Sermons preached on several occasionsSermons preach'd on several occasions

SERMON VIII.

LUKE xiv. 23. The Lord said to the Servant, Compel them to come in, that my House may be full.

3dly. IF Conscience be not seared and senseless, but awakens Sinners to reflect upon their Condition, and to seek for the pardoning Mercy of God, he deceives them with false Notions of Faith and Repentance, and hinders their entire Compliance with the Terms of Mercy offered in the Gospel. Final Unbelief and Impenitence utterly exclude Men from Salvation: for the Death of Christ was not appointed to be a Sacrifice for those Sins. There is no Salvation to be obtained without ⟨p. 264⟩the Remission of Sin, no Remission without the Blood of Christ, no Application of that precious Blood without Faith. This is the vital Qualification required in all justified Persons: for it has a peculiar Efficiency in receiving Christ and Pardon, and ascribes the Glory of it entirely to the Mercy of God and Merits of Christ. 'Tis said, To as many as received him, he gave Power to become the Sons of God, to ¹those who believed on his Name. Receiving is relative to God's Offer of Christ to the Condemned and Miserable, and implies the taking him in all the Essentials of his Office; as a Prophet, to instruct us in our Duty and Happiness by his Word and Spirit; as a Priest, to atone the Divine Displeasure by his Propitiation and Intercession; as a King, to govern us by his Law, and to bestow spiritual and eternal Blessings on us. Faith receives ⟨p. 265⟩whole Christ as a Kingly Priest, and a saving Prince; he is styled a Priest upon a Throne, a Prince and a Saviour, to give Repentance and Remission of Sins. He purchased the Forgiveness of Sins as a Priest by his Sufferings on the Cross, and pardons as a King upon the Throne: from hence it necessarily follows, that Faith receives Pardon from him in that Relation wherein he procured it, and confers it. The Apostle declares, He died for our Sins, and rose again for our Justification, and thereby redeemed us, and acquired a Dominion over us: then 'tis clear and consequent, that saving Faith receives him for all those Uses for which God did appoint him; and accordingly purifies the Heart, overcomes the World, works by Love: and Love is the Spring and Substance of every Duty, the fulfilling of the Law. Now Carnal Men are deceived in this Imagination, that