25, 26. i. 2. the day dawn, and the day ftar arife in your hearts. s E R M. And St. Paul faith, that the myflery, which was kept II. fecret fince the world began, was then made manifeft, and by the prophetical Scriptures, according to the command-Rom. xvi. ment of the everlafting God, made known to all nations, to the obedience of faith; and, The holy Writings (he telleth Timothy) were able to make him wife to the Tin. iii. falvation, which is, by the faith of Jefus Christ; that 15. is, they were able to fhew and perfuade to him the truth of Chriftianity, which promifeth falvation to all that heartily embrace it, and obferve its laws. Such a ftrefs was laid upon this probation by the founders of our religion; and no wonder; for that it is not only extremely forcible in itfelf, but hath fome particular ules, and fome peculiar advantages beyond others. The foreknowledge of future contingent events, (fuch as were many of thofe concerning our Saviour, depending upon the freeft acts of human will,) as it is for the manner of attaining it moft incomprehenfible to us, fo it is moft proper to God, and by all men fo acknowledged; future contingencies being fecrets, which no man, no angel, no creature can dive into, they being not difcernible in their caufes, which are indeterminate; nor in themfelves, who are finite. The prediction therefore of fuch events could not otherwife than proceed from his pleasure; neither could he yield it in any way of favour and approbation to that, which was not perfectly true and good: this way therefore doth abfolutely confirm the truth and goodness of Chriftian doctrine; it withal manifefts the great worth and weight thereof, as implying the particular regard and care God had of it, defigning it fo anciently, laying trains of providence toward it, and preparing fuch evidences for the confirmation thereof; it together into the bargain maintaineth the truth of the Jewith difpenfation, the fincerity of the ancient Patriarchs and Prophets, and the vigilant care the divine goodnefs hath always had over the ftate of religion, and toward II. SER M. toward the welfare of mankind; never leaving it deftitute of fome immediate revelations from himfelf. It had a peculiar aptitude to convert the Jews, who were poffeffed with a full perfuafion concerning the veracity and fanctity of their ancient Prophets; and could not therefore doubt concerning the truth of that, which appeared conformable to that which they had foretold thould be declared, and difpenfed for their benefit. This probation alfo hath this advantage, that it fingly taken doth fuffice to convince ; whereas others can hardly do it otherwise than in conjunction with one another, and efpecially with its aid for the goodness of the doctrine may be contefted in fome points; and however good it feem, it may be imputed to human invention : ftrange effects may be deemed producible by other caufes befide divine power; and they may be fuffered to be done for other ends than for confirmation of truth; they are alfo commonly tranfient, and thence moft liable to doubt: Providence alfo is in many cafes fo myfterious and unfearchable, that the incredulous will never allow any inferences to be drawn from it but the plain correfpondence of events to the standing records of ancient prophecies (obvious and confpicuous to every one that will confult and compare them) concerning a perfon to be fent by God, who fhould have fuch circumstances, and be fo qualified, who fhould in God's name preach fuch doctrines and perform fuch works, is a proof, which alone may affure any man, that fuch a perfon doth come from God, and is in what he declareth or doeth approved by him: no counterfeiting here can find place; no evafion can be devifed from the force of this proof. This way therefore of difcourfe our Lord and his Apostles (whofe bufinefs it was by the moft proper and effectual methods to fubdue the reafons of men to the obedience of faith, and entertainment of Chriftian truth,) did efpecially ule; as generally in refpec to II. to all things concerning our Lord, fo particularly in s ER M. regard to his paffion; declaring it to happen punctually according to what had been foreseen by God, and thence forethewed by his Prophets, rightly understood; He took the twelve, (faith St. Luke of our Luke xviii. Lord) and faid unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerufa-31, 32, 33. lem, and all things that are written by the Prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished; for he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and Spitefully entreated, and fpitted on; and they shall fcourge him, and put him to death And again, after his refurrection, he thus reproves his Difciples; O fools, Luke xxiv. and flow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have 25, 26. 