which may be some way distinguished from the doctrine of the divine law; such as the truths, relating to God's being, attributes and works; the apostle Paul, considers these things in their relation to the divine law, and the discovery it gives of our need of the grace of the gospel. When he is proving our need of that justification and salvation, which the gospel reveals, he uses a chain of reasoning much to this purpose; that the visible works of God, clearly manifest his invisible glory, or his eternal power and Godhead; that this founds an obligation, to obey his moral law, or to glorify him, and to be thankful to him; that it renders transgression inexcusable; that all, being guilty before God, have need to seek that justification, which is given freely by God's grace, through the redemption that is in his Son, Rom. i. 20, 21. and iii. 23, 24. Thus, the chief doctrines of natural religion, concerning God's being, attributes, works and law; are considered as subservient to the great doctrines of revelation, concerning God's mercy and grace.

As to these parts of the writings of the apostles, which may be more strictly called practical, or which treat more directly of the divine precepts; the doctrine of salvation through Christ, is almost every where intermixed with them, and improved for enforcing them. The duties of faith, love, hope, and joy, relating to Christ's mediation, and the mercy manifested in it, are represented, both as a chief part of Christian practice, and as having the most powerful influence on all the other parts of it. Thus, redemption has a manifold influence on sanctification. It purchases sanctifying grace, and affords the most powerful motives to holiness. It is from that rich source, the inspired writers draw the chief motives to every duty, and against every sin. But of this, more fully afterwards in considering the manifold influence of faith on uni

versal holiness.

Besides these practical parts, of the apostolical writings, which treat chiefly on duties incumbent on Chris tians of all sorts, in all conditions; there are some parts, which relate to particular emergencies and oc

currences, and which may be called occasional parts. It is observable, that in these passages, whatever be the subject treated of, the apostles did not think it contrary to the rules of just composure, to mix with it some instructions, relating to the doctrine of salvation, Thus, for instance, when the apostle is speaking to the Corinthians, about the incestuous person, whom he requires them to put out from among them; he puts them in mind that Christ, their passover, had been sacrificed for them; and that, therefore, in keeping the spiritual passover, they ought to purge out the old leaven, Cor. v. 7. and when he is vindicating himself to the same Corinthians, from the imputation of unsteadiness in his purposes, he brings in the conside ration of God's unchangeableness in his promises, which are in Christ, yea, and amen, 2 Cor. i. 20. These, and the like instances, shew how much the doctrine of the grace of Christ, occupied the hearts of the apos tles. Every thing puts them in mind of it; they did not allow themselves to have it long out of their view; nor did any other branch of spiritual instruction, make them lose sight of it. It is evident, that in this, as in other things, their example should be a pattern to others; and that not only to Christian teachers, though they indeed have a special concern in such examples, but all Christians in general. All are under the same obligations, in the main, to honour the mercy of God in our salvation.

The importance of suitable acknowledgment of redemption, may appear farther from the manner in which the apostles speak of those who opposed that doctrine, or who perverted it. As to the unbelieving Jews who opposed it, the manner in which Paul expresses his sorrow, on account of their blindness, has astonished his readers in all ages, Rom. ix. 1, 2, 3.— Though some things, in the apostle's discourse on that head are obscure, one thing is very plain, viz. that he looked on that blindness of his countrymen, which he so much bewails, as very dismal. Let us consider what that blindness was. It is certain, that these unbelieving Jews were far from being atheists. They

owned the being of God, his attributes, his providence, and his law. They even pretended to be zealous for the law. It was their rejecting Christ's mediation and redemption, that filled the apostle's heart with such displeasure and sorrow. This is evident from the end of the ninth, and beginning of the tenth chapter of the epistle above cited; and it shews what impressions the apostle had of the importance of that doctrine, which these people rejected.

