condemned accordingly. And Lastly. That this trial, and consequent sentence, will be according to that law, or dispensation, under which every man lived, in his state of probation. The heathens, who have not the written law, as we have, will be judged by the law of nature. But we, who live under the gospel dispensation, must be judged, by the revealed will of God, in the scriptures. For the sake of brevity, I pass over several of the particulars, contained in the text, and only treat of the two last, which concern the trial and decisive sentence of the judge. As we have no business with the heathens, I shall leave them in the hands of God, and proceed to speak of the trial of those, who live under the gospel dispensation.—And what law is it, by which they will be tried; and on what will the sentence of life or death then turn?

In order to illustrate this matter, we shall observe, that before man fell, God gave him a law suitable to the perfection of his nature. And when we fell and turned from God, and corrupted our nature; as we did not cease to be his creatures, nor he to be our Lord and Master, so God did not destroy his own law, nor discharge us from our obligation to obey the law, as

perfectly as ever. But seeing, after the law was broken, we stood condemned by it, and could not possibly be justified by it, because we had already transgressed it; God was pleased, of his infinite goodness and mercy, to make a knew Covenant, or Law of Grace, in which a remedy was provided, whereby we might be saved from the curse and threatened punishment of the old Covenant, or Law of Works.-We shall therefore be tried, at the bar of God, upon both these Laws; but ultimately and more particularly on the Law of Grace.

The Law of Works demanded perfect obedience, and threatened death for the least failure, or disobedience. But the Law of Grace finding us under guilt and condemnation, for the breach of the Law of Works, enjoins us to repent and believe in Christ, the surety of the new Covenant, and promises to pardon all our sins, upon the condition of repentance and faith, and also to give us a title to heaven, And if we persevere in faith and new, sincere obedience, which is the fruit of faith, we shall be put in possession of eternal life and glory. So that in the judgment, though it will be first evinced that we are sinners, and have deserved death, by the Law of Works,

yet

the trial will not end here. For as another remedying law has been provided, the next inquiry will be, whether we have accepted of that remedy and complied with the conditions of that law, on which pardon and salvation were offered. And on this inquiry our life or death will then depend. This will be the turning point. The wicked and impenitent will, indeed, stand condemned, by both these laws. But it is only by the Law of Grace, that the holy believer will then be justified and adjudged to immortal life and glory.

To illustrate this matter, as clearly as I am able, I shall point out the cause to be inquired into, and to be decided at that great day and also shew what accusations will be brought in, against mankind; and what defences may be made against the ac

cusations.

Suppose we then, that the judgement is now set, the books are opened, and all mankind are standing at the bar. The trial is begun, and the first indictment or accusation is read, in the hearing of the prisoners at the tribunal. And this is the substance of the accusation:" That they had all sinned, and had broken that holy and just law of God, which requires perfect obedience, on pain of death." And there

fore, for the breach of that law, the prisoners deserved to die according to its righteous sentence: "Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things written in the law. The soul that sinneth shall die." -Here is the accusation, founded on the Law of Works. Now if no defence can be made, this one accusation will cast and condemn the whole human race. For all have sinned, and every mouth is stopped, and -the whole world stands guilty before God. How then are the prisoners to escape ? What plea can they offer?-What defence can they make?-Why, they are all obliged to plead guilty to this, and confess that the charge is just. And then they may put in this plea, namely-" That the Lord Jesus Christ, hath substituted himself in the place of fallen mankind, and has made satisfaction, by tasting death for every man, and bringing in an everlasting righteousness, equal to all the demands of the law-that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them:-that Jesus Christ has borne all their sins, in his own body, -on the cross. And seeing he did and suffered all this as a surety for them, or in their stead, therefore they ought not to die.". The substance of this plea will not be con

tested, on the part of the accuser. But then, it may and will be observed, "That though the Lord Jesus has done all this; yet according to the tenor of that Covenant, or Law of Grace, made in consequence of the mediation of Christ, none were to receive pardon and the other benefits of the Redeemer's death and passion, but only such as would comply with certain conditi-ons, on which the blessings and benefits thereof were suspended. Which conditions were repentance, faith, and a return to God through Christ, and a sincere and -persevering obedience to the gospel, in time.

to come."

Here then, we see there is room for the bringing in another accusation, and a very weighty one it is, founded on the Law of Grace. It may now be alleged, by the Accuser, "That they did not perform the conditions, on which the blessings of the new Covenant were offered and promised: that they lived in unbelief, impenitence and rebellion against God: and therefore have no right to claim a pardon, or exemption from punishment. So far from it, that by the sentence of the gospel, they are expos-ed to greater damnation. For this is the condemnation that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than