tell us that repentance alone will take away the guilt of our transgressions, and justify us in the eyes of our Maker? Quite the contrary. Notwithstanding the great stress he justly lays on the indispensable necessity of repentance, yet he tells his followers at the same time, that it was to Christ only, and to his death, that they were to look for the pardon of their sins. "Behold," says he, "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world*!” And again," he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son hath not life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." