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Life, and the Sin of his best Duties, He renounces Himself in every View. This is all his Salvation, and all his Defire, that He may win CHRIST, and be found in Him. Did that poor afflicted Woman fay, If I may but touch his Garment, I fall be whole? With equal Ardour does this enlightened Sinner cry; "If I may but have Fellowship with "the glorious IMMANUEL, in his Merits "and in his Spirit, I am alive from the Dead; I 66 am happy for ever."

Having feen a Glimpfe of the REDEEMER and his transcendent Excellency; having received a Tafte from the inexhaustible Fulnefs of his Grace; O! how He longs for brighter Manifestations! How He thirfts after more plentiful Draughts!-Whafoever comes to CHRIST, fhall in no wife be cast out. He that awakens these ardent Defires, in his due Time gives the defired Bleffings. After various Conflicts, the poor ungodly Wretch believes. He believes, that the SON of the MOST HIGH died in his Stead, and was obedient for his Juftification. Believes, that all the Riches of the adored MEDIATOR's Life and Death are for Sinners for the worft of Sinners-for Him †.

* Rom. iv. 5.

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+ See this Work of Grace, and Procedure of Converfion, more copiously displayed, in a valuable little Piece intitled, Human Nature in its fourfold State, by Mr. THOMAS BOSTON, page 227.-Which, in my Opinion, is one of our beft Books for common Readers. The Sentences are fhort, and the Comparisons ftriking. The Language is eafy, and the Doctrine evangelical. The Method proper, the Plan comprehenfive, the Manner fearching, convincing, yet confolatory.-If another celebrated Treatife is ftyled, The whole Duty of Man, I would

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By this Faith, receiving CHRIST and his Benefits, his Heart is purified; his Heart is quickened. He abhors every evil Way, and is fitted for every good Work.-Though Temptations affault Him, He derives Strength from his SAVIOUR; refifts the Devil; and is faithful unto Death.-Though Corruptions defile Him, He flies to the Fountain opened for Uncleanness *; makes daily, hourly Application of the Blood of Sprinkling; and goes on his Way, rejoicing in GOD his SAVIOUR.

Ther. Your Difcourfe puts me in mind of Abfalom's Procedure, when Joab refused to make Him a Vifit. The Prince ordered his Servants to fet on fire the General's ftanding Corn +. This Strata-' gem had its intended Effect. The Apprehenfion of Danger drove Him, when the respectful Invitation would not lead Him, to a perfonal Interview. You seem to fuppofe, that the Law was made fo perfect and fo rigorous, with fome fuch Defign. A Defign, to lay Us under a Neceffity, of renouncing our own Works, and flying to the Atonement of CHRIST

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Afp. With fuch a Design it was delivered on SiAnd for this Opinion, I have a far better Authority, than my own Suppofition. We are affured by unerring Wisdom, That CHRIST is the End of the Law . It points invariably to Him. It terminates wholly in Him. And then obtains its principal Purpose, when Sinners are brought to

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call this, The WHOLE of Man. As it comprises-what He was by Creation-what He is by Tranfgreffionwhat He should be through Grace-and then what He will be in Glory. + Rom. x. 4.

Zech. xiii. 1. + 2 Sam. xiv. 30.

their Divine REDEEMER, for Righteousness. Then, there is no Occafion for a Mitigation of the Law; for an Abatement of its Demands, or a Moderation of its Curfe. Because, We have that in CHRIST, which fulfils its Demands and exhaufts its Curfe; which maintains its Honour, yet juftifies its Tranfgreffor.

The Law hath concluded all Mankind under Sin*. Hath drawn, as it were, a Net of Guilt and Vengeance round the whole World. Yet not with an Intention, that any fhould be difcouraged now, or perish for ever: but that every One may fee his inexpreffible Need, of a SAVIOUR's Death, and of a SAVIOUR's Obedience +. That,

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Gal. iii. 22. Cuv.-The facred Original is fomewhat more comprehenfive than Afpafio's Interpretation. It is not wailas, but waila. Which denotes Things, as well as Perfons: And implies, that nothing We have, nothing We do, is free from Sin; till the Merits of CHRIST intervene, and the Blood of CHRIST be fprinkled.

