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

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

p. 2504thly. And laſtly, He dwelt among us full of Grace and Truth.] From hence I infer the Inexcuſabeneſs of thoſe Men that perſiſt in their Diſobedience to the Goſpel now that our bleſſed Lord hath expreſſed ſo much Grace towards, and ſo clearly made known his Mind and Will to us. What Excuſe can we urge to palliate our wretched Diſobedience? If you will but imagine your ſelves for a little while to be ſtanding before the Tribunal of your Saviour, where e're it be long you muſt all appear, I will briefly draw up what in Probability will be your Plea, and what may be reaſonably preſumed will be his Anſwer. In the Name of Jeſus then let me demand of you, what can you plead for your ſelves why that fearful Doom which he hath pronounced againſt you, ſhould not be paſs'd upon you? Why, Lord, we know that thou wer't an auſtere Man, that thou would'ſt exact of us to the utmoſt Punctilio, and that if ever we fail'd in the leaſt Circumſtance of our Duty thou would'ſt immediately let looſe thy implacable Vengeance upon us, and this utterly diſheartned us from thy Service conſidering how impoſſible it was for us to pleaſe thee. Ah wretched Creatures! can you have the Face to charge me with Rigour and Severity, who have had ſo many notorious Experiments of the Sweetneſs of my Nature, and Tenderneſs of my Affections towards you? What one Action was I ever guilty of in all my Converſation among you that could give you the leaſt Suſpicion that ever I would prove an auſtere Maſter to you, or that I would not be ready to conſtrue you in the moſt favourable Senſe, and to pity and pardon p. 251you whereſoever you were excuſable? Did I ever give you any Occaſion to think that I was of a peeviſh or captious Nature, apt to be provoked with Trifles? Yea, had you not all the Reaſon in the World to conclude from the Sweetneſs of my Temper that I would be always ready to conſider your Infirmities, and pity your Weakneſſes, and judge you by the Meaſures of a Friend? And do you now pretend that it was the Dread of my Severity that diſheartned you from my Service? But, Lord, the Laws which thou gaveſt us were ſo intolerably burthen, ſom that neither we nor our Fore-fathers were able to bear them: We would willingly have obeyed thee if it had been poſſible, but when we ſaw thy Burthen exceeded our Strength, we concluded it was in vain for us to attempt the bearing it. O ungrateful Rebels! dare ye accuſe me of Tyranny when you know in your own Conſciences I never impoſed any Law upon you but what had a neceſſary Tendency to your Happineſs, and was ſo far in its own Nature from being a Burthen to you, that it commanded nothing but what would have been an Eaſe and Refreſhment? and if you can produce any one of my Commands that obliged you to any thing but to be kind to your ſelves, or convince me that I could have enjoyned leſs upon you without being leſs kind or merciful to you, I will freely admit of your Plea as juſt, and immediately pardon all your Diſobediences againſt me. But when all my Laws are Inſtances of my Love to you, and Expreſſions of my Zeal for your Welfare, who but ſuch Monſters of Ingratitude as your ſelves would ever have charged me with p. 252Tyranny and Oppreſſion? But, Lord, thou knoweſt we are fickle and mutable Creatures; and though we did heartily reſolve that we would never rovolt from thy Service, yet through the many Temptations that perpetually ſollicited us, we were at laſt ſeduced into a Rebellion againſt thee: And though when we reflected upon what we had done, we were full of Sorrow and Remorſe, and wiſh'd from our Souls that we had never done it; yet then, being deſperate of Mercy, and paſt all Hopes of Pardon, we concluded that it was too late to repent, or to think of returning to our Duty again. Ah unworthy Wretches! with what Confidence can you impute the Continuation of your Rebellion againſt me to your Deſpair of ever finding Mercy at my hands, when you know in your own Conſciences that I died to procure Forgiveneſs for you, and that by my Death I obtained an Act of Indemnity and Oblivion for all that would come in, and return to their Duty upon the Proclamation of my Goſpel? When you cannot but know that I tender'd you your Pardon ſealed with my own Blood, and courted you to accept of it; and though time after time you ſcornfully refuſed and rejected it, yet in hope that at laſt you might be prevailed with, you know how long I waited upon you even till you had tired out my Patience, and I ſaw there was no Remedy? And do you now charge your not returning to your Duty upon your Hopeleſneſs of Pardon for your former Rebellions? 'Tis true, Lord, we cannot deny but thou didſt offer us Pardon; but, alas, it was upon an impoſſible Condition, even upon a hearty Repentance, and a thorough Reformation, which thou kneweſt we were not then able to perform. For by p. 253a long Cuſtom of Rebellion againſt thee, we had contracted ſo many inveterate evil Habits, which had ſo weaken'd and debilitated our Powers, that we were no more able to reform and amend our ſelves than the Leopard is to change his Spots, or the Aethiopian his Skin: To what Purpoſe then ſhould we attempt Impoſſibilities, or ſet our ſelves to wreſtle with Difficulties which we knew we wre never able to ſurmount? But pray, how did you know that it was impoſſible for you to repent when by all the Arguments I uſed with you, I could never perſuade you to make Trail of it? You know in your own Conſciences that there are many things that you could do; you could have betaken your ſelves to a ſerious Conſideration of the Duties and Motives of Religion; you could have attended, and abſtained at leaſt from the outward Acts of Sin, and humbly implored my Grace and Aſſiſtance; and that to encourage you to do this, and what elſe was in your Power, I gave you the moſt ample Aſſurance in the World that I would back and enforce your Endeavours with the Aids of my Grace, and in deſpite of all oppoſition crown them with Succeſs. So that though by your own ſingle Strength indeed you could never have effected your Repentance, yet it was far from being impoſſible to you, ſince you knew that by doing what was in your power, you ſhould infallibly oblige me to enable you to do all the reſt. But, bleſſed Lord, what Encouragement had we to repent and return to our Duty? for if we had done it, we muſt have bid adieu for ever to all thoſe Pleaſures and Delights by which we were invited and detained in the Service of our Luſts; and Thou p. 254offered'ſt us nothing in exchange for them, but only Sighs and Tears, with other ungrateful Rigours of a bitter and ſevere Repentance. How then canſt thou blame our Diſobedience againſt thee, when we had ſo many inviting Temptations to it, and ſo little Encouragement to the contrary? O prodigious Impudence! with what Face can you aſſert ſuch a notorious Falſhood when you know in your own Conſciences that beſides all thoſe Pleaſures that are connatural to my Service, and which do vaſtly exceed all the Pleaſures of Sin, I laid an immortal Crown at your Feet, and faithfully promiſed you that if you would but ſpend a ſhort Life in my Service, I would at the End of it receive you into that bliſsful State where you ſhould be happy beyond all your Wiſhes, and to the utmoſt Capacity of your Nature; where you ſhould live with God and Angels in the moſt rapturous Exerciſe of everlaſting Love and Joy, which one would have thought had been ſufficient to recompence you for thoſe ſilly Pleaſures for whoſe ſake you deſerted me and my Service. But ſince you have trampled upon all my Offers, and would by no means be perſwaded by all thoſe mighty Tenders I have made you, Go ye deſervedly curſed into ever— Hold, Lord, we beſeech thee, and before thou paſſeſt thy irrevocable Doom upon us, hear this laſt Petition we ſhall make for our ſelves: We now confeſs that we are fully convinc'd (and O that we had underſtood it ſooner!) what infinite Reaſon we had to adhere to thee and thy Service. It is our Miſery that theſe things were not ſooner diſcover'd to us, or at leaſt that they were not ſo clearly diſcovered as to convince and perſwade us. Had we p. 255but known what we now know, we would never have deſerted thee as we did; and therefore we beſeech thee have Pity upon our Ignorance, and impute not to our Wills the Faults of our Ʋnderſtandings, which are not in our Power to remedy. Why, is this the utmost that you can plead for your ſelves? Have I not told you all theſe things before-hand as plainly as Words could expreſs them? Have I not inſtituted an Order of Men in my Church to explain theſe things to you, and to put you in mind of them? So that whatever you pretend, you could not but know and underſtand them; or if you did not, it was becauſe you would not. And if you would wilfully ſhut your Eyes againſt the Light, it was your own Fault that you did not ſee, and you may thank your ſelves for the Conſequents of it. I plainly told you where your Wickedneſs would end, and unleſs you were wilfully blind you could not but ſee what the Event of your Sin would prove, even while you were committing it; and you know in your own Conſciences that this fearful Doom, which now you deprecate, you were fairly warned of when you might have eaſily avoided it by a timely Submiſſion but you would not. And ſeeing you would be ſo mad as to reject Heaven when it lay before you, and leap into Hell with your Eyes open, your Blood be upon your own Heads. For I have tried all the Arts of Love, and Methods of Kindneſs to reclaim you; and ſince you have render'd them all ineffectual, what remains but that you depart from me, like accurſed Wretches as you are, into that everlaſting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels.

p. 256And now, I beſeech you, do not your own Conſciences conſent to the Juſtice and Righteouſneſs of this Procedure? Is there any tolerable Plea you can urge at the Judgment-Seat of Jeſus Chriſt which here hath not been fully anſwered? And if ſo, how inexcuſable ſhall we be when we come to plead our own Cauſe in the great Aſſembly of Spirits? For when theſe Aggravations of our Diſobedience ſhall be laid open, our Guilt will apear ſo foul and monſtrous that we ſhall doubtleſs be condemned by the unanimous Vote of all the Reaſonable World; and as ſoon as the great Judge hath paſs'd his Sentence upon us, our own Conſciences will be forc'd to eccho, Juſt and righteous art thou, O Lord, in all thy Ways. Wherefore as we would not be found inexcuſably guilty when we come to plead for our Lives before the Tribunal of our Saviour, let us all be perſwaded to return to his Service, and faithfully to continue in it, that ſo inſtead of Goye curſed, we may hear from his Mouth that welcome Approbation, Well done good and profitable Servants, enter into the Joy of your Maſter.

