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CHAP. XIII.

The fubject concluded in an Addrefs to the Objects of divine Favour.

I

Shall now conclude, with an use of inftruction, addreffed more particularly to those who may be denominated the real faints of God; being brought out of darkness into his marvellous light, called with an holy calling, and made, by regenerating and adopting grace, the fons and daughters of the Lord Almighty. These are interested in the divine favour, according to the tenor of that covenant which is ordered in all things and fure, and contains all their falvation, and all their defire; the diftinguishing privilege of which is, "I will be their God, and they shall be my people." His favour towards them is, as Davenant observes, (vinculum æternæ benevolentia) a bond of eternal love. This bond is indiffoluble, and cannot be broken; for his love, like himself, is immutable, and everlafting.

But the sweet and comfortable sense of this love is not always enjoyed by those who in reality are interested in it. For we find fome of those pious and holy men, whose experiences are recorded in the facred scriptures, at certain seasons, complainU

No. XVII, 1.

ing

ing of the absence of God, of the hidings of his face, of their being filled with great bitterness instead of peace, and with forrow and anguish of fpirit instead of comfort. It is to fuch as these that the God of grace and confolation has faid, "O thou afflicted, toffed with tempefts and not comforted, for a fmall moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, faith the Lord thy Redeemer."

SECT. I.

Of the Doubts and Scruples which fome may entertain refpecting their Intereft in God's Favour.

Perhaps fome perfon, who may caft his eyes on these pages, may be faying, with a desponding heart, Alas! I fear that I am not in a state of friendship with my Maker, though there is nothing in heaven or earth that I fo much defire. How can I be in the favour of God who am fo unworthy of it? A consciousness of my unworthinefs bows down my foul before him from day to day.'

But can you forget that there is no worthiness in any of the human race to entitle them to the privilege in question?" There is none righteous, no

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not one." Neither does the Most High set his love upon any because they are worthy of it, but because of his own fovereign good pleasure. He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and compaffion on whom he will have compaffion." Nothing out of his own infinite mind is to be confidered as a motive inducing him to it.

Those who have been distinguished with peculiar marks of favour from above, have had the deepest sense of their own unworthinefs. Abraham, the father of the faithful, and the friend of God, counted himself but duft and afhes. Jacob, who as a prince had power with God, who wrestled with the angel of the covenant, and prevailed, and who was favoured with the vifions of the Almighty, even he, in deep humility of fpirit, fays, "I am not worthy of the leaft of all the mercies, and of all the truth which thou haft fhewed unto thy fervant." The Pfalmift, who was guided with the counsel, and held by the right hand of the Most High, owns himself as a beaft before him. Paul, who was caught up to paradise, who had abundance of revelations from the divine Redeemer, and the most intimate and aftonishing manifeftations of his favour, yet owns himself less than the leaft of all faints, and the very chief of finners. If you look into the records of past generations,

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you will find that the tokens of God's favour have defcended most plentifully on those who have walked in the low vallies of humiliation; and that thofe have been moft honoured of their Maker, who have had the meanest opinion.of themselves. The pious Roman centurion faid to the Redeemer, in whom the Gentiles truft, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldft come under my roof; but fpeak the word only, and my fervant fhall be healed." When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and faid to them that followed, "Verily I fay unto you, I have not found fo great faith, no not in Ifrael!" When Mary the finner wept at the feet of the Saviour, washing them with her tears, and wiping them with the hair of her head, he declared, in the prefence of the haughty and difdainful pharifee, that her fins, which were many, were forgiven her. 66 For whofoever exalteth himself fhall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

Perhaps the perfon I am now addreffing may fay, But I am a vile, polluted, finful wretch; how can a God of spotlefs purity have any favour for fuch an one as I am?'

It is true, the righteous Lord loveth righteousness, and hateth iniquity; yea, he is of purer eyes than to look on evil. But we must distinguish be

tween

and

tween the person of a poor unworthy finner, the defilement cleaving to him, which the finner himself abhors, and from which he defires and feeks deliverance. If none were loved of God but fuch as are free from the ftains of impurity, there could be no objects of his favour among the children of men. The love of God to finners is in Chrift Jefus our Lord; and he can diftinguish between their perfons and that whereby they are defiled. The spouse of Chrift, though black in herfelf, is comely in the eyes of infinite purity, as viewed in her relation to the Lord her righteoufnefs. The child of an earthly parent is dear to his father, though he has fallen into the mire. The child's tears on the occafion move the compaffion of the father's heart, and he haftens to relieve him in his distress. When Ephraim was turned and repented; when he was inftructed, and fmote upon his thigh; when he was afhamed and confounded, because he did bear the reproach of his youth, was there no favour towards this penitent in the heart of him who is juftly called "the Father of mercies?" Hear what he says; "Is Ephraim my dear. fon? Is he a pleasant child? For fince I fpake against him, I do earnestly remember him ftill: therefore my bowels are troubled for him: I will furely have mercy on him, faith the Lord."

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