YALE
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

SERMONS

ON THE

MISSION AND CHARACTER OF CHRIST,
AND ON
THE BEATITUDES:
COMPREHENDING WHAT WERE PREACHED
BEFORE
THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD,
IN THE YEAR MDCCCIII.
AT THE LECTURE
FOUNDED BY'THE LATE JOHN BAMPTON, M. A.
CANON OF SALISBURY :
BY JOHN FARRER, M. A.
OF aUEEN's COLLEGE,
KECTOR OF THE UNITED PARISHES OP
ST. CLEMENT EASTCHEAP AND ST. MARTIN OEGARS,
LONDON.

OXFORD:
AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, FOR THE AUTHOR ;
SOLD BY J. COOKE, OXFORD i AND BY F. C. AND 3. BIVINGTOS,
ST. Paul's church yard, London.
1804.

TO
THE RIGHT REVEREND
GEORGE
LORD BISHOP OF LINCOLN,
AND
DEAN OF ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL CHURCH,
LONDON.
MY LORD, In publilhing thefe Difcourfes
I am prompted by a powerful motive to the
liberty- now taken of infcribing them to your
Lordftiip. It was by a former Work of a
kindred nature that I had firft the happinefs
of engaging your notice : And I am anxious
to embrace the opportunity thus afforded, of
making my public acknowledgement for the
creditable flation in which you have lately
placed me. The value of your Patronage is to
me much enhanced by the coniideration, that
a 3 in

[ vi ]
in the field of Chriilian Theology your Lord
ftiip holds a diftinguiflied and venerable name.
The Benefit conferred by fo refpedable a Pa
tron refledls an honour on the Receiver him-
felf, and alfo ftamps a credit on his Profeffional
Exercifes. . I remain. My Lord, ¦
With profound refpedt and gratitude.
Your Lordfliip's mofl obliged
and moft obedient Servant,
JOHN FARRER.
St. Clement's, London,
J 804.

PREFACE.
J. HE Subjed: of this Volume comprehends
an extenfive range in Divinity, as, when
confidered in its different views, it embraces
both the Teflimonies of Chriflian Faith and
the Elements of Chriflian Do6trine. On
this account the Author trufls that it may be
regarded as no unfuitable Thefis for that
Courfe of Ledure Sermons, which he has
been appointed to preach before the Univer-
fity of Oxford.
Without attempting a more fyfi:ematic
forrn, the method here purfued is to take for
the grounds of the feveral Difcourfes certain
Texts or Portions of the Prophecies of Ifaiah
and of the Gofpels, which appear to be mofl
replete with argument on the fubjed: pro-
pofed. This plan may be thought more fa
vourable to unity of defign in detached or
lingle Sermons, than in a Courfe of Sermons
confidered as a Whole. Yet in this point of
view he prefumes his work is not materially
deficient, as from the order here adopted
fome appearance may be traced of regular
progreffion,

Vlll

PREFACE.

pTOgreffion, from the Evidences to the Prm»
ciples, from the Principles to the Duties,
-from the Duties to the Motives, of the Chrif
tian Religion.
It may readily be conceived, that a fub-
jed: of this nature cannot always without
difadvantage be exadlly apportioned to a pre-
fcribed number of Ledlures or a limited
meafure of Difcourfe. This he hopes: will
be accepted as his apology to the Univeifity
for taking a larger compafs in hi§ work,
when prefented to the Public, than he had)
opportunity of doing, when delivered from
the Pulpit, It may be proper to ftate, that
two additional Sermons are inferted, namely,
the Second and the Fifth, adapted to the
two great Solemnities of the Chriflian Year,
the Nativity and the Paffion of our Lord.
And the Portion of difcourfe on the Beati
tudes, which was delivered in two Parts, i§
amplified into a feriesof Sermons correfpond-
ing to the fubje<!3:s of the feveral Beatitudes.
At the fame time he hopes, that this En
largement of his Plan will be admitted 9S
fome excufe for the unavoidablq delay of the
publication.

EXTRACT
,FEOM THE
LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT
OP THE LATE
REV. JOHN BAMPTON,
CANON OP SALISBURY.

-" I give and bequeath my Lands and

*' Eftates to the Chancellor, Mafters, and Scholars
*' of the Univerfity of Oxford for ever, to have
" and to hold all and fingular the faid Lands or
*' Eftates upon truft, and to the intents and pur-
*' pofes hereinafter mentioned ; that is to fay, I
*' will and appoint that the Vice- Chancellor of
*' the Univerfity of Oxford for the time being fhall
" take and receive all the rents, ifTues, and pro-
" fits thereof, and (after all taxes, reparations, and
•' necefTary deductions made) that he pay all the
" remainder to the endowment of eight Divinity
*' Lecture Sermons, to be eftahlifhed for ever in
*' the faid Univerfity, and to be performed in the
" manner following :
" I direct and appoint, that, upon the firft
*' Tuefday in Eafter Term, a Le£lurer be yearly
" chofen

[ ^ ]
" chofen by the Heads of Colleges only, and by
" no others, in the room adjoining to the Print-
"^ ing-Houfe, between the hours of ten in the
" morning and two in the afternoon, to preach
'¦'eight Divinity Lefture Sermons, the year fol-
" lowing, at St. Mary's in Oxford, between the
" commencement of the laft month in Lent Term,
" and the end of the third week in Adl Term.
" Alfo I direft and appoint, that the eight Di-
" vinity Ledlure Sermons fhall be preached upon
" either of the following Subje6ts — to confirm
" and eflablifh the Chriftian Faith, and to con-
«' fate all heretics and fchifmatics — upon the di-
" vine authority of the holy Scriptures — upon
"the authority of the writings of the primitive
" Fathers, as to the faith and pra6tice of the pri-
" mitive Church — upon the Divinity of our
'• Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift — upon the Di-
" vinity of the Holy Ghoft — upon the Articles
" of the Chriftian Faith, as comprehended in the
" Apbftles' and Nicene Creeds.
" Alfo I diredt, that thirty copies of the eight
" Divinity Lefture Sermons fhall be always
'' printed, within two months after they are
" preached, and one copy fhall be given to the
" Chancellor of the Univerfity, and one copy. to
" the Head of every College, and one copy to the
" Mayor of the city of Oxford, and one copy to
" be put into the Bodleian Library ; and the ex-
'' pence.

[ ^i ]
" pence of printing the'm fhall be paid out of the
" revenue of the Land or Eftates given for efta-
" blifhing the Divinity Ledture Sermons ; and
" the Preacher fhall not be paid, nor be entitled
*' to the revenue, before they are printed.

<c

Alfo I direfl: and appoint, that no perfon
" fhall be qualified to preach the Divinity Lec-
" ture Sermons, unlefs he hath taken the Degree
" of Mafter of Arts at leaft, in one of the two
" Univerfities of Oxford or Cambridge ; and that
" the fame perfon fhall never preach the Divi-
" nity Ledture Sermons twice."

A List of Persons who have preached the BAMP
TON LECTURES from their firft Eftablifhment.
In
1780. James Bandinel, D. D. of Jefus College.
1781. Timothy Neve, D. D. of Mertpn College.
1783. Robert Holmes, M. A. of New College.
1785. John Cobb, D. D. of St. John's College.
1784. Jofeph White, B.D. of Wadhaln College.
1785. Ralph Churton, M. A. of Brazen-nofe College.
1786. George Croft, D. D. of Univerfity College,
1787. William Hawkins, M. A. of Pembroke College.
17SB. Richard Shepherd, D. D. of Corpus Chrifti College.
1789. Edward Tatham, D. D. of Lincoln College.
1790. Henry Kett, M. A. of Trinity College.
1791. Robert Morres, M. A. of Brazen-Nofe College.
1792. John Eveleigh, D. D. Provoft of Oriel College.
1793. James Williamfon, B. D. of Queen's College.
1794. Thomas Wintle, B. D. of Pembroke College.
1795. Daniel Veyfie, B. D. of Oriel College.
1796. Robert Gray, M. A. of St. Mary Hall.
1797. William Finch, LL. D. of St. John's College.
1798. Charles Henry Hall, B. D. of Chrift Church.
1799. William Barrow, LL.D. and F. S, A. of Queen's Coll.
1 800. George Richards, M. A. of Oriel College.
I ^/»-. George Stanley Faber, M. A. of Lincoln College.
i8o2. George Frederick Nott, M. A. of All Souls' CoUege.-
1803. John Farrer, M, A. of Queen's College.

CONTENTS. SERMON I.
Isaiah ix. 6.
For unto us a Child is born ; unto us a Son is given ; and
the government jh all be upon his Jhmilder : and his name
Jhall he called. Wonderful, Counfelhr, The Mighty
God, The Everlq/ling Father, The Prince of Peace.
, P. I.
SERMON IL
Isaiah liii. 5.
He was wounded for our tranfgrejjions ; he was bruifed
for our iniquities. The chajiifement of our peace was
upon him j and with hisjlripes we are healed. P. 29.
SERMON m.
Isaiah Ixi. i, %.
(Luke iv. 18, 19.)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; hecaufe the Lord hath
anointed me. He hath Jent me to publijh good tidings
to the meek ', to hind up the irolen-hearted', to proclaim
deliverance to the captives j and the opening of the pri-
fon to the bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the
Lord. P. 59.
SERMON IV,
John i. 14.
And the Word was made Flejh, and dwelt among us;
(and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten
of the Father ;) full of Grace and Truth, P. 89.
SER-

xiv CONTENTS. SERMON V.
Luke ii. 13, 14.
And fuddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of
the heavenly Hojl, praijing God, and faying ; Glory ta
God in the highejl, and on earth peace, good will to-
•Luards men. P. 1 19'
SERMON VL .
Matthew Iv. 33.
And Jefus went about all Galilee, teaching tn their Jyna-
gogues, and preaching the Gofpel of the Kingdom, and
healing all manner officknefs and all manner of difeafe
among thepeople. P. 139.
SERMON VIL
Mark i. i^.
——^The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at
hand: Repent ye, and believe the Gofpel. P. 173.
SERMON VIIL
Mark i. 15.
— —The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at
hand: Repent ye, and believe the Gofpel. P. aoi.

THE BEATITUDES.
Matthew V. 3 — 10. P. 235.
SERMON IX.
Matthew v. 3.
Blejfed are the Poor infpirit : for theirs is the Kingdom of
Heaven. p, j^^,
SER-

CONTENTS. XV
SERMON X.
Matthew V. 5.
Blejfed are the Meek : for they fhall inherit the Earth.
P. 257.
SERMON XL"
Matthew v. 4.
Blejfed are they that mourn : for they Jhall be comforted.
P. 275..
SERMON XIL
Matthew v. 6.
Bleffed are they that hunger and thirji after righteoufnefs :
for they fhall be fatisfied. P. 353.
SERMON XIIL
Matthew v. 7.
Blejfed are the Merciful : for they Jhall obtain Mercy,
P. 309.
SERMON XIV.
Matthew v. 8.
Blejfed are the Pure in heart : for they fhall fee God.
P. 329-
SERMON XV.
Matthew v. 9.
Bleffed are the Peacemakers : for they Jhall be called the
Children of God. P- 345.
SERMON XVL
Matthew v. 10.
bleffed are they that are perfecuted for righteoufnefs' fake z
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven, P. ^dy.

SERMON I.

Isaiah ix. 6.
For unto us a Child is born ; unto us a Son is given : and
the government fhall be upon hisfboulder: and his name
Jhall be called, Wonderful, Counfellor, TheMighty God,
The Everlafttng Father, The Prince of Peace.
JL HE fubjeft, that I propofe for this year's
courfe of Lectures, is the Miffion and Cha-
radler of our blefTed Lord, as prophetically
delineated in the Old Teflament, as hiflori-
cally recorded in the New. This theme, it
mufl be admitted, is not calculated fo much
to vindicate the dodrines of our religion agalnfl
the Infidel and Heretic, as to elucidate thofe
dodrines for the Orthodox Believer. I trufl
however that it falls fufficiently within the
compafs of our Founder's views; inafmuch
as it embraces the more efTential Articles of
the Chriftian Faith j and as far as it tends
to fliew the unity and harmony of Revealed
Religion through the feveral Covenants that
were made with man, it contributes one fpe-
cies of evidence, to the divine' authority of
the Holy Scriptures. B That

1 Unto us a Child is horn ;
That great myflery oif godlinefs, which
It was the purpofe of our Saviour's miflion
both to manifefl: and to accomplifh, had been
prefignified from earlleft times to man. At
that very hour, when God denounced upon
our firfl progenitors the fentence they had
incurred by their fatal dlfobedlence, he was
pleafed to give them a ray of corlfolation in
the gracious promlfe then vouch fafed, that
one of their progeny fhould bruife the head
of their Infidious and' malignant foe, fhould
relieve them from the punifhment that was
due to their tranfgreffion, and fhould re-eflab-
lifh peace between God and Man *.
And though, in confequcnce of their un
happy fall, a thick veil of moral darknefs
overfpread the world for a continued length
of time, yfet the God of mercy and of truth
was pleafed, through a feries of ages to make
a gradual communication of that light, which
was finally to break forth into perfedl day.
That light was imparted firft to one Pesfbn,
then to one Family, afterwards to one Na
tion, and finally to all Mankind. And as it
extended in compafs, fo it alfo increafed in
brightnefs. Through the feveral ages of an
tiquity we may trace a progreffion of di-
* Gen. ill. i j. vine

Ukto us a Son is given, ji 3
vine light and truth. In heathen climes
the whole horizon was overfpread with the
deepefl fhades of night. On the Patriarchs
a flarry radiance broke amid the general gloom.
On the children of Ifrael a lefTer light arofe
like that of the moon, the fymbol of the Le
gal Economy, which in its fliadowy irites
and ceremonies was a refledlion of the greater
light that rules the day. In the Prophets
a dawn began to gild the heavens, the wel
come promlfe of the coming brightnefs. And
at length in Jefus Cbrlfl, the light and life
of men, the Sun of Righteoufnefs arofe to
cheer and animate a flumberlng World.
I To the Patriarch Abraham, the Father of
the Faithful, and the" Friend * of God, was
given an intimation of this great Minlfter of
grace and truth, when God declared to him,
that with him he would efiablifh an ever-
lafling covenant, and that through him fhould
all the nations of the earth be bleffed ''. This
promife he by a lively faith was enabled
to comprehend. He defired to fee the day
of Chrifl; he faw.it, and was glad'. He
faw it with prophetic eyes, and he rejoiced
in that happinefs, which through one of his
lineage was to be . diffufed over all people.
^ Gen.xvii. 7. xxli. 18. "= Johnviii. 56.
B 2 And

4 Unto us a Child is bom ;
And the virtual facrifice of his only Son, which
&t the command of God he fcrupled not to
offer, he mofl probably underflood for a pro
phetic emblem of a real facrifice in time to
come, the precious only Son of God, to be
offered a fuflicient ranfom, a full fatisfaftion
for the fins of the world.
The whole economy of the Law of Mofes,
whether moral, ceremonial, or political, may
be regarded, as indeed it was defigned, for a
Ihadow or emblem of the Chriflian Di^enfa-
tion. And Mofes himfelf exprefsly taught
the children of Ifrael to expeift another Law
giver fent immediately from God, to whom
they were to pay obedience ; " The Lord
your God will raife up unto youa Prophet
from among you, of your brethren, like unto
me ; unto him fhall ye hearken **."
The fame intimations were repeated by
the Pfalmifl, who was called from the Iheep-
fold to rule his people Ifrael. Illumined by
the Spirit of divine truth he frequently made
allufion to fome exalted perfonage in time to
come, who fhould be the Shepherd of the
fpiritual Ifrael, and fhould hold a divine do
minion over the fons of men.
This promife was more clearly and more
^ Deut, xvlii, ij. A6ls ili. aa. coploufly

Unto us a Son is given. 5
copioufly delivered by the feries of Prophets,
who rofe to comfort Ifrael; of thefe more efpe-
cially by Ifaiah, who for the finking delinea
tions, which he gives of the Meffiah and his
kingdom, is llyled by way of eminence the
Prophet of the Gofpel. And therefore, not
attempting any wider range through the fpa-
cious field of prophecy, to this copious fource
of evangelical truth I fhall principally refort for
fuch illuflrations as my fubjeft may require.
Among the facred band of Prophets the
firfl in excellence, as the firfl in order, is
Ifaiah. In the beauty and fublimlty of his
language, in the weight and dignity of his
argument, he flands above his brethren un
rivalled and alone. Through the whole of
his writings he engages the common interefl
of men under both difpenfations of the Law
and of the Gofpel. Invefled with authority
from heaven he impartidly admonilhes or re
proves his people; and according to the flate
of religion and piety among them he declares
to ¦ them the mercies or the judgments of
God. Yet in this minifler of Heaven the
true and loyal Ifraellte is continually feen.
Even while he fupports the high charader of
the Prophet, he never fupprefiTes the affec
tions of the Patriot. Addreffmg himfelf more
B 3 imme-

6 Unto us % Child is horn ;
immediately to his countrymen, he rejoices
in their virtues, he laments over their apofla-
fies; he looks on their profperlty with compla
cence, on their calamities with condolence.
Though called in his prophetic office to un
fold the deflinies of Tyre and Egypt, Syria
and Babylon, and all the mpre diftinguifhed
nations of the ancient Eaflern world, yet the
fortunes of Ifrael ftill engrofs his principal re
gard. Though enabled to contemplate the
long feries of ages yet unborn, yet he con
tinually views them as they bear a reference
to the houfe of Abraham. Their various vi-
ciffitudes of fortune, their elevations and de-
preffions,^ their dlfperfions and refloraltions are
the chofen themes of his prophetic fong. It
may therefore be reafbnably fuppofed, that
every pious and loyal foul in Ifrael would be
encouraged by his admonitions, and warned
by his reproofs, would be moved in profperl
ty to love and gratitude, in adverfity to refig-
natlon and repentance.
But interefling as he mufl have been to his
own people, he engages a flill deeper intefefl
among the whole family of Chrlflians. For
while in the literal fenfe hls-prophecies apply to
the temporal houfe of Ifrael, in their fpiritual
and more important fenfe they finally point at
the Kingdom or Church of Chrlfl, the gemjine. houfe-

Unto «5 a Son is given, 7
houfeholdof the faithful, the true Ifrael of God.
While he refers immediately to a Prince, who
fhould fit on the throne of David, and reign
over the houfe of Judah, he mufl be under-
flood to defignate a Prince of the fame royal
flock, whofe dominion fhould not be clr-
cumfcribed either in time or fpace. Thefe
two important views are continually blended
through all his prophecies. Repeatedly as
he treats of the charad.ers and fortunes of his
countrymen the Jews, his vifion almofl iny'a-
riably extends to the Chriflian economy.
Whatever be the intermediate objed:, this
ufually conftitutes the final aim. Thms in
^e general prophecy, with which he opens
his mlniflry, after lamenting the degeneracy
and corruption of his people, he exhorts them
to repentance and amendment of life, as the
neceffary means of obtaining the forgivenefs
and clemency of God. A profpedl of fo great
a change in the hearts' and habits of the peo
ple he contemplates with prophetic eye in
that new Economy of grace and truth, when
the fpiritual Slon fhali be redeemed with
judgment, and Jerufalem fhall be called the
City of righteoufnefs; and he anticipates that
happy time in the lafl ages of the world,
when the true Kingdom of God fhall be
fully eflablifhed upon earth, when all nations
B 4 fhall

8 Unto us a Child is lorn;
fhall flow unto it, and fhall pay a willing
homage to its righteous and peaceable do
minion '.
Of the fame complexion is the pafi^age, of
which my text is the concluding part. This
portion of his prophecies was delivered in the
early part of his mlniflry, as appears from the
context, at a time when the realm of Judah
was diflurbed by the confederate arms of two
hoflUe Kings. In the height of the terrors,
which the Jews then experienced, he gives
them affurance of immediate protedion from
the God of their fathers; and he foretels a
change of fortune, to take place before another'
generation fhould be paft, when both thefe
enemies fhould be totally fubdued, and Ju
dah, though diftreffed and reduced to immi
nent danger, fhould furvive and profper under
the tutelary care of Heaven. Herein, he al
ludes more immediately to the fucceeding
reign of Hezekiah, who faw thefe two con
federate flates overthrown by the overwhelm
ing flream of the AfiTyrlan power ; while he
and his people were relieved from this terrible
inundation, when it overflowed the land of
Palefline, and approached even to the hill
of Sion ^ by the protedlion of that Almighty
« Ifa;ah i. ii. f Ifa. viii. 7,- 8.
King,

Unto zw a Son is given. Q
King, who faid unto the deep, Hitherto fhdt
thou come, but no further j and here fhall
thy proud waves be flayed ^'
But in the clofe of this prophecy he ex
tends his vifion beyond the temporal king
dom and the tranfitory reign of Hezekiah to a
fpiritual kingdom under an eternal King: both
which he reprefents in terms too lofty to be
applied to any temporal potentate or domi
nion, and which could not be fulfilled in any
other perfon but in that Anointed of the Lord,
who'is the final theme of all divihe. revela
tion. It is to this clofing portion of the pro
phecy that I would engage the prefent atten
tion of this learned Audience.
And here it may be convenient to premife,
that our common tranflation of this paffage is
neither fo clear nor fo corredl, as it is generally
found to be; and therefore I fhall refort, as I
feeoccafion, to a verfion better calculated to
give the fenfe and fplrit of the Hebrew Seer.
In the beginning of this chapter the Pro
phet had declared, that the land, which was
¦ then overfpread with gloom, in confequence
of temporal calamities, fhould afterwards ^e
gladdened with extraordinary light. Never-
thelefs there fhall not hereafter be darknefs in
« Job xxxviii. ii. the

10 Unto us a Child is horn ;
the land which was diftreffed. Tf hough in the
former time, when the prophecy was given,
he had debafed the land of Zebulon and the land
ofNaphthali; yet in the fatter time he would
make it glorious, even the way of the fea, beyond
Jordan, Galilee of the nations. Herein he ex
prefsly points out the region, that in future
days would be diflinguifhed by the dawn of
the gofpel revelation. For in this region did
our Saviour enter upon his divine miffion, in
this did he principally exerclfe his mlniflry
of grace. To this region therefore do the en-
fulng words more efpecially belong ; T^he peo
ple that walked in darknefs have feen a great
light: they that dvoelt in the landofthefhadow
of death, unto them hath the light fhined. This
undoubtedly applies to him who is called in
prophetic language, " The Sun of righteouf
nefs with healing on his wings **;" and who
was afterwards acknowledged, even in his in
fant years, at his firfl prefentation in the
temple, for " a light to lighten the Gentiles,
and the glory of his people Ifrael '."
The Prophet now in different images de-
fciibes the various bleffings that would enfue
from this divine vlfitant : Thou haji multi
plied the nation ; thou hafi increafed their joy.
^ Malachi iv. a. ¦ Luke ii. 32.
The

Unto us a Son is given. ii
The multiplying the nation was' the promife
originally given to Abraham, and repeated to
the Patriarchs in fucceffion. And .though
literally fulfilled in the numerous poflerity of
Abraham by natural defcent, it was mofl ef-
feAually accompllflied in the far more nu
merous progeny by fpiritual birth in thofe,
who were his children by the adoption of
grace, and heirs of the promifes by the right
eoufnefs of faith ; that is, in all thofe, who
are of the houfehold of the Church of Chrlfl.
The promife of this bleffing is repeatedly
made in the prophets. Thus to the fpiritual
daughter of Sion Ifaiah fays, in allufion to
the rriode of fojourning by the Ifraelltes in
the wildernefs, " Enlarge? the place of thy
tent, and let the canopy of thy habitations
be extended ; for on the right hand and on
the left thou fhalt burfl forth with increafe;
and thy "feed fhall inherit the nations, and
fhall inhabit the defolate cities ''." Now
this was to be accomplifhed in the diffufion
of the, gofpel beyond the pale of Ifrael, the
adoption of the Gentiles into the covenant of
promife, and the progreffion of Chriflian
light over all the nations of the earth. In
like manner the increafe of their joy, the con-
^ Ifa, liv. 2, 3. tinual

12 Unto us a Child is born;
tinual theme of Ifaiah in the latter feries
of his writings, is the peculiar charader of
the gofpel ; which Was glad tidings of great
joy to all the world, fince it imparted to
mankind the means of recovery from the
bondage of fin, and death, it opened to them
the hopes of reconciliation and favour with
Almighty God, and brought life and immor
tality to light.
They rejoice before thee as with the joy of bat-
vefi; as men rejoice when they divide the fpail.
Two images are here introduced to exprefs this
gladnefs of the foul; the one from rural, the
other from military life. Having found a plen
teous harvefl of every thing efTential to their
fpiritual nurture, and partaking in the prize
which enfues from the Meffiah's conquefl^
over his enemies and theirs, the people of the
Lord are filled with joy and gratitude, and
are ready to exprefs it in public hymns of
pralfe. For the yoke of his burthen, the fiaff on bis
Jhhulder, the rodofhh opprefiir, hafi thou broken, >¦
as. in the day of Midian. For the greaves of the
armed warrior in the confliSi, arid the garment
rolled in much blood, Jhall be for a burnings even
fuel for the fire. By thefe united images, of
breaking the weapons of tyranny, and of burn
ing the accoutrements of battle, the Prophet boldly

Unto us a Son is given. 15
boldly fignifies the full attainment of conquefl,
the complete eflabhflimerit of peace; an ani
mated pidure of that divine difpenfatlon,
which would finally prevail over every carnal
and every fpiritual foe, and would be diftin
guifhed as a reign of univerfal and eternal
peace. »/
The Prophet, having flated fome of the
bleffed fruits of this divine economy, pro
ceeds to declare the Minlfter, by whom thefe
bleffings fhould be conveyed ; and this he
does by feveral titles defcriptlve of his cha-
raifter and miffion; in which, though he re
prefents him as a Prince of the houfe of Da
vid, yet he afcribes to him marks of dignity
and authority far fuperior to fuch as diftin-
guifh any of the fons of men.
For unto us a Child is born ; unto us a Son
is given. This fbkmn declaration muft be
underftood in union with a foregoing pro
phecy, given imrnediately for the prefent
confolation of Judah, but looking for aecom-
plifhment to a dlftant age ; Behold a Virgin
fhall conceive and bear a Son, and Jhe fhall call
his name Jmmdnuel^. A miraculous birth por
tended a more than ordinary perfon, no lefs
indeed than the Son of God ; and the name

' Ifa. vii. 14.

affigned

14 Uiito us a Child is horn ;
affigned him bore a teftimony to the dignity
of his charader, as it fignifies God with us, or
in the language of the gofpel, that incarnate
Word, in whom dwelt bodily all the fulnefs
of the Godhead "".
The perfon 'thus to be born into the
world is ordained for the high eft offices of
authority and power : The government Jhall
be upon his Jhoulder : which phrafe corre-
fponds with the words of that falutation, with
which the Angel hailed the Virgin Mary
fdr the mother of our Lord : " He fhall
be great, and fhall be called the Son of the
Higheft : and the Lord God fhall give ,unto
him the throne of his father David. And
he fhall reign over the houfe of Jacob for
ever : and of his Kingdom there fhall be no
end "."
The Prophet then »defignates the charader
of this exalted Potentate by appropriate and
expreffive names. The firft of thefe is, Won
derful. By which may be underftood, that
he fhould be diftinguifhed above all other
Prophets and Mlnifters of heaven by moft
miraculous notices and powers. At his birth
he was revealed unto the world by the fong
of Angels, and by the light of an extraordl-
"" Col. ii. 9. n Luke i. 32, 33. nary

Unto us a Son is given. 15
nary Star. Thus at the dawn of the fpiritual,
as once of the natural creation, the morning
Stars fang together; and all the Sons of God
fliouted for joy ". And at his initiation into
his miffion, the heavens were opened, the di
vine glory defcended upon him, and a voice
from heaven proclaimed him the beloved Son
of God. And through the term of his abode
on earth "the dignity of his perfon and cha-
rader was repeatedly attefted by the mlni
flry of Angels, by the converfatlon of de
parted Saints, by the attending glory of the
Divine preferice, and by the approving voice
of Heaven^ But this title was moft evident
in the miracles that he wrought himfelf,
which were great and numerous and mani
fold. • Thus in the beginning of his mini-
ftry he turned water into wine ; from the
fmall fupply of a few loaves and fifties he fed,
many thaufands in the wildernefs ; he was
liberally employed in healing every kind of
ficknefs and difeafe. Before his prefence
every malady of human nature fled ; the
blind received their fight, and tlje deaf heard.
the palfied. were reftored to foundnefs, and
the fevered to health, the lepers were cleanfed,
the demoniacs were difpofTefTedjand the dead
" Job xxxviii. 7,
were

l6 Unto us a Child is born ;
were raifed. Thefe wonderful powers were
not only in themfelves unqueftionable evi*
dences of his divine miffion and authority^
but they derive additional force from their
concurrence with the voice of ancient pro
phecy, which afcribes all thefe pawers to
the Meffiah. And therefore when he was
queftioned whether he was the perfon long
foretold in ancient revelation, he appealed %^
the works on which he was then employed,
as giving evidence of his miffion, and at the
• fame time lUuftration of his charader.
With the title of Wonderful is combined
that of Counfellor; which implies that he
knew the councils of God, and that he had
authority to impart them unto men.- All
this is fignified in the title, that is given him
by the Apoftle and Evangelift, of the A0r02
or the Word of God ; which comprehends
not only the counfel determined in the mind
of God, but alfo the fame exprefTed in the
economy of his grace to men. It is alfo fig
nified in other paffages, and indeed it pervades
the whole tenor of the gofpel revelation ;
which reprefents him as having come from
God, to open to mankind that myftery of di
vine grace, which had hitherto been kept fe-
cret, or at moft only partially divulged, from
the foundation of the world. Im-

Unto us a Son is given. 17
Important are the truths, which this di
vine Counfellor has therein brought to light.
He hath taught us to confider God as a fpi
ritual Effence, who is therefore to be wor-
fhipped in a fpiritual manner; Inflexibly juft,
yet abounding in clemency and benevolence.
He hath taught us alfo to know ourfelves,
as fallen indeed from that divine image, in
which we were originally made, yet ftill re
taining ib much intereft at the throne of
grace, as to engage the Son of God himfelf
to take our nature upon him, that he might
become our Mediator and Advocate with his
heavenly Father : in which capacity he has
undertaken, as a Prophet, to teach us our
duty by repentance and obedience ; as a Prieft,
to make atonement and Interceffion for us by
the price of his own blood ; and as a King,
to govern us by his laws, to place us in a
ftate of grace, and to open to us the gate of
everlafting life.
In thefe two names of Wonderful, Coun
fellor, he is reprefented as the energy of di
vine power, and the effufion of divine wif-
dom. But he has a title to a ftill more diftin
guifhed name, as he partakes of the divine
efTence. He is called The Mighty God. In
this fulnefs of divinity he is charaderlzed by
Ifaiah in other places; efpecially in the open-
¦c ing

16 Unto us a Child is horn;
ing of the latter feries of his prophecies,
which has a more exprefs relation to the
Meffiah and his kingdom. For therein he
foretels a MefiTenger, who fhould prepare the
way of the Lord in the wildernefs, and
fhould declare to Judah, Behold your God^l
And in this fulnefs of divinity he is repre
fented by St. John in the opening of his
gofpel : He was not only in the beginning
with God, but he was God himfelf And in
that high charader he bears the attributes of
a Creator and a Preferver: " All things were
made by him, and without him exifted no
created thing ^." Of himfelf our Lord de
clares, that " he and his Father are one ^" Of
him St. Paul exprefsly fays, that " he is over
all, God bleffed for ever '." In his Epiftle to
the Hebrews he declares, that God hath now
fpoken to us by Ijls Son, fuperior to the An
gels, and partaking of the effence of the
Godhead, by whom he made the worlds, by
whom he upholdeth all things, and whom he
hath appointed Heir of all things'. And
thus he is ftill more forcibly reprefented in
the book of Revelations: He is feated with his
Father on his throne of eminence, he is dig
nified with this name infcribed upon his vef-

P Ifa. xl. 3, 9. q John i. i, a, 3. ¦¦ John x, 30.
'Rom.ix.j. tHeb. i. I, &c.

ture

Unto us a Soh is gii>en. JQ
ture and his perfon. King of Kings, and Lord
of Lords. And he takes to himfelf this pe
culiar title of fupreme divinity, *' I am Alpha
and Omega, the beginning and the end, the
firft and the laft, who was, and who is, and
who fhall be, the Almighty "." By which he
fignifies that his exlftence is from eternity to
eternity, that the whole fyftem of the uni-
verfe originated from his power and wifdom,
is fuftained and governed by his providence,
and is finally dlreded to his will. Thus to
him may be applied thefe peculiar attributes
of the Deity, as exprefTed by the Apoftle,
that " from him, and through him, and to
him, are all things ^."
The name that follows next is, Rverlafling
Father. If we take this word in the cuf-
tomary fenfe, it feems to repeat what is com
prehended in the preceding term, that he is
felf-exiftent through all eternity, and that h^
is the fource and origin of all things. But a
more diftind and expreffive fenfe will be
drawn, if we underftand it as accepted by
fome learned men. The Father of the ever-
lajiing age; that is, the Fovmder of an Eco
nomy that fhall have no end j namely, that
Economy which is called in Scriptural lan-
" Rev. i. 8, II. six. j6. * Rom, xi. ^6.
C 3 guag^j

20 Unto us a Child is horrt;
guage. The Kingdom of Heaven ; that Dif
penfatlon of divine grace and truth without
limit or period, which the Meffiah would
eftabllfli in the world. In which refped it
ftands in contraft with the conftitution both
civil and religious of the Jews ; which was
liftiited to a certain people, and was to fubflft
for an appointed time. The eternity, as alfo
the univerfality of this kingdom, is repeatedly
foretold in the Pfalms and in the Prophets ;
" Afk of me, and I will give thee the heathen
for thine inheritance, and the utmoft parts of
the earth for thy poffeffion^."' — " Thy throne,
O God, is for ever and ever : the fceptre of
thy kingdom is a fceptre of righteoufnefs^."- — .
** They fhall fear thee as lorig as the fun and
moon endure, throughout all generations. He
fhall have dominion from fea to fea, and from
the rivCr to the ends of the earth *."
Thus alfo the Prophet, when to the carnal
and temporary inftitutlons of the Law he
oppofes the fpiritual and eternal inftitutlons
of the Gofpel ; " All flefh is grafs, and all
the goodlinefs thereof is as the flower of the
field. The grafs wlthereth, and the flower
fadeth ; but the word of the Lord endureth
for ever''." And this is fully delineated in a,
y Pf. ii. 8. « Pf. xlv. 6. » Pf. Ixxii. K, &c.
^ Ifa. xl. 6, 7, 8. vifion

Unto us a Son is given< 21
vifion to Daniel, which, after defcribing feve
ral temporal dynafties rifing and falling in
fucceffion, reprefents one advancing like the
Son of Man, invefted with the clouds of hea
ven. "And there was given him dominion and
glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations,
and languages fhduld ferve him. His domi
nion is an everlafting dominion, which fhall
not pafs away ; and his kingdom that which
fhall not be deftroyed "." With this agrees
the term wdth which our Lord continually
defignates his difpenfatlon. The Kingdom of
Heaven implies a conftitution widely different
from the partial and tranfitory monarchies of
men. Though it begins on earth, it fhall ex
tend to lieaven ; though it commences in
time, it fliall endure to eternity.
The laft of thefe titles is. The Prince of
Peace. The foregoing names bear abundant
evidence of his kingly dignity : This delineates
the peculiar feature of his kingly charader.
The allufion might be drawn from Melchife-
dec. King of Salem, whofe perfonal name de
noted. King of righteouihefs, as his official
title fignified. King of peace ; for thefe two
qualities the holy Scripture frequently com
bines in reprefenting the true kingly charader.
' Dan. vii. 13, 14.
C3 "In

22 Unto us a Child is born;
In both which capacities this ancient Prince
is reprefented by the Apoftle for a type of
Chrift ^. Again, the allufion might be taken
from Solomon the fon of David, whofe reign
correfponded with the fignification of the
name, fince there was peace in Ifrael all the
days of Solomon^. Indeed the feveral paf
fages of the Pfalmift, which convey a bene-
didion to his immediate fon and fucceffor on
the throne of Ifrael, have a prophetic appli
cation to a greater than Solomon, the true
Prince of Peace. " He fhall come down
like rain upon the mown grafs ; as fhowers
that water the earth. In his days fhall the
righteous flourifh ; and abundance of peace fb
long as the moon endureth V
And the fame charader of peace Ifaiah
gives of the Meffiah-s happy reign ; " He
fhall judge among the nations, and fhall
convince many peoples. And they fhall
beat their fwords into plqugh-ffiares, and their
fpears intopruning-hooks: nation fhall not lift
up fword againft nation ; neither fhall they
learn war any more e," And in a fubfequent
paffage he gives a fuller pldure of the peace
ful reign of the fon of Jefl"e, when he repre
fents all the more ferocious animals of the
^ Gen. xiv. i8. Heb. vii. i, &c. = i Kings iv. 25.
f Pf. lxxli.6, 7. g Ifa. ii. 4. creation

Unto us a Son is given, 2S
creation as laying afide their nature, and
affociating with thofe that they are wont to
perfecute ; " The wolf fhall dwell with the
lamb, and the leopard ffiall lie down with
the kid ; and the calf and the young lion
and the fading fhall come together; and a
little child fhall lead them ^."
In language like to this was the Prince of
Peace introduced into the world. For the
Angels in their gratulating fong fling peace
on earth, and good will towards men '. This
charader he affumes when he ftyles himfelf
the Son of Peace ^. And when he is depart
ing from the world, he offers his Dlfciples
peace, as the moft valuable bequeft which he
had to leave '.
Now this gracious charader he maintained
herein, that he was the Minlfter of reconcili
ation between heaven and earth, he re- efta
hlifhed peace' between an offended God and a
guilty race of men. By coming among us
in Our nature he reftored that chain of har
mony between the upper and the lower
world, which had been broken by the firft
apoftafy of man. And in his laft labour of
love he furrendered himfelf a peace-offering
^ Ifa. xi. 6. ' Luke ii. 14. ^ Lukje x, 6.
' John xiv. 27.
c 4 in

24 Unto us a Child is born ;
in our behalf; and by this precious ranfom
he procured for us the covenant of eternal
peace. •
The fame gracious charader he alfo main
tained by promoting and eftabllffiing a fplrit
of harmony and concord among mankind.
This he did in the firft inftance by that rule
of righteoufnefs, which he promulgated as
the bond of equal dealing between man and
man ; " Whatfoever ye would that men
fliould do to you, do ye alfo to them." And
this he did in a more impreffive way by giv
ing energy and compafs to that ancient law,
'" Thou fhalt love thy neighbour as thyfelf ;"
which rule he explained by inculcating thofe
peculiar duties of his religion, the forgivenefs
of injuries, the love of our enemies, the render
ing of good for evil, and the impartial diftri-
butlon of benevolerice and charity to all. And
this he alfo did in the moft impreffive way
by the virtue of his own example, which
was one continued expreffion of grace and
peace to men. For all his days on earth
were fpent in doing and dlffufing good ; and
his life at length was yielded a peace-offering
for the world.
In fequel to thefe titles, defcriptlve of the
Meffiah, Ifaiah thus proceeds : Of the increafe ' of

Unto us a Son is given. 25
of his government and peace there Jhall be no
end; upon the throne of David, and upon his
Kingdom ; to fix it and to efiablifh it, with
judgment and with jufiice, henceforth even for
ever. In which words, befide expreffing the
peculiar charaders of his kingly government,
that it fhall be advanced in peace, and that it
fhall be eftabliffied in righteoufnefs, he de-
fcribes the progreffion of his kingdom in the
world. And herein, though he reprefents
the Meffiah feated on the throne of David,
and reigning over the kingdom of Ifrael, yet
is it well underftood what this throne and
kingdom in the fplrit of prophetic language
mean; a dominion, not in the body, but in the
foul; not over that nation only,, to whom the
covenant of the Law was given, but over all
people in every clime and country under hea^
ven, to whom the kingdom of the Gofpel is
proclaimed. This fpiritual government ffiall
continually increafe, and ffiall go on con
quering and 16 conquer, not with the fword
of war and violence, like the kingdoms of
this world, but with the fceptre of peace and
righteoufnefs, till it embraces all the peopled
earth; till •' the kingdoms of the world are
become the kingdoms of our God." And
when all temporal governments have dlf-
appeared, when the world itfelf is brought to
dlffolution.

36 Unto us a Child is horn ;
diffolution, it ffiall ftand without impair; un
changeably the fame, it ffiall never have an
end. The Prophet now concludes his fublime
embaffy of grace with ftamping the fandioa
of God himfelf upon it; The zeal of the Lord
of Hofis will do this. The Lord of armies
both in heaven and earth hath exprefTed a
zeal for the eftabliffiment of this heavenly
kingdom: and the fame Almighty Power, who
decreed all this, will infallibly perform it.
May the zeal of the Lord in decreeing
and in performing ffich great things for us
enkindle in our fouls a correfponding zeal to
glorify him for his goodnefs to the fons of
men ! And how ffiall vye glorify him other-
wife, than by gratefully receiving and afiidu-
oufly improving his ineftlmable gift ? " In
this was manlfefted the Love of God to us,
that he fent his only begotten Son into the
world, that we might live through him •"."
Let us gratefully acknowledge the Son, that
is fent us for fo blefTed a purpofe, in the fe
veral charaders in which he is prefented for
an objed of our faith, and for a guide and
pattern of our obedience. Let us devoutly
contemplate all that feries of miracles, which
" 1 John iv. 9, atteft

IJnto us a Son is given. 27
atteft his miffion and illuftrate his charader.
Let us receive all his dodrlnes as the certain
oracles of divine truth, and obey all his pre
cepts as the faithful diredorles of our hearts and
lives; continually bearing in mind that moft
important truth, which in his own refurrec-
tion he has demonftrated to men, of a gene
ral reffirredion to another life ; when all,
who have been zealous in their allegiance to
him through the prefent ftate of difclpline,
fhall be received into his heavenly Kingdom,
and ffiall reign with him for ever and ever.

SERMON II.

Isaiah liii. 5.
He was wounded far our tranfgrefjions ; he was bruifed
for our iniquities. The chaflifement of our peace was
upon him ; and with hisflripes we are healed.
Among the feveral prophecies of Ifaiah,
which reprefent the miffion and charader of
Chrift, a more particular confideration is due
to that portion of which my text is a part ;
as it not only gives an hiftorical defcription of
our Saviour's fufferlngs, but alfo unfolds that
great myftery of godlinefs, the expedience of
thofe fufferlngs for the peace and happinefs
of men. This prophecy is diftinguiffied in
the writings of Ifaiah, as it ftands indepen
dent of all temporal and national themes.
Neverthelefs, to underftand it with more ad
vantage, it may be of ufe to take a brief re
view of that feries of prophecy which goes
before it, as far as it bears a more exprefs re
lation to the gofpel economy. In the latter
divifion of his facred book the Prophet ap
pears

30 Be was wounded for our tranfgreffiom %
pears in his moft engaging charader, as a He
rald of bleffings to the people of God. The
bleffings, that he foretels, combine both a
temporal and a fpiritual good. While in the
letter he reprefents the deliverance of the
Jews from the oppreffive yoke of their Ba
bylonian Conquerors, and the reftoration of
the Hebrew government and law, in the fpi-
rit he conveys to the underftanding of the
fincere believer a far more important and
valuable truth, the deliverance of all man
kind from the bondage of fin and death, and
the eftabliffiment of the Kingdom of God,
both militant on earth and triumphant in
heaven. In the name of God he publiffies confola
tion to his people ; he declares to Jerufa
lem, that her warfare is fulfilled, that her fins
are expiated, and that bleffings double to her
fufferlngs await her from the hand of- the
Lord: All which was accompliffied on the
fpiritual Jerufalem, the true City or Church
of God, by the Captain of her falvation, when
he overcame the powers of death, and opened
unto men the gate of everlafting life. He
announces a Herald, who ffiould go before
the face of the Lord in the wildernefs> ' to
prepare the way for his coming ; which was
accompliffied in John the Baptift, who pre
pared

He was bruifed for our iniquities. 31
pared the people for their fpiritual King by
the baptifm of repentance for the remiffion of
fins. In oppofition to the carnal covenant of
the Law, which was frail and tranfient as the
grafs or the flower of the field, he proclaims
the fpiritual covenant of the Gofpel, which
was to endure to all eternity. He publiffies
glad tidings, the appropriate name of the
Gofpel economy, to Slon and Jerufalem, and
he calls upon the cities of Judah to behold
their God. He ftates his authority both to
avenge himfelf of his enemies and to re-
coiiipenfe his faithful fubjeds. At the fame
time he reprefents the gracious nature of his
tutelary government, under the image of a
Shepherd very tenderly attentive to the wel
fare of his flock, fupporting the fick and
weak, and affording fuftenance to all *.
In a fxibfequent paffage he defcribes the
mild exerclfe of his authority ; " He ffiall
not cry aloud, nor lift up his voice in the
ftreets ;" the tendernefs of his government
toward thofe, who would have funk under
the full feverity of difclpline ; " The bruifed
reed he ffiall not break, and the dimly burn
ing flax be ffiall not quench ;" and his perfe-
verlng zeal in dlffufing his kingdom over all
» Ifa. xl. I — II, the

32 tie was wounded Jor our tranfgrej^ons- ;
the worid ; " He ffiall not fail, nor be dif-
couraged, till he have fet judgment in the
earth, and the ifles ffiall wait for his law."
He declares him to be called for a righteous
purpofe, to be a covenant to the people, and
a light to the nations ^.
Through the courfe of thefe prophecies he
invariably ffiews this Minlfter of grace, as
fupporting the authority of a King, yet-
mingljng this authority with grace and gen-
tlenefs. In the prophecy now before us he repre
fents him in a very different light, in every
clrcumftance of humiliation and depreffion, of
forrow and fuffering. At the fame time
however he repeatedly takes occafton to fug-
geft, that in his humiliation there would be
field for triumph, that in his fufferlngs there
would be argument of joy. Even in the
opening of this mournful narrative he declares
in the name of God his final exaltation and
profperlty :
Behold, my Servant Jhall profper ; he Jhall
be raifed-aloft and magnified and very highly ex-'
alted. As many were afionijhed at him; {his
countenance wasfo disfigured, more than that of
man; and his form more than the fons of men ;)
» Ifa. xlii. I — 7.

He was bruifed for our iniquities. 33
Jkmany nations Jhall look upon him with admi
ration; before him Jhall Kin^s Jhut their mouths:
For what was not before declared to them, they
fhall fee ; and what they had not heard, they
fhall attentively confider ^
Notwithftanding all his afflidions, he ffiould
eminently profper ; notwithftanding all his
ignominies, he ffiould be very highly glori
fied. As in his fufferlngs, the fevereft and
moft terrible that were ever laid on man, he
ffiould be a temporary theme of aftonifhment
to many of his own nation, who would ex-
ped to fee the promifed Meffiah in the ftyle
and charader of a profperous and triumphant
King ; fo even in hiS fufferlngs he ffiould be
a perpetual theme of homage to many na
tions, to many princes of the Gentiles. For
they ffiould fee the light of heavenly truth
opened to them by the Son of God, of
whom they had received no promife before,
as had the people of Ifrael ; and in the hu
miliation and fufferiftgs of a degraded and
crucified Saviour they ffiould contemplate the ,
means of exaltation and happinefs to all' the
ions of men.
This however, when it was firft promul
gated, was a theme by no means engaging to
any clafs pf men. To the Jews it was a
« Ifa. HI. 13, 14* 15.
D ftumbling-

34 He was wounded for our tranf^re^onsi
ftumbling-block, and to the Greeks fooliffi-
nefs. Accorditigly the Prophet thus en
quires ; Who hath believed our report ? and to
whom, hath the arm of the Lord been revealed f
By which he fignified, that the dodrine,,
which the Meffiah was to impart> would ob
tain at the time but fmall belief in the world;
that the piirpofe, which he was to accomplifh,
of eftabllffiing the kingdom of our God upon
earth, would not immediately be made ma-
nifeft to men. Thus lie came unto his own,
and his own received him not. Prejudiced
by ambitious hopes of feeing the Meffiah
feated on the throne of David, and giving to
Ifrael pre-eminence among the nations, they
could not comprehend him in the ffiade of
humility in which he came among them.
And yet the Prophet has reprefented in
expreffive images the lowlinefs of ftation, in
which he was to appear : For he growetb up
in their fight as a tender plants and as a root
from a thirfiy foil. Though adually a branch
from the noble ftem of JefTe, though a cion
from the royal ftock of David'*, as he is de-
fcribed in another prophecy, yet ffiould he
to the eyes of men originate from a very
lowly root, and be nurtured on the unpro-
mifing foil of indigence and obfcurity. •
!> Ifa, xi. 1. m

He was hrUifedfor our iniquities. 3S
. He bath no form nor comelinefs, when we
fhall fee him ; nor is his countenance fuch, that
we Jhauld defire him. Defpifed and rejeSled of
men, a man of forr&ws, and acquainted with
grief; as one that bidet h bis face from us ;
he was defpifed, and we efieemed him not.
This indeed is no other than a hiftory of his
manner of life on earth from his entrance on
his miniftry to his departure on the crofs. He
had. no femblance of fuperior dignity and
worth to engage the regard of men : He had
no endowments of pleafuxes, riches, and ho
nours to attrad the defires of the world.
Unacknowledged and difefteemed by Pha-
rifees and Sadducees, by Chief Priefts, by
Elders, and by Scribes, he acquired attention
only in the humbleft vralks of life. Through
all his adive labours he was expofed to ca
lumny and detradioh ; and when we come
to the hiftory of his paffion, was there ever
any forrow like to his forrow ?
The Prophet now more explicitly declares
the forrows and fufferlngs, to which he
would be expofed ; and at the fame time he
veiy largely and repeatedly opens the caufes>
for which they would be laid upon him.
Though he feemed in the eyes of men to be
judicially fmitten by the hand of God, yet he
did not endure thi? feverity of judgment for
1>Z any

3S He was wounded for our tranfgreffidns \
any tranfgreffions of his own. It was fof
guilty man he fuffered. To effed our peace
with God, he furrendered himfelf to the chaf-
tifing hand of juftice; and to heal our wounds,
he fubmitted to be feverely wounded.
Surely our infirmities hath he borne, and our
forrows bath be carried; while we thought
him firicken, fmitten of God, and affliSled. But
he was wounded for our tranfgrefjions; he was
bruifed for our iniquities: The chafiifement of
our peace was upon him ; and by his firipes we
are healed. All we like Jheep have firayed;
we have turned afide every one to bis own way;
and the Lord bath laid on him the iniquity of
us all. It was exaSled, and he was made an-
fiverable ; yet he opened not bis mouth. As a
lamb that is led to tbefiaughter, and as a Jheep
before her Jhearers is dumb,fo be opened nqt bis
mouth. From confinement and from judgment
was he taken : and who fhall declare bis gene
ration ? For he was cut off from the land of the
living; for the tranfgrejjions of my people was be
firicken. And bis grave was appointed with the
wicked; and with the rich man was his tomb.
Although he had done no wrong, neither was
there any guile in his mouth ; yet it pleafed the
Lord to bruife him; he bath put him to grief".
_ « In the feveral quotations from Ifaiah through this feries of
difcourfes, the Author has paid a deference to the valuable verfion of

He was bruifed for our iniquities. 37
I do not interrupt this prophetic narra
tive j as it very clearly expofes the whole
hiftory of the Meffiah's fufferlngs, of which
his Dlfciples were eye-wltneffes ; and at the
fame time it declares again and again, what
was not immediately obvious to the under-
ftandings of his Dlfciples, the great dodrine
of atonement, which our Saviour by his fuf
ferlngs wrought for guilty man. On him
of Bifliop Lowth; but has not invariably followed him. For in
ftance, in this portion, he has retained the phrafe of the old Tranf
lation, — to bruife bim; be bath put bim to grief, as having more of
the folemn fimplicity of Ifaiah than — to crujb bim with affliilion.
He has retained the term. Who fhall declare his generation ? ra
ther than, bis manner of life who Jhall declare ? as the latter of
thefe renderings limits the claufe to a particular fenfe, which
in the old Tranflation as well as in the Original is left more
indefinite. The Prophet's idea may have been, according to
the Blfhop's acceptation, "Who fliall come forward at this hour
of trial to atteft the general Innocence and integrity of his life
and converfatlon ?" But with equal fliew of feafon we may un
derftand it to have been, " Who ftiall atteft his divine origin ?
Who fhall publicly acknowledge that he is the Son of God, or
that his miffion and doftrine are of God ?" He has ventured
however to adopt the Blfhop's rendering, And with the rich man
was bis Tomb, on grounds for which he muft refer the Reader
to theBIfliop's note upon the paffage. Yet he ijiuft not omit
to notice, that this rendering is controverted by Parkburft in the
laft edition of .his Lexicon, under the article DD. But what
ever be the difference of opinion among Interpreters on gram
matical and verbal points, the leading fenfe of the paffage is
clear, and the general application of the prophecy remains un
affected.

i>3

was

38 He was wounded for our tranf^rejions ;
was laid the burden of our fins. He was the
peace-offering defigned to reconcile ijs to
God. He was the Lamb of God, that was
facrificed to take away the fins of the world.
And here it deferves our ferious attention,
that whenever the Prophet touches on the
puniffiment inflided on this Innocent Perfon,
he reverts to the caufe for which he endured
it ; as if he were anxious to imprefs on all,
who ffiould afterwards believe his report, the
dodrine of a Saviour's fuffering for the fins of
men. Though innocent himfelf both ii;
word and deed, yet according to the "deter-*
mlnate counfel and foreknowledge of God
it behoved him to fuffer, " the juft for the
unjuft, that he might bring us to God ^"
Before we proceed, it may be ufeful to
take notice of fome circumftances in this
eventfol prophecy, which were particularly
fulfilled. When led as a lamb to the faerie-
fice, he opened not his mouth. To all the
contumelious charges of the Jews, when he
ftopd before the Hi^h Prieft, before the Ro
man Governor, and before Herod, he an*
fwered nothing. " When he was reviled,
he reviled not again j when he fuffered, he
threatened not; but committed himfelf to'
*¦ I Pet. ill. i8.
him

He was bruifed Jbr our iniquities. 3g>
him that judgeth righteoufly s." — " He made
his grave with the wicked, and with the rich
man was his tomb ;" or according to the
common rendering, which implies, though
not fo diftlndly, the fame thing, " and with
the rich man in his death." Though he
fuffered an ignominious death with the
wicked, being crucified between two Male-
fadors, yet was he diftinguiffied by an ho
nourable grave. For on the evening of his
death there came a rich and honourable man,
namely, Jofeph of Arimathea, who with
the Governor's permiffion took the body
down from the crofs, and refpedfully laid it
in his own new tomb.
From thefe his ffifferings the mofl bene
ficial confequences would accrue to menj and
the bleffings, which he fo dearly purchafed
for others, would redound to the high confo
lation of the Sufferer himfelf. When bis foul
Jhall be made an ofi'ering for fin, be fhall fee a
feed, that Jhall prolong their days; and the plea-
fure of the Lord Jhall projper in his hand. Of
the travel of bis foul be fhall fee, and Jhall
be fatisfied. By knowledge of bim pall my
righteous Servant jufiify many ; fiar he fhall
bear their iniquities. 6 a Pet. 11. 33,
D 4 Having.

