the Lord; but cannot promote our fpiritual intereft. Let the reader therefore carefully remember, that grace is either abfolutely free, or it is not at all: and, that he who profeffes to look for falvation by grace, either believes in his heart to be faved entirely by it, er he acts inconfiftently in affairs of the great eftimportance.

CHAP. II.

Of Grace, as it Reigns in our Salvation in general.

GR

RACE, in our text, is compared to a Sovereign. Now a fovereign, confidered as fuch,. is invefted with regal power, and the highest authority. Grace, therefore, in her beneficent government, muft exert and manifeft, fovereign power--muft fupercede the reign, and counteract the mighty and deftructive operations of fin; or the cannot bring the finner to eternal life. For the Holy Spirit has compared fin to a sovereign, whose reign terminates in death.

As fin appears, clothed in horrid deformity, and armed with deftructive power, inflicting temporal death, and menacing eternal flames; fo Grace appears on the throne, arrayed in the beauties of holiness, and fmiling with divine benevolence; touched with feelings of the tendereftcompaffion, and armed with: all the magnificence of invincible power. Fully determined to exert her authority and gratify her compaffion, under the conduct of infinite wifdom; to the everlasting honour of inflexible justice, inviolable veracity, and every divine perfection-by refcuing the condemned offender from the jaws of deftruc-. tion; by fpeaking peace to the alarmed confciences of damnable delinquents; by reftoring to apoftate creatures and vile mifcreants, a fupreme love to God and delight in the ways of holiness; and, finally, by bringing them fafe, to everlasting honour and joy.

In a word; the heart of this mighty fovereign is compaffion itself; her looks are love; her language is balm to the bleeding foul, and her arm falvation. Such a fovereign is GRACE. Those who are delivered by her, muft enjoy a complete falvation. Those who live under her moft benign government must be happy indeed.

Divine grace, as reigning in our salvation, not only appears, but appears with majesty not only fhines, but triumphs: providing all things, freely beftowing all things neceflary to our eternal happiness. Grace does not fet our falvation on foot, by accommodating its terms and conditions to the enfeebled capacities of lapfed creatures; but begins, carries on, and completes the arduous work. Grace, as a fovereign, does not refcue the finner from deserved ruin; furnish him with new abilities; and then leave him, by their proper ufe, to refift the tempter; to mortify his lufts; to attain thofe holy qualities and perform thofe righteous acts, which render him fit for eternal happiness, and give him a title to it. No; for if the province and work of grace were circumfcribed in this manner, things of the laft importance to the glory of God and the felicity of man, would be left in the most uncertain and perilous fituation. And, admitting the poffibility of any finner being faved in fuch a way, there would be ample scope for the exertions of spiritual pride, and much room for boafting; which would be diametrically contrary to the honour ofthe Moft High, and frustrate the noble defigns of grace. This matchlefs favour, far from being fatisfied with laying the foundation, rears the faperstructure alfo: it not only fettles the preliminaries, but executes the very bufinefs itfelf. The Pharifee in the parable made his acknowledgements to

pre

preventing and affifting grace: for, God I thank thee, was his language. It is evident however that his views of grace were very contracted; and his hopes arifing from it very deceitful. Would we then view grace as reigning? We must confider it as the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end of our falvation; that the unrivelled honour of that greatest of all works, may be given to the GOD of all grace.

Having taken this general view of reigning grace, I would now afk; What think you, reader, of this wonderful favour? Is it worthy of God? Is it fuitable to your cafe ?-Or know you not, that you are by nature under the guilt and dominion of fin? Of fin, that dreadful fovereign; of fin, that worst of ty

rants.

Sin reigns, fays the apostle; and the end of its reign, where the fovereignty of grace does not interpofe, is eternal death. Can you fleep away your time, and dream of being finally happy, while under the power of fo malignant a fovereign? Shall the toys and trifles of a tranfitory world amufe, when your foul, your immortal ALL, is at ftake? If fo, how lamentable your condition! how dreadful your

ftate! Awake -arife -Bow the knee to divine grace, O ftubborn rebel! while fhe holds out the golden fceptre of pardon and of peace. Acknow ledge her fupremacy, fubmit to her government, before justice afcend the throne and vengeance launch her bolts. For then an eternal bar will lie against every application for mercy, though arifing from the moft preffing want.

Or, if awake in your conscience, do you think it poffible to effect your own deliverance? Alas! you are entirely without ftrength to perform any fuch thing; and grace was never intended as an auxiliary

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to help the weak, but well-difpofed, to fave themfelves. The mercy of God and the gospel of Chrift, were never defigned to affift and reward the righte ous; but to relieve the miferable and fave the defperate-to deliver those who have no other affistance, nor any other hope.-Were you acquainted with your abject vaffallage, were you convinced by the Spirit of truth, that there is no poffible way of efcape, but by reigning grace; then would you cry for help, and then the relief that grace affords would be all your falvation and all your defire.

If, on the other hand, you are burdened with fin.. and harraffed by clamorous fears of being caft into hell; if, fenfible of your native depravity, the multiplied iniquities of your life, the many fhameful defects attending your beft fervices, and your present abfolute unworthiness, you are ready to fink in defpondency; O remember! that grace has erected her throne. This forbids defpair. For her wonderful throne is erected, not in the ruins of juftice, not on the dishonour of the law; but, on the BLOOD OF THE LAMB. The inconceivably perfect obedience, and the infinitely meritorious death of the Son of God, form its mighty bafis. Here grace is highly exalted here grace appears in ftate, difpenfing her favours and fhowing her glory. To fuch a benevolent and condefcending fovereign, the bafeft may have free accefs. By fuch a powerful fovereign the moft various, multiplied, and preffing wants, may be relieved with the utmoft eafe and the greatest alacrity. Remember, difconfolate foul, that the name, the nature, the office of GRACE ENTHRONED, loudly atteft, That the greatest unworthinefs and the most profligate crimes, are no bar to the finner in coming to Chrift for falvation; in looking to fo→ verign