But

I. In the nature of the promises; they are fuch as are agreeable to the goodness and majesty of the great God, and to our cafe and welfare. We need not here ftrictly confider the promises, as they relate to this life. Such there are. Christian godliness has the promife of the life, that now is, as well as of that which is to come. it is the defign of this inftitution to carry our minds above earth and the affairs of it. The Jewish pedagogy was ftored with motives and encouragements, taken from worldly welfare. But chriftianity finks our earthly expectations, and raises spiritual defires and hopes. As it implants a new nature, its promises and affurances are moftly fuited thereto. It principally regards the foul, and its welfare and profperity; and in reference thereto, it very congruously promises fuch bleffings as thefe;

This is needful to

1. A plenary remission of fin. This we want. be enacted, and publifh'd to a rebellious, guilty world. The nations were involv'd in all manner of impieties, when the gospel come out among them. The promise of the forgiveness of all fin would be a mighty motive (in it felf) to induce the world to return to God. It is wont to prevail with rebellious nations, to lay down their arms and fubmit to their rightful foveraign. So it should do here. But the convinced fenfible mind can scarce believe, that fuch idolatrous, polluting, and unnatural fins, as have been committed, can be forgiven by the moft holy, righteous God. His glory must be confulted; his ture, and law must be honoured and vindicated. Accordingly, care is taken that an honorary foundation fhould be laid for this forgiveness. That a worthy facrifice fhould be flain, and a fufficient atonement made for the tranfgreflions of the world. Hereby the great God can,

pure na

in honour forgive; and the enlightned, trembling foul may be fatisfy'd, that he will. And fo the expiation and the remiffion are to be publifhed and preached together. In the name of the facrificed Redeemer, repentance and remiffion of fin is to be proclaimed to all nations, beginning at Jerufalem. And through him is preach'd unto you the forgiveness of fins. This now is granted to all penitent profelites; to all, that, in relinquishing their fins, and reliance upon the atonement, do return to God. This favour is fuitable to the great Governour of the world;

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delineated. world; (who can forgive fins, but God?) fuitable to our guilty condition; and to the peace of our afflicted minds.

2. There is the promise of a renewing, fanctifying Spirit. This alfo is highly needful to fuch a world as this. The fenfible, or selfconscious mind does not only fee his own guilt, but feels his own indifpofition and disability to spiritual good. He finds himself corrupt and depraved in his powers; prone to evil; and lame to obedience ; he wants a new heart and new Spirit; a renewed ability and aptitude for holy fervice and heavenly converfation. And for this an holy, heavenly spirit is promised and communicated. Whosoever thirsteth, let him come to me and drink. This fpake he of the spirit, which they that believe on him, should receive. And we are witnesses of these things, and fo alfo is the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him (a). That ye may be ftrengthned with might, by his fpirit, in the inner man. This must be the gift of God, and the fignal of heaven. Now he, who ftablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; who hath alfo fealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts (6). Now he that hath wrought us for the self-fame thing, is God; who also bath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit (c). The making of such promifes is congruous to the greatnefs and goodness of God; and the fulfilling of them must import his atteftation, and saving defign.

3. There is the promise of the eternal life in the heavenly world. An everlasting kingdom, he propofes and prefents. Herein, the great God appears and acts like himself. Alafs! what are we, and all we can do and bear, that an endless glory fhould be fet before us! all our fervice is due already. And when we have done all that we can, we are but imperfect and unprofitable fervants. But God will commend his love. The gift of God is eternal life. He will commend the meritorious atonement of his Son. That eternal life is the gift of God, in and through our Lord Jefus Chrift. He will commend his wisdom and holiness, in encouraging and rewarding obedience. Be thou faithful to the death, and I will give thee the crown of life. Here's promife (a) Acts F.32.

(b) 2 Cor. 1,21,22,

(c) Ch.5.5.

and

and reward, worthy of the eternal God; a title to that bleffed world that has already been reprefented.

II. In the nature of the threatnings. These are most tremendous and awful; suitable to the majesty of God, to the Father of Spirits, and the fupreme Governour of the world. And they stand in a just oppofition to the promises now mention'd. As

1. There is retention of fin, or the continuing and confirming the guilt of it. The gospel of Christ finds the world guilty; from the first fin here committed, judgment passeth upon all to condemnation. And every man increases his guilt and inhanfes his condemnation by his own personal tranfgreffions. As difmiffion of guilt, and pardon of fin, is a fingular mercy; fo the retention of guilt, and non-forgivenefs, is a fevere penalty. And this is here declared and enacted. He that believeth not the Son, shall not fee life; but the wrath of God (already deferved and threatned) abideth on him (a). So, he that believeth on him (on the Son of God, that taketh away the fins of the world) is not condemned; (his condemnation is reversed); but he that believeth not, is condemned already (and his condemnation is ratify'd); because he hath not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God (b). It is fuitable to the dominion and authority of God, to remit or retain fin; and to prescribe the terms, on which it fhall be remitted; and on default of which, it fhall be retained.

