"them that diligently seek him '." 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 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 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 the 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 holyand 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,"

1 Rom. viii. 6-9. Heb. xi. 5, 6.

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: 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 heretick, 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 circumstances, 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 remorse. 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: tho' 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 ex"cellency of the knowledge of Christ," and the blessings he is exalted to bestow.

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 sometimes as vigorous, as any he has since experienced. He has likewise met with several others, who have been led in a similar way.

Force of Truth, an Authentic Narrative.

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 pecu' liar 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 believer in Christ, if he did not avow a dependence on his blood for the pardon of sin: yet the foregoing facts demonstrate that living faith may exist, in certain circumstances, where this dependence is not exercised.

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Cornelius was doubtless regenerate and partaker of spiritual life, when " he feared God with all his house, gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway" and when the angel said, "Thy prayers and "thine alms are come up for a memorial before God." Yet Peter was sent to "tell him words, whereby he and "his house might be saved."-Perhaps there is no entire system, for which men pertinaciously contend, that will in all respects coincide with this example.

Should it be enquired, what would become of such a man, if he should die before he actually believed in Christ? not to insist on the absurdity of the supposition, which implies, that God in special love had begun a good

1 John i. 29.

2 Acts x, 2-4, 31. xi. 14.

work in a sinner's heart, and had been prevented by his death from accomplishing that gracious purpose! I cannot hesitate in answering directly to the point, that he would certainly go to heaven. I apprehend, that whatever comes from the regenerating Spirit of Christ is accepted through the merits and mediation of Christ.-Infants, "being by nature the children of wrath even as others," cannot be meet for heaven without regeneration; yet, even when regencrate, they are incapable of explicit faith: though that state of heart is produced, whence faith, as well as every other grace, will spring, if they live beyond the state of infancy: and as they fell in the first Adam without their own sin, they may doubtless be saved in the second Adam without actually believing in him.

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No reflecting and candid person will maintain, that this doctrine represents the sinner as bringing something of his own to Christ, instead of receiving all from him: for He is not only the WAY, but the TRUTH and the LIFE also. The rays that precede the rising of the sun, come as certainly from it, as those which follow. Christ is exalted, not only to pardon and justify the penitent and believing, but likewise to give both repentance and faith. We have naturally no more a moral or spiritual ability to believe in Christ, than we have to fulfil the whole law and the life communicated by his Spirit, which disposes and enables us to welcome Him, as "of God unto us, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, "and redemption," is itself the purchase of his blood, and the fruit of his intercession." The salvation of the " righteous is of the Lord:" but he works in a certain order, and makes some of his gifts a preparation for the rest; and regeneration in particular prepares the soul for receiving all other blessings.

"made

"Of his own will begat he us with the Word of Truth." "-Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of in"corruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and "abideth for ever. And this is the word, which by