refuge to the hope of the Gospel, and is living by faith in the Son of God: but at the same time is troubled with doubts, is harassed with fears as to his final condition, as to his perseverance in holiness, as to his enduring unto the end? Distressed and afflicted Soul, mayest thou receive all the consolation, all the encouragement, which the subject before us is so evidently calculated and designed to furnish, and which I will humbly endeavour to administer. When looking at thy sins, when contemplating thy enemies, when surveying thy difficulties, in times of peculiar darkness, in seasons of unusual temptation, thou art ready to fear that thou shalt be overcome at last: thou art ready to cry out with David under the impression of similar apprehensions, "I shall one day fall by the hand of Saul." My enemy will prevail against me.' But oppose these fears. Resist these apprehensions. Meet them with the reasoning suggested in the text. Call to mind what in times past have been the Lord's gracious dealings with thee. When He first found thee, where wast thou? And what wast thou? Thou wast in a state of alienation from Him; an enemy to His authority, a rebel to His government. But He But He spared thee in this state. He did not bring on thee the fierceness of His wrath. He pitied, And He had compassion on thee. He called thee to Himself by His Gospel. He disposed thy heart to obey the call, and to return unto Him. He accepted thee when thou soughtest His favour. He manifested His loving-kindness to thee, and graciously placed thee among His children. He has taught thee to pray to Him, to hope in His mercy, to trust to His promises, to walk in His ways. He has supported thee when heavyladen. He has revived thee when fainting. He hath reclaimed thee when wandering. He hath helped thee to this very day. now, after all this display of His distinguishing grace and goodness to thy soul; after these so many proofs of His compassion and faithfulness, is it likely, is it reasonable, is it possible to suppose, that He will leave thee and forsake thee, and cast thee off for ever? Surely what He hath already done for thee, is a pledge of what He will yet do for thee. If He has already made thee of a rebel a friend; of an enemy a child; much more will He now preserve, and keep, and bless, and save thee to the end. Then lay aside thy fears; fears, so unreasonable in themselves, so dishonourable to thy Saviour. Wait upon Him in faith and prayer. Rely on His mercy and truth. So shalt thou be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man. So shall thy peace, and hope, and joy, be greatly increased. So shalt thou find rest unto thy soul, and shalt go on thy way rejoicing. But though this be the chief use, which we should make of the subject before us, it is not the only purpose to which it may be profitably applied. It suggests some serious considerations of a general nature. It reminds us all of our natural state. It reminds us that we have all been in a state of hostility towards God, of alienation from Him, of rebellion against Him. We have been enemies to Him. But are we still enemies to Him? Is this our state at present ? Or have we been reconciled unto God? Have we made our peace with Him? Are we no longer enemies, but friends; no longer rebels, but children? If this be not the case; if we are still opposed to God, and at variance with Him; O let us consider our state, and our danger. Let us so consider these things, that we may flee from the wrath to come. Let us make peace - with our adversary while yet we are in the way with Him. A door of reconciliation is open. All things are now ready. By the declarations of Scripture, by the voice of His Ministers, the Lord is daily saying to us, Be ye reconciled unto me.'. "Take hold of my strength that ye may make peace with me, and ye shall make peace with me." Perhaps you say, We are reconciled unto God. We think, we hope, that we have made our peace with Him.' See then, that ye have really made it. Deceive not yourselves with a vain presumption. Bear it constantly in mind, that there can be no real reconciliation with God, unless there be also an habitual separation from sin. God and sin can never be reconciled. If you are reconciled unto God, you must have put away sin. Christ's salvation is a salvation from sin, from the practice, from the power, from the love of it. True Religion begins with the conversion of the heart from sin to God, and proceeds with the gradual renovation of our nature, and with its restoration to the Divine Image and likeness in righteousness and true holiness. The true Christian is one, who being regenerated, and made the Child of God by adoption and grace, is daily renewed by His Holy Spirit.' Is this your Religion? Is this your experience of its power and influence on your soul? Till this be in some measure the case, the Scriptures give you no reason to think that you are as yet reconciled unto God. "The Grace of God, which bringeth salvation, teacheth us, that denying all ungodliness, and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for that |