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This, I think, is plain from the Cafe of this Paralitical Man. He was born in Original Sin; under the common Infirmities, and Guilts of human Nature; under the Apprehenfions and Fears that his Disease was the Effect and Punishment of his Sin. For that was then a prevailing Opinion in the World, as is plain from that Queftion of the Disciples. Mafter, who did Sin, this Man, or his Parents, that be was born blind?

Finding nothing but Uneafinefs and Terror in that State; being very defirous to be deliver'd from those Apprehenfions and Fears; hearing of a more merciful Revelation from God, he readily receives and embraces it. Our evermerciful Redeemer, for the Encouragement of all fincere Penitents, to the End of the World, graciously accepts and heals him. Upon his immediate Converfion, upon his firft Application and Addrefs, he gives him this comfortable Affurance of Favour and Pardon. Son, be of good cheer, thy Sins be forgiven thee.

So that, I think, the Confideration of this particular Cafe will naturally enough direct us to thefe Three more general Obfervations and Heads of Difcourfe.

I. The Uncomfortable State of Mankind, under the several Infirmities and Guilts it is fubject unto, without the Knowledge of fome Means of Attonement and Pardon.

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II. In Conféquence of this; the abfolute Neceffity of a Mediator between God and Men, in order to our Reconciliation with him, together with the good Affurance Ewe have of it.

Ill. The great Security and the unfpeakStable Comfort of living under the Belief, that our Sins are forgiven us.

I begin with the First of these, viz.

I. The Uncomfortable State of Mankind,' -under the feveral Infirmities and Guilts it is fubject unto, without the Knowledge of fome Means of Atonement and Pardon.

Now for the clearing our Way, and that we may the better understand the Mifery of Mankind under Sin, and the Greatness of the Divine Mercy in our Redemption from it; it will be neceffary to take a fhort View of the Original State and Covenant which God made with Adam, and in him with all Mankind. The Proceeding ftands thus.

God Almighty out of the infinite Bounty and Goodness of his Nature, Created Man upon the Earth; breathed into him the Breath of Life and Man became a living (i. e. an immortal, Soul. He gave him moreover a fufficient Measure of Knowledge to direct his

Faith, and of Strength to govern, his Practice, He farther covenanted to continue that Knowledge, and increafe that Strength, and to reward his Conftancy by an eafie Tranflation to Heaven, if he made good his Part of the Covenant; and threatened him with eternal Extermination and Banifhment from his Prefence if he broke it. Man being thus left in the Hands of his own Councel, to act according to the Dictates of that Understanding and Will, wherewith (as a reasonable Creature) he was endu'd; by his own voluntary Difobedience, through the crafty Infinuations of Satan, tranfgreffes the Law given him by his Maker, and thereby plunges himself and his Pofterity into an irrecoverable State of Sin and Mifery. So the Apostle to the Romans, By one Ch. 5. 12. Man Sin entered into the World, and fo Death palled upon all, for that all have finned.

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And now was Man in a moft wretched and forlorn Condition. His Difobedience to his Maker had clothed him with Guilt, and, which is Confequent upon it, with Shame and Fear. He and his Offspring thereby became the most timerous, and yet the moft helpless Creatures. The Divine Juftice called for Satisfaction; and no created Being, in Heaven above, or in the Earth beneath, neither Angel nor Saint were able to pay down fuch a Price. He looked, but there was none that would know him and he wondered that there was no Interceffor: No Man may deliver his Brother, nor make an Agreement unto God for

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him. Thus were all the Sons of Adam feperated from God; hence was the whole human Race tainted with the general Corruption. And the Infection was the more fatal, in as much as it spread it felf, not only over all the Members of their Bodies, but the Faculties of their Minds too. In fhort, it brought them under the Dominion

1. Of Natural.

2. Of Moral Evils.

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A.

1. It brought them under the Dominion of Natural Evils fuch are outward Calamities, Poverty, Difgrace, Afflictions, Perfecution fuch are Bodily Weakneffes; an unhealthful Conftitution, Pain, Sickness, Death. ''Tis true, thefe have no inherent Turpitude and Obliquity in them; they do not contract a Guilt upon the Confcience of him the bears them: Yet they are the Wages of Sin; the unhappy Devolution and Punishment of our Firft Parent's Difobedience. Had they kept their Original Station, we had been freed from thefe Inconveniencies and Miferies. Then our Lot had been to have fpent our Years in Health and Pleasure, and at length to have been tranflated to Heaven in a sprightly and vigo rous Old Age.

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But though thefe Natural Evils be not Sins in themfelves; though it be no real Difgrace or Shame, to fuffer what God in his Righte

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ous Providence inflicts upon us : Yet we are all fenfible how grievous they are when they are made our Portion: And the Appeals and Expoftulations of the beft Men in Scripture, abundantly fhew in what need human Nature then ftands of Pity and Relief. But thefe are but half, Ycarce half of the Miferies of Mankind. And therefore did but

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2dly, They are now alfo brought under the Dominion of Moral Evils,i.fe. They are very strongly inclined to abett and perpetuate that firft Rebellion of Adam: Being under all the Impotencies and Defilements of fallen and corrupted Nature; under many Ignorances and Mistakes of their Duty; the influence of an uncertain and promifcuous Conver fation; frequent Avocations to neglect, and violent Temptations to refift the Grace and Spirit of God. And tho that good Spirit is never wanting in its Affiftances to thofe who conftantly and earnestly implore them; tho we may many times feel our felves fecretly moved by a Powerful Grace, and are under very good Defires and Endeavours; yet alass! when we would do Good, Evil is prefent with 245. Our own Corruptions; the Allurements of the World; the Treachery of Satan too often betray us into Sin. Thus, I fear, it fometimes is with the very beft of us all.

Now what shall a Man do in this Cafe? Where fhall a poor Sinner feek for Comfort under all this Confufion and Distress of his Sout?

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