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XIII.

SERM. WILL is present with me; but how to PER FORM that which is good, I find not: For the good that I would, I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do, Rom. vii. 18, 19. Under a Sense of which miferable State, he cries out, O wretched Man, that I am! Who shall deliver me from this Body of Death? Ver. 24, 25. To which by Way of Encouragement and Confolation, he immediately answers, The Grace of God through Jefus Christ our Lord. What the Lord (faith he) could not do, in that it was weak through the Flesh, God fending bis own Son, in the Likeness of finful Flesh, and [a Sacrifice] for Sin, condemned Sin in the Flesh; that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit. Therefore the fame Apostle, in another Place (to shew the Preference of the new Difpenfation over the old one) fays, God hath made us (i. e. the Apostles and their Succeffors) able Minifters of the New Teftament, 2 Cor. i. 6. i. e. of the New Covenant; not of the Letter, (i.e. not of the external Letter only, as Mofes and the Minifters of the Law were)

* So the Words fhould be read: See Mill. c. viii. 3, 4.

XIII.

but of the Spirit (the internal Spirit alfo. SER M. For the Letter killeth, (i, e. the old Law fhews Sin, and curfes Men for the Breach of Laws which they cannot keep :) But the Spirit, or new Law, giveth Life, by ena bling Men to perform whatever it commands, and thereby to obtain the Mercy it Promifes.

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In this Senfe is the Water of the Law improv'd by the Gospel, and changed into Wine. The Spirit which was wanting in Mofes's Difpenfation, is, in the Dispensation of Chrift, diftributed liberally and freely to all: Pour'd into every Veffel, that offers, and into every Veffel, as much as it will contain. How much then should every Chrif tian, that is fenfible of thefe Advantages he receives through Chrift, endeavour to render himself so much the more approved to his Lord, as his Lord has been indulgent and gracious towards him! Since therefore our Saviour's Commands are now lefs Burthenfome; let our Obedience be more compleat : Since external Obfervances are now relaxed; let our internal Regards be more intent: And having the Spirit of God afforded us now, not only to ftrengthen, but also to quicken and enliven us too; let our Duty be VOL. II.

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XIII.

not only wholly and conftantly, but alfo cheerfully paid. For ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear, but ye bave received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. For to as many as are led by the Spirit of God, the Spirit itself beareth Witness, they are the Children of God: And if Children, then Heirs, Heirs of God, and Joint-Heirs of Christ, Rom. viii. 15, 16, 17. Into whofe Spirit, if we are careful regularly and duly to drink in this World; we may confidently truft, that we fhall together with himself drink everlastingly of the Fruit of the true Vine, in the Kingdom of his Father. Which God of bis Mercy grant we all may, &c.

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Chrift the Healer of the Gentiles: Or, The Allegory of his healing the Centurion's Servant.

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MAT. viii. 131

Jefus faid unto the Centurion, Go thy Way, and as thou haft believed, so be it done unto thee. And his Servant was healed in the

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HAVE already obferved that the Mira-S ER M. cles of our Saviour were performed with XIV. a mystical or allegorical View: i. e. that they were defigned to fignify more than what the outward Acts befpoke: He worked them not only to fhew his Divine Authority and Power, nor only for the fake of healing the Pa tients of their Infirmities and Difeafes, or for fupplying their Wants; but he intended like wife by the Cures he wrought, and by the Relief he afforded to the Bodies and external Circumftances of Men, to express the BeneU 2 fits

SERM. fits and Advantages he defigned to their inter

XIV. nal or fpiritual Condition and State. To this

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end he made Choice of fuch Diftempers to cure, of fuch Neceffities to fupply, and of fuch Perfons to beftow his kind and beneficial Miracles upon, as fhould intimate the Nature of those Diseases and Wants he meant to heal and relieve in the Soul, and fignify what Perfons he would make the Objects of his Pity and Love.

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With this Key I have already opened and explained to you at large one Miracle of our Bleffed Lord, and the firft he wrought: the Miracle of turning Water into Wine at the Marriage Feaft in Cana of Galilee. At prefent I propose to unfold to you another in the fame Manner. The myftical Meaning of I the Miracle at Cana was to intimate the Power, the Life, and the Spirit of the GospelDifpenfation, over that which was introduced by Mofes, and was contained in the Law: But this now before us (if I rightly expound it) will not only hint to us the Advantage of one Religion above the other, but will further inftruct us how extenfive the Benefits of Christianity are, compared with those of the Law; fince whilft the one was calculated for one fingle Nation, the other were freely

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