2. There is the with-holding of the Holy Spirit, and his gracious influences. As the communicating of this spirit is a great blefling; so the denying, or the non-communication of him and his gifts, is a tremendous judgment. He is a fpirit of wisdom and revelation, a spirit of grace, holiness, and fupplication; a spirit of adoption and confolation. His donations may well be emplored; and his departure and withdrawment depricated. Caft me not away from thy prefence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me. The with-holding of the divine fpirit is attended with the refigning of men up to their own lufts and corruptions; and fo, poffibly, may be intended in fuch pofitive, ju(a) John 3.36.

(6) v. 18.

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dicial

dicial expreffions, as thefe; he hath blinded their eyes, and hardned their hearts that they should not fee with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted and I should heal them (a). The christian verity allows us not to fuppofe, that God does infuse or imprefs finfül habits and difpofitions on mens hearts. He is a God of holiness and purity. But he may withdraw the light, that has been abused; and suffer the good dispositions to languish and die, that have been neglected and difobeyed. For whosoever bath not (i. c. hath not for use and practice) from him shall be taken away, even that he bath (b). And so God shall send them strong delusion (by with holding the illuminations of his grace, deliver them up to prevailing errors) that they should (fo that they fhall in the event) believe a lie ; that they all may be damned, who believed not the truth, but had

pleasure in unrighteousness (c). It is meet, we should know,

that God has fpiritual judgments in his hands. As he has all grace and fpiritual endowments to beftow; fo he can deny or withdraw the fame: Can deliver men up to a spirit of flumber, to a hardned heart and a reprobate sense. Hereupon he ought to be feared and attended to. He is the God of the Spirits of all flesh; has his gracious or judicial difpenfations for Spirits in flesh; and can (and often does) punish the minds, hearts, and confciences of men.

3. There is the commination of eternal deftruction in bell. Herein vindictive perfections will be illustrated and magnified. The great God will not be mocked. If men will not now hear him in the day of his patience, he is refolved he will not hear them in the day of their final calamity. The place and ftate of their punishment has already been, in fome measure, described. But no tongue, pen, or pencil, can delineate it. They must be remanded to the place and prison of unpardoned devils. They must go into everlasting punishment; must be punished with everlasting destruction from the prefence of the Lord, and from (and by) the glory of his power. There the worm (of their own tormenting conscience) will never die; and the fire (of divine indignation and displeasure) will never be quenched. O, what severity is (a) John 12.49. (6) Mat. 13. 1.2. (2 Thef. 2. 1.I.

here!

here! Infinite perfections, surely, must they be, that are thus vindicated! An infinite majefty, that thus fupports the prerogatives of his love, and the rights of his law, gospel, and government! Here are fanctions, that may justly awe and sway the world, and display the excellency and grandeur of the fupreme Governour of it!

SECT. XXIX.

The Chriftian Inftitution is the most excellent fuperftructure upon the Religion of Nature.

A

S many as have well delineated the law of nature and the bran ches of natural religion, have thereby laid a good foundation for: christianity. And the declaration of chriftianity cannot be made with out the fuppofition or acknowledgment of the radical articles of natu ral light and law. It neceffarily recognizes and averrs, 1. The exiftence of the only living, truc, and glorious God, whofe perfections are unbounded and unfearchable. 2. That this God is maker and proprietor, difpofer and final caufe of all things, to whom all deference. and veneration, all worship and obedience is due from all the intelligent creation. 3. That man is a moral being, made under law to: his Creator, placed in a probatory world, where is and will be trial of his allegiance, fidelity, and gratitude. 4. That he is made for immortality, and capable of immortal reward or punishment. 5. That duty to God does not meet with its diftinguifhed reward in this world; nor fin ufually with its remarkable punishment. Here the righteous are afflicted and expofed. The irreligious profper and flourish. Here hypocrites pafs for pious ones; and the pious are made a prey to oppreffors. The cafe of the world calls for a righteous Judge and a righ *cous Judgment thereupon. 6. It confeffes (what is vifibly and con

ftantly