[ 16

purfuit of them. It is not the precept, Humble your elves, but it is the clear view and lively impreffion of the truth of our ftate, as dependent, weak, indigent, depraved, and guilty creatures, that produces a humble temper of mind. It is not the command To love God with all your hearts, but it is a full view of the truth of the Divine character as excellent and perfect in the highest degree, which is the natural means of kindling the facred flame of love in our breafts. It is not the precept, Rejoice in the Lord Jefus, but it is the belief of the truth, as to his glorious character and undertaking, and the mighty benefits we enjoy and hope to enjoy by him, which excites real joy in our hearts. Here then lies the excellency and wifdom of the doctrines of the Gospel, that they tally exactly with the present state of mankind, and are admirably adapted, (with the concurrence of Divine affiftance, which we are encouraged to afk) to cure every difeafe, every diforder of the human heart, to beget, to cherish and confirm, every pure, every virtuous, every pious difpofition, and to eftablifh our fouls in peace and joy. Every one must be fenfible that the bounds prefcribed for this difcourse will not permit me to take all the doctrines of Christianity under confideration, and to fhow that the firm belief of each of them has a natural tendency to cleanse us from the filthinefs of the flesh and spirit, and to perfect in us true holiness, and spiritual joy. We may juft mention a few inftances for the illuftration of the point.

Thus, is it a certain fact, that mankind are at prefent in a state of corruption, and at the fame time apt to be infenfible of the mifery and danger of it under the government of God? Surely nothing can be conceived more fit to awaken them to a juft fenfe

of

of their condition, than a meffenger from Heaven cloathed with the authority of God, fetting before them the intrinfick malignity and mifery of fin, and the certain, the dreadful and eternal confequences of continuing in the love and practice of it. If we could defcend to a particular view of the feveral diforders and corruptions of the fouls of men, it were eafy to fhow, that the firm belief of the doctrines of the Gofpel, is the natural and the best antidote or remedy for each of them: And particularly it might be fhown, that the clear and full manifeftation which the Gospel has given of the character of God, and the laws of his moral government, and of the terms of falvation, are admirably calculated to root out the principles of fuperftition, and of all falfe notions destructive to the virtue and happinefs of mankind, and to plant in their room thofe principles which have a natural tendency to promote their virtue, their perfection and felicity. But this would be a fubject more proper for a practical treatife, than a fingle fermon. Every one who has a juft value for the doctrines of the Gofpel, and who takes pleasure in the contemplation of Divine Wisdom, will trace out with great delight, the natural operations and effects of the truths of revelation, on the hearts of those who really believe them.

Again, are mankind in a ftate of guilt? Is there a fenfe of guilt and dread of the Divine di pleafure fo univerfal among mankind, in fome degree or other, that it may be confidered as a characteristick of the fpecies? Are the minds of all forts of men, from the most learned Philofophers down to the greatest Savages, fubject on fome occafions and fome serious moments, to fuch remorfe as makes them wish for fome method of expiating their offences? Are the minds even of the most enlightned men,

thefe

these who have the highest standard of moral perfecti-
on and the quickelt fenfe of duty, fo confcious of the
guilt of fins of leffer malignity, and of the omiffions
of what they ought to have done, that they dread
what the confequences may be under the government
of a God of perfect holiness? Does not this fenfe of
guilt fometimes rife to fuch a degree of anxiety as
greatly to difturb, and fometimes even to distract the
minds of men? Does the force of this natural fenti-
ment appear not only in individuals, but in the focie-
ties of mankind? Have
Onements of one fort or
another, for averting the difpleasure of Deity, been
eftablished in all national religions in all ages of the
world? What can be conceived more admirably
fitted to give relief and confolation to the heart of
man, alarmed with the fears of deferved punish-
ment, than the doctrines of the gospel, that God
is in Chrift, reconciling the world unto himself,
and not imputing to men their trefpaffes; and that
Jefus Chrift, by his obedience and humiliation to
death,
th, even the death of the cross, has offered up ‡ an
atonement of the higheft dignity and moft perfect
and extenfive efficacy, of which the Great God, and
mer iful

+ 2 Cor. v. 19.

