Jefus, and from Ephef. iii. 12, In whom we have boldness and accefs with confidence by the faith of him; to which may be added, Heb. x. 22, Let us draw near with a true heart, in full affurance of faith,James i..6, Let him afk in faith, nothing wavering. Thefe intelligible paffages, not to mention others which crowd upon our recollection, instruct us that boldness is not any thing which fets afide a deeply impreffed reverence for the glorious perfections and awful majesty of God--not any thing which prefuppofes a highfense of one's own goodnefs.or powers; but is a LIBERTY which the believing mind derives from a perfect perfuafion of the truth of what God has teftified concerning his Son, as the Great High Prieft, as the Advocate with the Father, as able to fave unto the uttermost all that come unto God by him. This truth, as it is plainly declared in the texts above referred to; fo it will be found by thofe who duly examine, to be fatisfactorily illuftrated and established by a comparison of each with its respective context.

The finner who knows affuredly the import and truth of what was heard in the holy mount, is poffeffed of a true heart, and has every requifite for approaching God in full affurance of faith -nothing wavering. And though perfons who are partakers of the precious faith of the Gofpel may, and do often, fall fhort of that undoubting confidence, and realizing view of the glory of Chrift, which they are called to enjoy, and in which they have boldness; yet let it not be thought, that the privilege we fpeak of is peculiar to any believers above others, as if it were connected with certain diftinguishing attainments in themselves. In truth, ALL believers are faid in Scripture to have boldness, in the fame sense in which they have reconciliation, adoption, or any other

other gift of God in Chrift; because, like them all, it is part of their common falvation, and the enjoyment of it is connected with their common faith.

Under the confident affurance, that the LordJefus Chrift has done every thing neceffary to render the vileft finners pleafing unto God, and has by his blood opened a way of accefs for them; we can without terror draw near to Him who is a confuming fire; we can, without finding any one qualification about ourselves, to exalt us above the verieft wretches under heaven, contemplate a righteous and holy God, and in the view of him, have joy and peace in believing. Thus finding ourselves fet free from the condemning power of the law, and the torment of a guilty confcience, we are no longer at a diftance from, and afraid of God, as if he continued an incenfed and irreconcileable foe; and fo in this fense we have BOLDNESS in the prefence of God.

Under the fame confident affurance, we are fet at liberty from the toil (oh, how fruitless toil) of performing any act, of exercifing any difpofition, defire, or affection, of working our felves up to any feeling whatever, in order to ob tain peace with God, or to render him propitious to us and we draw near to Him, as to one who is already propitious to finners, who re. ceiveth the guilty into favour, and juftifieth the ungodly,-even every one that believeth in Jefus Thus are we at reft from all efforts to gain accefs for ourselves, and repofe our fouls upon Chrift, who is our peace, and alfo the way unto the Father. Hence we have no need to fear difappointment in our expectations, and fo in this fenfe have we BOLDNESS before God."

Influenced

Influenced by the fame confidence, we are not afraid to open unto God our whole hearts, vile as they are, and polluted by fin; to avow before him our weakness, our blindness, our nakednefs, our wretchednefs; and to call upon him in time of need, for the healing of all our difeafes, and fupply of all our wants: for we believe that there is an Advocate with the Father, who is the propitiation for our fins-who is JEHOVAH our righteoufnefs-who is the physician of fouls-who is our ftrength and our fong-who was himself alfo a man of forrows-and tempted like as we are, and therefore can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. Thus are our hearts unburthened, and our tongues loofed, and fo in this fenfe we have BOLDNESS in the presence of God.

Finally, impreffed with the fame affurance, we are not afraid left God fhould deny us our petitions; feeing we approach one who is feated on a throne of grace,-waiting to be gracious, and a very prefent help in trouble. We believe that God is a rewarder of them that diligently feck him, and that he giveth to all (who ask in faith-see James i. 5 and 6.) liberally, and upbraideth not: fince he has provided an exhauftiefs ftore of bleffedness in Jefus Chrift, who became poor, that we who believe might be rich; who received gifts for the rebellious, that we might have whatsoever we afe the Father in his name. Hence we derive a further and most comfortable view of that BOLDNESS which fhould poffefs our fouls in prayer, as we are not in dread left God fhould turn his face from our petitions, but are perfuaded that if we afk any thing according to his will, he heareth us.

Our bleffed Lord, while on earth, exhorted his difciples to this fpirit of confidence, and

marked

marked it as that frame of mind in which they fhould addrefs their heavenly Father. Nor were the apostles unmindful of their Lord's injunctions, or negligent to imprefs them on the fouls committed to their charge: of which we have had occafion to notice fome inftances already, and others in abundance the memory of our readers may fupply. Moreover, we obferve that the fentiments of the Old Teftament faints upon this fubject, were formed on the fame principle. When we open that rich repofitory of Chriftian experience, the book of Pfalms; what joy in believing, what abounding confidence, what triumphant exultation fhine through them all! And if we confult the prophetic writings, as they bear teftimony to the kingdom of Chrift, we fhall find the fame fpirit. breathing throughout.

Yet there are fome advocates for a pretended humility, who do not confider boldnefs before God confiftent with the ftate and character of a finner. And indeed we may confidently fay, that whatever boldness fuch perfons may have, is nothing better than the rafheft prefumption. For, why do they reprove it as inconfiftent and dangerous? Doubtlefs, because they must fuppofe it to reft on a foundation which is deceitful and unstable in other words, because boldness (according to the only ideas these can annex to it) is fomething that keeps pace with a man's good opinion of himfelf. To call fuch a quality prefumption, is only confiftent; but why impute it to us? Far be it from us to recommend it; far be it from the Scriptures to encourage it. But,

When we confider that the ground of any finner's hope towards God, is certainly that alfo which infpires him with boldness; and while we

at

at the fame time remember what is the only ground of hope fet before us in the Gofpel; the difficulty no longer appears: we can well conceive how believers of fuch a Gofpel, looking unto Jefus as the only Rock of their salvation, can be BOLD in Him without being puffed up in their minds; fince they are filled with BOLDNESS according as they are given to see how ftrong and how fure is the foundation whereon they are built. And is this prefumption? No brethren. It fhews us to be ftrong in faith, giving glory to God; glory—for his finished work of falvation, wherein we rejoice; glory-for the enlightening power of his Spirit, whereby we know the things that are freely given us of God. Wherefore let us not be of a doubtful or a wavering mind, but be firang in the Lord; fortified with the field of faith, and the belmet of falvation; and having BOLDNESS to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jefus, by a new and living way which he hath confecrated for us ;—let us come BOLDLY unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

D.

BIBLICAL CRITICISM.

ROMANS ix. part of Verse 3.

For Icould wish that myself were accurfed from Chrift.

HAVING referred in our laft (page 187), to the above declaration of Paul, in a fenfe and connection not generally afligned to it; we take