Page images
PDF
EPUB

SERM. Knowledge of his Son, as the Waters cover I. the Sea; always concluding with this Peti

tion for ourselves, That as he has blessed us with the Enjoyment of the Gospel, in its primitive Purity, beyond most other Nations upon Earth, fo he would give us Grace to walk according to it, and not continue to hold the Truth in Unrighteoufnefs; left our Candlestick be removed from us, and our Light be either obfcured by Error, or eclipfed by Popery, or extinguished by Infidelity.

SERMON

SERMON II.

1 Tim. ii. 6.

Who gave himself a Ransom for all, to be teftified in due Time.

T

HE principal Object, St. Paul SERM. seems to have had in View II. from his composing this Epiftle

under the Guidance of the Holy Ghoft, was to direct Timothy, his Son, in the Faith, how he might worthily discharge his Episcopal Function, and to engage him to the Obfervance of Fidelity, and Prudence in the Exercise of that Authority, he was vefted with.

In order to obtain this End, the Apostle having in the firft Chapter reminded the Paftor, on what Account he befought him to abide at Ephefus, when he himself went into Macedonia; which was, that he might

oppose

SERM. oppofe all falfe Teachers, and be very vigiII. lant to prevent the Propagation of any other Doctrine (a) but what was agreeable to the Truth of the Gofpel; and having put them in Remembrance likewise, that this Charge was committed unto him according to the Prophecies, which went before on him (b), and confequently, by the fpecial Direction of the unerring Spirit of God, he proceeds in this fecond Chapter, by Virtue of his Apoftolical Jurifdiction, to lay down Rules and Orders concerning the publick Service of the Church, giving the holy Man to underftand, that it ought to confift of Supplications, Prayers, Interceffions, and giving of Thanks, to be made for all Men (c).

THE Motive of Charity might be esteemed cogent enough of itself to determine Chrif tians to extend their Devotions in Behalf of Mankind in general: But St. Paul affigns another very particular Reafon here for his Injunction, which is, that God our Saviour will have all Men to be faved, and to come to the Knowledge of the Truth (d). He has a gracious Difpofition toward the whole human Race, as being the common Father and

[blocks in formation]

II.

and Lord of all; therefore the Inference is, SERM. if he hath fo loved them, they ought also to love one another, and to teftify their mutual Love by an affectionate Recommendation of each other to his Divine. Favour. For there is one, and but one, God, both of Jews and Gentiles, of Believers and Unbelievers, and one Mediator between God and Men, the Man Chrift Fefus; Who gave himself a Ranfom for all, to be teftified in due Time (e).

THIS Act of God's infinite Mercy and Goodness, the Redemption of Sinners, and making all the Familics of the Earth blef fed, which had a Curfe intitled upon them, was foretold, though with much Obfcurity, by the ancient Prophets, at fundry Times, and in divers Manners, before and under the Law; but it has been moft clearly brought to Light and fully attefted by his Son under the Gofpel: Who was the Lamb, in the Divine Intention and Foreknowledge, flain from the Foundation of the World (f). Who appeared upon Earth, and had a Body prepared for him, on purpofe that he might fuffer (g).

WHY

(e) 1 Tim. ii 5, 6. (g) Heb. x. 5.

(f) Rev. xiii. 8.

SERM.

II.

WHY he appeared not fooner in his Perfon, is a Question which must be answered in the fame Manner, as why he has not yet appeared to all Men in his Revelalation? And can be refolved only into God's all-wife Will and Pleasure. Those, who lived before the coming of Jesus Christ in the Flesh, or who have never heard of him, or of his Doctrine fince, must stand or fall to their own Mafter, and are not to be judged of us, or of Man's Judgment : And instead of disputing about the Salvation of others, it concerns us to make fure of

our own.

THE first Advance, and Ground-step towards fecuring whereof, is, as our Apostle has informed us, the coming to the Knowledge of the Truth: And for that Reafon we find him in his Writings preferring the Knowledge of Chrift incomparably beyond all other Science; its fuperiour Excellency and high Importance prevailed on him to fet light by all other, that he might the more perfectly gain this: And as he valued it fo dearly in general, fo he fat a distinguished Mark of his Efteem on the Knowledge of Chrift crucified; he makes it the chief

Article

« EelmineJätka »