SERMON XXXIV. 475 from sinning, and breaking his laws, he hath given, them an ac- count inwhat a severe and terrible manner he dealt with angels that sinned, he spared them not; 2 Pet. ii. 4. but delivered them to chains of darkness until thejadgment of the gm-eat day ; Jude O. 3. His forms of government among his creatures, might have appeared as a matter of small importance: llis threateninrgs might havebeen counted a trifling and useless formality, andsure vain terrors, if he had given law's, and took II care whether they were obeyed or no : and if he let those creatures that broke theist come off, without any tokens of his displeasure, withoutany re- paration of the honour due to his law and government: Let not sinners deceive themselves with vain hopes, and dress u s the great God in their own imaginations, as a being of mere mercy, as an Almighty Creator, that keeps no discipline or authority among his creatures ; Gal. vi. 7. " Be not deceived, God is net n ocked ; Ile that soweth tò the fleshshall reap destruction." 4. God had a mind to, make a very illustrious display, both of his justice and of his grace amongmankind, which -should be the solemn spectacle and thewonder of other worlds besides this,. even the world of angels, principalities and powers ; asid there- fore he hatli designed his grace and his justice should mutually set forth each other, in his transactions with sinful man : On this account he would not pardon sin, without a satisfaction; but he thought fit to require and demand that sin be punished, and that the hònour of the law be repaired to the full, that his justice might shine in full glory : And at the same time, in order todis- play his rich mercy, he would findout a way to savemultitudes of these rebellious creatures. These, and other reasons, infinitely superior to all our thoughts, might be in the divine mind, why God wouldnot par: don sinners without a satisfaction. IV. Man, poor sinful man, is not able to make any satisfac- tion to God for his own sins, by his utmost labours of future obe- dience : For all that he can de for time to carne, is but mere ne- cessary duty, ifhe had not sinned at all ; and therefore this can never make any recompense to the governing justice of God, for his-past transgressions. It is a most strange vain ,doctrine of the papists, that some personsare such great saints, thatthey do works of heroicvirtuo,- beyond what theyare required to do ; and these they call works of supererogation, whereby. they can merit some favours at the hands of God, not only for themselves, but for their neighbours too. Strange doctrine indeed, made up of folly, pride, and ab- surdity ! Our best services are so much due to God, that if any man could practise complete righteousness, and fulfil the law of God constantly through all his life, it would not make amends
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