tion, which calls on us to laud and mag nify our Saviour and Redeemer; for "Worthy is the Lamb that was flain, to "receive power, and riches, and wisdom, "and ftrength, and honour, and glory, "and bleffing."-Yea, "Bleffing, and "honour, and glory, and power be unto "Him that fitteth upon the throne, and "unto the Lamb for ever and ever "4" 54 Rev. v. 12, 13. DISCOURSE IV. Duty of accepting and obferving the HEB. ii. 3. How shall we escape, if we neglect fo great Salvation? DISC. WHEN by the tranfgreffion of Adam 1 the whole race of mankind was funk into a state of degradation, and had incurred the penalty due to fin, it pleased God of his infinite goodness to devife a method, by which juftice and mercy might be reconciled, by which his displeasure againft IV. against fin, and love towards his creatures, DISC. might at once be displayed. The method by which these great events were to be effected, was the defign of giving, in due time, his Eternal Son, to be born into this our world, to appear in the form and fashion of man, to inftruct mankind, both by precept and example, in the ways of perfect righteoufnefs, to die as an atoning facrifice for the fins of the world, to rife again from the grave, to afcend into heaven, and there to intercede with the Father as a Mediator between God and man. But till the time of executing this defign was fully come, the Providence of God conducted a scheme, the termination of which was the completion of all that Chrift was to do and fuffer. The Jews, a peculiar people, were feparated from the reft of mankind; these his Almighty Power rescued from the midst of oppreffive enemies; he led them into a country appointed for their habitation, and there established the worship of Himself, in oppofition to the worship which other nations paid to a mul DISC. titude of idols. In the long feries of ages, IV. which the history of this peculiar people comprises, there arose a fucceffion of prophets, who continually directed the attention of the Jews to that important event, the coming of the Meffiah, And not only did the predictions of the prophets foretell, but the *rites and facrifices appointed by their lawgiver intimated alfo the end for which the Meffiah was to come: he was to come, and did come as the Redeemer of mankind, as the Saviour, who by the offering of himself once for all died a facrifice for fin; the efficacy of which atonement is fuch, that mankind is put into a capacity of rifing from its fallen state of misery to a more glorious state of happiness; that repentance for past tranfgreffions will be accepted by God; and that our imperfect endeavours to be good and holy, will be confidered as actual goodness and holinefs, if indeed, and without disguise, thofe endeavours be fincere. This is that falvation, which the Apostle See Dr. Sturges's Difcourfe 7 h, p. 128. magnifies IV. magnifies as juftly deferving our moft feri- DISC. ous attention; this is that falvation, in comparison with which, all other acts of Divine Providence are lefs gracious and marvellous; this is that falvation, the neglect of which cannot be a matter of indifference either to us, for whom it is intended, or in the fight of God, by whofe mercy it is offered. "How fhall we "escape, if we neglect fo great falvation?" How can we think it poffible that we shall not act unreasonably, ungratefully, and wickedly, if we do not pay due regard to the Revelation which fets forth, to the Author who wrought, or to the terms which fecure this falvation? And how, for thus acting, shall we avoid condemnation from God, from our Saviour, nay and from ourselves at that time, when paffions fhall have fubfided, when appetites fhall haye abated their importunity, and when leifure is given for fixing the thoughts on concerns of a moral and religious nature? That God, who appointed the way of falvation, that Chrift, who declared and confirmed |