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subjects: the conclusion therefore is, that the religion of a Christian is a natural and reasonable service. When we consider what expectations we have from our Redeemer, and what are his promises to us, it is but reasonable to ask, by what authority he does these things? The foundation of our expectations is shown to be reasonable from Scriptural authorities; and we have thence reason to conclude that he is now as able to restore life, as he was at first to give it. The relation of Christ to mankind as Creator and Governor considered: the work of redemption could not properly have been undertaken by any other hand this shown to be the case both from reason and from Scripture. Though the redemption of mankind be a work which seems to concern men only, yet considered as a vindication of God's justice and goodness, it is exposed to the consideration of every intelligent being in the universe: hence, though it relates immediately to men, it must be agreeable to all the reason and relation of things discoverable by the highest intellectual beings; and there are many such not discoverable by us. The existence of orders superior to man agrees both with reason and with Scripture; and since God's justice and equity in redemption are things which angels desire and are concerned to look into, his reasons in that great affair may be discoverable by the highest, though not by the lowest order of beings: this shown to be probable: it is next explained how well these principles and doctrines of the gospel agree together; from whence we may discern how reasonable and natural the religion of the gospel is. The belief that the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and arise to life, is the fundamental article of a Christian's faith. The hopes which nature imparts with respect to our prospects beyond the grave considered: also how these hopes are supported, confirmed, and enlarged by the gospel. Conclusion: the question put, who is this who was subject to death, and yet had power over death? How could so much power and weakness meet together? An

swered; he was a man, and therefore he died; he was the Son of God, and therefore he rose from the dead, and will give life to all his true disciples. Had the gospel required us to expect from Christ the redemption of our souls and bodies, without giving us any reason to think he was endued with power equal to the task, Christians might have been justly reproached with believing they know not what. That the world was made by the Son of God, is not contrary to reason; and that he who made the world should be able to renew it, is highly consonant to reason all the mystery lies in this—that so high a person should condescend so far for the sake of man; but it becomes not us to complain of his mysterious love.

DISCOURSE II.

HEBREWS, CHAP. VII.-VERSE 25.

Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

WHEN We consider the great and wonderful work of our redemption, though we cannot account for every step of it to our own reason and understanding, yet neither can we imagine it to be the effect of mere will and arbitrary appointment, and void of all foundation in the reason and propriety of things. All the works of God are works of wisdom; and as far as our capacities give us leave to judge, we discern evident marks of wisdom in them all, and discover a fitness and propriety in every thing with respect to the end which it is intended to serve or promote. If this be so in every instance in which we are able to make any judgment, it is a great presumption that it is and must be so in all other instances, which are too high and great to be viewed and measured by human understanding: and we have one positive argument that it is so, arising from the natural notion we have of God, and of his attributes of wisdom and justice. It is impossible to suppose such a being to do any thing by chance, or in compliance to mere will and humor. No: every act of God is the act of infinite wisdom, and is founded in the necessary reason and propriety of things: and it is as true of the works of grace as it is of the works of nature, that in wisdom he has ordained them all.'

It is one thing not to be able to discern the reasons of providence, and another to suppose there is no reason in them. The reasons that made it either necessary or proper for Christ to die for the sins of mankind, may be removed out of our sight: but to suppose that Christ really did die for the sins of the world, and yet that there was no reason or propriety in his so doing, is to be found revealed religion upon a principle destructive of natural religion; for no religion can subsist, with an opinion that God is a being capable of acting without reason.

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The publication of the gospel has made an alteration in the scheme of religion, by revealing to us the Son of God, whom God hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; who is the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person; who upholdeth all things by the word of his power:' Heb. i. 2. 3.

The knowlege of the Son of God, of his power and dominion in the creating and upholding all things, became necessary, as the foundation of the faith required to be placed in him as our Redeemer. The character of Redeemer would be but ill supported by any person who had not power equal to the great undertaking. The New Testament doctrines therefore, relating to the dignity and authority of Jesus Christ, are relative to his office of Redeemer; and therefore there was no explicit declaration of them either before or under the Law of Moses.

Natural religion leads us by certain conclusions to the acknowlegement of one supreme intelligent Being, the Author and Creator of all things, and can by no reasoning whatever discover any other being concerned in the making, framing, or governing the world; and therefore all the hopes and fears, in a word, all the religious acts of man, in the state of natural religion, are necessarily and immediately relative to this one supreme Being. But put the case, that natural religion could possibly discover that this one supreme Being had an eternal Son, to whom he had communicated all power and authority, who was the immediate Creator, Governor, and Judge of mankind; I beseech you to consider whether, upon this supposition, there would not necessarily arise an alteration in natural religion; whether the hopes and fears, and all other religious acts

of mankind, would not relate immediately to this their immediate Creator, Governor, and Judge. Can it be reasonably supposed that we were created by the Son of God, that we are now under his government, and shall be finally under his judgment; and at the same time maintained that no service, obedience, or regard is due to him from us his creatures and subjects? If this cannot be maintained consistently with this supposition, the conclusion will be, that the religion of a Christian is a natural and reasonable service, arising from the relation between Christ and mankind, which the gospel has revealed and made known to the world.

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When we consider what expectations we have from our Redeemer, and what great promises he has made to us in his gospel, we cannot possibly avoid inquiring who this person is: when we hear his promise to be always present with us to the end of the world, to support us under all our difficulties, it is but a reasonable demand to ask by what authority he does these things and when we are told that he liveth for ever, and is the Lord of life and of glory, there is no room to doubt of his being able to save us.' St. Paul tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ'shall change our vile bodies, that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.' A great expectation this! but consider what the reasonable foundation of this expectation is: St. Paul tells us it is the energy of power Iwith which Christ is endued, whereby he is able even to subdue all things to himself.' Our Saviour puts this article upon the same foot: hear his declaration: Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live.' In the next verse the reason follows: For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself:' John v. 25. 26. If the Son has life in himself, even as the Father has life in himself; if he is really endued with power to which all nature submits and obeys, a power sufficient for the creation of the world at first, and for the preservation ever since; we have reason to conclude that he is now as able to restore life as he was at first to give it; to call men from the grave into being, as well as to call them out of nothing at the first creation,

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The relation of Christ to mankind as Creator and Governor

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