310 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. II.
the law should be punished with punishment eternal and yet the law had provided no relief for any in distress or misery, only taking men as it found them, in the first place it required obedience of them, and then promised a reward. And a good, holy, and right- eous law it was, both in its commands and in its promises and threatenings. It found men in a good estate, and promised them a better on their obedience; wherein if they failed, it threatened them with the loss of their present condition, and also with the super- addition of eternal ruin. And in all this it was a clear effect of the righteousness, holiness, and faithfulness of God. But the gospel finds men in quite another state and condition,—in a conditien of misery and ruin, helpless and hopeless, and is provided on purpose both for their present relief and future everlasting happiness. And shall they escape by whom it is despised? Is it not just and equal that it should prove “a savour of death unto death” unto them? Is it meet that God should be mocked, his grace be despised, his justice violated, his glory lost,—all that sinners may go unpunished? Let them think so whilst they please, God thinketh otherwise, all the angels in heaven think otherwise, all the saints from the bevinnity of the world unto the end of it think otherwise, and will glorify God to eternity for the righteousness of his judgments on them that obey not the gospel. But, —
Secondly, ‘Suppose the destruction of these persons be in itself righteous, yet there may be some remedy and relief provided for them, that they may not actually fall under it; there may yet some way of escape remain for them; and so their ruin not be so unavoidable as is pretended. It hath been showed that it was a righteous thing that the transgressors of the law should perish, and yet a way of escape is provided for them. God is merciful, and things may be found at the last day otherwise than now they are reported; at least, all that faith, diligence, obedience, and holiness which are spoken of, are not required to free men from being neglecters of the gospel. So that they who come short of them may nevertheless escape.” I an- swer, that we are not now discoursing of the nature of that faith and obedience which are required to interest men in gospel salvation. But certain it is that it will be found to be that which the word re- quires, and no other; even that faith which purifieth the heart, that faith which reformeth the life, that faith which is fruitful in good works, that faith which bringeth forth universal holiness, “ without which no man shall see God.” A faith consisting with the love and service of sin, with neglect of gospel duties, with inconformity to the word, with a sensual, profane, or wicked life, will stand men in no stead in this matter. But this is not the subject of our pre- sent discourse. It may suffice in general, that the faith and obedi- ence which the gospel requireth are indispensably necessary to free
VER. 2-4. | EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 311
men from being gospel despisers. What they are is all our con- cernment to inquire and learn; for where they are wanting there is no relief nor remedy, whatever wind and ashes of vain hopes men may feed upon and deceive themselves withal. It is true, there was a remedy provided for the transgression of the law, and this remedy was, 1. Reasonable, in that there was no mixture of mercy or grace in that dispensation, and God saw meet to glorify those properties of his nature, as well as those which before shone forth in the creation of all things and giving of the law. Pardoning mercy was not sinned against in the breach of the law, and therefore that might interpose for a relief; which was done accordingly. And yet, 2. Neither would this have been either reasonable or righteous, if that only and last way of satisfying the righteousness of the law, by the sufferings and sacrifice of the Son of God, had not intervened. Without this, mercy and grace must have eternally rested in the bosom of God, without the least exercise of them; as we see they are in respect unto the angels that sinned, whose nature the Son of God assumed not, thereby to relieve them. And, 3. This relief was declared immediately upon the entrance of sin, and the pro- mise of it renewed continually until it was wrought and accom- plished. And hereby it became the subject of the whole Book of God, and the principal matter of all intercourse between God and sinners. But all these things fully discover that there neither is nor ean be any relief provided for them that sin against the gospel; for, —(l.) From what spring, what fountain should it proceed? Mercy and grace are principally sinned against in it, and the whole design of it therein defeated. The utmost of mercy and grace is already sinned against, and what remaineth now for the relief of a sinner? Is there any other property of the divine nature whose considera- tion will administer unto men any ground of hope? Is there any thing in the name of God, in that revelation that he hath made of himself by his works, or in his word, to give them encouragement? Doubtless nothing at all. But yet suppose that God had not laid out all the riches and treasures of his wisdom, grace, love, and good- ness, in gospel salvation by Jesus Christ, which yet he affirmeth that he hath,—suppose that in infinite mercy there were yet a reserve for -pardon,—(2.) By what way and means should it be brought forth and made effectual? We have seen that God neither would nor could ever have exercised pardoning mercy towards sinners, had not way been made for it by the blood of his Son. What then? Shall Christ die again, that the despisers of the gospel may be saved? Why, besides that the Scripture affirms positively that henceforth he “ dieth no more,” and that “there is no more sacrifice for sins,” this is the most unreasonable thing that can be imagined. Shall he die again for them by whom his death hath been despised? Is the blood of