of his misery and wretchedness. Nothing can be more dreadful than the apprehensions which a convinced sinner hath of his own state; what, and how strong then must his sense of gratitude be to him who hath given his Son, and to him who has given himself for the purchase of his pardon? With what earnestness will he seek after, and with what cheerfulness will he embrace every opportunity of testifying his thankfulness? Will not the name of his Redeemer be precious, even 66 as ointment poured forth?" his laws delightful to him, and his honour dear?

It is proper to observe here, that the single view of the blessings of divine goodness, which must have the strongest influence in leading us to a grateful resentment of them, is peculiar to such as expect justification through the imputed righteousness of Christ; namely, their being of free unmerited grace and mercy. For, though there are classes of Christians who pretend to disclaim the belief of any merit in man, it would be no difficult matter to show, that there are none who do not, by their professed principles, or their usual language, suppose it, excepting those described in the beginning of this discourse. And such not only believe his mercy to be unmerited, but that they have justly deserved his wrath and indignation, nay, and that they continually do so, even in their best state; their purest and holiest actions having such sins attending them, or such a mixture and alloy of unholiness and impurity in them, as, if they were weighed in the exact balance of justice, would be sufficient to procure their total rejection.

In how strong a light is this represented by the sacred writers; and how powerful does its operation appear to be upon themselves? They seem penetrated and possessed with a sense of the love of Christ, and of God in him, as having sinners for its object. Thus the apostle Paul reasons: "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet, peradventure, for a good

man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." And again, "If, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son." What a sense of the love of Christ is discovered by the two following passages of the same apostle! "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height: and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge." The other is, " If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema maranatha ;" than which nothing could more strongly express his own sense of the obligation. It deserves notice also, that the inspired writers do often represent it as one of the strongest arguments against sin, that it is a reproach and dishonour brought upon our Redeemer and Lord. "For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you, even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ. Seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."

I must again here, as on a former branch of the subject, observe, That, no doubt, such arguments as these, will have little or no effect upon those who have but an imperfect belief of them, which, it is to be feared, is the case with not a few who go under the name of Christian. But is it not very evident, that they must have the strongest imaginable influence upon all such as are actuated by a lively faith in the doctrine of redemption? They must see themselves indebted to the undeserved mercy and love of God for favours of infinite value, and therefore must certainly endeavour to express their gratitude by an entire consecration of their lives to their benefactor's service.

This leads me to observe, in the sixth and last place, That those who expect justification by the im

puted righteousness of Christ, must be possessed of a supreme or a superlative love to God, which is not only the source and principle, but the very sum and substance, nay, the perfection of holiness. That those who believe in, and hope to be accepted and finally saved, through the imputed righteousness of Christ, must be possessed of a supreme love to God, appears from what hath been already said upon the subject of gratitude. Love is the most. powerful means of begetting love. Thus says the apostle John, "We have known and believed the love that God hath to us; God is love" And a little after," We love him because he first loved us." The infinite and unspeakable mercies which he hath bestowed on us, with all the circumstances attending them, the means and manner of their conveyance, which have been hinted at above, must necessarily excite the most ardent love in return, and every proper expression of it. This is their immediate and natural, nay, this is their necessary and unavoidable effect. "For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; that he died for all, that they which live should not hence forth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”

If any shall think proper to assert, that favours bestowed are not to be considered as the true and formal causes of love, but the excellence and amiable qualities of the object-thus, for example, supposing any person of a character justly hateful in itself, from caprice, self-interest, or any other sinister motive, to bestow many signal favours upon another, the beneficiary might receive and delight in the favours, without esteeming, nay, even when he could not esteem the giver if this is considered as an objection against what I have just now said, and the conclusiveness of the argument to be founded upon it, I offer the two following answers to it.

1st, That in the account given in Scripture of the redemption of the world by the substitution of a Saviour, and the justification of sinners by the imputed righteousness of Christ, there is the brightest display of all the divine perfections. The almighty power, the unsearchable wisdom, the boundless goodness, the inflexible justice, and inviolable truth of God, shine in this great design, with united splendor. Every attribute, that can in reason claim our veneration and esteem, as well as our thankfulness and gratitude, is here to be seen. Even the perfections of justice and mercy (which I will not call jaring attributes, as some too harshly do, but) which seem to restrain and limit each other in their exercise, are jointly illustrated, and shine more brightly by their union, than they could have done separately; and, at the same time, the purity and holiness of the divine nature, which is the sum of them all, is deeply impressed upon the mind. So that here is every thing that can produce love; worth and excellence to merit it, love and kindness to excite and raise it. From this it evidently appears, that he who believes in the imputed righteousness of Christ, must have a superlative love of God.

But, 2dly, Lest it should be said that many have not this view of the doctrine in question, as honourable to God, and representing him in an amiable light, but the contrary; I observe that there must have been a discovery of the glory of God, as shining in this plan of salvation, to all who cordially embrace it. Nothing else could induce them to do so. If its enemies do not see this, and therefore set themselves against it; this confirms the different and honorable sentiments entertained by its friends: so that even supposing (what we will never grant) that this view of the amiableness of the divine nature, as represented in the gospel, were not well founded; yet, doubtless, it is the view of those "who count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ," and glory in nothing but his cross.

The truth is, notwithstanding any cavilling objections that may be raised against it, many favours received by one to whom they are absolutely necessary, and by whom they are infinitely prized, must naturally and necessarily produce love. This will be reckoned a first principle by every unprejudiced mind; and it is always supposed in the Holy Scriptures, where the saints are represented as under the habitual and powerful impression of love to God, for his love to them manifested in their redemption. Thus, says the apostle Paul, “For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Now, is there any thing more necessary, to show, that those who believe and trust in the imputed righteousness of Christ must be holy in their lives, than their being under the influence of a supreme love to God? Is not this the first and great commandment of the law, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind?" Is not this a never-failing source of universal obedience? As they love God, will they not love their brethren also: the very worst of men, because they are the creatures of God? and the righteous more especially, because they are his saints, his chosen ones? Can they love God supremely, and yet voluntarily displease him breaking his commandments, or resisting his designs? We know that love hath a quite different effect, in every other and inferior instance, endearing to us every thing related to the person who possesses our esteem and affection; how then can it be supposed so preposterous in this single case, when it is fixed on the greatest and the best of objects?

It is a received maxim, that there can be no true love where there is not some likeness and conformity