us, by his acceptance of him, his acceptance of us, by his eternal life, and glory, our eternal life and glory and all this, without once considering the work of our own hands, or the desires, yearnings, or meditations of our hearts. But passing from ourselves unto Jesus, we are wholly found in him, not having our own righteousness, &c. Unto all who know themselves, this is certainly a life-giving word, the word that bringeth salvation; nor can any thing but that self-righteous principle, which is abhorred and detested of God, withstand it; and that letteth, and will let, until it be taken away, which the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and the brightness of his coming. But, unto all the Gentiles, the outcast, the destitute, the sinners amongst mankind; with all who know themselves, and groan beneath the miserics of man; here are tidings of great joy there is a Saviour born unto you, a Saviour who is Christ the Lord; and what is more, though you are worthless, he is worthy; though you are lost, he is found: though you are unrighteous, unholy, unwise, yet he is righteous, holy, wise: and withal, so nearly related, so closely united unto you, that you may reckon yourselves to be what he is, and viewing him as yourselves through all he did and suffered, have your conscience purged from dead works; stand washed, and acquitted in his bloody death, and have the answer of a good conscience towards God, by his resurrection.

predictions, and prophecies of the Jews, the truth of wisdom, righteousness, holiness, re demption, and salvation unto the Gentiles, is what the gospel declares; affirming, illus. trating, arguing, persuading, until the arm of the Lord is revealed, and the report believed. Thus faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Hence, I would cry unto the ends of the earth, your warfare is accomplished, your iniquity is pardoned. You, who are lovers of pleasure, pursuing the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, as the highest, chiefest good. Wherefore will you spend your money for that which is nought, and your labour for that which satisfieth not? Wherefore will you thirst after vanity, and attempt filling your belly with the east wind? The Lord, your God, hath given you a land flowing with milk and honey, beauty, honours, riches, length of days. wisdom, strength, perfection of righteousness, holiness and liberty unlimited, all divine, all eternal, all heavenly glorious, are yours in Jesus, whose riches are unsearchable. Hence, he calls all the ends of the earth to look unto him, let those glorious prospects of grace and salvation, the bounty, and benevolence of God to men, render the fashion of this world, old and unseemly in your eyes, until it pass away, and you be found looking at the King in his glory, and the land which once was very far off; but is now brought nigh by the blood of Jesus. This when seen, shall sicken your ear to every sound, your eye to Moreover, in the grace of union the founda- every object, and your heart to every enjoy. tions are raised, and a glorious truth present-ment, wherein the voice of Jesus's blood, the ed unto our view; which as it is perfect, and permanent, before our believing, so is it, if at any time we should be overtaken with unbelief and doubtfulness. This is that which at first authorizes, excites and encourages us to credit the gospel report. This is that, which strengthens in us what is often ready to die. This is that which raises us when fallen, which brings us back when we have wandered, and affords strong consolation, unto all who have fled unto Jesus for refuge; hence if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, &c. Whilst he wears the character of righteous, we shall be accepted of God, and glorious in his sight; and that is everlastingly, for Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for-ever. The gospel is here a relation of facts, and of who Jesus is, what he hath done, and that he hath loved us, hath saved us; hath washed, forgiven, and accepted us; the divine beauty and reasonableness of which, appears in the grace of union. This grace doth not require us, sophistically and unnaturally, to make that a truth by believing, which was not a truth before; but first proposes Jesus, as the truth, the grand original truth, before all things, and by whom all things consist. The ocean whence the rivers of grace and providence first had their rise, and whither, (after having run through the intricasies of time) they tend again, discharging and emptying themselves of all their floods, into the bosom of that mighty deep whence they first received them that his might be the kingdom, power, and glory. That he is the truth of all the types,

:

beauties of his person, the riches, and greatness of his salvation, are not made manifest; and shall learn you to separate between the precious and the vile.

