AND as we have grounded what we have ſaid in the Introduction upon the Revelations of God, which have acquainted us how Sin, and the Puniſhment of it, Death, entred into the World: So, in what is to follow concerning the Redemption of Mankind both from Sin and Puniſhment, we ſhall take our Riſe from Revelation likewiſe: Not only becauſe we had known nothing of the Matter, but by Revelation; but alſo becauſe, in the preſent Caſe, Revelation is undoubtedly the beſt Guide of our Reaſon. For, Reaſon muſt of neceſſity be guided beſt by that, without the Guidance of which, Reaſon it ſelf is confeſſedly blind. And we are very ſure, that it becomes all thoſe, who acknowledge the Scriptures to be the Revelations of God; I ſay, it becomes them, in modeſty and deference to the Author, and in prudence for their own more certain Conduct, rather to endeavour to bring their Reaſon to comply with the Revelation, than to bring the Revelation to comply with their Reaſon. And therefore that we our ſelves may practiſe what we cannot but judge to be beſt in the Practice of others, we ſhall lay the Ground-work of all that is to follow, upon the Words of St. Peter, in the Fourth of the Acts and the Twelfth Verſe; Neither is there Salvation in any other: For there is no other Name under Heaven given among Men, whereby we muſt be ſaved. In which Words the Apoſtle, and he too at that time filled with the Holy-Ghoſt (as appears by the Eighth Verſe) does expreſly tell us (for the Words do import ſo much) That Men muſt be ſaved by JESUS CHRIST of Nazareth, (conſult the Tenth Verſe) and by no other.

For it is evident, that by Name in the Text is meant Jeſus Chriſt himſelf; becauſe what he calls [Name] in one Part of the Verſe, is oppoſed to [any other] in the other Part of the Verſe: As in the Tenth Verſe he tells us, that the impotent Man was made whole by the [Name] of Jeſus Chriſt, in the beginning; and that he was made whole by [Him], that is, by Jeſus Chriſt, in the latter end of the Verſe.

Thoſe who profeſſedly and avowedly make it their Buſineſs to evacuate the Purchaſe of Our Saviour's Merits and Blood, do to that purpoſe ſtart, if not an impertinent, yet a very ſawcie Queſtion; which is, Whether or no God could not have ſaved ſinful Man by ſome other Means, than by the Death of his Son? And by that means would alter that very Queſtion, (which they alone have made a Queſtion) viz. Whether Jeſus Chriſt died for the Sins of Men? I ſay, they would alter it into another Queſtion, neither fit to be diſputed, nor poſſible to be determined by ſhort-ſighted Men; viz. What God can do, and what God cannot do? Whereas it is ſufficient for us to take Things as we find them; and if we find, that Things in the preſent Caſe are ſo ordered by God, and that he tells us, that they are ſo, as that ſinful Man ſhall not obtain Redemption but only by the Merits and Death of Jeſus Chriſt their Saviour: I ſay, if God tells us, and that too by repeated Declarations, that Things in the preſent Caſe are ſo ordered; we ought to acquieſce in ſuch his Declarations, and not employ our Vanity or Curioſity (for it can in no ſober Senſe be call'd our Reaſon) in enquiring Whether, much leſs in determining that they might or might not have been better ordered. But of this more hereafter.

At preſent therefore, and in the firſt place, we ſhall take the Matter of Fact to be juſt as the Scriptures have in moſt plain and expreſs Words told us it is; That Jeſus Chriſt died for our Sins; that he died to ſave Sinners, &c. And then, by comparing this Matter of Fact with other the Methods of the Divine Proceedings in the like Caſes, ſee if it will not afford us a very plauſible Argument of the Truth laid down, That there is not Salvation in any other.

Now if we carry our Obſervation through any other the Tranſactions of the Divine Love and Mercy, that do deſign to entitle Men to the ſame Salvation, we ſhall find, that God does never make uſe of extraordinary Means, where the ordinary are ſufficient. And therefore, when the Lord himſelf appeared to Saul in his Journey to Damaſcus, we find, that the Deſign and Effect of that Viſion was to refer him to Ananias for Inſtructions in his Duty. And ſo when the Angel appeared to Cornelius, the Buſineſs of his Meſſage was only to direct him to Peter, that ſo Peter might by the ordinary Means of Grace direct him into the Way of Salvation. And when Men have Moſes and the Prophets, it will therefore concern them in Duty and Intereſt to hear them, becauſe in ſuch Caſe God will not convince them by raiſing one from the Dead. In ſhort, as it is not the Method of the Divine Proceedings, ſo neither is it of Wiſdom it ſelf, to let the Meaſure of the Means exceed in their Proportion to the deſigned End. And in any Caſe whatſoever, where leſs Coſt or Labour is ſufficient, there common Prudence will by no means allow, and much leſs approve our Drudgery or Profuſeneſs. Now to bring what we have ſaid to our preſent purpoſe:

Since our Saviour, for the Eſtabliſhment of the Goſpel-Covenant, did actually take upon him Our Fleſh, and in that Fleſh ſuffer; it will afford us no ſlight Argument, that That Covenant could not have been eſtabliſhed upon more eaſie Conditions; becauſe our common Reaſon does aſſure us, that all Exceſs of Performance in the Caſe would have been Superfluity: And our Religion and Modeſty does forbid us to faſten any ſuch Imputation upon the Divine Counſels and Actions. And here we may well put Abraham's Queſtion, Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right? And when by the purpoſe of his Mercy he determined to reſcue faln Man from Sin and Miſery, ſhall he reject the Son of his Boſom, and expoſe him to all ſorts of Miſery in this World, and to Violence and Barbarity in his Departure out of it; when the Ranſom might have been made at a cheaper Rate? Certainly the Love of God is not ſo narrow and ſtinted, but that he both could and would have extended it to his loſt Creatures, and yet at the ſame time not have removed it from his only and beloved Son, if Juſtice and Wiſdom had allowed him ſo to do. But then, becauſe he himſelf tells us, that he did otherwiſe; and becauſe we know, that what he tells us, muſt be true; as well as, that what he does, is juſt and holy; therefore the Concluſion, that fairly offers it ſelf, is, That nothing leſs than the Incarnation, and Death of the Son of God could in Wiſdom and Juſtice have brought about the deſigned Redemption. To which we ſhall in ſhort add, That it is one of the certain Characters of the True God, that he brings his Purpoſes to paſs by the beſt, wiſeſt, and moſt proper Means.

And now having thus opened our Way to our main Deſign, by theſe few Reflexions on the Matter of Fact, as it is laid down moſt expreſly in the Scriptures: We ſhall in what follows go on to conſider the Merits of the Cauſe; and that we ſhall do, by examining, Whether or no Mankind had not brought themſelves into ſo forlorn a Condition by their Sin, that there does not appear in Juſtice any probable, or indeed any poſſible Way for their Salvation, but only by the Incarnation and Death of the Son of God.

And that there did not, will (I preſume) appear, when we have conſidered and confirmed the following Propoſitions; whereof the

Firſt is, That Miſery and Death, or, in one word, that Vengeance is, as the Juſt, ſo alſo the Neceſſary Wages of Sin.

And here, before we begin, to prevent, as much as poſſible, all Objections that may be ſtarted againſt what we ſhall deliver, we muſt deſire the Reader to take notice, that we do at preſent only make it our Buſineſs to meaſure the Equity of the Puniſhment of Sin by the exact and rigorous Laws of Juſtice: That is, we do (as we muſt, if we will do right) conceive Things in that State, in which they had ſtood, had the Son of God never been deſigned for the Saviour of the World. For, becauſe our Buſineſs at preſent is to enquire, what would have become of ſinful Man, if the Son of God had not interpoſed for his Reſcue; therefore we ſtand obliged at preſent to take other Meaſures in accounting for the Proceedings of the Divine Juſtice, than what our Experience acquaints us with in this World. For while we live here, we come within the Compaſs, and ſo enjoy the Benefit of that Relaxation of the Law, which was the Purchaſe of our Saviour's Merits; and therefore we cannot truly paſs a Judgment upon the exact Proceedings of the Divine Juſtice, from the Contemplations of thoſe Proceedings of Juſtice which we ſee in this World, and which, upon that account, come within the compaſs of that Relaxation. To know therefore, whether the Incarnation, Life, and Death of our Saviour were neceſſary for Man's Redemption, we muſt enquire, what had become of ſinful Man, if the Son of God had not become his Saviour. And if upon that Enquiry it ſhall appear, that Vengeance without any Remedy had been his Portion; then it will alſo appear (at leaſt) a probable Concluſion (for we ſhall adventure no farther, becauſe we are utter Strangers to the unſearchable Depths of the Divine Wiſdom) That Mankind had brought themſelves into ſo forlorn a Condition by their Sin, that there does not appear to us any poſſible or juſt Way for their Redemption, but only by the Incarnation, Life, and Death of their Revealed Saviour, the Son of God.

This Caution then being laid down, and well obſerved, the Firſt Propoſition, viz. That Puniſhment or Vengeance is the Juſt and Neceſſary Wages of Sin, will appear more eaſie and rational.

And for aſſerting the Truth of it, we lay it down in the

1. Firſt place, That God is in his own Nature Holy. This does neceſſarily fall in with our very Notion of a God; becauſe it is a Contradiction to our very Conceptions of a Deity, to ſuppoſe any Wickedneſs or Turpitude in him.

2. We lay it down, ſecondly, That God loves himſelf. This will eaſily be allowed, for more Reaſons than one; both becauſe the Notion is Natural and Univerſal, that all Living Things do ſo; as alſo becauſe God cannot but be ſuppoſed to be the moſt Noble and Adequate, as well as Natural Object (if I may ſo ſpeak) of his own Love. Nay, ſome Men have ſtreined this Point ſo far, as to tell us, that the great and infinite Complacency that God takes in himſelf, and in his own Perfections, would never have allowed him to condeſcend to his Work of Creation, and by that Means to have allowed any of his Love and Good-will to low, mean, and inferiour Creatures (as the beſt of Creatures are, if compared to him) if the Son, who is the Word of God, had not interpoſed upon that Occaſion; and ſo they make him a Mediator of Creation, as well as of Redemption. But laying that aſide at preſent, as being nothing to our purpoſe; it may ſuffice for our Deſign, that whatever Love God bears to his Creatures, it cannot be ſuppoſed, but that he not only loves, but that he does alſo chiefly, and in the firſt place, love himſelf.

Theſe Two Things then being laid down, That God loves himſelf; and, That he is in his Nature Holy; the Inference that we ſhall make, before we proceed any farther, muſt be, That he cannot otherwiſe chuſe but hate and abhor whatſoever is contrary to ſuch his Nature: And, becauſe all Sin and Wickedneſs is ſo; that therefore he cannot chuſe but hate and abhor all Sin and Wickedneſs. And hence it is, that the Scripture acquaints us, that the carnal mind is enmity with God; that is, all Sin and Wickedneſs is ſo. For we may as rationally conceive, that a Man, who entertains and makes much of Sin, does love God; as we may, that God, who in his Nature is Holy, can love Sin, which is directly contrary to ſuch his Holineſs. This Inference then, from the Two former Propoſitions, being thus in ſhort laid down, and made good; we go on, and add in the

3. Third place, That the Life and Happineſs of all God's Creatures is only the Effect of the Divine Good-will and Pleaſure. For undoubtedly, it was he that made us, and not we our-ſelves. And taking it for granted at preſent, that he did ſo; I would in the next place enquire, Whether we did deſerve ſuch our Beings, or not? If it be anſwered, That we did not; then we have what we deſire, and that is, that the great and firſt Bleſſing, that ever God beſtowed upon us, was by him freely beſtowed, without any poſſible Merit in us; and therefore, that it was the free Effect of his Good-will and Pleaſure. But if any Man ſhall be ſo ſilly, as to think, that he could deſerve his Being of God; then to make good ſuch his Conceit, it will be expected (and that too, for ever; for the Expectation will never be anſwered) that he ſhould make it out, that Nothing may have Something of Merit in it; and, that what as yet is not, may have wherewithal to lay an Obligation upon Omnipotence.

And as our Being was the free Effect of the Divine Good-will and Pleaſure; ſo alſo are all thoſe Bleſſings which do attend it. For with our Beings he did alſo beſtow upon us all thoſe Faculties, which ſhould entertain any other Thing whatſoever. And as he made our Faculties, ſo did he all Things elſe, which can poſſibly gratifie thoſe Faculties. And that there is any Harmony or Agreement between thoſe Faculties, and their Objects, is undoubtedly owing to him, who was the original Contriver and Author of both. And therefore in the

4. Fourth place, I would offer it to Conſideration, That it is only the Exerciſe of God's Good-will towards us, that does indeed and truth make way for the Exerciſe of his Juſtice upon us; Becauſe we could never have undergone the Severity of the laſt, if we had never been made Partakers of the Bounty of the firſt: And therefore, when God does puniſh us for our Sins by his Juſtice, that Puniſhment does nothing elſe, but only ſtrip us of ſomething, which we had before received from his Mercy. And this, upon a ſerious Conſideration, will appear to be true, whether the Puniſhment inflicted do deprive us of our Eaſe, Peace, Safety, or even of Life itſelf. For, what have we, that we did not receive; ſince in him we live, and move, and have our Being?

5. Fifthly, I would offer it to Conſideration, Whether when God takes any Thing from us, which, upon the account of his Good-will and Pleaſure, he had beſtowed upon us; I ſay, Whether in ſuch a Caſe the true and juſt Reaſon, why he does ſo, is not, becauſe we by our Sins have turned ſuch his Good-will towards us, into his Diſpleaſure againſt us? For, if what he beſtowed was the Effect of his Goodwill; and if (as God made us holy and upright at firſt) he cannot but continue the ſame Good-will towards us, ſo long as we continue as he made us: Then we may be aſſured, that ſo long as he continues ſuch his Good-will towards us, ſo long he will continue the Effects of ſuch his Good-will too. And if we were not aſſured of this, then it might be all one as to us, whether God were well-pleaſed with us, and loved us, or not. For, if the Loſs of ſuch good Things, which are the Eſſects of God's Good-will to us, may (while we continue holy and innocent) be once made conſiſtent with ſuch his Good-will; then farewel to all Diſtinction as to the Juſtice of Rewards and Puniſhments: For, in ſuch a Caſe it may be the ſame thing, whether we pleaſe God, or diſpleaſe him; becauſe we may loſe the Effects of his Favour, that is (according to the Tenor of the laſt Head) we may be puniſhed as well for our Innocence, as for our Wickedneſs; or, at the very beſt, we may be puniſhed for Nothing. No! no! As God's Diſpleaſure is contrary to his Good-will and Favour; ſo the Eſſects and Conſequences of that Diſpleaſure muſt be contrary to the Effects and Conſequences of ſuch his Good-will and Favour too. This is the Voice of Nature, and this the Voice of Juſtice; and therefore alſo this is the Voice of Truth. And then, as we ſhewed before, that all the good Things, that we do or can enjoy, did proceed purely and meerly from God's Good-will; ſo I do now add, that our Sins do naturally turn that Good-will into Diſpleaſure; and then the Good-will ceaſing, all thoſe Emanations, that flowed from it, muſt in courſe ceaſe alſo. And then, becauſe where they ceaſe, there the Sinner's Puniſhment does begin; therefore we may now from the Whole begin to perceive, that the Puniſhment of Sin is not ſo arbitrarious a thing, as it is uſually taken to be; but that it does, when traced to the beginning, depend upon the ſame Neceſſity, by which God loves himſelf. For, if we ſum up all our Diſcourſe upon this Head from the beginning, we ſhall underſtand, That God loves himſelf; That he is in his own Nature Holy; That therefore he hates whatſoever is contrary to ſuch his Nature; That all Sin therefore is ſo, becauſe it is contrary to his Holineſs; That the Effects of his Hatred muſt be contrary to thoſe of his Love; or, at the very beſt, That the Emanations of his Love muſt then be ſtopped, when that Love is turned into Hatred and Diſpleaſure; That when his Creatures loſe thoſe Emanations, then their Miſery begins; That all thoſe Creatures muſt needs loſe them, that loſe that Love, from whence alone they do proceed; and, That they loſe that Love by their Sins; becauſe (as we ſaid before) Sin, and Sin alone, does turn it into Hatred and Diſpleaſure. So that (if we may be allowd ſo to ſpeak in Morality) there is an eſſential Relation between Sin and Puniſhment; and the Neceſſity of Puniſhment (when narrowly ſcann'd) is founded upon the eternal and immutable Laws of Truth, Holineſs, and Juſtice.

But before we leave this Head, I would (if that be poſſible) make all a little plainer by an Inſtance: And that Inſtance ſhall be in that Puniſhment, which the firſt Sin brought upon the whole Race of Mankind. And I do the rather take my Inſtance there, becauſe the Law was given and broken, and ſo the Penalty both threatned and incurred, when there was no Saviour to remit the rigorous but juſt Execution of ſuch Penalty.

Now we are aſſured by the Reaſon of the Thing it-ſelf; (as we have already diſcourſed) But if that will not do, we are aſſured by God's Word, by his Promiſe, by his Oath, that he neither wills, nor delights in the death of a Sinner. And when he ſwears ſo to us, it would be both proper and modeſt in us to believe, that there is ſomething in Sin, which does oblige God in Juſtice (and that is the ſame thing with God, as to be obliged by Neceſſity) to puniſh it with Death. And to this purpoſe we may take notice, that it is derogatory to God's Honour, for us to reſolve any Puniſhment, which we ſuffer, into God's Will only, and not into his Juſtice. Becauſe (as we ſhall preſently perceive) when God wills the Death of a Sinner, he therefore only wills it, becauſe Juſtice does require it, and that (in the Nature of the Thing) antecedently to ſuch his Will. For, if the Death of a Man ſhould be therefore juſt, only becauſe God wills it, tho' the Man do not deſerve it; then it may be all one as to the Event, and that juſtly too, whether a Man were perfectly innocent, or the moſt profligate Miſcreant upon the Face of the Earth. For, according to that Doctrine, which we now oppoſe, God might in ſuch a Caſe juſtly will the Death of the Innocent, and ſave the Criminal alive. For, if the ultimate Reſolution of the Juſtice of our Death be only into the Will of God, then nothing can hinder, but that God may juſtly ſlay a perfect Innocent. And ſo when God told Adam, that in the day of his Tranſgreſſion he ſhould ſurely die; the Meaning of his Threat muſt have been, that he might have died, whether he had tranſgreſſed or not. But becauſe we cannot without Blaſphemy tax God's Law of ſuch notorious Prevarication; therefore we muſt determine, that the ultimate Reſolution of Adam's Puniſhment in ſuch Caſe, muſt be into the Deſert of ſuch Puniſhment by the Breach of the Law, and that God's willing his Death was a juſt Conſequent of ſuch his Deſert. In ſhort; God wills ſuch things only, which he can will juſtly; and he, who will rationally, and truly account for the Proceedings of God, in that and ſuch like Caſes, muſt have a care to do it ſo, as to maintain the Harmony of all his Attributes. He muſt not magnifie his Power, no nor his Mercy ſo, as to impeach his Truth, Wiſdom, and Juſtice: For he, who confounds the Events of Innocence and Guilt, will be found (when his Opinion comes narrowly to be ſcanned) to make God either a Favourer of Sin, or an Enemy of Righteouſneſs. The Sum of all is, That when God tells us, that Death is the Wages of Sin, he does not therefore paſs it into a Law, becauſe it pleaſes him ſo to do; but becauſe it is juſt in it-ſelf, that he ſhould do ſo: And that if it had not been juſt in it-ſelf, he had not upon that ſingle Account willed it at all. So that upon the whole, it does remain a fixed and ſetled Truth, That Death is the Wages of Sin by the eternal and immutable Laws of Iuſtice and that it cannot be otherwiſe, ſo long as God loves himſelf, and ſo hates whatſoever is contrary to himſelf and to his Nature, as all Sin moſt undoubtedly is. And therefore when any Man ſins againſt God, as by ſo doing, he does of neceſſity forfeit God's Favour; ſo alſo by conſequence, he does by neceſſity forfeit his own Life, which has nothing elſe to depend upon, but that Favour alone.

And as a Temporal Death upon Sin is neceſſary, becauſe both threatned and incurred before the Promiſe of a Saviour; ſo after the Saviour has laid down his Mediatorial Office, an Eternal Death will be found to be ſo too. I word it ſo, leſt my Caution before this Head ſhould by this time be forgot. Now, if it be not an Eternal Law of Juſtice, that Puniſhment is the neceſſary Reward of Sin; then it may be all one, as to the Event, (and that juſtly and finally too) whether a Man depart this Life the beſt or the worſt Man in the whole World. For, if there be not ſome Law of Juſtice, that ſhall at the laſt Day diſtinguiſh the Event of their contrary Courſes, then nothing can: And if that Juſtice be not neceſſary (let the Means, by which it is not ſo, be what they will) the Difference between their Condition can be but caſual, (or at the very beſt, but arbitrary) and ſo we muſt leave them both to a grand Perhaps; which will be in effect to deſtroy all Religion and Juſtice.

There is one thing againſt this Diſcourſe, of weight and moment; which tho' I ſhall profeſſedly anſwer in another Place, yet ſhall not go unmentioned here: And that is, That if the Puniſhment of Sin be abſolutely juſt and neceſſary, then how came it to paſs, that God did in his Counſel deſign, and in his Wiſdom appoint a Saviour, in order to the Pa • don of Sin? For, in Order of Nature the Deſign of Pardon muſt be antecedent to th • Deſign of ſending a Saviour: And therefore if the Puniſhment of Sin be, as it is la • down, both juſt and neceſſary, God's Deſign of Pardon going counter to this Law, ſhould ſeem to be unjuſt. For how could he juſt • deſign to pardon That, which in Juſtice an • Neceſſity he ſtood obliged to puniſh?

Now to this ſeveral Things may be anſwered. As,

1. Firſt, That God did never deſign 〈◊〉 pardon Sin, but only in and through a Sav • our. And how far ſuch his Deſign, unde • ſuch a Reſtriction and Limitation, is ju •• is very much the Buſineſs of that part of th • Diſcourſe, which in its Place is to follow, an • therefore muſt not be foreſtalled here.

2. That notwithſtanding a Saviour, ye • God did never pardon any ſinful Creature All the Sinners, that we know, are the fal • Angels and Men. What the Scriptures acquaint us with concerning the firſt, we know well enough: And among ſuch Things, 〈◊〉 know alſo, that it gives us an Account 〈◊〉 the Puniſhment of their Sin. And as fo • Men; thoſe of them that ſhall be ſaved a • laſt, in conſideration of their Saviour's Merits, do yet in this World ſuffer Loſſes an • Croſſes, and Pains, and Diſeaſes, and Death. All which are undoubted Puniſhments of Sin • And for the reſt, who ſhall by a final Impenitence reject the Benefit of the Saviour's Purchaſe (beſides the Calamities which they ſuffer in common with the Good in this World) the Scriptures do acquaint us ſufficiently with their Doom in the next. So that if it may be an Argument, that Puniſhment is the neceſſary Reward of Sin, becauſe all Sinners have, do, and ſhall ſuffer Puniſhment; then God's deſigning of a Saviour for Mankind, in order to their Pardon, does not take off the Force of ſuch Argument; becauſe, notwithſtanding ſuch his Deſign, and ſuch Saviour, no Sinner whatſoever did, or ever will go unpuniſhed.

3. But then, thirdly, It is a Miſtake, that the Salvation of Man from Puniſhment was the immediate and direct Deſign in God's Counſel of ſending a Saviour. For, as we ſhall ſee hereafter, [See Chap. 12.] the Buſineſs of our Saviour's Coming was to bring back Mankind to his Father's Kingdom, who had been drawn into a Revolt from his Dominion and Juriſdiction, by the Sollicitations of the Devil, and had thereby put a Slight upon the Authority of the King of all the World, and ſo, in ſome ſenſe, leſned the Extent of his Kingdom. Now thoſe whom our Saviour ſhall ſo bring back to their Allegiance, by reſtoring them to their loſt Holineſs, ſhall indeed be ſaved: But then their Salvation is a Conſequence of their Return to Holineſs; and ſo was not properly the Deſign of God's ſending a Saviour, but the Conſequence of the Succeſs of ſuch Deſign.

4. If we ſhould ſuppoſe or allow ſuch a thing as an Abſolute Forgiveneſs; then we muſt alſo allow, that it may be the ſame thing, whether a man has been the beſt, or the worſt Man in the whole World. For an Abſolute Forgiveneſs, in the Reaſon and Nature of it, may as well be extended to the one, as to the other. For, let what Reaſon ſoever be aſſigned, why it may not; and that very Reaſon (be it what it will) will prove the Forgiveneſs not to be abſolute. For, that Forgiveneſs cannot be ſo, that is limited or reſtrained by any Reaſon whatſoever.

