to be like the first Proofs of it,

plain and confpicuous.

SERMON II.

31, 32

The Baptift's Meffage to Jefus, and

Jelus's Answer explained.

MATTH. XI. 3.

Art thou be that should come, or do we

look for another?

The Occafion of the Text opened,

35,37

I. The Reason of this Message from the

Baptist.
37,38

His Disciples were at that Time incre-

dulous, notwithstanding they had

been frequently instructed concern-

ing the Meffiah,

1. Because their Mafter being now in

Prifon, they might apprehend, if

Jefus had been the Meffiah, he

would have exerted his Power to de-

liver him.

38

2. They

39

40

2. They might have obferved, that

our Saviour had not himself hi-

therto afferted his Right to that Ti-

tle.

3. Their Sufpicions might be encreaf-

ed by observing that our Saviour's

Life had lefs Appearance of out-

ward Sanctity in it, than their Ma-

fter's.

II. In the Reply, the Manner of it re-

markable, because it gave the Difci-

ples, an Occafion of answering that

Question themselves, which they had

proposed to our Bleffed Saviour. 41

The Matter of it remarkable for the

Gradation of its Particulars, the last

of which was an Inftance of Con-

defcenfion the Jews had before

been but little acquainted with.

For the Appofiteness of it in relation to

the Persons that made the Enquiry;

for,

1. Since they were not to be convinced

by Oral Testimony, they are taught

to judge of the Meffiah by the

Works they faw in him.

42

44

2. Miracles were a Proof of our Savi-

our's Pre-eminence over their Ma-

fter, and were known to be one

discriminating Mark of his being

the Meffiah.

45

3. The particular Facts our Saviour

mentions, all of them Acts of Be

nevolence, were rightly fuited to

infinuate that Pre-eminence, and

to correct thofe ill Notions the

Difciples might have conceived

from their Master's rigid Austeri-

4

ties.

46

4. The Answer is expreffed in Words
taken from the Prophet Ifaiah,
whose Writings had more particu

larly pointed out their own Master,

and in which confequently they

had been moft converfant. 47-50

III. The Paffage in the Text carries all

the chief Marks and Characters of

fuch Miracles as are fufficient to con-

firm the Authority of any Perfon pre-

tending to be fent from God. 50, 52'

An Exhortation to Attention in per-

ufing the feveral Parts of Scripture,

which, like the Works of Nature,
always appear the more wonderful,
the more they are looked into.

53-57

SERMON

III.

On the Incarnation of our Lord.

MATTH. xi. 6.

Blessed is he,whofoever shall not be offend-

ed in me.

Notwithstanding the endearing Marks

of our Saviour's Love to Mankind,

his Doctrine, his Mysteries, or his

Perfon have to fome been always

Matter of Offence.
61-63

The Objections against the Incarna-
tion, drawn from the Impoffibility,
or the Unreasonableness of it, stated.

94,65

I. We know too little of the Human

or Divine Nature to prove an Union

of them impossible.

66

We

We can as little explain or compre-

hend an Union of Souls and Bo-

dies, as we can that of the Deity

with Humanity.
67

And if the Spirits of Men had been

once unbodied, and such a Doctrine

revealed to them in a State of Sepa-

ration, it would have appeared to

some forward Reafoners as unphi-

lofophical and abfurd.

68

II. The Method which Infinite Goodness

69

and Wisdom has made ufe of for our

Redemption, we must needs think the

most proper of any.

Reasons which Scripture fuggefts to

us why our Redeemer fhould be

God.

And why he should be Man.

70

7 Ꮮ

Practical Improvements from this
Doctrine are,

1. Thankfulness, that we are admit-

ted to Terms of Repentance, which

before we could have no Affurance

of.

73

2. Love for our Saviour's Infinite

XV

Condefcenfion.

75

The