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The CONTENTS.

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foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Chrift the power of God, and the wisdom of God

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SERM. CXCIII. The evidence of our Saviour's refurrection. Acts i. 3. To whom alfo be herved himself alive after bis paffion, by many infallible proofs, being feen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God

293 SERM. CXCIV. The poffibility of the refurrection afferted and proved. Acts xxvi. 8. Why fhould it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God fhould raise the dead?

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SERM. CXCV. The refurrection of our Saviour confidered, as an argument for feeking things above. Col. iii. 1. 2. If ye then be rifen with Chrift, feek thofe things which are above, where Chrift fitteth at the right-hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth

321 SERM. CXCVI. The circumftances and benefits of our Saviour's afcenfion. Acts i. 9. 10. 11. And when he bad spoken these things, while they bebeld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their fight. And while they looked fedfaftly toward beaven, as be went up, bebold, two men flood by them in white apparel; which allo faid, ye men of Galilee, why ftand ye gazing up into heaven? This fame Jefus which is taken up from you into heaven, fhall fo come in like manner, as ye bave feen him go into heaven

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333 SERM. CXCVII. Of the gift of tongues conferred on the Apostles. Acts ii. 1. 2. 3. 4. And when the day of Pentecoft was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And fuddenly there came found from beaven, as of a mighty rushing wind, and it filled all the boufe where they were fitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it fat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghoft, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance

347 SERM. CXCVIII. Of the coming of the Holy Ghoft, as an Advocate for Chrift. John xvi. 7. 8. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will fend bim unto you. And when be is come, be will reprove the world of fin, and of righteousness, and of judgment 361 SERM. CXCIX. Of the coming of the Holy Ghoft, as a guide to the Apoftles. John xvi. 12. 13. I have yet many things to fay unto you, but you cannot bear them now: bowbeit when be, the Spirit of truth, is come, be will guide you into all truth 376 SERM. CC. CCI. Of the ordinary influence of the Holy Ghoft on the minds of Chriftians. John vii. 39. But this fpake be of the Spirit, which they that believe on him, should receive. For the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jefus was not yet glorified 358. 400 SERM. CCII. The fruits of the Spirit, the fame w th moral virtues. Eph. v. 9. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, and righte oufness, and truth

413 SERM. CCIII. The neceffity of fupernatural grace, in order to a Chriftian life. John xv. 5. For without me, ye can do nothing 428

SER.

SERMON

CLXXIII.

The danger of impenitence, where the gofpel is preached.

MATTH. xi. 21. 22.

Woe unto thee Chorazin, woe unto thee Bethfaida: for if the mighty works which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in fackcloth and afhes. But I fay unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.

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FTER our bleffed Saviour had inftructed, and fent forth his difciples, he himself went a broad to preach unto the cities of Ifrael; particularly, he spent much time in the cities of Galilee, Chorazin, and Bethfaida, and Capernaum, preaching the gospel to them, and working many and great miracles among them; but with little or no fuccefs: which was the cause of his denouncing this terrible woe against them, ver. 20. Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not. Woe unto thee Chorazin, &c.

In which words our Saviour declares the fad and miferable condition of those two cities, Chorazin and Bethfaida, which had neglected fuch an opportunity, and refifted and withftood fuch means of repentance, as would have effectually reclaimed the most wicked cities and people that can be inftanced in any age, Tyre, and Sidon, and Sodom; and therefore he tells them, that their condition was much worse, and that they fhould fall under a heavier fentence at the day of judgment, than the people of thofe cities, whom they had always looked upon as the greatest finners that ever were in the world. This is the plain meaning of the words in general; but yet there are fome difficulties in them, which I fhall endeavour to clear, and then proceed to raise fuch VOL. VIII. A

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obfervations from them, as may be inftructive and ufeful to us.

The difficulties are thefe:

1. What repentance is here fpoken of; whether an external repentance, in fhew and appearance, only, or an inward, and real and fincere repentance.

2. In what sense it is faid, that Tyre and Sidon would have repented.

3. What is meant by their would have repented long ago.

4. How this affertion of our Saviour's, that miracles would have converted Tyre and Sidon, is reconcilable with that other faying of his, Luke xvi, 31. in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, that those who believed not Mofes and the Prophets, neither would they be perfuaded, though one rofe from the dead.

I. What repentance is here fpoken of; whether a mere external and hypocritical repentance, in fhew and appearance only, or an inward, and real and fincere repentance.

The reafon of this doubt depends upon the different theories of divines, about the fufficiency of grace accompanying the outward means of repentance, and whether an irrefiftible degree of God's grace be neceffary to repentance; for they who deny fufficient grace to accompany the outward means of repentance, and affert an irrefiitible degree of God's grace neceffary to repentance, are forced to fay that our Saviour here fpeaks of a mere external repentance: becaufe if he spake of an inward and fincere repentance, then it must be granted, that fufficient inward grace did accompany the miracles that were wrought in Chorazin and Bethfaida, to bring men to repentance; because what was afforded to them, would have brought Tyre and Sidon to repentance. And that which would have effected a thing, cannot be denied to be fufficient; fo that unless our Saviour here fpeaks of a mere external repentance, either the outward means of repentance, as preaching and miracles, must be granted to be fufficient to bring men to repentance, without the inward operation of God's grace upon the minds of men, or elfe a fufficient degree of God's grace must be acknowledged to accompany the outward

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