SERMON XVI. Jefus Chrift full of Truth. JOHN, i. 14. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us; (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth. TH XVI. HIS Evangelift, who was himself the SERM, favourite difciple of Jefus, and accompanied him through the whole course of his miniftry, in the words now read gives his teftimony to the glorious and divine character of his Mafter. The Word, fays he, was made flefl*. The eternal wisdom Similar to this is the expreffion of the Apoftle, Great is the mystery of godliness: God manifefted in the flesh. 1. One great advantage of God's manifefting his perfections in the man Chrift Jefus, is evident. By this method he veils the brightness G 3 XVI. SERM. wifdom of God, by which all things were made, verses 1, 2, was manifefted in human flesh, even in the character and actions of the man Chrift Jefus, who dwelt among us He did not merely make us a tranfient vifit for a day, or for a week, but he pitched his tabernacle* for years together; fo that we had the happy opportunity of being acquainted with him, and learning from him. We (his apostles) be brightness of his glory, which would quite dazzle and overpower our feeble minds. We are unable to look directly on the fplendour of the Divinity. By the manifeftation of it in a perfon of human nature, this dazzling glory of the Divinity is foftened to the bearing of our fight, by its being tempered with the milder rays of humanity. 2. By this manifeftation of God in our nature, we have an example of perfection for our imitation, nearer to our own ftandard: an example of perfection which we can more eafly contemplate, more eafily comprehend, and more eafily copy after.-If it should be asked, How are the Divine perfections manifefted in the man Jefus Chrift? let our Saviour himself anfwer: He that hath feen me bath seen the Father. John, xiv. 9. And verfe 7th, If you had known me, you should have known my Father also. And chap. xv. He that hateth me, hateth my Father alfo. That the Divine power, that the Divine prefcience, that the Divine wifdom, that the Divine goodnefs, forbearance, patience, and mercy, were exhibited to our view in the character and life of Jefus may be easily explained by an induction of particulars. beld XVI. held his glory, the glory as of the only be- SERM. gotten of the Father; that is, We were eyewitneffes of his glory when we were with him on the mount of transfiguration, beheld the radiant appearance of his face and his whole body, furrounded with a dazzling luftre, fhining as the fun, and heard the miraculous voice from the clouds, which faid, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed; hear ye bim. We beheld also the manifeftations of his glory in many astonishing miraculous events which accompanied and followed upon his crucifixion, his refurrection, and vifible afcenfion into heaven. Though he appeared in a state of humiliation, without any marks of the pomp and fplendour, the riches and authority of this world, and lived in a mean and low external ftate; yet, amidst the poverty and meanness of his outward condition, rays of glory darted forth, on many occafions, which gave us the fulleft conviction that he was more than human, the only begotten Son of God, in whom He is always well pleafed. And befides all these miraculous manifestations of his glory, we, from our own perfonal G4 XVI. SERM. perfonal knowledge and intimate converfation with him, can bear witness, that through the whole feries of his life, he was full of grace, and full of truth: that is, we always experienced him to be a person of the most amiable temper and conduct: he ever manifested an unalterable perfect mildness, sweetness, and benignity of difpofition he discovered, on all occafions, that he was poffeffed of the richest treasures of knowledge. All that is further propofed is, I. To illuftrate the character of Jefus Christ, as full of grace and truth, and full of them to fuch a degree as rendered him truly glorious in the eyes of his followersWe beheld his glory, &c. II. To make fome application of what shall be said to the prefent occafion of our affembling together; namely, to dispose our minds for that public and folemn remembrance of our Saviour which we have in view. Upon the First Head, we shall begin with explaining what is implied in his being full of Truth, because the grace and truth of the Gospel are are connected together; and the grace and goodness of Jefus Chrift appear moft conspicuously in those great, interesting, and confolatory truths which he revealed to the world. In the language of Scripture, Truth is fometimes put in oppofition to Error and Falfehood. At other times Truth denotes the moral qualities of fincerity and faithfulness. At other times the Gospel is called Truth, in oppofition to the law of Mofes. The Law contained an image or reprefentation of good things to come. In the Gofpel these good things are brought to light; fo that it is the fubftance or reality of those things which are darkly figured by the Law. In illuftrating the text I fhall confider Truth in the firft fenfe, in oppofition to ignorance, error, and falfehood. It must be obvious to every one who has given the least attention to the Gospel hiftory, that Jefus claims to himself the glorious character and office of being the revealer of the will of God by immediate commiffion from him. The word which bear is not mine, but the Father's who you Sent |