ever shall kill, shall be in danger of the judgment; but I say unto ye, that whofoever is angry with his brother without a caufe, shall be in danger of the judgment. (a) He taught them as one having authority, and not as the fcribes. He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father that hath sent him.

But with the authority, there is example. Dry precepts alone affect but little. Example touches the eye, and thereby affects the heart. The philofophers among the gentiles, could oft afford good morals in their inftructions, but practice was wanting to inforce them. A teacher will make but few profelites, whofe life gives himself the lie. Then doctrine will prevail, when the preachers of it exemplify its excellency and usefulnefs. Non magna loquimur, fed vivimus, was the old christian motto ; we practife more than talk. Here the inftitution is recommended by practice. The fpirit of it fills the first promoters of it, and fhines in their life and converse. Here we may confider,

I. The venerable founder himself. He appears to be a perfon altogether devoted to God. Nothing impure, carnal, selfish, fecular or earthly is to be found in all his conduct. He is a conftant worshipper of God, both in publick and private; attending at fynagogue and temple-worship, and fometimes spending the night in prayer alone. Shews unfeigned good will to men, going up and down to cities and villages, to instruct and teach, to heal difeafes, and caft out devils, and do good offices. Walks in all humility, fobriety, chastity, temperance, patience and goodness. Is not moved by the temptations and allurements of the world. Is not discouraged or drawn afide by any of the fcorns, reproaches, moleftations and perfecutions, he meets with there. Is refpectful to magiftracy in paying tribute at the expence of a miracle. When invited to the tables of the rich, he will wave all idle impertinent difcourfe, and entertain them with religion and duty. In his fufferings, he is moft meek and patient. When forfaken by his friends, he is difpaffionate, and bears it as one, that expected no other. In his laft hours, he comforts a fellow-fufferer, prays for his enemies and murderers, and with affurance of acceptance, refigns

(a) Mat. v. 21. 22. &c.

his departing spirit into the hands of the bleffed God. Here's a living, dying pattern of that religion, he would teach the world.

II. His companions and envoys to the nations of the world. They are baptized into the fame fpirit, and are ardent imitators of their Lord.. They acknowledge, that they cannot come up to his perfection, but they furpass the rest of the world. Gentile philofophers travell❜d far and wide to pick up a little knowledge and wisdom among the nations. These travel as far to scatter a purer wisdom and more heavenly light about the world. They breath forth God and Christ, and Heaven and Holiness, wherever they come. To plant virtue and goodness, righteoufnefs and peace in the cities of the earth is their formed defign and folemn business. Their genius is raised above all that the world can infpire. Zeal for God and the Son of God fhines in all their conduct, labours and fufferings. Love to men, to the fouls and falvation of men, cofts them travel, night and day, with innumerable jeopardies and afflictions.. Their religion is pure, peaceable, and yet flagrant. Their virtues bright and bold. Their fervices unwearied. Their fufferings meek, patient and joyful. The world is vanquish'd! God forbid, that I should glory, fave in the cross of Chrift; by which the world is crucified to me, and I unto the world. Death is defied and all his hoftility. I defire to depart (from this life) and to be with Chrift, which is far, far better than to be here. They are copies of their Lord, mirrors of his inftitution, patterns of fupernaturaj goodness, wherever they come.

III. The feminaries and focieties they fet up. The nurseries of the re ligion they plant and fettle. Thefe are not indeed alike pure and fincere. The world and flesh will prevail in fome; efpecially, in great, wealthy citics. The world and this inftitution can little agree. Where wealth. abounds, there will be luxury, pride, contention, and licentioufncfs; all. which are contrary to Chrift's gofpel. The rich will be always found averfe to fubmit to the accuracy of this inftitution. they are making large allowances for themselves. coft the apostle a deal of trouble and grief, and anguish of heart, I wrote unto you with many tears. But in fome

3

In our prefent times, The church of Corinth For out of much affliction,

places,

places, the inftitution more profpered, and there were focieties that stood fair for heaven. In the original church of Jerusalem, when the profe lites fuddenly amounted to three thousand, they ftedfastly continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship (which was all heavenly) and in breaking bread (probably in commemoration of their sacrificed Lord) and in prayers; and they did eat their meat with gladness (as well they might, being affured, that all their fins were forgiven them, and they were accepted of God) and fingleness of heart (no deceit among them); praising God, and having favour with all the people. And afterward, when more feminaries were fet up in that country, and had the freedom of their own way, in deliverance from perfecution, they walk'd in the fear of the Lord (there's their fanctity) and in the comfort of the holy Ghoft (there's their felicity). Here are nurseries for heaven! The church of Ephesus feems to be bleffed with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. The church at Coloffe is remember'd for her faith and love to all faints. The church at Theffalonica is respected for her work of faith (or working faith) and labour of love, and patience of hope, in the fight of God. Here are focieties of holy ones. Here God is ferv'd and glorified. Here religion grows; Here eternal life is begun; and from hence heaven is repeopled and replenished.

