» 
 
THE 
 SCRIPTURE DOCTRINE 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 Redemption of the World 
 
 B Y 
 
 CHRIST 
 
 Intelligibly explained to the Capacity 
 of mean People. 
 
 Which may ferve as an Anfwer to a Book, entitled, 
 
 The Moral Philofopher, 
 
 So far as relates to this Subject. 
 
 By THO. BURNETT, D. D. Reftor f 
 Wejikington in Wilts, 
 
 Printed for A. Bettesworth and C. Hitch, 
 
 at the Red- Lion in Pater- nofter Row. 
 
 MCDDXXXVII. 
 
/ 
 
 / 
 
To the Right Reverend 
 
 THOMAS 
 
 Lord Bifliop of SARUM. 
 
 My Lord, 
 
 AS I have the Honour to live under Your 
 Lordfhip's Jurifdiclion, I have taken 
 the Liberty to publifh this little Trea- 
 tife under Your Patronage, not doubting Your 
 Lordmip's Approbation of my Endeavours to 
 clear a Point of fo great Importance, even 
 tho' I mould happen to differ from Your Lord- 
 fhip in my Notions. As I am grown old, and 
 am going off the Stage of Life apace, I am 
 willing to fpend the fhort Remainder of my 
 Time in being ufeful, as far as I am able : 
 And as I thought there was great Room for ic 
 on this SubjecT:, efpecially confidering the many 
 bold Attacks, that have been made upon Chri- 
 ftianity of late ; fo I hope what I have here 
 faid in this Treatife may in fome meafure an- 
 A z fwer 
 
The Epiftle Dedicatory. 
 fwer my Defign. I am not infenfible of its 
 Defects, but Your Lordfhip's Candour and good 
 Nature will pardon them, when I inform You, 
 that it was compofed by broken Snatches and at 
 fuch leifure Time as I could fteal from a Life, 
 incumber'd with difagreeable Bufinefs, and em- 
 barrafs'd with Care, and Difficulties : Such as 
 it is, I beg Your Lordmip's Acceptance of it, 
 as a Token of that Refpect and Duty I owe 
 You as my Diocefan, and as a Teftimony of 
 my Gratitude for the Favours I have received 
 from You; I (hall be always glad of every 
 Opportunity of declaring the Senfe I have of 
 my Obligations to You : But I have a more 
 particular Defire to do it this Way, as it (hews 
 Your Lordlhip, to whom I am accountable, 
 how Idifcharge my Trull: in that Station God 
 has placed me in. 
 
 I pray God to give Your Lordlhip long 
 Health and Happinefs, and am with all Re- 
 fpect and Gratitude, 
 
 My Lord, 
 
 Tsitr Lordship'* moft obliged 
 
 and obedient Servant, 
 
 T. Burnet. 
 
THE 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 TO THE 
 
 READER. 
 
 WHOEVER will think it worth his 
 while to read over the following Trea- 
 tije, if he dejires to do it with any 
 Advantage, the only "Thing necejfary for this Pur- 
 pofe is, that y ifpofble, He will lay afide all Pre- 
 judice and Partiality, in Favour of any Hypo- 
 thefts he may have received -, and to remember that 
 in Matters of pure Revelation, we have no other 
 Ride of Truth, but the Scripture. 
 
 And Jince I have endeavoured to draw my No- 
 tions from thence, for which Reafon I call them 
 The Scripture Doctrine ; jo I think it no un- 
 reafonable Requejl to the Reader, that he will 
 receive, or rejecl what he meets with here, fo far 
 only as it agrees, or difagrees with Scripture. 
 
 The Reafon I fay this, is, becaife I am very 
 fenfible that too many are apt to form their No- 
 tions of Chrijiianity from the Explications given 
 of the fever a I DotTrifies of it, by Men of fupe- 
 rior Note, and Learning ; and whatever differs 
 
 from 
 
vi The PREFACE. 
 
 from their Opinions is commonly cenfured as Here- 
 tic al, or Falfe at lea ft, as if they were the Stand- 
 ard, by which all Go/pel Truth muft be tried: 
 
 And therefore if the Reader happens to be one 
 of that Clafs, this Ireatife will meet with cold 
 Reception, as it contains many Things fo different 
 from the Sentiments of all that have gone before 
 me, that if the Scripture be not made the only 
 Rule of judging of it, it muft be rejected with 
 Scorn and Indignation. 
 
 But let the Reader remember, that no Man is 
 infallible, and that the greateft Men may err : 
 And as there are no Errors of fo great Concern- 
 ment to us, as thoje which relate to the Doclrine 
 of Redemption -, fo wife and good Men Jhould be 
 always ready to lijlen to every Thing that pretends 
 to fet them right, where they are thought to be 
 wrong, in a Matter of Jo great Importance, how 
 mean foever the Hand may be that offers it. 
 
 But this is what I do not pretend to : Let 
 Human Schemes be what they will, whether right 
 or wrong I am not concern 'd. My Bufinefs is only 
 to Jliew what the Scripture teaches : And this I 
 have done in the plainejt and mofi unaffected Man- 
 ner pojjible, avoiding all Drefs, and Ornament, 
 and every Thing not necefjary to inform, and con- 
 vince the Underftanding : And as I have carried 
 on my Reafonings in a regular connected Chain, I 
 hope what I havefaid may be a Means of fettling 
 our Difputes on this Subject, or at leaf of reducing 
 them into Juch a Method and fo narrow a Com- 
 paj's, as will bring them to ajpeedy IJfue. 
 
 3 
 
 And 
 
The PREFACE. vii 
 
 And though I differ from others in many Things y 
 I pretend to no new Doctrines ; i" differ only in 
 my Explication of Truths we all agree in : And 
 what I offer in this Way is inte?ided only for the 
 Solution of Difficulties not otherwife to be account- 
 ed for. And if Infidels are to be converted, and 
 their Objections removed, if they are notfatisfied 
 with the ufual Anfwers to them, it isfurely very 
 jufiifiable to look out for new ones. 
 
 And therefore I hope the Reader will not take 
 Offence at what I have faid relating to the prce- 
 exiflent Nature of our Saviour, and the Method 
 I have propofed to make the Doctrine of the Tri- 
 nity intelligible, when 'tis only offer d as an Ex- 
 pedient for the more eafy Conviction of thofe, who 
 cannot be convinced by other Schemes. 
 
 When the Doctrine of the Trinity is reprefented 
 as abfurd, contradictory and impoffible, is it not 
 proper to make any poffible Suppofition, that will 
 jhew how unreafonable this Objection is, and how 
 it may be accounted for f And though this jloould 
 not prove Jiffcient for the Purpofe, yet the Attempt 
 is laudable, and becoming a good Chrifian. 
 
 I mention this to obviate the Prejudices of fome 
 weak, and unthinking People, who will not bear 
 any thing new upon this Subject : And I would not 
 be ill thought of without letting them know, that 
 what 1 offer of that Nature is intended only for 
 the Service of Chrifianity, by removing thofe Im- 
 pediments out of the Way of Infidels, which 
 hinder them, as they pretend, from becoming Chri- 
 Jlians : And as this I hope will be a fuffcient 
 Apology for what I advance on theje Subjects ; fo 
 
 it 
 
viii The PREFACE. 
 
 it is for the Sake of this Apology, that the Reader 
 is troubled with this Preface. 
 
 For as I publifi this Treatife only to do good \ as 
 I think it may be injlrumental to the more eafy 
 "Reception of Ckriftianity, by making it intelligible 
 to every Capacity j fo I Jhould be forry to have 
 jaid any Thing to prejudice, even the weakeft Minds 
 againfi it. 
 
 If any one fo all find it difagreeable, as wrote 
 in a dull and heavy Way of demonjlrative, and 
 dry Rea/oning y this is what 1 flail make no Apolo- 
 gy for, as it is the only jure Way to come at 
 Truth -, and is in no Cafe more necefj'ary, than 
 when any new Notions are advanced, in Oppoji- 
 tion to rooted, and inveterate Prejudices, and 
 Errors : I leave it with the Reader to make the 
 bejl Ufe of it he can, and if he finds any new 
 Light ; or other Benefit from it, let God have the 
 Glory : And if he meets with any "Error in what 
 I have Jaid, if he pleafe to let me know it in a 
 Chrijlian Manner, Ifliall be obliged to Him for the 
 JDifcovery, and flail take the firfi Opportunity 
 publickly to retracl it, fojbon us I am madefenfi- 
 ble of it. 
 
 Wcflkington by Marfhfield in 
 Gloucefierfliirt, Aug. 15, '737. 
 
 the 
 
( 1) 
 
 Hoe Scripture Doctrine of 
 the Redemption of Mankind by 
 Jesus Christ explained. 
 
 H E R E is nothing of greater Con- 
 cernment to us, as Chriftians, than 
 the right Understanding of the Re- 
 ligion we profefs : And fince we 
 profefs our felves the Difciples of Chrift, as 
 our Redeemer, there is nothing which we 
 fhould be more folicitous to know, than 
 the Nature of our Redemption ; the Man- 
 ner how it was brought about; what the 
 Benefits of this Redemption are, and how 
 we may be intitled to them. 
 
 This Knowledge is taught us in the New 
 Teftament, where, tho' it is delivered in 
 the plaineft Manner poflible, yet, I doubr, 
 it is too often mifunderftood, and by Confe- 
 quence mifreprefented* 
 
 To fet it in a proper Light is the Defign 
 of this Diflertation : And that I may do it 
 
 B with 
 
( 2 ) 
 
 with greater Certainty and Succefs, as the Scrip- 
 ture is our only Rule in this Cafe, I mall draw 
 out what I have to fay from thence, and that 
 not only into as narrow a Compafs as I can, 
 but in fo plain a Method, as I hope will be 
 fufficient to inftruft the Ignorant and confirm 
 the Believer, if not convince the Infidel. 
 
 The general Doctrine delivered in Scrip- 
 ture is conrained in thefe Words of St. Taul 
 to the Colojians, wherein he fays, That isue 
 have Redemption thro the Blood of Chrijl^ even 
 the Forgi-venefs of our Sins y Col. i. 14. 
 
 And for the due Explication of this Doc- 
 trine, we will Firjl confider what is to be 
 meant by Redemption, and how far and in 
 what Senfeit is to be afcribed to J ejus Chrijl. 
 
 2dly. In what fenfe we are faid to have 
 Redemption thro' his Blood, and the Reafon 
 of it. 
 
 $dly. What is to be understood by the 
 Forgivenefs of our Sins, and how far the Scrip- 
 ture afcribes this to the Death of Chrift. 
 
 As to the firft of thefe, what we are to 
 underftand by our Redemption by Chrift ; in 
 order to a right Apprehenfion of this, we muft 
 firft confider, what is meant by Redemp- 
 tion. 
 
 Re- 
 
( 3 ) 
 
 Redemption is taken in various Senfes, but 
 the natural and primary Signification of it is 
 To buy of, and betokens fome Deliverance by 
 way of Purchafe ; as when we buy off a Cap- 
 tive from Slavery, or a condemned Perfon 
 from Punifhment, or the like, either by fome 
 Confideration offered, as a Motive, or by fub- 
 mitting to fomething required, as a Condi- 
 tion, we are then faid to redeem him. 
 
 This, I fay, is the literal and moft or- 
 dinary Senfe of the Word, and in this Senfe it 
 feems to be under flood in Scripture when 
 applied to J e fits Chrift, and when he is re- 
 prefented as our Redeemer : For he is ex- 
 prefsly faid to have bought us with a Price. 
 
 The Perfon to whom this Price was paid 
 according to the Scripture was God the Fa- 
 ther: and as a Purchafe does naturally im- 
 ply fome Covenant or Agreement made; fo 
 in our Redemption by Chrift, we mufl fup- 
 pofe fome Covenant, or Agreement made be- 
 tween God the Father and our Lord Jejus 
 Chrift, on what Terms, and Conditions to be 
 performed by him, Mankind mould be inti- 
 tled to the Deliverance intended for them, 
 and which God the Father would accept, 
 as a Price paid for it. 
 
 This is eafy and natural, and agreeable to 
 Scripture: And therefore in order to explain 
 this Doctrine of our Redemption by Chrift, 
 it is neceffary to inquire, 
 
 B z Firft, 
 
(4) 
 
 Fir/i, What that Deliverance was that he 
 purchafed for us. 
 
 idly, What and when this Covenant was 
 made, and what were the Conditions required 
 to be performed in order to that Deliverance. 
 
 As to the former of thefe, The Delive- 
 rance our Saviour purchafed for us, it was a 
 Deliverance from the Punifhment which we 
 had Reafon to expeft, and God in Juftice 
 might inflict upon us for our Tranfgrefiions. 
 
 For that Sin is a Contradiction to the Na- 
 ture of God, as a Holy Being, and to his 
 Authority, as the Governor of the World, 
 will not be denied by any one. And that 
 fome Tokens of God's Difpleafure may be 
 juftly feared by every Sinner according to the 
 Nature and Circumflances of their Sins, and in 
 fuch Manner and Meafure as God in his Wif- 
 dom fhall fee fit for the Support of his Au- 
 thority and Government, no reafonable Man 
 can doubt. 
 
 Every wilful Sin is an act of Rebellion 
 againft God, and ought as fuch to be pre- 
 vented or fuppreft : And if Punifhment is a 
 proper Means of doing this, as it is an act 
 of Wifdom in God to punifh Sinners ; fo all 
 Sinners have Reafon to fear, that fuch Pu- 
 nifhments will be inflicted on them for their 
 Sins, as the Wifdom of God fees fit. 
 
 z But 
 
But much more when Sin is become noto- 
 rious, and fcandalous, where Men live as it 
 were in open Rebellion againft God, in De- 
 fiance of his Authority and Juftice ; fuch 
 Wickednefs calls aloud for Vengeance. 
 
 Now this was the Cafe with Mankind be- 
 fore our Saviour came into the World. 
 
 All Mankind were involved in Sin, and the 
 Bulk of them to fuch a high Degree, that if 
 God had dealt with them as their Iniquities 
 deferved, the Scripture fays, they muft have 
 perilhed. 
 
 But fuch was the Love of God to the 
 World, that He did not defire the Death of 
 a Sinner, and therefore to prevent their Ruin, 
 his Goodnefs and Wifdom contrived a Me- 
 thod for their Prefervation, by reconciling the 
 World unto Hitnfelf by Jefus Chrift, whom 
 He fent, as the Minifter of this Reconcilia- 
 tion, to ad as a Mediator between Him and 
 Sinners, That whoofever would believe in Him 
 jhould not perifhj but have everlafting Life. 
 
 Thus far we are clear beyond Difpute: 
 And the Scripture is no lefs plain, as to the Na- 
 ture of his Mediation : In which, as he was 
 to act between God, and Sinners • fo there 
 was fomething to be done in behalf of God 
 with Sinners, as there was likewife in behalf 
 of Sinners with God : And both were to be 
 done by Jefus Chrijl ? as a Mediator of this 
 Reconciliation between God and them. 
 
 B 3 As 
 
. As for what was to be done on God's parr, 
 Reafon tells us, that, if he was difpofed to 
 fhew Mercy to his Rebellious Subjects, 'twas 
 proper to make a publick Proclamation of it, 
 with the Conditions he would require for 
 it: There is a natural Fitnefs in this, that e- 
 very Understanding fees : And this the Scrip- 
 ture fays, was what our Saviour was lent 
 for. 
 
 And as Repentance and Reformation are 
 abfolutely neceffary to reconcile us to God, as 
 Sin is a Contradiction to his Nature and 
 Government : So our Saviour was fent to 
 call Sinners to Repentance, with full affu- 
 rance of the Favour of God, provided they 
 would accept the Offer, as an Act of his free 
 Grace and Mercy. 
 
 This is what no one can call into Difpute, 
 that ever read the New Teftament. 
 
 And fince they could not receive this Offer, 
 as from God, without owning him that 
 brought it, as the Minister of God; fo this 
 was the firft thing neceffary to the Recon- 
 ciliation of Sinners to God, that they receive 
 JefusChri/1, as God's Minifter, and accept the 
 Terms offered them by him on God's be- 
 half, as a Mediator appointed for this Pur- 
 pofe by God. 
 
 This is the firft thing that is meant by 
 Faith in Chrift : And this general Declara- 
 tion of Mercy to Sinners made by him in the 
 
 Name 
 
( 7 ) 
 Name of God was the firft A61 of his Media- 
 tion. Thus far we have no ro- m for doubt. 
 
 But there was fomething more neceffary 
 befide this to the Reconciliation of Sinners 
 to God, even in the Judgment of human 
 Reafon. 
 
 For it is evident both from Scripture and 
 profane Hiftory, that the World was not on- 
 ly funk into the loweft Corruption of Morals, 
 but their Understandings were darkened, and 
 their Hearts eftrang'd from God, and Good- 
 nefs: They neither knew God, nor how to 
 glorify him as God, and they were fo hard- 
 ened in Sin, that they wrought Wickednefs 
 with Greedinefs. 
 
 And therefore as there was a Necefllty 
 of a Reformation, fo there was an apparent 
 Necellity of fome Provifion to be made to 
 deliver them out of this ignorant and harden- 
 ed State. 
 
 And this the Scripture fays, our Saviour 
 was fent for, namely, to be a Light to the 
 Worldy to open their Eyes, and turn them from 
 Dark fiefs to Light, and from the 'Power of Sa- 
 tan unto God. 
 
 And as it is the ordinary Method of Provi- 
 dence to order all things according to their 
 Natures ; fo as Mankind are rational Crea- 
 tures, He fent him to treat with them in 
 a rational way, by giving them proper Means 
 of Knowledge to inform their Understandings, 
 
 B 4 and 
 
( 8 ). 
 
 and proper Motives to influence their Wills, 
 and incline them to act accordingly. 
 
 And as they are compofed of a bodily Na- 
 ture ; fo God appointed him likewife to take 
 Flelh and dwell among them, that He might 
 fpeak to them in a Human Way, without that 
 Terror and Aftonifhment, which the Voice 
 of God fpeaking from Heaven to them would 
 naturally occaiion, as it did in the Children 
 of Ifrael at the Delivery of the Law from 
 Mount Sinai. And on this Account, as God 
 promifed the yeivs^ that He would fpeak to 
 them by a Prophet of their Brethren like un- 
 to Mofes y fo he appointed Jefas Chrifl to be 
 born of a Woman, that the World might be 
 the more inclined to hearken to his Meffage, 
 when delivered to them by a Man like them- 
 felves; who could teach them what God re- 
 quired of them, as well by his Life, as by his 
 Doctrine. 
 
 But then, as he was to fpeak to them as a 
 MeiTenger from God, and on that Account, 
 as there feems to be a natural Fitnefs, and 
 Congruity,that He mould be of a higher Dig- 
 nity, and more fublime Perfections than other 
 Men 3 fo God provided, that tho' he Oiould 
 be born of a Woman, yet it {hould be in 
 fuch a Way, as no other Perfon was, fo as 
 to be properly the Son of God: And as fuch 
 the fitted Perfon to act in the Behalf and in 
 the Name of God, 
 
 But 
 
(9 \ 
 
 But then, as his acting in the Behalf and 
 by the Name of God would naturally require 
 fome Teftimony of his Miffion, by fuch Works 
 as none but God could do : And as He was 
 to declare the perfect Will of God, which 
 none but God could know j fo there was an 
 apparent Neceffity, that in order to the End, 
 He was fent for, He mould be indued with 
 extraordinary Gifts and Powers. And accord- 
 ingly the Scripture fays, That it pkajed the Fa- 
 ther-i that in hitn floould all Fullnejs dwell: Col. i. 
 19. And in Confequence of this, the Scrip- 
 ture farther fays, That the Fidlnefs of the God- 
 head dwelt in him bodily. Col. ii. 9. and that 
 Gcd (the Father) was in thrift Jefus reconciling 
 the World unto himfelf 2 Cor. v. 15. 
 
 So that Jefus Chrijl was as it were the Di- 
 vine Shekinah, in which God the Father dwelt t 
 in which he manifested Himfelf, iTim.iii. 16. 
 The Medium by which God fpake, and by 
 which he acted in this Reconciliation. For 
 what our Saviour fpake (in God's Name) the 
 Scripture fays, The Father fpake by him. 
 Heb. i. 1. Jch. xiv. 10. 
 
 And what he did, he did by the Father, or 
 the Father did by Him. The Father who 
 dwells in me, fays our Saviour exprefsly, He 
 does the Works, John xiv. 10. 
 
 This is the general notion of the Media- 
 tion of Jefus Chrijl, confidered, as acting 
 for God with Sinners. And in this Capa- 
 city 
 
( io ) 
 
 city he is rcprefented as a Prophet and Teach- 
 er fent from God, by whom rte was pleafed 
 to reveal his Will to Mankind. 
 
 And from what has been already fa id of it, 
 we fee, 'tis fuch a Method, as, according to our 
 own Notions, is fuitable to the Nature and Dig- 
 nity of God, and the Nature, Necefluy and Im- 
 perfection of Mankind, and as fuch a moft 
 natural and effectual Means of bringing them 
 to eternal Life. 
 
 Bur there is another part of his Mediato- 
 rial Office, in which He was to act for Sin- 
 ners with God, in order to their Reconcili- 
 ation to him : And that which he was to 
 do on their Parr, the Scripture tells us, was, 
 to offer Sacrifice to God for their Sins, as an 
 Expiation or Atonement for them. 
 
 And the Sacrifice he was to offer for this 
 Pu'pofe was his own Life. 
 
 As He was fent to take our Nature upon him, 
 fo God fore-knew, how Mankind would deal 
 with him, what Indignities they would treat 
 him with, and what Death they would put 
 him to: And upon his Submiffion to under- 
 go all this for our Sakes, that he might here- 
 by reconcile us to God, God was pleafed to 
 accept of his Blood fo offered up, as a Sa- 
 crifice of Propitiation for the Sins of all, that 
 would come unto God by him, in Affurance 
 of the Favour of God through him. 
 
 In 
 
f" ) 
 
 In teftimony of his Acceptance of our 
 Saviour's Sacrifice, He raifed him from the 
 Dead, and fee him at his own Right Hand; 
 where he continues with the Father, as our 
 Advocate to make Interceffion for us, by pre- 
 fenting his crucified Body before the Throne 
 of God, as a continual Memorial, as it were 
 of what he furTered, as a Propitiation for 
 us, according to the Covenant between his 
 Father and him. 
 
 And on this Account he is reprefented in 
 Scripture as our High PriefT, becaufe as it 
 was the Office of the High Prieft under the 
 Law of Mofes, in publick Expiations to pre- 
 fent the Blood of the Sacrifice offered by the 
 People, before the Mercy Seat of the Holy 
 Temple ; fo our Saviour prefented his Blood 
 or crucified Body before the Throne of God 
 in Heaven, appealing thereby, as it were to 
 God, for the Performance of his Mercy pro- 
 mifed to Sinners thro' his Death, as a Propi- 
 tiation for them. 
 
