XIII. I trust I have a good confcience XIV. He that believeth, and is baptized, &c. 339 XV. Look not every man at his own things, &c. 341 XVIII. Wo unto you, when all men shall speak, &c.346 XIX. Teaching the doctrines of men XX. Following a multitude to do evil viii SUBJECTS OF THE HINTS. XXXVII. Ghrift made perfect through fufferings 404 XXXVIII. Think not I am come to deftroy the law, &c. 406 XXXIX. Try the fpirits whether they be of God 409 XL. The Ivith Pfalm explained 413 416 417 418 XLIV. The poor fhall not always be forgotten 419 XLV. The earth fhall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, &c. 421 XLVI. In Adam all die 424 XLVII. What is written in the law? how LII. Analogy between this world and the next 438 LIII. He that humbleth himfelf, &c. LIV. On taking God's name in vain 443 LV. Proof of the truth of Scripture LVII. I conferred not with flesh and blood 452 SER SERMON I LUKE, ii. 14. GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST; AND ON EARTH PEACE, GOOD-WILL TO MEN. HESE were the notes, which angels fang, of at the birth of the Meffiah, to a company fhepherds, as they watched their flocks. In the midft of the quiet folemnity of night (that night in which their Saviour was born), a fudden brightness fhone around them, and a heavenly form appearing in the midst of it, difpelled their fears. Be not afraid, faid the angel: behoid I bring you glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Chrift the Lord. VOL. III. B A; As the angel fpake, the light was fuddenly filled. with a multitude of the heavenly hoft, who joined their voices in one triumphant fong, Glory to God in the higheft; and on earth peace, good-will to men. These words shall be the fubject of the following difcourfe. But first I fhould wish you to observe, from the circumstances juft related, how little all worldly diftinctions appeared in the fight of God. The foolish world admires riches and honours: but you fee, God eftimates things by other meafures. He did not fend his heavenly meffengers to tell these glad tidings to the princes, and great men of the earth; but he fent them to a humble company of pious fhepherds; fhewing, that he regards the good difpofition, not the station in life-and that, wherever this is found, however humble the condition, there also is found the true favourite of God. Cloath yourselves therefore with the holy dif pofitions of thefe fhepherds-their piety, and love for truth, their innocence of manners, and attention to the holy meffages of God, and then conceive the fame joyful tidings brought to you, which were brought to them. Unto you is born this day a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Glory therefore to 3 to God in the higheft; and on earth peace, good-will to man. These words let me now explain. The Meffiah's coming, you fee, is here reprefented, as producing the glory of God; and peace and goodwill among men-that is, its first object was to fit us for heaven-its next to make us happy in our paffage to it. The glory of God is an expreffion taken from human things, as all our expreffions must be taken that relate to God. We can only explain fuch. things as we do not know, by comparing them with things we do know. Literally fpeaking,. it is impoffible that any thing we can do, can advance the glory of God: but God is pleased to confider thofe things as his glory, which advance the true glory of mankind—their pious and religious lives. And thus in our church. fervice, we properly pray, that we may live godly, righteous, and fober lives, to the glory of God's holy name. Now the Chriftian religion alone instructs us how to give glory to God. You have often heard in what manner the glory of God was debafed in heathen times, by the worship of ftocks and ftones. |