CAUTIONS,

Proper for a penitent who desires to make his calling and election SURE. III. When thou hast affecting views of thy lost estate, beware of resting, like Felix, in some pangs of fear, fits of trembling, and resolu tions of turning to God by and by, "when" thou "shalt have a conve nient season. Neither give place to desponding thoughts, as if there was no appeal from the tribunal of justice to the throne of grace.

Run not for ease to vain company, bodily indulgence, entangling affec tions, immoderate sleep, excessive drinking, or hurry of business. "Cain built a city" to divert his trouble of mind; and multitudes like him, by "the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, or the desire of other things," daily choke the good seed, the precious word of convic tion, Mark iv, 19.

Be not satisfied with faint desires of living the life of the righteous, or idle wishes of dying their death. Remember that "the desire of the slothful kills him :" and if thou hast experienced some drawings of grace, meltings of heart, or breathings after God, sit not down at last, as the Laodiceans, in a careless state, "neither hot nor cold." It is far better to go on thy way weeping, and seeking "the pearl of great price" till thou really find it, than to rest contented with a hasty conceit that thou art possessed of it, when thou art not.

Stop not in an outward reformation, and a form of godliness, like many who mistake the means or doctrines of grace for grace itself; and because they say their heartless prayers both in public and private, or go far and often to hear the Gospel preached in its purity, fondly hope that they are the favourites of God and in the high way to heaven.

Under pretence of increasing thy convictions, do not bury them in heaps of religious books. Some read till their heads are confused, or their hearts past feeling. Thus, though "ever learning, they are never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." Hear, then, as well as read, the word of life; but think not thyself converted when thou hast "received it with joy." The stony ground hearers went as far as this: "Herod himself heard John gladly, honoured him, did many things," but left the most important undone : for he never dismissed the incestu. ous woman he lived with; and at last sacrificed to her revenge the honest preacher he once admired.

Do not confound the covenant of works made with innocent Adam before the fall, and the covenant of grace made with sinful Adam after the fall, Gen. ii, 17, and iii, 15, and Rom. v, 11-21. They are excellent in their place, but when they are mixed together they destroy each other's efficacy. The dreadful thunders heard in Paradise Lost, and the melodious songs uttered in Paradise Regained, do not strike at once the same spiritual ear. The galling yoke of the law of works, and the heavy load of its condemnation, are dropped when we take upon us Christ's easy yoke, and submit to his light burden. In a word, the first Adam gives place to the second when we "find rest unto our souls." Let then the curse of the law of innocence be swallowed up by the blessing of the Gospel; or rather let it make way for the grace of Christ in thy soul, as an emetic makes way for a cordial in a disordered stomach. If thou

takest them together their respective use is prevented. The first covenant loses its humbling efficacy, and the second its restorative power. Therefore, if thou hast really "received the sentence of death in thyself," leave the curse of the first covenant in the grave of Christ, "crucified for thy sins;" and welcome the pardoning, renovating grace of Christ, "risen again for thy justification.'

On the other hand, rest not contented with speculative knowledge, and unaffecting, though clear, ideas of the Gospel way of salvation. Light in an unrenewed understanding, mistaken for "the mystery of faith in a pure heart," like an ignis fatuus, or false light, leads thousands through the bogs of sin into the pit of destruction, Acts viii, 13.

Pacify not thy conscience by activity in outward services, and a warmth in God's cause: party spirit or natural steadiness in carrying on a favourite scheme, yea, or seeking thy own glory, may be the springs that set thee on the work. Jehu faithfully destroyed Baal and Jezebel, but his zeal for the Lord covered the secret desire of a crown. Take care also not to mistake gifts for graces; fluency of speech for converting power; the warmth of natural affection for Divine love; or an impulse of God's Spirit, on some particular occasion, for an evidence of spiritual regeneration. Balaam spoke and prophesied like a child of God, and "many will one day say" to Christ, "Lord, have we not prophesied, spoke all mysteries, cast out devils, and done many wonderful works in thy name?" To whom he will answer, "Depart from me, I know you not."

