and given in a manner so wonderful, that nothing lefs than the Power and Truth of God could have justified the Hopes of him, in Persons fo disabled.

Thus, in Proportion, They, whom these Sons reprefent, do likewise differ from each Other. Such as depend upon the Law, like him born by Natural Means, expected Pardon of their Sins, and the Salvation of their Souls, by Works of their own Performance. But

Ver. 28.

We, who, as Ijaac was, are the Children of Promise, ascribe these Blessings to a higher Hand, acknowledge our own Impotence and Deadness, and thankfully adore the Truth, the Power, the Good

ness of God, who, not by works of RighteTit. iii. 5. ousness which we have done, but according to bis Mercy in Jesus Christ, bath saved us; by Methods aftonishing and fupernatural; by the Death of his own beloved Son, by the renewing of his own blessed Spirit, and by Faith in the Merits of Another.

And, as in the Manner, so in the Privileges of this Birth, the Resemblance holds between Ifaac and the Christian Church. The Jews, like Ishmael, were rejected, as St. Paul observes, because they fought Righteousness by the Works of the Law; The Christians attain to it, and to all the Prerogatives of this Inheritance, because seeking them by Faith. Now Faith is the very Principle, by which in all Ages Men were acceptable to God; as the Author to the Hebrews proves at large, by Instances of the most renowned Worthies, both before and under the Law. An Argument, that the Gofpel hath not introduced any new Condition of Salvation in general; but that, as the Virtue of our Lord's Sacrifice had a retrofpect, so Faith was the Instrument of applying this Sacrifice, to the Persons, who lived before the actual Oblation of it, made upon the Cross.

So good Reafon had St. Paul to dissuade his Galatians from returning to the Obfervance of the Law; This being, in effect, to exchange Freedom for Bondage, to put put off the Character of Sons, and degrade themselves, into Servants, to quit a certain and indisputable Title to, and take up an empty Pretence, which never did, never can qualify any Man for, the Inheritance.

Thus much for the Allegory before us, and the Argument built upon it. I just mention an Inference or Two, naturally arifing from this Difcourse.

1. First then, The Manner of St. Paul's arguing here, from an Allegory fix'd upon an Historical Paffage of the Old Testament, can be no Rule to Us, for using such Liberties of allegorizing Scripture at Pleafure. I have, upon Another Occafion, offered fome Reasons, which to me make Boyle's Lect. it probable, that the Jews were not infenfible of God's Design, to order many memorable Events in the Fortunes of fome of their Ancestors, so as to become typical of things, afterwards to be accomplished upon the Christian Church. Whether they had any Traditions, directing them in what Cafes this was done, and confequently, which of those Events might be, upon Principles of their own, fairly argued from, is Matter of Difpute. But be that as it will, the Apoftle here had the fame Divine Spirit to secure him from any Error in the Interpretation, which those First Penmen had to direct them in the Narration. And the Demonstration he gave of that Spirit, renders His Authority in the One Cafe, equal to that of Moses in the Other. But this is by no means Our Condition; and therefore it becomes Us to proceed with more Modesty and Restraint. Where the Analogy of Faith is preserved, a prudent Ufe of this Kind is allowable, in the way of Exhortation, or moral Reflection. But, in the way of Argument, for establishing any Point of Doctrine, it is requifite we keep close to the plain and natural Sense of the Text; and, not wantonly sport it, in ambiguous Niceties, and affected Allufions.

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2. From

2. From the difference illustrated here, between the Legal and Evangelical Covenant, it were seasonable to exhort Men, that they would consider the Dignity and Privilege of their high Calling; and serve God upon Principles, and with a Disposition of Mind, worthy

Epift. for Sund. after Christmas.

of the near and honourable Relation they bear to him. But in this I am prevented by a former Discourse.

3. And therefore, I only add, Lastly, That we must take good heed not to pervert the Arguments, urged by St. Paul against the Works of the Law, to the Prejudice or Disparagement of Good Works in general. The Former are only such Works, as made up the Ceremonial Law; and those are abolished by the Death of Chrift, and the Promulgation of his Gofpel. The Latter neither begun with, nor expired with that Law, but are Moral Duties of eternal Obligation. To fay, we are not justified by the Works of either fort, but by Faith only, implies, that God forgives our past Sins, and admits us into Covenant, without any fuch previous Confiderations. But to say, that Men may be saved without Good Works, infers, that they are not bound to do any fuch, after their Admission into that Covenant. And this contradicts the whole Strain, and evacuates all the Precepts, of the Gospel. So wide a distance is there between Justification in St. Paul's Sense; and Salvation, or that final Justification, which is peculiar to the Day of Judgment.

Let us therefore, as this Apostle elsewhere advises, learn to maintain Good Works, and to adorn Tit. iii. 8. ii. 9. our Profession by them. For this is to answer the Character of our Son-ship; to be Followers of our Father, which is in Heaven; and to promote the true End of this Holy Seafon. But let all this be done with profound Humility, and many mortifying Remembrances of our own Frailties; and, even in our best Estate, and most exalted Devotions, let us approach proach the Throne of Grace, with a Modesty of which our Church, in the Collect for this Day, hath fet us a Pattern: Beseeching of God, that We who for our evil deeds do worthily deserve to be punished, by the comfort of his Grace may mercifully be relieved, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

I.

J

The GOSPEL.

St. John vi. 1.

Efus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the fea
of Tiberias.

PARAPHRASE.

1. Jesus, upon hearing that John was put to Death, retired with his ro. Jesus hereupon commands the People to be conveniently ranked, by Hundreds and Fifties

10. And Jefus faid, Make the men fit down. Νοτο there was much Grafs ass in the place. So the men fat down, iu number about five thousand.

in a Company; and to put themselves into the usual Posture of Eating.

11. And Jesus took the loaves, and when be bad given thanks, be distributed to the Disciples, and the Disciples to them that were fet down; and likewise of the fishes, as much as they would.

12. When they were filled, be faid unto bis Difciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be loft.

13. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve Baskets with the Fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above, unto them that bad eaten.

14. This Miracle, like that of feeding the Ifraelites with Manna heretofore, in the Wilderness, convinced those that saw it, that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, the eminent Prophet foretold by Mofes.

14. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, faid, This is of a truth that Prophet that should come into the world.

COMMENT.

UR Saviour's feeding vast Multitudes of People with a very small Quantity of Provisions, is, it feems, in the Opinion of the Church, a Miracle of fuch Confequence, as to deferve Three Publick Readings, in the Course of the Gofpels every Year. 'Tis true, there is fome Difference in the Circumstances of the Acti

iv Sunday in Lent.

vii and xxv Sundays after Trinity.

ons related. The Time, the Place, the Number of the Eaters, and That of the Baskets of Fragments left behind, do differ. But the Substance, the miraculous Operation, and the Ufes proper to be made of it, are the fame, and common to Both. The

vii Sunday after Trinity. Mark viii. 5, 8,9.

Scripture taken from St. Mark mentions Four thousand fed with Seven Loaves and a few small Fishes, This from St. John, Five thousand fed with Five Barley-loaves, and Two Small Fishes. That counts Seven Baskets only, this Twelve, of Fragments gathered, after they had

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