The Christian Life 2, Collection of discourses · Discourse 2 (2 of 3)

The Christian Life 2 · Collection of discourses · Discourse 2 (2 of 3)

p. 1823dly. He dwelt among us full of Grace in reſpect of that full Pardon and Remiſſion which he hath granted to Sinners in his Goſpel, in Contradiſtinction to that partial and incompleat Pardon which he gave when he tabernacled among the Jews. For whilſt the Eternal Word as his Father's Repreſentative reigned over the Nation of Iſrael, he gave no other Pardon but temporal by the Law of Moſes, which was the Rule and Inſtrument of his Government. And I'm ſure that from the 20th of Exod. to the 27th of Deut. in which compaſs that whole Law is comprized, there is not the leaſt mention of any other Pardon or Forgiveneſs allowed to Offenders, but only what reſpects their temporal Puniſhment; nay in ſome Caſes this was not allowed, as particularly in the Caſes of Blaſphemy, Idolatry, and Murther, no not though they heartily repented of it. For all that Pardon which the Moſaick Law allowed, was indulged to them upon their offering up Propitiatory Sacrifices, which in theſe exempted Caſes were not allowed of, but yet the Apoſtle tells us of all theſe Sacrifices in general, that the Blood of Bulls and of Goats could not take away Sin Heb. 10.4. that they did ſanctify only to the purifying of the fleſh, Heb. 7.13. that they could not make him that did the Service perfect, as pertaining to the Conſcience, Heb. 9.9. that is, that they only releaſed Offenders from the Obligation to Civil p. 183and Eccleſiaſtical Puniſhments, but could by no means free them from the eternal Puniſhments of the other Life. Not that I make the leaſt Doubt but that truly penitent Offenders were forgiven the eternal Puniſhment then as well as now, and forgives too for the ſake of Jeſus Chriſt, the Lamb that was intentionally ſlain from the Beginning of the World; but by what hath been ſaid it's plain they were not forgiven by Virtue of that Law whereby the Eternal Word reigned over the Houſe of Iſrael, but rather by Virtue of that Goſpel which was firſt preached to Adam, and afterwards to the Patriarchs; wherein Chriſt the Seed of the Woman, and the Seed of Abraham, is promiſed, in whom all Nations of the Earth ſhould be bleſſed. 'Tis true, the Sacrifices of the Law were typical of the Sacrifice of Chriſt, and ſo conſequently was that temporal Pardon obtained by them typical of that eternal Pardon which we do obtain by the great Propitiation of our Saviour; for ſo the Apoſtle tells us, that the Law had in it a ſhadow of good things to come, Heb. 10.1. But we muſt not imagine that eternal Remiſſion, which is the Effect of Chriſt's real Sacrifice, could ever be obtained by thoſe Sacrifices which were only the Shadows and Reſemblances of it. So that that Remiſſion of Sins which the Eternal Word gave whilſt he tabernacled among the Jews, was nothing near ſo perfect and compleat as that which he afterwards proclaimed in the Tabernacle of our Fleſh, becauſe it neither extended to all Kinds of Sins, nor yet to all Kinds of Puniſhments; it left ſome unforgiven as to the Puniſhments of this Life, and it left all unforgiven as to the Puniſhments of the Life to come. But having p. 184pitched his Tabernacle in our Fleſh, he did by the meritorious Sacrifice of himſelf obtain of his Father this publick Act of Grace, this free Charter of Mercy for all Mankind, That whoſoever would repent and amend, whatſoever Sins he is guilty of, whatſoever Puniſhments he is obliged to, he ſhall certainly be forgiven them all, and be as freely received into God's Grace and Favour, as if he never had offended him; for he is the Propitiation for the Sins of the World; And by him, ſaith the Apoſtle, all that believe are juſtified from all things, from which they could not be juſtified by the Law of Moſes, Acts 13.39. In this reſpect therefore the Eternal Word dwelt among us full of Grace, in that he proclaimed ſuch a full and perfect Pardon of all Sins, and of all Puniſhments to all that with a true Faith and hearty Repentance, ſhould turn unto him; and accordingly this Pardon is frequently called by the Name of Grace, or of the Grace of God, and of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Act. 15.11. Heb. 12.15. & Rom. 3.24.

4thly. He dwelt among us full of Grace in reſpect of the internal Grace and Aſſiſtance, which he ſo abundantly afforded us above what he did to the Jews under the Law of Moſes when he tabernacled among them. I make no doubt but God in all Ages hath been always ready to aſſiſt good Men in their Duty. This the very Heathens themſelves believed, that foreign, that God did concur with all good Men, and that no Man did ever arrive to any eminent Degree of Virtue without a Divine Afflatus, or Aſſiſtance. And had the good Men among the Jews been ignorant of this, what ſhould move them to pray, as we find p. 185they often do, that God would waſh and cleanſe, and quicken and ſtrengthen, and inliven them? For ſo, in the Book of the Pſalms, you find good David very often praying that God would teach him his Commandments, and incline his Heart to keep them, and keep him back from preſumptuous Sin. By which Prayers it's evident they had good Encouragement to hope that God would be ready to concur with them, and to bleſs their pious Endeavours with the internal Aſſiſtance of his Grace and Spirit. And this Encouragement I ſuppoſe they might have partly from their natural Notions of God, which muſt needs ſuggeſt to them that He being infinitely good as he is, will never be wanting to his Creatures in any think that is neceſſary to the obtaining thoſe noble Ends for which he created them, and conſequently that he will be aſſiſtant to them in their Duty, which is the way to that End, and not leave them to contend with Difficulties which are inſuperable to their natural Power and Ability; and partly from thoſe general Evangelical Promiſes which God made to them by the Patriarchs and Prophets, from whence they might fairly infer that he who had promiſed to do ſo much for them, upon Condition they perſiſted in their Duty and Allegiance to him, would never be wanting on his Part to ſtrengthen and enable them to it. But I can by no means allow that they were encouraged to hope for any ſuch Aſſiſtance from any Promiſe of that Law which the Eternal Word gave them when he tabernacled among them, and by which in his Father's ſtead he ruled and governed them; and that both becauſe there is no ſuch Promiſe found in all that Law, and becauſe the Apoſtle tells p. 186us, that the Law was weak through the fleſh, Rom. 8.3. and calls it the Miniſtration of Death written and engraven in ſtones, in oppoſition to the Miniſtration of the Spirit that is not written in Tables of ſtone, but in fleſhly Tables of the heart, 2 Cor. 3.7, 8. comp. with v. 3. And, Galat. 3.13, 14. you find the Apoſtle oppoſes to the Curſe of the Law, the Bleſſing of Abraham, and the Bleſſing of Abraham he tells us is the Promiſe of the Spirit through Faith, that is, by the Goſpel. And thus under the Law there was doubtleſs an internal Grace and Aſſiſtance vouchſafed to good Men, though not promiſed by it; yet after the Eternal Word forſook the Tabernacle of Moſes, and came to tabernacle in our Fleſh, it's evident that then he did more plentifully communicate this his Grace to the World than ever; for then the Spirit was ſaid to be ſhed upon us abundantly through Jeſus Christ our Lord; and in the 16th ver. of this 1ſt of John, we are ſaid of his fulneſs to receive foreign, Grace upon Grace, that is, Grace heaped upon Grace, and a vaſt overflowing Abundance; according to that of Theognis, foreign, that is, thou giveſt me Calamities upon Calamities. So that unleſs we will our ſelves it is now impoſſible we ſhould fall ſhort either of our Duty, or the bleſſed Reward of it, ſince our Saviour is become ſuch an overflowing Fountain of Grace to us, and hath promiſed to communicate it to us in ſuch plentiful Effuſions if we will ſincerely ask, and honeſtly endeavour after it; and therefore in this reſpect alſo he may well be ſaid to dwell among us full of Grace, in that while he dwelt among us he obtained for, and promiſed to us ſuch an accumulated Plenty of inward Grace and Aſſiſtance to encourage and enable us to do his Commandments.