You, who with Esau, have been seeking repentance with tears, and that for a long season, but have not yet found it unto you I also call, and ask you why will you die? Consider the apostle and high-priest of your profession, Jesus Christ; let his strong crying and tears, his tears of blood, yea, rivulets wept from every wound, and perspiring pore, let his agonies, pains, and unknown sorrows, and all for the transgressions of the people, be well considered: for he is exalted a prince, and a Saviour, and gives you this repentance; why will you yet cry, bless me, even me also, O my Father; he hath blessed you in Christ, with all spiritual blessings; whilst all those grievances which you labour under, by looking unto yourselves, and judging according to appearances, are redressed in him: why then will you die for lack of righteousness, whilst he is your righteousness and strength? why will you faint under the sense of your unholy dispositions, whilst he is your holiness? why will you groan in the bondage of nature, while he is your liberty! O! why will you perish, for want of what you have? of what is eternally yours, by the gift of God by the grace of union, by the love, and integrity of your head, high-priest, and Mediator, Jesus; who is faithful in things pertaining unto God, and man? He is found of such who seek him not, and reveals himself unto them who have not asked after him; whilst you

UNION.

all the complaints and objections of the bro-
ken and despairing spirit, and bring back to
the Saviour, that which was driven away?
surely it does; thus, from the grace of union,
which renders Jesus such an high priest as
becometh us, we obtain favour, and find grace
to help us in every time of need. Salvation,
and perfection in Jesus Christ our Lord, by
first authorises, encourages, and influences
to believe: and that which preserves us spot-
less and acceptable unto God, when we fail
to believe, and credit his testimony; and in-
finitely above all other considerations, hath a
tendency to raise us in our hope and confidence
towards God; and to preserve us from des-
peration. It is therefore unjust and unnatural,
to charge this doctrine with having a tenden-
cy to indulge people in unbelief. Consider-
ing the condition of man, and the testimony
of Jesus, I would challenge all the masters
of Israel, to produce a system, more power-
fully tending to reconcile man unto God: and
to raise the doubtful soul unto confidence in
him: let all such, who (through the experi-
ence of human weakness, or the power of
temptation) are fallen from the faith of the son
of God and sunk to the hell of their senses, con-
sider this matter; and renew their strength
as eagles.

who have been mourners all your days, frequenting his ordinances, and seeking him in all appointed means, are yet strangers unto, and neglecters of the great salvation: wherefore? because you seek it as it were by the works of the law, you seek to establish what God hath rejected; and are always rejecting what God hath chosen: therefore saith the apostle, "We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye recon-union with him, is that glorious truth; which ciled unto God;" be ye reconciled unto his grace, unto the riches, and salvation thereof, unto the method and manner of its working, and appearance; "for he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." And this he hath already done for us, and to be reconciled unto this, is to be happy. Thus Jacob is grace, and Esau is works, the one obtaining what he had not expected, nor sought after: whilst the other, who sought it carefully with tears, obtained it not. Yea, and where there hath been a drawing back, a falling away from the truth as it is in Jesus, until sunk in misery and darkness, until having nothing left them to look at but themselves, they are affrighted, and at their wits end: unto them would I call, and exhort them not to sorrow as men without hope; because Jesus is alive, and liveth for evermore. Your God, and Father is not disappointed in you; you have not deceived him: he never expected any thing from you, more or less, than what he hath found. The satisfaction which he had in you at first, was beholding you as the travail of his soul, and as such, he beho'ds you still. Your unbelief cannot make his grace of none effect, and though you have denied him, yet he cannot deny himself. That which was a truth before you believed, at the first, viz. Christ being your "wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption," i. a truth now, even when you have ceased to believe: insomuch, that in every time of need, though you have sadly departed from him, you have the same foundation, authority and encouragement to believe and be assured as you had at the first. It is the scripture testimony of Jesus, what he is, and what he hath done and suffered, that is the ground of our confidence; and not the reflexion that we repent, believe, or obey; and it is most certain that this ground remaineth, that this foundation is unshaken, for "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to-day and for ever;" and that our unbelief, or any change passing over us, as in ourselves, cannot alter him who is unchangeable, and always righteous and accepted. In him we are always as he is, according to which similitude God always beholds us, and accepts us; therefore, our change of frame or disposition, cannot change his views of us; for, as he only beholds us in Jesus, he can always say that he "beholds no iniquity in Jacob, nor perverseness in Israel, the Lord his God is always with him, and the shout of a king is among them." O! glorious grace! O triumphant love! let him who is fallen from hence, say, rejoice not against me, O mine enemy, for though I fall, I shall yet arise. Doth not this testimony quicken unto faith and confidence in Jesus? Doth it not obviate, and silence

