offend you; he whom you will find an infant, in swaddling clothes, and in a manger, is the Redeemer of the world, the true Anointed of God, the Lord of the whole universe. This Saviour, this Christ, this Lord, says the angel, is born unto you. Here you may commence a lively exhortation to joy, the motives to which may be taken from the terms of the text-that there is a Saviour -that he is Christ -that he is the Lord-that after being so long expected, at length he came-that he was born for us-that we have an interest in him above angels-that he has testified his love to us by submitting to sinless infirmities-you may compare his first with his last Advent, and dispose your auditors to feel a still greater joy in expectation of his coming to raise them from the dead, and putting the last hand to the work of our redemption-Then will he appear a Saviour indeed, for he will complete the salvation of the faithful-Then will he appear a Christ indeed, for he will finish the design of his unction, and will make us kings and priests to God his Father-Then will he appear Lord indeed, for all things shall be subjected to him, he will triumph over all our enemies, he will swallow up death in victory, and he will elevate us to the possession of eternal glory.m Having spoken of simple terms, I proceed to add something concerning expressions peculiar to Scripture. These deserve a particular explication, and should be discussed and urged with great diligence, as well because they are peculiar modes of speaking, as because they are rich with meaning. In this class I put such forms of speaking as these: To be in Christ Jesus. To come to Jesus Christ. To come after Jesus Christ. To live in the flesh. To live after the flesh. From faith to faith. From glory to glory. To walk after the flesh. To walk after the spirit. The old man. The new man. Jesus Christ lives in you. To live to Jesus Christ. To live to ourselves. To die to the world. To die to ourselves. To be crucified to the world. The world to be crucified to us. Jesus Christ made sin for us; we made the righteousness of God in him. Christ put to death in the flesh, quickened by the Spirit. Die unto sin. Live unto righteousness. Quench the Spirit. Grieve the Spirit. Resist the Holy Ghost. Sin against the Holy Ghost: and I know not how many more such expressions, which are found almost no where but in Scripture. Whenever you meet with such forms of speech as these, you must not pass them over lightly, but you must fully explain them, entering well into the spirit and meaning of them. It would be very convenient for a young man to procure for this purpose an exact collection, and endeavour to inform himself of the sense of each. This subject would require, as it well deserves, a particular treatise; however, I will briefly give an example of the manner in which expres 'sions of this kind should be discussed. Let us take these words; Mark viii. 34. Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up s cross and follow me. Methinks it would not be improper to divide >> sermon into two parts. In the first we would treat of the expres ns, which Jesus uses, Come after me- -deny himself—take up his cross This discourse was very long and tedious. All that could elucidate the gof texts by comparison is retained; but that which tended only to disthe mind, is expunged. -and follow me. And in the second, we would examine the entire sense of our Saviour's whole proposition. To begin then with the explication of these expressions. To come after Jesus Christ signifies no other thing than to be his disciples, to take him for the rule and model of our conduct; in a word, to profess an acknowledgment of him as our head and master, our supreme prophet and teacher, our pattern and exemplar. Deny himself is an expression so singular, that it seems to shock reason and nature, and to suppose a thing difficult, yea, absolutely impossible, or at least extremely criminal. Yet, it is certain, nothing can be more holy, nothing more necessary, nothing more just than this self-renunciation which Jesus Christ here ordains. He does not mean that we should divide ourselves from ourselves, or that we should hate ourselves; but he intends, 1. In general, that we should renounce all that is in us excessive, vicious, and irregular: this he calls self, because corruption is become, as it were, natural to us, we being conceived in sin, and shapen in iniquity. 2. He commands us particularly to renounce that violent, immoderate, and excessive love, which man, in a state of depravity, has for himself, making self-love his chief and only principle of action, in one word, being a god to himself. 3. He enjoins the renunciation of that false and perverse pretence, which all sinners have, that they are their own masters, that no one has a right over them, that to themselves only belongs the disposition of words, actions, and thoughts. The Saviour means, that, renouncing this unjust and foolish pretence, we should submit ourselves to the government and direction of God, confiding in the conduct of his wisdom, and receiving him to reign in our hearts by his word and spirit. Take up his cross, is an expression consecrated by Jesus Christ to a sacred purpose, though it does not belong only to Scripture style. Here two things are intended by it; the mystical cross of conversion, and the cross of afflictions. 