embraces and clofes with it. He fees the law to be holy; he confeffes the threatening to be juft; and he is not only content, but thankful, that his prefent deliverance and future fecurity depend, not on himself, but on the Redeemer. He is willing to be only and eternally indebted to the unmerited mercy and fovereign grace of God in Chrift Jefus.

Thus you fee the doctrine of falvation is represented in fcripture under the form of a blefling to be received, as well as a truth to be believed: If. lv. 1, 2, 3. "Ho, every "one that thirfteth, come ye to the waters, and he that "hath no money; come ye, buy and eat, yea, come, buy "wine and milk without money, and without price. "Wherefore do ye fpend money for that which is not "bread? and your labor for that which fatisfieth not? "hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is "good, and let your foul delight itfelf in fatnefs. Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your foul fhall "live, and I will make an everlafling covenant with you,

even the furê mercies of David." Matth. xi. 28. "Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, “and i will give you reft." And indeed the inspired writers always fpeak of it in fuch terms as fhew themfelves not only fatisfied of the truth, but deeply penetrated with a fenfe of the greatnefs of the mercy; Eph. iii. 17, 18, 19. "That Chrift may dwell in your hearts by faith; "that ye being rooted and grounded in love, may be able, "to comprehend with all faints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Chrift, which paffeth knowledge, that ye might be filled "with all the fulnefs of God."

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3. In the laft place, faith implies fuch a perfonal application of the truths of the gofpel as produceth repose of confcience, dependance and reliance on the Saviour. This, my brethren, is the point firft in view, and the termination of the whole; and I cannot help thinking, that it is fo effential to faith, that faith and truft are often put reciprocally for one another in the New Testament; as in Eph. i. 12, 13. "That we fhould be to the praise "of his glory, who first trufted in Chrift. In whom ye $ s

VOL. I.

"alfo trufted after that ye heard the word of truth, the gof "pel of your falvation: in whom alfo after that ye be"lieved, ye were fealed with that holy Spirit of promise."

I do not mean to fay, that divine faith is a belief that Chrift died for me in particular. I know the strong objections which lie against that form of expreffion. The object of faith is, that Chrift died for loft finners of the race of Adam. But as it can hardly be fuppofed, that any give their affent to this truth till they are convinced that they themselves are finners, fo, if they believe that there is no falvation in any other, and that he is able to fave to the uttermoft, it seems to follow of neceffity, that they will reft and rely" upon him alone for falvation as he is offer"ed in the gofpel." This is certainly the view given us of the matter in the holy fcripture: Rom. v. 1. "There"fore being juftified by faith, we have peace with God, "through our Lord Jefus Chrift." Heb. vi. 18. "That "by two immutable things, in which it was impoffible for "God to lie, we might have a strong confolation, who have "fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope fet before us.” Faith and despair are inconsistent. Faith and hope are infeparable. The glory of the Redeemer's perfon, the perfection of his atonement, and his ability to fave, are all set before us in the gofpel; and if we cannot rely upon him, if we cannot truft our falvation in his hands, it certainly arifes from fome doubt or difapprobation of these interesting truths. If you doubt of the truth, it is no wonder that you diftruft the promise; but if you are truly and inwardly fatisfied of Chrift's power and mercy, you will close with 'him, as your Saviour, and fay unto him, in the words of Thomas, when his doubts were removed, "My Lord, "and my God."-Thus I have fhortly given you a view of the actings of faith: which may all be reduced to what I have endeavored to illuftrate; the affent of the understanding, the approbation of the heart, and these jointly producing repose of confcience and peace with God.

II. I proceed now, in the last place, to make fome practical improvement of what hath been faid on this important fubject. And, in the

Firft place, Hence learn the abfolute neceffity of selfdenial, and how much it ought to prevail in the temper of a Chriftian. In explaining to you the object of faith, I have endeavored to lay before you the nature of the gofpel-message, and the fubftance of the truth as it is in Jefus, viz. the loft and helpless state of man by nature, forgiveness through the blood of Chrift, and fanctification as the work of his Spirit. If this view is juft, then religion must be begun, preferved, improved, and perfected, by union with Chrift. If this view is juft, then all felf-righte oufnefs and felf-dependance is a denial of Chrift. And indeed, fuch is the life of a believer, if the conduct of the great apoftle of the Gentiles may be taken for an example: Phil. iv. 13. "I can do all things through Chrift which ftrengtheneth me."

