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he catches his elect, and leaves the reft inexcufable in their wilful enmity.

The general difpenfation of the gofpel concerning Christ giving himself for us, refpects all finners that hear the gofpel. Hence the gofpel you hear, is, 1 Cor. xv. 1. 3. That Chrift died for our fins, according to the fcripture.? Rom. v. 16. that he died for the ungodly. 1 Pet. iii. 18. that he fuffered, the just for the unjuft. Mat. xvii. 11. ́ and Luke xix. 10. that he came to feek and fave that. which was loft. 1 Tim. i. 15. that he came to fave finners; yea, and rebels and enemies, Pfal. Ixviii. 18. And hence in the gofpel, he brings near his righteousness to them that are ftout-hearted, and far from righteousness, Ifa. xlvi. 13. And this is the gofpel we are commanded to preach to every creature, Mark xvi. 15.

The firft view of the words, He gave himself for me, fhews who they are that will certainly claim the benefit of Chrift's death, and fhall have the poffeffion of it, namely, the elect. The fecond fhews who they are that do actually claim it, and fo have the poffeffion, namely, believers. The third fhews who they are that may warrantably take poffeffion, namely, all finners of mankind that fee their need of Chrift, and hear that he gave himfelf for us finners. Upon the warrant of the gofpel-offer, faying, "Whofoever will, let him come," every one may come by faith, and put in with the apoftle here, faying, He loved me, and gave himself for me..

QUEST. In which of thefe views is Chrift the object of a finner's faith, fo as he may fay for me; He gave bimfelf for ME?

ANSW. In the firft view of it, as it refpects the divine pre-ordination, and concerns the elect, this doctrine of Chrift's giving himfelf for us, is not the first object of any man's faith; for who are elect is a fecret, and fecret things belong to God, and not to us. The fecond view of this doctrine of Chrift's giving himself for me, or for us, as it refpects the powerful application of Chrift's death, and concerns believers; neither is this the object or ground of every man's faith, nay, nor of any man's faith, but rather the object of the believer's fenfe and feeling, after he hath believed. But the third view of this

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doctrine of Chrift's giving himfelf for us, as it refpects the general difpenfation of the gofpel, that Chrift himself for, and came to fave finners, this is the ground and object of their faith; for, "Faith comes by hearing" this gofpel-doctrine, as it is generally propofed.

Faith comes not by hearing that Chrift came to fave the elect; for, particular election cannot be the ground of a general invitation. There is here no vifible ground for the finner to fix upon: nor does the finner's faith come by hearing that Chrift came to fave believers, to complete their begun falvation; for, as he came not to find them believers, but to make them believers; fo this limited particular doctrine cannot be the foundation of an unlimited general call: but faith comes by hearing this gofpel-doctrine, that Christ came to fave finners, and gave himself for them. This encourages them to venture their falvation upon him, that he speaks to them as guilty finners.

Let no finner here then exclude himself from the be, nefit of this gofpel, and from making that particular aplication here, He loved ME, and gave himself for ME, by faying either, I know not if I be an elect; or, I know not if I be a believer; and fo, I know not if Chrift died for me, and gave himself for me in particular: this is to mistake the ground and object of faith; for, as falvation, in God's purpose, to the elect, is not the ground of faith, and falvation in poffeffion, by the believer, is not the ground of faith, but falvation in the word of grace and gofpel-offer; fo, Chrift's DEATH, as defigned in God's purpose, is not the first object of any man's faith; nor his death, as applied to believers in particular; but his death, as declared in the word, in its relation to finners in general, is the gofpel-revelation, and the glad news that comes to the ears of finners; and this, joined with the particular command to every one to believe in this Jefus, as dead and crucified for him, to build his faith, and hope of falvation upon.

The question then here is not, Are you an elect, or not? Nor is it, Are you a believer, or not? But the question is, Are you a finner that needs a Saviour? And is he manifefting his love and grace, and giving himself

in the gospel-offer to you? Then, upon the warrant of this word of falvation fent to you, you may fay, with particular application to yourfelf, He loved ME, and gave bimfelf for ME.

It is not Chrift in the decree that you are to look to, while you know that you are elected; this is to go too far back nor is it Chrift in the heart, or in poffeffion, you are to look to, while you know not that you are a believer; this is to go too far forward: but it is Christ in the word, because you know you are a finner, and Christ a Saviour held forth to you there, faying, "Look to me, and be faved, all ye ends of the earth; for I am God, and befides me there is none elfe." This is the way between the two former; yea, and the way to fecure them both; the only fafe way.

Having thus explained the text, I come to make application. And we may improve it firft by way of information.

