1.6e COMING TO G019 BY CHaiST, our own efforts are to work this mighty and universal change of nature in us, to form our spirits anew, and to rectify all the mo- ral disorders in them : We must be made sensible how incapa- ble we are of giving our souls a new bent and bias towards things divine and heavenly, instead of that sinful propensity which works in our natures, and is ever Ieading us astray from God and true happiness ; so that if ever we are recovered, we must depend entirely upon the free grace and mercy of God for our whole recovery ; not only to provide a satisfaction for his own injured law and authority, but also to take away the per- verseness and obstinacy of our wills, and to change our vile affec- tions into holy and heavenly. This is that poverty of spirit, that sensibility of our own helpless state, which is the first founda- tion of the kingdom of God within us. So our Saviour teaches ; Mat. v. 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the king- doin of God. This is that humility of soul which the men of Laodicea wanted ; Rev. iii. 17. When they were really great sinners before God,they supposed themselves rich, and increased in goods and wanting nothing : But before they were recovered it was necessary they should see they were poor, and blind, and wretched, and naked. IV. Though God beheld mankind in these deplorable and helpless circumstances, yet he was pleased, out of his free grace, to decree and determine, that they should not all perish. He resolved to bring some off at least, out of their state of distance fromhim, and to restore them to his favour and his image, to holiness andhappiness. Whether this gracious will and design of God, be so clearly and sufficiently discovered, to the light of nature, in his providential goodness to all the world, I will not riow debate ; But it is sufficiently discovered in the gospel or the book of grace. In correspondence with this gracious design and determi- nation of the blessed God, it is necessary that we also should have some hope and beliefof God'swillingness to be reconciled, or that there is grace and compassion with him for returning sin- .hers : Ileb. xi. 6. Lie that coineth to Godmust believe, that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek hint : And in this view, belief and hope, we should resolve never to rest and continue in such deplorable circumstances ; but desire and strive with all our powers to return to God, and never be content without obtaininghis favour and image. We should humbly resolve and determine that we will not perish, but that we will return to the great God, through the aids and encouragements of his grace, in what way and manner soever he is pleas- ed to return unto us. In this sensé we may say that the . kingdom of heaven, or the blessings of salvation suffer violence, as our Saviour expresses it ; Mat, xi. 12. and the violent take it,
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