:

must be a new-created people through Christ, which are a people to his praise. (Psalm cii. 18.) The lowest, meanest work, done by faith in Christ, as it brings great honour to God, so it is greatly honoured by God. A cup of cold water, given upon the account of Christ, has a great reward from him. Salvian speaks to this point very notably: Non perdiderit mercedem suam. (Matt. x. 42.) Etiam eam rem in futuro habituram præmium esse dicit, quæ in præsenti pretium non dabit; tantum honoris cultori suo tribuit, ut aliquid esset per fidem, quod hìc omnino nihil esset per servilitatem. "He shall not lose his reward,' says he in the world to come, he shall have a great reward, which perhaps in the present life he may miss of; so great an honour is God pleased to put upon an action done in faith, however mean and inconsiderable, and which by reason of its vileness in the eyes of men is nothing." A visit of a poor member of Christ, sick or in prison, or an alms given to feed or clothe them, what an honour is put upon these at the last day! (Matt. xxv. 34-36.) But what shall we think of Cyrus and Darius and others, who did so great things for the church of God? (Isai. xlv. 1—4;) and of the king of Tyrus, who, upon account of the protection that the people of God had from him, is called "the anointed cherub that covereth?" (Ezek. xxviii. 14, 16.) To this I answer, that as for Cyrus, though God made great use of him, yet the Lord says expressly of him, that he knew him not; and therefore, as for all those actions they did for the church of God, though God did gain honour by them, yet they did not honour God, nor were they accepted of him, because they were not in Christ.

USE OF EXHORTATION. To study the name of the Lord Jesus.-For by how much the more we know of his name, by so much the more we shall trust in him. (Psalm ix. 10.) It is the "name which is above every name." (Phil. ii. 9.) His name is as sweet, precious "ointment poured forth : (Canticles i. 3 :) the richest treasures of grace are laid up in that name of Christ. (John i. 16.) Study it, that you "may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of it; that you may be filled with all the fulness of God." (Eph. iii. 18, 19.) There is a surpassing excellency, as in that name, so in the knowledge of it; (Phil. iii. 8;) for by this knowledge we come to the fairest and clearest discoveries of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; the Lord shines into the hearts of such students, and communicates a glorious light unto them. We come by this knowledge, as to see into the treasuries of grace in him, so to possess and enjoy them; and this knowledge carries eternal life with it. (John xvii. 3.)

The next USE is OF REPRoof.

1. Too many, of great parts, learning, and worth, yet have ambitiously affected a great name in the church and in the world, to gain followers and make a party, and to be cried up as teaching men.-This was it which Christ saw was a very prevailing evil among the scribes and Pharisees, and utterly decried it, saying, "Be not ye called Rabbi, Rabbi ;" (Matt. xxiii. 8-10 ;) that is, "Do not affect to be so called, or through pride and ambition delight in these titles." Augustine was a person of great piety and parts, and he abhorred this spiritual pre-eminency, which

he took notice of in many in his time, who took-up their religion and faith upon trust, and upon the credit of some men of great name in the church. Non ad hominis nomen ambulo, said he, Christi nomen teneo : perirem si essem de parte Pauli; quomodo non perirem si essem ex parte Donati? Recedant omnia humana nomina: "I walk not according to the names and titles of men: I keep to the name of Christ: I should perish if I took up under the name of Paul, much more under the name of Donatus. Away with all human names !" And the same Augustine, in Soliloquio, speaking of Christ, saith, Vocasti me nomine tuo, signasti me sanguine tuo, unxisti me oleo tuo, de quo unctus fuisti, ut a te Christo dicerer Christianus "Thou hast signed me with thy blood, thou hast called me by thy name, I have been anointed by thee, and from Christ I am a Christian." And Luther (tom. ii. Wittem.) saith, Primùm oro, nomen meum taceatur, et nemo Lutheranus, sed Christianus, appelletur. Quid est Lutherus? Atqui doctrina non est mea, nec pro quopiam sum crucifixus. Unde mihi putido vermium sacco hoc accideret, ut filii Christi a meo vilissimo nomine denominentur? Absit, amici : deleamus schismatica nomina, et denominemur a Christo, cujus doctrinam habemus: “I desire first, that my name may be concealed, and that none should be called 'a Lutheran,' but ' a Christian.' What is Luther? My doctrine is not mine, but Christ's; I was not crucified for any. How comes it to pass that I, who am but a filthy, stinking bag of worms,-that any of the sons of Christ should be denominated from my name? Away with these schismatical names! let us be denominated from Christ, from whom alone we have our doctrine."

