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

proceeded in fome fuch way as this, in seeking 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 fhall not fee 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 declared myself well-pleased."

Do you then make it the bufinefs of your lives to feek 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 falvation, by Jefus Chrift, for the chief of finners; we confider the testimony

of

Permit me to afk 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 most guilty and ungodly to believe in him. The word of grace, refpecting the perfect work of Chrift, being viewed in this light, is defervedly, and by way of fingular eminence, called, The glad tidings.

Nothing is requifite, in order to a participation of Christ and his benefits, but a grant from God. It is not under the notion of poffeffing any virtuous difpofition; 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 perishing state; and as having nothing to preserve them from despair, 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 state, 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 suppose, that whoever is warranted,

to

་་། ར་རས

mentioned above, as common to all the faved of the Lord? When you have read fome 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. Becaufe without holiness no man fhall fee the Lord.

Did Paul, for instance, believe in Jefus ? It was under the confideration of himself, as a blafphemer, 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 manifestation of pardoning grace to rebels, makes them his friends. Thus divine goodness leads to re

pentance,

confciences, what you have read or heard, faying to you, as Nathan to David," Thou art the man?" The Lord dwells with those, in the manifeftations of his favour, who tremble at his word; who hear and read it with holy awe, humble reverence, and godly fear. Has this been your cafe? Has the word of God dwelt on your hearts with abiding efficacy and energy? It is heard and read by many others, but it dwells in them that believe, and works effectually in them. This is an indication of special favour.

Do you experience the gracious operations of the bleffed Spirit in the private exercises of religion? How do you find it with you in the duties of prayer, meditation, and felf-examination? What humiliation for fin, what elevation of defire, of hope and truft, do you experience from time to time? If we are interested in the divine favour, the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, making interceffion for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered; and he that fearcheth the hearts, knoweth

what

pentance, to holiness, and to hope of everlafting happiness. There is forgiveness with God that he may be feared.

This fubject is very judiciously handled in Mr. Booth's Glad Tidings to perifhing Sinners.

what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh interceffion for the faints according to the will of God. The drawing, the melting, and invigorating influences of the Spirit, in your retired moments, are unknown to men, but they are known to him with whom you have to do; and most certainly they ought to be reckoned among the tokens of his favour.

Are you abidingly impreffed with a sense of the excellence and the beauty of holinefs? Is the religion of Jefus, amidst all the difficulties and trials which attend it, that which you moft fincerely and heartily approve? Do you chufe to fuffer affliction with the people of God, rather than enjoy the pleafures of fin which are but for a season ? Though you are often in heaviness through manifold temptations, yet perhaps there are seasons when wifdom's ways are attended with pleasantness and peace to your fouls. The truths and promises of the gospel are the joy and rejoicing of your hearts. Surely thefe are indications of favour. It is not thus with those whose minds are alienated from the life of God.

You perhaps experience, at fome feasons, gracious and comfortable returns of prayer. In darkness, trouble, and perplexity, you have poured out your complaint before God, and he has wrought

out