Avoid the self conceit of many who feed on the corrupted manna of their past experiences, and confidently appeal to the wasted streams of those consolations which once refreshed their hearts; when, alas! it is evident "they have" now "forsaken the fountain of living water," and "hewn to themselves broken cisterns that hold no water;" unless the mire of evil tempers, selfish views, and heartless professions of faith, may pass for "the streams which gladden the city of God."

Nor

Neither do thou heal thyself by touches of sorrow, by tears, good desires, or outward marks of humiliation for sin, as King Ahab. by excessive fasting, retiring from business, or hard usage of the body, as many Roman Catholics; nor yet by misapplying the doctrine of predestination, and setting down notions of election for evidences of salvation, as many Protestants. No, nor by "doting about questions, strifes of words, and perverse disputings, which eat as a canker," as some in St. Paul's days, and too many in ours, 1 Tim. vi, 4.

To conclude: Think not thou art absolutely made whole when the power of outward sin is weakened or suspended, when thou hast learned the language of Canaan, canst speak or write well on spiritual subjects, art intimately acquainted with the best ministers of Christ, and hast cast thy lot among the despised children of God, taken their part, shared in their reproach, and secured their esteem and prayers. Judas did so for years: "Saul was" once "also among the prophets." Ananias and Sapphira were supposed to be good believers for a time; the foolish virgins joined in society with the wise, and were perhaps unsuspected to the last; and Peter himself stood in need of conversion, long after he had outwardly "left all to follow Christ," Luke xxii, 32. So importan

is that charge of our Lord, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate, for many will seek to enter in and shall not be able."

To these cautions against the various ways by which the generality of penitents skin over the wound of sin in their conscience, permit me to add an

EVANGELICAL EXHORTATION,

Pointing out the Divine method of a sound cure, which, though least regarded, and last tried, by most sinners, is not only effectual in some, but infallible in ALL cases.

IV. Wouldst thou, serious reader, be made whole in an evangelical manner? To thy convictions of original and actual sin must be added a conviction of unbelief. Feel, then, that thou hast neglected Christ's great salvation: own thou didst never ask, or never persevere in asking, the unfeigned, saving, powerful faith, by which "the atonement is received" and enjoyed, Rom. v, 11. Acknowledge that the faith thou hast hitherto rested in was not "the gift of God," that grace" of his own operation, wrought in thee according to the working of his mighty power," and mentioned Eph. ii, 8; Col. ii, 12; Eph. i, 9. And confess it was not the right Christian faith, because it chiefly grew from the seed of prejudice and education, as the faith of Jews and Turks, and not from the seed of Divine grace and power, as the faith of St. Paul, Gal. i, 14; and because it never yielded the heavenly fruits which Gospel faith infallibly produces: such as, "a vital union with Christ,” Gal. ii, 20; "the pardon of sins," Col. i, 14; Acts xiii, 39; "peace with God," Rom. v, 1; "dominion over sin," Rom. vi, 14; "victory over the world," 1 John v, 4; "the crucifixion of the flesh," Gal. v; "power to quench the fiery darts of the wicked," Eph. vi, 16; "joy unspeakable," 1 Pet. i, 8; " and the salvation of the soul," 1 Pet. i, 9; Heb. x, 39. Be not afraid of this conviction of unbelief; for it generally goes before Divine faith, as the fermentation of a grain of corn in the earth is previous to its shooting its stalk toward heaven. "God concludes," shuts us up "in unbelief," says St. Paul, "that he may have mercy upon us," Rom. xi, 32. "When the Comforter is come, says our Lord," "The will convince the world of sin, because they believe not in me." This is the transgression which peculiarly deserves the name of sin, as being the damning sin according to the Gospel, Mark xvi, 16, the sin that binds upon us the guilt of all our other iniquities, and keeps up the power of all our corruptions. Its immediate effect is to "harden the heart," Mark xvi, 14; and "make it depart from the living God," Heb. iii, 12; and this hardness and departure are the genuine parents of all our actual sins, the number and blackness of which increase or decrease, as the strength of unbelief grows or decays.

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A conviction of this sin is of the utmost importance, as nothing but an affecting sense of its heinousness and power can make us entirely weary of ourselves: nothing but a sight of its destructive nature can prevent our resting without a complete cure.