p. 1875thly. He dwelt among us full of Grace in reſpect of the Vaſtneſs of the Recompence which he promiſed to us, and which infinitely exceeds whatſover he promiſed when he dwelt in the Tabernacle of Moſes. For when the Eternal Word reigned over Iſrael as the Vice-Roy and Subſtitute of his Father, he only acted the Part of their Civil Sovereign or Governour; which Part he continued till they choſe another King, and then he reſigned his Title to the ſucceeding Heirs of David. And accordingly we find, that when the Iſraelites firſt deſired a King of Samuel God bids him hearken to their Cry; For, ſaith he, they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I ſhould not reign over them, 1 Sam 8.7. Which is a plain Argument that before he only acted as their Political Prince in that he interprets their deſiring another King, to be a rejecting of him from reigning over them. For had he been no otherwiſe King over Iſrael, then as he is over other Nations where the true Religion is owned and profeſſed, his Dominion might have fairly conſiſted with that of another King or Sovereign; and it would have been no more a rejecting God's Rule for Iſrael to deſire a King, then it is for France, or Spain, or England. For it's plain the Iſraelites did not reject God's Divine Dominion, which he claims over the World as the Omnipotent Creator of all things; for then their Deſire of a King had been Idolatry, and the Kings whom they deſired had been Idols, or falſe Gods. It is plain therefore, that it was his Political Dominion only which they rejected by deſiring another King to reign in his ſtead, which he interprets as their Intention to rob and diveſt him of that Civil Authority p. 188which till then he had claimed and exerciſed among them. So that the plain Senſe of their Deſire was this, God ſhall no longer be our Civil Sovereign, but for the future we are reſolved to have a King from among our ſelves, even as other Nations round about us, whom we will inveſt with the ſame Civil Authority which hitherto he hath challenged and exerciſed among us. God the Eternal Word therefore being their Civil Prince or Ruler, as ſuch he gave them the Moſaick Law, which he only deſigned to be the Rule or Inſtrument of his Civil Government and Dominion; which is the Reaſon why in that Law he only promiſed civil or temporal Bleſſings, becauſe it was only a Law of Civil Government, and as ſuch could deſign no further then the civil or temporal Happineſs of thoſe who were to be ruled and governed by it. And accordingly if you peruſe the Promiſes of that Law, you will find that they all conſiſt of outward and temporal Bleſſings; ſuch as Health of Body and Victory over their Enemies, Peace among themſelves, and with their Neighbouring Nations, Plenty of Bread, and the Conveniences of Life, and Succeſs and Proſperity in all their Affairs; and therefore the Author to the Hebrews calls the Goſpel the bringing in of a better Hope, and upon this Account oppoſes it to the Law of Moſes, Heb. 7.19. which plainly implies that that Law brought in no better Hope then that of a temporal Happinſs; and thoſe Words of the Apoſtle, Gal. 3.12. The Law is not of Faith; but The Man that doth them, ſhall live in them, do plainly ſeem to imply this Senſe. The Law propoſing only preſent and ſenſible Bleſſings to ſuch as do it, ſuch as that Thou ſhalt live a happy and proſperous Life in this World, doth not require Faith properly ſo called, which is the Evidence of things not ſeen; p. 189that is, of the inviſible Bleſſings of the other Life; and v. 21. he plainly aſſerts, that if there had been any other Law beſides the Goſpel that could have given that promiſed Life Rightouſneſs would have been by that Law; and therefore ſince, as he aſſerts, Righteouſneſs was by no other Law but the Goſpel, it follows that no other Law, no not that of Moſes, could give or promiſe Life eternal. Not that I make the leaſt Doubt, but Good Men under the Law of Moſes did firmly believe a future Happineſs; for this the very Heathens themſelves had very great Hopes and Expectations of, though they never had ſo much Reaſon as the Jews to induce them to believe: For, beſides all thoſe weighty Arguments which were common to them with the Heathens, they had thoſe general Evangelical Promiſes which God made to the Patriarchs of being their God, and their exceeding great Reward; the Hiſtories of the Tranſlations of Enoch and Elijah, and of ſundry moſt eminent Examples of God's exceeding Love to Goodneſs and good Men, from whence they might eaſily infer, that ſure he had better Rewards in ſtore for them than any of the tranſitory Bleſſings of this Life, eſpecially when they ſaw how many good Men were deprived of theſe, and left naked and deſtitute of all worldly Comforts: Beſides all which, in every Age they had Prophets that were divinely inſpired, and who, among all the Secrets that were revealed to them, cannot be ſuppoſed to have been wholly unacquainted with the typical Meaning of their Ceremonies and Polity, which among other things preſignified the glorious Recompences of the Life to come. But however they came by it, I think it is very apparent from ſundry Paſſages in the Book of the Pſalms, Ezekiel and p. 190Daniel, that they were far from being Strangers to the Doctrine of a bleſſed Immortality hereafter; though I think it is very apparent from what hath been ſaid, that they did not derive their Belief of this Doctrine from any expreſs Promiſe of their Law. But yet it is very apparent, that though they were not altogether unacquainted with it, yet 'twas never ſo clearly diſcovered to them by the Eternal Word as it was afterwards to us by the Word Incarnate, ſince, as the Apoſtle tells us, He brought Life and Immortality to light by the Goſpel: For therein he hath moſt clearly promiſed it to us, and as far as humane Language can expreſs, explained and unfolded its Nature; and by his own Reſurrection, and Aſcenſion into Heaven, hath given us a clear and viſible Demonſtration of its Truth and Reality; ſo that now the Exiſtence of it is become as certain to us, as it's poſſible for a Matter of Fact to be; and we cannot be more infallibly aſſured of it than we are, unleſs we had been perſonally in Heaven, and had there ſurveyed its Glories with our own Eyes. Well therefore may He be ſaid to have dwelt among us full of Grace, ſince he was graciouſly pleaſed to make us ſuch expreſs Promiſes of future Happineſs, and give us ſuch ample Aſſurance of its Reality and Exiſtence. And ſo I have done with the firſt Note of Diſtinction between Chriſt's dwelling among us, and his dwelling in the Moſaick Tabernacle: He dwelt among us full of Grace.

