Sid finner, depreffed with a consciousness of guilt, and justly apprehensive of everlasting vengeance, as the confequence of his rebellion against God? In this seemingly defperate fituation, Chrift appears as the messenger of divine mercy, and opens up the ftupendous plan of providence for the redemption of a loft world. Whilst he concludes all mankind under guilt, he affures us, at the fame time, that we are still the objects of mercy. He does not entertain us with a general and unnite. resting representation of the divine benevolence, but proclaims the good tidings of great joy, that God is actually reconciling a guilty world to himfelf, not imputing unto them their trefpaffes Are we anxious to know by whom and in what manner this wonderful fcheme of mercy is to be carried into effect? This, honour he claims to himself, and founds his claim upon a commiffion from the Father. When the blood of bulls and of goats could not take away fin, God fent forth his Son to be a propitiation for our fins, that through faith in his blood might we escape the wrath to come, and obtain an eternal inheritance. In the character of the great High Prieft of our profeffion, he fubftituted himfelf in our room, and fuffered the juft for the unjuft that he might bring us to God.And having thus fatisfied the demands of justice, he fet open the prifon doors, and proclaimed liberty to the defpairing captives.

That the facrifice of Chrift poffeffed fufficient merit to procure us forgivennefs, is positively afferted in many paffages of fcripture. Chrift is faid to finifh tranf

greffion,

greffion, to make an end of fin, and to bring in an everlafting righteousness, to reconcile us to the Father by the blood of his crofs, and to enter into the holiest of all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption for us. And that our faith, in a matter of such infinite moment, might not rest on general affertions, the Gospel discloseth to our view the grounds upon which the efficacy of Chrift's fatisfaction depends. Here we see our pardon purchased by one who was mighty to fave, and who in this great undertaking acted by virtue of a divine appointment. And whilft the nature and circumftances of our Redeemer's sufferings plainly point out man to be the object in view, fo, in the greatness of these fufferings, we fee a way opened for the exercise of mercy towards guilty finners, in a perfect confiftency with the reft of God's moral attributes, and with the majesty and authority of his government. Here, then, mercy and truth are met, and righteousness and peace have mutually embraced: And the true Chriftian can triumph in the full affurance of faith. Who fhall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that juftifieth: Who is he that condemneth? It is Chrift that died; yea rather, who is rifen again; who is even at the right hand of God, and ever liveth to make interceffion for

us.

But guilt was not the only evil from which human nature wanted to be relieved. It was likewise bound faft in the chains of spiritual darkness. The blessed Jefus, therefore, appeared in the character of a pro

phet,

phet, as well as of a priest. I am the light of the world, fays he; whofoever followeth me fhall not walk in darkness, but shall enjoy the light of life. Such a teacher the neceffities of the world certainly re quired; and how completely our Lord's pretenfions to this high character were fupported and verified, muft be abundantly apparent to every candid mind, who confiders the excellent leffons on religion and morality which he delivered, the manner in which he conveyed and inforced his inftructions, and the means he employed for rendering them permanent and univerfal.

The doctrines of the Gofpel are of two kinds; fome which are peculiar to itself, and others that belong to it in common with the religion of nature. The latter are the great principles and foundations of all religion, and relate chiefly to the being, the perfections and the charac. ter of the Deity, the nature of his worship, the infpection of his providence, the supreme end and felicity of man, the immortality of the foul, and a future ftate. These are points unquestionably of the highest impor. tance, and of which the knowledge and belief are ef fentially neceffary to the right government of the human conduct. They were, indeed, difcoverable, in fome measure, by the light of reason ; but, like objects at a distance, and involved in a heavy mift, they were feen very darkly and imperfectly. But when the fun of righteousness arofe, he difperfed the incumbent cloud, and reflected upon them fuch a bright luftre, as not only removed all dubiety with refpect to their exiftence, but manifefted

D

manifested them in their true nature, magnitude and The peculiar doctrines of Christianity

importance.

are fuch as relate more immediately to that wonderful fcheme of mercy and wisdom carrying on by the Son and Spirit of God for the redemption of a guilty world. These indeed could never have been difcovered by the mere efforts of human reafon; but now that they are revealed, we cannot but difcern the wisdom and propriety of making them known. The discovery of fuch an astonishing difpenfation of grace and power, whilst it ferves to diffipate our fears, and to excite our admiration, must inspire our hearts with all the confidence of hope and all the ardour of love; affections which conflitute the very life and foul of religion, and prove the moft powerful incitements to quicken our activity in the fervice of our Maker.

As a teacher of morals, the Founder of Christianity undeniably poffeffed a peculiar and distinguished excellence. A formal explication and defence of the gospel fcheme of morality would be altogether unneceffary, as its unrivalled perfection hath extorted admiration and applaufe from the bittereft enemies of Chrift. The eye of prejudice itfelf, upon the most accurate exami nation, cannot discover the fmalleft blemish or defect. Indeed, whether we confider the nature and extent of the gofpel precepts, their fuitablenefs to the various circumstances and relations of men, or the principles upon which our obligations to obey are founded, we muft acknowledge that it is incomparably better calcu

lated

lated for the extinction of vice, and the establishment of true holiness, for controuling the unruly paffions, and giving confiftency, dignity, and flability to the mo ral conduct, than all the fyftems of morality and philo sophy, taken together, which human reafon has produ

ced.

Befides, the method employed by this divine teacher to convey and enforce his inftructions, is a further proof of their superior excellence and utility. The practical part of religion he taught with the greatest plainnefs and fimplicity, and in a style and manner the best adapted to the capacities of mankind at large. The myfteries of the gospel he narrated fimply as facts to be admitted and believed upon the authority of revelation, without pretending to explain or account for them, either because they exceeded the comprehenfion of the human understanding, or because a more explicit difcovery was judged inexpedient or unneceffary. All his instructions he enforced by an authority to which no teacher before him ever pretended. He was the Son as well as the Prophet of God, and had a commiffion from the Father to publish his religion to the world, and to demand authoritatively the confent and obe dience of mankind; which commiffion was fully attested by the mighty works he performed.

1

Add to all this, that his divine leffons were most. compleatly exemplified in his own character and de portment. This is an advantage which no religion

can