defcenfion and Love toward us, and SERM.
might from thence engage us to Love III.
and Obey him alfo, without Bounds:
That he might be enabled in our behalf
to Vanquish Satan, and all the Powers of
Hell, and ere& a Spiritual Kingdom in
the Hearts of Men, by triumphing first
over all the Strength, and Cunning, and
Malice of our Spiritual Enemies.

It was highly Expedient alfo, that he
fhould be Man, that our Offences might
be repaired in that Nature which com-
mitted them: And as, by one Man's Rom. v.
Difobedience, many were made Sinners; so,
by the Obedience of One Man, Many
might be made Righteous.

19.

That he might be Qualified from thence, to be a Merciful and Faithful Heb. ii. High Priest in Things pertaining to God, 17• and a proper Interceffor with him for Man, whose Infirmities he had tried, whofe Needs he had been fenfible of; and, having himself suffered and been tempted, might be able and willing to Ver. 18. fuccour Thofe that are tempted.

SERM.

III.

Lastly, That by appearing in Human Form, he might make a Difference between the rigorous and astonishing Difpenfation of the Law, and that milder one of Grace: Coming to us in the most familiar and winning way: Inftructing us in our Duty like one of us: And propofing to us a Lively and Full Example of what he taught, in what he did and fuffered for us.

Thefe are fome of the Accounts which God has hinted to us in Scripture, why his Infinite Wisdom was pleased to pitch upon this Way, rather than any other, of reconciling Man to himself. And yet after all the Accounts we can give ourselves of it, we cannot but confess it to be an Abyss of Mercy, which neither We nor Angels are able to pry into ; and which God alone who contrived it, can fully explain and comprehend.

Let us forbear therefore to wade farther into the Depth of this great Myftery of God manifeft in the Flesh; and let us fatisfy ourselves with believing it, as God has revealed it, without Indulging

Our

our Curiofity in an unprofitable Search SERM. after the Reasons, which induced God III. to order the Stupendous Work of our Redemption in fo inconceivable a Manner: And let us proceed to draw from thence those plain Practical Improvements, which may render it profitable unto Godliness, and with which it will readily furnish us.

10, 11.

And the firft, and moft natural Use we are to make of it, is, to raise to ourfelves from thence Matter of Thankfulnefs and Spiritual Joy. Behold, I bring Luke ii. you, faid the Angel to the Shepherds, good Tidings of great Joy which shall be to all People: For unto you is born this Day in the City of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And these indeed are the best Tidings that ever God fent, or the World received: Tidings of no less than Freedom from the Guilt and Punishment of Sin; of a Way opened to Repentance, and the Favour of God; to Peace of Confcience in this World, and Everlasting Happiness in

the next.

Before

SERM.

Before the Coming of Chrift, all the III. Account we could have of these things

from the Light of Nature, went no far

ther than this. That the Breach of any of God's Laws brought Guilt along with it; and that Guilt made us liable to Punishment. Whether God, upon any Confiderations, would ever remitt this Punishment, was more than mere Rea fon could poffibly tell us. For the Juftice of God certainly required, that Sin fhould be followed with Punishment: Nor was this inconfiftent with the Goodnefs of God, which was otherwise fuffi ciently manifefted to us. Under these kind of Dark and Uncomfortable ReaMal. iv. fonings were we left, till Christ the Sun of Righteousness arose with Healing in his Wings, and published the Gofpel of Repentance, and Remiffion of Sins. All Thanks and Praise therefore be given to him, that our Tongues can poffibly exprefs, or our Hearts conceive! Abraham, at a mighty Distance, and upon a very Dim and Imperfe&t View of it, reJohn viii. joyced to fee this Day: The Angels, who

2.

56.

them

themselves had no Intereft in this Deli- SERM. verance, yet were highly pleafed with III. the Profpect of thofe Bleffings it derived on their Fellow-Creature Man; and therefore fung that Hymn on this Occafion, which the Evangelift has recorded. Glory be to God on High, on Luke ii. Earth Peace, Good-will towards Men. 14. And fhall not We, for whofe Sake this Peace was fent on Earth, and to whom all this Good-will was meant, fhall not We also give Glory to God on High, and rejoyce before him with Reverence? Surely this is News, at which (as Isaiah prophefies of the Miraculous Effects that fhould take place in the Kingdom of the Meffiah) the Lame Man should leap as an Ir. xxxv. Hart, and the Tongue of the Dumb fhould 6. fing.

A fecond Improvement that fhould be made of this Doctrine is, to raise our Love to God from hence, to all the Degrees of which it is capable.

For Love furely deferves Returns of Love; and the higheft Inftances of Love, the higheft Returns of it. Now