SERMON XV.

THE EXTERNAL EVIDENCE OF THE GOSPEL.

JOHN XV. 24.

IF I HAD NOT DONE AMONG THEM THE WORKS WHICH NONE OTHER MAN DID, THEY HAD NOT HAD SIN: BUT NOW HAVE THEY SEEN, AND HATED BOTH ME AND MY FATHER.

OUR lord declared to his difciples that he 66 was the true vine, and his father the "husbandman:" and, in continuation of the fame parable, adds, " Every branch of "his that beareth no fruit, he will take << away; but every branch, that beareth "fruit, he will prune, that it may bear 66 more fruit*."

The intimate connection and dependence that ought to fubfift between his disciples and himself, is further inculcated in this parable in very strong terms; and the and the gene

John xv. 1, 2, Mr. Wakefield's tranflation.

ral

ral doctrine of christian love is taught in figurative expreffions, and in authoritative precepts.

The oppofition which the greater part of mankind formed against a system of religion and morals, which was by no means intended to be accommodated to the criminal fashions of the world, was predicted; and that prediction was grounded upon the treatment which Jefus Christ himself had received from those who were of the world." His difciples were very reasonably and very justly reminded, "that the fervant was not greater than his lord ;" and were told that as the world had perfecuted him, it would alfo perfecute them.

This ungracious treatment from thofe to whom the gofpel was preached, was not only reprehenfible in itself, but was also greatly aggravated by the abundant evidence which Jefus had tendered to them to prove that he was the Chrift, the promised prophet and meffenger of God. "If I had not come "and spoken unto them," faid he, " they "had not had fin; but now they have no

cloke, (or excufe,) for their fin.” In

other

other words, their not impartially attending to the evidence he perfonally produced to them to prove that he was the meffenger of God, appointed to reveal his will, conftituted the finful part of their conduct. And this neglect of reafonable evidence was not lefs fatal in its confequence, than criminal in itself, for, as Chrift himself obferved, he that hateth him, hateth his "father alfo."

But, as if he were not fatisfied with reproving their infidelity or unbelief, from what he had taken occafion to speak unto them, he appealed to the miracles which he had wrought among them in confirmation of his fuftaining the character of a prophet. "If I had not done among them," faid "he, "the works which none other man "did, they had not had fin: but, though

they have seen (these works,) they hate "both me and my father*.'

The reception of the gofpel is here confidered by our acknowledged mafter, to depend upon evidence; and, from this obfervation, fo confonant to reafon and the nature of things, we may fafely prefume

*Mr. Wakefield's tranflation.

that

that there is no commendation due to those who receive it upon truft, as a thing of course, without inquiry or examination: and, indeed, for this very obvious reafon, because in fuch cafe there has been no exertion of the mind, no difpofition or labour to attain that better knowledge which is held out to us. Befides which, as the feed fown on ftony ground, where it had not much earth, immediately fprang up, because it had no depth of earth; but when the fun was rifen, it was fcorched, and because it had no root, it withered away*: fo, likewife, the proper fruit of any profeffion of religion, made without inquiry or examination, cannot be produced under the hand of any wilfully ignorant or neglectful cultivator of

it.

We ought, therefore, to confider the religion of Chrift as offered to our reason and understanding. It is an appeal to every man, to whom thefe glad-tidings of great joy have been announced, upon no less important a fubject than his future state of happiness or mifery after the fcenes of this prefent fleeting life shall have closed. It is

* Mark iv. 5, 6.

an