8 S E R M O N S upon. Serm. lh our refacing, the teflimony of our confcience, that in fïmplicity and godly fincerity we have had our converfations in the world. Still there are fears of damnation, while fin is in us ; but when it is our honeft purpofe to pleafe God, and we (hive againft fin, and do in a good meafure overcome it, our Confciences may be the better, and the fooner fetled. The next Life is for Exhortation. To quicken us to fee/¿ after this Priviledg. Do you fear Damnation, or do you not ? if not, what grounds of Comfort have you? What courfe have you taken to efcape it ? If you do fear ir, why do you not flee from wrath to come? Mat. 8. 7. Why do you not run for refuge? Heb. 6. 18. You cannot be fpeedy and earneft enough id a matter of fuch concernment. Again, This calls to thofe that are in Chrifl to be fenfible of their priviledg,fo that they may biers God for it. Gratitude is the life and foul of our B.eligion, and 'tis a cold and dull thanksgiving,only to give thanks for temporal Mercier; it cometh more heartily from us when we biefs God for Jpiritual mercies, Pfal. 103. r, 2, 3. Biel; the Lord, O my foul, and all that is within me Heft his holy name. Blefs the Lord, 0 my foul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy difeafes. It alto calls to all inch, tobe tender of their peace. Every. Sin doth not put you in- to a Rate of Condemnation again.; but every known, wilful fin, puts us to get a new ex- tra& of our pardon, r John 2. 1, 2. My little children, theft things write / unto you, that ye fin nat:and if any man fin, we have an Advocate with the Father, fefus Chrifl the righ. taus, who is the propitiation for our fins. By fin your Title is made queftionable, and your claim made doubtful; repenting, and forfaking fin is neceffary when we have been foiled by fin, that we may have a new grant of a pardon. SERMON H. ROM. VIII. 2. For the law of the Spirit of Life in Chrift Jefas, hath made me free from the Law ofSin and Death. H A T thefe words are brought as a proof of the former affertion, is clear from the caufal particle [For]; but whether they are a proof of the Priviledg or &alifrcation, is ufually difputed : I think of both; as when they are explained will appear. Therefore I [hall 6rft open the words, and then fuit the proofto the foregoing affértion. In opening the words obferve, r. Here is Law oppofed to Law. 2. By the one we are freed from the other. r. There is a perbdl op- pofitton of the Law of the fpirit ofLift in Chrifi,efus, to the Law of Sin and Death ; here is Law againft Law, and the Spirit againft Sin, and Life againft Death. Now, what are thefe two Laws ? I think they may be explained by that of the Apofle, Rom. 3. 27. Where it boafiing then? it is excluded? by what law? of works? nay, but by the law offaith. What is there called the law of worhs,and the law of faith, is here called the law of the fpi- rit of life, and the law of fin and death ; in [port, by thefe two laws is meant the Covenant of Works, and the Covenant of Grace. r. The Covenant of Grace is called the Law of the fpirit of life in Chrifl fefiss; a Law it is, for it bath all the requiltes of a Law, a precept, and a fanáion. They err certainly, That tell us the Gofpel is no Law ; for if there wereno Law, there would be no Gover- noter, and no Government; no Ditty, no Sin, no Judgment, noPitnifhment, nor Reward ; but of that more by and by. 2. A
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