at the if, and are ready to ask, How shall I know that God is for me? I would offer you a few considerations towards the determining of this point, in the first place. Sin has made an awful breach and separation between God and mankind. They are alienated in their minds from him, and he is justly displeased with them. The intercourse and communion with God, which constitute the honour and happiness of the human nature, were no longer either afforded or desired when man rebelled against his Maker, except to the few who understood and embraced his gracious purpose of reconciliation; the first intimation of which was revealed in the promise of the " seed of the woman, "who should bruise the serpent's head."* The clear and full discovery of this reconciliation is made known to us by the Gospel: "God was in "Christ reconciling the world unto himself."+ God is already reconciled in this sense, that having provided and accepted a satisfaction to his law and justice, he can now, in a way worthy of himself, receive and pardon the returning sinner. And he accompanies the word of his grace with the power of his Holy Spirit, to make sinners willing to be reconciled to him. If we be for God, he is assuredly for us. If we seek him, he has been beforehand with us; for, in the first instance, he is always "found of those who sought him not." If we love him, it is because he first loved us. True believers walk with God. "But two cannot "walk together," with confidence and comfort, "unless they be agreed." This agreement is chiefly, with respect to three particulars, proposed by the Lord God in his word, and to which Gen. iii. 15. ↑ Isa. lxv. 1. + 2 Cor. v. 19. the believing sinner cheerfully and thankfully accedes. I. In the ground of the agreement; this is MESSIAH, the Mediator between God and Man. When he entered upon his office, a voice from heaven commended him to sinners, "This is my beloved "Son in whom I am well pleased."* And they who are enlightened to behold the glory of God in his person and engagement, accept him as the beloved Saviour, in whom and with whom they are well pleased. Without this acceptance of the Mediator there can be no agreement. Jesus is the only door, the only way of a sinner's access to the knowledge and favour of God. This is the precious and sure foundation which he has laid in Zion; and to presume to build our hope upon any other, is to build upon a quicksand. In this point, reason, in its present distempered state, would lead us, if followed, directly contrary to the simplicity of faith. Reason suggests, that if we have acted wrong we must repent and amend, and what can we do more? But the law against which we have sinned makes no provision for repentance. Nor is such a repentance as includes a change of heart (and nothing short of this deserves the name) in our own power. Repentance unto life" is the gift of God; and Jesus, who is exalted "to "be a Prince and a Saviour," bestows it upon those who acknowlege him, and implore it of him. But God will only treat with us as those who are condemned already, who have nothing but sin, and deserve nothing but misery. When we feel this to be our proper state, we are referred to Jesus, in whom God is well pleased, and for whose sake sins are pardoned, and sinners ac 66 *Matt. iii, 17. t1 Pet. ii. 6. Acts, xi. 18. Ibid. v. 31. for us, cepted and justified, without condition and without exception. And then likewise we begin to see the necessity, propriety, and sufficiency of this appointment. Herein all who are taught of God are of one mind. However they may differ in some respects, they agree in cordially "receiving Christ Jesus the Lord,"* as he is made of God "wisdom, righteousness, and salvation." 2. They agree with God in the great design of the Gospel, which is to purify unto himself a peculiar people, who, being delivered from their fears and their enemies, shall serve him with an unreserved and persevering obedience. A deliverance from the power of sin and Satan, a devotedness to God, and a conformity to the mind and pattern of his dear Son, are included by every true believer in the idea of salvation. He knows that he can be happy in no other way. This is a turning point. There are convictions of sin excited by a dread of punishment, which, though distressing to the conscience, leave the heart and affections unchanged. They who are thus impressed, if no farther, would be satisfied with an assurance of pardon. But "the grace of God “which bringeth salvation‡ teaches us to re"nounce," to abhor "all ungodliness in the pre"sent world;" to give ourselves unto him "who 66 gave himself for us, that he might redeem us "from all iniquity," and "to walk worthy of God "who calls us to his kingdom and glory."§"This "is the will of God, even our sanctification." And this is the desire of his people, that they may be sanctified wholly; that their whole persons, spirit, soul, and body, may be preserved blameless; that they may be filled with the fruits of righteousness, + Luke, i. 74, 75. § 1 Thess. ii. 12. *Col. ii. 6. which are by Jesus Christ; that they may walk as the sons of God, without rebuke, and shine as lights in the world.* Though their attainments are imperfect, in their judgement and desires they are fully agreed with God as to their aim and design. 3. They are agreed with him likewise as to the ultimate great end, the final cause of their redemption, which is "the praise of the glory of his grace." That the loftiness, high looks, and proud pretences of men may be abased, and the Lord alone may be exalted; "and that he who "glorieth may glory only in the Lord." Salvation is of the Lord in every sense; the plan, the price, the power, the application, the consummation. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the author and the object of it. The praise, therefore, is wholly due to him, and he claims it. To this claim his people fully consent. It is the desire of their souls that his name, which alone is excellent, may alone be extolled; and with one heart and voice they say, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto "us, but unto thee be all the glory and all the "praise!"§ If we truly understand and approve these things, then we are certainly engaged for God, and of course he is for us. For he alone could either enable us to see them in their true light, or incline our hearts to embrace them. Who then can be against us? II. We are not to understand the question, "Who can be against us?" as designed to encourage us to expect that they who have the Lord on their side will meet with no opposition; but that all opposition against them will be in vain. *Phil. ii. 15. 1 Cor. i. 31. + Eph. i. 6. cxv. 1. 1. They whom God is for, will on that very account have many opposers. First, The men of the world. This our Lord expressly teaches us to expect: "If ye were of "the world, the world would love its own. But "because ye are not of the world, but I have "chosen you out of the world, therefore the "world hateth you."* And his apostle, "Marvel "not, my brethren, if the world hate you."+ Till we declare for him, the world will bear with us, but no longer as the Gibeonites were in a state of honour and friendship with the neighbouring cities, till they submitted to Joshua ; but when they obtained peace from him, they were immediately involved in war with their former friends. While Saul persecuted the church, the world smiled upon him, and he seemed to be, as we say, in the way of preferment. But when he yielded himself to the service of Christ, and his defection from the common cause became generally known, bonds and afflictions awaited him in every place; and they who before had employed and caressed him, sought his life. I do not mean to sound a trumpet of defiance. I believe that young converts, by their warm, but injudicious zeal, often more than is necessary, provoke the spirit of the world, and thereby increase their own difficulties. The Gospel, when rightly understood, inspires a spirit of benevolence, and directs to a conduct which is suited to conciliate good-will and esteem. And when the apostle exhorts us, "If it be possible, and as much as in us lies, to live peace 66 ably with all men," he gives us hope that much may be done to soften prejudices, to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, and to make them * John, xv. 19. † 1 John, iii. 13. |