of Action; not a State of lafting Joy, but a tranfient Course of Probation; and our Faculties imperfect as they are, are fufficient to anfwer all our present Purposes, and direct us in all Things that are neceffary and convenient for us. Let not vain Man then pretend to be wifer than his Maker! Let him not foolishly difbelieve what the Scriptures affirm, purely for want of that Knowledge which he cannot have! His Folly in fo doing will yet farther appear, if it be con

fidered.

Thirdly, That thefe Doctrines, though myfterious, cannot justly be charged with implying any Contradiction or Impoffibility. It neither implies a Contradiction, nor is it impoffible in itself, that God has affumed the Nature of Man; we know not enough of him and his Power to be able to prove it does. All that can fairly be objected in this Cafe is, that fuch an Union may be impoffible: And to this it may as readily and forcibly be answered, that it may not. And if then the Thing were dubious, how reafonable and how juft is it to fubmit to the Words of unerring Truth, in all doubtful Cafes; how abfurd and foolish to reject what we have all the Reason in the World to believe is affirmed by Perfons divinely inspired, merely because we are not able to judge whether the Thing afferted be impoffible, or not!

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Would the Unbeliever do Juftice to him felf, as well as to the Chriftian Caufe? He ought firft to enquire coolly and impartially into the Reasons, upon which the Divine Authority of the Scriptures is built; weigh deliberately the Principles, and all the different Sorts of Evidence, upon which it stands; allow each Argument and Objection its proper Force; and determine as the Truth thall to him appear, upon a juft Examination of the Whole. 'Tis a mighty eafy Matter to start Objections against particular Parts of any Syftem of Religion, and still easier to ridicule facred Things, that is, fet them in a ludicrous, or rather profane Light: But it is not altogether fo eafy fairly to get rid of the Reasons on which the Chriftian Religion ftands; and whoever duly weighs them will, I prefume, find it just to have fome Dependance in dubious Cafes, on the Authority of God. If upon this Enquiry a Man is not convinced, he will at leaft have acquitted himself like a Man. But I doubt not that fuch an Enquiry would end in a full and fincere Perfuafion of the whole Chriftian Scheme. For it is to be feared that this is very rarely the Cafe; and that the true Reafon of the Infidels Scepticifm is, neither a Perfuafion of the Falfhood of Christianity, built upon a Trial of the Evidence of it, nor barely the Mysteriousness of its Doctrines. Few Men are able, fewer willing, to go

through

through the Labour of a fair Examination; and fewer still are over-fcrupulous of affenting to Propofitions which they do not underftand; unless there be fome other Motive to refuse their Affent, than barely the Difficulty of the Speculation. The true Objection against the Chriftian Religion is, that it is not fpeculative enough; that its Doctrines are not only mysterious but practical. Where there is not fomething of this Kind in the Cafe, we find Men ready enough to fwallow even Abfurdities and Contradictions; and, I fear, the real Stumbling-Block in the Way of believing the Article alluded to in the Text is this, that we are obliged to confider it, not only as a Mystery, but likewise

IV. Fourthly, As a Mystery of Godliness. Such it is, whether we confider the Purity required of those who embrace it; or the powerful Tendency of the Doctrine itself to an boly Life.

The God who affumed our Nature requires that we should imitate the Perfections of his. A daily Progress in Virtue is the indifpenfible Duty of every Difciple of the bleffed Jefus, who must be thoroughly furnished to every good Word and Work; and whoever attentively confiders the wonderful Difplay of God's Mercy to us in his Incarnation, can want no Motive to Praise, Adoration, and Love.

VOL. I.

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Let us then contemplate a little on this amazing Inftance of Divine Goodness. As the Book of Nature furnishes us with the clearest and most convincing Manifeftations of God's Wifdom and Power; fo does his Divine Word fupply us with the most ample Teftimonies of the Wonders of his Love. That the Son of God fhould become Man, that the Children of Men might become the Sons of God; fhould clothe himself with our Infirmities, to raise us to a Participation of his Perfections; fhould fuffer Want, that we might abound; make himself an Offering for Sin, to free his rebellious Creatures from the Guilt and Dominion of it; and die the Death of a Malefactor, that we might live for ever with him in eternal Glory: These are fuch Inftances of infinite Love as could be learned only from himself. This is fuch a Method of Salvation as wretched Mortals could never have expected; fuch as the most fanguine Mind could not have hoped for. What Breaft does not glow with grateful Refentments, upon the bare Mention of it? Who can confider it without being loft in Adoration, Praife and Thanksgiving ? Who can view this wonderful Condefcention, and thefe Sufferings for Sin, without loathing and detefting himself for the Commiffion of it? Who does not fay within himfelf, with the warmeft Indignation, bow can I, who am redeemed from my Iniqui

ties by the Blood of Chrift, live any longer therein?

Well therefore might our Apoftle call this Doctrine a Mystery of Godliness. A Mystery which gives us the moft exalted Notions of Divine Love to warm our Hearts with a due Sense of it; which, if there be any Spark of Ingenuity or Gratitude in our Souls, muft kindle it into a divine Flame, reciprocral Love, unfeigned and pure Affection! A Mystery which muft deprefs the Man as much as it exalts the Chriftian; make him defirous of purifying himself; and thirst for nothing fo much as to become a new Creature! A Mystery, in fine, which by fhewing us our Approach to, and Deliverance from, the Jaws of Hell, gives us the nearest Profpect of the Joys of Heaven, and the surest Pledge and Affurance to us, that he, who has already done fo much towards it, will not ftop till he has completed the great Work of our Salvation. If the Son of God spared not bimfelf for us, fhall be not alfo freely give us all Things? All Things that tend to our Happiness, or can complete it, no Doubt, he will; provided paft Mercies produce future Amendment; and we walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit.

To conclude then, in the Words of our Apoftle, If therefore there be any Confolation in Chrift; if any Comfort in his Love; if any Fellowship

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