FRAGMENT XV.

SIN DISCOVERED BY THE LIGHT OF HOLINESS.

THERE may be speculative grace without real grace. There are many who know nothing of the power of the gospel, who would be highly offended at being told they were in ignorance of its real character. But those who have heard of it only "with the hearing of the ear," though they acknowledge that the scriptures are true, have their hearts still left where they were. But when a man can say with Job "mine eye seeth thee," he has received a new spiritual perception through "the wisdom from above." The Lord has given him a new heart, and a new spirit within him, and by that new heart and new spirit, he discovers God's mind. He now feels by a divine change, that he is to be made holy, and the consequence is a full conviction that God must be holy. I am sure that he is a most holy being in himself, and it is a

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doctrine as plain to me as truth can make it, that I must be as God is, or where he dwells I can never enter. I feel the necessity of personal holiness, that I may be holy before God. This no man can deny who is under the influence of the Holy Spirit, who convinces him that sin is an evil, and leads him to live to God. To such a one it is no longer any more doubtful that sin is an evil, than it is doubtful that burning is an evil to his bodily feelings. The Holy Ghost has made him to know that sin is a real evil. Some persons will say "our passions and propensities were brought into the world by us; we know certainly that they are for our trial, and are to be regulated according to God's law, but we cannot think his holiness is so extremely rigid, that he marks every little fault in us." Thus they cover sin with vain excuses instead of flying from it, and agonizing that they may have grace to be delivered from it. But when the Holy Ghost convinces us of the evil of sin, he does so by communicating the Spirit of holiness. We know that it is wrong by a new set of feelings communicated to our hearts, given us to counteract our perverted in clinations. The Lord purifies all those understandings which he truly enlightens. We can'

never find out what is wrong in us, except by the divine nature being implanted in our hearts. How many false refuges from this doctrine does the world fly to. Some are for what is called Neonomianism, that is, they believe in a new law; but I can find no law in my bible which tells me that I am merely to do as well as I can

that is to say a new law, according to which my actions are to be framed, that I may stand by my own obedience. Christ needs no new law; and I bless him that he has set before me a perfect standard of obedience, and if I am fashioned according to his holy will, I shall be active in striving to obey it. It is this view of his law which teaches me that his sceptre is a righteous sceptre. Then what must we do? We must lie every moment before him confessing our depravity, and live upon mercy and not upon merit. We ought to be ashamed of ourselves when we remember the need we have of his intercession. Blessed be God, I do right in that I love him, but I do wrong in not loving him as much as I ought. I thank him that the commandment keeps me in an enlarged obedience, and that in all my enjoyments, privileges, and intercourse with my fellow creatures, 66 as he that hath called me is

holy, so I am to be holy in all manner of conversation and godliness." Here the broad axe of divine truth is laid at the root of our pride, and shows us that even our best performances will be our ruin, without the redemption of our Lord Jesus Christ.

FRAGMENT XVI.

CHRISTIAN FORGIVENESS,

"RECOMPENCE to no man evil for evil."

When

I render evil for good, I act the part of Satan himself; when I do good for good, I act as men act among themselves; but when I do good for evil, I act as God himself is pleased to act. What did the dear Redeemer say when he hung upon the cross, and his sacred heart was full of love?"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." The scripture says, "avenge not yourselves." It is better for us to endure evil and to forbear, and as far as in us lies, to conquer by submissiveness. "Overcome evil with good,"this is the best method of 1 Rom. xii, 17.

overcoming our enemies. How sweetly did St. Paul do this after his conversion: all his rough tempers were then drowned in a sea of love. When I speak of love I mean godly love, not the love of the wicked but of the christian, which is the love of Him who commands all worlds to admire that his glorious perfection, and who "so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life." No expense of love seemed too much for him that he might bring lost souls to himself, that they might have eternal life, and that joy in his presence, whereby they shall be made to rejoice in a most glorious and blessed manner. If a man does me a wrong, I will treat him in a christian spirit and will pray for him the more abundantly, that he may not use me ill again. I will exercise reason in my forbearing love, but yet I will wait my opportunity and forgive him all. I may have done the same several times already-but it is to be not only "seven times, but until seventy times seven."s The Lord will never suffer his people to do evil that good may come, but it is his prerogative to bring good out of evil. There is, dear brethren,