The Excellency of the Christian Revelation, as it promiseth Assistance, and complete Salvation to Sinners.  
A SERMON Preached in the Cathedral Church of St. PAUL, November the 6th. 1699.  
Being the Eighth, for this Year, of the Lecture founded by the Honourable Robert boil, Esq;  
By SAMVEL BRADFORD, Rector of St. Marry le Bow, Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty.  
LONDON: Printed for Tho. Parkhurst, at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside, near Mercer's Chapel, 1699.   
1 TIM 1.15. 
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the World, to save Sinners.—  
IN discoursing of the Method, in which the great Mediator between God and Man, Christ Jesus, hath undertaken to save Sinners, I proposed to consider the Necessities of fallen Men, and thereby to evince both that we had very great need of the assistance of a Mediator, and that no Method, which we can possibly think of, could have so fully answered the end of providing for our Necessities, as that which our blessed Saviour, by his coming into the World hath been pleased to take.  
The Necessities of Men I reduced to four Heads.  

First, A suspicion and jealousy of Mind concerning God, and an Alienation from him, as consequent thereupon.  
Secondly, A gross ignorance of God, of themselves, and of the several particulars of their Duty.  
Thirdly, An indisposition and inability to comply with the Divine Will, although it should be fully and clearly revealed.  
Fourthly, After all, an incapacity of removing those other evil and mischievous Consequences, to which their sins had exposed them, and of obtaining for themselves that complete Salvation, which they stood in need of.   
The two former of these I have considered at large, and now proceed to those two which remain, which I shall treat of with greater Brevity, what I have to offer upon these Heads, not requiring so much inlargment, as on the former.  
Thirdly therefore, The next Difficulty which fallen Men are under, is this, That they find themselves indisposed and unable to comply with the Divine Will, even when it is fully and clearly revealed to them.  
Whosoever will impartially consider what I have offered, touching the Precepts and Example of our Blessed Saviour, and will seriously study the Writings of the New Testament, in which a particular account of each of them is contained, must acknowledge, that a professed Christian cannot want sufficient Instruction, in all the particulars of his Duty: But there is still something farther necessary, viz. to be both able and willing to comply with the Precepts, and to imitate the Example thus set before him. Christians themselves confess, and complain with the Apostle, 
Rom. 7.23.  that they see another Law in their Members, warring against the Law of their Minds, which, antecedently to the Grace of the Gospel, brings them into Captivity. And the Adversaries of Christianity make this a great Objection against our holy Profession, and I doubt not but that it is, at the bottom, the principal ground of their Infidelity, that the Precepts of our Lord are too strict, and his Example too exact, to be complied with and imitated by humane Nature. And this is evidently the Reason, why so many professed Christians act disagreeably to their Profession, viz. That their Appetites and Passions are too strong for their Understanding and Reason: they know the Will of God, and inwardly approve it, but cannot prevail with themselves to obey it: to Will, that is to have some faint and imperfect inclination to act according to the conviction of their Judgements, is present with them; 
Vers. 18, 19  but how to perform that which is good, they find not: So that the good which they would, they do not; but the evil which they would not, that they do, as the same Apostle emphatically expresses it. And all this is but one of those evil Consequences, which, as I observed in a former Lecture, 
Lect. ij. p. 20. 21.  naturally follow our apostasy from God.  
My present Business therefore is to show, what Provision our Mediator hath made in this case; and this I shall do, in the three following Particulars.  
I. Our Blessed Saviour hath provided in this instance, by annexing such Sanctions to his Precepts, as do naturally tend most powerfully to influence our Minds.  
II. By promising the assistance of the Divine Spirit, for the enabling us to do what of ourselves we cannot.  
III. By settling such institutions to be constantly observed and used in his Church, as are both in their own Nature proper to excite us, and are moreover designed as Means of conveying the Grace of the Holy Spirit to us.  
I. By annexing such Sanctions to his Precepts, as do naturally tend most powerfully to influence our Minds.  
The Precepts of Christianity are all of them so perfectly good in their own Nature, and so thoroughly agreeable to the Understanding of a reasonable Creature, that every Man to whom they are made known, would readily comply with them, if it were not for the seeming Pleasures of Sin, and the difficulties with which some instances of Virtue seem to be attended; seem, I say; for after all, the Experience of every good Christian fully satisfies him, that the present Pleasure, which attends a faithful compliance with the Precepts of the Gospel, greatly preponderates all its difficulties; as the uneasiness and the remorse, which attend a sinful Course of Life, do on the other hand render its Pleasures very inconsiderable. 
