrior 
 to  all  the  motives  that  could  be  offered  to  them, 
 and  to  difluade  them  from  their  adherence  to 
 continuance  in  his  do6lrine,  giving  them  the 
 promife  in  his  Father's  name  of  the  moj}  glorious 
 Refurre5iio?2,  and  of  their  being  made  parta- 
 kers of  eternal  life  and  glory.     In  all  thefe  pro- 
 mifes  there  is  fuch  an  apparent  dignity^  as  ren- 
 ders them  worthy  of  God;  fuch  a  purity  as 
 that  they  are  moft  perfediy  fuited  to  the  na- 
 ture of  religion  j  and  the  bleffings   contained 
 in  them  are  of  \}ci2X  fuhjlance  and  value ^  as  that 
 *tis  impoffible  we  can  receive  any  greater  of- 
 fers, or  religion  be  attended  with  any  more 
 valuable  or  lading  advantages.     Heaven  itfelf 
 is   revealed  to  us  by  him,  in  all  its  joys  and 
 glories,  and  eternity  is  added  to  perpetuate  and 
 lender  perfe(fl  the  felicity  that  muft  arife  fron\ 
 the  pofTefTion  of  it. 
 
 But  then  as  the  various  difpofitions  of  men 
 are  to  be  wrought  on  by  various  methods  of 
 application,  and  as  fome  are  more  eafily  to  be 
 wrought  on  by  their  y^^ri  than  iht'iv  hopes , 
 and  as  all  conftitutions  of  government  are 
 weak  and  infecure  without  the  aid  of  proper 
 penalties,  hence  our  blefled  Lord  was  com- 
 miflioned  by  his  heavenly  Father  to  warn  men, 
 againft  the  confeq^uences  of  infidelity  ajid  vices^ 
 
 and 
 
Serm.  i.      7'he  Religion  of  Chrijl  reprefintei.       29 
 
 and  acquaint  them  with  the  nature  of  thofe 
 pu?iifiments  that  muft  hereafter  take  place,  as 
 the  fruit  of  incurable  impenitency  and  obfti- 
 nacy  in  fin;  punifhments  on  the  one  hand  as 
 awful,  as  the  rewards  promifed  on  the  other 
 are  encouraging;  declared  to  be  in  their  effeds 
 everldjiing  and  unchangeable  -,  from  which  the 
 power  of  God  will  not,  and  the  power  of  any 
 created  beings  cannot  pollibly  relieve  them ; 
 a  circumftance  of  puniOiment  in  a  future  flate 
 that  arifes  out  of  mens  natures.  For  as  their 
 rational  principle  within  them  is  properly  im- 
 mortal, fo  if  they  have  contrafted  a  fixed  dif- 
 fimilitude  to  God,  hatred  of  his  government, 
 and  incapacity  for  enjoying  him,  and  relifhing 
 the  pleafures  of  a  rational,  divine  and  hea- 
 venly life;  the  neceflary  refult  is,  all  that 
 inconvenience  and  mifery  that  flows  from  the 
 forfeiture  of  the  divine  favour,  and  a  perpetual 
 exclulicn  from  his  heavenly  kingdom  and 
 glory.  And  this  not  arifing  merely  from  arbi- 
 trary pleafure,  and  the  voluntary  connedion 
 that  God  hath  made,  but  from  the  confli- 
 tution  and  neceffity  of  things  themfelves;  it 
 being  impofTible  that  minds  difaffedted  to  God 
 can  take  any  pleafure  in  him,  or  that  the  in- 
 difpofed  to  all  the  facred  fervices  and  enjoy- 
 ments of  the  heavenly  world  can  ever  be  made 
 happy  by  being  admitted  to  participate  and 
 fhare  in  them,  that  purity  Should  ever  unite 
 in  friendfl:iip  with  pollution,  guilt  be  happy 
 in  the  prefence  of  him  againft  whom  it  hath 
 offended,  or  that  God  fhould  approve  or  take 
 complacency  in  thofe  that  are  in  their  nature 
 
 and 
 
3^      The  Religion  ef  Chrijl  reprefented.     Serm.  r. 
 
 and  charadler  a  contradiction  to  his  perfection 
 and  rectitude;  or  that  there  can  be  any  thing 
 elle  but  the  molt  fubftantial  mifery  where  per- 
 fons  render  themfelves  incapable  of  delighting 
 in,  and  deriving  their  happinefs  from  him, 
 who  is  the  moft  excellent  of  all  beings,  and 
 from  whofe  favour  and  friendship  muft  flow 
 all  the  various  bleffings  and  enjoyments  that 
 are  efTential  to  our  happinefs,  and  the  conti- 
 nuance of  it. 
 
 But  belides  thefe  motives  to  repentance, 
 faith  and  fteady  conftancy  in  Chriftian  piety 
 and  virtue,  that  arife  from  the  divine  promifes 
 and  threatenings,  and  the  fandtions  of  evcr- 
 lalting  rewards  and  punitliments;  there  are  a 
 variety  of  others  arifing  from  the  chamber  and 
 tnsdiation  of  our  blclTed  Lord  himfelf,  which 
 cannot  but  have  their  due  influence  and  weight 
 upon  all  well  difpofed  minds  who  duly  weigh 
 and  rightly  confider  them,  as  they  are  in 
 themfelves  adapted  to  the  moft  active  powers 
 of  our  nature,  and  to  awaken  and  bring  into 
 exercife  thofe  affediions  which  have  great  in- 
 fiuence  in  fixing  our  refolutions,  fettling  our 
 habits,  and  determining  the  condud  of  our 
 lives. 
 
 I.  The  great  humiliaticn  of  the  Son  of  God, 
 in  being  made  fiefi,  emptying  himfelf  of  his 
 original  glory  and  riches,  and  in  becoming 
 poor  and  a  man  of  fhfroivs  for  our  fake,  and 
 fubmitting  to  all  the  inconveniences  of  our 
 mortal  ftate,  that  he  might  recover  us  from 
 fin,  and  bring  us  back  to  our  allegiance  to'and 
 happinefs  in  God,  is  a  confideration  that  fhews 
 
 the 
 
iSerm.  i.      'It he  Religion  of  Chrifi  rtprefented.     31 
 
 the  great  mifery  of  our  condition  as  Tinners, 
 demonftrates  the  neceffity  of  our  repentance 
 and  converfion,  fhews  the  vafl  importance  of 
 the  divine  favour  to  our  happinefs,  and  argues 
 the  mercy  and  compaflion  of  God,  and  his 
 gracious  purpofes  of  accepting  us  upon  our 
 returning  to  him,  and  compliance^ with  the 
 great  intention  of  his  Son's  maniftftation  ia 
 the  fle{h. 
 
 2.  The  example  of  our  bleffed  Lord,  in  his 
 abfolute  obedience  to  his  heavenly  Father,  his 
 perfedl  purity  and  unblemifhed  rediitude  of 
 condud,  in  the  exercife  of  the  mofl:  excellent 
 difpofitions  of  mind,  and  practice  of  all  the 
 moft  difficult  fubllantial  duties  and  virtues  of 
 human  life,  ftiews  the  neceffity  of  our  con- 
 formity to  him,  the  method  and  u^ay  by  which 
 we  mull  approve  ourfelves  to  God,  and  is  an 
 encouragement  to  us  to  tread  in  his  fteps,  and 
 imitate  as  nearly  as  we  can  the  divine  pattern 
 he  hath  fet  before  us. 
 
 3.  His  fufferi?igs  and  death  carry  in  them  va- 
 rious motives  of  the  ftrongeft  nature  to  all  in- 
 genuous minds,  to  a  perpetual  adherence  to 
 him  by  faith,  holinefs  and  univerfal  virtue.  As 
 he  voluntarily  fubmitted  to  them  upon  our  ac- 
 count, gratitude  ffiould  put  us  upoii  inquiring, 
 what  could  be  the  end  of  this  fcene  of  afflic- 
 tion, fuffering,  ihame  and  death  ?  And  when 
 we  learn,  what  'twas  to  redeem  us  from  this 
 evil  world,  and  from  all  iniquity,  and  to  pu- 
 rify us  to  himfelf  a  peculiar  people,  that  we 
 fhould  be  zealous  of  all  good  works,  how  juft 
 is  the  concluiion  we  ffiould  draw  from  hence, 
 
 of 
 
3  2       ^he  Religion  of  Chrijl  reprefented.      Serm.  i, 
 of  hearing  his  voice,  fubmitting  to  the  pow- 
 erful perluafives  of  his  love,  and  of  comply- 
 ing with  the  dsfign   of  all  his   fufferings,  by 
 glorifying   God  with  our  fouls  and  bodieSy  ivhich 
 are  his.     Befides   the  rriotives  that  arife  from 
 the  coniideratiori  of  his  death,  as  a  propitiatory 
 facrifice  for  the  lins  of  men,  ai-e  very  powerful 
 and  affedlingj  as  hereby  the  evil  of  lin  appears 
 legible  in  the  ftrongefl  charadters,  in  the  na- 
 ture of  the  atonement  made  for  it,  as  it  de- 
 monftrates  how  difficult  the  reconciliation  of 
 fmners  to  God  was,  fince  it  was   not  to  be 
 accomplifhed   by  any  method  of  propitiation 
 lefs  than  one  made  by  the  facrifice  of  the  foa 
 of  God;  as  it  fhews  the  impoffibility  of  their 
 efcape  from  the  vengeance  of  God,  who  have 
 no  portion  or  {hare   in  the  advantages  arifing 
 from  it,  and  as  it  is  the  fureft  pledge  of  the 
 reconcilable  forgiving  nature  of  God,  and  his 
 fixed  difpofition  arid  refdlutiori  to  forgive   us 
 all  our  pad  offences,  if  v^e  will  be  perfuaded 
 to  a  timely  repentance  fot  them,  and  at  length 
 return  to  our  iubje6lion  and  duty  to  him. 
 
 4.  How  powerful  a  motive  to  iincerity  and 
 conftancy  in  Chriflian  piety  and  holinefs,  is 
 the  conlideration  of  CbrijTs  refurreBion  from 
 the  deady  as  it  fhews  him  to  be  the  Son  of  God 
 with  powery  as  'tis  an  abundant  confirmatioa 
 of  his  divine  chara6ter  and  commiffion,  as  it 
 eftablillies  the  truth  of  his  whole  gofpel,  as  it 
 affures  us  that  the  terms  of  falvation  declared 
 by  him  are  a  really  divine  eftabliihment,  as  it 
 demonflrates  the  poffibility  and  truth  of  the 
 dod:rine    of    the  iiniverfal   refurreSiiony    as  it 
 
 ellabiidies 
 
Serm.  i.      The  Religim  of  Chrijl  reprefented.        n^ 
 
 eftabliflies  our  faith  in  and  expedlarion  of  the 
 promifed  recompence  of  life  and  immortality, 
 and  thus  carrys  in  it  the  mod:  powerful  uiotive 
 that  can  be  ofter'd,  patiently  to  continue  in 
 well  doing,  and  to  abide  imraoveably  in  the 
 faith  and  hope  of  the  gofpel. 
 
 5.  The  charr.dcr  of  our  blefTed  Saviour  as 
 advocate  2ivA  htercejfor  at  the   right   hand  of 
 God    his   heavenly  Father,  carries  in  it  great 
 encouragement,   and  a  very  powerful  motive 
 to  continue   Headian:  in  our  profefilon  even   to 
 the  end;  fince  the  very    end  of  his  appoint-. 
 ment  to  fuch  a  benevolent  and  friendly  office 
 muft   be,    to  fecure   us  againft  every  pofilblc 
 fafpicion  of  God's  being  irreconcileable,  prone 
 to  anger,  and  ready   to  take  vengeance;   and 
 to  be  an  eternal  memorial  to  mankind,  that 
 he   waits  to  be  gracious,  and  will  take  plcafure 
 in  (hewing  mercy,  and  giving  to  all   that  aflc 
 it,  g7'ace  to  kelp  them  hi  every  time  oj  ??eedf.  And 
 therefore  'tis   an    invitation  to  men  to  come 
 boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace,  to  offer  their 
 fpiritual  facriiices  to  the  Father  of  mercies,  to 
 cheriili  the  hope  of  receiving  from  him   all 
 needful  fupplies,  to  place  their  affedions  on 
 that  blefTed  world  where  their  Saviour    and 
 Lord  lives,  as  their  all  pov/erful  advocate,  and 
 to  cherifli  the  ambition  of  feeing  him  as  he  is, 
 dwelling  with  him  in  that  world,  and  diaring 
 in  the  glories  of  his  kingdom. 
 
 6.  And  laftly,  his  appointment  to  the  fo- 
 lemnity  of  the  future judg7?2e?2t  3  and  to  determine 
 
 X  Heb,  Iv.  1 6. 
 
 Vol.  I.  D  by 
 
34      ^^-'^  Religion  vf  Chrijl  reprefenttd.      Serrii.  il 
 
 by  his  impartial  fentence  the  final  condition 
 t>f  the  whole  rational  creation  for  everlafting 
 life  or  death,  according  to  the  nature  of  their 
 adlions,  and  their  fettled  difpofitions  for  hap- 
 pinefs  or  mifery,  is  a  motive  of  the  firfl  im- 
 portance and  weight  to  Chriftian  piety,  and  a 
 fteady  perfeverance  in  the  work  of  the  Lord  j 
 and  at  the  fame  time  one  of  the  moft  com- 
 fortable and  reviving  conliderations,  that  can 
 enter  into  the  heart  of  man.  \i  we  muft  alljiand 
 at  the  judgment  feat  of  Chrijl,  and  every  one 
 before  that  impartial  tribunal  give  an  account 
 of  himfelf  j  Qh  what  manner  of  perfons  ought  we 
 to  be  in  all  holy  converfation  and  godlinefs  I  How 
 diligent  that  we  be  found  of  him  in  peace  ^  without 
 fpot  and  blainelefs!  and  though  the  fenfe  of 
 our  numerous  imperfections,  and  in  how  many 
 things  we  come  fhort  of  and  adl  contrary  to 
 our  duty,  may  well  overfpread  our  minds 
 with  an  holy  awe,  when  we  confider  the 
 nature  and  confequences  of  this  important 
 tranfadion;  yet  what  comfort  doth  it  infpire, 
 what  chearjul  hope  doth  it  revive  in  the  breail, 
 when  we  refledt  by  whom  this  important 
 tranfadion  is  to  be  conduded  i  Not  by  God 
 appearing  in  perfon,  in  all  the  fjbftantial  glo- 
 ries of  his  eternal  Majefly,  not  by  an  Angel, 
 who  can  know  nothing  or  but  little  of  the 
 natural  necellary  weakneffes  and  frailties  of  our 
 imbodied  ftate;  not  by  an  haughty,  arbitrary, 
 fevere,  unrelenting  inexorable  man,  appointed 
 to  fit  in  judgment  over  us.  No,  but  by  a 
 Man  who  hath  the  fullnefs  of  deity  in  him  to 
 .qualify  him  for  the  work,  who  hath  all  the 
 
 fentimentr 
 
Serm.  I.      '  "The  Religion  of  Chrijl  reprefented.     35 
 
 p?itlments  of  generofity,  tendernefs  and  com- 
 paflion  peculiar  to   hu7nan  nature,  who  hath 
 beert     in    a   tempted  jlate  himlelf,  and  hath 
 thereby  learnt  to  pity  thofe  who   have    been 
 fubjed  to  temptation;  who  hath  approved  his 
 Jriendpip  to   mankind   by  the  mofl  lubftantial 
 inftances,  and  is   himfelf  conftitutedjudge  of 
 the   whole    world  for  this    purpofe   amongd 
 others;  that  he  may  reftore  his  faithful  dilci- 
 ples  and  fubjeds  to  life,  acknowledge  and  ap- 
 prove their  fidelity,  and  adjudge  them  to  an 
 actual  participation  of  thofe  rewards,  which 
 God  in   his  infinite  and  unmerited  goodnefs 
 hath  laid   up  in  heaven  for  them  that  believe 
 and  obey  the  gofptl  of  his   Son;  reiicdions 
 thefe   that   take  of   from  the  terrors  of  this 
 awful  event,  reconcile   us  to  the  thoughts  of 
 it,  and  under  the  fenfe  of  all  our  repented  ar.d 
 forfaken  errors  of  temper  and  conduct  bid  us 
 hope  for  mercy,  and  naturally  and  powerfully 
 encourage  us  to  expea  it.    And  if  we  confider 
 all  thefe  various  motives  together,  arifing  from 
 the   feveral  doctrines  and  the  peculiar  confli- 
 tution  of  Chiiflianity,  and  how  they  all   aid 
 and  fupport  one  another,  and  confpire  to  carry 
 on  one  and  the  fame  end,  our  reconciliation, 
 conformity  and  obedience  to  God,  andincpa- 
 fequence  of  this,  our  final  and  compleat  hap- 
 pinefs  in  him;  they  will  be  acknowledged  as 
 the  moft  worthy  and  efficacious  in  their  na- 
 ture, and  as  having  in  them  all  that  influence 
 and  force  upon   the  minds  and  confciences  of 
 men,  us  fcarce  leave  perfons,  in  the  hours  of 
 ferious   reflexion,  the  liberty  and   power  of 
 D  2  renting 
 
36       J  he  Religion  of  Chrijl  reprefentid.     Serm.  1* 
 
 refifling  them ;  but  by  their  mighty  and  yet 
 gentle  conftraints  efFedually  draw,  all  who 
 iincerely  believe  and  attend  to  them,  to  that 
 willing  compliance  with  the  great  defign  of 
 the  gofpel  grace,  which  opens  their  rhinds  to 
 the  peace  of  God  in  the  prefent  world,  and 
 fits  them  for  the  fubftantial  bleffednefs  and 
 glory  of  a  more  durable  and  happy  one. 
 
 In  this  view  of  the  gofpel  religion,  it  may 
 well  be  ftiled  the  power  of  God  to  the  Jahation 
 of  men,  or  that  powerful  means  which  God 
 hath  inflituted  to  bring  men   to  knowledge, 
 holinefs  and   falvation.     If  fays  the  Apoftle, 
 our  gofpel  be  hidy  it  is  hi  J  to  them  that  are  loft  *. 
 If  it  doth  not  appear  an  inflitution  worthy  of 
 God,  and  in  all  refpe(5ls  adapted  to  promote 
 the  falvation  of  men,  it  muft  be  becaufethey 
 are  in  fuch  a  date  as  neceffarily  expofes  them 
 to    final  perdition.     And    it   is  certain,  that 
 if  men  remain  dellitute  of  the  principles  of 
 religion,  'tis  not  b-ecaufe  of  any  defeat  in  the 
 Gofpel   do(flrine,  which  teaches  men   what- 
 ever is  necefi'ary  to  be  known  in  order  to  their 
 duty  and  happinefs.     If  they  remain  impeni- 
 tent and  cnreformed,  enemies  to  religion  and 
 virtue,  reprobate  to  ail  good  works,  and  Gran- 
 gers to  the  fpirit,  life  and  power  of  godlinefs ; 
 'tis  not  becaufe  the  gofpel  is  deftitute  of  proper 
 arguments  and  motives  to  Influence  and  move 
 them,  but  becaufe  they  'will  net  attend  to  them 
 and  Believe  them     Nothing  can  be  added  to 
 the   encouragements,   perfuafions  and    argu- 
 
 •  2  Cor.  iv.  3. 
 
 ments 
 
Serm.  i .      ^he  Religion  of  Chrijl  reprefented.      37 
 
 ments  that  Chrift  hath  offered  to  our  confi- 
 deration.  If  thefe  do  not  prevail  with  us,  no 
 others  can,  for  no  other  can  equal  or  exceed 
 them.  And  if  we  remain  unperfuaded,  if  our 
 hearts  will  not  relent,  nor  our  obPdnacy  in 
 vice,  yield  to  thefe  fovereign  remedies,  our 
 ftati?  is  incurable,  and  nothing  can  prevent  our 
 final  ruin.  How  careful  therefore  ihould  wc 
 be  to  underftand  our  principles,  to  be  apprifcd 
 of  their  true  excellency,  and  to  imprefs  on 
 our  hearts  and  confciences  all  the  various  mor 
 tives  that  are  held  up  to  our  confideration  ; 
 that  by  the  light  of  knowledge  in  our  minds, 
 purity  of  affection  and  difpoiition  in  our  hearts, 
 and  all  the  fubftantial  fruits  of  holinefs  and 
 virtue  in  our  lives ;  we  may  be  here  partakers 
 of  that  hope  in  and  peace  of  God  which  paffeth. 
 all  knowledge,  and  may  hereafter  be  put  into 
 full  and  perpetual  poffeffion  of  all  thofe  hea- 
 venly and  incorruptible  bleffings,  which  God 
 hath  referved  for  them  that  love  him,  iq  his 
 Qternal  Kingdom  and  Glory. 
 
 B  3  SEKMO^ 
 
(     35     } 
 
 SERMON    n. 
 
 A  View  of  Christian  MoRALiTy, 
 John    vii.    46. 
 
 l^e   Officers  faid  :    Never  77ta7i  fpak& 
 like  this  rnan, 
 
 II.  T  T  AVING  thus  confidered  the  docr 
 ^TjL  ^fi"^  of  our  blelTed   Saviour  in  re-, 
 ference   to   religioi-iy  I  pow  (pome  to   take  a 
 i'iew  of  what  he  taught  and  faid.  with  regard 
 to  morality  y  which  as  it  is  of  the  greatell;  cpn- 
 fequence  in  itfelf,  to  the  peace  of  the  world, 
 and  the  happinefs  of  mankind,  fo  it  will  verjjj 
 much  tend  to  determine  our  Lord's  character, 
 and  b.e  one  rule  by  which  we  may  cer^tainly 
 judge,  of  the  nature  pf  his  dodrine,  and  by 
 conlequence  of  the  truth  and  reafonablenefs 
 of  his  pretenfions  to  a  divine  charac^ler   and 
 miffion.     For  as  falfe  principles,  and  fuper- 
 Hitious  pradices  in  religion,  can  never  make 
 part  of  a  revelation  that  is  truly  from  Gcd;  fo, 
 neither  can  a  fcheme  of  loofe  and  corrupted 
 niorals,  a  fcheme  that  leads  to  vice,  and  tends, 
 to  encourage  and  make  men  eafy  in  their  fins, 
 ever  have  that  God  for  its  author,  who  is  pof- 
 
 feflc^ 
 
Serm.  2.        A  Viem  of  Chriflmn  Morality.        3^ 
 
 ieffed  of  the  moft  perfedt  reditude  of  nature, 
 and  neceffarily  abhors  whatever  is  contrary  and 
 Repugnant  to  it. 
 
 When  we  fpeak  of  morality,  we  mean 
 that  part  of  our  condud:  which  relates  to  the 
 right  regulation  of  ourfeheSy  and  a  fuitable 
 and  proper  deportment  towards  others -,  ir^ 
 order  to  diftinguifh.  it  from  fuch  actions  as  ar© 
 purely  religious,  or  from  that  part  of  our  be-* 
 haviour  which  immediately  refpeds  the  blefiedt 
 God.  This  indeed  is  a,  very  limitted  and  there- 
 fore incompleat  fenfe  of  the  word  morality, 
 which  in  its  proper  and  full  lignification  com- 
 prehends the  whole  of  our  condud  as  rational 
 beings,  towards  all  objeds  to  which  we  bear 
 any  proper  relation,  God,  aa  well  as  man  ; 
 the  word  morals j  or  morality,  fignifying  no  more 
 than  manners  y  or  the  actions  of  men  as  rea- 
 ibnable  and  free  agents.  So  that  in  the  full 
 latitude  of  the  word,,  morality  denotes  the 
 whole  courfe  of  our  adtions,  w^hether  religious 
 Qi  virtuous,  whether  refpeding  God,  our 
 neighbour,  pr  ourfelves.  And  in  this  com-- 
 prehenfive  fenfe  we  frequently  ufe  the  word. 
 Thus  we  fpeak  of  the  ten  commandments,  as 
 ^  fummary  of  the  moral  law,  that  law  which 
 relates  to  our  behaviour  to  God  and  man  y 
 comprifed  in  two  tables,  the  one  containing 
 Qur  duty  to  God,  and  the  other  that  part  of 
 our  duty  which  refpeds  men. 
 
 But  as  religion  and  morality  have  been  ge-- 
 nerally  fpoken  of  as  diftind  from  each  other,, 
 the  one  confidering  our  relations  and  duties  to 
 God,  the  other  thofe  we  Hand,  in  and  owe  to. 
 
 D    A.  QUX 
 
40         A  View  cf  CPjvtfiian  MQrality,       Serm.  2. 
 
 our  fellow  creatures,  I  now  therefore  confider 
 morality,  as  taught  by  our  blefied  Saviour  in 
 this  latter  fenfe,  and  as  only  comprehending 
 thofe  duties,  which  as  realbiible  beings  we 
 owe  to  one  another,  and  which  arife  out  of 
 our  beings,  and  are  infeparablc  from  thofe 
 connedlions  into  which  we  are  brought  by 
 nature  and  providence,  the  obligations  of 
 which  can  never  ceak,  'till  we  loie  or  alter 
 cur  very  frames,  and  ceafe  to  be  any  longer 
 members  of  fociety.  And  if  we  confider  the 
 morality  inculcated  by  our  bleffed  Lord,  we 
 fhall  find  it  the  mofl  worthy  and  exalted,  that 
 ever  was  delivered  to  mankind,  and  fuch  as 
 became  the  charader  of  one  that  was  fent 
 from  God.     For 
 
 Our  blelTed  Lord  hath  extended  hh  morality 
 to  its  full  latitude,  and  taken  into  his  fcheme 
 of  it  every  thing  that  belongs  to  the  fubjedt, 
 and  can  i^nd  to  render  it  com.pleat  in  itfelf, 
 and  make  it  an  acceptable  fervice  to  God. And 
 this  will  appear  if  we  conlider 
 ■  I .  That  he  hath  extended  it  to  the  hearty 
 and  the  inward-  aJfeSlions  and  difpofitions, 
 Adions  may  be  as  to  the  matter  of  them  ex- 
 ceeding commendable  and  good,  and  yet  have 
 no  manner  01  virtue  and  moral  excellency  in 
 them ;  yea  may  argue  the  doers  of  them  to  be 
 extremely  wicked  and  profligate.  Men  may 
 be  fober  and  temperate  out  of  mere  prudence* 
 to  prolong  life,  to  fecure  their  health,  and 
 purfue  their  fecular  bufinefs  with  greater  ap^ 
 plication  and  diligence.  They  may  put  on 
 grQat  Oiews,  of  friendlh.ip  and  refped:,  merely 
 
 to* 
 
Serm.  2.        A  Viezv  of  Chrijlian  Morality.  4^ 
 
 to  ingratiate  themfelves  with  others,  and  gain 
 their  good  opinion  only  to  deceive  them,  and 
 make  their  market  of  their  eafinefs  and  ere* 
 dulicy.  They  may  be  Hberal  only  for  vain 
 glory,  popular  applaufe,  or  view  of  private 
 interert,  without  any  thing  of  real  generolity 
 and  benevolence  in  their  breafls.  They  may 
 do  many  a6lions  that  have  all  the  appearance 
 of  virtue,  for  certain  mean  and  even  bad  pur- 
 pofes,  whilft  the  habits  of  the  contrary  vices 
 are  in  full  power,  and  retain  their  dominion 
 over  them.  When  this  is  the  cafe,  fuch  ac^ 
 tions  vv'ant  the  principal  circumftance  to  re- 
 commend them,  have  nothing  of  real  and 
 fubftantial  goodnefs  in  them,  and  can't  be  any 
 ways  acceptable  to  God,  who  well  knows  all 
 the  fecret  motives  that  give  rife  to  them,  and 
 can  never  approve  them,  but  when  they  pro- 
 ceed from  right  difpofitions.  And  therefore 
 our  Lord's  rules  of  morality  reach  to  the  in- 
 ward frame  and  temper,  and  require  that  the 
 heart  itfelf  be  good,  and  the  internal  difpoii- 
 tions  from  whence  they  flow  be  upright  and 
 commendable.  Thus  our  Lor<l  pronounces, 
 blejfed  the- pure  in  heart  \^  men  whofe  inward 
 paffions  and  affedions,  whofe  aims  and  motives 
 are  fincere  and  uncorrupt,  free  from  guile,  hy- 
 pocrify  and  wickednefs.  And  in  his  reproof 
 of  the  Pharifees  he  bids  them  make  the  tree 
 good^  and  his  fruit  good,  or  elfe  make  the  tree  cor" 
 rupt  and  his  fruit  corrupt  J.  i.  e.  The  fruit 
 ^•^n't  be  good  from  a  bad  tree,  nor  the  fruk 
 
 t  Ma^  V.  8.  X  xii.  33. 
 
4.3  -^  ^'isw  of  Chrijiian  Morality;,       Serm.  2.' 
 
 bad  from  a  good  tree.  Such  as  the  heart  is, 
 fuch  will  the  fruit  and  actions  be,  and  there- 
 fore a  good  man  cut  ofthegoodtreafure  of  his  heart 
 bringeth  forth  good  things^  as  an  evil  man  out  of 
 the  evil  treafure  brings  forth  evil  things.  Hence 
 he  commands  the  mortification  of  all  bad  afr 
 fedions  and  habits,  and  the  utter  fapprellion 
 of  all  criminal  tendencies  and  difpofitions. 
 Thus  he  pronounces  a  woe  upon  i\\G.  hypocritical 
 Jbrihes  and  pharifecs  §,  becaufe  they  nuide  clean 
 the  outjide  of  the  cup  and  the  platter ^  whil/l  they- 
 were  withhi  full  of  extortion  and  exccfs  -f-  i  and 
 commands  them  :  Cleanfe  firfl  that  which  is, 
 mvithiij  the  ci,ip  and  the  platter,  that  the  outfids 
 of  them  may  be  clean  alfo  X  ;  plainly  (liewing 
 that  if  their  hearts  were  pure  and  free  from 
 all  criminal  afFedtions,  their  lives  would  be  a§. 
 free  from  the  blemiili  of  all  wilful  and  pre-; 
 fumptuous  fins.  In  Chrifl's  morality  it  is  not 
 fufi^cient  tl^at  men  abflain  from  all  outward 
 ^fts  of  violence  and  cruelty,  but  even  the  ten- 
 dency to  immoderate  anger,  all  unreafonable 
 refentments,  all  caufelefs  wrath  and  pafTion 
 piuft  be  regulated  and  fubdued.  'Tis  not 
 enough  topreferve  ourfelves  from  all  the  groffer 
 ad;s  of  fenfuality  and  impurity.  Criminal 
 defires  mufl  be  extinguiihed,  and  all  unhal- 
 lowed inclinations  extirpated  out  of  our  breafl, 
 and  never  be  allowed  to  harbour,  never  be 
 cherifhed  and  indulged  within  us.  On  the 
 ,  contrary,  all  the  facred  difpofitions  of  virtue 
 and  goodnefs  mufl  be  cultivated,  improved 
 
 §  Mat.  xxiji,  25.        t-^S.        %  v.  21. 
 
 ^nd 
 
Scrm.  2."      4  View  of  Chrijiian  Morality,  43 
 
 ^nd  ftrengthened,  in  us,  fuch  as  poverty  of 
 Jpint^  or  great  humility ;  meeknefs,  or  the  calni^ 
 un.reienting  diipaffionate  fpirit  ||  ;  mercifidnefs^ 
 or  the  dirpofition  to  pity  and  compaffion  ; 
 chaftity  in  imagination  and  thought;  the  moft 
 yniveiial  benevolence  and  good  vviil,  even  love 
 ^0  ene?m€Si  a  readinefs  to  forgive  them,  anc} 
 even  a  vi^illingneis  to  return  them  good 
 for  evil,  when  confiftent  u^ith  prudence,  and 
 if  it  may  be  any  means  of  curing  their  enmity, 
 and  regaining  them  to  their  duty.  In  a  word, 
 there  is  not  a  fingle  bad  habit,  that  hath  any 
 countenance  or  favour  (hewn  it  by  the  morality 
 qf  Chrifl,  nor  any  one  great  and  good  and 
 excellent  difpofition,  that  can  belong  to,  or 
 adorn  human  nature,  that  is  not  comprehended 
 within  the  exteniive  rules  be  hath  laid  dowi^ 
 in  reference  to  it. 
 
 2.  As  he  hath  thus  extended  it  to  the 
 heart  and  all  the  inward  paffions  and  affedions 
 pf  it,  fo  he  hath  likewife  to  our  converfations\^ 
 the  ivordi  we  fpeak,  and  the  difcourfes  we  en- 
 ter into  with  mankind.  The  nature  and  ha- 
 Htual  courfe  and  tendency  of  2^  man's  converf^ 
 certainly  forms  part  of  his  moral  chara(^ter, 
 and  belpeaks  fomewhat  of  the  temper  that 
 governs  and  influences  him.  I  know  there 
 are  fome,  who  are  not  guilty  of  all  the  vices 
 they  fometimes  talk  and  boaft  of,  and  v/ho, 
 dare  not  be  as  profligate  and  vile  as  they  re- 
 pref^nt  themfelvfs,  and  feem  to  be  defirou^ 
 ^hat  ethers  (hould  think  them.     And  though 
 
 !1  Mat.  y.  3.  \  xii.  35. 
 
 •yvha^ 
 
44         ^"  ^^'^w  of  Chrijiian  Morality.       Serm.  2."" 
 
 what  fuch  perfons  fay  is  not  always  a  proof  of 
 their  being  always  chargeable  with  the  crimes, 
 they  appeal  to  glory  in  5  yet  as  they  feem 
 willing  to  have  the  reputation  of  being  defpe- 
 rately  wicked,  it  fsems  to  prove  that  they 
 would  be  fo  in  facft  if  they  durft,  and  had  not 
 fome  ftrong  and  ov<^'-bearing  terrors  and  fears, 
 that  will  not  permit  them  to  gratify  their  in^ 
 clinations.  At  leaft  it  demonifrates,  that  they 
 Jtiave  not  heartily  fallen  out  v/ith  the  vices  of 
 mankind,  nor  taken  up  that  fixed  abhorrence 
 of  them,  which  is  effential  to  a  virtuous  cha- 
 racter J  becaufe  if  this  were  the  cafe,  inftead 
 of  being  fond  of  appering  more  wicked  than 
 they  are,  they  would  count  every  imputation 
 of  vice  a  fcandal  and  reproach  upon  themfelves,, 
 and  fhun  the  crime  and  the  being  though t< 
 guilty  of  it,  as  the  greatefl  infamy  and  diflio-^ 
 Hour.  And  befides,  it  frxes  on  them  the  charge 
 of  fahhood  and  lying,  and  thereby  (hews 
 them  to  be  perfons  of  the  meaneft  and  mofi: 
 defpicable  character.  And  undoubtedly,  what-- 
 ever  be  the  habitual  manner  of  any  perfons 
 converfation,  it  mull  evidently  proceed  from 
 fomewhat  of  a  fixed  anfwerable  difpofition  j 
 according  to  that  certain  infallible  rule  of  oui? 
 bleffed  Saviour  :  Out  of  the  abundance  of  the 
 heart  the  mouth  fpeaketh  -f*.  And  therefore  in 
 his  account,  men's  words  are  of  that  confe- 
 quence,  as  that  he  exprefily  declares,  that 
 every  idle  word  that  men  ffjallfpeakt  they  fhall give 
 an  account  thereof  In  the  day  of  judgment  -,  which 
 
 t  Mat.  xii.   36. 
 
 -  exprefllon^^ 
 
Serm,  2,        A  View  cf  Chrijiian  Morality.         45 
 expreflion,  though  it  certainly  is  not  to  be  un- 
 derftood  of  every  word,  that  is  not  intended 
 to   anfwer  fome  immediately  good  purpoie, 
 much  lels  which  fome  fevere  and  rigid  people 
 may  cenfure  as  vain  and  idle ;  but  primarily 
 denotes  an    empty,  fophiftical,  falfe  way  of 
 reafoning,  that  hath  no  weight  or  truth  in  it; 
 yet  certainly  proves  that  men  are  accountable 
 to  God  for  their  words    as  well  as  adlions ; 
 efpecially   as   our   bleffed   Lord  immediately 
 adds  :  For  by  thy   words  thou  jhalt  be  juftijied,- 
 and  by  thy  words  thoufialt  be  condemned  -  ;  \.  e. 
 thefe  ihall  be  confidered  as  well  as  adions  ia 
 the  future  judgment,  and  have  their  fhare  in 
 determining  our  future  ftate,  and  the  fenlence 
 of  abfolution  or  condemnation,  that  iLall  fi- 
 ndly  be  paffed  upon  every  one  of  us.     And 
 therefore  upon  this  very  principle  our  blelTed 
 Lord  in  his  fermon  on   the  mount,  not  only 
 condemns  caufelefs  anger,  but  allures  us,  that 
 whofoever  Jhall  fay  to  his  brother  Raca,  JJ:all  bt 
 in  danger  of  the  Council -y  but  whofoever  fiallfay^ 
 Thou  fool,  fiall  be  in  danger  of  Hell  f  re  §  ;  i.  e. 
 for  all  their  opprobious,  reviling,  cruel  and 
 cenforious   fpeeches,  they   throw  out  in  the 
 warmth  and  heat  of  their  paffion,  they  fhall 
 receive  a  proportionable  puniihmentfromGod. 
 And   this  determination  is   agreeable  to  the 
 truth  of  the  cafe,  and  the  reafon  of  things  ; 
 becaufe  as  words  argue  the  prevailing  (late  and 
 difpofition  of  men,  and   the   greateft  conle-^ 
 quences  oft^^a  depend  on  them,  and  much  good 
 
 •  Mat.  xii.  37.  §  V.  22. 
 
4-6         A  View  of  Chriftian  Morality,        ^ef  m.  2 . 
 
 or  evil  frequently  arifes  out  of  them;  they 
 are  for  this  reafon  cognizable  in  their  nature, 
 and  cannot  be  overlooked  at  that  impartial  tri- 
 bunal, where  the  judgnient  fhall  be  in  all  re- 
 fpedts  according  to  truth,  and  nothing  that 
 determines  men's  moral  chara6lers  and  ilate 
 fhall  be  overlooked,  and  pafTed  by  v/ithout  the 
 proper  notice  and  cenfure.  Hence  we  find 
 many  excellent  inftrndions  and  cautions  given 
 us  in  the  Apoftolick  writings  concerning  thefe 
 fubje(5ts,  which  as  chriftians  we  ought  not  to 
 difregard.  Fornication  and  all  imcleannefs  and 
 covetoufnefsy  let  it  Jiot  be  once  named  amongjl  you, 
 as  becometh  Saints^  neither  jilthinefs  nor  fooliflj 
 talkingy  nor  jejling^  'which  are  net  coiivenient  \  ; 
 i.  e.  by  a  frequent  figure,  which  are  extremely 
 indecent  and  unbecoming.  The  foolifli  talking 
 mentioned  by  the  apolUe  ptoperly  denotes,  that 
 fort  of  talk  that  was  ufed  by  parafites  and 
 flatterers,  who  entered  into  all  the  follies  and 
 vices  of  the  rich  and  greats  and  faid  as  they 
 faid,  and  commended  and  countenanced  the 
 groffefl:  indecencies  of  converfations,  and  ap- 
 peared pleafed  and  delighted  with  every  thing 
 they  fpoke,  though  ever  fo  repugnant  to  the 
 rules  of  viirtue  and  good  manners.  And  what 
 the  Apoftle  calls  jefting  denotes  rather,  ani 
 would  have  been  better  rendered  hy  fcurr Hi ty  ; 
 pointing  out  thofe  impertinent  and  unfeafjna- 
 tle  jells,  which  buffoons  and  fcurrilous  perfons 
 make  of  men  and  things,  which'  no  way  de- 
 ferve  them ;  making  theml'elves  mirth  at  the 
 
 t  Eph.  V.  3—4. 
 
 expence 
 
Serm.  i.         A  View  of  Chrijiian  McraUty.         47 
 
 expence  of  the   good  name,  reputation  and 
 peace  of  others,  generally  better  than  them- 
 felves,  and  treating  with  ridicule  and  contempt 
 fubjeds  of  the  moll;  facred  and  venerable  kind, 
 without  wit  or  fear.     Upon  which  Account 
 St.  Jude  tells  us,  that  the  Lord  will  come  to  ex^ 
 ecute  judgment  upon  all^  and  to  conviSl  all  that  are 
 ungodly  amongji  them^  not  only  of  their  wigcdly 
 deeds  which  they  have  impioujly  committed,  but  of 
 all  their  hardfpedches,  which  ungodly  Jinners  have 
 fpoken  againji  him  *.     And  therefore  the  Apo- 
 Ale  James  fpeaks  of  the  abfolute  neceffity  of 
 governing  the  tongue  5  and  cenfuring  the  prac- 
 tice of  thofe  who  allowed  themfelves  in  im- 
 precations and  curfes  on  others,  telis  them  : 
 My  brethren^  thefe  things  ought  not  to  befo.  Doth 
 a  fount  ain  fend  forth  at  the  fame  place fweet  water 
 and  bitter  ?  Can  the  fig  tree  bear  olive  berries^ 
 either  a  vine  figs,  or  a  fountain  yield  forth  fait 
 ivater  and  frcfi  \\  ?  Arguing  from  the  natural 
 impoffibility  of  the  fame  tfees  bearino-  two 
 different  and  contrary  forts  of  fruits,  and  thfe 
 fame   fountains   fending   forth  two  contrary 
 kind  of  ftreams,  how  indecent  and  unnatural 
 it  is,  that  the  tongue  which  was  made  iopraife 
 God  fhould  ever  be   employed  in  the  curfing 
 men,  which   are   made  after  the  fmilitude   of 
 God.   Agreeable  to  which  is  our  Lord's  advice  : 
 Swear  not  at  all.    But  let  your  cominiini  cation  be^ 
 yea,  yea.    Nay,  nay,  a  ///ct^  iimple  affirm  ition 
 or  denial ;  for  whaffoever  is  more  than  thefe,  all 
 ilfonger  alTeverations,  all  kind  of  oaths,  how 
 
 *  Jude  15.  ij  Jam.  iji.  lo.—is. 
 
 petty 
 
48         A  View  of  Chrijlian  Morality.       Serm.  2. 
 
 petty  or  inconfiderable  foeverthey  may  appear, 
 come  of  eviU  argue  a  bad  dilpofition  of  mind, 
 or  as  the  words  may  be  rendred  :  Whatever 
 is  beyond  thefe  is  from  the  evil  one,  is  fuggcfted 
 and  prompted  by  the  devil.  In  a  word,  this 
 government  of  our  v/ords  is  of  fo  great  con- 
 feqnence  in  the  Chriftian  morality,  as  that  the 
 Apoftle  declares  :  If  any  man  amongjiyoufeems 
 to  be  religicuSy  and  bridleth  not  his  tongue ^  but 
 deceiveih  bimfelf\  this  mans  religion  is  lain -(-. 
 Hence  ft  is  no  wonder 
 
 3.  That  our  Saviour's  rules  of  morality 
 iliould  reach  to  \hzuhole  compafs  of  mens  adiicnSy 
 comprehend  every  circumftance  and  condition 
 of  their  lives,  reach  to  all  their  various  rela- 
 tions and  connedlions  of  being,  prohibit  every 
 kind  of  immorality  and  vice,  and  enjoin  the 
 pradice  of  all  the  feveral  virtues,  that  can  take 
 place  in  the  v/hole  of  our  exiftence.  This  is  a 
 fad:  that  none  can  deny,  who  are  converfant 
 in  the  writings  of  the  New  Teflament,  and  it 
 is  one  principal  circumftance  that  gives  the 
 preference  to  his  dodrine,  and  renders  it  fu- 
 perior  to  that  of  all  other  lawgivers  and  in- 
 flrudors  whatfoever.  In  the  whole  of  his  be- 
 haviour he  manifefled  the  utmoft  abhorrence 
 of  all  kind  of  vices,  reprehended  them  with 
 freedom  and  feverity,  and  was  himfdf  abfo- 
 lutely  free  from  every  kind  of  llain  and  bie- 
 mifli  whatfoever.  Thus  in  general  he  tells 
 his  hearers,  a  co?Tupt  tree  bringeth  forth  evil 
 Jruiti  every  tree  that  bringeth  not  forth  good  fruity 
 
 •J-  Jam.  i.  26. 
 
 is 
 
Serm.  2.        A  View  of  Chrijlian  Morality.  49 
 
 is  hewn  down  and  caji  into  the  fire  -f- ,  plalnJy 
 hereby  teaching,  that  all  men,  who  are  deili- 
 tute  cf  the  fruits  of  righieoufnefs,  and  whofe 
 lives  nre   corrupt  and   wicked,  (liall  never  be 
 acknowledged  as  his  genuine  difciples,  but  ere 
 referved  like  barren  or  rotten  trees  fcr  certain 
 deftrudicn.  And  therefore  he  exprefsly  com- 
 mands, the   mortification  of  all   our  invv'aid 
 habits  of  fin,  and  the  breaking  off  evcy  evil 
 way,  how  long  foever  we  may  be  accuilomed 
 to  it,  and  how  difficult  fuever  the  doing  it: 
 may  be.     If  thy  right  eye  cffhid  thee,  pluck  it 
 out  andcafi  it  from  thee;  if  thy  right  hand  offend 
 thee,  cut  it  off  and  caft  it  from  thee.     Tor  it  iS 
 profitable  for  thee,  that  one  of  thy  'members  fLculd 
 ■perif,  and  not  that  thy  whole  body  fould  be  caji 
 into  Helix  :  A  proverbial  form  of  fpecch   to 
 exprefs  the  neceffity  of  forfaking  all  our  fins, 
 how  reludant  foever  we  may  be  to  it,  or  what- 
 ever difficulty  and  felf  denial  we  may  find  ne- 
 cefTary  to  effedt  it.     It  would  require  too  great 
 a  length   of  time,  particularly  to   enumerate 
 all  the  various  kinds  of  vices  that  are  exprefsly 
 prohibited    by    the    dodrine    of  Chrifl.     la 
 general,    all  the  fins  that  are  occafioned  by 
 caufelefs   or  immoderate   anger,  all  kinds  of 
 impurities,    all  the  excefles  attending   covet- 
 oufnefs,   all  the  kinds  of  falfhood  and  deceit, 
 all  manner  of  luxury  and  intemperance,  every 
 fpecies  of  pride  and  haughtinefs,    all  inftances 
 of  injuflice,  the   feveral  fins  of  private  or  fo- 
 cial  life;  in  a  word,  every  vice  that  finds    a 
 name  amongfl:  mankind,  or  that  the  inward 
 
 t  Mat.  vii.  I7---I9  %  v,  25--30. 
 
 Vol.  L  E  lufls 
 
5©         A  View  of  Chriftian  Morality ^       Scrm*  2^ 
 
 luds  and  paffions  of  finners  can  prompt  them 
 to,  {lands   cenfured  and   condemned    by  the 
 morality  of  our  blefled    Lord.     And  on.  the 
 other  hand,  all  the  virtues  that  arife  out  of  the 
 frame  and  conflitution  of  human  nature,  that 
 refult   from    their  various  charaders,  ftations 
 and  engagements  of  their  being,  that  can  ren- 
 der them  honourable  and  lovely,  that  can  cre- 
 ate them  elleem  from  men,  and  tend  to  ren- 
 der them  meet  for  the  approbation  and  accept- 
 ance of  God,  are  clearly  and  exprefsly  taught, 
 and  frequently  and  powerfully  inculcated  J  fuch 
 as  humility  and  meeknefs  and   lowlinefs  of 
 heart,  generofity,    kindnefs   and   mercy,  the 
 love  of  peace  and   the  defire  to   promote  it, 
 gentlenefs,    moderation  of  temper,  and    the 
 readinefs  to  forgivenefs  and  reconciliation,  the 
 utmotl:  purity  of  behaviour  and  life,  conftancy 
 and  fidelity  in  the  private  contfadsof  life,  the 
 love  and  pradice  of  univerfal  righteoufnefs  in 
 all  our  tranfadions   with  others,  candor  and 
 equity  with   refped  to  other  men's  charader 
 and  ftate,  temperance  and  moderation  in  the  ufe 
 of  all  external  bleffings,  obedience  to  parents, 
 and   the   care  of  their  welfare,  due  attention 
 to  the   faithful  inflruftions  of  wife  and  honeft 
 teachers,  proper  fubjediion  to  our  rulers  and 
 governers;  in  a  word,  all  the  various  branches 
 of  duty  that  have  any  obligation  or  ufe  in  pri- 
 vate or  pubiick  life,  that  relpect  either  our  own 
 perfonal  conducft  and  regulation  of  our  felves, 
 or  that   relate  to  our  behaviour,  or  right  ma- 
 nagement of  ourfelves  towards  others;  all  thefe 
 things  are  expieflly  provided  for  and  enjc  ined 
 by  the  dodrines  and  inftrudions  of  Chrilh 
 
-Serm.  2.         A  View  of  Chrijiian  Morality.         51 
 
 It  hath  been  excepted  againfl,  as  an  argu- 
 ment of  the  ioiperfedion  of  our  blefrcd  Sa- 
 viour's morality,  tliat  it  takes  no  notice  c;f  the 
 particular  cafe  o'i  jriendjhip^  hath  no  adrr.o- 
 nitions  to  cultivate  it,  nor  any  rules  that  teach 
 men  how  tocontraift  and  prefer ve  and  flrer.gthcn 
 it.  And  I  acknowledge,  that  there  is  i.o  pre- 
 cept obliging  men  to  feek  after,  and  enter  into 
 peculiar  intimacies  and  friendships  with  parti- 
 cular perfons.  And  this,  in  myjudgcnent,  is  fo 
 far  from  being  any  real  objeifion  againil  the 
 excellency  of  Chrift's  morality,  as  that  'tis 
 rather  a  proof  of  the  real  wildom  and  pru- 
 dence of  tha  great  Lawgiver  of  chrilliani  y, 
 and  that  had  there  been  any  particular  law, of 
 univerfal  obligation,  obliging  all  perfons  with- 
 out exception  to  enter  into  the  engagements  of 
 particular  friendfliip,  it  would  have  been  a  real 
 blemiih  to  his  dodrine,  and  what  it  would 
 have  been  difficult  to  have  vindicated  upon 
 the  principles  of  expediency  and   true  reafon. 
 
 For  in  the  firft  place,  the  contrading  fuch 
 friendihips  is  no  natural,  necellary,  unaltera- 
 ble duty  of  human  nature,  nor  any  kind  of 
 charade rirtick  of  a  man  of  principle^  probity 
 and  virtue.  The  happinefs  of  fociety  by  no 
 means  depends  on  it,  which  is  fupported  by  a 
 more  general  benevolence,  and  enlarged  affec- 
 tion towards  all  of  whomfocicties  confiit,  and 
 which  therefore  muft  over-rule  every  private 
 affedion,  when  the  private  and  publick  afrec- 
 tions  and  interefls  happen  to  interfere.  Nor 
 farther,  are  private  and  exclufive  friend/hips 
 always  and  in  their  natures,  and  invariably 
 E  2  commendable 
 
5 2         A  View  of  Chrijlian  Morality .  Serm.  i* 
 
 commendable  and  good,  being  fometimes 
 founded  on  and  cemented  by  very  improper 
 and  criminal  motives,  and  contracted  to  ac- 
 compliih  the  moft  injurous  and  iniquitous 
 purpofes;  and  therefore  could  not  in  reafon 
 and  equity  be  made  thefubjecl  of  a  general  or 
 univerlal  command,  of  which  nothing  is  in 
 truth  capable,  but  that  which  is  limply  in  its 
 nature,  and  immutably  good. — And  then, 
 what  is  of  principal  regard  is,  that  friendfhips 
 in  private  life  do  not  depend  on  choice,  and 
 that  all  perfons  are  not  formed  for  it,  the  cir- 
 cumftances  of  others  will  not  admit  it,  and 
 the  man  that  is  every  way  £t  for  a  friend  is  not 
 always  and  every  whereto  be  met  with;  and 
 therefore  a  general  command  to  contracfl  and 
 cultivate  fuch  friendiliips,  would  be  fometimes, 
 a  command  of  an  impoilibility,  and  at  other 
 times  of  what  would  be  extremely  inconveni- 
 ent and  prejudicial.  It  would  be  making  what 
 is  indiff'erejit  in  its  nature  necejfary,  and  what 
 depends  on  voluntary  and  free  choice,  onqua- 
 lificadons  that  we  can't  befcow,  and  a  turn  of 
 mind  in  ourfelves  and  others  that  we  can't 
 command,  and  the  inclinations  of  others  over 
 which  we  have  no  controul;  I  fay  it  would 
 be  making  what  depends  upon  all  thefe  cir- 
 cumftances,  which  are  not  in  our  difpofal,  a 
 neceflary  and  indifpenfible  duty;  which  is 
 both  abfurd,  and  contrary  to  equity  and 
 juftice. 
 
 Ghriftianlty  doth  not  indeed  forbid,  any 
 more  than  it  commands,  private  exciulive 
 friendilitps.     Our  bleiled   Lord  had  amoLgH: 
 
Scrm.  2.  A  View  of  Chrijlian  Morality.         5^ 
 
 the  twelve,  one  that  was  the  beloved  difciple, 
 and  who  feenis  to  have  had  a  peculiar  Oiare  in 
 bis  affection  and  heart.     But  itill  it  leaves  men 
 to  their  liberty  and  prudence,  as  in  a  matter 
 jio  ways  eflentially  neceflary  to  their  duty  and 
 happinefs.     But  as  univerfal  benevolence  and 
 happinefs,  the  love  of   mankind  in   general, 
 and  the  being  kindly  afFed:ioned  to  all  without 
 exception,  is   a  matter  of  the  utmoft  impor- 
 tance, this  is  in  the  moft  exprefs  manner  pro- 
 vided for  by  our  bleffed  Saviour's  dodtrine,  and 
 mads  an  efTential  characfteriflick  of  his  oenuine 
 dilciples.     And   as  all   particular    friend£hips 
 muft  be  regulated  by   the  common   rules  of 
 morality  and  virtue,  ourbleffed  Saviour's doc^ 
 trine  furniihes    plain    and  certain  directions, 
 which  if  they  are  obferved  and  duly  attended 
 to,  will  preferve    them  ftrid.  and  inviolable, 
 keep  them  from   being  perverted  and  abufed, 
 and  teach    men    fo  to  manage  them,  as  that 
 they  fhall   be  produdive  of  the  moll:  valuable 
 benefits  and  advantages.     And  the   more  im- 
 partially this  part  of  our  Saviour's  dodrine  is 
 examined,  it   will  appear  more  compleat  and 
 cxtenfive,  and  the  conclulion  upon  the  whole 
 will    be  :     ^hat    never    man   /poke    like   this 
 man.     And   this    is    the  more    regardable  if 
 we  conlider 
 
 2.  The  circumjiances  of  the  time  and  pecph 
 when  he  delivered  his  dodrine;  when  the 
 morality  of  the  law  of  God  was  adulterated 
 by  the  falfe  gloffes  and  corrupt  interpretations 
 of  the  fcribes  and  pharifees,  the  authorized 
 inil;rudors  of  the  people,  held  in  great  dife- 
 £  3  llecm 
 
54         -A  View  of  Chrijilan  Morality.,      Serm.  2, 
 
 fteem,  and  reprefented  as  of  little  worth  and 
 value  in  comparifon  of  certain  things  which 
 they  liked  better,  and  had  introduced  into  the 
 room  of  it.  So  that  our  blelTed  Mafter  was 
 forced  to  oppofe  himfelf  to  their  traditions  and 
 errors,  to  vindicate  the  moral  precepts  of  God 
 from  the  violence  v/hich  they  had  offered  them, 
 and  to  correcft  the  loofe  explications,  which 
 thefe  m-afters  in  Ifraeli  thefe  guides  and  in-? 
 ftrutftors  of  the  people,  had  given  of  them*. 
 They  v/ere  for  adhering  abfolutely  to  the  let^ 
 tn-  of  the  law,  without  any  regard  to  the  fpi- 
 rit  and  intention  of  it,  and  for  weakening 
 men's  obligations  to  obferve  fome  of  the  moll 
 elfential  and  neceffary  duties  commanded  by 
 God.  The  law  faid,  thoufialt  not  killy  anci 
 therefore  paffion  and  anger,  reviling  and  op- 
 probions  language,  and  all  the  effeds  of  an 
 ungoverned  and  intemperate  refentment,  were 
 it  feems  by  their  condrudion  lawful  and  harm- 
 lefs,  provided  they  kept  to  the  letter  of  the 
 lav/,  ^hou  fhalt  not  commit  adultry^  every  thing 
 elfe  was  lawful  for  them  that  a  corrupt  heart 
 could  fuggeft  and  didate  to  them.  If  they  did 
 not  forfwear  themfelves,  when  they  made  ufe 
 of  God's  name  in  their  oaths,  they  might  fwear 
 by  Heaven,  and  God's  throne  and  footftool, 
 and  by  any  thing  elfe,  without  ever  regarding 
 the  performance  of  fuch  oaths,  or  fo  much 
 as  fufpeding  themfelves  guilty  of  perjury  if 
 they  violated  them  •\.  Admirable  cafuifts 
 thus  to  eafe  the  rigours  of  God's  law,  and  thus 
 
 *  Mat.  V.  20,,         +23. 
 
 4?xterouf]v 
 
Serm.  2.        A  View  of  Chrifiian  Morality,  55 
 
 dexteroufly  to    find  out  methods   to   excufe 
 themfelves,  from  almoft  every  thing  they  had 
 no  inclination  to  perform.     For   belides  thefe 
 loofe  explications  given  by  thefe  prudent  and 
 honefl  cafuifts,  they  had   farther  introduced, 
 what  their  fuccelTors  ever  fince  could  never  be- 
 perfuaded  to  part  with,  the  do(5lrine  of  com- 
 muting and  compounding  for  their  immorali- 
 ties, and  violations  of  the  moral  law  of  God ; 
 and  of  juftling  out  fome  kind    of  duties    by 
 others,  which  they  put  in  the  room  of  theni. 
 Thus  they  found  thofe  weightier  matters  of  the- 
 law,   judgment,   mercy   and  fidelity y  extremely 
 troublefome  in  their  practice,  and  interfering 
 with  fome  particular  views  of  intereft  or  plea- 
 fure.     How  (l)ould  they  abate  of  the  rigour  of 
 the  law  in  thefe    inflances  ?  Why,  by  being 
 more  exad;  in  ty thing  mint,  an'ife,  and  cummin. 
 Jf  they  had  a  defire  to  be  excufed  from   any 
 one  of  God's  commands,  written  in  the  law  of 
 MofeSy  they  had  recourfe  to  an  oral  tradition, 
 which  they  efteemed  as  of  greater  authority 
 than  the  written  law  itfelf  §.     It  was  a  com-^- 
 mand  of  the  law,    Honour  thy  father  and  thy 
 motljer-,  a  precept  that  implied  in  it    fupport 
 and  maintenance,,  when  they  were  aged,  in- 
 firm and   poor.     But  if  any    one   had  put  off 
 'natural  affedlion  and   gratitude,  and   wanted 
 to  evade  the   obligation    of  this  law,  it  was. 
 but  laying :  'Tis  a  gift  by  whaffoever  thou  mightefi. 
 be  profited  by  me,  i.  e.  all  I  can  fpare  for  your 
 relief  I  have  confecrated   and  given,  to  God^ 
 
 §  Mat.  XV.  3. 
 
 ^    15  4  and 
 
 ^. 
 
^6    .     j^  View  of  ChrifJan  Morality.         Serm,  2. 
 
 and  thereforeyoufliall  receive  nothing  from  me, 
 thus  teaching  men  through  a  pretence  of  ho- 
 nouring God  to  dilhonour  their  parents,  and 
 by  giving  to  him  to  defraud   them,  and  by   a 
 ihew  of  piety  to  beconie  execrably  cruel   and 
 imnatural.     By  thefe  and  other  Hke  methods, 
 though  ihcy  drew  near  to  God  with  their  mouths ^ 
 mid  honoured  hi ?n  with  their  lifs-y  xhow^  they 
 made    their  boaft  in  the  law,   thought  it  therr 
 honour  to  be  defcended  from  Abraham,  glo- 
 ried even  in  God  as  their  Father,  and  were  ex- 
 tremely devout  in  all  the  external,  ritual  and 
 ceremonial  part  of  worihip,  fo  that  in   this 
 lighteoufnefs   they   were  blamelefsj  yet  they 
 were  funk  into  the   greateO:  depths  of  immo- 
 rality  and   wickednefs,  and    had  grown  into 
 one  of  the  moft  corrupt,  profligate  and  aban- 
 doned  nations  upon  the  "face  of    the  earth. 
 Now  to  thefe  grofs  corruptions   our  blelTed 
 Saviour  oppofed  the  purer  dod:rine  of  his  mo- 
 rality,   refcuing    the  honour    of  his  Father's 
 law  from  thofe  ihameful  gloffes,  by  which  they 
 had  obfcured  the  luftre  and  debafed  the  purity 
 of  it,  difcovered   the  true    fpirit  and  internal 
 meaning  of  it,  fliewed  the   full  latitude  and 
 extent  of  it,  and  called  men  to  the  rrad:ice  of 
 thatgenuine,  pure,  univerfalmorality  and  virtue, 
 which  alone  can   be   an  acceptable  fervice  to 
 God,    and    finally  profitable  to   men   them- 
 felves.     But 
 
 3.  He  not  only  taught  an  uniform,  pure  and 
 imcorrupted  morality,  but  placed  it  upon  a  pro- 
 per foundation  of  importance  and  neceljity,  repre- 
 sented it  in   its  true  woi'th   and  value,  and 
 
 fliewed 
 
Scrm.  2.        ji  View  of  Chrjjlian  Morality.         57 
 
 fhewed   how  indifpenflbly  requifite   it  was  to 
 all  the  vakiable  purpoies,  ?.nd  bcii:  interefls  of 
 our  beings,     Thofe  who  entertain  a  mean  and 
 contemptible    opinion    of  7noral  inrtue^  think 
 that  'tis  of  no  confequence  in  chriftianity,  and 
 thzt  faith  is  to  anlwer  all  the  ends  of  Happi- 
 nefs  and  Salvation,  have  not  yet  rightly  /earned 
 Chriji,  nOi'  been  \\i\\y  taught  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
 'Jefus,     Faitlp  in  a  chriftian  is  th^  pri?7dple  of 
 action  3  and  unblameable  ;;?or^/f  are' the  proper 
 fruits  and  cvidefices  of  it.     Faith  bnj2gs  us  into 
 Q^juftifiedftate,  but  'tis  livmg  by  faith,  or  prac- 
 tiling    all  thofe  virtues  of  a  good   life  which 
 God  hath   commanded,    that  preferi^es  us  in 
 th^t  grace  wherein  we  Jiand,     Faith  furu'ihes 
 the  grand    motives   to  morality;  morality  dif- 
 covers  the  life,  and  is  a  noble  evidence  of  the 
 power  and  efficacy  of  faith.     Where   faith  is 
 genuine,  morality  is  its   conftant  companion; 
 and  n^orality  wants  its   noblefl  chara(fter  and 
 recommendation  that   doth    not  fpring  from 
 faith.     Both  are   in  their  place  neceffary,  iq- 
 difpenfibly  neceffary,  and  equally  fo;  faith  as 
 the  root,  morals  as  the  branches;  faith  as  the 
 fpring  and  fource,  morals  as  the  ftreams  that 
 flow  from  it.     Salvatioq  is   of  faith,  as  it  is 
 the  inward  principle  of  a  divine  life;  nor  can 
 there  be  any  Salvation  without  good  morals, 
 becaufe  where  thefe  are  wanting  there   are  no 
 iignsof  a  divine   life,  but  tiie  certain  evidence 
 that  we  a'-e  barren  and  unfruitful  in  the  know- 
 ledge of  our   Lord  and  Saviour  Jefus  Ghritl. 
 Toaflert  the  receujty  of  both  diminifhes  no- 
 thing from  the  dignity   of  either,  and  the  re- 
 
 piefenting 
 
58         A  View  of  Chriftian  Morality.       Serm.  2^ 
 
 prefenting  them  as  infeparably  connedled,  re- 
 ferves  to  each  its  proper  place  and  importancCj^ 
 and  fecures  the  honour,  the  interefl  an^  uie- 
 fulnefs  of  both. 
 
 What  place   the   chriftian  morality  bears  in 
 the  gofpel  of  Chrift,  let  our  Lord  himself  de- 
 termine, and  let  us  abide  by  that  determina- 
 tion, as  the  bell:    and  fureft  we  can   truft  to. 
 When  one  of  the  Pharifees  put  a  queftion  to 
 him,  to  tempt  him,  i.  e.  to  try  his  ikill,  and 
 in   hopes  of    fuch  an  anfwer  from    him,  as 
 rnipht  furnifh  him  with  forne  conliderable  oh- 
 jetlion  againft   his  doc^trine;  laying  to    him, 
 Mafter,  which  is  the  great  commandment  inthe  law  ? 
 Jejiis  faidunto  him:  T'hou  fialt  love  the  Lord  thyGod 
 with  all  thy  hearty  and  with  all  thy  foul,  and  with- 
 all  thy  Mind;  this  is  the  fiji  and  great  command- 
 ment%.  And  this  was  a  fufticient  and  full  anfwer 
 to  the  queftion  put  to  him.     But  our  Lord,  ia 
 order  to  reprove  the  Pharifees,  who  were  ex- 
 tremely loofe  in  their  principles  and  pradlices  as 
 to  the  moral  duties  of  the  fecond  table,  adds :. 
 'Thefeco7id  is  like  unto  it,  like  to  it  in  importance, 
 value  and  neceflity,  'Thou  foalt  love  thy  neighbour 
 as  thyfelf'y  under  which   is  comprehended  all 
 the  various  duties  that  we  owe  to  others,  and 
 that  our  neighbour,  /.  e.  every  manvvho  hatli 
 any  intereft  in  or  connection  with  us,  can  de- 
 mand, or  hath  a  right  to  expeft  or  claim  from, 
 us.     On  thefe  two  commandments  hang  all  the  law 
 and  the  Prophets-,  this  is  the  fum  and  fubftance 
 6f  both,  and  to  thefe  two  comprehenftve  pre- 
 
 §  Mat.  xxii.  ^S.    40. 
 
 cepts 
 
Serm.  2.       A  View  of  Chrijlian  AioralUy.  50 
 
 •  cepts  the  whole  of    them  may   be.  reduced. 
 Hence   our  blelTed    Lord  tells   his  dilciples; 
 ^hmk  fiot  that  I  am  come  to  dejlroy  the  law  and  the 
 prophets  -f-,  to  fet  up  fuch  a  temporal  kingdom, 
 and  promote  the  honour  and  fuccefs  of  it  by 
 fuch  methods,  as   fhall  contradidl  and  be  in- 
 confiftent  with  that   Ipve  oi   God   and  your 
 neighbour,  which  is  the  avowed  and  princip^J 
 deiign  of  both.     7  am  not  come  to  dejiroy  but  to 
 fulfil;  to  accomplish  all  their  prophecies,  and 
 to  eftablifh  ail  their  great  rules  of  morality  and 
 virtue.     For  ^uerily  1  fay  unto  you:  Till  Heaven 
 and  Earth  pafs^  one  jot  or  one  tittle  fiall  in  no 
 wife  pafs  from  the  law^  till  all  be  fulflled.     The 
 law  in  its  elTential  obligations,  i.  e,  the  moraj 
 part  of  it,  fliall  be  as  durable  as  the  founda- 
 tions of  Heaven  and  Earth,  and    thefe  (liall 
 fooner  be  removed,  than  any  the  leafl  of  it 
 fhall  go  without   its  proper  and  full  accom- 
 plilhment.  Whofoever  therefore,  adds  our  Lord, 
 Jhall  break  one  of  thefe  leaf  commandjiieiits^  and 
 fiall  teach  men  jb,  he  fiallbe  called  the  leaf  in  the 
 Kingdom  of  God,  i.  e.  he  fliall  have  no  (hare  in 
 the  bleffings  of  it.     But  whofoever  fall  do  and 
 teach  them,  the  fame  Jhall  be  called  great  in  the 
 Kingdom  of  Heaven,,     He  fhall  have  a  propor- 
 tionable and  fuperior  reward.     And  to  fhew, 
 that  he  fpoke  properly  of  the  moral  part  of 
 the  law,  or  thofe  duties  of  virtue  in  which  the 
 Scribes  and  Pharifees  were  fcandaloufly  defec- 
 tive, he  adds.  For  I  fay  unto  you^  that  except 
 your  Righteoufftefs  Jloall  exceed  that  of  the  Scribes 
 
 t  Mat.  V.  17.    20. 
 
'6o        A  View  of  Chrijtian  Morality.        Serm.  2.^ 
 
 (indPharifees,yeJ}jaH  in  no  cafe  enter  into  the  King" 
 dom  of  Heaven.     In  the  ritual  rightcoufnefs  of 
 the  iaw  none  could  exceed  them.     In  the  mo- 
 ral part  of  it  they  were  fcandaloufly  defed:ive. 
 And  therefore  unlefs  we  exceed  them  in  mo.^ 
 ral  excellencies  and  virtues,  we  lliall  have  np 
 portion  or  lot  in  the  bkffings  of  the  Kingdorn 
 of  God.     Thefe  are  thofe  duties  which  our 
 Lord   ftiles   the  weightier  matters  of  the  laWy 
 Comprehending  all  of  them  under  rnofe  three 
 principal  ones,  judgment^   mercy  and  fidelity  -j- ; 
 and  for  the  omillion  of  which  no  zeal  for  rites, 
 and  real  duties  of  lefs  importance,  can  be  any 
 comoenfation.  And  to  mention  no  more  upon 
 fo  plain  an  article,  our  Lord  declares,  at  the  con - 
 plufion  of  that  excellent  fermon  on  the  Mount, 
 that  no  extraordinary  gifts,  not  the  very  power 
 of  doing    miracles,  would  be  of  any  avail  for 
 men's  acceptance,  if  they    were  at  laft  found 
 to  have  lived   in  the  habitual  violation  of  his 
 commands;  but  that   notwithftanding   every 
 plea  of  this  nature  they  could  urge^  yet  that  if 
 they  were  convidled  of  being  workers  of  ini- 
 quity, our  Lord  would  difown   all  knowledge 
 of  and  frienddiip  with  them,  and  forever  banifli 
 them  from  his  kingdom  andprefence;  but  that, 
 ivhofoever  heard  his  fayings  and  did  them,  was 
 like  a  wife  man,  who  builds  his  hcufe  on  a  rock,. 
 ib  that   no   florm  whatfoever   can  deftroy  it. 
 His  hopes  are  fupported  by  the  fureft  founda- 
 tion, and  nothing   (hall  be  able  to  prevent  his 
 ignai  Salvation  and  Happinefs. 
 
 \  Mat.  xxii.     23. 
 
 Upon. 
 
Serm.  2.       A  View  of  Chrijlian  Morality.  6\ 
 
 Upon  this  foundation  of  importance  the 
 morality  taught  by  our  blefied  Saviour  ftands; 
 and  as  the  great  duties  elTential  to  it  arife  out  of 
 the  nature  of  things,  and  are  of  perpetual  and 
 immutable  obligation,  whilft  the  prefent  con- 
 flitution  of  things  remain;  it  became  the 
 great  teacher  of  righteoufnefs,  and  the  Son  of 
 God  in  the  charadcr  of  the  reformer  and  re- 
 florer  of  mankind,  not  only  to  give  a  full, 
 clear  and  extenfive  account  of  them,  but  to 
 reprefent  them  in  fuch  a  view  of  necelTity  and 
 indifpenfible  obligation,  as  that  none  might 
 hope  for  impunity,  that  fhould  habitually  dif- 
 regard  them,  or  place  any  other  things  what- 
 foever  in  the  room  of  them;  but  might  learn 
 rather  to  omit  the  lefs  neceffary  branches  even 
 of  religion  and  piety,  when  they  flood  in  com- 
 petition with  thefe ;  according  to  the  rule 
 prefcribed  even  by  God  himfclf :  /  'will  have 
 mercy  rather  than  facrijice ;  I  prefer  the  exer- 
 cife  of  mercy  to  man,  rather  than  a  facrifice 
 to  myfelf,  when  one  of  the  tw.o  mufl  of  ne- 
 cefTity  be  omitted. 
 
 And  yet  I  would  farther  obferve  on  this 
 head,  that  how  important  foever  our  bleffed 
 Lord  reprefents  moral  virtues  and  duties  to  be, 
 yet  he  teaches  us  to  pradice  them  with  great 
 humility^  places  no  real  merit  in  them,  nor  gives 
 the  lead  encouragement  to  expecl:  eternal  life 
 and  happinefs  from  them,  as  a  rev/ardduetous 
 as  2idebti  and  as  what  we  can  claim  from  -,he  ju- 
 /lice  of  God  in  confequence  of  tht-m.  No.  Tha 
 language  he  puts  into  cur  months  is  more 
 becoming  our  condition  as  creatures  and  finners: 
 
 Lihcisi;'ifi. 
 
62  A  View  cf  Chrijlian  Morality.       Serm.  2. 
 
 Likewife  ye,  when  ye  have  done  all  thofe  thijigs 
 nvhich  are  commanded  you,  fay:  We  are  unpro- 
 fitable fervants,  for  we  have  only  done  that 
 which  was  our  duty  to  do  J.  All  we  expedt 
 and  can  hope  for  is  from  mercy  only,  though 
 faith  and  good  works  prepare  us  for  God's  gifts, 
 fuch  as  he  (hall  pleafe  to  beftow,  yet  what  he 
 gives  is  of  mere  favour,  and  through  the  re- 
 demptlon  that  is  in  Chrifi.     I  add  farther 
 
 4.  That  notwithftanding  the  excellency  and 
 perfe(flion  of  the  morality  taught  by  our  blefled 
 Saviour,  and  the  noble  height  to  which  his 
 do6lrine  carries  it,  yet  that  'tis  in  the  whole  of 
 it  fratiicable,  fuited  to  the  nature,  circum- 
 ftances,  and  various  conditions  of  men,  fuch 
 as  belongs  to  and  mufl  enter  into  private  life, 
 and  fuch  on  which  the  peace  and  welfare  of 
 the  greater  and  lefler  focieties  of  human  life 
 do  univerfally  depend.  Amongft  other  ob- 
 jedlions  againft  Chriftianity  it  hath  been  urged, 
 that  the  morality  it  teaches  is  of  too  refilled  and 
 exalted  a  nature  to  become  pradicable,  and  is 
 above  the  level  of  human  infirmity,  and  not 
 duly  attempered  to  their  condition  of  imper- 
 fecftion  and  weaknefs.  There  is  indeed  no 
 anfwering  fuch  an  objection  as  this,  unlefs  the 
 particulars  excepted  againil;  wtxz  fpecificd^  and 
 the  rigours  and  undue  feverities  of  the  Chri- 
 ftian  morality  were  feverally  pointed  out.  Un- 
 queftionably  a  virtuous  life  hath  it's  difficulties, 
 and  inclination  and  paffion  will  always  militate 
 againft  righteoufnefs  and  truth.     But  if  that 
 
 t  Luke  xvH.  10. 
 
 be 
 
Serm.  2.        A  View  of  Chrijlian  Morality.         65 
 
 be  unreafonably  fevere  which  is  contrary  to 
 ftrong  inclination  and  inveterate  habit,  what 
 will  at  laft  be  realbnable?  The  inclinations  of 
 men  are  fo  various,  that  every  virtue  in  its 
 turn  will  be  complained  of  as  a  rigorous  re- 
 ftraint,and  a  burthen  too  heavy  to  be  endured; 
 and  the  whole  moral  law  of  God  be  cenl'ured 
 as  contrary  to  equity,  and  requiring  a  perfec- 
 tion of  virtue  above  the  ability  and  ftrength  of 
 human  nature  to  perform. 
 
 The  extending  morality  to  the  heart  and 
 inwdrd paj/ions,  and  obliging  men  to  regulate 
 their  afFe(ftions  and  defires,  which  unqueilion- 
 ably  is  the  mofl  difficult  part  of  it,  is  yet  fo 
 necefTary  and  indifpenlible,  as  that  the  giving 
 a  full  licence  to  thefe,  and  the  allowing  men 
 the  free  indulgence,  and  leaving  them  at 
 liberty  to  cherifh  and  harbour  them,  w^ould 
 tend  to  the  utter  fubverlion  of  all  morality 
 in  pradice,  and  w^ould  be  giving  men  a 
 licence  to  banifh  all  kind  of  virtue  out  of 
 the  world,  for  if  the  heart  and  afffdions  be 
 corrupt,  the  life  muft  be  fo,  as  the  efifeds  will 
 ever  be  anfwerable  to  the  caufes  that  produce 
 them.  And  therefore,  if  the  obligations  to 
 mortify  our  iinful  paffions  and  corrupt  inclina- 
 tions and  habits,  are  not  unreafonable  and 
 fevere,  beyond  the  bounds  of  equity,  the  laying 
 us  under  the  fame  obligations  to  abftain  from 
 thofe  inclinations,  as  from  thofe  vicious  prac- 
 tices to  which  irregular  and  criminal  inclina- 
 tions prompt  and  lead  men,  cannot  be  juflly 
 charged,  as  rigorous  and  hard  beyond  the 
 rules   and   didates  of  fuch  equity,     Becaufe 
 
 when 
 
64        A  View  of  Chriftian  Morality.       Serm.  2; 
 
 when  onee   the  paffions  are   duly  regulated, 
 and  the   habits  of  fin  are   Broken   and  extin- 
 guilhed,  the   difficulty  of  virtue   is  in   great 
 ineafure  over,  and  men  will  naturally  run  the 
 path  of  God's  commandments  with  an  en- 
 larged,  willing  and  chearful  heart  j    efpecially 
 when  better  fentiments  take  place,    and  con- 
 trary habits  and  difpoiitions  are  fettled,    all  the 
 great  duties  of  morality   enjoined  by   Chrift, 
 will  then  be  the  moft  delightful  and  eafy  fer- 
 vice.     Engage   but  inclination  on  the  fide  of 
 duty,    and  it  will  become  familiar  and  natural 
 to  us,   and   cufcom  and  habit  will  mofl  effec- 
 tually  remove  all  the  pretended  difficulties  to 
 the  pracftice  of  every  thing  that  is  good.     And 
 on   this  foundation  our  blefled   Lord  invited 
 men  to  come  and  learn  of  him^  and  take  his  yoke 
 upon  them)  becanfe  his  yoke  ivas  eajy,  or  rather 
 profitable  and  good,  as  the  word  fignifies,  and 
 his  burthen  was  light.     Nothing  is  hard  to   a  . 
 WMlling  mind;    nothing  is  difficult  where  the 
 affe(ftions  of  our  hearts  lead  us. 
 
 There  is  no  lingle  virtue  enjoined  by  the 
 morality  of  Chrlll:,  but  what  true  reafon  com- 
 mends the  fitnefs  and  neceffity  ofi  no  one 
 that  doth  not  arlfeoutof  the  nature  of  things, 
 and  hath  not  a  tendency  to  promote  the  hap- 
 pinefs  of  mankind.  No  one  that  can  befparcd 
 out  of  human  hfe,  and  that  doth  not  belong 
 to  fome  neceffary  relation  and  valuable  interefi: 
 in  it.  Not  that  all  the  fame  virtues,  nor  the 
 fame  degrees  of  goodnefs,  are  equally  and 
 neceffarily  required  of  all.  Men  have  dif- 
 ferent capacities,  opportunities  and  advantages. 
 
 Their' 
 
Serm.  2.        A  View  of  Chrifiian Morality,         65 
 
 Their  talents  and  abilities  arefome  more,  forne 
 kfs.     They  have  di(lind:  parts  to  zOi  in  hJ'e, 
 and  peculiar  Nations  and  Ipheres  of  adion  to 
 move  in.      What  is  required  of  them  by  the 
 Chridian  morality  is^  that  they  ci6l  their  own 
 part  welly  improve  their  own  advantages,  and 
 be   found   faithful   in   the  difcharge   of  their 
 proper  duty.     So  that  the  morality  of  Chrift, 
 is  as  reafon  and  equity  require  it   fliouid  be, 
 adapted  to  the  various  dates  and  advantages  of 
 men.    And  though  fome  duties  equally  belong 
 to  all,  yet  others  cire  peculiar   and  efpecially 
 accommodated   to  the   different  ftations   and 
 characters   of  men  ;  and  fuch  gracious  con- 
 djfccnfions  are  made   to,  all,  as  that  they  are 
 allowed    the  benefit  of  repentance   for  •  all  their 
 errors  and  defeats,  which  they  are  careful  to 
 amend,  and  correal  by  a  better  behaviour  for 
 the  future.  And  what  fiill  renders  the  Chrifiian 
 morality  the  more  practicable  is, 
 
 5.  The  confideration  o^thofe peculiar  motives, 
 
 with  which  our  bleffed  Saviour  hath  flrength- 
 
 ened  and  enforced.it.     If  his  morality  be   in 
 
 its  nature  very  exalted  and  perfect,  the  confi- 
 
 derations  he  fuggefls  to  enable  and  flrengthei) 
 
 us  for  praclifing  it.  are  every  v/ay  anfwcrable, 
 
 and  fuch  as  were  never  offered  under  any  other 
 
 inftitution  whatfoever  ;  fuch  as  cannot  be  ex- 
 
 .ceeded  in  their  importance,  nor  fail  of  faccefs, 
 
 if  by  faith   they  are  made  real  to   the  mind, 
 
 and  the  influence  of  them  be  not  violently 
 
 and  unnaturally  prevented.     When  he  would 
 
 enforce  the  'duties  that  were  to  take  place  in 
 
 his  kingdom,  'twas  not  hyzn  authority  merely 
 
 ■;.   Yoh.  I.  F    '  human, 
 
66        A  View  vf  Chrifiian  Mordtty.       Serm*  2. 
 
 human,  but  by  that  of  God  himjelf\  the  fove- 
 reign  and  univerfal  Lord.     T\iQ  great  example 
 he  held  up  to  their  imitation,  in  the  pradtice 
 of  that  virtue  he  recommended,  was  that  of 
 the  fame  infinitely  bleifed  and  glorious  being  ; 
 and  his  exhortation  was  :  Be  ye  perfeB  as  your 
 Father  which  is  in  Heaven  is  perfeil.    And  as  he 
 was  in  his  own  life,  holyj  unblameable  and  with- 
 out rebuket  becoming  his  charadler  as  the  Son  of 
 God,  as  he  pradifed  the  moft  difficult  and 
 ufeful  virtues  -,  he  invites  us  ;    Learn  of  me^ 
 for  I  am  lowly  in  heart,  and  ye  Jhall  fnd  refi  to 
 your  fouls.     And  when  he  encouraged  his  dif- 
 ciples  to  fubmit  to  his  authority,  and  obey  the 
 laws  of  his  Kingdom,  'twas  by  fuch  fubftan- 
 tial  benefits  and  advantages,  as  were  worthy 
 to  be  offered  by  him  who  had  a  divine  com- 
 mifiion,  and  was  fent  of  God  into  the  world 
 to  call  finners  to  repentance,    and   perfuade 
 them  to  return  to  God*     All  the  encourage- 
 ments offered  under  the  law,  were  of  tempo- 
 ral good  things ;   and  under  the  gofpel,  the 
 praftice  of  morality  and  virtue,  agreeable  to 
 God's  will,  frequently  draws  after  ilh'is peculiar 
 blefjingy  and  in  the  nature  of  things  tends  to 
 profperity  and  happinefs.     Hence  our  bleffed 
 Lord  pronounces :  Blefjed  are  the  meek,  for  they 
 fJoall  inherit  the  earth '^ ;  their  very  humility 
 and  gentlenefs  (hall  ordinarily  fecure  them  fa- 
 vour, protedtion,  friendship,  and  peace  upon 
 Earth,  and  give  them  the  moft  comlortahle 
 poffeifiO'n  of  it :  l^eek  ye  the  kingdom  of  God, 
 
 *  Mat.  V.  9. 
 
 and 
 
Serm.  2;       A  View  of  Chrijl'tan  Morality,         6y 
 
 and  the  righteoufncfs  thereof]  and  all  thefe  thiiigs^ 
 all  the  needful  comforts  of  life,  JlDall  be  added 
 to  you  %,  So  that  all  the  temporal  promifes  of 
 the  old  law  are  in  chriftianity  fo  far  in  force, 
 as  that  according  to  the  nature  and  general  con- 
 ftitution  of  things,  every  virtue  tends  to  fome 
 real  good,  and  there  is  not  a  fingle  duty  in  all 
 the  morality  oi  the  gofpel,  that  doth  not  fome 
 way  or  other  contribute  to  promote  fome  very 
 valuable  intereft  of  the  prelent  life,  health,  or 
 chearfulnefsof  fpi'.its,  or  reputation,  or  friends, 
 or  fuccefs  in  our  llations  and  employments  ; 
 infomuch  that  it  may  ftill  be  faid,  xhzi gcdlinejs 
 and  virtue  are  pT-ofitable  for  all  things,  and  have 
 the  promife  of  the  life  that  now  is,  as  well  as  of 
 that  which  is  to  come.  And  this  promife  of  th*j 
 future  life,  and  of  all  the  bleffings  connedted 
 with  it,  is  that  which  gives  the  higheft  excel- 
 lency and  worth  to  the  gofpel  fchcme  of 
 morality,  and  renders  the  dod:rine  of  Chrifl 
 fuperior  to  that  of  all  other  law-givers  what- 
 foever.  Who  can  read  thofe  Beatitudes  which 
 he  pronounced,  duly  weigh  their  importance 
 in  his  mind,  and  attentively  furvey  the  fub- 
 flantial  good  things  contained  in  them,  without 
 feeling  an  holy  warmth  in  his  breaft,  a  ftrong 
 ardor  of  delire,  and  a  fixed  ambition  to  fecure 
 them  ?  T^he  mercifid fl:)all  obtain  mercy.  'They  that 
 hujjger  and  thirji  after  righteoiifnefs  fpall  be  filed. 
 'The  mourners  JJjall  be  coniforted,  the  pure  in  heart 
 fall  fee  God,  the  peace-7?iakers  fimll  be  called  the 
 children  of  God^  the  poor  in  f fir  it  and  the  perje^ 
 
 %  Mat.  vl.  33. 
 
 F  2  .  cuted 
 
63'        A  Vk<w  of  Chrijlinn  Morality..         Serm.  l, 
 
 cut ed  for  righteoufnefs  fake  Jhall  ejyoy  the  kingdom 
 of  Heaven,  forgive  men  their  trejpajfes,  and  your 
 heavenly  Father  Jhall  forgive  you  -,  judge  not,  that 
 ye  be  not  judged,  the  fir  ait  gate,  and  the  narrow 
 way  leadeth  to  life,  he  that  doth  the  will  of  my 
 Father  fioall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  Heaven, 
 my  fijeep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know  them,  and 
 they  follow  me^  and  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life, 
 €ind  they  fiall  never  perifij,  neither  fioall  any  pluck 
 them  out  of  my  hajtd.  Encouragements  and 
 promifes  like  thefe,  could  not  but  draw  the 
 attention,  and  excite  the  ambition  of  thofe 
 who  heard  them,  and  caufe  him  who  made 
 them  to  appear  fuperior  to  the  Scribes  and  Pha^ 
 rifees,  and  in  a  much  more  advantageous  light 
 than  thefe.  cold  and  lifelefs  teachers  of  the 
 people,  who  if  their  inftrudions  were  good, 
 and  agreeable  to  the  will  of  God,  yet  wanted 
 thefe  confiderations  to  enforce  them,  and  ren- 
 der them  elfe(5laal  on  the  minds  of  thofe  who 
 were  their  hearers  and  difciples. 
 
 Efpecially  as  on  the  other  hand,  the  danger 
 of  dfobeaience,  and  the  evils  incurred  by  an 
 habitual  violation  of  thofe  precepts  of  moral 
 virtue  in  which  he  inftructed  them,  were  re- 
 prefented  in  fuch  a  light,  as  were  fufficient  to 
 ftrike  them  with  a  becoming  awe,  and  awaken 
 the  mod  fubftantial  fears  in  their  minds.  Fear 
 not  them  which  kill  the  body,  but  fear  him  who  is 
 ■^able.  to  dejlroy  both  body  and  foul  in  Hell.  The 
 tmprcfiiable  jervant  fijall  be  cafi  out  into  utter 
 darknefs,  where  there  is  weeping  and  wailing,  and 
 gnajLing  of  t'-rth,  where  the  worm  du  h  m^  end 
 the  J  ire  is  mi  c^itencLul.     1  tViJ  J^ojf  to  them  I 
 
 khQW 
 
Scrm.  2."       A  View  of  Chrijlian  Morality.         6^ 
 
 blow  you  wty  depart  from  me  ye  that  work  ini- 
 quity. Depart  from  me  ye  curjed  into  everlajiing 
 frey  prepared  for  the  Devil  and  bis  Angeh.  He 
 who  thus  called  into  his  aid  all  the  great  reali- 
 ties of  the  eternal  world,  and  enforced  his  doc- 
 trine and  morality  by  the  rewards  of  Heaven, 
 and  the  endlels  punifhments  of  the  life  to 
 come,  might  well  aftonifli  thofe  who  heaid 
 him,  who  had  been  unaccuflomed  to  fuch 
 in! eruptions,  and  make  them  confefs  :  He 
 taught  rhem  m  one  ha^i?ig  authority ^  and  not  as 
 the  Scribes.     I  fhall  only  add 
 
 6.  Laftly,  one  farther   peculiar  excellency 
 of  the   morality  of  Chrift,    and   that  is,  his 
 teaching  us   how  to  improve  and  exalt  it  into 
 real,  fubftantial,  and   acceptable  religion  and 
 piety.     When  the  duties  of  life  are  pradiced 
 merely  on  the  motives  of  any  prejent  advantages, 
 the  prefervation  of  health,  reputation,  peace 
 in  the  world,  and  the  fucceis  of  our  temporal 
 affairs,  this  doth  not  amount  fo  high  as  mo- 
 rality and  virtue.     'Tis   nothing   better  than 
 mere  worldly   policy  and   prudence.     What 
 properly  conftitutes  any  adion  virtuous  is  the 
 doing  it  from  the  natural  reafo?iablenefs2indJit?iefs 
 of  the  thing,  and  becaufe  it  arifes  out  of  our 
 circumftances  and  relations  in  life.    When  our 
 regards  go  higher,  and  we  pracftice  virtue,  not 
 only  becaufe   of  its  intrinfick  reafonablenefs, 
 but  becaufe  agreeable  to  the  will  of  God,  and  in- 
 joined  by  his  authority,  and  from  a  firm  per- 
 fuafion,  that  he  is  a  rewarder  of  them  that 
 fs^ek  him  i  this  gives  every  virtue  an  .  highe:ii 
 F  3  chara(^eri^ 
 
70        A  View  of  Chrijlian  Morality.       Serm.  2. 
 
 character,  and  advances  it  into  an  adt  of  true 
 rcligiony  and  an  inftance  of  homage  and  wor-^ 
 fliip  to  the  blefled  God.  And  when  the 
 fame  action  is  performed  i'romfaiib  in  Chrifl^ 
 from  a  defire  to  imitate  his  example,  from  a 
 fpirit  of  fubmiflion  to  his  authority,  and  with 
 the  hope  of  a  future  recompence  through  him, 
 as  God's  appointed  mediator,  it  then  becomes 
 an  inftance  of  Chrijiian  pietyy  and  receives  its 
 iinifhing  perfection  and  higheft  value.  And 
 of  this  every  wife  and  good  man  would  be 
 ambitious,  that  nothing  may  be  wanting  to 
 render  his  chara(5ler  compleat,  nor  any  circurn^ 
 ilance  in  his  a(5lions  defe(ftive,  fo  as  to  leflea 
 the  intrinfick  worth  and  excellency  of  them. 
 And  this  is  the  happinefs  of  men  who  practice 
 morality  upon  the  gofpel  fcheme,  and  ac- 
 cording to  the  dodlrine  taught  by  our  blefled 
 Lord.  It  gives  the  utmojl  perfeUion  to  their 
 actions  they  are  capable  of,  and  cloaths  theri^ 
 with  every  Angle  circumflance  that  can  heighten 
 their  value  and  render  them  an  acceptable 
 fervice  to  God. 
 
 Underftanding  Chriftlans  are  as  fenfible  of 
 the  natural  obligations  of  morality  and  virtue, 
 as  anyperfons  whatfoever,  and  they  have  this 
 fatisfadtion  and  pleafure,  that  by  abounding  in 
 all  the  fruits  of  righteoufnefs,  they  are  acting 
 a  wife  and  reafonable  part,  fuch  a  part  as  fuits 
 their  relations  and  engagements  in  life,  and  as 
 contributes  to  the  ftrengthening  and  promoting 
 every  valuable  intereft  of  the  prefent  flate. 
 But  then  they  are  taught  to  confider,  that  the 
 
 relation 
 
Serm.  2,        A  View  of  Chrijiian  Morality.        71 
 
 relation  they  bear  to  God  is  the  primary  one  of 
 their  being,  that  their  dependence  on  him  is 
 neceflary,  their  obligations  to  him  innumera- 
 ble, their  intire  and  abfolute  fubje(5lion  to  his 
 authority  their  unqueftionable  duty,  and  every 
 inftance  of  moral  virtue  enforced  by  his  will ; 
 that  his  difpleafure  is  the  moft  formidable  evil 
 of  their  beings,  and  his  favour,  approbation, 
 and  acceptance,  the  mort:  comprehenfive  blelT- 
 ing  of  which  they  can   be  partakers.     And 
 therefore  they  fubmit  to  the  rules  of  virtue, 
 and  carefully  practice  the  duties  of  morality, 
 out  of  reverence  to  God,  gratitude  and  affec- 
 tion to  him  for  all  his  benefits,  earneft  defirc 
 of  his    acceptance    and   favour,    and  a  lively 
 conilant  hope  in  his  eternal  mercy  and  good- 
 nefs.     And  as  they  owe  the  full  difcovery  of 
 the  moral  will  of  God  to  the  inftrucftions  of 
 the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift,  as  they  receive  the  bed 
 motives  to  pracStice  it  from  his  Gofpel,  as  they 
 are  to  obtain  from  his  word  and  fpirit  all  their 
 beft  afliftances  to  enable  them  to  perfevere  in 
 it,    as   the   hope  of  forgivenefs   of  all   their 
 numerous  errors  and  defeds,  arifes  from  the 
 divine  mercy,  through  the  propitiation  of  his. 
 death,    and  as   he  is   conftituted   the    great 
 diftributor  of  his  Father's  rewards  to  all  the 
 faithful  and  obedient  j  they  are  quickened  by 
 thefe  and  the  like  confiderations  to  all  patience 
 in    good    works,    to    abound    continually   in 
 thofe   fruits   of  righteoufnefs,  that  are   com- 
 mendable in  their  own  nature,  and  made  ne- 
 ceflary both  by  natural  and  revealed  religion, 
 F  4  Sa 
 
7Z  ■        A  View  of  Chrijlian  Morality:       Serm.  a. 
 
 So  that  in  the  morality  of  a   true  Chriftian, 
 every  good  circuiiiftance,  every  worthy  mo- 
 tive, every  confideration  of  real  impOitance, 
 confplres    to  heigliten    its   moral   excellency, 
 and  render  it  a  facrifice  well  pjeafing  and  ac- 
 ceptable to  God.    'Tis  the  trueft  prudence  and 
 wiidom,  'tis  the    height  of  virtue,    'tis   ?nore. 
 than  virtue,  'tis  obedience  to  God,  'tis  genuine 
 piety,  an  aft  of  veneration  and  homage  to  the 
 fupreme  Being;  'tis  a  rational  facrifice  to  his 
 honour,  'tis  the  proof  pf  fubjedion  and  love 
 to  Chrifi:,  demonftrate^  the  lite  and  power  o£ 
 faith,  is  infpired  by  the^niotives  cvf  his  Gofpel, 
 is  pradiced  with  the  lively  hope  in  his  power 
 and  falthfulnefs  ;  and  thus  upon  every  fcheme 
 pf  truth  muft  have  every  circumftance  of  ad- 
 vantage and  commendation,  and  entitle  the 
 doer  to  every  kind  pf  recom pence   that  can 
 arife  out  of  the  nature  of  things,  or  be   in-* 
 fured  by  the  conflitution,  engagement  and  pror 
 jnife  of  God. 
 
 And  thus  I  have  fet  before  you  an  account 
 of  the  morality  inculcated  by  the  dodtrine  of 
 Chriji  -J  and  as  this  conftitutes  fo  great  a  part 
 of  the  inf{:rud:ions  he  gave,  and  was  what  he 
 taught  throughout  thy  whole  of  his  mlniftra- 
 ,tion  on  earth  ;  let  pone  irnagine  that  morality 
 is  a  fubjecft  unfit  to  be  taught  by  a  Chriflian 
 infl.rud:or,  or  any  way  beneath  the  dignity  of 
 the  chara(^l:er  of  a  minifler  of  Chrift.  I  can 
 pever  think  that  to  be  a  low  method  of  preach- 
 ing which  was  made  ufe  of  by  the  Son  of  God, 
 nor  thofe  doctrines  unneceilary  for  you  to  hear, 
 
 which 
 
Serm.  2^       A  View  cf  Chrijiian  Morality..  7  j 
 
 which  he  did  not  think  it  unneceflary  for  him- 
 feif  to  preach.  I  know  moral  virtue  may  be 
 taught  in  a  juftly  oftenfive  manner,  when 
 juftice  and  charity  to  men,  and  temperance 
 and  moderation,  and  the  like  moral  human 
 virtues  are  reprefented  as  the  whole  of  mens 
 duty,  exclusive  of  faith  and  piety  to  God,  or 
 when  they  have  fuch  an  efficacy  and  virtue 
 imputed  to  them,  as  to  render  all  the  provifions 
 of  the  grace  of  God  in  Chrift  wholly  ufelefs 
 and  unncceff.ry  for  our  acceptance  and  falva- 
 tion.  Thus  I  hope  I  fhall  never  preach,  not 
 thus  would  I  have  you  learn  morality.  Affign 
 it  its  proper  place,  its  genuine  excellency,  its 
 natural  imDortance,  'tis  one  of  the  glories  of 
 Chriffian^ry,  one  of  the  iaireft  proofs  of  its 
 divine  original,  and  rend;-  it  worthy  of  all 
 acceptation.  Separate  it  ir -m  Chriil's  reli- 
 gion, and  you  deform,  mairn  and  mutilate 
 Chriftianity,  render  it  a  moH:  imperfe(5t  infti- 
 tution,  infufficient  for  the  happinefs  of  the 
 world,  and  the  falvation  of  men.  Though 
 morality  doth  not  merit  a  reward,  it  fits  for 
 receiving  it,  and  therefore  fecures  the  final 
 grant  of  it.  Though  'tis  not  to  be  put  in  the 
 room  of  Chrid,  yet  Chrift  never  comes 
 without  it.  Where  he  dwells  by  faith,  the 
 good  works  of  morality  are  the  fure  figns  of 
 his  prefence,  and  the  abounding  in  them  one 
 of  the  mort:  efFecftual  methods  we  can  take,  to 
 fecure  his  friendship.  Morality  indeed,  when 
 it  renders  men  negligent  in  the  rules  of  piety, 
 from  an  imagination  that  'ti^  fufficient  of  itfsif, 
 
 without 
 
74        ^  ^^'^^  ^f  Chrijlian  Morality,       Serm.  2, 
 
 without  being  beholden  to  religion,  is  rated 
 above  its  worth,  and  forfeits  its  reward  ;  and 
 pretences  to  piety  without  good  morals  are  the 
 very  charadterifticks  of  hypocrify.     Godlinefs 
 without  virtue  is  nothing  better  than  the  ap- 
 pearance of  gold  where  the  fubftance  is  want-» 
 ing,  and  virtue  without  godlinefs  is  like  a  dead 
 unanimated  pidure  that  wants  the  proper  co- 
 lours and   beauties  to  enliven  and  finifli  it. 
 Godlinefs  and  virtue  are  both  infpired  by  the 
 fame  principles  of  a  divine  faith,  are  equally 
 ihoots  from  the  fame  root,  and  nourifhed  and 
 flrengthened  by  the  fame  friendly  heat  and 
 iliowers  from  above,  and  the  genuine  fruits 
 of  both  are  highly  ornamenial  to  him  that 
 bears  them,  and  each  fets  and  adds  to  the  luftre 
 ^nd  charms  of  the  other.    The  reverence  and 
 love  of  God,  when  connected  and  flouriihing 
 together  with  benevolence,  juftice  and  uni- 
 verfal  goodnefs  to  men,  appear  in  a  familiar, 
 pleafing   and  amiable  view  ;  and  when  the 
 hurnan  virtues  are  improved  by  principles  of 
 faith,    pra(fliced  by  the  motives  of  religion, 
 and  attended  with  a  fubftantial  piety  and  godli- 
 nefs, they  appear  with  a  majefly  and  dignity 
 that  God  approves,  and  men  behold  with  ad- 
 miration and  efteem  ;    and  that  confcioufnefs 
 which  afifes  from  the  poHeflion  of  both,  gives 
 a  fatisfadion  that  nothing  elfe  can  introduce^ 
 infpires  the  heart  with  an  hqmble,  chearful 
 confidence  in  God,  and  ftrengthens  that  lively 
 hope  in   his   mercy  through    Chrift,    which 
 nothing  can  difappoint,  and  which  unlefs  fup- 
 
 ported 
 
Serm.  2.      A  View  of  ChHftan  Morality,  ye 
 
 ported  by  this  Aire  foundation,  is  in  reality 
 ijothing  better  than  prefumption  and  vanity. 
 This  is  the  charadler  I  would  wi(h  myfelt  to 
 be  found  in  living  and  dying,  and  into  which 
 I  earneflly  pray  I  may  be  inftrumental  under 
 God  to  form  every  one  of  you.  Then  (hould 
 I  fulfil  that  miniftry  vvrhich  I  have  received  of 
 the  Lord,  and  rejoice  oyer  and  with  you  in  the 
 <jay  of  Chrifl, 
 
 SERMON 
 
(    76    ) 
 
 SERMON     III. 
 
 The  Excellency  of  the  Chriftian  Dodrine, 
 
 John    vii.    4.6. 
 
 ^je   Officers  faid  :   Never  man  fpake 
 like  this  mait. 
 
 HAVING  thus  fhewn  you  what  the 
 dodirine  of  our  bleiled  Lord  was, 
 both  with  refped  to  religion  and  morality, 
 1  now  come  to  {hew  you  in  fome  few  parti- 
 culars, the  peculiar  and  incomparable  excels 
 lency  of  it,  and'  the  circumftances  that  recom- 
 mended the  i|ifl:ru6ions  he  gave,  fo  as  to 
 render  him  a  teacher  fuperior  to  all  others 
 whatfoever. 
 
 I,  There  isan  apparent  dignity  and  import'^- 
 ance  throughout  the  whole  of  our  bkfled 
 Saviour's  doiflrine,  nothing  mean  and  low,  and 
 unbecoming  the  charadler  of  one  infpired  and 
 cojnmiffioned  by  God.  'Tis  not  to  be  thought 
 that  the  bleffed  God  iTiould  fend  an  extraordi- 
 nary meffenger  upon  a  defign  of  little  or  no 
 confequence  to  mankind,  or  that  a  perfon  un- 
 der the  infpiration  of  the  fpirit  of  wifdom 
 fhould  deliver  things  trivial,  or  defervedly  fub- 
 
Serm.  3.    Excellency  of  the  Chrijlian  Do^rini.     77 
 
 je6;  to  ridicule  and  contempt,  or  of  no  ufe  to 
 the  real  intereft  and  happinefs  of  the  world. 
 Had  there  been  any  thing  of  this,  it  would 
 have  been  a  juft  exception  againfl  our  Saviour's 
 charader,  and  have  given  room  for  fome  un- 
 favourable fufpicions  concerning  him.  But 
 of  this  there  is  not  the  leaft  appearance.  And 
 this  is  the  more  remarkable,  in  that  the  JewiJJj 
 teachers  entertained  their  hearers  with  fubjed:s 
 extremely  contemptible,  of  no  worth  in  them- 
 felves,  and  that  conveyed  no  true  wifdom,  no 
 profitable  inftrudion  to  thofe  who  attended 
 on  them.  They  were  dextrous  in  explaining 
 their  oral  traditionsy,  they  could  define  the 
 length  and  breadth  of  their  phyladeries,  they 
 were  great  adepts  in  the  forms  and  manners  of 
 external  ceremonies,  and  they  knew  how,  upon 
 occafion,  to  explain  away  or  foften  down  to 
 their  paffions  and  inclinations,  a  divine  com- 
 mand. And  upon  this  foundation  they  partly 
 raifed  their  reputation  for  learning  and  know- 
 ledge amongft  the  people;  whilft  at  the  fame 
 time  they  were  in  reality  a  fet  of  ignorant, 
 prejudiced,  bigotted  wretches,  Vv'ho  had  little 
 true  knowledge,  and  needed,  in  the  moft  im- 
 portant fubjeds,  to  be  inftruded  as  much  as 
 the  meanefl  of  the  people.  Their  true  charac- 
 ter was  that  given  of  them  by  our  Lord,  blind 
 leaders  of  the  blind.  How  different  was  the 
 condud  of  Chrift  ?  Though  he  treated  the 
 Jaw  of  Mofes,  as  a  revelation  from  God,  w  ith 
 the  refped  it  deferved,  obeyed  ithimklf  and 
 excufed  none  from  the  oblervance  of  it,  whilfl 
 the  obligation  of  it   remained   in  lull  iorce; 
 
78     Excellency  of  the  Chriflian  Do^rine.     Serm.  3. 
 
 yet  we  never  once  find  him  extolling  the  ex- 
 cellency, or  rigidly  enforcing  the  pradice  of 
 any  kind  of  ceremonies  whatlbever,  or  ever 
 entertaining  his  difciples  and  hearers  with  ufe* 
 lefs  and  unprofitable  fubjedts;  but  always  in- 
 filling on  fuch  as  were  of  native,  fubftantial 
 and  immutable  worth.  And  though  he  of* 
 ten  times  grounded  his  inftnj<ftions  upon  the 
 moft  common  and  ordinary  occurrences,  and 
 drew  his  fimilitudes  from  the  mofl  familiar 
 objeds,  yet  in  the  application  of  them  he  ever 
 maintained  a  proper  decency,  never  fiink  into 
 extravagancies,  nor  by  his  own  ufe  of  them 
 ever  gave  occauon  to  thofe  minute  and  low 
 inferences  that  have  been  fometimes  drawn 
 from  them  by  men  of  fertile,  but  low  imagi- 
 nations. No.  The  fubje€ls  on  which  he  in- 
 fifted  were  the  nobleft  and  moft  exalted,  and 
 in  comparifon  of  which,  all  other  parts  of 
 fcience  are  unprofitable  and  vain.  Our  bleflcd 
 Lord  himfelf  gives  the  true  account  of  the 
 nature  of  his  own  do<fbrine:  The  icords  that  1 
 Jpeak  to  yoii^  they  are  fpirit  and  they  are  life -^^ 
 they  relate  to  things  of  a  divine  and  fpiritual 
 nature,  and  when  received  and  believed  they 
 have  a  power  and  efficacy  to  reftore  men  to 
 a  fpiritual  life,  and  to  prepare  and  fit  them  for 
 life  eternal.  The  authority  of  God,  his  great 
 love  to  mankind  in  fending  his  Son  into  the 
 world,  not  to  condemn  it,  but  that  the  world 
 through  him  might  be  faved,  the  nature  of 
 religion,  the  obligations  to  obedience  and  duty, 
 
 •j-  John  vi.  t^, 
 
 the 
 
Serm.  3.    Excellency  of  the  Chrijlinn  Bo5ir'ine.     *j^ 
 
 the  refurre<ftion  to  life,  the  univerfal  judgment 
 and  the  confequent  events  of  everlafting  life 
 and  death,  the  end  and  defign  of  his  own 
 miffion,  his  own  fufferings  and  death  for  man- 
 kind, and  the  glory  that  ihould  follow ;  thefe, 
 and  others  relating  to  them  and  connedted 
 with  them,  were  the  great  articles  in  which 
 he  inftru<fted  his  hearers,  and  to  the  knowledge 
 and  belief  of  which  he  called  them. 
 
 2.  And  as  thefe  were  fubjeds  of  the  utmoft 
 importance  in  themfelves,  fo  the  manner  in 
 which  he  taught  them  was  anfwerabk,  fuch 
 as  became  a  teacher  fent  from  God.  'Tis  ob- 
 ferved  by  theEvangelift,  after  the  accountgivea 
 us  of  the  fermon  on  the  mount,  that  when 
 yejiis  had  ended  tljefeJayingSy  the  people  ivcre  sfio- 
 ntjhed  at  his  dodlrine;  for  he  taught  them  as  ofie 
 having  authority ^  and  not  as  the  Scribes  *.  Thefe, 
 when  they  inftru(fted  others  in  the  moft  hon- 
 ourable and  ufeful  fubjedls,  were  only  ex- 
 pounders of  the  Law  and  Prophets,  and  as  to 
 thefe,  they  were  neither  to  add  nor  diminish. 
 But  our  blefled  Mafter  taught  with  a  majtfly 
 becoming  a  divine  lawgiver^  and  as  one  who 
 knew  the  inftrucflions  that  he  delivered  were 
 by  immediate  order  and  commiffion  from  God 
 his  Father,  and  that  he  had  fullnefs  of  power 
 conferred  on  him  to  deliver  the  do(5lrines  of 
 the  kingdom  of  God.  His  language  was 
 commanding  and  authoritative:  I  Jay  unto 
 you.  Whether  the  laws  of  Mof^s  were  to  be 
 undcrflood  in  the  confined  ienfe  of  the  letter 
 
 •  Mat  vii.  23 — 29.  , 
 
8o     Excellency  of  the  Chrifiian  'D:Elrlne.      Serm.  3.; 
 
 of  them,  or  whether  the  literal  fenfein  which 
 the  Scribes  explained  them  was  contrary  to  the 
 fpirit  and  intention  of  them,  our  Lord  over- 
 ruled both,  and  though  this  and  the  other 
 was  faid  by  them  of  old  time,  he  commanded 
 a  more  fpiritual  law,  and  extended  the  obliga- 
 tion of  it  to  the  heart  and  confcience,  under 
 the  moft  awful  fanftions,  as  men  valued  their 
 falvation,  and  would  efeape  the  condemnation 
 of  the  life  to  comes  hereby  affuming  an  ex- 
 traordinary power,  and  acting  as  one  who 
 knew  his  warrant  to  be  immediately  from  God. 
 This  was  what  the  people  had  never  been  ac- 
 cuftomed  to,  and  which  juftly  made  them 
 wonder  at  the  manner  of  his  teaching,  as  they 
 did  at  the  miraculous  works  which  he  per- 
 formed.    And  this  is 
 
 3.  Another  confideratlon,  that  fliews  the 
 peculiar  excellency,  and  the  fuperior^y^^/z/Zyof 
 our  Lord's  manner  of  indrudtion,  viz.  the  ex» 
 iraord'mary  method  by  which  he  confirmed  his 
 dodtrine  by  fuch  miraculous  ivorksy  as  evidently 
 dcnipnilrated  that  he  really  adted  in  the  name 
 and  by  the  power  of  his  Father.  Amongil: 
 other  things  in  which  the  Jews  themfelves  al- 
 low the  fecond  temple  to  be  interior  in  glory- 
 to  the  firft,  one  is,  that  it  wanted  the  fpirit  of 
 prophecy^  and  the  extraordinary  power  of  doing 
 miracles,  both  which  had  ceafed  for  many 
 ages,  and  which  they  expelled  would  be  re- 
 vived upon  the  appearance  of  the  great  pro- 
 phet or  Mefliah.  And  therefore  in  contro- 
 verfies  of  a  difficult  nature,  they  ufed  to 
 refer  the  determination  of  it,-  'till  the  prophet, 
 
 the 
 
Serm.  3.     Excellency  of  the  Chriftian  Do^rine.    8r 
 
 thQ  faithful  prophet  fhould  come.     To  which 
 unqucftionably  that  of  Luke  refers,  the  people 
 glorfed   Gody  faying    that   a  great  prophet   is 
 rijen  up  amcngfi  iis^  and  that  God  haih  vf  ted  his 
 people.     This  gift  of  prophecy   they  expected 
 fhould  be  reilored  under  the  Meiliah.     And 
 this  was  their  common  and  national  hope.  KvA 
 therefore  when  John  the  Eaptijt,  who  leems  to 
 have  expeded  a  temporal  JVleffiah,  and  tohavvi 
 been  difappointed  that  Jefus    did  not  take  the 
 kingdom,  and  deliver  him    out  of  the  priion 
 in  which  Herod  had   thrown  him,  I  fay  when 
 "^ohnfent  to  pur  .Lordtiuo  of  his  aijclples  to  enquire 
 of  hirnf  Art  thou  he  that  jhoidd  come^  or  do  we 
 look  J  or  another^  "^  Jefus  returned  no  other  an-  . 
 fwer   to   him  by   the  meflengers  but  this  :  Go 
 again  and  few  John  thofe  things  which  ye  do  hear 
 and  fee'.  'The   blind  receive  their  fight  ^  the  lame 
 walk  J  the  lepers  are  cleanfed,  and  the  deaf  hear, 
 the  dead  are  raifed  iip^    and  the  poor  have  the 
 gofpel preached  to  them  J  and  blefed  is  he,  whcfo^ 
 ever  J  hall  not  he  offended  in  me -,  well  knowing, 
 that  fohn   knew  how  to  draw  the  proper  in- 
 ference, and  cautioning  him  at  the  fame  time 
 not  to  be  offended  in  him,  not  to  renounce  him 
 a*s  the  MeiTiah,  becaufe   he  did  not  fet  up  for 
 a  temporal  prince  and  favicur.     And    when 
 the   people  heard  his   dodtrine,  and   faw  his 
 works,  they  cried   out':  Do  the   rulers  know 
 indeed  that  this  is  the  very  Chrift  ?  when  Chri/l 
 Cometh y .  will  he  do  more  miracles  than  thefe,  which 
 this  ?nan  hath  donet  |1  Thefe  were  the  charac-; 
 
 *  Mat.  xi.  3 — 5.  II  John  vil,  zC — 31. 
 
 Vol.  I.  G  terifticks. 
 
82     Excelkney  of  thi  Chrijltan  DsSJrine.    Scrm.  3* 
 
 teriflicks,  by  which  he  was  to  be  efpecially 
 known  and  diftinguifhed,  his  doftrine  and  his 
 miracles;  the  latter  to   confirm  and  eftablifli 
 the  former.  Both  thefe  were  united  in  Chrift, 
 and  as  his  dodtrine  was  the  moft  excellent  in 
 its  nature,  his  works  were  the  moft  extraordi- 
 nary, and  the  inference  of  Nicodemus  is  unque- 
 ftionably  true :  Rabbi,  we  know  thou  art  a  teacher 
 come  from  Gody  for  no  man  can  do  thofe  miracles 
 that  thou  doe  ft,  except  God  be  with  him^.     In 
 which  words  Nicodemus  exprefsly  declares  the 
 miracles  of  Chrift  to  be  fuch,  as  could  not  be 
 done,    but  by  the  immediate  affiftance  and 
 prefence  of  God  himfelf.     And  this  was  the 
 dodrine  of  our  blefled  Lord,  who  exprefsly 
 afcribes  the  miracles  he  did  to  his  Father's  effi- 
 cacy and  all  powerful  operation.  Verily,  verily y 
 I  fay  unto  you,  the  Son  can  do  nothing  of  himfelf, 
 but  what  he  feeth  the  Father  do  -f- ;  nothing  but 
 what  is  agreeable  to  his  Father's  purpofe,  and 
 what  he  hath  received  a  commiftion  from  him 
 to  do.     For  whatfoever  he  doeth,   thofe  things 
 he  alfo  doeth,  viz.  the  Father  himfelf  adling  in 
 and  by  him.     For  the  Father  loveth  the  Son,  and 
 fiews  him  all  the  things  which  he  himfelf  doth; 
 hath  given  him  power  and  authority  to  do  his 
 works,   and  to  manage  all  things  relating  to 
 his  kingdom  in   the  world,  and  the  final  ac- 
 compliftiment  of  the  redemption  of  his  peo- 
 ple.    And  therefore  he  draws  this  inference  : 
 The  works  which  the  Father  hath  given  me  tojinijh^ 
 the  fame  works  that  I  do,  bear  witncfs  of  me,  that 
 
 •  John  iii,  t,  f  v.  19—20, 
 
 the 
 
Serm.  ^.     Excellency  of  the  Chrijlta?t  Bo^rine.     85 
 
 the  Father  hathfent  me%.  They  are  full  proof 
 that  I  ad:  by  a  real  commiffion  from  him,  and 
 that  the  dodrine  I  deliver  in  his  name  is  agree- 
 able to  his  Vv^ill.  'Tis  but  a  low  ufe,  that 
 fome  perfons  make  of  the  miracles  of  Chrift, 
 who  argue  that  the  only  defign  of  them  was, 
 to  awaken  and  excite  the  attention  of  tho^e  to 
 whom  he  preached,  and  not  to  /rciv  the  truth 
 of  his  dodrine.  But  this  is  contrary  to  the 
 cxprefs  affertion  of  our  blefled  Lord,  who  ap- 
 peals to  his  miracles  as  fubftantial  dec:^>ve 
 proofs  of  his  million  from  God,  and  the  cc.i- 
 fequent  truth  and  certainty  of  what  he  taught 
 in  his  name.  Tihe  ivorks  that  I  do  in  my  Fa- 
 ther s  name ,  they  hear  wit nefs  of  me-f.  If  I  work 
 7Jot  the  works  of  my  Father  believe  me  not  || .  But  if 
 1  do,  though  ye  believe  not  me^  viz.  upon  my 
 teflimony  of  myfelf,  believe  the  works,  that  ye 
 may  know  and  believe,  that  the  Father  is  in  me, 
 and  I  in  him  §.  This  is  fuch  a  demonllration  of 
 his  ading  in  and  by  me,  as  is  greater  than  all 
 exception,  and  as  renders  their  unbelief  ex- 
 ceeding irrational  and  criminal. 
 
 And  this  appeal  and  method  of  arguing  is 
 juft  in  itfelf.  For  as  nothing  is  a  more  authen- 
 tick  proof  of  the  truth  of  any  thing  than  the 
 teftimony  of  God  concerning  it,  fo  no  tefli- 
 mony can  be  more  authentick,  than  that  which 
 he  gives  by  beftowing  the  power  of  working; 
 miracles.  For  if  any  man  doth  thofe  work?, 
 which  no  man  can  do,  except  God  be  with 
 him,  and  doth  them  in  confirmation  of  his 
 
 t  John  V.  36.         t  X.  25.        II  V.  37.        §  X.  38. 
 
 G  2  divine 
 
84     Eiccellency  of  the  Chrifdan  I)o5irine.      Serm.  ^. 
 
 divine  authority  to  inftrudi:  men  in  the  truths, 
 and  teach  them  the  dod:rincs  relating  to  his 
 kingdom ;  then  God  hinifelf  immediately 
 interpofes  to  eflablilli  the  divine  authority 
 claimed,  and  the  truth  of  the  doctrines  taught 
 by  virtue  of  fuch  claim;  acfiions  carrying  in 
 them  as  ftrong  a  kind  of  proofs,  as  any  words 
 whatfoever.  And  though  the  nature  of  the 
 proof  arifing  from  teftimony  be  different  from 
 that  which  arifes  from  demonJiratio?2f  or  the 
 perception  of  the  agreement  between  the  feve- 
 ral  ideas,  of  which  the  truth  or  dodrine  con- 
 fifls;  yet  as  the  knowledge  of  God  is  infinite, 
 as  he  cannot  deceive  others,  nor  be  in  the  leaft 
 meafure  miflaken  or  deceived  himfelf,  the 
 proof  that  arifes  from  his  teftimony  is  as  real, 
 fubftantial  and  fatisfadory,  as  that  which  is 
 founded  upon  the  ftridteft  demonftration  that 
 can  poffibly  be  given.  And  when  any  doc- 
 trines have  both  thefe  kinds  of  proofs,  that  of 
 divine  teftimony,  and  that  which  flows  from 
 the  nature  of  the  thing  itfelf,  as  is  the  cafe  of 
 many  of  the  dodrines  of  chriftianity,  they  are 
 then  eftabliihed  upon  the  fureft  foundation, 
 and  our  faith  in  them  is  confirmed  by  the  moft 
 fubfi:antial  and  undeniable  evidence  that  can 
 attend  them.  And  'tis  this  confideratlon,  that 
 gives  a  fuperior  efficacy  and  authority  to  the 
 religion  of  Chrift,  not  only  \\\q  intrinjick  gcod^ 
 nefs  and  rcafonablenefs  of  the  principles  and 
 precepts  of  which  it  confifts,  but  that  mlracu^ 
 lous  proof  by  which  God  enabled  him  to  con- 
 firm it,  in  the  power  he  exercifed  over  evil  and 
 impure  fpirits,  over  all  the  diieaies  of  human 
 
 nature 
 
S«rm.  ^.     Excellency  sf  the  Chrijlian  Do^ine,    8-5 
 
 nature,  over  the  winds  and  waves  of  tlie  Tea, 
 in  creating  bread  for  the  hungry,  and  railing 
 the  dead  j  and,  in  a  word,  by  his  commanding 
 the  animate  and  inanimate  creation,  and  their 
 inflantly  obeying  his  voice,  and  producing  the 
 efFecSs  he  commanded  them.  The  numerous 
 miracles  that  he  did,  the  extraordinary  nature 
 of  them,  and  that  power  of  doing  them  which 
 conllantly  refided  in  him,  demonll:rated,  that 
 as  their  was  no  fallacy  or  collufion  in  the  works 
 themfelves,  they  were  in  truth  the  works  of 
 the  Father,  and  his  authentick  feal  to  the  truth 
 of  his  miffion  and  dodrine,  in  and  by  whom 
 the  Father  performed  them. 
 
