Serm. XVI. the Glory of the Second Temple. lations which Godmade to them ; but we have far greater Advantages, add more .powerful Arguments to be Good than ever they had. And as we ought thank- fully to acknowledge thefe bleffed Advantages ; fo ought we likewife, with the greateft Care and Diligence, to improve them. And now how does the ferious Confideration of this Condemn all Impenitent Sinners under the Gofpel, who will.saot be reclaimed from their Sins, and peri (waded to Goodnefs, by all that God can do ; by the moft plain Declaration of his Will to the World, by the moft perfect Precepts anti Dire&ions for a good Life ; by the moft encouraging Promifes to Obedience, and by the moft fevere Threatnings of an. Eternal and Unutterable Ruin, in cafe of difobedience ; by the wrath of God, revealed from heaven, againfi all ungodlinefs and unrighteouf- nefs of men ; by the Terrors pf the great day, and the Vengeance of Eternal Fire ; by the wonderful and amazing Condefcenfion of the Son of God, appearing in our Nature ; by his merciful undertaking for the Redemptionof loft and fm- ful Man ; by his cruel Sufferings for our Sins, and by the kinder Offers of Pardon and Reconciliation in his Blood, andby the glorious hopes of Eternal Life i What could God have done more for us, than he hath done ?. What greater concernment could he Phew for our Salvation, than to fend his own Son, bis only Son, to feek and fave us ? And what greater demonftration could he give of his Love to us, than to give the Son of his Love to die for us ? This is the laft Effort that the Divine Mercy and Goodnefs will make upon Mangy kind. So the Apoftle tells us in the beginning of this Epiftle, chap. r; I. that God who at fundry tines, and in divers manners, fpake in times pall unto the Fathers, by the Prophets, hath in thefe lafl days, fpoken to us by his Son : And if we will not hear him, he will fpeak no more ; after this it is not to be expelted that he fhould make any farther Attempts for our recovery, he can fend no greater and dearer Perfon to us, than his own Son. If we defpife him ; whom will we Reverence ? If we reject him, and the great Salvation which he brings and offers to us ; we have all the rafon in. the World to believe that our Cafe is defperate, and that we (hall die in our fins. This was the Condemnation of the .7ews, that they did not receive and believe on him whomGod had feat. And if we who profefs to believe ou him, and to receive his Doarine, be found difobedient to it, in our Lives, we have Reafon to fear that our Condem- nation (hall be far heavier than theirs : For fine the appearance of the Son ofGod for the Salvation of Men, the wrath of God is revealedfrom heaven againfl all un, godlinefs and unrighteoufnefs of men, efpecially againft thofe who detain the truth of God in unrighteoufief ; that is, againft thofe who entertain the Light of God's Truth in their Minds, but do not fuffer it to have its proper Effeit and Influence upon their Hearts and Lives ; and make that a Prifoner, which would make them free. So our Lord tells us, that the truth (hall make us free; but if after we have received the knowledge of the truth, we are (till the fervants offin ; our Condemnation is much worfe, than if the Son of God had never come : For the Chriftian Religion hath done nothing ; if it do not take Men off from their Sins, and teach them to live well. Efpecially at this time when we are celebrating the coming of the Son ofGod, to deflroy the works of the Devil, we fhould take great heed, that we be not found guilty of any Impiety and Wickednefs ; becaufe this is, dire&ly contrary to the main Defign of the grace of God, which brings Salvation, and bath appeared to all men, (and the appearance whereof we do at this time commemorate) for That teacheth mea to deny zmngodlinefs andworldly lulls, and to live foberly and righteoufy, andgodlily in this prefent world : And we cannot gratify the Devil more, than by (hewing our (elves more diligent than ordinary to uphold his Works, at this very time, when the Son ofGod was manife/led on purpofe to dolve them We cannot poffibly choofe a worfe, a more improper Seafon to fin in, than when we are Celebrating the Birth of the Bleffed fefus, who came to fave us from our fins. This is, as ifa fick Man, for joy that a famous Phyfician is come to his Hoùfe, fhould run into all manner of Excefs, and fo do all he can to enflame R 2 his 123
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