Juftification before God, Reconciliation to him, and Peace with him, and the Way is to obtain the Knowledge of Christ, and by Faith to receive, and trust in him, and in his Righteousness, which he wrought.

O merciful God, I earnestly pray that thou wilt not deal with me according to my own Righteousness polluted with numberless Sins, both of Omiffion and Commission! Grant that I may be found in Christ having on his Righteousness, which he wrought for the Juftification of Sinners, who believe in him.

No more, my God, I boast no more
Of all the Duties, I have done;
I quit the Hopes, I held before,
To truft the Merits of thy Son.

Now for the Knowledge of his Name,
What was my Gain, I count my Loss,
My former Pride, I call my Shame,
And nail my Glory to his Cross.

Yea, and I must, and will esteem
All Things but Loss for JESUS Sake;
O may my Soul be found in him,
And of his Righteousness partake!
The best Obedience of my Hands,
Dares not appear before thy Throne :
But Faith can answer thy Demands,
By pleading what my Lord has done.

WATTS.

It is evident from what has been collected out of the Holy Scriptures, that all who truly believe in the Lord Jesus, are justified in the Sight of God from all their Sins; all their Sins are forgiven them, the Holy God is reconciled to them, them, and at Peace with them, as soon as ever they perform that Faith in Christ which the Gospel requires: Likewise it is manifest that their receiving this great Blessing of Justification, is a fulfil ing of Predictions on Record in the Word of God.

The Contemplation of the inestimable Benefits imported in this great Bleffing, may adminifter Comfort to ferious Christians at all Times; and not only in Times of Profperity, but in Times of personal and family Trouble, and in Times of publick Calamities.

In every Time of Affliction and Distress, it is matter of Comfort to confider, that the righteous God, is my reconciled God, and has received me into the Number of his beloved People, and is my God in Covenant.

II. Prediction. ADOPTION, is another of the Bleffings, which the Holy Jesus purchased for all that shall believe in his Name.

It is predicted of Believers, that they shall be Children of God; that is, it is foretold that they shall have the great Blessing and Honour of Adoption by the Almighty into the Number of his Sons and Daughters.

A. In Jer. xxxi. 9. the Lord says, I am a Father to Ifrael. And fo he was to Abraham and to Ifaac; and fo he was and is, and will be to all the spiritual Seed of Abraham; to all who are Ifraelites indeed, Children of Abraham's Faith, in all Ages, paft, present, and future.

B. In Ifa. Ixiii. 16. the People of God are represented, as faying, Doubtless thou art our Father. Thou, O Lord, art our Father, our Redeemer; thy Name is from Everlasting.

C.

C. In John i. 12. it is said, But to as many as received him, (that is Christ) to them gavebe Power to become the Sons of God, even to them, that believe on his Name.

D. The Apostle Paul says, As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God. For ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear, but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby wecry Abba, Father. Rom. viii. 14, 15. And in ver. 17. he says, And if Children, then Heirs; Heirs of God, and joint Heirs with Christ.

E. Rom. ix. 26. We read, And it shall come to pass that in the Place (i. e. in the heathen Countries, where the People knew not God, nor Jesus Christ,) where it was faid unto them, Ye are not my People, there (upon their Conversion to Faith in Christ, by the Preaching of the Gospel) fhall they be called the Children of the living God.

F. In 2 Cor. vi. 15, &c. the Apostle says, (to the Saints at Corinth) What Concord hath Chrift with Belial? Or what Parthath he that believeth with an Infidel? And what Agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols ? For ye are the Temple of the living God; as God bath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my People. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, faith the LORD, and touch not the unclean Thing, and I will receive you.

G. And I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my Sons, and Daughters, faith the Lord Almighty.

H.

H. In Gal. iii. 26. the Apostle says, Ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus.

I. In Gal. iv. 4, 5. it is said, God fent forth his Son, -- To redeem them that were under the Law, that we might receive the Adoption of Sons.

K. Ver. 7. Wherefore thou art no more a Servant, but a Son; and if a Son, then an Heir of God through Christ.

L. In Eph. i. 5, 6. the Apostle says, Having predestinated us to the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ to himself; according to the good Pleasure of his Will, to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace, wherein he has made us accepted through the Beloved.

M. In 1 John iii. 1. it is said, Behold what Manner of Love the Father bath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons of God. ver. 2. Beloved now are we the Sons of God.

These Texts of the Holy Scriptures now recited instruct us in the following Particulars, viz.

1. That God was, is, and will be the FATHER of all that believe and obey his Word. See Letters A. B. С.

2. That all such Persons are adopted into the Number of his Children. See Letters C. D. E.

3. That Faith is the Means by which those who have been wilful Sinners, the Children of the Devil; do become the Children of God. See Letters C. Н.

Therefore when a Man (or as soon as a Man) believes in Christ, God gives him, and he receives the great Blessing of Adoption :

4. That the Adoption into the Number of the Children of God, is a Blessing purchased for us by Jesus Chrift. See Letter I.

5. That they who have received the Adoption are Heirs of God, Heirs to an Inheritance most glorious and everlasting; but of this, I shall say more hereafter. See Letters D. K.

6. That Adoption is an Act of God's free Grace. See Letters L. M. Behold what Manner of Love the Father hath bestowed on us in making us his Children! A wonderful Instance of free Favour utterly undeserved by us!

7. That true Believers are predeftinated of God to this Felicity. See Letter L.

O how great is the Happiness of all fincere Chriftians? To be the Children of God is the highest Dignity. This Honour have all the Saints.

But the Unbelieving, and Disobedient have it not: No, they are of their Father the Devil, and the Luft of their Father they do.

But this great Blessing includes many others; which are a Ground of Comfort at all Times. They are very many: I shall only felect some of them, as follows: viz.

1. God has foretold, that he will give them his PRESENCE.

His gracious Presence will make a Wilderness to bea Paradise: how often has it made Prisons, Houses of Joy, and Gladness to the perfecuted Saints? The Omnipresence of God, which excites painful Thoughts in the Minds of the Wicked, when they think upon it, gives a Pleasure to ferious Chriftians.

And