may poison, but can never heal, the envenomed mortal wound. But, remember, sinner, that faith alone can make the blessed application. Adam fell by rejecting in unbelief the word of threatening, and thou canst never rise, but by receiving in faith the word of reconciliation, Gen. ii. 17. 2 Cor. v. 19. Instead then of confusing thy thoughts, and scattering thy desires, by the pursuit of a variety of objects; remember that one thing is needful for thee-Christ and his salvation, received by faith: for to as many as receive him, he gives power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. Beseech him, therefore, to manifest himself to thee by his word and Spirit. He is the author and finisher of faith, the giver of every good and perfect gift; ask of him a heartfelt confi dence, that God so loved thee, as to give his only begotten Son, that thou shouldst not perish, but have everlasting life; a firm confidence, that as the first Adam wilfully ruined thee, so he, the second Adam, freely loved thee, and gave himself for thee; and that thou hast redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, not according to thy merits, but the riches of his grace. The least degree of this divinely wrought confidence, will begin to attract and unite thy soul to him, who is our life and peace, our strength and righteousness. The everlasting gospel will then be music in thine ears, and power in thy heart. Its cheerful, solemn sound, will raise thy drooping spirits, and make thee fix the eye of thy mind on the sign of the Son of man, the uplifted banner of the cross: and 0! while the self-righteous see nothing there bnt the despised, rejected, man of sorrow, what wilt thou discover? God in Christ reconciling the world unto himself! God manifest in the flesh, to destroy the works of the devil! Jehovah, Jesus, the captain of our salvation, treading the wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of the Almighty! Of the people there was none with him, therefore his own arm brought salvation unto him. While the gospel trumpet is blown in Sion, and the self-hardened, scoffing infidel, hears it with disdain and ridicule, what joy will the awful declarations convey to thy penitent and listening soul! With what rapturous delight wilt thou hang upon the lips of the messengers of peace, the sons of consolation, who preach free salvation by the blood of Jesus! While he himself, confirming the word of his servants, says to the melting heart, with his still, small, and yet powerful, renovating voice,-Behold, I sit upon my throne making all things new-The words that I speak are spirit and life-I do not condemn thee, thy sins are forgiven-Be thou clean-Thy faith hath saved thee-Go in peace, and sin no more. Rev. xxi. 5. John vi. 63. Luke vii. 48, 50. Matt. viii. 3. John viii. 11. And O! what will thy believing enlarged heart experience in that day of God's power, and thy spiritual birth!-Christ, the true light of the world, the eternal life of men, coming suddenly to his temple, and filling it with the light of his countenance, and the power of his resurrection!-Christ shedding abroad in thy ravished soul, the love of thy heavenly Father, of thy bitterest enemies, and all mankind!—In a word, the Holy Ghost given unto thee! Or, Christ dwelling in thy heart by faith! John i. 4. 1 John v. 12. Rom. viii. 15. and v. 5. Gal. i. 16. Eph. i. 13. and iii. 17. Being thus made partaker of Christ, and of the Holy Ghost, Heb. iii. 14. and vi. 4. thy loving heart, thy praising lips, thy blameless life, will agree to testify, that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins; and that if any man is in Christ he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold all things are become new. Matt. ix. 6. 2 Cor. v. 17. Till this is thy happy experience, pray (as the drawings of the Father, and convictions of the Spirit will enable thee,) earnestly pray for living faith, for a faith that may be to thee the substance of the pardon thou hopest for, and the evidence of the great sacrifice thou dost not see, but which our divine Surety really offered upon the cross for thee. Consider how deplorable a thing it is, that thou shouldst be prevented from claiming, receiving, enjoying, the delightful knowledge of thy interest in the Redeemer's death; when his pardoning love, and the word of his grace, offer it thee without money and without price, and absolutely nothing but infatuating unbelief or spiritual sloth keeps thee from the invaluable blessing! Be not satisfied idly to wait in the divine ordinances, till thou seest the kingdom of God come with power; but, as the violent, take it by force. Prisoner of hope, be strong, be bold, Till I thy name, thy nature know. Be attentive to the calls of the Spirit, and follow the drawings of the Father, till they bring thee