For the discovery of this we must consider, that real repentance is the consequent of faith, and always in proportion to it; therefore the law, which represents to us the divine purity and justice without any allay of mercy, can never work true repentance in a sinner. When conscience is under the strong conviction of guilt and of God's justice as implacable, it causes a dreadful flight from him, and a wretched neglect of means. Despair hardens. The brightest discoveries of God in nature are not warm enough to melt the frozen heart into the current of repentance. It is true, the visible frame of the world, and the continual benefits of providence, instruct men in those prime truths, the being and bounty of God to those that serve him; and invite them to their duty. "God never left himself without a witness" in any any age: his goodness is designed "to lead men to repentance." And the apostle aggravates the obstinacy of men, that rendered that method entirely fruitless. But the declaration of God's goodness in the gospel is infinitely more clear and powerful, than the silent revelation by the works of creation and providence; for although the patience and general goodness of God offered some intimations that he is placable, yet not à sufficient support for a guilty and jealous creature to rely on. The natural notion of God's justice is so deeply rooted in the human soul, that till he is pleased to proclaim an act of grace and pardon, on the conditions of faith and repentance, it is hardly possible that convinced sinners should apprehend him otherwise than an enemy; and that all the common benefits they enjoy, are but provisions allowed in the interval between the sentence pronounced by the law and the execution of it, at death. Therefore God, to overcome our fears and to melt us into a compliance, hath given in the scripture the highest assurance of his willingness to receive all relenting and returning sinners. He interposes the most solemn oath to remove our suspicions. "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live," Ezek. xxxiii. 11. And, "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live,” Ezek. xviii. 23. The majesty and ardency of the expressions testify the truth and vehemency of his desire, so far as the excellency of his nature is capable, to move our affections. And the reason of it is clear; for the conversion of a sinner

implies a thorough change in the will and affections from sin to grace, and that is infinitely pleasing to God's holiness; and the giving of life to the converted is most suitable to his mercy. The angels, who are infinitely inferior to him in goodness, rejoice in the repentance and salvation of men: much more doth God. There is an eminent difference between his inclinations to exercise mercy and justice. He uses expressions of regret when he is constrained to punish, "O that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!" Psalm lxxxi. 13. And "How shall I give thee up, Ephraim ? How shall I deliver thee, Israel? Mine heart is turned within me," Hos. xi. 8; as a merciful judge, that pities the man, when he condemns the malefactor. But he dispenses acts of grace with pleasure. He pardons iniquity and passes by transgressions, "because he delighteth in mercy," Mic. vii. 18. It is true, when sinners are finally obdurate, God is pleased in their ruin, for the honour of his justice, yet it is not in such manner as in their conversion and life; he doth not invite sinners to transgress, that he may condemn them; he is not pleased when they give occasion for the exercise of his anger. And, above all, we have the clearest and surest discovery of pardoning mercy in the death of Christ; for what stronger evidence can there be of God's readiness to pardon, than sending his Son into the world to be a sacrifice for sin, that mercy, without prejudice to his other perfections, might upon our repentance forgive us? And what more rational argument is there, and more congruous to the breast of a man, to work in him a serious grief and hearty detestation of sin, not only as a cursed thing, but as it is contrary to the divine will, than the belief that God, in whose power alone it is to pardon sinners, is most desirous to pardon them, if they will return to obedience? The prodigal in his extreme distress resolved to go to his Father with penitential acknowledgments and submission and, to use the words of a devout writer, his guilty conscience as desperate, asked him, Quâ spe ?" "With what hope?" He replied to himself, “Illâ quâ pater est. Ego perdidi quod erat filii; ille quod patris est non amisit." "Though I have neglected the duty and lost the confidence of a Son, he hath not lost the compassion of a Father." That parable represents man in his degenerate, forlorn state, and that the divine goodness is the motive that prevails upon him to return to his duty.

III. The transcendent love that God hath expressed in our redemption by Christ, should kindle in us a reciprocal affection to him; for what is more natural than that one flame should produce another? "We love him, because he first loved us," 1 John iv. 19. The original of our love to God is from the evidence of his to us; this alone can strongly and sweetly draw the heart to him. It is true, the divine excellencies, as they deserve a superlative esteem, so the highest affection; but the bare contemplation of them is ineffectual to fire the heart with a zealous love to God; for man hath a diabolical seed in his corrupt nature; he is inclined not only to sensuality, which is an implicit hatred of God, (for an eager appetite to those things which God forbids, and a fixed aversion to what he commands, are the natural effects of hatred,) but to malignity and direct hatred against God. He is an enemy in his mind through wicked works, Col. i. 21; and this enmity ariseth from the consideration of God's justice and the effects of it. Man cannot sin and be happy; therefore he wishes there were no God to whom he must be accountable. He is no more wrought on by the divine perfections and beauties to love the Deity, than a guilty person who resolvedly goes on to break the laws, can be persuaded to love the judge, for his excellent knowledge and his inflexible integrity, who will certainly condemn him.

