tion from the Dead. The Other obferv- SER M. IV. able circumftance is, that as the character of our Saviour was exactly agreeable to the prophets description of the true Meffiah, fo it was very different from, and almost contrary to, the character of that imaginary Meffiah whom the Jews expected. And This particular circumftance, is a demonstration that our Saviour had no defign of imposing upon the people. The Jews expected a temporal prince, to appear in all the Splendour, glory and power of this world; to deliver them from their Subjection to the Roman yoke, and to restore again the kingdom. to Ifrael. 'Tis manifeft therefore that whatever Deceiver would have set up himself for the Meffiah, and hoped to be owned as fuch by the people of the Jews, must have indeavoured to have appeared in fuch a Character, as the Jews expected; he must have blown the trumpet to fedition, and by gathering men after him, have indeavoured to make himself their Prince and King: And in Fact, this method we find those impoftors did take, whose Attempts are mentioned, Alts v. 36.

VOL. V.

G

But

SER M. But our Saviour, directly contrary to the
IV. expectation of the Jews, was a man,

with respect to all worldly grandeur, of
no form or comlinefs; a man of Sorrows
and acquainted with grief; a person of
seemingly mean extraction, and of grea-
ter humility: So that when fome of the
multitude would by force have made him
King, he was content even to work a
Miracle, to escape out of their hands.
"Tis manifeft therefore that he had no
ambition, to exalt himself among the
people. Now when in fuch a person,
whose character was entirely contrary to
the humor and expectation of the people,
it appeared yet manifeftly, that in Him
was really fulfilled every thing, that was
fpoken in the law and in the prophets
concerning the Meffias that was to come;
'tis no less than a demonstration that this
was the very perfon, to whom those pro-
phecies did expressly point. 2dly, If our
Saviour, (the person sent into the world
to be the Author of our religion,) was,
notwithstanding his taking upon him that
humble Form, yet in reality no meaner
a Person than the only begotten Son of
God;

may

n

God; this convince us of the divine SER M. Authority of our Religion, and the indifpen- IV. fable neceffity of paying Obedience to its laws. The Natural knowledge of the difference of Good and Evil, which even the heathen World was capable of attaining, was truly and properly a Discovery of the Will of God; But because this discovery was very obfcure, and very hardly fufficient to prevail over the corruptions of Mens depraved Nature; therefore the times of that ignorance God winked at, Acts xvii. 30: But now that the wrath of God is clearly and exprefsly, and by a meffenger of fuch Dignity as his own Son, revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men; now that he hath fully and distinctly declared that he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousnefs by that man whom he hath ordained; Now he commandeth all men abfolutely, every where to repent. God hath now fent his last meffenger to warn Men of their fin and danger; even his own beloved Son; and if they will not hear and obey him, they muft expect to fall under fo VOL. V.

G 2

much

IV.

SER M. much a more fevere punishment, as they despise a clearer revelation of the Will of God, and trample under foot a more glorious messenger of his covenant. If the word Spoken by Angels, faith the Apostle; if the Mofaick law, was stedfaft; and every tranfgreffion and disobedience received a juft recompence of reward; How shall we efcape, if we neglect fo great falvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, Heb. ii. 2 and 3 ? And ch. xii. ver. 25, See that ye refuse not him that speaketh; For if They escaped not, who refufed him that spake on earth; much more shall not We escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven. And again, in the Epiftle of St Jude; the danger of impenitent Chriftians under fuch clear means of Knowledge is reprefented by the Apostle under this fevere fimilitude, ver. 5 and 6. I will therefore put you in remembrance,----that the Angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he has referved in everlasting chains under Darkness, unto the judgment of the great Day.

3dly, IF

IV.

3dly, IF this Divine perfon, the Au- SER M. thor of our religion, notwithstanding the exceeding dignity of his nature, yet condefcended to become truly and really a man; fubjecting himself to all the infirmities of human nature, and being in all things made like unto his brethren, fin only excepted; This may convince us of the reasonableness of our Holy Religion; and of the poffibility of our paying obedience to its laws. Had God fent his

Son in great Glory, and in the Form of God, to reveal his Will to us by his abfolute command only; fuch an extraordinary Revelation, like the Mountain that burned with Fire, would indeed have fufficiently convinced us of the neceffity of Religion and the indifpenfableness of obedience. But when this great perfon vouchfafed to become, not only the Author of our Religion, but in our own nature the pattern also of our duty; this demonftrated to us, that our Obedience was to be as reasonable, as 'twas indispensable. For by this means we have a perfect and familiar example of Holiness and Obedience fet before us; by which we plainly