5. An Abſolute Pardon does throw a Slur upon God's Wiſdom, no leſs than it does ſo upon his Juſtice. For, the Law being his, againſt which we have tranſgreſſed, and he having in that very Law threatned Vengeance upon ſuch as ſhall tranſgreſs it; if after the Tranſgreſſion he ſhould grant an abſolute Pardon to ſuch Tranſgreſſion, he would by ſuch a Pardon as much void and annul the Law, as he had by his Threatning eſtabliſhed and confirmed it: And ſo it might come to the ſame paſs, as to the final Event, whether he had made any Law or no. For, what is the Difference, not to make a Law, and not to execute it? And therefore St. Paul, pointblank to our purpoſe tells us, in the Third to the Romans, the Fifth and Sixth Verſes, That if God ſhould not execute Vengeance, he would not only be unrighteous, but that alſo he could not judge the World. And we may add, that he would not only be unrighteous, but (conſidering the Contrariety that would be between his Practice and his Law) he would be unwiſe alſo. And therefore,

6. Laſtly, The laſt Judgment, and that Deſcription that we meet with of it in Gods Word, do fully aſſure us, that he has no ſuch Deſigns in his Counſels, as to throw away his Laws to gratifie his Enemies with Impunity.

From all which Reaſons, and (as we do believe) from each of them in particular, it ſeems ſatisfactorily evident, that a Goſpel-Pardon of Sin is no abſolute Pardon: And that therefore, when God does in the Goſpel promiſe Pardon of Sin, there muſt be ſome previous Conditions, that muſt be obſerved in order to ſuch a Pardon. And what Share our Saviour has in the Performance and Accompliſhment of ſuch Conditions, we ſhall learn hereafter.

In the mean time, before we diſmiſs this Chapter, we muſt not diſſemble, that it may be ſurmiſed, and therefore alſo, that it may be objected, That tho' there ſhould be no alſolute Goſpel-Pardon, that yet there may be an arbitrary Goſpel-Pardon; and that there are ſome Expreſſions in the New Teſtament, that lean that way, and may at leaſt incline us to believe, that there is ſuch a Thing. But becauſe we are ſure, that no Pardon can come from God, but what is juſt; and becauſe we know that Arbitrary Juſtice is only one Branch of Arbitrary Power, and therefore is in reality no Juſtice at all (for it is only a reſolute Determination of the Will, without any Reaſon for ſuch Determination) therefore we are ſure, that it cannot belong to God. For all his Actions are limited and bounded by his Holineſs, that is, by the Eternal Rules of Reaſon and Juſtice: And he only therefore wills what he pleaſes, becauſe he neither does not can pleaſe to will any thing, but what is Juſt.

One thing more I would add to this Head, before I leave it; and that is this: That tho' the Angels are very glorious and exalted Creatures, and, by the Account we have of them in the Scriptures, are placed in a much higher Scale in the Creation than Man, and ſo are far above him; yet ſtill, becauſe they are Creatures, they are therefore at as great a diſtance from God, as Man himſelf is: For, their Diſtance from him is infinite; and there are, we know, no Degrees in Infinity. Now, becauſe the Expiation of Sin is to be made to God, and to God alone; and becauſe there is an infinite Diſtance between God and Angels, as well as there is between God and Man: I ſay, for theſe Reaſons, we can no more think the Interpoſition of an Angel effectual for making an Atonement and Expiation for Sin, than we can think the Interpoſition of a Man to be ſo. And if we ſhould ſuppoſe a ſort of Creatures a thouſand, nay, ten thouſand or more times as much above Angels, as Angels are above Men; yet becauſe, after ſuch a Suppoſition, even this ſort of Creatures are as much below God, as Man is; and becauſe the Expiation of Sin, if attempted by ſuch Creatures, is to be made to God; therefore we cannot think, that the Dignity of their Station can contribute any thing at all towards the making their attempted Expiation effectual. And we know, and that too by unqueſtionable Proof, that the Dignity of the faln Angels (and among them, one of them Son of the Morning, whatever that ſignifies; but we may be ſatisfied, that it ſignifies ſomething excellent) but, I ſay, we know, that the Dignity of the faln Angels did not ſo far avail them, but that God provided and accepted an Expiation for faln Man; whereas he left them in the Hands of Juſtice, to attend the Events of their own Deſerts. So that, for ought we can diſcover, either by Revelation or Reaſon, the Dignity of no Creature whatſoever does qualifie him to make an Expiation for thoſe Sins which he ſhall commit againſt the Creator. For, in this Caſe, the Diſtance between the Party offended, and the Party offending, being infinite, there cannot poſſibly be any Mediation or Expiation, that can extend it ſelf to both the Extremes. And therefore, we ſhall at laſt, from what has been ſaid upon this Head, conclude, That no Creature, tho' never ſo much above Man, can ever make an Expiation to God for the Sins of Man.

5. Fifthly, and laſtly: As no ſinful Creature can ever by its Puniſhment expiate its own Sins, or the Sins of any other Creature; ſo no innocent Creature can do the laſt, that is, no innocent Creature can ever expiate the Sins of any ſinful Creature. For, in ſuch a Caſe, it muſt, in order to its undergoing the Puniſhment juſtly, firſt take upon it the Sin willingly; and ſo, by putting it ſelf into the Place of the Sinner, muſt firſt be ſuppoſed to be ſuch a Sinner it ſelf, before it can undergo the Puniſhment due to its Sin. But then, when any Creature is ſuppoſed to lie under the Burden of ſuch Sin, it is at the ſame time ſuppoſed to be in the ſame Condition with the Original Sinner himſelf: For, when the Puniſhment comes to be transferr'd from the laſt to the firſt, it is therefore ſo transferr'd, becauſe the Law allows the Act of the Surety, by which he has owned and accepted the Sin to be his own: And then the Law in ſuch a Caſe makes no difference between the Surety and the Principal. And if the Law makes no difference, then, as to the Buſineſs of Puniſhment, we may be therefore ſure, that there is none, becauſe both are Creatures, and both are Sinners. If therefore (as we ſhewed before) the Principal could not by his Puniſhment (had he undergone it himſelf) have expiated his Guilt; then, for the ſelf-ſame Reaſons, the Surety will alſo be unable to expiate the ſelf-ſame Guilt. So that the Concluſion of this Head will be, that as no ſinful Creature is able to unload its ſelf of its Sin by its Puniſhment; ſo no Creature (be it never ſo innocent) will be able to do it, by being puniſhed for its Fellow-Creature. And therefore, as we do not know, that any of the Bleſſed Angels, who retained their Innocence, did ever interpoſe for the Redemption of thoſe that fell, ſo we do moſt aſſuredly know, that tho' they did interpoſe, the Event did not anſwer; becauſe we know, that the Condition of thoſe that fell, does continue deſperate: Nay, there do not want probable Reaſons to perſuade, that the faln Angels themſelves do not interpoſe for their own Redemption in any kind, no not ſo much as by Prayer: Which, if it be true; as it is a good Argument of their Deſpair, ſo it is a probable Argument, that they have no Mediator, in whoſe Name they may put up ſuch their Prayers, and for whoſe ſake they may with any probability hope, that they will be accepted. And yet all this while we have no Reaſon to doubt, but that That noble Charity, which muſt needs accompany a perfect and unſpotted Innocence (ſuch as that of the Holy Angels is) would be inclined to engage it ſelf one way or other for the Redemption of their faln Brethren, did not their Prudence check and controul ſuch a poſſible Inclination. And then, if ſuch their Prudence do not conſiſt in One of theſe Two Things, that is, that they either think or know, that ſuch their Interpoſition would be either ſawcie or vain; we can hardly upon any other ground excuſe their Neglect of ſuch their Interpoſition.

In One Word; The Scriptures have acquainted us, that ſome of the Angels have ſinned, and that their Condition thereupon is become deſperate: But the Scriptures have not acquainted us, that they have any Mediator to intercede with God in their behalf, or to make Expiation for their Sin. And, as we may be ſatisfied, that were an Expiation made, their Sin muſt in Juſtice be remitted; ſo may we, that if any of the good Angels had taken upon himſelf to make ſuch Expiation, he muſt, in order to his ſo doing, have taken upon himſelf the Sin; and ſo he muſt have brought himſelf into the very ſame Condition with thoſe that fell; and that therefore he would have been juſt as unable as they, to free himſelf from ſuch Condition. No! no! We do, or may know well enough, that Sin has Weight enough in it to cruſh both Men and Angels. Experience has acquainted us with the firſt; and Revelation has aſſured us of both. And then the Concluſion is eaſie; That he who in ſuch a Caſe could relieve either, muſt for that Reaſon be more powerful than both. And when we come to make it out, that he who did ſo, was ſo, we ſhall then begin more plainly to perceive, that there is not Salvation in any other; tho' moſt of what we have hitherto offered, has directly tended to the ſame Deſign.

But before we proceed any farther, we ſhall make ſome few Remarks upon what has been already laid down, that may have an Induence upon our Practice.

1. And firſt, From what has been offered, we may take notice of the great Malignity of Sin. For People would hardly ſin ſo freely, if they thought Sin ſo deadly. And yet a little Reflection will tell us, that Sin has ſlain all Mankind from the time of Adam to the time of the Expiration of the laſt Man that died. We may think the Plague, the Sword, the Famine, great Deſtroyers: They are indeed the Beeſoms of Deſtruction, and, where they come, make great Devaſtations among Mankind; but when we have taken a View of the Deſolations cauſed by them, and by all other Miſeries and Miſchiefs beſides, we muſt know, that as Sin has been the Parent of them all, ſo has it been alſo of all thoſe Calamities and Deſtructions, that all of them have produced: And becauſe it has ſo, therefore we take notice in the

2. Second place, That God's Juſtice is no ſuch trifling Thing, as is but too generally thought. For, there is no Sinner, who ever eſcaped being a Sufferer. For, if all the Miſeries which we ſuffer in this World (and thoſe are neither few, nor light) do come from our Sins, as moſt certainly they do; then we may be eaſily ſatisfied, that even thoſe Sinners, whom yet God does treat with the greateſt Kindneſs of all others, do yet never go without the Marks of his Diſpleaſure. And if he does correct his Children with Rods (and we may be ſure, that he never does that, but he does it with Juſtice too) then, for the ſame Reaſon, we may believe, that he will chaſtiſe his Enemies with Scorpions. And upon this Account we ſhould take care to hear the Rod, and who has appointed it; and ſhould make ſuch good uſe of the Miſeries which we ſuffer in this World, as to let them put us in mind to flee from the Wrath to come. For, if we will not hearken to God's Voice, when he chides us, we ſhall at laſt, when he comes to ſmite us, ſink under the weight of his Hand; and if we neglect his Diſpleaſure, we ſhall fall under his Fury and Indignation.

3. If God in the greateſt and higheſt Inſtance of his Mercy, with which he has acquainted us in his Goſpel, has not allowed us an Abſolute Pardon; but has even in that his Covenant of Grace required Conditions of us, in order to our being made Partakers of that Pardon, which is the Purchaſe of our Saviour; then it does highly concern us, that we take care to perform the Conditions on our Part, that ſo we be not excluded from the Benefits of ſuch Purchaſe. For, tho' it be moſt certain, that we ſhall not be ſaved by our Repentance alone; yet it is as certain, that we ſhall not be ſaved without it. No! He who has purchaſed our Ranſom, has in ſuch his Purchaſe provided for God's Honour, as well as for our Safety; and, notwithſtanding his Purchaſe, has taught us, that we ſhall forfeit the laſt, if we take no care of the firſt. Let us therefore look upon our ſelves, as we are in our ſelves, that is, as forlorn, miſerable Wretches: Let us acknowledge our ſelves ſuch to God: Let us quit our Sins, which have made us ſuch: And (as we have by ſuch our Sins hitherto rebelled againſt him) let us for the future reſolve to comply with his Will, that is, to the uttermoſt of our Power, to obey his Laws: Let us be heartily ſorry, that we have been ſo fooliſh, as ever to have done otherwiſe. And when we have done all this, then let us joyfully accept, and thankfully acknowledge the Deſigns of his Pity towards us, and the Proviſions that he has made for our Safety in a Saviour. For, this is the Way to bring that Salvation, which he has pr ••• ded for Mankind, I ſay, to bring it home to our ſelves, and to make it our own. And I may add, that this is the only way for us to do ſo: For, as there is not Salvation in any other, but in Jeſus Chriſt alone; ſo there is not any poſſible Way for us to make our ſelves Partakers of this Salvation, but by Repentance.

4. Laſtly, Becauſe we have ſeen, that the Condition of the faln Angels is forlorn and deſperate, for want of a Saviour to expiate their Sins; therefore this Conſideration ſhould enhance and magnifie our Praiſe to God, that whereas he has in his Severity paſſed by thoſe glorious and exalted Creatures, and ſo has left them to the Stroke of pure and unrelenting Juſtice; yet he has not dealt ſo with us Men, weak and ſinful Duſt and Aſhes. Lord, what is Man, that thou art thus mindful of him? or the Son of Man, that thou ſo regardeſt him? Therefore, Bleſſing, and Praiſe, and Honour, and Glory, be to him that ſitteth on the Throne, and to the Lamb for evermore.

To ſum up all then in a few Words: As it is a Preſumption to meaſure all Poſſibilities by the Standard of our own Reaſon; ſo is it, to meaſure all poſſible Unions by the ſame Line: For there are actually ſeveral real Unions, which muſt be confeſſed to be ſo, which yet we ſhould never have known, if we had not been made acquainted with them by Revelation. And where Divine Revelation (and that too acknowledged by us for ſuch) does in as plain Words as can poſſibly be made uſe of, diſcover to us the Perſonal Union of God and Man; and when it does moreover, by ſeveral Gradations, gently lead us (if our Wilfulneſs or Conceitedneſs do not make us hang back) I ſay, when the Revelations of God do gently lead us into ſuch a Belief, how dare our ſhort-ſighted Reaſon contradict the Truth of the Diſcovery, or limit the Efficacy of Omnipotence? Do not we know, that in him we live, and move, and have our being? and that if he were not preſent with us, we could neither think, nor reaſon, nor perform any the ordinary Actions or Offices of Life? And do we think his Power ſo reſtrained, that he cannot, when the Purpoſes of his inſinite Mercy and Goodneſs invite him to it, I ſay, do we think, that he cannot more intimately unite himſelf to any of us, than he has done in the more familiar and ordinary Ways? We believe, that he will do ſo in another World; and it muſt be ſomething very far out of our reach, which neither Eye hath ſeen, nor Ear heard, nor can enter into the Heart of Man to conceive. And yet we need not at all queſtion, but that God can make a more intimate Union between himſelf and Man, than what will be requir'd to our deſigned Happineſs: And therefore, when he tells us, that he has done ſo, it would be very proper for us to reſign our ſhallow Reaſon, and to take his Word.

One Remark I would leave here, before 〈◊〉 leave off this Head; and that is, That tho in the Inſtances produced it has appeared, that Angels often, and that (at leaſt probably) God ſometimes has appeared to Men in Humane Bodies; and that they have in ſuch Bodies exerciſed ſeveral Functions of an Humane Life and Nature; and that therefore they were ſo united to ſuch Bodies, that, to the Apprehenſions of the Beholders, they were judged to be an Union of God and Man; yet we do not all this while either aſſert, or pretend to maintain, that thoſe Unions were ſuch, or ſo intimate, as that which was exhibited to us in the Incarnation of our Saviour. For, we have not offered the ſeveral Inſtances of Divine Appearances to explain the Manner how the Union is made, but only to facilitate the Credibility of it. For, if we are once ſatisfied of the laſt, it is no great matter, tho' we are ignorant of the firſt. For, a reaſonable Belief of the Poſſibility of the Thing, will wipe away all Arguments that ſhall pretend to maintain its Abſurdity; and the Poſſibility of it, when backed with ſeveral expreſs and literal Revelations of its Certainty, will be abundantly ſufficient to make our Belief of it certain. Thoſe who pretend to go farther, and are not contented till they offer to others a nice Explication, how this, and other ſuch like Myſteries are brought to paſs, do only place themſelves in the Dark, and ever after that ſtumble and founder at every Step they take. It is better in ſuch Caſes to be modeſt and wiſe; and truly we ſhall therefore approve our ſelves wiſe, if we keep our ſelves modeſt. Alas! we know not how any one Effect in Nature is produced, tho' ſuch Things lie expoſed to our narroweſt Search and Diſquiſition. And if we are Strangers to the Methods of God's Working in theſe ordinary and obvious Things, with which we daily converſe, why ſhould we pretend to trace him in his deeper and more myſterious Counſels; in ſuch Things, which he has cover'd with a thicker Veil; Things, that are hid from Principalities and Powers, and ſuch as the Angels themſelves deſire to look into? In ſuch Caſes then it is well enough with us, if we have ſufficient Ground for our Faith, tho' we can diſcover nothing to gratifie our Curioſity. And our Faith in ſuch Truths muſt then be ſtronger, and more firm, when we have not only the expreſs and plain Word of God, that ſo Things are; but when w • have alſo the concurrent Satisfaction of ou • own Reaſon, that ſo they may be. And i • any thing that has been ſaid, may but only ſo far help our Faith in the Article of the Incarnation, then I hope that we ſhall no longe • queſtion it, much leſs contradict and gain • ſay it, and leaſt of all deſpiſe and ridicule it.

But tho' I would willingly hope, that wha • has already been offered may help to perſuad • the Poſſibility, and therefore alſo the Cred • bility of the Incarnation; yet I do not at a • queſtion, but that a great many other Thing will fall in to confirm and ratifie ſuch a Po • ſibility. For, when we ſhall come to mak • out the Expiation made by our Saviour, w • ſhall then perceive ſuch an Harmony an • Congruity between that Expiation and th • Incarnation, that we ſhall be ſatisfied, that a • thoſe Revelations, which mention the one, d • at the ſame time confirm the other; and tha • the Truth of each is therefore the more certain and firm, becauſe the Support is mutual. Which they ſeem to be aware of, who endeavour to invalidate the Doctrine of the Incarnation; becauſe for that purpoſe they neverr boggle in their Attempts to evacuate an • make null the Doctrine of a Goſpel-Redemption; and break through a multitude of expreſ • Texts, not to ſay the Tenor of the whole Goſpel, to make good ſuch their Attempt. But we muſt leave the farther Proſecution of theſe Things to another Place, becauſe when they are laid together, their Evidence and Reaſonableneſs will appear more plain and ſatisfactory.

In the mean time, I would offer ſome Practical Conſiderations from what has been already laid down; that ſo the Doctrine delivered may as well promote our Piety, as increaſe our Faith.

Now the Doctrine of our Saviour's Incarnation in order to our Redemption, does contain in it

1. Firſt, Matter of Praiſe and Thankſgiving; and,

2. Directions how to pay ſuch Praiſe and Thankſgiving, as we ought.

In our Proſecution of the Firſt of which Things, I would deſire all Chriſtians ſeriouſly to conſider, that they ought the more heartily and devoutly to praiſe God our Saviour, that he was pleaſed to take upon him our Fleſh, in order to our Redemption, becauſe our Condition, by reaſon of our Sins, was ſo deſperate and forlorn, that neither our own Repentance, nor our own Puniſhment, no nor the Puniſhment or Interpoſition of the Angels, could ever have redeemed us from that Curſe, which we, by ſuch our Sins, had brought upon our ſelves. For, as for our ſelves, it is moſt certain, that we are leſs able to return to our Innocence, after we have ſinned, than we were to retain our Innocence before we had loſt it. For, every Sin (as our ſad Experience may eaſily inform us) weakens our Ability to reſiſt Sin; and it is far more eaſie to preſerve our Innocence, than to reſtore it: And then, when our Ability is made weaker, and our Buſineſs is become greater, we may eaſily judge, that ſuch our Buſineſs is very likely to go undone. For which Reaſon, as well as for ſeveral others, formerly mentioned, we may be ſure, that when we had once brought our ſelves into a ſinful, and, for that Reaſon, into a miſerable Condition; we had, by the ſame Means, put it out of our Power to redeem our ſelves from ſuch Sin, and from ſuch Miſery. And it is as certain, that no Man ever was or will be • able ſo to do, as it is certain, that all Men are Mortal: For, Death is the Wages of Sin. And as the Experiment has paſſed the Teſt, that Mankind cannot ſave it ſelf from its Sin; ſo it has as good as done ſo, that neither can the Angels ſave it: For if they could, then they would in Nature firſt have done ſuch a Kindneſs for themſelves. But the Condition of the faln Angels diſcovered to us by Revelation, aſſures us, that there is no Poſſibility for them to do ſuch a Kindneſs for themſelves; and then Reaſon will tell us, that neither can they do it for Man. Herein then was the Love of our Saviour manifeſted, and mightily inhanced, that he was pleaſed to ſtep in for our Reſcue, when we can diſcover no other Way for our Eſcape. And, if there be not Salvation in any other, then we may be ſure, that our greateſt Praiſe and Acknowledgments are due to him, who alone could bring us Salvation, and who alone has brought it; and ſo has not refuſed us that Mercy, which he alone was qualified to beſtow.

2. We ought to magnifie and praiſe our Saviour, not only becauſe he was pleaſed to undertake our Redemption, when he alone could make good ſuch an Undertaking; but that alſo, to make ſuch his Undertaking good, he was pleaſed to take upon him our Nature, and to come down to us in that Nature. The Condeſcenſion of the Mercy ought to magnifie his Praiſe in our Mouths, and in our Hearts too; and with Aſtoniſhment, and an humble Adoration, we may well cry out with the Pſalmiſt, Lord, what is Man, that thou art thus mindful of him? or the Son of Man, that thou ſo regardeſt him? We know well enough, that God does every day ſtoop to the Relief of our Neceſſities: His Eye goes through the World, and all Things are under his Inſpection and Care; and he, who feedeth the young Ravens, that call upon him, and cloaths the very Graſs of the Field with Ornament and Beauty, does alſo provide for the Support and Welfare of him, who is made after his own Image. But then this is the Care of his ordinary Providence: And becauſe the Providence is ordinary, therefore alſo it is too generally neglected by us, an • the Familiarity of it does bring it into Contempt. But when he engages himſelf to fre • us from a greater Miſchief than Famine 〈◊〉 Nakedneſs, that is, from our Sins, then, a • the Mercy is greater, ſo alſo is the Method, b • which he brings it to us, more wonderful an • aſtoniſhing. For, in this laſt Caſe, he doe • not only ſtoop to our Wants, but to our Co • dition alſo: And he, who would not execu •• his Judgments upon Sodom, till he came dow • to ſee, whether the Cry of their Sins were ſ • or no, would neither beſtow his greateſt Bleſſing without a perſonal Viſit. He brough • the Salvation, which he deſigned to beſtow and then appeared in the greateſt Humility when he was about to diſplay the Glory o • his moſt endearing Attribute. For, his Con • deſcenſion, then to take upon him the Form of a Servant, when he deſigned to become a Saviour; nay, therefore to do the Firſt, be • cauſe he deſigned to be the Laſt, was Mercy mixed with Sweetneſs; and when he put on • our Condition, in order to the conveying ſuch his Mercy to us, we ſtand bound in Gratitude to acknowledge the Condeſcenſion, as well as the Mercy. We receive the Favours of great Perſonages (eſpecially if they do them to us in Perſon, and not by Proxie) with Deference and Reſpect: And tho' it may perhaps be but a Smile, or a gracious Nod; yet becauſe even ſuch little Things bring along with them the Tokens of a condeſcending Kindneſs, they are therefore entertained with a joyful Welcome, as well as with an humble Acknowledgment. If therefore we would but behave our ſelves in proportion to our condeſcending God, as we do to our condeſcending Fellow-Creatures, we ought in reaſon to receive his Viſit to us, that brings Salvation with it, not only with humble Acknowledgments, but with humble Adorations too. And when we find, that he does not diſdain to take care in his own Perſon (if I may ſo ſpeak) of our Happineſs and Salvation, we ſhould be officiouſly ambitious of ſetting forth his Honour and Praiſe, for ſuch his Condeſcenſion, and for ſuch his Care.

