"flP-jbT lusL- SI. ¦ J -.Jiili'r™- -.¦ 1. iifi;-'«i!.:!i;*.' ¦' ¦...-.i||,|;Kf:.-j...... ¦: '™'ifSK,"?r|"V' :!¦:?"=;- .¦¦.¦.¦!".¦-¦-¦ ¦ -¦ .-¦ ¦' '!"..= ¦'¦' 'j-'J ¦"¦.'.- ' f'.ssvs- fLS;-;!.j. ¦¦!.-; :'¦ ¦.-¦¦¦---. %» ¦ ., _ ¦;-'¦¦¦-¦ '"-'ijllfij; I-'..'" SfSri' . ^ ¦!•« ;'«ril Si^ i-- ¦ . i ¦ ¦ . " „ ¦= '. ¦¦ !== Ilad^jpiji ¦ .1-:- .-' -¦-¦;>!iji-i$3 . ¦¦=s:Ji=:s.^« ji.!Hir.i-?s-V,=-= HEU-.-iv.i'*,-;-... I 1 ¦ ¦¦ ^-^••nr**"V"'l '-'"-"''-,: i:=r;~r ¦=•:=;.¦.,¦ ..'¦¦.'-¦¦¦' ,i:-^--r"-^^---- '-"¦¦¦ -^ :-:r;^-^^v»!:vKa?^^i&:ife: ¦»:!»-:¦'-¦ :-; ;.. ¦. .'^i^"' -, '¦ f^>?-!i-i::^CVl.i:i^^^i .; ''1:0 -¦¦i:--.Af=:--^ " ¦'¦-.^'¦vft!'\"t « r-f:J=;:;it^^'li.:-i. '...'"' .¦-¦.'.¦ •K^^-:e!- •-. -Ziijiu. is:.-. :.r.=.sr..- =_.«:imsi^,r:3s;^=5giisia'^ ^^^^^mt-^^^^. "!?5Kr . •.iJW!*t.---xi^jesi. _ci •hii ..h • It. -. .. -.-;¦'-! i-.s>.n^j-.'ffl:'g.-:jrl?lla* MhizA : :>'''rr,3!>T" *!rn:. •.; i'lii! >— =-1, * I'l , . -J ; . . - . : :~'-'-~-^'_Sa'.-l' YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY TWELVE SERMONS, ON VARIOUS POINTS Ot FAITH AND MORALI^ SUPPOSED TO BE THE GENDIXE PKODVCTIONS OF THB RIGHT REVEREND JOHN PEARSON, LATE XOKD BISHOP OF CHESTER. BUCKINGHAM, PRINTED AND SOLD BY J. SEELEY; SOLD ALSO BY MK. UlitSS, BOOKSELLEK, IN OXFORD, AND TAB EDITOR, AT riDDINGTON. 1803. HKc5 P R E F ACE. 1 HE following Discourses have long been in the possession of the family ofthe Editor. They have been allowed by competent judges of theological composition to have considerable merit ; and it is this circumstance that has induced him to comply with the advice of his friends, in laying them be fore the public. There is likewise another point which the Editor would wish to state : — The Ser mons were left to him by his father, as the gen uine productions of the pious and learned Bishop Pearsoriy from a branch of whose family he has the honour of descending; and he was further in- fonned, that they have beeij carefully transmitted from father to son, from the time of that' illus trious Prelate. Circumstances, however, have since arisen, Avhich have weakened the opinion the Editor had hitherto unreservedly entertained- in conse quence of this information. As to the merit of the compositions themselves, he will only venture a hope: that, whatever the determination of the public with regard to their genuineness may prove to be, their intrinsic value will be deemed a suf ficient apology for committing them to the press. JOHN PEARSON, Chapldin of Piddington^ O.rfordshiice. CONTENTS. Pa-ge SeAm. 1. On the Attribute of God, . 1 2. On the Trinity 13 3. On the Redemption of Man, 23 4. On the same subject, 37 5, XDn fhe same subject, 53 6. On tJie same subject, fig 7. On the Resurrection of Christ, . . , . . . . 85 8. On Faith, 101 9. On the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, . . II3 10. On the same subject, 125 11. On the Love of Christ, ,...,.. 136 12. On the Love of the Brethren, ..... 149 SERMON I. OK THE ATTRIBUTE OF GOD. John iv. 24. " God i»- a Spirit.'" JL HOUGH nothing is more manifestly known than that God is, yet nothing is more difficultly known, than %chat God is. The Apostle saith truly and excellently, that God dwelleth in light, which no man can approach unto ; whom no man hath seen, nor can see. 1 Tim. vi. 16. i. e. he possesseth such perfection and excellency in him self, as none is able to comprehend ; as the word Light is taken, 1 John, i. 5. Or, he dwelleth in that increated and infinite glory ofthe divine majesty, the sight whereof, and knowledge, no creature is able fully to attain unto. The story is memorable and well known, (which is reported by Cicero,) of that learned and wise heathen Sinionicles, who being asked by king Hiero, what God is, desired a day's time to deliberate and consider what to answer. The king then the next day requiring his answer to this question, he de sired two days more to consider of it : At the end of these two, he asked four days more ; so still doubling the time and number ofthe daji-s,' which he had before desired : Whereat the king admiring, and asking the reason hereof, the philosopher plain- B' 3 ON THE ATTRIBUTE OF GOCi ly replied thus to him : Quanto magis cogito tanto minus- hvoenio : Because, said he, the longer I study, the more difficult I find the question. The more I consider and muse upon it, the less I am able to find it out and resolve it. An ingenuous and mo dest answer, and well beseeming a wise man. It is indeed impossible, that our finite concep tion sliould comprehend God essentially, as' he is in liimself. This is beyond the power of any cre ated under,?itanding. Canst thou by searching fnd out God ? Canst ihoufthd out the Almighty to per' fection? saith Job, xi. 7. §'¦ d, assuredly thou canst not do it. Thou art never able by searching, by using the greatest skill thou hast, and alj thy utmost endeavours, to find out the nature of God, or come to the full knowledge of the divine es- ¦sence. Find him we may, possibly, for he is not ftr from every one of us, but not find him out ; much less find him out to perfection. This is too great a task for any creature ; even for the bright est angels in heaven, the highest graduates in glory. The adequate and comprehensive knowledge of God, to know him in the very utmost of his perfec tion, is peculiar to God himself None but God can thus know God, For God is infinite, and vCvery creature is finite; and nothing that is finite can comprehend infinite. And hence is that maxim of the schools ; T)eus cognosci potest, sed non com-' prehendi ; that God may be apprehended, but not comprehended j i. e. not fully, perfectly, adequate ly, known. Great is the Loi d and his greatness is unsearch- oii The attribute of god. 3 able^ It would not otherwise be hie. For as one saith well. Such is the shallowness of man's under standing, that God would not be really great, if he were not greater than our capacities. And it Aras a wise answer of the philosopher, (Epictetus as some report,) who, when his auditors said to him, Sir, you have uttered many excellent things concerning God, but we cannot as yet understand what he is ;' told 'em plainly thus : Si omnino egQ Deum declararem, vel ego Deus essem, 'vel ille Deus non faret. He must have^ the Logic of God that can define God. i, e. He must have an infinite reason and understanding, that oan perfectly con ceive and comprehend God's infinite being ; which is only fully and thoroughly Jcnown to himself -Which Sinesius, ( in Hymnis) elegantly expresses, turning his speech to God, and saying, " Eye of thyself;" implying, that his infinite understanding is the great eye, by Avhich he, and he only, thor oughly sees himself, his own infinite essence. And again, he thus invokes him, as inconceivable and ineifable; above the mind's apprehension, and much beyond the tongue's expression. We may not therefore too curiously busy our selves about God's essence ; but wd must be wise unto sobriety. He that will bfe over presumptuous to pry into God's majesty, shall be overwhelmed with his glory. But now, though no man hath seen God at any time, i. e. the essence of God; yet the only-begot ten son which is in the bosom of the father, (most near and dear, united in nature, and acquainted with all his secrets, one with the fathej-, ) he hath B2 4 ON THE attribute OF GOD. declared him : he hath given us the knowledge of God, and made him known to us, as far as we ought, and are able to kfiow him. Of which we have a particular instance in this text; wherein our Sav iour lets us know thus much of God, That he is a Spirit. And though our understanding cannot fully reach his infiniteness, yet we may conceive of him according to those expressions which he hath made of 1" imself, in his holy wovd; wherein he hath been pleased to condescend to our shallow capacities, and to represent himself to us in such a manner as we might best apprehend.- For, as it is a sinful curiosity to search into the nature of God, further than he hath revealed himself; so it is a wicked unthankfulness, not to desire, or care to know, what he hath vouchsafed to declare of him self to us. As we should not be curiously inquisi tive into things secret and reserved; so we should not be wholly and willingly ignorant of things manifest and revealed. And so far forth as God has been pleased graciously to make himself known to u.s, we should, with humble thankfulness for so great mercy, study and endeavour to know him ; whom, to khoM', is eternal life. And this we may and must know concerning God, that he is a Spirit. As thfe te.xt here tells us, God is a Spirit. I. ;By God, -is meant the divine essence. So it is to be here taken and understood. < 2. As for the A\^Ord Spirit, this being a word Avhich has various significations, it will be requisite to see what they are, and in what sense this term is attributed to God. Both the Greek and Hebrew words which signi- OJ^ THE attribute OF GOD. 5 fy Spirit, are sometimes used for breath; Ezek. xxxvii. 5. I will cause breath to enter into you. So Jam. ii. 26. The body without the spirit is dead : in the margin, for spirit is put breath. So Job xxxiii. 4. The spirit of the Lord hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life, saith Elihu. There the Spirit of the Lord, and the breath of the Almighty are equivalent terms. 3. The word Spirit is after a sort appropriated to an incorporeal substance. So when Christ after his resurrection appealed to his disciples, and they thought that they had seen a spirit, he said unto them, Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; for a spirit hath not flesh and blood as ye see me have. Luke xxiv. 37. And thus, 1. By spirit is sometimes meant the soul of man, as 1 Cor. vi. EO. Giorfy God in your body and in your spirit, i. e. your soul. So Heb. xii. 33. The souls ofthe godly separated from their bodies, are called the spirits of just men made perfect. So Acts vii. 59. Stephen prayed, Lord Jesus receive my spirit, i. e. my soul. And Eccl. xii. 7. Solomon saith. The Spirit, i. e. the Soul shall return to God that gave it. ¦ - 2. Sometimes by spirit is meant an angeh So the good angels are called spirits. Heb. i. 14. Are not they all ministering spirits ? Ps. civ. 4. Who maketh his angels spirits. And so, the evil angels, the devils, are called spirits. When tlie' disciples came to Christ, saying. Lord, even the devils are subject unto us, through thy name: Christ answered, notwithstand'ing in this rejoice not, that the spirits are: subject unto you, but rather B3 6 ON the attribute of god. rejoice because your names are zcritten in heaveiK Luke X. 17, 20. Those whom the disci,- les called devils, Christ called spirits. Now in this sense, viz. as by spirit, is meant an incorporeal substance ; so it is attributed to God, and he is called a spirit, i. e. an incorporeal substance, who hath no body, whose dwelling is, not in flesh. Dan. ii. 11. It hath indeed been said,' with confidence enough, that the notion of a spirit, or immaterial substance, doth imply a'^contradiction ; and that there is an utter impossibility of any other being, besides mat ter : but though this hath been said, yet it was never proved ; nor can it be, till, either a man be able to evince, that the notion of the word sub stance, according to the most general use of it, (which gives signification to -\fords) doth neces-. sarily imply corporeity, than which nothing can be more false ; or unless a man should pretend to the certain knowledge and comprehension of all things that are or may be, than which nothing can be more vain. What the positive notion of a spirit is, is not so necessary to enquire after, or determine. It is sufficient that we conceive of it by way of nega tion, viz. that it is a powerful intelligent being, that is not matter ; Avithout figure or parts ; not capable of rarefaction or condensation ; not visi ble to our bodily eyes ; and therefore, not to be represented by any kind of sensible image : not subject to those necessary laws of matter, which cannot move, unless it be moved ; and which can not but move, when hnpelled by another. This, ON THE ATTRIBUTE OF GOD. 7 I say, may be sufficient in our apprehending the spirituality of God, to remove all corporeity and figure in our conceptions of him. Now, the spirituality of the divine nature, as it is here in the text expressly atsserted, so it has been generally owned and acknowledged by the A\'isest and most learned heathen, Pythagoras is often cited for this ; by whom, (saith Lactantius) God was 'want to be stil-ed, Incorporalis metis, an incorporeal mind. And by Plato, frequently, Without a Body : by other phi losophers. The mind that made the world. Plu tarch calls him a separated forrii, not mixed with matter, without any thing in him that is possible. The Latin philosophers do frequently give him the title, or attribute of metis divina, mens pur a, et sincera, mens soluta c^' libera, legregtita ab opmi con- cretione mortali; .Tuscul. Qu. J-iib. 1, Deus est animus. Cato, Again, it may be made evident by -reason, that spirituality is a perfection, and there fore to be ascribed to God f or rather, that corpo reity is aniraperfectioji, and therefore to be removed from him, may appear from this.; — Because the sup posing of him to be matter is inconsistent with divers of his other most essential perfections. 1, As his immensity. God's immensity and ubiquity, his being in every place, yet, so as not to be included in any place, proves that he is a spirit. For, though not every spirit is im mense, and every where present, (neither the souls of men, nor the angels, are so,) yet every sub- staffl-ce that is so, must needs be a spirit. For, bodily Bojtefcsnces are necessarily limited and B4. 8 ON THE ATTRIBUTE OF GOD. circumscribed; they have their bounds, with-. in which they ar-e contained. He is not here, for he is risen; said the angel to those that came to seek Christ in the sepulchre. Matth. xxviii. 6. Christ having a true human body, in that respect could not be both in the grave, and out of it at the same time. But God is every where at all times. Do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord. God is said to be, in heaven, as there es^ pecially, shewing forth his glory. Heaven is my throne, saith he. Is. Ixvi. 1. but he is not confined there. No; the heaven, and heaven of heavens, cannot contain him ; therefore God is no corporeal substance, but a Spirit. 2. His knowledge and wisdom. It being not imaginable, how mere matter should be able to comprehend, much less to contrive all the variety of things in the world, past, ,present, and to come. 3. His liberty and freedom, and consequently his goodness : That action not being properly good, which is not done freely and out of choice. N ow the laws of matter are necessary ; there can be no arbitrary principle in mere matter: therefore, God being a most free agent, his nature must be spirits ual. NoAV, though we may truly say that God is a spirit, because our Saviour Christ, as we see in this text, hath taught us thus to speak; yet, (that we may not sort him Avith any thing else, for he hath no match, no equal,) we must know and remember a rule, which concerns the whole doctrine of God; viz. That Avhatsoever is affirmed of God, which is also communicable to the creatures, the same must ON THE ATTRIBUTE OF GOD. 9 be understood by way of excellency arid singu-j , larity above the rest. So in this case : Whereas angels are spirits, and the souls of men are spirits ; yet God is a spirit by a kind of excellency ov singularity above all spirits. He is the God of spirits, Numb. xvi. 22. The father of spirits, Heb. xii. 9. The author of spirits ; and indeed, the spiiit of spirits. Angels' and mens' souls, are created finite spirits ; but God is an infinite, in- created spirit. The word is not applied to God in the same sense, as to them. For, Nihil de Deo &; creaturis uni voce dicitur. The uses of this doctrine, are 1 . To refute the, gross error of those,.hereticks, called Anthropomorphites ; AA'ho held God to have ¦ a bodily shape like a man : And thus absurdly dq some simple ones now conceive of God. But if God be a spirit, as the text assureth us, then he h^th neither the form and shape of a man, nor any pther bodily shape Avhatsoever, Otj. But, it is said, thc^t God made man after his oAvn image and likeness.- Gen. i. 37- Jns. That is not meant in respect of bodily shape, as if God had the like shape as man hath ; but 1. Because man is a rational and uriderstandina' creaturie, in Avhich regard still, since the fall, man retains in him the image and likeness of God. Jam. iii. 9.— Men Avhich are made after the similitude of God. And Gen. vi. 9, In the image, of God made he man. And • -.-,:. : - " rj 2. As man hath dominion over other greaturesj in this respect man, is said to be the image of God, 1 Cor. xi. 7. A man ought not tp cover hi? he^d ^ 10 ON THE ATTRIBUTE OF GOD. forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God. Again, 3. And principally. Man was at first made after the image and likeness of God ; inasmuch as he was made righteous and holy in conformity to God. Eph. iv. 24". Put on the ncAV man, Avhich, after God, is created in righteousness and true holiness. Col. ix. ICh Obj. But in scripture we often find attributed to God, the parts and members of a man ; as face, eyes, ears, hands, &c : Ans. We are to understand these expressions to be ascribed to God, not properly, but figuratively ; by Avay of metaphor, and by a kind of borroAved speech. For, being taken' literally, they are derogatory to the glorious essence of God. And, it is a good rule. Quod de Deo dicitur, intel ligi debet, Avhat is spoken of God after the manner of men, is to be understood in a manner beseeming God. The scripture speaks of God after the man ner of men, descending to the Aveakness of our capacities ; as because Ave see Avith eyes, hear Avith ears, Avork. with hands, &c ; therefore these bodily parts and members are attributed to God, only to signify that God doth exercise the same acts, (though not in the same manner,) as we exercise with, and by, these parts and members. To sheAV that God doth see and behold all things by his providence, the scripture attributes eyes unto him : To shew that he doth hear, it attributes ears : and to shew that he doth work, it attributes hands to )iim : but properly God doth see without eyes, ON THE ATTRIBUTE OF GOD. 11 hear withoiit ears, and work without hands; having no bodily part or member whatsoevef ; fo^, he is a spirit. The second use is 2. To reprove an4 condemn the absni-d practice of the papists, who make pictures and images whereby to represent God ; whereas he is a spirit, and so cannot be set forth, by any bodily repre sentations. The second commandment forbids the making of any image or similitude to represent God by it. And what a strict charge does Moses give the Israelit«es ? Deut. iv. The Lord, saith he, , spake unto you out of the midst of the fire ; ye heard the voice of the Avords, but saAv no simili tude, only ye heard a voice. Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves, (for ye saw no mannei- of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb, out of the midst of the fire,) least ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a gTSiven imige, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of jnale or female, the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness pf any winged fowl that flieth in the air, the likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the Avaters beneath the earth. Moses here gives the reason why the people should not go about to represent God by any visible shape, or image, because God hath none. Ye heard the voice of the Xvords, btft ye saw no similitude, only ye heard a voice. If God had a visible shape, he might be seen and represented by a picture or im age. But he is a spirit ; invisible ; invisible to our bodily eyes ; he is seen indeed by faith, not by the eye. To Avhom will ye liken God? or what like- 12 ON THE ATTRIBUTE OF GOD. ness will ye compare unto him ? saith the prophet Isaiah, xl. 18. We ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto silver or gold, or stone, gra ven by art, or man's device. Acts, xvii. 29- It is very observable that Plutarch relates of Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome, that he forbad the Romans to use any image of God, having the form of mdn, or of any other living crea ture : and the same author also testifies, that for one hundred and seventy years after Rome Avas built, they had no image of God, neither painted, nor carved. Temples, he saith, they had ; but no image at all in them : and he gives this reason ; for it is not laAvful to resemble , better things to worse; nor possible to apprehend God otherAvise than by the conception of the mind and under standing. How is Rome, noAV' professing itself christian, become more superstitious and idolatrous in this particular, than it Avas when it Ayas heaT thenish ? 3. This serves to teach us, what Wvorship and service it is, that God requires, and Avill accept at our hands ; viz. that which is spiritual, Avhich pro ceeds not only from the outAvard man, the body ; but principally, from the iuAvard man, the spirit, and heart. This practical use is here inferred from this doctrine ofthe spirituality of God's nat^ ure. God is a spirit, and they that Avorship him, must worship him in spirit and truth : this being the worship that is agieeable to his nature. SERMON IL ON THE TRINITY. 2 CoR. xiii. 14. " The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love " of God, and the Communion ofthe HolyGhost, " be with you all. Amen." It is in the verse of my text, that Ave first find grace, as coming from God the Son, love, as from God the Father, and communion, as being of the Holy Ghost. What these things mean, shall be shcAvn, when we come to speak of their distinct offices ; for I design, in this discourse, to treat of the nat- vire, distinction, union, and offices of the three divine persons : and secondly, to intimate the use and importance of these great articles of our chris tian- faith, In the first place, it is proper to say something of the. nature of each person, that Ave may the bet ter conceive Avhat kind of persons they are. The first and most general distinction of all things, is into tAVo kinds ; created and uncreated. The nat ure of a creature, is, that it comes into being, by the order and Avill of another ; and may cease to be,. Avhenever the creator pleases. Of this kind are the sun and moon, stars, men, and angels; •they are all of a frail and changeable nature ; they 14 ON THE TRINITY. might cease to be, and sink into nothing, as frorn nothing they came, Avere they not supported by a superior hand. Only the three divine persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, they never can fail or cease. They ahvays Avere, and always Avill be ! Their propeity is ahvays to exist, from everlasting to everlasting, without the help or sup port of any thing else Avhatsoever ; being indeed the stay and support ofthe Avhole creation. Our thoughts are quite lost, as often as Ave think of any persons existing before all beginning ; yet Ave are very certain that so it must be, or else noth ing could evei' begin to be at all. Whether one only, or more persons might, or do exist, in this most perfect and incomprehensible manner, Ave could never knoAv by our OAvn reason alone, un assisted with divine revelation. Sacred Avrit suf ficiently assures us, that three such persons there are, who have been 'from all eternity ; Avho cannot but be to all eternity ; and who are the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. And this is, and has been all along, the faith of Christ's church, founded npon scripture. To conceive then rightly of those three divine persons, Ave should consider them as being just the reverse of what creatures are, not frail, unstable, or depending upon any one's pleasure, not as be ginning to be, or capable of ever ceasing to be, but as being perfect and unchangeable, all-suffici ent and independent ; Avithout beginning and Avithout possibility of ever coming to an end ; aiid for that reason they are all properly divine. S. With respect to their distinction. They are On the trinity. 15 constantly represented in scripture as distinct from each other. The Father is not the Son ; nor is the Holy Ghost either of the other two. They are described as any other distinct persons are, by different characters and offices; and that, so very frequently in the New Testament, that it is need less to instance in particulars. The Father is said to send ; the Son to be sent ; and the Holy Ghost to proceed, or go forth. The Father is represen ted as one witness ; The Son as another witness. The Son as one comforter ; the Holy Ghost as another comforter : not both as one. The Fa ther is introduced as speaking to the Son ; The Son as speaking to the Father; and the Holy Ghost as delivering commands from both. These and a multitude of other particulars plainly prove their distinction one from another ; which , being analogous to, and nearly resembling the distinc tion of persons among rational creatures, we therefore presume to call it a personal distinction^ and to call the Sacred Three, Three Persons. 3 There is also a very close and inexpressible union between the Divine Three ; and though scripture every where represents tliese three per sons as divine, and every one singly, God and Lord ; yet the same Scriptures do as constantly teach, that there is but one God and one Lord ; whence it evidently folloAA^s, that these three are but one God and one Lord. And if such an imper fect union of that of man and wife, be reason sufficient to make them twain to be one flesh ; and if the iihioiiof a good man to Christ shall suffice to make them in a certain sense one spirit. (1 Cor, 16 ON the trinity. fi. 17.)hoAvmuch more shall the incomparably closer, and infinitely higher union of the Three Divine Persons Avith each other, be sufficient to denominate them one God and one Lord ? There is no other union like it, or second to it ; an union of Avill, presence, power, glory, and all perfections. An union so inseperable and unalterable, that no one of the Persons CA^er Avas ot could be Avithout the other tAvo ; it being as necessary for the Three to be and to act together, as to be at all ; Avhich is the perfection of unity, and , the strongest con junction imaginable. Having thus considered Avhat the Divine Persons are in themselves, let us next observe Avhat are their offices relative to us. In our common ' and excellent Church Catechism, taken from scripture, Ave are taught to believe in God the Father, Avho hath made us and all the Avorld ; in God the Son, who hath redeemed us ; and in. God the Holy Ghost, avIio sanctifieth us; so that the peculiar offices of the Three Divine Persons are, to create, redeem, and sanctify : the Father is God the Creator, the Son is God the Re deemer ; and the Holy Ghost is God the Sancti fier ; Avhich is not to be understood, as if neither the Son nor Holy, Ghost were concerned in creating;' nor as if neither Father nor Holy Ghost Avere con cerned in redeeming ; nor as if neither Father nor Son were concerned in sanct fy'mg. All the Three Persons concur in every Avbrk : all the Three to*- gether create, redeem, and sanctify. But each Person is represented in scripture as having his more peculiar province. On account of Avhich pe* culiarity, over and above Avhat is common to all, ON THE TRINITY. 17 one is, more emphatically. Creator ; another, Re deemer ; and a third, Sanctifier ; so much as is common to all, serves to intimate their union one Avith another ; and so much as is peculiar to any one, serves to keep up the notion of their distinc tion. W^e may observe something of this nature in the words immediately under consideration. " The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ." Grace is the common gift of the Avhole Trinity ; but here it is peculiarly attributed tp Christ, as his , gift and blessing ; and denoting the special grace of re demption. The next words are, " The Love of God ;" i. e. of God the Father. Noav Ave read of the love of Christ, and the loA'e of the Spirit ; but love is common to the Avhole Trinity; for God is loA'e : but here, one particular kind of love is intended : The love of the Father in sending his Son to re deem us, and the Holy Ghost to sanctify our souls. The last Avords are, " And the communion of the Holy Ghost. " Now there is a communion both of the Father and the Son, Avith every good man. Every good man is the temple of the hol.y Trinity,, Avhich has communion with him and a- bides in him ; as is plain from innumerable texts of scripture ; but in the text before us, one pecu har kind of communion, appertaining to the Holy Ghost especially, is signified ; and upon the Avhole Ave may observe, that though St. Paul might have indiffisrently applied grace, pr love, or comm uni on, to either Father, Son, or jHoly Ghost, or to all together; yet he rather chose to make the. IS 01? %tW TRINITY- charaiBtei-p distinct, to keep up a more lively sense of the distinction of persons and offices. The importance and use of these mighty truths may be judged of: i- from the nature of the thing itself: for if there be really three such divine per sons, as above described, and none can doubt of it, Avho read the holy script wres Avithout prejudice, it must have been as accessary to have let ni9,n- kind into some knowledge of them all, as it is that Ave should have just sentiments of any one ; fpr there is no having right apprehensions of any one, without knowing what relation he stands under to the other tAvo. Farther, if tliere really be three divine persons, it is as' necessary that man shoyld be acquainted Avith it, as it is that he should direct his worship Avliere it is due, aud Avhere it belongs ; for if all honour, and glory, and adoration be due to every person, as much as any, it Avas highly requisite tliat a creature made for Avorship, as man is, should be instructed Avhere and to Avhom to pay it : to offer it to any single person -only, Avhen it is claimable by three, is defrauding the other two of their just dues, and is not honouring God perfectly, pr in full measure and proportion. Add to this, that if aman be trained iip to the knoAvledge of God here, in order to be admitted to see him as he is in the life hereafter, it seems highly requisite that he should knov.'^, at least what persons and how many stand in that charac ter ; that by his acquaintance with them noAv, in such measure as is proper to his preaent state, ¦ he may attract such love and esteem for them herpj ON THiE TRINITY. VQ as may prepare him for the fuller vision, and fru ition of the same hereafter. This reasoning is abundantly confirmed from the concern Avhich God hath shown to imprint and inculcate upon us this so necessary and saving a belief. There is no need to cite noAV the various texts of scripture, bearing testament to the divini ty of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and enga ging us to place our hope, .trust, and confidence in, and to pay our worship to them all ; it Avill be su.fficient to this purpose to single out tAVO or tliree considerations Avhich appear of great force in the argmnent. It is observable that as soon as - ever our Lord ha-d given his disciples a commission to form his church, he instructs them to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost : from Avhence we may justly infer that faith in these three persons, as- divine, in opposition- to all the Grods of the Heathen, Avas. to be the funda mental article of Christianity, the. distingiiishing character of the true religion. There is another thing remarkable, not so obvi*- ous perhaps, as the former, but no less, Avorthy of notice, viz. Iioav purposely the Avhole scheme of the divine dispensations, seem calculated to intro duce men gradually into the knOAvledge of these three persons : this appears all the way down from the fall of Adam, to the completion of all by the descent of t3ie Holy Ghost. One niight justly Avonder, AA^hy man, created after God's, image, ahould. be so soon suffered to fall; and Avhy, after his fell,, such a vast preparation, and so long a train i^otald be laid' for his recaveiy- ; that, there C2 CO ON THE TRINITY. should be no Avay for it, but by means of a re deemer, to mediate and intercede, to do and to suffer for him, and raise and restore him, and at length to judge hitn: Avhy might not the thing have been done in a much shorter and easier Avay ? Why might not God the Father, so graciously dis posed towards' all his creatures, have singly had the honour of restoring, raising, and judging man kind ? Or, supposing both the Father and the Son joined in the Avork, Avhy should it be left, as it were, unfinished, and incomplete; without the concurrence of the Holy Ghost? These things must appear strange and unaccountable, full of darkness and impenetrable mystery. But our Avonder ceases as soon as Ave consider that mankind Avere to be gradually let into the knowledge ofthe three divine persons, and not one only : that Ave Avere to be equally obliged to every one of them, . that so Ave might be trained up to place our love, our fear, our trust in all ; and pay acknowledge: ments suitable to their high qualities and perfec tions. This is the reason of that long train, and vast preparation, in man's redemption : aiid Avith this view there appears so many characters of con summate Avisdom all this Avay, that nothing can fiirnish us Avith a more charming and august idea ofthe divine perfections, from first to last. Let us consider but a little our Lord's conduct A\'hen he Avas going to take leave of -his disciples ; and what lie said to them upon the occasion, respect ing the sending to them a comforter ; and then ask Avhat is the meaning of all this. Could .the disciples Avant any other comforter, Avhen he had ON THE TRINITY. 21 told them, in the same chapter, that he himself and the Father should come and make their abode Avith them ? and Avhen he had determined himself to be with them ahvay, even to the end of the Avorld, what occasion could they have for any other comforter ? or, what comforter could do more or greater things than the Father or Son could do, by their constant presence with them ? But the reason of the Avhole procedure is very plain and manifest. The IIol}' Ghost, the third person ofthe ever blessed Trinit), was to be introduced to advantage, to do as great and signal things for mankind, as either Father or Son had done ; that soj he likewise niight partake of the same divine honours, and share Avitli them in glory : and thus. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, be acknoAvledged as one God, blessed for ever. In this faith Avas the church of Christ originally founded : in tliis faith have the renoAvned martyrs and confessors of old lived and died; and in the same faith are all the churches of the christian world instructed and edified at this day. Be it therefore our especial care and concern to continue in this faith, firm and settled ; never to be removed from it by the disputers of this Avorld, Avho are permitted for a Avhile to gainsay and op pose it, for a trial and exercise of others, and that they Avho are approved may be made manifest.' May Ave persevere in paying all honour, Avorship. and praise to the three blessed persons ofthe God head ; knoAving, hoAV great and divine they arc, and how securely they may be confided in : and let.the intimate union they have Avitli one another, put us in mind of that brotherly love and union, . C3 22 ON THE TRINITY. which ought to prevail .ajnong christians ; ika.t so Ave may become, as it were, one heart and one soul, knit in, and .striving together for the faith of the gospel, in the unity ofthe spirit, and the bond of peace. So may the grace-of our Lord Jiesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and die com munion of the Holy Ghost, be svith us all, now and for evermoi-^. Ai^en. SERMON III. ON THE REDEMPTION Ot 'AIA^. 1 COK. vi. 20. *' Eorye are bought xcith a price ; thet^cf ore glorify " God in your body, and in your spirit, which are " God's." Ihe Apostle, in tlie latter part of this chapter, endeavours to dissuade the Corinthians from for- tiication, and uncleanness, to Avbich they were so extremely addicted, that it was almost an e\mie- mical sin, and imiversally practised among them. As it is hinted, chap. v. 1. It is commonly report ed, that there is fornication among you. Which practices did proceed from the remainder of then- lieatben customs, and from the infusions of their gnostic teachers ; Avho the better to allure them' to all iHainner of sensual practic^es, to^ld tlrem that they AVere indifferent, and might be used as lawfully a» meat a»d drittfc. Now against these pernicious c^iaions- the Apo&tte pi'oeeeds-, s-hoAving the sin- fttlness aild' unlawfulness I of fornicati hath done so much for us. Here is both ground of comfort and confidence, that (having now bought and redeemed us) he Avill take care of us. If Ave do but cleave fast unto him, and not revolt again ; if Ave live a life of holiness and virtue, but a few days or years, he Avill protect us from sin and satan, and all other enemies that Avould en thral and ensnare us; and fully accomplish that redemption, Avhich he hath merited for us. - And thus, have I finished the first particular I proposed to sIicav, that the redemption of mankind is purchased; by zvhotn, and also by what price. I should proceed to shew you farther, that Christ by this purchase, hath the sole property over us. Not but that Ave Avere his before, by the right of creation ; though we had basely and unjustly made aAvay ourselves, as far as could be done by us, by our OAvn act, and sold aAvay his right. Now I say, by this purchase, he hath doubled his title and in terest in us. Though Ave had sold ourselves, yet noAV we legally return into his use and possession, as his proper goods ; not to be at our o\\n disposal, to serve Avhom Ave will. Eniptum cedit in jus P2 36 ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. emptoris. He hath bought us, and his property We are. From hence I should urge the duty en joined, in the second part of my text, of glorifying God with our bodies and souls, Avhich are both his. But base hactenus. SERMON IV. ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. 1 CoR. vi. 20. " For ye are bought with a price ; thet^ef ore glorify " God iti your spirit, and in your bodies, which are " God's." ¦ IN Avhich words, Ave have two things chiefly considerable. I. An assertion or declaration of our redemp tion ; ofthe purchase of mankind. Ye are bought •with a price. Where Ave have, 1. The commodity or thing bought; Ye, your Avhole man : bodies and souls. 2. The bargain made and confirmed ; implied in the Avord bought. S. The consideration or value of this purchase: zvithaprice. We Avere not redeemed or bought for nothing. It cost him dear that purchased us ; a price of an infinite value. Ye are bought Avith a price.. Noav from hence Ave deduce this point; that there is redemption purchased for mankind, a satisfaction made to divine justice, for the debts of sin. In the prosecution "of which, I shcAved you, by Avay of premise, how that mankind was in bondage, sold under sin, and in slavery to ' satan. After D3 38 ON TtiE REDEMPTION OF MAN. this, I shewed you, by what means your delivery from this bondage Avas purchased; by Avhom, and Vhat price. Man had basely and uuAvorthily made away himself; put himself under the tyranny and subjection of ' his enemies ; sold himself to sin ; Avas under the ddminion of, satan, froni whence he was never ab|e, of his OAvn strength, to recover himself; never able to pay the debts he had contracted, and to procure his freedom. Now this miserable,, impotent, and helpless con dition, that man had brought himself to, the eternal son of God Avas pleased to take pity on, and to purchase a redemption for him : to that- end assuming human nature, and therein offering himself a sacrifice ; Avhen he made a su^fficieilt com pensation, and full satisfaction ; redeemed us from ¦ the bondage Ave Avere fallen into ; procured satisfac tion Avith offended justice ; and took off our obliga tion to the punishment of the law, that Ave Avere liable unto. He redeemed us from the hands of our enemies, unloosed our bonds, and set us at liberty; paid the debts Avliich Ave had contracted by our transgressions, and opened the prison doors for us. He gave his life a ransom for many. Matth. xx. 28. Now a ransom is a price given to redeem such, as are any Avay in bondage or captivity ; any thing given by Avay of compensation to take off a bond or obligation ; whereby he, Avhich before Avas bound, becomes free. He laid doAvn his life, only as a price for us. That Avas the sole intent of his dying. Neither is it more certain that he died, than that he bought us. We are not re deemed with corruptible things, as silver- and ON TH"^ redemption of MAN. 39 gold ; but Avith the precious blood of Christ, as of ajamb, without blemish, and without spot. Christ parted with no less than his own blood for our sakes, to redeem and restore us to our primitive estate. And as that blood vvas precious, and of an inflnite value ; so Avas it a complete and full satis faction. For, as the heinousness of the sin or transgression, or the gravity of the offence is aug mented or increased, according to the dignity of the person offended or injured by it ; so the value, price, and dignity of that which is given by way of compensation, is raised according to the dignity ofthe person making satisfaction. God is of in finite majesty, against Avhom Ave had sinned; and Christ is of thesame divinity, Avho gave his life a ransom for sinners. Hitherto, as you may remember, have we already proceeded. And noAv, before I take my leave of this first part of my text, according to the intent ofthe AVords; I shall consider from hence, that Ave being thus bought, and our redemption thus pur chased, we are not our OAvn ; we remain not at our own disposal : he that hath purchased us, hath the - sole right and property over us. Tjs true indeed, by creation avc Avere his. He made n% arid not Ave ourselves. We are the work of his hands ; pre served and maintained by his power and provi dence: and therefore, upon this account I mean, his original right of creation, and his continued acts of preservation, we owe him our beings ; he hath the sole propriety over ,uS, But besides this, Ave are his, upon the account of his redemption of us ; whereby he may Claim the propriety and dominion 40 ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. over US,- upon a double title ; -one of conquest, and another of purchase : Avhich are both Avays by which human dominion is acquired, and slavery introduced. 1. By right of conquest Ave belong unto him. We had sold ourselves unto satan, and put our selves into his possession : though thereby he had no firm title to us ; seeing by our sale, avc could convey no more right than Ave had ourselves. Our redeemer therefore, did not enter into any capitu- - lation Avith him, or offer any terms of composition ; but rescued us by his poAver, and forced us from him by main strength. Christ, through death, destroyed him that had the pOAver of death ; that is, the devil, ^and delivered us. He spoiled prin cipalities and poAvers ; and, as a conqueror, made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them. Col. i. 15. With his OAvn right hand, and Avith his holy arm, he hath gotten himself the victory, and us liberty ; Avithout any price or ransom paid him. Ps. xcviii 1. But then, secondly, 2. We are his by right of purchase also. Unto Almighty God, his Father, and our Lord, under whose heavy curse Ave lay, and Avhose just vengeance Avould not be appeased toward Us, for our grievous offences, without condign satisfac tion : to him I say, there Avas a price paid by our redeemer; and that, the greatest tliat ever Avas paid for any purchase, since the Avorld began. So that Ave being gained by conquest, and bought Avith a price, A\e are not our OAvn ; neither our per sons, nor our actions ; but do wholly belong to. him Avho hath redeemed us : Ave fall into his pos- ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. 41 session, into his poVer and custody, as his proper goods ; to be no longer at our OAvn disposal, to do as we list ; to serve ourselves, and mind our own interest ; but chiefly his who hath bought us,, and Avhose Ave are; in Avhose service, and to Avliose praise and glory we ought to employ all our lives and strength : otherwise we shall not answer those obligations Ave lay under. And thjs brings me to the second part of my text, which is by Avay of inference urged from the former; " therefore glorify God, in your body and in your spirit, Avhich are his." Here we see the engagement that lays iqion us; the .duty that Ave are, to perform, upon the account ofour redemption. Christ hath bought us, and paid for us; and therefore Ave owe him our service, even the obedience of our whole lives. We are not to content ourselves by fulfilling our own lusts, but by doing of his AAdll and pleasure. When Christ redeemed us, his purpose was to re deem us to God, from our OAvn sinful lusts; and, (as the apostle St, Peter expresses it)from our vain conversation. He delivered us from the hands of our enemies; that, without fear, Ave might serve him in righteousness, and holiness, all the days of our lives. We being rescued out of the hands of those tyrannous lords that ruled over us, do iioav oavc service and subjection unto him Avho hath deliv ered us. He hath taken us, as spoils out of the hands ofour enemies; and therefore we are be come his, his servants, and OAve obedience unto him, as our almighty patron and deliverer. To this purpose the apostle tells the Romans, that 42 ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. being made free from sin, they become the ser vants of righteousness. Thus chap. 6. we are de livered from the laAV, says he, that being dead, Avherein we were held, that we should serve in newness of spirit. And elscAvhere, the same apostle says, that he, (speaking of Christ) died for all, that they Avhich live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. The end ofour redemption, as Avell as of our creation, was, that Ave niight be instruments of his glory. But to come nearer to the Avords ofthe text. First, ^ 1. I shall consider the duty here urged of glo rifying ; and sheAV you Avhat the Avord imports, 2. I shall consider it, as it bears reference to God, the proper object of this duty. And, 3. Shall show the manner . how, or the means whereby, we are to glorify God : viz. with our bodies and souls, with all the powers and faculties of both. First, 1. I shall consider the duty here urged, and shcAv you Avhat the Avord imports. " Therefore glorify." I have already shewed you the connection with the former part of my text, Iioav this duty is in ferred ; and with what equity and reason in this place urged; so that I have here only to con sider the matter or nature of the duty itself, and also the manner thereof. Noav the Avord signifies, the advancing of, or the adding somcAvhat to another's glory or honour : the setting forth of his praise, the acknosvledging of his excellencies, and the magnifying of his ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. 43 name. Now this duty belongs properly to God; and therefore I shall npt speak of these distinctly. God only is to be Avorshipped and glorified. He is glorious in himselfj and called by St. Stephen, the God of glory. Acts vii. 2. And unto him a- lone, is glory and honour ascribed in . the sacred Avri.tings. I Tim. i. 17. Noav unto the king eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever. Thus the blessed angels, in that excellent anthem they sung at our saviour's birth, Avhen they shared, as it were, to heaven and earth, their several portions, allotted us our part in Christ, peace and the good Avill of God; but Avith reserva- -tipn of the Avhole glory to him. Luke ii. 14. Glo ry to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good Avill towards men. Glory is God's prerogative ; that Avhich belongs to him from us, - his creatures ; and Avherein he will admit of no competitor or sharer. Accordingly he hath declared his will and pleasure ; Isaiah xiii. 8. My glory Avill I not give unto another. He will not lose any of this his peculiar. If therefore avc attribute any glory, or give any Avorship or adoration to the creature, Ave rob God of his due, and detract from his glory. Yea, if we mind only our own interest, our own pleasure and safety, glory and. reputation, and make these the end ofour lives and actions, we set ourselves in the place of God, and make idols of ourselves. We ought tb make God's glory, that utmost end of all our actions and intentions ; not merely seeking our own credit, profit, ease, or ad vancement; nor determining our aims in our- .s^elves, or in any other . creature, but raising our 44 ON- THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. thoughts and actions to an higher pitch, to look beyond all these, at God, the ultimate object of our lives. But here you may ask, how can this be ? is it possible for such poor creatures, as we' are, to glorify God, or to confer any glory on him, Avhich he had not before? seeing liis own glory is essential to him, perfect and infinite; and to Avhat is perfect, much less to Avhat is infinite, ^ can no thing be added. The divine glory is such that all the creatures in the Avorld, should they join their several forces together, to do it; yet could they not increase or diminish it, make it either more or less, , In ansAver then to this, we must of necessity a little forsake that signification of the word glorify, which is, to add some glory to another, which be fore he had not, either in the same measure and degree ; and understand it in such a sense, as that fhe thing meant therehyj may be in our poAV- erto perform. And so to glorify God, Ave are to understand no more, than to shew forth hjs glory, and to manifest to our own consciences, and to the Avorld, liOw highly we praise and esteem his glory ; how earnestly avc desire, and as much as in us lays^ endeavour it, that all men, Avith'us, might also acknowledge and admire the same ; sing praise to the honour of his name, and make his praise to be glorious. Ps. Ixvi. 2. Not make his being or es sence, to be more glorious than it is in itself : but make his praise to be more and more glorious, in the eye and esteem of men ; so that all might magnify his name, and confess him to be Avorthy to receive honour and glory, and niight and ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. 45 majesty. Rev. iv. 11. To endeavour by] our pious, religious behayiour, by our thanksgivings, confes sions, our charity, obedience, and good works, to bring God's true religion or worship into request ; to induce others by our good examples, to win a due reverence to God's holy name and word; to beget in others more high and honourable thoughts concerning God, in all those his most glorious at-' tributes of Avisdom, poAver, justice, goodness, and mercy. This is to glorify God, and sheAv forth his praise. , And thus is it possible for us to do ; at least, sp as will be pleasing and acceptable to God. And thus to do, is also our bounden duty, to glorify him both in our bodies and souls ; which brings ' me in the next place, to shcAV, the manner hoA\', and the means Avhereby God is to be glorified by us. In your body, and in your spirit, which are his. And here, according to the order of the Avords, (withbut any respect to the pre-eminence and ex cellency of the soul) I shall first speak of glorify ing God Avith our bodies ; by shewing, 1 . That God doth require so much from us ; and 2. Hoav it must be done. 1. God doth require to be glorified in our bodies : he hath created our bodies, and doth pre serve and riiaintain them to that end. Solomon .tells us, Prov. xvi. 4. that the Lord hath made all things for himself, for the setting forth of his glory, our bodies as Avell as souls, to be instruments in exalt ing his name. As he gives us our beings, and con tinues health and strength : so he requires, that 46 ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. they be employed in his service ; that as the rivers return again to the place from Avhence they came, (coming from the sea, and returning to the sea again) so should all our store and supply of strength, yea, our yery beings, as they issued at first from the fountain of his gOodness, return at last, to his praise and glory, and pay their acknoAV- ledgments^to him. 2. Upon account of our redemption, Ave are also to glorify God in our bodies : these are pur chased as AA'ell as our souls. The Avords of the text, indeed, seem chiefly to be referred to the body ; that being spoken of in the preceding- verses : and thereupon it is, that the body is men tioned in the first place, to shew us that Ave ~ are not to neglect the duties of external obedience. Again, 3. Upon the account of sanctification, God dotli require that Ave glorify him with our bodies. Where G.od bestoAvs his graces, he ^expects to receive some glory from them ; and that the body hath some share in them, is evident from the prayer of , the apostle, 1 Thess. a-. 23. Avliere he not only be- seecheth God to sanctify them Avholly ; but pray eth more particularly, that their Avhole spirit, and soul, and body^ may be preserved blameless, unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus then, as God is the maker, the redeemer, and sanctifier of our bodies, so doth he expect that they should be instruments of his glory. Now, how Ave are to glorify Gpd in our bodies, am I come to shew you : and this I shall do, in these four following particulars. ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. 4')' 1. In keeping them chaste and sober. 2. In employing all your members in his ser vice, and to his glory. 3. In performing external obedience to his commands. , , , 4. By shewing some external notes or signs of our reverence and submission. 1. God is glorified in our bodies, when we keep them pure and chaste, temperate and sober. The committing of acts of uncleanness, doth defile and pollute the body, the temple of the Holy Ghost ; and by consequence, tends to the dishonour of God. Whereas, on, the contrary, the keeping of the body pure and chaste, tends to the glory, of the maker. The keeping of any curious work manship or manufa^cture clear from rust and filth iness, and preserving it in its primitive beauty and coineliness, doth much commend the artificer. Thus the keeping of our bodies pure and undefiled, Avhich are the Avorkmanship of God's hand, doth much tend to his glory. Thus is it with temper ance- and sobriety ; it doth much redound to the praise and glory of God. AU excesses and in temperance, whether in eating or drinking, abuse and blemish the body, put it out of frame and temper, oppress nature, hinder all regular motion, render us unfit and uncapable instruments of glo rifying God, and consequently must tend to his dishonour. Whereas, a body kept sober and tem perate, in it's due frame and temper, is always in a posture ready to do him service, and to utter the- praisesof his name. Besides, by using the good things of this life; as eating and drinking mode- 48 ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. rately, with praise and thanksgiving, Ave thereby ¦ glorify God, as the apostle requires ; Avhether ye eat or drink, or Avhatsoever else ye do, do all to the praise and glory of God. 2. God is glorified in our bodies, Avhen Ave em ploy all the members in his service, and to his olory; Avhen Ave permit no one to Avithold its obedience, but make them all unite and concur in a ready compliance to the divine commands ; Avhen Ave curb and restrain them from sin and Avickedness, from running after vanities, from doing that Avliich is in itself prohibited and unlaw^ ful, and give them the reins only in tlie Avays of virtue. 