 Thefe are the feveral Steps of our Saviour's 
 Mediation, in order to the Reconciliation of 
 Sinners to God : 
 
 And thefe he took, as the Scripture repre- 
 fents it, by way of Purchafe, in Confequence 
 of a prior Covenant and Agreement between 
 the Father and him. 
 
 What 
 
( «) 
 
 What this Covenant was, when made, and 
 what the Conditions of it, is the next thing 
 to be confidered. 
 
 That there was a Covenant made between 
 God the Father and our Saviour Chrift, in 
 order to the Redemption of Mankind, is to 
 all Intents and Purpofes as plain, as if it were 
 fet forth in Form. 
 
 For when one Party propofes any Advan- 
 tage to another on certain Terms and Condi- 
 tions to be performed ; if that other accepts 
 the Offer, and fubmits to the Conditions, this 
 is as clear a Covenant as poffible. 
 
 And if God the Father appointed Jefus 
 Chrift to come into the World for our Sal- 
 vation, on a certain Motive offered to him, 
 and on certain Conditions required of him, 
 which our Saviour accepted, and fubmitted 
 to, is not this to all Intents and Purpofes a 
 plain Covenant, or Agreement between the 
 Father and Him ? And does not God by 
 this way of treating with our Saviour, as much 
 put himfelf under Obligation of Juftice to 
 perform what he promifes on the Condition 
 fulfilled, as we do, when we declare our Co- 
 venants (by Bond or Indenture,) with one a- 
 nother ? And if our Saviour has performed 
 what was required of him by the Father, 
 Has He not the fame Right to what the Fa- 
 ther has promifed, as we have to thofe things, 
 
 that 
 
( i3 ) 
 
 that we purchafe with a Price, and in the 
 fame Manner? 
 
 And when we are told in Scripture, that 
 our Saviour took the Work of our Redemp- 
 tion on him, not only in Obedience to his Fa- 
 ther's Will and Commandment, Job. v. 30. 
 — vi. 3, 8.— — vii. 16. but alfo on the Con- 
 federation of a Motive offered to him, which 
 is call'd The Joy that was fet before Him, 
 which implies fome Joy that he had not, and 
 could not have, but on the Condition requir'd 
 of him j does not this neceffarily imply a Co- 
 venant offered by God, and accepted by Chrili, 
 as the conditional Means of our Reconci- 
 liation with God ? Nothing can be plainer I 
 think, than this. 
 
 When this Covenant was made between 
 God, and our Saviour, we are not particu- 
 larly told : But in general it is faid, that it 
 was before the Foundation of the World, 
 upon the eternal Fore-knowledge of God, how 
 Mankind would act after they fhould be crea- 
 ted, what Miferies they would bring them- 
 felves into, and what Remedy they would 
 want in time to come. 
 
 This the Scripture teaches in feveral places, 
 I Pet. i. 18. Eph. i. 3, 4. 
 
 And St. Paul expreisly tells us, T/V. i. 
 2, 3. That before the Foundation of the 
 World, the promife of eternal Life was made 
 by God to be manifefted in due time by the 
 
 preach- 
 
( H ) 
 
 preaching of the Gofpel : And to whom (hould 
 this Promife be made, but Him, who was, e- 
 ven then, the appointed Inftrument, and Mi- 
 nifter, by whom this Gofpel was to be preach- 
 ed, and thro' whom Mankind were to be in- 
 titled to the Promife, even Jefus Chriji ? 
 
 For the Scripture reprefents Jefus Chri/l y 
 as having had a Being before the Creation, 
 That he was with God y and in Glory with 
 him before the World was: And fince he 
 left all this Glory to come into the World, and 
 do the Office of a Mediator between God 
 and Man on Earth ; and fince he is faid to 
 do this in Submiffion to his Father's Will, 
 and for the Joy that was fet before him, 
 (that is, as I conceive, the Joy of being the In- 
 ftrument of lb much Good to Mankind) /to 
 we Jhould not perifi, but have enjerlajling Life ; 
 Does not this naturally imply a Covenant be- 
 tween God and our Saviour, even before the 
 Creation, and what that Covenant was ? 
 
 And does it not likewife imply, that our 
 Saviour having performed what was required 
 of him, as the Condition on which God 
 would be reconciled to Sinners, He has here- 
 by paid the Price of our Reconciliation, and 
 in an eafy, and intelligible Senfe has purchafed 
 our Redemption for us ? 
 
 And in this Senfe He is truly faid in Scrip- 
 ture to have bought us with a Price, which, 
 tho' it was not with Silver, and Gold, or 
 
 cor- 
 
( i5 ) 
 
 corruptible things, yet it was with a Price 
 of the hi^heft Nature, and inconceivable Va- 
 lue, beyond all things of this lower World, 
 namely, by his putting off the Form of God, 
 to put on the Form of a Servant, and leaving 
 the Glories of Heaven to live meanly and dis- 
 honourably on Earth, and at laft die in Shame 
 and Mifery, as he did. 
 
 And this, I fay, fince he was content to do, 
 lhat we fiould not perifi, but have everlajiing 
 Life, we are ftriclly, and without Figure faid 
 to be bought, and redeemed by him. 
 
 And this, I think, is the whole of the 
 Scripture Notion of it : 
 
 And if fo, this will teach us how we are 
 to underftand the next Point to be explained, 
 namely, That we have Redemption thro' 
 his Blood. 
 
 But before I proceed to this, I think it 
 proper to make fome Obfervationson what has 
 been faid for the farther Illuftration of this 
 Doctrine of our Redemption, and the clear- 
 ing it from its ufual Mifreprefentations. 
 
 An 
 
( i6) 
 
 An ObjeElion confdered from God's 
 Fore -Jig ht of the Si?i of Man, 
 
 IN the firft Place I have fhewn, that the 
 Gofpel Scheme of our Redemption was 
 laid by God, and tranfa&ed with thrift be- 
 fore the World was made, upon the certain 
 Fore-knowledge of the future Actions of 
 Mankind, and the Miferies the World would 
 bring themfelves into. Now this is Matter of 
 great Aftonifhment to us, That God mould 
 forefee all this before they were created, and 
 yet notwithftanding this He mould vouch- 
 safe to give Being to fuch an ungrateful Race 
 of Monfters, as he knew they would prove S 
 But much more that he mould contrive be- 
 forehand this wonderful Method of their Re- 
 demption by Chrift, all which might have 
 been prevented, barely by their not being 
 created. 
 
 But this Aftonimment is owing only to our 
 Ignorance of the Reafon and End of God's 
 Operations. It is a certain Truth that God 
 is Wife and Good, and cannot do any thing 
 but what is beft to be done. And there- 
 fore that he decreed to create and redeem 
 the World, notwithftanding the difmal Pro- 
 fpect he had before him, was what he had 
 wife and good Reafons for: And we mult 
 conceive in general, that it was better to be fo 
 
 than 
 
( i7 ) 
 
 than otherwlfe, tbo' we poor fhort- lighted 
 Creatures are not able to account for ir, who 
 know no more of his Defigns, than juft what 
 relates to ourlelyes. 
 
 All that we are concerned in is the Fact 
 itfelf, whether our Redemption was the Work 
 of God: And if we have fuflicient Afiu- 
 rance of this from the Authority of Chrift, 
 who was lent from God to reveal it to us, 
 and work our Redemption for us, we have 
 enough, and perhaps all that is poffible for 
 us to comprehend : And therefore we mult 
 not be ftartled at any Difficulties arifing from 
 what we do not or cannot know, to doubt 
 of our Redemption by Chrift, when we have 
 all the Evidence of it poflible that the Na- 
 ture of the thing will bear. If from the 
 Fore-knowledge of God we can doubt of the 
 Redemption, we have the fame Reafon to 
 doubt of the Creation of the World j for there 
 is the fame Objection to Both, as either, that 
 is, we are equally ignorant of the Reafon of 
 Both. 
 
 And when we ask a Reafon why God de- 
 creed our Redemption before we were made, 
 when he knew how we would act after our 
 Creation, this is in effect only to ask why he 
 made us Free Agents, capable of finning, and 
 why he did not prevent our acling accord- 
 ing to our Natures. 
 
 C And 
 
( i8 ) 
 
 And if we do not think it reafonable to 
 doubt of our Creation, becaufe God has made 
 us free, which Freedom we have, and which 
 he fore-knew we would abufe, we have much 
 lefs Reafon to doubt our Redemption on this 
 Account : For all that believe a God, be- 
 lieve Him to be Good, and when Sin had 
 brought the World into Mifery, there could 
 be no greater a£t of Goodnefs, and therefore 
 nothing more worthy of God, than to offer 
 them proper Means of Relief. 
 
 And if this was fit for a Good God to do, 
 it was eternally fit for Him to decree, that 
 it mould be done, whenever the Necef- 
 fities of Mankind mould call for it, as He 
 from all Eternity fore-knew they would. 
 
 A mijlaken Notion of the Redemp- 
 tion by Chrijl confuted, 
 
 ECONDLY from what has been faid, 
 we are taught how to regulate our No- 
 tions of the Part, which our Saviour acted 
 in this Affair, and which I doubt is too often 
 miftaken and mifreprefented, tho' it is of great 
 Importance to be rightly underftood. For 
 according to this Scheme of our Redemption 
 by Chrift, it appears to be quite another 
 thing than it is ufually thought to be. 
 
 Ac- 
 
( 19 ) 
 
 According to this Scheme it is Taid to be 
 the fole Contrivance of God the Father, and 
 our Saviour is only the Inflrument, by whom 
 it was executed according to God the Father's 
 Appointment. And tho' this is evidently the 
 Scripture Doctrine, yet I doubt this is not 
 the general Notion received by Chriftians. 
 
 It is a common thing with Chriitians iri 
 fpeaking of this Subject to represent our Re- 
 demption, as arifing from a kind of Contrail 
 or Struggle between the Juftice and Goodnefs 
 of God 5 Juftice calling for Vengeance, and 
 Goodnefs for Mercy towards Sinners. Upon 
 which our Saviour is reprefented, as interpo- 
 fing and offering himfelf to God, as a Me- 
 diator for Mankind, to fatisfy his Vindic- 
 tive Juftice, that there might be room for 
 Mercy to take Place. 
 
 This is a common Scheme of our Redemp- 
 tion by Chrift : But 'tis all Invention, and 
 Romance, neither founded on Reafon, nor 
 Scripture ; for it does not appear to me from 
 either of them, that any fuch Attribute, as 
 Vindictive Juftice, confidered as a Delire to 
 execute Vengeance can realbnably be afcri- 
 bed to God. 
 
 Thus much is certain arid allowed by all, 
 that God is a Holy Being, that hates Iniquity ; 
 and as He has given us Laws to walk by, 
 fo He expe&s that we live according to 
 them, and whatever Means are necefTary to 
 
 C 2 in- 
 
( ^ ) 
 
 ingage us to do this, His Holinefs, Wifdom, 
 and Goodnefs incline Him to : And by Con- 
 fluence fo far as the Punifhment of Sinners 
 is neceifary to this End, fo far his Holinefs, 
 Wifdom and Goodnefs will always incline 
 him to punifh Sinners. 
 
 And in the Execution of Punifhment, as 
 his Holinefs, Wifdom and Goodnefs will re- 
 quire that he do it righteouily and impar- 
 tially; fo this we call Punitive, or if you pleafe 
 Vindictive Juftice. And we conceive, that 
 God is always immutably difpofed to adl 
 thus, whenever his Holinefs, Wifdom, and 
 Goodnefs require him to punifh Sinners. 
 
 But to imagine that there is any fuch At- 
 tribute in God, as thirfts, if I may fo fpeak, 
 after Vengeance, and delights in giving Pain 
 and Sorrow in the way of Punifhment to Sin- 
 ners, without regard to Wifdom and Good- 
 nefs, is what I don't find any Foundation for 
 either in Nature, or Scripture. 
 
 The Scripture reprefents God under a quite 
 different Character, as a God flow to Anger, 
 Patient and Long-fufTering, forgiving Iniqui- 
 ty, Tranfgreition, and Sin ; that does not 
 willingly afflict or grieve his Children, or de- 
 light in the Death of a Sinner. And when- 
 ever he punimes, it is faid to be his flrange 
 Work, that is, a Work that He is averfe to: 
 And therefore when He executes Judgment, 
 2 it 
 
( 21 ) 
 
 it is only as a Means of doing Good, in the 
 Reformation or Difcouragement of Sin, and the 
 Prefervation of Government, and good Order, 
 as neceffary to fome particular End of his 
 Wife and Good Providence : And therefore I 
 cannot but think fuch a Reprefentation of 
 God to be unworthy of Him, and hLhly 
 dishonourable to Him. 
 
 And fo in like Manner when our Saviour is 
 reprefented as interpofing, as it were, as a 
 Mediator to reconcile the two jarring Attri- 
 butes, by offering Satisfaction to the Juftice 
 of God, that He might be enabled to fhew 
 Mercy to Sinners, this is likewife fo wild and 
 whimfical a Notion, that I cannot but won- 
 der how it could come into any one's Head 
 that knows any thing of the Nature of God; 
 but much more of the Scripture, where this 
 Wife and Gracious Difpenfation of Mercy, by 
 the Mediation of Chrift, is fet forth to us 
 throughout the whole Book, as owing only 
 to the Riches of the Free Grace of God the 
 Father. 
 
 For is it not exprefsly faid that our Redemp- 
 tion by Chrift is God's Gift, and the EjfecJ of 
 bis Love wherewith he loved us, that in Ages 
 to come he might flow the abundant Riches of 
 his Grace in his Kindnefs to us through Chrifl : 
 Eph. ii. 4, &c. And is not God faid to have 
 reconciled the World unto Himfelf by J ejus 
 Chri/lf i Cor. v. 18. And is it not faid that 
 C 3 Chrift 
 
( 22 ) 
 
 Chrift was fent by the Father to feek and to 
 ftp that which was loJl y and that God ga-ie 
 h l m out of his Love to the World , that all how 
 believe in Him JJmtld not perijh, but have 
 everlajl'mg life? Job. in. 16. 
 
 And tho' it is true, that J 'efus Chrijl is made 
 the Infhument and Mediator thro' whom 
 God was pleaied to be reconciled to Man- 
 kind, and 'tis faid that for his Sake God has 
 forgiven us, yet this is not fo to be under- 
 ftood, as if by his Interpofition he had pre- 
 vailed with God to do what he was not ohert- 
 wife difpofed to do : No, on the contrary, the. 
 whole Contrivance is laid to be the Effect 
 of his Love and Goodnefs onlv,and what our 
 Saviour did was only in Compliance with his 
 Father's Will and Appointment, as it was God's 
 Will and Pleafure to make His Humiliation 
 and Death the Condition and Price of our 
 Redemption : Thus we read, that the Reafon 
 why he took that Body in which he mani- 
 feded himfelf to rhe World was, becaufe God 
 had prepared it for him, and it was his Will, 
 and Commandment : Lo, I come to do thy 
 Will y O God; thy Law, is within my Heart, 
 Pfal. xl. 7, 9. Heb. x. 
 
 When He came into the W 7 orld, He came 
 not to do his own Will, but the Father s } and 
 to fulfil his Father s Commandment : John v. 30. 
 vi. 38. vii. 16. 
 
 When 
 
( 2 3 ) 
 
 When he fubmitted to dye for us, it was 
 becaufe he was fent to be a "Propitiation for 
 our Sins. I John iv. io. 
 
 And when he (lied his Blood upon the 
 Crofs, does he not call it the Cup that his Fa- 
 ther had given him to drink? and does he not 
 expreilly fay, that he fubmitted to it in Resig- 
 nation to his Father's Will j not my Will, but 
 thine be done ? 
 
 And does not St. Paul tell us, that our Sa- 
 viour's enduring the Crofs, and defpijmg tie 
 Shame of his Crucifixion was not, as a Motive 
 to incline God to fhow Mercy to Mankind, 
 but it was fubmitted to by him on the Con- 
 fideration of a Motive ofFer'd to him by God 
 the Father, which is called The Joy that was 
 fet before Him. Heb. xii. 2. 
 
 And is not our Juftification by his Blood 
 afcribed to the free Grace of God? Eph. i. 
 
 5.6. 
 
 And that we have any Benefit by his Re- 
 furrection, is it not imputed exprefHy to the 
 abundant Mercy of God to us? 1 Pet. i. 3. 
 
 And is not our Adoption into the Number 
 of God's Children by Chriff laid to be owin^ 
 only to God the Father, who predefiinated us 
 to it, according to the good Pleafure of his Will, 
 to the Praife and Glory of his Grace, wherein 
 he has accepted us in his beloved Son? Eph. i. 
 4> 5> 6 - 
 
 C 4. Now 
 

 ( 24 ) 
 
 Now from all this you fee, that the whole 
 Scheme of our Redemption by Chrift was the 
 Work and Contrivance of God the -Father, 
 wirhout any other Motive to it but his own 
 inherent Goodnefs: And that the Efficacy of 
 what our Saviour has done towards it is ow- 
 ing only to his chearful Compliance with the 
 Will of God the Father appointing it, as the 
 Condition of our Reconciliation with him. 
 
 I would not be thought by any one to fay 
 this in Derogation to the Honour of our Sa- 
 viour in this Work: God forbid, that I or any 
 one fhould admit a Thought," that tends to 
 lefTen what he has done for us. 
 
 I magnify and adore his Goodnefs, and can 
 never be fufficiently grateful for his Love, that 
 he has condeicended to be the Inftrument of 
 {o much Good to me, and to the World : 
 
 But I do not think it any Diminution to his 
 Honour, not to afcribe that to Him, which 
 the Scripture does not afcribe to Him, and 
 which he does not aflume to himfelf : 
 
 He declares himfelf to be only the Execu- 
 tor of his Father's Will. John v. 30. — vi. 38. 
 And it was a wonderful Condefcenfion in him, 
 who was with God, and in the Form of God y 
 and in Glory with him, to empty himfelf of 
 all this; to put off this Form of God to be 
 made Man, to leave his heavenly Glory to be 
 made of no Reputation upon Earth, to lead 
 a miferabje Life, and at iaft die a {hamefui 
 
 Death a 
 
( 2 5 ) 
 
 Death, that we might live thro' him. As 
 this, I fay, was an amazing Inftance of his 
 Love and Goodnefs to us, to fubmit fo chear- 
 fully to this aftonifhing Humiliation for our 
 fake ; fo we owe him all Love and Gratitude, 
 all Duty and Obedience poffible: And as all 
 the feveral Steps of his Humiliation were ap- 
 pointed by God, and fulfilled by Chrift, as the 
 Price and Purchafe of our Redemption, we 
 ought thankfully to acknowledge his Goodnefs 
 in his Mediation for us : And if we receive him 
 for our Redeemer, and only Mediator, if we 
 fubmit to him, as his Purchafe, and hope for 
 Pardon and Acceptance only thro* him, endea- 
 vouring to glorify him with our Bodies, and 
 with our Spirits, which are his, this is all 
 the Scripture requires of us j and with thefe 
 Qualifications we mail not be difappointed of 
 the Benefit of that Redemption He has 
 wrought for us. 
 
 An Objetlion anfwered relating to the 
 pre-exijlent Nature ofCbrift. 
 
 HTH IRDLY, from what has been faid, 
 we cannot but obferve, That fince the 
 Redemption of Mankind was the Contrivance 
 of God the Father, which he determined 
 mould be executed by J ejus Chrift ; and lince 
 Jefus Chrift undertook this Work in Obedi- 
 ence 
 
( 26 ) 
 
 ence to his Father's Will, and Command- 
 ment, fubmitting to leave the Glory he had 
 with the Father before the World was, to 
 take upon him our Nature from a Promife 
 made of our Redemption thro' his Blood 
 fhed for us, as our Mediator, and on the Con- 
 fideration of a Motive offered, viz. a Joy that 
 was fet before him, which Joy he had nor, 
 and could not have but on the Condition re- 
 quired of him ; we cannot but obferve, I fay, 
 That this carries an Appearance of twodiftinct 
 Beings of diftincl: Wilis and Powers, acting 
 feparately and diftinclly. 
 
 For it reprefents Jefus Chrifi to us, as a 
 diftinct Perfon covenanting with the Father, 
 and not only receiving Promifes from him, 
 but as fent by him, which feems to imply 
 that He was a feparate and diftinct Being 
 from him, that fent him : Nay farther, that 
 He was fent not to do his own Will, but the 
 Father's, and therefore that he had not only 
 a Will of his own in Contradiftinction to 
 his Father's Will 5 but was alfo in a ftate of 
 Inferiority and Subjection to the Father; and 
 all this before he came into the World : 
 And fince He was to leave the Glory he had 
 with the Father, to come down upon the 
 Earth, this feems likewife to imply that he 
 was not only a different Being from the Fa- 
 ther, as he could be parted from him to be- 
 come Incarnate ; but alfo that he was not a 
 
 ne- 
 
(27 ) 
 
 neceflary and immutable Being, and there- 
 fore that he had a Nature inferior to God, 
 becaufe God cannot be capable of Change 
 or Diminution : And fince we know no Me- 
 dium between God and Creature, it feems na- 
 tural to conclude from thefe Reprefentations, 
 that as our Saviour had a Being before he 
 came into the World, fo he had a created 
 Nature, in refpect of which all thefe things 
 muft be underftood to be fpoken of him. 
 
 This is an Objection often made, and muft 
 appear to every impartial Reader at firft, 
 Sight, and it may not be amifs to confider 
 what Account we are able to give of this, as 
 it is a Difficulty of very great Moment. 
 
 Now in anfwer to it, I think it very 
 little to the Purpofe to alledge, That the 
 Scriptures fpeak of him, as God in his pre- 
 exiftent State. I don't deny, that they do, 
 and I would not be thought to doubt his 
 Divinity even in the ftridleft Meaning of the 
 Word. But yet 'tis very plain, that the In- 
 ftances before given, are as full a Proof of a 
 created Nature, as any can be given of his Divi- 
 nity, and how to reconcile them is the Diffi- 
 culty. The Scripture is plain in Both, and 
 muft be equally true in Both, and nothing 
 can reconcile the Difficulty, but fome Notion 
 that will (how us how He might be both 
 God and Creature at the fame time, before 
 he came into the World. 
 
 I And 
 
( 28 ) 
 
 And for this Purpofe, I defire it may be 
 obferved, that as our Saviour after he appear- 
 ed in the World was Man, as well as God, 'tis 
 certain, he had a human Soul, as other Men 
 have. And 'tis a reafonable Queftion, whe- 
 ther that Soul did not exift, before He took 
 a Body. 
 
