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is knocked from under you, by Conversation with fome Perfons of a fuperior Reputation for Reli 'gion, who affure you, that St. Paul is there giving the Character of an unconverted Perfon, under a Conflict between his Corruptions and the Alarms of an awakened Confcience; and that all thofe Places of Scripture are to be interpreted in the fame Manner, which represent the like Con'flict in the Soul.'- Upon which you defire my

Sentiments.

What strange Efforts are of late made against evangelical, vital and experimental Piety! How inconfiftent are the Methods ufed by those who are fo earnestly labouring in this Undertaking? Is it not enough to put Mankind into a dangerous Security, by flattering them with a Profpect of Safety, without any Experience of a Work of Grace in their Hearts, but they muft alfo torment and difquiet the Minds of those who have been favoured with thofe bleffed Experiences, by perfuading them, that remaining difallowed Corruptions and Imperfections are inconfiftent with a State of Grace, and with the Favour of God !—What do these Men mean? Have they no feeling Perception, no affecting Senfe 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 Refidence in their Hearts, and to maintain no Conflict or Struggle with them?

But it is my Business to answer your Demand, and to endeavour to convince you, that the Apostle in the feventh Chapter to the Romans, is defcribing the Conflict, which every true Chriftian experiences while he walks with God, and lives near to him.

In order to a fair and clear Decifion, it will be proper to take fome (very brief) Notice of the general Scope and Defign of this Epiftle, in the firft Seven Chapters.-This feems to be fummarily

propofed

propofed in the firft Chapter, ver. 17. Therein is the Righteoufness of God revealed from Faith to Faith, as it is written, The Juft fhall live by Faith. That is, we are juftified before God, only by the Righteoufnefs of Chrift received by Faith.

We

continue in a juftified State, by the renewed Exercife of Faith; and the whole Life of a juftified Perfon is a Life of Faith in the Son of God, as well as his whole Hope of eternal Life is through Faith in Chrift. This Doctrine is proved, by a Representation of the atrocious Impiety and Wickedness of the whole Gentile World; that even they who make the highest Pretences to Innocence, and who judge and cenfure others for fuch horrid Impieties, as are commonly practifed among them, are all inexcufeable and felf-condemned, on Account of the Wickedness perpetrated and indulged by themfelves; being all of them fuch Violators of the Law and Light of Nature, as will leave them without Excufe in the Day when God fhall judge the Secrets of Men by Jefus Chrift.This is plainly the Apostle's Argument, from the 18th Verse of the firft Chapter to the 17th Verfe of the Second Chapter. Whence it follows, that the Gentile World cannot poffibly have any Claim to Fuftification by their own perfonal Obedience; nor any other Way, but by the Righteousness of Chrift received by Faith.

The Apostle next proceeds to fhew, that the Few has no better Plea to make for his Acceptance with God, on Account of his own perfonal Righteousness than the Gentile, though he refts in the Law, and makes his Boaft of God, knows his Will, and approves the Things that are most excellent. For he alfo, in his highest natural Attainments, breaks the Law, difhonours GOD, and at the best performs but an external Obedience, and reaches

not

not to the Spirituality which the Law requires.The few has indeed much every Way the Advantage, in Point of external Privilege; but in Point of juftifying Righteousness he cannot be faid to be better than the Gentiles; no, in no wise!This is the Argument from the 17th Verse of the fecond, to the 9th Verfe of the third Chapter: In which Verfe and those following, the Apostle fums up the Argument, in thefe remarkable Words, which fully juftify my Interpretation of his Scope and Defign: For we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under Sin; as it is written, there is none righteous, no not one, &c. That every Mouth may be stopped, and all the World may become guilty before God.From thefe Premifes, he draws this Conclufion in the 20th Verfe of the third Chapter, &c. Therefore by the Deeds of the Law fhall no Flesh living be justified in his Sight. For by the Law is the Knowledge of Sin. But now the Righteoufnefs of God, without the Law, is manifefted, being witneffed by the Law and the Prophets, even the Righteousness of God, which is by Faith of Jefus Chrift unto all, and upon all them that believe, for there is no Difference. Being juftified freely by his Grace, through the Redemption that is in Chrift Fefus.Therefore we conclude, that a Man is juftified by Faith, without the Deeds of the Law.Which was the Point to be proved.

But here may arife a Question: What Law is it that the Apostle excludes from having any Hand in our Juftification? To which it is anfwered: All the Law, that was obligatory both upon Jews and Gentiles; for they were both obnoxious to Wrath, by their Violation of the refpective Laws they were under; had all finned, and come fhort of the Glory of God.-And God deals with them all alike. He will justify them all by their Faith in Jefus Chrift,

Chrift, and no otherwife; and thereby fhew, that be is not the God of the Jews only, but of the Gentiles alfo.

Having thus concluded his firft Argument, and proved from the Guilt and Impotence both of Jew and Gentile, that no Man can be juftified by the Law of Nature, by the Law which was given to the Jews, nor any other Way but by the Righteoufnefs of God, which is by Faith of Jefus Chri.The Apostle proceeds to prove the fame Thing from ABRAHAM's Faith being imputed to him for Righteousness; and from DAVID's defcribing the Bleedness of the Man to whom God imputeth Righteoufnefs without Works, throughout the fourth Chapter.

He then begins the fifth Chapter, by defcribing the glorious Privileges of thofe, who are thus juftified by Faith, and ends it by fhewing in what Manner we partake of the Righteousness of Chrift for our Juftification: That it is in the fame Manner, as we are Partakers of the Sin and Guilt of Adam, to our Condemnation.-As Adam's Sin was imputed to all whom he reprefented, unto their Condemnation, fo the Righteoufnefs of Chrift is imputed to all whom he represented, and who believe in him, unto Juftification of Life. As by one Man's Difobedience many were made Sinners, fo by the Obedience of one, many fhall be made Righ

teous.

After a folemn Caution unto all, not to turn the Grace of God into Wantonness, and not to continue in Sin, that Grace may abound; and after enforcing this Caution from the Obligation we are under by our Baptifm to die unto Sin, and walk in Newness of Life, as Chrift died for us, and rose again from the dead, (as in the first Part of the fixth Chapter) the Apostle goes on to fhew (in the O 2

latter

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latter Part of that Chapter) what was the privi ledged happy State of these Romans, to whom he wrote: That Sin had not Dominion over them for they were not under the Law, but under Gracet That they were made free from Sin, and were be come the Servants of Righteoufness. And then throughout the whole feventh Chapter, and the Be ginning of the eighth, he illuftrates this Matter, and fhews in what Refpect they are not under the Law, and how, or in what Respects, they are made free from Sin.

This, Sir, appears plainly to be the Scope and Connection of the first feven Chapters of the Epistle 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 maintain.

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

The firft Thing confidered by the Apostle in this Chapter is, in what Respects thefe believing Romans were under Grace, and not under the Law.--But, previous to a direct Attendance to this, it will be neceflary to remove a Stumbling-block out of the Way, by confidering again, what Law it is that the Apostle refers to, when he declares thefe 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 fpeak of the Ceremonial Law, or of the Moral Law, or of both ?

To

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