 4.   'Tisalfo farther  obfervable,  that  he  taught 
 in  the  mod  open  and publick  manner,  and  with 
 fuch     a    boldjiefs  and  courage,   as    abundantly 
 fhewed  the  confcious  integrity  of  his  own  heart, 
 and  iht fidl  ajjiirance  that  he  had,    that  the  re- 
 ligion he  taught,  and  what  he  affirmedof  him- • 
 felf,   were  the  certain  truths  of  God  his  Fa- 
 ther.    Defigning  and  artful  impoftors  fet  out 
 warily  and  with  great  caution  and  circumfpec- 
 tion,  looking  out  for  proper  perfons  on  whom 
 they  may  firft  prad:ice,  and  artfully  feduce  to 
 countenance  and  favour  their  pretenfionsj  go- 
 ing on   gradually    and  covercly,   before    they 
 proclaim  their  intentions  to  mankind.     Not 
 thus  our  blefled  Lord.     As  he  declared  him  felf 
 the  light  of  the  world,  he  fhed  the  beams  of  his 
 heavenly  truth  every  were  around  him,  taught 
 in  the  m.oft  publick  places,  amidfl  the  greatefl 
 concourfe  of   people,  and    before  thofe  who 
 were  in  reputation   for  the  wifeft  and  mbfl: 
 G  3  learned 
 
85    Excellency  of  the  Chrijlian  Do5lrine.     Scrm.  3. 
 
 learned  of  the  nation.  The  fermon  on  the 
 mount  was  a  fermon  to  a  multitude,  as  were 
 many  other  of  the  difcourfes  which  he  deli- 
 vered- We  find  him  at  the  (o\fttnn  Jeftivah^ 
 at  yeriifalem^  and  in  the  te?npl€^  teaching  the 
 mod  nimicrous  audiences.  Frequent  were  his 
 conferences  with  the  Priefts,  the  Scribes  and 
 Pharifees,  anfwering  their  qu^ftions,  correct- 
 ing their  errors,  filencing  their  ignorance  and 
 mahce,  reproving  their  hypocrify,  and  exhort- 
 ing them  to  repentance.  He  omitted  no  op- 
 portunity of  conveying  inftruiftion,  in  publick 
 or  private,  to  rich  or  poor,  to  the  learned  and 
 unlearned,  and  wanted  no  other  qualification 
 in  his  hearers,  but  afincere  love  of  truth,  and 
 an  honefl:  difpofition  tq  receive  the  dodrine  of 
 the  kingdom  of  God.  And  this  publick  man-? 
 ncrof  his  giving  inftrudtiqn  was  fo  well  known 
 ^nd  notorious  a  thing,  as  that  th?  chief  Priefts 
 and  Pharifees  themlelves  declared ;  If  we  Jet 
 him  alone  all  men  will  believe  on  him^  perceive  ye^ 
 how  ye  prevail  nothing'^  "^  Behold  the  world  is 
 gone  after  him  J.  And  when  he  was  appre- 
 4iended  under  the  condu(ft  of  the  traytor  difr 
 ciple,  he  faid  to  the  multitude:  Are  ye  come 
 out  as  againft  a  thief  with  fwords  and  Jlaves  for 
 to  take  me  ?  I  fat  daily  with  you  teaching  in  the 
 temple i  and  ye  laid  no  hold  on  me  -f*.  And 
 when  the  high  prieft  ail^ed  him  of  his  difci- 
 ples  and  of  his  do(ftrine,  our  Lord  anfwered 
 him :  I  f poke  openly  to  the  world,  I  ever  taught 
 in    the  fynagogue,  and  in  the  temple^    whither 
 
 •  John  xi.  48.  \  xii.  19.  f  Mat.  xxvi.  55. 
 
 tU 
 
Serm.  3.     Excellency  of  the  Chrijlian  Da^rine.    87 
 
 the  yews  always  refort,  and  in  fecret  have  I  faid 
 nothing^. 
 
 Truth  needs   no  concealment,  and  ufeful 
 truth  ought  never  to  be  concealed.     Truth  is 
 bold  and  free,  never  willingly  flies  into  eor^ 
 ners,  and  hath  no  reafon  to  I'ecrete  itfelf  from 
 the  obfervance  of  mankind,  or  to  appear  with 
 caution  and  referve,  or  to  difguife  itfelf  by  the 
 low  arts  of  cunning  and  diffimulation.     And 
 the  whole  conduct  of  our  bleffed  Saviour,  in 
 the   publication  of  his  do<5trine,    fiiews   the 
 greatefl:  coiiCiour  and  integrity,  his  being  abfo- 
 lutely  without  tear  of  being  convided  of  falf-- 
 hood  and  contradi<flion,  and  the  full  certainty 
 of  his  mind  as  to  the  truth  of  what  he  taught, 
 and   of  its   being   indeed  the  word  of  God; 
 becaufe  he  taught  it  before  all  ranks  and  de-^ 
 grees  of  men,  and  fubmitted  it   to  the  moll 
 fevere  examination  of  friends  and  enemies,   of 
 fcripture  and  of  reafon ;  agreeable  to  what  he 
 himfelf  declares :  WefpeakwhaiweknoWy  and 
 tefiify  that  we  have feeti^.     As  my  Father ^haih 
 taught  me  I  f peak  thefe  things*.  What  he  hath 
 feen  and  heard  that  he  tejiifieth,  fcr  be  whom  God 
 bathfent^  fpeaketh  the  words  of  Godt*     But 
 
 5.  Though  his  manner  of  inftrucftion  was 
 publicky  yet  he  manifefted  at  the  fame  time 
 \k\2X  fubmijjion  and  humility ^  and  that  regard  to 
 his  Father  s  glory y  that  concern  to  promote  his 
 moral  government  and  kingdom,  and  that  ab- 
 folute  difjntereftednefs  as  demonftrated,  that 
 the  open  bold  manner  of  inftrudion  which 
 
 §  John  yviii,  20.       ||  iii.  11.       •  viii.  ?8.       %  "»  33 — 34. 
 
 G  A  he 
 
88     Excellency  of  the' Chrijiian  Bo^frme.     Serm.  3. 
 
 he  made  ufe  of,  was  not  the  didate  of  felf- 
 fufficiency,  vain  glory,  arrogance  of  fpirit,  or 
 any   other    corrupt    and  criminal   dilpofition, 
 which  impollors  never  fail  to  difcover,  and  by 
 which  fooner  or  later  it  betrays  itfelf,   and  the 
 fahhood  of  the  caufe  in    which   it  engages. 
 There     is     nothing     appears   more   evident, 
 throughout  our  bleffed  Saviour's  life  and  in- 
 liruCtion,    than  that   his    whole  aim   was  to 
 do    liimfelf  the   will   of  God,    and   to  pro- 
 mote obedience  to  it   amongfr  others.     The 
 miracles  he  performed  he  refers  to  him,  as  the 
 great  original  of  them.     T^he  Son  can  do  nothing 
 of  hinifelf\  but  what  he  fees  the  Father  do-f.   The 
 dojflrines  he  taught  he  expreffly  declares  that 
 he  received  them  from  him.     T^he  words  that 
 Ifpeaky  Ifpeak  not  of  inyfelf^  \  giving  hereby 
 the  mod  fubllantial  proof  that  the  glorifying 
 bis  Father  was  his  high  ambition,  and  that  he 
 preferred  this  to  all  perfonal  confiderations  of 
 applaufe  and  worldly  advantages  whatfoever. 
 J  feck  not  my  own  glory  J.    He  that /peaks  of  him- 
 felf  Jeeketh  his  own  glory -^  but  he  that  feeketh  his 
 glory  that  fent  him^   the  fame  is  true,  and  there  is 
 no  unrighteoifnefs  i?i  him^.    Though  he  had 
 many  opportunites  tQ  have   fet  up  for  a  tem- 
 poral Meiliah  and  prince,  and  from  what  they 
 had  feen  of  his  miraculous  works,  might  have 
 had  the  whole  body  of  the  nation  to  favour  his 
 pretcnfionsi    infomuch  that  the  chief  Priefts 
 and  Pharifees,    met  in  council,   made  this  a 
 pretence  to  deftroy  him:  If  we  let  him  thus 
 
 •{■  Johav.  19.        §  xiv.  10.       %  vi,ii.  50.       *  vii.  18. 
 
 aloney 
 
Serm.  3.     Excellency  of  the  Chrijlian  Do^rine.     89 
 
 alone,  all  men  will  believe  on  him^  and  the  Romans 
 will  comey  and  take  away  both  our  place  and  na- 
 tion II  i  yet  he  diicouraged  every  attempt,  and 
 avoided  every  occafion  of  this  nariwi^;  and 
 though  he  owned  himfelf  the  Me/jiah^  yet  to 
 his  diiciples  he  talked  of  his  being  reproach'd, 
 betray'dj  fuffering  and  dying,  told  the  mul- 
 titude, that  he  would  indeed  draw  all  men  to 
 him,  but  not  by  arms,  and  ccnquefl:  and  vic- 
 tory ;  but  if  7^6"  lifted  up  from  the  Earthy  i  e. 
 as  the  Jews  underflood  him,  if  I  am  lift  up 
 upon  the  crofs  and  crucified,  I  will  thus  draw 
 all  men  to  me  -)-,  or  bring  forth  Jews  and  Gen- 
 tiles to  become  by  difciples,  by  the  dodtrine 
 of  Salvation,  through  a  crucified  Meffiah  and 
 Saviour.  So  that  in  this  divine  inilrudor,  au- 
 thority was  mixed  with  fubmiffion,  the  free- 
 dom of  his  fpirit  was  tempered  with  humility; 
 he  taught  in  publick,  but  courted  no  publick 
 applaufe,  delivered  his  dodrine  with  a  bold- 
 nefs  that  became  his  character  as  a  meOenger 
 of  God,  and  yet  with  that  deference  to  hrs 
 Father's  honour,  that  was  fuited  to  the  com- 
 miffion  he  had  received  from  him.  He  claimed 
 the  reception  and  reverence  of  mankind  a? 
 his  due,  yet  patiently  endured  the  contempt 
 they  (lie wed  him,  the  oppofition  and  contra- 
 didtion  they  gave  him,  and  the  injurious, 
 malicious  and  cruel  treatment  he  met  with 
 from  them. 
 
 And  how  peculiar  is  the  glory  cf  cur  blefied 
 Saviour  on  this  account,  and  how  greatly  dotk 
 
 II  Joha  xi.  48,  f  xii.  32. 
 
90     Excellency  of  the  Chrijiian  BoSfrine.     Serm.  ^2 
 
 be  excell  all  other  law-givers  and  inftrudtors 
 that  ever  appeared  in  the  world.     Mofes  com- 
 manded the    Ifraelites  a  lawy  even  the  inheri- 
 tance of  the  congregation  of  Jacob.     But  he  was 
 King  in  fefiuruny  vihtn  the  heads  of  the  people 
 and  the  tribes  of  Ifrael  were  gathered  together  -j-. 
 He  was  both  their  law-giver  and  their  tem- 
 poral prince.     The  Legiflators  alfo  amongft 
 the  nations,  Lycurgus,  Solon^  Numay  and  others, 
 were  the  governors  of  thofe  whofe  polity  they 
 fettled,  and  reaped  themfelves  the  immediate 
 advantage  of  their  own  laws,    l^h^ philofophers 
 of  the  Gent'les  generally  taught  for  price,  and 
 made  their  market  of  the  inftrudions  they 
 gave  to   others.     The  Scribes  and  Pharifees 
 were  intent  upon  nothing  fo  much  as  lucre,  and 
 fought  more  the praife  of  men,  than  the  praife 
 that  comes  from  God.     The  Mahometan  im- 
 pofture  was   intirely  calculated   iur  the  im- 
 poftor's  grandeur,  wealth,  and  pleafure,  and  to 
 raife   and  eflablifli  a  worldly  dominion   and 
 kingdom.     But  in  our  Saviour's  do(5lrine  there 
 is  not  the  leaft  appearance  of  fuch  a  fpirit, 
 nothing  lucrative  or  felfifh,  he  gained  no  one 
 worldly  advantage  as  a  teacher  of  mankind, 
 but  chearfuUy  fubmitted  to  the  preaching  fuch 
 ^dodlrine,  as  he  knevv  would  be  difagreeable 
 to  his  whole  nation,  and  excite  the  hatred  and 
 indignation    of   both    governors  and  people 
 againft  himfelf. 
 
 6.   Confider  farther  the    abfolute  unmixed 
 purity  of  his  dodtrine,  and  its  freedom  from 
 
 f  Dcut,  xjcxiii.  4— 'S* 
 
 every 
 
Serm.  3.     Excellency  of  the  Chrijiian  Do^rine.     91 
 
 every  moral  taint  and  blemifli,  and  the  incom- 
 parable dignity  and  excellency  of  it  will  abun- 
 dantly appear.  Our  Lord  himfelf  gave  a  fure 
 fule  how  to  difcover  the  impoflure  of  falfe 
 teachers.  Beivare  of  falje  prophets,  ivhich  come 
 to  you  infiecfs  cloathing,  but  inwardly  they  are 
 rf'V^ning  wohes.  Te  Jhall  know  them  by  their 
 fruits  J.  A  goci  tree  cannot  bring  forth  evil 
 fruit,  neither  can  a  corrupt  tree  bring  forth  good 
 fruit  -f*.  It  is  impoffible,  but  rhat  a  do(ftrine 
 whiph  comes  from  God  muft  be  god-like, 
 and  worthy  of  God.  It  will  bear  the  evident 
 marks  and  fignatures  of  his  re(5titude  and  pu- 
 rity ;  and  one  precept  and  allowance  of  what 
 is  intrinfically  evil,  any  prefcribed  methods  of 
 abfolving  men  from  any  religious  or  moraj  dur 
 ties,  would  fufjif'^ently  difcover  fuch  a  teacher 
 to  have  no  divine  commiflion,  ^nd  the  do(flrino 
 that  he  taught  to  Tiave  no  original  from  God. 
 In  this  article  the  dodrjne  of  Chrift  is  bevond 
 all  poffible  exception,  as  it  breathes  in  every 
 part  of  it  the  moft  eminent  and  diftinguifhed 
 fandlity  and  pqrity,  and  is  worthy  to  be  pro- 
 nounced by  God  himfelf,  as  the  jmme-r 
 diate  tendency  of  it  is  to  render  men  parta- 
 kers of  a  divine  nature,  end  form  them  into  the 
 nioft  perfedt  refemblance  to  God  in  knowledge, 
 righteoufnefs  and  true  holinefs.  O  ir  blelfed 
 Lord  lived  in  the  midft  of  a  very  corrupt  and 
 profligate  age  and  nation,  and  tajght  at  a 
 feafon  when  the  fentiments  th^t  men  had 
 formed  of  God  were  extremely  falfe  and  dif- 
 
 X  Mat.  vU.  16.  t  vii.  18. 
 
 {honourable. 
 
gz     Excellency  of  the  Chrijlian  Bo^rine.     Serm.  3; 
 
 honourable,  when  religion  had  dwindled  into 
 mere  ceremony  and  fuperftition,  and  when 
 the  publick  teachers  and  inftruclors  of  the 
 nation  were  not  only  exceeding  profligate 
 themfelves,  but  taught  others  how  to  be  vile 
 and  wicked,  under  the  very  pretence  of  piety 
 and  devotion  to  God.  Worldly  policy  and 
 carnal  wifdom  would  have  taught  our  Sa- 
 viour, had  he  been  difpofed  to  liften  to  it, 
 not  to  irritate  fo  powerful  a  body  of  men 
 againll  himfelf,  by  diredly  oppofing  their 
 maxims  and  pradlices  5  but  to  have  taught  a 
 religion  pliable  and  yielding  to  the  paffions  and 
 inclinations  of  men,  to  have  adapted  it  at  leaft 
 to  the  prevailing  prejudices,  manners  and  vices 
 of  the  times  in  which  he  lived,  and  to  have  fo 
 qualified  and  formed  it,  as  to  have  fecured  the 
 countenance,  favour  and  protedion  of  the 
 rich  and  great,  and  flattered  their  hopes  and 
 expeftations,  without  giving  them  too  much 
 trouble,  and  burthening  them  with  too  great 
 rigour  and  feverity  of  precept  and  difcipline. 
 I  fay  worldly  prudence  and  intereilwould  have 
 directed  our  blefled  Lord  to  have  formed  fuch 
 a  fcheme  of  religion,  as  the  mofl:  likely  one 
 to  fucceed,  and  fecure  his  own  advantage.  But 
 inftead  of  this  he  introduces  a  religion,  and 
 publickly  preaches  a  dodtrine,  in  dire<5l  oppo- 
 lition  to  all  the  prevailing  caftoms  of  the  times 
 he  lived  in,  that  bid  detiance  to  every  vice  of 
 human  nature,  that  allowed  no  quarter  to 
 criminal  affections,  finful  inclinations,  or  to 
 any  contracfted  habits  of  wickednefs  ;  nor  any 
 cojnpofition  for  any  of  the   favourite  indul- 
 
 gences 
 
Serm.  3-  Excellency  of  the  Chrijlian  Do^rine.  93 
 gences  on  which  finners  are  bent.  Inftead  of 
 this  he  pubHckly  declares,  that  the  very  en- 
 trance into  the  Kingdom  of  God  which  he 
 preached  was  by  repentance,  that  to  all  his  dif- 
 ciples  who  would  enjoy  the  great  bieffings 
 which  he  promifed,  purity  of  heart  was  an 
 indifpenlibie  quahfication.  The  great  ob- 
 je6t  he  propofed  to  mens  imitation,  was  no 
 lefs  than  God  his  heavenly  Father,  and  the 
 meafure  of  attainment  he  prefcribed,  as 
 what  fliould  be  the  objed:  of  our  conftant 
 ambition  and  endeavour,  was  that  we  Ihould 
 be  perfedi  as  our  Father  which  is  in  Heaven  is 
 perfeil.  And  amongft  all  the  numerous  in- 
 ilruclions  that  he  gave,  and  the  various  pre- 
 cepts that  he  delivered,  there  is  flill  one  uni- 
 form defign  purfued  ;  the  recovery  of  men 
 from  ail  the  ruins  of  fin,  and  the  reftoring  them 
 to  the  moral  recftitude  and  original  dignity  of 
 their  natures. 
 
 And  how  high  a  recommendation  is  this  of 
 the  dodlrine  of  the  Son  of  God !  How  truly 
 hath  he  hereby  difcovered  himfelf  to  be  the 
 genuine  image  of  his  heavenly  Father  ! 
 Whatever  comes  from  him  mufl  partake  of 
 his  likenefs.  An  impure  do6lrine,  that  leads 
 to,  and  encourages  fin,  can  never  be  of  his 
 infpiration,  nor  taught  with  his  authority  and 
 leave.  And  though  corrupt  men  want  a  reli- 
 gion, that  is  favourable  to  their  vices,  and 
 will  render  them  eafy  and  {-Ai^  in  their  crimi- 
 nal gratification;  yet  a  religion  thus  fuitcd  to 
 their  tafte,  would  on  this  very  account  difco- 
 ver  itfelf  to  be  a  faidiood  and  impoilurc,  and 
 
 bv 
 
94    Excellency  of  the  Chrijlian  Do^rine.     Serm.3. 
 
 by  its  diffimilitude  and  contrariety  to  his  na- 
 ture, would  carry  its  own  proofs  that  it  had 
 not  its  original  from  God.  And  though  the 
 dodrine  of  Chrift  can  never  be  relifhed  by 
 llien  of  4oofe  difpofitions  and  profligate  lives, 
 and  is  never  likely  to  gain  profelytes  from  per- 
 fons  that  are  at  all  events  determined  to  be 
 vicious,  artd  can  never  be  cordially  embraced 
 by  thofe  who  forni  their  judgment  of  things 
 tinder  the  biafs  of  ilrong  inclinations  and  fen- 
 fual  appetites  ;  yet  to  all  fenfible,  impartial, 
 rational  judgeSj  this  dodrine  of  Chrift  mufl 
 appear  highly  venerable,  worthy  its  claim  of 
 a  divine  original,  and  deferving  all  acceptation, 
 for  this  very  reafon,  its  tendency  to  corredl  all 
 the  moral  errors  of  human  nature,  to  extirpate 
 out  of  our  frame  all  the  feeds  of  vice,  to  rc- 
 flore  us  to  that  noble  iimplicity,  that  intire 
 redlitude,  that  divine  image,  in  which  man 
 was  originally  created,  the  forfeiture  of  which 
 was  the  forfeiture  of  his  honour,  and  the  lofs 
 of  every  thing  that  was  moft  excellent  and  glo- 
 rious in  his  nature.  Here  Chriflianity  triumphs 
 without  a  rival,  throws  out  a  luftre,  that  hath 
 no  fpot  to  obfcure  it,  and  fhews  itfelf  to  be 
 the  favourite  offspring  of  that  God  'who  is  light 
 itfelf,  and  in  ivhcm  there  is  no  darknefs  at  all. 
 
 7.  I  may  add,  as  another  peculiar  character 
 of  the  do6lrine  of  Chrift,  the  compleatnefs  and 
 abfolute  perfeSlion  of  it,  fo  that  'tis  in  nothing 
 defective,  relating  either  to  \X.% principles,  duties, 
 ?notives  and  encouragements.  There  is  not  one 
 fingle  principle,  upon  which  the  knowledge 
 or  practice  of  true  religion  depends,  but  what 
 
 he 
 
Serm.  3.     Excellency  of  the  Chrijiian  Do^rine.     95 
 
 he  taught ;  not  one  worthy  difpofit'wn  of  the 
 rational  mind  but  what  he  recommended,  not 
 one  Tingle  virtue  efl'ential  to  human  nature 
 that  he  did  not  enforce,  nor  any  one  confidcra^ 
 i'lon  of  any  importance,  fuited  to  the  nature  of 
 religion,  and  fit  to  form  the  temper,  and  in- 
 fluence the  condud:  of  mankind,  that  he  did 
 not  hold  up  to  their  view.    He  did  not  indeed 
 derive  his  motives  to  the  fpiritual  worlhip  of 
 God,  to  mens  governing  their  paffions,  and 
 living  foberly,  righteoufly  and  godly  in  the 
 prefent  world,  from  the  fecular  advantages  of 
 riches,  honours  and  pleafures ;  becaufe  thefe 
 too  often  are  inconfijflent  with  the  profperity 
 of  religion  >  nor  did  he  apply  or  recommend 
 the   terrors   of  human   punilhment  to  bring 
 men  to  his  faith,  and   recover  them   from 
 errors  -,  becaufe  fuch  an  application  is  in  its 
 nature  iniproper,  and  not  conducive  to  promote 
 convldiion,  and  that  inward  firm   perfuafioa 
 of  the  heart,  which  alone  is  acceptable  to  and 
 required  by   him.     Bating  all  tliefe  fpurious 
 and  unworthy  motives  to  religion  and  virtue, 
 'tis  impoffible  for  the  imagination  or  reafon  of 
 man  to  find  out  a  fingle  one,  worthy  to  fupport 
 the  caufe  of  piety  and  virtue,  that  his  dodrine 
 doth  not  fuggeft,  that  his  word  doth  not  en- 
 force upon  OUT  confcienccs ;  and  this  without 
 any  mixture  of  falfehood,  fuperftition,  or   a 
 fingle  circumftance,  that  betrays  the  foible  of 
 human  nature,  and  (hews  the  imperfe<5tion  of 
 thefpirit  and  wifdom  that  guided  liim. 
 
 And  this  is  the  more  remarkable,  confider- 
 ing  the  infinite  varieties  of  religion  that  then 
 
 obtain'd 
 
g6     Excellency  of  the  Chrijitan  Do^rine.     Serm.  3. 
 
 obtain'd  in  the  world,  the  grofs   corruptions 
 introduced  into  the  religion  of  the  'jewsj  and 
 the  innumerable  fuperllitions  that  prevailed 
 amongfl  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  and  the 
 contrary  errors   that  were  taught  by  the  wife 
 and  learned  men  of  thofe  times,  who  differed 
 not  more  from  each  other,  than  they  did  from 
 the  truth,  and  who  with  all  their  wifdom,  were 
 never  able  to  form  a  plan  of  rational  religion, 
 or  to  enforce  it  by  thole  motives,  that  alone  are 
 capable  to  give  life  and  power  to  the  moft  ex- 
 cellent principles  and  precepts.     In  the  midft 
 of  all  thefe  corruptions,  thefe  differences  of 
 fentiments,  thefe  innumerable  forms  of  fuper- 
 ftitlon,  our  bleffed  Lord  appears  in  the  world, 
 Avorthythecharai^er  of  the  only  begotten  of  the 
 Father,   /«//  of  grace  and  truth j  and   in  the 
 fhort  miniflry  of  about   three  years,  taught 
 his  difciples,  all  that  v/ere  willing  to  hear  him, 
 fo  perfedt  a  fcheme  of  religion,  as    made  up 
 all  that  was  defedive,  or  mifreprefented  in  the 
 Mcfaick  difpenfation,  and  conducted  men  by 
 an    infallible  clew  tj^rough   all   the  intricate 
 mazes,  that  xht  fuperjlitio-n  of  naiiom,  or  the 
 fubtleties  of  philofophy   had   created,  and    that 
 guided  men   into  thofe  fentiments  and  prac- 
 tices, which  if  they  embrace  and  follow,  are  an 
 abfolute  fecurity  from  the  fedudion  of  error, 
 and  what  generally  attends  It,  the  corruption, 
 and  the  guilt  of  vice.     And  fo  perfed  is  this 
 confdtution,    that  after    the  examination    of 
 m.iny  centuries,  the  flrideft  inquiries  made  inta 
 it  by  friends  and  enemies,  and  the  utmoftgood 
 will  that  hath  been  Hiewa  to  leffen  its  credit, 
 
 and 
 
Serrri.  3.     Excellency  cf  the  Chrijiian  BoBrin^.     (^y 
 
 and  deftrov  its  authority,  to  (liew  its  dodlrines 
 lalib,  or  its  precepts  defedlive  ;  yet  it  flill 
 continue!:  to  triua>ph  over  all  oppofiticn  ;  and 
 thoa<jh  it  Icies  its  held  in  this  ao.e  of  univerial 
 degeneracy,  in  the  ignorant,  unexperienced, 
 unformed,  and  profligate  part  of  mankind, 
 yet  it  prevarls,  and  ever  will  prevail  whilll 
 learning,  candor,  ii-nparliality,  juft  fcntiments 
 of  religion,  a  due  veneration  lor  God,  and  a 
 becoming  concern  for  mens  own  falvation, 
 fhall  continue  to  imprefs  and  inBuence  them. 
 And  the  obJ€(5tions  that  have  hcen  made  to  its 
 particular  doctrines  and  prtcepts,  have  difco- 
 Vercd  little  more  than  the  ignorance  iind  want 
 of  rcadins:  in  thofe  who  have  ure,ed  them,  as 
 they  are  founded  in  millake,  and  are  all  capa- 
 ble of  the  mod  certain  and  convincing  folution. 
 And  therefore  I  farther  add 
 
 8.  As  another  excellency  of  our  blefied 
 Lord's  dodrine*  that  'tis  eternal  and  immutable^ 
 and  can't  alter  with  times  and  circumftances, 
 nor  ever  be  exchanged  for  a  more  excellent 
 and  perfecft  fcheme.  Truth  is  unalterable  ia 
 i^s  nature,  and  arifes  out  of  the  conftitution  of 
 things  themfclves,  and  therefore  can  nevef 
 ceafe  to  be  what  it  is,  nor  alter  from  what  it 
 once  was,  throughout  the  longed  poiTible  luc- 
 ceffion  of  ages.  The  dotfrines  he  taught  can 
 never  lofe  any  thing  of  their  original  certainty, 
 become  precarious,  nor  ever  de8;enerate  into 
 errors  and  falfehoods.  The  t-eligionh^  preached 
 cannot  ever  diminifli  in  its  native  excellency, 
 lellen  in  its  obligation,  fink  into  fu perdition, 
 or  be  exchanged  for  a  more  rational  and  wor- 
 
 Vol.  I.  H  thy 
 
98     t^xcellenCy  (yftheChrifiianDooirine.     Serm.  g. 
 
 thy  inftitution  :  becaufe  Vv^hilft  the  nature  and 
 perfedions  of  God  remain  what  they  are,  and 
 the  relations  in  which  men  ftand  to  him  con- 
 tinue, the  Chriftian  worfliip  mud  bi  the  only 
 genuine  worfliip  of  God,  and  it  is  impoiTible 
 the  oblisations  of  it  can  ever  ceafe.     The  mo- 
 rcility  and  virtue  inculcated  by  Chrift  is  founded 
 in  human  nature,  arifes  out  of  our  make,  and 
 is  the  refult  of  cur  various  conned:ions  with, 
 and  dependencies  on  each  other,  and  therefore 
 can  never  be  fuperfeded  or  abrogated,  or  ex- 
 'changed  for  a  fet  of  new  virtues,  of  greater 
 necellity  and  more  advantage  to  mankind.  The 
 iermi  of  acce^itance  with  God,  as  fettled  by  the 
 dodtrnie  oi  Chrill,  are  fuch  as  are  every  way 
 agreeable  to  the  purity  of  the  divine  nature, 
 the  perfection  of  his  chara(5ter,  and  the  ends 
 of  his  government,  fuch   as  are    rational   in 
 thcmfeives,  and  graciouily  accommodated  ta 
 the  imperfedt  {late  of  men  5  nor  is  it  poflible 
 to  conceive  that  the  favour  of  God,  as  the 
 moral  governor  of  the  world,  can  ever  be  fe- 
 cured,  \mCx\o'a\  fa'uh  inhim^  repentance  for  fin, 
 and  t\\Q  bahitual praSIice  of  religion  and  virtue. 
 AvA  therefore  as  there  can  be  no  reafon  for 
 any   alteration  of   this   conflitution,  fo  there 
 can  be  no  juft  ground  to  expe(^  it  ;  Vv^hich,  as 
 it  is  founded  in  truth  and  equity,  is  rendered 
 by  the  decree  of  God  fixed  and  irrevocable.  In 
 a  word,  as  he  taught  the  way  of  God  in  truth,, 
 and  fpake  thofe  things  only,  which  he  had  re- 
 ceived from  the  Father  ;  as  the  truth  was  ir^ 
 bim  aiid  no  unrightecufnefs  at  all^  his  words 
 
Serm.  3.    Excellent^  of  the  Chrtjlian  Do^rine.     99 
 
 ihzW  euduvtfor  ever,  even  that  word  which  by 
 the  gofpel  is  preached  witoyoii. 
 
 And  the  plain  inference  from  this  immu- 
 table  nature  of  Chrid's  dodrine  is,  that  we 
 fliould  be  Jledfajl  and  immoveable  in  our  ad- 
 herence to  the  profeiTion  of  it,  and  never  fufFer 
 ourfelves  to  be  feduced  by  the  arts  of  men, 
 \\\2it.  lie  ij2  wait  to  deceive y  from  our  conftancv 
 in,  and  fidehty  to  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrifl.  Many 
 are  the  objections  that  fubtle  and  artful  men 
 may  raife  againft  the  mod  obvious  truths,  fo 
 as  to  puzzle  and  render  almoft  dubious  even 
 demonftration  itfclf.  But  there  is  one  plain 
 anfwer  to  them  all;  that  when  one  falfe  prin- 
 ciple of  religion  can  be  proved  to  belong  to 
 trie  do(ftrine  oi  ChriO,  or  one  evident  and  in- 
 conteftible  fuperftition  {hewn  to  be  inculcated, 
 as  a  genuine  and  neceflary  inilance  of  piety  ; 
 when  the  morality  of  Chriftcan  be  proved  de- 
 fective or  corrupt,  or  the  Chrillian  hope  de- 
 moiiftrated  to  be  impofTible  and  delufive;  when 
 the  fails  of  Chrift's  miracles  can  be  fhewn  to 
 be  impofture,  or  the  truth  of  his  refurrection 
 can  be  fatisfadorily  difproved  5  and  after  ail 
 this,  when  a  better,  more  rational,  ufeful, 
 and  advantageous  fcheme  of  religion  and  mo- 
 rals, can  be  found  out  than  what  Chriflianity 
 contains ;  it  v.ili  be  then  time  to  think  of  dif- 
 regarding  it,  and  renouncing  all  our  hopes 
 and  expeftaiions  by  it.  The  charader  of  im- 
 mutable and  eternal  trutli  impreJTed  on  the 
 golpel  dodrine,  is  a  fubftantial  proof  that  it 
 comes  from  the  immutable  God.  If  this  doc- 
 trine dwells  in  us,  forms  our  temper  and  in- 
 I^  2  fluences 
 
J  GO     Excellency  of  the  Chrijlian  Dc5Irine.  Serm.  3,. 
 
 Alienees  our  lives,  the  blefTed  effed  muft  be  a 
 real  difpofition  for  true  happinefs,and  for  ail  thie 
 rewards  the  wifdom  and  goodnefs  of  God  have 
 lo  beflow,  in  that  eternal  world  that  is  before 
 us.  And  'tis  folly  and  madnefs  to  part  with  a 
 religion  which  thus  prepares  us  for  immortal 
 bleil'ednefs  and  gloiy,  upon  the  account  of 
 fome  lelfer  difficulties-  and  objedions  which 
 attend  it,  without  fomething  in  the  room  of 
 it,  that  is  intirely  free  from  thefe,  and  attended 
 with  greater  certainty  aind  clearer  demonftra- 
 tion.  But  this  will  not  eaiily  or  foon  be  the 
 cafe.  If  we  may  form  a  judgment,  from  what 
 the  men  of  reafon  have  iubftituted  in  our 
 rim.es  in  the  room,  it  appears;  that  they  are 
 able  to'produce  no  principles  of  certain  truth, 
 but  what  arc  the  certain  principles  of  Chrifti- 
 anity  ;  and  that  ¥;hatever  they  have  advanced 
 to  the  contrary-^  or  to  mc^re  than  it  teaches, 
 is  partly  dubious,  and  in-  part  undoubtedly 
 folje.  They  have  no  rational  hopes  but 
 what  we  have  upon  much  better  grounds,  and 
 if  greater  liberties  are  confiftent  with  their 
 fcheme  than  with  ours, 'tis  ademonftration  that 
 their  fchemiC  is  more  prcearious,  and  carries 
 them  farther  off  thnn  ours  from  the  mark  of 
 happincfs  and  falvation.  Be  yc  therefore  efta- 
 blifhed  in  the  grace  of  God,  and  cajl  not  aivay, 
 your  conjidence  of  faith  and  hope  in  Chriji  JefuSy 
 which  hath  great  rccompence  of  reward  R  e me m - 
 ber  that  the  end  cf  your  faith  is  the  fahation  of 
 yoiO'fouls^  and  th^ityour  great  work  as  Chriftians, 
 is  by  patient  co?itinuance  in  well  doing  to  feek  for 
 ^krythoncur  and  immortality.  Turfje  this  bleflec} 
 
 profpe(ft. 
 
5erm.  3«    Excellency  of  the  ChriJlhn'Po^rttie.     lof 
 
 profpe^t.  Keep  it  continually  in  view,  and 
 whatever  inducements  you  may  meet  with  to 
 make  fhipwreck  of  faith  and  a  good  confcience, 
 toforfakeyour  principles  or  duty  as  Chriiiians, 
 break  the  force  of  them  with  thofe  words  of 
 Peter  in  anfwer  to  Chrift's  queftion  :  Will  ye 
 iilfo  go  aiz'ayf  Lord,  to  ivhom  Jhoiild  we  go^  Thou 
 hajl  the  words  of  eternal  life.     Let  me  add 
 
 9.  That  there  is  a  perfed;  harmony  and  con- 
 fijlency  in  the  whole  of  our  Saviour's  dodrinc 
 and  inifrudion.  Though  he  fpake  on  a  great 
 variety  of  fubjed:s,  and  difcourfcd  frequently 
 of  fuch  as  were  fublime  in  their  nature,  and 
 ss  to  which  the  perfons  to  whom  he  fpoke  had 
 TiO  conception,  or  a  falfe  one;  though  he  was 
 frequently  befet  with  enemies,  who  endea- 
 voured to  enfnare  him  in  his  difcoufes,  and 
 fpake  without  any  poffible  time  for  premedita- 
 tion and  forethought,  yet  ilill  cnefpirit  of  truth 
 animated  him  throu2;hout  the  whole  of  his  mi- 
 niftration,  and  the  whole  of  his  docStrine  was 
 uniform  ;  all  the  various  branches  of  it  are  each 
 dependent  on,  and  coniiftent  with  the  other  ; 
 fo  that  no  one  fmgle  principle  can  be  denied, 
 or  taken  away,  without  rendering  his  whole 
 fcheme  maimed  and  defedive.  And  v/hen 
 confidered  as  one  body,  each  principle  relative 
 to  the  other,  and  all  of  them  conneded,  and 
 mutually  fubfervient  to  each  other,  they  con- 
 ftitute  fuch  a  perfedl,  regular  and  admirable 
 fcheme  of  religion  and  morals,  as  the  world 
 was  never  before  bleffed  with,  and  as  can  ne- 
 ver be  exchanged  for,  or  fucceeded  by  a 
 better, 
 
 H  3  It 
 
102     Excellency  of  the  Chrijlian  Do^rine.  Serm.j. 
 
 It  is  morally  impoffible  for  impojiiire,  how* 
 ever  fubtle  and  cunning  it  mzy  be,  or  for  fu-» 
 perftition,  which  is  ever  weak  and  inconfiAent 
 with  itfelf,  to  forefee  or  provide  againft  all 
 emergencies  and  occafions  that  may  arife,  and 
 to  form  fuch  a  fcheme  of  things  as  fliall  an- 
 fvver  to  all  ob]e(fticns  and  difticulties,  as  (hall 
 fupport  itfelf  againft  all  kinds  of  perfons,  of 
 diifvi^rent  fatftions,  parties,  prejudices  and  prin- 
 ciples, and  in  all  feafons,  when  fuddenly  at- 
 tacked by  artful  men,  or  in  circumftances  of 
 danger  asid  threatening  eviL     It  is  not  in  hu- 
 man prudence  to  provide  the  proper  expedients, 
 in  all  thefe  circuniilances,,  fo  as  to  rnaintain  a 
 confifbency  of  principle  and  condu<ft ;  and  the 
 truth  of  this  is  abundantly  confirmed   by  the 
 behaviour  of  pnpojlors  and  Rnthufmjisy  ancieut 
 and  modern  ;  vi^ho  have  varied  their  do(5lrine 
 as  times  and  circumftances  have  altered,  con- 
 felTed  their  miftakes,  or  vindicated   them   in 
 fuch  a  manner,  ^s  hath  only  difcovered  their 
 impudence  and  folly.     But  as  to  our  Saviour's 
 dodrine,  and  what  is  ilill  more  wonderful  the 
 dodtrines   of  his  Apoftles,  thofe  which  they 
 have  more   largely  infifted   on,  or  mentioned 
 only  occalionally  or  accidentally,  malice  itfelf 
 can  never  fix  on  and  point  out  any  inconfifien- 
 cies  and  contradidions,  any  change  of  opinion, 
 or  alteration  of  principle.     Let  whatever  re- 
 lates to  the  dodrines  of  Chriftianity,  difperfed 
 throughout  all  the  books  of  the  New  Tefta- 
 ment,  be    reduced  under   proper  heads,  and 
 every  thing  relating  to  the  fame  fubjedl  be  put 
 together,  and  confidered  in  its  proper  relation 
 
 and 
 
Serm.  3.     Excellency  of  the  Chriflian  jyoHrm.  10,3 
 
 and  connexion  ;  and  it  will  appear  that  every 
 part  illuflrates  the  other,  and  tends  to  make  it 
 more  intelligible  and  rational.  Aconiideration 
 this,  which  every  impartial  man  will  allow 
 greatly  tends  to  I'upport  and  eitablifh  the  cha- 
 racfter  of  the  divine  original  of  the  do(flrine  of 
 Chrift  and  his  Apoftles,  confidering  the  various 
 occafions  and  controverfies  on  which  the^y 
 wrote,  their  diftance  of  place  from  each  other, 
 their  original  want  of  learning  and  education, 
 and  of  all  the  arts  necelTary  to  render  them 
 regular  and  confifient  writers. 
 
 10.  Let  me  obferve  farther,  that  there  is  a. 
 furprifing  wifdommjd prudence  in  what  our  blefTed 
 Saviour  fpoke,  which  appears  in  his  converfes 
 with  the  Scribes  and  Pharifees,  the  men  of 
 learning  and  abilities  in  his  days,  who  natrowly 
 obferved  him,  watched  all  occafions  to  betray 
 and  enihare  him,  and  put  to  him  infidious  and 
 difficult  queftions,  to  draw  from  him  anfwers, 
 which  they  imagined  and  hoped  muft  tuf  n  out 
 to  his  difadvantage,  and  prejudice  him  in  his. 
 intereft,  reputation,  and  chara6ler.  His  an- 
 fwers were  fuch,  as  not  only  aftoniilied  the 
 multitude,  but  put  e^en  his  enemies  to  (hame 
 and  confufion.  When  the  chief  prielk  and 
 elders  of  the  people  came  to  him  as  he  v/as 
 teaching,  and  aflced  him,  by  what  authority  doejl 
 thou  thej'e  things,  andnaho  ganje  thee  this  authority  ? 
 Our  bleffed  Lord,  inftead  of  anfwering  them 
 diredlly,  in  order  to  make  them  anfwer  their 
 own  queftion,  or  to  convi(ft  them  of  hvpocrify 
 and  wickednefs,  allcs  them  :  T^he  baptifm  of 
 John,  whence  rucas  it  ?  Fronj  Heaven,  or  of 
 H  4  f^^  ^ 
 
104     Excellency  of  the  Chrijlian  Do^riite.  Serm.  3, 
 
 men  ^^  f  On  this  queftion  thefe  maders  of 
 Ifrael  iQ2i{QnQd  with  theinfelves:  Jfwejay.frou} 
 Heaverii  k)S  will  fay  to  us,  why  did  not  ye  then  Zv- 
 lie'ue  him,  becaule  he  teilificd  of  Chrift.  But 
 ij  we  fballfay  of  men,  we  fear  the  people,  for  all 
 bold  John  as  a  Prophet.  Thus  he  prudently 
 reduced  them  to  a  diincuky,  either  to  confeis 
 bim  tq  be  the  M^fjiah,  •:i'=>fohn  declared  he  was, 
 or  to  own  their  ignoiance,  malice  and  craft  j 
 whereby  inftead  of  giving  them  any  occaiioi> 
 or  opportunity  to  inOjlt  or  traduce  him,  (le 
 expofed  them  in  their  proper  colours,  and 
 made  therci  appear  in  their  proper  drefs  of  dif- 
 iimulation  and  hypocrify.When  the  Pharifees, 
 in  order  to  entangle  hin:>  in  his  talk,  fent  cut 
 to  him  their  difciples^  with  the  Jlerodians^  faying, 
 under  the  guife  of  compliment  and  great  efleern 
 for  his  perfon  and  doctrine,  Majier,  we  know 
 that  thou  art  true,  and  teacheft  the  way  of  God  in 
 truth,  neither  care  ft  thou  for  any  man,  for  thou 
 regardefl  not  the  perfon  of  men  :  Tell  us  therefore 
 what  thinkefi  thou  :  Is  it  lawful  to  give  tribute 
 unto  Cafar,  or  not  -f-  "^  A  queflion  extremely 
 fabtle  and  inlidious ;  for  had  he  anfwered  it 
 was  lawful  to  give  tribute  to  Ccefar^  they  would 
 have  traduced  him  as  an  enemy  to  his  countr-y, 
 the  pride  of  ih^jews  being  rifen  to  that  height, 
 as  to  bear  v/ith  indignation  the  being  tributary 
 to  the  Romans,  and'  to  think  that  as  the  Holy 
 Nation,  and  the  peculiar  people  of  God,  the 
 Romans  had  no  right  to  tribute  from  them,  and 
 p  look  on  ail  thofe  with  abhorrence  who  fa^ 
 
 ^  Mat.   xxi.  23.  t  Mat.  xxii.  15. 
 
 youred 
 
Serm.  3-    Excellency  of  the  Chrifuan  Boclrine.    105 
 
 voured  the  Roman  interefl,  and  juftified  the 
 tax  that  they  levied  upon  them.  And  had  our 
 blefled  Saviour  denied  the  lawfulnefs  of  paying 
 them  tribute,  they  would  immediately  have 
 accufed  him  to  the  Koman  governor,  and  urged 
 his  punifhment  as  an  incendiary  and  rebel. 
 And  therefore  our  blefTed  Lord  wifely  evaded 
 the  fnare,  by  faying  :  ^hew  f?ie  the  tribute  niofiey, 
 and  when  they  brought  him  a  piece  of  it,  he 
 laid  to  them  :  Whcje  image  a^id fuperfcription  is 
 this?  Upon  their  faying,  Cafar'Sj  he  anfsvers  : 
 Render  therefore  unto  Caefar  the  things  which  are 
 CsefarV,  and  unto  God  the  things,  that  are  God'i. 
 Many  other  inftances  of  this  kind  might  be 
 mentioned.  I  (hall  only  add,  that  this  fpirit 
 of  fignal  prudence  appears  in  feveral  of  the 
 parables  of  Chrift,  in  which  he  feverely  re- 
 proved the  y^-ic'i,  for  their  hypocrify  and 
 cruelty,  and  threatened  them  with  the  fevereft 
 judgments  of  God,  in  fuch  terms  as  they  well 
 underftood,  but  in  fo  covert  a  manner,  as  car- 
 ried in  it  the  leaft  offence,  and  gave  them  the 
 leaft  handle  to  reproach  and  to  accufe  him. 
 
 SERMON 
 
(     io6    ) 
 
 SERMON     IV. 
 
 T'he  Pojftbility  of  Miracles, 
 
 J 
 
 OHN     111.     2. 
 
 Rabbi y  we  know  thou  art  a  'Teacher  come  from 
 God ;  for  no  Man  can  do  thefe  Miracles  that 
 thou  doejiy  except  God  be  with  him, 
 
 THESE  are  the  words  of  Nicodemm  a 
 Pharifee,  and  a  ruler  of  the  Jews,  to 
 our  blelTed  Saviour ;  fpoken  from  the  con- 
 vidlion  that  he  had  of  the  truth  of  his  miracles^ 
 and  a  ferious  conlideration  of  the  nature  of 
 them.  He  declares  him  to  he  a- teacher  come 
 from  God:  becaufe  the  miracles  he  did  were 
 fuch,  as  no  man  could  do,  except  he  was  imme- 
 diately alTifted  by  the  power  of  God,  And  this 
 inference  certainly  is  good,  that  if  any  man 
 teaches  dodlrines  in  the  name  of  God,  and  doth 
 fuch  miracles  in  cojifirmation  of  his  doBrine  as 
 are  effecfted  by  the  immediate  hand  or  agency 
 of  Gody  fuch  a  teacher  is  authorifed  by  God  j 
 and  the  miracles  he  doth,  under  the  divine  in- 
 fluence, are  God's  teftimony  to  the  truth  of 
 what  he  teaches,  and  to  the  reality  of  his 
 authority   and  commilTion  from  him.     'Tis 
 
 therefore 
 
Serm.  4.        J  he  Foffihility  of  Miracles.'  107 
 
 therefore  a  matter  of  great  iaiportance  to  us 
 as  Chrlftians,  that  the  evidence  for  the  truth 
 of  our  Saviour's  miracles  be  fatisfa(5lory  and 
 well  fupported  i  otherwife.  our  faith  in  him 
 well  be  no  better  than  credulity,  and  all  our 
 expecflations  from  him  vain  and  delufive.  And 
 we  ought  to  be  the  more  careful  as  to  this 
 article,  becaufe  there  have  been  many  pretejices 
 to  miracles,  that  have  had  no  foundation  in 
 truth,  and  could  be  nothing  more  than  the 
 artful  pretences,  or  delufive  prad:ices  of  in- 
 terefted  men,  to  impofe  on  the  credulous  for 
 their  own  advantage.  There  is  fcarce  an  hif- 
 torian,  either  amongfl:  the  antient  Greeks  or 
 j^ojnans.,  who  dpth  not  entertain  us  with  ac^ 
 counts  of  won4ers,  iigns  and  prodigies,  that 
 happened  in  his  own  or  former  iimts.ApQllQtiius 
 Tyajiaus,  who  lived  i|i  the  time  of  Ncro^  and 
 under  the  reigns  of  the  fucceeding  Emperors 
 down  to  Nerva,  is  reported  to  have  raifed  the 
 dead,  to  have  healed  diftempers,  to  have  fore- 
 told many  events,  and  done  many  other  ex- 
 traordinary and  miraculous  things,  which  are 
 juftly  efteemed  as  faKhoods  and  impoflors. 
 For  near  50  years  after  our  blefled  Saviour  and 
 his  ApoAles,  vi^e  find  no  pretences  to  miracu- 
 lous powers,  in  any  of  the  writings  of  the 
 Apoftolick  Fathers  during  that  interval,  nor 
 any  certain  and  unquellionable  accounts  of  any 
 extraordinary  works  performed  by  the  Chri^ 
 tians  of  thofe  times,  for  the  confirmation  of 
 Chriflianity,  and  the  convidtion  of  infidels. 
 But  in  the  fuaeeJing  Cigcs  Ecclefiaftical  Hiftory 
 abounds  with  narrations  of  tliis  kind,  and  we 
 
 have 
 
io8  The  Poffihility  of  Miracles.         Serm.4. 
 
 have  ftroiig,  explicit  and  repeated  atteftations 
 of  many  gifts  and  miraculous  powers,  which  as 
 it  IS  fviid  were  conftantly  and  publickly  exerted 
 in  the  Chriftian  church,  through  each  fucceed- 
 ing  age ;  and  thele  miraculous  powers,  if  we 
 will  bjlieve  the  church  of  Kcme^  have  been 
 continued  luccelTively  down  to  the  prefent 
 time?,  for  the  confirmation  of  her  dodrines, 
 and  the  utter  confutation  of  all  thofe  hereticks, 
 that  have  fchifmatically  feparated  from  her 
 communion. 
 
 The  miracles  pretended  by  the  church  of 
 'Rome  have  all  the  marks  of  Icgcrdema'm  and 
 impoflure.  That  ftanding  miracle  of  the  tran- 
 fubjlantiation  of  the  bread  and  wine  into  the  body 
 and  blood  of  Chrift,  is  fuch  an  affront  and 
 contradlBion  to  our fenjes,  and  to  all  the  mofl 
 certain  conclufions  of  reaforiy  as  dejiroys  every 
 kind  of  evidence  that  can  be  brought  for  the 
 proof  of  other  miracles  in  confirmation  of  it ; 
 lince  'tis  impoffible  that  a  contradi5iion  and  ab- 
 furdity  can  ever  be  demcnjh-afedy  or  that  God 
 can  give  his  teftimony  to  the  truth  of  a  falf- 
 hood  and  lie.  The  miracles  faid  to  be  wrought 
 in  the  Chriftian  church,  after  the  Apojiolick  Fa- 
 therSy  have  lately  undergone  a  very  free  and 
 fevere  examination,  by  a  learned  and  candid 
 writer  ;  who  hath,  to  fay  the  leaff,  greatly 
 weakened  the  credit  of  them,  and  rendered 
 the  accounts  we  have  of  them  liable  to  great 
 fufpicion  and  doubt ;  and  'tis  no  wonder,  that 
 fome  perfons  fhould  draw  an  argument  from 
 hence,  againfl  the  miracles  wrought  by  our 
 Saviour  and  his  Apofiles,  and  place  them  to 
 
 the 
 
Serm.  4.  ^he  PoJJibility  of  MiracUs.  109 
 
 the  fame  account  of  impofture  and  delufion. 
 It  is  more  to  be  wondered  at,  that  any  Chrif- 
 tian  writers,  in  their  defence  of  the  miracles 
 faid  to  be  wrought  after  the  apoftolick  age, 
 lliould  reprefent  the  evidence  for  them  to  be 
 fo  ftrong,  as  that  they  caniiot  be  difcredited, 
 without  {haking  the  whole  faith  of  Hiftory; 
 an  affertion,  which  if  true,  will  bethought  to 
 fliake  the  faith  of  the  gofpel  Hiftory  itfelf,  and 
 render  all  the  miracles  of  Chriii  and  his  Apo- 
 files  precarious  and  uncertain. 
 
 I  iliall  not  at  all  enter  into  this  controverfy 
 about  the  truth  orfailhood  of  thefe  miraculous 
 powers,  aflerted  to  be  for  feveral  ages  in  the 
 church.  This  is  a  much  fitter  employment 
 for  the  prefs  than  the  pulpit.  But  as  every 
 Chriftian  is  nearly  interefted  in  the  truth  of  the 
 gofpel  Hijhryy  and  is  concerned  to  be  well  efta- 
 blillied  in  the  evidence  for  his  belief  of  the 
 divine  million  of  Chrift  and  his  Apofrles,  and 
 in  the  reality  of  thofe  miracles  by  which  their 
 divine  authority  is  fupported,  I  fliall  endeavour 
 to  (hew  you,  that  whatever  becomes  of  thefe 
 later  miracles,  which  the  Chrillian  Fathers 
 affirm  and  boaft  of,  thofe  of  our  bleffed  Savicur 
 and  his  Apojlks  will  rem.ain  unfliaken,  and  that 
 all  the  objed;ions  which  are  urged  againft  the 
 former,  will  not  in  the  leaft  afi-'ecft  the  latter. 
 This  is  a  fuhjed:  of  common  uiility,  and  of 
 the  greateft  imp<  rtanceto  us  all.     Andliliall 
 
 I.  Confider  tht poJiLiiity  of  tniracki, 
 
 II.  The  7iatiire  of  the  miracles  wrought  by 
 CJmjl  and  his  A po files. 
 
 III.  1  he  character  of  Chrifl  and  his  Jpofles, 
 
 IV.  The 
 
110  ^he  Pojjibility  of  Miracles.  Serm.  4. 
 
 IV.  The  end  for  which  their  miracles  were 
 wrought.     And 
 
 V.  The  evidence  we  have  for  the  certainty 
 of  them. 
 
 I.  I  am  to  confider  iht  pojjibilityof  miracles, 
 and  whether  they  are  in  the  nature  of  things 
 capable  of  being  performed ;  fince  it  anfwers 
 no  purpofe  to  enquire,  what  kind  of  evidence 
 there  is  for  a?iy  particular  miracles,  if  allmi^ 
 racks  'AVQimpoffiblei  and  there  can  be  no  proof 
 for  what  cannot  be  done;   or  it  is  impoffible 
 to  prove  that  by  any  fort  of  evidence,  which 
 is  impoffible  to  be  effected.     And  this  is  the 
 doctrine  of  fome  modern  phikfophers^  that  all 
 miracles  are  cheats  and  impoftors,  becaufe  in 
 their  nature  impoffible;     But  to  this  it  may 
 be  anfwered,  that  to   affirm  the   impoffibility 
 of  miracles  is  an   aifertion  impoffible  to   be 
 proved,  becaufe  'tis  impoffible  to  prove,  that 
 there  is   no  power  in  the  univerfe  of  beings 
 equal  to  the  working  of  a  miracle;  and  there- 
 fore all  arguments,  and  every  kind  of  evidence, 
 to  prove    this  impoffibility  of  miracles,  muft 
 be  fallacious  and  inconclufive,  becaufe  'tis  im- 
 poffible to  prove  fuch  an  impoffibility.     For 
 
 I.  Confider  that  as  far  as  experiencehtX^^  us 
 in  formingconclulionsof  this  nature,  wemaybe 
 affiired  from  it,  that  there  is  2i.potver  exifting,of 
 real  caufe, every  way  adequate  to  the  producftion 
 of  fuchan  efFetfl;  whateverbe  the  definition  we 
 give  of  a  miracle.  For  if  we  define  it  to  be 
 an  adlion  vifibly  performed  by  any  beings  which 
 is  above  all  his  natural  powers  and  capacities  to 
 do,  and  which  he  therefore  performs  by  the 
 
 immediate 
 
Serm.  4.  Ith^  Pojfihility  of  Miracles.  111 
 
 immediate   affiftance  of  fome  fuperior  agent  5 
 experience  convinces  us  that  there  muft  be  fome 
 agents  or  ^g^nl  fuperior  to  man,  that  have  larger 
 powers  than   what  he   poflefles,  and  may  be 
 capable  of  perform ingthofe  miraculous  works, 
 ■which  no  man  without  fuch  affiftance  could 
 do.     And   whatever  this  fuperior  power  or 
 agent  may  be,  the  whole  frame  of  nature  de- 
 monflrates  that  it  doth  fome  were  really  exiil, 
 becaufe  there  are  innumerable  effed;s  produced, 
 above  the  utmoft  extent  of  all  human  powers 
 to  accomplilh.     There  is  fome  agent  or  caufe, 
 that  fecretly  produces   the  bodies  of  all  ani- 
 mals, and   which  though  they  are  originally 
 void  of  life,  yet  quickem  and  caufes  them  to  live  j 
 and  therefore  this  agent  or  caufe  liable  to  give 
 life  to  a  dead  body,  i.  e.  to  reftore  life  to  a  body 
 when    dead,  as    well  as  to  give  life  to  a  dead 
 body  that    before   never  lived.     There    is  a 
 power    in    the  univerfe   that  hath   endowed 
 minerals  and  herbs  and  roots  with  a  reftorative 
 fanative  virtue,  to  cure  the  diftempcrs  of  hu- 
 man   bodies,  and  to  recover   them  to  health 
 and  foundnefsj  which   is  therefore  equal  to 
 the  miraculous  cure  of  diftempcrs,  or  the  cure 
 of  them   without  thefe  applications;  becaufe 
 the  very  virtues  of  thefe  remedies  reaches  to 
 produce  thefe  efitd:s,  only  by  the  efficacy  of 
 that   caufe  to  which  they  are  owing;    which 
 efficacy  therefore  muft  be  capable  of  producing 
 the  efteds,    without  the  ufe  of  the  remedies  ; 
 lince  whenever  that  efficacy  is  exerted,    the 
 fame    effec'^s   muft   follow   from  them ;  and 
 therefore  the  miraculous  healing  of  all  manner 
 
 of 
 
112  ^he  Pojihility  of  Miracks.  Serm.  4. 
 
 of  diftemperSj  though  above  the  natural  ca- 
 pacities of  men,  is  by  no  means  impoflible 
 under  the  efficacious  affillance  of  a  fuperior 
 power  or  caufe. 
 
 If  a  miracle  be  defined,  as  it  is  by  a  Jale 
 Jceptical  writer,  a  trojijgrejjion  of  the  law  of  na- 
 ture, by  a  particular  vdition  of  the  Deity,  or 
 by  the  interpofal  of  fome  invifible  agent  -,  th  e  proof 
 o^  the  impoffibility  of  a  miracle  can  never  be 
 maintained ;  fmce  'tis  impolTible  to  prove  that 
 the  power  of  the  Deity,  or  of  fuch  inviliblc 
 agent  by  his  permiffion,  cannot  extend  to  the 
 producftion  of  fuch  miraculous  eftetts.  For 
 the  power  of  Deity  doth  in  fad  extend  to  the 
 produ(5tion  of  eite<ffs,  that  are  much  more  cx- 
 traord.nary  and  "wondaful^  and  which  would  be 
 fo  eftecmed  by  every  man,  were  they  as  feldotn 
 and  unufual  as  the  other. 
 
 The  love  of  iicveltyi  and  the  paflions  of  fur- 
 prife  and  %vonder,  render  men  frequently  liable 
 to  admit  miraculous  narrations  without  care- 
 fully inquiring  into  the  foundation  and  evi- 
 dence of  them.  And  on  the  other  hand  it 
 may  be  obferved,  that  as  what  iscomnr^on  and 
 ordinary  raifes  no  pleafing  emotions  of  furprize 
 and  wonder,  fo  it  as  frequently  renders  men 
 inattentive  to  the  mojft  wonderful  events  which 
 continually  come  to  pafs,  and  caufes  them  to 
 look  on  them  with  a  kind  of  negligence  and 
 difregard,  though  in  fad:  as  really  miraculous 
 as  any  other  that  can  be  named ^  becaufe  the 
 caufes  that  produce  thefe  ordinary  efFeds,  are 
 in  themfelves  as  inadequate  and  unequal  to 
 thofe  produdions,   as  the  natural  capacities:  of 
 
 men 
 
Serm.  4.         The  Pojjlbility  of  Miracles}  113 
 
 men  are  to  accomplifli  miracles.  The  laivs  of 
 nature  are  reprefented  as  fixed  and  unchange- 
 able, and  as  producing  their  efFedls  in  a  regular 
 courfe  by  an  unalterable  neceffity  and  force  ; 
 and  we  fcarce  ever  allow  ourfelves  to  wonder 
 at  any  thing  that  comes  to  pafs  by  the  daily 
 operation  of  thete  laws,  becaufe  there  is  nothing 
 neWy  and  therefore  nothing  marvellous  to  ftrike 
 and  engage  our  obfervation  and  attention.  But 
 what  are  thefe  boafted  laws  of  nature,  when 
 they  are  narrowly  infpedled,  and  true  philo- 
 fophy  comes  impartially  to  furvey  them,  and 
 by  what  kind  of  agency  do  they  operate  in 
 the  production  of  their  refpeflive  effecfts.  The 
 vis  inertia^  or  the  power  of  inacftivity  is  elTen- 
 tial  to  and  inherent  in  all  matter,  whereby  it 
 tefijls  any  change  endeavoured  to  be  made  in  it9 
 ftate,  whether  of  red  or  of  motion.  Ex- 
 perience tells  us,  *tis  without  confcioufnefs  or 
 thought,  incapable  of  reflexion,  of  refolution, 
 of  felf  determination,  of  art  and  contrivance, 
 of  every  property  necellary  to  denominate  it  a 
 proper  agent  or  voluntary  caufe,  and  of  every 
 power  that  is  required  to  produce  a  feries  of 
 cfFedls  regular  and  uniform,  and  that  argue 
 wifdom,  defign,  contrivance  and  flcill.  And 
 yet  all  the  operations  of  ?iature  are  thus  iimjorm 
 and  regular,  and  its  productions  argue  aSl'rcity, 
 efficacious  power,  cojjtrivance,  and  the  moft 
 exquijite  art.  Now  to  defcribe  all  thefe  things 
 to  unconfcious,  undirected,  undeGgning  mat- 
 ter, is  evidently  to  afcribe  them  to  an  incom- 
 petent caufe,  or  to  a  caufe  difproportioned  to 
 ths  effedl  produced  j  and  by  confequence  all 
 Vol  L  I  the 
 
114  Tie  PoJJlUiity  of  Miracles,         Serm.  4," 
 
 the  productions  ^i  nature,  if  they  are  fuppofed 
 to  be  owing  to  merely  material  caufes,  are  as 
 ftridlly  and  properly  miraculous,  as  any  kind 
 of  operations  whatfoever  of  the  miraculous 
 kind,  afcribed  to  our  Saviour  and  his  Apoftles 
 in  the  facred  v/ritings,  and  when  any  of  ouv 
 modern  philofophers  can  (liew,  how  beat  and 
 air  and  water  can  diverfify  and  dired:  them- 
 felves  into  trees,  plants,  leaves,  bloffoms,  and 
 fruits,  how  the  fields  cloath  thenifelves  with 
 verdure,  how  the  flowers  paint  themfelves  with 
 various  colours-,  what  forms  the  body  of  an 
 animal,  what  enlivens  the  dead  unanimated 
 mafs,  or  what  gives  it  fpontaneous  motion  ; 
 in  a  word,  how  any  one  fingle  appearance  of 
 nature  is,  or  can  in  the  nature  of  things,  be 
 accounted  for  rationally  by  any  merely  mate- 
 rial caufes ;  I  think  I  may  then  venture  to 
 promife  to  explain  and  clear  up,  and  rationally  to 
 account  for^  all  the  miraculous  works  recorded 
 in  the  law,  the  prophets,  and  the  gofpel. 
 
 It  is  in  vain  here  to  plead  the  argument  of 
 experience,  that  the  caufes  are  adequate  to  the 
 €lfed:s,  becaufe  they  conflantly  and  regularly 
 produce  them  -,  for  the  anfwer  is  plain,  that 
 experience  only  tells  us,  that  the  effetls  are  pro- 
 duced, and  produced  by  fuch  and  fuch  me- 
 diums and  inftruments.  But  experience  doth 
 not  tell  me,  that  thefe  mediums  have  no  di- 
 redlion  and  influence  of  a  Juperior  power,  to 
 render  them  efficacious ;  or  that  thefe  inflru- 
 ments  have  an  internal  felf  derived  power,  to 
 exert  themfelves  in  thofe  innumerable  admira- 
 ble effedts,  that  are  continually  arrfmg  before 
 
 our 
 
Serm.  4.         ^he  Pcjfibility  of  Miracles,  115 
 
 our  eyes.     Reafon  tells  us  the  contrary,  that 
 what  hath  no  proper  power  of  a(^tion  cannot 
 2idL  at  all  J  and   experiment  and  reafon  both 
 tell  us,  that  matter  is  void  of  this  felf  moving 
 principle,  and  never  ad;s  but  when  acted  upon 
 and  in  proportion  only  to  that  external  power 
 and  force  that  ads  on  and  moves  it,  and  cannot 
 therefore  be  the  fole  or  principal  caufe  of  na- 
 tural effedts.     If  then  material  caufes  are  dif- 
 proportionate  and  inadequate  to  produce  natural 
 effedls,  thefe  natural  effecfts,  to  fpeak  philofo- 
 phieallyof  them,  are  as  truly  miraculous^  as  any 
 anions  done  by  men  ;  for  the  doing  of  which 
 they  have  no  adequate  and  proportionable  capa- 
 cities, and  \k\Q  frequency  of  thele  effedts  will  by 
 no  means  lefien  their  miraculous  nature.  If  the 
 Sun,  in  the  laflre  of  a  whole  day,  had  never 
 appeared  to  us  but  once,  if  the  fpring  had  never 
 bloomed  upon  us,   or  the  froll:  and  fnow  of 
 winter  never  chilled  and  fliivered  us,  but  one 
 fingle  feafon  throughout  our  whole  lives;  every 
 man  would  have  confeffed,  and  been  amazed 
 and  raptured  at  the  aftoni{hing  miracle.     But 
 becaufe  thefe  things  happen  in  a  regular  courfe^ 
 and  in  conftant  fucceflion,  our  wonder  ceafes, 
 and  the  only  reafon  why  we  do   not   eilieem 
 them  miraculous  is,  becaufe  they  are  common 
 and  ordinary.    And  yet  common  and  ordinary 
 as  they  arc,  as  mere  matter  is  incapable  of  pro- 
 ducing them,  as  any  fyftem  of  matter  is  of 
 moving  itfelf  when  once  at  reft,  or  of  pro- 
 curing its  own  reft  when  once  put  into  mo- 
 tion ;  or  as  that  which  hath  7io  power  of  dejign- 
 ing  or  conirivingt  is  incapable  of  producing 
 I  2  regularly 
 
I !  6  Ihe  Pojfibiliiy  of  Mracks.         Serm.  4. 
 
 regularly  an  infinite  feries  of  efFeds,  that  all 
 of  them  difcover  the  moft  exquifite  contrivance 
 and  fkill.  The  frequency  or  infrequency  of 
 efFeds  alters  not  the  nature  of  them.  What- 
 ever is  produced  in  appearance  by  an  incompe- 
 tent and  inadequate  caufe  is,  properly  and 
 ftridlly  fpeaking,  miraculous  -,  and  though  we 
 have  daily  experience  of  the  effeds  of  natural 
 caufes,  and  not  of  miraculous  operations  done 
 by  men,  yet  if  natural  caufes  have  no  proper 
 native  felf-determining  efficacy  to  produce  their 
 eifedls,  all  that  experience  proves  in  this  cafe 
 is,  not  that  miracles  are  impolTible,  but  that 
 fome  kind  of  miracles  are  more  ordinary  and 
 common  than  others. 
 
 2.  If  indeed  the  whole  train  of  natural 
 caufes  and  effeds  is  fuppofed  neceflary  and 
 fixed,  by  an  unalterable  law,  abfolutely  inde- 
 pejident  of  Deity ,  which  he  can  neither  alter, 
 norcontroul;  this  will  put  us  to  fome  difficulty 
 how  to  account  for  anv  miraculous  effeds,  or 
 fuch  eifeds  as  do  not  proceed  from  the  opera- 
 tion of  thefe  laws.  But  then  true  philofophy 
 can  never  confiftently  urge  this  objeBion  againft 
 miracles,  becaufe  this  is  fuppofing  the  mofl 
 alionifiing,  wiconceivable  and  unaccountable  mira- 
 cle, and  becaufe  an  argument  againft  the  poffi- 
 bility  of  miracles,  that  is  founded  upon  the  cer- 
 tainty of  a  miracle,  abfolutely  deftroys  itfelf. 
 That  the  courfe  of  natural  caufes  and  effeds 
 iTiould  be  neceffarily  e{labliil:ied  without  the 
 agency  and  defign  of  Deity,  that  this  would 
 be,  in  the  higheft  and  flrideft  fenfe  of  the 
 word,  mirdcidous^  appears  from  hence  ;  That 
 
 it 
 
Serm.  4.'  V^be  Pofflhility  of  Miracles^  117 
 
 it  fuppofes  agency  without  any  proper  external 
 or  internal  caufe  of  it,  neceffity  without  a  rea- 
 ion  for  it,  productions  of  fkill  without  any 
 dired:ion  of  them,  determining  powers  with- 
 out felf-determination,  regularity  of  operations 
 without  defign,  and  inert,  Ufelefs,unadive  mat- 
 ter exerting  itfelf  in  an  uniform  variety  of  ef- 
 fedts,  that  require  life,  acftion  and  vigour  to 
 produce  them.  That  is,  'tis  afcribing  the 
 moft  wonderful  effeds  to  a  caufe  abfolutely 
 unequal  to  their  production  ;  or  it  is  afferting 
 the  reality  of  the  mod  aftonilliing  miracle  that 
 poffibly  can  be.  And  if  this  be  fo,  as  mira- 
 cles have  eternally  been,  and  continually  are 
 performing,  to  pretend  that  a  miracle  is  im- 
 poffible  is  a  contradiction  in  terms  ;  or  to  af- 
 firm that  no  other  miracles  are  poflible,  but 
 thofe  which  are  effected  by  thefe  ordinary  laws 
 of  nature,  is  to  affirm  what  can  never  be 
 proved  ;  becaufe  the  fuppo(ition  of  any  kind 
 of  miracles,  proves  the  poffibility  of  others, 
 and  if  fome  caufes  may  produce  eiFe(fts  which 
 they  are  incapable  of  producing,  you'll  forgive 
 the  abfurdity  of  the  fuppoHtion,  either,  any, 
 or  all  caufes  may  produce  effedts  to  which  they 
 are  unequal.  The  truth  is,  this  fuppolition 
 of  caufes  and  effefts,  independent  of  Deity, 
 can  never  be  maintained  but  upon  the  prin- 
 ciples of  downright  Atheifm  ;  a  fcheme  fo 
 infinitely  abfurd  and  contrary  to  the  moft 
 certain  demonftration,  as  that  it  fcarce  deferves 
 to  be  feiioufly  refuted. 
 
 3.  But  if  we  take  the  w/V/and  power  ofDeit^ 
 into   our   coniideration,  as  the  great  original 
 
 I  ;j  caufe 
 
l^S  Whe  Fojfih'dity  of  Miracles,        Serm.  4; 
 
 cmfe  of  the  laisos  of  nature^  and  efiabTtfiing  the 
 connexion  of  the  ordinary  courfe  of  natural 
 caufes  and  elFecfts,  the  denial  of  the  poilibility 
 of  miracles  will  flill  appear  more  unreafonable 
 and  abfurd ;  becaufe  if  all  the  powers  of  na- 
 tural caufes  be  in  reality  nothing  but  the  power 
 of  Deity  ading  in  and  by  them,  as  certainly 
 is  the  cafe,  then  the  power  of  Deity  is  equal 
 to  the  produdlion  of  thofe  effecfts,  as  well 
 without  the  concurrence  of  thofe  caufes,  as 
 with  them  j  becaufe  in  reality  'tis  not  what  are 
 called  natural  caufes  that  do  properly  produce 
 fuch  and  fuch  operations,  but  the  power  of 
 God  exerting  itfelf  by  the  mediation  of  them. 
 It  fliould  alfohe  confidered,  that  God  hath  ac- 
 tually done  many  of  thofe  miracles,  which  are 
 afcribed  to  our  blelTed  Lord.  He  raifed  the 
 dead  by  his  Father's  power  ;  and  God  in  the 
 beginning  ^rk  formed  mm  out  of  the  duft,  and 
 then  breathed  into  the  dead  inad:ive  carcafe  the 
 breath  of  life.  Our  Lord  fed  multitudes  by 
 bread  and  iiihes  created  for  that  purpofe  \  and 
 God,  by  whofe  power  he  acfted,  originally  cre- 
 ated the  feeds  of  the  earth  and  prepared  food 
 by  his  immediate  pov/er  for  man  whom  he 
 formed,  and  replenill-ied  the  feas  and  rivers 
 with  all  their  various  inhabitants.  What  is 
 the  cure  of  deafnefs  more  than  God's  opening 
 the  ear  to  hear,  or  his  rejloring  the  blind  differ- 
 ent from  his  originally  forming  the  eyes  to  fee, 
 or  his  rejioring  the  maimed,  the  withered,  or 
 the  cripple,  other  than  his  fapnoning  in  the 
 beginning  the  limbs  and  joints,  for  their  proper 
 ufes,    and    with  their   diuinguilliing   forms. 
 
 Other 
 
Serm.  4.         ^he  Poffibilliy  of  Miracles.  119 
 
 Other  inftances  might  be  mentioned,  but  thefe 
 are  fufficient  to  evince,  that  the  moll  certain 
 fa(Sts  demonflrate,  that  the  power  of  God  doth 
 extend  to,  and  is  fufficient  to  account  for  all 
 the  miraculous  appearances  of  the  gofpel,  and 
 the  pretence  of  the  impoffibiJity  of  thefe 
 -things  is  unreafonable  and  groundlefs.  And 
 indeed  the  fiagle  coniideration  that  God  is  the 
 , great  Author  and  Lord  of  Nature,  that  na- 
 ^tureis  nothing  but  the  conftitution  of  his  wif- 
 ,dom  and  power,  and  the  laws  of  nature,  by 
 which  the  whole  fyftem  of  things,  and  every 
 individual  fubfifl,  owe  their  being  to  his  will, 
 -^nd  continue  to  exift,  becaufe  fupported  by 
 his  providence  J  this  abundantly  denionftrates 
 that  all  natural  laws  are  abfolutely  fubje6t  to 
 his  controul,  and  that  tranfgreffing  or  over- 
 ruling thefe  laws  whenever  he.  pleafcs,  is -alto- 
 gether as  eafy  to  him,  as  the  fixing  them  at 
 £rft,  .and  the  fucceffive  continuance  of  them 
 by  the  never-failing  influence  of  his  provi- 
 dence. How  awful  is  the  power  of  God,  to 
 which  nature  herfelf  owes  her  being,  and 
 continuance  to  be  what  flie  is.  Remember 
 that  nature  is  nothing  elfe  but  that  frame  of 
 things  v/hich  the  wifdom  of  God  contrived, 
 the  power  of  God  brought  into  being,  and  his 
 .goodnefs  richly  endowed.  If  any  thing  elfe 
 be  intended  by  it,  viz.  a  fettled  train  of  caufes 
 and  effed:s,  underlved  from  and  independent 
 of  him,  'tis  a  mere  idol,  vanity  and  dream, 
 that  fubdfts  no  where  but  in  the  imagination 
 and  conceit  of  philofophical  Vifionaries  and 
 Enthufiaft'3.  All  true  philofophy  leads  to  and 
 I  4  terminates 
 
120  Th  Pqffibility  of  Miracles,  Serm.  4. 
 
 terminates  in  God,  as  the  great  original  and 
 father  of  all  things,  and  alter  we  have  ac- 
 counted for  a  thofand  phcenomma^  by  the  fixed 
 laws  of  matter  and  motion,  yet  the  great  quef- 
 tion  will  ftill  remain  :  Whence  came  thefe  fixed 
 laws  ?  And  here,  the  only  anfwer  that  can  be 
 given,  after  all  our  reafoning  about  them,  is  : 
 ^hey  are  the  appoint nicnt  of  the  wifdom  and  power 
 of  the  Fjternal  and  Almighty  God.  Having  thus 
 confidered  and  fhewn  the  poflibility  of  mira- 
 cles, both  from  reafoning  and  the  moft  indif- 
 pu table  fads,  I  now  proceed 
 
 II.  To  confider  the  nature  of  the  miracles 
 afcribed  to,  and  wrought  by  our  blejjed  Saviour 
 and  his  Apofiles,  And  I  confine  myfelf  to 
 thefe,  becaufe  though  the  miraculous  fads 
 recorded  in  the  Old  Teflament  well  deferve  to 
 be  particularly  confidered,  and  will  be  fome 
 of  them  occafionaliy  mentioned  j  yet  we  are 
 more  immediately  concerned  in  thofe  done 
 for  the  confirmation  of  the  gofpel,  and  if  thefe 
 amount  to  a  full  and  clear  proof  of  the  divine 
 authority  and  miflion  of  Chrifl  and  his  Apof- 
 tles,  the  Jewlfi  conliitution  will  be  abundantly 
 confirmed  :  As  it  is  plainly  declared  by  them  to 
 be  of  a  divine  original,  and  to  be  fixed  by  God 
 through  the  mediation  of  his  Angels,  and  of 
 Alofes  the  fervant  of  God,  And  I  fliall  confi- 
 der them  under  feveral  views.     And 
 
 1 .  They  v/ere  numerous ^  and  of  various  kinds, 
 fuited  to  the  various  occafions  and  different 
 circumflances  of  perfons,  times,  and  places, 
 to  which  they  related.  St.  fohn  defcribes  their 
 number  in  fuch  a  manner,  as  hath  given  great 
 
 offence 
 
Serm.  4.  ^be  Nature  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrijl,   1 2 1 
 
 offence  to  fome  over  delicate  criticks  :  7'here 
 are  alfo  many  other  things  which  Jefus  did,  which 
 if  they  were  written  every  onCy  the  world  I  think 
 would  not  contain  the  books  that  J7:ould  be  written 
 concerning  them  *  ;  in  which  words  they  ima- 
 gine the  Apoftle  to  mean,  that  the  account 
 would  fill  more  books  than  the  whole  worid 
 would  contain.  Poor  criticks  thefe  that  can 
 find  no  other  fenfe  to  this  expreffion  ;  wht;ii 
 there  is  a  meaning  of  them  ftridly  agreeaSJe 
 to  the  original  import  of  the  w^ords,  that  is 
 literally  true,  and  an  argument  of  the  Apoflle's 
 modefty  in  this  very  defcription,  viz.  the  ac- 
 count would  fill  fo  many  books,  as  that  the 
 whole  world  would  not  receive  them,  would 
 negle<5t  them  for  their  number,  would,  as  the 
 Apoflle  thinks,  be  apt  to  rejed:  them,  the  ac- 
 count would  appear  fo  very  large  and  incredi- 
 ble 3  and  the  narration  would  be  fo  long,  as 
 to  prevent  their  diligently  confidering  and  at- 
 tending to  them.  But  even  were  we  to  fup- 
 pofe  that  the  words  contained  a  flrong  hyper- 
 boky  and  the  Apnflle  was  fuppofed  to  intend 
 only  to  point  out  the  innumerable  variety  of 
 them,  by  faying  in  aflrong  figurative  manner, 
 what  I  do  not  think  was  his  real  meaning, 
 that  the  account  would  fill  more  books  than 
 the  world  would  hold  ;  why  fhould  that  be 
 thought  an  exaggeration  and  falfe  account  in 
 him,  which  would  be  reckoned  a  beauty  in  a 
 claffical  writer.  One  of  the  befl  writers  of 
 Greece  hath  a  much  bolder  figure  in  a  perfcdly 
 
 •  John  xxi.  25. 
 
 fimilar 
 
122    ^he  Nature  of  the  Miracles  ofChrlft,  Serm.  4." 
 
 fimikr  defcription.  **  The  Heaven  itfelf,  faitji 
 he,  would  not  be  fufHcient  to  contain  then?, 
 was  Jove  to  write  down  patticularly  the  of- 
 fences of  mortal  men"  §.  And  another  qf 
 them  complaining  that  he  had  but  a  few  days 
 to  compofe  an  oration  upon  a  very  fqlemn  oc- 
 -cafion,  declares  *'  that  the  whole  extent  of 
 time  itfelf  would  be  too  fliort  to  form  fuch  ^ 
 one,  as  the  occafion  and  fubjed:  required'*  -f*. 
 The  orator  meant  only,  that  a  great  deal  more 
 time  than  was  allowed  him  was  neceffary  for 
 his  purpofe,  and  the  poet  meant  only,  that 
 the  fins  of  men  were  almoft  innumerable: 
 ^And  in  like  manner  the  Apoftle,  that  the  mi- 
 riacles  of  Chrift  were  too  many  to  be  diftindly 
 enumerated,  and  exceeded  all  accounts  that 
 could  be  given  of  them.  And  this  appears 
 from  the  Gofpel  Hiftory  itfelf. 
 
 He  had  the  abfolute  command  over  all  the 
 diforders  and  diftempers  of  the  body,  ever^y 
 where  healing  the  demoniacks,  lunaticks,  pa- 
 ralyticki  dropjicalt  thofe  infeded  with  the 
 deprofy,  diftempered  with  fever Sy  jinxes  and 
 other  maladies  ;  though  objiinatey  of  long  con- 
 timiancey  and  judged  abfolutely/;?c/^r^^/^.  He 
 reftored  iight  to  the  blind,  even  to  thofe  who 
 were  born  blvtdy  hearing  to  the  deaf,  fpeech  to 
 the  dumby  limbs  to  the  maimed  znd  withered, 
 eredlnefs  to  the  bowed  dow?7,  ftrength  to  the 
 impotent y  in  a  word,  he  cured  every  diforder, 
 weaknefs  and  malady  amongft  the  people. 
 And  what  was  more  wonderful,  he  raifed  even 
 
 §  Eunp.  apudj.fioh.  p.  8.  f.  7.  'V.  8.         f  ^f^^  Orat.  in 
 Corinth.  Ob.  p.  27.  /.I. 
 
 the 
 
Serm.  4.  the  Nature  of  the  Miracles  ef  Chrifi.    123 
 
 the  deady  and  fuch  as  had  been  buried,  and  laiu 
 federal  days  in  their  graves.  Befides  this,  he 
 had  power  over  the  winds,  ftilled  their  fury^ 
 •calmed  the  tempcfl:,  and  reftored  ferenity  in  a 
 «noment.  He  did  in  an  inftant  what  nature 
 <loth  by  Jk%u  degrees,  turned  water  into  wine., 
 [prepared  \bread  and  created  meat  for  thoufands. 
 He  had  an  abfolute  command  ovei:  xh^  fpiriis 
 of  men,  drew  his  Apoflles  to  him  from  their 
 ■iecular  employments,  by  a  call  drove  out  of  the 
 temple  the  buyers  and  fellers  with  ignominy  and 
 corredlion,  mid  overturned  their  exdoange  tables, 
 without  any  one  daring  to  refift  him,  and  pro- 
 vided for  himfelf  the  heafts  for  his  entrance 
 into  Jerufalemy  by  procuring  for  himfelf  the 
 owner  s  confent,  though  at  a  diftance  from  him,. 
 ■He  QXipr^iViy  foretold  difajit  events,  2knd  fome  of 
 them  at  that  time  the  mofl  unlikely  to  be  ac- 
 compliftied,  and  others  that  were  foon  to  take 
 place,  fuch  as  thederiialofFeter,  ^at,  treachery 
 <ef  Judas,  the  defertion  of  all  his  Apoftles,  their 
 perfecutio?is  by  their  enemies,  the  rapid  fucce/s 
 X)f  his  gofpel  and  religion,  the  utter  de/lru^iofi 
 ^  the  temple,  the  fege  and  ruin  of  ferufalem, 
 •and  the  Angular  vengeance  of  God  upon  the 
 whole  nation,  hxvd  what  was  as  truly  miracu- 
 .lous  as  any  thing  that  hath  been  mentioned, 
 though  born  of  ohfcure  parents,  and  probably 
 •for  fome  time  employed  by  them  in  a  low  ami 
 fervile  occupation,  without  the  advantages  of  edu- 
 cation, learning,  and  reading,  he  fur  mounted 
 all  the  ignorance  and  corruptions,  the  wrong 
 prejudices  and  fuperflitious  pracflices  of  his 
 own  nation,  taught  a  religion  rational  andfpi^ 
 
 ritual, 
 
124  ^^^  Nature  of  the  Miracles  of  Chriji.  Serm.  4; 
 
 ritual,  gave  precepts  of  the  moft  excellent  and 
 divine  morality,  and  enforced  his  dodlrines 
 and  inftiudions  by  motives  the  mod  exalted 
 and  influential,  and  agreeable  to  the  nature 
 of  pure  and  undefiled  religion  ;  infomuch 
 that  thofe  who  heard  him,  juftly  cried  out: 
 Never  man  /pake  like  this  ma7i\  even  thofe 
 who  were  offended  with  him,  becaufe  of  his 
 country  and  parentage,  yet  could  not  re- 
 frain their  altonifhrnents,  and  faying.  Whence 
 hath  this  man  this  wifdom  and  thefe  mighty 
 works-\'^  And  to  compleat  this  (hort  ex- 
 tract, he  gave  to  his  Apojlles,  Sindfeventy  ether 
 difciples,  the  power  of  teaching  his  religion, 
 cafting  out  Devils,  and  healing  the  difeafes  o-f 
 the  people. 
 
 From  this  account  it  appears,  that  his  power 
 feemed  unlimited  and  tmiverfal,  that  men  and 
 devils,  that  the  mind  and  body,  the  winds 
 and  waves,  the  powers  of  nature,  and  the 
 operation  of  fecond  caufes,  were  fubje<5l  to 
 him,  and  that  the  miracles  he  performed  were 
 frequent y  of  the  xno{)i diJferentV^mA  and  wonderful 
 nature.  Had  his  miracles  been /^'z^;  in  number, 
 or  limited  to  any  one  particular  kind,  there 
 would  have  been  more  occafion  for  fufpicion 
 of  contrivance  and  art,  of  fraud  and  impof- 
 ture.  But  a  power  that  extended  thus  univer- 
 fally,  and  exerted  itfelf  in  fuch  a  variety  of  mi- 
 raculous operations,  and  to  which  the  moffc 
 aftonifhing  efFc(fls  were  eafy^  prevented  every 
 kind  of  fufpicion  that  they  were  the  efFe<fts  of 
 
 t  Mat.  xiii.  54. 
 
 collulion. 
 
Serm.  4.  ^he  Nature  of  the  Mirades  of  Chriji.  125 
 
 coUufion,  or  wrought  by  any  other  power  but 
 the  divine.  In  like  manner  the  powers  conferred 
 on  his  ApoJileSj  after  his  removal  from  them, 
 were    various    and  truly  miraculous.     Their 
 fpeaking  injlajitaneotijly  the  languages  of  many 
 nations,  in  which  they  had  never  received  the 
 leaft  inftrucftion,  and  conferring  thefe  and  other 
 gifts  upon  the  primitive  believers,  was  itfelf  a 
 multiplied  and   complex  miracle.     Peter  and 
 yohn  infiantaneoujly  heal  one  that  was  a  cripple 
 from  his  births  and  many  other  figns  and  wonders 
 were  wrought  by  the  Apoftles  amongft  the  peo- 
 ple.    And  though  they  were  imp7^Tfonedhy  the 
 high  Priefts  and  Sadduces,  yet  were  they  mira- 
 culoifly  brought   from  their  confinement,  and 
 publickly  preached  the  dodrines,  for  which  their 
 enemies  had  fecured  them.  St.  P^/^rinlbntane-. 
 OM^y  healed MneaSy  that  had  been  bed-ridden  with 
 a  palfyfor  eight  years,  andraifes  Tabithafrom  the 
 dead  by  prayer.     Paul  the  great  Apoflleof  the 
 Gentiles,   punifies  Elymas  the  Sorcerer   with. 
 blindnefsy  cures  one  that  had  been  a  cripple  from 
 his  birth  at  Lyjira,  and  might  have  received 
 for  it,  if  he  would,  the  adoration  of  a  God; 
 he  difpofjeffes   the  Pythones,  raifes  Eutichusfrom 
 the  deadj  foretells  the   danger  of  the  voyage  to 
 Rojne,  declares^  notwithfrandingthe  {hipwreck, 
 that  all  Ihould  be  preferved,  fhakes  off  a  viper 
 from  his  hand  without  receiving  any  hurt  from 
 it,  heals  Publius  his  father  of  a  fever  and  bloody 
 fluxy  and  did  many  oxhtv fpecial miracles,  which 
 God  wrought  bv  bis  hands;  from  which  ac- 
 count  of  the  apoftolick   miracles  it  appears, 
 that  they  were  as  frequent  as  the  end  of  their 
 
 niiiiion 
 
12  6  ^he  Natter e  of  ihe  Miracles  of  Chrift.    Serm.  4. 
 
 mifTion  required,  exerted  on  different  oceafionff 
 and  obje<fts,  and  'varied  as  the  circumftances, 
 which  rendered  the  performance  of  them  ne- 
 cefTary  and  proper  ^  and  that  ourblefTed  Saviour 
 and  his  Apoftles,  as  they  were  abfolutely  one . 
 in  dejign,  fo  were  actuated  by  one  and  the  fame 
 fpirit,  in  that  miraculous  atteftation  to  their 
 dodtrine  which  attended  them.     But 
 
 2.  It  may  be  obferved  farther,  that  as  thofe 
 miracles  were  thus  numerous,  fo  they  were  per- 
 formed on  all  occajions,  without  ahnofl:  any  ex- 
 ception of  time  and  place,  without  previous 
 ^warning  or  notice,  on  a  fudden,  whenever  any 
 proper  opportunity  prefented  itfelf,  or  any  va- 
 luable end  could  be  anfwered  by  it.  Whether 
 he  was  in  private  ov  publick,  in  the  fynagogiies 
 or  temple,  before  the  multitude,  or  in  prefence 
 of  his  enemies,  in  the  cities,  towns  or  villages, 
 before  yews,  Satnaritans  and  Ko7nans,  in  all 
 places,  everywhere,  at  all  times,  this  miracu- 
 lous power  attended  our  bleffed  Lord,  and  was 
 exerted  by  him  with  equal  facility  and  eafe. 
 And  this  will  appear  to  every  one  whoconfults 
 particularly  the  gofpel  accounts.  In  iht  pub- 
 lick  fynagcgue  he  caft  out  devils,  and  reftored 
 the  withered  hand ;  in  the  temple  he  exerted 
 a  miraculous  power  over  thofe  who  prophaned 
 it;  amongfl  his  friends  he  converted  water  into 
 wine,  and  before  his  enemies  he  cured  the  man 
 that  had  been  impotent  38  years,  and  caft 
 out  devils,  for  which  they  cenfured  him  as  act- 
 ing by  a  diabolical  power  -,  in  the  wildeniefs 
 he  fed  thoufands  by  miraculous  bread  -,  by  the 
 wayjide  he  gave  fight  to  the  blind,  and  found- 
 
 nefs 
 
Serm.  4.  ^he  Nature  of  the  Miracles  of  Chriji.  127 
 
 nefs  to  the  lepers;  and  in  the  city  Nmn,  as 
 he  met  with  a  funeral  proceffion,  he  inftantly 
 r^ifed  the  dead  perloPj  and  kindly  reftored  to 
 the  afRidted  widow  her  only  fon.  In  a  word, 
 every  place  and  opportunity  were  equal  to  our 
 bleffed  Saviour,  and  the  moil  curfory  reader 
 muft  obferve,  that  in  the  whole  account  of 
 his  life  and  adlions  it  appears,  that  he  was  ne- 
 ver unprepared,  never  wanted  previous  notice, 
 particular  attendants,  time  for  delay,  favou- 
 rite places,  but  was  ready  to  exert  the  divine 
 power  that  attended  him,  when  and  u'herever 
 there  was  an  opportunity  to  do  good,  or  it  be- 
 came neceffary  for  the  confirmation  of  his  cha- 
 radler  and  miffion. 
 
 When  thefe  circumftances  were  wanting, 
 miracles  would  have  been  throivn  away,  they 
 would  have  appeared  a  needlefs  profufion ; 
 and  when  no  good  end  could  have  been  an- 
 fwered  by  them,  they  might  have  been  cen- 
 fured  as  oftentation,  vanity,  and  pride,  and 
 an  argument  readily  have  been  drawn  from 
 hence,  that  they  were  iivftitious  and  delufive, 
 and  that  God  would  never  lend  his  power  for 
 the  operation  of  unnccejfdry  miracles,  when  no 
 valuable  purpofe  could  be  anfwered  by  the  ex- 
 ertion of  it.  Hence  it  is  faid,  fhnt  onr  Lord 
 did  not  many  miracles  in  the  country  where  he 
 had  lived,  becaufe  cf  their  tmbclief^i  which 
 St.  Mark  mentions  in  a  yet  ft'ronger  manner : 
 He  coidd  do  there  no  mighty  ivork,  five  that  he 
 laid  bis  bands  upoti  afeni)  Jic'k  perjonsy  and  teakd 
 
 %  Mat.  xiii.  58. 
 
 ihcm  -f. 
 
128  ^he  feature  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrijl.  Serm.  4. 
 
 them  -fu  Though  he  had  full  power  of  doing 
 them,  yet  he  could  not  do  them  in  this  place, 
 becaufe  it  was  morally  unfits  the  perfons  were 
 not  worthy  to  receive  this  divine  atteftation. 
 Why?  Becaufe  of  their  unbelief:  "  The 
 **  very  reafon,  fays  one,  why  they  ought  to 
 "  have  been  wrought  there".  True,  if  their 
 unbelief  was  curable  and  involuntary^  and  they 
 had  not  by  the  meaneft  prejudices  rendered 
 themfelves  incapable  of  convidion.  But  this 
 was  in  reality  their  cafe.  They  had  been  wit- 
 nejfes  to  fome  of  his  miraculous  cures  of  diflem- 
 pers  amongft  them,  and  had  heard  him  preach 
 in  their  fynagogue,  and  were  ajionijl^ed  both  at 
 his  wifdom  and  works.  And  yet  they  were  of- 
 fended in  him',  treated  him  with  contempt,  and 
 paid  no  regard  to  his  miracles  or  doftrine. 
 For  what  reafon  ?  He  was  not  regularly  bred, 
 his  parentage  appeared  low,  and  his  occupa- 
 tion mean.  From  whence  hath  this  man  ihefe 
 ihingSy  and  what  wifdom  is  that  which  is  given  to 
 him^  that  even  fuch  mighty  works  are  wrought  by 
 his  hands  ?  Is  not  this  the  Carpenter,  the  Son  of 
 JVIary,  and  his  brethren  and  fijlers,  are  they  not 
 here  with  us?  So  that  in  fpite  of  their  own 
 convidion  that  he  was  an  extraordinary  perfon, 
 they  would  not  acknowledge  him  as  fuch,  and 
 whatever  he  could  fay  or  do  to  prove  himfelf 
 a  prophet,  the  fmgle  prejudice  of  his  being  a 
 7?iean  perfon  to  outward  appearance  bore  down 
 all,  and  determin'd  them  to  rejed:  him.  So 
 that  he  cculdnot  do  any  farther  miracles  amongft 
 
 ^  Mark  vi.  5. 
 
 them. 
 
Sci-m.  4-  'The  t^aiure  of  ths  Miracles  of  Chrift.  iig 
 them,  for  the  fame  reafon  that  God  cannot  do 
 what  is  iinncccjfary  in  itfelf,  of  no  advantage  to 
 his  creatures,  or  unworthy  his  own  charader. 
 
 3,  Vv'e  may  oblerve,  that  the  miracles   of 
 our  blefied  Saviour  and  his  apolVies  were  mojily 
 of    a    benevolent   kit^d,  miraculous    works   of 
 mercy  and  good nefs,   and  that  tended  to  the 
 welfare  and  comfort  of  mJinkind.      Under  the 
 law  of  Mofes  God  made  known  his  power   by 
 woiks  of  judgment  ?iU<ljujTice^  and  by  peculiar 
 marks  of  his  indignation  and  vengeance,  when 
 the  vindication  of  his  providence,  the  honour 
 of  his  government,  ana  the  necedities  of  the 
 flate,  over  which  i^e  immediately  prcfided,  re- 
 quired it.   And  fuch  extraordinary  judgments, 
 when  iuflided  opon  fiitalde  and  'Z£;or/^;' emer^ 
 gencies,  are  as  becoming   the    chaiactcr    and 
 perfections  of  God,  as  any  extraordinary  n^er- 
 cies  be. lowed  on  private  perfons,  or  the  pub- 
 lick  can  be,  when  at  other  times  he  fees  it  fit 
 to  beifdw  them  3  juH:  as  in  the  natural  world 
 ftorms   and    tempefts,  and  other  elementary 
 diforders,  have  a  wife  end  in  their  permiiiion, 
 as  well  as  calm  and  pleafing  feafons,  and  the 
 fettled  order  and  undiflurbcd  face  and  courfe 
 of  nature,  in  the  general  adminiftratlon  of  his 
 providence.     But  under   the  gofpel  difpenfa- 
 tion,  our    bleifed   Lord  appeared  with  2i  glory 
 worthy  the  Son  of  God,  full  of  grace  and  truth. 
 His  name  y^/i/j,  the  Saviour,   was  truly   ex- 
 prtffive  of  the  nature  of  his  aftions,  who  went 
 about  doing  good,  and  healing  all  that  were  cp- 
 preffcd  with  the  devily  who  was  continually  em.- 
 plov'd  in  the  niofl  friendlv   ofHces,  and  who 
 Vol.  L  ,  K  '  Isnt 
 
130  ^^^  Nature  of  the  Miracles  ofChriJl.  Serm.4. 
 
 lent,  his  kind  afiiftance  to  all  that  came  to  him 
 for  relief,  with  a  dlfpolition  fit  to  receive  the 
 mercies  they  wanted.  When  Jclm  Bapti/i  fent 
 his  difciples  to  Chrift,  to  inquire  of  him  :  Ari 
 thou  he  thatfiould  come,  or  do  we  look  for  another  ? 
 Chrifl  returns  him  for  anfwer :  'The  blind  re- 
 ceive their  Jight,  the  lame  walk,  the  lepers  are 
 cleanjed,  the  deaf  hear,  the  dead  are  raifed  up, 
 and  the  poor  have  the  gofpet  preached  to  them  J ; 
 leaving  him  to  make  the  inference   who  he 
 was,  and  cautioning  him  not  to  be  prejudiced 
 againft  him,  becaufe  he  did  not  deliver  him 
 from  the  power  oi  Herod.  Blefedis  he  whofoever 
 f:aU  not  be  offended  in  me.     Indeed  his  whole 
 miniftry  argued  the  greateft    tendernefs  and 
 companion   to  the  miferable,  as  he   relieved 
 their  wants,  healed  their  infirmities,  and  dif- 
 penfed  the  blefllngs  of  Heaven  in  the  moHr 
 free  and  liberal  manner,  agreeable  to  the  de- 
 clared  intention  of  his  coming,  7wt  to  dejlroy 
 mens  lives  but  to  fave  the?n ;  hereby  imitating 
 the  boundlels  goodnefs  of  his  heavenly  Father, 
 and   (hewing  himfelf  to  be    the    true  image 
 and  reprclentative  of  the  g'-eatefl:  and  befl:  of 
 beings.     And   in    like    manner   the  miracu- 
 lous   works   of  his  Jlpofles    after   him   were 
 mofily  of  the  fame  nature,  hcmficial  v/orks 
 of  p0'«^/er,    wrought   for   purpofes    of  good- 
 nefs, that  the  gofpel    difpenfuion    might  in 
 the  Vv^hoie  of  it  appear  calculated  as  well  for 
 the  relief  of  mens  bodies,  as  for  the  falvation 
 of  their  fouls. 
 
 %  Mat.  xj.  5. 
 
 The 
 
Serm.  4.  7' he  Nature  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrifl.  131 
 
 The  deJlruBioji  of  the  fig  tree,  and  of  the 
 herd  vf  Jwi7je,  may  feem  exceptions  to  this  rule 
 in  the  coiiducft  of  our  Saviour  \  and  the  death 
 of  Ananias  and  Sapphira^  the  bllndnefs  of  Ely- 
 maSy  and  the  power  of  St.  Paul  to  punip^  ex- 
 traordinary oftences  in  the  church  by  iiDme- 
 diate  dijlempersy  may  appear  contrary  to  this 
 ch9ra(5terin  the  practice  of  the  Apoilles.  As 
 to.  they%  treCy  the  caufing  it  to  wither  had  an 
 embktnatlcal  inflruiftive  defipn  in  it,  to  fliew 
 hisApoflles  what  extraordinary  powers  fliould 
 he  conferred  on  thenj,  in  conf  qucnce  of  their 
 faith  in  and  prayer  to  God,  and  was  lb  far  a 
 miracle  of  goodnefs;  nor  was  the  caofing  a 
 fig  tree  to  wither  contrary  to  goodnefs,  any 
 more  than  caufing  a  flonc  to  moulder  into 
 du/i  would  have  been,  each  being  equally  in- 
 fenfible  of  the  change  it  underwent.  And  as 
 the  eating  fwine's  9i^^  was  wholly  unlaivfid  || 
 to  the  Jew^t  and  the  keeping  herds  of  them 
 expreflly  forbidden  by  their  anceflors,  in  order 
 to  prevent  all  temptation  to  eat  it,  our  blefied 
 Saviour  fliewed,  by  the  permiiTion  he  gave  to 
 the  deflrudion  of  them,  his  regard  to  the  law 
 of  God,  and  his  care  that  the  people  (hould  not 
 tranfgrefs  it;  and  the  miracle  would  have  been 
 truly  beneficial,  had  they  made  the  right  im-' 
 provement  of  it,  and  had  the  ruin  of  their 
 herd  brought  them  to  fubmit  to  his  do; 'rine 
 and  authority,  who  would  have  ampK  made 
 up  their  lofs  by  the  everlafti ng  blefTing  of  his 
 gofpel.    The  puniiliment  oi  Ananias  and  Sap- 
 
 \\  Grot,  in  loc. 
 
 .     K  2  phira, 
 
132  ^he  Nature  of  (he  Miracles  of  Chriji.  Serm.  4, 
 
 phirdi  for  hypocrify,  perfidy,  fraud  and  lying, 
 doih  not  fecm  to  be  effed-cd  by  any  inftru- 
 mentality  of  the  Apoftles,  and  is  to  be  confi- 
 dered  net  as  a  miracle  wrought  by  them,  but 
 as  an  (;^e(^  immediately  produced  by  the  hand 
 'cf  Gc^.The  puniihment  of  Elyj7ias  the forcerer, 
 for  oppofing  the  gofpe),  though  an  ad:  of  fe- 
 verity  to  him,  was  2^u  aB  of  mercy  to  Sergius 
 TaiihiSy  who  was  a  much  belter  man,  and  ap- 
 pear'd  neceiiary  to  his  converfion  j  and  even 
 this  feverity  to  Eiy7nas  was  tempered  with  good- 
 nefs;  for  the  blindnefs  infiid;ed  on  him  was 
 buty^r  ajeafcn,  after  which  he  recovered  his 
 fight.  And  St.  F aid's  power  to  deliver  offen- 
 ders to  Satan,  was  not  for  their  defirudion, 
 but  edification;  for  the  defiriSicn  indeed  of 
 the  JleP":,  their  finful  aueitions,  and  criminal 
 paffions,  that  their  fpir it  might  be  faved  in  the  day 
 cf  the  Lord  ftjm^.  So  that  there  is  no  fmgle 
 miracle  wrought  by  our  bleffed  Lord  and  his 
 Apoftles,  but  what  hath  evident  marks  of 
 gccdnefs  impreiled  on  it;  whilft  as  to  their  ge- 
 neral nature,  they  were  altogether  be?ie'vclcnt, 
 and  pure  proofs  of  difinterefbed  and  almighty 
 compalTion  and  mercy.  And  therefore  I  would 
 obferve  farther, 
 
 4.  There  was  the  greateft  propriety  and^/- 
 j:cJ}  m  the  miracles  wrought  by  our  blelied 
 Lofdand  his  Apollles,  and  the  moft  pcrfed 
 corrcjpondencc between  his  cioSlrine diWdcharaBerf 
 and  \.\\Q,  extf  aordinary  works  they  wrought  in 
 confirmation  of  them.     It  would   have  been 
 
 Cur.  V.  5. 
 
 in 
 
Serm.  4.  'The  Nature  of  the  Miracles  ofChriJl.   13^ 
 
 in  fome  meafare  an  abfurd  and  contradicftory 
 condu(it,  had  jefus  the  Saviour  inflided,  in 
 the  ccurfe  of  his  miniftry,  deJiruBive  pdgmznis, 
 from  God,  and  for  this  reafon  he  would  not 
 gratify  his  difciples  in  their  vindicftive  delire  to 
 avenge  the  radenefs  of  the  Samaritans  to  their 
 mafter,  by  immediate  fire  from  Heaven.  He 
 came  to  reveal  on  earth  peace ^  and  the  good  will 
 of  God  to  man  J  to  declare  his  eternal  purpofes 
 of  grace,  the  exceedi/ig  riches  of  his  mercy^  and 
 to  eftablifh  friendlliip  and  reconciliation  be- 
 tween God  and  finners  j  to  give  them  the 
 moft  friendly  and  encouraging  promifes  in  his 
 Father's  name,  and  to  raife  them  to  the  moft 
 pleafing  and  lively  hopes  of  an  eternal  heavenly 
 inheritance.  How  unfit  would  the  perfon  have 
 been  for  this  benevolent  defign,  who  had  been 
 himfelf  cloathed  with  terrors^  who  had  been 
 liberal  in  the  infiidting  miraculous  judgments, 
 and  who  on  every  occafion  had  armed  all  the 
 powers  of  nature  againfl:  mankind,  and  em- 
 ployed them  as  tlis  dreadful  minifters  of  the 
 Almighty's  vengeance.  Who  could  have  be- 
 lieved that  he  was  fent  as  a  Saviour,  who  thus 
 appeared  as  a  dcjlroyer ;  or  that  God  would 
 eflablifli  a  covenant  of  fne?'cy  wkh  mankind, 
 that  was  introduced  by  a  relentlefs  and  inflexi- 
 ble ^^"jf /-//)•  f  A  different  condud:  furely  be- 
 came the  great  mefTenger  and  revcaler  of  the 
 philanthropy,  the  /eve  of  God  to  mankind,  and 
 other  works  were  fuitable  to  the  god-like  de- 
 fign of  reftoring  mankind  to  themklves,  their 
 hnppinefs  and  their  God  \  works  of  mercy, 
 miracles  of  favour,  power  exerted  for  the  moft 
 K  3  benevolent 
 
134  '^^^  Nature  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrifi,  Serm,  4. 
 
 benevolent  purpofes  ;  that  there  Qiight  be  an 
 unity  and  harmony  in  rhe  whole  icheme,  ancj 
 the  dejign  and  the  ?neans  to  accomplilh  it  might 
 have  a  perfect  refcmblance  and  conformity  to 
 each  other.  As  his  gre  ;t  office  v/as  to  be  that 
 of  -SL  teacher  and  hi/lru^ior  in  truth  a  idrighteoiif- 
 nefs,  and  as  all  his  difciples  were  to  be  purely 
 vohmtary,  an4  compelled  to  come  into  him  by 
 no  other  conftraints  but  thofe  of  reafon,  con- 
 viftion,  love  c':  God,  afteciion  for  truth,  fenfc 
 of  duty,  and  view  of  happiaefs ;  the  vno9cfofi 
 and  humane  treatment  of  n:iankind  became  ne- 
 ceiTary  to  win  them  over  to  his  inftru<flions,  and 
 to  gain  that  ingenuous  ferious  attention  to  his 
 dodirine,  which  w^s  neceflary  to  their  receiving 
 it.  A  contrary  behaviour  that  could  not  brock 
 contradiction,  knew  not  how  to  have  compajjion 
 on  the  ignorant^  and  could  fhew  no  patience  Iq 
 the  infirmities  and  prejudices  of  mankind, 
 would  have  driven  all  men  from  him ;  or  if 
 they  had  dared  to  approach  him,  it  would  have 
 been  with  the  fame  terror  and  delign,  that  the 
 Gergafenes  did,  upon  the  lofs  of  their  fwine, 
 only  to  have  be(ou'.<ht  him  immediately  to  de- 
 part  out  of  their  coarts.     Once  more, 
 
 5.  The  miracles  of  our  bleffed  Saviour  anci 
 his  Apofties  \\-:id  2i grandeur  ^ndmajejiy'm  them, 
 worthy  the  divine  agency,  and  that  carried  in 
 them  evidentiignatures  of  the  immediate  hand 
 and  power  of  God.  There  is  not  a  iingle 
 inllance  which  can  be  mentioned,  that  looks 
 little  and  mean,  that  favours  of  huxmn  juggle, 
 and  the  bafe  arts  of  cunning  impodors.  To 
 whom  in  reafon  can  be  alcribed  the   opening 
 
 the 
 
Serm .  4.  The  'Nature" of  the  Miracles  of  Chr'iji.   175 
 
 the  eyes  of  the  blind,  the  unloofing  the  ears 
 of  the  deaf,  and  the  looling  the  tongue 
 of  the  dumb,  but  to  him  that  formed 
 thefe  organs  of  fenfe,  and  who  alone  can  re- 
 flore  them  when  abfolutely  lofl  ?  Who  can 
 feed  thoufands  by  a  miracle,  but  he  only,  'who 
 provides  bread  for  the  e-atcr  and  feed  jor  the  fewer? 
 Can  any  one  raife  the  dead  but  he  who  is  the 
 great  author  of  life?  Can  the  rage  and  tempell: 
 of  the  ftormy  fea  be  ftopt  by  a  lels  power 
 than  hisy  who  at frjifmt  up  the  je(i  with  doors, 
 who  broke  up  for  its  decreed  place ^  andfet  ban 
 and  doors y  and  f aid  hitherto  jhalt  thou  come  and  710 
 farther^  atid  here  thy  proud  waves  fhall  be  ftaidf 
 Or  any  one  ftop  the  career  of  a  vvhirlwind,  or 
 immediately  lay  its  fury,  and  foften  it  into  a 
 pleafmg  ferenity  and  calmnefs,  but  his  all- 
 commanding  voice,  whom  the  winds  and  the 
 waves  obeyy  and  whofe  mlniflers  they  are  to  do 
 his  pleafure  ?  Who  hath  power  over  the  hearts 
 and  thoughts  and  refolutions  of  man,  to  con- 
 troul  them  in  an  inilant,  but  he  in  wkcfe  hands 
 are  the  hearts  of  all  meuy  who  faHiions  and  moves 
 them  by  his  will,  and  who  turns  them  eafier  Wan 
 the  rivers  of  water  are  turjud  by  the  art  and 
 power  of  man  ?  In  a  word,  give  any  of  the 
 miracles  of  our  bleded  Saviour  an  impartial 
 review,  and  you  will  fee  that  the  introducing 
 God  as  the  author  of  them  is  with  the  highefl 
 propriety,  that  they  are  all  worthy  the  divine  in- 
 terpofure,  and  that  oijr  Lord  could  afcribe 
 them  to  no  other  caufe,  but  the  Father's 
 working  in  and  by  him. 
 
 K  4  6.  Lailly 
 
1^6  The  Nature  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrifi.  Serm.  4, 
 
 6.  Laftly,  I  therefore  add,  that  they  were  in 
 reality  of  the  immediate  operation  of  Gcd,  and 
 the    effects   of    his    fovercign    and     ahiiighty 
 power.     This  Nicodeirms  declares  in  my  text : 
 No  man  can  do  the  miracles  that  ticcu  doj},  except 
 God  be  with  him.     This    alio  was   the   doc- 
 trine of  the   Apoitles.      Thus   Peter   in   the 
 opening  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  to  the  yews, 
 tells  them  :  'ihat  Jejus  of  Nazareth^  was  a  man 
 approved  of  God  amcpgji  them,  by  miracles  and 
 wonders  and  fgni,  which  God  did  by  him  in  the 
 midji  of  them^  ',  and  in  his  ^txvcxon  to  Cornelius^ 
 at   the  firft  opening  of  the  Kingdom   of  God 
 to  the  Gentiles,  he  declares  ;  that  God  anointed 
 jtfiis  of  Nazareth  with  the  Holy  Ghoji,  and  with 
 power,  who  we?2t   about  doijig  good,  and  healing 
 ail  that  were  opprejjed  with  the  devil,  for  God 
 was  with  him\\     And   our   Saviour  himfeif 
 aicribes  all  the  works  he  did  to  his  Father,  as 
 the  great  author  and  caufe  of  them,  l^he  works 
 which  the  Father  hath  given  ?ne  tofinijh  bear  wit- 
 nefs  of  me,  that  the  Father  hath  fent  me  ||  -,   and 
 more  expreflly  :  T^he  Father  that  dwelleth  in  me 
 he  doth  the  works%.    And  it  may  be  moff  cer- 
 tainly affirmed,  that    no  lefs  power  than    a 
 divine  could    effed:  them.      The  enemies  of 
 revelation  are  fo   fenfible  of  the  greatnefs   of 
 the  Gofpel  miracles,  and  of  the  evidence  for 
 the  truth  of  them,  that   they  have   no  furer 
 v/ay  to  fupport  their  infidelity,   but  flatly   de- 
 nying the  ^^^/i^/7//v  of  all  miracles^   and   imni- 
 pully  aderting  that  God  himfeif  cannot  effec^t 
 
 ^  A^.s  ii.  23       \  X.  33.      11  John  y«  S^-  §  xiv.  10. 
 
 their* ; 
 
Serm.  4.  The  Nature  cf  the  Miracles  of  Chrijl.    1^7 
 
 them  :  A  plain  acknowledgment,  that  if  they 
 can  be  proved  genuine,  they  can  be  afcrib'd  to 
 no  interior  caule  but  God.  And  this  indeed 
 is  the  truth,  that  they  are  ;W,  and  were  the 
 proper  works  cf  God. 
 
 What  are  the  powers  of  invifible  fpirits  of  a 
 faperlor  nature  to  us,  and  how  far  their  natural 
 capacities  may  reach  to  accomplidi  works  of  a 
 miraculous    kind,    is  a    Iruitlels   difquifition  j; 
 becuufe  'tis  fcarce  poifible  for  us  to  determine 
 it.     As  to  the  miracles  of  our  blelTed  Lord, 
 what    the   power  was  by  which  he  effedted 
 them,  is  determined  to  our  hands ;  the  Father 
 did  them  by  the  agency  and  influence  of  that 
 blejfcd  Spirit,  which   Chrifl  received  without 
 meafure,  and  by  thefe  works  the  Father  bare 
 teilimony  to  his  divine  character  and  miffion. 
 The   works   of   nature,    and    the  eftabliflied 
 courfe  and  order  of  things,   are  the  appoint- 
 ment and  conftitution  of  God,  which  he  hath 
 fixed  y  reafon  would  teach  us,  by  laws  not  to 
 be  repealed,  or  interrupted  by  any  agency  but 
 his  own.  And  therefore  whatever  fuperior  in- 
 telligences, of  capacities   more  exalted   than 
 ours  may  poflibly  do,  yet  I  think  we  may  cer- 
 tainly conclude,  that  the   laws   of  God  and 
 nature  bound  their  operations  3  and  that  as  they 
 are  themfelves  his  workmanfliip,  of  limited 
 powers,  and  dependent  faculties,  all  concluded 
 within    the    fyftem   of  things  that  he    hath 
 wifely  and  powerfully,  and  for  the  moft  ex- 
 cellent purpofes  formed  ;  fo   they  are  them- 
 felves circumfcrlbed   by  the  rules  eflential  to 
 that  fyftem  -,  arid  cannot  have  any  power  cf 
 
 adtion 
 
138  The  Nature  of  the  Miracles  of  Chriji.  Serm.4. 
 
 a<ftion  independent  of  thofe  rules,  or  of  pro- 
 ducing effe(!:'ts  without  the  concurrence  of  their 
 natural  caufes  in  the  production.  This  was 
 the  cafe  in  the  miracles  of  our  blefled  Saviour  : 
 They  were  fuch  effeds,  moft  of  them,  as 
 happen  in  nature,  but  produced  without  any 
 co-operation  of  the  iijual  laws  of  nalurey  and 
 therefore  mull:  cv/e  their  exiftence  to  the  im- 
 mediate energy,  adive  power,  and  efficacious 
 will  of  the  principal  agent,  without  any  inter- 
 vention of  fecondary  caufes  -,  a  power  that 
 feems  peculiar  and  appropriate  to  the  Deity. 
 Creation^  or  the  prodadion  of  fomewhat  out 
 of  nothing,  hath  always  been  one  of  the  great 
 -peculiarities  referved  to  the  will  and  agency  of 
 God,  and  feems  to  be  the  utmoil:  ftretch  and 
 exertion  of  power.  And  what  were  that  bred 
 and  thofe  fiflies,  with  which  our  Lord  fe; A  ihe 
 multitude,  but  the  immediate  efFeds  of  creative 
 power  ?  How  came  the  maimed  to  be  made 
 whole,  the  cripple  to  be  rendered  found,  or 
 the  eye  to  be  form'd  and  opened  m  thofe  born 
 blind,  but  by  his  almighty  energy,  by  whom  we 
 are  all  of  us  fearfully  and  wonderfully  made  ?  And 
 \vhea  we  confider  not  only  the  nature  of  our 
 Saviour's  works,  but  their  vaft  ?iumber,  and  the 
 feafon  and  term  of  time  throughout  which  he 
 was  continually  exerci(ing  it,  it  will  be  impof- 
 lible  to  afcribe  them  to  any  other  coiupetent 
 caufe  but  the  fupream  ;  and  the  reafoning  of 
 ^the  man  born  blind,  whom  he  reftored  to  fight, 
 will  appear  fully  concluiive  and  irreliftihle  : 
 Since  the  world  began  was  it  not  heard^  that 
 any  man  opened  the  eyes   of  one  that  was  born 
 
 blind. 
 
Serm.  4.  The  Nature  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrijl.   139 
 
 blind.     If  this  man  was  not  of  God,  he  ccidd  do 
 nothing. 
 
 The  inference  from  the  whole,  with  which 
 I  ihall  conclude,  is.  How  Jhall  we  efcape,  if  we 
 negleBjo  great  falvati on,  which  at  the  firji  began 
 to  be  fpoken  by  the  Lord,  and  was  confirmed  unto 
 us  by  them  that  hctird  him.  And  as  God  approved 
 him  by  the  mofl  extraordinary  miracles,  hath 
 exalted  him  to  be  a  prince  and  a  Saviour,  ^ndfent 
 him  to  blefs  us,  in  turning  us  every  one  from  our 
 iniquities  -,  let  us  fubmit  to  his  authc-rity,  and 
 accept  of  the  falvation  offered  us,  and  chear- 
 -*fully  wait  for  ;he  feafon  of  his  fecond  appear- 
 ance, that  when  he  fhall  appear  we  may  obtain 
 our  compleat  redemption,  in  the  rcftoration  of 
 our  bodies,  the  perfedion  of  our  minds,  and 
 our  intire  happinefs  in  the  prefence  and  glory 
 of  God. 
 
