It is plain, however, that they only who receive the evidence of things not seen, and keep the faith, can thereby be benefitted.Were a poor man to have presented him from a wealthy neighbour, his endorsed security for a great fum on demand;-but should he refuse the favour, or taking it, should he destroy the evidence of the interest, by trampling the bond, with his benefactors name upon it, as a worthless thing, under his feet, what would it profit him?-If men hate the light, and will not come to it'; if they shut their eyes, and love darkness rather than light; what will it avail them, that light is come into the world? In the nature of the cafe, to be benefited by the infinite mercy, we must receive that evidence of things not feen, which gives a title to the kingdom of heaven, and hold it fast, and let no man take our crown. By this is meant, that we prize the intereft, that we take a hearty fide in the caufe, and that by word and by deed, we make the confeffion of Jesus Christ our own. Nothing more is neceffary for the poffeffion and enjoyiment of this, than of any other gift; it must be received and kept in hand. And certainly it is as much within the reach of one man to avail himself of this advantage, as for another; -one man has as good a warrant to take up the cause of Chrift, to interest himfelf in it, and so to make it his own, as another: and we may be affured, that none who hear the gofpel, will fail of inheriting the blefling, but those stupid, blind, and profane perfons who, for the trifles of time and sense,

will barter a kingdom of righteousness, and

a crown of life.

Jesus Christ came into the world to bear. witness unto the truth, and to confirm the promises made unto the Fathers; which promises to Abraham, &c. may be summed up in a country and a feed; a country for a poffeffion, and a feed to inherit it; particularly, the anointed one, who should redeem the possession, drive out the enemy, and bring in his brethren to inherit it for ever. The truth, therefore, contained in the promises, is the truth of the kingdom of God; and hence, in confirming the promises, Christ declared and testified the truth of the kingdom of heaven, as in his confession before Pontius Pilate; and so gave to the world his evidence for the truth of God, by the feal of his own blood. Whoever, therefore, receives and holds this good confeffion and testimony of Jefus Chrift, respecting the promised redeemed world, and his and his peoples' kingdom, is an heir of promise; for he receives and holds the word of promise, even the truth or faith which was once delivered unto the faints; and which is the sealed evidence, and uncontroverted security of things not seen.

How different is this righteousness from that of the law! and this way of falvation from that of works! By grace are ye saved! Mofes defcribeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith, speaketh on this wife, Say not in

thy heart, who shall afcend into heaven? that is, to bring Chrift down from above. Or, who Shall defcend into the deep? that is, to bring up Chrift again from the dead. But what faith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith which we preach, that if thou shalt confefs with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart, that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the beart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confeffion is made unto falvation.

This faving confession, embracing the unseen glory of Christ, and the power of the refurrection world, is precisely the fame that was witnessed by the Lord himself. It is the gospel which was preached by Paul.-At Rome, when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, perfuading them concerning Jesus. Acts xxviii. 23.And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ. Verses 30, 31. This is manifeltly the grand theme of the ancient scriptures. Paul could boldly appeal to king Agrippa, who, was well acquainted with the ethics and expectations entertained among the Jews, that preaching and testifying in this manner, was saying none other things than those which the prophets and Mofes did fay should come: That Christ should fuffer,

and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light to the people and to the Gentiles. And this we fee alfo was the hope of Abraham, Ifaac, and Ifrael; as when, for preaching and testifying concerning Jesus and the refurrection, Paul was bound and carried to Rome, he called the chief of the Jews together, and faid unto them, For this cause have I called for you, to fee you, and to speak with you : because that for the hope of Ifrael I am bound with this chain.

In the doctrine of the kingdom, therefore, the whole divine system is comprised; and by means of this gospel of Chrift, we are able to acquire the most extensive knowledge of the only true God: Hence, fays Christ, He that hath seen me, hath feen the Father. And, says the apostle, It pleased the Father, that in him should all fulness dwell. Col. i. 19. And again, For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Chap. ii. 9. Displaying the truth of Christ is, hence, displaying the Godhead; and the preaching among the Gentiles, the unfearchable riches of Christ, is to make all men fee what is the fellowship of the mystery which, from the beginning of the world, hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpoje which he purposed in Chrift Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him,

Eph. iii. And when we are able to comprehend with all faints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Cbrift, which pafjeth knowledge, we shall be filled with all the fulness of God.

God is light, and in him is no darkness at all; and it is the nature of light to illuminate.Wherefore, with all the fulness of God dwelling in him, the Lord is a Sun; and he arifeth upon the world with healing in his beams. As all the promises are in Christ, and he is full of the truth of God, his appearing is the rifing up of the faithful and true witness, and must of course give the evidence of things not feen. And when this light, from the face of Jesus, shineth in the hearts of men, they become light in the Lord, children of the light and of the day, and shine as lights in the world; receiving the evidence of life and immortality, as the truth is in Jesus, they are constrained irrefiftibly to confefs it, and by word and deed to give evidence of the divine reality of the gospel to others. True believers are manifeftly declared to be the epistle of Christ, known and read of all men: Ye are my witnesses, faith the

Lord.

The evidence of things not seen is the feed of God, brought into the world by the Sower; who thought it more blessed to give than to receive; to be difperfed abroad, and sown for a harvest of life and immortality. In the Parable of the Sower, the feed is faid to be the word, Mark iv. 14. that is the word of God, Luke viii. 11. which is the word of the kingdom, Matth xiii. 19. And when this feed is