J everlastingly happy :- and tell me, what SERM. VI. Sentiments it ought to infpire you withWhy, Sentiments of Gratitude too big to be uttered, too fervent to be concealed. 1 We think no Language too harsh, no Usage too fevere, to thofe, who can be guilty of a bafe Ingratitude, to a generous Friend, Parent, or Father of his Country. But what are the moft diftinguishing Be nefits, which a Father of his Country, a Parent, a Friend, can heap upon us, in Comparison of what our Saviour has done for us? Lighter than Vanity, and Nothing, when weighed in the Balance with an exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory, the greatest Bleffing, that Man could receive, or even God beftow... -- Behold, with the Eye of Faith, a Spectacle worthy to be beheld by God with Pleafure, and by Angels with Wonder and Astonishment: a Spectacle ridiculous in the Eyes of those, who are too dull to difcern the Saviour through the Sufferer; but in the Eye of those ennobled Beings, who fee Things as they are in themfelves, and not as they are fet off by Pomp, a Spectacle more auguft and awfully glorious, than ever be fore SERM. VI fore appeared on the Theatre of Nature. Behold the Son of God pouring forth his Blood, as well as Prayers, even for those, that shed it: Behold him at once bearing the Infults, expiating the Sins, and procuring the Happiness of Mankind; till at laft he bows his facred Head, and shuts up the folemn Scene with these short but comprehenfive Words, IT IS FINISHED: The great, the ftupendous Work is done, the univerfal Sacrifice, which fhall take in all Mankind, and which all Mankind fhall contemplate throughout Eternity with awful Joy and Gratitude, is completed. And can we receive these aftonishing Endearments, this prodigious Expence of Goodness, which, like the bleffed Effects that we are to receive from it, is fuch as Eye bad not feen before, nor Ear beard, nor bad it entred into the Heart of Man, to conceive ; Can we receive it, I fay, with a dull Infenfibility, and a ftupid Indifference? If we find ourselves affected with endearing Sentiments of Love, towards virtuous Characters, which we read of in ancient History: If, when their Story is re represented on the Stage, we feel our SERM. VI. Hearts interested in their Favour: If we honour and efteem them, from whom we reap no Advantage: How much more ought we to love, efteem, and honour him, the Benefit of whofe Actions and Sufferings reaches to all Ages, all Nations, all Mankind? What are they (the great Heroes of Antiquity) to us, or we to them; who might be an Honour to the Age in which they lived, but are of no Service to us; like Stars at an immense Distance, the Light of which may fill their own Sphere, but reaches not down to this lower World? But our Saviour was a Perfon born for the whole World, for which he died, a Bleffing to all Mankind from the Beginning of Time, and whom all Mankind will have Reason to blefs, when Time fhall be no more.. But let us remember, that there were two Ends of our Saviour's Coming into the World; the one to be a complete Pattern of Goodness in his Life; and the other to be a full Satisfaction for Sin by his Death, In vain we expect to be faved by his Death, as a full Satisfaction for Sin; unlefs SERM. VI lefs we endeavour to copy after his Life, as a complete Pattern of Goodness. He came, not to make our Repentance needlefs, but to make it valid and effectual. Ye are not your own, fays St. Paul; for ye are bought with a Price. Therefore glorify God in your Body, and in your Spirit, which are God's. Preached at the Lady MOYER'S LECTURE. On the Doctrine of the TRINITY. MATTHEW XXVIII. 19. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. T HE Text fets before us the fo- SER. VII. lemn Commiffion, which our Saviour gave to the Apostles, by which they were to baptize all Nations into the Belief and Worship of the Holy Trinity. 1 Though fome have treated this Doctrine as a mere notional barren Thing; yet, that our Saviour is God, and the Holy Ghoft Ee VOL. II. God, |