Prov. 3.17.  The ways of Wisdom are ways of Pleasantness, and all her Paths are Peace; and to him that is become a thorough Christian, the Commandments of God are not Grievons. 
1 John 5.3.  But nevertheless, thus it falls out, through the Error and Corruption of Mankind, that Men are frequently misled by a present Pleasure, which they feel in complying with their sensual inclinations; and that the practice of Christian Piety and Virtue, forasmuch as it thwarts such inclinations, becomes difficult and irksome to them. Now to balance this, our Blessed Saviour hath by his Gospel proposed, over and above the present satisfaction and Pleasure which are to be found in compliance with his Laws, future rewards for our Obedience, and future Punishments for our Disobedience.  
The Passions of Hope and Fear were implanted in our Nature by him who made us, to be a check upon our present Sense; and they are of especial Use to us, during this state of our Trial, to preserve us from being influenced by the false and deceitful appearances of present and sensible Objects. And although we cannot be said to have arrived at a Christian Frame and Constitution of Spirit, till we hearty approve the Precepts of our Religion, and choose to comply with them, on account of their own intrinsic reasonableness and goodness; yet 'tis usually by the hope of Rewards, and the fear of Punishments, that our Minds are at first awakened, and our thoughts become duly fixed; and even after we have attained to a sincere and prevalent love of Piety and Virtue upon their own account, yet still our hopes and fears are of great use to us, to excite our Minds, to quicken our Endeavours, and to turn the Scale, upon all Emergencies, against the temptations of Sense.  
And by how much the more considerable the Objects of our hope and fear are, by so much the greater is the influence which they will have upon us. For which reason, the Gospel hath proposed to us such Rewards and Punishments in the life to come, as to those who thoroughly believe and consider them, will appear infinitely to outweigh all the present Pleasures by which foolish Sinners are courted, and the present difficulties by which they are apt to be discouraged. For it promiseth on the one hand, all that Happiness, which humane Nature completed by the union of a purified Soul with an incorruptible Body, and restored to the favour of Almighty God, is capable of; and on the other hand, it threatens all that Misery, that Men composed of Soul and Body reunited, but unregenerated, and abandoned by God, are obnoxious to; the particulars of which states are 〈◊〉 such as we cannot have a full conception of in this Life; but from the general view which the Gospel hath given us, both of the Quality, and the Duration of this future Happiness and Misery, we have all the reason in the World to infer, that nothing, but either downright disbelief of these things, or the want of representing them duly to our Minds, by frequent and serious consideration, can render them ineffectual to excite our hope and fear to that degree, as will serve to influence our tempers and our lives.  
For the farther promoting of which ends, the Gospel hath fully and clearly asserted the Reality and Certainty of these future Recompenses, not speaking of them, as of what may possibly be, or what is only probable; but as of what we may as surely depend upon, as upon any other Truths which it hath revealed to us, leaving no room for any professed Christian to doubt or hesitate concerning them.  
And herein it must be granted, that the Method taken by the Christian Institution, for exciting our hope and fear, and by consequence for moving us effectually to comply with its Precepts, altogether surpasses what has been done by any other institution of Religion. It would be ridiculous to compare the dreams of Pagan Poets, or the Mahometan Fables, concerning the Rewards and Punishments of the life to come, with the Promises and Threaten of the Gospel. As to the Mosaical Institution, which we Christians acknowledge to have been Divine, it looked no farther in its Promises and Threaten, at least not in plain and express terms, than to the good and evil things of the present life. Not but that wise and good Men amongst the Jews, looking beyond the Letter of their Law, did see, tho' obscurely, into the other World.  
The notion of the Soul's Immortality was indeed from Nature and Reason, generally embraced by the considering part of Mankind: but yet the wisest and best Philosophers expressed themselves very dubiously with respect to a future State, of which sufficient Evidence might be produced both from Socrates amongst the Greeks, and Tully amongst the Romans, who seem to have gone as far as any others in the Expectation and Hope of Immortality; but yet could not say enough powerfully to excite the hopes of good Men, or the fears of the Wicked, to such a degree, as might suffice to balance the Temptations of the present Life, at least with the vulgar and unthinking part of Men, which is by far the greater number. Whereas the Gospel speaks so plainly, and so positively of these matters, as may be sufficient to influence all sorts of Men by whom it is believed.  
