2 6 Gofpel Reñúfnon.. :;tnfw. ner, he looks uponhim as ungodly ; he ftayes nor till the finis r be made godly and then juftifies him as a Prince ftayes till a Malefac`tors heart be changed, and he becomè a loyal fubject, and th_n pardons h:m : God is not fo in juftií-ying fouls, hepu flifies theu,zcosadly ; one that is ungodly coming to him, he jufti- ties. This is a mighty Argument, I name it for this end; becaufe I would teach people, that notwithllanding any fin or guilt that lyes upon their fpirits , yet they have a liberty to come in and lay hold upon Chrift for Juftification ; do not fay, I am ungod- ly, I an: a great !inner, and have a vile heart, and I find not my nature changed ; and therefore,How dare I layhold upon Gods grace for mercy and pardon ? yea, thou mayeft, becaufe God iu- flifics the ungodly ; though thy naturebe not changed and fancti- fied, as thou fayeft : take it thus, Thou mull- lay hold of Gods grace for Juft:ficatioü that thou mayeft be fanctified ; not only pardoned, but fant`tified : Come but thus with thy heart añe- c4ed to clofe with the grace of God, that thou mayeft be fancdi- fied as well as pardoned ; though for the prefent thuu f<elefl not any Sanctification, yet thou mayeft haveright to lay hold upon Chrift as well as any one whatfoever. Will not this be prefumptionfor a finner thus to lay hold on Chrift ? If faith were meerly a perfwafon that Chrift dyed for them, or as many men think ; thus, (Well,God is merciful;and he will . pardon me, Chrift havi,ig dyed ;) there maybe prefumption in laying hold on Chrift : But now as Juftification is a great my- fterie, fo is faith ; and' faith is a mighty work of the Spirit of God in the foul, that caufes the foul to roui and cafe it felf on the free grace of God in Chrift, and venture it felf and all its hopes forgood and happinefs on him ; there is not only a com- ing toChrift for pardon, bit for grace, holinLfs, light, good and happinefs here, and for whatever it doth expect hereaf- ter ; it looks for all from him. Nowwhen there is fuch a work ofGod upon the foul, in cafttng it Pelf on God inChrift, though there be nothing at prefent but ungodlinefs, in him appearing, yet fuch a one may and hash right to come unto God for par- don ; for God juftifies the ungodly, Rom. 5.6. Chriftdyedfor the ungodly ; and ver. ao.Ifwhen we were ,Enemies, we were re- conciled
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