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II.

rally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given SER M. him, James i. 5. And thus bleffed with the Divine Affistance upon our own Industry and Pains, we shall make due use of the pious Benefactions we here enjoy; we fhall give a grateful Return to the Expence of our Friends, and answer the juft Expectations of our Country Which will then fee the Value of a regular Preaching built upon the Foundation of folid Learning; and know how to diftinguish it from the Rants of a wild Enthusiasm on the one hand, and from the Prefumption of a ftupid Ignorance on the other. In a word, even our Enemies will become our Friends, and we fhall be efteemed the Joy of the whole Earth. The Delightfomenefs of our Dwellings fhall not be envied, nor the Liberality of our Founders be thought too profufe: But though their Bodies have long fince been buried in Peace, their Names fball live for evermore: The People shall tell of their Wisdom, and the Congregation fhall fhew forth their Praise, Ecclus. xliv, 14, 15.

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SERMON III.

The Credibility of Mysteries.

SERM.

III,

ì TIM. iii. 16.

Without Controversy, great is the Mystery of
Godliness GOD was manifest in the
Flesh,

ST

T. Paul, at the writing of this Epistle to Timothy, was in hopes of an Opportunity of paying him a Vifit in Perfon speedily, in order to give him fome Inftructions and Advice with Relation to his Govern. ment of the Church at Ephefus, over which he himself had appointed him Bishop not long before. But not knowing whether the Holy Spirit (by whom he was abfolutely guided in all his Travels) might not order him fome other Courfe; he thinks proper, whilst he is writing to him, to infert fome Directions concerning the Perfons whom he would have him make choice of for the Work of the Ministry. These he would have, to

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a good degree, exemplary and knowing. For SER M. since the Christian Religion is a Mystery, and a Mystery of Godliness; fince it contains nothing but what is holy and pure, and yet what it contains is of a Nature immensely deep and profound; it is not fit the preaching of it should be intrufted either with unholy or unfkilful Hands. St. Paul therefore directs that those, who are appointed to this Employment, fhould be blameless as to their Lives, and not Novices as to their Faith; that they have a good Report of them which are without the Church, and be apt in teaching them that are within; that they be such, in a Word, as are able to hold the Mystery of Faith, and to hold it alfo in a good Confcience; fince they that lose the one are apt alfo to make Shipwrack of the other. And these things (faith the Apostle) write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly, to inftruct thee more fully; But if I tarry long, or come not at all, that thou mayft know, from these Hints, how thou oughtest to behave thy felf (and particularly with regard to the choice of Minifters) in the Houfe of GOD, which is the Church, not of Idols, but of the Living GOD, and which is alfo the Pillar and Ground of the Truth; as it is only the Church which,

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SER M. under the Guidance and Influence of the Holy Ghost, can maintain and fupport it *. As the Truth therefore will be propagated either pure or corrupt, according as the Persons, whom thou deputest to this Office, shall be qualified and difpofed; thou feeft what reason I have to press thee to be cautious in the choice of them; especially fince without Controversy, fince it is on all hands allowed, that this Truth, this Mystery of Godliness is very great; the Articles of our Religion being of

* Some conceiving that the fame thing cannot properly be called both a House and a Pillar too, and observing that the Apostles, and other eminent Members of the Church are called Erúkol, or Pillars in the New Teftamenta; and that Martyrs are also fo called by Eufebius b, and that one of them particularly is by the fame Hiftorian called σύλος καὶ ἑδραίωμα, (the very Expreffion which St. Paul here ufes ;) they therefore conclude that the Apostle means Timothy by the Pillar and Ground of the Truth, in this Place: So that they would have the 15th verfe, by the help of a Parenthefis, run thus - But if 1 tarry long, that thou mayft know how thou oughtest to behave thy felf in the Houfe of God (which is the Church of the Living God) thou that art the Pillar and Ground of the Truth, I fhall leave the Reader to take which Interpretation pleafes him beft; and only obferve that if the Words are to be underflood of Timothy, the Connection must hold thus, Thou that art the Pillar and Ground of the Truth, on whom therefore it lyes to make choice of Perfons fit and able to preach and propagate it; elpecially fince without Controversy, &c.

a Gal. ii. 9. Rev. iii. 12. b Hift. Ecclef, 1. 6. c. 4. p. 306. Edit. Reading, c ibid. 1. 5. c, I. p. 201,

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fo high a Nature, that the strongest human S ER M. Capacity or Reason can never wholly comprehend them all: As let me but enumerate a few of the Particulars, and thou wilt foon be convinced. They teach us that the eternal Son of GOD, GOD equal with the Father, was manifeft in the Flesh, juftified in the Spirit, feen of Angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the World, received up into Glory.

This I apprehend to be the Meaning of the Words, and that the Senfe of them is to be thus connected with the foregoing. And if so, one would think three Inferences might be drawn from the whole, not eafily to be opposed: viz.

First, That the Person that was incarnate for our Salvation, was truly, properly, and effently, Divine. For it was GOD (faith my Text) that was manifeft in the Flesh.

Secondly, That the Manner of this Incarnation, together with its Confequences, is wholly inexplicable, myfterious, and incomprehenfible. For without Controversy great (faith the Apostle) is the Mystery of Godliness. Notwithstanding which it follows,

Thirdly, From the Occafion of the Words, that the Doctrine it felf is neceffary to be preached

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