Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

IV.'

SERM difcernible by fuch as think fedately and maturely, as the importance of the thing de fervés.

Rom. i. 19... 21,

ii.

It is reasonable to think, it should be fo. And the Scriptures teach the fame. For Sta

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Paul fays: Because that which may be known of God is manifeft in them: For God has shewed it unto them. He is fpeaking of the Heathens, who had not the benefit of revelation. For the invifible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly feen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and godhead. So that they are without excufe: because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God: neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 14:15. And afterwards: For when the Gentils, which bave not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not the law are a law unto themselves: who shew the work of the law writen in their hearts, their confciences alfo bearing witneffe, and their thoughts the mean while accufing, or elfe excufing one ano ther.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

9. We now perceive the difference between moral precepts and ritual, ceremonial ordi

nances

IV.

nances and appointments. Moral precepts are SERM. fit and reasonable in themselves. They are always obligatorie, and are difcernible by reafón. But none of those properties belong to ritual, or ceremonial ordinances, of which there were many in the law of Mofes, con cerning bodily purifications, certain attendences at Jerufalem, numerous facrifices, and the like: and under the gospel difpenfation baptism and the eucharift. To thefe, I fay, do not belong the fore-mentioned properties. They are not fit and reasonable in themselves. They are not always obligatorie... They may be fet afide, and others appointed in their room. Nor can they be difcerned by reafon. For their obligation depends upon exprefs or positive appointment. I fhall illuftrate this by two inftances only.

[ocr errors]

It was fit, that the people of Ifrael should remember, and be thankful for, their deliverance from Egyptian bondage: but the duty to celebrate a memorial of it by eating the paschal lamb, owed all it's obligation to divine appointment. And another method of commemorating that deliverance might have been ordained.

[ocr errors]

SERM.
IV.

So likewife, fuppofing the coming of Chrift, and his teaching in Judea, and dy ing, as he did, and rifing again: this great tranfaction, and particularly the great event of his death, fhould be thankfully remembered by his difciples and followers: but the way of commemorating it, by eating bread and drinking wine, is of divine determination, and obligatorie only by pofitive appoint

ment.

[ocr errors]

10. The duties of morality, or moral righteoufneffe, are taught and learned two ways, by reafon and revelation. They are taught by reafon, as before fhewn, being fit and equitable in themselves, and appearing fo to fuch as exercise their rational faculties. They may be alfo taught and enforced by revelation as we know they are in the Old and the New Teftament, by Mofes and the Prophets, by Jefus Chrift and his Apostles.

[ocr errors]

11. Though feveral expreffions and phrases, made ufe of by us in difcourfing on these points are different from thofe which we find in Scripture, yet there alfo the fame things are faid and taught.

We do not find in Scripture the words morality and immorality, moral good and evil :

very

1

very feldom that of virtue, never that of vice. SERM. Thefe expreffions are chiefly taken from IV. Greek and Roman authors: and owe their original and ufe, in a good measure, to the different way of learning thefe principles, by reafon, rather than revelation.

The word virtue is indeed fometimes found in the New Testament: but yet very rarely in the fenfe, we now ufe it in, for holineffe in general, or every branch of good conduct in itself reasonable and excellent. In one place it seems to be fo ufed by St Paul, in an exhortation to the Philippians: If there be Philip. any virtue, if there be any praife, think on thefe things. As if he had faid: And whatever elfe is virtuous, really good and excellent, and praife-worthie, think of it, and attend to it.

iv. 8.

ii. 9.

And St. Peter in his first Epistle: But ye Pet are a chofen generation, a peculiar people,.. that you should fhew forth the praises, literally, virtues, of him, who has called you out of darknesse into his marvellous light. But though the original word fignifies, literally, virtues; it does not exactly answer to our ufe of it. And feems to be well enough rendred in our tranflation, praises.

SERM.

IV.

2 Pet.

i. 3.

Ver. 5.

Again, in the second epiftle of the same Apoftle... through the knowledge of him, who bas called us to glorie and virtue. But this text would be more properly rendred; through the knowledge of him, who has called us by glorie and power: or by his glorious power. Here virtue is equivalent to power. And the meaning is, that God had brought us to partake in the privileges of his church by a glorious display and manifestation of his power in fupporting and spreading the gospel.

Once more, in the fame context: And befide thefe, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge. But here it is evident, that virtue does not lignify all virtuous conduct in general, but is put for fome one virtue, or good difpofition only. It seems to be used in the reftrained fenfe of fortitude, courage, or refolution in the profeffion of the truth.

.

There is therefore fcarce any text in the New Teftament, where the word virtue is ufed in the general fenfe, of whatever is virtuous, and excellent, or in itself reafonable; except that one place of St. Paul, before cited from the epiftle to the Philippians.

But

« VorigeDoorgaan »