 SERMON 
 
(      UO      ) 
 
 SERMON     V. 
 
 On  the  Character  of  Chi  id  and  his  Apoftles. 
 
 John    iii.    2. 
 
 Rabbi y  we  know  thou  art  a  'Teacher  come  from 
 God ;  for  no  Man  can  do  thefe  Miracles  which 
 thou  doejiy  except  God  be  with  him, 
 
 HAVING  in  a  preceding  difcourfe 
 proved  the  foffibility  of  miracles,  and 
 confidered  the  nature  of  the  miracles  wrought 
 by  Chrifl  and  his  Apoftles,  and  {hewn  the  ex- 
 cellent greatnefs  and  peculiar  propriety  of  thefe, 
 I  now  proceed 
 
 In  the  third  place  to  confider  the  character 
 of  our  blejfed  Lord  and  his  Apofdes,  which  is 
 of  great  confcquence  in  this  argument.  For 
 how tw tY  pojjihle  miracles  are  in  their  own  na- 
 ture, and  though  the  particular  miracles 
 afcribed  to  any  perfon  may  be  worthy  the  inter- 
 pofition  and  agency  of  God,  yet  if  the  perfon  to 
 whom  they  are  attributed,  appears  to  be  one 
 unfit  2ind  u72worthy  to  be  employed  by  God  as 
 the  agent  or  inftrument  in  performing  them, 
 this  will  detradt  from  the  credibility  of  his 
 having  wrought  them,  and  render  the  account 
 
 of 
 
Serm.  5-   CharaElcr  of  Chriji  andhis  A^ojlles.     141 
 
 of  the  miraculous  works  faid  to  be  done  by 
 him,  liable  to  the  fulpicion  of  falihood  and 
 impoflure.  For  'tis  not  to  be  fuppofed,  that 
 God  will  employ  any  perfons  for  lb  extraordi- 
 nary a  purpole,  but  fuch  as  are  fit  and  proper, 
 and  the  leaft  liable  by  their  characfter  to  preju- 
 dice mankind  againft  believing  the  reality  of 
 the  miracles  he  enables  them  to  do,  and  com- 
 plying with  the  great  defign  inteiided  to  be 
 anfwered  by  them.  Otherwife  they  would  be 
 wholly  or  in  a  great  meafure  uielefs,  as  being 
 attended  with  circumflances  that  neceffiirily 
 prevent  their  credit  and  fuccefs ;  and  lo  would 
 give  occafion  for  reafon  to  infer,  that  they 
 were  fidtitious  and  deluiive.  If  the  perfon 
 reported  to  have  done  them  appears  defAtute  of 
 the  ordinary  neccfTary  natural  qualitications  of 
 difcemment  and  good  fefife,  or  if  there  are  in  his 
 temper  and  conduct;  evident  marks  of  zfuper- 
 Jiitious,  or  entkufiaff-ical  turn,  or  if  there  be  rea- 
 fon to  conclude  him  a  cinmingy  inierejled^  vain^ 
 or  prrjiigate  perfon,  feigning  revelations  from 
 God,  and  miraculous  powers  to  vindicate  and 
 protect  himfcif  in  the  indulgence  of  his  paf- 
 fions,  or  to  carry  on  any  favourite  fcheme  of 
 ambition  and  power  ;  thefe  and  the  like  cir- 
 cumflances  will  furniQi  too  much  caufe  for 
 fufpicion,  that  God  would  not  invefl  fuch 
 a  one  with  fupernatural  abilities,  nor  mMke 
 him  his  inftrument  in  efFe(fl;ing  extraordi- 
 nary and  miraculous  operations.  Let  us  then 
 examine  the  chara.51er  of  our  blefied  Lord 
 and  his  Apoftles  by  thefe  marks,  and  fee  if 
 there  be  any  ground  of  fufpicioa  that  can  rea- 
 fon ably 
 
142    Chara^ier  of  Chrifi  and  his  Apojlles,    Serin.  5. 
 
 fonably   be  urged  againft  them  on  thefe  ac- 
 counts.   And 
 
 I.  If  we  confult  thefacred  hiftory  we  (liall 
 find  no  appearance  of  the  want  of  proper  dif- 
 cernment,  plain  fenfc,  and  foiindnefs  of  judgment 
 in  any  of  them.  'Tis  iigreed,  that  God  will 
 not  etnploy  fools  in  any  meilage  of  importance 
 to  mankind,  nor  render  them  confpicuous  to 
 the  world,  by  ufing  them  as  his  inflruments 
 in  the  production  of  any  miraculous  effeds^. 
 becaufe  this  doth  not  feem  confiftent  with  his 
 infinite  wifdom  and  underfianding.  And  the 
 whole  of  our  Saviour's  condu<5t  fets  him  above 
 every  reproach  of  this  kind.  There  appears 
 the  utmoft  prudence  in  the  whole  of  his  beha* 
 vionr,  by  which  he  efcap'd  the  fnares  laid  by 
 his  enemies  to  entangle  him  in  his  difcourfe, 
 and  render  him  obnoxious  to  the  people  and 
 government.  When  the  Phartfees  fent  out 
 their  difciples  with  the  Herodians,  with  a  fubtle 
 queftion  abdtit  paying  of  tribute  to  Ccefar, 
 imagining  however  he  decided  it,  they  (hould 
 find  occafion  to  lay  an  accufation  againft  him ; 
 with  what  prudence  and  fl;.ili  doth  he  defeat 
 their  malice,  and  triumph  over  their  fubtilty. 
 Ma/iery  we  know  that  thou  art  true,  and  teacheft 
 the  way  oj  God  in  truths  neither  carejl  then  for 
 any  man,  for  thou  rcgardcft  not  the  perfo?t  of  men* 
 'Tell  us  thereforet  what  thinkeft  thou  '^  Is  it  la^fid 
 to  give  tribute  to  Cafar,  or  not-f?  intending, 
 had  he  plainly  declared  it  lawfidy  to  reprefent 
 him  as  an  ene:ny  to  his  nation^  and  a  betrayer  of 
 
 f  Mat.  x.\il.   16.  &c. 
 
 the 
 
Serm.  5.  Chara£fer  of  Chrifi  and  his  Apofiles.     i^^ 
 
 the  liberties  of  his  people  j  or,  if  he  had  de- 
 clared it  unlawful,  to  have  accufed  him  as  a 
 feditious  rebel  again  ft  Ccefar.  Our  Lord  per- 
 ceived their  vrickednefs  and  clearly  determined 
 the  lawfulnefs  of  paying  Ccefar  his  tribute,  but 
 in  fuch  a  manner,  as  to  prevent  the  malicious 
 intentions  of  his  enemies  from  reaching  him. 
 Why  tempt  ye  me,  ye  hypocrites  ?  Shew  me  the  tri- 
 bute money 'y  and  when  he  had  aiked  them, 
 whoje  image  and fuperfcription  it  bore,  and  they 
 anfvvered  him,  Cajars  ;  he  replied,  Re?jder 
 therefore  u?ito  Cafar  the  things  that  are  Ccefars, 
 and  unto  God  the  things  that  are  God's,  i.  e.  'tis 
 your  duty  to  render  to  both  their  due.  In  que- 
 flions  of  great  importance  in  religion,  the  de- 
 cifions  he  made  were  the  didates  of  truth  it- 
 {t\{.  When  one  afked  him  to  try  his  llcill  : 
 Mafter,  which  is  the  great  commandment  in  the 
 law?  What  convidion  doth  the  anfwer  carry? 
 I'hou  fkalt  kve  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart 
 and  with  ad  thy  foul,  and  with  aH  thy  fnind.  This 
 is  the  frjl  and  great  commandment  -,  and  the  fe- 
 cond  is  like  unto  it :  Thoufialt  love  thy  fieighbcur 
 as  thyfelf'^ ;  hereby,  with  the  mod  perfect 
 judgment,  reprefenting  thefe  two  great  duties 
 of  the  love  of  God  and  our  neighbour,  as  of 
 greater  importance  than  the  whole  cerem.onial 
 of  the  law  of  Mcjes.  In  that  intricate  quef- 
 tion,  relating  to  the  refurredlion,  about  the 
 woman  that  had  married  [even  hufbands,  to 
 which  of  the  /even  (lie  (hould  bdonp  at  the 
 refurredion  -,  our  Lord's  determination  is  ra- 
 
 *  ^!Iat.  xxii.  35,  &G. 
 
 rational 
 
144-    Characier  of  Chrlfi  end  his  Apcjiks.    Serm.  5. 
 
 tional  and  convincing:  In  the  Refurreollon  they 
 neither  marry  ^  nor  are  gi'ven  in  marriage ^  but  are 
 as  the  Angels  of  God  in  Heaven  J. 
 
 Again,  whdtjirength  appears  in  the  vindica- 
 tion  he  made  of  himlelf  againft  the   charges 
 of  his  enemies  !  when   the  Fhar'ifees  cenfured 
 him  for  eating  and  converjing  with  public  am  and 
 finners  ||,   what  juftice  and  what  a  fpirit  of  be- 
 nevolence  breathes  in  his  defence!  T^hey  that 
 are  whole  need  not  a  ph^jician^  but  they  that  are 
 Jick.     Go  ye  J  a?2d  learn  ivhat  that  means  :  I  wilt 
 have  mercy  and  not  facrif.ce.     I  am  not  come  to- 
 call    the    righteous    but  finncrs    to    repentance. 
 It  would  be  to  tranfcribe  the  gofpel,  to  enu- 
 merate all  the  inftances  of  this  nature.    What 
 propriety,  what  nature,  what  inflruiflion,  what 
 fevere  reproof,  what  flcill  and  prudence  were 
 there,  in  the  feveral  parables  that  he  delivered, 
 whereby  the  moft  important  truths  were  con- 
 vv^yed  in  fuch  a  manner  as  carried  full   con* 
 vidlion,  and  wds  Icaft  liable  to  initate  and  of^^ 
 fend  !  In  a  word,  the  whole  of  his  docflrlne, 
 as   to  religion  and  morality,  was  of  that   na- 
 ture as  abundantly  den)on.(l: rated    his  lull   ac- 
 quaintance with  and  knowledge  of  thtfe  inte- 
 'refting  and  important   fubje(fts,  and    that  he 
 was  on  this  account  every  way  worthy  to  be 
 employed  as  a  mefienger  of  God,  for  the  in- 
 ftrucftioh  of   mankind,    and   to  receive  thofe 
 extraordinary  atteliat-ions  that  were  neceffary 
 to  give  power  and  authority  to  his   do(ftrine, 
 land  this  was  univerfaily  known  and  confefi'ed. 
 
 X  Mat.  xxii,  23.  &c.         II  Mat.  ix.  ri.  &c. 
 
 When 
 
Sertn.  5.  Chara^fer  of  Chrifi  end  his  ApoJiUs.  145 
 When  he  had  ended  that  admirable  fermdri  oJil 
 the  mount,  the  people  were  aft  0721  fie  d  at  his  doc- 
 trine. Whence  hath  this  man  this  %vifdo?n%^  was 
 the  language  even  of  thole  who  were  offended 
 at  him.  His  hearers  ail  bore  witnels  to  him, 
 i.  e.  eonfeded  and  publickly  declared  the  truth 
 of  his  doiftrine,  and  wondered  at  the  gracious 
 words,  the  kind  benevolent  indrudions  that 
 proceeded  out  of  his  ?nGiitb%  with  wonder  and 
 aa-onidiment,  acknowledging:  Never  man 
 fpake  like  this  man  \l 
 
 In  like  manner  may  it  be  obferved  of  his 
 ApoJileSy  that  though  when  their  mafter's  doc- 
 trine was  contrary  to  their  inveterate  national 
 prejudices,  they  could  not  conceive  how  many 
 of  the  things  he  taught  them,  were  -true,  or 
 could  be  fo,  as  no  man  can  underftand  what 
 plainly  oppofes  his  former  prejudices,  till  he 
 is  cured  of  them;  yet  they  were  men  of  plain^ 
 underftandings  in  all  other  points,  and  capable  of 
 well  executing  the  truft  and  commiiTion  they 
 received  from  Chriftj  as  abundantly  appears 
 from  their  Hiilory  in  the  Acls  of  the  Apoftles, 
 2.\\A  their  gofpels  and  epijiles,  that  are  conveyed 
 to  our  hands.  And  though 'tis  faid.;  that  when 
 Peter  and  John  appeared  before  the  High 
 Priefts  and  others,  that  they  perceived  ihein  to  he 
 unlearned  and  ignorant  men\  ;  it  ihould  be  ob- 
 ferved, that  "the  word  we  render  ignorant, 
 lliould  be  rendered,  private  men  of  no  leariied 
 education,  that  had  not  been  publickly  bred  up 
 
 -    X  Mat.  vii.  23.     xiv.  54.     §   Luke  iv.  22.     1|  John  vii.  46. 
 •j-   Ads  iv,  13. 
 
 Vol.  I.  ii0  ii^ 
 
14^     Charaolci'  cf  Chriji  and  bis  Apojlks.  Serfri.  5. 
 
 in  their  fchools,  under  the  Celebrated  doctors 
 and  Rabbles ;  for  the  high  Prieftand  his  com- 
 panions ivofidered  at  their  doBrinCy  and  the  in- 
 trepid manner  of  their  delivering  it;  and 
 wondered  at  this,  becaufe  having  had  none 
 of  the  advantages  of  a  liberal  polite  educa- 
 tion, they  could  not  conceive  how  they  could 
 fpeak  in  fo  publick  a  manner,  and  have  the 
 fcouriigc  to  plead  fo  well  in  their  own  vindica- 
 tion. From  their  whole  conducft  it  appears, 
 efpecially  after  their  becoming  publickly  the 
 witnefles  of  Chrift,  that  they  were  under  the 
 conduct  of  a  fpirit  of  the  truefl:  wifdom  and 
 imderfianding,  however  they  came  by  it. 
 But 
 
 2.  As  there  is  nojuf^  fufpicion,  that  our 
 blefled  Lord  and  his  Apofties  were  in  the  leaft 
 defeSIhe  in  their  underjiandhigy  or  any  part  of 
 neceil'ary  knowledge  or  wiidom,  there  is  as 
 little  reafon  to  charge  them  with  a  weak  and 
 enthujiajlical  fpirit ^  or  that  they  a(^ed  undet 
 the  deluilon  of  a  warm  and  heated  imagina- 
 tion, pretending  to  imaginary  vifioniy  and  im- 
 pulfes,  that  prevented  the  regalar  operations 
 of  reafon,  or  milled  their  jiidgments  into  ex- 
 travagant conceits,  and  wild,  fanciful,  uncon- 
 nected and  impoflible  projects.  When  enthu^ 
 Jiafm^  or  the  falfc  imagination  oi  impulfe  and 
 inipiration  pod'effes  men,  they  are  generally 
 found  to  he  tlic  ivciike/i  and  meanefl  kind  of 
 perfons,  aiul  the  diforder  of  their  minds,  and 
 thediiccrnper  of  their  br^in  appears  by  a  thou- 
 jfiind-iniiances;  hy  incoherent  fpeechc^y  ridiculous 
 do^rir.eufalfe  p'rcpbrjics,  inconncclcd  and  contra- 
 
 .^  diSlory 
 
Serm.  5.    Character  of  Chrijl  and  his  Apojiks.    147 
 
 diStory  a[fertions,  nvildnefs  of  behaviour,  and  an 
 utter  Want  of  every  thing  that  (hews  the  pof- 
 fefiion  of  themfelv'eo,  and  the  proper  decency, 
 order  and   confiflency   of  a  rational,  juft  and 
 prudent   behaviour.     And   of  thefe  efteds  of 
 enthuliafm  we  have  had  former  and  later  in- 
 ftances.     The  very  language  of  fuch  people  Is 
 often  a  iidi  demonftration  of  the  fre?ixy  which 
 poffefTes  them,  and  wanting  ballaft  of  judg- 
 ment, coolnefs  of  thought  and  juftnefs  of  re- 
 fled:ion,-  they  are  hurried  away  by  every  im- 
 pulfe   that  feizes  them,  and    tranfported  into 
 every    extravagance    which     their    perverted 
 imagination    fuggefts   to    them.     Enihufiafni 
 always  betrays  itfelf  by  thofe  ls.ind  of  evidences, 
 and  being  neither   under  the  guidance  of  the 
 fpirit  of  God,    which  is   the   fpirit  of  order 
 a-nd  a  found  mind,  nor   under  the  condu(ft  of 
 cool  reafon  and  confident  truth,  it  hath    no- 
 thing- to  reftrain  its  moft  violent  emotions,  or 
 prevent  itfelf  from  breaking  out  into  the  moffc 
 fanatical  and  ridiculous  exceffes.     And  it  v\?ould 
 be  eafy  to  make  this  appear,  from  all  the  ac- 
 counts we  have  remaining  of  the  ancient  and 
 modern  cnthufiafis,  to  prevent  the  influence  of 
 whofe  conceits    there  is  need  of  nothing  but 
 an    impartial  confideration    of  the   monlhous 
 and  contemptible   pretenfions  and   effedls  of 
 them.     But  'tis   to  the  honour  of  ChriOjianity, 
 its  great  author,  and  his  Apoilles,  that  their 
 is  no  appearance  of  fuch  a  dillempered   fpirit 
 amongft  them. 
 
 Our  blefled  Saviour  did  indeed  claimxhc  dig- 
 nity of  i\di'vi?2e  miffion,   that  the  do(ftnnes  he 
 L  2  taught 
 
ijS     Ch draper  of  Chriji  and  his  Apfiles.  Serm.  5. 
 
 taught  were  the  docflrines  of  God,  that  hi& 
 Father  was  continually  with  him,  and  that  the 
 works  he  wrought  were  effected  by  his  imme- 
 diate influence  and  power.  And  unlefs  fuch 
 a  divine  authority  had  been  aflerted  by  him, 
 the  claim  to  any  miraculous  atteilation  had 
 been  abfurd.  For  what  need  could  there  have 
 been  of  a  miraculous  atteftation  to  one  that 
 neither  pretended  to  be  fent  by  him,  nor  to 
 teach  in  his  name.  So  that  the  claim  o-f 
 being  the  meilenger  of  God,  and  working 
 miracles  in  his  name,  argues  the  confijlency  of 
 our  Saviour's  character,  and  neither  can  be  fe* 
 parated  from  the  other,  without  deftroying  the 
 reality  of  th-e  one,  or  the  end  of  the  other. 
 But  though  our  Saviour  aflumed  this  high 
 chara(fter  of  being  fent  of  God  into  the  worlds 
 yet  it  was  with  {w<:\-\  2.  dignity y  conjijtency,  regu^ 
 liirity  and p7'tidence  of  coaducft,  as  Ihewed,  that 
 iniaguiation  had  no  kind  of  dominion  o\tx  him,, 
 but  that  his  realon  was  cool  and  in  its  fulleft 
 exercife,  that  his  judgment  was  clear,  and 
 pafled  the  right  ccniure  upon  men  and  things, 
 and  that  all  his  intelledtual  powers  were  free 
 and  unfettered,  and  his  mind  in  a  ftate  of  the 
 froft  pcrfeifl  and  uninterrupted  liberty.  No- 
 thing of  that  black  and  melancholy  gloom  ever, 
 difcovered  itfelf  in  him,  which  is  the  prevail- 
 ing tindture  in  the  complecftion  of  fome  Rn-^ 
 ihufhilh'y  nothing  of  that  agitation^  freak  and 
 liohiniy  of  that  fanciful,  rapturous,  extatick 
 commotion  and  ardor  thcit  betrays  the  difor- 
 ders  o\  others.  Every  thing  in  our  bleflej^ 
 Lord  was  calm^  temperate  and  manly,  without 
 
 irregu- 
 
Serm.  5.  Character  of  Chrijl  and  his  Apoftles.    1 4^ 
 
 irregularity  of  frame,  impotencies  of  zeal,  in- 
 conliftency  of  design,  ftarts  of  paffion,  broken- 
 jjefs    of   thoughts,    irrefolution    of  purpofe, 
 contradiction  oi  principles,  temporary  expedi- 
 ents, unfteadinei^  of  condud,  change  of  mea- 
 fures,    or    any   oithcr  iingle   indication  of    a 
 perverted  and  alienated  mind.     The  claim  of 
 his   divine  miffion  he  fteadlly  and  cciifi/ientlyy 
 but  humbly  and   modejily  per fi fled  in,   without 
 any  -pretences  to  multiplied  vifions,  or  extra- 
 vagant,   romantic,    fanciful   communications 
 from  God  his  Father.     His  dlfcowjes  of  re- 
 ligion vj&xQ  folid^  gravey  convincing  znd  aJfeB- 
 ing.  His  inftrudiiojjs  in  moi^al  virtite  were  plain, 
 rational,  fobcrt  and  carried  force  and  authority 
 with   them.     His  praSlice  was  anpwerable  to 
 the  dodtrine  and  morality  he  taught,  free  from 
 /liffnefs,  pride   and  afifedation.     His   dcci/ions 
 in  queftions-  of  importance  were  weighty,  jiifi, 
 and  founded  in  the  truth  and  reafon  of  things. 
 His  advices  pertinent,  ujeful,  and  always  fu it- 
 able  to  perfons,  times,  and  circumftances.     As 
 a  Prophet  he  ke.pt  up  the  dignity  of  his  perfon 
 and  character.     In  cornmon  life  he  behaved 
 as  2itnafi,  and  asoiae  who  knew  human  nature, 
 and    all    the   boundaries   between   good   and 
 evil.     With  hh  friends  he  wasfocial,  engaging, 
 and   benevolent.     Amidft  his  ^-ww/Vi  cautious. 
 The   virtues  of  men   he  kindly  encouraged; 
 their  vices  he  reproved  with  freedom,   cournge 
 and  fidelity.     Under  injuries  he  behaved  with 
 patience,  ctilmnefs  and  exemplary  meeknefs. 
 In  deathhe  manifefted  courage,  fubmiffion  to 
 God,  confidence  in   his   Father's   acceptance 
 L  3  and 
 
^50  '  CharaSier  of  Chr^Jt  and  his  Apojiks.  Seriu.  5. 
 
 and  love,  and  the  noblefl  humanity  and  com- 
 palfion  to  his  cruel  and  relentlels  iijurtherers. 
 In  a  word,  no  one  inllance  can  be  produced, 
 in  all  the  various  parts  he  aded,  of  that  dif- 
 compoiure,  heat,  unfteadinefs  and  impotency, 
 that  are  infeparable  from  a  fanatical  and  enthu- 
 iiafiical  caft  of  mind.  Every  thing  demon- 
 llrated  that  he  vi-as  in  the  fulleft  polfeffion  of 
 himfelf,  and  that  he  always  adcd  under  the 
 influence  of  the  coolefl  reafon,  and  the  moil 
 fedate  and  folid  judgment. 
 
 The  fame  obfervations  will  hold  good  of 
 his  Apoftles,  who  claim'd  indeed  the  honour  oi 
 being  his  imtnejjcs,  and  adling  as  fuch  by  a 
 commiljio7ijrom  God  ;  but  who  in  the  v»/hole  of 
 their  miniftry  adted  conftftently  with  ihemfehes, 
 with  each  other,  and  with  the  dejign  on  which 
 their  blefled  Mafter  had  fent  them  j  who  made 
 rso  claim  to  a  fpirit  of  revelation  but  \vhat  the 
 ^ripft  undeniable  and  convincing  y^^j  <7//(^£'^, 
 and  who  in  all  their  difcourfes,  fern^ons,  rea- 
 fonings  with  thofe  amongfl:  whom  they  con- 
 yerfed,  and  circular  epiilles  fent  to  the 
 churches  they  had  gathered,  fliewed  great 
 ftrength  cf judgment  J  biowledge  of  their  fubjed:, 
 Jkill  in  their  choice  of  proofs,  and  the  methods 
 of  perfualion,  condefcenjion  to  the  prejudices  of 
 mankind,  ^^(f/zV)'  to  their  Mafter,  and  a  reli^ 
 giotis  prudence  and  care  to  be  accepted  and  ap- 
 proved of  God  ;  full  demonilrations  thefe  that 
 they  were  no  deluded  enthujwjlick  vijionariesy 
 and  agitated  by  the  fuggellions  of  a  ialfe,  ca- 
 pricious and  brain-fick  imagination.  And 
 though  in  one  of  the  facred  books,  that  make 
 
 a  part 
 
Serm.  5.    CharaSfer  of  Chrifi  and  his  Afojiks.   151 
 
 a  part  in  our  canon,  there  is  a  continued  fcene 
 of  'Dtjion  and  revelation^  yet  as  there  is  an  evi-- 
 dent  connedled  feries  and  chain  of  events 
 throughout  the  whole,  as  a  great  part  of  it  is 
 rendered  intelligible  by  the  labours  of  wife 
 and  learned  interpreters,  as  many  of  the/r/;/^ 
 clpal prophecies  contained  in  it  are  fully  nnder-' 
 Jtoodj  and  ''verified  by  the  rnoft  unqueftionable 
 events,  as  the  various  changes,  corruptions, 
 fufFerings  and  perfecutions  of  the  church  arc 
 therein  graphically  and  exadly  delineated, 
 and  the  very  power  that  i5  the  great  fource  of 
 thefe  corruptions  and  perlecutions  is  defcribed 
 by  the  fared:  and  plaineft  characters 3  thefe  are 
 certain  indications  that  the  author  of  thefe  re- 
 velations did  not  deliver  the  conceits  of  his 
 own  fancy i  but  was  under  his  guidance  who 
 hath  all  events  under  his  <iire<5lion,  and  fees 
 them  perfe(ftly  from  the  beginning  to  the 
 end. 
 
 3.  As  there  ^re  no  cbaraders  of  Enthiifiafm 
 to  be  found  in  the  temper  and  conduct  of 
 our  bleffed  Lord  and  his  Apoftles,  fo  neither 
 are  there  any  the  lead  indications  in  them,  of 
 any  tendency  to  promote  the  interefts,  and 
 eftablifh  the  pra(ftice  oi  fiperftitiom  a  cor- 
 ruption in  its  nature  highly  prejudicial  to  man- 
 kind, inconfiftent  with  and  deilru<5liveof  true 
 religion,  and  diflionourable  to  God  the  great 
 objedt  of  our  rational  veneration  and  worfliip. 
 Enthufiafm,  or  the  falfe  perfuafion  of  vifions 
 and  revelations  from  God,  is  one  principal 
 fource  of  fuperftition;  becaufe  as  enthufiafm 
 hath  no  fpirit  of  truth  for  its  guide,nor  any 
 
 L  4  fi^rc 
 
152    Character  of  Chrijl  and  his  Apojiks.  Serni.  5, 
 
 lure  principles  of  cool  and  foher  reafon  todi" 
 red:  it,  but  is  the  mere  creature  of  fancy  and 
 imagination;  its  dirctfticns  rnufl  he  arhitiary 
 and  wild  as  the  imagination  that  fuggefts 
 them;  and  the  practices  it  encourages  and 
 fandtifies  be  as  irranonal  and  abfurd,  as  the 
 difpofition  from  whence  they  flow  is  diflepi- 
 pered  and  frantick.  Suptrftitio7i  is  founded  in 
 ivrong principles^  and  elpecially  in  mijlaken  con^ 
 feptious  of  God,  and  of  the  nature  and  duties  of 
 religion,  and  dif^oyers  itfeif  by  falfe  methods 
 of  devotion,  and  fuch  pradi^es  in  worfhip,  as 
 have  neither  the  rcafon  of  things^  nor  the  au- 
 i^rtty  and  command  of  God  to  warrant  and  ju- 
 ilify  them.  It  excites  a  fear  of  the  divine  dif- 
 pleafure  for  things  that  can  never  be  offenlive 
 to  him,  and  imagines  that  he  is  as  eafily  re- 
 conciled by  methods  that  have  no  intriniick 
 excellency  and  worth  in  them,  and  fometimes 
 that  are  extremely  criminal  and  ofenfive.  It 
 perverts  the  nature  of- true  religion,  or  blends 
 with  it  things  wholly  foreign  to  and  inconfiflent 
 with  the  great  dcfign  of  it..  It  places  it  either 
 in  the  behef  of  abflrufe,  difficult  and  in- 
 comprehenfible  fpeculations,  or  the  abfurd, 
 contradi(5tory  and  extravagant  doctrines  of 
 men,  or  in  external  forms  and  outward  ce- 
 remonies that  are  of  no  intrinfick  value,  or 
 at  befl  are  but  intended  to  proniote  fome  more 
 worthy  and  important  delign.  -^It  inflamps  a 
 fancftity  upon  indiiferent  things,  and  exalts 
 them  into  an  equal  degree  of  honour  and  ne- 
 ctiTity  with  the  moft  important  and  eficntial 
 iiuties  of  Godlinefs.     Its^reat  intention  is  to 
 
 wealcen 
 
Serm.  5.    Character  of  Chriji  and  his  Apojiles.    153 
 
 weaken  the  obligations  of  moral  virtue,  its 
 conltant  tendency  to  cool  and  ftraiten  the  dic- 
 tates of  benevolence  and  charity,  and  the 
 certain  efte(^  of  it  to  wade  and  extinguiili  the 
 life  and  fpirit  of  rational,  acceptable  piety 
 and  devotion.  It  invents  methods  of  com- 
 penfation  and  atonement  for  the  habitual 
 vices  of  mankind,  and  is  the  moft  powerful 
 antidote  that  can  be  adminiilered  to  prevent 
 real  repentance  and  reformation  :  It  is  the 
 great  engine  played  off  by  crafty  politiciafis 
 find fecularized  church  meny  to  keep  the  people 
 in  a  fervile  dependance  on  themfelves,  and  by 
 which  fimple,  ignorant  and  unthinking  men 
 are  held  in  flavery  to  their  own  prejudices  and 
 fears,  and  often  deceived  into  errors  and  prac- 
 tices, Seftrudive  of  their  honour,  peace,  and 
 happinefs.  And  confidering  the  univerfal 
 tendency  of  mankind  to  fall  under  the  power 
 of  this  evil  fpirit ;  (hould  God  lend  bis  aflift- 
 ance  to  perfons  of  this  complexion,  and  give 
 them  the  power  to  do  miraculous  works,  the 
 force  of  fuperftition  muft  be  irrejijiible,  and 
 the  prevalence  of  it  abfolute  and  univerfal.  And 
 therefore  I  think  we  may  lay  it  dowm  as  a  cer- 
 tain and  indifputable  principle,  that  God  will 
 never  arm  vain  and  fuperftitious  men  with  this 
 dangerous  weapon  of  miraculous  operations, 
 nor  proititute  his  own  power  and  authority  to 
 countenance  and  fupport  thofe  corruptions  of 
 religion  they  would  introduce  and  eftablifh. 
 
 By  thefe  rules  let  us  form  our  judgment  of 
 the  charaSltr  and  coridiict  of  our  blciTed  Lord 
 (fnd  his  Apojlks.     When  he  appeared  in  the 
 
 world 
 
J  54    Char  abler  of  Chrifi  and  his  Apojiles.  Serm.  5. 
 
 world,  it  was  at  a  feafon  when  all  mankind 
 had  fallen  into  the  moft  extravagant  abfurdi- 
 ties  of  fuperftition.The  nation  to  whom  he  was 
 particularly  Jent  were  almofl:  as  deeply  funk  in 
 them,  as  the  Gentiles  themfelves  ;  and  though 
 they  were  of  a  different  kind  from  theirs,  yet 
 were  they  not  lefs  groundlefs,  or  fatal  to  the 
 Interefts  of  religion  and  virtue.     Inftead  of 
 worthy,  generous  fentiments  of  God,  they  had 
 lowered  him  down  into  a  fort  of  locals  national 
 divinity.     Inftead   of   rational    fentiments  of 
 religion,    they    had  debafcd  it  into  external 
 Jorm  and  ceremony ,  and  imagined  that  birth,  a 
 certain  mark  in  their  flefh,  a  few  eafy  rites,the 
 obfervance  of  traditionary  precepts,  voluntary 
 abftinences,  and  an  outward  bodily  kind  of 
 fan(5lity,    was    all   neccffary    to    their  juftifi-r 
 cation   before   God,  and   a  fufiicient  atone^ 
 ment  for  all  the  fjns  and  vices  of  which  they 
 could  be  guilty.     Hence  they  were  feecome 
 a  nation  of  Hypocrites y  who  under  extraordinary 
 pretences  to   peculiar    fan^tity    pradtifed   the 
 moft  enormous  crimes,  and  were  one  of  the 
 wickedeft  people  upon  the  face  of  the  whole 
 earth.     The  condition  of  the  Gentiles  is   too 
 well    known  to  need   any  particular  defcrip-^ 
 tion,  amongft  whom,  almoft  the  very  traces 
 of  true  religion   were   loft  ;  in  the  room  of 
 which  ignorance,  error,  barbarity  and  fuper-^ 
 ftition,  had  every  where  taken  poiTeffion  of, 
 and  enflaved  the  whole  race  of  mankind.     In 
 thefe  circumftances,  what  was  the  conduct  of 
 our  bleffed  Lord  ?  Did  he  fall  in  with  popu- 
 lar prejudices,  and  ftrengthen  by  his  dodtrine 
 
 and 
 
Serm.  5.    Chara^er  cf  Chriji  and  his  J-poJiles.    155 
 
 and  example  the  corruptions  and  fuperftitior^s  of 
 his  own  times?  Nothing  fo  diftant  from  every 
 appearance  of  fuperftition,  as  chriftianity  in 
 its  original  purity.  One  grand  intention  of 
 pur  Saviour's  miniftry  was  to  lay  open  the  hy- 
 procrify  and  wickednefs  of  thofe  who  were 
 the  great  patrons  and  encouragers  of  ir,  to 
 refcue  the  dignity  of  the  moral  law  of  God, 
 from  the  contempt  under  v/hich  they  had 
 brought  it,  by  their  traditionary  glofles,  t^ 
 ihew  the  extent  of  it,  and  the  folly  of  fub- 
 ilituting  any  thing  elfe  in  the  room  of  it,  and 
 to  recall  men  to  the  love  and  pradice  of  the 
 great  eff^ntial  duties  of  godlinefs  and  virtue, 
 as  abfolutely  neceflary  to  their  iliaring  in  tha 
 benefits  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  And  with 
 what  contempt  and  jufl  indignation  doth  he 
 treat  thofe  fuperftitious  trifles,  on  which  the 
 Pbarifees  and  Priejis  laid  the  great  ftiefs,  and 
 built  their  hopes  of  juftification  and  favour 
 with  God  ? 
 
 His  whole  lirmon  on  the  Mount  feems 
 to  be  levelled  again  ft  thefe  foft  of  corrup- 
 tions, and  alnioft  every  beatitude  and  precept 
 therein  delivered  is  intended  to  ftrike  at  fome 
 perverfion  and  mifconftrudtion  and  abufe  of 
 the  duties  of  morality.  They  taught  that 
 the  breach  of  what  ihey  called  the  lejer  com- 
 mandments of  God  was  of  no  coniequence, 
 nor  attended  with  any  marks  of  divine  dif* 
 pleafure,  that  intemperate  paffion,  opprobious 
 names,  the  ftudy  of  revenge,  impure  and 
 adulterous  thoughts,  divers  fort  of  oaths,  and 
 hatred  of  enemies,  were  no  fms,  cr  pecca- 
 dillos 
 
156    Chara5fer  of  Chriji  ajtd  bis  Apoflks.  Serm.  5. 
 
 dillos  that  the   law    did    not   concern    itfelf 
 to  lupprefs. 
 
 Hence  all  thofe  noble  rules  of  exalted  virtue, 
 and  thofe  Beatitudes  pronounced  on  the  inter- 
 nal difpofitions  of  moral  righteocfnefs,  that 
 are  contained  in  the  full:  part  of  our  Lord's 
 fermon  on  the  Mount.  Their  hypocrify  and 
 fuperftition  were  arrived  to  that  height  of  im- 
 pudence, as  that  when  they  gave  almsy  they 
 proclaimed  it  by  found  oi  trumpet  j  when  they 
 frayedy  it  w^^  Jlanding  in  their  jynagogues,  and 
 in  the  corners  of  the  fireets,  lengthening  out 
 their  prayers  by  vaiyi  repetitioJis  ;  that  by  this 
 appearance  of  eminent  piety,  they  might  more 
 effed:ually  deceive  widows  and  devour  their 
 houfes.  "When  they fajied,  they  fadned  their 
 faces,and  disfigured  their  countenances, ihsLt  others 
 might  obferve  their  great  mortification  and 
 abftinence,  and  were  wholly  intent  by  thefe 
 means  on  encreafing  their  wealth,  and  enrich- 
 ing their  families.  They  were y^'^jfr^  on  the 
 lefler  errors  of  others,  and  partial  and  blind  to 
 their  own  enormities.  Hence  all  thofe .  divine 
 admonitions  to  retirement  and  fecrecy  of  de-- 
 votion,  to  feek  after  incorruptible  treafures,  to 
 moderation  and  equity  in  cenfuring  or  judging 
 others,  and  to  be  exa6l,  impartial  and  fevere 
 in  obferving  and  corre6ling  our  own  miftakes. 
 They  were  fo  fuperftitiouily  fcrupulous  of  ex-- 
 ternal  purity,  as  that  they  would  not  eat  icith 
 publicans,  and  fuch  as  they  efteemed  peculiarly 
 finners,  of  which  our  Lord  fhewed  the  imper- 
 tinence and  folly.  So  fcrupulous  were  they 
 in  obferving  the  reft  of  the  fabbath,  as  that  in 
 
 the 
 
Serm.  5.  CharaSier  of  Chrifl  and  his  Apoftles.     157 
 
 the  judgment  of  thefe  precifians,  xht  plucking 
 an  ear  of  corn,  or  the  healing  a  dijiemper,  was 
 to  profane  it,  for  which  our  Lord  reproaches 
 them,  and  tells  them,  If  ye  had  known  what' 
 this  meaneth,  I  will  have  mercy  andnot  facrifice, 
 ye  would  not  have  condemned  the  gidltlefs.  V/ith 
 them  it  was  a  heinous  fin  to  tranfgrefs  the 
 tradition  of  the  elders,  but  none  to  violate  the 
 cojnmandments  of  God.  Their^confciences  would 
 not  let  them  eat  without  wafhinc^  their  hands, 
 and  to  eat  any  meat  that  they  accounted  un- 
 lawful was  a  greater  crime  than  fuffering  their 
 indigent  parents  to  perifh  without  relief. 
 Hence  he  condemns  thelb  impious  fuperfti- 
 tions,  and  declares  that  eating  without  wafhing 
 creates  no  defilement,  and  what  rendered  men 
 impure  in  the  fight  of  God  was,  an  heart  pof- 
 feffed  with,  and  under  the  influence  of  bad 
 affe5lions,  producing  anfwerable  vices  in  the 
 life  and  pradice.  Thefe  are  the  things  which 
 defile  a  man  \  tut  to  eat  with  umvafen  hands  de- 
 fleth  not  a  j/:an. 
 
 In  a  word,  the  whole  of  our  Saviour  s  doc- 
 trine, relating  to  religion  and  the  condu(5l  of 
 human  life,  is  fo  abfoluteiy  free  from  every 
 thing  that  favours  oi  fuperftiticn,  that  it  is  in- 
 tirely  calculated  to  derttoy  every  feed  of  it,  to 
 eradicate  every  tribe  of  it  out  of  the  hearts  of 
 men.  In  like  manner,  what  was  the  whole 
 miniftry  of  the  Apoftles,  but  an  inftitution  and 
 proviiion  to  combat  the  fuperftitions  and  pre- 
 judices of  this  nation,  and  to  perfuade  them 
 to  embrace  a  purer  and  more  excellent  religion, 
 void  of  incumbrance,  and  free  from  every  fo- 
 
 reign 
 
158     ChaYacler  of  Chrtft  and  his  Apftles,  Sefm.  5. 
 
 reign  mixture  ;  a  religion  that  might  purify 
 their  hearts,  render  them  honourable  in  their 
 moral  charadlers,  and  conftitute  them  the  ge- 
 nuine  people  of  God,  and   th6   heirs  of  his- 
 mercy*     This  is  the  burthen  of  every  epiftit 
 they  wrote,  this  is  the  fum  of  their  variou-s 
 inflruftions,^  to  this  all  their  precepts  and  doc- 
 trines tended,  and  to  promote  this  defigri  was 
 the  great  end  of  their  midlon,  and  of  all  the 
 miracles  they  were  enabled   to  work.     The 
 whole  difcourfe  of  ;«^///?r^//«?;7,  as  managed  by 
 St.  Fault  is  levelled  againft  this  fuperflitious, 
 fatal  miftake,  of  men's  being  juftified  and  ab- 
 folved  from  their  fins,  and  reitored  to  the  ac- 
 ceptance and  favour  of  God,  by  the  ceremom- 
 Qus  works  of  the  law   of  Mofes  ;  a   prejudice 
 that  had  fo  deeply  pofielled  the  minds  of  the 
 yewifJj  nation,  as  that  one  principal  caufe  of 
 their  bitternefs  and  rancour  againft  chriftianity 
 was,  its  immediate  intention  ta  deftroy  this 
 notion,  and  to  eftablifli  a  furer  and  more  ra- 
 tional method  of  j unification,  pardon  and  ac- 
 ceptance with  God  ;  and  therefore  the  Apo- 
 lile  hath  more  largely  infilled  on  this  impor- 
 tant argument,  as  of  the  utmod  confequence 
 to  religion,  and  on  which  the  life  and  power,- 
 and  all  the  faving  efFe(fls  of  it,  abfolutely  de- 
 pended.    And  therefore  chriflianity  ought  ta 
 be    looked  on,  as  the  grand  prefervative  ap- 
 •  pointed  by  God,  againft  the  prevalence  of  all 
 kind  of   mean   and    deil:ru<ftive   fuperflitions, 
 and  the  great  author  and  the  original  preachers 
 of  it  to  be  held  in  the  higheft  veneration  and 
 eileem,  for  int;:oducing  and  publifhing  fo  be- 
 nevolent 
 
Serm.  5*  Character  of  Cbrijl  and  his  Apojilcs.     159 
 
 nevolent  and  friendly  a  fcheme,  that  cleared 
 mankind  from  all  thofe  pollutions  and  ab- 
 furdities  that  had  been  for  innumerable  ages 
 the  reproach  and  curfe  of  all  nations  upon  the 
 earth.     But 
 
 4.  Are  there  not  marks  of  craft,  fraud  2x1^ 
 fiibtkty  to  be  obferved,  in  the  miracks  of  our 
 blelled  Saviour  and  his  Apoftles,  which  render 
 the  miracles  afcribed  to  them  juftly  liable  to 
 the  fufpicion  of  cheat  and  impofture  ?  If  this 
 can  be  (hewn,  it  will  greatly  detrad  from  the 
 credit  of   the  miraculous  works    afcribed  to 
 them  ;  lincc  if  they  were   endowed  with  a 
 power  of  performing  real  miracles,  there  could 
 be  no  need  of  fubtlety  and  art,  and  one  would 
 naturally  expecft  great  plainnefs  and  fimplicity 
 in  men  who  knew  themfelves  armed  with  a 
 divine  energy  and  authority.     The   P  bar  fees 
 feem  to  have  thrown  fomewhat  of  this  im- 
 putation upon  our  blefl'ed  Saviour,  when  they 
 charged  him  with  cafiing  out  devils  by  the  prince 
 of  devils.     The  miracle  they  could  not  deny, 
 and  refolving  not  to  acknowledge  him  as  a 
 divine  meflenger,  they  therefore  impute  it  to 
 a  confederacy  with  devils.     The  more  modern 
 fewsy  not  daring  to  deny  the  miraculous  works 
 of  Chrifl,  account  for  them  in  a  double  man- 
 ner ;  and  fay,  that  he  vi^ent  into  Egypt,  and 
 there  learnt  the  art  of  magick,  by  the  help  of 
 which  h^  performed  them  ;  and  that   having 
 learnt  the  true  import  and  right  pronunciation 
 of  the  name  Jehovahy  he  v/as  thereby  enabled 
 to  do  ihe    moft    wonderful    things.      Cclfus 
 charges  them  ^omtimi^^  to  fraud  ■:ind  impofurey 
 
 and 
 
i6o    Chara^er  of  Chrijl  and  his  Jpoftks.  Serm.  5. 
 
 and  at  other  times  to  the  magick  arts  he  had 
 learnt  in  Egypt  *.  Tlie  phtlofophical  Jidian 
 allows  the  miracles  of  our  Saviour,  and  fays, 
 "  That  he  did  nothing  memorable  in  his  life, 
 unlefs  any  one  fliould  think,  that  the  fz/r/;2g- 
 the  lame  and  the  Mind,  and  c  a  fling  out  devils  in 
 Bethfaida  ^W  Bethany,  deferve  to  be  number'd 
 amongft  the  greateft  works  -f-",  and  feems  to 
 impute  thefe  cures  to  h\s  Jkill  m phy/ick  §  ;  but 
 of  St.  Paid  he  lays,  that  he  v/as  the  greateft 
 iinpoftor  that  ever  lived  J.  'Tis  evident  from 
 hence,  that  amongft  the  moft  inveterate  £';?(f;;z/Vjr 
 of  Chriftianity,  there  was  a  firm  perfuafion, 
 that  there  wasyowfwte  miracidtiis  in  the  life 
 and  ad'ions  of  our  blefled  Saviour  and  Apoftles, 
 for  which  they  knew  not  how  to  account,  but 
 by  having  rccouffe  to  the  abfufdeft  fuppofition 
 of  magick  arts,  a  certain  myftical  virtue  in  the 
 name  Jehovah,  or  the  delufion  of  art  and  im" 
 pojiure.  The  tvv^o  former  of  thefe  are  too 
 contemptible  to  deferve  any  anfwer  ;  only  I 
 may  remark,  that  the  imputing  thefe  miracles 
 to  magick,  and  the  virtue  of  the  divine  name, 
 is  a  confejjion  that  they  were  of  that  nature, 
 as  to  be  above  the  reach  of  the  moft  dextrous 
 juggle  and  legerdemain  whatfoever.  And  in- 
 deed the  nature  of  our  Saviour's  works  was 
 fuch,  -as  wholly  to  free  them  from  every  fufpi- 
 cion  of  this  kind. 
 
 There  might  ht  fraudident  contrivances  by 
 artful  men  carried  on  to  deceive  others.  They 
 may  prepare  men  to  affijin  that  they  were  pof- 
 
 •  Ong.  com.  Celf.  I.  2.  p.  48.   Lib.   I.  />.  38.      f   Cyril,  cont. 
 Jul  p.  191.     §  Id.  ^.  192.     \  Id.f-  100. 
 
Serm.  5.   CharaSler  of  Chrifi  and  his  ApnJlleSi    161 
 
 fefied,  or  lame,  or  blind,  or  affli(fl:ed  with  bo- 
 dily  diforders,  and  to  declare  themklves  in- 
 Hantly  dirpofJciTed  and  cured,  upon  any  given 
 fignal,  or  the  pronunciation  of  certain  words, 
 agreed  on   before  hand.     But  there  muil:   bs 
 time^  and  preparation^  and  deep  contrivance  to 
 carry  on  frauds  of  this  nature,  and  fuccefsfully 
 to  execute  them.     The  obje(fts  muH:  bechofen 
 and  fixed,    and    well  inftruded;  ohjedo   net 
 known    to  labour   under  long  and    incurable 
 diforders,   not  offering  themfelves   voluntarily 
 for  a  cure,  without  previous  warning  and  con- 
 cert ;  not  met  vvith  accidentally,  not  appear- 
 ing in  publick  fynagogues,  and  in  the  largeft 
 concourfe    of  people,  not   in  the  prefence  of 
 watchful,  captious,  artful    men,  who   would 
 not  fail  of  narrowly  infpeding  into  all  circum- 
 ftances,  and  foon  diicovering  the  fraud  if  there 
 was  one.     Impoflure  is  more  wary  and  cautious 
 than  this,  and    fraud  would  foon  find  itfelf 
 difcovered  and  put  to  (liame  in  fuch  clrcum- 
 flances  as  thefe.  And  yet  the  miraculous  power 
 of  Chrifi  exerted  itfelf,  without  choice  of  per- 
 fon,  diftemper,  or  place.     His  enemies  pre- 
 fence no   more   awed  him,  than    that  of  his 
 friends.     When  and  wherefoever  he  met  with 
 an  objed;  of  mercy,  he  fhewed  it  mercy,  in- 
 ftantly,    without  fear  of  difcovery,  and  fub- 
 mitted  the   nature  of  his  works  to  univerfal 
 notice  and  examination.     And  indeed  there  is 
 fo"  noble  ^Jimpliciiy,  plainnejl  2i\-\d.  freedo?n  in 
 the  whole  conduift  of  our  blelfed  Lord,  fuch 
 a  perpetual  afHance  and  truft:   in  his  Father's 
 power  and  prefence  with  him,  fuch  an  open- 
 .      V"oL.  I.  M  nefs 
 
i6z  Chara^er  of  Chrijl  and  his  Apojiks.    Serm.  c^, 
 
 nefs  and  confcious  integrity  in  all  he  taught 
 and  did,  luch  an  abhorrence  of  every  thing 
 that  looked  like  hypocrify,  iubtlety  and  fraud, 
 as  that  no  charader  in  the  world  was  more 
 diftant  from  all  reafonable  fufpicion  of  it.  Not 
 one  iingle  circumftancecan  be  produced  of  any 
 appearances  of  this  nature,  no  one  difcovery 
 of  collufion  and  premeditated  contrivance, 
 that  can  be  imputed  to  him,  to  impeach  his 
 charader,  or  ailedt  his  integrity,  or  leiTen  the 
 credibility  of  thole  glorious  works  which  he 
 performed. 
 
 It   may  alfo  be    added,  that  perfons  well 
 
 verfed  in   the  arts  of  import u re,  will,  in  the 
 
 general  courfe  of  their  condud:,  as  well  as  in 
 
 the  particular  deceits  they  practice,  give  fuffi- 
 
 cient  proofs  what  fpirit  they  are  of,  and  of 
 
 the  fraudulent,  crafty  difpoiition  that  poflefTes 
 
 themj  by  which,    obferving  people  will   be 
 
 guarded  againft  their  fallacies,  and   in  little 
 
 danger  of  being  deceived  by    their  pretences. 
 
 Indications  of  this  kind  have  been  common  to 
 
 all  ihefe  fort  of  deceivers.     Thus  Smo7i  Magus, 
 
 ^polionius   Tya^icFiUy    Alexmider,  defcribed    by 
 
 Lucian,  Montamis  m  the  Chriftian  church,  A/^- 
 
 hometj  and  all  the  grand  importers  of  part  ages, 
 
 difcovered    the  moft   evident  marks  of  fraud 
 
 and  wickedntis  in  almort  every  part  of  their 
 
 behaviour,    and     thereby    gave  the  rtrongeft 
 
 reafons  to  charge  every  pretended  wonder  and 
 
 miracle    to  fubtlety    and   art.     Whereas  the 
 
 enemies   of  our   blefled   Lord,    though  they 
 
 blafphemeJ  his  miracles,  yet  did  not  cenfure 
 
 him  for  craft  and  fraud  in  any  c/^^r  part  ot  his 
 
 ccndud. 
 
Scrm.  5.    CharrMercf  Chrijl  and  hi i  Apcfiles.   163 
 condudt,  norlay  :his  to  his  charge  as  the  prevail- 
 ing and  dilVuiguilhing  charaderit'tic  of  his  life. 
 No.Thus  everything  he  (aid  and  did,  abundantly 
 demonftrated,    tliat  as  he  did  no  Jin,    fo  neither 
 ivas  guile  jound  in  his  rncutb.     In  l-lie  man.:er 
 the  Apcjiles  ot  our  blcfled  Lord,  had  been  bred 
 up  in  low   and  fcrvile  cniOioyments,  and  had 
 no  leifure  or  opportunity    to   acquaint  thcm- 
 felves   with,  ar.d  make  thcmlelves  mailers  c  f 
 the  fubtle  arts  of  impodure;  which   require 
 long  obfervation^  frequent  experience,  repeated 
 pradice,  and   great  i^fiiduity,  as  well  as  quick 
 intellects,  readinelsof  invention,  and  dexter- 
 oufnefs  in  expedients,  a  llr.ency  of  fpeech,  and 
 other  qualifications  of  like  nature  to  practice 
 with    any  tolerable  fkill,  and    probability  oi 
 fuccefs.  '  So  that  it  was  impofllblein  the  ordi- 
 nary courfe  of  things,  that  they  could  be  any 
 great  proficients  in  this  icience  and  myflery  of 
 iniquity.     And    accordingly*  we  find,    there 
 was  nothing  of  craft  and  deceit,  of  ambiguity 
 and  double  dealing  in  any  thing  they  faid  or 
 did.     They  fpake  on  a  jiidden  languages  they 
 had  never  been  inllruded  in,  in  the  capital  of 
 Judea,    at  a  publick  feftival,  and  before   the 
 iargefl:   concourfe  of  people.     They    cured   a 
 man  that  had  been  lamejrom  his  motkers  ^joomhy 
 and  whom  every  body  knew  to  befo,  openly  at 
 the  temple  gate.     When  examined  by  the  priefts 
 and  rulers,  they  give  a  plain,  artlefs,  honeft 
 account  by  whofe  authority  they  aded,  and 
 preach  the  dodrine  of  Salvation  by  a  crucified 
 Saviour.     When   commanded   to  preach    no 
 more  in  his  name,  thev  fimply  and  rclolutely, 
 
 M  2  ^iid 
 
164    Chara5ier  ef  Chrijl  and  his  Jpojlks.  Serm.  5. 
 
 and  without  any  referve  or  guile,  reply^  that  as 
 it  was  more  right  to  hearken  unto  God  than  man, 
 ihcy  could  not  but  fpeak  the  things  they  had  feen 
 and  heard.  They  had  no  flory  to  change  upon 
 any  change  of  circumftances,  but  without  art 
 or  quibble,  ordifguife,  always  gave  one  and  the 
 fame  kind  of  teflimony,  without  regarding 
 confequences,  or  laying  in  any  falvos  to  pro- 
 vide againft  futurity.  No.  Their  whole  hi- 
 flory  is  a  proof,  that  they  renounced  the  hidden 
 things  of  dijhonejly^  not  walking  in  crajtinefs^  nor 
 handling  the 'word  of  God  deceitjully ,  but  that  by 
 majiifejtaticn  of  the  truth  they  commended  them-- 
 felves  to  every  mans  confcience  in  the  fight  of 
 God.     Again, 
 
 5.  We  fliall  upon  the  narrowefl  examina- 
 tion find,  that  our  blefled  Lord  and  his  Apo- 
 illes  were  ^sfree  from  every  fufpicion  of  affec- 
 iation^  pride  and  vanityy  as  they  were  from  pre- 
 varication, fubtlety  and  fraud.  Vanity  will 
 carry  men  great  lengths  to  accomplifli  the 
 views  of  ir,  efpecially  the  vain  affecftation  of 
 appearing  lingular  and  great,  of  being  thouglit 
 enunent  for  wifdom,  a  fivourite  with  God, 
 diilinguiQied  by  heavenly  communications, 
 honoured  with  a  d-vine  mijjjon,  and  fent  for  the 
 infirucftion  and  reformation  of  the  world.  This 
 is  a  character  extremely  pleafing  to  a  weak 
 entijufla flick  mind,  and  that  of  all  others  beft 
 gratifies  that  fpiritual  pride  and  conceit,  for 
 which  fuch  perfons  are  always  remarkable. 
 And  though  fecular  interrfttd  men  generally 
 look  up^:n  ail  pretences  of  this  kind,  whether 
 rsal  or  fii^titious,  with  contempt,  yet  they  will 
 
 not 
 
Serm.  5.    Charaoier  of  Chrijl  and  his  jlpo-files.  16^ 
 
 not  fcruple  to  make  ufe  of  them  themfelves, 
 whenever  they  can  make  them  profitable  and 
 gainful.  And  whether  through  vveaknefs  they 
 imagine  themfelves  to  be  really  under  a  divine 
 impulfe,  or  whether  through  deliberate  wick- 
 ednefs  they  affume  a  divine  charadler  they 
 know  they  have  not,  the  more  effe^^tually  to 
 accomplilh  their  worldly  ends;  yet  the  ef- 
 fects will  be  in  fome  meafure  the  fame.  The 
 falfe  enthufiafm  and  heated  hnaginatiau^  will  vent 
 themfelves  in  prophecies,  and  infpire  the  per- 
 fualion  of  a  fupernatural  ability  to  do  certain 
 wonderful  works,  and  even  fometimes  fug^eft 
 pious  fraud  and  fpiritual  deceptions,  to  carry 
 on  the  defigns  of  that  celeftial  infpiration,  of 
 which  they  fancy  themfelves  poffelTcd.  The 
 crafty  impojior  will  alfo  have  his  vifioas  and 
 mefiages  from  Heaven,  and  dexteroufly  play 
 off  his  arts  to  furprize  and  deceive,  that  lie 
 may  gratify  his  pride  andvajiity  and  other  pat- 
 rons, by  numerous  admirers  and  followers. 
 But  in  eiiher  cafe  we  may  be  fure,  the  hand 
 of  Heaven  will  never  lend  its  afiiuance  to 
 countenance  and  flrengthen  thefe  difpofitions, 
 nor  choofe  fuch  inftruments  as  thefe  to  do 
 thofe  miraculous  works,  which  infcead  of  be- 
 ing of  any  real  fervice  to  the  world,  would 
 only  tend  to  gratify  their  vain- glory,  and  fwell 
 them  up  to  a  higher  pitch  of  infolence  and 
 pride. 
 
 But   what  is  there  in  the  condud  of  our 
 
 blejfed  Saviour,  that  can  furnifh  the  leafl  ilia- 
 
 dow  of  a   charge  of  this  nature  againfl  him  ? 
 
 His  dodrine    inculcates  humility  and  mechiefs. 
 
 M  3  What 
 
i66    Character  of  Chrijl  and  his  Apofdes.  Serm.  5. 
 
 What  he  taught  he  declares  to  be  mt  his  ow7i^ 
 hilt  his  Father  s  ^joho  ferithim.  As  to  his  works, 
 he  openly  confelles  he  could  do  nothing  of  him- 
 felfi  but  only  as  his  Father  had  given  him  a 
 commiiiion  to  do.  He  alTames  and  arrogates 
 nothing  to  himfelf,  but  refers  all  to  ih^  glcry 
 cf  another.  He  reproached  the  Scribes  and 
 Pharifees  for  loving  the  praife  of  men  more  than 
 that  'which  comes  fro?n  God.  And  had  this  been 
 his  charader  and  compledion,  had  he  given 
 the  lead  indication  of  it,  how  eafily  77nght 
 they,  how  certainly  "would  they  have  recrimi- 
 iiated,  andiuftly  charged  him  with  hypocrify, 
 in  cenfuring  them  for  what  he  himfelf  was  as 
 blamable.  There  is  nothing  that  he  appeared 
 more  ftudioufly  to  avoid  than  every  kind  of 
 pflientation  -,  hence  he  frequently  charged  thofe 
 Vv'hom  he  had  miraculoufly  healed  Ulently  to 
 pay  their  thanks  to  God,  and  not  to  publidi 
 the  benefits  they  had  received  from  him.  He 
 never  courted  tlie  applaufe  of  men,  nor  thofe 
 external  marks  of  reiped  and  honour,  which 
 were  fomuch  valuedand  coveted  by  the  Scribes 
 and  Pharifees.  He  fubmitted  to  the  lowed: 
 offices  of  friendfhip  and  duty,  and  was  him- 
 felf an  eminent  pattern  of  that  humility  he 
 inculcated.  When  prefTed  by  his  cnemJes  to 
 give  them  a  fign  from  Heaven,  and  by  Herod 
 to  fliew  him  a  miracle,  he  fcorned  to  gratify 
 their  prefumption,  and  refufed  the  honours  he 
 muft  have  procured  to  himfelf,  had  he  an- 
 fwered  their  demands,  and  complied  witli 
 their  expectations  from  him.  Had  vanity  been 
 a  prevailing  pailion  in  him,  his  whole  conduft 
 
 mud 
 
Serm.  5-  Character  of  Chrijl  and  his  Apojlles.  167 
 mull:  have  been  difterent  from  what  it  was; 
 for  nothing  is  more  evident  than  that  all  his 
 meafures  tended  to  the  difappointment  of  fuch 
 a  fpirit,  and  to  mortify  the  fuggeilions  of  it 
 in  every  inftance  and  view  of  it  whatfoever. 
 
 Nor  is  there  any  thing  in  the  hiflory  of  his 
 Apoftles  that  can  countenance  or  fupport  fuch 
 a  charge  againft  them.  We  never  hi.d  them 
 fetting  upy^r  ihemjehc^j  or  adling  as  principals 
 in  their  own  name;  they  declared  themfelves 
 to  be  ih^fervants  cf  ethers jm-  ChriJI's  Jake,  and 
 thou;>ht  it  honour  enough  to  be  emploved 
 and  commanded  by  him.  When  they  had 
 Wiought  that  acknowledged  miracle,  of  heal- 
 ing the  man  that  had  been  a  cripple  from  his 
 birth,  and  the  people  looked  at  them  with 
 afton^fnment  and  a  kind  of  veneration,  they 
 immediately  diiclaimthe  whole  merit  of  it,  and 
 cry  out :  Te  menef  Ifracly  ivhy  lock  ye  fo  earnejilyon 
 lis,  as  though  by  cur  oin/ipoiver  or  hlwefs,  we  made 
 this  man  to  walk  f  And  when  Paul  and  Bar- 
 nabas  had  performed  the  like  miraculous  cure 
 at  Lyjira,  and  the  people  began  to  adore  them 
 as  Godsi  inftead  of  being  vainly  fond  of  fuch 
 an  honour,  as  Simojz  Magus,  Apcllonius  and 
 Alexander,  would  have  been,  they  rent  their 
 ^loaths  and  ran  in  amongfl  the  multitude,  and  in - 
 flandy  ficpped  the  fuperRition  and  madnefs  of 
 the  people,  and  undeceived  them  by  telling 
 them  •  We  are  men  cf  like pafjions  with  you,  and 
 preach  unto  you,  that  you  Jboidd  turn  from  thefe 
 'vanities  unto  God;  and  unto  him  they  could 
 appeal  before  all,  amongft  whom  they  exer- 
 cifed  their  minifiry:  Nor  of  men  fought  we 
 M  4  i^ory^ 
 
i68    CharaSier  of  Chrift  and  his  Apofiks.  Serm.  5. 
 
 glory,  nor  of  you  y  nor  of  others.  And  when  we 
 might  have  been  bur thenjome  ||,  or  as  the  expreiTion 
 fiiould  have  been  rendered,  when  we  might 
 have  inllfted  on  the  honour  due  to  us,  yet  we 
 were  gentle  among  [l  you^  humble,  condefcending 
 and  kind,  rather  relinquidiing  the  claims  of 
 refped  due  to  us  as  the  ApoJJles  of  Chrift,  that 
 by  a  more  afFedlionate  and  indulgent  behaviour 
 we  might  fecure  the  fuccefs  of  our  miniflry 
 and  gofpel.  St.  Faul  may  feem  poffibly  in 
 fome  inflances  to  be  an  exception  to  this  cha- 
 ra^lter,  who  writing  to  the  C(9r/V2//6/j;»zj-j-,  fpeaks 
 in  commendation  of  the  dignity  of  his  Apojile- 
 fiip,  and  even  ^0i2/?i  of  his  peculiar  and  emi- 
 nent advantages.  But  who  ever  will  candidly 
 confider  that  part  of  the  Apoftle?,  Epiftle,  the 
 cccajion  on  which  he  wrote  it,  the  manner  in 
 which  he  defcribes  his  own  boafling,  and  the 
 n^cejjity  there  was  of  'vindicating  his  own  cha- 
 rader  and  ApoflleOiip,  will  not  only  be  pleafed 
 with  the  fkilful  manner  in  which  he  doth  it,  but 
 will  acknowledge  even  the  modejly  and  humility 
 of  the  man,  even  when  fpeaking  of  himfelf,  and 
 faying  the  mofi:  favourable  and  advantageous 
 things  in  his  own  behalf.  Every  one  knows 
 thatcircumftances  may  happen  when  felf-com- 
 iiiendationmay  be  prudent  and  neceflary,  when 
 done  with  modefiy,  and  kept  within  the  bounds 
 of  reality  and  truth.     But  once  more, 
 
 6.   Are  there  no  appearances  of  ^JelfiJJ:)  and 
 
 int  ere  fled  fpirit,  in    our   bleffed  Lord    and  his 
 
 Apollles,  that  might  fuggeft  the  expediency  of 
 
 miraculous  pretenfions,  the  more  etrecftually  to 
 
 II  I  Their,  ii.  6.  f  2  Cor.  10.  ^c. 
 
 anfwer 
 
Serm.  5.    Chara5Ier  of  Chrijl  and  his  Jpojlles.   1  ^9 
 
 arifwer  the  \itw^  oi  avarice  2ir\d  amhifion?  I 
 think  malice  itfelf  will  fiot  bring  this  charge 
 againft  omv  blejjed Lord,  whofe external  circum- 
 ftances  were  extremely  poor,  and  who  had  not 
 where  to  lay  his  heady  and  who  gained  nothing 
 of  this  world  by  his  miniftry  or  miracles,  but 
 hatred  and  contempt,  perfecution  and  an  ac- 
 curfed  death.  What  were  the  gains  and  pro- 
 fits of  the  ApoJileJl:ip ^  that  could  be  an  induce- 
 ment to  the  Apollles  to  continue  in  the  em- 
 ployment, if  their  governing  view  had  been  the 
 enriching  themfelves?  They  never  pretended 
 to  give  out  oracles  for  moncy^  nor  were  there 
 hearers  to />^/)/  for  the  inflrudtions  they  received 
 from  them.  A  rich  Apoftle  never  exiflcd  ;  they 
 left  all  to  follow  their  Mafcr,  and  he  never 
 led  them  to  temporal  plenty  and  abundance. 
 Being  in  a  ftate  of  continual  perfecution  they 
 had  no  opportunity  for  amafTmg  wealth,  but 
 approved  themfelves  by  much  patience,  necejjitics, 
 fajltngs^  and diflrejfesy  and  though  they  made  many 
 rich  were  themfelves  poor  j  and  though  they  had 
 nothingy  were  in  their  minds  as  happy  as  though 
 they  pojfejjed  all  things.  And  therefoi  e  though 
 God  unquellionably  will  never  give  miracu- 
 lous powers  to  men  to  enabl  ■  dicm  to  enrich 
 themfelves,  and  gratify  a  fordid,  avaricious 
 fpirit;  this  can  be  no  objeftjon  againft  the 
 Apof^ies  being  endowed  with  this  power,  be- 
 caufe  they  appeared  to  h'^^e  a  contempt  for 
 riches,  rather  than  a  fondn  •3  for  the  poffef- 
 f  on  of  them ;  and  never  i  de  any  worldly 
 advantage  of  their  mir.'.deb,  whether  real  or 
 pretended,  contrary  to  the  univerfal  praiftice 
 of   ail  impoftors,  who  have  ever  calculated 
 
170  CharaEler  cf  Chrifi  and  his  Apofiles.  Serm.  5, 
 their  words  and  adions  to  impoie  on  the  fim- 
 plicity  and  credulity  of  others  for  the  enriching 
 themfeives.     Laftly, 
 
 7.  The  charader  of  our  ble/Ted  Saviour  and 
 his  Apojiles  {ok  general  integrity  in  piety  and  vir- 
 tue, for  exemplary  holinejs  and  imiverfal  goodnefsy 
 are  liable  to  no  polhble  exception.  As  our 
 herd's  dodrine  was  moil  exalted,  his  life  was 
 anfwerably  jO^^;r,  widiout  any  deviations  from 
 the  path  of  rigbteoufnefs,  and  unblemitLcd 
 with  the  ftain  of  one  fingle  fin.  Irreconcilea- 
 ble  enemy  to  all  kinds  of  hypocrify,  that  in 
 religion  was  his  peculiar  abhorrence ^  and  in 
 all  that  he  faid  and  did  and  fuffered,  he  mani' 
 fefted  the  higheft  filial  piety  towards  his  hea- 
 venly Father,  the  warmeft  defire  to  promote 
 his  glory,  the  greateft  diligence  in  executmg 
 his  commands,  and  the  ftrongeft  ambition  to 
 fecure  his  approbation,  and  the  heavenly  re- 
 ward promifed  him.  In  his  condud:  to  others 
 he  ever  a(5ted  in  truth  2.n6.righieoiifnefsj  under 
 the  influence  of  a  divine  benevolence  he  weiit 
 about  and  conftantly  employed  himfelf  in  doing 
 good  and  works  of  mercy.  As  a  Prophet  of 
 God,  and  fcnt  into  the  world  to  reform  men, 
 he  reproved,  without  acceptance  of  mens perfons, 
 all  their  vices,  exhorted  them  to  repentance 
 by  promifes  of  forgivenefs,  and  threatened 
 their  impenitence  with  a  fevere  and  irreverfible 
 condemnation.  Over  h\s  own  paJ]io72S  h^  had 
 an  ab folate  command,  and  ever  kept  himfelf 
 within  the  hounds  of  the  ftricfteft  moderation 
 and  temperance.  Under  the  ill  treatment  of 
 men,  he  fliewed  patience,   cahnnefs,  and  for- 
 
 hecrance,. 
 
Serm.  5.  Character  of  Chrijl  and  his  Apojiles.    171 
 
 bcarance,  and  to  the  appointments  of  his  Fa- 
 ther the  mod  ^txiftOi  Jubimjjlon  ^x\ArcJ;gnatiGn. 
 So  that  he  was  not  only  iinthout fm^  but  pof- 
 fe^ed  of  every  virtue  of  human  nature,  and 
 in  this  exceeded  the  higheft  attainments  of  the 
 fens  of  men,  and  equalled  the  dignity  of  his 
 characfter  as  the  Ijon  of  Gcd -,  fjnilhing  the 
 moft  unexceptionable,  amiable  and  godh'ke 
 life,  by  a  death  that  had  every  circumftance 
 of  7noral  iJDorth  to  recommend  it,  that  could 
 not  but  be  regarded  by  his  Father,  as  the  no- 
 bleft  and  moft  perfed:  facrifict-  that  could  be 
 offered  him.  His  Apcfdcs,  though  not  equal 
 to  their  great  mafter,  for  to  his  ipotlefs  per- 
 fe(ftion  the  weaknefs  of  human  nature  cannot 
 now  arife,  yet  liijed  abcue  all  exception,  adorned 
 the  dodtrine  in  vvhich  they  inflruded  otners 
 by  their  own  pradlice,  could  appeal  to  ihe 
 world  and  God  him'tlf  as  their  witnefies, 
 Ijoiv  holily,  jujily  and  imblamably  they  behaved,  and 
 teftified  their  fmcerity,  2.nC\  finifhed  their  ml- 
 niftry,  by  dywg  for  the  caufe  of  t7'uihi  righte- 
 oufnefs  ard  pure  religion.  So  that  though 
 reafon  will  never  allow  us  to  think,  that  God 
 will  ever  employ  wicked  and  profligate  men, 
 as  his  meffengers,  efpecially  for  the  reforma- 
 tion of  others,  nor  give  them  the  credentials 
 of  miracles  to  fnpport  the  charader  of  a  di- 
 vine miffion  which  their  vices  would  diflio- 
 nour  and  render  ineffedual  ;  yet  as  the  great 
 Author  of  Chnftianity  and  his  Apofiles  liand 
 abfolutely  clear  of  every  charge  of  this  nature, 
 reafon  can  objed  nothing  againfl  the  propriety  of 
 God's  employing  them,  or  giving  them  thefanc- 
 
 tion 
 
iyi  Character  of  Chrijl  and  his  Jpojlks,    Serm.  5. 
 
 tion  of  his  authority,  by  the  mofl:  extraordi- 
 nary and  miraculous  interpofition  in  their 
 favour. 
 
 To  fum  up  the  whole  of  what  hath   been 
 faid.     As  in  our  confideration  of  the  do(5trine 
 of  miracleSi  we  are  to  take  into  our  view,  not 
 only  the  'works  themfehes,  but  the  characters  of 
 the  perjons  who  pretend  to  them  ;  fo  we  have 
 feen  that  there  was  in  our  Saviour  and   his 
 Apoftles   every    circumftance    concurring,    to 
 qualify  them  for  being  employed   by  God,  as 
 his  inftruments,  to  effe(ft  the  mod  miraculous 
 operations,  if  there  was  a  valuable  end  in  the 
 fcheme  of  divine  providence  to  be  anfwered 
 by  them  ;  as  they  were  perfons  of  firm  and 
 found  rational   capacities,  as  they  appear  to 
 be  entirely  free  from  every  tindture  of  Enthu- 
 fiafm,  as  they  had  no  fondnefs  for,  nor  ten- 
 dency to  fuperflition,    as   there  were  no  evi- 
 dences of  fraud  in  their  temper  and  condud, 
 as  they  gave  no  indications  of  affeftation  and 
 vanity,  were  not  of  a  felfifli,  avaricious  difpo- 
 iition,  nor  had  any  blemiflies  in   their  moral 
 condudb,  to  taint  their  character,  or  caufe  the 
 difapprohation  of  God  j  but,  on  the  contrary, 
 their  principles  were   worthy,   their   religion 
 rational,  their  tempers  open,  and  their  actions 
 publick  and  free.     They   were    modeft   and 
 humble,  benevolent  and  generous,  and   of  a 
 fand:ity,    exemplary  and   unblcmiftied.     We 
 may  therefore  juftly  conclude,  that  God's  fix- 
 ing on  them  to  be  the  meflengers  of  his  good- 
 nefs  and  mercy  to  the  world,  and  honouring 
 them   with   the   teilimonials   of    miraculous 
 
 works. 
 
Serm.  5.  Chara5fer  of  Chrifi  and  his  Jpojlles.    173 
 
 works,  was  by  no  means  unworthy  of  God, 
 nor  inconfiftent  with  the  wifdom  and  views 
 of  his  providence  and  government.     I  fuppofe 
 had   human  reafon  and  prudence  been  called  in 
 to  aflift  in    planning  the   fcheme  of  human 
 redemption,  it  would  not  only  have  fuggefled 
 the  impoflibility  of  miracles,  but  the  impro- 
 priety of  fuch  m.en  as  Chrifi  and  his  Apoftles ; 
 and  didated  the  neceflity  and  expedience  of 
 fending  on  fuch  an  errand  perfons  of  good  fa- 
 mily and  birth,  of  polite  education  and  learn- 
 ing, of  riches  and  plenty,  of  eloquence  and 
 oratory,  and  the  like  worldly  endowments,  to 
 add  a  dignity  to  the  fervice,  and  enfure  the 
 fuccefs  of  it.     But  the  diftates  of  divine  and 
 human   wifdom  are  frequently    repug?2ant,  and 
 what  feems  prudent  in  men's  eyes  is  cenfured 
 &s  folly  by  God.     Such  is  his  wifdom,  as  that 
 he  knows  the  kefi  means  and  moft  fuitable  in- 
 firuments  to  effed:  all  the  purpofesof  bis  own 
 good  pleafure,   and   the   propriety   of  lending 
 Chrifi  and  his  Apoftles  evidently  appeared  in 
 the  fuccejs  of  their  minillry ;    and   it  will   be 
 found  in)pofiible  to  fix  on  any  perlons  of  dif- 
 ferent characters  and   circumftances,    againft 
 whom   the   flrongefl:  objections   may  not   be 
 urged.     As    Chrift  and    his   Apoflles   appear 
 from  their  hiftory,  which  feemed  penned  to 
 reprefent  things  purely  as  they  were,    in    a 
 plain  unadorned  manner,  without  mifrepre- 
 fen tation  or  art,  as  from  hence  they  appear  to 
 be  abfolutely  unexceptionable  in  the  whole  of 
 their  charader ;  we  have  reafon  to  rejoice  in 
 the  flrcngth  of  this  part  of  our  evidence  for 
 
 the 
 
174    Chamber  of  Chrijl  and  his  y^pojiles.  Serm.  5. 
 
 the  truth  of  Chriftianity,  and  on  which  the 
 whole  rtrefs  of  it  may  be  faid  to  depend  3  for 
 if  it  can  be  made  appear,  that  there  is  any 
 thing  in  their  intellectual  or  moral  charadierj 
 that  fhould  render  it  a  real  impropriety  in  the 
 condudl  of  providence  to  employ  them,  as  his 
 meffengers  to  mankind,  undoubtedly  they  ne- 
 ver were  employed  as  fuchj  and  by  confe- 
 quence  could  work  no  miracles  to  prove  them- 
 felves  fuch.  And  if>  on  the  contrary,  their 
 characfter  remains  clear  and  v/ithout  fufpicion, 
 and  they  were  of  fuch  an  integrity  in  piety 
 and  virtue,  as  the  account  on  record  declares 
 them  to  be  ;  'tis  impoliible  but  there  muft 
 have  been  fomewhat  extraordinary  and  divine 
 in  them,  nor  can  any  upon  fair  principles 
 deny,  that  they  had  thole  miraculous  powers 
 that  are  afcribed  to  them.  And  this  confide- 
 ration  of  the  moral  charader  of  Chrift  and 
 his  Apoflles,  tends  not  only  to  the  confirmation 
 of  our  faith,  but  fhould  have  its  proper  influ- 
 ence to  form  our  difpofitmi  and  behaviour.  For 
 it  becomes  us  to  be  like  ?ninded  Wixh  him,  who 
 is  the  great  author  andfinifloer  of  our  faith^  and 
 to  tread  in  their fiepSy  v/hom  he  hath  employed 
 to  fpread  the  knowledge  of  Salvation  by  him. 
 And  how  much  foever  we  may  be  Chrillians 
 by  principle  and  belief y  yet  if  we  are  not  fuch 
 by  praBice  and  the  virtues  of  a  good  life,  we 
 have  no  claim  to  the  promifed  reward  ;  fornot 
 every  one  that  Jay  ethy  Lord,  Lord,  ■  P?aU  enter  into 
 his  'Kin^doni.  but  he  who  calls  him  Lord,  and 
 honours,  imitates,  fubmits  to  and  chearfully 
 obeys  him  as  fuch.  ' 
 
 SERMON 
 
(     ^IS     ) 
 
 SERMON     VI. 
 
 The  Defign  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrift, 
 
 John    iii.    2. 
 
 Rabbi ^  ive  knew  thou  art  a  'Teacher  come  from 
 God ',  for  no  Man  can  do  thefe  Miracles  ivhicb 
 thou  doefly  except  God  be  with  him. 
 
 H 
 
 AVING   confidered  the  pojjibllify  of 
 miracles,  the  nature  of  thofe  in  parti- 
 cular recorded  in  the    New   Teftament,  and 
 the  charaBer  of  our  blelfed  Saviour  and   his 
 Apofiks,  to  whom  they  are  afcribed  ;  I   now 
 come  to  fet  before  vou  the  declared  end  for 
 which  thefe  miracles  were   v.Toiight,  or   the 
 defign  that   was  aimed  at   and  intended  to  be 
 fecured  by  them.  For  it  is  certain,  that  what- 
 ever were  the  nature  of  the  miracles  wrought, 
 or  the  charaders   of  the  perfons  faid   to  do 
 them,  yet  they  will  appear  utterly  incredible^ 
 if  no  reafon  can  be  affigned  worthy  of  fo  ex- 
 traordinary an    interpofition     of    providence. 
 Nor  doth  it  follow,  that  becaufe  miracles  are 
 poffible  in  their  nature,  and   there  is  no  rea- 
 fonable  exception   again  ft    thofe    which    are 
 afcribed  to  any   particular  perfon,    therefore 
 
 they 
 
176     'The  Befign  of  the  Mirccks  of  Chrift.  Serm.  6. 
 
 they  were  adually  performed  by  him  ;  unlefs 
 it  appears,  that  fome  fpecial  occafion  required 
 them,  and  the  views  of  the  moral  government 
 of  God  rendered  them  highly  expedient  and 
 necelTary.  For  we  can  have  no  ]uft  ground 
 for  fnppoUng,  that  God  will  ever  exert  any 
 extraordinary  power,  or  depart  from,  or  fuper- 
 {^A^  the  ordinary  laws  of  nature,  which  he 
 himfelf  hath  eftablifhed  ;  but  for  ioint  fpecial 
 purpofe,  anfvverable  to  the  means  made  ufe  of 
 to  accompli(h  itj  and  which  could  not  be  fo 
 well  efteiited  according  to  the  common  and 
 fettled  courlc  of  things.  And  therefore  the 
 evidence  of  tejlimojiy  in  fuch  a  cafe,  let  it  be 
 ever  fo  well  circunillanced,  will  not  be  fuffi- 
 cient  to  render  the  miracles  reported  credible  -, 
 becaufe  'twould  be  a  tcilimony  to  things  pre- 
 vioufly  and  in  ihemj'ehes  incredible  ;  becaufe 
 though  miracles  may  be  of  that  nature  as  not 
 to  be  incredible  in  themfelves,  yet  they  are 
 always  incredible  when  no  proportiGnahle  reafon 
 can  be  aHlgned  for  them,  or  a  certainly  bad  one 
 is  actually  pretended. 
 
 We  may  therefore  unqueftionably  conclude, 
 that  no  miracles  pretended  to  be  v/roughtin 
 favour  of  idolatry ^  juperjlition,  and  2.falfe  reli- 
 gion,  ever  were,  or  can  be  wrought  by  any 
 divine  interpofition  or  power  j  becaufe  this  is 
 fo  far  from  being  a  reafon  to  render  fuch  mi- 
 racles credible,  that  it  is  the  ftrongeH:  one  that 
 can  be  offered  to  render  them  abfolutely  incre- 
 dible. For  as  idolatry  and  faperftition  are 
 de(l:ru(ftive  of  all  true  religion,  and  highly 
 difhonourable  to  God,  and  a  reproach  to  hu- 
 man 
 
Serm.  6,  The  De/ign  of  the  Miracles  of  Chriji.   177 
 
 man  nature,  and  inconliftent  with  the  dignity 
 and  happinefs  of  mankind  ;  it  is  impojjible, 
 conliderinp-  the  7noral  chara6lcr  of  God,  that 
 he  can  become  the  patron  of  them,  or  en- 
 courage and  countenance  them,  hy  exerting  a 
 miraculous  power  in  their  j unification,  or 
 by  affifting  thofe,  who  introduce  and  would 
 cftablilli  them,  to  do  iigns  and  wonders  by  his 
 inmiediate  interpodtion  and  alliftance.  This 
 wou'd  be  to  adt  inconlijlent  with  the  reBitude 
 of  his  own  nature,  with  all  tlie  wife  views  of 
 government,  and  with  the  welfare  of  man- 
 kind, as  it  would  be  leading  them,  almolt  un- 
 avoidably, into  pradlices  unreafonabie,  ablurd 
 and  impious,  contrary  to  the  great  and  prin- 
 cipal end  of  his  having  created  them. 
 
 The  vv^hole  account  we  have  of  ApoUonius 
 Ty^wwi,  flievvshim  to  have  been  aman  addid:ed 
 to  the  mcajieft  fiiperftitiom^  and  the  patron  cf 
 all  the  Gods  and  idolatries  of  the  Gentiles  ; 
 as  he  worlhipped  Apollo,  /EfcidapiuSj  Achilles, 
 Palamedes^  and  all  the  deities  and  heroes  whoni 
 the  fuperftitionof  the  Greeks  had  confecrated. 
 The  whole  account  of  his  life  was  evidently 
 written  to  fupport  the  finking  caufe  of  Fagan- 
 ifm,  and,  if  poilible,  by  a  counter  relation  of 
 miracles  wrought  bv  him,  to  put  fome  check 
 to  the  prevalence  of  Chriftianity,  and  to 
 weaken  the  influence  of  the  miracles  of  Chrill: 
 and  his  Apoftles.  .  The  end  therefore  of  thofe 
 extrac*  dinary  works  afcribed  to  ApoUonius  be- 
 ing e^'Adcntly  bad,  to  eftablilh  the  honours  and 
 au-  .'ioritv  of  the  Pa- an  Gods,  and  to  counte- 
 iiance  and  fupport  all  the  follies  and  ifnpietie^ 
 YoL,  I.  N  of 
 
tyS    The  Defign  of  the  Miracles  &f  Chrijl.  Serm.  6, 
 
 of  their  wordv.p  ;  this  fmgle  confideration 
 alone  is  fufficient  to  difGredit  them,  and  wholly 
 to  deftroy  the  belief  of  them.  They  could 
 not  be  from  God,  nor  wrought  by  the  influ- 
 ence of  any  fuperior  beings  by  commiffion 
 from  him  j  hut  were  either  done  by  the  con- 
 currence of  evil  fpirits  in  oppofition  to  God, 
 or  what  I  rather  think,  were  partly /c^rg-^^ r^- 
 ladojfs  by  men  that  knew  them  to  be  falfe,  and 
 partly  i\\c  juggles  and  frauds  of  an  artful  im- 
 poftor,  to  impufe  on  the  credulity  and  eafinefs 
 of  illiterate  and  ignorant  people. 
 
 If  any  of  thofe  miracles  that  are  afcribed  to- 
 the  Fathers  and  Saints  of  th-e  Chriftian  church, 
 were  done  in  favour  of  plain  and  evident yi^- 
 ^perjlitionsy  and  to-fuppoit  dodrines  and  prac- 
 tices, contrary  to  thofe  taught  and  enjoined  by 
 Chrifb  and  his  Apoftles,  to  create  reverence 
 to  relics  and  dead  bodies,  to  elVabliih  the  inter^ 
 eeffioji  of  departed  faints-,  to  countenance  the 
 worlhip  of  irnageSy  the  difference  of  meats, 
 the  honour  o^  celibacy,,  the  institution  of  mofiks 
 and  friars^  clerical  power  and  authority  over 
 ihe  confciences  and  faith  of  the  Chriftian  laity, 
 a>nd  fuch  like  fuperftitions  and  ablurdities  ; 
 this  without  any  farther  argument,  is  demon- 
 itration  that  they  were  not  done  at  all,  or  could 
 not  be  effected  by  the  fame  power  to  which 
 the  miracles  of  Ch  ift  and  his  i^poftles  were 
 owin^  ;  becaufe  'tis  impoifible  that  the  power 
 of  God  can  be  exerted  for  purpofes  abfc'utely 
 contradiSlcry  to  themfelves ;  or  that  Chrift  and 
 his  Apoftles  fhould  fettle  wje  fcheme  of  dodi'/.:(* 
 and"  worthip^  undei  tiie  uuLlioritj  and  fandion' 
 
 of 
 
Scrm.  6.    The  "Defign  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrifl.    1 79 
 
 of  divine  miracles  j  and  a  ^t"^  hundred  years 
 after,  certain  peribns  called  Saints  and  Father s^ 
 filould  elliabliih  another  fcheme  of  worfliip  and 
 dod:rine,  repugnant  to   and   fubverfive  of  the 
 former,  under  the  fame  authority  and  fandion 
 or  divine    miracles.     Arjd    therefore    all    the 
 miracles  pretended  to,  for  the  fupport  of  f.ich 
 docflrines  and  pra'M:ices,  were  either  mere  pre- 
 tences tindforgcriei,  nothing  bat  invention  and 
 romance  j  or  if  the  fads  are  fo  fupported,  as 
 fome  men  tell  us,   as  that  we  can't  deny  them 
 without  weakening  the  Bith  of  all  hiilories  ;. 
 then  they  were  nfier  the  working  of  Sat  a?!,  ivhofe 
 coming  is  ivitb  power  and  figns,  and  lying  wo?:- 
 derSi  and  with  all  decci'vahlenefs  of  imrighteou^- 
 nefs  in  than  that  per  if!:,  becaufe   they  received 
 not  the  love  of  the  truth  that  they  fnight  be  faved  *. 
 And  for  this  reafon,  though  fome  of  the  pre- 
 tended miracles  of  the  popijh  church  have  been 
 proved  to  be  nothing  but  the  7^ogueries  of  their 
 priefts,  and  fo  render  ^//  of  them  liable  to  juft 
 fufpicion  y  yet  was  there  no  other  reafon  to  be 
 alledged  againft  them  but  this,  that  they   are 
 pretended  to  be  wrought  to  prove  impojibilities 
 true,  and  to  countenance  the  moft  notorious 
 corruptions    of    the   do(flrine  and    worfliip    of 
 Chrift,  this  alone  would  be  fufficient  for  our 
 rejecting  them  with  contempt,  and  treating 
 all  the  reverend   dealers  in  them  as  fpiritual 
 impo^ors  and  wilful  deceivers. 
 
 And  as  all  pretences  to  miracles  areabfolutely 
 incredible,  and  incapable  of  being  proved  to 
 
 §  2  ThefT.  ii.   9. 
 
 .     N  2  he 
 
iSo   The  Be^fign  of  the  Miracles  of  Chriji,  Serm.  6. 
 
 be  wrought  by  a  divine  influence  and  power,  > 
 that  arc  alledged  in  favour  of  purpofes  imwor- 
 thy  of  God  ;  we  may  I  think  alfo  affirm,  that 
 all  fuch  reports  of  miracles  have  a  very  great 
 degree  of  improbability  attending  them,  and  are 
 liable  to  very  jufi:  and  great  fufpicion  as  to  their 
 reality  and  truth,  as  to  which  there  appears  ta 
 be  no  great  and  important  end  XQ  be  anfwered  by 
 them,  or  no  end  but  what  may  be  anfwered 
 as  effetLually  without  the  operation  of  mira- 
 cles. The  jaws  of  nature  were  originally 
 fixed  v^/ith  great  wifdom,  and  the  aftairs  of 
 the  world  were  unqueftionably  intended  to  be, 
 generally  fpeaking,  carried  on  by  the  due  ope- 
 ration of  them.  And  therefore  there  is  a  na- 
 tural prefumption  ariling  in  the  minds  of  all 
 reafonable  perfons  againll  them,  upon  the  firft 
 mention  and  report  of  them  i  not  from  the 
 impofilbility  of  their  being  wrought,  which 
 can  never  be  a  fuggeftion  of  true  reafon  j  but 
 tiom  the  want  of  dilcernlng  any  competent 
 reafon  that  requires  them.  'Till  this  can  be 
 made  appear,  no  tefiimony  for  miraculous 
 tadls  ought  to  be  admitted  ;  becaufe  no  telli- 
 mony  can  be  made  io  ftiong  for  the  truth  of 
 a  miracle,  as  the  want  of  a  fuitably  worthy 
 and  important  end  to  require  and  render  it  fit 
 and  necelTary,  is  againll  it.  'Tis  true  God 
 may  do  particular  miracles  by  any  perfons, 
 without  informing  us  of  the  reafon  of  them  j 
 but  lliould  this  ever  be  the  cafe,  yet  it  mufl  be 
 faid,  that  one  of  the  principal  internal  grounds 
 of  their  credibility  would  be  intirely  wanting, 
 and  the  aiTeut  to  the  truth  of  them  would  be 
 
 pro- 
 
Scrm.  6.  The  Defign  of  the  Miracles  ofChriji,    i8f 
 
 proportionally  weak  and  dubious  ;  not  to  add, 
 that  the  end  of  the  miracle  as  to  us  would  be 
 loft,  'till  It  was  difcovered,  and  there  could  be 
 no  good  influence  from    it,  to  promote  any 
 valuable  purpofe  amongfl  mankind,  'till  the 
 reafon  and  deiign  of  it  (hould  be  explained  to 
 us.     Had  our  blcffed  Saviour  and  his  Apofcles 
 been  reported  to  have  wrought  all  the  miracles 
 which   are  now  afcribed  to  them  ;  and  had 
 there  been  no  eiid afjigned  for  the  doing  them^ 
 or  none  anfwerahle  to  thofe  extraordinary  and 
 marvellous  works ;  would  not  common  fenfe 
 have   immediately   fuggefted,    Why  ali   this 
 wafle  of  miracles  ?  Why    all   this   pretended 
 exertion  of  divine  power  for  no  vifible  end  ? 
 Or  forfuch  an  end  only,  as  did  not  need  this 
 mighty  apparatus  toac-complifh  it  ?  Hath  Ciod 
 in  his  infinite  wifdom  eftabiifhed  the  natural 
 courfe  of  caufes  and  eii'efe,  and  will  he  un- 
 neceflarily,  i.  e.  contrary  to    wifdom,    eafily 
 depart  from  them  ?  To  have  recourfe  to  the 
 Jhvereigji  pleafure  of  God,  and   to   urge  that 
 there  may  be  fecret   reafonSy  unknown  to  us, 
 for  the  performance  of  them,  doth  not  fblve 
 the  difficulty  ;  becaufe  whilfl  thofe  reafons  are 
 a  fecret  to  us  we  cannot  judge  of  them,  nor 
 form  from  them  any  conclufions  in  favour  of 
 the  reality  of  thofe  miracles  which  have  un- 
 known, /.  e.   no  reafons,  or  very  infufficient 
 ones  alledged  for   the  truth  of  them.     Nay, 
 the  conclufion  on  the  other  lide  of  the  queflion 
 feems  to  be  therational  one;  that  as  there  can 
 be  no  reafon  to  believe  that  any  miracles  lliould 
 ever  be  wrought,  but   the  importance  and  tU" 
 N    3  cejjit^^ 
 
1 82    ^he  "Deftgn  of  the  Miracles  of  Chriji.  Serm,  6. 
 
 cefftiy  of  the  end  io  be  anfwered  by  them  ;  there- 
 fore where  no  fuch  end  is,  or  can  be  difco- 
 vered,  there  can  be  no  leafon  to  believe  the 
 reality  of  miracles,  whatever  be  the  teftimony 
 to  the  truth  of  them  j  becauie  fich  teftimony 
 will  want  one  elTeniial  inszrcdient  to  render  it 
 credible,  and  no  teftimony  can  alter  the  na- 
 ture of  things,  or  render  that  worthy  of  be- 
 lief, which  is  deftitute  of  the  principal  foun- 
 dation to  fuppcrt  it.  Where  the  means  and 
 the  end  are  a?ifwerable,  the  means  are  as  cre- 
 dible as  the  end,  and  if  I  can  perceive  any 
 defign  w^orthy  of  the  miraculous  interpofitioa 
 of  God,  as  miracles  are  not  in  their  nature 
 impoflible,  fo  neither  are  they  in  this  cafe 
 incredible  ;  it  being  eafy  and  rational  to  con- 
 ceive, that  the  fame  being,  who  eftcbliflied 
 the  laws  of  nature  for  "wife  purpofes,  fliould  ad 
 by  other  laws,  or  without  the  concurrence  of 
 thofe  natural  laws,  when  he  hath  gj'cater  ends 
 to  anfwer  by  varying  from  them,  or  ading 
 without  them,  than  could  be  eifeded  by  the 
 mere  mediation  of  them,  or  God's  perpetually 
 confining  his  own  condudt  within  the  circle 
 of  their  influence  and  operation. 
 
 If  God  had  created  this  world,  merely  to 
 employ  hisfkill,  and  to  entertain  himfelf  with 
 the  infinitely  curious  and  various  movements 
 of  fo  wonderfully  complex  a  machine,  uii- 
 doubtedly,  as  it  was  at  firft  exquifftely  con- 
 trived, fo  there  doth,  not  appear  to  us  any 
 good  rcafon  why  there  lliould  be  anv  /ari-aticn. 
 fVom  the  original  fettlement  of  things,  or 
 why  the  machine  lliouid  not  be  fuftered  to  go. 
 
 on 
 
Serm.  5.  7he  Defign  of  the  Mirachs  of  Chrifi.    183 
 
 on  regularly  and  conftantly,  without  any  in- 
 terruption or  deviation  from  it.  Or  if  it  can 
 be  upon  any  certain  principles  of  truth  de- 
 monftrated,  that  man  is  not  a  7noral  agefit,  is 
 not  an  accountable  being,  is  not  a  fuhje^l  of 
 divine  government,  is  a  creature  of  chance, 
 and  hath  no  relation  to  or  dependence  upon 
 Almighty  God  ;  or  that  religion  and  fuper- 
 ftition,  virtue  and  vice,  and  all  the  inftances 
 of  moral  good  and  evil,  have  no  effential  dif- 
 ference, and  are  therefore  alike  regarded  by 
 God  j  or  that  God  esercifes  ;?<?  pro'^oideme 
 towards  men,  and  is  abfolutely  indifferent 
 what  they  do,  whether  they  arc  wife  or  igno- 
 rant, virtuous  or  vicious,  happy  or  miferable, 
 •faved  or  loft :  I  fay  if  thefe  and  the  like  things 
 can  be  fairly  demonflrated  j  I  lliall,  for  m.'f 
 own  part,  inflantly  come  into  the  notion  of 
 the  abfurdity  and  impoffibility  of  miracles, 
 and  rank  all,  that  ever  I  heard  of,  in  the  fame 
 clifs  of  impofture  and  delufion,  whether  an- 
 dent  or  modern  ;  and  not  fcruple  to  affirm, 
 that  there  can  be  no  valuable  end  of  miracles, 
 and  therefore  never  any  rcafon  for  believing 
 any  of  them  to  be  true.  But  as  'tis  but  a  poor 
 reafon  for  God's  creation  of  the  world,  to 
 imagine  that  the  principal  one  was  to  divert 
 himfelf  with  the  various  operations  nnd  pro- 
 du(ftions  of  matter  and  motion  j  fo  I  imagine 
 that  whofoever  Ihali  take  on  him  to  ailign  any 
 better  reafons  for  it,  will,  when  he  doth  it, 
 point  out  to  us  fome  ivorthy  ends  that  may  de- 
 ferve  the  divine  regards,  and  be  really  becoming 
 his  charader,  by  very  extraordinary  interpofi- 
 N  4  tions 
 
184     The  Def.gn  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrifi    Serm.  ^. 
 
 tions  of  his  power  to  promote.  For  he  who 
 afligns  the  true  reafons  for  God's  creating  the 
 world,  and  placing  in  it  creatures  of  difterent 
 ranks  and  capacities,  muO:  derive  them  from 
 the  divine  benevolence y  wijdcm^  and  retlitude,  his 
 intention  of  governing  them  by  laws  fuitable 
 to  the  refpedive  natures  and  faculties  given 
 them,  treating  all  of  them,  as  confiderations 
 of  prudence,  equity  and  goodnefs  (hall  dired:, 
 and  promoting  their  happinefs  by  all  fuch 
 means  as  fhall  appear  to  him  the  wifeft  and 
 belf .  And  therefore  though  poffibly  it  may 
 be  extremely  difficult  to  affign  any  reafons 
 or  ends  for  miraculous  operations,  that  arife 
 merely  from  the  charader  of  God,  as  Creator  ; 
 yet  fuch  may  be  urged  from  the  confideration 
 of  his  being  the  benevolent,  wife  and  equity 
 able  Governor  of  the  world,  as  may  make 
 them  appear  highly  credible,  and  worthy  of 
 all  acceptation  and  belief. 
 
 The  character  of  God  as  the  moral  gover-» 
 nor  of  the  world,  is  as  awful  and  glorious  as 
 that  of  his  being  the  creator  of  it,  and  'tis 
 no  more  unworthy  of  God  to  maintain  the 
 honour  and  dignity  of  his  moral  charader  and 
 pcrfedions  as  fupreme  Lord  and  Governor, 
 than  it  is  to  fupport  the  majefty  of  his  name 
 and  title  as  the  univerfal  creator.  And  there- 
 fore though  we  cannot  pretend  to  fay,  when 
 miracles  are  neceffary  to  fupport  the  divine  au- 
 thority in  the  world,  nor  determine  the  par- 
 ticular feafcn  when  it  is  iit  for  God  to  vindicate 
 the  honour  of  his  lav/s,  and  alTert  his  qniver- 
 fal  dominion  over  nien,  and  call  upon  them 
 
 to 
 
Serm.  6.  T'he  Bejign  of  the  Miracles  of  Chriji.    185 
 
 to  attend  to  their  duty  and  intereft,  by  extra- 
 ordinary interpoiitionsof  his  power  ;  yQiivhen 
 the  miracles  affirmed  to  be   wrought  are   evi- 
 dently and  wholly  calculated  to  promote  this  endy 
 we  can  then  difcern    a   correfpondency  and 
 proportion  between  the  means  and  the  end  ; 
 and    if  it  fhould   farther  appear,    that  there 
 were    infinite  odds,    that   the  e?jd  could  not 
 have    been  fee  wed  without    the   extraordinary 
 means  to  effect   it,  it  will  appear  as   certain, 
 that  the  extraordinarinefs   of  the  means  is  (o 
 far  from  being  any  objedtion  againft  the  rea- 
 lity of  them,  that   'tis   a   circumftance    that 
 greatly  adds  to  their  credibility,  and   renders 
 the  teftimony  given  to  them  more  worthy  of 
 our  belief.     For  as  their  appearing  extraordi- 
 nary  to  us,  becaufe  of  their   being  unufual, 
 doth  not  make  them  in  the  Jeaft  more  difficult 
 of  performance  to  God,  to  whom  'tis  as  eafy 
 to  ad:   without   the  laws  of   nature  as  with 
 them  ;  fo  if  they  are  no  farther  extraordinary 
 than  is  neceffary  to  render  them  cffeBualy  the 
 calling  them  extraordinary  is  only  calling  them 
 Jit  ind p7'oper 'y  which  muft  ever  be   the  cha- 
 racftcr  of  thofe  means  v/bich  it  pleafes  God 
 to  make  ufe  of  to  accomplifli  the  fixed  ends 
 of  his  providence  and  moral  go  ernment.  Now 
 in  this  view  of  thin^^s,the  mirad  !S  of  Chrift  and 
 his  Apoflles  are  beyosMl  all  pc  Oible  exception  ; 
 the  ends  for  which  they  were  performed  being 
 the  Jiob  left  and  beji,  that  God  himfelf  can  propofe, 
 or  the  interpoiition  of  his  power  can  poiTibly 
 ef-c(ft.     The  great  intention  of  the  miracles 
 wrought  by  our  bleffcd  Lord  were, 
 
 lo  To 
 
1 8  6    7 he  Befign  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrifi.  -  Serm .  6, 
 
 I .  To   ejiablijh   the  truth  of  his  mijjion  and 
 authority  fror^  God  his  Father  \  that  he  was 
 really  a  meffenger  from  him,  and  fent  upon 
 that  fpecial  and  peculiar  errand,  on  v^hich  he 
 declared  himlelf  that  he  came  into  the  world. 
 Thus  our  Lord  himlelf  exprellly  :  I  receive 
 not  teftimony  from  man  only.     I  have  greater 
 witnefs  than  that  of  John  *  ;  for  the  works  that 
 the  Father  hath  given  me  tofinifh^  the  fame  works 
 that  I  do  hear  witnefs   of  me,  that  the  Father 
 hath  fent  me  j  and   therefore   when  they  re- 
 proached him  with    blafphemy,    becaufe  he 
 faid  he   was  the  Son  ot  God,    he  vindicates 
 himfeif  by  faying  :  If  I  do  not  the  works  of  my 
 Father  believe  me  not  J.     But  if  I  doy  though  ye 
 believe  not  me^  i.  e.  merely  on  my  own  tefti- 
 mony, believe  the  works,  i.  e.  God's  teftimony, 
 in  thofe  work?,  which  I  do  by  hs  power  and 
 in  his  name,  that  ye  may  know  and  believe^  that 
 the  Father  is  in  me^  viz.  by  that  divine  power 
 which  he  exerts  hy  me;  and  I  in  him,  viz.  in 
 commiftion    from   him,  and   as  I   adl  by   his 
 authority.     But  as   his  being    fent  of    God 
 would  have  been  of  little  confequence  to  the 
 world,  had  he  not  declared  the  end  and  defgn 
 of  his  miffion,  he  hath  particularly  informei-  us 
 of  the  errand   on   which  he  came,  and  the 
 fame  miracles  that  were  intended  to  prove  his 
 miflion,  equally  prove  the  intention  and  pur- 
 pofe  of  it.     This  in  general  was,  not  to  do  his 
 own  will,  not   merely  to  accomplifti  a  fcheme 
 that  he  himfeif  had  formed,  but  to  ^othe  will 
 
 *  John  v.  Z^—3^'  X  X.  37— 3S. 
 
 of 
 
Serm.  6.  *the  T)eftgn  of  ihe  Miracles  of  Chrifi.    187 
 
 of  his  Heavenly  Father.     My  meat  is  to  do  the 
 will  of  him  that  fait  me^  and  toflkijh  his  work^; 
 particularly  toJulfJlthe  law  and  the  prophets,  by 
 accomplidiing   all   thing;^  predidcd  in  them, 
 and  perfedting  the  great  intention   of  them, 
 explaining  the  great  duties  of  morality  in  their 
 purity  and  extent,  gnd   fettling   religion    and 
 the  worfhip  of  God  upon  their  fure  and  pro- 
 per foundation,  and  thus  introducing  everlajiing 
 righteoufnefs :  Agreeable  to  this  defign  he  came 
 as  a  light  into  the  world  §,  to  fpread  the  know-p- 
 ledge pf  divine  truth,  and  give  men  full  in- 
 ftrudion  in  all  the  genuine  duties  and  princi- 
 ples of  religion  and  virtue.    And  as  the  whole 
 world  lay  in  wickednefsy  he  came  tofave  man- 
 kind  from  their  Jins,  and  to  (;all /inner s  torepe7itance^ 
 and  to  refcue  and  fave  them  from  all  the  mi- 
 feries  and  evil  confequences  of  their  offences  \ 
 tQ  heal  the  broken  hearted,  to  preach  deliverance 
 to  the  captives,  the  recovering  of  fight  to  the  blifidy 
 and  to  Jet  at  V.berty  them  that  are  bruifed,  and 
 thus  to  preach  i  he  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord,    In 
 a  word,  h'^  was  fent  not  to  condemn  the  worlds 
 hut  that  the  world  through  him  might  be  faved-, 
 iaved   from   the  condemnation  of  death,  re- 
 ilored  io  the  hope  of,  and  finally  be   made 
 partakers  of  the  refurredion  to  life  and  im-r 
 mortality.     His    miracles    were   intended  to 
 prove  the  truth  of  his  mifTion  from  God  for 
 thefe  important  purpofes.     And  therefore 
 
 2.  To  prove  and  eflablifJ.^  the  truth  of  his 
 doSirine,  which  he  delivered  to  the  woild  as 
 
 t  Jolin  iV'  34-  §  xii.  46. 
 
 ,  .  the 
 
1 88    I'he  Defign  of  the  Miracles  of  Chriji.  Serm.  5. 
 
 the  Meffenger  of  God  ;  for  indeed  whatfoever 
 proved  the  truui  of  his  divine  miffion,  proved 
 alfo  the  truth  and  divinity  of  his  dodrine, 
 which  he  taught  in  virtue  of  that  miffion. 
 Thus  our  Lord  :  'The  words  that  I  /peak  unto 
 you  I  [peak  not  of  myjclf^  but  the  Father  that 
 dwelleth  in  me  doth  the  works  ||,  viz.  vv^hereby  my 
 words  are  confirmed ;  and  therefore  he  adds : 
 Believe  me  for  the  very  works  Jake^  -,  as  though 
 he  had  faid :  You  need  no  other  proof  of  the 
 truth,  but  that  atteftation  which  God  hath 
 ■^given  to  them,  by  the  miraculous  works  I  do 
 under  the  influence  of  his  power.  But  it  is 
 faid,  "  that  miracles,  confidered  as  fuch,  are 
 no  proof  of  any  thing,  but  of  extraordinary 
 power^  or  that  the  perfon  who  doth  them  is 
 ajjified  by  fome  being  fuperior  to  man.  But 
 power  doth  not  imply  truth,  nor  doth  it  fol- 
 low, that  he  who  can  exert  the  greateft 
 ilrength  will  therefore  exert  the  greateft  vera- 
 city" J.  But  to  this  it  may  be  replied,  that 
 miracles  confidered  as  done  by  the  operation 
 of  God,  or  the  affiftance  of  fuperior  beings 
 under  his  direBion,  though  they  do  not  prove 
 the  truth  of  any  do<5trine  in  the  demonftrative 
 way,  or  by  any  reafons  conne<iled  with  and 
 ariling  from  the  nature  of  fuch  dodrine,  yet 
 they  do  prove  it  by  a  method  every  jot  as  cer- 
 tain in  itfelf,  and  as  fatisfadory  as  any  poffible 
 demonftration  can  make  it,  and  that  is  by  the 
 immediate  andfpecial  teftimony  of  Gody  whofe 
 atteftation  to  the  truth  of  any  thing  is  the 
 higheft  poffible  evidence,  becaufe  he  can  ne- 
 
 II  Johnxiv.  ic.  —  *  1 1.  %  Sykes  two  Enq.  p.  62. 
 
 ve? 
 
Serm.  6.    The  Dejign  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrijl.    189 
 
 ver  be  deceived  in  his  judgment;  nor  ever  af- 
 firm what  is  untrue  for  the  deception  of 
 others.  And  fuch  miraculous  works,  as  jio 
 man  can  do  except  God  be  with  him^  are  the  pro- 
 per immediate  teflimony  of  God  to  the  per- 
 fon  that  doth  them,  that  he  is  what  this  te- 
 ftimony  is  produced  to  prove,  and  that  thofe 
 dodrines  are  true,  for  the  confirmation  of 
 which  he  appeals  to  God.  For  when  any 
 perfon  teaches  a  dod:rine  as  a  meflenger  of 
 God,  and  works  a  miracle  by  the  immediate 
 interpofition  of  God,  in  evidence  of  the  truth 
 of  it,  fuch  miracles  prove  the  perfon  to  be 
 under  the  immediate  proteftion  of  God,  to 
 be  aided  and  afiifted  by  his  power  and  influ- 
 ence, and  to  be  eminently  pointed  out,  as 
 one  worthy  of  the  attefxtion,  credit  and  re- 
 gard of  mankind,  becaufe  warranted,  vindi- 
 cated and  iuftified  in  what  he  fays,  by  the 
 divine  authority  and  power  refiding  in  him. 
 In  the  teflimony  thus  given  to  any  dodlrine, 
 he  who  preaches  the  dodlrine,  and  God  Vvrho 
 doth  the  miracle,  are  properly  one  j  both 
 concur  in  aflerting  the  fame  truth  ;  or  rather, 
 God  himfelf  preaches  the  do(ftrine  by  the  mi- 
 niftry  of  the  perfon  who  delivers  it,  by  fetting 
 his  feal  of  confirmation  to  the  truth  of  his  mif- 
 fion  and  authority  from  himfelf,  and  calls 
 upon  all,  who  hear  his  dcdrine,  and  fee  his 
 works,  to  believe  in  and  obey  him. 
 
 Many  of  the  dod:rines  of  our  blefifed  Sa- 
 viour are  capable  of  no  other  proof  than  that 
 oi  divine  tejiimony ^  becaufe  the  things  alTerted 
 in    thefe   dodtriats   depend   entirely   on    the 
 
 CGH" 
 
igo  The  Dijign  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrijl.  Serm.  6. 
 
 conjlitution  and  appointment  of  God,  and  have 
 no  antecedent  fitnefs  or  neceffity  in  them,  that 
 could  appear  to  us,  from  whence  we  rhight 
 infer  their  truth,  by  any  principles  of  reafon. 
 Thus,  that  Chrift  was  a  mejfenger  from  God  ; 
 that  he  was  {^vA  into  the  world  to  be  the  6"^- 
 viour  of  mankind^  that  he  was  the  propitiation 
 for  thefim  of  men^  that  he  is  the  only  Mediator 
 between  God  and  finners,  that  he  fJ:all  raife 
 the  deady  that  he  is  appointed  to  be  the  iini- 
 verfal  judge,  and  that  life  and  immortality  in 
 the  prefcnce  and  heavenly  liingdom  of  God,  fh all 
 be  the  recompence  of  our  faith  and  perfeve- 
 rance  in  the  Chiiftian  dodrine  and  religion ; 
 thefe  are  the  dodrines  that  can  be  deduced 
 by  us  from  no  antecedent  principles  of  recfjn  ; 
 becaufe  they  have  their  foundations  in  the  di- 
 vine counfels,  and  in  the  refolutions  of  his 
 infinite  wifdom  and  goodnefs ;  and  therefore 
 can  only  be  known  by  revelation,  and  the 
 exprefs  teflimony  of  God  to  the  truth  of 
 them.  Our  bleffed  Saviour  came  into  the 
 world  preaching  thefe  dodrines,  declared 
 they  were  not  his  own,  but  his  Father's, 
 and  that  he  only  fpoke  what  his  Father  had 
 given  him  in  commiiiion  to  teach.  Hour 
 were  thefe  things  to  be  proved  ?  He  did  in- 
 deed appeal  to  th& prophecies  of  the  Old  Te- 
 ftamcnt,  in  which  many  of  thefe  things  were 
 exprefly  mentioned,  and  particularly  declared. 
 But  flill,  it  could  fcarce  be  made  appear,  from 
 hence,  with  fuch  convidion  as  would  admit 
 of  no  difpute,  that  he  was  the  perfon  pointed 
 out    by   thoie   prophecies;    for  the  previous 
 
 point. 
 
Serm.  6.  'The  De/ign  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrifl,   191 
 
 point,  upon  which  all  depended,  had  not  its 
 proper  proof,  viz.  that  he  had  a  divine  million 
 and  authoriiy.  'Till  this  was  fettled,  the  con- 
 currence of  certain  circumjlances,  mentioned 
 in  the  ancient  prophecies,  in  his  perlon,  was 
 no  proof  that  thok  prophecies  pointed  out 
 him,  becaufeone/'n/za/'^/circumliance  would 
 have  been  wanting,  'u'lz.  that  lie  was  a  prophet 
 from  God  like  unto  Mojes,  and  declared  to  be 
 fuch  by  jniracles,  as  unqueflionable  as  thofe 
 which  Mofes  did.  But  when  our  blefi'ed  Sa- 
 viour fhewed  the  coincidence  and  concurrence 
 of  all  thefe  circumlrances  in  himfelf,  and  had 
 the  farther  evident  attellation  of  God  to  the 
 truth  of  his  prophetic  miliion  and  dodlrine ; 
 the  proof,  that  he  was  the  peffon  defcribed 
 in  the  ancient  prophecies,  and  that  the  doc- 
 trines he  d-i^Uvered  were  the  truths  of  God, 
 was  fatisfadory  and  decifive,  and  could  not 
 confidently  with  integrity  be  refilled  by  thofe 
 who  had  this  double  evidence  adtualiy  before 
 them.  The  miracles  therefore  of  our  biefied 
 Lord,  as  they  were  performed  by  the  wimediate 
 power  of  his  Father^  were  his  immediate  attef^ 
 tation  to  the  truth  of  his  miilion  and  the  di- 
 vinity of  his  dcdrine  ;  and  therefore  an 
 abundant  confirmation  of  that  religion  which 
 he  introduced  into  the  world,  both  in  principle 
 and  practice. 
 
 In  like  manner  the  great  intention  of  the 
 miracles  wrought  by  his  Apojlles^  was  to  carry 
 on  the  great  defign  that  their  maft.r  had  begun, 
 to  fupport  his  authority,  a?id  propagate  his  doc- 
 trine and  religion  in  the  v/orld.     His  death, 
 
 though 
 
192  The  "Defgn  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrtji.  Serm.  6, 
 
 though  predicted  by  the  ancient  prophecies, 
 though  llibmitted  to  for  the  moft  important 
 reafons,  and  an  eflential  part  in  the  fcheme  of 
 redemption  fettled  by  the  divine  wifdom  and 
 goodnefs,  yet  was  fuch  an  event  as  the  Jev«^i& 
 nation  could  not  digeft,  nor  probably  recon- 
 cile with  thofe  prophecies  which  declared, 
 that  he  (hould  be  poileflt^d  of  an  univerfal  and 
 eternal  dominion.  And  had  he  coiitimied under 
 the  power  of  deaths  it  would  have  been  im- 
 poflible  that  he  could  have  been  the  promifed 
 MiJJiah,  becaufe  he  would  have  wanted  many 
 eflential  characfcers  under  which  he  had  been 
 defcribed.  But  his  Apoilles  declared  him  rifaj 
 from  the  dead,  afcended  -into  Heaven,  and  ad- 
 vanced to  the  higheft  honours  in  the  prefence 
 and  kingdom  of  his  Father,  in  order  the  more 
 effedually  to  ccmpleat  the  great  work  of 
 man's  falvation,  v^^hich  he  began  by  his  per- 
 fonal  miniftry  on  earth.  But  how  was  this  to 
 be  proved  ?  Would  their  mere  ajfef'tioUj  had 
 there  been  every  concurring  circumftance  of 
 credibility  in  their  charafter,  have  been  fafH- 
 cient  to  have  gained  belief  in  the  world,  to 
 things  of  fo  very  extraordinary,  furprifing, 
 and  at  firft  mention,  incredible  a  nature  r  If 
 thefe  things  had  been  true,  and  their  teilimony 
 to  them  worthy  of  being  received,  as  they 
 teflified  nothing  but  what  they  were  actually 
 eye  witneffes  to;  their  bare  affirmation  could 
 never  have  conveyed  that  fatisfaftory  con- 
 vi<5lion  to  the  world,  which  the  infinite  im- 
 portance of  the  things  themfelves  demanded 
 and  deferved.  How  then  muft  their  teftimony 
 
 to 
 
Serm.  6.  T'he  Defign  of  the  Miracles  ofChriJl.  193 
 
 to  thefe  things  be  confirr.icd'^  What  farther 
 was  necefiliry  to  give  them  a  fufficient  degree 
 of  credibihly,  as  the  witiielTes  of  their  mailer, 
 and  meil'cngers  authorijcd  by  him  to  pj-opagatc 
 his  religion  amongd  mankind,  with  any  rea- 
 fonable  profped:  of  fuccefs  ?  Why  evidently, 
 {ovnQ  divi?je tejlimonyin  their  favour,  concurring 
 with,  and  giving  ftrength  to  what  they  de- 
 clared themfelves,  which  would  overballance 
 the  natural  incredibility  of  the  things  they  af- 
 firmed, and  render  them  witnefles  above  all 
 reafonable  exception. 
 
