ment or Discount of Happiness. He that SERM. V.
has fowed fparingly; according to that gra-
cious Difpenfation, fhall reap proportionably,
though in a less Degree; than he, that has
fowed bountifully. He, that has cultivated
virtuous Habits, though in a lower Mea-
fure, fhall be happy, though not equally
with him, who has made much nearer Ap-
proaches to the Standard of Perfection.

So much Reafon have we to be thank-
ful to him, who has rescued us from the
Punishment; provided we ftrive to rescue
ourselves from the Dominion of Sin; in
Confidence of whofe all-fufficient Merits,
we may fecurely launch out into the Depths
of Eternity, as St. Peter ventured to walk
upon the Sea, while we have a Saviour
to lend an helping Hand, and to fupport
us, as he did him, from finking into the
deep Abyss below.

SERMON

Preached at the

Lady MOYER'S LECTURE.

On the REDEMPTION.

I PETER III. 18.

Chrift hath alfo once fuffered for Sins, the Just for the Unjust, that he might bring us unto God.

H

AVING, in a former Difcourfe, SERM. VI. fhewn the Weakness and Infufficiency of those Sehemes, which have been set up in Oppofition to Scripture; I now proceed to my

IId general Head, to establish and confirm the true Scripture Doctrine of the Satisfaction. After which

VOL. II.

Сс

I fhall

SERM, VI.

I fhall in the laft Place, confider the Extent of the Redemption.

Ift, I fhall endeavour to establish and confirm the true Scripture Doctrine of the Satisfaction.

And this I shall do,by enquiring what Neceffity there was for a Satisfactionby fhewing-that our Saviour was the only proper Perfon to fatisfy for our Sins, as he only could merit Forgiveness for themthat his Merits might be imputed to usand our Iniquities born by him; and by removing Objections.

That there was a Neceffity for a Satis faction; appears very strongly from Scripture Evidence, the only Evidence, which perhaps we are capable of, in Matters of fo high a Nature. For unless there had been an abfolute Neceffity, unless there had been a Knot too hard for any but the Deity to unty; a God indeed, who was the Brightness of his Father's Glory, and the exprefs Image of his Perfon, would not have defcended upon the Scene of this World, to unravel the perplexing Diffi culty. Certainly a Being of infinite Benevolence, would not have expofed his

only

only Son, in whom he was well pleafed, to SERM. VI. heedless, as well as undeserved Misery.

Again: It is faid, it is not poffible that the Blood of Bulls and Goats, which have no inherent Worth and Efficacy, fhould take away Sins, or the Penalty of Sin, Heb. x. 4. Therefore it was neceffary, that a Person of inconceivable Dignity, and fuperior Excellency; should fatisfy the Demands of Juftice, and procure for us the Endearments of divine Mercy. Him bath God fet forth to be a Propitiation for Sin, to declare bis Righteousness, or to display his Juftice, for the Remiffion of Sins that are past; that he might be just, and the Juftifier of them, that believe in Jefus Christ.

To reject a Satisfaction thus ftrongly proved from Scripture, merely because we do not perceive the abfolute Fitness and Neceffity of it, by any Evidence from the Nature of the Thing; is intirely to fet afide the Divine Authority. For a Regard to the divine Authority, can only be fhewn by affenting to Propofitions inevident in themselves, as having his Sanction, or being revealed by him. To Propofitions evident in themselves we should have affented, whe ther revealed by him or not; nay, if they Cc 2 had