Mercy; it is the effential Part of that Repentance to which the Promises of Life are made in the Gospel.

For these Reasons it may be allowed, that the Apostle meant to exhort us to Charity, as a proper Means to obtain Forgiveness of our Sins at the Hands of God. But, to prevent Mistakes in fo momentous a Concern to ourselves, I beg leave to lay a few Observations before you, which may help to fet this Matter in a clear Light.

First, We must not fo expound this Text, as to make it contradict the general Terms of Pardon and Reconciliation proposed in the Gospel of our Saviour: And therefore, since the Gospel allows no Licence for continuing in Sin, nor gives any Encouragement to hope for the Pardon of Sin, but upon Repentance and Amendment of Life, we do but deceive ourselves when we give way to other Hopes, and, by the Help of a strong Imagination, wreft the Words of St. Peter, and other like Paffages of Scripture, to the Service of our Inclinations. You have feen that the Words of the Text are capable of divers Interpretations, and therefore they cannot be fo ftrong in any one Sense, as to controul the Meaning of more plain and ex

prefs

press Declarations of Holy Writ: Nor can we reasonably imagine, that the Holy Writers forgot or neglected to acquaint us with our best Advantage, and left it to a fingle Expreffion in an Epiftle of St. Peter, to inform us of fomething more comfortable and beneficial to us, than the general Terms, as proposed in the Gospel, do contain.

Secondly, We must not fo expound this, or any other Paffage of Scripture, as tò raise up a Doctrine contumelious and reproachful to God, or inconfiftent with his Attributes of Holiness and Juftice. Now there is nothing more reproachful to God, than to deal with him, as if you could purchase a Pardon or an Indulgence at his Hands, as

if

you could compound Sins with him, and bargain for fo many Acts of Charity in lieu of fo many Acts of Extortion and Oppreffion, which you have been, or do intend to be, engaged in. Confider, with the Almighty dwelleth Truth and Juftice, and in the Court of Heaven there is no Commutation for Iniquity; no Excufe for it, but forfaking it; no Pardon for it, but by renouncing it. Go, and fin no more, fays our Saviour to the Woman taken in Adultery. You fee here the Condition of Pardon for Sin; fo effential a Condition,

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Condition, that no Indulgence, no Charter can be good, that wants this Claufe.

Under thefe Limitations then, let us confider how far we may apply this sovereign Remedy of Charity to our own Sins.

We may confider our Sins as paft, present, and to come. With refpect to our past Sins, it is out of our Power to recall them: With respect to our prefent, it is in our Power to forfake them: With refpect to those to come, it is in our Power to prevent or avoid them. To begin with the last: No Sort or Degree of Charity can fo far vacate the Duties of Virtue and Religion, as to make it unneceffary for us to avoid the Occafions of Sin for the Time to come. To reform Mankind is the End of the Gofpel; and it is the conftant Call of God to us, fpeaking by the Voice of Nature and Revelation, That denying all Ungodliness, we should live righteoufly and foberly in this prefent World. It is abfurd therefore to fuppofe, that either Nature or Revelation can diffolve our Obedience to God, or fhew us a Way how we may safely give scope to Sin, and promise ourselves the Pleafures of Iniquity with Security. Nay, Charity itself, could it poffibly entertain fo malicious a Thought against God, as to lay

up for itself an Opportunity of finning against God with Impunity, would cease to be Charity; and our very Remedy, fo applied, would turn to Poison in our Hands,

Secondly, As to our present Sins: As it is in our Power, so it will ever be our Duty, to forfake them; and nothing can dispense with this Obligation. We must not therefore pretend to balance our Good and Evil together, and fondly imagine, that our Virtues do fo far exceed our Iniquities, that we may fafely enjoy them. Our Saviour tells us, that when we have done our utmost, we must fay that we are unprofitable Servants. Where then is our Claim to fo much Merit and Righteousness, as may render it proper us to do less than our utmost, and may entitle us to the Reward of the Servants of God, whilst we wilfully continue the Seryants of Sin? Such a Pretence once allowed would render Repentance unneceffary, would vacate the Terms of the Gofpel, and, by setting up one new Remedy for Sin, would render ineffectual all that ever Nature or Revelation prescribed.

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Thirdly, As to our paft Sins: It is not in our Power to recall them. Here therefore the Goodness of God has provided a Remedy,

Remedy, that we may not perish everlastingly. This then is the only Cafe in which we have any Encouragement to seek for a Cover for our Sins. If we are indeed fincere in defiring to ferve God and fave ourselves, we may forfake our present Iniquities, and avoid them for the future; and therefore to propofe After-remedies would be to encourage Sin: But, for our past Offences, we cannot recall them; here therefore a Remedy is neceffary, and here the Goodness of God has provided one. Repentance and Amendment of Life is the Remedy provided; and fince Charity is the Perfection of the Law, to forfake Sin, and to live by the Rules of Charity, is the fureft, the most effectual Way to obtain Pardon. Under thefe Restraints let not the Sinner be difcouraged in his Hopes, that Charity shall cover the Multitude of Sins; for his Hope shall be confirmed to him by Him, who is true and faithful, and cannot deceive.

But even in this Cafe there is need to guard against Mistakes: For, though returning to our Duty, and the Works of Charity, is the best Amends we can make for the Guilt of past Offences; yet Charity will not be accepted of God in lieu of Justice. If we