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THE

JUSTIFICATION, &c.

CUSHI having loft his royal master, took a folitary walk to reflect on the past experiences, and wonderful deliverances, left upon record by him; until, in a measure, he thought they became, according to his fenfations, like his own experience. He fuddenly found his understanding much opened, worldly things vanished from his mind, and every thought of his heart appeared at command, which he employed in reflecting on past mercies, and in pleasing anticipations on future glory.

Reflections on his paft conduct brought many things fresh to his mind, which afforded matter for real contrition. But the thoughts of God's long forbearance and flowness to anger diffolved his foul, and excited his warmeft gratitude. He came fuddenly to the brow of a little hill, which is called the Hill Mizar. Here Cushi meditated upon the former deliverance of his royal master.

On this spot, faid he, his falfe hope gave way, and the burden of his fins funk him into the keenest fenfations of divine displeasure, which involved him in all real and imaginary horror. Here it was that he prayed out of the depths of despondency; and his prayer was answered by the Saviour in an open vifion of death on the cross.—

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PREFACE.

COURTEOUS READER,

THE

HE following treatise is a spiritual medley of heavenly things;-an entertaiment for the mind and conscience of gracious fouls, who, for the want of gospel light to discern the rich provision and stability of God's covenant, are often funk to live beneath the privileges thereof. I have frequently heard people, who I believe to be truly gracious, declare themfelves to be bowed down, and continually dejected, under the apprehensions of a dreadful scrutiny which they suppose the Saviour will have with them in the day of judgment. In order to remove the believer's groundless fears, to fhew him the privileges of the covenant, and to excite his gratitude to God, this little treatise is published.

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The things that are confidered, and attempted to be explained, are the spiritual refurrections of a finner-his arraignment and juftification—his spiritual birth, heirship, and inheritance-his evidences for heaven-the conflicts he hath with the devil-and the office of Chrift as an Advocate.

And in order to convey my thoughts as intelligibly as poffible it is written by way of dialogue, question and answer being an excellent way of conveying information, and with which the word of God is replete.

The perfons made choice of to carry on the dialogue, are Cushi and Ahimaaz, two fervants of David, both stiled in Scripture good men. Cufhi is here reprefented as one wrought upon by grace while he observed the visible hand of God with David; which is intended to fhew how a Chriftian's life, and the hand of God with him, impreffes the mind and convicts the confcience of a finner. Ahimaaz is reprefented as running with tidings before he was fent; which is introduced as a caution to the many in our days, both learned and illiterate, who take on them the office of the miniftry, without any fpiritual qualification for it, or divine call to

It; who are encouraged and emboldened by nothing else but pride, insensibility, and ignorance. A thirst for human applaufe, and ignorance of the experience and wisdom of the the Church-ignorance of the plague of the human heart-ignorance of the majesty of God, and the importance of the ministry, appear to be the bafis and bulwark of too many.

The houses of Saul and David are introduced as prefiguring the family of the old Adam and the household of faith. Cufhi's halting between the two is intended to exhibit the struggles that the weak believer feels between the flesh and the fpirit. The revival of the work of grace on Cushi, at the death of David, is introduced to fhew that many young converts, who are a fcourge to the fervants of God in their lives, are brought to lament their death, being ignorant of their worth till they feel their loss; as Ifrael of old, who was a perpetual burden to Mofes for forty years; but when he was dead they bemoaned him for thirty days: or like Saul, who was fo often a plague to pious Samuel in his life, yet would fell himself to the devil for a fight of his mantle when he was dead.

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