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dreadful, yet, in one view, delightful spectacle, and then ask thine own heart, Do I believe that Jesus suffered and died thus? And why did he suffer and die? Let me answer it in God's own words, "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, and the chastisement of our peace was upon him, that by his stripes we might be healed. It pleased the Lord to bruise him, and to put him to grief, when he made his soul an offering for sin; for the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isa. liii. 5, 6, 10.) So that I may address you in the words of the apostle, "Be it known to you, therefore, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: (Acts xiii. 38.) as it was his command, just after he rose from the dead, "that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem;" (Luke xxiv. 47.) the very place where his blood had so lately been shed in such a cruel manner. I do therefore testify to you, in the words of another inspired writer, that "Christ was made sin, that is, a sin-offering, for us, though he knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of GOD in him; (2 Cor. v. 21.) that is, that through the righteousness he has fulfilled, and the atonement he has made, we might be accepted by God as righteous, and be not only pardoned, but received into his favour. "To you is the word of this salvation sent;" (Acts xiii. 26.) and to you, O reader, are the blessings of it even now offered by God, sincerely offered so that, after all that I have said under the former heads, it is not your having broken the law of God, that will prove your ruin, if you do not also reject his gospel. It is not all those legions of sins, which rise up in battlearray against you, that will be able to destroy you, if unbelief do not lead them on, and final impenitence do not bring up the rear. I know that guilt is a timorous thing; I will therefore speak in the words of God himself, nor can any be more comfortable: "He that believeth on the Son nath everlasting life;" (John iii. 36.) "and he shall never come into condemnation." (John 5. 24.) There is therefore now no condemnation, no kind or degree of it, to them, to any one of them who are in Jesus Christ, who walk

not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Rom. viii. 1.) You have indeed been a very great sinner, and your offences have been attended with the most heinous aggravations nevertheless, you may rejoice in the assurance, that "where sin hath abounded, there shall grace much more abound; (Rom. v. 20.) that where sin hath reigned unto death, where it has had its most unlimited sway, and most unresisted triumph, "there shall righteousness reign to eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." That righteousness, to which on believing on him thou wilt be entitled, shall not only break those chains, by which sin is (as it were) dragging thee at its chariot wheels with a furious pace to eternal ruin; but it shall clothe thee with the robes of salvation, shall fix thee on a throne of glory, where thou shalt live and reign for ever among the princes of heaven; shalt reign in immortal beauty and joy, without one remaining scar of divine displeasure upon thee; without any single mark by which it could be known that thou hadst ever been obnoxious to wrath and a curse; except it be an anthem of praise to "the Lamb that was slain, and has washed thee from thy sins in his own blood." (Rev. i. 5.)

Nor is it necessary, in order to thy being released from guilt, and entitled to this high and complete felicity, that thou shouldst, before thou wilt venture to apply to Jesus, bring any good works of thine own, to recommend thee to his acceptance. It is indeed true, that if thy faith be sincere, it will certainly produce them; but I have the authority of the word of God to tell thee, that if thou this day sincerely believest in the name of the Son of GOD, thou shalt this day be taken under his care, and be numbered among those of his sheep, to whom he hath graciously declared that "he will give eternal life, and that they shall never perish." (John x. 28.) Thou hast no need therefore to say, "Who shall go up into heaven, or who shall descend into the deep, for me? For the word is nigh thee, in thy mouth and in thine heart." (Rom. x. 6, 7, 8.) With this joyful message I leave thee; with this faithful saying, indeed " worthy of all acceptation;" (1 Tim. i. 15.) with this gospel, O sinner, which is my fife; and which, if thou dost not reject it, will be thine too.

The Sinner's REFLECTIONS on this good News.

O my soul, how astonishing is the message which thou hast this day received! I have indeed often heard it before, and it is grown so common to me, that the surprise is not sensible. But reflect, O my soul, what it is thou hast heard; and say, whether the Saviour, whose message it is, may not well be called "Wonderful, Counsellor,” (Isa. ix. 6.) when he displays before thee such wonders of love, and proposes to thee such counsels of peace?

