XI.

of the Publick, and call the Action Heroick, CHAP. Godlike; why not allow God, infinitely more inclin'd to fuch Acts, to fend his Son; and his Son to condescend to take our Nature upon Him to fave a World of perishing Sinners; When the Father, who best understands what is true Greatnefs and Glory, places both of them in being Good; and as a Proof of that, in condefcending Acts of doing Good; and the Son places his Glory, in that Opportunity of going about upon our Earth, doing Good, and miniftring, rather than being miniftred unto.

So very credible is the Goodness of God in the Redemption of Man, that it is but pursuing the fame Good-will that firft created him, and fhewing Mercy where he had fhew'd Goodness before. And, indeed, the due belief of the Divine Goodness together with the internal Evidence of the Doctrines, and Commandments, all breathing the fame Divine Goodness unto Man, without any mere Will, Arbitrariness, or commanding for commanding Sake is in a manner a compleat Proof and Security of the Truth of the Chriftian Revelation. It is the contrary groundlefs Suppofition that has had the fatal influence upon Deifts, or Scepticks, to reject that Revelation; and make good that Obfervation of our Author, pag. 368. "If once pernicious Opinions

are believed to be contained in any Revelation, "they will have the fame Effect, as if they really were there."

66

How unkind both to God and Man, are these other Paffages? "If there is a Religion which "teaches Adoration and Love of a God, whofe

Character it is to be captious, and of high Re

"fentment,

CHAP" fentment, fubject to Wrath and Anger, furiXI. "ous, revengeful, and revenging himself when "offended, upon others than thofe who gave Of"fence,-muft of Neceffity raise even Appro"bation and Refpect towards the Vices of this "Kind." If by infenfible Degrees, as he pro"ceeds in his religious Faith, and devout Exercife, he comes to be more and more reconciled "to Malignity, Arbitrarinefs, Partiality, or Revengefulness of his beloved Deity, his Re"conciliation with these Qualities themselves will "foon grow in Proportion; and the most cruel, "unjuft, and barbarous Acts fhall by the Power "of this Example, be often confider'd by him, "not only as juft and lawful, but as Divine and worthy of Imitation †.

66

66

THE noble Author's Compliment of Wrath, Anger, Revenge, or revenging himself upon others than those who gave the Offence, can mean none but the God of the Chriftians: But that has been fully anfwer'd before. And as he puts the Truth of the premised Accufation upon the Truth of the Confequence among Chriftians, which he says muft of Neceffity follow as to Approbation and ReSpect towards thofe Vices; fo far, as often to be confider'd, by the Power of fuck Example, not only as just and lawful, but as Divine, and worthy of Imitation. Now, if this Confequence is utterly falfe, in fact, it fhews that his Premifes are no better; and his calumnious Infult of the God of the Christians, and his Worshippers, is very injurious, and unbecoming a Gentleman, who seems to diftinguish his Spirit and Style chiefly by the grand, I won't call it noble, Artifices of uttering

*Characterist. Vol. II. page. 48. Vid. page. 49.

many

XI.

many bitter, false Things under genteel Periods, CHAP. and polite Diction; as if the harmonious Order, and the taking, pretty Figures of mifreprefenting Words, was the fame Thing, or better, than the Beauty and Order of right Ideas, and through the Help of them the Investigation of the Truth of Things of the greatest Concern

ment.

FOR who ever yet heard of any offended Christians revenging themselves upon others than those who gave the Offence, in Imitation of the God they worship? It is too true, that Wrath, Revenge, Fury, and even Barbarity is too much found among fome degenerate Chriftians: But neither among that worst Faction of Chriftians, is that cruel perfecuting Spirit infpir'd, in fact, by a genuine Imitation of, or Confcience towards God; but rather from their enflav'd Confcience towards their tyrannical Rulers, who, in the Place of God, lord it over their Confcience; and having taken away the Book of his Will from them, in all their peculiar Doctrines, confpiring to aggrandize their peculiar Dominion, have the undifturb'd Opportunity of telling their ignorant Vaffals what is their own Will, inftead of his, for fuppreffing all Oppofers, i. e. Heretical Pravity; and under the falfe Colour of God's Sake, infaming them to the proper Rage of executing their Purpose, and doing any manner of Evil for their Sake, always couch'd under the Good of the Church, which, in that depraved Communion, are fynonimous Words. This is fuch notorious. Matter of Fact, that it would be an Affront to a Proteftant Reader to offer to prove it. This very Author, and his Difciple, the Author of Chriftianity as old, and the Rights of the Church, &c. con

CHAP. firm the fame abundantly, and defcant upon it in XI. Pages without Number. So that I can't imagine, what Sort of Chriftians the noble Perfon meant, who are in Danger of degenerating into those antichristian Vices, merely by worshipping and imitating their God. Perhaps he thought of the rigid predeftinarian Principle; but exceeding few, at this Time, adhere to that; and that only produces a fowre Face, and uncharitable Speeches ; but no Blows.

So overflowing moreover has been the Stream of Divine Goodnefs in the Redemption of the World; that there is more Good redounds to Man, by this Method of rich Grace; and to the Deity more Glory, and Illuftration of Divine Perfections, than if Man had never fallen. When Man had fought out many Devices in his State of Probation, and loft all his, Profpects in the Favour of his Maker; what Revenge, what Forfeiture does the God of all Goodness take of it; but to provide him a Mediator, and by his Means, to raise him only the higher from his Fall? From a Servant, his State under the first Covenant, to be under the Second, a Friend of God, nay, his adopted Son; which gives Man, who has no Hand in his own Birth, the most endearing Senfe of Choice, and the moft obliging Sentiment of Father, beyond the common Notion of Maker, wherewith the Deifts content themselves. Friendship, if we confider of it, is the best thing Man has to bestow upon Man, or Angel upon Angel or Man; but through the Mediator God does not only bestow that, but Son-fhip moreover upon us Men: behold what manner of love is that, that we should be called the Sons of God!

THOUGH

СНАР.

THOUGH the moral Law is not abrogated,, XI. the Rigor of obedience is fo temper'd and moderated by the second Covenant, that Repentance and Sincerity are accepted, instead of perfect obedience, and accounted of God, through Chrift, as that Righteoufnefs which is equivalent to Innocence; by which Allowance the Law is as well adjusted now to our (imperfect) Compliance in the best of our prefent Ability, as it was at first to Man's perfect Obedience, when he was in the Perfection of his original Powers. Had perfect Obedience been required in the Second, as in the first Covenant, the Perfection of all our Faculties must have been reftored; and then every Sin in peccable Man would have brought on the Neceffity of another Mediator; after that, as Folly prevail'd, another, and fo toties quoties. Nor is there any Yoke laid upon the Neck of our Appetites and Paffions, but Reafon concurs in laying the very fame; whilft the Honour and Reward of virtuous Performance is enhanced from the furrounding Difficulties without, and the treacherous Inclinations within. The Revelation of that Covenant brings with it large Improvements to our Reafon, by many profitable Discoveries, totally undiscoverable without it;. and the Affurance of the Advancement and Exaltation of our Nature, in both its Constituents, incomparably beyond what it was at first.

THE Body then in its Similitude and Affections, was the fame with the Body now; but at its Refurrection, which is a new Acquifition by the Redemption of it from the Grave, it will be more than recover'd to its priftine State in Paradife, beyond the Health and Vigor of its first ConVOL. I. C c

dition;