III. I come now the laſt Propoſition in the Text, viz. And we beheld his Glory, the Glory as of the only Son of the Father. In handling of which I ſhall do theſe two Things:

1. Explain to you what this Glory of the Word was which the Apoſtle tells us they beheld.

2. Shew you that it was the Glory as of the only begotten Son of the Father.

1. What was the Glory of the Word, which the Apoſtle tells us they beheld? I anſwer in general, p. 257By this Glory here muſt be underſtood ſomething that is reſemblant to the Glory of his dwelling in the Tabernacle; becauſe, as I have already ſhewed you, the Apoſtle ſeems plainly to refer it, in that he doth not only tell us that the Word tabernacled among us, which alludes to his Tabernacling among the Jews; but he alſo tells us, that they ſaw his Glory, which alludes to that Glory of the Lord which the Jews beheld in that ancient Tabernacle. Since therefore the Apoſtle mentions this Glory of the Word Incarnate, by way of Alluſion to the Glory of his Divine Preſence in the Tabernacle, it muſt neceſſarily bear ſome Reſemblance or Proportion to it; becauſe elſe it would be no proper Alluſion. The beſt Way therefore for us to diſcover what this Glory of Chriſt was which they beheld, is to conſider wherein the Glory of the Divine Preſence in the Tabernacle did chiefly diſcover it ſelf; and that, you ſhall find was in theſe four Things: Firſt, In a bright and luminous. Appearance. Secondly, In exerting of an extraordinary Power. Thirdly, In giving Laws and Oracles. Fourthly, In ſenſible Significations of its own immaculate Sanctity and Purity. And in Proportion and Correſpondence to theſe, the Glory of the Word Incarnate alſo muſt conſiſt in theſe four Things:

1ſt. In the viſible Splendor and Brightneſs with which his Perſon was arrayed at his Baptiſm, and more eſpecially at his Transfiguration.

2dly. In Thoſe great and ſtupendous Miracles that he wrought in the Courſe of his Miniſtry.

3dly. In the incomparable Purity and Goodneſs of his Life.

p. 2584thly. In the ſurpaſſing Excellency, and Divinity of his Doctrine.

1ſt. That Glory of the Word which St. John and the Apoſtles beheld, conſiſted in that viſible Splendor and Brightneſs with which his Perſon was arrayed at his Baptiſm, and more eſpecially at his Tranfiguration; in Reſemblance to that viſible Splendor and Brightneſs in which he appeared in the Moſaick Tabernacle, where it is frequently ſaid that the Glory of the Lord abode and appeared; as you may ſee Exod. 24.16. & 40.34. Which Glory t's evident diſcovered its ſelf in an extraordinary viſible Splendor that ſhone from between the Cherubims, and diffuſed it ſelf thence all over that ſacred Habitation. And accordingly in Ezek. 43.2. it is ſaid, that the Glory of the God of Iſrael came from the Way of the Eaſt, and the Earth ſhone with his Glory; which denotes that it was extraordinary bright and luminous ſince the Earth ſhone with the very Reflection of it. And in this ſame glorious Splendor was Chriſt arrayed firſt at his Baptiſm, and afterwards at his Transfiguration. For at his Baptiſm it is ſaid, that the Heavens were open'd unto him, and that he ſaw the Spirit of God deſcending like a Dove, and lighting upon him, Matth. 3.16. where by the Holy Ghoſt's deſcending like a Dove, it is not neceſſary we ſhould underſtand his deſcending in the Shape or Form of a Dove, but that in ſome glorious Form or Appearance he deſcended in the ſame manner as a Dove deſcends; and therefore St. Luke expreſſes it thus, And the Holy Ghoſt deſcended in a bodily Shape like a Dove upon him, Luke 3.22. that is, he deſcended in ſome very glorious and p. 259viſible Appearance, in the ſame Manner as Doves are wont to deſcend when they come down from the Skes, and pitch upon the Earth. But what that Shape was in which he appeared, is not here expreſſed; but that which ſeems to be moſt probable is this, that the Holy Ghoſt aſſuming a Body of Light, or ſurrounded as it were with a Guard of Angels appearing in luminous Forms, came down from above juſt as a Dove with his Wings Spread forth is obſerved to do, and lighted upon our Saviour's Head; and the Reaſon why I think ſo, is this, both becauſe where-ever any mention is made of God's, or the Holy Ghoſt's appearing in an indefinite Form, it is always in a Body of Light and viſible Splendor, of which I have given you ſundry Inſtances; and alſo becauſe it ſeems to have been a very early Tradition in the Church that it was in a very glorious Appearance of Light that the Holy Ghoſt came down upon our Saviour: And therefore in the Goſpel of the Nazarens, as Grotius obſerves, it's ſaid that upon the Holy Ghoſts Deſcent, foreign, immediately a great Light ſhone round about the Place; and Juſtin Martyr, ſpeaking of our Saviour's Baptiſm, ſaith expreſly, foreign, that there was a Fire lighted in the River Jordan; that is, the Water, immediately after he was baptized in it, ſeemed to be all on Fire by the Reflection of that bright and flaming Appearance in which the Holy Ghoſt deſcended upon him; ſo that while he wore this Crown of viſible Light, his Head, as the Painters are wont to expreſs it, was circled round with the Rays of that Glory in which he was wont to appear from between the Cherubims. And this Glory p. 260of his was queſtionleſs ſeen by many of the Apoſtles, who were ſundry of them Diſciples to John the Baptiſt, and ſo may reaſonably be ſuppoſed to be preſent at the Baptiſm of our Saviour.

And as for his Transfiguration upon Mount Tabor, it is ſaid, that upon it his Face did ſhine as the Sun, and that his Raiment was white as the Light; or as St. Luke expreſſes it, foreign; that is, his Raiment was like the Whiteneſs of a Flaſh of Lightning, Luke 9.29. So that from Head to Foot he was all inrobed in a viſible Glory, and covered with all that Brightneſs, and dazling Splendor in which he was wont to appear in the Tabernacle of Moſes. And accordingly you have mention made of a Cloud that over-ſhadowed the three Diſciples, whilſt Jeſus remained in his Tranſfiguration, which is exactly agreeable with that Cloud that covered the Tabernacle of Moſes, whilſt the Glory of the Lord filled it, as you may fee Exod. 40.34. And that this glorious Transfiguration was a Part of that Glory of the Word which St. John here ſays they beheld, is evident, becauſe himſelf was one of the three Diſciples that were Eye-Witneſſes of this glorious Scene, and it is expreſly ſaid of him and his Brethren, that they ſaw his Glory, and the two Men that ſtood with him. Luke 9.32.

2dly. This Glory which they ſaw conſiſted in thoſe great and ſtupendous Miracles that He wrought in the Courſe of his Miniſtry, in Proportion to that extraordinary Power in which the Glory of the Divine Preſence diſcovered it ſelf in the Tabernacle of Moſes. For thus we find that it was from the Tabernacle that God exerted all the miraculous p. 261Power by which he puniſhed the Rebellions of the Jews, and wrought thoſe miraculous Deliverances from them. 'Twas fromthe Tabernacle that he commanded the Earth to open, and ſwallow up Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, and that he ſent forth that devouring Fire which conſumed their Two hundred and fifty Accomplices. 'Twas from the Tabernacle that he ſmote the falſe Spies with the Plague, and ſent forth an Army of fiery Serpents to deſtroy the murmuring Iſraelites. 'Twas by his Preſence in the Tabernacle that he conducted them through the Wilderneſs, and drave their Enemies before them; that he divided the River Jordan to open them a Paſſage into Canaan, and made the Wall of Jericho to fall flat at the Blaſts of a few Rams-horns. And upon the Account of this Miraculous Power which he exerted from the Tabernacle, the Ark that was contained in it, and was the ſpecial Seat of his Preſence, is called the Ark of his ſtrength, Pſal. 132.8. and God is ſaid to ſend them help from his Sanctuary, and to ſtrengthem them out of Sion, where the Ark was repoſited in the Sanctuary of the temple, Pſal. 20.2. Thus alſo thoſe Words are to be underſtood, Pſal. 80.2. Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manaſſeh, ſtir up thy ſtrength, and come and help us; becauſe the Ark, from whence God was wont to put forth his Strength in ſaving of that People, marched immediately before theſe three Tribes. And this was very well underſtood both by the Iſraelites and the Philiſtines; for when the Philiſtines had overthrown them, they deſired that the Ark of the Lord might be fetched out of Shiloh, that ſo when it came among them it might ſave them out of the Hands of their p. 262Enemies, 1 Sam. 4.3. And when the Philiſtines underſtood that the Ark was brought into their Camp, they were fore afraid, and cryed out, God is come into the Camp: Wo unto us; who ſhall deliver us out of the hands of theſe mighty Gods? Theſe are the Gods that ſmote the Egyptians with all the Plagues in the Wilderneſs, v. 7, 8. From whence it is evident that they both look'd upon the Tabernacle as the Seat of God's miraculous Power, and this miraculous Power is called the Glory of God; for thus when the Ark was taken by the Philiſtines, it is ſaid that God delivered his Strength into Captivity, and his Glory into the Enemies hand, Pſ. 78.61. and his Glory, and the Miracles that he wrought from the Tabernacle in the Wilderneſs, are mentioned as Synonimous Terms, Numb. 14.22. Becauſe all theſe Men have ſeen my Glory, and my Miracles which I did in Egypt, and in the Wilderneſs, &c. So that it's evident, that he exerted his miraculous Power from the Tabernacle, and that this miraculous Power was his Glory.