40 He was wounded for our tranfgrefftons ;
Having rendered his life a propitiatory fa
crifice for fin, he ffiall fee, and ffiall be com
pletely fatisfied in feeing, the fruit of his tra
vels in that fpiritual progeny, that holy na
tion, that peculiar people, compofed of the
faithful of every chme and lineage under
heaven, who through him ffiall be born to
fpiritual life, and be rendered Sons of God by
adoption, and co-heirs with him of immortal
happinefs. Under his minlftration the gra
cious purpofe of the Lord, the redemption
and falvation of the world, ffiall be fucceff-
fuUy accompliffied. For having borne their
iniquities, he ffiall cancel all their guilt ; and
by the merit of his own obedience he ffiall
render many righteous *"; that is, the multi
tude of true Dlfciples, who by a vital faith
confide in his merits, and acknowledge him
for the Redeemer and the Lawgiver of men.
For all thefe meritorious fufferlngs he ffiall
find an abundant recompence : Therefore will
I difiribute to him a portion in the great ; and
in the mighty fhall be Jhare the fpoil : Becaufe
he poured out his foul unto death, and was num
bered with the tranfgreffors -, and be bore the
fin of many, and made inter cefiion for the tranf
greffors. Becaufe he fubmitted to offer up
? Rom. V. ip. his

He was bruifed for our iniquities. 4}
Jiis foul a ranfom for us, and, though inno
cent himfelf, to fuffer puniffiment with ma-
lefadors ; becaufe he undertook thofe two
great offices of atonement, of a Sacrifice to
bear the ftns of men, and of a Prieft to make
interceffion for a tranfgreffing world ; He
therefore ffiould acquire to himfelf an extra
ordinary conqueft in thofe multitudes of peo
ple, who ffiould conftitute his kingdom both
militant on earth and triumphant in heaven.
All which is in clofe correfpondence with
^he argument of the Apoftle; " Being found
in faffiion as a man, he humbled himfelf, and
became obedient to death, even the death of
the crofs. Wherefore God alfo hath highly
exalted him, and hath given him a name
which is above every name ; that at the name
of Jefus every knee ffiould bow, of thofe in
heaven, and thofe in earth, and thofe under
the earth; and that every tongue ffiould con-
fefs that Jefus Chrift is Lord, to the glory of
God the Father'."
Having thus examined through its feveral
claufes the defign and objed of this moft
important and interefting prophecy, I pro-
' PhU. ii, 8, &c. ceed

42. He was wounded for our tranfgreJJiQns 3
ceed to explore the general inflrudion to be,
colleded from it.
And firft, it eftabliffies the truth of our
Religion;' inafmuch as it fo diftlndly and
circumftantially ftates, many ages before his
birth, the charader and fufferlngs of him,
who is the Author and Finiffier of our faith.
In this it is pre-eminently diftinguiffied from
all other prophecies, being clear of every tem-?
poral themCj and exclufively appropriated to
our great Redeemer. It defcribes, what indeed
can be applied to no other man, an innocent
Perfon by the counfel of God judicially fmitten
for the guilty, a Prince by his forrows pro
moting the happinefs of his people, and by
his patient endurance of fufferlngs exteriding
his kingdom over the nations. Hence this
has been the prophecy, which has taken the
greateft effed in converting the Heathen, in
confi,rming the wavering Believer, and in re
claiming the Apoftate.
In the time of the Apoftles it was fucceff-
fuUy applied to the converfion of the Ethio
pian eunuch by the deacon Philip. Direded
by an Angel he encountered this ftranger on
his return from fome public ad of worffiip at
Jerufalem, and found him pioufly employed
in reading the Prophet Ifaiah. When Philip afked

Me was bruifed for our iniquities. 43
afked him, whether he underftood what he
was reading, he profeffed his ignorance, and
befought his affiftance to underftand it. It
was on this extlraordinary paffage that his at
tention was engaged. The firft inquiry was,
whether the Prophet fpoke of himfelf, or of
fome other man. There was nothing in the
life of Ifaiah, that gave it any ffiadow of ap
plication to himfelf; and it equally fails of
application through the whole hiftory of the
houfe or ftate of Ifrael. Then it was that
Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at
the fame Scripture, as the ground of the faith
which he had authority to teach, he preached
unto him Jefus. In him this word of God
was verified, and not one tittle of the pro
phecy had failed. Which bore fuch convic
tion on the Ethiopian's underftanding, that
he was ready to acknowledge Jefus for the
Son of God. And when they came to watery
he was immediately baptized in his name ''.
In like manner on this prophecy more efpe
cially the Defenders of our faith have laid
the greateft ftrefs, in the evidence, which
they draw from the prophecies at large, of
the truth of our religion. And an inftance
is on record in our own country, of the Pro-
* hSts viii. «$, &c. fllgate

44 He was wounded for our tranjgrejfmis ;
fllgate and Infidel from a ferious perufal of
this paffage being reclaimed, and from an
open difavowal, not only of the Chriftian
Religion, but of every moral and religious
principle, being brought to confefs that Law
giver and Redeemer, to whom he had done
continual defpite through life ; acknowledge
ing that Man, who was wounded for his tranf
greffions, and bruifed for his iniquities, and
on the merit of his fufferlngs foU citing the
remiffion of his fins.
Again, While it eftabliffies the truth of
our Religion in general, it ftamps a fandion
on that peculiar tenet of our holy Faith, the
atonement, that its Author made for the uni
verfal fins of men. That man ftood in need
of fome propitiation was a fentiment very
general in the ancient world ; fince it not only
was believed among the Hebrew race, who
retained a more corred knowledge of the
fatal dlfobedlence of our firft Progenitors, but
may alfo be traced through the various cor
ruptions and idolatries of the Heathens ; as
may be colleded from the rite of facrifice,
which almoft univerfally prevailed under every*
modification of ancient faith and worffiip. In
accord with this opinion was that fyftem of
facrifice eftabliffied by the Mofalc ritual :
•Whereof the Apoftle thus obferves, that "al
moft

He was bruifed for our iniquities, 45
moft all things by the Law were purified
with blood, and without ffiedding of blood
was no remiffion'." Among a multitude of
inftitutlons to this effed was the daily facri
fice both at morn and eve of a fpotlefs lamb
at the door of the tabernacle or the temple ;
as alfo was the yearly obfervance of the
Paffover, when a fpotlefs lamb was flain in
every family, to conftitute a feaft holy to the
Lord. This in its immediate view was to
commemorate the deliverance of Ifrael from
the Egyptian bondage, when the Angel of
the Lord in his miniftry of avenging juftice
paffed over the houfes of thofe families, ,
which were diftinguiffied by the blood of the
lamb they had flain. But it evidently points
to a far more valuable facrifice, conneded in
like manner with a far more important de
liverance j the blood of which was to be of
fufficient price to ftay the accumulated wrath
of Heaven, to make atonement for the guilt,
of man, and to render God propitious to a
ranfomed world.
The dodrine, thus conveyed in emblems
through the Law of Mofes, is more exprefsly
fignified by the Prophet of the Gofpel Ifaiah,
efpecially in the prophecy now before us,
which very clearly and explicitly teaches
1 Heb. ix. 22. the

46 He was wounded for our tranfgrejions ;
the propitiatory facrifice of the gofpel cove*
nant. While he gives a very feeling rela
tion of the facriflce of a Perfon, that was in
nocent himfelf of every guilt, he continually
reverts to this great dodrine of religion, that
he fuffered all for the tranfgreffions of his
people, to atone for their fins, and to obtain
and ratify their peace with God.
When therefore he appeared on earth, as
v/as written of him in the volume of that
prophetic book, to fulfil the whole will of
God"*, his Harbinger the Baptill difplayed
him to his dlfciples in this moft important
fundion of his mediatorial charader; ** Be
hold the Lamb of God, that taketh Jiway the
fin of the worid"!"
Of this part of his charader our Lord him
felf did not very openly fpeak through the
courfe of his miniftry, as it was one 6f thofe
myfteries of godlinefs, which could be fially
manlfefted only in the event itfelf; nor even
then could be fufficiently underftood, fb as
to make an effential part of the Chriftian
faith, till the whole fcheme of his miffion as
the incarnate Word of God was totally ful
filled in his refurredion and albenfion. Yet
in feveral of his converfations with his Dlfci
ples he prepared them for the reception of
" Pf. xl, 7. Heb, x. 7. « John i. 29. this

He was bruifed for our iniquities. 47
Ihis linportarit truth ; more efpecially, as the
time drew near, he repeatedly told them,
that he muft go up to Jerufalem, and be ex-
•pofed to all manner of ignominious and cruel
ufage, and finally be put to death, as he
fignified, by the crolfe ; to which however he
generally added, that this dtaminlon of death
ffiould be but for a ffiort time over him;
for on the third day he ffiould rife again.
When the appointed hour was come, every
tittle of wliat the Prophets had formerly, and
himfelf had recently, foretold, was- fulfilled
upon him. He was betrayed by his own fa
miliar friendinto the hand of his enemies".
He was perfecuted with all manner ©f cruel
and ignominious ufage. He was numbered
with the tranfgreflbrs. He was lifted up from
the earth for the healing of thofe that looked
upon him ''. They pierced his hands and his
feet *'. They parted his garments among
them *. A bone of him was not broken *. And,
They looked on him whoin they pierced '.
More efpecially was this prophecy fulfilled,
which reprefents him wounded for our tranf
greffions ; and bruifed for our iniquities. As
a vidim on an altar, fo our Redeemer on
* Pf. xli. 9. P Numb. xxi. 9. John Hi. 14, 1,5.
1 Pf. ixli. 16. ' Pf. xxii. 18. " Exod. xii. 46.
* Zech. xii. 10. the

48 He was wounded for our tranjgrejjixmi $
the crofs poured out his foul unto death, Jt
full, perfed, and fufficient ranfom for a tranf
greffing world.
This dread event the Dlfciples witneffed
with confufion and difmay. They had long
expeded him to come forward in the ftyle
and charader of a temporal King, and to have
enjoyed a long continued reign of profperlty
and glory. And though he repeatedly dif-
clalmed all ideas of fuch an elevation, and
had frequently foretold his painful and ago
nizing death, yet they could never reconcile
themfelves to the thought. " That be far
from thee. Lord"!" faid Peter, when he was
once alluding to this mournful theme. How
much therefore may we fuppofe them to
have been overcome with defpondence, when
it really came to pafs ! Deprived of their head
they were as ffieep without a fhepherd ^.
And that ray of hope, which he had given
them of his rifing again, feems to have been
totally loft in the difmay that they now en
dured. But this defpondence was not to Continue
long. Though he yielded for a time to the
powers of death and hell, he yielded only,
that he might effed a more decifive con-
" Matth. xvi. 22. " Zech. xlii, 7. Matth. xxvl, 31.
qucft.

He was bruifed Jor our iniquities. AQ.
queft. On the third day the tomb, to which
he had been configned, furrendered its tem
porary prifoner, and he rofe in triumph from
the dead. They then recoUeded the prophe
cy, that he had given them of this great event,
and again they were colleded, as ffieep around
their Shepherd. While gladdened with the
fight of their departed Lord, they began to
comprehend the myftery that had taken place.
And fbon after his afcenflon, while they were
affembled together on the day of Pentecoft, the
Holy Ghoft fell on them, and their eyes were
opened. The purpofe of his death, which had
hitherto remained under a veil, was now fully
manlfefted unto them. And being now fent
to preach the Gofpel both to Jews and Gen
tiles, even to all the world, they more efpe-?
daily dwelt on the theme of Chrift crucified.
The Crofs, hitherto a mark of odium, was
the moft diftinguiffied badge of their profef-
fion; and they brought it forward in all their
difcourfes, as the fign both of their faith and
of the benefits thence derived.
This among others is the peculiar dodrine
of St. Paul, whofe labours in the offiqe of an
ApofUe are better known to us than any of
the reft. He preached Chrift crucified, to
the Jews a ftumbling-block, and to the
Greeks fooliffinefs, but to them v^hich are
E called

50 He waswoiindedfar our tranfgrejjions ;
called to the faith, both Jews and Greeks,
the wifdom and the power of God ^. And on
this he copioufly dwells in his Epiftle to the
Hebrews; in which he explains the whole
economy of facrifice and interceffion accord
ing to the Law of Mofes, to be a type ot
emblem of the great propitiation by th^
blood of Chrift, who by this one offering
of himfelf has perfeded for ever them that
are fandified '.
And to this the Apoftle Jolm continually
reverts in that vifion of the Revelations, in
which he faw heaven, opened,, and the whole
company of heaven attendant round the
throne of God. Though he reprefents the
Son of God in all the fulnefs of celeftial
happinefs and glory, yet through the whole
of this book he reprefents him with a refe
rence toi his mediatorial charader, as the pro
pitiation for the fins of men. Thus in the
beginning of his divine volume he calls him
"the faithful Witnefs, the firft begotten of
the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the
earth; who loved us, and waffied us from
our fins in his own blood, and bath made us
Kings and Priefts unto God and his Father ^."

y 1 Cor. i. 23, 24, i Heb, x. 14.
» Rev, i. 5, 6.

And

He was bruifed for our iniquities. 51
And in the courfe of the vifion, when this
divine Perfon undertakes to open the myfte-
rious book of God, he calls him the Lamb,
that was flain, and hath redeemed us to God
by his blood, out of every kindred and
tongue and people and nation ''."
It remains for me now, in conclufion of
this difcourfe, to deduce an application to
our own improvement both in the dodrine
and the pradice of godlinefs.
In point of dodrine, this propheay tends
to eftabliffi and to regulate our faith in all
thofe articles of our religion, which it is moft
expedient for us to know, whether of- God
or of ourfelves.
It fets before us all thofe attributes of
God, in which confifts the excellence of his
nature : the hollnefs of God, who is of purer
eyes than to behold iniquity, and therefore
cannot regard us in our finful ftate with
complacence, nor without fome expiation ad
mit us into favour : the righteoufnefs of God,
who would not fuffer fin to pafs without a
fevere atonement : the mercy of God in ac
cepting a ranfom in our ftead ; and the
wifdom of God, in adopting fo wonderful
^ Rev. V. 9.
E 3 a fcheme

52 He was wounded for our tranfgrejjions \
a fcheme of making his mercy to harmonize
with his juftice.
in like manner it fets before us the mifery
of man in confequence of that corruption,
which he derives from the original fin of his
firft Progenitor, and which in his natural ftate
he continually aggravates by his own aliena
tion from God and goodnefs. : At the fame
time it opens to us the gladfbme profped of
recovery from our unhappy ftate, through
the merits and mediation of our divine Re
deemer: by whom, if we refort unto him
in fincere and vital faith, we have the affur
ance of every good and precious gift, which
the Father of mercy can beftow upon us ;
the pardon of all our fins, the affiftance of
divine grace to promote our recovery, the
hope of juftlfication in the fight of God, of
adoption into his houfehold, and acceptance
into his inheritance.
But befide this impreffion on our faith, it
has a commanding influence on our pradice.
For we. muft not exped to have any portion
in the bleffings, which our Redeemer by his
precious blood hath purchafed for us, unlefs
we verify and fubftantiate our faith in his
merits, by repentance from all thofe ftns, from
which he came to fave us, and a diligent
endeavour to conform to his charader and to

He was hruijedfor our iniquities. 53
to cultivate his law in all manner of hollnefs
of heart and hfe. Weak and helplefs as we
are in our natural ftate, yet by the affiftance
of that holy Spirit, which he has rendered
propitious to^ our earneft prayers, we are en
abled to do whatever is effential to our fpiri
tual weal. His grace is fufficient for us ;
and from thofe, who devoutly feek it, it will
never be withholden; from thofe, who dili
gently improve it, it will never be with
drawn,. In the firft place, it teaches us to repent of
our fins. If they are fo odious in the fight of
God, and have thrown upon us fo great a
weight of guilt, as to require the propitia
tory facrifice of one, fo dear in his fight, and
in himfelf of fuch tranfcendent dignity and
hollnefs, it furely concerns us to mourn fe
verely for our fins ourfelves, to confefs them
before God in fervent , fupplication of his
mercy, and, as far as we have grace to enable
us, to forfake and abandon them for ever. It
concerns us alfo very^frequently and very
ftridly to examine ourfelves, whether we
have made any progrefs in x)ur repentance,
more efpecially of thofe fins, to which from
habit or conftitution we are moft inclined ;
to be vigilant and circumfped in all our
condud, and to make a facrifice of every
E 3 affec-

54 He was wounded for our tranfgrejions ;
affedion repugnant to the law and will of
God. After engaging our repentance from every
fin, it urges the cultivation of every virtue.
And firft of humility towards God : If it was
expedient for fo great and fo innocent a Perfoh
as the Son of God to fuffer an agonizing
death, in order to make atonement for our
fins, ffiall we prefume on our own righteouf
nefs to engage his favour, or to merit his
reward ? Of refignatlon to the will of God :
If Chrift his only Son condefcended on our
account to do and to endure the whole will
of God, -ffiall we hefitate on our own ac
count to do and to endure whatever he rfs-
qulres ? Of thankfulnefs under bleffings and
of patience under fufferlngs : If Chrift, a
Perfon of unblemiffied innocence and of tran
fcendent worth, fubmitted to forego the hap
pinefs of heaven and to fuffer the extre-*
mities of evil in our nature, ffiall w^e, who
are unworthy, be unthankful for unmerited
favours ? ffiall we, who are guilty, pre
fume to murmur when- we fuffer for our
felves ? Of readlnefs to fuffer for righteouf
nefs fake : If our bleffed Lord, for the pur
pofe of fulfilling all righteoufnefs, was con
tent to endure the crofs, and to defpife the
fliame, ffiall we, who profefs ourfelves his
dlfciples.

He was bruifed for our iniquities. 53
dlfciples, hefitate to take up our crofs with
him, and to fubmit to all thofe partial evils,
which we may be called to undergo, in
vindication or teftimony of virtue and re
ligion ?¦
It urges us to peace and charity with
our brethren. If Chrift fo loved us, as to
lay down his life a peace-offering for us,
ought not we alfo to love one another ?
And how ffiall we more adequately exprefs
this love, than in ftudying to maintain a fpl
rit of unity and benevolence among all thofe,
who have a common intereft in his precious
facrifice, and in labouring by exhortation,
hy example, and by interceffion, to ' reftore
theni to the peace and love of God ?
It urges us to purity both of heart and
life. If Chrift " hath given himfelf for us,
that he might redeem us from all iniquity,
and purify to himfelf a peculiar people, zea
lous' of good works," ffiall not we be careful
and vigilant to purify ourfelves, even as he
is pure, fb that we may be in a condition
" to prefent our bodies, a living facrifice,
holy, acceptable, to God ?"
To conclude, It preffes on us a frequent
and thankful remembrance of his death, in
the manner that he has appointed, by par-
E 4 taking

56 He was wounded for our tranfgreffions ;
taking of his Supper in the congregation of
the faithful. For we cannot be true in our
allegiance to him, unlefs we obey him in
his pofitive, as well as in his moral injunc
tions, more efpecially by doing this in re
membrance of him. And this, though ap
parently no more than a pofitive duty, will
be full of moral improvfement ; fince it will
make a more fenfible impreffion on our
mind, of that Lamb of Grod, who taketh
away the fin of the world. And while it
operates on our faith, it will alfo animate
our pradice : it will difpofe us, more care
fully to examine our hearts and lives, to re
new our repentance for all our former fins,
to confirm our good refolutipns of leading a
new life, and to give the whole application
of our faculties to be poor in fpirit, to he
pure in heart, to be at peace with God, and
to be in charity with all men.
If thus with the eye of faith we look
upon that Lamb of God, that taketh away
the fin of the world, we may hope here
after to behold him face to face in the
realm of heavenly blifs, and to be admitted
into the number of that bleffed multitude,
who join in this divine doxology : '* Unto
him, that loved us, and waffied us from- our
fins

He was hruijedfor our iniquities.. %f
fins in his own blood, and hath made us Kings
and Priefts unto God and his Father, to him
be glory and dominion for ever and ever?
Amen"!"
« Rev. i. $, 6,

SERMON III
Isaiah Ixi. i, 3.
(Luke iv. 18, 19.)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; becaufe the Lord hath
anointed me. He hath fent me to publifh good tidings
to the meek ; to bind up the broien-hearted ; to proclaim
deliverance to the captives ; and the opening of the
prifon to the bound ; to proclaim the acceptable year of
the Lord.
In thefe animating words the 'Prophet Ifaiah
announces the moft valuable benefits, which
a gracious Providence can confer on man.
They muft therefore be particularly welcome
to all thofe, who have an intereft in the tid
ings they communicate. A mighty Year of
grace, deliverance, and happinefs is proclaimed;
which the Prophet reprefents by an allufion
to the periodical obfervance of every fiftieth
year, as ordained by the Law of Mofes,
when the trumpet of Jubilee founded through
the land, and liberty was proclaimed to all
its inhabitants, and they returned eVery roan
to -his own poffeffion, and every man to his
own

60 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me ;
own family *; in other words, when every
debt was cancelled, every flave was freed,
and every inheritance reverted to its original
houfe. Before we examine thefe words in tliat
point of view, wherein they more immedi
ately intereft ourfelves, it may be convenient
to inquire, how they were underftood by the
people to whom they were originally given.
From that preeminence of charader, which
Ifaiah bore in Ifrael, the cotemporary Jews
might at firft imagine, that he fpoke imme
diately of himfelf They could not be ftrangers
to thofe high notices, with which he had
been privileged above his Brethren, in feeing
the Lord in his temple, and being touched
by' the Seraph with the hallowed fire ''. They
might therefore be prepared to fuppofe, that
as the Spirit of the Lord was upon him in
this embaffy of grace, fo he was himfelf the
perfon thus efpecially anointed by the Lord^
for the purpofe not only of proclaiming, but
alfo of adminifterlng every valuable gift. But
this acceptation they muft have relinquiffied,
if they confidered the tenor of the prophecy
with a reference to the complexion of the
time when it was given. The bleffings which
» Lev. XXV. 8, &c. b Ifa. vi. i, &c. it

Becaufe the Lord hath anointed me. (5j,
it enumerates imply a deliverance from fome
very great and general calamities, of which
they had no experience in the days of Ifaiah;
for the age in which he flouriffied, except for
fome few tranfient clouds, was a feafon to the
Jews of eminent profperlty. It muft there
fore of neceffity be referred to feme future
period, when the Prophet's miniftry was
clofed. It was no uncommon ufage in the pro
phetic ftyle for the Prophet to affume the
charader of the Agent, when he was no
other than the Harbinger, of heavenly coun-
fels and difpenfations. And thus unqueftiona-
bly muft we underftand Ifaiah in this place.
He prefages bleffings, not to be adminiftered
immediately by himfelf, but to be accom
pliffied afterwards by fome other Mlnifter of the
divine will. He could not but forefee a for-
midable train of evils, which by the righteous
judgment of God were to involve his people,
when the meafure of their fins was full. But
this mournful theme was more congenial to
the plaintive Jeremiah, than to the elevated
fpirit of the Son of Amos. Taking moft
complacence in Images of public peace and
happinefs, he paffes his eye with a rapid
glance over the calamities of his country,
that he may fix it on thofe years of brighter fortune.

6;^ The Spirit of the Lord is upon Trt^
fortune, when the Sun of Ifrael ffiould again
arife, and the gloiy of the Lord fliould again
he diffufed upon them.
As far as the prophecy admitted of appli
cation to temporal and national themes, it
muft be referred, as indeed it was underftood
by the Jews of a later age, to the deliverance
of that people from the Babylonian yoke ; a
revolution marked with the moft welcome
viciffitude of fortune, from flavery to freedom,
from mifery to happinefs, from exile to their
country. This great event was accompliffied
by the miniftry of Cyrus, the illuftrious
Founder of the Perfian Empire, whom the
fame Ifaiah had foretold by name fome ages
before his birth, with every clrcumftance,
that could give dignity and fplendour to a
fpecial Agent of the will of Heaven. God
himfelf pronounces him his Shepherd, and his
Anointed Prince, whom he would raife in
righteoufnefs, and hold by the right hand, to
fulfil his pleafure, and to execute his coun-
fels, to releafe his captives, to reftore his
exiles, to reeftabllffi the commonwealth of
Ifrael, and to rebuild the City and Temple
of the Lord '^. Under his aufpicious rod of
empire good tidings were publiffied to the
*¦ Ifa. xliv. 28. \\v. I, &e.
meek.

Beeaufe the Lord hath anointed me. 6^
meek, and healing was adminiftered to the
broken-hearted, and deliverance was granted
to the captives, and the prifon was opened
for the bound, and the gracious year of ac
ceptance with the Lord, the year of general
reftitution and releafe, proclaimed.
But great as this deliverance under Cyrus
was, the Prophet had a nobler and more im
portant theme in view. The Jews them
felves, though the veil of carnal prejudice
was upon their eyes, were dlfpofed to under
ftand thefe prophetic words as defcriptlve of
fuperior" bleffings, yet in ftore for God's pecu
liar people, under the banners of a Perfon to
be born among themfelves, of that Meffiah
or Anointed Prince, to whom from earlieft
to lateft times their prophecies continually
and invariably point. To this divine Per
fonage they folicitoufly bent their hopes; and
from his tutelary care, as they underftood
their Prophets, they expeded every kind of
national profperlty and glory, the indepen-r
dence of Judah, the reftoration of the fcat-
tered tribes, a conqueft of their enemies, and
a preeminence of dominion over all the
world. When Jefus Chrlfl appeared, he by no
means anfwered the defcription, which they
had fancied to themfelves, of the promifed
Meffiah ;

64 The Spirit of the Lord is upon md't
Meffiah ; nor indeed to external view did he
juftify the expedations, which they had foridly
cheriffied of a temporal Prince. But invefted
as he was by the power of the Spirit, which
approved him mighty both in word and deed,
he could not but engage attention from every
difpofition and charader of men. While he
travelled through the land of Galilee, a fame
of him went abroad through all the region
round : and he taught in their fynagogues,
being glorified of all ^.
In the circuit that he made in Galilee, he
came to Nazareth, where he had been brought
up. And as his cuftom was, he went into
the fynagogue on the fabbath-day. And he
ftood up for to read, agreeably to the ufage
of the public, fervice among the Jews, of re-
hearflng a portion of the Law or the Pro
phets, accompanied with an expofition or pa-
raphrafe. And there was delivered unto him
the book of the Prophet Ifaiah : when by a
fpecial diredion of providence the book was
opened on this memorable text. When
therefore he began to read, he wpuld natu%..;
rally engage the ferious notice of the whole
affembly. Whatever prejudice they might
cntertain^^ainft him, (for this prejudice was
* Lukeiv. 14, 15. the

Becaufe the Lord hath anointed me. Qo
the greateft in his own country, and among
his Own kindred,) they wduld be curious to
hear, what a Teacher, fo diftinguiffied by
the Voice of fame, could fay ujpon fo intereft
ing a theme. During the paufe, that enfued
after he had clofed the book, the eyes of all
in the fynagogue were faftened on him.
And he began to fay unto them, " This
day is this fcripture fulfilled in your ears."
Inftead of applying it to any temporal or any
national deliverance, whether paft or to conie,
he brought it home to the fpiritual and uni
verfal deliverance of the world. The Spirit
of the Lord, which had been upon Ifaiah>
was now diffufed in more than double por
tion on the holy Jefus. He was anointed in
a niore divine manner ; he had tidings of fu
perior good to preach ; and he had a far
more important redemption to accornpliffi.
And therefore, without detrading any thing
from the high chaTader of Ifaiah, we may
truly fayy Behold a greater than Ifaiah is here.
The Jews had been accuftomed to receive
the Scriptures in a literal and temporal fenfe.
An Interpreter frotti heaven was now rifett
ambhg them, who iindrevv the veil of ffia-
dows from the Law and the Proiphets, "and
«3£plained them irl their full and true defign,
as reprefenting fpirituai th^rilgs, as delineating
p better

66 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me ;
better things to come. The Covenant of
the Law, when rightly underftood, was em
blematic and predidive of the Covenant of
Grace. The ceremonial fervice of the Law
was a type or pldure of the fpiritual fervigg
of the Gofpel. In like manner the whole
Civil Hiftory of the Hebrews, in the feveral
changes which they fo oft experienced, frpm
the difclpline of adverfe to the recompence of
profperous fortune, from poverty to plenty, from
warfare to peace, from flavery to freedom,^
from pilgrimage to a fettled habitation, from
exile to their proper country, may be regarded
as a prophetic parable of the Spiritual Hiftory
of that holy Nation, that peculiar People,
which conftitutes the Kingdom of the Mef
fiah in its two different ftates, of difcipling,
and trial upon earth, of recompence and
happinefs in heaven. Of this complexion is
the paffage now before us. In its literal and
more immediate > fenfe it may fignify, the
temporal deliverance of the Jews from the
Babylonifli yoke, and their reftoration by
Cyrus to their patrimonial home. But in its
final and moft important airti it reprefent? the
fpiritual deliverance of all mankind by Jefus
Chrift, the true Shepherd and Anointed of
the Lord, from the bondage of fin and death,
and their final eftabliffiment in the fpiritual, Sion,

Becaufe the Lord hath anointed me. 67
Slon, the City of the living God, in the hea
venly Canaan, the true land of promlfe for
the chofen and the bleft of God.
To this intent was the interpretation of
our Lord in the fynagogue of Nazareth.
Though the difcourfe itfelf is not recorded,
yet the purport of it is fufficiently implied ;
and the effed which it had upon his au
dience is explicitly told. So great was the
energy of truth in what he faid, that, not
withftanding the prejudice entertained againft
him, a temporary fentiment of his prophetic
charader prevailed. " They all bore him
witnefs, and wondered at the gracious words
which proceeded out of his mouth."
Thus guided by our Lord himfelf in the
interpretation of this Prophecy, let us exa
mine and apply it in that evangelical fenfe
which he has fixed upon it.
This embafly of grace is opened with a
declaration of the authority on which it was
delivered. In the charader of a perfon greater
than himfelf the Prophet fays. The Spirit of
the Lord is upon me, for the purpofe, for
which be hath anointed me. The Spirit of the
Lord had been on the ancient Prophets
through a feries of ages; by which they
wrought righteouffiefs, and obtained pro-
mifes^i by which they performed miracles,
JK.3 and

68 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me ;
and foretold events to come. But if there
ever was a perfon, on whom this divine Spirit
was diffufed in unlimited abundance, it was
that fpecial Minlfter of grace, in whom dwelt
bodily all the fulnefs of the Godhead. Thus
he is ftyled in prophetic language, Immanuel,
or, God with us. And indeed through the
whole of his miniftry he ffiewed himfelf to
have been not merely gifted with an extraor
dinary meafure of divine wifdom and power,
but to have been himfelf the wifdom and
the power of God. This indeed was par-*
tially acknowledged even by the Jews, who
were witneffes of his miniftry; When they
heard his dodrlnes, they teftified, faying,
" Never man fpake like this man." And
when they faw and felt his miracles, they
alfo teftified, faying^, " It was never fo feen
in Ifrael."
Our Lord indeed was not anointed with
oi), according to the letter of the Legal ordi
nance. But in the fpiritual import of that
external rite he was anointed in a manner
incomparably more divine, " he was anointed
with the Holy Ghoft and with power."
Which may be referred to the time of his
Baptifm ; immediately upon which the Spirit
of God defcended in a vifible form upon
him, and a Voice from heaven proclaimed, " This

0eeaufe the Lord hath anointed me. 6q
" This is my beloved Son, in whom I am
well pleafed."
Now this gift of the Spirit was conferred
upon our Lord for that important purpofe
for which he was anointed ; namely, to per
form all thofe more exalted offices, to which
among Jews anointing was the inaugurating
rite : of a Prophet, as he was to declare the
will of God to man : of a Prieft, as he was
to yield a facrifice, and to make an intercef
fion, for the people : of a King, as he was to
eftabliffi a Kingdoni over men, very different
indeed from the kingdoms of this world, of
a divioae and fpiritual kind, confifting of two
different ftates, of prefent ^ace and of future
glory. And hence he derived his moft dif
tinguiffied name, as cxpreffed in different
languages to the fame effed, of the Meffiah,
the Chrift, or the Anointed.
After ftating the commiffion and authority
©f Chrift, the Prophecy enumerates the blef
fings which he was to adminifter. All thefe
may be taken in a literal and in a figurative,
in a temporal and in a fpiritual fenfe. In the
former fenfe they were limited to the Cotem-
poraries and Countrymen of Jefus, in the latter
they were extended to the whole Chriftian
World. But thefe two fenfes have a clofe
and intimate connexion; inafmuch as the
F 3 temporal

70 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me ;
temporal benefits, which he conferred on
thofe within the fphere of his perfonal mi
niftry, were no other than pledges and em
blems of the fpiritual bleffings, which he
diftributes impartially to all ages and nations
of Believers.
He hath fent me to publifh good tidings to the
Meek ; or as we read in our verfion of the
Evangelift, to preach the Gofpel to the Poor:
Through all the holy Scriptures the Gofpel is
reprefented as an embafly of gladnefs. In this
charader it was repeatedly foretold by the Pro-<
phets : In this it was. announced by the An
gels at the birth of Chrift : And thus was it
invariably ftyled by Chrift himfelf and' his
Apoftles. And well does it deferve the name
and charader; fince it communicates the
greateft bleffings, which could flow from the
fource of every good ; comprifing no lefs
than redemption from fin, and pardon on re
pentance, the affifting and fiipporting grace
of God, acceptance into his favour here on
earth, and adoption into his houfehold in the
realms of 'heaven.
Now thefe bleffed tidings he was pleafed
more immediately to communicate to the
Meek, or to the Poor, for thefe in holy writ
are frequently combined as kindred charac
ters, and are fometimes put indifferently for
one

Becaufe the Lord hath anointed me. 7 1
one another. The Meek in the language of
the Prophet are the fame with the Poor in
the language of the Evangelift. And how
well thefe prophetic words were fulfilled in
our Lord appears from that appeal, which he
made to the common exerclfe of his mini
ftry. Among the feveral works of benevo
lence, in which he was continually employed,
he mentions this the laft, as giving more ap
propriate evidence of the true Anointed of
the Lord, than all thofe miracles which pro
duced aftoniffiment among the people. Under
his minlftration " the blind received their
fight, and the lame walked, the lepers were
cleanfed, and the deaf heard ; even the dead
were raifed." But a fuller exercife of mercy
ftill remained to teftify his miffion and to il
luftrate his charader; " And the poor had
the Gofpel preached unto them "." Faffing
by the great, the wealthy, and the wife of
this world, who were too much attached to
the things of this life, to receive with due re
gard an embaffy from heaven, he vifited the
dwellings of the lowly, he converfed with
the common people, he chofe his dlfelples
from the unlettered orders of fociety. We
are not however to underftand that he looked
• Mat, xi. j.
F 4 with

72 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me i
with fuch peculiar favour on the ftate of pcK
verty itfelf, but only as it cheriffied and im-,
proved a difpofition moft congenial to iwa
fpirit, and therefore beft adapted for the re
ception of his Gofpel. Humility of circumr
ftance was a favourable foil for humility of
mind, that root and principle of the ChriftianS-
charader. And therefore we may underftand
it was, that while he opened the treafures of
divine grace to all, he offered thpm in the
firft place to the Poor and to the Meek.
And the fame difpofition of. mind, which
he favoured fo effentially in his perfonal mi
niftry, is ftill expeded and enjoined as a pri-.
mary qualification for becoming and for con--
tinning his djfciples. Whatever be our fta-.
tion or condition in fociety, whether high or
low, rich or poor, learned or ignorant, if we
would have any portion in this offered, good,
we muft learn of him to be meek and lowly
in heart. We muft entertain an humble
opinion of ourfelves in regard to fpiritual;
things, a devout fubmiffion to the law, and
a patient refignation to the will, of Heaven.
For fuch a charader of mind is not only a
pofitive condition, but alfo a virtual qualifica
tion for admiffion into his kingdom, wJiethet
in the ftate of grace or of glory. Accordingly
to perfons of this charader our Lord affigns the

Beeaufc the Lord hath (mainted me. 73
the firft of his beatitudes ; " Bleffed are the
Poor in fpirit ; for theirs is the Kingdom of
Heaven." Another objed of our Saviour's miffion
was, To bind up the Broken-hearted. While
he went about doing good, he found abun
dant fcope for the exercife of his benevo
lence in alleviating the afflidions of a wounded
fpirit ; more efpecially fuch as exceed all hu
man cure, as when a Sifter mourns over the
tomb of her beloved Brother, or when a be
reaved Widow follows the corfe of her only
Son to the grave. In this cafe he was ready
to adminifter a fupernatural confolation. To
the tenant of the filent tomb he faid, " Come
forth." To the Young man borne upon the
bier he faid, " Arife." Thus he effedually
di^elled the Sifter's tears ; thus he turned
the Widow's forrows into joy.
But the relief, which he thus adminiftered
to thofe, who were pierced to the foul foi?
I^e natural afflidions of human life, was a
pledge of that more extenfive and more ef
ficient relief, whicht he was always ready to
adminifter to thofe, who were broken-hearted
with a fenfe of their fins and a fearful apppe-
henfion of the wrath of God. To them he
was always liberal of his mercies. As foon as
they difplayed the feeling forrows of a con trite

74 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me ',
trite heart, with repenifcance towards God and
faith in him, -he vvas ready to addrefs them
in the language of confolation and forgive
nefs. ^
And the fame he'aljng power he is ready
ftill to exercife toward all, who labour under.
the fame afflidlon, the anguifh of a broken
heart, arifing from the confcioufnefs of fins,
and the terrors of the divine difpleafure. And
who among us can prefume to fay that he is
innocent in the fight of God ? Who can
boaft he never hath offended ? If we truly:
know ourfelves, we all have reafon to lament
our unhappy ftate. For we all without ex
ception labour under the maladies of a cor
rupted nature ; and to all of us indifferently
belongs "the confeffion in our daily prayers,
that there is no health in us. But no fooner
are we confcious of our unhappy ftate, than
•^e learn for our comfort where a remedy is
to be found. To thofe, who refort in peni
tence and tears to Chrift, he ftill prefents
himfelf the true Phyfician of the foul. To
them' he is underftood to fay in the ftill fmall
voice of confelence, " Your faith hath healed.
you; go in peace." To this purpofe he de
clares in his Sermon on the Mount; " Blef-.
fed are they that mourn;- for they ffiall be
comforted." Another

Becaufe the Lord hath anointed me. 75
Another part of our Saviour's miniftry
was. To proclaim, or. To preach deliverance ia
the Captives. By Captives in the primary
fenfe we may underftand all thofe, fo fre
quently mentioned in the gofpel hiftory, who
laboured under the burden of bodily difeafes
and infirmities, which arrefted the liberty of
adion and impeded the faculties of life. No
fooner did our Lord appear, than all thofe
maladies which are incident to human nature
fled. Whatever was the difeafe or depriva
tion under which they laboured, were it ever
fo fevere or inveterate, they had only to re
pair to him. and at a touch, or at a word, they
wereinftantaneoufly loofed from the bonds of
their infirmities.
By thefe benevolent operations on the
bodies of men, he ffiewed his authority to ac-
compliffi a far more Important and beneficial
work, 'the deliverance of their fouls from the
bondage and the yoke of fin. Having ocular
proof of his divine authority, when he faid to
the impotent, " Arife, and walk," and to the
fick, " Be whole," they could not queftion
the efficacy of his abfolution, when he faid
to the Captive in the fpiritual life, " Thy fins
be forgiven *thee." To them, who were op-
preffed with a galling fenfe of their iniquities,
and found no alleviation of their burden from
thofe,

T6 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me ;
thofe, wha:^te in the chair of Mofes, and af-
fumed the authority of Mafters in Ifrael, he
addreffed this language of eompaffion and
confolation, " Come unto me, all ye that la
bour and are heavy laden; and I will give you
reft." And the fame deliverance he continues to
extend to all the fons of men ; more efpe
cially to thofe, who feel the burden under
which they bend, and acknowledge and ad
drefs him as the Deliverer of the foul. Herein
we have all a common intereft. Unconfcious
as we feem of the fervitude we bear, we are
all too much the flaves of our vicious paffions
and propenfities, which are the moft defpotic
mafters that can bear dominion over us, and
the moft fatal enemies to our final peace. Ap
proving in our hearts what is good, we find
in our bodies no difpofition to perform it.
Our reafon would perfuade us to love and
cultivate the law of God; but with a ftronger
fway our paffions bend us to the dominion
and control of fin ^ In this unhappy ftate
we are not left without a powerful and a
willing Friend. Our bleffed Lord prefenfisi
hirnfelf to our regard, as the means of de
liverance from this deadly bondage. If we
Rom, yli. 1 8. truly

Becaufe the Lord hath anointed me. 77
truly feek his aid in penitence and faith, wc
ffiall be made free from fin. If we take his
yoke and learn of him, we ffiall find reft unto
our fouls.
With Deliverance to the Captives is com
bined a correfpondent image in the text of
Ifaiah ; And the opening of the prifon to the
Bound, or as it may be rendered, And all man
ner of opening to the Bound: which is accepted
by the Evangelift, as it had been before in
terpreted in the verfion of the Septuagint, to
fignify the opening of the eyes. And recovering
of fight to the Blind; a rendering, which is
countenanced by a parallel paffage of the fame
Ifaiah, relating equally to the fame deliver
ance; ** I will give thee for a covenant of the
people, for a light of the nations; To open
the eyes of the Blind, to bring the Captives
out of prifon, and out of the dungeon them
that fit in darknefs s." Now this reftoration
of fight is one of the moft diftinguiffied of
our Saviour's miracles. And therefore this is
mentioned firft in his enumeration of thofe
mighty works, to which he appeals in evi
dence of his being the promifed Minlfter from
heaven. In his travels through the land this
energy of grace was very frequently exerted.
8 Ifa. xlii. 6, 7.
Thofe,

78 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me ;
Thofe, who had loft their fight, were cheered
again with the gladfome light of day, and
every thing defirable to the human eye. And
thofe, who had never feen, were ftill more
aftoniffied with the welcome opening of a
new fenfe to the perception and underftand
ing. In this ad of benevolence he gave an ear
neft of his authority to recover the fpiritual
fight of thofe, who were blind in ignorance
and error. This he did in his preaching to
the common people of the Jews, who were
deftitutc of all beneficial aid from thofe, who
profeffed themfelves to be guides of |:he blind
and lights to them that were in darknefs.
He taught them, what they would have
fought in vain from the Scribes and Teachers
of the Law, whatever is requlfite for a ftate
of grace on earth, as an effential qualification
for a ftate of happinefs in heaven. Thus.
under his minlftration was fulfilled the wel
come prophecy of the fame Ifaiah ; " The
people, that walked in darknefs, have feen a
great light : They that dwelt in the land
of the ffiadow of death, unto them hath the
light ffiined *>."
And the fame gracious exercife he con-
'' Ifa. ix. 2. tinues

Becaufe the Lord hath anointed me. 79
tinues in the world by the diffufion of his
'holy word, and by the operation of his holy
Spirit. For he came to be the light and the
life of men. Hence he is called in prophetic
language, '* The Sun of righteoufnefs with
healing on his wings." Ever fince he rofe
upon the world, it has been his benevolent
office to illuminate the minds and to ani
mate the hearts of men, to remove that mift
of carnal paffion, which obftruds their moral
fight, and to open their eyes to the percep
tion and enjoyment of celeftial truth. He
direds us on the way of hollnefs in our
journey through the wildernefs of life. And
he opens to our view, for the end of our pil
grimage, the City of the heavenly King,
where the Pure in heart ffiall be for ever bleft
in the vifion of their God.
In concurrence with thefe energies of grace,
it was a like exertion of our Saviour's mi
niftry. To fet at liberty them that are bruifed.
Though this is not expreffed in the original
text of Ifaiah, it is fupplied in that of the
Evangelift; and is indeed no other than a
kindred, if not a fynonimous image, with de
liverance to the Captives, and opening of the
prifon to the bound. To accept it in this
place with fome little difference of fignifica
tion ; by them that are bruifed we may un
derftand

60 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me ;
derftand more immediately thofe unhappy per
fons, who laboured under a dreadful malady
more peculiar to that age and land, being ex
pofed in their bodies to the malignant opera
tions of the Devil. Thus they were bound
¦With his chain, they were bruifed with his rod.
To thefe unhappy objeds was our Lord's
eompaffion very frequently ffiewn. Amid the
various miracles which he wrought, the Gof
pels more efpecially dwell on fiich, as he ex-
ercifed on thofe who were poffeffed with de
vils. He fet them at liberty from this moft
afflldive fervitude, and he healed the bruifes
to which they had been expofed.
And in this exercife of his power toward
thofe, who were unhappily bruifed in the
body, he gave a pledge of his authority to fet
at liberty thofe, who by the fame tyfannie
foe were bruifed in the foul. For this pur
pofe he was manlfefted in the fleffi, that
he might deflroy the works of the Devil.
And the whole aim of his miffion was di
reded to overturn the dominion of this fpiri
tual tyrant, and to break the rod of the op-
preffor. At his entrance on his miniftry, he
began a conflid with this general foe, when
he refifted his temptation in the wildernefs.
Through the whole courfe of his life he car
ried on the fame fuccefsful warfare. In his
precious

Becaufe the Lord hath anointed me. s-i
precious death he engaged in mortal combat
with the powers of darknefs. And by his
glorious reffirredion and afcenfion he difplayed
his triumph both in heaven and earth.
And as he was employed, while he fo-
journed among us, in a perfonal conflid with
his enemies, fo from his feat in heaven he
contributes the affiftance of his holy Spirit to
all, who are confcious of their captive ftate,
and figh for redemption from the galling
chain; For though by his painffil encounter on
the crofs he hath fpolled principalities and
powers, who had fo long maintained a defpo
tic empire in the world ; yet as long as the
prefent ftate of difclpline fubfifts, thefe ene
mies of our peace are ftill fuffered to annoy
us with every kind of fedudion and affault.
Although not ffibjed to their vifible dominion
in the body, vve ftill are liable to the rod of
their oppreffion in the foul. As long as we
continue in the militant ftate p( the Chriftian
life, we are. called upon to contend, not only
againft the common temptations of fleffi
and blood, but againft principalities, againft
powers, againft the rulers of the darknefs of
this world, againft fpiritual wickednefs in
high places '. In this arduous conflid we
' Eph. vi. J.2,
; G have

62 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me j
have a certain ground of confidence in the
Captain of our Salvation, provided we conti
nue with fortitude under his banner, and rc-
folutely fight the good fight of faith. If in
fteady defiance of the power and the wiles of
the Devil we preferve our allegiance to our
fpiritual King, he will give his Angels charge
over us to keep us in all our ways. And
wJien ' the fcene of trial and of difclpline is
paft, when he ffiall have put all enemies un
der his feet, when the powers of darknefi
ffiall be bound in everlafting chains, and fin
and death ffiall be fwallowed up in yidory,
we ffiall finally partake in the triumph of that
divine Hero, who hath overcome the world.
The laft of the bleffings enumerated in the
text, and what comprehends and completeis
the whole, is. To proclaim the acceptable Teai-
of the Lord, or in other words, the Tear of
^Acceptance with the Lord. As the procla
mation of Jubilee under the Mbfaic Law an
nounced to the Jews a releafe from evelfy fer
vitude, a remiffion of every debt, and a refti
tution of every inheritance; fo the publica
tion of the Gofpel announces to all the Sons
of men, not only a releafe froiti the biindagc
of legal rites, and a reftitution to that liberty
in which Chrift has made us free, b^t alfo
the remiffion of fins upon repentance and
faith,

(Becaufe the Lord hath anointed me, 83
faith, and a reftoration to the privileges' of
adoption and grace, which had been forfeited
hy an alienation from the will of God. Thus
when our Lord was born into the world, a
multitude of Angels celebrated this event,
as the era of a happy fcene of things, " of
peace on earth and of good will to men."
In like manner the beloved Difciple in the
front of his facred hiftory declares, in oppofi
tion to the gloom and ffiadows of the Law
of Mofes, that " grace and truth came by
Jefus Chrift." His Gofpel was a publica
tion of grace, inafmuch as it reprefented
God, not as a Mafter, ftrid in exading every
tafTc, and fevere in puniffilng every failure,
but as a Father, tenderly dlfpofed toward all
mankind, and felicitous for their peace and
welfare, requiring of them indeed a fincere
and faithful fervice, yet willing to forgive
their tranfgreffions upon repentance, and to
fupply them with affiftance in what he has
appointed them to do. It was alfo a publi
cation of truth, inafmuch as it not only
ffiewed more clearly the attributes of God
and the nature and bufinefs of man, but as it
alfo brought to light, what had been under
the Law but obfcurely fignified and but par
tially underflood, an everlafting inHerltance in
the Kingdom of Heaven, in cleareft language
G 2, promifed

64 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me ;
promifed and by infallible proofs affured to
all, who feek admiffion into this kingdom,
by repenting of their fins and believing the
Gofpel. This inheritance is the crown of all other
bleffings adminiftered by Chrift ; and to this
the whole prophecy in its moft important
fenfe Gonclufively applies. While it more
immediately reprefents the ftate of grace, it
is finally defcriptlve of'the ilate of glory :
when glad tidings ffiall be publiflied to the
Poor ; for they ffiall be invefted with the
treafures of the heavenly Kingdom : v/hen
healing ffiall be adminiftered to the Broken
hearted; for their temporary forrows ffiall
be converted into everlafting joy : when de
liverance ffiall be granted to the Captives;
for they ffiall be redeemed from the bondage
of corruption to the glorious liberty of the
Children of God : when fight ffiall be re
ftored to the Blind; for the film of worldly
darknefs fliall be totally withdrawn, and they
ffiall fee God as he is in all the light of life :
when liberty ffiall be wrought for the Bruifed ;
for our great Deliverer ffiall effedually break
the rod, ffiall decifively bruife the head of
their fpiritual Oppreffor, and ffiall put all
enemies under his feet : and when that great
and glorious Year ffiall commence of univer fal

Becaufe the LoYd hath anointed me, 85
fal peace and happinefs to all the ranfomed of
the Lord.
¦ Thus are we invited to contemplate Chrift
in all thofe endearing charaders, in which he
is foretold by the Prophets and is more dif
tlndly manlfefted in the Gofpel, as a Minl
fter of grace, a Phyfician of the foul, a De
liverer from the moft oppreffive fervitude,
and an exceeding great Reward.
But while we contemplate him in his
mercies, let us not forget to regard him alfo
in his judgments. Reverting to the fequel
of this prophetic text we find, that the fame
g^reat era which is called. The Tear of Accept
ance with the Lord, is alfo called in the cor
refponding claufe. The Day of Vengeance of
our God. And fuch will be the ftate of
things at that great and awful day, when
he, that came before in the charader of a
Deliverer and a Lawgiver, will finally vidt
the world in the charader of a Judge.
In that tremendous hour, while he tem
pers judgment with mercy to thofe, who
have gratefully received his proffered grace,
and by repentance and faith have turned unto
him with all their hearts, he will adminifter
judgment without mercy to thofe, who have
refifted or fet at nought his grace, who in
fpite of warning have continued in impenl-
G 3 tence,

86 TAe Spirit of the Lord is upon me;
tence, who againft convidion have remained
in virtual unbelief.
In the economy of his government our
Lord employs every means confiftent with
a ftate of difclpline, to engage us to his lawr
and to retain us in his fervice. He hath fet
before us life and death, and thus he appeals
at once to our hopes and to our fears. In
deed he rather feeks to draw us by his grace,
than to compel us by his power, to entreat
us by his mercies, than to control us by his
judgments. But if men are not moved to re
pentance by the goodnefs of God '', it is ex
pedient to perfuade them by the terrors ©f
the Lord^
By which of thefe two motives ffiall we
be bound in our allegiance to our heavenly
King ? Shall we yield him our fervice out
of a fpirit of fear ? — Far rather let us yield
it out of a fpirit of gratitude and love. Con
vinced as we are of the intolerable miferies,
from which he has redeemed us, and of the
ineftlmable benefits, which he has purchafed
for us by his precious blood, let us facrifice for
him every unlawful and irregular defire, and
let us commit ourfelves, both bodies and
, fouls, to his government and guidance : con-
^ Rom. ii. 4. I a Cor. v. 11. tinually

Becatife the Lord hath anointed me. 87
tinually waiting our appointed time of difei-
pline on earth, in devout and humble hope
of having an intereft in that great Year of
Acceptance with the Lord, when all, who
are Ifraelites indeed, ffiall be called to their
proper home, the Sion of the living God, and
ffiall for evermore enjoy the ffiU beatitude of
the heavenly Kingdom.

G4

SERMON IV.

