338 SERMONS upon Serm. XLIII through fear of death, were all their life time fubjell to bondage. But when our hearts condemn us, efpecially for Come woundipg fin, the cafe is otherwife. Ged by confci- ence writeth bitter things against you, yob 13. 26. we mull: not fmother our fin, nor deny our guiltinefs,but appeal from Court to Court,Pfal. 130. 3, 4. If tbou,Lord,fbouldefl mark our iniquities, O Lord, who (hail (land? But there is forgivenefs with thee, that thou 'Royal be feared; and Pfal. 43. 2. Enter not into judgment with thy fervant, for in thy fight (hall no man living be juflífied. If it be from the general view of fin, or the remembrance of force fpeciál fin, fue out your pardon in Chrilt; your juftification is not nullified; you are (lilt under a pardoning Covenant, and the abtual pardon on repen- tance is granted to you. 2. USE, Is to preis us to get into this bleffed condition, that you may fay,.'ris God that juflifieth Confider the weight of the cafe ; it concerneth damnation or falva- tion; whether you are under the curie, or heirs of promife : And all this is depending before God. To juftifie, is Gods all ; but man mutt fulfil the condition. Well then, let us fuppofe a Judiciary Procefs, there will be fuch at the laic day certainly; For we muff all (land before the Tribunal feat of Chrift, Rom. 14. to. Our caufe lieth before God now, and our qualification matt be tryed and judged now, in order to our reconcilia- tion with God, as hereafter in order to our everlalting fruition of him in glory. Well then, The Judge is God, Gen. 18. 23. and Pfal. 94. 2. Lift up thy felf, 0 thou Judge of the earth. The Judge accepteth the godly while they are in the body, 2 Cor. 5. 9. That whether we are prefent or aifent, we may be accepted with him; but be is angry with the wicked every day, Pfal. 7. r1. The Witneffes are Satan and Confcience; the Plea in Traverfe,is about our guiltinefs,accordingtoa double rule,the Law of Works, or Grace; if according to the law of Works, alas ! none of us can (land in the judgement, there we plead, not Innocent, but Guilty; Chrift could fay, John 8. 46. Which of you con - vinceth me of fn? but here 'tis otherwife, Rom. 3. 19. All the world is beeome guilty before God. Here is no denial, no extenuation, all are become corrupt; none doth good, no not one. Now Chrift was made fin, and underwent the curie for us. To the fecond, the Law of Grace, there mutt be, firft an hearty acceptance of an offered Sa- viour, and a coulent, both of fubjelion and dependance. Secondly, Sincere obedience, Rom. 8. 1. They walk not after the flefb, but after the Spirit; he liveth, as one turned from the world, and the flefh, to God ; the more fenfible we are of our own vilenefi, the more we fee the neceffity of a Redeemer. S E R-
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