2. The other Character by which his dwelling among us is diſtinguiſhed from his dwelling in the Moſaick Tabernacle, is this, that he dwelt among us full of Truth. It's plain that Truth here is not to p. 191be underſtood as oppoſed to Falſhood, becauſe in that Senſe it is no Note of Diſtinction between theſe two Dwellings or Tabernaclings of Christ, unleſs we ſuppoſe that he did falſly dwell, or act, and repreſent God in the Tabernacle of Moſes, which would be to blaſpheme his Truth and Veracity. Truth therefore muſt here be underſtood as oppoſed to Obſcurity and Shadow, and ſo muſt denote Clearneſs and Reality, as it very commonly doth. As when we ſay a Picture is not a true Man, we do not charge the Picture with a Lye; if it could ſpeak indeed, and ſhould call it ſelf a Man, we ſhould then ſay it were a lying Picture for pretending to be what it is not, being only a ſilent Reſemblance of him. Thus when the Apoſtle ſaith, He dwelt among us full of Truth, and thereby diſtinguiſhes his tabernacling among us from the manner of his dwelling among the Jews, it is not ſo to be underſtood as if he had dwelt among them in a falſe or lying manner, or that that Repreſentation which he made to them of God and Divine Things were falſe and impoſturous; no, God forbid: But thus, whereas when He inhabited the Tabernacle, he was full of Hieroglyphicks, or myſtical Repreſentations, which though they were true Pictures or Shadows of Divine Things, yet have not the Truth and Reality of the Things themſelves in them, and conſequently would be Lies and Cheats ſhould they pretend to be what they only repreſent; but now he is come to dwell among us, he is full of the Things themſelves, of thoſe Realities which formerly he only gave us the Types and Shadows of; now he hath removed all that Scene of Pictures and myſtical Repreſentations, and brought the p. 192Things themſelves upon the Stage, and expoſed them naked to the View of the World. So that now he doth not entertain us, as heretofore he did the Jews, with Emblems and Shadows, but with Truth, and the real Subſtances of Things. And thus the Word is very frequently taken in the New Teſtament: Thus, Heb. 8.2. the Chriſtian Church is called the true Tabernacle, in Contradiſtinction to the Tabernacle of Moſes; not as if that were a falſe Tabernacle, but a typical one, it being deſigned only as a Shadow of the Chriſtian Church, which is the true Reality and Subſtance which was pictured and repreſented in it; for ſo the Apoſtle himſelf explains it, Heb. 9.24. For Chriſt, ſaith he, is not entred into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into Heaven it ſelf: From whence it's plain, that therefore thoſe Holy Places are oppoſed to true Places, becauſe they were only Figures, or myſtical Repreſentations of ſomething that is real and ſubſtantial. So, Dan. 7.16. when Daniel deſired to know the Truth of that Prophetick Scene, it is ſaid, that One ſtood by, and made him know the Interpretation of the things; that is, what was the Reality and Subſtance that was repreſented in thoſe Types and Figures. So here, He dwelt among us full of Truth, that is, when he dwelt among us he was full of the Subſtance and Reality of thoſe Things which before he was wont to repreſent by obſcure Emblems and Shadows; now he preſents to us the Things themſelves, and not the myſtical Types and Figures of them as formerly he was wont to do. For I think it's very evident, that the whole Model of the Jewiſh Polity was purpoſely contrived to be an Emblem and Repreſentation of the Goſpel, and p. 193that the main Reaſon of thoſe numerous Rites and Ceremonies, was to delineate and ſhadow out the glorious Myſteries of Chriſtianity: For the Apoſtle plainly tells us, that they were all a ſhadow of things to come, and that the Body, or Subſtance of that Shadow, was Jeſus Chriſt, Col. 2.17. And the Author to the Hebrews calls them the Patterns of the things in Heaven, or the heavenly Things; by which it's plain he means Chriſt, or the Subjects of the Kingdom of Chriſt, ſince he tells us that as it was neceſſary that thoſe Patterns ſhould be purified with Blood, ſo it was neceſſary that thoſe Heavenly Things repreſented by them, ſhould be purified by a better Sacrifice, Heb. 9.23. And what other Heavenly Things are there but only Chriſtians that are purified with this better Sacrifice of Chriſt? And in another place the ſame Author tells us, that the Law hath in it a Shadow of good things to come, Heb. 10.1. And thus very frequently in the New Teſtament, the ſacred Rites of the Moſaick Law are declared to be Types and Shadows of the Myſteries of the Goſpel, as particlarly in the Epiſtle to the Hebrews, which is almoſt wholly ſpent upon this Argument, And this the Jews themſelves ſeem to be acquainted with long before the Publication of the Goſpel: For ſo the moſt ancient Jews look'd upon the Temple as a Type and Figure of the Heavenly State; and Philo the Jew, in his Allegories of the Law, and almoſt in all his other Writings, makes the Rites and Ceremonies of the Moſaick Law to be Types and Figures of ſome Divine or Moral Truth, and particularly the High Prieſt to be an Emblem of the Eternal Word, and his Crown and Veſtments to be Repreſentations of his Authority p. 194and Divine Perfections, wherein he exactly agrees with the Author to the Hebrews. And from ſundry Paſſages in the Book of Pſalms it ſeems evident, that the good Jews had a Proſpect beyond the Outſide and Letter of the Law, even into the typical Senſe and Meaning of it; and that through its glimmering Shadows and Reſemblances, they beheld very much of the Subſtance and Realities of the Goſpel: For hence probably was that of David, Pſ. 25.14. The Secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; for certainly the Secret of the Lord here cannot be meant the Fore-knowledge of future Events, ſince under the Old Teſtament that was neither reſtrained to good Men, nor much leſs was it univerſally with them that feared God; and therefore it ſeems more probable, that by it we are to underſtand thoſe then ſecret Myſteries of the Goſpel, which were ſo obſcurely repreſented in the Types and Figures of the Law; eſpecially if we compare this with that Prayer of David, Pſalm 119.18. Open thou mine Eyes that I may behold the wondrous things out of thy Law; which methinks plainly intimates that the good Man did believe there were ſome wondrous Myſteries contained under thoſe dark and typical Repreſentations: And afterwards, v. 27. make me to underſtand the way of thy Precepts, ſo ſhall I talk of thy wondrous Works; which implies that he believed that there were ſome Things very myſtical and hard to be underſtood contained within the Precepts of their Law, which in their literal Senſe were eaſy and obvious, and had nothing of Depths or Myſtery in them; and therefore certainly had he not ſeen ſomething within them beyond their Rine and p. 195Outſide, he would never have prayed ſo earneſtly as he doth, that God would teach him his Laws, and that he would not hide from him his Commandments, as he doth, v. 19. much leſs would he have imagined that by underſtanding of them he ſhould be enabled to talk of ſuch wondrous Things. Afterwards, v. 69. he tells us, that he had ſeen an end of all Perfection, but God's Commandments are exceeding broad; which denotes that he who had ſeen an End of all Things elſe, had diſcovered ſo vast and boundleſs a Depth in the Commands of God, that he could ſee no End of it; whereas it's plain, that the literal Meaning of them was very narrow and contracted, and far from being ſo exceeding broad; which argues that the good Man had diſcovered under the Letter and Surface of them, a Myne of myſtical Senſe which he could not reach the Bottom of, and that God had given him a Glimps of thoſe glorious Secrets of the Goſpel which he had wrapt up, and involved in the typical Precepts of the Law. Thus the Eternal Word while he tabernacled among the Jews, revealed his Goſpel to them by Types and Shadows, and myſtical Repreſentations of it, which, though it was very obſcure and imperfect, yet ſeems to have been the best and clearest that the preſent State of the People could admit of. For it ſeems plain by the Hiſtory of the Jews, that they were naturally a very rude and untractable People, and doubtleſs they were never worſe than when they came out of the Land of Egypt, where their bad Temper was doubtleſs very much improved by thoſe groſs Idolatries in which they had been educated; ſo that being bad themſelves, and alſo extreamly debanched by the p. 196wicked Manners of the Egyptians, it is not to be ſuppoſed that they were Subjects capable of the Heights and Purities of Religion; for if from the Depth of Immorality, whereinto they were ſunk, God ſhould have immediately ſtrained them up to the highest Pitch of Goſpel-Purity, in all Probability they would never have born it; but like the Strings of a Muſical Inſtrument, being wound too high, would have been apt to crack and fly in pieces, and wholly to revolt from God into thoſe groſs Idolatries which yet they were hardly weaned from, and which were ſtill ſo ſuitable to their Genius and Temper. So that as yet there was ſo great a Gulph between them and the Goſpel, that 'twas hardly poſſible either for them to go to that, or for that to come to them. And therefore as God in his own high Wiſdom hath placed a Twilight between the Night and the Morning to ſecure our Sight leſt our weak Eyes ſhould be dazled by a too ſudden Irruption of the Broad-day's Glory; ſo did he deal with the Jews: He thought it not convenient immediately to poſt them out of utter Darkneſs into perfect Light, but firſt interpoſes a leſs pure Religion as a Medium or Twi-light between the Heathen and the Goſpel State, that ſo by that he might prepare their Sight for Reception of a more perfect Splendor, and make them fit to entertain the ſeverer Purities of the Goſpel without being offended or dazled with it's Glory. But yet in Wiſdom he hath ſo contrived and modeled this leſs perfect Religion, as to make it moſt inſtructive and uſeful, having ſo ordered its ſacred Rites and Ceremonies as to make them Repreſentative of the whole Method and Oeconomy of the Goſpel; and p. 197though thoſe typical Repreſentations were very obſcure and dark, ſo that the Goſpel ſeemed to run under ground in the midſt of thoſe Ceremonial Obſervances, yet it frequently broke forth, and opened it ſelf in the midſt of them, and by degrees in the Prophetick Age did make it a larger Channel, till by its Force and Violence it did overthrow theſe Banks, that ſtood in its way, and overſpread the Face of the whole Earth. So that it's plain that the Obſcurity of thoſe typical Repreſentations did not render them wholly uſeleſs, ſince they were not ſo obſcure, but thoſe who were good, and diligent, and ſerious in the Study of them might be, and were inſtructed by them in whatſoever was neceſſary to make them good and happy. For though thoſe Types had not a Mouth to ſpeak out the Goſpel, yet they had a Hand to point to it, they being as it were rude Draughts of that which was afterwards to be drawn to the greateſt Life and Exactneſs; and this it's plain was underſtood by all good Men whoſe Hearts were carried beyond the outward Letter of the Law, to the more inward and ſpiritual Meaning of it; wherein they diſcovered thoſe Evangelical Myſteries that were vailed and hidden under the outward Ceremonies, which made up that true ſpiritual Cabala which ſeems conſtantly to have been preſerved among the true Iſraelites, and which afterwards was more largely commented on by the Prophets of the ſucceeding Ages, whoſe Care it was to unlock this Cabala, or ſpiritual Senſe of the Law, and to raiſe up the Hearts of that People to a higher Expectation of the great Things which were to come. So that you ſee the State and Condition p. 198of the Jews would not admit of a plain Diſcovery of the Goſpel to them, but required an outward Ceremonial Religion, that being moſt accommodate to their Genius and Temper; and therefore though the Eternal Word for the preſent Exigence eſtabliſhed ſuch a Religion among them, yet He wiſely framed and modelled it into a typical Repreſentation of the Goſpel, that ſo thereby he might prepare them for it, and ſo far inſtruct them in the Knowledge of it as was neceſſary to their Welfare and Happineſs. And hence the Apoſtle tells the Jews, that the Law was their School-maſter to bring them unto Chriſt, that they might be juſtified by Faith, and that now after Faith was come, they were no longer under their School-maſter, Gal. 3.4, 25. that is, while they were in their Infantine, Childiſh State, and incapable of a more perfect Inſtitution, God ſet the Law as a School-maſter over them, that that by its Types, and Pictures, and Emblems, might gradually inſtruct them in the Myſteries of Chriſt, and the Goſpel. that ſo when it was openly revealed they might be juſtified by the Belief of it; and therefore now ſince the Goſpel was come, they were no longer under the Tutorage of that School-maſter, now they were no longer to learn Chriſt by Types and myſtical Repreſentations, ſince he himſelf was preſent with them, and had openly revealed thoſe Divine Myſteries which under thoſe Types were ſo obſcurely adumbrated. So that you ſee the Eternal Word tabernacled among the Jews in a far different manner from what he did when he pitched his Tabernacle in our Natures; for when he tabernalced among them he was full of Types, and Shadows, and myſtical Emblems; He inſtructed p. 199them in Divine Things by Symbols, and obſcure Repreſentations; but when he came to tabernacle among us, and our Natures, he was full of Truth, that is, of Subſtance and Reality: For then inſtead of the Shadows and Pictures of them, he exhibited to us the Things themſelves; then he brought down the Myſteries of the Goſpel out of that Cloud of Types in which they were before involved, and ſet them before us in a clear and open Light.

