Ver. I. the 8th Chapter of the ROMANS. 3 deliverance in one place, t Theft. 5. 9. For God bath rot appoint(d to wrath, but to obtain falvation by our Lord jefus Chrift. Mark the Antithefis: not to wrath, but to obtain falvation. Which Ihould increafe our Cenfe of the priviledg, that when others lie under the wrath of God, we Ihall fee him, and love him, and praile him in Heaven to all Eternity. 3. How ju flly it is deferved by us, by reafon of Original and Aelua1 fins, both before, and after Converjan. Originalfin ; for the Scripture telleth us, Rom. 5. r 6, the judgment was by one to condemnation: and again in Yerfe i8. by the offence of one , judgment came upon all to condemnation. All Adam's Children are become guilty before God, and liable to death, or brought into fuch an eftate wherein they are condemnable before God. So, by many aílual fins it is deferved by us. As we are by nature children of wrath, Eph. 2. 3. fo for a long time we have treafured up wrath againfi the day of wrath, Rom, 2. 5. We have even forfeited the Reprieve, which Gods Patience allowed to uss and have more and more involved our felves in condemnation. Till we comprehend our great need of pardon and exemption from condemnation, we cannot underftand the worth of it. Nay we have deferred this condemnation, liince converfion. He cloth not fay here, There is no fin in us: but there is no condemnation; fin in its . felf is always damnable; and our Redemption doth not put lets evil into fin : but in (Ma Juflice we, deferve the greater punifhment ; this is another confideration that fhould indear this priviledg to us. 4. How Confluence flandeth in dread of this condemnation : For if our own hearts con- demn us, a John 3. 20. they are a tranfcript of Gods Law, both Precept and Sanflion, and therefore do not only check us for fin,and urge us to duty; but alfo fill us with many hidden fears, which fometimes are very flinging. When we are ferions, the more tender the heart is, the more it fmiteth for fin, Ro.1.32. Who knowing the judgment of God, that they that commit fuch things are worthy of death. In your Confciences you will find an inward conviction, that God is your Judg, and will call you to an account for the breach of his Law. We feel this, living and. dying, Heb. 2. 15. Who. were all their life- time fubjeit to bondage through fear of death. And r Cor. 15. 56. the fling of death is fin. Only 'tis more piercing and (harp when we die. Secondly, Let us enquire how, or upon what reafons we come to have this exemption from condemnation. This is, 1. Vpon the account of Chrifls f tisfablion to Gods yufliee: We all in our natural eftate lie under the curfe and wrath of God : but Chrift was made a turfs for us, to redeem us from t,be curie of the Law, Gal. 3.13. And the Apoftle telleth us, 2 Cor. 5. 21. That he was made fin for us, that we might be made the righteoufnefs of God in him. Chrift . became a Sacrifice for fin,to appeafe God towards us ; he was made a publick inftance of Gods pant fuflice, that we might be made an inflance of Gods Merciful Juftice, or that God might deal with us in a way of grace, upon the accotant of the Righteoufnefs of Chrift. 2. Upon the account of the New-Covenant-grant, John 5. 24. Verily, verily, 1 fay unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that feat me, bath everlafling life, and fhall not come into condemnation. Chrift would have us mark this as a a certain and im- portant truth: for efcaping Eternal death, and obtaining Eternal life, are not trifles; and Gods Faithful Word is interpofed, that filch an one Ihall not come into condemna- tion ; Verily, verily. Well then : the Gofpel, or New Covenant, offereth pardon and exemption from condemnation to that death which the Law hath made our due, to all thofe .who will come under the bond of it. 3. The certainty is confiderable, which refulteth or arifeth from theft two gráundr: 'Tis juft with God to pardon them, and to exempt them from Condemnation, who take fanâuary at his Grace, and devote themfelves to him, 1 yob: 1. 9. If we confefr and for - fake our fins, he is jufi and faithful to forgive them. 2 Tim. 4.8. We read of a crown of rigbteoufnefo, which the righteous judge flail give at that day : juflum ell quad fieri poteft, God may do it, or not do it, he is not unjuft if he doth it ; and jufium eft quad fieri debet : This latter is underftood here, becaufe of the fulnefs of the merits and fatif- fablion of Chrift, and his truth in his Promif s; he mutt judg men according to the Law of Grace, and give them that which his Promife hath made their due. 4. There muff be an Appeal to the Gofpel ; Where this Grace is humbly fued out by the penitent Believers for God is Sovereign, and mutt be fought unto. Appeals from Court to Court, and from one Tribunal to another, are often jet down in Scripture, as Pfal. 7 A 1 13o. >w
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