SERM." godly in this prefent world, looking for that blef"fed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great "GOD, and our SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST; who XCVIII. .. 66 gave himfelf for us, that he might redeem us from "all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar 'people, zealous of good works." And then he adds, these things fpeak and exhort, and rebuke "with all authority;" intimating, that tho' men were very averse to this doctrine, it ought to be inculcated with great authority and earnestness, and those who oppofed and defpifed it, to be feverely rebuked: and with great reason, because the contrary doctrine does moft effectually undermine and defeat the whole defign of the chriftian religion. Secondly, from hence we learn, that if the promifes of the gofpel have not this effect upon us, to make us partakers of a divine nature," it is our own fault, and because we are wanting to ourselves. GOD is always ready to do his part, if we do not fail in ours. There is a divine power and efficacy goes along with the gcfpel, to make way for the entertainment of it in the hearts of men, where they put no bar and obftacle to it. But if men will refift the motions of God's bleffed SPIRIT, and quench the light of it, and obftinately hold out against the force of truth; GOD will withdraw his grace and HOLY SPIRIT from them. The gospel would raife us to the perfection of all virtue and goodness, and the promises of it are admirably fitted to relieve the infirmities and weakness of human nature, and to renew us after the image of GoD, in righteousness and true holiness;" to take us off from fin and vice, and to allure us to good. nefs, XCIX. nefs, and to affift and encourage us in the practice ofS E R M. it: but if we will not comply with the gracious de-, fign of God in the gofpel, and fuffer thefe promifes to have their due influence and efficacy upon us; we wilfully deprive ourselves of all the bleffings and benefits of it, "we reject the counsel of God against "ourselves, and receive the grace of God in vain;" and by rejecting and defpifing his promises, we provoke him to execute his threatnings upon us. Thirdly, and lastly, if the promises of the chriftian religion are apt in their own nature to work this great effect upon us, to make us like to God, and to bring us to fo near a resemblance of the divine perfections, to make us good and juft, and merciful and patient, and "holy in all manner of converfation, to purge "us from our iniquities, and to make us a peculiar " and excellent people, zealous of good works;" I fay, if this be the proper tendency of the gofpel, and the promises of it, how doth this upbraid the degenerate state of the chriftian world at this day, which does fo abound in all kind of wickedness and impiety? fo that we may cry out as he did, upon reading the gofpel; profectò aut hoc non eft evangelium; aut nos non fumus evangelici; “ either this is not the gospel which "we read, and the chriftian religion which we pro"fefs; or we are no christians." We are fo far from that pitch of goodness and virtue which the chriftian religion is apt to raise men to, and which the apoftle here calls"the divine nature," that a great part of us are degenerated into beasts and devils, wallowing in abominable and filthy lufts, indulging ourselves in those devilish paffions of malice and hatred, of ftrife. and difcord, of revenge and cruelty, of fedition and disturbance P 4 SERM. disturbance of the publick peace to that degree, as if the grace of GoD had never appeared to us to teach us the contrary. And therefore it concerns all those who have the face to call themselves chriftians, to demean themselves at another rate, and for the honour of their religion, and the falvation of their own fouls," to have their converfation as becometh "the gofpel of CHRIST;" and by, departing from the vicious practices of this prefent evil world, to da what in them lies to prevent the judgments of Gon which hang over us; or if they cannot do that," to "fave themselves from this untoward generation." SERMON XCIX. The fupport of good men, under their fufferings for religion. I PETER iv. 19. Wherefore let them that fuffer according to the will of GOD, commit the keeping of their fouls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful creator. TH HIS epiftle was written by St. Peter, who was the apoftle of the circumcifion, to the The firft difperfed Jews, who were newly converted to chriffermon on tianity; and the defign of it is to confirm and eftathis text. blifh them in the profeffion of it; and to instruct them how they ought to demean themselves towards the heathen, or gentiles, among whom they lived; and more particularly to arm and prepare them for those fuffer XCIX. fufferings and perfecutions, which he foretels wouldS E R M. shortly overtake them for the profeffion of chrif-, tianity, that when they should happen, they might not be surprised and startled at them, as if fome strange and unexpected thing were come upon them; at the 12th verfe of this chapter," beloved, "think it not ftrange concerning the fiery trial "which is to try you;" that is, do not wonder and be not astonish'd at it, as if fome ftrange thing 66 happened unto you." And then he inftructs them more particularly, how they ought to behave themselves under those trials and fufferings, when they should happen; not only with patience, which,men ought to exercife under all kinds of fufferings, upon what account and cause foever; but with joy and chearfulness; considering the glorious example and reward of them, ver. 13. "but rejoice, in as much as ye are partakers of "CHRIST'S fufferings; that when his glory fhall be "revealed, ye may be glad alfo with exceeding joy." And at the 14th verfe he tells them, that besides the encouragement of fo great an example, and fo glorious a reward, they fhould be fupported and affifted in a very extraordinary manner, by the SPIRIT of GOD refting upon them in a glorious manner, as a teftimony of the divine power and prefence with them; ver. 14. "If ye be reproached for the name "of CHRIST, happy are ye; for the SPIRIT of glory and of God refteth upon you;" or, as it is in the best copies, " for the SPIRIT of glory and of power, even the SPIRIT of GOD resteth upon you;" that is, the glorious power of the divine SPIRIT is prefent with you, to comfort and bear 66 66 up SERM. up your fpirits under thefe fufferings. But then he XCIX. cautions them, to take great care, that their fufferings be for a good cause, and a good confcience; 66 ver. 15. |