SERM. I. to receive it; and therefore trufting "in that Almighty Saviour, whofe Mi"nifter I am, that He will give the

fame Efficacy and Succefs to the Word "of his Grace as heretofore, as much as "in me is, as far as I am left at Liberty, "and not elsewhere employed by my Lord; "I am ready to preach the Gofpel to you that are at Rome alfo."

I fhall firft fpeak briefly on the Power of
Gofpel Salvation; and

Secondly, On the Danger and Sin of be-
ing ashamed of it.

By the Gospel of Christ is here meant the great Subject of Gofpel Doctrine, or Man's Redemption by Jefus Christ. And this does confeffedly carry in it moft evident Signatures of divine Power, both in its external and internal Ministration; nay every thing leading to it, and preparing the World for it, was an Apparatus ftampt with the Image and Superfcription of Omnipotence, in every Part of the amazing Oeconomy: What Visions, what Voices, what Prophecies, what extraordinary Providences, what aftonishing Miracles, declared, foretold, and

ufhered

ushered into the World this myfterious God SERM. I. Man? Behold him in his Entry as cloathed with Meannefs and Mortality, (for human Nature in its beft Eftate is but Difgrace, and the Difference betwixt its higheft and lowest, though much to our childish Conceptions, is nothing to God) yet fee here the Power of the Creator manifefted effentially in the Weakness of the, Creature. Angels proclaim the Advent of the Infant King, and Wife-men from the Eaft, by heavenly Direction, fall down and worship him who was no lefs the Light of the Gentiles, than the Glory of his People Ifrael. How high, how low, how rich, how poor, how little, how great, is this wonderful Person! In him Extremes are reconciled; in him Contradiction and Oppofition unite; God comes down to Man, Man is exalted to God; the Enmity between the two Natures is flain, and in him is laid the Foundation. of Love, univerfal Love.--Glory to God in the Highest for Peace reftored on Earth, and for Good-will towards Men! Let us view this fecond great Reprefentative and the Saviour of Mankind in his Probation, in his Ministry, and in the Sequence of it: And here how invincible was he in his Tempta

B 4

SERM. I. Temptation! how patient in Sufferings! how mighty in Word and Deed! how faithful in Obedience! how perfevering unto the End! how victorious in his Death ! how triumphant in his Resurrection! how glorious in his Afcenfion! Truly this Man was the Son of God.

But if this Mystery of our Salvation, in the outward Oeconomy of it, is nothing lefs than the mighty Power of God, the exceeding Greatness and unfpeakable Riches of his Power and Goodnefs, are perfected in the Ministration of the Spirit of Christ, whereby we are given to know him, and the Power of his Refurrection, in raifing us from the Death of Sin unto the Life of Righteousness. If Chrift, represented to us under the Types and Shadows of the Law, (that Ministration of Condemnation) was glorious: If that fame Chrift manifested in the Flesh, to make Atonement for Sin, to fulfill all Righteoufnefs, and to destroy the Works of the Devil, was ftill more glorious: Chrift reigning in the Hearts of the Faithful, through the regenerating Power of the Holy Ghoft, is most glorious of all. This is the third, laft, and highest Dispenfation of the divine Goodnefs on this Side of

Our

our glorious Immortality, and to which eve- SERM. I. ry preceeding one was fubordinate and fubfervient: Here Redemption attains to the Limit of its Accomplishment in Man; here Grace and Truth meet together; here Righteousness and Peace kifs each other, and the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride, for the Marriage of the Lamb is come, and his Wife bath made herself ready. Thus we fee that the Kingdom of God is not in Word, nor in Form, nor in Profeffion, but in Power: It is the Power of the Holy Ghost in the Word, that begetteth Faith in the Heart of the Hearer; and by Virtue of the fame divine Power it is that the Corruptions of our Nature are fubdued, our Hearts purified, and we enabled to refift the Devil, and overcome the World thro' Faith And laftly, through the powerful Energy of this holy Principle it is that we are born again of God, and joyned to the Lord in one Spirit, and fo have Fellowship with the Father and with the Son. So that from the Beginning of our Converfion to the End of our Sanctification, we are faved, not of ourselves, but by that Grace of the Gospel, through Faith, which is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one, that

be

SERM. I. believeth.

As to Unbelievers, fuch whofe Hearts are hardened against all Gospel Im-: preffions through the Deceitfulness of Sin, it is not fo with them: In these the Word of God faileth of its firft Work, viz. to beget the Beginning of Faith in their Hearts; and therefore the Word, though preached. again and again, doth not profit them, not being mixed with Faith in them that hear it: Hence it was that fome could mock even at the Preaching of an Apostle, and afford him no other Return for his Labours of Love, in declaring to them JESUS, and the RESURRECTION, than that deriding Question, What will this Babbler fay? And hence it is, even at this Day alfo, that God manifeft in the Flesh, and revealed in our Hearts by his Spirit, with other Things pertaining to this great Myftery of our Redemption, are either a Stumbling-block, or appear no better than Foolishness, to the fleshly Wifdom of fo many amongst us, for in that Way of Knowledge they cannot know them, because they are fpiritually difcerned. But to every one that believeth, the Gospel of Chrift is the Power of God unto Salvation. Powerful are the Convictions it carries with it, and powerful