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form of the administration of it by Mofes, the matter, the fum and fubftance of it remains firm, unalterable, and unchangeable in the hands of Chrift; though it is destroyed as a yoke of bondage, it is in being as a perfect law of liberty; and though believers are delivered from the curfe and condemnation of it, they are not exempted from obedience to it; and though they are not to feek for juftification by it, they are under the greatest obligations, by the ftrongest ties of love, to have a regard to all its commands. So much for the negative part of the propofition. I proceed,

Secondly, To confider the affirmative, and to fhew that the law is established by the grace and doctrine of faith.

The perpetuity of the law is maintained hereby. The grace of faith always views the law in the hands of Chrift, looks to him as the fulfilling end of it, and is attended with works done in obedience to it. According to the doctrine of juftification by faith in the righteoufnefs of Chrift, all the precepts of the law are fulfilled, its penalty endured, and that itself continued as a rule of righte ousness. The law, upon the gofpel-fcheme, is as unchangeable, and more fo than the laws of the Medes and Perfians; not one jot or tittle of it has passed away, nor fhall ever pafs away; for all is fulfilled, and will be preserved.

The fpirituality of the law is afferted and fecured upon the foot of faith, and the doctrine of it. The Pharifees of old, as much as in them lay, made void the law, as to the fpirituality of it, at the fame time they pretended to be advocates for it; by infinuating as though the law only regarded the external actions of life, and was not concerned about the fecret motions, inward thoughts and lufts of the heart: whereas, fuch as have believed in Chrift, and understand his gospel, have other notions of the law; and know, that it is fpiritual'. A true believer, in the exercife of the grace of faith, beholds the inward corruption of his heart and nature; and mourns over it, as contrary to the pure and holy law of God; and at the fame time, according to the doctrine of faith, with pleasure views, that he is juftified by the blood of Chrift, even by that blood which cleanseth from all fin", of heart, lip, and life.

The perfect righteousness of the law is established by faith, and the doctrine of it. Whatever the law requires, according to this doctrine, is given it. Does it require pure and spotlefs holiness of nature? There is in Chrift an entire conformity to it in this refpect; who is holy, harmless and undefiled; and as fuch, is an high priest that becomes us, is fuitable to us, as being our fanctification and our righteousness. Does the law require finlefs and perfect obedience to all its commands? Chrift has always done the things that pleafed his Father, and has done all the things that are pleafing to him; he has perfectly obeyed the whole preceptive part of the law. Does the law require of, and threaten tranfgreffors

1 Rom. vii. 14.

Chap. v. 9. 1 John i. 7.

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with the penalty of death? Chrift being made fin, was made a curfe for his people, and became obedient to death, even the death of the crofs. So that the law, in all refpects, is magnified, and made honourable by him, according to the doctrine of faith. We bring to the law in Chrift our head, or rather he in our room and ftead, a righteoufnefs which anfwers all the demands of it, and cafts a luftre and glory upon it: and indeed, all the obedience of angels and men put together, does not, and cannot give the law fuch glory and honour as the obedience and righteousness of Chrift does. Whence it is clear, that the law is fo far from being made void, that it is thoroughly established by it.

Obedience to the law by believers, is enforced upon them by the best of motives, and yielded to it by them, under the best of influences; it is enforced on gospel motives and principles. Read over the epiftles of the apostle Paul, particularly those to the Ephefians and Coloffians, and you will eafily fee how the faints are exhorted to all the duties of life, incumbent on them in their families, the churches, and the world; and are encouraged to a performance of them upon the principles of grace, and by the doctrines of it; and according to the covenant of grace, they have the best affistance promifed, provided and afforded to them. I will put my law in their inward parts, fays the Lord", and I will write it in their hearts. And again; I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my ftatutes; and ye fball keep my judgments, and do them °.

Once more; By the doctrine of faith we establish the law, or make it stand; because we place it in the best of hands, and upon the fureft foundation. The law was put into the hands of Adam; but it did not long continue there; it was quickly tranfgreffed and broken. The two tables of ftone, with the law written on them, were put into Mofes's hands; but he, as he came down from the mount, caft them out of his hands, and broke them to pieces beneath it: but now the law, according to the doctrine of faith, is put into the hands of Christ; and there it ftands, and will stand firm and fure to all generations; yea, it will stand unchangeable and unalterable to all eternity. We fay, The Lord is our Judge,. the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King, and be will fave us. In this view of the law, how amiable and lovely muft it look in the eyes of faints! they cannot but delight in it, as fatisfied by Chrift, and take pleasure in obeying it, as it is in his hands: the language of their fouls is that of David's, O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. And as there is a pleasure attends an obfervance of it, there is peace in it; though it doth not arise from it, nor is founded on it: Great peace bave they which love thy law, and nothing shall offend them'. Such as are believers in Chrift, ought not only to be careful to maintain, but even to excel, to go before others in good works. Let us, there

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fore, by divine affiftance, fhew, by our lives and converfations, the truth of this doctrine, that "the law is not made void, but established by the gospel."Let us, as it is the will of God we should, with well-doing put to filence the ignorance of foolish men; and shame them who falfly accufe our good conversation in Christ. Let us make it appear, throughout the whole of our conduct, under the gracious influences of the Spirit of God, that we have a proper regard to the unchangeable law of God, as to the everlasting gospel of Chrift Jefus.

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Neglect of Fervent Prayer complained of.

Preached November 21, 1754, at a Monthly Exercife of Prayer, in the Reverend Mr STEVENS'S Meeting-Houfe near Devonshire-Square.

