SERM.ral Declaration, or the univerfal Truth XVI. of the Doctrine itself, that God is no ReSpecter of Perfons, is fo clearly and diftinctly, fo exprefly and fully, fo conftantly and with fuch earnestness laid down and inculcated in every part of the Scripture, as a Foundation never to be departed from in all queftions of Religion; that we may be very fure, God will thoroughly justify it in the end, and how us, that whatever Now appears to us as an exception to this Rule, was nothing elfe but our beholding in an imperfect and broken View, only fome fmall portions of his All-wife Proceedings. In the infancy of the world, the Patriarch Abraham, when he took upon him to plead with God for Sodom, lays down This as a Rule or Foundation, upon which every Argument muft for ever be built, Shall not the fudge of all the Earth do right? Gen. xviii. 23. In the book of Job, Eliku, difputing with Job's friends, argues in like manner from the Light of Nature and common Reafon; ch. xxxiv. 1,-19. Hear my words, O ye wife men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge; God accepteth not the perfons of

Princes,

Princes, nor regardeth the Rich more than Sx R M. the Poor, for they all are the work of His XVI. bands. In the revelation God made of himfelf to Mofes, the character he commanded Mofes to give of him to the I raelites, is exactly agreeable to the fame Natural Notion; Deut. x. 14, 17. Behold, the Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens is the Lord's thy God, the Earth also with all that therein is ;- he is a great God, a mighty and a terrible, which regardeth not perfons, nor taketh reward; He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the firanger, in giving him food and raiment. In the book of Pfalms, wherein are devoutly celebrated all the divine Attributes, the Juftice of God is Thus likewise set forth; Pf. xcviii. 9. With righteousness fhall be judge the world, and the people (that is, all nations } with Equity. In the inftructions given by good King Jehoshaphat to the Judges which he appointed through all the Ci ties of Judah; the fame Notion of the impartiality of the divine Juftice is ftill preserved; 2 Chr. xix. 7. Let the fear of the Lord, (fays he) be upon you; take heed, and do righteoufnefs; for there is no iniCc 2

quity

XVI.

SER M.quity with the Lord our God, nor refpect of perfons, nor taking of Gifts. In the Writings of the Prophets, this Juftice of God, in oppofition to all Respecting of perfons, is still more emphatically expreft; fer. xxii. 24. As I live, faith the Lord; Though Coniab the Son of Jehoiakim King of Judah, were the the fignet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence. And concerning the whole nation of the Jews, that peculiar people of God; elect, and beloved for the Fathers fakes; to whom in a fingular manner, were committed the divine oracles; and of whom it was written, that God did not deal fo with any other nation, neither had the Heathen knowledge of his laws; yet even concerning This people, when they tranfgreffed the Law that had been given them, Will be regard your Perfons, faith the Divine Justice? Mal. i. 9. I have no pleasure in you, faith the Lord of Hofts, neither will I accept an offering at your band: For from the rifing of the Sun even unto the going down of the fame, my name fhall be great among the Gentiles,- and my name shall be great among the Heathen, faith the Lord of Hofts. In the New Tefta

ment,

11, 12.

ment, our Saviour in the Gospel repeats the SER M. fame doctrine to the Pharifees, Mat. xxi, XVI. 43. The Kingdom of God fhall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof: And I say unto you, that Ch. viii. many fhall come from the eaft and from the weft, and fhall fit down with Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, in the Kingdom of Heaven; But the children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness; there fhall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth. For, Not every one that faith un- Ch. vii.21. to me, Lord, Lord; (not every Profeffor of the true Religion, not every member of the People of the Church of God,) shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but be that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven. Many will fay to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophefied in thy Name, and in thy Name have caft out devils, and in thy Name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity. In the Acts of the Apoftles, ch. x. 34. Of a Truth, faith St Peter, I perceive that God is no respecter of Perfons; But in every Nation, be that feareth Him and worketh righteCc 3 oufness,

SERM.oufness, is accepted with him. In their XVI. Epifles, the fame doctrine is perpetually

inculcated as the Foundation of all reli

10. God will render to

-for

to

gion: Rom. ii. 6, every man according to his deeds, the Jew firft, and alfo to the Gentile; For there is no refpect of perfons with God. For as many as have finned without law, fhall alfo perish without law; and as many as have finned in the law, shall be judged by the law; In the day when God shall judge the Secrets of Men by Jefus Chrift. Again, Ephef. vi. 8. Whatsoever good thing any man doth, the fame shall be receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free,there is no refpect of perfons with him; Likewife, he that doth wrong, shall reCol. iii. ceive for the wrong that he hath done; and there is no refpect of perfons, These repeated Declarations of Scripture from one End of the Bible to the other, are fo full and plain, that, were the difficulties which arife from particular cafes, to our apprehenfion altogether unanswerable, (as I fhall fhow in its proper place they by no means are, when I come to confider the feveral Objections that may be alleged ;) yet the general Doctrine itself would nevertheless

25.

be