1. This is the way, these are the terms of God's own choosing; he found out this way, he established it himself. He did it when all was lost and undone. He did it not upon our desire, request, or proposal, but merely of his own accord, and why should we contend with him about it? If God will have us saved in a way of mere mercy and forgiveness; if his wisdom and sovereignty be in it, shall we oppose him, and say we like it not? Yet this is the language of unbelief; Rom. x. 3, 4. Many poor creatures have disputed it with God, until at length being overpowered as it were by the Spirit, have said, If it must be so, and God will save us by mercy and grace, let it be so, we yield ourselves to his will: and yet throughout their disputes dreamed of nothing but that their own unworthiness only kept them from closing with the promise of the gospel.

Of this nature was that way of Satan whereby he deceived our first parents of their interest in the covenant of works; the terms of it, saith he, as apprehended by you, are unequal. Yea, hath God said, Ye shall eat of every tree of the garden? But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, ye shall not eat, lest ye die;' come, 'you shall not die : for God doth know, in the day you eat thereof your eyes shall be opened. There is no proportion between the disobedience and the threatening; the issue cannot be such as is feared and by these means he ruined them. Thus also he proceeds to deprive souls of their interest in the covenant of grace, whereunto they are invited. The terms of it are unequal, how can any man believe them? There is no proportion between the obedience and the promise. To have pardon, forgiveness, life, and blessed eternity, on believing, who can rest in it? And here lies a conspiracy between Satan and unbelief, against the wisdom, goodness, love, grace, and sovereignty of God. The poison of this deceit lies in this, that neither the righteousness, nor the mercy of God is of that infiniteness, as indeed they are. The apostle, to remove this fond imagination, calls us to the pleasure of God; 1 Cor. i. 21. 'It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching,' that is, by the gospel preached, which they esteemed foolishness, 'to save believers, He suffered men indeed to make trial of other ways; and when their insufficiency for the ends men proposed to themselves was suffi

ciently manifested, it pleased him to reveal his way. And what are we, that we should contend about it with him? This rejection of the way of personal righteousness, and choosing the way of grace and forgiveness, God asserts, Jer. xxxi. 31-34. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. Not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers' (in which administration of the covenant, as far as it had respect unto typical mercies, much depended on their personal obedience): but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After these days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws, &c. and I will forgive their iniquities, and remember their sins no more.' Let then this way stand, and the way of man's wisdom and self-righteousness perish for ever.

2. This is the way that above all others tends directly and immediately to the glory of God. God hath managed and ordered all things in this way of forgiveness, so as 'no flesh should glory in his presence, but that he that glorieth should glory in the Lord;' 1 Cor. i. 29. 31. Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what law? by the law of works? Nay; but by the law of faith;' Rom. iii. 27. It might be easily manifested, that God hath so laid the design of saving sinners by forgiveness according to the law of faith, that it is utterly impossible that any soul should, on any account whatever, have the least ground of glorying or boasting in itself, either absolutely, or in comparison with them that perish. If Abraham,' saith the same apostle, 'were justified by works, he had whereof to glory, but not before God;' chap. iv. 2. The obedience of works would have been so infinitely 'disproportionate to the reward, which was God himself, that there had been no glorying before God; but therein his goodness and grace must be acknowledged; yet in comparison with others who yielded not the obedience required, he would have had wherein to glory; but now this also is cast off by the way of forgiveness, and no pretence is left for any to claim the least share in the glory of it but God alone; and herein lies the excellency of faith, that it 'gives glory unto God;' Rom. iv. 20. the denial whereof, under various pretences, is the issue of proud unbelief. And this is that which God will bring all unto, or they shall pe

rish; namely, that shame be ours, and the whole glory of our salvation be his alone. So he expresseth his design, Isa. xlv. 22-25. Ver. 22. he proposeth himself as the only relief for sinners; Look unto me,' saith he, and be saved, all ye ends of the earth.' But what if men take some other course, and look well to themselves, and so decline this way of mere mercy and grace? Why, saith he, ver. 23. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that unto me, every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall swear.' Look you unto that; but I have sworn that you shall either do so, or answer your disobedience at the day of judgment; whereunto Paul applies those words, Rom. xiv. 11. What do the saints hereupon? ver. 24, 25. Surely shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.' They bring their hearts to accept of all righteousness from him, and to give all glory unto him.

