. AA THE FORM OF THÉ ÓOSPEL. their Prophet, and resolution to make all his instructions- their' rule and guide ; a consent to take him for their Priest, to make their peace with God, and obtain their pardon ; a con' sent to own him for their King, and promise sincere obedience to him as their Lord, in all his commands ; but still with a hum- ble dependence on his Spirit and grace, to enable them to fulfil these resolutions. Those that preach the gospel in its more free and absolute form, describe faith in Christ as the flight of a poor, guilty, perishing sinner to an only refuge; and they make its chief ad to consist in a trustingor committing the soul, ignorant, guilty, hard- hearted and sinful as it is, into the hand of Christ, with a sincere desire to have it enlightened by him as their Prophet, pardoned and reconciled to God through him as their Priest, and subdued to all willing obedience to him; and by him, as their Lord and King; humbly expecting that he will do all this for them ; and this is, in their opinion, the best way of addressing themselves to poor sinners, who find themselves so dark, so sin- ful, so feeble and inconstant in their best obedience and pur- poses, that they dare not resolve upon any thing, andcan hardly say, they heartily vow' and promise a submission to- Christ in all things;but that they can better apply to him in away of trust and dependence, humbly desiring and hoping he will work all this in them by his free grace, while they wait upon him in his appointed means. The one are ever persuading their hearers to bind their souls to God, by solemn vows and covenants, even in particular duties, believing this to be the most effectual way to guard against every sin, and best secure their obedience and constancy under every temptation : The other are afraid to urge so much vowing and resolvingon the consciences of men, lest they there- by lead them into a legal frame, under a spirit of bondage, and lest their consciences be more troublesomely entangled and en- snared after every broken vow, and their faith and-hope be too much discouraged ; that faith and hopewhich ought to be the Constant springs of their obedience. They advise their people, therefore, rather to commit 'their souls afresh continually to the Care of Christ, as 2 Tim. i. 12. to believe he accepts them, and to walk watchfully, without any particular, formal, and explicit vows. Though it must be confessed, that withregard to christians of different tempers and temptations both these methodshave had ' verygood s uccess. Some are sons of thunder, " Boanerges," and frighten the profane out of their security, by many terrors that are written against those who obeynot the gospel; and they enforce obedi- ence on the consciences of believers, chiefly by way of rewards and punishments : The other are like Barnabas's, sonsof cons-
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