This is the only truth that can give relief to a person under a full view of his guilt and misery; and by it all real believers are enabled to rejoice, accounting all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus the Lord.

I might observe that the Lord beholds the earth in a way of providence, to hear the groaning of the prisoner, &c. Thus in the case of Joseph, when his brethren had determined to take his life, the Lord interposed, and delivered him from their cruel designs. Thus it was in the deliverance of David from the repeated attempts of Saul to kill him. Also in loosing Jeremiah, when cast into a dirty dungeon, for his fidelity in delivering the Lord's message. And in the remarkable instance of Peter, to whom the doors and gates opened of their own accord. In these instances and many others of a like nature, we have the text exemplified, that the Lord heareth the groaning of the prisoner, and looseth those who are appointed to death. But I shall rather endeavour to accommodate this part of the text to what hath been already said, relative to a sinner, his being shut up under the law, sin and Satan; who, sensible of his condition, or fully convinced that he is justly appointed to eternal death, groans out his soul before God.

The truth which only can relieve him, as just suggested, is the completeness of redemption in Christ, who is "the end of the law for righteousness to every one who believeth." Here it is of great importance for us to inquire,

1. How the Lord looseth those who in this respect are appointed to die.

2. What are the effects of their being set at liberty.

1. How doth the Lord loose those who are appointed to death? Sensible of their true con dition, they stand condemned before God, crying guilty, guilty. They have no recommending qualifications, no appendages to their characters, which recommend them as objects of the divine favour. God appears a sovereign, and his grace is free, having mercy on whom he will have mercy; and the person's sense of his condition makes him cry, Lord, be merciful to me a sinner : but God is just, whether he saves or rejects him.

The question still returns, how is he delivered from this wretched condition? I answer, by the truth believed. The inspired writers, by way of emphasis, distinguish the doctrine of atonement by this phrase, the truth. Says the author of the epistle to the Hebrews, chap. x. 26. "If we sin wilfully, after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin," &c. i, e. if we reject the doctrine on which he reasons in the context, and comprehends in verse 14, "for by one offering he hath perfected forever them who are sanctified," we cannot be saved; because Christ hath once suffered, and there will be no other sacrifice but his; no other Christ to die.

The word truth is often used as a general term, including the whole gospel of salvation, or the complete character of Jesus Christ; and whenever it is spoken of as connected with eternal life, it involves the propitiation of Christ, or his one complete sacrifice for sin.

As this truth is the ground of the sinner's hope, or cause of rejoicing, it must be observed

that the truth must be believed, or known, in order to present peace and future happiness. Hence says Christ, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth," thus known, "shall make you free." This sentiment is of great importance, and repeatedly urged by the inspired writers. Accordingly, when Christ gave the commission to his ministers, this was a part of it; Preach the gospel-he who believeth shall be saved. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness only to them who believe. And this is the invariable tenor of the word of God. The truth is the ground of hope, as it reveals a complete redemption; and it is by faith that we understand its glory and importance, and derive peace from it. "Believing, ye rejoice, with joy unspeakable, and full of glory."

In a word then, the sinner is relieved from his painful sense of guilt, by the truth which he is enabled to believe; by which he is fully convinced of the glory of the person of Jesus, and the fulness of grace in him: and he now sees that God is just, and the justifier of them who believe in Christ; because he hath brought in everlasting righteousness, which is unto all, and upon all them who believe,

Here a very interesting inquiry arises, viz. 2. What follows a real belief of the truth as it is in Jesus; or the sinner's being loosed from his former unhappy state?

(1.) That pleasing view which the person has when brought to believe, of the excellency of Jesus, and the infinite sufficiency of his merits, is attended with the highest approbation of him, and an immediate flight to him. He appears such a soul to be infinitely deserving of supreme

affection, on account of his essential glory: or as being the brightness of the Father's glory, and To such the express image of his person. an one, he is altogether lovely, and the chiefest among ten thousands.

At the same time the sinner has such an apprehension of his complete redemption, that he flies to him, and trusts his immortal all in his hands. However his sins may rise like mountains, or appear to reach to the clouds; he is made to know, that where sin hath abounded grace hath much more abounded; and that it is a faithful saying, that Christ Jesus came into the world, to save the chief of sinners. On him with all his guilt, he rests; fully persuaded, that if God should be strict to mark iniquity, he could not stand; but that there is forgiveness with him, that he may be feared.

(2.) He whom the Lord delivers from spiritual bondage, immediately upon believing, is set at liberty from that load of guilt which lay upon his conscience; and he passes at once into a state of joy and peace. This event is not progressive, or brought about gradually; but takes place at the very time when the soul believes in Jesus. For the truth of this remark, I appeal to believers of every denomination. When you were set at liberty, my brethren, from the distress of a guilty conscience, was it not by a discovery made to your minds, by the Holy Ghost, of the consistency and sufficiency of salvation by Christ? Did not the belief of that truth at once calm your minds, and lead you to rejoice in the only begotten Son of God? And have you not always found, in your life of faith, that your comfort

only can spring from looking to Jesus, by whom the law is magnified and made honourable, and in whom all the heirs of promise are complete?

This sentiment is abundantly taught us in the holy scriptures. Thus, according to the words of Christ, which were mentioned before, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth," thus known, yea, and as soon as it is known, "shall make you free." This spiritual freedom takes place in a degree at the instant that the sinner experimentally knows the truth. We read, that "being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ." As the divine righteousness is the sole matter and cause of justification before God, I conclude that the apostle speaks here of faith as justifying, in no other sense than as it apprehends the righteousness of Christ, and derives peace to the mind from it. Hence an eminent divine supposes that the comma in this text should be transposed thus; "being justified, by faith we have peace with God," &c. In thus reading, peace with God is an effect of faith. But I mean not, to insist on this matter, seeing the scriptures continually assure us that peace of conscience stands connected with the belief of the truth; and this sentiment is plainly taught us in the text above cited, let what will be the apostle's meaning in the sentence, "justified by faith."

I might run over a number of passages which confirm the above remark; such as "joy and peace in believing;" if in believing, the person must rejoice on the spot where God met with him, and the very minute that he believed the truth. The apostle Peter represents the matter