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fore the eyes of God. Now to put away fin in this fenfe, is fo to take it away, to remove it, as that it is pardon'd, and men acquitted and difcharged from it; but this is impracticable to men, and is the act of God only; as is evident from his promises to remove the fins of his people; from the end of Chrift's facrifice, which was to put away fin for ever, and from the prayers of the faints, who defire that God would take away all iniquity, and receive graciously: But why then is such an exhortation given ? first to convince men, that the putting away of fin from the eyes of God's vindictive ju-, ftice, is abfolutely neceffary to falvation; and then that men cannot, by all their ceremonial and moral fervices do this; for 'tis not poffible that the blood of bulls and goats Should take away fin"; as alfo to lead and, direct their views to the facrifice of Chrift, which effectually does it; and without which, to what purpose is the multitude of facrifices? and vain are all oblations, ver.

11, 13.

III. Ceafe to do evil; which regards either a ceffation from ceremonial works, which being done with a wicked mind, were an abomination to the Lord, ver. 13,14. or an abftinence from outward immorali

" Heb. X. 4.

ties; fuch as heading meer ha. preffing the fattes me, TOUT Now a natural na NA PRANTUAN from fuch exCITA SERIE A LA ES

out fuppofing a power I am. Am.

which is fpirita gandr the MET ftrable grace of Gat is unctie z de verfion.

IV. Learn to do well, her justice, beneficence, liberairy and han fuch as are here mention'è: Set th relieve the oppreffed, judge the fummel, milli for the widow; all which are very come mendable, and may be performed by men in an unconverted state, and no way mine either against man's paffiveness, or the no ceffity of God's efficacious grace in the work of converfion.

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NUMB. XII. Ifa. i. 18, 19, 20.

Come now and let us reafon together; though your fins be as Scarlet, they shall be as white as fnow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land. But if ye refufe and rebel, ye fhall be devoured with the fword; for the mouth of the Lord bath Spoken it.

I.

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HE eighteenth verfe is confider'd

in ftrict connection with the words preceding and following; from whence it is concluded, that to cease to do evil, and learn to do well, to be willing and obedient *, are qualifications for the pardoning mercy of God, and conditions of obtaining it; the promises of pardon, life and salvation being made to perfons of such characters. But,

1. Let it be observed, that the eighteenth verfe may be read in a parenthefis, without any connection with, or dependance on either the preceding or fubfequent verfes ; being thrown in on purpofe to comfort the people of God, oppreffed with a sense of their fins, whilft he is expreffing his juft refentment and indignation against the sins of others.

* Whitby, p. 181, 242, 298.

2. Admitting it to be in ftrict connection with the context; it contains a free declaration of pardoning grace and mercy, without any condition annexed to it; it is not expreffed in a conditional form; it is not faid, if ye cease to do evil, and learn to do well; then, though your fins be as fearlet, they shall be as white as fnow; nor is it faid, if ye be willing and obedient, then, though your fins be red like crimson, they shall be as wool; but ye fhall eat the good of the land.

3. God's promife of pardon is free, abfolute, and unconditional; 'tis expreffed in this manner; I will be merciful to their unrighte oufness, and their fins, and their iniquities I will remember no more; and made to perfons guilty both of fins of omiffion and commiffion, who had bought him no fweet cane with money; neither had filled him with the fat of facrifices, but had made him to Jerve with their fins, and had wearied him with their iniquities *.

4. Pardon of fin is never afcribed to any condition performed by men, but to the free grace of God, ftreaming through the blood of Chrift, which was fhed to obtala it, and in whole gift it is, being exalted to be a Prince and a better, to give repentance unto Ifrael, and corgivene's of first; ani which is often given to perions without

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any conditions previously qualifying them for it.

5. Obedience is not the condition of pardon, though a declaration of pardon is an excellent motive to induce to obedience; evangelical obedience springs from, and is influenced by discoveries of pardon, but is neither the cause nor condition of it.

II. It is here promifed to fuch who are willing and obedient, that they shall eat the fat of the land; and threaten'd to the difobedient, that they shall be devoured with the fword: From whence it does not follow, that it is in the power of man to do what is fpiritually good, much less that eternal happiness depends upon, or is to be obtain'd by man's obedience: For,

1. The voluntary obedience here encouraged, is to things civil; fuch as to relieve the oppreffed, judge the fatherless, and plead for the widow, ver. 17. which, 'tis allow'd, are in the power of a natural man to perform; and might be reasonably expected, especially from a profeffing people, as thefe were, to whom thefe exhortations were given.

2. What is here promised, is not of a fpiritual or eternal, but of a temporal nature; ye fhall eat the good of the land, h. e. of the land of Canaan; the poffeffion of which they held by their obedience to those laws of a moral,

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