1. Conversion is called in Scripture a cross; because sin and carnal lusts are made to die within our hearts: this the Scripture calls crucifying the old man. 2. Afflictions are very justly called crosses, not only because nature suffers, but also because by these means we become the horror and reproach of the world. Finally, to follow Jesus Christ, is, 1, To become his disciple, to believe his doctrine, to approve his maxims, to be persuaded of the truth of his mysteries and holiness of his laws. 2. To follow is to imitate him, to propose him as our exemplar and pattern in the whole conduct of our lives, to walk in the same way as he walked, in order to obtain communion with him in glory. 3. To profess openly our subjection to him, as our Master and Lord, to obey his orders, &c. In a word, to follow is the same as to come after him, which we just now explained. This is the first part-The second consists in considering the entire sense of Jesus Christ's whole proposition. He means then, that, if we would be really of the number of his disciples and followers, we must submit to two things, sanctification and affliction. 1. Sanctification. Here enter into the subject, and shew how impossible it is to belong to Jesus Christ without forsaking sin and entirel changing the i.fe. The grace of God, that bringeth saltation, hath appoured to al men; teaching us, that, denging ungod vuess and woridły Tusts, we shou'd live waverly, righteousy, and gody, in this present world, looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Suricur Jesus Christ. Turse are St. Paul's words to Titus; and three things may be remarked in them, grace, holiness, and gory. And you may easily observe, that grace conducts to glory only by means of holiness: take away holiness and grace and glory can never be joined together. The apostle therefore does not say, The grace of God hath appeared to all men, teaching us to look for the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ; but he says, The grace of God hath appeared to al men, teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; and so to be looking for that blessed hope, the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Grace indeed ends in glory; but it can only do so by the intervention of holiness. You may also allege, to the same purpose, the end of Jesus Christ's coming into the world, which was not only to destroy sin as it subjected us to eternal punishment, but as sin. You may finally shew how much it is for the glory of the Father and of Jesus Christ, and for the reality and plenitude of salvation, that the disciples of Jesus should be sanctified. 2. Affliction. Two things here must be discussed:-1. The truth of the fact, that true believers are exposed to afflictions in this world. 2. The reasons why the Divine Wisdom subjects believers to these trials. 1. The truth of the fact results, 1. From the examples of all the great servants of God who have appeared in the world to this day; as Noah, Abraham, Lot, Moses, St. Paul, and all the other apostles of Jesus Christ. 2. From the whole history of the church, which was always nourished and increased in afflictions. This may be illustrated by the burning bush, which appeared to Moses; or by the ship, into which Jesus and his apostles went, tossed with waves, and exposed to the violence of winds and storms. 2. The reasons for this dispensation of Divine Providence may be taken from a common-place of afflictions; as, By means of afflictions God restrains our impetuous passions, exercises our virtues, detaches us from the world, elevates us to the hope of a better life, and displays the glory of that admirable Providence which governs us. Afflictions also are particular honours, which God confers on us, by them enabling us to walk in the steps of Jesus Christ, and conforming us by them to our divine leader. For these reasons, and many more of the same kind, we may fairly conclude, that with profound wisdom Jesus Christ has called us to affliction, and joined the cross to the profession of true Christianity." * We have before observed, that, beside simple terms, and singular ssions peculiar to Scripture, there are also sometimes in texts, eles, that are called syncategorematica, which serve either for the entation or limitation of the meaning of the proposition: As the so in John iii. 16. "God so loved the world." The word now in somewhat abridged, for the same reason as the foregoing. the viiith of Roinans; "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus:"-and in many more passages of the same kind. Whenever you meet with these terms, carefully examine them; for sometimes the greatest part, and very often the whole of the explica. tion depends upon them, as we have already remarked on that passage just now mentioned, God so loved the world: for the chief article in the doctrine of the love of God is its greatness, expressed by the word so. It is the same with that other term now, There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus; for the word now shews, that it is a conclusion drawn from the doctrine of justification, which the apostle had taught in the preceding chapters; and it is as if he had said, From the principles which I have established, it follows, that there is Now no condemnation, &c. Having then explained, 1. What it is to be in Christ Jesus; 2. What it is to be no more subject to condemnation: chiefly insist, in the third