glorious yea and that Ministration to be Glory in the Abstract 2 Cor. 3.7 9. And in Correspondence hereunto did the Divine Word when he tabernacled in our Natures give forth Divine Laws and Oracles to the World all which are yet remaining among us and do contain in them the Substance of our Holy Religion which being so divine and godlike and altogether composed of the purest Laws and most Heavenly Doctrines is a most proper Instance of that Glory of the Eternal Word which the Apostles beheld tho' not with the Eyes of their Bodies yet with those of their Minds For what can be more glorious in the Eye of Reason than those illustrious Discoveries which he hath made to us in his Gospel of the Nature of God and the Duty of Man and the immortal Recompences of the World to come in which he hath so far exceeded whatsoever Humane Wisdom was able to discover of them that all the Philosophy that ever was before him must confess it self eclipsed and out-shone by him and all the Philosophy that ever succeeded him hath been forced to derive and borrow Light from him And accordingly we find his Gospel in which his Doctrines are contained stiled by the Name of the glorious Gospel 2 Cor. 4.4 which in Comparison with those dark and confused Discoveries which the World had formerly made the Apostle resembles to the first breaking forth of the Light out of the rude and obscure Chaos 2 Cor. 4.6 For God saith he who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined into our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ where by the Face of Jesus Christ the Apostle seems plainly to allude to that Divine Glory and Luster with which Moses's Face shone when he came down from seeing the Glory of God Exod. 33.29 So that his Meaning is this that as the Children of Israel with their bodily Eyes saw the Glory of God shining upon the Face of Moses so they the Disciples and Apostles of our Saviour had far more clearly beheld with the Eyes of their Minds the Divine Glory displayed in his Doctrine and Ministry 4thly And lastly This Glory of the Eternal Word which they saw consisted also in the incomparable Sanctity and Purity of his Life semblably to that Expression of his glorious Presence in the Old Tabernacle viz. the sensible Significations he gave of the immaculate Purity and Holiness of his Nature For by those outward Cleansings of all Things and Persons that did any ways belong to the Tabernacle or did at any time approach it he did openly represent and signify the Purity and Sanctity of his own Nature which being infinitely separated from all manner of Impurity and Vncleanness cannot endure that any thing that is filthy or impure should approach it For thus we read that the Tabernacle it self and all the Vtensils of it were to be purified and sanctified with Oyl before the Entrance of the Shechinah or Divine Presence So also the High Priest the Priests and the People were to be cleansed and purified before they were suffered to approach the Holy Habitation and if at any time they had contracted any of those legal Uncleannesses that are specified in the Law of Moses they were to be excluded from the Communion of the Congregation and from all the Exercises of Publick Worship and Devotion till they were cleansed and purified again The Intent of all which was to signify to that People how irreconcilable his Nature was to all Impurity and Wickedness that it could not admit of the Neighbourhood of any Evil nor dwell within any Lines of Communication with it for this is expressed in the very Reason why these Legal Purifications are so strictly required For I the Lord your God am holy Levit. 19.2 For I the Lord which sanctify you am holy Levit. 21.8 Plainly intimating that the Intent and Reason of all those Ceremonial Purifications was to signify to that dull and stupid People the immaculate Holiness and Purity of his own Nature which is so infinitely removed from any thing that is impure and unholy that he could neither communicate with nor endure the Approaches of it And in this 't is evident he placed a great Part of the Glory of his Majestatical Presence in the Tabernacle since a great part of that Religion which he there instituted was intended to signify the Glory of his Holiness to them and accordingly he is described to be glorious in Holiness Exod. 15.11 And agreeably hereunto did the Eternal Word when he tabernacled in our Natures signify to the World the unspotted Purity of his Nature by that incomparable Example of Holiness which he gave in his Life and Conversation among us For whereas before he express'd his HOliness by Mystical Types and Ceremonial Observances he hath now signified it by a Life full of Virtue and Goodness and a Conversation exactly conformable to the eternal Rules of Righteousness For as a Creature in respect of his Humanity he never failed in the least Punctilio of that Duty Homage and Devotion which he owed to the most High God his Creator as a Man he never swerved either in his Passions or Appetites from the strictest Rules of Sobriety and Temperance as a Member of Humane Society he never was guilty of an unrighteous Action either towards his Superiors Inferiors or Equals but all his Life was a walking Monument of Goodness and his whole Conversation a most perfect Transcript of those Divine and Heavenly Laws which he gave to the World So that he was all glorious without as well as within his Practice being a living Comment and Paraphrase upon that immaculate Purity and Holiness which is the Glory of his