bleffings to difpofe of, and that on the best terms. Go and buy, faid the wife virgins, but I fay go and beg; Jefus is a bountiful giver, he has a full house, and an open heart; be fills the hungry with good things, or if ye will go and buy, let it be without money, and without price. Do any of you want a renewed heart, that you may be delivered from ignorance, darkness, enmity, &c. I, fays the Lord, will take away the heart of stone, and give an beart of flesh; his liberal hand beftows his bleffings freely, and in abundance; his character is, that he "gives liberally to all," this is marvellously true in the works of nature, and the bleffings of providence; he gives wisdom, fpiritual, heavenly, and every good thing in Chrift Jefus; and this is gloriously true in refpect of all that call upon him. When the poor and needy seek water from the Lord; when as poor finners they apply to him for pardon and happiness;

the barren rocks fhall iffue ftreams of confolation, and the parched defert become an Eden, rather than thefe fhall be deprived of the bleffings they want. Sinners want to do fomething for acceptance, whereas God beftows his bleffings freely; and never yet did a finner come to Jefus to obtain these bleffings from him, that wanted wealth to buy them; many are too rich, but none are too 66 I poor for our glorious Redeemer to take in.

have been fo monftrously wicked fays the finner, and my heart is fo deceitful, that I am at "prefent quite unfit to come to Chrift; I can have "no ground of hope for acceptance, 'till I can be 66 a little better;" Jefus accepts us not for our worthiness fake, but takes poor finners under his care, that he may make them faints, and render them

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them worthy of a place in his kingdom; for " it "is not by works of righteoufness that we have "done, but according to his mercy he faved us, "by the washing of regeneration, and the renew"ing of the Holy Ghost."

In a word, "Salvation belongeth unto the "Lord; with him there is mercy, and plenteous "redemption;" and he that gives his people the bleffings of the nether and the upper Springs; has his heart difpofed, and his hand ftretched forth to fupply the wants of every poor finner, that naked, and deftitute feeks him in his fon, for whosoever cometh to me, I will in no wife caft out:

It is now time to lead your attention to the fourth thing propofed, that is, how it will appear that a man poffeffes thefe bleffings; and in the difcuf. fion of this particular, I fhall deliver my sentiments to you in the following particulars :

As

1st, Â renewed heart will produce a fimilar life; for as a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit, neither will a good tree bring forth bad fruit. it is poffible that a man who is a stranger to God, and his renovating grace, may do many things, (like Herod who heard John preach, and was feemingly affected,) which have the appearance, and fhew of good; fo it is poffible the believer may do fome things which in the eyes of a cenforious world, may be reputed evil; yet thefe various actions, as they proceed from fuch very different principles, must be equally different in their na ture. A child of God may fometimes do things which he has much reafon to be afhamed of, which neither tend to promote the happiness of his own foul, to ftrengthen his brethren, or bring glory to his God; yet as all fuch actions proceed from

the

the remains of unfubdued nature, they become the plague of his heart and bring forrow to his mind; and conftrain him to confefs in the lan guage of the apostle, the thing I do I allow not; and there is therefore, no condemnation to him, who being in Christ Jesus, walks not; his converfation is not after the flesh, but after the spirit. When

a man is really born of God, and partakes of true grace, the defires of his heart are to God, and to the remembrance of him; he does many things for God, endeavours to do more, and defires to do all; for notwithstanding all the remains of corruption, which oftentimes bow down his foul and almost break his heart; yet his principal end and aim in all his converfation is, to glorify God with his body and spirit which are his.

2d. Whatever person believes in the Lord Jefus Chrift, fuch an one will regard Christ above all things; for he finds him to be the very life of his foul, and the fpring of all his comfort. The true believer, as faid before, defires to do all things that may please God, and has respect unto all his commandments; yet he has no dependance on his duties," which, fays, be, could I per“form in the best, and most perfect manner, I "should after all be an unprofitable fervant; nor

66

are these my Saviour." He looks to Chrift as his great deliverer, by the fhedding of whofe precious blood he has been preferved from going down into the pit; and afcribes to the free grace of God abounding through him, the whole of his falvation; he acknowledges himself to have been faved freely, by grace, and not by works of righteousnefs which he has done. His dependance is still upon Christ, that as he has been the author, fo

he may be the finisher of the gracious work begun; he finds himself weak, and unable to refift the enemies of his foul, therefore his eyes are to the ever lafting bills, because from thence comes all bis ftrength; it is true, fays he, I live, yet not I, but Chrift liveth in me, and the life I live in the flesh is by faith in the jon of God. If he has been preferved and kept from falling into practices difhonourable to his vocation, and unbecoming his profeffion, he gives all the glory of his prefervation to Jefus Chrift; for true faith is a felf emptying, and a foul-humbling thing, and will as naturally afcribe both it's own existence, and all it's fruits and effects to Jefus, as a fpark of fire by it's natural and free afcent owns and acknowledges it's parent fun. Or if having through unwatchfulness and neglect, fallen into fin; he fees no help or fuccour for him but in Chrift, in returning and reft is all his fafety; he conceives of no healing but by the blood of the Lamb, nor ever thinks of any refuge but under the fhadow of this rock, for to whom fhall I go, fays he, thou haft the words of eternal life.

Although profeffing perfons may exprefs themfelves incautiously and unfcripturally; yet every true believer will acknowledge his help and falvation to be in Chrift; and that Chrift's faithfulness not his own, is the caufe, the fole and glorious cause of his prefervation, and perfeverance in the faith of the gofpel.

3d. Whenever a foul is united to Chrift in confequence of faith and a new-nature, a conformity to Chrift in heart and life will enfue; no one can know fo much of the tranfcendant excellency of the adorable Redeemer, or the matchless beau

ty

ty of the bridegroom of his church, as they who fee him by the light of his own fpirit, fee him by an eye of faith, and tafte his fweetness by an union with him: and none can love him but those who know him; and fuch as know him most willalways love him beft. Religion is always most amiable in itlelf, moft eafy to the profeffor, and moft acceptable to God, when it is carried in the chariot whofe pavement is love; therefore he that loves moft will obey best, if a man love me he will keep my words. The word of God will be most esteemed by thofe that love God moft; and it is no infignificant proof of our love to God, that we have a real refpect, and value for his word. Holy David, than whom few of the first-rate faints appear to have had more fervency of fpirit, feems to have had a proportionably fuperior respect for the fcriptures: thy word is dearer unto me than thousands of gold and filver, and again, how fweet are thy words unto my taste, yea fweeter than boney to my mouth; and defcribing one who is renewed by grace, fays, bis delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth be meditate day and night. short, to every one that believeth, Chrift is precious, his word and promifes are precious, and his very name is like `ointment poured forth. The people of God are held in high efteem by a true lover of Christ, these are his friends, which are nearer to him, than a brother; and his delight is in the faints and in fuch as excel in virtue. Brotherly love is a natural branch of divine faith, and a vital union with Chrift, for this commandment wę have received from him, that he that loveth God, love his brother alfo.

In

4th, As the righteoufnefs of Chrift imputed, is a pri

Whrase the wind