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 exercise of faith, or confidence, in him as the Saviour of the world. This is the only method of becoming his, which is proposed to us by Christ himself. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,' is the sole language of the scriptures concerning this subject. On this, however, I need not insist; because I have heretofore, if I mistake not, satisfactorily proved the doctrine at large. Still it may be useful to consider the nature of the subject with some degree of attention and particularity, as being capable, at least in my view, of illustrating the doctrine in an impressive and edifying

manner.

Christ offers to save sinners who are condemned and perishing, and who are therefore utterly unable to save themselves.

In this offer he declares himself able, willing, and faithful, to save to the uttermost all that will come unto God by him.' Now it is impossible for us to come to him, or to God by him, unless we confide in this as his true character, and in the declarations by which he makes this character known to us. It is impossible for us to receive his instructions, as the means of knowledge and guidance to us in the path of duty and salvation; his precepts, as the rules of our obedience; or his ordinances, as the directory of our worship; unless we confide in the character of him who has taught them, as a wise and faithful teacher. It is indispensable, that we confide in him as a teacher, who knows, and who has told us, that which is true, right, and safe for us, in these immensely important concerns. It is indispensable, that we believe in him, and trust in him, as vested with all the authority necessary to this character of a Divine instructor; and regard him, as certainly and fully disclosing the will of God concerning our duty and salvation. Unless we can confide in these things, we can never receive his instructions as rules either of our faith, or of our practice. Without these things they would all dwindle at once into mere philosophy, mere advice, mere opinions, to obey which no person would or could feel the least obligation.

His atonement, in the same manner, would be nothing to us, unless we could cordially believe it to be efficacious, sufficient, and acceptable in the sight of God. It is only because we regard it as the atonement of so glorious, sufficient, and acceptable a person, that it possesses in any sense the character of an atonement. Accordingly, the Socinians, who consider Christ as a mere man, generally do, and, if they would be consistent with themselves, must believe that he made no atonement, but was merely a martyr, or witness to the truth.

Christ also requires us to commit our souls to his care, and keeping; or, in other words, to become his by voluntarily surrendering ourselves into his hands, and looking for safety and happiness to his protection, mercy, and truth. This we cannot do in any other manner, nor by any other means, beside the exercise of confidence in him. Who would commit his everlasting well-being to a person in whose kindness and truth, in whose power and wisdom, he did not confide? No man ever did or could commit himself, or his interests, even in this

world, to any person whatever, unless in the exercise of confidence. How much more difficult, how contrary to the first principles of our nature, how absolutely impossible, must it then be to commit our eternal interests, ourselves, our all, to a being in whom we do not entirely confide?

In the exercise of evangelical faith, or confidence, in the character of Christ, we become united to him, according to the declarations of the Scriptures, and according to all the views which reason can form of this subject, in a very near, most desirable, and most delightful union. He himself says to his disciples, John xv. 4, 5, I am the Vine; ye are the branches. Abide in me; and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye except ye abide in me.' St. Paul says, 'We are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones:' and again; Now ye are the body of Christ, and members one of another;' 1 Cor. xii. 27; and again Col. i. 18, He is the head of the body, the church.' The whole church also, both in heaven and on earth, is exhibited as gathered under one head, that is, Christ; Eph. i. 10. But our Saviour himself has given us the most sublime and glorious exhibition of this subject, which was ever made to mankind, in the following passage of his in-tercessory prayer: John xvii. 20-23, Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also, which shall believe on me through their word: That they all may be one: as thou Father art in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us : that the world may believe, that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them: that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me: that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me; and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.' This transcendent, this divine union, here exhibited to us as being of all possible importance, is, and can be, accomplished for mankind only by evangelical faith, or confidence, in Christ.

5. To the happiness of the soul it is also indispensable, that it should always obey its Creator; and of this obedience, evangelical faith is the only source.

That obedience to God is necessary to the happiness of rational creatures, and that their uniform obedience is necessary to their uniform happiness, has been already proved under

the first head of this Discourse. If sin is fatal to happiness, and incompatible with its existence; it follows, of course, that obedience is indispensable to happiness. Obedience and disobedience are the only two possible moral states of an intelligent being. If then disobedience creates misery, obedience of course creates happiness.

It may, however, be useful, to consider this subject somewhat further. It was shown in a former Discourse that God, and God only, knows what conduct will produce or ensure happiness; and that he only is alway, invariably, and infinitely disposed to have that conduct exist. He only possesses the authority also, and the power to require it of his creatures. Hence, he only can be the uniform and efficient Director of his creatures to their real good. If then creatures are to be happy at all, it is indispensably necessary that they obey bis directions, and conform to his pleasure, as the only possible rule of right, the only possible way to real and universal good. All who wander from this path are soon lost in a wilderness of error, distress, and despair; and will never find their proper home.

But we cannot obey God, except from confidence in his character, as a perfectly wise, just, and good Teacher and Lawgiver, who has instructed us in our true interest; a Lawgiver, who has prescribed wise, just, and benevolent precepts to regulate our duty. Unless we consider his precepts' concerning all things to be right,' we can never voluntarily obey them. Confidence therefore in the character of God, and in his instructions and precepts, as flowing from that character, and partaking of his wisdom and rectitude, is the true and only possible source of that spontaneous obedience which is acceptable to him, virtuous in us, and indispensable to all our real good.

Thus, if I am not deceived, repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ,' are the substance of the means by which sinners are delivered from sin, reinstated in the character of children, restored to the favour of God, entitled to eternal life, and prepared for everlasting obedience and enjoyment in the heavens above.

REMARKS.

1. From these observations it is evident, that the objections

made by infidels against evangelical repentance, as meanspirited and contemptible, are groundless.

very

Mr. Hume observes, that "self-mortification, self-denial, and humility, stupify the understanding, sour the temper, and harden the heart." Whatever produces these consequences by its proper efficacy is undoubtedly, in its nature, vicious or sinful, since the consequences themselves are plainly of a sinful nature. Self-denial, self-mortification, and humility are all essential ingredients of genuine repentance; and without them such repentance cannot exist. A just, clear, and humble sense of our guilt and unworthiness is the basis on which every thing else contained in repentance is founded. With such a sense of our character, it is impossible that we should not endeavour to mortify those inclinations, and deny ourselves that gratification of them, which together have constituted our guilt, our odiousness, our debasement, and our danger. The humble thoughts which we thus experience, and the humble emotions by which they are accompanied, are the only just thoughts concerning our character, and the only proper emotions with respect to ourselves, so far as this character exists. Every opinion, every feeling not accordant with these, is false and groundless; the silly dream of a vain and silly mind. A little self-knowledge, a very limited degree of candour, united with a very moderate self-examination, would convince any mind of the visionary nature of such opinions, and the absolute impropriety of such feelings.

Proud and vain men have, however, always despised humility, and regarded it as deserving their contempt. Still, it is unquestionably the first honour which belongs to our nature, and the beginning of every thing else which is really honourable in man. All sin is shame: and, let it be remembered, there is nothing shameful, except sin. The very pride, the very vanity, from which these decisions of infidels spring, is itself gross sin, and not less shameful than the other exercises of the same spirit. All men see and declare this, under the guidance of mere common sense; and, although each cherishes it in himself, every one hates, despises, and condemns it in his fellow-men. How little would Christ have merited, how plainly impossible would it have been for him to have gained, that exalted estimation which he now holds in the minds of angels and of men, had he been a proud and vain,