for ever sealed to them in the courts above. Not that the seed of the woman are eternally justified in their sins, but above their sins; for this spiritual seed, before they are brought by regeneration and effectual calling, are as much deserving of the wrath of God as the seed of the serpent, and often more sensibly feel God's displeasure in this present world. But their pardon rùns thus: that they shall be made sensible in God's own time of their lost and ruined state, of the heinousness of their sins, of the terrors of the law, and of the awful nature andsad effects (if grace had intervened not) of sinning against God; of the justice of God's sentence, though he should condemn them, yet of the riches of his grace, in accepting them through the beloved. This brings them, through the Spirit, humbly to sue for pardon through the blood of the cross: and to ask every mercy through their covenant head, their kinsman Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ: and then as to their acceptance: the woman's seed are made to know and feel their interest in Christ; not that all feel it alike, for many scarcely feel it at all; yet the most trembling are tremblingly alive to their lost condition out of Christ: and when they can scarcely hope are resolved if they perish to perish in praise at God's footstool. Nor does this encourage the enthusiasm of those who think they have sufficient love to God to praise him for ever, if they were for ever doomed to perish in the flames of

hell: not considering that their presence in torment, would prove they had been enemies at heart to him; for God could not according to his oath and purpose in Christ Jesus, doom to hell any who delighted in his ways, revered his name and walked in his truth. Thus far as to the primary effects of Christ's death; to speak of the secondary, on their application to every believer, they are these;

1st. The effectual calling of the seed of the woman. A call to salvation is the only way of salvation, as man hath no willingness to come to be saved. Nor is an invitation all that is necessary, seeing man with an unrenewed heart is obstinately bent on refusing mere offers of mercy. A call, ex pressly personally, irresistibly and effectually is necessary; which whilst it breaks the stubborn heart into ten thousand pieces, makes it willing in the day of God's power; and draws it by that "love," which is strong as death," Solomon's Song viii. 6. To consider these-a call expressly, " Awake "thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and "Christ shall give thee light," Ephes. v. 14. where particular characters are mentioned, even those who sleep on carelessly in their sins. A call personally, -“Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory

of the Lord is risen upon thee," Isaiah Ix. 1. and to instance particular characters; behold Saul of Tarsus, met by Christ himself whilst going to persecute his church, with this language, “ Saul, Saul,

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Why persecutest thou me. And the Lord said un"to me, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. Arise "and go into Damascus; and there it shall be "told thee of all things which are appointed for "thee to do." And presently Ananias followeth up this language," Brother Saul, receive thy sight. "The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that "thou shouldest know his will, and see that just one and shouldist hear the voice of his mouth," Acts xxii. 7, 8, 10, 13 and 14.

A call irresistibly: who can say to the Lord what doeth thou? who can stay the work of his hands, with a mighty (yea an Almighty hand) and a stretched out arn, he brought out Israel from Egypt. Whilst Lot lingered in Sodom, the angel of the covenant" Laid hold upon his hand, and "upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of "his two daughters, the Lord being merciful unto "him," Gen. xix. 16. Lastly, it is a call effectually. "All that the Father giveth me shall come unto 66 me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise "cast out." Thus a man's salvation is put out of his own power; not that he may not be saved; but that his own power being insufficient, he may be " kept by the power of God through faith un"to salvation," 1 Pet. i. 5. and those whom he hath thus effectually called, shall be kept to the end in the faith of the gospel. 1st. Because those whom he loves he loves to the end: which is beau tifully recorded by the beloved disciple, just before

Christ manifested his exceeding love in dying for his people. See John xiii. 1. And as this love is from everlasting, so also it is for everlasting: 2nd. Because he will confirm them to the end, and that for this purpose, that being justified by his blood, they may also be sanctified by his righteousness, that he may present them blameless before the Father in his own day, 1 Cor. i. 8. 3d. Because for this purpose, he will himself vouchsafe to be with him, in his mediatorial offices, and in the power of his Spirit to the end. Matt. xxviii. 20. Oh blessed fruits of Christ's most accursed and shameful death: blessed to all his people, whom he hath called with an high, holy, effectual and everlasting calling.

Another blessed fruit of Christ's death is:

2d. Their regeneration in consequence of their effectual calling.

We are called with a high calling, to denote its divine and supernatural origin, and what we are called from, as well as what we are called to. We are called with a holy calling, to denote the holiness of heart, life, and conversation, which become God's people. Man sees not the necessity of regeneration, till he beholds Christ holding forth, and bestowing spiritual life. He knows not the nature of it till Christ hath applied the principle and energy thereof on his soul, by the work of his Spirit; nor knows the end and intent of it, till Christ is already formed in him the hope of eternal

glory. And then when the new principle breaks on his soul; he marvels at the change.

Doth nature awake to counteract it? Nature cannot root out grace. Grace implanted produceth grace; which must ripen to eternal life, in spite of all the strugglings, resistance, lothings, and most obstinate contention of nature, aided by all the snares of the world, and the malice and subtilty of the devil.

But 3d. Repentance springing from regeneration is the fruit of Christ's death for his people.

The more and the longer the man hath struggled against grace, the more must he be led to repent of the same. This is a fruit of Christ's death, and the blessed privilege of the seed of the woman. There is a certain sense in which the seed of the serpent, struggle and strive, resist and overcome grace. But this is not irresistible and saving grace, but common grace such as is given to all men, to obey or not, (in natural strength), the dealings of God's providence towards them. Were saving grace applied to them, they could not resist it; but the withholding of it from them, proves they are chosen to final reprobation, left to resist holiness and grieve the Spirit, without having received the grace of repentance, and without having either, will or power given of God to lay hold of everlasting life. And after Christ had died for his people, he was "Exalted as a prince and a Saviour, to give