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2. Hence alfo learn the neceffity of a new nature, in order to a new life. If the old nature is indeed in ruins, it will be loft labor to begin to build without a new foundation. And if the foundation is ill laid, however beautiful the fuperftructure, the fabric cannot be lafting. The not attending to this is vifibly the cause of many mifcarriages. Men often refolve upon fome amendment of life, from prudence, conveniency, or even from imperfect convictions, and fome apprehenfion of eternity itself. But though these resolutions are formed with seeming fincerity, inherent corruption foon becomes too ftrong for fuch feeble oppofition. Remember therefore our Saviour's caution, "Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or "make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt." If you defire to live a life of holiness or virtue, apply to God through Chrift, for the pardon of your fins, and peace with him. Entreat of him alfo, in the fame prevailing name, that by his grace he would implant in you" a new heart, "and a new fpirit, that you may walk in his ways, and "obferve his judgments to do them."

3. Learn alfo how injurious they are to the doctrine of falvation by faith in Chrift, who flander it as unfriendly to holinefs of life. So far from being unfavorable to holiness, it makes the most effectual provision for it. Obedience to the whole law of God, is embraced by every believer as his

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choice, and promised as his duty; only he expects to derive ftrength from his Redeemer to enable him to discharge it. I defire to bear witnefs, and fo will every faithful minifter of the New Teftament, that Chrift came not to deftroy the law, but to fulfil it. He hath not only left it in its full force upon the confcience, but he hath added to its obligation. The awful fanction of the law fhall take place upon every impenitent finner. It is well reprefented by the flying roll, in the prophecies of Zechariah, chap. v. 3, 4. Then faid he unto me, This is the curfe that goeth "forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one "that ftealeth, fhall be cut off as on this fide, according "to it; and every one that fweareth, fhall be cut off as "on that fide, according to it. I will bring it forth, faith "the Lord of hofts, and it fhall enter into the houfe of the "thief, and into the houfe of him that sweareth falfely by 66 my name; and it fhall remain in the midft of his houfe, "and fhall confume it, with the timber thereof, and the "ftones thereof.", See alfo the fuperadded fanction of the gofpel, Heb. x. 28, 29. "He that despised Moses' law, "died without mercy, under two or three witneffes of "how much forer punishment, fuppofe ye, fhall he be "thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son "of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, "wherewith he was fanctified, an unholy thing, and hath "done despite unto the Spirit of grace?" Hear it, my brethren, hear it for your fouls' fake, any known fin allowed in the heart or converfation, is as inconfiftent with falvation under the covenant of grace as under the covenant of works; or rather to speak more properly, as many as continue in the practice of fin are condemned already, and remain under the power of that ministration of death. To delight in the law of the Lord after the inward man, is the fruit of faith, the character of the new nature, and neceffary to fit you for the divine prefence.

4. Suffer me to fay a few words, for the reproof and conviction of thofe who are living in contempt of the gofpel. Alas! how many are there who turn a deaf ear to the most earneft and preffing invitations addreffed to them in the word of God, and enforced by his providence!

'There are two forts of defpifers of the gofpel. (1.) Those who are open and avowed enemies to the doctrine of the gofpel, who defert it, defpife it, or flander it. Too many there are of this character in the prefent age, to whom the crofs of Chrift is foolifhnefs. O! how deplorable is their folly and how aggravated their guilt! If this is the divine commandment, That we fhould believe in the name of the Son of God; and if there is truth in the divine word, "That there is no falvation in any other;" miferable indeed must be the ftate of thofe who are found thus fighting against God. Will it be a light thing to be found delpilers of all that grace and love manifefted in the gofpel? How heavy is the threatening, in our Saviour's own words, against thofe who defpife the precious corner stone, and tried foundation, which is laid in Zion, Matth. xxi. 44. "And whofoever fhall fall on this ftone, fhall be bro"ken; but on whomfoever it fhall fall, it will grind him "to powder." (2.) They are defpifers of the gospel who, profeffing belief in the doctrine of Chrift, continue to live in unrighteoufnefs. He came to turn you from all your tranfgreffions, as well as to deliver you from condemnation. His power is particularly illuftrated in bringing finners" from darknefs to light, and from the power of "Satan unto God." The end of his coming is loft to all those who continue in fin. If they are called by his name, they are a scandal to it; if they form any hopes from his fufferings, they will be difappointed; if they advance any claim to his mercy, it will be rejected; if they plead relation to him, he will openly renounce them: Matth. vii. 21, 22, 23." Not every one that faith unto me, Lord, "Lord, fhall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he "that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will fay to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we "not prophefied in thy name? and in thy name have caft "out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful "works? and then will I profefs unto them, I never knew you: depart from me ye that work iniquity."

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5. In the last place, Suffer me, in the moft earnest manner, to beseech every finner in this affembly, to believe in the name of the Son of God. I fay, every finner,