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SER M. ftate of Rewards and Punishments, whereIX. in God will judge the world in righteous nefs, and render to every man according to what he has done in the body, whether it be good or evil; and to be affured of the certainty of that state, not by the uncertain and disagreeing conjectures of such men, as undertook to prove it probable by difficult and abstruse reasonings, but by the testimony of one, who by that convincing proof of his Resurrection from the Dead, did undeniably demonstrate that he had himself been in that invisible ftate?

BUT 2dly, As Chrift has thus made a moft clear discovery of the Will of God to Mankind, fo hath he also inabled them to obey the Will of God according to that discovery. As he has provided a fufficient remedy against Ignorance of our duty, fo he has likewise made a fufficient provision against our Inability to peform it. Now this he has done, 1ft, By requiring easier conditions of us, than could without his mediation have been accepted. And 2dly, By graciously affording us his affiftance,

IX.

affiftance, to perform what he fo requires. S ER M. ift, He requires eafier conditions of us, than could without his mediation have been accepted. 'Tis the great and peculiar privilege of the Gofpel-difpenfation, that whereas the original law of God required perfect unfinning obedience, and confequently men in this corrupt estate were thereby of neceffity concluded all under Sin; the covenant of mercy eftablished by the Death of Chrift, has relaxed that rigour which the Apostle calls the ftrength of Sin, and reduced the condition of Salvation to fuch terms, as are not impracticable, nay nor indeed grievous to human nature, even in this present ftate; He has reduced it to the gracious terms of Faith, and unfeigned Repentance; a Repentance, and fincere endeavours to obey his Commandments to the best of our Ability for the time to come. But if Chriftians will ftill continue in the practice, and under the dominion of Sin, notwithstanding this way which Chrift has opened for them to Salvation; 'tis their own fault and their extreme fol

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SER M. ly here, and will be their condemnation IX. and mifery hereafter. "Tis true, fuch is

the corruption of our nature and the weakness of our faculties, that we are not indeed fufficient of ourselves to do or think any thing as of ourselves, 2 Cor. iii, 5. But then 'tis true also, that we have a much greater Sufficiency, even that Sufficiency which is from God, as the Apostle immediately adds: which is the second thing whereby I faid our Saviour enables us to obey the will of God, according to that discovery of it which he has made to us in the Gospel; he enables us, by graciously affording us his affiftance, to perform what he requires of us, Though we have indeed contracted much Weakness and Impotency by our wilful degeneracy from Goodness, yet That Grace which the Gospel offers us for our affiftance, is fufficient for us; I can do all things, faith St Paul, through Chrift that strenghneth me, Phil. iv. 13. Though we are indeed encompaffed with many and potent enemies, whose business it is to tempt us and to deter us from our

duty;

duty; yet are we indued with a power, SIR M. by which we are enabled to refift and to IX. conquer all these temptations; For

greater is he that is in us, than he that is in the world, 1 Joh. iv. 4. So that in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us, Rom. viii. 37. God knoweth the frailty of our nature, and confidereth how many temptations we are continually liable to; he remembreth whereof we are made, and confidereth that we are but Duft; He knoweth our enemy's ftrength and our own weakness, and therefore he affords us the continual affiftance of his Holy Spirit, to supply our natural want of power. He has promised to fuccour all those who fincerely defire to obey his will; and, if we be not wanting in our own endeavours, we may rely upon him, that he will be faithful to his promife, and not fuffer us to be tempted above what we are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that we may be able to bear it, 1 Cor. x. 13. Thus in order to the delivering us from the habit and power of Sin, our

Saviour

SER M. Saviour by making a most clear discovery

IX.

of the Will of God to Mankind, and by
enabling them to obey the Will of God
according to that discovery, has put us in
our own power, if we for our part will
but accept this deliverance, and, by the
way
which he has opened for us, retreat
out of the bondage of Sin and Satan into
the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Christ has completely performed his office
for us; he has paid the price; he has re-
deemed us out of captivity: 'Tis our part
to take care that we continue not wilfully
in the service of Sin, left we be found to
do defpite unto the Spirit of Grace, cru-
cifying to ourselves the Son of God afresh,
and putting him to an open shame. Now
this is what Chrift has done for All those
in general, to whom the Gospel is preach-
ed: But then 2dly, Those who accept of
this deliverance from the dominion of
Sin, that is, who by Repentance and true
Amendment of life embrace the terms of
the Gospel; thofe, and those only, he
further delivers from the guilt and pu-
nishment of Sin: And in order to this;

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