Robert W. Woodruff Library Boles Collection special collections emory university EIGHT SERMONS, ON BY THE REVEREND JOSEPH ALEXANDER, D.ID. IN THE DISTRICT OF YORK, Souih-Carolina. CHARLESTON: printed by w. p. voukc, 1807. O THE GENEROUS AND CANDID PUBLIC, The following sheets are dedicated, as a memorial of that friendship with which they have received the public ministration of their sincere friend, and hnnTie servant, f. <-/£. SERMON I. ALL MANKIND IN ABSOLUTE NEED OF A SAVIOURj AND THAT CHRIST JESUS IS THE SAVIOUB. WHICH THEY NEED. JOHN VIII.—XXIV. For if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins• NO fin is more ruinous in it's nature, or more ungrateful to the ear of a sinner, than unbelief. It is the last which is healed. All other transgreffions of the Divine law are more open to convidtion. This hath fpecious pretences to fupport it. Mankind dom- mit this sin through fear of finning. They will not believe, left they fhouid be guilty of prefumption—■ they dare not believe, because they want the great qualifications of thofe who ought to believe. The power of all other sins is centered here Ip this, Satan is moll ftrongly fortified- The adulterer, or tji^ profane fwearer are open to convi&ian—- Shew thefn wherein they have tranfgreffed, they can plead no defence. The wages of fin is death-—All fin tpehits damna¬ tion from the juft and holy law of God.-—All the fins of the moll prolonged life could not injf*jt ihiu dc ith, if unbelief did not fix and empower fheni This is the condemnation that light is come info, the ^.orfi, but men choofe darknefs rather than Jight * This draws down ruin with accumulated vengeance. *CI» flaming fire taking vengeance on them that k&ptf fccfc A 3 6 SERMON!. * ' God, and obey not the gofpelof our Lord Jefus Chrift." What more terrible can a God threaten, or man feel, than to die in our fins ? To fuch, the death of Chrill can have no effefl. " Chrift is be¬ come of none effect unto you, whofoever of you are ^iltified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.** .although there is virtue in the blood, of Chrifl to pardon fin, the perfon can have no benefit of it, as long as he continues unddr the dominion of un¬ belief. It wasfaid of the miraculous works of Chriil, " He could do no mighty works there becaufe of their unbeUef." None of the fpiritual works of Chrifl can do the foul good until the Lqrd breaks the power of this fin. " " The word preached ?Kd not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." The richeft cordials and moil fovereign remedy will hot help the lick or the wounded, unlefs received and applied. Unlefs delivered from aq evil heart of Unbelief, all the fins of life remain upon the joerfon. What an infupportable load of guilt is fixed on the perfon I Oujr text faith, * For if ye believe not that I aitr he, ye lhall die in your fins " It is obferv- able, that there is an ellipfis in the original —a figure frequently ufed in the fcriptures, and mult be fupplied fl us—For if ye believe not that I am the Meffiah, ther only Saviour of linners, ye (hall die in your fins. Thefe words Ihow that all mankind are, by nature, hnners, and that all will perilh* in tl>eir fins unlefs tney are delivered by a Saviour. Why doth any of tie children of Adam refufe to accept of this deliver- ahce, at the hand of a Saviour I Becaufe they are in¬ fusible of their ftate; becaufe they do not know thq of fin; the ftridtnefs of the divine law j the ma- pjty of that God whom they have offended ; ignorant i>f the total apoftacy of their hearts; are blind to eter- hity, and fee no excellency in Chnft ; are compara¬ tively whole* had fee no need of a Saviour,. SERMON I. ? For the illuftration of the text we fhall (how* I. That all mankind ftand in abfolute need of a Saviour. II. That Jefus Chrift is the Saviour which their needy circumftances require. The light of the gofpel has (hone in more or lefs bright rays over our hemifphere; fuch is the wick- ednefs of the heart of all men, by nature, that they hate this light which bringeth falvation; they refill it, and rebel against it. Some, profeffedly, from principle, deny the ne- ceflity of a Saviour, or a Salvation. Infenjible of the moral depravity of man, the dcceitfulnefs of' the human heart, and the ruinous confeqnences of moral evil, they flatter themfelves, that in the prefent ftate of human nature, they are competent to anfwer alt the demands of the law of a juft and righteous God., They unduly eftimate their fuppofed honeft and inno¬ cent works; all the imaginary good deeds which can be performed by man ; their great attainments in na¬ tural knowledge j and the great things done by high¬ ly improved talents of mind; without corfldering that there can be no merit in aftions which are not found¬ ed on a fupreme love to God. Multitudes who have enjoyed the Light of the gof¬ pel, would blulh to deny that they need a Saviour; by the deceitfulnefs of fin, and the extreme wickednrfs of their hearts, they fecretly abhor and- repel tfre un¬ welcome idea. t We acknowledge that man, by nature* "is capable of performing great things. His underflandlog * rea¬ son, memory, and imagination do fu^idSently tha the hand which made them is Divine i that rrujeltic, even in ruins. How wonderful have bee a the exertions of fome plalofoj>heti> a SERMON I. tors! how immoral ftill in their lives! how far have they failed in reforming the world ! That we may fee and feel the truth cf our firft pro- pofition, let us corifider human nature, in its present ftate, feparate from all fupernatural influence. The heart is the fpring of all a&ion. As is the heart, fo will all its adtions be. The heart of all mankind has a prevailing tendency to moral evil, that only, and thpt continually. In our firft capacity of ailing as moral agents, we areaverfe from God, and exceedingly propenfe to evil. This tendency is early difcovered in all. This propenfity muft be evil, be- caufe odious and deteftable, and it renders the fubject of it odious in the light of God, liable to be con¬ demned* and utterly rejedled by him. If there is in the heart of man a tendency to moral evil, and con- fequently, to guilt, fuperior to his virtue and merit, ail the virtuous adlions, that he can perform, are as nothing. Muft we not then fee that the nature of man *8 corrupt and evil. That this depravity of man's nature is great, appears in that &e has a prevailing tendency fO be iinning againft God, A difpofition