230 I'AITH IN ITS LOWEST DEGREES. (DI§Ç. shall separate us from the love of God, in Christ Jesus, our Lord ; Rom. viii. 38, 39. 3. Are we at such a dreadful distance fromGod, that we seem to be on the utmost verge of all hope, at the ends of life and this world, at the borders of hell and despair ? Yet we are within the reach of the call of mercy, within the sound of the voice of Christ, and his extensive grace : " Look from the ends of the earth, and be saved." 4. Are we poor impotent creatures, that can do no- thing to make satisfaction to God for our sins, and little or ngthing towards the restoring ofour souls to the like- ness ofGod, and the recovery of holiness ? Dowe stand in need ofsuch. a Saviour, that must work all our works for us, and in us ? Behold such a one in my text : He requires of you but to look to him, and trust in him, in the manner i have described, and the salvation is free and sure. Christhimself will bestow it on us. There are some poor, melancholy desponding crea- tures, who are even almost overwhelmed with a sense of their guilt, and of the power of sin in them, and are,just giving up all hope, who have need to have the riches and amazing condescensions of grace to be set before them, in such a manner as this. And blessed be God, that his gospel contains in it such abounding mercy to preatures so miserable. We may therefore cry out with joy and thankfulness, and holy wonder : O the fulness and sufficiency of this salvation ! It is God who provides it, who knows, and can supply all the vast variety of our wants ! O the wide extent of it ! It reaches to all nations, to all characters of persons, even to the ends of the earth. O the rich freedom of this grace, that requires us to look, ana be saved ! O what free and full, what large and extensive, what rich and sovereign salvation ! 2d Reflection. What a blessed securityof this salva- tion is given to all those who comply with the invitation of this grace ! It is as safe as it is extensive. No creature can takeaway what a God resolves to bestow. No finite being can prevent what an infinite being resolves to do. If he that is God will save, none else can de- stroy, or frustrate the designed salvation ? Who shall forbid the blessing that the almighty Saviour will confer lowillE1111
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