SER M. as can be fpared from the Stock of Others, XIX. according to this Invention.

You will, I hope, recollect, That the Inflances I mentioned, from Scripture, of Good Men who have done more than their ftrict Duty, related to the Circumflances only of fome Religious Duties; and not at all to what was effential to the Duties themselves; or to any Branches of Chriflian Morality: and obferve from thence, That no Man, amongst the most Perfect, was ever thought to have too many of fuch Good Works; or, for Inftance, was ever faid to be more Charitable, more Temperate, more Pure, more Peaceable, or more Humble, than the Dictates of Reason, and the Commands of GOD, rightly understood, made it his Duty to be. No Works of Supererogation, therefore, are to be found in thefe, or any of the Moral Virtues. And these being the only Good Works, of any Account, at the Great Day; No Chriftian, who is deftitute of them, Himfelf, can poffibly be fupplied by Others; because, of these truly and neceffary Good Works, the Best Man in the World, has none to spare; but rather juftly fears he has not enough for Himself, and for the Security of his own eternal Intereft. And as to any Mistakes of Ignorance, or Enthusiasm; fuch as the Romantic Excefes of Some, in the

Rigors of Abflinence, or the Severities of SERM, Penances, and the like; They may, by a XIX, good GoD, be pardoned to well-meaning Men; but can never be acceptable or pleasing to Him. Confequently, fuch as these, though, in truth, Works of Supererogation, yet cannot be thought, by any Man in his Senses, to be the Good Works of the Gospel. They may indeed be granted, or fold, to Those upon whom the Managers of fuch Merchandise can impofe. But it is impoffible They should do any real Service to Those deluded Men who depend upon Them, because They are not the Good Works required of Chriftians, as necessary to Salvation.

4. Laftly, if, from what has been faid, We are truly convinced of the Neceffity of Good Works, as the indifpenfable Condition of our future Happiness; though not of their Merit, as the adequate Foundation of our Claim to it; Let this induce us not to be fo incensed against the Doctrine of the Merit of Good Works, as to avoid Them, for fear of being tainted by it; and not to dwell fo much upon the Merits of Chrift, as to forget the Conditions which he abfolutely requires at our Hands. For it may, I think, justly, be faid, That we had much better believe the Merit of Good Works, than have None at all to produce

for

SER M. for Ourselves at the laft Day: And that it XIX. will be found a more pardonable Error, at that

Time, not to have confidered fo much as We ought, the Merits of Chrift, than to have neglected that Obedience to all his Commands, which He so strictly requires of us, in his Gospel.

May We all be fenfible, both of what we owe to GOD, and to his Son Jefus Chrift: and also of the great Work We ourselves have to do; that fo We may do it, and be bleffed in our ! Deed!

The

The Nature of CHRIST'S Bleffing.

SERMON XX.

ACTS iii. ver. 26.

God having raifed up his Son Jefus, fent Him to blefs You, in turning every one of you from bis Iniquities.

T

XX.

HE Doctrine plainly delivered by St. SER M Peter, in thefe Words, is this, That the Blefing, with which Jefus Christ was sent by his Father to bless the World, confists in turning Men from their Iniquities. This I defign to make the Subject of my following Difcourfe. And, in order to give all the Light and Evidence I am able to this great and important Truth, I fhall confider it under these following Propofitions; which will, I hope, form a strong Argument in Support of it.

I. That

SERM.

I. That the promised Mefiah was to be the xx. greatest Instance poffible of the Love of GOD to the World; and the Design of his coming, to blefs Mankind with the most perfect Bleffing which Gop could beftow on Man, or Man receive from GOD.

II. That the greatest Blessing Men are capable of, confifts, either, in never tranfgreffing the Laws of Virtue; or, if they have unhappily tranfgreffed, in their being turned from their Iniquities, to the Practice of all Virtue again.

III. That therefore, if Jefus be the Meffiab, as we believe Him to be, upon the ftrongest Grounds; the great Design of his coming must be, to turn the World from their Iniquities; to restore Reafon and Religion to their rightful Authority over Mankind; and to make all Virtue, and true Goodness, florish in the Earth.

I. That the promised Meffiab was to be the greatest Inftance of the Love of God to the World; and the Defign of his coming, to bless Mankind with the most perfect Bleffing, which Gop could beftow on Man, or Man receive from GOD.

I

This