so their opinion had a foundation in truth, but was mixed with many errors inconsistent with perfect felicity. And as the pleasure of a dream is slight and vanishing, so the uncertain expectation of felicity did but lightly touch their spirits. Briefly, they had no true knowledge, no firm belief of eternal blessedness in the vision of God, nor of the endless torments in hell; and wanting those great principles, from whence the rules and power to live in a holy manner are derived, they fell short of that purity which is a necessary qualification to prepare men for heaven. They were in a confused labyrinth, without true light or guide, entangled with miserable errors, and stumbled every step whilst they sought after happiness. But the Lord Christ hath instructed the world concerning those invisible future recompences. He hath expressly threatened, whatever is to be feared by man as a rational or sensible creature, "the worm that never dies, and the fire that shall never be quenched," in case of disobedience; and he hath promised whatever is to be hoped for, in case of obedience." The wrath of God is revealed from heaven," in the gospel," against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men." Rom. 1. 18. And our Saviour hath brought "life and immortality to light." 2 Tim. 1. 10. He hath declared the nature and quality of eternal life: that it consists in the most perfect acts of our raised and most receptive faculties, upon the most excellent objects; that it contains perfect holiness and pure felicity, being for ever distant from the infirmities and defilements of our mortal state. He hath revealed as the quality, so the extent of it, relating to the body as well as the soul. Whereas the philosophers of several sects, the Academics, Stoics, Epicureans, labouring with all the force of their understanding, formed a felicity according to their fancies, which was either wholly sensual, or else but for half of man: for of the resurrection, and consequently the immortality of the body, not the least notice for many ages ever arrived to them. Our Saviour, who alone had "the words of eternal life," hath promised a happiness that respects entire man: the soul and the body which are his essential parts, shall be united and endued with all the glorious qualities becoming the sons of God. And of all this he hath given to the world the highest assurance: for he verified his doctrine by his own example; rising from the grave, and appearing to his apostles crowned with immortality, and visibly ascending before them to heaven. Since there is no greater paradox to reason than the resurrection, which seemed utterly incredible to men, and not to be the object of a rational desire; God by raising him from the grave, hath given the most convincing argument that our Redeemer was sent from him, to acquaint the world with the future state. Thus the apostle speaks to the Athenians, Acts 17. 30. "The times of ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men every where to repent; because he hath appointed a day, wherein he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." Jesus Christ who was attested from heaven to be the Son of God by that great and powerful act, declared the recompences that shall attend men after death; therefore a full and perfect assent is due to his testimony. Hell with all its dread and terror is not a picture drawn by fancy to affright the world, but is revealed by him "whose words shall remain when heaven and earth shall pass away." The heavenly glories are not the visions of a contemplative person that have no existence, but are great realities promised by him, who as he died to purchase, so he rose to witness the truth of them; and to bring these great things, that are separate and distant from this present state, nearer to us; he sometimes causes "hell to rise up from beneath," and flash in the face of secure sinners, that they may break off their sins by repentance: and sometimes he opens heaven from above, the paradise of true delights, and sends down" of the precious fruits of the sun, of the precious things of the lasting hills," that by the sight of their beauty, and the taste of their sweetness, we may for ever abhor the pleasures of sin. By the frequent and sensible experience of the truth of the gospel in its threatenings and promises, innumerable persons have been converted from sin to holiness, from earth to heaven, from vanity to eternity. Love is a prevalent affection, stronger than death; and kindness is the greatest endearment of love. Now the Lord Jesus expressed such admirable love to us, that being duly considered, it cannot but inspire us with love to him again, and with a grateful desire to please him in all things. He descended from heaven to earth, and delivered himself to a shameful death, "that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Gg himself a peculiar people zealous of good works." Tit. 2. 14. And what argument is more powerful to cause in us a serious hatred of sin, than the consideration of what Christ hath suffered to free us from the punishment and power of it? If a man for his crimes were condemned to the gallies, and a friend of his who had been extremely injured by him, should ransom him by a great sum; when the guilty person is restored to liberty, will he not blush for shame at the memory of what he hath done? But how much more if his friend would suffer for him the pains and infamy of his slavery? If any spark of humanity remain in him, can he ever delight himself in those actions, which made such a benefit necessary to him? "Now we were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from our vain conversation, (the most sordid and deplorable captivity) but with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot." 