fion of fins to the Jews in his own perfon fo he rofe from the dead on purpose that he might commiffion, and fpirit, and fend out the Apoftles to preach the fame doctrines to the reft of mankind. This is what he exprefsly declared to his difciples. Saith he, thus it is written, and thus it behoved Chrift to fuffer, and to rife from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remiffion of fins fhould be preached in his name among all nations. Luke xxiv. 46, 47. Which is as much as if he had faid, thus it is written, and thus it behoved Chrift, as he was fent of God, to be the Saviour of the world, to take all proper care, that the doctrines of repentance and remiffion of fins, fhould be preached among all nations; land as he did not preach thofe doctrines to all in his own perfon, but only to the fingle nation of the Jews, in the doing of which he drew on him the hatred and unreasonable refentment of that people, which was fhewn in their profecuting him even unto death, and which therefore it behoved him to fuffer, and not to draw back in the difcharge of fo weighty a truft: fo likewise it behoved him to rife again from the dead, and to commiffion, and fend out his apostles to preach the fame doctrine to the reft of the world. I fay, it behoved Chrift to do all this, as he had undertaken to promote and fet forward the falvation of mankind, which truft he faithfully difcharged accordingly. And,

Here I beg leave to remind my readers, that to preach the gospel, and to preach the doctrines of repentance and remissim of sms, is in Chrift's account the fame thing: for what he calls preaching the gospel at one time, he calls preaching

the

the doctrines of repentance and remiffion of fins at another. Thus Mark xvi. 15. And he faid unto them, go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature; compared with Luke xxiv. 46, 47. And he faid unto them, thus it is written, and thus it behoved Chrift to fuffer, and to rife from the dead the third day, and that repentance, and remiffion of fins fhould be preached in his name among all nations. Here we fee what Chrift means by the gospel, or what that gofpel is, which he commiffioned, and fent out his Apoftles to preach to the world: viz. it is the doctrines of repentance, and remiffion of fins.

I would likewife, remind my readers, that Christ hath pointed out to finners no other way to the divine mercy and forgiveness, than that good old way, viz. by repentance and reformation of their evil ways, which always was, and always will be, the true and only way for finners to obtain the divine mercy. This is the way which God by his prophets heretofore pointed out to the finful nation of Ifrael. Thus Ifaiah i. 16, 17. Wash ye, make ye clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes, ceafe to do evil, learn to do well, feek judgment, relieve the oppreffed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reafon together, faith the Lord, though your fins be as fcarlet, they shall be as white as fnow; though they be red like crimfon, they fhall be as wool. Which is the fame as if he had faid, though your fins are many and great; yet upon your repentance and reformation they fhall be forgiven. Thus again, Ezekiel xviii. 30. Therefore, I will judge you, O boufe of Ifrael,

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every one according to his ways, faith the Lord God; repent, and turn yourselves from all your tranfgreffi ons, fo iniquity shall not be your ruin. Which is the fame as to fay, that upon their repentance and reformation, they fhould obtain mercy. As to that doctrine, viz. that Chrift hath by his fufferings and death made fatisfaction to God for the fins of the world, and thereby merited the finners. difcharge from condemnation, this doctrine Chrift did not preach; and therefore it cannot be any part of his golpel, but it is directly oppofite to it, and tends to fubvert it. The true doctrines of the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, touching this matter, are the doctrines of repentance, and remiffion of fins; that is, repentance and reformation is the only way to the divine mercy. Let not therefore the finner trust to, nor rely upon, the vain words of men, who like Rabshakeh the captain of the host of the king of Affyria, may and will deceive them; but let them truft to, and rely upon, the words of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who was fent of God, to be their guide and inftructor in this particular, and who, they may be affured проп good grounds, will not deceive them in fo important an affair.

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S Chrift reprefented to, and preffed upon, inen a conformity of mind and life, to that eternal law, or rule of action, which is founded in the reafon of things; as the only ground

ground of the divine acceptance; and as he recommended to, and preffed upon finners repentance and reformation of their evil ways, as the only ground of the divine mercy and forgive nefs; fo that thofe important truths might maket the deeper impreffion, and have a more lafting influence upon the minds and lives of men; he, thirdly and lastly, affured them, that God has appointed a time, in which he will judge the world in righteouinefs, and that he will then call all men to an account for their actions, and will acquit or condemn, reward or punish them in another ftate, according to their behaviour in this. Thus Matthew xxv. 3 1. to the end of the chapter. When the fon of man fhall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall be fit upon the throne of his glory. And before him shall be gathered all nations, and be fall feparate them one from another; as a fhepherd divideth the Sheep from the goats. And he fhall fet the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then fhall the king fay to them on his right hand, come ye blef fed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty,' and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye cloathed me: I was. fick, and ye vifited me: I was in prifon, and ye came unto me. Then fall the righteous anfwer him, faying, Lord, when faw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? when faw we thee a franger, and took thee in? or naked, and cloathed thee? or when faw we thee Jick, or in prifon, and came unto thee? And the King fhall anfwer, and jay unto them, verily I

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fay unto you, in as much as ye bave done it to one of the leaf of thefe my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall be fay also unto them on his left band, depart from me, ye curfed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. For F was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat : I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink I was a stran ger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: fick, and in prison, and ye vifited me not. Then fhall they alfo answer him, faying, Lord, when faw we thee an hungred, or a thirst, or a firanger, or naked, or fick, or in prifon, and did not minifter unto thee? Then shall be answer them, faying, verily I fay unto you, in as much as ye did it not to one of the leaft of thefe, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting pu nishment: but the righteous into life eternal. Here we' fee Chrift has not only declared, that God will moft certainly judge the world, by him; but also he has fhewn by what rule he fhall proceed in paffing that judgment; viz. he fhall approve or condemn, reward or punish, every man as he has, or has not conformed his affections and actions to that righteous law, which is founded in the reafon of things; the end of which law is charity, or benevolent affection and

actions.

The moral law, or that law which is founded in the reafon of things, is a law of love, or a law, which is briefly comprehended in this faying, namely, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbour as thyself. St Paul has juftly obferved, that as love worketh no ill to his neighbour; fo love (or a conduct directed by love) is the fulfilling of the law. Ro

mans