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phet foretold that Chrift our High-priest would furely make his Words good when he arofe from the Dead, and utter the following victorious Words (Having finished the Work God gave him to do, he afcended into Heaven, as the Fore-runner of his Church, and entered the Court of Heaven as a mighty Conqueror, with Trophies of Honour !) faying, (Holy Father) "Behold! here am I, and the Children thou haft given me to redeem," Isa. viii. 18. Heb. ii. 13, 14. But why should I enlarge? the Fall of Man, the effectual Working of -2.3. Free Grace, and the Certainty of Salvation are proved.

I hafte to conclude my Epiftle (being much longer than firft intended). We have found the whole House of Ifrael dead in the Valley of dry Bones, where Adam's Difobedience left them: and the chofen Race brought fafe to Glory, through the Obedience and Sufferings of Chrift the second Adam: For as in Adam all die, and are dead by Nature; even fo in Chrift fhall all (the Faithful) be made alive by Grace, to live for ever, 1 Cor. xv. 22. "For he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life: but he that believeth not on the Son, fhall not fee Life, but the Wrath of God abideth on him," John iii. 36. The Doctrine is evident; let the Reader or Hearer look to the Application. If any unexperienced or contentious Perfon, fhall fret himself, and difaprove of the Doctrine, because it afferts he cannot quicken his own Soul, Pfal. xxii. 29. And haughtily fays; If the Scope and Substance of the foregoing Difcourfe be true; that God knew and pre-ordained all Things, why doth he yet find Fault? for who hath refifted his Will? What is the Ufe of Man's Endeavours and Care for his Soul? Saint Paul answers thus: "Who art thou that repliest against God, feeing he hath

Power

Power to make one Veffel to Honour, and another to Difhonour?" Rom. ix. 19, 20, 21. And does according to his Will both in the Armies of Heaven, and also among the Inhabitants of the Earth, and none can ftay his Hand, or fay, What doest thou?" Dan. iv. 35. And let the Objector confider, that notwithstanding all this, the Lord faith, “Strive to enter in at the strait Gate, (strive in the right Way) for many will seek to enter in (perhaps in their own Strength) and fhall not be able," Luke xiii. 24. "For no Man that striveth for the Mastery over his Sins, will be ever crowned, except he ftriveth lawfully," 2 Tim. ii. 5. Which must be done in the Strength of another; and like holy David fay, "The Lord is my Strength, and my Song, who is likewife become my Salvation," Pfal. cxviii. 14. Or like the penitent Prodigal, who feeing himfelf undone by his mad Career, and finful Practice in Life, having loft his original Rectitude, and fpiritual Senfes by the Fall: But having thro' Mercy received a Grain of Faith, he came to himfelf, and humbly faid, "I will arife and go to my Father, faying, I have finned against Heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy Son, make me as one of thy hired Servants, left I perish with Hunger." (Now let us view an humble Supplicant on his bended Knees, his penitential Tears flowing out, and his Hands lifted up to Heaven, craving Mercy of an offended Father. The Father being moved with Compaffion, pardoned and embraced his returning Son. Thus they that fow in Tears fhall reap in Joy, Pfal. cxxvi. 5.) 'Till this is the Cafe, none of the Sons of Adam may expect from an offended God Remiffion of Sins, and heavenly Embraces, Luke xv. 16, 17, 18, 20. And whenfoever this is the Cafe, the penitent Sinner ought to confider on what Account God hath been

pleased

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pleased to work a Change in his Heart; and adopt
the Apoftle's Words, applying them to himself,
viz. Whom he did foreknow, he alfo did pre-
deftinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son;
and whom he did predeftinate, them he alfo called:
and whom he called, them he also justified
whom he juftified, them he also glorified. What
fhall we fay to thefe Things? If God be for us,
who can be against us?" Rom. viii. 29, 30, 31.
Hence the converted Sinner may learn that Salvati-
on is by Grace (according to the determined Coun-
fel of God) not of Works, left any Man fhould
boast, Eph. ii. 8, 9. And although by Nature, and
previous to his effectual Calling by Grace, he was
like a wild Afs's Colt, and would not be guided
by the Word of God, Job xi. 12. Yet when Chrift
calls him by his Word and Spirit, and marks him
with the Mark of his Sheep, of whom he fays, " I
know my Sheep, and am known of mine," Ezek.
ix. 4. John x. 14.
Then the Called of God hear
and know the good Shepherd's Voice, and follow
him, because he hath given them eternal Life, and
they shall never perifh, ver. 27, 28.
But fome,
through Ignorance of the Life of Grace in their own
Souls, may fuppofe that the Effect of full Affu-
rance will be Sloth and Unfruitfulness in God's
Vineyard but it proves to be quite the Reverfe, as
appears in the Conduct of holy David; he knew
himself in Favour with God, yet he prays God to
wash him throughly from his Iniquity, and cleanse
him from his Sins. Alfo, to create in him a clean
Heart, and renew a right Spirit within him. And
again, Caft me not away from thy Prefence, faith
he, nor take thy Holy Spirit from me, Pfal, li. 2,
10, 11. Saint Paul alfo breathed in Prayer to God
in like Manner, defiring to know Chrift, and the
Power of his Refurrection, and the Fellowship of

