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beautiful fcripture inftance 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 way in which the fup. plicated 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 anfwered her, not a word. And his difciples came and befought him, σε faying, Send her away, for fhe crieth after us. But he "anfwered and faid, I am not fent but unto the loft fheep. "of the houfe of Ifrael. Then came fhe and worshipped him, faying, Lord help me. But he anfwered 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 anfwered 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.f He compofed 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 to the following purpose: "Great God, thy judgments are full of "righteoufnefs, thou takeft pleature in the exercife of σ' mercy; but I have finned to fuch a height, that juftice "demands my deftruction, and mercy itfelf feems to fo"licit my perdition. Difdain my tears, ftrike the blow, "and execute thy judgment. I am willing to fubmit, and "adore, even in perishing, the equity of thy proceedure. "But on what place will the ftroke fall, that is not cover"ed with the blood of Chrift?"

Matt. xv. 22-28. + Des Barreaux.

SÈCT. V.

Acceptance of salvation through the cross of Christ.

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HE next great ftep in a finner's change is a discovery and acceptance of falvation from fin and mifery through Jefus Chrift. This is the last and finishing step 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 meafure of maturity and ftrength, that it pleafeth God each fhall poffefs before he be carried hence.

It is eafy to fee, that conviction of fin which hath been before illustrated, prepares and paves the way for a difcovery and acceptance of falvation by Chrift. Before conviction of fin, or when conviction is but imperfect, the gof pel of Chrift, and particularly the doctrine of the cross, almoft conftantly appears to be foolifhnefs. 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 dif tinct perception of the meaning, nor any inward relifh of the fweetnefs of the falutary truths. But thofe who have been "wounded in their fpirits, and grieved in their "minds," begin to perceive their unfpeakable importance and value. That mystery which was hid from ages and ges nerations, begins to open upon the foul in its luftre and glory. The helplefs and hopeless ftate of the finner makes him earneftly and anxioufly enquire, whether there is any way to éfcape, whether there is any door of mercy or of hope. He fays, with the awakened and trembling jailor, “What "muft I do to be faved? Innumerable evils have com"paffed me about, mine iniquities have taken hold upon mě, fo that I am not able to look up; they are moré "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,

* Pfal. xl. 12.

"feem all to be up in arms against me, and have inclosed "me as an enemy to him. O how fearful a thing is it to "fall into the hands of the living God! Who fhall dwell "with devouring fire? Who fhall dwell with everlasting "burnings? Is there no profpect of relief? Is there no "balm in Gilead? Is there no phyfician there? Wonder"ful has been my paft blindness! I have awakened as out "of a dream, and find myfelf haftening faft to the pit of "deftruction. What would I not do, what would I not "give for good ground to believe that my guilt were taken away, and my peace made with God?"

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With what eagerness and earnestness, 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 wafte 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 aftonifhing view of the fins of his holy things; careless, formal, heartless worship. He cries out with the Pfalmift, "Lord, if thou fhouldft mark "iniquity, who fhall ftand." No more indifferent, flothful, difdainful hearing the word. No more critical hearing the word, that he may commend the ability, or deride the weakness of the preacher. With what concern does, he hang upon the facred meffage, to fee if there be any thing upon which he can lay hold? He then hears that "God is "in Chrift, reconciling the world to himself." The very new's of falvation, the bare mention of pardon, is now a joyful found. It roufes his attention, it awakens his curiofity, and he fets himself to weigh and ponder the important intimation. He hears that "God fo loved the "world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whofoe"ver believeth in him fhould not perifh, but have ever"lafting life. For God fent not his Son into the world "to condemn the world, but that the world through him "might be faved.* Is there then," fays he, "hope of

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16 mercy with God, whom I have fo long forgotten, and fo "greatly offended? hath he indeed loved a guilty world? "hath he loved them in fo amazing a manner, as to fend

his only begotten Son to fave them from deftruction? "How great is the giver, how wonderful the gift, and "how undeferving the objects of his love?"

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Here perhaps a difficulty may occur. "It may be fo," fays the foul; "but are all the children of Adam the ob "jects of divine love? Shall every finner be partaker of divine mercy? Surely not. How then are they diftinguifhed? Perhaps he intends only to fave a few of the "leaft unworthy, and to glorify his juftice and feverity "in the condemnation of the most eminently guilty. “What then have I reafon to expect? None, none, none "of any rank fo criminal as I. I have finned early, and "I have finned long. I have finned against the clearest light and knowledge. I have finned againft innumerable mercies. I have finned againft the threatenings of God's word, the rebukes of his providence, the checks "of my own confcience, and the unwearied pains and diligence of minifters and parents. I have burit every “bond, and torn in pieces every restraining tie." How many gracious promises present themselves immediately to extinguifh this fear?" Come now, and let us reafon together, faith the Lord; though your fins be as fcarlet, they fhall be as white as fnow; though they be red like "crimson, they fhall be as wool; if ye be willing and "obedient, ye fhall eat the good of the land.*-"Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wife caft out. "Wherefore alfo he is able to fave them to the uttermoft "that come unto God by him. And the Spirit and the

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bride fay come; and let him that heareth fay come; "and let him that is athirft come; and whofoever will, let "him take the water of life feely." To thefe promifes may be added many fcripture examples of firft-rate finners, faved by the power of God, that none may despair. An idolatrous Manaffeh, an unrighteous and oppreffive publican Zaccheus, an unclean Mary Magdalene, and

* If. i. 18, 19. † John vi. 37. Heb. vii. 25. Rev. xxii. 17.

a perfecuting Paul. Then is the foul brought to acknow. ledge and adore the matchlefs love of God; to repeat and adopt the words of the apoftle Paul; "This is a faithful faying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Chrift Jefus ་ came into the world to fave finners, of whom I am "chief."

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The finner, in fuch a fituation, is wholly employed in alternately viewing his own deplorable character and ftate on the one hand, and the fufficiency and efficacy of the remedy on the other. As thefe take their turns in his mind, his hope rifes or falls. Perhaps when he again reflects on the infinite number and heinous nature of his offences; when he confiders the holiness and purity of God's nature and law, he is ready to bring all into queftion, and to fay, "How can these things be? Is it poffible that all this guilt can be paffed by, is it poffibly that it can be forgiven "and forgotten by a holy God? Is he not of purer eyes "than to behold iniquity? Is it not faid, that evil cannot "dwell with him? That finners fhall not ftand in his "fence? How then can I prefume to approach him? I "who have been fo daring and obftinate a rebel? What "reception can I expect to meet with but, Bind him "hand and foot, and take him away, and caft him into "utter darkness; there fhall be weeping and gnashing of "teeth."

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To remove this diftruft, and affure his heart before God, he is informed of the foundation of his hope, that falvation comes by a Mediator. He undertook our caufe, he purchased redemption by his precious blood. Hear him faying in the councils of the Moft high," Sacrifice "and offering thou didst not defire; mine ears haft thou "opened. Burnt-offering and fin-offering haft thou not.. "required. Then faid I, Lo, I come, in the volume of "the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O. my God; yea, thy law is within my heart." Hear... alfo in what manner he executed this gracious purpose. "He was wounded for our tranfgreffions, he was bruifed "for our iniquities; the chaftifement of our peace was

• Matt. xxii. 13. † Pf. xl. 6, 7, 8.

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