First, the doctrine of forgiveness of sin conquered his very murderers; they could not withstand the grace; those bloody ones that would kill him, whatever it cost them, could stand no longer but received his doctrine, fell into his bosom, and obtained the salvation which is in Christ Jesus—'They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born' (Zech 12:10). Now was this scripture eminently fulfilled, when the kindness of a crucified Christ broke to pieces the hearts of them that had before been his betrayers and murderers. Now, there was a great mourning in Jerusalem, wailing and lamentation mixed with joy and rejoicing.
Second. Though Paul was mad, exceeding mad against Jesus Christ of Nazareth; yea, though he was his avowed enemy, seeking to put out his name from under heaven, yet the voice from heaven, 'I am Jesus,' &c., 'I am the Saviour,' how did it conquer him, make him throw down his arms, fall down at his feet, and accept of the forgiveness of sins freely by grace, through redemption by faith in his blood!
Third. They at Samaria (though before Philip preached to them) worshipped and admired the devil in Magus, yet when they believed Philip's preaching of Christ unto them and forgiveness of sins through faith in his name, great joy was amongst them, and they were baptized, both men and woman (Acts 8). 'He preached,' saith the text, 'the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ'—that is, all the blessings of life, through the name of Jesus Christ; for he is the Mediator, and without his blood come no spiritual blessings to men.
Fourth. How was the sturdy jailer overcome by a promise of forgiveness of sins by faith in Jesus Christ! It stopped his hand of self-murder. It eased him of the gnawings of a guilty conscience and fears of hell-fire and filled his soul with rejoicing in God (Acts 16:30-34).
Fifth. How were those that used curious arts, that were next to, if not witches indeed; I say, how were they prevailed upon and overcome by the word of God, which is the gospel of good tidings, through faith in the blood of Christ! (Acts 19:17,18).
Sixth. How were the Ephesians, who were sometimes far from God; how I say, were they made nigh by the blood of Christ! (Eph 2:13).
Seventh. The Colossians, though sometimes dead in their sins, yet how were they quickened by God, through the forgiveness of all their trespasses; and they had that through his blood! (Col 1:14, 2:13).
What shall I say? No man could as yet stand before and not fall under the revelation of the forgiveness of sins through a crucified Christ, as hanged, dying, as accursed for sinners; he draws all men unto him, men of all sorts, of all degrees.
Shall I add how men have broken through the pricks of Jesus when he hath been discovered to them? Neither lions, nor fires, nor sword, nor famine, nor nakedness, nor peril, 'neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord' (Rom 8:35-39).
FIFTH. That Jesus Christ, by what he hath done, hath paid full price to God for sinners and obtained eternal redemption for them, is evident, by the peace and holiness that by that doctrine possesseth men's souls; the souls of men awakened, and that continue so. By awakened men, I mean such as, through the revelation of their sin and misery, groan under the want of Jesus to save them, and that continue sensible that they needs must perish if his benefits be not bestowed upon them; for otherwise the gospel ministereth neither peace nor holiness to any of the souls of the sons of men; that is to say, not saving peace and holiness. The gospel of grace and salvation is, above all doctrines, the most dangerous, if in word only it is received by graceless men; if it is not attended with a revelation of men's need of a Saviour; if it is not accompanied in the soul by the power of the Holy Ghost. For such men as have only the notions of it are of all men liable to the greatest sins because there wanteth in their notions the power of love, which alone can constrain them to love Jesus Christ. This is the reason for these scriptures: They turn the grace of God into wantonness. 'They turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness' (Jude 4).
For some, when they hear of the riches of grace through Christ, that hearing not being attended with the faith and love which is in Christ Jesus, those men receive the notions of this sound doctrine only to cloak their wickedness and to harden themselves in their villainies.
Others, when they hear, being leavened before with the leaven of some other doctrine, some doctrine of the righteousness of the world, or doctrine of devils, forthwith make head against and speak evil of the blessed doctrine. Because some that profess it are not cleansed from their filthiness of flesh and spirit and do not perfect holiness in the fear of God, therefore others conclude that all that profess it are such and that the doctrine itself tendeth to encourage, or at least to tolerate, licentiousness, as they imagined and affirmed of Paul that he should say, 'Let us do evil, that good may come' (Rom 3:8).
The ground of that wicked conclusion of theirs was because he, by the allowance of God, affirmed that, as sin had reigned unto death, so grace reigned unto life in the way of righteousness by Jesus Christ our Lord. Nay, then, says the adversary, we may be as unholy as we will, and that by the doctrine you preach; for if where sin abounds grace abounds more, the consequence of a wicked life is but the heightening, advancing and magnifying of grace. But what saith the apostle? My conclusions are true that grace doth reign above sin, but to say, 'Let us, therefore, sin,' that man's damnation is just because such a one abuseth and maketh the most devilish use of the blessedest doctrine that ever was heard of in the world amongst men. Besides, it is evident that such know not the power thereof, nor have felt or savored its blessedness; for where this gospel cometh in truth, it naturally produceth peace and holiness.