God at first placed man in a blessed state and condition, in such a dependance on himself, as that he might have wrought out his eternal happiness with a great reputation of glory unto himself. Man being in this honour,' saith the psalmist, abode not.' God now fixes on another way, as I said, wherein all the glory shall be his own, as the apostle at large sets it forth, Rom. iii. 23-26. Now neither the way from which Adam fell, nor that wherein some of the angels continued, which for the substance were the same, is to be compared with this of forgiveness, as to the bringing glory unto God. I hate curiosities and conjectures in the things of God; yet upon the account of the interposition of the blood of Christ, I think I may boldly say, there comes more glory to God, by saving one sinner in this way of forgiveness, than in giving the reward of blessedness to all the angels in heaven; so seems it to appear, from that solemn representation we have of the ascription of glory to God by the whole creation, Rev. v. 9-13. All centres in the bringing forth forgiveness by the blood of the Lamb.

I insist the more on this, because it lies so directly against that cursed principle of unbelief, which reigns in the hearts of the most, and often disquiets the best. That a poor ungodly sinner, going to God with the guilt of all his sins

upon him, to receive forgiveness at his hand, doth bring more glory unto him, than the obedience of an angel, men are not over ready to think, nor can be prepared for it, but by itself. And the formal nature of that unbelief which worketh in convinced sinners, lies in a refusal to give unto God the whole glory of salvation. There are many hurtful controversies in religion that are managed in the world with great noise and clamour; but this is the greatest and most pernicious of them all, and it is for the most part silently transacted in the souls of men; although under various forms and pretences. It hath also broken forth in writings and disputations, that is, whether God or man shall have the glory of salvation; or whether it shall wholly be ascribed unto God, or that man also on one account or other, may come in for a share. Now if this be the state and condition with any of you, that you will rather perish, than God should have his glory, what shall we say, but, Go ye cursed souls, perish for ever, without the least compassion from God, or any that love him, angels or men.

If you shall say, for your parts you are contented with this course, let God have the glory, so you may be forgiven and saved; there is yet just cause to suspect, lest this be a selfish contempt of God. It is a great thing to give glory unto God by believing in a due manner. Such slight returns seem not to have the least relation unto it. Take heed that instead of believing, you be not found mockers, and so your bands be made strong.

But a poor convinced sinner may here find encouragement; thou wouldest willingly come to acceptance with God, and so attain salvation. Oh! my soul longeth for it. Wouldest thou willingly take that course for the obtaining those ends which will bring most glory unto God? Surely it is meet and most equal that I should do so. What now if one should come and tell thee from the Lord of a way, whereby thou poor, sinful, self-condemned creature, mightest bring as much glory unto God, as any angel in heaven is able to do? O, if I might bring the least glory unto God, I should rejoice in it. Behold then the way which himself hath fixed on for the exaltation of his glory: even that thou shouldest come to him merely upon the account of grace in

the blood of Christ, for pardon and forgiveness, and the Lord strengthen thee to give up thyself thereunto.

way of salvation be refused, We do not propose this way

3. Consider, that if this there is no other way for you. of forgiveness as the best and most pleasant, but as the only way. There is no other name given but that of Christ; no other way but this of forgiveness. Here lies your choice; take this path, or perish for ever. It is a shame indeed unto our cursed nature that there should be any need to use this argument, that we will neither submit to God's sovereignty, nor delight in his glory. But seeing it must be used, let it be so. I intend neither to flatter man, nor to frighten them; but to tell them the truth as it is. If you continue in your present state and condition, if you rest on what you do, or what you hope to do, if you support yourselves with general hopes of mercy, mixed with your own endeavours and obedience, if you come not up to a thorough gospel closure with this way of God, if you make it not your all, giving glory to God therein; perish you will, you must, and that to eternity. There remains no sacrifice for your sins, nor way of escape for your souls. You have not then only the excellency of this way to invite you, but the absolute indispensable necessity of this way to enforce you. And now let me add, that I am glad this word is spoken, is written unto you. You and I must one day be accountable for this discourse. That word that hath already been spoken, if neglected, will prove a sore testimony against you. It will not fare with you, as with other men who have not heard the joyful sound. All these words that shall be found consonant to the gospel, if they are not turned to grace in your hearts here, will turn into torment unto your souls hereafter. Choose not any other way, it will be in vain for you; it will not profit you; and take heed lest you suppose you embrace this way, when indeed you do not, about which I have given caution before.

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4. This way is free and open for and unto sinners. that fled to the city of refuge, might well have many perplexed thoughts, whether he should find the gates of it opened unto him or no, and whether the avenger of blood might not overtake and slay him, whilst he was calling for