But that I may more fully demonſtrate this to you, I ſhall briefly give you ſome particular Inſtances of his dwelling, or converſing among us full of Truth, in Contradiſtinction to that obſcure typical Way of his converſing or tabernacling aomg the Jews; which I ſhall rank under theſe four Heads:

1. His Perſonal Tranſactions.

2. The Purity and Spirituality of his Laws.

3. The Condition and Quality of his Kingdom.

4. The Rewards and Recompences which he promiſes to his Subjects.

1. One great Inſtance of his converſing among us full of Truth, in Contradiſtinction to that obſcure and typical Way of his converſing among the Jews, is his own Perſonal Tranſactions. The Eternal Word being to aſſume our Natures, thoguht fit to give the Jews whilſt he tabernacled among them, a Specimen or Pattern of thoſe glorious Things he was to tranſact in his Incarnate State; and this he did chiefly by the High Priest, and thoſe Expiatory Sacrifices which he ordained and inſtituted among p. 200them, as you may find it demonſtrated at large in the Epiſtle to the Hebrews. For as to the High Priest, he was to be called, and ordained of God, Heb. 5.4. in which the Eternal Word repreſented to them his Commiſſion from the Father, to deſcend into the World as his Embaſſador to Men. Secondly, He was to be born of a Woman that came a pure Virgin into the Arms of his Father, Levit. 21.14. in which he ſeems to repreſent to them his own pure Nativity of a Virgin-Mother. Thirdly, He was to be waſhed with Water, and his Fleſh and Loyns were to be covered with the whitest and the cleanest linnen, Exod. 29.7. and 28.42. by which Chriſt typified to them the IMMACƲLATE Sanctity and Innocence of his humane Life. Fourthly, He was to be clothed in the moſt glorious Garments that could poſſibly be made by the moſt excellent Workmen, Exod. 28.2, 3. which ſeems to denote the Majeſty of Chriſt's Perſon, and thoſe glorious Works by which he render'd himſelf ſo illuſtrious in the World. Fifthly, The Colours of the Embroideries of his Garment being blue, purple, ſcarlet, and white, ſeem to denote the Truth of his Prophetick Office, the Majeſty of his Royal, the Perfection of his Prieſtly, and his Innocence and Sanctity in the Execution of them all. Sixthly, He wore a holy Crown on his Head, and a Plate on his Forehead engraven with Holineſs; which denotes the Divine Authority of Chriſt, and the Sacredneſs and Divinity of his Perſon. And, Seventhly, Upon his Breaſt he wore the Ʋrim and Thummim, in which was prefigured the Height and Purity of Chriſt's Doctrine, and the Holineſs and Perfection of his Laws. In a word, the High Priest was to offer p. 201Sacrifice for the Sins of the People, on the great day of Expiation, which Sacrifice was to be a Beaſt without blemiſh voluntarily preſented at the Door of the Tabernacle, whither the High Priest being come, he was to ſtrip off his glorious Garment, to lay his Hand on the Head of the Beaſt, and to confeſs the Peoples Sins over it, and then to ſlay the Beaſt, and carry ſome of the Blood of it within the Vail, and ſprinkle it upon, and before the Mercy-Seat, by which he is ſaid to make an Attonement for their Sins; that is, to obtain Authority from God to bleſs and pardon: In which the Eternal Word gives us a plain Repreſentation of his future Sacrifice upon Earth, and Interceſſion in Heaven; for he being both our Sacrifice and High Priest, did freely diveſt himſelf of the Glory and Dignity of his Humane Nature, and offer up himſelf to die for us; by which he laid his Hand as it were upon his own ſpotleſs and immaculate Head, did as our Repreſentative acknowledge what we had deſerved, that for our Sins we have juſtly merited to die for ever by the Hand of God, even as He for our ſakes did ſubmit to die by the Hand of Man: And having performed this bloody Sacrifice, he enters into Heaven, which is the true Holy of Holies, and there by the Oblation of his Blood and Obedience, makes an Attonement for our Sins, and obtains Authority from his Father to pardon and receive into Favour every truly penitent Offender in the World. Thus you ſee how the Perſonal Tranſactions of our Saviour were under the Law of Moſes repreſented in myſtical Types and Figures; but when he came to tabernacle among us, he did all that which before he only repreſented; p. 202He actually came down from the Father to us, was born of the Holy Virgin, lived a moſt holy and innocent Life, died a Sacrifice for our Sins, and is gone into Heaven to intercede for us: So that now inſtead of Types and Figures, we have the Subſtances and Realities that were obſcurely ſhadowed and repreſented in them.

2. Another great Inſtance of his converſing among us full of Truth, is the Purity and Spirituality of his Laws. It's apparent that thoſe which he gave to the Jews, according to the literal Senſe of them, did only oblige them to an External Obedience; and therefore St. Paul calls the whole Law a carnal Commandment, Heb. 7.16. and the Precepts of it he calls carnal Ordinances impoſed upon them till the time of Reformation, Heb. 9.10. But yet it is apparent that by theſe carnal Ordinances the Eternal Word did deſignedly typify and repreſent that internal Purity of Soul which the Evangelical Law doth exact: For he ſeeing that the Jews were not only a perverſe, but alſo a dull and ſottiſh People, as thoſe generally are who are born and bred in Slavery, and that therefore they were incapable of ſublime and ſpiritual Precepts, and would be apt to forget plain ones, He therefore thought it moſt proper and ſuitable to their Capacity and Genius to inſtruct them by ſenſible and material Signs, even as Parents do ſometimes teach their Children by Pictures; for of this his Condeſcention to their Dulneſs and Capacity, the Prophet Iſaiah takes notice, Chap. 28.10, 11. where he ſaith, that he gave them precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little with a ſtammering tongue; that is, he look'd upon them as Children, and ſo condeſcended to their Weakneſs, p. 203and ſpoke to them in their own Dialect. And this Way of inſtructing them by outward and viſible Signs was the moſt probable to take effect, becauſe it was much in uſe in the Eaſtern Countries, but more eſpecially in Egypt, whoſe Manners they were infinitely fond of, to wrap up their moſt excellent Precepts in Hieroglyphicks, which were nothing but Pictures and material Sings, by which they repreſented their Divine and Moral Inſtitutions. Thus therefore by ſuch viſible Signs and Pictures, the Eternal Word inſtructed them in the Rules of internal Purity and Goodneſs; ſo by Circumciſion he ſignified to them the Circumciſion of their Hearts; and by their ſeveral Waſhings, Purity from Hypocriſy and Senſuality; yea this was probably the Intent of that Difference of Meats, as St. Barnabas in his Epiſtle tells us, that Swines Fleſh was pronounc'd unclean, to inſtruct them not to live like Hoggs that clamour when they are hungry, and forget their Maſters when they are full; that Eagles, and ſuch ravenous Birds were forbidden to be eat, to teach them that thoſe who live not by Induſtry, but Rapine, are abominable; that Fiſh without Scales, which generally dwell in the Mud, were all pronounced unclean; to teach them the Evil of Senſuality, and Earthly-mindedneſs! Thus by theſe outward Signs his Intent was to inſinuate into them internal Purity of Mind; and this was very well underſtood by thoſe who were good and wiſe among them: Hence we find David gives very high Encomiums of the Law, Pſal. 19.7, 8. The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the Soul, making wiſe the ſimple; rejoycing the Heart, enlightning the Eyes, &c. which Characters are proper only to that inward p. 204and ſpiritual Senſe of the Law that was decyphered upon thoſe outward Signs and Ceremonies. Which Senſe ſeems to have been very little taken notice of by the ſottiſh Vulgar; for only the Ceremony it ſelf was Matter of Law to them, which if they obſerved they were not puniſhable by that Law, though they never took notice of its ſpiritual Senſe and Meaning, which made them neglect that inward Purity which was pictured on thoſe outward Signs, and place the whole of their Righteouſneſs in an outſide ceremonious Pageantry. Hence is that of St. Paul, 2 Cor 3.13, 14, 15. I uſed, ſaith he, great plainneſs of Speech: And not as Moſes, which put a Vail over his Face, that the Children of Iſrael could not ſtedfaſtly look unto the end of that which is aboliſhed. But their Minds were blinded; for until this day remaineth the ſame Vail untaken away, in the reading the Old Teſtament; whieh Vail is done away in Chriſt: By which Vail he means thoſe outward Shadows and Types in which the myſtical Senſe of the Law was wrapt and involved; and it ſeems they were ſo taken with the Pomp and Gaity of the outſide, that they never minded that rich Treaſure of Senſe that was contained within it, and which the Apoſtle here calls the end of that which is aboliſhed; yea, to this day, ſaith he, the Vail of outward Ceremonies ſtands ſo much in their Light that they cannot diſcern the internal Senſe of the Old Teſtament; but now, ſaith he, it is done away by Christ. Now that the Eternal Word hath pitched his Tabernacle is our Nature, thoſe outward Types wherein this inward Purity of Soul was ſo obſcurely intimated, are vaniſhed like Clouds before the Sun, and in their room are introduced p. 205the moſt pure and ſpiritual Laws of the Goſpel, which are no longer couched in Types and Ceremonial Shadows, but in plain and naked Propoſitions. Now internal Holineſs is palpably declared to be the great Deſign of Religion, that we ſhould cleanſe our ſelves from all Filthineſs of Fleſh and Spirit, and perfect Holineſs in the fear of God. This therefore is another Inſtance of Chriſt's tabernacling among us full of Truth, viz. the Purity and Spirituality of his Laws, which heretofore he myſtically repreſented to the Jews by outward Rites and Ceremonies.

