Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

XI.

another. He is to have no Succeffor in his SER M. Priesthood, any more than he had any Predeceffor in it: Having neither Beginning of Days, nor End of Life, but being the Son of God himself (to whom Melchifedec was only made like) he abideth a Prieft continually, ver: 3.

[ocr errors]

So that Chrift, you fee, is an eternal Priest, with respect to his Perfon, his Office, and the Effect of his Office. As to his Perfon, he neither fucceeded any one; nor fhall any one ever fucceed him. Of HIM, it is truly and literally witnessed that he liveth; and because be continueth ever, he has an untransferrable Priesthood. And then as to his Office, he ever liveth, faith the holy Penman, to make Interceffion; i. e. he will intercede till he has brought all, for whom he intercedes, to Glory. And lastly, as to the Effect and Success of his Priesthood, we are told again, that be has perfected for ever them that are fanctified: Nothing more will ever be wanting either to render or preserve them perfect: He is the Author (faith my Text) of eternal Salvation to all that obey him.

Thus is Chrift a Prieft after the Order of Melchifedec; a Priest chofen without Re

fpect

X1.

SER M. fpect to Family or Tribe; a Priest to bless all Men, in Virtue of one fingle Sacrifice he has offered, and to facrifice no more; and a Priest to endure, and to do all that a Prieft can do, as long as a prieftly Office shall be needful.

But to conclude his facerdotal Office, there is one Thing still remains to be spoke to, and one, in which he is preferred before Aaron and Melchifedec both. And that is, that he was advanced to, and confirmed in, his Priesthood by an Oath. Thofe Priefts were made without an Oath, but this Priest (the Lord Jefus) with an Oath, by him, that said unto him, The Lord fware, and will not repent, Thou art a Prieft for ever after the Order of Melchifedec, chap. vii. 20-22. Inafmuch therefore as not without an Oath, he was made Prieft; By fo much was Jefus made a Surety of a better Teftament. For the Law maketh Men High Priefts that have Infirmity; but the Word of the Oath, which was fince the Law, maketh the Son, who is confecrated for evermore, ver. 28. And most certainly, that Priesthood which God himfelf thought fit to approve by an Oath, must be thought more excellent than any Priesthood.

And

XI.

And now I think I have finished the Doc- CHAP. trine of my Difcourfe; and may the Mercy and Goodness of God manifefted to us in the Redemption of the World by his Son Jefus Chrift have fuch an Effect upon our Lives and Actions, that we may not lose the good Things he has prepared for them that Love him and keep his Commandments. Amen.

SER

SERMON XII.

The Neceffity of Herefies, and the Ufe s.of them to the Church.

SERM.
XII.

I COR. xi. 19.

There must also be Herefies amongst you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

I

Fever it can be of Ufe and Service to Religion to fhew that the Propagation of Herefies and Infidelity is of Advantage to the Church; and that it is neceffary to the Support and Maintenance of Truth that Men fhould continually arife to oppose it; a Difcourse on that Subject can never, I think, be more feasonable than now. For that Herefies, or, at leaft, Doctrines oppofite to the received Articles of our Faith, are daily broached, and almost every where fpread, I need not go about to prove. The Cafe is evident, and known too well. I wish a fingle Article of the Creed could be named (the firft only excepted,

XII.

cepted, which afferts the Being of a God, SERM. the Maker of all Things, whether in Heaven

or in Earth; excepting that, I fay, I wish a fingle Article could be named, which has not been openly difputed and denied. All the reft of the twelve have been mangled, arraigned, ridiculed and condemned; just as the Lufts of Men's Fancy and Paffions have hurried them on. Even thofe Articles, that concern the two other Divine Perfons in the moft holy, bleffed and undivided Trinity, are all treated with Contempt: One of thofe Perfons is denied his Being; and the other, even by thofe, who allow his Existence, has been openly reviled as an Impoftor and Cheat; has met with worfe Treatment than he did from the Jews; has been more than crucified; has been reprefented more like the Devil than God.

When thus the Foundation of our Religi on is fapped; when He in whom is all our Confidence and Truft, when our Saviour and Lord, upon whom we depend for all that is valuable both in this World and the next; when the Eternal Son of the Almighty God is thus daily and openly infulted and blafphemed; when his Miracles are reviled, his Inftitutions laughed at, his Sacraments annulled,

and

[merged small][ocr errors]
« ZurückWeiter »