r, shall be discovered before the Judge or the world, and you
"shall not stand in judgment."

Sermon XVIII.

1 John i. 9.--"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins," &c.

The freedom of God's grace, and the greatness of his wisdom, shine forth
most brightly in the dispensation of the gospel, and both of them beautify
and illustrate one another. That there is, first, an expiation of sin by
the blood of Jesus Christ, that a way is laid down of reconciling the
world, and that by the blood of the cross, that peace is purchased and so
preached unto sinners, as a thing already procured, and now only to be
applied unto the soul by faith,--herein doth the estimable riches of the
grace of God expose itself to the view of angels and men. That the great
work of redemption is ended, ere it come to us, and there remains nothing,
but to publish it to the world, and invite us to come and receive it, and
have a part in it,--all is ready, the feast prepared, and set on the table,
and there wants nothing but guests to eat of it, and these are daily
called by the gospel to come to this table, which the wisdom of the Father
hath prepared for us, without either our knowledge or concurrence.
Besides, the very terms of proposing the gospel, speak forth absolute
freedom. What can be more free and easy than this? Christ is sent to die
for sinners, and to redeem them from the curse,--only receive him, come to
him, and believe in him. He hath undertaken to save, only do you consent
too, and give up your name to him,--ye have nothing to do to satisfy
justice, or purchase salvation, only be willing that he do it for you, or
rather acquiesce in that he hath done already, and rest on it. But how
shall our sins be pardoned, and justice satisfied? Only confess your sins
to him, and ye are forgiven, not for your confession, but for Christ, only
acknowledge thine iniquity and wrongs, and he hath taken another way to
repair his justice than by thy destruction and condemnation. He is so far
from extending his justice against thee, that he is rather engaged upon
his faithfulness and justice to forgive thee, because of his promise.

Yet, ye would not conceive so of this manner of proposal of forgiveness
and salvation, as if the requiring of such a thing as repentance in thee
were any derogation from the absoluteness of his grace for it is not
required, either to the point of satisfaction to God's justice, a