SER M, that, must be fetch'd, not from the pomp and proCXVIII. fperity of this world, but from the eternal happiness

and mifery of the other. Befides, had he appear'd in any great power and fplendor, the chriftian religion could not have been fo clearly acquitted from the fufpicion of a worldly interest and design, which would have been a far greater objection against it, than this which I am now fpeaking to.

Add to all this, that the wifeft of the heathen philofophers did teach, that worldly greatnefs and power are not to be admired, but defpifed by a truly wife man; that men may be virtuous, and good, and dearly beloved of GOD, and yet be liable to great miferies and fufferings; and that whoever fuffers unjustly, and bears it patiently, gives the greateft teftimony to goodnefs, and does moft effectually recommend virtue to the world; that a good man under the hardest circumftances of mifery, and reproach, and fuffering, is the fittest perfon of all other to be the minifter, and apoftle, and preacher of GOD to mankind: and furely they who fay fuch things (which the heathens have done had no reason to object to our bleffed SAVIOUR his low and fuffering condition.

As to that part of the objection, that he who promis'd immortality to others could not fave himself from death and fuffering, confidering that he who was put to death, refcu'd himself from the power of the grave: it is fo far from being ridiculous, that nothing can be more reafonable than to rely upon him for our hopes of immortality, who by rifing from the grave, and conquering death, gave a plain demonstration that he was able to make good what he promnifed.

I have done with the exceptions which were made SER M. against our SAVIOUR and his doctrine at their first CXVIII. appearance in the world. I proceed in the

IId Place to confider the prejudices and objections which men at this day do more especially infift upon, against our SAVIOUR and his religion and they are many.

First, fome that relate to the incarnation of our SAVIOUR.

Secondly, to the time of his appearance.

Thirdly, that we have not now fufficient evidence of the truth of chriftianity; the main arguments for it relying upon matters of fact, of which, at this diftance, we have not, nor can be expected to have, fufficient affurance.

Fourthly, that the terms of it feem very hard, and to lay too great reftraints upon human nature. Fifthly, that it is apt to difpirit men, and to break the vigour and courage of their minds.

Sixthly, the divifions and factions that are among

christians.

Seventhly, the wicked lives of the greatest part of the profeffors of chriftianity. In answer to all which, I do not propofe to fay all that may be faid, but as briefly as I can to offer fo much, as may, if not give full fatisfaction, yet be fufficient to break the force of them, and to free the minds of men from any great perplexity about them.

As to the first, which relates to the incarnation of our SAVIOUR; and the fecond to the time of his appearance; I know that thefe and most of the reft I have mention'd, were urg'd by the heathen against christianity: but they are now more especially infifted upon both by the fecret and open enemies of our religion.

The

SERM.

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The objections against his incarnation I have elfewhere confider'd; and therefore fhall proceed to the next, viz.

Secondly, as to the time of our SAVIOUR'S appearance, it is objected, if he be the only way and means of falvation, why did he come no fooner into the world; but fuffer mankind to remain fo long without any hopes or means of being faved? This was objected by Porphyry of old, and ftil fticis in the minds of men, To this I anfwer,

1. It is not fit for creatures to call their creator to too ftrict an account of his actions. Goodness is free, and may act when and how it pleafeth; and "as GoD will have mercy on whom he will have mercy," fo he may have mercy at what time he pleaseth, and is not bound to give us an account of his matters. This is much like the objection of the atheist against the being of GoD; that if there were fuch an infinite and eternal being, he would furely have made the world fooner, and not have been without all employment for fo long a duration: fuch another objection is this against our SAVIOUR, that if he had been the Son of GOD, he would have begun this great and merciful work of the redemption of mankind fooner, and not have delay'd it fo long, and fuffer'd mankind to perish for four thousand years together.

But it seems in the one as well as the other, GoD took his own time, and he best knew what time was fitteft. The fcripture tells us, that "in the fulness of

time, GOD fent his Sov:" when things were ripe for it, and all things accomplish'd that God thought requisite in order to it. In judging of the actions of

John i. 14. Sermon xliii.

2.

our

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our earthly governors, those who are at a distance SER M. from their counfels, what conjectures foever they may make of the reafons of them, will nevertheless, if they have that refpect for their wisdom which they ought, believe, that how strange foever fome of their actions may feem, yet they were done upon good reason, and that they themselves, if they knew the fecrets of their counfels, fhould think fo. Much more do we owe that reverence to the infinite wifdom of GOD, to believe that the counfels of his will are grounded upon very good reafon, tho' we do not fee many times what it is.

2. It is not true that the world was wholly deftitute of a way and means of falvation before our SAVIOUR'S Coming. Before the law of Mofes was given, men were capable of being received to the mercy and favour of GOD, upon their obedience to the law of nature, and their fincere repentance for the violation of it, by virtue of "the lamb that was flain from "the foundation of the world." Men were fayed by CHRIST both before and under the law, without any particular and exprefs knowledge of him. There were good men in other nations, as well as among the Jews, as Job, and his friends alfo, feem to have been. In all ages of the world, and "in every "nation, they that feared GoD and wrought righte"oufness were accepted of him." The facrifice of CHRIST which is the meritorious caufe of the falvation of mankind, looks back as well as forward; and GOD was reconcilable to men, and their fins were pardon'd, by virtue of this great propitiation that was to be made. In which fenfe perhaps it is, that CHRIST is faid to be "the lamb flain from the "foundation of the world," Heb. ix. 25, 26. The apoftle

SER M. apoftle intimates to us, that if this facrifice which was offered in the laft ages of the world; had not been available in former ages, CHRIST muft have

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often fuffer'd fince the foundation of the world: "but now hath he appeared once in the conclufion "of the ages, to put away fin by the facrifice of "himself."

3. He did appear at that time in which the world. flood moft in need of him; when the whole world, both Jews and Gentiles, were funk into the greatest degeneracy both in opinion and practice, and the condition of mankind feem'd to be even desperate and paft remedy. This was the needful time, when it was most seasonable for this great phyfician to come, and fhew his pity and his skill in our recovery. GOD could have fent his Son many ages before; but he thought fit to try other ways first, and to referve this powerful remedy to the laft; "laft of all he " fent his SON."

4. The time of our SAVIOUR's appearing was of all ages of the world the fittest feafon for his coming; whether we confider,

1. That the world was at that time beft prepared. and difpofed for receiving the chriftian religion: or,

2. That this was the fittest season that ever had been, for the eafy diffufing and propagating of this religion. I affign these reasons as tending to give men fome fatisfaction, why this great bleffing was delay'd fo long; it being rather an argument of wifdom and goodness, than of the want of either, to defer things to that time, in which they are most likely to have their effect. Not but that perhaps other and better reafons may be given. To be fure God had very good reafons for this difpenfa