to find in human nature a person of fuch a SERM. character! The Son of Man justly as- 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 present 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 sentiments, 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 ftooped 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 blifs. 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. difcover; 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 Saviour. 1 SER SERMON V. The character and life of the Apostle ACTS XX. 24. But none of thefe things move me, neither account I my life dear unto myself, fo that I might finish my courfe with joy, and the miniftry, which I have received of the Lord Jefus, to testify 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 SERM. fhew, that it is above the power of fiction, V. Ifhall, in this difcourfe, confider the life and character of the Apostle Paul, who, though he was called to be an apostle later than the others, yet fays very juftly concerning himself, that he was not a whit behind the chiefest apoftles; he was, in truth, in many respects, the most eminent of them all. But, in entering upon this argument, I must take it for granted, that there was fuch a person in the world, who profeffed Christianity, and was a teacher of it, and who fpent much of his life in travelling through many countries to propagate this religion; that there were really fuch focieties of Chriftians as the churches of Corinth, Ephefus, Rome, Galatia, Theffalonica, Coloffe and Philippi, amongst whom Paul had laboured, and fome of them had founded; that the epiftles, which we have, in the fcriptures, directed to thefe churches in his name, were known to the primitive Chriftians, and acknowledged to be his; that there were fuch men as Timothy and Titus, Barnabas and Luke, with many others, who were this apoftle's fellow-labourers. Indeed all these things are fuptra ། ported ported very fully by all that kind of evi- SERM. dence, which the nature of them will ad-V. mit, as the apologists for Chriftianity have often fhewed; and he, who will deny the whole, muft have got to a moft abfurd degree of fcepticism. Let us then take a view of the life and character of this excellent man, and try, whether they do not furnish fome ftrong prefumptive arguments of the truth and divine authority of the religion of Chrift. The account, which the fcriptures give us concerning him, is this; that he was educated under one of the most learned Jewish doctors, who was of the ftricteft fect; that, under this difcipline, he profited exceedingly, and became eminent in knowledge, ftrictnefs of life, and zeal for the law; that he had conceived fuch prejudices and averfion against the Chriftian name and way, as being an impious herefy, that he thought it his duty to do what he could to put an end to the profeffion, and blot out the remembrance of it; that he diftinguished himself by this blind zeal in Jerufalem, and was exceedingly active in the perfecutions, which were raised against Chriftians, breathing out threatening and O 2 flaughter |