SERM. Let us then be perfuaded by all that hath been CXIX. faid upon this argument, to a firm belief of the chriftian doctrine. I hope you are in fome meafure fatisfied, that the objections againft it are not fuch, as ought much to move a wife and confiderate man. If we believe that God hath taken fo much care of mankind, as to make any certain revelation of his will to them, and of the way to eternal happinefs; let us next confider, whether any religion in the world can come in competition with the christian, and with half that reafon pretend to be from GOD, that chriftianity is able to produce for it felf, whether we confider the things to be believed or the duties to be practifed, or the motives or arguments to the practice of thofe duties, or the divine confirmation that is given to the whole. And if we be thus perfuaded concerning it, let us refolve to live up to the laws and rules of this holy religion. Our belief of it fignifies nothing without the fruits and effects of a good life. And if this were once refolved upon, the difficulty of believing would ceafe; for the true reason why men are unwilling to believe the truths of the gospel, is because they are loth to put them in practice. "Every one that doth evil, "hateth the light." The true ground of mens prejudice against the chriftian doctrine, is because they have no mind to obey it; and when all is done, the great objection that lies at the bottom of mens minds against it, is, that it is an enemy to their lufts, and they cannot profefs to believe it without condemning themselves, for not complying with it in their lives and practice.

SERMON

193

JESUS the SON of GOD, prov'd by his refurrection.

ROM. i. 4.

And declared to be the SON of GOD, with power, according to the SPIRIT of holiness, by the refurrection from the dead.

S

CXX.

T. Paul in the beginning of this epiftle (ac-SERM. cording to his cuftom in the rest) ftiles himself an apostle, particularly call'd, and fet apart by GoD, for the preaching of the gofpel; the main fubject whereof was, " JESUS CHRIST Our "LORD;" who as he was, according to his divine nature," the eternal SON of GOD;" fo according to his human nature, he was not only "the fon of "man," "but alfo "the Son of GOD." "Accord"ing to the flesh" (that is, the weakness, and frailty, and mortality of this human nature)" he was "the fon of David," that is, of his pofterity by his mother, who was of that house and line. "Made of the feed of David, according to the

flesh," ver. 3. "But according to the SPIRIT of "holinefs;" (that is, in regard of that divine power of the HOLY GHOST, which was manifefted in him, especially in his refurrection from the dead)" he

was demonftrated to be the Son of GOD;" even according to his human nature; "declared to be "the Sox of GOD, with power, according to the "SPIRIT of holiness, by the refurrection from the "dead."

VOL. VII.

SERM.
CXX.

All the difficulty in the words is concerning the meaning of this phrafe of CHRIST's being " declared "to be the Son of Gon:" the word is girl, which most frequently in fcripture does fignify, predeftinated, decreed, determined;" but likewife fignifies, that which is "defined, declared, "demonstrated, put out of all doubt and controverfy." And in this fenfe our tranflation renders it, as if the apoftle had faid, that our LORD JESUS CHRIST, though according to the frailty and weakness of his human nature, he was of the feed of David; yet in refpect of that divine power of the HOLY GHOST, which manifefted itfelf in him, especially in his refurrection from the dead, he was" declared to be the Son of GOD, with "power," that is, mightily, powerfully demonftrated to be fo; fo as to put the matter out of all difpute and controverfy.

And therefore following our own translation, I shall handle the words in this fenfe, as containing this propofition in them: "that the refurrection of our

LORD JESUS CHRIST from the dead, by the Ho"LY GHOST, is a powerful demonftration that he "was the SON of GOD."

And it will conduce very much to the clearing of this propofition to confider these two things. First, upon what account CHRIST, as man, is faid to be " the Son of GOD."

Secondly, in what fenfe he is faid to be "declared to be the Son of Gon, by his refurrection "from the dead." The confideration of these two particulars will fully clear this propofition, and the -apostle's meaning in it..

CXX.

First, upon what account CHRIST, as a man, is faid S ER M. to be the Son of GOD." And for our right apprehenfion of this matter, it is very well worthy our obfervation, that CHRIST, as man, is no where in fcripture faid to be" the Son of GOD," but with relation to the divine power of the HOLY GHOST, fome way or other eminently manifested in him; I fay the divine power of the HOLY GHOST, as the lord and giver of life, as he is called in the ancient creeds of the christian church. For as men are naturally faid to be the children of thofe from whom they receive their life and being; fo CHRIST, as man, is faid to be" the Son of GOD," because he had life communicated to him, from the FATHER, by an immediate power of the SPIRIT of GOD, or the HOLY GHOST. First at his conception, which was by the HOLY GHOST. The conception of our bleffed SAVIOUR was an immediate act of the power of the HOLY GHOST, overshadowing, as the fcripture expreffeth it, the bleffed mother of our LORD: and then at his refurrection, when after his death, he was, by the operation of the HOLY GHOST, raised to life again.

Now upon these two accounts only, CHRIST as man is faid in fcripture to be "the Son of GOD." He was really fo upon account of his conception; but this was fecret and invisible, but most eminently and remarkably fo, upon account of his refurrection, which was open and visible to all.

1. Upon account of his conception by the power of the HOLY GHOST. That upon this account he was called "the Son of GOD," St. Luke moft exprefly tells us, Luke i. where the angel tells the virgin Mary, that "the HOLY GHOST fhould come upon her, and the

35.

CXX.

SERM." power of the highest should overfhadow her, and "therefore that holy thing, which should be born "of her, fhould be called the SON of GOD." And this our SAVIOUR means by "the FATHER's fanctifying him, and fending him into the world;” for which reafon he fays he might juftly call himself the SON of GOD, John x. 35, 36. "If he call them "gods, unto whom the word of God came, and "the fcripture cannot be broken: fay ye of him, "whom the FATHER bath fanctified, and fent into "the world, thou blafphemeft, because I said I am "the Son of GOD?" If there had been no other reason, this had been fufficient to have given him the title of the Son of God, that he was brought into the world by the fanctification, or divine power of the HOLY GHOST.

2. CHRIST is also faid in fcripture to be the Son of GOD, and to be declared to be fo upon account of "his refurrection from the dead," by the power of the HOLY GHOST. His refurrection from the dead, is here in the text afcribed to "the SPIRIT "of holiness, or the HOLY GHOST." And fo in other places of fcripture, Rom. viii. 11. " If "the SPIRIT of him that raised up JESUS from "the dead, dwell in you:" and 1 Pet. iii. 18. "Being put to death in the flesh: but quickned in "the SPIRIT;" that is, he fuffered in that frail mortal nature which he affumed; but was raised again by the power of the HOLY GHOST, of the SPIRIT of GOD which refided in him. And upon this account he is exprefly faid in fcripture to be the Sox of GOD. Pfal. ii. 7. "I will declare the decree; "the LORD hath faid unto me, thou art my SON,

this day have I begotten thee;" to which per

haps