SERM." out fin;" and in a word, " might be able to CXXII. fave to the utmost all thofe that come to GOD by "him, feeing he ever liveth to make interceffion for us. By thefe qualifications our high-priest is described in this epiftle; and by thefe he is every way fuited to all our defects and infirmities, all our wants and neceffities; to inftruct our ignorance by his doctrine, and to lead us in the path of righteousness by his most holy and most exemplary life; to expiate the guilt of our fins by his death; and to procure grace affiftance for us, by his prevalent interceffion on our behalf. By all thele ways, and in all these respects, he is faid to be "the author of eternal falvation." and ift, By the holiness and purity of his doctrine, whereby we are perfectly inftructed in the will of God and our duty, and powerfully excited and perfuaded to the practice of it. The rules and directions of a holy life were very obfcure before, and the motives and encouragements to virtue but weak and ineffectual, in comparifon of what they are now render'd by the revelation of the gofpel. The general corruption of mankind, and the vicious practice of the world, had in a great measure blurr'd and defac'd the natural law; fo that the heathen world, for many ages, had but a very dark and doubtful knowledge of their duty, especially as to feveral inftances of it. The cuftom of feveral vices had fo prevail'd among mankind, as almoft quite to extinguish the natural fenfe of their evil and deformity. And the Jews, who enjoy'd a confiderable degree of divine revelation, had no ftrict regard to the morality of their actions; and contenting themfelves with fome kind of outward conformity to the CXXII. the bare letter of the ten commandments, were al-SER M. moft wholly taken up with little ceremonies and obfervances, in which they placed the main of their religion, almoft wholly neglecting the greater duties and "weightier matters of the law." And therefore our bleffed SAVIOUR, to free mankind from thefe wanderings and uncertainties about the will of GOD, revealed the moral law, and explained the full force and meaning of it, clearing all doubts, and fupplying all the defects of it, by a more particular and explicit declaration of the feveral parts of our duty, and by precepts of greater perfection, than the world was fufficiently acquainted withal before; of greater humility and more univerfal charity; of abstaining from revenge and forgiving injuries, and returning to our enemies good for evil, and love for ill-will, and bleffings and prayers for curfes and perfecutions. Thefe virtues indeed were fometimes, and yet but very rarely, recommended before in the counfels of wife men; but either not in that degree of perfection, or not under that degree of neceffity, and as having the force of laws, and laying an univerfal obligation of indifpenfible duty upon all mankind. And as our bleffed SAVIOUR hath given a greater clearness, and certainty, and perfection, to the rule of our duty, so he hath reveal'd, and brought into a clearer light, more powerful motives and encouragements to the constant and careful practice of it; for "life and immortality are brought to light by "the gospel;" the refurrection of CHRIST from the dead being a plain and convincing demonftration of the immortality of our fouls, and another life after this, and an evidence to us both of his power, R 2 SERM power, and of the fidelity of his promife, to raise us CXXII. from the dead. Not but that mankind had fome obfcure apprehenfions of thefe things before. Good men had always good hopes of another life and future rewards in another world: and the worst of men were not without fome fears of the judgment and vengeance of another world; but men had dif puted themselves into great doubts and uncertainties about thefe things; and as men that are in doubt, are almost indifferent which way they go; fo the uncertain apprehenfions which men had of a future ftate, and of the rewards and punishments of another world had but a very faint influence upon minds of men, and wanted that preffing and determining force to virtue and a good life, which a firm belief and clear conviction of these things, would have infufed into them. 6.6 the But now the light of the glorious gospel of "CHRIST" hath fcattered all these clouds, and chafed away that grofs darknefs which hid the other world from our fight, and hath removed all doubts concerning the immortality of mens fouls, and their future ftate; and now the kingdom of heaven, with all its treafures of life and happiness, and glory, lies open to our view, and "hell is alfo naked before "us, and destruction hath no covering." So that the hopes and fears of men are now perfectly awakned, and all forts of confiderations that may ferve to quicken and encourage our obedience, and to deter and affrighten men from a wicked life, are expofed to the view of all men, and do ftare every man's confcience in the face. And this is that which renders the gospel so admirable and powerful an inftrument for the reforming of mankind, and, as 2 the CXXII. the apostle calls it "the mighty power of Gop unto SER M. tice of it. 2dly, The example of our SAVIOUR's life is likewife another excellent means to this end. The law lays an obligation upon us; but a pattern gives life and encouragement, and renders our duty more eafy, and practicable, and familiar to us; for here we fee obedience to the divine law practifed in our own nature, and performed by a man like curfelves, "in all "things like unto us, fin only excepted." 'Tis true indeed, this exception makes a great difference, and seems to take off very much from the encouraging force and virtue of this example. No wonder if he that was without fin, and was GOD as well as man performed all righteoufnefs; and therefore, where is the encouragement of this example? that our nature, pure and uncorrupted, fupported and affifted by the divinity to which it was united, fhould be perfectly conformed to the law of GOD, as it is no strange thing, so neither doth it seem to have that force and encouragement in it, which an example SERM more fuited to our weakness might have had. But CXXII: then this cannot be deny'd, that it hath the advan tage of perfection, which a pattern ought to have, and to which, though we can never attain, yet we may always be afpiring towards it; and certainly we cannot better learn, how GOD would have men to live, than by feeing how GOD himself lived, when he was pleased to affume our nature, and to become man, And then, we are to confider that the Son of Go did not affume our nature in its highest glory and perfection, but compafs'd with infirmities, and liable in all points to be tempted like as we are; but ftill it was without fin; and therefore GOD doth not exact from us perfect obedience, and that we should "fulfil all righteousness," as he did; he makes allowance for the corruption of our nature, and is pleafed to accept of our fincere, though very imperfect obedience. But after all this, his human nature was united to his divinity, and he had the "SPIRIT without measure," and this would indeed make a wide difference between us and our pattern, as to the purpose of holiness and obedience, if we were deftitute of that affiftance which is neceffary to enable us to the difcharge of our duty; but this GOD offers, and is ready to afford to us, for he hath promifed" to give his HOLY SPIRIT to them that afk him," and "the SPIRIT of him that raised .. up CHRIST JESUS from the dead" dwells in all good men, who fincerely defire to do the will of GOD;" in the working out our falvation, GOD "worketh in us both to will and to do." So that as to that obedience which the gofpel requires of us, if we be not wanting to ourselves; if we |
