Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n
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A47210
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Christ crucified a sermon preached at Salisbury, August 23, 1691 / by Joseph Kelsey ...
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Kelsey, Joseph, d. 1710.
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1691
(1691)
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Wing K247; ESTC R222
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11,678
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26
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he had by his Doctrine taught true Virtue and by his holy Life shown that it was practicable died to satisfy Justice and redeem the World And that there is no other way to Salvation but Faith in Christ Crucified and the imitation of his Example This is the plain sum of Christian Philosophy which even Justin Martyr confesseth was foolishness to him whilst he was in the School of Plato Yet this is 1. The Power of God I could tell you a large History from how low beginnings by what improbable methods it subdued Kingdoms conquered the greatest Conquerours brought the Empires of the East and West into its profession how it stopt the mouths of Apostates and Blasphemers silenced the Oracles of the Devil that he could no longer use either his Poetry or his ambiguous Prose to the delusion of the World That it hath sanctified the Temples of Idols into Churches turned the Schools of Philosophers into the Houses of God thrown down Amphitheaters levelled Pantheons ruined the Kingdom of the Prince of Darkness and obtained a Dominion larger than the famed Monarchies of the Earth This hath humbled the most haughty Spirits purified the most defiled Minds and can boast of more Proselytes to Virtue and Martyrs in its Cause than the most applauded Systems of Philosophy 2. It is the Wisdom of God I will not determine as some too rashly have That it was impossible for God to have found out any other way for the redemption of the World but the Death of his Son It is folly to pretend to set bounds to Infinity this is to suppose that God's Wisdom was exhausted and subject it to the comprehension of Man This we may safely say That our understandings will not reach to the conception of any other method which would so much advance the admiration of his Wisdom which in the Government of the World seems to propound two things chiefly to it self The encouragement of Goodness and Discouragement of Vice His own Glory and the Happiness of his Creatures depending upon each of these and they are both served incomparably in Christ Crucified 1. Here is the discouragement of sin By Gods transferring the punishment from us upon Christ his indignation at sin is manifested That his beloved Son should suffer rather than sin go unpunished and satisfaction not be given to that Rectitude and Order of things which is the true Creditor in the case requiring punishment to deter Men from sin Here we may see the grievous nature and direful effects of sin with what cruelty and infamy it procured Christ's Death much more will it ours By this we learn that God will certainly provide for his Justice under which it must be our care not to fall If it made thy Saviour sweat it will set thee all on fire if it made him dy what will be thy portion when Death which was his release shall not be granted 2. By this method God provided for the encrease of Goodness Had not Christ come and taught his Heavenly Doctrine the World had never known what true Virtue is nor would it have had sufficient encouragement to attain it had he not died rose again and given his Holy Spirit to assist and illuminate our darkned minds we had yet slept in the faint light of Nature never found the way to Happiness He explained the disputed Precepts of the Antient Moralists declared the future States the just rewards of sin and goodness And if such Motives will not prevail God is not to be blamed He grant therefore that every one may find the power of Christ Crucified in his own Soul and that All may earnestly endeavour That the Wisdom of this design may have its intended effect in making whole Mankind good and happy to Eternity FINIS Books Printed for Walter Kettilby at the Bishop's-Head in St Paul 's Church-Yard TEN Sermons with two Discourses of Conscience By the Lord Archbishop of York 4 to 's Sermon before the House of Lords Nov. 5. 1691. Bishop Overall's Convocation Book MDCVI concerning the Government of God's Catholick Church and the Kingdoms of the whole World 4 to Animadversions on Mr. Johnson's Answer to Jovian In three Letters to a Country Friend 8 vo Turner De Angelorum Hominum Lapsu 4 to Mr. Raymond's Pattern of Pure and Undefiled Religion 8 vo 's Exposition on the Church Catechism 8 vo Mr Lamb's Dialogues between a Minister and his Parishioner about the Lord's Supper 8 vo 's Sermon before the King at Windsor 's Sermon before the Lord Mayor 's Liberty of humane Nature stated discussed and limited 's Sermon before the King and Queen Jan. 19. 1689. 's Sermon before the Queen Jan. 24. 1690. Dr Hickman's Thanksgiving Sermon before the Honourable House of Commons Oct. 19. 1690. 's Sermon before the Queen at Whitehall Oct. 26. 1690. Dr Burnet's Answer to Mr Warren 's Consideration of Mr Warren's Defence Bishop of Bath and Wells Reflections on a French Testament Printed at Bordeaux s Christian Sufferer supported 8 vo Dr Grove now Lord Bishop of Chichester his Sermon before the King and Queen June 1. 1690. Dr Hooper's Sermon before the Queen Jan. 24. 1690 1. Dr Pelling's Sermon before the King and Queen Decem. 8. 1689. 's Vindication of those that have taken the Oath 4 to Dr Worthington of Resignation 8 vo 's Christian Love 8 vo Mr Nichols's Answer to the Naked Gospel 4 to Faith and Practice of a Church of England Man 12o. The Third Edition Religion the Perfection of Man By Mr Jeffery 8 vo Kelsey Concio de Aeterno Christi Sacerdotio The End of the Catalogue