place, on the word now; and shew that it is a doctrine which necessarily follows from what St. Paul had established touching justification, in the foregoing chapters: so that this term makes a real part of the explication, and indeed the most important part.o Sometimes these terms in question are not of consequence enough to be much dwelt on, but may be more properly passed with a slight remark. The word Behold, with which many propositions in Scripture begin, must be treated so; you must not make one part of this, nor insist on it too long. The same may be said of that familiar expression of Jesus Christ, Verily, Verily, which is an asseveration, or, if you will, an oath but neither on this must you insist much. So again, Amen, or so be it, which closes some texts. Woe be to you, which Jesus Christ often repeats in the Gospel, with many more of the same kind. I know no certain rule to distinguish when they are important; but it must be left to the preacher's taste, and a little attention will make the necessary discernment very easy. When the matter to be explained in a text consists of a proposition, you must, 1. Give the sense clearly and neatly, taking care to develope it of all sorts of ambiguity. 2. If it be requisite, shew how important in religion it is to be acquainted with the truth in hand; and for this purpose open its connexion with other important truths, and its dependence on them; the inconveniences that arise from negligence; the advantageous succours which piety derives thence; with other things of the same nature. 3. Having placed it in a clear light, and shewn its importance, if it require confirmation, confirm it. In all cases endeavour to illustrate, either by reasons or examples, or comparisons of the subjects with each other, or by remarking their relation to cach other, or by shewing their conformities or differences, all with a view to illustrate the matter that you are discussing. You may also illustrate a proposition by its consequences, by shewing how many important inferences are included in it, and flow from it. You may beautify a proposition by its evidence, by shewing that the • See this exemplified in Skel. 45, where the discussion turns entirely upon the word "henceforth." See also Skel. 69, where the word "Amen" serves as the foundation of the whole discourse. D truth, of which you speak, is discoverable by the light of nature; or by its inevidence, observing that it is not discoverable by the light of nature, but is a pure doctrine of revelation. In fine, you may illustrate by the person, who proposes the subject; by the state in which he was when he proposed it; by the persons to whom it is proposed; by circumstances of time and place, &c. All these may give great openings; but they must be judiciously and discreetly used; for to attempt to make an assemblage of all these in the discussion of one proposition, would be trifling, endless, and pedantic. Sometimes one single proposition includes many truths, which it will be necessary to distinguish: but, in doing this, take care that each truth, on which you intend to insist, be of some importance in religion, not too common, nor too much known. This your own good sense must discern. Sometimes one proposition must be discussed in the different views in which it may be taken; and in this case you must remark those different relations. Sometimes the doctrine contained in the proposition has different degrees, which it will also be necessary to remark. Sometimes the proposition is general, and this generality seems to make it of little importance. In this case you must examine, whether some of its parts be not more considerable: if they be, you will be obliged to discuss these parts by a particular application. But I will give you examples of each. First, To give the sense of a proposition neat and clear, and afterwards to confirm and illustrate it, let us take Eph. i. 18. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, may ye know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. This text must be divided into two parts. The first is the apostle's prayer, May God enlighten the eyes of your understanding! The second is the end of this illumination, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. 1. The apostle's wish or prayer contains a proposition, which is, that it is God who enlightens the eyes of our understanding. To give clearly the sense, you must first observe, in a few words, that Scripture frequently borrows the names and images of the faculties of the body to sent those of the soul; therefore it gives us feet to walk in the way ousness, hands to work out our salvation, knees to bow at the sus, ears to hear the sacred truths of the Gospel, a mouth Josh and drink the blood of Jesus Christ, and eyes to see the his kingdom. All this is founded not only on the natural or resemblance, which there is between the operations of the organs of the body, but also on the Scripture-manner he whole of our regeneration and conversion a new man. eyes of the understanding is an expression agreeable to the e of Scripture, and signifies simply our understanding, the which we know and judge objects. eside this, you must remark, that our eyes have two very Op Tsists only in viewing objects indifferently, for no ersion; as when in a rural walk we look at ire extensive plains and flowing rivers: this of contemplation. The other goes farther, |