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There are certainly, in this vonderful doctrine, many things, concerning which, questions may be afked, which we can only answer by confefling our ignorance and fome things, against which objections may be raised, that we can folve no otherwife, than by reminding thofe, who make them, that fuch difficulties must be expected, whenever a finite mind attempts to view an infinite object. But, though, in the Holy Trinity, there is much, that can by no means be comprehended fully; which is what we intend to fay, by calling it mysterious, or above reafon; (as indeed almost every thing is, in part, above ours) yet, in what the fcripture requires us to believe concerning the Holy Trinity, there is nothing, which either cannot be at all understood; or which, when understood, is abfurd and contrary to reafon. Now whatever poffibly may be tree, we are bound, when a revelation, well attefted, plainly teaches it, to believe actually is true. For faith in what God affirms, is unquestionably as neceffary, as obedience to what he enjoins. And, little as we can fee in matters of this high nature, we may notwithstanding fufficiently fee very important motives for his injunction of faith in this doctrine: because from the diftinétion of perfons in the Trinity, there arifes a farther dif tinction of their relations to us, on which relations are founded diftinct duties on our parts towards them; and very different from what they would be, if two of them were only creatures of exalted rank. The whole fubstance of christianity is comprehended in confidering, and accordingly honouring, (to exprefs it in the well-known words of our catechifm) God the Father, as him, who hath made us and all the world; God the Son, as him, who bath redeemed us and all mankind: God the Holy Ghoft, as him, who fanctifieth us and all the elect people of God. Not but that each perfon concurs in each of these works: but still, finding in fcripture, that one is reprefented as more peculiarly and eminently concerned in one of them, and another in another; we justly diftinguish the Father, Son, and Spirit, by the diftinct offices of Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier; and juftly exprefs the diftinction in our prayers and praifes, as well as in our creed.

Thus, in the revelation of St. John, the faints above adore the perfon of the Father in the first of thefe characters. And the four and twenty elders fell down before him that fat ea

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the throne, and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever,— faying, thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power: for thou haft created all things; and for thy pleafure they are, and were created*. We therefore on earth, in like manner ought to worship, and fall down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker: to whom we farther owe peculiar thanksgivings on this account, that he according to the counsel of infinite wisdom, was the original caufe of our redemption. For in this was manifefted the love of God towards us, that he fent his only-begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, which, according to his abundant mercy, bath begotten us again unto a lively hopes. But the actual accomplishment of this great defign was the unfpeakably gracious work of the fecond perfon, whom therefore we call our Redeemer, and addrefs with devotions appropriated to his office. This in the very next chapter of the fame book of Revelation, we are told by St. John: The four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, and fung a new fong, faying, thou art worthy for thou waft flain, and haft redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation And I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne,-faying with a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb that was flain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and bleffing. And every creature, which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, heard I, faying, bleffing, and bonour, and glory, and power, be unto him, that fitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. In this univerfal acclamation of praife, our hearts ought to join with the humbleft gratitude: to reverence him continually as the Lord of all; and in particular, befides the holy ordinance of baptifm, to celebrate with the devoutest affection, that other folemn rite, which he hath inflituted, commanding us, this do in remembrance of me**. The diftinct office of the third perfon, the Spirit, hath confifted from the beginning, first in revealing and confirming the truths of religion to men. from age to age, till the knowledge of them was completed in the New Teftament; for holy men of old spake as they were moved by the Holy Gloft

VOL. II.

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Rev. iv. 10, 11. + Pf. xcv 6. # John iv. o. § 1 Pet. i. 3 1 Rev. v. 8, 9, 11, 12, 13. ¶ A&s x. 36. • Luke xxii. 19.

