pleafed, or difpleased, with one agent, for what is pleafing, or difpleafing, in the perfon of another; becaufe that would be..to run across to nature, to be affected by, and tomact from wrong and improper motives, and would be a manifeft moral imperfection in the Deity, and therefore cannot poffibly be the cafe.

The ufe that I fhall make of this dif courfe, is to defire and intreat the clergy amang all the denominations of chriftians, that they would take this matter into their most derious confideration, it being a point of the htmoft concern. I have here fhewn what it is which Chrift hath declared to be the true and only ground upon which finners will obtain God's mercy, viz. by repentance and reformation of their evil ways, or the being fo changed, as to cease to be the objects of God's difpleafure, and to become perfonally and in themselves the proper objects of his mercy and kindness. This is the gofpel or good news; this is the only way given and declared by Jefus Chrift, by which finners can be faved. Whoever therefore points out to Ginners any other way to God's mercy, than this way given and declared by Jefus Chrift, fuch an ione in effect preaches another gaffel than Chrift hath preached; and points out to finners another way to God's mercy and life eternal, than Chrift hath pointed out unto them; which as it must be greatly wrong in itself, fo it may be greatly injurious to the fouls of men.

I

I fhall not take notice of the grofs corruptions of chriftianity, which have taken place in the church of Rome, with regard to this point, but only of thofe more plaufible ones, which have prevailed as well among proteftants as papifts, viz. that men are rendred acceptable to God, and that finners are recommended to his mercy, either by the perfect obedience, or the meritorious fufferings, or the prevailing interceffion of Christ, or by one; or another, or all of these. These are doctrines which carry with them a fhew of piety, as they are grounded on a pretended veneration for the perfon, the performances, and the fufferings of the Son of God; but as they are fuch doctrines as Chrift never taught, fo they are naturally, and neceffarily, and unavoidably excluded out of the case. Every man is what he really is in himself, viz. either perfonally pleafing, or difpleafing, when confidered fimply in himself, and abftractedly. from all other confiderations; and neither the performance, nor the fufferings of Chrift, nor any thing elfe, can poffibly fo alter the nature of things, as to make a man to be otherways than he is in himself, in thefe refpects. And as every man is what he really is in himself, either perfonally pleafing, or difpleafing, when confidered abftractedly, as aforefaid, and nothing external to him can poffibly alter the cafe: fo what he is in himfelf, he will unavoidably appear to be to his Maker, and will be esteemed of him, and D treated

treated by him as fuch. This, I say, must and will be the cafe, if God is a perfect being, which he is known and allowed to be. For if God is a perfect being, then he must be so, as well in all moral, as in all natural perfections; and then as he cannot poffibly be impofed upon by any falfe appearances, but must neceffarily perceive every thing to be what it really is in itself; fo he cannot, confiftently with that character, love nor hate, like nor diflike, be pleafed nor difpleafed with any agent, upon any other account or confideration than that agent's being perfonally, and in himself, lovely or hateful, pleafing or difpleafing, and the proper object of God's approbation or diflike; because were he to do otherways, he would be affected, and would act improperly, which fuppofes that he is clothed with the weaknefs and imperfection of his creatures. And as the performances, the fufferings, and the interceffion of Chrift, cannot poffibly make any agent appear otherways to God, than what that agent is in himself, nor lead God in any instance to act improperly; therefore they cannot poffibly affect the cafe at all. Every man must therefore be more or lefs pleafing or difpleafing to God, and will be efteemed of, and treated by his Maker, according as he is perfonally, and in himself more or lefs the fuitable and proper object of it. Chrift indeed in the whole courfe of

his life, paid an exact obedience to God's

will, and fuffered greatly in the execution of his office, as the minifter of God, and in the faithful discharge of that trust which was repofed on him by his father; but then he did no more in this cafe than was his duty to do, under thofe circumftances; and confequently there were no works of fupererogation even with regard to Chrift, no furplus of good works to be transferred to others, fuppofing fuch a transfer were poffible in nature, when in truth it is not. And tho' the performances, and the fufferings of Christ, when confidered as done and suffered in obedience to God's will, and to anfwer a great and good end, viz. the fetting forward the falvation of mankind, were greatly valuable in themselves, and rendred him highly pleafing and moft acceptable to his father; yet as it is impoffible in nature, fo it is grofsly abfurd to fuppofe, that they can render any other agent more or lefs fo. Besides, what connection or relation is there betwixt the performances and the fufferings of Christ and any other agent? Why truly none at all; and therefore no other agent can poffibly become more or less acceptable to God upon

their account.

I am fenfible it may be urged, that Christ was not only a preacher of righteousness, who reprefented to finners the true grounds upon which they might obtain God's mercy; but he alfo became an offering for fin, by which he rendred repentance efficacious for obtain

ing the finner's, pardon, which otherwise it would not have done; and that this is the Scripture account of the matter.

I anfwer, the inherent intrinfick valuablenefs of that change which we characterize by the term repentance, cannot poffibly admit of any addition, diminution, or alteration by any thing external to it; because nothing external to it can poffibly make it more, or lefs, or otherways valuable, than what it really is in itself. And as repentance cannot poffibly be made more or less valuable by any thing external to it; fo it cannot poffibly be made to appear more, or lefs, or otherways valuable to God, than what it really is in itself, and confequently God cannot be more, or lefs, or otherways affected by it. So that if repentance, when confidered fimply in itself, and abstracted from all other confiderations, be not efficacious for obtaining the finner's pardon, or in other words, if it be not the ground or reafon of God's fhewing mercy to finners; then it cannot poffibly be made fo, or be made more fo by any thing external to it; becaufe it cannot poffibly be made more, or lefs, or otherways valuable, than what it really is in itself, nor can it poffibly be made to appear otherways to God. Again,

Propitioufnefs, or a difpofition to fhew mercy to the fuitable and proper objects of it, is one of the moral perfections of the Deity, and as fuch, it does not admit of any addition, diminution,