 It is certain, that it was an ancient Opi- 
 nion long before our Saviour's Time, that all 
 Souls pre-exift their Bodies: And no Man 
 can deny the Poffibility of it: 'Tis plain, 
 that a Soul may be capable of exifting as well 
 before it has a Body, as after it is feparated 
 from its Body by Death. 
 
 And if it be poffible, that all Souls may 
 pre-exift their Bodies, it muft be poffible, and 
 may be true for any thing we know to the 
 contrary, That our Saviour's Soul did pre- 
 exift his Body $ that is, That he exifted in his 
 intellectual Part before He had a human 
 Body. 
 
 And if fo, fince no Man denies (in our 
 Days) that his human intellectual Part or Soul 
 was a created Subftance, it is thence certain, 
 that if he exifted in his human Soul, he had 
 a created Nature before he took a Body. 
 Thus far we ftand upon a certain Bot- 
 tom. 
 
 And if fo, may it not be reafonable (as I 
 am fure it cannot be Herefy) to conceive, 
 That all thofe Exprefiions, which relate to 
 
 Him, 
 
r 29 ) 
 
 Him, and betoken a feparate, inferior, de- 
 pendent Agent, fent from the Glory he had 
 with the Father to become Man, and per- 
 form the Work of our Redemption, in Obe- 
 dience to his Father's Commandment, are all 
 fpoken of Him, as exifting in his intelle&ual 
 Part, or human Soul ; and therefore as a cre- 
 ated Being, in which Refpecl only 'tis poflible 
 that they can be applied to Him ? And when 
 He is called by St. John The Logos, may it not 
 be a reafonable Queftion, whether this muft 
 not be underflood of him, in refpect of his 
 human Soul ? For 'tis certain, that the Lo» 
 gos was a Form ufed by the Heathens, to 
 exprefs the human Soul, when fpoken in 
 ContradiftincYion to the Body *. 
 
 And we are not without Reafon to think, 
 this might be the Meaning of the Evange- 
 lift in that place, becaufe we are by Euf'ebius 
 told, that the Reafon of his writing that Gof- 
 pel was, to (hew, in Oppofition to the E- 
 blonites and Cerinthians of thofe Days, that 
 our Saviour had a Being, before he was con- 
 ceived of the Virgin, contrary to what was 
 maintained by them. 
 
 And if when St. John tells us, that the Lo- 
 gos was made Flejh, Ch. i. v. 14. he means, as 
 doubtlefs he does, that He was made Man, it 
 feems to follow naturally, that the Logos was 
 
 * See the Appendix. 
 
 the 
 
( 3° ) 
 
 the reasonable Soul of Chrift, which became 
 Man by being united to a human Body. For 
 a human Body is not a Man, whilft without 
 a Soul : And if the Logos by taking a human 
 Body became Man, it is not eafy to conceive 
 how this can be, unlefs he was the Soul of 
 that Body. 
 
 It is no Objection to this, as I faid before, 
 That the Logos is called God, for this does 
 not neceflarily imply, that He was God, as 
 Logos. 
 
 Our Saviour, when on Earth, tho' Man, 
 is called God, and was God no doubt, but 
 not as Man : He was God only in refpect of 
 the Deity, that dwelt in him, was united to 
 him, and one with him, and acled in him, 
 and by him. 
 
 And if fo, by the fame Reafon, and in the 
 fame Manner, however it was, and fame Senfe, 
 if we fuppofe the Father united to the Logos, 
 and acting in, and by him, before He took Flefh, 
 as He did after He took Flefh, the Logos was 
 God in the very fame Senfe, that the Man Chrijl 
 Jefus was, and for the fame Reafon. 
 
 And it can be no Derogation to the Di- 
 vinity of Chrift, to believe, that He, tho' a 
 Creature, was called God, and was God in 
 the fame Senfe, before He took Flefh, that 
 He was afterwards. 
 
 Before he took Flefh, He was God, and 
 Logos j and after He took Flefh, He was God, 
 
 and 
 
( 3i ) 
 
 and Man. The Godhead is the fame under 
 both Distinctions. 
 
 And tho' neither the Logos limply as a 
 Creature, nor the Man Chrift Jefus, as Man, 
 can be properly called God, in his own pro- 
 per Nature ; yet considered as united to the 
 Godhead of the Father, he may in both 
 Refpecls be properly called God by the Fa- 
 ther's Godhead, which is called in the Nicene 
 Creed, God of God. 
 
 All the mod ftri&ly Orthodox Divines a- 
 gree, that the Father is Fons Deitatis, the 
 Fountain from whence the Son and Holy 
 Spirit derive their Divinity. 
 
 And this Notion lets us into the Manner 
 how : Whether it will be acceptable, I cannoc 
 tell, but it feems to be confident both with 
 Scripture and Reafon, and will not only Ac- 
 count for the Difficulties we are otherwife 
 perplexed with, but alfo make the Doctrine 
 of our Redemption by Chrift, as likewife his 
 Divinity, very eafy and intelligible to ordina- 
 ry Capacities. 
 
 This I thought proper to be confidered in 
 this place, and I leave it, as a Problem un- 
 determined. I will only take Notice of one 
 thing farther, which is, that if it be any Diffi- 
 culty to any one to underftand, how God 
 can be faid to dwell in, to be united to, and 
 act in and by the Logos, or human Soul of 
 
 Chrift, 
 
f 32 ) 
 
 Chrift, before he had a Body, let him con- 
 fider, that we are not to underfland the Man- 
 ner how things are : But yet if we reflect 
 on what the Scripture tells us, of the Angels 
 of God, that they are as a flaming Fire, that 
 is, that they are probably encompaffed with 
 a material Vehicle of Light, cloathed fas 
 in the Scripture Phrafe) with Light, as with 
 a Garment : And if all Spirits be of the fame 
 Nature, it is no Improbability to fuppofe, that 
 the human Soul of Chrift in his pre-exift- 
 ent State might be cloathed with a like lu- 
 minous Vehicle with the Angels: And if fo, 
 there is no Difficulty in apprehending, that 
 God might unite himfelf to him in that lu- 
 minous Body, as he did afterwards in his hu- 
 man Body : In refpecl of which Union, how- 
 ever it was, He might as well be called God, 
 when Logos, as He afterwards was in the hu- 
 man Body : And it is ealily intelligible, how it 
 might be faid, as it is by St. Jolm, that the 
 Logos was with God, and was God, at the fame 
 time, tho' not in the fame refpect -, and this 
 without Art or critical Evaiion. 
 
 But how plaufible foever this Notion 
 may appear, I offer it only as an Expedi- 
 ent to account for thofe Expreffions, which 
 we meet with all along throughout the whole 
 Scripture, by which our Saviour appears to be 
 a feparate, diftincl:, inferior, dependent, and 
 therefore created Being : And as this is a 
 
 Stum- 
 
( 33 ) 
 
 Siumbling-Block to many g°>od Men, other- 
 wife well difpofed to Chriftianity, fo if this 
 can be removed in fuch a way, as is not in- 
 confiftent with any other Doctrine revealed 
 in the Gofpel, it is fo far a Service to the 
 Caufe of Chrift. 
 
 And this Notion, I fay, I have here propo- 
 fed as an Expedient for this Purpofe, as it 
 feems to give us an eafy Account of thefe 
 Expreffions, and make the Doctrine of our 
 Redemption by Chrift and his Divinity intel- 
 ligible. 
 
 The Trinity intelligibly explained. 
 
 AN D if the fame Notion be applied to 
 the Holy Spirit, who tho' He be fpoken 
 of in Scripture under fuch Expreffions as be- 
 token his being very God, yet he is in o- 
 ther Places reprefented, as a diftinct Being 
 acting feparately from the Father, and the 
 Son, and not only in a State of Inferiority to 
 both, but as doing what cannot be done by 
 God : If this Notion, I fay, be applied to him, 
 and if he may be confidered, as having two 
 Natures, that is, a created united to the Di- 
 vine Nature, and that God dwelt in him, and 
 acted in and by him, as He did in and by Je- 
 Jus Chrift^ however that wa?, this, I think, 
 will give us an eafy Apprehenfion of the 
 
 D Tri- 
 
( 34) 
 
 Trinity, which has fo long puzzled Mankind, 
 and rid us of a great many Difficulties, which 
 attend that Doctrine, as it is ufually explain- 
 ed by Divines, and that without giving up 
 any thing, that the Scripture has revealed 
 concerning it : For ail that the Scripture teaches 
 is, That tho' there is hut one true God the 
 Father, who is the only true God, Johnx^u,^. 
 Yet the Son and Holy Spirit have the fame God- 
 head, and are one and the fame God with him : 
 from when e it follows, as the Nicene Creed 
 explains it, that they are God by the Father's 
 Godhead : And if the Notion here propofed 
 will make this intelligible, and at the fame 
 time account for all thofe Expreffions, by 
 which both the Son and Spirit are reprefent- 
 ed, as having a created Nature, and thereby 
 neceffarily feparate and dependent Beings in 
 themfelves, alcribing to them at the fame time 
 every Divine Character, Attribute and Ope- 
 ration, that the Scripture afcribes to them, 
 and in the ftricteft Scripture Senfeand Mean- 
 ing of them, what can be defired more ? And 
 whether it does this or not, I leave to every 
 one's impartial Judgment. 
 
 But ftill I defire the Reader to remember, 
 that I offer this only as a Notion, that I think 
 proper to folve a Difficulty, which if it can 
 be as conveniently folved without it, I am 
 content it mould go for nothing. 
 
 7be 
 
( 35 ) 
 
 'The Merit and SatisfaElim of Chrijh 
 explai?ied. 
 
 FOURTHLY, if what has been faid bo 
 a true Account of our Redemption by 
 Chrift, this will teach us how to regulate our 
 Notions of his Merit and Satisfaction, which 
 are fo much talk'd of by Divines, and which 
 not only weak Chriftians, but even learned 
 Men are puzzled to give a reafonable ac- 
 count of. 
 
 Asj for the former of thefe, His Merit,' 
 we all know, that according to the Notions 
 of all the World, when a Perfon does any 
 thing, be it what it will, as a Condition of 
 any Benefit, or Privilege promifed, He has a 
 Right to the thing promifed, fo far as he has 
 performed the Conditions required. 
 
 And therefore when Jefus Chrift is confi- 
 dered, as having done what God required of 
 him for our Redemption, He is truly faid to 
 have merited it of God, and may claim it 
 as his Right and Due: This, I think, all Par- 
 ties muft agree in. 
 
 And in the fame Manner, and for the fame 
 Reafon our Saviour may be faid to have made 
 Satisfaction for Sinners, having done all thac 
 God required for their Pardon on his Part, 
 and what God is pleafed to accept, as a Sa- 
 tisfaction. 
 
 D 2 This 
 
( 36 ) 
 
 This is a Notion that every one under- 
 ftands, and every one muft likewife agree in, 
 and fo far thefe Words may be of Ufe in the 
 Explication of the Doctrine of our Redemp- 
 tion : But when Difputes are raifed about 
 them, they ought to be rejected, as vain and 
 unprofitable, if not worfe. For thefe Ex- 
 preffions are not found in Scripture, but are 
 only the Inventions of Men ; and therefore 
 as no Doctrines of Salvation can be built 
 upon them, fo Chriftians ought not to be 
 perplexed, and difturbed with them. 
 
 A Merit of Covenant or Promife is plainly 
 taught in Scripture : And provided we believe 
 that God is reconciled to Sinners by what 
 Chrift: has done, and fuffered for us, as a 
 Price which God is pleafed to accept, for 
 their Redemption, we believe enough for 
 our Purpofe, as to the Merit of Chrift, and 
 as much as the Scripture tells us. And in this 
 Senfe we may ufe the Words Merit and Satis- 
 faction fafely, but farther than this I conceive 
 we ought not to go. But I would not be here 
 underftood, as if I thought the Merit and Sa- 
 tisfaction of Chrift, even in this Senfe, did 
 not receive a vaft Addition of Value from the 
 Dignity of his facred Perfon ; the Glory and 
 Happinefs he left in Heaven, and the Mife- 
 ries he underwent on Earth : It was an a- 
 mazing Condefcenfion in him to put off the 
 Form of God y and leave his Heavenly Glory 
 
 and 
 
(37), 
 
 and Happinefs to lead a miferable Life, and 
 die a fhameful and accurfed Death, as a Ran- 
 fom for a finful World, that they mould not 
 perifh, but have everlafting Life: And thar, 
 He fhould fubmit to all this, chearfully en- 
 during the Crofs, and defpifing the Shame, 
 for the Joy that was fet before him, the Joy 
 of being the Inftrument of fo much Good to 
 Mankind, as an aftonifhing Inftance of his 
 Love, and Goodnefs : But yet this is only a 
 Circumftance. The real Merit of our Re- 
 demption does not reft on this, according to 
 the Scripture Account of it, bu"t on his Per- 
 formance of what God the Father required 
 to be done, and fuffered by him, as the Price 
 of it : And the Value of the Price is not ma- 
 terial, fo long as God is pleafed to appoint and 
 accept it. 
 
 For tho' God has a Right to punifh Sinners, 
 yet he may recede from that Right on what- 
 ever Terms his Wifdom fees fit : And fince 
 our Saviour has fulfilled the Terms required 
 of him, as the Price which he was to pay 
 for our Redemption, he has thereby purcha- 
 fed, and merited our Redemption for us, 
 without regard to what he was, or what he 
 parted with, or the Sufferings He underwent 
 for it. 
 
 The contrary to this, I am very fenfi- 
 ble, has been currently maintained, and 
 taught by the general Body of Divines, upon 
 
 D 3 a 
 
( 38 ) 
 
 b, Notion, 1 think, took eafiiy received, and 
 taken for granted by them, That a Creature 
 cannot merit : And therefore nothing rnuft be 
 allowed to merit our Redemption, or make 
 Satisfaction for us, but God. 
 
 But I humbly conceive that this Notion is 
 altogether falfe and groundlefs. 
 
 How a Creature 7nay merit. 
 
 FOR though it be true, that a /Creature, 
 confidered as a Creature, can do nothing 
 fufficient to merit the Pardon of Sin from God, 
 fo as to claim it as his Right and Due : Yet 
 a Creature may merit by God's Appointment 
 and Promife. 
 
 We our.felves can merit the Rewards that 
 God has promifed, fo far as we can perform 
 the Condition of thofe Promifes, and in fuch 
 Cafe the Rewards are not of Grace, but 
 Debt. And as God has promifed Pardon up- 
 on our Repentance, fo if we do repent, we 
 have a Right to our Pardon, by Vertue of 
 that Promife, and God is j 'a ithful andjuftto 
 forgive us our Sins. 
 
 Nav, even the Sacrifice of the Blood of 
 Bulls and Goats could merit Pardon, and 
 make Atonement for fuch Sins, as they were 
 appointed for:' But as the Merit of fuch Sa- 
 crifices depended only on God's Appoint- 
 4 ment 
 
( 39) 
 
 ment and Acceptance of them, fo their Me- 
 rit could go no farther, than God was pleafed 
 to appoint and accept them. 'Twas his Ap- 
 pointment and Acceptance of them, that gave 
 them their Merit : And therefore as they 
 were appointed for legal Offences only 5 fo they 
 were of no ufe towards the Pardon of any 
 other Sins, but thofe which the Law of Mofes 
 had appointed them, as an Atonement for. 
 And if they could atone for thofe Sins by 
 God's Appointment, why not for all, if God 
 had appointed they mould do fo? But God 
 did not think fit to appoint this, but referved 
 it for our Saviour Chrift, who, tho' he were 
 fuppofed to be a mere Creature, yet if he 
 had performed what God appointed, and re- 
 quired of him, as the Condition and Price 
 of our Redemption, He has thereby merit- 
 ed it of God, and has a Right to It 3 and 
 what he hath done is a full, perfect, and fuf- 
 ficient Satisfaction for us. 
 
 This I think is plain to Demonflration, and 
 as 'tis the Scripture Notion of the Merit and 
 Satisfaction of Chriit, fo it is intelligible to 
 every Underftanding : And as this Notion 
 lays all Chriftians under the nrongeft Obliga- 
 tions poffible to our Saviour for what he has 
 done for us, and gives him all the Honour, 
 that the Scripture afcribes to him, for the 
 Share he has had in our Redemption, as our 
 Mediator: So it does not derogate from th e 
 
 D 4 Obli. 
 
( 40 ) 
 
 Obligation we have to God the Father for 
 his abundant Love and Gcodnefs to us, in 
 contriving this Method of Redemption for us, 
 and graciouflv accepting what our Saviour has 
 done, as a Means of our Reconciliation with 
 him. 
 
 77je Reafo?! of a Mediator conjidered. 
 
 LASTLY, From what has been faidofthe 
 Mediation of Chrift, as the Method ap- 
 plied by God for our Redemption, we may 
 hence take Occalion to confider the Objection 
 that we frequently meet with in the Mouths 
 of Infidels ; What need of a Mediator f 
 ■ But to this the Anfwer is eafy and obvious: 
 For that God is merciful, every one is natu- 
 rally inclined to think, and by daily Expe- 
 rience finds. And if it be reasonable tofup- 
 pofe that God might be willing to fhew Mer- 
 cy to the wicked World, is it not reafonable 
 to fuppofe, that fome Terms and Conditions 
 would be required of them, in order to their 
 Reconciliation to Him ? And if fo, was it not 
 reafonable, that thefe Terms required, fhould 
 be made known, and proclaimed to the 
 World ? And if fo, can it be a juft Objec- 
 tion to the Gofpel Difpenfation, that in (hew- 
 ing Mercy to Sinners, God has thought fit 
 to make Proclamation of it by a Perfon ap- 
 pointed for this Purpofe, as a Minifter and 
 
 Media^ 
 
(4i ) 
 
 Mediator to tranfact this Affair in his Name? 
 Do we think it reafonable that Princes fhould 
 always tranfact their Affairs in Perfon, and 
 would it be a proper Objection to the Wis- 
 dom of their Adminiftration, that they act 
 by the Miniftry, and Mediation of others? 
 Would it not be a high Preemption in Sub- 
 jects, who are in open Rebellion againft their 
 Prince, to expect that he fhould come perfo- 
 nally to treat with them, and offer Reconci- 
 liation to them? And would it not be a faucy 
 Infolence in them to refufe a Pardon from 
 him, becaufe he does not bring it with his 
 own Hands? And if it be fit for Princes to 
 treat with their rebellious Subject- by the 
 Miniftry and Mediation of others, acting in 
 their Name, how much more is it fit for the 
 great and high God to act thus wich Sin- 
 ners ? And if fo, where is the Force of this 
 Objection to the Redemption of Mankind by 
 a Mediaror fent by God to Sinners to make 
 known the Conditions of Mercy to them ? 
 
 But I fuppofe this Objection is chiefly in- 
 tended againlr. the Necelhty of a Mediator on 
 the part ot Sinners, fuch as the Scripture fets 
 forth JefusChrift to be, and as fuch offering 
 himfelf to die a Sacrifice for them, to re- 
 concile their offended God to them. If this 
 be the thing the Objection aims at, then, 
 when the Queftion is asked, What need of a 
 Mediator ? the Meaning of it is what need 
 
 of 
 
(42 ) 
 
 of a Sacrifice in order to our Redemption? 
 Could we not be pardoned without this ? 
 
 And if this be the Meaning of it, I think 
 it ought to be a fufficient Anfwer to it, if we 
 {hould fay, we cannot tell : 'Tis enough, that 
 we know the Will of God : And 'tis impof- 
 fible for us always to find out the Reafons of 
 his Operations : And yet without knowing 
 this, 'tis impoffible for us to fay with Cer- 
 tainty, what need there was of this Difpen- 
 farion of Pardon thro' a Mediator. 
 
 But neverthelefs thus much is certain, that 
 all the World in all Ages and Nations before 
 Chrift, had a Notion of the Neceffity of Sa- 
 crifices of Expiation, in order to the Pardon 
 of Sin, however they came by it : If they 
 had it from their own Reafon, it would thence 
 fcem to be a Dictate of Nature, however ca- 
 villed at in our Days by the great Advocates 
 for natural Reafon. And if they had it not 
 from Reafon, but Revelation, is not this a 
 fufficient Proof of the Neceffity of fuch Sa- 
 crifices, that they are required, and command- 
 ed by God ? And if God commanded and re- 
 quired them in ancient Times, can it be ajuft 
 Objection to Chriftianity, that God has ap- 
 pointed us fuch a Sacrifice, as (hall be fuf- 
 ficient for the Sins of all the World, and de- 
 liver us from all that Doubr and Uncertain- 
 ty, which our Fore-fathers laboured under, 
 as to the Nature and Efficacy of thofe Sacri- 
 fices they offered. But 
 
( 43 ) 
 
 But how difficult foever it may be for us, 
 to give a certain and full Account of the 
 Reafon of this Difpenfation of Mercy to Sin- 
 ners by the Sacrifice of the Death of Chrift ; 
 yet the Fitnefs of it to this End is not al- 
 together above our Reafon, and we have e- 
 nough within our Reach to fatisfy us, that 
 it is a faithful Saying, and worthy of all Men 
 to be believed. 
 
 But as this will fall in more properly in 
 another Place, thither I refer the Reader. 
 
 I proceed now to confider the next Point, 
 which is, That we are redeemed thro' the 
 Blood of Chrift, and what we are to under- 
 stand by it, according to the Scripture Ac- 
 count of it. 
 
 In what Senfe we are redeemed by 
 the Blood of Chrift. 
 
 BY the Blood of Chrift is meant the Death 
 of Chrift : And when we are faid to 
 have Redemption thro* his Blood, I do not ap- 
 prehend, that we muft neceflarily fuppofe, that 
 our Redemption was owing barely to his 
 Death. 
 
 For if we owe it to a Price paid for us, 
 and if the Price paid for us was his chearful 
 Submiflion to the whole Courfe of Humiliation 
 and Obedience, which was requir'd of him from 
 his coming down from Heaven to his Death 
 
 upon 
 
( 44 ) 
 
 upon the Crofs, fince it is plain, that he was 
 fent to declaie the Will of God, as a Prophet, 
 as well as offer his Blood for us, as a Sacri- 
 fice, it feems to follow, that what he did as 
 a Prophet was as much a Part of the Price 
 paid for our Redemption, as what he fuffer- 
 ed on the Crofs : And he may as well be 
 called our Redeemer in refpect of what he 
 has done by his preaching, to deliver us from 
 the Power and Dominion of Sin, as what he 
 fufFered by his Death to deliver us from the 
 Punifhment of it. 
 
 But if this be fo, how comes it to pafs, 
 that thro' the whole New Teftament our Re- 
 demption is fo particularly afcribed to his 
 Blood? 
 
 Now the Reafon of this I conceive to be, 
 becaufe his Death was the laft thing required 
 of him in order to our Redemption, where- 
 by the Covenant between God and Him was 
 fulfilled, and the Price of our Redemption 
 fully paid. 
 
