leadeth to Death. If we live after the flesh, it is true, however we are made righteous as to the Confequences of Adam's Sin, and how worthy foever the Saviour be to introduce us into eternal Life, though we are rescued out of the Jaws of the first Death, and though the Doors of Heaven are fet wide open, yet, if we live after the flesh, it is ftill true, we SHALL die; die the fecond Death, and be subjected to final Perdition.-But the Lamb is wORTHY and powerful to do whatever is fitting to remove this Obftacle alfo. Befides the Light given to all Ages and Nations of the World, fufficient for the Knowledge and Practice of their Duty, he received Authority to erect a new Dispensation furnished with a glorious Fund of Light and Truth, and all proper Means and Motives to deliver us from all iniquity, and to purify us unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. While he himfelf is become the High-priest of our profeffion, and, as fuch, walks in the midst of the golden Candlesticks, or Lamps, reprefenting Christian Societies, to infpect and trim them, to negociate all Affairs relating to our prefent Purity, Strength, and Comfort, and to our future Happinefs. No doubt he is the Patron of Goodness and Virtue round the Globe but WE KNOW he compaffionates our Infirmities, and are fure we shall never want Succour in any Hour of Temptation, if we defire it, and difpofe ourselves to receive it.

While we follow him, not walking after the Flesh, but after the Spirit, Sin fhall not have dominion over us; neither fhall any thing feparate us from his love, being kept by his power through faith unto falvation. Thus the grace of God which the Apoftles preached to the World, and the gift by the grace of one man, Jefus Chrift, bath abounded, Rom.v. 1 5.Thus, whereas the judgment was by ONE offence unto condemnation, the gift is of MANY, hath relation to our many offences, in order to our complete juftification, ver. 16. For being made perfect through fufferings, he became the author of eternal falvation unto all them that obey him. And the Apostle argueth, we may affure ourfelves of the Truth of all this, from this Confideration, That if the OFFENCE of one Man was attended with an univerfal Subjection to DEATH, much more fhall the Grace of God, planted upon fo noble a Ground as the OBEDIENCE of the Son of God, extend its faving Influence to every intermediate Inftance of Salvation, and at last to the Poffeffion of ETERNAL LIFE.

REFLECTIONS.

"FROM the whole you may fee how "this glorious Display of the Divine Grace "is by Jefus Chrift; by the SACRIFICE, "the DEATH, the BLOOD, i. e. the perfect "OBEDIENCE of Jefus Chrift; and how his

-

"Death

"Death is a Sacrifice and Offering for Sin of

fweet smelling Savour to God. Nothing "fmells fweet in the Noftrils of infinite "REASON and GOODNESS, but folid VIR

TUE, true GOODNESS, and upright OBE"DIENCE. Chrift's Worthiness makes Atone"ment for Sin; and his Worthiness is properly fuch. 'Tis true WORTH and real "Merit; which is abfolutely available to

procure for us many and great Benefits: "But is available to our final and eternal "Salvation only fo far as we imitate it. "And true Christianity is practifing Godliness, Sobriety, Righteousness, and Cha

rity, in the Faith and steadfast Hope of "eternal Life, which God hath given us in his Son Jefus Chrift.

"FURTHER, it is worth our while to "obferve, how both Difpenfations, the En"trance of DEATH, and the Recovery of "LIFE, are exactly calculated to promote "Virtue, and to bring us to true Perfection "and Happiness. DEATH entered through "the Difobedience of Adam, to manifeft the "pernicious Nature of Sin, and to affift So"briety and Goodness. Death is abolished, "and LIFE and Immortality granted thro' "the OBEDIENCE of Jefus Chrift, to de

monftrate, that Obedience to God, and "Conformity to the Rules of Truth and Righteousness are the only Foundation

"of

"of the divine Favour, and the only Source "of Life and Enjoyment. Behold! the ma"nifold Wifdom of God!

"HERE alfo we fee the true Grounds of "the Homage and Gratitude we owe to our "Redeemer. When, in virtue of his Wor"thiness, he took the Book in the Revela"tion, in order to open the Secrets of Di"vine Providence, Angels and Men, even "the whole rational Creation, join their "loudeft Acclamations of Praife, Dignity " and Glory to the Son of God. Worthy is "the Lamb that was flain, &c. How much "more fhould our Souls bow before him, " and our Hearts exult with Joy, when we "reflect that he hath in effect deftroy'd Death,

opened the Grave, and the Doors of the "heavenly Kingdom! Worthy is the Lamb "that was flain to receive power, and riches, "and wisdom, and strength, and glory, and bleffing.

"AND when we know it was by his "confummate Virtue and Obedience that he

was esteemed worthy to bestow all the "Means and Benefits of a compleat Sal"vation upon us, we ought to have this "Persuasion established in our Minds, that "Truth, Virtue and Obedience, Righteousness " and Goodness, are of infinite Value in "the Sight of God, and the only QualiG "fications

"fication which can give us a real Dignity and Excellence; can make us alfo worthy to receive Power, and Riches, and "Wisdom, and Strength, and Glory, and

Bleffing, according to our Measure. And, "remember well, for this End CHRIST fanctified himself, that we also might be fanctified through the Truth; that his Image "might be perfected upon our Temper " and Behaviour; and that in both we "might answer the Character of his Bre"thren.

"LASTLY, As the Grace of God ad"miniftred by Christ hath triumphed over "Sin and Death, and made the most com"pleat Provifion for our Exaltation in eter"nal Life, we are under the strongest Ob

ligations to comply with the noble Schemes "and Defigns thereof. Let us be wife thèn "to open our Understandings and Hearts "to the sweet and powerful Influences of "Divine Goodnefs, daily reading the Leffons "of his Wisdom and Love in the Scrip

tures, approaching the Throne of Grace "by fervent Prayer, and ufing the Means " he hath appointed to grow in Faith and

Hope. That in the clear Views of im"mortal Honour and Glory, we may live "above a corruptible Body, and a vain,

tranfitory World; may work all Righte"oufness in Humility and Patience, in

"Good