Christian country, to do it entirely away without a long practice of deceit upon himself. Either by inveterate habits of vice, he must confound his perceptions of moral good and evil; or, by a perverse application to that miserable sophistry with which the present age abounds, he must learn that sin is no object of divine displeasure; or (if he still continues to read his Bible), he must work himself up into some extravagant opinion respecting the divine decrees, and the absolute unconditionality of the covenant of grace, whence he may infer that nothing now remains for him to do, unless it be (and this only for his present consolation), to believe that all is already done. Though after his utmost efforts to impose on his understanding, and to stupify his conscience, he will probably find some secret suggestion will still remain, that neither his philosophy nor his faith will save him without that repentance which he vainly endeavours to set aside.

7

But whether in the compassionate goodness of God towards mankind it be a point really impossible, or only of uncommon difficulty, to make entirely void the doctrine in question; it is beyond all doubt, from that ignorance and depravity which adheres so closely to our nature, that it is a doctrine extremely liable to be weakened and corrupted. Hence we can have no cause to wonder, that, even among such as boast themselves in the Christian name, and who perhaps may be styled, by way of distinction, professors of the gospel, there are those who, however they may be shocked at the general idea of impenitence, fall short, both in notion and practical attainment, of that repentance which is unto life; who imagine, that if they can but experience a sensible degree of sorrow for sin, and place a confident dependence on the merits of Christ, though unaccompanied by a thorough conversion of the heart to God, it is sufficient to authorize an immediate application of the promise of pardon; and that to delay such an ap

plication would be to give advantage to their spiritual enemies, and to deprive themselves of that comfort to which they are entitled. Thus many, by catching at a premature peace, expose themselves to the danger of losing that which would be solid and durable; for although the gospel holds out a full and general relief, yet, being no less a display of the wisdom than of the power of God, it communicates its hopes and consolations only in proportion as men are qualified to receive them. It has its rebukes as well as encouragements, its discipline as well as comforts, according to the several conditions of those whom it addresses. To the thoughtless and profane, it cries, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity, and scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? When it meets with a serious and awakened inquirer, it further humbles him with its convictions, at the same time that it inspires him with its hopes; it impresses a deeper sense of the purity and obligation of the divine law, while it points

him to the sacrifice of Christ as the only atonement for its violation; and unfolds the nature and necessity of true repentance, while it again directs his view to the Saviour of the world, as exalted to bestow it in order to remission of sins. And, lastly, to him who truly repents, and embraces its promises, and (if life is continued) manifests his sincerity by a course of humble and unreserved obedience, it speaks fully the language of pardon and peace.

It is presumption to expect the blessings of heaven, out of that stated order in which they are imparted; and this order is to be regarded no less in the dispensations of grace than in the course of nature. Christ is a prophet before he is a priest, and a priest before he is a king over a willing people. And whenever this order is not observed, or is perverted by false teachers, (which in our present state of ignorance and depravity may be expected *,) recourse must be had

* Acts, xx. 30.

to the light of scripture, and even of nature and of conscience, which will sometimes tell us more, if honestly interrogated, than seven men upon a high tower *.

From what has been suggested under this head, it may appear, that true repentance is the only way of transition from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of Christ that it involves in its very essence a supreme regard to God, which will not fail, (as there is opportunity,) to express itself in a prevalent obedience to the divine will, whether it is manifested in revelation or in nature; and, lastly, that this regard and obedience is the great test of our Christianity.

He who can stand this test, is a true Christian; he who fails in the trial, may be almost, but is not one altogether; he may not be far from the kingdom of God, but has not yet passed the sacred boundary.

* Ecclesiasticus, xxxvii. 14.