 And therefore when our Saviour gave up 
 the Ghoft, he faid, It is jinifioed, intimating 
 to us, that by this laft Act of his Obedience, 
 called an Obedience unto Death, He had finifhed 
 the Work that was given him to do, Joh. xvii. 4. 
 Phil. ii. 8. 
 
 But the great and chief Reafon might pro- 
 bably be, that his Death was the principal 
 Thing required of him, as it was intended 
 
 by 
 
(45) 
 
 by God to be a Sacrifice of Propitiation for 
 the Sins of the World. For 'tis expreflly 
 faid, that he was fent for this End, that he 
 might be a 'Propitiation for our Sim, I Joh. iv. 
 10. 
 
 And that his Death was intended for a 
 Sacrifice of Expiation in a ftncl: and literal 
 Senfe, is as plain as Words can exprefs; and 
 one would think it impoffible for a reafon- 
 able Man, that believes the New Teftament, 
 to doubt of ir, whilft he fees our Saviour's 
 Death reprefented there under alf the facrifi- 
 cial Characters ufed both by Jews and Gen- 
 tiles. 
 
 When our Saviour is faid to be an Offer- 
 ing for Sin — An Offering and a Sacrifice of 
 a fweet fmelling Saviour — And his Blood an 
 Atonement and Propitiation for us ; when he 
 is called The Lamb fain to take away the Sins 
 
 of the World - ■ And 'tis faid, that he ha% 
 
 taken away Sin by the Sacrifice of himfelfi 
 when 'tis faid, that he bore our Sins in his own 
 
 body on the Tree ■ That we are reconciled 
 
 by his Death — That he has made Peace by 
 the Blood of his Crofs, which was fied for the 
 Remiffion of Sins, Can there be any thing plain- 
 er than thefe Expreffions ? And mull they all 
 go for nothing, and be all interpreted away 
 by Metaphor without any Reafon for it ? 
 I cannot think a ftronger Argument can be 
 urged againft the Infpiration of the Scripture, 
 4 than 
 
(46) 
 
 than to fay that thefe Phrafes do not betoken 
 a Sacrifice in a literal and proper Senfe. 
 For if they are not to be underftood in their 
 moft plain, and natural Meaning, I cannot 
 fee how this Book can be faid to be writ by 
 the Spirit of Truth, when it fo manifeftly, 
 and unavoidably leads us into Error, and that 
 in a Point of the higheft Confequence. 
 
 And if we are to under ftand the Death 
 pf Chrift according to the literal Meaning of 
 thefe Expreffions to be a real Sacrifice of 
 Propitiation for the Sins of the World, 'tis 
 no Wonder, that we are more particularly 
 faid to be redeemed by that, as that was not 
 only the laft, but the principal Part of the 
 Price paid for us, by which our Ranfom was 
 not only compleated, but upon which it did 
 more immediately depend. 
 
 Why God was pleafed to appoint this Me- 
 thod of our Redemption, fhall be confidered 
 by and by : All that I aim at at prefent is, 
 to fix the Certainty of the Point, that accord- 
 ing to the New Teftament it was fo. And 
 according to this Notion, that which we are 
 to underftand by Redemption thro* the Blood 
 of Chrift is this, namely., that his Blood was of- 
 fered up to God, as a publick Sacrifice of Expi- 
 ation for the Sins of the World, as a Condi- 
 tion required for our Redemption. 
 
 The 
 
C47 ) 
 
 "The Nature of Sacrifices of Expia- 
 tion explained. 
 
 NOW for the right Understanding of 
 this, it is neceffary for us to have a 
 true Notion of publick Sacrifices of Expia- 
 tion, what the Meaning of them was, in what 
 Manner they were offered, and how they be- 
 came available to the Sinner's Pardon. 
 
 Now by Sacrifices of Expiation, we all 
 underftand the offering up the Life, or Blood 
 of an Animal to God, which was always done 
 as an Act of Humiliation and Repentance on 
 the Sinner's Parr, by which he acknowledged 
 his Tranfgreffions, and addreffed himfelf to 
 God for Mercy. 
 
 This was the known and univerfal Mean- 
 ing of all fuch Sacrifices : And for this Pur- 
 pofe it was required in the Law of Mo fes, that 
 in every fuch Offering made by the Sinner in 
 Perfon, He mould lay his Hand on the Head 
 of the Victim, thereby declaring it to be his 
 Sacrifice, and befeeching God to accept it, as 
 fuch. 
 
 All this was done by the Sacrificers them- 
 felves : And when the Sacrifice was offered 
 for the whole Congregation, as in the great 
 Day of Expiation, becaufe the laying on of their 
 Hands upon the Head of the Animal could noc 
 
 be 
 
( 4-8 ) 
 
 be done by all in Perfon, it was appointed to 
 be done by the High Prieft for them, as their 
 Proxy and Reprefentative : And after the 
 Blood was thus offered up by the Sinners, the 
 High Prieft then prefented it before God in 
 their Name, by fprinkling it feven times 
 with the tip of his Finger before the Mercy 
 Seat. And by this Action, as the Prieft inter- 
 ceded with God to accept of that Blood as 
 a Motive of Mercy, that the Sinners might 
 be freed from Punimmentj fo when this was 
 done, they were reftored to his Favour: And 
 the Prieft was authorized to blefs the Peo- 
 ple, and declare, that God was reconciled to 
 them. 
 
 This is the general Notion of publick ex- 
 piatory Sacrifices according to the Law of 
 Mofes: And by this it appears, that in all fuch 
 Sacrifices the Sinners had the greateft Share: 
 They were the Sacrificers, and the Offering 
 was made by them, as a publick Token of 
 their Repentance. The Matter of the Sacri- 
 fice, or in other Words, the Sacrifice iifelf, 
 was the Blood of the Animal flain : And 
 the Prieft was only the Mediator, by whofe 
 Hand they prefented it before God ; or by 
 whom it was prefented before God in their 
 Name. 
 
 Now if we apply this to the Cafe in Hand, 
 it will teach us, how to regulate our Notions 
 
 of 
 
( 49 ) 
 of the Expiation wrought by the Blood of 
 Chrift. 
 
 u7jc Nature cmd Necejftty of Faith 
 in Chrijl. 
 
 AND therefore, Firft, As in all Expia- 
 tions the Sinners are the Sacrificers; fo 
 when we confider the Blood of Chrift, as a 
 Sacrifice for Sinners, it mud be offered up 
 fome way or other by the Sinners themfelves, 
 either in Perfon, or by their Proxy, and Re- 
 prefentative. 
 
 And fince the Blood of Chrift could not 
 be offered up by every Sinner in Perfon, as 
 it was, and could be fhed but once ; fo for 
 this Purpofe our Saviour puts himfelf in 
 the Sinners ftead,and as a Mediator for them, 
 and as their High Prieft, he offered his Blood 
 to God in their Name, as their Sacrifice. 
 
 zdly, As the High-Prieft prefented the Blood 
 of the Sacrifice before the Mercy Seat ; fo 
 our Saviour prefented his crucified Body be- 
 fore the Throne of God in Heaven, by way of 
 Memorial as it were of the Covenant between 
 his Father and Him, wherein God promifed 
 to accept his Blood fhed as a Sacrifice of 
 Atonement for the Sins of the World. 
 
 In all this our Saviour muft be confidered 
 
 as acting on the Sinners Part, and as doing 
 
 what belonged to them in their Name and 
 
 E Stead, 
 
( 50 ) 
 
 Stead, as their Mediator, Proxy and High- 
 Prieft. 
 
 "The Necejfiiy of Faith in Chrijl^ as a 
 Sacrifice. 
 
 BU T there is fomething Hill wanting to 
 compleat the Expiation, which is to be 
 done by the Sinners themfelves. For as they 
 are the Sacrificer?, and what our Saviour did, 
 was done in their Stead, as their Proxy and 
 Reprefentative, but without their Knowledge 
 and Confent ; fo it is necefiary in the Nature 
 of the Thing, that if they would have the 
 Benefit of what he has done, 'tis necefiary, 
 I fay, that they affent to, and accept his Me- 
 diation for them, and own what he has done 
 as done for them, and defire that his Sacri- 
 fice may be accepted by God, as if they had laid 
 their Hands on his Head in the offering it. 
 
 This is what is meant by Faith in his 
 Blood, and believing in him, as our Mediator 
 and High Prieft. 
 
 And this is fo necefTary a Qualification for 
 our Redemption thro' his Blood, that with- 
 out this we can have no Share in it. For 
 without this, as his Death is no Sacrifice 
 of ours, fo 'tis no Propitiation for us. 
 
 And thence it is, that the Death of Chrift 
 
 is faid to be a Propitiation only thro' Faith 
 
 in his Blood ; becaufe, as it is by this Faith that 
 
 we aiTent to what he has done, as our Me- 
 
 i diaior 
 
diator offering his Blood for us, as a Propi- 
 tiation j fo if we refufe to own and receive 
 him, as fuch, as he is no Mediator for us, 
 and his Blood no Sacrifice of ours, fo as the 
 Scripture fays, we are yet in our Sins, and the 
 Wrath of God abideth on us. 
 
 'Tis neceffary therefore in order to the Ex- 
 piation of our Sins by the Sacrifice of the 
 Blood of Chrift, that every Sinner own hirn 
 for his Mediator in it, hoping for Salvation 
 only thro* Him, and the Sacrifice he has of- 
 fered for them. 
 
 But this is not all that feems neceffary in 
 the Cafe. 
 
 For Sacrifice is a publick Act, and fince the 
 Sacrifice of Chrift was intended for the Be- 
 nefit of all Sinners, that would accept the 
 Offer of his Mediation for them, thro" all fu- 
 ture Ages to the End of the World, there 
 feems to be a Neceffity in the Nature of the 
 Thing, of fome Method to be appointed to 
 be obferved by all People to the End of the 
 World, as a publick Declaration of their Ac- 
 ceptance of this Offer, and their Dependence 
 on it for Salvation. 
 
 And fince Sacrifice was 1 ike wife always un- 
 derftood to be an Act of the Sinner's Humi- 
 liation and Repentance, and as a publick 
 Token of the Senfe the Sinner had of the 
 Punifhment due to his TranfgrefTions, there 
 feems to be a Neceffity in the Nature of the 
 E 2 Thing, 
 
( 52) 
 
 Thing, that by what Act foever, and in what 
 Method foever we intereft ourfelves in the 
 Sacrifice of Chrift, and declare our Faith in 
 it, and Dependence on it, it muft always be at- 
 tended with, and be always done as a publick 
 Act of our Humiliation and Repentance, if 
 we hope for any Benefit by it. 
 
 Thefe things are fo clear that they are 
 incapabh of Difpute. 
 
 And from all this we fee, that in order to 
 our Redemption by the Blood of Chrift, there 
 is a Neceffity of fome publick Declaration 
 of our Faith in it, and our AfTent to what he 
 has done in our Name. And we likewife 
 fee, that fuch Declaration however made, 
 will be of no Benefit to us, unlefs it be at- 
 tended with a juft Senfe of our Tranfgreffions, 
 and be made as an Act of our Repentance and 
 Humiliation for them. And 
 
 Since we are faid to be redeemed by Chrift, 
 as it is natural to expect that our Saviour has 
 provided fome Method for this Purpofe for all 
 that would be intitled to his Redemption; fo 
 this is the next thing to be inquired into: 
 
 And 'tis very remarkable, that our Saviour 
 has done this by three feveral Inftitutions ap- 
 pointed for this Purpofe to be obferved by 
 all Chriftians to the end of the World : And 
 they are thefe : 
 
 H 
 
 ova 
 
( 53 ) 
 
 Huia we are to fljew our Faith in 
 drift. 
 
 FIRST, That every one who believes in 
 Him, and accepts the Offer of his Me- 
 diation, muft as a publick Teftimony of it 
 be baptifed, which the Scripture calls being 
 baptiled into his Death. 
 
 2d!y, That all fuch as believe in Him mould 
 frequently meet together to eat Bread and 
 drink Wine in the way of a Pafchal and Eu- 
 chariftical Feaft, in Remembrance of his 
 Death. 
 
 %dly\ That all who believe in Him mould 
 come unto God by him, in all their Addreffes 
 to Heaven, as their Mediator and Advocate 
 with God, in full Affurance of Acceptance 
 only thro' his Death. 
 
 By thefe feveral Acls it is, that we be- 
 come intitled to the Redemption wrought 
 for us by the Sacrifice of Chrift ; and they are 
 appointed for this Purpofe, as they are publick 
 Tokens of our Faith in Chrifl's Death and 
 Mediation for us, and of our Refolution to 
 repent and amend our Lives. 
 
 That this is the Scripture Meaning of them 
 is plain to every feniible unprejudiced Man. 
 
 For is not Baptifm a Rite appointed by our 
 Saviour, by which we are to own ourfelves 
 his Difciples, and by Confequence receive him 
 
 E 3 for 
 
( 54 ) 
 
 for our Redeemer and only Mediator with 
 God ? And does not this imply that we hope 
 for Salvation only thro' Him, and his Media- 
 tion for us ? 
 
 And when the Scripture tells us, that eve- 
 ry one who is baptifed, is baptifed into his 
 Death, Rom. vi. 4. &c. which Death he fufFer- 
 ed for the Redemption of our Sins, Mat. xxvi. 
 28. Does not this imply, that Baptifm was 
 intended as a Declaration, not only of the 
 Death of Chrift, but that he died for the 
 Remiffion of our Sins ? And does not this 
 imply an Obligation to depart from thofe 
 Sins for which he died ? And does not the 
 Scripture teach us, that the Water of Bap- 
 tifm was intended to be an emblematical fym- 
 bolical Sign of all this ? Rom. vi. 6. 
 
 And does not the very Form of adminiftring 
 it in all Chriilian Churches from the Apoftles 
 Time, demonftrate that all Chriftians are 
 fuppofed by this Ad to enter into Covenant 
 with God for his Mercies only on the Con- 
 dition of renouncing the Devil and all his 
 Works, and keeping God's Holy Will and 
 Commandments all the Days of their Lives? 
 
 And 2dly, The fame Thing is likewife im- 
 plied in, and intended by the Lord's Supper; 
 which was appointed to (hew, that we continue 
 in the fame Faith in Chrift's Death, and 
 under the fame Obligations, which we pro- 
 felfed and declared at our Baptifm. 
 
 For 
 
( 55 ) 
 
 For as this is done in Remembrance 
 of the Death of Chrift for the Remiffion of 
 our Sins, as our Mediator, into the Faith of 
 which we were baptifed ; fo this naturally 
 implies, that we own and afTent to what he 
 has done in our Name, and depend on his 
 Mediation for us, and fue to God for Mer- 
 cy thro* his Blood. 
 
 And for this Reafon it is, as I conceive, 
 that we are faid by Sf. Paul to have Com- 
 munion, or Fellowfhip, with Chrift by the 
 Lord's Supper in his Body and Blood, which 
 plainly implies that we are Sharers with him 
 in his Death j becaufe by this Action which 
 we do in Remembrance of his Death, and as 
 a publick Declaration of our Faith in ir, we 
 ratify and confirm what he has done in our 
 Name : We own his Death to be our Sa- 
 crifice, and deiire God to accept it as fuch, as 
 if it had been offered by ourfelves in Per- 
 fon. 
 
 And as this naturally implies an Obligation 
 in all that do this to forfake their Sins, and 
 dedicate themfelves to the Service of God ; 
 fo all the World underftand it in rhis Senfe, 
 and wicked Men will not join in it on this 
 very Account. 
 
 And as for the laft Inflitution, wherein 
 we are required to make our AddrefTes to 
 God thro' the Mediation of Chrift, the Sacri- 
 fice of his Death for our Sins is in every 
 
 E 4 fuch 
 
( 5& ) 
 
 fuch Addrefs preferred before God as a Mo- 
 tive, thro* which alone we hope that our 
 Prayers or Praifes will be accepted by Him. 
 
 And does not this naturally imply an Ob- 
 ligation in every one that hopes for any Fa- 
 vour from God to part with his Sins, which 
 God would not remit, but thro' our Saviour's 
 Mediation ? And when we come unto God in a 
 Senfe of this, does not this naturally fuppofe 
 that we are refolved to do fo, and that we hope 
 for his Favour only on this Condition ? No- 
 thing can, I think, be plainer than this : And 
 from hence we fee how wifely thefe Infti- 
 tutions are contrived to anfwer the End they 
 are appointed for, as publick Declarations of 
 pur Faith in Chrift's Death, and our Obliga- 
 tion to lead a Holy Life. 
 
 And when we farther confider, that thefe two 
 latter Inftitutions were intended and appoint- 
 ed to be repeated often, and one of them e- 
 very Day we live, and in every Addrefs we 
 make to God; what could there be imagined 
 more powerfully to ingage us to a Holy Life, 
 than thus continually to prefent the Sacrifice 
 of Chrift, as it were before our Eyes, as the 
 certain and only Means of Acceptance with 
 God, provided we will make ourfelves capa- 
 ble of it, by parting with thofe Sins for which 
 our Saviour died ? 
 
 And what could be better fitted to incite us 
 to this, than the Confideration of the Love 
 
 of 
 
r 57 ) 
 
 of God to Sinners, in contriving this Method 
 of fhewing Mercy to them? And the Love 
 of Chrift in fubmitting to be a Mediator, and 
 Sacrifice for them ? 
 
 And yetthefe Confiderations are continually 
 prefented to our Thoughts, not only in the 
 Lord's Supper, but in every Addrefs we make 
 to God in the Name, and thro' the Media- 
 tion of Chrift our Saviour. 
 
 Thus we fee the Nature and Reafon of 
 thefe Inftitutions, and the Relation they have 
 to our Redemption by the Sacrifice of the 
 Blood of Chrift, as they are publick Signs, 
 and Tokens on our Part, by which we declare 
 our Aflent to what our Saviour has done in 
 our Name, and our Confent to the Condition 
 required of us in order to our Redemption by 
 his Blood, which is that we repent and be- 
 come a Holy People. 
 
 'That the Sacrifice of Chrijl is 7 / ieceffa- 
 rily to be underjlood in a literal 
 Senfe. 
 
 AND from hence we fee, what a great 
 Strefs is here laid on the Death of Chrift, 
 confidered, as a Sacrifice in a proper Senfe, 
 when the whole of the Chriftian Worfhip, 
 confidered as Chriftian, is intended as a Me- 
 morial of it. 
 
 For 
 
( 58 ) 
 
 For the whole of the Chriftian Worfhip, 
 as Chriftian, confifts in thefe three Inftitu- 
 tions ; and as they are apparently appointed 
 for a Memorial of the Sacrifice of the Death 
 of Chrift; fo this fhevvs us of what Impor- 
 tance this Doctrine is in the Chriftian Reli- 
 gion, when it is fo eflential to it, and fo wo- 
 ven into its very Conftitution, that we can- 
 not be Chriftians without it. For we can 
 neither be baptifed, by which we become 
 Chriftians, nor can we do any Act of Chri- 
 ftian Worfhip without it. Nay I may add, 
 that we cannot do any Ad of Chriftian Du- 
 ty without it : For we are expreilly re- 
 quired whatever we do, to do it in the Name 
 of our Lord Jefus Chrift, Col. iii. 17. By 
 which, I conceive, muft be meant, that 
 we do it in his Name as our Mediator, in 
 hope of Acceptance thro' his Sacrifice for 
 us. 
 
 And hence it is, that we are told by St. 
 Paul Heb. xi:i. 10. that what we fo do in 
 the Name of Chrift becomes a fpiritual Sa- 
 crifice: Becaufeby this the Blood of Chrift is 
 fpiritually prefented before God, as the Blood 
 of the Animals ufed to be in facrificial Of- 
 ferings. 
 
 And therefore when we addrefs ourfelves 
 to God in the Name of Chrift, he fays, that 
 by confejfmg his Name in this manner, we offer 
 
 even 
 
(59 ) 
 
 even by our Lips fpiritual Sacrifices continually* 
 
 v. 15. 
 
 The fame thing is more plainly taught us 
 by St. Peter, 1 *Pet. ii. 15. who fays, that 
 when we addrefs ourfelves to God, as accept- 
 able thro' Chrift, we become a Holy Prieft- 
 hood\ becaufe, as I conceive, by our coming 
 to God, as acceptable thro' him, as our Me- 
 diator and Sacrifice, the Blood of Chrift is 
 hereby fpiritually prefented before God, as a 
 Motive of Acceptance with him : By which 
 as we do in a fpiritual Manner, what it was 
 the Office of the Prieft to do in their Sa- 
 crifices j fo our Prayers, and Praifes, and 
 whatever elfe we do, as acceptable to God 
 thro' Chrift, may be called a fpiritual Sacri- 
 fice. 
 
 From all which it appears, that when 
 Chriftians are appointed to come unto God 
 by Chrift, and do every thing in his Name, 
 it muft be underftood of their doing it in the 
 
 * N. B. The Words in our Translation are, By Him there' 
 fore let us offer the Sacrifice of Pra.fe to God continually, that 
 is, the Fruit of our Lips, giving Thanks to his Name. 
 
 But what is here rendered, giving Thanhs can have no fuch 
 Meaning : The Words in the Greek are bpaXsyxixiw* to otouM, 
 which fignify properly, as it is rendered in the Margin, con- 
 f effing his Name: And as the whole relates to what went be- 
 fore, where the Blood of Chrift is fpoken of as a Sacrifice for 
 us ; fo this ConfeJJion of his Name mult be underftood of our 
 confeffing our Faith in him, as our Sacrifice, who in the 
 foreging Verfe is faid to have fuffered for us, and fandtified us 
 through his Blood, ver. 12. 
 
 Con- 
 
(6o ) 
 
 Oonfeffion of their Faith in Him, as their 
 Mediator and Sacrifice. 
 
 From whence it is clear, that the Sacrifice 
 of Chrift muff not be underftood in a meta- 
 phorical, but proper Senfe : And that it is of 
 fo great Importance to underftand it in this 
 Senfe, that it is to Chriftianity, as the Warp 
 to the Web, that runs thro' the whole Body 
 of it 5 fo that Chriftianity cannot fubfift with- 
 out it. 
 
 The Reafon of our Redemption by Sacri- 
 fice confidered. 
 
 BUT here the Queftion will be made, 
 which I mentioned before, and referred 
 to this Place, namely, what need is there of 
 this ? Why all this Apparatus for the do- 
 ing what might as well have been done with- 
 out it by the bare Will of God? 
 
 For fince the Pardon of Sin, according to 
 the Gofpel Scheme, is founded on the Free 
 Grace and Mercy of God j and fince the Ef- 
 ficacy of what our Saviour has done for us is 
 owing only to the Will and Appointment of 
 God y and iince all will be of no Effect, unlefs 
 we repent and reform our Lives ; here the In- 
 fidel objects, why could not the Mercy of God 
 have pardoned us without any Confideration 
 at all, but our Repentance ? And what Ne- 
 cefiity was there of a Mediator or a Sacrifice, 
 when Repentance might have been fuflicient 
 without them ? 1 Bare 
 
( 6i ) 
 
 Bare Repentance not fufficient for 
 Pardon. 
 