3. When Ave keep our tongue, as it were, Avith a bridle, from cursing and reviling, frorii lying and SAvearing, and taking , God's name in vain ; and employ it as Ave ought, it being the most ho nourable member called the glory of the man, and fit to set forth the excellencies of the almighty, in calling upon his name, praying - unto him, ac- knoAvledging the greatness of liis majesty, and our own vileness and demerits ; confessing hini to be the author of every good and perfect gift Ave enjoy, deprecating those evils Ave fear, because we de^ serve; and beseeching, of him those mercies and blessings, Ave stand in continual need of. In giving thanks to God, for the good things by Avhich avc are at any time made happy : Avhere by Ave glorify God, in acknowledging our obliga tions to him and the derivations of all blessinss from him. And lastly,' in setting forth |iis praises and ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. 49 excellencies : therewith bless we God, as the apostle James, iii. 9- For this, the tongue is,' as it were, peculiarly fitted; by the variety of it's expressions, to set forth all the excellencies of which the divine nature is composed ; as neither wanting words to express his justice and mercy, and the like; nor yet. that which makes them more divine, the infi niteness of theiri in some measure. Through Christ therefore, let us offer th,e sacrifice of praise continually ; i. e. the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. Heb. xiii. 15. Thus shall we set forth the praise and glory of God, as it is ex pressed, Ps. 1. 23. Whoso offereth praise, glo rifies God. 2". When We keep our eyes from beholding vanity, fi-om being the' occasions of evil, and fix and turn them on God, with the Ps. cxxiii. 1. 2. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; even so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us. 3. When we stop our ears from evil discourse, from foolish and obscene talking, and delight only in hearing God's word, never turning them away from the truth ; but with .all attention incliriing them to instruction, to the hearing ofthe law, aiid to the gaining of knowledge. 4. When Ave keep our hands from offering any violence or act pf injustice to our neighbour, from stealing and taking away the goods of another, .Avhether by fraud or force ; and busy them in the E -50 ON THE REDEMPIION OF MAN. ¥J3»k'6 .ofour ordinary callings, according to that of the gipogtle; Eph. iv. SS., where he exhojts us t,Q l&k&w, working with «ur hands, the thing that k good. In giv^ing of aims, and doing acts of chai3iby and mercy ; and contributing, Avhat in us lays, to the procuring, defending, or enlarging the good and property of our neighbour. This is the employraent of the hands Avhich Avill tend to the honour and glory of God. And lastly, when Ave keep our feej;, (members also ofthe body) from standing in the ways of sinners ; and from stalking ,iri the paths of wick edness, the broad way of impiety and destruction ; . refraining them, from every sinful way, and treacl ing in the paths of holiness, in the strait way that Leads unto life ; carrying us to the house and ser vice of God, and frequenting tlie public assemblies of the faithful, Without any trouble or weariness. Thus keepiiig .and employing the several members of the body will undoubtedly render them ser- viceaide unto God, and instrumental in setting forth his praise and glory. -Again, thirdly, 3. God is glorified in^our bodies, Avhen Ave shew by- them some external signs of reverence and submission to his majesty. As those humble posr tures of body, Avherewith pious and holy men have honoured their maker ; as kneeling or fiilUng doAjfn before him, bow:ing down the head, or uncovering' it; all Avhichw:e find formerly to have been used by 4;lije true and faithfid servants of Gad ; ^nd if Ave consult the scripture Ave sliall find them not to. liaA-e been witliout a particular command for tlie' Use of some of them. Wh-en satan Avould have pN THE REDEMPTION QF MAN. 51 tempted our Saviour by the pffer of the kingdoms of the Avorld, to fall down and worship him, our Saviour not only rejected his offer, but answered him out of the scriptures,, with " It is Avritten, thou shalt worship the I^ord thy God,- and him only shalt thou serve;" Where Gpd doth not only claim the homage of our service and obedience, but the paying of our respects, in falling down and worshipping him. And lest any should say, thp,t hy worship is there meant that which is internal ; we ansAver, that that was not internal, Avhich the devil desired, but external, to fall down a,nd wor ship him; and a;ccprdrng to that sense, did our saviour apffly his answer, that that worship, which » he asked of him, did belong to Gpd. Again, the expression in the second commandment evinceth thus much: where God forbidding to bow doAvn before a graven image, because he is a jealous God, doth plainly shew, that he challengeth that honour to himself; viz. external, as well as internal wor ship. If Ave then would glorify God in our bodies, we must not refrain from, and neglect those out- Ward notes of reverence, which become us, when Ave appear before the great majesty of God, in our prayers and a,ddresses before' hun ; which testify our humility and submission unto God, declare the divine goodness, and our vilenesss. 4, And lastly, God is, glorified in our, bodies, by yielding- external obedience to his command- mentSj' by making them the rule of our lives and" actions. What is a greater dishonour to the law-^giver, than to have his laws rejected, vio lated, disregarded, by those that are his. subjects, E2 52 ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAST. and ought to be under his obedience ? This argues either some defect in the laws, or else disrespect and stubbornness in the subjects. Whereas the constant and diligent, observance of the divine precepts, without any Avilful violation, declares the honour and respfect we have for God, shews that his commands are truly just, holy, good, and Avorthy to be observed ; and so tend much to his- glory. If then Ave Avould glorify God in our bodies, we must bring and keep them in subjection and obedience to his will, and demonstrate by our actions, in our lives, and conversations, that We not only know the Avill of God, but do it ; letting our light so shine before men, that they may see our good Avorks, and glorify our Father which is in heaven. SERMON V. ON THE REDEMPTION Oi MAN. 1 Cor, vi. 20. " For ye are bough t with, a price ; therefore glorify " God in your body, and in your spirit, which are " God's." In which words, Ave have two things chiefly considerable. I. An assertion or declaration of our redemp tion. Ye are bought with a price : where Ave have, 1. The commodity or thing bought; Ye, your whole man : bodies and souls. 2. The bargain made and confirmed ; impjied in;the Avord bought. 3. The Consideration or value of this purchase : with a price. We were not redeeriied or bought for nothing. It cost him dear that purchased it for us ; a price of an infinite value. These things, (as some of you may remember) have been particularly insisted on, and some profitable instructions gathered from, them ; as these : first, that there is a redemption purchased for mankind, Avho were lost and undone, sold under sin and satan : secondly, that being thus bought, our redemption purchased, Ave are not our own ; remain not at our oAvn disposal : the E.3 54 ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. Lord Jesus Christ that hath purchased us, by the price ofhis own precious blood shath the sole right and propriety over us ; and that, as I sheA\'ed, upon a double title ; one of conquest, anotlier. of pur-r chase; which are both ways, by Avhich human dominion is acquired, and servitude introduced. 1 . By right of conquest Ave belong unto him. We had sold ourselves to satan, and put ourselves into his possession ; though thereby' he had no firm title to us ; seeing by our sale. We could con vey np more right than we had ourselves. Our redeemer therefore, did not enter into any capitu lation with him, or offer any terms of composi tion ; but rescued us by his power, and forced us from him by main strength. Christ, through death, destroyed hiih that had the power of death, i. e. the devil, and delivered us. He spoiled priji*- cipalities and powers, and, as a conqueror, iliade a shcAv of them openly, triumphing over them. And thus, as he hath a right over us, ¦ upon ac count of conquest, so also, by right of pur chase. 'Al^ mighty God, his Father, and ourLordj and luaker, under whose heavy curse we lay, and whose just vengeance Avould not be appeased for our grievous offences, without a condign satisfaction ; to him, I say, there Avas a price paid by our redeemer ; and that the greatest that ever Avas paid for any pur- chase since the world began. So that we being gained by conquest, and purchased by a price, are not our own, neither out- persons, nor our actions ; but do Avholly belong to him who hath redeemed us. We fall into his possession, and into his power and custody, as his proper goods ; to be no longer ON f HE RfeDEMPTlOSr df MAN. 85 at our OAvn disposal, to do as We list, to serve our selves, to mind our own interest ; bttt chiefly his who hath bought us, and whose we are; in whose service, and to whose praise and ,,glol-y^ AVe ou^ht to employ all our live* and strength. - From, whence 1 proceeded to the second part of my text, Avhich is, by Avay of inference, urged from the former, " therefore giorfy God in yowr body, %^c." ¦ ' ' ' : Here W6 see the engag-ement that lays upon us,- the duty that we are to perform, upon the account 6f our redemption. Ghfisf baith bought Us, and paid for Us ; and therefore we oAve him service, the obedience bf our ^hole IIa'cs. When Christ re deemed us, his purpose Avas to redeem us unto God, from our oWri sinful lust-S ; and, as the apos tle Peter expresses it, (1 epistle, chap. 1. ver. 18.) , from our vain conversation. He delivered us from the hands of our enemies, that we might serte him Avithout fear, in righteousness arid holiness before Mm, allthe days ofour life. H6 died for all, that they AVliO live, should ilot henceforth live unto themselves, but a spiritual life unto him tfjat died for them, arid rose again. But to coriie nearer to the Avards. Iri the prosecution of them, t considered the duty here urged of glOFifying; Avbat the Avord signifies and imports ; and that as it hears reference tmto God, Avho is tlie proper object of this duty, unto Avhom alone, all honour, and praise, and glory belon^-s> and is^ to be ascribed. I shewed yort also, the iwanner hofiv,- and the means xvhereby W€ are to glorify God, with our bodies arid souls, E4. S6 ON THE REDEMPTION OF MA'N. and with all the powers and faculties of both. And here, Avithout any respect to pre-eminence and excellency ofthe soul, according to the ordet of the AVords I spake, of glorifying God with our bodies, by shewing, that God doth require so much from us ; and that upon the account of our creation, preservation, redemption, antj sanctifica tion. II. I showed how this may be done : how God is glorified in our bodies ; and that in these four particulars : . 1. In keeping them pure and chaste, temperate and sober ; avoiding all filthiness and uncleanness that doth defile the body, and pollute the temple of the Holy Ghost ; all excesses that do oppress nature, and put the whole man out of its due frame and temper, and so tend to the dishonour of it'* maker. 2. God is glorified in our bodies, when we em ploy all the members of it in his seryice, and to his glory ; Avhen we permit not any one to with hold it's obedience, but make them all unite and concur in a ready and cheerful comphance with the divine commands ; when We curb and restrain them from sin and wickedness, from running after vanities, and doing that which is in itself pro hibited and unlawful, and give' them the reins only in the ways of piety and virtue. When Ave keep our tongues,,as it were, with a bridle, from cursing and swearing, from, lying and reviling, from the irreverent use of God's name and attributes, and employ them in setting forth the excellency of our maker, in praising and inag- ON THE REDEMPTION, OF MAN. SI nifying his name, in acknoAvledging the greatness ofhis majesty, and our oAvn vileness and demerits, ¦ in calling upon him, and giving thanks to his name. And thus of the other members of the body. 3. God is glorified in our bodies, by yielding external obedience to his commands,, by niaking that the rule of our lives and actions, by letting our light so shine before men, that they may see our good Afvorks, and glorify our Father which is in heaven. And lastly, God is glorified in our bodies, when we shew by theni some external signs of reverence and sub mission to his majesty ; as those humble postnies of body, wherewith pious and holy men have hon oured their maker, as kneeling or falling down , befoi'ehim, bowing doAvn the head, or uncovtrmg it ; Avhich are all outward notes of reverence, tes tifying our humility and submission unto God, declaring the divine greatness^ and bur own vile ness. Thus having shewn you hpw we are to glorify God in our bodies ; we come in the next plkce to shew how this must be done in our souls, which are bpth equally his. This God doth especially require of us ; that Ave acknOAvledge him in our hearts ; that we not only yield unto him external, but principally, internal obedience and worship; that Ave glorify him i» our souls. Though the apostle hatli mentioned here the bpdy in the first place, yet we are hot to gather or conclude from thence, that external worship is chiefly required, and, better pleasing 5§ ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. and more acceptable to God, than internal, that of the heart. If avc consult other places in the Sacred writings, Ave shall flnd the contrary ; that God principally requires the heart, to be worship ped in spirit and truth, in uprightness, and sincerity of heart : yet not so as to haye all external obedi ence of the body, all outward notes of reverence and submission neglected. Thus/Prov. xxiii. 26. doth God principally require the heart. ' ' My son, give me thine heart." Thus in 1 Pet. iii 15. Sanc^ tify the Lord God in your hearts. Thus in other places are we required to seek the Lord Avith all our souls, to loye him and serve him with all our souls, to return to the Lord with 'all our souls. Thus in all duties doth God look to the heart; in praying to hira, in praising his name, in singing of psalms, that we not only make a noise Avith our voices, but that we hiake melody in our hearts to the Lord. Eph. v. 9. In the apostle's exhortation to servants. Cot. iii. 22, 23. minding them of their duties towards their masters, he requires them' " to obey their masters in all things, not with eye-seryice as men-pleas^i's, but in sirtglehess of hedrt ; whatsoever they do, doing it heartily, as unto the Lord ;" Avhieh plainly implies thus mUch : that' Ave Ought to "perforrit no duty, np service to the Lord, but with the heart, in sincerity and truth. And accordingly the Lord is said to look unto the heart in all holy performances; to ponder, to search into, and, try the hearts of the sons of men. Rev, ii. 23. I am he that searcheth the reins and hearts. By all which, it appears, that God expects prin- Ola ThE REDfeBlPtlON ot MAN. 59 cip&lly to be OAvned,and acknoAvledged in dur hearts. Though' the apostle hath here in my text, given the glorifying him in our bodies the precedency, yet this Ave must understand to be spoken in re lation to tlie yerses going before, iu reference to the Corinthians, to whom he directs his epistie, who were a people very much addicted to fornica- tiori,' according to that which Strabo declares of them : Fanufn vetietns Corinthi mpre mille ha beret satrorun famulas tneretrices, et Corthys im" pudicorum Deus, ibi colebatur. Pool. Syn. Crit. The apostle therefore applies himself to them, in the latter part of this chapter, to dissuade them from that vice that was. practised among them, from polluting and defiling their bodies ; arguing Avith them in my text, that their bodies are not' their own, being redeemed and bought with a price ; and therefore they ought to honour and glorify God, by keeping them pure and chaste, : and in obedience to the spirit ; and not to disr honour him, by polluting, his holy temple. Upon this account it is, that the body is here mentioned in the first place. * In some manuscript copies there is no more ex pressed thari this, " Glorify therefore God, in your bodies ;" the last particulars, " And in your souls, which are God's," are wanting. Thus in' many antient copies is the same oiTiitted, the chapter and verse concluding thus, Glorificate et-portate Deum in corpore vestro. But uoav in the greek, syriac, and arabian, and in all translations from them, according to Grotius, Ave have these last Avords' 60 ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. added, "and in your spirit Avhich are God's ;" Avhich words are fitly anrilexed to the duty of glorifying and praising God, the soul being the principle part that must concur, unite, and join with the members ofthe body, in setting forth the honour, praise, and glory oftheir maker : without that, all verbal praises and doxologies signify nothing; are but as the sounding of brass, or the tinkling of a cymbal : Avithout it, all our services and holy per formances are but a mocking of C^od, no better than hypocrisy. The soul of man is the fountain from , whence all true piety and ¦ religion issues forth; the seat of all virtues, which are not to be , found in any brute creatures, or irrational, they being incapable of them; but only in the human soul, which is endued with divine and spiritual perfections and qualifications that can apprehend in some measure the nature and being of God, and his transcendent excellencies ; and thereupon the most fit to praise and glorify him. But now besides these prerogatives of the soul of man, whereby it is qualified for the glorifying of God ; his requiring so much from it, in an especial manner, doth make the duty indispensa ble ; and if we consider that God hath the AVhole power and right over the soul, to lay on it what- soevel' injunctions he pleaseth; and that all those ways Avhereby he claims right and propriety unto the body, as upon account of creation, redemption, and sanctification ; These seem to render the soul niore peculiarly his. As for creation, our souls are more immedi ately created and infused by his poAver ; not tra- ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. 