To conclude this Particular; The belief of the Recompenses of the Life to come, as revealed by the Gospel, is that which has made so wide a difference between the Christian and the Pagan World. What the State of the Heathen was, before the publishing of Christianity, I have observed in a former Lecture. 
Lect. ij. p. 23.  Men were almost universally and totally fallen from the Divine, and sunk into the Animal Life, estranged from God, and enslaved by the Devil and their own Lusts: But when the Gospel was Published, it awakened their Minds, causing them to look forward towards another Life, and to consider the consequences of their present behaviour.  
There are indeed in this degenerate State of the Christian Church, abundance of Men professing themselves Christians, who are yet as unreformed as the worst of Infidels: But then, 'tis because they do not hearty believe, or at least do not at all consider the Principles of Christianity. But as this is certain, that where Christianity is Professed, there are far greater numbers of all Ranks of Men, who are persuaded to the practice of Piety and Virtue, than there are in other parts of the World; so 'tis as evident, that this is in great measure owing to the Principles which I am now speaking of. 'Tis the belief of a future Life, which keeps bad Men in the Christian World, from being much worse than they are: 'Tis that which first awakened and excited most of those, who are reclaimed from an evil Course: And 'tis that, which those who are become Christians in good earnest, hearty lovers of Piety and Virtue, are forced often to have recourse to, seriously representing to their own Minds, those future Recompenses which the Gospel assures them of, in order to the strengthening their good Resolutions, and the fortifying themselves against the many Temptations they meet with in this evil World. By all which, we may perceive the great Usefulness, and even Necessity of these Motives, which the Gospel hath offered to our Consideration. But this is not all; for  
II. Our Blessed Saviour hath made farther Provision against the Indisposition and Inability of Men, by promising the assistance of the Divine Spirit, for the enabling us to do what of ourselves we cannot.  
Every created and finite Spirit must be supposed necessarily and constantly to depend upon that Spirit which is uncreated and infinite, ever standing in need of Influences from him. A state of Innocency and Integrity cannot exempt a Creature from such dependence. This, 
Lect. ij. p. 27, 28.  as I have formerly observed, results from the Nature and Condition of a Creature, to be of itself mutable and fallible, insomuch that it can by no other means preserve its Integrity, than by adhering to its Maker, and deriving Influences from him. Much more then, upon the degeneracy of such a Creature, some special influence from God must be necessary in order to its Recovery.  
It was, as I have taken Notice, 
Ibid.  from neglecting to adhere to God and depend upon him, that our first Parents apostatised, whereby they and their Offspring became, not mutable and fallible; that they were before; but, as Experience too plainly proves, very much disordered and weakened in all their Faculties, having contracted an Indisposition to that which is Good, together with strong Habits of Sin. The Spirit, having once given way to the Flesh, lost its Authority and Government, which it cannot easily reassume.  
In order therefore to a recovery from this state, to effect which is the great design of Christianity, there must be a supply of new strength, some extraordinary influences from the Divine Spirit, to reduce the Soul into good Order, and to preserve it, when so reduced. And for this we are beholden to the Undertaking of our great Mediator.  
'Tis true, good Men in all Ages of the World, such I mean as have had a becoming sense of God, and of natural Religion, have professed their reliance upon God, and there hopes of his assistance; and I question not, but they have in some measure partaken of what they thus hoped for; which was in truth, though not clearly understood by them, the effect of God's Mercy and Grace through Jesus Christ; whose Undertaking, as we Christians believe, had its effect for the benefit of Mankind, ever since the first Promise made to Adam after his Fall. But, as the greater part of Man were left to the suggestions of Nature, and the conjectures of Reason in this case, having no express Declaration or Promise, which they knew of, upon which they might depend; so the Pious and good Men amongst the Jews themselves, who enjoyed the Divine Oracles, yet believed and hoped for the assistance of the Divine Spirit, rather upon the grounds of natural Religion, than of their own Law, the Promises of which, as I before observed, were chief of the good things of this life, what was beyond this being rather obscurely hinted to them, than plainly expressed. For which reason St. Paul, who very well understood the Jewish Law, and was thoroughly acquainted with the sense in which his Countrymen generally understood it, says, 
Rom. 7, 8, 10.  That sin taking occasion by the Commandment, wrought all manner of Concupiscence; and again, That the Commandment, which was ordained unto Life, was found to be unto Death; and again, That the Law, 
ch. 8.3, 4.  in that it was weak through the Flesh, could not effect that Righteousness in us, which it aimed at. By all which he plainly asserts, that the Law of Moses, as such, only declared men's Duty, but brought no assistance along with it to enable them to perform it; and consequently, left them in a worse state, than it found them, without the addition of Gospel Grace.  
