bell'd, and yet, which was the greater Miracle, in the midst of their Rebellion, God, like the Sun, when fmiling through a Cloud, fhew'd them a merciful Face; not that he approv'd of their Impiety, but because by these Beams he would warm their hearts into obedience. Their Bleflings came down upon them, not in drops, but in showers; and their Profperity, like the Cinamon Tree, was fo fragrant, that Strangers might fmell it a great way off, before they faw it. The Waters of Life were continually flowing into their bofoms; and though God now and then frown'd upon them, (what Father would not fometimes chide his Son?) yet his Indignation, which, like Flints, fent out Fire, upon their penitential Tears, ftraightway return'd to its former coldness. The Rocks poured them out Rivers of Oyl, they wash'd their feet in Butter; and one might fay of their Land, as he of the Ille of An.Svivius. Rhodes, They were bleffed with a con

tinual Sunshine. Their Prophets, what mighty, what powerful Men were they? Men that, like Lamps, confum'd their own Oyl, to light their Auditors to Heaven; or like Silk-worms, fpun out their own Bowels, to deck their Hearers with Garments of Righteousness. Where Words could not prevail, Tears were the means to fupple and affect them; and, it

*

feems, There is not stronger Rheto- * Philo. rick in the World than thefe; Here

one Prophet spoke like an Orator, there anc

ther

ther like a Logician. Here one endeavour'd by Eloquence to charm them, there another by clear Reafon to convince them. Here one threatned, there another promis'd. Here one wooed, there another thundred. Here one came with a Scepter of Love, there another with a Trumpet of War. Here one call'd to them from Mount Ebal, there another from Mount Gerizim. Here one adjured them by the Bleffings of the Basket and the Store, there another by the Fruit of their Bodies, and the Fruit of their Ground. Here one made them feel the Fiery Law, there another invited them by Wine and Milk without Money, and without price. Here one fhew'd them the Bread and Water of Affliction, there another opened Rivers in bigh Places, and Fountains in the midst of Valleys. Here one offer'd his hand to fave them, there another made bare his arm of revenge. Here one offer'd an Ark to those that defired mercy, there another rain'd down floods of Curfes to drown the obftinate. Here one represented God with his Sword drawn, A Smoke going up out of his Nostrills, and devouring fire out of his Mouth; there another follow'd Sinners to the very Gates of Hell, with offers of mercy in his hand; and while Vengeance was knocking at the door, and the Sword was at their hearts, call'd to them, Turn je, turn ye, why will ye die? And what was all this, but to lay invincible obligations on Men to reform, and by Reformation of their Lives, to arrive at last at that Harbour

Pfal. 18 8.

bour of Blifs and Immortality, which the great Preferver of Men hath prepar'd for those that fear him.

Under the Gofpel, as if beyond this there were no other remedy to engage men to holinefs, the Son of God himfelf comes down from Heaven, and turns Preacher. A glorious Scene! To fee him who being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God; defcend from his Bed of State, and fink from the highest Magnificence into the form of a Servant: What could the Angels think to see the Prince of Life take his leave of the Beatifick Regions, to disguise himself in Flesh, and dwell with Duft and Afhes? What was faid, Gen. 18. 21. of God figuratively, I will go down now and See whether they have done according to all the evil that is come up to me, was now made good according to the Letter; and God who in times past, in divers manners, fpake unto Fathers of old, at last spake by his Son.

The men to whom his former Meffages were fent, having beaten fome of his Servants, and ftoned, and murthered others, the Everlasting Father thought, Sure they will reverence my Son. Indeed nothing lefs could be expected, than that the Heir of all things by his greatnefs, and Divinity fhould strike them into the humbleft postures of Repentance, especially coming laden with the Olive-leaves of Grace and Mercy, and pardon in his Mouth. Behold, the defire of all Nations comes, and He, that commands all

the

the Powers of Light and Darkness, appears in a Pulpit. He by whom the Worlds were made, leaves the brightnefs of his Father's Glory, to tell Men, what a Monster Sin is, how odious, how loathfome in the eyes of God; how lovely, how amiable, how beautiful the Ways of God are: confirms the Sayings of all the Prophets of old, affures Men, (and certainly he could not tell a lie) that all those Meffengers of old were in the right, when they profefs'd, That iniquity would be Mens ruine, and that at yonder Gate no unclean thing fhould enter, and that God must be preferr'd before all the Riches, Honours, and Pleasures of this World: a favour for which we want expreffion, and which we must draw a Veil over, as Timantes the Painter did over the face of Iphigenia's Father, because we cannot reach it with our colours; it's a love, which paffes knowledge; it furmounts the brightest understanding. It stands still on the Mount of God, and leaves us in the Vale gazing, and staring upon it, as a thing, which Mortality can fhew no refemblance of; it strikes dumb, it dazles the eyes, it fufpends our reafon, binds the faculties of an inquifitive Soul, and fills all the Chanels of it with admiration. If a King should send a Meffenger with a Pardon to a Malefactor that's ready to be turn'd off of the Ladder, there is no man, but a stranger to pity and compaffion, but would speak in commendation of the Royal Mercy; but should the King himself approach the place of Execu

tion, and absolve him, it's like the unexpected bounty would caft the Malefactor into a woon. And then, when the great God of Heaven and Earth made his favour ecftatical, went out of the common Road of Mercy, ftept beyond all Precedents and Examples, increas'd his kindness into perfect Miracles, Miracles which the Ages before cannot parallel, and the Son of God made his way through all the Clouds of Heaven, to tell Men how God long'd for their Society and happiness, we cannot fuppofe a poffibility of greater condefcenfion. And that which still increases the Wonder, this Son of God entreats, wooes and befeeches Men to bethink themfelves, and dress up their Souls for the next Worlds Glory. He that might have come (as one day moft certainly he will) with flames of fire, and taken vengeance on the obftinate, and terrified and startled them into ferioufnefs, and might, without a Metaphor, as it is Pfal. 45. 3. have girded his Sword upon his Thigh, and look'd ftern on the Rebels, that would not have him reign over them, and frown'd them into Hell. That this Son of God, this Sovereign Prince, whom all the Elements ferve, at whose command the Waters drown, and the Fire burns, and the Earth fwallows up, that he should come, and draw near the City, and instead of confuming, weep over it, as if he meant to quench the fire of God's indignation against it; and instead of dooming it outright to eternal vengeance, with, O that thou hadst known in this thy day, what be

longs