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Ghost then in difpofing their minds, by the outward ministry of the word, and the inward workings of his grace, to receive and obey them giving thofe, who comply with his motions, ftrength against temptation, comfort under affliction, fervency in prayer, growth in goodness, reviving hope, and fometimes joyful afsurance, of divine favour: All which operations tending wholly to improve us in piety and virtue, which together make up true fanctity or holinefs, he is accordingly ftyled the Sanctifier. And our duty to him plainly is, to be thankful to him for what he hath done, and pray for what he is ready to do, towards our falvation; never to grievet or do despite toț him by wilful fin or negligence; but to learn from his inftructions, and yield to his influences, that he may abide with us for ever, and make us, as the apoftle expreffes himself, temples of the Holy Ghoft§.

* 2 Pet. i. 21. † Eph. iv. 30.

Heb. x. 29.

§ 1 Cor. vi. 19.

SER.

SERMON LXXXIV.

OUR SAVIOUR'S COMMAND TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE WORLD, AND THE RATIONAL MANNER OF ITS PROPAGATION.

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MATTH. Xxviii. 19, 20.

ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft. Teaching them to obferve all things, whatsoever I have commanded you and lo, I and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

Amen.

IN N my former difcourfe on thefe words I have shown both what is meant by being baptized in, or rather into the name of any one, particularly of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft; and what faith in them that baptifm obliges us to profefs: endeavouring fo to fet forth our chriftian belief, as neither to decide concerning what is hidden from us, nor to omit what is made known to us. For the fecret things belong unto the Lord our God: but thofe things which are revealed, belong unto us and to our children for ever; that we may do all the words of this law *. Let us now therefore go on to the practical part of chriftianity, comprehended under the

Second branch of the text, in which our Saviour directs his apoftles, what duties they are to enjoin men, in confequence of their faith. Teaching them to obferve all things, whatsoever I bave commanded you.

Now of thefe, our duties to the feveral perfons of the Holy Trinity are fu clofely connected with our faith in them, that I thought it most natural to mention them together. And of the left, it would be impoffible at prefent to fpecify every one in particular. And therefore I fhall only treat of the more Rrr 2 general

Duet. xxix. 29.

general heads and divifions of them. By this commiffion of our bleffed Lord then, the minifters of the gospel are bound to teach, and the profeffors of the gospel to obferve, the precepts of piety, as well as morality; of revealed religion, as well as natural; difficult, as well as eafy duties; those of self-government, as well as of focial behaviour; all things whatfoever be bath commanded, and nothing else.

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I. Precepts of piety, as well as morality. In fome ages o the world the generality of perfons, and in all too many, have almost entirely difregarded virtue, at least fome parts of it, while yet they feemed very zealous in religion. That the religion of fách is vain *, requires little proof. Indeed it must be, either mere pretence, or grofs mistake. Either they have really none of that devotion, which they profefs, or it is devo tion to an † unknown God. For did they at all apprehend his nature aright; the love of him could not but incline them to the love of whatever was good; and the fear of him could not but deter them from whatever was evil. These things are fo cafily demonftrable, and the mischiefs of not attending to them have been so dreadful; that wherever knowledge and liberty have prevailed, fuch wrong notions of duty to our Maker have (amongst the more confiderable part of the world at leaff.) quickly fallen into the contempt and hatred, which they well deferve. But then, as it is natural for the warmth of men to carry them too far; and the thoughtleffnefs of men to confound matters, which should be diftinguished: fo, in our times, most unhappily, multitudes have run from one extreme to another; and, not difcerning the difference between two of the unlikeft things in the world, when well compared, falfe religion and true, have, in a great meafure, if not abfolutely, rejected both together. Declaring in general the highest honour for virtue, they flight and even ridicule piety: the inward feeling of it, under the name of enthufialim; the outward marks of it, under that of fuperftition. Yet plainly, if fentiments of duty and affection to our fellow creatures be neceffary ingredients in a good character: want of them towards our Creator, muf (where means of inftruction are afforded) be a certain arg ment of a bad one. And, if our regards to cur fellow-crea tures ought to be shown by vifible tokens, not only that they

• James i. 26.

t ACs xvii. 23.

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