Divine Nature This therefore was doubtless a Part of that Glory which the Apostles beheld in the Eternal Word even that immaculate Sanctity and Holiness of which he gave so many glorious Significations in the whole Course of his Conversation And accodingly we find this his Purity and Holiness described by the Name of the Glory of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face beholding as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord Where it 's plain that by the Glory of the Lord must be meant his Holiness because it is into the Image of that that we are transformed So that the meaning of the Words is this we all beholding the Holiness of Christ which is his Glory in the Glass of his Doctrine and incomparable Example are transformed into the Likeness of it and do gradually pass on from one Degree of this Glory of his Holiness to another under the Conduct and Assistance of the Spirit of Christ And so I have done with the first thing proposed which was to shew you what that Glory of Christ was which the Aopostle here tells us they beheld 2. I
now proceed to the second Branch of my Discourse which was to shew you that this was the Glory as of the only begotten Son of the Father But before we proceed to the Proof of it it will be necessary to explain this Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Glory as of the only begotten Son Which Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as is in Scripture taken two Ways sometimes as a Note of Similitude or Comparison so Mat. 6.10 Thy Will be done in Earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in Heaven that is like as it is in Heaven and if we take it in this Sense then the Meaning of the Words must be this And we beheld his Glory which was like unto the Glory of the only begotten Son of the Father that is like unto that Glory in which the only begotten Son was wont to appear when he dwelt in the Tabernacle and conversed with the antient Patriarchs And in this Sense I have shewed you already how it was as the Glory of the only begotten Son by shewing you the great Agreement and Similitude there was between the Glory of Christ when he dwelt in the Tabernacle of Moses and in the Tabernacle of our Nature And when I consider how plainly this Text doth allude to the Shechinah or Divine Presence of the Word in that antient Tabernacle I am very much induced to think that we ought not to exclude this Sense of it namely that as he dwelt in the Tabernacle of our Nature like as he dwelt in the Tabernacle of Moses so that Glory of his which they beheld in the Tabernacle of our Nature was like unto that Glory in which he appeared in the ancient Tabernacle But then this Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes also taken for a Note of Confirmation So Psal 73.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truly God is good to Israel And thus St. Chrysostome understands it here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It is not a Note of Similitude and Comparison but of Confirmation and unquestionable Distinction as if the Evangelist had said we saw his Glory such as became and was fit for the only begotten and truly natural Son of God For my Part I see no Reason why the Words may not be fairly understood in both Senses since they are no Ways opposite to nor inconsistent with one another and if so then this must be the Meaning of the Words We behold his Glory which was like unto that Glory in which the only begotten Son appeared in the old Tabernacle and which was such as was every Way becoming the only begotten Son to appear in The first of which Senses I have proved to you already that the Glory of Christ in the Tabernacle of our Natures was like unto his Glory in the Tabernacle of Moses and therefore now I shall only prove the second that it was such as became and was every Way worthy of the only begotten Son of the Father and this I doubt not will plainly appear by considering the several Particulars of it 1st That visible Splendor and Brightness in which he appeared at his Baptism and Transfiguration was such as became him and was worthy of him For in all Probability that Splendor consisted of Angelical Beings clothed in bright and luminous Bodies because as I have formerly proveed to you that Brightness in which he appeared upon the Mount and which he displayed from between the Cherubims was nothing else but those Angels of Light or ministring Spirits which he made to appear as Flames of Fire round about him and therefore that Train of Angels whom Esay saw filling the Temple Esay 6.1 our Saviour calls the Glory of the Lord Jo. 12.41 that is that visible Glory in which the Lord appear'd from between the Cherubims And if that visible Glory consisted in a Train of Angels appearing in glorious Forms then there is no doubt but that visible Glory of our Saviour at his Baptism and Transfiguration was the same since as I have already shewed you it is described by the same Name and in the same Manner of Appearance and if so how well did it become the only begotten Son to be surrounded with the illustrious Guards of his Father's Court and attended on with those high-born Spirits whose Office it is to minister before the Throne of the most High For never was the most glorious Potentate upon Earth attended with such a splendid Train and Retinue the meanest of which was far more illustrious than the greatest and most high-born Monarch in the World So that as the most High God did by a Voice from Heaven both at his Baptism