to immediate iin is equal to a propenlity to continual finning—continual finning is nothing but a propenfity to inmediate finning continued, therefore, the fame difpofition continuing, it will ftill equally tend to moral evil. The depravity of human nature difcovers itfelf moft manifeftly in the remainder of fin, in the beft men upon earth—from the extreme folly of man- Uim in giving that love and obedience to the creature whit,b is due to God alone—in the cold, lifelefs, and 4 •»Toi y manner in which men, jS|>y nature, act with Jfcfpeft to thofy things on which their eternal intereft -depends, and* with what difficulty, even a few, are ex- citeJfrc* any tolerable degree of care and diligence, tft make than w^fe for themfelves. SERMON I. 9 Such is the power of this depravity, that it begets enmity to God, and, as an enemy, he is continually prone to oppofe the w ill of God, and to walk in the paths of difobedience. As children of disobedience, depraved men purfue different paths—one hatches cockatrice-eggs another weaves a fpider's web. Thefe include all the fchetnes, aims, and achieve¬ ments of men. The bufy part of mankind multiply evils and miferies. The more retired, fpeculative, and curious, amuse themfelves with things unfubftantial, unliable, and ufelefs. When it is confidered, that the hearts of all man¬ kind, by nature, have, at all times, a prevailing ten¬ dency to moral elil—contra&ing new guilt every mo¬ ment—finners—tranfgreffors wicked in all their ways. When we eftimate a life of difobedience, by comparing it with ftich a fenfe of the majefly, holi- nefs, and authority of God, as he only can imprefs on the heart of a finner, we furely will be convinced, that nothing but the blood of the Son of God can a- tone for the fmallelt difobedience; and, confequently, that all mankind, from the prefent ftate of human na¬ ture, are under abfolute need of a Saviour—center¬ ed as guilty, he needs pardon—when viewed as under the power and dominion of a corrupt heart, he needs being changed-- being born again. Without a Savi¬ our to deliver, he muft be excluded the blifsfufjpre-" fence of God. ■ Again, When the fcriptures give a ^picture of the ffate of all mankind, by nature, they jreprefe»t man#* as foon asvhe is capable of a&ing, jas a tnat agent, as guilty of fin. /ft If any map agalnft thee; for there is no man that ' fihue^k not." There is -not a jult man upon. earth thatf doeth good, and finneth not,"' ** etery" mouth may be flopped, and all the world become guilty before God," * we thafc SE&MON r. we have no fin, we deceive ourfelves, and the truth is not in us." Confeffion of fin, and repentance of fin, are declared to be duties proper for all. Yea, that all are sinful creatures, however in- fenfible they may be of it. Their hearts are deceitful and defperately wicked, as wicked as deceitful. They hide their wickednefs from their view—from thefe hearts proceed murders, adulteries, and falfe witnefs. In their hearts is a fixed prejudice againft Cod himfelf. '* The carnal mind is enmity aga nil God, it is not fubjeCl to the laws of God, neither indeed can be." The apoftle ufeth the abftraCl, it is enmity to heighten the coloring—an enemy may be reconciled, as Efau was to Jacob, but enmity never can. Thofe who are at enmity counteract each the Other's will, and revolt againft fubmiflion. The fiefh- ly mind is rebellious, to the higheft degree, againft the will of God, it is impofilble it fhould be other- wile—there is in it a moral impotency to obedience. Mr. Henry fays, that enmity is not only the aliena¬ tion of the foul from God ; but the oppofition of the foul againft God-—it rebels againft his authority, counteracts his defigns, oppofes hxs intereft, and fpurns againft his bowels. The mind of the finner not being fubjeCt to the law of God, muft be contrary, and that continually, to the whole law of God, therefore, the finner breaks this law, every moment, by the evil frame of, his heart. Add to this conftant violation of the law, all his thoughts, words, and aCttons, natural, civil, or facred* are violations of the law, becaufe he is a cor¬ rupt tree, and cannot bring forth ,good fruit. Hence every thought of his heart is only evil continually, and he, being evil, cannot fpeak good things—his every adion muft,' therefore, be fin. How innumer^ able muft be the fins of every man'.---his whole b^e one continual trcfpafi I Are they not under guilt* SERMON I* immenfe guilt, that no fuppofed virtuous anions can countervail ! They muft be pardoned this immenfe guilt—mpft be delivered from this inveterate, impla- f&bte difpofition of heart. This deliverance cannot be effe&ed without the interpofition of a Saviour j there¬ fore, all mankind are in need of a Sa viour. Again, The whole fcheme of redemption loudly proclaims man's need of a Saviour. No imaginable reafon qan be afiigned for the cove¬ nant of peace between the Father and the Son, in the early ages of eternity, without granting, that it was to devife the. redemption and recovery of a number of the human family—their eternal happi¬ nefs, doubtlefs, lay before them—their deareft and everlafting concerns were in their hands. They viewed all mankind, not only as exifting, but fallen, iniferable, forlorn creatures. How can thefe be re- ftored to happinefs, without prejudice to the honor* juftice, and truth of God; this, this is the weighty, important bufinefs which engaged their attention. The external ..caufe of that fatisfadlion which the Father demanded, and which the Son made, was the iniferable ftate in which they were upon the account of their 15ns, which juftly deferved eternal punifo¬ ment. The God of mercy, feeing them in this ru¬ ined condition, had compaffion on them; and, for their fakes, the Son of God endured ail the punUh-! ment,which they deferved, that he might reftore them' to their firft happinefs. The reprefentations which the fcriptures give of the redemption, by Chrift, oblige us to believe that all were linners whom he came to redeem* and that he came to redeem from lin, and alt that panifoment, which is the juft defert of their- fin. The nanrti Jefus was given by God's immediate and Ipecluf appointment. It was given to Signify that he fiiOuld fare His people frvta their fins." The 12 Sermon i. great leading do&rine of Salvation by Chrift, is, " that he came into the world 10 fave finners." And that Chrift hath once fuffered, the juft for the unjuft." *' In this was manifeft the