indeed for them, all muft, and will be well, in the end. But they hesitate at the if, and are ready to afk, How fhall I know that God is for me? I would offer you a few confiderations towards the determining of this point, in the first place. Sin has made an awful breach and separation between God and mankind. They are alienated in their minds from him, and he is justly displeased with them. The intercourfe and communion with God, which constitute the honour and happiness of the human nature, were no longer either afforded or defired, when man rebelled against his Maker; except to the few who understood and embraced his gracious purpofe of reconciliation, the first intimation of which, was revealed in the promise of the feed of the woman, who fhould bruife the ferpent's head. The clear and full discovery of this reconciliation, is made known to us, by the gofpel. God was in Chrift, reconciling the world unto himself. God is already reconciled, in this sense, that having provided and accepted a fatisfaction to his law and justice, he can now, in a way worthy of himself, receive and pardon the + 2 Cor. v. 19. * Gen. iii. 15. Ž 3 return returning finner. And he accompanies the word of his grace, with the power of his holy Spirit, to make finners willing to be reconciled to him. If we be for God, he is affuredly for us. If we feek him, he has been before hand with us, for, in the first inftance, he is always found of those who fought him not*. If we love him, it is, because he firft loved us. True believers walk with God. But two cannot walk together, with confidence and comfort, unless they be agreed. This agreement is chiefly with respect to those particulars, propofed by the Lord God in his word, and to which, the believing finner cheerfully and thankfully accedes. 1. In the ground of the agreement; this is MESSIAH, the Mediator between God and man. When he entered upon his office, a voice from heaven, commended him to finners, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleafed . And they who are enlightened to behold the glory of God in his perfon and engagement, accept him as the beloved Saviour, in whom, and with whom, they are well pleased. Without this ac* Ifa. lxv. I. + Amos iii. 3. + Matt. iii. 17. ceptance ceptance of the Mediator, there can be no agreement. Jefus is the only door, the only way, of a finner's access to the knowledge and favour of God. This is the precious and fure foundation which he has laid in Zion *; and to prefume to build our hope upon any other, is to build upon a quickfand. In this point, reason, in its prefent diftempered state, would lead us, if followed, directly contrary to the fimplicity of faith. Reafon fuggefts, that if we have acted wrong, we must repent and amend, and what can we do more? But the law against which we have finned, makes no provifion for repentance. Nor is fuch a repentance, as includes a change of heart (and nothing short of this deferves the name) in our own power. Repentance unto life †, is the gift of God; and Jefus who is exalted ta be a Prince and a Saviour, bestows it upon those who acknowledge him, and implore it of him. But God will only treat with us, as those who are condemned already, who have nothing but fin, and deferve nothing but mifery. When we feel this to be our proper ftate, we are referred to Jefus, in whom God is well pleafed; and for whose 1 Pet. ii. 6. + Acts xi. 18. + Ibid. v. 31. 24 fake, fake, fins are pardoned, and finners accepted and juftified, without condition, and without exception. And then likewise we begin to see the neceffity, propriety and fufficiency of this appointment. Herein all who are taught of God are of one mind. However they may differ in some respects, they agree in cordially receiving Chrift Jefus the Lord*, as he is made of God for us, wisdom, righteoufness, and falvation. 2. They agree with God in the great defign of the gospel, which is, to purify unto himself a peculiar people, who, being delivered from their fears and their enemies, fhall ferve him with an unreferved and perfevering obedience +. A deliverance from the power of fin and Satan, a devotedness to God, and a conformity to the mind and pattern of his dear Son, are included by every true believer, in the idea of falvation. He knows that he can be happy in no other way. This is a turning point. There are convictions of fin, excited by a dread of punishment, which, though diftreffing to the confcience, leave the heart and affections unchanged. They who are thus impreffed, if no farther, would + Luke i. 74, 75. * Col. ii. 6. be be fatisfied with an affurance of pardon. But the grace of God which bringeth falvation *, teaches us to renounce, to abhor all ungodliness in the prefent world; to give themselves unto him who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity; and to walk worthy of God who calls us to his kingdom and glory . This is the will of God; even our fanctification. And this is the defire of his people, that they may be fanctified wholly; that their whole perfons, fpirit, foul and body, may be preferved blameless; that they may be filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ; that they may walk as the fons of God, without rebuke, and shine as lights in the world. Though their attainments are imperfect, in their judgment and defires they are fully agreed with God, as to their aim and defign. 3. They are agreed with him likewise as to the ultimate great end, the final caufe of their redemption, which is, the praise of the glory of his grace ||. That the loftiness, high looks, and proud pretences of men, may be abased, and the Lord alone may be exalted; and that he who glorieth, may glory only in |