imagine that the doctrines of grace are subversive of morality, and that the honour which you give to God is only a cloak for idleness and sin. For this end alone are the drawings of God's Spirit desirable, namely, to make you more holy, more spiri- tual, more heavenly than any person without those influences can be. Say then, with the Church of old, " Draw me, and I will run after theex;" and prove, by the steadiness of your heavenly course, that you do not pray in vain, and that God does not bestow upon you his grace in vain.]
3. To those who desire to embrace and feel it — [Many there are who wish to submit to the revealed will of God, and yet never can contemplate his sovereignty without a fear and dread arising in their souls : but this is occasioned by their looking only on the dark side of the question, and thinking what must become of them if they are not elect : they contemplate sovereignty in connexion only with justice, and not in connexion with love and mercy. If they turned their thoughts more to his everlasting love, they would soon feel its attractive and constraining influence. We do not say that terror is not often made use of by God to awaken men ; but it is by " loving-kindness that he draws" them into sweet communion with himself. Think then generally of his love to man, in providing redemption for him when he had passed by the fallen angels without any such gracious provision for their restoration to his favour : from thence proceed to think more particularly of his love to you, in having sent you the tidings of his salvation, and in having given you a desire to possess an interest in it : and you will then soon find a sweet confidence springing up in your souls : you will look to him as a Father ; you will regard him as a Friend ; you will feel encouragement to cast yourselves upon him, and pleasure in giving up your- selves to his service. Seek only to know how much he has loved you, and you will soon be constrained to love him, and to delight yourselves in him.]
x Cant. i. 4.