22. V. SERMON fpiritual Malady to be cured, a Lofs of fomething fpiritual and divine to be reftored, and all the Powers of Hell to be fubdued; the Strong Man armed, that kept the House, must Luke xi. be diflodged by one that is stronger than he. But where was the mighty Champion to effect the vast Defign? Fallen Man, like Samfon fhorn of his Strength, was faft bound in the Hands of the Enemy; and, among the Angels, none was found able to deliver him. Here then appeared the GoodPf. lxxxix. nefs of God, in laying Help upon one that was Mighty: Herein was manifested the 20. Love of Chrift, in taking the Government Ifai. ix. 6. of this great Work upon his Shoulder. The Union of the divine and human Nature was the only Expedient found sufficient for the Recovery of a loft World; and it needs muft be, that the Son of God become Man, that the Children of Men might become the Sons of God. The Promife, Gen. iii. that the Seed of the Woman fhould bruife the Serpent's Head, was the firft Discovery of this ftupendous Myftery; and the important Business of our Redemption commenced immediately upon it, and was carried on from that Time under a wonderful Succeffion 15. Succeffion of Providences and Difpenfations SERMON towards its bleffed Completion. I 22. V. n But was this myfterious Union to be tranfacted only in the Perfon of the everadorable Redeemer? Not fo: It was indeed begun in him; but through him it was to take place in every individual Soul of the human Race, in order to its Salvation; that, as in Adam all died, even fo in Chrift should 1 Cor. xv. all be made alive. As much of the Divine Perfections as was loft to the Soul by the communicated Infection of Sin from the first Adam, must be derived into it from the fecond Adam, as from another Fountain of the human Race, that both be that fan&ti-Heb.ii.11. fieth, and they who are fanctified, may be all of one. Nothing that is extrinfick to the Nature of the Soul, or that paffes without it, can redeem a fallen Soul; but it muft be fashioned anew, and a Meetnefs for Glory formed in the inmoft Effence of it; for Cor-1 Cor. xv. ruption cannot inherit Incorruption: And 50. therefore, make me a clean Heart, O God, Pfal. li. and renew a right Spirit within me, was 10. not only the Prayer of David, but alfo of every other enlightened Perfon, under the Law, as well as fince, from a full Convic tion of of this Truth. Our Bleffed Lord 3. V.' SERMON bears Testimony to the Neceffity of this great Change or Renovation, which muft pass upon the Soul, to qualify it for Blifs, in that folemn Affeveration to Nicodemus: John iii. Verily, verily, I fay unto thee, Except a Man be born again, he cannot fee the Kingdom of God. And did the Doctrine of Regeneration reft only upon this fingle Text, we must allow it fufficiently established ; but this is fo far from being the Cafe, that' it is set forth under a great Variety of fimilar Expreffions, on purpose that we might be left in no Uncertainty as to the Truth and Meaning of it: As where the true Chrif Rom. xiii. tian is faid to put on Chrift; to have him Eph. iii. dwelling in his Heart by Faith; to be re37. newed in the Spirit of his Mind; and that Rom. viii. as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God. In like manner 14. Ib. iv. 23. 14. 17. 24. 2 Theff. ii. 13. 2 Cor. v. the new Creature; the new Man; the SancEph. iv. tification of the Spirit: to be born of the Spirit; and to be alive unto God through Jefus Chrift; do all imply a new Principle John iii. of Life in the Soul, which it has not in its Rom. vi. natural State, and evince the Truth of this fundamental Article of our Faith to a Demonstration: Nor does it ftand only in the Strength of a few picked Paflages, but 8. II. makes V. makes a confiderable Part of the Language SERMON of the New Teftament: Nay, it is both, the Bottom and Top of all Religion: All that Chrift has done and fuffered, was in order to bring about this great Work of Regeneration in us; and the Sacraments he ordained, are only the outward visible Signs and Means of it: In a word, all that Man has to do in this World is to labour after, and obtain it; and all the Happiness he expects in the next, must be the Refult of it. Let us now, in one fhort View, fee how all the chief Duties of the Christian Religion accord and harmonize with this Principle. Repentance, and Faith, confeffedly stand at the Head of this Catalogue; and these are the Ground-work of this new Building, the two main Pillars of Gospel Salvation. John the Baptift came to prepare the Way, by preaching the former; and his great Master began his Ministry with Repent, and believe Mark i. the Gospel. Secondly, The Evangelical Vir- '5. tues of Humility, Meeknefs, Patience, Hope, Charity, &c. are all inward Habits and Graces relative to the fpiritual Life; `such as difpofe the Soul for farther Communications of the Holy Spirit, and make it a fit K Manfion V. SERMON Manfion for his facred Refidence. Thirdly, The Doctrines of Self-denial and Mortification, laid down in the Gospel, are greatly fubfervient to this End, as the Practice of thefe Duties tends to purify the Soul from all the Drofs and Disorder of irregular Paffions, and keeps it free from all undue Attachments to the Things of this World,which, by irrefiftible Diftractions, call off the Attention from Divine Truths, fix it on fenfible Objects, and render the Mind incapable of favouring the Things that be of God: It is therefore by this kind of holy Violence committed on ourselves, that we refift the Motions of corrupt Nature, break those Bands afunder which tie down the Affections to Things below, and fo take the Kingdom of Heaven by Force. Lastly, This Principle of Divine Life and Love, wrought in us by the Holy Spirit, ftands closely connected with the whole Syftem of Chriftian Morality; it is the only fure Foundation on which it can reft, the true Source from which it derives both its Beauty and Virtue : This is the Altar which fanctifieth the Gift in all our Offerings. Whilft we act in and from this Principle, a Cup of cold Water fhall intitle us to a Reward; and, without Matth. X. 42. |