3. Another Inſtance of his tabernacling among us full of Truth, in Contradiſtinction to that obſcure typical Way of his converſing among the Jews, is the Condition and Quality of his Church and Kingdom. The Eternal Word, deſigning to erect a glorious Kingdom in the World, drew as it were a rude Scheme or Draught of it in the Form and Model of the Jewiſh Polity. For first he erects a Kingdom among them of which himſelf was King, to typify the Spiritual Kingdom which afterwards he meant to eſtabliſh in the World; then he adopts the Jews to be his Children by the external Sign of Circumciſion, who are therefore called a Holy Seed, which was an Emblem of that Holy Seed which afterwards he deſigned to beget to himſelf by ſpiritual Regeneration, which is therefore called the Circumciſion of the Heart, whoſe Praiſe is not of Men, but of God. His delivering them from the Bondage of Egypt, and leading them through the Red-Sea and the Wilderneſs into Canaan, typified his delivering of his future Church from the Bondage of Sin and Satan, and leading it by his own p. 206gacious Preſence through the Red-Sea of Blood, and Perſecutions, and the Wilderneſs of the World to the Canaan of eternal Reſt. His giving the Law on Mount Sinai in Fire, was a Figure of his delivering the Goſpel by the Spirit, which came down in fiery cloven Tongues at the Feaſt of Pentecoſt. Thus his erecting the Ark in the Wilderneſs was alſo another Type of that Spiritual Kingdom which afwards he meant to erect in the World. The divers Ornaments and Inſtruments of that Tabernacle repreſented the Diverſity of ſpiritual Gifts and Functions in the Chriſtian Church; its being covered with Skins without, and adorned with Gold within, ſhadowed the mean and contemptible Form wherein the Chriſtian Church firſt appeared to the World, notwithſtanding the inward Glory and Purity with which it was adorned and embelliſhed. The Glory of God appearing in the Tabernacle, denoted the Preſence of Christ in his Church, which he hath promiſed to continue to the end of the World; its being removed from Place to Place, and finding no Reſt till it was lodged in the Temple, prefigured the perſecuted State of the Primitive Church, which was hunted up and down the World by the mighty Nimrods of the Earth, and could find no Reſt till it was tranſported to the Heavenly Temple. By theſe and ſuch like Types and Shadows did the Eternal Word prefigure the State and Condition of his future Church, that ſo when it came to be erected in the World, the Jews might know and own it, having ſeen it beforehand ſo exactly decyphered and adumbrated in the very Frame and Model of their own Polity. But when he came to tabernacle in our Nature he gave p. 207actual Being to thoſe Things which before he only ſhadowed and repreſented; for then he erected this glorious Church, of which the Jewiſh was only a Model and Platform, delivered it from the Egyptian Bondage of Wickedneſs and Idolatry, and by his own glorious Preſence conducted the Members of it through all the Perſecutions of an enraged World, to the Canaan of eternal Rest; and therefore this alſo is another plain Inſtance of his tabernacling among us full of Truth, the State and Condition of his Church, which before was ſo obſcurely repreſented.

4. And laſtly, Another Inſtance of his tabernacling among us full of Truth, in Contradiſtinction to that obſcure and typical Way of his converſing among the Jews, is the glorious Recompences which he hath ſo plainly and clearly promiſed to his Subjects. For this he alſo obſcurely typified to the Jews; for, as I have already hinted, by that Canaan which he beſtowed upon them after their tedious Travel through the Wilderneſs, he did darkly repreſent to them that Canaan above flowing with infinite Delights, which he hath promiſed to beſtow upon his faithful Servants after they have paſs'd through the Wilderneſs of this World. So alſo by their Sabbaoths, and eſpecially their Year of Jubilee, wherein they were to reſt from all their Labours, and keep a perpetual Feſtivity, He did obſcurely decypher to them that Sabbaoth of Rest, and Jubilee of endleſs Pleaſure which vertuous Souls ſhall enjoy in Heaven after they have finiſhed their Labours here on Earth, as you may ſee at large Heb. 4. Now by theſe and ſuch like Shadows of their Law, which poſſibly the Prophets by Divine p. 208Inſpiration might expound to them, thoſe who were wiſe and good among them, it is very probable, were inſtructed in the Article of eternal Life. Hence it may be might ariſe that famous Controverſy among the Jews concerning the Written and Oral Law, which they call the Cabala, or the Law by Tradition; not that this traditional contained any thing that was not in the written Law, but becauſe thoſe things which were obſcurely contained in the Types of the written Law were explained and interpreted in this their Traditional Law But it is apparent that the Types of eternal Life were not fully explained in this traditional Law till after the Babyloniſh Captivity, after which the Prophet Daniel, and after him Ezekiel began to ſpeak more plainly of the Reſurrection of the Dead; and from that Time forwards the Doctrine of the Reſurrection and eternal Life, began to be more openly taught among the Common People till about the Time of the Maccabees, when it was brought forth into the Light from under thoſe Types in which it was ſo obſcurely repreſented, and became a Principle even of the Popular Religion, and an Article of the Jewiſh Faith, as plainly appears from the Records of thoſe Times, particularly 2 Macc. 7.23, 26. compared with Heb. 11.35. And indeed it was very neceſſary that then this Article ſhould be more clearly revealed to fortify the Jews againſt thoſe many Perſecutions whereunto they were expoſed for the ſake of their Religion, that they might not be terrified to apoſtatize from it by thoſe cruel Martyrdoms which in the Time of the Maccabees they many of them endured; and beſides, now the Time of the Goſpel was approaching, and conſequently p. 229its Myſteries, like the Light of the riſing Sun, began to break forth clearer and clearer from under that Cloud of Types wherein it was wrapt and involved, till at laſt the Sun of Righteouſneſs himſelf aroſe and diſperſed thoſe Clouds, and brought Life and Immortality to light by the Goſpel. But as for the Sadducees, who give no heed to the Cabala, or Traditional Law, in which this Doctrine was firſt diſcovered, and adhered only to the written Law of Moſes, they ſtill continued Infidels in this Point, and believed neither Angels nor Spirits, nor the Life to come: So very obſcurely was it repreſented in the Types and Shadows of the Written Law. But when once the Eternal Word came to tabernacle in our Fleſh, he revealed this great Article ſo plainly and clearly to the World, that 'tis impoſſible for any one not to believe it that believes him to be the Meſſias, or Incarnate Word.

And thus you ſee by all theſe Inſtances what a vast Difference there was in reſpect of Truth, between Chriſt's tabernacling in our Nature, and in the Tabernacle of Moſes. And now I ſhall conclude this Argument with two or three practical Inferences.

