SERM. of human Nature, and affirm that of it in II. one, which is true only in the other. That it is agreeable to our rational Constitution to difcern and purfue the Duties of Piety, Juftice, Charity, Sobriety, and all Righteoufnefs, cannot indeed be queftioned, without queftioning at the fame Time the effential Difference between Virtue and Vice, and the moral Agency of Man. However, that it is alfo agreeable to our depraved Nature to rebel against our Creator,---to delight in Injustice and Oppression, and making our Fellow-Creatures wretched, ---and to be enslaved by many furious and headstrong Appetites, cannot be more truly difputed, without contradicting our own Feeling and Obfervation, and the Atteftation of God himself. As there was a primitive Integrity in Man, the Origin of true Liberty, which he might have preserved inviolate, so is there moft furely a derived Principle of Defilement fixed within him, which he can no more fubdue, than vindicate. This is that Law in our Members, by which Sin rules in our Hearts with an Influence fuperior to the Law of God. It displays itself in its full Vigour without Grace, and struggles for the Afcendant under it. It is most oppofite oppofite to the infinite Purity of the Su- SERM. preme Being, and makes the human Nature II. hateful to the Divine, as it is debauch'd thereby in its inmoft Compofition,---is carried off in a full Career towards Tranfgreffion,---and lain often under the Neceflity of offending; which, though not of that Sort, whereby the material or brutal World is forced to act, is yet fuch, as was never known to fail in any Inftance, but of him, Son of God, as well as the who was the Son of Man,-- who came into the World on purpose to ranfom us from the all-commanding Power of Sin---to restore us to our loft Capacity of Obedience, and to atone for the Defects of it in the Penitent and Reformed. SHOULD We, concealing our Disease, reject the offered Remedy, and doubt of this ultimate End of Chrift's taking our Nature upon him, we must be utterly unworthy of the beneficial Effects of it. To entertain a Notion, that there is no Need of a Redeemer---fhews a Mind unhappily blinded by Error, and is a remarkable Production of that original Taint, which Men are so very backward to acknowledge. It aims at overturning Foundations, and indifputably takes its Rife from a Denial of the most fundamental E 2 SERM. mental Article of the Chriftian Faith. For II. if they, who are in this way of Thinking, would modeftly attribute to their Saviour that Perfection, which he certainly enjoys, they would not be tempted to arrogate to themselves that Perfection, which they notoriously want. IT being then but too manifeft, that Man is fubject to the uncontroulable Dominion of Sin, and reduced to great Viciousness of Soul, as well as Wretchedness of Body; let us trace up the Evil to the Spring-head, and we shall find it deriving its Source as high up almost as his very Existence,--let us fearch for the Occafion of the Ranfom, we ftand in the utmost Need of, and we must look for it as far back, as the Difobedience of our first-formed Parents, and for the Intention to grant it a vast deal further; fince, known unto God are all his Works, and all his Purpofes, even from Eternity. THEY, who cannot perfuade themselves to relish the Scripture Account of that most enormous Offence, which has entailed Impurity and Mifery on the whole Race of Adam, fhould re-examine what Grounds they have for for their Dislike; and why they conclude the SERM. Relation to be void of Truth, and all no bet- II. ter than mere Allegory and Fable. Cannot a real Occurrence be described in figurative Expreffions? Or, is the History not to be credited, because it is concife, because it does not gratify their Curiofity in all its Circumstances, though it plainly afferts the Fact, it treats of? Such incredulous Perfons should confider, that the whole Plan of Revelation is founded upon this Event ;---it is alluded to in every Part of the Old Teftament, and is the Mafter-key to open the Drift and Meaning of the most stupendous Incidents in the New. IF Chrift Jefus fuffered in the Manner and Measure, we are affured, he did, there must be some very fubftantial Caufe for it. It could not be for his own Demerit, as he had not the leaft Shadow of Guilt; who did no Sin, neither was Guile found in his Mouth (0) or if wicked Men could be moved by Envy and Malice to destroy the most righteous and benificent Perfon, that ever lived, how came they to be able to perpetrate their Villainy? His Innocence exempted him from suffering justly, and his Omnipotence defended him from being punished wrongfully, without SERM his own voluntary Confent. He declares, that II. be bad Power to lay down his Life and to take it again (p). But that his Enemies had none over him, except it were given them from above (q), and he could on Application to his heavenly Father obtain a numerous angelic Hoft for his Refcue and Defence (r). Yet he declined this Exertion of his Divine Authority, and of his own Accord calmly fubmitted himself to Infamy, to Torture, and to Death. Now what could be the Inducement to all this? What Motive fuitable to fuch amazing Humiliation can be thought of, if the Neceffities of loft Man did not loudly call for this Display of infinitely condescending Goodness, in order to his Recovery? The Greatnefs of the Ransom should be an irrefragable Proof to us, that the Captivity was heavy and real,---the Value of the Atonement a moft powerful Evidence of the extreme Guilt; nor can there be fo bafe and monftrous an Inftance of Ingratitude, as to difown our having been by Nature in a State of Mifery and Slavery, rather than confefs the Payment of the Price of our Redemption. (p) St. John x. 18. (9) St. John xix. 11. BUT |