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delight itself in fatnefs. Incline your ear, and "come unto me, hear, and your fouls shall live, "and I will make an everlasting covenant with 66 you, even the fure mercies of David *." Further, the propofition feems to me neceffarily to imply an impoffibility in itfelf. For what is damnation? It is to be for ever separated from, and deprived of, the fruition of God. Is this then, a dutiful object either of defire or acquiefcence? It is to hate God and blafpheme his name, as well as to be banished from his prefence. Can this be tolerable to any true penitent? or is it reconcileable to, or confiftent with, fubjection to his righteous will? Can any creature be fuppofed to please God, by giving up all hope of his favour? Or is it lefs abfurd than "difobeying" him from a fenfe of duty," and "hating" him from a principle of " love?"

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We muft, therefore, carefully feparate the acknowledgment of divine juftice, and most unconditional fubjection to the divine fovereignty, from an abfolute despair, or giving up all hope in the divine mercy. We have a very beautiful fcripture instance of humble, yet perfifting importunity, in the woman of Canaan, who met with many repulfes, confeffed the juftice of every thing that made against her, and yet continued to urge her plea. Neither is there any difference between the

*Ifa. lv. 2, 3.

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way in which the fupplicated of the Saviour a cure for her diftreffed daughter, and the way in which an awakened finner will implore from the fame Saviour more neceffary relief to an afflicted confcience. "And behold a woman of Canaan << came out of the fame coafts, and cried unto "him, faying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, "thou fon of David, my daughter is grievously "vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his difciples came and befought "him, faying, Send her away, for fhe crieth ❝ after us.

But he answered and faid, I am not "fent but unto the loft sheep of the house of If"rael. Then came fhe and worshipped him, "faying, Lord help me. But he answered and "faid, It is not meet to take the children's bread "and caft it to dogs. And the faid, Truth, "Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which. "fall from their master's table. Then Jefus an"fwered and faid unto her, O woman, great is "thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt *.”I fhall conclude with mentioning an inftance of a fimilar character in a foreigner of eminent ftation, who had been a great profligate, and afterwards became a great penitent +. He composed a little piece of poetry after his converfion, the leading fentiment of which was what I have recommended above, and in his own language was + Des Barreaux,

* Matt. xv. 22-28.

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to the following purpose: "Great God, thy "judgments are full of righteousness, thou takest

pleasure in the exercise of mercy; but I have "finned to fuch a height, that justice demands << my destruction, and mercy itself seems to fo"licit my perdition. Difdain my tears, ftrike "the blow, and execute thy judgment. I am "willing to fubmit, and adore, even in perish"ing, the equity of thy procedure. But on "what place will the ftroke fall, that is not co"vered with the blood of Chrift?"

SECT. V.

Acceptance of falvation through the cross of Christ. THE next great step in a finner's change is

a difcovery and acceptance of falvation from fin and mifery through Jesus Christ. This is the Jaft and finishing ftep of the glorious work. When this is attained, the change is compleated, the new nature is fully formed in all its parts. The fpiritual feed is implanted, and hath taken root; and it will arrive by degrees, in every veffel of mercy, to that measure of maturity and strength, that it pleaseth God each fhall poffefs before he be carried hence.

It is easy to fee, that conviction of fin which hath been before illuftrated, prepares and paves the way for a difcovery and acceptance of falva

tion

tion by Chrift. Before conviction of fin, or when conviction is but imperfect, the gospel of Chrift, and particularly the doctrine of the cross, almost conftantly appears to be foolishness. Or if, as fometimes happens, education and example prompts the finner to speak with fome degree of reverence of the name, character, and undertaking of a Saviour, there is no diftinct perception of the meaning, nor any inward relish of the sweetness of these falutary truths. But those who have been "wounded in their fpirits, "and grieved in their minds," begin to perceive their unspeakable importance and value. That mystery which was hid from ages and generations, begins to open upon the foul in its luftre and glory. The helplefs and hopeless state of the finner makes him earneftly and anxioufly enquire, whether there is any way to escape, whether there is any door of mercy or of hope. He fays, with the awakened and trembling jaiJor, "What must I do to be faved? Innume"rable evils have compaffed me about, mine

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iniquities have taken hold upon me, fo that "I am not able to look up; they are more

than the hairs of mine head, therefore my "heart faileth me *. I have no excufe to "offer, nor any fhelter to fly to: the works, "the word, and the providence of God, feem all

* Pfal. xl. 12. L 4

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"to be up in arms against me, and have in"clofed me as an enemy to him. O how fear-, "ful a thing is it to fall into the hands of the "living God! Who fhall dwell with devouring "fire? Who fhall dwell with everlafting burnings? Is there no prospect of relief? Is there

no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? "Wonderful has been my paft blindness! I "have awaked as out of a dream, and find "myfelf hafting faft to the pit of deftruction.. "What would I not do, what would I not give, "for good ground to believe that my guilt 66 were taken away, and my peace made with

"God?"

With what eagerness and earnestnefs, hitherto unknown, does the finner now enquire after the way to life? With what folicitude does he

go forth by the footsteps of the flock, and "feed befide the fhepherds tents." The fabbaths, and ordinances, and word of God, are now quite different things from what they were before. No more waste of that facred time in bufinefs or in play. No more ferenity of heart, because he had been regularly and conftantly at church, but an astonishing view of the fins of his holy things; carelefs, formal, heartless worship. He cries out with the Pfalmift, "Lord, if thou fhouldft mark iniquity, who fhall. "ftand." No more indifferent, flothful, dif

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