their present state, I would rather wish to make still more fufpicious of themselves, than they are; till they are convinced of the impoffibility of enjoying true peace, while their hearts are divided between God and the world. For though fanctification is not the ground of a good hope, it is the certain concomitant of it. If it be true, that without holiness no man fhall fee the Lord *, it must likewise be true, that without holiness no man can have a fcriptural, and well-founded hope, of seeing him.

4. But to give a direct answer to the enquiry, How fhall I know that he is my Re deemer? I may use the prophet's words, Then shall ye know, if you follow on to know the Lord. Our names are not actually inferted in the Bible, but our characters are defcribed there. He is the Redeemer of all who put their trust in him. You will not truft in him, unless you feel your need of

him; you cannot, unless you know him, as he is revealed in the word; you do not, unlefs you love him, and are devoted to his cause and service. If you know yourself to be a finner deferving to perish, if you

* Heb. xii. 14. VOL. II.

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ï you really incrance from fin, in hich you long for, r. If, among us, an ed, inviting all criinfelves, with a prosie who did; though i by name in the act, · complied with it, and Se entitled to the benefit. grace is the gofpel. The beloved Son, hear him*. n he is your's. If you are th doubts, they are owing s of your faith. But there ated for the growth of faith. upon the Lord in the use of and you fhall find, he has not is face in vain. Have no felthe unfruitful works of darknot in the omiffion of known ot perplex yourself with vain but believe and obey, and the * Matt. iii. 17.

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Lord fhall be with you. There are fome peculiar cafes. Allowances must be made, for the effects of conftitution and temperament. Some fincere perfons are befet and followed, through life, with diftreffing temptations. But in general, fimplicity, and obedience lead to affurance. And they who hearken to the Lord, and walk in the way of his commandinents, go on from strength to frength; their peace and hope increase, like a river, which, from fmall beginnings, runs broader and deeper, till it falls into the But to return to Job

ocean.

III. Another article of his creed concerning the Redeemer, is, He shall stand in the latter day upon the earth. The latter or laft days, in the prophetical ftyle, ufually denote the MESSIAH's day, the times of the gospel. To this time Job looked forward. He beheld the promises afar off. Thus MESSIAH was the confolation of his people of old, as he who was to come. And it should be our confolation, to know that he is come. His standing upon the earth may include the whole of his appearance in the flesh; his life, paffion, and refurrection. The manner of

expreffion intimates fomething important and wonderful. Had Job, in the fpirit of prophecy, fpoken of any individual of Adam's race, of Ifaiah, or Paul, there would have been nothing extraordinary predicted by faying, he thall ftand upon the earth, for all men do fo, in their fucceffive generations. But that the Redeemer, the Lord of glory, the Maker of all things, fhould condefcend to vifit his creatures, to dwell with men for a feason, to fland, and walk, upon the earth with them, clothed in a body like their own, is an event which never could have been expected, if it had not been revealed from heaven. It was the object of Job's faith, and well deferving the folemn preface, with which, he introduces his firm perfuafion of it, Oh! that my words were graven with an iron pen, in the rock for ever! When Solomon had finished the temple of the Lord of Hofts, inftead of admiring the magnificence of the building, he was ftruck with the condefcenfion of the Lord who would vouch fafe to notice it, and honour it with a symbol of his prefence. Will God indeed dwell with men upon the earth? Behold the heaven of heavens cannot contain him, how much less

this houfe which I have built * ! But what was the visible glory which appeared in that temple, if compared with the glory of the only begotten Son of God, when he tabernacled in our flefh! The human nature of Chrift, is that true temple, not made with hands, in which God is manifefted upon a throne of grace, that finners may approach him without difmay, and receive, out of his fulness, grace for grace. To him all the prophets gave witnefs, on him the defire and hope of his people, in all ages, have been fixed. He was to ftand upon the earth, as Mediator between God and man. And in the fame office, now he is upon the throne of glory, he is, and will be, admired, adored and trusted in, by all his believing people, to the end of time.

IV. From the Redeemer's appearance upon earth, Job infers the restoration, and refurrection, of his own body. His trials had been great-bereaved of his children and fubstance, afflicted with grievous boils, harraffed with temptations, reproached by his friends: out of all these troubles the Lord his Redeemer delivered him, and his latter days

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