doned, consistently with justice; as much impossible as if there had never been a Saviour: as if Christ had never died; and so there is no encouragement at all for them: and therefore it would be presumption in them to take any; all which is apparently contrary to the whole tenour of the gospel, which every where invites all, and gives equal encouragement to all. Come, for all things are ready, said Christ to the reprobate Jews. Mat. xxii. 4. And if the non-elect have no right to take any encouragement from the death of Christ, and the invitations of the gospel, to return to God through him, in hopes of acceptance, then, (2.) No man at all can rationally take any encouragement until he knows that he is elected; because, until then, he cannot know that there is any ground for encouragement. It is not rational to take encouragement before we see sufficient grounds for it; yea, it is presumption to do so. But no man can see sufficient grounds of encouragement to trust in Christ, and to return to God through him, in hopes of accep tance, unless he sees that God may, through Christ, consistent ly with his honour, accept and save him, and is willing so todo. If God can, and is actually willing to save any that comes, then there is no objection. I may come, and any may come; all things are ready: there is bread enough, and to spare. But if God is reconcileable only to the elect, then I may not come. I dare not come: it would be presumption to come till I know that I am elected. And how can I know that? Why, not by any thing in all the Bible. While an unbeliever, it is impossible I should know it by any thing in scripture. It is no where said, in express words, that I, by name, am elected, and there are no rules of trial laid down in such a case. And how can I, therefore, in this case, ever know that I am elected, but by an immediate revelation from heaven? And how shall I know that this revelation is true? How shall I dare to venture my soul upon it? The gospel does not teach me to look for any such revelation, nor give any marks where by I may know when it is from God, and when from the devil. Thus, an invincible bar is laid in my way to life. I must know that I am one of the elect, before I can see any encouragement to believe in Christ; because none but the elect have any more business to do so than the devils; but if

I am one of the elect, yet it is impossible I should know it till afterwards, besides, all this is contrary to the whole tenour of the gospel: Whosoever will, let him come; whosoever comes, shall in no wise be cast out: whosoever believes shall be saved. And contrary to the experience of all true believers, who, in their first return to God through Christ, always take all their encouragement from the gospel, and lay the weight of their souls upon the truth of that; and venture their eternal all upon this bottom, and not upon the truth of any new revelation. They venture their all upon the truths already revealed in the gospel, and not upon the truth of any proposition not revealed there.

So that, let us view this point in what light we will, nothing is more clear and certain than that Christ died, that wнOSOEVER believeth in him should not perish, but have everlusting life. And God may now be just, and yet justify any of the race of Adam that believe in Jesus: and he stands ready to do so. And these things being true, the servants, upon good grounds, might, in their master's name, tell the obstinate Jews, who did not belong to the election of grace, and who finally refused to hearken to the calls of the gospel, Behold, I have prepared my dinner ; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. Mat. xxii. 4. And if they had come, they would have been heartily welcome: the provision made was sufficient, and the invitation sincere. Jesus wept over them, saying, O that thou hadst known, in this thy day, the things which belong to thy peace! So that there was nothing to hinder, had they but been willing. But it seems they were otherwise disposed; and therefore they made light of it, and went their ways: one to his farm, another to his merchandise; and the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them, (ver. 5, 6.) And in this glass we may see the very nature of all mankind, and how all would actually do if not prevented by divine grace. Justly, therefore, at the day of judgment, will this be the condemnation, that light has come into the world, but men loved darkness rather than light. For certainly, if mankind are so perversely bad, that, notwithstanding their natural obligations to God, and the unreasonableness of their original apostacy, they will yet persist

in their rebellion; and, after all the glorious provision and kind invitations of the gospel, will not return to God through Christ; I say, certainly, God is not obliged to come out after them, and, by his all-conquering grace, irresistibly reclaim them; but may justly let every man take his own course, and run his own ruin. And an aggravated damnation will every such person deserve in the coming world, for neglecting so great salvation. Heb. ii. 2, 3.

And now, if Christ's atonement and merits be thus sufficient for all; and if God stands ready to be reconciled to all : and if all are invited to return and come; hence, then, we may learn that it is safe for any of the poor, sinful, guilty, lost, undone race of Adam to return to God in this way. They shall surely find acceptance with God: they may come without money, without price; and he that cometh shall in no wise be cast out.

