ESSAY IV, he Mistaken Ways of Coming to God without Christ. Jonx xiv. 6. Noman eometh unto the Father but by me. IF the race of man were immortal on earth, and sinners were never summoned to die, or if they could put an eternal end to their souls when the body lies down in the dust, there would he little concern among us, How shall I corne and appear before God ? or" What shall I do to obtain his favour ?" Sinful crea- tures seem to live well enough among the cares or amusements of this life, though they arewithout God in the world; and if they could live for ever without seeing him, or couldplunge into death and the unseen world, and not meet him there, they would take no thought about that grand enquiry, which Balak the king of Moab thought to be ofsuds importance, Wherewith shall Icome before the Lord, or bowmyselfbefore the high God? Micah vi. 6. But when the consciences of men begin to be convinced that they are transgressors against the law of their Maker, and that they must oneday appear before him, as their Governor and their Judge, and answer for their conduct, then they enquire in good earnest, " What they shall do to stand in his sight with acceptance, or to draw near his Majesty without terror ?" Then reason and nature exert all their forces to find an answer to this grand question. But nature and reason darkened and weaken- ed by the fall of man, and unassisted by revelation and divine grace, lead them into many mistaken ways, such as will never bring them into the favour of himwho made them, nor obtain true happiness. Poor foolish and fallen mankind is ready to try many means of procuring eternal life for themselves, before they will betake themselves to the one only way which God has appointed by his gospel, and that is, faith in Jesus Christ. Ofthe several mistakenways that sinners are ready to chase in this case, these three are the chief, viz. The way of supposed innocency, 'theway of dependence on God's general goodness, and the way of their own repentance and self-righteousness. Let us consider each of these, and enquire into the justness of their pretensions : I. First, ` "the way of innocency." How many souls are there in such a landas this, who come to God with a thoughtless confidence, and expect to find mercy at his hands, though they are conscious they have not done so much good as they ought, nor have been so religious as they should be ? Yet they think
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