man qualified to receive it. It is not more true that God is the judge of the world, and that all men shall appear before his tribunal, than that sin without repentance shall not escape punishment. To forgive the unreformed sinner would stain his purest perfections, the inviolable beauty of his holiness, the incorruptible rectitude of his justice. Such lenity would have a pernicious influence on the corrupt world, by encouraging men to sin without fear, and outrageously to break his laws in confidence of pardon. Therefore in the evangelical promise, repentance and remission of sins are inseparably joined. Repentance is a preparative in order to our receiving divine mercy, and a strong preservative against sin for time to come. The remembrance of those sorrows and fears, the anxieties and indignation against himself that sin caused in a true penitent, will make him jealous for the future of his heart, and circumspect against all temptations that may betray him. As one that has narrowly escaped consuming by fire, retains the idea of his danger so deeply impressed on his mind, that upon any new occasion his ancient fears revive, and make him very watchful. Besides, the apprehension of just and eternal vengeance, makes the mercy of God so admirable, the sense of his tender compassion so sweet, that an humble believer cannot forget or neglect it. The forgiveness of sin in this way is not only an engagement, but an infallible cause of fearing to offend a God so great and good.

And faith is a qualification as requisite for the obtaining pardon; that is, a cordial entire receiving Jesus Christ as he is presented to us in the gospel: to resign our minds to his doctrines as our prophet, to have reliance on his sacrifice and mediation as our priest; to yield universal cheerful and constant obedience to him as our king. And how congruous is it that all who receive so invaluable a benefit as forgiveness of sin, should thus honour him who procures it?

And the gospel affords the strongest assurance that God is most willing to pardon humble and contrite sinners. This is necessary for the relief and ease of true penitents. For when the enlightened conscience reflects upon the number and enormity of its sins, the presumption in committing them, it is ready to be swallowed up with despair of recovering the lost favour of God. It cannot devise any means how to appease his incensed majesty, and satisfy violated justice: how a rebel should become his son ;

how one condemned to everlasting punishment, should be restored to the unfading inheritance of life. The case is most intricate and hopeless. Now the gospel propounds means of universal sovereign efficacy to reconcile God to us; the most precious blood of his Son offered up a sacrifice to expiate sin. This sprinkles all nations, and in all ages retains an undecaying virThis affords solid and everlasting comfort to all sensible returning sinners.

The sending of the holy spirit of God to renew us according to his image, and to confirm us against temptations in this mortal life, is another promise of the gospel, and most requisite to make us capable to serve and enjoy him. A happy temper of nature, the precepts of philosophy, virtuous examples, the seve rity of human laws, are not powerful to regenerate a man, and transform him into a new creature. They may restrain the exorbitances of carnal appetites, but cannot thoroughly change the mind and affections. Were there any vital spark within, any seed of holiness in man's corrupted nature, such assistance might cherish it; but he is dead to the truly spiritual life, though not to the merely moral, and no less than an omnipotent efficacy can produce a new spring of life, a divine nature, the principle of willing obedience to God. And after conversion, while in the state of trial here, the best are subject to innumerable surprises by their own frailty, and exposed to new dangers every hour by temptations that foment and heighten the relics of sin in them, so that without supernatural assistance they would be quite discouraged and foiled by the enemies that war against the soul. Now in the gospel God has promised to give " the Holy Spirit to those that ask it:" in the most hazardous and difficult conflicts, he assures those who ardently address themselves to him for help, "that his grace shall be sufficient for them."

The gospel contains many gracious promises with respect to supplying the wants, and giving support and refreshment under the troubles of the present life. Temporal blessings are in the lowest rank of good things, and are promised as they should be desired subordinately to our chief good." First seek the kingdom of heaven, and the righteousness thereof, and all other things shall be added," saith our Saviour. And to relieve us in the troubles of this mortal state, the gospel assures us of their blessed issue at the last. The main design of philosophy was

to reconcile the mind to every condition; that nothing might be able to discompose its tranquillity. As some high mountains that ascend above the middle region, whilst clouds charged with thunder break upon the sides, and storms encompass it below, yet the top has a pure sun and calm air. Thus the philosophers pretended to raise man to that height of virtue, that the superior part the mind, should be serene and undisturbed, whatever was done to his lower part the body. But their principles were insufficient on which they built their persuasion. Some pretended that men were abused by words, and that was the cause of their misery. The loss of estate, of relations, of health, were not real evils, but only called so. Sottish wisdom! As if things by the change of names would alter their qualities. Call them by what soft titles you please, still they are injurious and afflictive to our nature, and to persuade the contrary is to deprive us of sense. Others tell us that the evils we suffer are fatal, and to resist inevitable destiny is to no purpose. But this is to exasperate instead of allaying our sorrows. This is to turn our fears into despair, to make an afflicted condition absolutely uncomfortable. Others direct us to look abroad into the wretched world, and compound a medicine of the miseries of others for our own griefs. But this as it is vicious in its principle, so it affords no true relief. For that another suffers in the same or different manner does not lessen the evil that oppresses me. Nay if human affections are not extinguished, by a sorrowful influence increases it. Others discourse of the vanity of riches, pleasures, dignities, and life itself, to make us quietly to part with them. But this discourse, though true and useful, yet cannot afford contentment, unless to a Christian, whose hopes extend to a future state of blessedness. For how mean soever these things be, yet, if we know no better, they are our felicity. Some attribute to naked virtue a power sufficient to support a man under the heaviest troubles. This they affirmed to be the true philosophers' stone, that purifies and exalts the basest metals, turning them into fine gold; that enables a person not only to be content in every state, but to enjoy torments, and be pleased with the greatest disasters that befal him.* But they took so

