SERM.IV.

Let then the Difficulties of the Fall be never so great; yet there is no getting rid of them, but at the Expence of an Abfurdity, the greatest of Abfurdities, viz. that Creatures fo corrupt as we are, could be immediately formed by an infinitely perfect God, (who cannot behold Iniquity and Corruption with Pleafure) without any Contagion derived from, and tranfmitted to us by, our first Parents. Let a Man look within himself, and he will find, he will feel, a Demonftration of one Part of the Scriptures, the Truth of the Fall: Or, if he cannot fee it there, he will prove by Blindness the Truth which he denies. But if he admits this Part of the Scriptures to be true, I cannot perceive, why he fhould demur as to the rest. For there is no Part of them which is attended with

his very

greater Difficulties. "I appeal (fays a lively Writer) to yourself, in your own Degree of Goodness, if you could create your own Children, whether you would

not create them in a better State, and "with lefs of Evil, than that in which

you was born yourfelf. Therefore, only fuppofing God to have your Degree of Goodness, he could not have created 3:

"the

"the firft Man, from whom your Nature SERM. IV,, " is derived, in the State that you are; "and therefore, fuppofing him only to be, "good, you have fufficient Proof; but

9

fuppofing him to be, what he undoubt"edly is, infinitely good, you have a full "Demonftration, that you are a fallen. "Creature, or not in that State in which "God created you."

What remains, but that we ftrive to recover that Happiness by thinking foberly, which our firft Parents forfeited by ambitious and afpiring Thoughts. Humility is the Valley, in which Benevolence (and every other Virtue) delights to grow. For whatever Profeffions of Benevolence proud Men may make; Pride and Benevolence are utterly inconfiftent. He, who is big with the Sentiments of his Dignity, must have. an Averfion to those, who do not seem to have as exalted an Opinion of him, as he has of himself. Now, as none can think as extravagantly of a proud Man, as he thinks of himself; the Confequence is, that he muft hate all Mankind, except a few Flatterers. He must be angry with thofe, who do not proportion their Regard to his imaginary Deferts, which it is impoffible to do.

SERM. V. For though it be no difficult Matter to dif

cern how much Merit another Man really bas; it is not quite fo eafy to determine, how much he may imagine himself to have. Therefore no proud Perfon can be a benevolent and moral Man; and no bumble Perfon brought up in the Christian and Proteftant Religion, one would be apt to think, can be a mere moral Man. For he, who is humble, will not truft in his own Righteousness, or make any proud Pretenfions to exalted Worth. The Confideration and Senfe of his Unworthinefs, will difpofe him to accept the Offers of Salvation by Jefus Chrift, and make him

fil the Terms of it.

endeavour to ful

He, who has no

high Notions of his own Merits, will be glad to be accepted by thofe of his bleffed Saviour.

SERMON

SERMON V.

On the REDEMPTION.

In Two SERMONS.

Preached, in Part, at the Lady Moyer's Lecture, in the Year 1733; and, fince that Time, confiderably altered.

I PETER II. г8.

Chrift alfo bath once fuffered for Sins, the Just for the Unjuft, that he might bring us unto God.

HAT is faid of the great Duties Serm. V. of Morality, and the Difference between Virtue and Vice, viz. Afk your own Heart, and Nothing is fo plain: It is to mistake them cofts the Pain and Time; may, with a little Variation, be applied to the fundamental Doctrines of

SERM. V Chriftianity, viz. the Trinity and Satisfaction: Search the Scriptures, and Nothing can be plainer, or more eafy to find there: Not to find them there, or, to speak more properly, to explain them away when found, requires a great deal of Labour, Subtlety, and uncommon Dexterity. The natural Import of the Words of my Text is this, that Chrift died, not merely for our Benefit, as an Example of Patience, and to confirm the Truth of his Doctrine, by his Blood; but, as a propitiatory Sacrifice for the Sins of Mankind, that we might, by Virtue of his meritorious Sufferings, be redeemed from the Punishment due to them. The Words of St. Paul, Romans v. 7, 8. confirm the Senfe of this Text, Scarcely for a Righteous Man will one die: Yet peradventure, for a good Man fome would even dare to die. But God. commendeth his Love towards us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Chrift died for us. Our Saviour died for us, in the fame Senfe, that one Man would dare to die for another, whom he greatly loved, by fubflitating himself in the Room of us Sinners So David fays, Would to God, I had died, for thee, or inftead of Thee, O Abfalom, my Son.

God

bath