And conſonantly hereunto it was from the Tabernacle of Humane Nature wherein he dwelt, that the Eternal Word exerted that miraculous Power whereby he cured the Sick, calmed the Sea, and raiſed the Dead, vanquiſhed the Devils, and wrought all his miraculous Works, which were ſo many and ſo great that they raviſhed his Friends with Joy to behold them, and ſtruck Terror and Amazement into his Enemies; for ſo it is ſaid, that they were all amazed at the mighty Power of God that was in him, Luke 9.43. And that when they ſaw how the Devils trembled, and fled before him, they marvelled, ſaying, It was never ſo ſeen in Iſrael, Matth. 9.33. So that by their own Confeſſion, that p. 263miraculous Power which he exerted in the Tabernacle of Humane Nature did far exceed that miraculous Power which he exerciſed in the Tabernacle of Moſes. And this miraculous Power of his is alſo expreſly called his Glory, Joh. 2.11. This beginning of Miracles did Jeſus in Cana of Galilee, and manifeſted forth his Glory, and his Diſciples believed on him. So that as his miraculous Power was called his Glory when he tabernacled among the Jews, ſo it was alſo when he tabernacled in Humane Nature, and ſo by conſequence this alſo was a Part of that Glory of his which his Apoſtles ſaw while he dwelt among them.

3dly. This Glory which they ſaw conſiſted alſo in the ſurpaſſing Excellency and Divinity of his Doctrine, agreeably to that Expreſſion of his glorious Preſence in the Old Tabernacle, viz. his giving Laws and Oracles to the Iſraelites. For thus we find that God told Moſes, that he would meet him in the Tabernacle, and commune with him of all things, which he would give him in Commandment to the Children of Iſrael, Exod. 25.22. And, Numb. 7.89. you have the manner of his Communing with them deſcribed; for when Moſes, ſaith he, went into the Tabernacle, he heard the Voice of one ſpeaking unto him from off the Mercy-Seat that was upon the Ark, from between the two Cherubims. For Chriſt, as I have formerly ſhewed you, being the civil Prince or Sovereign of the Jews, the Cherubims were the Throne upon which he ſat, and from whence he gave Laws and Directions for the Adminiſtration of the Affairs of his Kingdom: And accordingly he is ſaid to dwell between the Cherubims, Pſ. 99.1. and to ride upon the Cherubims, 2 Sam. 22.11. and the Sanctuary wherein the Cherubims p. 264were ſeated, is expreſly called the Throne of the Lord, Jerem. 17.12. becauſe here it was that he ſat in all his Majeſty, and gave forth his Laws and Ordinances to the Kingdom of iſrael. And this was an eminent Expreſſion of the Glory of his Preſence among them, becauſe hereby he aſſerted his Sovereign Authority, and did publickly challenge to himſelf that Right to his glorious Power which from all Eternity was inherent in him. And hence the Apoſtle calls the giving thoſe Divine Laws and Oracle a glorious Miniſtration, and plainly aſſerts it to be an Inſtance of the Glory of the Divine Shechinah, or Preſence in the Tabernacle, when he grants that the Miniſtration of Death written and engraven in ſtone, was glorious, yea and that Miniſtration to be Glory in the Abſtract, 2 Cor. 3.7, 9.

And in Correſpondence hereunto did the Divine Word, when he tabernacled in our Natures, give forth Divine Laws and Oracles to the World; all which are yet remaining among us, and do contain in them the Subſtance of our Holy Religion; which being ſo divine and godlike, and altogether compoſed of the pureſt Laws, and moſt Heavenly Doctrines, is a moſt proper Inſtance of that Glory of the Eternal Word which the Apoſtles beheld, tho' not with the Eyes of their Bodies, yet with thoſe of their Minds. For what can be more glorious in the Eye of Reaſon than thoſe illuſtrious Diſcoveries which he hath made to us in his Goſpel of the Nature of God, and the Duty of Man, and the immortal Recompences of the World to come, in which he hath ſo far exceeded whatſoever Humane Wiſdom was able to diſcover of them, that all the Philoſophy that ever was before him muſt confeſs it p. 265ſelf eclipſed and out-ſhone by him, and all the Philoſophy that ever ſucceeded him, hath been forced to derive and borrow Light from him: And accordingly we find his Goſpel, in which his Doctrines are contained, ſtiled by the Name of the glorious Goſpel, 2 Cor. 4.4. which in Compariſon with thoſe dark and confuſed Diſcoveries which the World had formerly made, the Apoſtle reſembles to the firſt breaking forth of the Light out of the rude and obſcure Chaos, 2 Cor. 4.6. For God, ſaith he, who commanded the Light to ſhine out of Darkneſs, hath ſhined into our Hearts, to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God, in the Face of Jeſus Chriſt: where, by the Face of Jeſus Chriſt: the Apoſtle ſeems plainly to allude to that Divine Glory and Luſter with which Moſes's Face ſhone when he came down from ſeeing the Glory of God, Exod. 33.29. So that his Meaning is this, that as the Children of Iſrael with their bodily Eyes ſaw the Glory of God ſhining upon the Face of Moſes, ſo they, the Diſciples and Apoſtles of our Saviour, had far more clearly beheld with the Eyes of their Minds the Divine Glory diſplayed in his Doctrine and Miniſtry.

4thly. And laſtly, This Glory of the Eternal Word which they ſaw, conſiſted alſo in the incomparable Sanctity and Purity of his Life, ſemblably to that Expreſſion of his glorious Preſence in the Old Tabernacle, viz. the ſenſible Significations he gave of the immaculate Purity and Holineſs of his Nature. For by thoſe outward Cleanſings of all Things and Perſons that did any ways belong to the Tabernacle, or did at any time approach it, he did openly repreſent and ſignify the Purity and Sanctity p. 266of his own Nature, which being infinitely ſeparated from all manner of Impurity and Ʋncleanneſs, cannot endure that any thing that is filthy or impure ſhould approach it. For thus we read that the Tabernacle it ſelf, and all the Ʋtenſils of it, were to be purified and ſanctified with Oyl before the Entrance of the Shechinah, or Divine Preſence: So alſo the High Prieſt, the Prieſts, and the People were to be cleanſed and purified before they were ſuffered to approach the Holy Habitation; and if at any time they had contracted any of thoſe legal Uncleanneſſes that are ſpecified in the Law of Moſes, they were to be excluded from the Communion of the Congregation, and from all the Exerciſes of Publick Worſhip and Devotion, till they were cleanſed and purified again: The Intent of all which was to ſignify to that People how irreconcilable his Nature was to all Impurity and Wickedneſs, that it could not admit of the Neighbourhood of any Evil, nor dwell within any Lines of Communication with it; for this is expreſſed in the very Reaſon why theſe Legal Purifications are ſo ſtrictly required: For I the Lord your God, am holy, Levit. 19.2. For I the Lord which ſanctify you, am holy, Levit. 21.8. Plainly intimating that the Intent and Reaſon of all thoſe Ceremonial Purifications, was to ſignify to that dull and ſtupid People the immaculate Holineſs and Purity of his own Nature, which is ſo infinitely removed from any thing that is impure and unholy, that he could neither communicate with, nor endure the Approaches of it. And in this 'tis evident he placed a great Part of the Glory of his Majeſtatical Preſence in the Tabernacle, ſince a great part of that Religion which he there inſtituted p. 267was intended to ſignify the Glory of his Holineſs to them; and accordingly he is deſcribed to be glorious in Holineſs, Exod. 15.11.