6l duced from our earthly parents by natural gen eration. Thus for redemption ; our immortal souls were the principal thing that our Saviour died for; that they might not be miserable to all eternity : though our bodies were also redeemed by his merits, and shall be hereafter spiritualized and refined in gloi-y. ' ; Thus also for sanctification : tis the soul that hath the greatest share in spiritual graces, and heavenly virtues. ', The inference from hence is, that if our souls' do thus, peculiarly belong unto God ; thiat if he made, redeemed, and sanctifies them for this end, to glorify him; then it cpncerns us to devote them to his service, to yield that obedience that is due from them unto God. Noav what that is Which is required from our souls, in order to the setting forth of God's glory, or how we are to glorify him, in our souls, am I noW come to speak more particularly unto. And in order hereto, I shall mention the several facul ties of the rational soul, whereby it exerts its actions and operations; as the understanding, the will, and the affections : and so shew you what is required from each of these, and how God may be glorified in them. ^ I. Hoav God is glorified In our understandings. And that I shall shew in these three particulars : 1. When we dwn him to be God, and acknoAv-r ledge all his perfections and attributes. • 2. When we assent unto his word, his revealed yn}}, contained in the scriptures; and steflifastly believe all the articles of the christian fajth. 62 ON THP REDEMPTION OF MAN. 3. When we spend some time in the serious consideration and contemplation of heavenly things. When we own God in our understandings, and acknowledge all his divine attributes and perfec-* tions. This is one of the first and chiefest acts of our understanding, to own and acknowledge God.i Not that we can ever by our reason, fully compre-f hend his nature, but acknowledge him, (so far as he is revealed to be) a divine spiritual being ;- the one only true G od, in opposition tb those false and fictitious deities of the heathen. The not knoAving of God as we ought, nor having right apprehensions of his majesty, is the cause of much irreligion and profaneness in the world ; and by consequence tends much to the dishonour of God ; Avhereas, the right apprehension of him much ad vanceth his glory. The knoAving of him to be the true God, unto Avhoni all worship and adoration belongs, who is Avorthy of our devotion, and by his very nature challengeth our religious subjec tion : this settles our minds 'in his service, and keeps them from Avandering and fluctuating in their AVorship after various and uncertain objects. And as the right knoAvledge of God doth' deter mine us in his Avorship and service, and so tend to his glory : so the acknoAvledgement of his perfec tions and attributes doth much add thereto. As, 1. His omnipresence, that he is every where present to behold our ^states and conditions, to observe our actions, to relieve and supply our wants ; that we can hide ourselves in no place from his inspection. Whither shall I go from thy ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. 6$ presence, or ^hither shall I flee from thy spirit ? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there ;- if I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there. If J take the Avings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even tljere also shall thine hand lead me, and thy right hand shall find nie. Ps,. cxxxix. 7, 8, 9, 10. 2. His independency, that he subsists altogether in himself; and that in him we live, and move, arid have ouf being. 3. His unchangeablenessaind eternity ; that Avifh him there is no vi^riableness, nor shadow of turn-^ ing; that he remains the same for ever, from everlasting to everlasting, blessed for evermore. ¦. 4. His wisdom and knoAvledge, that he perfectly understands and comprehends all. things that have been, or are, or shall be,, according to all the various circumstances belonging to them ; khow-^ ing every pcvrticular person or thing so exactly, as if he were wholly taken up and intent in his thoughts uppn tliat alpne. He that planted the ear, shall not he hear ; he that gives understanding ' and knowledge, -shall not he know ? 5. His power and omnipotence; whereby he, is able to do all things, without any help br assist ance from another, without any labour or difficulty to himself. , 6. His goodness, and mercy ; that he is good unto all ; haying in him that propensity, whereby he is inclined to procure and wish the happiness of every one; not willing ofthe destruction of any sinner, full of mercy and compassion, as he hath proclaimed himself, Exod. xxxiv. 6. The 64 ON THE REDEMPTION OP MAN. Lord, the Lord Gbd ! merciful and gracious^ long suffering, and abundant in goodness and truths keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin. And in the last place, 7. Just and righteous ; that will by no means clear the guilty, but will deal Avith all his creatures according to their deserts ; in rewarding piety and virtue, and punishing sin and vice. All his Avays arejudgments; a'Godof truth, and without iniqui ty, just and right is he. Deut. xxxii. 4. Now the knoAvledge and due apprehension of these divine perfections and excellencies, do much contribute to the glory of God. They being all glorious in themselves, the acknoAvledgement of each of thera doth add much thereto. * Besides, The knowledge of these divine excellencies Avill leave some influence upon our hearts, inclining ' them to duty ; it being natural to men to propor tion their esteem of things, according to that Avorth and dignity Avhich they apprehend to be in them : so that if Ave conceive in a right manner of the excellencies and perfeetioris ofthe divine nat ure, Avhereby. God doth infinitely transcend all created beings, those very conceptions will work in us an high esteem and veneration of him, a cheerful obedience to his commands, and a readi ness of naind upon all occasions, to express our adoration and AVorship towards him. II. Another act of the understanding, Avhereby God is glorified, is, the assenting unto his word revealed in the' holy scriptures; the steadfast be lieving of all the articles ofthe christian faith. Faith itself, is an habit residing in the soul ; an Gir THE REDEMPTION Ot MAN. 65 halbit of the intellectual part. Rom. x. 9. 10. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead; thou shalt be saved : for with the heart man beheveth unto righteousness. ,Now the soul believing, and assenting to, the AVord of God, i. e. whatsoever he hath spoken in the sa cred Writings by the prophets and apostles, doth much terid to the glory of God ; doth declare the great confidence and assurance we have in his words ; and doth assert his truth and veracity^ that cannot lie nor deceive. When Ave readily and steadfastly believe these things, Avhich God hath left us as the objects of our faith, because they have been delivered by him ; though they be not apparent to our senses, nor evident to our un derstandings nor seem true by the virtue of any natural cause ; thereby we glorify Godi As for instance, , When Ave believe the doctrine of the trinity, of the incarnation of the son of God, of the resur rection ; Avhich are all unintelligible by the light of nature, or reason, thereby Ave OAvn and acknow ledge God, to be true. For, inasmuch, as avc neither do nor can give up our belief, but Avhere Ave are in some measure assured of the veracity of him Avhom Ave believe; by believing Avhatsoever God affirms, we plainly confess him to be a God of truth and faithfulness ; especially, when Ave yield our assent to things unlikely and improbable, because there is nothing in the thing itself to engage our assent, but on the contrary, very much to stagger and supplant it: yet even then, if our F 66 ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. belief be firm and steadfast, as it ought to be, in every article ofour faith, it is a sign that Ave haye a just apprehension of the veracity of God, of his universal knowledge, and infinite Avisdom, by Avhich it is impossible he himself should be deceiv ed ; and of his transcendent goodness, holines.s, and rectitude, that Avill not go about to deceive, or impose upon his creatures. , Thus doth the glory and honour of God arise and issue forth from the believing of the sacred writings, and Avhatsoever is therein propounded, as the object - of the christian faith. Thirdly, and lastly, God is glorified in our understandings, when Ave often and ^seriously contemplate heavenly things. That is not the Avay to advance the glorious name of Godj to employ our intellectuals in the con templation of sublunary things; in confining our minds only to earthly objects, and to sensible things; contriving and plotting Iioav to gain, Avorldly advantages, and increase riches ; to enjoy ' sensual pleasures, and gratify our earthly and cor rupt inclinations, seldom admitting of any thing that is serious, any deliberate consideration of another Avorld after this ; of a God that Ave are to adore, and Avorship, and pay our devotion unto ; and of the duties that religion and Christianity enjoin us. So that thereby Ave make idols of the creatures, deprive God of his honour, and our selves of that peace and tranquillity of mind here, and perpetual felicty hereafter, Avhicli accompanies a truly religious and pious life. Whereas, did avc but more meditate upon the things that are aboye ; raise our thoughts from the coritemplation of cor- ON THE Ij'EDEMPTiON OiF -UAli. 67 poteal beings, to the consideration of more refined ones ; did Ave but unchain and get loose our souls from thoSe earthly dungeons, and mount upward toward the celestial country that is above; did we consider the God that made us ; that endued us Avith rational and immortal souls ; and for what end he desigried such noble creature^; the eternal son of'God that redeemed us, at the expence of his most precious blood; the Holy Ghost that came down to be our sanctifier and comforter, our instfhctor, teacher, and remembrancer; and to what end this blessed, concurrence of the Avhole trinity. Did Ave think of the everlasting joys of heaven ; that immense bliss that the glorified saints are, and shall be, possessed of, who have put off their earthly tabernacles, and are cloathed upon Avith immortality : these things Avould set our thoughts and understandings at Avork, how to become partakers of that liappiness ; take our thoughts of from the dross and dung ofthe earth; and suggest unto us,'how much it concerns us to please God, and obtain his favour, with an interest in the merits of Christ. These considerations Avould excite us to the diligent perfprmance of the du ties that are required of us ; cause us to conform our lives to God's holy laws ; and by consequence, redound to his praise and glory. Thus have I shewed you, Iioav God is glorified by our understandingSi one of the principal facul ties of the rational soul ; 1. By owning and rightly apprehending the nature of God ; getting a right knoAvledge of his perfections and excellencies. F2 68 ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN/ . 2. By assenting Unto the Avord of God, revealed in the scriptures, both commands and promises ; and by believing steadfastly all the articles of the christian faith. . 3. By taking off our minds from earthly things, Avhich are beneath the rational soul to be confined to, and confemplate^^those things that are spiritual and heavenly. I should proceed unto another faculty of the soul, the will ; and shew you, hoAv we are to glo rify God by that ; as hy conforming our wills to the will of God, in doing whatsoever he hath commanded ; and in suffering contentedly what soever it shall be his good pleasure to inflict. But the discussion of these points must be reserved for my next discourse. SERMON VI. ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. 1 Cor. vi. 20. " For ye are bought with a price;- therefore glotnfy " God in your body, and in your spirit, which are " God's." IVlY last discourse, (as you may remember) was of glorifying God in our souls and spirits : where I shewed you the reasonableness of this duty, in ferred from the former part ofthe verse, that God hath the whole propriety over our souls, upon several accounts ; and therefore, they ought to be devoted to his service and honour ; that God doth especially require the obedience, Avorship, and veneration of our souls ; from that of Solomon, " My son, give me thine heart:" of the apostle Peter, " Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts ;" from those frequent inculcations that Ave meet with in scripture, of fearing, loving, serving, and obey ing the Lord, Avith all the 'strength, and Avith all the soul.. But more particularly, I shewed you, the manner hoAV we are to glorify God in our souls ; and that, by enumerating the several faculties of the rational soul, Avhereby it exerts it's actions and operations : as the under- , . F-3 70 ON THE REDEMPTION OF MA-N. standing, A^dll, arid affections; shcAving what is required from each of these, in order to the setting forth of God's glory. 1. I began Avith the understanding, and shcAved you, how God is glorified by that ; Avliich I did in these particulars : as first, Avhen Ave OAvn him to be God, and acknoAvledge all the divine perfections and excellencies, The right apprehension of the divine majesty much advanceth his glory; the knowing him to be the only trueGod, infinite in poAver; wisdom, and gpodness ; unto whom alone, all worship and adoration properly belongs ; Avho is Avorthy of our devotions ; and by the sublimity of his very nature challengeth our religious subjec tion ; this settles our -minds in his service, keeps them from wandering in our w;orship after other objects, and makes them intent in admirjng and setting forth his praises, 2. God is glorified in our understandings, when Ave assent unto the Avord of God revealed in the sacrpd writings ; ahd steadfastly believe all the ar-' tides of the christian faith. By believing that which is not apparent to the senses, nor evident by any natural cause, thereby we OAvn and ac knowledge G od to be true and faithful ; inasmuch, as we neither do nor can give up our belief, but where Ave are assured of thp veracity of him -whom we believe. By our beheving whatsoeyer he hath affirmed, though unintelligible by the light of nature or reason, Ave plainly confess hini to be a , God of truth. 3. God is glorified by our understandings, by the often and serious contemplation of heavenly ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN 71 things, by taking off our minds from earthly things, and fixirig them upon those that are spiritual and divine. Thus far I have proceeded already. I come uoav unto the second faculty of the rational soul, the will ; how God is glorified by it : viz. By conforming it to his sacred Avill, in doing Avillihgly Avhatsoever he hath commanded ; and in suffering patiently and contentedly Avhatsoever it shall be his good will and pleasure to inflict. The greatest testimony Ave can give ofour respect and subjection to another, is the conforming of our Avills to his : the will, being of all the faculties the most free from the command and power of others, and the most difficult tb be brought to a^ compli ance with them. Thus, Avhen Ave conform our Avills to the Avill of God, we shcAv the greatest sub mission and subjection ; and so greatly advance his glory and horiour. 1. In our actions. When we do those things that are agreeable to the will of God ," Avhen Ave keep and observe his eommandrnents, practise piety and holi ness, because it is his will that Ave should do so : then we glorify him. Now if Ave perform not our duties upon this account, because it is God's Avill that we should ; but because of the reasonableness there of, or the pleasure and profit that may accompany ' them, we then are guided only by our OAvn inclina- tions,"do folloAV our own lusts, and so nothing- tend to the glory of God. As for instance, Avhen we avoid such and such vices, as intemperance and prodigality ; and practise such and such virtues, as sobriety, chastity, and the like; yet if we avoid F4- 72 ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. the one, and follow the other) not in obedience to God's will, but from a sense of the deformity and comeliness of them, of the necessity thereof to human life, the preservation of our health, reputa tion, and outAvard estates ; this is not to glorify God in our actions. Then is that done, when Ave regulate our lives according to God's prescribed will ; when we not only do those things that are agreeable to his Avill, but in obedience to his Avill. The will of God revealed in the scriptures is, that we should live soberly, righteously, and godly ; that we keep his statutes, and observe his laws ; that we hate and forsake all manner of wickedness and impiety ; and abstain from all filthiness of flesh and spirit ; as it is, 1 Thess. iv. 3. " This is. the Avill of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication, &c." Tis the Avill of God, that we perform acts of piety and worship ; that avc praise and give thanks unto his name ; that Ave pray unto him ; and duly respect his word and sacraments, those blessed ordinances which he hath appointed, Now if we accordingly conform our wills to the will of God, in doing what it requires from us, this will redound to his glory. • Farther, This is the will of God cpncerning us, that Ave should live unto his glory. There is no higher end in all that God enjoins us, than the setting forth ofhis praise and glory : so that in conforming our wills to that of God, Ave must necessarily make the glory of him the ultimate end of all our ac tions ; and be carried towards it Avith the utmost ofour desires. Thus is God glorified in our Avills, ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. 73 i»y conforming them unto his divine will, in all those acts of obedierice that he requires of us. 2. God is glorified in pur wills, by a quiet, chearfulj and contented submission of them to his Avill, in those sufferings which he shall be pleased ^t any time, to inflict upon us : when we undergo jafflictions at any fime, without any repining, regret, or discontent, because they proceed from God. With old Eli, submitting to the divine pleasure in the most severe dispensations : When a message Avas brought untp him of the extirpation of his house ; the ruin and destruction ofhis family: he made no other reply than this : " it is the Lord, let him do Avhat seemeth him good." 1 Sam. iii. 18. Thus David Avas silent and contented under his troubles, considering him that was the supreme disposer of them ; " I was dumb, and opened not my mouth, because thou didst it," Ps, xxxix. 