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World; thy Sin is found out for thee. Thou mayft fee in this Glafs wherein thou comeft Short of the Glory of GoDof glorifying GoD by a profound Submiffion to his Will, which is his Glory in, and from Man; - and what is the true Caufe of every other finful Exorbitance in thee.

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AND therefore I cannot but think, that the Author has judiciously fingled out this capital Inftance of Man's Corruption, an ufurping Will, broken off from Gob, to draw our Thoughts as it were to a Point, and ftrike Conviction into the Soul; as well as juftly reprefented the Guilt, and fatal Confequences of it. If the Charge is falfe, we have comparatively no Sin; the Love and Practice of every Virtue being implied in the contrary Difpofition. But if it is true, and we are not in Subjection to the Father of Spirits, adoring his Nature and Will, pleafed with his Commands, and refigned to his Providences, the Word of Truth has but one Call for us, Repent and be converted. Whatever we pretend, or however we may appear outwardly to Men, fo long as there is this Root of a fecret Enmity against GOD in the Heart, an alienated, felf-pleafing, oppofing Will, we dishonor him in the whole Courfe of our Lives, and the whole State of our Beings; we can have no Communion with him here, nor Enjoyment of him hereafter.

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THE peculiar Doctrines of the Gofpel are eafily connected with, and follow close upon this Discovery. Guilt incurred, Punishment due, and infinite Juftice demanding it, what fhall ward off the Blow? Repentance, and Return to GOD:-So unbelieving Man fays; making a Merit of it; fuppofing that he has the Power to repent and return, in and of himself, and that whenever he does, GoD must receive him to Favor. But these are dangerous Suppofitions to truft to for Eternity; and utterly infufficient to relieve the Confcience, laboring under a Senfe of Guilt, and looking out every Way for fome better ground of Hope. I will venture to fay, it is hardly poffible for the convinced, awaken ed Soul to truft to them; and I fear those who do have another fecret Suppofition in reserve, which is, that Sin is not of fo deadly a Nature, nor fo odious to God, as it must be upon the Chriftian Scheme. A real Belief of the Guilt and Danger of it, will neceffarily be attended with alarming Appre henfions of the Defectiveness of Repentance, of its Infufficiency at the best for Satisfaction, and of our Impotence to Good in the future Courfe of our Lives. And this Senfe will difpofe, if not force us to receive the much wanted, friendly Aid of Revelation; and to form our Conduct upon the Notion of a SCRIPTURE-GOD, inftead of one of our own making. For notwithstanding the

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boafted Perfection of human Reason, and our conceited, arrogant Pretences to fupernatural Knowledge, GoD will always be unknown, as to his Counfels, Ways, and Actings, if he does not reveal himself. The Defcription given of him, (Exod. xxxiv. 6,7.) as forgiving Iniquity, Transgreffon and Sin, and yet by no means clearing the Guilty, exceeds all the Understanding of the natural Man; and would still have been a Mystery, if CHRIST had not explained it, by bearing our Sins in his own Body, reconciling us to God by his Death, bringing in a perfect Righteousness for us, enabling us by his Spirit to fubdue the Power of Sin in ourfelves, and completing our Redemption by making us new Creatures, fit for Heaven.

THESE great Points are clearly opened, and pathetically enforced in the following Difcourfes; which we doubt not will be generally confidered as the Refult of Experience, anfwerable to their Title, and a fair Draught of The CHRISTIAN. And if the Author fhould be remarked by any as one of the Over-doers, hurting the Cause he would ferve; let him be entitled to no Apology, if he has gone beyond the Rule of Scripture: Which indeed prescribes an amazing Height of Purity for fuch a weak, and finful Creature as Man; but is nevertheless neceffary to be propofed to him in its full Extent, to convince him of his Sin, bring him to CHRIST,

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direct him in his Aims, prove his Sincerity, and quicken his Endeavours. And to fpeak only of an abfolute Submiffion to the Will of God, who will prefume to affirm that lefs is required of us? It would be an ill Office in a Christian Divine, to tell Men exactly where they may ftop without Hazard; and he would have but little Thanks for his Pains, from zealous Perfons, endued from Above with a true fpiritual Tafte, whofe State is progreffive, and their Hearts bent upon continual Advancement in Holiness: Which is what his Defcription of the new Creature implies; and not that none can be faved who come fhort of it, provided they are going on to Perfection, and trust not in themselves, but in the Lord JESUS CHRIST. LIT must be confeffed, he is fomewhat plain, does not palliate Matters, bears hard upon the Old Man, and ftrips him of all his Difguifes. And therefore, it may be fupposed that fome, who have been used to prop themselves with the falfe Divinity of their Moral Character, and a decent Conformity to the external Parts of Religion, will be offended. This he knew very well, and that his hardeft. Work would be with Those who will let Religion do any thing with them but change their Hearts, and alter the earthly Bent of their Affections. And that there are fuch at all Times in Chriftian Countries, Pretenders to Godliness, but in

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the main Opposers of the Reality of it, and the bittereft Enemies of all others to those who would lead them into that Depth and Mystery of Iniquity, their own Heart, is not to be denied. But whoever thou art, Sinner, or Formalift, be fo just to thyself, and to thy eternal Intereft in the Savior, as to read what is here offered thee without Prejudice, if not with Good-will, to one whom thou muft acquit in thy Conscience of any Design but Good-will towards thee. And if the Formalift, especially, should be disgusted at the home Expoftulations upon his Cafe, and more inclined to reject them with Difdain, than to take Occafion from them to enter upon an impartial Examina tion of himself, let him be affured, that he has juft Cause to fufpect that all is not found with him at the Bottom.

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AND let all watchful improving Chrif tians, who know their Want of Deliverance, their Disability in their natural State, and want of Merit in their best, CHRIST'S Power and Will to fave them to the utmost in all Refpects, their Willingness to be faved by him, faithful Adherence to him, and faithful Co-operation with the Spirit of Holinefs for a renewed Will, and a fanctified Heart, choofing God for its Portion, and feeking his Kingdom and Righteousness in the first Place; let them, I fay, blefs God for the Light and Spirit of the Author; and pray

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