The Prophets indeed uttered many Predictions of a plentiful Effusion of the Divine Spirit: 
Is. 44.3. Ezek. 36.26, 27. Joel 2.28.  But this was to be in the Days of the Messiah, as the Jews did, and we Christians now do understand those Prophecies to import. And they were accordingly fulfilled in the days of our Blessed Saviour; there having been a very plentiful Effusion of the Divine Spirit upon the Apostles, and first Preachers, and Professors of Christianity, to enable them to do extraordinary Works, and to capacitate them to discharge and undergo their Employments and their Sufferings: And not only so, but we have moreover, both from our Lord and his Apostles, express and clear Promises of the Communication of the same Spirit, to enlighten and assist the Minds of Christians in every succeeding Age.  
Our Lord to this purpose did in general declare the readiness of Almighty God, to give his Holy Spirit to all those who should ask it of him, 
Luke 11.13.  arguing from the goodness of God, and his fatherly care of Men, infinitely exceeding that of any earthly Parent.  
More particularly, our Lord hath given a promise of the Divine Spirit, to all such as shall come to him, and believe in him. At a Solemn Festival of the Jews, 
John 7.37, 38, 39  Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any Man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, Out of his belly shall flow Rivers of living Water. And this, as the Evangelists adds, He spoke of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: For the Holy Ghost was not yet given, (not in that plentiful manner, as afterwards,) because that Jesus was not yet Glorified. And indeed it was after the glorification of Jesus, that this Spirit was given, first in so wonderful a manner, as on the day of Pentecost, as a pledge of his being thenceforward to direct and assist the Church of Christ in all succeeding Ages, a Promise to that purpose being given to all the Members of the Christian Body. For so St. Peter, discoursing to the Jews upon that occasion, 
Acts 2.38, 39  solemnly declares. Repent, says he, and be Baptised every one of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of Sins; and ye shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. For the Promise is unto you, and to your Children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.  
'Tis upon this account, that St. Paul declares so amply the Power which Christians received by the Gospel, to enable them to do what, neither by the Abilities of Nature, nor by the Assistance of the Law of Moses, they could have done. When, in the place before-cited, he had complained of the Law in the Members whereby Men are Captivated, 
Rom. 7.23, 24.  and thereupon expressed very pathetically his Sense of the Wretchedness of Men, by reason of the Body of Death which they carry about with them, he concludes with triumphing in the Grace of the Gospel, 
v. 25.  I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord; farther explaining himself in the following Words; 
ch. 8.1, 2, 3, 4.  There is therefore now no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit. For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death. For what the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the Flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh, and as a Sacrifice for Sin, condemned Sin in the Flesh; that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit; as much as to say, that by embracing the Gospel of Christ, he was not only freed from Condemnation, on account either of his past Faults, or his present unavoidable Infirmities; but moreover received strength through the assistance of the Spirit of Christ, which would enable him sincerely, though not without all impersection, to obey the Laws of God, and to attain to that Righteousness, which through the inordinacy of the Flesh, and the weakness of the Mosaical Institution, he could not attain to before.  
For the same reason elsewhere comparing the Law with the Gospel, he gives the preference to the latter, in very significant terms. The Law he styles the Ministration of the Letter, 
2 Cor. 3.3, 6, 7, 8, 9  which killeth; the Gospel, the Ministration of the Spirit, which giveth Life: One, the Ministration of Death, and of Condemnation, written and engraven in Stone; the other, the Ministration of Righteousness, written in fleshly Tables of the Heart, with the Spirit of the living God.  
But 'tis needless to recite more Passages, the New Testament is full of them; this being the great Promise of the Gospel, declared throughout the Sacred Writings, that the Divine Spirit should be imparted in a free and plentiful manner to those, who should embrace the Christian Religion.  
And this certainly is a sufficient Provision against the indisposition and inability of Men's Minds to comply with the Divine Will, when revealed to them. 
