That

fincere obedience for the time to come. it's offer'd on thefe conditions, the whole Gofpel witneffes; and he betrays his ignorance that makes advantage of this Doctrine, and lef fens his care, diligence, and zeal, in working out bis Salvation, in governing his fpirit and appetite, and in perfecting Holiness in the fear of God.

Shimei was a man condemn'd to death, 1 Kings 2. 36. It's like fome Courtiers of Solomon got him bis Pardon; the King grants it, but requires this one thing of him, that he should build him a Houfe in Jerufalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whither; and fulfilling this condition, without all peradventure he might have liv'd happy and safe as the best of his Neighbours; but when he must needs be running after his fervants, and prefer a fmall advantage before perpetual fafety, he justly fuffers the punishment the King appointed for him. The Son of God, by the blood of bis Crofs, hath in truth gotten all Christians their Pardon, but is refolv'd none fhall enjoy it, but thofe that will forfake their fins, and resign themselves to his guidance and direction. A reasonable demand, a condition fo equitable, so just, so eafie, that no Man in his wits but muft fay, as Shimei unto Solomon, The Saying is good; as my Lord the King hath faid, so will thy fervant do. But then, if the Pardon, the Son of God hath obtain'd for them, appear fo inconfiderable a thing in their eyes, that they

do

do not think it worth enjoying (and certainly they do not think it worth enjoying, that will not agree to fo reasonable a condition) no marvel, if they fall a prey to that wrath from which the Son of God is ready to deliver them, and if their blood be upon their heads, that do defpight unto the Spirit of Grace, and count the blood of the Covenant, wherewith they were to be fanctified, an unholy thing. An affront fo great, that no ordinary vengeance can expiate it: and fhould God ask them, as the Prophet Nathan did David, What punishment they themselves thought fit for fuch offenders, (provided they did not know, that they were the perfons concern'd) they would, no doubt, doom themselves to as great, if not greater Plagues, than God intends to inflict upon them.

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When Amurath, Emperour of the Turks, had notice given him, that a Doctor of Law had cheated a poor Pilgrim, that was gone to Meca, and at the Man's return would not restore to him the Jewels he had entrusted with him, but resolutely denied that he had received any fuch things from him; The Emperour, one day in a third perfon, asked the Doctor, What he thought a Man, that had notoriously betrayed his Truft, might juftly deferve? He answered, It was fit that fo notorious a villain fhould be pounded alive in a Mortar. He had no fooner faid the word, but the Emperour gave order, That so it should be done to him, who

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had

had fo notoriously couzen'd the Poor Pil grim.

So here, as harfh as fuch Men as continue in their fins, may think it, to be doom'd to eternal vengeance, were themfelves, in the Third Perfon, ask'd, What was fit to be done to fuch ungrateful Monsters? Themselves would give the fame Sentence against themselves, for putting fo notorious an affront upon fo altonishing a Mercy.

So that, although a true Believer, and a fincere Penitent, may boldly fay with the Apostle, That Chrift hath redeemed him from the Curse of the Law, being made a Curfe for him, Gal. 3. 13. And, that Chrift bath wash'd him from his fins, with his own blood, Rev. 1. 5. And that he hath an Advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the righteous, who is the propitiation for his fins, 1 Joh. 2. 1. And, that Chrift hath made his peace with God, Col. 1. 20. Yet Men that are Strangers to the fanctifying work of God's Spirit, cannot be faid to have at prefent, during their unregenerate eftate, any other benefit by the death and paffion of Chrift, but a poffibility of all those great and glorious advantages, and it's poffible for them to be freed from the curfe of the Law, to be admitted into the number of those, that fhall be fav'd; to enjoy remiffion of fins, to escape the wrath to come, and to fee God face to face in Heaven,and all this by virtue of Chrift's death; if they will but fhake hands with their darling vices, and agree to a practical love of

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their Maker, and Redeemer, and Sanctifier. To think that unconverted finners do actually enjoy these benefits, is to contradict Scripture, and to give the Apostles of our Lord the lie, who unanimously tell us, That these Mercies are not effectually apply'd to the Soul, till the Soul, by fincere repentance, and reformation of life, applies her felf to Chrift Jefus.

And indeed, this is the prodigious mercy of the second Covenant, that God, for Chrift's fake, will accept of fincere repentance, in ftead of perfect obedience (which was the great condition of the first agreement between God and Man) and looking upon the precious blood of his Son, will pafs by whatever Men have done before, if they will be in love with fin and destruction no longer, and fincerely endeavour to pleafe him in thofe commands, which defign nothing but our interest and happiness.

These things are not very hard to be underftood, but the generality of Chriftians seem refolv'd not to understand them, that they may not be oblig'd to take their ways into ferious confideration. At this rate they can ferve two Masters, and reconcile light with darkness, God and Belial, the Temple of God and Idols, Froft and Heat, Snow and Fire; please God and please the World, gratifie their Lufts and fecure Hea ven; build Tabernacles here and fecure Manfions hereafter; keep in with God and Man,

and

and like the Samaritans, 2 Reg. 17. 41. fear the Lord, and ferve Graven Images. This Do&trine, that Chrift hath freed them from the wrath of God, in their fense, makes Religion fic foft and eafie upon them, and doth not disturb them in their fenfual enjoyments. It's a comfortable Doctrine to flesh and blood; never could any thing have been invented more agreeable to their lufts; and if God had studied to do them a kindness, he could not have done them a greater, than to let his Son fuffer all that is to be fuffer'd by them; and so after their delights and finful fatisfactions here, conduct them into a far more glorious Paradise. If it be so, truly Confideration is Vanity, and the Preachers are Fools and Mad-men to prefs it upon their Auditors; Spiritual Men are di ftracted, and fitter for Bedlam than the Pulpit. Their Religion is nothing but a Trick, and they keep a great stir to no purpose: cry aloud, but edify not, and lift up their voices, meerly to trifle away time, and confirm the House of Jacob in their fins. But, Who sees not that this is an invention of the Devil first to darken the finners understanding, and when the Candle is out, to rob him of his everlasting happiness!

And, Sirs, will you be rob'd thus quietly of your blifs and glory? Will you fuffer your felves to be stript of all you have, without the least oppofition? Is it poffible for you to believe that the Son of God came down from Heaven to encourage you in offending God;

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