A sermon preached at New-Ark, in New-Jersey, before the Synod of New-York and Philadelphia,…

When he once comes to see CHRIST's divine loveliness, he wonders no more that he is thought worthy by GOD the ⟨p. 40⟩father, to be accepted for the vilest sinner. Now it is not difficult for him to conceive, how the blood of CHRIST should be esteemed by GOD so precious, as to be worthy to be accepted as a compensation for the greatest sins. The soul now properly sees the preciousness of CHRIST, and so does properly see and understand the very ground and reason of his acceptableness to GOD, and the value GOD sets on his blood, obedience and intercession. This satisfies the poor guilty soul, and gives it rest; when the finest and most elaborate discourses, about the sufficiency of CHRIST, and suitableness of the way of salvation, would not do it. When a man then comes to see the proper foundation of faith and affiance, with his own eyes, then he believes savingly. He that seeth the son, and believeth on him, hath everlasting life. John vi 40. when CHRIST thus MANIFESTS GOD's NAME to men, then they believe that all things whatsoever GOD has given to CHRIST are of him, and believe that CHRIST was sent of GOD. John xvii. 6, 7, 8. And they that thus know CHRIST's name will trust in him. Ps. ix 10. In order to true faith in JESUS CHRIST, the son of GOD, is REVEALED IN MEN. Gal. i. 15, 16. And 'tis this sight of the divine beauty of CHRIST, that bows the wills, and draws the hearts of men. A sight of the greatness of GOD in his attributes, may overwhelm men, and be more than they can endure; but the enmity and opposition of the heart, may remain in its full strength, and the will remain inflexible; whereas, one glimpse of the moral and spiritual glory of GOD, and supreme amiableness of JESUS CHRIST, shining into the heart, overcomes and abolishes this opposition, and inclines the soul to CHRIST, as it were, by an omnipotent power: So that now, not only the understanding, but the will, and the whole soul receives and embraces the Saviour. This is most certainly the discovery, which is the first internal foundation of a saving faith in CHRIST, in the soul of the true convert; and not on having of it immediately suggested and revealed to the ⟨p. 41⟩soul, by a text of scripture, or any immediate outward or inward witness, that CHRIST loves him, or that he died for him in particular, and is his saviour;