And as to the objection, Of its being improbable, that a being of fuch dignity, as that of the Meffiab, fhould condefcend to affume, for a time, the loweft ftation of rational nature; it will presently vanifh, on confidering the importance of the purpose, for which he did so. For if, in confequence of this amazing condefcenfion, there should, in a confiftence with the Divine rectitude, and established order of the moral world, and the freedom of the creature, many thousands, perhaps millions, of our fpecies, be raised hereaf ter by degrees to such greatness and goodness, that the present station of the archangel Gabriel will be regarded by them as an inferior one (which will certainly one day be the cafe) who can think any apparatus, to gain fuch an end, too coftly, or operofe? Whoever duly confiders the ftupendous excellence of a nature, which, however mean and low at prefent, is yet formed capable of an endless progreffion in every noble quality; will not think any contrivance ill bestowed, or any condefcenfion too low, to gain the moral improvement of fuch a fpecies. Add, that condefcenfion on a proper occafion, and for fome important end, is fuitable to a fuperior nature; and peculiarly agreeable to every great mind. And let the confideration of the high exaltations of the Meffiah, in confequence of his gracious interpofition for the recovery of a ruined fpecies, be taken in. Add likewife the divine pleasure of exerting a benevolence fo extenfive, that an eter

nity will be employed by a race of beings, delivered by it from utter destruction, in celebrating its praises, and expreffing that gratitude, which every fucceeding period of their happy existence will heighten, every new enjoyment will inflame with ever-growing raptures,

To pretend to difpute whether it was poffible for mankind to be restored by any other means, than thofe which infinite Wisdom has chofen, is both presumptuous, and useless. It is our wifdom to confider what we have to do, as the moral conftitution of things is; not to amufe ourfelves with vain fpeculations upon what could do us no fervice to know, and what it is impoffible we fhould by our own fagacity ever discover. In general, it is evident, that the repentance and reformation of offenders was not of itself, without fome additional apparatus, fufficient, confiftently with the Divine scheme, to restore a guilty order of beings to a capacity of being received to pardon. For divine wisdom never uses a more operofe method of proceeding, when one lefs fo will anfwer the end.

Whether we shall at all, in the prefent ftate, be able to determine wherein the principal propriety, or neceffity of the death of Christ confifted, and how it came to be efficacious for our restoration to the Divine favour, is greatly to be queftioned; as Scripture has only declared to us the fact, that it is chiefly by his laying down his life for mankind, which was the great end of his

coming into the world, that we are to be received to pardon and mercy; but has given us no precife account of the modus of the operation of his death for that purpose, nor how the ends of the Divine government were answered by it. In general, may it be faid, That the confideration. of fo important a fcheme found neceffary for reftoring an offending order of beings, is likely to ftrike all rational minds, who may ever come to the knowledge of it, with a very awful fenfe of the fatal evil of vice, which made it neceffary. And as they must fee the difficulty of finding. fuch a mediator for themfelves, in cafe of their offending; they may thereby be the more effec-. tually deterred from difobedience. It may imprefs them with high notions of the Divine purity, and aversion to evil, which made the reftoration of offenders a work fo difficult and expenfive. And we know not how wide each particular in the moral scheme of the Divine government may extend. We are told in Scripture, that the angels de fire to look into the mystery of our falvation. That fome of them have actually fallen from their obedience is doubted by none who admit revelation. That there is any state of finite virtue and happiness fo fecure, as that it is impoffible to fall from it, or that created beings can, confiftently with freedom, be raised to any fuch ftate, as to defy weakness and error, and to be above all advantage from inftruction by precept or example, is by no means to be affirmed.

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firmed. And if there be no reafon to doubt, but in all ftates, free agents are fallible (though more and more fecure of continuing in their obedience, as more perfect) fince according to Scripture even the angels are chargeable with folly; it may then be put as a conjecture, whether the fcheme of the restoration of mankind may not have immenfely extensive and valuable effects upon various orders of moral agents throughout the univerfe for preferving them in their obedience. This effect the confideration of it ought to have efpecially above all on us, who are most nearly interested in it; and we ought not to hope to ef cape, if we neglect fo great falvation; and ought therefore, if we name the name of Chrift, to refolve to depart from iniquity. It is alfo to be expected, that the confideration of what our everlafting happiness cost, should immensely enhance the value of it to those of our species who shall hereafter be found fit for it; efpecially with the additional confideration of the hideous ruin we shall have escaped, which is fuch, as to render it neceffary for the Son of God to leave, for a season, his eternal glory, to defcend to our lower world, and give himself to death, to deliver as many of us as would, from it. That our Saviour died a witnefs to the truth of his own miffion and doctrine, as well as a facrifice for the fins of mankind, is certain. But it is evident, that his death was very different, both in intention and confequences, from thofe of the martyrs. That his death

was also a glorious inftance of obedience, and a noble example for our imitation, and that of all rational agents, is alfo to be taken in, and heightens the grandeur of the scheme. A consequence from the obedience and death of Christ, mentioned in Scripture, and hinted above, is his being "highly exalted, and receiving a name "above every name in heaven and earth, to the σε glory of God the Father." Of which likewife. we can see the propriety and justice. And Scripture also countenances the opinion, That the high exaltation of such a number of mankind, as fhall be found capable of it, is given him as a reward for his fufferings.

Hewever none of these confiderations, nor all of them together, come up to the point in question, viz. What connexion in the nature of things there is between the death of Christ and the falvation of mankind. This will probably be a defideratum as long as the present state lasts.

To expect, that we should be informed of the Divine oeconomy with the fame diftinctnefs as of our own duty, would be a piece of arrogance above ordinary. It is by experience we are inftructed in temporals, as well as fpirituals; and we proceed according to it, and are fuccessful in the affairs of life, while we know little or nothing of the means by which the Divine wisdom acts in the natural world, and ought in all reafon to expect to know ftill lefs of his fcheme in a fupernatural interpofition, as the plan of our redemption