+ Witfius, fpeaking of the Law delivered at Sinai, fays; Facta eft ifta Faderis Operum Commemoratio, ad If raelitas Peccatorum & Miferiæ fuæ convincendos, ex feipfis expellendos, de Neceffitate Satisfactionis edocendos, & ad CHRISTUM compellendos: & fic infervit Faderi Gratia.

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Animadver. IREN. P. 99.

The Nature and Defign of the Law were, I think, emblematically taught, by the Circumftances attending its Delivery. The Mountain, not to be trodden by any Israelite, or touched by any Beaft, on pain of Death-The Voice of Thunder, and the Glare of Lightning-The Sound of the Trumpet, and the Clouds of Smoke-The vaft Range of Hills and Rocks, trembling to their Center-Six hundred thousand Men ftruck with inexpreffible Confternation-And Mofes, even Mofes himself, the Fayourite of Heaven, terrified exceedingly-All these in

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being thus prepared, both to value and receive fo precious a Bleffing, the Promife of Juftification by Faith in JESUS CHRIST may be given-freely given to them that believe.

Let Us advert to this grand Aim of the Law, Then, We fhall fee Goodnefs, unqueftionable and fovereign Goodness, in forming its Conftitution fo fublimely perfect, and making its Threatenings fo inflexibly fevere. Exclufive of this wholesome Severity, We should fupinely difesteem, perhaps, wantonly reject, the Grace of the Gofpel.-The prodigal Son would never have returned to his Father, in that humble, fubmiffive, fupplicating Pofture; if He had not found his Circumftances utterly ruined, and felt Himself perishing with Hunger. No more would the conceited Sons of Adam, disclaim all Pretence to any Merit of their own; and, with the Halter of Self-condemnation about their Necks, fall down at the Feet of a merciful REDEEMER; if they were not inftigated by the sharp Goad, of rather driven by the flaming Sword of the Law.

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dicated the righteous, the rigorous, and the awful Import of" The Word fpoken."

Nor was the Effect of these aftonishing Incidents, without a fpiritual Meaning. The People durft not adventure upon a perfonal Approach, but had recourse to a Mediator. They requested, that Mofes might interpofe; and tranfact Affairs, between the terrible JEHOVAH, and the guilty Congregation.-Such an Impreffion, the Purity and the Rigour of the Law, fhould make on our Hearts: fhould drive Us from Self to a SAVIOUR; deter Us from confiding in the Righteoufnefs of Works, and urge Us to feek the Righteoufnefs of free Grace.

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Alluding to thofe remarkable Words of Benhadad's Servants; Let Us put Sackcloth upon our Loins, and Ropes upon our Heads, and go out to meet the King of Ifrael; peradventure He will fave thy Life, 1 Kings xx. 31.

Ther. Has the Law then nothing to do with our Temper and Converfation? Is it no longer to be confidered as a Syftem of Duties? No longer to be regarded as a Rule of Life?

Afp. When it has forced the Lines of Self-righteoufness, and driven Us to JESUS CHRIST (that only Citadel of Safety!) for Acceptance and Salvation; then it ferves as a Rule for our Conduct. Then it fhews Us, like a Friend and a Guide, how to order our Converfation, and adorn our Profeffion; how to glorify GOD, and express our Gratitude to CHRIST. But, till it has accomplished the fore-mentioned End, it thunders Vengeance; it flashes Terror; it is, as Mofes fpeaks, a fiery Law*.

And is it, my dear Theron, a fiery Law? What then shall We do, without that meritorious Obedience of the REDEEMER; which is, to the guilty Soul, as the Gold of Snow in the Time of Harveft +.-Is it a Law, which worketh Wrath? Then let it endear to our Affections that inestimably precious Gospel, which preacheth Peace by JESUS CHRIST.—Is it the Miniftration of Condemnation || ? O! let it quicken our Flight to that All-gracious SURETY, who was condemned at Pilate's Bar, that we may be acquitted at GOD's Tribunal.

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*Fiery Law, Deut. xxxiii. 2. I dare not affirm, that this is the exact Import of the Original, nor do I fume to determine the precife Signification of a Phrafe, fo remarkably difficult. But as this is our received Verfion; as it fuggefts a very useful Truth; and a Truth, which, in the prefent Age, is peculiarly needful to be inculcated; I am inclined to acquiefce in the common Rendering.

+ Prov. xxv. 13. iii. 19.

Acts x. 36.

2 Cor.

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