SERM. It was abfolutely neceffary, that the Redeemer of Mankind should partake of the Nature of thofe whom He came to redeem. And it was as neceffary, that He who was to be a propitiatory Sacrifice for the Sins of others, fhould himfelf be without Spot or Blemish. That therefore the Son of God might affume our Nature without the Defilement of it, and become like unto us in all Things, Sin only excepted; He was (according to the Prophecies that went before of him) born of a Virgin, who was enabled to conceive by the miraculous Operation of the Holy Ghoft. The Son of God being in this extraordinary Manner made of a Woman, wiped off in a great Meafure that Reproach which the Mother of Mankind had brought upon her Sex. For if the Woman was feduc'd by the Tongue of the Serpent, He who bruised the Serpent's Head, was in a strict and peculiar Senfe the Seed of the Woman. If she was firft in the Tranfgreffion, by which Death was brought into the World; fhe was alone in giving Birth to Him who XII. SERM. XII. who hath purchased for us Life and Immortality. THE Bleffed Virgin being a Daughter of Abraham, our Lord was by Birth made under the Jewish Law. And accordingly he was circumcifed the eighth Day; and becaufe he was his Mother's firft-born Son, he was (as the Law directed in that Cafe) dedicated to the Lord in the Temple at Jerufalem. And tho' the Place of his Abode was at a confiderable Distance from that City, he constantly made a Journey thither at the Time of their folemn Festivals. And as he was careful to obferve the ritual Ordinances of the Law: fo he yielded a most exact and perfect Obedience to the moral Precepts of it. AND indeed had he not punctually fulfilled the Righteoufnefs of that Law under which he was made, he would himself have ftood in Need of a Redeemer; and confequently could not have anfwer'd the End of his coming into the World; which was to redeem those that were under the Law, that we might receive receive the Adoption of Sons; and this is the to. THIRD Particular I propos'd to speak ALL who had ever liv'd under the Law, Jefus Chrift only excepted, had in fome Inftance or other tranfgrefs'd it; and fo had render'd themselves obnoxious to the Curse denounc'd against those who should in any one Point offend against it. To deliver them from this Curfe our Lord voluntarily fuffered Punishment in their Stead, the Innocent instead of the Guilty; and by Dying on the Crofs, became in the Eye of the Law an accurfed Perfon; for it is written, Curfed is every one that hangeth on a Tree. TOGETHER With Chrift expir'd the Ceremonial Law; which was both a heavy Yoke upon the Jews, and a Wall of Partition between them and the Gentiles. So that by the Death of Chrift the Jews were freed from the Bondage as well as the Curfe of the Law, and called to enjoy the Liberty and Privileges of Sons. THE SERM XII. SERM. XII. THE Gentiles were Strangers to the Covenant of Promise, and had long fince revolted from the Worship of the true God to Idolatry. Wherefore the Jews imagin'd that they were efteem'd by God as Spittle, and that they were to have no Share in the Bleffings of the Meffiah's Kingdom. But the middle Wall of Partition being broken down by the Cross, the Distinction between Jew and Gentile ceased, and they both became by Faith one Body of Chrift, one Church and Houshold of God; the Gentiles were admitted to equal Privileges with the Jews; and those who had been hitherto far off from God, as well as those who were near to him receiv'd the Adoption of Sons, MANY and ineftimable are the Privileges, to which the adopted Sons of God are entitled. The Refidence of the Holy Spirit in their Hearts is both a Pledge of their Heavenly Father's Love to them at prefent, and an earnest of the glorious Inheritance which he will bestow upon them hereafter. By Him they have free Accefs Accefs unto God in Prayer, and are encourag'd to addrefs themselves to Him in the familiar and endearing Language of Sons, faying Abba Father. By the fame Spirit they are fanctified both in Body and Soul, and made like unto God; the Divine Image is reftored in them, and they are known to be the Children of God by the Refemblance which they bear to Him. And they who, while they live here, are like to God in Holinefs, fhall one Day even in their mortal Parts bear the Image of his Immortality; and fhall be further manifefted to be the Sons of God, by being the Sons of the Refurrection. He who is the God not of the Dead but of the Living, will not fuffer his Children to continue for ever under the Power of Death; but will in his due Time work for them a glorious Liberty from the Bondage of Corruption, and place them beyond the Reach and Fear of Death and Pain and Sorrow, in Heavenly Manfions, where they shall be for ever happy, not only in an entire Freedom from all Evil, but in the secure Poffef SERM. XII. |