and Transfiguration declare him to be his beloved Son so by the glorious Train of Attendants he sent in him he manifested the Truth of his Declaration for we must needs suppose him to be the Son of the most High when we see the most glorious Beings in all the Creation so willingly submit themselves to his Service and Attendance And when we see the most High adorning his Outside with the luminous Bodies of Angels we may reasonably conclude that there was a Divinity within and that the Jewel was God because the Casket was Angels But whatsoever this glorious Splendor was in which he was clothed at his Baptism and Transfiguration it was apparently such as very well became the only begotten Son not only because as the Philosopher saith that if God would ever take upon him a Body it would be certainly Light which is a Vestment most suitable to his Glory and Majesty but also because that miraculous Splendor was an infallible Token of the Presence of the Divinity in him for it never was but where God was present and therefore it is called the Glory of God it being the inseparable Concomitant of his more peculiar Residence For thus as I have shewed you upon the Mount and in the Tabernacle it was a visible Demonstration of the special Presence of the invisible God and wheresoever in all the Old Testament any Mention is made of its Appearance you shall find that there God himself did peculiarly reside And therefore it is not to be imagined that God would have communicated to our Saviour this inseparable Token of his own Presence unless the Divinity had resided in him For Jesus Christ was the only Person upon whom this visible Glory descended never did the Hand of Heaven put forth such a Robe and Diadem of Glory upon any person in the World as this which our Saviour wore at his Baptism and Transfiguration which plainly denotes that he was the only Person in whom the Divinity was substantially united and did essentially dwell So that as this visible Glory was a certain Token of God's peculiar Residence in the Tabernacle and Temple so it was also of his special Presence in Christ for the History of his Baptism tells us that it did not only make a transient Appearance but that it remained on him signifying that the
where you find John Baptist giving the same Testimony to Christ which here he gives to the Word especially v. 27. of this Chapter Which is a plain Evidence that Christ and the Word are only different Titles of the same Person But that I may more particularly explain to you the Meaning of this Phrase I will briefly deliver my Sense of it in these following Propositions 1. That this Phrase The Word as it is by way of Eminence applied to a particular Subject is derived into the New Testament from the Theology of the Jews and Gentiles 2. That the New Testament giving no distinct Explication of it it is most safe and reasonable to fetch the Sense of it from that ancient Theology whence it was derived 3. That the Theology from whence it was derived uses it to signify a vital and Divine Subsistence 4. That therefore our Saviour to whom it is applied in the New Testament is that vital and Divine Subsistence 1. That this Phrase The Word as it is by way of Eminency applied to a particular Subject is derived into the New Testament from the Theology of the Jews and Gentiles Which will plainly appear to any one that shall consider the exact Agreement between those Titles and Characters which are given to our Saviour in the New Testament and those which the Jews and Gentiles give to the Word so often mentioned in their Theology For as for this Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Word it is very anciently used in the Writings both of Jews and Gentiles For Rab. Azariel in his Treatise of Holiness quotes it out of the Book of the Creation which was written by Rab. Abraham an ancient Cabalist who the Jews say was the Patriarch Abraham himself The Spirit saith he meaning the most High God bringeth forth the Word and the Voice and these Three are one God Thus also it is frequently used in the Chaldee Paraphrase as eminently appropriated to a Divine Person So in Isa 45.17 instead of Israel shall be saved in the Lord they read it by the Word of the Lord and Jerem. 1.8 instead of I am with thee they read because my Word is with thee and Gen. 15.1 instead of I am thy shield they read my Word is thy shield and so in sundry other places And which is very observable Psal 110.1 instead of The Lord said unto my Lord they read The Lord said unto his Word which Words our Saviour applies to himself Matth. 22.44 as being himself that Eternal Word or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there mentioned And in the same Sense also it was very anciently used in the Writings of the Gentile Philosophy Thus Zeno as Tertullian tells us 1 Tertull. Apologet. c. 36 Pam. Hunc i.e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zeno determinat factitorem qui cuncta in dispositione formaverit eundemque fatum vocari Deum animum Jovis speaks of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which the World was made and which he calls Fate and God and the Soul of Jupiter And the ancient Orpheus as he is quoted by Clemens Alexandrinus 2 Stromat L. 5 p. 607. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exhorts Men to behold and contemplate the Divine Word who is the immortal King of Heaven And Plato 3 Epinomis tells us that the Motions of the Stars were disposed and ordered by the Word By which it 's plain that this Phrase was used as appropriate to a Divine Person both by Jews and Gentiles long before the Writing of the New Testament And that the New Testament derived it from their Writings is apparent for that it attributes to Christ the same Titles and Characters which they were wont to attribute to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus as the New Testament calls Christ the Messias The Word so the Chaldee Paraphrase expresly tells us that Messias is called the Word of God Oseae cap. 7. Thus as St. Paul calls him the King immortal so Orpheus in the afore-named Place calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the King immortal And whereas Christ is said to be the Image of God 2 Cor. 4.4 to be the shining forth of his Glory and the express Character of his Person Heb. 1.3 Philo calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4 Lib. 2 de Agricultutâ p. 169. Edit Genev. 1613. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5 Leg. Allegd 2. p 60. that is the Character of God and the Shadow and Image of God And Plotin That it is a Light streaming forth from God even as Brightness doth from the Sun 1 Enn. 5. l. f. c. 6. And as St. John in the first Verse of this Chapter tells us That the Word was from the beginning with God and that it was God so Philo tells us that by Prerogative of Eldership he abideth with the Father and Zeno in the aforenamed place that he is God and Plotin 2 Ibid. tells us That being the Word of God and the Image of God he is inseparably conjoined with him And whereas Christ tells us That he is the Light of the World John 8.12 the Manna which cometh down from Heaven and the Bread of Life John 6.33 35. The same Philo stiles him the Word the Light 3 Philo de Opif. mundi p. 4 5. the Manna 4 Quod det pot in s sol p. 137. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5 Leg. Alleg. l. 2. p. 70 71. that is the Bread and Food which God hath given to the Soul And whereas it is said that the Father is in Christ that he dwells and abides in him John 14.10 the same Author says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6 De Migrat Abrah p. 304. that is the Word is the House of the Father in whom he dwells Whereas Christ is said to have a Name Phil. 2.9 and to be advanced above all Principalities and Powers Eph. 1.21 Philo tells us that this Divine Word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7 Leg. Alleg. p. 71. that is above all Worlds and the most ancient of all things that are Whereas Christ is said to be the High Priest over the House of God Heb. 10.21 Philo tells us that the World is the Temple of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 De Somniis p. 463. that is in which the First-born Divine Word is the High Priest Whereas Christ is said to be the Son of God and the First-born of every Creature Plato calls him the begotten Son of the Good 2 De Repub. l. 6. Plotin the Son of God 3 Enn. 5. l. 8. c. 12. and Philo the First-begotten Son and Word of God 4 De Somn. p. 463. Again whereas God is said to have created the World by Christ Heb. 1.2 and to have committed the Government of it to him Philo calls the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5 De Cherub p. 88. that is the Governour
is that they only released Offenders from the Obligation to Civil and Ecclesiastical Punishments but could by no means free them from the eternal Punishments of the other Life Not that I make the least Doubt but that truly penitent Offenders were forgiven the eternal Punishment then as well as now and forgives too for the sake of Jesus Christ the Lamb that was intentionally slain from the Beginning of the World but by what hath been said it's plain they were not forgiven by Virtue of that Law whereby the Eternal Word reigned over the House of Israel but rather by Virtue of that Gospel which was first preached to Adam and afterwards to the Patriarchs wherein Christ the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of Abraham is promised in whom all Nations of the Earth should be blessed 'T is true the Sacrifices of the Law were typical of the Sacrifice of Christ and so consequently was that temporal Pardon obtained by them typical of that eternal Pardon which we do obtain by the great Propitiation of our Saviour for so the Apostle tells us that the Law had in it a shadow of good things to come Heb. 10.1 But we must not imagine that eternal Remission which is the Effect of Christ's real Sacrifice could ever be obtained by those Sacrifices which were only the Shadows and Resemblances of it So that that Remission of Sins which the Eternal Word gave whilst he tabernacled among the Jews was nothing near so perfect and compleat as that which he afterwards proclaimed in the Tabernacle of our Flesh because it neither extended to all Kinds of Sins nor yet to all Kinds of Punishments it left some unforgiven as to the Punishments of this Life and it left all unforgiven as to the Punishments of the Life to come But having pitched his Tabernacle in our Flesh he did by the meritorious Sacrifice of himself obtain of his Father this publick Act of Grace this free Charter of Mercy for all Mankind That whosoever would repent and amend whatsoever Sins he is guilty of whatsoever Punishments he is obliged to he shall certainly be forgiven them all and be as freely received into God's Grace and Favour as if he never had offended him for he is the Propitiation for the Sins of the World And by him saith the Apostle all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 13.39 