love of God towards us, that God fent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him—herein is love, that he fent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." When we attend to what Chrift said, that if any are not finners, they have no more need of him, than a man, in perfeft health, hath of a phyfician." That may be the proper fubjetft of the mercy of God, through Chrift, he muft firft be in a ftate of iin. " But the fcripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promife, by faith of Jefus Christ, might be given to them that believe." The redemption by Chrift, is reprefented by eter¬ nal truth, as a redemption from deferved deftruttion, as the fruit of God's love to mankind. " God fo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whofoever believeth on him might not perilh, but have everlafting life." This im¬ plies, thac believe they muft, or perifh they muft. If they did not deferve to be deftroyed, what necef- fity could there be for his sending his Son ? That deferved deftrudlion, is that which is here intended, muft be evident, for it is compared to the perifhing of the children of lfrael, who died by the bite of the fiery ferpents, which God, in his wrath, fent among them, for their rebellion. . This is flill confirmed by the laft words in this chapter—" He that believeth on the Son, lhall have life ; and he that believeth not the Son, {hall not fee life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." This fhews that all are under the wrath of God, and that unlefs it be removed by an intereft in Chrift, the wrath of God is flill remaining on them. • Hence it appears, that all men are, by SERMON I. *3 nature, finners, and conftantly expofed to deferved punilhment, unlets they have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope fet before them. .When the Holy Spirit applies the benefits of re¬ demption by Chrift Jefus, he finds that every natural fon of Adam is born in a fiate of moral pollution— hence, we learn, that fpiritual baptifm is a cleanfing from moral filthinefs.—" Then will I fprinkle clean water upon you, and ye {hall b£ clean from all your filthinefs ; and from all your idols will I cleanfe you." " Except a man be born of the Spirit, and of water, he cannot fee tjie kingdom of God." Men are faid to be purified in regeneration. (t Seeing ye have purified your fouls, by obeying the truth through the Spirit." Every man, in his natural fiate, is a finner, or he would need no repentance, no turning from fin to God. His nature is corrupt, according to the deceitful luft, and exerts.itfelf in nothing but wicked deeds—man's nature is a body of fin, which muft be deftroyed, mud die—this body of fin is put off in fpiritual renovation. Doth not the whole fcheme of redemption, in its implication and application, show that all rilankind are finful, guilty, polluted, and corrupt beings,"bound to endure deferved wrath, whofe nature muft be changed before they can be prepared to fee the kingdom of God ? Muft not this change be effe&ed by one that is mighty to fave ? Can it be fuppofed that God would have provided a ranfomef, at the expenfe of the death of his beloved Son, if the condition of mankind did not make a -Saviour abfolutely ne- ceffary ? Again, the proud, unmortified human heart pof- feffes a Laodicean difpofition, flattering' themfelves that they are rich* increafed in goods, and needing nothing. They refort to then: innocence and felf* *4 SERMON I, Tigjhteoufnefs, and entertain ro doubt of their actual compliance with the requifitions of the law of God. and, therefore, indulge no fears of miffing an eternal ■weight of glory. What doth that law of God re¬ quire at the hand of all who would.obtain happinefs by. it i Doubtiefs, a perfection of obedience in thought, word, and attion, at all times, and in all circumftances. Every law, human and divine, re¬ quires all that it doth reqvdre, and to require all that it doth require, is to require perfeft compliance with all it's requifitions. Seeing every fin is forbidden to man, and every duty enjoined upon him, he cannot be *at liberty to commit one fin, or omit one^duty, not even the leaft, and, to perform thefe, is perfeCt obedience. Moreover, that perfect obedience is required of us, is not only evident, from what has been faid, but it is the voice of the word of God, as appears from the dreadful curfe denounced againft every transgreffor, for the leafl; offence—«* Curfed is every one that con¬ tinued not in all things written in the law to do them," " For whofoever fhall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he ijs guilty of all." , if any fhould think, that a juft God would not ret quire that perfection of obedience which man is una- able to perform, let it be confidered—To fay that it would be unjuft in God tb'require perfect obedjence of man, feeing lie 13 up&ble to perform it, is the fame thing as to fay, the more, incapable man is to perform perfeCt obedience, the lefs fhould be required of him, and the lefs was required of him, the lefs hp was bpund to do, and (he lefs he was bound to do, the lefs he could fin j fo that the moft wicked man upon earth, who by his repeated wickednefs has be¬ come averfe from God, and every thing that is good, and, of confequence, qnable to perform any good SERMON I. "*5 thing, is bound to do lefs, and, therefore, could be iefs guilty of fin—how glaringly abfurd the confe- quence. Every individual of the human race, upon the moll fcanty and partial reflection ora the vain thoughts, foolifh words, and unholy aftions of which they have been guilty, muft confefs that they have offend¬ ed. in many things, and failed in every dutj/, and, oonfequently, have not rendered that obedience which the law requires; and that, by fuch failure, they are juftly expofed to the curfe of the Jaw. That by the deeds of the law, they cannot be juftified—therefore, they are finners under condemnation, Handing in ab- folute need of a Saviour to deliver from An, and. condemnation-—muft fee that they have not Only for¬ feited happinefs, by tranfgreffion, but, by depravity, become incapable of it—that he has no more de- fire and tafte for jhe happinefs of heaven, than a deaf man, for a concert of mafic; therefore, a marvellous change is abfolutely neceffary. Divorced from the love and practice of £9, he mull be—divorced from all dependence on the law, for life, he muft be— .born again, he muft be—a Saviour, then, he muff