This very thing of affectation of a name and fame in the church hath been very pernicious. The greatest heresies have been owned propagated, and maintained upon this account; as (lib. i. cap. 20) tells us, the Simonians from Simon Magus; and Justin Martyr, in his Dialogue, saith, some have been called Marcionites, others Valentinians, others Basilidians;-some by one name, some by another, from their first founders. But Lactantius tells us, (De verd Sapientia, lib. iv.,) when once men come under such denominations, Christiani esse desierunt, qui, Christi nomine amisso, humana et externa vocabula induerunt : "they cease to be Christians, when they come under human names and titles in matters of religion." And therefore Paul would have none follow him further than he followed Christ. (1 Cor. xi. 1.) He rejects the honours which some would have put upon him with an indignation. Some affected to be called by his and other great names in the church; some said they were of Paul, &c.; but when he comes to speak as to himself, he speaks with an abhorrence that any should set up his name with Christ's: "What! " was Paul crucified for you? or were you baptized into the name of Paul?' (1 Cor. i. 12, 13.) God forbid that any should be guilty of so great a sin, as to come under that denomination!"

2. Others are to be blamed, even the generality of professors, that, having taken the name of Christ upon them, and are called by his name, are a reproach to this high and holy name.-Who are so far from doing all things in the name of Christ, as they do nothing in his name, but do live against that name; they do not "depart from iniquity," as every Christian upon that account ought to do. (2 Tim. ii. 19.) How many

say they are Christians, but are not! Rev. iii. 9, he calls it blasphemy in them that said they were Jews, that is, Christians, but were not: they. pretended indeed to be true Christians, but held such doctrines, and lived in such lewd, sinful practices, as were opposite to Christ. Such persons profane the sacred name of Christ, who live in such a way as [to] cast a blot and imputation upon him. Christians, as such, should be so far from the practice even of such sins as many have very light thoughts of, that they must not so much as name them: " fornication, uncleanness, and covetousness," must not so much as be named by them. (Eph. v. 3, 4.) The Lord Christ and his gospel suffer more by Christians that bear his name, than by others that despise him: they open the mouths of the enemy to blaspheme the holy name of Christ, and the religion of Christ : "they blaspheme that worthy name by which they are called." (James ii. 7.) He had spoken before (verses 1, 2) of some professors who had the faith of the Lord Jesus with respect of persons, and (verse 6) proud rich ones that did oppress others; such men by their wicked practices did blaspheme the name of Christ, by such practices they did cast a blot and scandal upon the religion which they did profess, and by that means caused others to blaspheme the name of Christ.

To the like purpose Paul speaks concerning the Jews, who were high pretenders to the law, yet lived in the continual breach of it. Through them "the name of God was blasphemed among the Gentiles." (Rom. ii. 24.) So, 2 Peter ii. 1, 2, he had spoken of some, who by their doctrines denied the Lord Christ "that bought them; by reason of whom the way of truth was evil spoken of." By the false doctrines and flagitious lives of professors, the name and religion of Christ is rent and torn in pieces, and brought into contempt among the worst of men; and therefore we find, that when professors are pressed to walk as becometh the gospel, one great argument is taken from the great reproach that else will follow. 1 Tim. vi. 1, he presseth servants to account their masters worthy of double "honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed." The like argument we have upon wives, that "they be discreet," &c., "obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed;" (Titus ii. 4, 5;) that the way of religion, in which they profess to serve God, be not made vile and contemptible in the eyes of such as have little regard to any religion at all. Averroes was most taken with "the Christians' sect," as he called it; but when he saw the Christians do what he thought was a great offence against the God whom they served or worshipped, he said, Moriatur anima mea cum philosophis, "Let me die among the philosophers," and not among the Christians. It is reported of one Hathway, an Indian, as blind as he was, [that he was] so possessed with prejudice against the Christian religion by the cruelty of the Spaniards, that he refused to be baptized, because of their vile carriage, and said he would not go to the same heaven with them.

