Sentiments.

ritien are justi wes of Che juftifie and Life of Fa le Hope o -This Do of the atro wole Gentile highest Pre cenfure o

Excufe in

What strange Efforts are of late made against evangelical, vital and experimental Piety! How in confiftent are the Methods used by those who are so earnestly labouring in this Undertaking? Is it not enough to put Mankind into a dangerous Se-ammonly curity, by flattering them with a Prospect of Safe-ale and fe ty, without any Experience of a Work of Grace dnes per in their Hearts, but they must also torment and Sting all disquiet the Minds of those who have been favour-Light ed with those blessed Experiences, by perfuading them, that remaining disallowed Corruptions and Imperfections are inconfiftent with a State of Grace, and with the Favour of God! What do these Men mean? Have they feeling Perception, no affecting Sense of the Imperfections of their Hearts and Lives? Or do they make it their Practice, and esteem it their Duty, to give their Corruptions a quiet Residence in their Hearts, and to maintain no Conflict or Struggle with them ?

no

But it is my Business to answer your Demand, and to endeavour to convince you, that the Apostle

in the seventh Chapter to the Romans, is defcribing in the fact, which every true Chriftian experiences

while he walks with God, and lives near to him.

Men by de's Arg apter to th ence th polibly h own perfo

it

but by th

Apoftle das no be efs than and ma Cod, on alfo,

In order to a fair and clear Decifion, it will be proper to take some (very brief) Notice of thes the L

posed in the first Chapter, ver. 17. Therein is Righteousness of God revealed from Faith to th, as it is written, The Just shall live by Faith. at is, we are justified before God, only by the Inteousness of Christ received by Faith. We tinue in a justified State, by the renewed Exfe of Faith; and the whole Life of a justified Con is a Life of Faith in the Son of God, as well is whole Hope of eternal Life is through Faith Christ. This Doctrine is proved, by a Repreation of the atrocious Impiety and Wickedness The whole Gentile World; that even they who Ke the highest Pretences to Innocence, and who ge and cenfure others for fuch horrid Impieties, are commonly practifed among them, are all Excuseable and self-condemned, on Account of -Wickedness perpetrated and indulged by themwes; being all of them fuch Violators of the wand Light of Nature, as will leave them thout Excuse in the Day when God shall judge the crets of Men by Jesus Christ. This is plainly Apostle's Argument, from the 18th Verse of the Chapter to the 17th Verse of the Second Chap

Whence it follows, that the Gentile World nnot possibly have any Claim to Justification by eir own personal Obedience; nor any other Jay, but by the Righteousness of Christ received Faith.

The Apostle next proceeds to shew, that the Few has no better Plea to make for his Acceptance with God, on Account of his own personal RighRousness than the Gentile, though he rests in the Law, and makes his Boast of God, knows his Will, and approves the Things that are most excellent. For be also, in his highest natural Attainments, Freaks the Law, dishonours God, and at the best Performs but an external Obedience, and reaches

are

the

the Guilt

that no tre, by

nor any

the proceed RAHAM'S F

not to the Spirituality which the Law requires The Jew has indeed much every Way the Advan tage, in Point of external Privilege; but in Point of justifying Righteousness he cannot be said to be better than the Gentiles; no, in no wife! This is the Argument from the 17th Verse of the second, to the 9th Verfe of the third Chapter: In which Verse and those following, the Apostle sums up the Argument, in these remarkable Words, which fully justify my Interpretation of his Scope and Design: For we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they all under Sin; as it is and written, there is none righteous, no not one, &c. of the That every Mouth may be stopped, and all the World witho may become guilty before God. From these Premises, he draws this Conclusion in the 20th Verse begins of the third Chapter, &c. Therefore by the Deeds Pricile of the Law shall no Flesh living be justified in his faith, an Sight. For by the Law is the Knowledge of Sin. But now the Righteousness of God, without the Law, is manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the Righteousness of God, which is by Faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that believe, for there is no Difference. Being t justified freely by his Grace, through the Redemphim

is in

we

conclude,

tion that
Christ Jesus. Therefore
that a Man is justified by Faith, without the Deeds
of the Law. Which was the Point to be proved.
But here may arise a Question: What Law is it
that the Apostle excludes from having any Hand in
our Justification? To which it is answered: All
the Law, that was obligatory both upon Jews and
Gentiles; for they were both obnoxious to Wrath,
by their Violation of the respective Laws they
were under; had all finned, and come short of the
Glory of God.-And God deals with them all alike.

we partak fificatic

We are F

10 Our pated to emnat

's Dif

te Obedie

After a fole of Go

Sin,

this

by o

mess

rift, and no otherwise; and thereby shew, that is not the God of the Jews only, but of the Gens also.

Having thus concluded his first Argument, and ved from the Guilt and Impotence both of Jew Gentile, that no Man can be justified by the w of Nature, by the Law which was given to Jews, nor any other Way but by the Righteness of God, which is by Faith of Jesus Chrit.— e Apostle proceeds to prove the fame Thing M ABRAHAM'S Faith being imputed to him for bteousness; and from DAVID's defcribing the Jedness of the Man to whom God imputeth ghteousness without Works, throughout the fourth apter.

He then begins the fifth Chapter, by defcribing glorious Privileges of those, who are thus jufied by Faith, and ends it by shewing in what Janner we partake of the Righteousness of Christ or our Justification: That it is in the fame Maner, as we are Partakers of the Sin and Guilt of Adam, to our Condemnation.-As Adam's Sin was imputed to all whom he represented, unto Their Condemnation, so the Righteousness of Chrift s imputed to all whom he represented, and who believe in him, unto Fuftification of Life. As by ne Man's Disobedience many were made Sinners, Jo by the Obedience of one, many shall be made Righ

teous.

latter Part of that Chapter) what was the privier: Th ledged happy State of these Romans, to whom hetime Serie wrote: That Sin had not Dominion over them; mt of Sign for they were not under the Law, but under Graces this Epille. That they were made free from Sin, and were bepile (as I come the Servants of Righteousness. And then and Genti throughout the whole seventh Chapter, and the Beliefs of Ce ginning of the eighth, he illuftrates this Matter, their own and shews in what Respect they are not under they are under Law, and how, or in what Respects, they are made us free from Sin.

that Lav

their Hear

in, beafting

This, Sir, appears plainly to be the Scope and Connection of the first seven Chapters of the E-11-It is pistle to the Romans, as may be easily observ'd by any one that will impartially look into the Cafe, without Prejudice in Favour of a Party, or a preconceived Opinion, which he is refolved to main-mat which tain.

Jews an

which

of God

15.-A

ay Mouth alty befor here m Word, in

And thus I am come to a more particular Con fideration of this seventh Chapter; which (as was observ'd) is designed to clear up these two Things: How we are made free from the Law, and, How we are made free from Sin, and become the Servants of Righteousness.

aner of Mankinu

dent, t afpec ppears. because believin id by, thefe

The first Thing confidered by the Apostle in this Chapter is, in what Respects these believing Romans were under Grace, and not under the Law. But, previous to a direct Attendance to this, it will be necessary to remove a Stumbling-block out of the Way, by confidering again, what Law it is that the Apostle refers to, when he declares these Romans not to be under the Law, but under Grace; to be dead to the Law; and to be delivered from the Law, that being dead wherein they were held. Does he herein speak of the Ceremonial Law, or of the Mo-cal

molt

expre

13. a

ral Law, or of both ?

con

To