encouragement can we want, if we only contemplate God as he is revealed to us in the Holy Scriptures ? As a mighty Sove- reign, his grace is his own, and he may grant it to whomsoever he will ; yea, and his sovereignty will be the more displayed and glorified, in the communication of grace to the very chief of sinners, and in making " his grace to abound, where sin has most abounded." The comfort to be derived from the con- templation of his love and mercy need not be stated ; because that is obvious to the most inconsiderate mind. But even jus- tice itself affords rich encouragement to a repenting sinner : for, has not an atonement been made for sin? and has not the Lord Jesus Christ discharged the debt of all those who trust in him ? No doubt then, the justice of God, which has been satis- fied by the ransom which his own Son has paid for us, will libe- rate us from our bondage, and restore us to all the privileges which his own Son has purchased for us. As he can be " a just God and yet a Saviour," so he will be just to his own Son, in shewing mercy to us for Christ's sake. Above all, his fidelity to his covenant-engagements leaves us no ground for fear ; for never, since the foundation of the world, did one sinner perish who laid hold on his covenant, and rested in it as " all his salva- tion and all his desire."]
Let me in conclusion be permitted to ask,
1. Have you ever pleaded with God in this man- ner—
[Alas ! if God were now to order those who have pleaded thus with him to be sealed on their foreheads, and all the rest to be smitten dead upon the spoth, what an awful spectacle would this place exhibit ! Yet such a distinction will be made in the day of judgment. Beloved Brethren, consider this : and "judge yourselves, that ye be not judged of the Lord"
Shall it be said, that such pleadings are not necessary?
What! were they judged necessary by the prophet for the averting of temporal judgments ; and shall they not be for the averting of such as are eternal ? Truly they are necessary for every child of man : nor can we hope to obtain mercy with God, unless we seek him thus with our whole hearts.]
2. Have you ever pleaded thus with God in vain —
[Never did God turn a deaf ear to one who sought him in this manner: " Never said he to any man, Seek ye my face in vain ! " If any say that they have prayed, and yet not received an answer, we reply, that either they have never pleaded in this manner the perfections and the promises of God ; or, an answer has been given, but has been overlooked. God cannot
b Ezek. ix. 1—6.