And agreeably hereunto did the Eternal Word, when he tabernacled in our Natures, ſignify to the World the unſpotted Purity of his Nature by that incomparable Example of Holineſs which he gave in his Life and Converſation among us. For whereas before he expreſs'd his HOlineſs by Myſtical Types and Ceremonial Obſervances, he hath now ſignified it by a Life full of Virtue and Goodneſs, and a Converſation exactly conformable to the eternal Rules of Righteouſneſs. For, as a Creature in reſpect of his Humanity, he never failed in the leaſt Punctilio of that Duty, Homage, and Devotion which he owed to the moſt High God his Creator; as a Man, he never ſwerved either in his Paſſions or Appetites from the ſtricteſt Rules of Sobriety and Temperance; as a Member of Humane Society, he never was guilty of an unrighteous Action either towards his Superiors, Inferiors, or Equals; but all his Life was a walking Monument of Goodneſs, and his whole Converſation a moſt perfect Tranſcript of thoſe Divine and Heavenly Laws which he gave to the World. So that he was all glorious without as well as within, his Practice being a living Comment and Paraphraſe upon that immaculate Purity and Holineſs which is the Glory of his Divine Nature. This therefore was doubtleſs a Part of that Glory which the Apoſtles beheld in the Eternal Word, even that immaculate Sanctity and Holineſs of which he gave ſo many glorious Significations in the whole Courſe of his Converſation: And accodingly we find this his Purity and Holineſs deſcribed p. 268by the Name of the Glory of the Lord, 2 Cor. 3.18. But we all with open face, beholding as in a Glaſs the Glory of the Lord, are changed into the ſame Image, from Glory to Glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord: Where it's plain that by the Glory of the Lord, muſt be meant his Holineſs; becauſe it is into the Image of that that we are transformed. So that the meaning of the Words is this, we all beholding the Holineſs of Chriſt, which is his Glory, in the Glaſs of his Doctrine and incomparable Example, are transformed into the Likeneſs of it; and do gradually paſs on from one Degree of this Glory of his Holineſs to another, under the Conduct and Aſſiſtance of the Spirit of Chriſt.

And ſo I have done with the firſt thing propoſed, which was to ſhew you what that Glory of Chriſt was which the Aopoſtle here tells us they beheld.

2. I now proceed to the ſecond Branch of my Diſcourſe, which was to ſhew you that this was the Glory as of the only begotten Son of the Father; But before we proceed to the Proof of it, it will be neceſſary to explain this Phraſe, foreign the Glory as of the only begotten Son. Which Word, foreign, or as, is in Scripture taken two Ways, ſometimes as a Note of Similitude or Compariſon; ſo Mat. 6.10, Thy Will be done in Earth, foreign, as it is in Heaven; that is, like as it is in Heaven; and if we take it in this Senſe, then the Meaning of the Words muſt be this, And we beheld his Glory which was like unto the Glory of the only begotten Son of the Father; that is, like unto that Glory in which the only begotten Son was wont to appear when he p. 269dwelt in the Tabernacle, and converſed with the antient Patriarchs. And in this Senſe I have ſhewed you already how it was as the Glory of the only begotten Son, by ſhewing you the great Agreement and Similitude there was between the Glory of Chriſt when he dwelt in the Tabernacle of Moſes, and in the Tabernacle of our Nature. And when I conſider how plainly this Text doth allude to the Shechinah or Divine Preſence of the Word in that antient Tabernacle, I am very much induced to think that we ought not to exclude this Senſe of it, namely, that as he dwelt in the Tabernacle of our Nature, like as he dwelt in the Tabernacle of Moſes; ſo that Glory of his which they beheld in the Tabernacle of our Nature, was like unto that Glory in which he appeared in the ancient Tabernacle.

But then this Word foreign, is ſometimes alſo taken for a Note of Confirmation. So Pſal. 73.1. foreign, Truly God is good to Iſrael. And thus St. Chryſoſtome underſtands it here, foreign, &c. It is not a Note of Similitude and Compariſon, but of Confirmation and unqueſtionable Diſtinction; as if the Evangeliſt had ſaid, we ſaw his Glory, ſuch as became and was fit for the only begotten and truly natural Son of God. For my Part, I ſee no Reaſon why the Words may not be fairly underſtood in both Senſes, ſince they are no Ways oppoſite to, nor inconſiſtent with one another; and if ſo, then this muſt be the Meaning of the Words; We behold his Glory which was like unto that Glory in which the only begotten Son appeared in the old Tabernacle, and which was ſuch as was every Way becoming the only begotten Son to appear in. The firſt p. 270of which Senſes I have proved to you already, that the Glory of Chriſt in the Tabernacle of our Natures was like unto his Glory in the Tabernacle of Moſes; and therefore now I ſhall only prove the ſecond, that it was ſuch as became and was every Way worthy of the only begotten Son of the Father; and this I doubt not will plainly appear by conſidering the ſeveral Particulars of it.

1ſt. That viſible Splendor and Brightneſs in which he appeared at his Baptiſm and Transfiguration, was ſuch as became him, and was worthy of him. For in all Probability, that Splendor conſiſted of Angelical Beings, clothed in bright and luminous Bodies; becauſe, as I have formerly proveed to you, that Brightneſs in which he appeared upon the Mount, and which he diſplayed from between the Cherubims, was nothing elſe but thoſe Angels of Light, or miniſtring Spirits which he made to appear as Flames of Fire round about him; and therefore that Train of Angels whom Eſay ſaw filling the Temple, Eſay 6.1. our Saviour calls the Glory of the Lord, Jo. 12.41. that is, that viſible Glory in which the Lord appear'd from between the Cherubims. And if that viſible Glory conſiſted in a Train of Angels appearing in glorious Forms, then there is no doubt but that viſible Glory of our Saviour at his Baptiſm and Transfiguration was the ſame; ſince, as I have already ſhewed you, it is deſcribed by the ſame Name, and in the ſame Manner of Appearance; and if ſo, how well did it become the only begotten Son to be ſurrounded with the illuſtrious Guards of his Father's Court, and attended on with thoſe high-born Spirits, whoſe Office it is to miniſter before the Throne of the p. 271moſt High? For never was the moſt glorious Potentate upon Earth, attended with ſuch a ſplendid Train and Retinue, the meaneſt of which was far more illuſtrious than the greateſt and moſt high-born Monarch in the World. So that as the moſt High God did, by a Voice from Heaven, both at his Baptiſm and Transfiguration, declare him to be his beloved Son; ſo by the glorious Train of Attendants he ſent in him, he manifeſted the Truth of his Declaration; for we muſt needs ſuppoſe him to be the Son of the moſt High, when we ſee the moſt glorious Beings in all the Creation, ſo willingly ſubmit themſelves to his Service and Attendance: And when we ſee the moſt High adorning his Outſide with the luminous Bodies of Angels, we may reaſonably conclude that there was a Divinity within, and that the Jewel was God, becauſe the Casket was Angels. But whatſoever this glorious Splendor was in which he was clothed at his Baptiſm and Transfiguration, it was apparently ſuch as very well became the only begotten Son, not only becauſe, as the Philoſopher ſaith, that if God would ever take upon him a Body, it would be certainly Light, which is a Veſtment moſt ſuitable to his Glory and Majeſty; but alſo becauſe that miraculous Splendor was an infallible Token of the Preſence of the Divinity in him; for it never was but where God was preſent; and therefore it is called the Glory of God, it being the inſeparable Concomitant of his more peculiar Reſidence. For thus, as I have ſhewed you upon the Mount and in the Tabernacle, it was a viſible Demonſtration of the ſpecial Preſence of the inviſible God, and whereſoever in all the Old Teſtament, any Mention is made of its Appearance, p. 272you ſhall find that there God himſelf did peculiarly reſide: And therefore it is not to be imagined that God would have communicated to our Saviour, this inſeparable Token of his own Preſence, unleſs the Divinity had reſided in him. For Jeſus Chriſt was the only Perſon upon whom this viſible Glory deſcended; never did the Hand of Heaven put forth ſuch a Robe and Diadem of Glory upon any perſon in the World, as this which our Saviour wore at his Baptiſm and Transfiguration, which plainly denotes that he was the only Perſon in whom the Divinity was ſubſtantially united, and did eſſentially dwell. So that as this viſible Glory was a certain Token of God's peculiar Reſidence in the Tabernacle and Temple, ſo it was alſo of his ſpecial Preſence in Chriſt; for the Hiſtory of his Baptiſm tells us, that it did not only make a tranſient Appearance, but that it remained on him, ſignifying that the Divinity, whoſe Preſence was denoted by it, had made him his Habitation and Place of conſtant Abode. For though that viſible Glory after ſome Time diſappeared and went off from him, yet the Thing ſignified by it, viz. the Divine Preſence, always remained in him; for by that outward Glory he was clearly manifeſted to be the Holy One of God, the Tabernacle and Sanctuary in which God was, and where he had taken up his Reſidence for ever, that his Humane Nature was that ſacred TEmple where the Divinity intended to dwell, and from whence for the the future he would deliver all his Oracles, and communicate all his Bleſſings to Mankind. So that in this Reſpect this viſible Glory was ſuch as highly became the only begotten Son, becauſe it plainly p. 273denoted that the Fulneſs of the God-head dwelt bodily in him, and had choſen him for his Habitation for ever; and therefore John Baptiſt tells us, that though he knew him not, yet this God had revealed to him, Ʋpon whom thou ſhalt ſee the Spirit deſcending and remaining on him, the ſame is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghoſt. And I ſaw and bear Record that it was the Son of God, Joh. 1.33, 34. where you may obſerve, that though it was revealed to him only that he was the Perſon that ſhould baptize with the Holy Ghoſt, upon whom the Spirit deſcended, yet he bare Record alſo that this Perſon was the Son of God, rationally concluding that this viſible Glory, which was ſuch an infallible Token of the ſpecial Preſence of the Divinity, was never to be communicated to any but the Son of God. And it is very obſervable, that at both theſe Times, when our Saviour was arrayed in this glorious Splendor, he is declared by a Voice from Heaven to be the Son of God, it being the Father's Intention at once to manifeſt him to be his Son both by Word and Deed; and at the ſame time, when he declared him to be his Son, to array him in ſuch a Glory as became the Dignity of his Perſon.

