eternal disability of raising ourselves to his light and love. But the divine righteousness being otherwife demonftrated, and the curfe of the law being otherwife, honourably fatisfied, the windows of heaven are opened; and way is made for spiritual bleffings to be poured out upon the dry and parched ground. Chrift hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curfe for us; for it is written, Curfed is every one that hangeth on a tree. (there was more reafon for his being crucified, than his crucifiers thought of ;) that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles, that we may receive the promise of the Spirit through him. (a)

II. The mediator, having fatisfied vindictive justice, is made Head and Lord of the World. The redeemed are committed to his difpofal and government, in order to the ends of this redemption. The Father judgeth no man (without regard to the work and office of his fon) but hath committed all judgment to the Son; that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. (b) And fo he hath power to quicken, heal and restore whom he will. He hath not only life in himself, but authority and power to communicate it to others. The first Adam was made a living foul (he was a poffeffor of Life), but the last Adám (the new head of mankind) is made a quickning Spirit (he gathers living members, which are quickned and nourished by, and from, him the head). (c)

III. He fends out a new covenant (or inftrument of economy) in which are many and copious promifes of his fpirit, and of the fruits of his fpirit, to be imparted to the finful world. I will put my laws into their mind and write them upon their heart. (d) He that believeth on me, as the fcripture hath faid, out of his belly fhall flow rivers of living water; this spake he of the spirit, which they that believe on him should receive. For the Holy Ghost (as fo promised) was not yet given, because Jefus was not yet glorified. Repent ye and be baptized and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghoft; For the promife is to you and to your child(a) Gal. iii. 13. 14. (6) Joh. v. 22. 2.3. (c) 1. Cor. xv. 45. (d) Heb. viii. 10. John. vii. 38.39

I 2

ren,

ren, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God fhall call. (a)

IV. The Spirit of the Lord Jefus is able to rescue us from the tyranny of fin, and raife us up to the newness of life and obedience. By him we are regenerated and thereby faved from fin's dominion. Except a man be born of water and the fpirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. (b) According to his mercy he faved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jefus Christ our Saviour. (c) For the law of the Spirit of life (the efficacy and power of the spirit of life) hath made me free (hath dismissed me) from the law (the power) of fin and death; for what the law (of it felf) could not do (being, of it self, not able either to justify or fanctify) in that it was weak through the flesh (through the corruption of our flesh) God fending his own Son, in the likeness of finful flesh, bath for fin (or as a facrifice for fin) condemned fin in the flesh (condemned it to die; and accordingly hath sent his spirit to mortify it, and to free us). (d)

Various are the effects of this fpirit, and fuitable to the feveral, facred difpofitions that we need, in conformity to the divine law. But the fruit of the fpirit is love, joy, peace, long-fuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. (e) Hence the ftyle of the christian code is remarkably different, in this cafe, from that of ethnick writers. We read but little among them of the spirit of God, or grace of God as the cause of moral difpofitions; though they sometimes allow that a good. man must be made so by a divine afflatus, or an heavenly instinct. In the christian edict, we read little of the aged, the virtues, or the 7 ip', the things that are in our power; but much of the spirit of God or of Christ, and of grace, as the author and cause of the facred difpofitions and endowments. For if any man have not the spirit of Christ, the fame is none of his. If ye through the fpirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. That the God of our Lord Jefus Chrift, the Fa. ther of Glory may give unto you the fpirit of wisdom and revelation in the Knowledge of him, &c. That he would grant you according to the (a) Acts. ii. 38. 39. (6) John. iii. 5. () Tit. iii. 5. 6. (d) Rom. viii. 2. 3. (e) Gal. vi.

22.23.

rickes

riches of his glory, to be ftrengthned with might, by his fpirit in the inner man----- By the grace of God, I am what I am, and his grace which was bestowed upon me, was not in vain ; but I laboured more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. moreover, Brethren, we do to you to wit (we certify you) of the grace of God, bestowed on the churches of Macedonia, how that in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy (in and upon their conversion to Chrift) and their deep poverty (which neither prevented their joy, nor their charity) abounded unto the riches of their liberality ---- Which long after you all for the exceeding grace of God in you---- Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift! What excellent, mysterious complication (as has already been obferv'd) is here of grace and duty!