John i. 14.
And the Word was made Flefh, and dwelt among us ;
{^and we beheld his glory , the glory as of the only begotten
of the Father ;) full of Grace and Truth.
IN preface to the hiftory of our Saviour's
life and converfatlon upon earth, the Apoftle
and Evangelift reprefents him in the fulnefs
of his charader, as the AOrOS, or the Word
of God ; a term of more . extenfive and im
portant meaning in the original Greek, than
we are accuftomed to affix to it in the vulgar
tongue ; fince it Implies both the reafon and
the fpeech of God, both the counfel deter-r
mined in the divine rriind, and the fame exf
preffed in the operations of his providence
and grace. He declares, that in the begin
ning was the Word, that the Word was
with God, and that the Word was God :
that all things were made by him, and that
withput him exifted no created thing : that
in him was life ; and the life was the light
of men. As he was the fpurce of natural life to

QO The Word was made Flefh ;
to the whole creation, fo was he the fource
of fpiritual life to the whole race of men ;
inafmuch as, he imparted the; light of hea
venly truth to illuminate their minds and to
animate their fouls. To him the precious
embaffy belonged, to, unfold the hopes and to
dlfplay the means of falvation to mankind,.
For him was the great and glorious 'miniftry
referved, to abolifli the power of death, and
to bring life and immortality to light *.
But fo much in general are the eyes of
men obfcured by finful paffions and diverted
by worldly cares, that they do not appreciate
or acknowledge the heavenly gift. The light
ffiineth in darknefs, and the darkiiefs com-
prehendeth it not ''.
Before he was more openly manlfefted to
the world, there was a Man fent from God, •
whofe name was John. He came for a
witnefs and harbinger of this divine Light,
in order to prepare the people for the bleffing
that Would ffiortly be revealed. He was not
the promifed Light himfelf, as he ingenuoufly
confeffed to the inquiries of the people. He
was no other than a morning Star before that
Sun of fpiritual day, who foon ffiould rife to
ffied his healing and benignant beams, with-
» John i. I — 4. '¦ Ver. j. out

And dwelt among us, full ofGraceand Truth, Q\
out refped of clime or nation, on all the
peopled earth '.
This Fountain of light and life was indeed
from earlieft time, though not vifibly and
fenfibly, yet fpiritually prefent in the world.
For as the world was by his minlftration
made, fo by his minlftration it has been
continually fuftained. But fo deeply was
it ffink in corruption and idolatry, as not
to acknowledge and regard him. He came
unto his own, to the people of Ifrael, who
had long been diftinguiffied above all other
nations by the fpecial countenance of Hea
ven. For as he had been partially fignified
to them in the I-^aw and in the Prophets, fo
to them he perfonally came, when he vifi
bly appeared on the earth. But fo much
had the veil of prejudice overfpread their
hearts, that his own in general received
him not. But as many as received him
in the charader which he bore, as many
as believed on him as the Word of God, the
organ and minlfter df the divine will, to
them gave he power to become the Sons of
God ; being admitted to the privileges of
this divine relation, not in confequence of
their carnal origin from the Father of the
l^'aithful, or of their adoption into the legal
<^ John i. 6 — 9, J covenant

ga The Word was made Flefh;
covenant as profelytes of the Gentiles, but by
the fpecial grace of God ^. '
' The Apoftle, having thus eftabliffied the
dignity of that Perfon whom he ftyles the
Word, proceeds to declare the manner of
his appearance in the world. That he might
more effedually accompliffi the work of grace
and peace to men. The Word was made Flefh.
Notwithftanding the dignity of his nature, he
did not confine himfelf to the feat of happi
nefs in heaven ; nor was he fatisfied to be
prefent with us merely in fpirit ; but he con
defcended to vifit us in perfon ; and, that he
might anfyver the great purpofes of divine
counfels, he was pleafed to affume our nature,
and to fojourn among us in a human form.
• Of this Incarnation prophetic notices had
been vouchfafed from earlieft times. To
cheer our firft Parents in the midft of their
defpondence on finding fin and death through
their tranfgreffion introduced into the world,
it was gracioufly- fignified, that the Woman's
Progeny ffiould bruife the Serpent's head*.
And in the long feries of continued revela-'
tion the fame great myftery of godlinefs was
foretold, under the feveral circumftances of
the Nativity, the Time, the Place, the Fa^
mlly, and the Parent.
^ John i. 10 — 13. e Gen, iii. 15. His

And dwelt among u;s, full of Grace and Truth. 93
His Nativity itfelf is thus declared by
Ifaiah the great Prophet of the Gofpel, to
gether with thofe titles which diftinguiffied
him above the moft exalted of the earth ;
•• Unto us a Child is born ; unto us a Son is
given. And the government ffiall be upon
his Ihoulder ; and his name ffiall be called.
Wonderful, Counfellor, The Mighty God,
The everlafting Father, The Prince of Peace ^"
The Time was marked in the dying prophe
cy of the Patriarch Jacob ; which declared,
that " the fqeptre ffiould not depart from
Judah, nor a Lawgiver from between his
feet, till Shiloh," or the Perfon fent, " fliould
come^." The, Place had been exprefsly fig
nified by the Prophet Mlcah ; " And thou,
Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little
among the thoufands of Judah, yet out of
thee fliall come a Ruler, who ffiall rule my
people Iftael **." His Lineage from the houfe
of David was frequently implied, and occa-
fionally expreffed, in the Pfalms and in the
Prophets. Thus Ifaiah fignified; " And there
ffiall come forth a Rod out of the ftem of
Jeffe, and a Branch ffiall grow out of his
roots. And the Spirit of the Lord ffiall reft

^ Ifa. Ix. 6. e Gen, xlix. 10,
'' Micah V, 2.

upon

04 The Word was made Flefh ;
upon him V The fame Prophet alfo figni"
fied his fupernatural Parentage ; " Behold, a
Virgin ffiall conceive and bear a Son.; and
ffie ffiall call his name Immanuel ^." Though
coming into the world in a human charader
and perfon, yet his miraculous birth ffiould
be a teftimony of his being fuperior to the
fons of men.
To exprefs this affumption of our nature
the Apoftle adds. He dwelt among us, kcx.] l<r«.7i-
vaxrsv Iv vjijuv : wherein is an allufion to the
manner, in which the divine prefence was
inanifefted unto Ifrael at the firft promulga
tion of the Law. As God fojourned of old
in the Tabernacle of the congregation, and
the people of Ifrael faw the glory of the
Lord'; fo under the New Covenant, the
Word of God fojourned in the Tabernacle of
a human ;body, and the Apoftle teftified in
the name of all his Brethren, And we beheld
bis glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the-
Father. While he dwelt among us in a hu
man form, his divinity was not ffiaded from
the obfervation of thofe, who looked- upon
him with the eye of faith. Though he did
not appear in all thofe terrible fplendours,

' Ifa. xi. I, a. k jfa. yu. 14.
' Exod, xl. 34.

which

And dwelt among us, full of Grace and Truth. 95
which Invefted the Father when he delivered
the Law, yet he had graces to inveft him,
which abundantly teftified him to the world
for the brightnefs of his Father's glory, and
the exprefs image of his perfon. This glory
the Apoftles beheld at his Baptifm and at his
Transfiguration, at both which times the
Divine radiance broke upon him, and a Voice
from heaven proclaimed, " This is my be
loved Son, in whom I am well pleafed."
They beheld it in his Miracles, when at his
word the maladies of human nature fled ;
when the powers of death and hell furrendered
to him their refpedive prifoners; when mul
titudes In the wildernefs were fed by a few
loaves and fiffies ; when the winds and the
feas were ffibjed to his control. They be
held it even in the temporary ffiade of his
Paffion, when all Nature in agony feemed
to fympathize with him, when the ffin was
darkened, the earth trembled, the rocks were
rent, and the graves were opened; which drew
this confeffion even from a Heathen Wit
nefs, " Truly this Man was the Son of God."
They beheld it at his Refurredion, when he
was declared the Son of God with power, when
the earth again trembled, and Angels again
came to minlfter unto him. They beheld it
at his Afcenfion, when he was taken up from
them

q6 The Word was made Flefli ;'
them triumphantly to heaven, to be for ever
feated with his Father on his throne. Even
after his afcenfion they occafionally beheld
his glory comrnunicated to them by a fpecial
revelation. Thus St. Stephen faw it at his
martyrdom : St. Paul faw it at his conver
fion : and St. John, who teftified all this;
was admitted to behold him refeated on
his Father's throne, and reinvefted in that
glory, which he partook with him before the
creation of the world.
But the great and prominent advantage of
our Saviour's' miniftry, when he dwelt among
us in our nature, was, that he was Full of
Grace and Truth. In thefe twa effential
points the Gofpel far excelled the Law. For
that the Apoftle intended to piirfue the allu-
fiori taken up before, and to mark the fupe-
rlority of the Chriftian over the Mofalc Dif-:
penfation, is evident from the text which
ffiortly follows. The Law was given by Mofes y
but Grace and Truth came by Jefus Chrifi. To
this claufe of my text, as equally deferiptive
of the miffion and of the charader of Chrift,
our principal regard is due on this occafion.'
Whether confidered by himfelf, or contrafted'
with the Minlfter of the Legal Covenant,
the Word of God was full of Grace and
Truth. I. The

And dwelt among us^full of Grace and Truth. 97
I, The Word pf God was full of Gracef
I, In the whole fyftem of his mediation
between God and Man ; 3, In his perfonal
miniftry upon earth ; 3, In the«i»ature of his
Laws; And, 4, in the diftribution of his
favours. .
jf. The Word of God was full of grace in
t\e whole fyftem of Jils mediation between
God and Man. , Ever fince the tranfgreffion
of Adam the nature of man had beconje
exceedingly corrupt. He had fallen deeply
into fin and error ; and was neither compe
tent to make fatisfadion to divine juftice, nor
to recpver himfelf from the evil of his way.
All this was partially underftood in the Legal
Economy ; and fonie method of reftoration
and, fatisfadipn was fignified in its numerous
rites and offerings. But the demand of that
law for a continual recurrence of fuch infti-
tutipns was a mark of their deficiency to take
away, fin, and to reftore the original integrity
of man. To effed this beneficial fervice thp
Word pf Gpd was pleafed to offer himfelf a
Mediator between God and Man., For this
purpofe it was expedient that he ffiould par
take of the nature both of God a,nd Man.
Of the nature of God he had intimately par-.
taken from all eternity. Of the nature of
Man he equally partook by condefcending to
, H be

q8 The Word was made Fle/h j
•
be born into the world, and dwelling am<3»ng
us in the fubftance of a human body. In
the body of our nature he undertook to exe
cute the whole will of God, whether pofi
tive or moral ; for fo, as he declared at his
baptifm, it became him to fulfil all righteouf^
nefs ™. In the body of our nature he fub
mitted to become a propitiation for our fins*
In his great love to man he furrendered him
felf to be wounded for our tranfgreffions, to
be bruifed for our iniquities. And that we
might want no proof of the fufficiency of
his righteoufnefs in life and of his facrifice in
death to our pardon and juftlfication with
God, he refumed that body which had been
facrificed for us ; and having ftaid on earth a
convenient time for the affurance of his dlfci
ples that he was adually rifen, in the body
of our nature he afcended into heaven, and
refumed thait glory which he poffeffed with
his Father before the foundation of the
world. By which two regal ads he has
given us alfo full affurance, that if we avail
ourfelves of his merits by faith, and regulate
our lives by his law, we alfo ffiall be raifed,
fliall afcend into heaven, and ffiall dwell with
him in glory.
"" Mat. iii. 15,
3. He

And dwelt among us,fuU of Grace and Truth-: QQ
2. He was full of grace in his perfonal
miniftry upon earth. In deUvering the Law,
God manlfefted himfelf to Ifrael in all the
terrors of his divinity. Though not perfon
ally feen, yet his prefence was difplayed upon
Mount Sinai in thunders and lightnings and
in fmoke and fire ; and fo tremendous was
his voice, that the people intreated they
might hear it no more. •
In a very different manner was the Gofpel
adminiftered by the Word of God. For this
divine Perfon having affumed our nature con
defcended to con ver fe with men in a free
and familiar manner. In every thing, but
fin, which was totally repugnant to his cha
rader and purpofe, he fubmitted to become
like one of us, and was contented for our
fakes to bear our forrows and to fuftain our
infirmities. Thus having reduced himfelf to
a capacity of converfing face to face with
men, he went about the land of Paleftine,
feeking opportunities to exerclfe the work of
mercy and benevolence. Through all his
mlniflry upon earth he was inceffantly em
ployed in promoting both the temporal and
the fpiritual good of men. For this, as the
Prophet had foretold, the Spirit of the Lord
was upon him ; for this he was anointed
with the Holy Ghoft and with power, to
H 5 publiffi

100 Tlw Word was made Flefh ;
publiffi glad tidings to the poor, to heal the
broken-hearted, to proclaim deliverance to
the captives, and recovering of fight to the
blind. All thefe great works of charity and
mercy he vifibly performed on the bodies of
men, whatever were the maladies under which
they groaned ; by which he gave a^ earneft
of his power and authority for a far more im
portant and beneficial purpofe, to heal the
maladies and to work the deliverance of their
fouls. This appears in the tenour of all his
converfatlon. For though to the Pharifees
and Scribes, who were zealous for the form,
while they wanted the power, of godlinefs,
he was occafionally fevere in his reproofs,
yet to thofe, who had an humbler fenfe of
their fpiritual ftate, the mildnefs of his doc-»
trine is well reprefented by Ifaiah ; "A
bruifed reed he ffiall not break, and the
dimly burning flax he ffiall not quench."
For the general complexion of his difcourfe
was pardon to the penitent, and confolation
to the forrowful, and encouragement to the
pious and well-difpofed, and grace to all,
who came to him in faith, and liftened to his
words in fincerity and truth.
AlSbther great advantage refulted from his
miniftry in a human perfon, that he was
competent to illuftrate his dodrines by his
oWn

And dwelt among us, full of Grace, and Truth. 1 01
own example. For in affuming the nature,
he fubmitted to the duties, of man ; and as
it became him to fulfil all righteoufnefs, fo he
was a pattern of every branch of righteoufnefs
to men. In all his condud whether perfonal
or relative, in every duty whether pofitive or
moral, he has left us an example, that we
ffiould follow his fteps. As in his dodrine
he was to us a Preceptpf in godlinefs, fo in
his life and converfatlon he was a living and
perffiading Guide.
3. He was full of grace in the complexion
of his precepts, being all of a moral and fpi
ritual nature. The Law had indeed enjoined
all thofe moral duties, which are compre
hended in the love of God and the love of
Man. For thefe are of eternal obligation ;
and whatever be the fate of all pofitive in-
jundions, thefe muft continually endure with
out variation or decay. But befide thefe ef
fential duties, the Law required many cuin-
berfome, expenfive, and even painful rites.
Not to fpeak of the feal of initiation into
that Covenant by blood, it enjoined a tedious
procefs of bodily waffilngs' and purifications,
a coftly feries of daily facrifices and offerings,
and a frequent and pundual obfervance of
folemn times and feafons. On the whole it •
was incumbered with fo great a weight of
H ^. cere-

102 The Word was madis Fiefi ;
ceremonial duties, that the Apoftle calls it a
yoke, which neither they nor their Fathers
Were able to bear.
The Word of God requires an eafier and a
cheaper fervice. He demands the obfer-^nce
of all the moral precepts, as ftridly as the Law
pf Mofes; or rather he has giv'en them greater
Weight, inafmuch as he claims obedience to
them, not only in the letter, but alfo in the
fpirit, not Only in the formal homage of the
body, but alfo in the vital fervice of the foul.
In this refped indeed he does not come to
deftroy the Law and the Prophets, that is,
t© difannul their authority, but to fulfil them.
But from the ceremonial Law he has entirely
f©t us free. He exads neither painful fer-
vices nor expenfive facrifices. In'ftead of a
continual round of bodily waffilngs and bleed
ing vidims, he requires no other rites than
Baptifm, to be once undergone at our ad
miffion into his kingdom, the feal of that
faith and the fymbol of that purity, in which
we engage ourfelves to live ; and the Supper
of our Lord, to be frequently received as a
ftanding memorial of a Saviour's love, in of
fering his body to be broken and his blood to
be ffied for the remiffion of our fins. To
thefe We muft add the obfervance of the
Sabbath. For though more exprefsly en
joined

And dwelt among us,fuliqf Grace and Truth. 103
joined under the Law, it has been always un
derftood to retain its obligation over Chrif-
tians ; not fo much indeed as a pofitive infti-
tution; for in this refped the Chriftiau Church
has departed from the letter of the anpieut
ordinance, by transferring the obfervance
from the §everith day of the week to the
Firft; but as a moral fervice, expedient for our
growth in grace and in the knowledge of pur
Lord Jefus Chrift ; inafmuch as the confe-
crating a certain pprtion <9f our time to pipu?
contemplations and divine exercifes is the b§it
and moft acceptable offering, which we can
render tp a pure and holy God. WelJ there
fore might our heavenly Teacher fay, " Com?
unto me, all ye that labour and ,are heavy
laden, and I will give you reft. Ta^e my
yoke upon you, and learn of me j for I am
m^ek and lowly in heart ; and ye fliall ^nd
reft unto your fouls. Fpr my yoke is -eafy,
and my burden is light "."
4. He is full &{ grace in the diftribution of
his favours. Even under the Law, whjeh clifr
pjays the juftice more than the mercy of God,
he is frequently reprefented as gracious gji^
indulgent to his people. Yet in general he
appears in the charader of a Mafler, iinpofT
ing a rigid fervice, and exading the perform-
» Mat. xi. 28, &c.
H 4 ancc

¦i04 The Word was made Flefh ;
ance of the whole on certain penalties for
every tranfgreffion or deviation. Hence the
people of Ifrael were faid to be under the
fpirit of bondage, and to be compelled to
obedience by a fervile fear.
Under the Gofpel economy God invariably
appears in the milder charaders of tendernefs
and love. On confideration of a Saviour's
merits he is pleafed to regard us with the af-
fedions of a Father. Through the powerful
interceffion of the* Son of God, the eldeft
born in heaven, we have pardon of our paft
errors upon repentance and faith in him, vv^e
have affiftance from above upon our fervent
fuppllcatlon and our earneft endeavours to do
his holy will. Thus we are moved to obe
dience by a- filial love ; we are animated in
our duty by a fenfe of God's paternal coun
tenance. " For we have not received the
fplrif of bondage to fear," as was the cafe
under the Law ; " but we have received
the fpirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba,
Father. The Spirit itfelf beareth witnefs
with our fpirit, that we are the children of
God°." But the great benefit of this adoption is
not merely the favour of God on earth, but
• Rorp. vlii. 1^, 16,^ alfo

And dwelt among Us, full of Grace and Truth, 103
alfo his inheritance in heaven. For as the
Apoftle infers from this relation ; " If chil
dren, then heirs ; heirs of God, and joint
heirs .with Chrift." The crown of all the
bleffings, which we derive from our gracious
Mediator, is the tenure of that full, per
fed, and eternal happinefs, which he has pur
chafed and affured for all his faithful fol
lowers in the life to come. This ineftlmable
offer may be regarded as peculiar to the
Gofpel. To the Children of Ifrael^ the Law
had conditionally given no greater promife
than that of a temporal inheritance in a good
and fruitful land: though certainly their
Prophets and righteous men entertained more
exalted hopes, and were defirous to look into
that myftery of future grace, which was par
tially concealed from view. This glorious
and affured hope " is now made manifeft by
the appearing of our Saviour Jefus Chrift,
who hath aboliffied death, and brought life
and immortality to light through the Gof
pel ''," Hence the Gofpel is called. The grace
of God, which bringeth falvation to all men.
For the objed of his coming into the world
(to adopt the words of his declaration to Paul,
when he called him in fo miraculous man-
» 3 Tim, i, 10, oer.

io§ The Word was made Flefh \
ner, to make him a minlfter and a witnefs of
his faith) was " to open the eyes of men,
and to turn them from darknefs to light, and
from the power of Satan unto God; .that
they might receive forgivenefs of fins, and in
heritance among Jhem which are fandified»
by faith in him "i."
IL I proceed to confider the Second cha
rader , of this divine Word : He was fuff of
Truth., In this point alfo we may pbferve
an oppofition to tiie Law of Mofes. Not
that we muft im^ine truth to be here op-
pofed to error. For the Law was from the
fam-e fource of truth as th« Gofpel' But th?
Revelation of Chrift was a greater truth in
oppofition to a lefs. The Law was the ffia
dow, but llie Gofpel was the fubftanpe.
The Law was the refieded light of the
Moon ; the Gofpel was the noonday fplen
dour of the Sun of righteoufnefs. This may
be obferved in thefe feveral article i i, in it§
Diicoveries ; z, in its Precepts ; and, 3> in
its Motives.
I . The Difcoveries of religion relate both
to God and Man.— -Under bpth Difpenfations
we are taught of CJod, that he is a Being pf
•I Aftsxjcvi.iS. infinite

And dwelt among us, full of Grace and Truth. i07
infinite power, wifdom, and juftice ; that he
created the world by his word, and ftill up
holds it by his providence ; that he. has a pri
mary regard for Man, whom he placed at the
head of his creation ; and that he makes all
human adions fubfervient to his own wife
defigns. But under the Law God is frequently re-*
prefented in the femblance of a corporeal Be
ing, as more adapted to the rude conceptions
of a carnal pfeople. In this point of view we
behold him fettihg apart fome particular fpot
for the feat of his immediate prefence, and
feieding a peculiar people for the fpecial no
tice of his providence. Under the Gofpel
God is reprefented as an incorporeal and fpi
ritual Nature, as caftlng the light of his
countenance over all the world, and dlffufing
his fpiritual as well as natural bounties indif
ferently on all men. In this difpenfation he
hath no refped of perfons, he maketh no dif-
tindion of nations or communities of men;
but in every nation he that feareth God and
worketh righteoufnefs is accepted with him '.
Being every where prefent, he is every where
attentive to the homage of his faithful fer-
vants, who pay him a reverence correfpon-
' Afts X, 3 j, dent

108 The Word was made Flefh ;

dent to his nature, and worfliip him in fpirit
and in truth.
Under .both Difpenfations Man is con
fidered as degenerate from that image of God,'
in which he was originally made. The per
ception of this degeneracy and the expedience:
of a reftoration to his original charader are
equally acknowledged in the prevailing rite
of facrifice, which was common to all Hea
then States, even before it was preferibed in
the ritual , of the Hebrews, and which de-'
clared in fymbolic language this principle of
divine juftice, that " without ffiedding of
blood there is no remiffion'." It is difficult
to difcover.by the light of reafon, how taking
the. life of a brute animal could contribute to
the expiation of human guilt. Indeed it was
not poffible, as the Apoftle argues, that the
blood of bulls and of goats ffiould take away
fins\ But the whole myftery is folved,
when we underftand this religious rite to b^
a type or fymbol of the great propitiation,
which would afterwards ,be ~ made by the
death of Chrift. This dodrine was copioufly
reprefented in the whole fyftem of facrifice^
under the Mofalc Law. It is more, efpeci
ally difplayed in the facrifice of the Pafehal "
= Heh, ix, 22. t Heb.x. 4.
Lamb

Arid dwelt among us, full of Grace and Truth. io§
Lamb without fpOt or blemiffi, an unqueftion
able emblem of that Lamb of God who tak
eth away the fin of the world. It is ftill
more circumftantially ffiaddwed forth in the
whole procefs of the Feaft of Expiation, when
the High Prieft facrificed a fpotlefs Vidim
at the door of the Tabernacle, and then en
tered with the blood into the Holy of Holies,
and fprinkling it on the Mercy-feat made a
virtual interceffion for the people. This de
lineates the whole dodrine of atonement by
the blood of Chrift, as is largely demonftrated
in the Epiftle to the Hebrews. He is the great
High Prieft, who offered himfelf for the fins
of men a facrifice on the crofs ; and on the
merit of that facrifice is entered into the
moft holy place, the refidence of God him
felf, and is our prevailing Interceffor at the
Mercy-feat of Heaven, having obtained eternal
redemption for us.
2. The fame comparifon will hold between ,
thefe two Difpenfations, when we confider
their refpedive Precepts. The Law required
along and tedious round of rites and cere
monies, of waftiings and facrifices and folemn
obfervances ; which, whatever might have
been their relative advantage to the people
of Ifrael, do not feem to have much intrinfic
Worth ; for it does not appear to the eye of
reafon

J la The Word was mad^ Flefh -,.
reafon how they could render men more ad->
ceptable to God. The Prophets in fome
meafure opened the defign of thefe inftitur>
tions, and ffiewed them to be emblems of a
moral and fpiritual fervice. But. it was left
for Jefus Chrift to undraw the veil entirely
from them, and to feew them in the fulnefs
©f truth. Illumined by this light of men we
learn, that the ablutions of the body accord--
ing to the Hebrew ritual, implied the puri
fication of the foul according to the Chrif
tian fervice, " by the waffiing of regenera
tion and renewing of the Holy Ghoft ;" that
the facrifices of animals preferibed to the
Hebrews, befide that myftery, which they
fymholized, of atonement by the blood of
Chrift, implied what was neceffary on our
part, the furrender of ourfelves and all out
faculties to God's honour and fervice.
At the fame time it is to be obferved, that
in accomnaodation to our underftandings,
which require external and vifible figns for
the conveyance and impreffion of fpiritual
truth, our Lord has appointed two plain
and eafy Ritas, bearing fome analogy to the
waffilngs and facrifices pf the Mofaic Law;
namely, Baptifm, and the Supper of our
Lord. But lie has tsken care, that both thefe
Rites,

And dwelt among us,fuU of Grace and Truth. 1 11
Rites, plain and eafy as they are, ffiould have
a moral and internal ufe. For while they
are emblems of a fpiritual grace imparted to
thofe, who pioufly and faithfully receive
them, they are alfo inducements and encou
ragements to grow in grace and to improve in
godlinefs. Thus Baptifni, while it ftands for
an emblem to us of purification from the
ftains of fin, continues to us, when fo ini
tiated, a perfuafive exhortation, that we per
form the conditions, on which this grace
is adminiftered, by repentance toward God
and faith toward our Lord Jeffis Chrift. Thus
the Supper of the Lord, while it induces the
divine grace on us who devoutly and wor
thily receive it, contributes to ftrengthen our
faith, to reanimate our love to Chrift, to open
our hearts and hands in charity to all, who
are partakers of the fame fpiritual graces. And
Purely this ad of commemorating our Sa
viour's love in prefenting himfelf a mortal
(facrifice for us, muft be a powerful induce
ment to us to fulfil the law of Chriftian love
to ©ur brethren, and to prefent our bodies a
living :fiicrifice to God.
We may extend the comparifon even to
thofe moral precepts, vdiich are common to
the Law and to the Gofpel. Under both Dlf-
jMBnfations thefe two duties were enjoined, the

112 : ¦ The WoM was made Flefh ;
the love of God, and the love of our neigh
bour. This commandment was holy, juft, and
good ; but, as accepted by the Jews, it pro
duced a formal, rather than a vital fervice :
They honoured God in the letter; but they
did not honour' him in the fpirit. They
loved their Neighbour in profeffion;-but they
did not love him in fincerity of heart; and
application of pradice : Befide that they re-
ftrided the term of Neighbour, according to
the literal fenfe, to thofe who were near
them, or were partakers with them in the
fame country and religion. The Gofpel gives
an energy to the moral law, which was rarely
and but faintly apprehended among the Jewsi
Inftead of an outward and ceremonial fervice,
we are required fo to love the Lord, as to
worffiip him in fplrit and in truth; to mould/
our dlfpofitlons and charaders to his, fo as to
chufe whatever he commands, and to refufe
whatever he forbids, without hefitationor re-
ludance. By this ftandard of our love to
God is regulated alfo our love to our Neigh
bour. We account ourfelves obliged, not only
to abftain from finful ads, ffich as murder, "
.adultery, theft, falfe witnefs ; but even to ¦
fupprefs intemperate anger, to reflrain all
lafcivious and licentious thoughts, to con-*
trol all inordinate inclinations after worldly
o wealth.

And dwelt amoUg us, full of Grace and Truth. 113
wealth, to forbear all uncharitable judging of
others ; on the whole to do to others, not as
others ufe to do, but as we would have others
do to us ; and inftead of confining our love
to thofe, who are our neighbours in the lite
ral fenfe, to extend it indifferently to all, who
are" partakers in the bounties of the fame
providence, in the bleffings of the fame
grace. 5, The fame comparifon will apply to
the motives, which thofe two Difpenfations
hold forth for the obfervance of their refpec-
tive precepts. The effential motives of all
religion confift in rewards and puniffiments ;
which have the ftrongeft hold on the human
mind, as they operate on the hopes and fears
of men, the two chief fprlngs artd principles
of adion. The Law was fandioned to the
children of Ifrael by the promife of a certain
good to obedience and by the threatening: of
a certain evil to dlfobedlence. If they obeyed
the Lord with, all their faculties, they were
to acquire and to retain poffeffion of the land
of promife, to enjoy long life and health, to
have peace and plenty in their borders, and a
numerous and flouriffiing poflerity. If they
difobeyed him, they were to be oppreffed
with famine, peftilence, and plague, to be
annoyed by the fword of the enemy, to be
T led

i 14 The Word was made Flefii
led into bondage and exile, to be deprived ot
pofterity, to be cut .off themfelves in the
ftrength of their days. And thefe promifes
and threatenings, according as they incurred
them, by a fpecial providence were remarka
bly fulfilled.
Thus the recompence propofed in the
Law was confined in the letter to the pre
fent life. Yet in the fpirit it was defigned,
and fo it was underftood and occafionally fig
nified by the Prophets, for a type and earneft
of a far more weighty recompence in the
life to come. But though • the Jews were
dlfpofed in general to entertain this expeda-
tion, they could not receive it with full af
furance of faith, as it had not been exprefsly
declared. And they looked to a future life,
as through clouds- and ffiades, that did not
admit of a diftind and certain vifion.
In this important article our Lord was
eminently full of truth. He has placed this
dodrine in the cleareft light, that an hour
will come, when he will call the wo^rld to
judgment; " when all that are in their graves
ffiall hear his voice, and ffiall come forth,
they that have done gobd to the refurredion
of Ufe, and they that have done evil to tha
refurredion of damnation.'*

u

And dwelt among ns,full of Grace and Truth. 113
In all thefe refpeds the Incarnate Word
was full of Grace and Truth. — This declara
tion of John the Apoftle and Evangelift had
been previoufly intimated by John the Bap
tift, when he bore witnefs of him faying,
He that cometb after me is preferred before me.
In every effential of a Minlfter of Heaven
our Lord'had the preeminence, not only over
him, but over all the Prophets of the He
brew Difpenfation. Of this the Apoftles had
a flill more fenfible experience than the Bap
tift.. As they were bleft above the Prophets
and righteous men of old. In feeing the
works and in hearing the words of their di
vine Mafter, fo they alfo were bleft above them
by a liberal participation of his grace and
truth : Of bis fulnefs we have all received, and
grace for grace. For the Law was given by
Mofes ; but grace and truth came by Jefus
Chrifi. In his difpenfation God is made ma
nifeft to men in all his faireft, all his bright-
eft attributes. It muft indeed be allowed,
that literally No man hath feen God at any
time.. For being a fpiritual effence he is
not vifible to carnal eye's. But the only
begotten Son, who is in tbe.fofom of the. Fa
ther, who partakes of his fubftauce, and
intim^jtely knows bis moft fecret counfels,
I 2 the

il6 The Word was made Flefh ,
the fame hath openly .declared him to the
World. Thus the Preface of the Evangelift affords
a fummary view of the Miffion and Charac
ter of that divine Perfon, whofe life and
converfatlon, while he dwelt among us, he is
about to write. "
If we profefs to know and to receive him in
the charader, in which he difplays his glory
to us in the Gofpel, as the Incarnate Word
of God, let us humbly adore the counfels of
divine wifdom, juftice, and benevolence, in
adopting fo wonderful a fcheme of grace to
accornpliffi our falvation. And while we
contemplate him In thofe features of grace
and truth. In which he is manlfefted to us
in the Gofpel, let us gratefully accept and
affiduoufly improve all thofe advantages im
parted to us before the wifeft and the beft of
Heathens, before the Prophets and righteous
men of the Legal Elconomy; continually ftriv-
ing to " grow in grace and in the know
ledge of our Lord Jefus Chrift." Thus may
we hope, that as we are now empowered
to become the Sons of God, fo we ffiall fi-'
nally partake of the inheritance of Sons ;
that as we are privileged in this life to receive of

And dwelt among us, full of Grace and Truth. 117
pf his fulnefs in grace and truth, fo we may
be admitted in the life to come to partake of
Jiis fulnefs in happinefs and glory ".
" In this difcourfe the Author muft acknowledge that he has
fallen, 'not intentionally, but of neceffity, into fome fimilarity of
argument with that of Dr. John Scott on the fame text, at the
clofe of his " Chriftian Life." He thinks it a point of juftice
to mention this : otherwife It would have been a point of pru
dence to fupprefs a remark, which may engage a comparifon
i^ith fo relpedtable a Divine.

13

SERMON V.

Luke ii. 13, 14.
^nd fuddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of
' ¦ the heavenly Hofl, praifing God, and faying. Glory to
God in the higheft, and on earth peace, good will to-
wards men.
J/HE Birth of a Redeemer is an event of
the firft importance in the fpiritual hiftory of
Man. Agreeably to which importance it had
often been prefignified in the long feries of
ancient revelation: fo that at the time, when
it adually came to pafs, a general expeda-
tion of this welcome Vlfitant was entertained
ainong the Jews ; and had even extended to
the nations of the Gentiles.^ In regard to
the Jews, to whom thefe prophetic notices
were more immediately given, they had
fome general Intimation of the time when
he was to come, they were more diredly
inftruded in the lineage from which he was
. to fpring, and they were diftlndly guided to
I 4 the

12,0 Glory to God in the higheft,
the very place that was to be honoured with
his birth. But the manner of his coming did
not correfpond with the fentiments of thofe
who expeded him the moft. Accuftomed
to regard him as the Heir and Reprefentative
of David^ they looked for his firft appearance
in fome ftately palace, meet as they fancied
for his kingly charader, and with enfigns of
dignity, correfpondent with his future great-
nefs. How little were they prepared for
the tidings to be given, when this mighty
Prince was born, that they might find him
wrapt in fwaddling clothes, and lying in a
manger !
Yet humbled as he was in the fight of
men, he ftiU was glorified aniong the inhabi
tants of heaven. Although no courtiers pf an
earthly kingdom were prepared to receive the
Son of David at his corning, yet the courtiers
of the heavenly kingdom were ever ready to
attend him and to minifter unto him.. If
Men were filent, when this Defire of ^11 eyes
appeared among them, Angels were at hand
to open their lips, to proclaim his arrival on
an embafly of grace, anid to celebrate^ the
bleffing fent with a fong of joyful pralfe.
The theme, that now required their fong,
was well adapted to thofe bleffed Beings,
who continually ftand before the throne of
. God,

And on ecfrth peace, gOod will towards men. 121
God, and tune their voices and their harps in
adorations to that Almighty King, who dwells
in light ineffable, and whofe moft engaging
iattribute is goodnefs.
The firft time, that we read of their be
ing fo employed, was at that eventful hour,
when this fabric of the World was called
into exlftence at the word of the Creator.
When the foundations of the globe were faft
ened, and the corner-ftones were laid, then
indeed, as the holy Scriptures intimate, the
morning Stars fang together, and all the Sons
pf God ffiouted for joy ". Are we folicitous
to hear their fong on this occafion ? In the
vifion of the Evangelift we find one appro
priate for t|iis mighty theme ; *• Holy, holy,
^oly Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and
is to come 1 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to re
ceive glory an(ji honour and power ; for thou
hafi created (ill things ; and for thy pleafure
they are, and were created^ ."
If there was any thing in this goodly work
to demand a fuperior ftraln of gratitude and
joy, it muft have been the formation of man,
the laft and nobleft work of God, who, though
the fhell of his body was faffiioned of the
duft of the earth, yet in his fpiritual part
• Job xxxviii, 7. , •'. Rev. iv. 8, 10.
wa^

122 Glory^to God in the 'highefi,
was made In the image and hkenefs of God.
The place, which he then held in the fcale of
the creation, is beautifully defcrlbed by the
Pfalmift, in a ftraln not unfuitable for the
harp of heavenly Beings : " Thou baft made
him a little lower than the Angels ; and haft
crowned him with glory and honour. Thbii
haft made hini to have dominion over the
works of thy hands ; and haft put all things
in fubjedion under his feet ; all flocks and
herds, the beafts of the field, the fowls of
the air, and the fiffies of the fea. O Lord
our Governor, how excellent is thy name in
all the W6rid ^ !"
There was one happinefe above the -reft,
which in this ftate of innocence he liberally
enjoyed, that he had continued Intercourfe
with heavenly Beings. God himfelf occa
fionally talked with him; and all the Sons
of light vifited his dwellings, and formed a
chain of harmony between heaven and earth.
This chain conditionally was to be clofer
drawn. If he •'obeyed one prohibitory law,
which was given him for the teft of his in
tegrity, he ffiould be removed in convenient
feafon, without tafting^ death, to the more
immediate prefence of God, and ffiould be
' Pfal. vlil. 5 — ^p. affociated

And on earth peaci, good will towards men. 123
affociated with celeftial Natures in the bliff-
ful exercife of praifing and magnifying God
for ever.
But this communion did not long fubfift,
nor was this profped long maintained. Too
foon for human peace our firft Parents yielded
to the fedudions of an enemy ; and mifery
followed their too fatal dlfobedlence. God
averted the light of his countenance from
them, and the Sons of God no longer vifited
the abodes of Men. One moft unhappy
confequence enffied. The guilt of their tranf
greffions entailed a moral corruption on all
the human race.
Neverthelefs, God would not abandon his
creatures to all the fatal effeds of their apo
ftafy. In the midft of judgement he remem
bered mercy ; which in the fulUefs of time
he refolved to exercife, in a way that man
could never have preffimed to hope. Mean
while fome partial communications were In
dulged to mortals by the miniftry of Angels.
But it was only on rare occafions, and to pe
culiar favourites of heaven, that an open and
audible conference was allowed. They re
peatedly vifited the Patriarchs ; they cheered
them In their wanderings with the affurance
of God's favour and the promife of better
things to come. They were prefent in the
miniftry

124 Glory to God in. the highefi,
miniftry of the Law, for that, Saint Stephen
teftifies, was given by the difpofition of An
gels^; Saint Paul affirms, that the word of
the Law was fpoken by Angels *; and it has
been conjedured, that a multitude of thefe
heavenly Beings comppfed the glory, of the.
Divine Prefence, whenever it was manlfefted
under that difpenfation. They alfo vifibly
appeared to fome of the Prophets. Thus
i^falah teftifies, that he faw the Lord fitting
Pu a high and lofty throne, and his train filled
the temple : And before his prefence the
Seraphim cried one to another in alternate
fong, " Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hofis I
The whole earth is full of his glory ^."
But an event pf much greater importance
was npw drawing nigh. That fcheme of
divine grace, which the Father of mercies
had determined in his counfqls, for reftpring
xp?it\ to his own image, and for reconciling
the world unto himfelf, was now to be put
in execution. For this high purpofe the
Son of God undertook for us what wei could
never do for ourfelves. In order to effed.
the miniftry of reconciliatipn, he cpnfented
tP leave the bofom of his Father, and ta
^Aasvii, 5,3. «Heb,ii, !^,
\ Ifa, yi. I, a, 3.
come

And an earth peace, good will tomards men. 123
Come among us in the body of our nature.
For fo it was expedient, that he might be
qualified to become a Mediator between
God and Man. When the fulnefs of time
was come, God fent forth his Son, to be
born indeed of a woman ^, but to be born out
of the ordinary courfe of nature, according to
the declaration of the Prophet, " Behold a
Virgin ffiall conceive and bear a Son**." It
had lately been the office of one of thefe
Children of light to announce the Virgin
Mary for the Mother of our Lord. And
when the promifed hour was come, the whole
band of Angels welcomed the event with
gratirlations. When they faw the means of
grace and the hopes of glory again expanded
to the race of men, they confidered this as
the dawn of a new Creation. For as far as
related to the fpiritual condition of mani
God herein had created all things new '.
And as they had priginally fung to the glory
of God at his creation, fo alfo at his renova
tion they fung to the fame effed. " Thus
when he bringeth in the firft begotten into
the world, he faith. And let all the Angels of
God worffiip him''."
8 Gal. iv. 4. 1" Ifa. vii. 14.
* Rev. xxi. 5. * Heb. i. 6. Pf. xcvii. 7. It

120 Glory to God in the highefit
it was fuitable to the benignant nature
of the Sons of God to Impart fuch welcome
tidings to the Sons of men. . But to whom
attiong the Sons of men ffiould they impart
them firft ? To the wife, the noble and the
great of this world? To thie Sages among. the
Heathens, to the Scribes among the Jews, to
Kings, to Captains, and to Counfellors ? AU
this in the fentiment of men Would have
been moft agreeable to , the dignity and ho--
nour of the Perfonage proclaimed. But thf
thoughts of God are not our thoughts, nei-*
ther are our ways his ways '. It was agree-*
able to his counfels in this economy of grace,
that the great Mediator between God and
Man ffiould come into the world in the
humbleft charader and ftation, yet at the
fame time ffiould retain fufficient evidence
of the divinity wifhln him. As being the
Son of God, the brightnefs of his Father's
glory and the image of his perfon, the bright-
eft Sons of light were employed to minifter
in his fervice, and to uffier him into the
wo«ld. As humbling himfelf to be made In
the Hkenefs of man, and even to take upon
him the form of a fervant, the perfons chofen
before all others to receive this truth were in
'Ifa.lv, 8. the

And on earth peace, good will towards men. 127
the Ibweft orders- of men and in the humbleft
cpnditiorrs of life. They were fhepherds at
tendant on their fljocks. Yet were they not
fo diftinguiffied, it may be reafonably pre-
fumed, but for fome cpngeniality of difpofi
tion and charader to the tidings now deli
vered. Employed in a peaceable and .lowly
occupation, they were free from thofe paf-.
fions and prejudices, which obfcured the un
derftandings and corrupted the hearts of men
in fuperior ftatlons and more public walks of
life. They probably came under the defcrip
tion, fo much approved by the Author <£
pur faith, pf being poor in fpirit and meek
and lowly in heart. And therefore they were
beft dlfpofed and beft qualified for the recep
tion of thofe glad tidings, which the band of
Angels had now to communicate.
: But let us attend to the relation of the
Evangelift, making fuch obfervatlons as the
ftory may fuggeft. -
And there were in the fame country Shepherds,
abiding in the field, keeping watch over their
fiock by night. And k, the Angel of the Lord
came upon them, and the glory of the Lord fhone
round about them; and they were fore -afraid.
Under the Law, whenever God gave jany fen
fible notice of his more immediate prefence,
he was invefted with fuch awful glories as
were

128 Glory to God in the highefi,
were the ground of apprehenfion and alarm.
Under the Gofpel he is prefented to hu
man regard in the milder charaders of grace.
The communication now to be made was a
matter not of terror, but of gladnefs. And the
Angel faid unto them. Fear not. For behold I
bring you good tidings of great joy which fhall be
to all people. The difpenfatlpn to be now im
parted had been invariably foretold by the name
of good tidings. Thus Ifaiah fays in addrefs to
that perfon, w^ho ffiould proclaim the com
ing of the Meffiah ; " O thou, that bringeft
good tidings to Sion, get thee up into the
high mountain : O thpu, that bringeft good
tidings to Jerufalem, lift Up thy voice with
ftrength, lift it up, be not afraid ; fay to
the cities of Judah, Behold your God "" !"
And thus he alfo fays in the perfon of that
Anointed, whom he repeatedly foretold ;
*' The Spirit of the Lord Is upon me; be
caufe he hath anointed me. He hath fent
me to publiffi good tidings to the poor"."
And furely thofe muft be tidings of great joy,
which offered healing to the broken-hearted,
and deliverance to the captives, and recover
ing of fight to the blind. The value of thefe:
tidings was incomparably the greater, that
" Ifa. xl. 9* » Ifa. Ixi. I. they

And on earth peace, good will towards men. 129
they were not to be liqiited to one nation
like the Jews, but were to be extended with
out r^ferve Or exception to all people. The
grace pf God was now publicly divulged,
which brought falvation indifferently to all
men.
For unto you is born this day, in the city of
David, a Saviour, who is Chrifi the Lord. He
is called a Saviour, agreeably to the language
of preceding communications. For thus he
is fignified in thofe feveral paffages of the
Prophets, which foretel him In the charac
ter of a Redeemer and Deliverer. And thus
was he announced by the Angel before his
birth, in the name, whjch w^s given him, of
Jefus, or a Saviour, for he ffiould fave his
people from their fins °; that is, he ffiould
redeein. them from the guilt and puniffiment
of fin, as well by his own facrifice for fin, as
hy preaching repentance for the remiffion of
fin. For both .by his dodrine and by his
fuffering he ffiould redeem them from all
iniquity, and purify to himfelf a peculiar peo
ple 2iealous of good works. He is alfo ftyled
by the name of Chrift the Lord, being the
fame perfon who- had been foretold by the
title of the Meffiah or Anointed ; which cha-
° Mat. I. 21.
K rader

130 i.Gl6ry to God in the highefi,
tadef he was to fulfil in the feveral capacItieSji
tp which anointing was the rite of confecration
among the Jews ; of a Prophet, in declaring
the whole counfel of God to man ; of a
Prieft, in offering facrifice, and making inter^
ceffion to God for man; of a King, in efta
bllffiing a fpiritual dominion on the earth, and
ruling in the power of God over man.
In the laft of thefe charaders he had been
reprefented by the Angel at the annunciation
of his Virgin Mother ; the fame not impro
bably, who now addreffed the ffiepherds,
when this promifed Heir was born : " He
ffiall be great, and fhall be called the Son of
the Higheft. .^nd the Lord God will give
Unto him the throne of his Father David.
And he ffiall reign over the houfe of Jacob
for ever ; and of his kingdom there ffiall be
no end P." With a reference to the fame
royal charader and lineage, the Angel de
clares him to be born In the City of David,
according to the prophecy of Micah ; " And
thou, Bethlehem In the land of Judah, art
not the leaft among the cities of Judah ; for
out of thee ffiall come a Gpvernor, who ffiall
rule my people Ifrael ^" • As being of. the
houfe and lineage of David according to the
P Luke I. 33, 33. 1 Mic. v, a. Mat. ii. 6.
. fleffi.

And on earth peace, good will towards men. 131
fleffi, he was born in the City of David. So
far indeed he condefcended to comply with
the carnal expedations of the Jews ; though
in all other circumftances of his birth he had
no external figns of a royal parentage. Not
withftanding the real dignity of his perfon
and charader as he was acknowledged in hea
ven, yet in the eyes of men he appeared in
every garb and clrcumftance of humility. As
the Prophet had foretold, " he had no form
nor comelinefs, when men fhould fee him ;
nor was his countenance ffich, that they
ffiould defire him ^" Accordingly the Angel
adds, " And this Jhall be a fign unto you ; Te
Jhall find the Babe wrapped in fwaddling clothes,
lying in a manger."
This lowly clrcumftance would have been
an ungrateful hearing to the Pharifees and
Scribes, to the wife and great of this world.
Predifpofed to receive him in a palace, they
would have turned with dlfappointment and
averfion from a fcene fo unworthy, as they
might conceive, of the promifed Heir. But
humble Shepherds had no ffich prejudices of
worldly ambition to impair the value of the
tidings given. Confcious of the bleffing now
imparted to the world, they were gratefully
' Ifa. liii. 2.
K 2, difpofed.

132' Glory to God in the highefi,
difpofed to receive this divine Perfonage itl
whatever form he came. And perhaps they
might eftimate the bleffing more, as it was
brought the nearer on a level to their ftations
and capacities.
This declaration of the Angel was immedi
ately followed by a fong of pralfe from the
full chorus of celeftial Beings : " And fuddenly
there, was with the Angel a multitude of the
heavenly Hofi, pfaifing God and faying. Glory to
God in the highefi, and on earth peace, good will
toward men J'
To glorify God is the conftant, as it is the
moft delightful tafk of thofe high orders of
Beings, who have the fupreme beatitude of
ftanding in the prefence and beholding the
face of God. They glorify him, as we have
the countenance of revelation for believing,
by celebrating all thofe attributes, in which
Confifts the excellence of his nature, that is
to fay, his power, by which he created, his
wifdom, by which he guides, and his juftice,
by which he control^ the world : above all
other charaders his goodnefs, by which he dif-
penfes far and Wide his benefits. They glorify
him for the happinefs, which they fo copioufly
enjoy themfelves, and which he diffiifes freely,
according to the nature of things and the ef
tabliffied order of his government, on the vaft
multi-

And on earth peace, good will towards men. 133
multitude of created Beings. This, as far as
we can colled from the book of Revelations,
is the general fubjed of their fong in heaven.
But when they fing on earth, and gladden
human ears with fong, they chufe a theme,
in which the fons of men have a clofer and
more immediate intereft. The, glory of God,
as it fills their hearts, ftill animates their
fong : but they fing his glory, as it operates
to the good of this inferior world : and
accordingly the fubjed of their fong on
this extraordinary occafion was, peace on
earth, and good will to men ; that is. They
afcribe glory to God for peace reftored be-:
tween Heaven and Earth, for good will re-
eftabliffied between God and Man, by the
Mediation of that Perfon, who is called in
prophetic language. The Prince of Peace.
Full of gratitude for the happinefs they enjoy
themfelves, they feel an intereft in feeipg
this happinefs diffufed among their fellow-
fervants upon earth ; and they gladly under
take to impart the tidings of this divine grace
to men.
And ftill animated by a zeal for their wel
fare and happinefs, they continue to forward
that great fcheme of redemption, which this
Jfrince of Peace has fo effedually accom-
K 3 pllffied.^

134 Glory to God m the highefi,
pliflied. Even while they behold their hea
venly Father's face, they" continually watch
over thofe who are babes in fpiritual things :
they keep the righteous in all their ways: they
minifter to them who ffiall be heirs of falva
tion. And as they ftrenuoufly labour to fub-
due that evil Spirit, who has ufurped fo muCh
power in the heart of man, 'fo they have fa
tisfadion in their conqueft; they rejoice even
in the prefence of God over one finner that
repenteth. Thus by affifting in the mili
tary conflid againft their fpiritual enemies
they promote the interefts of the Kingdom of
God among the Sons of men. And by in-
ftilllng into their hearts good dlfpofitlons and
defires they apply their endeavour, that his
will be done on earth, as it is in heaven ; be
ing animated with the w-elcome hope, that
they, whom they have once affifted in the
feverer tafk of difclpline, will be for ever af
fociated with them in the blifsful exercife of
gratitude and pralfe.
It remains for me now to make fome
pradical inferences from this engaging theme.
If Angels take delight In finging to the
glory of God for thofe great things which he
has done for men, it certainly behoves us to
follow

And on earth peace, good will towards men. 135
follow their example in a matter, in which
we have a much more immediate intereft
than they, to take their fong of pralfe, and to
fing it for ourfelves.
In this offering of gratitude it Is a pleafing
contemplation to us, that through the media
tion of his beloved Son the ear^ of God are
again open to our , devotions. The all-pre
vailing interceffion of our great high Prieft
has procured acceptance to all our offerings,
to the facrifice of our prayers and to the in-
cenfe of Our pralfes : and now we are privi
leged to addrefs him every where and at every
time, in glad affurance that. he is dlfpofed to
yield a favourable ear.
Yet let us not forget, that though we have
a powerful Advocate at the throne of hea
venly grace, our prayers and pralfes will af
cend in vain, unlefs they proceed from hearts
conformed to the will and charader of God.
In vain ffiall we attempt to glorify God_in
our fongs. If we do not alfo glorify him in
the temper of our minds and in the tenour
of our lives.
That we may fing with advantage to the
glory of God, for the bleffings that enfue to
us from the nativity of his Son, it is expedi
ent, firft, that we make our peace with God
by a fincere repentance of all our fins, and a
K 4 lively

136 Glory lo God- in the highefi,
lively faith in all his revelations ; and fecond-
ly, that we ftrive to maintain his favour by a
fleady cultivation of all thofe Chriftian graces,
which, are the fruits of a fincere repentance
and a lively faith : for inftance, in our per
fonal deportment, of purity of heart and
hollnefs of life ; in our duty towards men, ®f
juftice, charity, and peace ; In our duty to
wards God, of humility, patience, content,
and gratitude; On the whole, that we may
be qualified to fing with Angels to the glory
of God, it is incumbent on us to apply our
endeavours according to the purport of our
daily prayers, that his will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
But by no other means can we more effec
tually glorify God, than by copying his exam-*
pie in the moft glorious of his attributes, in
doing and dlffufing good to men. This we may
do in feveral ways ;• more efpecially, as we
may gather from the text, by labouring ac
cording to our ftatlons and capacities to pro
mote and eftabUffi peace on earth, and to
maintain or to reftore among mankind a fpi
rit of good will and benevolence one towards
another. For fo, as oxir Lord affirms, " fhall
we be the children of our heavenly Father,
who maketh his fun t© rife on the evil and
on the good, and fendeth rain on the juft and

And on earth peace, good will towards men. 137
and on the unjuft." Or to extend our bene
volence from temporal to fpiritual concerns,
we. may imitate God in his goodnefs more ef
fentially, by labouring to promote. their peace
with heaven, and to place them in a condi
tion for acceptance and good will v/ith God.
This alfo we may do by feveral means ; by In
terceffion to God in their behalf ; by admoni
tion, exhprtatlon, and reproof ; and above all
by the filent yet moft perfuafive argument of
a good example. This our Lord himfelf ad-
yifes, as an effedual means of rendering glory
to God ; " Let your light fo ffiine before
men, that they may fee your good works, and
glorify your Father which is in heaven."
While thus we glorify God in the temper
pf our hearts and in the tenour of our lives,
we ffiall bring our dlfpofitlons in unifon with
thofe, who continually ftand before the throne
of God ; we ffiall harmonize our afiedlons to
the melodies of the heavenly Sion, and ffiall
prepare ourfelves in fome degree to bear our
part In the chorus of celeftial fong ; when
having made our peace with heaven, and ob
tained acceptance and gopd will with God,
we ffiall find it not merely our delightful of
fice, but oiir moft honourable privilege, our
fupreme beatitude, to fing glory to God in
the higheft. Of

133 Glory to God in tlve highefi, &c^
Of this bleffed exerclfe feme brief examples
are given us by the beloved Difciple and
Evangelift Saint John, who was admitted
even in the body to look into the heaven of
heavens, to fee the glories, and to hear the
melodies of that blifsful realm. All thefe no
doubt are recorded for our edification in a
ftate of difclpline. May we therefore fo me
ditate upon the fubjeds they prefent, as to
be qualified through the mercies and the
gi-ace of God to partake hereafter in thefe
heavenly ftralns !
" Hallehjah I for the Lord God omnipotent
reigneth-r-The Kingdoms of this world are be
come the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his
Chrifi; and he fhall reign for ever and ever ; — •
King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. — Great
and marvellous are thy works. Lord God Al
mighty: Jufi and true are thy ways, thou King
of Saints. — Bleffing and honour and> glory- and
power be unto him that fitteth upon the throne
and unto tfoe Lamb for ever and ever^."
* Rev. xix. 6, xi. i^. xix. i6, xv. 3, v, 13,

SERMON VI.