2dly. The great and ſtupendous Miracles that he wrought were ſuch as became his only begotten Son. 'Tis true, it cannot be denied but ſeveral Miracles have been wrought by meer Men, they being authorized by God, and aſſiſted by his Almighty Power; but ſo many and ſo great as our Saviour wrought were never performed by any Mortal. For as to the Number of them, they were more than ever were wrought by Moſes and all the Prophets together; for, beſides thoſe that are recorded, p. 274which were all performed within the Space of four Years at moſt, St. John tells us, that he wrought ſo many that the World could not contain the Records of them, Joh. 21.25. which though it be an Hyperbolical Expreſſion, yet denotes thus much at leaſt, that the Number of them was ſo great that they were almoſt innumerable. And as to the GReatneſs of them, they did apparently exceed all that ever were wrought before in the World. For he did not only raiſe the Dead, but he raiſed himſelf alſo after he had been barbarouſly murdered by his Enemies. He made the Winds and Sea obey him, and with the Word of his Mouth vanquiſhed the Devils, and drave them from their Habitations, and forc'd them againſt their Wills, and their Intereſt to acknowledge him to be the Son of God. And whereas the Miracles of Moſes and the Prophets were moſt of them noxious, they being Acts of Divine Vengeance upon the Wicked and Ʋngodly, and conſequently more apt to terrify than to oblige thoſe that beheld them; the Miracles of our Saviour were all of them Expreſſions of his unfeigned Love and Good-Will to the World. For among all that vaſt Number of wondrous Works that he wrought, there is not one to be found by which any Man was ever prejudiced, unleſs it was his diſmiſſing the Devils into the Swine of the Gadarens, which without all doubt he did in Kindneſs and Good-will to the Owners; who being ſo cruel to themſelves as to prefer their Swine before their Saviour, it was great Charity and Mercy to deprive them of that which was ſo apparent a Hindrance to their Enjoyment of a far greater Good. So that all his wondrous Works were nothing but p. 275Acts of Kindneſs and Beneficence; for he went about doing Good, curing all that were poſſeſſed with the Devil, and healing all manner of Diſeaſes. And whereas none of thoſe that wrought Miracles before him could ever pretend to perform them by any immanent Power of their own, but had only a tranſient Power given them for the preſent Miracle, which they either obtained from God upon their Prayers and Supplications, or was given by God for the Execution of his own Will and Command; the bleſſed Jeſus had this Power ſubjected and abiding in him, ſo that he could exert it when, and where, and as often as he pleaſed; and whether he were abſent or preſent, with the Word of his Mouth he could do what he would; yea, and many times he performed his wondrous Works without any Word or Sign intervening, even by a ſilent Virtue proceeding from that miraculous Power with which he was endued; and of all his Miracles there is only one which he performed upon Prayer and Supplication to his Father, and that was his raiſing Lazarus from the Dead, the Reaſon of which he himſelf gives, Joh. 11.42. Becauſe of the People which ſtand by, that they may believe that thou haſt ſent me: Intimating that he did not offer up this Prayer to his Father with deſign to obtain of him a new Power of working Miracles, which he was already endued with in an abundant meaſure; but that hereby I might ſignify to the People how acceptable I am to thee, and let them ſee that I do all my Works in thy Name. And that he had this Power, is evident in that he did ſo plentifully communicate it to his Apoſtles and Followers, which neither Moſes or the Prophets were p. 276ever able to do. For thus, Luke 10.19. he expreſly tells his Seventy Diſciples, Behold, I give you power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions; and ſo alſo when he diſmiſſed his Twelve Apoſtles into Judea, Matth. 10.8. he bids them, Go, heal the Sick, cleanſe the Lepers, raiſe the Dead, caſt out Devils; for freely ye have received, ſaith he, and therefore freely give. From all which it is apparent how far the miraculous Works of our Saviour did exceed all thoſe that ever were done before him; and being ſo great and excellent, ſo far tranſcending all that ever was done by any Mortal, they plainly demonſtrated him to be the Son of God, and very well became the Dignity of his Perſon. For how could he have done all theſe mighty Things by a Power immanent in himſelf, had he not been the Son of an Omnipotent Father? And in what more becoming Way could he have expreſſed that Omnipotent Power which he derived from his Father, than in thoſe aſtoniſhing Miracles of Love which he wrought in the World?

3dly. The excellent and divine Doctrine which he taught was ſuch as became the only begotten Son. For certainly if we conſider the excellent Frame and Contrivance of the Chriſtian Religion, we cannot but confeſs it to be moſt Divine and Godlike, moſt worthy of that infinite Wiſdom and Goodneſs from whence it was derived. For Religion in general is the means of advancing Rational Beings to that Perfection and Happineſs for which the great Creator hath deſigned and intended them; and certainly never was there any Religion in the World more adapted to advance this noble Deſign of God than that which our Saviour hath taught: p. 277For as for its Agenda, what it requires to be done' they all conſiſt in acting reaſonably, and according to the Dignity of our Nature, in thinking, ſpeaking, and practiſing; in loving and hating, diſiring and delighting, hoping and fearing, as becomes Reaſonable Beings placed in our Condition and Circumſtances; and do require nothing of us but that we ſhould regulate our Practice by the Rules of Right Reaſon, and direct all our Faculties and Affections to their proper Ends and Objects; and when we come to this Pitch, always to think that which is moſt reaſonable, and always to practiſe what we think ſo, then we are advanced to the topmoſt Round of our Perfection, in which is founded the utmoſt Happineſs we are capable of: So that in all the Courſe of our Chriſtian Practice we are in a direct Progreſſion and Tendency towards our Perfection and Happineſs. And as for the Credenda of Chriſtianity, the Doctrines it requires us to believe, they are all of them pregnant with the moſt ſtrong and vehement Motives to engage us to the Practice of what it enjoins; Motives that have ſuch a Potent, I had almoſt ſaid Omnipotent Force in them, that 'tis impoſſible for any Man heartily to believe, and throughly to weigh and conſider them, and not be effectually perſwaded by them! Since therefore it was ſo highly convenient that the Son of God in Perſon ſhould come down from Heaven among us, that ſo the Dignity of his Perſon might give Authority to that Religion by which the World was to be governed; and ſince he did come down upon this honourable Errand, it was impoſſible for him to have taught any Doctrine that could more effectually have promoted the great p. 278End of Religion, or more fully expreſſed his infinite Wiſdom, and Goodneſs, and Zeal for the Welfare of the Souls of Men, htan that which is contained in the Chriſtian Religion, which is every way ſo adapted to make Men good and happy, ſo accommodated to the Nature and Condition of Mankind, that there is nothing could better become the only begotten Son to teach in the World, or that could be more worthy of all thoſe infinite Perfections that are lodged in his Nature, and do ſpeak him to be the moſt genuine Offſpring of the moſt High. For ſo excellent was his Doctrine, that his very Enemies were aſtoniſhed at the Wiſdom that was given him, Mark 6.2, 3. and wondred at the gracious Words that proceeded out of his Mouth, Luke 4.22. Well therefore might he ſay of himſelf, I am the Light of the World, he that followeth me ſhall not walk in Darkneſs, but ſhall have the Light of Life, Joh. 8.12.