have, orperifti in his fins. We pafs.en, to (how,—- IE That Jefus Christ is the Saviour which their needy circumftances require. Nothing ever was, or will be, more important to a foul, truly affedted with a fenfe of his fin, guilt* and danger, and, confequentfy, of his real need of a savW our, than to hear, by infallible authority, -of a Savi¬ our, provided and commifliofted from the court heaven, to feek and fiave fuch, loft aqd perilhing fin¬ ners as he is. This gives tpnfidence of^fitce ground, and that, refting We, he will ndfrbuild his hopes bf iappinefs on a fandy foundation, but bn the rock Of SERMON I. ages which can never fail. Jefus is this very .Saviour, he not only has, but produces, his commiffion—«« For him hath God, the Father, fealed." In general, he was fealed to the work of media¬ tion, to recover and fave all whom the Father had given him—" As thou haft given him power over all fiefh, that he fhould give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him." To bring Jacob back again—" And now, faith the Lord, that formed me from the womb, to be his fervant, to bring Jacob to him." The apoftle confirms this intercfting news, faying, •' That he might bring us to God." To be more particular,-— For the more fu-rely effefting this glorious defign, he was fealed to the offices of prophet, prieft, and king. Let an ambaffador, to a foreign court, relate what he may, he will not be attended to, until he produces his commiffion. Jefus produceth his com¬ miffion, under the great feal of heaven, to preach the glad tidings of falvation to finners.—You can read it, as recorded in Luke iv. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. To the foul highly impreffed with a fenfe of it's utter inability to atone for the leaft fin, and that he really needs an all-atoning facrifice, and one to plead his caufe in the court of heaven, Jefus fhows that he was fealed, by the Father, to execute both the obla¬ tory and interceflory parts of a prieft. He is com¬ manded, by the Father, to give himfelf a facrifice for fin.—" No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myfelf; I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." Hence the offering of his blood is ftiled, an act of obedience. " And being found in fafhion of a man, he humbled himfelf, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the crofs." And that he advocates theic caufe* he is appointed by his Father to in- SERMON I. if tercede for them. "To make continual intercefiion for them." The convinced finner having exerted every effort in the ufe of every ordinary mean to reform, and to renew his heart, finds, by many fore trials; that he can do nothing—that his heart is a hard, unmanage¬ able thing—that it is now his worlt enemy, often de-; livering him up to his numerous foes; he is convinced that fupernatural power mull work mightily in him, dnd for him, or he muft continue a ftubborn unrecon¬ ciled enemy to God. Jefus came to him with au¬ thority from the father to break down and fubdue his obftinate'heart, to a cheerful obedience to his Divine will, and to bring his and their enemies to bow to his footftool. Hence you hear him declaring, " All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." He fhews his royal commiffion to command the moft rebellious fons of men unto obedience, and to conquer his moft inveterate enemies. This ftnful man, having a full affurance that Jefus came with all authority and power to feek and to fave thofe that are loft, and being fatisfied that there can- be no deception in trufting to him. Neverthelefs, from a view of his own vilenefs anjl unworthinefs, he doubts* the grace and mercy of Jefus to help and de¬ liver thofe fodeferving of utter and final rejeflion. Jefus came to fave the poor, the needy, the mife- rable and helplefs, without money and without price —without merit, righteoufnefs, virtue, or any re¬ commendatory qualification. If he believes that' Jefus is the Saviour of the world, that he is able and willing to fave-—if he has feriodfly confidered the terms, felf-denial, taking the crofs, and to follow Chrift, confents to them, and entirely depends upon his mediation for happinefs, and commits himself to Chrift, with freedom and defire, Jefus invites him at SERMON I. to take all the waters of life freely. Not by works of righteoufnefs which we have done, but according to his mercy hath he faved us, by the wafhing of regenera¬ tion, and renewing of the Holy Gholl, which he Ihed on us abundantly, through Jefus Chrift, our Saviour." *' And whofoever will, let him come and take of the waters of life freely." All the the bleflings of falvation are offered freely—" Ho, every one that thirfteth, come ye unto the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy wine and milk, without money and without price. This perfon is now afHi£led> groaning and filling the air with fighs by day, and by night being bur¬ dened with a fenfe of guilt—he prays—he attends to the duties of holinefs, hoping thereby to find reft to his foul—1 but can find no peace—the more he doth, the deeper he finks in guilt, until he looks to Chrift —then he finds that Chrift has paid the price of his redemption, and as a furety has atoned for his fins, by the facrifice of himfelf—he now fees that there is a fufficiency of merit in the blood of Jefus, to cancel the guilt of. all his fins. " Surely he he hath born our griefs, and carried our forrows j yet we did ef- teem him ftricken, fmitten of God, and afflicted ; but he was wounded for our tranfgreflions, he was bruif- ed for our iniquities, the chaftifement of our peace was upon him, and with his ftripes we are healed." By this atonement for fin he has purchafed pardon and acceptance with God. " For him hath God the Father exalted to his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance unto Ifrael and remiffion of fin." " 1 here is, therefore, now no con¬ densation to them Aat are in Chrift Jefus." In the atoning blood of Jefus, he by faith obtains grace and pardon—glorious deliverance. Being now blefled with peace of confcience, by the application of the blood of atonement, through SERMON L 'faith In Chrift Jefus, lie is, neverthelefs, ofteff ii* perplexing fears and doubts refpedting deliverance from the curfe of the law, left all its thunders are ftill pointed ^againft him. Adored be the riches of divine grace," "that Chrift hath redeemed all that be- -lieve in him,'from the curfe of the law, by being made a