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more clearly, and in wrath remembers mercy. Under these self-abasing sensations of humility, meekness, contrition, compunction, and godly sorrow, the faith of the coming sinner takes all the steps that he takes.

When self is denied, abased, and mortified, then faith moves; from this lowest room it is that the Lord bids us go up higher; before every step that leads us to the honour of adoption is this humility. In this matter we see that self can never contribute any thing to faith, nor can faith and self work in conjunction together; for the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; the law of sin in the members wars against the law of faith in the mind, and these two are contrary the one to the other: but, if the flesh be mortified through the Spirit, we shall live by faith. Distant views, and budding hopes, at times soften and sweeten the soul, becalm and compose it, insomuch that terrors and torments begin to lose their force, and their violence to abate; the dreadful day looks further off, and the alarming sight of it is more dim, and our meditations of terror do not recoil with that keenness and sharpness as heretofore; while a daily cross becomes more familiar, and sits easier upon the shoulder, and the chastisements of God yield more peaceable fruits: and when patience has had her perfect work in this business, and submission to the will of God takes place; human strength being exhausted, and the mercy of God in Christ implored; the sweetest

savour of Jesus, and the odours of his ointments, perfume the poor soul afresh, he appears more in view, and shews himself through the lattice of this chequer work; the sinner's hopes fly to him, and his mouth begins to confess him: "Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. Blessed art thou, Simon! for flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." The fears and terrors of the law subside, an angry God disappears, love operates, and God shines upon the poor soul in the countenance of his dear Son, and gives him the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Now the will chuses him, faith flies out to him, and exercises all her power on him, love works by it, and joy and peace flow in; while Jesus takes possession of his own, and is crowned King of Zion; the poor sinner ascribing all glory, might, majesty, dominion, and power, to him for ever and ever.

The most puzzling thing to the believer under all this work is, that when he does the most good, as he thinks, he is the least regarded; and when he draws the worst conclusions of himself and his state, he is the most cordially received; that when he detests himself, he meets with the most pleasing approbation of God; and that when nothing but damnation is expected, that then salvation is the most near to them that fear him: yea, and when he would entreat God to let loose his hand and cut him off, as Job did, being desperate against himself and his sin, that even then he finds the sweetest

and most heart-melting seasons with God. But, alas! we forget that salvation is of grace, and not of works; that God justifies the ungodly who work not, but believe; that his strength is made perfect in our weakness; and that God entertains them who are ready to perish; that he fills the hungry with good things, but sends the rich empty away. A bribe in our hand to obtain Christ, is the only thing that keeps us from him; and a foolish notion of rubbing off some of the debt, is the cause of the debt book lying open so long against us; for when we have nothing to pay he frankly forgives us. But this state of insolvency is terribly mortifying and degrading to human pride. However, there we must come, or lie in prison till the utmost mite be paid; for the Surety will discharge all or none; he will be all in all to us, or nothing.

The father of the faithful obtained the promise of a son, and waits for the fulfilment of it till nature itself militates against him; to remedy which Hagar is substituted into the place of Sarah. Ishmael comes into the world, and the end is obtained, and here he rests. "The steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus, and lo, one born in my house is mine heir." All this human contrivance helps nothing forward; "O that Ishmael might live before thee!" No, reason and all her pleas must give way to faith, and faith must have nothing to look to, or depend on, but the power of God. Against all hope founded in nature, and supported by reason, he must believe in hope,

founded on the power, truth, and faithfulness of God. Abraham must believe that what God hadpromised he was able to perform, and Sarah must by faith receive strength from above to conceive seed, by judging him faithful that hath promised. And we must look to Abraham our father, and to Sarah that bare us, if ever our souls are quickened to serve the living God. For their faith and ours must centre, and meet in unity, in the same object; and all our fruitfulness, as well as theirs, must come from his promise; yea, it must come from the same seed, Christ, who is the living vine, and tree of life, from whom all grace and life comes and he is a tree of life in us as well as in them. "In me is thy fruit found."

VI.

THE BELIEVER'S SAFEST PATH IN THE DARKEST

NIGHT

JOB Xxiii. 10.

But he knoweth the way that I take; when he hath tried me I shall come forth as gold."

JOB had been much indulged with the presence of God, and he had obtained a good report through faith, God testifying of him that he was a perfect and an upright man, one that feared God and eschewed evil. He acknowledges the felicity that he had enjoyed, the condescension of God to him, and the holy familiarity the Almighty had favoured him with. He had seen the blessing of God upon the work of his hands, insomuch that his substance was so increased as that he became the greatest man for wealth in all the east; and his liberal heart kept pace in some measure with the bountiful hand of his Maker: he was truly blessed in his flock, in the fold, in the store, in the basket, in the city, and in the field.

He was blessed with the fruit of the womb also: he had a flourishing family of ten children, which assembled together often with God's people, and feasted in each others houses, and who were permitted to assemble, and did assemble, among

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