Blessed Jesus! Is it indeed thus? Is it not the fiction of the human mind? Surely it is not! What human mind could have invented or conceived it? Is it a plain, a certain fact, that thou didst leave the magnificence and joy of the heavenly world, in compassion to such a wretch as I? O hadst thou, from that height of dignity and felicity, only looked down upon me for a moment, and sent some gracious word to me for my direction and comfort, even by the least of thy servants, justly might I have prostrated myself in grateful admiration, and have kissed the very footsteps of him that published the salvation!" (Isaiah lii. 7.) But didst thou condescend to be thyself the messenger? What grace had that been, though thou hadst but once in person made the declaration, and immediately returned back to the throne, from whence divine compassion brought thee down! But this is not all the triumph of thine illustrious grace. It not only brought thee down to earth, but kept thee here in a frail and wretched tabernacle, for long successive years and at length it cost thee thy life, stretched thee out as a malefactor upon the cross, after thou hadst borne insults and cruelty, which it may justly wound my heart so much as to think of. And thus thou hast atoned injured justice, and "redeemed me to GoD with thine own blood." (Rev. v. 9.)

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What shall I say? "Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief!" (Mark ix. 24.) It seems to put faith to the stretch to admit, what it indeed exceeds the utmost stretch of imagination to conceive. Blessed, for ever blessed be thy name, O thou Father of mercies, that thou hast contrived the way! Eternal thanks to the Lamb that was slain,

and to that kind Providence which sent the word of this salvation to me! O let me not for ten thousand worlds "receive the grace of GoD in vain !" (2 Cor vi. 1.) O impress this gospel upon my soul, til! its saving virtue be diffused over every faculty! Let it not only be heard, and acknowledged, and professed, but felt! Make it "thy power, to my eternal salvation;" (Rom. i. 16.) and raise me to that humble, tender gratitude, to that active, unwearied zeal in thy service, which becomes one whom so much is forgiven," (Luke vii. 47.) and forgiven upon such terms as these!

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"I feel a sudden glow in my heart, while these tidings are sounding in mine ears. But O, let it not be a slight superficial transport! O let not this, which I would fain call my christian joy, be as that foolish laughter with which I have been so madly enchanted, "like the crackling blaze of thorns under a pot!" (Eccles. vii. 6.) O teach me to secure this mighty blessing, this glorious hope, in the method which thou hast appointed! and preserve me from mistaking the joy of nature, while it catches a glimpse of its rescue from destruction, for that consent of grace, which embraces and ensures the deliverance!"

CHAPTER IX.

A MORE PARTICULAR ACCOUNT OF THE WAY BY WHICH THIS SALVATION IS TO BE OBTAINED.

I NOW consider you, my dear reader, as coming to me with the inquiry, which the Jews once addressed to our Lord, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of GOD?" (John vi. 28.) "What method shall I take to secure that redemption and salvation, which I am told Christ has procured for his people?" I would answer it as seriously and carefully as possible; as one that knows of what importance it is to you to be rightly informed; and that knows also how strictly he is to answer to God, for the sincerity and care with which the reply is made. May I be enabled to "speak as his oracle," (1 Pet. iv. 11.) that is, in such a manner as faithfully to echo back what the sacred oracles teach.

And here, that I may be sure to follow the safest guides, and the fairest examples, I must preach salvation to you, in the way of "repentance towards GOD, and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts xx. 21.) That good old doctrine, which the apostles preached, and which no man can pretend to change, but at the peril of his own soul, and of theirs who attend to him.

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I suppose that you are, by this time, convinced of your guilt and condemnation, and of your own inability to recover yourself. Let me, nevertheless, urge you to feel that conviction yet more deeply, and to impress it with yet greater weight upon your soul; that you have ruined yourself, and that, in yourself your help is not found." (Hos. xiii. 9.) Be persuaded therefore, expressly and solemnly, and sincerely, to give up all self-dependence; which, if you do not guard against it, will be ready to return secretly, before it is observed, and will lead you to attempt building up what you have just been destroying.

Be assured, that if ever you are saved, you must ascribe that salvation entirely to the free grace of God. If, guilty and miserable as you are, you are not only accepted but crowned, you must lay down your crown with all humble acknowledgment "before the throne." (Rev. iv. 10.) No flesh must glory in his presence; but he that glorieth, must glory in the Lord: For of him are we in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." (1 Cor. i. 29-31.) And you must be sensible you are in such a state, as, having none of these in yourself, to need them in another. You must therefore be sensible that you are ignorant and guilty, polluted and enslaved; or, as our Lord expresses it, with regard to some who were under a Christian profession, that as a sinner "you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." (Rev. iii. 17.)

If these views be deeply impressed upon your mind, you will be prepared to receive what I am now to say. Hear therefore in a few words your duty, your remedy, and your safety; which consists in this, "That you must apply to Christ with a deep abhorrence of your former sins, and a firm resolution of forsaking them; forming that

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