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258

rBAITH BUILT

ON

KNOWLEDGE.

[DISC.

x

our

natural

delight

in

sin

and

the

creature, and our

na-

tural

aversion

to

God,

and

all

that

is

holy

:.

together

with

our

utter

incapacity of

enjoying heaven whilst

we

are

in

this temper,

and our impotence

to

change

our

own

natures, and turn

our

souls from

earth

to

heaven.

It

supposes

and

implies

a

painful sense

of

our

having

offended

God, and

weariness

of

this

state of

sin,

and a

hearty

willingness

to

be

delivered

from it

:

For

why

should

we

seek

after

the

knowledge

of

such

an almighty

Friend and

Saviour,

if

we were

not fearful

of

eternal

',misery

without

one

?

Or

why

should

we

concern our-

selves

about

a

person

that

can subdue

sin in us,

if

we,

are

not

so

far made

willing to

part

with

it,

as

to have

our

natures

reformed into

holiness

?

And

let it

be

observed,

that

this

painful

sense; this inward weariness

of

the

power and

reign

of

sin in

us,

and

this

desire

'of

deliver-

ance

from it,

is

the most essential

part of

true repent-

ance, or the conversion

of

the soul

from

sin to

God.

It

includes,

in the

next

place,

a

sight and

belief

of

the

all-

sufficiency

of Christ

to supply

our

wants

;

that

there

is

atonement

in

him

for

our

sins,

and

pardon pro-

cured

by him

;

that

there

is.

righteousness

with him

for

our

justification and acceptance

unto

eternal

life

;

and

all this

by

the means

of

his

perfect obedience and

death,

That

there

is

power

and

grace

in him

to

conquer

all

our

sins,

to suppress temptations,

to

reform

our

vicious

ap-

petites, to incline our

wills

to

God,

to

strengthen

our

endeavours for

the

practice

of

all holiness

;

to

keep

us

.

in the

favour

and

in the image

of

God; and

conduct

us

safe to heaven

;

and

that

he

is

appointed

by

the

Father

to do all this for.sinners.

It

consists formally

in

a

committing

of

the guilty

and

sinful soul

to

the care

of

Christ, according

to his

Father's

commission

to take care

of lost

souls,

and

to

keep

that

which

is

committed

to him.

It

is

a

secret address

of

the

heart

untò

Christ, whereby

we

resign

our

guilty persons

to

him, to be

pardoned. for

the sake

of

his

sufferings

;

pur unrighteous

souls,to

be

accepted through

his

righte-

ousness

;

our

sinful

and polluted natures

to be

sanctified

by

the power

of

his

grace,

and

to

be

preserved

safe to

death

and

glory.

After

all

this,

there

.follows

an

acquiescence,

or

rest

rf

the

soul

in

Christ,

i.

hich

lie

promised,

when he

called