by faith and admission into the church, put into a more near capacity of salvation, as St. Paul speaketh: éyyúrepov Яμŵv ἡ σωτηρία, ἢ ὅτε ἐπιστεύσαμεν, ( Now is our salvation nearer than when we believed;') so is he in respect of all those, who are in any capacity thereof, although a more remote one.

But let us now view more nearly and distinctly the respects in which he is a Saviour of all men, or the particular benefits and advantages conducing to salvation, which by his perform→ ances accrue to mankind; for πάμπολυ τὴν σωτηρίαν ἁπάσῃ χάρίζεται τῇ ἀνθρωπότητι, • In very many ways he bestoweth salvation on all mankind,' as Clemens Alexandrinus speaks.

4. Our Lord is the Saviour of all men,' as having effected that Almighty God (who on great provocations was justly displeased and angry with man, who had averted his face, and withdrawn his favor from mankind, whom our apostasy and rebellion had rendered a stranger and an enemy to us) hath deposed his wrath toward mankind, hath conceived a kind affection to it, doth cast a favorable aspect on it; being thoroughly reconciled and made a friend thereto by our Saviour's mediation. This is my beloved Son, év & evdókŋoa, in whom I have been well pleased,' was the attestation given from God to our Lord; the meaning whereof in regard to men, the holy choir of angels did interpret, when after the gladsome report of his birth, (that great joy, which should be to all people,') they sang, 'Glory be to God on high, on earth peace, good-will toward men.' Which St. Paul farther declareth, when he saith, that by him eudóкnoe, God pleased to reconcile unto himself all things, on earth, and in heaven; and when he saith, 'That God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their sins.' And, When we were enemies,' saith he again, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son: When we were enemies,' that implies God antecedently to any man's conversion to have been appeased, and become favorably disposed toward all men, or toward those whom St. Paul speaketh unto, as men; so the reason of the case doth import, and so the analogy which St. Paul immediately after propounds between the results of Adam's transgression and our

Saviour's obedience (as to provocation and reconciliation, to condemnation and absolution, to the intents of bringing death and life on all men) doth enforce. Whence it is that God declareth himself now to bear an universal goodwill to mankind, that he doth earnestly desire the welfare of all men, and is displeased with the ruin of any man; that he would have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowlege of the truth,' because ' there is one Mediator between God and man;' that he would not have any perish, but that all should come to repentance;' this he affirms, yea (for the confirmation of our faith and our consolation therein) he in the evangelical prophet swears it,' As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live.' So far toward our salvation is done, God meets us half way; he is reconciled unto us, it remains only that we be reconciled to him; that we hearken to the embassy from him: Be reconciled to God.'

2. Jesus is the Saviour of all men,' by satisfying the divine justice, and repairing God's honor in their behalf. The disloyal and ingrateful behavior of man had so wronged, so endamaged, so dishonored God, (had so abused the goodness, disparaged the wisdom, slighted the power, impeached and slurred the authority of his Creator, had so prejudiced all the rights and interests of God,) that by the divine wisdom it was thought fit that he should not be restored into a capacity of mercy and favor, without a signal compensation made, and an exemplary punishment undergone, whereby the right of God should conspicuously be asserted, his love of goodness and dislike of wickedness should be remarkably demonstrated, and every creature in heaven and earth should be solemnly admonished of its duty; of the reverence and obedience it owes to the great Creator, of the heinous guilt and horrible mischief it incurs by offending him. Such a compensation man was nowise able to make, or fit to undergo such a punishment: our Saviour therefore, out of infinite pity and charity, did undertake both; by a voluntary condescension putting himself into the low and weak state of man; subjecting himself unto that law which man was obliged unto, and suffering the pains which man had deserved. This he was pleased to do in man's behalf, and in

our stead; and God was pleased to accept it as so done. His incarnation (or exinanition of himself, as St. Paul calleth it) was an act of that high duty and goodness, that it in virtue surpassed all the obedience, which all creatures were able to render; that it yielded God more satisfaction and more honor than the joint endeavors of all the world could confer. His with so intense charity and cheerfulness fulfilling all righteousness did far more please God, than all our most exact obedience could have done; his enduring bitter pains and disgraces (considering the infinite dignity of his person, his near relation and dearness to God, his perfect innocence and rectitude, yea his immense charity, contentedness, and patience) more than countervailed the punishment due to the sins of all men. Such a payment was more than served to discharge all our debts, (it served to purchase an overplus of graces and blessings;) so rich a price was more than sufficient to ransom all the world from captivity; so goodly, so pure, so sweet, so precious a sacrifice might worthily expiate and atone all the guilts of

men.

