.~ ,ifnContriving Man' J.. Rwlemptlon.. i ~ - 2- ;TI; <; l?rifilfdg~s .th.a t ailicpu rchafed b.Y'our R-edeemer's Suffedngs, 1are d ifpens'd upon~ 'rhofe terms which are honourable to God's Holi nefs, I will inUance_ in the t~ree, great ~· Benefits oft~e Ev~flge/ical(:.ovenant: The Pardpn of•Sin, Adoption )ntoGod s Fanuly, and the lqheritance of G!Qry, .all which are conditional, and annex~· ro fpeclllhq_qa,l!l\· carionsinthePer[ons ;wh,o)lave.aTitleto,them. , ,, 1 -;, ') :n.JJ r. The Death of ChriU is beneficial tql?,ardon anc!J.I..ife,· on·by to. thb(e..who. r~p~vrand believe. T he Ho!}' O(Jd Will by no means fpar~ the Guilty, t!Jat is, :deolare }h~ , G.mlty Innocent, or forgive aq inqpable Subj elb. All the . Pr<i>mifes .uf.Grace and, T)-\ercy, .are with reCf\ell: to Rep.entante from dead ·Works, an<Liora,Ji.vdr• Fai.th J The So!J of God if mad,e a Prb:ce aud a Sa-qiqur, to give Repentunce ·..u,d Remif]iml of Sins. And cl15! \Apofile tells us, tlptftei~tgjujlijieiJ~y F.aiih; lwe-have pea•e witp.Goc/J, thr.ough. our'i.Ar.d.'fj.if.(s.Chrijl. T~efirfl incl9des a c,orrHal grief for Ons"paH, ajlddiocere effell:lia l ~efo lutions t? fDI'fake themr> and bath a necelfary conjuntl:ion.with Pardon, as by vinue of the D>v•oe Cam· mand fo from a condecenc7a'ld fitnefs woi th refpe& 'tc>AJod the111ver of Pardon, and to the q~a!li):' qf tl]e Blel{ing it [elf. ··The other Qualification is Faith, to ~vhich }QQification is~n a fpecbl manO.er ~mibuted; not in refpeCl: of Efficiency or Ment, :for·tht Mercy of God ·upon the account of ChrW's Satisfaction is the foie Caufe of ournPardon.: But.1as ,a t''il!;al IpUrutn~n t, that is the .Condition upon which God abColves Man_from his Gui)t. And. this Gri\Ce~ of f'aitb,, as it refpells entire·Cbrifi in all his Offices, fo l t contains ,the Seed and fir{/ Life of Evangelical Obedience. It crucifies our Lu([s, over,omes the W-l'rld, works by Love, as well as juO:ifies rhe Perfon by relyjog on the Merits of Chri~for$•Ivat ion. · ·• , · · 2. ,Adop~ion intQ God's Family (the purthafe of Chri.O:'s meritorious Sutfer.ings, (Gal. 1. 7) who redeemed ns from the Servitude of Sin and Death) is conferr'd upon us in lV,g~neration. .for this Prerogative confifis rtot 'meerly in an extrinjic/z Relation to God, and a Title to rhe eternal Inheritance ; but i11 our Participation of the Divine Nature, whereby we are .the living Images of God's Holinefs. Civil Adoption gives · the ti tle,. but not the reality of a Son; but the Divine is e(licacious, and changes us jnto the reallikenefs of tiur He~ven ly Father. We cannot enter into this O:ate of Favour, but l*o~U,0~:~'J~~U~e!;~~~~~!, 1~!1~~~~ =teB: ~!,r::eut;:;ou:h:n~ 0~;~~:U ;{ ~~e J;:;h::d Daughter., faitb tbe Lord .t!lmighty, 2 ,Cor. 6. .I 7· Thefe are the indifpenflble Terms upon which we are received into that honourable Alliance. None can enjoy the Priviledge, but thofe that yield the Obedience of Children. 3· Holinefs is the Condition on which our future Blelfedne!S depends. Elelling Mercy doth not produce our Glorification immediately, but begins in our Vocation and Jufiification, which are the intermediate Links in the Ch~i n of Salvation: As natural Caufes work on a diO:ant ObjeCl, by palling through the ,mediJm. God fir([ gives Grace,then Glory . The everlaO: iug Covenant that is fealed by the Blood of Ch riU, eUablifhes the connexion between them: Blejfed are ,the p11re in heart, for they fbaU foe God, Mat. 5· 8. The exclufiQn of all others is peremptory and univerfal: Without Halinefs no Man ftsall fee the Lord, Heb. 12. 14. Tho RighteOllfnefs of the Kingdo!JJ is the only way of entring into it. A few good a/lions fcattered in our Lives are not available, but a courfe of Obedience ,brings to Happinefs. Thofe who by patient continuance in welf.doing, .feek.. for Gfory and Hrmo~1·, and Immortality, ftJaU inherit eternal Life, Rom. 2 . 7. This is nota meer pofttive Appomtment, but grounded on the unchangeable refpell: of things. There is a rational convemence between Holinefs and Happinefs, accordi ng to the Wifdom and Goodne[s of God; and 't!s expre([ in Scripture by, the natural relation of the Seed rothe Harvefl, both asto the,quahty_andMeafu re: WhataManfows, that {hallbereap, Gal. 6. 7· WemuO:be .l•ke ?od · ~ Punty, before we can be in Felicity. Indeed , 'twould be a difparagement to Gods _Hohnefs,, a~d pollute Heaven it [elf, to receive unfanllified ·Perfons, as impure as thofe m Hell. TIS equally impoflible for the Creature to be happy without the favour of the Holy God, and for God to communicate his Favour to the finful Creature. Briefly, ~ccordingtotheLawof Faith, no wicked Perfon bath any right to the Satisfallion Cbn([ n;~ad_e, ~or to the lnher.itance he purchafed for Believers. , 3· Man m bJS :orrupt State IS deprived of Spiritual Life, fo that till revived by fpecial 6 - r~ce_, he can ne11her obey nor enjoy God. Now the R.edeemer is made a quickning Pt mnple to infpire us with new Life. In. order to our ?atisfallion he bath done four things : ·,F.rft, He bath g•_ven to us the moO: perfeCl: Laws as the R.ul e of Holinefs. :~~c~ndly, He exh•b•ted the moU complea t Pattern of Holinefsin his Life upon the Earth. 1 'h~rdly, He purchafed and conveys the Spirit of Holinefs to renew and to enable us fonthe performance of our Duties. ' ' D d 2
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