9- Mucl^ after the same manner he expresseth himself upon oc casion of his son's rebellion ; "If the Lord shall say, I have no delight in thee, behold here I- am, let him do AVhat seemeth good unto him. I shall contentedly bear whatsoever condition I am in." 2 Sam. XV. 26. This is to submit unto God's will. This is to submit unto God's Avill ; Avhich Ave must endeavour to do in afflictions, and that willingly, and with as much cheerfulness as we can ; em- b^-acing, as Avell as submitting, to whatsoever he shall please to impose upon us. As one saith, ' If the Lord AVOuld have me to be sick or poor, I will be Avilling to be so : 'whatever employment he will design me for, I Avill not decline ; and Avhatever he Avould not have me be, or do, I Avill be against 74 ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. it likcAvise.' Thus ought Ave to endure Avith a willing mind, whatever the hand of providence shall lay upon us : to struggle with a yoke, do but make it fret and gall the more : 'tAvill be a grCater ease and pleasure to bear it contentedly, following the pattern of Job, who, Avhen he heard the sad tidings of the loss of his goods and children, of his being robbed and plundered of his riches, and of all'thathe had, made no complaint, discovered no trouble or discontent, but blessed God, notAvith- standing his losses :" " The Lord gave, and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name bf the Lord.'' This submission to the will of God tends much to his glory. Hereby avc magnify the assisting grace of God, in helping and enabling our frail human natures to undergo afilictions ; and in bearing up with pa tience under pain, losses, and troubles. ' Hereby we acknoAvledge God to have the supreme power and dominion over us ; that can do Avith us Avhat soever he pleaseth. We acknoAvledge him to be the supreme ruler and governor of the Avorld, that assigns > to every one their several conditions ; Avhereas, Avlien Ave are impatient under sufferings, murmuring and repining against God, because of afflictions ; not making his Avill the only laAV we are to submit to, in any case Avhatsoever ; thereby Ave deny him, as it Avere, to have the supreme poAver and disposal of us ; or else accuse him of hard and unmerciful dealing toAvards us ; Avhich detracts from his glory. But now the sustaining of evils Avith a contented mind, declares the sovereignty of God over us; his power, Avhom no creature is ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. 75 able to resist, or withstand ; his infinite knowledge and providence, that he takes notice of, arid doth concern himself about every particular event in ihe Avorld ; that all things happen according to liis proyidential disposal ; that whatsoever befalls us, shall in the end, Avork together for our good; his mercy and goodness, that he will not. lay upon US -more than we are able to bear, nor afflict us above measure ; but Avill, in due time, deliver us out of ail our troubles ; his justice, that he punisb eth no one aboye his demerits ; our transgressions descrying greater punishments than avC are capable of suffering in thi^ world. Thus have I showed ypu, how Gbd is glorified in our wills, the second faculty of the rational soul. We come now in the third place, to shew you, hoAV God is glorified in our affections ; viz : by making him and heavenly .things the object of our affections. When we -set our affectioui on earthly objects ; when we love and take compla cency in the things of this world ; place all our delight and joy therein, and desire them in the chiefest place ; Avhen avc fear the displeasure of men, more than the favour of God, so as to neglect pious duties for fear bf the frowns and threatenings of evil men; when our hopes and expectations depend upon the promises of men, more than those certaiivpromises that are annexed to a religious life, we do, as much as in us lays, derogate from the glory of God-. Then only do avc advance his glory ih aur affections, wheri, Ave place them upon , him, as the only object; as particularly,. 76 ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. 1. When we make him the object of our love; love him Avith the greatest intenseness and ardour of affection; preferring him above any thing that may come into competition with him ; not only loving him, (as the scripture expresseth it) above father and mother, but hating father and mother, yea and life itself, for his sake, counting all other things but dross and dung in comparison with him, When we thus love God, this shews the great esteem and veneration we have for him and his excellencies. This will make us careful hoW Ave offend him by sin, by doing any thing that is against his will, or prohibited in his holy word. This will make hs love what God loves, and hate what he hates ; make us willing to do whatsoever he hath declared himself well pleased with, and whatsoever may tend to his glory ; as the keeping of his commandments, and the setting forth of his praise and honour before men. This is that, where in the true love of God doth consist, the doing of Avhat he hath required from us ; and endeavouring to walk well pleasing in his sight. This is the love of God, says the apostle, that we keep his com mandments ; so that if we will shcAv any expres sions of our love to God, it must be by our obedience unto him, and giving thanks unto his name. 2. God is glorified by our desires, Avhen we desire him above all things, as our chiefest good ; when we esteem him the only object of our happiness, without the enjoyment of whose favour we shall be for ever miserable ; when we are passionately desirous of his presence ; . of communion with him On THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. 7/, in his ordinances ; when our souls pant after him, even as the hart panteth after the water brooks j when we can say with the psalmist, " Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is nothing on earth that I desire in comparison of thee ; my flesh and my heart faileth,' but God is the strength of my heart, and iny portion for ever," and when we make all our other desires and delights subordi nate to those ofthe glory of God. There are, 'tis true, many other things in the world, that we may safely desire and take delight in, as health and strength of body, a competency of all the good things of this life, and such like ; but now, the principal end, (and chief end of our desiring eveh these things) ought to be, not only that Ave our selves be thereby made happy ; but that we may be the better enabled to do the duties of our callings, and to glorify our maker ; Avhich is the supreme end of our creation. Again, 3. Another affection of the mind, whereby God is glorified, is fear. When we are afraid to sin, or to commit any Avickedness, because of God*s greatness and power ; Avhose majesty is too great .to be affronted by such silly creatures as we are; who is able to destroy both body and soul in h^ll; who hatl\ moreover declared himself to be just; one that will not clear the guilty, without some satisfaction or repentance ; who hath threatened to punish all evil doers, even those that obey not his gospel ; Avhen we fear him, not with a servile, but fihal fear, not to deter us from our duties, but to 'animate and excite us to the performance of them. This fear gives unto God the glory of his 78 ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. pOAver and justice, of his truth and hnchahgeable^ ness, that Avhat he hath said or threatened shall surely come to pass ; of his goodness and meroy, that he will pardon those that are penitent ; that he will respect those that revere his name, and have an awful regard of his majesty. This fear makes us pliable to the divine Avill ; effectually re moves all such obstacles as may hinder us from submitting fo him ; subdues our reluctahcies, and makes us boAV doAvn before him. The last affection of the mind, whereby Ave ought to glorify God is hope. When in trouble and adversity, avc trust in, and' place all our hope and expectatibns upon God ; and lookfor comfort and deliverance from him only; Avhen Ave expect both temporal and eternal salvation from him alone, according to that of the psalmist, " My soul Avait thou still upon God, for my expectation is from him." To have our hearts thus fixed on him, much advanceth the glory of God. This shev.s him to be the author of all our happiness, to be a gracious and bountiful God, full of goodness, a,nd from whom Ave may promise ourselves all that Ave expect. Thus have I shcAved you, hoAv God is to be glo rified in our souls ; and particularly in those facul ties, the understanding, Avill, and the affections. " Therefore glorify God in your bodies, and in your spirits, Avhich are God's ;" Avhich are both his, and therefore ought both to be employed in setting forth his praise and glory ; for, of him, and through him, and to him, are all things, to Avhom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN, 7g. And thus have I finished what I at first pro posed from the words ;' and shall only crave leave, briefly to apply what has been offered upon this subject. You have heard the reasonableness of the duty of glorifying God in our bodies and souls, inferred from our redemption; I have in some measure, I hope at least, shewn what is con tained in the duty; what God doth require of. us upon that account. It concerns us then to look to ourselves, to see whether Ave discharge those obligations that lay upon us. Christ hath re deemed us, bought us with the price of his precious blood ; Ave are all purchased by him. What ac knowledgements then do Ave give hirh, for that his unspeakable, goodness and love towards us ; Avhich he manifested to us, not out of any merit on our part, but merely from his mercy and com passion ? Do Ave answer the end of our redemption, in turning from our evil Avays, our jain sinful con versation, to the service of God, to the practice of holiness and righteousness ? Do Ave make our souls and bodies instruments of his praise and glory, conlinually magnifying his abundant good ness towards, us ? Do we give him' the obeisance of our bodies, and the veneration of our souls ; both external and internal obedience? Do avc keep our bodies that are redeemed pure and temperate, fit to be temples ofthe Holy Ghost .^ Do avc make all our members concur in setting forth the glory of their maker and redeemer? Do Ave shew exter nal notes of reverence and submission unto God in his Avorship; in bowing down and kneeling. go O^^ THE REDEMPTION OF MA^^ before him ? Do Ave, in our addresses and Services,- take our hearts along Avith us; worship him irt sph-it and truth ? Do we OAvn him in ' our hhder- stahdings, acknowledge his divine attributes and perfections, and believe in his holy word ? Do we conform our Avills to his will in our actions and sufferings ? Do Ave set our affections oh things' above, love the lord with all our heart, desire him above all things as our chiefest happiness, and reverence his holy name ? If we omit these things, we do not glorify God as avc ought, nor discharge those duties Avhich we are highly engaged to Ijerform. In Avhat remains, I shall admonish you to see to it, that you give God the glory due to his name ; to be careful that you impart not any thing of his honour unto any other being; and then conclude Avith two or three motives, exciting to the duty of glorifying God. Since our chief aim ought to be, that irt every thing Ave do, God may have the glory, let us 1 . BcAvare, that Ave voluntarily reserve not, or detain any part of his glory, Avhich may accrue unto him from our bodies or souls. Let us not think it too much Avith our bodies, to boAV down and kneel before the Lord our maker : or be of that opinion, that God doth not require outward notes of reverence and subjection ; or that he doth not take notice ofour bodily gestures in his Avorship, hoAV indecent and irreverent soever they ' be. We see here, that God doth expressly require to be glorified in our bodies ; Avhich I think, ex tends to external notes of submission and reverence ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. 8l in our addresses unto him : And here let us beware farther) on the other hand, that we do not think the outWard obedience of our bodies , to be enough ; the appearing before: God in his house, the mag nifying and praisihg his name with our tongues, and the.Avhile permitting our hearts to be wander ing after vanities, running after the pleasures or profits of the world, and the sinful lusts of the flesh, lest we incur that reproof in the prophet, Is. xxix, 13i " This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me." We must not therefore think that Ave glorify God sufficiently, unless Ave both believe in him Avith our hearts, and cpnfess him with our mouths; both heart and tongue, mind and mouth, must join together; and if there be any thing in us eke that can con tribute to the furtherance of that Avork, it must concur ; and all little enough to glorify our maker as Ave ought. 2. Let' us beware that we give not to any mortal man, or any finite creature, any part of that honour that is due to God alone, -howsoever flat tered thereunto by favours and kindnesses. Not the glory of omnipotency to any poAver upon earth, be it never so great. Experience teaches us, that there is impotence and infirmity in all. Not the glory of infallibility to any particular person; to any judgment, though never so clear; to any council or indicatory, though never so learned or solemn. Experience informs us, that all have and may err; let the church of Rome pretend Avhat she Avill of her oecumenical pastor. 82 ON THE RfiDEMPTlON OP MAN. Neither ohght Ave to give the glory of religious Worship, to any image, saint, angel, or any other creature, though never so blessed and glorious. God is extremely jealous in that particular. " My glory will I not give to another, neither my praise unto graven images." 3. Let us beware that Ave rob not God of bis glory, by deriving any part thereof upon our selves. In any gOod or laudable actions that we perform, let us attribute nothing to ourselves, never boast 6f Our own perfections, nor seek, or receive any praise or glory from others, for our own excellencies. Not Unto us, O Lord, not un to us, but unto thy name be all the praise. We flnd Herod condemned and smote by an angel, but for admitting the acclamations of the. people magnifying his eloquence ; " It is the Vpice of God, and not of a man," becadsehe did not trans mit the glory higher thafi himself, and attribute it uhto God. Let us then bcAvare Iioav We rob God ofhis honour, in any of those ways ; and let us be careful to give unto him all the glory that is due unto his name ; to glorify him in our souls and bodies,- in all our Avords and actions, Avith all our power and strength. And that I may excite you hereunto, consider, 1. That this Avas' the great design of the creation, of the Avorld, and of all the creatures therein ; that they might shew forth the glory of their maker. For this end it was, that man had his being, and Avas endued Avith sense and reason : and now, shall all creatures show forth the glory of their creator f yea, the very inanimate creatures, as the psalmist ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. t3 hali it, (^Ps. xix. 1.) "The heavens declare the glory of God, and thefirmament showeth his lian- dy work;" and shall man be silent? Shall he derogate from his maker's gloryj Avho was made the principal part of the creation, and chiefly qua lified to speak forth his praises ? Consider the example of our blessed Saviour, though he was the brightness of his father's glory, and the express image ofhis person, and Avithout rpbbery of equal co-eternal glory Avith him ; yet whilst he Avas upon earth, he sought not his OAvn ^ glory, but the glory of his father that sent him. Accordingly, he testifieth of himself, John xvii. 4. Father, I have glorified thee on earth, I have finished the Avork which thou, gavest me to do. In that most absolute form of prayer, which he hath left for our direction .and imitation, the very first petition, is, that the name of God may be glorifi ed; " Hallozved be thy name:" teaching us, that we are principally to aim at that in our lives, to seek it in the first place, before the necessaries of life, before our daily bread, and even before the for giveness of our sins : all our Other petitions and desires ought to be subordinate to that end. Consider, that God deserveth glory from us: all the glory of our lives, is by far too little sufficient ly to magnify his great and glorious name. We owe all our beings unto him ; whatsoever Ave have, or are. We are his by right, Avherefore, if we withhold any glory from him,, or transmit it to any other, Ave unjustly rob him of his due. Besides, his mercies and love doth obhge .us to praise and glorify him, by way of thankfulness and gra- G2 84 ON THE REDEMPTION OF MAN. titude, and in acknowledgement of those many favours we have received from him. 4. And lastly, consider, as another motive, the great benefit that Avill accrue to ourselves, frorri the seeking of our master's glory here. There ariseth no advantage to himself; he being infinitely happy, and glorious ; all the benefit , redounds to ourselves. By seeking his glory, Ave promote our oAvn ; for thus he said, " Them that honour me, I Avill honour." SERMON VIL ON THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. 