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otherwise than by embracing the GospelCovenant, and that there is no Mediator between God and Man, but the Lord Chrift Jefus. And confequently that to him must be our Refuge for the Remiffion of our Sins, on him our Dependance, and in his Merits our Confidence, if we will justly entertain the bleffed Hope of everlasting Life.

First, it seems very evident from the Principles of Reason, that it is inconsistent with the Holiness and Purity of God, and his Honour, as the great Lawgiver and Governor of the Universe, to fuffer his Laws to be trampled on, and his Authority defpifed, without any Satisfaction or Atonement made for it on the Part of the Sinner. -The Divine Attributes of Holiness and Justice, and the Nature of all Government must require, that proper Distinctions be made between Good and Evil, Obedience and Difobedience, by affigning proper Encouragements to the one, and Discouragements to the other.-And this in Rigour can no otherwise be done, than by immediately giving, or entailing at least, a proportionate Share of Enjoyment or Happiness to him that does well, and an equal Degree of Punishment or Mifery to him that neglects or tranfgreffes the Commandment.And this in fuch a Manner, that the Virtuous may finally at least be happy in Proportion to his Virtue, and the Wicked unhappy in Proportion to his Guilt.-This is the Import of the very No

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tion of distributive Juftice; nor is it conceivable how the Honour of the Lawgiver can be duly preferved, or how an infinitely pure Being can fhew that Abhorrence of all Iniquity, which fuch Purity implies, without fome prefent or final Regard to it.-This, I fay, is what strict Juftice feems to require, with regard to the Difobedient as well as the Righteous; and what that Proportion of Pain and Mifery is must be left to the Determination. of the Supreme Law-giver himself, who alone is the proper and competent Judge of the Degrees of Guilt which the Criminal has contracted, and of the Degrees of that Punishment which is due to it.-And tho' it be allowed, that the Lawgiver may abate of this Punishment, and that Mercy may rejoice against Judgment, with regard to the rigorous Execution of it; yet to imagine that the Sinner can be totally neglected, and efcape without any Punishment or Satisfaction made by him, or for him, is, for aught that appears to the contrary, entirely to fubvert all Notions of Right and Wrong, and to magnify one Attribute to the Deftruction of another.-For tho' the Lawgiver may fhew Compaffion, or extend his Pardon to the Criminal, yet it seems neceffary that it fhould be with fuch Marks of his Anger and Displeasure, as may testify his Diflike and Hatred of Iniquity, and his Love and Concern for Virtue.-And accordingly, the Dread of Punishment has ever followed

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the Knowledge of Guilt; and natural Confcience has taught every Man to fear that Vengeance which he knows to be due to his Tranfgreffions.

And if natural Reafon be thus clear, in shewing the Folly and the Wickedness of the Sinner, who presumptuously expects Forgivenefs without the Performance of fuch Conditions, or the fuffering fuch Punishments, as are neceffary to vindicate the Juftice and Holinefs of the Almighty; Revelation is much clearer in ascertaining the fame Truth, and in telling us what thofe Conditions or those Sufferings are.-These are very plainly told us in all the Parts of the facred Writings, and have been already mentioned on this Subject; but it is neceffary I fhould obferve fo much of them here, as may fhew, that no Man can perform the one, or receive Benefit from the other, without partaking of the Covenant of Grace.

As to the Conditions, Juftification by Faith is the Doctrine of St. Paul throughout his Epiftles; that he that believeth not in the Son of God fhall not fee Life, is the open Declaration of that Son of God himself; and that no Ordinances or Performances will avail any thing towards our Juftification and Salvation, but this Faith working by Love is the general Doctrine of the Holy Penmen.-And if this Faith be neceffary, even to render Repentance (the other Condition) acceptable to God, the

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Confequence is very certain, that they who reject or defpife it, reject the only Means infinite Goodness has been pleased to offer them for their Recovery from Sin, and the fatal Confequences of it.-And the Reason why this Faith is thus ftrongly infifted on will in fome measure appear, if we likewise remember, that

As to the Sufferings to be undergone for Sin, God has declared none fufficient to fatisfy his Honour and Juftice, instead of those of the Sinner, but those of his eternal Son.And as then his Death is the only fufficient Expiation for Sin, and the only meritorious Cause of Salvation, it is neceffary that the Sinner who would partake of it should firmly believe and confide in it, as the only acceptable Sacrifice which can be offered in his Behalf.-Befides, Salvation, as before explained of the perfect Happiness of Men, must at least be allowed to be the free Gift of God; and this Gift is in and through his Son.-And therefore we are told, that he that hath not the Son of God hath not Life, but the Wrath of God abideth on him.-Whether infinite Wif dom might not have found out fome other Method of Reconciliation, and whether infinite Goodness might not have restored us to Bliss without any Atonement of this Kind, we are often impiously curious to enquire, but are not at all concerned to know.-Our Happinefs depends not on what God could do, but

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on the Belief of what he has done, and the Performance of what he requires of us.-His Appointment of this wonderful Oeconomy, and his Declarations concerning it, are evident Proofs that (whatever he might have done) he will not accept of any other; and confequently, that fince there is no other authorized Method of coming to him, fince there is no other Name under Heaven given by him to Men, whereby they must be faved, but that of Jefus Chrift; they must therefore either confide in that holy Name, or forego all Title to that Salvation. And accordingly the Apostle declares, that when the Lord Jefus fhall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels, he will take Vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who shall be punished with everlafting Deftruction from the Prefence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his Power.

The Objection that at first fight appears most formidable against this Truth, is the Case of those Heathens, who neither did nor could hear of the Gospel, and who may feem to be included in the fame Condemnation to eternal Mifery, only for the Want of that Faith which they could not poffibly obtain.-But this Conclufion neither does, nor is allowed to follow from the Doctrine before laid down; and they, who urge the Objection, first take a thing for granted, which is not declared or allowed; and then argue from the Certainty of

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