s as much to his readiness and willingness, as if a voice spake
it just now from heaven, and then, to take away all scruple, lay the
infinite worth of his person, who is the propitiation, with thy sins, and
it will certainly outweigh them, so that thou mayest be fully quieted, and
satisfied in that point, that it is as easy for him to pardon, as for thee
to confess sin and ask pardon, nay that he is more ready to give it thee,
than thou to ask it.

But, in the next place I desire you to look upon this as the greatest
incentive of affection. O how should it inflame your hearts to consider,
that such an one became a sacrifice for our sins, to think that angels
hath not such a word to comfort themselves withal! Those innumerable
companies of angels, who left their station, and were once in dignity
above us have not such glad tidings to report one to another in their
societies, as we have. They cannot say, "He is the propitiation for our
sins." This is the wonderful mystery, that blessed "angels desire to look
into." They gaze upon it, and fix the eyes of their admiration upon "God
manifested in the flesh," wondering at the choice of mortal man, before
immortal spirits, that he is a ransom for them, and not for their own
brethren who left their station. How should this endear him to our souls,
and his will to our hearts, who hath so loved us, and given himself for
us! Hath he given himself for us, and should we deny ourselves to him,
especially when we consider what an infinite disparity is between the
worth and difference in the advantage of it. He gave his blessed self a
sacrifice, he offered himself to death for us, not to purchase any thing
to himself, but life to us. And what is it he requires but your base and
unworthy self,--to offer up your lusts and sins in a sacrifice by
mortification, and your hearts and affections in a thanksgiving offering,
wherein your own greatest gain lies too? For this is truly to find and
save yourselves, thus to quit yourselves to him.

The efficacy of this is holden out in the word, "propitiation for our
sins." The virtue of Christ's sacrifice is to pacify justice and make God
propitious, that is, favourable and merciful to sinners. In which there
are three considerable things imported. One is that sin is the cause of
enmity between God and man, and sets us at an infinite distance--that sin
is a heinous provocation of his wrath. Another is expressed, that Christ
is the propitiation,--in