SERMON III.

On the Incarnation of our Lord.

Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me.

MATT. xi. 6.

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Notwithstanding the endearing marks of our Saviour's
love to mankind, his doctrine, his mysteries, or his per-
have to some been always matter of offence

The objections against the incarnation, drawn from the

impossibility or the unreasonableness of it stated

son,

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I. We know too little of the human or divine nature to
prove an union of them impossible
We can as little explain or comprehend an union of souls
and bodies, as we can that of the Deity with humanity - ib.

And if the spirits of men had been once unbodied, and

such a doctrine revealed to them in a state of separation,

it would have appeared to some forward reasoners as

unphilosophical and absurd

II. The method, which infinite goodness and wisdom has

made use of for our redemption, we must needs think

the most proper of any

Reasons which Scripture suggests to us, why our Re-

deemer should be God

And why he should be man

Practical improvements from this doctrine are,

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ib.

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1. Thankfulness, that we are admitted to terms of re-

pentance, which before we could have no assurance of ib.

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ib.

2. Love for our Saviour's infinite condescension

The force of this motive strangely weakened by those who

make him a mere man

3. A high sense of the dignity of our nature, and a

hearty displeasure at those sins that debase and dis-

honour it

4. A spirit of universal humility

5. A sedulous care to trace all the steps of that example

our Saviour set us in the flesh, which that he might

set us, was one great end of his taking our nature

upon him

6. A due esteem for that everlasting Gospel which

Christ sealed with his blood; and as the best expres-

sion of our esteem for it, a strict compliance with

the terms of it

ib

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SERMON IV.

Temptations not irresistible.

God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted

above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also

make a way to escape.-1 COR. x. 13.

The common plea with libertines, that human nature is
too weak to resist temptations

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I. Under what restrictions the truth of the text to be un-

derstood

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II. This maxim, when duly stated, confirmed

1. From experience, and the examples of several holy
men recorded in Scripture history

ib.

2. From some general reasonings drawn from the nature

of temptations themselves; of that Gospel grace,

which is to support us under them; of man, a free

agent; and of God, who is a holy, just, and true one 43-48

III. This doctrine affords matter of comfort and en-

couragement to the sincerely good and virtuous

And of reproof to the hypocrite and profane, who would

extenuate their sins, by reproaching human nature, and

under that, the wise author and contriver of it -

An exhortation to beg of God his strength and protection

to carry us through all temptations

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SERMON V.

The horrid Imprecation of the Jews, and the Justice

and Wisdom of God in fulfilling it upon them.

Then answered all the people, and said: His blood be on

us, and on our children.-MATT. xvii. 25.

The history of the Jewish nation a history of divine

providence

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I. The aggravating circumstances with which the impre-
cation in the text was attended, and the solemnity,
unanimity, and warmth with which it was expressed

II. The wonderful manner with which it was accomplish-

ed, in the destruction of the city and nation of the Jews 54

A strict correspondence observable between their crime

and their punishment

They are still pursued with such circumstances of divine

vengeance, as are very different from those of other

exiles or captives, and from what befel them in their

former dispersions

III. The justice of God vindicated, in respect to these

sufferers

His wisdom, with regard to the great ends and designs he

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proposed to himself in their sufferings; viz., by mak-
ing them in their destruction an irrefragable proof of
our Saviour's divine mission

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And in their dispersion, a means of propagating those
divine oracles that foretold and described him

ib.

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IV. The inferences to be deduced from hence are,

1. To abstain from all rash and horrid imprecations,

and to aim at simplicity of speech, as well as sincerity

of heart and integrity of manners

2. To admire the inscrutable methods of God's pro-

vidence, in bringing about the salvation of sinners;

and making the scandal of the cross soon turn to its

greatest advantage

3. To attribute the infidelity of those men to a judicial

blindness, who live where the Gospel of Christ is

professed, and yet shut their eyes against the light

of it

4. To be fearful of despising the mercies of God, and

falling into that sin by which God's peculiar people

forfeited his protection and favour

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SERMON VI.

The Christian State a State of Suffering.

Even hereunto were ye called; because Christ also

suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should

follow his steps.—1 PET. ii. 21.

The duty of a Christian to imitate the passive, as well as

the active graces of his Saviour

The chief design of St. Peter in this Epistle

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I. The state of a Christian a state of suffering, proved

From the solemn engagements into which he entered at
his baptism

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ib.

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The outward afflictions he meets with from the world

The inward anxieties and sorrows, perplexities and troubles

that attend him

Since this is the state we are called to, it behoves us to
examine whether we are really in such a state, and have
fulfilled the duties that entitle us to the privileges of it

II. The sufferings of Christ a plain argument why we
should likewise expect our share of them
Neither his infinite dignity, nor his perfect sanctity, made
him exempt from them

And since we are predestinate to be conformed to his
image, as far as we deviate from that original, so far
we fall short of perfection

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His example a powerful motive to support us

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ib.

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By the merit of those very sufferings, which he proposes

to our imitation, he has purchased for us all such extra-

ordinary aids as are requisite to support us

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