SERM. V. For though it be no difficult Matter to difcern how much Merit another Man really bas; it is not quite so easy to determine, how much he may imagine himself to have. Therefore no proud Perfon can be a benevolent and moral Man; and no humble Perfon brought up in the Chriftian and Proteftant Religion, one would be apt to think, can be a mere moral Man. For he, who is humble, will not truft in his own Righteousness, or make any proud Pretenfions to exalted Worth. The Confideration and Senfe of his Unworthinefs, will difpofe him to accept the Offers of Salvation by Jefus Chrift, and make him endeavour to fulfil the Terms of it. He, who has no high Notions of his own Merits, will be glad to be accepted by those of his blessed Saviour, SERMON SERMON V. On the REDEMPTION. In Two SERMONS. 1 Preached, in Part, at the Lady Moyer's I PETER III. 18. Chrift alfo hath once fuffered for Sins, the W 'HAT is faid of the great Duties SERM. V. of Morality, and the Difference between Virtue and Vice, viz. Afk your own Heart, and Nothing is fo plain: It is to mistake them cofts the Pain and Time; may, with a little Variation, be applied to the fundamental Doctrines of A a 4 Christianity, SERM. V Chriftianity, viz. the Trinity and Satisfaction: Search the Scriptures, and Nothing can be plainer, or more eafy to find there: Not to find them there, or, to speak more properly, to explain them away when found, requires a great deal of Labour, Subtlety, and uncommon Dexterity. The natural Import of the Words of my Text is this, that Chrift died, not merely for our Benefit, as an Example of Patience, and to confirm the Truth of his Doctrine, by his Blood; but, as a propitiatory Sacrifice for the Sins of Mankind, that we might, by Virtue of his meritorious Sufferings, be redeemed from the Punishment due to them. The Words of St. Paul, Romans v. 7,.8. confirm the Senfe of this Text, Scarcely for a Righteous Man will one die : Yet peradventure, for a good Man fome would even dare to die. But God commendeth his. Love towards us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Chrift died for us. Our Saviour died for us, in the fame Senfe, that one Man would dare to die for another, whom he greatly loved, by fubftituting himself in the Room of us Sinners. So David fays, Would to God, I had died for thee, or inflead of Thee, O Abfalom, my Son. God bath • .. bath made him, who knew no Sin, to be Sin, SERM. V. Again; our Saviour is faid to bear our In a Word, the Scripture Proofs of the And fince our Adverfaries pretend, they SERM. V. I, To difprove and confute those Schemes, which they have advanced, in Oppofition to the true Scripture Doctrine of our Salvation by Jefus Chrift. . IIdly, I fhall make it Bufinefs to remy fcue the Method of our Salvation, as laid down in Sacred Writ, from the Charge of Abfurdities, with which they load it. It then, I fhall endeavour to difprove and confute thofe Schemes, which they have advanced, in Oppofition to the true Scripture Doctrine of our Salvation by Jefus Chrift. The firft Scheme which I fhall confider is, That our own intrinfic Worth, or right Behaviour, must be the Foundation of our Acceptance with God; and not what another has done for us; which can never render us perfonally pleafing to or approved by God. The fecond Hypothesis, which will fall under Confideration, is, That God is obliged to accept of Repentance, in lieu of perfect Obedience, without any Atone ment. As |