Ifiß COMING TO GOD BY CHRIST. large and various furniture for this great undertaking : We must believe what God has pronounced concerning him, and from the bottom of our hearts humbly approve of these counsels for our salvation. It must be the language of our hearts in a way of ecljp to the appointment of God, There is none like him, there is gone like Christ, for a reconciler of the offendedGod and offend- ing man ; he is every way a suitable relief-to our wants, and all- sufficient to save. We must see him as one that has made full atonement and satisfaction to the justice and majesty of God, for the sins of men by his own sufferings and death*: We must approve of him as our great teacher, and our glorious example ; as our high-priest to reconcile us to God by his blood, and to make intercession for us at the mercy-seat in heaven ; as one that is able tó save to the uttermost, because he lives for ever ; lieb. vii. 25. to fulfil all his offices. We must behold him as 'a Lord and governor appointed to rule over as, and to give us laws, and to defend us from our enemies : We must see' him as the most proper person to be our head of vital influence, for the communication of all grace and holiness to us, for the changing of our natures into his Father's image and his own ; and as one that is able and willing to take care of ui through this world, and bring us safe into the Father's presence at last with exceed- ing joy. Thus thefaith of the sinner echoes-to the voice of God concerning Jesus the Saviour, in a way of assent to what God bas revealed, and in a way of humble approbation of what God has appointed. 7. The great God foreseeing the obstinacy, corruption' and wickedness of the heart of man, well knew that all this prepara- tion to restore mankind to holiness and happiness, might at last be ineffectual, and might all be performed in vain, unless he took one step further ; ana therefore to secure this salvation to many he gave them into the hands of his Sou Jesus Christ, and com- mitted the care oftheir salvation to him ; he gave them to Christ, or entrusted him with the care of them, that he might fulfil his whole commission, and all his various offices, in a most effectual and powerful manner with regard to them; appoihtiog also that this same gospel should be preached to the rest of mankind, and the offers of this salvation should be made to them some way or other, in various seasons, inplainer or darker discoveries thereof. s Though it is not necessary for every person among the fallen race of Adam, to find out the real and eternal necessity of his coming to God by a Me- diator, or that such an atonement must needs be made for the sins of men. yet since God saw it most proper to appoint this way, and to ordain hisSon Jesus to t>e this Mediator and this atonement, and to reveal it in so many plain and express declarations of his word, I think it may be readily agreed, that it is our evident duty, nowwe know this gospel, to approve of this atonement so plainly revealed, and this Mediator, as a most reasonable appointment, and to come scar to God by him, even by faith in bis blood, if we would find certain accep- tace with God.
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