Matthew iv, 23.'
And Jefus went, about aJLl Galilee, teaching in their fyna
gogues, and preaching the Gofpel of the Kingdom, and
healing all manner offickhefs and all manner of difeafe
among the people.
1 HE Apoftle in thefe words rela!tes the
tranfadions of Jefus Chrift at the beginning-
of his miniftry ; all which difplayed an ac
tive and unwearied zeal both for the fpiri
tual and the temporal welfare of men. And
as he perfevered, while he abode on earth, in
the pradice of the fame benevolent opera
tions, they' form a compendious hiftory of
his human life, and they prefent a general
view of his miffion and charader! At the
fame time they dehnea!te, what I propofe for
the fubjed of our prefent meditation, the
method and economy employed by the Au
thor of our faith, in preaching the Gofpel of
his kingdorn through the world.
*? The wifdom of God has adopted various modes

140 And Jefus went about all Galilee,,
modes of reprefenting his nature and of im
parting his will to men. To the Heathens
he was manlfefted in the operations of his
providence. In the beauty and order of the
vvorks of nature, In the grateful vlciffitudes
of the feafons, in the general and impartial
-diftribution of genial funs and ffiowers, they
might readily contemplate the great Founder
and Upholder of the univerfe in all his attri
butes of power and wifdom and benevolence.
From this conception of*' his nature they
might reafonably Infer, by what kind of fer
vice they might pleafe him beft, and render
him their Friend. But this train of inference
was very rarely drawn among the nations of
the Heathens, excerpt by a very few of fupe
rior penetration . and reflexion : And even
among thefe it feldom produced any folid In
fluence on their moral pradice ; fince they
continued to do what was right in their own
eyes, and to confult their own pleafure rathey
than the will of God.
To the Children of Ifrael he was ffiewn in
a fuller and more confpicuous manner. Be
fide an immediate communication under Mo
fes the Minlfter of the Legal Economy, he
revealed himfelf to all the people by figns
and by wonders beyond the ordinary courfe
of nature. Having inflided an exemplary vengeance^

Teaching in their fynagogu&s, &Ci 141
vengeance on their Egyptian tyrants, he
wrought their deliverance by a mighty hand.
He divided the red fea before them, and di
reded -their march through the bottom of
the deep. He went before them in the
pillar of a cloud by day and of fire by night.
Thus having prepared them by unqueftiona
ble tokens of his immediate prefence, and
having ratified them by fpecial teftimonles
for a chofen generation, a peculiar people, h©
gave them a Law in thunders and Ilght-
'nings from Mount Sinai. This method of
communicating his counfek was no doubt
very powerful and impreffive. But then it
was calculated not fo much to conciliate as
to alarm. It compelled by fear rather than
engaged by love. And highly as they were
diftinguiffied above all other people by this
divine vifitation, they flirunk with trembling
from this awful fcene, as appears from their
fupplication to Mofes, " Speak thou with us^r
and we will hear ; but let not God fpeak
with us, left we die *,"
In the laft Revelation of himfelf by the Gof
pel he has taken a method Which Is equally
conciliating and impreffive. In this difpenfa
tion of united grace and truth he appears In a
" Exod, XX, 19. clearer

142 AM Jefus went about all Galilee f
clearer and more expreffive way, than through
the operations of nature ; yet he does not
break. upon us, as he did under the miniftry
of the Law, in the overwhelming fplendours
of his divinity ; but he comes before us in a
more endearing and familiar form. The
Word of God, the organ of divine counfelsy
the effufion of his glory, the image of his
perfon, condefcends to dwell among us.
Shrouding the feverities of the Godhead from
human eye, he prefents himfelf to our con
templation in the form and charader of
man : and this , not by a temporary fem
blance, but by an entire affumption of our
nature, not in occafional appearance, but
through all the ftages of human life. In this
combination of the divine and human na
ture, -though the divine glory was veiled,
yet the divine energy remained. In him
dwelt bodily all the fulnefs of the Godhead.
But tp -engage the affedipn, as well as the
veneration of men, to draw them by the
bonds of gratitude and love, as well as to
control them by the power of his authority,
he fubmitted to pafs through life like one of
us ; and he took the moft interefting and af-
fedlng means to induce our allegiance to
his government and our obedience to his
law. What

Teaching in tlieir fynagogues, &c. 143
What engages our attention firft in the
liiftory of bis human life is his adive and un
wearied application to promote the good and
w-elfare of mankind. Though famenefs of
charader might, difpofe him to perpetual
converfe with his^ heavenly Father, yet while
he dwelt on earth, he promoted the counfel,
he performed the will of God by a free and
conftant intercourfe with men. He went
, about doing good : he , fpared no labour, he
omitted no opportunity, to teach, them the
way of truth, and to guide them in the path
to everlafting life.
L The leading purpofe of our. Saviour's
miffion, whether we regard him in his pro
phetic or his kingly charader, was to publiffi
the good tidings, or to preach the Gofpel of the
Kingdom; that is, to proclaim and to com
municate a new Difpenfation of divine grace
and truth, which had been foretold from ear
lieft times, and had been the final theme of
all preceding revelation. Of this great order
Jefus Chrift himfelf was both the Prophet
and the King, He came to be the light and
the life qf men. , He unfolded all the myf
teries of divine knowledge ; he Imparted all
the treafures of divine grace. While he ex
pofed- the corruption, the error, the infuffi- ciency

144 And Jefus went about all Galilee,
clency of men, he offered himfelf to them a
Phyfician, a Guide, and an Affiftant. He
gave them the confolation of fpiritual health
•upon repentance toward God and faith In
him. He direded- them in that way of ho
llnefs, which terminates in happinefs. He
affured them on their prayers of the free
grace of heaven, to ftrengthen and fupport
them in all their labours after righteoufnefl.
And on condition of their allegiance to his
government, he fet before them the adoption
of fons Into the houfehold of God, and the
Inheritance of fons in the kingdom of hea
ven. Thus all his ads and offices on earth
have been direded to this beneficial end, to
turn men from darknefs unto light, and from
the power of Satan unto God.
The fame wifdom and benevolence, fo con
fpicuous in all his dodrines, may be traced
in the method or economy employed In com
municating his Gofpel to the world. To
enlarge the fphere of his beneficence he fre-^
quented the places of public worffiip. • He
taught in their fynagogues,- being glorified of
all. But the exercife of his miniftry was not
limited to time, or place. As he went about
doing good, he made ufe of all times and
places and opportunities.- In the city, or in
the wildernefs, on a mountain, or on the
fea-

Teaching in their fynagogues, &c. 14'5
fea-ffiore. In the public temple, or in the pri
vate houfe, with his chofen dlfciples, or with
a promifcuous multitude, among the rich and
great, and among the poor and humble, with
Pharifees and Scribes, and with Publicans and
finners, he was equally employed in execut
ing that work, for which he came into the
world. On fome occafions he delivered his doc
trines in a more profeffed and continued form
of difcourfe ; efpecially in the Sermon on the
Mount; wherein he afloniffied the people
with his dodrine, for he taught them in a
manner very different from the Scribes, and
In a tone of authority as an immediate Mi
nifter of God. Inthe opening of his fermon
he ffiews himfelf a Teacher of a far fuperior
kind, fince he pronounces the beatitudes of
his kingdom on tempers or dlfpofitlons very
different from thofe, which ufually engage
the cultivation and attrad the applaufe of
men, on dlfpofitlons produdive of vital ho
llnefs, and conducive to genuine and fub-
ftantial happinefs. But while he inculcates
more godlike dlfpofitlons and propofes a more
heavenly -recompence than the ciiftomary
teachers of the Jews, he difelalms all inten
tion of abrogating or even impairing the
fpirit of the Mofaic Law. He had no defign
...1: L to

J4i6 And Jefus went about &ll Galilee,
tp eftabliffi a religion altogether new, but td
' ^ve life and energy to the old, to fulfil the
typical, to illuftrate amd improve the moral,
In particular what the Law forbade in ad,
he forbade in meditation and in thought;
what the Law enjoined in the letter, he en
joined in the fpirit ; and what was cultivated
in the form, he eftabliffied in the heart. _ He
taught the people, what they could not l^rn
from thofe who were Mafters In Ifrael, to
lay up treafures not on earth, but in heaven ;
to give their fervice not to Mammon, but to
God ; and inftead of a fretful folicitude for
the neceilarles of this life, to feek before all
pther things the kingdom of Gpd and his
righteoufnefs, and to confide in his provl-.
dence for the fupply of every need. He taught
them not tp truft to a m?re profeffion of
their faith, but to ffiew their profeffion in
their pradice : for not the callers pn his
name> but the doers of his will fhould hav«
admlffipn into his heavenly kingdpm..
But his common way of teaching was by
eafy and familiar converfatlon ; in which fee
was always ready to avail himfelf of every in-*
cjldent^l clrcumftance, which might be made
fubfervient to the purpofe of inftrudion.
Whatever fcerie appeared in view, whatever
topic of difcourfe arofe, he rendered it amar-
gument

l^eachhig in their fynagogues, &c. 147
¦gument or vehicle of moral and fpiritual
truth. Thus on meeting the woman of Sa
maria at the well, he took occafion from the
clrcumftance before him to recommend thofe
living waters, which he alone was able to
beftow. And when a reference enfued tp
that violent fchifm then fubfifting between
the Jews and the Samaritans refpeding the
proper feat of public worffiip, he affured her
that the time was come, when there ffiould
neither be local feat, nor peculiar people fet
apart for the fervice of God; for that all divine
worffiip, in whatever place It was j>aid, and
by whatever people It was offered, would be
impartially accepted, provided it was offered
In a way moft agreeable to his charader, in
fpirit and in truth.
In all his Inftrudions, whether given in a
continued form of difcourfe, or in colloquial
converfatlon; he frequently reforted to the
language of Parable ; In which by fenfible
and material images he delineated rnoral and
fpiritual truths. Thus in the opening of his
Sermon on the Mount he calls his Dlfciples
the Salt of the earth; by which he fignified,
that they were to purify and preferve man
kind from all moral corruption : he calls
them the Light of the world ; by which ho
alfo fignified, that they were to illuminate
L 2 the

i'48 And Jefus went about all Galilee,
the worid by their dodrine, their converfa
tlon, and their example.
Thus alfo in the clofe of the fame difcourfe
he reprefents the indifpenfable agreement of
the heart and the life by a good tree bearing
good fruit, and a corrupt tree bearing evil
fruit. In fequel to which he likens the man,
who hears his words, and does them, to a
wife man, who built his houfe upon a rock ;
fo that it was able to withftand the violence
of every ftorm. On the other hand he
compares the man, who hears his words and
does them not, to a fooliffi man, who built
his houfe upon the fand, fo that it was un
able to refift the contention of the elements.
In the progrefs of his miniftry, a change is
perceptible in the ftyle of his parable. From
the brief fimilitude or metaphor it Is expanded
into the fuller form of continued narrative ;
as is moft obfervable in that feries of para
bles, which he fpoke from a ffiip on the
coaft of the fea of Galilee to the multitude
extended on the ffiore. For this change
of ftyle a reafon is affigned. In anfwer to
the inquiry of his dlfciples, why he fpoke to
the multitude in parables. They Were fo
much under the influence of prejudice and
paffion, that they were not competent at the
time to receive the myfteries of the kingdom of

Teaching in their fynagogues, &c. I4g
of heaven. And therefore, as in ancient
times the counfels of divine providence and
grace had been reprefented to their Fathers
under the types and ffiadows of the Legal eco
nomy, fo when thefe counfels were at length
fulfilled in the Gofpel difpenfation, they were
ftill for a time reprefented under the veil of
parable, which might gradually be removed,
as the ffiades of paffion and prejudice were
difperfedfrom their underftandings, and their
hearts. Yet may it be obferved, that this anfwer
of our Lord applies more diredly to that clafs
of parables, which he fpoke on that occafion ;
ffich as the Sower, the Tares among the
Wheat, the Muftard feed in the field, the
Leven in the mafs of meal. All thefe being
prophetic pidures of the rife and progrefs,
the ' condition and conftitution of the Mef
fiah's kingdorn, may be claffed under thofe
myfteries, which it was not expedient for the
common people to apprehend, till the whole
fcheme of this revelation was fulfilled. He
told thefe things before they came to pafs,
that when they were come to pafs, they might
believe. But though the parables, more . expreffive
of the myfteries of the Gofpel, were not
open at the time to the apprehenfions of the
L 3 people

150 And Jefus went about all Galilee,
people In general, nor even of the Difciples,
before they were expounded to them by
their Lord; yet whatever were of pradical
defign and ufe, feem not to have been con
cealed from the underftandings of thofe who
had ears to hear ; that is, who had faculties^
or rather difpofitlons to receive the truth*
Thus whatever might be the partial and
temporary defign of fpeaking to the multi
tude- of Our Saviour's time and age in para
bles, they will be found, in their general ap
plication to the Chriftian world, to embrace
thefe great advantages, that they illuftrate
and exemplify moral truth, that they give
an agreeable exercife to the underftanding,
and that they leave a durable impreffion on
the memory.
The parables comprehend a very fpacious
field of Inftrudion, In fome are propheti
cally reprefented the rife and progrefs> the
nature and conftitution of the Gofpel Eco
nomy, Of this complexion are thofe in ge
neral, in which the Kingdom of heaven Is
likened to any image, whether on the face of
nature, or In civil or domeftic life. Thus
our Lord compares himfelf, as a Preacher of
the Gofpel, to a Sower going forth to few
his grain, which failed in various ways> or
throve in various degrees, according to the
qualities

Teaching in their fjfnagagUes, &c. 151
qualities of the foil on which it fell. In
fome Is manlfefted the economy , of divine
providence and grace to men. Thus the
difpofition of God toward repenting finners
is reprefented by a father receiving a re
covered prodigal with every token of eom
paffion and tendernefs, of pardon and of
peace. In fome are delineated the feveral
duties of the Chriftian life. Thus the duty
of neighbourly love, the peculiar charader of
the Chriftian profeffion, is pourtrayed in the
cafe of the bene-volent Samaritan, who find
ing a traveller half e±pirlng on the road, has
an adive eompaffion on him, and treats him
with every kind of hofpitable care^ In feme
are difplayed the great motives of obedience
in the retributive juftice of God, as is in-
ftanced in a Lord or a Prince delivering to
his Servants talents, which they were required
to ufe, and for which afterwards he called
them to account, and rewarded or puuiffied
them according as they had improved or neg-
leded their feveral trufts.
Another manner of teaching, ftill more
impreffive than thefe, was by Example. And
this, it may be prefumed, was one of the
reafons in the divine counfels, why the Son of
God ffiould come among us In our nature,
that of all thofe virtues, which he taught in
L 4 his

1 52 And Jefus went about all Galilee,
his dodrine, he might be a pattern to us in
his life. , The advantage of example to re
commend inftrudion is univerfally allowed.
The example of a teacher is not only the
fureft argument of his fincerity, it is alfo the
beft illuftration of his dodrine. Thereby he
reprefents the virtues that he teaches, not in
femblance or in pldure, but in fubftance and
in adual life. And. while he points out 'the
path of duty, he gives us encouragement to
walk therein. But the beft examples among
the fons of men are imperfed. Among all
human teachers of moral truth the life Is not
uniformly corred and faultlefs as the pre-.
cept. The light, which they exhibit fo clear
in the dodripe, has fome portion of ffiade in
the pradice. Even the Prophets and right
eous men, whom our Lord himfelf Com
mends, were not fo exempt from the common
frailty of our nature, as to be entirely pure
from errors and Infirmities in their lives. And
therefore, when we take them for models of
condud, it behoves us to copy them with
fome degree of caution and referve. — It is
the peculiar charader of our holy Teacher,
that his life on earth was entirely free from
every moral ffiade, that he was a perfed
nlodel of every moral excellence. Though
fubjed to our infirmitiess, and in all points
tempted

Teaching in their fynagogues, ^c. 153
.tempted like as we are, yet he was continu-
.ally pure from all taint of fin. And in every
adive and In every paffive virtue ^.e has left
.us an example, that we ffiould fellow his
fteps, who did no fin, and who fulfilled all
righteoufnefs. Indeed, there are many jparts of his life on
earth, which as they belong to his divine and
mediatorial charader, are not for men to
imitate ; for inftance, when he performed
miracles, and when he forgave fins. Yet
the moral, which is difplayed in thefe feveral
ads of authority, is not beyond the reach of
human cultivation. If we are not able to
follow him in performing miracles, yet we
may take for our pattern in the ordinary
courfe of nature that example of benevolence
to the body, which he performed by the im
mediate hand of God. According as we have
received of the gifts of providence, we may
communicate to others by feeding the hun
gry, by comforting the fick, by folaclng the
maladies, and by foftening the afflidions of
human life. If we muft not preffime to fol^
Ipw him in remitting fins, yet we may take
for our pattern In the ordinary courfe of grace
that example of benevolence to the foul,
which he performed by an Immediate autho rity

154 And Jefus ioent about all Galilee,
rity from heaven. According to our ftation
or influence in fociety, we may take oppor
tunities to admoniffi, to exhort, and to re-<
prove, fo as to convince the finner of his er-
TPrs, to move him to repentance, and to re
concile him to God.
The fame emiaence of charader precludes
him from being an immediate objed of hu
man imitation in fome points of difeipline,
which form an effential exercife in the fpiri
tual life of his followers. As being an objed
of faith himfelf, he could not be a pattern of
faith to others. As being without fin, he
could not be a -pattern of repentance. Yet
in thefe feveral. points bis preeminence of
tharader contains an energy of inftrudion,
fuperior In fome manner to dired example.
If we do not adually fee him a pattern of
faith, yet while we contemplate him in every
relation that he bears to man, as a Prophet,
as a Prieft, and as a King, we fee him a liv-'
ing and perffiading Guide in every point,
which is neceffary to our pardon and juftlfi
cation with God, If we do not fee him a
pattern of repentance, yet while we contem
plate him as bearing our griefs and carrying
our forrows, as wounded for our tranfgreffions
and bruifed for our iniquities, we fee him
a living-

Teaching in their fynagogues, &c. 135
a Irving and perffiading Precept to mourn for
our own tranfgreffions and to forrow for our
own iniquities.
But in every branch of hplinefs, whether
in difpofition or pradice. We may without
exception immediately look unto Jefus, the
Author and Finiffier of our faith, who has
exemplified in his life, whatever he has incul
cated in his dodrine. While he taught us
by his precept, he equally taught us in his
own perfonal deportment, to deny ungodli-
nefs and worldly lufts-, and to live foberly,
righteoufly, and godly in this prefent world.
In humility of fpirit, in meeknefs of temper,
and In purity of heart, in eompaffion and
forbearance, in mercy and charity to men, in
piety and refignatlon, in truft and patience
towards God, we may take him for a fure
and unqueftionable Guide. When therefore
we receive him as a Teacher come from God,-
It concerns -US, not only to attend his precepts
and obferve his laws, but to ftudy his life,
and to contemplate his charader, that on fo
complete a model we may regulate our
own. Indeed after all we do, we ffiall fall infi
nitely ffiort of that unblemiffied, of that
perfed charader, whom we profefs to imi
tate. For In this imperfed ftate of our na
ture

156 And Jefus went about all Galilee,
ture we, ffiall be neither free from fin, nor
ffiall we be able to make any great advance
In righteoufnefs: But provided we fincerely
obey him, and faithfully follow him with all
our heart and might, in the word that he
has left, and In the example that he has
given, we have every encouragement to hope,
notwithftanding all our errors and deficiencies,
through his merits and by his aid to have an
Intereft in the glad tidings that he came to
impart, and finally to have an entrance into
the everlafting Kingdom of our Lord and
Saviour Jefus Chrift.
II. In concurrence with this ad of mercy
to the fpiritual ftate of men was the atten
tion, that he paid to their temporal benefit
and welfare. While he was thus benefi
cially employed in preaching the Gofpel of the
kingdom, he omitted no opportunities of heal
ing all manner officknefs and all manner ofdifecfe
among the people. Though the latter of thefe
gracious works was in fubfervience to the
former, yet was it of Important ufe in thefe
two refpeds, as it gave an evidence of his mif- ,
fion, and was an illuftration of his charader.
, Whenever God is pleafed to manifeft:
himfelf to men, he is pleafed at the fame
time to give fome token or evidence that the
mani-

Teaching in their fynagogues, &c. 157
'tfianifeftation is of God. In the common or
der of providence he reveals himfelf no other-
wife, than in the common operations of na
ture. Even in the darkeft ages of the Hea
then world he did not leave mankind with
out fome witnefs or memorial of himfelf;
inafmuch as the whole fyftem and order of
created things bore abundant evidence of the
divine Artificer. Well therefore does the
Apoftle reafon in his addrefs to the Lycao-
nians, when he fought to turn them from
the vanities they worffilpped, to ferve the
living God who made heaven and earth and
all things that are therein ; " Although in
times paft he fuffered all nations to walk in
their own ways ; neverthelefs he left not
himfelf without witnefs, in that he did good,
and gave us rain from heaven and fruit
ful feafons, filling our hearts with food and
gladnefs ^ "
But when he would reveal himfelf in a more
peculiar manner by a fpecial embafly from
heaven, he teftified this embafly by miracu
lous deviations from the ordinary laws of na
ture. Thus when Mofes was appointed an
Embaffador of God, his legation was efta
bliffied by figns and by wonders and by a
^ ASs xiv. 17. mighty

i5S And Jefus went about all Galilee,
mighty hand and by an outftretched arm, as
exerted In the plagues of Egypt, the exod of
Ifrael, and the delivery of the Law. All
which being out of the ordinary fphere pf
nature were unqueftionable teftimonles, that
his miffion 'was derived frpm him, who has
the control of nature and of nature's laws.
And when another Minifter of Heaven, a
greater than Mofes, even the Son of God,
the Anointed of the Lprd, appeared, he was
equally invefted with preternatural tefti
monles of his miffion and charader. He
was uffiered into the world by the fong of
Angels, and by the guidance of an extraordi
nary Star. And when he entered upon his
miniftry, the fpirit of God defcended upon
him in a vifible form, and a voice ' from
heaven proclaimed him the beloved Son of
God. In various manners through the courfe
of his miniftry did he exercife a ftrong com
mand over the laws of nature, as when he
walked upon the fea, or when he bjide the
llorm to ceafe, and the winds and the waves
were ftill. But the common evidence of his
miffion and the common exercife of his au
thority were moft in harmony with thofe
good tidings of the kingdom, which It was
the purpofe of his coming to impart. His
miracles In general were ads of mercy and
com-

Teaching in: their fynagogues, ^c. 159
CompafiSon, Hjs preternatural power was
very rarely exerted, but for the moft benefi
cial, the moft falutary purpofes. To give
evidence pf his authority to preach the gof
pel of the kingdom, " he healed all manner of
ficknefs and all manner of difeafe among the
people." In fequel to which it Is further
faid, that " his fame went through all Syria ;
and they- brought unto him all fick people,
that were taken with divers difeafes and tor-
meptg, and thofe which were poffeffed of
devil?, and thofe which were lunatic, and
thpfe which had the palfy ; and he healed
them." In almoft every chapter of the Gofpel,
which is not entirely occupied by his doc
trine, we meet with fome ad or miracle of
eompaffion. There was no malady, however
fevere or inveterate, which he did not in-
ftantaneoufly fubdue. With a touch or at a
word, not only in the prefence of the fuffer
ing objed, but alfo at a diftance, the varijous
forms of human mifery fli^d. Thi? eyes of the
blind were opened, the ear? of the deaf were
unftopped, the tongue of the dumb was
tuned, to the fevered was given the cheer
ing glpw of health, to the palfied the re
covered ufe of limbs, and foundnefs of under
ftanding to the demoniacs. To the multi tude.

l60 And Jefus went about all Galilee,
tude, who were pining with hunger in the
wildernefs, he repeatedly adminiftered a mi
raculous fupply. But to give a fuller tefti
mony of his miffion and charader, he repeat
edly called the departed fpirit into the infen-
fate corfe. Thus he feverally raifed to life
the daughter of Jalrus on her bed, the
young man of Nain on his bier, and the
man of Bethany from the tomb. And there
fore well might he appeal to thofe extraordi
nary powers as an evidence not to be dif-
proved, that he was the Perfon, whom the
company of Prophets had foretold, who was
to come from God to confer fome great
and unexampled good on men. " Go, and
fliew John again the things which ye do hear
and fee : The blind receive their fight, and
the lame walk, the lepers are cleanfed, and'
the deaf hear, the dead are raifed up '."
All thefe miraculous ads were not only
infallible figns of his being a Teacher come
from God : but they alfo illuftrate that pe
culiar purpofe for which he came to men.
In their moft important and comprchenfive
aim they gave a moral evidence of his au
thority to impart a much more valuable and
enduring good. In all thefe energies of mer-
*¦ Mat. xi. 5. cv

Teaching in their fynagogues, &c. l6l
cy he may be underftood to preach the good
tidings of the kingdom, as every miracle,
that he performed on the body, might be
conftrued into a pledge and fymbol of that
grace and eompaffion, which he adminiftered
to the foul. Did he open the eyes of the
blind ? He equally reftored the moral fight
of men, he removed the film of fpiritual
darknefs, and opened to them the light of
heavenly truth. Did he reftore to the palfied
the ufe of their limbs ? He alfo renovated
the . Intelledual faculties of men with the
ftrengthening and fupporting grace of God.
Did he cleanfe the lepers ? He was no lefs
competqnt to cleanfe the foul from every
moral taint, and to fay to the confcious . of
their guilt. Your fins be forgiven you. pid
•he caft evil fplrits out of the bodies of men ?
He had alfo authority to difpoffefs their fouls
of the fame malignant enemies, and to dif-
card from their hearts every finful paffion
and propenfity. Did he fupply the multi
tude, when they hungered In the wildernefs,
with food? He alfo adminiftered to all man
kind In their fpiritual Indigence the true
bread that cometh down from heaven, the
bread that nouriffieth to eternal life. Did
he raife the dead to life ? In that very chief
of miracles he fhewed his power to reani-
M mate

102 And Jefus went a%out all Galilee,
mate mankind who were fpiritually dead, to
raife them from the death of fin to the life of
righteoufnefs. To this purpofe therefore we
may prefume it was, that to the teftimonles,
which he gave of his miffion in his miracles
of healing, he added this, as moft; Illuftrative
of his own charader and alfo that of his doc
trine ; " And the poor have the Gofpel
preached unto them."
III. One clrcumftance remains to be con
fidered in the Economy of our Saviour's mi
niftry on earth, to which we are direded by
the words of the Text ; namely, the Scene,
on which it was exercifed ; which induces
and involves a confideration of greater weight,
the People, to whom it was addreffed.
Though the benefits of his miffion were
intended for the whole race of men through
all the peopled earth, yet his perfonal mini-
¦ftry was neceffarlly limited to a certain range
of country and a certain community of men.
Now what region was more fuitable for the
fcene of his miniftry, than the fame land of
Paleftine, which from the time of Abraham had
'been diftinguiffied by the more peculiar pre
fence of God ? And to what people could he
manifeft himfelf to more advantage and ef
fed, than to the chofen Race of Ifrael, to
whom

Teaching in their fynagogues, ^c. 1^3
whom fi^om ancient time God had revealed
his will and had imparted the promlfe of this
fpiritual kingdom ?
Of this trad of country the principal fcene-
of his miniftry was the land of Qahlee ; a
region, proverbially dlfparaged by the Jews
in the precinds of Jerufalem, yet preordained
of heaven for the firft promulgation of the
Gofpel. For fo it had been foretold by the
Prophet Ifaiah ; " Though in the , former
time he debafed, yet in the latter time he
ffiall render glorious, the land of Zebulon
and the land of Naphthall, even the way of
the fea beyond Jordan, Galilee pf the Gen
tiles. The people, that walked in d,a,rkne.fs,
have feen a great light : They that dwelt 1^
the land of the ffiadow of death, upon them
hath the light ffiined"^." In this land of
Galilee did our Lord begin to preach the
Gofpel of the kingdom ; from this he princi
pally chofe his twelve Apoftles ; through this
he made repeated circuits, diftingUiffiing his-
progrefs with the grace and energy of his
words and works ; yet occafionally travel
ling through Samaria, Judea, and the re
gion beyond Jordan, and paying frequent
^ Ifa. Ix. I, 2. Mat. iv. 1.5, 16,
M 2 vifitS

l64 And Jefus went about all Galilei;
vifits to Jerufalem, efpecially at the public
Fcafts, Though he came to be the light of the
World, yet he came more immediately to
the houfe of Ifrael. To them before other
nations the Kingdom of heaven was an
nounced and the terms of acceptance were
propofed. But here again it merits obferva
tion, that while for the fcene of his miniftry
he preferred the dlfparaged land of Galilee to
the land of Judea, diftinguiflied as it was for
the city and temple of Jerufalem, fo alfo he
chofe to addrefs his converfatlon to the com
mon people and the poor, rather than to the
rich and great. Thus the perfons, whom he
chofe at the commencement of his mini
ftry for the companions of his travels, the
witnefles of his words and works, and the
future Apoftles of his Gofpel, were taken out
of the humbleft orders of life, the moft me
morable of them being fifliermen on the fea
of Galilee. To this diftindion they were
raifed, not on account of any extraordina
ry talent or endowment, but for their hu
mility of difpofition and their readinefs of
faith on the earlieft teftimony to receive him
for a Teacher come from God ; though in
deed it is evident from the fequel of their life

Teaching in their fynagogues, &c. l65
life and converfation, that they were flow in
apprehending the true nature of his mif
fion and the final purpofe of his coming into
the world.
Thus alfo he did not feek the fociety of
thofe, who profeffed a fuperior knowledge of
the Law, and claimed to themfelves extraor
dinary merit from a ftrid obfervance of its
inftitutlons. He did not addrefs himfelf to
the wife in their own conceits, or the
righteous in their own efteem, as was the
general charader of the Pharifees and Scribes,
the Chief Priefts and Elders of the Jews. He
was not difpofed to wafte the precious over
tures of Gofpel grace on thofe, who were
totally averfe to receive it ; though he did
not omit opportunities, when they fell in his
way, of friendly, though unwelcome admo
nition and reproof. But his attentions were
paid more diredly to thofe, who were favour
ably dlfpofed toward his perfon and mlniflry;
efpecially to fuch as felt their deficiency In
fpiritual attainments, and were anxious to
receive inftrudion and affiftance ; to ffich as
were fenfible of their deviations from right
eoufnefs, and were anxious to obtain the
pardon and the peace of God ; to Publicans
and finners, to thofe, whom the Pharifees
and Scribes confidered as ftrangers to the co
al 3 ven ant

l66 And Jefus went about all Galilee,
venant of promife and aliens from the com
monwealth of Ifrael. Wherever he came,
by the power of his words and works he was
diftinguiffied for a Minifter of divine gfaCe
and truth; his fame went through all the
land ; and from every part of Paleftine thefe
followed him great multitudes of people,
who were anxious to hear his voice, and to
be healed of their Infirmities.
Nor did he confine his regard to thofe,
who were pure in their defcent from Abra
ham, and corred in their obfervance of the
Law of Mofes. In his travels through Sa
maria he did not hefitate to extend the bene
fits of his Gofpel to the people of that coun
try, whofe defcent from Abraham was alloyed
with Gentile blood, and whofe Law of Mo
fes was corrupted with many heathen fu-
perftitions and idolatries. Thus he entered
into an inftrudive converfation at the well
of Sychar with a woman of that nation, to
whom he fignified his charader, and offered
the benefits of his Gofpel. And when the
Samaritans in confequence of her report came
out to meet him, he congratulated his Difci
ples on the profped of that fpiritual harveft
now ripening in their view. And for the
few days that he tarried among them, he
made fo great a progrefs In their converfion, that

Teaching in their j^nagogues, &c. 107
that many believed on him becaufe of his
word ; and having heard him themfelves,
they acknowledged that he was indeed the
Chrift, the Saviour of the world ^.
The Samaritans might have fome pr^ten-
fions to a common notice with the Jews, in
afmuch as they acknowledged the fame Law of
Mofes, and bpafted of the fame Defcent from
Abraham. But as opportunities arofe, he did
not fcruple to extend the benefits of his miffion
to thofe, who had no ffiadow of title, either
by profeffion of faith, or by diftindipn of li
neage, to the privileges of God's peculiar
people. Indeed as the fcene of his perfonal
miniftry was confined to the land of Palef
tine, fo the immediate benefits of his miffion
were in a good meafure limited to the Houfe
of Ifrael. But inftances occur in the Gofpel
hiftory, of his admitting the Gentiles, when
they came in his way,' to the fame common
benefits both temporal and fpiritual. Thus
immediately after his Sermon on the Mount,
when he was entered into Capernaum, he re
ceived a fupplication from a Roman Centu
rion, in behalf of his fervant, who lay at his
houfe feverely afflided with the palfy. Jeffis
did not hefitate to anfwer, that he would
'John iv. j — ^42..
M 4 come

JL68 And Jefiis went about all Galilee,
come and heal him : But while he was on
the way, he received a fecond meffage from
the Centurion confeffing his unworthinefs to
receive fo great a Prophet under his roof,
and requefting only that he would fpeak the
word, in full affurance that his fervant would
be healed. Jefus hearing this profeffed to the
multitude who followed him, that he had
not found fo great a faith in Ifrael : and he
declared unto them, that many ffiould come
from the various quarters of the world, and
ffiould fit down with the Patriarchs in the
Kingdom of Heaven, as children of the king
dom through the righteoufnefs of faith, and
heirs of the promifes that were made to the
faithful ; while many, who were children by
natural: defcent, ffiould be rejeded from the
Kingdom, for want of that faith to which
thefe' promifes were given. Hereupon he im
mediately^ declared, that the mercy he Im
plored was granted : and his fervant was
healed in the felf fame hour ¦.
Thus alfo when he came into the coafts
of Tyre and Sidon, a Woman of Canaan,
who was a Heathen, addreffed him as the
Son of David, and implored him to have
mercy on her daughter, who was grievoufly
' Mat. vilu^ — 13. Xiukevil. i — 10. vexed

Teaching, in their fynagogues, &c. 1 69
vexed with an impure fplrit. For a while
he feemed to pay no attention to her fuit.
But when ffie continued her importuiuties,
he declared, with a vieW (as appears from
the fequel) to elucidate her faith, that his
miffion was to the houfe of Ifrael, and he
urged the. impropriety of taking -that bread
which belonged to the children, and giving
it to aliens. The woman, not difcouraged
from perfeverance in her fuit, exprefled her
hope, that though the firft portion in this di
vine houfehold was due to the childreny-yet
in the riches of divine grace there was an
overflowing abundance for all other fuppli-
cants. Hereupon Jefus commended her faith,
and for her faith affured her, that it ffiould
be done as ffie defired^. Thus admitting
the Heathens to partake in his temporal
mercies, he gave them an affurance, that he
admitted them alfo to partake in his fpiritual
bleffings ; that though the firft overtures
were to the houfe of Ifrael, yet now, on the
promulgation of peace on earth and of good
will to men, this houfe had no longer an ex-
clufive title to the favour and regard of Hea
ven ; that the bounties of divine grace;' now
laid open in the Gofpel, were impartially ex-
e Mat, XV. 21 — 28. Mark vii. 24 — 30. tended

170 And Jefus went about all Galilee,
tended to all perfons and orders and commu
nities of men ; and whoever accepted this
faith and complied with thefe terms, ffiould
be received Into the privileges of the heavenly.
kingdom. Thus we fee the wifdom and benevolence
difplayed, not only in the Gofpel Covenant it
felf, but in the method or economy employed
of imparting this Covenant to men. The
Founder of our faith affumed our nature, and
dwelt among us, and through the courfe of
an adjve and laborious life made ufe of all
means and occafions, by every mode of doc
trine, and in every form of example, to un
fold the counfels of divine grace, and to im
prefs upon us the conditions of his Covenant.
He gave evidence of his miffion and illuftra
tion of his charader by healing all manner of
ficknefs and difeafe. And though his- per
fonal miniftry was neceffarlly hmjted to a
certain region and to a certain people, yet has
he given us full affurance, that his Kingdom
comprehends every clime and age, and that
the benefits of his gofpel are laid open In
differently to all nations and communities of
men, \{ we do not perfonally fee and hear him in

Teaching in their fynagogues, &c. 171
In his miniftry of grace, we virtually fee and
hear him in that facred word, which by the
adive zeal of his Apoftles and Evangelifts, il
lumined by the Spirit of God, is left on per
petual record for the inftrudion and edifica
tion of men. In the hiftory of the Gofpel
we in fpirit may attend him in his travels of
benevolence through the land ; we may hear
him teaching in the fynagogues, and preach
ing the Gofpel of the kingdom ; we may fee
him healing all manner of ficknefs and all
manner of difeafe among the people. Thus
looking unto Jefus the Author and Finiffier
of our faith, let us pay the fame attention to
him, as if we perfonally witneffed all his
words and works. Let us w^alk by faith, as if
we walked by fight. So ffiall we have the full
benefit of his preaching: fo ffiall we be healed
of all the difeafes and infirmities of our fouls :
and fo may we hope to be partakers of his
kingdom both in the prefent ftate of grace
and in the future ftate of glory.

SERMON VII.

Mark i. 15.
 The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is, at
band : Repent ye, and believe the Gofpel.
L HESE words have a peculiar claim to the
regard of Chriftians ; not only as they are
the firft on record, which the Founder of our
faith employed, when he entered upon his
miniftry ; but, what is of more effential con
cern, as they comprize the ffibftance of what
he came to teach. They announce the arri
val of that fpiritual State, which had long
been foretold in all preceding Revelations ;
The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is
at hand: And they propofe to mankind the
conditions of acceptance into that fpiritual
State ; Repent ye, and believe the Gofpel. — To
each of thefe two claufes I mean to affign a
feparate. difcourfe.
The Kingdom of God, or the Kingdom of
Heaven, as it is indifferently ftyled by the
Evangelifts, Is a conftitution very different from

174 The time is fulfilled,
from the kingdoms of this world, being
founded immediately by the power of God,
and being modelled on the polity of Heaven.
A kingdom of this kind originally fubfifted
on the face of the earth. When Almighty
God had finiffied his creation of the world,
" he faw every thing that he had made, and
behold It was very good." The laft of all
his works, as the crown of the whole, was
Man ; for he was made in the image of God,
that is, in the faffiion of dais own moral good
nefs. And while he refembled him in holl
nefs, he alfo partook of his happinefs. Thus
the Kingdom of Heaven was indeed on earth,
and Man was immediately under the go
vernment of God.
But though a fcene of happinefs, It was
yet a fcene of difclpline to man. In that
free converfation, which he held with hea--
venly Natures, it was fignified to him, that
if in a temporary ftate of trial he conformed
himfelf entirely to the will of God, he ffiould
be tranflated to a place of fuperior happinefs
in heaven itfelf, the more Immediate feat of
the divine prefence, and the fulnefs of beati
tude. For the exercife of his faith and the
teft of his obedience one plain prohibition
was enjoined. Among all the fi;uits .of para-
dife, which were freely given Jiim to enjoy, he

And the Kingdom of God is at hand. 175
he was reftrided firom the tafte of one. By
the fedudions of an Enemy he was prevailed
upon to violate the exprefs command of
God. By which fatal ad he broke his alle
giance to his heavenly King, and incurred
the penalty denounced on his difobedience ;
he was degraded from that image in which he
was lately made ; he was expelled from para-
dife ; he was deprived of a communion with
Heaven. The Kingdom of God was now
withdrawn from the earth. The earth Itfelf
on his account loft its primitive beauty and
order. The Foe of God and Man ufurped a
tyrannic fway therein : and fin and mifery
entered into the world. For the confequence
of his guilt did not fall upon our firft Proge
nitor alone ; but the taint of his corruption
extended to all his pofterity.
Yet fallen as he was from his firft integri
ty, God would not abandon him to the fatal
•confequence of his tranfgreffion. In the
aaaidft of judgment he remembered mercy.
Even when he pronounced the threatened
fentence on the guilty Pair, he would not
overwhelm them with the feverities of his
wrath. In the depth of their forrow for
their lapfe from innocence, he gave them
the promife of confolation in one of their
offspring, who, not without fome facrifice on
his

176 The time isfuifilledi
his part, ffiould bruife the head of their ma
lignant Foe, fliould reconcile to God the
fallen race of men, fliould reftore- them to
the Image in which they were created, and
fliould reeftabllffi for them the Kingdom; of
Heaven. -¦*' .
This however was not to take place.tUla
long term of time had intervened ; during
which mankind might be convinced by long
experience, of the weak nefs of their reafon,
the deficiency of their powers, their ftrong
propenfity to evil, and their deplorable con
dition without God in the world.
In a dlftant age God feleded Abraham
from a degenerate and corrupted race, to
maintain among mankind fome memorial of
their Creator, and to keep alive in his houfe
hold fome image of the heavenly Kingdom.
In the energy of his faith he ffiewed him
felf worthy of that celeftial choice. For the
firmnefs of his allegiance to his divine King
he was diftinguiffied as the Father of the
Faithful, and the Friend of God. To him
were given thofe feveral promifes, which were
afterwards repeated to Ifaac and to Jacob,
that he would, make him a Father of many
nations, and would multiply him as the ftars
of heaven ; that with them he would eftabliffi
a perpetual Covenant, and would give them an

And the Kingdom of God is at hand. 177
an everlafting inheritance ; that he would be
..their God for ever ; that he would be to
them an exceeding great reward ; and that
In him, or in his feed, ffiould all the nations
of the earth be bleffed *.
• Thefe promifes undoubtedly belong, not
merely to thofe who ffiould be Children of
Abraham by natural defcent ; nor were they
limited to the inheritance of the land, on .
which the Patriarchs then fojourned. Ac
cepted in their full and final fignification,
they extend to all thofe, who ffiould be his
Children by fpiritual birth, who ffiould be
heirs of the Covenant by the adoption of
grace ; and they would be completed in the
inheritance of that heavenly Kingdom pre
pared for the righteous from the foundation
of the world. Of this the Patriarchs enter
tained a general hope. Though the promifes
received by them conveyed no exprefs affur
ance, yet were they perfuaded, that God had
provided fome better things for them : and
while they confeffed that they were ftrangers
and pilgrims on the earth, they defired a
better country, that is, a heavenly : they
looked for a city, which hath foundations
» Gen. xii, a, 3. xvli. 1, &e, ,xxii. 17, iS.
N more

178 %;:< The iime is fulfilled,
more durable than the works of men, whofe
Maker and Builder Is Gofi ''.
The intercourfe, thus opened with tjie Pa
triarchs in their refpedive houfeholds, was
extended to their progeny the race pf Ifrael.
The whole Economy of Mofes was defigned
for a ffiadow or emblem of a fpiritual King
dom* which was afterwards to rife. Thus
the moral Law was the outline of that law
of righteoufnefs, to be completed and con
firmed in the Gpfpel precepts. The Civil
Law was a figure of the Chriftian Difclpline.
The Ceremonial Law in its f^crifipeis and in-
terceffions, its purlficatior^s, and atpuements
delineated the myfteries pf the Chriftian Re
demption. Even the Hiftoyy of the Chil
dren of Ifrael, from their exo4 out pf Egypt
to their ppffeffion of the land of promife, was
molded into a prophetic parable of the f^me
defign. Their deliverance frpm Egyptian
bondage, as Commemorated in the Pafehal
facrifice, pourtrays th? deliveranc? of q,ll man
kind from the bondage of fin an4 Satan, as
accpmpliffied In that great ranfom ofFfefed by
the Lamb of God, who taketh away th^ fin
of the world. Their pilgrimage through, the
wildernefs of Sinai reprefents the pilgrimage
*• Heb, xi, 9, &e. of

And the Kingdom of. God is at hand. 1 79
of the fpiritual Iftael through the Wildernefs
of mortal Ufe. And their eftabUffiment in the
promifed land of Canaan delineates the final
eftabliffiment of every true Ifraellte in the
promifed Inheritance of the heavenly King
dom. This communication of divine truth was
continued by the Prophets, who rofe at dif
ferent times to admoniffi, to reprove, and to
comfort Iftael : Of thefe more efpecially by
Ifaiah, the peculiar Prophet of the Chriftian
Difpenfation. In the general ftrudure of
his prophecies, though the fubjed in the
literal acceptation relates more immediately
to the people and the land of Ifrael, yet the
principal and final aim Is the fpiritual King
dom or Church of God, as afterwards to be
eftabliffied under the banners of the Meffiah.
Thus in the commencement of his infpired
volume, after lamenting the degeneracy of
Jerufalem, and the calamities which on that
account were brought upon her inhabitants, he
looks for confolation to that dlftant age, when
the Lord would turn his hand upon her, and
would entirely purge away her drofs, and
would reftore her judges and counfellors, and
fhe ffiould be called. The City of righteouf
nefs, The faithful Clty'^. Then breaking
<= Ifa. i.
N 2 forth

Isd The time is fulfilled,
forth Into a clearer ftraln, he anticipates the
time, when this divine Kingdom ffiould be
eftabliffied and exalted in the earth, and all
nations ffiould flow unto it ; when out of
Sion ffiould go forth the law, and the word
of the Lord out of Jerufalem : when he
ffiould judge many nations, and convince
many people ; when they ffiould beat their
fwords Into plough-ffiares, and their fpears into
pruning hooks ; when nation ffiould not lift
up fword againft nation, neither ffiould they
learn war any more **. Thus alfo In the pro
grefs of his divine revelations, whenever he
fpeaks of the deliverance of his people frpm
the Invafion or oppreffion of the feveral Hea
then powers of Syria, Egypt, Affyria, and
Babylon, he is led infenfibly to mix there
with the fpiritual deliverance of the true
Ifrael of God from the yoke of their enemies
by a Prince of the houfe of David, who
ffiould eftabllfli a Kingdom of unbroken
peace and happinefs and glory.
But this defign is ftill more confpicuous in
the latter portion of his writings ; In which
the Prophet may be obferved, more exprefsly
by civil benefits to foreffiadow fpiritual blef
fings, and more diftlndly through things tem-
" Ifa, ii. 1—4, poral

And the Kingdom of God is at hand. ISI
poral to look to things eternal. In the letter
indeed he deUneates the fignal ada of mercy,
to be wrought for Ifrael by Cyrus, the
Anointed and the Shepherd of the Lord;
namely, their redemption from the fevera
countries in which they were difperfed in
fervitude and forrow, their reftoration to the
land of Sion, and their refettlement oh their
paternal inheritance; But in the fpirit he de
lineates far fuperior things, to be accompliffied
by Chrift, the true Anointed of the Lord,
the true Shepherd of his people, namely,
the redemption of mankind from fpiritual
bondage, that worft of evils, their reftoration
to the profped of the Jerufalem which is
above, and their final eftabliffiment in tl^e
inheritance of heaven, the proper home of all
the faithful ^ Hence at the clofe of his pro
phetic book, under the fame image of Jerufa
lem reftored he defcribes the divine City, the
Kingdom of the Church of God, breaking
forth Into tranfcendent light and life, admit
ting Into its courts the multitudes of the
Gentiles, flouriffiing in eternal peace, profpe
rlty, and plenty, invefled with the brighteft
beams of heavenly glory, animated with the
divine. prefence, filled with a righteous peo-
[ lid,, xl— xliv, xiv, &c.
N 3 pie.

182 The time is fulfilled,
pie, and fpeedily multiplying into an im-
menfe -and mighty nation ^.
Among other prophetic intimations of this
heavenly Kingdom, was that fulnefs of time
when it was to be eftabliffied. Now this
was fignified by Jacob in his dying addrefs to
his Sons ; wherein he declared, that " the
fceptre ffiould not depart from Judah, nor a
Lawgiver from between his feet, till Shiloh,
or the perfon fent, ffiould come ^." Now
the fceptre muft be underftood to be departed
from Judah, when the land of Judah was
deprived of Its native Kings, and became a
province of the Roman Empire. This was
accompliffied in the degradation of Archelaus
the Son of Herod, on whofe removal from
the throne a Roman Governor was appointed.
Which event took place, as nearly as can be
colleded, in the very year, when Jefus then
a Child gave the firft public tokens of his
miffion, when he fate among the Dodors,
both hearing them and afking them quef-
tions '.
The time was alfo fignified by Daniel in
the memorable vifion and prophecy of the
Seventy Weeks: which, though varioufly in
terpreted in minuter circumftances, is gene-
S Ifa. ix. '> Gen. xlix. lo, ' Luke Ii. 46.
rally

And the Kingdom of God is at hand. 183
rally underftood to defignate the time of our
Lord's appearance, while it equally foretels
the impdrtant purpofe for Which he was to
appear, namely, " to finiffi the tranfgreffion,
to make an end of fin, t^o make recbneiliation
for iniquity, to bring in everlafting righteouf
nefs^ to feal up the vifion and prophecy, to
anoint the moft holy ^."
Hence at the time, when Jefus began to
preach, a general expedatlon of the Meffiah
was entertained among the Jews, as appears
from the enquiries that were made relative
to the Baptift, as well as to himfelf It was
alfo entertained among the Samaritans, not
withftanding their fehifmatic creed, as ap
pears from the converfation that Jeffis held
at the well of Sychar with the woman of
Samaria. It had even extended among the
Heathens ; for a tradition had obtained,
which moft probably was derived from the
Prophets of the Hebrews, that one ffiould
come out of Judea, who ffiould have domi
nion over all the world.
The clrcumftance of this Kingdom's rife
,had alfo beefi repeatedly foretold, by Ifaiah
the firft of the Prophets, and by Malaichi the
^ Dan ix. 24.
N 4 laft,

184 The time is fulfilled,
laft, that a Harbinger ffiould go befpre the
expeded King, to announce his coming,' and
to prepare the way before him'. Thefe pro
phetic notices were fulfilled in John the
3aptift, who was ordained even before his
birth for this fpecial purpofe, that he ffipuld
come in the power and fpirit of Ellas, to
make ready a people prepared for the Lord"*.
And when the appointed hour was come,
the Spirit of God was upon him in the
wildernefs, and he came Into the more in
habited parts of the country, proclaiming
the Kingdom of Heaven, and difpofing the
people for the reception of their King.
In purfuance of the fame defign it was
his office to affift at the inauguration of his
Superior. The part whiph he had tp exe
cute was to adminifter to him the rite of
Baptifm. The fame rite, which was to others
an emblem of preparation to receive their
King, -was to Chrift himfelf an emblem of
inveftiture into his . kingly fundion ; as ap
pears from what Immediately enfues. For
as foon as he afcended out of the water, the.
heavens were opened unto him, and he faw
the Spirit of God defe.ending like a dove, and
' Ifa, xl. 3. Mai. Iii. i. m Luke i. 17.
lighting

And the Kingdom of God is at hand. 185
fighting upon him, and lo a voice from hea
ven faying, "This is my, beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleafed."
In this folemn ad was Jefus anointed with
the Holy Ghoft and with power, and ordained
to be a Sovereign over all the race of men.
And therefore, after paffing through fome
preparatory trials in the wildernefs, he af
fumed the charader In which he had been
proclaimed ; and the firft earneft which he
gave of that exalted office was to affirm
the arrival of this divine Kingdom, and to
publiffi to mankind the terms of admiffion
into its bleffed immunities.
He had indeed no external ffiew of royalty
about his perfon ; for inftead of pomp and
ftate of office and deportment, he was meek
and lowly both in manner and in heart ; in
ftead of Worldly goods, he was fcantlly fup
plied even with the neceffaries of life ; in
ftead of territorial domains, he had not even
a place whereon to lay his head ; inftead of
armies to attend his motions, he had only a
company of poor and unlettered fiffiermen.
This humble appearance was fo very different
from the prevailing expedations of the Pha
rifees and Scribes and all the fuperior orders
of the Jews, who had entertained the moft
ambitious hopes of the Meffiah's reign, that
they

180 The time is fulfilled,
they totally rejeded his government, and dif-
allowed him for their King. Arid they con
tinued to look for fome glorious Prince in
human eftimation, of a charader and temper
more congenial to their own, who ffiould
affert a dominion over other Kingdoms, and
make Judea the MIftrefs, and Jerufalem the
Metropolis of the world.
And yet if they had looked upon him with
unprejudiced regard, they might have dif-
covered under this ffiade of humiliation
abundant evidence of his title to the kingly
name, and fuch as would eclipfe the moft
ambitious views of worldly potentates. If
he had no ftate of office, he had the divine
glory to vifit and to greet him, not in fpirit
only, but in vifible manlfeftations from above.
If he had no worldly riches to enjoy himfelf
or to communicate to others, he could in-
ftantly convert water' Into wine, or multiply
a few loaves and fiffies Into an ample fufte
nance for thoufands! If he had. no territo
rial domains, he had the entire control of na
ture and of nature's laws. If he had no
armies to attend his fteps, he had angels to
minifter unto him, he had legions of angels
at his immediate call to guard him. If he
had not the means, which are oft fo fla
grantly abufed by the Potentates of the earth, of

And the Kingdom of God is at hand. 187
of dealing Incurable Calamities on the human
race, he had the power, which he omitted
no occafion to exert, of healing all manner of
ficknefs and all manner of difeafe.
Great however as thefe teftimonies were,
the fuperior orders of the Jews either obfti-
nately ffiut their eyes againft them, or Impi-
oufly afcribed them to the agency of evil
Spirits. On the common people they ope
rated to more advantage. When they faw
fuch exertions of fupernatural power, as were
never feen before in Ifrael, they Were dif
pofed to regard him as the Meffiah, whom
they had defired fo long. Yet fo much had
worldly prejudice overpowered their under
ftandings,, that they were greatly difappointed
to behold him in fo humble and obfcure a garb,
and could no otherwife be reconciled to the
lowlinefs of his appearance, than by the hope to
which they clung, that he would ffiortly break
forth from his temporary ffiade of obfcurity
and indigence, and manifeft himfelf to Ifrael in
the ftyle and authority of a temporal Prince.
This common prejudice was alfo entertained
by his perfonal Dlfciples, who had been the
companions of his travels in his circuits of
benevolence, and had been the conftant wit
neffes of all his wordsand works, Notwith
ftanding they had received many teftimonies in

188 The time is fulfilled,
in his converfatlon, of the fpiritual nature of
his kingdom, they continually expeded his
advancement to the throne of David in a li
teral fenfe, and in their fond imaginations
they ambitioufly affumed the higheft offices
of truft, authority, and honour In his king
dom. Nor could they be convinced till he
expired upon the crofs, that all their expeda
tions of an earthly monarchy were vain.
That fcene was undoubtedly fufficient to,
extinguiffi every hope of temporal aggran
dizement : for death is the certain termina
tion, of all' worldly projeds, and there is no
work or device of ambition in the grave. —
Yet here the energies of his fovereign power
moft effedually prevailed. In that very fcene
of depreffion and of fuffering even to death
he became the Prince of life to men. In his
arduous encounter on the crofs he wrought a
decifive conqueft over the powers of darknefs,
which he foon triumphantly difplayed In his
refurredion from the dead. The time was
now come, when he fully manlfefted himfelf
to his Difciples In the real purport of his
kingly charader. He plainly told them that
" all power was given unto him In heaven
and in earth." And having appointed them
his Ambaffadors to all the nations of the world
he publicly afcended to his throne of glory in

And the Kingdom of God is at hand. 1 89
in the heaven of heavens, and was for ever
feated at the right hand of God.
Suftained by his grace, and armed with
his authority of Working miracles themfelves,
they proclaimed his Kingdom to all peoples,,
nations, and languages. Weak and ignorant
as they were before, and fearfully ffirinking
from the very ffiadow of danger, they now
courageoufly difplayed the wifdom and the
power of God. The fame Difciples, who
timoroufly forfook their Lord, when he was
arraigned as a criminal, were now forward to
publifli his gofpel at the hazard of life and
every thing which^could be dear in life. And
he in particular, who had recently denied
him, when he was capitally accufed he{ot%
the High Prieft and the council of the Jews-,
now boldly teftified before the fame autho
rities, that the fame Jefus> whom they had
ignomlnioufly flain, was now exalted by the
immediate operatibn of the Godhead, to be
a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance
to Ifrael and remiffion of fins". Unfup-
ported by an arm of fleffi, or by the wea
pons of carnal Warfare, and no otherwife ac
coutred than with the ffiield of faith and the
fword of the fpirit, which is the word of
° A&s V. 311
God,

100 • The time is fulfilled ^
God, they went forth every where' to reduce
mankind to the obedience of the Gofpel.
And though inceffant labours were their
portion, and perfecution in every form im
pended over' their heads, yet they ftill per
fevered in their heroic enterprlfe to death,
In confequence of their labours the banner of
the Crofs is eftabliffied over all mankind
and -tlie Kingdoms of the world are be
come the Kingdom of our God and of , his
Chrift. Thus Jefus of Nazareth, the obfcure and
lowly Peafant of Galilee, is advanced to be
** the Prince of the Kings of the earth.''
When contemplated with the eye of faith, he
ig indeed the '• Lord of Lords and King of
Kings." And though his Kingdom cometh
not with obfervation, or Is not oftenfibly dif
played In external ads of royalty, yet he has
completely executed, or is continuing ftill to
e:3?ecute. In its beft and nobleft purpofe, ewery
branch of the kingly fundion. Whatever
has been done in their feveral kingdoms, that
merits the pralfe arid gratitude of men, by
Princes famous in their generation, and de-
fervedly ftyled the great and excellent pf the
earth, has been more amply and effedually
done by Jefus.Chrift in his fpiritual Kingdom,
whether In fupport of his own authority, or
-4, . ¦ , in