 And  how  wifely  adapted  SN'dS  that  miraculous 
 atteftation  given  them,  to  the  nature  of  the  doc- 
 trine they  were  to  preach ;  viz.  Salvation  by  the 
 crucified,  exalted  and  glo7'ifiedyefiis  f  The  inftanta- 
 neous  gift  of  many  languages  to  them,  whereby 
 they  were  enabled  to  preach  the  gofpel,  to  per- 
 fons  colleded  out  of  all  nations,  and  thus  as  in  a 
 moment  tofpread  the  knowledge  of  it  through- 
 out the  uttermofl  parts  of  the  Earth,  they  fo- 
 lemnly  declare  to  be  the ^///  of  the  Father,  by 
 Jefus  Chrifl,  as  the  proof  of  his  refurreftion, 
 afcenfion  into  Heaven,  and  feffion  at  the  right 
 hand  of  God.     The  gift  itfelf  was  univerfally 
 confefTed.     That  it  muft  be  the  gift  of  God 
 carried   its   own   evidence;  and   that  it    v/as 
 given  as  a  teftitnony  to  the  truth  of  their  doc- 
 trine,  in  reference  to  Chrift,  was  undeniable; 
 not  only  from  their  folemnly  affirming  it,  but 
 becaufe  they   preached  him   in   thefe  various 
 'languages,  and   made  no  other   ufe  of  them 
 but  to  declare   him  aiid  his   religion  to    the. 
 world.   When  Feter  and  'John\\zd^iZ'i  the  man, 
 Vol.  I.  O  at 
 
ff94  ^-^^  ^^fign  of  the  Miracles  cf  Chrifi.  Serm.  6. 
 at  the  temple  gate,  that  was  born  lame,  what 
 "was  the  manner  of  it  ?  In  the  name  of  yefus  of 
 Nazareth  rife  tip  and  walk ;  and  when  the  peo- 
 ple flood  aftoniflied  at  tlie   miracle,  and  the 
 men  that  performed  it,  they  tell  them  :  ^hat 
 God  had  raifed  and  ghrifed  that  Jefus  whom  they 
 had  killed,  and  that  his  name^  his  power,  and 
 they  by  faith  in  his  name,  had  made  that  man 
 frong,  whom  they  both  faw  and  knew.    Could 
 'any  thing  be  a  ftronger  atteftation  to  the  truth 
 of  his   being  alive,  ajnd   in  a    flate  of  great 
 power  and  glory,  than  fuch  a  miraculous  cure, 
 adlually  wrought  in  his  name,  and  by  perfons 
 who  declared  that  their  power  to  do  it  was 
 derived  from  him  ?  In  a  word,  as  the  Apoftles 
 Gonftantly  declared  themfelves  to  be  his  wtt^ 
 neffes,  witnelTes  to  his  refurreCtion  and  glory, 
 and  commiffioned  by  God  to  preach  his  reli- 
 gion to  the- world,  fo  they  had  i\\Q  attejiation 
 of  God,  by  miraculous  gifts  and  works,  in  con- 
 firmation of  the  witBefs  they  gavej  and  the 
 great  end  of  all  the  miracles  wrought  both 
 by  Chriff  and  them  was  one  and  the  fame,  to 
 carry  on  the  fame  defign,  even  to  propagate  and 
 eftablifli    truth,    religion    and  virtue  in  the 
 world,  and  hereby  to  promote  the  knowledge 
 and  worfliip  of  the   oise  true   God,  and   the 
 eternal   falvation   and  happinefs  of  mankind. 
 The  end  therefore  of  thefe  miracles  evidently 
 appears 
 
 Tq  be  every  way  worthy  of  God,  of  the  in- 
 terpofition  of  his  power  and  providence,  to 
 countenance  and  fupport.  There  is  nothing 
 in  it  contrary  to  the  benevolence  of  his  nature ; 
 
 for 
 
Serm.  6.    The  Bejign  of  the  Miracles  of  Chriji.    195 
 
 for  the  whole  of  Chriftianlty  is   a  fcheme  of 
 goodncfs,  and  anfwers  to   the  noblefl:  concep- 
 tions we  can   form  of  the  divine  compailion 
 and    mercy,    and  cannot  in  fuppofition    ever 
 take  place,  but  as  the  effedt  of  the  richeft  and 
 moft  unmerited  grace  and  favour  to  mankind. 
 It  is  perfedlly  reconcileable  with  and  expreflive 
 of  the  divine  reBitude  and  purity,  as  the  go- 
 verning deilgn  of  it  is,  the  repentance  and  re- 
 formation of  a  linful    world,  the  recovery  of 
 men  to  their  integrity  and  the  reditude  Oi^  their 
 nature,  refloring  them  to  the  nobleft  partici- 
 pation  of  the    divine   imagr,  and  reconciling 
 them  to  the  practice  of  the  mofi:  amiable  and 
 fubftantial  virtues.     It  is  inconfiftent  with  no 
 conceivable  views  of  the  divine  wifdom  and 
 prudence.     'Tis  a  fcheme  of  truths  and  thus 
 agreeable  to  his  character  as  the  God  and  lover 
 of  truth,  'Tis  intended  to  recover  men  to  that 
 original  ftate  of  honour  and  dignity  in  which 
 they  were  at  iirfl:  created,  to  teach  them  the 
 deilgn  of  their  creation,  and  engage  them  by 
 the  rtrongeft  motives  to  live  up  to  it,  and  an- 
 fwer  it,  and  fo  concurs  with  the  great  views 
 of  the  divine  'wifdom  in   bringing   them  into 
 being,  and  endowing  them  with  their   intel- 
 lecftual  powers  and  capacities.     It  is  in  pur- 
 fuance  of  the  great  defign  of  the  moral  pro- 
 vidence and  government  of  God  ;  to  rr.aintain 
 -a   fenfe   of  his   being  and  perfedions  in  the 
 world,  to   fecure  a  reverence  to  his  authority, 
 to  add  a  new  force  to  his  laws,  to  firengthen 
 .mens  obligations    to  obedience,  to   m^intcin 
 -that    peace   and  order  and  harmony  in  hu- 
 
 O  2  man 
 
J 96    The  Dejign  of  the  Miracles  of  Chriji,  Serm.^. 
 
 man  life,  which  he  would  have  preferved, 
 and  to  make  men  partakers  of  that  hap- 
 pinefs  for  which  he  originally  created  and 
 defigned  them. 
 
 'Tis  therefore  an  end  extremely  beneficial 
 to  mankind,  and  of  the  higheft  importance  to 
 their  welfare  and  happinefs.  For  the  great 
 delign  of  thefe  miracles  was  to  eflablifli  and 
 confirm  that  dodrine  of  Ch rift,  which  where- 
 cver  it  prevails  puts  an  intire  end  to  the  pre- 
 valence of  ignorance,  chafes  away  mean  and 
 abfurd  prejudices,  deftroys  the  very  fources 
 of  all  kinds  of  idolatry  and  fuperftition,  and 
 delivers  men  from  the  tyranny  of  bafe  and 
 deftrudive  vices  j  and  reftores  them  to  liberty, 
 virtue,  piety,  dignity,  and  fubftantial  happi- 
 nefs. It  gives  a  moft  plain  and  perfecfl  fcheme 
 of  religion  in  all  the  efiential  principles  of  it, 
 in  the  rational  wor(hip  it  requires,  and  the 
 unfpeakable  benefits  it  enfures.  It  exhibits  to 
 us  a  plan  of  morality  and  virtue,  perfed,  ex- 
 alted, and  plain,  fuited  to  all  the  relations, 
 various  circumflances  and  conditions  of  human 
 life,  and  introduces  honour,  benevolence, 
 candor,  juftice,  equity  and  charity,  to  the 
 acquaintance  and  friendlhip  of  mankind, 
 teaches  them  moderation,  gentlenefs,  felf- 
 government,  publick  fpirit,  and  the  preference 
 of  things  great  and  excellent,  and  ufeful,  to  all 
 perfonal  intereftand  private  claims  whatfoever, 
 furnifiies  them  with  the  ftrongeft  motives  ta 
 think  of  thofe  things  and  conflandy  do  them, 
 rewards  them  in  the  obfervance  of  them  with 
 contentment,  tranquility,  chearfulneis  of  fpi- 
 rit. 
 
Serm.  6.    1'he  Befign  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrijl.   197 
 
 rlt,  joyous  poiTeffion  of  themfelvcs,  grateful 
 reflexions,  fecurity  of  peace,  livelinefs  of 
 hope,  and  profpeds  the  mod  tranfporting  and 
 glorious.  And  befides  all  this,  creates  in  them 
 a  difpofition  for  the  happinefs  of  a  future 
 ftate,  and  fecnres  them  an  entrance  into  all 
 the  pleafures  of  a  bleiled  and  glorious  immor- 
 tality. And  can  there  be  any  defign  more 
 friendly  to  mankind  than  this  ?  Would  not  one 
 naturally  willi,  that  fuch  a  fcheme  fliould  be 
 ftamped  with  a  divine  authority  ?  Should  we 
 not  look  upon  miracles  as  well  beftowedj  ■ 
 and  worthy  the  benevolence  of  God,  \vheii 
 wrought  in  confirmation  of  fuch  a  conflitu- 
 tion,  as  in  the  whole  of  it  is  calculated,  Xo 
 banifh  infamy,  guilt,  mifery,  and  every  fpe- 
 cies  of  ruin  from  the  world,  and  to  make  hu- 
 man nature  in  charader  what  it  fhould  be, 
 and  in  poffefTion  and  happinefs  every  thing 
 it  can  want,  or  reafonably  defire  to  be  ?  Con- 
 fider  farther. 
 
 How  generous  and  extenjroe  this  beneficial 
 plan  of  goodnefs  is.  Wide  as  the  habitable  world, 
 and  diffufive  as  the  mod:  diftant  nations  of  the 
 earth.  'Tis  no  party  national  view,  that  is' 
 intended  by  Chriftia?iity,  as  the  y^z^pj  v/ould" 
 have  had  it  :  who  v/ere  for  confinino;  Heaven 
 and  earth  to  themfelves,  and  engroffing  God 
 almighty,  his  favour  -and  benefits,  within  their* 
 own  pofieflion,  and  for  having  the  fole  pro- 
 perty ia  the  Kingdom  above,  and  all  the  king- 
 doms and  treafures  of  the  earth  below  ;  could 
 they  but  have  perfuaded  our  bleffed  Saviour 
 to  have  been  as  felfifh  and  partial  as  themfelves, 
 O  -<  He, 
 
198    7  he  Defign  of  tie  Mtrachs  ofChriJi.  Scrm.  6. 
 
 He,  though  a  Jew,  of  ihefeed  of  Abraham  by 
 birth,  fcorned  to  gratify  this  national  prejudice 
 and  pride  in  his  own  people  j  went  upon  a 
 more  generous  plan,  taught  a  dodtrine  of  uni- 
 verfal  importance  to  mankind,  and  a  religion 
 equally  fuited  to  all  nations,  and  intended  to 
 comprehend  within  the  obligations  and  pri- 
 vileges of  it,  perfons  of  every  kindred,  tongue, 
 and  country  throughout  the  world,  that  were 
 capable  of  being  recovered  to  religion  and 
 virtue,  and  formed  into  a  difpofition  for  eter- 
 nal life  and  falvation,  without  any  regard  to, 
 or  intention  to  make  any  alteration  in  their 
 forms  of  government,  their  civil  conAitutions, 
 or  any  of  their  peculiar  and  difcriminating 
 cudoms  and  practices,  as  far  as  they  were  con- 
 fillent  with  morality  and  real  piety.  Though 
 God  had  wife  andjufl  reafons  iov  feparating 
 to  himfelf  the  Jewlfi  nation  by  many  mira- 
 culous appearances  amongft  them,  and  for 
 their  fpecial  benefit ;  yet  this  is  in  its  nature 
 liable  to  fome  kind  of  fufpicion,  and  the  ob- 
 vious obje(ftion  that  arifes  in  the  mind  is :  Why 
 this  pari  I  all  fy  to  the  Jewifi  nation  ?  And  why 
 at  the  expence  of  miracles  to  confirm  a  reh- 
 gion,  for  that  people  onl)\  to  the  exclufion 
 of  the  reft  of  mankind  ?  Q^ftions  not  to  be 
 folved  without  the  light  of  Gbrijlianityy  and 
 a  view  of  the  fcheme  of  providewce  from  the 
 beginning  to  the  end.  But  there  is  no  manner 
 of  room  for  an  objedlion  of  this  kind  againil 
 the  do(5lrine  and  miracles  of  Chriff  ,who  threw 
 down  cyQvy  inclofure  that  kept  men  out  of 
 the  Church  of  God,  opened  the  door  for  all 
 
 who 
 
Serm.  6,    Th&  Dcfign  of  the  Miracles  of  Chnjl.  199 
 
 who  were  willing  to  enter,  and  put  no  dif- 
 firence  between  any  perfqns  throughout  the 
 world,  but  the  great,  eternal  and  immutable 
 one,  which  arifes  from  the  difference  of  their 
 moral  chara(5ters,  which  is  the  only  diftin^ion 
 that  God  will  regard,  and  which  iliall  be  taken 
 notice  of  in  that  day,  when  the  ftate  of  ali 
 men  fliall  be  determined  by  the  righteous 
 judge,  for  happjnefs  or  mifery,  as  their  deeds 
 fhall  appear  to  gave  been  good  or  evil.  As  a 
 religion  of  this  extenfive  view  carries  in  it  an 
 intrinfick  mark  of  its  divine  original  and  an- 
 fwers  to  the  charader  of  God  as  univerfal 
 Father  and  governor  of  mankind,  the  miracles 
 wrought  in  confirmation  of  it  were  of  an  uni- 
 verfal benefit,  and  therefore  worthy  of  that 
 divine  agency  and  interpofition  to  which  they 
 ar€  afcribed.  And  frorn  hence  we  may  very 
 fairly  and  ftrongly  conclude  farther. 
 
 That  the  endxo  be  anfwered  by  the  miracles 
 of  Chrift  and  his  Apoftles,  was  as  great,  and 
 important  in  its  nature,  as  the  rneans  to  accom- 
 pli(h  it  were  extraordinary  2iX\di  fur prijing,  and 
 that  there  is  the  mo9i  perfecf  correfpondencc  and 
 fuitablenefs  between  them;  and  that  thererore 
 if  the  end  propofed  was  worthy  in  its  nature, 
 becoming  God  to  promote,  and  conducive  to 
 the  moft  excellent  purpofes  ;  then  the  mira- 
 culous confirmation  of  it  hath  every  circum- 
 ftance  of  credibility  in  it.  Since  however 
 uncommon  and  wonderful,  'tis  not  more  fo,  than 
 the  intentio?!  of  it  ^^diS,  great  znd  good i  when 
 God  condeicends  to  become  the  agent,  the 
 fcheme  he  dire<i^s  will  be  all  confident ;  and 
 O  4  as 
 
20O  ^he  De/ign  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrijl.   Serm.  6. 
 as  the  defign  will  be  worthy  the  reditude  of 
 his  nature,  fo  his  method  of  effeding  it,  will 
 difcover  the  hand  and  power  that  condud  it. 
 Allowing  it,  that  miracles,  as  they  are  a  va- 
 riation   from    the  laws   of  nature,    are   not, 
 though  pcfiible,  to  be  eafily  credited  ;  as  'tis 
 not  to  be  fuppofed,  that  Gcd  will  ever  vary 
 from  his  own  conllitution,  and  fuperfede   the 
 laws  which  his  own   power  hath  wifely  efta- 
 blifl:ied,  but  upon  cafes   of  the  higheft   im- 
 portance, and  even  where  the  general  welfare 
 of  the  whole  world  is  concerned  in  it.     I  lay 
 allowing  this,  the  miracles  of  Chrift  and  his 
 Apoflles  will  reft  on   a  fare  foundation  ;  be- 
 caufe    'tis   not  poffible  in  the  nature  of  the 
 thing  for  us  to  conceive  of  any  end  more  glo- 
 rious and  god-like  than  that  which  thefe  mi- 
 racles were  intended  for  ;   the  relloring   the 
 dominion  and    authority  of  God  throughout 
 the  earth,  the  cleanfing  his  world  from  the 
 innumerable  pollutions  that  had  defiled  it,  and 
 the  reftoration  of  light,  joy,  purity,  righteouf- 
 nefs,  life    and   happinefs   to   all,    who   were 
 willing  to  accept  thefe  invaluable  blefllngs.  Is 
 not  fuch  a  defign  as  becoming  the  divine  mind, 
 as  forming  the  defigji  of  an   infed,  plant  or 
 ilovver  ?  If  it  be  not  beneath  the  divine   ma- 
 jeily  to  perpetuate  thefe  by  aconftant  exertion 
 of  his  power,  fhall  it  be  reckoned  too  extra- 
 ordinary for  God  to  concur  in  the  eftablifih- 
 ment  and  confirmation  of  that  nobler  fcheme, 
 of  the  refcue  of  the  rational  world  from   de- 
 ftrudion,  reconciling   them   to  himfelf,  and 
 forming  them   into  a  meetnefs  for  immortal 
 
 bleffednefs  ? 
 
Serm.  6,  I'he  Deftgn  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrijt.  loi 
 
 bkiTednefs  ?  What  can  be  imagined  a  work 
 of  more  dignity  than  this,  more  worthy  the 
 majefty  of  God,  and  the  grandeur  of  his 
 throne  as  the  monarch  of  the  world,  or  better 
 deferving  his  interpofition,  or  more  loudly 
 claiming  his  countenance  and  protection,  in 
 the  exercife  of  his  providence,  or  more  an- 
 fwerahle  to  the  boundlefs  perfedion  and  abfo- 
 lute  recflitude  of  his  nature  ?  If  fo,  let  mira- 
 cles be  as  aftoni(hing  as  can  be  imagined,  the 
 aftonifliment  will  ceafe,  when  the  end  aimed 
 at  by  them  is  in  view  j  or  rather,  both  together 
 will  appear  as  one  harmonious,  confident, 
 amazing  fcheme  of  infinite  W'fdom  and  good- 
 nefs,  and  caufe  the  Chriftian,  in  the  admira- 
 tion of  his  heart,  to  cry  out:  Oh  the  depth  of 
 the  riches  both  of  the  wifdom  and.  bio^d; ledge  of 
 God  I  Thou  art  glorious  ifi  hclinejs,  j earful  in 
 praiJeSi  and  wonderful  in  all  thy  works.  I  would 
 add  once  more. 
 
 That  the  end,  however  important  and  be- 
 neficial in  its  nature,  yet  was  attended  with 
 thofe  diffiadiies,  and  furrounded  with  thofe 
 objiacles,  as  that  'twas  not  to  be  accomplifhed 
 without  the  miraculous  interpfition  of  God,  and 
 muft  have  entirely  failed,  had  every  thing  been 
 left  to  the  ordinary  courfe  of  natural  caufes 
 and  effeds.  'Tis  well  known,  that  the  ftate 
 of  religion  and  morality  was  extremely  low 
 both  amongft  fews  and  Gentiles  ;  amongii:  the 
 former  there  being  only  the  external  fhew, 
 without  any  thing  of  the  reality  and  life  of  it, 
 and  amongft  the  Gentiles  the  very  appearance 
 of  true  religion  was  gone,  as  well  as  the  fub- 
 
 fiance. 
 
202  The  Defign  of  the  Miracles  ofChriJt.    Serm.  6* 
 
 ftance,  in    confequence  of  which    the   whole 
 world  lay  in  wickednefs  and  vice  ;  for  their  re- 
 ligion itlelf  had  fandified  the   vices  of  man- 
 kind, ad  )pt€d  them  into  her  rites  of  worfliip, 
 and  taken  them  into  her  immediate  patronage 
 and  protedion.    And  as  this  falfe  religion  had 
 been  interwoven  into  all  civil  ejiablifiments  of 
 all  nations,  and  had  not  only  the  wiiverfal 
 fraSlice  of  mankind  to "  countenance  it,   but 
 the /tfi^^j  of  nations i  and  \}ciz  power  of  princes^ 
 to  fecure  itj  in  fuch  circumflances  the  effec- 
 ting of  a  reformation  in  religion  and  morality, 
 was  a  work  of  infinite  difficulty,  and  to  have 
 accomplifli'd  it  without  a  miracle^  would  have 
 been  in  reality  as  ^r^^^  a  miracle  a.s  2\mo{\.  Siny 
 of  thofe    which  contributed    at  laft  to    the 
 effecting  it.     Experience  had  Ihewn,  that  the 
 yewiJJj  conftitution  had  not  anfwered  the  end 
 of  its  appointment  amongft  the  Jews   them- 
 felves,  and  by  means  of  hs  peculiarities,  had  it 
 been  in  other  things    ever  fo  perfed,  could 
 never  become  the  religion  of  the  world,  nor 
 the  means  of  faving  it.     The  efficacy  alfo  of 
 human  wifdom  and  reafon  had  been  fully  tried, 
 and  found  wanting  and  imperfed. 
 
 At  the  feafon  when  Chriftianity  was  intro- 
 duced, learning  and  philofophy  were  in  their 
 greateft  perfedion  and  reputation,  and  even 
 that  part  of  philofophy y  which  is  of  the  greateft 
 importance  to  mankind,  refpeding  morality, 
 was  treated  in  the  mofi:  maflerly  manner,  with 
 all  the  politenefs  and  elegance  of  language, 
 the  charms  of  oratory,  and  the  moft  fpecious 
 appearances  of  argument  and  reafon.     It  had 
 
 befides 
 
Serm.  6.  ^he  Beftgn  of  the  Mraclcs  of  Chrifi.  203 
 
 befides  the  advantage  of  appearing  under  the 
 p.roted:ion  of  the  greateft  name  Ro7?je  had  to 
 boaft  of,  and  of  having  the  fandtion  of  the 
 SaiatG'/ian  Confular  digniiy,  to  recommend  and 
 enforce  it.  And  yet  what  effeds  did  it  pro- 
 duce? Kome  continued  the  fame.  Though 
 fhe  faw  her  Gods  degraded  into  dead  men, 
 her  rites  of  worfhip  cenfured  and  condemned, 
 her  ceremonies,  auguries,  divinations,  derided 
 and  laughed  to  fcorn;  yet  ftill  (lie  retained 
 them,  nor  was  there  any  appearances  of  the 
 leaft  tendency  to  change  her  deities  or  ritual 
 of  worfhip,  nor  any  reformation  intrcduced 
 by  the  fkill  and  power  of  human  philofophy, 
 fet  off  with  the  utmoft  art,  and  moft  elegant 
 drefs  that  human  reafon  could  adorn  her  with. 
 How  much  more  unlikely  were  Peter  and 
 Fault  and  the  names  of  the  other  Apoftles, 
 all  barbarian  to  the  polite  and  learned  men  of 
 that  age,  to  effedt  fuch  a  reformation?  And 
 yet  they  did  eff'eB  it  amongft  multitudes  of 
 all  nations,  ranks,  conditions  and  characftersjj 
 what  Cicero^  EpiBetus,  Senccay  and  other  ce- 
 lebrated men  found  themfclves  incapable  of 
 doing.  To  what  was  this  owing?  What 
 merely  to  their  dodrine,  their  fkill,  and  man- 
 ner of  preaching,  which  the  world  counted 
 ibolifhnefs?  No.  Thev  themfelves  difclaimed 
 it,  and  part  of  the  very  dodrine  they  taught, 
 that  of  Salvation  by  one  crucified^  as  a  malefac- 
 tor, blafphemer  and  impoilor,  muft  have  in- 
 tirely  prevented  their  influence  and  fuccefs, 
 had  they  not  been  aided  by  ajz  higher  pcwer, 
 ^nd  had  there  not  been  thp  mofl  evident  and 
 
 certain 
 
204  5"^^  "Defign  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrift.  Serm.  5. 
 certain  appearances  of  a  dhnne  tejlimony  to  the 
 do(ftrines  they  taught.  They  faithfully  wit- 
 neffed  to  the  miracles  of  their  mailer,  tauoht 
 religion  and  Jahaiion  in  bis  name,  as  raifed 
 from  the  dead,  and  glorified  in  Heaven;  and 
 what  raifed  the  attention  of  mankind,  and 
 caufed  them  to  hear  and  regard  them  as  true 
 witnejfes  of  their  divine  maker's  life  and  death 
 and  glory,  v.'as,  that  God  alfo  bear  tkcm  v:it- 
 nefs  'With  Jigns  and  %m?iders,  and  ninth  divers  mi- 
 racles and  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghoji,  according  to  his 
 own  will.  By  this  concurrence  and  fupport  of 
 God  with  them  in  their  miniftrv,  they  were 
 armed  with  courage  ziid  frmnefs  oj  ;???W  againfb 
 all  the  difficulties  and  oppofitions  of  their 
 miffion,  and  how  much  foever  their  cufward 
 man  decayed  by  the  labours  and  perfecutions 
 to  which  they  were  perpetually  fubjed",  their 
 inward  man,  their  mind,  their  refolution  and 
 comfort  was  rejiewed  day  by  day.  By  this  they 
 drew  over  numerous  converts  to  the  faith  and 
 religion  of  their  crucified  mafter,  triumphed 
 over  their  prejudices,  ignorance  and  vices, 
 eftablilhed  churches  amongft  all  nations,  and 
 kindled  i\i2iX.fpark  in  the  world,  that  gradually 
 rofe  into  fuch  z  flame ^  as  in  the  event  utterly 
 confiimed  all  the  Gods  and  temples  and  idola- 
 tries and  fuperflitions  of  almofl  the  whole  ha- 
 bitable Avorld.  And  if  this  change  in  the 
 moral  circumflances  of  the  world  was  an  eftd 
 worthy  the  interpofition  of  God,  the  miracidou's 
 works  by  which  it  was  effedted  had  the  greateft 
 propriety  and  reafon  in  them,  becaufe  they  were 
 not  oViXy  fiiitabk  to  the  greatnefs  of  the  defign, 
 
 but 
 
Serm.  6.  The  Bejign  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrijl.  205 
 
 but  in  the  circumftances  wherein  the  world 
 then  was,  feem  abfohitely  nece£ary  to  accom- 
 plifli  it. 
 
 I  hope  thofe  conliderations  put  together 
 will  abundantly  convince  you,  of  the  credibi- 
 lity of  the  goipel  niiracles,  from  their  ten- 
 dency to  promote  the  greateft  and  mod  wor- 
 thy defign,  that  the  moral  providence  and 
 government  of  God  can  be  calculated  to  an- 
 fwer.  It  would  have  been  an  infuperable  ob- 
 jection againft  their  reality,  could  no  good 
 account  have  been  given  of  the  reafon  of 
 them;  or  had  fome  common,  low,  and  tri- 
 vial reafon  been  affigned  for  them.  For  why 
 fliould  God  vary  from  his  own  conftitution, 
 but  upon  an  occafion  equal  to  a  miraculous 
 interpofure?  But  in  a  fcheme,  were  every 
 thing  correfponds  and  harmonizes,  were  there 
 is  dignity  of  defign^  wifdojii  in  the  contrivajice^ 
 benevolence  in  the  end,  and  extraordinary  power 
 in  the  condudl,  and  that  power  rendered  77^- 
 cejfary  to  fecure  the  fuccefs  of  it,  by  the  pe- 
 culiar difficulties  attending  it;  to  objed;  againlt 
 the  extraordinary  power,  is  to  cenfure  the 
 means  only  for  xhcii  propriety^  for  that  which 
 is  in  truth  the  great  evidence  of  their  reality 
 and  credibility. 
 
 Let  therefore  this  confideratlont^'^^?^///?^  your 
 minds  in  the  Chrijiia?i  faith  and  profejjion, 
 'Twill  be  full  time  enough  for  you  to  doubt 
 of  the  gofpel  miracles,  when  any  one  fliall 
 .prove  to  your  convldiion,  that  God's  concern 
 for  his  own  authority  and  government  in  the 
 world,  to  promote  religion  and  virtue  amongft 
 
 mankind. 
 
i2o6  ^he  Bejign  of  the  Miracles /if  Chriji.  Serm.  6. 
 
 mankind,  and  to  bring  them  to  the  pofleffion 
 of  life  and  immortality,  is  unbecoming  his  ma- 
 jefty,  and  the  dignity  and  rediitude  ^f  hi* 
 characfter;  or  that  thofe  are  not  the  governing 
 defigns  of  the  gofpel  religion,  in  confirmation 
 of  which  the  miracles  ot  Chrift  and  his  Apo- 
 flles  are  declared  to  be  wrought.  Whilft 
 thefe  things  remain  unproved,  as  they  ever 
 will  to  the  end  of  the  world,  the  foundation 
 of  your  faith  and  hope  in  Chrift  will  be  im- 
 moveable, and  it  will  be  a  credible  faying  and 
 worthy  of  all  acceptatio?2^  that  Chrijl  came  into 
 the  world  tofi'uefifmers. 
 
 But  then,  as  the  greatnefs  of  the  end  for 
 which  he  came  into  the  world,  and  in  con- 
 firmation of  which  he  received  power  from 
 his  Father  to  do  all  his  miraculous  works, 
 is  one  principal  circumftancc  that  creates  re- 
 verence to  his  perfon,  and  credibility  to  his 
 miracles;  have  we  ferioufy  confdered  this  im- 
 portant end,  and  is  it  acco7npliJl:ed  in  us? 
 Otherwife  all  the  miracles  of  Chrift  will,  as 
 to  us,  lofe  their  proper  influence,  and  be 
 wholly  void  of  that  effeft,  which  'tis  the 
 great  intention  of  them  to  produce.  The 
 confideration  of  thofe  may  produce  in  us  a 
 general  belief  of  the  truth  of  the  Gofpel 
 fchemc,  and  prefeive  us  from  running  the 
 lengths  of  open  profefl'ed  infidelity,  and  y^t 
 the  great  aim  and  intention  of  Chrillianity  be 
 far  from  having  obtained  in  us ;  which  is  nOt 
 merely  to  produce  faith  in  us,  by  the  miracu- 
 lous means  of  its  confirmation,  but  to  bring 
 us  to  repentance  for  our  fins,  to  reform  us  from 
 
 our 
 
Serm.  6.  The  Befign  of  the  Miracles  of  Chriji,    207 
 
 our  vices,  to  reconcile  us  to  God  by  the  difpo- 
 fitions  of  a  good  heart,  and  the  habitual  vir- 
 tues of  an  holy  life,  and  thus  Xo  prepare  us 
 for  a  better  world,  that  we  may  finally  be 
 brought  to  the  everlafting  inheritance  of  it. 
 Thofe  are  the  great  ends  of  all  true  religion, 
 and  evidently  and  peculiarly  fo  of  Chriftianity, 
 which  is  not  intended  fo  much  to  furnifli 
 matter  for  fpeculation,  as  to  amend,  purify 
 and  warm  the  heart,  to  form  men  into  the 
 divine  image,  and  create  them  into  all  good 
 works.  When  it  hath  this  influence  upon 
 us,  the  end  of  our  blefled  Lord  in  revealing 
 it,  and  the  great  intention  of  God  in  the 
 miraculous  atteftation  he  hath  been  pleafcd. 
 to  give  it,  is  efFedlually  compleated.  Our  faU 
 vation  is  begim^  the  caufes  of  our  ruin  and 
 mifery  are  removed ;  being  made  par-takers 
 of  a  divine  nature,  we  have  the  proper  difpo- 
 fition  for  happinefs,  and  being  brought  home 
 to  God,  we  are  fecure  of  all  the  invaluable 
 advantages  of  his  friendfhip  and  favour,  and 
 may  promife  ourfelves,  as  the  effed  of  it, 
 that  he  who  hath  began  this  good  work  in  us,  will 
 carry  it  on,  'till  it  ihall  be  perfe^ed  in  the  Day 
 ofChriJl, 
 
 SERMON 
 
(       208       ) 
 
 S   E   R  M  O   N    VII. 
 
 The  Certainty  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrift. 
 
 J 
 
 OHN     111.      2. 
 
 Rabhi^  we  know  that  thou  art  a  Treacher  come  from 
 God ',  for  no  Man  can  do  thefe  Miracles  which 
 thou  doeji^  except  God  be  with  him, 
 
 IN  feme  preceding  difcourfes  on  thefe 
 words,  I  have  fliewn  the  pofib'ility  of  /;//- 
 racles^  and  the  excellent  nature  of  the  miracles 
 'wrought  by  Chrifi  and  his  Apojiles.  I  have 
 alfo  made  fuch  obfervations  on  the  charaBer  of 
 Chriji  and  his  ApoJilcSj  and  the  End  for  which 
 their  miracles  vv^ere  wrought,  as  prove  thefe 
 to  have  been  fa6ls  in  their  nature  credible  and 
 worthy  of  God  to  effetft ;  and  I  now  proceed 
 
 V.  To  confider  the  coidence  itfef  which  we 
 have  for  the  certainty  of  thofe  miraculous  fad:s 
 which  are  afcribed  to  our  bleffed  Lord  and 
 his  Apoftles,  and  which  are  the  foundation 
 of  our  f^.ith  in  the  Chriftian  religion,  as  a  re- 
 velation from  God.  Miracles  may  be  in  them- 
 £dvcspo//ible,  the  miracles  afcribed  to  the  great 
 author,  and  original  preachers  of  Chriftianity, 
 may  be  fuch  in  their  nature  as  are  liable  to 
 
 719 
 
Serm»  7.     C'zrtcinty  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrifi.    209 
 
 no  reafonabk  exception.  The  charaSfers  of  thofe 
 who  are  faid  to  do  them,  may  be  confefledly 
 goody  and  the  e?2d  for  which  they  are  faid  to 
 be  wrought  may  be  wzxy  great  and  impoj^tant  -, 
 and  yet  all  this  will  be  no  fufficient  foundation 
 for  our  belief,  unlefs  there  be  authentick  evidence 
 to  demon  (Irate  their  redity,  and  convince  us 
 of  the  truth  of  them. 
 
 If  miracles  have  ever  been  wrous;ht,  thev 
 are  as  fa  els  as  capable  of  being  knoivn  ana 
 proved  as  any  other  facts  whatfoever,  and  the 
 fame  eyes  and  ears  that  aie  fufiicient  to  con- 
 vince men  of  the  truth  of  what  they  fee  and 
 Iiear  in  any  ordinax"y  occurrence  of  life,  are 
 fuijlcient  to  convince  them  of  the  truth  of  thefe, 
 Jf  I  fee  a  man  cured  by  the  ordinary  prefcrip- 
 tloris  of  medicine  of  any  dangerous  diRemper, 
 'tis  impotiible  I  (hould  doubt  of  the  reality  of 
 iti  and  if  1  fee  him  inftsntly  cured  without 
 medicine,  only  by  the  command  of  another, 
 and  fee  all  the  fame  effects  and  proofs  of  the 
 cure  in  this  as  well  as  in  the  other  cafe  j  my 
 eyes  and  cars  are  as  good  judges  in  the  one 
 inftancea.s  the  otlicr,  and  'tis  impofiVole  I  Q:!i\\ 
 doubt  of  the  reality  of  it.  But  in  cures 
 faid  to  be  miraculous,  the  fenfes  may  be  de- 
 ceived, and  there  may  be  an  impofition  and 
 traud.  Allow  it.  But  there  can  be  no  im- 
 pofition or  fraud,  if  I  fee  a  man  paralytick, 
 or  a  cripple,  or  blind  from  his  birth,  and 
 knew  him  to  have  been  fo,  and  yttfee  him  ifi 
 an  inftant^  and  by  a  mere  word  made  ivhole, 
 walking  and  leaping  before  me,  and  having 
 the  full  and  perfect  ufe  of  his  eyes,  and*  giving 
 
 Vol.  I.  P         '  all 
 
2IO    Certainty  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrifi.    Scrrhi  7» 
 
 all  the  fame  indifputable  proofs  that  he  kts, 
 which  all  other  men  do  who  have  never  been 
 blind  ;  I  can't  be  more  certain  that  any  man 
 is  well  and  found,  and  fees,  than  I  can  that 
 thefe  perfons  are,  who  are  miraculoufly  made 
 fo,  and  'tis  impoffible  I  can  have  any  good 
 reafon  to  difpute  or  queflion  the  one  kind  of 
 cure  more  than  the  oz/j^r,  becaufe  i\\q  proof  in 
 both  is  abfoliitely  i\\Q  fame. 
 
 If  there  may  be  as  abfolute  a  certainty  of 
 miraculous  fads,  as  of  any  others^  they  are  as 
 capable  of  being  related,  by  thofe  who  did 
 them,  or  were  witnefTes  to  them,  and  the  hif- 
 tory  of  them  is  as  capable  of  being  written 
 for  the  information  of  others,  and  tranfmitted 
 to  poilerity ;  and  confidering  them  merely  as 
 fads,  to  which  the  relaters  were  eye  and  ear 
 witnefTes,  and  in  which  'twas  as  impoffible 
 that  they  could  be  deceived,  as  in  any  others 
 of  which  they  had  the  fame  proofs  and  evi- 
 dences J  the  hiftory  is  equally  credible  in  itfelf 
 in  one  inftance  as  the  other;  becaufe  the  cre^ 
 dibility  of  an  hiftorian,  as  inch,  only  depends 
 on  the  conipetency  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
 fadts  he  defcribes,  and  his  integrity  in  relating 
 them.  In  all  cafes  were  thefe  are  equal,  the 
 relation  of  the  hiilorian  is  equally  credible  j 
 and  the  fads  being  ordinary  or  extraordinary 
 makes  no  difference  in  the  csfe  ;  provided 
 they  are  equally  poffible,  and  a  competent 
 caufe  and  reafon  can  be  affigned  for  them. 
 Hijlory  relates  of  Hippocrates^  that  he  cured 
 many  nations  of  the  pefl:ilence,  and  his 
 ikill  in  phyfick  renders  this  account  extreamly 
 
 credible. 
 
Scrm.  7.      Certainty  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrijl.    1 1 1 
 credible,  though  the  circumftances  relating  to 
 thefe  cures  are  no  where  particularly  defcribed, 
 and  few    authentick   vouchers   for  them  are 
 now  to  be  produced.    Hijkry  alfo  relates,  that 
 yefiisCbriJl6^i<^  many  miraaihm  cures,  without 
 the   help    of   ordinary   medicines,  and   fome 
 cures,  for  which  human  art  and  wifdom  have 
 never  been  able  to  find  out  any  proper  reme- 
 dies.    The  vQUchcrs  for  thefe  are  maiiy,  and 
 have  all  the  necelfary   qualifications  to  render 
 them  authentick  witneffes,  the  hiftory  that  re- 
 lates  them  hath  all  the  internal  and  external 
 proofs  of  crcdihiiiiy,  and    the  power  to  which 
 they  are  afcribed  is  rqiic'.l  to  the  operations  ftiid  to 
 be  performed  bv  it.  And  therefore  the  hidory 
 of   thefe    cxtr.iordinc^ry    cure",  thus  circum- 
 ftanced,  is  in  itfelf  ^r^  rjoriby  of  credit,  and  hath 
 juil  the  fame  circumftances  of  probability  and 
 tfuth,  as   the  other  hiftory  that  relates  cures 
 done    according    to   the    ordinary   courfe   of 
 nature. 
 
 'Tis    true,    that    miraculous  fads  are  not 
 Cafily  to  be  admitted,  nor  the  hillory  of  them 
 to  be  haftily  credited  by  thofe  to  whom   they 
 are  rehted )  but  the  reafon  is   not  incrcly  bc- 
 caufe  they  are  extraordinary  or  miraculous ;  be- 
 caufe    thefe,  as   poflible   in    themfelves,    and. 
 related  by  competent  witnefiTes  are,  ^sfaSls,  as 
 credible  as  any  others  that  can  be  mentioned, 
 and  require  no  other  grounds  of  credibility, 
 can  be  proved  by  no  other  kind   of  evidence, 
 nor   the    memory   of   them    tranfmitted     to 
 pofterity  any  other  way  than  the  mod  ordinary 
 tranfadions  of  life  whatfoever.     But  (hll,  as 
 P  2  in 
 
212    Csrtainiy  of- the  Miracles  of  Chrijl.      Serm.  7. 
 
 in  all  miraculous  fa(fts,  there  is  a  concurrence 
 of  many  peculiar  circumftances,  that  do  not 
 take  place  in  any  others,  as  the  cojifequences 
 that  attend  the  admiffion  of  them  are  very 
 Intercfimg,  as  the  power  to  which  they  are 
 afcribed  is  extraordinary^  or  rather  exerted  in  an 
 uncommon  manner,  and  the  end  for  which  'tis 
 at  any  time  thus  exerted  mufl  be  proportionally 
 important ;  fo  thcfe  and  other  like  confidera- 
 tions,  together  with  the  moral  charaSler  of  the 
 witnefles  and  relaters,  muft  be  regarded  and 
 attended  to,  previous  to  our  belief  of  fuch 
 extraordinary  fads,  and  the  mind  muft  have 
 full  fatisfadion  as  to  all  thefe  particulars,  in 
 order  to  give  a  rational  affent  and  credit  to 
 them. 
 
 An  hiftorian,  or  voucher  of  fads,  who  af- 
 ferts  things  ifnpo/Jible  to  be  done,  or  things  in 
 their  circumitances  highly  improbable  j  or 
 Vvho  '  relates  things  poffible,  but  miraculous, 
 without  afiigning  any  fubftantial  reafons  for 
 them,  or  end  to  be  anfwered  by  them,  or  an 
 end  irrationaU  or  immoral,  forfeits  all  title  to 
 credibility  ,•  not  becaufe  he  would  not  have 
 been  a  competent  witnefs,  had  he  aSlually  feeny 
 2indi  fully  known  them  ;  but  becaufe  thefe  cir- 
 cumftances  prove,  that  vvhatever  he  may  2i(- 
 kyt,  ht  Q.\A  not  fee,  and  had  no  knowledge  of 
 them,  but  Wis  either  impofcd  on,  and  deluded, 
 or  invented  and  forged  them  to  irnpoje  on 
 others  and  anfwer  fome  particular  ends  of 
 his  own.  For  no  man  could  ever  fee  that 
 done,  which  is  impoffible  to  be  done,  nor 
 ever  produce  any  ki.nd  of  evidence  fufficient 
 
 to 
 
Serm.  7.    Certainty  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrijl.     213 
 
 to  perfuade  another,  that  he  ever  faw  a  mi- 
 racle, however  poflible   in  itfelf,  for    which 
 no  good  reafon  can  be  affigned,  or  for  which 
 he    a(flually  affigns  a  bad  one.     St.   Gregory 
 the  Great,  one  of  the  Popes  of  Ro7ni\  tells  us 
 of  a  miracle  performed  by  one  Libertinus,  a 
 monkjwho  being  fent  to  Ravennaby  his  abbot, 
 upon  fome  bulinefs  relating  to  the  monaftery, 
 met  in  his  journey  a  woman,  who  was  carry- 
 ing the  dead  body  of  her  fon  to  the  grave. 
 As  foon  as  {lie   faw  the  monk,  (he  laid  hold 
 of  the    bridle    of   his   horfe,  and   fwore   ihe 
 would  never  let  him  flir,  unlefs  he  raifed  her 
 fon  to  life  again.     The  monk  always  carried 
 in  his  bofom,  wherever  he  went,  xhtjhoe  of 
 one  Honoratus,  that  had  been  abbot  of  the 
 fame  monaftery,  and  the  immediacc  predecef- 
 for  of  the  abbot  who  then  governed  it.     He 
 immediately  difmounts,  pulls  the  fioe  out  of 
 his  bofom,  falls  upon  his  knees,  and  puts  the 
 ihoe  upon  the  bread  of  the  lad.     And  imme- 
 diately as  the  monk  was  praying,  upon  -the 
 application  of  the  (hoe,  the  hoy's  Jmil  returned 
 into  his   body,   and    he    reftored    him  alive 
 and   well    to  his   mother.      Such    a  miracle 
 as  this  carries  its  own  confutation,  though  very 
 gravely  related  by  the  Fope  as  an  unqueftiona- 
 ble   fad;   not  becaufe  the   refurreiftion .  of  a 
 dead  per  fon  is  impoliible,  or  becaufe  Gregory 
 would  not  have  deferved  to  be  credited  in  the 
 relation,  could  he  have  produced  all  the  ne- 
 ceiTary  evidence  of  the  fad: ;  but  becaufe  the 
 very  circurdjlances  of  the  relation,  the  ridicu- 
 lous and  radi  oath  of  an  impjcrtinent  woman, 
 ■  P  3  Oio 
 
214    Certainty  of  the  Miracles  ^  Chriji.     Serm.  7, 
 
 the  application  of  a  monk's  flioe,  and  the 
 evident  defign  of  the  narration  to  recoinmend 
 the  foily  of  a  monafticii  life,  demonilrate  the 
 whole  llory  to  be  a  forgery^  and  the  in  vena- 
 tion of  a  lying  Friar 3  to  do  honour  to  his  or- 
 der, and  recommend  his  trade. 
 
 Nothing  was  more  ufuai  in  Gregorys  time, 
 than  to  introduce  miracles  in  confirmation  of 
 certain  doctrines  that  had  no  foundadon  in 
 the  Chriflian  rehgion  to  fupport  them,  and 
 of  certain  fuperftitions  which  were  a  manifeft 
 corruption  of  the  limplicity  of  the  chriftian 
 v.'orfliip.  A  miracle  was  an  eafy  way  of  proof, 
 to  fupply  the  defeat  of  every  other  kind,  and 
 was  always  eafy  to  be  had,  and  as  eafy  to 
 be  impofed  on  the  ignorant  and  credulous, 
 One  Peter,  a  deacon  of  this  fame  Pope  Gregory ^ 
 feemed  to  have  fome  doubt  about  purgatory, 
 and  aiked  the  holy  father  if  he  was  bound  to 
 believe  it.  The  pope,  not  being  able  to  prove 
 it  any  other  way,  hath  recourfe  to  a  miraculous 
 vifion  in  fupport  of  it,  and  tells  Feter,  that 
 Germanus,  Bifliop  of  Capua,  being  advifed  to 
 make  ufe  of  certain  hot  baths  for  his  health, 
 law  Fafcbafius  upon  his  going  into  them, 
 ilanding  and  waiting  in  the  heat  of  them. 
 This  Pafchajiiis  had  been  a  faint  himfelf,  but 
 unfortunately  for  him,  in  the  difpute  between 
 Sy^nmachus  and  Laurentius  for  the  popedom, 
 he  took  part  with  the  latter,  againft  the  for- 
 mer. Germumts  upon  feeing  him  in  that  litua- 
 tion  was  aftonithed,  and  afked  him  what  he, 
 who.  was  {o  great  a  man,  did  there  ?  Fafcha- 
 fiui  tells  him,  that  he  was  put;  into  that  place 
 
 of 
 
Serm.  7.    Certainly  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrijl.   215 
 
 of  punifhment  only  for  his  fin  in  iiding  with 
 
 liaurentius  againft  Symmacbiis^  and  prays  him 
 that  he  would  entreat  the  Lord  for  him,  and 
 that  if  upon  Germanui  his  next  coming  he  did 
 not  find  him  in  the  fame  fituation,  he  migUt 
 afTure  himfelf  that  his  prayers  for  him  were 
 heard.  Away  goes  Germanus  to  Iiis  prayers, 
 and  returning  a  few  days  after,  found  Fajcba- 
 Jim  was  gone  j  fo  that,  as  the  Fope  infers,  he 
 was  purged  from  his  fin  after  dcatl\  becaufe 
 *twas  a  fin  not  of  malice  but  ignorance.  He 
 alfo  proves  the  efficacy  of  the  facrifice  of  the 
 Hoji  to  deliver  perfons  out  of  purgatory^  by 
 their  appearing  to  others,  and  defiring  of 
 them  that  they  would  offer  it  upon  their  ac- 
 count, and  by  the  fuccefs  attending  fuch  ob- 
 lations. Were  not  all  relations  of  this  kind 
 ridiculous,  and  too  contemotible  to  be  believed 
 by  any  confiderate  perfon,  yet  the  end  defigned 
 to  be  anfwered  by  them,  being  to  promote 
 Juperjiition  and  to  eftablilh  doftrines  repugnant 
 to  the  dod;rine  of  Lk/iji,  'tis  impofrible  any 
 proof,  or  kind  of  teflimony,  can  render  thefs 
 flories  credible  ;  becaufe  no  proof  can  be  fo 
 ftrong,  that  fuch  dodrines  are  true,  or  fuch 
 practices  agreeable  to  Chriftian  pietv,  as  their 
 contrariety  to  the  principles  of  Chiiiliaaity  is 
 a  demonftratlon  of  their  fal&ood  and  fuper- 
 flition.  And  therefore  all  fupernatural  proofs, 
 pretended  in  favour  of  them,  can  be  nothing  elfe 
 but  pretence  and  impofture ;  and  thefe  vifions 
 can  never  be  regarded  as  realities ^  nor  looked 
 on  in  anv  other  view,  than  as  the  dreams  and 
 delulions  of  brain-fick  Rnthufiafisy  or  the 
 P  4  rogueries 
 
2i6    Certainty  of  the  Miracles  of  Chriji.    Serm.  7. 
 
 rogueries  of  wicked  and  deceitful  Monks.  And 
 this  was  the  opinion  that  many  entertained  of 
 them  in  Gregorys  time*,  who  himlelf  tells 
 US;  that  miracles  giew  cheap  and  contemp- 
 tihle  by  the  frequency  of  them.  Nor  had 
 Gregory  himfelf  any  great  opinion  of  them. 
 For  in  his  comment  on  Mark  16,  17,  he 
 aiks :  What,  my  Brethren,  will  not  you  be- 
 lieve, becaufeyou  cannot  do  thefe  figns  ?  And 
 immediately  adds  ;  Thefe  were  necejfary  in 
 the  beginning  of  the  church  J.  But  now  the 
 church  doth  daily  in  zfpiritual  manner,  what 
 the  Apoftles  did  Tpiritually  ;  by  exorciiing  the 
 faithful  with  the  impohtion  of  hands,  and 
 telling  them  the  evil  fpirit  was  gone  from 
 them,  they  caft  out  devils,  and  by  making 
 worldly  men  praife  God,  they  caufed  them  to 
 fpeak  with  7iew  tongues ;  by  cauiing  them, 
 through  their  good  exhortations,  to  put  away 
 ivickechiefs  out  of  their  hearts,  they  took  tipfer- 
 ■^■ents  J  by  hearing  bad  perfuafions,  and  not  re- 
 garding them,  they  drank  deadly  pcifon  without 
 being  hurt  by  it,  and  by  ftrengthening  the 
 irrejol'dte  and  weak,  thpy  laid  their  hands  upon 
 the Jick  and  cured  them.  Thefe  figns  you  may 
 do,  if  you  will,  by  the  help  of  God.  Be 
 not  therefore,  my  brethren,  fond  oi  thofe  figns 
 vi\\\z\\ 'C^.^  reprobates  vc^i-^  do  in  common  with 
 yourfelves.  For  it  fecms  in  his  time  miiracles 
 were  dene  by  the  v/orft  of  men.  l^hey  are 
 not^  fays  he,  all  ele5i  that  do  miracles,  but  they  are 
 done  even  by  the  reprobates  themjdves  y  ;  a  plain 
 
 *  S^otidlana  Dei  mhacula  ex  ajjiduitate  'viluerunt,  torn.  3.  p.  85. 
 ■^  lU.  p.  g2.--:^.y        ■     i  torn.  ^.  p.  379- 
 
 confeliiori 
 
Serni.  7.    Certainty  of  the  Miracles  cfChrift.    217 
 
 confcfTion  that  they  were  lying  miracles,  and 
 pretended  wonders,  in  v/hich  the  power  ot 
 God  had  no  concern,  and  which  therelore 
 could  have  no  claim  to  any  kind  of  credit 
 and  regard. 
 
 But  becaufe  y©;;;^   perfons  are  to  be  found, 
 who  forfeit  their  credit,  by  afiercing  the  truth 
 of  miraculous  fafts,  which  have  all  the  eflen- 
 tial    marks   of   forgery,    and   who   therefore 
 can    never    be   competent  witnefTes    of    the 
 things  they  aflert,  it  by   no   means   follows, 
 that  all  relations  of  miraculous   fa(fts  are    to 
 be  looked  on   as   incredible,  or  the  hiftorians 
 that  report  them  to  be  treated  only  as  enthu- 
 (iafls  and  impoftors  becaufe  they  report  them. 
 Undoubtedly  it  becomes  men  to  be  extremely 
 careful  v/ho,  and  what  they   believe  in  affairs 
 of  this  kind;  but  ftill  if  the  miraculous  works 
 afierted  be  po/Jibh  in   their  nature,  and  there 
 lie  720?7e  of  the  natural  and  obvious  objecftions 
 againft  the  capacity  and  iritegrity  of  the  wit- 
 neircs   who  affert  them.,    and    the    hiflorians 
 that  report  them,  nor  indeed  any  other  objec- 
 tions but  what  arife  from  the  miraculoufnefs 
 of  the  fa<fts  themfelves  ;  to  rejedl  their  tefti- 
 mony  merely   for  this  reafon,  is  abfurd  :  Be- 
 caufe if  this  be  a  good  reafon  for  rejecting  it, 
 all  miraculous  fa6ls  muft  be   incredible,  and 
 -the  witnelles  and  hiflorians  that  report  them 
 be  ever  unworthy  of  belief,  even    upon   the 
 fuppofition  that  fuch  fads   are  real,  and   the 
 witnefTes  and  hid:orians  have  the  fulleft  cer- 
 tainty of  the   truth  of  them.     But  to  afiert 
 this,  is  to  aifert  that  reo.l  j'aBs  are  incapable  cf 
 
 being 
 
2 1 8     Certainty  of  the  'Miracles  of  Chrijl.    Serm.  7. 
 
 being  known,  and  that  witneiTes  and  hiftorians, 
 who  are  worthy  of  credit,  dejh've  nmie.     'Tis 
 to  weaken    the    faith    of  all   hiftory,  and  to 
 give  mankind  in  general  the  lie.     For  if  two 
 fadts,  one  miraculous,  the  other  ordinary,  be 
 both  of  them  equally  true,  and  were  as  cer- 
 tainly done  the  one  as  the  other,  and  if  the 
 witneffes  of  both,  and  the  hiftorians  that  relate 
 them,  are   equally  credible  upon  account  of 
 their  knowledge  and  veracity,  the  credibility 
 of  both  the  fadts  is  equal,  and  the  witneffes 
 and  hiftorians  having  equal  qualifications,  de- 
 ferve  to  be  equally  beheved  or  rejedled ;  and 
 to  dilbelieve  the  one  merely  becaufe  miracu- 
 lous, when  it  ftands  upon  equal  good  evidence 
 with   the  other,  and   was   as   certainly  per-^ 
 formed,  is  to  deftroy  the  foundation  of  all 
 human  teftimony,  and  to  introduce  fcepticijhz 
 and  doubt  throughout  all  the  affairs  and  tranf^ 
 adlions  of  human  life.     If  then  it   can   be 
 made  appear,  that  the  gojpel  hijhry  hath  all 
 the  genuine  marks  of  authenticityy  and  the  fa- 
 €red  books  were  written  by  thofe  to  whom  they 
 are  afcribcd ;  and  if  the  witnejfes  to  the   mi-^ 
 raculous  fadls  recorded  in  them  be  upon  all 
 accounts  every  way  qualified,  fo  as  in  all  other 
 cafes  they  would  be  allowed  highly  worthy  of 
 regard  and  credit;  we  have  then  all  the  evi-^ 
 dence  that  can  be  delired  that  thefe  miracu- 
 lous fad:s  were  really  performed,  and  I   may 
 fafely  add,  that  *tis  impoffible  they  fhould  not 
 be  genuine  and  true. 
 
 The  aiithenticknejs  of  books,  or  their  being 
 written   by  the   authors   to  whom  they  are; 
 
 afcribed 
 
Serm.  7.    Certainty  of  the  Miracles  of  Chriji.    11^ 
 
 afciibed,  and  at  thofe  times  to  which  they 
 rclaie,  depends  either  upon  internal  ox  eiciernal 
 evidence.  The  internal  is  that  which  arifes 
 out  of  thofe  writings  themfelves.  And  to  con- 
 vince you,  that  the  Gofpel  Hi/icry  was  written 
 by  the  Jpojlles  and  Jirji  Dtjciplcs  of  Chrjft  -, 
 and  that  as  ey^  and  ear  'wit?i€jles  of  the  conver- 
 fation,  dodlrines,  miracles,  death  and  refur- 
 redion  of  their  mafter,  they  deferve  i?jt?r-€ 
 credit :  PJeafe  to  confider  the  following  cha- 
 |-a<fter$  of  truth,  which  are  to  be  found  in 
 their  writings  and  teftimony. 
 
 There  is  a  great  finpliciiy  in  the  teftimony 
 which  the  Apofiles  and  Companions  of  "Jefus  give 
 to  the  doBrine,  miracles,  and  rejurredlion  of 
 their  Lord.  Jt  is  plahi  and  honeft,  without 
 any  artful  colourings  or  diffimulation.  They 
 reprefented  things,  as  they  believed  them  to 
 be,  without  difguife.  They  relate  fads  with- 
 out ornament,  and  in  a  ftyle  and  language 
 proper  to  perfons  of  their  education  and  way 
 of  life.  There  is  not  the  leaft  appearance  of 
 a  defign  to  drefs  up  a  plaufible  llory  3  or  by 
 exciting  the  wonder  to  impofe  on  the  credulity 
 of  mankind.  What  they  fay  of  Jefus's  cha- 
 racter is  nothing  more  than  what  all  the  peo- 
 ple of  the  Jews  knew,  and  this  is  faid  with 
 great  modefty,  without  any  labgured  enco-^ 
 miums  on  his  excellence  or  merits,  or  paint- 
 ing in  pompous  language  the  miracles  which 
 he  did.  See  particularly  the  hiP'oiy  of  the 
 Acts  c.  2,  3,  4,  5,  10,  22,  24,  25. 
 
 When  they  charged  \\\i,  l/'urdey^ivi  vvith  the 
 impiety   and    wickednefs  of  kil]i;;g  him>  it 
 
 was 
 
2  20    Certainty  of  the  Miracles  ofChriJi.     Serm.  7, 
 
 was  in  plain  and  exprefs  terms,  fitted  to  im- 
 prefs  their  confciences,   and  awaken   in  them 
 a   convidtion   of  their   guilt  :    And    with   an 
 e'-cident  dcfign  to  bring   them  to  repentance  and 
 fahation.     And  when   they  fpake  of  his  re- 
 JurreBion^  afcenfion  and  advancement  to  be  a 
 Prince  and  a  Saviour  -,  we  have  no  furrounding 
 legions  of  Angels i  no  lucid  trails  of  Ether ^  no 
 peals  of  rattling  thunder^  no  paintings  of  rheto- 
 rick  to  aggrandize    the  fcene  :  But  an  arilefs 
 narration  of  fads,  which   ought  not   to  have 
 appeared  ftrange  to  the  Jewifli  nation  ;  whofe 
 prophetic  books  had  long  fince  foretold  them, 
 and    of   which   therefore   they    fhould   have 
 lived  in  conflant  expectation.     And  ih\s  plain 
 account   of  things   is   intirely   correfpondent 
 to  the    ckaraSier   they    bore,    as    mtnejfes    of 
 Chrifi ;  which   required  them  to  ?'eport  facls, 
 not  adorn  them  j  and  relate  what  they  knew 
 of  him,  without    uling   any   art  to    recom- 
 mend it.     They  were  to  be  faithfid  witnefes, 
 not  pancgyrifsy    and    to   teftify  what    Chrift 
 was   and   did,  how  he  died,  and  rofe  again 
 and  afcended,  and  what  offices  he  fuftained  : 
 What  was  neceffary  to   fecure  his  protedtion, 
 and  obtain  an   intereft  in  his   redemption,  as 
 Meffiah  and  Saviour.     And  this  is  a  manner 
 fuited,  not  to  gratify  the  vanity,  humour  the 
 curiolity,  or  excite  the  wonder  of  thofe  who 
 heard  them;  but  for  religious  and  moral  pur- 
 pofes,  with   that   fimplicity   and  perfpicuity, 
 proper  to  convince   and   recover   them  from 
 their  impiety  and  wickednefs,    and  reconcile 
 them  to  the  great  defign  of  that  doclrine  and 
 
 religion, 
 
Scrm.  7.    Certainty  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrijr.   22 1 
 
 religion,  which  they  publifhed  in  his  name, 
 and  by  his  authority. 
 
 Thoiv  JimpUcity  of  fpecch  was  farther  natural 
 to  men  of  their  private  ftations,  the  former 
 occupations  in  which  they  had  been  engaged, 
 and  their  education,  which  was  known  to  have 
 been  deflitute  of  the  advantages  of  learning. 
 Had  we  found  in  their  fpeeches  and  letters 
 tranfmitted  to  us^  long  and  laboured  periods, 
 drefl  with  elegance  of  language,  and  formed 
 by  the  rules  of  art;  this  would  have  fupplied 
 ftrong  grounds  for  fufpicion,  and  proofs  which 
 would  not  have  been  eafily  refuted;  that 
 thefe  fpeeches  and  writings  were  720t  their  oicny 
 but  compofed  by  others  after  their  time,  and 
 under  the  (helter  of  their  name  and  authority, 
 impofed  upon  the  world  j  to  give  credit  to 
 the  caufe,  and  recommend  it  to  men  of 
 tafte  and  learning.  But  for  fuch  an  objedion, 
 they  have  left  not  a  fhadow  of  reafon.  The 
 eleven  Apoftles  v]q,x^  plain  Fijhcr men  and  Fub- 
 licansy  and  the  high  Priejis  and  Council  when 
 they  ftood  before  them  took  notice ;  that  they 
 were  unlearned  and  ignorant  men.  The  words 
 {ignlfy  private  men  -j-'^'OTa*,  without  a  learned 
 education,  And  in  all  the  fpeeches  which  are  at- 
 tributed to  them,  and  in  the  anfwers  they  made 
 when  interrogated  by  their  fuperiors,  their  ap- 
 pears nothing  but  what  perfons  of  common  fenfe 
 in  any  clafs  of  life  might  have  faid  ;  provided 
 they  were  wellacquai?2ted  with  the  fadts  they  re- 
 lated,and  the  fubjeds  on  which  they  difcourfed  ; 
 and  a^ed  he, cin  from  a  fenfe  of  duty, 
 
 t  AfiS  iv.  ij. 
 
 It 
 
2  21    Certainty  of  ihe  Miracles  of  Chrifi.    Serm.  y, 
 it  was   however  truly  nsoonderful,  that  per- 
 fons  of  their   rank  and  life,  and  who  had  no- 
 thing of  art  or  literature  to  recommend  them, 
 ihonld   all  of  a  fudden   fet  up  as  ivitneffes  to 
 yefus',  whom  the  government  and  people  had 
 jull  crucified.  Should  thus  combine  to  oppofe 
 the  men  of  power  and  authority  in  the  na- 
 tion, Ihould  without  acquaintance,  letters  or 
 extraordinary  natural  endowments,  form  fuch 
 a  fcheme  in  reference  to  Jefus,  the  ufefulnefs 
 and  miracles  of  his  life,  the  reafons  of  God's 
 permitting  his  death,  the  certainty  of  his  re- 
 lurredion  and  afcenfion  into  Heaven,  and  the 
 great  purpofes  of  his   exaltation  to  the  hea- 
 venly glory:   And  fo  unite  thefe  various  parts 
 of  his  character,  as  to  form  one  confiftent  fchemt\ 
 and  every  fingle  article   be  a  neceffary  link  : 
 And   (liould   render  the  whole  Jkbfcrvient  to 
 the  "^orthiefi  ends,  the  fpreading  true  religion 
 through  the  world,  and  effe(5ting  the  reforma- 
 tion  and  Salvation   of  mankind.     That  they 
 fhould   open  this   fcheme  in  confequence  of 
 an   event,  that  feems  to  have  been  iincxpcBed 
 by  them,  the  defcent  of  the  holy  fphit    upon 
 them  at  the  feajl  of  Fentecoft\  and  that  in  an 
 inflant   without  premeditation  or  poffibility  of 
 having  made  any  provifion  for  it,  (liould  adopt 
 it   into  their  fcheme,  connedt  it  as  a  principal 
 part,  and  urge   it  as  one   great  evidence  and 
 folid    demonrtration  of  the  reality  of  Chrift'3 
 afceniion.     And  that  upon  all  occafions,  their 
 teftimony  in  relation  to  thefe  things  (hould  be 
 uniform^  and  their  affwers^  when  they  were 
 exmrtinedi   lljould   be  confiflent   and  periinejit, 
 
 with- 
 
Scrm.  7«  Certainly  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrijl»  223 
 without  any  time  for  refledion,  or  the  leaft 
 hefitation  or  difficulty. 
 
 All  this  is  indeed  eajily  accou7ited  for  upon 
 fuppofition  of  the  integrity  of  their  tefiimonyt 
 the  certainty  of  the  things  which  they  relate, 
 and  their  being  under  the  condud:  of  Jefus 
 Chrift,  and  having  all  that  divine  ajjijiance 
 which  he  promifed  them  :  Suitable  to  the 
 teftimony  they  were  to  give,  and  neceflary 
 to  their  giving  it  with  dignity  and  fuccefs. 
 Upon  the  contrary  fcheme,  that  they  wei^ 
 either  weak  enthufiajis,  or  defigning  impojiors'y 
 all  that  they  faid  and  did  appears  to  be  intirely 
 out  of  charaBer.  As  therefore  in  their  dif- 
 courfes  and  writings  there  is  too  much  flai?z 
 good  fenfe  to  admit  the  fuppofition  of  a  weak 
 tnthufiafm'y  and  nothing  at  all  of  that  aj't  and 
 fraud  which  are  fure  to  betray  the  hand  of 
 impoflure. 
 
 It  fliould  be  added,  that  \S\€vi  firmnefs,  refo- 
 lutiondind  conftancy,  with  which  they  gavetheir 
 teftimony,  yield  another  good  proof  of  their 
 veracity y  that  they  knew  the  truth  of  what  they 
 afTerted,  and  sNzi^fure  that  God  \NO\i\d.fupport 
 and  profper  them.  Courage  and  firmnefs  of 
 mind  may  naturally  be  expe(fted,  where  there 
 is  a  good  confcJence  and  a  worthy  caufe ;  efpe- 
 cially  were  perfons  are  influenced  by  religious 
 principles,  and  perfuaded  that  they  adt  by  the 
 authority  and  under  the  countenance  of  God. 
 This  will  enable  them  to  endure  contradidion, 
 to  defpife  dangers,  and  be  fearlefs  amidil;  all 
 the  terrors  of  perfecution  and  death.  But  what 
 can    hypocrites  and  impojlon  liave   to  fupport 
 
 them 
 
2  24  Gcridinty  cf  the  l^Erades  of  Chrijl.  Serm.  y, 
 them  under  thefe  hazards  and  fears  ?  Their 
 views  are  wholly  mercenary,  and  aim  at 
 nothing  but  fecular  advantages  ;  at  power, 
 wealth  or  plealurcs:,  which  can  be  enjoy'd 
 only  in  this  lite.  And  here  the  witnejjes  of 
 Chr'ift  are  abiclutely  clear  of  all  fufpicion. 
 They  flood  to  their  teftimony*  and  without 
 fearing  the  faces  of  the  great,  publickly 
 avow'd  their  dodrine;  and  without  regard- 
 ing the  confequences  to  themfelveSj  went  on 
 to  teach  and  to  preach  i?i  the  name  of  fefus ; 
 contrary  to  the  prohibitions,  menaces  and 
 ill  treatment  of  their  mofi:  powerful  ad- 
 verfaries. 
 
 It  is  a  very  great  recommendation  of  the 
 cmrage  ^T\d  jlrvmefs  of  SccrateSy  that  when  he 
 was  before  his  judges,  and  was  cftered  his  life, 
 if  he  would  no  longer  inftrucl  the  youth  of 
 Athens,  in  the  manner  for  which  he  was  profe- 
 cuted  by  his  enemies:  He  boldly  replied, 
 "  That  as  he  was  placed  in  that  ftation,  and 
 *'  called  by  God  to  teach  them  wifdom  and 
 "  morality;  he  would  never  defert  his  poil: 
 *'  For  it  was  Letter  to  fleafe  God,  than  men." 
 What  encomiums  have  been  beftowed  on  thi$ 
 truly  great  man,  for  his  refoluticn  and  inte- 
 grity ?  And  why  is  not  the  fa?ne  jnJI/ce  done 
 to  the  JipofJes  of  Chrijl?  What  heroic  mag- 
 nanimity did  they  difcover,  when  prohibited 
 by  the  high  priefls  and  Jewilh  council  tofpcak 
 and  teach  in  the  ?iame  of  Jeftis,  they  replied, 
 Whether  it  be  right  in  thejight  of  God,  to  hearken 
 unto  you,  rather  than  unto  God,  judge  ye.  For  we 
 cannot  but f peak  tbcilings%vhich  ive have  jeen  and 
 
 heard. 
 
Serrtii  7.    Certainty  of  the  Miracles' of  Chrift.    225 
 
 heardX.  And  when  afterward  convened  before 
 the  Sanhedrim,  and  charged  with  adling  in 
 contradiction  to  their  former  commands;  the 
 Apoftles  refolutely  anfwered  them;  We  ought 
 to  obey  God  rather  tha?!  men.  And  when  after 
 this  they  treated  them  with  indignities,  and 
 renew'd  their  injiind:ions  fjot  to  Jpeak  anymore 
 in  the  name  of  Chi'iji  i  and  loaded  them  wich 
 ftripes  for  their  dilobedience  to  former  orders;' 
 the  Apollles  departed  from  the  coimcil,  rejoici?7g 
 that  they  ivere  counted  ivcrthy  to  Juffer  JIdameJor 
 bis  name  §.  Thefe  w^tvQ  Jure  proofs  of  integrity, 
 that  they  taught  what  they  knew  to  be  true, 
 and  iirmly  believ'd  they  were  call'd  upon  by 
 God  pubhckly  to  declare  itj  and  eilcemed 
 themfelves  highly  honoured  by  him,  in  being 
 appointed  to  this  facred  fervice.  And  full  as 
 great  proofs  of  refolution  and  integrity  did 
 Paul  afterwards  give,  when  call'd  to  be  an 
 Apoftle  and  witnefs  of  Chrift. 
 
 Should  any  advance  a  contrary  fuppofition, 
 that  the  Apoftles  bore  witnefs  to  a  falfehcod, 
 and  to  what  they  knew  to  be  falje ;  all  this^r//^- 
 nefs  is  unnatural ,  and  the  courage  and  con- 
 ftancy  they  exerted  is  without  one  inftance  in 
 hiftory,  equal  or  parallel  with  it.  The  pre- 
 tence of  enihufajm  in  this  cafe  is  abfolutely 
 unreafonable.  This  we  acknowledge  will  pro- 
 duce obftancy,  and  may  arm  perfons  with 
 courage  to  endure  perfecution  \  but  then  the 
 fgns  oi  enthufiafm  vj'iW  \:n2imi<i?i.  themfelves,  in 
 the  ahjurdities  which  are  vented,  in  thofe  in- 
 
 X  Ads  iv.  19.  §  x!.  2. 
 
 Vol.  I,  (3  coherencies 
 
226    Certainty  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrijl.  Serm.   7. 
 
 coherences  of  fpeech  and  a(ftion,  and  in  the 
 follies  and  contradiSlions  which  betray  a  dif- 
 ordered  imagination.  But  nothing  of  this  ap- 
 pears in  the  Apojlles ;  their  conduB  was  grave 
 and  manly^  their  doBrine  and  injlruBions  con- 
 Jiftenl^  and  their  behaviour  fuitable  to  their 
 circumftances.  Their  tejltjnony  alfo  was  uni- 
 form,  and  did  not  contain  any  of  thofe  extra- 
 vagant and  impious  conceits,  which  are  vented 
 by  diftemper'd  enthufiafts  5  no,  it  centcr'd  in 
 one  grand  point  j  which  if  falfe  their  whole 
 fcheme  fell  to  the  ground  :  But  which  if  true 
 firmly  fupported  all  they  built  upon  it,  and 
 gave  full  credit  to  the  doctrines  which  they 
 preach'd.  This  was  a  publicky^^^,  ih^Re- 
 jurt  ediion  of  Chriji  from  the  dead.  This  fa<5t 
 they  did  not  endeavour  to  prove  by  philofo- 
 phical  reafonings,  but  by  the  evidence  of  their 
 own  fenfes  ^nd  experience ',  who  had  feen  and 
 convers'd  with  Jefus  after  his  Kefurredion  j 
 and  by  the  teftimony  o£ thok  fcriptures,  which 
 the  Jews  believed  to  be  of  divine  authority, 
 and  which  had  foretold  this  great  event  ;  and 
 by  thofe  gifts  of  languages  and  miracles  to 
 which  the  whole  city  of  ferufalm,  and  af- 
 terwards the  numerous  churches  of  Chriftians 
 diipers'd  through  the  world,  were  witncfies-f-; 
 and  which  they  declared  were  according  to 
 his  promife  given  them  by  Chrift,  after  his 
 afcenfion  into  Heaven.  Here  enthufiafm  had 
 no  place,  all  depended  upon  the  teiiimony  of 
 their  own  fenfes   and   experience,  and  upon 
 
 I  Rom,  XV,  18,  I  Cor.  xii.  and  xiv. 
 
 the 
 
Serm.  7-     Certainty  of  the  Miracles  of  Chriji.     227 
 
 the  truth  of  the  appeal  which  they  made  to 
 the  fenlGS  and  experience  of  numbers,  ene- 
 mies and  friends. 
 
 It  muft  further  be  allow'd,  that  the  Apoftles, 
 in  giving  their  tedimony  to  the  docftrine,  mi- 
 racles and   refurrection  of  Chrift,  could  have 
 710  interejled  views^  no  worldly  advantages  and 
 honours,  to  animate   their  zeal,  and   infpire 
 them  with  conllancy.  When  their  mafter  was 
 alive  and   converfant    upon    earth,   and   thsy 
 belie v'd   him  to  be  the  expected  Mcjiah,  they 
 hoped  for  great  preferments  from  him*;  and 
 .  as  he  had  chcfen  them  to  be  his  companions, 
 they  counted  upon  didinguiibing  advaiicement 
 in  his  kingdom.      And  though  when  they  faw 
 him  crucified,  they  gave  up  their  hopes  from 
 him   as  a  temporal  M.JJiah  j  yet    fo  fond  were 
 thev  of  their  former  prejudices,  thatjuflbc-' 
 fore  he  afcended,  they  afli'd  him,  Lord,  ivilt 
 ihoii  at  this  time  reflore  the   kingdom  to  Ifrael  ? 
 But    how  greatly  v/ere  their  fentiments  alter'd 
 foon   after  ?  They  preach    no  temporal    mo- 
 narchy but  the  refurredion  and   afcenfion  of 
 their  mafter,  and  that  he  is  conflituted  Lord 
 in   Hea"je72 ;  and  thus  they  gave  up  all   hopes 
 of  temporal   riches  and    preferments.     They 
 found     immediately,     that     their     teftimony 
 would  meet  with   the  moft  fierce  and  power- 
 ful oppofition,  and  expofe  them  to  the  fevereft 
 perfecutions ;  yet  they  chearfully  maintained 
 it,  and  even  rejoiced  that  they  were  counted  ivcr- 
 thy  to  fiiffer  pame  for  his  fake.  When  by  hu- 
 
 *  L'jke  xxii.  24. 
 
 0^2  mouring 
 
2  2  S      Certainty  of  the  Miracles  of  thfijl.    Serm.  7. 
 
 mouring  the  prejudices  of  their  nation,  and 
 allerting  a  temporal  Saviour  and  falvation,  they 
 would  have  flood  fair  for  power  and  riches,  as 
 feveral  impoftors  did  about  that  time. 
 
 To  conclude,  they  were  regarded  by  the 
 hcdy  of  the  people  at  Jerufalemt  and  by  great 
 numbers  throughout  Judca,  as  perfons  of  inte- 
 grity. The  many  Myriads*  whom  they  con- 
 verted upon  the  fpot  to  the  chnflian  faith  are 
 a  full  proof  of  this  j  and  even  many  of  the 
 priefts,  and  of  the  other  perfecutors  of  Chrifl, 
 whom  they  brought  to  repentance  and  faith 
 in  a  crucified,  rifen,  and  afcended  Saviour -f-. 
 Let  vntfum  up  \.ht^  i?iternal evidence  in  the  words 
 of  a  very  learned^  judicious  and  impartial  wri- 
 ter J.  "  The  hiftory  of  the  New  Teftament 
 hath,  in  an  eminent  degree,  all  the  internal 
 marks  and  charaders  of  credibility.  The  writers 
 appear  honeft  and  impartial.  They  feem  to 
 have  fet  down  very  fairly  the  exceptions  and 
 refledions  of  enemies,  and  to  have  recorded 
 without  refervc,  the  weakneiies,  miflakes, 
 or  even  greater  faults,  which  they  themfelves, 
 or  any  of  their  own  number,  engnged  in  the 
 fame  defign  with  them,  were  guilty  of.  1  here 
 is  between  the  four  'Evangelifts^  an  harmony  hi- 
 therto unparallelled  between  fo  many  perfons, 
 who  have  ali  v/ritof  the  fame  times  cr  events. 
 The  IciTer  difterenccs,  or  feeming  contradic- 
 tions, which  are  to  be  found  in  them,  only 
 demonftrate,  they  did  not  write  with  conceit. 
 
 'J 
 
 *  A£>s  XX.  21, 
 
 +  Note,    Dr.  C.hairdler'%  M.  S.  ending  here,  the  Editor  was 
 obllgfd  to  fupply  what  follows,  to  'the  Words,  b-ovj  much  doth 
 itlccomc  tis,  d-c.  p.  250.  lor  ccmpleating  the  Argument. 
 X  Dr,  Lardner. 
 
S^.rm.  7'  Certainty  of  the  Miracles  of  Chr'ift.  229 
 The  other  parts  of  the  New  Tejlament  concur 
 with  them  in  the  fame  fads  and  principles. 
 Thefe  are  things  obvious  to  all  who  read 
 the  books  of  the  New  Tejiament  with  atten- 
 tion. And  the  more  they  are  read,  the 
 more  conlpicuous  will  the  tokens  of  credi- 
 bility appear -f." 
 
 The  writers  of  the  gofpel-hijlory  appear  alfo 
 to    have  been  eye  and  ear  witnejfes  of  the  prin- 
 cipal fads  and  converfations  recorded  by  them  ; 
 or   to  have  received  their  accounts  immediately 
 from  thofe  who  were.     They  were  therefore 
 capable  of  knowing  certainly  the  truth,  in  re- 
 gard to  the  fads  and  converfations  of  which 
 they  wrote.     And  that  they  would  honejlly  re- 
 late   the  truth,    we  are  affured   beyond  ra- 
 tional doubt,  by  their  giving  up  €very  fecu- 
 lar  intered,  and  even  their  lives,  for  the  fake 
 of  their   teftimony.     Efpecially   when  to  this 
 we  add,  that  the  faBs  related  by  them  were 
 of  fuch  a  kind  and  fo  circumftanced,  as  couU 
 not   have  been   impofed  on  the  belief  of  man- 
 kind, had  they  not  been  real  j  nor  have/>r(?- 
 duced  fuch   changes   in   the  ftate  of  the  moral 
 world,  as  from   the  hiftories  of  thofe  times, 
 we  are  aflured  they  did. 
 
 The  external  evidence  arifes  out  of  the  te- 
 flimonies  of  cotemporary  writers,  or  of  writers 
 who  lived  next  to  thofe  times,  affirming  that 
 the  books  of  the  New  Tejlament  were  really 
 written  by  the  perfons  whofe  names  they 
 bear  j  and    were  received  and  acknowledged 
 
 t  See    Lardncr's   Credib.   &c.  vol,  T.-  Introduft.     See   alfq 
 Mackniohi'sHarm,  Pielim.  Obfery.  7. 
 
 (^3  as 
 
230   Certainty  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrijl,    Serm.  7. 
 
 as  theirs,  by  numbers^  who  were  bejl  quiiUjled 
 to  knov/  whether  thefe  were  their  genuine 
 writings  J  and  nearly  inter  ejied  in  the  truth  of 
 what  they  relate.  And,  finally^  the  evidence 
 becomes  compleat,  when  the  accounts  given 
 of  perfons  and  things  by  the  faci ed  writeis  are 
 found  to  agree  with  tliojle  tranfiiiitted  to  us  by 
 other  writers  of  charader,  u'ho  lived  in  or 
 near  thefe  times ;  and  that  the  main  fad;s,  if 
 not  related  by  them,  are  not  contradicted  or 
 confuted  by  any,  but  have  many  of  them  by 
 their  notoriety  extorted  even  the  attejlation  of 
 enemies. 
 
 All  this  evidence  both  internal  ind.  external 
 we  have  for  the  truth  of  ih^  gofpel-hijlcryj  and 
 in  particular  for  the  certainty  of  the  miracles^ 
 which  atteit  the  divine  mifiicn  of  our  Lord, 
 and  of  his  Apofdes.  To  engage  in  a  diftind: 
 and  full  reprefentation  of  this  evidence,  would 
 lead  me  into  a  long  detail  of  citations  from 
 ancient  authors,  and  into  many  critical  difqui- 
 Jitions ;  which  would  be  thought  not  fo  proper 
 for  this  place.  I  fl-jall  therefore  content  my- 
 feif  for  the  prefent,  with  referring  thofe,  who 
 are  dedrous  of  full  fatisfadion  in  this  mofl 
 important  affair,  to  the  excellent  work  of  the 
 Author  \]\x^  quoted.  Dr.  Lardner,  \\\q  credi- 
 bility of  the  gofpel-hijlory  :  And  conclude  this 
 fubjed:  with  putting  you  in  mind. 
 
 How  much  it  doth  become  every  one  of  us, 
 ferioi^y  to  ccufider  the  nature  and  importance 
 of  the  Apoille's  tedimony,  and  the  truth  and 
 evidence  which  fupport  it,  to  rtxeivc  it  with 
 a  Jinn  faith^  and  impro:'oc  it  to  the  facred  pur- 
 
 pofes 
 
Serm,  7-     Certainty  of  the  Miracles  of  Chrijl.     231 
 
 pofes  which  it  is  fitted  to  promote.  In  the 
 great  events  relating  to  Jefus  Chriil,  we  are 
 ail  nearly  interefted.  And  an  habitual  indif- 
 ference to  thefe,  or  contempt  of  them,  can 
 never  be  confiftent  with  prudence  and  inte- 
 grity. If  Jcfiis  was  the  holy  one  of  God,  as  his 
 liiftory  reprefents  him  \  how  nearly  are  we 
 concerned  to  put  on  his  fplrity  to  tread  in  bis. 
 Jieps,  and  to  make  his  life  the  pattern  of  our 
 own.  If  the  putting  him  to  death  was, 
 an  adl  of  fo  great  injuftice  and  impiety, 
 what  reafon  have  we  to  adore  the  wifdofn  and 
 mercy  of  God,  who  over-ruled  this  enormous 
 crime,  and  made  it  a  means  of  reftoring  the 
 world,  by  accepting  his  fon's  vohiniary  facri^ 
 fee  of  his  life,  as  ihe  propitiation  for  the  fms  of 
 the  world. 
 
 And  if,  as  the  reward  of  his  fufferings  and 
 obedience  unto  death,  God  has  exalted  him 
 to  be  IQn^,  Saviour  and  Judge  of  the  world, 
 and  given  him  power  to  give  eternal  life  ;  with 
 what  intire  fubmijjion  fhould  we  yield  to  his 
 authority,  with  what  wiUi?ignefs  put  ourfelves 
 under  his  protedion  and  government,  with 
 what  chearfulnefs  make  our  approaches  to  God, 
 confiding  in  his  all-powerful  mediation,  that 
 we  may  obtain  mercy,  and  grace  to  help  us  in  time 
 of  iieed?  And  how  warm  (hould  be  our  con- 
 cern, and  how  conftant  our  ambition,  whether 
 living  or  dying,  to  be  accepted  of  the  Lord. 
 
 There  is  lo  much  benevolence  and  good- 
 nefs  in  the  chriftian  fcheme,  as  would  natu- 
 rally prejudice  us  in  its  favour,  and  make  us 
 wilh  it  true.     It  is  fo  well  calculated  to  ad- 
 0^4  vance 
 
232     Certainty  of  the  "Miracles  of  Chrijl.     Serm.  7. 
 
 vance  the  moral  perfedion  of  human  nature, 
 that  whoever  ferioufly  embraces  it,  can  never 
 be  deftitute  of  the  genuine  difpofition  for  hap- 
 pinefs,  or  want  any  thing  neceflary  to  recom-r 
 mend  him  to  the  divine  acceptance  and  appro- 
 bation. And  if  we  exercife  that  repejitance 
 .towards  God  to  which  he  calls  us,  and  li'oe  by 
 that  faith  in  Chrift,  which  is  the  governing 
 principle  of  chriftianlty  i  it  is  impoflible  we 
 can  finally  mifs,  what  every  thoughtful  perfon 
 mofl:  ardently  wiflies,  thseverlafting  falvatioa 
 of  our  fouls. 
 
 SERMQN 
 
(     233    ) 
 
 SERMON    VIII. 
 
 The  Certainty  of  the  Refurredion  of  Chrift. 
 Acts    ii.    32. 
 
 This  Jesus  hath  God  raifed  upy  whereof 
 we  are  all  Witneffes. 
 
 THE  great  importance  and  'value  of  truth 
 is  its  ufefulnefs  to  promote  the  pradlical 
 purpofes  of  true  religion  and  virtue  ;  and  it  is 
 an  argument  of  the  divine  original  and  excel- 
 lent nature  of  the  gofpel  dodrine,  that  it  is 
 in  the  whole  of  it  a  do5lrine  according  to  godli- 
 nefs^  and  calculated  to  promote  our  improve- 
 ment in  holinefs  of  life,  and  our  difpofitioa 
 for  final  happinefs,  in  the  acceptance  and 
 favour  of  God.  The  refurredlion  of  our  blefled 
 Saviour  from  the  dead,  is  one  of  the  pecidiar 
 and  ejjential  articles  of  the  chriftian  religion, 
 and  declared  to  be  of  fuch  importance ;  as 
 that  unlefs  it  be  true,  our  faith  is  abfolutely  in 
 vain  *,  and  that  if  we  confefs  with  our  mouths^ 
 and  believe  in  our  hearts^  thatGod  raifed  him  from 
 
 9  I  Cor.  XV.  14, 
 
234  Certainty  of  the  Refurre^lion  of  Chrifi.  Serm.S. 
 
 the  dead,  we  Jkall  be faved  -f*.     And  St.  Paul  af- 
 fures  us,  that  he  counted  all  things  but  hfs^for  the 
 excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Chr'ifi  Jefus  J,  and 
 efpecially  that  he  might  kncia  him  and  the  power 
 of  his  refurreSiion,     And  yet  it  would  be  a  dif- 
 ficulty to  affign  any  reafon,  why  the  know- 
 ledge of  this  fatt  rtiould  be  efteemed  of  fuch 
 inaportance,  as  to  be  preferred   to   all  other 
 things,  and  have  falvation  conneded  with  it ; 
 confidering  it,  as  a  mere  fadt,  intended   only 
 to  raife  our  wonder,  and  void  of  all  influence 
 to  fecure  any  moral  ends  and  purpofes.    Nor  is 
 it  eafy  to  conceive  how  God,  who  is  a  being  of 
 infinite  redtitude  and  wifdom,(hould  make  the 
 belief  of  any  merely  fpeculative  truth  or  fa<ft, 
 neceflary  to  his  acceptance ;  or  promife  to  give 
 falvation  and  eternal  life   to  the  reception  of 
 it  'y  if  it   had  no  tendency  to  promote  piety 
 and  virtue  :  becaufe  it   would  be  conneding 
 his  favour  and  acceptance  with,  and  making 
 our  happinefs  depend  on   fomething  of  little 
 worth  and  value  in  itfelf,  and   that  had  no 
 influence  to  increafe  in  us  a  difpofition  for  hap-, 
 pinefs,  and  to  render  it  in  him  an  ad  of  wif* 
 dom  to  beflow  it. 
 
 But  as  this  dodrine  of  Chrifl:'s  refurredion 
 is  frequently  inculcated  in  the  gofpel  revela- 
 tion, and  declared  to  be  an  efllential  article  of 
 our  faith  ;  fo  we  (hall  find,  that  it  is  not  a 
 curious  fpeculative  principle,  but  of  2Lpradlical 
 nature,  and  not  only  intended  to  furprize  and 
 aftoniOi  us,  as  an  inftance  of  the  great  and 
 
 t  Rom.  X.  9.         X  Phil.  iii.   10. 
 
 won- 
 
Serm.  8 .  Certainty  of  the  Refurre^ion  of  Chrift.  235 
 
 wonderful  power  of  God,  but  applicable  and 
 conducive  to  the  mofl  excellent  purpofes,  and 
 capable  of  being  improved  to  the  exciting  the 
 worthieil-  affedlions  in  our  hearts,  and  to  our 
 eftabliihrnent,  comfort  and  peace  in  our  chri- 
 ftian  profelTion  and  pra(fticc.  And  as  I  have 
 frequently  at  this  feafon  ofFer'd  to  you  the 
 proofs  that  confirm  this  great  and  important 
 fadl,  what  I  now  principally  intend  is,  to  re- 
 prefent  to  you  the  imp7-oveme?iis  it  becomes  us 
 to  make  cf  this  interefting  fubje^^t  of  the  re- 
 furred:ion  of  Chriil:  Jefus,  as  they  are  offered 
 to  our  coniideration  by  the  infpired  writers  : 
 Only  firfl  obferving  that  our  text  confids  of 
 two  parts,  viz. 
 
 I.  The  faB  itfclf:-^*'  This  Jejus  hath  God 
 ratfed  up  j"  and 
 
 II.  The  confirination  of  it  : — **  WJjereof  we 
 are  all  wit?ieffes." 
 
 I.  The  jaB  iffelf:—''  This  Jefus  hath  Gcd 
 raifedup.''  It  fhould  be  obferved,  that  thefe 
 words  were  fpoken  before  the  multitude  of  the 
 yeivSy  collecfted  together,  as  the  hiftorian  ob- 
 serves, cut  cf  every  nation  under  Heaven^  viz. 
 where  the  Jews  lefided,  and  were  part  of  the 
 firf  Sermon  ever  preached  in  defence,  and 
 for  the  propagation  of  Chriflianity.  It  was 
 preached  in  Jerufalem  itfelf,  and  at  the  feafl: 
 of  Penteco/l,  when  the  Jews  from  all  countries 
 met  at  Jerufalem,  and  within  two  months  after 
 the  crucifixion  of  Chrift  in  that  city,  when 
 the  fa(ft  vfz^frejl:  in  every  one's  memory,  and 
 the  Jewifh  rulers,  priefts  and  people,  could 
 have  given  a  full  account  of  that  tranfaction, 
 
 and 
 
23 6  Certainty  of  the  Refurre^ion  of  Chrijl.  Scrm.8. 
 
 and  juftified  their  fentence  and  execution,  if 
 their  proceedingy  in  it  had  httn  fair  and  equi- 
 table. And  yet  notwithftanding  all  thefe  cir- 
 cumflances,  lb  unfavourable  to  carry  on  an 
 impofture,  which  might  have  been  immedi- 
 ately confronted  and  difcovered  by  the  moft 
 publick,  folemn  and  authentic  teftimony  and 
 evidence;  the  Apojiks  without  fear,  or  fufpi- 
 cion  that  what  they  declared  could  be  in 
 the  leaft  contradicted,  publickly  and  before  the 
 whole  body  of  the  people,  afirm  :  that  Jefus 
 of  Nazareth  was  a  nian  approved  of  God  among 
 them,  by  miracles  and  fig72s  and  wonders,  which 
 God  did  by  him  in  the  midjl  of  them^  and  that 
 they  themfelves  knew  it  to  be  fo.  That  ne- 
 ve rth  el  efs  according  to  God's  determinate  counfel 
 and  foreknowledge  they  took  him,  and  by  wicked 
 hands  crucified  and  few  him  :  Thus  arraigning 
 the  juftice  of  the  nation,  declaring  the  inno- 
 cence, the  excellent  and  miraculous  works  of 
 the  perfon  they  crucified,  and  reproaching 
 them  for  the  impiety  and  wickednefs  of  this 
 murther. 
 
 Would  any  nation  or  government  thus  fuffer 
 itfelf  to  be  infilled,  and  a  publick  execution 
 condemned  by  a  few  private  perfons,  as  an 
 inftance  of  injuftice  and  cruelty ;  if  they  could 
 have  vindicated  the  fad,  and  made  the  equity 
 of  it  appear  to  publick  conviction  and  fatisfac- 
 tion  J  and  if  the  charader  of  fefus  had  not 
 been  beyond  all  poffible  exception,  and  the 
 miracles  he  wrought  notorious  to  the  whole  na- 
 tion ?  Would  the  Apoftles,  if  they  had  the 
 ieafl  remains  of  prudence  or  modefty,  have 
 
 made 
 
Serm  8.  Cirtainty  of  the  RefurreSm  of  Chrift.  237 
 made  this  folemn  appeal  to  the  P=°pl«  '" 
 .  Jerufalem  itfelf.  that  they  knew  hm  to  be  a 
 man  of  God,  and  approved  of  h.m  by  thole 
 Tx  raordinarv  miracles  which  he  wrought  m 
 hisr,ame?Hadtheyinth,saffertedafalf- 
 
 hood,  all  to  whom  they  ^PP^'^f,~'^Z 
 been  filled  with  indignation,  and  have  united 
 to  convia  them  of  io  known  and  impudent 
 a  lk°:  But  fure  of  their  caufe.  the  Apottles 
 infift  on  the  innocency  of  Jefus,  and  tlie 
 ^-ickednefs  and  guilt  of  their  nat.on  ;  and  m 
 vindication  of  hitcharadter  go  on  farther  to  af- 
 ftrt,  that  though  they  crucified  htm.yetGodrM 
 
 it  Jnotjbk  that  he  /I:ould  be  holdenoj  U- 
 their  oy,^  prophecies  having  declared  that  G.^ 
 Zould  net  leave  his  foul  ,n  He  I    or  his  ife  m 
 Hades,  not  Hell,  nor  fuffer  his  holy  one^  to  Jec  cor- 
 ruption." Circumftances  thefe,  that  made    it 
 the  more  neceffary  for  them  to  give  fomepuo- 
 lick,   authentick  account  of  his  trial,  ot  the 
 crimes  laid  to  his  charge-of  the  proofs   ha 
 fixed  them  on  him,_and  of  the  reafons  that 
 vindicated  his   condemnation   and  execuuon. 
 if  they  could  have  done  it,-becaufe  the  de- 
 claring his  innocency  and  refurreaion  was   a 
 publicic  declaration,  that  he  was  the  promifcd 
 MelTiah:  as  the  Apoftle  immediately  after  my 
 «x1  adds :-"  This  Jefus  hfGodrM  ther- 
 fore  being  by  the  right  hand  of  God  eMa,d 
 having  recei-ved  of  the  Father  the  pronnfe  oj  to 
 hohprit,  he  hith  Jlcd forth  th,s  ffy^J-f 
 fee  and  hear,    therefore  kt  all  the  hof  J  f'^'l 
 km-w  affuredly,  that  God  hath  nmCc  thatja,. 
 
it  3  8  Certainty  of  the  Refurre^ion  of  Chriji,  Serm.8. 
 
 Jefus^  whom  ye  have  criidjiedy  both  Lord  and 
 Chriji"  The  belief  of  thefe  things  could 
 not  poffibly  have  prevailed,  had  there  been 
 any  publick  authentick  proof,  that  he  was  a 
 real  malefa«flor,  who  juftly  fufFered  for  his 
 crimes ;  or  could  the  miracles,  which  he  was 
 faid  to  have  wrought,  have  been  proved  to  be 
 the  little  tricks  and  frauds  of  an  impoflor,  or 
 had  the  doiltrines  he  taught  been  fliewn  to  be 
 contrary  to  religion,  lucrative  or  falfe. 
 
 And  as  they  had  the  proofs  of  thefe  things 
 in  their  power,  if  there  was  any  proof  or 
 truth  in  them,  their  not  vindicating  themfelves 
 is  a  nobler  vindication  oi  oxix:  Saviour's  charac- 
 ter and  miracles  :  And  their  taking  no  publick 
 ineafures  to  prevent  the  belief  of  his  refurrec- 
 tion,  nor  giving  any  reafons  why  they  counted 
 it  an  in:ipofture,  evidently  demonfirates,  that 
 they  had  no  good  one,  and  that  they  were 
 <ifraidy  if  they  mifreprefented  the  cafe,  of 
 being  publickly  convicted  of  falfliood  and  in- 
 juftice.  The  tejlimonies  of  the  Apojiks  2.tfuch 
 afcajon  and  in  fnch  circiimflances  to  the  wick- 
 ednefs  of  his  crucifixion,  and  to  his  being 
 raifed  from  the  dead  by  the  power  of  God, 
 remove  every  poiTible  ground  of  fufpicion  of 
 their  want  of  integrity,  or  their  intention  to 
 impofe  on  the  credulity  of  mankind  by  a 
 falfe  account,  becaufe  had  they  been  confci- 
 ous  that  they  were  propagating  an  impofture, 
 they  took  the  method  that  iuipodors  never 
 do,  of  being  dete(fted  immediately  in  the 
 fraud,  becoming  the  objedts  of  the  pub- 
 lick  contempt,  indignation   and   abhorrence, 
 
 and 
 
Scrm.  8 .  Certainty  cf  the  Refurre^fion  of  Chriji.  239 
 
 and  of  preventing  the  cheat  from  pofTibly 
 fucceeding.  This  will  further  appear,  if  we 
 confider, 
 
 II.  The  evidence  to  which  they  appealed 
 for  the  truth  of  this  fad:,  of  the  refurre5iio7i 
 of  Chriji,  "whereof  we  are  all  witnejfes. 
 
 It  mufl  be  remarked,  that  the  Apoflles  ap- 
 pealed to    the   facred  writings,  as  containing 
 exprefs  prophecies,  that  Chriji  Jhoiild  fuffer  arid 
 die,  and  rife  again  from  the  dead,  fo  that  thefe 
 great  events  were  to  take  place  in  the  Mcfjiah, 
 and  were  principal  charaderifticks,  by  which 
 he  was  to  be  diftinguiihed  from  all  other  per- 
 fons  whatfcever.     Thus  before  my  text,  the 
 \  6th  Plalm  is  cited,  as  prediding   both  thefe 
 circumftances.     "  ^  My  flejh  JLall  rejl  in  hope, 
 becaufe  thou  wilt  not  leave  my  foul  in  hell,  rather 
 Hades,  nor  fuffer  thy  holy  one  to  fee  corruption  ^ 
 That  Chrift  died,  the  whole  nation  fully  knew  ; 
 for  they  clamoured   him  to  his  crucifixion  ; 
 and  that  he  arofe  again  the  Apojlles publickly 
 affirm  they  were  all  witjjeffes,  to  whom  he  fiewed 
 himfelf  alive  after  his  pafjion  by  many  inf alii  able 
 proofs',  beiitgfeen  of  them  forty  days,  and f peak- 
 ing of  the  things  pretaining  to  the  kingdom  of 
 God^,     So  that  in  witneffing  to  his  refurrec- 
 tion,  they  teftified  only  to   a  fa5l^  of  which 
 they  were  eye  and  ear  witnejfes  ;  and  of  which 
 they  had  fuch  repeated   proofs  and  full  con- 
 vidion,  as  that  they  could  not  poifibly  be  de- 
 ceived.    But  had  the  Apoflles  been  difpofed 
 to  (upport  and  propagate  a  fraud,  and  main- 
 
 *  A£ls  i.  3. 
 
 tain 
 
240  Certainty  of  the  RefurreSfiun  of  Chrijl.  Serm.  8j 
 
 tain  the  refurredion  of  their  mailer,  though 
 they  knew  the  pretence  of  it  was  falfe  j  the 
 nation  and    government  of  the  Jews  might 
 have  brought  the  matter  to  a  (hoxi  ilTue,   and 
 have  confronted  the  teflimony  of  the  Apoilles, 
 by  an  evidence  which  would  have  been  un- 
 exceptionable in  its  nature,  and  fuch  as  would 
 have   carried  its  weight,    with   all  impartial 
 and  confiderate  men.     For  as  they  knew  that 
 he  had  declared,  when  alive,  that  after  three 
 days  he  ijooidd  rife  again,  fo  to  prevent  all  pof- 
 fible  deception,  the  Chief  Priefls  and  Phari- 
 fees  acquaint  FUate  with  this  predicftion,  and, 
 to  fecure  themfelves  and  their  nation  from  all 
 impofition,  demand,  that  to  prevent  his  difci- 
 pies  from  coming  by  jnght  and  fical'ing  him  away, 
 and  faying  to  the  people  he  was  rifen^  the  fepuldre 
 might  be  made  fure,  until  ike  third  day  :  And 
 this  was  a  caution  that  well  became  them, 
 confidering  the  fhare  they  had  in  his  death. 
 Accordingly  Pilate  gave  them  a  guard,  and 
 bid  them  mahe  the  feptdchre  as  jure  as  they  cciddy 
 which  they  did  by  Jealing  the  Jicnc  and  Jetting  a 
 watch.  Now  this  was  in  its  nature  the  flrongeit 
 fccurity  againft  any  deception.     And  had  all 
 the    Apoflles   combined    either    fraudulently 
 or  violendy  to  take  away  the  body,  it  would 
 have  been  impoffible  they  could  either  way 
 have  prevailed  againll  a  guard  of  armed   fol- 
 diers  j  and  yet   the   body  of  Chrift  was  gone 
 on  the  third  day,  in  fpite  of  this    precaution. 
 The   Apoftles  declare,  he  was  rijcn^  and  that 
 there  was  aii  earthquake^  that  an  Angel  oj  God 
 rolled  back  the fione  from  the  door  of  the  fctukhre, 
 
 and' 
 
Serm.  8.  Certainty  of  the  Rpfurrcr/ioii  of  ChrijI.  141 
 and  that  for  fear  of  him  the  keepers  ficok  and  be-^ 
 came  as  dead  men,  and- at  lengtli  came  into  the 
 city,  and fiewed  unto  the  Chief  Pri efts  the  whole 
 of  this   awful    tranraecion.     If    thefe  things 
 were  not  fo,  how  comes  it  to  pafs  that  v/e  have 
 no  authentick  account  to  prove  the  fLilfnood  of 
 this  pretended  miracle  ot  an  earthquake,  the 
 aftonifliment  of  the  foldiers,  and  the  extraor- 
 dinary relation  they  made  to  the  Chief  Pi  iefrs* 
 This  the  Jewiih  government  coidd  have^  done 
 in  the  moft  authentick  manner,  if  all  this  was 
 fBion  ;  as  they  had  xh^  power  m  their  hands^ 
 and  wanted  neither  zeal  nor  malice  to  difcredit 
 the  chara^er  of  Jefus,  and  prevent  the  belief 
 of  his  refurre^ion.     And  they  cW  itto  the 
 nation  and  to  themfehes  to  have  done  it,  if  they 
 could  have  done  it  v/ith  any  appearance  of 
 truth,  as  now  their   own  fears  wcx-e  adually 
 come   to  pafs.     Had  they  given  any  co?ifflent 
 account  how  the  feal  was  broken,  who  rolled 
 away  the  ftone,  what  the  foldiers  did  to  pre- 
 vent it,  and  how  all  this  came  to  pafs  in  fpite 
 of  the  guard  that   was  placed  to  watch  the 
 fepulchre  ;  this  would  have  been  rational  and 
 fatisfadory,  and  the  moft  eiiedual  confutation 
 of  the  pretence  of  his  being  rifen  :  Whereas 
 the  method  they   took  to  bribe  the  foldiers 
 that  guarded  him,  and  caufe  them  to  fp  re  ad  a 
 report  that  was  an  abfolute  contradiSlion  to  it-- 
 felf  that  his  difciples  ca?ne  by  night  and  ftole  loim 
 awajy  whilft  they  were  ajleep,  was  a  poor  con- 
 temptible expedient,  that  demonftrated  thsm? 
 at  a  lofs  how  to  ad: ;  and  that  they  were  re- 
 jfolved  to  impofe  tipon  themfelves,  and  if  they^ 
 Vol.  I.  R  could 
 
242  Certmnty  of  the  RefumElion  of  Chrift,  Serm.f*; 
 
 could,  upon  the  whole  world,  rather  thari 
 yield  to  the  evidence  of  the  fa(?t  they  were 
 adiamed  and  afraid  to  canfefs  :  And  therefore 
 as  the  Apoftles  gave  witnefs  to  the  truth  of  his- 
 refurreiftion  witbotit  any  oppofition  and  contra- 
 diction, or  contrary  account,  that  carried  any 
 iliew  of  probability  and  truth  with  it,  from- 
 thofe  who  were  in  every  intereft  concerned  to- 
 prove  ifc  an  impodure,  if  they  could  -,  their 
 united  evidence  to  the  faifl  is  the  ftrongefl 
 proof  that  can  be  deiired  of  the  authenticity 
 and  certainty  of  it  :  Efpecially  con-fidering 
 
 What  the  Apoftle  adds  before  the  Jev^ifli' 
 Sanhedrim  and  High  Priefl:  *,  that  not  only 
 they  tbemfchcs  were  witnejfes  that  God  had  raijed 
 lip  Jefusj  ivhom  the  Jews  jlew  and  hanged  on  a 
 tree,  but  that  the  Holy  Ghofi  was  a  farther 
 'wltJiefSi  whom  God  hath  ghsn  to  them  that  obey 
 him  '.  Referring  to  the  extraordinary  and  mi- 
 raculous gifts  of  it,  poured  out  c-n  the  Apo- 
 Hies  at  the  feaft  of  Pentecoft,  fifty  days  after 
 ^he  refurredion.  Gifts  fo  extraordinary  in 
 t-heir  nature,  as  that  there  could  be  no  ilhfion 
 in  the  pretence  to  them,  nor  could  thefe  be 
 bellowed  by  any  other  power  but  that  of  God-^ 
 the  inflantaneaus  knowledge  of,  and  ability 
 to  fpeak  in,  fo  many  different  languages, 
 without  the  leaft  previous  aeqaaintance  with 
 them,  being  impoffible  upon  any  other  fup-, 
 pofition  but  that  of  an  immediate  divine  in- 
 fpiratiori  j  an  infpiration  that  denionilrates-. 
 fhe  men  that  had  it  to  be  the  rnsiTGngers:  of 
 
 Gods 
 
Serm.  8.  Certainty  cf  the  Rcjur region  of  Chrijl .  243 
 God,  and  that  the  tedimony  they  gave  to  the 
 refurreiftion  of  Jelus  had  the  feal  and  confirma- 
 tioa  of  his  unerring  and  infallible  fpirit.  Since 
 there  cannot  be  a  greater  abfurdity  than  to 
 fuppofcj  that  God  jhoiild  ghe  to  a  fet  of  de- 
 ceivers, endeavouring  to  impofe  upon  the 
 world,  by  falfe  affertions  of  the  refurredion 
 of  one  v^ho  was  juflly  condemned  and 
 executed  as  a  malefador,  the  iniiantaneous 
 knowledge  of  fo  many  languages,  to  qualify 
 them  to  Ipread  the  impofture  at  once  through- 
 out almoll:  all  the  knov/n  nations  of  the 
 world,  and  thus  neccffitate  mankind  to  be- 
 lieve a  real  fable  and  impoliure-— but  thus 
 much  as  to  the  fad:. 
 
 I  now  proceed  to  coniider  of  what  impor- 
 tance this  dodrine  is  to  religion  and  morals, 
 and  \X\t  prablical  inferences  to  be  drawn  from 
 it.     And 
 
 I .  The  rejurrcBion  of  Chrifl  demon{l:rates . 
 the  truth  of  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Teda- 
 nient,  and  i\\Q  fidelity  and  goodnefs  of  God  in 
 the  verification  of  them.  Our  .Sa'^iour  both 
 before  and  after  his  refurredicn  appealed  to 
 thefe  predidions,  and  declared  in  the  moil 
 pofitive  and  exprefs  manner,  that  in  confor- 
 mity to  them,  Chrifl  ought  to  have  fiifercd,  and 
 to  enter  into  his  glory :  And  there  are  the 
 ftrongeil  prophecies  to  this  purpofe.  The 
 1 6th  Pfalm  will  admit  of  no  juft  interpreta- 
 tion, but  the  death  and  recovery  from  death 
 of  God's  holy  one.  The  iioth  Pfilm,  pkiinly 
 declares  the  'ki'jjgdom  and  prieflkocd  of  one 
 who  was  David's  Lord,  and  Vv'ho,  previous  to 
 R  2  his 
 
244  Certainty  of  the  RefarreExion  of  Chriji,  %txm.tl 
 
 bis  advancement,  was  to  drink  of  the  brook  of 
 afflidtion,  and  then  to  lift  up  his  head  with  tri- 
 umph and  glory.  The  53d  of  Ifaiah  exprefly 
 defcrihes  *'  his  being  wciinded,  bruifed  and 
 chaftifed^  his  being  violently  condemned  and 
 led  as  a  lamh  to  the  JIatightery  and  buried  in  his 
 grave  y  an9  yet  2.?,feci?ig  the  travail  of  his  foul, 
 jidlifyijig  many^  and  as  dividing  the  fpoil  with 
 the  jnighty  ;  becatfe  he  poured  out  his  foid  unto 
 death,  'was  numbered  with  tranfgrcjfors,  bare  the 
 fns  of  7nany^  and  made  intercejJLorifor  fin''  Da- 
 Tiiel  *  alfo  exprefly  alTiires  us,  that  the  Mefjiah 
 f:ould  be  cut  off,  but  not  for  himfelf  and  that 
 after  this  the  people  of  the  prince^  that  fhould 
 come^  Jhould  dejlroy  the  city  and  the  Jan&uary, 
 mid  thai  the  end  thereof  flzould  he  ivith  a  food, 
 v-nd  at  the  end  of  the  war  the  determined  de- 
 flation, 
 
 Thefe  and  the  like  prophecies,  though  de- 
 livered at  very  different  periods  of  time,  and 
 to  different  perfons^  who  could  have  no  con- 
 jiedions  and  correfpondences  with  each  other, 
 yet  plainly  declare  the  fame  truth  of  the  fuf- 
 ferings  and  death,  and  future  kingdom  and 
 glory  of  an  illuftrious  perfon,  called  the  Mf- 
 fiah,  which,  if  from  God,  could  not  but 
 have  their  proper  accompiifliment.  And  as 
 they  were  all  fulfilled  in  our  ffus,  and  in  n& 
 one  other  perfon,  that  ever  appeared  with 
 this  facred  charader,  it  points  out  to  us  the 
 c^aftnefs  and  certainty  of  God's  foreknow- 
 ledge, that  he  clearly  fees  throughout  the  re- 
 
 *  Dan.  ix,  25,  z6. 
 
 fnoteH 
 
Scrm.  8.  Ctrtainty  of  the  Refurr£5imiof  Chriji.  245 
 
 nioteft  periods  of  time,  that  he  is  acquainted 
 ivith  the  adions  of  men,  that  he  makes 
 their  delign  fubfervient  to  his  own,  over-rales 
 their  veiy  vices  to  accompliih  his  own  fchemes 
 of  wifdoni  and  mercy,  and  that  though  the 
 performance  of  the  antient  promifes  and  pro- 
 phecies, dehvered  to  holy  men  under  divine 
 infpiration,  may  be  delayed  for  generations 
 and  ages,  yet  that  his  coimfels  /hall  Ji and,  and 
 that  he  will  do  all  his  plcafure,  and  that  at  the 
 proper  feafon,  determined  in  the  refolutions 
 of  his  own  mind,  nothing  fliail  fail  of  what 
 he  hath  predidied,  but  be  brought  to  pafs  in 
 the  minuteft  circumllances  relating  to  them. 
 Well  may  we  fay  upon  this  review  of  the  ac- 
 compli:liment3  of  the  prophecies,  refpeding 
 the  iVIe/jiah  :  "  He  is  wonderful  in  counfcl  and 
 excellent  in  working ;  and  affure  ourfelves,  that 
 whatever  prophecies,  as  to  the  ftate  cf  his 
 churchj  the  profperity  of  his  people,  and 
 the  final  deil:ru6lion  of  his  and  their  enemies, 
 yet  remain  unfulfilled,  (hall  not  fall  to  the 
 ground  wichout  being  finally  and  compleatly 
 verified.     Again, 
 
 2.  This  refurreBion  of  our  bleiled  Lord  and 
 his  c-jpifequent  advanceme?it  to  glory,  are  the 
 nobleft  and  fulled  vindication  of  the  integrity 
 of  his  charauler,  and  of  the  truth  of  his  pre- 
 tenfions,  that  he  was  the  Son  of  God,  the 
 pro  mi  fed  Mcfjiah,  the  Saviour  of  the  world,, 
 and  of  the  truth  and  efficacy  of  his  whole  me-, 
 diation.  The  fliame,  pain,  and  ignominy  or 
 his  death,  or  his  dying  in  fo  reproachful  and 
 curfed  a  ma:ine%  as  it  was  in  fact  to  the  Jews 
 
 R  3  « 
 
24^  Certainty  of  the  RefurreSlton  of  Chrljl.  Serm.8. 
 
 a  Jliimbling  blocks  and  to  the  Grceh  fiolijhnefii 
 would  have  carried  in  it  a  very  juil  and  plau- 
 iible  exception,  againft  his  being  the  only  be- 
 loved Son  of  God  and  the  expeded  Saviour 
 of  the  Jews ;  had  not  the  providence  of  God 
 removed  tliis  fcandal,  and  by  fome  very  ex- 
 traordinary interpoiition  in  his  favour  pro^ 
 claimed  his  innocence,  and  the  wickednefs  of 
 Jiis  enemies,  to  the  convidlion  of  the  whole 
 world.  And  what  could  be  a  more  effedual 
 juftificadon  of  him.,  than  (nmtiUhig  the  fentenc^ 
 pronounced  againft  him,  and  miraciihiifly  re~ 
 jioring  him  to  life,  after  his  Crucifixion  and 
 death.  By  this  means  kis  own  prophecies  con- 
 cerning his  re'furredion  wtxc  fulfilled ;  which 
 were  frequent  and  exprefs,  and  proved  that 
 be  was  neither  a  weak  enthufwjl,  nor  bold  and 
 prefumptuous  inipcjlor,  in  his  repeated  pre- 
 di(ftions  of  his  own  revival  to  life.  By  this 
 his  prerenlions  to  be  the  Bon  of  God  were 
 abund:.ntly  eftablifiied ;  for  as  he  took  on 
 ]]im  this  facred  and  divine  characfter,  (o  be  icas 
 declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God  with  power  by  his 
 refurredion  from  the  dead^,  God  eflabliihing 
 liis  claim  by  the  power  he  exerted  in  fe- 
 iioring  him  to  life.  By  this  all  the  accufa- 
 tions  of  his  enemies  were  moft  efFe(fbually 
 confuted,  God  hereby  proclaiming  him  holy.^ 
 hcirmlefs^  and  undefled.  By  this  all  the  ancient 
 prophecies,  in  their  literal  and  full  accom- 
 plilhrnent,  centered  and  were  verified  in  hinii 
 ^tiii  thofe  feeming  contradidions  of  hi?  death, 
 
 \  Rorn.  i.  4, 
 
 -      per- 
 
Serm .  8 .    Certainty  of  the  RefurreBion  of  Chrift.  247 
 perpetual  life,  viaory,  kingdom    and    glory 
 were  entirelv  reconciled,  and  appeared  in  hint 
 in  the  mod  perfed:  harmony  and  confiftency. 
 By  this,  though  crucified  and  ilain,  he  be- 
 came  capable  ^of  becoming  Lord  and  Chrift, 
 of  being  a  Prime  and  a  Saviour,  cf  blefting^  men 
 i>y  turning  them  from' hir  iniquities,  ^nd  of  giving 
 them  repentance  and  the  forgjvenefi  cffms,  of  be- 
 ing exalted  far  above  ad  prmcipality  aiid  power  ^ 
 4xnd  might  and  dominion,  and  of  being  head  over 
 all  things  to  the  church,  his  body,  and  of  becoming 
 our  all  powerful  inierofor  and  our  gr^at  Kigh 
 Frieft  in  the  heavenly  fmSitiary ,  . 
 
 In   a    word,  the    perfeftion,    dignity  ^  ^.w^ 
 efiicacy  of  the  whole  gofpel  difpenfation  is  by 
 this  threat  event  abundantly  lecured,  and  the 
 power,  wiidom  and  eq'jity  of  the  divine  con- 
 dutl  and   adminiftration  fet  before  us  in   the 
 tnoft  convincing  view;  fo  that  we  may  weli 
 fav  with  the  infpired  Apoftles,  that  Chrifl  as 
 dead  and  raifed  again,  is  the  power  and  wifdcm 
 :0fGod',    and    affords  us   therefore  thefureft 
 reafons  for  the  confirmation  of  our  faith  ^  in 
 him,  and  to  fupport  all  our  beft  and  livelieft 
 hopes  of  everlafiing  redemption  by  him.  Efpc- 
 cially  confidering  further, 
 •     3.  That   this  refurrcBion   of ^  Chrift    is    an 
 abundant  demonftration,  that  his  death  was  an 
 acceptable  facrifice  to  God  his  Father,  and   re- 
 garded by  him  as  2i  propitiation  for  the  fins  of 
 the  whole  world.     It  is  in  this  view  he  fpeaks  of 
 hh  own  death  *.     "  1  lay  down  ntj  life  for  the 
 
 *  John  y..   I5<. 
 
 R  4  /v^/* 
 
24-^  Certainty  of  the  Refurre5iion  of  Chriji,  Serm.  S.' 
 
 fieep  :  And  ?ny  fejlj^  fays  he  §,  I  mil  give  for 
 the  lije  of  the  ivorlcl :  And  under  this  charac- 
 ter it  is  continually  represented  in  the  far  red 
 writings,    as   one  great    argument  of  God's 
 love  to  th^  %vorld ;  bccaufe  he  gave  him  to  ke  the 
 profitl  alien  for  the  f.ns  of  it.     And  this  repre- 
 fentation  oi  it  is  reafonable  in  itfelf,  every  way 
 becoming  the  infinite  perfecition  and   rediitude 
 of  the  divine  nature,  and  extremely  comfortable 
 to  the /7?/t7/ children  of  men.     By  becoming 
 man  the  Son  of  Gpd  came  under  all  the  facrccl 
 chligations  of  human  nature^  and   like   other 
 nien,  owed  the  moft  intire  and  abfolute  fub- 
 jedion  to  his  heavenly  Father's  authority  and 
 will.     Obedience  to  him,  and  fucmiflion   tq 
 the  allotments  of  his  providence,  and  to  the 
 trials  of  their  fidelity  and  duty,  whether  mere 
 eafy  cr  difficult,  are  the  primary  laws   of  all 
 men  without  exception.  And  the  difpofals  of 
 providence  are  various,  the  pod  of  duty  af- 
 ligned   to  feme  being  much  more  hard   and 
 fevere,  thap  that  of  others :  And  in  thefe  no 
 one  hath   a  right  to  dired  God,  or  to  fay  to 
 him,  ivhat  doji  thou,  or  why  haft  thou  ordered 
 it  thus.     It  pleafed  him  to  appoint  to  his  own 
 3on  the   moft  difficult  proof  of  his   fidelity, 
 and    the  IharpeH:   trials   of    his    duty  5    un- 
 doubtedly as  for  other  reafons,  fo  for  thisy  be-s* 
 taufe  he   v/as  ftteft  jnd  abieji  to  bear  them  ; 
 gnd   that  by   extraordinary  humiliations    and 
 -f^ifi'erings,  he  might  become  an  illuftrious  ex-r 
 ^j^iik   gf   patience,    fortitude^  and   the  moft 
 
 ^  John,  vi,  5  J. 
 
 perfedl 
 
Serm.  8.  Certainty  of  the  RefurreEllon  of  Chrift.  li^t^ 
 
 Derfecft  lefignaiion  to  the  will  of  God,  unto 
 the  whole  reafonable  creation,  and  be  rewarded 
 with  a  dignity  and  glory,  every  way  equal  to 
 his  merits  and  fo  might  in  all  things  have 
 the  pre-eminence. 
 
 To  this  purpofe  he  became  'vohintarlly  a  man 
 of  for  rows  ^  arid  acquainted  with  griefs  ejidured 
 the  ccrJradiSliofi  of  JinnerSy  maintained  the  in- 
 tegrity and  dignity  of  his  character  to  the  twd^, 
 refolutely  bare  up  under  all  the  heavy  load  of 
 grief  that  was  laid  upon  him  ;  and  rather 
 than  renounce  his  poil  of  duty,  maintained 
 it  to  the  mofl;  certain  hazard  of  life,  and  at 
 laO:,  when  called  to  it,  fealed  \\h  tell:imony 
 to  the  truth  he  had  delivered  with  his  blood. 
 What  was  it,  that  in  all  this  dreadful  fcene 
 was  the  fpecfacJe,  that  God  his  Father  beheld 
 with  pleafuref  What,  the  pain  and  J?:a?;!e  of 
 his  own  Son  on  the  crols,  limply  and  in  it- 
 ielf  confidered  ?  Was  he  delighted  with  the 
 cruel  agonies  he  endured,  and  the  dreadful 
 tortures  in  which  he  expired,  for  their  own 
 fakes,  and  becaufe  he  takes  pleafure  in  the 
 miferies  of  men,  or  requires  and  hath  any  fa- 
 tisfailion  in  human  Jacrifcesf  The  thought  is 
 impious  and  abfurd.  No.  He  viewed  the 
 cruelty,  injuflice  and  perfidy  of  bis  enemies, 
 who  crucified  his  Son,  with  an  indignatioa 
 and  abhorrence,  that  became  his  infinite  com- 
 paffion  and  goodneis  :  And  as  the  Jewifli  na- 
 tion by  this  aggravated  crime  filled  up  ike 
 .vieafure  of  their  iniquity y  he  gave  them  to  a 
 deftru(ftion  which  no  hiftory  can  parallel  j 
 $;ondemncd  them  to  be  fugitives   and  exiles 
 
 throai^h-* 
 
250  Ccrtahi'ty  of  the  RefurreBicn  of  Chrijl.  Serm.5. 
 
 throughout  all  nations  of  the  earth  :    A  mark 
 of  the  righteous  difpleafure  and  vengeance  of 
 God,  that  remains  on  their  poilerity  even   to 
 this  very  day.     What  therefore  rendered  the 
 death  of  Chrift  an  acceptable  facrifice  to  God, 
 ■what  fecured  him  the   fulleft  approbation   of 
 his  heavenly  Father,  when  he  gave  himfelf 
 to  the  death,  was,  that  it  proceeded  from  ^ 
 principle  of  ^/m/ obedience  to  him,  and  bene- 
 holence  to  mankind.     That  it  was  ijoluntary^ 
 without  repining   and   murmuring,  attended 
 with  Jirmnefs,  patience,  and  unbroken  r evolution y 
 with  ccjijidence  in   his  Father's   goodnefs  and 
 firm  alTurance  of  his  acceptance — that  it  was 
 in  confirmation  oi\h&  truth  oj  God — for  xh^fup- 
 fort  of  religion  in  the  world — to  be  an  example 
 to  all  his  followers,  and,  in  a  word,  becaufe 
 attended  with  every   circumilance  of   moral 
 excellency  and  perfecftion,  that  could  pofTibly 
 recommend  it   to   the  greateft   and   befh    of 
 beings. 
 
