for he fhall fave his People from their Sins. He was called Jefus, because he was defigned by God to be our Saviour; for fo much that Words imports. And he is therefore our SaOviour, because he faves his People from their Sins, which is in the Words of the Text, to put them away.

But what is it to be faved from our Sins, or to have our Sins put away? Since the Salvation we have by Chrift doth confift in this, it is fit we should a little more particularly infift on it. In Answer therefore to this Queftion, we say, that Two Things are implied in Chrift's putting away Sin.

First, His faving or delivering us from the Guilt of our Sins, and the Punishment due to

them.

Secondly, His faving or delivering us from the Power and Dominion of them.

In thefe Two Things confifts the Salvation obtained for us by Jefus Chrift, and if either of them was wanting, or was not effected, he would not be a compleat Saviour.

Firft, Chrift appeared to put away Sin, by delivering us from the Guilt and Punishment of it; that is to fay, by procuring for us the Pardon and Remiffion of it.

This is the Salvation which Zachary in his Hymn foretels John Baptift should publish to the World, Luke 1. To give knowledge of Sal vation to his People for the Remiffion of their Sins.

And this is that Redemption of Christ which St. Paul speaks of, 1 Coloff. 14. In whom we have Redemption through his Blood, even the Forgive ness of Sins.

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And Laftly, St. Paul's Sermon to the Gentiles is, Be it known unto you, Men and Brethren, that through this Man Jefus Chrift, is preached unto you the Forgiveness of Sins, and by him, all that believe are justified from all Things, from which ye could not be juftified by the Law of Mofes, Acts 13. And therefore, much lefs, certainly, by the Law of Nature.

The Effect of thefe Texts is, That all Mankind are Sinners, are concluded under Sin, are become guilty before God, as the Apostle speaks. The most innocent Perfon is not excepted. All, without Exception, have, by their Sins, fallen fhort of the Glory of God. Means now for the freeing themselves from the Guilt of these Sins, they have none, nor is it poffible they fhould have, for that wholly depends upon the Pleasure of Him to whom they have rendred themselves obnoxious; and that is God, the Governour of the World. Here therefore appears the infinite Mercy of God, and the Kindness of our Saviour. The eternal Word interpofeth and offers himself to become Man, and in that Perfon, to make Satisfaction for the Sins of the World. And God accepts the Terms. And hereupon a Covenant is made between God and Mankind; wherein God, for his Part, upon account of this Mediation of Chrift, promises Forgiveness of all Sins, to all true Penitents all the World over.

O joyful Tidings thefe! What Eafe is here to wounded Confciences? What Comfort to defpairing Sinners? What Encouragement to all Men every where to repent?

If we confider Mankind in their pure Naturals, and as without Chrift Jefus, this plainly was their Cafe: They did believe a Supreme God; and their Reason, it is likely, would tell them, that God was Good and Merciful. But yet this Reafon could difcover no more than God's general Goodness to them, that all along endeavour'd to please and approve themfelves to Him. But as for his Willingness to pardon and forgive Sinners, especially thofe that had offended him by very grievous Crimes, or lived in a long habitual Courfe of Wickednefs; this they could not conclude from their Reafon. Nay, if they did reafon, as they juftly might, they might rather be inclined to believe that he would not pardon fuch Criminals. For as their Reafon told them, that God was Good; fo the fame Reason told them that he was Just, and had an infinite Regard to the Honour and Reputation of his Laws: Which Laws, their own Confciences told them, they had heinously tranfgreffed; nor had they any Thing wherewith to compenfate or make Satisfaction for the Tranfgreffion of them: And therefore what could they expect from fo Just a God, but to undergo the Punishment they had deferved?

This was a very uncomfortable Reasoning; and yet fuch a one it was, as there was no Answer to be given to, in the State of Nature; and therefore in what a melancholy Condition were Mankind all the while? What Encouragement had they ferioufly to set upon the Amendment of their wicked Lives? Or,

if they did, what Fruit, what Comfort could they promise to themselves by such an Amendment?

But, Bleffed be God, that hath removed us out of these Uncertainties; Blessed be God, that hath given us the greatest Affurance that is poffible, of his Love and Kindness to the greatest of Sinners; and confequently laid the greatest Obligation upon all Mankind, to turn from their evil Ways.

He hath fent his Son, his only Son, into the World, on purpose to affure us of his good Will to us; to give a Demonftration of the únfeigned Love and Kindness that he bears to every Soul of the Sons of Adam, that he would not have any of them perish, but that they should all come to the Knowledge of the Truth, and be faved. This Son of His doth most folemnly, in the Name of his Father, proclaim Pardon and Remiffion of Sins to every one that should believe in Him: There is no Sinner excepted, even the oldeft, the greateft, the most enormous of Sinners, if they will come in, and fubmit to the Yoke of Jefus Chrift, have his certain Promife that they shall be received.

And left any one fhould fear the Divine Juftice, upon Account that there is no Satisfaction made to it for his Sins, our Lord hath taken Care to remove that Objection: For he, by the unvaluable Merits of his Perfon, and the free unconftrained Offering up of Himself to an Ignominious Death upon the Crofs, on the Behalf of Mankind, hath made a full, compleat and entire Satisfaction to God's

God's Juftice for all the Sins of the World, from the Beginning to the End thereof.

So that now every one hath free Accefs to God, and a Right to his Favour through the Blood of Jefus Chrift. And though we have been never fo bad, never fo unworthy; yet if we have but the Hearts to forfake our Sins, and come to Jefus Chrift, we fhall as certainly obtain the Acceptance and the Love of our Heavenly Father, as if we had been innocent, and never finned at all.

Nay, God is not only willing to receive us, but he earnestly begs and follicits us to take his Mercy. And fo pleased he is at the Return of a Sinner, that our Saviour has told us, there is Joy in Heaven over fuch a one. Nay, more Foy among the Angels over a Sinner, that repenteth, than over Ninety-nine just Perfons that need no Repentance.

O how welcome ought this News to be to us! How tranfported fhould we be at the infinite Kindnefs of God manifefted to us by our Saviour! O! praised be God, for his astonishing Love. For ever adored be our Lord Jefus, that has made a Propitiation for us by his Blood. O let us for ever kifs and hug the precious unvaluable Scriptures of the New Teftament, if there was nothing elfe in them but that faithful Saying, that Saying, worthy of all Men to be received, That Jefus Chrift came into the World to fave Sinners; to fave you, and me, and all Sinners, even the greatest of Sinners. O; who is there that is in his Wits, would chufe to be out of the Chriftian Dispensation;

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