Rom. 7.12, 14.  The Law of God, as St. Paul expresses it, is Holy, and the Commandment Holy. Just and Good; the Precepts of the Gospel are Spiritual, and Divine; whereas we are Carnal and sold under Sin: But the Spirit of God can rescue us from this Slavery, by enlightening our Minds, fixing our Thoughts, inclining our Hearts, and spiritualizing our Affections, making us not only to delight in the Law of God after the inner Man; but to walk also not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit. The Example of our Lord was exact, and altogether perfect, and we must not hope in this life to attain to the same exactness and perfection: But as it was upon account of its Perfection fit to be proposed to our imitation; so the same Spirit which dwelled in our Lord, without measure, can form us by degrees after his likeness, and make us in our measure to resemble him both in our Tempers and Practices.  
If it be objected, that we want instances amongst the Professors of Christianity, to verify this Doctrine, that the Divine Spirit is thus imparted by the Gospel; the Answer is easy. The primitive times of Christianity abounded with instances of this kind. Such were the Apostles, who could every one of them have said, as St. Paul did, Be ye followers of me, 
1 Cor. 11.2.  even as I also am of Christ. And such were abundance of the Members of the Christian Body, which lived in and near those times. Nay such, thanks be to God, even since the degeneracy of the Christian Church, there have been and are to be met with in every Age; though, God knows, too few, to the great scandal of Unbelievers, who are not willing to consider this matter thoroughly, but are forward to catch at any seeming advantage, for justifying their infidelity. In a word, we might all of us be instances of this kind, to the honour of our Lord, and to the credit of our Holy Profession, if we would diligently use the means appointed for the attaining this Divine Spirit, and faithfully improve all his kindly motions upon our Minds; which brings me to the next particular I named, viz.  
III. That our Blessed Saviour hath made farther Provision in this Case, by settling such Institutions to be constantly observed and used in his Church, as are both in their own Nature proper to excite us, and are moreover designed as Means of conveying the Grace of the Holy Spirit to us.  
The excellency of the Precepts and Example of our Lord will not engage us to Obedience and Imitation, unless we have them much in our view: The powerful Motives of the Gospel will not affect us, unless they be seriously and frequently considered by us: And the Grace of the Divine Spirit itself, though freely offered, yet will prove ineffectual, unless it be thankfully and carefully entertained and improved. Now as the indisposition of men's minds is great, so experience teacheth, that either the Business, or the Pleasures of Life are moreover apt to employ or divert them to that degree, that unless some farther course be taken to turn the Stream of their Thoughts the right way, all that we have hitherto mentioned may be lost upon them. Besides that the Spirit of God being invisible, and his influences, suitable to his Nature, secret and indiscernible to sensual and worldly Men (which is the reason our Saviour assigns, why the World cannot receive him, viz. 
John 14.17.  because it seethe him not, neither knoweth him;) it may therefore be very fit, nay necessary for us, who are used so much to converse with sensible Objects, to have some stated, external, and sensible Means, for the deriving his internal Grace to our Spirits. Our blessed Saviour therefore knowing this to be our Case, hath kindly and bountifully provided for us in this instance also.  
To this purpose, he hath not only caused his Word to be Written by those who Conversed with him, and were Commissioned and Inspired by him, which we may at all times have free recourse to ourselves; but he hath farthermore appointed certain Institutions, to be constantly observed in his Church, and settled an Order of Men as his Ministers, to see them observed, and to perform their part in the observance of them. Thus he ordered the Apostles and their Successors in the work of the Ministry, to receive into the number of his Disciples, all such as should profess their Repentance and Faith in him, by the external Rite of washing them with Water, in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, thereby listing and enrolling them, as Servants of the Blessed Trinity, and engaging them by a solemn and public Profession to declare themselves such.  
He hath farther ordained, That all his Disciples, thus initiated, shall not only perform acts of Christian Devotion by themselves, but moreover that they shall frequently meet together, to join in the more public Worship of God through Jesus Christ, and mutually to exhort and encourage each other; particularly, that on a certain Day, every Week, besides other occasional Assemblies, they shall meet in most solemn manner, to offer up the sacrifice of Praise and Prayer to the great Father of all, in the Name of his only begotten Son; and that at the same time his Word shall be Read and Preached amongst them, in order to the improving their Understandings, and the awakening their Consciences, and the causing them to remember and consider the great Truths which they profess to believe.  
