ed to blot out our fins, no affurance that our prayers fhall be heard, no direction to afk that our debts may be forgiven as we forgive our debtors, we fhould as the Apoftle fays, all have been concluded under fin, and confequently under punishment; our condemnation had been fure, our fentence irreversible, and the bleffings and conveniencies we at prefent enjoy, would only have served to make easy our paffage to a state of everlasting mifery; and who could be fo fond of a fhort momentary life, as to value it upon fuch terms as these? It is the glorious profpect we have before us, the certainty that if we are not wanting to ourselves we may work out our own falvation, and obtain by the fatisfaction of our Saviour, what we were not able to fecure for ourselves; the means of forgivenefs are placed in our own hands, and therefore it will be our own faults if we miscarry.

miscarry. And when we confider the wretched state we were in before Chrift undertook our ranfom, the neceffity of finning, the certainty of our punishment, and how little reafon there was for God to accept of a fatisfaction and reconcile us to himself; we cannot but esteem it a wonderful inftance of God's goodness that he was pleased to provide a remedy, and point out a method by which Mercy might take place, and yet Juftice be fully fatisfied.

The use therefore that we ought to make of this amazing goodness, is firft to reflect with gratitude, to acknowledge the fenfe we have of our unworthiness to receive it, and the utter impoffibility of our obtaining mercy without the free grace of God.

As there was nothing in our power to influence God to fhew us mercy, as there

was

was no fatisfaction but the blood of our Redeemer that could confiftently with God's justice, be accepted by him, our condition was quite defperate; and no one could have expected, that God himself should fubmit to pay the ranfom for us, or indeed that it was poffible to unite the divine nature in such a manner to our finful flesh, that as man had finned fo man fhould fuffer; and yet that his fufferings by virtue of that Union, should be a full, perfect, and sufficient facrifice, though impoffible for mere man to make it. But thus it was ordered; thus was God fatisfied, and Man redeemed from mifery. And he who is not affected by fuch benefits as thefe, who can reflect on them without love and gratitude, as he certainly will, fo he well deferves to lose them, fince notwithstanding Chrift's fufferings, his portion will be no better for them.

VOL. IV.

N

And

And this leads me to observe another ufe we ought to make of God's goodness thus manifefted to us, which is, that we labour to fecure the bleffings thus purchafed for us by the blood of Chrift. It is true, there is now no other facrifice required by God, but the Blood of our Redeemer, who was wounded for our tranfgreffions, was bruifed for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his ftripes were we healed. But we are not fo healed and recovered, as to be in no danger of relapfing; we are not fo refcued from the bondage of fin, as to be perfectly fecure of God's favour for the future. The Christian life is a state of trial and conflict; he who bought us with a price hath a right to our Obedience, and when he exempted us from the punishment of our fins, he required us to forfake them, to abstain from all wilful,

wilful, and premeditated offences, and to repent of thofe mifcarriages, which through the frailty and infirmity of our nature are unavoidable; above all to pray to God for mercy and forgiveness, and in order to obtain it, to be ready to forgive others; as Chrift hath taught us, forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. So that to forgive those that trefpafs against us, is a neceffary condition without which we for the forgiveness of our tref

cannot pray

paffes.

Since then it is a matter of fo much confequence to our happiness, and a duty, which if we may judge from the practice of mankind, is one of the most difficult of any our religion requires, I fhall make it my business to confider it more particularly.