another world; and the worst of men were not with out fome fears of the judgment and vengeance of another world; but men had disputed themselves into great doubts and uncertainties about these things; and as men that are in doubt, are almost indifferent

which way they go; so the uncertain apprehenfions

which men had of a future state, and of the rewards and punishments of another world, had but a very faint influence upon the minds of men, and wanted that preffing and determining force to virtue and a good life, which a firm belief and clear conviction of these things, would have infused into them.

But now the light of the glorious gospel of Chri hath scattered all these clouds, and chased away that gross darkness which hid the other world from our fight, and hath removed all doubts concerning the immortality of mens fouls, and their future state; and now the kingdom of heaven, with all its treasures of life, and happiness, and glory, lies open to our view, and hell is also naked before us, and destruction hath no covering. So that the hopes and fears of men are now perfectly awakened, and all forts of confiderati-ons that may ferve to quicken and encourage our obedience, and to deter and affrighten men from a wick-ed life, are exposed to the view of all men, and do stare every man's confcience in the face. And this is that which renders the gospel so admirable. and powerful an instrument for the reforming of mankind, and, as the Apostle calls it, the mighty power of God unto Salvation; because therein life and immortality are fet before us, as the certain and glorious re-ward of our obedience; and therein also the wrath of God is revealed from heaven, against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. So that confidering the perfection of our rule, and the powerful enforce-ments of it upon the confciences of men, by the clear discovery and firm affurance of the eternal recompence of another world; nothing can be imagined better: suited to its end, than the doctrine of the gofpel is to make men wife, and holy, and good unto falvation; both by instructing them perfectly in their duty, and urging them powerfully to the practice of it.

35

2dly, 2dly, The example of our Saviour's life is likewife another excellent means to this end. The law lays an obligation upon us; but a pattern gives life and encouragement, and renders our duty more easy, and practicable, and familiar to us ; for here we fee obedience to the divine law practised in our own nature, and performed by a man like ourselves, in all things like unto us, fin only excepted. It is true inded, this exception makes a great difference, and seems to take off very much from the encouraging force and virtue of this example. No wonder if he that was without fin, and was God as well as man, performed all righteousness; and therefore where is the encouragement of this example? That our nature, pure and uncorrupted, supported and assisted by the Divinity, to which it was united, should be perfectly conformed to the law of God, as it is no strange thing, fo neither doth it feem to have that force and encouragement in it, which an example more suited to our weakness might have had. But then this cannot be denied, that it hath the advantage of perfection, which a pattern ought to have, and to which, though we can never attain, yet we may always be afpiring towards it; and certainly we cannot better learn, how God would have men to live, than b by feeing how God himself lived, when he was pleased to affume Qur nature, and to become man.

And then, we are to confider that the Son of God did not affume our nature in its highest glory and perfection, but compassed with infirmities, and liable. in all points to be tempted like as we are; but still it was without fin; and therefore God doth not exact from us perfect obedience, and that we should fulfil all righteousness, as he did, he makes allowance for the corruption of our nature, and is pleased to accept of our fincere, though very imperfect obedience. But after all this, his human nature was united to his Divinity, and he had the Spirit without measure; and this would indeed make a wide difference between us and our pattern, as to the purpose of holiness and obedience, if we were destitute of that affistance which is necessary to enable us to the discharge of our duty

bur

but this God offers, and is ready to afford to us, for he hath promised to give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him; and the spirit of him that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead dwells in all good men, who fincerely defire to do the will of God: in the working out our salvation, God worketh in us both to will and to do.

So that as to that obedience which the gospel requires of us, if we be not wanting to ourselves, if we do not receive the grace of God in vain, and quench and resist his blessed Spirit, we may be as really assisted as the Son of God himself was; for, in this respect, all true and fincere Christians are the Sons of God; fso that St. Paul tells us, Rom. viii. 14. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God.

