feels more happy, than lying in deep contrition at the feet of his Lord, mourning over his fins, and pouring out his whole heart in an unreferved confeffion of them. This is the confeffion which God approves, and forgiveness ftands infallibly con nected with it. It fprings, from the depth and fincerity of evangelical repentance, is ever accompanied with a departure from fin, and a reformation of life, and has the justice and faithfulness of God engaged for his pardon. "If we confess "our fins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our fins.”

A few practical ufes will clofe the theme.

First, how doth loving kindness and grace of God our Sa viour, fhine forth in the difpenfation of the gospel? Expiation for fin is provided by the blood of Jefus; reconciliation for an apoftate world, is procured by the crofs. Nothing now is required of criminal offenders, only to accept of falvation as an unmerited favour and an inftance of wonderful and special grace. What fuperabundant riches of mercy appear in this mode of procedure with fallen man? Angels entertain themfelves with the admirable contemplations. How reasonable is it that it should captivate and charm the fouls of finners? The work of redemption is finished, and before it comes to us, published to the world as compleat, and all are invited to come and receive it. "All things are ready," the feaft is prepared, placed on the table, and nothing wanting but guefs to come and partake of the infinite profufion of the divine beneficence. And all are invited of every nation and complexion, high and low, rich and poor, bond and free, to come to the marriage entertainment, to come and receive interminable felicity.

Secondly, what can be more free and eafy than the terms of the gofpel? Jefus came and laid down his life for finners; only receive him and falvation is yours. Believe and thou fhalt be faved. An ample rederoption is made, only confenti

to it and all is fafe. Chrift faves all who are willing to be faved, and he never faves any against their wills. The whole requifition of you is the eafieft thing in the world; only confefs your fins and pardon is yours. What divine generofity, what wonders of love displayed to the loft children of men! That God fhould stoop from the throne of his glory to call to finners, saying unto them, only ask forgiveness, acknowledge that you have treated heaven unkindly, that you have caufelefly offended the Supreme Majefty, and all offences will be forgiven, and peace established betwen heaven and earth again. If fuch news could be proclaimed in the infernal regions, would not the devils clank their chains for joy? By grace are we faved, by marvelous and furprifing grace. How ftrange is it, and it will employ the admiration of eternity, that the most high and potent Lord, who can do all his pleasure, create worlds and dash them to pieces by the word of his mouth, can eafe himself of all his adverfaries in a moment, fhould lay himfelf under obligation to forgive us our fins on the mere confeffion of them. What lower terms of falvation could finners require? Only afk and you fhall receive, only call on the name of the Lord, and ye fhall be faved. Has not heaven condefcended to the lowest measures poflible? All the art of man could contrive nothing fo low and eafy for fo great a bleffing. Was falvation left to terms of men's own devifing, could they propose any thing lower, than to have remiffion upon the confeffion of fin? O therefore let all admire and receive the wonderful grace of the gospel.

Thirdly, this doctrine exhibits the wisdom and glory of the gofpel difpenfation with tranfcendent beauty and ravishing loveliness. The mifery, guilt and wretchednefs of man within, the overflowing mercies of God without, his own absolute indigence and Chrift's all-fufficiency, fhould irrefiftably influence litm to confefs his fins, and accept of pardon and a free falvation. With what a penetrating fenfibility of foul, and with

what warm and exalted affections of heart, ought the one to be done and the other received? A feeling fenfe of fin, of our own vileness and unworthiness, lies at the foundation of every faving confeffion; so an heart full of love and gratitude is the leaft return which ought to be made for pardon and forgive nefs. The riches and plenitude of grace is only feen by a proper apprehenfion of the odioufnefs, deformity and turpitude of fin. Suppofe an impenitent finner pardoned and forgiven without any fenfe of his fins, it would be fuch a contradiction to reafon and common sense, that he, himself, would deem it an abfurdity; and the impropriety of it would fo forcibly ftrike his mind, that he would reject the offer with difdain, Was pardon offered to the inhabitants of hell, it would be defpifed. It is remarkable of the rich man in the flames of torment, though he asked for water to cool his tongue, yet he neither confeffed his fins, nor requested forgiveness. Hell will never be induced to confefs its fins, therefore pardon will never enter there.

ter.

Now let us all be exhorted before it be forever too late, to come to a full and free confeflion of our iniquities. We have no time to lofe. If we confefs not now, we will not hereafThis is the only pace allowed us for repentance and confeffion; for there is no wifdom, device, repentance or confeffion, or pardon in the grave, to which we are fast haftening. "Now is the accepted time, now only is the day of falvation." Confefs not as fome who continue in fin; they confefs their fins and inftantly return to them. This is not confeffion, but hypocrify and mockery. Such a confeffion is adding infult to injury. Let our confeflion be attended with a departure from all iniquity. Let our text ever fill us with love, praise and gratitude, "If we confefs our fins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our "fins."

SERMON XXX.

The favour and patronage of God, the fupport of man in afflictions.

Pfalms xlvi. 1. God is our refuge and strength, a very present belp in trouble.

RELIGION is the only true refource of man in all his diftreffes. How great are the alterations heavy afflictions will often produce for a time, even upon the moft heaven-daring finners? The haughty Ahab, who had fold himself to work wickedness, in the day of trouble behold him humbling himfelf, renting his clothes, fafting and mortifying. How will diftreffes change the most hardened wretches into cringing hypocrites? But what can be expected from a religion founded folely in, and caufed by the troubles of this life? Let the cause be removed, and the effect ceafes. How many on beds of fickness and pain, will pray, repent and weep, and feem to be very religious; but let the rod be removed, and they are no better than ever. Thus natural evil, however dreadful, cannot of itself effect the cure of moral evil; it may be, and often is, employed by God for this purpofe; but then it is

accompanied with the fpecial operation of his grace, and by This the cure becomes effectual and lasting.

Real religion is a conftant reafon for calmnefs, composure, and ferenity of mind under the greatest afflictions. Thus a truly religious man poffeffes a measure of self enjoyment in the most deplorable circumftances that can happen. The highest and most complicated diftreffes cannot rob him of inward tranquility. He has always a ready and fure resource in God, who cannot fail him. A religion wrought in the heart by the spirit of grace, founded upon and directed by the revelation of God, will never be totally deftitute of fome reviving hope and confidence in heaven. This leads the good

man, amidst the ftorms of the world, to commit himself unto and rest unmoved in God.

There is a fecret virtue and power in religion that bears the mind above diftreffes, fuccours it in trials, and consoles it în forrows. Very different from that is the religion created by a panic dread of damnation, produced by the pains of fickness, or supported by the hourly expectation of dying; relief from dread, and deliverance from painful apprehensions, will cause fuch a religion to vanish like the morning cloud and the early dew. But pure and undefiled religion leads to an abiding trust in God, to follow the path of duty, and to maintain an unfhaken ferenity under the foreft trials and most gloomy afpects of divine providence. This is the bleffing of the good man, and the fruit of vital chriftianity. "The name of the "Lord is a strong tower into which the righteous run and

are fafe." "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." As tho' the Pfalmift had faid, When the righteous are purfued by an enemy, God is a refuge of fafety to which they may flee; when oppreffed with troubles God is their strength, on whofe almighty arm they may stay themfelves; when in grievous diftreffes and afflictions, he is a fure,