 TO this I anfwer, that we are not fomuch 
 concerned to know what God can do, as 
 what he will do 5 and if he has told us his Will, 
 it is not fit for us to call him to an Account, 
 to give us a Reafon, why he acts in this Manner. 
 
 As for the Sufficiency of Repentance, it is 
 doubtlefs the beft thing a Sinner can do to re- 
 ftore himfelf to the Favour of God :But Repen- 
 tance does not make the Sinner innocent, and 
 therefore God is not obliged to accept him 
 into Favour merely upon this Account. And 
 we may afiure ourfelves, that if Repentance 
 alone had been fufficient for the Pardon of a 
 wicked World, God would not have required 
 more, as his Wifdom will do nothing in vain. 
 
 Tho' God is merciful, yet he is infinitely 
 wife, and therefore cannot be fuppofed to dif- 
 penfe his Mercy, bur in fuch a way, as is 
 mod fuitable to his Wifdom: And who can 
 pretend to judge what is fit for his Wifdom 
 to do but himfelf? And fince God has thought 
 fit to reveal his Will to us, to mew us in whar, 
 way he will be reconciled to Mankind, it is 
 our Duty to receive his Revelation reverently 
 and humbly to acquiefce in what it teaches 
 us, fo far as we believe it to come from him, 
 how much foever it may pofe our Underftand- 
 ings : And it will very ill become us to refufe 
 
 his 
 
( 62 ) 
 
 his gracious Offer, becaufe he has not let U3 
 into the Reafon of it. 
 
 But how weak foever our Underftanding3 
 are, we are neverthelefs able in fome Mea- 
 fure to comprehend the Fitnefs of the 'Gofpel 
 Method of God's reconciling himfelf to the 
 World by the Mediation and the Death of 
 Chrift. For how available foever we may 
 conceive Repentance to be, in reconciling Sin- 
 ners to God, confidered as a Holy Being j yet 
 God is not barely to be confidered in that 
 Refped, but as a Law-giver and Governor of 
 the World : And I believe no fenfible Man 
 ever thought it fit for a wife Governor to re- 
 leafe every Criminal from the Punifhment of 
 their Sins merely upon their Repentance for 
 them. 
 
 The great End of Puni(hment is to pre-* 
 ferve the Authority of the Governor, and dif- 
 courage the Breach of his Laws : And as all 
 Societies think ic proper to threaten Punish- 
 ment, as a Sanction to their Laws, fo they 
 have never thought it unjuft to execute it, 
 however penitent Criminals may feem to be. 
 
 And in relation to Offences againit. the Laws 
 of God, 'tis certain, that no Age or Nation ever 
 thought. Repentance fufficient of itfelf for Par- 
 don ; becaufe we know they never did depend 
 upon it, but they had all recourfe to Expiations. 
 
 Nay even in Offences againft ourfelves, wc 
 do not always think Repentance of itfelf fuf- 
 ficient. Fot 
 
(63 ) 
 
 For fuppofe any one has done ns a publick 
 Injury, by which : we fufTer in 'our Reputa- 
 tion, and our Character is difgraced, it is not 
 enough to reftore fuch a one to our Favour, 
 that he is really penitent for what he has 
 done : No we always expect, and it is juft 
 and reafonable that he do us Right, and clear 
 our Reputation, and in order to that, thatfome 
 publick Satisfaction be given, fome open Ac- 
 knowledgment and Declaration made, how 
 unjuftly he has done by us, or elfe the Inju- 
 ry remains upon us : 
 
 This, I fay, is what all the World expect:, 
 and juftly expect from one another, before we 
 forgive Offences againft. ourfelves : How much 
 more is this to be expected by God for Of- 
 fences committed againft Him ? For tho' our 
 Sins do no Injury to God, considered in his 
 own Nature fimply, yet they are highly inju- 
 rious to his Government, as they bring Dis- 
 honour on his Laws, as if they were unwife 
 and unreafonable, unfit, or impoflible to be 
 obferved : And as our Wickednefs may, if 
 publickly committed, incourage others to the 
 like Difobedience, efpecially if it goes unpu- 
 ni(hed; fofuch Sins in Reafon ought not to be 
 forgiven barely on our Repentance for them 
 without fome publick Reparation, and Satif- 
 faction made to the Honour of God's Laws 
 and Government, and fome Method taken to 
 prevent the ill Ufe, that Sinners might be 
 tempted to make of his Mercy. And 
 
( 6 4 ) 
 
 And if this be true, as it plainly is, this 
 will give us an eafy and rational Account of 
 the Gofpel Method of Redemption by the 
 Mediation and Sacrifice of the Death of ChrifL 
 For this I take to have been the Cafe between 
 God and Sinners. 
 
 The World was univerfally wicked, and 
 God had fuffered the greater!: Indignities from 
 them imaginable. They had thrown off his 
 Yoke, and lived as if they thought his Laws 
 nnreafonable, or impracticable, giving them- 
 felves up to all manner of Vices : Nay they 
 chofe to themfelves new Governors, new Gods, 
 and gave the Honour due only to one Supreme 
 and only true God, to the meanefi of his Crea- 
 tures j nay even to the very Devils: And thefe 
 they paid their Worfhip to in Drunkennefs 
 and Luft, and horrid and abominable Cru- 
 elties ; fometimes fufFering Men to kill one ano- 
 ther in Honour of their Gods ; and fometimes 
 offering human Blood in Sacrifices : And tb3t 
 not only of Malefactors, but of innocent Vir- 
 gins and Children, and thofe many times their 
 own Sons and Daughters. This was more 
 or lefs the Practice of all Heathen Nations. 
 
 Now I appeal to any one whether there 
 could be a greater Infult on the Majefty of 
 God, than thus to throw off his Government 
 and Authority over them, and give his Throne 
 and Glory to his Creatures, nay even to the 
 bafeft Rebels. And whether there could be 
 
 a more 
 
( 65 ) 
 
 a more horrid Abomination thought of, than 
 to offer human Blood in Sacrifice to them, 
 but much more that of their own Children. 
 
 And if to, what can we imagine fit for 
 God to do in this Cafe? To execute Ven- 
 geance on the World, and deal with them 
 as their Iniquities deferved, was to deftroy the 
 whole Race of Mankind at once, as they were 
 rot only all Sinners, but all Idolaters to a 
 Man. 
 
 But God does not defire that any mould pe- 
 rifti : And yet can we think it fit for a Wife 
 and Holy Governor to pafs by fuch Affronts 
 as thefe from his Subjects, without fome pub- 
 lick Token of their Humiliation and Repen- 
 tance, their Submiflion and Recantation or 
 Satisfaction, (call it what you will,) to him ? 
 
 This would rather incourage Sinners in 
 their Wickednefs, and occafion wicked Men 
 to think, that God is not offended at their 
 Sins, or fo mindful of his Laws, as that they 
 need to trouble themfelves about them ; that 
 he either does not know what they do, or 
 that he is above taking Notice of it. 
 
 And if fome publick Repentance,Confeffion, 
 Recantation, Submiffion mufl be made, as a 
 Satisfaction, or Reparation to the Honour of 
 God by all Sinners, how mufl publick Afts 
 be done, but by fome pofitive Inftitution ap- 
 pointed for that Purpofe, either by God or 
 Man ? But who was able to judge what God 
 would accept ? This could be known only by 
 Revelation. 
 
 F Could 
 
( 66 ) 
 
 Could the World have been brought into 
 fuch a Senfe of their Wickednefs, as to refolve 
 upon a publick Humiliation for them, as ne- 
 ceiTary to reconcile them to the Favour of 
 God ? And had they been left to agree a- 
 mong themfelves upon a proper Method of 
 doing this, in fuch a manner, as mould beft 
 exprefs their own Repentance, and make the 
 beft Satis >attion they were capable of for 
 the Difhonour they had brought upon Him 
 and his Laws ; had the World, I fay, been left 
 to have contrived this for themfelves, that 
 which their Reafon would naturally have led 
 them to, was Sacrifice, as there was a Notion 
 univerfally received (how they came by it is 
 not material,) that without fhedding of Blood 
 there was no Remiffion. This is plain from 
 the univerfal Practice of all Ages and Nations 
 as far as we can find by Hiftory. 
 
 But ftill the Queftion would have been, 
 what Sacrifice to offer, that would be accep- 
 table to God. 
 
 This was what the whole Heathen World 
 were always at a Lofs in, efpecially in extra- 
 ordinary Cafes. 
 
 And this was the Reafon of thofe horrid 
 Cruelties and Murthers which they were 
 guilty of in the offering of human Blood, as 
 likewife of that Multitude of inferior Deities 
 they worfhipped under the Notion of Me- 
 diators. 
 
 <Th 
 
( 67 ) 
 
 7%e Necejfity of Revelation. 
 
 AN D from hence, as we fee fuch an ap- 
 parent Neceffity of a Divine Revelation, 
 to deliver the World out of this uncomforta- 
 ble ftate of Doubt and Uncertainty, that 
 without it they could never have attained to 
 any AfTurance of their Reconciliation with 
 God; fo we cannot but obferve the Wiidom and 
 Goodnefs of the Gofpel Difpenfation of Mer- 
 cy thro' the Blood of Chrift, whereby we 
 have not only AfTurance given us, that God 
 will be reconciled to Sinners, and a certain 
 Method is prefcribed for this Purpofe, but fuch 
 a one, as I (hall (how is naturally fitted to 
 do Honour to God, and promote the univer- 
 fai Reformation of the World. 
 
 Many Reafons for our Redemption by 
 the Saci'ifice of Chrift. 
 
 FO R in the Firft Place, wher*eas we have 
 (hewn, that it might be reafonably re- 
 quired, in order to the Pardon of a wicked 
 World, that they (hould make fome Repara- 
 tion and Satisfaction for what they had done 
 amifs, and the Difhonour they had done to 
 God, by fome publick Recantation and Ac- 
 knowledgment of their Wickednefs, what 
 could be more proper for this Purpofe, than 
 a publick Sacrifice, which was not only agree- 
 able to the Sentiments of all the World, but 
 was univerfally practifed and underftood by 
 
 F 2 all, 
 
( 68 ) 
 
 all, to be done, as an Ad of Humiliation and 
 Repentance, whereby the Sinner confeffed his 
 Guilt, and owned the Punifhment due to him 
 for it ? 
 
 idly, Whereas it does appear from what I 
 have faid, that in the Pardon of the wicked 
 World, fome Method was requifite to prevent 
 the ill Confequence of the Sinners Impuni- 
 ty, that Men might not be incouraged to 
 flatter themfelves, that God did not regard 
 what they did amifs, and was not offended 
 at it j what more effectual Contrivance could 
 there be for this, than the Sacrifice of the 
 Blood of Chrift ? for what could better ex- 
 prefs the Deteftation and Abhorrence God has 
 of Sin, when no lefs Sacrifice would be ac- 
 cepted, as an Atonement for it, than the Blood 
 of his own beloved Son ? 
 
 3^/y, Whereas it appears from what has 
 been faid, that no Sacrifice can avail to the 
 Sinners Pardon, which is not in effect offered 
 up by the Sinners themfelves, which could 
 not poffibly be done to the end of the World, 
 in refpect of the Sacrifice of the Blood of 
 Chrift, as his Blood could be (bed but once ; 
 what a wife Provifion is here made for this 
 Purpofe by thefe Inftitutionsabpvementioned? 
 For by them the Blood of Chrift may be in 
 effect offered up by every Sinner in fuch man- 
 ner as to anfwer all the Intents and Purpofes 
 of it. For fince 'J ejus Chrift in laying down 
 his Life, acted only in the Name of Sinners 
 as a Mediator for them -, and fince thefe In- 
 
 fticutions 
 
(6 9 ) 
 
 ftitutions are appointed, as a publick Declara- 
 tion of our AiTent to his Mediation for us, 
 ratifying and confirming what has been done 
 in our Name, by our Compliance with thefe 
 Appointments in a proper manner, we make 
 his Aft our own; fo that his Sacrifice is as 
 much our Act, as if every one of us had laid 
 our Hands upon his Head, as a publick De- 
 claration of it. 
 
 4^/j/y, Whereas the end of all expiatory Sa- 
 crifices was not only to do publick Honours 
 to God by thofe pubiick Ads of Humiliation, 
 and Repentance, but alfo to reform the Lives 
 of Sinners by keeping up in their Minds a 
 Senfe of their Sins, and the Punimment that 
 was due to them ; what could be more effec- 
 tual for this End, than the Sacrifice of the 
 Blood of Chrift, continually offered up by 
 Faith, according tot he Gofpel Method, in the 
 feveral Institutions appointed for that Purpofe? 
 
 For as by every one of thefe Institutions duly 
 and ferioufly performed, here is a publick Con- 
 feflion made by Sinners of their Wickednefs, 
 and what they may juftly expe£t for it, as we 
 own the Death of Chrift in each of them as 
 a Sacrifice, through which alone we hope for 
 Pardon and Acceptance ; fo in every one of 
 them, we vertually renounce our Sins, and 
 declare our Obligation to forfake them. 
 
 Lajily, Whereas the great Thing of all, 
 by which God was more particularly disho- 
 noured, was Idolatry, which confifted chiefly 
 in vain and fuperftitious, and fometimes wick- 
 F 3 ed 
 
( 7°) 
 
 cd Sacrifices, and the Worfhip of falfe Ob- 
 jects, and falfe Mediators, by which God was, 
 as it were, degraded from his Throne and 
 Glory ; here was an effectual Provifion made 
 by the Sacrifice and Mediation of Chrift, for 
 the total Abolition of all this at once. 
 
 For by the Appointment of the Sacrifice 
 of Chrift, as that which God would accept 
 for the Sins of the World, all other Sacri- 
 fices became needlefs, but His. And by ap- 
 pointing him to be the only Mediator, thro* 
 whom we mud come unto God, and thro* 
 whom, if we come with proper Difpofitions, 
 we fhall be fure of Acceptance with God j here 
 can be no need of any other Mediator, but Him. 
 
 And therefore as we fee this was naturally 
 fitted to deftroy all' the Idolatry of the Hea- 
 then World ; fo it is very remarkable in Hi- 
 ftory, that ail the Heathen Superftitions im- 
 mediately vanifhed, wherever Chtiftianity was 
 received. Thefe are fome of the Reafons of 
 the Gofpel Difpenfation of Mercy to Sinners, 
 by the Death and Sacrifice of Chrift. 
 
 There may be many other Reafons for ir, 
 that we do not underftand j but from what 
 I have faid, it appears to be a wife Contri- 
 vance, even according to our own Notions, to 
 ihew Mercy to Sinners in fuch a way, as was 
 moft likely to reform the World, and do Ju- 
 flice to the Honour of God's Laws and Go- 
 vernment, and prevent the Abufe of the Sin- 
 ners Impunity j all which I have fhewn were 
 necefifarily to be provided for in difpenfmg Par- 
 don to a wicked World. And 
 
( 7i ) 
 
 And I think this is fuch a Method of doing 
 it, as is confiftent, and intelligible, and fuch 
 as gives us an eafy and rational Account of 
 our Redemption. 
 
 And if what I have faid be true, as it ap- 
 pears to be, from hence we are taught ano- 
 ther Notion of Satisfaction made by the Death 
 of Chrift, befide that which I mentioned be- 
 fore. 
 
 The Satisfaffiion of Chr'ijl farther explained. 
 
 FO R in what I faid before concerning it, 
 I confidered the Death of Chrift nor barely 
 as a Sacrifice, but only as an Act of Obedience 
 to the Will and Appointment of God, and the 
 finifhing Act, or Accomplishment of the fe- 
 veral Things required of him by God, as a 
 Condition without which He would not be 
 reconciled to Sinners ; and which being per- 
 formed by Chrift, as a Price demanded by 
 God for it, God was fo far fatisfied, as not 
 to impute their Sins unto them to their Con- 
 demnation. And this I faid might be called 
 a Satisfaction made by Chrift fur Sinners, as 
 it was properly his Act alone. 
 
 But when the Blood of Chrift is confidered 
 as a Sacrifice offered in the Name and Behalf 
 of Sinners; in this Senfe JeJusChriJl is no o- 
 therwife concerned in it, tnan as he is their 
 Mediator, acting for them and in their Name; 
 and whatever Satisfaction is made by it, is 
 intended and fuppofed to be made by thofe 
 in whofe Name it is offered : And fince I 
 
 F 4 have 
 
( 72 ) 
 
 have (hewn that the Sinners are the Sacri- 
 ficed; the Blood of Chrift is the Offering, 
 and Chrift is only the Mediator, thro' whom 
 it is offered by them, or by whom it is offered 
 for them in their Stead j whatever Satisfa: ion 
 is made by it, is made by the Sinners them- 
 fplves, and not by Chrift, any otherwife than 
 as he is their Proxy acting for them. And 
 fince it appears from what I have before faid, 
 that Sinners can have no Share in what he 
 has done for them, unlefs they affent to, and 
 accept his Mediation, it will follow, that they 
 onlv can have a Share in the Satisfaction made 
 by the Blood of Chrift, who not only believe 
 in it, as a Sacrifice, but defire it may be ac- 
 cepted as a Sacrifice for them. And fince we 
 have fhewn how the Sinner is required to de- 
 clare his Faith in this Sacrifice, it is only by 
 this Declaration fo made, that the Sinner can 
 make the Blood of Chrift a Means of Satis- 
 faction for him. 
 
 But when the Word Satisfaction is ufed in 
 this Senfe, it fignifies no more than Reftitu- 
 tion for an Injury, or that Reparation we 
 make to God for the Difhonour we have 
 done to Him by our wicked Works. 
 
 This I take to have been the great End of 
 the Inftitution of all expiatory Sacrifices, that 
 Sinners might thereby give Glory to God as 
 the Scripture fays, by a pubiick Acknowledge- 
 ment of their Tranfgrefiions, and a pubiick 
 Recantation of them, owning what they might 
 in Juftice expect from him, and at the fame 
 
 time 
 
(73 ) 
 
 time imploring his Mercy to them under a 
 tacit Promife of Reformation. 
 
 And as this was the great End of the Gos- 
 pel Difpenfation of Mercy by the Sacrifice of 
 Chrift; fo every Chriftian coming to God by 
 Chrift, in the way of his Institutions, appoint- 
 ed for this Purpofe, with proper Difpoiitions 
 and Refolutions of Obedience, may likewife 
 be faid by thofe Ads to make Satisfaction for 
 the Dishonour they have done to God by their 
 Tranfgreffions 5 as they do what God is plea- 
 fed to require, and gracioufly accept, as a 
 Satisfaction from them. 
 
 But then, as it is by the Blood of Chrift a- 
 lone, that we are rendered capable of this 
 Satisfaction, and as it is thro' Him alone that 
 what we thus do is accepted by God as a Sa- 
 tisfaction ; fo the Satisfaction made by us may 
 be laid likwife to be His, and the Honour and 
 Merit of it His, as He fubmitted to be our 
 Mediator in it, and as God is pleafed to ac- 
 cept it only thro' him, as a fuli Satisfaction 
 for the Sins of all that will accept His Medi- 
 ation for them, and make his Sacrifice their 
 own. 
 
 It is no Objection to this Notion, that the 
 Reparation, or Satisfaction made to the Ho- 
 nour of God by the Sacrifice of Chrift, is pro- 
 vided for us by God Himfelf. 
 
 For as God is the injured Perfon, it is his 
 Part to appoint what Reparation or Satisfac- 
 tion He requires, and will accept from thofe 
 by whom the Injury is done. And tho' the 
 
 World 
 
( 74 ) 
 
 World could do nothing towards it of them- 
 felves, yet it is enough if they fubmit to 
 the Terms impofed. 
 
 For let us put the Cafe already mention- 
 ed of a Perfon that has difgraced our Reputa- 
 tion, for which we demand that he make us 
 Satisfaction ; and fuppofe we require a publick 
 Recantation, which he is unable to make thro' 
 Sicknefs or Confinement, or other Impedi- 
 ment : Now, in this Cafe, tho' we ourfelves 
 do all, tho' we write the Recantation for him, 
 and guide his Hand to fign it, and afterwards 
 publifh it abroad for him, yet fo long as it 
 is done by His Confent and Approbation, the 
 Satisfaction 16 made by Him, and the Work 
 is his. 
 
 Now this is the very Cafe between God and 
 Sinners : The whole World had done Difho- 
 nour to God and his Laws ; and before He 
 would (hew Mercy to them, He requires that 
 they repair the Injury, and make him Satif- 
 faction to his Honour: They know not what 
 God would accept for this Purpofe ; and as 
 it was his Part to prefcribe the Method of 
 it; fo fince he has required it to be done by 
 Sacrifice, it was neceffary, that He appoint 
 what the Sacrifice mould be. And fince he 
 has appointed it to be done by the Blood of 
 Chrift, as our Mediator, acting in our Stead, 
 it is a fufficient Satisfaction made by us, if 
 we aflent to what he has done in our Name, 
 in fuch a manner as is required of us. 
 
 And 
 
( 75 ) 
 
 And fince God has appointed us a way for 
 this by the three Inftitutions already fpoken 
 of, if we obferve thefe Inftitutions in a pro- 
 per Manner, that is, as Declarations of our 
 Faith in Chrift's Death, as a Sacrifice for us, 
 and as a publick Recantation and Acknowledge- 
 ment of our Sinfulnefs ; this is received by 
 God thro* Chrift, as a full Reparation and 
 Satisfaction from us : And by this we are 
 intitled to Redemption thro' his Blood. 
 
 And if fo, from hence we fee, that, as I 
 faid before, if we refufe to own the Death 
 of Chrift as a Sacrifice, or refufe to do it in 
 the way he has appointed ; or if we content 
 ourfelves with a bare Confeffion of Faith in 
 it, without a publick Recantation and Ac- 
 knowledgment of our Sins, and our Resolution 
 to repent and amend our Lives; as there is no 
 Satisfaction or Reparation made by us to God 
 on our Part ; fo the Death of Chrift is no Sa- 
 tisfaction for us on His Part :For as His Death 
 is no Sacrifice of ours, fo it is no Propitiation 
 for us. 
 
