Sermons preached

7. From this Condemnation there is no Escape, unless God set up another Court and Chancery of the Gospel, where condemned Sinners may be taken to Mercy, and their Sins forgiven, and they justified and accepted unto Grace and Life, upon Terms that may salve God's Honour and Government over Mankind. There is a great deal of Difference between the forgiving private Wrongs and Injuries, and the pardoning of public Offences; between the Pardon of a Magistrate, and the Pardon of a private Person. When Equals fall out among themselves, they may end their Differences in Charity, and in such ways as best please themselves, by a mere forgiving, by acquitting the sense of the Wrong done, or a bare Submission of the Party offending. But the Case is different here, God is not reconciled to us, merely as the Party offended, but as the Governor of the World; the Case lies between the Judge of the World, and sinning Mankind, therefore it must not be ended by mere Compromise and Agreement, but by Satisfaction, that his Law may be satisfied, and the Honour of his Justice secured. Therefore to make the Pardon of Man a thing convenient to the Righteous and Holy Judge to bestow, without any Impeachment to the Honour of his Justice, and Authority of his Law, the Lord finds out this great Mystery, God manifested in our Flesh; Jesus Christ is made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law, Gal. 4. 5. And is become a Propitiation to satisfy God's Justice, Rom. 3. 25, 26. And so God shows Mercy to his Creatures, and yet the Awe of his Government is kept up, and a full Demonstration of his Righteousness is given to the World.

7. From this Condemnation there is no Escape, unless God set up another Court and Chancery of the Gospel, where condemned Sinners may be taken to Mercy, and their Sins forgiven, and they justified and accepted unto Grace and Life, upon Terms that may salve God's Honour and Government over Mankind. There is a great deal of Difference between the forgiving private Wrongs and Injuries, and the pardoning of publick Offences; between the Pardon of a Magistrate, and the Pardon of a private Person. When Equals fall out among themselves, they may end their Differences in Charity, and in such ways as best please themselves, by a meer forgiving, by acquitting the sense of the Wrong done, or a bare Submission of the Party offending. But the Case is different here, God is not reconciled to us, meerly as the Party offended, but as the Governour of the World; the Case lies between the Judge of the World, and sinning Mankind, therefore it must not be ended by meer Comprimise and Agreement, but by Satisfaction, that his Law may be satisfied, and the Honour of his Justice secured. Therefore to make the Pardon of Man a thing convenient to the Righteous and Holy Judge to bestow, without any Impeachment to the Honour of his Justice, and Authority of his Law, the Lord finds out this great Mystery, God manifested in our Flesh; Iesus Christ is made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law,