And the Kingdom of God is at hand. IQ\-
jn advancement of the general good and hap
pinefs of his people. He came In his kingly
charader, to effed the deliverance of the
human race frpm a bondage far more griev
ous and more fatal than that of Egypt, from
the bondage of fin and Satan, the tyrants and
oppreffors of the, foul. He came to reftore
them uot tp civil life, as had been done to
Ifrael on their exod out of Egypt by giving
them a name among independent ftates, but
to moral and fpiritual life by renewing them
in the inner man, by giving them a new heart
and a new fplrit, and by re-creating them In
the image and Hkenefs of God. He came to.
eftabliffi for them a covenant of peace, not
with the Kings pf other nations, but with
the fovereign L^ord, of all the earth. He
came to confer his kingly bounties on them,
not in remiffion of temporal debts, not in
largeffes of worldly goods, not in fplendid
veftmeuts, and in rich repafts, but in for-*
givenefs of fins, in all manner of fpiritual
gifts, in the white robe of_ righteoufnefs, in
the true bread of life* and in every help ef
fential to their juftlfication and acceptance
with God. He came to give them, not a
ceremonial law for the government of the
body, not a civil law for the guidance of
the ftate, but a fpiritual law for the diredion ©f

iQ2 The time is fulfilled,
of the foul. He came to guide them, not
through fuch a wildernefs as that of Sinai to
an earthly Canaan, but through the wilder
nefs of this mortal life to that bleffed land
of promife, the Canaan of another world.
And to crown his ads of kingly government,
he came to recompenfe his faithful ffibjeds,
hot by affigning them portions of a temporal
inheritance on earth, or by appointing them
to offices of truft and authority in a tranfi
tory kingdom, but by inffiring to them an
Incorruptible inheritance in the realms of hea
venly blifs, by referving for them a crown of
glory that fadeth not away.
It remains for me now to offei: a few
words on the nature and conftitution of that
Kingdom, which our Lord himfelf at the
opening of his miniftry proclaimed.- — His
Kingdom was oppofite in all its charaders to
every idea of temporal opulence and honour ;
as was abundantly teftified in the manner of
his appearance, as well as in the fubftance of
his dodrine. His Kingdom was not of this
world, though for a time to be maintained
and exercifed therein. It was pf a divine
and fpiritual kind. And whether we con
fider its origin, its nature, its Influence, or its
end, jt was called with great propriety -the
Kingdom

And the, Kingdom of God is at hand. 193
Kingdom of ^ Heaven. In its origin it Is
founded by the Son of 0od, who came
down from heaven to eftabliffi It on earth,
j and who ftill governs it frpm his throne in
heavjcn. In Its nature It is modelled on the
laws, and government of heaven. In Its In-
fl.uence it.aims1;o have the will of . God fo
dpne pn earth as it is in heaven. In Its end
it offers to mankind, after a temporary difci-
plirie upon earth, an everlafting home and in
heritance in heaven.
But a more particular view of this King-
, dom, in its. more ftrlklng pharaders may be
taken at once frpm a moft interefting portion
of .the Prophet Jere|niah, as applied by Saint
Paul , to the difpenfation of the Gpfpel. In
the forrows that he had in his heart fbr the
afHidiions of his country, the Prophet lopked
for confolation to, the time, Wheu God would
make a jx^yv Covenant with his people, hold
ing J forth , fuperior privileges, and tp be efta-
.;bliffipd..uppn better prpmifes °.
TJie firft clrcumftance, that engages our
regard in, this Important embaffy of grace^^is
thq Pepple to. whom, 'thi§ Covenant belongs.
This ,^qideed, if we, were to underftand it li-
.teraJly;t.,W9wld be confined altogether to the
, • Jer,. xxxi. 31 — ^34. IJeb. viii. 8 — 12.
0 hpufe

194 The time is fulfilled,
houfe of Ifrael. But this mode of fpeech we
are conftantly taught by the Apoftle to ac
cept in a figurative fenfe. According to his in
terpretation they conftitute the realm of Ifrael,
they are the children of Abraham, not who
are fo by civil relation, or by natural defcent,
biit who conforiii in the fpirit to the whole
law of God, who are followers of Abraham in
the righteoufnefs of faith. To all, who receive
the Gofpel as the light and the life of men,
and comply with the terms which it pro
pofes to mankind, is given the peculiar pri
vilege of acceptance into the fellowffiip, of
adoption into the houfehold of the faithful,
of being partakers of the Covenant of pro
mife, of being members of the Commpn-
wealth of Ifrael,
" Behold, the days come, faith. the Lord,
when I will make a new Covenant with the
houfe of Ifrael and with the houfe of Judah :
not according to the Covenant that I made
with their fathers. In the day when I tobk
them by the hand to bring them out of the
land of Egypt." As God in ancient times had
eftabliffied a civil Covenant with the hpufe
of Ifrael by nature, when he redeemed, them
from Egyptian bondage, and formed them
into a civil community ; fo he would make
a Covenant of anpther kind with the houfe of
Ifrael

And the Kingdojn of God is at hand. 1Q5
Ifrael by adoption and grace, when he ffiould
redeem them from the bondage of their
moft oppreffive Tyrant the Prince of the
darknefs of this world, and fliould eftabliffi
them into a fpiritual community, the King
dom or the Church of God. As he had a
greater deliverance to accompliffi, fo he had
a difpenfatlon of ffiperior good to beftow
upon them.
" But this is the Covenant, that I will
.make with the houfe of Iftael after thofe
days, faith the Lord : I will put my laws
into their minds, and write them in their
hearts." Under the ancient Covenant he
had enjoined a multitude of political and
ceremonial fervices. In particular he had
cpmmanded in continual round the facrifice
of beafts, the waffilngs of the body, and the
obfervance of folemn times and feafons. In
this new Difpenfation he would enjoin, not
a carnal, but a fpiritual, not a^ formal, but a
vital fervice ; he would impofe his law upon
the Inner man ; would require his fubjeds
to purify their fouls from all moral defile
ment by the baptifm of repentance, and to
prefent their bodies a living facrifice, holy,
acceptable to God. It was the purpofe of
our heavenly King, to teach us to deny un-
o 2 godlinefs

196 The time is fulfilled,
godlinefs and worldly lufts, ' and to live fo
berly, 'rightediifly, and godly in this' prefent
world, having given himfelf for us, thar he
might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify
to himfelf a peculiar people zealous of gobd
works P.
This indeed is exprefsly fignified in the
enfuing claufe of the prophecy; "And I will
be their God, and they ffiall be riiy people."
In the conftitution of^Mofes he had proclaimed
himfelf the Gpd of Ifrael, and Ifrael he had
ftyled his peculiar people. Biit this high '^re
lation was qualified by thofe features ofkw-
ful dignity, in which he difplayed himfelf to
the underftandings of that generatibh. Hence
they were led to confider him in the charac
ter of a Mafter; and were fwayed in th'eir
obedience by a fpirit of fervile fear. In this
new Difpenfation he wpuld pfefent himfelf
td them In. the charadei: of a Father, tender
ly felicitous for their peace and welfare, and
anxious to bring them to his happihefs and
glory. Hence being led to' cohfidei' "thbrh-
felves as children, they would be 'moved" to
tjbedlence by a fpirit of filial love, they Woiild
be animated to every duty' by* a defire' of
P Titus Ii. 12, .14. pfeafing

And the J^gdom of God is at hand. 197

him, and would efteem it their
greatefl happinefs to obtain his approbation
and" to liye in his favour.
*•, And they ffiall no more teach every man
his i^elghbour, and every man his brother,
faying^ Know the Lord ; for they all ffiall
know me from the leaft unto the greateft."..
They ffiall not depend on merely human
inftrudion and .inftitution for knowledge
and edification In religious truth. For God
himfelf will impart to all his faithful fubjeds,
without refped of ftation, order, or profef-
fipn, the animating graces of his holy Spirit.
To all, whofe hearts and affedlons are dif
pofed to receive our heavenly King in his
mediatorial charader, he is ever ready tp pre-
^nt himfelf He will guide them into all
truth e^ntial for them to know ; he will
ffiew the Father to them in all his attributes
of grace and goodnefs ; and he will teach
them all things that are neceffary for the at
tainment pf falvation and happinefs.
** For I will forgive their unrighteoufnefs,
and their fins and iniquities I will remember
no more." jJnder the Law God appeared
as a God of ftrid and inflexible juftice. Hav
ing preferibed a fentence, he exaded a pu
niffiment for every tranfgreffion. The foul,
that finned in any capita), offence, was doomed
03 to

. 198 The time is fulfilled,
to die without mitigation or reprieve. Under
the new Difpenfation he appears as a God of
mercy. The Covenant which he now pro
pofes is a Covenant of grace. On the merit
of that atonement, which our great High
Prieft has made^ he Is pleafed on our re-.
pentance to blot out our tranfgreffions, and
to receive us again into favour as If we never
had offended.
In all thefe refpeds we cannot but look
upon it as a far fuperior Covenant to that of
Mofes, we cannot but regard it as a far
more valuable Kingdom than that of Ifrael
or any temporal ftate. — But its great and prin
cipal excellence muft be referred to the ful
nefs of its bleffings in another life. And
therefore the Apoftle fays, in comment on
this prophecy when applied to Chrift; " But
now hath he obtained a more excellent mi
niftry, by how much alfo he is the Mediator
of a better Covenant, eftabliffied upon better
promifes ^." Thefe better promifes, though
they certainly comprehend the benefits of the
prefent life^ as vouchfafed to the Jews under
the difpenfation of Mofes, have a principal
regard to the bleffings, which our heavenly
King has by unqueftionable figns affured to
¦1 Feb. viii. 6. all

And the Kingdom of God is at hand. 199
all his faithful fubjeds In the realms of hea
venly blifs. To all who comply with the
terms of this Covenant, to all who are faith
ful in their allegiance to his perfon and go
vernment, he is difpofed to give, not only pf
the fulnefs of his grace and truth In this life,
but alfo of his glory and happinefs in the life tp
come. He admits them to that kingdom which
cannot be moved, a kingdom of tranfcendent
light and everlafting reft ; where being pu
rified- from all the frailties and corruptions of
this mortal nature, they ffiall be affociated
with the companies of Angels and the fpiritg
pf juft men niade perfed, and ffiall be bleft
above all other bleffings in feeing God the
fource of every good, in receiving with Chrift,
the peculiar Son and Heir of God, the inhe
ritance of Children, ^nd in partaking with
him a crown of glory that fadeth not away \
' The fubjeft of this difcourfe has been previoufly difcufled,
upon a larger fcale, and with fome fhades of difference both in ,
matter and in method, under the title of The King of Ifrael,
by the fame Author in his two concluding Sermons on the Pa,-
rables.

04

SERMON Vmi
Marki. 15,
The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at
hand: "Repent ye, and'helieve' the &ofpel.
>,
vJ-UR Saviour's Miffion comprehended thefe
two purpofes ; to propofe a new Covenant
on the part^ of Godi, and to flartie the con
ditions on the part of man for aeceptane©
and continuance therein. The former of
thefe purpofes is expreffed in the former
claufe, The time is fuelled, and the Kingdom
of God is at hand: That was the ffibjed of
my laft difeourfe. The latter of thefe pur
pofes is expreffed in the latter claufe. Repent
ye, and believe the Gofpel : This remains for
pur prefent confideration.
To repent of their fins, and to believe in
the word of God, were duties which he fre
quently propofed to his pepplc, as terms pf
acceptance under the Covenant of the Law.
They are continually afferted under the Co
venant of the Gofpel, ^s indifpenfable condi- tion?

202 Repent ye,
tions for liavirig "an entrance into the King
dom of God. And therefore on thefe
did the Baptift principally infift, when he
came in the, pharader in which he had
been foretold, as the Herald and Harbinger
of the promifed King. The ftraln of his
preaching was agreeable to the language,
which the Prophet of the, Gpfpel had put in
his mouth : "In the wildernefs prepare ye
the way of the Lord : make ftraight in the
defart a highway for our God ^" And how
were they to prepare the way ? This the
Prophet had reprefented in very figurative,
but at the fame time mpft expreffive images :
" Every valley ffiall be exalted, and every
mountain and hill ffiall be made low ; and
the crooked ffiall be made ftraight, and the
rough places plain: And the glory of the
Lord ffiall be revealed ; and all fleffi ffiall fee
it together : for the mouth of the Lord hath
fpoken It." It was the ufage of Eaftern na
tions to receive Kings and Conquerors with
great folemnities of preparation. The roads
were opened and the ways were levelled with
the united labour pf the people, that they.
might enter into the country without ob-
ftrudion and with greater dignity. Agreea-
* Ifa. xl. 3, &c.
" ' . ble

And believe the GofPel. 203
ble to this ufage is the language here em
ployed.' But the preparation thus announced
muft be taken, not in a literal, but in a fpiri
tual fenfe. The humble were to be exalted,
and the proud were to be abafed ; the ftpny
heart was to be foftened, and the perverfe
and crooked fpirit rendered ftraight. This
indeed was the manner in which the Baptift
undertook to prepare the way of the Lord.
Perffiaded that a habit of fin and a bias to
evil would neceffarlly preclude both a difpo
fition to receive, and a qualification to obtain,
the privileges of the Gofpel covenant ; he
was anxious firft to purify mankind from the
ftains of fin by repentance, and then to open
their eyes in faith to the reception and ac
knowledgment of their heavenly King.
To prepare them for his appearance, it
was the objed of all his exhortations to the
people, that they ffiould be ready to meet
him, not in fplendid garments and in proud
array, but in purified and humbled hearts.
The fpirit of this exhortation was implied in
the rite which he adminiftered. By the bap
tifm of the body he fignified the purification
of the foul, as the moft acceptable garb in
which they could meet their King. Hence
he is faid to have come " preaching the bap
tifm of repentance for the remiffion of fins."
To

2^4., Reperitye,
To giy^e ^ed to- this, general exhortation,
be.>ad«k6ffed the feveral orders, and charader?
of) his bearers, with, a fpecial caution againft.
thoffi vices, to. which- from their .habits, of lifp
they were moft expofed* The Publipai^?,
he cautioned againft extortion and dlffionef^^
deling ; " Exad no mpre tljan what is, ap-
ppjnted ypu," The Soldiers he cautioi]ie,d
againfi feditipn, difeontent, and opprq^pn ;
??• Do violence to no man, neither accufe any
iii^y^^ and be content with your wages."
fhe people, in general; he exhorted to a
liberal c<?m,m.unica,tion of benefits,; " H9
t^at hath two coats, let him imp.a.i;t to him
that hathi none ; and he that h,ath meat,
lets him do likewife." To thq Pharifees
and Sadducees, who, prefumed on their 4?-
foent from Abraham withput an endea
vour to imitate his virtues, he addreffed. him
felf in ^ feverer tone of Indignant ];-eprpof ;
" Q generation of vipers, whp hath warned
you to flee from the wrath tp cpme ? Bring
forth therefore fruits meet for repeutance ;'
and fay fiot within yourfelves. We ha>^
Abraham to our fath.er : For I fay untq you,
that God is able of thefe ftpnes to raife up
children untp Abraham.'' To give wpight
to his reproofs h.e declared the Imminent
danger of continuing. m their fins ;^ M And
ppw

And believe the Gofpel, 205
now alfo the axe is lard unto the root of the
trees. Therefore every tree, that bringeth not
¦forth good fruit. Is heWn downarid caft into
the fire." The energy of his dodrihe was
dlf|3layed in its fruits : For the people reforted
to him from every part of '• Paleftine, and
were baptized of him in Jordan, cohfeffing
their fins ''.
During all this miniftry of 'repentance, -he
took equal care to predifpofe them to believe
on him who'was now to come. Difclaimiqg
all thofe honours which they were ready to
afcribe to him, he profeffed that he was' no
better than the Herald of a Perfon far fupe
rior to himfelf, for whom he* was unworthy
to 'do the hUmbl'eft- offices of a -menial fer
vant ; " I indeed baptize you with Water
unto repentance : but he that cometh after
me is mightier thart I, whofeffibes lam- not
wbrthy to bear. ' He ffiall baptize fyoir with
the Holy Ghoft and with fire. ' Whbfe fan
is in his hand, and he will thoroiighly purge
his floor, and gather the wheat Into his gar
ner ; but he will burn up the chaff with' un
quenchable fire." In like manner he ¦' de
clared afterwards ; " He , that 'believ^th- on
the -Son, hath everlafting 'life ;- but "he that
*> Mat. iii. i— lo. Mark i. I— 5. Luke iii. i — ^^14-
believeth

206 Repent ye,
believeth not the Son, ffiall not fee life, but
the wrath of God abideth on him." According
to the office of a herald and harbinger he re
peatedly teftified, faying ; " I faw the Spirit
defcending from heaven like a dove, and it
abode upon him. And I faw, and bore re
cord, that this is the Son of God." He con
tinually gave his teftimony to the charaders
in which Jeffis came ; more efpecially did
he point him out to his followers, as the
propitiatory facrifice for the whole race of
men ; " Behold the Lamb of God, that tak
eth away the fin of the world !" In confe
quence of what he taught we obferve in the
firft Difciples various teftimonies of their faith.
Thus Andrew faid to his brother Simon ;
" We have found the Meffiah," or the An
ointed. Thus Philip faid to Nathanael; " We
have found him, of whom Mofes and the
Prophets wrote." Thus Nathanael teftified
to Jefus ; " Rabbi, thou art the Son of God,
thou art the King of Ifrael '^."
The fame conditions, which the Baptift
had preferibed when he announced the pro
mifed King, were urged by our Lord him
felf, as foon as he entered upon his kingly
miniftry; Repent ye, and believe the Gofpel.
« Mat. iii. II, la, Luke iii. 15, 16, 17. John i. 26, &c. iii. 56.
In

And believe the GofPel. 207
In regard to the former of thefe two
duties, it was the objed of his daily care to
work a change in the- dlfpofitlons, in the
habits, and the hearts of men. But before
he applied any effedual remedy to their cor
rupted nature, he fought to convince them
of their unhappy ftate. When this was
once attained, he pointed out to them the
neceffity of renouncing all their fins, in order
to obtain remiffion and forgivenefs. . At the
fame time he offered every aid conducive to
this happy change ; and he held forth every
encouragement In returning to the way of
godlinefs. This change of heart and life he
in common with the Baptift inculcated as a
duty incumbent, not only on Publicans and
Sinners, who were brought to a fenfe of their
unhappy ftate, but alfo on the Pharifees and
Scribes, who trufted in themfelves that they
were righteous, and arrogantly thought that
they needed no repentance. And though in the
general aim of his inftrudions he always in-
fifted on purity of heart and hollnefs of life, yet
to the dodrine of repentance he continually
reverted, as the ground of all his precepts,
and as the neceffary difclpline of all who par
take of the dpfcent from Adam. And in all
his exhortations and reproofs this is continually
implied as a primary and effential duty.
To

208 , M^pmti^e,
To encomage this religious e?:ffcife he was
;full'>ofvCQnfolation to, the truly; penitent. jTo
thofe, that moujaied,a:gpdly forrow to repent
ance, his language Tufually. wa^, '"Your fin§;be
fiar^ven you." .And .the. ind»^gpnce of Hea-
•vjen toward a repenting finnpr. be. reprefents
under the. image of a Father tenderly> receiv
ing Tan . unhappy . prodigal, when ; reclaimed
from ther; error of his ways,; arid addreffing
him in the .language, ofpardpn, and pf peace.
He ilikewlfe : teaches the qualijty :of thatMfe-
pentance.in order. to; be accepted In the fight
of God. It muftt , be ieyore and radical, fuch
.as'.,operates-jto a.iihange of heart, of habit,
and of life. : For of this complexion, as . he
ffiews in parable, was the: repentance, of the
Publicani, when he came .into the temple to
pray. Confcious of his j unworthinefs, he
prefumed; not fo much as to lift up his eyes
to : heaven, , he ftood at a ^.diftance from ¦ the
more ! holy: .place,) and he ;ffiEiote, upon ^Jjls
breaft, faying, " God i>e merciful to me^a
finner!" This he places in a ^ ftill mpre im
preffive light in his difcourfe to Nlcpd^mus*
when he reprefents ; it as confifting of an en
tire change of nature and a total renovatipn
of the fpiritual man. . .So great is the tranf-
, formation from fin to righteoufnefs, that; he
defcribes. it. by the expreffive metaphor of
a fe-

And believe the Gofpel. 209
a fecond birth ; " Verily, verily, I fay unto
thee. Except a man be born again, he can
not fee the Kingdom of God." To effed
this extraordinary change in the foul of man,
he taught the neceffity of reforting in fervent
prayer to God for the affiftance of his holy
Spirit, without which all human efforts would
be of no avail.
The other effential article of acceptance
was. That they believed the Gofpel, in other
words, that they believed in Jefus, as the
Meffiah, preordained of Heaven to deliver
men from fpiritual darknefs and bondage, to
inflrud them in the way and will of God,
to diffufe upon them the divine grace, and
to guide them in the way to final happinefs.
For the foundation of this belief he came
with the united evidence of prophecy and
miracle. In the tenour of his life he ffiewed
himfelf tp be the Perfon foretold by/ the
whole company of Prophets, as the Minifter
of divine grace and truth to men; and in
the pondud o^ ^^^ miniftry he ffiewed him
felf a Prophet mighty both In word and
deed j In particular, he healed all manner of
ficknefs andall manner of difeafe among the
people. By which he not only teftified his
prophetic miffion, but alfo difplayed that
charader of grace and benevolence pecuUar
p to

210 Repent ye,
to a Minifter of peace on earth and of good
will to men. Hence in anfwer to the in
quiry, which the Baptift made by two of
his Difciples, (for the convidion of others,
not his own,) whether he was the perfon
to come for the welfare of the world, he
made this appeal to the uriited evidence of
prophecy and miracle, as the moft decifive
affurance that he came from God ; " Go,
and' ffiew John again the things, which ye
do hear and fee : The blind receive their
fight, and the lame walk, the lepers are
cleanfed, and the deaf hear, the dead are
raifed up, and the poor, have the Gofpel
preached unto them." Well therefore might
he add ; " And bleffed are they, who ffiall
not be offended in me."
The Pharifees and Scribes were indeed of
fended in him. Having fanned their ambi
tion with the delufive hope of a temporal
Kingdom under the banners of the Meffiah,
they could not reconcile their minds to the
idea of beholding him in a poor and lowly
form. In the humbler- walks of life he found
more notice of his works and more attention
to his words. It was from the ffiades of ob
fcurity and Indigence, that he feleded thofe,
who ffiould be witnefles of his miracles and
apoftles of his dodrines to the nations of the
world..

And believe the Gofpel. 211
world. Thefe were the firft fruits of his
Church or Kingdom upon earth. And in the
progrefs of his miniftry the fpiritual harveft
was plenteous, efpecially among the poor,
who had an humbler fenfe of their moral
and their intelledual attainments. Having
ocular evidence of his authority to heal all
manner officknefs and infirmities, they were
convinced that he derived his authority from
God, and were therefore ready to receive
every dodrine that he imparted as an oracle
of divine truth. To them thus favourably
difpofed to hear him he expounded the leading
articles of Chriftian faith and hope. He did
not indeed unfold to them the whole defign
of his miffion, and the full furvey of his cha
rader. According to the general plan of
providence in the whole feries of preceding
revelation from the beginning of time, he
judged It expedient to make a gradual com
munication of heavenly light according to
the dlfpofitlons and capacities of men to re
ceive it. As the people in general with
whom he converfed were full of many na
tional prejudices, and flow to apprehend the
truth, he thought it prudent in his more open
or public difcourfe to confine himfelf in
points of faith to the general affertion of the
charader which he bore, as the Son of God,
p Z and

212 Repent yt,
afld on the bafis 6{ that belief to infift on
the difpofitlons and duties of godlinefs. And
whenever he had occafion to touch upon
thofe pecuUar truths of his religion, which
he ftyles the myfteries of the Kingdom of
heaven, he delivered them under the veil of
parable, referving his interpretation for the
private ear of his Difciples, who by long
attendance on his life and converfation were
better qualified to comprehend their pur
port. Nor yet to his Difciiples, who alfo had
their prejudices, and fuch as were not eafily
to be removed by the argument of words,
did he openly unfold all the dodrines of h\&
religion. He fometimes indeed alluded to
the Crofs, on which he was to yield his life
a ranfom for the world. He fometimes alfo
fpoke of bis rifing again the third day, and
of his departure to his Father. But thefe
were fayings, which the Difciples did not
yet vmderftand. ,, They were imparted in
the way lof prophecy, which might be dark
and obfcure at the time of their delivery, but
when once accompliffied would not only be
clear and luminous themfelves, but woiuld
alfo throw a light on the whole of his
economy. He told thefe things before they
came to pafs, that when they came to pafs
they

And believe the Gofpel. 2 1 3
they might beUeve. But as foon as the whole
plan of divine grace to men was fulfilled in
his paffion and death, his refurredion and
afcenfion, it was time to unfold to them all
the myftery of godlinefs. According to the
promife which he made them before his de
parture, the Holy Ghoft fell on them, and
their eyes were opened. By the aid of this
divine Vlfitant they were guided into all
truth. They not only underftood thefe myf
teries themfelves, but they were authorized
and enjoined to impart them to the world.
The fame terms of acceptance, which he
taught through all his mlniflry, he repeated
at his departure. The final charge, which he
gave to his Difciples immediately before his
afcenfion, was that they ffiould " go and
teach all nations, baptizing them In the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Ghoft ^." Wherein is Implied, not
only that they fliould inftrud them in the
principles of the Chriftian Faith, but alfo
that they ffiould cleanfe and purify them
from every ftain of moral pollution, that fo
they might be prepared for admiffion into a
ftate of grace,
Thefe therefore were the primary doc-
^ Mat. xxviii. 19.
p 3 trines

214 Repent ye,
trines of all the Apoftles, Thus the fum of
Saint Peter's preaching to the Jews on the
firft diffufion of the divine Spirit was, " Re
pent, and be baptized every one of you In
the name of Jefus Chrift for the remiffion of
fins, and ye ffiall receive the gift of the Holy
Ghoft, — Unto you firft, God, having raifed up
his Son Jefus, fent him to blefs you in turn
ing away every one of you from his iniqui
ties ^." In like manner Saint Paul coffiprized
the purport of his facred embaffy in " teftify-
Ing both to the Jews and alfo to the Greeks
repentance toward God, and faith toward our
Lord Jefus Chrift ^" Thus the tenour of his
epiftles to the Churches among the Gentiles
is to expofe the ffiame, the mifery, and the
fatal confequence of their former courfe of
life, and to ffiew them the means of recovery
from their unhappy ways by repentance from
dead works and renovation to fpiritual Ufe in
Chrift. On fo great a change they might
hope to obtain remiffion of their fins, to have
a portion in the covenant of the Gofpel, to
become by adoption the children of grace,
and heirs of the promifes given to the faith
ful, and to be rendered in the fpiritual, what
Ifrael was in the temporal fenfe, " a chofen
<= Afts ii, 38. iii, a6. f Aifts xx. 21. genera-

And believe the Gofpel. 215
generation, a royal priefthood, a holy nation,
a peculiar people."
After this general flatement of the terms
of acceptance into that divine Kingdom, as
originally propbfed both to Jews and Gen
tiles, I defign in the fequel of this difeourfe
to give this argument a pradical application
to ourfelves, who are differently circumftanced
both from Jews and Gentiles, inafmuch as
we were admitted in our Infancy into the
Church of Chrift by baptifm: which is equally
a fymbol of both thofe duties, whiph our
Lord enjoined in the front of his religion,
that we repent of our fins, and that we be
lieve the Gofpel.
In regard to Repentance, our Baptifm is
not only a pledge of our conditional releafe
from the taint of original fin, but is alfo a
token and memorial to us, as foon as we
come of age to underftand its purport, that
.we -yvill fulfil thofe engagements, which were
then made in our name, by repenting of our
fins, and leading a new life correfpondent
with the faith we hold. For though admitted
at our baptifm to the privileges of the Chrif
tian covenant, yet the corruption of our na-^
ture, though in fome degree controlled. Is
p 4 . not

2i5 Repent ye,
not overcome, but will predominate, unlefs
We renew and ratify our baptifmal vows by
repentance ; or as it is therein expreffed- to
nearly the fame effed, by renouncing the
devil, the worldi and the fleffi. In this re
ligious exercife it is incumbent on all, who
bear the Chriftian name, very ferloufly - to
engage. The expedience of this is evident
in the Cafe of thofe, who either through
want of inftrudion from others, or want
of. confideration in themfelves, have over
looked or negleded their Chriftian vows,
and have followed altogether the devices and
defires of their own hearts ; who like the
younger Son in the parable have feceded from
their heavenly Father's government, and fur
rendered themfelves to a life of fpiritual pro
digality. It is certain that they can have no
title to a relnftatement In their Father's
houfehold, or to a portion in his Inheritance,
till they have renounced and abandoned all
their evil ways, have repaired in contrition
and humility to the throne of heavenly grace,
and with a full confeffion of their unworthi
nefs have fupplicated pardon for their paft
offences, and have fincerely fubmitted them
felves to his authority and guidance. In
which cafe indeed the doors of mercy are
freely

And believe the Gofpel. 21 7
freely open to them, and they are again re
ceived with eompaffion and tendernefs to
pardon and to peace.
But the duty of repentance, though not
fo difficult and fo fevere. Is no lefs expedient,
in the cafe of thofe, who have been brought
up, and who continue ftill to live, under a
general fenfe of their religious calling, who
have ftudied with fome diligence and appli
cation to grow in grace and in the know
ledge of our Lord Jefus Chrift. For we'
muft not imagine, that we ever ffiall have
made fo great a progrefs In the Chriftian life,.
as not to ftand In need of a frequent recur
rence of this falutary difeipline. Encum
bered as wc are with the infirmities of our
corrupt nature, we are continually deviating
from that line of reditude, which the Law
of Chrift requires us to purfue. After all our
endeavours to put on the Chriftian difpofi
tlons and habits, we are tranfgreffing every
day, whether by doing what we are forbidden,
or by leaving undone what we are com
manded to do. Now though it Is not expe
dient for us to repeat the rite of baptifm, yet
it Is highly neceffary, that we frequently re
fort to the laver of regeneration for the
fprinkling of our hearts from an evil confel
ence, that we frequently undergo in the fpi
ritual

218 Repent ye,
ritual import the baptifm of repentance for
the remiffion of fins.
Now this exercife of repentance is not an
eafy difclpline, even to thpfe, who in their
general deportment have lived In allegiance.
to their heavenly King; fince it implies a for-^
row for having deviated in any, cafe, from that;.
royal law, to which they had vowed obedience.
But then this forrow Is produdive of the
moft bleffed fruits, as it worketh repentance
to. falvation not to be repented. of, and clofes
in joy and peace and confolation. But to
thofe who have walked according to. their
own ways, without any fenfe of God and
religion, and confequently in the ways of fin,
this exercife is indeed fevere, if duly and ef-;
ficiently performed ; fince it implies fuch
contrition and remorfe, as is expreffed in holy
Scripture by a wounded fpirit and a broken
heart; fince it produces a total change and.
renovation of nature, in difpofition of foul
and in habit of life. On which account it
is therein alfo defcrlbed under very ftrong and
expreffive images, by being born again, an^
by becoming a new creature, by being dead
unto fin, and alive unto God, by being
buried with Chrift, and being rifen again
with Chrift from the dead, by putting off
the old man, which is corrupt in the former con-

And believe the Gofpel. 219
converfation, and by putting on the new
man, which after God is created in righte
oufnefs and true hollnefs s.
The repentance, which the law of Chrift
requires, muft have thefe effential qualities
to give it acceptance in the fight of heaven.
It muft be Immediate ; as foon as the finner
is convinced of the guilt under which he la
bours, he muft without delay apply himfelf
to obtain a releafe from his fins by thofe
means which the Gofpel has pointed out.
It muft be fincere ; not confifting in form,
but proceeding from the heart. It muft be
univerfal ; not referving the indulgence of
any darling habit of tranfgreffion, but aban
doning every finful paffion and propenfity
without exception. It muft be produdive;
having fo much influence on our pradice,
as to bring forth in us fruits meet for re
pentance, namely the fruits of a good and
holy life : And when through infirmity of
nature or any ftrong temptation we are fur-
prized and overcome by fin, we muft make
no delay to renew our repentance.
For this Important exercife we muft pre
pare ourfelves by all the religious means in
our power ; by ferious examination, how far
« a Cor. V. 17, Rom. vi, 11, 4. Eph. it. a2, &c,
we

320 .Repent ye, .
we are conformed In our difpofitlons and ha
bits to the law and will of God; by un
feigned forrow for our fins, confidering that
they are of fo malignant a nature, as to
alienate us from our heavenly King ; by con
feffion of them In all contrition and humility
to God; by fupplication of pardon for the fake
of Chrift our great Mediator and Advocate
in Heaven ; by invocation of the divine
grace for affiftance and fupport, convinced
that wanting this we have no power to do
any good, or to offer any acceptable fervice ;
by refolutlbns In concurrence with this affift
ing and fupporting grace to live under a
fenfe of our religious x>bligations for the time
to come. Having thus engaged the coun
tenance and protedlon of the holy Spirit,
who is never far from thofe who fincerely
and diligently feek him, we may hope to fur-
mount all the difficulties of our Chriftian
warfare ; and when once we are paffed the
feverer trials of our profeffion, we fliall find,
as our Lord himfelf affures us, that his yoke
is eafy and his burden is light. Thus ffiall
we verify our allegiance to our heavenly
King, which we vowed at our baptifm, when
enrolled under his banner ; and notwith
ftanding repeated failures, which may require
the repeated exercife of repentance, we may
hope

And believe the Gofpel. 221
hope through his grace and mercy to find
acceptance at the laft.
Again, in regard to Belief in the Gofpel,
our Baptifm is a memorial to us of the. faith,
to which we then virtually gave affent, and
an engagement to us, that we will perfeverc
in that belief. For this purpofe It may be
convenient to examine and review the faith
we have received, under thofe two leading
articles which the Apoftle has advanced, that
" there is one God and one Mediator be
tween God and Man, the Man Chrift Je
ffis, who gave himfelf a ranfom for all**."
That there is one God, Is the primary"
dodrine of all religion. That he has a provi
dential eye over the world, and takes cogni
zance of the difpofitlons and adions of rea-
fonable creatures, is a dodrine that necefla-
rlly follows next. Without this effential
faith it is impoffible to pleafe him. For he
that cometh to God muft believe, that he is,
and that he is a Rewarder of them that di
ligently feek him '. This was the firft prln-
piple of faith under the Law. The children
of Ifrael were required to believe in him
alone, to contemplate and adore him in his
attributc^of infinite power, wifdom, juftice,
^ I Tim, ii. 5. ' Heb, xi. 6. and

222 Repent ye,
and goodnefs, to look up to him as the Crea
tor and Preferver of the world, the Re-
warder of moral good and the Avenger of
moral evil ; and in confequence they were
taught to worffiip him alone, to reverence
his name, to hallow his fabbath, and to love
him with all their hearts and all their fa
culties. And In this light alfo we are taught to
contemplate him under the Gofpel difpenfa
tion ; though with additional motives of gra
titude and love ; as therein he Is manlfefted
more diftlndly to us under the charader of a
Parent, who regards us as his children, and Is
folicitous for our welfare and happinefs. For
though Man is degenerate from that image
of God In which he was originally made, and
by reafon of his fall from his primitive upright-
nefs Is rendered unworthy of divine favour
and regard, yet the Father of all in his con-
fummate wifdom has formed an expedient
to reconcile his inflexible juftice with his un
bounded benevolence. This wonderful fcheme
of grace he has manlfefted to the world in
the laft difpenfation of his counfel : " God
fo loved the world, that he fent his only be
gotten 'Son into the world; that whofoever
believeth on him ffiould not periffi, but have
everlafting life." This

And believe the Gofpel. 223
This brings me to the confideration of
that other article of our faith, that there is
one Mediator between God and Man, the
Man Chrift Jefus, who gave himfelf a ran
fom for all. This dodrine is peculiar to the
Gofpel. It is that myftery of godlinefs,
which had been concealed for ages from the
world in general, had been fignified only
through the ffiade of types and parables to
the Jews, but was openly revealed to all
men In the Gofpel of Jeffis Chrift. In this
"mediatorial charader he jarefents himfelf to
the eye of faith In thefe three capacities, for
which he was anointed with the Holy Ghoft
and with power, of a Prophet, of a Prieft, and
of a King.
As a Prophet, he came to declare the
whole counfel of God to men, to teach
them what they had to do in this life, and
what they had to look fbr in the life to
come ; to dired them in the way of hollnefs
on earth, as the neceffary road to happinefs
in heaven ; of duty, what he taught in
precept, to illuftrate in example, and of re
compence, what he declared in dodrine, to
affure to all men by his own refurredion from
the dead.
. As a Prieft, he has undertaken the mini
ftry of reconciliation between God and Man.
Being

224 Repent ye,
Being holy, harmlefs, undefiled, feparate
from finners, he was prepared and qualified
to yield an acceptable facrifice for the fins
of men. And this he effeded, not by fuch
offerings as the Mofalc Law required, but
by the ineftlmable offering of himfelf. By
furrendering his precious life upon the crofs
he gave himfelf a ranfom for all. And on
the merit of that ranfom he is now entered
into the moft holy place, even into heaven
itfelf, where he continually makes a moft
prevailing interceffion for us. Thus being
redeemed, not with corruptible things, but
by the precious blood of Chrift, as of a lamb
without blemiffi and without fpot ^, we are
encouraged to hope not only for the par--
don and .remiffion of our fins, but alfo for ac
ceptance and adoption into the grace and in
heritance of heaven.
As a King, he has undertaken to deliver
us from the bondage of fin and Satan, having
entered himfelf into warfare with our Spiri
tual Foe, and by his arduous conflid on the
crofs having refcued us from his dominion.
He has given us laws for our government
and guidance : He has conduded us on the
way in which he would have us go. And
^ I Pet. i. l8, 19..
now

And i^eUeve the Gofpel. 225
now that he is returned in triumph to his
throne of glory, he ftill continues by his pro
vidence and grace to defend us from all the
affaults and fedudions of our enemies. From
that high and holy place he diffufes every
fpiritual gift upon his Church, to the truly
penitent the forgivenefs of fins, and to the truly
faithful every divine fupport arid affiftance,
to cheer them in a flate of warfare, and fi
nally to bring them to a ftate of triumph.
And when this fcene of difeipline is clofed,
he will return in the ftyle and authority of a
King, to take vengeance on thofe, who know
not God and obey ;iot his Gofpel, and to re
ceive all his faithful Soldiers and Servants into
his heavenly Kingdom.
Such are the dodrines of ,that Gofpel,
which we are required to believe, as one of
the two principal conditions of acceptance
into the Kingdom of God.
But how are we to believe? — Not merely
by affenting to them with our lips, nor yet
by acknowledging them with our underftand
ings, fpr- fo fuperficial a faith would not
avail us in the fight of God, but by receiving
the impreffion into our hearts. The belief,
which we are called upon to yield^ Is fuch as
is animated by love and gratitude to Chrift,
as produces in us gpod difpofitlons and defires,
Q and

226 Repent ye,
and: manlfefts itfelf in the habit of a holy
life. Our Belief in one God, when duly efta
bliffied in the heart, induces and implies a
ferious difpofition and fincere endeavour to
ferve him with reverence and with godly
fear ; to love him In his mercies, to adore
him in his judgments ; to be thankful for his
favours, to be patient under his corredions;
to truft to his providence, to be refigned to
his difpofal; to imitate his charader, to con
form to his will ; to regard him as a Father,
who is tenderly folicitous for our true and
final welfare, and, provided we avail ourfelves
of his fpiritual gifts, is promoting the defign
of our redemption and adoption, is working
in us a releafe from fin, is difpofing us to ho
llnefs, and preparing us for happinefs.
In like manner our Belief in one Media
tor between God and Man, when equally
grounded in the heart, both induces and Im
plies an earneft refolution to pay him the ho
mage of our hearts and of our lives.
While we believe in him as a Prophet, wc
accept his word as an embaffy of pardon and
of peace, we adore him in the myfteries that
he hath opened to us, vve attend to all his
,dodrlnes with gratitude and reverence, we
are animated by his exhortations, we are
correded

' And believe the Gofpel. 227
cqrreded by his reproofs, we obey him in
his precept, and we follow him in his ex
ample. While we believe In him as a Prieft, who
gave himfelf a ranfom for all, we are moved
by this ftupendous ad of grace to entertain
the greateft horror for fin, and the higheft
gratitude to our Redeemer; and we thence
determine to renounce our fins, to take up
our crofs with him, to prefent our bodies a
living facrifice to God ; in full affurance of
faith, that through his interceffion they will
not be offered up in vain.
While we believe in him as a King, we
ffiall be touphed with gratitude fbr the great
deliverance he has accomplifhed for us ; we
ffiall be perfuaded to reverence his Laws, and
to ffibmit ourfelves to his government ; we
ffiall be encouraged to refort to him for par
don of the fins of which we repent, for af
fiftance and fupport In all our religious la
bours, for protedlon and defence againft all
our enemies ; we ffiall be refolved to ar
range ourfelves under his banner againft the
feveral adverfarles of the Chriftian caufe, and
to continue his faithful Soldiers for the re
mainder of our days.
If thus we comply with the terms of ac
ceptance, as propofed by our Lord himfelf,
Q 2, by

228' Repent ye, and believe the Gofpel.
by repenting of our fins and believing the
Gofpel, it is humbly to be hoped on the
promlfe he has given, that we have an inter
eft In the Kingdom of God both in the prefent
and the future life. Even while we continue
in this field of difclpline, we are partakers in
the Kingdom of Grace ; and when the fcene
of difeipline Is clofed, we ffiall have our por- .
tion in the Kingdom of Glory.

SERMONS ON THE BEATITUDES.

Matthew v. 3-^10.
Bleffed are the Poor in fpirit : for theirs is the Kingdom
of Heaven: ^c,&e.
JL HE great purpofe of our Saviour's miffion
was to procure and advance the happinefs of
men. It was therefore the leading objed of
his miniftry to inculcate all thofe difpofitlons
and habits of hollnefs, which in the difpenfa
tion of divine providence and grace are ef
fential to this Important end. For which-
intent he commands our reverence and regard
in the charader of a Lawgiver, who has a
certain courfe of duty to propofe, fupported
and fandioned by a certain train of recom
pence. The laws which he delivered are
fpread through all his difcourfes : But they
feem to be colleded and comprized In his
Sermon on the Mount. This valuable dif
courfe was delivered it Is probable In the
early part of his' miniftry, foon after he had
Q 3 begun

230 The Beatitudes.
begun to preach the Gofpel of the Kingdom;
and feems intended for a fummary to his
Difciples both of Chriftian, duty and of Chrif
tian hope. , It does not indeed ui^^o^^ thofe
myfteries of godlinefs, which are now pro
pofed for the objeds of our faith, ffich as our
redemption and juftlfication by the merits,
the atonemerrt, and Interceffion of our Re
deemer : For thefe it was expedient to re
prefent, not fo much In words, as in fads ;
and thefe accordingly our Lord expreffed, not
fo much in his dodrine, as in his paffion and
crucifixion, his refurredion and afcenfion.
But it Inftruds .us very fully In thofe vir
tuous difpofitlons, which all who name
the name of Chrift muft cultivate ; and it
affures us very clearly of that divine recom
pence, which awaits our fidelity and obe
dience. This Is placed in a confpicuous Ught In the
front of his difeourfe. With a fjairit of be
nevolence, cpngenial to the charader of a
Minifter of grace and peace from God to
Man, he opens his difcourfe with a feries of
Beatitudes : he pronounces a bleffing on all
thofe virtuous qualities, which are effential
to his true Difciples ; and to each of thofe
quaUtles he affigns a correfponding recom
pence. It

The Beatitudes. 231
It was unqueftionably the defign of our
holy Teacher through all this feries of Beati
tudes to redify the difpofitlons and purfuits
of men, which are generally too intent on
worldly things, and to fix them on objeds,
wherein alone true happinefs is to be at
tained. According to their feveral propen
fities of mind the Children of this world are
proud and ambitious after worldly confe
quence, are turbulent and grafping after
worldly pofleffions, are Inordinate lovers of
pleaffires, are intemperate followers after the
luxuries of this life. But in all thefe pur-
ffiits, even if they attain the fummit of their
wiffies, they never find that fovereign good
they feek, as it does not centre in any tem
poral acquifition. It continually evades their
grafp, and difappoints their hope. Thus by
the ordinary courfe of providence, even in
this life, the denunciations of our Lord are
feverally fulfilled upon them : " Woe unto
you that are rich ! for ye have received your
confolation. Woe unto you that are full !
for ye ffiall hunger. Woe unto you that
laugh now ! for ye ffiall mourn and weep^"
In oppofition to thefe vain purfuits our
bleffed Lord infti;uds his Difciples to feek
* Luke vi 24, 25.
Q 4 for

232 The Beatitudes. "
for happinefs by very different means, knd
to place their happinefs in very different
ends. In concurrence with this general defign of
Chrift, as it relates to the world at large, it
has alfo been fuppofed with fome plaufibili*
ty, that he had It in contemplatipn to redify
thofe erroneous opinions entertained among
the Jews, of the Kingdom of the Meffiah, and
of the qualities expedient for a place therein.
Led away by worldly prejudice they took
the prophecies relative to this expeded Prince
in a literal fenfe, and they molded this King*-
dom in their fond imaginations on the model
of the Kingdom of- Ifrael in its moft flouriffi
ing ftate. They fuppofed, that he would
literally fit upon the throne pf David, and
Would gratify his followers in the feveral
vain defires of their carnal hearts, that to the
proud and ambitious he would give dominion
and authority, to the turbulent and grafping
territorial poffefiions, to the lovers of pleaffire
feftive revelries and pageants, to the followers
after luxuries all manner of luxurious gratifi
cations. It might therefore be fuitable to our
Lord's defign, to corred thofe errors^ that
feverally prevailed among the Gentiles and
among the Jews, by publlffiing to the world,
that the Beatitudes of his Kingdom were
propofed

The Beatitudes. 333
Ijpropofed to different charaders, and*were in
themfelves of a different kind, from what
they might feverally imagine or defire. Thus
the inftrudion contained in thefe fentences
will bear an application both to the Gentiles,
who had little or no conception of this hea
venly reign, and to the Jews, who had en
tertained erroneous notions of its charader
and government. Inftead pf animating the
ambitious with the hope of temporal domi
nion and authority, he faid, " Bleffed are the
Poor in fpirit : for theirs is the Kingdom of
Heaven." Inftead of encouraging the turbu
lent and grafping with the hope of worldly
ppffeflaons, he faid, " Bleffed are the Meek :
for they ffiall inherit the Earth." Inftead of
¦gratifying the lovers of pleaffire with feftive
pageants and triumphal ffiews, he faid,
•• Bleffed are they that mourn: for they ffiall
be comforted." Inftead of indulging the
followers after luxuries with every dainty
that the ranfacked world ffipplies, he faid,
" Bleffed are they that hunger and thir^
after righteoufnefs : for they ffiall be fatif-
fied." On thefe Beatitudes I have now to treat,
as they form a conftituent part of the fub
jed on which I am employed. On a clofe in-
veftigation

234 The Beatitudes.^
veftigation they will be found, with equal
advantage to dlfplay the miffion and to il
luftrate the charader of him who fpoke*
them. But before I proceed to difcourfe upon
them feparately, it may be convenient to
premife a few remarks on their ftrudure and
arrangement, for that may be of ufe in un
folding their defign. Now it deferves our no
tice, that as they are formed on the model of
certain introdudory fentences in the Pfalms,
which pronounce a bleffing on virtuous dif
pofitlons '', fo they are delivered In the fame
'fententious and proverbial ftyle. Hence they
bear the complexion, of the Poetry of the
Hebrews, which In Its prevailing charader is
combined of parallel fentences and claufes,
wherein propofition correfponds with propo-
fition, and term is anfwerable to term. Thus
every fentence In this feries Is compofed of
two claufes, of which the former pronounces
a certain difpofition bleffed, and the latter
ftates wherein this bleffednefs confifts. But
befide the general parallel that pervades the
whole, the fentences appear to be dlfpofed in
couplets, bearing a ftill clofer analogy to one
^ Pfalms i, xxxii. xli. cxix. another

The Beatitudes. 235
another both in conftrudlon and in fpirit :
as will be more diftlndly feen, if we read
them in the order, which they hold In fome
very ancient and well approved Manufcripts
of the Gofpel, and In which they are quoted
by fome diftinguiffied Fathers of the Chriftian
Church :
** Bleffed ,are the Poor in fpirit : for theirs
is the Kingdom of Heaven.
" Bleffed are the Meek : for they ffiall in
herit the Earth.
" Bleffed are they that -mourn : for they
ffiall be comforted.
" Bleffed are they that hunger and thirft
after righteoufnefs : for they ffiall be fatif-
fied <=."
According to this arrangement the fecond
fentence is parallel to the firft. The Meek
are bf a kindred charader with the Poor in
fpirit : And the inheritance of the Earth
bears an evident antithefis to the poffeffion
•^ It may fuffice to ftate, that this is the Order of the Cam
bridge Manufcript both In the Greek and the Latin Text :
which Is further fan£lIoned by the following lift of authorities
from Wetftein's Edition : — Verfio Latlna, Clemens, Orlgenes,
Eufebius, Gregor. Nyff. Juvencus, Ambrofius, Chromatus, Hie-
ronymus.
of

236 The Beatitudes,
of the Kingdom of Heaven. A fimilar cor
refpondence holds both in difpofition and in
recompence between the third and the fourth:
They that mourn are comforted : They that
hunger and thirft are fatisfied.
This arrangement I am the more difpofed
to note, as it contributes in fome degree to the
pcrfpicuity of the fentences, and fixes in fome
cafes a preclfion of meaning, which in the
common order of reading is not fo obfervable.
We ffiall more diftindly underftand who arc
meant by the Poor in fplrit, on which there is
fome difference of opinion, when we find them
collated with the Meek. We ffiall more clear
ly apprehend who are meant by them that
mourn, on which there is alfo fome degree of
doubt, when we find them collated with them
that hunger and thirft after righteoufnefs.
In treating on this important and compre-
-henfive theme, I propofe to "affign a feparate
Difcourfe to each Beatitude. And here alfo
it may be convenient to ftate in general terms
the plan to be purfued. As the Sentences
themfelves are parallel, I would endeavour
to render thefe Difcourfes parallel, as far as
the fubjed will conveniently admit. Now
as every fentence is compofed of two claufes,
the argument thereupon is accordingly dif
pofed

The Beatitudes. izf
pofed into two heads of difcourfe, the Cha
rader commended, and the Bleffednefs af
figned. After ftating, and occafionally ex
plaining, the Charader propofed, I have to
confider it firft, as it was feverally regarded,
both in fpeculation, and in pradice, among
the Heathens, and among the Jews, and
then, as it was more fully illuftrated, and
more forcibly enjoined, as well in exam
ple, as In dodrine, by the Author of our
faith : whence I colled a general outline
of the Charader propofed to the cultivation
of Chriftians. In a fimilar method I have
alfo to treat of the latter claufe. After ftat
ing In general terms the nature of the Bleffed
nefs affigned, I have to confider it firft, as it
was feverally regarded, both in fpeculation,
and in pradice, among the Heathens, and
among the Jews, and then, as it was more
clearly and decifively propofed by our Lord
himfelf in the fulnefs of divine revelation :
whence I proceed to explain it in its different
views, of the prefent, and of the future life :
And conclude the difcourfe by ffiewing the
correfpondence, in the nature of things, and
in the difpenfations of grace, between the
Virtue thus commended, and its appropriate
Reward.

SERMON IX.

