against Satan's temptations, and to employ Christ more
as their strength, light, and guide.

5. To cause them see their great obligation to Jesus Christ, for
delivering them from that state of wrath, wherein they were by nature,
as well as others, and would have lain in to all eternity, had he not
redeemed them.

6. To exercise their faith, patience, and hope; to see if in hope they
will believe against hope, and lay hold on the strength of the Lord,
that they make peace with him, Isaiah xxvii. 5.

7. To give a fresh proof of his wonderful mercy, grace, love, and
compassion, upholding the soul in the mean time, and at length pardoning
them, and speaking peace to their souls through the blood of Jesus.

But as to the _third_ particular, we may look on Christ as the Life to
the soul in this case, upon those accounts,

1. He hath satisfied justice, and so hath borne the pure wrath of God
due for their sins. "He hath trodden the wine press alone," Isaiah
lxiii. 5. "He was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our
sins," Isaiah liii. 5, 10; and therefore they drink not of this cup
which would make them drunk, and to stagger, and fall, and never rise
again.

2. Yea, he hath procured that mercy and love shall accompany all those
sharp dispensations, and that they shall flow from mercy; yea, and that
they shall be as a covenanted blessing promised in the covenant, Psalm
lxxxix. 30, &c.

3. And sometimes he is pleased to let them see this clear difference
betwixt the strokes they lie under, and the judgments of pure wrath
which attend the wicked; and this supporteth the soul; for then he seeth
that those dispensations, how sharp soever they be, shall work together
for good to him, and come from the hand of a gracious loving Father,
reconciled in the blood of Christ.

4. "He is a Prince, exalted to give repentance and remission of sins to
Israel," Acts v. 31. Yea, he hath procured such a clause in the
covenant, which is well ordered in all things and sure, that upon their
renewing of faith and repentance, their after sins shall be pardoned;
and besides the promises of faith and repentance in the covenant, his
being a Prince exalted to give both, giveth assurance of their receiving
of both.

5. He cleareth to them their interest in the covenant, and their right
to the promises of the covenant; and through their closing with Christ
by faith, he raiseth up their heart in hope, and causeth them to expect
an outg