Means are his vaffals; fhall we without grudge To live on duties, not on Chrift therein. SECT. III. A CALL to believe in JESUS CHRIST, with fome hints at the act and object of faith. 'RIEND, is the queftion on thy heart engrav'd, FRIE What fhall I do to be for ever fav'd +? Lo here's a living rock to build upon; For righteoufnefs and ftrength thine anchor drop, Believe (fay you!) I can no more believe, Than keep the law of works, the DO and LIVE.' True; and it were thy mercy, didft thou fee New cov'nant graces he alone can grant, ; Col. iii. 3. Acts xvi. 30. § Ver. 31. ‡ Ifa. xlii. 6. In this new cov❜nant judge not faith to hold But Heav'n, by giving this, ftrikes out a door But ftill, fay you, pow'r to believe I mifs. * 2 Cor, iii. 5. + 2 Cor. xii. 9. 'Tis an employing Jefus to do all That can within falvation's compass fall; Belonging to a prophet, priest, and king; Our Head, our Husband, and our All should be; Our righteousness and ftrength, our stock and ftore, Our fund for food and raiment, grace and glore. It makes the creature down to nothing fall, Content that Chrift alone be all in all. The plan of grace is faith's delightful view, With which it clofes both as good and true. Unto the truth, the mind's affent is full, Unto the good, a free confenting will. The Holy Spirit here the agent chief, Creates this faith, and dashes unbelief. That very God who calls us to believe,, The very faith he feeks muft alfo give. Why calls he then? fay you. Pray, man, be Why did he call dead Lazarus to rife? [wife; Because the orders in their bofom bear Almighty pow'r to make the carcafe hear. But Heav'n may not this mighty pow'r difplay. Moft true; yet ftill thou art oblig'd t' obey, But God is not at all obliged to stretch His faving arm to fuch a finful wretch. All who within falvation-rolls have place, Are fav'd by a prerogative of grace; But veffels all that fhall with wrath be cramm'd, Are by an act of holy justice damn'd. Take then, dear foul, as from a friendly heart, The counfel which the foll'wing lines impart. SECT. IV. An ADVICE to finners to apply to the fovereign mercy of God, as it is discovered through CHRIST, to the highest honour of justice, and other divine attributes, in order to further their faith in him unto falvation. G O, friend, and at JEHOVAH's footstool bow; Thou know'ft not what a fov'reign God Confefs, if he commiferate thy cafe, [may do. "Twill be an act of pow'rful fov'reign grace. Sequeftrate carefully fome folemn hours, To fhew thy grand concern in fecret pow'rs. Then in th' enfuing ftrain to God impart, And pour into his bofom all thy heart. 'O glorious, gracious, pow'rful, fov'reign Lord, 'Thy help unto a finful worm afford; 'Who from my wretched birth to this sad hour 'Have ftill been deftitute of will and pow'r To clofe with glorious Chrift; yea, fill'd】 with fpite 'At thy fair darling, and thy faints delight, Refifting all his grace with all my might. 'Come, Lord, and fap my enmity's ftrong tow'r;, 'O hafte the marriage-day, the day of pow'r: That fweetly, by refiftlefs grace inclin❜d, ་ My once reluctant be a willing mind. Thou fpak'ft to being ev'ry thing we fee, When thy almighty will faid, Let it be. 'Nothings to being in a moment pass: 'Let there be light, thou jaidft; and so it was *. 'A pow'rful word like this, a mighty call, 'Muft fay, Let there be faith, and then it fhall. * Gen. i. 3. Thou seek'st my faith and flight from fin and guilt; • Give what thou feek'ft, Lord; then feek what thou wilt. 'What good can iffue from a root fo ill! This heart of mine's a wicked lump of hell; ''Twill all thy common motions still refift, Unless with special drawing virtue bleft. Thou calls, but with the call thy pow'r con vey; • Command me to believe, and I'll obey, Then pow'rlefs I will ftretch the wither'd hand. I to thy favour can pretend no claim, • But what is borrow'd from thy glorious name; "Which though moft juftly thou may'ft glorify, In damning fuch a guilty wretch as me. A faggot fitted for the burning fire Of thine incenfed everlafting ire: Yet, Lord, fince now I hear thy glorious Son, In favour of a race that was undone, • Did in thy name, by thy authority, 、 Higher than rents, which hell for ever pays: But Jefus our once dying God performs, • What never could by ever-dying worms: |