 And as this is Matter of juft Terror 
 to wicked Chriftians to confider what a 
 fad Condition they muft be in whilft they 
 cut themfelves off from all Hope of Mercy 
 from God by their Impenitence; fo it is 
 Matter of juft Caution to all, whether 
 Chriftians or others, how well foever thev 
 may live, to confider what they do whilft 
 they reject: the Sacrifice of Chrift, as a 
 thing they have no Need of, or refufe to own 
 
 ic 
 
( 76 ) 
 
 it in the way appointed for it by our Saviour. 
 For by this they leave themfelves nothing to 
 truft to whereby to procure the Mercy of 
 God, but the Merit of their own poor and 
 imperfect Services ; which tho' they were much 
 more perfect than the beft of us can pretend 
 to, yet they can merit nothing of God, but 
 by Vertue of his Promifes : And He has pro- 
 mifed no Reward to any Works but fuch as 
 are done in the Name and Faith of Jefus 
 Chrift j thro' whom we are required to come 
 unto God, not only as a Prophet and Teacher 
 fent by Him, but as our Mediator and Ad- 
 vocate with Him, who is gone to Heaven as 
 our High-Prieft to prefent his crucified Body 
 before the Throne of God, and ever lives to 
 make Interceffion for us. 
 
 And as there is no other Name given unto 
 Men, whereby they can hope for Pardon and 
 Salvation, but the Name of our Lord Jejus 
 Chrifl^ the one only Mediator between God 
 and Man, He is the only Foundation where- 
 on we can build with Safety: And if we 
 will vainly truft to our own weak Reafon, by 
 profeffing ourfelves Wife, we mall become 
 Fools. 
 
 Thus have I fmifhed what I thought ne- 
 cefTary to explain the Scripture Notion of our 
 Redemption by the Blood of Chrift, with fuch 
 probable Reafons for it, as we are able to 
 comprehend ; as alfo what Conditions are re- 
 quired of all that would be entitled to it : 
 All which,, as it is drawn from the Scripture 
 
 taken 
 
( 77 ) 
 
 taken in its natural and moft obvious Mean- 
 ing, fo it fets before us fuch a View of this 
 wonderful Difpenfation, as is, I am fure, con- 
 fident, and, I hope, intelligible. 
 
 The Benefit of Redemption in the Forgivenejs 
 of our Sins confidered. 
 
 I Proceed now to confider in the laft Place 
 the Advantage we have by the Redemption 
 of Chrift, which is exprefled by the Forgive- 
 nefs of our Sins, and what the Scripture teaches 
 us concerning it. 
 
 To be allured that God will pardon Sin, 
 and what Terms he requires for this End, is 
 what every one, who believes in a Holy and 
 Righteous God, mull: above all Things delire 
 and rejoice in, as the greateft Comfort of his 
 Life. 
 
 And yet this is a Privilege that God has 
 vouchfafed to offer through the Mediation of 
 Chrift, to all that will accept it at his Hands, 
 on the Conditions he requires of them. 
 
 What the Conditions required for this 
 Purpofe are, we have already feen. 
 
 As God has made Jefus Chrift the Minifter 
 of this Reconcilement offered to Mankind, He 
 requires that they receive Him as fuch : And 
 as God is pleafed to accept His Death as a 
 Sacrifice of Atonement for their Sins, pro- 
 vided they affent to what he has fuffered for 
 them, fo he expects that they declare this in 
 a proper Manner, that is, in the due Obfer- 
 
 vation 
 
(78 ) 
 
 vation of thofe Inftitutions he has appointed 
 for this Purpofe. 
 
 AndifintheObfervation ofthefe Inftitutions 
 we come to God with a penitent and obedi- 
 ent Heart, we are fure of our Reftoration to 
 His Mercy and Favour, fo that our Sins mall 
 be as it were blotted out of the Book of 
 God's Remembrance, and (hall not rife up to 
 our Condemnation. 
 
 Thefe are the Gofpel Terms of Forgive- 
 nefs, and upon thefe Terms we are iure, that 
 there is no Sin fo great, but mall be for- 
 given. 
 
 And what thofe Privileges are, which our 
 Saviour has procured for all that are intitled 
 to this Forgivenefs, I think it now proper to 
 explain to you, as they are reprefented to us 
 in the Scripture. 
 
 Now the firfr. Privilege we are admitted to 
 by the Forgivenefs of our Sins, is, that we are 
 releafed from Punifhment. Various are the 
 Ways in which God may punifli Sinners, ac- 
 cording as his Wifdom fees moft fuitable to 
 the Ends of his Providence. 
 
 But thefirft Punifhment threatened to Sin- 
 ners was Death; and as our firft Parents were 
 the firft Sinners, they firft brought Death in- 
 to the World : The Wage? of their Sin were 
 Death; it was threatened to them to prevent 
 their Sin, and was executed on them as a 
 Punifhment after they had finned, which na- 
 turally implies, that they would not have di- 
 ed without it. 
 
 3 But 
 
r 79 ) 
 
 But tho' they were the firft Sinners, and 
 the firft to whom Death was due, as a Pu- 
 nifhment, yet they were not the firft that di- 
 ed j but Death is not to be confidered as a 
 Punifhment to any but them, unlefs iu be in^ 
 flicked by the Hand of God on Sinners for 
 their perfonal Tranfgreffions, as in many Cafes 
 probably it may be, and the Scripture men- 
 tions fome. 
 
 But in the common Courfe of Things, 
 Death is a natural and necefiary Effect of a 
 natural and neceffary Caufe. For all Man- 
 kind are born with a mortal Nature : Death 
 is a neceffary Attendant on their very Confti- 
 tution, and it is as natural to them to die, 
 as it is to be born of their Parents with fuch 
 a Body, as will in its own Nature decay and 
 fall to Duft. 
 
 And therefore Death in the Pofterity of 
 Adam cannot be confidered as a Punifhmenr, 
 but only as an Affliction, or Misfortune de- 
 rived from him as the Effect of a bodily 
 Diftemper, and a bad Conftitution which he 
 contracted by his Sin, and conveyed to them 
 in a natural way j and with this mortal and 
 corruptible Conftitution, were his Defcendants 
 as pure as Angels, it would be impomble for 
 them to avoid Death, uniefs preferved by 
 Miracle. 
 
 And therefore when we are faid to have 
 Forgivenefs of our Sins by the Death of Chrift, 
 and by confequence that we fhall be releafed 
 from the Punifhment of them, it will not 
 
 hence 
 
( 8o) 
 
 hence follow that we muft be releafed from 
 dying, or that our bodily Conftitution muft 
 by a Miracle be fo changed, as that we mould 
 not be liable to Death. Natural Caufes 
 will produce their natural Effects, and we 
 fhall and muft all die, we know, notwith- 
 ftanding what Chrift has done and fuffered 
 for us. 
 
 And therefore that which our Saviour has 
 done for us in this Refpect is, that after Death 
 we mail be reftored to Life again ; fo that 
 Death which is neceffarily confequent upon 
 our very Conftitution, and under which we 
 muft have lain for ever, had not God con- 
 trived this Method of Delivernnce for us, (hall 
 not have Dominion over us. But as in, or by, 
 or thro' Adam all die, fo in, and by, or thro' 
 Chrift, all (hall be made alive. 
 
 But this would be no great Privilege if this 
 were ail : For barely to be reftored to Life 
 again would be no Advantage, if we were to 
 live again in the fame State of Vanity and Vex- 
 ation, Fears and Cares, Pains and SicknefTes, 
 and at laft be liable to Death as we were 
 before. This is what a wife Man would not 
 chooie, how loth foever he were ro die. 
 
 And therefore to be delivered from Death 
 muft be more than this : It muft imply a De- 
 liverance from this mortal State with all its 
 miierable Attendants and Confequences, which 
 Sin brought into the World. And therefore, 
 as we are to be reftored to our Bodies again 
 by a Refurrec~tion from the Dead, fo the Scrip- 
 
 3 ture 
 
( 8' ) 
 
 ture tells us, they (hall be fuch Bodies, as {hall 
 be free from all thofe Infirmities, and Incon- 
 veniencies that cleave to us here j they (hall be 
 Spiritual, Powerful, Glorious, Incorruptible and 
 Immortal Bodies ; and this is a very agreeable 
 State no doubt j but this is not the only Privi- 
 lege we (hall have by Chrift : There are worfe 
 Confequences of Sin than thofe we fuffer in 
 this World : There is a State which the Scrip- 
 ture calls the fecond Death, and reprefents 
 under all the moft difmal Circumftances of 
 Horror. And as this is fet forth, as the Pu- 
 nimment of Sinners, though prepared at firfl 
 for the Devil and his Angels, fo by the For- 
 givenefs of our Sins, it is implied, that we (hall 
 be delivered from this fecond Death. This 
 Punilhment is reprefented by the Similitude of 
 a Lake of Fire, and Brimftone, a never-dying 
 Worm, and an everlafting Third: , I fay, by 
 the Similitude: For if this be the Portion pre- 
 pared for the Devil, and his Angels, as they 
 are Spirits, and therefore may reafonably be 
 fuppofed not to have Bodies, or fuch Bodies, 
 at leaft, as are capable of being affected by 
 Fire, and Brimftone, and much lefs of Thirfl 
 after Water, fo thefe Expreffions can be only 
 rhetorical Reprefentations to mew the Severity 
 of that Punilhment, by Torments the moil 
 terrible to Human Nature, and therefore above 
 all Things to be avoided : 
 
 This is that Death, which is particularly 
 faid to be the Wages of Sitz, and the Portion of 
 Sinners in another State. 
 
 G But 
 
( 82) 
 
 But this our Saviour has delivered all Sin- 
 ners from, who will accept the Offer of Re- 
 demption by Him, and has purchafed everlaft- 
 ing Life, and Happinefs for them, if they will 
 make themfelves capable of it byfubmitting to 
 the Terms required for it : 
 
 It is to him that we owe the AfTurance of 
 this Happinefs: For it is not only laid to be 
 the Gift of God through Chrift, Rom. vi. 23. 
 But we are likewife faid to be quickened and 
 raifed up together with Him in his Refurrec- 
 tion. And to fit together in heavenly Places 
 by Vertue of His Afcenfion. Epb. ii. 6. He 
 went to Heaven, it is faid, to prepare a Place 
 for his Difciples, that where he is, there they 
 may be alfo, Job. xiv. 2, 3. And as He has 
 taken Pofieffion of it in their Name ; fo the 
 Scripture tells us, that at the laft Day He will 
 actually confer that Happinefs upon them, 
 which he has prepared for them, and pro- 
 mifed to them ; we are in Heaven already in 
 Him, and hereafter we (hall have Pofieffion 
 of it given us by Him : In Him already as our 
 Proxy, and by Him hereafter, as our Judge. 
 
 This is a vaft Privilege we enjoy by our Sa- 
 viour's Means, to be allured of this everlafting 
 and happy State : We all naruraily deli re Hap- 
 pinefs; we feek for it in varous Methods, but 
 we are fure, we cannot find it here : 'Tis there- 
 fore a great Comfort and Satisfaction to us, to 
 know, that there is a Place provided for us, and 
 affured to us hereafter, where we may be eter- 
 nally happy, if we will. 
 
 But 
 
( «3 ) 
 
 But thefe Privileges how great foever are not 
 the only ones we have by His Means : There 
 are other Advantages wc are intitled to by 
 Him, even in this World. 
 
 For God has not only promifed Forgivenefs 
 of Sins and eternal Happinefs to thofe, who 
 believe in Chrift, but he has likewife promifed 
 to take them for his Children even here, that 
 he will be to them a Father, and they mall 
 be to Him as Sons and Daughters. And in 
 Vertue of that Relation, he promifes them a 
 Liberty of Accefs to Him, as their Father, with 
 Aflurance of being heard in every Thing they 
 afk, provided they do not afkamifs, Rom. v. 2. 
 Eph. ii. 18. Heb. x. 22, 23. 1 Ep. Job. iii. 
 21, 22. 
 
 And as in order to our future Happinefs, he 
 knew we mould meet with great Difficulties, 
 and Temptations which might obftrucl, and 
 difcourage us in our Chriftian Courfe, fo he has 
 promifed us fuch Aid as is fufficient for us, in 
 the Affiftance of his Holy Spirit; by the Help 
 of which we (hall be inabled to do all Things 
 that are required of us. 
 
 Thefe arc fuch Privileges as we have in 
 Hand, and thefe the Scripture fays, we owe to 
 our Saviour's Mediation : For it is through Him 
 that we are laid to receive the Adoption of 
 
 1 
 
 Sons, Gal. iv. 5. Eph. i. 5. And through 
 Faith in Him, that we are the Children of 
 God, Gal. iii. 26. And in or by him that we 
 have Boldnefs, and Accefs with Confidence unto 
 God. Eph. iii. 12. 
 
 G 2 And 
 
( 8 4 ) 
 
 And through Him that we muft hope to be 
 heard of God in Prayer when we afk in His 
 Name and in Faith of his being fent by God. 
 fob. xv. 1 6. Job. xvi. 23, 27. 
 
 And whatever Affiftanc? is promifed from 
 the Spirit, the Scripture tells us, that it is ow- 
 ing only to our Saviour's Afceniion, and the 
 Power of his Interceffion for us. fob. xiv. 16. 
 xvi. 7. 
 
 Thefe are the glorious Privileges all true 
 Chriftians are intitled to, by Vertueof our Re- 
 demption by Chrift, all which are confequent 
 on the Forgivenefs of our Sins, and our Refto- 
 raiion to the Favour of God. 
 
 'The Benefits of our Redemption conveyed to us by 
 the Sacraments. 
 
 BUT then, as all thefe Privileges are offered 
 to us by God only through the Mediation 
 of Chrift for us, provided we will accept the 
 Offer through Him, ratifying in our own Per- 
 fon, what He has done in our Name, and de- 
 dicating ourfelves to His Service in an humble 
 Senfe of our Tranfgreffions ; fo fince He has 
 appointed feveral Inftitutions for this End, it is 
 only in a proper Ufe.of thofe Inftitutions that 
 we can be intitled to thefe Privileges. 
 
 And thence it is, that we are faid in Scrip- 
 ture to be juflified, and regenerate, and to receive 
 the Spirit of God, and to become Heirs of Eter- 
 nal Life by Baptifm : 
 
 Be- 
 
( §5 ) 
 
 Becaufe the Pardon of our Sins, which is the 
 Meaning of Justification, is made over to us 
 by Baptifm, as it is appointed by our Saviour, 
 as an outward Sign, by which we accept the 
 Offer of Salvation made by Him, and ingage 
 ourfelves to perform the Conditions of it. 
 
 And for the fame Reafon we are faid to be 
 Regenerated by it, as we hereby contract a new 
 Relation to God, as he hereby adopts us for his 
 Children, and receives us into his Family, and 
 Houfhold, as our Father. 
 
 And we are hereby likewife faid to receive the 
 Spirit of God, as we are by this Act intitled to 
 the Promife of His Affiftance, and are put un- 
 der his immediate Conduct, and Direction. In 
 the firft Ages of Chriftianity, we read of ex- 
 traordinary and miraculous Gifts conveyed to 
 Chriftians upon their Baptifm : But we know 
 of no fuch Gifts in our Days: 'Tis enough that 
 we are affured of all proper Affiftance from 
 Him, and this AfTurance we have by Baptifm. 
 
 And laftly we are faid to be made Heirs of 
 Salvation by Baptifm, in Confequence of our 
 being the adopted Children of God, to whom 
 He has promifed to give Eternal Life through 
 Chrift, provided we will make ourfelves meet to 
 be Partakers of it by Repentance, and a holy Life. 
 
 The fame Things may be faid of the Lord's 
 Supper, as it is a Profeffion of the fame Faith 
 and Holinefs, which we make at our Baptifm, 
 and as it was inftituted for the fame End : 
 
 For, as Baptifm was appointed for the pub- 
 lick Profeffion of our Faith in Chrift, and of 
 
 G 3 our 
 
(86) 
 
 our Acceptance of the Conditions required by 
 Him in order to our Salvation : So the Lord's 
 Supper was to (hew, and declare our Continu- 
 ance in this Profeffion : And as by every fuch 
 Act, we mud: be fuppofed to renew the De- 
 claration, and repeat the Vows we made at our 
 Baptifm ; fo by Confequence we renew and re- 
 vive our Title to Pardon, and Adoption, the 
 Affiitance of the Divine Spirit, and Eternal 
 Life : And we may aiTure ourfelves, that if we 
 are but faithful to the Profeffion we make, and 
 the Vows we ingage ourfelves in by thefe Infti- 
 tutions : , we may aflure ourfelves, I fay, that 
 thefe feveral Privileges are by every fuch Action 
 new fealed and confirmed to us, till we forfeit 
 them by acting contrary to what we by them 
 profefTed and vowed to do. 
 
 And if this be true, as it appears to be, as 
 t; is (hews us the Necemry of obferving thefe 
 lnftitutions, if we defire the Benefits of our 
 Saviour's Redemption, fo from hence likewife 
 we may be able to determine that famous Que- 
 ftion fo much difputed among Divines, whe- 
 ther the Sacraments confer Grace, and how. 
 
 How the Sacraments confer Grace, 
 
 FOR fince it appears from what has been 
 faid, that by thefe lnftitutions, duly, and 
 rightly obferyed, according to the Intention of 
 them, we are intitled to all the Mercies pur- 
 chafed fori/s, by the Sacrifice of the Death of 
 Ch rift /jjfc -are by Coniequence theinflrumen- 
 tal Meanrof conveying what we call the Grace 
 
 4 of 
 
f 87) 
 
 of God to us. For by Grace is meant Favour, 
 and by the Grace of God the Favour of God, 
 And whatever will intitle us to the Favour of 
 God may be properly faid to confer the Grace 
 of God upon us. 
 
 Now there can be no higher Inftances of the 
 divine Favour (hewn to Mankind, than thofc 
 Mercies and Privileges, which our Saviour has 
 procured for us, and promifed to us in the Gof- 
 pel : And iince the neceffary Qualifications for 
 thefe Mercies and Privileges are Faith and 
 Repenrancej and fince the Sacraments are re- 
 quired, as outward Signs, by which we are 
 to declare our Faith and Repentance, that 
 therebv we may be intitled to thefe Mercies 
 and Privileges; from hence it will follow, that 
 the Sacraments obferved for this End and Pur- 
 pofe, are the Gofpel Means of conferring the 
 Grace of God upon us : For if by thefe Inftru- 
 ments and Signs the Gofpel Mercies become 
 ours, they are by Confequence the Channels 
 through which they are conveyed to us: And 
 that not by Way of magical Charm, or mecha- 
 nical Operation, as fome are pleafed to repre- 
 fent it, but in the fame Manner and Senfe, as 
 Eftates and other temporal Privileges are con- 
 veyed to us by figning and fealing of Deeds, 
 and Indentures, as publick Tokens of our Af- 
 fent and Confenr to the Covenants therein con- 
 tained : And as we all know, that by figning, 
 and fealing fuch Deed, or Indenture, we have 
 an immediate Right to the Benefits, and Ad- 
 vantages contained in it upon the Conditions 
 
 G 4 therein 
 
( 88 ) 
 
 therein required of us •, fo it is obvious, and 
 intelligible to every Underftanding, How we. 
 may have the fame Right to all the Gofpel 
 Mercies conveyed to us in the Ufe of the Chri- 
 ftian Sacraments, when obferved, as publick De- 
 -clarations and Tokens of our Affent to what 
 our Saviour has done for us, and our Confent 
 to the Conditions required of us by Him. 
 
 This is an eafy and intelligible Account of 
 the Manner how the Sacraments confer Grace, 
 as it is agreeable to the cuftomary Way of con- 
 veying Rights and Privileges in Human So- 
 ciety. 
 
 The NeceJJity of the Chrljiian Sacraments and the 
 Danger of refuting to comply with them. 
 
 AND as this (hews us the Benefit of thefe 
 Inftitutions, and our Obligation not only 
 to obferve them, but to do it in a proper 
 Manner, fo it likewife mews us the Danger 
 of refufing our Compliance with them. 
 
 For, as in Human Society, He who will not 
 comply with the publick Forms appointed for 
 the Conveyance of temporal Privileges, can 
 have no legal Right to them : So neither can 
 he, who refufes to comply with the Gofpel 
 Inftitutions for the Conveyance of the Gofpel 
 Mercies to us, have any Gofpel claim of Right 
 to thofe Mercies. 
 
 How God may deal with fuch Perfons whofe 
 Refufal to obferve his Ordinances is not owing 
 to the Obliquity of their Will, but their Igno- 
 rance, and therefore may be rather their Mif- 
 2 fortune, 
 
( 89 ) 
 
 fortune, than their Fault, I will not fay : But 
 as for thofe, who know the Will of God, but 
 will not do it ; who, though they enjoy the 
 Gofpel Revelation, yet will not accept the Of- 
 fer of Salvation in the Gofpel Way, what other 
 Title they can have to it, I do not fee. 
 
 Such a wilful Oppofition to the revealed Will 
 of God does not betoken fuch a teacheable 
 and humble Spirit, as God delights in and has 
 promifed his Grace, and Favour to. Jam. iv. 
 6. i Pet. v. 5. And if Men will not be faved 
 in God's Way, I fear they will be difappointed 
 in their own. 
 
 But here the Infidel objects, that it is very 
 unreafonable to make the Mercies and Favours 
 of God to depend on mere Forms and Cere- 
 monies as the Sacraments are, which have no 
 natural Goodnefs in them : They think it arbi- 
 trary and tyrannical to impofe fuch Things, 
 which having no rational Connexion with the 
 Ends they are appointed for, muft be the Ef- 
 fects of mere Will without Reafon, and there- 
 fore unworthy of a Wife, and Good God. 
 
 An Objection againfi the Sacraments anfwered. 
 
 THIS is a common Objection, and a very 
 weak one. For the Mercies and Favours 
 of God are not made to depend on the Sacra- 
 ments, as bare Forms and Ceremonies, but on 
 the Things fignified by them : For thefe Forms 
 and Ceremonies are inftituted, only as Signs to 
 exprefs what is neceffary to be done, but can- 
 not 
 
( 90 ) 
 
 not in the Nature of Things be done without 
 them, or fomething equipollent to them. 
 
 The Neceffity of lomething of this Nature 
 we have already (hewn. 
 
 For fince God has been pleafed to offer Re- 
 conciliation to the World in the way of pub- 
 lick Expiation through the Mediation and Sa- 
 crifice of Chrift, we have already fhewn, that 
 there is a Neceffity in the Nature of the Thing 
 of fome outward publick Means to be appoint- 
 ed, whereby to declare, that we accept the 
 Offer, and affect to his Mediation, and Sacri- 
 fice for us. 
 
 And fince I have likewife before fhewn, that 
 in granting Pardon to the wicked World, it was 
 reafonable, that God {hould require fome pub- 
 lick Confeffion, and Recantation to be made by 
 Sinners, to (hew the Senfe they have of His 
 Juftice, and the Di (honour they have done him 
 by their wicked Works, there was like wile a 
 Neceffity in this Refpect of lome outward 
 Means to be appointed tor this L J urpofc: For 
 how can any Man conceive it poffibie foi any 
 fuch publick Action to be done by all ,ne 
 World, without fome publick Form, or Cere- 
 mony appointed for it ? 
 
