good, which they would, they did not, but the evil, that they would not, that they did: that is, they tranfgreffed the commands of God; and, by fo doing, they did not only forfeit their right to the promise of eternal life and happiness, but they alfo contracted fuch a blindness of the understanding, fuch a diforder in their will and affections, that all their posterity feel it to their forrow, being made, thereby fubject to fin, the punishment whereof is death and mifery eternal.

5. Nevertheless the greatnefs of this punishment, inflicted upon our first parents, and their posterity, enables us to judge of the nature and aggravation of their fins; for GOD, being infinitely just and holy, could not inflict any punishment greater than their fins deferved: nay, after all this, GOD, of his great goodnefs, provided fuch a remedy, as that neither they, or any of their pofterity, thould on account of their fall be eternally miserable, except it was their own fault and wholly owing to themselves.

6. GOD, therefore, in confidering of a redeemer, one of the feed of the woman, who should make full satisfaction to the divine jus

tice for their tranfgreffion, and who should bruise the head, or break the power of the ferpent (the devil) who tempted them to fin: in confidering (Ifay) of this promifed feed, GOD entered into a new covenant with them, by way of remedy for what was paft and could not be undone; which covenant was this, that upon condition of their hearty repentance and fincere obedience hereafter, they should be restored to the favour of GOD, and after death, to that life and happiness, which in their state of innocence, was promised to them without ever tasting of death, which privilege they had forfeited by their disobedience. And

7. Now, O foul, that we may my be fully convinced of the neceffity and bleffing of a redeemer, we ought to know and confider that our faviour and redeemer did not come till after mankind had been tried in all conditions; in a state of innocence, under his own reason, and under the law given by Mofes; all which methods of providence, through the perverse will of man, had been rendered ineffectual for the amendment of the world. And because GOD decreed, that without shedding of blood there could be no remiffion of fin; and it being impoffible that the blood of life of any creature,

or

or of any mortal man, could atone for, or take away, the guilt and punishment due to fin; our gracious GOD, both to give to mankind the greatest token of his love, and at the fame time to fhew how great his hatred to fin is, by the greatness of the punishment it required, fent his only fon to be a propitiation for our fins, that is, to make satisfaction to his justice, and to take off the just displeasure which he had declared against finners. Upon this,

8. Jefus Chrift his fon (bleffed for ever be his goodness!) knowing how dreadfully fad the condition would be of all fuch, who should live and die under the displeasure of GOD, and what unconceiveable happiness they would deprive themselves of; moved with compaffion for fo great a calamity, undertook to obtain their pardon; and in order to this he cloathed himself with our flesh, that, as man, be might make a full and suitable fatisfaction to the divine juftice, offering himself a sacrifice for the fins of the whole world; and, for the joy of delivering fo many millions of fouls from misery, he endured the death of the cross, and all the afflictions leading to it, which we find recorded in the holy Gofpel: And,

9. It is by this worthy facrifice, that all mankind are restored to the favour of GOD, and put into a way and state of salvation; GOD having, for his fon's fake, promised to pardon all such as shall repent of and forfake their fins, and bring forth fruits meet for repentance; and alfo to give his holy spirit to all fuch as fhall fincerely defire him; and laftly, to make them eternally happy after death, if during this short state of trial, which is defigned to mend our corrupt and difordered nature, they endeavour to obferve thofe rules which he has given them, and which are abfolutely neceffary to make them capable of heaven and happiness.

Let us now, O my foul! reft here a while, and adore that infinite goodness of GOD, who did not overlook lost mankind, but fenthis only begotten fon to redeem us, when he might, in strict justice, have required us to have lived up to the law of nature and reason given in the ftate of innocence, on pain of being for ever feparated from his prefence: but instead of that, he has been graciously pleased to accept of our fincere, though imperfect obedience, and of our hearty repentance, when we have done amifs, and return to our duty.

The

The Hymn on Sunday Evening.

The great bleffing mankind received in their redemption through Jesus Christ.

Moft dear are thy provifions, Lord,
Thy table furnish'd from above;

The fruits of life o'erfpread the board,
The cup o'erflows with heav'nly love.

Thine ancient family the Jews

Were first invited to the feast;
We humbly take what they refuse,
And Gentiles thy falvation taste.

We are the poor, the blind, the lame,
And help was far, and death was nigh;
But at the Gospel call we came,
And ev'ry want receiv'd fupply.

From the highway that leads to hell,
From paths of darkness and defpair,
Lord, we are come with thee to dwell,
Glad to enjoy thy prefence here.

What shall we pay th' eternal fon,
Who left the beav'n of his abode,
And to this wretched earth came down,
To bring us wand'rers back to GOD.
It cost him death to fave our lives,
To buy our life it coft his own;
And all the unknown joys he gives,
Were bought with agonies unknown.
PART II.

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