1. Hence we may fee the marvellous love of Chrift, and of God in Chrift towards finners, and his marvellous kindness in difcovering this love fo effectually to fome, as to make them fee and fay, He loved me. When God

would manifeft his power, he makes a world; when he would manifeft his juftice, he makes a hell: but when he would manifeft his love, he makes the Son of his love appear in our flesh, that the Word being made flesh, we may behold his glory, as the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, full of love and mercy to miferable finners.

2. Hence fee the marvellous proof and demonftration that Christ hath given of his love, He gave himself for

me.

Here is love indeed, in his giving himfelf into the hands of juftice to suffer for us, as I might fhew, in his body, in his foul, in his natures, names, ftates and offices, and from all hands; from the unkindly hand of difciples, while one betrayed, and another denied, and all forfook him; from the wicked hands of Jews and Romans, that flew him; from the malicious hand of the devil, the old ferpent, that bruifed and bit at his heel; but especially from the juft hand of God the Lawgiver, exacting the debt he engaged to pay in the eternal tran

faction:

faction; "It pleafed the Lord to bruife him." And thus he fuffered all the hell that a finite being, fupported by the infinite Godhead, could bear, and all to fulfil fcripture-types and prophecies, to fatisfy juftice, to endure the threatening, to fecure the promife, to deftroy death, and to take away fin. O! the glorious defign, and the vast dimenfion of Chrift's fufferings fhew the vaft dimenfions of his love, how he loved and how he continues ftill to love; for, though his fufferings be at an end, yet his fympathy continues: his paffion lafts but for a while, but his compaffion is everlafting.

3. Hence fee the infinite evil of fin, which nothing could expiate but Chrift's giving himfelf a facrifice for us. We may fee the greatnefs of the fore by the great- nefs of the plaister. Alas! the evil of fin is not seen. We are ready to think it no worfe than as a knife to cut our fingers; but fee it as the fword all over red with the blood of Chrift. To think light of fin, is to think light of Christ and his blood.

4. See the infinite juftice of God, and his feverity against fin; for Chrift gave himself for our fins, and juftice would accept of no lefs facrifice. Chrift prays the cup might pafs from him, if poffible; but juftice was inexorable (and what a mercy was it, that Christ also was unalterable in his love?) yet he was in fuch a fituation, that it was not poffible he could be fpared; though he was the eternal Son of God, his blood muft go; but Christ was voluntary. Though the cup was bitter, and made him tremble to look at it; yet, fays he, "If I drink it not, they muft; and, oh! it will poifon and kill them for ever: but though it kill me, I can quicken myfelf again: therefore, come with it, Father."

5. Hence fee the dreadful state of unbelieving, impenitent finners, that live and die trampling under foot this blood of Christ, and neglecting this great falvation. Wo will be to them who have not the blood of Chrift pleading for them; but, wo upon wo will be to them who have this blood of Chrift pleading against them. If God would not hearken to the prayer of his Son, when he faid, "If it be poffible, let this cup pafs," how will he hearken to the voice of Chrift-rejecting finners? Is it VOL. VII.

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poffible that the cup of wrath can pafs from them? No; they must drink of it for ever themselves.

6. Hence fee the excellency and appropriating quality of faith. It takes hold of Chrift in his love, and the proof of this love, as manifefted in the word, and says, O! here is a love-letter from heaven, The gospel of Chrift, bearing an account of his love, and the great"eft proof of his love; and I fee the letter is backed, "and indorfed for me a guilty finner, ME the chief of "finners; and the letter bears a command to me to

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receive this lover to myself, and that I believe his love and the proof of his love with application to my"felf: and therefore, even fo I take him, and truft "upon his word, that he loved me, and gave himself "for me." This faith is the gift of God, and the work of God, by the power of the eternal Spirit, mixing with the hearing of his word of grace and love. This faith comes not by feeling of his love, that may be the fruit of faith; but it comes by the hearing of his love. The Spirit, in the day of power, makes impreffions on the heart by the word: but the ground of faith is not thefe impreffions on the heart; for, the object of faith is not Chrift working on the heart, but Christ speaking in the word: therefore, hear what he is faying of his love to you, O finner, and thence draw the conclufion, He loved you, and gave himself for you.

The fecond Ufe is for Examination. Try then, whether you be true believers of this LOVE, and fo have a right to the love feaft. Try if you have believed this gofpel with application. The gofpel-declaration is, He loved us SINNERS, and gave himself for us; faith's application is here," He loved me, and gave himself for ME." I fhall not fay, that every true believer is privileged to fay this exprefly, and that they are not true believers that cannot fay it confidently and exprefly; but I am fure every true believer can fay it upon the matter, when faith is in exercife; and faith hath fomething of this language in the bofom of it. And for trying if ever you believed this, with particular application, you may examine by thefe following queftions.

1. Have

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