in Contriving Man's Redemption. us from Hell ? How doth it endear Obedience, that God hath facrificed his Son, to keep~ us fi"om aEts of Hoftility ? So that the Grace of the Gofpel is fo far from indulging Sin, Chap. 6. that it gives the moft deadly Wound to it. Efpecially when the Tenour of the New ~ Covenant is, That the condemned Creature, in order to receive Pardon, and the Benefits that are purchafed , mu£! receive the Be::ncfaEtor , with the moll intire confent, for his Prince and Saviour. The Law of Faith requires us to fubmit to his Scepter, as well as to depend upon his Sacrifice. The Gofpel is a conditional Art of Oblivion , that none may venture to fin upon confidence of Pardon. And fincc the occafion of the Fall was fi·om a conceit, that Man could better hi> Eftate by comply ing with the Tempter, and obtain a more dcfirable Happinefs in the Crca· cure, than in the Favour of God : H1s Recovery IS by revealmg eo Inm wherem true Bleffednefs confills ; and giving him an affurance that he may obtain it. For M.an will ne. ver fubjeCl: himfel f to God.as his Higheft Lord, till he looks on him as his !aft End, and Soveraign Good. Now the Gofpel offers to us the moft effeCtual means. to convince Man of the folly of his choice, in making the Creature his Happinefs. For, the Son of God,"who was Heir of all things, durir.g his continuance in the World , was in nhe perpetual exercife of Self-denial. He lived a defpifcd Life, and diCd an ignominious Death, to difcover eo us, that as the Miferies of this Life can't make us truly miferable, fo the Profperities of it can't make us truly happy. Befides, How is it poffible that rhe wretched enjoyment of this World, lhould be the Bleffednefs for which He fpent his Sweat, his Tears, his Blood ?. The rich price he laid down doth moft powerfully convince us , That our Fehcttr !s mfimtely ~ore valuable than all Earthly things, and can be no lefs than tbe frumon of God lllmfelf. Thus the Divine Wifdom hath fo ordered the way of our Salvation, that as Mercy and Jufticc in God, fo HolineiS and Comfort may be perfeCtly united in the reafonable Creature. CHAP. VI. PraElical Inferences. A fuperlative degree rf Praije and Thankjulnifs due to God for the revelation rf the Gqjpel. 'Tis not dijcovered hy the Creation. 'Tis ahove the reach rf Natural Reafon. The Heathen World is intirely ignorant rf it. 'Tis pure Grace that diflinguijhes one Nation from anotler , in fending the Gofpel. Evangelical Knowledge diferves ou~ mqfi jeriotu jiudy. The Gofpel exceeds all contemplative and prachck Sciences. Contemplative in the greatn~{s rf its ObjeCl: , and the certainty rf its Principle. PraCl:ick in the excellency rf its End , and the efficacy rf the Means. HAT a Sf{perldtive degree of Praife and Thankfulnefs is due to God, for revea ling his eternal and compaffionate Counfel in order to our Salvation? 1 he Fall of Man was fo wounding and dead ly, that only an Tnjinite Underfianding could find out the means for his- Recovery. And if that Mercy which moa thick Cloud of Defpair Y,~~ ~~:c;,~rdJ~nl:;~~~ b~~~crR?o~~~~;. ~~~bl~0~0d~~~~:i~~ ti~~ way of our_ Redemption. 'Tis a Myfie:y which EJe hath not fi:en, nor Ear ht>ard, nor ha~h. entred tnto the He.:Jrt of ?rfan to conceiVe, 1 C~r. z . All Httmane Knowledge is ac9uu· d by tJVo forts of Faculties ; the external and mttrnal. Of the .ftrfl, Sight and Hearmg arc the moll fpmtua l, and convey the k~owledge of the molt worthy ObjcLts. T!~~~
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