 It  was  this  rendered  the  facrifice  of  Ch rift's 
 death  of  fuch  intrinfick  value  in  itfelf,  and  fo 
 highly  precious  and  acceptable  to  God :  And 
 therefore  God,  according  to  the  infinite  good- 
 nefs and  perfedl  equity  of  his  nature,  eonii- 
 dered  this  facrifice  of  Chrifc  in  all  the  foperior 
 merit  that  accompanied  it,  as  the  purchofe  of 
 the  moil  exemplary  reiioard^  and  as  deferring 
 his  advancement  to  the  right  hand  of  glory  and 
 honour  :  And  being  conftituted  the  great 
 Mediator,  Intercefibr,  Advocate  and  Re- 
 deemer of  all,  who  fliould  be  prevailed  on 
 to  believe  in,  and  to  obey  him  :  And  as  this 
 
 facri« 
 
Serm .8.  Certainty  of  the  RefurreElicn  of  Chrifi.  2  5  r 
 
 facrifice  of  himfelf  to  death  was  a  real purchafe 
 of  his  reward,  of  being  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour^ 
 it  was  i^i  ihit  realon  a  tn:e  and  proper  facrifice 
 of  propitiation  for  men-y  becauic  this  very  re^ 
 ^'ardy  which  God  conitir^^ifiewed  him  prcpi'- 
 tiotis,  and  was  an  inftance  of  the  higheft  bene- 
 volence to  mankind.  As  he  reco?}ipcnJed  his 
 voluntary  death  with  the />i>'zc^<'r  to  give  re  pew* 
 tance  ajid  the  remifjion  of  fins,  to  all  humble 
 and  believing  finners,  he  declared  himfelf  by 
 that  death  reconciled  to  the  world,  and  that 
 they  (liould  obtain  redemption  through  his  bloody 
 even  th'e  jorgvvenefs  of  fins,  according  to  the  riches 
 of  his  grace  :  So  that  God  by  raifrng  Chrifi 
 hath  declared  his  death  to  be  a  real  atonejnent^ 
 as  on  the  account  of  it  he  hath  invefted  hinx 
 with  all  the  powers  of  redemption,  and  ren- 
 dered it  the  great  medium  through  which 
 we  obtain  all  the  invaluable  and  eternal  blef- 
 lings  contained  in  it.  This  places  the  death 
 of  Chriftin  the  mofl  important  point  of  view 
 in  the  gofpel  fcheme,  and  evidently  fliewS 
 that  it  is  at  the  foundation  of  all  our  hope  ; 
 srs  it  Vv'^as  the  price  of  our  Saviour's  advance* 
 rnent  to  the  mediaiorial  throne,  and  m  con- 
 fequence,  of  all  the  privileges  for  time  and 
 eternity,  that  we  have  received  from  him  ia 
 virtue  of  that  exaltation.  Other  important  107 
 fo?nce$  IHialliefervefpr  another  difcoiirfef. 
 
 SERMCN 
 
t  252  ] 
 
 SERMON      IX. 
 
 Important  Confequences  of  Chrift*s  Refurre<5tion»' 
 
 Acts  ii.   32. 
 
 2^/V  Jesus  hath  God  raifed  up^  whereof 
 we  are  all  Witnejfes. 
 
 HAVING  in  the  preceding  difcourfe 
 conlidered  the  faB  of  Chrift's  refur- 
 redtion,  and  the  full  ajfurance  we  have  of  its 
 reality  from  the  tejlimony  of  the  Afojlles ;  and 
 in  part  (hewn  the  importance  and  iijes  of  it,  as 
 by  accomplifhing  the  prophecies,  relating  to 
 the  Mefiiah,  demonftrating  the  fidelity  and 
 goodnefs  of  God  i  as  a  full  vindication  of 
 Jefus's  character  and  pretenfions,  and  a  proof 
 that  his  death  was  an  acceptable  facrifce  to  God 
 and  propitiation  for  the  fins  of  the  world —  I 
 /hall  now  make  fome  other  important  in^ 
 ferences ',  and, 
 
 4.  The  refurreBion  of  Chrifl  is  further  a 
 
 firong   and  full  confirmation  of  another  great 
 
 and  important   article  of  chriftianity,  viz.  the 
 
 appoint?nejit  of  our  Lord  fefus  Chrift  to  be  the 
 
 i^mverfal judge  of  the  world.  When  Feter  firfl 
 
 opened 
 
Scrm.  9.    Confequences  of  ChriJTs  Refurre5Iion.  1$'^ 
 
 opened  the  door  of  the  gofpel  to  the  Gentiles y 
 by  preaching  it  to  Cornelius  \f  he  tells  him^ 
 that  God  raifed  up  Chrijl  the  third  day^  and 
 Jhewed  him  openly  unto  witncjfes,  which  he  had 
 before  chofen,  even  to  the  Apojlles,  who  did  eat 
 and  drink  ivith  him  after  he  rofe  from  the  dead ; 
 ai2d  that  he  commanded  them  to  preach  unto  the 
 people t  and  to  tefiify  that  it  was  he  who  was  or^ 
 dained  of  God  to  be  the  judge  of  the  quick  and 
 dead'.  And  in  his  difcourfe  to  the  polite  Athe^ 
 niansy  he  teftifies  to  them,  that  now  God  com^ 
 manded  all  men  every  where  to  repent ;  becaufe  he 
 hath  appointed  a  day,  in  the  which  he  will  judge 
 the  world  in  righteoufnefs ;  whereof  he  hath  given 
 ajfurance  unto  all  men,  in  that  he  hath  raifed  him 
 from  the  dead\\.  Our  blefled  Saviour  in  the 
 mofi:  exprefs  terms  claimed  this  facred  and 
 important  power  and  prerogative  before  his 
 death  j  declaring  *'  that  the  Father  judgeth  no 
 7nan,  i.  e.  in  his  own  perfon  and  charadler; 
 but  that  he  hath  committed  all  judgment  to  the 
 Son,  appointing  him  to  raife  the  dead,  and  to 
 execute  judgment  on  them,  when  raifed  to 
 life,  and  to  affign  them  feverally,  if  they  have 
 do72e  good,  to  eternal  life,  a?2d  if  they  have  done  evil, 
 to  damnation.''  An  aflertion,  that  would  have 
 argued  the  higheft  impiety  and  prefumption, 
 if  it  had  been  falfely  made ;  and  that  im- 
 plies in  it  the  moft  exalted  dignity  and  honour, 
 that  we  can  well  conceive  to  be  conferred 
 upon  any  one.  But  the  fufferings  and  death 
 of  Chrifi:  feem'd  to  defiroy  this  pretenfion  and 
 claim;  and    it  would  have  been  abfolutely 
 
 I  Afts  X.  40, 41,  \7..       11  Afts  XXX.  31, 
 
■£54  Confequences  of  ChrijVs  RefurreFnon,  Serm.  9; 
 
 incredible  and  impoffible  to  have  been  made 
 gQO'4,  had  he  continued  under  the  power  of  death  1 
 iince  one  dead  himfelf  could  never  raife  others, 
 nor  be  capable  of  fitting  in  judgment  over 
 them :  but  his  refurreSiion  from  the  dead  im- 
 mediately filenced  every  objedion  to  ih^  poffi^ 
 hility  of  the  thing,  and  was  fuch  a  peculiar 
 teftimony  of  his  intereft  in,  and  dearnefs  to 
 God,  as  (hewed,  that  he  deferved  the  utmofl 
 credit,  and  that  his  claim  of  this  divine  honour, 
 was  worthy  of  all  acceptation  :  Since  it  is  ne- 
 ver to  be  fuppofed,  that  God  would  ever  ap- 
 pear to  countenance  and  jullify  fuch  a  pre- 
 tcnfion,  if  it  had  no  foundatiofi  but  in  the 
 weaknefs,  vanity,  pride  and  prefumption  of 
 him  that  made  it.  And  that  when  by  hi3 
 death,  God  had  in  the  courfe  of  his  provi- 
 dence dei'lroyed  the  very  foundation  of  fuch 
 a  claim,  and  put  it  out  of  the  power  of 
 mankind  to  be  feduced  and  deceived  by  it  3 
 he  fhould  himfelf  contribute,  to  propagate  the 
 belief  of  it,  and  even  neceffitate  mankind  to 
 admit  it  as  an  important  truth,  by  miraculoufly 
 raifmg  him  from  the  dead  ^  fo  that  by  this 
 fad:  the  dodrine  of  a  future  judgment  is 
 abundantly  confirmed,  and  the  perfon  alfo 
 clearly  pointed  out,  by  whom  the  folemn 
 tranfadion  is  to  be  carried  on  and  ccm- 
 pleated. 
 
 5.  T'he  reJurrtBion  of  Chrift  fhews  the  foj- 
 fibiUiy  of  a  general  refurrecl'ion^  is  an  afiiraiice 
 to  the  people  of  God  of  the  certainty  of  their 
 lifing  from  the  dead,  is  the  glorious /'^//^r;?,  as 
 well  as  \!ciQ fur e pledge o'i\^\i2X^V£i^their  refiirrec- 
 .     .  tiQn 
 
Serm.-  9*  Confequences  of  Chrtft^s.  Refurre^ion,  255 
 
 tion  fhall  be.  Thus  the  Apoftle  reafons  in 
 his  Epiftle  to  the  Corinthians  -j-,  in  which  he 
 tells  them,  that  Chriji  is  rifen  f)o7n  the  dead, 
 and  become  the  jirfi  fruits  of  them  that  fieep  3 
 And  that  as  thefirfi  man  was  of  the  e^rth^  eartt;>y ; 
 fo  the  fecond  man  was  the  Lordfrotn  Heaven,  not 
 of.  an  earthly,  but  a  heavenly  original  3  an4 
 that  as  the  earthy  man  was,  fuch  aljb  are  thofe 
 that  are  earthy,  of  the  fame  frail  earthly  ma- 
 terials with  him  from  whom  they  are  de- 
 rived :  So  alio  as  is  the  heavenly  man,  fuch  are 
 thofe  alfo  that  are  heavenly,  the  ftate  oi  their 
 bodies  fhall  be  of  a  heavenly  form  and  con-- 
 ilitution,  like  bis.  1l\\-M  as  we  have  borne  thsi 
 image  of  the  earthy,  been  fiibjeSl  to  the  infrmitie$ 
 of  this  frail,  earthly  body ;  fo  we  /l:all  alfa 
 bear  the  image  of  the  heavenly,  be  transformed 
 and  fashioned  in  our  body  like  unto  his  glorious 
 body,  according  to  the  worki?ig,  whereby  he  is  able 
 to  fubdue  all  t  hi  figs  to  himjelf^.  When  St. 
 Paul  preached  the  dodrine  of  the  refurre(ftioni 
 at  Athens,  fome  of  the  philofophers  mocked 
 and  fcoffed  at  it,  as  an  abfurd  and  irnpra(fti- 
 ble  thing  §.  Agrippa  alfo,  the  Jewif  King, 
 feems  to  have  been  of  the  fame  mind,  and 
 that  this  occafioned  that  fudden  addrefs  of 
 St.  Paul  to  him  II ,  "  1Vl.y  Jhould  it  be  thought 
 a  thing  incredible  with  you,  that  God  foul d  raife 
 the  dead  ^  With  a  power  lefs  than  divine  the 
 thing  is  confeflediy  impoffible  ;  But  will  not 
 infinite  and  almighty  power,  the  power  of 
 God,  the  original  former  of  the  body  out  of 
 
 t  I  Cor.  xv.  20.  &c.     *  Phil.  iii.  21.     §  A^s  xvii.  32. 
 }}  Afts  xxvi.  8, 
 
 the 
 
256  Confequences  of  Chriji^s  Refurre5fion.  Serm.  9? 
 
 the  dull:,  extend  thus  far  ?  Will  true  philofo- 
 phy   thus  limit   the   power  of  the  univerfal 
 creator  ?  Is   the  recollecting  the   materials  of 
 a  diflblved  body  too  hard  for  him,    who  hath 
 meafured  the  waters  in  the  hollow  of  his  ha7jd, 
 and  meted  out  the  heavens  with  a  fpan,  and  com- 
 frehended  the  dtifi  of  the  earth  in    a  nieafure, 
 and  weighed  the  mount aiiis  in  fcales,  and  the  hills 
 in  a  balance'?  Sound  reafon   and  philofophy 
 will  never  affirm  this-  And  if  the  thing  were 
 dubious  in   itfelf,  yet  one  certain  and  evident  in- 
 jlance  of  it  is  a  fufficient  anfwer  to  all  objec- 
 tions that  can   be    alledged  againft  it :  Since 
 fads  are  irrefiftible  evidences  of  the  truth  and 
 certainty   of  things  !  And  therefore  God  was 
 pleafed  to   raife  up  our  blefled  Lord,  and   to 
 give  the  mofl  fatisfying  evidence  of  the  cer- 
 tainty of  it,  to  give  us  by  a  fenfible  demon- 
 ftration  the  utmofl:  fatisfadion  of  tht  poffibility 
 of  the  thing,  and  to  affiire  all  who  believe  in 
 him    of  the  truth  of  that  dodrine  which  he 
 himfelf  taught  J.     That /Z?^   hour  flmdd  come y 
 when  the  deadJJjould  hear  the  voice  of  the  Sen  of 
 God,  and  they  that  hear  ftmild  live  j  and    all 
 fhould  be  raifed  up  to  receive  the  proper  fruit 
 of  their  adions,  whether  good  or  evil.     And 
 as  our  blelTed  Lord   rofe  to  an  immortal  life, 
 and  his  body  was   transformed  by  the  power 
 of  his    heavenly  Father  into   a   veij  glorious 
 jlate  and  appearance,  to  fit  him  for  that  hea^ 
 venly  world   where   he  now   refides ;  fo    we 
 know,  that  when  Chrijl,  who  is  ottr  Ufey  jloall 
 
 X  John  V.  25; 
 
 cppear^^ 
 
SeriTJi  9.    Confiquenies  of  Chriji's  Refiine^'wn.  257 
 
 appear y  ivc  f:all  be  like  him  ;  for  we  fl:all  fee 
 him  as  he  is,  and  be  in  our  bodies  transformed 
 into  the  lame  image  from  glory  to  glory. 
 When  this  mortal  fiall put  on  immortality^  and 
 death  fiall  be  fivallowed up  in  compkat  and  eter- 
 nal victory ;  fo  that  by  believing  in  God,  who 
 raifed  up  Chrift  from  the  dead^  and  gave  him 
 glory ^  cur  faith  and  hope  in  him,  that  his 
 power  fliall  alfo  revive  and  quicken  us,  are 
 abund.intly  confirmed  and  eftablifhed :  And 
 in  the  gratitude  of  our  hearts  we  have  rea- 
 fon  to  fay,  Blejjed  be  the  God  and  Father  cf  our 
 Lord  Jefus  Chrift,  who  according  to  his  abundant 
 jnercy  hath  begotten  us  again  unto  a  lively  hope^  by 
 the  refurreSiion  of. y ejus  Chrift  from  the  dead', 
 to  an  inheritance  incorruptible,  undefled^  that 
 fddeth  not  away,  that  is  referved  in  heaven  for  us. 
 Further. 
 
 .  6.  This  refurreBlon  of  our  blejfed  Lord  h  2, 
 very  powerful  motive  to  imitate  him,  in  purity 
 of  heart  and  univerfalholinefs  of  converfatlon, 
 and  to  walk  before  God  in  all  newnefs  of  life. 
 This  is  the  improvement  made  of  it  by  the 
 Apoftle  -f-,  who  fays  that  we  are  baptifed  into 
 thrift's  death,  i.  e.  into  the  belief  of  Chrift's 
 dying  for  fin,  and  of  the  necelTity  of  our  dy- 
 ing to  it  :  And  therefore  by  this  baptlfm  into 
 his  death  we  are  buried  with  hun,  viz.  in  the 
 fpi ritual  and  moral  icniQ,  ll:iould  look  upon 
 ourfelves  to  be  as  intirely  feparated  from  all 
 the^  corruptions  and.  fins  of  life,  as  though 
 we  were  adually   buried  with  Chrift.     ^hat 
 
 ■f  Rom.  vi.  3,  ^. 
 
 Vol.  L  S  like 
 
l^S  Confeqaentes  of  Chrijl'^r  Refurre^fm.  Serm.  ^1 
 
 likens  Chrift  was  raifed  frcm  the  dead  to  2.  new 
 and  heavenly  life  by  the  glory  of  the  Father^ 
 £vefijb  ive  alj'o  fiould'vcalk  in  7ieiv?iejs  of  Ufe^  live 
 a  divine  and  fpiritual  life  in  imitation  of  him, 
 in  order  that  we  may  be  faifed  hereafter  to 
 partake  with  him  in  the  heavenly  glory.  And 
 indeed  confider  the  refurredtion  and  advance- 
 ment of  Chrifl  with  the  reafons  affigned  for 
 it  in  fcripture,  and  it  will  carry  the  higheil 
 motive  and  eneouragement  to  univerfal  holi- 
 iiiefs  of  heart  and  life^  and  to  an  intire  and 
 abfolute  fubmiffion  to  the  will  of  God.  For 
 who  is  the  perfon  fpoken  of  in  the  prophecy, 
 and  to  whom  was  it  promifed,  that  he  fhould 
 not  fee  corruption  ?  Why,  the  holy  one  of  God, 
 What  was  the  reafon  of  that  peculiar  affec- 
 tion that  the  Father  bare  to  him  ?  His  al- 
 ways doing  the  things  which  were  wcll-pleafing 
 in  his  fight.  Wherefore  did  God  highly  exalt  him^ 
 and  give  him  a  name  above  every  nafne  in  heaven 
 and  in  earth  ?  Becaufe  he  humbled  hijnjelf  and 
 becams  obedient  to  deaths  even  the  death  of  the 
 crofs.  So  that  it  was  his  being  the  holy  and 
 the  jufl  one,  his  perfecfl  fubmiffion  to  his  Fa-r 
 ther's  will,  and  his  being  continually  em- 
 ployed in  his  Father's  work,  that  intitled 
 him  to  a  glorious  refurredion,  and  was  the 
 ■reafon  of  the  tranfcendent  reward  conferred 
 on  him  3  to  tsach  us,  that  a  bleffed  refurrec- 
 fion  is  the  recompence  of  obedience  to  God 
 mi^  keeping  his  commandments,  and  that 
 purity  of  heart  and  holinefs  of  life  are  the  ifl- 
 dilpenfible  conditions  of  obtaining  it.  And 
 can  we  imagine  that  we  fhall  have  this  blefs- 
 
 ednefs 
 
Senn.  9.  Confequences  of  Chriji'^s  RefurreBion.  259 
 
 ednefs  upon  eafier  terms  than  the  Son  of  God 
 himfelf  hath  ?  Or  that  if  we  do  not  refemble 
 him  by  fandlity  of  nwnners,  and    fubmiliion 
 to  the   will  of  God,  he  will  ever  raife  us  to  a 
 participation  of  his  heavenly  glory  ?  He  him- 
 felf  hath  exprefly   precluded  every  fuch  vain 
 hope  by  affuring  us*,  that  though  all  wh(y 
 are  in  their  graves  fiall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son 
 of  Man  and  live ;  yet  that  when  they  came- 
 forth,  they  o?ily  who  have  done  good  fhall  obtain 
 the  refurrecftion   to  eternal  life,  and  they  wha 
 have  do?ie  evilfJjall  come  forth  to  the  refurreSlion 
 of  damnation, — a  refurretlion.  which,    though 
 juft  on  the  part  of  God,  fliall  be  dreadful  to 
 them,  as  it  fhall  be   to  their  iliame  and  ever- 
 lafting  contempt.     And  therefore  the  remem- 
 brance of  this  great  event  of  the  refurre(5lion 
 of  Chrift    (hould  put  us  in  mind  of  the"obh- 
 gations  we   are   under  to  feparate   ourfelves 
 from  the  corruptions  of  the  world,  to  fubdue 
 our  finful  paffions  and  habits,  to  forfake  our 
 former  fins^  to  yield  ourfelves  to  God,  as  thofe 
 *who  are  alive  from  the  dead,  to  6.0  the  things 
 that  are  acceptable  to  him,  to  live  a  fpiritual 
 and    divine  life ;  and  as  rifen  with  Chriji,  to 
 feek  thofe  things  which   are  above,  where  Chri/l 
 fitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  and  to  fet  our 
 afftSiions  on  things  which  are  above,  and  not  on 
 things  on  the  earth,  that  when  Ghriji,  who  is  our 
 life,  Jhall  appear,  we  alfo  may  appear  with  Urn 
 in  glory  •f'.        . 
 
 *  John  V.  29.        t  Colof.  i,  J,  4« 
 
 S  2  And 
 
2  6o  Confequences  of  Chrijl^s  Refurre^iott.  Serm.  gl 
 
 And  indeed  what  reafonable  hope  can  he 
 have,  whofe  affecftions  are  fenfual,  who  rnind^ 
 only  earthy  tliiigs^  and  hath  no  relifli  for  fpi- 
 ritual  objeds  and  employments  ?  What  ground 
 can  he  have,  in  the  nature  of  things,  to  expecft 
 a  future  refurredion  to  heavenly  enjoyments  ? 
 How  can  it  be,  that  he  whole  life  here  is  a 
 perfed  contradidion  to  the  life  which  Chriffc. 
 led,  when  he  was  on  earth,  (hould  ever  ima- 
 gine that  Chrilt  will  raife  him  hereafter  to  a 
 life  of  glory,  honour  and  immortality?  Of 
 that  if  he  be  entirely  deftitute  of  his  image  in 
 knowledge,  right eciijnefi  and  true  holinefsy  he 
 fhould  be  hereafter  a  partaker  of  his  image  in 
 glory.  Such  an  imagination  hath  no  foun- 
 dation in  reafon  or  in  the  gofpel  revelation  ^ 
 and  can  have  nothing  to  fupport  it,  but  the 
 moft  criminal  vanity  and  prefumption.  It  i& 
 contrary  to  the  whole  gofpel  conftitution, 
 which  makes  the  future  refurredion  the  moft 
 dreadful  confideration  to  impenitent,  unbe- 
 lieving finners,  as  it  {hall  be  a  refurredion  to 
 judgment  and  the  moil  certain  and  aggra- 
 vated condemnation  -,  and  w^bich  makes  it  a 
 benefit  and  bleffing  to  them  only,  who  follow 
 his  example  and  learn  to  purify  themfelves 
 as  he  is  pure,  according  to  the  exprefs  af- 
 furance  of  the  Apoftle,  that  when  Chrift  fiall 
 appear,  wefiall  be  like  him ;  for  we  JJjallfee  him 
 as  he  is  5  and  that  every  man  who  hath  this  hope 
 in  him  J  purifeth  timfelf,  as  he  is  pur  e'^, 
 
 J  John  iii.  2.  3., 
 
 Thb 
 
Scnn.g.    ConfequencesofChrijVsRefurre^hn.    i€t 
 
 y.This  do(flrine  of  Cbrijl'' srefurre6lion  affords 
 the  noblefi  fupport  under  the  confideration  of 
 •our  mortality  and  in  the  neareft  view  and  ap- 
 proach of  death 'y  as  it  is  a  full  demonfiratioa 
 that  death  is  not  an  unconquerable  enemy, 
 and  that  there  h  a  poiver  which  can  and  will 
 redeem  all  the  faithful  froni  the  dominion  of 
 the  grave.  It  had  long  prevailed  over  the 
 minds  of  men,  that  there  could  be  no  falva- 
 tion  from  the  hand  of  death,  nor  any  return 
 to  the  light  of  God,  after  that  by  his 
 ftroke  they  were  once  leparated  from  it.  And 
 indeed  as  they  had  no  juft  notions  of  the  at- 
 tributes and  providence  of  God,  no  revelation 
 from  him  to  enlighten  them  in  this  important 
 ■article,  nor  ever  any  inflance  of  a  dead  per- 
 fon's  reftoration  to  life  among  them  ;  how 
 was  it  polTible  they  could  have  any  juft  con- 
 ception of  fuch  an  event  ?  Or  what  couki 
 induce  them  to  entertain  the  comfortable  hops 
 of  it  ?  And  yet  they  faw  and  were  abun- 
 dantly convinced,  that  death  was  a  very  fijb- 
 fcantial  evil,  and  though  they  did  not  gsne- 
 rallv  believe,  that  it  was  an  intire  extindioa 
 ot  their  being,  and  were  led  to  conclude  that 
 the  ftate  of  good  men  in  the  invifible  v/orld 
 was  much  preferable  to  the  condition  of  the 
 impious  and  wicked  ;  yet  they  looked  upon 
 all  that  was  to  come,  land  even  the  bell:  al- 
 lotments in  the  invilible  regions,  as  fomewhat 
 fliadowy  and  unfubftantial,  and  far  inferior  to 
 the  happinefs  of  the  prefent  life.  And  I 
 think  their  conceptions  natural,  and  fuch  as 
 reafon  itfelf  woqld  lead  men  to ;  and  it  is  in 
 S  3  ibaic 
 
2^2    Confequences  of  Chrijl^s  Refurre^lion.    Serm.  9, 
 
 fome  meafure  confirmed  by  revelation,  which 
 invariably  fpeaks  of  death  as  t\\t  punijhment  of 
 Jin,  as  introduced  by  one  mans  offence^  and  as 
 fufFered  to  pafs  on  all  men  on  this  account,  he- 
 caiife  all  are  Jinners.  And  vt'hatever  may  be 
 the  different  allotments  of  providence  to  the 
 good  and  evil ;  yet  as  death  is  a  real  pu- 
 nifhnient,  and  the  {landing  monument  of 
 God's  diipleafure  agalnft  fin^  it  muft,  in  the 
 moO:  favourable  fentiments  we  can  pafs  on  it, 
 carry  in  it  a  very  real  and  fubftantial  d;(ad- 
 vantage,  and  deprive  men  of  many  valuable 
 bleffings,  which  life  renders  them  capable  of 
 enjoying.  And  as  the  heathen  world  had 
 iio  profpe6l  and  hope  of  being  ever  delivered 
 from  it,  'tis  no  wonder  they  efteemed  it  the 
 mofl  formidable  evil ;  and  groaned  and  tra- 
 vailed in  pain  throughout  all  ages  under  the 
 profpcft  and  fear  of  it. 
 
 But  how  fare  a  remedy  doth  the  gofpel-light 
 and  ^race  provide  againil;  this  terror  and  di- 
 ilrefs  ?  How  doth  the  do(ftrine  of  Ckrijf  s  re-^ 
 furreBion  as  the  fledge  of  theirs,  who  believe 
 in  him,  difarm  this  formidable  enemy  of  the 
 horrors  that  furround  him,  blunt  the  point 
 of  his  fting,  and  take  away  the  deadly  poifon 
 of  it ;  fo  that  it  cannot  mortally  wound  us. 
 For  a  temporary  death  is  not  fuch  an  intole- 
 rable evil  in  itfelf,  and  in  the  view  of  revela-^ 
 tion  is  a  neceiTary  preparative  for  the  happinefs 
 of  a  future  flate.  Immortality  in  the  prefent 
 world  would  be  an  im^nortality  of  temptation 
 (indfin^  of  affiBion,  pain  and  pimijhrnent  j  and 
 thvis  perpetuate  the  ihamQ  and  reproach,  the 
 
 mifery 
 
Serra.  9.  Cvnfequences  of  Chri/Ts  Refiore^lim.  2^% 
 mifery  and  curfe  of  men.  And  therefore 
 God  in  his  inlinite  mercy  hath  wilely  deter- 
 mined, that  thefe  bodies,  which  are  the  feats 
 of  diftempered  patiions,  and  have  the  feeds  of 
 fm  plentifully  fcartered  through  their  whole 
 conftitution,  (hall  be  refolv^d  to  their  original 
 xluft ;  that  all  thoie  fenlual  and  criminal  dif- 
 pofitions,  to  which  they  fubje(ll  us,  may  be 
 -entirely  worn  out,  and  they  be  raifed  again  in  a 
 purer  and  mor-e  glorious  flate  ;  that  they  may 
 be  a  fit  habitation  for  thofe  fouls  which  are 
 renewed  by  the  fpirit  of  the  living  God,  and 
 thus  capable  of  exiiling  in  the  world  of  in- 
 corruptible glory. 
 
 This  is  the  bleffed  affurancc,  that  th-e  re- 
 furredilion  of  Chrift  gives  us,  which  was  a 
 srefurredlion  to  immortal  honour,  and  abun- 
 dantly proves,  that  it  is  not  impojjible  for  God 
 to  raife  the  dead,  and  that  it  is  ablolutely  cer^ 
 tain  he  will  do  it;  fince  he  raifed  up  our 
 Lord,  that  our  faith  and  hope  might  be  in  him, 
 that  he  will  aljo  qidckeji  our  mortal  bodies  by  hh 
 fpirit y  which  divellcth  in  us.  And  therefore  as 
 the  children  are  partakers  of  fiefi  /ind  bloody 
 Chriji  aifo  himfelf  took  part  of  the  fame,  that 
 through  deaths  by  dying  and  rifing  from  the 
 dead,  he  might  deftfoy  him  iv/x>  had  the  power  of 
 deaths  even  the  Devil;  and  thus  deliver  them, 
 •who  through  fear  of  death  would  otherwife  have 
 too  much  reafon  to  be  all  their  lif'e  time  fuhjedt 
 io  bondage  -f-.  And  in  this  view  of  things, 
 what  reafon  can  the  lincere  chrillian  have  to 
 
 f  Keb.  ii.   14,   15. 
 
 S  4  clie- 
 
2^4  Confequences  of  Chnjl*s  Refurre^ion.    Serm.  gl 
 
 cherKh  a  moment's  uneafinefs  at  the  thought 
 of  dying  ?  Keep  but  thy  paffions  under  go- 
 vernment ;  abftain  from  thofe  lins  which  ivar 
 againji  the  foul ;  awake  to  right  eon fnefs  and  Jin  not ; 
 cultivate  and  improve  the  difpofitions  of  piety  ; 
 keep  thy  lamp  well  trimmed,  and  fupply  it 
 well  with  oil  for  burning  ;  let  the  graci:s  of 
 God's  fpirit  be  in  conftant  exercife,  and  thq 
 virtues  of  the  Chriftian  life  be  habitually 
 pradifcd,  and  all  is  fafe.  Death  cannot  hurt 
 thee  j  his  dominion  over  thee  (hall  be  com- 
 paratively fhort :  Becaufe  Chriji  lives,  thonjhalt 
 live  aljo.  He  conquered  death  by  reviving  to 
 an  endlefs  life  j  and  as  the  Father  has  given 
 him  to  have  life  in  him,  i.  e.  to  raife  from  the 
 dead  whomfoever  he  pleafes,  he  will  watch 
 over  thy  fleeping  duft :  He  will  revive  and 
 comfort  thee  in  the  manfions  of  the  grave, 
 and  in  the  morning  of  the  refurredion  quicken 
 thy  diffolved  frame,  reftore  thee  to  the  creation 
 and  works  of  God,  and,  what  is  more,  not 
 only  /hew  tJj£e  the  path,  of  life ^  but  introduce 
 thee  into  his  Father's  prefence,  where  there  is 
 fulnefs  of  joy  and  pleafures  which  laft  for  ever 
 more,  A  profped:  fo  fure  and  pleaiing,  as 
 may  well  caufe  thee  to  rejoice  with  joy  zm-i^ 
 fpcakahle  and  full  of  glory. 
 
 8.  As  this  dodrine  affords  us  this  grate* 
 ful  relief  under  the  confideration  of  our  own 
 fubjedion  to  death,  and  the  necdTity  of  our 
 lying  under  the  corruption  of  the  grave  ;  fo 
 jt  gives  us  great  conflation  in  reference  to  the 
 ilate  of  our  departed frieitds  who  are  gone  be- 
 (yr§  us^  and  lived  and  died   in  the  faith  of 
 
 Cbrift, 
 
Serm.  9-  Confeajiences  cf  Chljl's  RefurreHion.     26^ 
 
 Chrift.  For  they  are  not  deaci^^s  that  word  im- 
 plies an  eternal  feparation  from  the  body.  They 
 only  Jleep  in  J  ejus :  Their  diifolution  Om.ll  laft 
 but  for  a  comparatively  fhort  feafon  :  And 
 God  will  hereafter  reftore  them  to  life,  and 
 to  the  enjoyment  of  the  mofl:  flitisfying  and 
 permanent  happinefs. 
 
 This  is  the  improvement  which  the  Apo- 
 flle  makes  in  his  Epiftle  to  the  Thellalonians  *, 
 I  would  not  have  you  to  be  ignorant^  hrethreny 
 concerning  them  which  are  ajleep^  that  ye  for ^ 
 row  not  even  as  others  who  have  no  hope :  For 
 if  we  heiienje  that  jcfiis  died  and  rcje  a  gain  ^  even 
 jo  them  alfo  which  Jleep  in  J  ejus  will  God  bring 
 with  him  \  Jo  Jf:) all  they  be  ever  with  the  Lord. 
 Wherefore  comfort  one  another  with  thefe  words ^ 
 And  can  any  nobler  arguments  of  comfort 
 poffibly  be  fuggefced  to  our  minds,  under  the 
 lofs  of  our  deareft  friends,  than  what  this 
 con(ideration  conveys  to  us  ?  They  arc 
 only  alleep — taking  the  refrefliment  of  a 
 grateful  flumber  after  the  perils,  afHicfbions, 
 temptations  and  trials  of  life. — And  they  fieep 
 in  Jefiis^  united  to  him  by  faith,  fimilitude  of 
 temper,  and  a  conformity  to  his  life  :  And  they 
 lleep  uijder  his  protection  and  care,  and  whilfl 
 their  flumber  clofes  their  bodily  eyes,  his  pre- 
 fence  enlivens  xhQ\v Jeparate  JIate,  and  in  their 
 minds  they  have  a  fure  expe(5tation  of  his  ap- 
 pearance for  their  final  redemption  ;  an  ex- 
 peOation  which  fhall  not  fail  them.  For 
 %ve  believe  that  Jefus  died  androfe  again,  that  he 
 
 ^  I  Epiftle  jv.  13,  &c. 
 
2.66   Confeq^uences  cf  Chriji's  Refurre5iion    Serm.  9: 
 
 triumphed  over  death  hirnfclf,  and  hath  fo- 
 vereign  power  to  refcue^his  prifoners  from  the 
 dominion  of  the  grave;  and  have   therefore 
 full  aflurance,  that  all  thofe,  who  thus  Jleep  in 
 yejus,  God  will  bring  with  him.  And  that  v^heii 
 the  Lordfiall  dej'c end  from  Heaven  with  a  Jhoiit^ 
 with  the  voice  of  the  Arch- Angel,  and  with  the 
 trump  of  God,  the  dead  in  Chriji  fiall  rife  Jirfi, 
 (hall  all  of  them,  awake  to  glory,  honour  and 
 immortality,  and  fofhallwe  be  ever  with  the  Lordy 
 ihare  the  honour  of  being  allowed  to   refide 
 where  he  is,  and  never  more  be  feparated  from 
 his  prefence.     Well  therefore  may  we  fay, 
 Blejjcd  are  the  dead  who  die  in  the  Lord',    for 
 they  rejl  from  their  labour s^  and  their  works  fhall 
 follow  them.  God  will  abundantly  reward  their 
 works  of  faith  and  labour  of  love  ^  and  at  the  ap- 
 pointed  feafon   give  them   the  full  proof  of 
 their  adoption^  in   the  compleat  redemption  of 
 their  bodies.     And  is  it  not  one  oi  the  mdft 
 pleaiing  imaginations,    that  can   pofl'efs    our 
 minds,    of  meeting    them    hereafter   in    the 
 world  of  righteoufnefs  and  immortal)ty,where 
 death  fliall  make  no    farther  feparation   be- 
 tween us  ?  Our  bodily  diforders  (hall   create 
 no   more  mutual  diflreffes,  nor  any  of  thefe 
 irregularities  of  temper,  to  which  we  are  here 
 all   too    liable,  leilen    the  fatisfaction  of  our 
 mutual  conveife,  or  for  a  fingle  moment  in- 
 terrupt it  ? 
 
 Who  upon  this  view  of  things  would  live 
 here  always  ?  Or  wiili  fo  ill  to  their  moft 
 valuable  friends,  as  to  deiire  that  they  (hould, 
 or  to  recall  them  from  that  rejl  of  the  people 
 
Serm.  9-   Confequences  of  Chrijl^s  Refurre5Jlon.     267 
 
 of  God,  in  which  they  are  referved  to  the 
 glorious  morning  of  the  future  refurrecftion  ? 
 Now  they  rejl  lecurely  under  the  (hadow  of 
 the  R'edeemer,  where  there  Jl:all  be  no  more 
 ciirfe,  ncr  forroWj  nor  pain,  no  more  danger  of 
 the  final  forfeiture  of  their  happinefs,  or  fear 
 of  being  excluded  from  the  benefit  of  the 
 gofpel  redemption.  So  that  on  their  account 
 all  our  grief  is  needlefs  and  unreafonable. 
 They  are  the  truly  happy  perfons  v*^ho  have 
 goty<?/(?  into  their  haven -j  and  we  the  proper 
 ohjeils  of  compajj'wn^  who  have  more  rifks  to 
 run,  are  left  to  fail  with  uncertain  winds,  and 
 to  beat  on  at  a  diilance  from  the  port  of 
 fafety  and  happinefs.  But  the  thought  of  a 
 rifen  Saviour ,  who  is  mighty  and  able  tofave, 
 is  a  relief  and  comfort  under  all  the  perils 
 and  uncertainties  of  life.  1  he  fea  we  tra- 
 verfe  may  have  its  florms  ;  hut  he  can  calnx 
 them,  and  fpeak  them  into  peace.  We  may 
 be  fometimes  uncertain  where  to  dired:  our 
 courfe ;  but  if  that  heavenly  Pilot  Iteer  our 
 bark,  we  fliall  not  wander  wide  of  the  place 
 w^e  aim  at.  Da'  gers  may  encompafs  us ;  but 
 his  power  can  prore(5t  us  Enemies  may 
 diftrefs  us ;  but  through  him  that  flrengthens 
 us  we  fliall  become  luperior  to  them.  The 
 rifen  and  exalted  Jefus  is  a  compaffionate  and 
 merciful Hi^h  Priifi  able  to  fave  to  the  iittermcfiy 
 and  by  ofiice  and  inclination  ready  to  luccour 
 us  in  every  time  of  need.  Whatever  there- 
 fore are  our  burthens  and  affli(flions  of  life, 
 whatever  our  cares,  anxieties  and  fonows, 
 kt  us   not  fink  under  them,  nor  always  pore 
 
 on 
 
26B    Confeqiiences  cf  Chriji''s  Refurre^llonl    Serm.  9; 
 
 on  the  uncomfortable  fide  of  our  profpeds. 
 Better  things  await  us.  The  fcene  here, 
 however  uncomfortable,  fliall  foon  pais  away. 
 Death,  which'  is  the  curfe  of  bad  men,  fliall 
 be  thy  blejjtjig^  chriOian  :  And  what  is  the 
 commencement  of  their  miferv,  flialJ  be  to 
 thee  the  beginning  of  endlefs  peace  and  hap- 
 pinefs.  Remember  that  'jefus^  though  cru- 
 cified and  flain,  lives  at  the  Right  Hand  of 
 God  to  plead  and  fuftain  thy  caufe — that  he 
 pofi^efles  the  manfions  of  glory  as  thy  fore- 
 runner— that  he  lives  in  Heaven  as  thy  Re- 
 deemer— that  he  will  appear  a  fecond  time  to 
 thy  compleat  redemption — that  he  will  caufe 
 thee  to  fhake  off  the  fetters  of  thy  mortality, 
 and  when  he  recalls  thee  to  life,  perpetuate 
 the  gift  of  it,  and  intirely  deliver  thee  from 
 every  circumftance  that  can  render  thee  the 
 leaft  unhappy  in  the  poflelTion  of  it.  Go 
 therefore  and  remember  with  grateful  adora- 
 tion and  praife,  the  almighty  power  which 
 raifed  him  from  the  dead  :  Improve  this  great 
 and  wonderful  event  to  the  flrengthening  thy 
 befl  refolutions  for  God  and  goodnefs,  to  the 
 increafe  of  every  right  difpofition  and  affedion 
 in  thy  own  bread",  and  to  thy  abounding  in 
 all  the  fruits  of  unfeigned  godlinefs  ;  and  reft 
 afiured,  that  he,  "who  loved  thee  and  gave  him- 
 f elf  for  thee,  will  fiew  thee  the  path  of  life^  and 
 receive  thee  finally  to  himfelf,  that  thou  mayefl 
 fee  where  he  is  to  behold  his  glory,  Amen. 
 
 SERMON 
 
C   269   5 
 
 SERMON     X. 
 
 The  principal  Objedlon  to  the  Refurredion 
 of  Chrifl  anfwered. 
 
 Acts    x.    40,  41. 
 
 Him  God  rai/ed  up  the  third  day  and  JJjewed 
 him  openly  j  not  to  all  the  people,  but  unto 
 ivitneps  chojen  before  of  God  ;  even  to  us^  who 
 did  eat  and  drink  with  hi?n  after  he  rofe  from 
 the  dead, 
 
 THERE  Is  fcarce  any  dt£\gn  whatfoever^ 
 that  can  be  named,  be  it  ever  fo  ex- 
 cellent and  good,  nor  any  means  that  can  be 
 made  ufe  of,  though  adapted  in  the  wifefl 
 manner  to  accomplilih  fuch  defign,  which  are 
 not  liable  to  the  cenfure  of  proud  and  infolent 
 men,  and  againft  which  it  is  not  poliible  to 
 find  out  plaufible  objedions ;  if  perfons  will 
 indulge  the  cavilling  fpirit,  or  fet  themfelves 
 up  for  the  fupreme  judges  in  all  cafes  and  cir- 
 cumftances  whatfoever.  Even  the  wiys^and 
 works  of  God  hijjtfelfy  though  none  by  fe arching 
 can  Jind  them  out  to  perfeBion^  nor  underfiand 
 the  reafom  3,nd  fchemes  of  things^  as  they  lie  in 
 
 the 
 
270       ^'he  Principal  OhjeSlon  to  the       Serm.  lo/ 
 
 the  divine  mind,  have  not  efcaped  this   cen- 
 Jure.      It   is  reported   by  credible  hiftorians, 
 that  Alphonfus,  one  of  the  Kings  of  Cajiille, 
 greatly  blamed   the  difpofition  of  the  frame 
 of  nature,  and  blafphemoufly  faid  :  *  He  eould 
 have  advifed  the  creator  better  to  have  adjufted 
 the  frame  of  nature,  had  he  been  prefent  at 
 the  creation  of  the  world/     Nor  have  there 
 been  wanting  thofe,  who  have  given   them- 
 felves  the  name  of  philojbphers,  who,  becaufe 
 the  world   was  not  made  in  every  refped  jufl: 
 agreeable   to    their   imaginations,    denied  the 
 very  Being  of  God ;  and  becaufe  that  all  events 
 in  the  world  were  not  managed  according;  to 
 their  notions  of  wifdom  and  goodnefs,  have 
 concluded,  that  there  is  no  divifie  Providejice 
 over-ruling  and  direding  all  things  for  wife 
 and  benevolent  purpofes.     However  it  is  evi- 
 dent, that  all  conclulions  of  this  kind  are  rafh- 
 nefs  and  folly,  for  this  reafon,  if  there  was  no 
 other,  becaufe  it  is  impoffible  that  men  can  be 
 competent  judges  of  things  whereof  they  have 
 no  exad:  and  compreheniive  knowledge;  and 
 becaufe   the  fchemes  of  creation  and  provi- 
 dence are  fo  vaftly  exteniive  and  complex,  as 
 that  it  is  as  impoffible  that  men  (hould  fully 
 comprehend  them  in  their  minds,  as  that  they 
 fliould  hold  the  waters  of  the  fea  in  the  hollow  of 
 their  hand,  or  weigh  the  duft  ef  the  earth  in  a 
 hallance*     And  therefore,   whatever  cenfures 
 they  pafs  on  the  works  either  of  creation    or 
 providence,  muft  be  prefumptuous  and  irra-* 
 tional  J  becaufe  they  cenfure  what  they  know 
 
 .    not. 
 
Scrm.  lo.      RefurreUlon  of  Clrijl  ayifwered,     i']t 
 
 not,  and  draw  conclufions  from  the  mod  un-« 
 certain  and  miftaken  premifes. 
 
 The  fame  way  of  falfe  reafonlng  and  wrong 
 method  of  falfe  judgment  are  too  often  prac- 
 tifed  by  the  oppofers  of  divine  revdaticn.  The 
 fcheme  of  redemption  as  little  pleafes  them, 
 as  this  of  creatmi  and  providence  has  plcafed 
 others  j  and  becaufe  there  is,  as  they  ima- 
 gine, fomething  wrong  in  this  or  the  other 
 part  of  it,  they  reject  the  whole  ;  and  will 
 not  believe  any  part  of  it  to  be  of  a  divine  ori- 
 ginal, becaufe  this  and  the  other  particular 
 hath  not  been  managed  as  they  think  it  ought 
 to  have  been,  and  as  they  themfelves  could 
 have  better  ordered  and  direded  it. 
 
 Our  blefTed  Saviour,  when  he  was  on  earth, 
 
 chofe     twelve    perfons     to     be    his    almofl 
 
 conftant  companions.  In  order  to  be  wii?iej/es 
 
 to  the  JanBity  of  his  life,  to  the  miracles  he 
 
 wrought,  and  to  the  i?ijir unions  he  gave   in 
 
 the  great  concerns  of  religion  and  virtue;  and 
 
 one  would  think  that  this  was  the  only  pofii- 
 
 ble  method  by  which  a  faithful   account  of 
 
 thefe  things  could  be  tranfmitted  to  future 
 
 ages.     And  as  his  refurrediion  from  the  dead 
 
 was  one  of  thofe  miraculous  events  that  was 
 
 intended,  am.ong  many  other  reafons,  to  be 
 
 one  principal  evidence  of  his  divine  miilion,  and 
 
 of  the  divine  original  and  authority  of  the 
 
 dod:rine  and  religion  he  taught,  fo  he  chofe 
 
 to  make  thefe  twelve  perfons  the  witnejjes  to  his 
 
 refurredion,   that  they  might  be  capable  bcth 
 
 of  teaching  his  religion,  and  of  giving   this 
 
 fubftantial  evidence,  that  he   who  taught  it 
 
 was 
 
2^2        Ihe  Principal  Ohje5lion  to  the      Serm.  lo; 
 
 was  demonflrated  to  be  the  Son  of  God  by  his 
 refurreBion  from  the  dead.  And  this  was  ne- 
 ceffary,  becaufe  hh  do£ir'ine  would  have  wanted 
 one  of  the  ftrongeft  confirmations,  had  they 
 not  been  witnef]es  to  this  fa£i,  and  becaufe 
 the  pubfifhing  this  fad;  of  the  refurre(5lion  of 
 Chrift  to  the  world  would  have  been  of  7io 
 confeqiieiice  to  mankind,  had  they  hztnf  rangers . 
 to  his  doSlrine^  and  could  they  not  have  in- 
 formed the  world  as  v/ell  of  his  religion,  as  of 
 that  miraculous  refurredlion  which  was  de- 
 ligned  to  confirm  it. 
 
 But  as  they  were  conftituted  witneffes  of 
 both,  they  were  therefore  every  way  fit  for 
 the  office  to  which  they  were  appointed,  'viz, 
 to  publifh  his  Dodrine  and  Gofpel,  with  pro- 
 per authority  to  the  world  j'  and  no  perfons 
 could,  in  the  nature  of  the  thing, be  fit  for  the 
 execution  of  fuch  an  office,  but  perfons  ia 
 their  or  the  like  circumftances ;  as,  I  think, 
 muft  appear  to  any  one  who  will  confider  this 
 affciir  with  due  candor  and  im.paitiality.  And 
 accordingly  Feter  tells  Cornelius ^  that  God 
 anointed  jefiis  of  Nazareth  with  the  Holy  Ghofl 
 end  with  power ^  who  went  about  doing  goody  ajid 
 heaVmg  all  who  were  opprefed  of  the  Devil ;  for 
 God  was  with  him.  And  we  are  witiiefj'es  of  all 
 things  which  he  did,  both  in  the  land  of  the 
 Jews  and  in  Jeruialem  j  whom  they  few  and 
 hanged  on  a  tree.  And  that  God  raijed  him  up 
 the  third  day y  and  f  ewe d  him  open^-,  not  indeed 
 to  all  the  people^  but  unto  witneffes  chofen  before 
 of  God ;  even  to  us^  who  did  eat  and  drink  with 
 him  after  he  rofe  again  from  the  dead.     And 
 
 the 
 
Scrm;  16.     Refune^ion  cf  Ckrijl  mifwcred.      273 
 
 the  teftimony  of  fuch  vvitnciTes,  who  had 
 fuch  evidence  of  the  thing  they  teftified,  would 
 be  of  very  great  weight  in  almoll:  any  other 
 fuppofeable  cafe  that  could  be  mentioned. 
 
 But  this  account  did  not  fatisfy  fome  of  the 
 mitie?2t  enemies  of  Chriftianity,  and  is  objeded 
 againft  by  fome  of  the  modern. 
 
 Cd[m  *,  an  Epicurean  phikfophcr,  who  lived 
 near  the  firft  publication  of  Chrifcianity,  in  a 
 treatife  he  wrote  purpofely  againft  it,  fays^ 
 **  If  Chrifl:  would  have  in  reality  his  divine 
 "  power  appear,  he  ought  to  have  fhewii 
 "  himfelf  to  his  enemies^  to  his  jiidge^  and 
 "  abfolutely  to  all  the  people.''  And  Origen^ 
 who  anfwered  Celfus,  thinks  Qhv\9i  s  ?iot  appear- 
 ing i\i\x^  publickly  is  an  objc5iion  not  to  be 
 made  light  of  or  defpifed  j  and  indeed  what 
 Origen  hath  faid  in  anfvver  to  it  is  very  far  from 
 removing  the  difficulty.  The  fame  objedion 
 is  urged  by  the  philofophers  of  ihQprefent  age-f-^ 
 who  afk,  *'  Why  (liould  the  credit  of  this  fadl 
 "  depend  on  the  teftimony  of  the  Apojiles 
 "  alone  j  that  if  they  had  been  enemies,  and 
 ''  converted  by  the  miraculous  re{urrc(51;ion  of 
 "  Chrilt,  this  would  have  been  much  better  j 
 *'  and  that  he  ought  to  have  appeared,  efpe- 
 **  cially  to  the  magifiratcs.  And  that  the  'Jews 
 **  not  owning  him  as  the  Meffiah,  was  owing 
 "  to  his  7iot  appearing  to  them  after  his  re^ 
 *'  furredion." 
 
 It  will  not  therefore  be  amlfs  at  this  feafon 
 of  the  year,  and  efpecially,  as  tlie  prefentpre- 
 
 *  Orlg.  cont.  Ce!f.  lih.  z.    §  Syp.  43^.         f  Refjr.  of  Jef. 
 Confid.  p.  75,  ^Ch 
 
 Vol.  L  T  Vailing 
 
•if 4       I'he  Principal OhjeBim  to  fhe      Serm.  r#v 
 
 vailing  difpofition  of  the  times  is  not  ove? 
 favourable  to  the  caufe  of  Chriflianity,  fe- 
 rioufly  to  enter  into  this  argument,  and  re- 
 snove,  if  wc  can,,  an  objecftion  that  hath  been 
 thonghty  bodi  by  the  friends  and  enemies  of 
 tihe  Chriflian  Religion^,  of  fome  confequence  5; 
 ©fpeGially  as  the  removaL  of  any  confiderable 
 difficulty  will  add  a  proportionable  ftrength 
 to  theChriftian  caufe^and  render  the  founda- 
 tion of  it  more  firm  and  immovable.. 
 
 I  would  only  ohitr^vty  as  previous  to  what  I 
 have  to  fay  on  this  argument,  that  there  doth 
 not  feem  to  be  any  thing  peculiar  in  the  cir- 
 cumflances  of  ths  yewiflj  people,  that  renders 
 it  neceflary  they  f-hould  hzsz  ^imre  extraor-* 
 dinary  method  of  convidion  in  this  article  of 
 ChrilVs  refurrediony  than  all  other  nations  of 
 the  earth  >  as  they  had  crucified  him  in  fpite 
 of  all  hi*  forn>er  miracles,  and  don't  appear 
 to  have  had  any  peculiar  integrity  of  difpofition 
 to  recommend  th-era  to  fuch  a  diftiagufhing 
 favour  from  God.  And  therefore  this  equity 
 evidently  appears  in  this  difpofal  of  providenccj 
 fhat  as  Chrill:  was  equally  intended  to  be  a 
 common  hhjjing  bosh  to  'Jeim  and  Gentiles,  fo 
 God  faw  it  proper,  that  tiey  fhould  both  have 
 €xav5lly  \}i\t  Jaime  evidence  of  the  truth  of  this 
 extraordinary  event,  that  was  to  be  the  founda- 
 tion artick  of  the  Chtiftkm  faith.  So  that 
 the  ^e-isjs  had  no  prerogativg  above  the  GentileSj 
 and  the  Gentiles  couild  not  complaia  that  they 
 wanted  any  proof  which  the  Jews  had,  or 
 were  under  any  difadvantages  as  to  the  grounds 
 of  theiF  believing  in  Chrift,  from  which  the 
 
 yews 
 
5errtii  iO»      R6furre6iwn  of  Chriji  anfwered.     I75 
 
 yews  were  exempted.  And  If  the  teflimony 
 of  the  Apoftles^z.%,  all  things  confidered,  the 
 very  hefi  method  that  could  be  taken  to  render 
 Chrifl's  refurre6tion  credible  and  ariain ;  the 
 complaining  for  want  of  other  evidence  will 
 appear  highly  unreafonable.  But  not  to  infift 
 on  this ;  let  usobferve, 
 
 I.  That  the  objeclion  itfelf^  or  rathef  the 
 fuppofition,  that  he  ought  to  have  appeared 
 after  his  refurrediion  to  all  the  people^  is  a  very 
 vague  and  indeterminate  one,  and  admits  of  a 
 very  great  variety  of  queflions,  which  muft 
 be  fettled  before  the  fenfe  of  it  can  be  well 
 underftood,  or  a  proper  and  explicit  anfwer 
 can  be  given  to  it :  As  particularly, 
 
 Doth  all  the  people  mean  every  individual  ai 
 the  Jewiflj  people,  Of  only  the  inhabitants  ofje^ 
 rufalem-y  or  only  of  Jerufalem  and  the  neigh* 
 bouring  towns  j  or  of  the  inhabitants  of  all 
 yudeat  or  the  Jews  inhabiting  in  all  the  na*- 
 tions  of  the  then  world,  or  thofe  only  who  had 
 a  hand  immediately  in  crucifying  him.  If  this 
 fuppoiition  be  goodj  that  he  ought  to  have 
 appeared  to  all  the  people,  why  Ihould  any  be 
 omitted  ?  why  the  inhabitants  of  yerufaleni 
 and  in  Judea  be  fo  very  much  favoured  above 
 thofe  who  dwelt  in  other  cities  and  countries ; 
 efpecially,  v/hat  claim  had  his  crucifiers  who 
 condemned  him  by  falfe  aqcufations  and  wit- 
 neffes,  and  who  Pilate  himfelf  knew  had  de- 
 livered hi?}i  out  of  e?2iyy  what  claim  had  ih^.y 
 to  fuch  extraordinary  tendernefs,.  as  that  they 
 fliould  have  a  more  peculiar  method  of  con- 
 viction of  Chrifl's  refurre<f\ion  than  all  the 
 T  a  reft 
 
'2'y-6       ^'he'Princip'dlOhjci^l'on  to  tE^       Serm.  it?; 
 
 reft  of  the  whole  nation  ?  If  indeed  he  ought 
 to  have  appeared  to  ally  I  think  there  {hould 
 be  170  exception  X  •  For  could  not  ail  when  thej 
 had  fcen  himjpenk  truth,  and  fpeak  what  they 
 faw,  as  well  ;^sjbme  -,  is  truth  ever  the  worje 
 for.  being  atteiied  by  mmiercus  perfons,  by  a 
 whole  nation  as  well  as  a  part  of  it,  or  is  thai 
 faith  moji  true,  which  hath  the  leaft  evidence 
 for  it,  or  is  the  teftimony  of  a  whole  nation 
 of  fo  litde  account,  as  that  itfliould  be  flight- 
 edy  when  it  can  be  fairly  had  ? 
 
 If  then  Chrill,  according  to  this  reafoning-, 
 fiiould  have  appeared  to  all  the  people  in  general 
 without  exception,  the  next  queftions  that 
 arife  are,  Hciv  he  mud  have  appeared  to  hav2 
 fatistyed  the  whole  body  of  the  nation  ?  ivhere 
 be  could  have  found  them  colleded?  what 
 place  would  have  been  proper  to  have  gathered 
 shem  together  ?■  how  they  muft  have  had  ths 
 fiimmons  and  notice  to  have  aiTembled  ?  and 
 hoiv  long  time  Vvould.  have  been  neceflary  for 
 their  receiving  this  convi(ftion  ?  Had  the  jipC" 
 Hies  gone  about  tohave^/Vw;  them  Tiotice,  very 
 few  would  have  believed  them,  or  thought  it 
 worth  their  while  to  have  met  at  the  appointed 
 place  of  rendezvous,  only  to  have  feen  a  man 
 that  the  Apoftles  faid  was  rifen  from  the  deadv 
 Th^  priefls  and  i-ulers  tixh^r  did  not  believe  it, 
 or  not  like  the  thi^ng  ;  and  fo  vvo^iild  7Wt  fum^ 
 mon\h.txx\  by  publick  authority.  Belides,  the 
 iime  neceffary  for  fuch  a-Goliection  of  the  whole 
 body  from   all  parts  and    nations  would  have- 
 
 %  Rs-fur.  of  Jef.  cotifid.  p.  79* 
 
"Serm.  teo.      Rcfurre5li.on,(ff  Chrijl  anfice'ncd,     2|7 
 
 been  fo  long  that  ?ni7ny,  and  probably  many 
 of  his  cruct/h's  would  have  ^iicd  before  they 
 could  have  met  together,  and  fo  ablblutf:]/ 
 have  lofl  this  convidion,  which  would  have 
 been  unrealonable,  and  what,  according  to 
 our  fuppofition,  they  might  reafonably  have 
 complained  of.  If  it  be  faid  that  this  appear- 
 ance to  all  might  have  hztngraditaly  and  Chritl 
 inisht  have  converfed  with  them  time  after 
 time,  'till  the  fatisfaftion  and  conviiftion  had 
 been  general  j  I  would  then  alk,  Ho%v  lo?ig  a 
 time  they  would  have  allotted  for  Chriii'a  thus 
 continuing  on  earth,  that  his  appearance  to  the 
 "Jewi  might  have  been  general.-,  in  ivhat  cir" 
 cuwjlances  mufl  he  have  appeared  to  them  ?  If 
 in  the  fame  condition  of  poverty  in  which  he 
 Jived  before  his  death,  they  would  have  i/c"^ 
 Jplfed  him  as  much  after  his  refurredtioR  as 
 before,  and  treated  him  with  -the  fame  info- 
 lence  and  contempt.  Jf  with  the  proper  marks 
 of  external  poiver.^  grandeur  and  riches ^  this 
 would  have  mide  the  'Jews  mad,  and  excited 
 them  to  rebellion. 'y  the  Romans  v/ould  have 
 fcarce  permitted  him  to  have  appeared  in  Je^ 
 rufalem,  and  gone  about  from  city  to  ckywith 
 -numerous  followers  and  outward  fplendor  and 
 niagnificence.  The  Homans  would  .liave  fuf- 
 pected  a  revolt,,  and  the  'jtwi  would  certainly 
 have  made  q\'\'z.  Such  an  appearance  befides 
 was  contrary  to  the  declared  charaSicr  he  af- 
 fumed,  of  meeJz  and  lowly  in  {pint^  it  would 
 have  gratified  the  pride  and  vanity  of  the 
 'Jews,  which  he  came  to  check ;  and  con- 
 Srmed  them  in  that  .notioa  of  a  tempord 
 T  3  M-emak. 
 
zy$       the  Principal  Ohje^ion  to  the       Serm.  lo. 
 
 Mefliah  and  Saviour,  which  had  nothing 
 but  prejudice  and  falfe  opinion  to  fupport 
 it.  But  fuppoling  all  thefe  circumftances  well 
 fettled,  yet, 
 
 2.  Such  a  general  appearance,  had  it  been 
 poffible,  might  have  been  wholly  nfehfs  and 
 anfwered  no  manner  of  good  end,  and  car- 
 ried no  kind  of  conviction  with  it  that  he  was 
 ^dually  rifen  from  the  dead.  The  Sadducees^ 
 who  abfolutely  denied,  like  our  mcdern  philo- 
 jopherSi  the  very  po[jibUity  of  a  refurredion, 
 would  have  laughed  at  fuch  an  appearance. 
 They  would  either  have  denied  him  to  be  the 
 Jame  perfon  that  was  crucified,  and  faid  his 
 difciples  had  changed  him,  and  made  marks 
 in  his  body,  on  purpofe  the  better  to  carry  on 
 the  impofture ;  or  the  Scribes  and  Pharifees 
 might  hsLve  joined  with  them,  and  taking  up  the 
 objedion  that  is  even  now  held  up  to  us  j  that 
 he  was  never  really  put  to  death,  but  taken 
 down  from  the  crols  whilfl;  he  was  only  in  a 
 Jwoon,  came  to  himfelf  again  in  hisfepnlchre, 
 and  was  fraudulently  conveyed  from  thence 
 by  his  difciples.  Or  fuppofing  thev  lliould 
 have  thought  him  really  dead  and  really  rifen,  I 
 am  not  fure  but  that  they,  who  werQ  wicked 
 enough  to  fay,  when  he  cured  by  his  com-f 
 mand  a  poiTefled  perfon  that  was  born  blind 
 ^nd  dumb,  T^his fellow  cannot  cajl  out  devils  but 
 by  Belzebub  the  prince  of  devils^  i  would  have 
 been  weak  and  wicked  enough  to  h^vejaid, 
 ^Tk.  fdhig  was  not  raifedbut  by  the  power  of  the 
 
 prince 
 
Scrm.  lo.      Refurreclion  of  Chrijl  mtfwend.      ly^ 
 
 Prince  of  devils ;  for  they  might  have  faid  it 
 with  equal  decency,  candor,  reafon  and  ap- 
 pearance of  truth.     And  faither. 
 
 This  general  appeaiance  to  all  muft  have 
 been  wholly  need/efs  on  anoiher  account,  and 
 could  have  been  no  manner  of  confirmation 
 to  moftof  them  of  his  .real  refurret^tion  from 
 the  dead.  For  though,  according  to  the  fup- 
 pofition,  all  had  {z^w  him,  how  would  this 
 have  convinced  all  that  he  was  the  y^?/;;^/'^^^^^ 
 who  had  been  put  to  death,  fince  by  far  the 
 ^reateji  part  oi  them  \i-iA  Jieroer  fecn  him,  nor 
 knew  him  before  his  crucifixion  ?  Haw  them 
 could  thev  be  fure'he  had  been  dead,,  and  was 
 ih^fime  individual  perfon  returned  to  life  ?  la 
 this,  viz^  that  he  was  the  fame  perfon,  they 
 could  have  had  no  manner  of  fatisfadion  but 
 from  the  tejlimony  of  others^  and  thia,  we  arc 
 told,  they  ought  not  to  have  believed^  and  by 
 confeqnence  being  themfelves  only  hear-fay 
 witnejjk,  their  teftimony  would  have  been  of 
 very  little  fignificance  to  have  confirmed  the 
 fad,  and  ftrengthened  the  foundation  of  the 
 •faith  in  the  w  jrld  ::  And  therefore  his  appear- 
 ance could  have  been  of  no  ufe  but  to  thofe 
 who  had  before  perfonally  known  him,  and 
 ss  to  thefe  we  find.,  that  infidelity  and  perfon.al 
 Tnalice  would  not  have  wanted  luppofitions  to 
 tiave  evaded  the  evidence,  and  rendered  his 
 appearance  ineffe(5tu'il.     But  then 
 
 Had  this  been  the  cafe  after  fuch  a  pub- 
 lick  appearance  before  them,  had  they  im- 
 puted it  to  the  want  of  his  having  been  tho- 
 im\gh\y  dead,  or  to  his  being  rcfiorsd  to  life 
 
 T  4  bj 
 
28o         The  Principal  OhjetHon  to  the      Serm.  lo. 
 
 by  the  power  of  the  devil,  are  we  fure   they 
 would  not  have  publickly  irjulted  him  again, 
 and  demanded  of  the  Roman  governor  the  full 
 execution    of  his  former   fentence,  and   cla- 
 rnoured  him  to  -Sijecond  crucifixion  F  Or  if  they 
 could  not  have  prevailed  with  Filate  to  have 
 Confented  to  this,  would  they  not  have  acSted 
 by  Chrifiy  as  they   did  with  Lazarus,  when 
 they  conjiilied  after  his  refurredion  to  put  him 
 to  death,  becaufe  the   people  had  flocked   to- 
 gether  to  fee   jefus^  and  Lazarus  v/hom  he 
 had  raifed  J  ?     Had  they  entertained  any  fuf- 
 picions  of  the  fentence's  not  having  been  tho- 
 roughly  executed,  or    were  they    under   the 
 polleilion  of  an  incural^le  hatred  to  his  perfon, 
 this  muft  have  been  the  confequence  of  his 
 publick  appearance  to  them.  And  though  this 
 v/ould  have  been  extremely  grateful  to  fuch  a 
 fet  of  men  as   the  Scribes  and  Pharifees,  and 
 Piiells  and  Sadducees  of  thofe  times,  and,  as 
 iar  as  appears,  to  many  in  our  own  days  j  yet 
 God   was    pleafed    to   judge   otherwife,    and 
 to  deliver  him   from   all   the   farther    infults 
 and  cruelties   of  that  wicked  and  profligate 
 generation. 
 
 It  fl^ould  be  alfo  confidered,  that  had  this 
 been  the  confequence  of  fuch  a  publick  ap- 
 pearance, it  would  not  only  have  been  an  high 
 injury  to  his  perfon,  but  a  'very  great  prejudice 
 to  his  religion  and  doctrine^  and  probably  have 
 entirely  prevented  the  belief  and  progrefs  of 
 it  in  the  world.  For  had  his  refurrettion  been 
 
 t  John  xii.  5^ 
 
Serm.  lo.      Refiirre5lion  of  Chrifi  anp-jsered.      iZi 
 
 reaU  liis  being  ififu /ted  and  defpifed,  and  treated 
 as  an  unpojhr  after  it  by  the  Jewifi  governors 
 and  people,  would  have  been  fiicli  ^  publick 
 proteji  againfl  it,  as  would  have  greatly  de- 
 llroved  the  credit  of  it,  and  given  the  higheffc 
 realbn  to  have  lufpedied  the  truths  and  had 
 he  been  put  to  death  ihtfecofid  time,  the  whole 
 fcheme  of  Chrifcianity  would  have  been  de- 
 fbroyed,  which  depended  on  his  refurre(ftion, 
 unlefs  God  had  raifed  bifn  afecoiidthne.  Had 
 this  been  pretended  or  a  real  fa6t,  hoiv  could 
 it  have  been  believed^  if  fraud  or  impofture 
 had  been  fufpe(fted  in  ihejirft  refurredtion;,  it 
 would  have  much  more  been  fufpec^ed,  and 
 wholly  prevented  the  credibility  ol"  iWfccojid-, 
 and  if  a  publick  appearance  was  necellary  to 
 the  belief  of  ihejirji^  it  would  have  been  as 
 neceflary  to  the  belief  of  l\\c  fccond^  and  the 
 fame  feries  of  events  might  have  been  a(5ted 
 over  again  a  frcond  time,  and  I  doubt  not  but 
 the  enemies  of  Chriflianity  would  have  found 
 out  cljeciiom  enough  agalnrt  a  fecond  refurrec- 
 tion.  They  would  have  faid,  the  miracles 
 of  the  firfl:  would  have  been  fufficient  j  why 
 fhould  God  raife  him  once  and  not  give^ro- 
 per  evidence  of  that  ;  why  did  he  not  prevent 
 his  fecond  crucifixion  ;  to  what  purpose  the 
 expence  of  a  feccnd  miracle,  when  the  firft 
 v.'ouid  have  been  fufficient  ?  A  refurredion 
 ©nee,  they  would  have  then  faid,  might  have 
 had  fome  probability,  but  that  God  Hiould 
 raife  him  only  to  be  put  to  death  again  imme- 
 diately, and  thus  double  the  miracle  by  a  fe-* 
 fond    refii^reCtion,    is    Jibfolutely    incredible, 
 
 bgcaii.fe 
 
aS2        7hf  Principal  ObjeSion  tt)  tht        Serrti.  lo.' 
 
 becaufe  neither  his  fecond  death  nor  refurrec- 
 tion  could  anfvver  any  end,  which  might  not  as 
 well  have  been  provided  for  by  the  hrft ;  and 
 indeed  fuch  a  pretence  would  have  been  an 
 unanfwerable  obje(3:ion,  had  Chriftianity  been 
 founded  upon  it. 
 
 So  that  could  all  the  circumftances  of  the 
 number  he  ftiould  appear  to,  the  manner  of 
 his  doing  it,  the  length  of  time  neceifary  to 
 make  his  proper  appearance  in,  could  thefe 
 and  the  like  circumftances,  I  fay,  be  fully 
 fettled,  fo  as  to  be  free  from  all  material  juft 
 objedion  ,♦  yet  fuch  appearance  might  have 
 been  of  no  manner  of  fervice  for  the  convic- 
 tion of  the  Jews  themfelves,  that  his  refurrec- 
 tion  from  the  dead  was  real.  It  would  not 
 have  convinced  the  Sadducees^  who  all  in  a  body 
 denied  the  pojjibility  of  the  thing,  and  there- 
 fore, though  real,  mull:  have  counted  it  an  im- 
 ppfture.  Nor  might  it  have  convinced  the 
 ether  part  of  the  nation  who  believed  a  refur- 
 redion  pojfible^  that  'Jefm  was  adiually  rifen  ; 
 becaufe  it  might  have  entered  into  their  heads 
 that  he  was  never  wholly  dead,  by  which  they 
 would  have  accounted  for  his  appearance  after 
 his  crucifixion,  without  believing  any  thing 
 of  his  refurredion ;  and  therefore  fuch  an  ap- 
 pearance to  all  the  people  might  have  carried 
 no  conviction  to  them.  It  might  certainly 
 have  had  as  little  efFedt  to  convince  after  ages 
 of  his  refurredion,  and  our  modern  unbelievers 
 would  certainly  have  been  as  little  fatisfied 
 of  the  truth  of  it  as  they  are  now.  For  fomc 
 of  them  are  profejfcd  Sadducees,  who   even  in 
 
 -   writing 
 
Scrm.  10.      RefurreHion  of  Clrijl  anfivered.       2 S3 
 
 writing  declare  *,  *'  That  for  a  dead  perfon 
 to  rife  to  life  again  is  contrary  to  the  uni- 
 form and  fetded  courfe  of  nature,  and  that 
 the  laws  of  nature  inform  us,  that  it  is  //?/- 
 pojjible  for  a  dead  body  to  live  again."  Others 
 queftion  the  reality  Oi  Chrift's  deaths  and 
 they  pretend  to  account  for  his  appearance 
 after  his  crucifixon,  becaule  in  truth,  as  they 
 fay,  he  was  never  dead.  And  though  his 
 refurred:ion  had  been  real,  and  his  appear- 
 ance to  the  people  wiiverjaly  yet  if  through 
 a  fadducaical  fcepticifm  on  the  one  hand,  or  a 
 denial  through  prejudice  and  hatred  of  him 
 on  the  other,  the  Jeivs  in  a  body  had  rejected 
 the  account  of  his  refurrecftion  as  an  impofture 
 and  fable,  the  enemies  of  chriftianity  would 
 have  triumphed  in  this  as  an  invincible  argu- 
 ment againft  the  truth  of  it,  and  would  have 
 denied  that  lach  a  poblick  appearance  was  fa- 
 tisfadory  to  themfelves,  becaufe  unfatisfa(ftory 
 to  thofe  to  whom  it  was  immediately  made  ; 
 And  by  confequence  the  pretence  that  fuch  a 
 publick  appearance  to  the  people  was  necefiary 
 to  convince  them  of  the  fa(^,  is  an  irrational 
 and  abfurd  fuppofition  ;  becaufe  that  can  ne- 
 ver be  necedary  to  convince  of  the  truth  of 
 any  fa<fl:,  which  polUbly  might  have  carried 
 in  it  no  convidion  at  all,  efpecially  if  there 
 were  other  7i2ore  likely  methods  of  convidion 
 that  might  be,  and  adlually  were  made  ufe  of 
 for  this  purpofe.  Nor  is  this  fuppofidon,  that 
 they  would  not  have   been  convinced  of  hia 
 
 •  Aai".  to  the  Trial  p.   91. 
 
 rcfur** 
 
s'S4  '^^^  Principal  Ohjeolion  to  the  Sefm.  lo.' 
 refurredlion  even  by  a  publick  appearance  to 
 the  people,  at  all  improbable.  For  the  ^ad- 
 ducees^  upon  their  principles  of  the  impoffiibi- 
 lity  of  a  refurredtion,  precluded  themfelves 
 from  all  poffible  convidion  in  the  caie,  and 
 would  have  faid  in  modern  ftile,  "  What  no 
 man's  fenfes  ever  difcerned  was  never  the  ob- 
 jedl  of  any  man's  fenfe  ;  and  that  in  cafes  of 
 this  nature  we  (liould  have  reafon  to  quellion 
 the  veracity  of  our  eye-fight  or  the  objecft, 
 and  that  one  adion  pretended  to  be  done  con- 
 trary to  the  laws  of  nature,  contradids  all  her 
 fl-eady  uniform  fprings  and  movements."  And 
 as  our  modern  unbelievers  are  fometimes  dif^ 
 pofed  to  queflion  the  truth  of  his  death,  to 
 account  for  his  appearance  after  his  refurrec- 
 tion,  why  might  not  the  Jews  formerly  have 
 had  the  fame  difpofition  to  anfwer  the  fame 
 purpofe  ?  For  I  imagine  they  had  enmity 
 enough  to  Chiifl;  to  lead  them  into  any  fuf- 
 picions  prejudicial  to  his  character,  and  sn 
 equal  fhare  oi  fagacity  and  inventioii  with  any 
 that  can  be  named  in  the  prefent  generation. 
 If  therefore  we  can  but  fuppofe,  what,  me- 
 thinks,  it  requires  no  extraordinary  meafure 
 of  faith  to  do,  that  God  knew  the  dijpofition  of 
 the  yews,  and  forefaw  that  this  and  the  like 
 confequences  would  have  flowed  from  fuch 
 a  publick  appearance  of  Chrift  after  his  refur- 
 redion  to  all  the  people;  and  that  it  would 
 in  the  iffiie  have  been  fo  far  from  adding  any 
 weight  to  the  adual  belief  of  Chrift's  refur- 
 redion,  or  promoting  that  belief  in  the 
 worlds  as  that  it  would  have  really  been  an 
 
 objedicfi 
 
Scrm'.  10."     Refurre^ion  of  Chrifi  anfwered.      2fr^ 
 
 obje(ftion  againfl  it  and  hindrance  to  it;  and 
 that  the  method  of  choofing  fpcctal  witnejfes 
 to  attefl:  it,  would  prove  a  viore  effcBual  means 
 of  gaining  credit  to  this  important  event ;  if 
 we  can  but  imagine  that  God  forefaw  thefe 
 things,  Chrift's  not  publickly  appearing  to  aM 
 the  people  will  appear  fo  far  from  being  any- 
 real  objection  againfl  the  truth  of  his  refurrec- 
 tion,  that  it  will  appear  to  be  a  wife  and  fa- 
 vourable orderance  of  his  providence  to  render 
 the  belief  of  it  more  eafy  and  general.  I 
 have  fliewn  that  fuch  an  appearance  might 
 have  deilroyed  the  credibility  of  the  fact, 
 how  then  can  it  be  proved  that  it  ivould  not  ac- 
 tually have  done  it  ?  If  God  forefaw  it  would, 
 his  own  wifdoni  and  goodnefs  would  diredt 
 him  to  make  choice  of  a  different  method  \ 
 a  different  method  was  taken,  that  method 
 adually  proved  effe&iml,  that  method  there- 
 fore was  a  fit  and  proper  one  ;  and  therefore 
 to  affirm  that  another  method  than  that 
 which  is  taken  would  have  been  better,  is  to 
 affirm  that  of  which  it  is  abfolutely  inipoffible 
 we  can  be  competent  judges,  and  to  find  fault 
 with  a  method  that  we  are  fure  by  the  con- 
 fequences  was  effe<ftual  to  anfwer  the  end 
 intended. 
 
 I  might  reft  this  matter  fafely  here;  but  that  I 
 may  give  this  objedion  the  fuUeft  fcope,  I  will 
 fuppofe  that  fuch  a  publick  appearance  to  the 
 people  had  convinced  them  that  he  was  actually 
 rifen  again  from  the  dead ;  and  that  as  they 
 knew  him  to  be  thoroughly  crucified,  and  fixed 
 dead  on  the  crofs  by  the  Ipear  tiiat  wounded 
 
 him^ 
 
286        ^he  Principal  OhjeSfion  to  the       Serm.  lO. 
 
 him,  fo  they  had  inconteftible  evidence  ahd 
 the  fulleft  fatisfadlion  that  he  was  reftored  mi- 
 raculoufly  to  life  again  ;  the  confequence  mufl 
 have  been,  either  that  they  would  neverthelefs 
 have  rejeBcd  him  from  being  the  MeJ/iah^  or 
 that  they  would  h^vtfubmitted  to  him  and  be-* 
 lieved  in  him  under  that  charader. 
 
 Tht  Jirjl  fuppofition  is  far  from  being  itn^ 
 poffibk  or  improbable^  viz.  that  notwithflanding 
 their  being  convinced  of  his  returning  to  life, 
 they  would  iieither  have  owned  him  as  a  pro- 
 phet or  their  MeJJiah.     For  fuch  was  the  aver» 
 Jion  they  had  conceived  towards  him,  and  the 
 inveterate  malice  that  influenced  them,  becaufe 
 he  was  not  fuch  a  Meffiah  as  they  had  formed 
 an  imagination  of,  and   becaufe  his  dodlrine 
 and  life  were  a  perpetual  reproach  of  their  hy- 
 pocrify  and  wickednefs,  that  probably,  though 
 they  had  believed  his  refurredion,  they  would 
 not  have  believed  it  to  have  been  effected  by 
 God,  but  might  have  been  hardened  enough 
 to  fay,  as  they  did  when  by  his  mere  com- 
 mand he  cured  a  pcffeiTed  perfon   who  was 
 both  blind  and  dumb*.    This  fellow  doth  not 
 cafl  out  devils  but  by  Behebub  the  prince  of  de^ 
 vils ;  fo  they  might  have  faid  on  the  occaiion 
 of  the  refurredtion,  This  fellow  was  not  raifed 
 but  by  the  power  of  the  prince  of  Devils,  for 
 they  had  equal    reafon  to  afcribe  his  miracu- 
 lous works  when  living,  and  his  refurredion 
 after  death,  to  the  effedive  influence  of  the 
 fame  power.      There    could  not  well  be  a 
 
 •  Mat.  xii.    24. 
 
 flronger 
 
Serm.  lo.      Refurre5iton  of  Chrijl  anfwered.     it'j 
 
 Wronger  evidence  of  his  divine  miffion  and 
 authority  than  his  raifitig  Lazarus  and  others 
 from  the  dead,  fad;s  they  could  not  pofTibly 
 deny  >  but  did  thefe  fads  convince  them,  did 
 a  whole  life  of  miracles  perfuade  them  to 
 fubmit  themfelves  to  him  ?  Nothing  lefs. 
 What  could  his  own  perfonal  refurredion 
 have  done  more  ?  they  had  all  the  reafons 
 that  corrupt  and  vsorldly  men  could  have, all 
 their  prejudices,  pafTions,  views  and  interefts 
 to  prevent  the  pofTibility  of  their  convidlion, 
 and  rather  than  grant  him  to  be  the  Chrift  of 
 God,  would  have  had  recourfe  to  jnagick,  or 
 any  other  the  moil  improbable  caufes,  to 
 have  accounted  for  his  refurredion.  Now 
 fuppofing  that  he  had  perfonally  appeared  be- 
 fore Caiaphas  and  the  priejis  and  riders  of  the 
 people  who  had  condemned  him,  and  that 
 they  were  convinced  all  of  them  that  it  was 
 i\\tfame  Jefus  whom  they  had  crucified,  would 
 Caiaphas  -f*,  who  without  enquiring  whether 
 he  was  guilty  or  innocent  was  for  condemning 
 him,  would  he  have  altered  his  political  pru- 
 dence, would  he  have  concerned  himfelf  hov/ 
 he  rofe,  or  by  what  power,  would  he  or  his 
 afleiTors  in  judgment  have  ftooped  to  a  man 
 as  their  Meffiah,  Piince  and  Lord,  whom  but 
 a  little  before  they  had  infulted  and  vilified, 
 and  clamoured  to  the  crofs,  and  traduced  as  a 
 fubverter  of  the  people,  a  hlafphemer,  and 
 enemy  to  Ccefar  f  Would  their  pride  and  ma- 
 lice have  borne  his  reproaching  them  with 
 
 f  John  XI.  40;,  4  s., 
 
 hi3 
 
^SS        Tht  Principal Ohje5f ion  to  tl/e       Serm.  id; 
 
 his  murder,  his  exhorting  them  to  repentance, 
 and  threatening  them  with  the  judgments  of 
 God,  if  they  did  not  repent  ? 
 
 Bad  men  ever  had  and  ever  will  have  re>- 
 courfe  to  any  kind  of  methods,  though  ever 
 fo  criminal,  to  prevent  their  convic^tion  in 
 any  thing  that  is  againft  their  pleafures  or 
 worldly  intereft.  The  fame  original  reafons 
 of  their  hatred  to  him  would  have  fubfifled, 
 after  this  appearance  to  them  as  before,  ijz. 
 his  difclaiming  all  earthly  power,  and  the  na- 
 ture of  his  dodrine  quite  oppofite  to  their 
 principles  and  practices  ;  and  therefore  they 
 muil  have  ftill  continued  to  have  hated  him, 
 and  their  malice  and  fury  w^ould  have  been 
 heightened,  as  it  frequently  happens  among 
 extreamly  wicked  men,  by  the  very  means 
 that  (liould  bring  them  to  a  better  mind,  by 
 this  his  recovery  from  the  dead,  or  by  any 
 methods  providence  could  have  made  ufe  of 
 to  reclaim  them.  Hid  therefore  our  bleffed 
 Lord  appeared  before  Caicpkas^  the  priefts  and 
 rulers  of  the  Jews,  whilft  they  were  under 
 fuch  a  difpolition,  would  they  not  have 
 gnadicd  their  teeth  at  him,  as  they  did  on 
 Stepheriy  reviled  him  as  an  impoflor,  rejeded 
 him  with  contempt,  and,  if  they  could,  have 
 aded  over  again  the  whole  fcene  of  his  fuffer- 
 ings  and  death  ?  Of  what  fignification  there- 
 fore to  them  would  this  publick  appearance 
 have  been,  how  was  it  neceffary  for  their 
 convidlion,  when  poffibly  they  might  not 
 have  been  convinced  at  all  by  it  ?  How  was 
 it  a  better  method  than  his  appearing  to  iweke 
 
 proper 
 
Serm.  lo.     Refurre^ion  of  Chriji  anfwered,      289 
 
 proper  njoitncjfesy  when  it  might  have  been,  as 
 to  them,  of  juil:  the  fame  efficacy  with  that 
 which  is  juft  of  720  e'fficacy  at  all  ?  It  is  evident 
 that  fuch  an  appearance,  with  thefe  confe- 
 quences,  mart  have  had  a  very  bad  effed:  on 
 after  ages  3  for  had  the  pricfls  and  "Jewijlo  peo^ 
 pie  rejeiled  him  after  fuch  an  appearance  to 
 them,  it  would  have  given  room  for  fufped:- 
 ing  the  truth  of  his  refurredion,  and  perfons 
 would  have  been  apt  to  argue,  that  there  muft 
 have  been  fome  very  flrong  reafons  for  his 
 own  nation's  rejeding  him,  and  indeed  have 
 too  much  caufe  to  have  queftioned  the  truth 
 of  the  whole  hiftory  of  his  death,  refurrecflion 
 and  appearance  after  it  to  all  the  people. 
 
 But  let  us  fuppofe  farther,  that  fuch  a  pub- 
 lick  appearance  had  effeSfzially  convi?2ced  them^ 
 that  he  was  z  prophet  of  God  and  their  Mef- 
 fiahy  whom  they  generally  expeded  about  that 
 time  ',  what  muft  have  been  the  natural  con- 
 fequence  of  fuch  an  univerfal  apprehenficn 
 and  convidion  ?  This  certainly,  that  they 
 would  immediately  fet  him  up  for  their  tem- 
 poral king  ;  for  the  'jeivs  had  no  other  notion 
 of  their  Mejjlah  but  that  of  their  fupreme 
 prince  and  governor ;  and  no  expedation 
 from  him  more  flrongly  rooted  in  their  minds 
 than  this,  that  he  was  to  deliver  them  out  of 
 the  hands  of  their  enemies,  and  render  them 
 an  independent  flourilhing  kingdom  j  and 
 therefore  had  they  univerfally  owned  him  as 
 Meffiah,  they  mull:  for  that  reafon  have  pub- 
 lickly  proclaimed  him  king,  taken  up  arms 
 under  his  condud,  intlantly  revolted  from  the 
 
 V"oJ..  I.  U  Romans, 
 
i-^0         The  "Princ'tparOBje^Jran  to  the       Scrm^ic?; 
 
 RomajiSj  and  renounced  all  farther  allegiance: 
 to  them,  and  the  whole  hiilory  of  Chrifl  de- 
 ftionflrates  this  was  continually  uppermofl  m 
 iheir  thoughts. 
 
 If  our  bleffed  Saviour  had  not  gratified  this 
 national  prejudice  and  pride,  if  he  had  endea- 
 voured to  reclaim  them  from  their  madnefSy 
 and  puhlickly  declared  that  his  kingdom  was  not 
 df  this  ivci-ld,  that  he  Vv'ould  not  lead  them  in 
 their  attempt  to  throw  off  the  Roman  yoke,  and 
 that  God  had  fent  him  to  redeem  them  from 
 their  ijices,  to  reflore  true  religion  and  virtue 
 among  them,  and  not  to  concern  himfelf  in 
 any  of  their  temporal  affairs ;  what  mufl  have 
 been  the  confequence,  what  would  they  not 
 have  refolved  and  praitifed  in  the  madnefs  of 
 iheir  defperation  and  difappointment  ?  They 
 would  either  in  their  rage  have  immediately 
 changed  their  fentiments  concerning  him,  and 
 acted  to  him  as  the  people  did  io  Paul  2it  Lyfira^ 
 who  lirii:  thought  htm  a  God,  and  then  ftoned 
 him  when  they  found  themfelves  difappointed  j 
 or  elfe  they  would  have  paid  no  regard  to  his- 
 temonftrances,  forced  him  to  be  a  king,  and 
 thus  by  their  tumult  and  fedition  ha^e  brought 
 down  Pilate  with  his  forces  on  them,  which 
 might  have  proved  the  deftrud:ion  both  of 
 Chriit  and  them,  and  which  ever  of  thefe 
 things  had  happened,  it  mud  have  been  the- 
 ruin  of  his  eaufe,  religion  and  intereft  in  the 
 world. 
 
 But  fuppofe  Chrifi  had  fallen  in  with  this  po- 
 pular prejudice,  abetted  the  revolt  o^  \\\q  J eivs 
 ■from  the  Romans,  and  fct  himfelf  up  at  their 
 
Serm,  10.       Refurre^ien  of  Chrijl  anfwered,     291 
 
 head  as  their  captani  and  leader  3  he  muft  ei- 
 ther in  confcquence  have  profpered  in  his  at- 
 tempt to  deliver  them  from  t^Q  Roman 
 power,  or  at  length  have  Vv^holly  failed  in  the 
 enterorize. 
 
 Had  the  latter  been  the  cafe,  that  he  had 
 wanted  fuccefs,  and  that  after  a  fhort  or  long 
 firuggle  the  Romans  had  conquered-,  here  the 
 objedlions  againfl:  his  being  fent  of  God  had 
 been  many  and  abfoultely  unanfwerable.  It 
 would  have  demonllrated  that  his  preteniions 
 to  be  the  Mcjfiahy  muil:  have  been  all  impof" 
 tiire ;  for  had  God  promifed  fach  a  MelTiah, 
 and  Chriil  been  the  perfon,  God  was  engaged, 
 in  order  to  vindicate  his  own  fidelity;  to  fe- 
 cure  him  the  vic5tory;  and  therefore  his  fail- 
 ing in  the  attempt  would  have  been  the  moil: 
 effccftual  confutation  of  all  his  pretenfions. 
 The  nations  mufl  have  curfed  him,  as  an 
 impoftor  and  feducer  of  the  people,  for  the 
 calamity  and  deflruClion  he  had  brought  on 
 them.  Kad  he  died  in  the  ftruggle,  all 
 would  have  judged  him  juflly  punidied  for 
 his  crimes,  or  had  he  been  taken  prifoner, 
 xk\^  Romans  \N0\\^  2l  fecond  \\m.^  have  crucified 
 him  at  yerufakm,  or  fent  him  in  chains  to 
 Rome  as  a  fpedlacle  of  infamy,  there  to  have 
 died  by  the  hands  of  the  common  executioner, 
 and  hiliory  would  have  recorded  him  as  ano- 
 ther TheudaSy  or  Judas  of  Galilee,  ivbo  drew 
 aivay  much  people  after  them  by  their  falfe  pre- 
 tences, and  periJJjed  ihemfelves  and  many  of 
 thofe  who  followed  and  obeyed  them.  But 
 on  the  contrary, 
 
 U  2  Sup- 
 
tg.2    '    ^le  PrhdpalOhjcBion  to  Ihe         Serm.  lO^ 
 
 Suppofing  he  had  conquered,  driven  the  i?c- 
 mam  out  o{  ^fudea,  reftored  the  hberty  of  his 
 nation,  and  rendered  them  the  terror  and 
 feourge  of  all  the  nations  around  them  \  why 
 undoubtedly  the  "^Jews  would  have  been 
 pleafed,  and  he  v/ould  have  fiocd  on  record 
 as  a  bra'-oe  and  fortunate  commander^  and  many 
 would  have  reverenced  his  name  and  memory 
 for  his  fuccefles  and  military  abilities.  But 
 what  v/ould  all  tliis  have  been  to  the  interefi 
 ^\idi  prevalence  oi  true  religion  2i\\d  virtue,  which 
 -too  leldom  prevail  in  camps,  or  flourifh  amidil 
 the  havccks  of  the  fvvord,  the  fiege  of  cities, 
 or  the  tranfa-ftions  of  a  campaign  ;  what  ten- 
 dency would  all  thefc  things  have  had  to  re- 
 form the  Jews,  or  to  recover  the  nations  from 
 idolatry,  or  convince  them  that  Chrift  was  a 
 reformer  fent  from  God,  or  reconcile  them 
 to  have  embraced  his  religion.  It  may  be  faid 
 he  might  have  fpread  religion  as  he  conquer- 
 ed 'y  but  befides  the  great  unlikelihood  of  this-, 
 the  enemies  of  Chriitianity  would  have  found 
 an  unanfwerable  argument  againft  it,  and  they 
 would  have  reprefented  Chrifb  as  another  Ma- 
 homet, exclaimed  againfl  the  propagation  of 
 his  religion  by  the  fiuord,  and  have  had  too 
 much  reafon  to  have  faid,  that  he  took  this 
 method  of  fpreading  his  religion,  becaufe  he 
 wanted  others  ;  and  that  the  ufe  of  force  and 
 Violence  is  an  evident  proof  of  the  great  de- 
 fed:  of  reafon  and  argument.  Had  this  been 
 the  cafe,  as  the  objcdion  itfelf  would  have 
 been,  at  leafl,  fuch  as  I  could  never  have  got 
 ever ;  i'o  we  il:culd  have  entirely  i!:anted  the 
 
 jirongefl 
 
Serm.  lo.       RefurreBlvn  of  drift  cnfwer^d.     293; 
 
 ftr onge ft  proof i  of  the  divine  original  and  excel- 
 Jent  nature  of  the  Chrirtian  religion,  arifin* 
 from  the  nature  of  its  doctrines,  precepts  and 
 promifes,  ih^  extraordinary  and  jniraadous  gift$ 
 of  \S\t  fpirit^  the  faith,  patience  and  confiancy 
 of  its  confejjori  aiid  martyrs^  and  other  thin^^s 
 of  a  like  kind,  that  exalt  it  above  all  other  in- 
 ititutions  which  ever  appeared  in  the  worJd. 
 
 But  to  difmifs  even  thefe  fuppofitions,  let  us 
 ama^ine,  that  fuch  '\publ'ick  appearance  of  Chriil 
 as  is  contended  for,  had  not  only  convinced 
 t\\t  people  J  but  all  their  rulers  of  the  truth  of 
 Chrift's  refurredion,  and  his  being  in  confe- 
 quence  the  proinlfed  Mcffiahy  and  that  out  of 
 their  deference  to  his  authority  and  power,  they 
 had  neither  rebelled  a  gain  ft  the  Romans,  nor 
 fet  him  up  for  their  temporal  governor  and 
 king,  but  quietly  fubmitted  to  his  minilh-a- 
 tioUj  and  obeyed  him  in  whatfoever  he  ihould 
 have  appointed  them  4  I  would  then  afk,  Hov/ 
 would  this  have  eftablillied  the  belief  of  his 
 refurre(5lioa  among  mankind  better  than  what 
 the  e'^Sidcnxe  of  the  Gofpcl  ivriters^  and  the  te- 
 filmony  of  the  t-welve  j^poftles,  by  their  preach- 
 ing, could  have  done  ? 
 
 For  ho^  muft  it  have  been  kmrcn,  that  the 
 people  and  rulers  of  the  Jews  did  fee  him  afccr 
 his  refurreiTtion,  or  did  believe  him  to  be  ac- 
 tually rifcn  again  after  his  death,  what  kind 
 of  evidence  could  we  at  this  diilance  have 
 had  of  this  ?  Had  the  chief  pricfls  and  peo- 
 ple employed  Matrhc'ia  and  the 'other  Ev^j-geli/ls 
 to  infcrt  thefe  fa(^l3  into  their  hidories,  tlie 
 enemies  of  Chriflianity   have  llievv'n    us  the 
 
 U  3  ;vaj 
 
294       '^^^  Principal  Ohje^ion  to  the         Serm.io. 
 
 way  how  to  obje(5l  againft  fuch  an  account  as 
 this.  They  would  have  faid  *,  "  Who  %vas  the 
 author  o^ l\\Q it  gofpels  ?  they  are, thought  to  be 
 Matthew's,  and  others,  but  it  is  720t  kmwti!  when 
 were  they  written,  or  where  ;  not  that  neither! 
 upon  what  authority  were  they  at  firft  received 
 and  communicated  to  us  ?  Upon  the  autho- 
 rity of  the  Church  of  Rome,  that  mother  of 
 lies  and  abominations;  are  you  infallibly  fure 
 the  gofpels  were  written  by  thofe  themfelves 
 whofe  names  they  bear,  and  if  fo,  that  nothing 
 IS  now  in  their  gofpels  but  what  tiiey  wrote^ 
 that  thefe  gofpels  were  written  without  error 
 at  fin!:,  and  that  nothing  hath  crept  into  them 
 Jincc,  and  that  no  ahjurdi'y  or  contradidllon  can 
 be  proved  out  of  the  Evangehfls  writings 
 compared  together  ?  '*  No,  they  Vv^ould  fay, 
 this  is  to  be  believed  but  not  proved,  and  the 
 contrary  may  be  fliewn."  They  might  far- 
 ther fay.  How  do  we  know,  that  the  priejls  and 
 people  employed  thefe  ylpofles  to  infert  this  ac- 
 count of  their  feeing  Chrift  after  his  refurrec^ 
 tion,  and  of  their  believing  the  certainty  of 
 his  refurredion,  Into  the  gofpel  they  wrote  ? 
 We  have  only  the  Evarigelifs  word  for  it,  but 
 no  authentic  proof  that  they  had  the  order  they 
 pretend  to.  And  yet  it  could  never  poffibly 
 be  known,  if  the  thing  had  been  true,  that 
 Chrifl:  did  publickly  appear  to  his  crucifiers 
 and  the  Jewifh  nation  after  his  death  and 
 refurrccftion,  but  by  fuch  an  hiforical  evidence  y 
 $^nd.  this  kind  of  evidence  we  fee^  is  in  the 
 
 •  Anf.  to  Trial,  p.  22, 
 
Serm.  |0.      Refnrre5lion  of  Chrifi  airfiz'tred..     295- 
 
 judgment  of  the  great  mafters  of  reafon,  llabk 
 to  a  thoujand  ohjc5lio72S^  and  not  at  all  worthy 
 of  being  credited  and  beheved.  So  that  we 
 are  fbill  as  far  as  ever  from  the  convidion  we 
 want.  And  if  this  publick  appearance  of 
 Chrift  after  his  refurredion  to  the  people, 
 which  is  infilled  on  as  neceffary  to  the  belief 
 of  his  refurredion,  niuii  itfeif  evet  remain 
 an  uncertainty  through  the  nature  of  that  hifto^ 
 rical  evidefjce  by  which  aloi^e  i-t  can  be  proved, 
 the  refurredion  itfeif  muft  be  equally  uncer- 
 tain with  the  evidence  that  is  to  liapport  it, 
 and  we  Oiould  unqueflionably  have  been  told, 
 that  we  bring  one  uncertainty  to  prove  ano- 
 ther, and  therefore  abfolutely  fail  iw  our 
 proof.     Beiides, 
 
 PI  ad  \\\^  chief  priejis  and  people  o^  xho,  yews 
 been  known  to  have  believed  his  refurredion, 
 fuppoilng  this  the  mod  unqueftionable  fad, 
 thac  they  were  perfiiaded  of  the  truth  of  it, 
 what  fatic'fadion  would  this  have  been  to  other 
 nations,  what  weight  and  convidion  would  it 
 have  had  at  Rome  or  ^the?2s,  or  in  other  parts 
 of  the  world,  where  th-e  credit  of  the  jfeivs 
 ran  extreamly  low,  and  by  whom  they  were 
 accounted  a  fuperftitious,  mean  and  execrable 
 people  ?  If  the  Jews  faid  they  jaw  him  after 
 •liis  death  and  refurredion,  by  far  the  greated 
 part  of  mankind  could  tiot  Ijave  faid  it.  Had 
 Jefus  gone  himielf  a  progrefs  through  the 
 wcrld  after,  his  rehirredion,  what  prooi  would 
 even  that  have  been  of  the  truth  of  his  refur- 
 .reBiony  to  thofe  who  72ever  faw  him  nor  kne-w 
 .him  before  his  deaths  and  therefore  could  not 
 
 U  4  poffibly 
 
2^6        The  Principal  OhjeSlion  to  the      Serm.io* 
 
 pofiibly  tell  whether  he  was  the  individual 
 perfon  that  died  and  revived  and  lived  again  ? 
 That  mud  have  depended  wholly  on  his  tefii^ 
 inony  and  that  of  hh  companions ;  which,  with- 
 out feme  very  fubftantial  proof,  the  world  at 
 that  time  was  not  in  a  difpofition  eafily  to  ad- 
 mit, much  lefs  would  the  teftimony  of  the 
 Jews,  could  it  have  been  obtained,  have  pro- 
 duced the  general  acknowledgment  and  belief 
 of  mankind,  nor  would  any  one  have  thought 
 himfelf  obliged  to  have  credited  fuch  a  relur- 
 redion,  merely  becaufe  the  'Jews  afiirmed  it. 
 
 Suppofing  ihe  Jews  as  a  body,  the  High 
 Priefty'  their  Sanhedrim  and  all  the  Headsy 
 Elders  and  Governors  of  the  people,  had  made 
 a  folemn,  publick  -Awdi  miihenticka^j  declaring 
 they  had  through  prejudice  crucified  Jefus 
 Chrift,  but  that  they  W/ere  fully  fatisfied  both 
 of  h'.s  innocence  and  divine  miffion,  becaufe 
 that  he  was  rifen  again  from  the  dead,  and 
 they  had  feenhim  fince  his  refurredion  to  their 
 full  convidlion  j  I  fay  had  they  given  this  te- 
 Itimony  in  the  mofl  authentick  manner  they 
 could,  what  muft  have  been  the  effe£l  of  it 
 in  the  then  generation,  and  in  other  nations, 
 and  after  ages  ?  Why  the  authentick  indivi- 
 dual adl  could  have  reached  to  but  vtxj  few 
 places,  and  probably  would  have  been  repo^ 
 fifed  fafely  in  Jertfale?n  itfelf ;  and  had  the  ri>- 
 pies  irom  it  been  ever  fo  numerous,  it  would 
 have  left  room  for  doubt,  and  not  have  car- 
 ried the  fame  v/eight  with  the  origimil,  and  in 
 procefs  of  time,  by  frequency  of  tranfcribing, 
 might  have  undergone  great  alteration,  been 
 
 at 
 
Serm.  ic.       Rcfiirre5licn  of  Chrijl  ajtfwired.     297 
 
 at  bed  but  a  fecond  hand  evidence,  and  in 
 time,  by  the  variations  of  it,  might  have  proved 
 no  evidence  at  all. 
 
 Or  if  we  fuppofe  the  original  record  could 
 have    been   u?iiverfally  feen,  or   the  iranfcripti 
 ever  preferved  ^i'/7«/;/£'  without  material  altera- 
 tion,  there  would  have  been  two  enquiries  in 
 which  the  w^orld  would  have  expeded  to  have 
 been  farisfied  \  and  thefe  are,  whether  x\ie^ews 
 h^dfull  2ind  fiiffkient  information  themfelves  of 
 the  fad  thus  attefted,  and  whether  their  i?2-te^ 
 grity  and  honeftj  were  to  be  trufted  ;  as  to  the 
 firft,  had   their  integrity   been  unqneJUonabky 
 their  care  in  examining  into  the  fad    would 
 have  been  liable  to  gv^didouht.     Senfible  men 
 would  have  afked.  Did  thofe  v/no  figned  the 
 recordT^^  hif?2  dead?  Did  they  vMtch  him  in  his 
 grave  f  Did  theyyt-^  him  rife?  Were  ih^yftire 
 that  the  real  dead  perlon  was  not  takc?i  aivay^z.x\dL. 
 another  fubftituted  in   his  room  ?   With  other 
 queftions  of  the  like   nature  that  would  not 
 have  been  very  eafy  tobefatisfadtorily  anfwered. 
 The  'Jew^  were  looked  on  as  a  crcchilous  nziion, 
 that  loved  miracles,  and  boafted    of  many  in 
 their  hiftory  j  and  this  of  the  refurreftion  of 
 Jefus  would  have  been  looked  on  in  the  f^ime 
 light  of  delufion,  had  there  been  nothing  elfe 
 but  their  affirmation  in  favour  of  it. 
 
 But  I  am  apt  to  think,  that  whatever  opi- 
 nion the  world  might  have  entertained  of 
 their  exadnefs  and  care  in  examining  into  the 
 fad,  they  would  have  a  wo^Je  opinion  of  their 
 integrity  and  hofiefty  :  For  the  Jews  in  general 
 had  no  great  reputation  in  the  world  on  this 
 
 account. 
 
2.9  S         ^he  Principal  Ohjeolim  to  the       Serm.  lo, 
 
 account.     Many   of  the  Gentiles  thought  the 
 refurreclion    of  the   dead   an  impojjibility  -,  all 
 thefe  muft   have    neceffarily  looked    on  the 
 whole  account  of  Chrift's   refurre6:ion   as  a 
 forgery  :  Others  without  troubling  themfelves 
 about   the    poiTibiiity   or   impofTibility    of  it, 
 would  have  looked  on  it  as  a  contri'vance  of 
 the  J ewifi government  toraife  the  finking  credit 
 of  their  nation,  or  an  invention  to  gain  profe- 
 iytes  to  their  religion,  and  a  new- forged  mi- 
 racle in  order  to  fupply  the  place  of  the  old 
 ones,  which  were  almofl  grown  out  of  repu- 
 tation, and  which  the  world  eileemed  as  no- 
 thihg  better  than  the  contrivances  of  the  firfl 
 formers  and  princes  of  their  nation,  the  better 
 to  reduce  the  people  into  fubjedion  and  obedi- 
 ence.    And  iarther, 
 
 Had  they  made  fuch  a  puhlick  a5i  in  favour 
 of  Chrift's  refurrecftion,  how  mud  it  have  been 
 publified  to  the  world,  and  made  known  for 
 the  general  benefit  of  mankind  ?  Would  they 
 have  fent  ambajfadors  all  over  the  earth,  with  a 
 commiilion  from  the  priefts  and  rulers,  to 
 have  notified  it  to  the  kingdoms  of  the  world  ? 
 They  never  thus  publi(hed  the  miracles  and 
 religion  oi Mofes  and  the  Prophets.  Few  would 
 have  been  found  willing  to  have  undertaken 
 fuch  a  hazardous  and  laborious  embafiy,  the 
 expences  of  it  would  have  been  too  heavy  to 
 have  been  borne,  and  their  reception,  in  all 
 probability,  would  have  foon  made  them  tired 
 of  the  fervice,  and  fpeedily  fent  them  back  to 
 thofe  who  employed  them.  Or  would  they 
 have  employed  perfons  in  a  more  private  way, 
 
 who 
 
Serm.  lo.      Refurre^fion  of  Chrijl  anfwered.       299 
 
 who  muft  have  paid  them  ?  how  muft  they 
 have  been  niaintained  ?  how  many  would  have 
 been  fvsfticient  to  have  pubhfhed  it  ?  what  au- 
 thority would  they  have  been  verted  with  ? 
 how  could  they  have  proved  that  they  were 
 not  cheats  ?  how  could  they  have  convinced 
 others  that  what  they  called  their  record  was 
 not  a  forgery  ?  what  man  of  fenfe  would  have 
 given  them  any  credit,  or  treated  them  other- 
 wife  than  with  fcorn  and  contempt?  A  thou- 
 fand  dif-iicukies  attend  this  fcheme  that  de- 
 monftrate  the  vanity  and  folly  of  it. 
 
 Much  lefs  could  fuch  a  publick  a(5l  have 
 gained  credit  in  after  ages.  Our  modtT?:  tinhe-^ 
 lievers  would  immediately  have  urged,  the 
 improbability  that  the  yt'iw  fhould  firfl:  crucjfy- 
 Chrift  as  an  impoftor,  and  then  by  a  national 
 ad:  declare  him  a  meflenger  of  God,  and  re- 
 flored  by  a  divine  power  to  an  immortal  life. 
 They  would  have  called  for  the  original  a5l, 
 but  that  would  have  been  lojfl y  the  copy  they 
 would  tell  us  is  liable  to  great  alteration,  they 
 would  have  filled  it  2.  pious  fraud  o^  iht  chrif- 
 tians,  or  declared  the  mother  cf  harlots  to  he 
 the  inventrefs  of  it,  charged  it  with  interpola- 
 tions, afked  us  how  we  came  by  it,  who 
 was  CaiaphaSy  Annas  and  the  reft  who  fub- 
 fcribed  it,  and  made  a  thoufarsd  other  objec- 
 tions to  have  evaded  the  force  and  deftroyed 
 the  evidence  of  it.  As  their  cculd  in  nature 
 be  710W  no  other  than  hijlorical  evidence  of  it, 
 they  would  have  told  us,  that  this  is  imce7'tai:% 
 and  that  this  kind  of  evidence  grows  every 
 ^■2i\'  kjs  andlcjSi  in  proportion  as  it  is  at  a  far-* 
 
 thei" 
 
300        The  Principal  Ohje^^ion  to  the       Serm.  lo; 
 
 ther  diftance  from  the  time  when  the  thing 
 was  firft  tranfadled,  and  therefore  muft  have 
 rejecfted  it  as  a  meie  flory  and  fable. 
 
 But  I  will  for  once  make  the  hrgejl  fup-. 
 pofition  that  I  can,  liz,  that  if  all  the  diffi- 
 culties I  have  before  mentioned  could  be  fairly 
 got  over,  that  the  fad:  of  Chrift's  refur- 
 recSllon,  as  tejiified  by  the  •priefts  and  rulers 
 ,and  people  of  the  Jews,  could  in  a  very  com  - 
 petent  number  of  years  have  been  fpread 
 thj'Dugh  the  worldy  and  that  upon  this  lingle 
 circumftance  of  Chrill's  appearing  to  all  the 
 peopky  fully  attefted  and  folemnly  confirmed, 
 yews  and  GeritileSy  might,  I  know  not  how, 
 have  been  brought  to  give  credit  to  it. 
 Yet  even  all  this  could  of  itfelf  have  been  of 
 7J0  great  confequence  to  the  world ^  and  would 
 have  been,  without  other  ciraanflanceSy  wholly 
 infujicient  to  hivQ  planted  the  Chrijiian  religion 
 among  mankind.  For  fuppofing  the  fad  had 
 generally  been  believed,  what  good  confe- 
 quence would  have  followed  from  it,  unlefs 
 the  dejign  and  reafon  of  it  was  fully  tmderjlocd, 
 unlefs  the  former  life,  the  dodrine,  precepts, 
 promifes  and  religion  of  Chrifl  were  known 
 alfo,  unlels  men  were  acquainted  with  the  in- 
 tentions and  effeds  of  his  death,  and  the  glo- 
 iious  confequence  of  his  refurredion,  his  be- 
 ing appointed  Mediator  and  Lord  o^  men,  and 
 tmiverfal judge  both  of  the  living  and  of  the 
 dead.  The  refurredion  of  Chrift  was  but 
 one  fingle  part  of  the  fcheme  of  Chriflianity, 
 it  was  intended  as  a  confirmation  of  his  di- 
 vine miffion,  and  to  eflAbiiih  thereby  the  cre- 
 dit 
 
Scrm.  lo.     RefurreElion  of  Chrijl  anfwercd.      501 
 
 dit  and  heavenly  authority  of  his  religion,  and 
 to  engage  men  wholly  to  fubmit  to  him  in 
 the  concerns  of  their  eternal  falvation,  in  or- 
 der to  obtain  the  benefit  of  eternal  life.  Hs 
 rofe  from  the  dead  as  an  affurance  that  all 
 who  believe  in  him  fhould  be  partakers  of  a 
 like  refurredlion,  and  that  God  by  him  would 
 confer  on  them  the  bleffednefs  of  eternal 
 glory.  But  what  would  the  knowledge  of  his 
 refurre(fLion  avail,  if  this  thing  were  not  alfo 
 underftood  with  it  ?  what  would  the  belief  of 
 it  have  fignified  without  this  information  ?  It 
 might  for  all  that  I  know  have  procured  him 
 the  honour  of  being  thought  a  new  God  by 
 iomQ  of  the  Gejjtiksy  and  procured  him  a  few 
 images  in  fome  of  their  private  chapels  and 
 temples  among  the  reft  of  their  deities  :  But 
 of  what  advantage  v/ould  this  have  been  to 
 the  Cbrifiian  religion^  how  would  it  have  tended 
 to  eftablifh  the  dcBrines  of  his  gofpd?  A  re^ 
 furredion  without  fome  valuable  connections 
 is  a  docftrine  of  no  confequence  to  the  world, 
 and  it  is  impoffible  men  could  have  divined 
 what  the  Chriftian  religion  was,  merely  by  be- 
 ing told  of  Chrift's  refurredtion,  unlefs  they 
 had  his  religion  alfo  particularly  preached 
 to  them.  Now  the  Je^i/J^ priefts  zx\A  rulers 
 were  incapable  of  publifhing.this,  for  they  knew 
 it  not  themfelves,  they  were  not  his  compa- 
 jiions  in  life,  they  had  never  received  any  per- 
 fonal  inftrudions  from  him,  they  had  feen 
 but  few  if  any  of  his  miracles,  and  therefore 
 could  not,  in  the  nature  of  the  thing,  be 
 employed  in  publilhing  what  they  had  never 
 
 been 
 
.302        The  Principal  Ohje5fion  to  the       Serm.  lO* 
 
 been  witnefles  to  j  fothat  their  publifhing  the 
 fad:  of  the  refurredion  would  have  been  a 
 thing  of  nothing,  becaufe  they  knew  nothing 
 of  that  religion  of  which  the  refarredion  was 
 intended  as  a  folcmn  confirmation,  and  fo 
 could  not  publifh  his  refurredion  and  his 
 Teligion  together. 
 
 How  was  this  to  be  done  ?  Why  only  by 
 thofe  who  were  'witnejjes  to  both,  only  by  thofe 
 who  attended  him  throughout  his  whole  mi- 
 niftration  even  to  his  death,  and  therefore  by 
 thofe  of  them  principally  whom  he  fpecially 
 chofe  for  this  purpofe,  and  to  whom  he  gave 
 the  honourable  names  and  titles  of  Apofiles, 
 So  that  we  are  under  an  abfolute  neceffity  to 
 introduce  for  this  purpofe  the  Apojlles  as  Wit- 
 nefcs  of  Chriji,  or  fome  other  of  his  conjiant 
 companiom  ^  and  thofe  who  ailert  that  the  ap- 
 pearance of  Chrifl  to  the  rulers  and  people 
 was  neceflary  to  i^ive  credit  to  the  fad  of  the 
 refurredion,  mult  allow,  if  they  will  confi- 
 der  the  affair  impartially ;  that  the  teflimony 
 of  his  Apofiles,  or  fome  that  were  his  con- 
 ftant  attendants  is  as  neceflary,  in  order  to 
 make  the  teftimony  of  the  others  to  the  truth 
 of  the  refurredion  of  any  confequence  and 
 benefit  to  mankind. 
 
 And  if  the  teftimony  of  the  Apofiles  to 
 the  nature  of  his  religion  be  n^ccj/ary,  and  the 
 o?7!y  tefdmony  that  now  can  be  given  to  it,  be- 
 caufe they  only  have  left  us  an  account  what 
 that  religion  is,  their  teflimony  is  juffictent  for 
 this  purpofe  alfo ;  becaufe  they  teflify  of  things 
 to   which  they   were   immediately  witnefles, 
 
 and 
 
Serm.  lO.  Refurre5fion  of  Chrijl  anfwered.  50^ 
 and  it  is  of  equal  authority  with  the  teftimony  of 
 the  rulers  and  people,  had  they  given  theirs 
 to  the  truth  of  Ch rift's  refurredion. 
 
 And  had  our  blefled   Lord   appeared  thus 
 publickly  to   the  Jews  after  his  refurredlion, 
 how    muft   this  have    been  piiblijhed    to  the 
 ivorUy  and   conveyed  to  pofter'ity,  as  the  confir- 
 mation of  Chrift's   do(ftrine   and  religion  ?  It 
 is  evident  that  his  religion  could  be  pubhflied 
 to   the  world  only  by   one  or  both   of  thefe 
 ways ',  by  'writing  an  account  of  it  for  the  be- 
 nefit of  thofe  who  were   difpofed  to  read  it, 
 or  by  preachijig  and   inJiruBing  thofe  who  at- 
 tend on  it.     If  ihe  former  only  had  been  ufed, 
 and  there  had  been  only  a  few  treatifes'v^xoX.^ 
 on  this  fubjedl,  this  could  have  been  of  but 
 little  confequence,  as  thefe  writings  could  have 
 fallen  but  intoy^w  hands,  as  printing  was  yet 
 afecretto  the  world,  whereby  the  progrefs  of 
 Chrift's  religion  and  doctrine  muft  have  been 
 extreamly  fiow,  and   the  generality  of  people 
 were  incapable  of  perufing  and  underftanding 
 fuch   writings,  and  being  involved  in  bufinefs 
 or  pleafure,  would  think  themfelves  little  con- 
 cerned   in    them ;   whereas    the  progrefs  of 
 Chrift's  religion  was  iohQ  quick  zndfpcedy,  like 
 lightening^  which  reaches,  as  our  Lord    tells 
 us,  inftantly  from  one  quarter  cf  the  Heavens 
 to  the  other. 
 
 Since    then  it  was  abfolutely  7ieccjfary  that 
 
 'proper  perjhis  (liould  be  employed  in  preaching 
 
 the  refarrcdion  and  religion  of  Chrift,  would 
 
 the  enemies  of  Chrifi'ianity  think  it  right,  that 
 
 two  fets   of  perfons  lliould  be  employed,  one 
 
 to 
 
'3 04      The  Prindpal  Ohje^iim  to  the       Serm.  lo. 
 
 to  affiJ'm  the  refurredlion^  and  that  he  appeared 
 pubiickly  to  the  people  after  it,  and  the  other 
 to  teach  his  rehgicn^\i\  the  principles  and  duties 
 of  it,  without  faying  any  thing  of  his  refur- 
 re(ftion  ?  But  this  would  be  liable  to  a  thoufand 
 difficulties,  and  would  render  both  fufpedted 
 of  defign  and  fraud.  If  fome  of  thole  who 
 preached  Chriflianity  could  fpeak  of  his  refur- 
 redion  only,  and  knew  nothing  of  his  doc- 
 trine, and  the  others  of  them  could  fpeak  only 
 of  his  dodrine,  but  knew  nothing  of  his  re- 
 furre<5lioni  men  would  generally  have  judged 
 that  their  was  nothing  in  what  either  of  them 
 preached,  and  that  if  they  could  not  both 
 have  faid  the  fame  things,  it  was  of  no  figni- 
 £cation  what  either  of  them  faid :  And  thus 
 the  credibility  of  both  muft  have  been  abfo- 
 lutely  prevented,  and  neither  the  refurredtion 
 nor  dof.trine  of  Chrill  have  gained  any  pro- 
 grefs  or  belief  in  the  world. 
 
 If  it  be  faid  that  both  thefe  things  might 
 have  been  entrufted  with  \X\^  fame perfom,  and 
 that  it  woLild  have  confirmed  their  evidence, 
 could  they  have  faid  that  Chrifl  appeared  to 
 the  whole  body  of  the  nation  after  his  death 
 and  refurrecftion ;  I  anfwer,  that  this  would 
 have  been  no  confirmation  of  their  evidence, 
 had  the  ^ews  pubiickly  difowned  him  and  ill- 
 treated  him  after  fuch  an  appearance:  This 
 would  have  been  the  flrongefl:  circumftance 
 fgainfl  the  probability  of  the  thing,  and  the 
 credibility  of  their  evidence.  For  the  ob- 
 jedion  v/ould  have  been  obvious;  there  muft 
 have  been  a  fraud,  becaufe  though  it  is  pre- 
 tended 
 
g?rm'.  10.  Refurre^'ion  of  Chrijl  anfwerel  ^o'j 
 tended  be  appeared  publlckly  to  the  people,  it 
 is  allowed  that  the  people  rejected  and  ill- 
 treated  him,  which  they  would  not,  could 
 not  have  done  had  they  believed  God  railed 
 him  from  the  dead.  And  therefore  they  who 
 affirm  his  appearing  publickly  to  the  peoplt  was 
 a  neceffar'^  cireumftance  to  render  his  reCurrec- 
 tion  probable  and  credible,  muft  firft  demon- 
 flrate  that  the  people  would  have  been  con- 
 vinced of  the  refurreaion  by  fuch  an  appear- 
 ance, and  have  fubmitted  to  him  as  their 
 MelTiah  in  confequence  of  it.  But  this  is  im- 
 poffible,  and  therefore  the  cireumftance  they 
 fuppofe  necejj'ary,  his  public  appearance  to 
 the  people  irraticnal.  . 
 
