justification; not only giving him the pardon of sins, but uniting him to Christ as his righteousness, and giving him eternal life itself. "The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ."

How comfortable and glorious this is, I need not say. I know it staggers human belief much; and many have much to say against it. If they searched their own consciences more, and saw how impossible it is that any thing done by man can justify him in the sight of God, as well after conversion as before, they might better understand this subject. I believe no steady rest of conscience is to be attained but in this view of things. Christ's grace altogether must be looked to; self must be out of the question: justification must be seen complete by faith in him.

I know sanctification is as necessary as justification; and it will flow freely, and grow strongly, where justification has first taken place. But he that would maintain the peace of God, whenever he deals with God, must see himself a sinner, nothing but a sinner. He has sincerely repented, but here he must not know it: he has grown in holiness, and is growing, but he forgets it here: he brings to God nothing but Jesus; takes his stand among sinners; and, from first to last, he is justified

in the Lord, and in him he glories. However abused all this may be, set forth it must be, if we would speak what alone is the foundation of peace with God; and to guard against all abuses I would make it my constant aim. However, solemnly I declare, I know nothing but Christ, and him crucified, to trust in for my own soul; neither would I ever join any thing else with him.

Here is, then, the use of the doctrine analogous to the history of Hezekiah. Guilt, like raging Sennacherib, has taken possession of a sinner. Loth he is to come naked to Christ: he is apt, perhaps a long time, to try to avail himself of his duties, resolutions, and various works. But the Lord mercifully drives him from one lurking-place to another, till he really finds he has done no more by all his own righteousnesses than Israel did by the Egyptians; and guilt, like Sennacherib, is still pursuing him-(I am bold to prosecute the analogy on the Scripture authority I have given) He lays himself down, spent and helpless, at length, on the Sure Foundation, the Lord his righteousness. There is an hidingplace: Christ crucified proves a sure friend. Now he knows peace: on Christ he learns to rest for sanctification as well as righteousness, and finds him to be both. But he is content with the continuance of his first justification. As God is truth, it will remain sufficient for

ever: he needs no other. He is as effectually delivered from guilt as Hezekiah from Sennacherib.

Men of the world, this is the rest and the refreshing of the weary: here is joy and health. But you "will not hear" this, as the text says. You have done your best!' and 'your hearts are good!' Ah, fools and blind! O that you might have your eyes opened to see the filthiness of your hearts! I do not expect you should at all relish what I have said; but if you could be persuaded to see yourselves aright, it would be-in however mean and homely a way set forth-it would be music in your ears, and life from the dead.

Weary and heavy laden souls, heard you the sound of the King of Saints saying to the prisoners, "Go forth?" To you he calls, 'Come and be free; here is rest and refreshing for you. Incline your ears: behold, and take hold of, God's everlasting covenant.' Now, do not trifle with your God and your own happiness: suffer not your convictions to remain upon you, and breed rust and poison; nor get quit of them by any comfort but that of Christ

crucified for you. Wrestle with the Lord, that you may be free. If you sink into trifling, the Lord will withhold the Spirit of adoption till you be more in earnest with him. If you still seek, though in part, by the Law, you must sink into your nothingness again before you have a soul-cheering view of Christ's all

sufficiency. Alas! your numbers are not many: nevertheless, you are the lambs of Christ's flock; to you he speaks nothing but comfort. For your sakes I have handled this plain subject: the Lord bless it to you. The sum of the instruction belonging to you is; Since you want rest, and see it is in Christ, and that he can and will give it you, sit down, ye mourners; loose yourselves from the bands

of your neck, ye captives; thankfully accept the Saviour of the lost for yourselves, since he bids you taste and see that he is gracious. Receive him, and be happy!

A word to established Christians, and I have done. If you have grown barren and cold, may not this be one reason, ye have not prized justification as ye should have done? Ye have thought yourselves above it, leaving it to your juniors in Christ's school. This is pride. Ye would grow in sanctification, but ye cannot; for ye build castles in the air unless ye build on Christ. And what is sanctification, but humility? and what is humility, but submitting to Christ? Deign, then, to come to Christ again: sit low before him. Consider, Christ is your all: view him as your Saviour again; and, taking him along with you, you will grow in holiness, and be happy for ever.

485

SERMON XXXII.

INDECISION EXEMPLIFIED IN ZEDEKIAH.

JEREMIAH Xxxviii. 19, 20.

And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me. But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee: obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the Lord, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live.

ZEDEKIAH the king, whose conference with Jeremiah the prophet is here recorded, was the last of the princes of David's family that reigned in Jerusalem;-a wicked prince indeed, but not so wicked as several that were before him. His character is a common one; and therefore the leading features of it deserve to be attended to. The people were immersed in idolatry and wickedness: many of them already had been carried captive to Babylon, and the power of Nebuchadnezzar soon threatened to swallow up the remainder. Several kings had in succession held a dependent and precarious sway under the Babylonian conqueror. Zedekiah was now the last of these. He had