Furthermore, from the grace of union, we are taught to consider Jesus as the hero of the Scriptures. All the members bring their tribute unto him, as the exalted head. If what I have already aimed at proving, is true; that primarily as the head of his body the church, all the promises were made unto him, all the threatenings fall upon him, &c. then by him we inherit, by him we have atoned: we claim no good out of him, nor will we acknowledge the evil, for as much as in him we have been purged. All the beauteous characters in the Scriptures are his, and are only typical in the persons unto whom they are given in the letter; which is abundantly evident, from the contrast appearing in every one of them; they being all guilty of vices, diametrically opposite to the virtues for which they are famous; righteous Noah and Lot,. both charged with drunkenness, and one with horrid incest. Faithful Abraham with dis-. trust, meanness of spirit, lying, or equivocating, as in the case of Sarah. Meek Moses with unwarrantable passion, unadvised speech, and such swellings at the waters of strife, as barred his entrance into the promised land. It charges holy David, the man after God's own heart, with such weaknesses and crimes, as are by no means consistent with holiness; but were a glaring proof of his heart being very unlike the heart of God.. And Solomon so famous for wisdom, had his dark side; how great were his follies: and whilst much might be said for his wisdom, how many instances might be given of the most stupid and God-provoking foolishness in him. Job also admired for his patience, gave the most pregnant proofs of impatience and peevishness. It will be natural to inquire from hence, why the Scriptures which give those men the most beautiful and amiable characters; as righteous, faithful,

meek, holy, wise, and patient, should at the whole be fulfilled. But having spoken of this same time present us with a contrast in each matter before, I refer you unto it: and shal of them drawn in such strong colours, that only observe here, the arrogance and improthe most palpable contradiction appears?priety, of assuming the character of righteous, The answer is easy, let God be true, and eve-meek, faithful, holy, &c. according to the ry man a liar. Those men, were all types works of our own hands or habits of the of Jesus, their characters figurative of his heart: This is flying in the face of God, and therefore divine wisdom thought proper, not giving the lie to the divine perfections as reonly to stain their glory, by suffering such vealed in the law; yea, it is in fact a denyblemishes in their spirit and conduct, as gaveing our only Lord God, and Jesus Christ: for the lie unto their virtues, but also to record the unto what purpose is he made wisdom, right, same; that at best they might appear buteousness, sanctification, and redemption? is mere shadows, reserving the substance for it not that whosoever glorieth, should glory in Jesus. Therefore who so reading the char- the Lord! But, when persons assume those acters of those men, are not taught to look characters from the consideration of what they beyond them, unto the blessed Jesus, have are in part, as in themselves; they glory in yet read the Scriptures to little purpose; hav-themselves, and not in the Lord. This is ing not yet known them, nor the power of that Antichrist of whom we were told that he God. Neither the prophets, nor apostles, should come, yea, who was so early in the wrote with the view that such who venerate world as the days of the apostles; and pretheir writings, should have their persons in vails so mightily in the Christian world at admiration; neither theirs, whose character present, that the generality of Christians unthey drew, as eminent, and famous, in the der his influence, are upon a level in faith Church of God. But, the spirit which moved and doctrine, with the Jews: or but very faintthem designed through the whole, the honour, | ly distinguished from them: The Jew mainand glory of Jesus Christ: that passing on tains the necessity of inward and outward from every man we might attain to the admi-holiness in every man, and looks for the ration of the person, and excellencies of Je-Christ to come: The Christian, especially sus, as the only righteous, the only faithful, the reformed, with superior ardour, and, rethe only meek, wise, holy, and patient, until all with an unwavering tongue shall cry, thou art altogether lovely, worthy is the lamb, of the kingdom and glory. But, lest any who are used to please themselves with mankind, having men's persons in admiration, should think we deal hardly with the saints of old, (for it is often found more dangerous, even among Christians, to speak lightly of the pious men, than it is to speak so of Christ) when we say that they were not the men, which they are represented to be, their conduct and behaviour considered:-I would here premise what will be equally obnoxious unto them, that those persons were really what the Scriptures say they were, that is, righteous, faithful, meek, holy, wise, patient, &c. without any exception: They were so in Christ. I know the Jew however Christianised, by profession, will either rave, or sneer at this; but let him, he that sitteth in the heavens, will laugh him to scorn: and the Christians indeed, will remain undisturbed. I would calmly ask, what is the medium between Christ and man?-if it is not true of them in themselves, as I have it is not; nor true of them in Christ, as the Greek and Jew insinuates; where is it true of them? it must have its truth somewhere, I speak unto you who acknowledge the Scriptures. I am well aware of your answer, viz. the divine wisdom *Jesus Christ as the only good, the true Balm, characterises them according to what they he took part of the same flesh, and blood, with the was applied unto our wounds and diseases, when were in part, and not in the whole. I would children. And, as a plaister, or medicine, when ask another question, have we any other rule applied, must unite and become one, with the for the trial of right and wrong, good, and wound or disease, that by its superior virtue, it evil, than the divine law and doth not that might drain and swallow up, and eradicate the law demand perfection? doth it not when bro-opposite evil; so Jesus united unto our infirmities, ken in one point, declare the transgressor bare our sins, and sicknesses, and carried our guilty of the whole? doth it not curse whom-sorrows; purging them by himself, through the soever continueth not to do all things written in the book thereof? and Jesus saith, that heaven and earth shall pass away; but one fot, or tittle of the law shall not fail, until the

