On the Excellency of our Saviour's

Teaching.

DISCOURSE VIII,

JOHN vii. 46.

Never Man pake like this Man.

S my Defign in chufing these Words was to offer fome Confiderations concerning the Excellency of our Saviour, as a Teacher; fo in my former Discourse it was fhewn that the Things he taught were not of a mean trifling Nature, not idle curious Speculations, but of the highest Importance to the Glory of God and to the Good of Mankind; and that the Idea of Religion he hath given us is the most

L 2

pure

and

and perfect that was ever made known to the World.

I now proceed, Secondly, to another Thing obfervable in our Saviour's Teaching, and that is, that there is in it an unparalleled Dignity in Conjunction with the greatest Plainnefs and Simplicity. He was above thofe Arts that Orators make Ufe of to court and captivate their Audience, and to prepoffefs them in their Favour; but he layeth the most important Doctrines and Precepts clearly and plainly before the People, as having a Right to demand their Attention and obediential Regard. There is a calm compofed Majefty as well as Condefcenfion, a certain Air of unaffected Greatness, which reigns through his Difcourfes, whereby they are diftinguished from thofe of other Teachers, and even from those of his Apostles themfelves, however excellent. He fpeaketh of the greateft Things with a noble Simplicity; of God as his Father whom he well knew; of Heaven as of a Place and State he was well acquainted with; of Things of the moft amazing Nature and Importance, as if they were no Way ftrange to him. When he delivereth the most fublime Doctrines, and the most pure and refined Precepts, far exceeding what the World had known before, it is with a Gravity and

Dignity

Dignity becoming fo Divine a Teacher, and yet in a Way fo plain and familiar as to bring them down, as far as poffible, to common Capacities. He declareth, that he was fent to preach the Gospel to the Poor, and the Recovering of Sight to the Blind. Luke iv. 18, 21. His Inftructions were not intended merely for Perfons of Learning, for thofe that were accounted wife and prudent; but even for Babes, for the Ignorant and Illiterate, who make up the Bulk of Mankind. Accordingly he did not treat the Subjects he dif courfed of in a philofophical and abstracted Way; nor made Ufe of a long Chain of laborious Reasoning, the Connection of which vulgar Minds find it very difficult to purfue. But he fets the most important Inftructions before them in a clear and convincing Light. Any one that impartially confidereth his admirable Discourses muft obferve, that there is in them no pompous Affectation of Learning or Eloquence, none of the studied Arts of Oratory; but there every-where appears a found and deep Judgment of Things, and a wonderful Strength and Force, which is better felt than expreffed. His Way of Teaching hath this Excellency in it, that it is generally plain and familiar, and yet hath no

thing in it low or trivial; it is fuch as the People may understand, and is at the fame Time fitted alfo to please the most Knowing and Judicious. How beautiful and fine, and at the fame Time plain and convincing to a common Understanding, is the Reasoning he makes Use of against anxious tormenting Cares, and for engaging us to place our Truft and Dependence upon God, and his wife and good Providence! Matt. vi. froin Ver. 25 to 34. Can any Thing be more eafy and familiar, and yet more ftrong and unanfwerable, than the Defence he makes for himself for performing fome of his miraculous Cures on the Sabbath-Day? Matt.xii. 10, II, 12. Luke xiii. 15, 16, 17. The fame may be faid, of the Anfwer he gives to the malicious Suggestions of the Pharifees, as if he performed his Miracles, and particularly that of cafting out Devils, by the Affiftance of ¡Beelzebub, the Prince of the Devils. I might also instance in what he faith to them, when they found Fault with him for Converfing with Publicans and Sinners. Matt. ix. II, 12, 13. And in his Answer to the Queftion proposed to him concerning Divorces. Matt. xix. 3-9. And in the Observations he makes upon the Doctrines of the Scribes and Pharifees concerning Oaths. Matt.