"it was, and all its motions and acts are the very fame as " what they always were.

"Regeneration is not the amendment of our corrupt nature, "but the implantation of a contrary principle in our fouls. "Nor hath the old-man loft any of his members, he is com"pleat in all his parts, though his power and dominion is taken "away. The flesh, in its difpofitions continues to be the "fame it was, and therefore the fame thoughts, the fame de"fires, the fame corrupt motions in the affections may arise "and be stirred, as were before grace was wrought in the « foul.

"Mortification of fin implies these things,

"First, Abstinence from the practice of evil; luft is very "fertile in conception, and its aim is to bring forth every "monftrous fœtus with which it is pregnant; grace is a check (c upon it, and ftifles numerous of its productions as soon as "they are formed; they never see the light, nor become visible "to any eye, but that of the foul, and the all-penetrating eye "of God, who knows us far better than we know ourselves. "And this watchfulness upon luft is extended (left it break "forth) to all its various branches, both fenfitive and intellec"tual. Some who feem much mortified to fenfual luft, are "greatly captivated by intellectual; they are not fwine indeed, "for they do not wallow in the filth of uncleannefs, drunken"nefs, and other fleshly gratifications, but they are full of pride, "covetousness, malice, and contempt of others, which are in "themselves, lufts as hateful as any intelligent creature can "judge himself in. True grace oppofes luft of every kind, "not only thofe of the flesh, but of the mind alfo; that which "is an oppofition to fin, as fin, must be as extensive as luft it"felf is; it is the propenfity of real grace, not to connive at "nor nourish any evil.

"Secondly, The regenerate part ftands in oppofition to in"ternal acts of fin, as well as in watchfulness against the " eruption of luft in external acts, without which there is no "purity of heart, nor nothing of that holiness which is indif"penfibly required to future happiness. Many feem to think "otherwife, and therefore fo long as luft breaks not forth in "outward acts of fin, they are content, and think that all is "well; for thoughts of evil, and the first motions of the will "to that which is finful, give them no uneafinefs at all, they "having worked themfelves up into a perfuafion that they "fhall not be accountable for their thoughts to him that re

quires their hearts, which if he receives not from them, he "receives nothing which he values in the leaft. This was the

cafe of the Pharifees, which our LORD compared to whited "fepulchres full of dead mens bones. Men may appear fair, whose "hearts are full of filth, and putrefaction. Evangelical mor"tification of fin, not only refpects the behaviour but the heart; there it begins, the thoughts, defires, and affections are the principal feats of it. Real grace is not content with "regularity of conduct, its aim is to introduce into the mind "fpirituality, abhorrence of evil in the spring and root of it, "love to GoD and delight in conformity of foul to his will; "where this is not, in fome measure, there is nothing of that mortification which GoD requires of men; not that luft is "killed, no, its life is continued, and it exerts itself in a vari"ety of ways in the most fanctified, to a surprizing degree, to "their disturbance, vexation, and inexpreffible grief many "times; efpecially when temptations are permitted to affault "their fouls, then it kindles in their minds, and unless fea"fonable fupplies of grace are immediately afforded, to affift "against it, and check its violence, it will affuredly prevail "in fuch a season, even in the most spiritual of the faints. "Hence the Apostle advises them to confider themselves, left they alfo be tempted. If grace in a believer is left to itself to ftruggle with temptation, luft will certainly get the better of "it and prevail; but yet it is true, that grace defires its de"ftruction, and rejoices greatly because of that foundation it

hath to conclude of its expulfion out of the foul at death. "O fays the Chriftian, let this earthly tabernacle shake, de"cay, and be diffolved, that I may no longer, nor no more "for ever be diftreffed by this innate enemy, which continu"ally annoys and affaults me, and fometimes with so much fury "as to ftrike me with terror, and cause me to fear that I shall "not hold out in the combat."

Thus, Friendly, you fee at large the diftinct difference between fin and grace; that there may be confiftent, with your growth in grace, a propenfity to that which is evil, and a feebleness to that which is fpiritually good, because fin in the heart is a felf-mover, and acts from that innate ftrength and life it hath in the mind; but divine grace does not fo, for that depends in all its acts and exercife, upon fresh and renewed fupplies from the LORD JESUS, who is the head and influence of life to his church, John xv. 5. Without me ye can do nothing i and faith the Apoftle, Our fufficiency is of God. When the ftreams of spiritual life run low in the foul, no wonder the

Christian finds a pronenefs to that which is evil, a backwardnefs to that which is good; and this was the experience of Paul, who faid, when I would do good evil is prefent with me; and the good that I would do, that I do not.

From hence we may juft obferve, If there is a propensity in the heart of a real Chriftian, then what a wonder of grace is it that any fingle foul is faved! For is it not amazing that fuch a continual ftream of guilt, which arifes from the heart, does not waft the foul into the ocean of punishment? But, O. adored be the riches of divine grace, and the precious blood of atonement, that not only fubdue, but pardon these iniquities and corruptions! O how rich muft that balm be, that heals a running fore, of feventy or eighty years continuation! How wonderful must that love be, that bears and forgives such outbreakings of rebellion against it! If fin ferves as a foil to illuftrate the glories of divine grace in the redemption of loft finners, how glorious doth grace fhine in the forgiveness of the momental fins of our hearts!

If we cannot exercise grace without renewed ftrength from above, this should teach us, under all our weakness, where our dependence fhould be, viz. upon the ftrength of Ifrael, the omnipotent JESUS, who is the fountain of life and power, and who has engaged the honour of his word, to give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely! This fhould engage us to be conftantly looking unto Jefus, for all thofe aids, and divine refreshments, which we may at any time ftand in need of; knowing that his fulness is immenfe, his treasures are inexhaustible, and his love is free and invariable for ever.