Now if we inquire what our Saviour did redeem, the consideration of what he paid may, as St. Austin tells, help to inform us; Quæritis quid emerit? Videte quid dederit, et invenite quid emerit. Do ye seek,' saith he, what he bought? See what he gave, and find what he bought.' However, that as the value and sufficiency of our Lord's performances, so the design and effect thereof did reach fo far in regard to man; that his charity was no less extensive than his performance was complete, for our good, the holy Scripture teaches us. For, He is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world,' saith the Baptist. And, The bread,' saith he, which I gave is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.' And, He is a propitiation,' saith St. John, for our sins; and not only for our sins, but for the sins of the whole world.' And,' He is the mediator of God and man, who gave himself (åvríλurpov úñèo Távτwv) a ransom,' in the stead, and for all men,' saith St. Paul. And, He tasted death for every one,' saith the author to the Hebrews. And, He was that one Man,' who, as it was expedient, did die for the whole nation of men. And, God was in him, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their

sins.' And, He came into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might by him be saved,' (or freed from condemnation.) And, As by the offence of one man judgment came on all men to condemnation, so by the righteousness of one, mercy came on all to justification of life.' The end we see of our Saviour's performances was, that he might wipe off the guilt of sin from all mankind, that he might reverse the condemnation passed thereon, and that he might remove the punishment due thereto; or, that, absolving the first man's sin, he might take it away from the whole race, as St. Athanasius speaks.

'He

All men have sinned, and come short (or are destitute) of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace, by the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.' Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.' was born under the law, that he might redeem those which were under the law.' He that knew no sin was made sin, (was punished and dealt with as a sinner,) that we might be made the righteousness of God in him,' (that we might be capable of being esteemed and dealt with as righteous by God on his account.) So that the result is, divine justice being fully satisfied, and the honor of God fully repaired, (in regard to all sins past and future,) the mouth of vengeance being stopped, the claims of death and hell being evacuated, that general sentence of condemnation (passed on all the sons of Adam) is suspended, death ceases to reign by any just power, or inevitable necessity; (it is, as St. Paul saith, abolished or abrogated as to any lawful right, or necessary force it hath ;) the rigor and severity of that law, which on pain of death exacteth most punctual obedience, (and which consequently doth expose all men to unavoidable condemnation,) is tempered and abated, a foundation is laid for the showing mercy and granting pardon. In respect whereto,

3. Our Lord is the Saviour of all men,' as having in the behalf of mankind transacted and ratified a new covenant, very necessary for, and very conducible to, the salvation of mankind; whereby salvation is made attainable, and is really tendered unto all, on feasible and equal conditions. According to the purport whereof on any man, (however stained or loaded

with the guilt of most heinous transgressions) his embracing the overtures thereof, consenting to, and complying with the terms propounded therein, that is, sincerely believing, and seriously repenting; returning to God with hearty desires and earnest resolutions to serve him; God is ready to dispense mercy and pardon, and immediately receiveth the person into grace and favor with him; yea, the man continuing to perform a faithful though imperfect obebience, an obedience suitable to man's natural infirmity and frailty, and proportionable to the assistances afforded him: God farther promiseth to bestow inestimable blessings and rewards of joy and happiness. That covenant which the prophets implied of old, when (beside and beyond what the Jewish law did import) they preached thus: Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings, cease to do evil, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red as crimson, they shall be as wool.' And, 'Let the wicked man forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.' And, If the wicked man will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die,' (so God in Isaiah and Ezekiel declareth his intention to proceed with men, avowing that way of his to be most equal and fair.) This is that covenant which our Lord commanded his Apostles to declare and propound to all mankind; 'Go ye,' said he to them, into the whole world, and preach the gospel to every creature;' that gospel, according to which, as it is expressed in St. Luke, repentance and remission of sins ought to be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem;' in respect to which, St. Peter says, that God hath exalted our Lord to be a Prince and a Saviour, to grant repentance to Israel, and remission of sins;' (to grant repentance, that is, as the Apostle to the Hebrews and Clemens Romanus speak, peravoías rómov, room for repentance, or capacity to receive pardon on repentance; concerning which covenant that Clemens, (the fellow-laborer of St. Paul, and whom Clemens Alexandrinus calleth an Apostle,) in that excellent, admirable, and almost canonical Epistle to the Corinthians, which, as Eu