*

;

ineffectual, as expenfive. And whence comes it to pass that people who profefs to believe that their bodies are but a very inferior part of themfelves, no other than tabernacles, fet up for the Soul, the nobler part to refide in, for a little season, and then to be reduced to their original duft are notwithstanding fo anxiously careful to preferve the one, yet fo extremely careless and negligent of the other? Is it because the prefent life is fo much to be defired that in order to preferve it, we should hazard the lofs of that to come? Surely no, for all men as it were with one voice, complain of the emptiness and vanity of the prefent life; and though not with their lips, declare in their lives, a diffatisfaction in all the prefent world can boast; and fignify by their varied, but inceffant pursuit after happiness, that they defire fome diftant good, they cannot attain unto, as expreffed in the words of the royal pfalmift, who will fhew us any good? Pf. iv. 6. Nor is it, either because the foul is not more worthy of attention than the body, or fo incapable of being difordered, or diseased, that no means, or medicines are neceffary to its prefervation, and welfare; but in

C:

fact,

*Tabernacle, fo called by the apoftie Paul, 2 Cor. v. 1, where we are taught that our bodies are as tabernacles in which our fouls muft dwell, for an appointed time, and then remove from this their earthly house. Our bodies are fitly compared to tabernacles, 1ft, By reafon of their frail! conftruction. 2d, Their short and temporary existence. The confideration of this therefore, while it ferves to humble our pride, and beget in us fuitable conceptions of our fragile ftate; fhould excite our defires, and ftrengthen our purpofes of fecuring an habitation for our fouls more firm and durable, even an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

fact, because present things strike so forcibly on the external fenfes, though altogether, vain, and tranfitory, that we can fcarce attend to any thing else. In the mean time the disease of the foul ftrengthens, and runs fo high, that (like perfons under the power of fome malignant fever,) we imagine ourfelves well, neglect and refuse the falutary draught prepared, infenfibly ficken, and languish in the very arms of a death most to be dreaded.

How neceffary is it then for the minifters of the gospel, and the ambassadors of Christ to labour in this point, to convince men of their fallen condition, to recover them from their deathful delirium, and powerfully perfuade them, evincing the truth of their arguments from God's moft holy word, that they are conceived in fin, and brought forth in iniquity, and that by nature they are children of wrath for until fome conviction of this be wrought in their hearts, Chrift will be esteemed by them as a phyfician of no value, his blood and righteoufnefs will be flighted and difregarded, as things infignificant in themselves, or what are foreign to men, and from which they neither can, nor have need to receive any benefit. The whole, faith Chrift, "need not a phyfician, but they that "are fick," Matt. ix. 12. All indeed are infected with a deadly disease, and therefore all need a physician and Saviour, but few are fenfible of their dangerous condition; hence it is, that when we speak of Christ crucified, and falvation by the crofs, we are fo little understood, and our doctrine for the most part, is treated with contempt. For the word, or preaching, of or concerning the cross, which holds forth Jefus Chrift crucified, as the fole faviour of finners, and the only way of fal

vation, is to them that perish foolishness; to the jews; the unhumbled felf-juftifying profeffors, a ftumbling block, and to the greeks, the wife and pretended knowing ones of the world, foolishness, 1 Cor. i. 18, 23. Yet it has pleafed God in every age by this foolishness of preaching, to fave as many as bebelieve, and to thefe, the gofpel is manifeftly the power of God, and to as many as are called, both jews and greeks, Chrift and the gofpel method of falvation by him, appears to be the power of God, and the wifdom of God.

2d, Any fuppofed plan of falvation which would infringe the justice of God, cannot be admitted in confiftency with our natural notions of him, much lefs with what we learn from revelation. Herein it is declared, that he is juft and righteous, Deut. xxxii. 4. that he is a juft God, and a Saviour, If. xlv. 21. and that when clouds and thick darkness are round about him, yet righteousness, and true judgment are the habitation of his throne, Pf. xcvii. 2, 89, 14. Yet, infinite wisdom has found out a way to preserve, inviolate the attributes of justice, yet justify the ungodly, Rom. iv. 5. This is that wif-t dom of God, which fo much outfhines, and confounds the wifdom of the world, that the truth of God is conceived of by them as a lye, and the wifdom of God, as matter of foolishness. All this was foretold, for, faith the oracle of God, I will deftroy the wisdom of the wife, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent, If. xxix. 14, 15: It is from revelation also, that we learn our wretched state by nature; * and the fountain head of

D

fin,

* I am far from thinking that the bare reading of the

fin, and iniquity, is herein laid open and difclof ed; and what should still engage our attention to this bleffed book the more, is, we learn from thence our cure. The fcriptures proclaim a full, and free falvation for poor ruined finners; procured, by means the most marvellous, and aftonifhing, and infured to all the feed, by the veracity and faithfulness of Jehovah himself. The

measure, or quality of this love exhibited in the redemption of fallen finners, what tongue can exprefs, what heart conceive? Was his recovery hard, and difficult? Means the most marvellous and aftonishing muft accomplish the arduous task. Was man become weak and helpless by his fall? Help must be laid upon one that is mighty, Pf. lxxxix. 19. and to redeem from death, a ruined race, the joy of angels, the delight of earth and heaven, must become man, and die.

3d, The imputation of our fins to Chrift, as a doctrinal truth, depends upon the truth and certainty of the three following things, ift, That fufferings and death are the penal effects of fin. 2d, That Chrift did actually fuffer and die. 3d, That he himself was free from all fin, for which punishment might justly be inflicted. The firft of thefe

I have

zida

ad fcriptures, no nor the moft ftudious application to thofe facred pages, without the irradiating influences of the fpirit of God, can ever thoroughly instruct a person in the knowledge of himfelf, &c. But at the fame time, I look upon the holy feriptures to be not only the ordinary, but most effectual means of leading into this knowledge; and therefore would exhort to the reading of them with prayer and fupplication, in order thereby, thro' the divine bleffing, to be made wife unto falvation.

have spoken pretty largely to, in my former fermon on original fin; alfo in the preceding chapter we have neceffarily been led all along to have recourse to this, fo that what has been advanced relative thereto, (it is prefumed) renders it unneceffary to refume the subject, or add any thing more to confirm it. And here I fhould immediately have difmiffed this point, had not Socinus himself made an unexpected entry into my chamber, and infifted on bodily death being a confequence of nature, and not a punishment inflicted for, or because of fin; his own words are, mors naturalis quatenus naturalis eft, et omnibus communis; non eft peccati ftipendium, fed naturæ noftræ, quam ipfemet Adamus in ipfa creatione accepit, propria fequela, lib. 3d, de ferva cap. 8th, id eft, feeing death is common to all, it must therefore be a debt of nature, not a confequence of fin, &c. But Paul's affirmation is of greater weight with me than Socinus' negation, the wages of fin is death, Rom. vi. 23, and by fin came death, v. Therefore I conclude, with the fuffrage of the inspired writers, that fufferings and death, are the penal effects of sin.

12.

2d, That Chrift did actually fuffer, and that seven unto death, is a truth, I fuppofe I may in this place take for granted, fince to deny it would be to difcredit, and difregard the holy fcriptures. Therefore the premises granted, that suffering is the effect of fin, the confequence cannot be denied, that as Chrift fuffered even unto death, he must be some way chargeable with fin, the caufe of that fuffering. 3d, That Chrift himself was free from all fin, for which, punishment might justly be inflicted, cannot but be granted, yea

ought