Matthew v. 3.
Bleffed are the Poor infpirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of
Heaven, J.
X HE firft Beatitude of our heavenly
Teacher Is affigned to perfons, who do not
attrad the notice or engage the applaufe of
men. Inftead of approving the ambitious,
and encouraging the hopes of thpfe who afpire
after worldly confequence and honours, as is
a prevailing fentiment with the children
of this world, he pronounces a bleffing on an
oppofite difpofition and charader : Bleffed are
the. Poor infpirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of
Heaven. *
By poverty of fpirit, as thus commended
and encouraged by our Lord, may be under
ftood humility in general In cpntradlftindipn
to pride and ambition of every kind : But
efpecially and principally I would underftand
humility of heart in relation to God and in
reference to fpiritual things ; a fenfe of our
low

240 Bleffed are the Poor in fpirit :
low condition in the more effential qualities
of man, in the attainment of divine know
ledge, and in the growth of divine grace.
A difpofition of this nature was fo little
cultivated by the Heathens, that it was dif
couraged and defpifed. For* their Sages en
tertained a proud conceit of the dignity of
human nature ; and confidently boafted of
their moral and intelledual powers. The
confequence of which was darknefs of un
derftanding and depravity of heart. Profeff-
Ing themfelves wife they became fools ; and
being extravagantly vain in their imagina
tions they were alienated from the life of
God. Being hardened in their hearts againft
all moral feeling, they did what was right In
their own eyes ; and having loft the true
knowledge of a holy God, they furrendered
themfelves to their own lawlefs and unprofit
able devices \
A fpirit of pride, though diffimllar to theirs,
prevailed among the Jews, more efpecially
among thofe, who from their ftation and
charader ought to have fet a better example,
among thofe, who profeffed themfelves to be
teachers of the ignorant and guides of the ,
blind. According to the moft unqueftlona-
" Rom, i. 22, &c. ble

For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 241
ble evidence they were elated with extrava
gant Ideas of their own merit, they trufted
in themfelves that they were righteous, and
they arrogated to themfelves, as children of
Abraham, and heirs of the promifes, a pecu
liar title to the care and recompence of Hea
ven. And yet It had been the conftant lan
guage of the Law which they profeffed to
teach, that one of the principal duties requir
ed and Infifted on by their heavenly Ki^g
was to walk humbly with their God. In
like manner it was the tenor of inftrudion by
the whole band of Prophets, that pride was
odious in the fight of Heaven. And God
himfelf declares by his chofen Minifter Ifaiah,
that though he is fupreme over all, yet hath
he a peculiar refped unto the lowly; though
his Immediate feat Is in the high and holy
place, yet he alfo dwells with the contrite
and humble fpirit''.
But a more powerful and perffiafive Teacher
than Mofes and the Prophets was requlfite to
overcome this prevailing and original fin In
the nature and heart of man. To cherlffi
the difpofition of humility, to encourage the
charader of the poor in fpirit, was the firft
aim of Chrift on proclaiming his kingdom to
•> Ifa, Ivii. 15.
R the

242 Bleffed dre the Poor infpirit :
the World. This engages bur regard in the
primary clrcumftance of his appearance ^pba
earth. Though being in the form bf Godj
he cohdefeefided to affume the form of rnan>
and from the highefi eminence of divine
glory he fubmitted to the loWeft cbhditibti
of human life. BbrU and brought up in ob
fcurity and indigence, he came forth upbn his
miniftry In circumftances moft unpromifing
to* ambitibus minds : hfe Was deftitUte of th©
comforts of humble poverty; he wanted even
the comiyion refuge of the indigent, a place
Whereon to lay his head. ThUs according
to the Prophet he had no form nor comeli
nefs, when men ffiould fee him ; nor was
his countenance fuch, that they ffiould defire
him^ The charader bf humility he continually
fexempUfied In all his converfation and de
portment. He avoided all thofe honours^
which the people In their ftarts of admiration
Were eager to beftow upon him. He chofe
for his companions pbor and artlefs and un
lettered men, with whom he travelled on
foot through the land bf Paleftine. To thefe
he was rather a fervant than a mafter, being
come, as he declared, not to be miniftered
= fia. liii. a.
unto,

For theirs is tlte Kingdom of Heaven. 1AZ
unto, but to minifter ; as was inftanced in
that fignal ad of humiliation, when he girt
himfelf with a towel, and waffied the feet of
his Difciples : By which expireffive emblem
he not only diffipated their falfe expedations
of a temporal kingdom, but alfo taught them
humility of difpofition and demeanour both to
God and Man. Well therefore might he pro
pofe himfelf as a pattern of imitation in this
preliminary grace of his religion: " Take my
yoke upon you, and learn of me ; for. I am
meek and lowly in heart '^."
Correfpondent with his appearance upon
earth was, the tone and diredion of his teach
ing. The firft of thofe gracious charaders,
which the Prophet afcribes to this Minlfter
of gracCj was that he ffiould " preach the
Go^el to the Poor." And accordingly he
declares in evidence of his divine miffion,
what was continually feen and heard under
his minlftration, that " the Poor have the
Gofpel preached unto them." To the Poor
before others Jie imparted the benefits of
his miniftry, whether temporal or fpiritual.
He healed their Infirmities, he difpelled their
forrows, he ffipplled their wants. Their
bgdily neceffities might engage his compaf-
^ Mat.xi. 29,
R2 fion,

244 Bleffed are the Poor infpirit :
fion, which was never flow to adminifter re
lief But it was not their external condition
in Itfelf, which could recommend them to
his favour above other claffes of men, but
the temper of mind and heart, which this
condition cheriffied and improved'. He look
ed with complacence on the poor in fortune,
becaufe in them he ufually found the poor
in fpirit. In this refped only could they en
gage his more peculiar notice, as the humility
of their ftation difpofed them to humility of
heart. The fcantinefs of their lot in tempo
ral riches prepared them for the fearch after
fpiritual treafures ; and the lowlinefs of their
ftate in this life pre-engaged their cares for
the glories of the life to come. To fuch he
imparted liberally bi the abundance of his
grace ; he difpelled their doubts and fears ;
he affured them of the divine eompaffion
and indulgence ; and he encouraged them to
look up to the high and mighty God for ap
probation and acceptance.
And while he was thus full of folace and
encouragement to the poor in fpirit, he was
alfo full of reprehenfion to perfons of an op
pofite temper, which he generally found in
the fuperior walks of life ; to fuch as were
elated with a vain conceit of their moral and
intelledual attainments, as was the prevaiUng charader

For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 245
charader of the Pharifees and Scribes. In
his Intercourfe with perfons of this defcrip
tion he omitted no occafion to reprove their
fpiritual pride, and to inculcate a temper of a
contrary nature : which he commonly did
under the covert form of parable, being the
mildeft vehicle of fevere reproof This was
the fplrit of his admonition at the table of
one of the chief Pharifees, when he marked
the diftindion of precedence, which the guefts
were fedulous to maintain in fitting down to.
meat. He advifed them, when invited to a
feaft, not to take the higheft place, from
which they might with ffiame be degraded
to a lower, but to take the loweft place,
from which they might with honour be ad
vanced to a higher. Thus under the fem
blance of inftrudion in jegard to their civil
and focial intercourfe he conveyed a leffon of
much more important admonition, peculiarly
neceffary to that clafs of men who fate at
table with him. He reproved their fpiritual
pride, as tending to abafe them in the fight
of God ; and he recommended fpiritual hu
mility, as moft conducive to advance them
in his favour ^. Thus alfo to certain of the
fame defcription, who trufted in themfelves
"= Luke xiv. 7 — 1 1 ,
R 3 that

246 Bleffed are the Poor infpirit :
tl^at they were rightebus, he propofed as a
leffon of admonition and reproof the oppofite
deportment of a Pharifee and a Publican,
when they went into the temple to pray.
The Pharifee prefumptuoufly thanks God,
that he is better than other men in his obferv
ance both of the pofitive and the moral law.
While the Publican at a diftance from the
more holy place prefumes not fo much as to
lift his eyes to heaven, but fmites upon
his breaft, faying, God be merciful to me
a Sinner. " I tell you," fays our Lord,
" this man went down to hfs houfe juftified
rather than the other." To both which pa
rables he attaches. this maxim of divine juf
tice ; " He that exalteth himfelf ffiall be
abafed ; and he that humbleth himfelf ffiall
be exalted ^" •
From this general view we may colled
who the perfons are, who come under the
privilege of this Beatitude. By the poor in
fpirit we may underftand without exceptibn
all, whether rich or poor in worldly fub
ftance, whether high or low in worldly rank,
who are lowly in heart and foul, who have
an humble fenfe of their Own qualities and
attainments ; more efpecially in the know
ledge and the grace of God. Caftlng down all
f Luke xviil. g — 14. 1,. proud

For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 24?
proud Imagluatlons pf temporal confequence,
renouncing every vain defire after temporal
dignities and honours, which are commonly
at variance with the knowledge of God as
laid open in the Gpfpel, they freely ffirrender
every thought to fhe obedience of Chrift^.
Under the impreffion of that knowledge,
which he has imparted to the world, they
entertain a feeling fenfe of their own weak-
• nefs, ignorance, and want in fpiritual things ;
they pay an awful deference to the" power,
the wifdom, the juftice, and the benevo
lence of God, and a profound fubmiffion to
all his difpenfations. And while they dif-
claim all merit and fufficiency of their own,
they commit themfelves entirely in devout
and perfevering prayer to God, being fo
licitous to receive the benefit of his affift
ance and fupport, the light of his truth,
and the riches of his grace, in whatever
manner and _by whatever means it may
pleafe the great Fountain bf bleffednefs to
beftow them. Thus conforming to the pri
mary inftrudion, as alfo to the leading dif
pofition and charader of the lowly Jefus, they
have the firft diftindion in the feries of his
beatitudes: For theirs is the Kingdom of Hea
ven. s 2 Cor. X. j.
R 4 The

248 Bleffed are the Poor infpirit :
The, promlfe of a Kingdom, as accepted
In the worldly fenfe, might be welcome to
multitudes, as It coincides with a ruling paf
fion in the mind of man. Among the diffe
rent objeds of human defire and purfuit there
is none that has a more' general and more
commanding fway than that of eminence
above their fellow-creatures. It Is the lot of
very few to reign : But moft men are am
bitious of obtaining confideration, authority,
and power. Accordingly a fpirit of ambition
from the higheft to the loweft ranks of men
has univerfally prevailed. This operates In
common life by the pains that are taken
through the feveral gradations of fociety to
advance themfelves In the fcale of focial or
der, and to obtain a preeminence In rank and
ftation over thofe around them. In public
Ufe it operates with more baneful effeds. It
has prompted men by all manner of lawlefs
and fanguinary means to ufurp a dominion
over their fellow mortals. The love of em-
. pire has been the great fpur of human enter-
prize in all ages and nations of the world.
Hence the military atchievements of the
Greeks and of the Romans. Hence the ar
dour of Alexander to conquer other nations,
of Ccefar to enflave his own.
In this purffiit after fancied happinefs hovy
litde

For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 249
little do they really attain what they fo
anxioufly and affiduoufly feek ! for they feek
it where it is not to be found. In common
life, if they fucceed in their defigns, they
find the elevation they have attained to be
at beft but an Ideal good, but in general no
better than vanity and vexation of fpirit. In
public life the objed that they feek is ftill
more chimerical and full of fearful and con
tinual hazard. Among the feveral candidates
for empire and dominion how few can poffi-
bly attain that gilded prize, th^t glitters in
the eyes of the multitude ! If they fall, de-
ftrudion is almoft the certain confequence ;
and to thofe very few, who by a fingular
combination of fortunate events attain the
moft lofty ftation which ambition cpuld pro
pofe for the fummit of their defires, what
real happinefs is In ftore to recompence the
dangers long encountered and anxieties long
endured ? More dangers and anxieties in long
fucceffion muft attend their fteps. In the
midft of a palace, they are iU at eafe. In
the height of their dominion and in the ful
nefs of their authority they are continually
encompaffed by jealoufies and terrors. In
the revelries of the feftive board, in the fe-
crefies of their chambers, the pointed fword
perpetually

250 Bleffed are the Poor infpirit :
perpetually hangs over their guilty heads.
They have no real enjoyment of the prefent
hour ; and th^ have no hopes to gild the
profped of futurity. - '
In oppofition to this common aim, our
holy Teacher propofes to the defires and
purfuits of his Difciples a bleffing of another
kind. He has alfo a kingdom to offer : but
his Kingdom is different in all refpeds
from thofe, which animate the defires and
enterprize oi the ambitious of this worid. It
muft be fought by other difpofitlons, and cul
tivated by other means. The Kingdom of
Heaven is the fcriptural expreffion for the
reign of the Meffiah, the general theme
of ancient prophecy, the final hope of the
Children of Ifrael. This Kingdom the He
brew Prophets, for want of terms and
images appropriate to fpiritual themes,^ moft
ufually reprefent imder types or fymbols of
temporal dominion and authority. In this
form of imagery It very powerfully engaged
the expedatlon of the Jews. Aduated by
ambition and a love of worldly greatnefs,
they equally mlftook the nature of this King
dom and the temper effential for a place and
Initereft therein. Accordingly they looked
for a temporal dominion fupported by the
fword.

For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. ^5 1
fword. In which they ffiould triumph far
and wide, and hold a preeminence of power
over all the nations of the earth.
Far different was the Kingdom which
the Meffiah came to eftabliffi ; for it was not
of a temporal, but of a fpiritual kind, after
the model, not of men, but of God. This
indeed was expreffively fignified In the form
of his appearance upon earth, which bore no
external femblance of dignity and power;
fince he came In every clrcumftance of po
verty and humility. He had no lure to offer
to worldly ambition : He had no pofts of
honour, no fundions of authority, to beftow
upon his followers ; for his Kingdom was not
of this world. And this he himfelf ex
plained in anfwer to the enquiries of the
Pharifees : " The Kingdom of God cometh
not with obfervation ; neither ffiall they fay,
Lo here, or lo there ; for the Kingdom of
God is within you *•." It is not attended by
external images of worldly grandeur : It Is
not circurafcrlbed within local or temporary
bounds. It is an invlfible dominion, which,
without any ffiew or form of jurifdidion over
the body, is exercifed with power in the fpi
rit and on the foul. It is a Kingdom of
^ Lukexvil. 20, 21. grace

252* Bleffed are the Poor infpirit :
grace In this Ufe, of glory in the life to
come. i
This alfo our Lord had repeated occafion
to explain to his Difciples ; who, before
they had received of the fulnefs of his truth,'
entertained very worldly fentiments both of
the nature of his Kingdom, 'and of the dif
pofition requlfite for a place therein. Thus
on one occafion, when there had been a dif^
pute among them, who ffiould be the great
eft in this promifed Kingdom, he took a lit
tle child, and fet him In the midft of them,
and faid, " Verily, I fay unto you. Except
ye be converted, and become as little chil-
dren, ye ffiall not enter into the Kingdom of
Heaven. Whofoever therefore ffiall humble
himfelf as this little child, the fame is great
eft in the Kingdom of Heaven '."
On another occafion, when the fame con
tention was renewed among them, as they
were partaking of the Pafehal Supper, he
took another mode of correding their am
bitious aims and hopes. After he had pre
pared them for a very different leffon by the
expreffive emblem of waffiing their feet, he
taught them in a plainer ftraln, that It was
for the Kings of this world to exercife autho-
' Mat, xvlli. I — 4. rity

For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. '253
rity and to dlfplay munificence among the
children of men. But a contrary lot awaited
the Difciples of the lowly Jefus. It was
theirs in this life to fubmit with their Mafter
to every kind of humiliation, felf-denlal, and
fuffering for his fake. Yet wpuld not their
labours and facrifices in fo good a caufe, be
vain. As during his miniftry they had con
tinued with him in all his trials, and had yet
further trials to undergo in preaching' his
Gofpel through the world, he had appointed
unto them a Kingdom, as his Father had ap
pointed unto him, that they might partake of
his heavenly feaft, and might fit on twelve
thrones judging the twelve tribes of Ifrael ''.
Thus the Kingdom of Heaven is propofed
as the appropriate recompence of the Poor in
fpirit; becaufe in the temper and habit of
their fouls they are beft prepared and qua
lified to receive it. The benefit of the Gof
pel is indeed laid open to the whole race of
men, to high and low, rich and poor, learn
ed and ignorant. But in order to partake of
this ineftlmable gift, a correfponding difpofi
tion is indifpenfably required. And there
fore, though our Lord precluded none from
admittance into, his covenant, yet he made
^ Luke xxll. 24—30. the

254 Bleffed are the Poor infpirit :
the firft overtures of his grace, not to the
ambitious after worldly dignities, neither to
thf wife in their own conceits, nor to the
righteous in their own efteem, but to the
poor in fpirit and the lowly in heart : to
fuch as did not give their fouls to a vain de
fire after worldly preeminence, as had an
humble fenfe of their moral and Intelledual
worth, and a feeling convidion of their want
and Ignorance In fpiritual things. Having
this preUmlnary qualification for allegiance to
their heavenly King, they are predifpofed for
the reception of all his dodrlnes and the cul
tivation of all his laws. To fuch as thefe he
preached in perfon, when he appeared in our
nature: To fuch he ftill preaches in his writ
ten word through all ages and nations of
men : To fuch he more freely opens the un-
fearchable riches of his grace : And of fuch
he has given affurance is the Kingdom of
God. In the prefent ftate of difeipline they have
the favour and acceptance of their heavenly '
King; from which they derive whatever is
effential to their growth In grace and their
advancement in godUnefs, a deliverance from
the bondage and affaults of their fpirituai
enemies, a conqueft over all their finful paf
fions and propenfities, affiftance and fupport .
in

For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 255
in maintaining their allegiance to the law
and government of Heaven, and a peace of
foul more valuable than all the kingdoms of
the world and the glory of them.
But this kingdom of our God In the pre
fent ftate of grace Is no more than prepara
tory to a future ftate of glory : when they
who have humbled themfelves on earth ffiall
be exalted in heaven. Then they who have
cultivated this lowly difpofition of their once
defpifed, but now glorified Lord, ffiall be ad
vanced above the greateft Potentates of this
lower world. For all the felf-abafement,
to which they have fubmitted here, they
ffiall be tranfcendently glorified hereafter ;
for all the contempt and ffiame, which they
have incurred among the children of this
world, they fliall be remunerated with un-
fpeakable applaufe among the children of
light. Being received into the immediate
prefence of their heavenly King, they ffiall
partake in his triumph who has overcome the
world : they ffiall obtain the crown of life,
which the Lord has promifed to them that
love him ; and ffiall reign with him for ever
and ever.

SERMON X.
Matthew v. 5.
Bleffed are tlje Meek : for theyfiall inherit the Earth.
JHLaVING treated on the Beatitude of the
Poor In fplrit, I proceed in the order which
I propofed to take, to difcourfe on that of
the Meek. Thefe two difpofitlons are fo
clofely related, that they. are oft affociated in
holy Scripture ; and indeed in fome inftances
they are put indifferently the one for the
other. Thus the prophetic claufe of Ifaiah,
*« To publiffi good tidings to the Meek," is
rendered by the Evangelift, " To preach the
Gofpel to the Poor "." But as fome dlftinc-
tion of charader feems defigned in this place,
it may be proper to regard it through the pre
fent difcourfe. Now as I have underftood
the Poor in fpirit in relation to God and
with a reference to the things of heaven, fo
I would underftand the Meek In relation to
» Ifa, Ixl. I. Luke It. 18,
s men

258 Bleffed are the Meek :
men and with a reference to the things of
earth ; an acceptation, which derives fome
countenance from their refpedive Beatitudes:
To the Poor in fplrit is affigned the Kingdom
of Heaven, and to the Meek the Inheritance
of the Earth. i
It canriot efcape our obfervation, that the
recompence here propofed of a temporal in
heritance has a fingular afped in the feries of
Beatitudes, fince to every other charader the
bleffednefs affigned is, not Indeed entirely,
but in the principal and final aim, of a fpi
ritual nature and in the Ufe to come. Perhaps
the fingularlty of this exception may be re
moved, if we attend to that peculiar ftrudure
of language In which this feries is given. It
is agreeable to the fententious ftyle of He
brew Poetry, which our Lord appears to
have adopted on this occafion, to difiribute
into feparate, yet parallel claufes two parts
of a propofition, which are to be under
ftood In union. On this principle we may ,
accept the two firft of thefe Sentences, as if
they were thus difpofed: " Bleffed are the
Poor in fpirit, and the Meek : for theirs Is
the Kingdom of Heaven* and they ffiall inhe
rit the Earth :" They, who cultivate thefe
two kindred difpofitlons, ffiall be bleft both
in temporal and in fpiritual things ; they
' have '

For they Jhall inherit the Earth. 25Q
have the promife both of this life and of that
which Is to come.
I propofe this remark for the cpnfideration
of thofe who are ftudious of the holy Scrip
tures. But as this acceptation is probably
new, and may therefore be liable to the Im
putation of being more fanciful than folid, I
do not prefume to ground the argument of this
difcourfe upon it. Nor indeed is it neceffary
to have recourfe to any novel ^andunapprpved
interpretation ; fince the fentence before us
will admit of a plain and clear conftrudlon
as a diftind and Independent text. In this
point of view I ffiall now difcourfe upon It ;
though it may not be without its ufe to keep
in our remembrance the near relation which
it bears to the preceding Beatitude of the Popr
in fpirit. And I truft, that on a clofe exa
mination of the bleffednefs affigned It will
be found to harmonize fufficiently with the
reft. Underftanding therefore the Meek with a
relation to men and a reference to the
things of earth, I conceive them to be. fuch as
are uniformly mild' and placid, forbearing
and forgiving in their communion with their
fellow-creatures, ffich as cultivate an equal
mind in the extremes and vlciffitudes of life,
being content and fatisfied in every ftation,
s 3 being

250' Bleffed are the Meek .' ¦'^'^ -
being moderate In prpfperlty and patient in
adverfitv. This quality was not overlooked by the
Heathen Philofophers ; but it was very feebly
Cultivated in the general pradice of the Hea
then world. It was too much the manner
of men, uncorreded by divine Inftrudion
and unenlightened with celeftial truth, to be
turbulent and violent in afferting their own
caufe and infringing the rights and properties
of others, to givdway to pride and arrogance
in the heights of profperlty, to impatience and
difeontent under troubles and afflidions. Even
the wifeft and the beft of Heathen Sages,
who has written a code of moral law making
fome approach to the Chriftian inftitutes, was
fingularly deficient In that equanimity, which
he commended In theory, being too much
elated with a profperous tide of fame and
fortune, and ftill more extravagantly dejeded,
when he came to experience an unforefeen
reverfe. The quality of Meeknefs was much bet
ter taught under the difpenfation of the Law.
It was alfo frequently commended and pro
pofed for cultivation in the Pfelttis and In
the Prophets. But Uke Its fifter virtue Hu
mility it obtained but a feeblfe bbld upon the
pradice of the Jews. And though exempli fied

For they Jhall inherit the Earth, 26 f
fied in fome of their fuperior men, efpecially
their Lawgiver himfelf, who " was very meek
above all men upon the face of the earth '',"
yet in later times it feems to have been dif-
miffed, if not from the dodrine, however
from the pradical cultivation of thofe, who
profeffed to be their Teachers and their
Guides. It remained for our Lord, a fuperior
Teacher of righteoufnefs, to give this quality
its proper Influence on the heart and pradice
pf mankind. He has made it a primary dif
pofition of ail who would be truly his difci
ples, and he has attached a bleffing to thofe
that are invefted with this moral grace :
Bleffed are fhe Meek : for they fhall inherit the
Earth. The virtue thus propofed to the cultiva
tion of his followers is firft exemplified in
the tenor of his own charader and converfa
tion. The mildnefs of his manner in exe
cuting his divine miffion is thus reprefented
by the Prophet of the Gofpel ; " He ffiall
not cry aloud nor lift up his voice in the
ftreets. A bruifed reed he fliall not break,
and the dimly burning flax he ffiall not
quench "=." AH which was remarkably ful-
*> Numb. xii. 5, " lia. xlii. 2, 3. Mat. xii. 19, 20.
s 3 filled

fi62 Bleffed hre the Meek :
filled in his public miniftry. He did not-
come among mankind^ with a rod of difei
pline or with the fword of the civil power,
but in peace and love and in the fpirit of
meeknefs. He made no public parade of the
exalted office which he bore, but he commu
nicated his dodrines in the mildeft, freeft,
eafieft manner. And though he fpoke with
the energy of a Teacher come from God, yet
in the tone of his preaching, as well as in the
fubftance of his dodrine, he was gentle, apt
to teach, patient; ffiewing all meeknefs to all
men ^. Thofe, who were bruifed with a
fenfe of their irreligious and finful ftate, he
did not overwhelm with the feverity of
judgment, but he raifed them with the lan
guage of eompaffion and confolation. And
whenever he found a feeble and half extin-
gulffied fpark of religion In the foul of man,
he gently fanned It into a living flame. Even
to the Pharifees and Scribes, who vilified his
perfon and miniftry, he was mild and temper
ate in the tenor of his converfation, feeking
rather to corred them than to Irritate. And
when he had urgent occafion to reprehend
them, he ufually conveyed his fentiments by
the circuitous, yet more conciUatIng mode
¦' 2 Tim. ij, 24. Tit. iii. a.

For they fhall inherit tlie Earth. 263
of parable, rather than by open and dired re
proof. Such alfo was his charader In his ordinary
dealings and converfation. In all his inter
courfe with men, and during all his fojourn
upon earth, he was forbearing and forgiving,
patient and content. Thus when fome of his
Difciples fuggefted to him the inflidion of an
exemplary vengeance on the inhofpitable Sa
maritans, he rebuked their fanguinary zeal,
and told them, that he was not come to de
ftroy, but to fave ". And when the extremes
of calamity were coming upon him in his
agony In the garden, though Indeed he prayed
that the cup of anguiffi, if it were poffible,
might pafs away from him, yet he fubmitted
with refignatlon to his Father's pleafure ;
" Neverthelefs not my will, but thine be
done ^" So alfo in the fevereft of his trials,
when he was arraigned before an iniquitbus
tribunal, " as a ffieep before her ffiearers is
dumb, fo he opened not his mouth : when
he was reviled, he reviled not again ; when
he fuffered, he threatened not ; but com
mitted himfelf to him that judgeth righte
oufly ^." And when they wreaked their ut-?
e Lukeix. j4, &c. ' Luke xxii. i\.2.
? Ifa, nil. 7. 1 Pet, ii. 23.
s 4 moft

264 Blejfed: are the Meek :
moft cruelty upon him, and he was enduring
the moft dreadful agonies of human nature,
as he hung upon the crofs, he prayed for
their pardon ; " Father, forgive them, for
they know not" what they do''." According
ly he is faid by the Apoflle in this very in
ftance to have " left us an example, that we
ffiould follow his fteps." And In like manner
he recommends his own difpofition as a pat
tern to his followers ; " Learn of me : for I
am meek and lowly in heart'-"
Of the fame complexion alfo was his doc
trine. Thus in his Sermon on the Mounts
It was his Inftrudion to his Difciples, that
they be not angry with their Brother, with
out a reafonable caufe ; that they agree with
their adverfary without delay ; that they re
fift not, nor retaliate evil ; that they forbear
all Impatient and fretful folicitude for the
neceffaries of Ufe ; and that they commit
themfelves contentedly to his wife providence,
who fupplies to all his creatures their refpec-
tive wants.
To the fame purpofe are the frequent ex
hortations of the Appftles, who had imbibed
from the dodrine and example of their Lord
this effential fpirit of his reUgion. Thus
'' Luke xxiii. 34. > Mat. xi. 29. Saint

Fi>r they fhall inherit the Earth. 265
Saint Paul teaches, that the fruif^of the fplrit
is meeknefs; and exhorts his Chriftian Con
verts, to walk worthy of their vocation, with
all lowlinefs and meeknefs and long fuffer
ing, forbearing one another in love ^ Saint
James admonifhes the Brethren, to receive
with meeknefs the engrafted word ; and re
commends It as the charader-of a man truly
wife and endued with knowledge, that he
ffiew out of a good converfatlon his works
with meeknefs of wifdom"'. And Saint Peter,
after commending in Chriftian Matrons above
all other ornaments the jewel, highly precious
in the fight of (Grod, of a meek and quiet
fpirit, makes it a general exhortation to
Chriftians, that they be all of one mind,
having eompaffion one of ahbther, that they
love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous ".
And hence we may colled a general view
of the charader thus propofed lor the culti
vation of Chriftians. As far as relates to
other men, the Meek may be described with
the fame features of charader, which the
Apoflle has affigned to charity or Chriftiian
love. They fuffer long the injuries and In-
fults of others, before they exprefs a fpirit of
' Gal. V. 23. Eph. iv. x, 3. " jTa, i, 21. iui. 13.
o I Pet, iii. 4, 8. refent-

2_66 Bleffed are the Meek : .n
refentment or refiflance : they ate kind and
gentle in the feveral relations/ which they
bear In focial and domeftic life; as well as in
their common treatment of /all men : they
do not envy the more fortunate condition of
others : they do not vaimt themfelves on
their poffeffions or endowments: they are not
puffed up with -any peculiar advantage above
others : they do not b^iave themfelves with
unfeem^ly affumption/in their converfation
or deportmenfe: they/are not forward or im
portunate in feeking' or Infifting on their
,'Own : they are no^ eafily provoked to exprefs,
or even to conceive any harffi or uncharita
ble fentiments of others : they think no evil
of thofe around them : they rejoice not in
any thing to the prejudice of others; but
they rejoice in/ what Is juft and right °.
Thus alfo /in "their perfonal deportment,
they are contented with their ftation and
condition in Ufe, whatever be the place which
providence affigns them. They are moderate
and equal minded in both extremes and in all
vlciffitudes /of fortune. If their lot is^ pro
fperous, they endeavour to apply it to the glory
of God and the benefit of men, as alfo to
their own advancement In godlinefs : they
' I Cor, xiii, 4., j, 6, enjoy

For ihey Jhall inherit the Earth. 267
enjoy It with moderation, and diffufe it with
cheerfulnefs : If their lot Is adverfe, they
bow with refignatlon to the divine difpofal;
they, are patient under corredlon ; and they
improve It 'alfo to their final good.
Such are the charaders which our Lord
pronounces bleffed ; and to which he af^
figns this Beatitude, that theffimll inherit the
Earth.
The words of this Beatitudte are adopted
from the Pfalmift, who exprefsly fays, thg,t
'« The Meek ffiall Inherit the Earth ?:" al
luding moft probably to that inheritance of
the Land of Canaan, which was promifed
to the Ifraelltes, on condition of their con
formity to the will and charader of God.
In reference to this promife under the Law,
our Lord has given to perfons of the fame
defcription a correfponding promlfe under
theGofpel, that they ffiall inherit the Earth:
Wot that they ffiall have an appropriate al
lotment like the Children of Ifrael in the di-
vlfioa of the land ; but they ffiall have a full
fufficiency of worldly goods.
In the literal fenfe of this promife our
Lord coincides with the general wiffies and
P Pfalmxxxvii, ij. defires

26a Bleffed are thK Meek 1
defines of men. To enjoy an abundance of
worldly goods has engaged the very feriou?
purfuits of mankind under every fyftem of
religious faith. Whatever they may believ?
or hope of a future recompence, to this they
look as a certain. Immediate, and effential
good. For this they compafs land and fea :
for this they encounter every danger and
fubmit ' to every toil: for this they rife up
early, and go late to reft, and eat the bread
of care. The great objed of huffian labour
and enterprize Is, a portion or poffeffion of
the earth, as what .they commonly fuppofe
will yield the happinefs they feek. And
fome degree of comfort it no doubt implies ;
ptherwife it would not be propofed as one,
though ludeed a fubordlnate, recompence of
godlinefs. It is true, the Religion of Chrift does not
dwell In general, lllie that of Mofes, on a
temporal ' recompence ; becaufe It has in
ftore an exceeding great reward, which to
tally cclipfes all the tranfitory gpods of this
life. As the Ught under which we liv£ has
given us a far clearer view of better things to
come, we cannot repine that the providence
of God is not fo exad in apportioning to us
the ' benefits of this life, as it was to the
Jews, who had received no explicit affurance
'^ pf

For i%ey fhali inherit the Earth. 269
bf a full remuneration in the life hereafter;
But though the chief beatitude of Chriftians
is placed in another world, our Lord has
not omitted to fet before us a partial recom
pence In the prefent world, as a more imme
diate incitement to the cultlvatloh of holi-i
nefs. For though he difcommends and difluades
all inordinate anxiety for the neceffaries' of
this life, 'as of fmill concern when put in
competition with our eternal weal; yet he
affures us of the divine care to provide for all
our temporal wants. If we give our principal
attention to the Interefts of futurity. " Be
not full of care, faying, What ffiall we eat,
or what ffiall we drink, or wherewithal ffiall
we be clothed ? For your heavenly Father
knoweth that ye have need of all thefe
things. But feek ye firft the Kingdom of
God and his righteoufnefs ; and all thefe
things ffiall be added unto you "J."
But hoW, it may be afked, Is this promife
of bur Lord fulfilled upon the Meek ? In the
common courfe of things do they really In
herit or enjoy the earth ? Does it not rather
appear from the hiftory of mankind and from
our own experience, that the men of an op-
* Mat, -vJ.'^i, 32, 5.3. pofitc

270 Blejfed- are the Meek, s
pofite temper and charader have ufually con
trived to fecure to themfelves the faireft por
tion of this inhapitance ?
It muft be acknowledged, that the grafping
and the turbulent by their art or by their
enterprize have ufually acquired a more often-
fible inheritance of earthly goods. Placing all
their happinefs in worldly poffeffions, they em
ploy all means to attain them ; without fcru-
puloufly confidering .whether the means be
right or wrong.; But it is their fate continually
to ftrive, yet never to attain the happinefs
they feek. The objed is purfued with unre
mitting care and difquietude of foul. And
when they have fecured to themfelves an
ample competence of worldly wealth, they
are no nearer happinefs than when they be
gan the fearch. They are ftimulated with a
vain and infatlable defire of adding to their
poffeffions, they are haraffed with appre
henfions of lofing by difingenuous means
what they have by difingenuous means ac
quired. And a ferlpus reflexion,. as Ufe ad
vances, muft, frequently intrude upon their
troubled hearts, that while they have been
fo intent on amaffing worldly riches, they
have negleded to lay up treafures in heaven
which alone are incorruptible and enduring,
and tiiat an hour is drawing nigh, when this
inheritance

For they Jhall inherit the Earth. 271
inheritance which they have fought on earth
muft entirely fail them, and having no better
inheritance In referve, they muft be poor in--
deed. The Meek on the contrary may be truly
faid to inherit the Earth, becaufe they really
enjoy the comforts which the Earth fupplies.
In fome rare circumftances ii^deed the caufe of
righteoufnefs may demand extraordinary facri
fices. But in the common courfe of things this
truly Chriftian difpofition adminifters to tem
poral enjoyment, and conftitutes their por
tion of worldly^ goods a valuable inheritance.
By contradlng their defires and by regu
lating their purfuits they inherit the earth
more effedually than thofe, whofe portion is
abundance. A fmall provlfion by content
and economy is rendered equal to great opu
lence. " A little that the righteous man
hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
Better is' a little with the fear of the Lord
than great treafure and trouble therewith '."
By fobriety and temperance in all lawful in
dulgences they retain a rellfli for the bounties
of providence, and health to enjoy them to a
good old age. By induftry and diligence in .
their ftations and capacities in life they pro -
f Pfalm xxxvli, 1 6. Prov, xv. i6, vide

272 Bleffed are the Meek :
vide a ftore of comfort to themfelves and
their families, and obtain refped in the fo
ciety, to which they contribute their ftock pf
ufeful and beneficial fervice. By the mild
nefs of their manners they conciliate the
love of men, fo as to prevent every difpofi
tion to do them harm or wrong, and to en
courage every dl^ofitlon to do them good.
Thus they pafs through the vale of life with
little or no raoleftation ; and fo quiet a pof^
feffion of a moderate portion is better than a
contefted title to the Inheritance of king
doms. By their patience under trials and
refignatlon to the will of God they acquire
his favour, w^ho by fecret means of provi
dence makes all their affairs to profper; or if
he occafionally vifits them with afflidion, who
yet fupports them with his grace, and makes
even afflidion fubfervient to their genuine
and their final good. Beyond other bleffings
they have, what the world can neither give
nor take away, the peace of confelence flied
abroad into their hearts by the Spirit of God,
which puts a value upon all they have.
Without it the poffeffion of the whole world
would be no better than vanity and vexation
of fpirit ; and with it the whole world Is to
every genuine ufe their own.
But the moft valuable recompence of
the

For they Jhall inherit the Earth. 273
the Meek is not In tempora;l , things, but in
fpiritual, is npt in this, but in the future
world. And this we may conclude is Im
plied in the promife that they ffiall inherit
the Earth, when we confider the ufage of
the holy Scripture, by the ffiadows of the na
tural to delineate the truths of the fpiritual
world, and by the images of the prefent
life to defcribe the realities of the life to
come. This interpretation in the prefent
inftance is countenanced by the Apoftle in
the general ftraln of his Epiftle -to the He
brews. The Inheritance of ah earthly Ca
naan, as p?omifed to the Ifraelltes by natural
defcent, is a type or earneft of the Inheri
tance of a heavenly Canaan, as promifed to
all who are Ifraelites Indeed by adoption and
grace. This is in a peculiar fenfe the recom
pence of the Meek, inafmuch as they are
conformed in difpofition and charader to the
inftrudion and image of their bleffed Lord.
Having learnt of him to be meek and lowly
in heart, they ffiall find a temporary reft
unto their fouls In the favour and approba
tion both of God and Man : And when this
earth, and all the prefent fcene of things is
diffolved, they ffiall find an eternal reft in
that new heaven and that new earth where
in dwelleth righteoufnefs \
«¦ Matt, xi, 29. 2 Pet, ill. 13.
T

SERMON XI
MAtthew Vi 4.
Bleffed are they that mourn: far theyjh'all be comforted.
It is a prevailing fentiment among the
Children of this world to place their happi
nefs in revelries and pageants and licentious
mirth. And accdrdihg as they have the
means of diffipation, they intemperately en
joy them. Whatever their eyes defire, they
keep not from them ; they Withhold rtot their
hearts from every joy *. But ffiort is the gra^
tification and unfatisfadory the end of turbu
lent and immoderate mirth. In the midft of
laughter they are often ill at eafe ; and by
too free an indulgence their pleafures are
converted into pain. A chedtlefs, if riot a
miferable void enfues. They have no corri-
fort now fo gild their adverfity ; and as they
lived without any thought of futurity, they
* Ecclef.ii, ZQ.
T 2, have

17^ . Bleffed are they that mourn :
have no hope to cheer thehi from another
life. Our Lo^d has taught a different difpofition,
and has given the promife of an oppofite
confequence : Blejfed are they that mourn: for
they Jhall be comforted.
As the final purpofe of our Saviour's mif
fion was to promote thjp happinefs of men^,
it may feem extraordinary to a flight obfer
vation, that he ffiould enjoin and encourage
mourning as the means of attainirig fo very
different an end. But vyhen we explore the
nature and aim of this Beatitude, we ffiall
equally fee the wifdom and the benevolence
pf our holy Teacher, in propofing this as a
neceffary branch of the Chriftian difeipline.
By the mourning thus propofed for the
pbjed of beatitude we are by no means to
underftand a gloomy fretfulnefs pf tamper
for trivial or imaginary evils, or even au in
dulgence of Immoderate arid Unavailing for
row for the real afilidions and calamities of
life : For thefe are tbtally repugnant to that
fpirit of patience and content and refignation
fo much commended and approved by thq
dodrines pf our religion. The perfons,
whom our Lord pronounces .bleffed, are they
that mourn In a religious fenfe and to a reli
gious ufe. They mourn for the miferies of
huPiauity,

For they fhall be comforted, 277
humanity^ whether natural or moral. They
mourn for calamities, whether public, domef
tic, or perfonal, as the trials, the corredions,
the judgments of a juft, a wife, a gracious
God. They mourn for fin, with which the
world continually groans, and of which they
feelingly know the power themfelves.
A mourning of this defcription was neither
cultivated In pradice, nor even cherlflied In
contemplation by the Heathens. They might
mourn for the afflidions and calamities of
life, no doubt the more feelingly, as they
wanted hope, which religion alone can fup
ply, to affuage and moderate their grief.
But they never thought of turning them to
any moral good. When therefore forrow
and adverfity came upon them, they con
fidered it as the trueft wifdom to drown re
flexion in every fpecies of carelefs diffipation.
It was a maxim 'of a confiderable fed among
the Heathen, " Let us eat and drink, for to
morrow we die :" Since we have fo ffiort a
time to live, let us croud all enjoyments into
the prefent hour. Thus the ffiortnefs of life
and the certainty of death, which our religion
propofes as the great argument for ferious
meditations on another ftate, they perverted
into a plea for all voluptuous Indulgence.
A mourning of this defcription was che-
T 3 riffied

279 J^lefied are they that moUvn i
riffied among the people of Iftael In tfee, d^.d!.-*
ttiues and examples of their Prophet:s and
righteous men^ They were taught ^ cpgr"
fider afflidions and adverfitie.s as the chaft^Hi-
ings and corredions of the Lord ; and thef^.-
fore they received them as falutary difcIptiineS
to turn them to religious thoughts and to
move them to repentatlce. This we learn
from the e:^ample of David. When he wa*
in the funffiiue of prp^erlty, he was tempted
tp forget his, God, to violate his neighbour's
Ijpnour, and; being entangled in a chain of
guilt, to. confplre againft his. life. But when
the corredions of God were upon; him,, he
was brought to refled on the heinoufnefs.of
his tranfgreffion. Then indeed he humbled
himfelf, and repented of his fin ; and after a
fevere and painful difeipline he was reconcifed
to God, Hence he is led to fay for ouf in
ftrudion and admonition ; " In the day pf
my trouble I have fought the Lord. Before I
was afflided, I went aftray : but now have I
kept thy word. It is gopd fbr me that I
have been afflided, that I might learn thy
ftatutes *>."
This alfo we learn from the example: of
Solomon his Son, Having abundant means
* Pfa. Ixxvii, a, cxix. 67, 71,,
of

For they fhall be comforted. ifg
of Indulgence in all that wealth and empire
could fupply, he poffeffed himfelf of every
thing which his heart could defire ; he de
nied himfelf no pleafure which could be
found under the fun. The confequence of
which was, that he became depraved in his
moral fenfe, and his heart was turned away
from God. But when adverfity came upon
him, he faw the vanity of his former life,
and In trouble he confeffed his vexation of
fpirit. He then could teftify from his own
experience, that " it is better to go to the
houfe of mourning, than to go to the houfe
of feafting. For by the fadnefs of the couhte-'
nance," or in other words, by fobriety and
ferioufnefs of demeanour, *' the heart is
made better : For the heart of the Wife is irt
the houfe of mourning'^." And the refult
of his contemplations in the feafon of af
flidion Was this caution to others, to guard
againft that rock on which he fuffered ffilp-
wreck of his confelence : " Remember thy
Creator in the days of thy youth, while the
evil days come not, nor the years draw high,
wherein thou ffialt fay, I have no pleafure In
them''." And What is thus exemplified in their fu-
" Ecclef. vii, 2, 3, 4. ^ Ecclef. xii. i.
T 4 perlor

^80 Bleffed are they that TfiourH :
perior men whether for civil confequence or
intelledual endowment, is alfo to be obfervr
ed In the whole houfe of Ifrael. In the
courfe .of profperous fortune they were too
apt to forget their God, who had done fuch
great things for them, and while they -were
at eafe in Sion, they did not think of the
moral miferies of Jacob. But when the
judgments of the Lord were in the land, the
people learned righteoufnefs^. Whenever any
public or national afflidion came upon them,
whether the peftilence or the famine inflided
immediately by the hand of God', or invafion
or deftrudion from the hands of men the in-
ftruments of his avenging juftice, then they
turned unto the Lord with all their hearts,
they fandified a faft, they affembled in the
houfe of God to offer up one general fervice of
confeffion and penitence, they wept for their
fins, which had brought thefe heavy judg
ments upon them, and they devoutly called
on God to ftay his hand, to have eompaffion,
to pardon, and to fpare.
Our bleffed Lord has inculcated a leffon
upon this head more Impreffive than what
had been taught under any former difpenfar
tion. He came indeed, as he himfelf pro-
f Ifa. xxvi. 9, feffe4

For they fhall be comforted. 281
feffed; in contradiftindion to the aufteritles
of the Baptift, indulging his Difciples, not
only in the common gifts of providence, but
alfo In the innocent feftivitles of focial life ;
by which he fufficiently difplayed the com*
plexion of his religion, that it did not de
mand fevere and continual mortification ei
ther of the body or of the fpirit, but only
what was neceffary to detach men from the
things of this world, and to fix them on the
more important concerns of eternity. For
this purpofe it was that he taught the expe
dience of mourning for their genuine and their
final peace.
And what he taught to others he pradifed
firft himfelf. Of this mourning he himfelf is
a prototype and a pattern. Of his charader
as a Mourner a very affeding defcription Is
given us by the Prophet of the Gofpel ; " He
is defpifed and rejeded of men, a man offer-
rows, and acquainted with grief ; as one that
hideth his face from us, he was defpifed, and
we efteemed him not. Surely our Infirmities^
hath he borne, and our forrows hath he car
ried : yet we did efteem him ftrlcken, fmitten
of God, and afflided ^" And this prophetic
defcription was' fulfilled In his life on earth,
f Ifa. liii. 3, 4.
wherein

282 Blejed are thsy that mourn:
wherein he was indeed a Mourner. He did
not however mourn for the evils which he
endured himfelf, for fevere as they were, they
were freely undergone for our ..fakes. Much
lefs did he mourn for any fin committed m
his own perfon ; for though he condefeend*
ed to become a fin for us in the phrafe of
the Apoftle, that is, a propitiatory facrifice
for our fins, yet he had no fins of his own to
mourn, being entirely pure and innocent and
fpotlefs. When he offered himfelf to re
deem us from the miferies that are derived
from fin, he fubmitted to be like us in every
thing but fin. In this Indeed he would have
no part with us. But he mourned for all
that fin under which the world was groan
ing, and for all that mifery in which it was
by confequence involved. Thus we fee the
tendcmefe of his heart for otheirs, when
he contemplated the City of Jerufalem in its
prefent ftate of eafe and fecurlty. He wept
over thofe calamities^ which the accumulated
guilt of her inhabitants was drawing down
upon her^. Thus alfo we fee what a weight
of mifery he fubmitted to undergo in that
terrible agony, through which he paffed on
the eve of his paffion and crucifixion, when
E Lnke xix. 41, his

For they fhall be comforted. 283
Kis fweat was as it were great drops of blood
falling down to the ground. In the dread
ful contemplation of what he had to under
go, and for what purpofe he had to- undergo
it, he broke out iato thefe Impaffioned words,*
" My foul is exceeding forrowful even unto
death ^." Surely on coafidexlin-g this, we may
take up the lamentation of the mournful
Jeremiah : " Behold and fee,, if there be any
forrow like unto his. forrow'." Yet even in
the extremities ©f his paffion, when the wo
men followed him in tears,, he turned from
his own forrowsT to fy.rapathize with them ;
" Daughters of Jerufalem, weep not for me,
but weep for yourfelves , and for your chil
dren''." When we thus confider how he
mourned for us, we may learn from, him to
mourn for ourfelv^.
The example of our Lord will guide us tps
underftand tfhe infjfcrudion conveyed in this
Beatitude. Whether we confider the na
tural or the moral evil that is in the world,
whether we contemplate the condition of
others, or more clofely examine our own,
we have abundant caufe to mourn. But In
order to mourn in the fenfe in: which It la
recommended here, it is expedient that we
I* M^t;xxvi. 59i, *Lam. i,:i2. '' Luke xxiii. 28.
moUrn

284 Bleffed are they that moum :
mourn a godly forrow, that we mourn with
a reference to our fpiritual ftate and to a reli
gious end.
If we look abroad into the world, or even
if We confine pur view to home, we find
many fources of fevere afflidion. The lofs
of friends united to us by all the tender cha
rities of life, the lofs of fortune by the Infta-
bility of all fublunary things, the lofs of
health by various kinds of maladies, and the
approach of death in all the -various forms of
wretchednefs. All thefe are evils grievous
to be borne, and which by religion only can ,
be made ffipportable. But all thefe are de
figned, as our religion teaches, by a wife and
gracious providence for the true and final
benefit of man ; and in the Gofpel we may
learn how to turn them to our genuine
and ful^ftantlal good. Therein we are taught
that Grod has withholden natural good and
inflided natural evil, as the means of corred
ing moral evil and of improving moral good.
In profperlty we are all too apt to turn our
attention from the Giver to the gift, to wor- '
ffilp the creature more than the Creator, and
to fix our minds on earthly rather than on
heavenly things. It is the great ufe and be
nefit of adverfity to redify our thoughts, de
fires, and purffiits, to detach our minds from too

For they Jhall be coraforted. 'asS
too intenfe a love of the world, and to turn
them to a ftate more worthy of our choice,
to corred what Is evil In us, to improve and
fortify what is good, and to engage us In
fuch exercifes as are conducive to our gene
ral and eternal welfare. In this fenfe in part
we may underftand the Inftrudion here con
veyed to mourn.
But that religious quality, which is more
efpecially commended in this fentence. Is a
forrow for the moral unhappinefs of the
world. It is the inftrudion of our reUgion,
that Man is fallen from that ftate of inno
cence In which he was originally placed.
Thus being born in fin he is born to forrow,
and by the accumulation of adual tranfgref-
fiPn he aggravates his unhappinefs; for by
the righteous judgment of God in the whole
plan of his providence the neceffary confe
quence of guilt Is mifery. Now when we
contemplate the wretchednefs of man in a
moral point pf view, we have abundant caufe
to mourn. And as far as this mourning Is
cpnduclve to apply our hearts to wifdom,
and to move our confelence to repentance. It
conftitutes a part of the Chriftian charader
recommended by our Lord and propofed for
the cultivation of all his true Difciples. It
was to inftigate this religious mourning, that
" our

^&6 iBleJed are they that mourn i
our Lord converfed fo much with PubUcans
and Sinners. He fought to inftil into their
fouls a feeling fenfe of their unhappy ftat©^
to make them confcious of their degeneracy
from God and goodnefs, that fo he might
lead them to a ferious contrition for their
former fins, and bring them back in tears of
undiffembled penitence to their heavenly Fa
ther's home.
From this general view we may Colled
the charader of thofe, to whom this Beati
tude Is affigned. They mourn to a religious
ufe thofe various evils of human life, which
they either experience themfelves, or endure
by fympathy in their families, in their coun
try, or in the world at large. They confider
their afflidions either as the judgments of
God for fin, and therefore they fubmit with
patience to his affliding hand, or the chaften-
ings of his parental care, and therefore they
are earneft In their repentance and amend*
ment, or the trials of their faith, and there
fore they refolve to perfevere In well doing*
Thus they improve a trartfient and a partial
evil to fubftantlal and eternal good. Moved
alfo by his warning they mourn that greatej
evil, the moral wretchednefs of the world;^
more efpecially that, of which they have tks
moft lively fenfe,. their own fins and tran%ref- fions.

^gr thsy Jhall be comforted. 28?'
fipns. While they lament the fins that are
prfvalent In th^ condition of ;all men, they
mpft heavily lament their pwn. But they
dp not reft in unprpdudive grief: They
iBQUrn a godly forrow to repentance.
To thofe that mourn In this religlpus fenfe
our Lord affigns a correfpondent bleffing:
For they Jhall be comforted.
This is a Beatitude which the world Is
unable to beftow. Amid the afflidions and
miferies of life there is but faint and cold con
folation in all fublunary things. Phllofophy,
tfepugh proud of its refources, could yield no
e^clent relief And the grave, when con
fidered without any view beyond It, is but a
melancholy refuge from the forrows of our
nature . This we may obferve In the pradice
oi the Heathens. Having but faint notions of
a fuperintending providence and the remu
nerative jufticq of a holy God, they were
ready to fink under the preffure of calamity.
The Jews, when oppreffed with afflic
tion, were taught tp refort for confolatipn
tp the God pf their Fathers, who had pro
mifed, that If they turned unto him, he alfo
would turn unto them, that If they adhered
to him with all their hearts, he Would never
leave them nor forfake them. It was the of
fice

288 Bleffed are they' that mourn :
fice of the Prophets, not only to call them
to repentance, but alfo to comfort them in
all their depreffibns. It was the frequent
theme of Ifaiah, the Herald of moft welcome
tidings to the Houfe of Ifrael, to invite his
people to pious ads of joy and gratitude :
For God would comfort Sion, and would
have mercy on them who had been afflided.-
He declares it to be one important and moft
gracious jaart of his prophetic office, " to heal
the broken hearted, to comfort them that
mourn, to give them beauty for affies, the
oil of joy for mourning, the garment of pralfe
for the fpirit of heavinefs '." And in the
opening of his more exalted feries of prophe- '
cy he breaks out into this cheering and ani
mating ftraln : " Comfort ye, comfort ye my
people, faith your God. Speak ye to the
heart of Jerufalem, and cry unto her, that
her warfare Is accompliffied, that her Iniqui
ties are expiated, that ffie ffiall receive at the
hand of the Lord bleffings double to the pu
niffiment of all her fins '","
All thefe promifes of divine confolation
were fulfiUed in the letter on the people of
Jfrael, in their redemption from captivity to
freedom ; in their reftoration from exile tp
1 Ifa. 1x1. I, 2, 3. I* Ifa, xl. I, 2.

For tJiey fhall be comfoHed. 28g
the land of their Fathers. But in the fpiritual
fenfe they have a plenary accompliffiment on
all that are Ifraelites indeed, in their redemp
tion from the bondage of corruption to the
glorious liberty of the children of God. It
was the peculiar charader of our bleffed
Lord to be the Minlfter of peace and confo
lation to the world. Thus at his nativity the
company of heaven announced to their fel-
low-fervants upon earth good tidings of great
joy, which was to extend to all people. And
when he entered upon his miniftry, *it was
his gracious office, as Ifaiah had prefignified
in his own perfon, to bind up the broken
hearted, and to comfort them that mourn.
He did not indeed gratify the carnal and am
bitious views of thofe, who waited in a literal
fenfe for the confolations of Ifrael. Yet to
thofe, who mourned in a truly religious aim,
he gave confolations of another kind, which
did not depend upon the revolutions of earth
ly ftates or the vlciffitudes of worldly things.
And as he was liberal of his mercies to all,
who laboured under the maladies and afflic
tions of human life, by reftoring fight to the
blind and health to the fick, by giving found
nefs of body to the palfied and the lame, and
foundnefs of underftanding to the lunatic
and the demoniac, fo he was alfo liberal of
u his

SgO Blefed are they that mourn :
his comforts to all thofe, who mourned with
jundlffembled forrow for their fins. To the
truly penitent he laid open for their confola
tion the pardon and the peace of God. And
as to thofe who laboured under the burden
and anguiffi of bodily difeafe, he faid, "*Be
whole," fo to thofe, who laboured under the
heavier burden and the keener anguiffi of a
troubled confelence, be faid, ". Your fins be
forgiven you."
The fame confolation, which he gave in
his perfonal miniftry, he ftill extends in the
difpenfation of grace to all who mourn after
a godly fort. Though he does not fuf-
pend the operations of nature to adminifter
relief, yet in his written word and in the
ftill fmall voice of confelence he whifpers
peace to the troubled and dejeded foul. The
words, which he addreffed to his primitive
Difciples, will apply to all who look upon
him In full affurance of faith : " Ye ffiall be
forrowful ; but your forrow ffiall be turned
Into joy." Whether they mourn the^ mife
ries anjj calamities, which await this fcene
of difclpline, or whether, they mourn, that far
greater evil the moral miferies, which they
fee in others, and more fenfibly experience in
themfelves, they find in his Gofpel a, certain
fource of confolation. Therein they have
affurance.

For they fliall be comforted. 29 1
affurance, that thofe natural afflidions, under
which they groan, are defigned by a wife
and gracious providence to promote their
own and the general good, that the moral
evils, by which they are ftill more heavily
oppreffed, are upon their repentance abfolved
and forgiven through the atoning merits of
their Redeemer. , This indeed is a comfort
beyond all fublunary bleffings ; it is fuch a
fatisfadion as the world cannot give. To all
that truly, mourn confolation is given in the
Wbrds of their Redeemer : "Ye now there
fore have forrow : But I will fee you again,
and your hearts ffiall rejoice, and your joy
no man taketh from you. Thefe things have
I fpoken unto you, that in me ye might
have peace., In the world ye ffiall have tri
bulation: but be of good cheer; I have over
come the world"."
iut the full and perfed fruit of this re
ligious mourning is referved for the Y\iQ to
come. In the prefent ftate of being, how
ever we may ftrive to elevate our rninds
above terreftrial forrows by the contemplation
of celeftial joys, yet as long as we bear about
us the relations and the paffions of mortali
ty, we muft neceffarlly feel as mortal men :
" John xvl 20, 32j 23-
U 2 nor

202 Bleffed are they that mourn, ^e.
nor Is It the defign of providence to de-*
tach us altogether from the cares of the
body, till this corruptible ffiall have put on
incorruption, and this mortal ffiall have put
bii Immortality. Again, whatever advances
we may have made in righteouffiefs, yet
in our prefent ftate of frailty we ftill are
liable and prone to fin ; and whenever we
do fin, we renew to ourfelves the neceffity
to mourn. In the future life, to all the
truly faithful in Chrift every fource of mourn
ing ffiall for ever ceafe. It is the effential
charader of the heavenly ftate, that the
tears ffiall be wiped from all eyes, and there
ffiall be no more forrow nor wailing : for
the former things are paffed away ". Ther^
will then be no room either for natural or for
moral evil, the two great objeds of mourn
ing now. Fbr death and fin ffiall be fwal
lowed up in vidory. Then they, who have
improved their afflidions to a religious ufe,
and they, who have cheriffied a godly for
row to repentance, ffiall clofe their mourning
in eternal confolation.
° Rev. xxi. 4.

SERMON XII.

, Matthew v. 6.
Bleffed are they that hunger and thirfl after righteoufnefs :
for they fhall be fatisfied,
xjLMONG the different objeds of human
defire there is none perhaps more prevalent
than that of gratification in meats and drinks.
It js good and comely in the general opinion
of men tp eat and to drink, and to enjoy
the good of all their labour all the days of
their lives : more efpecially, if God hath
given them riches and fubftance and means
of enjoyment, do they account it wife to
take their portion, and to rejoice In their
abundance *.
'Among the Heathens In general, whofe
views were limited to the prefent life, it
was the folicitous enquiry, as our Lord him
felf obferves, " What ffiall we eat, and what
ffiall we drink, and wherewithal ffiall we be
^. Ecclef. V 18, 19,
u 3 clothed ?"

