son?" Can one who is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, voluntarily submit to the Mediator, or cordially acquiesce in his conduct in being obedient even unto death, to condemn sin and do hoour to the divine law? Can any one who is an enemy to all righteousness, be pleased with Christ in this view of his character, pleased with him "for his righteousness sake," and for the zeal he has shewn to "magnify the law and make it honourable ?"

This is the reason the Father is well pleased in him as Mediator. And "all that come unto God by him," must be pleased with him in this view also. There can be no true reconcilation between God and man, unless both parties acquiesce in, and are suited with what the Mediator has done, and that considered in the same point of light. God is well pleased, indeed, with the love Christ has shewn for lost men. For the Father was always as benevolently disposed towards this fallen world, as the Son was. But yet had he not as Mediator, shewn a proper regard to truth and righteousness; had he not "condemned the sin of men," and "given unto God the glory that was due unto his name," the holy governor of the world could not have acquiesced in his mediation. "The Lord was well pleased for his righteousness sake."

if we are not pleased with him in this view, but merely for the sake of his kindness and love to men, we do not come into his plan of reconciliation and peace.*

* If that view of the amiableness of Christ, and that wellpleasedness with his mediation, which is implied in a compliance with the gospel, had nothing more in it than only see. ing it to be a beautiful thing in him to feel so much interested in our welfare, and willing to do and suffer so much to save us from misery and ruin; then indeed no change of nature in the most depraved creature would be necessary in order to it. We may be as wholly selfish and regardless of God's glory

To conclude this head, and the present discourse. If the moral depravity of unregenerate sinners was fully understood, it must undoubtedly appear that this alone is sufficient to account for all that is said in the

as any sinner ever was, and yet be greatly charmed with, the meditation of Christ, viewed only in the favourable aspect it has upon our interest. And, undoubtedly, thousands have been fatally deceived in this manner; taking this for a discovery of "the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ," and the effects of it for conversion and sanctification. For such a view of Christ and of God through him, will, under certain circumstances, produce a sort of repentance, love and obedience, in one who was, and continues to be, entirely void of real holiness. Let a sinner only have an impressive sense of the dreadfulness of damnation, and of his danger of it, and in the midst of this have the love of Christ, and what he has done and suffered for sinners, come suddenly into his mind, in a manner that makes him believe, or at least strongly hope, he is one of the happy number for whom Christ laid down his life; and is it possible but that he should be filled with comfort and joy, and have his affections greatly drawn forth towards such a kind and almighty Saviour? And when he comes now to view God in Christ, as his reconciled God and father, he will naturally feel quite otherwise affected towards him too. When he believes God has loved hini with an everlasting love, and elected him from eternity to be a vessel of mercy and an heir of glory; his enmity against him will hereupon naturally subside: he will naturally be ashamed and grieved that he has had such unworthy thoughts of him, and has behaved so unsuitably towards him. And such an apprehension of his new state, and of God's great goodness, may produce a lasting alteration in his life. He may be very zealous in religion; and possibly very regular in his morals likewise. Here then is faith, repentance, love, and new obedience, without the least occasion for any conformity to God in true holiness from first to last. Such things as these are the natural growth of the human heart, under such rain and sun

scripture concerning their inability, and to make the grace of the Holy Ghost as necessary as that makes it. If they have "an evil heart of unbelief," wholly inclined to depart from the living God," such a

shine. There is no need of any alteration in the soil, or of any foreign seed sown in it.

