and the most insufficient weapon for gaining
the victory, if the object of it were not the strong God the Lord
Almighty, from whom it derives and borrows all its power and virtue,
either to pacify the conscience, or to expiate sin or to overcome the
world. O consider, Christians, where the foundation of your hope is
situated! It is in the divine power of our Saviour. If he who declared so
much love and good will to sinners, by becoming so low, and suffering so
much, have also all power in heaven and earth, if he be not only man near
us, to make for us boldness of access, but God near God to prevail
effectually with God then certainly he is "a sure foundation laid in Zion,
elect and precious." He is an immovable Rock of Ages, whosoever trusts
their soul to him shall not be ashamed. I am sure that many of you
consider not this, that Jesus Christ, who was in due time born of the
virgin Mary and died for sinners, is the eternal Son of God equal to his
Father in all glory and power. O how would this make the gospel a great
mystery to souls, and the redemption of souls a precious and wonderful
work, if it were considered! Would not souls stand at this anchor
immoveable in temptation, if their faith were pitched on this sure
foundation and their hope cast upon this solid ground! O know your
Redeemer is strong and mighty, and none can pluck you out of his hand, and
himself will cast none out that comes! If the multitude of you believed
this you would not make so little account of the gospel that comes to you,
and make so little of your sins which behoved to be taken away by the
blood of God and could be expiated by no other propitiation, you would not
think it so easy to satisfy God with some words of custom, and some public
services of form, as you do, you would not for all the world deal with God
alone without this Mediator. And being convinced of sin, if you believe
this solidly, that he in whom forgiveness of sin and salvation is preached
is the same Lord God whom you hear in the Old Testament, who gave out the
law, and inspired the prophets,--the Only Begotten of the Father, in a way
infinitely removed from all created capacities,--you could not but find the
Father well satisfied in him and find a sufficient ransom in his death and
doings to pacify God, and to settle your consciences.

But as the thing testified is a matter of great consolation, so the
witnesses testifying to this fundamental of our religion may be a ground