----------------~------------------------~--~·~ 'I he [we Trial of Vprigbt11e(s. ri:c fairdl: Profcffors of Religion, is a Ba_r again_fl: the Pardon of our Si?s. The Tcil.&.' of the unchangeable Covcnat~t of Grace ts, I fl)rf{ write my Laws ;n tiJetr 1-/earts; and I ::~~/e~~d'~~~~~:f~e~~ ~:~;:~f~o~;t'Affc~f~~~· rs;nhi~n~~~~~~~~~~ 1 ;([~ ~:;~~~:~~'y b~ written in the Mind and Memory of an unfanChfied Pcrfon, for the Ideas of the mofl: repugnant things arc con(Jfl:em in rhofe Faculties ; but d_tc Beart is nor .capable of co;'lrrary Objecrs: the Love of God's Law expel~ the predommantLove of S111.. Now ftncc the ~~~~~~l'f~~~rh~~~lo;;o1~1 i ~i~ 01~{~~1~:~~~~:~~i~ar111i~~d~~g~~t~!~f;~~i1(ufi!1i~l:c 1 :~~~~~~i:~bl~1~( Pardon: whatc,·er quality the Sin be of, whether of Omt(hon or Commtilion, the at.. ·lowance makes it dcitrudive to Sinners. As from what Corner focver a blafbng \Vind comes, whether from the Eail: or the North, it dcfiroys the Fruits. If bur one ieieCred Sin remains in the Affections and PraCtice, it contracts the Malignity of all the retl:, and will prove deadly to the SouL 'Tis not a prefumptuou~ reliance on rhe J\1erits of Chrifl willfave Men witb tbeir Sins. The Aroncment made to Divine Jufiice by rhe precious Sacrifice of rhc Lamb of God~ w~ neve~ d ~figncd for the reconciling Go~ to thoi~ :vho '~: ith depraY_cd Ob:lii.~cy conttnue m rhcu Sms: 'tis utterly inconfiil:enr With the D1nne W1fdom, HolmcfS, Jufhce, and l'rmh, to appoint a Sacrifice for the Expiation of final Impcnitcncy: fuc.h outfin the Death of Chrifl:, I will not fay as ro its infinite Merit, but as to the Application and intended Benefit of it. Tbe Value of his Death to abolilh the Guilt, and the V errue of it to mortify the Power of Sin arc iniCparable. The precious Balm has a fr:Jgrant Smell that revives thrJ Spirits, b.at \vid10ut applying irs Subfiance to the \Vouhd the .Scent will not heal it. The Soul mufl feel the Power of Chrifl's Suficrings to kill om Sins, otherwife the plcafing belief 'Of his Righteoufnefs will not juflify us before God. The Mercy-Scar. fprinklcd wirb ~1is Bl_ood affords ProteCtiOn from_ the Avenger ro all relenting, returning Smners; but Jufl:tce w1ll tear the prefumptuous Smncr from the Horns of the Altar, · . · ' The mo!l: rigorous Penance will not avail wirhoat mortifying the AffeCtion to Sin : the mofl!Cvert Dikipline to the Body, is but like a Mountebank's applying the Salve to the Weapon without dreffing the Wound, that cannot \Vork a found Cure. The difpenfing of the Treafure of fl'lerits to penitent Pay-Maflers, and giving mercenary Bills of Exchartge to rccelve Righreoufnefs from others, is fo \vrerched and rraniparent a Fallacy, that were not the Minds of Men prodigioufly fi.upified, it is impoff,blc they fl10uld believe it will avail them before the judgment-Seat of God, Let our Prayers be never fo_frequent and earne£l, they are of no prevalency with God whiHl: the beloved Sin is retain'd. The Condition of our favourable Audience is fet down by_ Solomon in his Divine Prayer at the Dedic~rion of the Temple; What Pra_yer or 1 Kingj 8 . 38. SupplicatJOnfoever be made bJ •ny Man, or 6y all the People of Ifracl, whicbjhall know every • ~;::~: ~':J~:!f~io~;~v~eaif' rh:;1;~~~~re~~:r~ ~~11~1~0 B~:e:stn,1h~f z:sa~~t~ie;l~ tlal Mahgn~ty, and With repenting Sorrow acknowledge and forf.1kc it, they are ~~~ya;;;"<;.~:as ;~~~~rcBol;::fJ::~~gt/{u~h:ey;;(g,S~~;~p~;;Ic:C:~:t~~;~e 1~~; bnght profpe:?,mo the Heart, if any infinuating Infirmity be chenfl1'd there, it will make him avctfc from our Perfons and RequeO:s. _ 'Tis nor the performance of religious and charitable Duties , that will purchafe Indulgence for a beloved Sin. The mofl coflly Sacrifices·, the mofl liberal Chanties, are neither pleafinE; to God, n~r profitable to us, ·,without an unfei_gned re~ nouncin~ of our Sins . 'Tts a carnal Shtft that many ufe to ,excufe rhc PraCtice of a ~~f~7o~:"~r~~i~~u~~i~~i;~~;:: g;s0~ ~~~~g~:ig~:~:fm~~~t?~e~h~:~ ,~\ut~::r~i~:fcc':! m ?ne Duty by their care in another. But if Confcience be not, fo far fiupified that it can ne_1rhcr hear, nor fee, nor fpeak, ' ris impoffible bur rhe guilty Deceiver mufi b: terrii1ed ~~~; ~~~~;o~~Z~ 5/r~;~~;:;{a~r~~tbt:Cfa~~/~{ ~;;c 'It;~~e~~:l{tnbfe;;c~nr:"b{f;(;;~ dxence to another: the voluntary continued Tranfgrenion of any Command involres a a Man undc_r the Guilt of br_eaking the entire Law, the J?ivine Authority being _defpi~Cd that makes tt binding. I wtll infl:ance _fn one kind o~ S\nS. Many ~hat b~ve· mcrcas'd their Efia_tes by Craft and Circumve~1t10n, or by Vwlence and R;,tp111e, w~ll bequeath c~r~~~'!:~ fa~ par~ to pwus u~es, prefuming by a kmd of Compofition. with God , w be difcharg~d of pr;rceprum rl~eu gudry Gau~s.' . St. Auflin obferves that fome il1 his rime rhd\.lgh ir to be Obcd1t~1c~ ~?~ ~~~~;~;,:y ~;~~d~~~a;~o~~~g~~d~~~~C~;~~ d;~~b~ii~n:~r~~qd!1e~d~~~ft.egN~\~~:l:~"~~ge~~co~~:n:a~~~ s~~i~7. ~; ,J";;b~D~~~ Iniquirads.l£14 Eee ro .\;
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