are some, who from the Spirit's influence, and the freedom induced in the soul, by the Saviour's justifying righteousness, can go to a mercy seat at all times, with an holy boldness, to ask any thing, and like Jacob, wrestle with God in prayer, with unceasing importunity, till it be obtained. It is a Child's privilege this. And the sweet and near affinity of the Father, and that a Covenant Father too, in Christ, at once justifies and confirms it.

But perhaps it may be questioned, What if the believer, fall into transgression, will not the soul feel restraints, in the exercise of those privileges? Yes! unquestionably. A sense of guilt upon the mind, will ever form a sad cloud of darkness, to intercept our view of the divine

countenance.

Believers well know, what it is to groan under a body of sin, and death, which they carry about with them, and for the burden of which, they go heavily. And indeed the true believer, in whose heart the love of God hath been most fully manifested, will be most abundant in his Like David, he feels the chain of sin, to be most galling, because his iniquities are peculiarly aggravated. Against thee, thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight. Such will

sorrow.

be

be his language: That I who owe so much to God, who are in covenant engagements with him, his sworn servant, his adopted son, his child, that I, of all men, should have broken his commandments, and sinned against him! Hence from the very bottom of his soul, he sends forth that mournful complaint, like Ezra, O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God! *

But do observe in all this, how very distinguished, and expressive, those soul-rending cries are, of the state of the heart before God. The love of God, is still at the bottom, notwithstanding all appearances. And there is a childlike spirit, a true filial affection, yet remaining. God was Ezra's God, though Ezra dared not look up, with his usual confidence.

Oh! it, forms, a blessed frame, and plainly manifests grace in the heart, and in full exercise, when the believer lays low in the dust before God, in a conscious sense of sin, and unworthiness. Shame, and confusion of face, are sweet testimonies, of what passeth within.

Similar to this state of mind but yet in a less degree, are what hath been considered, as interruptions to the love of God; I mean that darkness

Ezra 9. 6.

darkness of soul, when distressing sighs go up, and a dead silence at the mercy seat prevails, so that no answers come down, to assuage grief. I said (saith the Prophet, upon one of those mournful occasions) I am cast out of the sight of thine eyes yet will I look again toward thy holy Temple. § But is it not abundantly evident, though the Prophet himself saw nothing but terror, and thought that he was now totally abandoned, yet divine strength, was in the very moment upholding him, with his everlasting arms, or how could he have looked towards God's holy Temple?

So far are such cases, from becoming proofs that God hath suspended the operation, of shedding his love abroad in the heart, or shut up his loving kindness in displeasure, that they afford some of the truest. evidences of his mercy. Those views, which are opened thereby, to the Believer's experience, of his own nothingness, before a throne of grace, the emptying him of all righteousness, in order to endear the Redeemer, and his righteousness to the heart; the hanging on the mercy seat, and the resolute wrestlings with God, which it occasions: these sre among the sweetest fruits, of the Spirit's work, and proclaim, that the love of God, lies deep in the heart, and is largely shed abroad there, by his divine power. Had the poor woman of Canaan, been spared

§ Jonah 2. 44

this

this exercise, she would not have received that glorious testimony, which the Lord Jesus gave her, of the excellence of her faith; neither would her monument, have formed so conspicuous a figure, in the Christian road as it now doth, for the instruction and comfort, of exercised believers, travelling by,

Some of the strongest testimonies of divine love, are among those, where the soul is called out, to great difficulties, and discouragements, on purpose to manifest divine strength in creature weakness. And do my Brother mark this down, among the useful observations, for your experience; whenever the Lord Jesus is pleased to try your faith, depend upon it the issue will manifest to you his faithfulness. God the Holy Ghost hath caused it to be left on record, with peculiar emphasis, that it is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord. *

Our subject is capable of being extended to many other cases, in proof of the doctrine itself, that the hope of the true believer, is a hope that maketh not ashamed, when the love of God, is shed abroad by the Holy Ghost given unto us. But your time is exhausted.

One or two improvements, which the subject suggests, shall close the whole, and relieve your

attention.

- From what hath been said, we may learn, the sole cause, of all that unsteady, and changeable frame of mind, which distinguish the state of believers in their Christian path. We feel but too little, of this glorious work of God the Holy Ghost upon our hearts. We are content with sipping now and then, of the streams which make glad the city of God, when we might for ever drink of the river. § We are looking for somewhat to recommend in the creature, when we might live upon the Creator's fulness. And hence, the soul is frequently in bondage frames, and under heart straitenings in prayer; and the poor believer, walketh in darkness and hath no light. Not considering, that it is the gracious design of the Holy Ghost, to empty the soul of every thing, that he would wish to call his own, on purpose to fill him, with every thing precious in Christ Jesus. And for this purpose, that he is leading him, amidst all the poverty, and weakness, and fears, and guilt, and tremblings, with which he is encompassed, to Him, in whom it hath pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell, that he may receive, out of his fulness grace for grace. And when the Holy Ghost, hath graciously performed this blessed

§ Psalm 46. 4.

office,