SERM. Xx rv.] THE ATONEMENT OF CHRIST. 6t 3. His forms of 'government among his creatures "might have appeared as a matter ofsmall importance : His threatenings might have been counted a trifling and `useless formality, and mere vain terrors, ifhe had given laws, and took no care whether they were obeyed or no : and if he let those creatures that broke them come öff, without any tokens of his displeasure, without any reparation of the honour due to his law and govern- ment: Let not sinners deceive themselves with vain hopes, and dress up the great God in their own imagi- nations, as a being of meremercy, as an almighty Crea- tor, that keeps no discipline or authority among his creatures; Gal. vii. 7. " Be not deceived, God is not mocked He that soweth to the flesh shall reap. destruc- tion." 4. God had a mind to make a very illustrious display, both of his justice and of his grace among mankind; which should be the solemn spectacle and the wonder of other worlds besides this, even the world of angels, prin- cipalities and powers ; and therefore he bath designed his grace and his justice should mutually set forth each other, in his transactions with sinful man : On this ac- count he would not pardon sin, without a satisfaction ; but he thought fit to require and demand that sin be punished, and that the honour of the law be repaired to the full, that his justice might shine in full glory: And at the same time, in order to display his rich mercy, he would find out a way to save multitudes of these rebelli- ous creatures. These, and other reasons, infinitely superior to all our thoughts, might be in the divine mind, whyGod would not pardon sinners without a satisfaction. P!loPosITToN IV.. Man, poor sinful man, is not able to make any satisfaction to God for his own sins, by his utmost labours of future obedience: Fór all that'he can do for time to come, is but mere necessary duty, if he had not sinned at all; and therefore this can never make any recompence to the governing justice of God, for his past transgressions. It is a' most strange vaindoctrine of the papists, that some persons are such great saints, that they do works of heroic virtue, beyond what they are required to do; and ,these they call works of superèrogation, whereby they
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