changeably the same in him. Whom he loveth he loveth unto the end.

Well then, O my soul, thou hast examined thyself. How is it with thee? Dost thou know the way of peace? Art thou at peace with God, being justified by faith? Canst thou plead this peace, and maintain it in thy conscience? Is it a good conscience, does it witness for God? Is it a pure conscience, cleansed from guilt and condemnation? Is it satisfied that the Father is perfectly reconciled through the life and death of his Son? And is it satisfied with the divine record giving thee a free grant of the benefits of his life and death, and putting thee into possession by believing? Art thou of one heart and of one mind in this matter with the Father, and now being at peace with him agreed to walk in his way? If indeed he has been thus gracious unto thee, bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me praise him for the exceeding riches of his love. What a mercy is it, that he hath brought thee into the way of peace! O go on, fear not. Set out daily with an holy humble boldness to walk with thy God. And for the guiding of thy feet in his way, and that thy steps may not decline from it, be diligent in hearing and reading the word of God. Study it. Pray over it. Mind what encouragement it gives thee: "Having "therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest "by the blood of Jesus, by that new and living way, "which he hath consecrated for us, through the vail, "that is to say, his flesh, and having an high priest 66 over the house of God, let us draw near with a true "heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies "washed with pure water." Heb. x. 19, 20, &c. What perfect peace is here proclaimed to the children of God! Sin had separated them from him, but there is access through Jesus. He is the way to the Father. He is a new way, in opposition to the old way of works, which upon the fall was shut for ever. He is a living way, all that are alive to God live by the faith of the Son of

God. He is a consecrated way, every thing needful for their holy walk being provided in him. And they are required to walk in this way with boldness; trusting to the blood of Jesus, and depending on the intercession of the high-priest over the house of God, they have access with confidence into the holiest.. It is their undoubted privilege to draw near with a true heart, not like a double-minded man, wavering and unstable; but with full assurance of faith, entirely satisfied that God in Christ has nothing in his breast, but love towards them; therefore they should believe in him, and serve him without fear, having their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, maintaining peace with God through the continual application of the blood of Jesus, and having their bodies washed with pure water, body and soul being cleansed from the guilt and filth of sin by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.

O may this be my happy experience. May I ever have grace to draw near to my reconciled Father with a good conscience. Yea, Lord, this is my heart's desire. I would walk with thee day by day in perfect peace. O deny me not the request of my lips. Glory be to thy free love, that through Jesus I am suffered to have access into thy presence, and am commanded to come with boldness into the holiest of all. Lo, I come before thee, holy Father, to plead the blood-shedding and the righteousness of thy dear Son; and I hope my plea will be admitted, through the intercession of the high priest of the house of God. O look, thou God of peace, upon the face of thy Beloved. See me in him, I desire to be found in him. And for his sake let the faithful witness for thy love in Jesus abide with me, that in hearing and reading thy word, in prayer and meditation may increase my faith in thee and love to thee.

he

O God the Holy Ghost, I beseech thee to make practical upon my heart what thou hast revealed in scripture of the Father's love. Deliver me from guilt and condemnation by the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus, Apply it effectually. Apply it continually. Help me

to believe with more comfort in my conscience, and with more stedfastness in my walk, that his blood cleanseth from all sin. O blessed Spirit, carry on thy work in my soul. Lead me from faith to faith, that I may at all times have freedom to enter within the vail to a reconciled God and Father, and may be able to maintain peace with him against doubts and fears, against corruptions and enemies. O teach me to draw near to him with a true heart, stedfastly persuaded of his love, and in full assurance of faith. This is thy gracious office: O fulfil it in me, that my heart may be sprinkled from an evil conscience, and my body washed with pure water. Let me find grace sufficient for me, for Jesus' sake; to whom, with thee O Father, and the eternal Spirit, three Persons in one Jehovah, be equal honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

CHAP. III.

The believer in his heart cleaves to God, and walks with him in love.

THIS depends entirely upon a good conscience. There can be no love of God, unless there be first peace with God. No convinced sinner can love him, until he believes him to be reconciled. While guilt remains in the conscience, enmity will keep its place in the heart: for so long as he looks upon his sins unpardoned, and God the just avenger of them, he must consider him as a jealous God, and a consuming fire. In this view there is every thing that can increase his guilty fears. And while these defile the conscience, instead of walking with God, he would run away from him, and like the first offenders, he would foolishly try to hide himself from the presence of God.

But when the Holy Spirit has discovered the way of peace, and has enabled the sinner to find peace, being

pardoned and justified through faith in Christ Jesus, then he looks upon God in another light. He can view him, according as he has proclaimed himself The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin. Under this endearing character the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is revealed in scripture. Thus would he be considered in the covenant of grace-related in the nearest bond of affection to all his children. He is their father, the father of mercies, freely loving, freely forgiving, freely accepting them in the beloved. The Holy Spirit convinces them of it, and sheds the Father's love to them abroad in their hearts; the sense of which sweetly inclines them to love him again. Love begets love. God has put on the tender bowels of an everloving parent, and he gives them the affection of dutiful children. They love him, because he first loved them. Then it is the delight of their souls to cultivate and improve this love on their part, and it becomes their heaven upon earth to walk with their God in the ways wherein he has appointed to meet them, to love them, and to bless them.

on.

The main point then in the christian walk is to know how to maintain peace in the conscience: because this is the powerful motive upon which the believer first sets out, and it is the great spring which keeps them going While his conscience continues pure and undefiled, and the peace of God rules in it, all is well. He does not stop, he does not halt, in the way. But when guilt enters, unbelief certainly follows close after it, and then there is a fresh controversy in the court of conscience. Many doubts arise, and afford matter for strife and debate. The sense of peace is not only disturbed, but is also for a time destroyed by such suspieions as these "Am I freely pardoned-Is God fully "reconciled to me-Is he still my loving Father? I "fear not. I have done so and so-He is certainly displeased with me, and therefore I dare not approach

"him, as I used to do, with love and confidence." This is an evil conscience. It is not purged from dead works; because guilt is still in it, and this keeps the soul at a distance from God. It begets a coldness and a shyness to him, and by shutting out the comfortable sense of his love, makes way for fear of wrath. Then the motives to walk with God lose their influence, and an evil heart of unbelief tempts the man to depart from the living God.

Look well then, O my soul, to this leading truth, which has such universal influence over the Christian walk. Attend to the peace of thy conscience. See it be true peace, and mind it be well settled. Learn to maintain it upon gospel-motives. The heart follows the determination of conscience; and cleaves to the Lord, or departs from him, according as the conscience It is therefore absolutely necessary

excuses or accuses.

for our peace, that we should know how God has shewn himself reconciled in Christ Jesus. The character of him in the scriptures should be studied. Whoever has been enabled to call him, Abba, Father, should implore the assistance of the Holy Spirit for an increase of faith, and should make use of all appointed means for his growth in the knowledge of the love of his heavenly Father. The apostle is upon this subject in Romans v.-a chapter abounding with powerful arguments to establish the peace of God in thy conscience; in order that the love of God may rule in the heart. He gives us this account of the privileges of a justified man. He has peace with God through Jesus Christ -by whom he has a free access to God-is in a state of grace-stands in it by the power of God-has reason to rejoice (come what will) in hope of the glory to be revealed-and whatever he meets with in the way to glory, should increase the rejoicing of his hope, and confirm his heart in the love of God to him. Observe how divinely the apostle speaks: "Therefore being "justified by faith, we have peace with God through "our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have ac