peated asseverations, declares for the same way of holiness, and looks also for a Christ to come; an inward Christ, consisting of gracious habits, pious breathings, sincere, and upright dispositions, and which in effect, is to agree with the Jew, in declaring, that the man of Galilee, who was crucified without the gates of Jerusalem in the reign of Tiberius, was not the true Christ: Or according to the highest idea of him, was but a figure of an inward, and spiritual Christ to come; thus Antichristianly denying that the true Christ is come in the flesh. Again there are others, who would be distinguished from the Jew, by confessing that the true Messiah is come, and that according to his obedience, death and resurrection, he is the remote cause of man's salvation. But, then it seems if he is not applied, he is no Christ at all. Hence it is, that many who call themselves preachers of the gospel of Jesus, make use of this expression: an unapplied Christ is no Christ all. What can a Christian think of such a vile phrase as this?

This is in effect to make Christ a merc quality, a dispensation, which exists and takes place, upon a certain change wrought in the creature: A Christ created, and made by application. And yet, how we should

things which he suffered. until his resurrection fully proved the evil eradicated. Hence he dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over him. Thus, the grace and love of God, was applied to the misery of man, in the person of Emanuel;

Christ be in them, they look into themselves; thus inquiring, have I Christ, do I love God, and hate iniquity? am I changed? am I humble, heavenly-minded, thirsting to be more holy, and lamenting my faults? do I increase in light, knowledge and understanding? If I

apply what doth not exist, or is not true be-
fore, is, I confess, a subtility which I do not
understand, and therefore, the phrase appears
to me as ridiculously nonsensical as it is
blasphemous: and the latter it is, if it has any
meaning, because, it is certainly a denial of
the person of Christ, and a setting up of ano-do, then I have Christ: this is Christ in me
ther Jesus: such a one, as the apostle feared
would corrupt the Corinthians from the sim-
plicity which was in Christ. Our Saviour
foretold the arising of false Christs, (and every
Christ hath his prophets) and that they should
shew great signs, and wonders. Except a
few vain, insignificant pretenders, amongst
the blinded Jews, who were not able to shew
any great signs or wonders, but from pride,
and lunacy, dreamt they were somebody; I
say, excepting those, I never heard of any
one, who pretended to be the Christ. And,
if any poor lunatic, has at any time talked
wildly of his being the Christ, he hath not de-
ceived any body, neither could he shew great
signs and wonders. Therefore, those could
not be the false Christs spoken of, and yet the
word of the Lord is true; false Christs there
must be, and I think it behoves us to inquire
what they are. False Christs are things which
bear the name of Christ, and have that hon-elect?"
our, power and glory attributed unto them,
which belong only to Jesus of Nazareth: a
prevailing deception, attested by great signs
and wonders. If false Christs are those things
which are called Christ, and are not, I think
it is not impossible to find them out, and to
prove that they are now in the world, and
have deceived many. The false Christ is a
compound of pride, darkness, deceit, self-love,
enmity against the true Christ, &c. but then
it bears the names of humility, the light with-
in, faithfulness, truth, love to God, and zeal
for holiness; (in contradistinction to that dan-
gerous proposition, of salvation by the blood
of Jesus Christ alone, and of being complete
in him, though sinners in ourselves, where
mankind are ignorant of the scriptures, and
of the power of God, and yet reading and
hearing cf Christ being in them, and being
also bid to examine themselves, whether

