sumptuous confidence, selfish affections, and formal worship and obedience, is the sum total, which can be produced without regeneration. "God commended his love to us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.". "God "was in Christ reconciling the world unto him"self." Thus the way of reconciliation was opened. He sent his ambassadors of peace, and by them besought us to be reconciled to God: and thus the way of reconciliation was made manifest. He regenerates our souls; and then we repent, believe, are justified and reconciled, and become the friends of God; and we may adopt these words:" If when we were ene"mies, we were reconciled to God by the death "of his Son; much more being reconciled we "shall be saved by his life*." You who were "some time alienated, and enemies in your minds "by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled+."

The apostle says in one place, "They that are "in the flesh cannot please God." And in another he states that "Enoch before his translation "had this testimony that he pleased God. But "without faith it is impossible to please him; "for he that cometh unto God must believe "that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them "that diligently seek himt." Hence it must follow, either that none but the regenerate are capable even of that lowest exercise of true faith, which is here described; or that an unregenerate man may please God. For St. Paul shews what he meant by the expression in the flesh, where he subjoined; "But ye are not in the flesh, but "in the Spirit; if so be the Spirit of God dwell 66 in you: Now if any man have not the Spirit

"of Christ, he is none of his."

The proud and carnal enemy of God may

* Rom. v. 1-11.

+ Col. i. 21.

‡ Rom. viii, 6–9. Heb, xi. 5, 6,

tremble, feel temporary pangs of conviction, feign submission, and even yield a forced and unwilling obedience, as Pharaoh did. He may perceive danger, be filled with anguish and horror, and in this state of alarm cry for mercy, and seem willing to accept of it in any way the Lord pleases: but he cannot cordially allow the justice of the sentence he would deprecate: and therefore his reliance on mercy can be only pretended. He is burdened with dread of punishment, but not with a sense of guilt; for guilt implies thé desert of punishment: but the person here characterized excuses and palliates his sins, and gives intimations that he thinks the law unreasonably strict and its sentence needlessly severe.You may indeed delineate a character of God suited to the taste of his heart, and frame a gospel soothing to his self-love: yet he cannot but be at enmity against an infinitely holy and just God, and his spiritual and perfect law; and the gospel of Christ likewise must be his aversion, unless misrepresented or misunderstood.- Even the sense of danger in this case soon wears off; (unless it terminate in despair :) "There is no "fear of God before his eyes." He feels not the load of his sins in a humbling, wearying, and abiding manner. He is spiritually dead, and incapable of spiritual perception and discernment and regeneration alone can render the heart susceptible of other feelings and affections. But when this change has taken place, in proportion as the new-born babe, by desiring and drinking in the sincere milk of the word," becomes acquainted with the perfections and commandments of God, and his own character and situation, guilt oppresses his conscience, and permanently burdens his heart, except as the knowledge of the gospel gives him relief. Now he groans and struggles for deliverance:

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he fears, mourns, prays, and in a confused manner hopes for mercy, even if his acquaintance with the truth be very defective: nor will he ever find rest to his soul till he comes to Christ for it, whatever methods he may try for that purpose. Perhaps the Lord may shew him his refuge, as speedily as he discovers his guilt and danger, and in this case he soon has " peace and joy in believing."-Nay, it sometimes happens, that a man is taught the nature and glory of the gospel, and the way of salvation which it reveals, even before he has distinct and deep views of his own exceeding sinfulness: and then all other holy dispositions seem to be subsequent to faith in Christ and a lively hope of salvation; yet in fact that state and feeling of heart, which disposes us to welcome the true gospel, essentially implies the existence and incipient actings of all other gracious affections.

These cases occur most frequently during great revivals of religion, or among those who have been previously well instructed in evangelical truth but we should be careful not to limit the Lord, when we hear of sudden conversions in other circumstances.-The tree must be known by its fruits.

:

On other occasions an ignorant or careless trifler, a self-righteous pharisee, a prejudiced heretic, a man rivetted in error by "science,

falsely so called," a scoffing infidel, or even a daring blasphemer, is made a partaker of spiritual life; and the Lord sees good to lead him by slow degrees into the knowledge of the truth. He now trembles and hopes alternately: he searches the Scripture, and beseeches God to shew him the way of salvation: yet he strives against conviction, and his prejudices exclude the light which shines around him. He acts conscientiously, and obeys in difficult circum

remorse.

stances, from a general belief of God's word, and reliance on his promises: yet he knows but little of the truth, and does not perceive in what way sinners may trust in the Lord, and expect promised blessings from him. He tries to establish his own righteousness: but increasing knowledge and spiritual perception frustrate all his attempts, and prolong his uneasiness and He would fain make some compromise, and retain at least his old foundation: but he is driven from one false refuge after another, till he is ready to give up all hope. He has perhaps long considered the preachers and professors of evangelical truth, as either deluded enthusiasts or artful deceivers; and is therefore cautious to excess. He has been accustomed to regard the doctrine of free salvation as unfavourable to personal holiness; and clearer discoveries of the divine purity and justice increase his assurance that true religion must be practical, and produce obedience and conformity to God: though he has not hitherto understood the sanctifying tendency of the gospel. He feels, however, a powerful attraction to the Saviour, as the centre and rest of his soul, and he imperceptibly verges towards him; though nothing can be more contrary than this, to the former disposition and experience of his heart. But at length, after many fluctuations, he is brought to understand and believe the testimony of God concerning his Son, and to perceive the nature, suitableness, and glory of his salvation. Then his difficulties vanish; in admiring and adoring love and gratitude, with Thomas, he acknowledges the Saviour as his Lord and his God; and "counts all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ," and the blessings he is exalted to bestow.

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This is a compendious statement of the author's

own experience, during the course of about two years, as he has elsewhere more fully related it*: and he cannot doubt, but there was life, spiritual perception, reverence of God's authority, earnest desires of happiness in his favour and service, longings after holiness, and a general reliance on the divine mercy and faithfulness, during that whole period; at some times as vigorous as any he has since experienced. He has likewise met with several others who have been led in a similar way.

The examples of Nicodemus, of Joseph of Arimathea, and even of the apostles themselves, exhibit something of the same kind: for before our Lord's resurrection, none of these seem to have believed more concerning him, than many nominal Christians now do; only they believed with the heart, and their faith, the effect of regeneration, influenced their practice. Was not Peter alive to God, when Christ said, "Blessed "art thou Simon Barjonas, for flesh and blood ❝hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father "which is in heaven?" Yet the doctrine of our Lord's crucifixion, which we deem essential to the gospel, was an offence to him, as well as to the other apostles. If it be said, they were under a peculiar dispensation:' let it be also allowed, that others may be under a similar dispensation. The doctrine of the Messiah's expiating the sins of his people, by his sufferings and death, was plainly enough revealed in the Old Testament: John Baptist gave clear intimations of it †, and Christ himself frequently taught it: yet the prejudices of his disciples prevented them from receiving it; and he did not see good at once to remove those prejudices. -We should scarcely allow any one to be a true

*Force of Truth, an Authentic Narrative.

+ John i. 29.