150 Of 7ufl (cation by Faith. S E R M. in the letter, whofe lira fe is not of men but VI. of God. The cafe is the fame in chriftia- niry, which is perverted in the worft man- ner, if we take encouragement from it to fin. The apoftle having fully eftablifh'd his dottrine of grace, and faid, that it did much more abound where fin had abounded ; asks this queftion, what (hall we fay then, Rom. vi. I. (hall we continue in fin that grace may abound ? Which inference he rejefts with the utmoft abhorrence. God forbid ! and goes on to fhew, that it is quite con - trary to the nature and defign of the chriflian Rate, whereby we are dead to fin, and therefore ought not to live any longer therein. Elfewhere he fpeaks of it as a molt 'hocking abfurdity, to make Chrift the mi. ner of, fn; which is really the meaning of reprefenf:ing the gofpel, as if it made void the law, or in any refpe t weaken'd the obligation which is upon chriftians to keep its precepts. Upon the whole ; one cannot imagine a greater inconfiftency, than for a chriftian to tranfad with God and claim to his favour, upon the foot of external obfervances, or of faith, while he allows himfelf in any vicious courfe, and negle ±s judgment, mercy, and the
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