 But  fuppofing  the  preachers  of  Chnftianitv 
 could  have  raid,  that  Chrift  appeared /^/^//c^// 
 to  the  people,  and  that  his  refurredion  and  di-  . 
 vine  authority  were  bslieved  in  confequence 
 of  it,  might  not  they  to  whom  they  preached 
 have  aflied  them,  Were_);w^  witnejes  to  the  re- 
 furrection  yourfelves  ?  If  they  could  not  have 
 dnfwered,  they  were,  would  notthe  reply  nave 
 been  natural,  It  will  be  time  enough  to  believe 
 you,  when  yourfelves  can  affirm,  you  faw  it  •, 
 the  people  you  tell  us  who  faw  it,  are  at  a  di!- 
 tance,  and  we  cannot  enquire  into  the  circum- 
 ftances  of  the  fad  from  the  witneffes  them- 
 fclves  ;  you  only  tdl  us  an  hear-J ay  pry,  yoM 
 may  fpeak  truth,  but  you  muftexcufe  us  from 
 rtadily  believing  vou.  It  is  an  anfwer  every  man 
 of  fenfe  hving  vvould  give  in  a  like  caie,  and 
 not  think  himfelf  obliged  to  believe  any  thing 
 about  it  without  fome  farther  evidence. 
 V  VOD.  I.  X  Bui 
 
^■o'o^       The  PrlnctpaTOhjc^iion  to  t%e      Serm.  lOi 
 
 But  fuppofing  they  could  have  faid,  yes,  we' 
 otirfelves  acfluallyy^w  him  alive  after  his  refur- 
 reSlioUr  we  cojiverfed  with  him  many  days,  and 
 eat  and  drank  with  him  at  various  places  and  on 
 (different  occafions  \  coald  they  have  faid  this, 
 th^ir  eyidenee  w^ould  have  been  credible  or  not^ 
 If  it  would  not  have  been  credible,  when  they 
 faid  they  faw  him  themfelves,.  it   would   have 
 been  as  little   credible  when    they   affirmed 
 that  he   was    feen   publickly   by   the  people, 
 and  bj    eonfequenss   fuch  a  publick  appear- 
 ance would  have  been   of  no  kind  of  figni- 
 fication.     If  when   chey  faid  they   faw  him 
 themfelves,  their  teftimony  would  have  been> 
 credible t    this   would    have  been  fuffieient    to 
 have  eftabliOied  the  belief  of  it,  and   their 
 giving  a  feeond-hand  teftimony  that  the  people 
 Jaw  him,  would  have  been  wholly  needlefi.  And 
 furely   it  is  much   ftronger  evidence  to  fay,. 
 I  myfelf  w-^as  an  eye-witnefs  to  fuch  and  fuch 
 fads,  than  to  be  able  only  to  fay,  that  certain 
 diftant  perfons  faw  them,  when  it  is  not  \vs 
 3r5iy   pov/er  to  quedion  them   about   it.     H& 
 who  is  an  eye-witnefs,   (liould  not  refer   to- 
 other witnelTes  that  are  abfent,  for  that  riiay 
 prove  a  circumftance  that   may  even  difcredit 
 his  own  teftimony.     If  the  Apoftles  had  af- 
 ^rmed  that  Chrii^  appeared  to  all- the  people,, 
 that  muft  have  depended  oply  qn  their  teili- 
 mony,.  and  might  haire  expofed  them  tp;  qianjT 
 queftions  they  could  FK)t  eafily  have  got  rid  of  5 
 Andfo  we  are  reduced  to  the  original  difficulty^ 
 the  f%ngle  tefiimony  of  the  Apofiles.  But  as  they 
 Were  able  to  fayj  wefa%j^  himycowuerjedwthhimf 
 
 tmidlied 
 
9crm.  lo.      Refurre^ion  of  Chrifi  anfwered.     307 
 hmidledhimy  andeat  and  drank  with  him,  and  that 
 feveral  times,  during  thefpace  of  forty  days,  and 
 cfpecially  when  they  were  enabled  by  God  to 
 do  miracles  in  confirmation  of  their  teftimony  tn 
 the  name  of  Jefus,  and  to  confer  on  thofewho 
 believed  the  moft  extraordinary  and  ajionipng 
 gifts    as  the  proof  that  he  was  alive  and  even 
 exalted  to  heaven^  glory,  this  was  an  evidence 
 that  carried  fubftantial  weight,  and  could  not 
 fail  of  making  right  impreffions  on  the  mmds 
 of  fair,  candid  and  impartial  enquirers. 
 
 And  to  fpeak  my  mm^  freely  on  this  impor-  ■ 
 tant  article,  though  I  think  in  ray  judgment 
 that  all  things  confidered,  God  took  the  hejl 
 'And  -wife/l  method  that   could  be  taken,  for 
 fpreadinp-  the  knowledge  and   promoting  the 
 belief  of  Chrift's   refurreaion,  yet  it  appears 
 to  me  to  be  an  article  of  fo  furprising   a  na- 
 ture, that  I  apprehend  no  kind  of  merely  hu- 
 man teftimony  could  well  have  httn  fufficient  to 
 have  efiabruhed  the  belief  of  it  in  the  world, 
 and  that  if  the  Apoftles  had  only  given  their 
 naked  teftimony  to  it,  they  would  have  found 
 but  few  that  would  have  credited  them,  or 
 regarded  the  religion  they  taught.     But  wheri 
 they  could  give  themfelves  the  proper  proofs 
 of  a  divine  miffion  and  authority  by  the  mi- 
 racles they  performed,  and  could  demonftrate 
 the  ///f  and  refurreaion  of  Chrifi  by  the  ^///5 
 they  conferred  in  his  name  ;  this  added  to  the 
 ^•W  of  his  refurreaion,  who  was  to  be  ^ prince 
 and  a  fa-dour,  and  the  excellent  nature  of  the 
 religion  they  taught  in  the  name  of  the  cruci- 
 fied"!  rifen  and  exalted  yfus,  was  giving  the 
 
 X    2  7lQbkfi 
 
p:>S        The  'Frincipd  Ohje^icmi  Sec.       Sei-m.  la^ 
 
 noblefi  proof  of  the  truth  of  his  refurredlion,, 
 sind  could  not  but  fecure  them  admifilon,, 
 credit,  and  the  fjrmeft  belief.  And  though  the- 
 refurredtion  of  Chrift,  confidered  as  a  fmgle 
 article,  detached  from  the  fcheme  of  Chrifti- 
 anity,  may  feem  too  furpiizing  to  be  eafilj 
 believed  y  yet  viewing  it  in  ii?, proper  conne5lio72S^ 
 ufes,  and  moral confequencet  as  the  part  or  lingle 
 article  of  a  fcheme,  that  fcheme  will  appear 
 abfolutely  imperfe5l  without  it ;,  and  this  article 
 of  it  highly  worthy  of  our  acceptation  and  belief. 
 Be  ye  therefore  jiedfajl^  i?7imoveable,  and  always 
 abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  fince  your 
 labour  f: all  not  be  in  vain  in  the  Lord,  and  com- 
 fort yourfelves  with  this,  that  becaufe  Chriji 
 lives,  you  who  believe  in  him  fiall  live  alfo,  and 
 be  raifed  by  his  power  incorruptible  and  imtnor^ 
 tal,  to  the  pofleffion  of  an  heavenly  inheritance 
 that  never  fades  aivay^ 
 
 SERMON 
 
SERMON      XL 
 
 of  Chrifl's   Afcenfion- 
 
 Acts    i.    9,    10,  11. 
 
 And  when  he  hadfpoken  tbefe  things,  whle  they 
 beheld  J  he  was  taken  up,  and  a  cloud  received 
 him  out  vf  their  light.     And  while  they  looked 
 
 jiedfajily   towards    heaven^   as    he    went  up, 
 
 behold  tivo  men  flood  iy  them  in  white  apparel, 
 
 who  alfo  /aid  ;  Te  men  of  Galilee,  why  fl and 
 
 ye  gazing  up   into  heaven  ?  'This  fame  fefus, 
 
 which  is  taken  up  from  you  into  heaven,  [kail 
 
 Jo  come  in  like  majiner  as  ye  have  Jeeu  him  go 
 into  heaven. 
 
 '^  I  ^  H  E  S  E  words  contain  an  account  of 
 i  our  bleffed  Saviour's  afcenfion  into  hea- 
 ■^en,  after  having  converfed  with  his  difciples, 
 a-nd  h^tnfeen  of  them  feveral  times,  during 
 the  fpace  o^  forty  days,  after  his  refurredlion  : 
 And  as  this,  among  other  articles  of  our  faith, 
 is  called  in  qu^ftion,  and  the  teftimony  which 
 the  facred  writers  give  to  it,  is  charged  as  felf- 
 •contradidtory  j  I  fhall,  on  this  occafion,  lay 
 before  you  the  evidences  of  this  truth,  and 
 endeavour  to  confirm  it  by  fuch  arguments, 
 a^s  fhall  hive  no  room  for  reafonable  queftiori 
 
 X  3  or 
 
'^lo  Of  Chriftl's  Ajcmfion.  Serm.  ii. 
 
 or  doubt,  and  confirm  you   in   the    belief  of 
 this  important  principle  of  Chriftianity. 
 
 I  would  however   obferve,  as   previous  to 
 this,  and   all  other  fubje(fl:s  of  a  like  nature, 
 that  \}^Q  great  events^  relating  to  oiir  bleiled 
 Lord,  fuch  as  his  miraculous  conception  h"^  the 
 power  of  the  Holy  Ghcji^  his  wonderful  i^orks, 
 his   refurreclicn  from   the  dead,  and   ajcenjion 
 intohea'\:en,  ought   always  to  be  confidered  in 
 their  connexion  with,  and  their  relation  to  each 
 other,  and  in  their  certain   united  tendency  to 
 promote  the  great  defign  of  the  recovery  and 
 JqhatiQii  of  men  from  fin,  to   the   knowledge 
 and  prai^tice  of  true  religion,  in  order  to  their 
 obtaining  the  true   happinefs  of  their  nature 
 in  the  favour  and  acceptance  of  God,  and  the 
 final  pofieilion  of  cverlafting  life  and  glory  in 
 the   divine  prefenee   and   kingdom.     And  in 
 this  ccnneB'cd  view  thefe   fadts  will   be  fo  far 
 from  appearing  incredible,  as  that  they   will 
 carry  in  them  the  highejl  degree  of  probability 
 and  truth,  and  each  be  a  firong  confirmation 
 of  the  other.     If  we  confider  any  one  of  thefe 
 fa(fts  abfiraBly  from  the  reft,  and  independent 
 of  the  defign  that  is   to  be  anfwered  by  all  of 
 them,  I  lliould  as  readily  allow,  as  any  man, 
 that  they  were  ?\iogtih<ix  improbable  and  incre^ 
 dible.     Not  beeaufe   contrary    to  the   common 
 coiirfe  of  nature,  which  is  an  idle  and  imper- 
 tinent obje^Stion,  fuch  events  being  referred  to 
 the  immediate  poiver  cf  God,  by  the  confeffion 
 of  all   who  believe  them  ;  a  power   equally 
 capable  of  producing  extraordina?y  as  well  ag 
 ordinary  events,  or  of  effecfting  events  with- 
 
 QUt 
 
'Scrm.Ti.'  Vf  ChriJTs  Afcenfton.  31 1 
 
 »oat  the  interpofition  of  fecond  caufes,  as  with 
 -them.  But  becaufe  it  is  not  at  all  probable, 
 that  God  will  immediately  interpofe,  or  vary 
 from  the  common  courib  of  nature,  unlefs 
 there  be  fome  very  high  and  njahiabk  md  to  be' 
 ^nfwered  by  it ;  or  unlefs  there  be  fome  defigMi 
 to  be  promoted  of  importance  and  confe- 
 quence,  great  enough  to  deferve  an  extraor- 
 dinary or  unufual  exertion  of  the  power  of 
 God  :  And  therefore  if  either  the  re^urreBlon 
 or  afcenfion  oi  Chriji  be  confidered  only  as  im- 
 ^onneBed  things,  and  without  any  relation  to 
 the  grand  fcheme  of  Chriftianity,  they  will 
 appear  as  incredible  as  any  of  the  enemies  of 
 Chriflianity  can  reprefcnt  therh.  For  who' 
 will  be  weak  enough  to  believe,  that  a  deaJ 
 ■perfon  ever  rofe  to  hfe  again,  if  no  good  acr- 
 count  can  be  given  of  the  reafon  for  it,  or  if 
 there  was  con feffedly  no  great  and  wortliy  ef- 
 fe6t,  fd  much  as  pretended  to  be  anfwered  by 
 it ',  oT  if  the  e-hn'r^Ber  of  the  perfon,  faid  to  be 
 raifed,  h^d  nothing  in  it  remarkably  great  and 
 good,  that  could  deferve  fuch  an  exemption 
 from  the  common  laws  of  mortality.  But  if 
 we  conlider  each  event  as  part  only  of  a 
 fcheme,  if  we  conlider  the  cxtraordnKiry  'Con- 
 -ception  of  Chrift's  body  as  intended  to  prepare 
 2l  Jid table  taberiiade  {ox  that  imrncrtal  jpirit 
 which  was  to  dwell  in  it,  a-nd  to  add  digiilty  to 
 his  charaSfer^  that  he  might  be  in  every  refpe<5t 
 the  Son  of  God, — if  we  confider  his  miracles 
 a«  wrought  in  confirmation  of  the  mod  excel- 
 lent and  worthy  do(5trine  and  religion — \i  we 
 con^der  his  death  as  intended  by  his  enemies  to 
 %.  4  load. 
 
'3^12  0/  Chrifi's  Afc en/ton.  Serm.  11/ 
 
 load  his  perfon  with  infamy^  and  crufh  his  doc- 
 trine on  its  iirfl:  publication  ;  and    his  rcjiir^ 
 7 cation  as  neceflary  to  vindicate  hi2,  perfon,  and 
 give  new  life  and  credit,  new  vigour  and  effi^ 
 cacy  to  hh  religio?! ',  and  to  fhew  the  world 
 the  method  by  which  men  mufi:  be  recovered 
 to  the  poiTeiTion  of  2l  future  ftoie  j  and,  finally,, 
 if  we  confider  his  afcenfon  to  heavemy  glory  as^ 
 the  juft  r^i^^-^r^of  hisj^Vf/f/y  to  God  and  bene-. 
 science  to  man,  and  to  be  a  fianding  proof  to- 
 all  ages  of  the  world,  even  to  the  end  of  it,- 
 that  bccjen  is  relerved  for  the  inheritance  of  good, 
 wen^  and   that  Chrijl  himfelf  dwells  there  as 
 their  forerunner,  and  under  the  kind  charader 
 pf  a  patron   and  advocate,  and  lliall  remain 
 there,  'till  he  comes  to  the  final  judgment  of 
 the  world — if  we  confider  all  thtic  events  in 
 their   connection  and   tendency,  as  having    a 
 near  relation  to  each  other,  as  all  having  their 
 place  in,  and  helping  to  form  one  great  and 
 excellent  plan,  as  each  neceflary  to  the  orna-» 
 ment  and  perfedion  of  the  whole,  in  which 
 no  one  article  appears  fuperfiuous,  and  not  one 
 can  be  wanting  without  fuch  a  maniteft  chafm 
 as  dellroys  the  proportion  and  fymmetry,  the 
 pfeiulnels  and  grandeur  of  the  whole  fcheme. 
 In  this  view  every  thing  appears  with  the  moft. 
 fubftantial  m^arks  oi  credibility  and  worthy  of 
 God,  by  whom  the  plan  was  originally  laid, 
 and   by    the  immediate   interpofal  of  whofe 
 power  it  was  conduced  and  accompli  ill  ed.     . 
 And  herein  there  is  an  infinite  differenceht- 
 nveen  the  credibility  of  thefe  events,  as  re- 
 tarded of  ffus,  and  the  fomewhat  like  eventa^. 
 
 which 
 
Scrm.  i-i.'  Of  Chrijl's  Afcenfion,  ^\^. 
 
 which  are  faid  by  fome    prophane   writers  to^ 
 have  happened  to  other  perfons^  fuch  as  Pytha-^- 
 goraSi  Orpheus y  Hercules,  IheJhiSy   and   feveral 
 others ;  who  are  reported,  hy  fabulous  antiquity, 
 to   have  dcfcended  into  the  dominions  ot  the 
 dead,  and  to  have  returned  from  thence  again 
 alive  *.  And  of  Romulus^  who  was  faid  after  his 
 death  to   be  tranjlated  into  heaven  and  become . 
 the  guardian  God   of  the  Roman  flate  and 
 people  -f*.     And   Apollonius  T'yanceus,    whom 
 FhikfiratiiSt  who  writes  his  hillory,  reprefents, 
 as  worthy  of  heaven,  and  as  called  by  an  au- 
 dible voice  of  one  of  the  Gods  to  ajcend  thi- 
 ther.    Befides   the  intire  ^jcant  of  the  evidence, 
 of  all  proper  tefilmonyy  thefe  things  carry  in 
 them  partly  an  abfolute  contradidiioti  to  truth. 
 The  dejcent  of  a  living  man  into  the  world  of 
 the  dead,  fuch  as  the  fore-mentioned  perfons 
 pretended,  being  an  abfolute /w/'c//^////)';  and 
 the  afcent  of  the  others  into  heaven  after  death, 
 being  deftitutc of  every  degree  of  probability  ; 
 the   charadters  of  the  perfons  having   nothing 
 in  them  that  can   be  fjppofed  to  merit  fuch 
 an  extraordinary   favour.     Romulus  had   been 
 guilty  of  many  enormous  violences -,  and  Apol- 
 loniiiSy  as  appears  by  the  hillory   of  him,  was 
 a  vain,  ambitious,  fuperflitious  pretender  to 
 wifdom  and  philofophy,  deftitute  of  the  know-, 
 ledge  of  the  true  God,  and  immerfed  in  the 
 very  dregs  of  pagan  idolatry  and  impiety.     So 
 that  the  objection  of  Celfus,  one  of  themoft. 
 ?intient   writers   againft  Chriftianity,    againft 
 
 *.  Sfp  On'gen.  contr.  Celf.  p.  429.      f  SeeLivy,  1.  i.e.  16, 
 
 the 
 
'^14-  Of  ChrjJTs  Afcenjtcn.  Serm.  ii; 
 
 ihe  refurreflion  of  Chrift,  that  it  is  as  fabu- 
 lous and  incredible,  as  the  before-mentioned 
 account  of  Hcradess  and  others  defcent  into 
 hell,  and  therefore  ought  equally  to  be  rejecfled, 
 is  evidently  of  no  weight,  becaufe  there  is  no- 
 thing impojjiblc  in  the  great  events  which  are 
 related  of  Chrijl,  to  the  divine  power,  nor  any 
 thing  in  his  charaBer,  unworthy  of  fo  lignal 
 srn  interpoiition  of  God  in  his  favour,  nor 
 any  thing  in  the  faBs  themfelves,  however 
 extraordinary  and  miraculous,  but  what  is 
 Jidted  to  the  evident  intention  of  his  appear- 
 ance in  the  world,  and  that  th^  moft  impor- 
 tant of  all  defigns,  in  which  any  perfon  can 
 be  engaged,  the  reformation  of  niankind  from 
 ignorance,  idolatry,  vice  and  ruin,  to  the 
 knowledge,  worfliip>  acceptance  and  favour 
 of  the  true  God,  and  the  confequent  poflef- 
 iion  of  life  and  immortality  :  Circumftances, 
 none  of  which  belong  or  can  be  afcribed  to 
 any  other  perfon  whatfoever. — Having  pre- 
 riiifed  thefe  things,  I  would  now  confider  this 
 fubjecl  of  Chrid's  afcenlion;  in  fpeaking  to 
 which  I  would  fet  before  you, 
 
 I.  The  evidence  for  the  truth  of  it. 
 
 II.  The  great  end  and  iijes  of  it. 
 
 I.  I  would  fet  before  you  the  proper  m- 
 denct  for  xkit  truth  of  it,  which  coniidering  the 
 fadt  in  connection  vvith  the  whole  of  Chrif- 
 tianity,  fs  as  fatisfadory  as  the  nature  of  the 
 thing  allows  of,  and  fufficient  to  eflablifli  our 
 faith  and  hope  in  it— particularly, 
 
 I.  The  ivitnejfes  to  his  afcerifion  are  majiy^ 
 who  adluallyT^ic  him  in  his  removal  from  the 
 
 earth, 
 
Serm.   ir.  Of  Chrlfi's  /Ifeefifion,  2^^ 
 
 earth,  and  borne  up  out  of  their  fight  by  the 
 doucis  of  heaven*  The  lafi:  place  where  he 
 was  leen  was  on.  Mount  Glhety  in  the  town  or 
 village  oi  Bethany ^  afmall  diftance  from  y^n/- 
 falemy  whither  he  himfelf  led  them,  where  he 
 conve7jed  with  them,  commanded  them  to  return 
 to  Jerufalem  and  abide  there,  ////  they  were  en^ 
 dowed liiith  poiver from  en  high,  where  i'^  lift  up 
 his  ha?id^  and  lolemnly  blefjed  thm,  and  wbilll: 
 he  was  bleffing  them,  ii)ds  parted  from  them, 
 and  received  by  a  ckud  out  of  their  fight  y  and  the 
 eyes  of  bis  difciples  followed  him  as  he  was 
 afcending,  fieadily  looking  towards  him  as  he 
 went  up,  'till  he  became  invifible,  to  the  height 
 of  heaven,  and  in  this  account  there  are  feve- 
 ral  things  remarkable. 
 
 J.    The  place  oi  his  afcent,  Mount  Olivet ^ 
 an    eminence   or  hill,  where    there   was  lefs 
 probability  of  the  fpecftators  being   deceived 
 than  their  would  have  been   in  many   other 
 places,  where  the   view  was  confined  and  the 
 light  obdructed,  and  where,  had  there  been 
 any  intended   delufion,  he  might  have  more 
 eafily   conveyed  himfelf  out   of   their   fight, 
 and  by  a  ludden  difappearance  given  room  for 
 the  imagination  or  inventionof  fome  extraor- 
 dinary  removal    from    then>.     But   from   an 
 eminence  or  hill,  the  view  around  them  muft 
 have  been  more  extenfive,  any  collufive  con- 
 cealment   of  himfelf    from  them  have   been 
 mere    eafily    difcovered,-    a   real  afcent    into 
 heaven  more  clearly  feen,  and   the  afcent  itfelf 
 for  a  longer  fpace,  and  with  greater  diflind;- 
 nefs  purfued  and  attended  to  by  the  eyes  of 
 
 the 
 
3 -16  Of  Chrtji*s  Afcenfion'.  Strm.  wl 
 
 tlie  beholders.  So  that  if  Chrift's  Afcenfion 
 was  to  be  real,  an  eminence  or  hill  was  the 
 moft  proper  place  that  could  be  chofen  to 
 rife  from  ;  becaufe  he  could  be  more  diftindly 
 and  for  the  moll:  confiderable  fpace  beheld  : 
 But  furely  the  moft  unfuitable  of  all  others, 
 if  there  was  any  fraud  intended,  to  favour  the 
 deceit  and  render  the  impofition  effecflual; 
 
 2.  The  ajcenfion  of  our  bleffed  Saviour  to- 
 wards heaven,  wsis  gradual,  eafy  znA  JloWy  not 
 inftantaneous  and  fudden,  not  violent  and  tem- 
 pefhuous.  Rofmdus  was  faid  to  have  been  loft 
 in  a  furious  Ilorm  of  thunder  and  lightening, 
 and  being  fuddenlv  miffed  by  tht  people ^  they 
 were  the  more  eaiily  perfuaded  of  his  tranfla- 
 tion  into  heaven  j  which  the  nobles  firft  in- 
 vented to  cover  the  fufpicion,  that  during  the 
 florm  they  had  taken  the  opportunity  to  mur- 
 ther  him  j  though  there  is  not  the  ihadov/  of 
 a  pretence,  that  any  one  faw  his  tranflation. 
 On  the  contrary,  Chrifi's  afcenfion  V72i^  publick, 
 gentky  and  by  degrees ;  fo  that  the  eyes  of  the 
 beholders  fteadily  followed  him,  rofe  with 
 him,  as  he  advanced  higher,  and  purfued  him, 
 till  lofl  in  theimmenfity  of  the  heighth  of  hea- 
 ven. The  fpedators  looked  ficdfaJUy  towards 
 heaven  as  he  went  upy  till  the  cloud  had  carried 
 him  out  of  their  fight.     'Tis  further 
 
 3.  A  remarkable  circumftance  in  this  ac- 
 count^  that  he  was  taken  from  thenty  as  he  was 
 /tStually  converjing  with  tkemy  and  while  they 
 were  all  attentive  to  him,  and  receiving  his 
 folemn  benediBiony  and  fo  incapable  cf  being 
 itnpofed  on  by  any  fudden  and  fallacious  con- 
 veyance 
 
Serm.  II."  Of  Clmjl's  ^fcenfion.  317 
 
 veyance  of  himfeif  from  them.  **  He  lift  upy 
 his  hands  and  blcjfed  them"  faith  St.  Luke,  and 
 it  ca?ne  to  pafs^  whilji  he  blejfed  them,  he  was 
 farted  from  them,  and  carried  up  into  heaven  : 
 And  the  Author  of  the  A5ls  of  the  Apoftles, 
 who  was  alfo  unqueftionably  St.  Luke,  tells 
 us,  that  he  had  commanded  them  not  to  depart 
 from  Jerufalem,  and  affured  them,  that  they, 
 fliould  receive  the  Holy  Ghojl,  and  be  his  Wit- 
 nejfes  to  the  utmojl  parts  of  the  Earth,  and  that 
 •when  he  hadfpoken  thefe  things,  whil/i  they  be- 
 held he  was  taken  up,  and  a  clciui  received  him  cut 
 of  their  fight,  or  as  the  words  mere  literally 
 run  :  **  He  was  taken  up,  they  t he mf elves  by  and 
 beholding  him ;"  fo  that  they  were  adually  near 
 him  ',  he  was  in  the  midft  of  them,  converf- 
 ing  with  them  ;  intruding  and  folemnly  blef- 
 ing  them,  and  in  the  midft  of  thefe  tranfac- 
 tions,  whilji  they  beheld  him,  and  their  eyes 
 were  fixed  on  him,  he  arofe  out  of  their  fight 
 into  the  heavenly  glory. 
 
 4.  The  number  of  thofe  witneffes  is  flrong 
 for  the  confirmation  of  their  testimony.  It 
 was  in  the  view  of  all  the  Apcfles.  He  was 
 taken  up,  after  he  had  given  commandment  to  the 
 Apoftles,  and  as  they  were  all  afjembled  together y 
 and  as  they  themfelves  were  beholdmg  him.  This 
 is  the  exprefs  teftimony  of  Luke  concerning 
 them  ',  and  his  evidence  is  confirmed  by  the 
 witnefs  of  many  of  the  Apoflles  themfelves. 
 Mattheivs  account  of  the  lal\  appearance  of 
 Chrifl  is,  *'  that  he  came  and f pake  to  them  ai^d 
 faid,  all  power  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and 
 €arth,  Lo !  I  am  with  you  alivays,  even  to  the 
 
 end 
 
pB  Of  Chrijl'^s  AfcenJiQH  Serm.  it. 
 
 end  of  the  world*.     An   account    which   the 
 Apoftles  could  not  miftake  the  meaning  of,  af- 
 ter the  many   intimations  he  had  given,  and 
 which    Matthew  records,  of  the  glory  he  was 
 to  receive  in  the  heavenly  world \  particularly, 
 that  he  {hould  conie  in  the  glory  of  his  Father 
 with  his  Angelsy  and  then  jhould  reward  every 
 man  according  to  his  works, — that  he  fiouldjit  on 
 the  throne  of  his  glory ^  and  all  nations  be  ga- 
 thered before  him,  to  whom  he  (hould  difpenfe 
 their  refpedive    rewards   according   to  their 
 works  •]-.  The  apoftle  jb^;/  frequently   men- 
 tions this  afce?i/ion  of  Chrif,  as  an   event  he 
 himfelf  had  molT:  exprefly  foretold.     Thus  he 
 fpake  of  the  hours  being  come^  that  he  Jloould  de- 
 part out  of  this  world  to  the  Father,  of  his  com- 
 ingfrom  God,  and goiiig  to  God%^  of  his  going 
 to  his  Father  s  hotife  to  prepare  a  place  for  his  dif- 
 ciples  §,  of  the  reafons  his  difciples  had  to  re- 
 joice, becaufe  he  faid,  he  went  to  the  Father. 
 And  after  his  refurrcdtion   he  afiures   them, 
 *•*  I  afcend  to  my  Father  and  your  Father,  to  my 
 Cod  and  your  God\"     With   many  other  ex- 
 preflions  to  the  like  purpofe.     St.  Feter  afkires 
 us,  that  God  raifed  him  up  from  the  dead  and 
 gave  him  glory,  that  our  faith  and  hope  might  he 
 in  God^^.     And  that  he  is  gone  ifito   heaven ^ 
 and  is  at  the  right  ha?id  of  God,  angels   and 
 pfincipalities  a?2d  powers  being  made  fiibje^   to 
 him'\"f.     St.  fames  fpeaks  of  the  faith  of  the 
 glory  of  Jefus  Chriji  Xt>  ^^^   exhorts  thoie  to 
 
 *  Mat.  xxviii.   i8.  20.  t  Mat.  xvi.  27.    25.    31.  SiC. 
 
 X  John  xiii.  1,3.       ^  xiv.   i,      \\  xx.  17.       '^^   I  Pet.  i.  21. 
 If  iii.  22.-        %l  ii.  1. 
 
 whom 
 
Serm.  1 1:  Of  CBriJl^s  Afca^fion.  gJ0 
 
 "whom  he  wrote,  io  wait  patiently  for  the  com^ 
 ing  of  the  Lord^.  The  author  to  the  Hebrews 
 tells  us,  he  is  crowned  with  glory  and  honour » 
 and  that  he  is  pajfed  into  the  heavens  as  our 
 great  High  Prieji  -f*.  St.  Paul  hoihfaw  him 
 in  the  bright  fiefs  of  his  glory  ^  and  affures  us, 
 that  God  raifed  him  from  the  dead,  2Lndfet  him 
 at  his  own  right  haiid  in  heavenly  places,  far 
 above  all  principalities  and  powers,  and  might 
 and  dominion,  and  every  name  that  is  named  ^ 
 not  only  in  this  world,  but  alfo  in  that  which  is 
 to  come  J.  Yea,  not  only  the  twelve  Apoflles^ 
 but  a  far  larger  number  oi  ^t'iion^faw  him  and 
 "were  witneffes  to  his  afcenfion :  Peter  in  the 
 midfl:  of  the  difciples  met  together,  in  number 
 about  one  hundred  (^nd  twenty,  fpake  of  them 
 <?//,  as  the  companio7is  of  the  Apojiles,  and 
 converfant  with  Chriji,  all  th^  time  he  wa$ 
 amongfi  them,  from  the  baptijm  of  fohn  until 
 the  day  he  was  taken  up  from  them  §.  So  that 
 though  the  tefllmony  of  ifew,  might  have 
 been  more  liable  to  objection  j  yet  fuch  a 
 cloud  of  witiicffes  is  greater  than  all  exception, 
 and  an  abundant  confirmation  of  this  im- 
 portant fad. — And  though  Stephen  is  not  ex- 
 preflly  fpoken  of  as  one  who  faw  him  atflu- 
 glly  afcend,  yet,  what  is  an  equal  confirma- 
 tion of  that  fact,  as  he  was  floned  by  his 
 enemies,  he  cries  out,  ''  Behold  J  fee  the  hea^ 
 vens  cpen^  and  the  Son  of  man  flanding  at  the 
 right  hand  of  God\.  St.  Mark  alfo  relates  the 
 fame  fa<5t,  as  univerfally  known  and  believed 
 
 *  James  V.  7,       •)■  Hfb.  ii.  7.  4.  14,       %  Ephsf.  i.  20,  21, 
 %  Aftsi.  21,  22.     (j  Adsvii.  55. 
 
 by 
 
%20  Cf  ChrijVs  Jfcenjioft.  Serm,  iC 
 
 by  the  Chriflian  church  *,  with  whom  Luke 
 "in  his  go/pel  agrees i  who  tells  us,  that  he  lift  u^ 
 '^jis  hands  and  bleired  them  ;  and  it  cametopaJSy 
 while  he  blejfed  them^  he  was  parted  from  them, 
 and  carried  up  into  heaven. — But 
 
 5.  As  the  Apoflles  and  the  other  difciplesfaw 
 him  ^'^fW  towards  heaven,  and  followed  him 
 with  their  eyes,  till  through  the  extraordinary 
 height  he  became  abfolutely  invilible  to  them  : 
 60  there  was  an  angelick  appearance^  which 
 (iffured  them  of  his  tr  a? flat  ion  into  the  heavenly 
 glory.  Whiljl  they  looked  fie  df a  fly  towards  hea^ 
 ven^  as  he  %vent  iipy  behold  two  men  flood  before 
 them  in  white  apparel  \  Two  men,  cs  to  out-' 
 ward  form,  but  by  their  drefs  difcovering 
 themfelves  to  be  angelick  natures,  who  faid, 
 7e  men  of  Galilee,  why  fxand  ye  gazing  into 
 heaven  :  T^his  fefus,  who  is  taken  up  into  heaven 
 fljaUfo  comcy  viz.  on  the  clouds  of  heaven,  as 
 ye  have  feen  him  go  into  heaven-^'.  By  which 
 teftimony  they  were  afTured,  not  only  of  his 
 afcenfion  into  heaven^  but  of  the  certainty  of 
 his  return  2X  the  time  appointed  by  his  Father 
 for  the  rejiitution  of  all  things. 
 
 So  that  when  it  is  faid  by  the  enemies  of 
 revelation,  that  we  have  not  the  evidence  of 
 the  Apoflles  themfelves  to  the  truth  of  the  re- 
 furred;ion  and  afcenfion  ;  but  Mark  and  Luke 
 iells  us  that  the  Apoftles  and  others  faw  him, 
 this  objeBicn  appears  to  be  in  part  falfe,  fincc 
 we  have  the  exprefs  teJlimo?iies  of  Matthew, 
 John,  Peter  and  ya?nes,  to  his  exaltation  to  the^ 
 
 •  Mark  xvi.  19.        f  Afts  i.  10^  ii»- 
 
$erm^  iii'  Of  ChnjVs  Afcenfianl  3a  f 
 
 heavenly  glory,  who  were  of  the  number  of 
 
 his   Apoftles,  a  tefcimony    which  they  have 
 
 left  on  record  in  their  writings,  for   the  be- 
 
 .  nefit  of  the  Chriftian   church,  in  all  ages  of 
 
 the  world.     Yea,  we  have  the  iejlimony  of  the 
 
 ivhole  college  of   the  Apojiles  united,  and  that 
 
 on  the  n\6(ijhlemn  and/z^/^//V^  occafion,  before 
 
 the  whole  nation  of  the  JewSf  gathered  them- 
 
 felves  together  from  all  nations  at  Jeriifalem  on 
 
 ihefcajl  of  Fentecofi^  to  whom  Peter  declares, 
 
 in  the  name  of  all  the  reft,  being  prefent,-*-^ 
 
 Tihii  Jefus  hath  God  raifed  zip,  whereof  we  are 
 
 all  witnejfes  ;  therefore  being  by  the  right  hand 
 
 of  God  exalted t  he  hath  fied  forth  this,  which 
 
 ye  now  fee  and  hear  :  For  David  is  jiot  afc  ended 
 
 into  heaven  j   but  he  fays  himfelf\  the  Lord  f aid 
 
 unto  my  Lord,  fit  thou  at  my   right  hand,  till  I 
 
 make  thy  foes  thy  footjiool.     therefore  let  all  the 
 
 boufe   of  Ifrael  know  ajfiiredly,    that  God  hath 
 
 •made  that  fame  fefus,  whom  ye  have  crucified^ 
 
 both  Lord  and  Chrljl  *.     And  again  in  the  pre^ 
 
 fence  of  the  High  Prie/i  and  his  companions,  the 
 
 Sanhedrim,  and  all  the  fenate  of  the  children 
 
 of    Ifrael,    being  interrogated, — F)id  iiot  we 
 
 •JiriBly  co?nmand  you,  that  you  fiould  not  teach 
 
 V  in  his  name,  and  behold  you  have  filled  Jerufa* 
 
 lem  with  your  doSlrine,  and  intend  to  bring  this. 
 
 mans  blood  upon  us  ?  Peter  and  the  other  Apo^ 
 
 ■'files  anfwered,  ffus,  whom  ye  few  and  hanged 
 
 :  on  a  tree,  him  hath  God  exalted  with  his  right ' 
 
 band  to  be    a   Prince    and  Saviour   to    give 
 
 :  repentance  to  Ifrael  and  fo7'givenefs  of  fim  \* 
 
 ^  ,  •  Aa$  ii.  j2,.  33,  2^,  36.     t  -Aas  V.  21,  38,  29,  30,  31. 
 
 '    Vol.  I.    ^  •      y  A 
 
^2  Of  Chrijfj  j^fcenfioK,  Serm.  ii; 
 
 A  tcftimony  this  to  the  face  of  his  very  mur- 
 therers,  by  whom  they  had  been  before 
 threatened  for  teaching  this  dodlrine,  and 
 from  whom  they  had  reafon  to  expedt  the 
 fevereft  treatmem,  if  they  perfifted  in  preach- 
 ing it. 
 
 The  truth  is,  that  the  publication  of  the 
 gofpel  through  the  world  by  the  miniftry  of  the 
 Apojiks,  and  their  preaching  it  both  to  Jews 
 find  Gentiles,  is  the  ftrongefl  proof  of  the  te- 
 flimony  they  gave  to  thhfaSi,  and  leaves  no 
 poflible  room  for  queftioning,  whether  they 
 continually  preached  and  attefted  it ;  for  it 
 was  fo  effential  an  article  of  Chriftlanity,  as 
 that  the  whole  fuccefs  of  the  gofpel  depended 
 on  it  ;  and  there  could  have  been  no  fatis- 
 faftory  reafon  for  believing  in  Chrift,  but  on 
 the  fuppofition  of  his  afcenfion  into  heaven 
 and  exaltation  ^t  the  right  hand  of  God,  or 
 to  a  ftate  of  the  higheft  majefty  and  power 
 in  the  prefence  and  kingdom  of  God.  And 
 this  was  fo  known  an  article  of  Chriftianity, 
 as  was  never  difputed  and  denied  by  any,  who 
 profefled  to  believe  it  ;  and  which  there- 
 fore muft  have  been  conftantly  and  uniformly 
 taught,  as  an  efiential  and  fundamsntalprin- 
 ciple  of  it. 
 
 From  what  has  been  faid  it  appears, 
 I.  That  the  teftimony  for  this  fad:  of  ChriJTt 
 iifcenfton  is  abundantly  y^(^«V;z^,  fince  we  have 
 numerous  'witnejfes,  who  a (51  u ally  were  prefent 
 ^ndfaw  his  removal  to  the  clouds  of  heaven  5 
 and  in  fuch  2i  fuuation^  in  which  they  could 
 not  be  deceived  nor  impofed  on  by  any  cun- 
 
Scrrh.  II.  Of  Chrijl's  Afcefificnl  323 
 
 ning  and  delulive  arts.  Nor  would  our  blelicd 
 Loid  have  led  his  difciples  to  an  open  hi! I ^ 
 where  there  could  be  no  concealment  of  what 
 was  tranfaded,  if  he  had  any  defign  to  de- 
 ceive thenii  Pythagoras  is  reported  to  have 
 concealed  hin)felf  in  fome  fecret  place,  for  a, 
 confiderable  time  fiom  his  difciples,  and  then 
 to  have  returned  and  boafted  of  a  refurredion* 
 And  if  our  Lord  had  any  intention  to  have 
 impofed  on  them  by  a  falfe  afceniion  :  he  would 
 have  fecret ly  conveyed  h'nnjelf  from  them,  after 
 having  told  them  that  he  fliould  afcend,  and 
 thus  put  it  out  of  their  power  to  convidt  him 
 of  impofture. 
 
 2.  How  extraordinary  foever  this  fadl  may 
 ^^^^tzr feparaie  and  in  itfelf,  yet  in  connc5iion. 
 with  other  parts  of  this  hiftory,  it  hath  every 
 circumftahce  of  credibilityi  fince  it  was  ne- 
 celTary  to  perfect  the  fcheme  of  his  religion, 
 to  render  him  that  Saviour  of  mankind  he  de- 
 
 ^clared  himfelf  to  be,  to  aflure  us  of  the  fa* 
 vourof  God,  and  the  happinefs  of  a  heavenly 
 life,  to  conftitute  him  the  intercefTor  and  great 
 advocate  of  mankind,  and  to  fupport  the  faitlr  ' 
 and  hope  of  all  who  believe  in  him,  to  vindi^ 
 cate  the  honour  of  his  chara<fler,  to  remove 
 the  fcandalof  his  death,  to  reward  his  perfect 
 obedience  to  his  Father's  will,  and  encourage 
 the  pradice  of  religion  and  virtue  in  all  his 
 difciples.     And  therefore 
 
 3.  With  what  pleafure  iTiould  we  remember 
 the  crucifed  Savicur  this  day,  who  fubmitted 
 himfelf  to  death  to  promote  his  Father's  glory 
 and  the  falvation  of  mankind  ;  and  who  for 
 
 y  2  his 
 
^24  Of  Chrijl^s  Afcenfion.  Serm.  tt. 
 
 his  obedience  to  death  was  crowned  with  glory  and 
 honour,  exalted  to  be  iiniverfal  Lord  and  made 
 the  Author  of  fdlvation  to  all  who  believe  in 
 him  ?  With  what  chearfulnefs  may  we  put 
 ourfelves  under  his  prote(flion  ?  With  what 
 willingnefs  fhould  we  obey  his  laws  ?  And 
 with  what  intire  confidence  may  we  trufl  his 
 promifes  ?  Ajcended  into  heaven  he  hath  gifts 
 to  beflow  of  the  moft  valuable  and  fubflantial 
 nature,  the  pardon  of  fin  y  the  grace  of  thefpi- 
 lit,  and  ihQ privileges  of  eternal  life  :  Becaiife 
 he  lives,  we,  who  believe  in  him,  Jhall  live 
 alfo.  Where  he  is,  there  we  Jhall  be  :  His  en- 
 trance into  heaven  is  on  our  account,  to  affure 
 us  that  death  fl30uld  not  have  dominion  over 
 us,  but  that  he  will  raife  us  up  at  the  lafl  day 
 and  give  us  an  abundant  entrance  into  his 
 kingdom.  Let  us  therefore  jet  our  affe^ions  on 
 things  above,  where  Chriflfits  at  the  right  hand  of 
 God,  and  labour  that  whether  living  or  dying  we 
 may  be  accepted,  that  when  he  (hall  come  in  the 
 clouds  to  accomplish  the  number  of  his  eledt, 
 we  may  then  appear  with  him  and  be  allowed 
 to  dwell/i^r  ever  with  the  Lord, 
 
 SERMON 
 
[    3^5    ] 
 
 SERMON     XII. 
 
 Farther  Proofs  of  Chrift's  Afcenfion. 
 
 Acts  i.  9,   10,   ir. 
 
 jl^id  when  be  hadfpoken  thefe  things^  while  they 
 beheldy  he  was  taken  up,  and  a  cloud  received 
 him  out  of  their  fight.  And  while  they  looked 
 fedfafily  towards  heaven,  as  he  went  up, 
 behold  two  men  flood  by  them  in  white  apparel, 
 who  alfo  faid  ^  Te  men  of  Galilee,  why  ft  and 
 ye  gazing  up  into  heaven  ?  This  fame  fefus, 
 which  is  taken  up  from  you  into  heaven^  ft:aU 
 fo  come  in  like  manner  as  ye  have  fecn  him  go 
 into  heaven. 
 
 IN  the  preceding  difcourfe  I  Hiew'd  you  the 
 credibility  of  this  important  fad:,  the  afccn- 
 fon    of  our    Lord    and   Saviour  Chrift   into 
 Heaven,  the  i^KM^^Xn^  evidence  we  have  of  the 
 certainty,  and  pointed  to  the  improvement  we 
 fhould   make  of  this  article  of  our  faith.     I 
 would  again  engage  your  attention  to  this  in- 
 terefling  fubjedt ;   for   befides    thofe   aVcaw- 
 ftances  in  the  nature  of  the  evidence  mentioned 
 in  iht foregoing  difcourfe,  there  are  other  argu-* 
 ments,  that  carry  in  them  the  Arongeft  con- 
 ¥3  vi(5tioa 
 
326   Farther  Proofs  cf  Chrijl^s  Jfcenfion.  Serm.  12. 
 
 vidicn  of  the  truth  of  this  afcevjion  of  our 
 blelTed  Saviour  to  the  heavenly  glory  :  As 
 particularly 
 
 I. The  coj2du5t  of  the  Apoftks  after  our  bleffed 
 Saviour's  removal  from  them,  and  when  he 
 was  no  more  to  be  (ctw  as  perfonally  prefent 
 with  them.  He  exprelTly  and  frequently  fore^ 
 told  them  that  he  was  to  leave  them,  and  be 
 no  longer  with  them ;  a  circumftance  which 
 his  Apoftles  could  not  digell,  nor  reconcile 
 with  their  own  prejudices,  that  the  MeJJiah 
 r^vas  to  abide  for  ever,  and  eredt  a  temporal 
 kingdom,  and  make  the  Jewi  triumph  over 
 the  Gentiles,  who  had  oppreiTed  them.  This 
 was  the  favourite  national  prejudice  they  re-i- 
 tain'd  to  the  laft,  'till  they  adually  faw  him 
 taken  from  them,  and  received  into  Heaven 
 out  of  their  fight ;  But  this  at  once  put  an 
 end  to  all  farther  expecftation  of  his  temporal 
 (iominion,  And  our  Lord  tells  them,  in  an- 
 f^er  to  that  queilion,  V/ilt  thou  at  this  time  re- 
 Jlore  again  the  kingdom  to  Ifrael  *  ?  TeJJoall  re- 
 ceive pDivery  and  yejloail  be  witnejjes  unto  me  both 
 in  Jerufalem,  and  in  all  Judea,  and  in  Samaria, 
 and  tmio  the  iittermoji  parts  of  the  earth  \\.  And 
 accordingly  inftead  of  any  farther  dreams  of 
 a  temporal  kingdom,  and  the  conqiieji  of  the 
 Gentiles  by  force  of  arms,  foon  after  Chrifl's 
 jfcenfion  they  preached  the  Gofpcl,  became 
 witneiTes  of  his  refurredlion  and  afcenlion, 
 exhort  their  hearers  to  repe?ita?2ce  and  faith,  and 
 ^0  five  thcmfelves  from  that  ivicked  generation^ 
 
 f  A^s  i,  6.         l|  viii.  6. 
 
 among 
 
Scrm.  12.  Farther  Proofs  of  ChrifTs  Afcenfwn.  327 
 
 among  whom  they  lived  ;  declaring  the  cruel- 
 Jied  yefus  to  be  Lord  and  Cbr'iJJy  promifing  in 
 hivS  name//).?  rem'tjjion  oj  fms  and  the  pfts  cfthe, 
 Holy  Ghoji  to  all  who  (liould  believe  in  him. 
 Thus  laying  down  authoritatively  and  in  the 
 name  of  God,  the  terms  of  their  falvation  and 
 acceptance,  before  the  whole  body  of  the 
 ^ews  aflembled  from  all  parts  of  the  worW 
 at  yerufalem. 
 
 This  Judde?2  alteration  in  the  principles  and 
 conduct  of  the  Apoftles  is  truly  'wonderful  im 
 its  nature,  and  can  fcarce  be  accounted  for 
 any  other  way,  but  in  confequence  of  fome 
 very  extraordinary  influence  on  their  minds  ; 
 and  in  this  view  it  ought  to  be  conGder'd;  be- 
 caufe  it  is  exprefily  prediBed  by  our  blefled 
 Saviour  as  a  proof  of  his  afcenfwn  into  glory, 
 and  having  received  power  and  authority  fron:^ 
 God.  There  is  a  remarkable  pafiage  to  this 
 effetft,  which  hath  been  feldom,  if  at  ail  rightly 
 explained  and  underftood.  ff^^  f^id  unto 
 them,  ijerily  I  fay  wito  you,  that  ye,  ivLx)  hai'e 
 followed  me  in  the  regeneration,  when  the  Son  of 
 tnan  fhall  fit  in  the  throne  of  bis  glory,  ye  alfojhall 
 Jit  upon  twehe  throneSf  judging  the  iwehe  tribes 
 of  Ifrael  J. 
 
 From  thefe  words  it  appears,  that  the  Apof 
 ilesjudgi?2g  the  twehe  tribes  of  Ifrael,  as  feaied 
 upon  twehe  thrones,  is  here  exprefily  foretold, 
 as  what  (liould  certainly  happen,  when  Chrifl- 
 was  feated  on  the  thro?je  of  his  glory.  It  is,  I 
 think,  evident  that  this  promife  to  the  Apof- 
 
 %  Mat.   xix.  2S. 
 
 y  4  ticsi 
 
328  Farlher  Proofs  of  Chrifi^s  Afcerjion.  Serm.  12.' 
 
 ties  refers  to  the prefe72t  life.  Te  are  they,  fays 
 Chrifl:,  'who  have  continued  with  jne  in  my  tejjipta- 
 tionSj  and  I  appoii2t  unto  you  a  kingdom ,  as  my 
 father  hath  appointed  unto  me-f.  As  Chrifl's 
 liingdcm  is  ?20t  of  this  world,  fo  neither  was 
 that  kingdom  which  Chrift  appointed  to  his 
 ^pojlles^  but  a  purely  moral,  fpiritual  kingdom  i 
 .  and  therefore  the  thrones  in  which  they  were 
 to  fit  were  to  be  anfvverable  to  the  kingdom 
 they  were  to  receive,  and  the  judgment  they 
 were  to  execute  was  to  be  fuitable  to  the  na- 
 ture of  that  power  and  authority  they  were  to 
 exercife  in  this  kingdom  ;  and  to  this  all  the 
 cxpreffions  in  this  remarkable  prophecy  ex- 
 adly  anfwer.They  were  tofit  on  tivelvethronesy 
 judging  the  twelve  tribes  of  Ifrael.  A  throne y 
 properly  and  in  its  original  figniiication,  is  no 
 more  than  an  exalted  chair  or  feat  *,  in  which 
 perfons  of  peculiar  eminency  and  worth  were 
 placed,  fuch  as  kings,  princes,  or  judges :  And 
 what  is  immediately  to  our  purpofe,  teachers, 
 dolors,  fcphijis  and  philofophers,  were  they 
 rnight  be  more  eafily  feen  and  heard  by  thofe 
 who  attended  on  them  for  inflrudion. 
 
 There  is  a  pafl'age  in  Plato  ex^dly  parallel 
 to  this  in  Matthew,  and  in  which  the  very 
 fame  words  are  made  ufe  of,  and  that  upon  a 
 fomewhatlike  occafion  ;  and  which,  I  think, 
 will  leave  no  doubt  of  the  explication  I  fliall 
 give  of  this  text  of  Scripture,  which  hath  aU 
 W^ys  been  reckoned  among  the  mojft  difficult 
 
 f  Luke  xxii.  30. 
 f  ©fo???  >}  JSrajif-f'?;  x«$«ef«,  ^tjm.  Mag, 
 
Serm.  12.  Farther  Proofs  of  Chrijl^s  Afcenjion.  529 
 
 ones,  and  about  which  interpreters  have  greatly 
 differed.  Plato  introduces  Socrates,  relating  a 
 vifit  he  made  to  one  Ilippt as,  a /opbiji  or  phi^ 
 hfopher.  And  Socrates  fays,  *'  I  found  him 
 **  fitting  on  a  throne,  and  a  great  many  perfons 
 ".  about  him  ;  but  Hippias  feated  on  his 
 *•  thione  judged,  decided,  or  determined,  and 
 <*  went  through  all  the  fever  j.1  queftiuns  which 
 "  each  of  them  put  to  him  §."  It  is  remark- 
 able, that  the  very  words  are  the  icL.riQ  which 
 the  Apoille  makes  ufe  of.  Hippias  as  a  teacher 
 ov philofopher  fat  on  his  throne  :  The  Apoftles 
 were  to  fit  on  their  thrones.  Hippias  judged, 
 I.  e.  determined  the  qucfiions  of  tliofe  around 
 him.  The  Apojiles  were  to  judge  the  twelve 
 tribes  of  Ifrael,  i.  e.  to  teach  them  by  the  au- 
 thority of  Chrift  the  dodlrines  of  his  gofpel,  to" 
 injlru^  thofe  who  came  to  them  for  knowledge, 
 to  determine  all  the  great  quefions  put  to  them 
 hi  reference  to  the  nature  of  Chriil's  kingdom 
 and  religion.  A  noble  inflance  of  this  we 
 have  in  the  determination  made  by  the  whole 
 body  of  the  Apoftles,  in  reference  to  the  pious 
 Gentiles;  when  by  an  unanimous  confent  they 
 freed  them  from  circumcifion,andobfervingthc 
 law  of  Mofcs :  And,  finally,  they  were  to  judge 
 the  twelve  tribes,  the  whole  body  of  the  Jews ; 
 as  they  were  to  lay  down  the  terms  on  which 
 they  were  to  continue  the  people  of  God,  and 
 declare  them  to  be  rejecfted  and  cut  off  from" 
 being  his  people,  if  they  refufed  to  comply 
 with  them.     Sg  that  the  plain,  the  hteral,  the 
 
 §  Protag.  p.  31^, 
 
 noblo 
 
■^30  Farther  Proofs  of  ChriJVs  Afcenfion.  Serm.  12: 
 
 noble  fenfe  of  this  remarkable  prophecy  is, 
 that  the  twehe  Apoftles  Ihould  be  Chriji\  aii- 
 thorifed  teachers  to  the  whole  body  of  the  Jewifli 
 people,  that  they  fhoald  each  of  them  lit  in 
 the  throne,  the  chair  of  authority  and  in- 
 /IruAion  —  that  they  fhouid  be  Chrift's  mef- 
 fengers  to  that  nation,  and  the  principal  mi- 
 nifters  in  fpreading  his  doftrine  and  eredting 
 his  kingdom  among  them ;  and  that  from 
 their  determination  in  the  great  things  of  his 
 religion  there  fhouid  be  no  appeal,  as  they  had 
 his  Jpirit  to  inftru(5l  them,  and  received  their 
 commiffion  immediately  from  Heaven.  And 
 all  this  was  to  be  the  conjequence  of  Ch rift's 
 coming  to  his  kingdom,  or  one  certain  demon- 
 fir  ation  of  his  afcenfion  to  power  and  glory.  And 
 how  abfolutely  unlikely  was  this  event  ever  to 
 take  place,  when  it  was  firft  predicated,  that 
 twelve  obfctirey  illiterate  men,  bred  up  in  the 
 loweft  employments  of  life,  moft  of  them 
 contemptible  by  their  very  original,  without 
 education  or  learning,  filled  with  the  national 
 prejudices  of  a  temporal  Meiliah,  who  dream'd 
 of  nothing  but  dominion  and  conqueft,  and 
 earthly  power  under  him,  who  had  no  exalted 
 fentiments  of  rational  religion  or  moral  virtue, 
 nor  any  intereft,  characffcer  or  reputation  in  their 
 own  nation,  lliould  at  once  give  up  all  thofe 
 prejudices  they  had  entertained  about  their 
 Meffiah,  devote  themfelves  to  preach  his  doc- 
 trine, fpread  it  throughout  the  whole  body 
 of  this  people,  teach  a  rational  religion,  the 
 pureft  rules  of  virtue,  the  rewards  and  puni{h- 
 jxients  of  a  future  life,  and  a  new  method  of 
 
 juftification^ 
 
Serm.  12.  Farther  Proofs  of  Chrlji''s  Afcenfion.  331 
 
 jiiftification,  pardon  and  acceptance  with  God, 
 U7iknown  to,  tint  bought  of  by  the  Scribes  and 
 Pbarifees,  and  all  their  wifeil:  and  moft  learned' 
 men.  Thi?,  I  fay,  is  fuch  an  event  as  hath 
 no  parallel  in  the  world,  is  truly  miraculous 
 in  its  nature,  and  to  be  accounted  for  by^ 
 no  train  and  ordinary  connevftion  of  commoa 
 caufes  and  effeds :  But  when  conlider'd  as  an 
 exprefs  precliSIion  of  Chrift,  and  as  a  proof  of 
 his  cijcerijfion  into  glory,  and  as  what  they  were 
 Jurnifl:ed  ^indjiitedjor,  by  his  immediate  influ- 
 ence on  their  minds  in  confequence  of  his 
 afcenfion,  the  whole  difficulty  is  immediately 
 folved.  And  whilfl  this  prediction  remains 
 on  record,  and  the  certainty  of  its  accomplifli- 
 ment  is  preferv'd  j  it  will  be  confider'd  a^  a 
 demonftrative  proof  of  that  afceniion,  and  of 
 Chrift's  hriving  received  all  that  power  from 
 God,  his  Father,  as  was  iveceflary  to  his  fit- 
 ting them  for  fo  important  and  honourable  a 
 work.     But 
 
 2.  What  is  conneded  with  this,  the  gift  of 
 the  holy  fpirit  in  all  his  extraordinary  and  mira^ 
 culous  operations i  is  another  circumftance  which 
 confirms  the  afcenfion  and  exaltation  of  our 
 blefled  Lord  to  heavenly  power  and  glory. 
 Juil:  before  our  Lord's  afcenfion  he  com- 
 nianded  his  Apoftles,  being  all  aiTembled  to- 
 gether, •'  ^hat  ihey  fl^ould  not  depart  from  Je* 
 •*  rufalem,  hut  wait  for  the  prcmife  of  the  Fa^ 
 **  thtr,  which y  fays  kCy  ye  have  heard  cf  me. 
 *'  For  ye  flmll  be  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghof}^ 
 **  71  ot  many  days  hence  ^  and  ye  flmll  receive  power 
 <*  after  that  the  lioly  Ghojl  is  come  upon  you,  and 
 
'332  Farther  Proofs  of  ChriJVs  Afcenjion.  Serm.  12.' 
 
 *«  ye  fiall  be  wilnejfes  to  me  both  in  Jerufalem 
 '*  and  in  all  Judea,  and  in  Samaria,  and  unto 
 **  the  uttermojl  part  of  the  earth^."  This  was 
 what  our  blefled  Lord  had  often  promifed 
 them  :  But  here  the  promife  is  more  limited 
 and  exprefs :  They  were  ?20t  to  depart  from  '^e- 
 rujalem.  It  was  to  be  given  them  in  that 
 city,  and  within  a  few  days  after  Chrift  had 
 given  them  this  affurance  :  And  this  gift  was 
 not  to  be  beftowed,'till  Chrift  afcended  and  was 
 glorified :  And  therefore  was  to  be  an  evidence 
 and  proof  of  his  afcenfion  and  glorification. 
 
 Confider  here  wherein  this  gift  confifted, 
 or  what  the  gift  of  the  fpirit  implied.  He  is 
 called  the  fpirit  of  truths  becaufe  he  was  to 
 guide  them  into  all  truth :  And  therefore  it  con- 
 lifted  in  fuch  an  immediate  and  divine  illumina- 
 tion on  their  minds,  as  was  neccftary  to  their 
 underftanding  the^rz^^  nature  of  Chrifiianity; 
 and  to  enable  them  to  teach  it  to  the  world  in 
 fuch  an  inf  ant aneous power  of  fpea king  znd  un- 
 derfianding  all  languages,  as  ftiould  render  them 
 capable  of  converfingwith  thofe  of  their  own 
 nation,  who  were  born  and  lived  in  very 
 diftant  parts  of  the  world,  and  of  preaching 
 the  gofpel  of  Chrift  to  them  in  thofe  feveral 
 tongues,  in  which  they  had  been  educated, 
 according  to  the  feveral  countries  they  lived 
 in  ;  and  in  working  fuch  plain  and  evident  mi- 
 racks  as  might  raife  the  attention  of  thofe 
 they  preached  to,  convince  them  that  they 
 wera  the  meflengers  of  God,  and   be  more 
 
 *  m%  i.  4, 5, 8. 
 
 effedual 
 
Serm.  12.  Farther  Proofs  of  Chrifi's  Afcefifion.  ^f^ 
 
 efFedlual  to  perfuade  them  to  receive  their 
 meflages,  and  believe  and  obey  the  gofpel 
 they  taught  them.  Now  this  immediate  com- 
 munication of  knowledge,  this  inftantaneous 
 power  of  fpeaking  languages,  and  the  ability 
 to  work  miracles,  were  the  principal  gifts 
 conveyed  by  the  fpirit;  or  in  thefe  things 
 principally  confifted  that  gift  of  the  fpirit> 
 which  Chrift:  promifed  they  fhould  receive 
 from  the  Father,  not  many  days  after  his  re- 
 moval from  them  into  heaven. 
 
 Conlider  further,  the  e7jd  and  defign  of  this 
 gift,  the  purpofes  exprellly  and  before-hand 
 declared  to  be  anfwered  by  it.  He  is  called 
 the  comforter^  or  more  properly,  as  the  word 
 figniiies,  the  advocate.  He  was  to  plead  Ch rift's 
 caufe,  and  to  confirm  it  he  was  to  enable  the 
 Apoftles  to  become  Chrift's  witnefles  to  the 
 world,  and  to  capacitate  them  to  teach  all 
 mankind  the  great  truths  relating  to  his  reli- 
 gion and  kingdom,  to  the  uttennoji  parts  of  the 
 earth',  both  by  infpiring  them  with  ^2X full 
 and  compleat  knowledge^  that  was  neceflary  to 
 this  purpofc,  and  with  that  firmjiefsy  rcfoJutlon 
 and  courage^  which  they  needed  to  Ibpport 
 them  under  the  difficulties  of  fuch  a  fervice  : 
 And,  finally,  "  T^o  convince  the  world \\j'  i,  e, 
 many  both  among  Jews  and  Gentiles,  of  Jin,  of 
 righteoifnefs  a?2d  judgment  %  :  —  Of  fm  becaitfe 
 they  believe  not  in  me,~—i.  e»  to  convince  many 
 among  all  nations  of  the  wickednefs  of  the 
 yews  in  rejc6ling  Chrift,  and  not  believing  in 
 
 II  John  xvi.  8.        X  g. 
 
 him, 
 
,3^4  Farther  Proofs  ofCbriJl*s  Jfcenjion.  Serm.  la. 
 
 him,  notwithftanding   all   the    evidences  he 
 ^gave  them  of  his  divine  miffion  and  authority. 
 ^To  convince  them  of  rigbteoufnefs^  becaufe  I  go 
 ^io  my  Father  and  ye  fee  me  no  tnore  *  :  /.  <?.    To 
 .*vimiicaie  my  cbaraBer  and  clear  up  my  inno- 
 cence and  righteoufnefs,  by  demonftrating  that 
 though  they  put  me  to  an  accurfed  death  j  yet 
 that  after  my  removal  from  you,  I  live  and  am 
 exalted  to  power  and  glory  in   my   Father's 
 .J^ingdom   and   prefence ;   ''  and-  to  convince 
 the  world  oi  judgment^'  becaufe  the  prince  of 
 ythis  world  is  judged 'j  i.e.  to  convince  them, 
 that  the  Father  bath  committed  all  judgment  into 
 ■my  hands,  and  hath  appointed  me  to  judge  and 
 .condemn,  and  dejlroy  the  pois:er  of  the  prince  of 
 this  "world,  i.  e.  of  the  devil,  who  hath  long 
 reigned  over  all  the  nations  of  the  earth ;  viz. 
 by  putting  an  end  to  that  idolatry  and  confe- 
 quent  wicked nefs,  by  which  he  hath  main- 
 tained his  ufurped  authority  over  mankind. 
 Thefe  things  were  expreflly  declared  before 
 they  came  to  pafs,  as  the  dire<5t  intention  of 
 communicating  thofe  extraordinary  gifts  of  the 
 holy  fpirit  to  his  Apoflles.     Let  us  then  con- 
 fider  once  more, 
 
 The  correfpondence  between  the  fiature  of  the 
 ■gifts,  and  the  ejtd  to  be  anfwered  by  it,  of 
 how  exactly  fuited  this  extraordinary  vouch- 
 fafement  was  to  accomplifh  the  purpofes  in- 
 .-tendedby  it.  The  caufe  q^  Chrifl:  mufl:  have 
 failed  in  the  world  after  his  removal  out  pf  it, 
 without  fome   powerful   advocate  to  fupport 
 
 f  John  xvi.  lO, 
 
 and 
 
Serm.  12.  Farther  Proofs  cfChriJi^sJfcenfwn.  23 § 
 
 and  plead  it,  and  maintain  it  againfl:  all  oppo- 
 iition.     But  how  glorioufly,  how  efficacioufly 
 was  his  name  vindicated,  and  his  caufe  pleaded^ 
 by  that  heavenly  knowledge,  which  was  com- 
 municated by  that  gift  of  languages,  by  which 
 his  gofpel  was  at  once  pubhfhed  to  almoft  all 
 the  nations  tf  the  earth  ;  and  by  thofe  mira^ 
 culom  works,  which  were  performed  by  faith, 
 in  his  name !  Could  any   fair  and  impartial 
 judge  but  decide  in  his  favour,    when  they 
 faw  this   evidence  of  the  glory  to  which  he 
 was  advanced,  and   of  the  divine  original  of 
 that  gofpel  that  was   preached   by  his  Apof-. 
 ties  ? — Again,  how  could  the  Apoflles  have 
 been  competent  witneffes  for  him  among  all 
 ?iaiio72S  without  thofe  Gifts  ?  How  could  they 
 have  taught   his  religion  with  perfpicuity  and 
 authority,  unlefs  all  their  falfe   and    national 
 prejudices  had  been  removed,  and  they  had  been 
 led  into  all  tJ'uth  concerning  the  nature  of  his 
 kingdom,    the   reafons  of  his   fuffering  and 
 death,  and  the  ends  of  his  advancement  into 
 heaven  by  a  fpecial  illumination  from  above, 
 and  the  conveyance  of  a  full  information  ia 
 thefe  particulars  ?  How  Jlow  a  progrefs  muft 
 -they  have  made  in  propagating. his  religion  in 
 the  world,  without  iht  knowledge  of  languages, 
 and  underflanding  the  various  tongues  of  the 
 feveral    nations,    where  their  brethren  were 
 difperfed  ?  How  long,  laborious  and  difficult 
 atafk  would  the  learning  of  them  be  ?  Indeed 
 how  impoj/ible  for  either,  or  all  of  the  Apoftles, 
 to  have  attained  them,  by  any  common  and 
 ordinary  methods  ?  And  yet  fuch  a  knowledge 
 
 was 
 
33^  Fafther  Proofs  cfChriJl^s  Afanfion.  Serm.  ii. 
 
 was  abfolutely  neceflary  to  render  the  gofpel 
 the  religion  of  the  worlds  and  to  the  quick  and 
 Jpeedy  propagation  of  it  among  mankind. — 
 And  farther,  what  credit  could  they  have  ex- 
 petted  ?  What  converts  could  they  have  made 
 to  the  dodfrine  of  falvation  by  a  crucified  Sa- 
 viour, without  fome  power  oi'workif7g miracles, 
 and  giving  evident  proofs  that  God  was  with 
 them  ?  Furnilhed  with  thefe   authentic  cre- 
 dentials, they  were  fure  to  preach  with  fomc 
 efficacy  and   fuccefs,  and  might  bear  witnefs 
 to  Chrift   with  great  authority  and  freedom ; 
 ■  fince  they  were  fure  that  God   would  fupport 
 their  teftimony,  and  put  his  feal  to  the  truth 
 '  of  it.     And,  finally,    how  ftrong  convldtion 
 did   the    communicatloti   of  thefe  gifts  to  the 
 Apofiles,  and  their  imparting  them  to  others, 
 carry     to    mankind   oi  the   heinous  Jin   and 
 wickednefs  of  the  'jews  in  crucifying  Chrift^  and  , 
 reje5ling  him  by  an  obflinate  infidelity  ?  How 
 abundant  was   this    proof  of    \k\t  innocence  oi 
 his  perfon  and   the  rightecufnefs  of  his  caufe, 
 their  receiving  and   conferring   thofe  gifts  in 
 the  name  of  Jefus,  as  rifen  from  the  dead^  and 
 afcended  into  glory  ?  Had  he  been  an  impoftory 
 had  he  nei^er  rofe  from  the  dead,  as  the  Apof- 
 tles  preached  he  did  i  was  he  not  alive  in  his 
 Father's  prefence,  and  advanced  to  the  right 
 hand  of  power  and  glory,  and  had  he  not  re- 
 ceived of  the  Father  gifts  to  confer  on  mcn\  how 
 came  the  Apoftles  to  receive  them,  merely  for  this 
 piirpof*^,  to  qualify  them  to  be  wilnejjes  for  him 
 to  the  v/orld  in  thefe  refpedls,  and  to  grant  thsm 
 irfantlyjo  others  upon  prolefilng. their  belief  in 
 
 him. 
 
Serm.  12.  farther  Proofs  of  Chrtfi'^sAfcenfion.  3^7 
 
 him,  and  to  connrm  and  eftablilli  them  in  the 
 faith  they  had  received?  Was  Jefus  ^W,  how 
 could  they  have  been  granted  by  him  ?  Had 
 he  not  cifcended  into  heaven,  what  power  could 
 he  have  had  to  have  vouchfafed  them ;  as 
 he  promifed  the  grant  of  them  before  his 
 death,  to  be  the  great  proof  of  his  afcenfion  and 
 glorification  ?  How  came  the  pfedid^ion  to  be 
 fo  exadly  fulifiU'd,  if  he  neither  rofe  nor  af- 
 cended  ?  This  argument  of  Chrift's  exaltation 
 to  glory  can  never  be  evaded,  but  by  denying 
 that  thofe  gifts  were  ever  conferred  j  which 
 yet  there  are  many  of  the  ilrongefl  circum- 
 fcances  to  prove,  and  without  which  it  is  in- 
 deed impoflible  that  the  gofpel  could  have 
 made  fo  large  and  fpeedy  a  progrefs  in  the 
 world ;  and  within  ^ifcw  years  after  its  pub- 
 lication, have  been  underftood  and  received  by 
 fach  large  numbers  both  of  Jews  and  Gentiles 
 in  all  nations,  contrary  to  \hQ  Jiroijgeft  preju- 
 d/ccsy  with  which  the  minds  of  all  men  were 
 fortified  againll  it ;  and  the  furious  oppofifio7i 
 that  was  made  to  it,  wherefoever  it  was 
 preached.     But  farther, 
 
 '  3.  The  deJlruBionof  Jcrufaleinm  thatfignal 
 and  remarkable  manner,  in  which  it  was  ac- 
 compli(hed,  is  ^Jlrong  confirmation  of  the  af-^ 
 cenjion  and  glory  and  power  and  kingdom  oj  cut 
 Lord  JefusChrift :  An  argument  this,  which 
 I  apprehend  hath  feldom  been  infuled  on  to 
 that  advantage  in  which  it  is  capable  of  be- 
 ing reprefented  ;  and  which  therefore  I  (liall 
 endeavour  to  lay  before  yoa  in  a  clear  and 
 forcible  manner:  Here  then  let  it  be  conli- 
 VoL.  I.  Z  ridere4 
 
■^2^  Parther  Pi'osfs  of  CBriJl's  Jfcenj%u,  Serni.  12* 
 
 dered,  that  this  deJlrnBlon  of  yernfaJem  was 
 exprejly  and  dijiinclly  foretold  by  our  blefTed 
 Saviour  before  the  generation  in  which  he 
 lived  (hould  be  palled  away:  And  as  an  m- 
 dence  of  his  great  power  and  gloj'y,  or  of  his 
 t!fce?ifion  and  exaltaticn  at  the  tight  hand  of  God, 
 Verily^  faith  Ch  rift,  I  fay  unto  you,  this  genera-- 
 tion  jhall  not  pafs,  till  all  theje  things  be  fulfil^ 
 kd'^  ;  i.  e.  this  Ihall  happen  before  the  prefent 
 generation  of  maiaicindy  that  now  lives,  fhall 
 fee  removed-  by  death.  And  what  thefe 
 things  were,  we  arc  informed  in  the  beginning 
 of  the  chapter,  where  our  bleiTed  Lord  tells 
 his  difciples,  as  they  were  fhewing  him  the 
 buildings  of  the  temple,.  See  ye  mt  all  thefe 
 things  .^  Verily  I  fay  unto  you^  there  fiall  not  be 
 kft  here  one  ftone  upon  another^  that  fall  not  be 
 thro%vn  dswn.  His  difciples  then  apply  to  him 
 and  fa}v  ^tV/  us  ivhen  fiaU  theje  things  be,  and 
 "what  fdall  be  the  fgn  of  thy  coming  and  of  the 
 end  of  the  Torld.  Chrift  had  fpoken  of  it  as 
 an  event  to  be  accornDJifhed^  under  his  direc- 
 tion,  and  ffs  a  proof  of  his  power  and  ma- 
 jefty  :  And  therefore  they  af^  him  what  fhrtll 
 be  the  fgn  of  thy  coming'^  i.  e.  what  circum- 
 fiances  fliall  be  the  forerunners  of  thy  coming 
 to  the  deftruBion  of  ferifalem  and  the  temple^ 
 Our  bieifed  Lord  gives  them  feveral,  parti- 
 euiarlv.  Many  fl:aH  come  in  my  na77ie,  faying ; 
 Jam  Chrift,  and  fall  deceive  many.  This  was-^ 
 afeout  the  tirrie  in  which  the  Mefllah  was  ex- 
 l^eiled:-  And  accisrdingly  many  rcfe  between 
 
 •  Mat.  xxii^.  54p.. 
 
Serm.  12.  Farther  Proofs  cf  ChrijTs  Afcenfion.  359 
 
 the  delivery  of  this  prophecy  and  the  deflruc- 
 tion  of  Jeruralem,  who  pretended  to  this  cha- 
 rader,  and  deceived  many  of  the  Jews  by  this 
 falfe  pretence  to  their  deftrudlion. — In  the 
 reign  of  Claudius  Cafar,  one  Tbcudus  declared 
 himfelf  the  Meffiah,  drew  many  together  to 
 follow  him,  and  promifed  that  he  would  di- 
 vide the  waters  of  Jordan  for  their  pafTage; 
 but  wasdeftroycd  with  his  followers  hy  Fadtis, 
 the  Procurator  of  judca-f.  The  fame  Jo- 
 fephus  tells  us  J,  that  under  his  fucceflbr  NerOy 
 feveral  hnpofiors  and  deceivers  perfuaded  the 
 multitude  to  follow  them  into  the  defart,  af- 
 furing  them  that  they  would  there  Ihewthem 
 many  prodigies  and  miracles  from  God, 
 which  occafioned  the  deftrudion  of  many 
 of  them. 
 
 He  fays  alfo  that  a  certain  Egyptian  cam.e  to 
 Jerufalem^  proclaiming  himfelf  a /ro/'/Jf/f,  and 
 perfuaded  many  of  the  people  to  go  with  him 
 to  the  mount  of  Olives,  and  allured  them 
 that  from  thence  they  (liould  fee  at  his  com-' 
 mand  the  walls  of  Jerufakfn  fall  down,  over 
 the  ruins  of  which  they  fhould  enter  into  the 
 city,  four  hundred  of  them  were  (lain  by  the 
 foldiers  of  Felix. — Simon  Magus  alfo  might  be 
 reckoned  of  this  number,  who  boafted  him- 
 felf the  great  virtue,  ox  power  of  God,  and  drew 
 many  after  him.  And  one  Dofiheus,  men- 
 tioned by  Origen  *,  who  was  a  Samaritan,  and 
 declared  himfelf  to  be  the  Son  of  God.  As 
 the  whole  nation  was  full  of  the  perfuafion  of 
 
 t  Jofeph.  Ant.  1.  20,  c.  5.  1.  18.  c.  4.  §  i.  if  c.  8.  §  6. 
 •  Contr.  Ceir.  p.  638. 
 
 Z  2  the 
 
§4^  Farther  Frdsfs  of  Chrijl's  AfcenficT.  Se-rm.  f^^ 
 
 the  Mtffiah's  coming  about  this  time,  thougb 
 Chey  rejeftcd  Chrill,  the  true  Meffiah,  they 
 were  ready  to  fall  in  with  every  impoftor 
 who  fet  up  for  a  temporal  deliverer. 
 
 Yea,  Jofephus  tells  us  J,"  that  as  the  Romans- 
 Were  befieging  the  city,  and  as  the  temple 
 i\(t\i  was  burning,  fix  thoufand  Jews  fled  into 
 one  of  the  remaining  porticoes  oi  the  temple, 
 perfuaded  by  a  falfe  prophet,  who  told  them, 
 that  God  commanded  them  to  afcend  thither ^ 
 where  they  (liould  receive  falvation  and  deli- 
 verance^ but  that  the  Roman  foldiers  having 
 iet  the  portico  on  Ere,,  they  all  perilhed,  not 
 one  being  faved."  The  fame  author  adds, 
 *'  that  many  perlbns  were  fuborned  by  the 
 tyrants  to  declare  themfelves/jr^^Z'^'/j,  and  ta 
 allure  them  of  help  from  God,  to  prevent 
 the  peoplt's-forfaking  them  and  deferting  to  the 
 flomansi"  fo  abundantly  was  tbi-s  pa.rt  of  the 
 prophecy  fuliilled. 
 
 Again,  Te fiall  hear  of  uars  a77d  rumcurs  of 
 ivars :  See  that  ye  be  ?%ot  troubled :  For  all  thefe 
 things  miifl  come  to  faf^  but  the  end  is  not  yet : 
 For  nation  fiall  rife  up  againjl  nation^  and  king- 
 dom againji  kingdom,  and  there  (l^all  be  faminei 
 end  pe faiences  and  earthquakes  in  diners  places  ||. 
 Thefe  things  were  all  literally  fulfilled  j  the 
 whole  Flomaii  empire  being  thrown  into 
 dvil  u^ars  and  commotions  by  VitelliuSy  Otho  and 
 Vefpafian.  ^udea  in  particular  was  extremely 
 Gift  re  (Ted  by  the  grovving  appe.-rances  of  fedi- 
 fk>n  and  rebellion  againil  the  Roman  power, 
 
 %  B.  Jud.  p.  3.S8..  B.  y.-  6,  7. 
 
 In 
 
Ssrm.  12.  Farther  Proofs  of  Chrijlf*s  Afcerjlon.  341 
 
 In  many  nations  were  they  lived,  they  were 
 deftroyed  in  large  multitudes  by  the  inhabitants 
 of  the  countries,  who  hated  them  :  In  Meji" 
 pot  ami  a,  Alexandria  and  B  a  by  I  on  j  Ccefurea, 
 Seythopolis^  Ptoleinais^  T'yre^  Gadara  and  Du" 
 majcuSy  as  Jofephus  dcfcibes  in  mod  moving 
 terms*.  Yea,  he  fays  -f-,  almoft  in  the  words 
 of  our  blclfed  Saviour,  *^  that  the  war  with 
 xht  Romans  was  the  moft  dreadful  that  ever 
 was  entered  into,  when  cities  fought  with  ci- 
 ties, and  nations  w^ith  nations." 
 
 The  fame  author  tells  us  of  a  dreadfuly?^- 
 mine  m  'Jerufalem^  in  which  many  periihsd  for 
 want,  in  the  reign  q{ Claudius:  And  prophnne 
 authors  afTure  us,  that  in  the  reigns  of  Clan- 
 dius   and  M'ro,  the  mod  terrible  earthquakes 
 happened    in    Crete ,    Smyrna^  Miletus,  Chios, 
 Samos,  and  in  Afia  j  in   which  the  cities  of 
 Laodicea,  Hierapalis^  Caklje  and  others  perifhed.- 
 Again  :f ,  They  fi all  deliver  you  up  to  be  afjliBed 
 and  jh all  kill  you  ^  and  ye  fJj a II  be  hated  of  ali 
 men  for  my  fake  T  Thus  Feter  and  fe^m  were 
 delivered  to  the  Sanhedrim  ;  fames  to  Herod ; 
 Paul  to  Gallioj    Felix,    Fiflus  and    Nero,   and 
 were  whipped,    imprifoned,   put  in   bonds   and 
 murthered.     Stephen  was  flvncd  to  death  ;  and 
 both  the  famess,   owt  was  beheaded  by  Herod,  , 
 and  the  other  condemned  2ix\d  ftoned  by  the  San- 
 hedrim.    They  were  alfo  hated  by  the  fews^ 
 and  as  'Tacitus  informs  us,  by  all  men^  and  de- 
 Jiroyed  2Lt  Rome  in  large  numbers  by  Nero,  as 
 the  fame  Tacitus  affirms ;  rather  through  the 
 
 •  li.  ^o.  c.  2.     ult.      t  B.  Jiid.  Procem.      %  v.  g. 
 
 Z  3  public. 
 
34-2  Farther  Proofs  of  Cbriji's  Afcenfion.  Serm.i?; 
 
 public  odiiimy .  than  for  any  crime  that  could 
 be  proved  on  thetn. — Again,  ^bere  fiall  be 
 great  tribulation^  Juch  as  'was  not  fine  e  the  begin-' 
 mng  of  the  ivorld  to  this  time,  nor  ever  fiall  he^ 
 "yofephus  verifies  this  predidion  by  faying, 
 **  that  of  all  the  cities  which  were  fubjed: 
 to  the  Roman  empire,  cur's  attained  the  height 
 of  ielicity,  and  was  thrown  down  into  the 
 exireameji  mijcry  %\  and  to  fay  all  at  once,  I 
 think,  lays  he,  no  city  ccer fvjj ere d  Juch  things, 
 as  no  nation  that  can  ever  be  Lamed,  arrived 
 to  a  greater  pilch  or  height  of  wickednefs  ||.'* 
 A^imffhis  gcjtei  of  the  kingdom  Jhall  be  preached 
 i?!  all  the  icond  for  a  witnefs  unto  all  naticm,  and 
 then  the  end  fiall  come  J.  An  exrreamly  re- 
 markable predidion,  confidering  the  circum- 
 ftances  of  Chrift,  the  nature  of  his  religion, 
 and  ilie  hatred,  to  which  he  himfelf  foretells 
 chrirtians  fhould  be  fubjed  for  his  name  fake  : 
 And  yet  thi^  was  fulfilled  before  ike  defiruBion 
 C/Jerufalem;  the  gofpci  having  been  preached 
 to  all  nations  before  this  event,  and  large 
 numbers  profelyted  to  the  faith  of  Chrift. 
 j^fter  thefe  things  JJjall  the  Jun  be  darkenedy  and  the 
 fnoon  fl^all  net  giie  her  light,  and  the  Jlars  JI:all 
 fall  frojn  heaven  ;  and  the  powers  of  the  earth 
 fiall  be  fi.aken  *.  This  is  a  figurative  ex- 
 preffion,  taken  from  the  prophets,  of  the  great 
 calamities  of  the  JewiHi  nation,  and  the  utter 
 lubverfion  of  their  government  and  nation, 
 and  of  the  deflrudion  of  their  princes  and 
 people.    It  may  be  partly  underflood  literally, 
 
 ^  Procem.       II  UIj.  Yi.  n.       J  v.  14.       *  v.  29. 
 
 that 
 
Serm.  12.  Farther  Trcofs  ofChriJl's  Afcenjicn.  245 
 
 that  the  S^un  (hould  be  ohfcurcd,  and  the  ?vfcofi 
 ■darkened  by  \k\t  flames  a?id  Jmokcy  arifini^  from 
 the  burning  and  deJiruBion  of  their  cities ;  iii 
 confequence  of  which  the  [tars  J]:oidd  fall  from 
 he  alien  ^  and  \kiQ  powers  of  the  heavens  be  jhake?i : 
 Tht'ir princes  and  m/des  fhould  beflriptof  their 
 power  and  dignity^  and  the  whole  frame  of 
 their  conftitution  and  government  entirely  dif- 
 folved.  And  then  fhail  appear  thefign  of  the f on 
 of  man  in  heaven  •^.  i.  e.  Not  that  there 
 should  be  any  fign  appearing  in  the  heavens 
 of  the  fon  of  man,  but  they^^;^  fhould  appear 
 of  the  fon  of  man^  who  is  in  heaven ^  the  token 
 ■of  his  heavenly  power  and  inajefty  iliould  ap- 
 pear, viz.  in  the  dellru5lion  of  Jcrufalem.  T^hen 
 JJmU  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth  mourn:  The 
 whole  fewiflj  nati-on  (hall  be  in  the  utmoft  for-* 
 row  :  And  they  jl:)  all  fee  the  fon  of  man  coming  in 
 the  clouds  of  heaven  with  power  and  great  glory^ 
 They  (liall  fee  the  fon  of  man,  viz.  by  the 
 effeBs^  by  iignal  vengeance  :  I'hey  f:al flee  him 
 coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven^  i.  e.  fviftl\\  fud- 
 denly  and  irrefijiibly,  or  by  the  dreadful  terrors 
 of  his  anger^  as  though  he  were  clor.thed  with 
 a  dark  and  heavy  cloud.  They  fliall  fee  him 
 coming  in  the  cXoMuswith poiver  arJ glory ^  with 
 an  irrefftible  power  for  their  de/lrutlion^  which 
 Ihall  manifeft  the  glory  of  his  fate,  and  the 
 height  of  dignity  to  which  he  is  advanced  ; 
 the  authority  he  is  invefted  with  by  God,  his 
 Father,  and  his  power  to  take  vengeance  on 
 tho,  irrjplacable  enemies  of  his  perfon  and  doc- 
 
 t  V,    30. 
 
 Z  4  trine. 
 
344  Farther  Proofs  of  Chriji'^s  Jfcenfion.  Serin.  i2v 
 
 trine,  jind  hejJnillj'end  his  a?igels  ivith  a  great 
 found  cf  a  t rumpct,  and  tkey  fiall  gather  together 
 his  eleii  from  the  four  unnds\  from  one  end  of  the 
 keavens  to  the  other  :  i.  e.  as  I  apprehend,  Chrilt 
 fhall  fend  his  inejjengers  to  give  warning  to  his 
 faithful  difcipico  throughout  the  whole  land 
 of  fudea,  of  the  approaching  de{lru(ftion  of 
 the  fews  J  which  fl:iall  he  as  effecftual  to  fave 
 them  fiom  the  cominon  calamity,  as  though 
 they  were  warned  by  an  heavenly  trumpet  to 
 efcaoe  it.  Though  if  we  interpret  the  v\ords 
 moie  literally^  we  Ihall  not  be  deftitute  of  the 
 accompliftment  of  the  prophecy;  fince  fo- 
 fefkus  "Y  afiures  us,  that  'jejus^  the  Son  of 
 AimnuSy  cried  out  with  a  Imd  voice  againft 
 ycrufilem^  juft  before  the  deflrudion  of  it  j 
 •'  A  voice  from  the  eaft,  a  voice  from  the  wefi-, 
 and,  in  the  very  words  of  Chrift,  from  the 
 four  winds,  againft  ferufalem  and  the  temple; 
 a  voice  againft  the  bridegroorns  and  the  brides, 
 a  voice  againft  the  whole  people  :"  And  that 
 on  the  feaft  of  Pentecoji  the  priefts,  as  they 
 were  entering  into  the  temple  to  perform  their 
 offices,  heard  a  voice  crying  out,  "  Let  us 
 depart  hence."  Circumftances  that  were  fuf- 
 ficient  to  warn  the  Chriflians  to  make  their 
 efcape,  and  fave  themfelv^s  from  the  con- 
 demnation and  vengeance  of  that  people. 
 
 Now  confider  this  deftrudion  zs  foretold  by 
 Chrift  in  all  thofe  circumflances  that  have 
 been  mentioned,  as  thus  exactly  accomplice d, 
 gqd  predided  as  what  fbould  be  the  fgn  and, 
 
 t  Bel.  Jud.  p.  339. 
 
 demon'* 
 
Serm.  12.    Farther  Proofs  of  Chrifi^S  Afcenfion.  ^45 
 
 demonjlraiion  of  his  kingdom  and  glory y  and  I 
 think  it  will  amount  to  fuch  a  demonftration 
 of  his  being  alive,  and  afcended  into  heaven, 
 and  advanced  to  regal  maielly  and  povixr,  as 
 carries  in  it  the  firongeft  conviction,  and  is  the 
 nobleft  confirmation  of  our  faith  in  him,  as 
 exalted  to  heavenly  glory. 
 
 I  might  add,  that  this  is  frequently  infliled 
 on  in  the  writings  of  the  Apoftles,  as  an 
 event  that  fhould  certainly  happen  in  proof 
 of  Chrift's  glory  ;  But  this  would  carry  me 
 into  a  hrge  field  of  difcourfe  j  and  I  fliall 
 now  only  add,  that  as  this  truth  is  thus  abun- 
 dantly confirmed,  the  whole  of  Chriflianity 
 ftands  upon  an  immoveable  foundation.  The 
 afcenfion  of  Chrift  proves  his  divine  authority, — 
 the  truth  of  his  religion,  the  necejjity  of  be- 
 lieving  ifi  him,  the  advantage  of  obeying  him-, 
 2iX\d  jujiijies  cur  hope  in  him  of  his  lafl;  appear- 
 ance to  the  univerfal  judgment ,  when  he  ihall 
 raife  the  whole  race  of  men  from  the  grave, 
 bring  them  before  his  tribunal,  feparate  the 
 good  and  bad,  condemn  the  wicked  to  ever- 
 lafting  punifliment,  and  introduce  all  his 
 faithful  difciples  into  that  heavenly  kingdom 
 that  is  prepared  for  them  from  the  foundation  of 
 the  'World ;  and  confidering  thefe  things,  mohat 
 vianner  of  perfons  fjould  "we  be  in  all  holy  con^ 
 verjation  and  godlinfs. 
 
 SERMON 
 
^4^  Sr^^  'Oefcent  of  the  Serm.  13^ 
 
 SERMON      XIII. 
 
 The  Defcent  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on 
 the  Apoftles. 
 
 Acts  ii.   i,   2,   3,  4. 
 
 And  when  the  day  of  Fentecofi  was  fully  come, 
 they  were  all  with  one  accord  m  one  place* 
 And  fiiddenly  there  came  a  found  from  Hea- 
 'veny  as  of  a  rufiing  mighty  wind,  and  it 
 filed  all  the  hoife  njijhere  they  were  fitting. 
 And  there  appeared  unto  them  cloven  tongues^ 
 like  as  of  frCi  and  it  J  at  upon  each  of  them. 
 And  they  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghcfl, 
 and  began  to  /peak  with  other  tongues^  as  the 
 fpirit  gave  them  utterance, 
 
 'T.  Luke,  the  author  of  thefe  ABs  of  the 
 Apoftles,  tells  us,  that  our  blelTed  Sa- 
 viour, juft  before  his  afcenfion,  being  affembled 
 together  with  his  Apoftles^  whom  he  had  chofen^ 
 commanded  them  that  they  fould  not  depart  from 
 yerufalem,  but  flould  wait  there  for  the  promife 
 of  the  Father y  or  for  the  accomplifiiment  of 
 that  promife  which  he  had  made  them  in  his 
 Father's  name,  viz.  the  promife  of  that  holy 
 fpirit  of  truths  that  fiould  guide  them  into  all 
 
 trnth  *, 
 
Serm.  13.  Holy  Spirit  en  the  Apojiks.  347 
 
 truth'^'.  For  thus  our  Lord  adds:  Jobj  truly 
 baptized  with  'xaier^  but  yefiall  be  baptifed  with 
 the  Holy  Ghcjl^  not  many  days  hence.  And  though 
 the  heads  and  hearts  of  the  Apoftles  were  ftill 
 full  of  notions  about  ihQ  temporal  power  of  the 
 Meffiahy  and  of  the  reftoration  of  a  temporal 
 kingdom  to  Ifrael,  yet  our  bleffcd  Lord  tells 
 them,  that  as  the  efFed:  of  their  receiving  the 
 fpirit  of  God,  they  (hould  become  witnejfes  to 
 him  in  Jerufalem^  and  in  all  Judea^  and  in  Sa- 
 maria^ and  unto  the  uttermoji  parts  cf  the  earth. 
 When  Cbrifl  had  fpoken  theje  things^  a  cloud  re- 
 ceived  him  out  of  their  fight ^  upon  which  they 
 returned  to  Jerujalem  according  to  their  mailer's 
 order,  where  they  continued  in  prayer  andjuppli- 
 cationy  expeding  the  accomplifliment  of  this 
 wonderful  promife.  And  accordingly  in  about 
 ten  days  after  the  afcenfion  of  Chrifi:,  and  the 
 giving  this  promife  of  the  fpirit  to  the  A.po- 
 fllcs,  when  the  day  of  Pentecoji  was  fully  come^ 
 and  they  were  all  with  one  accord  in  one  place, 
 there  came  fuddenly  a  found  from  Heaven^  as  of 
 a  rujlnng  mighty  wind,  and  it  filled  all  the  houfe 
 where  tkey  were  (it ting.  And  there  appeared 
 unto  them  cloien  tongues,  like  as  of  fire,  and  it 
 fat  Upon  each  of  them.  And  they  were  all  filled 
 with  the  Holy  Ghofi,  and  began  to  /peak  with 
 other  tongues y  as  the  fpirit  gave  them  utterance^ 
 i.  e.  to  preach  the  gofpel  to  perfons  of  diffe- 
 rent languages,  who  were  then  met  at  Jerufa- 
 lem  from  the  moft  diftant  parts  of  the  world, 
 in  that  language  which  each  particular  perfon 
 
 •  John  xvi.    13. 
 
 ipokcj 
 
34S  "Thi  Defcent  of  the  Serm.  i^: 
 
 fpoke,  and  had  been  educated  in.  This  is  the 
 account  given  of  this  great  and  marvellous 
 event  by  the  facred  writer,  which  juftly  aflo- 
 nifhed  all  who  were  witnefTes  to  it,  and  is 
 an  event  the  mofl  extraordinary  in  its  nature, 
 and  which  derives  the  higheftho'^iourand  credit 
 to  the  Apoftles  and  the  religion  of  Jefus  Chrift. 
 And  in  fpeaking  to  it,  I  fhall  confider, 
 
 I.  The  nature  of  the  Ja^  itfelf.  * 
 
 II.  Some  peculiar  circumjiances  attending 
 it.     And 
 
 III.  The  proof  \t  carries  in  favour  of  our 
 Lord's  charaBer,  the  divine  miffion  of  his  ApO' 
 
 JlleSy  and  authority  cf  his  religion. 
 
 I.  I  am  to  confider  the  nature  of  the  fadl 
 itfelf,  as  recorded  by  the  facred  Hiftorian,  and 
 it  confifts  of  thefe  particulars.  As  the  Apoftles 
 were  all  fitting  together, 
 
 I.  Inhere  came  from  Heaven  a  found,  as  cf  a 
 rufhing  mighty  wind,  and  it  filed  all  the  houfe 
 'where  they  were  fttiiig  j  from  which  account  it 
 doth  not  appear,  that   there  was  any  violeiit 
 blaft  of  wind  perceived,  or  that  adually  filled 
 the  room  ;  but  only  that  there   was  a  found 
 heard  by  them  throughout  the  whole  apart- 
 ment, that   refembled  the  noife  of  a    violent 
 driving  wind.     The  wind  and  the  found  of 
 it,  were  emblems  of  the  divine  appearance  and 
 prefence,  both  amongft  facred  and  prophane 
 writers.     Thus  our  firft  parents  are  faid  to 
 J)ave  heard  the  voice  of  the  Lord  Gody  walking 
 in  the  garden  in  the  cool  of  the  day  -f- :   Or  as  I 
 t  Gen.  iii.  8. 
 
 Hiould 
 
Serm.  i  J.         Holy  Spirit  on  the  Apojtks.  34^ 
 
 ihould  rather  render  the  words  more  literally : 
 T/»0'  ^^ard  the  Jound  of  the  Lord  God y'wal king  in 
 the  garden,  in  the  wind  of  the  day  -,  in  which 
 pafTage  the  word  walking  is  not  to  be  referred 
 to  God,  as  though  he  was  defcribed  walking, 
 but  to  that  foundmg  wind,  or  rather  to  that 
 awful  found,  which  was  brought  to  their  cars 
 by  the  wind,  the   found  coming   from   the 
 quarter  from  whence    the   wind  blew,    and 
 growing  ftronger  and  ftronger  as  the  Shechinah 
 more  nearly  approached  them.     And  thus  we 
 have  exprefHy,  the  found  or  'voice  of  the  trumpet 
 ivalkingty  and  greatly  encreafing.  Nor  can  I 
 help  obferving,  that  the  expreffion  of  God's 
 voice  walkifig  in  the  garden,  is  very  emphatkal 
 in  the  original   Hebrew,    the   verb   being  in 
 that  form,  which  denotes  the  great  intenfenefs 
 and  frequency  of  any  thing  ;  and  (hould  have 
 been  rendered,  to  dojuftice  to  the  energy  and 
 fpirit  of  that  language,  they  heard  the  Lord 
 God's  found  or  voice  come  with  encreafing  ter^ 
 ror  ruihing  on,  according  to  the  courfe  of  the 
 wind.    So  that  this  awful  found  of  the  wind, 
 was  the  emblem  of  \hQ  prefence  of  God.     Many 
 other  paflages  of  like  nature  might  be  men- 
 tioned ',  but  I  lliall  only  add,  that  on  this  ac- 
 count 'tis  faid,  that  God  flies  on  the  wirigs  of  the 
 wind^;  becaufe  the  found   conveyed  by  it  is 
 the  fymbol  of  his  majefty  and   glory.     This 
 found  therefore,  that  filled  the  houle   where 
 the  Apoflles  fat,  like  a  mighty  rufhi?ig  wind, 
 was  the  prelude  to  the  appearance  of  a  more 
 
 X  Exod.  xlx.  19.         §  p.  i.  I?,  10. 
 
 'vifibk 
 
350  ^^^  Deficit  of  the  Serm.  i^, 
 
 infible  glory  of  God,  and  of  that  divine  prefence 
 that   manifefted  itfelf  in  the  communication 
 of  the  extraordinary  gifts  of  his  own  blejfed 
 fplrit.     For 
 
 2.  Immediately  after  this  found',  there  ap' 
 feared  unto  the  Apofiles  cloven  tongues^  like  as  of 
 fre^  and  it  fat  upon  each  of  them.     Commenta- 
 tors differ  in  the  explication  of  thefe  words. 
 I  £hall  not  recount  thofe  differences^  only  give 
 you  what  appears  the   natural  plain  fenfe  of 
 them.     There  fuddenly  appeared  to  the  view 
 of  the  Apoftles  federal  tongues,  which  feemed 
 divided  in  the  midjl,  and  looked  like  fire^  i.  e. 
 bright,   luminous,   and    Iparkling   like   fire ; 
 which  fire,  or  luminous   appearance,   in   the 
 fhape  of  divided  tongues,^/  upon  the  heads  of 
 the  Apofiles,  each  one  having  this  emblem  of  the 
 fpirit  of  God  on  his  head,  fo  that  each  of  the 
 Ap0jiles,2X\^  ''cchoever  eKe  v/2sprefe?2t  with  them, 
 faw  on  the  head  of  all  the  other  Apofiles  the  fame 
 form  or  fhape  of  a  divided  fiery  tongue,  that 
 refted  upon  himfelf.     The  appearance  here 
 was  natural  and  fuited  to   the   gift  beftowed. 
 The  tongue  that  refted  on  the  head'  of  each 
 of  them  denoted  the  confequence  of  a   neisj 
 tongue  or  language,  that  he  was  enabled  to  fpeak 
 with.     The   tongues  were   divided,  to  (hew 
 they  had  communicated  to  them  the  know- 
 ledge  of  different   languages.     They  had   the' 
 appearance  oi  fire,  to  denote  probably  the  pu- 
 rity of  their  doSfrine,  and  \S\q. power  and  efficacy 
 that  attended  it  ;  and  this  gift  was   attended 
 with   this  external  fign  and  emblem,  to  fliew 
 that  it  was  truly  miracukus^  the  emblem  itfelf 
 
 being 
 
Serm.  12-  ^('b  %'^^*^  ^^  ^^^  Apjiles.  3B^ 
 being  evidently  extraordinary  and  fupernatu- 
 rali  and  the  more  efFedually  to  draw  the  at- 
 tention and  regard  of  all  the  fpedators  and 
 auditors,  to  what  fliould  be  delivered  by  thefe 
 men,  who  were  thus  feen  by  miracle  prepared 
 tofpeaktothem.     But,  . 
 
 o    In  confequence  of  this,  the  Hiltoriaii 
 relates,  that  they  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy 
 Ghofty  or  with  thofe  variety  of  gifts,  proceed- 
 ing  from  the  immediate  infpiration  of  the 
 fpirit  of  God,-  that  wer&  necejfary  to  fit  them 
 to  be  witjtejes  of  Chrift,  and  the  authortfed 
 preachers  of  his  rehgion  to  the  whole  world. 
 And  undoubtedly  as  our  blelTed  Saviour  had 
 promifed  them  this  gift  of  the  fpirit,  to  lead 
 them  into  all  truth,  relating  to  the  nature  of  his 
 kingdom,  and  the  dodrines  of  his  gofpel,  fo 
 one  principal  part  of  the  meaning  of  the  ex- 
 prefUon,  of  their    being  filled  with  the  Holy 
 Choji,  was,  their  being  by  his  immediate  in- 
 fluence, infpired  with  a  clear  and  d0ma  vieisr 
 of  the  defign  of  his  coming  into  the  world,  of 
 the  power  he  was  to  exercife,  of  the  government 
 he  was  to  ered,  of  the  laws  of  his  kingdom, 
 and  of  every  thing  that  related  to  that  nevr 
 inftitution  of  religion,  which  was  now  to  be 
 enabliOied  in  the  world  by  their  dodrine  and 
 miniftration.     For   the  gift   of  tongues  was 
 not  defigned  to  be  a  mere  t^fele/s  gilt,  but  to 
 be  properly  exercifed.     But  this  they  could 
 not  have  done,  had  not  their  minds  been  firft 
 iUumJnated  with  the  knowledge  of  their  great 
 mafter's  dodrine,  and  their  former  national 
 Jewifii prejudices  and  mifconceptions  concern- 
 
352  I'h  Befcent  of  the  S^rm.  tg: 
 
 ing  their   Meffiah  been  cured;  had  they  not 
 been  taught  them  (elves  what   they  were  to 
 teach    others,  and   quahfied   by  an   infalhble 
 knowledge  of  Chrifl  and  him  crucified,  to  be- 
 come the  inftrudors  of  the  world  in  this  C3t- 
 cellent  dodrine,  in  thefe  unfearchable  riches  of 
 Chrijl.     And  this  was  in  reality  the /tf(5?.     For 
 though  before  this  efFufion  of  the  fpirit  of  God 
 on   them,  they  had  the   fame  worldly  carnal 
 fentiments  of  the  Meffiah  and  his  kingdom, 
 yet  now  they  appear  quite  changed  from  their 
 former  felves,  and  in  their  firft  publick  dif- 
 courfe  to  their  brethren,  they  fpeak  in  a  quite 
 different  language,  and  expreflly  declare,  that 
 the  crucified^  rmjed  ffus,  exalted  by  God's  right 
 hand^  aj'cended  into  Heaven^  and  who  had  re^ 
 cei'ced  aridfciired  out  the  Holy  Spirit,  was  con- 
 llituted  and  appointed  both  Lord  and  Mejfiah. 
 And  as  they  were  thus  themfelves  enlightened 
 by  being  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghofi:,  in  or- 
 der to   enable  them  to  preach  the  fame  dec- 
 trine  to  their  brethren  throughout  all  the  world. 
 
 4.  The  Hiflorian  farther  remarks,  they  be- 
 gan to  fpeak  with  other  tongues,  as  the  fpirit  gave 
 the?n  utterance.  The  things  they  fpoke  were, 
 the  wonderfid  works  of  Gcd-^^  fuch  things  as 
 related  to  the  defigns  of  hh  providence,  the  ac- 
 complif/jment  of  the  ancient  prophecies,  and  the 
 charaBer  and  hjigdom  of  the  MeJJiah,  the  doc- 
 iri?ies  he  taught,  and  the  miraculous  works  God 
 performed  by  Chrifl ;  things  that  were  worthy 
 of  God,  and  evidently  appeared  by  the  extra- 
 
 t  Ver.  II, 
 
 ordinary 
 
Serm*  ij.         Holy  Spirit  en  the  Jpoftles.  35$ 
 
 ordinary  nature  of  them,  to  be  fpoken  under 
 his  itirmediate  dire&ion  and  hifpiratkn.  And 
 thefe  things  they  fpoke  with  other  tongues,  i.  e. 
 freely  and  intelligibly  in  ether  languages,  than 
 that  which  was  their  fiative  one,  and  the  only 
 language  which  hitherto  they  had  ever  underr 
 flood.  When  this  infpiration  was  given  to 
 the  Apoftles,  there  were  at  that  time  dwelling 
 at  Jerufalem^  Jews,  devout  men,  cut  cf  every 
 nation  under  Heaven,  where  any  Jews  relided  ; 
 many  Jews  that  had  come  from  all  parts  of 
 the  world  where  they  were  difperfcd ;  partl»^ 
 becaufe  of  the  feaft  of  Pentecoft,  when  all 
 the  males  throughout  the  whole  country  of 
 Judea  were  to  repair  to  Jerufalem  ;  and  prin- 
 cipally, becaufe  about  this  time  they  knew 
 their  MefTiah  was  to  come,  all  the  prophecies 
 tending  to  and  centering  in  this  feafon.  Oa 
 this  account  the  more  religious  Jews,  who 
 waited  for  the  confolation  of  Ifrael,  came  home 
 from  the  moft  diftant  countries,  to  fix  their 
 dwelling  at  Jerufalem,  there  to  enjoy  the 
 presence,  and  (liare  the  blefiings  of  the  Mef- 
 fiah's  government  ;  perfons  from  Parthia, 
 Media,  Elamitis,  Mefopotamia,  Cappadocia^ 
 Pontus,  Afia,  Phrygia,  Pamphylia,  Egypt, 
 Lybia,  Italy,  Crete,  and  Arabia,  from  all  the 
 moft  diftant  parts  of  the  world,  where  any  of 
 the  Jews  had  inhabited.  Now  the  Jews  from 
 ^// thefe  countries  heard  the  Apofiksfpeaking  in 
 that  which  was  the  peculiar  language  of  the  coun- 
 try in  which  they  had  been  born  ||.     Every  man 
 
 II  Ver.  6.   . 
 Vol.  L  A. a  heard 
 
^:^4  The  "Descent  of  the  %ttvt\.\f: 
 
 heard  tliem  fpeak  in  his  own  language.     We 
 hear  them  fpeak  in  our  tongues  the  wonderful  works' 
 of  GodX'     'Tis  a  vain  and  groundlefs  imagi- 
 nation of  fome  writers,  that  the  Apoftles  had 
 not  the  gift  of  any  languages  at  all,  but  that 
 they  fpoke  in  their  own  native  dialed,  and  God 
 mlraeuloujly    caufed    the   perfons   who   heard 
 them  to  underfiand  ihem^  as  though  they  had 
 fpoken  to  each  feverally  in  his  own  language^ 
 though  they  did  not.     For  this  \a-  contrary  to 
 the  whole  llrain   of  the    New   Teftament, 
 when  fpeaking  of  this  fubjecft.     Our  Saviour 
 fays    expreiHy,    that  they  fJjould  fpeak    with 
 tongues  §.    In  this  chapter  where  my  text  is,  the 
 Apoiiles  ere  faid   to  (peak  with  other  tongues  -^^ 
 Amongft  the  Corinthian  converts,  there  were 
 the  two  different,  yet  (i^qv gifts  of  tongues^  and 
 the  interpretation  of  tongues  y  and  St.   Paul  de- 
 clares he  fpoke  with  more  tongues  than  all  of  them. 
 Not  to  add,  that  had  this  been  the  cafe,  the 
 miracle    would  have   been   wrought   on  the 
 hearers,  and  not  on  the  Apoftles,  and  would 
 fcarce  have  been  an  authentic  evidence  of  their 
 divine   miffion  and  infpiratioru     Nor  would 
 the  emblem  of  tongues  have  been  rightly  chofen, 
 bad  this   been  the  fa<ft,  but  that  inftead  of 
 thefe  refling  on  the  Apoftles,  ea?'s  of  fire  would 
 have  appeared  to,  and   fettled  on  the  beads  of 
 the  hearers.     But  the   whole  account  proves, 
 the  contrary,  viz.  that  the  Apoflles  fpoke  the  dif^ 
 ferent  languages  of  thefe  feveral  countries,  from 
 whence  the  foreign  Jews  had  travelled,  now  to 
 
 %  Ver.  SI.        §  Markxvi.  17*        f  Ver.  4. 
 
 .     '      fix 
 
Sefm.  13.  Holy  Spirit  on  the  ApJiUs,         55^ 
 
 fix  their  refidence  in  Jerufalem.  And  that  we 
 fnay  not  imagine  there  was  any  difordcr  or  con- 
 fufion  amidll  fo  many  ipeakers,  who  fpoke 
 diiFerent  languages,  the  Hiftorian  adds  :  T^hat 
 they  fpoke  as  the  Jpirit  gave  them  utter a77ce,  i.  e. 
 each  fpoke  that  particular  language  which  the 
 fpirit  of  God  dilated  to  him,  and  in  that  or- 
 der andfeaj'cn  as  the  fame  fpirit  directed  him. 
 For  the  account  fhews,  that  this  whole  af- 
 fair was  conduced  in  the  moft  regular  man- 
 ner, fo  that  all  heard  them  fpeak  dijiinBly  the 
 great  things  of  God,  and  each  heard  them  in 
 his  own  language  diftindly,  fo  as  to  be  judge 
 of  what  was  fpoken,  and  of  the  propriety  of 
 the  words  in  which  each  fpeaker  delivered 
 himfelf.  This  is  that  great  event,  the  remem- 
 brance of  which  had  been  kept  up  in  the 
 Chriftian  church,  and  annually  celebrated  on 
 thh/ejiival  of  Pentecoji.  And  it  is  one  of  the 
 moft  miraculous  faSls  that  ever  was  recorded, 
 and  is  the  moji  fubfiantial  proof  of  the  divine 
 influence  on  the  minds  of  thofe,  who  were 
 thus  inftantaneoufly  endowed  with  a  facility 
 of  fpeaking  languages  they  had  never  ftudied 
 and  underftood,  and  which  without  a  miracle 
 can  never  be  attained,  but  by  long  ftudy,  fre- 
 quent pracftice,  and  repeated  converfe  with 
 thofe  to  whom  the  language  we  learn  is  fa- 
 miliar and  natural.  But  there  is  a  quefticn 
 on  this  fubjed:  of  fome  difficulty,  though  of 
 no  great  importance  to  the  intercfl  of  Chri- 
 ftianity,  ij/^;. 
 
 Whether  the  Apoftles  oiily  were  at  this  fea- 
 
 fon  endowed  with  this  extraordinary  gift  of 
 
 A  a  2  tongues 
 
3-5^  1  he  Be/cent  of  the  Serm,  i^,' 
 
 tongues,  or  whether  it  was  not  alfo  commu- 
 cicated  to  the  120  dijciples,  that  were  met  toge- 
 ther with  the  Apojiles  *,  when  they  proceeded 
 to  the  choice  of  one  into  the   Apoftolate,  in 
 the  room  of  'judas  Ifcariot^  who  had  deftroyed 
 himfelf  ?     Thofc  who  think  that  the  120  dif- 
 ciples    were  equally   endowed   with    this    gift, 
 with  the  Apoitles  themfelves,  found  it  upon 
 their  being  frefcnt  with  them  at  the  elecftion 
 of  Matthias  ;  but  to  this  it  may  be  anfwered, 
 that  it  doth  by  no  means  follow,  that  there- 
 fore  they    were   prefent   with    the    Apoftles 
 when  this  gift  was  conferred  upon  them  ;  and 
 the  connc(5tion  of  the  hiflory  feems  to  inti- 
 mate they  were  r.ot.     For  immediately  after 
 'tis  faid,  that  Matthias  was  iiumbered  with  the 
 ^kven  Apcjlles  -^^  'tis  added  :  And  when  the 
 day  of  Pentecoji  was  fully  come,  they^  viz.  the 
 Apolf  les,  were  all  with  one  accord  in  one  place  J. 
 And  when   Peter,  in  anfwer  to  thoie  who 
 mocked,  and  faid  they  were  full  of  new  wine 
 food  up,  with  the  Eleven,  he  faid  to  them,, 
 ihfe  men  are  not  drunken,  as  ye  fiippofe  %,  z\\- 
 dently  turning  the  eyes  of  the  audience  to  the 
 perlons  of  thofe  who  flood  up  with  him.     But 
 what  feems  the  moil  decifive  in  the  cafe  is  : 
 That  ih^  projnife  of  the  fpirit,  in  this  firft  ex- 
 traordinary vifsble  defccnt  of  him,  feems  to 
 have  been  peculiarly  made  by  our  blefTed  Lord 
 to  his  Apojlles  only,  I  will,  faith  Chrijl,  pray  the 
 Father,  and  he  fhall  give  yen  another  cojrforter^ 
 that  he  7nay  abide    with  you  for   ever  ||.     He 
 
 •  Afls  i.  ij.     t  Ads  i.  25.     I  Ads  ii.  1.     §  Ver.  14,  15. 
 
