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thing but evil fruit. The judgment is enlightened to see this, the conscience is awakened to feel this; and thereby the convinced sinner is made willing to be taught the way of salvation. The Holy Spirit fulfils his office, by teaching him the knowledge of God.

Our blessed Saviour declares, no man knoweth the Son but the Father, neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him; and this he does by the Holy Spirit of wisdom and revelation, who is therefore given to the children of God, that they may know him and believe in him, as their reconciled Father in Christ Jesus. This saving knowledge is hid from the worldly wise and prudent, but is revealed unto the unlearned, whom the Holy Spirit has made simple and teachable people. To them he reveals the things of God. He makes them acquainted with the

Nature of the Godhead, which is one. There is one Jehovah, and there is none other. And also with the

Personality in the Godhead, Father, Son,

and Spirit. These three exist in the one Jehovah. They took those names, not to describe their manner of existing, but their manner of acting; not what they are in themselves, but how they stand related to us in the economy of redemption: for the Eternal Three entered into covenant before all worlds, and agreed to sustain certain covenant offices, and assume names, or characters, descriptive of their offices. Father is the title of that divine person, who, out of his infinite grace, gave an innumerable company of sinners to his Son, upon condition that he would be manifested in the flesh, and would become their surety, to work out for them a righteousness in his life, and to make an atonement for them by his death, and then he would be his Father, and their Father. A co-equal and co-eternal Person accepted the condition, and covenanted to be made man, and to live and die for the many sons, whom he was to bring to glory; therefore he took the name of Son-Son of God, Son of Man, &c. Another co-equal and coeternal Person covenanted to breathe life into

them, to be to them the Spirit or breath of life, that they might be regenerate from a death in trespasses and sins, and be made the children of God, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; therefore he is called throughout the scriptures, the Spirit, or the breath of life. He makes them acquainted with the covenant, as he has promised. "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his covenant." Psalm xxv. 14. He will open to them the nature and certainty of all covenant engagements for the establishment and growth of their faith. The covenant was ordered in all things and sure: it was ORDERED by the counsel and purpose of the Eternal Three, concerning the heirs of promise; whose salvation was settled by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie-his counsel, his oath. His counsel, the result of his infinite wisdom, confirmed by that sacred oath which cannot possibly be broken. All his perfections stand engaged to see the sovereign decree, thus solemnly ratified, carried into exe

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cution; for what was ordered is SUREsure as the throne of Jehovah, unchangeable as his nature, durable as his being. Though it be but a man's covenant, yet when it has been signed and sealed according to law, none disannulleth or addeth thereto. None can disannul God's covenant; and he himself will not." My covenant will I not break," says he, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips." Psalm lxxxix. 34. "I will not add thereto, nor diminish from it for I have ordered it in ALL things. I have not left one single thing out, not the least circumstance; I have settled the whole plan by mine unerring wisdom, and I will fulfil every tittle of it by mine almighty power. According to my will the course of nature and grace is infallibly directed, even the most minute events. Every hair is numbered. Not a sparrow falls but by my divine decree."

How safely then may the heirs of promise depend upon a covenant God! And whenever they flee to Jesus for refuge, what strong consolation may they draw from hence, that

their salvation is fixed by the immutable counsel, and inviolable oath of the blessed Trinity?

The same divine teacher, who enabled them to believe those truths for the further establishment of their faith, led them to discover the FREENESS of all covenant mercies. They are promised as free gifts. They are bestowed to the praise of the glory of free grace. They are not conferred upon the worthy; but upon enemies, upon the ungodly; upon sinners, as sinners. No conditions are required, no pre-requisites are expected. The motives which determine God to show mercy to sinners, are not taken from any good in them, or foreseen to be in them. Not for works of righteousness which they have done, or can do; but according to his mercy he saveth them. He does all to the magnify, ing of the honours of his own mercy. His covenant was so contrived, carried into exe cution by the life and death of Jesus, applied by the Holy Spirit, that according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. No flesh shall glory in his pre

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