3. We ought to praiſe our God, not only that he condeſcended to be united to our Nature, and ſo to take upon him our Condition, in order to our Redemption; but his Praiſe ought ſtill to be ſo much the more magnified, that he ſtooped to Sinners, as well as Creatures; and that the grand Deſign of his Condeſcenſion, was the Saving of his Enemies. We ſtand at an infinite Diſtance from him, as we are his Creatures; but we ſtand in an infinite Oppoſition to him, as we are Sinners. In the Firſt Caſe we are capable of his Bounty; but in the Laſt, we forfeit his Mercy; and had he obliged us to ſtand the Award of our own Deſerts, Vengeance had been, as our miſerable, ſo our juſt Portion. Now our Natural Senſe tells us, that a Favour to an Enemy is at leaſt a double Favour: It requites Good for Evil, and does a Man a Benefit, even againſt his own Endeavours. Now he, who has ſo much Bowels of Mercy, as to relieve his Enemy; as he has a very noble Temper, ſo he deſerves a very noble Character. But ſtill this Character muſt run higher, if he ſhall reſcue his Enemy from that Miſchief which he had pulled upon himſelf by his Enmity towards his Deliverer. And this is the Caſe of ſinful Man with Relation to his Saviour: For our Sins had not only deſerved, but had alſo provoked the Plagues of Juſtice; they were Acts of Hoſtility againſt God, and carried in them Malice, as well as Ingratitude. And in ſuch a Caſe, Reaſon and Juſtice will teach us to expect, that abuſed Omnipotence ſhould vindicate it ſelf with Severity of Vengeance. But the Condeſcenſion and Mercy of our Saviour has taught us otherwiſe, and may eaſily convince us, that the Hoſtilities of impotent Creatures do not always extinguiſh the Love of him that made them; that he pities the Peeviſhneſs, and even Wilfulneſs of his Children; and that he ſo conſiders their Weakneſſes and Imperfections, that, in commiſeration to their feeble Condition, he lets his Pity take place of his Severity, and is ſo far from dealing with them according to their Deſerts, that he interpoſes for their Reſcue; for their Reſcue from the Folly, and from the Vengeance of Sin; and even ſtoops to the Lowneſs of their Condition as Creatures, that he may ſave them from the Miſery of their Condition as Sinners. And becauſe in doing ſo, he does many ways make the Wonder of his Love and Condeſcenſion appear ſtill greater and greater; therefore it will be our Duty more and more to magnifie him for ſuch his Condeſcenſion, and for ſuch his Love.

4. We ought to praiſe God our Saviour, as that for our Redemption he was pleaſed to condeſcend to our Condition, by being clothed with our Fleſh; ſo alſo, in that by being ſo clothed, he paſſed the faln Angels, and took not their Nature upon him. It is a Remark made by the Author to the Hebrews, that he took not on him the Nature of Angels, but he took on him the Seed of Abraham. I know well enough, that it is objected, That the Original imports, that he took not hold of the Angels, but he took hold of the Seed of Abraham; and it is confeſſed, that the Greek will admit and approve ſuch an Interpretation; and (which is more) the Interpretation is cloſe and proper ſo far as concerns the Language; but then it is not full, ſo far as concerns the Context: For when we are told before, that he took part of the Fleſh and Blood whereof his Children were made; and when we are told immediately after the Words, that in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren, that he might be a merciful High-Prieſt; we may eaſily allow, that he took on him the Nature of ſuch his Children, and of ſuch his Brethren. But that by the by, to aſſert and make good the Propriety and Validity of our Engliſh Tranſlation, againſt the Adverſaries of the Incarnation. But more directly to our purpoſe: Since the Son of God, the Saviour of Mankind, was pleaſed to interpoſe for the Redemption of faln Man, but did not do ſo for the Redemption of faln Angels; it muſt be confeſſed, that the loſt and forlorn Condition of the one, when compared to the reſtored Condition of the other, muſt needs afford a weighty Argument of Praiſe and Thankſgiving to Man, when he finds his own Safety and Welfare preferred by the Saviour, to that of Angels, and has not only a Poſſibility, but alſo the comfortable Hopes and (if it be not his own Fault) an Aſſurance of that Salvation, of which they muſt for ever deſpair. Now, Natural Reaſon might perhaps incline us to think, that the Reſcue of the faln Angels by a Saviour might therefore have been a more honourable Purchaſe, becauſe the Angels are a more noble Creature; and the Dignity of ſuch a Creature might ſeem to countenance the preference of ſuch a Purchaſe. But in theſe Things our Reaſon is ſhort-ſighted, and we may eaſily judge amiſs, becauſe we judge in the Dark. Thus much, however, to our preſent purpoſe, we are ſure of, and that is, that it is a greater Condeſcenſion to ſtoop to the Relief of an inferiour Creature; and that where there is ſuch a Condeſcenſion, there that Creature is obliged to the greater Gratitude. And this is confeſſedly our Caſe; and therefore ſuch Gratitude is undoubtedly our Duty. Let us therefore with Heart and Voice rejoice in this miraculous Salvation of our God; the Salvation which old Simeon ſaw, and embraced before his Death; the Salvation, which St. John, the Beloved Diſciple, tells us, was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have ſeen with our Eyes, which we have looked upon, and our Hands have handled of the Word of Life: That is, in a few Words; The Word of Life, the Son of God, the Saviour of the World, by his Incarnation made manifeſt to our Senſes, and by the ſame Incarnation qualified to be our Sacrifice, our High-Prieſt, our Redeemer. To him therefore be Glory and Praiſe in all Churches of the Saints. Amen.

But that we may learn to praiſe him aright, both for the Greatneſs and Condeſcenſion of his Mercy too; let us take theſe few, and following Rules, to guide us in our Practice of ſuch Praiſes. For a verbal Thankſgiving is too poor an Offering for ſo ſuperlative a Bleſſing; and to praiſe God, who ſearches the Heart, with our Lips, when we do not do it with our Hearts, is in deed and truth to mock him. That we may not therefore increaſe our Sins, when we pretend to perform our Duty, we may do well to guide our Gratitude in the Caſe by theſe following Directions. And,

1. Did our God condeſcend to take upon him our Fleſh, that he might by his Inſtructions, by his Example, by his Life, and by his Death, purchaſe to himſelf a peculiar People, zealous of good Works, and ſo from a ſinful and degenerous Condition, exalt us to a State of Holineſs, and by conſequence of Happineſs? Then we ought to meet our God in ſuch his gracious Deſign; and by lifting our Hearts towards Heaven, and ſo by ſetting them upon Heavenly Things, to endeavour to be holy, as he is holy. It is a noble Ambition, and complies with the Counſel and Deſign of his Incarnation: For it will engage our Souls in higher Flights of Duty, and render us fit Inhabitants of that Place, where Holineſs is both the greateſt Happineſs, and the greateſt Ornament. For, tho' ſome of God's Attributes are ſo peculiar to himſelf, that they are utterly incommunicable to any of his Creatures; ſuch are his Omnipotence, his Omniſcience, and the like; yet there are others, which he has not only propoſed to our Imitation, but which alſo he has commanded us to imitate; and ſuch are his Love, his Mercy, his Juſtice, in one Word, his Holineſs. And therefore he does require us to be holy, becauſe he is holy. And it would be no hard matter to make it out, that his Holineſs is his prime and leading Attribute, ſuch as guides and conducts all the reſt: And therefore tho' he be Omnipotent, yet for all that, he cannot do any thing that is unjuſt, becauſe he is holy. Does God then allow, nay require us to imitate him in his prime and leading Attribute, and by ſtooping to our Nature, provoke us to exalt that Nature ſo far, as to make our ſelves like to him in thoſe Things, for which his Praiſe is chiefly celebrated? Then let us for once gratifie our Ambition the right way; and tho' we are but Men, yet let us in this attempt to make our ſelves like to God, as he in his Incarnation was pleaſed to make himſelf like to us. The Attempt is great and generous, and worthy the Endeavours of our beſt Endowments, and moſt noble Faculties: For, if we chearfully caſt off our Sins, and, by a conſtant and ſincere Practice of Holineſs, do make it our Buſineſs to be like our Saviour, holy and undefiled, as he our High-Prieſt was, we ſhall in ſome ſenſe lift our ſelves above the Earth, even while we inhabit in it; and tho' we cannot get up to Heaven, yet we ſhall, by that means, bring Heaven down into our Souls, and ſo ſhall in ſome meaſure anticipate our conſummate Happineſs. And ſince the grand Deſign of our Saviour's Humiliation in his Incarnation, was to engage us to this holy Ambition; let us have a care, that we do not defeat ſuch his Deſign, and our own greateſt Hopes.

2. Did our Saviour, by taking our Fleſh and Blood, and ſo uniting it to himſelf, conſecrate our Nature to the great and noble Purpoſes of Holineſs and Mercy? And did he alſo, by ſo doing, ſo intimately unite us to himſelf, that we are Fleſh of his Fleſh, Bone of his Bone, and Members of his Body? Then this ſhould teach us, to have a more ſacred and eſpecial Care, by no means to pollute That, which he has ſo conſecrated. And therefore what St. Paul ſays in the Caſe of Fornication, [Shall I take the Members of Chriſt, and make them the Members of an Harlot? God forbid,] that we may ſay in all other like Caſes; Shall we take the Members of Chriſt, and make them the Members of a Drunkard, of an unclean, of an intemperate Perſon, or indeed of any other Sinner whatſoever? God forbid. For, we ſhould be aſhamed to abuſe our Bodies, which by his Incarnation are ſo nearly allied to his Body, that they are the ſame Fleſh and Blood with it: I ſay, we ſhould be aſhamed to abuſe them by ſuch Practices, which we muſt needs know, his Soul abhors: And this our Shame ſhould therefore be attended with the greater Confuſion, becauſe whereas he took upon him our Fleſh, that in that Fleſh he might work out our Salvation; we, when we employ it in any Sin, do indeed employ it to its own utter Ruine and Damnation. Let us therefore have a care, that we be ſober, chaſt, temperate; becauſe otherwiſe we bring a Scandal upon our greateſt Friend and Benefactor: For, by abuſing our own Bodies, when we our ſelves are Members of his Body, we do by the Slander of ſuch our Doings abuſe his Body alſo.

And here I take my ſelf to be obliged to leave a Mark upon one Practice too too general among Chriſtians; and that is, That when they do profeſſedly pretend to commemorate the Infinite Mercy of their Saviour's Incarnation, they are ſo far from doing it in a way agreeable to his Honour, that, inſtead of that, they do too commonly do it by Exceſſes, Surfeitings, and Drunkenneſs: And ſo when they pretend to offer to God, for their Saviour's Incarnation, the Praiſes of Men, by their Manner of doing it, do render themſelves more vile than Beaſts. Which Practice, as it is in it ſelf profligately vile and wicked; ſo it has brought ſuch a Scandal upon the Duty by ſuch its Wickedneſs, that not a few (and thoſe too devout and zealous Chriſtians, tho' their Zeal and Devotion does indeed want Wiſdom) have leaped over into the other Extreme, and have utterly diſallowed any Commemoration of the Infinite Bleſſing at all. So eaſily do fooliſh Men run into Extremes on both Sides, and leave the Golden Mean to be practiſed only by a few, that is, by the truly Wiſe.

But to return to our Deſign, which is to make it out, That the Incarnation of the Son of God is a Means wiſely, as well as mercifully ordained for making good the Expiation of Sin: Let us firſt hear what the Spirit ſaith, who in the Fourth to the Epheſians, the Fourth and Fifth Verſes, tells us, That when the Fulneſs of Time was come, God ſent forth his Son, made of a Woman, made under the Law, (that is, his Son was Incarnate, and was under the Law, and therefore made ſo, as to be obliged to be obedient to it) to redeem them that were under the Law, that we might receive the Adoption of Sons. And when we are told in one place, That the Son of God was manifeſted for this very purpoſe, that he might deſtroy the Works of the Devil; and in another, That he was manifeſt to take away Sin: And when to anſwer to, and explain the Meaning of theſe Places, we are aſſured from other Places, that at leaſt one Way of his taking away Sins was by the Sacrifice of himſelf, as in the Twenty ſixth Verſe of the Ninth to the Hebrews; and that he appeared for that very purpoſe, in the ſame Place: And when we add to all this, what we find in the Fifth Verſe of the following Chapter, that God had prepared him a Body; and in the Tenth Verſe, that we are ſanctified (that is, our Sins are put away) through the offering of the Body of Jeſus Chriſt once for all, who (as St. Peter ſpeaks) his own ſelf bare our Sins in his own Body on a Tree: I ſay, when the Spirit of God does all along in the Scriptures expreſly and categorically tell us, That our Saviour ſuffered in his Body, ſhed his Blood, loſt his Humane Life for our Sins, for the Remiſſion of Sin, for the Redemption of Sinners; when it does in ſeveral Places compare his Death to the Expiatory Sacrifices under the Law; when it calls him the Lamb of God, (alluding to the Paſchal Lamb) that taketh away the Sins of the World; when it tells us, that he is the Propitiation for our Sins, and the like; It does by theſe, and ſuch like Expreſſions (as much as Words can do it) acquaint us at the ſame time, that he ſuffered in his Body, and died to atone for and to expiate our Sins. And therefore all the uncouth and forced Interpretations of theſe and ſuch like Texts (which yet are a multitude) that attempt to evacuate their plain Meaning, may as ſoon perſuade an honeſt and ſincere Man, that the Scriptures both of the Old and New Teſtament are a Book full of Colluſion and Prevarication, as they may, that Jeſus Chriſt our Saviour did not die to expiate the Sins of Mankind. And were I not aſſured of God's Providence, I ſhould be apt to fear, that the Devil might in time ſo bring Things about, that if he could upon Pretences of Reaſon wipe away that Part of the Bible that concerns our Saviour's Incarnation, and the Relation which that has to Man's Redemption, that he might at laſt raiſe his Hopes of blotting out the whole Chriſtian Religion. For, to tell us, that our Saviour is only ſuch a Man, as other Men are, but only conceived in a different, and therefore more wonderful manner; to tell us, that he died patiently, tho' wrongfully, only that he might give us an Example of an exact Patience, and of an entire Submiſſion to God's Providence; to tell us, that he was ſlain a Sacrifice only to confirm the Covenant of Grace, but that there was no ſuch Deſign in his Death, as to ſuffer for, or to expiate our Sins; as it is a notorious Contradiction to, and not an Expoſition of the Scriptures; ſo, for that very Reaſon, it will appear to have a direct Tendency towards the overthrowing the Grand Deſign of the whole Book of God: All which, to them who ſhall ſcan the Scriptures exactly, is directed to, and does center in the Saviour, and that Redemption which he purchaſed for Mankind by his Death and Merits.

Having therefore thus in ſhort taken notice of what the Scripture tells us, concerning the Expiation of Sin by the Suſſerings of our Saviour; and having already made it out,

1. That no Creature can by any means expiate the Sin of Mankind; and,

2. That our Saviour is God Incarnate, or God and Man united in One Perſon, we do, in purſuit of our main Deſign, lay it down in the

For, it having appeared, as to Matter of Fact, and that too by moſt expreſs Declarations of Scripture, that our Saviour was made an Expiatory Sacrifice for Sin; and it having alſo appeared, that he did by his Incarnation accommodate his Condition to the making good of ſuch Expiation, and that too in a Way very agreeable to our Natural Senſe and Reaſon: The next Thing to be ſpoken to, is, the Matter of Right, or whether or no he could make ſuch Expiation in Juſtice? But before we proceed to ſpeak to That, it will be proper that we make ſome Inferences of weight and moment, from what has been already ſpoken. And,

1. By what has been ſaid, it appears plainly, That tho' our Saviour made good the Purchaſe of our Redemption by his Death and Reſurrection; yet that ſuch his Purchaſe ſhall not be fully made over to us, till our own Reſurrection. That he made good the Purchaſe, his Reſurrection is a Demonſtration: For, becauſe the Wages of Sin is Death, and becauſe he died for our Sins, and not for his own, and becauſe after ſuch his Death he roſe again, and becauſe ſuch his Reſurrection was a Diſcharge from the Penalty of thoſe Sins, for which he died; I ſay, from all theſe Things it is evident, that he accompliſhed his deſigned Purchaſe, that is, he made good his Expiation by his Death and Reſurrection. But then, on the other ſide, becauſe it is moſt certain, that we are not redeemed from the Curſe or Penalty of the Law, till we are redeemed from Death; and becauſe we are not redeemed from Death, till we riſe from the Dead, that is, till our own Reſurrection; therefore it is as evident, that till ſuch our Reſurrection we are not put into the Poſſeſſion of ſuch his Purchaſe. And therefore (ſtrictly ſpeaking) no Man (be he who he will) is • actually juſtified in this Life. For, becauſe every Man that lives ſhall certainly die, and becauſe Death is the Penalty threatned to Sin by the Law; it therefore grates too hard upon our common Senſe, to tell us, that any Man is then juſtified, when he is not only liable to the Vengeance of the Law, but when he is alſo ſure in a little time to undergo ſuch Vengeance. If therefore any Man be, according to a Goſpel-eſtimate of Righteouſneſs, a righteous or good Man, we may upon that Account ſay, (and we ſhall ſay true) that he is in a juſtifiable Condition; but we cannot truly ſay, that he is a juſtified Perſon. Juſtification then in the Execution belongs to a future Life, and not to this. And when we ſhall come to diſcourſe on the ſecond Thing contained in a Goſpel-Salvation, which is a Reſtitution to Holineſs, and the Conſequent of it, the Gift of Eternal Life, we ſhall then be more fully ſatisfied, that Juſtification cannot belong to any Man in this World, becauſe no Man in this World is reſtored to that Holineſs, which was loſt by the Tranſgreſſion of the Law; and becauſe no Man ſhall be compleatly and actually juſtified, till he be ſo reſtored.

2. Becauſe the Expiation of our Sin by our Saviour, and by conſequence the Pardon of Sin by God, is not Abſolute, but Conditional; and becauſe ſome of thoſe Conditions, upon which ſuch Pardon does depend, are to be performed by us, ſuch are our Repentance, Converſion, and the like; and becauſe, laſtly, our Condition in this World is ſuch, that there will of neceſſity be required Time for our Performance of ſuch Conditions: Therefore we do conclude, that as our Saviour has purchaſed for us ſuch Conditions, in order to our Redemption; ſo has he alſo purchaſed for us a longer Term, in which we may perform ſuch Conditions. For, it is evident, that the Denunciation of the Law upon the Tranſgreſſion of it, is, [In the Day thou eateſt thereof, thou ſhalt ſurely die.] And in ſtrict Juſtice and Reaſon, the Puniſhment is then to be inflicted, when it becomes due; and it then becomes due, ſo ſoon as the Law is broken: For, were it not due then, it would never become due at all. Now becauſe we find, and that too by Experience, that notwithſtanding not only Adam's Sin, but our own Sins too, we do not preſently die; but that God waits our Return, that he may be gracious to us; and becauſe we know, that ſuch his Patience and Forbearance is therefore extended to us, that we may by our Repentance qualifie our ſelves to be made Partakers of that Expiation, which is made by our Saviour, (for, there is not Salvation in any other) therefore we do at laſt conclude, that the Grant of a Space for Repentance is the Purchaſe of our Saviour. For, it would have been the ſame thing for our Saviour to have made no Purchaſe for us at all, if ſuch his Purchaſe had been clogged with ſuch Conditions on our Part, which it was utterly impoſſible for us to perform: And it had been utterly impoſſible for us to make out our Repentance, and Amendment, if we had not been allowed a competent Time to make them out in.

And what we have ſaid concerning God's allowing of a competent Time in which Sinners may perform the Conditions of the Covenant purchaſed by the Saviour, that we ſay alſo concerning the Means which are neceſſary for ſuch their Performance: Such are his Word, the Succours and Aſſiſtance of his Spirit, his Sacraments, and whatever elſe does uſually come under the Title of Means of Grace. For, it is not conceivable, that our Saviour ſhould purchaſe for us the End, and yet leave us without the Means, which are neceſſary for the bringing about ſuch End. But yet becauſe the Means to enable us to perform the Conditions required of us in order to our Salvation, are not, nor indeed can poſſibly be that very Salvation, for which they are deſigned or employed as means; and becauſe, while we live in this World we are required, and it is neceſſary in it ſelf, that we always have, and alſo employ ſuch Means to the purpoſe of our Juſtification; and laſtly, becauſe it is ſo far from being neceſſary, that it is neither proper, no nor wiſe, to employ any Means for any End already attained; therefore what we obſerved under our laſt Head, will ſtill remain true; and that is, That no Man is actually juſtified in this Life.

3. From what has been ſaid, we take notice, That tho' Afflictions in this Life are undoubtedly the Executions of Juſtice; yet (which is owing to our Saviour's Purchaſe) there are always couched in ſuch Afflictions Deſigns of Mercy. For tho', as they look backward, they have an Eye to our Sins; yet, as they look forward, they have an Eye to our Amendment, or, at leaſt, to our Reſtraint. For, had we died for our Sins, according to the Law, we had been both immediately puniſhed for our Sins paſt, and had by the ſame Means been prevented from ever ſinning for the time to come. (For, a Death without a Reſurrection, had proved a ſure and everlaſting Prevention.) But (as we have ſeen) our Life being continued in conſideration of our Saviour's Purchaſe (tho' Afflictions are laid upon us during the Reprieve) and tho' ſuch Afflictions do confeſſedly come from the Hand of Juſtice; yet they are never laid on without a Deſign and Mixture of Mercy: And therefore, as they are the Puniſhments of Sins paſt, ſo they are deſigned as Means of Grace for the time to come: And by the wiſe Counſel of our merciful and gracious God are employed (chiefly indeed for our future Reformation) but at leaſt for our future Reſtraint; and ſo are one, and a great Branch too, of what we call Reſtraining Grace.

As therefore we took notice under our laſt Head, that the Reprieve of Man from the immediate Execution of the Sentence of the Law, was the Purchaſe of our Saviour, and that ſo Man's Life came to be continued, notwithſtanding his Tranſgreſſion; ſo under this Head we may obſerve, that tho' Sin, during ſuch Continuance of Life, cannot be reſtrained by Death; yet the Juſt, Merciful, and All-wiſe God has not, even in ſuch Circumſtances, left it without all Reſtraint; but has by Afflictions fitted ſuch a Curb for it, which (notwithſtanding the Saviour's Purchaſe) is an irrefragable Proof of his Juſtice: But tho' it be ſo, does in no wiſe encroach upon ſuch Purchaſe, but rather promotes the Deſign of it. For, a Life continued in order to the Performance of thoſe Conditions, by the Performance of which Man, in and through his Saviour, may obtain Salvation; A Life, I ſay, continued to ſuch a Purpoſe, is more likely to anſwer to ſuch Purpoſe, if its Attempts after ſinful Commiſſions be reſtrained, than it could be, were ſuch Attempts left free and at large. For which Reaſon, ſuch Reſtraint, tho' it be cauſed by Afflictions, does rather fall in with, than controul the Deſign of our Saviour's Purchaſe. And tho' it be confeſſed, that ſuch Reſtraint is not ſo efficacious for the Prevention of future Sins, as Death without any Reprieve had been, (for, in the laſt Caſe the Prevention had been neceſſary, whereas in the firſt it is at the moſt but poſſible) yet it muſt be confeſſed alſo, that it is moſt wiſely ſuited to the Circumſtances of thoſe, about whom it is employed; and that for this Reaſon, Becauſe all Reſtraint being deſigned either to keep or to make them Good, it is neceſſary, in order to either, that it be left to their own Choice, whether they will improve it to either, or both Deſigns, or no: For, there can be no Goodneſs at all, without ſuch Freedom. By all which we may at laſt underſtand, that tho' Afflictions, as well as Death, are the Wages of Sin; and tho' God does not let the reprieved Life of a Sinner paſs on without the Tokens of his Diſpleaſure, that is, in the preſent Caſe, without Afflictions; yet that it is owing to our Saviour, that all ſuch Afflictions are employed as Means of Preventing Grace: Whereas otherwiſe, the Prevention of Sin by a Death without a Reprieve, that is, a Death without a Saviour, and ſo without a Reſurrection, had been no Means of Grace at all, but only pure and mere Puniſhment.

4. Laſtly, From what has been ſaid, I take notice, that our Saviour, by his Expiation of Sin, did not purchaſe for us an Abſolute Freedom from Death, ſo that by vertue of ſuch his Expiation we ſhould not die at all; but only a Releaſe from Death, ſo that after our Death we ſhould be raiſed to Life again. This I ſpake to before; and the thing is as certain, as it is certain, that all Men do die; and therefore I ſhall ſpeak no farther to it at preſent: Only one Quaere I would make upon it, and that is this; Whether, becauſe the Law required Death as the Puniſhment of Sin, and becauſe our Saviour, for the Purchaſe of our Redemption, and for the fulfilling of the Law, was neceſſitated in his own Perſon to undergo Death; I ſay, Whether upon this Account God, by a Mixture of Mercy and Severity, might allow his Expiation to extend no farther than only to releaſe us from Death after we had ſuffered it, but not to prevent us from ſuffering it at all? But, as I ſaid before, I leave this as a Quaere, becauſe the Scripture ſpeaks nothing to it, and ſo the Reſolution of it lies in the dark. Only I thought it not amiſs to mention it, becauſe it may help to inſtruct us in the very great Malignity of Sin: As moſt undoubtedly that muſt be very pernicious to God's Creatures, which is downright Enmity to him, who made them, and which is not wholly expiated by our Saviour himſelf.

However, the Wiſdom and Harmony of God's Truth, Juſtice, and Mercy do ſeem to me, from what has been ſaid, to ſhine forth very conſpicuouſly in his Counſel for the Redemption of Mankind.

For, tho' God executes that Death upon Man fatally, which, upon his Tranſgreſſion of the Law, he threatned peremptorily; and ſo, notwithſtanding the Death of our Saviour makes good the Truth of his Threat by the Execution of the Penalty: Yet for all that, he does not ſo execute ſuch Penalty, but that he firſt allows Man a Reprieve for a time, to make himſelf a fit Subject for his Saviour's Purchaſe; and, ſecondly, he grants him a Releaſe from Death by a Reſurrection, to capacitate him to be put into the actual Poſſeſſion of ſuch Purchaſe.

Again, tho' the Life of Man, continued in Conſideration of his Saviour's Merits, be ever and anon overcaſt with Afflictions; and tho' ſuch Afflictions are a Puniſhment for his Sins, and ſo a Proof of God's Juſtice: Yet ſtill thoſe very Afflictions are, in Conſideration of his Saviour, turned into Means of Grace, and ſo are a merciful Diſcipline to ſecure him from thoſe Miſchiefs, which otherwiſe might retard or defeat his Purſuit after the purchaſed Pardon and Inheritance.

BUT notwithſtanding the Multitudes of ſuch Declarations in his Word, which do avowedly and profeſſedly acquaint us with this great Truth; yet for all that, it has met with many Adverſaries: Who, as they have endeavoured by odd and very uncouth Interpretations to expound away the plain and categorical Aſſertions of ſuch Declarations; ſo have they alſo to back ſuch their Expoſitions with Arguments taken from Natural Reaſon. Now it may be reaſonably expected, that thoſe Reaſons ſhould be very good, and well-grounded, which pretend to make good ſuch an Interpretation of God's Word, which at firſt View is a downright Contradiction to ſuch Word. And becauſe all thoſe Interpretations, which attempt to annul the Expiatory Sacrifice of our Saviour, are ſuch; therefore, before we proceed any farther, we cannot but take notice, that it looks preſumptuous at leaſt to pretend to meaſure, and much more is it ſo, to controul the Juſtice of the Divine Counſels and Actions, laid down expreſly and frequently in his acknowledged Word, by ſo uncertain a Standard as Humane Reaſon; becauſe it is impoſſible, that ſuch Reaſon ſhould comprehend all Poſſibilities; eſpecially ſuch, which are confeſſedly brought to paſs by the more ſignal and extraordinary Power of an Omnipotent Arm. But however, becauſe ſuch Attempts have been made, we will conſider ſome, and the chief too, of thoſe Allegations which have been offered in oppoſition to thoſe plain and expreſs Diſcoveries, that God in his Word has made to Man, of the Method of his own Proceedings in the Forgiveneſs of their Sins.

1. And firſt, It is pleaded againſt the Juſtice of our Saviour's Suffering in order to the obtaining of our Pardon, That ſuch Sufferings cannot therefore be juſt, becauſe in Juſtice and Equity they are due to us, and not to him. For, ſince the Juſtice of the Puniſhment muſt ariſe from the Demerit of the Delinquent, the Puniſhment can in Juſtice be only laid on there, where the Demerit is lodged. And therefore, if our Saviour was not the Sinner, (as moſt certainly he was not) neither ought he in Juſtice to be the Sufferer. And to confirm this Way of Arguing, we have the Voice of God himſelf aſſuring us, that the Father ſhall not ſuffer for the Iniquity of the Son, nor the Son for the Iniquity of the Father, (that is, one Soul ſhall not ſuffer for the Sins of another) but the Soul that ſinneth, that ſhall die, in the Eighteenth of Ezekiel. And, which is yet a great deal more, God does there appeal to the Senſe of Mankind for the Equity and Juſtice of ſuch his Proceedings. Now then, if every Sinner ought in Juſtice to bear his own Burden, how can it poſſibly be juſt, that the Puniſhment of our Sins ſhould be laid upon another, who was in no wiſe guilty of thoſe Sins? And then, laſtly, if the Vengeance due to our Sins could not in Juſtice be laid upon another; then neither can it be true, that God does therefore remit ſuch Vengeance to us, becauſe our Saviour has ſuffered in our ſtead. And by conſequence, the Forgiveneſs of our Sins cannot either in Reaſon or Juſtice depend upon our Saviour's Sufferings. And if it does not, then it muſt be a Miſtake at leaſt to affirm, that God's Forgiveneſs of our Sins is juſt and equal; and yet at the ſame time to maintain, that he does forgive them in Conſideration of our Saviour's Sufferings. The Objection (you ſee) looks plauſible at the firſt ſight; but yet, when it comes to be ſtrictly examined, will (as will appear by and by) ſignifie juſt nothing. For,

1. There is no doubt made by any of Mankind, that we know of, but that in ſome Caſes one may become a Surety for another; and that if the Principal fails in the Performance of his juſt Obligations, the Surety (ſo far as he ſtands bound for him) is obliged in Juſtice to anſwer and make good ſuch Obligations. This among Mankind is taken as a Thing granted in all thoſe Pecuniary Obligations, which do relate to Commerce or Traffick: And therefore it is generally allowed, that he who is bound for the Payment of another Man's Debt, upon default of Payment in the original Debtor, does become Debtor himſelf, and, as ſuch, is bound in Juſtice to make good the Debt to the Creditor.

Nay, we may go farther yet, and by doing ſo, may advance one Step nearer to our main Deſign. For, as all Mankind are agreed, that the Surety ſtands bound in Juſtice to pay the Debt, upon the Non-payment of the Principal Debtor, where ſuch Debt is contracted by Commerce or Traffick; ſo alſo they have the ſame Senſe of the Surety's Obligations, where the Debt is contracted by the Principal Debtor's Crime or Delinquency. Now it is agreed on all Hands (for Common Senſe tells all Men ſo) that a Debt contracted by a Crime is a Puniſhment, tho' it be but a pecuniary Puniſhment. And then, if a Surety, upon the Failure in the Principal, be bound in Juſtice to pay ſuch a Debt; it will be ſo far from being a Doubt, whether a Surety in ſuch a Caſe may juſtly undergo the Puniſhment of the Criminal; that in deed and truth he is bound, and that too in Juſtice and Honeſty, to undergo it. From whence we conclude, in the firſt place, that it is ſo far from being abſolutely true, that one Perſon cannot juſtly ſuffer the Puniſhment due to the Crimes of another; that, on the contrary, it may ſo happen, that he may be bound, and that too in Conſcience, to take upon himſelf ſuch Puniſhment.

2. To which we add, in the ſecond place, That in ſuch a Caſe, where one Perſon undergoes the Puniſhment due to the Crimes of another, the Puniſhment ſo inflicted can ſo much the leſs be taxed of Injuſtice, if the Perſon, who undergoes it, do undertake it freely and willingly. And therefore, tho' it be true in Theſi, that is, in the general, that it is Injuſtice to puniſh an Innocent Man for the Fault of a Criminal; yet in Hypotheſi, or in a particular Matter of Fact, it may not be unjuſt ſo to do. And the Reaſon is, becauſe any Puniſhment (be it what it will) can only be unjuſt with relation to that Perſon who undergoes ſuch Puniſhment. For, if he does juſtly undergo it, then, let the Puniſhment be what it will, yet ſtill it will be juſt. Now, where a Perſon does willingly, freely, and o • his own accord ſubmit to a Puniſhment; there the Puniſhment, tho' he did not by his Crimes deſerve it, cannot therefore be thought unjuſt, becauſe it would be an odd and unheard-of kind of Injuſtice to any Perſon, to injure him by ſulfilling his own Deſires, and by gratifying his Choice. If then we apply this to our Saviour's Sufferings, which he underwent in our ſtead, we may be informed by him himſelf, that he laid down his Life, and, that no Man took it from him; that is, he laid it down willingly. And becauſe he did ſo, therefore tho' God laid upon him, and accepted from him the Vengeance due to our Sins, in order to our Acquittance; yet he did him no Injury by ſo doing, becauſe he was willing, as our Surety and Proxy, to undergo and ſuffer ſuch Vengeance. Indeed it is not to diſſembled, that becauſe the Sin was Ours, and not His, that God therefore might, and that juſtly too, have refuſed the Puniſhment to be his, and not ours. But then, withal, we muſt take notice, that tho' God might have done ſo; yet that there was no Law of Juſtice, that either did or could oblige him ſo to do. And therefore, to clear that, or any other Doubt that may ariſe from what has been ſpoken upon this Head, we add,

3. In the third place, That where that Perſon, who willingly ſuffers for another's Crime, has an undoubted Right and Title in all thoſe Things, and an uncontroulable Power to diſpoſe of all thoſe Things, which are either damnified or loſt by ſuch his Sufferings: In ſuch a Caſe, as there is no Injury done to his Perſon, by reaſon of his willingneſs to ſuffer; ſo neither is there any Violence offered to any Law of Juſtice, by reaſon of ſuch his undoubted Right, and abſolute Power. Now at once to clear this Matter, and to bring it up to the Point we aim at, we muſt take notice, that our Saviour tells us himſelf, in the Tenth of St. John and the Eighteenth Verſe, I have power to lay down my Life, and I have power to take it again. And Reaſon tells us the ſame Thing: For, becauſe he made the Worlds, and becauſe all things were created by him and for him, and becauſe for theſe Reaſons alone he is the Almighty God; therefore there can be no queſtion, but that he may juſtly challenge to himſelf that Power, which the Supreme God claims, as his moſt undoubted Prerogative, I kill, and I make alive. To which we may likewiſe add, that he is to be Judge both of Quick and Dead (as even that Creed, which goes by the Name of the Apoſtles, and even our Adverſaries too, in the preſent Caſe, do allow.) Now it cannot in the leaſt ſeem reaſonable, that he ſhould have the Power of Damning and Saving, who has not the Power of Life and Death: For, it muſt needs ſound harſh to our Reaſon, to grant him the greater Power, and in the mean time to deny him the leſs. Taking it therefore for granted, that he had an abſolute and uncontroulable Power to diſpoſe of his Life as it ſeemed beſt to his own Wiſdom; if he was pleaſed ſo to diſpoſe of ſuch his Life, as to lay it down in our ſtead, and for our ſakes, there could not poſſibly lie any Obligation of Juſtice upon God, to bind him up from accepting the Offer of ſuch his Sacrifice; becauſe ſuch a Power does in it ſelf ſuppoſe, that there neither is, nor can be any Injury, that ſhould forbid ſuch an Offering. And we know well enough, that any thing may be lawfully done, againſt the doing of which there is no juſt Law. And therefore the Caſe of our Saviour, in the preſent Inſtance, does ſo far forth differ from all the Caſes of all other imaginary Innocents in the World. For, tho' another Man be ſuppoſed to be Innocent, yet he has no ſuch Power over his own Life, as to diſpoſe of it as he himſelf ſhall pleaſe: And if he ſhould by any Means deſtroy it without his own Demerit, it would be in him Self-murder, and that too, tho' he ſhould offer it for a Criminal. But if he ſhould ſo order his Life, as to deſerve Death; then that very Crime, that forfeits his Life, would ſpoil his Innocence too. And therefore ſhould a Magiſtrate, who is inveſted with the lawful Power of the Sword, accept the Life of an Innocent in lieu of the forfeited Life of a Criminal, he would therefore become a Criminal himſelf; becauſe in ſuch a Commutation he allows the Innocent Man to become a Criminal, by uſurping upon the Prerogative of God himſelf. Which may ſerve to ſhew the Fraud and Deceit of that way of Arguing, which will not therefore allow it to be juſt, that our Saviour ſhould offer his Life, as a Sacrifice for Sinners, becauſe it cannot be juſtly allowed, that other Innocent Perſons ſhould do ſo: Whereas the Life, which our Saviour offered in the preſent Caſe, was entirely his own, and abſolutely at his own diſpoſal; which yet cannot be truly affirmed of the Life of any other Innocent Perſon in the World (if yet we ſhould ſuppoſe ſuch a Perſon) from the Days of the Creation, to the Conſummation of all Things. As therefore we learned by the laſt Head, that God might have refuſed to accept our Saviour's Death in our ſtead; becauſe the Life offered was not the ſame that was forfeited, but another: So, by what has been ſpoken under that Head, and this, we may now perceive, that there is no Reaſon in Law or Juſtice, why he might not accept it. For, if our Saviour might have become Surety for the Diſcharge of that Debt, which by the Tenor of the Law we owed to Juſtice, by our Tranſgreſſion of the Law; and if, upon our Inability to pay ſuch Debt, ſo as to obtain our Acquittance, he was willing, and fully impowered to lay down his Life, in order to our Releaſe and Diſcharge; and if God might in Juſtice accept the Offering of ſuch his Life for ſo gracious and merciful a Purpoſe: Then the whole Objection againſt the Juſtice of his Suffering in our ſtead, and for our ſake, vaniſhes, and comes to nothing.

Theſe Things I have purſued thus far, to put the whole Matter in a true Light, and to lay it down juſt as it is: Tho' I do frankly confeſs, that I do not think the Objection againſt our Saviour's Sufferings, taken from the Injuſtice of ſuch Sufferings, to be of any force at all, no not upon thoſe very Principles, upon which they go, who make it. For, they themſelves allow our Saviour to be Innocent, and by conſequence (tho' they make Death a Natural Thing, which, by the way, is but an Heathen-Notion of it; for it does not in the leaſt agree with what the Scriptures teach us about it:) But, I ſay, they themſelves allow our Saviour to be innocent; and therefore they muſt allow, that he did not deſerve that Death, which he ſuffered. But then they tell us, that God did therefore permit him to undergo ſuch a cruel and hard Treatment, that he might be an Example of Patience, Submiſſion, and Reſignation, to all Men, in any Circumſtances, under which they ſhould be brought by God's Providence; and that he was ſlain a Sacrifice to ratifie and eſtabliſh the New-Covenant, that God then made with Man in order to the Pardon of Sin. By which it is notorious, that they endeavour to vindicate God's Juſtice from thoſe Ends and Deſigns of his Providence or Mercy, for which God delivered up his Son to a cruel and bloody Death, tho' he did not deſerve ſuch Death.

1. Now we are very well aſſured, in the firſt place, that our Saviour was delivered up to be crucified and ſlain, by the determinate Counſel and Foreknowledge of God. For ſo St. Peter expreſly tells us, in the Second of the Acts and the Twenty third Verſe. And again, we are told in the Fourth of the Acts the Twenty ſeventh and Twenty eighth Verſes, that Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the People of Iſrael, were gathered together, to do to him, whatſoever God's Hand and Counſel determined before to be done. We know alſo, that his Crucifixion was propheſied in the Old Teſtament, and that in ſundry Places; and that he himſelf does both foretell it in the New Teſtament, and does there alſo tell us, that it was plentifully foretold in the Old. And we know, laſtly, that what was foretold ſome thouſand Years before it was brought to paſs, and then was ſo actually brought to paſs, as it was foretold, muſt be foretold by God: The Certainty of the Event, in ſuch a Caſe, being a Demonſtration, that Omniſcience gave forth the Prediction.

2. We are aſſured, in the ſecond place, that our Saviour being perfectly Innocent, as having never tranſgreſſed the Law, could not poſſibly deſerve the Death of the moſt hainous Malefactors, a Death attended with Agony and Torment, tho' he did ſuffer ſuch a Death.

3. It is agreed, in the third place, between us and our Adverſaries, That becauſe our Saviour did willingly ſubmit to the Counſel and Determination of God, in ſuffering ſuch a Death; that thereby God's Juſtice is ſufficiently aſſoiled and vindicated (to which we ſpake more largely juſt now) and that by ſuch his Submiſſion he gave an Example to Mankind, under any Affliction, of an entire Reſignation to the Counſel and Will of God, in all Caſes whatſoever.

4. But then, in the laſt place, it may be reaſonably demanded, how it comes to paſs, that theſe ſelf-ſame Sufferings, this ſelf-ſame Death of our Saviour, do then become unjuſt, when they are affirmed to have been undergone by him for the Expiation of Man's Sin? They were juſt, becauſe he underwent them willingly; and they were honourable, becauſe they were exemplary; and we are ſure they were merciful and charitable, if they were expiatory: And then, ſhall what is juſt in it ſelf, and honourable, becauſe it is deſigned for an Example, or for any other End; I ſay, ſhall ſuch a Thing therefore become unjuſt, becauſe it is over and above deſigned for a Charity and a Mercy? The ſame Thing (we know) may be directed to more Ends and Purpoſes than one; and thoſe ſeveral Ends and Purpoſes may all be good and warrantable; and where they are ſo, there (if the Thing be good and juſt in it ſelf) we may in Reaſon reſt ſatisfied, that one of thoſe good Endswill no more vitiate and corrupt it, than any other End will. If therefore the Death of our Saviour were juſt without being deſign'd for an Expiation; it will remain juſt ſtill, tho' it be deſign'd for a • Expiation. For, Mercy and Compaſſio • (which are undoubtedly included in ſuch Expiation) are moſt undoubtedly juſt and good Things, when they are deſigned and brought to paſs by juſt and lawful Means. And therefore, when the Adverſaries of the Expiation do tell us, that the Death of our Saviour was juſt and lawful, they do with the ſame Mouth-full of Breath contradict their own Objection againſt the Juſtice of the Expiation; and do as good as tell us, that the Expiation is juſt and lawful too. When therefore Secinus, and his Followers, do in very tragical Expreſſions (and ſome of thoſe Expreſnons ſo indecent and irreverent, to ſay no worſe, as not fit to be mentioned) exclaim againſt the Injuſtice of the Expiation; it is notorious, that they quit their Reaſon, and fly to Harangue; that is, they hope in this Caſe to prevail by their Rhetorick, rather than by their Arguments. For, I can hardly perſuade my ſelf to believe them ſo ſhort-ſighted, as not to perceive, that any Argument againſt the Juſtice of the Expiation does not contradict ſuch their own Poſitions, which maintain the Juſtice of our Saviour's Death and Paſſion.

One Thing more I would remark, and then I ſhall proceed; and that is, That becauſe the Objection under this Head is only laid againſt the Juſtice, but not at all againſt the Value, Merit, or extenſive Influence of our Saviour's Death; therefore I have preciſely ſtuck to the Matter of the preſent Objection, without mixing other Things with it relating to the Expiation; that is, I have here only aſſerted the Juſtice of our Saviour's Death, in order to the Expiation of the Sins of Mankind.

2. The ſecond Objection againſt our Saviour's Expiation of our Sins by his Death, ſtands thus: and that is, That tho' it ſhould be granted, that he had Power over his own Life, that he was willing to lay down that Life, and that God was willing to accept it; yet all this will amount but to part of Payment: For, firſt, the Death that we deſerved by our Sins was Eternal; but that which he ſuffered in our ſtead, was but Tranſient and Temporal. It is confeſſed, that as the Socinians do deny the Expiation, ſo do they alſo an Etern • ty of Puniſhment: But yet that does not at all take off from the • orce of the Objection; becauſe if they, who maintain the Doctrine of the Expiation, do alſo aſſert an Eternity of Puniſhment, it is ſufficient for their Confutation to ſhew, that their ſeveral Doctrines do contradict, and ſo overthrow each other. The Objection then being ſo far laid right, it goes on further, thus: The Sins of Mankind are the Sins of Many, of Thouſands, of Millions, of Myriads, nay, of Multitudes of Myriads; but the Death of our Saviour was only the Death of One: So that if either we conſider the Extent of our Guilt, or the Malignity of it, it will by no means ſeem reaſonable, and therefore neither juſt, that the ſingle Death of our Saviour ſhould be looked upon as a proportionats Expiation of it. Nor indeed would it, according to thoſe who make the Objection; who (tho' the Apoſtle tells us in one Place, that in him dwells all the Fulneſs of the Godhead bodily; and in another Place, that being in the Form of God, he thought it no Robbery to be equal with God) will yet, in ſpite of theſe, and a Multitude of other expreſs Declarations to the contrary, ſtill allow our Saviour to be no more than a mere Man. Now it is freely confeſſed, that if the Caſe were ſo, then his ſingle Death would be no valuable Compenſation for the Death of all the Sinners in the World; and much leſs would it be ſo for the eternal Death of ſuch Sinners. But ſince the Scriptures have over and over told us, that his Death was ſuch a Compenſation; and ſince ſuch a Compenſation cannot not exceed the Dignity of that Character, which the ſame Scriptures have given us of him, tho' their Way of Reaſoning ſays otherwiſe; I dare leave it to any ſober Chriſtian to judge, whether it does not more concern them to anſwer what the Scriptures do object to them, than it does us, in the preſent Caſe, to anſwer what they do object to us. For, if the Fulneſs of the Godhead dwelt in our Saviour bodily, and ſo was united to and with that Body; then it will be no inconceivable Strain to imagine, that the Infinite Dignity of the Perſon ſuffering muſt needs add an immenſe Value to ſuch his Sufferings, and by ſo doing muſt make them more than adequate to the Guilt of all Mankind. And tho' this of it ſelf may be ſufficient to ſtop the Mouth of the preſent Objection; yet if we do but recollect ſome few Things, that have been ſpoken to, and made good already, we may ſtill be farther ſatisfied, that the Objection againſt the Value of his Sufferings, in order to the Expiation of the Sins of Men, will be of no force at all. If we do conſider therefore, that becauſe our Saviour took on him the Nature of Man, and not of Angels, that he did therefore die for Men and not for Angels: If we conſider, that the faln Angels are left without any hope of Eſcape from the Vengeance of the final Judgment, which Man is not: If we conſider, that the Vengeance which the faln Angels ſhall then ſuffer, will never work out their Redemption, or Forgiveneſs; and that for that very Reaſon, becauſe that Vengeance ſhall be eternal: If we conſider, that neither would eternal Vengeance work out the Salvation of any Man, for the ſame Reaſon: And laſtly, If we conſider, that notwithſtanding the utter Impoſſibility of Man's ſatisfying the Divine Juſtice by his own Puniſhment: yet we are aſſured by the Voice of God, that ſome Men ſhall obtain Redemption by their Saviour's Blood, even Reminion of Sins: I ſay, if we con •• der all theſe Things, our Natural Reaſon will help us to conclude, that the Death of our Saviour, tho it were but the Death of One, and tho' it were but a temporal Death neither, yet will do that, which all the Eternal Deaths in the World could not do; that is, it will reconcile Sinners to God, and from him obtain their Pardon; and that upon that ſingle Account, it is of more Value in his Signt, than the Death of Angels and Men; and that therefore he, who ſuffered that Death, was infinitely greater than both. By which we may alſo underſtand, that if there be any Abſurdity in the thing, that one Perſon, by his ſingle and temporal Death, ſhould ſatisfie the Divine Juſtice for the Sins and Demerits of ſo many; they, who make the Objection, do make the Abſurdity too; becauſe, in their Opinion concerning the Perſon ſuffering, they do degrade him below that Infinite Station and Dignity, in which the Scriptures do aſſure us, that he ſtands exalted.

3. The laſt Objection againſt our Saviour's Expiation of Sin, and that which does indeed rather attempt to prove the Impoſſibility, than the Injuſtice of the Thing, is this; That if our Saviour be God himſelf, and if this very Saviour did die to reconcile Sinners to God; then it will follow, That God ſuffered to reconcile Sinners to himſelf: Which, at at the very firſt ſight, looks abſurd.

