SERM. SERMON XXXI. The divine eloquence of our Saviour confidered. JOHN vii. 46. The officers anfwered, Never man spake like W this man. HEN the chief Priefts and Pharifees, the most inveterate enemies of our Saviour, faw that his divine difcourfes met with fuccefs among the people, they began to be apprehenfive what might be the confequence; for many believed on him; infomuch, that the multitude was already divided, and they had reason to fear, as they did, that the world might go after him: And fince they had no other way of confuting him but by force, they fent foldiers to apprehend him; who when they came, and heard thofe excellent difcourfes he made to the people at the feaft, returned without executing their commands; and made no other excufe for themselves but that in the words of this text, that never man pake like this man. They did not fay for themfelves, that that they could not find an opportunity, or SE RM. that they feared the multitude, which they XXXI. might have done, as the case stood, with great shew of probability; but they freely and ingenuoufly confeffed the truth, that though they went with command and firm refolution to feize him, yet there were fuch charms and conviction in all he faid, that he sent them away with a full perfuafion that he was an excellent perfon. He spoke fo well in his own defence, and reafoned fo clearly concerning things, out of the reach of the common understanding of men before, that they were even amazed to hear, and had neither heart nor power left to lay hands upon him. I fhall not ftay to draw a comparifon between thofe great names for oratory among the heathen, and the divine eloquence of our bleffed Saviour: I fhall only obferve in fhort, that they adapted themfelves and all they faid to men's lufts and paffions; to their corrupt appetites and inclinations, and took all advantages of their ignorance, and prejudice, and credulity; whereas our Saviour laid all that afide, and applied himself only to the purest reafon of men, and their best and most regular inclinations; having no end but one, namely, to lay a firm foundation for holiness: They perfuaded by foothing and cherishing the imperfections of nature; his difcourfes tended only to heal and rectify them: They moved with fenfible representations only; he infifted on things fpiritual and infenfible: Their great Z 3 topicks SER M. topicks were riches, and honours, and pleaXXXI. fures, and ease, and fplendor; his rhetorick was croffes and misfortunes, afflictions and miferies, torments and death; infomuch, that he preached what was altogether new to the world, that they were bleffed that mourn; and that through much tribulation men must enter into the kingdom of Heaven: They used all the methods of delufion and fallacy, thofe words of men's wisdom; he overcame only by undisguised and naked truth. By this fhort comparison, we see how little those mighty standards of heathen eloquence begin to appear already; for in truth their oratory was but one great art of deceiving. How very different from this is that of our Saviour, who never fpoke but that men might become more wife, and virtuous, and holy? It is no ftrange thing that a great father of the primitive church made it the firft of his three wishes, to have feen our Saviour in the flesh: But it may juftly raise our admiration, that the fecond fhould be the bearing St. Paul preach; for who was more like to have gratified his curiofity, and filled his expectations, than he who was the very Word of God; as he was the most excellent person that ever was, fo he was the greatest orator. The tongues of men and angels are not able to defcribe this divine eloquence, according to the worth and dignity of it. But fince he is our great Lord and Mafter whom we must follow, though at fuch an immenfe distance behind; and a guide that we we must ever keep in fight, though we can SE RM. never overtake him; and that we of the cler- XXXI. gy are to imitate him in a double fenfe, as well in his manner of teaching, as in the practice of holiness; I shall enter upon the confideration of this divine eloquence of our Saviour that through the affiftance of that Spirit that was on him without measure, among the other perfections of his most holy life, we may in fome degree copy after him in this, which is the great privilege and glory of our order. And in doing this, I fhall I. Confider the matter and fubftance of what he spoke, and the ftyle he used. II. I fhall confider fome of thofe advantages our bleffed Saviour had, beyond all others, to speak as never man spake; and how far he is imitable by us in those instances. I. And firft, as to the matter and substance of his fpeech, it excelled all others in these three refpects. 1. That it was of things beyond the reach of men to conceive, thofe myfteries of Chriftianity which lay hid from the foundation of the world, and which it was impoffible for the utmoft ftrength of reafon to discover any thing of. And indeed who could reveal the fecret will and mind of God, befides him who came down from God? Who but he that was the eternal wisdom of the Father, could fhew men that there was a fatisfaction to be made to the juftice of God for the fins of men? that God incarnate was to lay down his life a ransom for ma SERM. ny and that through his blood, repenting XXXI. finners were to be made clean? The whole world had been used to offer facrifices, in order to appease their Deities; but he alone could discover to us, that the blood of bulls and of goats could not take away fin; and therefore, that what efficacy there was in them, was only, as they had a refpect to that one great facrifice, which alone could be a fufficient atonement for them. Who befides could teach men, that a fupernatural affiftance was neceffary to think rightly in religious matters, to help us to form true notions of God and ourfelves; and that we could never overcome our evil inclinations, and raise our minds to virtue and holiness, by mere ftrength of nature? He alone could teach how the loft condition of mankind was to be reftored; how our shattered and diftempered nature was to be healed; and by what methods we are again to be re-inftated in the favour of God; how we are to recover the divine image we loft in our fall, and again become perfect, as our Father which is in Heaven is perfect. He alone could teach us the doctrine of the Trinity; that we are to be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft; that God is a Spirit, and muft be worshipped in fpirit and in truth; that the inward rectitude of our minds is neceffary to please him who is the fearcher of hearts, and that he values no outward obfervances without it; that he will have mercy, and not facrifice; and |