as this Nation; and therefore, if the SERM Punishment of Nations be for their Sins, V. fome Heinous Act must have been done by them, which never was done by any other Nation: And what could that be, but the Effufion of the Blood of Jesus? That Blood therefore, the Guilt of which pursues them, was the Blood of an Innocent Person, and not of an Impoftor, the Seal of the Doctrine which he publifhed, and the Evidence of his being what he affirmed himself to be, the Son of God.

Indeed, this way of Reasoning was fo Obvious and Cogent, that many, even among the Jews themselves, acknowledged the Force of it. And as for those who obftinately perfifted in the Sin of their Forefathers, after Jerufalem was destroyed, even they themselves unwillingly contributed to the Advancement of Christianity.

The Dispersed Jews carried along with them into all Quarters of the Earth, the Oracles of God, those Ancient Prophecies of their Nation, which defcribed

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the

SERM: the Perfon and Character of the Messi V. ab, foretold the Time of his Appearance, and the Circumstances of his Death and Sufferings. And these Prophecies, when duly attended to, were sufficient for the Conviction of any Men, who did not lie, as thofe Jews did, under a Judicial Infatuation and Blindness. They were the great Enemies of the Gospel, and yet the chief Promoters of it, by the Atteftation which they gave to the Integrity of those Books, from whence the Proof of its Divine Original was most clearly derived. A Teftimony of unfufpected Credit! fince the Jews would not, if they could, have corrupted those Books, in favour of Chriftians; and could not have corrupted them, if they would, by reafon of their manifold and wide Difperfions. During which, God, I have faid, has kept them in a Séparate State, not fuffering them to incorporate with any other Nation, in order by this means to render the Triumphs of his Justice more confpicuous, and in order allo to preferve them ready for that gra

cious Call, which, we piously believe, SERM. shall one Day fummon them from all V. Parts of the Earth, and gather together the Outcasts of Ifrael. That fo We and They may become One Fold, under One Shepherd, Chrift the Righteous! O the Rom, xi. Depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom 33. and Knowledge of God! How unfearchable are his Judgments, and his Ways past finding out! However,

These we may humbly prefume to have been some of those Many Wife Ends, to which Divine Providence directed this Wonderful Difpenfation. Others might be added: But I forbear ; and shall choose rather to spend the remaining Part of my Time, in deducing (as I proposed) from the Whole fome Useful and Concerning Inferences.

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1. His Blood be on Us, and on our Chil➡ · dren! and it happened to them, even according to their Wishes. Let us learn from hence, to abftain from all fuch rash and horrid Imprecations, which the Ears of fober Heathens would tingle at; but which are more unbecoming, K 3

and

SERM. and more heinous (as, I fear, they are V. more familiar) in the Mouths of Chri

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ftians. For the Vengeance of God will find us out, not only for the Evil Deeds we committ, but for the prophane Folly (fo frequent among us) of wishing that Damnation to ourfelves, which we other ways but too well deserve. They, who thus add to the Guilt of their Sins the binding Power of a Curfe, are doubly unpardonable; they consent to their Punishment, as they before consented to their Crime; and their Damnation therefore is every way just.

Mat. xii. Every Idle Word, that we speak, we fhall give an Account thereof, at the Day of Judgment, lays our Saviour. How much more fhall we be accountable for thofe (not idle, empty Forms of Speech, but) folemn and fignificant Imprecations, by which we anticipate our Judgment, and give Sentence against ourselves. Let fuch an Iniquity be far from all those that name the Name of Chrift! To whom Simplicity of Speech is as ftrictly enjoined,

enjoined, as even Sincerity of Heart, SERM. or Integrity of Manners. V.

2. The Completion of this Curse, and the Vengeance taken on that whole Nation, in confequence of it, will lead us to admire the inscrutable Methods of God's Providence, in bringing about the Salvation of Sinners. By the Scandal of the Cross, and the several mean Circumstances of our Saviour's Humiliation, the Wife, the Noble, and the Mighty Men of the Earth, were kept back from embracing the Faith of Christ. But that Prejudice against Christianity foon turned to its Advantage; when they saw his Murderers punished in fo remarkable, and astonishing a manner; then they began to discern the furpasfing Dignity of the Person suffering, and the Infinite Merit of his Sufferings; to discover some of the Reasons, to admire the Wisdom, and lay hold of the Benefits of that humble and mysterious Dispensation, God manifeft in the Flesh, dying on the Cross, to destroy the Works of the Devil.