Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar People, zealous of good Works.

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HE Expreffion here made use of, Who gave himself for us, is fo familiar to the Ears of Christians, and is fo well understood to relate to the Death of Chrift, and the offering up of himself upon the Crofs for the Sins of the whole World, that there is no Need to give Light to it by alledging parallel Places of holy Scripture. The Expreffion is fomething fuller in St. Paul's first Epistle to Timothy; Who gave himself a Ranfom for all, ii. 6. As likewife, Gal. i. 4. Who gave himself for our

Sins: But the Import and Meaning of the Words is one and the fame.

This Doctrine of the Gofpel, That the Death of Chrift was an Offering made of himself for the Sins of the whole World, a Price paid for the Purchase of Mankind, that they might become his, and, together with him, Heirs of Glory, and of a Kingdom that shall never fail, is that great Mystery hid from Ages and Generations, but now made manifest by the Preaching of the Apostles and Prophets of Christ Jesus.

But, that we may not mistake, and imagine that, because this Mystery is said to be made known and manifeft to us, therefore we are intitled to call for the Reasons, upon which this wonderful Administration of Providence is founded, it is neceffary to observe, that the Gospel is a Revelation of the Will and Purpose of God. The Reasons upon which he acted, when he ordained this Method of Salvation, are not fully revealed to us; nor have we Authority to fay they ever will be. Under the Law we meet with many Intimations of God's Purpose to fave Mankind : Under the Gofpel this Purpofe is opened and proclaimed to all the World: But neither under the Law, nor yet under the

Gospel,

Gofpel, are we inftructed in the Reasons of this Proceeding; but, having Life and Immortality set before us in God's own Way, we are left to embrace them through Faith, and Confidence in his Promife, who is able to perform the Word which is gone out of his Mouth.

And, fince God has thought fit to offer the Gospel as a Matter of Faith to the World, and has given his Word, confirmed by Signs and Wonders, as a fufficient Security for the Performance on his Part, he acts without Commiffion, who proposes the Gospel to the World as a Matter of Science and Knowledge, and the Result of mere Reason, and pretends to account for the Methods of God's Wifdom, which are far above and out of his Sight.

If you afk, how it became neceffary for Chrift to die, or why God required a Sacrifice for those Sins, which he might, if he had so pleased, have freely forgiven? I know but one proper Answer for a Minister of the Gospel to make to these Inquiries, That God has not admitted him into thefe fecret Councils, nor fent him to declare them to the World.

We

We preach the Death of Chrift a Sacrifice and Expiation for Sin, because appointed by God, who gave his Son to die for the Sins of the World: We preach Christ the Refurrection and the Life, because God hath given him Power to raise the Dead: We preach Chrift the Judge of the World, because the Father hath committed all Judgment to the Son. If you ask for our Evidence, we answer with St. Peter, To him give all the Prophets witness, that through his Name whofoever believeth in him - fhall receive Remiffion of Sins, Acts x. 43. We answer with our bleffed Saviour, The Works which he did in his Father's Name, they bear witness of him, John x. 25. We answer with St. Paul, That God hath given this Affurance unto all Men, that he will judge the World by Chrift, in that he raised Jefus from the Dead, Acts xvii. 31.

Upon this Evidence the Faith of the Gofpel ftands: The Chriftian's Hope of Salvation has no Dependence upon the Speculations of curious Inquirers, but refts upon this immoveable Foundation, That all the Promifes of God in Chrift are Yea, and Amen; that is, fure, certain, and irrevocable Promises,

The

The Death of Chrift was, as the holy Scripture teaches, foreordained before the Foundation of the World: And fince God intended, in the Fulness of Time, to offer Salvation to the World through Faith in the Sacrifice of his Son, it is reasonable to suppose, that the Sacrifices before and under the Law were introduced and countenanced to prepare the Faith of the World to receive the Tender of God's Mercies, in virtue of the one Sacrifice to be offered for the Sins of the whole World; that, being accustomed to afk Pardon for Iniquities by the means of Sacrifices, Men might be ready and disposed to receive the Grace of God, when offered under like Conditions.

Sacrifices in the heathen World, as all other Parts of Religion, were corrupted, and applied to corrupt Purposes; but they appear at first in the religious Worship of the best and most approved Men in the earliest Time, and were established as Part of God's Worship in the Church of his own founding among the People of Ifrael. Had this been a mere Piece of Superftition and human Invention in its Original, however we may suppose God to accept graciously the freewill Offering of a weak Mind, yet it is not

to