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dom that planned it! How fovereign, strange, and free the grace that effects it! 'Tis wonder all! Lord what is man? It had been a mercy to have faved the finful, obnoxious creature from hell; but how inconceivably high does that mercy rife, that exalts him to heaven; reftores him to the divine image and favour; and confers a crown of everlasting felicity! This complete and confummate falvation, comprehends in it, all that was neceffarily previous thereto; and which were appointed and intended, as means for the obtaining of it. Muft the finner be convinced of fin, in order to lead him to Jefus ? This is a bleffing refulting from the death and refurrection of the Son of God; "It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away the comforter will not come, but if I go I will fend him unto you, and when he is come, he shall reprove "the world of fin," &c. Hence faith our bleffed Lord, "Every man that hath heard and learn

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ed of the Father cometh unto me." John vi, 45. The whole need not a physician, but they that are fick; nor will any be perfuaded to come to Chrift, 'till quickened by his gracious fpirit, and "made willing in the day of his power." Grace in all its various operations on the foul, is included, and becomes a conftituent part in this falvation.

All the difpenfations of providence, adverfity, profperity, honour, difhonour, contempt, applaufe; with all the believer's croffes, bodily afflictions, fpiritual defertions, tides of divine and religious joys; ebbs of comfort, damps, diftrufts, and darkeft days of clouded experience, are comprehended in this great falvation; and through

through the unfearchable wisdom, and fuperabundant goodness of God, confpire to carry it on and compleat it. This comfortable truth is taught, in those words, "We know that all things work "together for good, to them that love God, to "them that are the called according to his purpose." Rom. viii, 28. This is the falvation our apoftle has an eye to in the text, faying, "If when we "were enemies, we were reconciled to God by "the death of his Son, much more being recon"ciled we shall be Javed by his life." And nothing fhort of a falvation thus compleat in all it's parts, begun, carried on, and finished, we may justly expect and look for, in confequence of the Redeemer's life; rejoicing in this, that if by his death we are saved from hell, much more by his life we shall affuredly be brought by him, and through him to heaven.

ift, By his life, below, from which we derive a twofold blefling, 1ft, By his patience and fubmiffion under the most provoking infults, and the heavieft fufferings," he hath left us an example, "that we should follow his fteps." 2d, By the exact and uniform obedience which he paid to the law of God, he hath "brought in an ever"lafting righteoufnefs." It is the latter of these bleffings, we at prefent are to confider. The apoftle tells us, "Chrift was made under the law," and therefore became fubject to all legal injun ctions, moral and ceremonial; at eight days old, he fubmitted to the painful rite of circumcifion, a bloody ordinance, and was to him a prefage of his bloody death. When about to enter on his miniftry, he applies to John for baptism, and fignifies the reasons of his procedure in those words,

"fuffer

"fuffer it to be fo now, for thus it becometh us "to fullfil all righteoufnefs." Jefus ever went up to Jerufalem, according to the custom of the Jews, at all the appointed feasts, and might be said, (perhaps more eminently than St. Paul,) as touching the righteousness of the ceremonial law to be blameless. Nor did the obedience of our bleffed Lord terminate in the observance of fhadowy rites, and temporary institutions; but with much greater propriety might thofe words be applied unto the king of faints, than the king of ifrael," I "will have refpect unto all thy commandments."

That fcripture was juftly verified in the character and conduct of our Jefus, "the law of God "is in his heart, none of his fteps fhall flide.” The blood of bullocks, goats and lambs, the Lord had no pleasure or delight in; but the facrifice of a willing and obedient heart, the Lord requires, and is well pleased with, "my fon give "me thy heart," this the Lord Jefus does, and therefore faith, I delight to do thy will, O my "God, for thy law is within my heart." Chrift's obedience was all perfect and compleat, adequate to the requirements of the perfect law, and well pleafing to the Lord; hence he is called by the prophet by way of fpecial emminency, the Lord's righteoufnefs, If. xlvi. 13, "hearken unto me

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ye ftout-hearted, that are far from righteouf"nefs, I bring near my righteousness." The law of God receives it's due honour in the confummate obedience of our Lord, and is hereby "mag"nified and made honourable," in the eyes of all that look unto it.

Our glorious redeemer was in himself far fuperior to all law; being himself the eternal and most

holy

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holy Lord, whofe effence is the very foundation and reafon of his law, and whofe uncontroulable fovereignity authorizes him to impose it upon his creatures; and being such, could poffibly be under no obligations to obey. Hence it comes to pass, that when this infinitely high-exalted being, made himself of no reputation, Phillip. ii. 7. ekenose) emptied himself of the dazzling glory, too bright for mortals to behold; and took upon him the form of a fervant, that all he did, and all he fuffered was meritorious; feeing the law could inflict no punishment on him that was infinitely remote from all fin; nor exact any performance by way of duty, from him, to whom all obedience was due. Therefore what he fuffered was as a furety for his people, to fatisfy for their fins, and what he did, was in their ftead, to give them a title to glory. And thus our Saviour is by the prophet Jeremiah, chap xxx. 21, reprefented as engaged in the moft folemn manner, going about to execute the purposes of his love. Who is this that engaged

his heart to approach unto me faith the "Lord;" that as the meffenger of the covenant, he may propound the terms of reconciliation and acceptance for his brethren. This is that which a man shall swear, furely in the Lord have I righteoufness and strength, and the whole multitude of the redeemed as they return to Sion with finging, fhall make this the burden of their fong, the Lord our righteoufness.

2dly. The certainty of falvation is infured to those that are reconciled by his death, by his life above. And the bond of the believers infurance runs thus, because I live, ye shall live also. John xiv. 19. That his followers might have no doubts

of

of the certainty of their falvation, full, and final by him, he fhewed himself to them after his resurrection, at various times and in divers manners, and fignified their fafety in him in fuch words as thefe, all power is given unto me, in heaven, and in earth, Matt. xxviii. 18. of whom then should ye be afraid? Though an host of men, and legions of devils fhould affault you, it must be by my permiffion they can touch you. This comfortable confirmation of the believers faith and hope we find, Rev. i. 18. "I am he that liveth and was "dead, and behold I am alive for evermore, and "have the keys of hell and death." Therefore has the redeemer opened the kingdom to all believers, and none can shut the gates against them. Jefus the great high-priest of our profeffion, is entered in for us into the holy place, to appear in the prefence of God, not by the blood of others, entered he into the holy of holies, but by his own moft precious blood, having thereby confecrated a new and living way. And, having fuch a great high priest, that is paffed into the heavens, Jefus the fon of God, we are exhorted, and encouraged, to come with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need, Heb. iv. 14. 16. And are affured of falvation by him to the uttermoft, feeing fays the apostle, he ever liveth to make interceffion for us, chap. vii. 25. Thus by the obedient and meritorious life of Jefus the mediator, below, a rightful claim and title to everlasting felicity is fecured unto the believer; and by the power and prevalency of his interceffion above, that grace is imparted, and all thofe fuccours granted, that are neceffary to bring him to the poffeffion and enjoyment there

of.

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