curfe for them. He has bought them from the hand of juftice, and by'the price of blood has deliver¬ ed from all that wrath and punifhment threatened in the curfe of the law, as the due defert of fin; he having, by the Father's appointment, come under the fentence and execution of the law, in his law Toom and ftead, when he hung on the crofs. The law can now have no demand upon him, that will be available, conftdering himfelf as having believed un¬ to falvation. Though it fhould fay to confcience, herein, and in that thou haft tranfgrefTed and broken me; and therefore thou art a great debtor to Irvine juftice, which muft be fatisfied, or I will arre^T you. The believer can anfwer, Chrift hath pajdrall my debts—through Chrift I am now dead tovyou, and you are dead to me, except as a rule of life. Juf¬ tice can have nothing to. do with me; Chrift hath freed me from the law, and all its thunders of hell and damnation. This perfon that is united to Chrift, entertains hopes, that through riches of grace in Chrift, he is delivered from the curfe of the law, yet he feels fuch a remainder of corruption, and that fin operates fo powerfully in his mortal body, leading him captive from time to time, that it fills Kim with diftrefilng thoughts, left fxn fhould one day prevail againft him. It cofts him many fighs 'and groans, and makes him earneftly long for deliverable. He feels himfelf vile and miserable—his in-dwefling fin is his burden—he cries,O wretched man that I am, who fhall fetme s 2 so SERMON I. free from this body of fin ?" It will work in me as long as I dwell in this mortal flelh. I greatly fear the confequence. How reviving are the hopes of relief in Chrift, againft this worft of evils, and the greateft forrow of his heart! This fupports him againft overwhelming wretchednefs. " I thank God, fays the apoftle, through Chrift Jcfus my Lord." Being a believer he is moulded into the fpirit of the gofpel, which under Divine influence, had a transforming efficacy upon him. He is now free from the commanding power of fin, and in his very heart has become a fervant of righteoufnefs—he ought then to reckon himfelf en¬ tirely, utterly and everlaflingly dead to fin—though it is continually ftriving for the maftery in him, he mull never yield to its efforts. The Holy Spirit en¬ lightens him by the word of God, to difcover the evil, quickens his foul to refillance, and ftrengthens him to fight unto vi&ory; and by bringing his cor¬ rupt affections, principles and pra&ices to the foot of the crofs of Chrift, they are molt powerfully cruci¬ fied. In due time, this holy oppofition will procure him the crucifixion of fin, by efficacy derived from Chrift, as he died for fin by a gradual, lingering and agonizing death, fo will the fin of this perfon. " If ye through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body." By cleaving to Chrift, and applying his righteoufnefs to his confcience, ,his affedlions and love to the world, are difengaged from it. *' By whom I am crucified unto the world, and the world unto me." .As the work of fan&ification progreffes in his foul, fin will be dying daily, and his foul reviving in all its holy duties. Laftly. This perfon ardently afpires after the enjoy¬ ment of the pure abodes of everlafting felicity. He is in¬ formed, by infallible authority, that "there lhall in no wife enter into it any thing that defileth." It is afcer- SERMON I. si tained to him, that his vile body muft be the fubjedl ©f an amazing change, before it can be prepared for the enjoyments and employments of that holy city, the new jerufalem. Who can, who will efifedl this glorious change ? He is fenfible that neither man nor angel can or will accomplifh it for him. Mud he, then, be for ever excluded ? If fo, why all this work of Divine grace, all thefe marvellous deliverances to his foul ? The apoflle allures him, that, " Unto them that look for him, he fhall appear a fecond time, without fin, unto falvation." Chrid once appeared as a worm, and no man : now, in the glorious morning of the refurrettion, he will appear in all his own glo¬ ry, the glory of the Father, and all his holy angels; then will he appear to judge the world in righteouf- nefs ; then will he appear to give the finilhing drcke to that falvation, which he had begun in the hearts of the children of men. The apoftle gives a mod delightful intimation—" who fhall change our vile bodies, that they may be fafhioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working, where¬ by he is able to fubdue all things unto himfelf." When Chrid makes this fecond appearance, he as the friend and Saviour of bis people, that have truded in him, will falhion their bodies to be fit receptacles of pure fpirits, from the ivory palaces of bleffednefs. Therefore, in their reunion of foul and body, they will be furnifhed with every necellary qualification for fitting down with Abraham, Ifaac ar.d Jacob, in the prefence of their God, to drink full draughts of pleafure for ever and ever. What do you think of this falvation ? Is it not a great and glorious falvation ? Is it not every way fuited to the needy circumdances of finful man ? Doth it not fully correfpond with his warmed wilhes ? n 3 SERMON I. From what has appeared to you, muft you rot" learn, chat ail mankind, by nature, are in a ftate of fin, guilt, and juftly expofed to the wrath of a God that hates fin, and will execute vengeance for it. Hence they are in a miferabie, deplorable condition. They are without God, without a Saviour to«deliver them ; aliens from the commonwealth of Ifrael, andftrangers to the covenant of promife. By lives of wickednefs, they are become guilty of murder, felf-murder, foul- murder ; their blood is upon their own heads, and deftru&ion will be the fruit of their finfulnefs and obftinacy. The day is coming when they will ac¬ knowledge that it is jaft in God that they fhould die in their fins. What unfpeakable anguilh will this reflection give to their confciences! Be perfuaded to think of the miferies to which you are expofing yourfelves, before it is too late. " Let the wicked, forfake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon him. Again, Let us hence learn, that it is the immediate duty of all poor, blind, miferabie, needy, and naked, finners, to humble themfelves under the mighty hand of God—to confefs their fin, and forfake every evil way—to cry for believing views of the fulnefs, free- nefs and fuitablenefs of that grace