294 Bleffed are they that hunger, &c.
clothed?" Attending entirely to the wants of
the body, they totally overlooked the necef
fities of the foul.
And this fentiment alfo predominated
among the Jews. When therefore they
hungered and thirfted In the wildernefs, and
cried unto the Lord for relief. It was agree
able to the divine wifdom to inftrud them,
" that man doth not live by bread, alone,
bufc by every, word that proceedeth out of
the mouth of God*":" He requires, not only
material bread for the fuftenance of the body,
but alfo fpiritual food for the nurture of the
foul. And when they were repleniffied with
the corn and wine, the milk and honey of
the promifed land, it was ftill inbre neceffary
to remind them again and again of thofe
more important wants effential- to the fpiri
tual life, which required a fuperior diUgence
and care to fatisfy .
Some few indeed among them, more fe- ,
rloufly touched with a fenfe of what: was
neceffary for their better . partj expreffed a
defire for a more folid and permanent repaft.
Thus David, when he fojourned in a dry
and barren wildernefs, wherein his tears had
been his food day and night, declared his
^ Deut, vlli, 3. Mat. iv. 4. hunger

For they fhall be fatisfied. 295'
hunger and thirft after fpiritual things ; and
folicitoufly bent his hopes to the time of his
reappearing in the fanduary of the Lord,
when his foul ffiould be fatisfied with plenty
in performing the duties of devotion to his
God ".
It was one part of our Saviour's teaching
to incite this defire after fpiritual food. He
direded that folicitude, which Is commonly
emplbyed In making provlfion for the body,
to the fuftenance which is neceffary to the
ftrengthening and refreffiing of the foul. To
this intent he faid, Bleffed are they that hunger
and tbirfi after righteoufnefs.
The righteoufnefs, which is here propofed
for the defires of men, has been accepted by
fome in the more limited fenfe of equity in
their ¦ dealings toward one another. From
the ftation and order, which it holds In this
place, I do not fcruple to underftand It In
the moft comprehenfive fignification of holy
Scripture, namely, the whole of what we
owe both to God and Man, the cultivation
and exercife of all religion, the ftudles of its
dodrines, and the obfervance of its laws.
As In the foregoing fentence our Lord pro
nounces a bleffing on them that mourn, that
<= Pfalms xlii, xliil,
u 4 mourn

2^6 Blejed are'tkey that hunger, &c,
mourn after a godly fort, and to a religious
ufe and end ; fo in this he pronounces a
bleffing on thofe, who, leaving the principles
of Chriftian difeipline, refolve to perfevere,
and to go on to perfedion ; who, having al
ready laid the foundation of their religious
life in repentance from dead works and faith
towards Gpd, are animated with a holy zeal
to be fruitful in every good work, and to In
creafe in the knowledge of God, to be filled
with the fruits of righteoufnefs, and, to adopt
a ftill mpre forcible expreffipn of holy writ,
to he filled with all the fulnefs of God ^.
Of this religious hunger and thirft our
Lord was an eminent example. When he
took upon him a human form, he fubmitted to
fuftain the feelings and infirmities of human
nature. Thus immediately before he entered
uppn his miniftry, when he was tempted In
the wildernefs, he fafted forty days and forty
nights, and was afterwards a-hungered ^. And
in his travels through the land in the exercife
of his miffion he was frequently expofed to
thq fame bodily want. But while he occa
fionally hungered and thirfted after tempo
ral fufteuance, he cpntinually hungered and
•i Heb. vi. I. Col, i,' lo, Phil. i. ij. Eph. iii. 19.
« Mat. Iv. 2, thirfted

For they Jhall be fatisfied. IQ^T
thirfted after righteoufnefs. Thus when his
Difciples after the fatigue of a journey brought
him food to eat, and urged him to take it, be
ing then engaged in the contemplation of a far
more important concern, the inftrudion and
converfion of the Samaritans, he anfwered; "I
have meat to eat, that ye know not of." And
when they queftioned among themfelves, whe
ther any man had given him aught to eat, he
again made anfwer ; " My meat Is to do the
will of him that fent me, and to finiffi his
work^." He hungered and thirfted after
righteoufnefs, inafmuch as he cheriffied an
ardent defire " to fulfil all righteoufnefs ^ ;"
in other words to execute the great fcheme
of providence and grace in becoming righte
oufnefs to us, that we might be made the
righteoufnefs of God in him ^. This we may
contemplate both in his retired and In his
focial life, when he fafted in private, and
when he fate down to meat in company,
""when he prayed alone, or when he preached
to the multitude, when he fupplied them
with material food, or when he adminiftered
to them the bread of life.
Among the feveral exercifes, in which he
difplayed his hunger and thirft after righte-
' John Iv. 31 — 34. s Mat. Hi. ij,
^ iCor, i. 30. 2Cor. y. 21. . oufnefs.

298 !:' Bleffed' are they^ that hunger, &£.
oufnefs. Was the zeal that he invariably ffiew
ed,:, to turn mankind fromrthe love of tem
poral to the love of fpiritual things, to dired,
that anxiety, which is commonly entertained
for the aliment of their mortal bodies* to
that more effential food, which promotes the
nurture and conduces, to the welfare of their
immortal fouls. Thus in the fequel of his Ser
mon on the Monnt he cautions his Difciples
againft that immoderate folicitude; fomuch
indulged by thofe who had no notion of a ffi-^^
perior good : " Be not full of. care, fayingi.
What ffiall we eat, or what ffiall we drink,
or wherewithal ffiall we be clothed? For after
all thefe things do. the Gentiles feek. . But feek
ye firft the Kingdom of God and his righte
oufnefs, and all thefe things ffiall be added unto
you'." According to this inftrudion muft. we
underftand that .petition in our daily prayer,
which In the fame difcourfe he has given us,
both as a model how we ought to pray, and
as a fummary of all we have to afk. When
we implore of God to give us every day our
daily bread,;. we are taught to implore hot.
only material bread for the nurture of the
natural, but alfo the breadiof life for the fuf-^
tenance of the fpiritual man. The fame
was the moral application of the miracle
iMat.vi. 31, 32, 33. which

For they fhall he falisfed. IQQ
which, he wrought, when fi;pm a cafual and
very feanty ftore of fopdihe fed many thou
fands in the wildqrnefs. Thus when, the
people followed. him in^the hope of a con
tinual fupply, of the fame provlfions, he re
prehended .them for the motive on which
they came, and^ he added , this inftrudive
caution ; " Labour not for the meat which
periffi eth, but for that meat which endureth
to eternal life, which the Son of man ffiall
give unto you ;" namely, the dodrine of
righteoufnefs, which, if duly cheriffied in the
heart, and cultivated in the pradice, is effen
tial to eternal life''.
From this general inftrudipn pf our Lord
we may colled the charader ,of thofe that
hunger and thirft after rlghtepufnefs. In
general they are flich, as having already paffed
the feverer difeipline of repentance, at their ,j
entrance on the Chriftian Ufe, by mourning
in a godly fort for fin, have a fervent zeal to
fulfil every branch of Chriftian righteoufnefs.
Having learnt to moderate their defires for
the aliment of fhe body, they dired their
principal concern to the fuftenance pf the
foul. Paying only a fubordlnate regard fpr
their advancement in the world, or the im-
^ John vi. 27, provement

309 l^leffed are they that hunger, &c,
provement of their knowledge in temporal
things, they are folicitous to grow in grace
and in the knowledge of the Lord Jefus
Chrift. Difencumbering their minds, as far
as their ftation in the world will convenient
ly allow, from the many cares of life, they
have chofen that better part which ffiall ne
ver be taken from them. Confidering them
felves as candidates for the high prize of their
Chriftian calling, as children oi the Kingdom
and heirs of immortality, they employ their
contemplations on that copious field of hea
venly truth, the ways of divine providence
and grace ; and by the ftedfaft cultivation of
their Chriftian faith, and a diligent obferv
ance of the Chriftian law, they endeavour to
conform themfelves to the will, the cha
rader, and image of God In righteouffiefs
and true hollnefs.
To fuch as thefe belongs the promlfe ex
preffed In this Beatitude, that they Jhall be fa
tisfied. ,
It Is the radical defed of all temporal
meats and drinks, that they can never fatlfr
fy. This appears more efpecially In thofe,
who place their happinefs in luxurious Indul
gence. Not confining themfelves to the or
dinary bounties of providence, whfeh almoft every

For they fliall he fatisfied, 30 i
every country liberally fupplies to the needs
of its inhabitants, they create to themfelves
artificial defires ; they hunger and thirft after
the luxuries of other climes ; they compafs
land and fea, they exhauft the elements to
yield them a fuperfluous provlfion for their
pampered appetites. But in vain do they
look for happinefs in all this profufion pf
imaginary goods. By extravagant indulgence
their appetite is cloyed without being fatif-
fied ; their bodies are difordered ; their years
are diminlffied ; and the evening of life is
paffed in a gloomy penance for the excefs
and intemperance of their brighter day.
What the luxuries of this, world promife
in vain. Is only to be found in the purfuit
and cultivation of righteoufnefs. By that
alone can man be finally and completely fa
tisfied. That alone can yield a folid and
enduring pleafure, which will always con
tinue with him, and will remain for evermore
his own.
Of this the Heathens had little or no per
ception. Of righteoufnefs in general accord,-
ing to the fcriptural fenfe they had no vital
knowledge ; and after a good yet uneftimat-
ed and unknown they could have no Intenfe
defire. Of the fruits of righteoufnefs they
had made no fenfible difcovery, fufficient to
animate

302 Bleffed are they that hunger, &c,
animate their zeal, and to ftimulate their en
deavours to acquire them ; and therefore they
Continued in the purfuit of fuch frail arid
tranfient and unfatisfadory'' goods, as the
world prefented to their Immediate hopes
and aims, without confidering' what was the
will and defign of Heaven, 'and without en-
' qiiiring what ' was their own bufiiiefs arid
end. The Jews were better taught of God ;
though their pradice tvas by no riieans cor
refpondent with their inftrudion. It was
neceffary to remind them, both vvhen they
were miraculoufly ffipplled with food arid
water in the wildernefs, and when they had
entered upon the poffeffion of a good and
fruitful land, that the full fatlsfacSiIbn bf man
did not confift in thefe things, but in a faith
ful bbfervance of the law and will of God.
Is Was the obfervktibn of the Pfalmift, that
they who put their confidence in God ffiould
be abundantly fatisfied with the plenteouffiefs
of his houfe; and he Would give them to drink
of the river of his pleafures. " For'with thee,"
he cbntinues, " Is the fountain of life; and In
"thy light ffiall we fee light""." And this
was the refult of all Solomon's inveftlgation

*" Pf. xxxvi. 7, 8/9.

of

For they fliall be fatisfied. S03
of the true good of man. After trying every
worldly gobd, and finding the event of all
but vanity and vexation of fplrit, he made, this
at length the conclufion of his : folicitous en
quiry ; " Fear God and keep his command
ments ; for this is the whole of man ;" this
is the whcde bufinefs and duty, the whole
happinefs and end of man ".
In the fame vein of fentiment the Prophet
Ifeiah invites men to partake of that fpiri
tual foftcnance, which God is always ready
to beftow on them who diligentiy and de
voutly feek it : " Ho, every one that thlrft-
eth, come to the waters; and he that hath
no money, come,': buy, and eat ; yea come,
buy wine and milk without money and
without price. Wherefore do ye fpend money
for that which is not bread ? and your labour
for that which fatlsfieth not ? Hearken dili
gently unto me ; and eat ye that which is
-good ; and let your foul be repleniflied with
fatnefs °."
This gracious invitation by the Man of
God applies, not fo much to that difpen
fation under which he lived, as to that
which he contemplated with prophetic eye,
when the Kingdom of the Meffiah fliould
n Ecclef, xii,. 13. » Ifa. Iv, i, a. be

304 Bleffed are they that hunger, &c.
be eftabliffied in the world. It was the pe
culiar care of our bleffed Lord to fatisfy the
hungry and the thirfty foul with goodnefs.
He omitted no opportunity to relieve the
wants and to repair the infirmities of human
nature. But in all thefe ads of temporal
benevolence he had a far more important
and valuable aim In view. In fatisfying the
neceffities of the body he was anxious at the
fame time to fatisfy the more Important ne
ceffities of the foul. Thus when he had mi
raculoufly relieved the wants of the multi
tude in' the wildernefs, when from the feanty
ftore of a few loaves and fiffies feveral thou
fands ate and were fatisfied, he took care to
inftrud his Difciples in the moral purpofe
and improvement of this temporal relief : " I
am the bread of life. He that cometh to
me ffiall never hunger ; and he that believ
eth on me ffiall never thirft." Wherein he
affirmed that he was the true fource of fpi
ritual ffiftenance, that all, who profeffed his
faith, and obeyed his precepts, ffiould have
all their fpiritual wants effedually and eter
nally fupplied ^ And fimilar to this was the
language which he employed at the well oi
Sychar to the woman of Samaria: " Whofo-
P John vl. 3 j. ever

For they fhall be fatisfied. 305
ever drinketh pf this water ffiall thirft again :
But whofoever drinketh of the water that I
ffiall give him ffiall never thirft ; but it ffiall
be to him a well of water fpringing up to
everlafting life «."
The virtue here propofed to the cultiva
tion of Chriftians is attended by its appro
priate reward. To them that hunger and
thirft after righteoufnefs is given a fulnefs of
fatisfadion both* in time and in eternity.
In time they have the bleffing of*a tran
quil confelence, " that peace of God which
paffeth all underftanding." They have fatif-
fadion in the ways of providence and grace :
And having every want of their fpiritual
part fupplied, they are indifferent about the
enjoyment or privation of inferior good.
They have fatisfadion In the complacence of
their own hearts, and in the favour of God,
which is better than life and every thing
dear in life. In all thefe refpeds " the
righteous have a continual feaft," a feaft far
fuperior to every temporal feftlvity, as it will
never furfeit, yet will always fatisfy. It is
continued and renewed every day without
producing languor and difguft; but invariably
yields an undlmlniffied and unchangeable fa
tisfadion. < John iv. 13, 14.
X " But

3o6 Bleffed are ihey that hunger, ^c.
But this feaft of the foul on earth is no
more than an antepaft or earneft bf that, fpi^
ritual banquet In another life, provided for
them that hunger and thirft after righteouf
nefs. Our Lord himfelf reprefents the hap
pinefs of the world to come by the expref
five image of fitting down as at a Feaft with
Abraham and Ifaac and Jacob In the King
dom of Heaven ^" And In the Book of
Revelations the beatitude of 'thpfe, who are
invefted with the white robe of righteouf
nefs, is reprefented by the privilege of attend
ing the marriage of the Lamb of God, or, to
dlveft this language of the veil of parable,
the fpiritual union of our great Redeemer
with his Church triumphant In heaven. . And
bleffed Indeed are they, who ffiall be called
to this Marriage Feaft! Bleffed are they, who
are bidden to eat bread in the Kingdom of
God'! In the fame divine Volume the happinefs
of the heavenly ftate Is pldured to us by the
Tree of life, overffiadowing the pure River
of the Water of life, and yielding fruits
through the fucceffion of mpnths in great
abundance and. variety. If we fo hunger and
thirft after righteoufnefs, as to give ourfelves
^ Mat. viii. II. 1 Rev. xix. 9. Luke xiv. ij.
entirely

For they fhall be fatisfied. 307
entirely to the cultivation of hollnefs both in
heart and life, we ffiall partake in that Beati
tude pronounced by the Captain of our fal
vation ; " To him that overcometh will I
give to eat of the Tree bf life, which Is In
the midft of the Paradife of God." The
Tree of life was originally planted in the
Garden of Eden ; and there It throve, while
Man continued innocent. But when by
tafting the forbidden fruit he fell, the whole
earth was corrupted by his depravity, and it
could no longer thrive on that degenerate
foil. But it ftill fubfifts in undecaying health,
fertility, and bloom in heaven. It there ex
pands its leaves for the healing of the na
tions. It there abounds in falutlferous fruits
for the reparation of all thofe diforders, which
the mortal tafte of the forbidden Tree pro
duced in all the progeny of Adam. Who
ever hungers and thirfts after righteoufnefs,
ffiall partake of its fruits, and be completely
fatisfied '.
' Rev. xxii, 2. Ii. 7.

X z

SERMON XIII.
Matthew v. 7.
Blejfed are ihe Merciful: for theyfiall obtain Mercy,
Xn the four firft of his Beatitudes our Lord
has delineated the more general features of
¦the Chriftian charader. In the fequel he
proceeds to fpecify four particular difpofitlons,
which have a claim to a preeminent and dif
tinguiffied place In the roll of Chriftian Vir
tues. — The firft of thefe Is Mercy, a difpo
fition very nearly allied to Charity or bro-
1 theriy Love, and therefore eafily admitting
of a joint confideration with it.
The .difpofition of Mercy feems on the firft
reflexion to be congenial to the foul of man.
It may be regarded as a primary affedion of
our nature to take an intereft in the welfare
of our fellow-.creatures, to feel a fatisfadion
in being able to increafe their comforts and
to alleviate their miferies. When thus it fo
immediately arrefts the moral feeling of man-
X 3 iind.

3 1 0 Bleffed are the Merciful :
kind, we cannot wonder that it ffiould be
approved by the Teachers of moral truth even
In the Heathen world. But when we bring
this fentiment to the teft of experience, we
find it had but a feeble hold upon their prac
tice. It is true the Heathens In private Ufe
might cultivate friendffiip, and in public life
might dlfplay a zeal for the welfare and prof
perlty of their country. Yet if we explore
their charaders in private, they were reaidy
to give way to a revengeful difpofition to.-
wards thofe who had given oflerice ; and
they were Immoderately fevere tb their flaves
and dependents : if we furvey their charac
ters in public,, they looked with a hoftile
eye on foreign ftates ; and when hoftiUty
-broke forth, they were ftrangers to the exer
cife of eompaffion and clemency. Hencte
they are reprefented by the Apoftle as full of
,envy, murder, and malignity, without natu
ral affedion, Implacable, unmerciful S
. The Children of Ifrael had been inftruded
in better principles. As the firft great com-^-
mandment of their Law was. To love the
Lord with all their hearts, fo the fecond bore
a clofe refemblance to it and a near degree
of kindred. To love their neighbour as them-
* Rom. I. 29, 31. , ;..,
felves.

For they Jhall obtain Mercy. 311
felves, which unqueftionably comprehends
every branch and every form of mercy and
charity to mankind. They were more efpe
cially enjoined a pradical benevolence to
thofe, who ftood more immediately in need
of their affiftance, the ftranger, the fatherlefs,
and the widow. And there were many
equitable laws for alleviating miferies and \m.-r
parting mercies, not only to the human fpe-r
cies, but even to the brute creation. And
the Prophet recommends as duties, virtuous
in themfelves, and more acceptable to God
than every kind of formal fervice and ritual
obedience, that they undo the heavy burdens,
and let the oppreffed go free, that they deal
their bread to the hungry, that they cover
the Jiaked with a garment, and that they re
ceive the houfelefs poor under their roofs ''.
But the Jews in general did not live in
the exercife of this law ; for they had In a
great meafure impaired their fenfe of obliga
tion to it, and thereby virtually rendered it
of none effed, by their gloffes and traditions.
This appears from the teftimony of our Lord
in his Sermon on the Mount ; who after pror
feffing, that he was not come to deftroy the
Law and the Prophets, but to fulfil them,, Jia^
•> Ifa.lviii..6, ;.
X 4 marked

312 Bleffed are ike Merciful :
marked In different in^ftances thor erroneous
acceptation, and in confequence alfo their de-
fedive pradice of the Law, and who at the
fame time has eflabliffied a more corred in
terpretation and a more vital pradice.
The ancient Law had faid, " Thou ffialt
not kill," and had fandioned this prohibition
by the puniffiment of death to the tranf*
greffor of that commandment. Our Lord,
not fatisfied with prohibitlt^ the ad itfelf^
forbade under far feverer penalties all kiiads
of calumnious, intempemte, and uncharitable
language to the prejudice or offence of their
neighbour ; and to ftrike at the root of all
bitternefs and malice, he forbade men to be
angry with their brother without a caxrie. And
this difpofition he inculcated with greater
energy and effed, as he made it a tieceff^y
qiuaiification for approaching God with any gift
br offering, that they come in a ftate of r^e-
concillation and charity with their brethren *^.
On the fame principle of juftice, by which
it denounced blood for blood and life for life,
the ancient Law decreed retaliation for infe
rior wrongs, " An -eye for an eye, and a tootk
for a tooth :" or in more general terms, As^
one man hath done to another, fo be it done
'^ Exod. XX. 13. Mat. v. ai — 26. to

For they Jhall obtain Mercy. 313
to him; This ordinance for the puniffiment of
perfonal offences in the public diftribution
of juftice they were too ready to interpret as
an indulgence to revenge in their common
intercourfe between man and man. Our
Lord requires his followers, that they refift:
not evil, but rather expofe themfelves to a
repetition of wrpngs,. than violate the law of
mercy and benevolence. And for a general
rule of condud in their focial intercourfe he
-eftabliffied this principle of juftice and charity
combined, which, however it had been mifap-
prehended by the Jews, he acknowl-edged to
be the fpirit of the Law and of the Prophets.
*• Whatfoever ye would that men ffiould do
to you, do ye alfo to them." The fame doe-
trine of forbearing and forgiving one another
he repeatedly afferted in the fequel of his mi
niftry. Thus when Peter put this queftion to
him, "How often ffiall my Brother fin againft
me, and I forgive him ? until feven times ?"
he received this anfwer ; "I fay not unto
thee. Until feven times, but until feventy
times feven." He was not to limit his for-i
givenefs to any certain number or compafe of
offences, but he was continually to forgive
his brother, whenever he ffiewed adi'ipofition
to repentance ^.
^ Exod, xxi. 24. Mat. v. 38 — 42. vii, 12. xvlii. ai, 32.
The

Sl4 Blejfed are the Merdful :¦
The ancient Law had faid, " Thou ffialt
love thy Neighbour as thyfelf." This com
mandment was holy, wife, and good. But
the Jews had in a great meafure difannul-
led Its virtue by their contraded Inter
pretation. For they limited the relation
of neighbour within the pale of their own'
country and religion. Toward perfons of
another ftate and of another creed, they con
fidered themfelves as releafed from all obliga
tions of benevolence : and were moyed in
confequence to regard them In the Ught of
enemies. Thus the Heathens in general
they regarded with contempt ; and 'the Sa
maritans they beheld with enmity little ffiort
of abhorrence. Even thofe, who were of the
fame communion both civil and religious,
they were far from loving with the fpirit of
their divine law. As divlfions arofe among
them, the partizans of one fed confidered
themfelves authorized to hate and even to
perfecute another fed. Our Lord obferved
of the Publicans, that they limited their good
offices to thofe, who paid them the fame good
offices In return. And he gave this charac
ter of the Pharifees, that they laid heavy
burdens on the ffioulders of others, which
they would not move themfelves with one pf
their

For they fhall obtain Mercy. 3 1 5^
their fingers. Thus their charity was im
paired by any difference of opinion ; and as
the circle of their benevolence was gradually
contraded, the fcope of their mercy became
very limited Indeed *.
Our Lord on the other hand has given the
fulleft compafs and effed to this law of focial
love ; for he requires us to confider all undef
the relation of neighbours, and Intitled to the
benevolence of this lawj who partake in the
fame common bonds of nature and the fame
common benefits of providence. Hence he
requires us to love our enemies, to do ^od
indifferently to all, and inftead of fatisfying
ourfelves with paying courtefy for courtefy
and benevolence for benevolence, to pay them
to thofe who can make us no return, and to
render good for evil in every form of charity;
by our exertions, by our fervices, and by our
prayers. On the fame great focial duty he took, all
occafions to expatiate In all his dodrlnes.
Let me inftance his converfation with the
:Lawyer, who, proud of his own attainments
in the knowledge of the Law, was dlfpofed
to try the proficiency of our Lord. When
« Lev, xix. 18. Mat. v. 43— 4.8. xxilL 4. they

31 S Bleffed are the Merciful :
they came to touch on the fecond great com-?
mandment of the Law, *^ Thou ffialt love
thy Neighbour as thyfelf," the Lawyer put
this .quefiion, " And who is my Neighbour?''
To which our Lord difcreetly anfwered by a
parable : A Traveller had fallen among Rob
bers, who had ftrlpt and wounded him, .aajnd
left him on the road half dead. A Prieft,
and a Levite, as they journeyed on the fame
road, feverally looked on him, and continued
their journey without extending to him any
reUef* But a Samaritan coming by had com-
pa^on on him, and without paufing to en^
quire what his country and religion were, he
immediately took him under his hofpitable
care, and gave him every neceffary affiftiance
and fupport. Hereujpon Jeffis afks the Lawyer
in turn ; " Which now of tiiefe three think,.
eft thou was neighbour unto him that fell
among thieves ?" Prejudiced as the Lawyer
was to his own contraded interpretation of
the Law, he could not hefitate to fay in an
fwer; " He that ffiewed -mercy on him."
On which our Lord unmediately brought
the inftrudion home to his confelence ; and
the admonition, that he has given to him,
he has given Indifferently to all ; " Go and
do thou likewife V
' Lukex, 35 — 37. Thi§

Far ihey fhall obtain Mercy. ^ f
This virtuous difpofition, fo powerfully
recoratafended in our holy Teacher's precepts.
Was more fmlly rieprefented and embodied to
us in his own example. It was In mCrcy ta
mankind, that he left his Father's bofom,
and fubmitted to experience In his own
perfon the , infirmities, the forrows, dnd the
wants of our nature. His whole pilgrimage
t)n earth was one continued exercife of cha
rity to men. He went about doing good,
difpenfing benevolence both temporal and
f|)iritual, healing the difeafes of the body,
and correding the diforders of the foul, fpeak
ing confolation to the broken-hearted, and
preaching the glad tidings of falvation to all.
This he did Impartially to thofe who valued,
and to thofe who defpifed his mercy, to Pub
licans and Sinners, and to Pharifees and
Scribes. His beneficence to mankind, thus
continued through a life of toil and forrow
for pur fakes, he ftill more abundantly tefti
fied by his death. To bring us into a ftate
of reconciliation with God, and to procure
for us that mercy at his Father's hands,
which we had forfeited by our fins, and
which we were Unable to recover by any ad
or fervice of our own, he fubmitted to the
greateft agonies that can befal our nature.
And though they" were inflided on him
through ,

¦318 . Bleffed are the Merciful r
through the malice of his perfecutors, yet fo
merciful was his difpofition, and fo folicitous
was his mind for the general good of all,
not excepting thofe who had done the' worft
to him, that even in the extremities of his
fufferlngs he put up this prayer for his mur
derers, " Father; forgive them ; for they know
not what they do."
And this virtuous difpofition, which- he
exercifed himfelf In fo eminent a degree, he
has earneftly recommended to the imitation
of all his Dlfciples : " A new command
ment I give unto you, that ye love one an
other ; as I have loved you : that ye' alfo love
one another." As he had given this com
mandment an energy and compafs unknown
to the Gentiles and unacknowledged by the
Jews, he had good reafon to call it a new
commandment ; and he therefore takes the
exerclfe of this virtue for the pecuUar badge
of his profeffion : " By this ffiall all men
know that ye are my difciples. If ye have love
one to another ^."
From this precept and example we may
colled who are the merciful in the eye of our
religion. Senfible of the undeferved goodr
nefs, which they derive from the Father of
s John xiii, 34. 35- mercies.

Foir ihey fhall obtain. Mercy. 319
mercies, they are anxious to exprefs their
gratitude by mercy to their brethren. They
have a feeling fentiment of affedion for them,
as chlldreu of the fame Father, partakers of
the fame nature, and inheritors of the fame
graces. The charity, which they feel for
them in their hearts, they are ready to ex
prefs In their adions. They grudge no fa
crifice of time or labour or expence or eafe
to do them good. They ffiew this charity
without partiality or refped of perfons not
only to their neighbours in the literal fenfe,
but to all with whom they are allied by the
common bonds of humanity. But not con
tenting themfelves with this general exercife
of benevolence, they pradife it in cafes,
where a facrifice is made of the more tur
bulent paffions of our nature ; they fupprefs
all motions of anger and malice againft their
brethren ; they check every difpofition to re
venge or retaliate wrongs ; they freely for
give all injuries received ; and while they are
careful not to do injuries or to give offence
to others, yet where a ffiadow of Injury has
been given, or offence however groundlefs.
has been. taken, they make no delay to foUcit
reconciliation. On the whole, that there
may be no reftridion in their exercife of
mercy.

320 JBl^Jf^d ajre the Merciful :
mercy, they do good even to their enemies,
and they render good for evil.
All they, who in thefe refpeds. obey the
law, and copy the example of their divine
Mafter, have a title to the name and charac
ter of the Merciful, and confequently have a
portion In the bleffing here affigned, that they
Jhall obtain mercy.
In the ordinary courfe of things they will
obtain this recompence with men. When
in all their fecial intercourfe they ffiew a for
bearing and forgiving, a merciful and charita
ble difpofition, by the natural order of provi
dence they win engage from men the exer
cife of the fame difpofition in return. But
the fpirit of our Saviour's promlfe applies
more efpecially, perhaps entirely, to the mer
cy which they may hope from God.
This motive had little or no influence upon
the Heathens, as they had little or no notion
of a fuperintending. providence -and the re
munerating care of Heaven.^ And therefore, '
when they had opportunity to exercife a fpl
rit of revenge, they were feldom reftrained
by the apprehenfion, that in the viciffitude of
things they might be expofed to a fevere reta-
Uation from the hands of men. Nor

For they fiiall obtain Mercy. 321
Nor did this motive operate with great ef
fed iipon the JeWs, who were taught of
God himfelf his nature and attributes, and
among thefe his eompaffion and clemency.
To this people he appeared In the majefty of
his juftice more than in the fofter beams of
mercy, as the Law which he gave them de-"
nounced certain puniffiments for certain tranf
greffions without mitigation or reprieve. Not
withftanding this, even under that feverer
Difpenfation he is frequently charaderlzed aS
long ffiffering and of great mercy, as full of
eompaffion and forgivenefs, even to thofe
who had rebelled againft him, provided they
returned again in repentance ; as ffiewing
mercy to thoufands of them that love him
and keep his commandments. This divine
attribute Is the continual theme of the Pfalm
ift, who had known It by experience botb
In his domeftic and his civil capacity. And
there is no fentiment which has a more fre
quent recurrence in the book of Pfalms than
this, "' that his mercy endureth for ever."
This mercy he was always ready to ffiew to
them, who repented of their fins, correded
and amended their ways, and turned unto
him with all their hearts. It was particularly
fliewn to them, who copied him in the fame
attribute of mercy. Thus the Pfalmift af-
Y fert„

322 Blejfed are tlie Merciful :
ferts it for an eftabliffied principle in the go
vernment of God; " With the merciful thoii
wilt ffiew thyfelf merciful." And It feems
to have been in the difpenfations of his pro
vidence a law of retributive juftice, that as
men dealt with others, fo alfo would he deal
with them.
It was referved for the Gofpel of Jefus
Chrift to reprefent the Lord of all in the ful
nefs of his mercy, eompaffion, and benevo
lence. Of this we have a feeling fenfe,
when we confider at the fame time what the
Gofpel more fully reprefents, the demerit of
manjsiind. It is one chief element of Chriftian
knowledge, that we are all by nature in a
ftate of fin, and therefore liable to the wrath
of God. Yet if he were extreme to mark
our tranfgreffions, we ffiould not be able to
abide the feverity of his juft difpleafure. To
cheer our doubtful and dejeded hearts under
this convidion, he is manlfefted to us in the
laft revelation of himfelf as the Father of
mercies and the God of all comfort. As
brotherly love was the peculiar quality, by
which our Saviour fought to diftingulffi men,
fo mercy was the peculiar attribute, by which
he reprefented God to human view. His
Gofpel is fitly ftyled by the Apoftle " The
grace of God, which bringeth falvation to all
men."

For they Jhall obtain Mercy. ' 323
men." Therein his mercy is moft confpicu-
oufly ffiewn in that great myftery of redemp
tion and atonement by his only Son, by which
he reconciled the world to himfelf. Therein
he is pourtrayed in the charader and relation
of a tender Father, as taking complacence in
the good condud of his prudent and virtu
ous Children, as lamenting over thofe who
go aftray, yet even in thelt apoftafy looking
upon them with parental regard, folicitous to
reclaim them, and exerting every means con
fiftent with a ftate of difeipline to recover
them from the error of their ways; and when
by falutary warnings they are brought to
themfelves, as going forth in the fpirit to
meet them on their return, receiving them
with eompaffion and clemency, readmitting
them into his houfehold, and rejoicing over
their reftoration from the death of fin to the
life of righteoufnefs ''.
But this divine mercy muft not be regard
ed as an unconditional indulgence. In order
to have an Intereft in the atonement of
Chrift on the crofs, and his interceffion at
the mercy-feat of Heaven, we muft comply
with thofe terms of grace, by which alone
this mercy can extend to us. We muft have
^ Luke XV. II — 33.
y 3 . a lively

324 Bleffed are the Merciful:
a lively faith In God's mercies through Chrift,
we 'muft repent us truly of all thofe fins
which demanded the atonement of his pre
cious blood, and we muft ftedfaftly refolve
with the affiftance of divine grace to prefent
ourfelves both body and fouLa living facrifice
to God, to yield him the reafonable fervice of
a holy life. But the more immediate condi
tion, the more appropriate means of obtain
ing eompaffion for ourfelves, is to ffiew eom
paffion to our brethren. It Is highly agree
able to the reafon of things, as well as to the
word of God, that If we would prevail on
him to be merciful to us, we muft Imitate
his charader in being merciful" to one an
other. For this purpofe our Lord has taught
us in his Sermon on the Mount, when we
think of offering any gift upon, the altar. In
other words, of paying any facrifice of prayer,
any tribute of devotion, to confider firft, whe
ther- we are in charity with men, and if wc
recoiled any matter of offence between us
and our brethren, to fufpend on the inftant
our tribute of devotion to God, and to feek
Immediate reconciliation with them; for
then, and not before, we ffiall be compe
tent to yield an acceptable offering to God,
To the fame intent, having taught us in ou|^
daily prayers to fupplicate of God the remif fion

For they fhall obtain Mercy. 325
fion of our debts, even as we forgive our
debtors, he adds in fupport of this inftrudion,
that if we forgive our brethren. We may hope
¦for ourfelves the forgivenefs of God ; but if
we do not forgive them, we can have no
ground of hope that we ffiall be forgiven our
felves. This dodrine Is well Illuftrated In the Pa
rable of the King, who took an account of
his Servants. Of thefe one was brought be
fore him, who owed him a fum immenfe,
and fuch as he could never pay. In the fe
verity of his juftice he commanded, that he
and his family and all his poffeffions ffiould be
fold, and payment as far as that would reach
be made. Hereupon the Servant fell at his
feet, and faid, " Have patience with me, and
I will pay thee all." His Lord was moved
with eompaffion, and forgave him all the
debt. Notwithftanding this great ad of cle
mency, the fervant was no fooner releafed,
than he went and arrefted one of his fellow-
fefvants, who owed him a fum compara
tively very fmall. The poor debtor made
the fame fupplication to him, which himfelf
had recently made to his Lord ; " Have pa
tience with me, and I will pay thee all."
But he rejeded his fuit, and committed him
to prifon till he ffiould pay the debt. On
Y 3 hearing

326 Bleffed are the Merciful :
hearing this, their common Lord called this
unmerciful fervant Into his prefence, and up
braided him for his condud, faying; "Ought-
eft thou not to have had eompaffion on thy
fellow-fervant,.even as I had mercy on thee?"
In conclufion, he retraded that mercy, which
had been lately ffiewn to him ; and as he had
rigidly infifted on payment from another, fo
was payment rigidly required of him '. The
application of this parable is obvious. We
are all in the condition of this infolvent fer
vant. We owe our Lord an immenfe debt
in fins committed and in duties left undone :
and if he were rigid in exading what we
owe, who indeed would be able to endure it?
Yet on our earneft fupplication for pardon or
forbearance, with our fincere refolution and
endeavour to ffirrender all we can, he gene-
roufly remits the boundlefs debt we owe him.
But one condition on our part is Implied In
this promife of grace and clemency on his,
that we alfo be merciful to our brethren, even
as God is merciful to us all : Otherwife we
can have no pretenfion to fuppofe, that his
overtures of mercy can apply to us.
But this motive is placed in the cleareft
and moft impreffive light In that folemn pic-
' Mat. xvill. 23 — 3^. ture.

For they fhall obtain Mercy. 327
ture, which our Lord has given of the day of
judgment. In which the final deftinies of men
are ftated to depend on the pradice or omif-
fion of mercy or charity to others. All thofe,
who have negleded their brethren in diftrefs,
he will regard in the fame Ught, as If they had
negleded him ; and as they fliewed no mercy
to their fellow-Chrlftlans, In Uke manner he
will ffiew no n^ercy to them. But thofe
on the other hand, who have relieved the fe
veral wants, and alleviated the feveral miferies
of their brethren, who have adminiftered food
to the hungry and drink to the thirfty, who
have clothed the naked, and vifited the fick,
and comforted the imprifoned, he wUl re
ceive with the higheft marks of approbation
and regard, will accept what they have done
to the leaft of his brethren as done immedi
ately to him, will call them the Bleffed of
his Father, and will invite them to inherit
the Kingdom prepared for them, from the
foundation of the world ''.
^ Mat. XXV. 31 — 46.

T 4

SERMON XIV.

Matthew v. 8.
.Bleffed are the Pure in heart : for they fiall fee God,
Xn the feries of Beatitudes pronounced by
our Lord, with the Merciful are affociated
the Pure in heart, as forming an effential
charader in his Followers, and being entitled
to a correfpondent reward. The Difpofition
here commended " engages no cultivation, the
Bleffing here affigned induces no attradion,
among the children of this world. Perverted
by their carnal paffions they have no eftima
tion of Internal purity, they have no defire of
feeing God. Such In general has been the
cafe ever fince the firft difobedience of Man.
While Man remained In Innocence, he was
bleffed In the prefence, he had complacence
in the fight of God. But when by tranfgref
fion he had loft the purity of his nature, he
was no longer worthy of that bleffed privi
lege, he was no longer competent to enjoy
it. And feeing he was now become alienated from

330 Bleffed are the Pure in heart :
frorii the love of God and the defire of his
countenance, God withdrew his face from
him, and left him to the vain purfuit of his
own imaginations. The confequence was
evident in the Heathen world. Having loft
all perception of the divine prefence, they
alfo loft the apprehenfion of his providence
and government ; they fell Into moft extra
vagant idolatries ; they changed the truth of
God into a lie; and they worffilpped the
creature rather than the Creator. This per-
verfion of their underftandings had Its neceffa
ry effed in the corruption of their hearts and
the depravity of their lives. Becaufe they
did not like to retain God in their know
ledge, he gave them up to a reprobate mind;
and they furrendered themfelves without re-
ftraint, or remorfe to the vileft affedlons and
the groffeft Impurities ^.
When God revealed himfelf to the Chil
dren of Ifrael, he reftored in fome degree that
knowledge of himfelf which had been loft in
the world. But In order that they might
continue under the vital fenfe of his more
immediate prefence and prbtedion, he re
quired a conformity of charader In purity
and hollnefs. Being fet apart from the na-
' Rom. i. 25, &c. tions

For they fliall fee God. 331
tions of the earth for the fervice of a pure
and holy God, they were pronounced a holy
Nation, a peculiar People; they were taught
to feparate themfelves from every thirig un
clean. For this Intent was publiffied the Mo
ral Law, which not only preferibed the ge
neral rule of duty both to God and Man,
but alfo regulated their perfonal deportment,
being defigned to control and moderate their
carnal paffions, and to reftrain them from
grofs and impure gratifications. It guarded,
though not Indeed with rigid penalties, againft
the flagrant and irreparable injury of feduc-
tion ; it pronounced a fentence of excifion
for the violation of the marriage vow ; it
fmoked with vengeance againft all inordinate
affedlons. Still however fome allowances
were made, and fome indvilgences were grant
ed, to the people of Ifrael, becaufe of the
hardnefs of their hearts. Though the Law
of Mofes could not countenance, it feems to
have connived at concubinage and polygamy;
and it admitted of divorce on very flight and
even imaginary grounds. Together with the
Moral a Ritual Law was alfo appointed,
which appears among other reafons to have
been ordained in compliance with the rude
conceptions of a carnal people, who are more
advantageoufly controlled by external form than

332 Bleffed are the Pure in heart :
than by internal regUlatioris. But the prin
cipal and final aim of all this ordinance was
to ffiadow forth the moral purity required of
thofe, who would be acceptable iri the fight
of God. Thus the rite, by which they were
inftituted Into the Legal Covenant, was ex*
preffive of the duty impofed upon them to
renounce and abandon every fpecies of impu
rity. To the fame purpofe alfo Was that va
riety of waffilngs and facrifices and other ri
tual obfervances ordained by the fame au
thority ; the fplrit of all which, as their law
exprefsly taught, was " that they might be
clean from all their fins before the Lord."
And indeed it was allowed by the wife and
good among them, that as the Ceremonial
was a ffiadpw of the Moral Law, It was no
otherwife acceptable in the fight of God, thart
as it was accompanied with a faithful obferv
ance of moral purity. Thus the Pfalmift,
when he humbled himfelf In penitence for
his fin, makes this confeffion to God; " Thou
defireft no facrifice, elfe would I give It thee :
but thou dellghteft not in burnt offerings."
Though facrifices and offerings of various kinds
had been exprefsly enjoined by their divine
Lawgiver, yet unlefs accompanied by moral
fervices, they would not be pleafing to him,
nor available to the pardon and acceptance of

For they fhall fee God, 333
of the worffiipper : ** The facrifices of God
are a broken fpirit : A broken and contrite
heart, O God, thou wilt not defpife." Ac
cordingly the Pfalmift thus devoutly and in
fpirit prays ; " Waffi me from mine iniqui
ties ; and cleanfe me from my fin. Create
in me a clean heart ; and renew a right fpirit
within me ''."
Thus alfo Ifaiah In reproof of his country
men declares, that the multitude of their fa
crifices, oblations, and folemn obfervances were
fo far from being acceptable to God, though
they all were of his appointment, that they
were hateful in his fight, becaufe they were
offered by hands that were ftained with blood
and defiled with iniquity. For the recovery
of the divine favour he exhorts them to puri
fy themfelves in a moral fenfe, by a complete
repentance from fin and a total amendment
of life ; " Waffi you, make you clean : put
away the evil of your doings from before
mine eyes ; ceafe to do evil ; learn to do
well ; feek judgment, relieve the oppreffed,
judge the fatkerlefs, plead for the widow."
On condition of which radical change and
renovation of fpirit they might hope for the
pardon and the peace of God. " Though
'» Pfa. Ii. 2, 10, \6, 17. their

334 Bleffed are the Pare in heart :
their fins were as fcarlet, they ffiould be
white as fnow ; though they were red Uke
crimfon, they ffiould be as wool ''."
Notwithftanding this remonftrance of the
Prophet, and many more injundions to the
like effed, it was a prevailing error, even
among thofe who profeffed themfelves to be
mafters of divine truth in Ifrael, to cultivate
the ritual, yet forget the moral Law, to ob
ferve the letter, but overlook the fpirit of the
Mofaic ordinances. This efpecially was the
error of the Pharifees and Scribes ; who ac
cordingly are open to our Lord's reproof for
wa|hing their hands with pundilious atten
tion, yet negleding to purify themfelves from
the groffer turpitude of extortion and excefs ;
for fcrupuloufly paying tithe of mint, anife,
and cummin, yet carelefsly difiegarding the
weightier matters of judgment, mercy, and
faith; for outwardly appearing righteous unto
men, yet inwardly being full of hypocrify arid
iniquity ^.
To redify the underftandings and the hearts
bf men in this important branch of human
duty he pronounced a Bleffing on the Pure
in heart. In fupport of the charader, which
he thus propofed to the Cultivation of his Dif-
^ Ifa. I. 10 — 18. ^ Mat. xxiii. 23, &c. ciples.

For they fhall fee God. 335
ciples, he ftands forward himfelf a full and
perfed Exemplar. He was pure and fpotlefs
both in heart and life. Though he fubmitted
to all the other infirmities of our nature, he
was totally free from every moral ftain. When
he offered himfelf a propitiation for our fins,
he had that effential quality of an acceptable
facrifice In its true and fpiritual purpofe, that
he was without blemiffi and without fpot.
Thus being effentially holy, harmlefs, unde
filed, feparate from finners, he was not only
qualified to make a full atonement for fin, but
alfo to yield a complete example of hollnefs.
And while he ffiewed in himfelf an unex
ceptionable pattern of moral purity, he was
able to imprefs it with greater weight and
influence on the hearts of his Dlfciples. To
this intent the Prophet Malachi had foretold,
that he ffiould purify the Sons of Levi, as
gold and filver is purified, that they might
offer to the Lord an offering in righteouf
nefs '.
¦ As it became him to fulfil all righteovifnefs,
he not only exemplified the Moral Law in all
its parts, but he fubmitted alfo to the obferv*
ance of the whole Mofaic ritual. And as in his
infant years he had undergone the initiatory rite
' Mai. iii. 3. of

336 Bleffed are the Fure in heart :
oi that Covenant, and in the capacity of eld
eft born had been prefented in the temple and
redeemed by the appointed offering; fo when
he arrived at maturity of years, he regularly
attended the more folemn- ordinances bf the
temple; he paid the accuftomed tributes; he
performed the eftabliffied fervices; and when,
he had healed any lepers, he enjoined them
to ffiew themfelves to the Prieft, and to offer
the gift, which Mofes had commanded. Yet
may it be colleded from the fpirit bf his con
verfation, that he did not infift upon a con
tinued obfervance of the Mofalc ritual as an
obligatory law upon the profeffora of his
faith. Thus when he fignified, that the time
was come, when they ffiould no longer wor
ffiip God either at Jerufalem or at any other
fixed and peculiar feat of public worffiip, he
no doubt Implied, that with the .appropriate
place the appropriate folemnities of that place
ffiould ceafe : as Indeed may be clearly Infer
red from the fequel; '• For the hour cometh,
and now Is, when the true worffiippers ffiall
worffiip the Father in fpirit and In truth :
for the Father feeketh fuch to worffiip hlm^"
Nor was It expedient that men ffiould be te
nacious of the femblance, when once they
' John iv. 23.
were

For they fhall fee Godt 337
were poffeffed of the fubftancq. When a
more perfed rule was come, the more partial
rule might reafonably be done away.
But on the obfervanCe of the whole Moral
Law he conftantly and ftrongly infifted, as
the Indifpenfable and unchangeable duty of
man. He gave it greater energy, and fpread
it into a wider compafs, than had ever been
conceived before. He conftantly taught man
kind to deny ungodlinefs and worldly lufts,
and to live foberly, righteoufly, and godly
in this prefent world ; having given himfelf
for us, that he might redeem us from all ini
quity, and purify to himfelf a peculiar peo
ple, zealous of good works ^. Not fatisfied
with the form, he required the power of god
linefs. This might be inftanced In that pu
rity of worffiip, which he taught in reference
to God, and that^ law of equity and charity,
which he enjoined in relation to men. But
this is moft efpecially to be feen in the obli
gation which he impofed of perfonal pUrity.
The fpirit of his law undoubtedly ftruck at
the root of thofe two prevailing indulgences
in the ancient world, concubinage and poly
gamy. And the liberty of divorce, which
the Law of Mofes had permitted to the
s Titus ii. 12, 14,
z Jews,

338 Blefjed are the Pure in heart :
Jews, becaufe of the hardnefs of their hearfs,
he exprefsly difallowed, except in the cafe of
adultery on one part ; In which it is granted
on a principle of reafon and juftice, that the
chafte may be feparated from the unchafte.
On the whole he reduced the law in this im
portant article of focial life to the original
defign of God In creating male and female ^.
But in order to purify the whole man from
every moral taint, he did not account It fuf
ficient to enjoin the purity of the body, he
infifted on the purity of the heart. Not fatif-
fied with forbidding adultery in ad, he for
bade it even In imagination and defign ;
*' Whofoever looketh on a woman to luft after
her, hath committed adultery already in his
heart." He therefore taught men to fupprefs
every loofe and licentious thought, and to dl
veft themfelves of every paffion or defire,
though incorporated fo much Into the nature
and habit, as a right hand or a right eye,
which might incite them to tranfgreffipn..
On the whole he required them to confider
themfelves as eonfecrated both in body and
foul to God, and on that principle to keep
themfelves entirely pure to his honour and
fervice '.
'' Mat. xix. 3 — 9. 1 Mat. v. 27—33.
And

For they fhall fee God^ 330
And hence we may colled the charaders
of thofe, whom our holy Teacher here dif-
tlngulflies by the title of the Pure in heart.
Affifted and encouraged by divine grace
they have made fuch proficiency in Chrif
tian hblinefs, as to have brought the body in
fubjedion to the fpirit, and to have furren
dered the will of man to the will of God.
Animated by faith in his merits, who hath
made a perfed expiation for the truly peni
tent, they have waffied away their fins by
the baptifm of repentance, and have purified
their hearts by the regeneration of the Holy
Ghoft : they have ftedfaftly purpofed, not
only to forego the adual indulgence of un
lawful appetite, but alfo, as far as human in
firmity will allow, to keep their hearts with
all diUgenCe from entertaining any licentious
thought or affedion. Senfible that God is a
fpiritual Effence, they are folicitous to yield
him a fpiritual fervice. Confcious of his con
tinual prefence and infpedion, they are cau
tious not to commit any thing, which may
tempt him to withdraw his countenance arid
withhold his approbation from them. Fully
eftimating the price, that has been paid for
their redemption and fandification by the
blood of Chrift, they arc affiduous to prefent
z 2 themfelves

340 Bleffed are the Pure in heart :
themfelves both body and foul a living, holy,
and acceptable facrifice to God.
To perfons thus difpofed our Lord affigns
a fpecial Bleffednefs, that they fhall fie, God.
To fee God is a privilege, of which the
children of this world do not ferloufly think.
It could feldom enter Into the minds or en
gage the contemplations of the Heathens ;
for fo far were they corrupted in their under
ftandings, that they retained no knowledge of
God, and therefore they could not eftimate
the happinefs of feeing him.
To fee God under the ancient economy
of the Hebrews was a privilege imparted but
very rarely and occafionally to fome few Fa
vourites pf Heaven. With the Patriarchs and
the Prophets he converfed at fundry times
and in diverfe manners, by vifion, by dream,
by Urim, by the meffage of an angel. To
the moft diftinguiffied among them he dif
played himfelf in a vifible form. Thus he
converfed with Abraham as with a friend ;
hence he was called the Friend of God ''.
He converfed with Mofes face to face ^ And
Ifaiah teftifies, that he faw the Lord In his
temple encompaffed by the Seraphim, who
^ James ii. 23. •¦ 1 Exod. xxxlii, 11. fung

For they fhall fee God. 341
fung his hollnefs and glory". But with
thefe rare exceptions, he had not perfonally
divulged himfelf of old. And from the ter
rors which Invefted him, though veiled from
public view, when he delivered the Law
from Mount SInal, an opinion had prevailed
in Ifrael, that none could fee God and live.
Under the Chriftian Revelation God is re
prefented, as dlvefted of all thofe terrors in
which he gave the Law, and is arrayed to cur
conceptions in the moft endearing attributes
of paternal grace and goodnefs. Arid hence to
fee God Is propofed to our defires and hopes
as the fulnefs of happinefs. To fee God in
the literal fenfe is not indeed indulged to us
yet, while we remain under the veil of mor
tality. Yet in the fpiritual difpenfation of
the Gofpel he is manlfefted to us more freely
and fully, than under the carnal economy of
the Law; " For the only begotten Son, who
Is in the bofom of the Father, he hath re
vealed him "." He hath manlfefted the Fa
ther to the eyes of the faithful in the faireft
and brighteft attributes of grace and truth, as
continually prefent with them In his holy
Spirit, defending them againft all the affaults
and fedudions of the Tempter, fupporting
¦" Ifa, vi. I, 2, 3. " John 1. 18.
z 3 them

342 Bleffed are the Pure in heart :
them in trials both temporal and fpiritual,
promoting in their fouls good defires and de
figns, and finally guiding them to that fcene
of glory, where being dlfencumbered of this
mortal veil they ffiall fee him face to face
among the Saints In light.
But In order to fee God In any fenfe. It is
expedient that we be like him. And in no re
fped can we more clofely refemble him than
in being pure in heart. For as God himfelf
Is pure, and as he Is of purer eyes than to
behold iniquity, fo he admits none to fee
him, but thofe, who are conformed to his
image in the inner man, who by purity of
heart are in fome degree reftored to that Hke
nefs of God, In which man was originally
made. They, who are thus conformed to
his charader, are difpofed by nature, and are
qualified by grace, for every thing Implied in
this Beatitude of feeing God. Being purified
from that film of carnal paffion and prejudice,
which obfcures their fpiritual fight, they are
enabled to contemplate him in his works of
providence and grace. They difcern him as
a Parent, a Benefador, a Guardian, and a
Friend, as working their prefent comfort,
and making every thing conducive to their
final peace. They feel him prefent with
them in the fabric and operations of their
bodies.

For they fhall fee God. 343
bodies. In the motions and meditations of their
minds : for In him they are convinced that
they live and move and are : And feeing all
that he does contributes to their happinefs,
they feek in return to do every thing to his
glory. They live under a vital fenfe of his
continual prefence and regard ; and they
maintain a ftedfaft hope, ' that when their
eyes are clofed to all terreftrial things, they
ffiall wake to the true and vivifying fight of
God. For while they are invefted with the veil
of mortality, they fee him only in the natu
ral operations of his providence, or at moft in
the fpiritual operations of his grace : Here
after they ffiall fee him without any mift or
obfcurity. They fee him now through a glafs
darkly ; hereafter they ffiall fee him face to
face. In what the bleffednefs of this divine
vifion ffiall confift we are not clearly and dif
tindly told. For we cannot in our prefent
ftate comprehend the nature and extent of
thofe faculties, by which the Pure in heart
ffiall finally perceive him. " It does not yet
appear what we ffiall be ; but we know that,
when he ffiall appear, we fliall be like him :
for we ffiall fee him as he is °." And there-
• I John iii. 2.
z 4 fore

344 Bleffed are the Pure in heart, &c.
fore we may conclude, that aU, who purify
themfelves as God is pure, ffiall be rendered
competent to behold his face in righteouf
nefs ; and when they awake from the fleep of
death, they ffiall rife In his Hkenefs, and b§
completely fatisfied p..

p Pfa.

T4

SERMON XV.

