fast, and pray, and give alms; hear and read the word, be early and late at ordinances; yet the enlightened conscience cannot be herewith satisfied; because by these duties he cannot undo the sin committed, and because he will find so many failings in them, that they will be still adding to his guilt, and increasing his misery.

What method then shall he take? the more he strives to make himself better, the worse he finds himself. He sees the pollution of sin greater. He discovers more of its guilt. He finds in himself a want of all good, and an inclination to all evil. He is now convinced that the law is holy, just, and good; but when he would keep it, evil is present with him. This makes him deeply sen-> sible of his guilty, helpless state; and shows him that by the works of the law he cannot be saved. His heart, like a fountain, is continually sending forth evil thoughts; yea, the very imaginations of it are only, and altogether evil, and words and works partake of the nature of that evil fountain from whence they flow so that after all his efforts, he

cannot quiet his conscience, nor attain with God.

peace

The law having done its office, as a schoolmaster, by convincing him of these truths, stops his mouth, that he has not a word to say, why sentence should not be passed upon him. And there it leaves him, guilty and helpless. It can do nothing more for him, than show him that he is a child of wrath, and that he deserves to have the wrath of God abiding upon him for ever; for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

The gospel finds him in this condition, as the good Samaritan did the wounded traveller, and brings him good news. It discovers to him the way of salvation contrived in the covenant of grace, and manifests to him what the ever blessed Trinity had therein purposed, and what in the fulness of time was accomplished. That all the perfections of the Godhead might be infinitely and everlastingly glorified, the Father covenanted to gain honour and dignity to his law and justice, to his faithfulness and holiness, by insisting upon man's appearing at his bar, in

But

the perfect righteousness of the law. man having no such righteousness of his own, all having sinned, and there being none righteous, no not one; how can he be saved? The Lord Christ, a person in the Godhead co-equal and co-eternal with the Father, undertook to be his Saviour. He covenanted to stand up as the head and surety of his people in their nature and in their stead, to obey for them, that by his infinitely precious obedience many might be made righteous; and to suffer for them, that by his everlasting meritorious stripes they might be healed. Accordingly, in the fulness of time, he came into the world, and was made flesh, and God and man being as truly united in one person as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man. This adorable person lived, and suffered, and died as the representative of his people. The righteousness of his life was to be their right and title to life, and the righteousness of his sufferings and death, was to save them from all the sufferings due to their sins. And thus the law and justice of the Father would be glorified in pardoning them,

and his faithfulness and holiness made honourable in saving them. He might be strictly just, and yet the justifier of him who believeth in Jesus.

In this covenant, the holy Spirit, a person co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son, undertook the gracious office of quickening and convincing sinners in their consciences, how guilty they were, and how much they wanted a Saviour; and in their judgments, how able he was to save all that come unto God through him; and in their hearts, to receive him, and to believe unto righteousness; and then in their walk and conversation, to live upon his grace and strength. His office is thus described by our blessed Lord, in John xvi. 13, 14. "When the Spirit of truth is come, he shall glorify me; for he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you;" that is, when he comes to convince sinners of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment, he takes of the things of Christ, and glorifies him by showing them what a fulness there is in him. to save. He leads them into all necessary

He

truth in their judgments, both concerning their own sinfulness, guilt, and helplessness, and also concerning the almighty power of the God-man, and his lawful authority to make use of it for their salvation. opens their understandings to comprehend the covenant of grace, and the offices of the eternal Trinity in this covenant, particularly the office of the sinner's surety, the Lord Christ; and he convinces them that there is. righteousness and strength, comfort and rejoicing, grace for grace, holiness and glory; yea, treasures, infinite, everlasting treasures of these in Christ; and hereby he draws out. their affections after Christ, and enables them with the heart to believe in him unto righteousness. And the Holy Spirit having thus brought them to the happy knowledge of their union with Christ, afterwards glorifies him in their walk and conversation, by teaching them how to live by faith upon his fulness, and to be continually receiving out of it grace for grace, according to their continual needs.

The corruption of our nature by the fall,

B