confidering that the work itself is myfterious, and therefore the proper means to effect it must be fo

too.

:

That the death of Chrift should be the life of the world, is a furprising propofition and yet to fay this is not a proper method for redeeming the world, without having a clear view of the whole difpenfation of Providence with refpect to mankind, is utterly abfurd.

The Scriptures of the New Teftament have difcovered to us, that we are the immediate workmanship of the Son of God, by whom all things were made which were made; being created by him, and for him. How far this relation between Chrift and the children of men made it proper for him to offer, and for God to accept the facrifice of his death, as an expiation for the fins of the world, we are not directly informed, nor is it expedient for us to be wife above what is written: but fomething of this fort seems to be intimated in Scripture. The fall of man was the lofs of so many subjects to the Christ, their natural Lord under God, in virtue of his having created them: the redeeming them was the recovering of them again, the reeftablishing his power over his own works. See how St. Paul describes this work of our redemption: God hath delivered us from the powers of darkness, and tranflated us into the kingdom of his dear Son, Col. i. 13. In the next verse he recites the means made ufe of for our deliverance: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of fins. For the confirmation and establishment of this doctrine of the Gospel, he immediately fubjoins the relation in

which Chrift ftands towards us as our Maker, and the new relation acquired in virtue of his redemption. In the firft view, he ftyles him, The image of the invifible God, the first-born of every creature; for by him were all things created-and by him all things confift. In the fecond view, he calls him, The head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence. As we owed to him our firft life, fo we owe to him our fecond: the reafon of this difpenfation of Providence in the redemption of mankind is added by the Apoftle: For it pleafed the Father that in him fhould all fulness dwell; and (having made peace by the blood of his cross) by him to reconcile all things to himself. The fcheme of thought which runs through this paffage of Scripture feems to be this that as Chrift was head of the creation, and made all things, fo when God thought fit to restore the world from fin, it pleased him that Chrift fhould be head alfo of this new work, the first-born from the dead himself, and the giver of life to every believer for this purpose he made peace by the blood of his cross, and reconciled all things to God, that in all things he might have the preeminence. Thus much we collect from the Apostle's reasoning; and difcern plainly, that the preeminence of Chrift, as head of the church, is connected and related to his preeminence as head of the creation. Therefore we have reason to believe, that the whole tranfaction of our redemption through Chrift, his incarnation, his life on earth, his death on the crofs, the facrifice he offered for fin, and his glorious refurrection, are founded in the most abfolute propriety, and are the

refult of infinite wifdom, choofing the fitteft means to accomplish this great work.

To go back then from whence we fet out. This is our hope and confidence; that Chrift gave himSelf for us. Let this hope live with us here, that we may live by it for ever let it ever mortify our corrupt affections on earth, and teach us to live only to him, who died for us; for we are to the world, and all the lufts of it, dead, and our life is hid with Chrift: and when Chrift, who is our life, fhall appear, then fhall we also appear with him in glory.

DISCOURSE LII.

I TIMOTHY i. 15.

This is a faithful faying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Chrift Jefus came into the world to fave finners.

THESE words contain the great charter of the Chriftian church, and are the title by which we claim all the benefits and promifes of the Gospel. If you inquire upon what pretence we proclaim the peace of God to mankind, upon what confidence we offer pardon to finners, who according to the terms of natural justice are vessels of wrath fitted for deftruction; we anfwer, in the words of the text, That Chrift Jefus came into the world to fave finners; and that in his name we preach falvation, and peace, and pardon to offenders.

This is the doctrine which, together with the principles on which it is founded, and the confequences naturally flowing from it, diftinguishes the Christian religion from all other religions whatever. The hopes peculiar to believers are built upon this great article; and whatever advantages and favours we pretend to under the Gospel, more than can be claimed upon the terms of juftice and natural religion, are to be afcribed to this only, That Chrift Jefus came into the world to fave finners.