and unfearchable: We cannot, and therefore ought not to pretend to fet Bounds to them. To inquire, in what other Way God might poffibly have faved Mankind, will neither make us wifer in this World, nor happier in the next.

What I would then be understood to mean, is this; That the Condition of Man before the Coming of Chrift was fuch, that he could not, by the Help of Reafon and Nature, fo apply himself to God, as to be fecure of his Pardon and Mercy; but there was a Neceffity of providing other Means befides those of Reason and Nature, which no one could provide but God alone: That he has provided us with the Affiftance of his Holy Spirit, and appointed his own Son for our Redeemer and Mediator. Some Means being therefore abfolutely neceffary to be provided, and these being the Means made choice of by God; we may fafely affirm, without prying too far into the hidden Mysteries of God, That thefe Means were neceffary to the Salvation of the World.

The Truth of this Proposition thus limited, is that which does most plainly fhew us the Reasonableness of the Gospel, and the Wifdom and Goodnefs of God in the Revelation

of

of it: For, suppose the contrary to this to be true, That Men were able of themselves to do the whole Will of God, and fo to apply to him as to engage his Favour and Mercy, and to obtain Salvation for themfelves at his Hands; and you will find it very hard to account for the Reasonableness of the Chriftian Religion, which provides preternatural Affiftances to enable us to do that which Nature can do without them; or for the Wisdom of God, in making the Revelation to ferve thofe Ends which Men knew how to accomplish without it. But, if you confider Man in the State under which the Scripture represents him before the Coming of Christ, lost to God and to himfelf, the Slave of Paffion, and the Servant of Sin, equally unable to govern himfelf, and to serve his Maker; you will then fee the Want there was of a Mediator to be the Ambaffador of our Peace, and to reconcile us to God; you will then see the Want there was of the Holy Spirit's Influence to enable us to fubdue those unruly Paffions and Appetites, which were a Partition-Wall between us and our God; that we might ferve our Maker in Spirit and in Truth, and perfect Holiness in the Fear of God.

I

Give

Give me Leave to ftay here a little to represent to you the Oeconomy of God in the Gospel Difpenfation, which the Apostle, in the Text, has fhut up in few Words; We have Access to God, through Chrift, by the Spirit. To give you a diftinct Conception of this, and of the different Offices of the Son and of the Spirit, you must conceive the Spirit of God as always present with us; the Son, as always in the Presence of the Father. The Spirit dwells with the Faithful, to guide and to direct them, to fecond and encourage all their good Defires, to help them in overcoming their Infirmities; in a word, to labour together with them in the Work of their Salvation, to make their Calling and Election fure. The Son of God is at the right Hand of the Majefty on High; there he is our Advocate, he intercedes for us, he receives and offers our Prayers, he obtains for us the Remiffion of our Sins in virtue of the one Oblation which he once made of himself upon the Crofs, the Memorial of which is ever in the Sight of God. This will teach us what it is, to have Access by the Spirit, through Chrift. For the Spirit abideth with us, he is at our right Hand, and by his happy VOL. II. D Influence

up

Influence it is, that we draw near to Christ, and by him approach to the Father. The Son is our High-Priest, clothed with Majesty and Power, and feated at the right Hand of God, able to fave all who will come to him; through whofe powerful and always prevailing Mediation and Interceffion the Way is opened to Pardon and Reconciliation. The Spirit is our Comforter, given us to dwell and to abide with us, to be a Principle of new Life within us, to quicken our mortal Bodies, that, dying to Sin, we may live unto God through Holinefs. To draw Men to God is the Work of the Spirit, who therefore refides and dwells with Men: To reconcile God to Man is the Work of our High-Priest, who lives in the Glory of God, making continual Interceffion for us.

And now, confider the calamitous Condition of Mankind under what View you please, you will always find a proper Remedy provided by the Mercy of God. If you reflect upon the Holiness of God, and his Hatred of Sin and Iniquity, and begin to fear that he can never be reconciled to Sinners; take Courage, the Work is difficult, but the Son of God has undertaken

taken it; and how great foever the Diftance between God and you is, yet through the Son you may have Accefs unto him. If still you fear for yourself, that all may again be loft through your own. Weakness, and Inability to do Good; even here Help is at hand, the Spirit of God is your Support, he is the Pledge and Earnest of Redemption. But,

your

Secondly, Thefe being the neceffary Means of Salvation, it was likewife neceffary to reveal to the World the Doctrines concerning the Son and the Holy Spirit: And the Belief of thefe Doctrines is neceffary to every Chriftian, as far as the right Ufe of the Means depends upon the right Faith and Belief of the Doctrines.

He that bath the Son, fays St. John, bath Life; and he that hath not the Son of God, bath not Life: And again, Whosoever denieth the Son, bath not the Father. For fince we can only come to the Father through the Son, to deny the Son, is to cut off all Communication between us and the Father. The fame may be faid of the bleffed Spirit, through whom we are in Christ: If Man, fays St. Paul, have not the Spirit of Chrift, he is none of bis: Our bleffed Lord D 2

any

has