4thly. And laſtly, The incomparable Sanctity and Purity of his Life was ſuch as very well became the only begotten Son. For as it was highly convenient that he ſhould come down into the World, and in his own Perſon teach us that Religion by which he intended to govern us, that thereby he might ſtamp it with a more awful Authority; ſo to render it more fucceſsful, it was no leſs convenient that he ſhould come down in our Natures, that therein he might be capable of practiſing what he taught us, and ſetting us an Example of what he would have us to do, that ſo we might ſee that he enjoined nothing upon us but what was practicable, and what did become the moſt glorious Perſon that ever did aſſume our Natures; that thereby we might be p. 279encouraged to our Duty, and animated with a noble Emulation of treading in his bleſſed Footſteps. Since therefore all this was ſo highly convenient, and the Son of God in Compliance with this Convenience did actually aſſume our Nature, it was impoſſible for him to lead a Life that better comported with this Deſign of his Incarnation, or better became the Dignity and Excellency of his Perſon than he did. For now that he was become a Man, he was obliged to act ſuitably to his Nature; and ſhould he have done any thing that was unſuitable to the State and Circumſtances of his Nature, he would not have acted becoming himſelf. So that it was highly convenient that he ſhould become a Man, and being a Man it was indiſpenſably neceſſary that he ſhould live like a wiſe and a good Man in the Condition and Relations wherein he was placed, and nothing could be more worthy of or becoming him, then ſo to do, though he was ſtill the only begotten Son of the Father. For it is the Glory of God himſelf that he always acts moſt reaſonably according to the State and Relations of a God; and therefore when God becomes Man by aſſuming our Nature to his own, it is his Glory to act moſt reaſonably in the State and Relations of a Man. And thus did the bleſſed Jeſus do in the whole Courſe of his Converſation upon Earth; for his Life was a moſt exact Pattern of all humane Virtues, in which all that is ornamental to humane Nature was repreſented in its faireſt Colours: There you may ſee a fair Example of the moſt ardent Love to, and conſtant Dependance upon God, of the moſt profound Humility, and perfect Reſignation to his Heavenly Will. There you may behold the Moderation of p. 280Humane Paſſions and Appetites ſet forth to the Life, and fairly delineated in its moſt exquiſite Perfections; in a word, there you will find Loyalty and Submiſſion to Superiors, Fidelity and Juſtice to Equals, Courteſy and Candor, and Condeſcention to Inferiors, univerſal Love, and an unbounded Charity to all practiſed to the Height and Exactneſs; and which way ſoever you turn your Eyes on this fair Monument of Virtues, you can diſcover nothing but what is lovely and adorable, and infinitely becoming the only begotten Son of the Father.

Having thus explained and demonſtrated the Propoſition to you, I ſhall conclude with theſe four Inferences from this four-fold Glory of the Word which they ſaw.

1. They ſaw the glorious Splendor which inveſted his Perſon at his Baptiſon and Transfiguration: From whence I infer his Deputation from the moſt High God, and Father of all Things, to be his Repreſentative and Vice-Roy in the Chriſtian Church. For this viſible Glory with which he was inveſted, was always the peculiar Character of the immediate Repreſentative of God; and therefore by way of Appropriation it is called the Glory of God, and the Glory of the Lord; and whereſover God, as Supream Monarch and Governor, is repreſented as reſiding and taking up his Royal Habitation, there you always find him diſplaying himſelf in this viſible Glory and Splendor. Thus when by the Eternal Word he was repreſented among the Jews as their ſupreme Lord and Governor, he always manifeſted his Majeſtick Preſence among them by ſome bright and ſhining Appearance; the firſt Inſtance of which was his Appearance to Moſes from out of p. 281the burning Buſh upon Mount Sinai, where he firſt acted under God the Father as Sovereign King of Iſrael in commiſſioning Moſes to be their Captain and Leader out of Egypt; for here it is ſaid, that he appeared in a flame of fire, Exod. 3.2. that is, in a viſible Glory that reſembled the Brightneſs of a Flame of Fire. For this Mountain he had choſen for the Seat and Throne fo his Majeſtical Reſidence, from whence he intended to give Laws to Iſrael, and to exert his Royal Dominion over them; and therefore here he appears in that viſible Glory which was always the Character of the divine King, and immediate Repreſentative of God to that People. And indeed if that be true which Joſephus tells us, this Mountain was looked upon as the Habitation of God long before ever Moſes came thither; for therefore, ſays Joſephus, did Moſes drive his Father Jethro's Flock thither to feed, becauſe of all other Places it moſt abounded with Paſture,Joſ. Antiq l. 2. p. 60. foreign; that is, becauſe it was famed that God dwelt there, which was the Reaſon that the Shepherds never durſt to drive their Flocks thither, becauſe of the Sacredneſs of the Place. And if this Report were true, then it ſeems this Mountain was the Seat of the Royal Reſidence of the Eternal Word before ever Moſes came thither, and conſequently the Glory and Brightneſs in which Moſes ſaw him appear, was nothing but the Diſplay of his Majeſtick Preſence which did there make its ordinary Abode. But whether that he true or falſe, it's moſt plain and apparent that whereſoever he appeared p. 282as the King of Iſrael, or Repreſentative of God to them, he always clothed himſelf in a viſible Glory and Splendor. Thus he appeared to them in a Pillar of Fire, that is, in a moſt bright and luminous Form, when he conducted them thro' the Red-Sea, and the Wilderneſs; and when he came down upon Mount Sinai to give the Law to them, it's ſaid that the Glory in which they beheld him was like devouring fire, Exod. 24.17. that is, it was unſpeakably bright and refulgent, even like that of a moſt intenſe and vehement Fire; and in all this radiant Glory did he diſplay himſelf from between the Cherubims when he removed from the Mountain, and choſe the Tabernacle for the Seat of his future Reſidence and Royal Abode. Thus whereſoever he appeared in his Kingly Majeſty as the publick Repreſentative of his Father, this viſible Glory is always made mention of, as that which was the peculiar Character of his Preſence and Perſon. 'Tis true, 'tis recorded of Moſes that when he came down from the Viſion upon the Mount, his Face ſhone ſo brightly that the Iſralites were not able to approach him; which ſeems to argue that this viſible Glory was not ſo peculiar to the Eternal Word as his Father's Repreſentative, as we would have it, ſince we plainly ſee it was common to Moſes with him. But this doth no ways deſtroy our Aſſertion; becauſe it's plain that that Glory which covered the Face of Moſes, was all derived from the Glory of the Eternal Word, with whom for forty Days he had converſed in the Mount. For Moſes being ſent down as an Apoſtle to the Jews to promulgate thoſe Laws to them which he had received upon the Mount, the Eternal p. 283Word, to convince the unbelieving Jews that he had ſent him, reflects upon his Face ſome Rays of Glory from that Sphere of Light in which he appeared to and converſed with him, that that might be an ocular Demonſtration to them that Moſes came from him, and was commiſſioned by him to preach and promulgate his Laws to them. So that Moſes his Glory being derived from the Word, declared him to be his Apoſtle and Miniſter; even as the Glory of the Word being derived from the Father, declared him to be his Repreſentative and Vice-Roy; ſo that from its ſhining upon the Face of Moſes, it by no means follows that this viſible Glory is not the peculiar Character of God's immediate Repreſentative; becauſe that which ſhone upon his Face was only the Parhelius or Reflection of the viſible Glory of him who was God's immediate Repreſentative. For ſo the Earth alſo is ſaid to ſhine with the Glory of the God of Iſrael, Ezek. 43.2. and as the Glory with which it ſhone was not the Glory of the Earth, but the Glory of the God of Iſrael; ſo neither was that glory upon the Face of Moſes the Glory of Moſes, but the Glory of that divine Perſon, with whom he had converſed, derived to, and reflected upon him; and it being ſtill the proper Glory of that divine Perſon, may very well be ſaid to be the peculiar Character of his being the immediate Repreſentative of God, notwithſtanding it reflected from him upon Moſes; eſpecially conſidering that this reflected Glory upon Moſes his Face was to be an Evidence to the Jews that he came down to them as an Apoſtle from the Eternal Word with Authority to publiſh, and declare his Laws to them. For if this derivative Spendor p. 284was an Evidence that Moſes came down as an Apoſtle from that divine Perſon on the Mount, then the original Splendor of that divine Perſon whence it was derived and reflected, was at leaſt an equal Evidence that he came down upon the Mount as the Apoſtle, and immediate Repreſentative of the moſt High God himſelf.

