sense of which things tends powerfully to promote a holy fear, and reverential awe of the dread Majesty of heaven and earth : a sense of the infinite evil of sin; brokenness of heart, tenderness of conscience; a humble, holy, watchful, prayerful temper and life, as well as to prepare the way for faith in the blood of Christ.) But they seem to have no right apprehensions of these things. They seem to consider God merely under the notion of a creditor, and us merely under the notion of debtors; and to suppose, when Christ upon the cross said, It is finished, he then paid the whole debt of the elect, and saw the book crossed, whereby all their sins were actually blotted out and forgiven: and now, all that remains is for the Holy Spirit immediately to reveal it to one and another that he is elected; that for him Christ died, and that his sins are all pardoned; which revelation he is firmly to believe, and never again to doubt of; and this they call faith. From which it seems they understand nothing rightly about God or Christ, the law or gospel. For nothing is more evident than that God is, in scripture, considered as righteous Governor of the world, and we as criminals, guilty before him; and the evident design of Christ's death was, to be a propitiation for sin, to declare and manifest God's righteousness, that he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus. Rom. iii. 926. And the gospel knows nothing about a sinner's being justified in any other way than by faith, and by consequence, in order of nature, not till after faith. The gospel knows nothing about satisfaction for sin, in their sense; but every where teaches that the elect, as well as others, are equally under condemnation and the wrath of God: yea, are children of wrath while unbelievers. John iii. 18.36. Eph. ii. 3. Acts ii. 19.

Again; while they consider God merely under the character of a creditor, and us merely as debtors, and Christ as paying the whole debt of the elect; now, because Christ obeyed the law, as well as suffered its penalty, therefore they seem to think that Christ has done all their duty, so that now they have nothing to do but firmly to believe that Christ has done all: they have nothing to do with the law; no, not so much as to be their rule to live by; but are set at full liberty from all obligations to any duty whatsoever; not understanding that Christ gave himself to redeem his people from all iniquity, and purify them to himself, a peculiar people, zealous of good works, (Tit ii. 14.) and not understanding that our natural obligations to perfect obedience are not capable of being dise solved, (Mat. v. 17.) and not understanding that our obligations to all holy living are mightily increased by the grace of the gospel. (Rom. xii. 1.) Indeed, they seem to understand nothing rightly, but to view every thing in a wrong light; and, instead of considering Christ as a friend to holiness; as one that loves righteousness and hates iniquity, (Heb. i. 9.) they make him a minister of sin, (Gal. ii. 17.) and turn the grace of God into wantonness. All their notions tend to render their consciences insensible of the evil of sin; to cherish spiritual pride and carnal security, and to open a door to all ungodli

ness.

SECTION V.

SHOWING A DOOR OF MERCY IS OPENED BY JESUS CHRIST FOR A GUILTY WORLD.

I come now to another thing proposed, viz. III. To show more particularly what way to life has been opened, by what Christ, our mediator, has done and suffered. In general, from what has been said, we may see that the mighty bar which lay in the way of mercy is removed by Jesus Christ; and now a door is opened, and a way provided, wherein the great Governor of the world may, consistently with the honour of his holiness and justice; his law and government, and sacred authority, and to the glory of his grace, put in execution all his designs of mercy towards a sinful, guilty, undone world. But to be more particular,

(1.) A way is opened, wherein the great Governor of the world may, consistently with his honour, and to the glory of his grace, pardon, and receive to favour, and entitle to eternal life, all and every one of the human race, who shall cordially fall in with the gospel-design; believe in Christ, and return home to God through him.

What Christ has done, is, in fact, sufficient to open a door for God, through him, to become reconcileable to the whole world. The sufferings of Christ, all things considered, have as much displayed God's hatred of sin, and as much secured the honour of his law, as if the whole world had been damned; as none will deny, who believe the infinite dignity of his divine nature. God may now, therefore, through Jesus Christ, stand ready to pardon the whole world. There is nothing in the way. And the obedience of Christ has brought as much honour to God, and to his law, as the perfect obedience of Adam, and of all his race, would have done: the rights of the Godhead are as much asserted and maintained. So that there is nothing in the way, but that mankind may, through Christ, be received into full favour, and entitled to eternal life. God may stand ready to do it, consistently with his honour. What Christ has done is every way sufficient. Mat. xxii. 4. All things are now ready.

