SERM. 4. The refurrection of CHRIST is the great confirmation of the truth of all that he delivered, Rom. i. "declared to be the fon of GOD with power, σε ορισθέντος υἱκ Θεῖ ἐν δυνάμει, by the refurrection "from the dead." This great miracle of his refurrection from the dead did determine the controverfy, and put it out of all doubt and question, that he was "the fon of GoD." And then his afcenfion, and "fitting at the right hand of God," this gives us the affurance of a bleffed immortality, and is a demonftration of a life to come, and a pledge of everlasting glory and happiness. And can any thing tend more to the encouragement of obedience, and to make us dead to the pleasures and enjoyments of this life, than the affurance of eternal life and happinefs? And then the confequents of his exaltation, they do eminently conduce to our recovery. The fending of the Holy Ghoft" to lead us into all truth," to fanctify us, to affift us, and to comfort us under the greatest troubles and afflictions; and the powerful interceffion of CHRIST in our behalf; and his return to judgment; the expectation whereof is the great argument to repentance, and holinefs of life: Acts xvii. 30, 31. "And the times of this igno"rance GOD winked at, but now commandeth all "men every where to repent: because he hath ap' pointed a day, in the which he will judge the "world in righteoufnefs, by that man whom he hath "ordained; whereof he hath given affurance unto "all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." And thus I have endeavoured to prove, that the "redemption of man by JESUS CHRIST" is a de'fign of admirable wisdom. The ufe I fhall make of it, is to convince us of the the unreasonableness of unbelief, and the folly and S ERM. madness of impenitency. First, The unreasonableness of unbelief. The gofpel reveals to us the wife counsel and difpenfation of God for our redemption; and those who difbelieve the gospel, "they reject the counsel of GoD "against themselves," as it is faid of the unbelieving Pharifees and lawyers, Luke vii. 30. The gofpel reveals to us a defign fo reasonable and full of wisdom, that they who can difbelieve it are defperate perfons, devoted to ruin. 1 Cor. i. 18. "The "cross of CHRIST is to them that perish foolish" nefs." 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. "But if our gospel be "hid, it is hid to them that are loft; in whom the "GOD of this world hath blinded the eyes of them "that believe not, left the light of the glorious gof pel of CHRIST, who is the image of GOD, fhould "fhine unto them." The gofpel carries fo much light and evidence in it, that it cannot be hid from any but fuch whofe eyes are blinded by the devil and their lufts. He that will duly weigh and confider things, and look narrowly into this wife difpenfation of GOD, fhall find nothing to object against it; nay, fhall discover in it the greatest motives and inducements to believe. We are apt to believe any thing that is reasonable, especially if it be for our advantage. Now this wife difpenfation of God is not only reasonable in itself, but beneficial to us; it does at once highly gratify our understandings, and fatisfy our intereft; why should we not then believe and entertain it? I. The defign of the gospel is reasonable, and gratifies our understandings. And in this respect the gofpel hath incomparable advantages above any other religion. CXXXIX. CXXXIX. SER M. religion. The end of all religion is to advance piety and holiness, and real goodness among men: and the more any religion advanceth thefe, the more reasonable it is. Now the great incitements and arguments to piety, are the excellency and perfection of the divine nature; fear of punishment and hopes of pardon and rewards. Now the gospel represents all these to the greatest advantage. 1. It reprefents the perfections of God to the greatest advantage, especially thofe which tend moft to the promotion of piety, and the love of GoD in us; his justice and mercy. (1.) His juftice. The gospel reprefents it inflexible in its rights, and inexorable, and that will not in any cafe let fin go unpunished. The impartiality of the divine juftice appears in this difpenfation, that when GoD pardons the finner, yet he will punish fin fo feverely in his own fon, who was the furety. Now what could more tend to discountenance fin, and convince us of the great evil of it? (2.) His mercy. This difpenfation is a great demonftration of the mercy, and goodnefs, and love of GOD, in fending his fon to die for finners, and in faving us by devoting and facrificing him, John iii. 16. "For GoD fo loved the world, that he gave "his only begotten fon." Rom. v. 8. "But GOD "commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet finners, CHRIST died for us." 1 John iv. 9, 10. "In this was manifefted the love of GoD "towards us, bacaufe God fent his only begotten "fon into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love; not that we loved GOD, "but that he loved us, and fent his fon to be the "propitiation for our fins." Now this reprefentation of God's mercy and love which the gofpel makes, is of great force and efficacy to melt our hearts into SER M. love to GOD. 2. The second argument to piety is fear of punishment. The gospel hath revealed to us the mifery of those who continue in their fin; it hath made clear and terrible difcoveries of thofe torments which attend finners in another world, and hath opened to us the treasures of God's wrath; fo that now under the gospel, "hell is naked before us, and destruction "hath no covering;" and this is one thing which makes the gospel fo powerful an engine to destroy fin, Rom. i. 16, 18. "The gofpel is the power of "GOD unto falvation; for therein is the wrath of "GOD revealed from heaven against all ungodli-, "nefs, and unrighteousness of men.” 3. Hopes of pardon and reward. And this, added to the former, renders the gospel the most powerful inftrument to take men off from fin, and engage them to holiness, that can be imagined. The means to draw men from fin, when they are once awakened with the fear of vengeance, is hopes of pardon and mercy; and the way to incourage obedience for the future, is hope of reward. Now as an argument to us to retreat and draw back from fin, the gospel promises pardon and indemnity to us; and as an incitement to holiness, the gospel opens heaven to us, and fets before us everlafting glory and happiness, and gives us the greatest affurance of it. This is the first, the defign of the gospel is reafonable, in that it does eminently and directly ferve for the ends of piety and religion. II. This difpenfation of GoD is beneficial to us; and fatisfies our intereft; and this adds to the unreasonablenefs of our unbelief, this defign of GOD CXXXIX. CXXXIX. SER M. being not only reafonable in itself, but desirable to us, that it fhould be fo; becaufe of the eminent advantages that redound to us by it. The defign of the gospel is to deliver us from the guilt and dominion of fin, and the tyranny of Satan; to reftore us to the image and favour of GoD: and by making us partakers of a divine nature, to bring us to eternal life. And is there any thing of real advantage which is not comprehended in this? Is it not defirable to every man, that there should be a way whereby our guilty consciences may be quieted and appeased; whereby we may be delivered from the fear of death and hell? Is it not defirable to be freed from the slavery of our lufts, and refcued from the tyranny and power of the great deftroyer of fouls? Is it not defirable to be like GOD, and to be affured of his love and favour, who is the best friend, and the most dange. rous enemy'; and to be fecured, that when we leave this world, we shall be unspeakably happy for ever? Now the gospel conveys these benefits to us; and if this be the cafe of the gofpel, and there be nothing in this defign of our redemption, but what is wife and reasonable, and exceedingly for our benefit and advantage; why fhould any man be fo averse to the belief of it? Why fhould unbelief be counted a piece of wit? Is it wit to fet ourselves against reason, and to oppofe our best interest? It is wickedness, and prejudice, and inconfideratenefs which disbelieves the gospel. Those who do confider things welcome this good news, and embrace these glad tidings. "Wisdom is juftified of her children." To them who are truly fenfible of their own intereft, and willing to accept of reasonable evidence, this is not only "a true faying," but "worthy of all acceptation; that CHRIST came into the world to fave "finners." Second |