And in the ſame manner we find that the Word INcarnate did give Evidence to the Commiſſion of his Chriſtian Apoſtles; for upon the Day of Pentecoſt, when they were aſſembled together, it is ſaid that there appeared unto them cloven Tongues like as of fire, and ſat upon every one of them, Acts 2.3. that is, there were ſeveral Flaſhes or Beams of Glory which like bright Flames of Fire, did cleave aſunder in many Places according to the natural Motion of Flames, of which every Part as it extends it ſelf in Length grows more Spire-like or Pyramidal, and ſo divides from the part next to it; and upon the Head of every one of the Apoſtles, did one of theſe divided Flames of Glory reſt in the Form of a Tongue, which like a Flame grows ſharper and ſharper towards the Top: For thus the Hebrew Idiom for a Flame of Fire uſes the Tongue of Fire, becauſe o fthe Reſemblance that is between them, Iſa. 5.24. So that as the Eternal Word did evidence to the Jews the Apoſtleſhip of Moſes by that viſible Glory which he reflected on his Face, ſo did the Word Incarnate evidence to the Chriſtian Church the Apoſtleſhip of the Twelve by this viſible Glory which he derived upon them. For now, according to John the Baptiſt's Prediction of him, he baptized them with the Holy Ghoſt, and with Fire, Luke 3.16. that is, by the outward Sign of that viſible p. 285Glory which reſted like Fire upon them, he ſolemnly initiated them into their Apoſtleſhip, and declared them to be the Heralds of his Will to the World. And as this viſible Glory with which he baptized them, was an Evidence of their being ſent from, and commiſſionated by him to bear his Authority, and repreſent his Perſon; ſo that viſible Glory with which he was baptized from Heaven, firſt in the River Jordan, and afterwards upon Mount Tabor, was an undoubted Evidence that he was ſent from above to be his Father's Repreſentative in the Church: For if thier ſhining wiht his Glory was an Evidence of their being inveſted with his Authority, then his ſhining with his Father's Glory muſt be an equal Evidence of his being inveſted with the Authority of his Father. And as this viſible Glory was always the peculiar Character of God's immediate Repreſentative, and the Royal Crown and Robes as it were with which the moſt High adorned him at his Inauguration, and Inveſtment with his own Kingly Authority; ſo St. Peter expreſly tells Cornelius and his Company, that God had anointed him with the Holy Ghoſt, and with Power, Acts 10.13. that is, by that outward Sign of the viſible Glory in which the Holy Ghoſt deſcended upon him, he had inveſted him with Regal Power, and deputed and declared him to be King of the Church. And this in all probability was the Reaſon why he forbad his Diſciples to declare his Tranſfiguration till after his Reſurrection from the Dead, Mark 9.9. becauſe he knew that if they did, the Jews would not believe it, but would maliciouſly interpret it to be a falſe Pretence of his to the Title of God's immediate Repreſentative p. 286and Vice-Roy, that viſible Glory in which he appeared being the proper Character of that divine King by whom the moſt High God had formerly governed them; and therefore in all the Hiſtory of his Life you find he did induſtriouſly avoid openly to avow his Regal Authority, and only inſinuates it by Conſequences and obſeure Intimations. For ſo violently were they prejudiced againſt his being their King upon the account of his obſcure Parentage, and mean Condition, that he could not but foreſee how unſeaſonable it would yet be publickly to own his Regal Authority, and conſequently the Glory of his Transfiguration which did ſo apparently infer it; till by more miraculous Effects, and particularly by his Reſurrection from the Dead, he had ſufficiently proved and demonſtrated it; and then he openly declares without any Reſerve, that all power was given him in Heaven and Earth, Matth. 28.18. Since therefore it is ſo apparent by this Characteriſtical Glory, in which his Perſon was inrobed, and which the Apoſtle aſſures us they ſaw him inveſted with, we have all the Reaſon in the World to conclude that the moſt High God hath deputed him to be King and Lord of the Church. For when the Apoſtle tells us that they ſaw this viſible Glory which ſhone upon him at his Baptiſm and Transfiguration, he doth as good as ſay that they ſaw all the Solemnity of his divine Coronation, that they beheld the moſt High God circling his Brows with the Royal Diadem, and inveſting his ſacred Body with the Imperial Robes of the great King of the World. So that if it be true what St. John ſays, that they did ſee this Glory, (as we have all the Reaſon in p. 287the World to conclude it is, becauſe he offered to ſeal his Teſtimony of it with his Blood, and the other two that ſaw it with him actually did ſo) then we cannot but acknowledge the bleſſed Jeſus to be our King, to whoſe divine Authority we are bound to pay the loweſt Homage and Obedience; and that whenſoever we wilfully tranſgreſs his Laws, we do openly rebel againſt our moſt rightful Sovereign, to whoſe Service we are bound by all poſſible Ties and Obligations.

2. They ſaw the Glory of that miraculous Power which he exerted in the Courſe of his Miniſtry; from whence I infer the Credibility of the Chriſtian Religion: For the many ſtupendous Miracles that he wrought, were a moſt plain and unqueſtionable Evidence of a Divine Power reſiding in him, and accompanying his Miniſtry. For never were there ſo many miraculous Effects produced, either before or ſince, in the World, by the moſt renowned Workers of Miracles that ever were; and all that hath been done by the moſt famous Magicians, that are recorded in Hiſtory, were but like the little Tricks and Deluſions of Jugglers, compared with the wondrous Works of our Saviour; and yet 'tis apparent that his Education had been moſt plain and ſimple, that he never had been inſtructed in any Mathematical Science, or myſtical Rites, or in any other Art of performing Wonders, either by Humane Wit or Diabolical Aſſiſtance; but was bred up under the Care of his poor honeſt Parents, who were forced to earn their Bread with the Sweat of their Brows, and ſo in all Probability was trained up in his Father's Profeſſion, that ſo by his daily Labour he might be able to contribute p. 288to the Charge of his Maintenance. And yet 'tis plain, this home-bred Perſon ſometimes, only by ſpeaking of a Word, ſometimes meerly by the Touch of his Hand, ſometimes by a ſilent Virtue proceeding from him without any outward Sign intervening, did more and far greater Wonders in three or four Years Time, then all the moſt skilful Phyſicians, Magicians and Mathematicians could ever do either before or after him. Now how was it poſſible that ever ſuch a Perſon ſhould ever have accompliſhed ſuch great and mighty Things as he did, had he not been indued with Power from above? And if he was indued with ſuch a Power, what greater Evidence can we deſire of the Truth and Divinity of his Doctrine? For it is not ſuppoſable that the God of Truth would have endued our Saviour with this miraculous Power, had that Doctrine been falſe which he ſought to confirm by it; becauſe in ſo doing he would have openly patronized a Cheat, and deſignedly contributed to the Propagation of an Impoſture, which is utterly inconſiſtent with his Truth and Veracity: So that now the Truth of Chriſtianity finally reſolves into the Veracity of God, which is the Foundation of all the Certainty in the World. For admitting that God can either deceive or be deceived, we do not know but our Faculties may be conſtantly impoſed upon, and then there is nothing in Nature that we can be certain of: So that if it be true, as St. John here teſtifies, that they did ſee the Glory of our Saviour's Miracles, that is a moſt undeniable Evidence of the Truth and Divinity of his Doctrine; and that they did ſee it, I think is as evident: For it is not imaginable that any ſingle Man would openly p. 289teſtifie a known Lye without ſome Temptation inducing him thereunto; much leſs that ſo many Hundreds of Perſons as the Eye-Witneſſes of our Saviour's Miracles were, ſhould conſpire to cheat the World, not only when they had no Temptation to it, but when they had all the Reaſon in the World againſt it; for they ſaw their Maſter ſuffer a ſhameful Death before their Eyes, by which they might eaſily divine what their own Fate would be if they perſevered to preach up his Miracles and Doctrine, which they could not reſolve to do without bidding Adieu to all their temporal Hopes, and ingaging themſelves to undergo all the Miſeries and Calamities in the World; and if they teſtified what they knew to be falſe, they tranſgreſſed the Rule of their own Religion, and thereby forfeited all their Hopes of a bleſſed Immortality in the Life to come. And can it be imagined that ſo many Men ſhould at the ſame Time ſo unanimouſly agree to report and teſtifie the Miracles of a Man whom they had lately ſeen crucified before their Eyes, when they knew in their own Conſciences, that it was all a meer Forgery, and could not but foreſee, that by perſiſting in it, they ſhould incur an inevitable Ruin in this Life, and an eternal Damnation in the Life to come? Was there ever ſuch a deſperate Piece of Madneſs heard of from the Beginning of the World to this Day? And yet this monſtrous Thing, which is by a thouſand Times more incredible than any thing in the Chriſtian Religion, we muſt not only imagin may be, but believe that it really was; or elſe confeſs that St. John ſays true here, that they did ſee the Glory of his Miracles, which is p. 290ſo undoubted an Evidence of the Truth of his Doctrine. Wherefore ſince we are compaſſed about with ſuch a Cloud of Witneſſes, let us by a lively and vigorous Faith adhere to the Truth of our holy Religion, and then we ſhall find it quick and mighty through God, to the caſting down the ſtrong Holds of our vicious Habits, and implanting in us all thoſe divine Diſpoſitions which are neceſſary to qualifie us for thoſe endleſs Joys which our bleſſed Lord hath promiſed to, and prepared for us.

