.re unrt or .. I. "And dead in trefhe doctrine of eld forth in the the Lord to falvato this doctrine by on which faith proGod in Chrift.-Do · rance, that there is no «And were by nature the children of wrath, as others." Again, Do you believe that y altogether corrupt and unholy, and are utt able to make for yourselves either a holy life, that you are no more able to sub a luft, than to procure yourself a pardon, the breaking of the power of fin is as far abo thy reach, as the removing the guilt of it? Ep you hath he quickened, who we paffes and fins." Do you believ falvation through Jefus Chrift gofpel? You cannot believe tion, but as you give an aff faith. This is the bottor ceeds, when laying hold. you believe, with full way to make miferabl nan happy again, but by the enjoyment of G as his own God? O for the full affurance of this! it would effectually determine those who are hanging on this day about the world's door, and that of their lufts.-Do you believe that there is no other way to come to the enjoyment of God as our God, but through Jefus Chrift, who was crucified without the gates of Jerufalem? Acts, iv. 12. "Neither is there fal-vation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be faved." If fo, his name would be precious. Do you believe that there is no way to be faved: from guilt, but by his righteoufnefs, and from pollution, but by his Spirit? Do you believe that Jefus Chrift is the Son of God, that he took upon him man's nature, and fuffered in it to satisfy the justice of God, that he might thus by his blood bring finners again to God, to enjoy him as their God? Eph. ii. 13. "But, now, in Christ Jefus, ye who fometimes were far Z3 off, off, are made nigh by the blood of Chrift."-Do you believe that the blood of Chrift is the blood of God, and that therefore it is a cement truly fufficient to knit or join a holy just God, and any guilty finner what foever, who comes unto God through him? This is gofpel-truth: 1 John, i. 7. "And the blood of Jefus Chrift his Son cleanfeth us from all fin."—Heb. vii. 25. "Wherefore he is able alfo to fave to the uttermoft, all that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make interceffion for them." Believeft thou this? If thou believeft it not, how can it be expected that thou shouldst draw near to God, feeing the only way of access to God is to thy unbelieving heart not fufficient to bear the weight of a guilty foul? If thou fayeft thou doft believe, then, to try this, I would ask thee, Doft thou believe that this blood is a cement fufficient to join thy guilty foul, even thine, to God? to bear thy weight, who perhaps thinkeft there was never one upon it with fuch a load of guilt? If not, then thou doft not believe the doctrine of the gospel, Heb. vii. 25. already quoted. If thou doft believe all this, then, Do you also believe, that whatfoever guilty finner will come to God through him, may have the benefit of that fufficiency of his blood, that is, that God fhall be his God, that he fhall have the righteousness of God, even God-man, to cover all his fins, the Spirit of Chrift to fanctify him, and make him like God? This is gospel-truth, Ifa. lv. 1.-3. Rev. iii. 18. and chap. xxii. 17. Do you believe this? If not, you cannot draw near to God indeed; it cannot be expected that you, who give no credit to his word, will venture on himself. But if you fay you do believe, then dost thou alfo believe, that if thou comeft to God through through him, thou, even thou, fhalt have this benefit? If thou ftoppest here, then I do not know but devils go farther in believing than thou dost, namely, to believe this general propofition, without excepting fo much as thee. But thou, monftrous difhonourer of the blood of Chrift, and the truth of God, read thy fin, tremble, and repent: 1 John, v. ro. "He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself; he that believeth not God, hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son." But if thou doft, with full affurance, believe this, then what remains, but that thou draw near with full affurance of faith? Take God in Chrift for thy God, without in the leaft doubting of thy welcome. This drawing near with full afïurance of faith is in its nature, 2. To claim God in Christ as your God, without doubting of your title. Having taken him as your God, do not stand debating whether or not he is yours; only believe, believe he is yours : Jer. iii. 4. "Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My Father, thou art the guide of my youth?" What the better will you be of him, if he be not yours? John, i. 12." But as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the fons of God, even to them that believe on his name." I must content myself at this time, only to offer two or three things on this exercife: —As, (1.) When thou takeft God for thy God in Chrift with a true heart, canst thou doubt thy title, without dishonouring the blood of Christ and the truth of God? For these two do fecure it. Dost thou not fo far difhonour him, who is fet over the house houfe of God, when he has given thee the benc fit of the covenant, even himfelf, in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwells, if thou doubteft of thy title to them, for fo thou doft in effectqueftion his commiffion and right. Glorify the Son of God, then, and honour the infinite virtue and merit of his blood, by claiming God as your God upon this ground. I know we are apt to think, we do but doubt the truth of our taking. God in Chrift as our God. But do we doubt of the offer? Do we doubt of our foul's saying Amen to it on any terms? Do we not? Take heed, then, that the doubt run not upon another ground, whatever our unbelieving heart may fuggeft. (2.) When thou doft fit down at the table of the Lord, thy foul hungering for Chrift, the bread and wine are given thee by his minifters in his. name, and with his own words, "This is my body," &c. doft thou believe thefe words? If thou doft believe them, thou dareft not, with many profane fpectators and communicants, alfo look upon these sacred symbols as naked figns of Chrift's body and blood, but muft believe, that by, and. with thefe figns, the body and blood of Chrift,. which were never feparated from his Godhead fince they were firft united, are really and truly exhibited, and given to thee, to thy faith, and thou receiving the fame in faith, art as really made partaker of his body and blood, as thou art of that bread and wine: 1 Cor. x. 16. "The cup of bleffing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Chrift? the bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Chrift?" What, then, fhould hinder thee to claim God as thy God in Chrift, without doubting of your title, when you have a fealed gift of him made you by his authority before the world, angels, angels, and men ?---This drawing near with full affurance of faith is in its nature, 3. To improve your intereft claimed, without doubting of fuccefs. Feed with a fear of circumfpection; but the lefs unbelieving fear, the better. This you are to do ftill in the way of believing, believing the promifes, without doubting of their being accomplished to you for time and for eternity, for grace and glory: Matth. xxi. 22. "And all things whatfoever ye fhall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." Rely on the word of grace, the covenant in his blood, that for as poor and mean as you may appear this day, ye fhall be pillars in the temple of God, feeing he has faid it; for as black and deformed as you are this day, ye fhall fhine as the ftars for ever and ever. Is there a luft, or lufts, you would have subdued, believe, with full affurance of faith, the promise fuited to that cafe, as in Mic. vii. 19. "He will turn again, he will have compaffion upon us; he will fubdue our iniquities; and thou wilt caft all their fins into the depths of the fea." And fo in other cafes. What way can one imagine we should fuck the fap of thefe promifes, but by believing them, and fo relying and trufting on the Lord according to his word? The heavenly treasures contained in them are unfeen things, they are known to us only by the teftimony of the word, and the inward fenfation which they experience upon believing them. How, then, can we think to get the benefit of them, but in the way of believing them? Suppofe fome rich prince beyond feas, who can, nevertheless, at any time convey his treasures hither, fhould find means to get proclaimed among a company of poor people here, that, whofoever will take him, and him only, for their Provider, fhall |