Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

SER M. main no more Sacrifice for our Sin: For

VIII. if the word spoken by Angels was ftedfaft, and every tranfgreffion and difobedience received a just recompence of reward; how fhall we escape 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 bim? For if we fin wilfully after we have received the Knowledge of the Truth; that is, if Chriftians live as thofe who know not God, in the Practise of any vice or debauchery whatsoever; there remains no more Sacrifice for Sin, no new Difpenfations; but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adverfaries.

SERMON

SERMON IX.

How CHRIST has enabled us to

conquer Sin.

[Preached on Eafter-Day.]

I COR. XV. 56 and 57.

The fting of Death is fin, and the Strength of fin is the law; But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jefus Chrift.

W

HEN he who was the defire S ER M.
and expectation of Nations IX.
appeared firft in the World,
it highly concerned all those
who looked for redemption

in Ifrael, rightly to understand the end

and

SER M. and defign of his coming: And if we IX. who live at this distance of time after his appearing in the flesh, expect yet to be partakers of the common Salvation which he has purchased for us; it highly concerns Us alfo to understand wherein that Salvation confifts, and how and on what conditions he has purchased it for us. The Jews who lived about the time of his coming, mifled by a partial application and wrong interpretation of the prophecies that went before concerning him, expected a temporal prince to appear in the power and fplendor of this world, who should deliver their nation from that flavery into which the Romans had fubdued them, and restore again the kingdom to Ifrael; They expected that Jerufalem fhould have become once again the Head of the nations, and the glory of the whole Earth; They expected that Meffiab the prince should have come to fit upon the throne of David for ever, and to have eftablished a kingdom among them which Jhould have had no end. And fo indeed he did; though in a fenfe far different

from

from what they expected. Nay, his Dif- SER M. Eciples themselves were for a great while IX. fo blinded with the fplendor of this opiInion, that they understood none of those prophecies that related to his Humiliation, Sufferings, and Death; As appears from St Peter's undertaking to rebuke him when he began to foretel how many things he should fuffer of the Jews; and from his Disciples asking him even after his refurrection if he would at this time restore again the kingdom to Ifrael. But as he himself a little before his death witneffed before Pontius Pilate that good confeffion, that his kingdom was not of this world; fo his Difciples, after his refurrection and afcenfion, began to have their eyes opened, and to understand that the design of his coming into the World was wholly Spiritual. And as at the descending of the Holy Ghost they were more perfectly inftructed in the nature and end of That his Spiritual kingdom, fo did they afterward in their infpired wri-. tings deliver to us, what they then received from that unerring instructor: Namely,

SER M. Namely, that the true end and design of IX. Chrift's coming into the World, was to

deliver men, not from their Temporal Enemies, but to fave them from their Sins. Now This he does, by delivering us ift, from the power and dominion of Sin; and 2dly, from the guilt and punishment thereof. ft, He delivers men from that Bondage and Slavery into which the practice of Sin has reduced them; and then those who are fo freed, he delivers from that punishment which muft have been the neceffary confequence of their being enslaved to Sin. These are the two great defigns which exhaust the whole history of our Saviour; there being nothing that he either faid or did, which was not directed to one of these great ends. 1ft then, We are to show, how Chrift delivers us from the dominion or practice of Sin. That the service of Sin is an intolerable thraldom, All who are fo unhappy as to be engaged in any habit of Vice, do fadly experience; and it may also easily be observed by others. This deplorable state, it fitly described by Solomon

« AnteriorContinuar »