We mix Heav'n's treasures with our trash, And magnify corrupted flesh. The new and gospel covenant No promife to our works will grant; But to the doing of our Head, And in him to each gofpel-deed. To godliness, which is great gain,, Promife is faid to appertain: But know, left you the gofpel mar, In whom it is we godly are. To him and to his righteousness Still primar❜ly the promise is ; And not ev'n to the gracious deed, Save in and through the glorious Head. Pray let us here obferve the odds, How law and grace take counter roads The law of works no promise spake Unto the agent, but the act. It primar❜ly no promife made Unto the perfon, but the deed: Whate'er the doing perfon fhar'd, "Twas for his deed he had reward. The law of grace o'erturns the fcale, And makes the quite reverse prevail : Its promife lights not on the deed, But on the doing perfon's head; Not for his doing, but for this, Because in Chrift his perfon is: Which union to the living Prince, His living works and deeds evince. Good fruits have promise in this view, As union to the BRANCH they fhew; To whom the promises pertain, In him all yea, and all amen. Ff
Obferve, pray; for if here we err, And do not Chrift alone prefer, But think the promise partly ftands On our obeying new commands; Th' old cov'nant-place to works we give, Or mingle grace with do and live; We overcloud the gospel charms, And alfo break our working arms. More honour to the law profefs, But giving more we give it lefs. Its heavy yoke in vain we draw, By turning gofpel into law. We rob grace of its joyful found, And bury Chrift in Mofes' ground: At beft we run a legal race Upon the field of gospel-grace.
The Gospel no new Law, but a joyful found of Grace and Mercy.
AW-Precepts in a gospel-mold, We may as gofpel-doctrine hold; But gofpel-calls in legal dress, The joyful found of grace fupprefs. Faith and repentance may be taught, And yet no gospel tidings brought; If as mere duties thefe we prefs, And not as parts of promis'd blifs. If only precepts we present,
Though urg'd with strongest argument; We leave the wak'ned finner's hope In darkness of defpair to grope. The man whom legal precepts chase, As yet eftrang'd to fov'reign grace,
Miftaking evangelic charms, As if they flood on legal terms, Looks to himself, though dead in fin, For grounds of faith and hope within; Hence fears and fetters grow and fwell, Since nought's within but fin and hell. But faith that looks to promis'd grace, Clean out of felf the foul will chafe, To Chrift for righteousness and ftrength, And finds the joyful reft at length. Proud flesh and blood will startle here, And hardly fuch report can bear, That Heav'n all faving ftore will give To them that work not, but believe. Yet not of works, but 'tis the race Of faith, that it may be of grace: For faith does nothing but agree To welcome this falvation free. "Come down, Zaccheus, quickly come, "Salvation's brought unto thy home: "In vain thou climb'ft the legal tree; Salvation freely comes to thee. "Thou dream'ft of coming up to terms, "Come down into my faving arms; "Down, down, and get a pardon free, "On terms already wrought by me. "Behold the bleffings of my blood, Bought for thy everlafting good, "And freely all to be convey'd Upon the price already paid.
"I know thou haft no good, and fee I cannot ftand on terms with thee, "Whose fall has left thee nought to claim, " Nor aught to boaft but fin and shame."
The law of heavy hard commands Confirms the weak'ned finner's bands; But grace proclaims relieving news, And scenes of matchlefs mercy fhews. No precept clogs the gofpel-call, But wherein grace is all in all; No law is here but that of grace, Which brings relief in ev'ry cafe. The gofpel is the promise fair Of grace all ruins to repair, And leaves no finner room to fay, "Alas! this debt I cannot pay; "This grievous yoke I cannot bear, "This high demand I cannot clear." Grace ftops the mouth of fuch complaints, And store of full fupply prefents. The glorious gofpel is (in brief). A fov'reign word of sweet relief; Not clogg'd with cumbersome commands, To bind the foul's receiving hands. 'Tis joyful news of fov'reign grace, That reigns in ftate through righteousness, To ranfom from all threat'ning woes, And anfwer all commanding do's: This gofpel comes with help indeed, Adapted unto finners need:
Thefe joyful news that fuit their cafe, Are chariots of his drawing grace : "Tis here the Spirit pow'rful rides, The fountains of the deep divides; The King of glory's fplendour shews, And wins the heart with welcome news.
The Gospel for ther defcribed, as a Bundle of good News and gracious Promifes.
HE firft grand promife forth did break In threats against the tempting snake; So may the gofpeli.commands,
Yet nor in threats nor precepts ftands: But 'tis a doctrine of free grants To finners that they may be faints: A joyful found of royal gifts, To obviate unbelieving fhifts: A promife of divine fupplies, To work all gracious qualities In those who proneft to rebel, Are only qualify'd for bell. Courting vile finners, ev'n the chief, It leaves no cloak for unbelief; But ev'n on grofs Manaffeh's calls,. On Mary Magdalen's and Saul's.. 'Tis good news of a fountain ope For fin and filth; a door of hope For thofe that lie in blood and And of a falve for ev'ry fore. Glad news of fight unto the blind; Of light unto the dark'ned mind; Of healing to the deadly fick; And mercy both to Jew and Greek. Good news of gold to poor that lack; Of raiment to the naked back; Of binding to the wounds that smart.; And rest unto the weary heart. Glad news of freedom to the bound; Of Store all loffes to refound;.-
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