dainful hearing the word. No more critical hearing the word, that he may commend the ability, or deride the weakness of the preacher. With what concern does he hang upon the facred meffage, to fee if there be any thing upon which he can lay hold? He then hears that "God is in Chrift, reconciling the world to "himself." The very news of falvation, the bare mention of pardon, is now a joyful found. It roufes his attention, it awakens his curiofity, and he fets himself to weigh and ponder the important intimation. He hears that "God fo

loved the world, that he gave his only begot"ten Son, that whofoever believeth in him "fhould not perish, but have everlafting life. "For God fent not his Son into the world "to condemn the world, but that the world.

through him might be faved *. Is there "then," fays he, " hope of mercy with God, "whom I have fo long forgotten, and fo greatly "offended? hath he indeed loved a guilty "world? hath he loved them in fo amazing

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a manner, as to fend his only begotten Son <6 to fave them from deftruction? How great "is the giver, how wonderful the gift, and "how undeferving the objects of his love?"

Here perhaps a difficulty may occur. "It may "be fo," fays the foul; "but are all the chil* John iii. 16, 17,

"dren of Adam the objects of divine love? Shall "every finner be partaker of divine mercy? "Surely not. How then are they distinguished? "Perhaps he intends only to fave a few of "the leaft unworthy, and to glorify his juf"tice and feverity in the condemnation of the "moft eminently guilty. What then have I "reafon to expect? None, none, none of any "rank fo criminal as I. I have finned early, "and I have finned long. I have finned against "the cleareft light and knowledge. I have fin"ned against innumerable mercies. I have fin"ned against the threatnings of God's word, "the rebukes of his providence, the checks of "my own confcience, and the unwearied pains

and diligence of minifters and parents. I have

burft every bond, and torn in pieces every "reftraining tie." How many gracious promifes present themselves immediately to extinguish this fear? "Come now, and let us rea"fon together, faith the Lord; though your

fins be as fcarlet, they fhall be as white as "fnow; though they be red like crimson, they "fhall be as wool; if ye be willing and obe"dient, ye fhall eat the good of the land *. "Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wife

caft out t. Wherefore also he is able to fave them to the uttermoft that come unto God by ** If, i 18, 19. + John vi. 37.

"him,

"him*. And the Spirit And the Spirit and the bride fay' "come; and let him that heareth fay come ; " and let him that is athirst come; and whofo"ever will, let him take the water of life

freely t." To thefe promises may be added many fcripture examples of first-rate finners, faved by the power of God, that none may defpair. An idolatrous Manafieh, an unrighteous and oppreffive publican Zaccheus, an unclean Mary Magdalene, and a perfecuting Paul. Then is the foul brought to acknowledge and adore the matchlefs love of God; to repeat and adopt the words of the apoftle Paul; " This is a faithful

faying, and worthy of all acceptation, that "Chrift Jefus came into the world to fave fin<< ners, of whom I am chief."

The finner, in fuch a fituation, is wholly employed in alternately viewing his own deplorable character and ftate on the one hand, and the fufficiency and efficacy of the remedy on the other. As these take their turns in his mind, his hope rifes or falls. Perhaps when he again reflects on the infinite number, and heinous nature of his offences; when he confiders the holinefs and purity of God's nature and law, he is ready to bring all into queftion, and to say, "How can these things be? Is it poffible that all this guilt can be paffed by, is it poffible that "it can be forgiven and forgotten by a holy † Rev. xxii, 17.

*Heb, vii. 25.

L 6

"God?

"God? Is he not of purer eyes than to behold

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iniquity? Is it not said, that evil cannot "dwell with him? that finners fhall not stand "in his prefence? How then can I prefume "to approach him? I, who have been fo daring "and obftinate a rebel? What reception can I expect to meet with but, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and caft him "into utter darkness; there fhall be weeping "and gnashing of teeth."

To remove this diftruft, and affure his heart before God, he is informed of the foundation of his hope, that falvation comes by a Mediator. He undertook our caufe, he purchased redemption by his precious blood. Hear him faying in the councils of the Moft High, "Sacrifice and of"fering thou didst not defire; mine ears haft "thou opened. Burnt-offering and fin-offering "haft thou not required. Then faid I, Lo, I ་་ come, in the volume of the book it is writ "ten of me, I delight to do thy will, O my "God; yea, thy law is within my heart †.” Hear alfo, in what manner he executed this gracious purpose. "He was wounded for our tranf"greffions, he was bruifed for our iniquities; "the chaftisement of our peace was upon him,

and with his ftripes we are healed. All we "like sheep have gone aftray, we have turned * Matt. xxii. 13. † Pf. xl. 6, 7, 8. 6

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"every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all *." Let us alfo fee how this matter is represented in the new testament. "Whom God hath fet forth to be "a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to "declare his righteousness for the remifion of "fins that are paft, through the forbearance of "God; to declare, I fay, at this time his righteouf"nefs: that he might be juft, and the juftifier of him. "that believeth in Jefus +. For he hath made him "to be fin for us, who knew no fin, that we might "be made the righteousness of God in him ‡.”

It is through this man, and through his blood, that repentance and remiffion of fins is preached to all nations." Is not this a fufficient and stable ground of hope? In the fubftitution of our furety, we fee a way opened for the reception and restoration of finners, in a perfect confiftency with all the divine perfections. The fpotless purity and holiness, the strict and impartial juftice of God, feem to raise an infuperable obftacle to our admiffion into his favour; but in the sufferings and atonement of our Redeemer, we fee how he may teftify his abhorrence of fin, and punish it, and at the fame time fhew mercy. There is a perfect harmony of all the divine attributes in this defign, and particularly a joint illustration of mercy and justice. This is the gospel of Chrift, the bleffed and re* If. liii. 5, 6. † Rom. iii. 25, 26,

to the finner.

2 Cor. v. 21.

viving