Object of their Affections, and place them there where permanent Satisfactions are, where our Expectations can never be difappointed, our Defires never fruftrated, and our Hopes never baffled; but our Enjoyments will be perpetual, our Fruition everlaiting, and our Habitation eternal in the Heavens.

But alas! they fhun our Company, except it be to talk of worldly Affairs, or to ask us about fome nice Points of Divinity, and are ashamed to make their Condition known, and to own themfelves ignorant of the Path that leads to Glory. They either excufe themselves with this, that their Neighbours and their Friends will laugh at them for making Minifters their Oracles; or plead, that they know as much as the Man of God can teach them: Would God they did! and that all the Lord's People were Prophets! But if they did, Is there not fome difference between knowing these facred Truths, and having them fet home upon the Confcience? That fhall stick in a familiar Difcourfe, which in reading we take no notice of; and a Word in private Conference may drop from a holy Man, and may be spoke with that zeal and honefty, as fhall strike the Soul into a change or renovation of Mind, which perhaps many years study, or a large stock of knowledge, would not have effected: So that if the Queftion be asked, Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no Physician there? Why then is not the health of the daugh ter of my People recovered? We may truly fay, We would have healed Ifrael, but they would not be healed.

XII. Impediment.

XII. Deluding themselves with the notion of Chrift's dying for the Sins of the World. Why fhould they confider how to be rid of Sin, and Jay the Pleasures of Piety before their Eyes? Why should they torment themselves with thinking how God's favour may be purchased, and involve themselves in anxiety and trouble about their tranfgreffions, when Chrift hath done all that is to be done; appeased his Father's Wrath against the lapfed Progeny of A dam, and purchased them a glorious Freedom from the flavery of a merciless Law? If he hath fatisfied God for the Injuries he received by their fins, why fhould they make a new fatisfaction by holiness of their Lives? Is not that it which all Pulpits ring of, That the Eternal died,that we might not die Eternally; and that God would fuffer, that we might efcape Torments for ever? That the Innocent was punished for the Nocent, the Judge for the Malefactor, the Mafter for the Servants, the Juft for the Unjuft, the Good for the Bad, that we finned, and he was afflicted; we commit the Crime, and he was condemned; we trefpaffed, and he was tortured; we exalted our felves, and he was humbled; we were difobedient, and he fmarted under the reward of difobedience; we did eat of the forbidden Tree, and he endured hunger for it; and we rafted of the Apple, and he of the Gall and Vinegar to expiate all? Is it not this that all Proteftant Churches teach? That

Chrift would be crowned with Thorns, that we might have an incorruptible Crown of Glory hereafter; and that he endured Reproach, and Calumnies, and contradictions of Sinners against himself, that we might inherit everlasting honour! And why should they disparage Chrift's fufferings fo much, as to hope to gain Heaven by Mortification of their Luits, and poring upon their Sin and Mifery? This would be to fall back into Popery, and enflave our felves again into Superftition. This would be to make us fubject once more to the Law of Works, and to marry us to the Husband, from which we were divorced by Chrift's giving up the Ghoft, even to the Law which neither we nor our Forefathers were ever able to bear. This would be to undervalue fo great a Bleffing, and to tell the World,thatChrift's purchase of eternal Glory for us was imperfect; and without there be an addition of our own Works and Merit,that Redemp tion fignifies little, and hath not ftrength enough to compass what was defigned by it?

Thus Men prevent their Confideration of Spiritual Concerns,and dash the checks and motions of their Confciences when prompted to call their ways 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 Doctrine is pleafing to their Flesh, and that they Q 2

may

XII. Impediment.

XII. Deluding themselves with the notion of Chrift's dying for the Sins of the World. Why fhould they confider how to be rid of Sin, and lay the Pleasures of Piety before their Eyes? Why should they torment themfelves with thinking how God's favour may be purchased, and involve themselves in anxiety and trouble about their tranfgreffions, when Chrift hath done all that is to be done; appeafed his Father's Wrath against the lapfed Progeny of A dam, and purchased them a glorious Freedom from the flavery of a mercilefs Law? If he hath fatisfied God for the Injuries he received by their fins, why fhould they make a new fatisfaction by holiness of their Lives? Is not that it which all Pulpits ring of, That the Eternal died, that we might not die Eternally; and that God would fuffer, that we might efcape Torments for ever? That the Innocent was punished for the Nocent, the Judge for the Malefactor, the Mafter for the Servants, the Juft for the Unjuft, the Good for the Bad, that we finned, and he was afflicted; we commit the Crime, and he was condemned; we trefpaffed, and he was tortured; we exalted our felves, and he was humbled; we were difobedient, and he fmarted under the reward of difobedience; we did eat of the forbidden Tree, and he endured hunger for it; and we rafted of the Apple, and he of the Gall and Vinegar to expiate all? Is it not this that all Proteftant Churches teach? That

Chrift would be crowned with Thorns, that we might have an incorruptible Crown of Glory hereafter; and that he endured Reproach, and Calumnies, and contradictions of Sinners against himself, that we might inherit everlasting ho nour! And why fhould they difparage Chrift's fufferings fo much, as to hope to gain Heaven by Mortification of their Luits, and poring upon their Sin and Mifery? This would be to fall back into Popery, and enflave our felves again into Superftition. This would be to make us fubject once more to the Law of Works, and to marry us to the Husband, from which we were divorced by Chrift's giving up the Ghoft, even to the Law which neither we nor our Forefathers were ever able to bear. This would be to undervalue fo great a Bleffing, and to tell the World,that Chrift's purchase of eternal Glory for us was imperfect; and without there be an addition of our own Works and Merit,that Redemp tion fignifies little, and hath not strength enough to compafs what was defigned by it?

Thus Men prevent their Confideration of Spiritual Concerns,and dafh the checks and motions of their Confciences when prompted to call their ways 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 Doctrine is pleafing to their Flesh, and that they Q 2

may