SERM.

Lastly, That by appearing in Human III. Form, he might make a Difference between the rigorous and astonishing Difpenfation of the Law, and that milder one of Grace: Coming to us in the most familiar and winning way: Inftructing us in our Duty like one of us: And propofing to us a Lively and Full Example of what he taught, in what he did and fuffered for us.

These are some of the Accounts which God has hinted to us in Scripture, why his Infinite Wisdom was pleased to pitch upon this Way, rather than any other, of reconciling Man to himself. And yet after all the Accounts we can give ourselves of it, we cannot but confefs it to be an Abyss of Mercy, which neither We nor Angels are able to pry into; and which God alone who contrived it, can fully explain and comprehend.

Let us forbear therefore to wade farther into the Depth of this great Myste

ry
of God manifeft in the Flesh; and let
us fatisfy ourselves with believing it, as
God has revealed it, without Indulging

our

our Curiofity in an unprofitable Search SERM. after the Reasons, which induced God III. to order the Stupendous Work of our Redemption in fo inconceivable a Manner: And let us proceed to draw from thence those plain Practical Improvements, which may render i profitable unto Godliness, and with which it will readily furnish us.

10, 11.

And the firft, and moft natural Ufe we are to make of it, is, to raise to ourfelves from thence Matter of Thankfulnefs and Spiritual Joy. Behold, I bring Luke ii. you, faid the Angel to the Shepherds, good Tidings of great Joy which shall be to all People: For unto you is born this Day in the City of David a Saviour, which is Chrift the Lord. And these indeed are the best Tidings that ever God fent, or the World received: Tidings of no less than Freedom from the Guilt and Punishment of Sin; of a Way opened to Repentance, and the Favour of God; to Peace of Conscience in this World, and Everlafting Happiness in the next.

Before

SERM.

Before the Coming of Christ, all the III. Account we could have of these things

from the Light of Nature, went no far

ther than this. That the Breach of

any of God's Laws brought Guilt along with it; and that Guilt made us liable to Punishment. Whether God, upon any Confiderations, would ever remitt this Punishment, was more than mere Reafon could poffibly tell us. For the Juftice of God certainly required, that Sin fhould be followed with Punishment : Nor was this inconfiftent with the Goodnefs of God, which was otherwise fuffi ciently manifefted to us. Under these kind of Dark and Uncomfortable ReaMal. iv. fonings were we left, till Chrift the Sun of Righteousness arofe with Healing in his Wings, and published the Gospel of Repentance, and Remiffion of Sins. All Thanks and Praise therefore be given to him, that our Tongues can poffibly exprefs, or our Hearts conceive! Abraham, at a mighty Distance, and upon a very Dim and Imperfe&t View of it, reJohn viii. joyced to fee this Day: The Angels, who

2.

56.

them

themselves had no Intereft in this Deli- SERM.
verance, yet were highly pleased with III.
the Prospect of thofe Bleffings it derived
on their Fellow-Creature Man; and
therefore fung that Hymn on this Occa-
fion, which the Evangelift has record-
ed.

Glory be to God on High, on Luke ii.
Earth Peace, Good-will towards Men.14.
And fhall not We, for whofe Sake this
Peace was sent on Earth, and to whom
all this Good-will was meant, fhall not
We also give Glory to God on High, and
rejoyce before him with Reverence? Sure-
ly this is News, at which (as Isaiah
prophefies of the Miraculous Effects that
should take place in the Kingdom of the
Meffiah) the Lame Man should leap as an 11. xxxv.
Hart, and the Tongue of the Dumb should 6.
fing.

A second Improvement that should be made of this Doctrine is, to raise our Love to God from hence, to all the Degrees of which it is capable.

For Love furely deserves Returns of Love; and the highest Inftances of Love, the higheft Returns of it. Now

SERM. in this was manifefted the Love of God toIII. ward us, because that God fent his only be1 Joh. iv. gotten Son into the World,that we might live

9, 10.

through him. Herein is Love, (as S. John continues his Argument) Not that We loved God, (that is, loved God first, and by that means drew down his Love upon us) but that He loved us, (antecedently, freely) and fent his Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins.

Had God fent the meanest Attendant in the Court of Heaven, to publishı abroad the good Tidings of his free and voluntary Pardon of Sin, fhould we not have entertained it as a Meffage of unfpeakable Love! How much more, he fends his Son, his only begotten Son, when on this Errand! When he fends him to partake of our Nature, and of all the Infirmities, Miseries, Shame and Pain that attend it; and at laft to be made a Sacrifice for our Sins, by the very Hands of thofe Men, for whofe Sake he left Heaven! This raises the Motive fo high, that our Lips are fain when we speak of it; and our Heart melts away almost un

der