He hath farther appointed, That in these solemn Assemblies, they shall frequently commemorate the great Sacrifice which he made of himself upon the Cross, by partaking of that Entertainment which he hath assigned them at his own Table, thereby not only professing themselves all Members of the same Body, but at the same time also representing to God, to themselves, and to one another, the infinite love of God to Sinners, through a Mediator, and solemnly engaging themselves afresh to continue the Disciples of Jesus Christ.  
Now these Institutions, howsoever they may be despised by the profane, unthinking, or supercilious sort of Infidels, whosoever seriously considers them, cannot but see, that they have a natural and strong tendency to engage the Thoughts, and awaken the Minds of those that use them, and thereby to render both the Precepts, and the Example, and the Motives of the Gospel useful to the ends for which they were designed.  
And if we will yet farther look into the design of them, we shall find, that they are moreover appointed by our Lord, as means of deriving and conveying the Grace of his Holy Spirit to our Souls.  
Thus, 
Matth. 28.19, 20.  when our Lord commissioned his Apostles to make Disciples out of all Nations, baptising them, and teaching them to observe all things whatsoever he had commanded them, he immediately subjoins, And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the World; which can import no less, than his assisting and blessing them and their Successors, in the faithful discharge of their Ministry. He elsewhere declares in general, 
Matth. 18.20.  that where two or three are gathered together in his Name, there is he in the midst of them, viz. by the presence and assistance of his Holy Spirit.  
As to the Sacrament of Baptism, St. Peter is very express, in the place before cited, where exhorting his Hearers to Repent and be Baptised, 
Acts 2.38, 39  he encourages them by proposing the Benefits which they should receive thereby, namely, remission of Sins, and the Gift of the Holy Ghost, the promise of which, he says, was not to that Generation only, but to their Children, and to all that were afar off, even as many as God should call. 
John 3.5.  For which reason our Saviour himself, in his discourse with Nicodemus joined together Regeneration by Water and by the Spirit; and St. Paul, speaking of the same Rite, says, that Christians were saved, 
Tit. 3.5, 6.  according to the Mercy of God, by the laver of Regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, which was shed upon them abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour; implying, that Baptism with Water was the way of entitling Christians to that Divine Gift, and a means of conveying it to them.  
And so likewise as to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, it is intended not only to exhibit to Christians the Elements of Bread and Wine in Memory of our Saviour's Passion; 
1 Cor. 10.16.  but according to St. Paul's Expression, the Cup of Blessing, then blessed is the Communion of the Blood of Christ, the Bread then broken is the Communion of the Body of Christ, viz. a Communion or Participation of all the Benefits purchased by breaking the Body and shedding the Blood of Jesus, of which a principal one is, the Grace of the Divine Spirit to strengthen our Souls.  
To conclude this particular; The Gospel is styled, 
Rom. 8.2.  as I before observed, the Law of the Spirit of Life; 
2 Cor. 3.6.  the Ministers of the New Testament are said to be Ministers not of the Letter, but of the Spirit. When they perform the Offices of their Function, one is said to Plant, and another to Water, 
1 Cor. 3.5, 6.  whilst God giveth the increase, viz. by the Operation of his Holy Spirit accompanying these external Ministrations; and finally the Church is said to be the Temple of God, forasmuch as the Spirit of God dwelleth amongst and in the Members of it; all which passages do evidently import, that the external Ministrations of Religion in the Christian Church, are designed as so many means of deriving the internal Grace of the good Spirit to those who faithfully make use of them.  
And as to this, I may presume that it will not be pretended that any other institution of Religion hath afforded the like means. The Jews indeed abounded in external Ordinances; which they were commanded to observe, as the Prophets themselves intimate, and the Apostles more fully assure us, not as good in themselves, but as suited to their temper and present circumstances; which to free and generous Minds were indeed unpleasant and burdensome. Nor were they attended with that Promise of internal Grace and Assistance, which is annexed to the Christian Institutions. For as the Author to the Hebrews at large Discourses, 
Heb. 9.10.  The Jewish service stood only in Meats and Drinks, and divers Washings and carnal Ordinances, imposed on them until the time of Reformation; all which were only Examples and Shadows of heavenly things: 
ch. 8.5.6.10.  But Jesus hath obtained a more excellent Ministry, by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant, which was established upon better Promises, viz. such as these, that God would put his Laws into their Mind, and write them in their Hearts; and that he would be to them a God, and they should be to him a People.  
