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when Chrift came, he supplied all these defects, and made up every thing which before was wanting. I am not come, fays he, to destroy the law and the prophets, but to fulfil them. He fet down all those things which Mofes had omitted, and reftored all thofe laws to their true meaning, which the Pharifees had corrupted. He drew up a most compleat body of all manner of virtues, fuch as neither the Gentile, nor the Jewish world, had ever seen before; and thefe he enjoins for the indifpenfible duties of his kingdom. For, fays he, except your righteousness fhall exceed the righteousness of the fcribes and Pharifees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

As for the laws and precepts of the gofpel then, it is plain, that the falvation which they are fitted to effect in us, is, the reformation of our lives, and a deliverance from our fins. Their end is plainly to oblige us to the highest virtue, and the moft exalted piety; to make us better men, and more perfect livers, than ever the

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the world had feen before. They require the most compleat amendment and reformation of our lives, and therefore are a most powerful means in effecting our falvation,

I PROCEED next, to confider the promises of the gofpel.And the deliverance which they aim at, is the very fame reformation of our lives, which is defigned by all those precepts, which they are annexed to. They are made to us for no other end, but to quicken our obedience, and encourage it. They are used as means to excite our endeavours, and to make us diligent in the pursuit of that reformation and amendment, which are the very thing that they are made to do. For all the promises of pardon and happiness in the gofpel, run upon condition of our repentance. Except. ye repent, fays our Saviour, ye shall all perish. And when he fends out his apoftles, to proclaim remiffion of fins, and other benefits purchased by his death to all the world, he makes this the terms whereon

they are to be tendered: Preach repentance and remiffion of fins, fays he, in my name, to all nations.

Christ never died to procure men a li berty to fin, and to purchase benefits and rewards for evil doers. His great defign was to destroy fin, and to draw men on tọ obedience and repentance, by the gracious offers of pardon and acceptance.

So that as for all the promises of the go spel, the falvation which they encourage, iş plainly this deliverance from our fins; that being the very thing, which all the good things of the gofpel are promised to.

THEN, as to thofe threatenings which are contained in the gospel, the falvation which they aim at, is evidently this deliverance from our fins, which are those very things they are all denounced to. The gofpel, though it breathe out nothing but grace and mercy to the penitent, is yet the fevereft difpenfation that ever was, to all incorrigible men,

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For therein God declares himself an utter enemy to all, that will not be reformed; and that he will inflict a most terrible punishment, and exemplary vengeance on them. The author of grace and mercy, Christ himself, hath spoken it, that Except we repent, we shall all perish. And St. Paul tells us plainly, that at the last day, God will render to all that obey not the truth, but obey unrighteoufnefs, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish; and that, upon every foul of man, whether he be Jew or Gentile.

Our fins then are plainly those evils, which the threatenings of the gospel would fright us from; and our deliverance from them, is that falvation which they would inforce upon us. Their end is evidently, to make us leave all evil ways, for fear left they should be inflicted on us for our perfeverance in them,

As for that falvation then, which Chrift came to purchase for us, from what I have faid, it appears (I suppose) most evidently,

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what it is. The declarations of the prophets, of Chrift and his apoftles, the chief end of the precepts, the promises, and the threatenings of the gofpel, in short, the defign of our whole religion, and Christianity, make it clear to us, that it is our reformation; or, as the angel expreffeth it in my text, our deliverance from our fins: He fhall be called Jefus, because he shall fave bis people from their fins.

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AND thus having reprefented what that falvation is, which Chrift came to purchase for us, and fhewn (I think) clearly, that great deliverance defigned us by him, and promoted by his gofpel, is our reformation, and a freedom from our fins; I fhall obferve fome ufes, and practical improvements of this difcourfe, and fo conclude,

AND, 1. Then; From what hath been difcourfed, upon the nature of the Chriftian falvation, we may plainly understand,

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