12 INWARD NTT1EsS T6 CRRISTiANITY'. CSERM. 1. such a one as could not, generally free. their consciences from all sense of defilement and guilt, and fears, though it cleansed their souls in the sight of God. The Socinians, in our age, can have but very little solid comfort, if they are truly awakened to the spiritual . sight of the law of God ; for when they have nothing to plead with God, and nothing to trust in but his mere absolutemercy, while they deny the proper satisfaction of Christ Jesus, how weak must their hope be, how feeble is the foundation of it ! but when a poor, con- vinced, awakened soul, that now believes the doctrine of Christ, has been long before tormented in his consci- ence about atonement for sin, and found no hope ; the christian religion, the gospel, . with its pardoning grace, and the satisfaction that Christ has made, gives the soul peace, and leads the troubled conscience to rest and quiet; he trusts this gospel, he receives this salvation, and bath the witness in himself that it is divine. II. The happiness of eternal life consists also in the specialfavour of God, which is distinct from the par- don of sin; for it is very possible for a criminal to be pardoned, and not to be made a favourite of the king. The favour of God, and a sense of this favour, is agreat part of heaven. This is called seeing of God, often in scripture. When souls are fully possessed of the love of God, when they have it shed abroad in their hearts in perfection ; when they know that the infinite and eternal Maker and Governor of all things loves them,' and will for ever love them, this is eternal life; and this is enjoyed in some measure here on earth by' true believers, this is a part of eternal life begun in the heart of every christian : for when God pardons, he receives intohis peculiar favour. This the christian religion teaches us, but the light of nature could never tell us so : for if the light of nature and reason could have proceeded so far as to acquaint us with pardoning grace in all the extent of it, yet it could never have presumed to assure us, That he should mare the rebels he had pardoned his,favourites ,for ever. We might have been forgiven, and then annihilated. But the scripture teaches us, whom God forgives he" makes favourites too. And Christ Jesus has laid the
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