his great undertaking, 'tis promifed, a. lii. 10. "When he shall make his foul an offering for

fin, he shall see his feed, fee the travel of his "foul and be fatisfied." As to this Christ is ex

prefs, John vi. 37. "All that the father hath "given me fhall come to me;" and therefore the divine power fhall be exerted to draw them.

4. This is farther fecured by his prevalent interceffion, which he ever lives to make. John xvii. 17. Father, fanctify them through thy truth. Nor is his requeft confined to those that are already called, but extends to all others. Ver. 19, 20. Neither pray I for thefe alone, but for them alfo which shall believe on me through their word.

'Tis to this end he has promised to be with them to the end of the world: to continue his gofpel and ordinances, as the ordinary means of turning men from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.

Laftly, the SPIRIT, as the Redeemer's agent, will fulfil his office, and accomplish the errand for which he is fent into the world, viz. to convince and renew, quicken, and raise to a life of grace, all that shall be heirs of falvation. John xvi. 9. "Chrift hath redeemed us from the curfe of the law;" that the bleffing of Abraham, the great bleffing of the promised fpirit, may be beftowed on all the redeemed, to quicken them with a divine life (the life of grace) as the pledge of, and preparatory to, the life of glory, Gal.iii. 13.

APPLICATION.

1. Will God give grace to any of the children. of men? How merciful is his nature! how aftonishing his love!

i

How ravishing does it found that there is yet hope for loft finners! that his eye pities us in the mifery brought upon ourselves! that he will freely overcome that diftance at which we had fet ourselves from him, undertake to repair his image, restore us to his favour, when we were all over depraved by fin, liable to eternal death! How plain is it, hence, that "he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy!"

2. How much doth God defire the falvation of men; in that, when all had finned and come short of his glory, and deserved to be left, he would not only offer to be reconciled on the most reasonable terms, but undertake for a certain number to give them the grace neceffary to their compliance with them. When all had violated the first covenant, and were condemned by it, who ever expected to have heard fuch an offer and refolve as this, as to any of the guilty race, I will give grace! But God's thoughts are not as our thoughts.

3. Has God a kind design to give grace to lost finners; examine, has this defign been accomplished as to you? Have I a new heart given me ? A new spirit put within me? Am I begotten again? Am I washed, and fanctified, and juftified, in the name of the Lord Jefus, and by the fpirit of God? Am I, by repentance and faith, brought into a covenant relation to him, made partaker of a divine nature? Is God become my God? Am I in the number of his people?

Here I would speak to two forts of perfons.
1. To fuch as never experienced this grace.
(1.) Here you are directed to whom to go for it,

viz. to God: The Father of lights and mercies, from whom every good and perfect gift doth proceed.

(2.) Diligently attend the ufe of all thofe means which God hath appointed, and with which he is wont to fet in. Work out your falvation with fear and trembling, for 'tis God that worketh with you to will and to do, of his own good pleasure, Philip. ii. 13. So Prov. viii. 34, 35.

(3.) Let this be your encouragement to hold on in prayer to him, waiting upon him in the appointed way, that God hath declared his purpofe to give his fpecial fanctifying grace to fome, and you have no reafon to conclude against yourfelves, that you are none of the number. Where there is an heart to look after grace, there is good reason to hope we shall obtain.

2. To you that have experienced this grace. (1.) Remember what you have received, and from whom; and let God have all the praise.

(2.) Still depend upon him that is the Author, o be the finisher of faith; and having been made partakers of his grace, according to his purpose, keep up a lively hope on his promife as to the heavenly glory. He that gives a new heart, will bring to the new Jerufalem. And this fhall always be my prayer for you : "That your God "would count you worthy of his calling, and "fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and "the work of faith with power." To him be glory now and ever. Amen, 2 Theff. i. 11.

SER

SERMON II.

The Good Man's Privileges and Character.

PSALM LXXXIV. 11.

For the Lord God is a fun and field : the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will be with-hold from them that walk uprightly.

S

be added to those

EVERAL inferences may in the foregoing Sermon ; as, 1. Will God give grace and glory? This affures us, there is a reconciliation made, a paffage open between heaven and earth; that the offended Deity, from whom we could expect nothing but wrath, is become the God of Peace, and deals with us on terms of endearing mercy.

By our apoftacy and rebellion we had forfeited all good; as guilty and depraved, were unmeet for heaven, and without hope of it, children of wrath, and bound over to deftruction, Rom. iii. 23. vi. 21. Juftice unfatisfied' ftands as an immoveable bar in the way of our happiness; stops the

fountain

fountain of the divine favour from flowing down on guilty finners, till the Supreme Majesty has a recompence made him for the affront offered, the wrong and difhonour done him by the violation of his law. Now this he has received; and is well pleased in the offering made by his beloved Son. In him, juftice and mercy have met together, righteousness and peace have kiffed each other, the honour of the divine perfections and government is secured, and highly advanced. Upon this the heavens clear up; and instead of threatening a fiery storm, fmile upon us with a favourable afpect. The everlasting kingdom is opened, and the bleffing of the spirit promised to fit us for it; which supposes and proves our redemption from the curfe of the law, which would have cut off all fanctifying renewing influences from our fouls for ever; ftopt the current of all favourable communications from a Majefty ftill offended, to guilty creatures. But peace being made, the treafures of the divine goodness are now open, 2 Cor. v. 18. “ All things are of God, who hath re"conciled us to himself by Jefus Chrift." All things neceffary to our recovery, the making us new, and making us happy. He fanctifies as the God of peace, 1 The. v. 23. and as fuch, works in us what is well-pleafing in his fight, and perfects what he has begun and on the fame ground will he exert his power for the conquering and fubduing our fpiritual enemies. Rom. xvi. 20." The "God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet "hortly.'

Peace is the comprehenfive fum of all happinefs, and the foundation of all. As dew defcends

from