all those lying vanities, and turn men to the living and true God; by introducing a system of religion fuitable to fuch a Being, and which would lead them to the love and likeness of him.

Farther; men had been fo long used to the notion of appearances and meffages from Heaven, and these been made the ground of every article of faith, and mode of worship; that nothing but a real one, one of a superior kind, and better circumstanced; could be conceived effectual to filence every wild pretence of that fort; and reduce men to a right faith, and a fuitable practice: nothing less would be able to lead fuch to a firm belief in one true, fpiritual, invisible God; and induce them to worship him in spirit and in truth; and affure them of always finding access to him, through one only all-fufficient Mediator. Dry, abstract reasoning would go but a little way with the vulgar, who are most fufceptible of impreffion; but yet require fomething strong and visible to ftrike them; nor would a few tranfient figns and wonders ferve to make any fuch impreffion laft. Of these they had too many reported among them; and the more common fuch reports grew, the lefs were they minded; not only on account of their suspicious evidence; though that was enough to difcredit them; but chiefly for want of connection with fome regular course of goodness, and a fett of doctrines worthy of fuch interpofition from Heaven; and of their being exprefly produced as vouchers for these

doc

doctrines, and applied directly to confirm that interpofition.

This did Chrift fully and frequently; in the plainest and most public manner: and hereby did his inftitution outshine, and extinguish every part of heathenifm, as well in point of evidence afforded to it; as of inftruction conveyed by it. From whence might be drawn another proof, both of the usefulness of such a plan, and of the great neceffity that there was for it.

But I proceed to fome of the remarkable circumstances in our Saviour's more public life, and manner of teaching.

As to the former, we cannot but obferve a surprising mixture of humility and greatness, dignity and self-abafement, in his general demeanour; both which were equally inftructive in their turns. Sometimes we find him folemnly afferting his divinity; at other times the meekeft and the loweft of the fons of men: fometimes reminding his followers, that he could command legions of angels, were it neceffary; at others, apprifing them, that he should be more destitute of common conveniences, than even the beafts of the field, or birds of the air; now telling them, that a greater than Solomon is amongst them; now, washing his difciples' feet. Conscious of his own power and just prerogative, yet all submission to the powers in being; complying with their laws and inftitutions, however hazardous, or inconvenient to him; and paying

their

their demands to the uttermoft, though at the expence of a miracle. On fome occafions, publishing the character and office which he bore; on others, carefully concealing them; in order to prevent the hafty misconstruction of his friends; to guard against the inveterate malice of his foes; and gain fufficient time to fix a good foundation for the faith of all. None more induftrious and zealous in the cause of God; none more indifferent and refigned in his own: He patiently endures the affronts and outrage to his perfon, and the frequent infults on his reputation; and intercedes for the forgiveness of his murderers: yet when his Father's honour is concerned, he vindicates it instantly, and with uncommon warmth; he publickly chastises the prophaners of his temple; and threatens the fevereft punishment to fuch as would continue to blafpheme the power and Spirit by which he was acting. He is ready to receive publicans and harlots; difdains not to converse with heretics and fchifmatics; perfons most odious and of worst repute; but whom he fees to be truly penitent, and really defirous of inftruction: while he rejects the formal, fanctimonious hypocrite; and reprimands the self-sufficient Pharifee. He detects, and with authority rebukes, the flattery of the proud, defigning querift; but satisfies each fcruple, and refolves each doubt, of the fincere and humble fearcher after truth, even before they can be intimated to him. He cherishes the broken-hearted; comforts the defponding; ftrengthens and fupports the weak

and

and wavering; condefcends to the infirmities of the meanest and most despicable, that has the least spark of goodness in him; but never gratifies the vanity, or gives way to the petulancy of the greatest. Vice from him meets with due difcouragement and just reproof in all men, even thofe of the highest station; virtue with kind compaffion, and a generous aid, in any of the lowest.

For, Secondly; This mixture of so various, and feemingly oppofite qualities, which conftituted the foregoing contraft, did not proceed from any variation in his temper; but wholly in that of thofe among whom he converfed. He fteadily adheres to the fame principle, and conftantly pursues one plain and uniform defign, of doing all the service poffible, on all occafions, to all forts of people: of doing it in the most agreeable manner too, whenever that becomes confiftent with their real interest: sympathizing with men in their several states and difpofitions; fuiting himself to every one's circumstances, and capacity; applying to each part of the human conftitution for accefs; and watching every motion of the heart to gain admittance: being himself ever affable, and easy of access to all that seriously applyed to him; accepting any invitation, and admitting every well-meant inftance of respect; nay, making a voluntary offer of his company, whenever he knew it would be useful and acceptable: indulging the moft fecret with of fuch as would receive an obligation from him; and en hancing

hancing that by his obliging readiness to confer it. He fubmitted to the lowest offices for the fake of others, and was at every body's fervice that defired his affiftance. He condefcended to the meanest company, when he had a profpect of doing any good upon them; and was content to lose the reputation of being a good man, that he might more effectually serve the ends of piety and goodness *.'

His converfation was free, and familiar; open, and undisguised; fober and rational: his carriage clear from all affected fingularity; all rigid and unnatural severity; and any of those auftere, forbidding airs, which used to be put on by others; and were apt to procure them fo much reverence, and awe, upon the like occafion. His very miraculous works, were no less evident figns of mercy, goodness, generofity; than of power: and equally adapted to convince men's understandings, and engage their affections; as to remove their maladies, or to relieve their wants: his first public miracle being no more than a proper act of kindness, or humanity; in preventing the confufion of a poor relation, by a very seasonable supply of what was wanting in his entertainment; which want perhaps could not have otherwise been conveniently supplied; and was most probably occafioned by the extraordinary concourse he himself drew thither (): his last being no less

than

* Loroth's Directions, p. 197. (a) John ii. 1, 2, &c. Notwithstanding all these evident marks of goodness in this miracle of our blessed Saviour, beside many others

that