I. THE Benefits we have received from his II. THE Efficacy of the Merits of that In order to which we must briefly confider the first Division distinctly, under the following principal Heads, viz.. ift. THE Caufe of the Death and Paffion of the Son of God. 2dly. THE Motive that induced God to promife and fend his Son as a Saviour to fuffer fuch Death and Paffion; and that alfo induced the Son to fuffer it. And 3dly. THE Scope and Defign of fuch his Death and Paffion, and the Good that thereby accrued to us. WE fhall next confider the fecond Divifion in its due Place. Ift. As to the Caufe of his Death and Paffion. GOD made Man in in his own Image and Likeness, in a State of Bleffedness and perfect Holinefs, (wherein chiefly confifted his Likeness to God). And in such state he covenanted with him, That if he kept up to his Integrity, by a perfect Submiffion to his Will, he fhould inherit the Earth, as fupreme Lord thereof, in fuch State of Innocence and Perfection as he then was; devoid of Mifery, Pain and Labour; and fhould after be translated to Glory, without tasting of Death. But BUT told him alfo, that as fure as he made a Defection from an entire Submiffion to his Will; fo fure he fhould die. And be Subject not only to Death, but Damnation.---And this is the Subftance of the first Covenant. MAN neglected to perform his Duty, difobeyed the firft Command given him by God, and fell from his State of Innocence and Perfection: By which the Image of his Creator was in great Measure defaced in him; and he became liable to the Wrath denounced against him in Cafe he disobeyed. As he fell after the Covenant, fo did Mankind in general; in as much as they were all comprized in him as their common Reprefentative; as well, as being all at that Time naturally contained in his Loins. HERE the Justice of God is worth obferving, in that he made the Covenant with Man before he fell. And thereby gave all Mankind, a Right of Enjoyment and Inheritance in fuch State of Innocence: If their common Pledge Adam had kept up to his Integrity. But in as much as he disobeyed the Command, which he knew would bring Death upon him and his Pofterity; it was highly just in God to punish the Crime in him, or his Pofterity: Since they must in Juftice be equally affected with the ill Confequence of his Difobedience, as they would with the good Effects of his Integrity, if he had fulfilled his Covenant. SECTION SECTION III. 2dly. “A S to the Motive that induced God to promise and send his "Son as a Saviour to fuffer fuch Death "and Paffion; and that induced the Son "alfo to fuffer it. We are affured that God (like temporal Princes from their Number of Subjects) could not receive an additional Growth of Power or Glory from a Multiplicity of Creatures: Since the Sum and Fullness of all Perfection was contained in himself. Therefore all the Works of God to an Infinity could not be the leaft Encrease of his Power or Glory; but a Manifeftation only, or Dif play thereof. And in cafe the Number of his Works, could be an Encreafe of Power and Glory to him; fure his Justice or Wif dom could not be the lefs juftifiable; if he deftroyed that Creature, who fo foon difobeyed him, after fo great a Bleffing as CREATION. The bringing him from a handful of Dust to be Lord of the whole Earth, and the Companion of Angels! But Experience proves, that the Prince cannot promife hinfelf much Happiness in his Subjects, who feem early difpofed to Rebellion: In this View have even the Almighty revealed himself, when he fayed--It repented him that he made Man, Ir is plain then from this Confideration and many others that could be made; that God could have no other Motive in making Man, but his own pure and incomprehenfible LovE. And we will foon find, that the fame Principle, and his Mercy, induced him to preferve his Creature. NOTWITHSTANDING that Man disobeyed, by the fubtle Contrivances of Satan, whofe Watchings are conftant to obstruct the Intent of God's Creation, and entrap the Creature whom he knows to be made to inherit the Manfions whence he was thruft out and for ever foreclofed. Yet the Almighty, in the eternal Council of his Wifdom, foreseeing he would fall, provided a Remedy. And tho' it can't be prefumed that God willed the Serpent to deftroy his Creature; yet being told his Duty and the Confequence of Difobedience, he was left by God to the Freedom of his own Will (as we fometime are) and he knew that Man in that State, tho' a State of Perfection, would not withstand the Temptations, of a fubtle Devil, when his fpecial Affiftance was wanting to defeat them. And in that Cafe, tho' he did not Will Satan to tempt him, yet he permited it; and that without the leaft Derogation from his Juftice; in regard, that he had told him a Duty, which was fully in bis Power, fince he required no active Performance but a paffive Obedience only, to One cafy Command--to wit, not to eat that Fruit.--And as a Shield of Defence against any Temptation, gave him Memory, Understanding, and all the other Faculties and Powers of a human Soul, in greater Perfection than ever Man had fince. Wherefore after arming him through his infinite Justice; with all the Powers and Faculties of a human Soul in full Perfection: Sure he might with equal juftice withdraw his Prefence from him, and leave him to himself; thus to make Tryal of the Integrity of his new Creature, and as it were, to make fair Encounter with his Enemy, after furnishing him with fufficient Power and Weapons. BUT Satan from the fpecial Frailty of our Nature, is an overmatch for most Men, if the Affiftance of divine Power, does not interpofe: Tho' in the fpecial Compofition of Man, he hath Abilities enough to confound this Temptator in his utmoft Power and Subtlety *, if duly exerted. But he found that this favourite Creature hath Frailties N 2 too * 'Tis true that many have disputed the Entity of a Devil. But the wild Arguments and Surmifes they bring to Support this Opinion are fully refuted by the Scriptures;and might be fo, on the eleareft reafoning imaginable, if Revelation was less explicit on that Point, Therefore we are as Chriftians to believe there is a Devil. And it is certain that his ufual Manner of tempting is by Cunning and Subtlety: not by Force. Tho' we find Moravians and Methodists (particularly Meffieurs Cennick and Whitfield) pineing under bodily Disorders by Means of his Oppreffions, his Force, and |