More than the Prince exalted to bestow:
Yea more on Chrift the fin revenger dwell,
Than Chrift Redeemer both from fin and hell.
With legal fpade the gofpel field he delves
Who thus drives finners in unto themselves
Halving the truth, that should be all reveal'd,
The sweetest part of Chrift is oft conceal'd.
We bid men turn from fin, but feldom fay,
Behold the Lamb that takes all fin away!'
Christ, by the gofpel rightly understood,
Not only treats a peace, but makes it good.
Those fuitors therefore of the bride, who hope
By force to drag her with the legal rope,
Nor use the drawing cord of conquering grace,
Pursue with flaming zeal a fruitless chace;
In vain lame doings urge, with folemn awe,
To bribe the fury of the fiery law:
With equal fuccefs to the fool that aims
By paper walls to bound devouring flames.
The law's but mock'd by their most graceful deed,
Who wed not first the law-fulfilling Head;
It values neither how they wrought nor wept
Who flight the ark wherein alone 'tis kept.
Yet legalists Do, Do, with ardour prefs,
And with prepofterous zeal and warm addrefs
Would feem the greatest friends to holiness ;
But vainly, could fuch oppofites accord,
Refpect the law, and yet reject the Lord.
They fhew not Jefus as the way to blifs,
But Judas like, betray him with a kiss
Of boasted works, or mere profeffion puft,
Law-boasters, proving but law-breakers oft.
SECT. III. The hurtfulness of not preaching Chrift, and diftinguishing duly between Law and Gofpel.
HELL cares not how crude holinefs be preach'd, If finners match with Christ be never reach'd;
Knowing their holiness is but a fham
Who ne'er are married to the Holy Lamb.
Let words have ever fuch a pious fhew,
And blaze aloft in rude profeffor's view,
With facred aromatics richly fpiced,
If they but drown in filence glorious Christ.
Or, if he may fome vacant room fupply,
Make him a fubject only by the bye;
They mar true holiness with tickling chat,
To breed a baftard pharifaic brat.
They wofully the gofpel meffage broke,
Make fearful havock of the master's flock;
Yet please themselves, and the blind multitude,
By whom the gospel's little understood.
Rude fouls perhaps imagine little odds
Between the legal and the gospel roads:
But vainly men attempt to blend the two;
They differ more than Christ and Mofes do..
Mofes, evangelifing in a fhade,.
By types the news of light approaching spread ::
But from the law of works by him proclaim'd,
No ray of gofpel grace or mercy gleam'd.
By nature's light the law to all is known,
But lightfome news of gospel grace to none.
The doing covenant now, in part or whole,
Is ftrong to damn, but weak to fave a foul.
It hurts, and cannot help, but as it tends
Through mercy to fubferve fome gospel ends..
Law-thunder roughly to the gofpel tames,
The gospel mildly to the law reclaims.
The fiery law, as 'tis a covenant,
Schools men to fee the gospel aid they want;
Then gospel aid does fweetly them incline
Back to the law, as 'tis a rule divine.
Heaven's healing work is oft commenc'd with wounds,
Terror begins what loving-kindness crowns.
Preachers may therefore prefs the fiery law,
To ftrike the chriftlefs man with dreadful awe.
Law threats which for his fins to hell deprefs,
Yea, damn him for his rotten righteousness;
That while he views the law exceeding broad,.
He fain may wed the righteousness of God.
But, ah! to prefs law-works as terms of life,
Was ne'er the way to court the Lamb a wife.."
To urge conditions in the legal frame,
Is to renew the vain old covenant game.
The law is good, when lawfully 'tis us'd,*
But most deftructive when it is abus'd.
They fet no duties in their proper sphere,
Who duly law and gofpel don't fever;
But under maffy chains let finners lie,
As tributaries or to Do or Die ;
Nor make the law a fquaring rule of life,
But in the gospel throat a bloody knife.
SECT. IV. Damnable Pride and Self-righteoufnefs, fo natural to all men, has little need to be encouraged by legal preaching.
THE legal path proud nature loves fo well,
(Though yet 'tis but the cleaneft road to hell,)
That lo! e'en these that take the fouleft ways,
Whofe lewdness no controuling bridle stays,
If but their drowsy conscience raise its voice,
"Twill speak the law of works their native choice,
And echo to the roufing found, ‘Ah, true,
I cannot hope to live, unless I Do.'
No confcious breaft of mortal kind can trace
The mystery deep of being fav'd by grace.
Of this nor is the natural conscience skill'd,
Nor will admit it when it is reveal'd;
But pushes at the gospel like a ram,
proxy for the law, against the Lamb. The proud, felf-righteous, pharifaic strain Is Bleft be God, I'm not like other men;
'I read and pray, give alms, I mourn and fast ;†
'And therefore hope I'll get to heaven at last:
'For though from every fin I be not free,
'Great multitudes of men are worfe than me.
'I'm none of those that swear, cheat, drink and whore.' Thus on the law he builds his Babel tower.
Yea, e'en the vileft curfed debauchee
Will make the law of works his very plea;
‹ Why, (fays the rake) what take you me to be?
Shall we, who fhould by gofpel methods draw,
Send finners to their nat'ral fpoufe the law;
And harp upon the doing ftring to fuch,
Who ignorantly dream they do fo much?
Why, thus, instead of courting Christ a bride,
We harden rebels in their native pride.
Much rather ought we in God's name to place
His great artill'ry ftraight against their face;
And throw hot Sinai thunderbolts around,
To burn their tow'ring hopes down to the ground.
To make the pillars of their pride to shake,
And damn their doings to the burning lake,
To curfe the doers unto endless thrall,
That never did continue to do all.*
To fcorch their confcience with the flaming air,
And fink their haughty hopes in deep despair;
Denouncing Ebal's black revenging doom,
To blaft their expectation in the bloom;
Till once vain hope of life by works give place
Unto a folid hope of life by grace.
The vig'rous ufe of means is fafely urg'd,
When preffing calls from legal dregs are purg'd;
But most unfafely in a fed'ral drefs,
Confounding terms of life with means of grace.
Oh! dang'rous is th' attempt proud flesh to please,
Or fend a finner to the law for eafe;
Who rather needs to feel its piercing dart,
Till dreadful pangs invade his trembling heart;
And thither fhould be only fent for flames
Of fire to burn his rotten hopes and claims;
That thus difarm'd, he gladly may embrace,
And grafp with eagerness the news of grace.
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