Every other Profession of Religion had likewise its external Rites and Ordinances belonging to it; but I think I may fairly leave it to the Judgement of any serious Deist, whether the Christian Institutions already mentioned, are not much more rational, decent, easy, and every way better adapted to the ends for which they are designed, than those of any other Religion, and consequently, whether in this instance also our Blessed Saviour hath not made the best Provision for us.  
There remains yet one farther Difficulty which fallen Men lay under, which I am to consider in the last place, and to show that our Lord hath in that instance likewise made due Provision for us, viz.  
Fourthly, An incapacity of removing those other evil and mischievous consequences, to which their Sins had exposed them; and of obtaining for themselves that complete Salvation which they stood in need of.  
The remaining Consequences of our Apostasy from God, which I took notice of in a former Lecture, 
Lect. ij. p. 21, 22.  are all the Calamities of this present life, concluded at last with a Separation of Soul and Body by Death, and followed in a future state with all those Evils, to which an immortal Soul separated from its Body is there liable, which are more than we are able to enumerate, or so much as to conceive in the state in which we now are.  
That Men were of themselves altogether unable either to avoid these Evils, or to deliver themselves from them, is evident. No humane Wit or Power, as Experience proves, can ward off abundance of those Calamities to which all Men are obnoxious from the present state of things in this lower World; nor can the wealth of the richest Man upon Earth purchase an Exemption from them. The wise Man must die, as certainly as the Fool; the Prince, as the Peasant; and the Rich Man, as the Beggar. Nor have any of these the least power to dispose of their Souls, when they are dismissed into the World of Spirits.  
Much less are they able to obtain for themselves that Salvation, which will complete their Happiness. All that is done for us in this life, even by our Blessed Saviour himself, is but the beginning of our Salvation; we are by him put into a sttate of Salvation, and guided in the way which leads directly and surely to the completion of it: But we cannot be said to be saved, till every evil disposition be perfectly rooted out of our Souls; till our Spirits are restored to their perfect Health, and all the Habits of Piety and Virtue are confirmed in them; nor indeed till our Bodies also shall be raised again and united to our Souls.  
For although the wisest of Philosophers, and the best of Christians have justly complained of these Bodies of Flesh, as clogs to their Spirits, and therefore may have desired and chosen to be delivered from them, in order to have their Spirits set at liberty from their present encumbrance; yet the natural abhorrence which all Men have of the separation of their two essential parts made by Death, and that ardent desire of life which is implanted in humane Nature, seem plainly to intimate, that we cannot be completely happy without consisting of Soul and Body united. And the Gospel confirms this Notion to us, by causing us to wait for our complete Salvation till the Resurrection of the Body. 
Rom. 8.19, 20, 21, 22, 23.  Thus St. Paul, having mentioned the earnest expectation which the whole Creation hath of being delivered from Vanity, and that bondage of Corruption to which it is at present subjected, he adds, And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the Adoption, to wit, the Redemption of our Body. And to the same purpose again; 
2 Cor. 5.4.  We that are in this Tabernacle do groan, being burdened; not for that we would be unclothed; but clothed upon; that mortality might be swallowed up of life; intimating, that Christians will not be completely happy, till their Bodies shall be redeemed from Corruption; and till their Souls shall be clothed with such Bodies as shall be prepared for them at the Resurrection; till which time, they will not be delivered from all the effects of the Divine Displeasure, nor clearly manifested to be the Children of God.  
Now 'tis apparent, past all dispute, that we can do nothing of all this for ourselves; and that no other Institution of Religion, besides the Christian, hath discovered to us, how it shall be done for us.  
But in this instance also, our Blessed Saviour hath made abundant Provision. The Gospel hath assured us, and we Christians do firmly believe, as fundamental Articles of our Faith, that as our Lord died to made Expiation for our Sins, so he risen again from the dead; and that then, according to his own Declaration, 
Matth. 28.18.  All power was given unto him in Heaven and in Earth; 
Eph. 1.20, 21, 22.  that God, having raised him from the dead, hath set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all Principality and Power, and Might and Dominion, and every Name that is named, not only in this World, but also in that which is to come; and hath put all things under his feet; and given him to be the Head over all things to the Church: as also, that he will according to his Promise come again to perfect the great Work which he hath undertaken, and which he hath been carrying on by all the Methods I have hitherto mentioned.  
Now allowing all this to be true, we have a plain account, how we shall be delivered from all the remaining evil Consequences of our Fall, and be made perfectly happy, to the utmost of our desires and capacities.  
