ment, to have his Laws put into our Minds, and written on our Hearts? Is it a Branch of real Felicity, to have our numberless Sins forgiven, and not one of our Iniquities remembered any more? Is it the Compendium of all Happiness, to have GOD for our Portion, and our exceeding great Reward? To be his peculiar Treasure, his loving and beloved People *. -Of all thefe We may fay, They are the Purchafe of IMMANUEL's Blood: and whoever is truly interested in the One, is unquestionably intitled to the Other.

Who then would refuse so comfortable—

Ther. Too comfortable, We might imagine, to be either true in itself, or fafe in its Confequences. Muft it not tend to embolden the Sinner in the Profecution of his Vices? Who need fcruple to tranfgrefs, or be very folicitous to repent; if an all-atoning Sacrifice has been offered, for every Kind, and every Degree of Wickedness?

Afp. Would You have Sinners intimidated? Nothing fpeaks fuch Terror to the Children of Difobedience, as the bitter Paffion, and accurfed Death of CHRIST.-All the rhetorical Aggravations of Sin, with regard to its lothfome Nature, and execrable Vileness-all the Severity of Vengeance, executed upon rebellious Angels, or wicked Men-all, all are weak

*Heb. viii. 10, 11, 12.

weak and inexpreffive, compared with the dreadful Emphafs of this great Transaction. For, if the LORD Almighty spared not his own SON, when Guilt was not found in Him, but only imputed to Him; how much lefs shall He spare incorrigible Offenders, who both habitually commit, and obftinately persist in, their daring Impieties?

If, by Repentance, You mean an ingenuous Sorrow for our Tranfgreffions; nothing is fo likely to break the ftony, or melt the icy Heart, as thefe doleful Effects of Sin.-Whofe Indignation does not rife against the infamous Wretch, that betrayed his LORD? Who is not ready to deteft those envenomed Tongues, that accused Him; and those barbarous Hands, that crucified Him? How then can We choose but lament, and grieve, and mourn, when Confcience bears witnefs; That our Sins were the principal Actors in this deepest of Tragedies? That We, even We, by our manifold Crimes, were the Betrayers and Murderers of the Prince of Life!-If, by Repentance, You mean a thorough Renunciation of all Iniquity; no Motive is fo effectual, to divorce the Affections from every abominable Idol, and divert the Feet from every evil Way, as an attentive Confideration of our REDEEMER's Death. With this agrees the Reasoning of the Apostle; He himself bare our Sins in his own Body on the Tree;

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Tree; not that We fhould be emboldened to repeat them, but induced and enabled to forfake them; that, charmed with fuch unutterably tender Mercy, We might relinquifh our darling Lufts; and, being dead unto Sin, might live unto Righteousness *.

If You would have Benevolence, your favourite Principle, take place and operate; it is impoffible to urge fo endearing a Persuasive to univerfal Good-will, as this Kindness and Love of GOD our SAVIOUR†. How can We indulge the Sallies of Refentment, or harbour the Seeds of Animofity; when the meek, the merciful, the infinitely gracious REDEEMER, laid down his Life for his bittereft Enemies? How can we treat with Contempt or Indifference, even the meanest of Mankind; fince our divine Master gave his all-glorious Person, for vile Wretches and miferable Sinners?—Never was there fo winning a Call to difinterested Charity, as the amiable Example of CHRIST. Never fo binding a Cement of brotherly Love, as the Blood of the crucified JESUS.

In fhort; would You have People poffeffed of every heavenly Virtue, and animated to the Practice of every good Work? Nothing administers so powerful an Incitement to them all, as a lively and appropriating Sense of this wonderous Grace. Set home by the HOLY GHOST,

GHOST*, it produces fuch a warm Gratitude in the Heart, as is far more operative, than the most awful Threatenings, or the most cogent Reafonings.So that, quite contrary to your Sufpicions, the native Tendency of this excellent Doctrine, is, to fuppress Ungodlinefs, and promote Piety.

Obferve, how the prefent calm Evening, yonder mild declining Sun, and these soft balmy Breezes; have unlocked the flowery Prisons, and detached a Profufion of Odours through the Air: have infpirited the little Songsters of the Grove, and fetched lavish Harmony from their Throats. So sweetly will a true Belief in JESUS CHRIST and Him crucified, draw forth all the Powers of the Soul, in Acts of ready and chearful Obedience. He is therefore faid, not only to justify, but allo to fanctify the People with his Blood+.

Let Us confider the Death of CHRIST, in this its full Grandeur and extenfive Efficacy;

and

*The Reader will give me Leave, on this Occafion, to fubjoin the noble Doxology of our Church. Which, when thus applied, may be an excellent Means, both of expreffing our Gratitude, and of quickening our Devotion.Glory be to the FATHER; for providing this all-fufficient Atonement, and giving his SON to fave a ruined World. -Glory be to the SON; for humbling Himself to the Death of the Cross, and obtaining eternal Redemption for Sinners. -Glory be to the HOLY GHOST; for teftifying of CHRIST in our Hearts, and appropriating this great Sal

vation to our Souls.

+ Heb. xiii. 12.

and We shall discern the admirable Propriety of the Apostle's Remark: It became Him, for whom are all Things, and by whom are all Things, in bringing many Sons unto Glory, to make the Captain of their Salvation perfect through Sufferings *. IT BECAME ; as an Act of Sovereignty in GOD, it comported with the Dignity, and emblazoned (if I may so speak) the incomprehenfible Majesty of his Perfections.As an Execution of impartial Vengeance on our Surety, it afferted the Rights of divine Government, and fecured the utmoft Veneration to the divine Law.As an Emanation of rich Indulgence to Us, it redressed all our Misery, and retrieves our whole Happiness. In each Respect, it spreads the brightest Luftre over all the Administrations of the blessed GOD; and renders his very Justice, amiable and glorious even to Astonishment.—In all Respects, it is worthy of the most grateful and adoring Acceptance from finful Man; and fuch as will be had in everlasting Honour by the Choirs of Saints, and the Hofts of Angels.

Ther. I thank You, Afpafio. Your Arguments have not indeed converted me, but they have strengthened my Faith. I never was fo unhappily mistaken, as to disbelieve the Satisfaction made by our LORD JESUS CHRIST;

• Heb. ii. 10.