SERM. Now, as to the firft Part of the ObjeIII. &ion, the Impoffibility of an Union between God and Man in the fame Perfon or Subject, 'tis a bold, and a prefumptuous Plea. For who is he, among the Reasoners of this World, that is able precisely to determine, in fuch obscure Points as thefe, what is poffible or impoffible to be accomplished by Almighty Wisdom and Power? Are our Notions of these two Beings, God and Man, so full every way, and diftinct and clear, as to fatisfy us, that fuch an Union is in itself repugnant, and altogether impoffible? Would we impartially confider, what paffes within our Minds, when we employ them in fuch nice Difquifitions as thefe, we should find, that all that paffes there is Darkness and Confusion; and that we can discern too little of either of thefe Natures, to be able to pronounce, with any Affurance, that it is impoffible for them to be joined together in One Perfon.

We have no juft Idea indeed of the Manner in which fuch an Union may be

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be effected; but fo neither have we of SERM. the Manner of that Union, which is III. between our Souls and Bodies. Union, which we can as little explain, or comprehend, as even that of the Deity with the Humanity; and which yet we can no more doubt of, than we can of our own Being and Subfiftence. Will the most Keen and Piercing Wit among the Sons of Men fay, that he perceives plainly, how a Corporeal can be joined to an Incorporeal Being; and what are those common Ties and Ligaments that hold them; how they act upon each other; move, and are moved by Turns; and what Kind of Contact that is, by which fuch Motions are mutually communicated? No, these are Secrets, which we can no ways, by any Strength of Thought, fathom; and which perhaps we should have been apt to imagine inconfiftent and impoffible Speculations, had not Experience taught us, that Things are really fo, though we cannot poffibly find out how they should be fo.

SERM. Had the Spirits of Men been once III. unbodied, and had God revealed to them in that State of Separation, that he defigned them for another Station in a Lower World; and, in order to it, would cloath them with grofs and fenfible Matter, and make them a&t continually in Concert with fleshly Organs, and with Dependence upon them, No doubt but One of these Forward Reafoners would have concluded immediately, that the Thing proposed was Unphilofophical and Abfurd. And therefore, that, either the Revelation did not really come from God, or that this could not be the Sense of it. For how could Body and Spirit, Things fo totally different, any ways meet together, and compose one entire Subject? or how could they, when thus met, have any poffible Influence on each other?

These therefore are immodest and unjustifiable Ways of Reasoning, which would perfuade us to reject Truths, on the Account of fome Suppofed Impoffibilites, of which it is manifeftly impoffible

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poffible that we fhould have any clear SERM. and adequate Conception. And there- III. fore in all fuch Cafes, it becomes not us to say, what can, or cannot be done, or what the Nature of Things will, or will not admit of. The Short and only Sure Point, upon which Controverfies of this kind muft turn, is, to see what God in his Holy Word has affured us concerning them.

As to the second Part of the Objection, That there were Other Ways of bringing about the Pardon of Sin, and the Salvation of Man; far be it from us to prescribe to God, or to fay - That Infinite Goodness and Wisdom itself could have found out no Other Expedient. But fince this, and no other, was made ufe of by God, we must needs think it the most proper of Any, and the best proportioned to thofe Ends and Purposes, for which He defigned it. And though it becomes us rather implicitly to Adore the Divine Wisdom, than curioufly to enquire into the Reasons, and boldly to found the Depths of it; yet is there

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SERM. there fome Light afforded us in Scripture, whereby we may discover a mighty Fitness and Congruity between the Method that was ufed, and the End that was brought about by it.

Guiding ourselves therefore by the Discoveries made to us on this Head in Holy Writ, we may fafely venture to fay, It was fit and requifite, that our Redeemer fhould be God, that, by the Infinite Dignity of his Person, the Value of the Sacrifice which he made of himself in the Flesh, might be fo far enhanced, as to become a fufficient Atonement for the Sins of the whole World: That the Laws which he fhould publish might carry in them the utmost Obliga

tion and Force: That his Doctrine might have the higheft Authority: That we being affured of his abfolute Security from Sin, might look up to his Example, as to a perfect Pattern of Holiness; and in all things, without Doubt, or Fear, implicitly follow his Steps.

It was fit he should be God, that he might give an Inftance of Infinite Condefcenfion