For hereby we are assured, That we have now a powerful Friend in Heaven in our own Nature; 
Heb. 4. 15, 16  One who can be touched with a feeling of our Infirmities, having been in all points tempted like as we are; and One who hath such an Interest in the Father of all, that by him we may go freely to the throne of Grace, obtaining Mercy and finding Grace to help in time of need: who although he doth not think fit to deliver us at present from all the Calamities of this Life, 
Rom. 8.28.  yet will cause all things to work together for our good; 
1 Cor. 10.13.  not suffering us to be tempted above that we are able, but with the temptation also, making a way to escape, that we may be able to bear it; 
2 Cor. 12.9.  affording us such a Measure of his Grace, as shall be sufficient for us, and causing his strength to be made perfect in our weakness: Who, although he permits us to remain liable to Death, as the just Reward of our Transgression, 
Rom. 14.9.  yet being Lord both of the Dead and the Living, will receive our Souls at the hour of Death, and take care of them during their state of Separation, reviving them with his Insluences, and filling them with the comfortable Expectation of their more complete Happiness. Finally we are assured, that as he will obtain of the Father, and confer upon his faithful Servants, all that is truly good and fit for them, during this state of their Trial, and preserve their Spirits which they have committed to his Custody, till his second Appearance; so that he will come again in Person, redeem their dead Bodies, and perfect their Souls, reuniting them, and fully instating them in the favour of God, and bestowing upon them the Inheritance of Children; of all which he hath given them at present his Spirit, as the sure Pledge and Earnest.  
This is that Provision, which our Blessed Saviour, according to the Declaration of his Gospel, hath graciously made, in this last instance of our Necessity; after which I need add no more, this being the completion of our Felicity, and of our Mediator's Undertaking.  
And thus I have finished what I at first proposed, with respect to the intrinsic Evidence of Christianity, showing its Credibility from considering the Persons whom Christ Jesus came to save; the Nature of the Salvation which he proposeth; and the Method in which he hath procured it.  
If in doing this, I have laid down a true Scheme of our holy Profession (as I am verily persuaded I have) according to the Doctrine of the Holy Scriptures, and the general sense of the Christian Church; and if through this whole Scheme there is nothing but what is highly worthy of God, and extremely beneficial to his Creatures; nay if according to this Representation of Christianity, it not only infinitely excels all other Institutions of Religion, but is such, as that we are not able to frame an Idea of any Institution comparable to it, (as I firmly believe upon impartial consideration it will appear to be) it must then be granted that This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the World, to save Sinners.  
This therefore I hearty offer to the serious thoughts of all such Men, as have a just sense of God and of natural Religion upon their Minds, and have accustomed themselves to think seriously of matters of importance.  
The external attestation, which God hath given to the Gospel, by Prophecies, Miracles, and an wonderful Success in its Propagation, will tend, where duly observed, not only farther to confirm this intrinsic Evidence, but also to awaken and excite the minds of those, who are not used to serious thinking; or are strongly prejudiced against Religion in general, through the violence of their corrupt inclinations. But when all is done, here we must fix; being assured, that as no Revelation can be from God, which is not worthy of him; so whatsoever is so highly worthy of God as the Christian Revelation is, must be credible upon its own account.  
May we, who profess to believe the Gospel, both on account of its intrinsic Evidence, and the external attestation it hath had, and to be sensible of the excellent Method therein proposed for the Salvation of Sinners, prove to the World the reality and the steadfastness of this our Faith, by its influence upon our Spirits and our Lives. Then shall we ourselves yield a farther attestation to the truth of our Blessed Saviour's Religion, by demonstrating its Virtue and its Excellency to the unbelieving World.  
And may Almighty God, who hath thus graciously revea'ld himself to Mankind, by his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, send forth his holy Spirit, to accompany the preaching of this his Gospel, so that it may be more universally received, and more thoroughly obeyed in all the Nations of the Earth, to the Glory of his Holy Name, and the Salvation of Sinners.  
Now to the One God and Father of all, and to our Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father, with the Eternal Spirit; our great Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, be ascribed, as is most due, all Honour, Praise, and Glory, sorever. Amen.  
FINIS.   

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THE Author of these Lectures, having in the Second of them taken notice of an Objection, which he has not been able to consider, within the compass of these Eight Discourses, without interrupting the Order which he had proposed to himself, designs, God willing, to publish a Ninth by way of Appendix to these, as a reply to the said Objection.