But this naturally leads us to the next thing propofed, which was to fhew, Wherein the love of God is matter of the Saint's joy in life, at death, and at the refurrection morn; which I fhall attempt to do, by fhewing the Chriftian's communion and fellowship with the FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST.

Friendly. In what confifts communion with GOD?

Truth. GoD's unbofoming himself in a way of love and grace to the foul; and the foul's unbofoming itfelf to GoD again, in all its wants and defires, in a way of faith and dependence upon him, through a Mediator, Eph. ii. 18. For through him, we have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Or it is a mutual delight between Gon and the foul; whereby the foul makes a reciprocal return of love and praife for the favours which it has received from God. In fhort, it is Heas ven begun upon earth; a foretaste of glory, the fum of fweets

nefs, and the joy of the Chriftian's life. And this joy our forefathers were not strangers unto; Abraham is ftiled, the friend of God; and GoD is faid, to talk with Mofes face to face, as a man talks with his friend. Likewife Enoch is faid to walk with God; and David to be a man after God's own heart; yet the boldnefs and liberty of faith, and nearness to GoD, was reserved for the New Teftament Saints, because the way then was not made manifeft into the Holy of Holies; they enjoyed only the dawnings of the Gofpel-day, under types, fhadows, and vails; but now, the vail being rent in twain from the top to the bottom, we have, through rich grace, boldness to enter into the Holy of Holies, by the blood of JESUS, by a new and living way which he has confecrated for us through the vail, that is to fay, his flesh, Eph. iii. 12. In whom we have boldness and access with confidence. Upon this foundation, the foul is admitted unto communion with GOD, and to enjoy fellowship with him, Eph. ii. 19. Ye who were fometimes afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Chrift. And, O what aftonishing, marvellous grace it is for finners, who are fo vile and contemptible by nature, fo polluted and finful by practice, to be received into the bofom of Divine Love!-that we, who are by nature aliens and enemies in our minds by wicked works, fhould have liberty to fay, Our Father, which art in Heaven!-That we, who are without hope, and without GOD in the world, being, by nature, dead in trefpaffes and fins, fhould enjoy the fpirit of communion, whereby we cry, Abba, Father! O, amazing grace! O, matchlefs love and condefcenfion, that the High and Lofty One, whose name is holy, who is above all blessings and praife, fhould ftoop to take fuch worms as we into his bofom, and hold converse, not only with dust and ashes, but with rebels, traitors, and enemies! Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us! If he humble himself to behold the things done in Heaven, what a humiliation is here, that the God of Glory, fhould take us, who have finned against him with an high-hand, into all the fweet embraces of his love, John iv. 10. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us.

Friendly. Wherein does it appear, that the Saints, under the Old Teftament difpenfation, enjoyed communion with God? Truth. Before the flood we have but little account of the Saints fellowship with Gon, or indeed of any of the tran factions that took place under that state, only it is remarked, that men in the days of Seth began to call upon the name of the Lord, and that Enoch walked with God; though no doubt but

55 THE CHRISTIAN'S GRAND TREASURE. the LORD had his tribes in those days, who believed, and were faved by faith in the promised MESSIAH. But after the flood, we find that the LORD manifefted himself more fully to Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the Patriarchs, but particu larly to Mofes, when he was about to establish an ordinance to manifeft himself in a more full and familiar manner to his peculiar people, which ordinance was that of the mercy-feat, with the ark of the teftimony under the law, where GoD pro miled to meet with his people, and to commune with them, Exod. xxv. 22. And there will I meet with thee, and there will Icommune with thee, from above the Mercy-feat, from between the tivo Cherubims, which are upon the Ark of the Teftimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the Children of Ifrael. Now the Mercy-feat, being a type of CHRIST, the promised Meffiah, and of the grace, love, and mercy dif played in the falvation of loft finners, our forefathers could draw near to GOD, enter within the vail, even to the Mercyfeat, because it was fprinkled with blood, which was typical of the blood of JESUS, the Lamb flain from the foundation of the world, being sprinkled before the throne of GOD, as the great atonement, and peace-speaking blood to loft finners. This was the medium, or ftanding ordinance of access to God, under the law, by which they drew near to GOD, and held communion with him upon every emergent occafion; and the reafon was, because JEHOVAH is faid to dwell between the Cherubims, according to his own promife, Exod. xxv. 22. There will I meet with thee, and there will I commune with thee; Pfal. Ixxx. 1. O thou that dwelleft between the Cherubims fhine farth. And we find, that it was from hence that the manifeftation of his prefence, favour, mind, and will was made known, Numb. vii. 89. And when Mofes was gone into the Tabernacle of the congregation, to fpeak with Him, (GOD), that he heard the voice of one Speaking unto him, from off the Mercy-feat, that was upon the Ark of the Teftimony, from between the Cherubims; and He spake unto him. Though the manifeftation of GoD unto his people, under the Mofaic difpenfation, was by types and fhadows, yet there was contained therein the most amazing acts of condefcenfion, but he hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son. O how great and wonderful was it in the Almighty to ftoop and converfe with his Prophets, and people by an articulate voice from off the Mercy-feat, infomuch that he talked with them, with the fame familiarity, as a man talketh to his And the Lord friend! Hence it is, that we find the Old Teftament fo replete with thefe familiar phrafes, Gen. xvii. 1.