18.-Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Acts vii. 29.-I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded, that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. 2 Tim. i. 12. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. xv. 55. &c.

This is the view, in brief, which the scrip tures give us of grace as a holy and efficacious principle; as changing the heart, renewing all its faculties, directing and influencing all its affections, purifying it by faith, and teaching us, that denying ungodliness, and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Tit. ii. 12, 13. Grace, indeed, accomplishing such purposes, may well be said to reign through

*

*This passage has long appeared to the writer as containing an irrefragable proof of the deity of Christ. It is well known, that no force is put upon the zal to translate it even our Saviour &c. and the word rendered appearing, is the very word commonly used when the second coming or manifestation of Christ is spoken of. See Col. iii. 4. and is expressly used of Christ, 1 Tim. iii. 16. God was manifest in the flesh.

righteousness, unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. v. 21.

That a gospel possessing such characteristics, and laying such a claim to our confidence, should be rejected and contemned, carries with it a convincing evidence, that the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. How infatuated are we to reject the counsel of God against ourselves! The gospel! Is it not the consummation of wisdom and love? Is not this the point where all the perfections of Deity concentrate? Is it not the brightest display that was ever made of God's glory? Yet, alas, unbelief draws so thick a veil over the minds of men, that all its glory lies concealed. Here is contained the wisdom of God, but it is in a mystery, and therefore called the hidden mystery, 1 Cor. ii. 7. But to whom is the gospel hid? To them who are lost. 2 Cor. iv. 3. To them who are lost to any sense of their pollution, helplessness, and guilt; to these the gospel must ever appear devoid of interest; by these the balm of Gilead will never be received, because they feel not sin as a disease. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 2 Cor. iv. 4. This gospel unbelief hates, because its tendency is to separate between

the sinner and his sins: any thing that tends to disturb his quiet, he puts as far away as possible. The gospel is a two-edged sword, whose property it is, as applied by the Spirit, to pierce even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow. To attempt therefore to separate between the sinner and those sins, which cleave as close to his heart as the flesh to his bones, how unwelcome, how mortifying the operation! And is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. But to show a man his thoughts, is to trouble him. like Belshazzar: to know the evil intents and tendencies of the heart, while the remedy is shunned, is to feel the presages of eternal death, without a possibility of redemption! Such is a state of unbelief.

As the unbeliever rejects the gospel because of its dreaded influence upon the heart, so he hates its regulations as to the life. It is too strict for him. The manner in which he is required to spend his time on the sabbath, wholly in religious exercises, public or private, "except so "much as is to be taken up in the works of ne"cessity and mercy;" to turn away his foot from all evil on the sabbath, from doing his own pleasure, not doing his own ways, nor finding his own pleasure, nor speaking his own words, Isa. lviii. 13. this is as a millstone to his neck!

F

Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts. Mal. i. 13. The gospel also enjoins a separation from the world. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil. Exod. xxiii. 2.-Be not conformed to this world. Rom. xii. 2.-Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate. 2 Cor. vi. 17. But the heart of an unbeliever is set upon this world; these injunctions therefore lay a cross before him, which he cannot bear to take up, and he prefers going on in his old course, and endeavours to lose sight of consequences; forgetting, as much as possible, that his day is coming !

The gospel is designed to regulate the conversation. Phil. i. 27. To bridle the tongue. James i. 26. To lay a proper restraint upon bodily appetites. 1 Cor. ix. 27. And, in short, to instruct us, that whether we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do, we do all to the glory of God. 1 Cor. x. 31. It must be plain then, that such rules as these cannot suit a mind blinded by sin; and therefore, when the gospel is laid before the unbeliever, as enjoining holiness both of heart and life, it is no wonder that he wishes to get rid of it, and says with Felix, Go thy way for this time; when I have a more convenient season, I will call for thee. Acts xxiv. 25. While thus reflecting upon the blind

ness occasioned by unbelief, who can help feeling for the poor sinner, who is under its awful influence! Such, my readers, was your condition once; but some of you can now say, through grace, "If the unbeliever reject the gospel because of "its humbling and holy tendency, these are the "very considerations that endear it to my heart. "Oh that I may daily know it more and more " in its sin-condemning power, and in its complete

sway over my soul, bringing every thought, "motive, and affection, into subjection to Christ!"