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19. And is it possible for a christian to live in those sins for which Christ died? Will not love cause an humble fear, lest he should frustrate the great design, and make void the most blessed effect of his terrible sufferings? Why did he redeem us with so excellent a price from our cruel bondage, but to restore us to his free service? Why did he vindicate us from the power of the usurper to whom we were captives, but to make us subjects to our natural Prince? Why did he purify us with his most precious blood from our deadly defilements, * but that we might be entirely consecrated to his glory, and be fervent in good works? What can work upon an ingenuous person more than sense of kindness? What can oblige more strongly to duty, than gratitude? What more powerful attractive to obedience, than love? This pure love confirms the glorified saints for ever in holiness. For they are not holy to obtain heaven, because they are possessed of it; nor to preserve their blessedness, because they are passed all hazard of losing it; but from the most lively and permanent sense of their obligations, because they have obtained that incomparable felicity by a gift never to be reversed, and by a mercy transcendently great. And the same love to God that is in the saints above in the high * Ergo te dignum gere tali pretio, ne veniat Christus qui te mundavit, qui te redemit, & si te in peccato invenerit, dicat tibi; quæ utilitas in sanguine meo? quid profecti tibi dam descendi in corruptionem? Amb, de Virginit p. 3. est degree of perfection, and makes them for ever to glorify him, will proportionably to our state in this life cause us to observe his commands with delight and constancy. A true christian is moved by fear, more by hope, most by love. CHAP. XIX. Practical inferences. The completeness of our recovery by Jesus Christ, He frees us from the power as well as guilt of sin. Sin is the disease and wound of the soul: the mere pardon of it cannot make us happy. Sanctification equals, if not excels, justification. It qualifies us for the enjoyment of God. Saving grace doth not encourage the practice of sin. The promises of pardon and heaven are conditional, To abuse the mercy of the gospel, is dishonourable to God, and pernicious to man, The excelleney of the christian religion discovered from its design and effect. The design is to purge men from sin, and conform them to God's holiness according to their capacity. This gives it the most visible pre-eminence above other religions. The admirable effect of the gospel in the primitive christians. An earnest exhortation to live according to the purity of the gospel, and the great obligations our Saviour hath laid on us. 1. FROM hence we may discover the perfection and complete ness of the redemption that our Saviour purchased for us. fully repairs what was ruined by the fall. He was called "Jesus, because he should save his people from their sins." Mat. 1. 21. He reconciles them to God, and "redeems them from their vain conversation." He" came by water and blood," to signify the accomplishment of what was represented by the ceremonial purification, and the blood of the sacrifices; satisfaction and sanctification are found in him, And this was not a needless compassion, but absolutely requisite in order to our felicity. Man in his guilty corrupt state may be compared to a condemned malefactor, infected with noisome and painful wounds and diseases, and wants the grace of the prince to pardon him, and sovereign remedies to heal him. Supposing the sentence were reversed, yet he cannot enjoy his life till he is restored to health. Thus the sinner is under the condemnation of the law, and under many spiritual, powerful distempers, that make him truly miserable. His irregular passions are so many sorts of diseases, not only contrary to health, but to one another, that continually torment him. He feels all the effects of sickness. He is inflamed by his lusts, and made restless, being without power to accomplish or to restrain them. All his faculties are disabled for the spiritual life, that is only worthy of his nature, and whose operations are mixed with sincere and lasting pleasure. Sin as it is the disease, so it is the wound of the soul, and attended with all the evils of those that are most terrible: "the whole head is sick, the whole heart is faint, from the sole of the foot to the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises, and putrefying sores." Isa. 1. Now our Redeemer as he hath obtained a full remission of our sins, so he restores holiness to us, the true health and vigour of the soul. He hath made a plaster of his living flesh mixed with his tears and blood, those divine and powerful ingredients, to heal our wounds. By the Holy Spirit it is applied to us, that we may partake of its virtue and influence. His most precious sacrifice purifies the conscience" from dead works," that we may serve the living God. Without this the bare exemption from punishment, were not sufficient to make us happy: for although the guilty conscience were secure from wrath to come, yet those fierce unruly passions, the generation of vipers that lodge in the breast of the sinner, would cause a real domestic hell. Till these are mortified, there can be no ease nor rest. Besides, sin is the true dishonour of man's nature, that degrades him from his excellency, and changes him into a beast, or a devil: so that to have a licence" to wallow in the mire," to live in the practice of sin that stains and vilifies him, were a miserable privilege. The scripture therefore represents the curing of our corrupt inclinations, and the cleansing us from our pollutions, to be the eminent effect and blessed work of saving mercy. Accordingly St. Peter tells the Jews (Acts 3. 26.) that "God having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities" that is, Christ in his glorified state gives the spirit of |