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SERMON VII.

Unreasonable Expectations not to be gratified in Religion.

[A Paffion-Sermon.]

MATT. xii. 39.

An evil and adulterous generation feeketh after a Sign, and there fhall No Sign be given to it, but the Sign of the Prophet Jonas.

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OD, who is the Supreme Go- SER M. vernour of the Universe, shows VII. forth his infinite Wisdom and Goodness, in creating a Va

riety of rational Creatures in

different Circumftances, and expecting

VOL. V.

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from

SER M. from them a proportionable Ufe of the VII. Talents committed to them, according to

their different degrees of Light and Knowledge, and according to their respective Capacities and Abilities. To Angels, having given Knowledge and Powers far fuperiour to those of Men; he expects of them accordingly an Angelical Obedience. To Men, having difpenfed various Talents and various Degrees of Knowledge, at fundry times and in divers manners, according to his own good pleasure; after the fimilitude of the Great King in our Saviour's Parable, who, in the diftribution of Employments among his Servants, without injury to any one, did what he pleased with his own: To Men, I say, God having difpenfed various Talents and various degrees of Knowledge, he expects of them a Return proportionable to what is given them; Not over-ruling their Actions by the Force and Power of an irrefiftible Light; but trying their Obedience by the Willingness of their Endeavours to seek after Knowledge, and to guide themselves by That degree of Light

(what

(whatsoever it be) whereby his Will is in SER M. any measure made known unto them.

IN the State of Nature, God made himself known to Men by the Arguments of Reason, by the Works of Creation, and by the difpenfations of Providence; having never left himself wholly without witnefs, but fending men rain and fruitful Seafons, and filling their Hearts with Food and Gladness; the invisible things of God from the creation of the World being clearly feen and understood by the things that are made, even his eternal Power and Godhead; Rom. i. 20. If the Nations of the World, forfaking this Univerfal Light, fall into the abfurdest and most unreafonable Idolatries, and into confequently vicious and corrupt Practices of all kinds; they are evidently (as St Paul declares) without Excufe; and there is no injuftice with God, if to fuch evil and adulterous generations of men there be no other Sign given, but the Signs of Nature and Reafon and Confcience, and the perpetual univerfal Works of God.

VII.

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SERM.
VII,

UNDER the Gospel, God has made himself known to Men by the Revelation of his Son, confirmed by Signs and Wonders and Miracles of the Holy Ghoft, by the Completion of Prophecies, and by the Analogy of the Whole Series of Events from the Beginning of the World. If under this greater and clearer light of Revelation, men still continue impenitent; not bringing forth the fuitable Fruits of Righteousness, nor living worthy of their holy vocation, and as becometh the Gospel of Chrift; the wrath of God is more feverely revealed from Heaven, against all unrighteousness and ungodliness of Such men; and there shall no further Sign be given to fuch an evil and adulterous generation, but the Sign of the Son of man coming with the clouds of Heaven, in flame of fire taking Vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel.

UNDER the Jewish ftate, God manifested himself to That People by the Law of Mofes, by the continual Preaching of the Prophets, and finally by the acccomplishment of the whole difpenfation in the

VII.

Life and Death and Refurrection of Chrift. S ER M. And when they who faw Thefe manifestations of God, were not thereby prevailed upon to bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance, and answerable to the Light that was then come into the World; but, on the contrary, cavilled at our Lord's Doctrine and Miracles, and continually required More Signs; our Lord, with just indignation, gives them the Reply in the Text; An evil and adulterous generation feeketh after a Sign, and there fball No Sign be given to it, but the Sign of the Prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the Whale's Belly, fo fhall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the Heart of the Earth.

IN difcourfing upon which words, I have before observed, that the matter of inftruction therein contained, may be reduced to the following Heads.

ift, THAT the Doctrine of Religion
is in itself reasonable to be believed,
and fufficiently evidenced by the
Standing

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