 And fince it further appears from wl ar I 
 have before faid, that it is reaionable ro expect 
 that God Himfelf mould appoint in what Man- 
 ner, He requires this Publick Conftffion, or 
 Recantation ihall be made, where he has ap- 
 pointed the Sacraments for this Purpoie, is it a 
 reafonable Objection that there is no natural 
 
 Goodnefs 
 
(9i ) 
 
 Goodnefs in them, antecedent to that Appoint- 
 ment ? Can we expect any other Goodnefs in 
 Signs, than that of Signs ? And if it be fit for 
 God to require fuch Signs ; whatever the 
 Matter of them be, there is a natural Goodnefs 
 in oblerving them when commanded : Natu- 
 ral Reafon teaches us to obey, when God com- 
 mands, and every Ad of Obedience to God's 
 Will, however made known to us, is, as fuch, 
 an Act of Religion : And therefore when God 
 commands the Obfervation of the Chriftian 
 Sacraments, as outward Signs of thofe inward 
 Difpolitions, which he requires, as necef« 
 fary to his Favour and Mercy, though they 
 have no natural Goodnefs in themfelves, yet 
 we are under a natural Obligation to obferve 
 them in Obedience to the Will of God : And 
 when they are obferved, as God intended, with 
 thofe inward Difpofitions, which they are ap- 
 pointed to exprefs, they are religious Actions, 
 highly acceptable to God. 
 
 And it argues a great Weaknefs to cenfure 
 fuch Institutions of want of Wifdom, becaufe 
 they have no neceffary Connexion with the End 
 they are appointed for. 
 
 All outward Signs are arbitrary Things, and 
 depend intirely on the Will of thofe who ap- 
 point them and agree totheUfe of them : The 
 Defign of them is only to exprefs our inward 
 Thoughts and Sentiments. And there is no 
 more Neceffity, that all fuch Signs mould have 
 a natural Relation to, or Connexion with the 
 Things they are ufed for, than that all Words 
 
 and 
 
(92 ) 
 and Names, which are Signs inftituted for the 
 fame End, (hould have a neceffary Connexion 
 with the Things, that are expreffed by them. 
 
 This we know they have not, and there is 
 no Neceffity they mould : 'Tis enough that 
 People underftand one another by fuch Signs, 
 whether they be Words or Actions, and 'tis 
 not material what the Signs, Words and Ac- 
 tions are fo long as they are but underftood. 
 
 Without fuch publick Signs, by which Man- 
 kind exprefs their Sentiments to one another, 
 no publick Affairs of Society can be tranfact- 
 ed : And whatever Forms and Ceremonies are 
 appointed for this Purpofe, 'tis fufficient, that 
 they are appointed : And it fignifies nothing 
 what they are in their own Natures. 
 
 Among ourfelves, and all other Societies at 
 this Day, we know that Affairs of the greateft 
 Importance are carried on, and Rights of the 
 higheft Nature are acquired and transferred by 
 that known Ceremony of writing our Names, 
 and fetting our Seals: When 'tis plain, that 
 there can be no natural Relation, or Connexion 
 between my Name, and Seal, and another Man's 
 having my Eftate, or any thing elfe belonging 
 to me, but that it is an appointed Sign, by 
 which I declare my Agreement to the Con- 
 tract contained in the Writing, to which my 
 Hand and Seal is put : And did ever any Man 
 of Senfe condemn the Wifdom either of the 
 Inftitution itfelf, or thofe, that appointed it ? 
 
 And if not, is it reafonable, when God has 
 thought fit to offer many great and valuable 
 
 Pri- 
 
( 93 ) 
 
 Privileges to Mankind on certain Conditions re- 
 quired of them, and has appointed the Sacra- 
 ments, as the outward Signs by which we are 
 to declare our Acceptance of the Offer, and 
 our Affent to the Terms, is it reafonable, I fay^ 
 to arraign his Wifdom and Goodnefs in this 
 Difpenfation, becaufe there is no natural Con- 
 nexion between thefe Sacraments, and the Pri- 
 vileges conveyed by them ? 
 
 If it be fit and neceffary that fome inftitu- 
 ted Rites and Ceremonies mould be obferved 
 in confirming Covenants and conveying Rights 
 and Privileges in civil Society, why is it not 
 reafonable and fit for God to appoint fuch 
 Rites and Ceremonies for the conveying Rights 
 and Privileges in a Chriftian and Religious So- 
 ciety ? And why muft fuch Ceremonies be of 
 lefs Obligation, when appointed by God, than 
 they are, when appointed by Men ? 
 
 It is verv hard, that we will not allow God 
 the fame Right in difpenfing his Favours, as 
 we muft and do to every Society, nay to every 
 one in the World j that is, To beftow them in 
 what Manner and on what Terms they pleafe. 
 
 And yet when God makes us the Offer of 
 the greater!: Favours and Privileges, that Man- 
 kind are capable of receiving from Him, be- 
 caufe He has appointed the Sacraments to be 
 the Inftrumental Means of conveying them to 
 us, as Signs, by which He requires us to declare 
 our Acceptance of the Offer, on the Terms 
 they are promifed to us, this is condemned as 
 arbitrary and tyrannical in Him, unworthy of a 
 Wife and Good Being. This 
 
( 94 ) 
 
 This is very ftrange in Men that pretend to 
 fet up for Matters of Reafon. But it is ftill 
 more ftrange to find fuch Objections in the 
 Mouths of People pretending to be Advocates 
 for moral Righteoufnefs : For if they had any 
 true and fincere Regard to moral Righteoufnefs 
 they would gladly comply with every Method 
 that might be inftrumental to it : 
 
 And yet from what has been fa id, they can- 
 not but fee how wifely the Chriftian Inftitu- 
 tions are contrived for this Purpofe, as they na- 
 turally tend to preferve in our Minds a lively 
 Senfe of the Love of God to Mankind, as 
 likewife of His Holinefs, and Juftice, of His 
 Hatred of Sin and Love of Righteoufnefs, and 
 our Obligation to depart from all Iniquity, if 
 we would be intitled to His Favour and 
 Mercy : 
 
 No one can deny, but a Senfe of thefe Things 
 duly imprinted on our Hearts is naturally pro- 
 ductive of a good Life. 
 
 And is it not therefore ftrange to fee the 
 Chriftian Inftitutions fo violently oppofed un- 
 der the Notion of Zeal for moral Righteouf- 
 nefs, which are of fo apparent Ufe to that Pur- 
 pofe, and which would not probably have been 
 injoined, but for their natural Fitnefs and 
 Congruity, to promote that undeniably nece£- 
 fary End j as they fet before us continually, 
 when rightly obferved, the ftrongeft Motives 
 poftible to ingage us to a Holy Life. 
 
 Thus 
 
f 95 ) 
 
 Thus we fee what is meant by the For- 
 givenefs of our Sins, and how Chriftians are 
 intitled to it. 
 
 And from the whole of what has been faid 
 confidered together, I think we have a clear and 
 full View of the Scheme of our Redemption 
 by the Blood of Chrift, as it is fet forth to us 
 in the New Teftament, underftood in its plain 
 and natural Meaning, without artful GlofTes, 
 and Metaphyfical Subtleties : And as this was 
 the whole of my Defign in this Difcourfe, I 
 would here conclude, but that there are one or 
 two things yet behind, which I think neceffa- 
 ry to be taken Notice of, as they may be of 
 ufe to the farther clearing of this Subject. 
 And they are thefe : 
 
 Queftions to be anfwered. 
 
 IN the firft Place we may obferve, that 
 fince it appears from what has been faid, 
 that we can have no Share in what our Savi- 
 our has done without Faith in Him, and that 
 not only as a Prophet, but a Sacrifice ; this 
 may give us Occafion to inquire into the Que- 
 ftion, much difputed by Divines, how far the 
 Redemption of Chrift extends, and how it 
 can be faid to be univerfal. 
 
 2d/y, Since it does appear from what has 
 been faid, that all who are redeemed by Chrift, 
 have Forgivenefs of their Sins: Here a Que- 
 ftion naturally offers itfelf, how it comes to 
 pafs, that they, who are guilty of the Sin a- 
 gainft the Holy Ghoft, have no Share in this 
 
 Re- 
 
( 96 ) 
 
 Redemption, and why their Sin mail never be 
 forgiven ? 
 
 Both thefe are Queftions very material, and 
 fuch as every one that confiders this Subject, 
 will naturally expect an Anfwer to; and from 
 what has been faid in the foregoing Treatife, 
 they will find an eafy Refolution of them. 
 
 Univerjal Redemption conjidered. 
 
 AS to the Fir/I of them, The extent of the 
 Redemption wrought by Chrifl, the 
 Scripture reprefents it as univerfal ,• Jefus 
 Chrifl is faid to be the Saviour of all, to feek 
 end fave that which was loft, and to have died 
 for all, for every Man, for the whole World. 
 
 But he did not intend to fave them whether 
 they would or not : He was to offer Salvation 
 to all that would accept ir, of all Nations and 
 Languages without refpect of Perfons : And as 
 He fent out his Apoftles, and indued them 
 with proper Gifts and Powers for this Pur- 
 pofe; fo all that accept the Offer of it on the 
 Terms of the Gofpel Covenant, are thereby 
 affured of their Redemption by Chrift. 
 
 As Mankind are Free Agents, they muft be 
 dealt with, as fuch, and when the Gofpel Re- 
 velation is made known to them, and proper 
 Motives given to bring them to the Belief of ir, 
 they muft be left to themfelves, whether they 
 will receive it, or not. And tho' few happen e- 
 ventually to be faved by it, it is their own 
 Fault j their Deftru6lion is of themfelves. The 
 
 Re- 
 
( 97 ) 
 
 Redemption may neverthelefs be faid to be 
 univerfal, which is intended for and offered to 
 all that will accept it, and fubmit to the Terms 
 and Conditions of it. 
 
 But the chief Difficulty of the Queflion 
 confifts in this, Whether the Redemption of 
 Chrift is of any Benefit to thole who never heard 
 of it : For fince our Saviour is reprefented 
 as a Propitiation only for thofe that believe 
 in Him; and fince no one can believe in what 
 he knows nothing of, from hence it follows, 
 that they only are capable of any Benefit by 
 the Redemption of Chrift, to whom the Gos- 
 pel is made known. And this, I think, to be 
 very true, if the Redemption of Chrift be con- 
 sidered, as owing to his Death, as a Sacrifice 
 of Propitiation only. 
 
 For fince every fuch Sacrifice is an Offer- 
 ing made by Sinners, as an Acl of Humiliation 
 for their Sins, if the Death of Chrift be a pro- 
 pitiatory Sacrifice for the Sins of all the World, 
 all the World muft fome way or other join in 
 in it, fo'as to make it their Offering ; and how 
 can they do this who know nothing of it, or 
 do not know what it was intended for ? 
 
 For this Reafon I make no Doubt, but that 
 fince this Method of Redemption by the Blood 
 of Chrift was determined and appointed by 
 God, before the Foundation of the World, it 
 was revealed to our Firft Parents, as a. Com- 
 fort to them in the fad Condition they had 
 brought themfelves and their Pofterity into by 
 Sin. 
 
 H And 
 
C 98 ) 
 
 And that Sacrifices were appointed, not 
 only tor a continual Remembrance of the pro- 
 mifed Mercv by the Sacrifice of the Deaih of 
 Chrift, but alio as a Memoiial of it before 
 God, by which they declared their Faith in it 
 and Dependence on it, thro' all Ages till his 
 coming, as our Sacraments are appointed for 
 the fame End, fince his coming to be conti- 
 nued thro' all A^es to the End of the World. 
 
 And for this Reafon it may be, thai our Sa- 
 viour is called the Lamb flain from the Foun- 
 dation of the World. 
 
 And it is very probable, that it was by A- 
 bel's Faith in this Saviour to enme. that he 
 offered a more acceptable Sacrifice than Cain, 
 who would not fubmit to the Inftitutnn, but 
 would rather come to God by a Sacrifice of 
 his own choofing, fuch as his own Reafon di- 
 rected, like our modern Deifts, than that which 
 had been appointed by God ; depending rather 
 upon the Acceptance of his Offering from 
 the natural Goodnefs and Intention of it, than 
 from the Death of the promifed Saviour. 
 
 This, I fay, is probable; and it is no Ob- 
 jection to this, that St. Paul fpeaking of this 
 Faith of Abel feems to make it to confift only 
 in a Belief in God, as the Rewarder of thoie 
 that diligently feek him; for he might never- 
 thelefs expect his Reward thro' the Death of 
 the Saviour promifed, and his Faith in his 
 Death he. might have exprefied in the Sacrifice 
 Time he offered. 
 
 And 
 
( 99 ) 
 
 And if this wasfo, here was the fame Means 
 provided to give the World a Title to the Sa- 
 crifice of Chrift before his coming, as fince ; 
 namely, by Faith in his Death declared by 
 a vifible Sign and outward Memorial of it. 
 
 But if we confider the Death of Chrift, not 
 barely as a Sacrifice, but as the finifhing Act 
 of that Obedience, which was required of 
 Him by God, as a Means of our Reconcilia- 
 tion to Him, and as a Condition which he 
 would accept, as a Price paid for it: If we 
 confider it, I fay, in this Light, then fince this 
 Price was paid for the whole World, the whole 
 World are intitled to fuch Benefits purchafed 
 by it, as they are capable of, even tho' they 
 know nothing of it. 
 
 What thefe Benefits are we cannot pretend 
 to fay ; but the Scripture fays, that the times of 
 Heathen Ignorance God winked at, that is, He 
 had Companion on their Sins, and this might 
 for ought we know be the Effect of our Sa- 
 viour's Redemption ; thro' whom God might 
 pals over their Tranfgreflions as the Iniquities 
 of Children that knew no better. 
 
 And as our Saviour likewife fays, that in Hea- 
 ven in his Father's Houfe, there are many Man- 
 fions, fo He may have provided a proper Place 
 for fuch as know him not, who live up to 
 the Light they have. 
 
 But this is what we know nothing of : 
 
 When we fpeak of thefe things, we can but 
 
 guefs, and it is enough if our GuefTes are but 
 
 H z pro- 
 
( ioo ) 
 
 prcbible, nay but bare poffible in things of 
 this Nature. « 
 
 But after all that can be faid, this is what 
 we have nothing to do with. How God will 
 deal with the dark Heathen World, we are 
 not told, and we may be laved without know- 
 ing that. It is fufficient that we know what 
 concerns our felves ; this is plainly taught us, 
 and we mud be content with what is revealed : 
 Secret things belong to God, and it is a bold 
 Curiofity in us to fearch into them ; but 
 much more to object againft the Providence of 
 God for what we are not judges of, and what 
 our {hallow Capacities cannot reach. And 
 this is all that 1 mall fay to this Queftion. 
 
 The next thing to be inquired into is, how 
 it comes to pafs, that fince all who are re- 
 deemed by Chrift, have Forgivenefs of their 
 Sins; they who are guilty of the Sin againft 
 the Holy Ghoft, have no Share in this Re- 
 demption, and why their Sin fhall never be 
 forgiven. 
 
 b 
 
 Of the Sin againft the Holy Gbofl, and why 
 unpardonable. 
 
 HIS is the Difficulty: But from what 
 has been before laid, the Solution iseaiy : 
 For fince it appears, that according to the Gof- 
 pel all People have Redemption thro' the 
 Blood of Chrift, and are reftored to the Favour 
 of God, who will accept the Offer by Faith in 
 Chrift, and fit themielves for it by Repen- 
 tance j 
 
( ioi ) 
 
 tance ; from hence it will follow, that if the 
 Sin againft the Holy Ghoft (hall not be for- 
 given, it mud be fuch a Sin a*s rejects the Of- 
 fer of Redemption by Chrift, and refufes to 
 accept it at his Hands, and that in fuch a man- 
 ner as cannot be repented of: What this un- 
 pardonable Sin confifts in, there are various 
 Opinions amongft Divines. The moft com- 
 monly received Opinion is, that it confifts in 
 afcribing our Saviour's Miracles to the Devil ; 
 but this I humbly conceive was not the Sin, 
 but only the Occafion of what our Saviour 
 faid concerning it. 
 
 In the account of this Matter given us by 
 St. Matthew, Chap. xii. 22, &c. we are told, 
 that our Saviour having cured a Perfon poffef- 
 fed with a Devil, the People being amazed, be- 
 gan to conclude that he was their Meffiah, the 
 Son of David. 
 
 Upon this the Pharifees object againft him, 
 that what he did was done by the Power of the 
 Devil : This our Saviour proves to be a ma- 
 licious Calumny, and from thence took Occa- 
 fion to let them know the Confequence, if 
 they mould do by the Holy Ghoft, as they 
 had done by him. 
 
 Wherefore I fay unto you, v. 31. that is, be- 
 caufe you accufed me of dealing with the De- 
 vil, therefore I fay unto you, All manner of 
 Sin and Blafphemy JJjall be forgiven unto Men : 
 But the Blafphemy againft the Holy Ghoft Jhall 
 not be forgiven unto Men. 
 
 H 3 And 
 
( 102 ) 
 
 And ivhofoever (peaketh a Word againft the 
 Son of Man, it fiall be forgiven him ; but who- 
 foever J peaketh againji the Holy Ghoft, it pall not 
 be forgiven him, &c. 
 
 Now by the Son of Man is meant our Sa- 
 viour himfelf ; and by Blafphemy is meant 
 fpeaking agaiuft him fallely and calumnioufly. 
 And in [his he refers not only to the many 
 falfe and reproachful Speeches, that had been 
 at feveral times urged againft Him ; but alfo 
 to that particular Calumny, which was the 
 immediate Occafion of thefe Words, namely, 
 his dealing with the Devil. Now thefe Ca- 
 lumnies, he fays, are capable of Forgivenefs, 
 (that is fo far as they are repented of, for 
 without that, no Sin will be forgiven,) but 
 the Sin againft the Holy Ghoft mall not be 
 forgiven, and that as I (hall fhow by and by, 
 becaufe it cannot be repented of. 
 
 This Sin is here called Blafphemy or Ca- 
 lumny, and fpeaking againft the Holy Ghoft ; 
 and by this fpeaking againft the Holy Ghoft, 
 muft naturally be meant their fpeaking againft 
 the Gifts and Powers of the Holy Ghoft, as 
 they had fpoken againft the Works done by our 
 Saviour, imputing them to the Operation of 
 the D' vil. 
 
 And of this Sin againft the Holy Ghoft, he 
 fays, that whofoever (hall hereafter be guilty of 
 ir, he (hall not be forgiven; for the Word in 
 thcGreek (o Feiv $hap$npi<rn v. 24.) denotes the 
 to come. 
 
 And 
 
( *°3 ) 
 
 A n d tho' this imputing cur Saviour's Works 
 to the Devil was the Occafion of his faying, 
 that he did them by the Spirit of God, yet it 
 is very probable, that by this Expreffion was 
 understood no more, but that he did them by 
 the Tower of God. 
 
 And by impming them to the Devi!, they 
 could not be faid to fpeak againft the Holy 
 Ghoft, becaufe as yet they did not know 
 there was any Holy Ghoft : It does not appear, 
 that they had any Notion of any fuch diftinct 
 divine Perlbn ; or if they had, if this fpeak- 
 ing againft Him, had been the unpardon- 
 able Sin, none that had been guilty of it could 
 be capable of Pardon ; whereas we read of 
 many converted after this, and admitted to 
 the Covenant of Grace by Baptifm, who pro- 
 bably had been guilty of it; as they had been 
 guilty of crucifying our Saviour, as a De- 
 ceiver or Impoftor, and by Coniequence muft 
 probably have believed, and fallen in with the 
 popular Calumny of imputing hie Miracles to 
 the Devil. Atts ii. 22, 23. And, 
 
 To this we may add, that it is very unrea- 
 fonable to think, that our Saviour mould make 
 it a (landing fundamental Article of his Reli- 
 gion, that they who fhall accept Salvation thro' 
 Him, (hall have Forgivenefs of their Sins upon 
 their Repentance; and yet mould denounce an 
 irreverlible Condemnation on this Sin of impu- 
 ting his Works to the Devil, (if this had been 
 the Sin he aimed at) when it is plain there 
 were many Evidences then to come, by which 
 
 H 4 they 
 
( 104 ) 
 
 they might be convinced of their Sin, and 
 brongh to Repentance for it. 
 
 Cur Saviour's Death, and the Wonders that 
 attended it -, his Re'urreclion, Afcenfion, and 
 the Gifts of the Holy Ghoft were Evidences yet 
 unknown to the World : And ic is to this laft: 
 Evidence of our Saviour's Miflion and Authori- 
 ty, that He mod probably refers in thefe Words: 
 Andtherefore when he fays, that whofoever mail 
 hereafter refift this laft Evidence of his MjiTion, 
 and blafpheme the Gifts and miraculous Pow- 
 ers of the Holy Ghoft, as the Pharifees have 
 blafphemed my Works, (hall never be forgiven, 
 the Reaibn is very obvious and intelligible, be- 
 caufe this is the laft Teftimony that was to 
 be given to Chriftianity, and there is nothing 
 further left to bring them to Repentance. 
 
 This I take to be the Meaning of our Sa- 
 viour's Words, which muft be underftood, as 
 if he had fpoken to the Pharifees to this Effed. 
 
 You fee the wondrous Works I have done 
 in my Father's Name, as the Son of God, which 
 are fufficient to convince you that I am fent 
 by God, but you will not believe in me. You 
 conceive me to be only the Son of Man, and an 
 Impoftor, acting by the Power of the Devil : 
 This is an unreafonable Calumny, becaufe the 
 Devil cannot be fuppofed to caft out Devils, 
 by which he muft deftroy his own Kingdom ; 
 but yet how unreafonable foever this is, this 
 is pofhble to be forgiven, becaufe it may be 
 repented of. And there are feveral Evidences 
 
 yet 
 
( io 5 ) 
 
 yet remaining to be offered to you, by which 
 you may be convinced of your Sin. 
 
 He who will not be perfuaded by my pre- 
 fent Works, (hall fee greater Works than thefe. 
 As a Proof of my Sincerity, he (hall fee me lay 
 down my Life in Confirmation of my coming 
 from God 5 and when I am dead, he {hall fur- 
 ther fee the Teftimony of God in my Behalf, 
 when the Veil of the Temple Jhall be torn to 
 pieces , the Earth Jhall quake, and the Rocks be 
 rent, and the Graves be opened, and the Dead 
 raifed. And after all this, I will rife from the 
 Dead, and afcend into Heaven, and fend the 
 Gift of the Holy Ghoft on my Difciples, to 
 enable them to preach the Gofpel to all 
 Nations, and confirm it by fuch a Courfe of 
 Miracles, as will be fufficient to convince the 
 World of Sin, if they don't believe in me : 
 And if you (hall hereafter do by thefe Gifts 
 and the Miracles wrought thro' the Power of 
 the Holy Ghoft, as you have done already by 
 the Miracles you have feen me do, and im- 
 pute them to the Devil, as you have done mine, 
 there is no Remedy remaining for you, but you 
 muft die in your Sins, and the Wrath of God 
 abide upon you. This I think to be a natural 
 Paraphrafe of our Saviour's Words : And if Co t 
 
 The 
 
( io6 ) 
 
 Tthe Sin againfl the Holy Ghoft not foftible [till 
 after our Saviour s 'lime. 
 
