call their wayes to remembrance. They examine not the end of Chrift's death, nor their own obligations. They run away with the notion, that Chrift died for them, and are not at all careful to know what his death fignifies; much like heedlefs Servants, who before they have half their errand, run away, and when they are come to the place they are fent to, know not what Meffage to deliver. The Do&trine is pleafing to their fleft, and that they may not lofe that pleasure, they'll be fure not to enquire, what the true meaning of it is.

Would they but caft their eyes upon that Bible, which they believe contains the Oracles of Heaven, they would find that the Great reafon why Christ gave himself for us, was, to redeem us from all iniquity, and to purifie unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, Tit. 2. 14. They would find St. Paul was of another mind when he wrote to the Romans, In that Christ died, he died unto fin once; but in that he lives, he lives unto God: likewife reckon ye also your felves to be dead unto fin, but alive unto God, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Let not fin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lufts thereof; neither yield ye your members, as inftruments of unrighteousness, unto fin, but yield your felves unto God, as thofe that are alive from the dead, and your members, as inftruments of righteoufnefs, unto God, Rom. 6. 10, 11, 12, 13. And that the Apostle is conftant to himself, appears from 2 Cor. 5. 15. Chrift died for all, that

they

they which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rofe again.

And indeed, this is no more but common gratitude; fo great a mercy challenges no less than Reformation and Obedience. For leffer favours Men require far greater things; for relieving a poor Wretch, we expect continual attendance; and for giving fuch a Man a Hundred pounds, in his neceffity, we cannot imagine, that he will ever be falfe to us.

For

Twelve pence a day, a General expects the Soldier, that fights under him, should be true to him; and the day-Labourer is chid, if being hired to go into the Vineyard, he doth not perform the work he is fet about, with all faithfulnels. Doth the Husbandman that fows good feed in his field, look for Tares? Or he that plants a Fig-tree, expect fruit contrary to the nature of that Tree? He that redeems another from Barbarian flavery, doth it fo much as enter into his thoughts, that the wretch can ever be fo inhumane, as to defpise, and fcorn, and vilifie so great a Benefactor? That God could have gi ven Man accefs to his favour and reconciliation some meaner way, than through the Cross and death of Chrift, is very probable; For, What may not infinite Goodness do? What may not the Fountain of Mercy do? What may not he do, whose bowels of compaffion furpass the understandings of Men and Angels? but it feems he would not. This remedy was his choice, he R 4 would

would pitch upon this ftupendous way, to amaze, and to astonish Men into holiness and ferioufnefs. He thought Men could not poffibly avoid being Converts, and heavenly-minded, when they fhould fee the Son of God wading through blood and death, to refcue them from Hell. God look'd upon the mercy to be fo dreadful, and the kindness to be fo full of Majefty and compaffion together, that he thought the incomprehenfibleness of the favour would carry terror with it, and fright Men into repentance and contrition.

He thought Men would have fo much fenfe and modefty in them, as not to rush through agonies, and torments, and groans, and fobs, and fighs, and tears, and wounds, and ftripes of the Son of God into eternal deftruction. He thought thofe Thorns and Nails that wounded that Sacred Head, would fcratch and fting them into awe and reverence of fo great a love, as they were rolling into eternal flames. He thought they must diveft themselves of all humanity, and felf-love, if under the Crofs of Chrift they could purfue their own damnation, and make the ftreams of that Blood a River to carry them into eternal darkness.

But thou haft feen, O God, and beholdest, and canst not but behold it with forrow and indignation, how thefe Men that pretend to be Chriftians, live the reverfe of thy defigns! How they improve the Crofs of Chrift, into affronts of thy Power and Glory! How under

that

that Tree of Life, they work out their own death; and how that precious Blood doth but encourage them to bid defiance to Heaven, and the sweat and toil of the Son of God, under the burthen of their fins, makes them sweat and toil, to fall a prey to the merciless clutches of the Devil! If I had not come, faith Christ, they had had no fin, i. e. their fin would not have been fo great as now it is, Joh. 15. 22. So it is, if the Son of God had not fpilt his blood, and Men had disobey'd, their difobedience would have receiv'd an ordinary recompence of reward; but, trampling on the blood of the Son of God, that's a thing, which must needs make God's indignation inexpreffible, and astonishing.

God indeed reconcil'd the World unto himfelf; and Christ, by his death, purchas'd that reconciliation, and eternal life; but there is a great difference between the purchace of these bleffings, and the application of them; between the poffibility of poffeffing, and the actual enjoyment of them. A man may buy an Eftate, and intend it for the ufe of fuch and fuch perfons; but when he hath bought it for them, may lawfully tie them up to certain conditions, upon which they fhall enjoy the Estate; or in cafe they neglect thefe conditions, go without it. A King, that's juftly offended with his Subjects, and, for their notorious Rebellion, hath defign'd them all for ruine and destruction, upon fome noble attempt, and generous enterprise

of

!

of his only Son, the Prince, may be mov'd, or brought to a willingness to pass by their crimes; but when the King's good-will is obtain'd, the Prince may juftly appoint fome condition upon which the condemn'd Wretches fhall receive their great Master's favour. And as upon the King's good inclination to be friends with his Subjects, it doth not follow, that he is actually reconcil'd to every one, there being some conditions requir'd, upon which the Pardon fhall be fign'd and feal'd to every one of them in particular; fo neither do all men effectually fhare in that reconciliation to God through Jefus Chrift, but those that turn to God with all their hearts, and with all their fouls, and are weary of fin, and heavy laden with the sense of it, and in fober fadness refolv'd to fubmit to Chrift's yoke and government; and according ly fuch are call'd, as are refolv'd to walk in the light, even as God is in the light, and to be like Chrift Jefus, and to exprefs the power of Chriftianity in their lives, and to attain to fuch Chriftian qualifications as are required in the Gospel, by the ufe of external means, and internal aids; for though all mankind fhare in the poffibility of enjoiyng this reconciliation and the Pardon may be truly faid to be purchas'd for them, and for their use, yet all are not made partakers of the actual poffeffion of it, because all Men will not confent to fulfil the conditions upon which that reconciliation is offer'd them, viz. unfeign'd repentance, and fincere