grace, while sin is not abhorred and avoided, nor holiness loved and practised; are superficial ' and hypocritical.' 'Let no repentance then sa'tisfy any man, which does not endear Christ and 'universal holiness; and divorce the heart from every sin, especially that which was before the customary and beloved sin.'-'Though God is "rich in mercy;" though there is "plenteous 'redemption" in the blood of Christ; yet neither • the mercy of God, nor the blood of Christ, will ' avail for any except the penitent: to others all 'the threatenings of the law alone belong; nor ' have they any part or lot in the gospel, except 'the deeper condemnation of "neglecting so great salvation," and abusing the mercy of God, ' and the redemption of Christ, into an encouragement to continue in sin." Every serious 'student of the scriptures must have observed, 'that they always represent repentance and faith as inseparably connected.'-' True repentance is 'a believing repentance, true faith is a penitent 'faith.'-' Faith comes at the Lord's call, uses 'his appointed means, waits in his way, stays his time, perseveres under every delay and discou'ragement. "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou 'hast the words of eternal life." The wise man 2 'is the true Christian: his faith is living and obedient, and raises a permanent structure, which 'all the storms of life and death shall assail in ' vain. But foolish men, professing to build on 'the tried foundation which God hath laid, de'ceive themselves with notions, and with a dead 1 Discourse on Repentance, by the Author, first published 1785. 2 Matt. vii. 24-27.

What a

faith; their presumptuous confidence and dis' obedient profession will make way for the awful 'fall of their fair but baseless edifice in the great 'decisive day; and unutterable anguish and despair will seize on them-when the angry Judge 'shall leave them speechless, while with an awful 'frown he will say, "I never knew you: depart ' from me, all ye workers of iniquity." 'wonderful sight is in this chapter 2 set before us! "The long-expected seed, the child of promise, 'the well-beloved Isaac, now grown up to maturity, and entwining every day more closely round 'the tender affections of his parents, of which he was justly deserving; nay, the church's hope, ' and the declared progenitor of Him, " in whom ' all the families of the earth are blessed;" bound, 'laid on the altar, and mildly expecting the fatal 'blow from the hand of his loving father; who, 'with collected firmness and intrepid resolution, 'takes the knife to shed his blood, and prepares 'immediately to kindle that fire which is to con

sume him to ashes! For this singular conduct 'Abraham could render no other reason than the

express command of God: nor was there any ' other principle of obedience to that extraordinary 'command (an obedience never equalled by mere man,) than faith; an unshaken belief of the 'Lord's testimony; a firm expectation of the ac'complishment of his promises; and a full con'fidence in his wisdom, power, and love. Though 'the command seemed to run counter to those 'promises, Abraham knew that it only seemed to 'do so; and that the Lord would take care to ' Warrant and nature of faith, by the same. 2 Gen. xxii.

grace, while sin is not abhorred and avoided, 'nor holiness loved and practised; are superficial ' and hypocritical.' 'Let no repentance then satisfy any man, which does not endear Christ and 'universal holiness; and divorce the heart from every sin, especially that which was before the customary and beloved sin.'-Though God is "rich in mercy;" though there is "plenteous 'redemption" in the blood of Christ; yet neither 'the mercy of God, nor the blood of Christ, will 'avail for any except the penitent: to others all 'the threatenings of the law alone belong; nor ' have they any part or lot in the gospel, except 'the deeper condemnation of "neglecting so great salvation," and abusing the mercy of God, ' and the redemption of Christ, into an encouragement to continue in sin." Every serious 'student of the scriptures must have observed, ' that they always represent repentance and faith 'as inseparably connected.'- True repentance is 'a believing repentance, true faith is a penitent 'faith.'-'Faith comes at the Lord's call, uses ' his appointed means, waits in his way, stays his 'time, perseveres under every delay and discou( ragement. "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou 'hast the words of eternal life." The wise man 2 ' is the true Christian: his faith is living and obe'dient, and raises a permanent structure, which 'all the storms of life and death shall assail in ' vain. But foolish men, professing to build on the tried foundation which God hath laid, de'ceive themselves with notions, and with a dead ! Discourse on Repentance, by the Author, first published 1785. 'Matt. vii. 24-27.

"faith; their presumptuous confidence and dis'obedient profession will make way for the awful 'fall of their fair but baseless edifice in the great 'decisive day; and unutterable anguish and de'spair will seize on them-when the angry Judge 'shall leave them speechless, while with an awful 'frown he will say, "I never knew you: depart 'from me, all ye workers of iniquity."

What a

' wonderful sight is in this chapter 2 set before us! 'The long-expected seed, the child of promise, 'the well-beloved Isaac, now grown up to maturity, and entwining every day more closely round 'the tender affections of his parents, of which he was justly deserving; nay, the church's hope, ' and the declared progenitor of Him, " in whom ' all the families of the earth are blessed;" bound, 'laid on the altar, and mildly expecting the fatal 'blow from the hand of his loving father; who, 'with collected firmness and intrepid resolution, 'takes the knife to shed his blood, and prepares 'immediately to kindle that fire which is to con

sume him to ashes! For this singular conduct 'Abraham could render no other reason than the express command of God: nor was there any ' other principle of obedience to that extraordinary command (an obedience never equalled by mere man,) than faith; an unshaken belief of the 'Lord's testimony; a firm expectation of the ac'complishment of his promises; and a full con'fidence in his wisdom, power, and love. Though 'the command seemed to run counter to those promises, Abraham knew that it only seemed to 'do so; and that the Lord would take care to ' Warrant and nature of faith, by the same. 2 Gen. xxii.

'glorify his own faithfulness. He had received Isaac from God, who had a right to dispose of 'him: honour and comfort were in this path;

and, though untried before, with undaunted con'stancy he walked in it.-Hear this, ye inattentive objectors, who traduce the doctrine of salvation by faith as inimical to practical godliness. Go, and upon your principles equal or exceed this ' obedience: till then be dumb; or allow that, though you understand it not, this apparently "weak principle produces effects beyond compa'rison prodigious. But hear this likewise, ye 'abusers of this most holy faith, whose conduct 'merits still deeper indignation; who "say you 'have faith," yet cleave to your sins, renounce 'not the world, deny not yourselves, refuse the cross, are lovers of yourselves, of pleasure, of money, more than lovers of God; and, instead of parting with a deservedly beloved Isaac at 'God's command, like Judas, kiss Christ, and sell 'him for a few pieces of silver, or some vile sen'sual gratification! Here then compare your 'faith with Abraham's, and acknowledge that you

are no genuine sons of this father of the faithful; 'but that your faith is dead, your hope presump'tuous, and that Abraham disowns and is ashamed ' of you. In plain language, nothing but faith 'will carry a man through with unreserved obe'dience in every possible trial; and that is no 'true faith which perseveres in refusing to obey a plain commandment, in any case whatever. "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command 'you.""

'Practical Observations on Gen. xxii. Comment on Bible, 1788.