to the Son; and keep thine eye upon the dawning light of the gospel, till the morning-star arise in thy heart. Venture, confidently venture, upon the boundless mercy of God in Jesus Christ. If a spirit of infirmity bows thee down, yield not to it: seventy times seven times try to arise, and look up, calling aloud for help against it. Say, if possible, with tears, as the distrest father in the gospel, Lord, I believe; or Lord, I would believe, help thou my unbelief: or with tempted Job, "Though thou slay me, yet will I trust in thee." In this manner knock with the earnestness of the importunate widow, till the door of faith open, and thou begin to see the salvation of God. But stop not here at the threshold of Christianity. Have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. Go on from faith to faith, till thy day of Pentecost is fully come, till thou art endued with power from on high, baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire, and sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which Christ received of the Father, and abundantly shed on his servants and handmaids, when he was glorified. Compare Matt. iii. 11. Eph. i. 13. John vii. 39. Acts i. 5, 8. and ii. 33, 39, and viii. 15. and xix. 2. John vii. 39. Tit. iii. 6. In the mean time, use all the means of grace with an eye to their end; stir up the gift of hope that is in thee; and, to raise thy drooping expectation, receive the encouraging testimony of God's redeemed praising people, whose hearts and tongues are ready to testify to thy ears what the following lines declare to thine eyes. V. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and is manifested unto us. Yes, we have found him, of whom Moses and the prophets did write. From blessed experience we declare, that the Messiah is come, that his essence is love incarnate, his name free salvation, and his delight the eternal happiness of the children of men. He is the chief among ten thousand prophets, priests, kings, and saviours; he is altogether love. We staked our souls upon his eternal truth, and it was done to us, both according to his word and our faith: therefore with humble joy we declare, that he answers the prayers, and delivers the souls, of perishing sinners, as graciously as he did in the days of his flesh. Upon trials, a thousand times successfully repeated; we proclaim him the help of the helpless, the hope of the hopeless, the health of the sick, the strength of the weak, the riches of the poor, the peace of the disquieted, the comfort of the afflicted, the light of those that sit in darkness, the companion of the desolate, the friend of the friendless, the way of the bewildered, the wisdom of the foolish, the righteousness of the ungodly, the sanctification of the unholy, the re demption of captives, the joy of mourners, the glory of the infamous, and, in a word, the salvation of the lost. Though he was the Creator of men and angels, he vouchsafed to be born of a woman, that we, the wretched offspring of degenerate Adam, might be born again, born of God. Though he had stretched forth the heavens like a curtain, and bespangled them with stars innumerable; he wrapped himself in the scanty fading garment of our flesh, and put on the vail of our miserable humanity, that we might be invested with the glory and communicable perfections of the divine nature. Though he was the King of kings, and Lord of lords, he did not disdain to take upon him the form and office of a servant, that we might be delivered from the slavery of Satan, and that angels might be sent forth to minister for us, who are the heirs of salvation. Though he was the fulness of him who fills all in all, he worked that we might not want; and toiled, that we might rest; and endured hunger and thirst, that we might taste the hidden manna, eat the bread of life, and drink with him the mystic wine of his Father's kingdom. His omnipotent word covers a thousand hills with verdure, and clothes millions of creatures with rich furs, glittering scales, and shining plumage; but 0 infinite condescension! he submitted to be stript of his plain raiment, that our shame might not appear: he became naked, that we might be adorned with robes of righteousness, and garments of salvation. Though his riches were immense and unsearchable like himself, though heaven was his throne, and earth his footstool, he became poor, and was destitute of a place where to lay his head, that we might be rich in faith here, and heirs of the kingdom hereafter. Though he was, is now, and ever shall be, the joy of the heavenly powers, and the object of their deepest adoration; he was voluntarily despised of men, that we might be honoured of God: he was acquainted too with griefs, that we might rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory. Though supreme |