This may be more clearly conceived by the help of a similitude. Let us then suppose a king that is strictly just in his administration, forbidding on very severe penalties all unrighteousness among his subjects, and very thorough in seeing justice executed on all offenders. A number of his subjects, who are viciously inclined, are uneasy under such restraints, and grow disaffected to their sovereign, and at length form a conspiracy to dethrone him. But before they are quite ripe for executing it, their plot is happily discovered. They are taken and brought to judgment; found guilty, and condemned to die. Their hatred against their prince is hereby greatly increased. One of them, however, is exceedingly dejected in spirit, at the thoughts of his approaching execution. For some time he remains in prison with the rest, in fearful expectation that every day may be his last. But in the midst of his greatest anxiety, a messenger at last arrives with a gracious pardon. He is delivered from prison and from death. Yea, his offended sovereign has set his heart so peculiarly upon him, that, instead of having him executed with his fellow criminals, he is determined to make him a particular favourite at court, and raise him to honour and wealth, far exceeding his former condition before he became a rebel and a traitor. How great the surprize! How insupportable the joy, upon hearing all this! The wretch's enmity and hatred is quite overcome. Especially if he now understands that the king had always a particular kindness for him, and never designed any penal laws should be executed upon him, let him do what he would. He is filled with the most admiring sentiments of his injured gracious sovereign, and loves him above all men in the world. But hardly dares look up to him, he is so ashamed of his former temper towards him, and the black design he had meditated against his crown and life. All this does not suppose any alteration in the rebel's real character.

heart will effectually and for ever" turn them aside, so that they cannot deliver their soul." Nor would better natural abilities than they have, be of the least service to them. If ever they come to good, it must be by

All this may be, and undoubtedly will be, though his vicious disposition, which first gave rise to his disaffection to his prince, still remains in its full strength. There is no need of his becoming a new man, a friend to righteousness and an enemy to iniquity, in order to his becoming in this manner, a warm friend to his royal patron and benefactor, considered merely as such. He may be so all his days; may be one of the foremost in his commendation, at least in extolling the great things he has done for him; and he may behave excellently well when under the king's eye, or when he expects he will hear of it, with a view to please him, and yet be at heart as unrighteous a creature as ever he was, even to his dying day.

Now such a kind of reconciliation to God will naturally take place in a sinner if he is only effectually terrified with the thoughts of "dwelling with devouring fire, and inhabiting everlasting burnings;" and then gets a hope of God's love. There is no need of being born again, nor ever having any thing of the moral likeness of God, in order to it. Yea, there is no need of conviction in order to such a conversion as this. I mean a conviction of the equitableness and moral fitness of the divine administration. Light, concerning the holiness and justice, wisdom, or general goodness of God, is not what produces such a change as this; nor is it any way necessary in order to it. Accordingly persons of this kind of piety have commonly no great concern to know what God is in himself, but only what he is to them. They have no notion of entering much into the nature and ends of his law, or of the gospel, and seeing into the divine character and glory as thereby exhibited. These are matters of empty speculation with them; things which vital piety hath nothing to do with. They know as much about God's general character; as much about the things the Psalmist prayed that his eyes might be opened to behold; as much about "the things the angels desire to look into" as ever they expect or desire to know.

strength that is under a better direction than their's is. Greatness of capacity has not the least tendency to produce goodness, in one who is altogether destitute of it. Sinners of the most exalted genius and strength

These may perhaps, not improperly be denominated Antinomians; though they are divided into a variety of sects, and contending parties upon particular questions, about the faith which is not founded in holiness, but which is the foundation of every thing.

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Some* strenuously insist, that no faith can administer hope and comfort enough to make men truly good, short of " a full persuasion and confidence of our own salvation." Or, a being well satisfied "of our reconciliation with God, and of our future enjoyment of everlasting, heavenly happiness." To get this persuasion is the grand secret, or "mystery of sanctification." To give this persuasion without any evidence of its truth, and even while it is supposed to be in fact not true, is the great work of the Holy Ghost, begetting an inclination and propensity of heart to the practice of holiness." Otherst not so fond of mystery, or not so well understanding "the way of manufacturing truth without evidence," and of making a falshood true by the pains taken to believe it; choose rather to suppose "the simple truth," or general report of the gospel, beat effectually into a man's head, when "he is tho. roughly pinched with the impossibility of hope on every other side, will give such a refreshment to his mind," as will do the whole work. That " many in all ages, only on hearing this, have become quite ashamed of their former rebellion, have been led to love their sovereign, and do those things which are well pleasing in his sight; and accordingly have known what it was to stand in his presence, and have their joy made full in beholding the light of his countenance ?" The faith that does all this, they would have to be a bare persuasion or conviction in the understanding of what is called the truth; leaving the heart to take care of itself. This, we are told, some call the faith of devils. But that, "however keen the intended reproach be, it can have weight with none but such

* Cudworth, &c.

† Sandeman, &c.