rity, and where this stands fast Satan hath full possession: "He that believeth not is condemned already, and the wrath of God abideth on him." False confidence credits every lie that Satan applies, and gives the lie to all that God says. When God gives a man up to false confidence, it is that he may believe a lie and be damned, 2 Thess. ii. 11. And this is evident, look which way you will.

Let Simon Magus give out to the city of Samaria that he is the great power of God, and the whole city believe it and respect the impostor; let Bar-cocab tell the Jews that he is the Messiah, and he is received; let the pope but promise absolution and heaven to a whole nation. of natural men, and there are but few doubts or scruples about it; let the soldiers which kept watch over the Saviour's tomb tell Pilate, that when they were fast asleep they saw the disciples of Christ steal away the body of our Lord, and he believes it as soon as the high-priest begins to persuade him. But, though this false confidence never staggers at a lie, yet it can give no credit to what God says. It makes God a liar, 1 John

v. 10. Yea, and speaks it out too. Elisha told the Shunamite she should embrace a son, and she said, 66 Nay, my Lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid." The same prophet predicts a measure of fine flour for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in Samaria; and an infidel replied, "If the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be." Jesus said, "I am the light of the

world, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness:" the Jews replied, "Thou bearest record of thyself, thy record is not true," John viii. 12, 13. God told Eve, in the day that she ate of the tree of knowledge she should surely die; the devil told her she should not, but she should be as God; she cast away all the confidence she had in God's threatening, but embraced both the lies of Satan. This is one of the high things in Satan's strong hold that exalteth itself against God, and against the knowledge of him; but Christ, by the spiritual weapons of our warfare, pulls down Satan's strong hold, and this barrier of it among the rest. Whatever God sends with a divine energy to the souls of his elect, the grace of faith, by the Spirit, is one ingredient in that divine energy or power; faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. When God, by the ministry of his servants, sends his word with power, so that the sinner is judged, condemned, and the thoughts of his heart made manifest, he will fall down on his face and worship God, and report that God is in that servant of a truth. This is strong faith in terrible tidings; here are terrible sensations and terrible things in righteousness, and a strong confidence that this power is of God, and he reports it of a truth. What a man feels that he believes; faith and power always go together; faith stands not in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. When Peter charged the blood of Christ upon his audience, all that felt the dint of the

sword believed the charge, and cried for quarter. Faith, when wrought in the soul, is a general receiver of all that God sends; nor shall the power of unbelief, however strong in a chosen vessel, make either the faith of God or the word of God without effect.

Every notion that a careless sinner entertains of God is false, and unworthy of him. He talks of his mercy and goodness, pity and compassion; but he cannot endure to hear of his sovereignty, holiness, justice, truth, immutability, or terrible majesty. None of the subjects of Satan's kingdom hold these things in their creed, unless it be here and there one who hath been lifted up with pride till he is fallen into the condemnation of the devil, and then he is obliged to do as the devil does, believe and tremble. But this is a desperate faith which attends the entrance of the devil when he returns to take possession of the house from whence he came out, which is the enemy's last stage, and the sinner's worst end. It was this faith that influenced the heart of Judas when Satan entered into him, and which Satan labours to strengthen and confirm, and often eases himself of some part of his burden by spending the shafts of his rage on the trophy of his victory.

But the convictions of God's elect are attended with the incessant groanings of a spirit of supplication, and an insatiable thirst for the mercy of God; a continual fear of his convictions leaving him,

or of their going off the wrong way; a fear of being left to himself, and of being given up to the hardness of his own heart; so tired is he of his own way, and so sick of himself. And that soul that would carry his burden to the grave, if he might obtain hope in his death, rather than be given up to carnal ease and a worldly spirit, is the man that hears the rod, Micah vi. 9; and the man that accepts the punishment of his iniquity, Lev. xxvi. 41-43; he is the hungry soul to whom every bitter thing is sweet; and to such the promise is made, "They shall come that were ready to perish."

Christ Jesus, who is the omnipresent God, when he comes to set up his kingdom in the heart of a poor sinner, does not discover or manifest himself all at once. It is as the spouse explains. It is first the voice of my Beloved. The life-giving word of reproof and rebuke, piercing, searching, and trying our hearts, comes first; this sinks us, and salvation for such appears impossible; but, "Behold he comes, leaping upon the mountains and skipping upon the hills." Mount Sinai stands sadly in our way. Election, called a mountain of brass, Zech. vi. 1; Satan's power, and the huge catalogue of our sins, are all in our way as so many mountains. But, "Every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain; and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed," Isa. xl. 4. The next view the spouse

had of him was somewhat nearer than the last; "He standeth behind our wall." The ceremonial law was a wall that hid Christ; the substance was obscured by the shadow; but when he discovered himself to the spouse the shadows fled, and when he came in the flesh he broke down the middle wall of partition, and made Jew and Gentile one; and gives us both access by one Spirit unto the Father, and even communion with himself. Moreover, our own supposed merit stands sadly in

our way.

"The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as a high wall in his own conceit." But Christ always sends the rich empty away, and never relieves us till we become poor in spirit; the kingdom of God is promised to such. When the above wall is down he comes a little closer, "He looketh forth at the windows." These windows are, first, the doctrines of the gospel, in which Christ appears as the subject matter of them. In this glass the natural man sees his face, and his heart too; and in the same glass the Lord is to be seen. We behold, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord; and are changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord, 2 Cor. iii. Zion's windows are the brilliant and illustrious perfections of God shining in Christ Jesus, and reflected on the word of his grace. "I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones: and all thy children shall be taught of the Lord," Isa. liv. 12. Hence it appears that these windows

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