against them,'' we may fight stoutly, we may in a sort prove conquerors; but it will be a miserable victory, the trophies whereof shall be erected in hell, and stand upon the ruins of our happiness; for while we insult over abused grace, we must fall under incensed justice. If God cannot fairly procure his will of us in way of due obedience, he will surely execute his will upon us in way of righteous vengeance; if we do not surrender our wills to the overtures of his goodness, we must submit our backs to the strokes of his anger: he must reign over us, if not as over loyal subjects to our comfort, yet as over stubborn rebels to our confusion; for this in that case will be our doom, and the last words God will deign to spend upon us-Those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring them hither, and slay them before

'Now, the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever :' Amen.

3

Dan. v. 23.

2 Luke, xix. 27.

3 Heb. xiii. 20.

SERMON X.

THE ATONEMENT A PLEDGE OF EVERY OTHER BLESSING.

BY ANTHONY FARINDON, B. D.

[FARINDON was born in 1596, and died in 1658.]

UNIV

SERMON X.

ROMANS, VIII. 32.

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

GOD's benefits come not alone, but one gift is the pledge of another. The grant of a mite is the assignment of a talent. A drop of dew from heaven is a prognostic of a gracious shower, of a flood, which nothing can dry but ingratitude. One of the Fathers might well say, that "the love of God is as a constant and endless circle, from good to good, in good, without error or inconstancy, rolling and carrying itself about in an everlasting gyration.' 'He spared not his own Son,' saith the text, but delivered him up for us all.' But how many gifts did usher in this? He gave him to us often in the creation of the world. For by him were all things made, and without him was nothing made that was made." When God giveth, he giveth his Son; for as we ask in his name, so he

'S. Dionys. de Divin. Nom. p. 200.

? John, i. 3.

giveth in his name whatsoever we ask. Every action of God is a gift, and every gift a tender of his Son-an art to make us capable of more. Thus the argument of God's love is drawn a minori ad majus, from that which seemeth little to that which is greater, from a grain to an harvest, from one blessing to a myriad, from our creation to our redemption, from Christ's actions to his passion; which is the true authentic instrument of his love. With us the argument holdeth not, but with God it doth by giving little he giveth hopes of more He that is our steward, to provide for us, and supply us out of his treasury-who ripeneth the fruits on the trees, and the corn in the fields, who draweth us wine out of the vine, and spinneth us garments out of the bowels of the worm, and fleece of the flock, will give us greater things than these. He that giveth us balm for our bodies, will give us physic for our souls. He that gave us our being by his Son, will deliver up his Son for the world. Here his love is in its zenith and vertical point, and in a direct line casteth its rays of comfort on his lost creature. Here the argument is at the highest, and St. Paul draweth it down again, à majori ad minus, from the greater to the less; and the conclusion is full-full of comfort to all. He that giveth a talent will certainly give a mite: he that giveth his Son,' will also give salvation; and he that giveth salvation, will give all things' which may work it out. He that delivered his Son,' is followed by the question, how shall he not ?how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?' It is impossible it should be otherwise. Christ cometh not naked, but clothed with blessings; he cometh not empty, but with the riches of