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sins.

Christ, in Matthew ix. 13, declares the end of his coming to be to call, not the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. When, ¿therefore, sinners repent; the end of Christ's coming is fulfilled. In Acts v. 31, He is said by St. Peter to be exalted as a Prince, and a Saviour, to give Repentance unto Israel, and remission of Remission of sins is, of course, consequent upon Repentance. In Acts xi. 18, it is said, Then hath God granted to the Gentiles Repentance unto life. In 2 Cor. vii. 10, St. Paul declares, that Godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation. Except ye repent, says Christ to his disciples, Luke xiii. 3, ye shall all likewise perish; and again, There is joy in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance. Luke xv. 7.

In these passages, and indeed in many others, Remission, Life, and Salvation, are indubitably, and inseparably, connected with Faith and Repentance. Sometimes they are connected with both conjointly; and sometimes with one. The account, given of the subject, is, however, in all instances, the same: because he, who possesses one of these Christian graces, is of course, and always, possessed of the other. On the contrary, without these, life, remission, and salvation, are plainly declared to be unattainable. It is evident, therefore, that Faith and Repentance are the attributes, supremely required by the Gospel; the immediate fulfilment of its two great precepts; in the possession of which, mankind are assured of eternal life, and without which, they are exposed to eternal death. To produce, and perpetuate, them in the soul is visibly the great object, so far as man is concerned, which Christ came into the world to accomplish. In other words, they are that essential obedience to the Gospel, to which salvation is promised, and given, as a reward; not of debt, but of the free and sovereign grace of God.

Having, if I mistake not, placed this truth beyond every reasonable doubt, and thus shown the way, in which mankind, although sinners, condemned by the Divine Law, and incapable of Justification by their own works, may yet be gratuitously justified, return to their obedience, and be reinstated in the Divine favour; I shall now endeavour to explain the nature of this subject; and to exhibit the manner, in which the doctrine is true. VOL. IV.

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The foundation of all Religion is the Existence, Character, Law, and Government, of God. This Glorious and Perfect Being, as the Creator, Preserver, and Benefactor, of the Universe, is, of the most absolute right, the Ruler of the Work which He has made, and the Lawgiver of all his moral creatures. The Law, which He has prescribed to them, demands all their duty, and regulates all their moral conduct. Man, who is of the number of these moral creatures, is placed under this Law; and justly required by his Maker to love him with all the heart, and to love his neighbour as himself. In the progress of these discourses it has, unless I am deceived, been clearly shown, that Man has utterly failed of performing this duty; that he is, therefore, condemned by the Law to the sufferance of its penalty; that the Law knows no condition of pardon, escape, or return; that Man cannot expiate his sins; and that, if left to himself, he must therefore perish.

In this situation, as has been heretofore explained, Christ interposed on the behalf of our ruined race; and made an atonement for our sins, with which the Father is well pleased. This atonement, the Scriptures have assured us, God has accepted; and, having thus provided a method, in which he can be just, and yet justify those who were sinners, is ready to extend the blessings of pardon and salvation to this apostate world.

Accordingly, Christ has announced himself to sinful men as their Saviour; and proffered to them deliverance, both from their sin, and their condemnation. The conditions, on which this proffer has been made, are Repentance towards God, and Faith towards Himself, as the Lord and Saviour of Mankind. In order to understand, so far as we are able, the propriety, and necessity, of these conditions of our restoration, it will be useful to attend to the following considerations.

1. Sincere, exalted, and enduring happiness cannot be enjoyed by any beings, except those who are virtuous.

This great and fundamental truth in that Philosophy, which explains the nature and interests of moral beings, has, it is believed, been completely evinced in this series of discourses. It has been shown, that a sinful mind is at war with itself, its fellow-creatures, and its God; that it must, of course, be subject to

reproaches of conscience, to perpetual disquiet, to consciousness of the Divine anger, and to the loathing and contempt of all good beings. It has been shown, that such a mind must be a prey to tumultuous passions, vehement desires, which are not and cannot be gratified, and endless disappointments in the pursuit of a selfish interest, which can never be promoted without sacrificing the glory of the Creator, and the happiness of his

creatures.

It has been proved, that its chosen enjoyments are in their nature vain, transient, delusive, little, base, and contemptible; inconsistent with real excellence, dignity, and self-approbation; and incompatible with the well-being of others; whose interests are singly of equal importance, and, united, are immeasurably deserving of higher regard.

