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teftimony of God declared to them: and indeed it is fo parallel, that it seems to have been made for the purpose. The grant of the land of Canaan was given to Abraham, the father of that people, and in fuch terms, that God himself, who cannot lie, or mistake in wording it, fays, Gen. xv. 18. "Unto thy feed have I given CC this land." He fent Mofes well attested to conduct the people into it, with the ftrongest affurances, that he had taken it upon himself to put them in poffeffion; and showed fuch figns and difplays of almighty power, as could leave no room to entertain any doubt of his being abundantly able to do what he had promised. And when it is further confidered, that he had given them a body of laws which could not be put in practice until they were in poffeffion of the land for which thefe laws were calculated, who can doubt of their being bound to believe that God would certainly perform what he had promised? But they did not believe it. And when there was nothing left them to do but to go forward, they would not, because they did not find themselves able to fight and conquer thofe who were in poffeffion; and, in the event, only two of all the mul

titude were permitted to enter in; the carcaffes of the reft fell in the wildernefs, because they believed not God, nor trufted in his falvation.

Our Lord himself gives us another cafe, which he has declared perfectly parallel, and therefore must be depended on: "As "the brafen ferpent was lifted up in the "wilderness, fo fhall the Son of man be "lifted up, that whofoever believes on

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him, fhould not perish, but have everlafting life." He compares the promife of eternal life, as it ftands annexed to the facrifice he has made of himself, to the promife of healing by the brafen ferpent; and believing in him, to looking on that; as the general call ftands directed by the prophet to all the ends of the earth to look unto him and be faved. Now, as none would look at the brafen ferpent with any expectation from it, but they who believed the promife, (and they certainly would); fo they who believe the promise of pardon and life annexed to the facrifice of Chrift, will as certainly believe in him, and reft their hearts and their hopes there. In both cafes, there is equally free accefs for all VOL. H.

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to whom the promise is fent. But if any of the bitten Ifraelites, on any confideration, refused or neglected to look, they perished without remedy. And who can complain, if the neglecters of Chrift and his falvation perifh in the fame manner? Will their unbelief or perverfeness make void the faithful promife? It stands precifely as it did, and as it does to those who believe. But if it is not believed, it can have no other effect than if it had not been made.

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There was one thing I obferved about the office of priesthood, which it may be proper to take in here, as it effectually obviates every exception that can be made against the gift of pardon and life in its utmost extent, viz. That the priest by his office was bound to receive every man that came with his facrifice, whatever he was, or however otherwife qualified or diftinguifhed. Our great high prieft has declared the fame concerning himself, That "him that cometh to him," whofoever he is, or whatsoever he hath done or not done," he will in no wife caft out." Nay, and that he ftands bound by the commandment of the Father to give him

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eternal life. The gift indeed, by the very terms of the grant, and the only way in which life is or can be conveyed to any of Adam's race, is fo confined to Jefus Chrift, that "he that hath the Son, hath life; "and he that hath not the Son, hath not "life." But, at the fame time, all things are laid fo ready in him, that if any. comes fhort of it, it must be, as himself hath stated it," because they will not

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come to him that they may have life."

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I have faid nothing of the feveral washings and purifications we find fo much and so minutely infifted on in the law of Moses. They were very neceffary under that difpenfation to keep up a dutiful sense of the purity and holiness of that God with whom they had to do; for this we find given as the reafon for what we should reckon the most trifling of them, "that "he, JEHOVAH, their God, was among "them, and that he was holy;" and, at the fame time, to keep them carefully upon their guard against that abominable thing fin, the only real evil which he has declared his foul hates: and they answer the fame purposes to us now. But we have one complete relief in the fountain which

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which is opened for fin and for all uncleanness : "The blood of Jefus Chrift "cleanfeth from all fin." And thus the. Apostle John reprefents him as coming by water and blood, alluding probably to the blood and water which flowed from his heart pierced by the foldier's spear. This does effectually what all the legal purifications were but fhadows of; it purgeth the confcience from dead works; and inftead of that flavish fear and dread which an evil confcience naturally produces, gives the vilest finner boldness and confidence to enter into the holieft, by that new and living way which our great high prieft has confecrated through the vail of his own flesh.

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CHA P..
Р. VIII.

Adminiftration and difcharge of Chrift's office towards Sinners.

HE foundations of the Chriftian's faith

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and hope appear laid so strong in the facrifice of our great high priest, and the full and comprehenfive promife of pardor

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