But when thou art once convinced of unbelief, do not increase the difficulty of believing by imagining true faith at an immense distance. Consider it as very near thy heart. That which convinces thee of sin and unbelief can, in a moment, and with the greatest ease, convince

thee of righteousness, and "reveal in thee Christ the hope of glory." How quickly can the Spirit take of the things that belong to him, and show them unto thee! "Say not" then "in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven, or descend into the deep" to get me the seed of faith? But let St. Paul show thee "the new and living way." "The word is nigh thee," says he, "even in thy mouth and in thy heart, that is, the word of faith which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved:" for "we are saved by faith; faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." "Hear" then "the

word of the Lord."

Are thy sins really grievous to thee? Is the burden of them intolerable? Wouldst thou part with it at any rate? Dost thou fully renounce thy speculative and barren faith? Hast thou received the sentence of eternal death in thy conscience, acknowledging thy case (for any thing thou canst do without Christ) helpless, hopeless, desperate? And art thou truly brought to the grand inquiry, "What must I do to be saved?" See, feel, confess, that thou standest in absolute need of a Divine Physician, an almighty Redeemer; and that the God-man, Jesus Christ, joins both those extraordinary characters in his wonderful person. Submit to be "saved by grace," by free grace, through his infinite merits, and not thy wretched deserts; and instead of opposing, continually study God's wonderful method of saving sinners, the worst of sinners, by faith in his blood.

"There is no name but his under heaven whereby we must be saved;" neither is there cure, or "salvation, in any other," Acts iv, 12. As "by him all things were created," so "by him they subsist," and by him they must be restored. The power of his word and breath made man a living soul; and now that we are dead to God, the same power, applying his blood and righteousness, must "create in us clean hearts," and "renew right spirits within us.' This, and this only, heals wounded consciences, washes polluted souls, and raises the dead in trespasses and sins. Wouldst thou then be made whole? "Determine," as St. Paul, "to know nothing but Christ, and him crucified." Aim at believing, realizing, applicatory views of what he is, and what he has done and suffered for thee. Through all the clouds of thy guilt and unbelief, which will vanish before our "Sun of righteousness," as mists before the material sun, "behold him as the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world," and thine. See the immense dignity of his person; "he is God over all, blessed for ever;" and yet he condescends to be "Immanuel, God with us, flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bone." Consider the inexpressible value and inconceivable efficacy of his precious, all atoning blood. It is the blood of the sacred body assumed by the eternal Logos, when he "appeared in the likeness of sinful flesh," both as a victim and a priest, to suffer the penalty of his own righteous law for us, and "to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself;"-the blood" of the Lamb of God, slain to sprinkle many nations," the blood of that mysterious Being, who fills "the bosom of the Father," and the everlasting throne, at whose feet all the heavenly powers "cast their crowns;" and to whom, in the midst of the acclamations and adorations of "an innumerable company of angels," in the midst of "sounding trumpets, thunderings, lightnings. VOL. III.

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and voices, the spirits of just men made perfect ascribe salvation," free, full, immensely dear-bought salvation. And, to say all in one word, it is "the blood of God made manifest in the flesh," Acts xx, 28; 1 Tim. iii, 16. For "JEHOVAH our righteousness" is "the seed of the woman, and the son of man." The Godhead and the manhood are wonderfully joined in him; and in consequence of this mysterious union, he is not only a proper " Mediator between God and man," but the sole medium of reconciliation and union between the offended Majesty of heaven and the rebellious sons of Adam. As the brazen serpent lifted up in the wil derness, when viewed by the wounded Israelites, was the only means by which the poison of the fiery serpents could be expelled, and health restored to their tortured, dying bodies: so Jesus lifted up on the cross, when beheld by the eye of faith as bleeding and dying in our stead, is the only way by which sin, the sting of death, can be extracted out of our guilty, perishing souls; the only antidote that can restore us to saving health and eternal life, John iii, 14. Apply whatever we will, beside this sovereign remedy, we may poison, but can never heal, the envenomed and 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 heart-felt confidence that "God so loved” thee, “as to give his only begotten Son, that thou shouldest 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 but the "despised, rejected Man of sorrows," what wilt thou discover? God in Christ, recon ciling 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