1. And ſo it may indeed, to Humane Reaſon, which in many other Things, but more eſpecially in the Things of God, is very often guided by dark and blind Meaſures. But ſtill the Apoſtle twice tells us, in the Second to the Corinthians, chap. 5. ver. 18, 19. That God was reconciling us, and reconciling the World to himſelf, and that he did this by Jeſus Chriſt, whom yet the ſame Apoſtle in another Place calls, God over all, bleſſed for ever. Now, in the Contrivance and Enterpriſe of this Reconciliation, he was the firſt and principal Agent; and ſo indeed the very Beginning of the Reconciliation came from the offended Perſon: Nay, it was he, who contrived the whole Method of Reconciliation; (for, it was hid from Ages and Generations, from Principalities and Powers, till God made it known to his Church.) And that we may not think, that there is any Abſurdity in this his doing, he does in this very Caſe, as far as our Circumſtances will allow, command us to follow his Example. For, in the Eighteenth of St. Matthew and the Fifteenth Verſe, he requires, that if our Brother offend us, we (that is, we the Offended) ſhould go and tell him his Fault. So that, tho' the Injury be done, not by us, but to us; yet we muſt make the firſt Step towards a Reconciliation. Now, a Man of a worldly Reaſon would in this Caſe be apt to cry out, What! muſt I begin to give my ſelf Satisfaction? Is this Senſe or Juſtice? Did not he do the Injury? And is not the whole Reparation to come from him? But, God's Thoughts are not as Man's Thoughts, nor his Ways as Man's Ways. And therefore, tho' your Enemy began the Injury; yet, if he commands, you muſt begin the Reconciliation. And if God do not only begin the Reconciliation in the Caſe before us, but alſo ſuffer himſelf, that he may compleat it; all the Inconvenience that will follow from it, will be, that God can do more than Man: For, he can do any thing, that is not unjuſt; and any thing, that is not impoſſible. And, as we have already made it out, that it is not unjuſt; ſo we ſhall go on farther, to make it out, that it is not impoſſible.

2. For, ſecondly, our Saviour being (as we have already made it out) a Middle Perſon between God and Man, a Mediator in his Perſon, as well as in his Office; as he was not ſo Man, but that he was God; ſo he was not ſo God, but that he was Man. And then, if we add, that as Man he ſuffered for the Sins of Man, ſo much may be allowed now, becauſe ſo much has been proved already. And indeed, ſtrictly and cloſely ſpeaking, it was Man, not God, who ſuffered in the Perſon of our Saviour. For God, we are ſure, is utterly, and in his own Nature, incapable of any ſuch Thing, as that is, which we call Suffering. So far forth therefore as the Objection furmiſes, that we take God to have ſuffered; ſo far the Objection is miſtaken and laid wrong. But yet,

3. Becauſe God and Man were perſonally united in our Saviour, and ſo made up but one Chriſt; therefore our Reaſon will tell us, that the Sufferings of ſuch a Man muſt receive an immenſe Value from his Perſonal Union with God. Take the Thing in an Inſtance, and it will be much more plain, and ſatisfactory. A Man ſtrikes a Prince. No one will ſay, that he ſtrikes his Dignity, (for the thing is impoſſible) but only his Body. But yet to think, that the Injury and Malignity of the Stroke ſhall not be rated, as well by his Dignity, as by his Body, would be an Imagination, that an ordinary Reaſon would condemn of Weakneſs. And therefore, tho' the Bodies of all Men are made of the ſame Fleſh and Blood, and ſo the wounding of a Prince is no greater a natural Hurt to him, than the wounding of a Peaſant is to him, (ſuppoſing their Wounds to be equal or alike) yet we know, that the Difference of their Conditions ſhall make ſuch a vaſt Difference in the Value of the Miſchiefs done by the ſeveral Wounds; that, in the firſt Caſe, the Fault of ſuch Miſchief ſhall be eſteem'd Capital; when perhaps in the laſt it ſhall hardly be thought Penal. The Sufferings therefore of the Man Chriſt Jeſus might be ſufficient for the Expiation of the Sins of Mankind, not becauſe his Deity ſuffer'd with his Humanity; but becauſe he being IMMANUEL, his Deity gave an Infinite Value to the Sufferings of his Humanity, by being Intimately, becauſe Perſonally, united to it. And therefore, as my Reaſon ſuggeſts to me the Certainty of the Union of his Deity with his Humanity, from the Expiation made by the Value of the Sufferings of his Humanity; ſo from the Union of his Deity with his Humanity, it rather ſuggeſts to me, that he is One Perſon of the Deity, than that his Deity ſuffer'd for the accompliſhing of ſuch his Expiation. And I cannot but think, that the Arguments already offered will in a good meaſure warrant ſuch a Suggeſtion: And therefore, to what has been already ſaid, I add in the

4. Fourth place, That tho' the Expiation of the Sin of Man was one Deſign both of our Saviour's Incarnation and Sufferings; yet that it was not the whole Deſign of ſuch his Sufferings, and of ſuch his Incarnation. For, he came to deſtroy the Works of the Devil; the Kingdom, which the Devil had ſet up in this lower World; to recover ſinful Man from that Revolt that he had made from God, and ſo to reſtore him to his Duty and Allegiance to his Sovereign Lord and King (as will appear more fully hereafter.) And to this purpoſe, as it was neceſſary, that he ſhould purchaſe to himſelf a peculiar People zealous of good Works; ſo it was neceſſary, that he ſhould free ſuch People from that State of Sin, in which they were in Bondage, and by doing both, eſtabliſh a Kingdom of Holineſs and Righteouſneſs, in lieu of a Kingdom of Sin and Darkneſs. His grand Deſign then was the enlarging of his Father's Kingdom, by reſtoring to it what the Devil had torn off from him. And then, if for the accompliſhing of ſuch his Deſign, the Expiation of Man's Sin; and if for the Expiation of Man's Sin his own Death was neceſſary; it will be no great ſtrain to conceive, that the Man Chriſt Jeſus, united to the ſecond Perſon in the Trinity, ſhould do and ſuffer what he did, for the fulfilling the Will of God, by reſtoring and ſo enlarging his Kingdom, by ſubdu • ng his Arch-enemy, and by taking his uſurped Dominion out of his Hand, and aſſerting it to himſelf. For, all this our Saviour did, when by thoſe Methods, with which the eternal Wiſdom has acquainted us in his Word, he builds up a Kingdom of Righteouſneſs out of one of Rebellion and Wickedneſs: Which Kingdom, when his Work is fully accompliſhed, he will (which was his main and grand Deſign) reſign up to God, the natural and rightful Lord of all Kingdom and Dominion: See 1 Cor. chap. 15. ver. 24. Tho' therefore our Apprehenſions may be ſtartled, when we undertake to conceive, that the Son of God, the Alpha and Omega, the Word of God, by whom he made the Worlds, ſhould ſuffer to reconcile Man (who had made himſelf his Enemy by Sin) to himſelf, in order to Man's Pardon: Yet when we conſider, that by the ſame Undertaking, he re-ſettled his Father's Kingdom, aſſerted his Honour and Dignity, diſplayed his Mercy, and in Conjunction with that maintained his Juſtice; and that by doing all this, he exhibited God to the World, not only a faithful Creator, but alſo a gracious and loving Redeemer: I ſay, when all theſe Things are conſidered, our Wonder and our Incredulity may not only abate, but ceaſe; and we may be rationally ſatisfied, that it was as well worth our Saviour's Sufferings, to bring all theſe Things to paſs, (tho his Enemy Man had his Intereſt in it) as it was for him to make Man at firſt.

Now, what we have ſaid, is a ſufficient Anſwer to the Objection, upon ſuppoſition, that any or every Sin is of ſo malignant a Nature, that the juſt Puniſhment of it ſhall be Eternal. But tho' there be ſuch a Thing, as Eternal Puniſhment, moſt expreſly aſſerted by the Scriptures, (and therefore we do by no means queſtion the Truth of it) whatever the Socinians may pretend to the contrary; yet perhaps it is not ſo certain, that the Scriptures do allot any ſuch Puniſhment to any other Sin beſides Unbelief, or (which amounts to much the ſame Thing, tho' in other Words) a final Impenitence. For, it is moſt certain, that all other Sins, if they be truly and heartily repented for, ſhall, in Conſideration of our Saviour's Merits, be forgiven; and it is as certain, that no Man ſhall undergo an eternal Puniſhment for thoſe Sins, which ſhall be forgiven. If therefore we do aſſert, what is moſt true, that our Saviour did not die to ſave Unbelievers, or Impenitent Sinners; and that they are the only Sinners, to whom eternal Puniſhments are aſſigned; in ſuch a Caſe, the Objection, that his temporal Puniſhment could not take away an eternal Puniſhment, would be of no force; becauſe, in ſuch Caſe, eternal Puniſhment was not deſigned to be taken away. For, every Unbeliever, and Impenitent Perſon, ſhall ſuffer it, notwithſtanding our Saviour's Death: And there do not want very good Probabilities (and thoſe too in no wiſe diſagreeing to Scripture-Revelations) that the Sins of thoſe, whoſe Sins ſhall not be pardoned after the Reſurrection, ſhall have juſt ſo much Puniſhment, as they do in Juſtice deſerve, (be that more or leſs) but that ſuch their Puniſhment ſhall not therefore be eternal, becauſe ſuch their Sins did deſerve ſuch eternal Puniſhment; but becauſe they refuſed and rejected thoſe eaſie Means, which God had provided in a Saviour, by a due Uſe of which they might have eſcaped all Puniſhment whatſoever. Now, becauſe it is abſurd to imagine, that our Saviour under • ent Death to ſave thoſe who ſhould ſlight or reject that Salvation, which he purchaſed by his Death; and becauſe none but ſuch, who do ſo, ſhall, by the Tenor of the Goſpel, ſuffer eternal Puniſhment; therefore it is no Objection againſt the Merit of our Saviour's Death, to ſay, that his temporal Death cannot expiate an eternal Puniſhment, becauſe he did not ſuffer Death for any ſuch Purpoſe; and he did not do ſo, becauſe he did not ſuffer Death for thoſe, who alone ſhall ſuffer eternal Puniſhment; that is, he did not ſuffer Death for thoſe, who ſhall refuſe and reject the only Means of Salvation, which he purchaſed for Mankind by his Death.

Much more might be offered upon this Occaſion; but this being ſufficient in this Place, I ſhall therefore here add no more.

In the mean while, I do not queſtion, but that the Value of our Saviour's Sufferings s • fficient to expiate the Guilt of any Sins, for whoſe Expiation ſuch Sufferings were deſigned; tho' ſuch Guilt ſhould be ſuppoſed or allowed to deſerve eternal Puniſhment of it ſelf.

And from the Whole, that has been ſpoken on this Subject, we do at laſt conclude, That a Releaſe from the Vengeance due to Sin by the Law, and purchaſed for Man by his Saviour the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who for Man's ſake made his Soul a Sacrifice for Sin, is a juſt and legal Pardon, and agreeable to the Meaſures of Right Reaſon, and to the Laws of Juſtice.

For, becauſe the Pardon of Sin does imply in it a Deſert of Puniſhment in the Party forgiven; and becauſe the laying the Puniſhment which he deſerves, upon another, is in effect a Remiſſion of that Puniſhment to him; and becauſe, laſtly, a Remiſſion of Puniſhment to the Party, which deſerves ſuch Puniſhment, may be truly accounted a Pardon of his Sin; (For, Pardon of Sin to any Party whomſoever, is neither more nor leſs, than the Releaſing or Freeing him from the Puniſhment due to his Sin:) Therefore, if, by what has been ſpoken, it has appeared, that the Puniſhment due to our Sins was, without any Injuſtice, tranſlated upon another, and that upon ſuch Tranſlation it cannot juſtly be exa •• ed of us; then it will follow, that ſo far forth as our Sin was pardoned, ſo far forth the Pardon was juſt.

By all which it appears,

1. That Reward does in Propriety and Juſtice only belong to Obedience to the Law.

2. That Puniſhment does in Propriety and Juſtice only belong to the Tranſgreſſion of the Law.

3. That Expiation has no Relation to the Reward of Obedience; but that it only concerns that Puniſhment, which without ſuch Expiation is in Juſtice due to Diſobedience.

Now becauſe God has taught us, not only that our Sins ſhall be forgiven in and through our Saviour; but that alſo, in and through the ſame Saviour, we ſhall obtain a glorious Reward: And becauſe (as has appeared in general) Reward does in Reaſon and Juſtice as properly belong to Duty and Obedience, as Forgiveneſs does to Expiation: Therefore our next Enquiry muſt be, upon what Obedience ſuch Reward is grounded. For, we are very ſure, that, becauſe the Diſtribution of ſuch Reward is lodged in God's Hand, therefore the Reward will be beſtowed juſtly; and becauſe we are ſure of that, therefore we are farther aſſured, that it will be conferr'd upon Duty and Obedience. And indeed, having in what went before ſeen what Proviſion God has made for the fulfilling the Vindictive Part of the Law, in order to the Poſſibility and Juſtice of Man's Salvation; and being ſatisfied, that that Proviſion, which he has made for that purpoſe, will not alſo fulfil the Directive Part of the Law; it muſt be our next Buſineſs to enquire, what Proviſion he has made for the fulfilling of ſuch Directive Part. For,

1. In the firſt place, We may therefore be certain, that it ſhall be fulfilled one way or other; becauſe the Law being God's, is in it ſelf Holy, Juſt, and Good. And we know, (and that too by the Light of Nature) that it cannot be an indifferent Thing to the Everwiſe, and moſt Holy Law-giver, whether a Law, which is ſo, be obeyed, or not. For, that would be in effect to caſt off all Regard to Duty, Holineſs, and Righteouſneſs. Nay, (which is yet more) becauſe every juſt Law muſt for that Reaſon, even becauſe it is juſt, deſign the Obedience of them, for whom it is made; I ſay, becauſe it muſt principally and in the firſt place deſign their Obedience, and not their Puniſhment, (and therefore not their Forgiveneſs neither) it would be in effect to contradict his own Deſign, in giving forth his Law. For, the Deſign of his Law being the Holineſs of his Creatures, reſulting from their Conformity to the Directions of ſuch Law; if he ſhould ſo pardon their Neglect of ſuch Conformity, (that is, the Neglect of their Obedience) as to make no Proviſion for ſuch Obedience; it is evident, that by ſo doing he would have no more Regard to the Directive Part of his own Law, than they have had; and ſo the Manner of Forgiving the Tranſgreſſion of the Law would unravel the main and principal Deſign of making the Law. But, we know very well, that ſuch a Way of Proceeding is neither agreeable to Wiſdom, nor to Holineſs; and therefore much leſs to Infinite Holineſs and Wiſdom. And therefore, if the Ever-Holy and Wiſe God gave up his beloved and only begotten Son to Death for the accompliſhing the vindictive Part of the Law; and if for the ſame purpoſe he puniſhes all Mankind, not only with many Miſeries in this World, but alſo with Death in their going out of it: I ſay, if he does all this, (which yet he himſelf tells us is his ſtrange Work) that ſo the vindictive Part of the Law may not fall to the Ground; ſhall we think, that he will do leſs, or indeed ſhall we think, that he will not rather do more, to make good the main and grand, and, I may add, the more natural Deſign of his Law, which is the Holineſs of his Creatures? No! we are ſure, that no Word of God ſhall return empty; and that therefore his more ſolemn and expreſs Declarations (and ſuch are his Laws) ſhall be ſure to have their Accompliſhment, and ſhall be fulfilled in their due time, notwithſtanding the counter-Endeavours of Hell and Wickedneſs. For, it ſhall not be in the Power of any Enemy to defeat the Counſels, or evacuate the main Deſign of that Law, which proceeds from Eternal and Eſſential Holineſs, and which moreover is backed with Omnipotence. We may therefore very well be ſatisfied, that God has made Proviſion for the Performance and fulfilling of the Directions of the Law, as well as of the Vengeance of the Law.

2. And we may be ſatisfied, in the ſecond place, that ſuch his Proviſion does and muſt extend it ſelf to Man, to whom the Law was given. For, it would be unreaſonable to imagine the Deſign of any Law to be fulfilled, when ſuch Law is not obeyed by any of thoſe, for whom it was proclaimed, and to whom it was given. And therefore, becauſe the Law was given to Man, and requires Obedience from Man, we cannot ſay, that the Deſign of the Law is fulfilled, unleſs Men do obey it.

3. We may be ſatisfied, in the third place, that no Man in this World (except our Saviour alone) has obeyed the Directions of the Law, from the Days of Adam's Tranſgreſſion, to this very Day. And we may be ſatisfied moreover, from ſo long an Experience of the Thing, and from Reaſon grounded upon ſuch Experience; but, if both will not do, we may be ſatisfied from Scripture, that no Man ever will or ſhall pay a perfect Obedience to ſuch Directions. Nay, it is notorious, that no Man does ſo, becauſe we know, that every Man in this World is under the Curſe of the Law; and we know, that every Man is ſo, becauſe we are aſſured, that every Man in his going out of the World ſhall undergo ſuch Curſe, that is, that every Man ſhall die. Now, Death being the Penalty expreſly aſſigned by the Law to the Tranſgreſſion of the Law; we may be ſure, that thoſe, who are not only liable to ſuch Penalty, but who ſhall alſo certainly undergo it, are Tranſgreſſors of the Law. And then, becauſe that is the Caſe of all Men in this World, we may from hence alſo conclude, that all Men in this World are Tranſgreſſors of the Directive Part of the Law.

4. We may be ſatisfied, in the fourth place, (both becauſe it is the Object of each good Chriſtian's Faith and Hope in particular, and becauſe it is an expreſs Revelation of the Will of God in general) that ſome Men ſhall be ſaved; that is, ſhall obtain an Eternal Happineſs in another World; tho' we know moſt aſſuredly, that all Men do tranſgreſs the Law in this World. Now, becauſe it is impoſſible in Juſtice, and abſurd in Reaſon, that Vengeance and Salvation ſhould both be the Recompence of the Tranſgreſſion of the Law; and becauſe, tho' all Men are Tranſgreſſors, and ſome of thoſe Tranſgreſſors ſhall be purſued with Vengeance, yet others, upon the Account of their ſincere, tho' imperfect Obedience, ſhall be rewarded with Salvation: Therefore we do infer in the

HAving laid it down in the former Chapter, that thoſe who ſhall be rewarded with Eternal Happineſs, ſhall be entitled to a Perfect Obedience, in order to ſuch their Reward: Our next Buſineſs is to enquire, Whoſe that Perfect Obedience is, to which they ſhall be ſo entitled; and whether they can obtain ſuch Title according to the Rules of Reaſon, and the Laws of Juſtice.

1. And to ſatisfie this Enquiry, we lay it down, firſt, That as the Obedience of our Saviour to the Law, while he was in the Fleſh, (and ſo under the Law) does alone in Juſtice deſerve that Eternal Happineſs, which is promiſed in the Goſpel; ſo the Imputation of ſuch his Righteouſneſs to Believers, is the only true and juſt Reaſon, why they ſhall be made Partakers of ſuch Eternal Happineſs. When the Apoſtle tells us, in the Fourth to the Galatians, the Fourth and Fifth Verſes, That God ſent forth his Son, made of a Woman, made under the Law, to redeem them that were under the Law; he ſeems to inſinuate at leaſt, that our Saviour's being under the Law, was in ſuch Saviour a requiſite Condition in order to his working out of Man's Salvation. Now, had our Saviour been ſuch a Man as other Men are, the Reward (it is confeſſed) had only concerned his own Obedience: But, becauſe by taking upon him the Nature of Man, he obliged himſelf to obey that Law, which God had given to Man; and becauſe he took upon himſelf the Nature of Man, when he might have refuſed ſo to do; and laſtly, becauſe he took it upon himſelf for Man's ſake alone, and not for his own; therefore for Man's ſake alone, and not for his own, he put himſelf under an Obligation of obeying the Law. From all which, the leaſt that can be inferred is, that Man was to reap ſome conſiderable Benefit and Advantage from ſuch his Obedience.

It is uſually alledged in this Place, That had he not obeyed the Law himſelf, he could not have been qualified to make an Expiation by his Death for the Tranſgreſſion of others: And we may take notice, that they who offer this Allegation, do in effect tell us, that his perſect Obedience to the Law, was nothing more, in order to Man's Salvation, than a previous Condition to ſit and capacitate him to make ſuch Expiation.

2. And therefore we offer it to Conſideration, in the ſecond place, That the Reward promiſed in a Saviour to thoſe, who do confeſſedly pay but an imperfect Obedience to the Law, is greater than that Reward which was promiſed to Adam's perfect Obedience, without a Saviour. It is true, there is not in the Law given to Adam any expreſs Promiſe at all: But then it is as true, that there is an implied Promiſe. For, when the Law does threaten his Tranſgreſſion with Death, it does as good as promiſe Life to his Obedience. And indeed, there was no Occaſion, much leſs any Neceſſity, that the Promiſe of the Reward (which was Life) ſhould be expreſs; becauſe the Law being given to Man in his Innocence, (that is, while he was in actual Poſſeſſion of the Reward) he was by the Tenor of the Law ſecure of ſuch Poſſeſſion, if he did not forfeit it by his Tranſgreſſion.

Now we therefore ſay, that the Reward promiſed in a Saviour to thoſe, who do confeſſedly pay but an imperfect Obedience to the Law, is greater than that Reward which was promiſed to Adam's perfect Innocence; becauſe we are aſſured by the Goſpel, that Eye hath not ſeen, nor Ear heard, nor can it enter into the Heart of Man to conceive, the Reward which God has prepared for thoſe, who in a Saviour ſhall be ſaved. But we are ſure, that no ſuch Things can be truly ſaid of the Reward promiſed to Man in his Innocence: For, he knew his Reward experimentally, and therefore it could not be to him Inconceivable.

Put we the Queſtion then, How comes the Reward promiſed in the New Covenant, ſo far to differ from, and to exceed the Reward promiſed in the Old? For, no doubt, there is therefore a good Reaſon for ſuch Difference, becauſe all God's Words and Actions proceed (if I may be allowed ſo to ſpeak) from Eſſential Reaſon: And it is as certain, that they all proceed from Juſtice. Now, neither Juſtice nor Reaſon do tell us, that an Immenſe and Inconceivable Reward can be aſſigned to a broken and imperfect Obedience; and, in the mean while, a leſs Reward be aſſigned to a perfect Obedience. Since therefore a leſs Reward was propoſed to Adam's Obedience, (had ſuch his Obedience been perfect) than what in a Saviour is propoſed to a Chriſtians imperfect Obedience; it is notorious, that ſuch different Rewards can neither in Juſtice nor Reaſon be aſſigned to the different Obediences, as ſuch; but that the Reward to the Chriſtian muſt derive from his Saviour's Merits, as the Reward of Adam muſt have derived from his own. If therefore it be demanded, upon what Grounds the Chriſtian's Reward does derive from his Saviour; the only Anſwer that can be given, is, That it muſt derive either from his Saviour's Sufferings in his ſtead, or from his Saviour's Obedience in his ſtead. And then, becauſe we have already made it out, that it cannot either in Juſtice or Reaſon, or indeed in Common Senſe, derive from his Saviour's Sufferings (which do and can, and that too in Nature, only relate to his Puniſhment, but not at all to his Reward) therefore we do at laſt conclude, that that immenſe Reward which the Goſpel aſſigns to the believing Chriſtian, it does aſſign to him only in Conſideration of his Saviour's Obedience.

Before we go any farther, we may from what has been ſaid, obſerve, That the immenſe Value of our Saviour's Perſon and Dignity does ſhew forth it ſelf, as well in the immenſe Value of his Obedience, as in the immenſe Value of his Death and Sufferings. For, as it is evident, that the Reward of his Obedience is inconceivably greater than the Reward of Adam's had been, (had Adam been obedient) ſo, for the ſame Reaſon, it is infinitely greater than the Obedience of any other Man, were that other only ſuch a Man as Adam was. The Dignity therefore of the ſecond Adam is inconceivably greater, than the Dignity of the firſt.

Now, as by what has been ſaid, it has appeared, that the Obedience of our Saviour is the only Obedience, that is or can be entitled to a Goſpel-Reward; ſo, in what is to follow, we muſt make it our Buſineſs to ſhew, firſt, that Chriſtian Believers may in Reaſon and Juſtice be entitled to ſuch his Obedience, (which is to be made good by Reaſon;) and, in the next place, that they ſhall actually be ſo, (which is to be made good by Scripture.) And then, if upon the whole Matter it ſhall appear, that they may be ſo entitled, and that in order to their Salvation, it is neceſſary that they be ſo; then the Concluſion will be, That the Doctrine of the Imputation is therefore true, becauſe the Salvation of Believers is certain. But then I would have it remarked, that I only ſay, that this Concluſion will follow, if our Reaſons prove good. For, becauſe the Salvation of Believers is generally agreed to be expreſs Revelation; but the Imputation in order to ſuch Salvation, is not; therefore, as our Reaſons, and thoſe Interpretations of the Scriptures which we bring to back them, may be found defective; ſo, when once they appear ſo to be, I do profeſs in this Caſe, as in all others, that I ſhall willingly part with them; becauſe to me, expreſs, and on all Sides acknowledged Revelations, do weigh a great deal more, than all Reaſonings, and elaborate Deductions, or Interpretations whatſoever.

