5. C x A P. A life of juf ification. 19 dead to the Law by the body of Chrift, Rom. 7: 4. 0 what a noble , fweer and refreshinglife is this, tobe free of this SIavery and Bondage , whereby the Law is alwayes lying about the neck of the poor (inner, the Curfe and wrathofGod, as oft ashefinneth. And adde to this (3.) That they are freed from the jolt and well - grounded managment of the Law against them by Satan , or a wakened Confcience. I fay , juft and well grounded ma- nagment; for I grant, the Devil and a mis- informed Confcience can bring forth the Law , and terrifie therewith a true beleever , by charging him with the tranfgrefflons thereof, even after thefe tranfgreflions are pardo- ned ; but this is unjuft and illegal ; and the beleever is under no obligation to acknowledge thefe Charges , or to admit them , but, on the contrary, to reject them , as being groundlefs , & contrary to the tenor of the Gofpel . But the unbeleever and unjuftified Soul is laid open to all thefe fearful char.. ges and dreadful challenges , to all thofe fummons , that are as fo many poi- toned darts , shot into his very heart , every one of which is a death ro him, which he feeth.not how to evite. Mutt not then this be a confderable and noble heavenly life , to have fin pardoned and thereby be freed from thefe Soul-affrighting , Heart- pierceing , Confcience - burning and M ind -tor- menting Accufations, Charges, Libels , andDittayes, brought home and delivered by the wicked Accufer of the Brethren , and a wakened enligtened Confcience ? Muft there not be many lives in this one ? z. Hereby they have peace and Reconciliation with God , being ju fli f ed by faith , we have peace with God , Ikon. God was in Chrifl reconciling the World unto himfelf, not imputing their trefpa fa unto them, a Cor. 5: IS, 19. They are now reconciled , Ron. 5: io. So Col. 1:20. And , (having made peace, through the blood of His crofs ) by Him to reconcile all things unto Himfelf. Herein alfo they have received the Atonement, Rem. 5: i 1. And the Enmity is abolished, Ephef.z:15. And fiaine v.16. So that th.e enmity on both hands is taken away ; they are reconciled unto the Lord, whobefore were alienated and enemies in their mindesby wicked works , Col. i s ai. And the Atone- ment being made, the wrath of God is apaced towards them , and that Law- wrath, under which they did formerly lye, is quite removed, and they are no more looked upon , nor dealt with as Enemies , but owned and re- garded , as reconciled friends. And who can exprefs the good and fweet of this life? or who can conceive what an heaven lyeth wrapped up here ? How juftly may he be accounted a dead man , who is an Out -lawer and a Rebel to God, who tafteth nothing of the Kindnefs and Friendship of God, getteth nothing from Him, as from a Friend,. but all as from an Enemie, even all the outward favoures he enjoyeth in the World ; how great and glorious fo -ever they be, in the eyes of men ? And , on the other hand, how happy is he , and how juftly and defervedly may he be called a living man , who'can call God his Friend ; go to Him as to a Friend ; receive all from Him as from a Friend , how inconfiderable fo-ev er in the eyes of the World the things be, which he getteth. This is a life, the Good, the Ad- vantage , the Joy , the Comfort , the Peace of which , who can ex,- preis ? D a, jierely
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