 FROM what has been faid it appears, that 
 by the Sin againft the Holy Ghoft muft 
 be meant an obftinate Rejection of Chrift, in 
 Oppofition to and in Contempt of the Evi- 
 dence given to him by the Gifts and Powers 
 imparted to the Apoftles by the Holy Ghoft. 
 And if this be the Meaning of it, I cannot fee 
 why this Sin fhouid be confined only to our 
 Saviour's Time: It is rather plain, thac ic could 
 noc be committed in his Time, nor at any time, 
 till after the Defcent of the Holy Ghoft. And 
 I don't fee why it may not as well be com- 
 mitted in our Days, who have the feveral 
 Gifts and Powers of the Holy Ghoft revealed 
 to us, if we rejeft them as Impoftures, as if 
 we had iived in the Apoftle's Time : Ar d there- 
 fore they who fhall apoftatife from Chriftiani- 
 ty after they have received the Knowledge of 
 the Truth, rejecting the Blood of Chrift as a 
 Sacrifice for Sin, and counting it as an unholy 
 Things that is, efteeming it either as the Blood 
 of a Malefactor and Deceiver, or at leaft a 
 common Man ; and fhall do dejpite to the Spi- 
 rit of Grace, that is, fhall contemn the Holy 
 Ghoft, which confirmed his Authority, and 
 account all his Gifts and Operations as Delu- 
 fions j what is this but finning againft the 
 Holy Ghoft ; and what is there left to bring 
 fuch Men to Repentance, without which they 
 cannot be forgiven? Si. Paul fays, it is im- 
 
 poflible 
 
( io7 ) 
 
 poffible to renew fuch Men to Repentance, 
 Heb. vi. 4, 5, 6. — x. 26. and as impoffible 
 for them to efcape Gcd's Verges nee. 
 
 For how (hall we efcape, fays he, if we neg- 
 lecl: fo great Salvation, which at firft began 
 to be fpoken by the Lord, and was afterwards 
 confirmed by thofe that heard him, God al- 
 fo bearing them Witnefs by Signs and Won- 
 ders, and divers Miracles and Gifts of the Ho- 
 ly Ghoft? Heb. ii.3. The Gifts of the Holy 
 Ghoft were the laft Evidence j and if all thefe 
 together will not convince, what other Evidence 
 can we hope for? If we will not accept of Par- 
 don and Salvation in the Gofpel way ; how 
 (hall we efcape the Vengeance of God? 
 
 And if Men were capable of this unpardon- 
 able Sin of refifting the Evidence given to 
 Chriftianity by the Holy Ghoft in the Apoftle's 
 Time, as he plainly intimates they might by 
 his Endeavours to dhTuade them from it, why 
 may not we be guilty of it in our Days, as 
 well as they ? 
 
 There is no Difference between them and 
 us in this Refpect, but that we do not fee the 
 Gifts of the Holy Ghoft, as they did : But if 
 we have fufficient Evidence that there were 
 fuch Gifts, and yet will be Infidels in fpite of 
 them, our Infidelity is as wilful as theirs was; 
 and we have as little hope of Pardon, as they 
 had. 
 
 And this mould be a Warning to all Chri- 
 ftians xo take heed> left there be in any of them 
 an evil Heart of Unbelief in departing from the 
 living God : 'Tis 
 
f 108 ) 
 
 'Tis now become fafhionable to be Infidels, 
 and too many, I doubt, make Infidelity their 
 Study, and feek out for Arguments to perfuade 
 themfelves into it : But they don't confider what 
 they are doing : As we are all Sinners, one 
 would think, that we mould be all glad to re- 
 ceive the joyful Tidings of Salvation : And as 
 we are naturally too eafy in believing, what 
 we defire and wifh for, one would expect, that 
 Sinners mould be willing to fall in with any 
 Difpenfation of Pardon and Mercy, that is 
 but probable, or even barely poffible. 
 
 And therefore when we fee Men endeavour- 
 ing to throw off Chriftianity, that gives them 
 the flrongeft Aflurance of Mercy upon the 
 ftrongeft Evidence poffible of a divine Authori- 
 ty, what can be the Reafon of this Conduct, 
 but Spite and Perverfenefs ? And if this has but 
 any, the leaft, Refemblance to the Sin againft 
 the Holy Ghoft, nothing mould be more terri- 
 ble to a thinking Man, that believes in God, 
 and a future Judgment, and is fenfible of his 
 Need of Mercy. If the Sin againft the Tefti- 
 mony of the Holy Ghoft (hall never be for- 
 given, a prudent Man would be afraid of every 
 Thing, that is but like it, left he come even 
 within the Borders of a certain Damnation. 
 
 Thus have I finimed what I have to fay, 
 which is, I think, all that is material to be faid 
 on this Subject. 
 
 What I have faid is, as I conceive, intirely 
 agreeable to Scripture, and I hope may be ufe- 
 ful to the right Knowledge of Chriftianity. 
 
 It 
 
( 109 ) 
 
 It fets before us a clear, eafy, confident, ra- 
 tional Scheme of our Redemption, highly con- 
 ducing to the Honour of God, and the Refor- 
 mation of the World. 
 
 And that the Reader may fee it in one View, 
 the Subftance of the whole May be comprifed 
 in the few following Words, namely, 
 
 A Recapitalation of what has been /aid. 
 HP Hat God the Father of our Lord Jefus 
 -*■ Chrift, forefeeing from all Eternity how 
 Mankind would act after their Creation, what 
 Miferies they would bring themfelves into by 
 Sin, and what Remedy they would ftand in 
 need of, to preferve them from Ruin, decreed 
 before the Foundation of the World, out of 
 mere Love and Goodnefs to His Creatures, to 
 provide this Remedy for them, and to offer it 
 to them, fo foon as it fhould be proper to ap- 
 ply it, and Mankind be in a proper Difpofition 
 to receive it. 
 
 The Remedy provided by God the Father 
 was to be offered to the World by Jefus Chrift, 
 whom the Scripture reprefents to have had a 
 Being with God, and in Glory with Him before 
 the World was, and that God the Father enter- 
 ed into Covenant with Him for the Execution 
 of this great Defign in Time to come : And 
 for this Purpofe appointed, that he mould de- 
 fcend from Heaven, and leave His Glory there 
 to come down upon the Earth to act as a Me- 
 diator between Him, and Sinners. 
 
 A s 
 
( I1D ) 
 
 As a Mediator on God's Parr, He was to of- 
 fer Peace and Reconciliation, on the Condition 
 of their Repentance, and Reformation, to all, 
 that would accept the Offer at his Hands, as 
 the MefTenger, and Minifter of God. And in 
 order to this Reconciliation He was to teach 
 them how God required them to live, with 
 proper Motives to ingage them to it. And that 
 He might do this in a Way mod likely to work 
 upon them, He was to take Human Nature, 
 that being a Man like themfelves, He might 
 inflrudt them, not only by His Doctrine, but 
 Example. 
 
 But though He was to appear in Human 
 Nature, yet as He was to act in the Name, 
 and by the Authority of God, which required 
 a Perfon of fuitable Dignity, and Perfections, 
 fo God appointed, that His taking Human Na- 
 ture upon Him, mould be in fuch a Way, as 
 that He mould be at the fame Time the Son 
 of God : 
 
 And as there would be a Neceffity for the 
 Difcharge of the Work, He was to be lent 
 upon, that He fhouid be indued with extraor- 
 dinary Gifts, and Powers, not only to guide 
 Him into all Truth, that He might be per- 
 fectly qualified to make known the per fed Will 
 of God, but to convince the World of His 
 MifTion, and Authority, that He was the Son 
 of God 5 fo it pleafed the Father, that in Him 
 mould all the Fullnefs of the Godhead dwell, 
 that, as He was to act in the Name and Be- 
 half of God, whatever He mould teach, com- 
 4 mand, 
 
( III ) 
 
 mand, or promife might be received, and a'c- 
 quiefced in, as the Word and Will of God. 
 
 This is the Subftance of our Saviour's Me- 
 diation on God's Part : And as this was whac 
 our Saviour undertook, fo the Scripture tells 
 us that the Father perfonally unired Himfelf to 
 Him, and became one with Him, and dwelc 
 in Him in fuch a Manner, that whatever He 
 fpake in the Name of God, God (the Father) 
 fpake by Him, and the Works that He did in 
 God's Name, God (the Father) did by Him. 
 
 But as our Saviour was to act for God with 
 Sinners, fo there was fomething required of 
 Him, as a Mediator for Sinners with God: 
 And that which He was to do on their Behalf 
 was to offer Himfelf, as a Sacrifice of Atone- 
 ment for them. 
 
 All Sin is a Difhonour to God, as the Gover- 
 nor of the World; it reflects on His Laws, as 
 unwife, or un practicable ; and if wilful, and 
 prefumptuous, 'tis an Act of Rebellion : And 
 therefore though God decreed to pardon Sin- 
 ners, yet he required it to be done in fuch a 
 Way, as that the Sinners mould make Him 
 Satisfaction for ihe Injury they had done Him 
 by the Difhonour they had brought upon his 
 Laws, and Government by their Wickednefs. 
 
 The Satisfaction He required was a publick 
 Sacrifice in which all Sinners were to join, as a 
 publick Confefiion of their Guilt, and a pub- 
 lick Act of their Humiliation and Repentance 
 for it : And the Sacrifice appointed for this 
 Purpofe was the Blood of Chrht. 
 
 God 
 
( H2 ) 
 
 God foreknew how the Jews would deal 
 with Him, what Indignities they would treat 
 Him with, and what a fhameful and miferable 
 Death they would put Him to, and upon our 
 Saviour's voluntary Submiffion to this Death, 
 God prornifed to accept it, as a Sacrifice of 
 Atonement for all Sinners, that would join in 
 it, by accepting His Mediation for them, and 
 affenting to what He mould do in their Name. 
 
 This feems to be the Scripture Scheme of 
 Providence for the Redemption of Mankind, 
 and the Subftance of the Covenant relating to 
 it, between God and our Saviour before the 
 Creation of the World : 
 
 This was the Defign laid by the Father, and 
 propofed to our Saviour, as the Work, which 
 God required of Him, under Promife of being 
 reconciled to the finful World : This Recon- 
 ciliation prornifed was probably the Joy that 
 was fet before Him : And in Confequence of 
 this Covenant, and in Profpect of this Joy, as 
 He came down from Heaven to take our Na- 
 ture, and be born of a Woman, when the 
 Time appointed for it was accomplifhed ; catt- 
 ed in Scripture the Fulnefs of Time: And as 
 in this Nature He fulfilled the Work, and un- 
 derwent the Death, which the Council of' God 
 had determined for Him, Aclsiv. 28. chear ful- 
 ly enduring the Crofs, and dejpifing the Shame, in 
 Companion of the Motive He had in View ; 
 fo we are hereby faid to be Redeemed by Him, 
 as he has performed what God required of 
 Him, as the Price to be paid for it. 
 
 But 
 
. ( "3 ) 
 
 But then it is to be confidered, that fince 
 the Blood of Chrift is a Propitiation only, for 
 thofe that believe in Him, and accept His Me- 
 diation for them, and Afient to what he has 
 fufTered, as a Sacrifice in their Name; 'tis ne- 
 ceiTary that every one, who would be intitled 
 to Redemption by His Blood, as their Sacrifice, 
 mould fome way or other declare, and acknow- 
 ledge this their Faith in Him ; and join in his 
 Sacrifice by their Afient to it. 
 
 And fince all Mankind are Sinners, and fince 
 the Declaration, and Acknowledgment to be 
 made by all Sinners does necefiTarily require that 
 it be done in Publick, as a publick Ad of the 
 Sinner's Humiliation, and Repentance, and as a 
 publick Satisfaction made to God for the Dif. 
 honour they have done Him by their wicked 
 Works : 
 
 And fince it is felf-evident, that fuch pub- 
 lick Acts cannot be done in fuch a Manner, as 
 we can be fure will be acceptable to God, un- 
 lefs appointed by God Himfelf j fo we have 
 three lnftituiions appointed for this Purpofe, 
 namely, 
 
 Firft, that all who accept Jefus Chrift for 
 their Redeemer, and afient to his Death, as a 
 Sacrifice in their Name, fhall declare it by 
 Baptifm, as an Emblematick Sign of his Death 
 and Burial and Refurredtion, and of our Death 
 unto Sin, and our riling again to Righteouf- 
 nefs. 
 
 2<//y, That they often meet together in Re- 
 membrance of His Death, as a publick own- 
 
 I iiig 
 
( U4 ) 
 ing of His Sacrifice for them, and in full 
 Trull: in God's Mercy for the Sake of it upon 
 their Reformation. 
 
 Laflly, That they all come unto God thro' 
 Chrift, as their Mediator and Sacrifice in all 
 their Addrefles to God and all the Services they 
 pay Him, hoping for Acceptance only thro* 
 His (our Saviour's) Death : And fince they 
 only are capable of Redemption by the Death 
 of Chrift who accept His Mediation for them, 
 and aflent to what he has done in their Name ; 
 and fince it is by thefe Inftitutions, that we are 
 required to make Declaration of this Accept- 
 ance, and Aflent, it follows, that 'tis by thefe 
 Inftitutions only, that we are capable of partak- 
 ing of the Benefits of our Saviour's Redemption. 
 But ftill we muft remember that thefe Be- 
 nefits are not annexed to the bare Acts of thefe 
 Inftitutions themfelves, but only as they are 
 done, as outward Signs of thofe inward Difpo- 
 fitions intended to be exprefTed and declared by 
 them. 
 
 And therefore though it be neceflary in order 
 to our Redemption by Chrift, that we reiigi- 
 oufly obferve thefe appointed Ordinances, yet 
 it is equally neceflary, that we do it in a pro- 
 per Manner, without which they will fignify 
 nothing, but will all be fruitlefs and in vain. 
 
 This is a (hort Abftract of what I have faid, 
 in which the Reader has a general View of the 
 Covenant of our Redemption between God, 
 and our Saviour, before the Creation of the 
 World ; and I think there is nothing in all this 
 3 but 
 
( "5 ) 
 
 but what is intelligible, and not above the Ca- 
 pacity of any common Chriftian. 
 
 But there is another Part of the Covenant 
 between God and our Saviour, which the Scrip- 
 ture fpeaks of, and which I have not taken any 
 Notice of : And this relates chiefly to our Sa- 
 viour himfelf, and feems to be offered to Him, 
 as a Motive of Reward for the Work He was 
 to undertake in order to our Redemption j and 
 it is this, namely, That, whereas He was to 
 take our Nature, and fuffer Death, He mould 
 not continue in that State, but be raifed again 
 the third Day, and be taken into Heaven in 
 His Human Body, where He fhould be fet at 
 the Right Hand of God in the Fulnefs of Joy and 
 Power ; crowned with Glory and Honour •, having 
 all Things both in Heaven and Earth made fub- 
 je£i to him. 
 
 This glorious State our Saviour is already 
 pofieffed of, and in this State He is to reign till 
 the Confummation of all Things. 
 
 The Scripture tells us, that there is a Time 
 when the Frame of this World {hall be de- 
 ft royed, when the Heavens (hall be dijjclved with 
 Fire y and the Elements melt with fervent Heat y 
 and then all Mankind both dead and living 
 fhall be fummoned before our Saviour, as their 
 Judge, to give up their Accouns before His Tri- 
 bunal, and receive according to their Deeds : 
 And when our Saviour has finilhed this Work, 
 which God the Father ordained and appointed 
 for Him, becaufe He is the Son of Man, He 
 is then to refign His Kingdom to the Father, that 
 God may be all in all, i Cor. xv. 28. Whe- 
 
f 1,6) 
 
 Whether before this Refignation of His King- 
 dom, there is not to be a Renovation of all 
 Things after the Diflblution fpoken of, and whe- 
 ther there will not be new Heavens, and a new 
 Earth created, wherein the Righteous are to dwell 
 and inherit the Kingdom prepared for them from 
 4he Begimiifig of the World ; And whether Jefus 
 ■Chrift is not to reign over this Kingdom of 
 the Righteous a iooo Years, has been varioufly 
 clifputed by learned Men. It is certain, that 
 we are directed by our Saviour to pray, that 
 the Kingdom of God may come, in which 
 His Will mail be done on Earth, as it is in 
 Heaven : And if this be the Kingdom of the 
 Meffias, if we are not required to pray in vain, 
 for what cannot be, and was not intended to 
 be, it feems not unreafonable to believe, that 
 there will be fuch a Kingdom, as this on Earth, 
 in which our Saviour fhall reign over the Righte- 
 ous His Elect, and chofen ones : Here is no- 
 thing forced, nothing hard to be conceived in 
 this ; but whether it will be fo, or not, or how 
 long this Kingdom is to continue, we cannot 
 tell : It is enough for us, that the Righteous 
 ihall be infinitely happy: This is what all a- 
 gree in : My Defign is not to fill Men's Heads 
 with Conjectures, and uncertain Speculations, 
 but to fet before them a right Notion of what 
 is revealed, and has been too often mifrepre- 
 fen ted. 
 
 And as I have faid all, that I think necefTary 
 for this Purpofe, I (hall not trefpafs on the Rea- 
 der's Patience any longer. 
 
 AP- 
 
( 1*7 ) 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 A Prayer of Szmp/icius a Heathen Phi- 
 lofopher. 
 
 i 
 
 KsTaiw as, b.s<rKo\ct, T M acb < hee ' ° Lord, 
 
 i TaWp * tfeuuv 4 th 'f a ! her . ™ d <»» 
 
 1 . , ' of our Soul within us, to 
 
 TOTEN HMIN AO- J mah us mMful l' m 
 
 TOT, fo&fphp&JMl Generous Nature thou >hafi 
 
 ixsv Y)p$£$ T/jg tXJibyj indued us with ; 'and to 
 
 'hyemtxq yjg YjfyuQYJ- a lW us > ^ free Agents, to 
 
 , , cleanfe ourfelves from all 
 
 fJLSV TtCtOX an' 0VU7TPZ- , j.j j r hi 
 
 r • l f b bodily and unreajonable 
 
 lott 8 U$ (XUTOKlVTjTOig p a Jf ns, to fubdue, and 
 
 r/ijuv TTgog T£ Y.oc§Z0CriV govern them, and ufe them 
 
 T?fJ onto tS trufJUiTog $ on b as laments in a 
 
 r. , » • / t\~ . proper Manner : And that 
 
 TUV <Z?VyUV TTCC-JOOV, K) 7 ,, ra1 
 
 N * , V J we may be able -perfectly to 
 
 7T?og To tmftxpn $ ap- corn5 f t bat reafonablePrin- 
 
 %£IV OVTUV, Kj U£ Of- ciple within us through the 
 
 yccvoig W/jpr^zi KdTCi Light of Truth, and unite 
 
 70V Kfoarjxowct TfOTloV U t0 *>°f e Things that have 
 
 ,. v ' v ^ > a ? a rea l Exigence. And 
 
 Kttl -KfiOq OtOWUO'lV OL- „>,. ,7 t i r 7 c 
 
 b ^ t Thirdly, I befeech my Sa- 
 
 xgi&j tov h Yjfiv Ac?/*, viour ^ that he w m p er . 
 
 )$ SVUfflV dvrS ffgog 1% feblly remove that Mift 
 
 fo™$ hia M t£ tyjq f rom the E J es °f our Un ' 
 *y derjlandings 
 
( "8 ) 
 
 dXebsiag QaTog. Kal ftandings, that we may, 
 
 TO Tf/TOV, TOV ffomje* ^ H ° mer fClyS) hClVe a 
 
 tiSTSVU, dtJDSXsTv TSXs- *** Perception of what 
 
 v 5 ^ v ~ i belongs either to God. or 
 
 yimv Yj^y oupccTuy, 
 "Otpga yivoSa'icofjLSV sv 
 
 [XCLIX TOv"OtJLY)gOv) 7J 
 
 fjisu Seov, vjfe «; uvfya. 
 
 N. B. The Ufe I would make of this Prayer 
 of Simplicius, is to mew the Reader, that the 
 Word Aoror was ufed for the Human Soul, 
 and therefore might be fo ufed by St. John 
 in His Gofpel. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
Jufi Publijhed, 
 
 Printed for A. Bettesworth and C. Hitch, 
 
 THE 
 
 METHOD 
 
 O F 
 
 TEACHING and STUDYING 
 
 THE 
 
 BELLES LETTRES, 
 
 O R 
 
 An Introduction to Languages, Poetry, 
 
 Rhetoric, History, Moral 
 
 Philosophy, Physicks, &c. 
 
 with 
 
 Reflections on Taste; and Inftructions with 
 
 regard to the E l o qv e n c e of the P u l p i t, 
 
 the Bar, and the Stage. 
 
 The whole illuftrated with Paflages from the moft 
 
 famous Poets and Orators, antient and 
 
 modern, with Critical Remarks on them. 
 
 Defigned more particularly for S t u d e n t s in the 
 Universities. 
 
 By Mr. R O L L I N, late Principal of the Univer- 
 i fity °f P aris -> now Profejfor of Eloquence in the 
 
 Royal College, and Member of the Royal Academy 
 of Infcriptions and Belles Lettres. 
 
 Tranflated from the French. 
 
 In Four Volumes, 
 
 > 
 
 » 
 
Juft Pullifoe-d, 
 Printed For A. Bettesworth and C. Hitch, 
 
 A DEFENCE of 
 NATURAL and REVEALED 
 
 religion:" 
 
 BEING AN 
 
 ABRIDGMENT 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 SERMONS 
 
 Preached at the Lecture founded by 
 
 The Hon b,e Robert Boyle, Efq; 
 
 Dr. Bentley 
 Bp. Kidder 
 Bp. IVilllams 
 Bp. G aft r ell 
 Dr. Harris 
 Bp. Bradford 
 Bp. Blackball 
 
 B Y 
 
 Dr. Stanhope 
 Dr. S. Clarke 
 Dr. Hancock 
 Mr. JPUfton 
 Dr. Turner 
 Dr. Butler 
 Dr. Woodward 
 
 Mr. Derham 
 Dr. i&fe/ 
 Bp. />/?£■ 
 Dr. J. Clarke 
 Archd. Gurdon 
 Dr. Burnet 
 Dr. Berriman. 
 
 In Four Volumes. 
 
 With a GENERAL INDEX. 
 
 By GILBERT BURNET, 
 
 Vicarof Cog ge shall, Essex.