 Ji  John  xiv.  J  6,  17. 
 
 dwelhth 
 
Serm.  13.         Holy  Spirit  on  the  Jpojlles:  357 
 
 dwelleth  in  you y  and  P^all  be  in  you.  And  when 
 the  comforter  is  come,  ivhom  I  will  fend  unto  you 
 from  the  Father,  he  fiall  tefnfy  of  ?ne  *.  If  I 
 go  not  away  the  comjorter  will  not  come  unto  you  ; 
 hut  if  I  depart  I  will  fend  him  unto  you — He 
 fiall  guide  you  into  all  truth — and  hejhallfiew 
 you  things  to  come  -f.  And  in  his  lad  meeting 
 with  the  Apopes  whom  he  had  chofcn,  he  ccm- 
 vianded  them  to  wait  at  Jertfalem,  for  the  pro- 
 mife  of  the  Father,  which  they  had  heard  of 
 him,  affuring  them,  that  they  foiild  be  baptifed 
 with  the  Holy  Ghof,  not  many  days  after  this  J. 
 So  that  as  iYn^promife  of  the  fpirity  in  its  firll: 
 efFufion,  was  evidently  confined  to  the  Apojiles^ 
 I  apprehend  they  only  were  the  perfons  who  at 
 this  time  received  it.  Erpccially  if  to  this  we 
 add  :  That  this  promife  was  confined  to  them 
 for  very  peculiar  and  fpccial  reafons :  To  teach 
 them  all  things,  and  bring  all  things  to  their 
 remembrance,  whatfoever  Chrifi:  had  faid  unto 
 them  §.  It  was  to  guide  them  into  all  truth,  even 
 into  the  knowledge  of  thoCe  truths,  which  be' 
 fore  this  gift  they  could  not  bear  |j,  i.  e.  were 
 not  difpofed  to  receive  ;  and  what  is  princi- 
 pally to  be  regarded,  to  qualify  them,  and 
 point  them  out  to  the  world,  as  the  authorifed, 
 authentick  witneffes  of  Chrifl,  of  all  he  taught, 
 what  he  had  fuffered,  and  how  he  was  lifen 
 from  the  dead,  and  exalted  to.  the  right 
 hand  of  God.  Te  fiall  receive  power,  fays 
 Chrift,  or  authority,  after  that  the  Holy  Ckoji 
 is  come  upon  you,  and  ye  fi:all  be  witnefics  to  me 
 
 •  John  XV.  26.     f  John  xvi.  7,  13,  14.     J  Adls  i.  2,  4,  5, 
 I  Jojhn  xiv.  26.     II  John  xvi.  12,  13, 
 
 A  a  3  in 
 
35^  ^he  Defcent  of  the  Serm.  13* 
 
 i?i  yernfalem — and  iintQ  the  utter mofi  parts  of  the 
 earth  *.  Now  had  the  fpirit  defcended  on 
 all  the  120  in  the  fame  vifible  and  miraculous 
 manner  as  he  did  on  the  Apoflles  themfelveSj 
 there  would  have  been  no  diJiivMion  of  ho- 
 nour and  priviledges  made  between  the  Apo- 
 flles and  them  ;  but  the  120  difciples  would 
 have  been  equally  pointed  out  as  Cin-ift's  ivit-. 
 iiejfes  to  the  wOfU-,  with  the  twelve  Apofiles^ 
 which  feems  contrary  to  the  moftexprefs  pro-? 
 mifes  of  Chrift,  and  therefore  cannot  he 
 eafily  admitted.  But  thus  much  of  the  nature, 
 of  the  gift  itfelf.  And  upon  the  \vhole  i^ 
 appears, 
 
 I .  To  have  been  truly  extraordinary  and  mit 
 racuhus.  'Tis  not  without  much  care  and 
 repeated  injirutiion,  that  children  attain  to,  the 
 knowledge  and  right  pronunciation  of,  and  ^ 
 facility  of  fpeaking  their  native  language  y 
 and  the  reafon  of  their  fpeaking  it  with  fluency, 
 cafe  and  exadtnefs,  is  becaufe  bv  being 
 habituated  to  it  from  infancy,  their  organs  of 
 fpeech  are  more  eafily  formed  for  a  right  pro- 
 nunciation, and  they  infenfibly  enter  into,  an4 
 by  daily  ufe  remember,  the  idiotifms  or  pecu- 
 liarities of  exprefiion,  and  ilyle  of  the  laa-r 
 guage  they  are  educated  in.  All  this  is  much 
 mere  difficult  to  perfons  of  riper  years,  whp^ 
 though  by  long  and  diligent  application  they 
 may  attain  to  the  knowledge  of  foreign  lan- 
 guages, fo  as  to  read  them  with  perfeft  un- 
 deiitanding,  and  even  to /peak  them  and  con-» 
 
 ^  Ads  i.  8. 
 
 yerfd 
 
Scrm.  15.         Hdy  Spirii  mihe  Apojiks,  ^S3 
 
 verfe  in  them  intelligibly  i  yet  for  want  of 
 being  early  taught  to  fpeak  them,  they  gene- 
 rally retain  afomeisohat  in  the  manner  of  thcic 
 pronunciation,  that  betrays  the  language  not 
 to  be  their  mother  one,  but  inftantly  dilcovers 
 a  defedt  to  all  fenfible  natives.  But  that  any 
 •one  man  Ihould  inftantly  (peak  a  language  he 
 never  knew,  and  fpeak  it  with  propriety  and 
 •eafe,  this  is  impojjible  in  the  nature  of  the 
 thing,  without  a  divine  illumination,  and  an 
 immediate  infpiration  from  God  ;  to  whom  as 
 all  languages,  and  all  things  are  perfe(flly 
 known,  fo  he  is  able  by  his  fpirit  inftantanc- 
 oufly,  to  convey  the  fame  knowledge,  in  what- 
 foever  degrees,  and  to  whatfoever  perfons  he 
 pleafes*  And  though  the  gift  be  in  itfelf  the 
 mo/l  extraordinary  one  that  'tis  poffible  to  con- 
 ceive of;  yet  if  the  end  to  be  anfwered  by  it, 
 in  the  moral  government  and  providence  of 
 God,  be  of  importance  enough  to  dcfervc 
 and  require  fuch  an  extraordinary  communica* 
 tion  from  his  fpirit  ;  then  as  there  is  this  con- 
 nedVion  and  harmony  of  importance  between 
 the  end  and  the  means  ;  the  means  will  no 
 more  appear  i?2credible  becaufe  miraciihiis  in' 
 this  inftance,  than  in  any  other  cafe,  where 
 the  means  and  the  ends  are  but  juil:  anfwera- 
 ble  to  one  another.  The  only  poffible  cir«- 
 cumftance  that  can  make  what  is  called  a 
 miracle  incredibie,  is  not  the  thing  itfelf,  which 
 to  God  is  as  eafy  as  anv  of  the  operations  of 
 nature,  which  in  truth  are  all  of  them  the  ef- 
 fe(5ts  of  his  condant  a(ftive  power  ;  but  the 
 impropriety  of  the  thing,  when  'tis  introduced 
 "        '  A  a  4-  £n4 
 
3^0  The  Defcent  of  the  Sexm.  13, 
 
 and  pretended  to  where  there  is  no  fufiicient 
 end  to  be  anfwered  by  if,  when  the  fame  ef- 
 fed,  which  the  miracle  is  alledged  for,  could 
 be  as  well  and  as  eafily  accompli(hed  without 
 it ;  and,  in  a  word,  when  there  appears  no- 
 thing great,  peculiar  and  extraordinary,  to 
 render  the  miraculous  interpolition  worthy  of 
 God,  and  expedient  and  neceffary  to  anfwer 
 fcnie  grcnt  defign  of  his  moral  government 
 over  mankind.  VvMien  fuch  a  defign  as  this 
 can  evidently  be  pointed  out,  'tis  impertinent 
 to  alledge  the  incredibility  of  the  thing,  be- 
 caufe  extraordinary  and  miraculous  ^  for  con-^ 
 iidering  God  as  the  agent,  nothing  is  extra- 
 ordinary or  miraculous  to  him ;  and  if  the 
 miracle  and  defign  of  w^orking  it  be  propor- 
 tionable, there  is  as  much  of  nature,  fitnefs 
 and  propriety  in  this  cafe,  as  in  any  other 
 that  can  be  mentioned.  And  therefore  \ 
 would  obferve, 
 
 2.  That  no  miraculous  Interpofition  what- 
 fover  could  h^ive  been  better  adapted  to  time  and 
 circumjlanccs^  and  the  intention  to  be  anfwxred 
 by  it,  th  n  this  of  the  miraculous  comniunir 
 cation  of  languages  to  the  Apoftles.  It  might 
 ieem  a  \cxy-  f. range  promife  of  Chrift  to  his 
 Apodles,  juft  before  his  afcenfion  to  glory, 
 that  they  fhould  be  his  witnejjes  in  Judo  a 
 find  to  the  uttcrmofl parts  of  the  earthy  i.  e.  teach 
 })is  do(ftrine  and  religion  to  their  brethren,  in 
 all  the  different  nations  of  the  eanh  where; 
 ihey  lived.  They  might  well  wonder  and  fay  : 
 liow  can  this  he,  feeing  we  know  not  the  languages 
 of  the  nations?  And  indeed  the  thing  was  na-^ 
 
 turally 
 
Serm.  13.  Holy  Spirit  on  the  Jpojlles.  361 
 
 turalh  Impojjibk  ior  them.     'Twas  a  promlfe 
 never  to  be  accompliflied  without  a  miracle. 
 But  vv^'hat  could  be  more  admirably Juited  to 
 this   important  purpofe,  than  this  miraculous 
 gift    of  tongues,  wliereby  this  promife  of  our 
 Saviour  was  literally  and  injiantly  fulfUkd^  the 
 gofpel  at  once  revealed  to  perfons  ot  e'very  na~ 
 tioriy  and  a  foundation  laid  on  which  to  ga- 
 ther churches  amongfl  all  people,  and  to  con- 
 vert the  world  to  the  knowledge  and  worihip 
 of  the  one  only   living  and   true  God.     And 
 if  the    relcuing  the    world  from  ignorance, 
 fuperflition,  idolatry,  impiety  and   vice,  and 
 the  recovery  of  all  nations  to  truth,  rational 
 religion,  exemplary   virtue,   and   real  happi- 
 nefs  y   if  this   benevolent  purpofe  was  worthy 
 the  ixpcnce  of  a  miracle ,  as  methinks  it  looks  as 
 if  'twas  worthy  of  it  3  this  miracle  of  the  gift 
 of  languages  was  worthy  of  God,  as  \i  qualfed 
 the  Apo/iles  efFe6tually  and  inflantly  in  part  to 
 brin^  about  this  kind  de(io;n.     And  it  muft  be 
 faid  to  the  honour  of  thcfe  twelve  GalileanSy 
 for  fuch  all  the  Apoftles  were,  that  though 
 they   frequently   pretended    to  miracles,   yet 
 they  never  introduced  them  upon  an  improper 
 occafion,  and  always  made  choice  of  fuch, 
 as  could  be  referred  to  no  other  but  a  divine 
 original,  and  were  2^^  great,  important.zmlfti 
 as  tho'  God  himfelf  had  made  choice  of  them 
 on  the  occafion,  and  adually  wrought  them 
 for  the   purpofes  they  are  intended  to  efta- 
 \A\()[\.     But  I  now  proceed 
 
 1 1.  To  lay  before  you  fome  remarkable  circum-> 
 fiances  attending  this  very  extraordinary  and 
 
 lpira-» 
 
'3^2  ^he  Vefcent  of  the  Serm.  i^J 
 
 miraculous  event ;  and  here  are  many  that 
 offer  themfelves  to  our  confideration.     As 
 
 I.  The  charadter  and  education  of  the  perfonsy 
 who  were  all  GaUleans^  and  univerfally  known 
 to  be  fuch  ;  for  the  multitude  of  Jews,  that 
 were  drawn  together  upon  the  report  of  this 
 furprizing  event,  were  amazed  and  mar-belled 
 on  this  very   account,  faying  one  to  another : 
 Behold,  are  not  thefe  which  /peak,  all  Galileafis  ? 
 How  then  hear  we  every  me  of  them  in  our  own 
 tongue  wherein  we  were  born  ?  This  was  one 
 principal   reafon  of  their    amazement,   that 
 Galileans  fliould  fpeak  in  their  feveral  native 
 languages.      Nothing  was  more  contemptible 
 to  the  polite  and  learned  Jews  than  a  Galilean, 
 and  it  was  a  maxim  with  them,  that  out  of  Ga- 
 lilee no  prophet  could  arife.     Beiides,  fomewhat 
 in  their   very  manner  of  fpeaking,  that   was 
 difagrepable  to   the  other  Jews  ;  they  were 
 reckoned   a   rude,  unpolilhed,  illiterate,   and 
 ignorant  fet  of  men,  from  whom  no  know- 
 ledge or  learning,  or  any  thing  great  or  good 
 was  ever  expeded.     And  as  to  thefe  Apojiles 
 and  wifnejfes  of  Chrijl,  they  had  been  bred  up 
 in  low,  laborious,  fervile  employments,  being 
 fifhermen  and  publicans^  and  fo  partly  defpifed, 
 and  partly  hated  by  the  other  Jews  ;  and  were 
 known  never  to  have  had  the  advantages  of  a 
 liberal  education,  to  have  been  cultivated  by, 
 and  trained  up  in  the  liberal  arts  and  fciences, 
 or  taught  any  kind  of  languages  belides  their 
 native  one.      When  they  were  firft  convened 
 before  the  High  Prieft,  to  give  an  account,  by 
 H&hat  power ^  and  by  'what  name  they  had  done- 
 
 Ik 
 
S.erm.  13.  Holy  Spirit  en  the  Apcfiles.         ^€^ 
 
 th  gcod  deed  to  the  iinpote?it  man,  whom  they 
 cured  of  his  lameners,  'tis  obferved  by  the 
 Hiilorian,  that  their  examiners  perceived  that 
 they  were  unlearned  and  ignorant  men,  and  that 
 they  took  knowledge  of  them,  that  they  had  been 
 with  Jefus  *,  i.  e,  that  they  had  been  his  fol- 
 lowers and  difciples.  So  that  there  is  not  the 
 leaft  pretence  for  any  fuggeflion,  that  they 
 Jiad  acquired  the  knowledge  of  the  languages 
 they  fpoke  by  education  or  ff-eviotis  fiudy,  or 
 that  they  had  travelled,  like  fome  of  the  an- 
 cient lawgivers  and  philofophers,  into  foreign 
 nations,  and  by  converfe  with  wife  and  learned 
 men,  there  acquired  their  fkill  in  the  tongues 
 they  fpake  in,  or  of  the  extraordinary  things 
 in  which  they  intruded  their  hearers.  Their 
 whole  hiftory  is  a  contradicflion  to  any  fuppor 
 fition  of  this  kind.     And 
 
 2.  Their  number  is  conliderable.  I'lvehe 
 Vten,  of  no  rank  and  charader  ^n  their  own 
 country,  appear  at  once  in  iht  n\o{\. publickfcene 
 pf  life,  fet  vp  for  divine  authoritative  teachen 
 of  mankind,  and  /peak  various  languages  they 
 had  never  before  had  the  leaft  knowledge  of  oc 
 acquaintance  with.  Had  072e  of  them  only 
 pretended  to  this  extraordinary  fkill,  and 
 fpoke  in  a  language  or  two  different  from  his 
 native  one,  there  might  have  been  fome  fuf- 
 picion  of  delufion  ;  and  that  he  had  been  pri-^ 
 vately  fludying  thofe  tongues,  and  at  the  proper 
 time,  after  having  in  fome  good  meafure 
 perfeded  himfelf  in  the  knowledge  of  them< 
 
 5  Afis  iy.  \i» 
 
3^4  y^^  Befcent  of  the  Serm.  13; 
 
 at  length  ventures  to  fet  up  under  the  pre- 
 tence of  infpiration,  and  to  claim  the  charac- 
 ter of  a  prophet  and  teacher  immediately  fent 
 from  God.  But  that  fuch  a  number  of  men, 
 as  the  Apoftles  were,  who  had  been  bred  up 
 to  fervile  employments,  till  the  time  of  their 
 attendance  on  Jefus,  and  who  had  been  his 
 followers  but  about  three  years,  fhould  all  at 
 cnce  difcover  this  amazing  knowledge,  can 
 never  be  accounted  for  by  the  imagination 
 or  fuggeftion,  that  it  was  the  effecfl  of  pre- 
 vious lludy  and  learning.  Efpecially  as  it 
 doth  not  appear,  that  the  Apoftles  had  any 
 one  of  them  the  leaft  conception  or  appre- 
 henfion  of  ever  receiving  this  gift,  during 
 the  whole  life  of  Chrift.  The  only  hint  he 
 appears  ever  to  have  given  them  of  it,  was 
 efter  his  refurreBiojty  and  but  a  very  few  days 
 before  their  thus  fpeaking  in  publick,  when 
 he  told  them  :  7hefe  things  fiall  follow  them 
 that  believe ;  in  my  name  they  Jl:all  caji  cut  de- 
 'uils,  and  they  Jl:all  Jpeak  with  jiew  tongu'^^. 
 This  was  but  about  ten  or  twelve  days  before 
 they  adually  thus  fpoke ;  (q  that  the.  gift 
 appears  as  much  unexpeifted  and  as  really 
 furprizing  to  them,  as  it  was  to  thofe  who 
 heard  them  fpeak.     But 
 
 3.  The  number  cf  languages  and  dialedis  they 
 fpake  is  as  truly  amazing  as  the  number  of 
 men  \}ci2X  [poke  them 'y  languages  not  only  dif- 
 ferent in  dialed  from  one  other,  but  ejfentially 
 ^nd   ill   the  very   conftitution   and  frame  of 
 
 X  Mark  xvi.    17. 
 
 tjiem; 
 
Serm.  15.  Holy  Spirit  on  the  Apojlksl  36^ 
 
 them.  The  Galileariy  Hebrew,  Syriac,  and 
 Arabic  languages,  were  all  but  different  di- 
 alects of  the  fame  tongue,  but  ejfentially  diffe- 
 rent from  the  Parthian  and  Median,  as  thefe 
 were  from  the  Greek  and  Roman  -,  and  thefe 
 again  from  the  Mgyptian,  Cretan,  Lybian, 
 and  others  mentioned  by  the  facred  writers. 
 The  knowledge  of  thefe,  io  as  to  fpealc 
 readily  and  with  propriety,  is  jnore  than 
 enough  almoft  for  any  one  fingle  life-,  elpeci- 
 ally  for  private  men,  who  have  never  had  the 
 advantage  of  any  long  converfe  with  fo- 
 reigners. And  though  by  long  ftudj  all  thefe 
 different  languages  mentioned  may  be  fo  far 
 tmderJiooJ,  as  to  be  read  with  tolerable  eafe, 
 yet  to /peak  and  pronoufice  them  readily  is  in  the 
 nature  of  the  thing  abfolutely  impoflible, 
 without  aduiilly  living  with  thofe  who  fpeak 
 them,  and  learning  the  pronunciation  by- 
 habitual  ufe  and  converfe.     Confider  farther 
 
 4.  The  place  where  they  pretended  to  this 
 knowledge  and  gift  of  new  and  foreign  lan- 
 guages, 'Twas  not  in  fome  fecret  or  obfcure 
 part  of  Galilee,  were  no  proper  witneffes  could 
 be  prefent  with  them  j  nor  in  the  midft  of  a 
 few  ignorant,  illiterate  perfons,  upon  whom 
 they  might  make  any  unintelligible  cant  or 
 jargon,  pafs  for  new  and  foreign  tongues, 
 without  any  fear  of  contradiction,  or  difco- 
 very  of  the  impofture.  But  'twas  in  Jerufa^- 
 lem  itfelf,  the  capital  of  Jiidea,  where  great 
 numbers  of  learned  Jews  and  Profelyies  re- 
 paired j  in  the  prefence  of  thefe  collected  from 
 all  nations,  they  pretended  to  fpeak  in   their 
 
 feveral 
 
1 65  ^he  Defcent  of  the  Serrti .  i  ^, 
 
 feveral  difFerent  languages,  without  fear  or 
 apprehenfion   of  being  dcteded  in  their  falfe 
 pietenfions  to  fpeak  languages  they  knew  not, 
 or  being  corredied  by  the  beft  judges  of  thofe 
 languages  for  the  impropriety  of  their  fpecch, 
 either  in  the  falfe  pronunciation  of  words,  or 
 the  undue  application  and  ufe  of  them,  con- 
 trary to  the  nature  and  rules  of  the  language 
 they  fpoke.     And  this  is  the  more  to  be  re- 
 garded,   becaufe  though  there  is  no  reafon 
 to  conclude,  that  the  fpirit  of  God,   in  the 
 miraculous  communication  of  a  language  to 
 any  perfon,  (hould  communicate  to  fuch  per- 
 fon  the  jioivers   of  rhetoric^    or   the  rules  of 
 oratory,  as  they  are  laid  down  by  men,  which 
 are  often  times   unnatural,  falfe,  and  unbe- 
 coming the   dignity    of  grave,  fublime    and 
 important   fubjeds ;  yet  it  feen.s   reafonable 
 to  conclude,  that  fo  much  of  a  language  as 
 was  conveyed,  Ihould  be  fo  far  conveyed  in 
 its  purity t  and  with  fuch  propriety  as  was  ne- 
 cefTary  to  render  what  was  delivered  in  it  eafy 
 and  intelligibk  to  all  that  heard  it,  and  tO  pre- 
 ferve  it  from  being  received  with  contempt, 
 upon  account  of  any  great  inaccuracies,  fo- 
 loecifms  and  barbarifms  in   the   language  in 
 which  'twas  delivered.     This  muft  neceflariiy 
 have    excited    laughter  and  derifion   in  the 
 hearers,  who  would  not  eafily  have  perfuaded 
 themfelves,  if  fenlible  and   confiderate   men, 
 to  believe,  that  God  fliould  make  a  falfe  con-' 
 veyance  of  a  language,  when  he  was  able  to 
 make  a  proper  and  a  genuine  one.     And  as 
 any  thing  of  this  kind  muil  have  been  dif- 
 
 covered 
 
Serm.  1^;         Eoly  Spirit  on  the  Afojiks,         "^Sf 
 
 covered  in  the  fpeech  of  the  Apoftles,  had 
 what  they  fpoke  been  liable  to  fucb  a  charge  j 
 and  as  they  were  peculiarly  liable  to  inaccu- 
 racies of  this  kind,  had  they  fpoke  only  from 
 themfelves,  upon  account  of  the  fubjeds  of 
 which  they  treated,  as  being  intirely  new,  and 
 to  which  the  feveral  tongues  in  which  they 
 fpoke  had  never  been  applied,  fo  that  there 
 were  no  determinate,  fixed,  ufual  terms,  and 
 forms  of  fpeech,  under  which  to  couch  the 
 doctrines  they  delivered  -,  their  fpeaking  boldly 
 and  without  heiitation,  on  fuch  novel  fubje(fls, 
 in  fuch  various  languages,  and  in  the  prefencc 
 of  thofe  who  had  been  born  and  bred  up  in 
 the  ufe  of  them ;  ihews  either  fuch  an  im- 
 pudence as  muft  have  deftroyed  its  own  de- 
 Hgn,  and  fixed  them  for  ever  under  the  re- 
 proach of  impoftors  ;  or  fuch  an  abfolute 
 knowledge  of  the  language  they  fpoke,  fo  far 
 as  they  needed  to  fpeak  it,  as  mufl  either  have 
 been  the  effedt  of  long  lludy,  diligent  read- 
 ing, and  frequent  converfe  j  or,  as  this  could 
 not  poffibly  be  the  cafe  of  the  Apoftles,  of  an 
 immediate  infplration  from  the  ipirit  of  all 
 knowledge  and  truth.     Again, 
 
 5.  T\iQ  particular  time  when  this  extraordi- 
 nary gift  was  conferred,  deferves  alfo  to  be 
 taken  fome  notice  of.  'Twas  when  the  time 
 of  Fentecoji  was  fully  come  *.  The  word  Feri" 
 tecoji  fignihes  t\iQ  fftieth- day,  the  fiftieth  day 
 from  Eafter^  exclufive  of  Eafter-day.  This 
 was  a  folemn  feftival  among  the  Jews,  when 
 
 *  A.€ti   ii.  I. 
 
 -  .  all 
 
^6Z  The  jDefcerJ  of  the  Sdrixij  13; 
 
 all  the  males  throughout  the  whole  country 
 were  to  appear  at  Jerufalem.  It  was  the  dav 
 when  they  offered  the  fit  ft  fruits  of  the  har- 
 veft  unto  God,  and  when  there  was  the 
 greateft  concourfe  of  people  met  together  in 
 the  capiital  for  this  purpofe  -f-.  *Twas  on  this 
 account  partly,  that  fo  large  a  number  w^as 
 from  all  quarters  of  the  world  affembled  at  this 
 time,  and  which  therefore,  had  there  been 
 any  fraud  or  fallacy  in  this  affair,  known  or 
 meditated,  had  been  highly  improper,  as  it 
 would  have  been  liable  to  a  more  repeated  and 
 critical  examination,  and  therefore  more  cer- 
 tainly and  fully  difcovered.  But  our  Apofiles 
 feem  to  have  ufed  no  kind  of  worldly  prudence 
 in  things  of  this  nature,  nor  to  have  provided 
 any  guards  againft  detection,  and  as  little  to 
 have  dreaded  any  thing  of  the  fcandal  of  a 
 difcovery.  There  is  every  appearance  of 
 opennefs  and  integrity  in  their  conduct,  and 
 as  they  aded  juft  as  circumftances  and  op- 
 portunities offered  themfelves,  and  appeared 
 fit  and  proper  j  they  took  no  care  to  provide 
 againft  confequences,  but  left  that  entirely  to 
 God,  in  whofe  name  they  fpoke,  and  to 
 whom  they  afcribed  every  thing  that  appeared 
 extraordinary  and  miraculous  in  their  do(ftrine 
 and  works.  But  it  is  alfo  obferved,  that  this 
 feaft  was  celebrated  as  a  memorial  of  gi'uing 
 the  law  from  ^inaiy  which  was  delivered  on 
 this  day  of  Pefitecofti  delivered  indeed  to  u 
 particular  people,   and  for  fpecial   ufes  and 
 
 t  Numb,  xxviih  z6. 
 
Sefm.  13,'         Holy  Spirit  on  the  Apojlksl  3^9 
 
 purpofes.  And  on  the  fame  day  it  pleafed 
 God  to  promulgate,  not  to  a  particular  na- 
 tion, but  as  it  were  to  the  ivhole  ivorld^  the  wiy 
 difpenfation  and  covenant  of  the  go/pel;  and 
 as  thcjir/ijhi/ts  Were  offered  on  this  day,  bv 
 which  the  whole  after  harvell:  was  confecrated 
 to  Godj  fo  the^r/?  Jruifs  of  the  naticns  were 
 this  day  prefented  to  God  by  their  converlion 
 to  Chrift,  and  were  the  pledge  of  the  future 
 Gonveriion  of  the  world  to  the  knowledge 
 and  belief  of  his  gofpcl ;  or  rather  the  Apof- 
 tlcs  ihemfclvcs  were  through  thefe  extraordi- 
 nary gifts,  feparated  and  confecrated  to  God 
 as  the  firft  fruits  of  the  after  harveft,  and  as 
 his  chofen  inftruments,  by  which  the  good 
 feed  of  the  gofpel  was  to  be  fown  in  the 
 world,  fure,  under  the  watering  of  Heaven,  to 
 rife  up  in  the  noblell  abundance  and  en- 
 creafe*     Again, 
 
 6.  The  naticre  of  the  miracle  was  fuch,  as 
 rendered  it  of  all  others  the  leaji  capable  o^hcing 
 delufivc,  and  carrying  in  it  any  fraud  or  im-^ 
 pofition  upon  others.  There  are  ways  of 
 imitating  and  counterfeiting  real  miracles,  fo 
 that  it  may  not  in  fome  cafes  be  eafy  to  diflin- 
 guiOi  the  true  from  the  falfe.  Slight  of  haiid 
 will  do  many  furprizing  things,  that  ignorant 
 people  will  fcarce  know  how  to  account  for 
 without  a  miracle.  Perfons  well  verfed  in 
 mathematickSy  experimental  philofophyi  ckcmifiry, 
 and  the  like  arts,  can  eafily  ^i^t€t,  what  will 
 aftoniih  perfons  who  are  wholly  unacquainted 
 with  thofe  fciences,  and  the  principles  upon 
 which  thofe  who  und^rftand  them  a<^.     Fha-^ 
 
 Vol.  I,  B  b  rcol)^ 
 
5/0  '^^^  l^efceni  of  the  Serm.  J^* 
 
 faoISs  nmgicians  imitated  fome  of  the  miracles 
 of  Mofcs,  by  producinf]^  ferpents,  and  blood 
 and  iiogs,  either  really,  or  by  fome  deception  oi 
 the  eye.  If  a  difeafe  be  inftantaneoufly  cured^ 
 it  may  be  accounted  for,  either  by  having 
 yecourfe  to  the  ilrong  imagination  of  the  pa- 
 tient, or  by  the  fecret  conveyance  of  fome 
 powerful  remedy y  or  by  fome  collufion  be- 
 tween the  difeafed  perfon  and  the  curer.  In 
 many  cafes  of  thi^  kind,  there  will  be  room 
 for  fufpicion  and  various  conjecftures,  where 
 the  whole  of  the  affair  cannot  be  known,  and 
 where  fome  very  important  circumftances  are 
 fecreted,  which  if  .  known  would  naturally 
 account  for  the  mrracalous  appearance.  But 
 in  this  cafe  there  is  no  pofhble  room  for  any 
 fufpicions  of  this  kind.  The  fpeaking  ens' 
 new  language  in/lcintaneoujly  is,  according  to  the 
 72atiircil  courfe  of  things,  abfolutely  impoJJibJe  i 
 for  one  to  fpeak  ti£.'o  or  tbree  new  tongues  in-^ 
 flantaneoufiy,  is  mc?'e  fo.  For  itvOy  iox  froe, 
 for  iwehc  to  do  this,  at  the  fame  time  and 
 place,  and  in  the  fame  manner,  flill  greatly 
 heightens  the  im^poiTibility.  When  any  nevr 
 language  is  fpoken  in  the  hearing  of  one  to 
 whom  it  is  native ^  be  cannot  be  deceived  in 
 what  he  hears  and  underllands.  His  earj> 
 make  a  faithful  report,  and  he  i&  abfolutely 
 and  infallibly  certain  that  there  can  "be  no  de- 
 ception in  the  nature  of  the  lajiguage,  in  his 
 ewn  mother  tongue,  in  which  another  con-» 
 verfes  with  him.  For  though  imagination 
 may  fometimes  poflibly  help  forward  and  ex- 
 pedite a  cure,  yet  imoginatimi  can  never  make 
 
Serm.  i ^.         My  Spirit  on  the  Apoftles.  37  f 
 
 an  Arabian   think,   that  a  man  who   fpeaks 
 Greeks    is    then   fpeaking   good    Aratick,   or 
 make    an    EngUpman,    that    knows   nothing 
 of  French   or    German,    underftand    another 
 that   is    fpeaking  in  one  or  other   of   thofe 
 lancyuages,  or  caufe  any  one  to  believe  that  a 
 man  who  talks  a  foreign  language  is  at  the 
 fame  time  talking  to  him  in  his  mother  tongue  ; 
 much  lefs  will  it  operate  fo  ftrongly  on  fitim- 
 bers  of  men  of  different  nations  and  languages, 
 as  in  the  prefent  cafe ;  much  lefs  operate  oa 
 them  all   of  a  fudden,  without   previous  in* 
 ftrui^tion,  knowledge,  or  preparation  j  much, 
 lefs  ftill  operate  in-  favour  of  men  they  Jicvcr 
 knewy  or  polTibly  heard  of  j  or  if  they  had> 
 only  heard  of  them  to  their  difadvantage,  and 
 as  men  defpifcd,  cenfiiredy  and  hatedhy  the  whole 
 body  of  the  nation.     So  that  there  could  be 
 no  impofition  or  fraud  in  this  cafe,  and  whe- 
 ther they  fpoke  thofe  languages  or  not,  might 
 be  as  certainly  and  infalUbly  known,  as  v/he- 
 ther  they  did,  or  did  not  fpeak  at  all.  Thofe 
 to  whom  thefe   languages  were  native  were 
 a(flually  prefent,  and  fo  could  not  be  deceived 
 in  the  iudsiment  they  formed.    And  therefore 
 farther, 
 
 7.  As  there  could  be  no  poffible  deception 
 as  to  the  faB,  whether  it  was  pretended  or 
 real,  whether  the  Apoftles  fpoke  different 
 languages  or  not ;  fo  the  notoriety  of  the  fadt 
 deferves  to  be  regarded,  and  there  are  the 
 ftrongeft  confiderations  that  evince  the  truth 
 and  certainty  of  it.  The  ApoftUsfpake  thefe 
 languages  in  the  hearing  of  a  multitude  of  per- 
 Bb2  fon^ 
 
172  '^hs  Bcfcent  cf  the  Serm.  ijJ 
 
 fons,  who  were  cc7ifcunded  'when  they  heard  every 
 nuin  Jpeaking  in  his  order  in  their  own  language. 
 They  knew  them  to  be  Galileans,  illiterate,  and 
 iincdiicatcd,.  and  that  they  never  had  this  know- 
 ledge by  inflrudion  and  iludy.  And  the  thing 
 appeared  fo  miraculous  and  ailonilTiing  to 
 them,  that  ihtyfaid  one  to  another^  what  vie  an- 
 eih  this^=  f  Or  as  the  words  {bould  have  been 
 rendered  :  IVhat  will  this  come  to  ?  And  when. 
 Ibme,  vt'ho  underftood  not  the  languages  they 
 Ipake,  imagined  they  fpoke  unintelligible  gib- 
 berifh,  and  imputed  it  to  their  being  drunk 
 with  new  wine  -,  the  Apoflles  take  a  method 
 ior  their  own  vindication,whieh  none  but  fools 
 or  mad  men  could  have  done,  upon  any  other 
 irlippolition,  but  the  reality  of  the  miracle,  and 
 the  alTured  confequence  that  it  was  from  God. 
 For  in  the  firft  place,  they  put  their  own  and 
 their  mailer's  charaders  upbn  the  reality  of  it,, 
 and  were  willing  that  he  and  they  fhould  ftand 
 or  fall^  according  a&  it  was  certain  or  not. 
 For  they  urge  this  as  a  proof  of  the  certainty 
 of  his  refurred;ion  and  advancement  to  his- 
 leather's  right  hand.  This  Jefus  hath  God  raifed 
 up  %  J  therefore  being  by  the  right  hand  of  God 
 exalted y  and  having  received  of  the  Father  the 
 p'omife  ■  of  the  Hcly  Ghojl,  he  hath  fie  d  forth  this 
 which  ye  now  fee  and  hear  §.  So  that  here  waa, 
 \\  jolemn  piiblick  appeal  to  a  midtitude  of  people, 
 in  anfwer  to  the  charge  of  their  uttering 
 elrunken  nonfenfe  and  jargon,  that  they  fpoke 
 the  languages   of  the  perfoa^  there  prefent^ 
 
 *  Vesi'ira.  X  V«r,  J2»  %  Ver.  3-3, 
 
Scrm.  T^.'         Holy  Spirit  on  th^  JpojlUs.  ^J..^ 
 
 and  that  this  was  ov/ing  to  the  infpiratlon  of 
 the  fplrit  of  God,  llied  on  them  by  Chrifl",  in 
 virtue  of  his  advancement  after  his  refurrec- 
 tion,  to  the  right  hand  of  his  Father's  glory. 
 How  effediually  had  they  been  put  for  ever 
 t-o  filence,  had  this  fad  been  then  folemnly 
 and   puhlickly  denied  by  the  multitude,  and 
 the  name   and  character    of  Chriic   and   his 
 Apofilcs  never  more  been  fpoken  of,  but  un- 
 der the  infamy  x)^  being  notorious  and  con- 
 victed impoflors.     The  Apoil:ies  of  Chrift  all 
 declared,  that  the  triith  of  bis  being  the  Son 
 of  God,  and  the  promifed  Mefiiah,  depended 
 on  the  certainty  of  his  refurredion  ;   and  now 
 they  venture  the  truth  of  this  foundation  flift 
 upon  the  certavHy  of   their  Jpcaking  Imiguagcs 
 injlantanemijly,  which   they  never   underftood, 
 or  fpoke  before.     So  that  they  gave  their  ad* 
 verfaries    full   fcope  and  room  to  dcflroy,  if 
 they  could,  the   wholer  of  their   pretcnfions, 
 ei'en   from    their  infancy  ;  appealing  to  fa<fls 
 £3  their  vouchers,  and  defying  all  the  malice, 
 fraud  and  fubtlety  of  their  woril  enemies,   to 
 contradidt  or  deny  them.     Glorious   proof  of 
 their  integritv,  and  of  the  goodnefs  of  their 
 caufe  !  for  'till  thefc  two  fuels,  of  the  re  fur- 
 redlion  of  Chrift^    atid   the  gift   cf  tvTigues  at 
 Tentecojl,  can  be  difproved,  the  Chriflian  re- 
 ligion, as  fupported  by  thofe  miraculous  deeds, 
 will  appear  worthy  of  all  acccptrjicn,  not  only 
 upon  account  of  the  excellency  of  its  own  na- 
 iuret  and  internal  conftitution,   but  as  a  divine 
 revelation^  fupported  by   the  mod  autlieniiclc 
 and  unquwllionablc  teftimony  of  God.     Bat 
 13  b  |-  what 
 
374  ^^^  Defcent  of  the  Serm.  13, 
 
 what  carries  the  condud:  of  the  Apoflles   to 
 the  utmofl   height  of  prefumption  and  info- 
 lence,  upon  the  fuppofition  of  their  ading  a 
 hiow7j  impo/^iire,  or  argues  the  moft  shje^tjlu- 
 fidity  and  Jcllyy  if  they  were  under  the  delu- 
 iion  of  an  ejtthuJiaJiickhx\2.X\c^\  fpirit,  is  :  That 
 they  not  only  put  the  truth  of  their  mafter's 
 exahation,  and  their  own  veracity  as  his  vvit- 
 nelTes,  upon  the  certainty  of  their  bating  re* 
 ceived  this  miraculous   gift  of  tongues  them- 
 J'eheSf  but   upon  the   commujiicatmi  of  it    to, 
 others,  if  they  would  repent,  be  baptized,  and 
 believe  in  'Jefm  wliom  they  preached.     For 
 thus  faith  the  Apoflle  exprefily,  and   without 
 hefitation.    Repent   and  be    baptifed  every  one 
 of  you  in  the  name  of  J  ejus  Chrifl,  for  the  re--, 
 ■inijjion  of  Jins,  and  yen  Jball  receive  the  gift  of 
 the  Hcly  Ghofi  -,  for  the  proinife  is  to  you,  and  to 
 your  children,  and  to  all  that  are  afar  off^,  i.  e^ 
 even  to  the  Gentiles  themfelves,  even  to  as  many 
 OS  the  Lord  our  God  Jldall   call.      Could   any 
 inan  of  common  fenfe  and  prudence  give  fuch 
 an  afTurance  as  this,  without  the  fullefl:  cer- 
 tainty that  he  could  make  good  the  promife, 
 and  thus  put  it  into  every  man's  power  to  con- 
 vi6l  him  of  fo  notorious  a  falfhood,  and  give 
 the  iy€  to  fuch  a  folemn  and  publick  declara- 
 tion as  this  ?  But  that  this  was  not  a  vain  and 
 fallacious  piomife,  is  evident  from  the  whole 
 hijiory   of  the  propagation  of  the  gofpel,  from 
 all  St,  Paul'i  epi/Ues,  from  his  appeals  to  the 
 fqYQral   churches  who  had  thefe  miraculous 
 
 •  ^a?  ii.  s8>.  39,.. 
 
9erm.  13I  ticly  Spirit  en  the  JpoJIles,         sYs 
 
 gifts  of  the  fpirit,  and  to  which  he  appeal* 
 as  the  fubftainial  proofs  of  his  apoflleihip, 
 and  in  vindication  of  himfelf  from  the  afper- 
 fions  of  thofe,  who  depreciated  his  charader, 
 and  fet  themfelves  up  in  dire(5t  oppofition  to 
 him ;  a  circumftance  that  muft  inevitably 
 have  rained  his  reputation  and  characfter,  had 
 the  fa£t  he  appealed  to  been  falfe,  and  had 
 thofe  he  appealed  to  for  the  truth  of  it  beea 
 able  to  difprove  it.     But, 
 
 8.  Farther,    I    have  before  ol)ferved^  that 
 the  vouchfafement  of  this   gift  of  the   holy 
 fpirit,   in    the   miraculous   endowments    and 
 powers  conveyed  by  it,  was  exireffiely  proper, 
 and  well  fuited  to  the  circumftances  of  the 
 time  when  given,  as    it    made  way  for  the 
 fpeedy  propagation  of  the  gofpel  araongfl   all 
 nations ;  and  I  would  nov/  add,  that  it  was 
 proper,  and  even  in  fome   meafure  necejfary, 
 to  fettle  a  very  important  point,  on  which  the 
 fuccefs  of    Chriftianity,  and  its  propagation 
 amongft  the  Gentile  nations  entirely  depended. 
 It  was  the  firm  perfiiafion  of  the  Jews,  even- 
 of  thofe  generally  too  who  had  embraced  Chri- 
 Jtianiiyy  that  to  believe  and  obey  the  gofpel 
 was  not  fufficie?it  to  juriification  and  falvation, 
 without  an  iniire  co7i)ormity  to  the  law  t)f  Mofes, 
 which  they  urged   as   abfolutely  neccfTary  to 
 Gentiles  as  well  as  Jews,  m  order  to  their  ac- 
 ceptance with  God.     This  was  a  cafe  of  the 
 utmoft  confequence  in  its  own    nature,  and 
 which  required  an    exprefs  and  decifive  de- 
 termination ;  inafmuch  as  the  credit,  honour, 
 aad  prevalence   of   the   gofpel   doClrine  de- 
 B  b  4.  pended 
 
'^y6  7he  Befcent  of  th^  .Serm.  i^.' 
 
 pened  on   it.     Now   Vv^hat  could    more    cf- 
 
 jcdiialiy  Jktk  this  point  than  ?lie  tefiimony  of 
 
 the  J'pirit  of  God  himjdf^^    As  his  miraculous 
 
 deicent  on  the  Afoftles   uas  full  evidence  of 
 
 their  being  cuthonjed  ivitnejfes  of  Chriji^  and 
 
 that  God  had  feparated  them  to  and  qualified 
 
 them    for  this  facred  lervice,  \o  ihejdme  gifts 
 
 cf  the  Jpiriti  wherever  they  were  vouch fafed, 
 
 \Ye:e  as  certain  an   evidence  that  the  perfons 
 
 v-'ho  7'cccived  them  were  accepted  of  God,  and 
 
 allowed  by  him,  without  any  farther  qualifi- 
 
 cat'ons,  to  belong  to  the  church  2nd  kingdom 
 
 of  the  MeiTiahi  and  that  therefore  if  they  were 
 
 communicated  to  iiucirctmicifed  Gentiles  upon 
 
 x\\^\x  faith,  as  v/eil  as  to  circumcifed  Jews  upon 
 
 theirs,  and  to  neither,  but  as  the  immediate 
 
 ponfequence  of  their  believing ;  the  inference 
 
 from    hence  was  clear  and   undeniable,  that 
 
 God  put  no  difference  betivecn  the  believing  few 
 
 find  Gcntzky  2ind  that  therefore  circumcijhnivai 
 
 nothings  a?id  tuicircumcijion  was  nothing  in  God's 
 
 efteem,  and   that  faith  itfelf  was  abundantly 
 
 fvffcicnt  to  juftif cation,  without  borrowing  any 
 
 afliftance  from  the  law  of  Mofcs,     And   this 
 
 was  the  determination  acftually  made  in  this 
 
 cafe.     For  Cornelius  and  his  family^  who  were 
 
 ?/w/Va/»/<://^J  Gtv.Y/^jj  upon  their  believing  the  ' 
 
 gofpel,  as    preached    by   Peter,   immediately 
 
 recei'ved  the  Holy  Ghofi;  and  this  was  allowed 
 
 to  be  a  full  juftification  of  his  condud:  in  bap- 
 
 tiiing  them  without  circumcifion ;    for  even 
 
 thofe  who  contended  with  him  and  cenfured 
 
 him  for  doing  it,  yet  when  they  heard  this 
 
 account,  held  their  peace^  no  longer  blamed 
 
 the 
 
Serm,  i$*  Holy  Spirit  on  the  Apnjlhs.  377 
 
 the  Apodle  ;  but  glorified  Gcd,  and  in  the 
 aftonifhment  o^  their  heart  laid  :  'Then  hath 
 God  iilfo  to  the  Gentiles  granted  repentance  unto 
 life  "f-.  Of  (o  great  a  confequence  was  this  fa- 
 cred  gift  to  Chriftianity,  not  only  for  the  more 
 fpeedy  propagation  of  it,  but  even  to  fettle  and 
 fix  the  fundamental  terms  of  mens  accer'ance 
 with  God,  and  Iharing  in  the  benefits  of  the 
 gofpe]  falvation.  And  this  alfo  abundandy 
 (hews,  that  thefe  gifts  of  the  fpirit  were  real 
 communications  from  God,  known  to  be  fuch 
 by  the  n\o^  prejudiced  jeivsj  and  fuchfubflan- 
 tial  gifts  too,  as  were  fufficient  to  remove  their 
 moft  inveteiate  prejudices  and  cbjedions,  and 
 reconcile  them  to  the  admiflion  of  thQ  Ge72ti/es 
 to  equ.1l  privileges  wiih  themfelves,  and  force 
 them  to  own  them  to  be  as  truly  the  people 
 of  God  as  they  were. 
 
 One  cannot  help  alfo  obferving,  what  a 
 fpirit  of  prudence  there  was,  that  vifibly  ap- 
 peared in  the  firfl:  propagation  of  the  gofpel. 
 The  Apoftles  themfel  es  could  not  forefee 
 this  difficulty  about  the  admiiTjon  of  the 
 Gentiles  into  the  church  of  Chrifl:  ;  for  they, 
 as  well  as  the  other  Jews,  had  an  high  opi- 
 nion of  circumcifion,  and  thought  that  none 
 could  be  received  as  the  difciples  of  Chrift 
 without  it,  and  conforming  to  the  whole  ce- 
 remonial of  the  Molaick  liw.  And  the 
 confequence  of  this  mull:  have  been,  their 
 preaching  the  gofpel  only  to  the  Jews,  or 
 binding  the  obfervance  of  the  whole  law  oq 
 
 f  Ads  xi,   18. 
 
 th<5 
 
"3^75  ^^^  Befcent  of  the  Serm.  i^,- 
 
 the  believing   Gentiles,    to    the  unfpeakable 
 prejudice  of  Chriftianity.    But  as  the  Gentiles 
 were  to  be  converted,  the  difficulty  was  upon 
 what  terms.     The  grant  of  the  fpirit  was  a 
 full  determination  in  this  point.     What  was 
 this  alfo  an  invention  of  thefe  illiterate  Gali- 
 leans F    This  a  contrivance  of  theirs   to    re- 
 new the   prejudices  of    the  bigotted  Jews  ? 
 If  thefe  gifts  of  the  fpirit  were  imaginary  and 
 delufive^    the  "Jews  would  have  treated   them 
 with  contempt^  and  the  Apojlks  as  impojiorsy  for 
 pretending  to  confer  gifts  which  they  could 
 not  ',  and  inftead  of  being  converted  to  Chrifl: 
 themfelves,  and  allowing  the  Gentiles  to  be- 
 come fharers  in  the  bleffings  of  the  Meffiah's 
 kingdom,  without  a  conformity  to  their  law, 
 niuft    have   been    more    flongly    prejudiced 
 againft  Chriftianity,    and   have  entertained  a 
 more  inveterate  hatred  of  it,    for   its  being 
 a  levelling  fcheme,  and  putting   the  Gentiles 
 upon    an   equal   foot   of   privileges,    as   the 
 people   of    God,    with    themfelves.      But   if 
 thefe  gifts  of  the  fpirit  were  real  communi- 
 cations from  God,  then  the   difpofal  of  them 
 was  intirely  in  God's  hands,  and  could  only 
 be  communicated   as    he   pleafed  j    and   the 
 vouchfafing  them  to  the  Gentiles   upon  their 
 faith,  was  a  provifion,  not  of  human  prudefjce, 
 but  of  divine  wifdctUy  to  obviate  the  ftrongeft 
 objedion   againft  the   fpread  of   the   gofpel, 
 and  to  make  way  for  the  Gentiles  to  become 
 fellow  citizens  with  the  Saints,  and  to  be  ac- 
 knowledged as  an  eftential  part  of  the  houfe- 
 hpld  of  God. 
 
 There 
 
Scrm.  13.  Holy  Sprit  on  the  Apojiles.  ^79 
 
 There  ^fe  other  confiderations  of  importance 
 belonging  to  this  fubjed:  3  but  I  can  nov/  only 
 obferve,  how  greatly  the  wijdcm  of  GW  ap- 
 pears, in  the  different  purpoles  effetkd  by  thq 
 confufion  of  languages ^  after  the  ilood,  and 
 the  gift  of  languages  at  this  feaft  of  Pente- 
 coll:.  That  was  2ijudgnient\x^oi\  mankind  for 
 their  wickedfitfs  ;  this  was  a  fingular  hle/Jmg, 
 to  the  world.  That  confifted  in  their  being 
 made  partly  to  forget  and  lofe  their  native 
 tongue,  and  to  fpeak  in  dialeds  and  lan- 
 guages unintelligible  to  each  other.  This 
 coniilled  in  an  ability  to  fpeak  in  various  dia-* 
 leds  and  languages,  that  they  might  declare 
 intelligibly  the  wonderful  works  of  God  to 
 all  nations  and  people.  The  efFe<fl  of  that 
 was  the  reparation  and  difperfion  of  mankind  ; 
 this  was  to  gather  together  the  children  of  God 
 that  ivere  fcattered  abroad  -f.  The  accidental 
 confequence  of  that  was,  the  gradual  lofs  of 
 the  true  reLgion  i  the  immedtate  intended  con-, 
 fequence  of  this  was,  the  conveyance  of  the 
 knowledge  of  true  religion^  and  the  fpeedier 
 propagation  of  it  to  the  uttermoft  ends  of  the 
 earth.  And  as  that  confufion  of  languages 
 was  immediately  from  God,  it  adds  greatly  to 
 the  credibility  of  this  miraculous  event  of  the 
 gift  of  languages  j  fince  neither  could  be  ef^ 
 feded  but  by  the  power  of  God,  and  that 
 power  is  alike  equal  to  both.  And  though 
 the  gift  of  languages  was  one  principal  effect 
 gf  this  original  pouring  forth  of  the  fpirit  of 
 
 •  John  xi.  52, 
 
 God; 
 
^8o    ^he  Defcent  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  &:c.  Serm.  i^f,* 
 
 God,  yet  as  the  Apoftles  received  it  as  the 
 fpirit  of  truth  and  grace,  fo  we  befides  the 
 confirmation  of  our  faith  as  Chriftians,  derived 
 from  thefe  miraculous  effeds  of  it  on  the 
 Apoftles  and  others,  may  obtain  it  ourfehes 
 for  all  the  purpofes  of  knowledge,  fandlification, 
 and  comfort,  if  we  humbly  and  fincerely  ajk 
 it  of  God.  And  if  the  fruits  of  the  fpirit  ap- 
 pear in  us,  in  all  the  difpoiitions  of  a  real 
 piety,  and  the  various  inftances  of  an  exem- 
 plary, regular,  habituatl  virtue,  it  will  be  to 
 us  2ifure  evidence  of  oUr  being  the  children  of 
 Qod,  and  the  comfortable  earneft  of  the  pur^ 
 chafed  promijed  pofejjion.  As  therefore  your 
 faith,  as  Chriftians,  flands  not  in  the  wifdom  of 
 man,  but  in  the  demonjiration  of  the  fpirit  and 
 of  power,  live  as  becomes  thofe  who  are  under 
 his  facred  influence  ;  for  if  through  the  fpirit 
 ye  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body,  ye  fliall  live.  For 
 as  ma7jy  as  are  led  by  the  fpirit  of  God,  they  are 
 the  children  of  God. 
 
 SERMON 
 
(    38J     ) 
 
 SERMON      XIV. 
 
 The  Proof  of  Chriftianity   from    the 
 Defcent  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
 
 Acts  ii.   i,   2,   3,  4, 
 
 And  whe72  the  day  of  Fentecofi  was  fully  come^ 
 they  were  alt  with  one  accord  in  one  place% 
 And  fuddenly  there  came  a  found  from  Hea-" 
 njen^  as  of  a  rujinng  mighty   wind^  and  it 
 
 filled  all  the  houfe  where  they  were  fittings 
 And  there  appeared  unto  them  clo'-cen  tongues, 
 like  as  of  fir  e^  and  it  J  at  upon  each  of  them. 
 And  they  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghoft^ 
 end  began  to  /peak  with  other  tongues,  as  the 
 
 fpirit  gave  them  tittera7ice* 
 
 IN  the  preceding  difcourfe  on  this  wonder- 
 ful defcent  of  the  divine  fpirit  on  the 
 Apoftles,  in  his  miraculous  powers  and 
 gifts,  I 
 
 I.  Confidered  the  nature  of  i\iQ  faSi  it- 
 felf ;  and 
 
 II.  Some  peculiar  circumfiances  attending  it. 
 I  enlarged  on  feveral  which  demonftrate  the 
 hand  of  God  in  this  great  event,  and  the 
 ilrength  of  the  arguments  hence  drawn  for 
 
 the 
 
382       The  Proof  of  Chrijlianity  from      Serm.  14; 
 
 the  divine  authority  of  the  Chriflian  religion. 
 To  the  dr-cumjiances  then  mentioned,  I  would, 
 now  add  two  more. 
 
 9.  The  avowed  intention  to  be  anfwered,  and 
 iht  immediate  conjequence  drawn  from  this  clmm 
 of  the  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  fpirit  of  God, 
 by  the  Apojiles,  is  another  circumftance  too  re-» 
 itiarkable  to  be  omitted  ;  and  this  was  iojup^ 
 port    a  caufe^  which  almoft  the   'whole  nation 
 hatedy  and   by  engaging  in  which  they  well 
 knew  they  Ihould  expofe  themfelves   to  the 
 refentment  and   anger  of  the  priefts  and  go- 
 vernors, and  their  own  lives  to  the  moll  im- 
 minent hazard  of  deftrucflion.    'Twas  not  fwo 
 months  before  that  Jefus  had  been  crucified,  at 
 the  inftigation  of  the  prieds,  elders,  fcribes 
 and  council,  as  an  impoftor  and   deceiver  of 
 the   people,  for   declaring  himfelf  to  be   the 
 Chrifiy   the  Son  of  the  Bkjjed  ^,  after  they  had 
 treated  him  with  the  utmoft  indignity,  and 
 added  the  infolence   of  fcorn  to  hatred   and 
 cruelty.     By  deftroying  him,  they  imagined 
 they  had  put  an  end  to  all  pretenfions  of  his 
 Meffiahlhip  ;  and  though  the  report  of  his 
 refurredlion  at  firft  alarmed  them  j  yet  as  his 
 Apoftles  as  yet  had  not  appeared  in  publick, 
 given  do  folemn   teftimony  to  the  fadt,  and 
 don't  feem  to  have  taken  any  open   fteps  in 
 vindication  of  their   mafter's  charadler,   and 
 to  eftablifh   the  belief  of  his  reftoration  to 
 life  i  'tis  probable  the  Jewifh  priefts  and  rulers 
 imagined  that  the  whole  affair  Would  drop^ 
 
 f  Mark  xiv.  62. 
 
 and 
 
Serm.  14.       the  Defcent  of  the  Holy  Spirii:       3gj 
 
 and  that  they  fliould  have  no  farther  trouble 
 from  Jefus  and  his  followers.  And  had  the 
 twelve  Apoflles  made  this  pretence  to  a  pro* 
 phetic  fpirit,  and  under  the  fuppofed  influence 
 of  it  publickly  declared  their  dead  Majler  to 
 be  an  impojior^  and  warned  the  Jews  not  to 
 believe  or  regard  him  as  the  Meffiah  ;  as  this 
 change  of  parties  would  have  been  nothing 
 morethan  what  the  moll  admired  charaders 
 amongft  the  ancients  are  chargeable  with,  fo 
 it  would  have  fecured  them  the  favour  and 
 friendjhip  of  their  own  gover^tors  and  people, 
 who  were  now  in  a  Ibrt  of  interefl  bound  to 
 defend  what  they  had  done,  through  malice 
 and  envy,  in  deftroying  him.  But  how  did 
 the  Apollles  ad:  upon  receiving  thia  extraor- 
 dinary gift  of  tongues  ?  They  declared  it  to 
 1)6  the  effufion  of  the  fpirit,  or  what  they 
 received  by  immediate  infpiration  from  this 
 fpirit  of  God  ;  and  as  under  this  infpiration, 
 they  inftantly  preach  before  the  Jews,  col- 
 teded  together  from  all  nations,  that  Jefus  of 
 Nazareth  ivas  a  man  approved  of  God  amongfl 
 them,  by  miracles,  wonders  and  figns,  which  God 
 did  by  him  in  the  midji  of  them  ;  they  appeal 
 to  them  that  were  prefent  to  hear  them,  that 
 they  the mf elves  knew  all  this  i  they  charge  them 
 publickly  with  having  crucified  him  by  ungodly 
 hands,  i.  e.  with  having  wickedly  murthered 
 him  ;  they  declare  him  raifed  up  by  God,  and 
 theinfelves  the  wit?iejjes  of  it,  ihzt  God  had  ex^ 
 alted  him  to  his  right  hand,  granted  him  power 
 to  confer  the  holy  fpirit,  and  that  what  they 
 faw  in,  and   then  heard  from  the  Apoft'es, 
 
 was 
 
3 1^4       ^^^  Proof  cf  Chrijlianity  from      Sefrn.  iJ^l 
 
 was   nothing  lefs  than  the  very  fpirit  of  God 
 ihed  abroad  upon  themfelves;  concluding  all 
 with  this  folcnin  declaration  :  therefore  kt  all 
 the  houfe  of  Ifrael  kww  ajjuredly^  that  God  hath 
 made  that  Jame  J^fus^  ivhom  ye  hanje  crucificdt 
 both  Lord  and  Me/Jiah  *.     So  that  the  A  pollles 
 not  only  folemnly  declare  themfelves  the  ivit^ 
 iiejfes  of  ChrijFs  rej'urredlmu  but  witnefles  com-^ 
 mijjioned  by  God  to  declare  it,  and  to  publidi 
 to  the  whole  nation  that  he  was  their  Mefjiah 
 and  King,  and  that  there  was  no  other  method 
 of  falvation  but  by  repentance  and   faith  in 
 him.     This  new  appearance  of  things  made 
 the  cafe  of  Jefus  a  very  ferious  and  important 
 affair  :  As,  now  it  was  averted,  that  God  him- 
 felf  by  his  fpirit    became  the  witnefs  of  his 
 refurre(fl:ion  and  exaltation,  as  the  whole  na- 
 tion became  publickly  charged  with  this  mur- 
 ther,  and  as  they  are  appealed  to  as  evidences 
 for  his  extraordinary  and  miraculous  works 
 whilft  living.      Now  here  are  two  things  that 
 deferve  conlideration  ; 
 
 The  one  is,  that  the  j^pofdes  themfelves 
 niufl  have  been  the  'weakejt,  as  well  as  the 
 ivorjl  of  men,  to  make  appeals  of  this  nature 
 to  the  whole  body  of  the  nation,  if  they  had 
 not  been  certain  of  the  fa£ls  they  appealed  to 
 them  for,  and  abfolutely  fare  that  none  could 
 or  durfl  confront  them.  The  things  them-* 
 felves  referred  to  were  rece?it,  in  every  one's 
 memory.  The  whole  city  of  yenfalem  and 
 country  of  Judca  could  have  given  the  lie  to 
 
 *  Ails  H.  36-. 
 
Serm.  14.       the  Defcent  of  the  Holy  Spirit.       3S5 
 
 the  appeal  made  to  them  concerning  the  mira- 
 cles oF  Jefus,  for  he  lived  and  a(^ted  amongfl 
 the  very  men  the  Apoflles  Ipoke  to,  had  they 
 not  known  them  to  be  true ;  and  fuch  an  ap- 
 peal muft  have  inftantly  turned  to  their  own 
 confufion  ;  and  this  the  Apoftlcs  could  not  be 
 ignorant  of,  and  therefore  could  not  have 
 acSied  in  this  manner,  without  intending  efFec-" 
 tually,  and  for  ever  to  dellroy  their  own  and 
 their  mafter's  character,  had  they  not  been 
 fure  that  Jefus  was  the  man  they  affirmed 
 him  to  he,  and  his  miracles  fo  notorious,  as 
 to  have  the  whole  nation  vouchers  for  the 
 reality  of  them.  Had  the  contrary  been  evi- 
 dent, and  the  perfons  to  whom  the  Apoftles 
 appealed  been  wholly  ignorant  of  the  mira- 
 elts  and  wonders  that  Jefus  did,  or  believed 
 them  to  be  nothing  but  the  tricks  and  de- 
 ceptions of  an  impoftor  ;  their  pretending  to 
 the  effufion  of  the  fpirit  of  God,  and  intro- 
 ducing him  as  a  witnefs  of  Chriil's  refurrec- 
 tion,  muft  have  been  extremely  prejudicial  to 
 their  caufe,  and  they  would  have  been  juftly 
 charged  with  adding  impiety  to  impudence, 
 and  with  affronting  God  himfelf  in  the  mod 
 infolent  and  wicked  manner,  by  introducing 
 him  as  a  voucher  for  fads,  which  the  whole 
 nation  knew  nothing  bf^or  knew  to  be  wholly 
 groundlefs  and  falfe ;  and  they  could  have 
 expeded  nothing  lefs,  but  that  the  perfons 
 prefent  would  havey?o;W  them  as  tjnpojhrs  for 
 fuch  a  daring  affront  offered  both  to  God  and 
 man.  Befides,  their  charging  in  fo  peremp- 
 Vol.  I.  C  c  tdry 
 
^t6      ihe  Proof  of  Chrijlianity  frofFi      Serrri.  14J 
 
 tory  a  manner  the  whole  nation,  both  go- 
 vernors and  people,  with  cruelty  and  injuftice, 
 and  the  murther  of  an  innocent  perfon,  aa 
 approved  prophet,  and  their  own  Meffiah, 
 ■was  luch  an  affront  to  all  of  them,  fuch  a 
 publickarraignmentof  thejufticeofthenation, 
 and  carried  fuch  an  horrid  imputation  upon  the 
 priefts,  the  feveral  feiffcs,.  the  fcribes,  the  grand 
 council,  the  whole  body  of  the  people,  as  that 
 the  Apoftles  muft  know  would  iffue  in  their 
 own  deftrudion,  had  they  not  beeny^r^  of  a 
 teftimony  in  their  favoeir  in  the  confciences 
 of  all  men,  that  God  would  protect  them 
 in  their  bearing  witnefs  to  the  truth,  and  fup- 
 port  them  in  declaring  the  innocence,  the- 
 miracles,  the  Mefliah(hip,  the  exaltation  and 
 glory  of  Chriil;  Jefus,  whom  they  now  pro- 
 claimed as  Lord  and  Chrifl,  and  the  reception 
 ©f  whom  as  fuch  they  declared  neceffary  to 
 falvation.  And  therefore  I  would  further 
 obferve, 
 
 That  the  Prieftsy  ScriheSj  Pbarifees  and 
 Council  of  the  nation  were  obliged,  in  inndica^ 
 tion  of  thcmfches,  the  honour  of  their  charac- 
 ter, the  innocence  of  the  nation,  the  juftice 
 of  their  procedure,  and  to  prevent  the  fpread 
 of  the  dodrine  of  Chriil,  and  preferve  the 
 people  from  being  deceived  by,  and  believing 
 in  one,  whom  they  had  crucified  as  an  im- 
 poftor^  to  have  piibllfied  fome  authentic  account 
 of  his  charader  and  conduct,  of  his  frauds 
 and  deceits,  of  his  trial  and  the  reafon  of  his 
 condemnation,  of  the  depofitions  of  the  wit- 
 
 nelTes 
 
SeriTi.  14.       the  Defcent  of  the  Holy  Spirit.        ^Sy 
 
 nefTes  ajJ:aInn:  him,  of  their  charader  and 
 veracity, "  of  the  fiiirncfs  and  equity  of  the 
 whole  procedure  againfl  him,  for  their  own 
 juilification,  and  the  fatisrad:ion  of  the  peo- 
 ple, in  oppofition  to  the  heinous  charge  of 
 their  being  the  "ivicked  dejlroyers  and  murtherers 
 of  the  !Son  of  God.  They  ought,  I  fay,  to  have 
 done  this,  as  it  was  now  in  their  power,  as 
 the  witnelTcs  were  living,  as  the  fad:s  were 
 recent,  and  they  had  every  advantage  in  their 
 hands  to  convid:  the  Apoftles  of  fahhood, 
 and  of  traducing  the  honour  and  juftice  of 
 the  nation  in  profecating  him,  and  the  Roman 
 Governor  in  condemning  him.  They  ought 
 alfo  to  have  made  a  ftri5l  inquiry,  and  impar- 
 tial examination  into  this  account  of  the  mi- 
 raadous  effuf.mi  of  the  fpirit  of  God  upon  thefe 
 Apoflles,  of  the  languages  they  fpoke,  of  the 
 witnelles  that  heard  them,  and  of  the  doc- 
 trine they  taught,  and  if  they  had  found  the 
 genuine  marks  of  impofture  and  fraud,  to 
 have  made  the  proper  difcovery  of  it,  and 
 difabufed  their  people  ;  and  could,  they  have 
 fairly  proved  the  impofture  of  Jefus  and  his 
 Apoftles,  that  his  condemnation  and  execu- 
 tion were  juft  and  deferved,  and  that  the  Apof- 
 tles  had  abufed  and  flandered  the  government 
 of  the  nation,  and  the  juftice  of  the  people; 
 the  whole  world  would  have  juftified  their 
 conduct  in  the  feverefc  treatment  of  the  Apof- 
 tles  themfelves,  and  in  the  moil:  exemplary 
 punifhment  they  could  have  inflided  on  them; 
 and  in  confequence  of  this  an  effcSual  flop 
 muii  have  been  immediately  put  to  the  pro- 
 C  c  2  grefs 
 
5'S8  1  he  Proof  of  Chrifljanity  from  Serm.  14. 
 grefs  of  Chrift's  dodrine,  and  he  muft  have 
 been  nwnbcred  not  only  'with  fmner sin  his  death, 
 but  amongfl:  thofe  impojiors  who  deferved  to 
 fall  a  facrifice  to  public  juftice.  But  that  the 
 Jewifh  nation  or  government  took  any  fuch 
 ftep  as  this,  is  not  lo  much  as  pretended  by  the 
 ^ews  themfelves  j  and  had  they  done  this 
 'tis  impoffible  it  could  have  been  fupprelTed, 
 as  there  wtxt  forty  years  from  thefe  events  to 
 the  dejlruSiion  ofjeriifalemy  during  which  they 
 could  have  fent  I'uch  an  authentick  account  to 
 the  whole  body  of  the  people  j  and  as  there 
 were  at  this  very  feafon  Jews  at  Jerufalem, 
 who  had  reforted  thither  from  all  nations  of 
 the  earth,  and  who  when  returned  to  the  fe- 
 veral  countries  where  they  lived,  could  have 
 given  the  true  information  to  all  their  bre- 
 thren, and  effe^Lually  have  prevented  any  har- 
 veft  of  converts  to  Jefus  Chrift.  But  as  fa(51s 
 are  obdmate  things,  and  truth  invincible  in 
 its  nature,  as  the  council  of  God  fiall  fiand^ 
 and  all  attempts  to  fVuftrate  the  defigns  of  his 
 providence  fhall  be  themfelves  finally  fruf- 
 trated  ;  the  Jewifli  nation  and  government 
 were  not  able  to  contradi(5t  the  miraculous 
 wonders  of  the  life  of  Chriil,  to  vindicate 
 their  own  juftice  in  deftroying  him,  to  con- 
 vid:  the  Apoftlcs  of  impofture,  or  to  prevent 
 thefuccefs  of  his  gofpel,  and  the  daily  encreaf^ 
 of  his  difciples  and  faithful  followers.  And 
 therefore  I  would  add 
 
 10.  Once  more,  that  the  effeB  immedi- 
 ately confequent  upon  this  extraordinary  ap- 
 pearance, is  ix\\\y  feirprizing,  and  can  in   no 
 
 ra^ 
 
Serm.  14.       the  Be/cent  of  the  Holy  Spirit,       589 
 
 rational  way  be  accounted  for,  but  upon  the 
 fuppofition  of  the  reality  and  certainty  of  the 
 Apoftles  receiving  this  miraculous  gift  from 
 the  fpirit  of  God.  The  hiftorian  obferves, 
 that  upon  Peters  ending  his  difcourfe,  the 
 perfons  prefent  who  heard  him  'mere  pricked 
 in  their  hearts  -f,  flruck  with  fuch  a  grief,  as 
 though  their  hearts  had  been  ftruck  through, 
 and  pierced  with  a  fharp- pointed  inllrument  i 
 and  they  f aid  to  Peter  and  the  rejl  of  the  Apoftles  : 
 Men  and  Brethren,  what  fiall  we  do?  The 
 meaning  of  this  queftion  can  only  be  :  If 
 Jefus  was  approved  of  by  God  by  the  miracles 
 he  wrought,  if  he  was  unjuftly  apprehended, 
 and  wickedly  crucified,  if  God  hath  raifed 
 him  from  the  dead,  exalted  him  to  his  right 
 hand,  hath  given  him  the  fpirit,  declared  him 
 to  be  Lord  and  Meffiah,  and  if  you  as  his 
 witnefTes  fpeak  under  the  infpiratlon  of  that 
 fpirit  which  he  hath  poured  on  yoJ  ;  what 
 muft  we  do  to  fave  ourfelves  from  the  guilt 
 of  deftroying  htm,  and  from  that  vengeance 
 which  we  have  reafon  to  fear  from  God  to 
 our  own  deftrudtion  ?  The  queftion  evidently 
 carries  convi(fkion  and  concern,  fenfe  of  guilt, 
 and  fear  of  divine  difpleafure ;  it  plainly 
 fhews,  that  they  faw  fumething  extraordinary 
 and  divine  attending  the  Apollles,  that  they 
 •  could  neither  deny  the  things  they  averted, 
 the  languages  in  which  they  fpoke  them, 
 nor  the  inspiration  of  the  Spirit  of  God  to 
 which   they  afcribed  them.     But  what  was 
 
 t  Ver.    37.    . 
 
 C  c  3  the 
 
20O  1  he  Proof  of  Chrijtianity  from  Serm.  14, 
 the  y^pcjiles  anfwer  to  this  quedion  ?  Such  a 
 one  as  muft  comfort  and  furprize  them.  Firfl, 
 repents  viz.  of  all  your  lins,  and  in  particular 
 of  the  fhare  3'ou  have  had  in  the  crucifixion 
 of  Jefus  Chrift  -,  in  confequence  of  this  be 
 baptifed  every  one  of  you  in  the  name  of  fefus 
 Cbrf/ifor  the  remifjicn  of  fns  5  (hew  the  truth 
 of  this  your  repentance  by  believing  in  and 
 receiving  him  as  the  Mefllah,  and  publickly 
 declaring  by  your  being  baptifed  in  his  name, 
 that  you  expedl  the  remiffion  of  your  fins 
 through  him  ;  and  as  the  evidence  that  God 
 hath  forgiven  and  accepted  you,  you  alfo  JJ:all 
 receive  the  gift  of  the  Hofy  Gho/i»  The  im- 
 Tiiediate  effeit  was,  that  they  willingly  re- 
 ceiving his  word,  believing  his  dodrine,  and 
 fubmitting  to  his  exhortation,  were  baptifed  -, 
 infomuch  that  this  very  day  there  were  added  to 
 them  about  three  thoif and  fouls,  v/ho  became 
 avowed  and  profelled  difciples  of  Chrift. 
 
 Now  what  was  it  that  convinced  and  con- 
 verted fo  lar^e  a  number  to  embrace  Chri-. 
 ilianity  ?  They  had  the  ftrongeft  prejudices  in 
 the  world  to  prevent  it,  and  they  could  have 
 no  poffible  reafon  to  induce  them  to  it,  but 
 the  conjcioufnefs  that  what  the  Apoflles  had 
 alferted  concerning  ChriO:  was  triithi  and  that 
 this  gift  of  languages  to  them  was  really  and 
 immediately  vouchfafed  them  from  the  fpirit 
 of  God.  Could  they  have  confronted  the 
 Apoflles,  and  honeftly  declared  that  they 
 knevy  nothing  of  the  miracles  of  Chrifl,  that 
 they  believed  him  juftly  put  to  death,  that 
 their  pretence  to  fpeak  new  languages  was  an 
 
 im-- 
 
Scrm.  14.       the  Befce-tit  of  the  Holy  Spirit.       3^1 
 
 impofture,  and  their  claim  to  fpeak  them  by 
 infpiration  an  impiety  j  in  a  word,  had  there 
 been  any  thing  fuipicious  in  the  charat^cr  of 
 Jefus,  whom  the  Apoftles  folemnly  declared 
 to  be  the  Meffiah,  it  maft  have  now  come 
 out,  and  been  made  publick,  and  neither  the 
 power  or  art  of  man y  much  lefs  of  tv:ehe  juch 
 men  as  the  Apoftles,  who  had  the  countenance 
 neither  of  the  magiftracy  nor  priefthood,  nor 
 of  the  fe(fbs,  nor  the  people,  to  defend  and 
 fupport  them  ;  I  fay,  neither  the  power  nor  art 
 of  men  could  have  prevented  the  publiilnng 
 of  every  circumftance  that  could  have  at- 
 fedled  the  charadter  and  reputation  of  Jefus  ; 
 or  had  there  been  any  thing  like  collufion  or 
 fraud  in  this  gift  of  languages  to  which  the 
 Apoftles  now  pretended,  it  could  not  have 
 been  concealed  from  fuch  a  promifcuous  mul- 
 titude met  together  on  this  occaiion,  v>ithout 
 any  previous  warning,  or  fixed  defign  and 
 prejudice  in  favour  of  the  perfons  who  where 
 faid  to  fpeak  them  ;  and  the  ett'edt  of  both 
 muft  have  been,  not  a  cowoerflon  to  the  belief 
 of  the  doctrines  the  Apoftles  preached,  or 
 to  their  bein^  the  melTenojers  of  God,  or  to 
 the  crucified  Jefus  being  the  Mefiiali,  but  a 
 converfion  to  an  inveterate  and  incurable  ha- 
 ired of  the  Apofiles,  as  enemies  of  their  coun- 
 try, and  difturbcrs  of  the  publick  peace.  But 
 on  the  contrary,  three  thoufand  are  actually  con- 
 verted to  the  Chriftian  faith,  by  a  fa3  which 
 they  faw^  and  to  which  they  were  witneftcs  ; 
 hy  an  amazing  miracle,  private  and  unlearned 
 men,  ipeaking  languages  they  never  under- 
 C  c  4  flood 
 
3^2        The  Proof  of  Chrijlianity  from       Serm.  14. 
 
 ftood  before,  fpeaking  them  in  the  hearing  of 
 thofe,  to  whom  the  languages  were  native, 
 who  heard,  who  confelTed,  who  flood  amazed 
 at  the  thing,  and  were  fo  fully  convinced  and 
 fo  abfolutcjy  certain  of  it,  as  to  embrace 
 that  religion  wl^iich  they  thus  heard  miracu- 
 loully  taught,  each  in  the  language  in  which 
 he  was  born.  So  that  here  is  the  mofl  au- 
 thentick  teftimony  of  three  ihoujand  perfons, 
 who  were  eye  and  ear  witnejjes  to  this  extra- 
 ordinary gift  of  languages  to  the  Apoflles, 
 to  enable  them  to  teflify  to  the  whole  nation 
 of  the  Jews,  the  innocence,  the  refurredion, 
 the  ]\ie{liah(l)ip,  and  glory  of  Chrift.  So 
 that  as  no  fad:  can  be  more  amply  attefled 
 than  this,  fo  whilft  it  remains  firm  and  efta- 
 blsQied,  Chrillianity  will  fland  upon  an  im- 
 movable foundation,  that  no  art  or  power 
 will  be  able  to  fubvert.  But  this  leads  me 
 in  a  few  words  to  conlider, 
 
 III.  In  the  laft  general,  the  proof  that  this 
 ex'ti  aordinary  grant  of  the  fpirit  of  God  carries 
 in  it,  for  the  truth  of  the  Chrijiian  religion  and 
 doBrine,  and  in  particular  of  the  refurrediion 
 t: lid  glory  of  our  III ejfed  Saviour y  and  to  fliew 
 the  Apojlki  were  authorifed  witnelTes  of  both. 
 And  here, 
 
 I.  It  was  the  accompli  ill  me  nt  of  an  antient 
 prophecy^  that  had  been  many  ages  before  de- 
 livered by  one,  under  the  infpiration  of  God, 
 Thus  St.  Peter  hioifelf  tells  the  Jews,  in  an^ 
 fvver  to  the  reproachful  charge  of  drunkennefs, 
 that  fomc  would  have  faftened  on  them, 
 22/j  is  that  ivhich  "-jcasfpoken  by  the  prophet  Joel  ^ , 
 
 It 
 
Scrm.  14.       the  Defcent  of  the  Holy  Spirit,       393 
 
 //  fiall  come  to  pafs  in  the  lafl  days,  fays  God, 
 I  will  pour  out  of  my  fptmt  upon  all  flefi^  and 
 your  fons  and  your  daughters  fiall  prophecy^  and 
 your  young  men  fiall  fee  vifions,  and  your  old 
 men  fiall  dream  dreams^  and  on  my  fervants 
 and  on  my  hand-maidens  will  I  in  thofe  days 
 pour  out  of  my  fpirit^  and  they  fioall  prophecy. 
 And  I  willflxw  wonders  in  Heaven  above,  and 
 Jigns  in  the  Earth  beneath,  blood  and  f  re  and 
 vapour  of  fmoke 'y  the  fun  fiall  be  turned  into 
 darknefs,  and  the  moon  into  blood,  before  that 
 great  and  notable  day  of  the  Lord  come. 
 This  prophecy  expreflly  prcdids,  that  there 
 was  fome  very  great,  illuftrious  and  terrible 
 day  of  the  Lord,  or  feafon  appointed  by  God, 
 that  iliould  certainly  take  place  ;  and  that  the 
 approach  of  it  fhould  be  known  by  thefe 
 two  circumflances :  the  one,  a  more  liberal 
 and  general  effufion  of  the  prophetick  fpirit 
 of  God,  upon  perfons  of  every  condition  and 
 degree  -,  the  other,  the  ftrongeft  convulfions 
 in  the  Jewifh  flate  and  republick,  the  burn- 
 ing of  their  cities,  and  the  defi:rud:ion  of  their 
 inhabitants,  and  that  entire  confufion  and  fub- 
 verlion  of  the  whole  nation,  which  in  the  ftile 
 of  the  eaftern  writers  is  denoted  by  rht  fims 
 being  turned  into  darknefs  and  the  moon  into  blood-, 
 though  the  expreffions  are  taken  from  nature 
 and  fad: ;  the  very  air  being  rendered  fo  very 
 opake  by  the  fmoke  of  the  burning  cities,  as 
 fometimes  to  obfcure  the  fun,  and  at  other 
 times  to  prefent  the  afpedt  of  the  moon  red 
 as  blood.  T^he  great  and  terrible  day  of  the  Lord 
 was  iofucceed  thefe  events,  i.  e.  the  intire  de- 
 
 flrudion 
 
394      ^^^  Proof  of  Chrijiianity  from      Serm.  14. 
 
 {Irudlon  of  Jerufalem,  and  the  abfolute  fub- 
 verfion  of  the  Jewifh  ftate  and  nation.  As 
 all  hiftories  relating  to  the  Jews  confirm  the 
 prophetick  account  of  thete  publick  cala- 
 mities and  confufions  that  befell  this  unhappy 
 nation  ;  fo  this  effufion  of  the  fpirit  of  God, 
 of  which  the  Apoflles  received  the  firfl  fruits, 
 and  which  they  conferred  on.  others  who  be- 
 lieved, was  an  abundant  confirmation  of  the 
 prophecy  relating  to  the  pouring  out  of  the 
 ipirit,  and  demonftrated  that  the  perfons  who 
 received  it,  and  conferred  it  upon  others, 
 taught  under  the  infpiratlon  of  the  fpirit  of 
 God,  and  deferved  to  be  received  and  fubmit- 
 ed  to  as  mefifengers  fent  to  teach  men  the  way 
 of  falvation.     But, 
 
 2.  lihQ  gift  of  the  fpirit  to  the  Apoflles^  was 
 frequently  by  our  blelTed  Lord  exprefIly/?ro- 
 inifed  to  thefe,  before  his  fufl:erings  and  after 
 his  refurredion,  and  they  were  commanded 
 to  go  to  and  not  flir  from  Jerufalem,  but  there 
 'Wait for  the  promife,  i.  e.  for  the  accomplifh- 
 ment  of  it,  and  aflured  that  within  a  few 
 days  it  fhould  be  made  good,  and  that  after 
 this  gift  was  coine  on  them,  they  Jlmild  be  his 
 nvitneffes  to  the  whole  nation  of  the  Jews,  unto 
 the  uttermoji  parts  of  the  earth.  This  gift 
 therefore  became  necefiary,  to  fecure  the 
 truth  and  veracity  of  Chrift,  and  the  accom- 
 plifhment  of  his  promife,  which  they  were 
 in  conftant  expectation  of  -,  and  it  was  as  ne- 
 cefTary  for  the  inftrudion  of  the  world  and 
 propagation  of  Chrift's  gofpel ;  the  Apoftles 
 not  underllanding  the  nature  of  the  gofpel, 
 
 nor 
 
Serm.  14.      the  Befceni  of  the   Tidy  Spirit.       29 !t 
 
 jior  knowing  v/hat  to  preach,  nor  what  to 
 teftify,  till  they  had  received  the  fpirit  that 
 was  to  lead  them  into  all  truth;  or  if  they  bad 
 known  this,  being  utterly  hicapahle  by  their 
 ignorance  of  hmgiiages^  to  have  publifiied  the 
 gofpel  any  where  but  in  Galilee,  and  amongfl 
 thole  of  their  own  country  and  dialect.  And 
 therefore  the  Apoftles  receiving  this  gift^  when 
 their  mailer  was  actually  taken  from  them, 
 exacftly  according  to  his  promife,  was  a  full 
 declaration  that  he  was  then  alive,  that  he  had 
 thefe  extraordinary  gifts  to  confer,  and  that 
 by  conterring  them  on  the  Apoftles,  he  owned 
 them  as  fuch,  pointed  them  out  as  his  wit- 
 neffes  to  the  world,  and  gave  the  moft  au^ 
 thentick  tcftimony  to  the  truth  of  what  they 
 taught  relating  to  him,  and  the  method  of 
 fiilv\tion  by  repentance  and  iaith  in  him. 
 But, 
 
 3.  The  nature  of  the  gift  itfelf  was  fuch, 
 as  cannot  be  referred  to  any  other  original  but 
 Cod  J  and  therefore  whatever  dod:rine  it  was 
 given  to  confirm,  it  was  in  reality,  and  there-! 
 fore  ought  to  be  regarded  as  ihcfal,  immedi- 
 ately let  by  God  himfelf  to  the  truth  of  it. 
 That  God  hath  by  the  immenfty  of  his  pre- 
 fence,  and  ihtfpirituality  of  his  nature^  a  con- 
 ftant  immediate  accefs  to  the  minds  of  mer», 
 and  is  in  fad;  perpetually  intimatel  y  prefent 
 with  them,  is  a  truth  of  natural  religion,  and 
 is  involved  in  the  very  idea  of  God.  That 
 God's  knowledge  is  laiiverfily  extending  to 
 ipeii^'s  hearts  and  thoughts,  and  the  various 
 
 words 
 
396       the  Proof  of  Chnjiianity  from       Scrm.  14. 
 
 "words  in  all  languages  in  which  they  cloath 
 them,  is  alfo  certain  and  dcmonftrable.    That 
 God  can  illuminate  the  mind  with  the  know- 
 ledge of  things  and   words,  clearly  without 
 error,  and  inftantly  without  labour  or  procefs, 
 is  at  leaft  as  certain  as  that  men  can  inform  one 
 another^  gradually,  as  far  as  their  own  know- 
 ledge  reaches ;    becaufe   whatever  capacities 
 there  are  in  created  beings  mufk  be  in  an  infi- 
 nitely more  perfect  manner  in  the  eternal  and 
 all  glorious  one ',  and  I  fuppofe  it  will  appear 
 abfurd   to  every  one  to    affert,  that  he  who 
 opened  the  eye  cannot  furnifh  it  with  objeds 
 of  light,  or  that  he  who  formed  the  intelledual 
 capacities  cannot  convey  every  kind  of  know- 
 ledge,   to    which   thofe   capacities    naturally 
 extend ;    or   that   he    cannot   fugged  to  the 
 mind   thofe  terms  and  words,  by   immediate 
 impreffions  from  himfelf,  fo  as  to  render  pen- 
 Ibns  able   to  converfe  with  others  intelligibly 
 and  pertinently,  which  men  are  able  to  fug- 
 geft  to  and  imprefs  upon  their  own  minds,  by 
 application  and   fludy,  fo  as   to  retain  the  re- 
 membrance of  them  throughout  the  whole 
 of  life.     'Tis  true,  the  iJiJlantaneous  acquifition 
 of  languages   is   beyond   the  reach  of  human 
 f  Oliver ,  and   much    more  fo,  the   injlantamous 
 communi cation  of  the  knowledge  of  them   to 
 others.     In  both  cafes, 'tis  contrary  to  the  laws 
 of  nature,  /.  e.  to  thofe  laws  of  nature  that 
 limit  the  capacities  of  men»  and  within  which 
 their  fphere  of  adion  lies.     But  the  laws  of 
 nature  difcry  as  i\\q  po'wers  and  capacities  of 
 ..lu./  Intel- 
 
Serm.  14"        the  Defcent  of  the  Holy  Spirit.       397 
 
 I  intelledual  being  rife  higher,  and  what  Is  im- 
 poflible  by  the  law  of  our  nature  to  us,  is  eafy 
 to  be  done  by  beings  of  fuperior  rank,  and  in- 
 
 I  tirely  within  thofe  laws  of  nature  to  which 
 they  are  fubje(5ted.  And  as  all  the  laws  of 
 created  beings  are  nothing  but  the  ccnjiitution 
 of  the  iiifdom  and pcwer  of  God,  'tis  evident  he 
 is  not  circumfcribed  or  limited  by  them,  nor 
 indeed  limited  by  any  thing  but   by  the/^z- 
 
 !  bility  of  things,  and  the  didates  of  his  own 
 infinite  wifdom  and  goodnefs.  And  therefore, 
 though  we  cannot  fuppofe  that  God  can  com- 
 municate to  men  any  kind  of  knowledge  for 
 which  they  are  formed  abfolutely  incapable, 
 without  enlarging  their  capacities,  or  giving 
 them  new  ones  ;  yet,  as  in  the  prefent  cafe, 
 the  knowledge  of  languages,  and  of  the  gof- 
 pel  dodrine,  and  other  things  communicated 
 to  the  Apoftles  by  this  extraordinary  gift  of 
 the  holy  fpirit,  is  not  beyond  the  natural  powers 
 of  men  -,  luch  a  communication  is  not  natu- 
 rally impoffible,  and  therefore  not  beyond  the 
 power  of  God  to  communicate  ;  and  the  mi- 
 racle confiils,  not  in  making  the  Apoftles 
 know  what  they  were  naturally  incapable  of 
 knowing,  but  in  the  manner  of  their  infor- 
 mation, the  agency  by  which  they  received  it, 
 and  the  inflantaneous  manner  in  which  it  was 
 conveyed  to  them. 
 
 This  was  fo  extraordinary,  and  feems  to  be 
 fo  entirely  above  the  reach  of  every  being,  but 
 him  who  is  all  wife  and  all  powerful,  is  fo 
 peculiar   and  unprecedented,  and  fo  entirely 
 
 depends 
 
^5  8       ^i>s  Proof  of  Chrijlianlly  from      Serrrs.  14. 
 
 depends  upon  fuch  an  immediate  accefs  to  the 
 minds  of  men,  fuch  a  command  of  their  in- 
 telledlual  powers,  and  ability  to  influence  and 
 direct  them  at  pleafure,  as  evidently  bcfpeaks 
 a  divine  agency,  and  can  with  reafon  be  attri- 
 buted  to  no  agent  inferior  to  God   himfelf. 
 Efpecially  if  we  confider,  what  was  commu- 
 nicated at  the  fame  time  with  this  gift  of  lan- 
 guages i  vi%.  fuch  2.  full  and  complcat  hiowledge 
 of  the    whole  fcheme  of  redemption  by  Chrt/l, 
 contrary  to  all  their  former  inveterate  preju- 
 dices, as  implied  an  intire  alteration  of  their 
 fentiments,  and  rendered  them  capable  of  be- 
 coming the  inflrudors  of  all  mankind,  in  a 
 fcheme  of  religion,  to  which  they  were  before 
 almoft  intirely  ftrangers  ;  a  fcheme  of  religion 
 that  muH:  intirely  depend  on  the   conditution 
 and  will  of  God,  and  of  wliich  therefore  the 
 knowledge  could  not  in  the    nature  of   the 
 thing   be  otherv/ife  had,  than  by   immediate 
 revelation   from   him.      Now   the   argument 
 from  hence  is  :    That  as   this  extraordinary 
 conveyance  of  tlie  knowledge  of  languages  to 
 the  Apoftles   was    by   immediate   infpiration 
 from  himfelf,  and  to  enable  them  to  preach 
 the  gofpel  of  Chrift,  to  their  brethren,  col- 
 led:ed  together  at  Jej'ufalem  at  that  time,  from 
 all  nations  of  the  world,  that  gofpel  muft  ne- 
 cefiarily  be  the  doBrine  of  Gody  and  the  great 
 things  they  taught  under  that  infpiration  mud 
 be  real  truths,  and  fuch   as  it  was  his  pleafure 
 mankind  lliould  be  inflruded  in,  in  order  to 
 their  believing  them,  and  living  agreeable  to 
 
 ths.i 
 
Serm.  14."       the  Defceiit  of  the  Holy  Spirit]      39^ 
 
 the  proper  tendency   and  influence  of  them  5 
 becaufe  'tis  abfolutely  impoffible,  and  incon- 
 fillent  with  the  character,  the  reditude,  wif- 
 dom,  goodnefs,  and  all  the  ends  of  the  moral 
 government  of  God,  that  he  fliould  by  mira- 
 cle  infpire  men  with  the  knowledge  of  lan- 
 guages, to  furnifli   men  with  the  capacity   to 
 teach  a  falfehood,  to  lead  men   into  an  error, 
 and  to  lay  fuch  a  powerful  deception  before 
 them,  as  muft  ncceffarily  influence  the  moil 
 impartial,  unprejudiced,  and  upright  perfons 
 to  fubmit  to  the  power  of  it.     I  think  we  may 
 fay,  that  no  perfon,  who  knew  the   Apoftles, 
 their  manner  of  life  and  education,  and  heard 
 them   to  his   full  convi<5tion,  inftantaneoufly 
 fpeaking  in  new  languages,  which  they  never 
 underfl:qod  before,    and    in    thofe  languages 
 preaching  Jefus,  and  the  do(5lrine  of  falvation 
 by  him  alone,  could  pofllbly  doubt  whether 
 they  were  under  a  divine  influence,  or  whether 
 the  dodrine  they   preached  was  agreeable  to 
 the  will  of  God.     Efpecially  when  'tis  confi- 
 dered,  that  the  whole  Jcivifi  nation  was  then 
 in  a  fufpence  about  the  character  and  miffion 
 of  Jei'us  Chrift  ;  whom  all  knew  to  have  been 
 a  very  extraordinary  perfon,  and  to  have  per- 
 formed many    unqueftionable  miracles,    and 
 who  had    neverthelefs   been  crucified  by  the 
 rulers  of  the  people,  and  was  notv/ithftanding 
 declared  by  his  followersto  be  rifen  from  the 
 dead.     In  the  midfl:  of  thefe  perplexities  and 
 doubts,  to  fee   his  Apollles  inftantly  fpeak- 
 ing with  new  languages,  and   in  thele  boldly 
 declaring  to  the  whole  nation,  gathered  Irom 
 
 the 
 
4ob      the  Proof  of  Chrijiianity  from      Serm.  14. 
 
 the  diftant  parts  of  the  earth,  Jefus  the  Son 
 of  God,  and  falvation  by  him  ;  this  could  be 
 regarded  as  nothing  {hoit  of  the  determina- 
 tion and  decifion  of  God  himfelf,  putting  an 
 end  to  the  controverfy,  by  a  pubhck  vindica- 
 tion of  the  innocency  of  Chrift,  and  declaring 
 him  to  be  his  beloved  Son,  in  whom  he  vi'as 
 well  pleafed. 
 
 The  great  things  which  the  Apoftles  imme- 
 diately preached  under  this  infpiration  were: 
 
 That  Jefus  was  a  man  approved  of  God. — 
 
 That  his  crucifiers  were  wicked  and  un- 
 godly men. — 
 
 That  he  was  deliver'd  by  the   determinate 
 counfel  and  fore-knowledge  of  God. — 
 
 That  God  raifed  him  up  from  the  dead. — 
 
 That  he  was  exalted  by  the  right  hand  of 
 God.— 
 
 That  he  had  received  from  the  Father  the 
 promife  of  the  Holy  Ghoft. — 
 
 That  he  {bed  it  forth  on  his  Apoftles. — 
 -    That  all  his  foes  (hould  be  made  his  foot- 
 ftool.— 
 
 That  he  is  conftituted  Lord  and  Meffiah. — 
 
 And  that  repentance  and  baptifm  in  his 
 name  for  the  remiffion  of  fins^  ihall  fecure 
 men  forgivenefs,  and  entitle  them  to  the  grant 
 of  the  fpirit  of  God.  Thefe  are  the  doctrines 
 confirmed  by  the  teftimony  of  the  fpirit  of 
 God;  and  whofoever  believes  thefe  things, 
 and  a6ls  agreeable  to  the  natural  influence 
 and  tendency  of  this  faith,  fliall  not  peri(h, 
 but  have  everlafting  life.  And  upon  the  whole, 
 if  we  confider  this  matter  impartially,  as  it 
 
 ftands 
 
Sernl.  14.       the  De'fcent  of  the  Ho^y  Spirit.        4d"i 
 
 itands  conneiftcd  with  other  parts  of  the 
 gofpel  fcheme,  there  will  appear  fnch  a  con- 
 nediion  and  coincidency  of  fadts  and  miracles, 
 to  fupport  the  chara^er  of  Chrift,  as  muft 
 force  us  to  allow,  either  that  the  writers  of 
 the  gofpel  hiflory  and  other  facred  books, 
 were  men  of  the  moll  exquifite  invention, 
 the  moft  confummate  wifdom  and  prudence, 
 and  of  the  greatefl  knowledge  of  men  and 
 things,  that  ever  appeared  in  the  world,  and 
 who  never  had  their  equals,  thus  to  contrive 
 a  ftory,  compofed  of  the  credible,  the  true, 
 the  marvellous  and  miraculous ;  all  mixed 
 together  with  fo  much  nature,  and  yet  with 
 fo  much  art,  as  to  conftitute  one  uniform, 
 confident  fcheme  of  religion  and  morals,  fo 
 as  that  there  is  no  inconfiftency  of  principles 
 and  fadls,  no  unneceilary  miracles  introduced, 
 every  miracle  aflerted  neceflary  to  give  the 
 fcheme  the  air  of  divinity,  and  an  original 
 from  God,  and  each  miracle  fuch  for  nature, 
 and  fuch  for  feafon  and  time,  as  that  one  can- 
 not imagine,  that  if  God  had  been  the  real 
 author  of  the  fcheme  he  would,  have  wrought 
 any  other  miracles  in  favour  of  it,  or  in  any 
 other  circumftance  or  feafon,  than  what  the 
 gofpel  hiftory  reprefents  them.  Or  elfe  we 
 mufl  fuppofe  that  thefe  twelve  fidiermen, 
 who  were  the  Jipoflles  of  Chrifi,  though  'without 
 educationy  learnings  coiwerfe  \mxk\y  ox  knonjoledge 
 of  mankind^  any  acquired  abilitiss,  or  any  ju- 
 perior  endowments  of  nature,  were  yet  more  accom* 
 flipped  and  able  laiv -given  than  Mofes^  LycurgtiSy 
 ^okn,  and  other  boafled  names  of  antiquity. 
 Vol.  L  D  d  and 
 
402        fbe  Proof  of  Chrijiianity  from      Scrm .  1 4; 
 
 and  more excellejit philofophersih2ii\ Socrates,  Plato, 
 Cicero,  Seneca,  ai.d  others  the  moft  celebrated 
 authors  that  can  be  named  3  and  that  they  ei- 
 ther knew-Jnfinitely  more  both  of  rehgion 
 and  morahty  than  thofe  law-givers  and  philofo- 
 phers  did,  though  deftitute  of  all  their  advan- 
 tages for  knowledge  ;  or  that  they  were  inii* 
 nitely  honejter  and  better  men,  if  in  wifdom 
 they  were  equals,  by  boldly  publifhing  their 
 fentiments  to  the  world,  and  not  concealing 
 them,  as  the  others  did,  in  compliance  to  the 
 prejudices  of  the  people,  and  the  prevailing 
 corruptions  of  mankind,  amongft  whom  they 
 lived.  And  that  in  this  point  of  policy  and 
 prudence  they  excelled  all  the  ancient  law- 
 givers of  the  heathen  world,  who  rnade  fuch 
 pretenfions  to  converfe  with,  and  communica- 
 tions from  gods  and  goddelTes,  and  certain 
 miraculous  works  wrought  by  their  power, 
 as  that  every  man  of  fenfe,  believer  or  unbe- 
 liever, many  of  the  antient  Gentiles  and  Phi- 
 lofophers  themfelves,  Jews  and  Turks,  and 
 Chriftians,  all  difcern  the  impofture  of,  and 
 laugh  at  as  contemptible  and  ridiculous.; 
 whereas  thefe  poor  illiterate  uneducated  fifiier- 
 men  and  publicans,  delivered  fuch  a  fchems 
 of  principles  and  morals,  as  will  fland  the 
 tefl:  of  the  mod  critical  examination,  and 
 appear  of  that  importance  as  to  be  worthy  of 
 the  confirmation  of  God,  and  pretended  to 
 confirm  them  by  fuch  miracles  as  have  no  ap- 
 pearance of  impropriety,  arc  in  their  nature 
 Jit  to  be  afcribed  to  the  agency  of  God,  and  as 
 were  QXd.(X\y  fuited  to  the  nature  of  the  do^rme 
 
 to 
 
Serrtl.  14.'      the  Befcen't  of  the  Holy  Spirits       403' 
 
 to  be  confirmed  by   them ;  and  have  given 
 fuch  a  kind  of  cvIJaiceof  the  reality  of  them, 
 as  hath  con'uincedxhQ  moft  thoughtful,  i7iquijitive^ 
 and   learned    men,  UngSy  princes,  philojophcrs, 
 natural  and  moral,  thegreateli  the  world  ever 
 produced,  as  gain  the  utmofl  credit  to  this  day 
 amongft  the  is:ifcjl    and   heft  of  men,  which 
 have   all  the  ?2atiiral  appearances  of  truth  and 
 credibility  in  themj  which   many  of  the  ene- 
 mics  of   their   perfons   and  doctrine,    in   the 
 ages  neareft  them  allowed  to  be  real,  and  ac- 
 counted for  by  the  mofl  unlikely  and  impro- 
 bable caufes,  and  which  none  of  their  ancient 
 or    modern   adverfaries  can  deftroy,  without 
 deftroying  the  grounds  of  probability,  the  faith 
 of  hiftory,  and  denying  the  moft  eflential  at- 
 tributes and  perfedions  of  God  himfelf.     Or 
 if  this  fiiper'wr  fagacity    and  jfkill,  this  I  had 
 almoft  faid  miraculous   knowledge  of    men 
 and  thingSj  will  be  dented  to  thefe  Apoflles  of 
 Chriji,  as  I  am  fure  I  fee  no  manner  of  reafoii 
 to   allow   them,  I  fee  but  one  other  ccnclufwn, 
 that  'tis   pofiible  in  the    nature  of  things    to 
 draw  from  all  this,  and  that  is :  Their  doSlrine 
 was   divi?jei  fefiis  their  mafter  was  hord  and 
 Chriji,  and  the  Author  of  his  and  their  niiracles 
 and  gifts  was  no  other  than  God  himfelf.     Me- 
 thinks  I  feel  the  ground  upon  which  I  ftand 
 as  a  Chriftian,  and  can't  help  rejoicing  to  find 
 the   foundation  of  my  hope  and  faith  as  firm 
 and  durable  as  the  power,  wifdom  and  good- 
 nefs  of  God.     And  from  what  hath  been  faid 
 I  may  infer 
 
 Dd2  J.  The 
 
%04      *I'he  Proof  of  Chriflianity  from       Serm.  14; 
 
 I .  The  propriety  and  confifiency  of  the  Chrt" 
 Jiiati  doctrine,  and  the  nature  of  the  miracles 
 wrought  in  confirmation  of  it.     Conlider 
 That  the   docftrine   of  Chrift  was  that  of 
 
 grace  and  mercy  — 
 All  his  miracles,  miracles  of  goodnefs. 
 His  crucifixion  obfcured  his  name  and  glory. 
 His  refurredion  reftor'd  and  ejfi-ablifhed  it. 
 The   prophecies  declared    him    King  and 
 
 Lord  — 
 The  gofpel  advanced  him  to  the  right  hand 
 
 of  God. 
 His  death  was  the  greatefl  wickednefs  and 
 
 impiety  — 
 The  fun  withdrew  his  beams  as  afham'd  of 
 
 the  horrid  fad:. 
 And  the  earth  trembled  at  the  crime  of  his 
 
 murtherers. 
 The  refurredion  to  life  was  a  capital  part 
 
 of  his  religion  — 
 He  rofe  himlelf  to  prove  it,  and  many  of 
 
 the  Saints  rofe  with  him, 
 The  earnefl:  and  pledge  of  the  future  refur- 
 
 redion  of  the  whole  number. 
 The  publifhers  of  his  dodrine  were  preju- 
 diced ignorant  — 
 They  therefore  received  the  fpiritof  all  truth 
 
 to  inform  them. 
 The  gofpel  was  to  be  publifhed  to  all  na- 
 tions — 
 And  therefore  the  publifliers  received  the 
 
 gift  of  languages. 
 It  was  to  be  foon  and  ipeedily  publilhed — 
 
 And 
 
Scrm.  14.     the  Befcent  of  the  Holy  Spirit.      405 
 
 And  therefore  this  gift  was  vouchfafed  when 
 
 perfons  of  all  languages   were  prefent  to 
 
 receive   the  divinely  comniunicated  in- 
 
 ftrud:ion. 
 
 The  preachers  of  it  vi^ere  to  be  expofed  to 
 
 all  perfecutions  — 
 And  therefore  received  aflurances  that  God 
 
 would  profper  them. 
 The  uncircumcifed  Gentiles  were  to  be  re- 
 ceived into  ChriiTs  church — ■ 
 And  therefore  were  to  be  fan(ftitied  and  fe- 
 
 parated  by  the  fpirit  of  God  himfelf. 
 Who  can  help  difcerning  the  amazing  pro- 
 priety and  coincidence  of  things,  or  acknow- 
 ledgin;^  the  hand  and  wifdom  of  God  ? 
 
 2.  How  fiibji antral  a  confirmation  is  this  of 
 our  Chriftian  faith,  and  how  rational  the 
 groimds  of  our  belief  in  Jefus.  We  are  not 
 credulous  in  our  reception  of  the  gofpel  doc- 
 trine. We  embrace  no  abfurdity  of  opinion. 
 We  believe  no  impofTibilities.  We  give  credit 
 to  no  incredible  miracles,  nor  to  any  unnecejfary 
 ones.  The  conneBion  between  the  doctrine 
 and  the  miraculous  confirmation  of  it  is  na^ 
 tural.  No  miracles  are  boafted  of  in  Chri- 
 flianity  that  h.ive  an  air  of  futility  and  mean- 
 nefs,  of  romance  and  impofture,  and  miracles 
 are  never  introduced  but  when  iho.  Nodus  is  Deo 
 vindice  digniis^  when  the  cafe  required  it,  and 
 demanded  the  interpofal.  The  fads  we  build 
 on  have  every  appearance  of  certainty,  every 
 ground  of  probability,  and  are  fapported  by 
 evidence  and  effects,  that  conftra'n  our  beliefj 
 and  that  after  a  thoufand  attempts  have  neve? 
 D  d  3  been 
 
40 6      The  Froof  of  Chrijiianitj  from      Serm,  14, 
 
 been  dilprcved,  and  can  be  no  otherwife  de- 
 clared impoffible  but  by  blafpheming  God, 
 and  denying  him  to  be  the  almighty  creator 
 and  preferver  of  all  things.  And  'till  thefe 
 capital  fa(5ts  of  Chrift's  relurrecftion,  and  the 
 miraculous  vouchfafement  of  the  gift  of  Ian- 
 gu::^ges  can  be  difproved,  our  belief  as  Chriftians 
 \vill  be  rational  in  itfelf,  and  th?  efFedts  of 
 that  belief  when  real,  fuch  as  will  prepare  us 
 for  and  render  us  fecurp  of  falvation. 
 
 3.  We  may  hence  learn  the  true  meaning  of 
 what  St.  P^7^^/ aflerts,  that  his  preaching  was  not 
 in  the  enticing  words  of  man  s  wifdom,  but  in  de^ 
 monjiration  of  the  ffirit  and  of  power ^  and  that 
 Qur  faith  in  Chrifl  jtands  not  in  the  wifdom  of  men y 
 but  in  the  power  of  God. 
 
 4.  Wc  may  fee  the  reafon  why  God  chof^ 
 fuch   inflruments   for   the   publication    of  the 
 
 gofpel,  private,  illiterate,  unlearned,  prejudiced 
 men,  i:iz.  that  the  caufe  they  fupported  might 
 appear  not  an  human  one,  but  a  divine  one^^ 
 •and  that  the  propagation  zuAfuccefs  of  it  might 
 be  acknowledged  to  be  owing  to  his  peculiar 
 prcte5iion  znd  favour. 
 
 ^.  We  may  learn  what  are  the  great  ejfential 
 dottrines  of  the  Gofpel,  to  be  continually 
 taught  by  the  miniflers  of  the  gofpel  ^ 
 fuch  unqiieftionably  as  were  taught  by  the 
 Apoilles  themfelvcs,  under  the  immediate  in^ 
 fpiration  of  the  fpirit  of  truth,  which  di- 
 reded  the  ApoRles  into  all  truth,  when 
 they  firft  publiflied  the  gofpel  to  the  world, 
 and  laid  the  foundations  of  the  Chriftiar^ 
 g];iiUrch,  And 
 '  ■     " ^.  Laflly 
 
Serm.  14.       th  Defcent  of  the  Holy  Spirit,       407 
 
 6.  Laftly,  we  have  reafon  to  be  thankful  that 
 the  Ipirit  cf  God,  in  the  Chriftian  church,  is  a 
 CO nji ant  permanent  blejjing,  and  that  though  we 
 have  no  reafon  to  think  we  (hall  receive  it  in 
 the  more  (hewv,  folendid  and  miraculous 
 gifts,  th^t  were  beftowed  on  the  firft  converts 
 to  Chriftianity,  yet  that  we  may  receive  it  in 
 thofe  which  are  now  more  beneficial  to  us,  as 
 a  fpirit  of  truth t  faith,  grace  andhoUnefs,  to  fit 
 las  for  every  good  word  and  work,  and  to  pre- 
 pare us  for  final  and  etcnal  falvation.  Let 
 us  pray  for  this  invaluable  gift  of  the  fpirit  of 
 God,  afTuring  ourfelves  of  this,  that  if  the 
 fpirit  of  htm  that  raifed  up  yefus  from  the  dead, 
 dwell  in  us ;  he  who  raifed  up  Chrifi  from  the 
 dead,  Jhall  alfo  quicken  our  mortal  bodies  by  hii 
 fpirit  that  divelleth  in  us. 
 
 D  d  4  SERMON 
 
(     4c»S     ) 
 
 SERMON     XV. 
 
 The  Doftrine  of  a  Refurredion  explained, 
 
 J   Corinthians  XV.  35. 
 
 Jjiit  foire,  man  'will  fay  :  How  are  the  dead  raifed 
 lip,  and  'with  what  body  do  they  come  F 
 
 AND  this  is  a  very  important  enquiry, 
 and  if  made  with  a  be  corning  difpojition 
 of  mind,  and  an  honeft  defire  after  latisfac- 
 tion  in  a  queflion  of  fo  great  importance,  de- 
 ferved  a  very  ferious,  candid,  and  friendly  an-^ 
 fwer.  By  St,  Paul's  reply :  Thou  fool,  the  in- 
 quirer feems  to  have  been  of  a  very  different 
 temper,  and  to  have  afked  thefe  queilions  out 
 of  contempt  and  ridicule  of  the  dodtrine  of  the 
 refurredion ;  imagining  that  by  alking.  How 
 are  the  dead  raifed,  and  with  what  body  do  they 
 corned  he  fliOLild  ti'&.vt puzzle d^^^  Apoftle;  and 
 either  have  forced  him  to  acknowledge  the 
 queftions  were  too  hard  for  him  to  refolve,  or 
 drawn  from  him  fuch  an  a? fwer,  as  would 
 have  been  abfurd,  and  rendered  the  dodtrine 
 itfelf  utterly  incredible.  In  this  view,  the 
 cenfure,  'Thou  fool,  was  not  more  fevere,  than 
 th§  impertinence  an4  fcorn  of  the  objedor 
 
 jjefaved. 
 
Serm.  15-    "Do^lrtne  of  a  Refurrc^ion  explained,  409 
 
 defervsd.     There  v/ere   {(^r^.t^  as  the  Apoftle 
 informs  us,    amongft  the   Corinthians    thtm- 
 felves,  who  faid,  there  ivas  120  refurreclio?i  of  the 
 dead^.      Some  ran  into  the  error  of  affirming, 
 that  the  refurrc5lion  was  already  pajl  -j-,  explain- 
 ing it  of  a  fpiritual  kind  of  rcfurredion,  fiich 
 as  the  Apoftle  makes  mention  of,  when  he 
 tells  the  Ephejia72s  :  When  ive  were  dead  i?j  fmSy 
 he  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Chriji,  and  hath 
 raifed  us  up  together ,  and  made  us  Jit  together  in 
 heavenly  places  in  Chrifi  J  ejus  J  ;  and  the  Colof- 
 fians  :  Buried  with  him  in  baptifniy  wherein  alio 
 you  are  rifen  with  himy  through  the  Jaith  of  the 
 operation  of  God,,  who  hath  raijed  him  from  the 
 dead  ^  i    afTerting  that  the    refurredion   con- 
 lifted  intirely  in  the  converiion  of  the  Gentiles, 
 by  the  preaching  of  the  gofpel,  to  the  faith 
 of  Chrili:,  by  the   minidry  of  the    Apoftles. 
 Others  reprefented  the  docftrine  of  the  refur- 
 red:ion,  as   utterly  impoPfibky  as  incapable   of 
 being  effeded  by  the  power  of  God  ;  as  St. 
 PW  intimates  before  Agrippa^  when  he  afks  : 
 Why  Jhould  it  be  thought  a  thing  incredible  with 
 youy  that  God  Jhould  raije  the  dead\\  ^  Even  fome 
 of  tJiofe,  who  proielled  Chriflianity,  had  this 
 opinion  of  the  refurredion,  and  utterly  denied 
 the   poffibility  of  it.     Others,  who  did  not 
 deny   the  poffibility  of  the  thing,  yet  repre- 
 fented  it  as  an  iinde fir  able  one,  and  the  doc- 
 trine that  taught  it   as   inean^  abominable  and 
 detejiable.     1  bus  Ccl/uSy  the  Epicurean y  fpeaks 
 of  it  with  abhorrence**:  **  They,  /    e,  the 
 
 *Vcr.i2.    fzTim.u,  j8.    J  Ephef.  ii.  5,  6.  §  Colof.  ii.  12. 
 11  Afts  xxvj,  8.     •«  Orig.  Coiitr.  Celf.  p.  587,  583 
 
 Chrifliansi 
 
41  o   Do^rine  of  a  Refurre5iion  explained.  Serm.15; 
 
 Chriftians,  hold  this  foolifli  opinion,  that  after 
 God  hath  fet  the  world  on  lire,  and  utterly 
 roafted  and  confumed  every  thing  in  it,  they 
 only  are  the  perfons  who  (hall  efcape  out  of 
 thefe  ruins ;   and  not  only   thofe   who  ihall 
 then  be  living,  but  they  alfo  who  have  been 
 a  long  while  dead,  and  that  they  (hall  rife  out 
 of  the  ground  cloathed  with  the  fame  fle(h." 
 "  And  this,  let  me  fpe^^k,  fays  he,  the  plain 
 truth,  is  worthy  of  the  worms;  for  what  hu- 
 man foul  can  ever  delire  to  return  into  a  pii- 
 trified  body  ?"    Even  amongft   themjehesy   he 
 adds,  there  are  fome,  who  are  fo  far  from 
 approving  this  dodlrine,  that  they  cenfure  it  as 
 zfouli  abominable  and  impoffible  one.    For  what 
 body,   being   intirely   corrupted,    can    return 
 into  its  original  condition,  and  its  primitive 
 conftitution,  when    it   hath  been   once   dif- 
 folved  ?  And  when  they  have  no  other  anfwer, 
 fays  he,  to  make  to  this  difficulty,  they   be- 
 take themfelves  to  this  abfurd  defence,  that 
 every  thing  is  poffible  to   God.      But  God 
 cannot  do  vile  or  bafe  things,  neither  will  he 
 do   any  thing  contrary   to  nature.     No,   if 
 you  defire  any  thing  that  is  abominable,  to 
 gratify  your  own  wicked  difpofition,  God  can- 
 not for  this  rcafcn  do  it,  nor  is  it  therefore  to 
 be  believed  that  it  (hall  actually  come  to  pafs. 
 For  God  as  governor  of  the  world  is  not  the 
 the  author  of  extravagant  defires,  or  mad  dif- 
 orders,  but  of  what  is  right,  juft  and  natural. 
 I  allow  that  he  can  give  the  foul  eternal  life ; 
 but  dead  bodies  are  viler  than  dung,  and  God 
 j)either  will  nor  can  render  the  flelh,  which  is 
 
 full 
 
Serm.  15.  Do5frtne  of  a  RefurreSfion  exp lamed.  411. 
 
 full  of  what  cannot  be  mentioned  with  de- 
 cency, immortal,  contrary  to  nature.  For  he 
 is  the  reaibn  of  all  things  that  are,  and 
 therefore  can  do  nothing  contrary  to  reafon 
 or  himfelf.  In  this  manner  Celfus  argued 
 ^gainfl  the  Chriftian  dodrine  of  the  refurrec-» 
 tion,  reprefenting  it  as  fo  vile,  irrational  and 
 contemptible  a  thing,  as  was  ufiworihy  of  God 
 to  etfed,  and  therefore  that  he  neither  would 
 nor  could  be  the  author  of  it. 
 
 There  were  others  of  the  enemies  of  Chri- 
 flianity,  in  the  primitive  times,  who  argued 
 againft  the  poj/ibility  of  the  refurred:ion  from 
 pther  topicks-f',  "  alledging,  that  the  bodies 
 of  men  were  often  devoured  by  fiih  and  beafls, 
 and  thefe  fifli  and  beafts  were  afterwards  eaten 
 by  men  ;  that  fometimes  men  were  devoured 
 by  men,  children  eaten  by  their  parents, 
 through  excefs  of  hunger,  captives  devoured 
 by  thofe  who  took  them  prifoners,  through 
 excefs  of  rage  i  fo  that  the  bodies  of  fome 
 were  adually  become  parts  of  the  bodies  of 
 others ;  and  therefore  the  refurre<5lion  of  the 
 body  was  a  thing  abfolutely  impolTible^  be-*» 
 caufe  as  the  refurredlion  fuppofes  that  every 
 rnan's  body  fhall  be  reflored  to  him,  this  can-- 
 not  be  in  the  inftances  mentioned,  in  which 
 the  fame  body  becomes  the  body  of  Jeverai 
 perfons,  and  which  therefore  can  never  be  re-* 
 ilored  to  any  one  particular  perfon  whntfoever  ; 
 inafmuch  as  if  they  are  reflored  to  any  olc» 
 |he  bodies    of  the  reft   mull   be  necefTadly 
 
 f  ^^th^Hiiag.  de  Mort.  Rcfur.  p.  I53--'I55. 
 
 ;ii  aimed 
 
412  Do^rine  of  a  Refum^ion  explained.  Serm.  15,' 
 
 maimed  and  imperfedt."  Thefe  difficulties 
 have  been  urged  alfo  by  modem  unbelieversy 
 and  triumphed  in  as  inluperable  objecftions. 
 againll  the  truth  of  the  refurredion  of  the 
 dead ;  and  'tis  therefore  no  wonder  that  they 
 fhould  treat  it  with  fcorn,  as  we  find  the  an- 
 cient enemies  of  Chriftianity  did,  who  when 
 they  heard  St.  Paul  preaching  the  refurredion 
 of  the  dead  at  Athens  \\,  mocked  zt  the  dodrine, 
 as  an  abfurd  and  impoffible  one. 
 
 Even  many  of  the  uifeflj  and  left  fhilofo- 
 phers  amongil:  the  heathens  muft  necefiarily  be 
 prejudiced  zg'A\n{\.  the  dodrine  of  the  refurrec- 
 tion,  upon  the  firfl:  mention  of  it,  by  the  fen- 
 timents  they  had  formed  both  of  the  bodies 
 and  minds  of  men.  The  body  they  treated 
 with  the  utmoft  contempt^  as  Icarce  any  part 
 of,  and  being  of  little  or  no  confequence  to 
 the  real  man  ;  fometimes  giving  it  the  moll 
 reproachful  names,  and  looking  on  it  with  a 
 kind  of  abhorrence,  as  nothing  better  than  a 
 bag  of  corruption  and  rottennefs;  and  when 
 they  fpoke  moft  favourably  of  it,  calling  it 
 only  a  vefTel,  a  tabernacle,  an  inn  to  fojourn  *, 
 and  not  a  proper  houfe  to  dwell  in  -f-.  Yea, 
 they  looked  on  the  body  as  xho,  prijon  of  the 
 foul,  in  which  it  was  confined  and  fettered, 
 degraded  and  polluted,  and  that  in  the  ftate 
 to  which  it  went  after  its  difmifTion  from  the 
 body,  it  was  intirely  and  forever  feparated  from 
 it,  and   entered  into  a  much  more  beautiful 
 
 K  A£ls  xvii.  -^2.  *  Claufa:  tenebris  et  carcere  cceco.  Virg.- 
 JEn.  6.  V.  573^.  -J-  Cicer.  de  Sened.  c,  xxiii,  Somn.  Scip. 
 p.  60Q. 
 
 habi- 
 
Serm .15.  DoHrine  of  a  Refurre5Iion  explained.    41^ 
 
 habitation  or  dwelling  J,  which  Sccrafes  pfo- 
 fefTed  to  be  his  hope,  jufl  before  his  drinking 
 the  fatal  poifon  §.  Agreeable  to  this  is  wha[t 
 Xenophon  relates  as  part  of  the  laft  fpeech  of 
 CyruSy  reprefenting,  1  imagine,  Xenophon^  own 
 fentiments,  and  thofe  of  fome  of  the  Philo- 
 fophers,  his  contemporaries.  Speaking  to  his 
 children,  Cyrus  fays  -f- :  *'  I  could  never,  my 
 Sons,  perfuade  myfelf,  that  the  foul,  whilfi: 
 in  this  mortal  body,  can  be  faid  to  live,  or 
 that  it  dies  when  feparated  from  itj  for  I  per- 
 ceive that  'tis  the  foul  which  animates  the 
 body  during  its  continuance  therein ;  and 
 therefore  the  foul  cannot  lofe  its  perception  or 
 wifdom,  when  feparated  from  the  unconfcious 
 flupid  body ;  but  that  then  the  foul  grows 
 properly  wife,  and  underflands  ^  when  releafed 
 from  the  body  it  becomes  an  unmixed  and 
 pure  fpirit."  In  like  manner  the  Roman  Ora-^ 
 tcr  fpeaks  his  own  fentiments  under  the  per- 
 fon  of  his  friend  Lcelhis^.  *'  I  could  never, 
 fays  he,  agree  with  thofe  who  have  lately  ar- 
 gued on  this  fubjedt,  that  our  fouls  perifli 
 with  our  bodies,  and  that  every  thifig  is  de- 
 ftroyed  by  death — but  I  am  of  his  opinion, 
 whom  the  oracle  pronounced  the  wifeft  man, 
 who  conflantly  affirmed,  that  the  minds  of 
 men  vvere  divine,  and  that  thofe  of  wife  and 
 good  men,  upon  their  leaving  the  body,  im- 
 
 X  Acsy  T£  ouixacTciiv  ^ufft  to  '!rxcu'jr»y  a^  tqv  eirtiTa  XP*'»'t  ''«'  cs 
 «»)ircr£»5  sw»  laruv  y.u^^nn;  a^»x>ajTat.      P/at.  Phad.  p.  I  In.  r. 
 
 §  Cicer.  de  Seneft.  c,  x;<i.  p.  447,  448.  et  de  Amicit. 
 c.  iv.  p.  457.  t  Xenoph.  Cyrop.  p.  655.  Edit.  Kutchinfon, 
 Cicer.  de  Seneft.  c.  xxii.  p.  4^9,  450.    j|  De  Amicitia,  c,  iv. 
 
 mediately 
 
^14  Do^rine  of  a  Reftirre^ion  explained.  Sefni.  15; 
 
 mediately  returned  to   Heaven  j"   as  he  after- 
 wards cxpreOes  it :  Every  good   man's  mind 
 eafily   flies  by   death  as  from   the  prifon  and 
 bonds  of  the   body,  and  bends  its  courfe  to-* 
 wards   the  Gods  j"  And  therefore   he  fays  *, 
 *'  they  truly  live,  who  have  efcaped  from  the 
 chains  of  the  body,  as  from  their  prifon  -f  -,  but 
 as  to  what  you  call  life,  it  is  in  reality  death." 
 Many  more  paflages  were  eafy  to  be  added  to 
 Ciew  you,  that  the  ancient  wife  men  in  the 
 heathen  world  confidered  ih^  foul  as  capable  of 
 .  exifting  in  ihz mofi perfeB manner ^\v\itvi  wholly 
 difrnifTed   from  the  body,   and  when  entirely 
 efcaped   from   the   prifon  and  confinement  of 
 it  ',  and  that  they  looked  on  the  body  as  the 
 great  incumbrance,  clog,   and   fetter   of  the 
 mind  ;  and  its  perpetual  releafe  from  it,  as  its 
 perfedion  and  happinefs.     And  therefore  the 
 dodrine  of  the  rcfiirreBion  of  the  body^  under- 
 flood  in  the  firft  obvious  view  of  it,  as  a  re- 
 ftoration    of  the  fame  animal  kind   of  body, 
 which   we   now   have,  mufl  appear   to  them 
 abfurd  and   incredible  i   and  they  might  well 
 put  the  queflion  with  a  fneer :  How  are  the 
 dead  raifed  up  ?  In  what  ftate  and  condition  5 
 and    particularly  with    what  body   do   they 
 come  ?  And    thefe  queftions  were  adlually  put 
 by  the  ancient  enemies  of  Chriflianity^  who  are 
 
 •  Somn.  Scrip,  p.  600,  601. 
 f  An  fortes  animoe,  dignataque  tiumina  Gcelo^ 
 Corporibus  refoluta  fuis,  terraque  remifla. 
 Hue  migrant  ex  orbe,  fuuir.que  habitantia  coeluin 
 iEtheros  vivunt  anno?,  niundcque  fruuntuf  ? 
 
 Manil,  V.  756.-^759. 
 
 repre- 
 
Serm.  15.  Do^rine  of  a  RefurreQlon  explainetL  415 
 
 reprefented  by  one  of  the  primitive  Chriftian 
 writers,  as  making  tliefe  inquiries,  and  thus 
 reafoning  with  contempt  §.  **  I  would  fain 
 know,  fays  one  of  them,  whether  they  are  to 
 rife  without  bodies,  or  with  them  ?  If  with 
 bodies,  what  fort  of  ones  ?  With  the  very 
 fame  they  had,  or  with  new  ones  ?  Or  with- 
 out a  body  ?  Without  a  body,  there  is  nei- 
 ther mind,  nor  foul,  nor  life.  If  with  a 
 body,  is  it  exadly  the  former  one  that  is 
 already  diifolved  ?  If  with  another  body,  then 
 there  arifes  a  new  man,  inflead  of  refloring 
 and  repairing  the  former  one."  And  thefc 
 objedlions  were  urged  as  unanfwerable. 
 
 But  all  the  difficulties  and  objections  to  this 
 capital  article  of  Chriftianity  will  intirely  va- 
 nifh,  when  St.  Paul's  do<ftrine  relating  to  it  is 
 rightly  explained  and  clearly  underftood ;  and 
 therefore  in  fpeaking  to  thefe  words,  I  fhall 
 
 I.  Endeavour  tojiate  St,  Paul's  dodlrine  con- 
 cerning this  article. 
 
 llr  Shew  you  how  groundlefs  the  ohjeSliom  are 
 that  are  urged  againft  it. 
 
 III.  Briefly  reprefent  the  truth  and  impor^ 
 tance  of  it, 
 
 I.  I  am  to  confider  ijohat  St,  Paul's  do^rirte 
 vf  the  refurreBion  is,  which  he  reprefents  as  an 
 anfwer  to  the  queftions  in  my  text.  And  the 
 Apoftlc  is  very  large  and  copious  in  explain- 
 ing it.  Our  bkjfed  Lord  himfelf  exprefly  and 
 frequently  preached  the  refurre£lion  of  the  dead, 
 without   entering  much   into  the  nature,  or 
 
 I  Miouc.Fel.p.  iij,  114. 
 
 giving 
 
■416  I)o5!rine  of  a  RefuneSlion  explained.  Sernl.  1^. 
 
 giving  any  particular  explication  of  it ;  only 
 once,  when  the  Sadducees  thought  to  have 
 confounded  him,  by  afking  him,  whofe  wife 
 the  woman,  who  had  beenfuccelhvely  married, 
 to  feven  brethren,  Jhould  be  m  the  reJurreBion  f 
 he  fo  far  explained  the  article,  as  was  necef- 
 fary  to  confute  and  filence  them ;  telling 
 them  :  Te  do  e?T,  net  knowing  the  fcriptiwes^ 
 nor  the  power  of  GodX'  T^hey  which  Jhall  be 
 accounted  worthy  to  obtain  that  world,  and  the  re-- 
 furrediion  from  the  dead,  neither  marry,  nor  are 
 given  imnarriage,  ?ieither  can  they  die  any  more  ; 
 for  they  are  equal  to  the  Angels,  and  are  the  chil- 
 dren of  God,  being  the  children  of  the  refurreBion  ||. 
 From  this  account  it  appears,  that  the  ftate  of 
 mankind,  by  the  refurredion  from  the  dead, 
 will  be  extreamly  different  from  what  it  now 
 is,  and  unfpeakably  more  happy  and  glorious 
 than  the  prefent.  And  this  will  more  evi- 
 dently appear  from  the  reprefentation  given  of 
 it  by  the  Apoftle  to  the  Corinthians ,  and  we 
 may  confider  the  defcription  he  gives  of  it,  in 
 the  negative  and  pofitive  view  of  it.  And  I 
 would  here  obferve, 
 
 I .  That  the  Apoftle  710  were  fays,  that  it 
 'fliall  be  the  refurreBicn  of  the  fame  body.  Had 
 he  faid  this,  I  fuppofe  the  quefhion  would 
 have  Ipeen  returned :  With  what  body,  with 
 which  cf  ihe  feveral  bodies,  in  which  our  fouls 
 dwell,  Jhall  we  rife?  For  we  all  know,  that 
 our  bodies  are  varying  and  changing  every 
 day,  fubje(fl  to  perpetual  and  total  alterations. 
 
 t  Mat.  x;cii.  29.       |]  LukeXx.  35,  36. 
 