1st. He dwelt or tabernacled among us.] From hence I infer the high Authority of Christ, and that holy Religion which he hath revealed to us. For to tabernacle among us, as I have already ſhewed you, ſignifies to dwell in the midſt of, as the Shechinah, Preſence, or Repreſentative of the moſt High God, as one that acted in his Father's Perſon, and was veſted with his Authority, and conſequently as one who hath as great a Right to exact our Obedience as the Eternal Father himſelf, p. 230ſhould he have come down from Heaven in his own Perſon to give Laws to Mankind. For ſo when the Eternal Word went before the Camp of Iſrael as the Shechinah, or Angel of God's Preſence, God requires them that they ſhould obey him as himſelf; Beware of him, and obey his Voice, ſaith God; provoke him not, for he will not pardon your Tranſgreſſion, for my Name is in him, Exod. 23.21. and v. 22. To obey the Voice of this Angel is interpreted to be the ſame thing, as to obey the Voice of the moſt High God himſelf; But if thou ſhalt indeed obey his Voice, ſaith God, and do all that I ſpeak, then I will be an Enemy to thy Enemies, &c. So that for the Iſraelites to diſobey this Angel (who, as I have proved to you, was the Eternal Word, or Repreſentative of the moſt High God to them) was to all Intents and Purpoſes the ſame Thing as if they had diſobeyed the moſt High himſelf. And accordingly our Saviour tells the Jews, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me but on the Father that ſent me; that is, he doth not meerly believe on me, but on the Father too, whoſe Authority I have, and whoſe Perſon I reprefent; for ſo he explains himſelf in the following Verſe, He that ſeeth me, ſeeth him that ſent me; that is, I being my Father's Shechinah, or Repreſentative, Joh. 12.44, 45. And therefore as every Contempt of the Deputy, or Vice-Governor, is an Affront to the Sovereign Prince whoſe Perſon he bears, and by whoſe Authority he acts; ſo every Rebellion againſt Christ is an open Defiance to the Sovereign God whoſe Perſon he repreſents, and by whoſe Authority he reigns. Hence our Saviour tells the Jews, Job. 5. 23. that He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not p. 231the Father which hath ſent him; which plainly intimates that God the Father reſents thoſe Indignities which we offer to Chriſt and his Laws, as if they were done to his own Perſon, and that if himſelf ſhould ſpeak to us from the Battlements of Heaven, or proclaim his Law to us in a Voice of Thunder, he would not be more diſpleaſed to hear us openly declarethat we will not obey him, than he is to ſee us trample upon the Laws of his Son which he hath ſtamp'd with his own Sovereign Authority. So that if we were not infinitely foolhardy, methinks we ſhould never dare to violate our Religion, in which the Authority of the moſt High God is ſo immediately concerned. For whatſoever our Religion requires of us, it requires in his Name who hath an undoubted Right and Authority to command us; for from all Eternity he was inveſted with an abſolute and unlimited Power of doing any thing that is not unbecoming his Divine Perfections, and in this the Right of his Dominion over us is originally founded. For he that hath Power muſt needs have a Right to exerciſe it ſo far as it is just and becoming his Nature, otherwiſe his Power would be altogether in vain; and therefore ſince God from all Eternity hath a Power of doing whatſoever he pleaſes ſo far as is conſiſtent with his Holineſs and Goodneſs, there is nothing can be pretended againſt the Right of his Dominion and Authority over us: For God cannot but have an eternal Right to exerciſe his own Power, and he cannot but have an immutable Right to exerciſe it over his own Creatures. And as from all Eternity he had Power to do whatſoever was juſt and becoming him, ſo from his creating of us p. 232it became moſt just and becoming that he ſhould rule and govern us; for we became his as ſoon as we were created by him; all our Powers of Action were from him, and by that he hath acquired an unalienable Right in whatſoever we are able to do. We have nothing but what is his Gift, and therefore can do nothing but what is his Debt; we received all from him, and therefore muſt owe all to him; for by Right of Creation he is the ſupreme Proprietor of all our Powers and Faculties, and as ſuch hath a just Claim to all the Homage and Obedience that we are able to render him. So that as God's Dominion over us is originally founded in his moſt abſolute Power to do whatſoever is just and becoming him; ſo the Juſtice and Becomingneſs of his Dominion over us doth immediately reſult from his creating of us, by which he hath for ever intitled himſelf to all the Obedience we can render him. And by Virtue of this immutable Title doth he claim our Obedience to the Laws of Jeſus Chriſt, whom next to himſelf he hath made our Prince and Ruler, having veſted him with his own Sovereign Authority, and conſtituted him his ſupreme Repreſentative in the Church. So that by diſobeying his Laws we incur the Guilt of the moſt monſtrous Injuſtice in the World; we reſume our ſelves from him to whom we owe our Being, and refuſe to own our ſelves to be his Creatures from whoſe Bounty we receive even the Power of rebelling againſt him; we alienate our Faculties from thoſe ſacred Uſes whereunto they were deſigned and conſecrated, and turn theſe living Temples of God into Dens of impure Thoughts and filthy Luſts; In a word, we fight againſt God p. 233with his own Gifts, and arm the Effects of his Bounty againſt his Sovereign Authority. And what do we think will be the Conſequence of theſe Things? Can we be ſo ſottiſh as to imagine that the Almighty Father will ſit above in the Heavens, and ſee how his Laws are trampled upon, his Authority contemned, and expoſed to Scorn and Deriſion by a Company of impious Wretches that owe their very Beings to him, and never be concerned at it? Do we think him ſo ſtupid a Being as that no Provocations will awake his Vengeance, that he will for even ſit unconcerned with his Hands in his Boſom whilſt his violated Laws, like the Souls under the Altar, are continually crying out to him, How long, O Lord, holy and true! doſt thou not avenge our Quarrel upon the Heads of theſe audacious Rebels that every day trample us under foot, and have no more regard for our Authority than they have for the Whiſtling of the Wind! For God's ſake, Sirs, let us conſider before it be too late what is like to become of us, what probable Hopes of Security we can propoſe to our ſelves if we perſiſt in this unjust Rebellion. Gird up your Loins like Men, and I will demand of you in the Name of God, do you think that the wiſe Governour of the World will be for ever inſenſible of all the rude Affronts and Provocations you offer him? If ſo, pray where is his Wiſdom, or in what ſenſe doth he govern the World, if he takes no care to ſecure his Laws by puniſhing Offenders, and lets his Subjects alone to do as they liſt? Or have you an Arm as ſtrong as God's? Can you grapple with his Almighty Vengeance, or withſtand the Stroke of his Thunderbolts? Sure ſuch a ridiculous Conceit can never enter into any p. 234reaſonable Breaſt? and if not, in the Name of God what do you propoſe to your ſelves when you can neither hope for Favour from God, nor Security from your ſelves? Are you ſo abandoned of all your Reaſon as wilfully to ſhut your Eyes againſt your Danger, and run the deſperate Venture of falling into the Hands of the living God? Hath not our bleſſed Lord moſt fairly warn'd us what we are to truſt to? Hath he not told us how he values his Laws, and how dreadfully he will puniſh the Tranſgreſſion of them? Hath he not moſt ſeriouſly proteſted to us that unleſs we do repent and amend, he will never forgive us either in this Life, or that to come; and that if we ſtill perſiſt in our Rebellions, he will at laſt baniſh us from his Preſence for ever, and aſſign us our Portion with Devils and damned Ghosts in that Lake that burns with Fire and Brimſtone? And hath he not taken it upon his Death that all this is true, when he ſo freely ſealed his Doctrines with his Blood? And now after all this, is it poſſible we ſhould be ſo ſenſleſs as to think we can be ſafe in our Wickedneſs, when God the Father is enraged both in Wiſdom and Honour to avenge it as an Affront to his Authority, and God the Son hath revealed his Father's Wrath from Heaven againſt all Unrighteouſneſs and Ungodlineſs of Men? and therefore as we value our own Safety, it concerns us either to ſubmit to that Divine Authority which is ſtamp'd upon the Laws of our Saviour, or elſe to ſecure our ſelves of ſome Retreat of Sanctuary from that Almighty Vengeance which our Rebellion will certainly arm againſt us.

p. 2352dly. He dwelt among us full of Grace.] Hence I infer what mighty Encouragement we have to ſerve and obey our bleſſed Maſter who in his dwelling among us was full of every thing that can render his Service lovely or deſireable, and abounded in all thoſe amiable Graces that can oblige us to love and obey him. For what was there wanting in our bleſſed Maſter that any reaſonable Subject can deſire in his Prince and Sovereign? Would he deſire a Prince of a ſweet and gracious Temper, one that is full of Love and Tenderneſs to his Subjects? Such a one in the moſt eminent degree is our bleſſed Lord; for how doth the Hiſtory of his Converſation upon Earth abound with the Expreſſions of a moſt ſweet and loving Temper? For Love was the Principle of all his Actions, the Life and Soul of his Converſation, and in all that he did or ſpoke he made ſome new Diſcovery of his unfeigned Affection to the World; for he went about doing good, and his whole Life was nothing but one continued Act of Charity to Mankind. For ſtill you find him either inſtructing the Ignorant, or reproving the Erroneous, or comforting the Dejected, or feeding the Hungry, or curing the Sick and Diſeaſed. From Morning to Night he was conſtantly engaged in one good Action or other, and the whole Race of his Life, like that of the Sun, was ſpent in enlivening or inlightning the World. So endearing was his Behaviour that he obliged his very Enemies, and, when he had won them, treated them with all the Tenderneſs and Affection of a moſt loving Father towards his dearest Children. From all he converſed with he extorted Reſpect and Veneration, and none were able to reſiſt the p. 236Charms of his victorious Love, but thoſe whoſe Hearts were harder than the nether Milſtone. But that I may convince you of the infinite Goodneſs and Tenderneſs of his Nature, I will give you but that one Inſtance Luke 19.41. And when he was come near, he beheld the City, and wept over it; which, as you will ſee afterwards, was occaſioned by the Fore-ſight of its approaching Ruin and Deſtruction; and yet at the ſame time he foreſaw the Cruelties which thoſe barbarous Villains were about to practiſe upon him, how they would ſcourge his Body with knotty Whips, and nail his Hands and Feet to the Croſs, and thruſt a Spear into his Heart; he ſaw how they would triumph over his Miſery, mock at his Calamity, and dance to the Muſick of his dying Grones. And now one would have thought ſuch a Proſpect as this would have for ever enraged his Soul againſt them, and made him rejoyce to ſee that ſweeping Deſtruction that was coming upon them; but ſuch was the incomparable Sweetneſs of his Temper, that while he foreſaw them plotting his Ruin, he could not but ſigh over theirs, and while he beheld their Malice all reeking in his Blood, and ſporting it ſelf with his Torments and Agonies, yet at the Senſe of their approaching Deſtruction his very Bowels earned, and his Heart melted with Commiſeration, and he could not forbear weeping to think that thoſe curſed Inſtruments of all his Miſeries muſt e're long be ſo wretched and miſerable themſelves, earneſtly wiſhing that they who ſo greedily thirſted for his Blood had known in that their day the things which belong to their Peace. And though one would have thought the barbarous Entertainment he met with p. 237here upon Earth would have for ever quenched all his Affection to Mankind, yet ſtill it lives, and in deſpite of all the Affronts and Outrages he endured, burns as vigorouſly in his Breaſt as ever. So unconquerable was his Love to his Subjects, that all the bloody Cruelties they practiſed upon him, when they chaſed him out of the World, were never able to alienate his Heart and Affections from them; but after all their Cruelties he ſtill retained his Fatherly Bowels towards them, and when he could endure their Torments no longer, breathed out his loving Soul in an earnest Prayer for their Pardon, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. And now that he is in Heaven among Angels and glorified Spirits, where he cannot but remember how unkindly we treated him when he was upon Earth, and perhaps doth ſtill bear upon his glorified Body thoſe very Wounds which he received from our Hands, which one would think were ſufficient to incenſe him againſt us for ever; yet his Heart is the ſame towards us, full of all thoſe kind and tender Reſentments that firſt brought him down from Heaven, and render'd his Converſation among us ſo full of Sweetneſs and Endearments. And now being ſo infinitely kind as he is, why ſhould we be diſheartned from ſerving him? Methinks the Senſe of his Love to us, if there were no other Argument in the World, ſhould be ſufficient to bind us to his Service for ever. For, O my Soul, how can I do too much for ſo kind a Friend! How can I be too ſubmiſſive to ſo good a Maſter! That is ſo infinitely tender of all his Servants, and loves them a thouſand times more than they love themſelves! Sure if we had any Spark p. 238of Ingenuity in us, the Senſe of his matchleſs Kindneſs towards us, would be ſufficient to turn all our Duty to him into Recreation, to make us thirſt after his Service, and catch at all Opportunities of expreſſing our Loyalty and Obedience to him: We ſhould embrace his Commands as Preferments to us, and wear them as the greateſt Favours, and think our ſelves more honoured in being the Servants of Jeſus Christ, than in being made mighty Kings and Potentates.