and falvation, which is in Chrift Jefus—not to feek reft to their fouls, until united to Chrift by a living faith. . Again, Let us learn, how inconceiveably great, muft the goodnefs, love and grace of God be, who provided for finful, rebellious worms of the dull, an every way fuitable falvation, a great falvation—a fal¬ vation not only exceeding all comparifon, but all the thoughts of men or angels—when it is confidered at what an immenfe expence he prepared it, at the high, value of the blood of his dear, his only beloved 0 on. SERMON I. 23 This filled the angelic holts with the molt profound ailonilhment. They defired to pry into this myltery ■of love, goodnefs and grace. How bafely ungrateful mult that man be, who doth not admire and adore God, for fuch a difplay of marvellous goodnefs and grace ! How hard mult that heart be, that can continue ftupid and unconcerned, when it is his highelt interelt which is concerned ! Again, Let us learn to adore, and be for ever af- tonilh'ed at the love of Chrilt to poor finners—-that he fhould confent to leave the bofom of ineffable de¬ lights, to tabernacle in flelh—to live a life of forrow, and to bleed, groan, and give his life an offering for fin, that he might redeem and fave his very enemies. Read, O read Rom. 5, 6, 7, and 8, and admire the heights, lengths and breadths of the unmeafurable love of Chrilt! See how his love is recommended to poor finners. How few of the fons of men would be willing to relinquilh a rich living for Chrilt. ' Has the believer experienced the delights of near and dear communion with his God, with what reluctance would he be feparated from this enjoyment! Chrilt enjoyed a more ineffable pleafure with his Father, neverthelels, fuch was his love, that he parted with his all, that he might bring finful man to God. Doth nbt this love of the Son of God, melt your hearts, and beget in your fouls, the molt earneft de- fire to return to God ? Again, Doth what you have read convince you that you and all mankind ltand in need of a great falvation ? Have you lived in folly and vanity, neg¬ lecting God and Chrilt, and the great interefts of your precious and immortal fouls? Do you Hill feel no neceffity of repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jefus Chrilt ? What can L fay to you?? If I would daub you over with untempered mortar, and 24 SERMON I. fpeak peace, peace to you, I am fure you would defpife my unfaithfulness—judge yourfelves—muft I not, in love to you, tell you, that you are yet in your fins, ftrangers to God, and the power of his grace —mull I not tell you, that every moment that you delay taking the kingdom of God by holy vio¬ lence—every minute you put far from you the falvation of your foul, you are provoking God, to cut you off from the living, and fix your abode in everlafting darknefs. O, be wife while the day of grace lafts, lay hold on eternal life, and by every mean, fecure an intereft in that Jefus, whofe blood cleanfeth from all fin, can fanflify and make you meet for a heavenly inheritance. Have you been convinced of fin, guilt and danger ? Have you preffed into the kingdom of C&d ? Have you with all your heart, fought reft to your wounded conscience ? Have you tried holy duties, fought it in the enjoyment of created good ? Have you been tired with the vain purfuit ? Has your neceffity preff¬ ed you hard to haften to a mediator ? Have you fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope fet before you ? Have you deliberated on the terms propofed in the gofpel. And have you with all your heart de- fired Lhrift with a crofs, as well as with a crown ? Have you committed foul and body into his hands, hoping for falvation in him, and relling in no other name? To you, I fay with the apoftle, " Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord {efus, that good Shepherd of the fheep, through the blood of the everlafting covenant, make you per¬ fect in every good work, to do his will, working in you, that which is well pleafing in his fight, through jcfus Chrift j to whom be glory for ever and ever. AM EN, SEMJ\10JYm 11 CHRIST A SIVINE SAVIOUR. REVELATION I.— 17, 18. I am the jirjl and the■ laji, I am he that mat deadt and behold I am alive for ever mare. THE Romans ordinarily infli&ed banifhment uptra perfons fuppofed to be guilty of fedition." When John preached to them 'Chrift, and him crucified; thofe enemies of all true religion, Judged him guilty of railing a rebellious uproar among the people-; For this, he was fent to the ifle of Patmos. This temporary Hate of exile, was fo far from being a fevere punilhment, that it was .a time of the peculiar manifeftations of the Lord to him. He declares that he had a vifionary reprefentatJqn; him that was made after the likenefs of finful flelh. He defcribes this glorious perfonage, as e#ce}Kng 4n majefty, authority, purity, wifdom and powdr. So glorioufly majeftic was the appearance, thaj-ltftparfc him into fuch profound wonder and amazement, locked tip all his fenfes, and he fell at htsr Feet as a dead mam He, that-is ever ready to raife thole that are how.ed down, and to adminifier the molt rev^ng cordials ta them, laid his powerful yet? F^vOi-itble hand tupon him, faying unto him, u fear not.'> $y what motives doth he r^ife him ? He tells him, tba$ he is that jefus, with whom he had enjoydd fo macfy Twee* communion ; that although he was *God'a. feL SERMON II. bwi- the JirJi and the lajl, he had affumed the human nature, and in that nature differed the mod cruel and excruciating death ; " and was dead/' that he had rifen by the power of God, and is alive for ever more, to intercede for, and communicate the bleffings of his bloody paffion to his.people. That we may conceive this fubjedt more clearly, we (hall confider, I. That this Jefus is a Divine Sa¬ viour. II. That this Divine Jefus did die to redeem a people to God by his blood. III. That this Jefus who thus died, lives eternally in heaven, with all power to apply the fruits of his redemption. When the fcripture applies thofe names, titles, attributes and works, that are peculiar to God, to any being, we muft fay, that being is divine. If we can find all thefe afcribed to Chrift, it is mani- feft, in the mod clear manner, that he muft be Divine. That Jehovah is a name peculiar to God, no one can doubt, when he hears the Pfalxnift faying,«« That men may know that thou, whofe name alone is Jehovah, art the moft high,. over all. the earth." The evangelical