On the Excellency of our Saviour's Teaching.

DISCOURSE IX.

JOHN vii. 46.

Never Man Spake like this Man.

T is our ineftimable Advantage, that God, who at fundry Times, and in divers Manners, Spake in Time paft unto the Fathers by the Prophets, hath in these laft Days Jpoken unto us by his Son. Heb. i. 1, 2. The evangelical Records, which through the Divine Favour we are in Poffeffion of, contain an Account of the admirable Inftruc tions given by our bleffed Saviour, during his perfonal Ministry here on Earth: And

from those Accounts it appears, as I obferved in my former Difcourfes, First, That his Inftructions are all of a practical Tendency; the Things he taught were not of a mean trifling Nature, or mere curious Speculations, but of the highest Importance to the Glory of God, and to the Good of Mankind. Secondly, That in his Way of teaching there was an unparalleled Dignity in Conjunction with the greatest Plainnefs and Simplicity. Thirdly, That he taught with great Affiduity and Diligence, and laid hold on all Opportunities to convey the most useful Inftructions; which he alfo frequently repeated and inculcated, the better to make an Impreffion upon the Minds of the People. I now proceed to observe,

Fourthly, That our Saviour's Way of expreffing himself was admirably comprehenfive, generally comprizing a great deal of Matter in a few Words. And this was highly becoming his Character and Design, as he was a Teacher fent from God to inftru&t Mankind, and whofe Inftructions were defigned to be committed to Writing, for the lafting Ufe and Benefit of fucceeding Ages. If, instead of delivering his Doctrines and Precepts in a concife Way, our Saviour had enlarged upon them in a Way of rhetorical Declamation and Harangue, not only much of the Grace and Force of them would have been loft, but much

much of their Ufefulnefs too: For it would have been by no Means convenient, that what was defigned for general Ufe, and for fucceeding Ages as well as the prefent, fhould be very voluminous. The four Gofpels are very short, and even all of them together make but a small Book; and yet it is amazing to think what an admirable Variety of the most useful and excellent Inftructions are contained in them, which in a more diffusive Way would have furnished Matter for many large Volumes. Any one, that impartially examineth his Sermon on the Mount, will find Reason to wonder how fo much important Matter could be crouded together in fo fmall a Compafs. It exhibiteth in a few Words a more refined and perfect Scheme of Morality, than ever the World had been acquainted with before. He there layeth down the Heads of Things, and hath left it to others to enlarge upon them. How many excellent Arguments hath he laid together, in one View, for diffuading Men from anxious Sollicitudes about worldly Things, and for engaging them to a steady Dependence on Divine Providence! There is not any Thing omitted that was proper to be infifted on, and yet the Whole is contained in a few Verfes of Chap. vi. of Matthew. That Form of Prayer, which he taught his Difciples,

ciples, is no lefs to be admired for it's comprehenfive Brevity, than for it's other Excellencies. Short as it is, it takes in all the Parts of Prayer, and there is scarce any Thing proper for us to afk of God, but may be reduced to one or other of the Petitions there contained. What an admirable Summary hath he given us of the Duties required of us in the Divine Law ! Matt. xxii. 37, 38, 39, 40. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, with all thy Soul, and with all thy Mind. This is the first and great Commandment. And the fecond is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thyfelf. On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. This short but excellent Paffage, which we may easily bear in our Memories and in our Hearts, would, if duly attended to, greatly affift us in forming a juft Idea of Religion, what it is, and wherein it doth eminently confift. And elsewhere he thus fummeth up the Duties we owe to Mankind: All Things, whatfoever ye would that Men fhould do unto you, do ye even fo to them. Matt. vii. 12. Scarce any Rule can be imagined that could give a better Direction in fo few Words, or which could have a greater Influence, if duly confidered and applied, to engage us to a proper Conduct towards our Neighbours.