may not lose their 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 reason why Chrift gave himself for us, was to redeem us from all iniquity, and to purifie unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, Titus 2. 14. They would find St. Paul was of another mind when he wrote to the Romans, In that Chrift died, he died unto fin once; but in that he lives, he lives unto God: Likewife, Reckon ye alfo 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 Jhould obey it in the lufts thereof; neither yield ye your members as inftruments of unrighteoufnefs unto fin, but yield your felves to God, as thofe that are alive from the dead, and your members as inftruments of righteousness unto God, Rom. 6. 10, 11, 12, 13. And that the Apostle is conftant to himself, appears from 2 Cor. 5. 5. Chrift died for all, that they which live, fhould not henceforth live unto themfelves, but unto him that died for them, androse again.

And indeed,this is no more than common gratitude; fo great a Mercy challenges no less than Reformation and Obedience. Forleffer 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 his Soldier, that fights underhim, 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 faithfulness. Doth the Husbandman, that fows good Seed in his Field, look for Tares? Or he that plants a Fig-tree expect Fruit contrary to the nature of the Tree? He that redeems another from Barbarian Slavery, doth it so much as enter into his Thoughts, that the Wretch can ever be so inhuman, as to defpife, and scorn, and vilifie fo great a Benefactor? That God could have given Man access to his Favour and Reconciliation fome meaner way, than through the Crofs and Death of Chrift, is very probable; for what may not infinite Goodnefs do? What may not the Fountain of Mercy do? What may not he do, whofe Bowels of Compaffion furpass the understandings of Men and Angels? but it seems he would not. This Remedy was his choice, he would pitch upon this ftupendious way, to amaze and aftonish Men into holiness and seriousness. He thought Men could not poffibly avoid being Converts, and heavenly-minded, when they should fee the Son of God wading through Blood and Death to rescue them from Hell. God looked upon the Mercy to be fo dreadful, and the Kindness to be fo full of Majefty and Compaffion together, that he thought the incomprehenfiblenefs 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 ago

Q 3

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nies and torments, and groans and fobs, and fighs and tears, and wounds and stripes of the Son of God into eternal deruction. He thought those 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 pursue their own Damnation, and make the Streams of that Blood a River to carry them into eternal Darkness.

But thou haft feen, O God, and beholdeft, and canst not but behold it with Sorrow and Indignation, how thefe Men, that pretend to be Chriftians, live the reverfe of thy defigns! How they improve the Cross of Christ into affronts of thy Power and Glory! How, under 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 the Toil of the Son of God, under the burthen of their Sins, makes them weat and toil, to fall a Prey to the mercilefs Clutches of the Devil! If I had not come, faith Chrift, they had had no Sin, i. e. their Sin would not have been fo great as now it is, John 15.22. So it is, if the Son of God had not fpilt his Blood, and had Men difobeyed, their Difobedience would have received an ordinary recompence of Reward; but trampling on the Blood of the Son of God, that's a thing which muft needs make God's Indignation inexpreflible, and aftonishing.

God

God indeed reconciled the World unto himfelf; and Chrift, by his Death, purchased that Reconciliation and eternal Life; but there is a great difference between the purchase of these Bleffings, and the application of them; between the poffibility of poffeffing, and the actual enjoyment of them. A Man may buy an Estate, and intend it for the use of fuch and fuch Persons; but when he hath bought it for them,may lawfully tie them up to certain Conditions upon which they fhall enjoy the Eftate; 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 defigned them all for Ruin and Destruction,upon fome noble Attempt,

and

generous Enterprize of his only Son, the Prince, may be moved, or brought to a willingnefs to pass by their Crimes; but when the King's good Will is obtained, the Prince may juftly appoint fome Condition, upon which the condemned Wretches fhall receive their great Mafter's Favour. And as upon the King's good inclination to be friends with his Subjects, it doth not follow that he is actually reconciled to every one, there being fome Conditions required, upon which the Pardon fhall be figned and fealed 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 Souls, and are weary of Sin, and heavy laden with the fenfe of it, and, in fober fadnefs, refolved to fubmit to Chrift's Yoke and Government; and accordingly fuch are called, as are

Q 4

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refolved 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 use of external Means, and internal Aids; for though all Mankind share in the poffibility of enjoying this Reconciliation, and the Pardon may be truly faid to be purchased 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 fullfil the Conditions upon which that Reconciliation is offered them, viz. unfeigned Repentance, and fincere Obedience for the time to come. That it's offered on these Conditions, the whole Gospel witneffes; and he betrays his ignorance that makes advantage of this Doctrine, and leffens his Care, Diligence and Zeal, in working out his Salvation, in governing his Spirit, and Appetite, and in perfecting Holinefs in the fear of God.

Shimei was a Man condemned to Death, I Kings 2. 36. It's like, fome Courtiers of Solomon got him his Pardon; the King grants it, but requires this one thing of him, That he 'fhould build him a House in Jerufalem, and dwell there, and go not from thence any whither; and fulfilling this Condition, without all peradventure he might have liv'd happily and fafe as the beft of his Neighbours; but when he must needs be running after his Servants, and prefer a fmall advantage before perpetual fafety, he justly fuffers the Punishment the King appointed for him. The Son of God,

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