2. Conſider, as he is full of Grace, in Reſpect of his own Perſonal Diſpoſition, ſo he is alſo in Reſpect of his Laws, in which, as I have already ſhewed you, he requires nothing of us but what is for our Good, nothing but what tends to the Perfection of our Natures, and the Conſummation of our Happineſs. All that our Saviour requires at our Hands, is only that we ſhould act according to the Laws of a Reaſonable Nature, and conſtantly purſue the great End of our Creation, which can never be obtained by us, unleſs we regulate our Actions by thoſe wiſe and excellent Rules which he hath preſcribed us, and which he hath preſcribed us upon no other Inducement, but only to oblige us to be happy. For as to any Advantage that will accrue to him from our Actions, 'tis altogether indifferent to him whether we obey him or no; for he was always infinitely happy within himſelf, and would have always been ſo, though we had never had a Being; ſo that his Felicity depends not upon us; and were it not that the ſuper abundant Goodneſs of his Nature doth for ever incline him to make us happy as well as himſelf, he would never have concerned himſelf about us, but would p. 239have let us alone to do as we liſt, and abandoned us to the Fate of our own Actions. He therefore being infinitely happy within himſelf, can have no ſelf-Ends to ſerve upon his Creatures; becauſe within the Circle of his own divine Being, he hath all that he needs, and all that he deſires; but being infinitely good, as he is infinitely happy, we are ſure that our Good muſt be the only End of his intermedling with our Actions, and his giving Laws to direct them. And if we conſult the particular Laws which he hath given us, we ſhall find they all of them moſt naturally tend to perfect and rectifie our diſordered Natures, to exalt and ſpiritualize our Affections, and inſpire us with all thoſe divine Diſpoſitions that are requiſite to qualify us for the Happineſs of the World to come. And now methinks, if we had any Senſe of our own Intereſt, this Conſideration ſhould mightily encourage us to Obedience, to think that while we are ſerving our bleſſed Maſter, we are ſerving our ſelves to the best Purpoſes, and that his Service, and our Intereſt are ſo combined and united, that by the ſame Actions we may gratify him, and do our ſelves the greatest Kindneſs in the World; that he exacts nothing from us, but what he was obliged to do by the infinite Care and Concern he hath for us; and that he had been leſs kind, ſhould he have required leſs, and muſt neceſſarily have ſubtracted from us ſome Degree of our Happineſs, ſhould he have abated us any Part of our Duty. O Bleſſed Jeſus, who can complain of thy Service, when thy very Commands are Tokens of thy Love; when all the Duty thou requireſt of us, is only to be kind to our ſelves in doing thoſe things, which p. 240if thou hadſt never commanded, our own Intereſt would have obliged us to, had we but underſtood it as well, or regarded it as much as thou doſt?

3. But then conſider again, as He is full of Grace to us in his own perſonal Temper, and in thoſe mild and gentle Laws which he hath given us; ſo Thirdly, He is full of Grace to us alſo in reſpect of that gracious Pardon and Forgiveneſs which he hath procured for, and promiſed to us if we will heartily repent and amend. I confeſs, though his Perſonal Temper ſhould be never ſo ſweet, and his Laws never ſo gentle, yet if he ſhould, upon every wilful Offence, exclude us from all Hope of Pardon, it might juſtly diſcourage the Generality of Men from engaging any farther in his Service; becauſe more or leſs, we have all finned, and fallen ſhort of the Glory of God. So that if upon every wilful Act of Rebellion, we ſhould ſtand for ever excluded from his Favour; we ſhould generally be left in a deſperate Condition, and then to what Purpoſe ſhould we ſerve him any longer, when by all our future Loyalty and Submiſſions, we muſt never hope to be readmitted into his Grace and Favour? To remove this great Diſcouragement therefore, the bleſſed Jeſus hath obtained for us this publick Grant and Charter of Mercy from his Father, that if now at laſt we will repent and amend our Ways, notwithſtanding all our paſt Rebellions, we ſhall find Mercy, and be as freely received into his Grace and Favour, as if we never had offended him; and this merciful Grant he hath publiſhed to us in the Promiſes of his Goſpel: So that now we cannot make the leaſt Doubt of our Pardon and Acceptance with him, upon our unfeigned p. 241Repentance, without calling his Truth and Veracity into Queſtion. And now what reaſonable Cauſe of Diſcouragement have we from returning to the Service of our bleſſed Maſter, when we are ſo amply aſſured that our paſt Diſobediences to him ſhall, upon our Return, be forgotten for ever? For, in the Name of God, what can we deſire more? Is it reaſonable that the wiſe Governour of the World ſhould pardon Offenders, whether they repent or no; that he ſhould let them take their Swing in Wickedneſs, and never take any Cognizance of their Actions? Let us ſpeak plainly; would we have him govern us or no? If not, we are infinitely beſotted, that for the Sake of a few paltry Luſts that are our Plague and Shame would deprive our ſelves of all the Bleſſings and Benefits of his Government. But whatſoever we would have, it is by no means fit that he ſhould ſurrender up his juſt Authority over us, becauſe we are Fools and Mad-men; and if we think it fit that he ſhould govern us, we cannot be ſo ſenſeleſs as to think it reaſonable that he ſhould pardon our Sins till we repent of them; becauſe by ſo doing he would give up all, and leave us abſolute Maſters of our ſelves. So that if we our ſelves had been called to the Privy Council of Heaven, to give our Vote to thoſe Laws by which we were to be ruled and governed, doubtleſs we could not have had the Confidence to aks either gentler Laws or greater Indulgences than the bleſſed Jeſus hath freely granted us in his Goſpel. If God ſhould have told us, that he would impoſe nothing on us without our own Conſent, and bid us ask for our ſelves any thing that is fit and modest, doubtleſs the utmoſt p. 242that any modest Man could have craved, would have been only this; Lord, if thou will be but ſo merciful as to give us ſuch Laws as are ſuited to our Natures, and are conducive to our Happineſs, and ſo far to conſider our Weakneſs and Inſtability, as not to caſt us away from thy Favour for ever upon every Wilful Tranſgreſſion, but to pardon and receive us again upon our unfeigned Repentance, this is all the Favour we would ask, and for this we would praiſe and adore they Goodneſs for ever and ever. Since God therefore out of his own Grace and Goodneſs, hath granted this Indulgence to us, why ſhould we be diſcouraged from returning to our Duty, though we have never ſo notoriouſly violated and neglected it? For now we are fully aſſured that we can never be excluded from all Hope of Pardon, till we are paſt all Poſſibility of Repentance.

4. He is full of Grace to us alſo, in reſpect of that abundant Aſſiſtance which he hath promiſed and vouchſafed to us. I do confeſs, though notwithſtanding our former Rebellions, he ſhould be never ſo ready to receive us into Favour again upon our unfeigned Repentance; yet unleſs he will alſo aſſiſt us in our Repentance, and enable us to conquer the Difficulties of it, we have ſtill very great Reaſon to be diſcouraged from his Service: For, by our own evil Habits, we have ſo diſabled our felves from returning to our Duty, that without the Concurrence of a ſupernatural Grace, it will be in vain for us to attempt it: For he that from a State of habitual Sin, enters into a Courſe of Repentance, muſt ſtrive all along againſt the Current of his Nature, which at firſt eſpecially, and when he is weakest, will be ſo ſwift and impetuous, p. 243that by his own ſingle Strength, it will be impoſſible for him to ſtem or conquer it, and unleſs he be aſſiſted by a greater Strength than his own, he will be inevitably born down and carried away with it, though he ſtruggle never ſo vigorouſly againſt it; ſo that it is no Encouragement at all to the Service of Chriſt, that he will receive us to Pardon when we heartily repent, unleſs he will alſo enable us to repent by the Concurrence of his Grace with our honeſt Endeavours. But this Diſcouragement alſo he hath removed out of our Way, by making us a publick Grant and Promiſe of his Grace and Aſſiſtance; for he hath aſſured us that he will give his holy Spirit to every one that asks it, Luke 11.13. that if we will work out our own Salvation, he will work in us to will and to do, Phil. 2.12, 13. and that to him that hath, that is, improves that Grace which he hath, it ſhall be given more abundantly, Mat. 13.12. ſo that though we cannot do all by our own ſingle Strength, yet we can do ſo much as will oblige our bleſſed Maſter to enable us to do all; and therefore that we do not do all, is as much our Fault as if we could, becauſe we are able to do all through Chriſt, who will ſtrengthen us if we will but do what we can; ſo that this, methinks, ſhould be ſufficient to encourage any reaſonable Man in the World to undertake his Service, to conſider that he who is my Maſter, will co-operate with me, and proportion my Strength to the Work he enjoyns me; that he will not ſtand ſtill with his Arms in his Boſom, and ſee me ſtruggle in vain under an inſupportable But then of Duties, but that he will ſet too his own Shoulders, and contribute his own Strength, and p. 244enable me, by degrees, to undergo it with Eaſe and Alacrity; ſo that though thro' the Weakneſs and Importency which I have voluntarily contracted, my Duty is become too heavy for my Shoulders, yet I will never be diſheartened ſo long as I am ſure it is not too heavy for my Saviour's, for if I heartily endeavour, I am confident I ſhall undergo it, if it be in the Power of an Almighty Grace to enable me.