Now, to make it out, That our Saviour's Obedience may be juſtly and reaſonably imputed, or aſſigned over to Believers, in order to their obtaining the Reward of ſuch Obedience, I would take notice in the

1. Firſt place, That it is a Thing in a manner generally agreed among Mankind, that one Man's Duty (in many Caſes at leaſt) may be done by another, and yet the Reward of ſuch Duty ſhall be thought, and that too juſtly, to belong, not ſo much to him who did the Duty, as to him for whom it was done. The Thing is notorious in all Proxies, Deputations, and Subſtitutions whatſoever: And every Proctor, Attorney, Sollicitor, Factor, Journey-man, Apprentice, and Servant, is a Witneſs and Proof of it. For, all ſuch Perſons do, as ſuch, act, not for themſelves, but for others; and the Benefits and Advantages which ariſe from ſuch their Actions, do accrue to others; and, which is more, and more to our purpoſe, are by the Common Senſe of Mankind thought to do ſo juſtly. And tho' it be confeſſed, that in moſt, if not all the Caſes mentioned, ſome Benefit does come to him, who actually does the Duty; yet it is known alſo, that ſuch Benefit becomes his Due, only by a collateral Contract; but that it is neither the full, nor the direct Reward of the Duty done by him. For, the whole Right of ſuch Reward is univerſally thought to belong to his Principal. And I do hardly believe, that any Man, tho' never ſo juſt and righteous, does then think that he wrongs his Journey-man, when he pays him his Wages agreed between them, tho' by ſo doing he does not allow him all that Profit, which he himſelf reaps by his Work. But if any Man, the better to maintain his Argument, ſhall reſolve with himſelf to go againſt the ordinary Senſe of Mankind in the Caſe, and ſhall pertinaciouſly affirm, that ſuch Dealing is unjuſt (as I am ſatisfied, that in ſome ſpecial Caſes ſome Men are ſo reſolved) I ſhall not at preſent (becauſe I need not) contend the Point with them; but ſhall add in the

2. Second place, that which ſerves as well for our preſent Deſign, but what is more free from all Exception; and that is, That if any Friend, purely of his Good-will, without any Expectation of Recompence or Reward, nay, with a fixed Reſolution not to receive any; I ſay, if ſuch a Friend ſhall undertake and diſcharge the Duty of another; whether his ſo doing may not ſo far be imputed to ſuch other, as to entitle him to that Reward, which belongs to ſuch Duty. To ſay, [It cannot] would go a great way towards the making of all Friendſhip uſeleſs, and would have a great tendency towards the rendring of all Peoples Lives forlorn and comfortleſs; and, when throughly examined, would be found to contain ſo much Uncharitableneſs in it, that (were there nothing elſe in the Caſe) yet ſuch an Opinion, purely upon the account of its Malignity, and ill-natur'd Influence upon Humane Affairs, may very well be thought not to contain that Juſtice in it, to which it pretends. And therefore, becauſe a mutual and friendly Aſſiſtance of each other, in the Diſcharge of the ſeveral Duties that lie upon us; and ſometimes in the undertaking and performing each others Duties entirely, is very beneficial to Mankind in general; and becauſe Juſtice is ſo too; therefore we ſhall rather conclude, that it is agreeable to Juſtice, than that it contradicts it, that one Man may, not only receive, but alſo have a Right to the Reward of that Duty, which yet is done for him by another. To which we ſhall add,

3. In the third place, That when one Man is diſabled from doing his Duty, and another, in Compaſſion to his Diſability, does it for him; there it will be ſo far from being unjuſt, that the diſabled Perſon ſhould receive the Reward of the Duty ſo done, that it would be uncharitable (and all Uncharitableneſs is at leaſt a Degree of Injuſtice) to debar him of ſuch Reward.

Now before we proceed any further, we do, in order to our main Deſign, from the Propoſitions already laid down and confirmed, conclude in the firſt place, That our Saviour being made of a Woman, made under the Law, that is, being Incarnate, and made Man, in order to qualifie himſelf, among other Things, to fulfil the Directions of the Law given to Man, might juſtly (if he ſo deſigned and pleaſed) do that Duty for other Men, which the Law laid upon them as their Duty; and by doing ſuch Duty in their ſtead, might entitle them to that Reward, which the Law had promiſed to thoſe, who ſhould obey it. For, the Reward, by the Tenor of the Law, becoming his Right, upon the Account of his Obedience, there can (I think) no doubt be made, but that he may, and that juſtly too, Aſſign over ſuch his Right to whom he pleaſes; and that he may ſo much the rather do ſo, becauſe thoſe, to whom he makes ſuch Aſſignment, were utterly diſabled, and that too without their own Perſonal Fault, to do ſuch Duty themſelves. And there can be the leſs doubt, that he might ſo do, becauſe, had it not been for Man's Diſability, and for Man's ſake, there had been no Occaſion, and much leſs any Neceſſity, that he ſhould have been Incarnate, and ſo have been made Man himſelf; that is, (ſo far as we are concerned at preſent) there had been neither Occaſion nor Neceſſity that he ſhould have brought himſelf under any Obligation of obeying the Law given to Man.

Now, if we add, to what has been ſpoken, that our Saviour will only aſſign over the Reward of his Obedience to thoſe, who tho' they neither did nor could obey the Law, yet however were willing, and did teſtifie the Sincerity of their Willingneſs by their hearty Endeavours to have obeyed it; and who moreover were heartily grieved and troubled, that they could not make good their Endeavours, (which yet is really the Caſe between our Saviour, and all thoſe, who ſhall be rewarded for his Righteouſneſs:) I ſay, if we add this Conſideration to all the former, it may perhaps help to give us a more rational Satisfaction in the Caſe, and may convince us, that his Aſſignment of the Reward of his own Obedience, to ſuch People, is an Act of Juſtice, as well as Pity; becauſe God, by putting his Creatures into Being, has (and with all Reverence I deſire to ſpeak it) inſtated them in a Right to ſuch Things, without which they muſt needs be miſerable, and which (tho' they heartily endeavour it) yet they cannot by their own utmoſt Powers ſupply themſelves with.

From the Whole, we may reſt ſatisfied, that the making over of that Happineſs, which was the Reward of our Saviour's Obedience, to other Men, is no ſuch abſurd or unjuſt Thing, as it is but too generally taken to be. And I am pretty well aſſured, that ſome even of thoſe Men, who have ſtiffly oppoſed it in the Caſe of Man's Salvation by our Saviour, yet both have and will allow it in other Caſes, that run parallel with it; and that therefore, in order to their taxing ſuch a Way of Proceeding of Injuſtice, they do even contradict themſelves.

NOW beſides thoſe Objections, which lay directly in our Way; and which we were therefore conſtrained to ſpeak to, in order to clear and open our Paſſage in the Profecution of the preſent Argument; there are ſome others, which lie againſt our whole Diſcourſe, and which, becauſe we have promiſed ſo to do, we muſt now ſpeak to apart, and by themſelves.

1. And firſt, it is objected againſt the Imputation of our Saviour's Righteouſneſs, That ſuch his Righteouſneſs, which is meant in the preſent Caſe, is his Obedience to the Law, and that his Obedience to the Law does conſiſt in the Conformity of his Actions to the Law. His Obedience therefore being lodged in his Actions, unleſs his Actions can be made ours, it is impoſſible, that his Obedience ſhould be ſo. For, ſo long as the Actions of one Man are not the Actions of any other Man; ſo long it muſt and will be true, that the Obedience, which is only paid by ſuch Actions, and which is therefore undoubtedly lodged in ſuch Actions, cannot be that others neither. This is the Subſtance of the Objection, which might be put in more Words; but becauſe I think the full Force of it is ſufficiently expreſſed in what we have ſpoken, therefore it needs not.

1. Now, in order to clear this matter, we obſerve, firſt, That the Right which one Perſon has in a Thing, may be made over, or transferred to another Perſon, by the delivery of ſuch Thing to him; provided, that he who delivers it, do ſome way or other ſignifie, that it is his Mind, by ſuch his Delivery, to transfer ſuch his Right: Where we muſt take notice of Two Things; Firſt, That bare Delivery of the Thing, without ſuch Signification, does not alter the Right in ſuch Thing: For, in ſuch Caſe, the Thing being only transfer'd naturally, but not legally, the Right in it is not transferred with it. Take the Thing in an Inſtance. A Man puts a Purſe of Money into another Man's Hand, who ſtands by him, to hold it. In this Caſe, the Purſe and Money is actually and naturally transferr'd from one Man to another; but tho' it be naturally transferr'd, yet it is not (for all that) legally transferr'd: For, the Alteration of the Poſſeſſion, does not in the Caſe alter the Right; and ſo, tho the Money be removed from one Man to another, yet the Propriety in the Money is not. On the other Side, one Man by Deed of Gift, or ſome other legal and ſufficient Conveyance, makes over his Right in the Purſe of Money to another, but ſtill keeps the Money in his own Poſſeſſion: In ſuch a Caſe, tho' the Money be not naturally, or locally, (call it which you pleaſe) transferr'd or made over to that other, yet it is legally ſo. For, tho' the Poſſeſſion remain in the Donor; yet the Right is transferr'd to, and therefore is in the Donee. The ſecond Thing to be obſerved in this Caſe, is, that that Thing, whoſe Right is tranſferr'd by Delivery, muſt be ſomething which is capable (as our Law ſpeaks) of Manual Occupation. For, tho' the Right to ſome Things may be transferr'd by Delivery; yet the Right to others cannot be ſo transferr'd.

2. Secondly, therefore, The Right in a Thing may be transferr'd from one Perſon to another by Deed, or any proper and legal Inſtrument of Conveyance there, where the Nature of the Thing is ſuch, that the Thing it ſelf cannot be transferr'd by Delivery. And ſuch a Thing (for Inſtance) is a Privilege: For, we may beſtow upon another a Privilege, which of Right belongs to our ſelves, and, by ſo doing, may give him a Right in ſuch Privilege; tho' we cannot ſo put him in the poſſeſſion of it, as we can do of a Ring, or a Garment. Such a Thing then may be legally and rightfully transferr'd to another, tho' (becauſe it is not capable of Manual Occupation) it cannot be transferr'd locally or naturally.

AND now having gone ſo far, before we proceed any farther, we ſhall bring all that we have hitherto ſpoken, to our Deſign at the Beginning; and by ſo doing, ſhall endeavour to make it out, That there is not Salvation in any other, but in Jeſus Chriſt alone; and, That there is no other Name under Heaven given among Men, whereby we muſt be ſaved.

1. And to do this, we ſhall firſt ſhew, That no other, but our Saviour alone, could ſo ſuffer for Sin, as to obtain a Releaſe from the Penalty, which the Law had threatned againſt it: Or, which is much one and the ſame Thing, That no one, but our Saviour alone, could make an Expiation for the Sin of Man.

2. And, ſecondly, That no one, but our Saviour alone, could, by an exact Obedience to the Law, purchaſe that Reward, the Gift of Eternal Life, which the Law had promiſed to ſuch Obedience.

1. Now, in order to our making good our firſt Propoſition, we muſt examine, what Qualifications are abſolutely neceſſary, in order to fit any one to make ſuch Purchaſe; and then enquire farther, Whether ſuch Qualifications either do or can belong to any other, beſides our Saviour alone.

1. Now the firſt and leading Qualification in him, who ſhall be fitted for the Purchaſe of a Releaſe from the Penalty of the Law, which they have incurred, who tranſgreſs the Law, is, that he, who makes ſuch a Purchaſe, muſt be one of the ſame Kind with them to whom the Law was given; that is, in the preſent Caſe, muſt be a Man. For, the Law was given to Man, was broke by Man; and therefore alſo the Breach of it, in the Congruity of Things, and by the Laws of Common Senſe and Juſtice, is to be puniſhed in Man. Now, tho' our Saviour was not the only Perſon in the World, who had this Qualification, (for every Man beſides is as real a Man, as he was) yet he was the only Man among all Mankind, who by this Qualification was fitted for the effectual enterpriſing and bring to paſs thoſe other Things, which are abſolutely neceſſary for the Purchaſe of the Releaſe ſpoken of.

2. For, ſecondly, The next Qualification of him, who is fitted for the Purchaſe of a Releaſe from the Penalty of the Law, is, that he muſt be an Innocent Man. He was to be a Lamb, without Spot or Blemiſh, and to anſwer to the Paſchal Lamb, which in this, as in ſeveral other Things, was a Type of that Lamb of God, which ſhould take away the Sins of the World. For he, who is qualified to ſuffer for others, in order to releaſe thoſe others from the Penalty of Sin, muſt not therefore be a Sinner himſelf; becauſe, if he be ſo, then he muſt by the Laws of Juſtice, and even according to the Tenor of that Law, which aſſigns ſuch Penalty, ſuffer the Penalty for his own Sin: And he, who ſuffers the Penalty of the Law for his own Sin, cannot therefore ſuffer the Penalty of the Law for the Sin of others; at leaſt, in the preſent Caſe he cannot; becauſe the Penalty of the Law, upon the Tranſgreſſion of it, being the loſs of Life, his own Penalty exhauſts the whole Stock or Poſſibility of his ſo ſuffering: For, he who has but one Life, (and no Man has more) can pay that Life but once: And therefore, if he lays it down for his own Sin, he muſt for that Reaſon have nothing remaining to lay down for the Sin of others.

3. He who is duely qualified to purchaſe for Mankind a Releaſe from the Penalty of their Sins, muſt be a Man whoſe Life is of more value than the Lives of all the reſt. And the Reaſon for it is plain and obvious, becauſe we know, that the Lives of all the reſt can make no ſuch Purchaſe: And the Lives of all the reſt cannot therefore make any ſuch Purchaſe, becauſe the Death of no ſingle Man can make ſuch a Purchaſe for himſelf. For, what no ſingle Man's Death can do for himſelf, that the Death of all Men cannot do for all: For, there is juſt the ſame Proportion between all Men, and the Death of all; that there is between one Man, and the Death of one. Beſides, ſuppoſing a Man to be a Tranſgreſſor of the Law; it looks very abſurd to affirm, that the Death of ſuch a Man, which is the Puniſhment of his Tranſgreſſion, can be the Purchaſe of his Releaſe from ſuch Puniſhment: For then, the ſelf-ſame Thing (and that is his Death) will bear a quite contrary Character; for, it will be both the Wages of his Sin, and the Purchaſe of his Ranſom; that is, it will be the Vengeance of the Law, and the meritorious Cauſe of his Freedom from the ſame Vengeance. Every Sinner therefore againſt the Law, muſt be a Sufferer under the Vengeance of the Law; and that Law, which adjudges thoſe who tranſgreſs it, to Death, does not, by ſo doing, deſign to return them to Life: For, if it did, then, by inflicting its Sentence, it muſt deſign to revoke that Sentence, and, by making the Puniſhment a Releaſe from the Puniſhment, muſt look like Trifling, and not like Juſtice.

The Loſs of no Sinner's Life then is of Value ſufficient to put a Period to the Execution of that Sentence, which the Law pronounces againſt thoſe who do tranſgreſs it: And every Man's Death, in the Courſe of the Law, had been eternal, were there nothing elſe to remove it, but his own Strength, that is, in the preſent Caſe, but his own Death. For, if the Death of a dead Man can do nothing for him, we are ſure, that no other of his Powers or Merits can: For, in the Caſe before us, he can have no other Merits of his own to reſtore him to Life, but the Merits of his Death; and the Merits of his Death, as we have ſeen, are none at all. And to expect any Relief from a dead Man's Powers, is to expect Relief from no Powers at all; for Death cruſhes all the Powers of all Men whom it ſeizes.

Now this being the Condition of all Men who die, becauſe they are Sinners, we may from hence ſafely conclude, That if any Man, who is not a Sinner, ſhall undertake by his own Death to make good the Ranſom of all the reſt from Death, and after that, ſhall make good his Undertaking; I ſay, if any Man ſhall do this; we may be ſure, that his Death, or his Life, (which you will) is therefore of more Value than the Life or Death of all the reſt, becauſe he does by it make that Purchaſe, which all the reſt could not do by theirs. For, in the preſent Caſe, the Value of the Thing may be truly and juſtly eſtimated by the Poſſibility of the Purchaſe it can make; becauſe the Poſſibility of the Purchaſe depends upon the Allowance of the Great and Juſt God. And then when God is willing to releaſe Man from Death, in Conſideration of the Death of his Innocent Saviour; and when he is not ſo, in Conſideration of ſinful Man's own Death; and when he does profeſſedly declare ſuch his Will in many Places of his Word, and by the repeated Atteſtations of Matter of Fact, whereby ſeveral People have been raiſed from the Dead, in the Name, and by the profeſſed Power of the Saviour: I ſay, when we find all theſe Things to be ſo, (as we do, or at leaſt eaſily may find them ſo to be) we may from the Whole conclude, That the Death of our Saviour is of more Value, than the Death of all Mankind; becauſe it can do that, which the Death of all the reſt cannot do, and that too by the Allowance of God himſelf.

Now, from theſe Propoſitions, ſo laid down, we may therefore conclude, That there is not Salvation in any other, but only in our Saviour, ſet forth in the Goſpel.

1. Becauſe it was abſolutely neceſſary in Juſtice, that the Law being broken by Man, the Puniſhment threatned by the Law ſhould be inflicted upon Man. For, the Threatning of the Law has the ſame Eye, and the ſame neceſſary Relation to the Tranſgreſſion of the Law, that the Reward has to the Obedience of the Law; and either, the ſame neceſſary Relation to each, that it has to God's Holineſs and Juſtice. And therefore, ſo neceſſary as it is, that God ſhould be holy and juſt; and ſo neceſſary as it is, that he ſhould in his Laws be ſerious and true; ſo neceſſary alſo it is that the Vengeance threatned by his Law ſhould there take place, where the Duty commanded by the Law is not obſerved. Now becauſe no Man, except our Saviour, could ſo undergo the Vengeance of the Law, as without ſuch Saviour's Help to be ever freed from ſuch Vengeance; therefore we do from hence conclude, in the firſt place, That there is not Salvation in any other, but in our Saviour alone, as Salvation is taken for our Redemption from the Vengeance and Penalty of the Law.

2. Becauſe no Man is qualified to ſuffer the Penalty of the Law ſo, as by ſuch his Suffering to redeem others, that are Sinners againſt the Law, from their ſuffering for their Sin, unleſs he be Innocent himſelf; and becauſe no Man, except our Saviour, was ever Innocent, that is, no Man, except him alone, did ever fulfil the Law; therefore no Sinner can be ſaved, as Salvation is taken for a Releaſe from the Vengeance of the Law, but only by the Death of our Saviour, that is, by the Death of him, who was the only Innocent Perſon of all Mankind.

3. Since the Death of all Mankind (becauſe it is the Puniſhment threatned by the Law againſt the Tranſgreſſors of it) is not of Value ſufficient to expiate the Sin of Mankind, whether we conſider their Puniſhment and their Guilt in the Groſs or Lump, or whether we conſider it in Parcels and Particulars; and ſince Death is the neceſſary Puniſhment of the Law; and ſince, laſtly, if there be any Redemption purchaſed from ſuch Penalty, it muſt, for the Reaſons alledged, be made by a Death of more Value than all the Deaths of all Men: I ſay, from theſe Reaſons in conjunction, we do conclude, That ſuch a Death is neceſſary for Man's Redemption from the Curſe of the Law. And then, whoſe Death that Death was, the Scriptures do ſufficiently acquaint us; for, they expreſly and frequently tell us, that it was the Death of him, whom they ſet forth to us as our Saviour.

And from the Whole, we do infer, in the firſt place, that no other, but our Saviour alone, could ſo ſuffer for Sin, as to obtain a Releaſe from the Penalty which the Law had threatned againſt it; and that therefore there is no Salvation in any other; and, that there is no other Name given under Heaven among Men, whereby we muſt be ſaved, as Salvation is taken for our Redemption from that Vengeance, which the Law threatens and executes upon the Tranſgreſſors of it.

2. The ſecond Propoſition therefore laid down at the Beginning, comes next in order to be made good; and that is, That no one, but our Saviour alone, could, by an exact Obedience to the Law, purchaſe that Reward, Eternal Life, which the Law has promiſed to ſuch Obedience. And to make this good in a few Words, we take notice, in the firſt place, That as the Law, by the ſame Tenor of Juſtice, does engage the promiſed Reward to the Obedience, as it does the threatned Vengeance to the Tranſgreſſion of the Law; ſo we may from thence infer, under this Head, That every Man, who will be Partaker of ſuch Reward, muſt pay ſuch Obedience; as we did under the laſt, That every Man, who was guilty of ſuch Tranſgreſſion, muſt ſuffer ſuch Vengeance. He therefore who does not obey the Law, does loſe his Reward, as certainly, as he who tranſgreſſes it does pull upon himſelf his own Puniſhment. Now becauſe, among all the Race of Mankind, no one, except our Saviour, has obeyed the Law; therefore every Man beſides him, when left to the Purchaſe of his own Obedience, has forfeited his Reward. No Man therefore does, upon his own Account, deſerve ſuch Reward. And then, becauſe we know, that Juſtice does deal with Men according to their Deſerts; therefore, the Reward being Eternal Life, or Happineſs, every Man, when left to himſelf, has loſt ſuch Happineſs. That Part therefore of a Goſpel-Salvation, which conſiſts in Eternal Life, is not to be expected by any Man, but by the Saviour alone.

2. We have ſeen, that he has not barely provided for Man's Eſcape from the Vengeance of the Law, by the Merits of his Saviour's Death; but that he has alſo provided for his poſitive and future Happineſs, by the Merit of his Saviour's Obedience.

3. But yet, in what is now to follow, we ſhall find, that his Mercy has not ſtopped here; becauſe, in the third place, he will, in and through our Saviour, endow Man with a perfect and inherent Holineſs: By which I mean, ſuch an holy, Angelical, and withal durable Frame of Spirit, that ſhall for ever ſecure him from all poſſible Sin, and ſhall for ever engage him in a vigorous and chearful Diſcharge of all holy Duties; and in ſo doing, ſhall both accompany and ſecure his Happineſs to all Eternity. For, tho' it be confeſſed, that Believers do by the Communications and Aſſiſtances of the Spirit arrive to a Degree of ſuch an Holineſs in this Life; yet it muſt be confeſſed alſo, that it is but an imperfect Degree: For, it is not vigorous, nor uniform, nor conſtant; but irreſolute and weak; and therefore has its frequent Intermiſſions and Failings. But, as we ſhall ſee more fully in what is to follow, the Holineſs of the Saints in Glory is, like their Happineſs, firm, laſting, and immutable; and therefore will be found to be a Gift of God in Chriſt, that does vaſtly, if not infinitely, exceed the moſt refined Holineſs of the very beſt Man in this Vale of Sin and Miſery. It ſhall be the Buſineſs then of our preſent Undertaking, to make it good, that beſides that Title, which Believers in another World ſhall have to their Saviour's Righteouſneſs, in order to their future Happineſs, that they themſelves ſhall be endowed with a perfect, inherent, and indefectible Holineſs, in order to the ſecure Eternity of ſuch their Happineſs.

Now, to put this Matter into a clear Light, that ſo we may be the more rationally ſatisfied in all that is to follow; we lay it down, Firſt, That God by his Almighty Power having made the World, and all particular Beings in it, has by virtue of ſuch his Creation an undoubted Right and Title to the Dominion over all Things ſo by him created: And that therefore all his Creatures ought to be in Subjection to him, and to act according to the Determinations of his Will. And it is hardly to be doubted, but that all thoſe Creatures, which by the Boundaries of their Creation are devoid of Underſtanding and Free-will, do conſtantly act (according to thoſe Impreſſes and Powers that God in their Formation has ſtamped upon them) in a regular Subordination to ſuch his Will. And the Scriptures do give us, not only frequent Hints, but alſo expreſs Declarations, that ſo they do.