Imprimatur Nov. 2. 1691. Geo. Royse R. Rmo in Christo Patri ac D no D no Johanni Archiep. Cantuar. à sacris Domest Christ Crucified A SERMON PREACHED AT SALISBURY August 23. 1691. By JOSEPH KELSEY B. D. Prebendary of SARUM LONDON Printed for Walter Kettilby at the Bishop's Head in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1691. TO THE Right Honourable THOMAS EARL of PEMBROKE c. One of Their Majesties Most Honourable Privy-Council My LORD HAD this Sermon been designed to be publick I would have endeavoured that it should better have answered both the Dignity of the Subject and the Nobleness of the Name prefixed to it But since your Lordship was pleased to encourage the Printing it as it was Preached I esteem that Favour solely to proceed from your Great Piety to Catholick Verities particularly the Honour of our Saviour at this time so injuriously assaulted and your Love to the Church of England which ever was and continues to be the best Defender and Conserver of them That God will confirm to your Lordship these and all other Virtues which make true Greatness and reward them with spiritual and temporal Blessings is the Prayer of My Lord Your Lordship 's in all Duty most obliged and most humble Servant Joseph Kelsey Christ Crucified 1 COR. I. 23 24. But we preach Christ Crucified unto the Jews a stumbling-block and unto the Greeks foolishness But unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and the Wisdom of God CHRIST in this Text seems to represent the future fate of his Religion to the end of all things that it should be always militant on Earth till triumphant in Heaven like an Isthmus or narrow neck of Land it is opposed to the fury of two rageing Enemies Jew and Gentile yet stands the Emblem of invincible Fortitude an eternal exception to all the powers of fleshly Wisdom wounds no less the acuteness of the Grecian Sophister than the dullness of the illogical Jew and puzzles as well the brisker genius of Athens as the more phlegmatick Rabbies at Jerusalem A Problem baited both by ignorance and learning by prejudice and ingenuity by malicious interest and a better generosity The most excellent things still fight with the greatest difficulties God himself hath the most Enemies and Virtue is ever placed betwixt opposite Vices Christ Crucified sounds a contradiction to the Philosophy of a Greek implicates in the very terms To the Hebrew Superstition it is more terrible and confounding than the shakings of Mount Sinai Stupid and heavy Jew whom nothing less than Thunder will confute Captious Greek who seekest Wisdom in Mode and Figure rejecting all as folly which hath not its appearance in Logical Syllogisms or Sophistical Elenchs Quid quaeris Judaee Signa hic est Dei Virtus Quid tu Graece Sapientiam hic est sapientia Aeterni Patris We preach Christ Crucified The power of God and the Wisdom of God In which words we will consider I. The great subject of Christian Doctrine We preach Christ Crucified II. The Vindication of it from the Oppositions of Jew and Gentile The power of God and the Wisdom of God I. We preach Christ Crucified That is 1. The Satisfaction which he made 2. The Merit of his Death 3. The unbounded Virtue of it 4. The effect which so great an Example of Virtue ought to have upon our selves 1. We preach the Satisfaction which by his Death he gave to Divine Justice for the sins of the World rendring the offended Majesty of his Father gracious by the oblation of himself They are low and unworthy designs which terminate the Virtue of our Saviours Death in any thing less than those high and noble effects which Scripture and the Faith of Gods Church have attributed unto it That he should dy chiefly to give Testimony to the Doctrine of Remission of sins which he preached is to make him a meer Martyr to his own Religion to put no distinction betwixt the Death of the Son of God and of a mortal Man to allow more real Virtue to the blood of Bulls and Goats as to the taking away of sin than of the immaculate Lamb of God The Apostles and all holy Martyrs who died for the Doctrine which they preached might on this account compare with him in the efficacy of their Deaths and challenge the incommunicable Title of Saviours and Redeemers of Mankind Nay Socrates himself supposing the Morality of his Philosophy such as might make those who should practise it acceptable unto God would justly be said by his Death to have purchased remission of sins and to have been the Author of Eternal Salvation to his Athenian Proselytes The Miracles which our Saviour did were more convincing Arguments of the truth of his Doctrine than was his Death it being no unheard of thing for Men with the loss of their Lives to defend the most impious and heretical Opinions Nor is that Faith and Hope of Eternal Life so much magnified as the great effect of his Death with any reason applyed unto it since the cruel torments of a most innocent Person at first sight appears the most preposterous means to induce a belief of immortal bliss And the Scriptures every where lay the foundation of a firm Faith in our Saviours Resurrection Moreover had the Death of Christ been only intended for a Testimony to his Doctrine it might very well have been spared and others and no less convincing methods used After having lead a Life of perfection upon Earth he might have ascended after the manner that Enoch and Elias were translated into Heaven and from thence have showed his Majestie to the confusion of his Enemies He might have taken his Murderers at their word have descended from the Cross and so confuted all their pretences But this Sacrifice was intended for greater ends To have its effect not only upon Men but to move even God himself And this it did to two things which seem to make up the Nature of Satisfaction 1. It moved God to a relaxation of his Law or a receding from his right 2. To a translation of the punishment 1. Upon the account of Christ's Sufferings God was moved to a dispensation of his law This Law is set down Gen. 2.17 In the day thou eatest the forbidden fruit thou shalt surely die thou shalt be punished with eternal death If this Law had exactly been executed none could be saved but we are taught that those who believe in Christ are redeemed from the Curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 And by the conditional Promises of the Gospel God doth plainly recede from that right of punishing which that Law gave him Many are the instances in Scripture that God hath done this and to dispute that he cannot is to transform the God of Christians into a stoical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bind him in Chains of fatality as invincible as a Heathen Jupiter Promises do give a right to him to whom they are made which