SFR M. none of the fmalleft inftances of its Wif

XII. dom.

UPON the whole; the Patriarchs and the Jews were a ftanding Theocracy, and perpetual Teftimony against Idolatry; as a Light of true Religion, upon a Hill, held forth unto all Nations. And the Wisdom of that Jewish Inftitution appeared particularly in This, that by a number of rites in the worship of the true God, they were preferved from running after falfe Gods ferved by their neighbouring nations; and thofe rites were at the fame time, both emblems of moral Purity, and Types of Chrift: By whose coming at last in the fulness of Time, the Wisdom of God moft of all confpicuously manifested itself, in bringing Life and Immortality to Light, and difcovering plainly how all the various Scenes and Difpenfations of Providence through the course of all Ages in this World, fhould at the final Judgment terminate in a just retribution of reward and punishment to every fingle perfon according to his defert.. But this belongs more properly to the next Head, viz. the manifeftation of the Wif dom of God in his Laws.

SERMON

SERMON XII

Of the WISDOM of GOD.

COL. ii. 3. In whom are bid all the Treafures of Wisdom.

IN a former Difcourfe upon these Words I have shown, Ift in general, That God must of Neceffity be infinitely Wife; and IIdly, I propofed to confider, more diftinctly and in particular, the different Manifeftations of this divine Wisdom, in the Works of God, in his Government, and in his Laws. The Two former of these confiderations, viz. the Works of God, and his Government of the World by Providence, I have already gone through: The

SERM.

XIII.

XIII.

SERM. 3d and laft, WHICH is the Manifeftation of the Wisdom of God in his Laws, will be the Subject of the present Difcourse. Now the primary and original Law of God, is the Law of Nature; That eternal and unchangeable Law of Morality, which neceffarily arifes from the Nature of Creatures, and from their Relation to God and to each other. And the Wisdom of This Law, is the very fame as the Wisdom of God's Creation itself; being nothing elfe, than the univerfal Benefit and Happiness of all reafonable Creatures, arifing from their acting according to that Nature which God has given them, and according to the refpective Relations wherein they are placed thereby.

THE next Law of God given to Men, was the Mofaick Inftitution: (For the feveral Appearances of God to the Patriarchs, were but fo many revealed confirmations of the Law of Nature:) And the Wisdom of That Inftitution given to the Jews by Mofes, appeared by its being fitted, by a number of Rites and Ceremonies ufed in the Service of the True God, to preferve them from the numerous Temp tations of that idolatrous worship paid to

Falfe

Nations SER M.

Which XIII.

Falfe Gods, wherewith all the
were overspread around them,
Rites were also at the fame time, both apt
Emblems of moral Purity, and Types of
what was after to be accomplished by
Chrift. Upon which account, St Paul
elegantly describes the Ufe of the Law,
that it was their School-master to bring
them unto Chrift, that they might be jufti-
fied by Faith, Gal. iii. 24. by Faith, that
is, not by bare Belief in oppofition to O-
bedience, but by the obedience of that
Chriftian Religion which was by way of
eminence called by the name of Faith, as
the Jewish Religion had been filed the
Law. But These things I do but just men-
tion, as preparatory to what follows.

THE Laft and Great Manifeftation of
the Wisdom of God in his Laws, is the
Gofpel itself; that plenary and final Reve-
lation of the Will of God by Chrift, up-
on account of which, Chrift is ftiled the
Wisdom of God, 1 Cor. i. 24: And the
words of the Text itself, tho' they be in-
deed of fuch ambiguous conftruction, that
they may poffibly enough be understood
of the Wisdom of God the Father, as one
of the divine Attributes, in general; or of

the

SERM. the Wisdom of Chrift, in general, as being XIII. that divine Perfon in whom dwelt the ful

nefs of the Godhead bodily; yet, confidering the occafion and manner upon which they are introduced, it feems to be their most natural meaning and intent to affirm, with regard only to the Gospel in particular, that in Chrift are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom. For the Apostle having in the foregoing verfe, been speaking concerning the acknowledgment of the Mystery, of God the Father and of Chrift; by which mystery he plainly means the Gospel; must reasonably be understood, when he adds immediately these next words, all the Treafures of Wisdom, to intend still to express thereby the fame myftery. The Gospel therefore is here ftiled by the Apostle, Col. ii. 3, all the Treafures of Wisdom; that is, all the treafures of That Wifdom, which God intended to make known to the World by Christ. And because it is That particular inftance of the divine Wisdom, in which, of all others, we are most concerned; 'tis therefore fit we should more diftinctly inlarge upon it. Now in order to fet forth more clearly, the Wisdom of God in this Difpenfation;