Of all persons, Christians have cause to walk most wisely and uprightly, in reference to that honourable name which they bear, lest otherwise they expose it to contempt. Let us do as the primitive saints did, of whom it is said, they "walked in the fear of the Lord; and the churches had rest." (Acts ix. 31.) They were in the midst of persecuting, bloody enemies, who seeing them walk in the fear of the Lord, and

their peace.

according to the rules of the Christian religion, which did strike such an awe into them of the majesty of their religion, which did shine forth in their holy, heavenly conversation, as brought their enemies under so great convictions, as they durst not at that present attempt them, or hinder A saint sanctifies the name of the Lord in the course of his life, while he walks in the fear of the Lord. (Isai. viii. 13.) This was a great argument which prevailed with Nehemiah; and he propounded it to the people: "To walk in the fear of the Lord, because of the reproach of the enemy," (Neh. v. 9.) It is not the Jew who denieth the name of Christ, or the Turk who defieth it, or the Pagan dragon who persecuteth the name of Christ, (Rev. xii. 2-4,) that casts so foul a blot and reproach upon the name of Christ, as he who takes upon him the name of Christ, and under a form of godliness lives in the practice of those foul abominations spoken of, 2 Tim. iii. 1—5; from which "turn away."

SERMON XXIV.

BY THE REV. THOMAS COLE, A.M.,

SOMETIME STUDENT OF CHRIST CHURCH, AND PRINCIPAL OF ST. MARY'S HALL,

OXFORD.

HOW WE MAY STEER AN EVEN COURSE BETWEEN PRESUMPTION AND DESPAIR.

As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth.-Luke iii. 4, 5.

THIS chapter begins with the ministry of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ in which you have,

1. The time of his ministry, when it began, set down and ascertained by some particular and very memorable remarks upon it, from the names of those who were then in authority, chief governors and rulers both in church and state, whose several offices and commands bore the same date with John's preaching. (Verses 1, 2.) The reason of this I shall not now trouble you with.

2. His call unto this office.-Verse 2: "The word of God came unto John."

3. The subject-matter of his preaching.-Namely, "The baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." (Verse 3.)

4. The occasion that prompted him to this subject, and made him fix his thoughts upon it.-Which was an ancient prophecy out of Isaiah, chap. xl. 3; the Holy Ghost bringing this into his mind, telling him it was now to be fulfilled by his preaching, and therefore no doubt directed

him to pitch upon such a subject as might tend most to the accomplishment of that prophecy.

The prophecy or promise (for it is both) you have in the words of my text, and in the last clause of the succeeding verse.

I shall not insist upon the several metaphors in the text, but in short give you the general sense of the whole.

By "mountains and valleys" I understand all sorts of men, high and low, rich and poor; who, considered in their natural condition, whether convinced or unconvinced, do all stand in a direct opposition to Jesus Christ, are exceeding averse from, and unprepared for, the doctrine of the gospel, will not submit to the law of faith, some upon one account, and some upon another, till God by a further work of the Spirit doth open their eyes, and draw their hearts to Christ. Now the words of the text do contain this preparatory work of the gospel upon poor sinners, in order to due reception of Christ, and a right application of him by faith unto the soul. It consists of two parts: 1. Pulling-down mountains 2. Filling-up valleys; both very difficult work. John had to do with some who were puffed-up with a conceit of their own righteousness, and would be their own saviours, and not be beholden to Christ and free grace for any thing, thinking themselves to be something, when indeed they were nothing. (Gal. vi. 3; Rev. iii. 16, 17.) These were the proud Pharisees, boasting of their own righteousness; and beside these there are also a company of profane, atheistical Sadducees, who gloried in their sins, and, denying the resurrection of the body and the immortality of the soul, ran out into all licentiousness.

Others again were so convinced of sin and of the dangerous consequence of it, that they were ready to sink into despair, knew not what to do, fearing their sins were greater than could be forgiven. These are the "mountains and valleys" in the text. Presumption on the one hand, and despair on the other, that rises too high, this sinks too low; that inclines too much one way, this too much the other; and there is a crookedness and obliquity in both, which must be rectified and straightened by the preaching of repentance in order to the remission of sins. This John doth; First, urging the necessity of repentance upon the proud Pharisees, who thought they needed no repentance; (Luke xv. 7;) Secondly, urging the great gospel-privilege that Christ hath purchased for believers upon their repentance, namely, remission of sins, upon poor dejected sinners; that both the one and the other might see the right way of salvation by Jesus Christ: for though the light of nature, by which we are convinced of the equity and righteousness of the moral law, do bind us to repentance when we act against it, yet it cannot promise that we shall get any thing by our repentance, being altogether ignorant of the mystery of the gospel. Thus we see the mountains must be brought low, and the valleys filled up, and both reduced to such an exact level, evenness, and plainness, that Christ may sit close upon the soul without the least interposition of any thing between him and us, or the least remaining vacuity or emptiness in ourselves, into which his fulness doth not descend, making-up whatsoever is wanting in us; and when it is so, there is a thorough, perfect closure with Christ in the greatest nearness, in the strictest and most intimate union that can be.