the truth, he is put into possession of all those blessings which a proud, unbelieving hypocrite can never attain.]
2. It issues in salvation —
[" The just shall live by his faith." At the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, the believers availed themselves of a favourable moment, and fled to Pella, and escaped ; whilst the whole unbelieving nation endured the righteous vengeance of an offended God. And who are they that shall be saved in the last day? Believei's; and they alone. They will be then acknowledged by their God : they shall stand at the right hand of their Judge : they shall be exalted to thrones of glory : they shall live before him for ever and ever. To this the whole sacred volume bears witness. Not an exception to this truth shall ever be found: however God may suffer his people to be sifted, " not the least grain shall fall to the earth." " It is not the will of our Father, that one of his little ones should perish." No, verily, " they shall never perish, but shall have eternal life."]
Suffer ye now, Brethren, a word of exhortation —
1. Be candid —
[Be aware of the bias that is upon your own minds. You cannot but be sensible that there is in all of us a love of this present evil world, and a distaste for heavenly employments. You cannot but have seen it, both in your hearts and lives, from the very first moment that you began to act. You know that you have, by nature, no delight in communion with God, nor any realizing views of things invisible and eternal. You know that your affections are naturally set on the things of time and sense, and that you look to them with an intensity of interest which you do not feel in the concerns of your souls. How all this must operate on your minds, in relation to the Gospel, is obvious. That, as you well know, calls you to a renunciation of all earthly vanities, a mortification of all cor- rupt appetites, and a pursuit of holiness as your supreme good. Be sensible of this, when you either hear or read the blessed word of God : and beg of him to " put truth in your inward parts ;" and, by the mighty power of his Spirit, to cast down all your lofty and carnal imaginations, and to bring into captivity every thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of Christ."]
2. Be in earnest —
[It is not a mere speculation which I would impress upon your minds. No : it is the very truth of God ; yea, " it is your very life." Your rejecting of the truth will " not make void the faith of God." It will stand, whether you reject it