made like to him in holinefs, we be finally made like to him in glory; and from treading in his fteps below, be admitted to the honour of filling up his train abovefollowing the Lamb whither foever he goeth":"

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To whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghoft, be afcribed all honour, adoration, and praise, &c. Amen.

SERMON XX.

ROM. vii. 22-25.

For I delight in the law of God after the inward man.

But I fee another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of fin, which is in my members.

O wretched man that I am! who fhall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jefus Christ our Lord.

IN

N my laft Difcourfe, I laid before you, according to the order of the method prapofed, a brief fummary of that fyftem of

morals, which is delivered in the New Teftament. A fystem that appears, even from fuch a general and imperfect representation, to be highly reasonable, juft, and good; worthy of a teacher come from God; and manifeftly conducive to the improvement and perfection of human nature: and confequently a fyftem, which men must need heartily approve; muft need embrace with warm complacency; as what they could rejoice to be conformed to in the completest manner, and in the highest degree,

But, whatever efteem they mentally entertained for, and whatever delight, as actuated merely by the principle of reafon, they might take in, this revealed law; yet no fooner did they attempt to follow its directions, and act up to the measure of its obligations, but they found another," and quite oppofite law in their members, warring against the law of their minds, and bringing them into captivity to that law of fin, which is feated in the fleshly appe

tites ""

Rom. vii. 22, 23.

Hence

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Hence then it became neceffary to their welfare and happiness, that "this body of fin," this strong prevalency of the senfual appetites, fhould be abolished and deftroyed; that men, being delivered from the bondage of corruption," might be placed at liberty to profecute the works of truth and righteousness. In the profecution of these works, they would find themselves feeble and weak; whilft the temptations of the world preffed against them with force and vigour.And therefore, to make good their way, it became farther neceffary, that they fhould be supplied and endowed with fuch an addition of ftrength, as might enable them to withstand all oppofing difficulties; and to fubdue every irregular paffion to the ftrict obedience of the divine commands. In a word, as the law of God is fpiritual, and men are carnal," prone and addicted to fin; it was abfolutely neceflary, that a new principle of life and holinefs fhould be infused into their hearts-to correct their depravity, to fanctify their affections, and to invigorate their powers for nobler and more

perfect