to measure by their unaffisted reason subjects utterly beyond the grasp of human understanding, plunge into the most extravagant wildneffes of interpretation, rather than bend to the plain and repeated declarations of God concerning the nature of his own Godhead. More frequently they take offence at the humiliating facts which lie at the root of the doctrine of redemption: that man is radically corrupt; that the law of God is a law of perfect holiness, and requires perfect obedience; that any breach of that law in any one point, fubjects the offender to the penalty of eternal death; that holiness is in no respect the product of the human heart, but altogether the fruit of the Spirit of God; and confequently that whoever fhall receive remiffion of punishment, fanctification, and the gift of life eternal, will receive all these bleffings folely through the free grace and mercy of God in Christ, and will owe no one of them in the fmalleft portion or degree to any right or merit of his own. Numbers, inftead of humbly acknowledging these truths, which are as confiftent with reafon as they are decidedly inculcated in the Scriptures, proudly rely on their fuppofed perfonal righteousness; dare to claim forgiveness and falvation as in part at leaft due to their own excellence and good works; works; and are fo far from looking to Christ as the fole ground of hope of deliverance from the wrath to come, and of admiffion into the kingdom of glory, that they regard his atoning facrifice merely, if I may venture to apply the term to fo aweful a fubject, as a fort of make-weight, which may compenfate for fuch of their tranfgreffions as their own imaginary righteousness may not have been altogether fufficient to wipe away. So blind to their own ftate, fo ignorant of the fundamental principles of Chriftianity, are many who frequent Christian worship! May God grant that few or none of you, when you examine your own faith, may find yourfelves of this defcription! Meditate then, as the apostle exhorts, upon these things. Take heed to thyfelf and to thy doctrine: continue in them. Speak thou the things which become found doctrine; that men be found in faith. If any man confent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing (k). 2. Chrift, in the fecond place, is the cornerftone of morality. He conferred, in various ways, moft eminent glory on the moral law of God. He came to give himself as a facrifice (E) 1 Tim. iv. 15, 16. Tit. ii. 1, 2. 1 Tim. vi. 3, 4 for for offences committed against that law: and thus established in the face of men and of the universe, the excellence of that law; and evinced the heinoufness of fin, for which no inferior atonement could fuffice. In explaining that law, he fhewed by his fermon on the mount, as well as by many occafional expofitions, its holy and spiritual nature. Far from perverting its operations, like the Pharifees and Scribes ; far from restraining its influence, according to their absurd and pernicious system, to outward and notorious fins, or exhaufting its efficacy on the punctilious obfervance of trifling duties and unauthorised commandments; he fanctioned and magnified the whole law: he affigned to its feveral precepts and injunctions the place and preponderance to which they were respectively entitled: and he extended the empire of every one of them to the heart. Think not, faid he, that I am come to deftroy the law: I am not come to detroy, but to fulfil. For verily Ifay unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle fhall in no wife pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Wo unto you, Scribes and Pharifees! for ye pay tithe of mint and anife and cummin; and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgement, mercy, and faith. Thefe ought ye to have done; and not to leave the other undone. Whofoever 13 foever is angry with his brother without a caufe. is in danger of the judgement. Whosoever looketh on a woman to luft after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart. Out of the heart proceed the things which defile a man. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they fhall fee God (1). During the whole period of his miniftry he afforded a conftant example of perfect obedience to the moral law. Every duty which it became him as man to fulfil towards men, he discharged no lefs punctually than thofe obligations of which the immediate object was God. He was holy, undefiled, feparate from finners (m). Made like unto his brethren (n) in every point except one; in one point he differed totally and immeasurably from them all: for he was without fin (o). By his example, and for the exprefs purpose of glorifying his name, every moral duty is inculcated and enforced by the apoftles and thus also the moral law is continually receiving additional glory through him. If humility is to be impreffed, Let this mind, faith St. Paul, be in you which was in Chrift Fefus; who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of (1) Matt. v. 17, 18. xxiii. 23. v. 22, 28. xv. 18. v. 8. (m) Heb. vii. 26. (n) Heb. ii. 17. (0) Heb. iv. 15. a fer a fervant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled bimfelf and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (p). When the fame apostle recommends meekness and gentleness; what is his argument? I beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ (q). When he exhorts to unity and concord, and mutually edifying affistance? Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification: for even Chrift pleafed not himself: fought not his own ease and fatisfaction, but the benefit of others. The God of patience and confolation grant you to be like minded one towards another, according to Chrift Fefus; that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God (r). When he admonifhes Chriftians to brotherly love; to what pattern does he refer us? Walk in love, as Chrift alfo bath loved us; and hath given himfelf for us an offering and a facrifice unto God (s). By what example does he enforce the duty of forgiveness? Even as Chrift forgave you, fo alfo do ye (t). How does he encourage charity to the poor? So labouring ye ought to fupport the weak; and to remember the words of the Lord Jefus, bow he faid, It is more blessed to (p) Philipp. ii. 5-8. (s) Eph. v. 2. (q) 2 Cor. x. I. (r) Rom. xv. 1–6. (t) Col. iii. 13. |