the hope of glory. This is the Christ whom
many look unto, and respect as the truc
Christ. This hath its great signs, and won
|ders. This pretends to cast out devils, and
to work such changes in mankind, as answers
to the Ethiopian changing his skin, and the
Leopard his spots; pretends to produce signs
of it, in such, or such persons; once greatly
vicious, but now made either perfectly holy,
or in a great measure so; even perfect in
parts, if that can be understood. Further-
more, the considerations of this great change,
and the feeling of its holy tempers and dis-
positions; is a contemplation so ravishing, a
sensation, or frame of spirit so transporting,
that it triumphs over the fears of death and
hell, and anticipating the joys and powers
of the world to come, makes the deceived cry
out, partly in the words of the apostle, "who
shall lay any thing to the charge of God's

Who shall condemn? but then, taking liberty to differ from Paul, instead of founding it with him upon this fact, Christ died and rose again. The disciples of the false Christ rather cry, who shall condemn? I am converted, I believe, I bear the fruits of the spirit, I have the marks of grace in me! who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? and I am certainly one, for he has distinguished me from my neighbours! and made me holy as the elect of God, thanks be to God, I have by much assiduity in all the ordinances, by constant application unto all the means of grace, at last made my calling and election sure: and now how happy, how blest am I! come life, come death, I am ready : Thus can the false Christ shew great signs and wonders. True it is, this is ascribed to different causes; one cries, why me, why me, what am I that I should be so blest! and talks of discriminating grace, as though God was a respecter of persons. Whilst another says, and all our grievances redressed in him. He, O blessed self-denial, and patience: Now I being according to the condition of his person am blest with the fruit of my labours and and office, the physician, medicine and patient. sorrows, I shall never repent of my watchWith his stripes, we are healed. Of this grace ings, fastings, and prayers, nor of the grievous and truth, the holy ghost is our witness; who is said to receive of the things which are Christ's, mortifications I have passed though, since I that he might shew them to the people. Hence, am possessed of that holiness wherein I can it is called in the Scriptures a manifestation, a see God. Whilst a third exults, that he has revelation, or declaration, but never an applica- not been misled by that outward and carnal tion, as I remember: This being rather an adopt-Christ, who might probably suffer in the reign ed phrase of antichrist, to give false ideas on such of Tiberius, without the gates of Jerusalem: an occasion; even such, that are most derogatory But that he has been obedient to the true spirto the person, death and resurrection of Jesus.itual Christ, who was always in him from his Far be it from me, to aim at making any man an offender for a word: but where words are expressive of facts, and of singular import, designed to form ideas, it is right to inquire whether they are warrantable or not, and, upon inquiry it will be found, that the word application, is not, when used as expressive of believing the gospel, or receiving Christ; especially where it is asserted, that an unapplied Christ is no Christ at all. Is not this to make his office, yea, his very being, toed the light, is now the joy of his heart. Thus depend upon such an application? a most shocking however things are ascribed to different proposition and abhorred of all who conceive causes, and different terms made use of, yet of Christ according to the Scriptures. the same matter is intended; and all come to

mother's womb, sometimes as a spirit of burning, convincing of sin, at other times as a spirit of judgment or a light shining in a dark place; shewing him what was right, with the path wherein he should walk: that he hath the faithfulness to follow this Christ, and not as many of his fellow-mortals, resist