1 CoR. XV. 4. " And that he rose again the third day, according " to the' Scriptures."' J- HIS, this is the memorial of that day, which the Lord hath made so eminent and illustrious in the resurrection of the holy Jesu ; let us be glad and rejoice in it. Noav the sun of righteousness, that went doAvn in a ruddy cloud of bitter passion, rOse again with glorious' beams of light and salvation. The angels came doAvn from heaven to celebrate this joyful festival, appearing in White, in shining garments. The disciples Avere exceeding glad when they saAV the Lord, noAV risen from the dead: yea, so glad,' that they believed not for joy. It Avas because of the joy occasioned on this day, that the apostles devoted the first day of the Aveek to ,the honour and service ofour blessed redeemer. Let us now then more especially rejoice in God our Saviour, singing l^allelujahs to the most high- _ est ; and blpss God, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope, by the resur- i^ction of Jesus Christ from the dead. G3 86' ON THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. ' Without controversy, great is the mystei-y of godliness, saith the apostle ; the Avhole system of gospel doctrine, is very mysterious and superna tural ; but among all other articles of christian faith, this is most sublime and transcendent. This was the main subject of the apostles' preach ing, as we read in the Acts ; Jesus and the resur rection. It is the lock and key of faith, on Avhich all other articles depend, as the homily for the day expresses it. It is that A?hich ties and knits all other parts of our creed together This supposes our Lord's incarnation, and death, and burial ; and this must be believed, pr else, all the fpUowing articles fall to the ground. If Christ'did not rise again, nei-- ther did he ascerid into heaven, nor doth he sit on the right hand of the father, nor' hath he sent doAvn his holy spirit from heaven, nor shall he come from thence to judge the quick and the dead. If Christ did not rise, then no remission of sins, nd resurrection of the flesh, no life everlasting. It is a point bf that excellency arid necessity, that the Avhole structure of our faith and hope, pur peace and happiness, is built upon it, as the basis and foundation. Heathens Avill believe, and Jews do acknpAvl edge, that Jesus died and Avas buried; but that he rose from the dead, is only the faith of christians. This article of all others, like Our Saviour himself, hath endured the greatest contra diction of sinners, What did the Jcavs of old, or do they at this day, Avith more stiffness and obsti nacy deny, than the resun-ection of our Saviour ? With'what scorn and contempt did those heathen ON THE RESURRECTIilN OF CHRIST, 87 philosophers treat the apostle Paul, when they heard him preach at Athens, that God had raised Christ fi-om the dead ? And Avhat a numerous company of heretics have denied or corrupted this truth, ecclesiastical history, and ancient writers have plentifully informed Us. Noav the apostle here in this xv. chap, designing to establish and declare this doctrine of the resur rection, prefaceth his discourse with giving a sum- maryor brief account of the substance ofhis preach ing and gospel ; assuring them first, that lie Avas not a reed shaken Avith the Avind ; -as neither would he have theni carried about Avith every blast of doc trine, but to stand fast in the faith which he had preached, and they had believed. Then he parties ularizeth the tvvo great fundamental articles or points of the gospel, viz : the death and burial of Christ, and his resurrection, which he delivered ' unto them first, of all, as most especially to be re ceived and believed by them. Now, to let pass the former of these, viz; tbe consideration of the death of Christ, I shall insist only on the latter, viz : his resurrection, (as the proper subject of this solemnity), Avhich is contain ed in these few words, ^w- deed, but to return into one's OAvn country. Hoav should every good christian, who is a stranger and pilgrim here on earth, sigh after, and tend to his OAvn country, hasten to his ;own home,, knowing that when this earthly house of his tabernacle is dissolved, he has a building of God, an house not made Avith hands, eternal in the heavens. SERMON IX. ON THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORD's SUPPER. 1 COR. xi. 28. "But let a man examine himself." In this chapter we have the professed handling ofthe Lord's, supper, and the right administratiou thereof At ver. 23. he begins to recite the primi tive institution of it, which he himself received ; and which he had formerly delivered unto them ; and against which they had most grievously of fended. In this institution of the Lord's supper, observe Ave, , ^ I. The author, the Lord Jegus; together with the circumstance of time, the same night in which he Avas betrayed, ver. 23. IL The matter. 1. OutAvard, viz. the bread and wine ; with the actions pertaining to them : taking, giving thanks, breaking, giving. 2. Inward, viz. the spiritual mysteries signified, Christ's body and blood spiritually taken, blessed, broken, given/or, and to, us. III. The form, viz. that sacramental union be twixt these signs and these mysteries, in these phrases : This is my body ; This is my blood, &c. 114 ON THE SACRAMENT OF^ Avhich union consists in ' the instituted slgriifica- tion, obsignation, ««id iBxhibitioa. IV. The especial end; viz. fhe remembrance of Christ, and constant .gjjgwing forth his death till his second coming; ver. 24 — 26. Fo-omall this he deduceth this inference by way of corollary ; — That unworthy partaking of the Lord's Supper, renders persons^uilty of the body and bloodi of Christ; ver. 27. and hence he takes occasion to instruct the Corinthians, and us in them, how to communicate worthily ; viz. by self- examination, before commuhicatihg ; wh^ich point, he urgeth by a double motive : — From the peril of eating, and drinking judgment to themselves, b^ eating Tin AVortiiily-; Avhich he proves by the sad exrperience pfthe Corinthians themsel'Ares, ver. 50. -^'Pl-bin the benefit and advantage t)f self-judging, Avhereby the judgment is prevented; which judg ment of the Loi'd on his .people is but a chas tisement to prevent condemnation: ter. 32.— Finally, he concludes this matter with exhortation ; — To unity in commmiicatirig, ver. 33.— To eat- irig atliOhte; promising to order other things at his coming. tn the text Ave may note a double" duty: 1. a dire'ction. 2. an injunction. Ih the direction is required, our preparation for receiving the Lord's Supper ; — In tlie injunction is required, our participation of it. — First, of our preparation ; Let a man examine himself.-^And here, obseive, 1. The duty enjoined^ viz. examination. I say, the duty enjoined ; for it is not only an advice, or THE 10»d's SUPPER. 115 CoumeJy'bht ai e&mrmxid. It is n*)t a matter arbi-' trary, bu6 hecessaryt;: not left to our oAin choice, or liberty, whether we will or no ; whether we will doit, OP whether we Avill forbear; but expressly required of us by; the apostle, and necessarily to be performed by us, for divers' good reasons : ^'Xthiek 2. The parties cxatidning. A man; i. e. every man.. The indefinite is equivalent io an univer sal. Bezatralislates it, aa*d Erasmus expounds it, Qtiisfue, 'emtyman : both magistrate and subject; ministers^ and people; teamed, or unlearned; eMei' or younger;' every one, that is endowed Avith any coimpietehGy of knowledge and understanding for the performance of this duty, is obliged to it. 3. The parties examnned. Himself. The apos tle doth not say, let every man try another : bat himself. H« sends us, not to examine othersi, bu« ourselves. This is our duty; the other is a fault, which our Saviour ta'jceth, Matt. vii. 3. We showldi • rather strive to pull out the beam of our own eye, than gaze ©n the mote on our brother's eye. And consider, (and I have a reason for making the re- maa'k), it is not other's unAVortliiness, butour own wieMdness, that will condemn us. We should be therefore, kss inquisitive into others, and more in to ourselves. Again, We may observe, that St. Paul does not send us tobe examined by others, neither by the priest in auricular confession, according to the popish cus tom; nor yet by lay elders, according to the human invention of others, Avho yet upon other occasions, very much decry human inventions; IC 116' ox THE SACRAMENT OF biel he J saith. Let every man examine himself J For indeed, no man better knows what is in the heart of a man, or what his affections are to God- ward, than, he himself.i It is true, in some cases,.. it raay be convenient and very requisite forpersoris under doubts and, dissatisfactions concerning their spiritual estates ; it may be their prude-nce and advantage to apply themselves to some able minis ter, or faithful and judicious christian friend,, for direction or resolution, and to declare their;, state and condition to them; that they may be the better able to satisfy, .advise, and instruct thera : but for ministers, or others, to usurp that power, is more than the apostle here authoriseth them to do. He gives, we see, no commission to others, but lays it as a duty upon eA'ery mam to; examine himself. Yet let me mind you of this, that since it is left to ourselves, we should be so much the more careful, to discharge this duty seriously, diligently, and conscientiously ; the nature and ne cessity pf which I proceed to speak of. I. The nature of this duty I shall declare, in the consideration ofthe matter, and the manner of it. For the matter, or the things concerning which every one should examine himself, they are these three especially ; repentance towards God, faith in Christ ; charity to men. , L Repentance towards God: which branches itself into tAvo parts. Godly sorroAv for sin past : — Sincere resolutions of new obedience. Examine thyself then, how thy heart stands affected towards thy sins which thou hast committed. If thou dost truly repent, thou wilt readily confess and THE lord's SUPPER. II7 be heartily sorry for thy sins. Reflect ori thy heart and life, ancl call to remembrance all thine iniquities; the sins of thy thoughts ; covetous desires, proud imaginations, unclean speculations, the vanity and atheism of thy heart. The sins of thy words; thy false and lying speeches; rash and impious oaths ; curses and imprecations, either of thyself or others ; IcAvd and filthy discourses ; uncharitable censurings, slanderings, or revilings. The sins of thy actions ; thy impiety tbAvards God ; profaning his service, by irreverent behaviour, or hypocritical approaches ; sacrilegiously fobbing himofany part of sacred time, or other things due to him ; thy intemperance towards thyself, by sur feiting and drunkenness, or any uncleanness ; thy injustice toAvards thy neighbour, by injuring him in body, name, or goods, either by force, or fraud, or unequal bargains ; especially in oppressing the poor that have no help, or in corrupting justice. Thus set all thy sins in order before thee, Avith all thy negligence and thy ^ross ignprance, and great unprofitableness under the means of grace, &c. and then lament and bewail thy sinful nature and wicked life ; and strive to make thy heart thor oughly sensible of thy miserable condition^ in re gard of the demerit of thy sins, and cursed effects- of them; which not only defile thy person, and make thee justly odious in the sight of God, but will also exclude thee from heaven, and bring Avrath upon thee ; yea, if God's mercy prevent it not, and thy repentance, death both temporal and eternal. ' And if thou canst not mourn and grieve for thy sins, as thou wouldst ; then be sorry and J3 I.J 8 ON THE SACEf^MrENT OF grieve fof this, that thou canst sorrow and grieve no more. This is an apceptable. sacrifice to God, a broken , and contrite spirit. An heart truly humbled for sin, and broken, uot, only Avith a ¦sense of danger and wrath, which is incurred,; but especially with the sense and consideration of God's goodness and rnercy, who h^th been so unworthily provoked ; so compassionate a father, so gracious a redeemer, so blessed a sanctififer. This is to sorroAV for sin, according to God, with respect to him, apd for his sake; because we have offended him, as well ..as endangered our selves. Sincere resolutions of new obedience ; a steadfast purpose to lead a ncAV life, and Avalk in righteous ness and holiness all our days. We must- have fixed and entire resolutions to reform aur hearts and lives ; to east away all our transgressions, and prosecute such our pious resolutions, by actual earnest endeavours, to resist and forbear the prac tice of sin in all things, and exercise ourselves in all righteousness ; to leave all the evil that we knoAV condemned ; and to do all the good that avc know required; and thus to do, in consideration of God's goodness and grace, who hath sent his. son to save the penitent. This disposition of heart is surely requisite in every christian; for. if any shall come to the holy table, reserving in their hearts^ secret purposes and intentions to continue in their sins ; they come, like Judas, who came and receiv ed, and yet continued his purpose to bjetray his master. And therefore, before we approach those ' heavenly mysteries, we must abjure .our former TBE t{>:RJ5's SUptEH. U9 evil Avays, 4nd sincerely reneAV our ^^temii voav and f rpmjse Mpde in our baptism, to forsake the devil and all his woirks, the pomps ^Tii.4, vanities of this wicked Avorld:, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh, and to keep God's holy Avill and commandments, an-d to walk in the same all tl\e days of our life. And what we so vow, we must not defer to pay ; but speedily and presently set about the pejfoa-m- a,nce pjf it, and be, Avhat we resolve to be. And though through ignorance, infirmity, sudden sur- reption, or violence of temptation, we mgy- be overtaken in the same faults, yet Ave must be very Avatchful to prevent them, and be truly humbled, if surprised by them. We must industriously re sist them, and avoid the occasions of them, and labour by all good means that they return no more. This is the first thing to be inquued into, our repentance toAyards God, whether we have hearty sorrow for our sins, and steadfast purposes of am,endinent of life. g. Faith in Christ. Every communicant miist exangiine himself, whether he have a lively faith in God's mercy through Christ. There is an express text of scripture for the trial of this particular o-race- Examine yourselves Avhether ye be in the faith; Prom your own selves. ^ ^^^- ^^"- ^- We may observe, t^iat the command is not Hmited' to any certain time; for it is a duty seasonable at any time, but most of all at such a time, when we arc about to receive the body and bipod of our Sav iour, which cannot otherwise indeed be received but by faith. This is the mouth ofthe soul, by Avhich it feeds upon Christ, sacramentally exhibit- 14 120 ON THE SACRAMENT OF ed in the elements of bread and wine, by which it eats his flesh, and drinks his blood. This is, as it Avere, the digesting faculty ofthe soul, working so effectually, that Christ becomes our spiritual nour ishment, and we are made by it, flesh ofhis flesh, and bone of his bone. Now this faith includes in it two things : 1. A general knoAvledge : for the scripture doth often join knowledge and belief together ; and ex presseth faith^, by knowledge. • And the apostle saith, How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard ? implying^ that there can be no faith without hearing, which is the sense of learn ing and instruction ; that there can be no faith, Avithout some revelation or discovery of the object of it ; no belief in the heart, without some knoAV- ledge in the understanding. So then, examine thy self, concerning thy knoAvledge, whether thou dost rightly understand the nature of this holy mys tery, and dost know hoAV to discern the Lord's body. Every communicant ought to know, and in some competent measure to understand, as in general, his own misery by nature, and necessity of Christ ; so in particular, the nature, end, and use of this sacrament, by whom it was instituted, viz. by Christ ; and why, or for Avhat end, viz. the remembrance of his death and passion, the pur chase of our redemption ; as also, the signiflcation of the sacramental representatiohs and exhibitions ; hbw the breaking of the bread, and pouring out of the Av^ine, represent Christ's death and passion, his body broken and wounded upon the cross, and his blood poured out and shed foi- us ; how in those THE lord's supper. 121 Avords, 'take, eat, and drink,' he offers and ex hibits himself, his person, merits, virtue, and bene fits, both of grace and glory, to be received by us, through faith. Thus, it is meet that every chris tian should understand these, and the like princi ples of his holy faith; but exact knowledge to discuss controverted points about the sacrament, is not necessarily required. 2. It implies. a particular application. A true and lively faith, rests nbt in a general knowledge and assent ; but carries the soul forth to a partir cular application of Christ crucified, and all his benefits, to itself; engaging the heart to a fiducial affiance and dependance on him, and confidence of special mercy through him ; encouraging the soul to trust, not only that he is able to save by the power and efficacy of his death, but also, wil ling to do it; offering pardon, grace, comfort, and salvation to it, in particular. Thus faith appre hends and applies Christ, or the mercies of God through Christ, to the penitent believing soul. So then, examine thyself, if thy faith thus draAvs thy soul forth, to rest with an humble confidence upon the mercies of God, and the merits of Jesus Christ, with hopes of I pardon through his blood: so that thou castest thyself, with strong crying and prayers, into the arms of Christ crucified, thy blessed redeemer. III. Charity to men. As avc must look to it' that our hearts stand right towards God and Christ, by faith and repentance ; so we must see fo it that our hearts be rightly affected towards men : for God Avill not have us come and offer a 122 ON THE SACRAMEHTT OF gi'ft iipott his altar, if our hearts be leavened with envy, malice,, and uncharitableness. It was one end of the institution of this ordinance, to main tain brotherly love and communion, among chris tians. As it was designed to be a commemoration of the death of Christ, and a seal of the covenant of grace, ratified thereby; so also, tp be a pledge and testimony of love and amity among ou? fellow christians. The more is the pity, that through the cunning of the devil, and the corruption of men, it should be made an occasion of strife, and contention, and lamentable divisions; as hath been, and is, in our days. Hence it hath, that name, so frequently given to it, of the. eommwiion, not only in regard of our communion with Christ, by faith ; but al^o in respect of that common union in love, which ought to be among christians par taking of it ; and that perfect peace they should have with all men. This sacrament doth not only seal up the communion of the members with the head, but also their communion with one another, according to the arguing of the apostle'; we being many, are one bread, and one body. The Lord Jesus Christ seems to have ordained these very elements of bread and wine, to express this mystery; that as bread is made up of many grains pf wheat, and wine of many grapes ; and yet the meal of these many grains moulded up into one loaf; and the wine of these several berries pressed intp one cup ; so christians coming together tp this holy table, how many soever they be, should all agree in one, holding the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace ; that they all be as members of one body ; irHE t-ORD'« SUPPER. 1^3 as having one father, one faith, one bapttstn, one inheritance, quickened by one .and the same spirit, and ex|)eetihg salvation ^through one and thesame Christ. Well then, examine thyself concerning jthy love and charity; which ¦should be exerdsed and dem.onstrated, 1. In almsgiving, or CDntribution to the relief of necessitous christians. It was always the cus tom of the tprhriitive church, at the receiving tiiis ,blessied sacrament^ to express their charity by a ^contribution to the poor; a sacrifice with wfhich God is well plea^d, Anddt Tvill be hard for any to shew, th'at in those times iit was ever admin istered without an offertory. We read of such Iheir charity, at their breaking of bread ; and it is -commanded by the apostle, that .upon the first. day of the week, i. e. the lord's day, the usual time of receiving this sacrament, every ;man should set apart somewhat for the use of the -poor. And this, our church intendsand directs, in prescribing those select sentences of s;cripture to be read at the offer tory, exciting to liberal charity; and doth sup pose it in the following (prayer, ivJierein God is desired to accept our alms. And therCfime, I could heartily wish and n^oke to see this pious custom revived among us ; that when we come to cat of this bread, and, drink of this cup, we Avould still remember the poor and needy, that their boAv- jels may he refreshed ;by us. We should lay aside something to help them ; Avhether it be more or less according to our ability : knoAving that if there be a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not aco©r^ng to that he 124 ON THE SACRAMENT OF hath not. And truly, I believe there are but fcAV who might not easily do something, if they Avould abate somcAvhat of unnecessary and superfluous expences. 