There is reafon to fufpect that fome are prejudiced against the doctrine of Jefus Chrift's being the propitiation for the fins of the world, from a wrong notion of it, as implying that God was rendered merciful and placable by it, when he was otherwife before: Whereas it is the clear and undifputed doctrine of the gofpel, that God is effentially benign and merciful; and that the propitiation is fo far from being the cause of the Divine mercy, that it is the effect of it: It was the effential mercy of the Divine Nature, which moved him to appoint the atonement, and to accept of it. The atonement thro' the blood of Jefus, is the method chosen by infinite wisdom of extending his effential mercy to penitents, in a way perfectly confiftent with the purity, the righteoufnefs, the order and dignity of his moral government.

ノ

merciful Governor of the world, has given the highest teftimony of his acceptance.

The time will not allow me to point out in what a variety of ways, and with what Divine wifdom, this doctrine of Chriftianity, with the other doctrines of the exaltation of Jefus to be a Prince and Saviour, connected with it, are calculated to promote both the purity and joy of the hearts of the children of men. Let it only be observed, that the peculiar doctrines of our peace and acceptance with God thro' Jefus Christ, and that the only acceptable method of approaching to God in religious worship, is in the name of Jefus, have a native tendency to bear down that vanity, pride and felf-confidence, fo apt to arife in the heart of man, and to beget and preferve that humility of mind, which is the only true foundation, on which the whole fuperftructure of the virtues of the Chriftian life can be raised. The ferious and habitual fenfe of those important truths, must carry along with it an humbling impreffion of our guilt and unworthiness, while at the fame time it folaces our hearts, with the exalting hopes of the favour of God, and of that eternal life, which is his gift thro' Jesus Christ.

We cannot conclude this head, without obferving the confpicuous wifdom of the appointment of the one Mediator the fole Head, the fole Law-giver and Judge of his Church. It was a very antient prediction concerning him, that to him the gathering of the people should be, Gen. xlix. 10. There is a later one to the fame purpofe, John xi. 52. That he should gather together in one, the children of God, that were fcattered abroad. The whole New Teftament is full of this doctrine, that he is the head in whom all fulness dwells. He himself foretold, that when be Should be lifted up, he would draw all men after him. It is evident to every one, that the reducing of men D

under

under one great head, is the most natural mean of uniting them to one another, and to the great God and Father of all. The most ordinary obfervation of the world, will convince every one what a mighty power the attachment to one chief in learning, in arts or in government always has, to bind men together in affection, and friendly fociety. This is the effect of it, when there is nothing but joint admiration, without dependence and expectations; but the effect is much ftronger, when there is a great dependence and hopes of many great advantages common to all, from the power and favour of the leader. How much more then must the fubjecting of mankind to one great and glorious Head, for whom they have the higheft veneration, from whom they have received the most invaluable benefits, and on whom all their future hopes depend, contribute to unite them in the ftricteft bonds of friendship. Here are all poffible motives to the most hearty and entire union; here are no fources of divifion and diffenfion from competition of intereft or rivalship in the favour of the Prince. All faithful fubjects are equally affured of his favour and protection, and of being conducted forward to final felicity and glory under his Divine administration. Perhaps it will be asked, Since it is the natural tendency of this conftitution to produce union, why does not the effect follow, why do we not fee a total union among the fubjects of this kingdom? If this were the proper place for it, perhaps it might be fhown, that it has produced very real and vifible effects, befides thefe invifible ones which it certainly does produce at all times on the minds of all who love our Lord Jefus Chrift in fincerity. We have ground to hope, that it will ftill operate in a more confpicuous manner, even in this world. The full and perfect effects of it are juftly hoped