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

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

332

333

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

338

Parag. 4. The gofpel further defcribed, as a bundle of good news and gracious promifes,

341

Chap. III. Concerning justification and fanctification, their difference and harmony, 343 Sect. 1. The difference between juftification and fanctification, or righteoufnefs imputed and grace imparted, in upwards of thirty particulars,

Sect. 2. The harmony between juftification and fanctification,

ib.

349

Chap IV. Concerning faith and fense,

351

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

fenfe,

Se&t. 4. The valour and victories of faith,

Sect. 5. The heights and depths of fenfe,

pon fense discovered,

Sect. 2. Faith and fenfe fpiritual, compared and diftin.

guished, guished,

Sect. 3. The harmony and difcord between faith and

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

Chap. V. Concerning heaven and earth,

Sect. 1. The work and contention of heaven,
Sect. 2. Earth defpicable, heaven defirable.

36г

364

ib. 367

ib.

354

356

357

360

PART 1.

The BELIEVER'S ESPOUSALS:

A POEM

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

H

PREFACE.

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 duft?
Then trifle not to pleafe thine ear and eye,
But read thou, hear thou, for eternity.
Purfue not fhadows wing'd, but be thy chafe,
The God of glory on the field of grace:
The mighty hunter's name is loft and vain,
That runs not this fubftantial prize to gain.
Thefe bumble lines affume no high pretence,
To please thy fancy, or allure thy fenfe:
But aim, if everlasting life's thy chase,
To clear thy mind, and warm thy heart through
A marriage fo myfterious I proclaim,

(grace.
Betwixt two parties of fuch 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 fo vaft a fubject, who can find
Words fuiting the conceptions of his mind?

C

Or, if our language with our thought could wie,·
What mortal thought can raise itself fo high?
When words and thoughts both fail, may faith and
Afcend, by climbing up the fcripture-ftair: [pray'r
From facred writ thefe frange efpoufals 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.

SECT. I.

The FALL of ADAM.

LD Adam once a heav'n of pleasure found,

OLD

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

tent;

Though then, (nor fince), it could demand no Than perfonal and perfect righteoufnefs: [lefs Thefe unto finlefs man were eafy 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,
Á fcene of blifs, a paradife of joy.
But fubtile Satan, in the ferpent hid,
Propofing fair the fruit that God forbid,
Man foon feduc'd by hell's alluring art,
Did, difobedient, from the rule depart,
Devour'd the bait, and by his bold offence
Fell from his blifsful ftate of innocence *.
Proftrate, he loft his God, his life, his crown,
From all his glory tumbled headlong down;
Plung'd in a deep abyfs 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' increafe his thrall;
He can deftroy himself, and this is all.
But can the hellish brat Heav'n's law fulfil,
Whofe precepts high furmount his strength
- and kill?

Can filthy drofs produce a golden beam?
Or poifoned fprings a falutif'rous ftream?
Can carnal minds, fierce enmity's wide maw,
Be duly fubject to the divine law?

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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 ftand to his uplifted ftroke.
They must ingulf themfelves in endlefs woes,
Who to the living God are deadly foes;
Who natively his holy will gainfay,
Muft to his awful juftice 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 muft die *, as. God is true.

SECT. II.

Redemption through CHRIST.

'HE fecond Adam, fovreign Lord of all,
Did, by his Father's authorifing call,
From bofom of eternal love defcend,
To fave the guilty race that him offend;
To treat an everlasting peace with those
Who were and ever would haye been his foes..
His errand, never ending life to give

To them, whofe malice would not let him live;
To make a match with rebels, and efpouse
The brat which at his love her fpite avows.
Himfelf he humbled to deprefs 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-righteoufnefs requir'd, muft 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 muft catch.
Poor bankrupt! all her debt must first be paid,
Her former husband in the grave be laid:
Her prefent lover muft be at the coft,
To fave and ranfom to the uttermoft,

Ezek. xviii. 4.

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