honoured in our falvation. Though his

grace

be free, yet he will not expofe it to contempt, but have the fulness and the freedom of it acknowledged and glorified. Faith, indeed, accepts the gift, but then it must be a humble faith, that is fenfible of its worth; a thankful faith, that magnifieth the giver; and an obedient faith, that will practically improve the mercy beftowed. Chrift hath no grace fo

free as to fave those who neither feel their need of it, nor know its worth. Chrift's benefits are not applied in the fame way they were purchased. When he came to ransom us, he confented to be a fufferer; for then he bore our griefs, and carried our forrows; the chastisement of our peace was laid upon him, as the fubftitute and furety of guilty man: But when he comes, by his faving grace, into the foul, he will not then be entertained with contempt. He came in the flesh on purpose to be humbled; but, when he comes in the fpirit, it is that he may be exalted. On the crofs he was reputed a finner, and bore the punishment that was due to fin; but, in the foul, he is the conqueror of fin, and comes to take poffeffion of his own, and therefore must

must be treated according to his dignity. It was the hour and power of darkness while he fuffered; but, when he enters into the heart by his quickening fpirit, that is the hour of triumph, and the prevailing power of heavenly light; and, therefore, though in the flesh he submitted to contempt and reproach, yet he will not endure to be flighted in the foul. No; there he must be enthroned in our most reverend efteem, and crowned with our highest gratitude and love. The cross muft there be the portion of his enemies. The crown and fceptre which he purchased muft be yielded to him; and every thought must be captivated to the obedience of his will.

This is the end of humiliation, to employ the foul for the fuller entertainment of the Lord that bought it; to prepare the way before him; to whip the buyers and fellers out of the living temples of our hearts, that they may become holiness to the Lord, a fit habitation for the King of Glory.

From this account of the nature and use of humiliation, you may be able to judge what measure of it is abfolutely neceffary. It must

at

at least go fo deep as to undermine our pride, and bring us fo low, that the blood of Christ, and the favour of God, fhall become more precious in our esteem than all the riches, and honours, and pleasures of a present world. At the fame time, we must beware of ascribing to our own humiliation any part of the office of Chrift, or of the honour that is due to him. We must not think that we can recommend ourselves to the favour of God by the worth of our forrows, though we should weep even tears of blood. It is not true humiliation, if it lead us not wholly beyond ourselves, to feek pardon and life from Chrift alone; and therefore it. would be a plain con-. tradiction, if humiliation fhould affume the place of fatisfaction and merit, or be in degree relied upon inftead of the Saviour, or fo much as affociated with him in procuring our falvation.

any

Hence likewife we learn, that humiliation becomes exceffive, and counteracts its chief end, when it confines our attention fo entirely to our own unworthiness, as to darken our views of gospel grace, and prevent or obftruct our application to Chrift. But as few, comparatively

paratively speaking, err upon this fide, I fhall rather take occafion, from what has been faid, to point out fome of the fymptoms of the oppofite extreme, and then call upon those whofe humiliation, upon trial, fhall appear to be defective, to beg of God the bleffing of a broken and contrite heart, which is the profeffed defign of our affembling together this day.

14, Then, they may certainly conclude that they are not fufficiently humbled, who fuffer their hearts to be lifted up with their duties or attainments, and are not fuitably affected with those imperfections and blemishes which neceffarily cleave to their best performances. The true Chriftian grows downward in humility, in the fame proportion that he abounds in the fruits of righteousness. The nearer he approaches to a holy God, the more clearly he discovers his own guilt and pollution. Thus holy Nehemiah, after he had been recounting, to the praise of divine grace, the many eminent fervices he had been enabled to do for the church, addreffes to God this humble prayer, "O fpare me, according to "the greatness of thy mercy!"

2d, When you are apt to murmur and repine, because your duties are not accompanied with a prefent reward; when you are ready to fay, in the language of the Jews of old, "Wherefore have we fasted and prayed, and "thou regardeft not;" this is another fymptom that fecretly you entertain an opinion of fome worthiness in yourselves; for, where nothing is due, there can be no right to complain when the favour is either delayed or refufed.

of

3d, When you begin to think that any Christ's fayings are heard, and to wish that his laws were lefs ftrict and extenfive, and are hesitating whether you should yield to them or not; when you are unwilling to take up his crofs, and to forfake all for the hopes of glory, but are fet upon a thriving course in the world, and fuffer your hearts to be overcharged with the cares of this life, and are cumbered about many things through your own choice, this fhows that you are not yet fufficiently humbled, otherwife you would not ftand thus trifling with Chrift; and, if God have mercy upon you, he will bring you down, abafe your earthly appetite, teach you D

VOL. IV.

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