2. In forgiving and reconciliation. Examine thyself, Avhether thou hast any grudge, or malice, against any man, in thine heart; any sinister af fections, or envious disposition towards any ; and be sure to purge thy heart of all leven of malice and wickedness. If thou hast any Avays Avronged, or injured others ; labour to make amends, ac knowledging thy fault, and giA^e Avhat satisfaction thou art able. If others have injured thee in any kind, yet bear them no ill will ; harbour no re- vengful thoughts, or desires against them ; but be Avilling to be reconciled ; and, entertain all oppot- tunities, and use all due means and endeavours, to that purpose ; forgiving the wrong done, and be in perfect charity. Whosoever hateth his bro ther, is a murderer; and Avilt thou come to this holy table with a murderous mind ? • Search thy heart therefore, that no rancour and malice abide in it : and, according to the express precept, and exemplary practice, of thy Saviour, forgive thine enemies: which, if thou dost not, thou sinnest against the very end of the institution of this sacrament, Which Avas to cement christians in fra ternal charity; and thou frustrateth the great benefit of it, viz. remission of thy sins : for if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive your trespasses; but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither Avill your heavenly father forgive yours. SERMON X. ON THE SACRAMENT OP THE LORd's SUPPER. 1 CoR. xi. 28. " But let a man exanfine hirnself." -T OR. the manner hoAv this duty of self-examina tion, With relation to this otdinance, should be managed, ,. l..,It must be regu^lar, according, to the rule of the holy scripture ; that must be the line, by Avhicli Aye must measure all obliquities ; and to which we must level all our hearts and actions: That must be the touchstone, by which we must try and judge ourselves ; Avhether grace be true or counterfeit, avc mnst bring all to this rule ; to the law and the testimony. Is. viii. 20. Gal. v. 16. II. It must be industrious and impartial ; man-^ aged with earnestness and faithfulness ; it must be a diligent and exact enquiry ; such as lapidaries and goldsmiths use to find out true metals, or jcav- els, from counterfeit, and distinguish good from bad. We should set about this business, not slightly, and so as to do it by halves ; but thor oughly. We should not only cast a sudden glance, and take a superficial vicAV of ourselves ; but fix 126 ON THE SACRAMENT OF the eyes oFour minds upon our hearts and lives, by a serious, considerate,, and deep leflectibn, and mature deliberation ,: though? alas^'! too many do examine themselves, and their bad manners, as they do their bad money ; seek, as if they would not see ; and search, as if they would not under stand. But surely we should not do this work of examining ourselves, negligently, but Avith all our might, in truth and sincerity. III. It must be, self-jadging and reforming. We must not rest in a loose examination of our selves, bufcAve must also be duly affected with the light and sense of whatever is reprovable in us; humbling and condemning ourselvesi for all our sins, and unfitness for partaking of such holyniiys- teries ; judging ourselves, that we may not be judged and condemned by the Lord. 1 Cor. xi. 3F. And likewise; we must endeavour to' reform all that is amiss in us; to set all right between God and our souls ; and approve ourselves worthy communicants at this holy table. We ycmst lay aside our filthy gai-ments pf sin, and clothe om-- selves Avith the Avedding , gar mentb of faith and' holiness-, Avhen Ave come to the sacramental* ffeast. Every christian must prove himself, by due ex amination and trial; and' approve himself too,- by diligent preparation^ that he may- be accepted ; that he be not reprovable for unworthy receiving. And so r think, the words may be rendered not amiss, let a man approve himself, and so let bim eat, &c. The necessity of this duty of self-examinatiou, appeai-s also from many considerations* As, *H«; lord's scppkr. 127 1. In i-egard of our natural >utrxow, and self confusion; and^then judge^rand condemn yourselves, for your unwofthiness. Again, See what good ypu have done in truth and sin cerity; through God's gr&pe enabling you; md humbly rejoice in God for it ; and bless him, snd praise his -goodness, and beg his. continual assist^ ance and mesrcy : Jiis mercy to pardon your past sins ; and his gracious assistance, to prevenit futur,e relapses, and strengthen you in all gPpd : fthd take up holy resolutions and stjeadfajst purposes, through his diyine benediction, to Av.alk Ayith God in humble and close obedience. And have a steady faith in your grg^jpus redeem er, in the suflioiency of his merits and satisfaction, and the abundance of his mercy and g^-gee ; that he hath put aAvay sin, by the offering of hiniself, in his sacrifice on the cross, Avhich is commemo rated in this sacrament ; and that he brought in everlasting righteousness to all the, faithful ;, and that he stretcheth forth the arms of his love and mercy .to you in particular, in the administration of this holy sacrament; tp receive ypu, if you come to him by a lively faith and true repentance. That he invites you to pome, jf weary, and heavy laden Avith the burden of your sins,; and hungering and thirsting .after his righteousness ; promising to give rest and refreshment to your souls. > And 1/gt your faith work by love, to God, your merciful fathe;r ; and to Jesus ^hrjst, your blessed, redeemer ; and to the Holy Ghost, your blessed comforter ; and by charity, to all your brethren, in - THE lord's svpp-er. 135 opening your hands to the relief" of theh^ neces sities ; and plucking qi^t pf yp^ur h^earts, every root of bitterness, anti envy, and malice ; being willing to be reconciled to them that have done you wrong, and forgiving them, that you may be for given of God. Have always fervent charity a- mong yourselves, Avhicli covers a multitude of sins ; viz. by forgiveness and remission. Follow after charity ; which, if you have not, you are nothing; and whichsthe appsljle describes in its several effects : 1 Cor. xiii. Thus dp; and then draAV near with comfoit, with an hply and humble confidence, and so eat of that bread, and drink of that cup, in obedience. to your dying Saviour, who said in his last will and testanxent;,: Do this iti remembrance of tne. SERMON XL ON THE LOVE OF CHRIST. 1 Cor. xvi. 22, " If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let " him be Anathema, Marati-atha." W HILE St. Paul was living at Ephesus, which,: according to the computation of historians, were the eleventh and twelfth years of Claudius Caesar, the Corinthians, whom he had begotten in Christ Jesus, through the gospel, send to him, as to their spiritual father, for his instruction and direction, in several points of difficulty and concernment ; employing in this message, as it seems, Stephanus; Fortunatus, and Achaicus ; by whom, the apostle, in answer, returns this first epistle ; writing it, not from Philippi, but from Ephesus, a city of Asia ; as is evident from those words of the apostle, ver. 8. / will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost, i. e. before he would go .into Macedonia, and from thence to them at Corinth, In tlie close of the epistle, the apostle, accor ding to his usual method, adds several salutations ; and having, as it seems, hitherto made use of an amanuensis, or scribe, to Avfite this epistle, whether ON THE LOVE OF CHRIST. 137 Tertius, pr Titus, or Avhoever else, he subscribes the rest with his own hand; which, being probably well khoAvn to the Corinthians, might prevent im posture; there being many false apostles and epistles dispersed in the Avorld : and therefore, that they might be satisfied that it Avas hjs oavu epistle and genuine, he sets to it his own hand ; ver. 21. The salutation of me Paul with my own hand : adding with an holy zeal, and apostolic author ity, — 1. A malediction to the enemies of Christ, to them that love' not the Lord Jesus Christ : If any, &c. — 2. A benediction to them that love him ; wish ing them the grace ofour Lord Jesus Christ, i. e. the love and favour of God, remissiori of sin, guidance ofthe hbly spirit, and perseverapce in all goodness,- through Jesus Christ, as being purchased by his precious merits, and applied by lively faith in him. Arid lastly, he commends his true love to them; that so they might not think his sharp reprehen sions, which he had used in this epistle, and which their misdemeanors had justly extorted from him, did proceed from any bitterness of spirit, or un charitableness towards their persons ; but from a sincere and cordial affection to them, arid desire of their ameudment. q. d. Though I have, as there Avas cause for it, sharply rebuked you ih this my letter, yet believe me, I have not done, it in Avrath or malice to you, but only in pure zeal as to the glory of God, and the honour of the gospel; so for the salvation of your precious and immortal souls, to which I bear an ardent loA'e in Christ Jesus. My purpose is, wjth God's gracious assistahce, 138 ON THE LOVE OF CHRIST. to speak of this terrible denunciation of floe apos^ tie, contained in this 22d verse ; If any man lave not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema, Ma- ran-atha. In Avhich words avc have tAvo things contained : I. An high crime, in not loving the Lord Jesus Christ. II. A comniination ; let him be Anathema, Maran-atha. Both parts will require some explication. Let us then consider, I. What is meant by these wprds, If any man lofoe not the' Lord Jesus Christ. Some conceive that they are an hebraism, and giA'e this sense of them ; If any hate the Lord Jesus Christ. A sia- so execrable, and so abhorred by the apostle, that he would not once name it ; as was the manner of the JoAVs, to avoid tie very pronouncing of such words, as djd properly and directly signify such things as were had in abomination by them. Hence, as Ave are told, if they "vvere to speak of blasphemy against God, they Avould not have the sound of blasphemy to be joined Avith the name of God, but expressed it urider a word of a con trary sense; as 1 Rings, xxi. 10. And so, they Avould hot so much as name the Avord leaven, at the time of the passpver : nor a sow, at any time : but called it, Doebar achar, another thing. But per-? haps we need not so strain the words, to fancy a he braism, or figurative expression, seeing our Saviour saitH He that is not for us, is against 'us ; X^uke, xi. 23., and doubtless, he that professeth his name,. and loves him not, doth indeed hate him atltlie OIJ THE LOVE OF CHRIST. 139 very heart. I conceive Ave may best understand the words, by comparing them with that other text, Eph,' vi. ult. Avhere the apostle blesseth them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, Avith an uncorrupt, unmijced, unfeigned love. ^ So we may conclude, that here on the contrary, he de nounceth this curse to such as do not thus love Christ, with a true, pure, and upright affection ; but only disguise themselves under a false, eor» rupt, counterfeit profession of his name. ^ Such surely the apostle here intends, who dissembling themselves to be the' disciples of Christ, Avere in deed the pests of the church ; not loving our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, nor serving him in truth, but their own belly ; and by good Words, and fair speeches, deceiving the hearts of the simple. Rom. xvi. 18. Agaijast'such as those it is, our apostle denounceth this dreadful senterice.— 7/" any man, i. e. any man that lives under the light of the gos pel, professing and pretending himself a christian, lovemt the Lord Jesus Christ, with a true and sin cere loye, but for base carnal respects ; making pnly an outward shew arid profession, grossly dis sembling, despising, and undervaluing him in his heart, let him be Anathema, ][I<^i''<^f^-<^tka. The sense of which commination, is next to be enquired into, ,aHd explained. ' II.,/ What' is meant by these words. Anathema^ Maran-atha. They are somewhat obscure, because they are of foreign languages ; the former being a Greek, the latter a Syriac wOrd; and are retained by our translators,' in their original, as Avell for their emphasis land observation, as for that they 140 ON THE LOVE OF CHRIST. Avere so Avell khoAvn, and familiar to the ancient church ; as for the like reason, Ave have some other words, as Amen, Hallelujah, Hosanna, &c. left untranslated in the text. For the better conceiving the sense of these words, it is to be considered, that they have refer ence to the Jewish manner of excommunication ; and were thence borrowed by the christian church ; as several other things Avere. Now in the Jewish church,' there were three sorts or degrees of ex communication. The first was called Nidui, i. e. Summotio, which was a separation or removal from familiar conversation for a certain time, com monly thirty days, and for a certain distance, ad quatuor Passus. And this is thought to be the meaning of putting out, and cqsting out of the syn agogue, and to be referred to by the apostle ; 2 Thess. iii^ 14. The second degree Avas called Chesem, in Greek, Anathema, Avhich was more se vere and solemn, with execrations out of Moses's law added to it, in the public audience of the whole church; excluding the censured offenders, withr, out limitation of time, until they evidenced their repentance. And this some think is to be under stood by that expression of delivering up unto Satan. 1 Tim. i. 20. The third and last degree, was called by the Jews and Talmudists, Schdmma- tha; and by the Syriac name, Maran-atha ; Avhich Avas the giving up of the offender, as desperate and quite forlorn; and leaving him to divine ven geance and final perdition. Several derivations are given of the Avord Scham^ mafka. Some say, it signifies^ There is death; ON THE LOVE OF CHRISTJ 141 Others,' There shall be desolation ; But the mpst ap proved is,:The Lord cometh; for though the word Scham, in general signifies only a name ; yet in or dinary speech among the Jews, it Avas used pecu liarly for the name of God, or God himself For they, out of the highest reverence and veneration to that most sacred name of Jehovah, did forbear under the greatest penalties to pronounce it; in stead thereof, using the word Scham, to denote th^t riiost excellent name,-or to signify. The Lord. And directly the same, do the Avords, Miaran' atha, signify ; Maran, Dominus, The Lord, Atha, venit, cometh — ^The Lord cometh. From whence the Syrians are to this day called Maronitce. Now this expression seems to be taken from that form of speech used by Enoch, in his prophecy, cited by St.; Jude, ver. 13, 14. Behold the Lord cometh with his holy myriads, to execute judgment upon Avicked men who will not be reformed ; and implies a summoning of desperate impenitent sinners, be fore thiat dreadful tribunal, at the last coming of the Son of God. Such was the apostle's ardent zeal and love to the Lord Jesus Christ, that he could not content himself with denouricing a simple anathema, a- gainst those Avho did not love him in sincerity ; but he must add, a maran-atha, the third and highest degree of excommunication, delivering up such ungodly wretches into the hands of the Lord Jesus, tb receive their heavy doom at his "coming, q. d. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let such a man, be Anathema, accursed; and that in the most dreadful manner,. Maran-a^a, 143 ON THI LOVE 0J CHRISTS when tbe Lord cometh ; let birii be set apart t& judgment and deserved vengeance, at the coniiiwig of that gi'eat and terrible day of the Lord. The desigtt of the apbstk doubtless Avas, out &S the love Avbicli be Jiiwise'lf had to the. Lord Jesud Christ, to provoke ift all others the like; and he endeavour^ to persuade and constrain thfiun to ity askubwittg the terror of the Lord, and the misera/^ ble and woful condition of thi&se- who da not love him; Avhich be expresseth in this dreadful sen-^ tence. If any man love not, kc^ which AVords may be thus briefly paraphrased : Whosoever, having knowledge of, and especially making pcofessioii of the gospel, yet hath not the love of the Lord Jesus Christ truly tooted in bis. heart, and continues in his. infidelity 'and impenitence; deserves to be, and certainly shaill be, utterly accursed and prni- islied by him, ivith dreadful vengeance when he eoineth to judgment. To the same purpose our apostle speaks elseAvhertv • as 2. Thess. i. 7. 8. 9 ; Tke Lord Jesus,, says he, shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels^ (i. e. when he comes to jadgrroenty) infiatningfire, which shall burn up the heavens and the earth, taking vengeance on them thai ktww not God, by faith in Christ, and that obey not the gospel qf our Lord Jesus Christ, (and therefore love him not), ;. who^ shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of hispower,^ And Heb, x. 26, 27. lie saith of them thai: ' sin mif ully and presumptuausly against the graccf of the gospel, after they Jimte received the know* tedge of the truth; Avho having made profession ON THE LOVE OF CHRIST. 148 of Christianity revolt from it, and reject it, or in wardly despise and contemn Christ in their hearts, thefr remaineth to them no more saerifice far sins, no hope of mercy, nor any means of pardon, but mlya certain looking fvr of judgment, and fiery indigtrntion io devom- the adversaries: which judg- nimt, though it be not speedily executed, yet if they impenitently persist, is certainly to be expec^ ted; and shall be fulfilled at the general assizes of the Avhole Avorld, which shall be kept at the last day by theLord Jesus Christ, the great judge of quick and dea;d : to which the apostle doth, as it " were, bind them over in these words ; Let him be Anathe ma, Maran-atha. Let him be accursed, when the Lord himself comes to execute judgment upon the ungodly: which time and doom is notably ex pressed by Christ himself, Matt. xxv. Avhere we read, how the Son of Man shall come in kis glory with ali tke holy angels ; and sit upon the throtie