Matthew v. 9.
Bleffed are the Peacemakers : for they fiall he called the
Children of God.
Another chriftian charader now en
gages our notice, not commonly efteemed
by the children of this world, but eminently
diftinguiffied by the beatitude of our Lord.
The charader of a Peacemaker has always
obtained the low or filent approbation of the
truly wife : But the loud applaufe of nations
has been given to the Warrior. In evidence
of this we need only tranfiently look into the
records of any people or of any age. The
annals of all Barbarians are annals of cruelty
and carnage. And If we turn our eyes to
more civilized countries, the ftory may be
foftened by fome rare charaders of heroic or
civil virtue, but the prominent feature of
their hiftory Is war. The feveral States of
Greece were continually at variance either with

346 Bleffed are the Peacemakers :
with foreign nations or with one another.
And their wars were conduded with a fero
city little fuitable to our notions of a pollffied
people. Through the whole extent of the
Roman Government from the foundation of
the City to the approach of that aufpicious
age, when the Prince of Peace was born, the
temple of War had only twice been clofed.
They were continually extending the fphere
of their dominion by the fword. Whatever
nation came in contad with their progreffive
empire, opened to them a new field of mili
tary enterprize. And their efforts were ge
nerally clofed by leading kings in chains, and
fubjugating another people to their arbitrary
power. Amid thefe celebrated empires the
name of Warrior was a title of diftinguiffied
honour. And on feveral of their Chiefs, who
with large opportunities of conferring durable
and extenfive good were really the feourges
both of their own and of other States, have
been perverfely laviffied the moft facred appel
lations of, The Fathers of their Country, The
Saviours of the People, The Benefadors. of
Mankind. A kindred fpirit aduated the Jews. The
general injundion of their Law, to love their
neighbour as themfelves, might Incline them
to cultivate amity and concord within their
own

Jbr theyfiall be called the Children of God. 347
own nation ; and the promlfe of peace with
in their borders, as the recompence of their
fidelity to their heavenly King, might en
courage them to ftudy peace among them
felves. But the Inftrudion, that had been
given to them, to poffefs themfelves of the
promifed land by the fword, and the abhor
rence, which they had been taught to enter
tain, of thofe idolatries, to which the nations
all around were prone, would naturally difin-
cline them to cultivate peace toward other
States. Indeed, from their peculiar charader
and clrcumftance, as a people fet alone aniong
the nations, it was expedient for their fafety,
that a military fplrit ffiould be maintained
among them. And when once they were
prepared for defenfive meafures, the ftep was
eafy to offenfive war. Hence a fimilar com
plexion of warfare pervades the hiftory of
the Jews with that of nations unenlighten
ed with the truth of heaven. Their moft dif
tinguiffied men were warriors : Their Princes,
their Judges, and not unfrequently their
Priefts, were exercifed in arms.
Yet men of deeper contemplation among
them had notions more agreeable to the true
happinefs of men. Even David, who was
profeffedly a Warrior, gave his teftimony to
the bleffings of peace. Though from the
hiftory

348 Bleffed are the Peacemakers :
hiftory of his adions, as recorded in the book,
of Kings, it appears that he was continually
involved in warfare, yet from the hiftory of
his mind, as difplayed in the book of Pfalms,
it alfo appears that he continually figh ed for
peace ; " I am for peace : but when I fpeak,
they are for war ^." And it deferves obferva
tion, that the Hebrew Hiftorians, whenever
they arrive at an interval of peace, infenfibly
fall Into the language of complacence. After
fome time expatiating on the atchievements
of David, they feem to enjoy the fatisfadion
of repofe in the pacific reign of Solomon his
Son : " He had peace on all fides round
about him. And Judah and Ifrael dwelt
fafely, every man under his own vine, and
under his own fig-tree, from Dan even to
Beerffieba, all the days of Solomon''." In
thefe artlefs expreffions we have a moft Uvely
pldure of the bleffings of peace. And the
effed of fuch a reign is told with equal beau
ty and fimplicity : " Judah and Ifrael were
many, as the fand which is by the fea In
multitude, eating and drinking and making
merry *¦." This however was a fingular In
ftance of moderation and happinefs. Through
the feries of fucceeding reigns a fpirit of am-
• Pfa. cxx, 7, , l> I Kings iv. 24, 25 ; so. bitlon

For they fhall be called the Children of God. 349
bitlon and turbulence involved them again
in continual hoftllities with the nations all
around them: And Peace,''a ffiort-Uved gueft,
again became a ftranger to the people and
the land of Ifrael.
The fame military fplrit, which they culti
vated fo much in pradice, they carried into
their contemplations of the Meffiah's govern
ment. Taking their conceptions of his pro
mifed reign from that of David, whofe throne
they imagined that he was literally to fill,
they alfo Imagined that it would be maintain
ed and extended by the fword ; and predif
pofed to underftand it as a great and glorious
Kingdom, they could form no notions of its
rifing to preeminence of power and fplendour,
but by extenfive warfare, and triumphant
arms. And yet how very different were thefe
-conceptions from thofe mild and peaceful
charaders, in which his Kingdom is repeat
edly defcrlbed by the Prophets ! which furely
that people could not poffibly have mlfun-
derftood or mifappUed, if a thick veil of pre
judice had not been upon their hearts. Among
other high diftindlons, by which he is fore
told by Ifaiah the great Herald of the Gofpel,
he is exprefsly ftyled " The Prince of Peace;"
in fequel to which is added, that " Of his go
vernment

350 Bleffed are the Peacemakers :
vernment and peace there fliall be no end."
Thus alfo in the opening of his prophetic Book
he has thefe expreffive images of that wonderful
converfion of human fentiments and manners,
which, wherever the government of the fpiri
tual King were firmly eftabliffied In the hearts
of men, would by moral confequence moft
happily prevail : " They ffiall beat their fwords
into plough-ffiares, and their fpears into prun
ing hooks : Nation ffiall not rife againft na
tion; neither fliall they learn war any more."
In like manner, when he announces this ex
traordinary Prince under the metaphor of a
rod from the ftem, of a cion from the root, of
Jeffe, he reprefents that fignal -change of dlf^
pofitipn, which under his moft powerful in
fluence would be wrought in the hearts of
men, by thefe images, among others to the
like effed, of the wolf and the leopard dl
vefted of their favage and ferocious nature,
and peaceably affociating with the lamb and
the kid ^
Agreeable to thefe prophetic declarations
was the charader, which our Lord invariably
bore In his Intercoufe with men. To this
purpofe, when he firft affumed the nature
and the form of man, the Hoft of Angels fa-
' Ifa. Ix. 6, 7. ii, 4, xi, i — 9. luted

For they fhall he eoMed the Children of God. 351
luted their feUow-fervants on this lower
world with the welcome tidings of great joy,
in which all people had an intereft, of a Sa
viour born, the Meffiah, that had been fore
told fo long; which was Immediately followed
by the gratulating fong of peace on earth,
and of good will to men ^.
Of the fame complexion was the tenor of
his miniftry ; whether we regard his dodtrine,
or his example. Very different from the ex
pedations of the Jews, his whole converfation
breathed, not only a fpirit of good will and
amity to men, but alfo the more adive
and ardent zeal of conciliating peace among
all the feveral orders and relations of man
kind. It was one principal objed of his
miffiqn to break down the wall of fepa-
ration, which had hitherto fubfifted, and
had maintained a fpirit of hoftillty, as well
between Jew and Gentile, as alfo between
the feveral divlfions and diffindlons of fo
ciety ; in ordei^ that he might form them in
the unity of faith, hope, and charity into one
great houfehold holy to the Lord. For though
it was his primary concern to preach the Gofpel
to the Poor, who were favourably difpofed to
hear him, yet, as occafions offered, he alfo
preached it to the Pharifees and Scribes, who
,-^ Luke ii. 8 — 14. vilified

352 pleffed are the Peacemakers :
vilified and oppofed his dodrine. Though he
was fent more immediately to the ffieep of
the houfe of Ifrael, yet, as he declared in the
fame ftyle of parable, he had other ffieep
which were not of that fold, namely, the
' whole Gentile world : They alfo ffiould hear
his voice ; and they ffiould all become one
fold under one Shepherd^.
This Is Inftanced on two different occafions,
in which he had Intercourfe with the Sama
ritans ; who, though acknowledging the fame
Law, and pretending to the fame defcent,
were divided from the Jews by a fpirit of
fehifin, which precluded all kinds of focial
communion and all common offices of reci
procal benevolence. In his converfation, hold-
en at the well with the woman of Samaria,
he had given fuch evidence of his preternatu
ral knowledge, that ffie confeffed him for a
Prophet. Hereupon ffie put this queftion to
him on the principal point of difference be
tween thefe two contiguous nations, whether
Jerufalem or Gerizim was the proper feat
of public worffiip. In anfwer he acknow
ledged, that according to ' the ancient In-
ftitutions the Jews were more corred in the,
general forms of divine fervice. But at the.
fame time he fignified, that the difference be-
' John X. i6.
tween

For they fhall be called the Children of God. 353
tween them was now become of fmall com
parative importance ; as an Economy was
now commenced, in which there would be
neither local feat nor peculiar people fet apart
for the exclufive fervice of Almighty God ;
but all mankind, without refped of nation or
lineage, would be admitted in one common
bond of union to worffiip him at every time and
In every place, provided they worffilpped him
in the charader. In which he was now made
manifeft to men, in fpirit and in truth ^.
On another occafion, as he paffed through
a village of Sa.maria, he experienced a ftrlk
lng inftance of that rancour of hoftiUty,
which the fchifm between thefe two people
had produced. Colleding from the circum
ftances of his journey, that he was going to
perform fome ad of public worffiip at Je
rufalem, to the difparagement as they Inferred
of their temple at Gerizim, the Samaritans
refufed to receive him. Provoked at this in
hofpitable treatment, two of his Difciples
afked him if he would not call down fire
from heaven to confume them, as Elias had
done on a fimilar occafion. But Jefus an
fwered,'" Ye know not what manner of fpi
rit ye are of For the Son of Man is not
f John iv. 9—24.
A a come

354 Bleffed are the Peacemakers :
come fo defkoy men's lives, but to fave
them^." The fame defire of conciliation pervaded all
his dodrines. This is manlfefted in that pe
culiar ordinance of his religion, that we love
one another, even as he hath loved us. And here
it may be acknowledged, that the fame pre
cepts, which breathe a fpirit of mercy, breathe
alfo a fpirit of peace ; as may be exemplified
in his feveral Injundions through the Sermon
on the Mount, to forbear all intemperate and
caufelefs anger with our brother, to ffipprefs a
difpofition to retaliate injuries, and to agree
with our adverfary without delay ; for the ob
fervance of thefe not only ftamps the charac
ter of the Merciful, but alfo of the Peace
makers. Above all, this charader is mpft
feelingly impreffed by that evangelical pre
cept of focial love, which our Lord oppofed
to the more contraded Interpretation ' of the
Teachers of moral law among the Jews ;
" But I fay unto you. Love your enemies,
blefs them that curfe you, do good to them
that hate you, and pray fbr them that defpite-
fuUy ufe you and perfecute you." For the
general cultivation of this precept would moft
effedually contribute to the maintenance of
perpetual and univerfal peace ^.
s Luke ix. jt— .;6. '' Mat, v. 21—48.
To

For they fhall be called the Children of God. 355
• To the fame purpofe alfo were his inter-
ceffions to the throne of grace for harmony
of fentiment through the whole houfehold
of the faithful. " Holy Father, keep through
thine own name thofe whom thou haft given
me, that they may be one, even as we are
one '." Wherein he fuppUcates the Author
of peace and Lover of concord, to grant unto
thofe who embrace his faith, above all other
kinds of fecial unity, an unity of fplrit in di
vine concerns, that all may together confti
tute one compad and undivided body, of
which himfelf is the head ; and being all of
one heart and of one foul both in dodrine
and in communion, may with one mind and
one voice prefent their devotions through the
fame Mediator to the fame great Father and
Governor of all.
Thus was he in an eminent degree a
Peacemaker both in his precept and example,
inafmuch as he laboured to eftabliffi peace be
tween man and man. But he was a Peace
maker in a more important fenfe, inafmuch
as he undertook the moft arduous office ofa
Mediator between God and man. He came
into the world In order to reconcile the world
to the Father. This was not only the objed
' John xvii. ii,
A a3 oi

356 Bleffed are the Peacemakers :
~of all his labours in life, but of all his fuffer
lngs in death. On this account It was, that
he furrendered himfelf a fm->offering and a
peace-offering to God. Greater love can no
man ffiew than this, that he lay down his life
for his friends. This Is an ad of extraordi
nary virtue, of which a few foUtary Inftances
appear in the extenfive page of human hifto
ry. But while we were finners, and there
fore in a ftate of enmity to him, Chrift died
for us ''. Great applaufe is uffially paid to
thofe, who have devoted themfelves to death
for their country. But who can be placed
In competition with him, who yielded up his
Ufe for an offending and in confequence a
hoftile world ? By taking upon them the pu
niffiment that was due to the fins of men,
he has harmonized the mercy with the juf
tice of God, he has reconciled them to the
Father, and procured for them tiie covenant
of eternal peace.
From this precept and example we may
learn what conftitutes the charader of Peace
makers in the Chriftian fctife. Not confining
their attention to the precept of the Apoftle,
that as much as lieth In them they live
peaceably with all men', they employ their
^ John XV. 13. Rom, v. 8. ' Rom, xii. 18. whole

For ihey fhall he called tlie Children of God. 357
whole influence and endeavour to maintain
and to conciliate peace In the fphere of that
fociety In which they live. Inftruded by the
law of Chriftian charity to extend the relation
of neighbours to all who partake of the fame
common nature, they labour to promote a fpi
rit of amity and affedion between perfons and
focleties, that are diftinguiffied by difference
of fed Or party, of country or religion ; and
they labour to eftabliffi upon earth the do
minion of the Prince of Peace bpth in com
mon and in public life, by promoting a fpirit
of brotherly love and focial affedion.
The fame zeal, which thiey manifeft for
the peace of men in their civil relations, they
alfo exercife In promoting a harmbny of fen
timent in the more important concerns of
reUgion. They earneftly endeavour to ketep
the unity of the fpirit in the bond of peace.
They labour to render men of one accord
both in dodrine and difcipUne, that there be
no fchifm or divifion In the Church of Chrift,
that all may be bound together in the fellow
ffiip of the Spirit, all may be animated with
one foul, and as they profefs one faith, and are
called in one hope, may with one mind and
one mbuth glorify God even the Father of our
Lord Jeffis Chrift •".
"" Eph. Iv. 3. Rom. XV. 6.
A a 3 But

353 Bleffed are the Peacemakers :
But they do not limit their exertions of
brotherly love to the conciliation of peace be
tween man and man. In concurrence with
the labours, in imitation of the example, of
the Prince of Peace, they are no lefs affidu
ous to promote the reconciliation of man to
God. When they fee their brethren both in
nature and In grace unhappily withdrawn from
the prefence of their heavenly Father, and
abandoning themfelves without reflexion to a
courfe of vice and irreligion, ftill regarding
them as children of the fame houfehold and
heirs of the fame promifes, they embrace a
fair occafion to warn them of the danger
they incur by this inconfiderate courfe of life;
and by the united weight of exhortation and
reproof, of admonition and example, of fuppli
cation and interceffion, they ftrive to move
them to repentance, to reconcile them to
their divine Parent, and to bring them back
to the houfehold of the faithful. By this truly
charitable condud they eftabliffi their claim
to the charader of Peacemakers ; and they
acquire a title to the bleffing here affigned,
that they fijall be~ called the Children of God.
A name fo diftinguiflied has engaged the
defires of men in different ages of the world.
The Heathens of diverfe nations would fome times

For theyfiall he called the Children of God. 35g
times boaft of their celeftial origin. Whe
ther Greeks or Barbarians, they generally de
rived themfelves from fome divine Founder
or Progenitor. The Philofophers in their fpe-
culations on the great Firft Caufe would fome
times ftyle him the Father of Gods and Men.
And Saint Paul, when addreffing himfelf to
the Athenians on the fubjed of the unknown
God, whom they ignorantly worffilpped and
whtom he now declared unto them, has quot
ed certain of their Poets who had faid :
*' .TS yoip Koii yivos IcTfJiiv' For we alfo are his
offspring "." But they derived no privilege
from this relation ; and it was to them ra
ther a fource of pride, than an encouragement
to virtue.
The Children of Ifrael had a better claim
to boaft of their divine origin. For they had
been called by divine authority " A holy Na
tion, a peculiar People." God is pleafed under
their Economy to ftyle himfelf the God of
Ifrael ; and he acknowledged that People in
an appropriate fenfe his own. Accordingly
the Apoftle enumerates the privileges which
they derived from that relation; " To whom
pertain the adoption, and the glory, and the
'" Afts xvii. 28. Thefe words are literally quoted from Ara-
tus and Cleanthes ; but the fentiment is common to the Greek
and Latin PoetS; A a 4 covenants.

36o Bleffed are the Peacemakers :
covenants, and the giving of the Law, and
the fervice, and the promifes ; whofe are the
Fathers ; and of whom according to the fleffi
is Chrift, who is over all, God bleffed for
ever"." But at the fame time he teftifies,
that they are not all Ifraelites indeed, neither
are they all virtually the Children of God,
who are of the Houfe of Ifrael in their civil
relation, who are of the feed of Abraham by
natural defcent. The high privilege of being
his Children In the true and moft Important
fenfe was referved for thofe, who are Ifraelltes
in heart, who are of the feed of Abraham by
the righteoufnefs of faith. As many as re
ceive the divine Word in the perfon of Jefus
Chrift, as many as beUeve in his name, to
them gives he power to become the Sons
of God ; being admitted to this diftindion,
not by natural generation, or by civil adop*
tion, but by the fpecial grace of God ¦¦.
In the Gofpel of Jefus Chrift, who Is him
felf in a preeminent and peculiar fenfe the
Son, and therefore is fo frequently ftyled, the
firft, or only, begotten Son of God, we have
larger privileges than were ever Imparted tb
the houfe of Ifrael, as the relation to which
we are called approaches nearer to the Father
of fplrits. And therefore the beloved Apoftle
• Rom, ix. 4, &c. P John i. 12, 13. Invites

For theyfiall he called the.€hildrenofGod. 36l
invites us to contemplate that extraordinary
token of affedion, which we have now re
ceived from Heaven ; " Behold what manner
of love the Father hath beftowed upon us,
that we ffiould be called the Sons of God ''."
But while we with gratitude rejoice In the
privilege now fet before us, we muft not
overlook the means, by which we may call
this privilege our own. When by the mi
niftry of our bleffed Lord it Is offered to thofe
that receive him, it is offered to thofe only
that acknowledge and regard him as aTeacher
come from God : When it Is propofed to
them that believe in his name, it is propofed
to no others but to thofe, who fubftantiate
and verify their belief by cultivation of his
precepts and adoption of his charader. We
cannot otherwife become the Sons of God,
than by ftrenuoufly feeking to be like him,
by copying into our own difpofitlons all thofe
graces of the divine nature, that Come within
the fphere of human imitation, and by la
bouring to be renovated and reftored in mo*
ral goodnefs to that image of God in which
man was originally made.
But by no courfe of duty can we be
brought to a clofer refemblance to God, than
¦i t John ill. t.
by

36a Bleffed, tire the Peacemakers i
by comprehending all men In the bonds of
brotherhood, and by promoting peace among
our brethren both with God and man. To
this purpofe our Lord, after enjoining his
Difciples to love their enemies and to do
good to thofe that hate them, prefents this
engaging motive ; " That ye may be the
Children of your Father, which is In heaven:
for he maketh his fun tb ffiine on the evil
and on the good, and fendeth rain both on
the juft and on the unjuft '.'" And the. fame
motive we may reafonably extend from the
economy of nature to that of grace, which
under the Chriftian government Is cpextenfiye
with the divine providence over all. the na
tions of the earth. As In the common ordi
nances of nature the Father of the univerfe
has appointed his fun to ffiine and his rain to
fall indifferently on all men; fo in the difpen
fation of his Gofpel he hath caufed the Sun of
righteoufnefs to ffiine and the dews of hea^
venly grace to fall, without refped of nations
or communities, on all men.
Inafmuch therefore as we all Indiferimi-
nately partake of God's paternal care and
goodnefs in both economies of nature and of
grace, an obligation refts upon us, that we
'Mat. v. 4,5. treat

For theyfiall be called the Children of God. 36'3
treat all mankind, however they may be dif
tinguiffied by fed or order, by nation or pro
feffion of faith, as brethren, and that we labour
in our refpedive fpheres, and according to our
feveral means and capacities, to promote among
them a fplrit of peace and brotherly love in
their focial and civil relations, and, if it be
poffible, an unity of fentiment in religious
faith and worffiip. And while we thus ftudy
to maintain the relation and benevolence of
brethren among mankind, a further and mpre
Important obligation refts upon us, that we
labour to reconcile them to him, who is the
Parent of the whole family both in heaven
and earth, that all may have accefs with one
fpirit unto the Father, and, being no longer
ftrangers and foreigners, may be rendered
fellow citizens with the Saints and of the
houfehold of God '. For hereby we ffiall
ffiew ourfelves brethren to all, not only ii^
the participation of the fame nature, but alfo
In the clofer fellowffiip and unity of the Spi
rit. And hereby ffiall we eftabliffi our title
to that moft honourable of all appellations, of
the Children of God.
Nor Is this a mere name of honour. The
moft valuable privileges are attached to that
= Eph, ii, 1 8, 19. relation. ,

364 Blejfed are tlte Peacemakers :
relation. For it comprehends the paternal
favour of God on earth, the paterrial Inheri
tance of God in heaven. This bleffednefs Is
affigned on an infallible word to all, who are
Peacemakers in the fentinient of the Gof
pel. In the paternal favour of God they fhall
have that peace on earth which the world
cannot give. It will enhance thofe benefits
which his providence may confer upon them;
and they ffiall have aU the natural goods of
cheering ffins and fertilizing ffiowers, and all
the civil goods of calm and peaceful days, as
the gifts ofa Father moft affedionately dif
pofed for the welfare and profperlty of his
children. It will equally give them comfort
in all the troubles and afflidions of life,
whether natural or civil, whether national or
domeftic. In every trying hour, though they
may be troubled for the fins, and for the ne
ceffary confequence of fin, the miferies of
men, they will not be afraid for themfelves ;
but fupported by the fentiment of their near
relation to God, they will ferenely commit
themfelves to his protedlon and difpofal, fully
truftlng in his tutelary care, that, although for
a feafon he may fuffer them to endure afflic
tions, yet he will make even their afflic
tions to work together. If not always for
their prefent, yet affuredly for their future, their

For they fhall be called the Children of God. 365
their fubftantlal and eternal good. By the
fame paternal favour they ffiall alfo be in
vefted with all manner of fpiritual gifts ef
fential to their growth in grace, more efpe
cially the continual prefence of the Holy Spi
rit, to guide them Into all truth, to fupport
them in all dangers, to carry them through
all temptations, to animate them to perfever
ance In weU doing, and thus conflantly to
train them up for their appointed manfion in
the realms of happinefs, when they ffiall be
no longer under tuition or difeipline, as is the
neceffary cafe in the nonage of their beings,
but being received into their divine Father's
more immediate home, ffiall be admitted to
the full inheritance of ChUdren : For if they
are Children, then are they alfo Heirs ; Heirs
of God, and Coheirs with Chrift '.
Of what this Beatitude confifts is equally^ a
rriyftery to mortal men with that expreffed in
the preceding fentence, of feeing God. " Be
loved, fays the Apoftle John, now are we the
Sons of God : But it doth not appear what
we ffiall be : But we know, that when he
ffiall appear, we fliall be like him ". When
once men have acquired a title to that moft
honourable name, they know by experience
'Rom. viii. 17. " t John iii. 2. the-

366 Bleffed are the Peacemakers', &c,
the bleffings, which attach to that relation
here : but in the ftate of mortality they do
not fo diftindly comprehend the far fuperior
bleffings, which by divine promife await it
hereafter. This however may be entertain
ed with full affurance of faith, that it impUes
the greateft good, which their purified natures
can be capable of enjoying. For being re
ftored to their divine Parent's image in holl
nefs, they ffiall by neceffary confequence be
reftored to. his image in happinefs. Having
faithfully ftudied, during their mortal difcl
pline, by the pradice of impartial and uni
verfal peace and charity to their brethren, to
attain fome refemblance of their Father which
Is in heaven in the feveral difpenfations of his
providence to men, they ffiall finally be ren
dered both In grace and glory perfed, even ^s
their Father which Is in heaven Is perfed ^.
" Mat. V, 48.

SERMON XVL

Matthew v. io.
Blejfed are they that are perfecuted for righteoufnefs' fahe^:
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
In my laft difcourfe I treated on a Charac
ter, illuftrious in the roll of Chriftian graces,
and diftinguiffied above the reft by energy of
adion ; namely, that of the Peacemakers. I
have now to treat on another Charader,
placed in parallel to the former, being no lefs
illuftrious in the fame divine catalogue, but
diftinguiffied in a very different manner, by
fortitude of fuffering ; namely, that of thofe
who are perfecuted for righteoufnefs' fake.
To endure perfecution, abftradedly confi
dered, does not feem to fall under the de
fcription of virtue, as it implies what is mere
ly paffive on the part of the receiver. But
to endure perfecution for the fake of righte
oufnefs has every title to that honourable
name ; fince it implies " out of a pure heart,
of a good confelence, and of faith unfeigned%"
> I Tim. i. 5. in

S68 Bleffed dre they that are perfecuted, 6?c.
in open avowal of religious truth, a voluntary
fubmiffion and a patient refignation to every
kind and to every degree of perfecution,
which the malice of the world can Iriflld.
This was the fentiment of our bleffed Lord,
an infallible Jud,ge pf moral eaccellence ; who
has not only given it a place in the feries of
his Beatitudes, but from the ftation he has
affigned it at the clofe of all may be under
ftood to have marked it with peculiar pralfe,
as finlffiing the fcale of fpiritual worth, as
accompliffiing the Chriftian charader, as ren
dering the man of God perfed, thproughly
furniffied unto all gpod works ''.
A difpofition of this kind is peculiar to the
true Religion ; as no fyftem, that wanted the
ftamp of truth, could engage mankind to ren
der any very extraordinary facrifice. Thus
we find It foreign to the fentiment and prac
tice of the Heathen world. The morality of
their philofophers was of fo loofe a kind, as to
recommend a compliance with the religious
cuftoms and obfervances, and I may add' opi^
nions, of the age and place in which they
lived. And the pradice of the people in ge
neral was fo eafy and indifferent, that in the
united hiftory of all Heathen States it might
*¦ 2 Tim. Iii. 17. be

For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 369
be difficult to produce an unqueftionable in
ftance of perfecution for the fake of righte
oufnefs. The Children of Ifrael were animated by a
principle of faith, which rhoved them to make
many facrifices and to undergo many fuffer
lngs. Thus the Minifter of their Law is
commended by the Apoftle, that he chofe
rather to endure reproach and to fuffer af
flidion with the people of God, than to en
joy kll the honours and all the treafures of
the kingdom and court of Egypt '. And
the fame energy of faith was frequently dif
played among the Hebrews in their intef-
Gourfe with the feveral idolatrous nations
round about them. And though it cannot
be diffembled, that in the different periods of
their more ancient hiftory they ffiewed many
fymptoms of apoftafy from the law and
worffiip of the true God, yet in later times,
as the recompence of another, life gained a
firmer hold upon their faith, they ffiewed fo
zealous an attachment to the religion of their
Fathers, as in teftimony thereof to fubmit to
every fpecies of perfecution ; as is recorded
by the Apoftle : They wandered in defarts
and in mountains ; they concealed themfelves
<^.Heb. xi. 25,
B b in

870 Bleffed are they that are perfecuted, &c.
In dens and caves of the earth; they were
expofed to bonds and imprifonments ; they
had trial of cruel mockings and fcourgings ;
they were ftoned, they were fawn afunder,
they were flain with the fword; they were tor
tured, not accepting deliverance, that they
might obtain a better refurredion ^.
But this difpofition muft have had a deeper
hold upon the fouls of men, when a fuller
affurance ofa better refurredion was given.
And therefore in that Difpenfation, which
brought life and Immortality to light, our
Lord had firmer ground to eftabliffi this as
one of the principal virtues of his Religion.
Accordingly he not only brings it forward In
this catalogue of Chriftian graces, but he
dwells upon It in the fequel, as if it had a fu
perior claim to the regard and cultivation of
his Followers, Thus he adds, with a more
immediate reference to his perfonal Difei-
ples, who for the fake of his religion would
be expofed to perfecution far beyond the
common orders of Chriftians ; " Bleffed are
ye, when men ffiall revile you, and perfecute
you, and ffiall fay all manner of evil againfl
you falfely for my fake : Rejoice and be ex
ceeding glad : for great is your reward in
^ Heb. xi. 35, &c. heaven i

For theirs is tlie Kingdom of Heaven. 371
heaven: for fo perfecuted they the Prophets
which were before you°." And if the an
cient Prophets were ffipported under afflic
tions by the promifes of God, while given
only in figures, much more indeed might
the Difciples of Jefus, to whom thefe pro
mifes were more diftlndly and openly con
veyed. In like manner he fays in another place ;
" If any man will come after me, let him
deny himfelf, and take up his crofs, and fol
low me. For whofoever will fave his life,
ffiall lofe it ; and whofoever will lofe his life
for my fake, ffiaU find it *." Thus he incul
cates on his difciples the duty incumbent on
them, to follow him, not only in ading, but
alfo In forbearing and In fuffering for the fake
of righteouffiefs. The ffiffering, to which he
here alludes, had been foretold many ages
before by the Prophet Ifaiah, when he fays,
that he was defpifed and rejeded of men j
that he was wounded for our tranfgreffions,
and bruifed for our iniquities ; that he was
oppreffed and afflided; that he -was brought
as a lamb to the flaughter, yet he opened not
his mouth; that he was cut off out of the
land of the living ; that for the tranfgreffions
Mat. Y. II, 12.. '' Mat, xvi. 24, 25.
B b 3 of

372 Blejfed ate they that are perfecuted, &e.
oi his people was he ftrlcken s. And all thid
was accompliffied in the hiftory of his paif-
fion. After leading a life of poverty and for-'
row, after fubmitting to feorn and flander
during the whole of his miniftry for the fake
of righteoufnefs, he was at length, arraigned
before an iniquitous tribunal ; he was buf
feted ; he was feourged ; he was nailed ' to
the crofs. The fury of his perfecutors was
wreaked upon him ; and the cup which was
given him to drink was the bittereft, which
ingenious malice could devife to mingle.
From this great pattern of refignation to
fuffering in fo gobd a caufe, the Apoftle ex
horts his Difciples to fubmit with patience
to griefs and perfecutions, even if wrongfully
inflided, for confelence toward God : for to
this, he afferts, were they called on taking
upon them the Chriftian name ; and it was
expedient that they ffiould fubmit to thefe
things ; " becaufe Chrift alfo fuffered for us,
leaving us an example, that we ffiould follow
his fteps : who did no fin, neither was guile
found in his mouth ; who when he was re
viled, reviled not again ; when he fuffered,
he threatened not; but committed himfelf to
him that judgeth righteoufly : who bore our
e Ifa. liii. 3, &c, fins

.Fbr theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 373
fins in his own body on the tree, that we her
ing dead to fin ffiould live to righteoufnefs :
by whofe ftrlpes we are healed ^."
On this precept and example was formed
the glorious company of the Apoftles, who
In obedience to the parting Injundion of their
Lord went" forth:- to preach his gofpel to all
nations, and to eftabUffi the fceptre of his
righteoufnefs over all the kingdoms of the
world. However feeble their minds, how
ever timid their charaders had been at the
time, when their Lord was delivered Into the
hands of men, yet as foon as they were Inr
ftruded in the real purpofe of his death, as
foon as they comprehended the true nature
and conftitution of his Kingdom, they did
not he^tate to undergo every toil, to confront
every danger, and to encounter every fiery
trial, in accompliffiing that work for which
they were called: they gloried in tribulation,
and rejoiced that they were counted worthy
to fuffer ffiame for the name of Jefus'.
What the Apoftle Paul has afferted of his
own feelings and fentiments on the certain
profped or the adual endurance of perfecu
tion, may be applied indifferently tp all the
Apoftles : " Behold, I go bound in the Spirit
b I Pet. ii. 21 — 24. ' Afts V. 4?.
B b 3 unto

574 Bleffed are they that are perfecuted, &c.
unto Jerufalem, not knowing the things
that ffiall befal me there : fave that the Holy
Ghoft witneffeth In every city, faying, that
bonds and afflidions abide me. But none of
thefe things mOve me ; neither count I my
life dear unto myfelf ; fo that I might finiffi
my courfe with joy, and the miniftry, which
I have received of the Lord Jefus, to teftify
the Gofpel of the grace of God ^." In his
Second Epiftle. to the Corinthians he glories
in the trials, to which he was expofed as a
Minifter of Chrift: •' In labours more abun
dant, in ftrlpes above meafure. In prifons
more frequent, in deaths oft: — -In journeyings
often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers,
in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils
by the heathen, In perils in the city, In perils
in the wildernefs, in perils in the fea. In pe
rils among falfe brethren : In wearlnefs and
painfulnefs. In watchings often. In hunger
and thirft, In faftings often, in cold and na-
kednefs '." And in his Epiftle to the Ro
mans he endeavours in thefe folemn ftralns
to imprefs upon their hearts the divine Love
of their blefi^d Redeemer : " Who ffiall fe
parate us from the love of Chrift ? Shall tri
bulation. Or diftrefs, or perfecution/ or fa-
•^ Afls XX. 22, 23, 24. ^ 2Cor. xi. 23— 27.
mine.

For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 375
mine, or nakednefs, or peril, or the fword? —
Nay In all thefe things we are more than
conquerors through him that loved us. For
I am perfuaded, that neither the fear of
death, nor the defire of Ufe ; nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers ; nor things pre
fent, nor things to come ; nor height of
profperlty, nor depth of calamity, nor any
other creature, ffiall be able to feparate us
from the love of God which is in Chrift Je
fus our Lord "*."
By the fame precept and example was alfo
formed that noble army of Martyrs, who
during the feveral perfecutions under the
Heathen Emperors fubmitted patiently to
every kind of evil ; who encountered death
in every form of terror ; who fung in the
midft of flames, and gloried in fuffering for
the name of Chrift and in the caufe of the
Gofpel. All thofe come literally under the
defcription of our Lprd, of them that are
perfecuted for righteoufnefs' fake.
In the prefent age of the world, when the
Faith of Chrift Is dlfflifed far and wide among
the nations, and Is adopted and eftabliffied for
the religion of the State, this charader of the
Chriftian Soldier cannot literally be put to
"¦ Rom. viii. 3^ — 39,
B b 4 the

376 Bleffed are they that are perfected, &c.
the proof. Yet without the teft of martyr
dom, the true Followers of Chrift will find arv
ample field for the exercife of their religious.
fortitude. For though they are not expofed
to perfecution for the fake of rlghtepufnefs,
yet they are exppfed to temptations of va
rious kinds in their common intercourfe with
the world. They encounter them in the
pleafures and in the pain?, in the riches and,
in the penury. In the honours and in the
diflionours of human life. By temporal goods
they are tempted to forget their Gpd and
their religion ; and. by temporal evils they
are alfo tempted to fretfulnefs and impati
ence, and fometimes even to diffioneft means
pf repairing their unhappy lot. The true
Followers pf Chrift are not moved with
any of thefe things. In every condition and
in every viciffitude pf life they hold faft their
Integrity unffiaken, and they continue faith
fully to m3,Intain their ground againft the fe
veral forms and fpecies of temptation. Un-
fubdued by thpfe trials tp which fo many
yield, they are determined with the Apoftle,
that nothing ffiall feparate them from the
love of God in Chrift. Neither difcompofed
by the foft fedudions of profperpus fortune,
nor the rude attacks' of adverfe, they con
tinue true to the caufe of Chrift, and under his

;;¦ For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 3/7
his banner they perfevere unto the end.
They bear the fame mind with the Martyrs
of the primitive Church ; and if they were
called to the fame trials,, they would be ready
to meet them with the fame fortitude. They
may therefore be underftood to be compre
hended in the fpirit of this defcription with
thofe that are perfecuted for righteouffiefs'
fake ; and in common with the Martyrs of
more arduous times they ffiall be admitted
to the fame tranfcendent reward ; For theirs
is the Kingdom of Heaven.
The Kingdom of Heaven, as I have had
repeated occafion to obferve, is the fpiritua|
reign of the Meffiah, or Anointed of the
Lord ; in which are comprehended the two
different ftates of prefent Grace and of future
Glory. Thus containing whatever Is effen
tial to the fpiritual man both in hollnefs and in
happinefs, it is prefented to aU, who acknow
ledge Chrift for their fpiritual King, as the
great motive to a faithful allegiance, both at
the beginning and at the clofe of the Chrif
tian life. And accordingly we find it equally
advanced as the appropriate bleffednefs of the
firft and of the lafl In the feries of Chriftian
virtues, of the Poor in fpirit", and of them
that are perfecuted for righteoufnefs' fake. To

57* Blejed are they that are perfecuted, &c.
To botli thefe charaders it unqueftionably
applies in both its parts : For every one of
thefe Beatitudes comprehends in a greater or
a lefs degree both a prefent and a future
good. But if there be any ffiade of diffe
rence In the application of the fame Beatitude
to different charaders, it may be affumed
with fome colour of reafon, that as ofered
to tiiem, who commence the Chriftian cha
rader in being poor In fpirit, it has a more
immediate reference to the State oi Grace :
as offered to thofe, who complete the Chrif
tian charader in fubmitting to perfecution
for the fake of righteoufnefs, it more ex
prefsly points at the State of Glory.
This Kingdom was very different from
what was the great objed of ambition
among the Heathens ; who thought a tem
poral crown the confummation of human
enterprize, and the accompliffiment of all
that was defirable for man. Too little did
they know or even conceive of things be
yond the grave, to make them objeds of
their attention and purfuit ; and lefs did
they fix their thoughts on the attainment of
a feat or crown in heaven.
It was alfo very different from what en
gaged the expedations of the Jews. They
had been ftyled in the Law a Royal Prieft hood,

For theirs is fhe Kingdom of Heaven. 379^
hood, or a Kingdom of Priefts". But this
charader of royalty they underftood to be
fulfilled In the independent poffeffion of the
land of Canaan, as augmented by the fword
of David, and as eftabliffied under the more
peaceful, yet fplendid reign of Solomon.
Their ambition was further elevated by that
animating pldure which the Prophets had
given of the Meffiah and his Kingdom. But
not comprehending the fpiritual charader of
cither, they exalted their ideas to the higheft
pitch of worldly greatnefs; and they became
ambitious to enroll themfelves under the
banners of this promifed King, and to par
take in the triumphs of his glorious King
dom. The appearance of the meek and lowly
Jefus did not correfpond with thefe ambitious
hopes. In the poor and humble Peafant of
Galilee they could trace no veftige of the
glorious and triumphant King of Ifrael.
Hence he was difapproved, defpifed, and re
jeded at once by the fuperior orders of the
Jews. And though the energy and benevo-
ience of his words and works engaged the
regard and gratitude of the common people,
yet they alfo were difappointed at the humi-
° Exod. xix. 6. lity

380 Bleffed are they that are perfecuted, &'c,
lity of the form In which he came among
them, and could no otherwife reconcile what
they faw with what they hoped, than by
fuppofing that he was rtow under a temporary
ffiade, from which he would fuddenly break
forth to public view in all the power and
fplendour ofa mighty King. The fame pre-^
judice was entertained by the Apoftles them
felves, who had fuller advantages of contem
plating his charader and miffion. On this
idea the Mother of James and John re<jBeft-
cd for her (Sons, that the one might fit on
his right hand, and the other on his left in
bis Kingdom ; in other words, that they
might have the two firft offices of temporal
eminence and honour. But what was the
anfwer of our Lord to this ? To fit on his
right hand and on his left, he affured them,
were not his to give, being referved for the
difpofal of thofe, who were appointed to the
kingly ftation by the ordinary providence of
God. What they had to exped from follow
ing him in this life would not be honours,
but indignities, not preferment, but fuffer
lngs. They would have to drink with him
of the cup of forrow, to be baptized with
him in the baptifm of calamity. But in
compenfation for all thofe indignities and
fufferlngs, which they might endure for his
fake,

For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 381
fake, he had finally a reward far tranfcend-
ing any temporal crown: He had a Kingdoin
to beftow in the realms of heavenly blifs.
Thus he affured his Apoftles^ who had for-
faken all and followed him, that in the re
generated world, when he ffiould be efta
bliffied on his Throne of glory, they alfo
ffiould fit on twelve Thrones, judging the
twelve Tribes of Ifrael °.
For a time they were fuffered to mif-
conceive the nature of this promife; and
worldly prejudice ftill maintained poffeffion
of their underftandings. But as foon as
the great myftery of godlinefs was accom
pliffied in the paffion, the refurredion, and
afcenfion of their Lord, the light of ce
leftial truth broke forth at once upon their
minds. And they Intuitively underftood
the purpofe of his ffifferings and the na
ture of his Kingdom. They fought no
more for temporal honours and diftindlons :
They ftrove no longer who ffiould be the
greateft upon earth. Animated by the pro
mife now fufficiently underftood of being
finally advanced to that high and holy place,
where their Lord was gone before, they re
folved to take up his crofs, and to follow him
° Mat. XX, 20-*-28, Luke xxii. 24 — 30. in

382 Bleffed are they that are perfecuted, &tC.
in fuffering : they defpifed all worldly ter
rors : they did not hefitate to encounter
every kind of danger : they did not fcruple
to undergo any labour or perfecution to ad-
Tance the profeffion of his Gofpel and the
eftabliffiment of his righteoufnefs. They
were faithful unto death, in full affurance
that hereafter they ffiould receive a crown
of life. As their Lord had overcome by fuf
fering, fo alfo they ffiould overcome; having
the Infallible word of divine truth, that as he
was enthroned with his Father, fo alfo ffiould
they be enthroned with him p.
Tranfported with the profped of this vaft
reward, the Apoftle Paul thus expreffes the
bleffed hope, with which himfelf and his
Brethren were buoyed up under all thofe ex
traordinary evils, to which they were expofed
for the fake of righteoufnefs : " We are
troubled pn every fide, but not diftreffed ;
we are perplexed, but not in defpair ; perfe
cuted, but not forfaken ; caft down, but not
deftroyed: Always bearing about in the
body the dying of the Lord Jefus, that the
life alfo of Jefus might be made manifeft in
our body. — For which caufe we faint not j
but though our outward man periffi, yet the
P Rev. Iii, 21. inward

J^or theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. S83
inward man is renewed day by day. For our
light afflidion, which is but for a moment,
worketh for us a more exceeding and eternal
weight of . glory "i." On the fame principk
this great Apoftle, having paffed an unwearied
life of fpiritual warfare in extending the
faith of Chrift over the various regions of the
ciisaUzed world, was enabled without emo
tion, and even with complacence, to con
template that fcene of martyrdom, which he
was confcious was now drawing nigh to in
volve him : " For I am now ready to be of
fered ; and the time of my departure is at
hand. I have fought the good fight; I have
finiffied my courfe ; I have kept the faith...
Henceforth there Is laid up for me a crown
of righteoufnefs, which the Lord the righte
ous Judge will give me at that day : and not
to me only, but to all them alfo that love his
appearing '."
Under this defcription muft be compre
hended all thofe faithful Soldiers of the crofs
of Chrift, who are fo far animated with a
love of their Redeemer and a zeal for righte
ouffiefs, as not to fcruple any facrifice, how
ever difficult and painful to human nature,
in teftlfying his name, in promoting his
<i 2 Cor, y, 8 — i;. ' 2 Tim. Iv. 6, y, 8, faith.

Sd4 Bleffed are they' that are perfecuted, &i:.
faith. In eftabllffiing his credit and authority.
Nor need we confine the application of this
Beatitude to them, who in that facred caufe
are called, Uke the Prophets and Apoftles, to
undergo the full feverities of perfecution ; as
thofe are peculiar to very troublous and ftormy
times. We may alfo extend it to them even
in a ferener age, who ftrenuoufly *' hold fehe
faith and a good confelence" amid the ordi
nary trials of human life. Although not
called in the prefent eftabliffiment of the
true religion, for the caufe of Chrift and his
righteoufnefs to forfake their home, their kin
dred, and their country, to abandon temporal
goods, or worldly comfort, yet as long as they
have refolved to deny themfelves, to take up
their crofs, and follow him, in other words,
to mortify their affedlons for the pleafures,
the riches, and the honours of the world, and
to cultivate his precept and copy his exam
ple in the uniform practice of all righteouf
nefs, they ffiall be admitted to the fame
common reward with thpfe, who are called
to fuffer perfecution in all its terrors; as they
are animated with the fame fpirit, which,
'if put to the proof, would have equally fuf
tained them under the fame fiery trial. For
every privation or afflidion, to which they
are expofed for the fake of righteouffiefs, they

For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 385
they ffiall receive a hundred fold, in the
peace of God ffied abroad into their hearts,
and in the bleffed hope which is fet before
them in the Gofpel of his Son : and at the
clofe of all their temporal forrows this peace
ffiall be accompliffied, and this hope ffiall be
realized, in eternal life. As they determined
manfully to fight, and ftill more ftrenuoufly
to fuffer, with the Captain of their falvation,
fo fliall they alfo overcome and triumph with
him : They .ffiall be advanced with him to
Kingly dignity, and ffiall reign with him for
ever and ever.

c c

THE BEATITUDES,
CONCLUDED.
Thus have I attempted to delineate the
feveral Difpofitlons, which form the Chrif
tian Charader, and in correfpondence there
with the feveral Beatitudes, which conftitute
the Chriftian Recompence. In conclufion
of thefe difcourfes It may be expedient to of
fer fome remarks in illuftration or improve
ment of the whole.
I. In this feries of Beatitudes we behold
the neceffary connexion between hoUnefs and
happinefs. To the feveral virtues of the
Chriftian life are feverally affigned their appro
priate rewards.— But far be it from us to in
fer from hence, that the feparate cultivation
of any fingle virtue, or Indeed of any number
lefs than the whofe, will fuffice to the attain
ment of the happinefs propofed. All the
virtues here commended, though feparately
confidered, are conneded together by one m-
diffoluble chain. They muft all indifpenfably
combine to form the perfed man of God ;
nor can one of them be omitted without in-
c c 3 fringing

888 The Beatitudes.
fringing the Integrity of the Chriftian cha
rader, and in confequence annulling our title
to the fulnefs of divirfe beatitude. It is the
ftrong expreffion of the Apoftle James ;
*' Whofoever ffiall keep the whole law, and
yet offend in one point, he Is guilty of all.".
And the reafon is, that the feveral command
ments form one entire and Indivifible code,
being fo many branches of the fame royal
Law, and breathing the fpirit of the fame di
vine Lawgiver. " For he that faid. Do not
commit adultery, faid alfo. Do not kill ^."
And what the Apoftle thus affirms of the
prohibitions, will equally apply to the pofitive
injundions. Whofoever ffiall attempt to cul
tivate all the other virtues, yet ffiall indulge
himfelf In an habitual difregard of one, is de
ficient in the Chriftian life, and hazards his
intereft in the Chriftian recompence : For
the fame Lawgiver, who faid, Bleffed are the
Poor in fpirit, and the Meek, faid alfo with the
fame authority, Bleffed are the Merciful, and
the Pure in heart. To all, who have enrolled
themfelves under the banners of the Chriftian-
difeipline, it is not permitted to choofe their
favourite virtues, to the negled of others,"
which may not be fo agreeable to their pre-.
^ James Ii. lo, ii. vailing

The Beatitudes, 389
vailing habits and inclinations. As conneded
in fpirit, they muft not be feparated in prac
tice. As equally enjoined by the fame divine
Lawgiver, they muft be equally obeyed by
all, who acknowledge his authority to require
their obedience. If we would be complete In
him to whom we profefs allegiance, we muft
cultivate the whole without exception, we
muft exerclfe ourfelves without referve In all.
To this- purpofe is the exhortation of the Apo
ftle, that " giving all dUigence we add to our
faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to
knowledge temperance, and to temperance
patience, and to patience godlinefs, and to
godlinefs brotherly kindnefs, and to brotherly
kindnefs charity. For if thefe things be in
us and abound, they wiU make us neither
barren nor unfruitful In the knowledge of our
Lord Jefus Chrift." If we thus affiduoufly
labour to be perfed In the whole will of God,
not however depending on our own powers,
but on his grace, not truftlng in our own
merits, but in his mercies, we may hope for
the united recompence of all the Chriftian
virtues in the fulnefs of the bleffing of the
Gofpel of Chrift. " Wherefore, my beloved
brethren, let us be ftedfaft and unmoveable
in the work of the Lord, forafmuch as we
know.

300 The Beatitudes.
know, that our labour ffiall not be in vain
in the Lord ''." *
II. The cultivation of all thefe difpofitlons
in union is effential to all who bear the Chrif
tian name. For whatever be their ftation or
condition In life, whatever be their endow
ments by nature or education, it is the pri
mary concern of all, that they adorn them
felves with every grace of the Chriftian cha
rader, that fo they may have an intereft in
every branch of the Chriftian recompence. — ¦
But If there be any clafs of men, on whom
there Is a peculiar claim for a more luminous
and diftinguiffied exercife of thefe difpofi
tlons, It is more efpecially incumbent on
thofe, who are profeffedly Teachers of Chrif
tian righteoufnefs. This was the preeminent
advantage of our Saviour's teaching, as has
been feverally traced through all this feries of
Chriftian virtues, that his charader in every
point was In harmony with his miffion, and
what he taught In his dodrine he exemplified
in his life.
And this Impreffive mode of teaching he
commended to his Difciples to cultivate
* I Cor. XV. jB. themfelves

The Beatitudes. 39 1
themfelves in their feveral fpheres of relation
and fociety ; more efpecially did he enjoin it
as an indifpenfable tafk on thofe, who were
afterwards ordained to be the Apoftles of his
Gofpel, the Ambaffadors of his Kingdom
through the world. Thus In the clofe of
his Beatitudes, after making a particular ap
plication of the laft to thofe, who ffiould be
called to fuffer perfecution for the fake of
righteoufnefs, he proceeds to make a general
application of the whole.
He fignifies to them, that in the future
miniftration of his dodrine a moft adive and
moft arduous office would devolve upon
them. In the language of parable he calls
them " The Salt of the Earth ;" inafmuch as
it was their concern to purify mankind from
the corruptions of fin, and to preferve them
a living, holy, and acceptable facrifice to
God. To anfwer which purpofe it was in
cumbent on them to maintain very carefully
this principle themfelves: Otherwife they
would be like Infipid fait, which is of no value
either in the houfe or in the field; they
would be totally ufelefs In their appointed
offices of difpenfing the Gofpel, and might as
well be configned to the meaneft and moft
Infignlficant ftations of common life.
He caUs them " The Light of the Worid;" inaf-

Zg2 ¦ The Beatitudes.
inafmuch as it was their office to illuminate
and cheer the world, by the radiance of hea
venly truth. ..And therefore it was Incum
bent on them, as they hoped for fuccefs in
their miniftry, not to place their lamp in an
obfcure pofition, where the effed of Its ra
diance would be concealed and loft, but to
expofe it In fo public and corifpICuous a point
of view, that it might extend Its beneficial
influence in as wide a fphere as poffible
through the houfehold and family of the
faithful. In the courfe of the fame fimilitude he
compares them to •' a City fet on a Hill,
which cannot be hid." As public Teachers
of a new Religion, as chofen Ambaffadors of
the Kingdom of God, they were elevated
above the common ranks of men, and were
expofed to the notice of the world. And
therefore it was incumbent on them to do
credit to that facred charader which they
bore, by the purity and excellence of their
pradice. In application of thefe fimllitudes he re
quires them to let their Ught fo ffiine before
men in the brightnefs of their example, that
men beholding the energy of their faith in
the good works which It produced, might be
moved to learn and embrace the faith themfelves.

The Beatitudes. 303
felves, and might glorify God by a life of
hollnefs correfpondent with the faith em
braced "".
All this admonition of our Lord may be
addreffed with advantage to Chriftians in ge
neral in all conditions and relations of life.
For there are none even In the humbleft
fpheres, fo totally fecluded from the fociety
or detached from the notice and view of men,
as to be wholly deftltute of means and oppor
tunities of being ufeful to others in the con
cerns of religion by their converfation and
example. But it has an appropriate and moft
advantageous application to thofe, who ftand
in the fame capacity with the primitive
Apoftles,. in being Minifters of Chrift, and
Stewards of the myfteries of God ''.
In this place more efpecially It may be ad
dreffed with peculiar advantage to thofe, who
are in a courfe of education for the miniftry
of the Gofpel, or, in the language of our
Lord, are Scribes inftruded for the Kingdom
of Heaven ^ — Ye are the Salt of the Earth :
It Is your intended office to purify and pre
ferve mankind from all moral and fpiritual cor
ruption. How highly therefore does it behove
you to cherlffi and maintain this vital princi-
c Mat. V. 13 — 16. ^ I Cor. Iv. i. ¦= Mat. xiii. 52.
D d pie

304 The Beatitudes^
pie within your oWn hearts, that id you may
be able to diffufe its faving influence through
all the fphere of your appointed miniftry !— •
¥e are the Light of the World : It Is the
purpofe of your future calling to difpenfe this
light of religious truth over the great houfe
hold of the faithful. How highly therefore
dpes it become you to give this light its full
effed, and to place it In the moft confpicu
ous and moft profitable ftation ! For which
purpofe it Is not fufficient, that you be clear
and luminous in the dodrine that you preach:
it is expedient alfo that you adorn the dodrine
of God our Saviour in all things ; that the
feveral difpofitlons of the Chriftian charader,
which after the model of your divine Mafter
you affiduoufly preach to others, may like-
wife be diftindly read and emphatically taught
In the tenour of your Chriftian life and con
verfation. For fo ffiall ye moft effedually
dlfplay the Miffion and illuftrate the Charac
ter of him, to whom you are now preparing
to devote the fervice of your riper years.
Thus making your light to ffiine before
men, you will bring them to acknowledge
the beauty, the energy, the excellence of
Chriftian virtue. And while they fee it re
prefented, not merely in word, but in deed,
not merely in defcription, but in adual life,
they

The Beatitudes. 395
they will be moved to glorify God, not only
with their lips, but alfo wi£h their hearts ;
they will be taught to adopt into their lives
what they approve in yours ; and by putting
on the feveral graces of the Chriftian cha
rader will procure to themfelves an intereft in
the feveral Beatitudes of the heavenly King
dom. While thus you labour for the final happi
nefs of others, it Is humbly to be hoped, that
you will no lefs advance your own. For the
Scripture has affigned no common degree of
bleffednefs to thofe, who convert the finner
from his errors, and who turn many to righte
oufnefs. — Let me therefore conclude with
the earneft exhortation of the Apoftle to a
Difciple fet apart for the Chriftian miniftry ;
** Be ye examples to believers, in word, in
converfatlon, in charity, in fpirit, in faith. In
purity. — Meditate upon thefe things ; give
yourfelves wholly to them ; that your profit
ing may appear to all. Take heed unto
yourfelves and unto your dodrine ; continue
in them ; for In doing this ye ffiall both fave
yourfelves and them that hear you*."
f I Tim. iv. 12—16.

FINIS.

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