ISAIAH LXIV. 7.

And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that firreth up himself to take hold of thee.

T

HESE words are an address of the church and people of God, unto the Lord, in a prayer, which begins in the latter part of the preceding chapter; in which they first expoftulate with him, about his love, grace, and mercy, and the founding of his bowels towards them, which they feared were reftrained; plead the relation he stood in to them, as a father, of which they were assured, however others might be ignorant of it; and put him in mind of being their redeemer, whofe name, as fuch, was from everlafting: they defire to be returned to God and his worship; complain of the violation of the fanctuary by their adverfaries, and obferve the difference between them and themselves, with respect to their relation to God; which is mentioned as an argument to engage his regard unto them: and in the beginning of this chapter, they most earnestly intreat that God would rend the heavens, and come down, and give some manifeft tokens of his prefence; they urge, that he had been used to do fo in times past, when he did terrible things, and unexpected; they take notice of unfeen and unheard-of things, that God had prepared for those that wait for him, which

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the apostle Paul applies to the doctrines of the gospel; and fuggeft that it had been his wonted manner to meet in a way of love, grace, and mercy, and indulge with communion with himself, at the throne of grace, and in his house and ordinances, fuch that rejoice, and work righteousness; that rejoice not in a carnal, finful, and hypocritical way, or in their own boaftings, all fuch rejoicing being evil; but in the Lord, in the person of Chrift, in his righteoufnefs and falvation, in his grace, and in the hope of glory: and that work righteousness; not a justifying one, no man can work fuch a righteousness, nor ought any man to work righteousness with fuch a view; the best way of working righteousness is to lay hold by faith on the righteousness of Chrift, and to do works of righteousness in faith, without which it is impoffible to please God: or perhaps fuch perfons are defigned and defcribed, who rejoice to work righteoufnefs, who do it in a chearful and joyful manner, from right principles, and with right views; and fuch the Lord ufually takes notice of, and manifefts himself unto; even fuch that remember him in his ways; in his ways of providence, in his ways. of love, grace, and mercy, and in his inftitutions, ordinances, and appointments; or in the ways of his word and worship: but as for them, the people of God now praying, they own indeed they had finned, and were deferving of the divine difpleafure; behold, thou art wroth, for we have finned; and yet they despaired not of falvation; for they add, in thefe is continuance, and we fhall be faved: either in these fins there is continuance, which are fo difpleafing to God; for the words may be rendered, in thefe we have been of old, or always; we have been old finners, finners in Adam, finners from our first birth; and, more or less, have continued fo ever fince; and yet we hope for falvation from fin, through the promised Meffiah: or in thefe works of righteousness there is continuance, and in a chearful performance of them, under the influence of divine grace, faints perfevere in faith and holiness, and fo are faved: or rather, the meaning is, in these ways of the love, grace, and mercy of God, in which his people remember him, is continuance; God continues in his love; in that is permanency, perpetuity, and eternity, as the word ufed fignifies; the love of God is from everlasting to everlasting, immutable and invariable, and therefore the fons of Jacob are not confumed, but faved with an everlasting falvation for that the church did not expect falvation from her own works of righteousness, but only from the free grace and love of God, is clear from what follows; but we are all as an unclean thing or perfon; like the leper, that was legally polluted, as well as covered with a lothesom disease, and therefore feparated from the fociety of men: by this the church and people of God confefs the impurity of their nature; and, it may be, have refpect to a general corruption in docVOL. I. F f

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trine and manners, which prevailed in those times among the profeffors of religion: and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; which is to be understood, not of the righteousness of hypocrites, which lay in external rites and ceremonies; or of legal and felf-righteous perfons, confifting of the outward obfervances of the Jaw; but of works of righteoufnefs done by the best of men, and in the best manner these are rags, imperfect, and fo infufficient to cover their persons, and hide their fins from the fight of God; they are filthy, being attended with fin and imperfection, and need washing in the blood of Chrift, and so cannot render men acceptable before God: and we all do fade as a leaf, or fall like leaves in autumn; which might be true of the generality of the profeffors of that age; but not of fuch who have the root of the matter in them, who are rooted in the love of God, and engrafted into Chrift; therefore their leaf fhall not wither, but be ever green; or at least shall not finally and totally fade and fall, though they may have their decays; but this is true only of fuch who are carnal profeffors, deftitute of the grace of God, who fade away and drop their profeffion, especially in a time of tribulation, just as trees drop their leaves in the fall of the year: hence it follows, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away; as a fading falling leaf is carried away by the wind, fo formal profeffors are carried away by their fins into a total defection and apoftacy; and this general declension the church goes on to acknowledge and lament in the words first read; and there is none that calleth upon thy name, that firreth up himfelf to take hold of thee; intimating, that there were but very few that prayed to the Lord, or were concerned about his continuance with them, or return unto them. In the words are acknowledged thefe two things:

I. That there were none, or but few praying fouls among them.

II. That there were as few that observed this, and aroufed and beftirred themfelves, to lay hold on and retain a departing God, or to folicit his return unto them.

1. That there were none, or but few praying fouls among God's profeffing people, in the times referred to: not that there were none at all, not one individual praying perfon; for this complaint itself is made in prayer to God; fo that there were fome praying perfons, though their number were but few, the instances scarce and rare; as when David fays, Help, Lord, for the godly man ceafeth, for the faithful fail from among the children of men; his meaning is, not that there was not a godly or faithful man living, but that there were but few of this character: likewife, when the apostle Paul obferves, that all feek their own, not the things that are Jefus Chrift's; his fenfe is, not that there were none that

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