DISC." them, he it is that loveth me." "If a IV. 66 24 man love me, he will keep my words "." With the declarations of our Saviour agree the words of St. Paul, wherein the nature, end, and defign of the falvation wrought by Chrift are briefly comprehended: "The Grace of God that bring"eth falvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness "and worldly lufts, we fhould live fo berly, righteously, and godly, in this "prefent world; looking for that bleffed "hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jefus Chrift, 66 who gave himself for us that he might "redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous "of good works "5" Let us now consider the refult of what has been faid. We then, to whom the Gospel has been preached, are bound to regard, with the * 23 St. John, xiv. 21. 25 Tit. ii. 11-14. 24 St. John, xiv. 23. * See Gisborne's Enquiry into the Duties of Men, p. 641, 642. 4 most IV. most serious attention, the important truths DISC. revealed by the Gofpel; and for these reafons: the Gospel comes to us in the name of God, a name which it were impious to difregard it proves itself to be sent from God, and therefore is not only worthy of acceptance, but commands our observance : it discovers a moft merciful plan, conducted for our redemption by the Son of God, who being of fuch dignity in his own character, and moreover the Author of fuch love to mankind, claims the highest reverence, and the warmest gratitude from man. The Gofpel enforces this reve rence, and requires demonstrations of this gratitude, by abfolute command; a command confirmed by the example of men, whose judgment in a point of Evangelical duty could not err. The fame Gospel afferts, however, in the most explicit terms, that without fincere endeavours after virtue and holinefs, we cannot be received into the favour of God, notwithstanding the facrifice made by Chrift's death; for it teaches, that although Chrift has put it in DISC. our power to obtain happiness, if we will IV. fulfil the conditions of believing in him and obeying his commandments to the utmost of our ability, yet if we wilfully and knowingly neglect to comply with the conditions, we cannot expect to fhare the benefits of his death and paffion; for it is the uniform and invariable law of God, that" without holiness no man fhall "fee the Lord ";" and that "there can "be no peace for the wicked 26 27 99 So interefting to our fouls are the truths of this Revelation, that it were folly in the extreme not to weigh them with the moft mature deliberation; and with fuch authority do these truths come recommended, that it were finful to treat them with difregard. Be it therefore our wisdom, be it our refpect to God, be it our gratitude to Chrift the Son of God, to receive this laft Revelation of God's Will, to honour the Son of God to the glory of the Father, and to walk worthy of that vocation wherewith 26 Heb. xii. 14. 27 Isaiah, xlviii. 22. we we are called; bearing in mind these awful D IS C. declarations: "It had been better for us not to have known the way of righteous"nefs, than after we have known it, to 28 turn from the holy commandment ";" and that, "if we fin wilfully, (i. e. wilfully "apoftatize from Chriftianity, and reject "it though clearly attefted,) after that we "have received the knowledge of the truth, "there remaineth no more facrifice for "fins, but a certain fearful looking-for of judgment 29.99 28 St. Pet. 2d Ep. ii. 21. 29 Heb. x. 26. IV. JESUS is the CHRIST, and the Son of ST. JOHN, XX. 31. These are written that ye might believe that Jefus is the Chrift, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name. DISC. FROM his * omiffion of V. many circumftances related by fome one of the other Evangelifts; from his allufion to facts and expreffions, with which he concludes the reader to have been already ac *See Dr. Townfon's Difcourfes on the Four Gospels, Sect. ift, Difc. 7th. quainted; |