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as the fentence of death is literally fulfilled in all the defcendents of Adam, that alone carries along with it a strong confirmation of the bruifing the ferpent's head, of, as we find the Apostle John explains it, deftroying the works of the devil, viz. fin, and death; and confeqently of the bringing in of a new and unperishable life. And hence the notions of the divine placability, of immortality, and of life after the body is diffolved to duft, have obtained in all ages and nations of the world; which never could have entered the heart of man any other way.

11. The Character of Jefus Chrift.

T is common with our history-writers,

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to give characters of the principal perfons concerned in the tranfactions they relate. But unless these are true pictures drawn from the life, of the conduct and behaviour of the man in every cafe, they are only the opinions of the writer, and are very little regarded by wife readers. To get then at the true character of Jesus, it will not be fufficient to know what this or the other man faid or thought of him,

but

but what the whole tenor of his life fhows him to have been. We have his history given us in the most authentic manner ever any was; and with many advantages no other ever had; which it is not our prefent bufinefs to confider, but to take it as it lies before us in a record made by the peculiar direction and influence of the fpirit of truth.

The history of his life is not like that of other men, from his birth to his death; but extends a great way backward before he made his appearance in the world, and forward after he left it; which indeed are the principal parts, as his appearance in this world was fo mean and unfightly, that those who judged only by this world's measures, could perceive no form nor comelinefs in him wherefore he should be defired. He was long before defcribed in prophecy as a man of forrows and acquainted with griefs; and at last condemned and crucified as one of the bafeft malefactors; and had it not been for what followed, he had been at least reckoned, as the learned Jews faid he was, a deceiver of the people. However it may feem at firft fight, the most advantageous fituation for taking a complete

view of Jefus, will be found at his cross: and the more attentively we confider that kind of death, and the circumftances which attended his death in particular, the more clearly will the transcendent beauty and excellence of his character fhine forth to our obfervation.

Mean while the first and most obvious question which naturally occurs, is, How he came there? and what were the crimes for which he was condemned to fuch a barbarously cruel death? Upon the ftricteft inquiry it will be found, that he lived with fuch perfect innocence, that he was not afraid to challenge his moft inveterate enemies to convict him, of ever having faid or done any thing amifs, during the whole courfe of his life: and that is more than can be faid of any other man, from the beginning of the world to this day. They charged him indeed with many things which they called fins and blafphemies, but which were indeed the brighteft parts of his character. The fum of their charge was, That he charitably healed the fick and diseased on their fabbath-day; and faid, which was a great truth, that he was that Son of God who fhould come into the world; and whom

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thofe very men who charged him with blafphemy on that account, pretended, at that very time, to be daily expecting and looking for: that is, they charged him. with blafphemy for faying thofe very things which their Meffiah, whenever he came, must have faid.

But however amiable a part perfect innocence makes of a character, it is hardly poffible it can be maintained, without the exercise of benevolence and beneficence throughout the whole course of life. Or, in other words, perfect innocence cannot fubfift without perfect love to God and man; nor that without the natural fruits, exercises, and actings of it on every proper occafion. And there it was, that this Jefus fhewed himself to the greatest advantage. He paffed indeed the firft, and greatest part of his life, in a very low and retired station; without any extraordinary fhow, excepting only his conversation with the doctors and learned men in the temple when he was only twelve years. of age, which filled every one that heard him with astonishment.

But from the time appointed for his manifestation, and entering on his proper H h bufinefs,

VOL. I.

bufinefs, which only commenced at his baptism, his whole life was spent in going about doing good; healing all manner of diseases, giving eyes to the blind, ears to the deaf, limbs to the maimed, and, which is infinitely more, life to the dead, on feveral occafions. Never did any apply to him, however defperate the cafe was, who went away without their errand; and in many cafes, he freely difpenfed his favours to fuch as neither asked, nor fo much as thought of applying to him.

But however kind he was to the bodies of men, it was with their fouls his main bufinefs lay. He proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom, thofe good news to a perifhing world, which angels begun at his birth, when they thus faid: "Glory to "God in the higheft, and on earth peace, "good-will towards men." And this he did with fuch power, that not only ftorms and tempefts, but the devils themselves, were forced to give ready obedience unto his word of command.

The number of miracles performed by him was very great; and the lowest conclufion that can be drawn from these astonishing inftances

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