devouring flames, he cannot lie down in everlasting burnings; and though he is confcious that he hath juftly merited this mifery, yet felf-prefervation, that strong principle implanted in his nature by the great Author of his being, obligeth him to afk the question, Is there no hope?

Here, indeed, many fteal away from under their burden, take shelter in fome refuge of lies, and encompass themselves about with fparks of their own kindling: but the finner that is under the conduct of the Spirit of God, (and of such only I at prefent fpeak), the more he confiders his cafe, the more hopeless and defperate he findeth it to be. He indeed afketh the question, What fhall I do? but feeling his impotence, answers, I can do nothing; or though I could do any thing, yet what would it avail me? Can the duty I owe at prefent make any reparation for the offences that are past? Will forbearing to contract new debt, intitle me to a difcharge of the old? Impoffible! In fhort, when he cafts his eyes abroad throughout the whole creation, he can find nothing at all to lean upon

for

for deliverance. And thus, as the Apostle expreffeth it, Gal. iii. 23. he is "fhut up "unto the faith," hedged about, as it were, on every fide; fo that neither himself, nor any other creature, can make a way for his efcape.

Being reduced to this condition, he liftens with eagerness to the tidings of a Saviour. The name Jefus hath a different found to him than ever it had before; and his very heart leaps within him, when he hears that "God was in Chrift reconciling the world' "unto himself, not imputing their trefpaf" fes unto them." But he cannot reft fatiffied with a general account of this matter. As his danger is real and preffing, he ieeks a clear difcovery of the method of deliverFelt diftrefs breeds concern and anxiety; a felf-condemned criminal cannot quiet his mind with the bare probability of a pardon: he therefore narrowly pries into the authority, the character, and the ability, of the Saviour. He looks into his commiffion, and is wonderfully pleafed to read fuch a plain declaration as this, I "I the Lord have called thee in

ance.

xlii. 6, 7.

❝righteousness, and will hold thine hand, " and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the "Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring " out the prifoners from the prifon, and "them that fit in darkness out of the pri"fon-house." He rejoiceth to hear the Father himself proclaiming with an audible voice from heaven, firft at his baptifm, and afterwards at his transfiguration, "This is

my beloved Son, in whom I am well "pleased." He then proceeds to confider his admirable fitness for the office and work of a Saviour, as being the eternal Word made flesh,-Emmanuel,-God in our nature. He reviews the whole hiftory of his actions and sufferings; fees him offering up the facrifice to divine justice; hears him cry on the cross, "It is finifhed;" beholds him rifing from the grave in teftimony of the divine acceptance, afcending up on high to receive the kingdom, where he ever liveth to make interceffion for tranfgreffors, and to difpenfe the gifts he purchased with his blood, having all power committed to him

in heaven and on earth: from all which he difcovers

discovers abundant reafon to conclude, that "he is able to fave to the uttermoft all "that come unto God by him."

Having thus found a Saviour exactly fuited to his neceffities, he now begins to conceive fome hope: he fees a poffibility of obtaining falvation; and is fatisfied, that if this Saviour will undertake his caufe, he hath no reason to defpair: he therefore anxiously inquires, how, or by what means, he may procure his aid, and be admitted to partake of the bleffings he hath purchased. -Here it is that the great adversary ufually makes his moft vigorous efforts, and puts forth all his force and artifice, to ship wreck the poor foul on the very fhore of falvation. He endeavours to make that consciousness of guilt which firft brought the finner to fee his need of a Saviour, now to appear an objection against coming to him for deliverance. He will tell him, that though others may be forgiven, yet furely he cannot; that the greatness of his fins, or his long continuance in them, place him beyond the reach of his faving power, or at leaft render him an improper object for his merciful

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merciful interpofition. Hereby the poor creature is either driven to despair, or else to a vain and fruitlefs fearch after fomething in himself to recommend him to the Saviour. And the last of these temptations is fo adapted to the pride of our nature, which would always have fomethng to boast of, that with many it proves too fatally fuccefsful; neither is it foon, nor easily, overcome by any. But the foul that is guided by the Spirit of God, is here led to fee the extent and freedom of the gofpel offer and call ;-that Jefus is a Saviour for the chief of finners;-that the wretched, the miferable, the poor, and blind, and naked, are the very perfons to whom his gracious invitations and counfels are addreffed;

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that he interpofed for our relief, not because we were worthy of his aid, but because we needed his aid; and that a sense of extreme need, accompanied with a humble. and thankful acceptance of the unspeakable gift of God to men, is all that is looked for on the part of the creature.

Upon this the finner, renouncing his own righteousnels as filthy rags, or, as it is elfe

where