cies, or pacifying God. Seeing then that reformation leaves the foul in the guilt of fin, and in danger of fuffering for it, it indicates its infufficiency, and the neceffity of another thing. More must be done before a confcious finner can be cleared in the court of his own confcience. And as it is not the merit of any thing of his own, whether past or prefent, that can avail in this case, it remains to have recourse to another; even to God, who juftifies the ungodly."

But, what shall a finner bring to pacify God and turn away his wrath, to render him propitious and obtain a pardon? Poor foul! Thou must now renounce felfdependence more than ever. Foreign help must be thy whole fupport. Jefus Chrift alone can deliver thee. Help is laid on him. He is the way to the Father. He bore thy fins, and intercedes for thee. He faves to the uttermoft them who come unto God by him. Go in his name; fay to the Father, I am a finner, and deserve hell for what I have done. I have nothing to plead but thy Son's paffion; it was for me, he died in my stead. O Lord God Almighty, have mercy upon me for his fake alone. Do this in faith; believe that he will have mercy on thee, and wrestle till thou prevaileft.

14. Now is the neceffity of, the time for, and ufe of faith. Remember, juftification is by faith. And faith follows repentance. Thou believeft there is one God; and, Satan-like, trembleft. Thou doeft well. But believe the promise of forgivenefs; believe that God pardons iniquity, tranfgreffion, and fin. Without wavering credit his word. This do notwithflanding thy fins; for the promife is to finners. And let not the number and nature of thy crimes, how many and malignant foever they be, hinder. The promife is to repenting believing finners without exception. Catch this rope, left thou should fink into defpair and hell! Confider, unbelief may damn: For "he who believeth not fhall be de damn'd."* Truft what God hath faid; "I will (faith he) be merciful

*Mark xvi. 16.

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"to their unrighteoufnefs." And let this cord lead thee to God. He is near that juftifies. With thy heart trust in him. Turn thy will towards him. He is at the door of thy heart. Open to him, and say, Lord deliver my foul. Chufe his falvation. This is the work of thy will. Claim the promised benefit. And flay thy foul upon God for it. Jacob-like wreftle, and fay thou shalt not go, 'till thou blefs me. Thus abide, till thou fee the goodness of God, even the falvation of thy foul.

15. To conclude. As a finful ftate abounds with criminality, and a confcioufnefs of it creating unfpeakable mifery; (for a wounded fpirit who can bear!) and being an anticipation and fpecimen of eternal terments; and many things concurring to take away life, every unjuftified perfon is expofed to imminent danger, the danger of dying in fin and fuffering eternally for it. But the Almighty willing not the death of a finner; and giving grace to, and commanding all men every where to repent while the day of grace, the time of probation endures, all may turn to God, by breaking off their fins and bringing forth fruit meet for repentance. Moreover, he requires all men, according to their difpenfation of revealed truth, and internal evidence or discoveries of himself and will, to believe; which all may do through the fpirit and merit of Chrift. For, he who died for all to be the way to the Father, does in fome degree, enlighten and enliven all, that they may fee the way and have power to walk in it: As fuch, the destruction of all the deftroyed, as touching the cause thereof, must be refolved into difobedience and damning unbelief. And though Chriit is not preached to all by the letter as a Saviour; yet his fpirit inftructs all in things pertaining to God. And having died for all men, the benefits of his death will be conferred upon all, who ufe grace and the means afforded for religious inftruction and improvement, according to the will of God. And further: As those who have Chrift preached as well by the outward difpenfation

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difpenfation of the word, as by the illumination and excitation of the fpirit, are privileged above others; if they reject, or neglect fo great falvation, their fuperior privileges will aggravate their crimes, and in

crease their condemnation.

16. Forafmuch then as life and death are in the hands of the Lord, how much is it to be defired, that men would be wife and confider their latter end, and turn to him who fmiteth them. For, how short lived are most, and how uncertain the life which continues for fo short a time! How fuddenly are many taken away; and, according to appearance, altogether unprepared! Alas for fouls who depart in their fins, the flames kindle upon them, and confcience perpetually torments them! Thus, in the twinkling of an eye, they are numbered with the damned. Miferable wretches! A time was when the Almighty ftrove with their rebellious hearts, but they would not fubmit; or, if they did, it was but for a time, for they brought not forth fruit to perfection.

Laftly, Let this be a caution to others, left they also fail in the business which is of greater concernment than gaining a world. Let it be supposed then, that fome are fenfible of their danger, that they fee their undone condition without an intereft in Christ. Such, it must be confeffed, appear in a light, which to themselves, is truly alarming; they are black with guilt and a corrupt nature. Yea, God is angry with them, for they feel his wrath in an accufing confcience. But their cafe is not worfé for that; yea, it is the very condition they fhould be in, in order to be forgiven. They are fuch as he waits to be gracious unto. He has brought them into this state to do them good. They are humbled that they may be exalted; burthened that they may find reft; guilty that they may be acquitted. Let them now (having broken off their fins by repentance,) depend on the death of Chrift for forgiveness. And let them trust and not be afraid, for he is near that juftifieth. In a moment, his mercy may take place, and they are juftified

juftified freely from all things, from which they could not be juftified by the law of Mofes, and have peace with God, through our Lord Jefus Chrift. "And "in that day they fhall fay, Lord, we will praise "thee, for though thou waft angry with us, thine anger is turned away, and now thou comfortest our fouls."*

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The Spirit and its Fruits.

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DISCOURSE

ON

GALATIANS, Chap. v. Ver. 23.
Against fuch there is no law.

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N difcourfing from thefe words, I fhall I. attempt fome account of the things against which there is no law; II. point out how there is no law against them; and, III. conclude with fome ufe of the whole.

I. And firft of the things against which there is no law. These are specified in the preceding verfe. "But the fruit of the fpirit is love, joy, peace, long"fuffering, gentlenefs, goodness, faith, meeknefs, "temperance.'

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(I.) 1. And firft of the fpirit. Now the fpirit, as it refpects the present ftate of man, has a double acceptation. In the fcriptures, it often fignifies that which the Almighty vouchfafes to mankind, that agent by which he helpeth their infirmities, delivereth them from