SERM.

BUT how do the Oppugners of Chrift's II. Satisfaction hit off the Difficulty? That Mankind are, and always, from the first Tranfgreffion, have been univerfally affected with a fpiritual Depravity, incapable of acting up to their Maker's Expectations, and all more or lefs reduced under the Tyranny of Sin, fo as to obey it in the Lufts thereof, is manifeft above reasonable Difpute. And who can work Deliverance for them, befides the Son of God? What can difcharge their Obligation, but his Merits? And what wash them clean except his moft precious Blood? Inftead of this, what have these Men to truft to? It must be either to Sacrifices, as did the Antients, or to Repentance, as do the Moderns, who warmly contend for its being a full Plea for Pardon.

IN Regard to the former, it has been long ago allowed, that St. Paul was at least once in the right, when he pronounced it to be impoffible, that the Blood of Bulls or of Goats fhould take away the Guilt, or the Punishment of Sin (s). And it was the deepest Ignorance of the End, for which Sacrifices were ordained, that induced weak Men to imagine

E 4

(s) Heb. x, 4.

II.

SERM. imagine, thefe were able by their proper Virtue and Efficacy to expiate the Faults of the Offerers.

As there appears to be no Room to suppose, that it could be the Invention of Men to take away the Lives of Beasts, and employ them as Victims in the Worship of God, without his exprefs Appointment; fo is there as little to question, that they were inftituted for fome good and useful Purpofe. But this was rather to discover, than pay off the Debt; to fhew Men, how they had justly forfeited their Lives by their Wickedness, rather than redeem them by the Death of their Sacrifices,---and to point to the Atonement and its Manner of operating, rather than make it. Being therefore confidered 'independently of their typical Relation to Chrift's Satisfaction on the Crofs, they could be of no fpiritual Benefit, nor make the Comers thereunto perfect (t).

INSTRUCTIVE Leffons, to be fure, they were to the common Apprehenfion of Mankind in all Ages, that God would not be appeafed, nor forgive them without Punishment; and to the Jews particularly they

(t) Heb. x. 1.

were

were Forms of entering into, and renewing SERM. their Covenant with their Maker, whereby II. he vouchfafed to bind himself, on certain Conditions, to Pardon, to be reconciled to, and bestow various Bleffings on them. After all, they were not in their own Nature effectual to these great Purposes,-----they had no intrinfic Excellency in them towards procuring the Divine Favour,---and derived their whole Worth from being made the Representation of that real Sacrifice, which was to be, and has been the Propitiation for the Sins of the World.

BUT though the material lifelefs Sacrifices of Brutes could not, yet why may not the reasonable and living Sacrifice of ourselves, by an hearty Repentance and renewed Obedience, be available to pacify God's Wrath, to fatisfy his Juftice, and to prevent our Punishment? NoDoubt, it may; provided Sinners do not build more on this Foundation, than it will bear. To forfake Ungodliness is expedient, and even neceffary to the Forgiveness of it; and to improve in Holiness is the best Qualification for a gracious Acceptance : Yet to recommend an Offender to Mercy is one thing, and to give him a firm Claim to it is another. To expect, as of Right, a Release

SERM. a Release of past Demands on the Score of II. future Services, no lefs due in themselves than thofe, which have been withheld, is much the fame thing with attempting to pay one Debt with the Tender of another.

The most uniform Submiffion to the Divine Will, after numerous Offences committed, cannot properly make Reparation for them: It can only induce the Criminal to entertain fome faint Hopes of Pardon, but not in Point of ftrict Juftice authorize him to look on himself as actually, or fure to be, forgiven. For fince God has the fame Title to the Homage of his Creatures in every Part of their Lives, what was their Duty before their Difobedience, must be equally fo affert it; and confequently, a pious Change of Mind and Manners in a subsequent Period of their Being, cannot atone for their Impieties in a past,---have not the Efficacy to wipe away the Stains of Vice, nor to restore Sinners to the fame Place in God's Love and Regard, which they might enjoy before.

HE, who is once an Offender, must be always one, how pertinent foever ----Sin leaves an indelible Mark on the guilty Mind;---loft Innocence cannot be recalled:

And

And if the justly provoked Deity is pleafed SERM. to overlook our Iniquities fo far, as inftead II. of inflicting the Vengeance they deferve, to treat us like pure and finless Perfons, when we are too much the reverfe, this Privilege muft arife not from what we have been able to advance towards the Purchase of it for ourselves, but from the ample Price paid down by Christ Jefus for us: So that our whole Dependance refts on a crucified Saviour.

HENCE queftionless it is, that the Holy Scriptures have lain fuch Weight on the Sufferings and Death of Chrift, and fet them off with the utmoft Strength and Variety of Expreffion; that whoever believes thofe, as he ought, cannot difbelieve thefe. The Knowledge thereof was gradually introduced into the World by a Series of Prophecies, which, however dark in the Delivery, became exceeding clear in the Completion; nor have we, who live fo many Ages after the Accomplishment, the leaft Reafon to hefitate concerning their ultimate Sense and Meaning: For if we are perfuaded, that the fame infallible Spirit is the Revealer of the Purposes of God in both Teftaments, his Applications in the New of prophetic Paf

fages