hope. I renounce every other claim; nay, I abhor the thoughts of any other claim: "yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." It grieves me that there is such a backwardness in me to give glory to thy name, and to be indebted to the riches of thy grace. Subdue my obstinacy, and Lord, I believe, help

rule by thine own power. thou mine unbelief'

SECTION VI. How the believer recovers peace of

conscience.

We have now seen in what way the believer is reconciled to God, and delivered from condemnation. It will not be improper, however, also to consider how he recovers peace of conscience, and how his heart and life are governed in his after walk. This will serve more fully to illustrate the influence and operation of the truths of the gospel. There is even a necessity for doing so on two different accounts: First, That, as has been shown above at considerable length, every true penitent is deeply and inwardly sensible of the evil of sin in itself. He is not merely afraid of wrath, but sees the impurity and pollution of his own heart. Supposing, therefore, will the intelligent reader say, this great distinction thoroughly established, his relief is but half accomplished. There

may be no more condemnation for him in the law of God, for the breach of which satisfaction has been made and accepted; but he is only so much the more liable to the condemnation of his own conscience. He must still suffer the reproaches and challenges of his own mind, which makes so great a part of the misery of a guilty state.

This receives additional strength from a second consideration, that as he is justified by faith, he hath peace only through the blood of Christ. This is not from himself, and may be thought to leave him, so to speak, in point of state and character, in point of pollution and defilement, just as before; nay, the extraordinary, unsolicited, undeserved grace of God, may be thought to increase his self-condemnation, and set the malignity of his rebellion in the strongest. light. And indeed so far this is true, that the free grace of God was intended, and does serve to produce a growing humiliation of mind and self-abasement, as well as an admiration of the love of God in Christ Jesus. As the tenderness of a parent is an image which God hath very frequently made use of to shadow forth his own infinite compassion, I will borrow from it an illustration of the two remarks just now made. Suppose any child has offended a parent by a gross instance of undutiful behaviour, for which he hath been severely reproved, and for some time kept at a distance; if the parent forgives him, and receives him again into his favour, does not his being thus freed from the fear of suffering, leave full room for his concern at the offence? And does not a sense of his father's love melt his heart more for having grieved such a parent, than any terror upon

his mind for the punishment of the crime? He is immediately covered with confusion; and if there be in him any spark of ingenuity, he is no sooner forgiven of his father, than the tide of his affections returns back with full force, and he can hardly forgive himself.

But notwithstanding this, as Christ by his sufferings and death delivered us from the wrath to come, so by the shedding of his precious blood the heart is also, as the Scripture expresses it, sprinkled from an evil conscience. On this important subject, which leads us to the great principles of the spiritual life, the following particulars are recommended to the serious attention of the reader.

1. Through Jesus Christ, and the whole of his undertaking as Mediator of the new covenant, the glory and honour of God is most admirably promoted, and a perfect reparation made to his holy law which had been broken. This must needs be highly pleasing to every convinced sinner. As the justice of God is thereby satisfied, so conscience, which is God's vicegerent, and as it were pleads his cause, is satisfied by the same means. The ground of a sinner's dissatisfaction with himself, is the dishonour done to God. Must it not, therefore, please and satisfy him to see this dishonour so perfectly removed, and so much of the divine glory shining in the work of redemption? All the divine perfections appear there with distinguished lustre ; and must not this be highly refreshing to the pardoned criminal? The very holiness and justice of God, which before were terrible to him, are now amiable. He also contemplates and adores the divine wisdom, as it is to be

seen in the cross of Christ. We are told that even the celestial hosts have new discoveries of the wisdom of God, in this great design of Providence: "To the intent that now, unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God." How much more must the interested believer, with peculiar complacency, approve and adore it! But, above all, if that love and mercy which reigns through the whole is glorious to God, must it not be delightful to the Christian? God is love, and his tender mercies are over all his other works; but creating and preserving goodness are shaded and eclipsed by redeeming love. It is the theme of the praises of heaven, where Christ, as the object of worship, is represented as appearing "like a lamb that had been slain."

2. Believers have peace of conscience through Christ, as their redemption through his blood serves for their own humiliation and self-abasement, for the manifestation of the evil of sin, and the vileness and unworthiness of the sinner. Nothing could be so well contrived as the doctrine of the cross, in its purity and simplicity, to stain the pride of all human glory. We are particularly called to deny ourselves, and to derive our worth and strength from our Redeemer, in whom "it hath pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell," and from whose fulness all his disciples must "receive, and grace for grace." No hope of mercy but through him: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me." "Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be

saved." No access to the throne of grace, or acceptance in worship, but through him: "In whom we have access with boldness and confidence through the faith of him." "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." No hope of stability in duty, of usefulness, or holiness of conversation, but by the continued exercise of faith in him. "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing.”

Hard sayings and humbling doctrine indeed! But this is appeasing to the conscience, for as conscience condemns us as guilty and undeserving, this condemnation is ratified in every particular by the gospel. These very circumstances in this doctrine, which provoke the hatred or invite the contempt of worldly men, do but so much the more endear it to the convinced soul; and he says from the heart, It is highly just and reasonable that God alone should be exalted, and that he, through our Redeemer, should have the whole praise of our recovery and salvation.' Agreeably to this, it will be found that the apostles, in celebrating the grace of God, seldom omit an express condemnation of themselves, and a renunciation of all merit of their own, which indeed in every passage on this subject is manifestly implied: "For by grace ye are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast: for we are his workmanship,