SERM.

Shall we refent injuries, and affronts, and calumnies CCXVII. fo heinously as to be out of all temper and patience,

when we confider with what meeknefs of temper, and how little emotion of mind the Son of GOD bore all these? how he gave his back to the fmiters, and "his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair, and "with-held not his face from fhame and fpitting;" how he was led as a lamb to the flaughter, and as "a fheep before the fhearers is dumb, fo he opened "not his mouth; being reviled, he reviled not a"gain; when he fuffered, he threatned not."

''

To conclude, can we entertain thoughts of revenge towards the inftruments of our fufferings, when we have fuch a pattern of forgiving before us, who poured out his blood for the expiation of the guilt of them that shed it, and spent his laft breath in a moft fervent and charitable prayer for his betrayers and murderers?

Thus we should propofe to ourfeves the pattern of our LORD's fpirit and demeanour under fufferings, in whom meeknefs, and fubmiffion, and "pa"tience had their perfect work;" that "the fame "mind may be in us, that was in CHRIST JESUS," and that as we have him for "an example, we may "follow his fteps."

The laft confideration of comfort and fupport under trouble, which the christian religion gives us, remains yet to be spoken to, namely, that we are affured of a most compaffionate, and prevalent, and perpetual patron, and advocate, and interceffor with GOD for us.

But this, together with the application of this whole difcourfe, I fhall refer to the next opportunity.

SER

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in GOD; believe alfo in me.

COME now to the fifth and last ground of com-sER M.

fort, which the chriftian religion affords to good CCXVIII. men for their fupport under trouble, namely, that it The fourth affures us of a moft compaffionate, and prevalent, fermon on and perpetual patron, and advocate, and interceffor this text. with GOD in heaven for us, namely, our blefied SAVIOUR, "who for the fuffering of death was crown"ed with glory and honour," advanced" at the right hand of GOD," where " he fits in great majefty and glory, having all power in heaven and "earth committed to him, and where he lives continually to make interceffion for us."

And this is another confideration mentioned by our SAVIOUR for the comfort of his difciples, who were so forrowful at the thoughts of his departure from them, that though he should leave the world, yet he fhould be highly advanced in heaven, where he would certainly employ all his favour, and power, and interest for their benefit and advantage, and be an everlafting patron and advocate for those whofe falvation he had purchased with so much sweat and blood, prefenting our requests and prayers to GOD, in virtue of his most meritorious facrifice and fufferings continually prefented to his Father, perpetually foliciting our caufe, and procuring for us all thofe bleffings by his

SER M. interceffion in heaven, which he had purchased for us CCXVIII. by his blood upon earth. "For which reafon," fays the apostle, Heb. vii. 25. "he is able to fave to the "uttermost all thofe that come to GoD by him, fee

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ing he ever liveth to make interceffion for us,” that is, he is able to perfect the work of our salvation, which he began here upon earth; and to procure for all those who addrefs their prayers to Gop in his name, whatever is needful and convenient for us, because he is always at the right hand of GoD, to fecond our prayers by his powerful interceffion for us.

And this is a ground of comfort, though not greater and more fubftantial in itself than the other; yet more accommodated to our apprehenfions, who are naturally apt to dread the majefty of GoD, and to feek out for fome in favour with him, to be mediators and interceffors with GoD for us, and to prefent our prayers and requefts to him. And this was the original of the addreffes of the heathens to the angels and fouls departed, as a kind of intermediate and inferior deities, to prefent their prayers, and intercede with the great GOD in their behalf. And as in compliance with the general apprehenfion of mankind concerning the appeafing of the Deity by all forts of facrifices, GoD was pleafed to provide "one facrifice,” which by being "once offered" fhould "obtain e"ternal redemption for us, and perfect for ever them "that are fanctified," and by this means to put an end both to the carnal facrices of the law, and the barbarous and inhuman facrifices of the pagan worfhip fo in like condefcenfion to the general inclinations of mankind, to addrefs themfelves to GOD by several mediators and interceffors, God hath appointed "one only mediator between GoD and man, the "man CHRIST JESUS, who gave himself a ranfom

"for

I

CCXVIII.

"for all;" thereby to put an end to that infinite fu-SER M. perftition which had obtained in the world for fo many ages, of addreffing their prayers to God by the mediation of good angels and the departed fouls of their heroes and great men, who were, as I may fo call them, the pagan faints.

cacy;

So that as under the gofpel God hath appointed but one facrifice for fin, that should be of eternal effifo but one mediator in heaven for finners, to offer up our prayers to GOD, and to intercede continually for us, in the power and virtue of that "one "facrifice once offered for the redemption of man"kind." And therefore it is every whit as contrary to the genius and design of the christian religion, to apply ourselves to other interceffors with GoD in heaven for us, whether faints or angels, or even the bleffed virgin herself, as it would be to continue ftill the jewish facrifices, not to fay the heathen. For it is not clearer that there is but one proper facrifice under the gofpel, viz. that of CHRIST upon the cross, than that there is but one mediator and interceffor with GoD in heaven for us. Nay St. Paul fpeaks as if the chriftian religion did no more admit of more mediators than one, than of more gods than one, 1 Tim. ii. 5. "there is one GOD, and one mediator between GOD "and men, the man CHRIST JESUS, who gave him"felf a ranfom for all." Nor is the force of this plain text to be avoided, by saying that the apostle here fpeaks of a mediator of redemption, as appears by the following words, "who gave himself a ran"fom for all." For it is plain likewife, that he speaks alfo of a mediator of interceffion, and affirms him to be" but one," as is evident from what goes before. The apostle directs" prayers and fupplications to be "made for all men," and then at the 5th ver. to

whom

SER M. whom Chriftians fhould addrefs these prayers, and by CCXVIII. whofe mediation, viz. to GOD, in the name and mediation of JESUS CHRIST. "For" fays he, "there "is one GOD, and one mediator between GoD and "men, the man CHRIST JESUS." So that the apoftle's difcourfe does as plainly infer, that there is but one mediator of interceffion, as that there is but one mediator of redemption.

And indeed whofoever confiders that quite throughout the new teftament our SAVIOUR and his apoftles do conftantly direct Chriftians to make their prayers to GOD in the name and mediation of JESUS CHRIST, and no where give fo much as the least intimation of applying ourselves to any other interceffors with GOD in heaven for us, may juftly wonder how this fuperstition of praying to angels and faints departed, which hath no manner of countenance, and is by neceffary confequence fo clearly forbidden, should ever prevail among Christians; efpecially fince it is a plain diminution of the virtue and efficacy of our SAVIOUR's interceffion; or if it add nothing to it, is perfectly vain, and endless, and to no purpose. For what need of any other interceffors with GOD in heaven for us, if that be true which the apoftle to the Hebrews most exprefly affirms, that "CHRIST is able to fave them "to the uttermoft that come to GoD by him, feeing "he ever liveth to make interceffion for them."

The prevalency and efficacy whereof may juftly minifter to us, in all our diftreffes and troubles, fome peculiar ground of comfort above what fprings from the bare contemplation of the divine nature; that we have so powerful a friend to intercede with God for us; one fo dearly beloved of him, and fo highly in his favour; one that is advanced" far above all prin

cipalities and powers, and every name that is nam

ed,