Now, as God created thoſe lower Creatures, ſo did he the higher, and thoſe which are endowed with more noble Faculties. And becauſe, among ſuch Creatures, upon whom he has beſtowed an Underſtanding, to enable them to know his Will, and with a Will to enable them to chuſe Obedience to ſuch his Will, we are not acquainted with any other, but Angels, and Men; and becauſe our Deſign is only concerned about them, and chiefly about the latter; therefore, directly to our preſent Purpoſe, we take notice,

That ſome of the Angels, firſt; and, by their Inſtigation, the firſt Man; and (becauſe all Men ever ſince do derive from him in a Lineal Propagation) therefore alſo all Mankind, by tranſgreſſing God's Will made known to them in his Laws, have revolted from their Allegiance to him, and have, by ſo doing, in effect renounced and diſclaimed that their Subjection to his Dominion, which was (if I may ſo ſpeak) his natural and eſſential Right. For, Wickedneſs is a profeſſed and avowed Renunciation of that Subjection which Rational Creatures owe to their Holy and Rightful Lord and King, even the God that made them. And, for that Reaſon, it is an Encroachment upon his Anthority; for it does leſſen and contract the Extent of his Kingdom. For, becauſe a Scepter of Righteouſneſs is the Scepter of his Kingdom; and becauſe all thoſe Laws, by which its Adminiſtration is executed, are in themſelves Holy, Juſt, and Good; it is, upon that Account, very obvious to conceive, that Wickedneſs, ſo far as it goes, does defeat ſuch Adminiſtration, and overturn ſuch Laws; and by ſo doing, does diminiſh the Authority, and encroach upon the Juriſdiction and Dominion of the Rightful and Supreme Lord.

Now, from what has been thus ſpoken in ſhort, we may eaſily underſtand, that the faln Angels having firſt revolted themſelves, and by their Sin withdrawn their Allegiance and Subjection to their moſt Holy and Supreme Lord, did (what other Rebels after their Example, and perhaps by their Inſtigation, have done to weak and ſhort-ſighted People) by falſe Colours, and taking Deluſions, invite Mankind into the ſame Revolt and Rebellion with themſelves; and, by ſo doing, draw away a Part of God's Kingdom and Dominion; and, in oppoſition to his Holineſs, that is, in oppoſition to God himſelf, ſet up a Kingdom of their own, a Kingdom of Darkneſs and Wickedneſs; in plain Engliſh, a Kingdom made up of ſuch Creatures, who by their Sin and Wickedneſs did rebel againſt and revolt from their Holy and Rightful Lord and King. All this, being Matter of Fact, is expreſly diſcovered to us by the Revelations of God: And the Hiſtory of Man's Fall, recorded in his Word, with the Account that we there meet with of the Devils Kingdom, of his Servants and Subjects, of his Slaves and Captives, of his Wars againſt the Holy Angels, the faithful Subjects of the True and Everliving King, do afford us a very lively Deſcription of the Thing. And becauſe no Chriſtian, who is but tolerably acquainted with the Revelations of God in his Holy Word, can poſſibly be a Stranger to it; therefore we have thought it leſs neceſſary to quote the ſeveral Texts, which by being put regularly together, will give us an exact and Hiſtorical Account of it. And indeed, we have ſo much the leſs need to do ſo, becauſe we ſhall be farther and more fully ſatisfied in it by thoſe Things which are to follow. Well then! Things ſtanding in this State, God was pleaſed to ſend his Son, his Beloved Son, made of a Woman, made under the Law, made Man, to be a Saviour, a Redeemer, a Light to Mankind; that is, he ſent him in Man's Nature, to guide and direct, to ſave and redeem Man from that Condition, into which he was brought by his Sin and Rebellion. What that Saviour did in order to the obtaining of ſuch Salvation, we have ſeen already; and what is to be done in order to the everlaſting Continuance of ſuch Salvation, is to be enquired now.

As therefore it was one Part of God's Counſel in ſending his Son to Mankind, to expiate their Sins; ſo it was another, and indeed the main and grand Deſign of ſuch his Meſſage, to reſcue them from their Slavery to Sin, and from their Subjection to Satan; and ſo to bring them back to his own Kingdom, and to reſettle them under the Juriſdiction of his own moſt holy Dominion. For, it is a very great Miſtake (which, I am apt to believe, has proceeded chiefly from our overſondneſs of our ſelves) to think, that God's chief Deſign in ſending our Saviour, was to free us from the Vengeance due to our Sins; thereby vainly imagining, that God has a greater Concern for our Impunity, than he has for our Holineſs; and that he had rather we ſhould be ſafe, than that we ſhould be good. Whereas our Reaſon will tell us, that God muſt needs love Holineſs, as he loves himſelf, becauſe he himſelf is (if I may ſo ſpeak) Eſſential Holineſs: And then the ſame Reaſon will tell us, that he muſt needs love himſelf better than he loves our Safety; and that more eſpecially, when we our ſelves, by ſlighting and neglecting of Holineſs, had betrayed ſuch our Safety. As therefore Man did, by his Compliance with the Devil, that is, by his Sin, expoſe himſelf to the Proſecutions of God's Vengeance; and as he did, by the ſame Means, ſo far forth revolt from his Dominion, and withdraw himſelf from his Juriſdiction, as to become the Subject of Satan, and Slave of Sin, (by which Means God was ouſted of his Natural and Original Right to Man's Obedience, and his Subjects ſo far forth drawn of from their Allegiance to him, as to ſlight his Authority, by ſlighting his Laws, and to fight againſt him, by oppoſing his Holineſs;) ſo, when the Hoſtilities were come to this paſs, that Man did fight againſt God by his Sins, and that God did fight againſt Man by his Juſtice; tho' God, in order to a Reconcilation, ſent his Son into the World, and by him a Proclamation of Pardon to all who ſhould return to their Duty; yet our Reaſon, nay, our Common Senſe will tell us, that the Reſtoration of God's juſt Right and Dominion by Man's Return to Holineſs and Duty, is in it ſelf a Point of greater moment, than Man's Pardon. And therefore, by the Tenor of that very Covenant, in which the Articles of Reconciliation are contained, it is ſtipulated, that Man ſhall firſt be obliged to repent and return, before God ſhall be obliged to forgive. And we know, that our Saviour himſelf, in that Prayer which he taught his Diſciples, and in them all Chriſtians, does put that Petition, [Thy Kingdom come,] before that, by which we pray, that God would forgive our Treſpaſſes. Why, all the Nations of the Earth are before him, but as the Drop of the Bucket, or the ſmall Duſt of the Balance: And then, can we think, that his Honour and Natural Right is not to be conſulted before Man's Safety? It cannot be; and becauſe it cannot, therefore we do conclude, that tho' God did deſign the Pardon of Man's Sin by a Saviour; yet for all that, the grand and principal Deſign of ſending him, who was to be that Saviour, was the bringing Man from a State of Sin to a State of Holineſs, the purchaſing to himſelf a peculiar People, zealous of good Works; or, as it is in the Fifth to the Epheſians, ver. 27. a glorious Church, not having Spot or Wrinkle, or any ſuch Thing; and thereby reſtoring to God ſo much of that Part of his Dominion, which, by the Temptation of the Devil, and by Man's Revolt, had been broke off from his Kingdom, and which was willing, upon the Goſpel-Conditions, the Proclamation of Pardon, to be reſtored again to it.

Now, from what has been ſpoken, I would infer, That it is a great Miſtake, to make the Sending of our Saviour in its firſt, principal, and grand Deſign, to be the Pardon of Sin. For, as Obedience to the Law is the firſt and principal Deſign of the Law; and as Puniſhment is but a ſecondary Deſign of the Law, and is only grounded upon the Defeat of its grand and principal Deſign: So Pardon of Sin, in the very Nature of the Thing it ſelf, depending only upon the Deſert of Puniſhment, can therefore riſe no higher than its Fountain, and therefore can at the moſt be but a ſecondary Cauſe of our Saviour's Coming.

And therefore, ſhould we ſuppoſe God to pardon Sin, tho' in and through our Saviour, without any Regard had to the fulfilling of the Directive, that is, of the grand and principal Part of the Law; we ſhould, by that means, ſuppoſe him to break the Directive Part of the Law, in order to his contradicting the Vindictive Part; that is, we ſhould ſuppoſe him to break both Parts of the Law, in order to ſuch a Pardon. For, Veracity is one Branch of Holineſs; and when God tells Man in his Law, that upon his Tranſgreſſion he ſhould ſurely die, as we may perceive by the manner of the Delivery, that the Denunciation is ſerious and ſolemn, not only becauſe it is backed with an Aſſeveration, but becauſe alſo it is incorporated into the Law; ſo, to tell us, that God may by a Pardon (that has no Regard to the Directive Part of the Law) revoke ſuch his ſolemn Threat and Aſſeveration, is in effect to ſay, that he may ſtart from his Veracity; and that is the ſame as to ſay, he may ſtart from his Holineſs; or, in other Words, that he may himſelf break the firſt and principal Part of the Law, by remitting the Penalty of the laſt and leſs principal. For, Holineſs is ſo refined a Thing, and ſo all of a Piece, (if I may ſo ſpeak) that he who tranſgreſſes its Rules in any one Caſe, does, by ſo doing, forfeit his Title to the whole, and therefore is truly called Unholy.

And therefore, I cannot but wonder, that Men, after almoſt Six thouſand Years Experience in the Caſe, in which, becauſe all Men have been Sinners, therefore all Men have died; I ſay, I cannot but wonder, that, after ſo long an Experience to the contrary, any Man ſhould now think, that Men may be freed from the Curſe of the Law, before they have fulfilled the Directions of it. For, methinks, by that Experience alone we may be inſtructed, that Men ſhould never be bleſſed with Impunity, till they firſt return to their Duty; and that they muſt firſt be obedient to the Law, before they ſhall be freed from the Vengeance of it.

But becauſe ſome Things under this Head may bear a Diſpute; and becauſe ſome others may ſeem hard to be underſtood; therefore, to be more plain and open, and to offer ſomething which is ſo, and which will as well conduce to my main Purpoſe and Deſign, I lay it down,

1. Firſt, That as it is aſſerted in the Goſpel, and is generally agreed among all Chriſtians, That an Eternal Life and Happineſs is contained in that Salvation which the Goſpel promiſes; ſo is it, That whoſoever ſhall be made Partakers of ſuch Happineſs and ſuch Life, muſt be ſo perfectly Holy, as to be eternally free from all Sin. For, as without Holineſs no Man ſhall ſee the Lord; ſo, the Bleſſed in Glory are by all allowed, as to be eternally without Miſery, ſo to be eternally without Sin. And we do not queſtion, but that it may be made out, and that too by Force of Reaſon, without the Aſſiſtance of Revelation, that compleat Happineſs (and an Happineſs that is not eternal, is not compleat) and that too in the Nature of the Thing, is inconſiſtent with Sin, which does certainly and conſtantly bring Miſery along with it, whereſoever it is permitted to come. And the Reaſon why I ſay, I do not queſtion it, is, becauſe what has Been done already, may be done again: And we know very well, that the Thing has been done already, and that too beyond all poſſible Contradiction. But becauſe it is an allowed Thing, That where the Seat of eternal Happineſs is, there nothing can either enter or remain but pure and unſpotted Holineſs; therefore we ſhall ſpend no Time in the Proof of it; but ſhall take it for granted, and ſo proceed to our

2. Second Propoſition, which is, That the Holineſs of thoſe, who ſhall inherit eternal Life and Happineſs, does not come from themſelves, nor is either the Archievement or Fruit of their own Powers. This we may be ſure of, becauſe a clean Thing cannot come out of an unclean; and all Men here are unclean, becauſe all Men are Sinners. And ſince Man in his Innocence did not keep himſelf Holy, it is unreaſonable to expect, that after the Fall, when Mens Abilities are leſſened, that any Man ſhould make himſelf ſo. And we are moreover aſſured, that no Man does make himſelf ſo, becauſe all Men do die: And we are further aſſured, that no Man can carry any more of his own Holineſs with him into another World, than what he was Owner of in this: And laſtly, we are infallibly aſſured, that no Man can ſecure to himſelf an Holineſs to Eternity, which he has not. From which Things run over in ſhort, we may be ſatisfied, that that Holineſs, which ſhall for ever attend thoſe of Mankind, who ſhall be made Partakers of eternal Happineſs, is not their own. The Thing might be made out in more Words; but it needs not: And therefore,

3. Since that Holineſs, with which Men ſhall be endowed in Heaven, is not their own; it muſt therefore be beſtowed upon them by ſome other: To which we may add, That that other can be no other, but God. For, it may be very well preſumed, that the very beſt of Creatures have no Holineſs to ſpare, upon a Suppoſition, that one Creature could make over any of his own Holineſs to another. For, upon ſuch Suppoſition, whatever they ſhould contribute towards the perfecting of another Creatures Holineſs, would be ſo much pared off from their own; and ſo a Defect of their own Holineſs would be the Conſequence of that other's Perfection; and an Abatement, at leaſt, if not the Loſs of their own Happineſs, a Conſequence of ſuch Defect. But then it is a vain Thing to conceive, that one Creature can make over its own inherent Holineſs to another; and it is as vain a Thing to think, that it can beſtow on that other an Holineſs, which it has not to beſtow; and it is certain, that it has no Holineſs, but its own. But neither ſhall I purſue this any farther, becauſe I ſhall at one View offer a ſhort Proſpect of all that has been already laid down, in order to make it good, That our Saviour has made Proviſion, that Believers ſhall be endowed with an indefectible Holineſs in a future and happy Life.

Take we notice therefore, That as a Goſpel-Salvation does imply in it, not only the Pardon of Sin, but the Reward of Righteouſneſs too; ſo the Reward of Righteouſneſs (as the Goſpel, and as he, who is both the Author of that Goſpel, and of that Reward, does ſet it forth) is to be eternal and everlaſting. Now, tho' it ſhould be granted, that Heaven and Happineſs is in it ſelf the juſt Reward of Duty and Obedience; yet it cannot be ſo freely granted, that an Eternity of Happineſs is ſo; unleſs that Duty, or Obedience, to which that Happineſs is aſſigned, be eternal alſo. And the Reaſon why ſuch a Thing cannot be granted, is grounded upon Matter of Fact, and that Matter of Fact authorized by God's own Judicial Proceedings. For, we may ſafely affirm, that the faln Angels were once Holy; and we may affirm it ſo much the more ſafely, becauſe being in their Nature Creatures capable of ſo noble a qualification, there can no doubt be made, but that they came forth ſuch out of the Hands of their moſt Holy Creator. Tho' therefore, while they remained Holy, that is, while they did their Duty, we do not queſtion their Happineſs; yet we do maintain, that that Happineſs then ceaſed, when their Holineſs did ſo: And from thence we do conclude, that their Happineſs was therefore not eternal, becauſe their Holineſs was not ſo. Now becauſe ſuch their Holineſs, which was not eternal, was their Original, or their Natural, or their Perſonal Holineſs, (for you may call it which you pleaſe) therefore we do farther conclude, that there is no Security, that any Creatures Perſonal or Natural Holineſs ſhall be eternal.

If therefore we ſhall bring our preſent Buſineſs to this Caſe, and by comparing one with the other, take leave to judge of what may be, by having ſeen what has been; we may take notice, that if our Saviour did nothing more for Man's Salvation, but only expunge the Guilt of his Sins, and ſo reſtore him again to his Original Innocence; all this would warrant no more, than that Man ſhould by this Means have been reſtored to that Innocence, or Holineſs, of which Adam ſtood poſſeſſed before his Tranſgreſſion. But that this Holineſs ſhould be laſting and eternal, we have not all this while any the leaſt Ground of Warrant, no nor of Conjecture: Nav, we may rather conclude, that it would not be ſo; becauſe we know, to our Coſt, that Adam's was not ſo. For, I would ask, Whether this Innocence, or Holineſs, be ſufficient to make Man happy? If it be both anſwered, and granted, That it is; then I would further demand, Whether it will ſecure that Happineſs to Eternity? If it will, then it muſt be ſomething more than a Reſtoration of Man to a State of an Adamical Holineſs; for we are ſure, that that firſt Holineſs could do no ſuch thing: If it will not, then it will not anſwer to a Goſpel-Salvation, becauſe ſuch a Salvation does imply in it everlaſting Happineſs, and everlaſting Happineſs muſt (as we have ſeen) be attended with everlaſting Holineſs. In one Word therefore, if, as Man's Happineſs does depend upon his Holineſs, ſo his everlaſting Happineſs muſt depend upon his everlaſting Holineſs; then we may well reckon, that that Holineſs of Man, which ſhall accompany eternal Salvation, muſt be an indefectible Holineſs, that ſhall never fail, and therefore whoſe Reward ſhall never ceaſe.

And by this time, we hope, that the Truth of what we have laid down, and of what we deſigned to make good, may begin to appear; which is,

1. That the Chief Deſign of our Saviour's coming into the World, was to bring ſinful Man to a State of perfect Holineſs; for, by that Man's chief Happineſs, and (which is yet a great deal more) God's original Dominion and Juriſdiction over Man, is provided for.

2. That an everlaſting Holineſs is required to an everlaſting Happineſs.

3. That ſuch an Holineſs is none of Man's own, and that therefore,

4. It muſt come from ſome other; and that that other muſt be God.

Having therefore ſeen, by what has been ſaid, that an everlaſting Holineſs is neceſſary, in order to Man's everlaſting Salvation, and that ſuch Holineſs muſt come from God: Let us proceed, and by that Light, which his Revelations have afforded us in this Caſe, enquire, what Proviſion God has made for the furniſhing Man with ſuch an Holineſs, in order to ſuch his Salvation. And,

1. We are inſtructed by ſuch Revelations, That God ſent his Son, our Saviour, into the World, cloathed with the ſame Fleſh with ſinful Man, to inſtruct and direct him in the Ways of Holineſs, by his Doctrine, and by his Example: That upon this Account he is called the Light of the World; for he made our Duty plain and intelligible, took off that Veil from Mens Underſtandings, by which they were induced to believe, that Holineſs did conſiſt in outward Waſhings, in Ceremonies and Formalities, and ſuch other or Modes or Geſtures, which contained nothing of true Holineſs in them, becauſe they did not form our Spirits to God's Likeneſs, nor make us holy, as he is holy. And becauſe he found Men laden with Sin, he did adviſe them to unburden themſelves by Repentance, that ſo they might the more expeditely ſet about the Attainment of that Holineſs, which he recommended to their Practice. And hence it was, that his Fore-runner, John the Baptiſt, firſt, and he himſelf, and his Apoſtles, afterwards, did all begin their great Work with an Exhortation therefore to Repent, becauſe the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand. In a Word, in order to terrifie Men from their wicked Courſes, and to invite them into the Paths of true Piety and Godlineſs, he did by his Threats acquaint them with a more expreſs, grievous, and future Puniſhment; and by his Promiſes, with a more expreſs, happy, and future Reward, than either Natural Reaſon or Revelation had as yet diſcovered. Theſe, with ſome other, were the Methods which our Saviour, when in the Fleſh, took to perſuade Men to add their own Endeavours to his, for their obtaining Salvation. And becauſe theſe Things were deſigned for ſuch a Purpoſe by him, and becauſe they have in themſelves a natural tendency to bring ſuch Deſign to paſs; and becauſe, laſtly, the Salvation of Man does in the whole Oeconomy of it proceed from the Grace of God; therefore theſe Things, when ſummed up together under one Denomination, are called Means of Grace. Theſe therefore, and the like Means of Grace, and them too backed and confirmed by Miracles, our Saviour made uſe of, to engage Men to practiſe and attain that Holineſs, by which alone they could in Juſtice be fitted for Salvation.

2. But then, ſecondly, we are inſtructed, both by God's Word, and by our own Experience, That all theſe Means made uſe of by our Saviour, did never yet produce that Holineſs in any Man, which is to fit him for his deſigned Salvation. For, what from Weakneſſes and Irreſolutions from within, and what from Temptations from without; what from the Temptations of the Devil, and what from his own wicked, habitual, and overruling Practices, every Man falls ſhort of the Grace of God; and his very beſt Practices being corrupted with Careleſneſs, or Inadvertency, or Wilfulneſs, (and all of them Evil) do not beget in him that Holineſs, to which alone eternal Salvation can in Juſtice belong. It may be then demanded, How any Man comes to be ſaved? To which I anſwer in the next, that is, the

3. Third place, That tho' the Means of Grace do not beget that Holineſs in any Man in this Life, in Conſideration of which he can in Juſtice obtain eternal Salvation; yet we are aſſured, that the Means of Grace tendred in the Goſpel, and made uſe of by Man, may, and often have this Effect, as to engage Men heartily to deſire and wiſh for ſuch an Holineſs. This is what our Saviour calls hungring and thirſting after Righteouſneſs: An hearty and ſincere Deſire to be what we ought to be; and (to make good the Sincerity of ſuch our Deſire) an hearty and ſincere Endeavour to be what we deſire to be. For, no Man does or can heartily and ſincerely deſire any Thing, who does not alſo heartily endeavour to obtain it. Now, an hearty Deſire, and an hearty Endeavour after Holineſs, does (if I may ſo ſpeak) open and enlarge the Soul to admit and receive ſuch Holineſs, whenever God ſhall be pleaſed to beſtow it. And becauſe every good and perfect Gift comes from above, from the Father of Light, we may be therefore ſure, that Holineſs, the beſt and moſt perfect Gift, whereof we are capable, does ſo too. And we are moreover ſure in Reaſon, that God will more freely beſtow his beſt Gift there, where it is moſt heartily deſired, and therefore alſo moſt kindly received: And we are the more ſure, that he will do ſo in the preſent Caſe, becauſe the Will of Man muſt in this Caſe concur with the Grace of God; or elſe it is impoſſible, that the Holineſs to be beſtowed ſhould ever become his own. For, no Man can in Reaſon or Nature be holy againſt his own Will. He then, who by the Means of Grace has advanced ſo far as to hunger and thirſt after Righteouſneſs, ſhall be ſure to be filled. We have his Promiſe for it, who is able to make it good; and we have his Promiſe for it, whoſe Promiſe cannot fail. And then we cannot but be ſenſible, that he who is filled with Righteouſneſs, cannot want that Holineſs which accompanies Salvation. And truly, when I conſider, how theſe lower good Things, the Bleſſings of Nature, which are confeſſedly the Bounties of the God of Nature, do freely flow in upon all his Creatures, where their natural Appetites or Wants do deſire or require them, and (where their Powers and Faculties are ſuch) in purſuit of ſuch their Deſires, they endeavour to obtain them; it mightily inclines me to think, that his Bleſſing of Holineſs will alſo there flow in, where the moral Appetites of his Rational Creatures do ſincerely deſire it; and where they are ſo ſenſible of their Want of it, as to endeavour after it.

4. We proceed, and add, in the fourth place, That we are inſtructed, both by God's Word, and by our own Experience, that tho' a perfect Holineſs may be heartily deſired, and ſincerely endeavoured after; yet, that it is never attained by any Man in this Life; and therefore ſo neither is a perfect Happineſs. The Evidence for the firſt is, becauſe all Men in this World are Sinners; and the Evidence for the laſt is, becauſe all Men in this World are Mortal. Now, as Sin is an infallible Confutation of a perfect Holineſs; ſo Mortality is an infallible Confutation of a perfect Happineſs. We are therefore at laſt arrived thus far, that no Man ſhall arrive at a perfect Holineſs, till he is tranſlated to another World: And becauſe it is difficult, if not impoſſible, to conceive, how any Man ſhould arrive at a perfect Holineſs in the Grave; therefore we may go one Step farther, and add, that no Man ſhall attain to ſuch an Holineſs, till the Reſurrection: And we may very fairly and rationally conjecture, (I may ſay, infer) That then the Faithful ſhall: For, we know, that by the Reſurrection we ſhall be releaſed from the Curſe of the Law on the one Hand, and ſhall enter upon the Reward of Obedience and Holineſs on the other.

5. And then, laſtly, Becauſe that Happineſs, which our Saviour has purchaſed for Believers, is an eternal Happineſs; and becauſe (as we have ſeen) it is impoſſible, that there ſhould be any ſuch Thing as an eternal Happineſs, without an eternal Holineſs; and becauſe to pretend to beſtow an everlaſting Happineſs upon Man, and not an everlaſting Holineſs, without which ſuch an Happineſs is impoſſible, is to mock Man, and not to ſave him; and becauſe, laſtly, we cannot without Blaſphemy and Abſurdity tax the Counſels and Purpoſes of our Saviour, in the Buſineſs of Man's Salvation, of ſuch groſs Prevarication: therefore we do at laſt conclude, That God in our Saviour will endow Believers, at or upon their Reſurrection, with an Inherent, Immutable, and Eternal Holineſs.

Now we have obſerved before, That the Puniſhment threatned by the Goſpel againſt thoſe, who ſhall refuſe their Salvation by the Neglect of the Conditions of the Goſpel, is greater than what was threatned againſt the Breach of the Law of Works, the Law given to Adam.

And that the Reward propoſed by the Goſpel to thoſe, who ſhall admit the Conditions of it, is greater than what was by the Law propoſed to Adam upon his Obedience.