5. And laſtly, He was full of Grace to us alſo, in Reſpect of that glorious Recompence which he hath promiſed to us, and prepared for us. I confeſs, were his Service all Work, and no Wages, there were ſome Reaſon to be diſheartned; but when he hath promiſed, and ſo amply aſſured us, that after we have ſpent a few Days or Years in his Service upon Earth, he will receive us into the Participation of his own Joys, where we ſhall commence as happy as it is poſſible for an everlaſting Heaven to make us, methinks we ſhould kiſs his Yoke, and court his Service, and think we can never do too much for ſuch a bountiful Maſter, who rewards all his Servants with ſuch immortal Preferments: For what is the Labour of a few Moments, compared with that everlaſting Reſt and Pleaſure wherein it ſhall ſhortly terminate? And when once we are arrived to the Heavenly Canaan, and have taſted thoſe raviſhing Delights with which it flows and abounds, how light and inconſiderable will all theſe Difficulties in our Voyage appear to us, which now do ſo ſtartle and affright us? How ſhall we wonder at our own Sloth and Faint-heartedneſs, to think that ever we ſhould be ſuch wretched Cowards as to be afraid of any thing that p. 245hath Heaven at the End of it, which is a Happineſs ſo vast and unſpeakable, that the Hope of it is ſufficient to turn Torments into Recreations; How ſhall we be aſtoniſhed at our ſelves, to think that we could ever be ſuch wretched Fools as to deliberate one Moment, whether Heaven were preferable before all the Pleaſures of Sin, or whether it were more eligible to dwell with Harlots and Drunkards for a Moment, and wallow in their beaſtly Pleaſures, than to enjoy the Society of God, and Saints, and Angels, to all Eternity? The Odds will then appear ſo vast, and the Diſproportion ſo unſpeakable, that we ſhall wonder how we could ever be ſo ſenſleſs as to make a Compariſon between them. Sure Sirs we do not believe that Heaven is the Recompence of Chriſt's Service; for if we did, methinks we ſhould more heartily engage in it. For could we ſtand thus deliberating upon the Shore, whether we ſhall bid adieu to our Luſts, take Leave of all their fulſom Pleaſures, and imbark our ſelves in the Service of our Saviour? Could we ſtand pauſing thus as we do, whether we ſhall venture into thoſe petty Storms that are like to attend us in our ſpiritual Voyage, did we verily believe that a few Leagues Diſtance lies that bleſſed Shore where we ſhall be crowned as ſoon as we are landed with all the Joys than an everlaſting Heaven means? Certainly the Belief of this is ſufficient to put Life and Courage into the moſt creſt-fallen-Soul in the World, and to give her Spirit and Vigour enough to carry her triumphantly through all the weary Stages of her Duty. So that conſidering how, in all Reſpects, our bleſſed Lord abounds in Grace and Goodneſs to us, we have the greatest p. 246Encouragement imaginable to engage us to his Service.

3dly. He was full of Truth.] From whence I infer, that the Chriſtian Religion is a very plain and intelligible thing. For this, as I have ſhewed you at large, is one of the great Notes of Diſtinction between Chriſt's tabernacling among the Jews and among Chriſtians, that whereas among the Jews, he was full of obſcure Types and myſtical Repreſentations; among us Chriſtians, he is full of Truth; that is, he is plain, and open, and clear, without any dark Reſerves or Myſteries; now he hath plainly revealed that which before he did ſo obſcurely decypher; now he hath unriddled all thoſe myſtical Types, and turned them as it were inſide outwards, and given us their hidden Senſe and Meaning in plain and naked Propoſitions; and of theſe our holy Religion is compoſed. So that thoſe Doctrines which before were all Myſtery, whilſt they lay obſcurely couched under the Types and Figures of the Law, are now brought forth from behind the Curtain into the open View of the World, and preſented barefac'd to our Underſtandings in the moſt plain, and eaſy, and familiar Senfe: Not but that Chriſtianity hath ſome Myſteries in it ſtill, whoſe Depths we are not able to fathom; but 'tis not becauſe Chriſt hath not revealed them, but becauſe our Underſtandings are incapable of comprehending them; ſuch are the Doctrines of the Holy Trinity, the Incarnation of our bleſſed Saviour, and the Hypoſtatical Ʋnion of the Divine and Humane Nature in him: Nor indeed is it much to be wonder'd at, that we, who with all our Wit and Reaſon, are not able to explicate the Myſteries of a p. 247Mite, or Flea, of a Plant or a Stone, or any of thoſe innumerable things that are before us, ſhould not be able to underſtand ſuch incomprehenſible, to order ſuch infinite, or define ſuch ineffable things; but though we cannot comprehend the Modes, nor underſtand the ſtrict Philoſophy of them, yet if we would but ſtrip them out of their falſe Diſguiſes into their original Plainneſs and Simplicity, we might doubtleſs eaſily diſintangle them from all Repugnancy and Contradiction, which is ſufficient to render them rationally credible, they being contained in that excellent Religion, whoſe Truth is demonſtrated by ſuch abundant Evidence. But perhaps, as God continued all the Doctrines of Chriſtianity in a Myſtery among the Jews, and reſerved the clear Revelation of them to the coming of the Meſſias; ſo for the ſame Reaſon he hath ſtill reſerved the clear Diſcovery of thoſe Doctrines which are ſtill Myſteries to us Chriſtians, for the future State, and then it may be we may as fully underſtand theſe, as the believing Jews (after the Coming of Chriſt did thoſe other Doctrines of the Goſpel, which before were all Myſteries to them. But, God be praiſed, whatſoever is neceſſary to make us good and happy, is now ſo plainly diſcovered to us, that we cannot be ignorant of it unleſs we wilfully ſhut our own Eyes. We need not dive into myſtical Senſes, or grope after Truth among Shadows and Ʋmbrages, as the good Jews were fain to do under the Moſaick Diſpenſation, all that is neceſſary to our Salvation being written as it were upon the very Surface of our Religion, and openly expoſed to our View in plain and literal Propoſals. And yet notwithſtanding the Plainneſs and Simplicity p. 248of the Chriſtian Religion, there are too many' both among our ſelves, and in the Church of Rome, who have induſtriouſly ſet themſelves to reſolve all its Doctrines again into Darkneſs and unintelligible Myſteries, having, inſtead of the plain Propoſitions of our Saviour, introduced a new-faſhioned Myſtical Divinity, made up of nothing but certain empty Schemes of effeminate Follies and wild Enthuſiaſms, which are impoſſible for any Man to underſtand that cannot conjure for the Meaning of them. And thoſe Doctrines which our Saviour purpoſely delivered in the moſt plain and literal Senſe, that ſo the meaneſt Underſtanding might be inſtructed by them; theſe Men have blown up like ſo many Bubbles into ſwelling Myſteries, which, being Strip't of thoſe glittering Alluſions, and pompous Metaphors, wherein they are clothed, vaniſh immediately into Air, or ſink into flat and empty Nonſenſe. For thus the Doctrine of Faith, and Repentance, and Juſtification, which lye as plain in the Scripture as Words can make them, are by their Divinity render'd more obſcure and myſterious than ever they were whilſt they were couched under the Types and Figures of the Law, more of the true Nature being diſcovered in Circumciſion, and the legal Waſhings and Attonements, than in a hundred Volumes of modern Syſtems of Divinity. For, whatſoever is intelligible, they look upon as carnal, and till they have ſubtilized it into ſome unaccountable Myſtery, it is not ſpiritual enough to be admitted into their Syſtem of Divinity, as if they thought it below the Majeſty of Religion to expoſe it ſelf to the View of the World, and there was no Way to ſecure it from Contempt, but to lock p. 249it up in Myſteries and Obſcurities; for elſe to what Purpoſe ſhould they wrap it round with Clouds as they do, unleſs they deſign to make a Trade of it, and ſo draw a Curtain before it, as Men do before their Puppet-Plays, that ſo they may get Money by ſhewing it: For 'tis apparent that Religion it ſelf ſuffers extremely by it; for whilſt they thus ſpiritualize it into Air, and do, as it were, juggle it out of Sight in the Clouds of their myſtical Nonſenſe, they render it extreamly ſuſpicious to all that are wiſe and inquiſitive, and will not ſuffer themſelves to be impoſed upon by the Trains of their myſterious Gibberiſh. And as for their more credulous Followers, whilſt they thus lead them by the Noſe through a Vally of Shades and Darkneſs, they utterly deprive them of the vigorous Warmth and Comforts of Religion, for how ſhould they know how to make uſe of the Arguments and Motives of Chriſtianity, when thoſe excellent Doctrines from whence they are deduced, are wrap'd in unintelligible Myſteriws? For how ſhould they draw forth from the Articles of their Faith, thoſe Practical Principles that are lodged in them, when thoſe Articles are converted into Riddles, which they do not, nor cannot underſtand? Thus, by turning Chriſtianity into a Myſtery, they do not only thwart the Deſign of our Saviour, which was to bring it forth from under the myſterious Repreſentations of the Law, and propoſe it to the World in the moſt plain and intelligible manner; but they alſo diſpirit Religion it ſelf, whoſe Life and Energy conſiſts in being underſtood, and expoſe it to the Contempt and Scorn of thoſe that have Wit enough to detect p. 250the Follies of their Enthuſiaſtical Myſteries.