SERMON IX. LuKE XIV. 2'3· The Lord Jaid to t/,e Ser)Jaut, Compel t/,em to come in, tl!at my Houfe may be full. 3dly. IF Confcience be not feored and fenfelcfs, but awakens Sinners to refleCt upon their Condition, and to feek for the pardoning Mercy of God, he deceives them with falfe Notions of Faith and Repentance, and hinders their entire Compliance with the. Terms of Mercy offered in the Gofpel. Final Unbelief and Impenitence utterly exclude Men from Salvation: for the Death of Chrifr was not appointed to be a Sacrifice for thole fins. There is no Salvation to be obtain'd without the Remiilion of fin, no Remiilion without the Blood of Chrifr, no Application of that precious Blood without Faith, This is the vital ~alification required in all jufrified Perfons: for it hos a peculiar Efficiency in receivin(l Chrifrand P~rdon,_ and alcribes the Glory of it intirely , to the Mercy of God and Ments of Chnil:. Tts fatd, To as many as recetved bim, he ga7Je ]oh. t. u. . PonJer to become the So~IJ ofGod, to thofe wbo beliC'Ue.d f" his Nam~. R~cciving is _relative. to God's Offer of Ghnfr to the Condemned and M•ferable, and 1mphes the takmg him in all the Effentials of his Office; as a Prophet, to infrrutl: us in our Duty and Happinefs by his Word and Spirit; as a Priell, to atone the Divine Difpleafure by his Propitiation and Interceflion; as a Ktng, to govern us by his Law, and to befiow fpiritual and eternal Bleflings on us. Faith receives whole Chri!l: as a K-ingly Priefr, and a faving Prince;· he is fl:iled a Priejlup011a Throne, a Prince and a Saviour, to gi·ve Repentance a11d Remijfio11 of Sins. He purchas~d the Forgivene1s of Sins as a Priefr by his Sufferings on the Crols, and pardons as a Kmg up<?n ~he Throne :. from be~ce 1t neceifa~tly tollows, tl~at Faith receives Pardon from lum m that Relauon wherem he procur d 1t, and confers 1t. The Apofrle declares, He diet/for our Sins, and roft again for Ol!r ]uj/ifcation, and thereby redeem'd us, and acquir'd a Dominion over us : then 'tis clear and confequenr, that faving Faith receives him for all thole Ules for which God did appoint him; and accordingly purifies tbe Heart, overcomes the World, works by Love : and Love is the Spring and Subllance of every Duty, the fu!fillmg of the Law. Now Carnal Men are deceived in this Imagination, that the fingle ACt of rcfring upon Chrifr is fulficient to entitle them to the Promife of Salvation to all that believe in him : they defire an lnterell in Chrifr, to quiet their Confcicnces ; and the World, to fatisfie their AffeCtions. They will refr on him as a Redeemer, but rejeCt him as a Lord : they wou ld enjoy his Salvation, but will not endure his Dominion: they will come to partake of the FefrivaiEntertainment, the Pardon of thei r fins, but not for the Honour of the Bridegroom. ~~/~~e"a?o":f~1 :1~[~hai~rea~ ~~,~~~er,;~n~~~icl~dt~: ~geirla~~:e~~u~fetl~e ~i~\;~ ~:~~; Noon-day in the fame Hemitphere : for then it would foil it fell, and frullrate its own End. Our Saviour firft redeems from fin, from the 'Vai11 Cowuer[atio11, then (rom Hell. 1 Pet. 1 , tS: There can be no regular faving Trufr on his Death, without an unfeigned Refolutioo to live within the Compafs of his Laws. He U the Author of Etemal Salvation to all tbat obey bim. 'Tis a blalphemous Conceit, that he will fave men with their fins. If they will die in fuch a pleafing Dream, who can prevent it? 1. Men are miferably deceived about Repentance. This is indilpenlably required not only by the Command,but as aDifpofition that quali fies the !inner for pardoning mercy,. For altho' the Majelly and Supremacy of God be illufrnouOy v•fible in pardoning fi~ ners, and 'tts mofi: evident that his Authority is above the Rigor of the Law, and ·his Mercy is infinitely free; yet they are always exercis'd correfpondentlyro hi s CJTential and unchangeable PerfeCtions, his ruling Wildom, his unfpc~med Holincfs, and governing }uftice: From hence it follows that n finner remaining 10 the Love, and under the Po\\et of his fins, is not a capable Object of pardoning mercy. Who can conceive that a wife Prince fhould lend forth a Proclamation of Pardon to Rebels, without their Confent oo return to their Allegiance 1 ]obn the Baptif/, ·the Forerunner of the Rifing Sun of Righteoufnels, the Morning-Star of the Gofpel, preach'd the Baptifm of Repenpent,mce for the Remi.flion of Sins. Eren our Saviou' begins Jns pteachmg the Gotpel witll
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