And we have obſerved in this Chapter, That that Inherent and Indefectible Holineſs, which is a Part of ſuch Reward, is greater and nobler than Adam's Holineſs before the Fall; becauſe it is more laſting than that of him, or indeed of the faln Angels.

Now it is certain, that the Degrees of the Puniſhments are by Juſtice proportioned to the Degrees of the ſeveral Sinners own Deſerts. And it is certain, that the Rewards of eternal Life, and of an Indefectible Holineſs, do in Juſtice exceed the Deſerts of all that are ſaved, (for they have been all Sinners.) And then, what Grounds theſe Conſiderations may afford for the magnifying of God's Grace, and the Merits and Dignity of our Saviour's Purchaſe and Perſon, may be a Matter worthy our Meditations. But I ſhall not purſue it here, becauſe tho' there be an Occaſion for me to enlarge what has been ſaid already; yet I am unwilling to repeat.

And Reaſon tells us, that ſo it muſt needs be; becauſe where the Cauſe of all Death whatſoever is taken away, there the Poſſibility of Death muſt be taken away too; unleſs we ſhould imagine, that Death ſhould be brought upon a Rational Creature, ſubject to Law, without any meritorious Cauſe of Death at all. But (as we have often laid it down, and proved it already) that cannot be ſuppoſed in the preſent Caſe; becauſe the Death, we now ſpeak of, is ſuppoſed to come from God's Juſtice; and the Juſtice of God cannot either truly, or rationally be ſuppoſed to inflict Death there, where there is no Deſert of it. Now, we therefore know, that the meritorious Cauſe of Death is Sin, becauſe we know, that the Wages of Sin is Death. If therefore, as we have already ſeen, the Sin of the Faithful be taken away by the Expiation, and if upon their Reſurrection they obtain an indefectible Holineſs; the Inference will be, That the Cauſe of Death, Sin, will upon the firſt Account be cancelled, and blotted out; and that, upon the laſt Account, it cannot be renewed or reſtored; and that therefore, upon both Accounts in conjunction, Death, the Wages of Sin, can never more return. And then, when a Life reſtored is ſecured from all poſſible return of Death, we may be ſure, that ſuch Life ſo reſtored muſt be Eternal. And agreeable to what we now ſay, St. Paul tells us, in the Third to the Philippians, the laſt Verſe, that our Saviour, whom we look for from Heaven, ſhall change our vile Body, that it may be faſhioned like unto his glorious Body, according to the mighty working, whereby he is able even to ſubdue all Things unto himſelf. Now we know, that when our Saviour appeared to St. Paul, that is, to that very Apoſtle who tells us theſe Things, he does expreſly affirm to King Agrippa, in the Twenty ſixth of the Acts, that the Light of the Appearance was above the Brightneſs of the Sun, (and yet the Context will tell us, that the Appearance was made about Mid-day.) And perhaps our Saviour's Transfiguration on the Mount was a Proleptick Diſcovery of that Glory, with which his Body was to be cloathed upon his Aſcent into Heaven, the Mount of God. But be that as it will; yet to our Purpoſe: If the Bodies of the Saints ſhall be faſhioned like unto his glorious Body, then it will be no improbable Concluſion, That they ſhall with that Glory put on an Immortal Frame and Conſtitution. And this Concluſion will then advance from Probable to Certain, when we know, that the ſame Apoſtle does acquaint us, not only, that our Body, which is ſown in diſhonour, ſhall be raiſed in glory; but, over and above, that this Corruptible muſt put on Incorruption, and that this Mortal muſt put on Immortality. Much more might be offered on this Subject; but, from what has been glanced at, we may now perceive, that our Body, in imitation of our Saviour's Body, ſhall after its Reſurrection be indued with a glorious Frame, and an immortal Conſtitution; that it ſhall be done by his Power, as it ſhall in Conſideration of his Merit; that the Power that ſhall do it, is able to ſubdue all Things to it ſelf, that is, is Omnipotent. And then, where we have the Promiſe of Truth, and the Power of Omnipotence, to ſecure to us an Eternal Life; there we can have no Reaſon to doubt the Eternity of ſuch Life.

The Second Thing ſhould now in Order follow, which is to ſhew, wherein the Happineſs of ſuch Eternal Life does conſiſt. But before we ſpeak to that, I ſhall lay down two or three Practical Conſiderations; which, as they look back to what has been ſpoken already, ſo will be no improper Introduction to thoſe Things which are to follow.

1. And firſt, We ſhould be ſenſible of, and grateful for that bleſſed Proviſion, that our Lord and Saviour has made for our Everlaſting Happineſs and Security. And this we ſhould ſo much the rather be, becauſe, by what has been ſaid, we may now underſtand, that ſuch Proviſion does fully anſwer to our higheſt natural Deſires and Inclinations. For, our Anxiety for our own Welfare will tell us, that among all the ſeveral Appetites, by which we purſue after our own Happineſs, our Deſire of Life does hold the firſt and chief Place with us. And the Reaſon is plain, becauſe the Loſs of Life muſt needs be followed by the Loſs of all other Enjoyments whatſoever, that can in any wiſe conduce to our Happineſs. And, as we are told by our Common Senſe, that our grand and topping Appetite is that of Life; ſo we are told by the ſame Common Senſe, that Immortality is a ſure Fence for that Life. If therefore God has graciouſly made Proviſion for the Gratification of this our moſt exalted Appetite, by ſecuring to us a future Immortality; and if, over and above, he has engaged to ſecure that very Immortality from the Loads and Incumbrances of all thoſe Miſeries, which do conſtantly attend our Mortal Life in this World: I ſay, if God has done ſo great Things for us, we ought to look upon our ſelves to be obliged in Gratitude to endeavour a Return (as far as our ſlender Abilities go) in ſome meaſure proportionate to the Almighty Bounty. For, if ever our Thanks be due to any one whomſoever; then moſt certainly they muſt be ſo to him, who is willing, and able, and has promiſed to gratifie the utmoſt Pitch, and the moſt exalted Deſires of our own Self-love.

2. Has God provided an Immortal and Secure Life for us in another World? Then that ſhould engage us not to ſet up for Happineſs in this. For, tho' it be granted, that the Good Things of this Life are preſent, and at hand; but that thoſe of a better Life are lodged at a diſtance; and ſo we are engaged in our Purſuit after the firſt by our Senſes, but we can only purſue the laſt by our Faith or Hope: Yet, becauſe our Experience, upon innumerable Repetitions, has conſtantly convinced us, that our Senſes have alway deceived us, (for, our higheſt and moſt exalted Enjoyments here do always determine in Emptineſs and Diſſatisfaction:) I ſay, for this ſingle Reaſon, (if yet there were no other) we ſhould for the future rather ſeek for the Happineſs we deſire there, where our Faith tells us, it may be had; than to repeat our Diſappointments, by purſuing it there, where our Experience has convinced us, that it cannot. Alas! a very little conſideration may ſatisfie us, that in our Attempts after Happineſs by the Purſuit of the Good Things of this Life, we always blunder; and that too, whether we do, or do not obtain thoſe Good Things, which we ſo purſue. For, if we do not, then we loſe our deſired Happineſs by our Diſappointment: But if we do, then either they muſt leave us, by reaſon of their ſlipperineſs and uncertainty; or we muſt leave them, by reaſon of our Mortality. And then, be it one, or be it t'other, the Caſe is much one and the ſame; for, in both Caſes, the expected Happineſs vaniſhes. And becauſe by this we may perceive, that we cannot be made happy by any Thing in this Life; therefore,

3. Let us be exhorted to ſeek our Happineſs in a future Life; that is, (as has appeared) to ſeek it there, where it may be had. For, if Happineſs be to be had any where, undoubtedly it is to be had in the Favour and Preſence of God; who, as he is the undoubted Author of all Things, ſo for that Reaſon alone he is the undoubted Author of all that Happineſs, which we can poſſibly reap from the Enjoyment of any Good whatſoever. Now, becauſe the ſame Revelations, which have diſcovered to us a Future and Immortal Life, have alſo acquainted us, that that Life is lodged in the kind and favourable Preſence of God, that is, in Heaven; and becauſe we know, that no unholy or impure Thing ſhall come into the Preſence of him, who is of purer Eyes, than to behold Iniquity: Therefore, to the preſent Exhortation, let me add this Direction, and that is, That we purſue our future Glory and Immortality (or Eternal Life hereafter) by an holy Life here. For, the true and ſolid Reaſon, why there is no Miſery nor Death in Heaven, is becauſe there is no Sin nor Wickedneſs there. For, Death and Miſery are ſo far forth the inſeparable Companions of Sin and Wickedneſs, that, as where-ever we find the laſt, there we are ſure to find the firſt; ſo, where the firſt are not, there we may be ſure, that the laſt are ſhut out. And therefore, becauſe Mortality and Miſery have no Place in Heaven, we may, for that Reaſon, ſtand confirmed, that Sin and Impiety have no Place there neither. If therefore we do in good earneſt deſign to be lodged in thoſe Regions of Happineſs, we muſt firſt be ſure to caſt off our Sins, and to leave them behind us. For, ſo ſure as Death is the Wages of Sin, ſo ſure it is, that Immortality and Happineſs ſhall not be the Portion of the Impenitent. And ſo long as God is in his own Nature Holy, and that is, ſo long as he is God, ſo long he muſt be diſpleaſed with all thoſe, who are pleaſed with, and make much of Sin, the grand Enemy of ſuch his Nature, becauſe the grand Enemy of ſuch his Holineſs.

HAving in the laſt Chapter ſhewed, by what Means we are put into the Poſſeſſion of an Happy and Eternal Life, the Purchaſe of our Saviour's Merits: We muſt in this, according to our Promiſe, inquire wherein the Happineſs of ſuch Life does conſiſt.

And, in anſwer to this Inquiry, we lay it down, in ſhort; That the Conſummate Happineſs of the Saints in Eternal Life, does conſiſt in that Joy, Pleaſure, and full Satisfaction, which reſults from their Loving the Lord their God with all their Heart, with all their Soul, with all their Strength, and with all their Mind; and from their Enjoyment of God (the Party beloved) and his Love. I have choſe to expreſs the Love of the glorified Saints to God, in the Words of Scripture, becauſe they ſeem to me to contain in them ſuch an Intenſe Love, under ſo large and comprehenſive an Expreſſion, that, had I delivered it in other Words, I ſhould more than have doubted, that I ſhould have fallen ſhort of the Thing. And I do believe, that ſuch Caution will then appear to be no ſcrupulous Nicety, when we ſhall come ſeriouſly to weigh and conſider thoſe Things that follow.

1. And firſt, we take notice, what every one may eaſily be ſatisfied of by their own Experience, That we love our ſelves beſt, that is, before and beyond all other Perſons, and all Things whatſoever. And there neither is, nor can be any doubt, but that ſuch our Inclination is planted in us at our firſt Formation, by the Hand of God himſelf. And therefore neither does God ever require of us to ſlight or caſt it away, but by ſuch Motives, that will more than recompenſe all the Evil, that we do, or can ſuffer, by our ſo doing. And therefore he, who in the Cauſe of God and Goodneſs ſhall ſo far undervalue his own Welfare, as to part with that Welfare (be it what it will) for the ſake of ſuch Cauſe, may be ſure of a Compenſation from God's Hand, that ſhall repair his Damages with advantage, and that too, tho' what he ſo parts with be Life it ſelf. And therefore it was a fixed and undoubted Perſuaſion in the Primitive Chriſtians, that whoſoever ſuffered Martyrdom for his Saviour's, and Religions ſake, was certainly thereupon crowned with Glory; and with them, to be a Martyr, and to be crowned, were equivalent Expreſſions; for, they meant the ſame Thing, whether they made uſe of the one or of the other. So confident were they of the Truth of their Saviour's Promiſe, in the Nineteenth of St. Matthew, ver. 29. Every one that hath forſaken Houſes, or Brethren, or Siſters, or Father, or Mother, or Wife, or Children, or Lands, for my Names ſake, ſhall receive an hundred-fold, and ſhall inherit everlaſting Life: and of that in the Tenth Chapter of the ſame Evangeliſt, ver. 39. He that loſeth his Life for my ſake, ſhall find it. By which we may underſtand, that God does ſo far allow our Self-love, the Work of his own Hand, that where, for his ſake, we are willing to lay it aſide in leſſer Matters, there he has, in requital for our ſo doing, obliged himſelf to provide for the gratification of it in greater Matters.

Now, tho' it be confeſſed, that there is a Thing too frequently, and too kindly entertained among Mankind, which wears the Name of Self-love; and which is not only commonly accounted, but which alſo really is in it ſelf Criminal: Yet, if we narrowly look into ſuch Crime, we ſhall find, that it is not therefore a Crime, becauſe it is Self-love, but becauſe it excludes our Love of others. It is indeed kind to it ſelf, (as all Self-love, and that too in the Nature of the Thing, muſt needs be) but then it is kind to very few or none beſides. And therefore the Viciouſneſs of it conſiſts, not ſo much in doing what it does, as in not doing what it ought to do: That is, the Self-love, ſo far as it is only Self-love, is innocent: But it then becomes a Sin, when it advances to Uncharitableneſs. For, every Man is allowed (perhaps in a degree required) to love himſelf; but no Man is allowed, no not upon the Pretence of ſuch his Love, to hate another. Nay, he may love himſelf beſt; but by ſo doing, he muſt not ſhut out all others from any Share in his Love; nor (where his Circumſtances and Condition, meaſured by the Standard of Common Humanity, or Chriſtian Charity, will allow him ſo to do) muſt he ſhut out others from the Proofs and Evidences, that he allows them ſuch a Share. So that as we are ſatisfied by our own Senſe of the Thing, (and that is as great a Satisfaction, as we are capable of in any Caſe whatſoever) that we love our ſelves beſt; ſo, by what has been ſaid, it may now appear, that we do not tranſgreſs any Duty of Morality or Religion by our ſo doing.

2. Our next Propoſition muſt be, That as we love our ſelves beſt, ſo our Love of any Perſon or Thing beſides is directed by and to our Self-love. For, we therefore love any Thing, becauſe it does, or at leaſt becauſe we think it may conduce to our own Welfare and Happineſs. For, all Love has in it a Mixture of Deſire; and then, as the Love of our ſelves is accompanied with a Deſire of our own Welfare; ſo, becauſe we love our ſelves beſt, all our other Deſires muſt, for that Reaſon, be in a ſubordination to that. And therefore, tho' our Love to other Men may engage us to do very great and conſiderable Kindneſſes to ſuch Men; yet, for all that, we ſhould not do ſo, did we not, by ſo doing, gratifie our ſelves. For, tho' it is confeſſed, that becauſe our Kindneſſes to them proceeded from our Love to them, that therefore we deſign to pleaſe and gratifie them by our Kindneſſes; yet it is full as true, that if their Pleaſure and Gratification were not pleaſant and grateful to our ſelves, we ſhould leave thoſe Kindneſſes undone, by which we deſigned ſuch their Pleaſure and Gratification. And as it is thus notorious, that our Love to other Perſons is finally reſolved into the Love of our ſelves; ſo it is as, if not more notorious, that our Love of Things is ſo. For, Things have no Senſe of our Kindneſs to them; and therefore our Kindneſs to them, were it for their ſakes, would be irrational and abſurd; for there could no Account be given of it in Reaſon, or Nature. But becauſe we our ſelves are capable of receiving a Benefit from Things, by our having a Senſe of ſuch Benefit; and becauſe we are capable of apprehending ſuch our Benefit, before we do obtain them, as well as when we do poſſeſs and enjoy them; therefore we may from thence be ſatisfied, that our Love, and therefore alſo our Deſire of them, does ſpring from ſuch our Apprehenſion of our own Benefit; and we may be ſure, that the Deſire of ſuch our own Benefit does come from our Self-love. So that now we may be as well convinced, that our Love to other Perſons, or to Things, does proceed from our Self-love, under this Head; as under the laſt we might, that we love our ſelves beſt.

3. Let our Third Propoſition then be this: That we find in our ſelves, and that too by our own Senſe (I may ſay, Feeling) of the Thing, ſuch a Want of that, that will ſatisfie the Deſires of our Self-love, that we are conſtrained by ſuch our Self-love, (that is, we are conſtrained by Nature; for Self-love, as we have ſeen, is natural;) I ſay, we are conſtrained by Nature to ſeek for a Supply for ſuch our Want from abroad; that is, we are conſtrained to ſeek for it out of our ſelves. This might be abundantly proved from the great Variety of theſe our Wants, which can only be relieved by a Foreign Supply; and thoſe too, Wants, not only of our Bodies, but of our Minds; without our obtaining of which, we do account our ſelves in a degree miſerable; at leaſt, not ſo happy, as to gratifie our Self-love. But the Thing being Natural, and our Conviction of its Truth being ſo too, it needs not. And therefore I would have it here remarked, that my chief Aim in laying down this Propoſition, is to adjuſt the Coherence, and by conſequence the Proof of my main Deſign, which is to ſhew, wherein our Grand and Eternal Happineſs does conſiſt.

But yet (becauſe it may in ſome meaſure conduce to ſuch our Deſign) we ſhall, before we quit this Propoſition, leave this Remark upon it: That it is not unlikely, if it be not certain, that God in our very Formation has ſo ordered our natural Frame and Conſtitution, that as the Deſires of our Self-love cannot be anſwered nor ſupplied by our Self-ſufficiency; ſo, that ſuch our Deſires ſhould carry our Thoughts abroad to ſeek ſuch Supply elſewhere. Which is (if I may ſo ſpeak) the firſt Step, to which we are obliged by Nature, in order to our ſeeking after God. And in the next place, That God has made all Things in this World, within the compaſs of our poſſible Purchaſe, ſo inadequate to the Deſires of our Self-love, that when we do actually obtain ſuch Things, our higheſt and moſt exalted Enjoyment of them does ſtill fall ſhort and does never fill or ſatisfie ſuch our Deſires. Which is the Second Natural Step to bring us to God.

4. This Remark then being left by the way; let our Fourth Propoſition be this: That the more we know, or believe, that other Perſons or Things will anſwer to, and ſatiſfie the Deſires of our Self-love; the greater Value we put upon them; and the greater Value we put upon them, the more we love them. The Truth of which Propoſition is as certain, as it is certain, that we deſire to gratifie our Self-love: And it is as certain, that we deſire to gratifie our Self-love, as it is certain, that we have ſuch a Thing in us as Self-love. For, becauſe our Self-love conſiſts in a Deſire of our own Gratification; and becauſe a Deſire of our own Gratification contains in it a Love of thoſe Perſons or Things, from which we expect to receive ſuch Gratification: I ſay, for theſe Reaſons, to ſuppoſe, that we ſhall not love ſuch Things or Perſons in proportion to that Gratification, which we expect to receive from them, is to ſuppoſe us to contradict thoſe very Deſires, which yet at the ſame time we do profeſſedly entertain. We ſhall therefore take our preſent Propoſition for good and true, and that is, That we muſt needs love all Perſons and Things according as we think or know, that they will anſwer to, or gratifie the Deſires of our Self-love.

5. The natural and immediate Effect of our Love of any Perſon or Thing, is a Deſire of poſſeſſing or enjoying the Perſon or Thing ſo loved. For, our Deſire of any Perſon or Thing includes in it our preſent Want of ſuch Thing or Perſon. Now, if ſuch our Want were not at home, that is, in our ſelves, we need not ſeek abroad, or out of our ſelves, for a Supply of it. And becauſe the Want, which in the preſent Caſe we feel in our ſelves, is fixed and immovable, and ſo cannot ſtir abroad; therefore that, that muſt ſupply ſuch Want, muſt be brought home to it. Our Supply then muſt be cauſed by the Union of that Thing or Perſon to our ſelves, which is to ſupply ſuch Want. And when that Thing or Perſon is united to our ſelves, then, and not before, we may be ſaid to poſſeſs or enjoy ſuch Thing or Perſon.

I do believe, that the Truth of this Propoſition may be doubted; becauſe we may be ſatisfied with the Aſſurance of our Friend's Kindneſs, tho' we do not enjoy his Company. And ſomething very like it may be ſaid of the Satisfaction that we take in ſeveral Things, tho' at a diſtance from us. But when it is conſidered, that tho' we do not enjoy the Company of our abſent Friend, yet for all that, we do at that very time enjoy his Friendſhip; and that tho' his Perſon be abſent from us, yet that the Aſſurance of his Friendſhip is preſent with us, and lodged in our Breaſts; we may then begin to be ſatisfied, that ſo far forth as our Deſires are gratified, or our Want ſupplied, ſo far forth that, which does ſo gratifie or ſupply them, is preſent with us, which is an aſſured Satisfaction of our Friend's Love and Kindneſs to us. But then we muſt take notice, that if our Deſires do extend themſelves farther; as ſuppoſe, if our Love of him engages us to deſire the Preſence of his Perſon, as earneſtly as the Aſſurance of his Friendſhip; then, in ſuch a Caſe, as our Deſires and our Want are more than barely the Deſire and Want of his Friendſhip and Kindneſs; ſo ſuch our greater Deſire and Want cannot be ſupplied, but by the Preſence and Enjoyment of his Perſon and Company. And therefore, ſtrictly ſpeaking, our Deſire of his Company proceeds from our Love of his Perſon; but our Deſire of his Friendſhip proceeds from our Love of ſuch Friendſhip, which is a Thing, and not a Perſon. But then it muſt be granted, that no Man can love another, but that, according to the Degree of ſuch his Love, he muſt deſire his Company too; and that the want of his Company would be attended with an Affliction proportionate to the Degrees of his Love; if the Abſence of his Perſon were not in ſome meaſure compenſated by the Aſſurance of his Friendſhip, which is preſent. And what is thus true of Perſons, is ſo alſo of Things. For, we therefore deſire any Thing, becauſe we love it, and becauſe we want it: And then the only way to ſupply ſuch Want, and to gratifie ſuch our Love, is, by bringing ſuch Thing home into our own Poſſeſſion, that is, within the reach of our Enjoyment. For, an hungry Man may as ſoon fill his Belly with the Meat that remains in the Market, while he tarries at home, as any Man's Love of any Thing or Perſon can be gratified, while that Perſon or Thing is out of the reach of his Poſſeſſion or Enjoyment. For, as it is abſurd to imagine, that any Man can love any Perſon or Thing, without any Deſire to poſſeſs or enjoy them; ſo it is equally abſurd to think, that he can poſſeſs or enjoy them, while they are at a diſtance from him.

Theſe Five Propoſitions I have laid down, as previous and introductory to the making out the Truth, which we now purſue; and that is, That the Happineſs of our Eternal Life will conſiſt in that Pleaſure and Satisfaction which we ſhall take in our Love and Enjoyment of God, and in his Love of us. For, it is obvious, becauſe natural, for us to conceive, that all poſſible Happineſs (be that Happineſs what it will) muſt come from ſomething that is grateful to our Inclinations, that is, from ſomething which we love; and therefore alſo from ſomething, which (if we want it) we do alſo deſire: That what we ſo want and deſire, cannot make us happy, till we poſſeſs and enjoy it; becauſe till then our Deſires are not fulfilled: That our Make and Frame is ſuch, that we feel in our ſelves that we do want That, that muſt make us happy; and that therefore, if we will obtain it, we muſt ſeek for it abroad, and out of our ſelves: And laſtly, That our Self-love does, and that too neceſſarily, engage us to ſeek after ſuch Thing: I ſay, theſe are natural and eaſie Truths, and (as we ſhall perceive preſently) ſuch, as will lead us into the Diſcovery of what at preſent we do only enquire after, viz. The Nature of our Eternal Happineſs; or, Wherein our Eternal Happineſs ſhall conſiſt.

And that we may from Enquiry advance to Diſcovery, I would offer it to Conſideration, in the firſt place.

1. That when our Souls and Bodies ſhall be refined, by the Reſurrection and Glorification of the laſt, and by the compleat Holineſs of the firſt; that then we ſhall have ſuch a true Senſe of the great and ſupereminent Value of Holineſs, that we ſhall upon that Account love that above and beyond all Things beſides. For then we ſhall perceive and know, that God therefore makes us holy, that ſo he may make us happy: That our Happineſs begins, when our Holineſs does; and that it is then perfected, when our Holineſs is ſo: That Holineſs is the Perfection of God's Nature, and of our own: That where Holineſs is in its moſt exalted Excellence and Perfection, it is the ſame Thing with Wiſdom and Truth, with Omniſcience and Omnipotence; and that it is the true and only Fountain of all real and rational Happineſs. And then, that which is the Fountain of all Happineſs, and by conſequence of our own Happineſs, muſt, when once it appears ſo to us, be the Object of our greateſt Love, as ſure as it is, that we do love our ſelves beſt.