In this respect therefore the Eternal Word dwelt among us full of Grace in that he proclaimed such a full and perfect Pardon of all Sins and of all Punishments to all that with a true Faith and hearty Repentance should turn unto him and accordingly this Pardon is frequently called by the Name of Grace or of the Grace of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ Act. 15.11 Heb. 12.15 Rom. 3.24 4thly He dwelt among us full of Grace in respect of the internal Grace and Assistance which he so abundantly afforded us above what he did to the Jews under the Law of Moses when he tabernacled among them I make no doubt but God in all Ages hath been always ready to assist good Men in their Duty This the very Heathens themselves believed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that God did concur with all good Men and that no Man did ever arrive to any eminent Degree of Virtue without a Divine Afflatus or Assistance And had the good Men among the Jews been ignorant of this what should move them to pray as we find they often do that God would wash and cleanse and quicken and strengthen and inliven them For so in the Book of the Psalms you find good David very often praying that God would teach him his Commandments and incline his Heart to keep them and keep him back from presumptuous Sin By which Prayers it's evident they had good Encouragement to hope that God would be ready to concur with them and to bless their pious Endeavours with the internal Assistance of his Grace and Spirit And this Encouragement I suppose they might have partly from their natural Notions of God which must needs suggest to them that He being infinitely good as he is will never be wanting to his Creatures in any think that is necessary to the obtaining those noble Ends for which he created them and consequently that he will be assistant to them in their Duty which is the way to that End and not leave them to contend with Difficulties which are insuperable to their natural Power and Ability and partly from those general Evangelical Promises which God made to them by the Patriarchs and Prophets from whence they might fairly infer that he who had promised to do so much for them upon Condition they persisted in their Duty and Allegiance to him would never be wanting on his Part to strengthen and enable them to it But I can by no means allow that they were encouraged to hope for any such Assistance from any Promise of that Law which the Eternal Word gave them when he tabernacled among them and by which in his Father's stead he ruled and governed them and that both because there is no such Promise found in all that Law and because the Apostle tells us that the Law was weak through the flesh Rom. 8.3 and calls it the Ministration of Death written and engraven in stones in opposition to the Ministration of the Spirit that is not written in Tables of stone but in fleshly Tables of the heart 2 Cor. 3.7 8. comp with v. 3. And Galat. 3.13 14. you find the Apostle opposes to the Curse of the Law the Blessing of Abraham and the Blessing of Abraham he tells us is the Promise of the Spirit through Faith that is by the Gospel And thus under the Law there was doubtless an internal Grace and Assistance vouchsafed to good Men though not promised by it yet after the Eternal Word forsook the Tabernacle of Moses and came to tabernacle in our Flesh it 's evident that then he did more plentifully communicate this his Grace to the World than ever for then the Spirit was said to be shed upon us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Lord and in the 16th ver of this 1st of John we are said of his fulness to receive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grace upon Grace that is Grace heaped upon Grace and a vast overflowing Abundance according to that of Theognis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is thou givest me Calamities upon Calamities So that unless we will our selves it is now impossible we should fall short either of our Duty or the blessed Reward of it since our Saviour is become such an overflowing Fountain of Grace to us and hath promised to communicate it to us in such plentiful Effusions if we will sincerely ask and honestly endeavour after it and therefore in this respect also he may well be said to dwell among us full of Grace in that while he dwelt among us he obtained for
if we could because we are able to do all through Christ who will strengthen us if we will but do what we can so that this methinks should be sufficient to encourage any reasonable Man in the World to undertake his Service to consider that he who is my Master will co-operate with me and proportion my Strength to the Work he enjoyns me that he will not stand still with his Arms in his Bosom and see me struggle in vain under an insupportable But then of Duties but that he will set too his own Shoulders and contribute his own Strength and enable me by degrees to undergo it with Ease and Alacrity so that though thro' the Weakness and Importency which I have voluntarily contracted my Duty is become too heavy for my Shoulders yet I will never be disheartened so long as I am sure it is not too heavy for my Saviour's for if I heartily endeavour I am confident I shall undergo it if it be in the Power of an Almighty Grace to enable me 5. And lastly He was full of Grace to us also in Respect of that glorious Recompence which he hath promised to us and prepared for us I confess were his Service all Work and no Wages there were some Reason to be