that if mankind would expect the restitution to that everlasting happiness, that they loft by their own fins, and the fin of their first parents, then they fhould alfo return to their duty and obedience to God, and perform in fome measure, that end for which mankind was at first created, namely, actively to glorify that God that had made them efpecially after fo great an addition of mercy as the Redemption of the World by the death of his own Son; therefore he appointed and intended, and published to the world, that all that would have the fruit and benefit of this great Redemption, fhould repent of their fins, and endeavour fincerely to obey the precepts of piety, fobriety, and righteoufnefs, commanded by Almighty God by the Meffage of his Son. 9. And because, that if thofe to whom this meffage of the Gofpel of Chrift fhould be published, should yet not believe the fame, nor believe that Jefus was the true Meffias, or that his Doctrine was the true and real Meffage of Almighty God to the world, it could never be expected that they would obey this Heavenly Command, nor return to God, or the duty they owed him; he did therefore require of all perfons that were of understanding, to whom the Gofpel fhould be publifhed, that they fhould believe it to be true, and believe that Chrift was the true Meffias, the great facrifice for the fin of the world, and the doctrine which he preached, was the Will of God concerning man. io. And thus there are thefe conditions to be performed on the part of those that will expect the benefit of the Redemption purchafed by the Blood of Chrift: 1. That all that are of understanding to whom the Gospel is preached, fhould believe it to be the Truth, and reft upon it as the Truth of God: 2. That they should be heartily forry for their former fins, and repent of them, and turn from them. This is repentance. 3. That they fhould in all fincerity, endeavour to conform their hearts and wills, and lives, to the Precepts and Commandments of Chrift and his Gofpel, which is called fanctification and new Obes dience. 11. And becaufe when we have done all we can, yet we are in this life compaffed about with many infirmities and temptations. and fubject to fail in our duty to God, and to these Holy Precepts of the Gofpel; yet the merciful God hath affured us by his Son Chrift Jefus, that if we fincerely endeavour to obey the precepts of the Gofpel, and repent for our failings herein, and fo renew our peace with God by unfeigned repentance, the fame Sacrifice of his Son fhall be accepted to expiate for our fins and failings, and the bleffed God will accept of our fincere, though imperfect obedience, as a performance of that part of the Covenant of the Gofpel that concerns our obedience to God, and the commands of the Gofpel. And this is called Evangelical Obedience, which, though it be not perfect, yet being fincere, and accompanied with real and fincere endeavours to obey, and repentance for our daily failings, is accepted of God through the facrifice of Chrift, who is not only our Sacrifice and Propitiation, but alfo our Interceffor and Mediator at the right hand of God. If any man fin, we havean advocate with the Father, even Jefus Christ, who fitteth at the right hand of the Father '.' 12. And because many times example gives a great light and life to precepts, cur bleffed Saviour, in his life, gave us an excellent example of the practice of thofe precepts which he hath given to us, as, namely, obedience and fubmiflion to the Will of God; invocation upon him; holinefs, purity, fobriety, patience, righteousness, juftice, charity, compaffion, bounty, truth, fincerity, uprightness, heavenly mindednefs, low efteem of worldly glory, condefcenfion, and all those graces and virtues that he requires and expects from us. 18. And as thus our Lord Jefus came to inftruct us in all things necefiary for us to believe and practife, 1 John ii. 1. Heb. viii. 1. & x 12, and and to give us an admirable pattern and example of a holy and virtuous life: fo, 2. He came to die for us, and to die fuch a death as had in it all the circumstances of bitterness, and yet accompanied with unfpotted innocence and incomparable patience; and he thus died for thefe ends: 1. To lay down a ransom for the fins of mankind, and a Price for the Purchase of Everlasting Life and Happiness for all thofe that receive him, believe in him, and obey the Gospel. 2. To fatisfy the Juftice of God, to make good his Truth, to vindicate the Honour of his Government, and to proclaim his Juftice, his Indignation against Sin, and yet to magnify his Love and Mercy to Mankind, in giving his Son to be a Price of their Redemption. 3. To give a juft indication unto all the world of the vilenefs of fin, the abhorrence of it, that cost the Son of God his life, when he was but under the imputed guilt of it, that fo mankind might deteft and avoid fin, as the vileft of evils. 4. To give a moft unparalleled inftance of his love to the world, that did choofe to die for the children of men, to redeem them from everlasting death. 5. And thereby to oblige mankind with the most obliging and endearing inftance to love and obey that Jefus, that thus died for them, and out of the common principles of humanity and gratitude, to love and obey him that thus loved them, and laid down his life for them. 6. To give a moft convincing Evidence of the Truth of his Doctrine, and the fincerenefs of his profeffions of love to mankind, by fealing the fame with his own Blood. VOL. 1. S CON |