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his Sufferings, being made conformable unto his Death. Always preffing on towards the Mark, for the Prize of the High-calling of God in Chrift Jefus, Phil. iii. 10, 14. Fighting the good Fight of Faith, laying hold on eternal Life, 1 Tim. vi. 12. Though he suffered the Lofs of all Things, yet he counted it but Drofs and Dung, that he might win Chrift, and be found in him, not having his own Righteoufnefs, which is by the Law, or by his own Works, but the Righteousness of Chrift through Faith, Phil. iii. 9. He was not afhamed of the Crofs of Chrift, for he knew that if he fuffered with him, and for his Sake, he should also reign with him, 2 Tim. ii. 12. For as the Faithful are Sons of God, and Joint heirs with Chrift, therefore, if they fuffer for the Gofpel's Sake, as Chrift their elder Brother did; they fhall be conformable to their Head, and be glorified together. Thus faith the Apostle, "I reckon that the Sufferings of this preprefent Time (which are but for a Moment) are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that fhall be revealed in us," Rom. viii. 17, 18. Thus the Faithful in all Ages, would, like Mofes, "rather fuffer Affiction with the People of God, than enjoy the Pleafures of Sin for a Seafon; esteeming the Reproach of Chrift greater Riches than all earthly Treasure, having an Eye to the Recompence of Reward," Heb. xi. 25, 26. And remembring the Price of their Redemption, being not redeemed with Silver or Gold; from their vain, worldly Converfation; but with the precious Blood of Christ, as a Lamb without Spot, who freely offered himfelf to God for them, according to the determinate Counsel of God, and his gracious Purpofe, before the Foundation of the World, 1 Peter i. 18, 19, 20. Here then is great Confolation and Joy to all true Believers, when they confider their high Privilege

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above others, by being Difciples of Jefus Chrift: Moreover, Affurance of Faith, and its good Effects, the Doctrine we plead for, is confirmed by what follows; "Unto you it is given (faith Christ) to know the Myfteries of the Kingdom of God: but unto them who are without (unconverted) all is in Parables, dark and obfcure," Mark iv. 11. And this for want of an enlightened Understanding, and the Teaching of that bleffed Spirit, who fearcheth all Things, yea, the deep Things of God, 1 Cor. iì. 10. But they who receive the Spirit of Adoption, and can call God their reconciled Father, can fee themselves fafe in the Covenant of Grace; as the Scriptures of the Old and New Teftament abundantly teach. To inftance in the former, we hear our Saviour speak in the Canticles, "A Garden inclofed is my Sifter, my Spouse, a Spring fhut up, a Fountain fealed." Here the Godly have the Pleasure of confidering themselves as Trees of Myrrh planted by God's Right Hand in the Garden of Grace and Chrift as the Fountain of Life, in the Prefence of God in Heaven, continually flowing and, watering them with Showers of fpiritual Bleffings, Pardon and Peace, Mercy and Grace, Cant. iv, 12, 14, 16. Therefore they who have received the Life of Faith in their Souls, are no longer idle Loiterers in the Market place, but Labourers, yea, Workers together with God, in his Vineyard; and at the Clofe of the Day fhall receive Wages, viz. the End of their Faith, the Salvation of their Souls, Matt. xx. 3, 7, 9. Hence it is evident that the Love of Chrift conftraineth his chofen Servants to Obedience of Heart and Life, because they know they were once dead in Sin, but now through Faith in him, they are alive unto God. Therefore from henceforth. they defire to know no Man after the Flefh. For old Things are done away, and all Things

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