SECT. XXI.

The Christian Inftitution gives us the best evidence of that Life and Immortality, it provides and promifes.

A

S precept without example wants inforcement, fo promife, without some instance of performance, will lofe its efficacy. An inftitution, that speaks fo much of the unfeen worlds, that profeffes to bring life and immortality to more light, than was had before, and to call our

minds

minds and hearts fo much thither, had need to give us fome vifible inflance of fuch a life, and fome good evidence of an admiffion thereto. Herein this inftitution excellently confifts with it felf, and thereby recommends it felf to our acceptance and cftcem.

This life and immortality may be confidered either as it is to be poffcfs'd at death, or at the end of the world, by a refurrection from the dead.

I. Confider we it, as it is to be poffefs'd at death. This inftitution (as has been faid) fuppofes the original dignity of the human nature. Man were not meet for redemption, were he a meer mortal thing. The immortality of the foul that is here so much affumed or depended upon, may here justly be illuftrated. It was meet, that our Lord, who was here fo much a man of forrows and acquainted with grief, fhould fome time or other be refresh'd with the conversation of some of the happy dead. And this he had upon a mount, in oppofition to the thunder and lightning that terrified mount Sinai. Down to Tabor come two of the old-testamentfaints, to visit the Saviour, and difcourfe with him about his future deccafe. Famous ones they are; the great lawgiver, that interpofed (and yet quaked) at Sinai; and the great reformer, and witnefs for God, against idolatrous Ifrael. Both worthy to be seen by the apostles that were present, to encourage them in their future, hazardous enterprizes for the Son of God. They appear in glory. They are alive and active, and members of a glorious world. The one had died, and the other not; to intimate that the dead and quick (those that shall be found alive, at laft) fhall joyfully live together. Their very prefence would intimate to the Saviour and his companions, that forrows would end at death, and then fucceeds a bright and blissful immortality. The Saviour shines with rays of glory, and fhews how cafy 'tis with him to change a vile earthly body, into a glorious one, that's fit for immortality. Then,

We fhould confider, what affurance of happy immortality he had and gave at his own decease. It was meet that the procurer of our peace fhould, notwithstanding his conflict with divine juftice, die in peace, and affurance of his departure to God. This he had express'd in his life

time. Jefus knowing, that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God. (a) In his highest assurance, he would fhew deepest humility. And in his deepest humiliation, even in his laft agonies, it was meet he should exprefs the highest affurance of enfuing blifs. This would be for the encouragement of his profelites. It was congruous too, that the virtue of his death fhould appear at the time of his death, and the fruit of repentance be exemplify'd. Accordingly, he affures a dying confeffor, that that day, he should be with himself (who was dying too, and dead first of all) in paradife; should be conveyed to that happy world that was typified by paradife of old, was forfeited by fin, and is now regain'd by the Mediator's death. Here's affured paffage to life and immortality, upon difmiffion from the earthly tabernacle. Then,

II. Life and immortality is to be confidered, as it is to be enter'd upon and poffefs'd at the end of the world, by the whole perfon, in and by the refurrection of the dead. This is abundantly promifed in this new difpenfation. This may seem almost incredible; that putrified and pulverized bodies should be raised, redintegrated and transformed into luminous vehicles. But what is that more than is done already in framing grofs matter into fuch curious, inextricable organizations? But divine philanthropy will not fave us by the halves, or content it felf with the falvation of one half. Body and spirit are God's; and as both are to glorify him, fo he will glorify both. The body fhall be raised. Of this it was meet, that fome inftances fhould be given, when fuch a doctrine was to be fent out into the world. And fo there are diverfe. There was one, that the Saviour arrefted, as he was paffing to the grave; whom he gave back to life and to his mother. A ruler's daughter muft, at the word of his command, return to the world that she had left. A friend of his, that lay ftinking in the grave, muft come up fweet and found, to converfe with him and his own relations a little longer. Elijah must come from heaven, to fhew that imbody'd spirits muft dwell there. The Saviour's own death must be vivific, and fcatter life to the dormants in the grave. The earth muft tremble at his diffolution; the graves muft fly open, the chains muft fall from hands and feet, and a considerable jail

() John. iii. 3.