And God has expressly declared that it was the design of Christ's death, to open this door of mercy to all; John iii. 16. God so loved the WORLD, that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. That whosoever, of all mankind, whether Jew or Greek, bond or free, rich or poor, without any exception, though the chief of sinners, that believes, should be saved ; For this end, God gave his only begotten Son. He set him forth to be a propitiation for sin, that he might be just, and the justifier of him, (without any exception, let him be who he will,) that believeth in Jesus. Rom. iii. 25, 26.

Hence, the apostles received an universal commission. Mat. xxviii. 19. Go, teach ALL NATIONS. Mark xvi. 15, 16. Go ye into ALL the world, and preach the gospel to EVERY CREATURE Accordingly, the apostles proclaimed the news of pardon and peace to every one; offered mercy to all without exception, and invited all without distinction. He that believeth shall be saved; Repent, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, were declarations they made to all in general. To the Jewish nations they were sent to say, in the name of the King of heaven, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. come unto the marriage. Mat. xxii. 4. And as to the Gentile nations, their orders ran thus, Go ye, therefore: into the highways, and as many as ye find, bid to the marriage, (ver. 9.) To the Jewish nation God had been used to send his servants the prophets, in the days of old, saying, Turn ye, turn ye ; why will ye die? Ezek. xxxiii. 11. Ho, every one that thirsteth come. Isa. lv. 1. Incline your ear, and come unto me : hear, and your soul shall live, (ver. 3.) And now orders are given that the whole world be invited to a reconciliation to God through Christ. Whosoever will, let him come; and he that cometh shall in no wise be cast out. Thus Christ has opened a door; and thus, the great Governor of the world may, consistently with his honour, be reconciled to any that believe and repent. And thus he actually stands ready.

And now, all things being thus ready on God's side, and the offers, invitations, and calls of the gospel being to every one, without exception; hence, it is attributed to sinners themselves that they perish at last; even to their own voluntary conduct. Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. John v. 40. and they are considered as being perfectly inexcusable. John xv. 22. Now they have no cloak for their sin. And all because a way is opened, in which they might be delivered from condemnation; but they will not comply therewith. John iii. 19. This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. And therefore, in scriptureaccount, they stand exposed to a more aggravated punishment in the world to come. Mat. xi. 20. 24. Wo unto thee, Chorazin, wo unto thee, Bethsaida, &c. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell, &c. It shall be more tolerable for Tyre, and Sidon, and Sodom, in the day of judgment, than for these cities; because they repented not.

4

And now, because the door of mercy is thus opened to the whole world by the blood of Christ, therefore, in scripture, he is called the Saviour of the WORLD. 1 John iv. 14. The Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the WORLD. John i. 29. A propitiation for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD.1 John ii. 2. That gave himself a ransom for ALL. I Tim. ii. 6. And tasted death for EVERY MAN. Heb. ii. 9. The plain sense of all which expressions may, I think, without any danger of mistake, be learnt from John iii. 16. God so loved the WORLD, that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life*. And indeed, was not the door of mercy open:ed to all, indefinitely, how could God sincerely offer mercy to ...all? Or heartily invite all? Or justly blame those who do not accept? Or righteously punish them for neglecting so great salvation?

Besides, if Christ died merely for the elect, that is, to the intent that they, only upon believing, might, consistently with the divine honour, be received to favour, then God could not, consistently with his justice, save any besides, if they should believe: For without shedding of blood, there can be no remission. Heb. ix. 22. If Christ did not design, by his death, to open a door for all to be saved conditionally, i. e. upon the condition of faith, then there is no such door opened: the door is not opened wider than Christ designed it should be; there is nothing more purchased by his death than he intended: if this benefit was not intended, then it is not procured; if it be not procured, then the non-elect cannot any of them be saved, consistently with divine justice. And, by conse'quence, if this be the case, then, (1.) The non-elect have no right at all to take any, the least encouragement, from the death of Christ, or the invitations of the gospel, to return to God through Christ, in hopes of acceptance; for there are no grounds of encouragement given. Christ did not die for them in any sense. It is impossible their sins should be par