SERMON XI.

JOHN iii, 36.

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye fhall be free indeed.

T

HE Offer of Freedom, which our Bleffed Lord

made in a preceeding Verfe to thofe Jews who believ ed on him, implied Slavery on their Part, and a Power of conferring Freedom on his. This Offer was receiv'd with fome Indignation they answered, We are Abraham's Seed, and were never in Bondage to any Man: How fayeft thou, Ye shall be made free?

But

nificancy of Expreffion, a rational unaffected Strain of Piety run through the Whole of our Service; it makes up a compleat Syftem of true Devotion, innocently pious, grave in its Ceremonies, exact and well defign'd in every Part, harmonious and comely in the whole Compofition. Its Petitions are adorn'd with an humble Confidence, it praises with a serious Joy; it is calculated to inspire Knowledge as well as Zeal, to inform the Mind, as well as animate the Affections, and by a furprizing Mixture of Grandeur and Simplicity, it equally fuits as the Occafions, fo likewise the Capacities, both of the moft Learned and moft Illiterate.

SUCH Wisdom and Piety one should think all our Adverfaries could not be able to gainsay or refift; but what may add greatly to its Character, it is opposed chiefly by those who set themselves likewife to oppose the Lord's Prayer. But let us, who are fenfible of our Happinefs in enjoying fo bright and heavenly a System of Divine Worship, fhew fuch our Senfe by our conftant Attendance

upon

upon it: Our Closets ought to prepare us for the Service of the Church; and let our Devotion at Home be never fo duly perform'd, our Devotion in God's House ought to be, as the most glorious, fo the most blissful Part of our Worship. We ought to love the Gates of Sion more than all the Dwellings of Jacob. Thus may we pass, from enjoying God in the Beauty of his Holiness here upon Earth, to enjoy him in the Glory of his eternal Majesty in the highest Heavens, through Jefus Christ our Lord.

SERMON

1

SERMON XIII.

LUKE X. 41, 42.

Jefus answered and faid unto her, Martha, thou art troubled about many things.

But one thing is needful: And Mary hath chofen that good Part, which shall not be taken from her.

T

HE Character given of our
Bleffed Saviour is this, that
He went about doing Good;
and this Character He came

up to in every Part and

Circumftance of his Behaviour.

His

Works were all of them Works of Mercy; his Words were all of them Words

of