46. Spoken! Ought not Chrift to have fuffered these things, and to enter into his glory? They did not then (partly being blinded with prejudice, partly not having used due industry, and perhaps not excelling in natural capacity, however not yet being fufficiently enlightened by divine grace) apprehend, or difcern, that, according to the prophetical inftructions, our Lord was fo to fuffer; but afterward, when he had opened their Luke xxiv. underftanding, that they might underftand the Scriptures, 45they did fee, and fpecially urge this point: then St. Peter declared, that the fpirit of Chrift, which was in 1 Pet. i, 11. the Prophets, did teftify beforehand the fufferings of Chrift, and the glory that should follow; then it was their manner to reafon (as is faid of St. Paul) out of the Acts xvii. 2, Scriptures, opening, and alleging, that Chrift must needs 3. have juffered; faying none other things, than those, which the Prophets and Mofes did fay fhould come, that Chrift 1 Cor. xv. fhould juffer; delivering first of all, that Chrift died for our fins, according to the Scriptures: this is that which in my text St. Peter doth infift upon, affirming about the paffion of Chrift, that it not only had been predicted by one, or more, but forefhewed by an universal confent of all the Prophets; to illuftrate and confirm which affertion of his, is the fcope of Qur prefent difcourfe: to perform which, after hav xxvi. 22, 23. 3. SER M.ing briefly touched the ftate of the matter in hand, we fhail apply ourfelves. II. That the Meffias was to come in an humble and homely manner; (without appearance of worldly fplendor, or grandeur;) that he was to converfe among men in a state of external poverty and meannels; that he was to caufe offences, and find oppofitions. in his proceedings; that he was to be repulfed and rejected, to be hated and fcorned, to be difgracefully and harshly treated, to be grievoufly perfecuted and afflicted; yea, that at laft he was to be profecuted, condemned, and executed as a malefactor, is a truth indeed, which the Jews (although they firmly believed and earnestly expected the coming of a Meffias) did not, and indeed were hardly capable to entertain. It was a point repugnant to the whole frame of their conceits; yea, inconfiftent with the nature and drift of their religion, as they did underftand it; for their religion in its furface (deeper than which their grofs fancy could not penetrate) did reprefent earthly wealth, dignity, and profperity, as things most highly valuable; did propound them as very proper, if not as the fole rewards of piety and obedience did imply confequently the poffeffion of them to be certain arguments of the divine good-will and regard they could not therefore but efteem poverty, affliction, and difgrace, as curfes from heaven, and plain indications of God's disfavour toward thofe on whom they fell they particularly are faid to have conceited, that to be rich was a needful qualification for a Prophet; (no lefs needful, than to be of a good complexion, of a good capacity, of a good converfation and life:) Spiritus Dei non requiefcit fuper pauperem, the Spirit of God doth not rest upon a poor man ; (that is, no fpecial communications of grace, or of wifdom and goodnefs, are by God ever afforded to perfons of a low and afflicted condition;) being a maxim, which they had framed, and which currently : paffed ; : pro II. paffed among them that he therefore, who was de- s ER M. figned to be to notable a Prophet; who was to have the honour of being fo fpecial an inftrument of moting God's fervice and glory; who therefore fhould be fo highly favoured by God, that he should appear defpicable, and undergo great afflictions, was a notion that could not but feem very abfurd; that could not otherwife than be very abominable to them. They had farther (in congruity to thefe prejudices, abetted by that extreme felf-love and felfflattery, which were peculiar to that nation,) raised in themselves a strong opinion, that the Meffias was to come in a great vifible ftate and power; to atchieve deeds of mighty prowefs and renown; to bring the nations of the world into fubjection under him; and fo to reign among them in huge majefty and profperity. When Jefus therefore (however otherwife anfwerable in his circumftances, qualifications, and performances, to the prophetical characters of the Meffias) did firft appear fuch as he did, with Matt. xvi. fome pretences, or intimations rather, that he was 20. the Meffias, their ftomach prefently rofe at it; they were exceedingly fcandalized at him; they deemed him not only a madman (one poffeffed or distracted) Matt. xiii. and an impoftor, but a blafphemer; for no lefs than 57. xxvi. blafphemy they took it to be for fo mean and pitiful a wretch (as to their eyes he feemed) to affume unto himfelf fo high a dignity, and fo near a relation unto God, as being the Meffias did import. We even fee the Difciples themfelves of our Lord fo deeply imbued with this national prejudice, that, even after they had avowed him for the Chrift, they could fcarce with patience hear him foretelling what grievous things fhould befall him: St. Peter himself, upon that occafion, even juft after he had feriously confeffed him to be the Chrift, did, as it is expreffed, Matt. xvi. take him, and began to rebuke him, faying, Be it far from 33. thee, Lord: yea, prefently after that our Lord moft12. plainly had defcribed his fufferings to them, they D 2 could 65. 22. xvii. 2. |