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more in the Offering up of Christ upon the Crofs, the Honor of God's Government is re-established; and by Reafon of the Innocence and Dignity of the Sacrifice, all the Difgrace which Man's Sin and Rebellion had brought upon it is wiped away. Poffibly the Evidence of this may not be fo ftriking but to enlightned and humbled Minds at prefent: however, when the Day of Recompenfe fhall be revealed, and every Eye fhall fee the once-defpifed Jefus, decked with Majefty, and adorned with refplendent Glory, fitting upon his Throne to determine the everlafting Condition of Men, it will be impossible to question, that by the Death of fuch a One, Glory hath been given to God in the Higheft.

Secondly, He hath obtained Power to renew the Hearts of Men to their original Purity. GOD and Man, fince Sin entered into the 'World, were at Variance; and, like Perfons after Differences, each of them keeps at Distance from the other. GOD withholds himself from Man, and will have no Converfe with him, till Satisfaction be made for the Dishonor Sin hath done his Majefty: Man is helpless, and also stubborn, neither able nor willing to renew Communion with his Maker, although herein alone he can be happy. So that all Communion is cut off between GOD and his Creature. But now

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this great Reconciler, having vindicated and reftored God's Honor, hath prevailed with God to revifit, and dwell with, the Souls of Men: and having purchased the Holy Ghoft, by the kindly Influences thereof can foften and prepare the Hearts of Men to receive Him. For fuch was the Merit of CHRIST's Sacrifice, that while it restored Glory to God, it again opened the Communication between GoD and the Spirits of -Men, that is, it obtained the Gift of the Holy Ghost for the fanctifying Mens Hearts and Lives, and fo recovering them to a Fitnefs for GOD. It pleafed the Father, that in this Man fhould all. Fulnefs dwell (q); yea all the Fulness of the Godhead bodily (r). He was, and is, full of the Holy Ghost (s). And having received of the Father the Promife of the Holy Ghost (1), he is able to bed it abroad upon Mens Hearts, even that living Waters fball flow out of their Bellies (u). He is made the Channel, through whom the Supply of the Spirit comes to us; and that Grace, fa -derived unto us, is able to cleanse and pu rify our Hearts; even as the fame Holy Spirit, of whom he was conceived, kept him, in all Refpects a Man like ourselves, free from all Spot of Sin. We are of ourselves infufficient to all Good; but the Spirit,

(2) Col. i. 19. () Col. ii-9. (s) Luke iv. 1.
() Acts ii. 33. (x) John vii. 38.

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which dwelleth in him, and which by Purchafe he hath a Right to beftow, can quicken our dead Souls, enable us with Strength against all our Enemies, mortify our rebellious Pride, earthly Defires, and carnal Luftings, and reftore us again to a perfect Image of GOD. He fitteth over Men as a Refiner and Purifier of Silver, to breathe upon their Hearts with his Spirit, and to kindle a Fire within them, purging them as Gold and Silver, that their Souls may be offered unto the Lord an Offering in Righteousness (x). And the Grace, which he gives, muft needs be fufficient to all the Purposes of our Souls Recovery; fince God worketh in us both to will and to do (y), even that Holy Ghost, which is fhed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ. our Lord (z).

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WHEREAS then we are naturally without all fpiritual Strength, bowed down under Sin, and unable to lift up ourselves, this Jefus is able to quicken and put Life into us, feeding us with the Supply of the fanctifying Spirit out of the Fulness thereof, which Labideth in him. He is between GOD and us, to convey to us the Spirit, at his fole Difpofal: That as from Adam a finful and corrupted Nature is derived unto us; fo Chrift fhould be the fecond Head, for com(x) Mal. iii. 3. (z) Tit, iii, 5, 6. ·

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(y) Phil. ii. 13.

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municating a contrary and divine Principle of Grace and Holinefs: Here a Way is opened both for Communion between GOD and Man, and for purging our Hearts, that they may be fit Habitations for God's Prefence. And the one and the other of thefe is owing to the Merit of his Atonement; which at once vindicating God's Honor, removed the Bar to Reconciliation on GOD'S Part; and purchafing the Gift of the Spirit for Man, might make him both able and willing to come in and accept of the Reconciliation, by putting on a creature-like and obedient Spirit. And

Thirdly, By the fame Sacrifice, He hath fatisfied all the Demands of Divine Justice. The Juftice of GOD will be allowed to proceed upon Principles of unerring Propriety and Rectitude: Whereby, as he will not fuffer Sin against his Majefty and Government to be unpunished, but will correct it in a Way fuitable to his own Dignity, to the Nature of the Crime, and to the Ends of his Dominion; fo, when this hath been done, he will be fatisfied, will become gracious, and remit his Indignation. Now when we confider the Perfon, who gave himself a Sacrifice to the Divine Vengeance; we fhall find, that in his Death Sin hath been fo fully punished, that all the Ends of Punishment are anfwered. Wherefore,

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fore, even GoD's Juftice will hinder his demanding any more; whilft also it either could not, or would not be fatisfied with lefs. The Prophet Zechariah, fpeaking of this Sacrifice, had faid; Awake, O Sword, against my Shepherd, and against the Man that is my Fellow, faith the Lord of Hofts: Smite the Shepherd, and the Sheep shall be scattered (a). The Application, which our Lord makes of the latter Clause in this Paffage, convinces us that the former is spoken of Himself and his Sacrifice. Against whom then did the Sword of the Lord of Hofts awake in Vengeance? Against a Man, forafmuch as the Children are Partakers of Flesh and Blood, himself likewise took Part of the fame (b): Yet without Sin (c). A Man, that is God's Fellow, in the Beginning with God, and God one with the Father (d). Against this God-Man, the Shepherd, GoD drew out the Sword; he laid down bis Life for the Sheep (e); he was made a Sin-offering for us (f). And in the Sacrifice of fuch an One, what Vengeance did Sin deferve, which it did not fuffer? What did Justice demand, which was not paid? What Correction of Iniquity was needful to make GOD's Government respectable, and to deter from violating it,

(a) Zech. xiii. 7.
(c) Heb. iv. 15.
(e) John x. 15,

(b) Heb. ii. 14.
(d) John x. 30.
(f) 2 Cor. v. 21,

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