prophet is full of the fame language. "I am the Lord, that is my name, and my^glory will I not give unto another ; neither my praife unto •graven images," &c. " I am the Lord, and there is none elfe, there is no God befide me.". Is this name, fo peculiar to God, at any time evi¬ dently applied to this Jefus? This fame prophet an- fwers you, by a moft pointed application of this name to the Lord jefus. '* Surely fhall one fay, in the Lord have I righteoufnefs and ftrength, even to him fhall men come, and all that are incenfed agair.ft him, fhall be afhamed. In the Lord fhall all the feed of Ifrael be juftified, and fhall glory " The apoftle, under a more clear difpenfition of grace, interprets this cf Chrift; " Therefore, as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation: even SERMON II. *7 fo by the righteoufnefs of one, the free gift came upon all men, unto juftification of life." Again he tells you, " But of him are ye in Chrift Jefus, who of God is made unto us wifdom, righteoufnefs, fane- tification and redemption. Again. God bleffed for ever, is a diftinguifhing name of God. "The God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, which is bleffed for ever more." " Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worfhipped and ferved the creature more than the Creator, who is bleffed for ever." This fame apoftle applies this name to Chrift, when he tells you, " Whofe are the fathers, and of whom, as concerning the fleih, Chrift t,ame, who is over all, God bleffed forever. ^ You acknowledge that divine names are given to this Jefus; but cannot be perfuaded that any of the diftinguilhing titles of God, are any where jepre- fented as belonging to him. If we fearch the fcriptures, we will find that Lord of Hofts is a diftinguifhing title of Godhead. " There¬ fore faith the Lord, the Lord of Hofts, the mighty one of Ifrael.'\ Again ; " And one cried unto another, •and faid, holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hofts, the who^e earth is full of his glory." The fame prophet clothes Chrift with this peculiar chara&er. "Sanctify the Lord of Hofts himfelf, and let him be your fear, and let hint be your dread. And he fhall be for a fan&uary ; but for a ftone of Humbling, and for a rock of offence to both houfes of Ifrael, for a gin and for a fnare to the inhabi- . tants of Jerufalem." The apoftle, referring to this paffage, tells you, " Wherefore atfo it is contained in the fcripture, behold I "lay in Zi SERMON' It. 41- finner, and to give efficacy to all the means of falva^*, tiort. ' This dirttts us not to content ourfelves with the mere enjoyment of any outward mean of life ; but to be looking and praying to the Lord of all faving influences, that he would fill his word and ordinan¬ ces with faving virtue to our fouls, that they may be the wifdom of God, and the power of God unto us. This diretts us, to believe in the Lord jefus, and to fix all our hopes of everlafting falvation in him. " There is no other name given under heaven, by which we can be faved." From his hand, we mult drink the cup of falvation, or of his indignationj through endlefs ages. No prophet, no apofile, no minifter can confer fpiritual and eternal bleffings—► eife&ually help you, they cannot. Fly, then, by faith to Jefus, the alone city of refuge. He is rea¬ dy ; he is willing to communicate, not only the riches of grace, but a kingdom of glory. Now to Him that is able to Ilablifh you according to the gofpel. To God only wife, be glory through Chrift J efus for ever. AMEN. SEE MOW III. THE UNREASONABLENESS OF REJECTING THIS SAVIOUR. MATTHEW XI.—6. Blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. When John, whom Herod had caft into prifon, received an account of the many wonderful works which Jefus wrought, he ordered two of his difciples to go to him, more for their fatisfadlion than his own; though his long confinement, and the low figure which Chrift made in the world, among the learned arid the great, were great trials of his own faith about him ; requiring that they fhould put this interetting queftion to him "Art thou the promifed and expedted Mefliah, that was to come for the re¬ demption of lfrael, ar mult we look for another in that charadter i Jefus gives them no diredl anfwer; but appeals to thofe Divine works of power and compaffion, which they had feen with their eyes, and heard with their ears, to evidence that he was the Redeemer of Jfrael. " The blind fee; the deaf hear ; the lame walk; the dead are raifed, and the poor have the gofpel preached unto them." To fupport the faith of John, he then adds the words of our text—" Bleff- ed is he, whofoever fhall not be offended in me." SERMON III. 43 They are and (hall be for ever blefled, who (hall not be ib prejudiced againft me, as to rejeCl me ; who (hall not fo ftumble at me, as to defpife me and my falvation; who (hall not be alhamed to own me and my fpiritual, felf-denying doctrines, before a crooked and perverfe generation. We (hall endeavor to caff: fome light upon this fubjedt, by mentioning fome principal things in Chrift Jefus,and hisdo£lrines,at which many wife men after the flelh, and many mighty men have (tumbled to their everlafting perdition; and (hew that their offence is deftituteof all juft foundation. I. That the fcriptures (hould be received as a revelation of the mind of God, appears to many, filly, abfurd, and ridiculous. That fo great and glorious a Being, (hould (loop fo low as to take any notice of any of the concerns of men, and particularly, that he (hould condefcend fo far, as to give clear, undeniable intimations of his will, to the men of this world, is to them, only to be admitted by ignorant and fettered minds; yea, that they ought to be re¬ jected, as the work of crafty and defigning prielts. That all the religion which can be obtained from .the mere light of nature, can never form a fyftem of morals, muff appear to all who confider, That the moll learned philofophers, without the .help of Divine revelation, have manifefted their grofs ignorance of the unity, fimplicity, power, and provi¬ dence of the Divine Being. That reafon, 4n a ftate .•f reCtitude, would fay, that the rite of worlhippfng • God, muff be learned from his mod perfeCt will: But the wifeft of men, unaffifled by revelation,' have pre- .(bribed modes of worlhip, as various as the imagina¬ tions of their own vain minds. That nothing can be found refpe&ing that, wherein the fupreme hap- pinefs of man confiits, but great doubts, aijd wild .conjediures, without the help of Divine revelation. 