3. They ſaw the Glory of that divine and incomparable Doctrine which he taught: From whence I infer the Unreaſonableneſs of Mens entertaining mean and contemptible Opinions of the Chriſtian Faith, ſince it is ſo excellent in it ſelf that it was a Glory to the Son of God to be the Author of it. We have a ſort of Men among us who would fain be accounted the Wits and Virtuoſo's of the Age, who pretend to acknowledge a God, and a Providence, and all the Principles of Natural Religion, and yet openly profeſs a very mean and contemptible Opinion of Chriſtianity, and take all Occaſions to repreſent it as a ridiculous Fiction, fit only to be impoſed upon the credulous Vulgar. But I would fain know of theſe mighty Men of Reaſon, what plauſible Pretence they can urge for this their bold and blaſphemous Cenſure? Is it becauſe Chriſtianity is a Revealed Religion? or, becauſe there is any thing in it that is unworthy of God whom we pretend to be the Revealer of it? or becauſe there wants credible Evidence of its being revealed by him? If they pretend to reject it becauſe 'tis a Revealed Religion, I would beſeech them to conſider how it could have comported with the Goodneſs of God p. 291never to make any Revelation of his Will to the World, when the Generality of Men were loſt in ſuch a Mid-night of Ignorance in reſpect of Natural Religion; how even the natural Notions of the Deity were corrupted into all manner of Follies and Vanities, and Men had formed Religions not only hateful to God, but nauſeous to all that were wiſe among themſelves; and how defective alſo they were in the beſt and pureſt Precepts of Morality, having at laſt conſecrated their Vices, and inthroned them among the Graces of Religion: In which miſerable State of Things, it is ſo far from being unreaſonable to expect a Revelation, that 'tis hardly poſſible to vindicate God's Goodneſs without ſuppoſing it. For ſhould he have for ever left Mankind in this bewilder'd State without Revelation, he would have been more wanting to Man, who is the nobleſt of all his earthly Creatures, than he is to the moſt contemptible Animal; for to his meaneſt Creatures he hath given ſufficient Ability to attain the higheſt End of their Beings, which Mankind can hardly be ſuppoſed to have in his corrupt degegenerate State, without ſuppoſing a new Revelation from Heaven. For we have an innate Notion within us of a Supreme Being above us, that is ſuperlatively good, and endued with all poſſible Perfection; our natural Reaſon dictates to us, that to converſe with and enjoy him for ever, is the higheſt Good that we are capable of, and the moſt ſuitable to our rational Natures; but by what means we may be reconciled to him in this State of Revolt whereinto we are fallen, and how at length we may arrive to the Enjoyment of him, could never have been ſufficiently made known to us in this Maze of p. 292Ignorance wherein we were involved, without ſome divine Revelation: And therefore to ſuppoſe Revelation unreaſonable in our miſerable State and Circumſtances, is to ſuppoſe it unreaſonable for the great and good Governor of the World to furniſh his nobleſt Creature Man with ſufficient means to obtain his moſt excellent End. And if it be acknowledged that there is a Revelation, becauſe it is ſo highly reaſonable that there ſhould be, let us conſider which of all the Religions in the World, that pretends to be from God, is moſt likely to be the Revelation of his Will, and then I doubt not, if we impartially compare them, but our reaſon will ſoon give its Vote for Chriſtianity. If you enquire for this Revelation of the Enthuſiaſtick Poets of the Heathen, how wild and extravagant is that Religion which we find in the Theology of Heſiod, the Hymns of Orpheus, the Odes of Pindar, and the Poems of Homer, Virgil, and Ovid? If you conſult the Heathen Oracles of Delphos, Dodona, and Jupiter Hammon, how vain and frivilous, how uncertain and fallacious, are all their Reſponſes? beſides that, the Books and Records of them are long ſince periſhed and conſumed. If you enquire for this Revelation in the Old Roman Theology, which Numa pretended to receive from his Goddeſs Egeria, that alſo is loſt, being burnt by the Roman Senate, as Valerius Maximus tells us; for that it contained many Things in it not only deſtructive to the Gods and Religions of other Countries, but alſo to his own and the Roman Profeſſion. Or ſhall we confront Chriſtianity with the Alchoran of Mahomet, which he often pretends to have received from God? There we ſhall find every Page p. 293almoſt abounding with monſtrous Cheats and Impoſtures, the whole being nothing elſe but a confuſed Medly of impious and contemptible Fopperies, heaped together by a Triumvirate of Arians, Jews, and Pagans, who were all of them known Impoſtors in the Ages wherein they lived: So that to confront Chriſtianity with any of theſe, is to light up a Ruſh Candle, and reſolve to outface the Sun with it. For as for Chriſtianity, 'tis a Religion made up of the moſt divine and Godlike Inſtitutions; its Precepts being ſuch as are moſt worthy of God, enjoining nothing but what is either true Godlineſs, and moſt generous Morality, or what are the moſt efficacious Means and Inſtruments of promoting them. And as for its Doctrine, it partly conſiſts of thoſe Principles of Natural Religion which all wiſe Men, of whatſoever Nation or Religion, have owned and acknowledged, ſuch as the Exiſtence, Ʋnity, and Providence of the Godhead, the Imortality of the Soul, and the Rewards and Puniſhments of Another Life, together with the great Day of Accounts, wherein Men ſhall receive according to what they have done in the Fleſh: And even the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity, which is the profoundeſt Myſtery of all our Religion, hath been owned and profeſſed by the greateſt and moſt famous Philoſophers that ever were. And as for thoſe Doctrines that are purely Chriſtian, ſuch as the Birth and Life, and Death, the Reſurrection and Aſcenſion of our Saviour, together with his Sitting on the Right-hand of God, and coming at the laſt Day to judge the World, they are all of them ſo excellently contrived to ſerve the great Ends of Religion, ſo wonderfully pregnant with Motives and Arguments to engage p. 294Men to the greateſt Purity and Goodneſs, that by their own native Beauty and excellent Contrivance, they manifeſt themſelves to be the Products of a divine Wiſdom. So that there can be no reaſonable Pretence to contemn Chriſtianity either becauſe it is a Revealed Religion, or becauſe it contains any thing in it that is any ways unworthy of the Revealer: And that there wants not ſufficient Evidence to demonſtrate it to be the Revelation of God, I have already proved in the former Inference. So that after all the lewd Talk of theſe confident Men, it's apparent there is not the leaſt Colour of Reaſon for their impious Cenſures of Chriſtianity. But alas! it's evident that the Foundation of their Quarrel againſt it, lies not ſo much in their Reaſon, as their Luſts. Chriſtianity lays them under ſevere Reſtraints, and will not permit them to be wicked in quiet, which provokes them to arm their Wit, and the little Reaſon that they have againſt it; that ſo having baffled, or rather laughed themſelves out of their Religion, they may be left at liberty to play the Fools and Mad-men without Controul or Diſturbance. And I make no doubt but if inſtead of that ſtrict Piety and Virtue which Chriſtianity enjoins, it had but indulged to them the Liberties of the Heathen Religion, ſo that they could have but acted all their Wickedneſs with Devotion, ſacrificed to the Gods in drunken Bowls, and worſhiped in the Arms of a Strumpet, there are no Men in the World would have been more zealous Chriſtians than they. But let no Man be ſo fooliſh as to imagine that he can alter the Nature of Things by laughing at them, or that Chriſtianity will ceaſe to be true in Compliance with our wicked p. 295Intereſt and Deſires; no, no, Things will be as they are in deſpite of us, and howſever we will pleaſe to fancy them. And if after all our rude Contempts of Religion, it be found to be true, as I doubt not but it will, we ſhall be ſenſible when it is too late that it had been more for our Safety to have play'd before the Mouth of a Cannon while it is ſpitting Fire, or to have catch'd hold of a Thunderbolt as it comes roaring down from the Clouds, than to have plaid with Religion, and made it the Subject of our impious Scorns and Buffooneries.

4. And laſtly; They ſaw the Glory of his immaculate Holineſs and Purity: From whence I infer, that Holineſs and true Goodneſs is the greateſ Glory and Honour to humane Nature. For this was the Glory of the Son of God himſelf when he aſſumed our Nature, and dwelt among us; and there is nothing more glorious in Chriſt than his Goodneſs; and notwithſtanding thoſe excellent Doctrines that he preached, thoſe ſtupendous Miracles that he wrought, and that viſible Splendor in which he was inrobed, he had not deſerved the Name of a great and glorious Man if he had not been juſt and charitable, temperate, and humble, and Heavenly-minded and eminent in all thoſe divine and humane Virtues which are the proper Glory and Ornament of humane Nature. For that which makes a Man more honourable then a meer Animal, and advances us into the next Degree of Beings to Angels, is our Reaſon, by which alone we border upon the Divinity, and do claim Kindred with the Angelical Natures. That therefore which is truly our Honour and Glory, conſiſts in living according to that Reaſon by which we are advanced p. 296above all ſublunary Natures; that is, in governing our Paſſions and Appetites, Words and Actions, according to thoſe Eternal Rules of Righteouſneſs which Right Reaſon dictates to us; and if inſtead of doing thus, we wholly reſign up our ſelves to the Dominion of our brutiſh and unreaſonable Inclinations, we thereby render our ſelves more deſpicable and infamous than the moſt beaſtly Brutes in all the Creation, and even thoſe Goats, and Wolves, and Swine, and Tygers, whom we reſemble in our beaſtly Manners, could they ſee our Shame, would doubtleſly hiſs at us, and reproach us for Greater Beaſts than themſelves; for they all live up to the beſt of their Natures, and regularly purſue the higheſt End for which they were created; whereas we who are Allyed to the nobleſt of Beings, and are created and deſigned for the moſt glorious Ends, do by our baſe and unreaſonable Condeſcentions ſhamefully under-value our ſelves in purſuing no Ends but what are extremely unworthy of us: So that it had been much more for our Honour and Reputation to have aſſumed the Shape and Nature of Brutes, when we aſſumed their Manners and Cuſtoms; for then our Actions would have very well become us, and neither God nor Men could have juſtly upbraided us for them. But to lead the Lives of Brutes in the Shape and Nature of Men, is monſtrous; 'tis to advance the Beaſt above the Man, to place our. Heels where Nature hath placed our Head, and become our own Reverſe and Antipodes.