From these considerations it is unanswerably evident, that a sinful mind cannot be happy: for with such affections, and their consequences, happiness is plainly inconsistent. The mind, which is not at ease within, cannot derive happiness from without. A wounded spirit who can bear; especially when wounded by the arrows of an angry conscience? If, then, God is pleased to communicate happiness to him, who is a sinner; it is indispensably necessary, that he should first remove the sinful disposition, whence all these evils immutably flow.

2. The only possible method of removing sin from a moral being, is to make him the subject of Evangelical Repentance.

So long as the soul loves sin, it must be the subject of that vile and guilty character, which we denominate Moral Turpitude, Depravity, and Corruption; together with all its consequences. For the love of sin is pre-eminently this character. While this love continues, he, in whom it exists, will perpetrate, of course, all those, which we customarily call sins, or sinful actions. He will also love sin, continually, more and more; and perpetrate it with more and more eagerness, and hostility to God. From all the knowledge, which we possess of moral character, it seems plainly to be its nature, whether virtuous or vicious, to become more and more fixed in its habits, and intense in its desires. So long, therefore, as the love of sin prevails in the mind, the situa tion of the sinner must be hopeless, with regard to his assump

tion of a spirit of obedience, and his attainment of consequent happiness.

The Repentance of the Gospel is formed of the hatred of sin, sorrow for it, a disposition to confess it to God, and resolutions to renounce it. From this definition it is manifest, that Evangelical Repentance is the direct removal of sin from the soul of the sinner. By the hatred of sin, which it includes as a first principle, the soul is withdrawn from the practice of it. By the sorrow, it is warned of the danger, and evil, of returning to it again. By the confession of it to God, the soul is brought into near, full, and most endearing views of the glorious goodness of its Heavenly Father in forgiving its iniquities; and most happily prepared to watch, and strive, and pray, that it may offend Him no more. By its resolutions to forsake it, the penitent is fortified against future indulgences, and prepared to assume a life of filial obedience. In all these things we cannot, I think, avoid perceiving, that Evangelical Repentance is the direct, and the only, means of removing sin, originally from the heart, and consequentially from the life, of a moral being; and that thus it is absolutely necessary to prepare men for obedience to the Law of God, and a general conformity to his character and pleasure. To such beings, as we are, it is therefore indispensable, if we are ever to become the subjects of real and enduring happiness. 3. For this great end it is also necessary, that we should be united to God.

The relations between the Creator and his intelligent creatures, are not only near and important, but indispensable, also, to the happiness of such creatures. Out of them arises a great part of all the thoughts, affections, duties, and enjoyments, of which they are capable. These are also the foundations, on which all other valuable thoughts, affections, duties, and enjoyments, rest; and are necessary to their existence, as well as their worth. In the relation of Children, only, do we, or can we, apprehend the endearing and glorious character of JEHOVAH, as the common, most affectionate, and most venerable Parent of the Virtuous Universe; feel towards Him the various filial affections; and perform the various filial duties, which are included under the general name of piety. In the same relation, only, can we en

joy the peculiar and pre-eminent happiness of loving and glorifying Him as our Father who is in Heaven. In this relation, only, do we also receive, and feel, the unnumbered proofs of his parental tenderness, and unlimited mercy.

As children of God, and by means of the filial views and affections, which in this character we entertain, we begin first to understand, and to feel, that we are brethren. This character is the true inlet to all the fraternal regards of virtuous beings; and to the endless train of spiritual sympathies, and social endearments, which spring up in sanctified minds; and which with new strength, purity, and delight, will for ever grow and flourish in the Heavens above.

But without Union to God, no relation, whether natural or moral, can be of any use to ourselves. Without this union, the blessings, flowing from these relations, cannot begin. When minds do not coincide with him in their views, and are not united to him in their affections and character, He cannot with propriety give, nor they possibly enjoy, these blessings. The nearest relation to God, if unperceived, unfelt, and unacknowledged, is in the apprehension of the soul, which sustains it, nothing. It is the cordial, grateful sense of such a relation, the welcome, delightful recognition of it, which makes it the foundation of all this good. With such a sense, with such a recognition, the soul draws nigh to God with affections harmonizing with his pleasure, and with views coinciding with all his revealed designs. Separated from God, the soul can entertain no such views, and can feel no such affections, towards him. Nor can it perform any duties, nor realize any rational, or lasting, enjoyment. In such a state of separation, it is a plant, on which the beams of the Sun of Righteousness cease to shine; and is of course chilled, shrunk, and destroyed.

4. Faith in Jesus Christ is the only possible Union between man and his Maker.

God, in the Covenant of Redemption, has promised to receive, justify, and save for ever, all who are Christ's at his appearing: that is, all who become his by a voluntary surrender of themselves to him. But the only method, in which man ever does, or can, surrender himself voluntarily to Christ, is the ex