of the Earth: Unto him, who hath loved us, and washed from our Sins in his own Blood and whilft we were Enemies

:

to Him, loved us at fuch a rate as never any Man did his Friend: To Him, who became Man, that he might bring us to God; and affumed our frail and mortal Nature, that he might cloath us with Immortality and Life: To Him, who was pleased to dwell and live amongst us, that he might teach us how to live: To Him, who died for our Sins, and rofe again for our Fuftification, and lives for ever to make Interceffion for us: To Him, be Glory and Dominion, Thanksgiving and Praise to Eternal Ages. Amen.

SERMON VI.

Concerning the

Unity of the Divine Nature, and the B. Trinity, &c.

1 Tim. II. 5.

For there is one God.

HE Particle for leads us to

TH

the confideration of the Context and Occafion of these words, which in short is this. The defign of this Epiftle is to direct Timothy, to whom St. Paul had committed the Government of the Church of EpheJus, how he ought to demean himself in that great and weighty Charge. And at the beginning of this Chapter he gives direction concerning Publick Prayers in the Church; that Prayers

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and Thanksgiving be made for all Men, and for all Ranks and Orders of Men; especially for Kings and all that are in Authority, that under them Chriftians might lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

And this he tells us was very fuitable to the Chriftian Religion, by which God defigned the Salvation of Mankind; and therefore it must needs be very acceptable to him that we fhould offer up Prayers and Thanksgivings to him in behalf of all Men: For this, faith the Apostle, is good and acceptable in the fight of God our Saviour, who will have all Men to be faved, and to come to the knowledge of the Truth.

And then it follows in the next words, For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and Men, the Man Chrift Jefus, who gave himself a Ranfom for all: As if he had faid, this univerfal Charity of Chriftians, in praying for all Men, muft needs be very acceptable to Him to whom

we

we put up our Prayers, God the Fa ther, who fent his Son for the Salvation of all Men: And to Him likewise by whom we offer up our Prayers to God, and is among us Chriftians the only Mediator between God and Men, in vertue of that Price and Ransom which he paid for the Redemption of all Mankind; I fay, for this reason it must needs be very acceptable to Him that we should pray for all Men, because he died for all Men, and now that he is in Heaven at the right hand of God intercedes with him for the Salvation of those for whom he died: There is one God, and one Mediator between God and Men, the Man Chrift Jefus, who gave himself a RanJam for all.

Which words, though they be brought in to prove more immedi ately, that it is acceptable to God our Saviour, that we should put up Prayers to Him for all Men, because he defires the Salvation of all Men,

and