And hence we may see upon what grounds it is, that the poor, convinced, humbled sinner is encouraged and emboldened to venture his all upon Christ, aud return to God through him. It is because any poor, sinful, guilty, hell-deserving wretch, may come; any in the world; the worst in the world; the vilest, and most odious and despicable: for such he actually takes himself to be. And if he did not see that there was an open door for such, for any such, for all such, he would doubt, and that with good reason too, whether he might safely come. But when he understands and believes the gospel-revelation, and so is assured that it is safe for any, for all, the vilest and the worst; now the peculiar vileness and unworthiness which he sees in himself ceases to be an objection. He sees it safe for any, and therefore for him; and hence takes courage, and is emboldened to venture his all upon the free grace of God, through Jesus Christ; and so returns in hopes of acceptance. Now, does this poor sinner venture upon a safe foundation, or does he not? He takes it for granted that the supreme Governor of the world can, consistently with his honour, show mercy to any that come to him through Christ; and he takes it for granted that he stands ready to do so, even to the vilest and worst; that the door of mercy stands wide open, and whosoever will may come. And, upon these principles, he takes encouragement to return to

:

God, in hopes of acceptance: and, from a sense of his own wants, and of the glory and all-sufficiency of the divine nature; of the blessedness there is in being the Lord's, devoted to him, and living upon him, he does return with all his heart; and to God he gives himself, to be for ever his and if the gospel be true, surely he must be safe. The truth of the gospel is the foundation of all; for upon that, and that only, he builds: not upon works of righteousness which he has done ; not upon any immediate revelation of pardon, or the love of Christ to him in particular; but merely upon gospel-principles. If they, therefore, prove true, in the coming world, then will be receive the end of his faith; the salvation of his soul. But to return :

Thus we see that, by the death of Christ, there is a wide door opened for divine mercy to exercise and display itself: the supreme Governor of the world may, consistently with his honour, now seat himself upon a throne of grace, and proclaim the news of pardon and peace through a guilty world; and it is perfectly safe for any of the guilty race of Adam to return unto him through Jesus Christ. And now, were mankind in a disposition to be heartily sorry for their apostacy from God, and disposed to esteem it their indispensable duty, and highest blessedness, to return; were this the case, the joyful news of a Saviour, and of pardon and peace through him, would fly through the world like lightning, and every heart would be melted with love, and sorrow, and gratitude; and all the nations of the earth would come, and fall down in the dust before the Lord, and bless his holy name, and devote themselves to him for ever, lamenting, in the bitterness of their hearts, that ever they did break away from their subjection to such a God. And were mankind sensible of their sinful, guilty, undone state by LAW, and disposed to justify the law, and condemn themselves; and were they sensible of the holiness and justice of the great Governor of the world, they would soon see their need of such a mediator as Christ Jesus, and soon see the wonderful grace of the gospel, and soon see the glory of this way of salvation, and so know it to be from God, believe it, and fall in with it; and all the world would repent and convert of their own accord; and so all the world

might be saved without any more to do. But, instead of this, such is the temper of mankind, that there is not one in the world, that, of his own accord, is disposed to have any such regard to God, or sorrow for his apostacy, or inclination to repent and return; nor do men once imagine that they are in a state so wretched and undone, and stand in such a perishing need of Christ and free grace; and therefore, they are ready to make light of the glad tidings of the gospel, and go. their ways; one to his farm, another to his merchandise: nor is there one of all the human race disposed, of his own accord, to lay down the weapons of his rebellion, and return to God by Jesus Christ. So that all will come to nothing, and not one be ever brought home to God, unless something further be done; unless some methods, and methods very effectual, be used.

But that God should come out after such an apostate race, who, without any grounds, have turned enemies to him, and, without any reason, refuse to be reconciled; and that after all the glorious provision and kind invitations of the gospel; that God, I say, should come out after such, and reclaim them by his own sovereign and all-conquering grace, might seem to be going counter to the holiness and justice of his nature, and to tend to expose his law, and government, and sacred authority, to contempt; inasmuch as they so eminently deserve to be consumed by the fire of his wrath. Therefore,

(2.) Jesus Christ did, by his obedience and death, open such a door of mercy, as that the supreme Governor of the world might, consistently withh is honour, take what methods he pleased, in order to recover rebellious, guilt, stubborn sinners to himself.

That he might take what methods he pleased, I say; for he knew, from the days of eternity, how mankind would be disposed to treat him, his Son, and his grace; and he knew, from eternity, what methods he intended to take to reclaim them and these are the methods which he now pleases to take; and the methods, yea, the only methods which he actually does take. So that it is the same thing, in effect, to say that, by what Christ has done and suffered, a door is opened for the MOST HIGH, consistently with his honour, to take, 1.