of Sight to the Blind, to fet at Liberty them that are bound. Luke iv. 18. He openeth all the Treasures of the Divine Goodnefs and Mercy towards-us: Come unto me, faith he, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you Reft. Take my Yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in Heart: And ye fhall find Reft unto your Souls. Yoke is eafy, and my Burden is light. Matt. xi. 28, 29, 30. Now therefore,

For my

when we are here commanded to hear the Lord Jefus Chrift, it fignifieth that we must with the highest Admiration and Thankfulness lay hold on his gracious Offers ; we must accept of Mercy and Salvation upon the Terms which he propofeth, and must chearfully confent to return to God through him by a fincere Repentance, and a true and living Faith, depending on him as the great appointed Mediator, through whom we have Access to the Father, and in whom alone we hope to be pardoned, justified, and faved. We must, as the Apoftle Jude expreffeth it, look for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal Life. Jude 21.

Thus are we to hear Jefus Chrift: We are obliged to do this, as we would not be found to oppofe the Authority and Command of God himself.

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And now it is a very natural Reflection that arifeth from all this: How great muft our Guilt and Danger be if, when the Gofpel is made known to us, we refufe to believe and obey it! God, who at fundry Times, and in divers Manners, fpake in Time paft unto the Fathers by the Prophets, hath in thefe laft Days Spoken unto us by his Son, whom he bath appointed Heir of all Things, by whom alfo be made the Worlds. Heb. i. I. And must it not then be justly displeasing to his Divine Majefty, if, when he hath fent his Son into the World, and confirmed his Divine Miffion by the most extraordinary Atteftations, and hath commanded us to hear and obey him, we ftill continue to ftop our Ears, and harden our Hearts against him? God declared unto Mofes, with Reference to that great Prophet whom he had promised to fend, I will put my Words in bis Mouth, and he shall Speak unto them all that I shall command him; and it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not bearken unto my Words which he shall Speak in my Name, I will require it of him. Deut. xviii. 18, 19.

It hath pleafed God to give every Kind of Teftimony to his Son that could be reafonably defired, viz. by a Series of remarkable Prophecies which went before concerning him, and which in him received

their Accomplishment; by the most stupendous Miracles which bore upon them the evident Signatures of a Divine Power and Goodnefs, and far exceeded all the Power of Man to perform; and also by an extraordinary Voice from Heaven, expreffly declaring him to be his well-beloved Son, first at his Baptifm and first Entrance on his public Ministry, afterwards at his Tranffiguration, and laftly, as he was teaching the People a little before his laft Sufferings; but, above all, by his Refurrection from the Dead, and Afcenfion into Heaven, whereby he was declared to be the Son of God with Power; and by the extraordinary Effufion of the Holy Ghost which followed upon it, the like of which the World never faw. It is hard to conceive what more could have been done to affure Men of his Divine Miffion than was done, or what more convincing Atteftations could have been given to him than were given.

It highly concerneth us therefore to receive the Witness that God hath given of his Son. As we would not be found difobedient to the Authority of God himself, let us hear and obey the Voice of his Son Jefus Chrift, who fpeaketh to us by his Gofpel. There we have an authentic Account of his excellent Doctrines, of the gracious

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gracious Offers he hath made, and the Laws he hath prescribed. Let us therefore highly prize this glorious Revelation, improve it as our greatest Privilege, receiving the Doctrines that are there taught, and complying with the Offers that are there made, and making it our conftant Care to obferve the Laws which are there given us : And then we may hope to obtain that heavenly Life and Happiness that is there promifed: For Chrift will be the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him. Heb. v. 9.

I fhall conclude this Difcourfe with those remarkable Words of the inspired Writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews: See that ye refufe not him that speaketh; for, if they efcaped not who refufed him that spake on Earth, much more fhall not we efcape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven. How fhall we efcape, if we neglect fo great Salvation, which at the first began to be Spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God alfo bearing them Witness, both with Signs and Wonders, and with divers Miracles, and Gifts of the Holy Ghoft, according to his own Will? Heb. ii. 3, 4. xii. 25.

On

On the Transfiguration.

DISCOURSE VI.

MATTHEW xvii. 4- -9.

Then answered Peter, and said unto Jefus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: If thou wilt, let us make here three Tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Mofes, and one for Elias. While he yet fpake, behold,

bright Cloud overshadowed them: And bebold, a Voice out of the Cloud, which faid, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed; hear ye him. And, when the Difciples heard it, they fell on their Face, and were fore afraid. And Jefus came and touched them, and said, Arife, and be not afraid. And, when they had

lifted