* Vereor, ne ille plura tribuit virtuti, quam natura patiatur. Cic. lib. 4, Acad. Quæst.

high a strain, that human nature could not uphold. The indifference and equality of mind they so much pretended to, was but an empty appearance. One might discover unquiet agitations under all that feigned insensibility, and true servitude under that imaginary sovereignty of their wise man. * Indeed without the stedfast belief of another life, the reflection upon unhappy virtue inflames the wounded spirit, and kindles in the breast murmurings against providence, so that it is so far from making the afflicted happy, that it is rather the seed of new misery for the unequal distributions here. The christian religion alone affords us solid and everlasting comfort. It does not disguise the nature of things, but allows "that present afflictions are not joyful but grievous." It doth not promise an exemption from misery: nay it foretels that besides the common troubles that rain upon mankind, there are some proper to sincere christians, to which they are exposed upon the account of their holy profession. But it assures them that all things shall work together for the good of those that love God." As in mixed bodies, the divine power is admirable, in tempering the qualities of the fighting elements in such a manner, that what in itself is a destructive contrariety, becomes only a diversity, to preserve the compounded beings that result from them. Thus the wise and gracious providence of God makes all things, even the most adverse, to conspire for the final happiness of his faithful servants. "Their light afflictions that are but for a moment, work out for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." This makes them to "possess their souls in patience, to rejoice in hope," and to be triumphant conquerors over the greatest outward troubles. Who can dispute felicity with that person who is upon certain grounds persuaded that nothing shall separate him from the love of God?" Nay that the worst evils he suffers promote his supreme happiness. For the afflictions that befal a christian upon the account of religion, render him more dear to God: and those that are the effects of his sins, if humbly submitted to, and improved for holy ends, confirm his faith in the

Titus Imperator febrim nactus, cum lectica transferretur, suspexisse dicitur dimotis plagulis cælum, multumque conquestus Eripi sibi vitam imme renti, neq; enim extare ullum suum factum pænitendum, excepto duntaxat uno. Sucton.

divine mercy. The gospel is that paradise wherein the tree of life is, whose leaves are for the healing the nations.

The christian religion promises for the reward of obedience a blessedness most becoming the glorious goodness of God to bestow, and the reasonable creature to desire; that is, the perfection and satisfaction of his most noble faculties, in the clear vision and full enjoyment of God himself in a perfect eternal state. The heathens wretchedly mistook in their opinions about the last end of man. There is a secret instinct in the human nature towards a felicity suitable to the more excellent and divine part, but stifled under darkness and concupiscence, that is become a second nature. Reason is misled by sense after the fickle appearances, the deceitful vanishing colours of good. And this is a certain indication that man is fallen from the degree of his original perfection. For if it had been never corrupted, he should enjoy with assurance true and complete happiness: if he had been always corrupted, there would be no glimmering idea of an happiness above what this present world affords, no inclination towards it. This is the spring of his misery and sin, that the spiritual eternal good is undiscerned, unregarded, whilst he seeks for happiness in numberless vanities. The philosophers themselves are extremely divided, and are mistaken in this main point. This was indeed the master-piece for which all their philosophy was designed, and their pretences to make this discovery gave them reputation. From all parts some came to Athens, as the universal mart, to be furnished with felicity. From hence sprung the variety of sects among them: by this livery they were distinguished. For philosophy being the rule of life, is specified by the end to which it leads. From hence arose their sharp contentions, every sect being concerned to defend their palladium. And as the wasps fly about with noise, and sting those who provoke them, and make combs like bees, but without wax or honey: thus the philosophers were full of glorious presumptions, were vehement against dissenters, and had the appearances of wisdom, but afforded no certain light to direct the mind, no heavenly motives to allure the will. They were not competent nor sincere searchers after true happiness. For,

1. The darkness wherein all men are born, involved them, and without supernatural light could not be dispelled.

2. They were ambitious of superiority: every great spirit was