But it is useful to consider, not only how the apostles speak of the unbelieving Jews, who opposed the doctrine in view, but of the Judaizing Christians who perverted it, and particularly the false apostles, so often mentioned or hinted at in the epistles of Paul, Gal. i. ii. ch. &c. Whereas, these men not only owned the doctrine of God's being, attributes and law; but owned also Christ's divine mission; the main thing blamed in their scheme of doctrine, is, its tendency to frustrate the grace of God, and to make the death of Christ to have been in vain, with respect to our justification before God, Gal. ii. at the end; that is to say, their doctrine derogated greatly from the glory of God's sovereign mercy, in our justification and salvation through Christ. Though that party is blamed also for their false zeal for the ceremonial law; yet as that is but a part of the charge against them, so the evil of it is represented, as consisting mainly in its being injurious to the efficacy of Christ's death. For, where people went no farther than a scrupulous adherence to the ceremonial precepts; though the apostle speaks of such Christians, as weak brethren, Rom. xiv. 1. he is far from speaking of them, as he does of the false apostles. It is that sort of men he had in view, in the strong and uncommon expressions, in which he warns the Galatians against whoever should preach another gospel to them, than what they had heard before, though it were an angel from heaven, Gal. i 8.

The scriptures, which treat of the enlightening grace of the Spirit of God, shew that a main design of it, is to give us right views of the mystery of our redemption by the Son of God. Thus Paul prays, in behalf

of the Ephesians, "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, would give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation, in the knowledge of him; the eyes of their understanding being enlightened, that they might know what is the hope of his calling, and the riches of his inheritance in the saints ;" and also "that God would strengthen them with might by his spirit, in the inner man, that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith, that they might be rooted and grounded in love; and that they might know what is the breadth and length, and depth and heighth; and to know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge." He tells the Corinthians, "that God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, shines into mens' hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Jesus Christ." It is observable, that as several of the most remarka- ; ble prayers in the writings of the apostles, are prayers for divine light; so the principal thing mentioned in them is, that light that gives right views of the mystery of our salvation.

The scriptures which mention the reason why God honours the gospel, to be the instrument of his power in the salvation of sinners, shew that one main reason of it is, because the gospel reveals the mystery of our redemption. When the apostle Paul affirms, that the gospel is the power of God to salvation, and adds this as the reason of it, "for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith;" it is our justification and salvation through Christ that he has in view, as appears both from the context, and from other scriptures, where the righteousness which is of God by faith is insisted on. When our Saviour tells Nicodemus, that as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up;" that compari son plainly tells how sinners are to seek that divine. power, that heals the diseases of the soul that it is by believing contemplation of Christ crucified, held up to view, in gospel ordinances, for that end.

When the apostles commend the distinguishing advantages and privileges of the New Testament dispensation; they inculcate, that one of the chief of these

privileges, is a clearer and fuller discovery of the causes, and of the way and means of reconciliation with God through the Mediator, 2 Cor. iii. This is represented as a main thing, that exalts the New Testament Church state, to a nearer resemblance of the heavenly blessedness, as being a principal means of higher degrees of holiness and happiness. But of this elsewhere.

The descriptions given in scripture of the Christian =life, as a life of faith on the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us, Gal. ii. 20. the precepts which require us not only to come to him, and to receive him, but also to abide in him, to walk in him, being rooted and built up in him; established in the faith, and abounding therein with thanksgiving, Col. ii. 7. the comparisons which represent Christ's sacrifice as our spiritual meat and drink; with various other scripture instructions of the like import and tendency, shew very clearly of what importance it is to abound in suitable acknowledgment of redemption. They shew in effect, that it is of the like importance to the spiritual life of the soul, as natural feeding is to the life of the body.

V. Several things that have been taken notice of, in proving the importance of habitual acknowledgment of Christ's mediation, serve in part to explain the na ture and properties of it. In order to farther explication of it; it is useful to consider some of the principal ends of it: which may be gathered, not only from those scriptures which treat more directly of faith itself; but also from the scriptures, which treat of the ends of Christ's mediation, and of the doctrine of the gospel which reveals it. It is of importance to consider this subject, because it is evident that true faith in Christ, must have such characters, as render it fit for answering the ends, for which it is designed.

It is common to faith in Christ, with all other holy duties, that the glory of God is the chief and highest end of it. But as it is incumbent on reasonable creatures, to honour the divine perfections, suitably to the manifestations that are made to them of these perfec tions; it is evidently a main thing incumbent on re

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