Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

To remedy this shameful, but growing evil, hath been the principal aim of my present discourse. I have told you what is our duty, that from thence you may learn your own; for the one must neceffarily be fuited to the other. The same authority which commandeth us to preach, doth virtually command and oblige you to hear: and if the pure doctrines of the gospel ought to be the fubject of our fermons, it naturally follows, that you should neither expect nor defire any other. Ponder with due attention thofe awful words in the two verfes preceding my text: "If our gospel be hid, it is hid to “ them that are loft: in whom the god of

this world hath blinded the minds of "them which believe not, left the light of "the glorious gofpel of Chrift, who is the "image of God, fhould fhine unto them.' And let each of us pray, in terms of the verse that immediately follows, that “ God, "who commanded the light to fhine out of

darkness, may fhine in the hearts of both preachers and hearers, to give the light of "the knowledge of his glory, in the face of

[ocr errors]

Jefus;" that we all, beholding, as in a

glafs,

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

glafs, the glory of God, may be changed into the fame image, from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord." A

men.

1

SER

86

SERMON IV.

COLOSSIANS i. 15,-19.

Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: for by him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, vifible and invifible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. And he is before all things, and by him all things confift. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence. For it pleafed the Father, that in him should all fulness dwell.

OUTER
Ο

UR Lord Jefus Chrift is uniformly reprefented to us in the facred Scriptures as the Saviour of fallen man; a Saviour abfolutely neceffary; nay, as the ONLY Saviour. To this character he laid claim,

[ocr errors]

in clear and exprefs terms, when he faid to

Thomas,

Thomas, "I am the way, and the truth, "and the life: no man cometh unto the "Father but my me." And in this important light did Peter fet him forth at the bar of the Jewish Sanhedrim: When speaking of him as the ftone fet at nought by the builders, which was now become the head of the corner, he added thefe memorable words: "Neither is there falvation in any "other for there is none other name under "heaven given among men whereby we "must be faved." Of the fame import was the testimony of that illuftrious prophet who was fent to prepare the way before him, and to introduce him to his public ministry by baptifm: "He that believeth on the Son,

hath everlasting life and he that be"lieveth not the Son, fhall not fee life ; "but the wrath of God abideth on him." Accordingly we are told by the Apostle John, that "this is the command of God," the first in order under the gospel-difpenfation, and which claims the title of his peculiar commandment, " that we should "believe on the name of his fon Jefus "Chrift."

It is, or at least it ought to be, unneceffary to obferve, that this intimation of the divine will is fufficient, by itself, to conftitute our duty. It furely belongs to the great Lord of all, to difpenfe his own grace by what hand, and in what manner, it pleaseth him; and in no cafe doth it become the creatures of his power to fay unto him, What doft thou? or, Why doft thou thus?-Elihu fpake the words of truth and foberness, when he faid unto Job, "God " is greater than man : than man: why doft thou ftrive "against him? for he giveth not account "of any of his matters;" that is, he is not bound to explain the reasons of his conduct; and none hath a right to demand that he fhould. But glory to his name, that with regard to the greatest of all his works, that difpenfation of grace which angels defire to look into, and upon which the happiness of a whole order of his creatures doth depend, it cannot justly be faid, that he giveth no account of this matter. He hath not only interpofed his authority as Sovereign, and commanded finners to believe on his Son, that they may be faved; but he hath like

« ZurückWeiter »