Besides, the great and abundant blessings, which God, as Creator and Preserver, bestows upon all, cannot prevail upon guilty creatures to love him. Indeed the goodness that raised us from a state of nothing, is unspeakably great, and lays an eternal obligation upon us. The whole stock of our affections is due to him for conferring upon us the human nature, that is common to kings and the meanest beggar. All the riches and dignity of the greatest prince, whereby he exceeds the poorest wretch, compared to this benefit which they both share in, have no more proportion than a farthing to an immense treasure. The innumerable expressions of God's love to us every day should infinitely endear him to us; for who is so inhuman as not to love his parents, or his friend who defended him from his deadly enemies, or relieved him in his poverty, especially if the vein of his bounty is not dried up, but always diffuses itself in new favours? If we love the memory of that emperor, who, reflecting upon one day that passed without his bestowing some benefit, with

grief said, "Diem perdidi,” “I have lost a day;" now much more should we love God, who every moment bestows innumerable blessings upon his creatures! But sinful man‍hath contracted such an unnatural hardness, that he receives no impressions from the renewed mercies of God. He violates the principles of nature, and reason; for how unnatural is it not to love our benefactor, when the dull ox and the stupid ass serve those that feed them! and how unreasonable when the publicans return love, for love!

Now there is nothing that can perfectly overcome our hatred, but the consideration of that love which hath freed us from eternal misery; for the guilty creature will be always suspicious, that notwithstanding the ordinary benefits of providence, God is an enemy to it; and till man is convinced, that in loving God, he most truly loves himself, he will never sincerely affect him. This was one great design of God in the way, as well as in the work of our redemption, to gain our hearts entirely to himself. He saves us in the most endearing and obliging manner. As David's affection declared itself, “I will not serve the Lord with that which doth cost me nothing;" so God would not save man with that which cost him nothing; but with the dearest price he hath purchased a title to our love. "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself,” as well as through Christ reconciling himself to the world. He hath propounded such arguments for our love, so powerful and sublime, that Adam in innocence was unacquainted with. He sent down his own bowels to testify his affection to us. And that should be the greatest endearment of our love, which was the greatest evidence of his.

And if we consider the person of our Redeemer, what more worthy object of our affection than Christ? and Christ enduring the most terrible things, and at last dying with all the circumstances of dishonour and pain, for love to man? If he had no attractive excellencies, yet his cruel sufferings for us should make him infinitely precious and dear to our souls. If by solemn regards we contemplate him in the garden, amazed at the first approaches of that cup mixed with all the ingredients of divine displeasure, sweating like drops of blood under a weight of unspeakable sorrow, and without the least relief of man whose sins he then bore; what kind of marble are our hearts, if they do not tenderly relent at this doleful spectacle? Can we stand by him pros

trate on the earth, and "offering up prayers and supplications with strong cryings and tears," (the effects of the travail of his soul,) without the most passionate sensibility? Can we see him contemned by impure worms, abused in his sacred offices, spitefully represented as a mock king, buffeted and flouted as a mock prophet, his sacred face defiled with loathsome spittle, his back torn with sharp scourges; and all endured with a victorious patience; can we behold this with an unconcerned eye? without the mournings of holy love? Can we accompany him in the dolorous way, and see him fainting and sinking under his heavy cross, and not feel his sufferings? Can we ascend to mount Calvary, and look on him hanging on the infamous tree in the midst of thieves, suffering the utmost fury of malicious enemies, and not be crucified with him? Can we hear the astonishing complaint of his deserted soul to the Judge of all the world doing extreme right on him as our Surety, and not be overcome with grief and love? Shall not the warm streams sadly running from his wounded head, and hands, and feet, melt our congealed affections? His pierced side discovers his heart, the vital fountain opened to wash away our guilt, and shall our hearts be untouched? His bloody, undeserved death, the precious ransom of our souls, makes him our life, and shall it not render him full of loveliness to our inflamed thoughts? He is more amiable on the cross than in the throne; for there we see the clearest testimony and the most glorious triumph of his love. There he endured the anger of heaven, and the scorn of the earth. There we might see joy saddened, faith fearing, salvation suffering, and life dying. Blessed Redeemer, what couldst thou have done or suffered more, to quicken our dead powers and enflame our cold hearts toward thee? How can we remember the bleeding dying love without an ecstacy of affection? If we are not more insensible than the rocks, it is impossible but we must be touched and softened by it.

Suppose an angel by special delegation had been enabled to have trod Satan under our feet, our obligations to him had been inexpressible, and our love might have been intercepted from ascending to our Creator; for salvation is a greater benefit, than mere giving to us our natural being; as the privation of felicity with the actual misery that is joined with it, is infinitely worse than the negation of being. Our Lord pronounced concerning Judas. "It had been good for that