1

pecially with a body of fin in their own hearts. The power that preferves them from perishing, in fuch circumftances, is entirely supernatural.

The doctrine of divine conservation affords encouragement to the children of God, when labouring under a sense of guilt that threatens to overwhelm them, or when they may be apt to conclude that fin is about to regain its empire in their hearts. Those who never felt the arrows of the Almighty, or who still continue strangers to the dreadful power of fin in the foul, may depreciate this doctrine as at best unprofitable. 'But it cannot be viewed in this light by any who know what is meant by a wounded spirit, or who have been "toffed with tempeft." In fuch a fituation, a believing view of the eternity and immutability of divine love, of its fovereignty as overlooking our continued unworthiness, can alone give relief. Hither also must we turn our eye for comfort, when fin rages and threatens to destroy. This is the confolation that God himself exhibits: "Sin shall not have dominion over

you; for ye are-under grace.-He that hath begun a good work, will perform it unto the day of Jefus Chrift."

We may alfo learn, that although the believer is fecured in a state of grace, no room is left for the indulgence of carnal fecurity, no encouragement is given to continue in fin. Many decry this doctrine, as if it were adverse to the interefts of holiness. The contrary is clear from the hiftory of God's ancient people. Even while he proclaimed

proclaimed the eternity of his love, he denounced the feverest judgments as the punishment of apoftacy; and when they actually departed from him, he fulfilled his threatenings. "He deli"vered his strength into captivity, and his glory "into the enemies hand." God would not break his covenant with David, notwithstanding his great trefpafs in the matter of Uriah. But did the divine conduct afford any encouragement to him, or to any believer, to fin? Was not David informed, that therefore the sword should never depart from his house: and was not this threatening awfully verified in fucceeding generations?

" fet

In a fimilar manner does he deal with the people of his love, when they provoke him by their iniquities. He withdraws from them the light of his countenance, suffers them to be led into captivity for a time by the power of their lufts, and to lose the perfuafion of his covenant-love. They are tried, it may be, ever after with darknefs as to their eternal state. The Almighty, perhaps, gives a command to his terrors to "themselves in array" against them. Or, they are buffeted by Satan, by means of the most horrid temptations. Or, he chaftens them outwardly by severe bodily afflictions, by great temporal calamities, affecting their substance or reputation; by removing their dearest earthly comforts, " the defire of their eyes." Can these things be viewed as no check to fin? Is the foul of a Chriftian cast in such a mould, that nothing

but

but the fear of eternal perdition can prevail with him?

Notwithstanding the declarations of the perpetuity of God's love to his ancient people, they had no encouragement to expect the renewed evidences of this love, unless they returned to him from whom they had revolted. Such is his conduct towards his spiritual Ifrael. The LORD still fays; " I will go and return to my place, " till they acknowledge their iniquity." Асcording to the divine teftimony, they have no reafon to expect deliverance from judgments, or the renewed manifestations of his love, without turning from their evil ways.

We may add to these confiderations, that when there appeared any thing like true repentance among God's ancient people, it always especially proceeded from a sense of his love. The great argument, which he employed to enforce, not merely the first precept, but the whole law, is founded on the principle of gratitude; and the very fame which he still renders effectual with his children: “ I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou

shalt have no other gods before me. Thou "shalt not bow down," &c. The feverest judgments with which they were vifited, never brought them back to a sense of duty. When a fincere or general reformation took place, they were principally

principally affected by a discovery of federal
love. This is a proof, among many others, that
the doctrine we have illustrated, instead of be-
ing an encouragement to fin, can alone prove a
proper incitement to duty. It is thus in the ex-
perience of the children of God. When they
feel the rod only, they are
as a bullock unac-
" customed to the yoke." But the love of Chrift,
when shed abroad in their hearts, especially when
manifested in its glorious fovereignty and immu-
tability, constraineth them.

66

This doctrine, in a word, supplies us with confolation under the greatest adversities. The LORD often feverely afflicted that nation, or that family, which he had chofen. But he did it in love. This was defigned for our inftruction. How feverely foever we may be afflicted, let us not for this reafon call in question the love of God. Still he faith to us; " I will never, never "leave thee. - My love will I not take from him. "When thou paffeft through the waters, I will "be with thee, and through the rivers, they fhall "not overflow thee: when thou walkest through "the fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall "the flames kindle on thee. For I am the LORD "thy God, the holy One of Ifrael, thy Saviour." We may be fully affured, that even our afflictions, instead of tending to our deftruction, are meant in fubferviency to our falvation; that they

"work

1 2 Chron. xx. .-9.; xxx. 6. 9.; Ezra ix. 8, 9. 13. 15.; Neh. ix. 7.
31.; Lan. 18. 4. 9. 15. 18.

1

66

"work together for good;"-that "when we are
judged, we are chastened of the LORD, that we
"should not be condemned with the world;"
that he chastens us
or our profit, that we may
" be partakers of his holiness;" and that he will
at length put this song in our mouths, "We went
through fire and through water; but thou
" broughtest us out into a wealthy place."

INDEX.