disheartned but when he hath promised and so amply assured us that after we have spent a few Days or Years in his Service upon Earth he will receive us into the Participation of his own Joys where we shall commence as happy as it is possible for an everlasting Heaven to make us methinks we should kiss his Yoke and court his Service and think we can never do too much for such a bountiful Master who rewards all his Servants with such immortal Preferments For what is the Labour of a few Moments compared with that everlasting Rest and Pleasure wherein it shall shortly terminate And when once we are arrived to the Heavenly Canaan and have tasted those ravishing Delights with which it flows and abounds how light and inconsiderable will all these Difficulties in our Voyage appear to us which now do so startle and affright us How shall we wonder at our own Sloth and Faint-heartedness to think that ever we should be such wretched Cowards as to be afraid of any thing that hath Heaven at the End of it which is a Happiness so vast and unspeakable that the Hope of it is sufficient to turn Torments into Recreations How shall we be astonished at our selves to think that we could ever be such wretched Fools as to deliberate one Moment whether Heaven were preferable before all the Pleasures of Sin or whether it were more eligible to dwell with Harlots and Drunkards for a Moment and wallow in their beastly Pleasures than to enjoy the Society of God and Saints and Angels to all Eternity The Odds will then appear so vast and the Disproportion so unspeakable that we shall wonder how we could ever be so sensless as to make a Comparison between them Sure Sirs we do not believe that Heaven is the Recompence of Christ's Service for if we did methinks we should more heartily engage in it For could we stand thus deliberating upon the Shore whether we shall bid adieu to our Lusts take Leave of all their fulsom Pleasures and imbark our selves in the Service of our Saviour Could we stand pausing thus as we do whether we shall venture into those petty Storms that are like to attend us in our spiritual Voyage did we verily believe that a few Leagues Distance lies that blessed Shore where we shall be crowned as soon as we are landed with all the Joys than an everlasting Heaven means Certainly the Belief of this is sufficient to put Life and Courage into the most crest-fallen-Soul in the World and to give her Spirit and Vigour enough to carry her triumphantly through all the weary Stages of her Duty So that considering how in all Respects our blessed Lord abounds in Grace and Goodness to us we have the greatest Encouragement imaginable to engage us to his Service 3dly He was full of Truth From whence I infer that the Christian Religion is a very plain and intelligible thing For this as I have shewed you at large is one of the great Notes of Distinction between Christ's tabernacling among the Jews and among Christians that whereas among the Jews he was full of obscure Types and mystical Representations among us Christians he is full of Truth that is he is plain and open and clear without any dark Reserves or Mysteries now he hath plainly revealed that which before he did so obscurely decypher now he hath unriddled all those mystical Types and turned them as it were inside outwards and given us their hidden Sense and Meaning in plain and naked Propositions and of these our holy Religion is composed So that those Doctrines which before were all Mystery whilst they lay obscurely couched under the Types and Figures of the Law are now brought forth from behind the Curtain into the open View of the World and presented barefac'd to our Understandings in the most plain and easy and familiar Senfe Not but that Christianity hath some Mysteries in it still whose Depths we are not able to fathom but 't is not because Christ hath not revealed them but because our Understandings are incapable of comprehending them such are the Doctrines of the Holy Trinity the Incarnation of our blessed Saviour and the Hypostatical Vnion of the Divine and Humane Nature in him Nor indeed is it much to be wonder'd at that we who with all our Wit and Reason are not able to explicate the Mysteries of a Mite or Flea of a Plant or a Stone or any of those innumerable things that are before us should not be able to understand such incomprehensible to order such infinite or define such ineffable things but though we cannot comprehend the Modes nor understand the strict Philosophy of them yet if we would but strip them out of their false Disguises into their original Plainness and Simplicity we might doubtless easily disintangle them from all Repugnancy and Contradiction which is sufficient to render them rationally credible they being contained in that excellent Religion whose Truth is demonstrated by such abundant Evidence But perhaps as God continued all the Doctrines of Christianity in a Mystery among the Jews and reserved the clear Revelation of them to the coming of the Messias so for the same Reason he hath still reserved the clear Discovery of those Doctrines which are still Mysteries to us Christians for the future State and then it may be we may as fully understand these as the believing Jews after the Coming of Christ did those other Doctrines of the Gospel which before were all Mysteries to them But God be praised whatsoever is necessary to make us good and happy is now so plainly discovered to us that we cannot be ignorant of it unless we wilfully shut our own Eyes We need not dive