by the Blood of his Crofs, hath in truth gotten all Chriftians their Pardon, but is refolved none fhall enjoy it, but thofe that will forfake their Sins, and refign themselves to his guidance and direction. A reasonable Demand, a Condition fo equitable, fo juft, fo eafie, that no Man in his wits but muft fay as Shimei unto Solomon, The faying is good, as my Lord the King has faid, fo will thy Servant do. But then, if the Pardon the Son of God hath obtained for them appear fo inconfiderable a thing in their Eyes, that they 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 concerned) they would, no doubt, doom themselves to as great, if not greater Plagues, than God intends to inflict upon them.

When Amurath, Emperor of the Turks, had notice given him, That a Doctor of Law had cheated a poor Pilgrim that was gone to Mecca, and at the Man's return would not reftore to him the Jewels he had entrusted with him, but

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refolutely denied that he had received any fuch things from him: The Emperor 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 fonotorious a Villain fhould be pounded alive in a Mortar. He had no fooner faid the word, but the Emperor gave order that fo it should be done to him, who had fo notoriously cozened the poor Pilgrim.

So here, as harfh as fuch Men as continue in their Sins may think it to be doom'd to eternal Vengeance, were themselves in the third Perfon asked, What was fit to be done to fuch ungrateful Monsters? Themfelves would give the fame Sentence against themselves,for putting fo notorious an Affront upon so astonishing a Mercy.

So that altho' a true Believer, and a fincere Penitent, may boldly fay with the Apostle, That Chrift bath redeemed him from the curfe of the Law, being made a curfe from him, Gal. 3. 13. And that Chrift bath washed 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, Colof. 1. 20.

Yet Men, that are ftrangers to the fanctifying work of God's Spirit, cannot be faid to have at prefent, during their unregenerate Estate, any other Benefit by the Death and Paffion of Chrift, but a poffibility of all thofe great and glorious Advantages; and it's poffible for them to be freed from the Curfe of the Law, to be admitted into

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the number of those that shall be faved; to enjoy the remiffion of Sins, to escape the Wrath to come, and to fee God Face to Face in Hea ven, and all this by virtue of Christ's Death if they will but shake hands with their Darling Vices, and agree to a Practical Love of their Maker, and Redeemer, and Sanctifier. To think that unconverted Sinners do actually enjoy these Benefits, is to contradict Scripture, and to give the Apostles of our Lord the lye, who unanimoufly tell us, That thefe Mercies are not effectually applied 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, instead 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 Sin and Destruction no longer, and fincerely endeavour to please him in those Commands, which defign nothing but our Interest and Happiness.

These things are not very hard to be understood, but the generality of Christians seem refolv'd not to understand them, that they may not be obliged to take their ways into ferious Confideration. At this rate they can ferve two Masters, and reconcile Light with Darknefs, God and Belial, the Temple of God and Idols, Froft and Heat, Snow and Fire; pleafe God and please the World; gratifie their Lufts,

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and fecure Heaven; build Tabernacles here, and fecure Manfions hereafter; keep in with God and Man, and like the Samaritans, 2 Kings 17. 41. fear the Lord, and ferve graven Images. This Doctrine, that Chrift hath freed them from the Wrath of God, in their Senfe, makes Religion fit 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 ftudied to do them a kindness, he could not have done them a greater, than to let his Son fuffer all that is to be fuffered by them ; and fo after their delights and finful fatisfactions here, conduct them into a far more glorious Paradife. If it be fo, truly Confideration is Vanity, and the Preachers are Fools and Madmen to prefs it upon their Auditors: Spiritual Men are distracted, and fitter for Bedlam than the Pulpit. Their Religion is nothing but a Trick, and they keep a great ftir to no purpofe; cry aloud, but edifie not; and lift up their Voices meerly to trifle away time, and confirm the Houfe of Jacob in their Sins. But who fees not that this is an Invention of the Devil, first to darken the Sinner's Understanding, and when the Candle is out, to rob him of his everlasting Happiness!

And, Sirs, will you be robbed thus quietly of your Blifs and Glory? Will you fuffer your felves to be ftript 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 en

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courage you in offending God; and made himfelf of no Reputation for you, that you might render your felves contemptible in the fight of the Almighty; and died for you, to give life to your Sins and Follies? How abfurd, how impertinent, how contradictory is this Belief? How! God, and encourage Sin? Holiness it felf, and find out a way to promote Iniquity? Can there be any thing in Nature more filly or ridiculous? This is abufing the Cross of Chrift, not trusting to it; and you that make it an occafion of Sin, take heed it do not prove a ftumbling block unto you, and instead of crucifying Sin in you, do not harden you in it! It is a thing not unusual with God, to punish Sin with Sin; and if Men will be filthy, in defpight of all endeavours to purifie them from their filthiness, to doom them to continue filthy ftill, and to make that their Judgment, which at first was only their tranfgreflion; Because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land, but Stealing, and committing Adultery, therefore your Daughters fhall commit Wboredom, and your Spouses shall commit Adultery, faith God, Hof. 4. 1,2, 13. i. e. I will utterly withdraw my Grace, and my Holy Spirit from you; whence it muft neceffarily come to pafs, that you will fink deeper and deeper in your Sins, till you fink into the nethermoft Hell; and that which was your delight, fhall prove your burthen, and your Joy fhall be your Plague; and when afterwards you fhall fee what you have brought your felves to, and would fain ftep back, you shall not be able, but die in your Sins. A Judgment enough