·sE R J\1'0 N s of the Forgivenefs of S r N s. · neceffarily in a Stare of Dependance ~nd ~ubjcChon. All the Ranks of Creatures in rhc World arc order' d by their Maker; Ius Kmgdom rules over all. Thofc in rhc lowcfl degree of Being ase order'd by Power. Scn(Ltive Creatures are . derermin'd by rhc Impulies of Nature to thcu AChons; for havl.l1g no L1ghr to dillingtufi1 between moral Good and Evil, they ha~e J~oCl~oice, and arc incapable of receiving a Law. Imclligem Crca~ run:s, endowed wtth JUdicious and free Faculties, an UnderUanding to difCcrn between moral Good and Evil,. and a Will to choof~ or. reject what is propounded to them, arc capable of a Law to drretl: and regulate therr Lrberry. To Man a Law was given by tl,1e Creator, (the Copy of his _IVifdom and Will) that has all the Perfc_CH<?ns of a Rule: Tt~ clear and complcar, mJommg what _is cffemia!ly good, and forbtddmg what is elfenually _evil. God governs Man convemcntly to his Nature : And no Service is pleating to lum but the RefUlt of our Rcafon and Choice the Obedience of our fupreme leading Powers. Since the Fall, the Light of the Under~ !landing compared with the bright Difcovcry it afforded of our whole Dmy in our Original State, is either like the Twilight of the Evening, the faint and dim Remains of the Light of the Day, when Night draws a dark Veil over the World, or like the dawning of the Morning, when .rhe riting Su11 begins to fcattet the Dar~ncfs of the Night. The latter Comparifon I dunk is more juft and regular ; for 'tis fatd, that the Son of ~fi~er~i:ftfr7~ ~ltfr~llnr~h~~;r::ci;~: ~d;,~~:~:. a~dl~ifi~:~~h;t!;~c ~}c~~:~~;1~~er~~ gular~ our,.l\.cti~ns. Natural ConfCtcn~c i~ a Pnnctple of Aurhoruy, dtreCbng us ro chooie and practife Verrue, and to avOid V tee; and according to our Neglect or Comp~ance wicl~ its Dictates reflects upon us. 'Tis hardly prcfumablc ~hat ?"Y arc fo prod~gi.oufl.y wi.Cked, as not to b_e convinc'd of the narur~l ReCtitude m tlungs: .they can difimgu tfh between what ~s fatr and what is fraudulent 111 !Jealings, and acknowledge in the general, and in judgmg of others, the Equi ty of thmgs, rho' they elude the Force of the ConviCtion in the Application to themfclves. Now fincc common Rcafon difcovers there is a common Rule, there mufi be a common Judge to whom Men are accountable for the Obliquity or Conformity of their Atl:ions to that Rule. The Law of God Is revealed .in its Purity and PerfeCtion in the Scripmre. The Law binds firfl to Obedience, and in negletl: of it to Punifhmcnt. Sin is dcfin'd by St. John to be the Tranfgref!ion of the Law. The Omiilion of what is commanded, or doing what is forbidden, is a Sin. Not only thc.Lufis that break forth into Action ~nd Evidence, but inward Inclinations, contrary to the Law, arc Sin. From hence refults a Guilt upon every Sinner, which includes the Imputation of the Fault, and Obligation _ro Puniihment. Ther~ is a natural Conncxi~n between the Evil of ~oing, and the Evrl of Suffering: the Vrolation of the Law is juflly revenged by the Vwlation of .the Perfon that breaks ir. It is an impofliblc Imagination, that God fhould give a Law no~ enforc'd with a SanCtion. This would cafl: a Blemifh upon his Wifdom, for the Law would cancel it felf, and defeat his Ends in !l_iving it_: It would reAetl: a high Difhonour ttpon his Holy Majefl:y, as If he were indifferent wuh refp~ct to Verrue or Vtee, and difrcgarded our Reverence or Rebellion againfl: his Authonty. The Apofl:lc ?eclare~, that all the World are become guilty before God; that is, juflly chargeable With rhm Crimes, and liable to his Judgment. The Act of Sin is tranfienr, and the Pleafure vani01es; but the Guilt, if nor pardoned and purged away, remains for ever in the Records of Confcicnce. TI:Je Sin of Judah is writteH with a Pen of Iron, and with the Point of a piamond; it is grave;~ on the laMes of tiJe Heart. When the Books of eternal Li~e a~d Death n>all be opened at rhe Lafl Day, all the unpardoned Sins of Men, with rhm killing Aggravations, Will be found wntten 111 mdehble CharaCters, and /hall be fer m order before their Eyes, to their Confution: The rigiJteous Judge has fworn he will forget none ;{~te~:r~~~!~ t:e~~r~~g~~c~:s %~U~~F::t t~eeiJ~d~:~~~fnr!~ei~l~!~~~eatl;~e~:~~ diatc Execution of it. . The Forgivene~s of Sins.co.l)tains the Ab_olition of their Guilt~ and Freed~rn fro.m the dcferved Dcfl:ruChon confequent to it. Tlus is exprefs'd by vanous Terms m Scnpru.re. ~ia:a~~~ re~~~~ ~~tf,~~:h~b~~d ~~d~~efi~i~:~1;1~:1f~c~~~;~:~I;~:7ci:a~:~:~~~;, ry rebellious Creatures, · being infinitely abov~ the I~preflion of Evil : yet as our Sa,:iour fpeaks of one that look~ upon a Woman wxth an Impure Detire, that he h~s comm1trcd $,dulrery with h~r in h1 s Heart, rho' rh~ Im10cen~e of ~he Woman be unfl:amc~; fo rhe Sins of Men, bemg Ads of fo~tL Ingranrude aga~n~ ~us Goodnefs, ~_nd noro:10us. Vntiohrcoufnefs agai nfr his At_trhonry, arc in a Senfe lllJUnous to him, wluch he ~~ghtJufl:ly rc~cngc upon t hem, but Ius Clemency fpares them. The not imputing Sin IS borro~:~~
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