44 SERMON III. That all are coiifclTedly finners, needing pardon ; but reafon alone, has never been able to difcover, that it is agreeable to the wifdom, juftice, and good- fiefs of God to pardon fin, much more unable is it, to find out how great fins, or what fort of fins, and by what means he will forgive them. Therefore no fure hope can be obtained in this matter, without the help of Divine revelation. What then can philofophy bring forth ? ignorant and degenerate fons. All will acknowledge, that the great Creator is capable, fome way or other, to communicate his will to his intelligent creatures, with fufficient evidence, that the revelation is from God. Ail the evidence, that a candid enquirer after truth can defire, is to be found in the fcriptures. What can be expetted as evidential of their Divinity ? Would you expeCt that fuch a revelation would nar¬ rate to us our firfl original; would give an hiltori- cal account of fuch circumfiances of the difpenfation of God towards us, from the beginning,* as would correfpond with confiant obfervation ? Would you expeCt early intimations of the way of recovery from fin and guilt? Would you expeCt a minutely circum- ftantial prediction of him, by whom redemption is to be obtained ?■ Would you expeCt fomething to keep this Saviour in the view of God's people, before his aCtua! and perfonal manifeftation ? Would you expeCt repeated teftimoqies from heaven, that their reli¬ gion was from him, and that their faith and hope were built on a fure foundation? Would you expeCt that near the time predicted, there would be a gene¬ ral expectation of the Melfiah ; and that when he did come, he would abundantly atteft his Divine million, by the holinefs and beneficence of his life, and by nu¬ merous, open, and uncontroverted miracles ? Would you expeCt that he would verify his Divine million, by predicting future fucceeding events, and that whert S ER^IO N III. 45 he was cut off, according to ancient pr&phecies, he would declare himfelf to be the Son of God, with power, by his refurredlion from the dead ? Would you expett that thofe who were eye-witneffes of his life and death, refurreftion and afcenlion, would, at their peril, preach this Saviour 'to the world, face every oppofition, and furmount the violence of per¬ fection, and feal their do&rines with their blood ? Would you expert that thofe, thus comimffioned, would produce credentials, that they were extraordi¬ narily and peculiarly qualified for their great work ; and that their Meffiah would fucceed them by the converfion of multitudes to the faith ? Would you expeft fome apparent influence of this religion upon the hearts and lives of its fincere profeffors ? When you call your eyes upon the facred fcrip- tures, do not the firfl pages give you the hiftory of our origin, and the difpenfation of God toward us, with thedntimation of the method of falvation ? Do they not hold up to your view, this Saviour, by types and adumbrations ? Do you not find miracles wrought in the face of friend^ and enemies, and the manifefta- tions of his prefence, in Shechinah, Urim, and Thum- mim ? Doth not this facred hiftory minutely defcribe the birth, life, and death of the Saviour ? Yea, what wonders of power, grace, and mercy were wrought by him, in the view of an oppofing world, fo attefted by thofe prefent, that infidelity mull blufh to rejeft them. Do you not find the predi&ions of this Saj viour perfectly fulfilled ? Do you not find his dif* ciples facrificing their lives in vindication of the truths of the gofpel? Do you not fee that this very gofpel, has been the power of God, unto falvation, to fome of every charadler, whofe lives have abound¬ ed in the fruits of righteoufiu-fs and true holinefs ? When you confider thefe things, muft not the glare of evidence banifh every doubt, and fix the 46 SERMON III. deepeil convi&icn, that the gofpel is hot that abfurd and ridiculous thing, which you fuppofed it to be: but that the fcriptures are the very word of God ? If, notwitbftanding all this evidence, you contend that the fcriptures are the fhftions of fubtle priefts, for their own profit — This would be a very high compliment to men, whom you fo much defpife-—this would reprefent them, not only the ir.oft cunning and wifeft of men ; but we fhould be tempted to adore them as deities, who have fuch power as to impofe on the external fenfes of mankind, and make them believe that they both faw and did things, that were never feen or done by them. Nay, this would make them fuperior to all that has been related of the infernal powers; their legerdemain has never been fuppofed to deceive the fenfes of mankind, in matters of fo public and notorious a nature. As this would exalt them above men and devils, fo it would reprefent them exceeding the power of Almighty God ; for his miracles only appealed to the outward fenfes of men. You mnft, then, either fubmit to the humiliation; of renouncing all your preteniions to fuperior wif* dom, and difown the God of nature, whom you profefs to admire, or you muft acknowledge that the fcriptures could not be the fidlion of defigning men, but the very word of God* II. The low, mean, and debafed circumflances, in which he made his appearance in our world, is an occafion of offence to many. The Jews had raifed expe£lation of a glorious temporal kingdom; at the coming of the Mefliah, they looked for a perfon cloathed with glory and majefty, with pomp and fplendor- When they looked to the Bethlemite, the carpenter's fon, he was defpifed and rejected of men j they hid their faces from him j he was defpifed, and they efleemed SERMON 111. 47 him not; they confidered him as a worm, and no man, a reproach of men, and defpifed of the people. The Jewiih priefts and rulers, who fhould have been the builders of the Jewiih church, and with them, many wife men, after the flelh, and many mighty, and noble, refufed this Stone, which is become the head of the corner. Is there any juft foundation for Humbling, in the birth, life, or death of our Jefus ? Surely there can be none. This will appear, if we conlider—that it was predi&ed, in the moft minute circumftances, that as he was with the Father before all worlds, fo he Ihould become an infant of days, low, mean, and abafed, in his birth, life, and Death. When we view the defcent of our Lord, we muft have refpeft to the