So that if all things be duly confidered, the life of our blessed Saviour, as it is the most perfect, so in the main, it is a very proper pattern for our imitati on, and could not have come nearer to us, without wanting that perfection which is necessary to a .com pleat and abfolute pattern. The Son of God conde. scended to every thing that might render him the most familiar and equal example to us, excepting that, which as it was impoffible, so it had been infinitely dishonourable to him, and would have spoiled the perfection of his example; he came as near to us as was fit or possible, being in all things like unto us, sin only excepted; that is, abating that one thing which he came to destroy and abolish, and which would have destroyed the very end of his coming; for if he had not been without fin, he could neither have made an expiation for fin, nor have been a perfect pattern of holiness and obedience.

And as the life of our blessed Saviour had all the perfection that is requifite to an abfolute pattern, (fo that by confidering his temper and spirit, and the ations of his life, we may reform all the vicious inclinations of our minds, and the exorbitancies of our paffions, and the errors and irregularities of our lives) so it is a very powerful example, and of great force to oblige and provoke us to the imitation of it; for

ig it is the example of one whom we ought to reverence, and have reason to love, above any perfon in the world: The example of our Prince and fovereign Lord, of our best friend and greatest benefactor, of the High-priest of our profeffion, and the Captain of our falvation, of the author and finisher of our faith, of one who came down from heaven for our fakes, and was contented to affume our nature together with the infirmities of it, and to live in a low and mean condition, for no other reason but that he might have the opportunity to instruct and lead mankind in the way to life, to deliver us from fin and wrath, and to bring us to God and happiness. It was the example of one who laid down his life for us, and fealed his love to us in his blood, and whilst we were enemies, did and fuffered more for us, than ever any man did for his friend.

And furely these considerations cannot but migh. tily recommend and endear to us this example of our Lord and Saviour. Weare ambitious to imitate those whom we highly esteem and reverence, and are apt to have their examples in great veneration, from whom we have received great kindnesses and benefits, and are always endeavouring to be like those whom we love, and are apt to conform ourselves to the will and pleafure of those from whom we have received great favours, and who are continually heaping great obligations upon us..

ว

So that whether we consider the excellency of our pattern, or the mighty endearments of it to us, by that infinite love and kindness which he hath expreffed towards us, we have all the temptation, and all the provocation in the world, to endeavour to be like him; for who would not gladly tread in the steps of the Son of God, and of the best friend that the fons of men ever had? Who will not follow that ex ample to which we stand indebted for the greatest blessings and benefits that ever were procured for man, kind? Thus you fee of what force and advantage the example of our blessed Saviour is toward the recove, ry and falvation of mankind.

:

3dly, He 3dly, He is the author of eternal salvation, as he hath purchased it for us, by the merit of his obedience and sufferings, by which he hath obtained eternal redemption for us; not only deliverance from the wrath to come, but eternal life and happiness. When by our fins we had justly incurred the wrath and difpleasure of Almighty God, and were liable to eternal death and misery, he was contented to be substituted a facrifice for us, to bear our fins in his own body on the tree, and to expiate the guilt of all our offences by his own sufferings. He died for us, that is, not only for our benefit and advantage, but in our place and stead: So that if he had not died, we had eternally perished; and because he died, we are faved from that eternal ruin and punishment, which was due to us for our fins.

And this, though it be no where in scripture called by the name or term of fatisfaction, yet, which is the fame thing in effect, it is called the price of our redemption; for as we are sinners, we are liable and indebted to the justice of God, and our blessed Saviour, by his death and fufferings hath difcharged this obligation; which discharge, since it was obtained for us by the shedding of his precious blood, without which, the fcripture exprefly says, there had been na remission of fin, why it may not properly enough be called payment and fatisfaction, i confefs I cannot understand. Not that God was angry with his Son, for he was always well pleased with him; or that our Saviour suffered the very fame which the sinner should have done in his own person, the proper pains and torments of the damned; but that his perfect obedience and grievous sufferings, undergone for our fakes, and upon our account, were of that value and esteem with God, and his voluntary facrifice of himself in our stead, fo highly acceptable and well pleasing to him, that he thereupon was pleased to enter into a covenant of grace and mercy with mankind; wherein he hath promised and engaged him. self to forgive the fins of all those who fincerely repent and believe, and to make them partakers of eternal life. And hence it is, that the blood of of Chrift,