SERMON XXXIV. 473 rious enquiry into the connection of the words, but- take them just as they lie, and make this plain sentence the foundation o£ my discourse. Doctrine, God bath set forth his Son, Jesus Christ, to be a propitiation for the sins ofmen. When the apostle says; God bath sethim forth, Christ is plainly the person intended : and this greek word wpoc do, set fòrth, denotes either, 1. That God hath fore-ordained acid ap- pointed his Son to become our propitiation by his divine purpose in eternity, which purpose he executed here in time: Cr, 2. It intends that God bath set him forth, that is; proposed and offered him to the world as an atonement for the sins of those who trust in the merit of his death ; for so the following words intimate,. God set him forth for a propitiation, through faith in his blood. I am not solicitous which' of these senses the reader will chose ; eitherof them perfectly agrees with the design of the apostle. I would just take a brief notice also, that some interpreters transpose the words of the text a little, and read them thus, whom God hath setforth to be a propitiation in his blood throughfaith, and thus they suppose the apostle, in this very verse, declares that Christ atoned for our sins by his own blood : And if this be the true sense of it, it does but more effectually confirm the design of my doctrine, which is to shew that Christ, by his bloody death, became a sacrifice to God, in order to make satisfaction for the crimes ofmen. My method of discourse shall be this I. To explain more at large the manner in which I conceive Christ to become an atonement or propitiation for our sins. II. To give some reasons to prove, that he is ordained of God, and set forth or offered to the world under this character.And, III. I shall shewwhat glorious use is made of this doctrine through- out the whole christian life. First, Let me explain the manner wherein Christ becomes an atonement or propitiatión for sin. And to render this point easy to the lowest understanding, I would draw it out into these propositions Proposition L The great God having mademan, appointed to govern him by a wise and righteous lavy, wherein glory and honour, life and rmmortality are the designed rewards forperfect obedience; but tribulation and wrath, pain and death, are the appointed recornpenceto sinners who violate his law. This law is in a great measure eugraven on the hearts and consciences of all men by nature ; at least the general precepts of it are written in the conscience : And mankind, by the light Of
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