This gracious difpenfation should be good news to depraved mortals. But the depravation (by which we stand in need of much grace) teaches us to quarrel or conteft the grace, we need. If none of this grace had been provided, we must have lived and died in our fins. And now it is provided and declared, we are loth to admit it, as being injurious to our own power and liberty. We must have leave to turn the scale, in the process of our falvation, or we will not be faved. But, furely, the Holy Spirit may take leave to inlighten the mind, and fhew us things that were not difcerned (or not fufficiently difcerned) before; and confequently procure such a change as will infue upon the clear light of the mind, and one would hope, that no injury is done to the perfon, by hav ing his finful difpofitions and inclinations mortified and fubdued. The heart or the will is God's creature, and why may not he refcuc it out of the hand of an adversary, and affert it to himself? The freedom of an animal, furely is not injured by having a weight removed from off him. The curing of a paralytic limb, that it may be reftored to the foul's dominion and management, will, furely, be no infringement of the power and liberty of the foul. The restoration of the foul to God, from the dominion of iniquity, will be it's facred freedom and felicity. I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart. The mode of divine operations we know not. We may decently fuppose, that the wife God knows how to treat human spirits according to their nature, and effectually to perfwade them to himself. But here's an

inftitution

institution that brings us spiritual aid and fuccour from above; and can make and maintain it's own profelites.

SECT. XIII.

The Chistian Institution affords the greatest Encouragement to finful mortals, to return to God, that made them, and is able to make them happy.

O where can stronger incentives be given us, to bring us back and draw us home to our Heavenly Father, from whom we have fo ungratefully departed. And the convinced foul indeed had need of all the arguments and allurements, that can well be produced. The dark and hardened mind makes light of fin and all it's wages; is little concerned either about the favour or displeasure of the Almighty. But when his eyes are opened, the confcience awaken'd, and heart fenfibly convicted. of it's fin, it's ready to conclude that there is no hope, and that it's iniquity is greater than can be forgiven. The wounded criminal fees fomething of the purity and excellence, the grandeur and majefty that has been affronted, and abufed; the power and juftice, that has been provok'd; the goodness, mercy and patience that has been defpis'd; the juft dominion and authority that has been flighted; the holy and equitable law, that has been difregarded; the multitude, the folly and aggravation of fins that have been committed; the fiery wrath and indignation, that has been deferved. When he fees all this, and his iniquities are thus fet in order before him, he knows not how to bear the fight. His fpirit faints, his hopes fail, guilt pierces him, anguish seizes him, and the terrors of God make him afraid. He cries out, How fhall I come before the Almighty, or bow myself before the most high! Will any of my fighs or tears, my cries or groans fignify any thing to him? My fins are more than the hairs

of

of my head; mine iniquities take hold of me; the arrows of the Almighty are within me; the poyfon whereof drinketh up my Spirit. The terrors of God do fet themselves in array against me. In fuch a cafe the wounded foul can scarce think it confiftent with divine holiness, juftice, and honour, to pardon and accept him; he fees no way, but to yield to the confufion of his heart and lie down in forrow and defpair. A man that has been bred up in external morality, and that can say, All these things: have I kept from my youth up, may make light of a Saviour, and footh himself in his fuppofed innocence and virtue. But that was not the cafe of cities and towns in the gentile world, when the gospel firft came there. All manner of impious and unnatural villanies were rife and rank in the heathen world. What character have fome of the Corinthians before: their conversion to chriftianity; Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abufers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall (continuing fuch) inherit the kingdom of God; and yet fuch were fome of you. Such vile, deteftable things as thefe, were once fome of you. And will the Holy God be reconciled to fuch things as thefe? It will be hard for the felf-convicted criminal to be perfwaded that he will. A laudable moralift thinks his fins fo fmall and venial, that he can easily believe, that God will foon forgive them; nay, he can scarce think that God will damn him for them. But when a man has wallowed in grofs and unnatural pollutions, and is feriously affected with the fenfe of them, it'shard to perfwade him that the mercies of God (as infinite as they are said to be) will extend to him. He has fo much to plead from the purity,. righteousness, greatnefs and glory of God, that the thoughts of an absolute mercy, afford him no relief. It will try the principles of any religi→ on, and the skill of any divine (of any religion) to fatisfy the confcience of a roufed, convinced idolater, blafphemer, adulterer, hater of religion and religious men, cruel extortioner or bloody murderer, that God will forgive him and, admit him into his kingdom. No. Says he. It cannot be. I cannot believe it. He is too holy and juft and pure to be reconciled to fuch a mifercant; too high and lofty to regard my lamentation, and tears! What is the whole world of the ungodly in comparison with him? What are briars and thorns to the confuming fire! Now the

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