he could have any thing in view, if it was SERM.
not, at the expence of deluding a few IV.
weak men, to keep up the memory of a
high character, in the profpect of which,
prefent vanity may be fuppofed to have
been gratified. If unbelief will fay, this
was the view, it must, at the fame time,
acknowledge, that there was not the least
rational profpect of fucceeding. A dozen
of poor
illiterate perfons of no name, in-
tereft, or fignificancy in the world, with-
out one fingle perfon of power to stand by
them, are to keep alive the memory, and
support the pretenfions, of a perfon, who
wanted to impofe upon all the world, and
who was profecuted as a criminal, con-
demned, and crucified! Might he not
plainly fee, that their attempts would be
vain; that, as they had all the world against
them, they would be quickly baffled and
crushed; and that, when they had nothing
left them but the reputation of his name,
which the world had loaded with infamy,
they would be able to make nothing of the
cause? Surely, the best degree of understand-
ing must have convinced him of this; and
made him lay afide all hopes, that his pre-
tenfions would furvive himself.

8

Thus

SERM. Thus I have endeavoured to fhew the IV. manifold abfurdities, which muft follow the imagination, that thefe difcourfes of our Saviour are not genuine; or that he was an impoftor. So that we cannot help concluding, that he really fo fpake to his difciples, and that he fpake the truth. And any man, who will confider these discourses with an impartial mind, must fee, that they are so much in character, fo worthy of him, and breathe fuch a spirit, that, while they greatly please, they, at the fame time, furnish a strong argument for the truth and • divine authority of our holy religion.

But particularly, with refpect to our Bleffed Saviour's addrefs to the Father, it must be pleasing to view fuch a picture, if I may fo call it, of him, who was the image of the invifible God, fet before us : Of fuch a perfon, upon the most folemn of all occafions, praying to the Father, and uttering fentiments, which were worthy of spotlefs purity; of the highest dignity, and a peculiar relation to the Father as his only-begotten and well-beloved fon; of benevolence in all its extent; of the tendereft affections; and of the greatest and most elevated views. How doth the heart exult

to

to find in human nature a perfon of fuch a SERM. character! The Son of Man juftly af- IV. fuming what none of the angelic orders could, by any means, pretend to How amazing the goodness of the Father, who fent his Son in this manner, to feek and fave that, which was loft Very affecting must a just sense of the infirmity of nature, and of the manifold difadvantages of our prefent ftate, be to every perfon, who hath eyes to fee and a heart to confider. But when we turn our thoughts to the state, to which our Bleffed Saviour came to raise mankind, the very greatest fentiments, the largest and most comfortable hopes, fpring up in the mind. Provifion is made for the faithful fervants of Chrift, that they shall be where he is, that they shall be like him; and he, who was pleased to take human nature upon him, in all its finless infirmities, and stooped to fuch a relation to mortals, being in all things made like unto his brethren, shall one day exalt them into the highest glory, and crown them with most perfect bliss. Bearing this near relation to the Son of God, therefore, and having fuch hopes, let every one think highly of himself; not with that elation

of

SERM of fpirit, which the proud and arrogant IV discover the object of which is fome

little temporal diftinction, of no value, when compared with that, which is the true, excellency of man: But maintaining a just sense of those privileges, and advantages, which are common to us as men and Chriftians, let us endeavour to act as it becometh the redeemed of the Lord, rejoicing in hope of future glory; and looking upon things temporal as of no confideration, when compared with that inheritance, to the hope of which we are begotten by the refurrection of our Sa

SERMON V.

The character and life of the Apostle
Paul.

ACTS XX. 24.

But none of thefe things move me, neither account I my life dear unto myself, fo that I might finish my course with joy, and the miniftry, which I have received of the Lord Jefus, to teftify the gofpel of the grace of God.

I

N pursuance of my defign to lay be- SERM. fore you fome prefumptive arguments, V.

in favour of Chriftianity, having, in fome paft, difcourfes, confidered the life and character of our Saviour, as it is taken from the Evangelifts, and endeavoured to Thew,

Ο