 How 
 
Sffrm.  1  ^\  Bo^rhe  of  a  Refurreulion  explaitfed.  417 
 
 How  different  in  fi>rm  and  Aature  are  thofe 
 bodies  we  are  poiTefTed  of  in  our  infancy  and 
 childhood^  from  thofe  we  have  in ^c^///>  and  ;;m7/- 
 hood\  and  thefe  from  what  we  carry  about  us 
 in  old  age ',  and  thofe  which  we  have  in  health 
 and  ''Sigour,  from  thofe  which  are  dijlcmpered, 
 emaciated  and  corrupted,  and  which  we  lay 
 down  in  the  grai)e  ?  So  that  we  cannot  fay, 
 it  is  the  fame  body  that  rifes,  which  we  have 
 in  infancy  and  childhood,  or  which  we  have 
 in  old  age,  or  which  difeafe  hath  enfeebled 
 and  deftroyed  5  becaufe  fuch  a  refurrediiori 
 would  be  an  wihappinefs  to  us,  and  a  refurrec- 
 tion  to  a  life  of  diflionour,  affliftion  and  mi- 
 iery.  And  if  we  aflign  the  bodies  we  have 
 in  any  particular  period  of  our  lives,  it  can 
 never  with  propriety  be  called  ^az  fame  body 
 with  that  which  we  had  in  any  foregoing  or 
 fubfequent  part  of  our  lives,  becaufe  of  the 
 perpetual  changes  which  they  undergo,  be-? 
 coming  in  fome  refpedt  different  from  their 
 former  felves,  everv  moment  of  their  exiilence- 
 And  as  the  Apoftle  never  calls  the  body  that 
 fhall  rife  the  fame  bodv,  that  term  can  never 
 be  ncceffary  to  exprefs  the  truth  of  his  doc- 
 trine. I  allow  that  there  is  a  certain  fenfe, 
 in  which  we  may  be  faid  to  arife  with  the 
 fame  bodies  5  fo  far  the  fame,  as  to  be  pro- 
 perly our  own,  and  as  fliall  have  all  the  fenfories 
 neceflary  to  the  i72let  of  knowledge,  and  as  fhall 
 probably  make  us  to  h^hiown  for  iht  fame  per- 
 sons we  were  in  the  prefent  world.  But  how- 
 ever, as  the  fcripture  no  Vv'here  ufes  the  ex- 
 prefiion  of  the  fame  body,  and  as  that  ex- 
 VoL,  I.  E  e  preflion 
 
41^  t)'o5hine  of  a  RefurreElion  ey.plaimd.  Serm.  t§, 
 
 predion  feems  to  involve  us  in  many  difficul- 
 ties ;  it  Ihould  be  ufed  with  caution^  and  ne- 
 ver inlifted  on  as  necefiary  to  explain  or  ex- 
 prefs  this  great  article  of  the  Chriftian  faith. 
 But, 
 
 2.  As  the  Apoflle  never  fays  that  we  fhall 
 Be  raifed  with  the  fame   body,  fo   he  more 
 than  inthnates  that  in  fome  iefpe(5ls  it  fiall  not 
 really  be  the  fa?ne'.     For  in  his  anfwer  to  the 
 queftion^  With  what  body  do- they  come  ?  he  fays,, 
 ^hou  fooli  that  which  thoufoweft  is  not  quickenedy 
 except  it  die  y  and  that  which  thou  fowejij  thou 
 Jowejl  not  that  body  which  fiall  be,  but  bare  grain^ 
 it  may  chance  of  wheat,  or  of  fome  other  grain  *, 
 i.  e.  It  is  with  regard  to  the  body  we  live  and 
 die  with,    and  that  which  hereafter  we  rife 
 with,  as  it  is  to  the  feed  we  fow  in  the  ground^, 
 and  the  feed  that  fprings  up  from  it.     That 
 which  we  fow  muft  di€,  in  order  to  its  quick- 
 ening and   fpringing  up;  the  external   (hell 
 jfTiuft:  moifucn,  corrupt,  and  rot,  or  elfc  the  grain 
 will  entirely  perifli,  and    be  fruitlefs,  what- 
 ever  the   grain   be,  whether   wheat,  ar  any 
 other   kind  which  the  huftandman  fows.     So 
 muft  thefe  bodies  of  ours   die   and   return  to 
 the  duft,  in  order  to  our  reftoration  by  a  fu- 
 ture refurred^ion.     But  then   as  the  grain  we 
 fow  is  not  the  individual  grain  that  rlfes,  fo 
 neither  is  the  body  that  dies,  the  fame  indivi^ 
 dual  body  that  rifes.     'Tis  different,  though 
 in  fome  rejpe^s  the  fame  ;  and  the   body  that 
 fifes  {iiall  be  as  certainly  fimilar  to,  though 
 
 *  y»r;  3.6,  3j. 
 
 dif- 
 
Serin.  15  Bo^Hne  of  a  Refurre^icn  explained.   4.19 
 different  from  the  body  that  dies,  as  the  graia 
 that  fprings  up    is    of  the  fame  kind   with, 
 though  different  from  the  grain  that  is  fown. 
 And'^this  difference  the  Apoftle  farther  illu- 
 ftrates  by  adding  :  ^//>'#  is  not  the  fame  flefi, 
 but  there  is  me  kind  offcjh  of  men,  another  jiejb 
 of  heajis,  mother  of  ffies,  and  another  of  birds, 
 i'here  are  alfo  celefial  bodies,  and  bodies  terrefxiaU 
 but  the  glory  of  the  celejlial  is  one,  and  the  glory 
 of  the  terrcjiial  is  another.     Inhere  is  one  glory  of 
 the  fun,  and  another  glory  of  the  moon,  and  another 
 glory  of  the  far  s  j  for  one  far  differs  from  another 
 fiar  in  glory.     So  alfo  is   the  refurrcBion  of  the 
 deadf,  i.  e.  There  is  as  great  a  difference  be- 
 tween our  prefent  bodies,  which  we  are  bora 
 with,  and  which  we  lay  down  in  the  grave  by 
 death,  as  there  is  between  the  feveral  kinds  of 
 fiefh  that  men,  and  beafts,  and  fi{l:ies,  and  birds 
 are   partakers  of,  as  there  is  between  celeftial 
 and  terreftial  bodies,  and  between  the  fun  and 
 moon,  and  the  feveral  flars  in  the  firmament 
 of  Heaven,  which  have  all  their  glory,  but  a 
 glory    that    is   exceedingly   different  the  one 
 from  the  other.     And  in  this  refpedl  the  re- 
 furredion  of  the  dead  {hall  refemble  them  5 
 as  the    raifed  body    of   the  Saints    fliall  be 
 greatly    unlike  to    their   prefent  infirm,  and 
 mortal  bodies,  and  in  circumftances  ot    far 
 fuperior  advantage,  dignity  and  glory.     And 
 therefore 
 
 3.  The  Apoftle  expreffly  affirms,  that  we 
 ihall  ?wt  rife  with  thefe  flejkly  bodies  which  we 
 
 \  Ver.  39-— 42- 
 
 E  e  2  now 
 
420  DoEirine  of  a  RefurreBion  exptdlned.  Serm.'  i^* 
 
 now  carry  about  with  us ;  for  he  tells  them  : 
 
 This  I  fay  brethren,  that  JlefJj  and  blood  cannot  in- 
 herit the  kingdom  of  God,  neither  doth  corruption, 
 inherit  incorriiptionX.  Our  flefhly  bodies,  with 
 the    blood   and  juices,  that  circulate  through 
 our  arteries   and   veins,  and   the  other  canals 
 that  nature  hath  formed   for  their  reception, 
 are  well   fuited  to  the  prefent  corruptible  and 
 mortal  ilate,  in  which  we  now  dwell,  but  are 
 not  at  all  fuited  to  the  heavenly  world  of  incor- 
 f  uption,  and   therefore  can  never  be  admitted 
 into  the  kingdom  of  God  :  and  from  thence 
 he  argues,  that  even  as  to   thofe  who  may  be 
 nlivc,  and   dwelling  in  our  world,  when  the 
 dead  fhall   be   raifed,  they  Jkall  be  all  changed, 
 iis   in  a  inoment,  in  the  tivinkling  of  an  eye,  at 
 the  lafl  trump:  For  the  trumpet  fl^all  foujid,  and 
 the  dead  fiall  be  raifed  incorruptible,  and  we, 
 viz.  who  are  then  2X\vQ,fialI be  changed^,ihzt 
 we  may  be  as  incorruptible  as   thofe  who  are 
 partakers  of  this  glorious  refurredion.  Cloathed 
 with  our  prefent  tieih   and  blood,  fio  man  can 
 fee  God  and  live,,  and   therefore  as  the  feeing 
 God  is  one  effential  and  principal  part  of  the 
 happinefs  of  a   future  Hate,  their  fle(hly  bo- 
 dies mud  be  altered  and  changed  from  their 
 prefent  condition,  that   they  may  be  capable 
 of   the  beatifick     vinon,    of    fupporting  the 
 glory  that  Ihall  be  hereafter  revealed,  and  of 
 appearing  in  the  majefty  and  awful  prefence 
 of  the  immortal  God,  before   whom   angels 
 veil  their  faces,  as  fenfible  of  that  infinite  ma- 
 
 1  Vcr,  50.  H  Ver,  51,52. 
 
 jeily 
 
Serm.iS-  Do5lme  of  a  Refurremon  explained.    421 
 iefty  to  which  they  approach,  and  of  being  as 
 it  were  unable  to  endure  the  exceeding  bright- 
 nefs  that  furrounds   him,  who   dwells  in  hght 
 inaccejible  and  full  cf  glory.     Hence  the  Apoltle 
 
 farther  adds  :  ,     ,     n    n      ^  i 
 
 4    That  the  refurreaion  body  ihall  not  l>e 
 like  our  prefent  bodies,  formed  of  earthly  ma- 
 teriah,  and  capabk^i  being  refohed  into  its  ori-^ 
 S-inal  duL     In  this  he  is  very  exprefs.  Thejirji 
 man  is  of  the  earth,  earthy  *.     Adam,  the  firft 
 of  men,  was  formed,  as  to  his  body,  out  oj  t,>e 
 dull  of  the  ground,  and  therefore  after  his  tranf- 
 greffion,  his  fentence  was  :  In  the  fw eat  of  thy 
 facefmlt  thou  eat  bread,  till  thou  return  imto  the 
 ground,  fir  out  of  it  wafi  thou  taken  j  fir  di^t 
 thou  art,  and  unto  dufijhalt  thou  return  f.     But 
 ihe  fecond  man  is  the  Lord  from  Heaven,  ot  an 
 heavenly    original,     and    who    ihall   appear 
 cloathed  with  an  heavenly  body.    And  as  is  the 
 earthy,  fiich  are  they  alfo  tfjat  are  earthy  5  and 
 as  is  the  heavenly,  fuch  are  they  alfo  that  are  hea- 
 venly X  i.  e.  As  Adam  had  an  earthy  body,  lo 
 the  natural   defcendants  of  Adam   have  like 
 him  earthy   bodies,    and   as  Chrift's  glorified 
 body  was  of  an  heavenlv  fabrick  and  original, 
 fo  alfo  (halltheir's   be,  who  belong  to,  and 
 are  interefted  in  him.     And  as  we  have  borne 
 the  image  of  the  earthy,  fifl^all  we  aljo  bear  tl^ 
 image  of  the  heavenly  §.     So  that  thefe  earthiy 
 bodies,  which    have  their  original   from  the 
 duft,  and  by  which  we  are  like  to  Adam,  the 
 common  parent  of  all  mankind,    (hall  only 
 
 •Ver.47.     fGen.  Jii.  19-     tVer.  48.     §  Ver.  4.9. 
 
 £  e  -^  continue 
 
422  Doolr'me  of  a  Refurreclion  explained.  Serm.  15., 
 
 continue  in  the  prefent  ftate  ;  but  have  np 
 being  in  the  future  world  ;  where  we  (liall 
 be  no  longer  confidered  as  the  pofierity  of  the 
 firjl  Adam^  but  as  the  children  of  God,  and  ire- 
 lated  to  thQfccorJ  Adam  ;  whofe  glorified  body 
 we  fhall  then  in  our  bodies  as  truly  refemble, 
 as  we  do  in  thefe  our  earthly  bodies  the  Jirji 
 Adairiy  from  whom  vve derive  bodies  as  earthly 
 ss  his  own. 
 
 5.  Hence  farther    the  Apoftle  aflures  us, 
 that  we  fhall  not  be  raifed  v/ith  thofe  natural 
 bodies  that  are  neceffary  to   our  prefent   con- 
 dition, and  to  anhver  thofe   purpofes  of  life 
 for  which  we  are  fcnt  into  die  prefent  world. 
 The  natural  or  animal  body,  is  a  body  fubjecft 
 to  all  animal  appetites,    affedlions,  and   paf- 
 fions,  or  under  the  influence  and  condud;  of 
 that  fenfitive  principle,  by  which  our  prefent 
 bodies   are   animated    and    ad:uated,    and   to 
 which  we  ovs^e  the   inftinds  and  inclinationSj, 
 that  are  here  neceflary  to   the  prefer'vation  of 
 life,    and   the  cojithiuance  of  mankind  in   the 
 \yorld.     And  this  fenfitive  principle  is  wifely 
 implanted   in  us   by  the   God  of  nature,    ag 
 we  live  amongfl  fenfible  objedls,  as  the  fenfa- 
 tions  we  receive,  and  the  tendencies  and  im-- 
 pulfes  of  the  animal  part  of  our  conftitution, 
 anfwer  very  valuable  purpofes  in  fuch  a  mixed 
 Hate   of   being    as  ours ;  infomuch  that   the 
 proper   bufinefs   of  the   world  could  not   be 
 carried  on   without  them.      But  as    all  our 
 merely  animal  fenfations,    appetites  and    in- 
 fiinds  are  owing  to  the  temperament  of  our 
 |5c(Iiiy  bodies,  the  contexture  of  our  blood, 
 
 an4 
 
Serm.  15.  Do^rine  of  a  Refurre<:tion  explainsd.  423 
 
 and  the  nature  and  prevalence  of  the  juices 
 that  are  formed  within  us  ^  'tis  evidenr,  that 
 as  flefli  and  blood  cannot  inherit  the  king- 
 dom o[  God,  fo  thofe  animal,  fenfitive,  in« 
 flindive  properties  that  refult  from  them,,  and 
 to  which  we  are  now  confcious,  cannot  pof- 
 fibly  take  place  therein,  but  will  for  ever  perilli 
 in  the  grave  with  thofe  bodies  of  fielh  and 
 blood,  in  which  they  are  inherent.  By  thefe 
 ilefhly  bodies,  and  the  pafTions  and  appetites 
 clTential  to  them,  by  which  we  hunger  and 
 thirft  and  tafte  ;  fear  and  love,  are  angry  and 
 pleafed,  are  exited  to  revenge,  and  other  cri- 
 minal gratifications,  we  are  immediately  united 
 and  allied  to  the  brutal  world  s  and  formed  a 
 real  race  of  animals^  though  of  a  diftind:  and 
 fuperior  kind  from  the  other  fpecies  that  in- 
 habit our  earth.  And  unlefs  the  future  world 
 be  juft  fuch  another  place  as  this,  'tis  evident 
 that  thefe  iiatur-aly  i.  e.  animal  flefhly  bodies, 
 with  thefenfual  properties  that  refide  in  them, 
 would  be  of  no  kind  of  ufe  there,  and  as 
 wholly  improper  for  that  if  ate  oi  things,  as  a 
 refined  heavenly  body  would  be  for  the  pre- 
 fent,  grofs,  and  material  one,  and  therefore 
 the  Apoffle  obferves,  there  is  a  natural  body^ 
 and  ajpiritual  body^y  i.  e.  the  animal  body  is 
 one,  the  fpiritual  another.  Adam,  our  firfl: 
 parent,  was  created  with  2Xi  aiiimal  qx\^  \  for 
 thus  it  is  written  J  thefirfl  man  Adam  was  made 
 a  living  fouly  it  {]:iould  have  been,  a  living  ani- 
 mal»  whereas   the  lafi  Adam,  or  Chrift,  was 
 
 *  Ver.  42* 
 
 E  e  4.  mad^ 
 
424  Boctrine  of  a  RefurreHion  explained*  Serm.  15; 
 
 made  a  quickning  fpirit  -^ ;  had  not  only  life 
 himfelf,  but  by  that  eternal  fpirit  that  dwelt 
 in  him  was  able  to  quicken,  and  give  life  to 
 others,  even  to  as  many  as  he  pleafed.  Hoiv^ 
 beit  that  "ivas  not  Jirjl  ivhich  ivas  fpiriiual,  but 
 that  "which  is  animal ^  and  afterwards  that  which 
 is  jpiritual\.  The  natural  is  to  take  place 
 here,  and  to  return  to  its  firfi:  principles  of 
 duft,  but  is  never  to  be  reflored  after  its 
 diffolution,  nor  to  enter  into  the  regions  of 
 life  and  glory.     Farther, 
 
 6.  The  bodies  reflored  at  the  refurrecftion 
 fliall  not  be  weak  and  injirrn^  like  our  prefent 
 ones.  Here  'tis  but  little  that  the  moft 
 athletick  and  robufl:  conftitutions  will  permit 
 men  to  do.  Many  of  the  mere  brutal  crea- 
 tion excel  them  in  ftrength.  The  ftrength 
 they  have  is  foon  liable  to  decay  and  be  im- 
 paired by  exercife  and  labour,  to  be  weakened 
 by  pain,  to  be  diminiflied  by  diflemper,  to 
 be  wafted  by  age,  and  wholly  deftroyed  by 
 the  force  of  an  unexpeded  accident.  And 
 this  muft  necelfarily  be  the  ftate  of  all  human 
 bodies,  confidering  the  loofe,  unconnected, 
 powerlefs  materials  out  of  which  they  are 
 lornied,  the  ufes  and  purpofes  they  are  in- 
 tended to  anfwer,  the  (liort  duration  for  which 
 they  are  defigned,  the  infinite  number  of 
 parts  of  which  they  are  conftituted,  the  iine- 
 iiefs  of  their  contexture,  the  nature  of  the 
 provifions  by  which  they  are  fupported,  and 
 ^he  innumerable  accidents^  by  which  they  are 
 
 '\  Ver.  45.  X  Yer.  46; 
 
Serm.  15.  Do5lrine  of  a  Refurrection  explained.  425" 
 
 liable  to  be  injured,  broken,  and  even  dif- 
 folved  and  deftroyed.  But  all  thefe  imper- 
 fe(5l  ons  and  frailties  are  peculiar  to  thefe  pre- 
 fent  bodies,  and  not  one  of  them  iliall  afFe(fl 
 thofe  that  God  (hall  provide  tor  us  at  the  fu- 
 ture refurredtion. 
 
 7.  Hence  farther  they  (hall  not  be  like  our 
 prefent  bodies,  attended  with  any  circumflances 
 of  dijlmiour  and  fiajne,  to  hunible  and  mortify 
 us,  and  make  us  feniible  of  the  meannefs 
 of  our  condition,  and  almoft  repine  at  our 
 lot  in  the  prefent  life.  There  is  in  all  man- 
 kind a  natural  averfion  to  appear  as  nature 
 formed  us,  weare  almoft  inftindlively  prompted 
 to  hide  ourfelves  from  one  another.  Our  or- 
 naments, our  pride,  our  elegance,  are  not  in 
 our  perjhns  but  our  drefs.  We  are  beholden 
 to  the  worm  for  our  fplendor  and  gaiety,  we 
 run  to  the  beafts  of  the  field  for  our  covering, 
 protection,  and  warmth,  and  to  the  bowels 
 of  the  earth  for  our  lufture  and  brilliancy*. 
 The  very  parts  of  our  bodies  are  fome  of 
 them  lefs  honourable  than  others;  they  are 
 in  the  whole  compofition  of  them,  what  St. 
 Paul  calls  them,  vile  Sodies  -f;  the  words  mean, 
 either  of  a  very  low  or  mean  original,  of  poor, 
 contemptible  materials;  or  elfe  bodies  of  humi" 
 iiation,  the  confederation  of  which  may  juftly 
 humble  and  mortify  us,  who  are  confined  to 
 and  dwell  in  themj  as  they  are  the  feat  of 
 many  difhonourable  and  finful  paflions,  and 
 criminal   affedions,    that  frequently  prompt 
 
 ?  I  Cor.  xii.  23.  \  Phi!.  ii».  2\,  '- 
 
 to 
 
'4.16  Do^rhte  of  a  Refurrectlon  explained.  Scrm.  i^ 
 to  many  offences  againfl  God,  as  they  arc 
 liable  to  corruption,  as  they  contradl  perpetual 
 foil,  as  they  expofe  us  to  pain,  infirmity,  and 
 diforder,  and  lubjed;  us  to  a  thouiand  incon- 
 veniencies  and  afHictions  v^/hilft  we  dwell  in 
 them.  So  that  fometimes  we  live  long  enough 
 to  be  afhamed  of  our  deformities,  and  oftener 
 to  bend  under  the  infirmities  and  bur- 
 thens of  them,  and  wifli  ourfelves  fafely  de- 
 livered from  the  incumbrance  that  opprefTes 
 us.  Thanks  be  to  God,  that  though  it  be 
 thus  fown  in  d'ljldonour ^  though  we  are  born 
 with,  continually  carry  about  us,  and  finally 
 lay  down  in  the  grave,  thefe  bodies  which  fre- 
 quently difgrace  and  mortify  us,  yet  they  (hall 
 be  raifed  in  fuch  circumftances,  as  that  we 
 fhall  be  no  longer  afhamed  of  them,  nor 
 ever  mortified  with  any  of  the  prefent  incon- 
 veniencies  and  infirmities  that  now  attend 
 them.  And  what  creates  yet  a  farther  dif-^ 
 ference  is, 
 
 8.  Laftly,  that  the  bodies  we  (hall  receive  at 
 the  refurredion,  fliall  not  he  like  our  prefent 
 bodies,  corruptible  and  mortal.  It  is  fown  iit 
 corruption^  and  liable  to  diffolution  and  mor- 
 tality. The  moment  we  are  born,  we  may. 
 be  fald  to  begin  to  die;  as  we  bring  the 
 feeds  of  death  with  us  into  the  world,  and  as 
 every  moment  v/e  live  is  a  kind  of  prepara- 
 tive for,  and  nearer  approach  to  death.  And 
 ^t  the  appointed  feafon,  we  mufl  all  of  us 
 defcend  to  the  grave,  and  as  to  thefe  grofier 
 bodies  lie  for  ever  buried  in  the  darknefs  and 
 f  uins  of  it.     For  when  we  arife  to  a  new  life 
 
 at 
 
Serm.  15.  Dc^rine  of  a  Refurrect'wn  explained.  427 
 
 at  the  morning  of  the  rcfurredion,  mortality 
 and  corruption    fliall    never  enter    into    our 
 frame,   nor  the  materials  of  which  our  hea- 
 venly bodies  fliall  be  compofed,  ever  be  liable 
 to  feparation  and  diffolution.     So  that  in  an- 
 fwer  to  this  queftion.  With  'what  body  do  they 
 (07716?    we  can    give   this    pleafing    anfwer ; 
 That  they  fhall  be  in  many  important  refpeds 
 different  jrom  our  prefent  onesj   they  fliall  not 
 confifl  of  fejh  and  bloody  fuch  as  our  ccnftitu- 
 tion  now  confifts  of  j  they  (hall  not  be  formed 
 of  earthly  materials^  like  the  body  of  Adajn^ 
 who  was  taken  from  the  duft  ',   they  (hall  not 
 be  like  thefe   natural   or   animal  bodies,   nor 
 have  any  of  thofe  propenfities,  inflinds  and 
 appetites,  that  conned  us  with  the  brute  crea- 
 tion, and  often-times  prompt  men  to  live  like 
 the  brutes  that  perifh  j   they  fliall  not  be  weak 
 and  infirm,  nor  ever  more  fubjed  us  to  the 
 diforders  and  decays  we  here  are  liable  to; 
 they  fliall  not  be  bodies  of  diJJdonour  andfiame, 
 nor  have  any  circumftances    attending  them 
 to    reproach,   afflid,    and    mortify    us ;    and 
 therefore  fliall  never  be  liable  to  corruption  and 
 deaths    which    throws   a  vanity  over  all    the 
 boaft  and  pride  of  life,  levels  the  proudeft  of 
 mortals  with  the  dulf,  and  (liould  cloath  the 
 fons   of  men   with    condefceniion,   meeknefs 
 and  humility.  And  Oh!  how  doth  this  ennoble 
 our  conceptions  of  a  future  fi ate,  and  in  what  a 
 comfortable  and  pleafmg  view  doth  it  repreiciit 
 death  itfelf,  which   brings  us  to  the  eternr^l 
 world!  We  find  and  feel  innumerable  diiad- 
 vantages  in  our  prefent  ftate  of  being,  againfb 
 
 "\\'hich 
 
^28  Doctrine  of  a  RefurrecUon  explained.  Serm.  15 
 
 which  no  external  advantages  can  guard  us. 
 The  materials  of  our  prefent  bodies  are  of  the 
 loweft  kind,  frail  and  foon  injured  and  dif- 
 placed.  We  are  expofed  by  our  bodies  to 
 innumerable  diforders,  every  pore  is  an  inlet 
 to  diftemper,  every  nerve  may  give  us  an 
 exquifite  fenfe  of  pain,  and  every  part  of  our 
 bodies  may  torment  us.  So  that  in  reality 
 they  may  well  be  called  the  prifons  of  the 
 foul,  wherein  they  are  fettered  and  confined, 
 like  criminals,  and  undergo  a  kind  of  torture, 
 iill  the  time  of  our  difmiffion  from  them. 
 And  even  this  difmiffion  is  generally  with 
 fuch  a  violence,  as  gives  us  the  higheft  unea- 
 fmefs,  and  throws  us  into  convulfive  agonies  of 
 diftrefs ;  fo  that  had  we  our  option  to  return  to 
 life  in  the  fame  circumftances  in  which  wc 
 often  drag  on  and  leave  it ;  if  we  adled  a 
 wife  part  we  fhould  certainly  refufe  it,  and 
 to  accept  it  w^ould  be  a  kind  of  folly  and 
 diftra^lion  *.  But,  thanks  be  to  God,  as 
 Chriftians  we  have  better  hopes.  Life  fhall 
 be  reftored  us.  Oar  fouls  (hall  be  again 
 united  to  their  bodies,  but  to  bodies  better 
 moulded,  to  buildings  made  of  God,  and  that 
 iliall  carry  all  the  proof  of  a  divine  fabrick ; 
 fhall  be  -attempered  with  better  materials, 
 that  (hall  be  proof  againft  all  diforders,  that 
 Dial!  have  no  inlets  to  pain  and  mifery,  that 
 fhall  be  liable  to  no    diffolution,    and  over 
 
 *  O  pater,  annealiquas  ad  ccelum  hinc  ire  putandum  eft 
 Sublimes  animas,  iterumque  ad  tarda  reverti 
 Corpora?  Quae  lucis  miferis  tarn  ditacupido! 
 
 Virgil,  ^nead.  6.  v.  719 — "jzi. 
 
 which 
 
Serm.  15.  Do5Irtne  of  a  R^furrecthn  explained.  4?, 9 
 
 which  death  (hall  have  no  farther  power 
 and  dominion.  And  you  will  eafily  fee,  that 
 by  this  account,  the  mod  formidable  objec-" 
 tions  againft  this  dodrine  are  already  an- 
 fwered  -,  but  they  will  be  more  efFe(flually  fo, 
 when  we  have  confidered  the  pofitive  part  of 
 St.  Paul's  defcription  of  the  ftate  and  circum- 
 ftance  of  the  refurreftion,  which  we  fhall  do 
 in  our  next  difcourfe. 
 
 SERMON 
 
'430  '^^^  advantageous  Alterations  in  the  Scrm.  i  Si 
 
 SERMON     XVI. 
 
 Of  the   advantageous    Alterations   which  will  be 
 made  in  the  Bodies  of  the  Saints  when  raifed. 
 
 I   Corinthians  xv.   35. 
 
 Butfome  man  will  fay  :  How  are  the  dead  raifed 
 upi  and  with  what  body  do  they  come  f 
 
 HAVING  given  a  view  in  the  pre- 
 ceeding  difcourfe  of  the  ijegative  part- 
 of  St.  Paul's  defcription  of  the  fate  and  cir" 
 cumftances  of  the  rejurreSfion  ;  we  fhall  now 
 proceed  to  conlider  the  pofitive  part  of  ity  or 
 what  is  the  real  condition  in  which  the  Sai?its 
 of  God  (hall  be  raijed from  the  dead',  and 
 the  Apoflle  dire<^s  our  thoughts  to  the  fol- 
 lowing particulars. 
 
 I.  That  they  fhall  be  bodies  immediately 
 fafioned  by  God^  and  the  conftitution  and  fa- 
 brick  of  them  entirely  depend  on  his  plea- 
 fure.  This  thought  he  points  out  to  us,  when 
 he  fays,  with  refpetft  to  the  feed  we  fow,  that 
 God  giveth  if  a  body  as  it  hath  p leafed  hi?n  *  ; 
 an  anfwer  equally  proper  to  the  queftion,  How 
 
 .*  Ver.  38. 
 
Serm.  16.       Bodies  of  Saints  when  raifect.        4^1 
 
 are  the  dead  raifed  up^  ajid  'with  what  body  da 
 they  come  ?  God  forms  the  body  of  what  ma- 
 terials he  pleafes,  and  fafliions  it  according  to 
 the  diredion  of  his  own  power,  wifdom  and 
 goodnefs.     He  is  equal  to  the  work,  and  the 
 refurre(ftion  is  not  beyond  his  ability  to  ac- 
 complifli.     Leave  the  event  to  his  manage- 
 ment,   and  never  doubt   but  what  is   raifed 
 {hall  be  a  produdion  worthy  his  infinite  per- 
 fed:ion  to  be  the  author  of.     The  feed  thrown 
 into  the  ground  feems  to  perifh  and  corrupt  j 
 and  muft  do  fo,  before  the  feminal  vegeta- 
 tive principle  can  exert  itfelf  and  adt.     And 
 yet  it  foon  appears  in  the  pleafing  verdure  of 
 its  grafs,  ftrikes  up  into  the  flem,  grows  into 
 the  ear,  and  puts  on  a  much  more  gay  form 
 and  body,  than  when  it  was  thrown  into  the 
 ground.     Tell  me,  now,  thou  who  doubteft 
 of  the  future   refurredion  :  How  comes   this 
 new  form  to  fpring  up  out  of  the  old  one  dif- 
 folved  and  periflied  ?  How  comes  new  life  to 
 fpring  up  out  of  corruption  and  death  ?  By 
 what  power  is  this  amazing   change  ?  Hadfb 
 thou  never  feen  it,   wouldfl:  thou  not  have  be- 
 lieved it  incredible  and  impoffible,  and  now 
 thou  knoweft  it  to  be  true,  account  for  it  if 
 thou  can'ft  ?  If  thou  doft  account  for  it  in  a 
 Teafonable  manner,  and  afcribe   this  marvel- 
 lous eiFe<5t,  for  fuch  it  really  is,  to  a  com- 
 petent caufe,  thou  wilt  thereby  account   for 
 the  refurredion  of  the  dead,  and  knoweft  to 
 what  all  powerful  agent  to  attribute  it.    For  in 
 both  cafes,  God  gives  the  body  as  he  pleafes. 
 
432   "TJoe  advantageous  Alterations  in  the  Strm.  iGi 
 
 Wefiall  have  a  buildwg   of  Gcdj  an  houfe^  not 
 made  ivith  hands  \.     But, 
 
 2.  As  God  gheth  to  the  feed  that  is  Town 
 a  body  as  it  pleafes  hm,  but  yet  gives  to  every 
 kind  of  grain  or  i&t^  its  own  body,  fo  alfo  fijall 
 it  be  at  the  reJurrcdltQu  if  the  dead  ;  we  fliall 
 arife  ill  the  human form^  we  (hall  appear  the 
 creatures  we  are,  as  di(tin6l  from  all  other  fort 
 of  living  beings  whatfoever,  and  the  bodies 
 that  we  ll:iall  be  raifed  with  {hall  abundantly 
 difcover  us  to  be  the  children  of  men,  though 
 raifed  and  exalted  to  the  dignity  and  privi- 
 leges of  the  fons  of  God.  The  grain  that  is 
 fown  is  quite  diiferent  from  the  grain  produced, 
 and  yet  wheat  produces  wheat,  and  the  God 
 of  nature  caufes  every  grain  to  furnidi  its  own 
 kind.  'Tis  true,  that  the  advantages  of  our 
 new  raifed  bodies  will  be  unfpeakably  fuperior 
 to  any  that  v/e  can  boafl:  of  in  the  prefent 
 ftate.  But  this  by  no  means  caufes  us  to  ceafe 
 to  be  men,  or  makes  us  diiferent  creatures 
 from  ourfelves.  The  difference  of  drefs  and 
 habit,  of  country  and  dwelling,  of  health  and 
 ficknefs,  of  youth  or  age,  of  any  or  all  exter- 
 nal circumflances  that  befall  us,  changes  no- 
 thing of  our  natures,  nor  makes  us  ceafe  to 
 be  what  we  originally  were.  And  that  power 
 of  God,  who  originally  formed  us  out  of  the 
 dufl,  and  gave  us  our  conftitution,  fliape, 
 form,  and  diflinguifhing  features,  can  with 
 equal   eafe  new    mould  and   faihion  us,  and 
 
 X  2  Cor.  V.  1. 
 
 not 
 
>Serrn.  iC.    'Bodies  of  Saints  ivhn  rdfed.         4^.'$ 
 
 not  only  continues  us  the  fame  kind,  and  iti 
 the  fame  rank  of  creatures  that  we  were^  but 
 if  that  be  neceflary,  and  vviil  anfvv'er  any  wilb 
 and  good  purpafe,  preferve  (he  features  and 
 complexion  and  form  that  prevailed  in  us, 
 that  we  may  not  only  be  kr.oizm  to  be  the  chii- 
 dren  of  men,  but  be  known  by  ourlelves  and 
 others,  to  be  the  hzdhi  dual  per  fens  we  were: 
 in  the  prefent  world  :  I  iyj  this  God  can  do,' 
 and  from  thence  we  may  cerfainly  infer  that 
 .he  will  do  it,  if  it  be  expedient  to  the  pro- 
 moting his  glory,  the  illulfration  of  his  faith- 
 fulness inthe  accoQiplilhment  of  his  promifes^ 
 or  dial!  be  necefTary  to  contribute  any  real 
 fhare  to  the  happinefs  and  fatisfitlion  of  thofe 
 who  lliaU  be  accoun'.ed  worthy  of  the  re- 
 furrcdion. 
 
 '^.  Hence  farther,  the  bodies  that  fhall  be 
 refiored  to  us  at  the  refurreclion  fcall  be  cur  oii-ji 
 hodieSy  as  certainly  and  with  the  fame  pro- 
 prietyy  as  our  prefent  bodies  are  our  own, 
 and  we  know  them  to  be  fo,  in  diftindion 
 from  the  bodies  of  all  ether  perfons  whatfo- 
 ever.  The  reafon  why  we  call  thefe  bodies 
 our  own,  is  not  becaufe  they  haver  continued 
 the  fame,  without  any  material  alteration, 
 ever  fince we  have  been  born;  for  they  havei 
 not  continued  the  fame  for  any  one  fmgle  mo- 
 ment of  their  duration  ;  and  have  undergone 
 ■probably  many  total  changes^  during  the  time' 
 we  have  lived  and  aded  in  them.  So  that 
 ^our  prefent  bodies  are  no  more  properly  our 
 own,  as  that  implies  our  perpetually  con-^ 
 fifting  of  any  fettled  determinate  portion  of 
 '•     Vol.  L  ¥  f  matte/ 
 
4^4   '^he  advantagegus  Alter ciUom  tn  the  Serrt^.  1$* 
 
 matter,  that  never  feparates  from  us,  and 
 that  we  do  not  exchange  for  any  other,  tharx 
 the  bodies  of  other  men  and  other  animals 
 are  ours.  But  they  are  our  own,  as  they  art, 
 whatever  they  conlift  of,  and  how  often  {o 
 ever  they  may  vary  and  change,  and  though 
 they  alter  every  day  and  moment,  yet  they 
 are  our  own,  as  we  carry  them  about  with  us, 
 as  they  are  diO:in(ft  from  all  other  bodies,  as 
 they  are  under  cur  management,  and  we  are 
 able  to  controul  them  ;  as  w&feel  their  wants, 
 and  conftantlyj/////>/y  them  ;  as  we  are  confcious 
 to  their  diforders,  and  apply  the  proper  remedies 
 for  their  cure ;  and  for  many  other  reafons  of 
 a  like  nature,  that  might  eafily  be  mentioned. 
 In  like  manner  the  bodies  we  receive  at  the 
 lefurredlion,  though  there  (hould  not  enter 
 into  the  compofitron  of  them  any  one  fingle 
 particle  of  which  they  confift,  in  any  given 
 period  of  their  duration  here,  will  be  as  much 
 and  as  truly  our  own,  as  the  bodies  we  now 
 have  are  our  own,  though  they  have  under- 
 gone a  total  alteration  during  the  year  paft  f 
 for  when  we  are  reilored  at  the  refurrecftlon, 
 we  (hall  find  thofe  glorious  bodies  as  fully  a?2d 
 firmly  united  to  us,  as  our  prefent  are,  have 
 them  nrore  entirely  under  our  management  ajid 
 controul,  fi^^H  be  able  toattuate  and  move  them 
 at  our  pleafure,  be  capable  of  employing  them 
 in  fuch  fervices  and  exercifes,  as  are  fuitable  ta 
 our  then  condition  of  life,  making  them  mi- 
 f>ifter  to  our  pleafure  and  happinefs,  (hatl  be 
 confcious  to  their  tendencies,  and  have  it  in  our 
 power  to  gratify  the?p,  and  maintain  and  fup- 
 
 pQrt 
 
Serm  1 6.     bodies  of  Saints  ithen  ratfed.  43  S 
 
 part  them  in  eternal  health,  adivity  and  vigour. 
 And  we  may  therefore  further  nfhrm, 
 
 4.    That  the  bodies  we  arall  receive  at  the 
 refurreaion  ihall  be  the>;/6'  bodies  we  earned 
 about   in  this   world,  in    a  very  proper  Jenfe, 
 and  in  as  true  and  real  one,  as  we  can  affiim, 
 thit   we    have    the   fame  bodies   during  ths 
 whole  or  any  period  of  our  exiftence  in  the 
 prefent  world,     ht  fime  refpe^s  we  have  the 
 fame  bodies   now   that    we   had   m    infancy, 
 childhood,  and  through  every  period  ot   our 
 durationj   not  becaufe  they   have    continued 
 unchanaeably  the  fame,  fmce  they  have  been 
 ia  a  perpetual  flux,  every  day  receiving  new 
 accelTions  by  the  food  we  eat,  and  flying  off 
 from  us  by  the  various  difcharges  of  nature, 
 altering  in  flze,  flrength,  feature,  comehnefs, 
 habits,  aft-eaions  and  paflions,  by  the  various 
 accidents  of  life,   the  very  principles  we  em- 
 brace, the  friend(hips  we  contradl,  the  em- 
 ployments we  difcharge,  the  labours  we  ex- 
 ercife  ourfelves  in,  the  pleafures  We  purfue 
 the  affliaions  that  befall  us,  the  increafe  of 
 our  years,  and  all  the  different  circumflances, 
 to  which  nature  and  providence  introduce  us. 
 And  yet  they   are  ftiil  juftly  accounted  the 
 fame,  becaufe  our  union  to  them  is  perpetual  and 
 fixed,  our  various  members  conflantly  refem- 
 ble  themfelves,  have  the  fame  ufes,   give  us 
 the  fame  fenfations,  are  avenues  to  the  fame 
 kind  of  gratifications,  expofe  us  to  the  fame 
 diforders'and  afflidlions,  equally  obey  the  dic- 
 tates of  our  mind,  have  the  fame  tendencies 
 and  difpofuions,  and  continue  to  prompt  and 
 jr  f  2  inliuencc 
 
'4^^    The  ad'wintaiesus  Alter ailcns  171 -the  Scrm.  i5,. 
 
 influence   us   by   many   of  the  fame  paffions 
 and  afi^cftions.     Our  various  features  that  al/- 
 Xsr  by  time  and    accident,   yet  have   fuch  a 
 perpetual  famtiicfs^  that    we   know   our   o vva 
 pcrlbns,  and  are  knov.'n  by  2.II  others  that  we 
 are    acquainted   with  j.    the    actions    that   v/e 
 have  done  in.  the  caj-Rcft  parts  of  life,    we  are 
 equally  ccnfcious   to   in  the  latejl.     If  we  have 
 been  pious- towards   God,    and   charitable  to 
 ir.en,   we  fi;  d,  w^e  feel,  we  are  fare,  that  thefe 
 hearts   have  been   lifted  up,   and  thefe  knees 
 have  been  bent  in.  prayer,  and  tliefe  lips  em- 
 ployed in  celebrating  God's  praifes,   and  thefe 
 hands  have  miniftred  to  the  poor,  and  thefe 
 feet  carried   us  about  doing  good,   year  after 
 year,  and  habitually  through  all  the  preceding 
 periods  of  our  lives,    and  we  have  no  doubt 
 but  that  th^efe  fame  bodies,   whatever  be  their 
 alterations  in  a  couife  of  years^  have  been  em- 
 ployed in  thele  f;cred  and  ber^evolent  fcrvices. 
 We  have  the  fame  kind  of  remorfe  for  what 
 we  do    aaiifs,   many   years    after  the    adlions 
 r-hemfeivcs,  and  a  criminal,  convicted  ever  fo- 
 long  a  pe/iod  a,fter  his  crimes,   knows  that  he 
 cfid,    that,  his;  hands  perpetrated   what  he  is- 
 convided  .of,   and  that   he  is  worthy  of  pu-.  , 
 inillimcnt   in   his  body    upon   account   of   it> 
 doth  not  pretend  to  cenfure   the  equity  of  his 
 iudges  for  iniliding  the  punlliimcnt,  under  a. 
 qretence  thai  his  body  hath  undergone  many 
 fjterations  nnce  the  perpetrating  the  crime  ; 
 nor  ever  imagine  tiia:  the  plea,  that  liis  body 
 is/not.the  fame   that  it  v/as  v/hen  he  com-; 
 .-mitted  the  oiTs^iicf,  will  or  ought  to  exempt: 
 
 hinii 
 
Ser;i:i.  i5.     Bodies  cf  Saints   when  raifecl.         437 
 him  from  the  chaftifemcnt  he  deferves.     He  is 
 conlcious   that  he  is  the   perfon,  and  all  the 
 changes   in  his  bodily  conRitution  can   never 
 alter  that   confcioufnefs,   or  perfuade  him  to 
 think,  that  he  is  not  the  man  that  he  thea 
 wjs.     In  like  manner,  in  whatfoever  cricum- 
 ftances   the  rejurreclion  may  alter  o-jr  bodies, 
 we  (liall  know  them  to  be  as  much  the  fatr.i\, 
 and  as  much  our  civ n,  as  we  know  owx  prefent 
 bodies   to  be  fo.     The   union  between  the.ii 
 and  our  minds  thall  be  as  rea]^   firm  and  inti- 
 mate, as  our  prelcnt  union  of  foul  and  body 
 is.      We  may  have  tX^t  fame  rtfemhla?2ce  of  per- 
 fon,    (hapr,    lirnhs,    hjibit,    and    features    to 
 diftinguiih    us  hereafter,   and  point  or.t  our 
 ferfonality  as  we  have  -now ;   for  llich  difcinc- 
 tions  'i^^^^v\  to  be  as  ncceliary,  to  previtnt  con-- 
 fufion  in   a  futuic   world   as  ia  the  prefent. 
 We  lliail  then   have  the  moll:  abfolnte  cer- 
 tainty that  we  once  lived  in  this  lower  world, 
 that  we   were   finners  again'fl  God,    that  we, 
 were  recovered   by  his   grace,  that  we  were 
 renewed  by  his  fpirk,   that  we  were  preferved. 
 and    condudcd   by  his  power,  that   we  flood 
 m  fuch  relations  of  being,  that  God  employed. 
 OS   in  fjch   ferviccs,    that  we   did  fucli  good 
 works,   that  we  fafrercd  fuch  things  for  re- 
 ligion,  and  that  we  died  at  fach  a  period  af- 
 ter   we    had   ferved    Gc^i   in  o.ur  generation. 
 The  _  moment   we   a'u:akc,  ihr/c  confiloujhejjes 
 ^ill  immediately  reiurn,    with  a  full  convic- 
 tion and  livelinefs,  as  they  do  in  the  niornlnQ-, 
 after  x.\\q  kindiy  refreinriient  of  the   fieeo  o^ 
 ehe  niijht.     BtH  ics,  thefb  bodies  (hall  b^  of 
 
 ^  f  3  ti2« 
 
438    ^he  advantageous  AJteratiens  in  the  Serm.  16, 
 
 the  fame  Vv^ith  our  prefent  ones,  as  they  fliall 
 have  all  the  jame  Jenfes  that  are  effential  to  our 
 nature,   though  in  a  more  perfedt  and  exalted 
 manner.     Our  eyes  fhall  fee  and  contemplate 
 the  wonders   of  God's  creation,   and    be  fo 
 ftrengthened  as  to  be  able  to  behold  the  glory 
 of  ;he  immortal  God,  and  fland  in  the  pre- 
 fence  of  the  eternal  majefly  of  Heaven.     Ouf 
 cars  fball  be  opened   and  purged   to  receive 
 the  harmony  of  angels  fongs,  and  our  tongues 
 join  in  conceit  with  them,  in  celebrating  the 
 praifes  of  our  God.     New  Jenjoiies   may   be 
 added  to  our  natures,  that  may  be  avenues  of 
 new  entertainments,  whilfl  the  prjeBirig  our 
 Jormer  mid  original  ones  l]:iall  be  an  abundant 
 confirmation,  that  we  are  the  fame  compound 
 "beings  that  we  were,  the  deleds  of  our  na- 
 tures only  removed,   that  would  degrade  and 
 dillionour    our   condition,    or    interrupt    and 
 leflen  the  happinefs   of  it.      And   therefore 
 it   can  be   no'  objedion    to  this  famenefs   of 
 body, 
 
 I'hat  our  bodies  at  the  refurre(5lion  Jl: all  not 
 he  of  the  Earth  earthy,  but  like  the  Lord  from. 
 Heaven,    heavenly,  i.  e.     Either    of  heavenly 
 inaterials,  in  oppofition  to  ingredients  of  duft, 
 that  enter  into  the  compolitien  of  our  prefent 
 frame,    or,    of    an     heavenly,    bright,    and 
 jfplendid  appearance.     Our  prefent  bodies  are 
 formed  out  of  the  earth   in  which   we  dwellj^ 
 and  are    fupported    by  food    that   the   earth 
 produces,  that  they  may  be  fuited  to  the  na- 
 ture  and   condition,   the  a6lions  and   life  of 
 ^ha^  world  where  God  hath  appointed  us  our 
 
 prefen^ 
 
Scrm.  1 6.     Bodies  of  SairJs  when  raifed.         4^g 
 
 prefent  habitation.  And  by  a  parity  of  rea- 
 son, as  the  future  celeftial  world  is  greatly 
 different  from  this,  will  prefent  us  with  dif- 
 ferent objeds,  will  open  to  our  view  quite 
 other  fcenes,  will  admit  us  to  new  employ- 
 ments, pleafures,  purfuits,  and  acquaintances, 
 and  as  the  life  we  are  there  to  live,  will  be  in 
 every  refped.  fuperior  to  that  which  we  live 
 here,  maintained  by  more  fubfiantial  and  ex- 
 cellent provilions,  and  formed  for  a  much 
 more  permanent  duration;  fo  our  bodies,  in 
 order  to  fit  us  for  the  better  ftate,  will  be 
 conftituted  of  heavenly  ingredients,  and  new 
 fiaflnoned  of  fuch  materials,  as  (hall  be  wor- 
 thy pf  and  fuitable  to  that  luperior  ftate  of 
 perfedion  and  glory ;  probably  of  the  fame 
 kind  and  nature  with  thofe  glorious  habitations 
 in  which  the  Angels  of  God  dvv'ell,  who  tho* 
 spiritual  being?,  yet  can  become  'vifible,  and 
 appear  cloathed  with  a  cekfiial  brightnefs ;  who 
 are  unqueftionably  known  by,  and  appear  to 
 each  other,  have  their  refpedive  manlions  in 
 the  heavenly  world,  and  often  meet  together 
 in  large  affemblies,  for  purpofes  peculiar  to 
 their  exalted  charader  and  ftations.  For  if 
 every  thing  in  that  world  were  invifMe^  and 
 Angels  and  Saints  were  not  known  to,  and 
 {^(iw  by  each  other,  what  would  it  be  but  a 
 world  of  blanks^  to  what  purpofe  the  refur- 
 redion  of  any  bodies,  or  how  fliould  we 
 know  tliat  we  were  come  to  the  heavenly  'Jem- 
 Jahmy  the  innumerable  company  of  Angels,  to  the 
 fpirifs  of  the  juft  madcpefeSJy  and  to  fcfiis  the 
 Mediator  of  the  new  coveiiant  ?  But  he  appears 
 F  f  4  in 
 
449  T^s  (idvaniageoUs  AUeratlons  in  the\  Seftn.  1 6,  ' 
 
 in   a  diTiue  and  heavenly  glory ^  Angch  are  as  a 
 jiamlngfirey  and  the  lujlure  of  believers  is  radiant 
 and  bright,  lonned  of  the  fame  celeflial  in- 
 gredients as  the  glorified  body  ojChriji  himfelf. 
 
 Agreeable  to  this  is  what  the  Apoftle   far-  , 
 ther  adds:  That   ir.e  bodies  we  are   to  receive 
 .   by  the  relurredtion  lliall    be  Jpiritual  ones,  in 
 oppciition  to  our  prelent  natural^  \.  ^.  fenfiitive 
 and  animal  bodies.     Even  matter  itfelf,    hov/ 
 ever  grcis,   inert  and  unacljve  it  may  appear, 
 yet  may  be  refined  and  purined  from  its  dregs, 
 fpiiitualized,    rendered  iubile  and  adive,  and 
 tran.sformed  into  much  more  pure,  quick  and 
 lively  fyftems,  than  any  that  are  vifible  to  our 
 eyes,   in  tjie  common  courfe  of  things;  as  is 
 ^'vidcnt   from    many  e.^iperiments   and    difco- 
 verics  that  have  been  made  in  natural  philo- 
 fcphy.     Light  itfclf  is  a  body  of  n  vzxv  fubtle, 
 fc/ic:rati?:g  naturey  and  of  an  almcjfl  incredible 
 vdocity.     Arid  though  we  fee  and  feel  the  ef- 
 .    feds  of  i:,    we  fee  not  the  body  itfelf,  and 
 know"  nothing  of  the  nature  and  contexture 
 ot   its  pai tides.     We  fetl   the  (lir  and  ivind,. 
 biu   'us    not  the   objtct   of  cur  fight.     The 
 viagnctick  cfilwvia  fill  us  with  admiration,  but 
 who  knows  any  thing  m^ore  of  them,  than  by 
 ihcir   wonderful  effeds .''  The  powers  of  elec- 
 tricity have  opened  a  new  field  for  philofophi- 
 cal  inquiries,   the  operations  of  them  are  ex- 
 treamiy  fenfible,   tliey  pafs  from  objed  -to  cb- 
 jed   almofi:  inilantaneoufly ;   they   fcmetimes 
 appear  in  flames  of  fire,  fometimes  like  burn- 
 ing meteors  in  Heaven,  and  fometimes  give  a 
 fudden  cxploiion  like  a  flroke  of  thunder.  But 
 , .    ■  .■  '  of 
 
Serm.  i6.     Boi^ies  of  Saints  when  raifed,  441" 
 
 of  what  it  conlilU  is  one  of  the  arcanums  of  * 
 nature,  no  eye  is  quick  enough  to  ciucern  it, 
 and  no  fixed  and  fettled  fcheme  can  yet  be 
 formed,  to  account  for  the  operations  of  it,  " 
 and  reduce  them  to  any  determinate  and  cer- 
 tain laws.     And  others  have  yet  gone  farther, 
 and  have  imagined  a  yet  liner  etktricl  jiutd, 
 that  fpreads  itfelf  throughout  all  nature,  aod 
 which  they  confider  as  the  one  general  mate- 
 rial caufe  of  all  the  laws  of  nature,   and  into- 
 which  all  the  operations  of  natural  caufes  and 
 efFeifts  are,   under  God,    to  be  finally  refolvcd.' 
 Thefe   may  be  called  the  fpiriiual  powers  of 
 the  material  univerfe,    and  I    mention   them 
 only  to  let   you  fee,  in  what  fenfe  our  raifed 
 bodies  may  be  transformed  into  fpiritual  ones," 
 and  yet  at  the  fame  time  be  really  and  truly 
 compofitions  of  matter,    as  our  prefent  bodies 
 are.  This  however  may,  I  think,  be  very  fafely 
 concluded  on,  that   they  (hall  be  fo  far  jpiri^ 
 tual  bodies,   as  to  be  utterly  free  from  thofe 
 animal  and  merely  fenfitive  properties  and  affec- 
 tions,  that  are  efiential  to  our  prefent  frames, 
 fliall  need  nothing  of  thofe  grojjer  provijions 
 that  we  now  want  for  their  fuilenance,    fliall 
 want  no  refi  to  refrefii  them,  nojleep  to  recruit' 
 and  repair  them,  no  prefcriptions  oi  phyfick  to 
 relieve  and  cure  them,  ihail  not  be  fluggifli 
 and  unadlive  to  hinder  or  retard  their  motion, 
 fhall  be  nimble  and  a6tive,   xniyfy  as  quick  as 
 thought,  may  be  conveyed  by  a  ray  of  light 
 from  globe  to  globe,  may  with  an  inconceiva-. 
 l)le  velocity  tranfpoit  themfelve?  to  the  moft; 
 
 diflant 
 
^442  ,  The  advantageous  Alterations  in  the  Serm.  1 6, 
 
 diftapt  parts  of  God's  creation,  and  traverle 
 the  utmoft  bounds  of  nature,  in  an  infinitely 
 cafier  manner,  than  here  we  can  remove  to 
 the  obje(fls  that  are  neareft  us,  or  as  our  minds 
 can  now  convey  us  from  Earth  to  Heaven,  and 
 from  the  footftool  of  God's  throne,  to  his  im- 
 mediate prefence  and  glory  j  nor  fubjed:  to 
 any  of  thofe  inconveniencies,  that  now  exer- 
 cife  our  patience,  and  often  render  our  bodies 
 uneafy  and  burthenfome  to  us. 
 
 And  what  is  neceifarily  conneded  with  this 
 is,  that  though  we  bring  into  the  world  with 
 us,  weak,  frail  and  feeble  bodies,  yet  they 
 fhall  be  raifed  in  power,  with  a  Arength  and 
 vigour,  in  comparifon  of  which  the  flrongeft 
 conftitution  is  mere  nothing  and  vanity.  As 
 they  (hall  not  confill  oi  flefi  and  bloody  fuch  as 
 our  prefent  bodies  are  compofed  of;  they  fhall 
 not  be  liable  to  any  oi  tho^Q  weaknejjes  to  which 
 we  are  expofed,  nor  to  any  of  thofe  dtjlempers 
 that  are  perpetually  circulating  through  our 
 veins,  and  that  will  fooner  or  later  difcover 
 themfelves,  and  bring  down  the  firmed  con- 
 flitution.  They  will  have  no  inward  caufes 
 of  corruptions,  and  be  intirely  proof  againft 
 all  external  \x\]\ix\t%.  The  moft  adlive  fervices 
 will  not  weaken  them,  nor  will  any  length  of 
 duration  impair  and  wafte  them.  T^he  Angels 
 are  beings  that  excell  in  Jlrength,  and  the  Re- 
 fur  re  31  io7i  will  render  us  equal  to  the  Angels  of 
 God;  and  what  is  nov/  wholly  out  of  our 
 power,  and  furpafles  the  ftrength  of  all  mortal 
 ^^n^  will  then  be  performed  with  the  utmoft 
 
 facility 
 
,Serm.  1 6.     Bodies  of  Saints  when  raifed.         '  443. 
 
 facility  and  eafe.  Kc  who  created  the  inha- 
 bitants of  the  old  world,  though  they  were 
 of  the  Earth  earthy,  with  that  robnilnefs,  vi- 
 gour and  i^rength  of  conftitution,  as  that  they 
 could  endure  for  near  a  thoufafid years y  can  anew 
 create  us  for  a  duration  without  end,  and  with, 
 a  flrength  and  power  that  nothing  £hall  abate 
 and  d-r^ftroy ;  and  he  who  made  us  able  to 
 piove  our  oivn  bodies,  or  put  another  body  into 
 motion^  or  Jiop  or  retard  its  motion,  or  alter 
 its  courfe  and  tendency,  can  with  the  fame 
 eafe  enable  us  to  remove  mountains.  Weaknefs 
 andfraiky  is  the  characSeriftick  of  the  prefent 
 life,  and  the  little  power  of  adlion  we  have. 
 is  continually  liable  to  decay.  Power  and 
 ftrength  are  the  privileges  oF  the  future 
 life,  and  the  refurrecflion  (hall  reftore  us 
 vigorous  and  adive  in  the  whole  of  our 
 conilitution. 
 
 And  as  we  fhall  be  raifed  in  firength,  fo 
 slfo  ihail  we  be  raifed  in  hmour ;  in  fuch 
 circumi^ances  of  external  fplendor,  as  fhall  be 
 fuitable  to  the  nature  and  circumftances  of 
 that  better  world  where  ws  are  to  dwell,  and 
 the  majefty  of  that  prefence  in  which  we  are 
 to  appear  ;  as  {hall  be  a  full  manifellation  of  our 
 being  the  children  of  God,  and  the  genuine  dif- 
 ciples  of  the  glorified  Son  of  God  In  the 
 RefurreSlion  to  life  that  Daniel  (ptzks  of,  heaf- 
 fures  us  *,  that  they  who  are  wife  jloall  he  as  the 
 ^rightnefs  of  the  firmament,  and  they  that  turn 
 
 ^  Dan,  xii.  3. 
 
 manji.^ 
 
if44    ^^^  iidvc^fttagccus  AUeratlcViS  in  the   Serm.  i6. 
 
 f^t'Cny  to  righteoiifnefs,  as  the  ficirs  for  ever  and 
 ever,    -Agreeable  to   this   is    what   our  Lord 
 affures   us,   that  in  the  great   day,  when  the 
 colledlion  of  all  mankind  (hall  be  made,  the 
 righteous  fiall  JJ.ine  forth  as  the  fun  in  the  king- 
 dom  of  their   Father  *,   ^\?\\   be   invefltd  and 
 furrounded  with  fuch  an  external  luflrs   from 
 the  prefence  of  God,  and  the  brightnefs  of 
 his  glory,  as  (liall  declare  them  accepted  and 
 favourites  of  God.     Of  what  kind  this  glory 
 ihall  be,  v/e  may  form  feme  conception  from 
 the  trar.sfiguraticn  of  Chriji,  ivben  his  face  fLcnc 
 as  the  fun  ^  and  his  raiment  ivas  ivhite  as  light  -f"; 
 or   from    his  appeara'ice   to  Saul,  when  the 
 light  of  his  glory,  that  furrounded   this  mad 
 perfecutor,  fhone  ahcvc  the  brightnefs  of  the  fun  % 
 a-t  noon  d..y.     For  we  are  exprefiiy  aflured, 
 that  we  fhall   be  formed  after  the  pattern  of 
 Chrift,    and  fajlioned  in  our  bodies  according  to 
 Ms  o'UL'n  glcrifed  body.     This  our  Sari  cur  inti- 
 mates himfelt,  in   his  lad  affe61icnate   prayer 
 for  all  of  them   th^  t   fl:iould  believe  in  him. 
 Father^  I  ivill,   I  dcfire,  that   they   alfo,  whom 
 th-cu  ha/i  gii'en  inc,  may  be  ivith  me,  inhere  I  an?, 
 that  they  may  behold  my  glory,   ivLich  then  hafi 
 given  me  §.     To  behold  Chri(l's  glory  fignifies 
 more  than  barely  to  view  it,  even  to  partake' 
 of  it,  for  our  Lord   fays  of  them  :  The  glory 
 vjhich  thcu  gavf/l  me,  I  have  given  unto  them, 
 that  they  may  be  cnei  even  as  i^e  are  one  [j.     And 
 this  is  what  St.  Faul  exprelDy  affirms  in  fcv-e-  • 
 
 *  Mat.  xiii.  43 
 
 f  Xvii.  2. 
 
 X  A6ls  xxvi. 
 
 '3- 
 
 §  Jo|an  xvii.  24. 
 
 11  Ver.  22. 
 
 Tl\ 
 
Serm.  16.  .  -Bodies  cf.  Saiun  'xhm  raijed.  44^ 
 ral  of  his  Epiflles.  TJius  in  the  chapter  where 
 my  text  is.  The  fa'Ji  man  is  cf  the  Earth  earthy, 
 the  fccojid  man  is  the  Lord  from  Heaven.  As  is 
 the  earthy,  fuch  are  they  alfo  that  are  earthy, 
 and  as  is  the  heavenly y  fuch  are  they  alfo  that  are 
 heavenly ;  and  as  ive  have  borne  the  image  of 
 jhe  earthy  in  thefe  earthy  bodies  in  which  we 
 now  dwell,  ive  f]:all  alfo  bare  the  image  of  the 
 heavenly^  t  in  thofe  glorified  bodies  with  which 
 we  fhall  be  invefted  in  the  .morning  of  the 
 refurredion  ;  for  as  heexprefies  it,  in  that  noble 
 pafTage  in  his  epiUle  to  ih^  Fhillppians :  Our 
 co7iverfation  is  in  Heaven,  from  iDheijce  alfo  ive 
 look  for  the  Saviour ^  who  fiall  change  our  vile 
 body,  that  it  may  he  fafjioned  like  unto  his  glorious 
 body^  according  to  the  working  whereby  he  is  able 
 to  fubdue  all  things  unto  himfelf^.  Hence  the 
 fame  Apoftle  ex  her  is  the  Colojjians,  to  fet  their 
 afe5liofis  en  things  above,  and  not  on  things  on  the 
 Earth  %,  becaufe  as  Chrhlians  we  are  dead, 
 viz.  to  all  the  finful  purfuits  and  pleafures  of 
 the  world,  and  our  life  is  hid  with  Chrtfi  in 
 God;  our  proper  life  and  happinels  is  the 
 fame  that  Chrift  himfelf  poiTefTes  in  the  pre-^ 
 fence  and  kingdom  of  God  his  Father;  and 
 therefore  when  Chrfl,  who  is  cur  life,  fl:all  ap- 
 pear^ then  p^all  ye  aljo  appear  with  him  in  glory. 
 And  this  conformity  to  Chrifl  in  the  glory 
 of  his  heavenly  ftate,  will  be  one  fubftantial 
 proof  oi  our  being  the  children  of  God,  Here 
 the  gofpcl  revelation  gives  us  this  honourable 
 
 ♦  Ver.  47.-49.  t  rhillip.  iii.  20,  21..^  X  Colof.  ili.  2,  3,  4. 
 
 cha-. 
 
446   'The -advantageous  Alterations  in  the  Serm.  1^* 
 
 character.     Beloved,  now  are  we  the  children  of 
 Gcd^,      Whence  doth   this    appear?    Why, 
 it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  Jhall  be.    Our 
 expediations  are  future,  and  our  inheritance 
 as  the  children  of  God  laid  up  in  the  heavenly 
 World,  and  Hiall  not  be  fully  revealed  'till  the 
 fecond  coming  of  Chrift  ;  and  of  this  we  are 
 certain   that  when  he  fiall  appear,  we  fiall  be 
 like  hint,  for  we  fiall  fee  him  as  he  is.     He  is 
 the  pattern  after  which  the  Chriflian  is  to  live 
 in  the  prefent  world,  and  according  to  which 
 he  fhall  be  glorified  in  the  next.     If  our  minds 
 and  charadters  refemble  him  now,  in  the  fplen- 
 dor  and  beauties  of  holinefs,  our  bodies  alfo 
 fhall  hereafter  refemble  his,   in  the  light  and 
 glory  that  fhall  furrourid  them.     There  fhall 
 be  no   marks  of  Jloame  and  diJJ:o?iour  in  them, 
 when  that  bleffed  day  of  the  refurredion  re- 
 flores   them ;  nothing  of  deformity   to   render 
 them  contemptible,  no  impurity  to  defile  them, 
 fio  defeSl  to  injure  them,   nothing    that    can 
 create  in  us  any  confciou§  (hame,  or  give  oc- 
 cafion  to  any  of  the  inhabitants  of  Heaven  to 
 behold  us  with  difpleafure,  or  avoid  our  fociety 
 as    beneath   and   unworthy   of  them.     The 
 fame  power  and  goodnefs  that  gives  us  the  in- 
 heritance of  the   heavenly   world,   will    fuit 
 both  our  inward  difpofitions,  and  our  external 
 condition  to  the  nature  and  circumftances  of 
 that  world  ;   and  as  the  children  of  God,   and 
 the   redeemed  difciples  of  Jefus  Chrifl:,  our 
 
 *  I  John  iii.  2. 
 
 wholq 
 
Serm.  16.     BoJies  of  Saints  when  rai/ed.         44.^ 
 
 whole  ftate  (hall  be  happy  and  glorious ;  that 
 there  may  be  a  proper  conformity  betwecrk 
 the  Redeemer  and  his  followers,  and  we  may 
 not  appear,  even  in  our  external  condition,  lefs 
 in  dignity  and  honour,  than  becomes  the  near-* 
 nefs  of  our  relation  to  the  greateft  and  beft  of 
 beings,  or  what  may  be  expecfted  from  the  in- 
 finite power  and  bounty  of  the  all  perfed:  and 
 infinitely  blefied  God,  our  heavenly  Father. 
 And,  finally, 
 
 What  is  the  perfedion  and  crown  of  all  is, 
 that  God  will  raife  us  up  at  the  lafl:  great  day 
 in  a  ftate  oiabfolute  andperfeB  incorruption-,  for 
 though  //  is  fown  in  corruption,  it  is  raijed  in 
 incorruption,  and  as  fleflo  and  blood  cannot  in-' 
 berit  the  kingdom  of  .God,  nor  corruption  inherit 
 incorruption^  fo  this  corruptible  body  muji  put  on 
 incorruption,  and  this  mortal  body  muft  put  on 
 immortality.  And  when  this  corruptible  /hall  have 
 put  on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal  Jhall  have  put 
 on  immortality,  then  fljall  be  brought  to  pafs  that 
 faying  which  is  written  :  Death  isfwallowed  up  in 
 vlBory  ',  and  the  Chriftlan  fhall  cry  out  in  thofe 
 glorious  words  of  triumph  :  O  death  !  where 
 is  they  fling  ?  O  grave  I  where  is  now  thy  viBory? 
 'Thanks  be  to  God,  who  gives  us  the  viBory  through 
 Jefus  Chrijl  our  Lord.  O  happy  world,  where 
 death  never  enters,  where  that  deftroyer  hath 
 no  power !  Here  he  exercifes  univerfal  domi- 
 nion, enters  into  every  family,  thins  every 
 fociety,  and  fpares  neither  age,  nor  fex,  nor  con- 
 
 *  Ver,  50  ——57, 
 
 ditioA 
 
»'44S  'Tke'a'dvantageotis  Alterations  in  the   Serm.  i  fj. 
 
 dition  in  life.     How   many  have  lately  been 
 .removed  from  thisfociety,  and  have  I  fcllowcd 
 within  a  very  few  years  to  the  gates  of  death  \ 
 One,  but  a  few  days  ago,  have  we  lodged  in  his 
 fepulchre,  a  conftant  worfliipper  in  this  place, 
 and  one  of  the  oldeft  difciplcs  that  remained 
 •  amongftus;  an  honeft,  a  liberal,    and  a  good 
 man.     But  the  hand  of  death  knows  no  dif- 
 .tindiion  of  men.     The  time  will  be,  and  we 
 know  not  how  foon  it  may  be,  and  the  places 
 ihat  now  know  zis,  f:aU  knew  us  no  more  ;  when 
 we  (hall  be  removed  from  our  feats   in   the 
 houfe  of  God,  from  our  own  habitations  and 
 families,   and  from  all  the  means  and  oppor- 
 •tunities  of  falvation,   that  here,  through  the 
 grace  of  God,  we  are  allowed  to  enjoy.     The 
 immortal  fpirit,   that    is   properly   curjelves^   is 
 but  uncertainly  lodged,   fees  the  defeds   of  iis 
 'prefent  tabernacle,   views  its  approaching  dif- 
 Iblution,   and  looks   out  for  a   more   durable 
 'and   fixed  dwelling.     Now  as  Chriftians  li^e 
 \k?i0Wt   that  when  cur  earthly  houfe  of  this  tabcr- 
 ■  vMcle  is  dijj'ohedy  wefiall  have  a  bmldifig  cj  Gcd, 
 '  dn  hcufe  not  made  with  hajids,  eternal  in  the  hea-- 
 'vens  -^ ;  and  what  the  Apoftle  fays  of  himfdf, 
 with  refpedl  to  the  gofpel  with  which  he  was 
 ■intruded ,  we   may  every  one  fay  of  his  own 
 .reafonable   fpirit.      ^^e    have  this  treafure  in 
 earthen  vejfels-^^  frail  and  brittle  in  their  com- 
 •Dofition,  loon  liable  to  be  broken  by  a  thour- 
 ♦land  accidents,  and  in  their  very  nature  formed 
 
 5  3  Cor.  V.  I.  f  2  Cor.  iv.  7, 
 
 <:.    "  ..  but 
 
Scrm.  1 6.        Bodies  of  Saints  when  raifeL         44=^ 
 but  for  a  fliort  duration.     But  let  us  remem- 
 ber, that   this    is   the    only   world  in  which 
 mortality  can  reach  us.     We  are  born  for  a 
 future  exiftence   of  a  more  permanent  dura- 
 tion.    What  only  of  us  is  corruptible  defcends 
 to  the  grave,  and  fliall  for  ever  continue  ia 
 the  ruins  of  it.     And  why  fhould  we  be  more 
 concerned    for  depofiting    part    of  ourfelves 
 there,  than  for  what  v/e  are  lofmg  every  day 
 we  live.     What  matters  it  t-o  us,  to  what  part 
 of  the  dull  our  duft  returns..      Wherefoever 
 it  refts,   it  (hall   no  more  trouble  us,  nor  do 
 the  leall  injury  to  our  better  part,  which  {liall 
 live,   when  that  lies  wholly  lifelefs  and  unac- 
 tive,  and  hve  in  more  glorious  circumflances 
 by  being  far  ever  removed  frona  that  incum- 
 brance  and    weight.     The    day   is    coming, 
 -ivhen  all  that  Jleep   in  their  graves  Jhall  awake^ 
 ^nd  when  all  that  Jleep  in  Jefus  God  fiall  bring 
 m^ith  him,  cloathed  in  garments  of  immorta- 
 lity,   and   in    foul   and    body    perfeded,  and 
 £tted  for   the  manfions  -of  everlafling  and  in- 
 corruptible bleffednefs  :  When  all  the  t\t&i  of 
 God,  the  whole  family  of  the  faithful  (haM 
 be  gathered    together   in  one  aflembly,  when 
 we  Ihall  be  reflored  to  our  friends,  who  have 
 -gone  before  us,  who  have  lived  and  died  by 
 the  principles  of  a  divine  faith  j  and  we  and 
 they,  purified  from  all  our  prefent  moral  de- 
 fers, divefted  of  mortality,  triumphing  over 
 death,  cloathed  with  celeftial  glory,  and  thus 
 fitted   for  the  regions   of  immort.dity,  {hall^ 
 tjnder   the  banners   of  the    Son  of  God,  and 
 Vol.  L  Og  doathcd 
 
'4|o  -  The  advantageous  jUierMionSy  Bsc.  Serm.  i6L 
 
 cloathed  in  his  image,  be  introduced  into, 
 the  immediate  prefenee  of  his  God  and  our 
 Gody  his  Father  and  our  Father.  To  that 
 bleffed  place  would  I  dired:  my  own  and 
 lead  your  views.  There  would  I  finally  meet 
 yoUj  and  rejoice  with  and  over  you  for  everj, 
 and  that  this  may  be  our  united  happinefs,  as 
 ive  have  this  hope^  let  us  purify  ourfehes  as  Chriji 
 is  pure,  jor  nothing  that  defiles  cari  enter  into 
 Heaven y  and  unlefs  tkity  folkw  after  hGljnefi^ 
 none  cm  fee  God,, 
 
 $ERMON 
 
t    #5'i     ) 
 
 SERMON      XVir. 
 
 The  Objedioiis    againft    tl^e   JR^fur- 
 redtion  aufwer'd. 
 
 I   Corinthians  xv,  35, 
 
 But  fome  man  will  fay  :  How  are  the  dead  ralfsd 
 upy  and  with  what  body  do  they  come? 
 
 AVING  largely  considered  the  account 
 which  the  apoftle  gives  of  the  circum- 
 Jiances  of  the  future  rejurreciion^  I  now  come 
 to  {l>ew  you, 
 
 That  the  objeBions  which  are  tirged  againfl: 
 it,  by  the  ancients^  or  by  modern  enemies  of  re- 
 '^elation,  are  not  of  that  force  and  confequence., 
 as  to  move  any  ]ui\  fulpicion  of  the  truth  of 
 the  dodtrine  ;  much  lefs,  to  perfuade  any  wife 
 -or  thoughtful  perfon  to  reject  it.  And  thefe 
 objedions  may  be  reduced  t^  thr-^e.,  which 
 are  thefe  : 
 
 I.  The  impoffilnlity  of  the  thing-, 
 .IL  The /w^rc/>nV/;)' of  God's  doing  it.  And 
 III.   1  he  undefirablencfs  6V\u  on  our  part,  if 
 
 it  WQiQ poj/ihle  in  it!elf,  or  fit  to  be  done. 
 
 I.  Let  us  confider  the  impoJjibUity  of  a  /z/- 
 
 ^tire  refurreSlion  ;  for  if  this  can   be  proved, 
 
 ^  kind  of  arguments  that  can  be  produced 
 
 C  g  2  m 
 
45*  ^^^  OhjeSlions  againji  Serm.  17. 
 
 in  defence  of  it,  can  be  of  no  avail,  and  muft 
 fall  entirely  to  the  ground.     And  indeed  if 
 there  be  any  thing  in  the  Chriftian  do(5trine  of 
 the  Refurrediion,  that  evidently  and  certainly 
 implies  a  contradid:ion,    we   may   then  pro- 
 nounce  it   abfurd  j  and  affirm,  that  'tis  im- 
 poffible  even  for  God  to  effect  it ;  not  through 
 want  of  power  in  God,  but  becaufe  the  thing 
 itfelf  is  not  an  objed  of  power  ;    doth  not 
 come  within  the  reach  of  it,  and  is  not  in  its 
 own  nature  capable  of  being  done.     And  this 
 is  the  circurpjftance  that  mufl  be  fairly  proved, 
 in  order  to  argue  the  impoffibility  of  the  re- 
 ilirredtion.     ii  it  doth  not  involve  a  real  ab- 
 lurdity  and  contradidion,  it  is  pojjible^  and  a 
 real  ohjed:  of  power.    To  argue,  that  we  have 
 no  injlance  of  it  in  nature,  and  that  it  cannot 
 be  effected  by  the  common  and  ordinary  laws  of 
 nature^  is  not  arguing,  but  trijling.     For  if  it 
 be  no  contradiction,  it  may  certainly  be  done. 
 It  is  an  object  of  power,  and  for  aught  we 
 know,  there  may  exilt  a  being  of  power  every 
 way  equal  to  it.     If  the y^/z/c-^  laws  of  nature 
 cannot  extend  to  the  doing:  it,  doth  it  follow 
 that  there  is  no  other  po'xer  which  is  equal  to 
 the  prudu(ftion  of  fuch  an  effe(5t. 
 
 But  what  is  nature^  and  what  are  the  lawi 
 of  nature,  that  all  the  poffibilities  of  effedis 
 muft  be  limited  by  and  confined  to  them  ?  If 
 nature  be  a  merely  material  unintelligent,  inert, 
 unadtive  thing,  nothing  is  more  certain  than 
 that  nature  can  never  raife  a  dead  man,  and 
 that  all  the  known  laws  of  it  are  utterly  in- 
 futiicient  for  fo  wonderful  a  thing.     But  then 
 
 this 
 
Serm.  17.         t^e  RefurreHlm  anfwered.  453 
 
 this  fame  nature  will  be  as  abfolutelv  incapable 
 o^  makwg  a  man  as  raijing  him,  and  may  as 
 eafily  raife  him  to  a  fecond  life,  as  call  him  to 
 the  firft.     And  as  men  are  continually  made, 
 and  cannot  be  made  by  an  unconfcions  inad:ive 
 caufe  ;  either  nature  is  not  the  former  of  man, 
 nor  of  any  one  fingle  objed:  that  comes  into 
 being  j  or'nature  muft  have  power  to  adt,  and 
 intelligence  and  wifdom  to  diredl  and  guide 
 its  adions  ;  and  what  are  called  the  laws  of 
 nature,  are  not  the  fettled  and  neceffary  opera- 
 tions of  material  and  infenfibk  caufes,  which 
 properly  are  no  caufes  at  all ;  but  the  voluntary 
 appointment  and  fettlement  of  a  real  aSlive 
 caufe,  fuperior  to  all  material  caufes  j  whofe 
 wifdom  not  only  at  firft  fettled  the  whole  tram 
 of  natural  caufes  and  effeds,  but  ftill  conti- 
 nues to  uphold  and  direft  them  in  their  proper 
 exercife  and  operations  :  And  thus  we  have 
 found  out  a  caufe  equal  to  the  reftoring  life 
 when   loft,  as   well   as    of   giving   it,    when 
 before  it  w^as  not  :  For  why  Oiould  one  ex- 
 ceed the  power  of  the  fupream  caufe,  more 
 than  the  ether  ?  Can  any  one  account  for  the 
 formation  of  any  one  man  that  comes  into  the 
 world  ?  As  wife  a  man,  as  any  of  the  ob- 
 jediors  againft  the  refurredion,  was  not  afraid 
 to  fay  :  Thou  biowejl  not  what  is  the  way  of  the 
 fpirit,  and  how  the  bones  do  grow  in  the  womb  of 
 her  who  is  with  child  f.     Have  any  by  philo- 
 fophy  and  experiments  attained  to  this  won- 
 derful   difcovery  ?    'Twould   be    a  difcovery 
 
 "j-  Ecclef.  xi.   5. 
 
 G  g  3  Indeed, 
 
indeed,  that  would  immortalife  the  name  of 
 him  that  could  make  it.  But  we  well  know 
 all  that  unbelievers  can  fay  on  this  fubjedt  5 
 and  if  they  fay  any  thing  to  the  purpofe,  they 
 inuflr  refolve  the  whole  proeefs  of  nature  in 
 the  formation  of  man,  to  the  energy  and^ 
 ikill  of  the  God  of  nature,  who  as  he  at  firft 
 ma^ie  man  out  of  the  dujl,  and  breathed  into  hinf 
 the  breath  of  life,  whereby  he  became  a  living 
 foul  ;  fb  throughout  all  the  generations  of 
 men  continues  to  form  their  imperfed:  fub- 
 flance,  to  fainion  all  our  various  members,  to 
 eloath  us  with  Jkin  and  fiefi,  to  fence  us  with 
 bones  and  ftews,  and  to  dire(fl  all  the  move- 
 ments of  nature  to  the  perfection  of  this 
 amaling  and  excellent  production.  And  even 
 as  to  this,  the  firlt  mafs  is  entirely  lifelef& 
 and  dead.  Life  and  motion  are  gradual  pro- 
 dudions.  All  men  that  live,  as  they  once 
 were  not,  fo  when  they  begin  to  be,  ^rtfrfi^ 
 of  all  dead^  and  then  raifed  to  life.  Where 
 then  is  the  impoffibility  of  being  raifed  again 
 to  life,  after  they  have  lived  and  died,  any 
 more  than  of  being  raifed  to  life  from  death- 
 before  they  ever  lived  ? 
 
 If  it  ihould  be  faidy-  that  the  formation  of 
 every  man  is  ov.^ing  to  cQvidJmfxed  laws,  that= 
 certainly  and  invariably  produce  their  effeds  f- 
 whereas  the  refurreCtion  is  not  pretended  to  be 
 owing  to  any  fuch-  natuTaland  original  fettle- 
 meiu,  it  may  be  anfwered  •'  That  thefe  laws^ 
 d'O  not  necefiar-lv  and  invariably  produce  their' 
 ^ffeft'-.  JN'ature  fo  netimes,  yea  frequently^. 
 Tes  her  aim,,  brings  nothing  to  petfednca^ 
 
Scrm,  17.         the  RefurrcHion  dnpwered.  455 
 
 and  life,  and  is  irregular  in  her  produillons  ; 
 and  the  conclufion  from  hence  is,  th<'it  nature^ 
 or  material  caufes,  that  cannot  dire(^t  their  own 
 operations,  need  a  fupcrior  power  to  direcffc 
 them  ;  and  that  they  would  perpetually  blun- 
 der, and  fall  into  continual  irregularities  atid 
 iniftakes,  were  they  left  to  themfelves  ;  and 
 that  the  God  of  nature  permits  thefe  irregu- 
 larities and  failures  to  take  place,  to  put  men 
 in  mind,  that  the  formation  of  human  bodies 
 is  his  work,  that  life  is  his  gift,  and  that  the 
 continuance  of  mankind  in  the  Vv'orld  is  owing 
 to  the  continued  care  of  his  providence,  to 
 whofe  fovereign  will  and  pleafure  all  natural 
 caufes  are  intirely  and  abfolutely  fubjed;. 
 
 And  farther,  how  invariably  foever  nature 
 may  keep  to  one  plan,  in  the  formation  of 
 mere  animals^  to  the  feveral  fpecies  of  which 
 file  gives  the  fame  kind  of  inftinfts  and  pro- 
 penfities,  without  any  kind  of  difference,  or 
 fuperiority  of  any  in  the  fame  fpecies  to  others; 
 yet  in  the  formation  of  man  fhe  ads  with  a 
 perpetual  and  amafng  'variety ^  never  carting 
 two  exadly  in  the  fame  mould,  nor  fafhioning 
 them  alike,  not  only  as  to  features,  complec- 
 tion,  (liape  and  fize,  but  as  to  inflinds,  ten- 
 dencies, difpofitions,  ftudies  and  purfuits  ;  io 
 that  in  thefe  things  they_  are  as  different  from 
 each  other,  as  they  are  in  the  fiiape  of  their 
 bodies  from  the  brutes  themfelves.  Some  have 
 capacities  that  elevate  them  almofl  to  an 
 equality  with  Angels  ;  othen  fo  low,  as  to  be 
 fcarce  a  degree  above  the  heafts  that  perifb. 
 Some  are  fitted  for  mathematical i^^mrieSy  oiher^ 
 G  g  4  for 
 
'4BS'  ^^^  Ohje5lions  agamjt  Serm.  tjl 
 
 for  phllojophical  and  moral  ones.  Some  are  ex- 
 tremely fagacious  in  making  new  difcoveries^ 
 the  talent  of  others  is  in  impro'ving  them.. 
 Some  are  formed  for  adiiony  others  for  con- 
 templat'wn  2.nAJiudy  :  Some  (ovbtifinefs  and  com-' 
 merce,  others  with  a  contempt  and  hatred  of  it. 
 Some  "wiih Jirong^  others  with  weak  paffions. 
 In  a  word,  the  difference  is  perpetual,  and  fo 
 amafingly  great,  as  that  they  feem  to  be  almoft 
 fcveral  differen-t  fpecies  of  beings.  And  by 
 confequence,  nature  doth  not  aSt  in  the  pro- 
 dLi<ftion  of  men,  by  z-ny  invar iaiile  rules y  from 
 which  fhe  never  deviates  ;  for  then  ail  men 
 v/ould  be  afike  in  every  circumftance  of  their 
 body,  and  in  all  their  difpofitions  and  tenden- 
 cies ;  but  delights  in  variety  in  fuch  a  manner^ 
 as  abundantly  fiiews,  fhe  is  under  no  confine- 
 ment, but  aifts  at  liberty  according  to  her 
 pleafure.  But  this  can  never  be  accounted 
 tor,  by  angels  or  men,,  if  nature  be  nothing 
 but  a  material  and  inacffcive  caufe ;  but  is  eafily 
 snd  certainly  accounted  for,  if  nature  be  a 
 wife  and  intelligent  caufe,  or  if  all  the  powers 
 f3f  nature  be  under  tlie  diredion  of  an  infi- 
 nitely perfe(5t  God. 
 
 Befides,  do  natural  caufes  exhauji  and  limit 
 ihe  power  of  God  ^  Can  he  never  2i6i  withoict 
 ihem  ?  Did  he  never  acft  but  by  the  mediation 
 ©f  them  ?  How  then  came  the  world  ittto  being  f 
 By  what  fecond  and  material  caufes  did  the 
 Almighty  a<fE  in  the  creation,  before  any  of 
 thefe  material  caufes  had  any  exiflence,  or 
 poffible  power  to  acfb  at  all  ?  Unlefs  men  run 
 Into  downright   infidelity  and  atheifm,  they 
 
Serm.  i7«         the  Refurre^iion  anfivered.  'j^^'j 
 
 mufl  allow,  if  not  that  the  whole  material 
 fyftem  is  of  the  creation  of  God,  yet  that  the 
 arrangement,  difpolition,  order  and  fettled 
 laws  of  nature  are  the  effe<fls  of  his  power 
 and  wifdom  ;  and  by  confequence,  that  God 
 can,  and  did  adt  in  this  grand  affair  without 
 the  intervention  of  any  fecond  caufes  what- 
 foever.  And  with  refpedl  to  \ht  formation  of 
 man^  how  came  he  at  firft  into  exigence  ?  Did 
 he  create  himfcljl  Every  one  fees  the  plain  ab- 
 furdity  of  fuch  a  fuppofition,  that  he  could 
 not  adt  before  he  was,  or  give  being  to  himfelf, 
 before  he  had  any  being.  He  therefore  was 
 the  producftion  of  another.  But  was  he  pro- 
 duced according  to  thofe  laws  of  nature,  by  which 
 every  man  comes  into  being  ?  This  again  im- 
 plies an  abfurdity  and  contradidion,  viz.  that 
 men  exifted  before  the  ff-Ji  man  exifted,  and 
 that  the  laws  of  nature,  for  the  formation  of 
 inan,  operated  before  man  himfelf,  to  whom 
 thofe  laws  only  related,  and  without  whom  it 
 is  impoffible  they  (hould  have  any  exiftence, 
 Man  therefore  was  originally  formed,  without 
 any  concurrence  of  any  of  the  prefent  laws  of 
 human  generation,  by  \\\t  immediate  power  and 
 wifdom  of  God.  That  he  was  formed  out  of  the. 
 dufi  of  the  earth,  as  to  his  body,  is  the  doctrine 
 of  revelation,  and  the  truth  of  that  dodrine  is 
 evident,  becaufe  when  he  dies,  his  body  rc- 
 folves  into  duft.  God  therefore,  either  im- 
 mediately ^(?;^^  man  into  being  iu  an  injlant, 
 or  at  once  -,  and  therefore  can  as  eafily  do  it  a 
 fecond  time  ;  or  his  formation  was  more^r<7- 
 dual ',  the  body  firft  prepared,  and  formed 
 ^  with 
 
458  ^ks  OhjeMhns  agahfl  Serm.  i^i 
 
 with  all  its  Gi'ganical  parts,  and  neceffary  in-* 
 ftruments   of  refpiratian  and  life  ;    and  then 
 the    vital  fpirit  infufed  into  it,    whereby  tht 
 man  became  a  living  fold.     And  this  is  the  ac- 
 count that  revelation   gives  of  the    origin  of 
 man,  and  his  firft  introdudion   into  being, 
 ^he  Lord  God  formed  man  out  of  the  duji  of  the 
 ground^  and  breathed  into  bis  nojirils  the  breath  of 
 life,  and  man  became  a  living  foul  ^  *    The  body 
 was  firft  created   to  receive  the  mind,  or  the 
 houfe  ereded  to  lodge  the  lord  and  mafter  of 
 it.     And  if  this  was  the  cafe,  as  every  cir- 
 cumftance  of  probability  iLews  us  it  was ;  here 
 is  the  very  thing  we  want,  the  fadl  we  are 
 doubting  of  ^  even  the  raifrng  of  a  dead  body, 
 and  fpeaking   a  carcafe  into  life  ;  and  a  fact 
 tbatmufl:  be  allowed,  unlefs  we  become  down- 
 right fcepticks  and  unbelievers,  even  as  to  the 
 very  firft  principles  of  all  truth  and  religion. 
 The  power  of  God  is  therefore  not  limited  by 
 the  prefent  ordinary  laws  of  nature  ;  he  can 
 a<!?t  without  them  j  man  was  originally  formed 
 without  them,  by  the  infinite  fkill  and  effica- 
 cious power  of  the  creator  5  and   the  efficacy 
 of  thefe  ordinary  laws,  is  not  from  any  virtue 
 or  adivc  principle  in  themfelves,  for  as  ma- 
 terial they  are   lluggiffi,  and  incapable  of  all 
 adion  in  their  own  nature  j  but  from  the  con- 
 curring influence  of  God,  who  guides  all  the 
 operations  of  nature,  and  caufes  them  to  ac- 
 complilh  the  feveral  purpofes  he  intends  by 
 them. 
 
 *  Gen.  iU  7* 
 
 But 
 
S«rm.  17.  i^'^s  Refurreffion  anfijosred.  4S^ 
 
 But  it  win  be  faid,  that  the  Chrlftian  doc- 
 trine of  the    refurredion  of  the  fame  body  is  ' 
 ^bfurd^iud  impoffibk',  becaufe  it   may  happen> 
 that  the  body  of  one  many  or  part  of  it,  may  be 
 devoured  by  another  man ;  and  fo  by  eating  and 
 digefling  it  may  become  the.  body,  or  part  of 
 the  body  of  another  man  ^  fo  that  at  the  re- 
 furredion, ihtfame  body  can't  belong  to  botb^, 
 and  that  the  parts  that  one  hath,  the  other  ' 
 snuft  be  defedive  in.     This  objedion   wa& 
 Mrged  by  the  primitive  enemies  to  Chriflianlty» 
 and  though  they  thought  it  a  very  formidable^ 
 and   even    unanfwerable  one,  yet  it  is  a  very 
 weak  and  ridiculous  one,  and  ihews  their  ig- 
 norance of  the  Chriftian  dodrine  of  the  re- 
 furredion.    For  fuppofmg  the  dodrine  of  the 
 refurredion    teaches  the    reftoiing  the  fame 
 body,  what  is  necejjary  to  conftitute  \}i\\'s>  fame- 
 fiefs  of  body  F  What,    that   all  the  particles 
 that  ever  enter'd  into  the  compofition  of  the 
 body,  fliould  at  the  refurredion  all  unite,  and 
 form  the  refurredion  body  ?  How  gigantick 
 would  our  ftature  be,  and  how  unlike  himfelF 
 Would   every  perfon  hereafter  be,  from  what 
 he  at  prefent  is,  or  ever  was  I  But   what  is 
 Worfe   is,  that  a   body  thus  formed  could  io 
 nt)  fenfe  be  xht  fame  body  5  the  body  of  no 
 man  ever  conlifting  at  once  of  all  thefe  parts 
 put  together  5  and   the  putting  them  together 
 would   form  a  quite  different  body  from  any 
 that  we  could  ever  call  our  own.      What  then^ 
 iignifies  the  food  that  any  man  eats,  whether 
 of  filTi  or  birds,  or  bead?,  or  human  flefh  ? 
 What  he  eats  to-day  he  partly  lofes  to-morroW:» 
 
 and 
 
4^0  The  OhjeSf ions  againft  Serm.  17, 
 
 and  in  a  few  months  will  entirely  lofe  it,  by 
 the  acceflion  of  the  new  food  that  fills  and 
 nouridies  him.  So  that  upon  this  fuppolition 
 of  the  abfolute  famenefs  of  the  refurredion 
 body,  one  man  may  devour  his  neighbour,  as 
 it  happened  at  the  fiege  of  yerujalem ;  a  mo- 
 ther her  fucking  child,  and  yet  the  refurredion 
 of  the  fame  body  involve  not  the  ieaft  ap- 
 pearance of  a  contradidion  ?  becaufe  it  is 
 no  more  neceffary  to  the  conftituting  the  fame 
 body,  that  it  {hould  be  the  body  we  have  to- 
 day, and  that  is  fuppprted  by  this  particular 
 fort  of  food,  than  that  it  (liould  be  the  body 
 Tve  hcid  t'i::enfy  years  age,  or  the  body  we  may 
 have  the  fame  number  of  years  hereafter;  and 
 that  have  been,  or  may  be  nouriflied  by  a  quite 
 ditferent  fort  of  provilion.  The  reftoration 
 of  that  body  that  we  hc^>d  in  any  period  of 
 life,  may  be  fufficient  to  give  it  the  denomi- 
 nation of  the  fame  body  :  But  in  truth,  this 
 ohjedion  hath  nothing  to  do  with  ^t.  Paid^^ 
 dodrine  of  the  refurredion,  who  no  where 
 fays,  that  the  fame  individual  body  (hall  arife, 
 tliat  we  lived  or  died  Vvith  ;  but  that  the  dead 
 ihall  rife,  and  that  they  (hall  rife  with  bodies 
 in  quite  different  circumftances  from  tbofe  we 
 carried  about  with  us,  and  laid  down  in  the 
 corruption  of  the  grave ;  not  thcfe  flejl.ly 
 bodies,  formed  of  earthly  materials,  fubjed 
 to  animal  pafiions  and  appetites,  and  that  fen- 
 iltive  principle,  which  here  hath  fo  great  an 
 afcendency  over  us,  liable  to  a  thoufand  weak- 
 nefles  and  infirmities,  heavy  and  inadive,  at- 
 tended  with  many  marks  of  diihonour  and 
 
 caufes 
 
Serm.  i7«         the  Refurre^Iion  anfwered.  4.61 
 
 causes    of  humiliation,    corruptible    in    their 
 nature,  and  always  tending  to  corruption  and 
 death  j    I   fay   not   thele   bodies,    but  bodies 
 falhioned  by  the  immediate  hand  and   power 
 of  God,  notf^r//6y  ones  from  earthly  materials, 
 but  of  an  heave?2ly  fubftance  and  compofition, 
 fpiritiial  bodies^    of   fubtilifed  matter,    adtive 
 and    fit    for    motion,    flrong    and    vigorous, 
 without  any  thing  to  hurt  and  impair  them, 
 encompaffed  with  that  external  brightnefs  and 
 ^hryt  that  fhall  be  as  a   robe  of  honour,  and 
 diftinguiih  us  as  the   favourites  of  (jod,  and 
 that  ihall  be  incorruptible  and  immortal,  and 
 fo  render  us  capable  of  being  the  inhabitants 
 of  an  eternal  and  imperill.able  world.     And 
 this  account  utterly  deltroys  the  force  of  this 
 objection  againft  the  refuiredtion,  taken  from 
 the  fubftance  of  one  man's  body  being  changed 
 into  the  fubftance  of  another's  ;  for  be  it  fo, 
 in  the  ftrongeft   fenfe   that  can  be  fuppofed, 
 that  fleflily  earthly  fubftance   will   conftitute 
 no  part  of  our  frame  at  the  refurredicn,  when 
 God  will  give  to  all  fuch  bodies  as  it  pleafes 
 him  :   I   may   add,  that  the  fcjjibility  of  the 
 refurredion  is  in  fact  demonfirated  by  the  fe- 
 'ueral  perfons  our  blelTed    Lord  raiftd  to  Jive 
 during  his  miniftry  on   earth,  and  efpecially 
 by  his  cwn  rejurrcBicn  from  the  dead,  which 
 ftands  fupported  by  fuch   evidence,  as    car- 
 ries  the    fulleft    conviction,    and    will    have 
 its  proper  effed,  ivhilft  candor,  integrity,  and 
 the  love  of  truth  fhall  prevail  amongll  man- 
 kind.  But  as  the  pcffibility  of  the  refurredion  is 
 ^hu£  abundantly  evinced,  let  us  proceed 
 
4^2  ^he  Ohje3ions  againfi  5erm.  17* 
 
 11.  To  confider  the  ohjeBion  againfl  it  from 
 the  moral  tinjiinejs  of  the  thing,  and  its  being 
 zmworthy  and  unbecoming  the  lioijdom  and  dig- 
 nity and  majefiy  of  God  to  intereft  himfelf  for 
 the  accomplifhrnent  of  it.  *Tis  allowed  on  all 
 hands,  that  this  is  what  the  power  of  the 
 Almighty  God  is  alone  equal  to  j  and  it 
 doth  by  no  means  certainly  follow,  that  be- 
 caufe  God  cmi^  therefore  he  wiU  do  it  ^  and 
 it  is  as  certain,  that  though  it  ht  pojjible,  yet 
 that  God  will  not  do  it,  if  beneath  him,  or 
 nnbecoming  him  to  do  it,  as  that  he  could  not 
 do  it,  if  it  were  naturally  impoflible.  And 
 this  Vv'as  one  of  the  obje<Sions  urged  againft  it 
 hy  the  ancient  enemies  of  Chriflianity,  that 
 God  cannot  do  vile  and  hafe  things,  and  wiU 
 not  do  things  contrary  to  imture,  to  gratify  the 
 iinreafonal>le  dilpofitions  and  unnatural  deiires 
 of  any  perfons  whatfoever.  This  argument 
 would  lead  us  into  a  variety  of  metaphyfical 
 reflexions,  concerning  the  nature  of  the  foul* 
 its  union  with  the  body,  and  its  dependence 
 on  it  for  its  operations  and  perceptions.  Bi^t 
 I  (hall  cnly  obferve. 
 
 I.  That  this  obje£lion  fuppofes,  that  the  bo- 
 dies we  now  inhabit  are  utterly ^  and  in  all  re- 
 fpeBs  inco7ifiJlent  with  the  true  perfed:ion  and 
 welfare  of  the  reafonable  fpirit  ;  that  they 
 are  its  cages  and  prifom^  and  that  the  minds 
 of  men  when  emancipated  from  them,  and 
 enlarged  out  of  their  confinement,  and  thus 
 become  pure  and  unimbodied  fpirits,will  then 
 attain  their  real  perfedion,  become  capable 
 gf  much  nobler  improvements  in  perception 
 
 and 
 
Seem.  J 7.         the  Re[urre5iion  anfwertk  46^ 
 
 and  knowledge,  and  of  a  more  refined  and 
 exalted  happinefs.  This  was  what  many  of 
 the  ancient  philofophers  imagined,  and  what 
 hath  been  argued,  from  thejJ^/r/V^j/ nature  of 
 the  foul.  But  I  think  no  kind  of  appearances 
 favour  this  dodirine.  We  ^n^x^  formed  in  our 
 prefent  circurnftanees  for  this  vijible  a?id  mate^ 
 rial  world,  ami -therefore  thefe  bodies  were 
 necejfary,  whatever  may  be  the  prefent  difad- 
 vantages  of  them,  to  render  us  the  inhabita?iti 
 of  this  material  world  ;  and  there  is  not 
 ^  (ingle  pailion  or  appetite  in  our  frame,  Ixit 
 what  v^^as  well  and  wifely  inferted  into  it,  for 
 purpofes  of  goodnefs  and  ufefulnefs.  Our 
 bodily  fenfories  are  the  proper  avenues  to  the 
 mind,  her  necelTary  inlets  to  all  the  ideas  and 
 perceptions  (lie  hath  by  fenfation.  Suppofe  a 
 man  born  blind ^  he  will  be  dejiitiite  of  ten  thou- 
 ""  fand  glorious  ideas,  that  he  entertains  who 
 hath  the  ufe  of  fi,ght.  Suppofe  him  born  deaf 
 as  well  as  blind,  how  much  fewer  will  his  per-* 
 ceptions  be  ;  and  deprive  him  of  all  his  fenfes, 
 and  what  degree  of  knowledge  can  we  fup- 
 pofe  him  to  be  polTefled  of  .^  Or  what  will  his 
 mind  be  otherwife  than  a  blank,  with  few  or 
 no  charadiers  and  impreflions  on  it  ?  'Tis 
 therefore  to  fpeak  reproachfully  of  nature, 
 and  the  God  of  nature,  to  cenfure  him  in  the 
 conftiiution  of  our  frame,  and  call  thefe  bo- 
 dies vile  and  difjonourable,  as  originally,  formed 
 by  him,  which  he  made  wifely  and  well,  and 
 not  for  our  punifhment,  but  for  our  advantage 
 and  happinefs.  If  we  by  folly  and  tranfgre fling 
 ^e  laws  of  our  nature,  have  debafed  and  ren- 
 dered 
 
'4^4  ^he  Ohje5iions  agninjl  Serm.  17.' 
 
 dered  them  impure,  and  the  caufes  of  many 
 affli(ftions  and  diilrelTes  to  us,  to  humble  and 
 rnortify  us  ;  let  us  blame  ourfehes^  and  not 
 cenfure  the  wifdom  and  goodnefs  of  God  our 
 creator ;  who  at  firil  formed  our  bodies  proper 
 manlions  for  the  fpirits  that  were  to  inhabit 
 them  ',  and  which  even  in  their  prefent  ftate 
 open  us  to  the  whole  external  creation,  fur- 
 nifli  us  with  a  thoufand  fubjeds  for  confidera- 
 tion  and  refledion,  are  avenues  to  innumera- 
 ble plealing  and  grateful  perceptions  and  fenfa- 
 ttons,  and  would  be  fo  in  a  much  more  con- 
 flant  and  uninterrupted  manner,  if  we  did  not 
 by  our  own  exceflcs  and  imprudences,  difho- 
 nour,  injure  and  corrupt  them.  And  from 
 this  conneiflion  of  our  minds  with  our  bodies, 
 and  the  dependencies  our  fpirits  have  on  them 
 for  their  fenfations  and  perceptions,  in  the 
 prefent  ftate  ;  it  appears  to  be  an  unphilofophi- 
 cal  and  groundlefs  fuppolition,  as  it  is  utterly 
 inconfiftent  with  the  fcripture  reprefentation, 
 that  the  fpirit  or  mind  of  man,  can,  in  a  (late 
 of  abfolute  feparation  from  the  body,  at;:ain 
 to  its  full  degree  of  perjeoiion  and  happinefs. 
 On  the  contrary,  deathy  in  the  fcripture  no- 
 tion, is  the  curfe  and  punijhmcnt  of  Jin,  i.  e. 
 the  feparation  of  the  foul  from  the  body,  which 
 punithment  can  never  be  removed  but  by  a  re~ 
 Jurredfion  to  Ufe^  and  therefore  reafon  and  re- 
 velation herein  perfectly  agree,  that  the  mind 
 is  dependent  on  the  body  for  many  of  its  ope- 
 rations, and  the  attainment  of  its  full  perfec- 
 tion and  happinefs  ;  and  therefore  it  is  fo  far 
 fiom  being  beneath  or  unworthy  of  God  to 
 
 accomplish 
 
Serm.  17.         the  Refurre^ion  anfwered.  465 
 
 accompliih  this  great  event,  as  that  it  becomes 
 neceffary  in  the  conpLi(ft  of  his  providence 
 and  government,  in  order  that  men  may  not 
 be  finally  and  for  ever  in  fuch  a  ftate  of  pri* 
 vation,  as  is  utterly  inconfiftent  with  the  dig- 
 nity of  their  natures,  the  improvement  of 
 their  knowledge,  and  the  completion  of  their 
 happinefs.     But  then, 
 
 2.  I  would  obferve,  that  this  objeBion  to 
 the  refurredion  of  our  bodies,  as  unisjorthy  ef 
 Oody  arid  improper  for  him  to  accomplifh, 
 arifes  alfo  from  the  fuppofition,  that  our  bo- 
 dies in  their  prefent  ftate  are  to  be  reflored  to 
 us  at  the  refurredion  ;  bodies  confiding  of 
 ficfi  and  blood,  and  liable  to  all  the  inconv^- 
 niencies,  diforders  ind  infirmities  of  thofe 
 that  we  now  carry  about  with  us.  Thus  Celjui 
 objeded  ;  '*  the  Chriftians  abfurdly  believe, 
 **  that  they  who  have  been  a  long  time  dead 
 «*  fhail  rife  out  of  the  ground,  cloathed  vvith 
 **  the  fame  fleQi.  But  what  human  foul  caa 
 **  ever  defire  to  return  into  a  putrified  body  ? 
 *'  God  can  give  the  foul  immortal  life  j  but 
 *'-  dead  bodies  are  viler  than  the  dung,  and 
 •*  God  cannot  render  the  fledi  immortal,  con- 
 "  trary  to  nature."  This  would  have  been 
 much  more  worthy  regard,  and  involved  us 
 in  real  difficulties,  if  the  Gofpel  had  taught, 
 what  he  fuppofes,  that  thefe  flefhly,  putrified, 
 mortal  bodies  (hould  be  reftored  at  the  refur- 
 redion.  But  a  thoufand  of  thefe  objections 
 don't  in  the  lead  affed  the  d^lrine  of  Chri-- 
 jlimiity,  which  teaches  nothing  of  \A\2X  Celfia 
 imagines  and  afierts  ;  but  oiprel^ily  d«nles  it,. 
 
 Vol.  L  11  h  ^^^^ 
 
J^66  The  Ohje^Iions  dgainfi  Serm.  17; 
 
 ^hd  fpeaks  of  bodies  as  far  different  in  their 
 materials,  conftitution   and   external   appear- 
 ances, as  fpirit  is  to  matter.  Heaven  to  Earth, 
 glory  to  Jljame,  life  to  death,  and  incor'ruption  to 
 mortality.     And  tiierefore  though  it  would  be 
 difficult  to  believe,  that  God  fliould  raife  re- 
 ligious and  good   n:ien,  with  the  fame  difor- 
 dered  animal  and  periiliing  bodies,  as  they  lay 
 down  in  their  graves  by  death  ;  yet  where  is 
 the  refled;ion  upon  the  wifdom,  and  goodnefSy 
 and  providence  of  God,  that  he  fhould  raife 
 them  up  to  an  hcave?iJy  life  and  world,  and  in- 
 yeft  them  with  fueh  bodies,  as  lliall  be  fuit^ 
 able  to  the  nature  of  that  world  into  which 
 he  introduces  them,  as  by  ihtfphtdor  of  their 
 appearance  fliall   manifeft  the  dignity  of  their 
 condition,  as  by  their  proper  fenfories  fhall  ren- 
 der them   again  capable  of  beholding  and  coji- 
 'verjing  with  the  external  works  of  God's  cre- 
 ation, ihall  be  affijlant  to  the  jnind  in  her  nobleft 
 perceptions,  and  thus  contribute  their  fhare 
 towards   the   exalting   and    compleating    our 
 felicity  ?    This   is   an   event    worthy  of   the 
 power,  wifdom,    equity   and   benevolence  of 
 God  to  accompli ih,  and  truly  argues  him  the 
 greatell:  and  bed  of  beings,  the  lover  and  the 
 rewarder  of  righteoufnefs,  and  the  true  father 
 and  friend  of  mankind.     And    from   hence, 
 we  mav  fee  how  little  force  there  is  in, 
 
 3.  The  third  and  lafl;  ckje5fion.io  the  Chri- 
 flian  dodrine  of  the  refurredion,  which  re- 
 prefents  the  hope  of  it  as  the  hope  of  "wcrms, 
 and  the  event  itfelf  as  abfolutely  imdefrable. 
 Would  or  could  God  extend  his  power  to  the 
 
 ejecting 
 
Serm.  17.        the  Refurretfion  anfwer^d.  467 
 
 effecting  it.     Whether  to  be  or  not  to  he^  m 
 fuch  circumftances  as  we  are  placed  in  during 
 this   life  be  beji,  is  eafy  to  be  determined,  if 
 we  conlider  i\\Q  fentimcnts  of  all  mankind  in  re- 
 ference to  it ;  who  though  they  may  often 
 complain  of  it,  are  loth  to  part  with  it,  and 
 would  generally  retain  it,  at  any  price  whereby 
 they  could  purchafe  it  3  and   I  imagine  there 
 are  but  two  circumftances  that  could   deter- 
 mine and  reconcile  men  to  part  with  it ;  ei- 
 ther  a  diftempered  7?und  2.nd  body^  ov  iht  prin- 
 aples  of  religion,  attended  with  a  well-grounded 
 hope  of  a  better  exigence  and  world.     In  the 
 ^rfti  defpairy  and  the  ftrong  defire  to  get  rid 
 of  prefent  fnife?'y,  may  prompt  men   to  put  a 
 violent  end  to  life  ;  in  the  latter ,  the  good  af- 
 furance  of  a  better  flate  of  things,  in  exchange 
 for  the   prefent,  may  caufe  them  not  only  to 
 acquiefce  in   the   thought   of  their  difmiffion 
 from  the  prefent  life,  but  even  to  wait  with 
 pleafure  and  fatisfa6tion  the  appointed  hour  cf 
 it.    In  all  other  cafes  I  am  apt  to  think,  mofl 
 perfons  would  be  willing  to  live  here,  as  long 
 as  they  could,  upon  the  prefent  terms  of  life  ; 
 and    the    reftoration   to   fuch   anothi^r  period 
 ^nd  ftate  of  life,  would  not  therefore  be  looked 
 on  by  them,  as  fo  mean,  (o  contemptible,  and 
 undefirable  a  favour.     However,  the  value  of 
 fuch  a  refloration  would  be  greatly  diminiihed, 
 |n  proportion  to  the  numerous  imperfections, 
 $nd  various  kinds  of  miferies  that  attend  it  > 
 and  was  this  life  nothing  more  than  a  capa- 
 city for  fenfual  gratificitions,  h^.d  it  no  prof- 
 H  h  2  pe(!n:3 
 
468  7 he  Ohjeclms  agahijl  Serm.  if. 
 
 peds  of  futurity,  no  views  of  a  more  durable 
 and  fubftantial  happinefs  in  a  better  confli- 
 tuted  ftate  cf  things,  and  by  confequence  no 
 powerful  inducements  or  encouragements  to 
 religion  and  virtue,  no  confolatiotis  to  derive 
 fuperior  to  tjiofe  which  the  pr^fent  (late  can 
 piinifler  to  us ;  the  ivifefi  and  the  mojl  thought- 
 ful n\tn  \NO\Adj  I  believe,  he  indifferent  to  the 
 continuance  of  it,  and  find  little  or  nothing 
 to  induce  them  to  accept  It,  if  offered  to 
 them  2,  fecond  tlmt.  And  if  the  refurreBicn, 
 which  tt  e  golpel  fpeaks  of,  was  nothing  more 
 or  better  thaq  our  rejloration  to  cur  bodies^ 
 with  all  their  prefent  imperfedlions  and  dijad' 
 i\antages^  to  drag  on  for  a  few  years  the  lame 
 fort  of  dull,  impertinent,  uncertain,  mixed, 
 and  uncopifortable  life  as  we  do  now,  and 
 then  to  lay  it  down  in  the  fame  circumftances 
 of  vvretchednefs,  pain  and  mifery,  I  confefs 
 J  (hould  greatly  fufpedt  the  divine  original  of 
 the  dcftrine  ;  becaufe  it  would  in  promife  be 
 no  encouragement  to  piety  and  virtue,  and  in 
 the  grant  no  real  recompence  for  the  love  and 
 pradice  of  them  ;  in  the  offer,  fuch  as  the 
 wifeft  men  would  find  the  greateft  difficulty 
 in  thankfully  accepting.  Not  to  add,  that 
 no  good  reafon  can  be  conceived,  why  God 
 ihould  permit  good  men  to  be  deprived  of 
 the  prefent  life,  if  he  had  no  better  to  beflow 
 on  them,  and  if  it  was  his  intention  to  bring 
 them  back  to  the  pofieilion  of  it,  without 
 bedowing  on  them  a  better,  if  he  was  able 
 to  do  it. 
 
Serm.  17'.         the  ReJlirreBlon  anpwcred.  46^ 
 
 But  the  ChriJIian  doBrine  is  free  from  all 
 thefe  embarraflments  and  difficulties,  and  the 
 refurrcSilon  it  promifes  is  a  bleffi  ng  worthy  of 
 the  greateft  and  bed  of  beings  to  bertow,  and 
 which  defcrves  our  bed:  and  warmeR  endea- 
 vours to  fecure  the  polTeffion  of  it.  A  refur- 
 redtion  not  only  to  life,  but  to  life  and  immor^ 
 tality,  A  refurredlion  to  a  body,  but  not  to 
 an  earthly,  animal,  grofs,  heavy,  and  mortal 
 one,  but  to  an  heavenly,  fpiritual,  refined,  ac^ 
 the,  and  incorruptible  one.  It  implies  the  re- 
 ftoration  of  our  whole  nature,  the  revival  of 
 pur  intire  conftitution,  in  the  tv^^o  effential 
 parts  of  it  j  but  both  of  them  in  a  ftate  of 
 the  utmofl:  perfection  and  dignity.  The  jnind 
 intirely  free  from  all  moral  diforders,  and  the 
 body  from  all  natural  j  the  mind  in  the  full 
 poflefllon  of  every  difpofition  for  the  highed: 
 happinefs,  the  body  (o  new  moulded  and  at- 
 tempered, as  to  be  not  the  lead  hindrance, 
 but  fo  as  to  minifter  to  and  promote  it ;  that 
 free  frorn  every  (lain  of  fin,  this  without  the 
 Icaft  tendency  and  inducement  to  it  ;  that 
 fitted  for  immediate  converfe  with  G^d,  this 
 able  to  bear  his  prefence,  and  the  fulleil:  ma- 
 nifeftations  of  his  glory  ;  the  one  conformed 
 to  the  image  of  Chrift  in  all  the  beauties  of 
 perfedl  holinefs,  the  other  fully  refembling  his 
 glorified  body,  that  they  may  appear  with  a 
 fplendor  worthy  the  high  chararfer  of  his  ge- 
 nuine difciples  ;  the  one  in  fancftity  and  dig- 
 nity equal  to  Angeh,  the  other  with  a  coverin;^. 
 of  light  and  glory,  that  fhall  put  them  upon  a 
 lev^l  with  thofejlars  of  the  mourning  ;  in  a  word, 
 ''■'   '  •  *  ♦  w^ 
 
47<^  ^ibe  Ohje^ions  againji  -  Serm.  lyv 
 
 we  {hall,  in  oar  intire  perfons,  be  fully  pre- 
 pared for  the  heavenly  nianfions  of  bleilednefs,. 
 capable  of  entering  into  all  the  employments 
 and  fdcred  fervices  of  God's  heavenly  king- 
 dom, and  of  {baring  in  all  the  joys  and  fa- 
 tisfadions  that  infinite  wifdom  and  goodnefs 
 hath  liberally  prepared  for  the  everlafting  en- 
 tertainment of  the  children  and  favourites  of 
 the  eternal  Father. 
 
 O  glorious  hope  and  bleiTed  profped  !  Hov^ 
 full  of  confolalion  is  the  thought  ?  What  plea- 
 fure  doth  this  expectation  create  in  the  minds 
 of  fincere  Chriltians  ?  What  confolation  in- 
 fpire  amidft  the  uncertainties  and  diltrefTes  of 
 life  ?  Can  piety  and  virtue  have  a  nobler  re~ 
 ward  ?  How  fully  will  all  the  felf-denials  and 
 labours  of  religion  by  this  refurredlion  be  re- 
 warded ?  How  high  an  iiiceittive  is  this  to 
 renounce  the  corruptions  of  life,  to  keep  our-, 
 felves  free  from  the  inipurities  of  it,  to  perfeH 
 holinefs  in  the  fear  of  Gody  and  to  abound  in  all 
 the  good  works  and  virtues,  to  which  our 
 Chriftian  profeflion  obliges  us  ?  What  could 
 be  an  higher  encouragement  to  all  works  of 
 mercy  a?id  goodnefs,  to  comfort  apd  relieve  the 
 poor,  the  maimed,  the  lame  and  the  blind, 
 than  what  our  blefled  Mafter  hath  afTured  us 
 of :  'Thou  fialt  be  bleffed ;  for  they  cannot  recom-> 
 fence  thee ;  for  thou  fialt  be  recompenced  at  the 
 refurreBion  of  thejujl  §.  It  is  d.  good  expe^ancy 
 and  fure  reverfion,  Chriflians.  Should  God 
 Reward  your  bounty  and  friendfhip  to  thofe 
 
 I  Luke  xiv.  14. 
 
 .•-•     '  that 
 
Serm.  17.         the  Refurre5Iion  anfwered.  ^yf 
 
 that  are  in  diflrefs,  and  that  deferve  and  need 
 your  affiftance,  with  a  temporal  reward  only, 
 it  would  be  but  a  precarious  uncertain  reward, 
 which  you  muft  foon  part  with.  But  his  re- 
 wards are  more  durable.  They  are  indeed 
 referved  for  a  future  flate.  But  that  ftate  is 
 certain,  the  recompence  of  it  unlpeakably 
 great,  and  of  an  eternal  duration.  Do  you 
 believe  thefe  truths  ?  I  know  you  believe 
 them.  Suffer  them  then  to  have  their  proper 
 influence  over  you,  and  excite  you  to  all  the 
 proper  inftances  of  benevolence  and  goodnefs. 
 Is  not  the  gofpel  dodrine,  that  brings  yoa 
 thefe  glad  tidings  of  an  eternal  triumph  over 
 death,  by  a  glorious  refurrecftion  to  life  and 
 immortality,  every  way  worthy  your  accept- 
 ance ?  Would  you  not  have  the  knowledge 
 of  it  kept  up  in  the  Vorld  ?  Would  you  not 
 willingly  be  the  happy  inflruments  of  God's 
 providence  and  grace,  in  preparing  others  for 
 a  {hare  in  this  glorious  event,  and  rejoice  in 
 the  laft  great  day,  that  God  hath  honoured 
 you  to  be  the  happy  means  of  promoting  the 
 redemption  of  others  ?  This  you  may  be, 
 by  affifting  them  with  the  means  of  inftruc- 
 tion,  piety  and  goodnefs.  It  is  placing  out 
 our  money  to  the  bell:  advantage  and  interefl. 
 It  is  laying  it  out  in  a  fecure  and  permanent 
 fund.  The  mifer  may  laugh  at  this,  and  men 
 of  no  principles  may  contemn  it.  But  whilfl: 
 religion  is  a  reality,  there  is  no  truth  more 
 certain,  than  that  the  benevolence  of  righteous 
 and  pious  men  {hall  be  amply  rewarded.  Un--' 
 der  this  perfuafion  you  will  want  no  farther 
 
 inducement 
 
1 
 
 ^jrz  7hs  OhjeElions^  &c.  Serm.  ij, 
 
 inducement  to  offer  to  God  this  lacrifice  of 
 good  works,  according  to  your  ability,  and 
 as  God  hath  profpered  you  ;  and  then  here- 
 after, when  they  ivho  have  JJ:ewn  no  mercy  to 
 many  {hall  obtain  as  little  mercy  from  God, 
 you  Jhall  go  into  life  eternal,  with  this  kind 
 acknowledgement  from  the  fupream  and  uni- 
 verfal  judge  :  Verily  I J  ay  unto  you,  inasmuch 
 as  you  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  kajl  of  thefe  my 
 brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto  me. 
 
 End  of  the  First  Volume, 
 
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1  d