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Paragraph 1. The place and station of law and gospel in general,

332

Parag. 2. The place and station of law and gospel in par ticular,

333

Parag. 3. The gospel no new law; but a joyful found of grace and mercy.

338

Parag. 4. The gospel further described, as a bundle of good news and gracious promifes,

31

Chap. III. Concerning justification and fanctification, their difference and harmony,

343

Sect. 1. The difference between jusification and sanctification, or righteousness imputed and grace imparted, in upwards of thirty particulars,

Sect. 2. The harmony between justification and sanctification,

Chap IV. Concerning faith and sense,

ib.

349

351

Sect. 1. Faith and sense natural, compared and distin

guished.

ib.

Se&. 2. Faith and sense spiritual, compared and distin.

guished,

354

Sect. 3. The harmony and discord between faith and

fense,

356

Sect. 4. The valour and victories of faith,

357

Sect. 5. The heights and depths of fenfe,

Sect. 6. Faith and frames compared, or faith building u

360

pon sense discovered,

361

Chap. V. Concerning heaven and earth,

364

Sect. 1. The work and contention of heaven,

ib.

Sect. 2. Earth despicable, heaven desirable.

367 PARTI.

The BELIEVER'S ESPOUSALS:

A POEM

Upon ISAIAH liv. 5. Thy Maker is thy husband.

HARK

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ARK, dying mortal, if the Sonnet prove A fong of living and immortal love, 'Tis then thy grand concern the theme to know, If life and immortality be fo. Are eyes to read, or ears to hear a trust? Shall both in death be cramm'd anon with dust? Then trifle not to please thine ear and eye, But read thou, hear thou, for eternity. Pursue not shadows wing'd, but be thy chase, The God of glory on the field of grace: The mighty hunter's name is lost and vain, That runs not this substantial prize to gain. These humble lines assume no high pretence, To please thy fancy, or allure thy sense : But aim, if everlasting life's thy chase, To clear thy mind, and warm thy heart through (grace.

A marriage fo mysterious I proclaim, Betwixt two parties of such diff'rent fame, That human tongues may blush their names to tell, To wit, the PRINCE of HEAV'N, the heir of hell! But, on so vast a fubject, who can find Words fuiting the conceptions of his mind?

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Or, if our language with our thought could vie,
What mortal thought can raise itself fo high?
When words and thoughts both fail, may faith and
Afcend, by climbing up the scripture-stair: [pray'r
From facred writ these strange espousals may
Be explicated in the foll'wing way.

CHAP. I.

A general account of Man's fall in ADAM, and the remedy provided in CHRIST: and a particular account of man's being naturally wedded to the law, as a covenant of works.

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SECT. I.

The FALL of ADAM.

LD Adam once a heav'n of pleasure

found, While he with perfect innocence was crown'd; His wing'd affections to his God could move In raptures of defire, and streams of love. Man standing spotless, pure, and innocent, Could well the law of works with works con

tent;

Though then, (nor fince), it could demand no Than personal and perfect righteousness: [less These unto finless man were easy terms, Though now beyond the reach of wither'd The legal cov'nant then upon the field, [arms, Perfection fought, man could perfection yield.

Rich had he, and his progeny remain'd,
Had he primeval innocence maintain'd:
His life had been a reft without annoy,
A scene of blifs, a paradife of joy.
But fubtile Satan, in the ferpent hid,
Proposing fair the fruit that God forbid,
Man foon feduc'd by hell's alluring art,
Did, disobedient, from the rule depart,
Devour'd the bait, and by his bold offence
Fell from his blissful state of innocence *.
Prostrate, he lost his God, his life, his crown,
From all his glory tumbled headlong down;
Plung'd in a deep abyss of fin and wo,
Where, void of heart to will, or hand to do;
For's own relief he can't command a thought,
The total fum of what he can is nought.
He's able only now t' increase his thrall;
He can destroy himself, and this is all.
But can the hellish brat Heav'n's law fulfil,
Whose precepts high furmount his strength

and skill?

Can filthy dross produce a golden beam?
Or poisoned springs a falutif'rous stream?
Can carnal minds, fierce enmity's wide maw,
Be duly fubject to the divine law?

:

Nay, now its direful threat'nings must take
On all the difobedient human race,
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Who do by guilt Omnipotence provoke,
Obnoxious stand to his uplifted stroke.
They must ingulf themselves in endless woes,
Who to the living God are deadly foes;

Who natively his holy will gainsay,
Muft to his awful justice fall a prey..

*Gen. iii. -6.

In vain do mankind now expect, in vain
By legal deeds immortal life to gain:

Nay, death is threaten'd, threats must have

their due,

Or fouls that fin must die *, as God is true

T

SECT. IF.

Redemption through CHRIST.

HE second Adam, sovreign Lord of all,
Did, by his Father's authorifing call,

From bofom of eternal love descend,
To fave the guilty race that him offend;
To treat an everlasting peace with those
Who were and ever would have been his foes..
His errand, never ending life to give
To them, whose malice would not let him live;
To make a match with rebels, and espouse
The brat which at his love her spite avows.
Himself he humbled to depress her pride,
And make his mortal foe his loving bride.
But, ere the marriage can be folemniz'd,
All lets must be remov'd, all parties pleas'd.
Law-righteousness requir'd, must be procur'd,
Law-vengeance threaten'd, must be full en

dur'd,

Stern justice must have credit by the match,
Sweet mercy by the heart the bride must catch.
Poor bankrupt! all her debt must first be paid,
Her former husband in the grave be laid:
Her present lover must be at the cost,
To fave and ransom to the uttermoft,

* Ezek. xviii. 4.

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