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in heaven, nor men on earth; that neither riches, honours, gifts, endowments, nor qualifications of any kind, can reconcile you to God? Are you perfuaded that thousands of rams, and ten thoufands of rivers of oil would be of no avail in this cafe? That should all the holy men on earth unite with the faints in heaven to procure your pardon, they would not prevail? That fhould Noah, Daniel and Job, Lot, Mofes and Samuel ftand up to turn away the wrath of God from you, they would not fucceed? That if all the angels in heaven fhould intercede for you, their interpofition would not be fufficient? Nay, have you been made senfible that your own prayers, tears, faftings, and humiliations cannot atone for the least of your offences? That nothing wrought in you, or performed by you, can make amends for what you have done amifs, pacify divine wrath, or entitle you to the favour and acceptance of that holy Being against whom you have finned?

He who is under the teachings and guidance of the holy Spirit of God, is fully perfuaded, that his own righteousness is but as filthy rags in point of merit; that no qualifications he can bring, will be of any avail; that nothing can give fatisfaction to injured juftice, but a facrifice of infinite value; and such is the facrifice which Jesus Christ has

offered.

offered. It is the blood of that Lamb of God alone which cleanseth from all fin, who, by one offering, hath perfected for ever them that are fanctified. The finner who is taught of God, dares not approach the divine throne but through a Mediator. He knows that acceptance with him is only in the Beloved; in whom the Father hath declared himself well-pleased. He knows that justice must have full fatisfaction, and that this is no where to be found, but in the atonement which the Son of God made, when he appeared in the end of the world, to put away fin by the facrifice of himself.

I will ask you again; Have you earnestly fought reconciliation with God through the Redeemer ? Though there is nothing meritorious in all your feeking, yet this is the appointed mean of coming to the enjoyment of a sense of intereft in the divine favour. If the fubjects of an earthly potentate have been guilty of treasonable practices against his throne and government, and he has made it known to them, that he will not be reconciled, except they feek his favour through the mediation of his fon and heir, the offending subjects can have no ground to expect a reinstatement in their prince's favour, fo long as they neglect the appointed way. Herod was highly difpleafed with the men of Tyre and Sidon; but they came with one accord to

.2་《→ར་ར་

him, and having made Blatus, the king's chamberlain, their friend, defired peace. Have you

proceeded in fome fuch way as this, in feeking at God's hand the life of your fouls? Do you feek his favour through the mediation, the fatisfaction, and the interceffion of Jefus? He has rendered the divine throne approachable by finners. He is the way, the truth, and the life; no man can come to the Father but by him. He hath delivered finners from the wrath to come, having made peace by the blood of his crofs. He gave himself, the juft for the unjuft, that he might bring us to God. Jofeph faid to his brethren, " Ye shall not see my face, unless ye bring your brother Benjamin." So, in effect, the Lord fays to us, "Expect no favour with me, but only through him in whom I have de-. clared myself well-pleased."

Do you then make it the business of your lives to seek the bleffings of grace through the Redeemer? Do you daily come to the Father by him, entreating his favour with your whole hearts ? Jefus is able to fave to the uttermost all that come unto the Father by him. *

per

We confider the infpired writings as exhibiting a full, free, and everlasting salvation, by Jesus Christ, for the chief of finners; we confider the teftimony

of

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Permit me to ask you another question; What tokens of favour have you received from that God whom you thus feek? Have you experienced those powerful convictions of fin which we have

men

of God concerning his incarnate Son, as a complete warrant for the moft guilty and ungodly to believe in him. The word of grace, refpecting the perfect work of Chrift, being viewed in this light, is deservedly, and by way of fingular eminence, called, The glad tidings..

Nothing is requifite, in order to a participation of Chrift and his benefits, but a grant from God. It is not under the notion of poffeffing any virtuous dispofition; of being, by good habits and qualities, diftinguished from other men; of being well humbled for fin; or of being deeply awakened in confcience, that finners must first believe in Jefus. No: but as tranfgreffors; as in a perifhing ftate; and as having nothing to preserve them from defpair, except what the fcripture fays concerning Chrift, his offices, and his grace.

But there is a great and palpable difference between perfons, while in their native ftate, being authorised to believe in Jefus; and their being warranted, while in that condition, to conclude themselves to be in the favour of God, and to expect final happiness. It is a grofs mistake, to fuppofe, that whoever is warranted,

to

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mentioned above, as common to all the faved of the Lord? When you have read some portion of the facred fcriptures, or heard the word preached, hath the Holy Spirit fet home upon your hearts and

con

to believe on Chrift, is, at the very fame instant, merely on the fame ground, and while an unbeliever, equally authorized to expect everlasting life.

For he that believes on Chrift, looks to him as juftifying the ungodly; but he who, on fcriptural grounds, hopes for future felicity, expects it as a believer; as in a juftified ftate; as having a turn of heart, in fome degree fuited to the employments and enjoyments of heaven. Because without holiness no man fhall fee the Lord.

Did Paul, for inftance, believe in Jefus ? It was under the confideration of himself, as a blasphemer, a perfecutor, and the chief of finners. Did he rejoice in hope? It was, as having received the atonement; as bearing the image of Chrift; and as having a fpiritual relifh for heavenly things. The finner believes: the believer hopes.

Nor can any man believe in Chrift, and continue a rebel against God: for fovereign mercy, when it relieves the confcience, alters the bias of the heart, and forms the character anew. God, in the exercise and manifeftation of pardoning grace to rebels, makes them his friends. Thus divine goodness leads to re

pentance,