lf reconciled, he
is in Christ Jesus reconciling sinners to him.

"Hence all the invitations scattered thick in the Old and New
Testament, not only to the penitent, weary, and heavy laden, but to
the stout-hearted, the backslider, to them that are wearying
themselves in their own way. 'Ho, every one that thirsteth'--'Whosoever
will, let him take the water of life freely,' Hence all the promises
annexed to believing, accepting, receiving, trusting, resting: Christ
the Saviour is the object--the gift of God to sinners for all the
above purposes. The Lord has convinced me that I have nothing in
myself on which I can rest; my conscience echoes to his word in all
that it asserts of my nature and my state; but this Saviour is
provided for sinners exactly of this description. I am invited to put
in my claim, I believe the record, I rest my salvation on his word;
God giveth to me eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Jesus
calls me to look unto him, and be saved; I do look unto him, and I am
saved. He assures me that those who come unto him shall never be cast
out. I do go to him and commit my sinful soul to his keeping; I shall
not be cast out. As many as receive the gift of his Son, receive at
the same time power to become the children of God. I do receive his
gift, and lay claim to his promise. He is my reconciled Father, and I
am his adopted child, and he hath sent his Spirit into my heart, by
which I can say, Abba, Father.

"I have, my dear James, taken this method of laying before you
the grounds of my own hope, because I think it the most simple method,
and containing at the same time my counsel to you to lay hold on the
same hope. The warrant is given us in God's own word, as sinners,
without respect to fruit or any works of ours. I can, if necessary,
give you chapter and verse, to the full amount; but you have those
about you who can give it to you by little and little, as your weak
state can bear it. This gift is held out to the sinner's acceptance in
many places of the word of God, and becomes the sinner's in the moment
of believing. Provision is made by the same covenant for his
sanctification; but that makes no part of justifying righteousness.
Christ is made of God unto him wisdom, righteousness, sanctification,
and redemption. Try, my precious young friend, to lay hold on this
hope, and enter into the rest provided for the believer here. Stretch
forth 'the withered hand,' the Lord himself will gi