So Metiah, The Deliverer fromEvill, fullmeafureto confirmour Affection. Deliverance then from this condition may on jufl grounds be expected ; and how it might be effeóed, is our next Enquiry. 4. 16. The great Relief enquired after, mutt be brought about by men themfelves, or by Come other for them. What they cando themfelves herein we may be quickly fátisfied about. The nature of the Evils under which they fuller, and the Event of things in the world fufhciently difcover the difability of men to be their own Deliverers: Be- fides, who Gould contrivethe way of it, for them ? One Single Perron, More, or-All ? How eafily the impof ibility of it might be demonflrated on any ofthofe fuppofitions , is too manifell to be inbBed on. The Evils fuffèred under, are of two forts, both Vni- verfal and Eternal. The fist is that of Punifhmenr,. inflated from tlae Righteoufinefs ofGod. There are but twowayes poliible ( fétting alide the Confideration of whit fhall be afterwards fixed on ) whereby mankind, or any individual Perfon amongff theta, may obtain deliverance from this Evil : And the Gil is, that God without any further confideration Gould remit it, and exempt the Creation fromunder it. But although this way may fretn pofrble unto fome, it is indeed utterly otherwife. Did not the fentence of it proceed from his Righteoufnefi, and the Effential.Rec`titudeof his Nature? Didhe not engage his Truth and faithfulnefs, that it. Gould be inflicted ? and Both not his Holinefiand Jutlice require that fo it Gould be ? What Gould become of his glory, what would hedo unto hisgreat llame, if nowwithout any- Caufe or Reafon he Gould contrary untó all thofe engagements of his Holy Perfeétions, wholly remit and take it off ? Nay, this would plainly juftifie the Serpent in his Calumny, that what ever he pretended, yet indeed that noExecution ofhisThreatning would ever eufùe. How alfo can it be fuppofed that any of his future Comminations Gould have .a jail weight upon the fouls of men ; if that tlrfi great and fundamental one Gould be fruflrated and evacuated ? or what Authority .would be left unto his Lam, when he him- felfGould dilfoive theSan&ion of it ? Befides ifGod Goulddo tlms, whichRafon,Re- relation, and the Event of things domanifcfl that he neither would nor rouid, (for he cannot denyhimfelf) this would have been his work, and not an acquifìtion of men themfélves, which we arenow enquiring after. Sothat this way ofdeliverance, as it is but imaginary, fb it is here of no confideration. There is no other way then for man, 'dine will not perifh eternally under the punifh- ment due unto his Apoflalie and Rebellion, but fecondly to find out tome way ofCom mutation, or snaking a Recompense for the Evil of finunto the Law and Righteoufncfs ofGod. But herein his utter infufhciency quickly mauifèlls it fel£ What ever he is, or bath, or canpretend any Intereft in, lyes no lefs under the Guile -than he doth him- fell. And that whirls is under the Curie can contributenothingunto its redsovall. That which is in its wholeBeing obnoxious unto the greatefi Punifhment, can havenothing wherewithall to make Crmmutation for it. For that mud Mil be accepted in, and for its fell which caneither make Attoniment, or be received for any other in Exchange. And this is the condition of man, and of every individual! of mankind, and will -be fo to Eternity, unlefs Reliefarife from another place. It is farther alto evident, that all the endeavours of men mull needs be unfpeakably difproportionate unto theEtfett and End aimed at, froth the concernment of the other parts of the Creation in the Curl againff fin. What can they do t6 redore the Vniverfé unto its Mil Glory and Beauty? How can they reduce the Creation unto its Original Harmony? Wherewith Gall they recompense the GreatGod for the defacingof fo great a portion of that imprefi of his Gloryand Goodnefs that he had enflamped on it ? In a word, they who from their find date unto their utmodPeriod are alwayes under the Punifhment, can do no- thing for thetotal rcmovall of it. The Experience alto offive thoufandyears hathfief - ficiently evinced, how infnfficient man is tobe a Saviour unto himfelf. All the various and uncertain motions of Adam's Poflerity in Religion, from the Extremity ofAtheifm unto that of Sacrificing themfelves and oneanother have been destined invain, towárds this End. Neither can any ofthem to this day, find out a better, or more likely way for them to thrive in, than thofe wherewith their Progenitors deluded themfelves. And in the Iffue ofall we fee, that as to what man bath been able of himfelf to do to- wards his own Deliverance, both himfelf and the whole world, are continued in the fame Rate wherein they were upon the fird Entrance of Sin cumulated as it were with another world of Confufion, Diforder, Mifchief and Mifery. There is- alloanother head of the Mifery of man , and that is the corrupt fpring of Moral Evil that is in his nature. This alfo is Vnivcrfil and Endlefs, It mixeth its fell with all, and every
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