DISCOURSE XI, XII, XIII, XIV.

On the Parables of our Saviour.

MATTHEW Xiii. 3.'

And he spake many Things unto

Parables.

DISCOURSE XV.

On the Example of Chrift.

JOHN xiii. 15.

I have given you an Example, that ye should

do as I have done unto you.
P. 279:

DISCOURSE XVI.

On the Example of Christ.

JOHN viii. 29.

The Father hath not left me alone; for I

always do thofe Things that please him.

Compared with JOHN xvii. 4. I have

glorified thee on Earth; I have finished

the Work which thou haft given me to do.

P. 295.

XVII.

DISCOURSE

On the Example of Chrift.

EPHESIANS v. 2.

And walk in Love, as Chrift alfo haib

loved us.

P. 313.

XVIII, XIX.

DISCOURSE

On the Example of Christ.

PHILLIPIANS ii. 5.

Let this Mind be in you, which was alfe in
Christ Jesus.
P. 333.

DISCOURSE

XX.

How Chrift has abolished Death.

2 TIMOTHY i. 10.

Who bath abolished Death.

P. 373.

DISCOURSE XXI, XXII, XXIII,
XXIV.

How Chrift brought Life and Immortality
to Light.

2 TIMOTHY i. 10.

And bath brought Life and Immorta

lity to Light through the Gospel. P. 399.

On

On Chrift's Authority as a Teacher.

DISCOURSE I.

MATTHEW vii. 28, 29.

And it came to pass, when Jefus had ended thefe Sayings, the People were aftonished at his Doctrine. For he taught them as one having Authority, and not as the Scribes.

H

AVING in fome former Dif courfes offered feveral Obfervations concerning the Excellency of our Saviour's Teaching, I now come to confider that which giveth Weight to all the reft, and in which he was eminently fuperior to all others that ever appeared under the Character of Teachers, VOL. IV. B

viz.

ALTSIVI

151)

viz. the Divine Authority with which d
taught. This was fo remarkable, that the
People could not help obferving the fignal
Difference there was in this Respect be-
tween him and the Scribes, who were
Teachers of the greateft Reputation among
them. It was especially after Jefus had
finished his admirable Sermon on the
Mount, that the People made this Reflec
tion. They were aftonished at his Doctrine;
at it's fuperior Purity and Excellency, fo
far tranfcending any thing they had ever
heard before; and they were also astonished
at the Authority and commanding Power
with which he spoke. He taught them as
one having Authority, and not as the Scribes.
The Scribes were the principal authorized
Teachers among them.
them. They had all the
Authority which the chief Priests and
Elders, the Heads of the Jewish Church
and Nation, were able to give them. But
the Authority Chrift claimed was of a far
higher Kind. He did not found his Doc-
trine, as the Scribes were wont to do, upon
the Authority of their ancient Doctors and
great Mafters of Tradition. On the con-
trary, having fhewn in feveral Inftances
what were their Gloffes in the Interpreta-
tion of the Law, he with grea
Solemnity
declared against their Decifions in feveral
Matters of no small Importance; to which

10

V

he

he oppofed his own Determinations, în a Manner which plainly fhewed, that he taught as having an Authority fuperior to theirs, an Authority not derived merely from Men, but from above. Thus the People understood it, and this feems to be what they principally intended in saying, that He taught as one having Authority, and not as the Scribes; i. e. as one having an extraordinary Divine Authority and Commiffion, which was what the Scribes, who were not Prophets, nor had the Power of working Miracles, could not pretend to.

But it may alfo farther fignify, that he taught with a wonderful Gravity and Dignity, with a Power and Energy that ftruck. and penetrated the Soul; whereas the Scribes taught in a cold, formal, lifeless Way, that made little Impreffion upon the Heart. That Character given of the Word of God, Heb. iv. 12, might well be applied to our Saviour's Teaching: The Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged Sword, piercing even to the Dividing afunder of Soul and Spirit, end of the Joints and Marrow, and is a Difcerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart. And this particularly appeared in the great Effects his Preaching had even upon many of those that were called Publicans and Sinners, in bringing them to a fincere ReB 2 pentance.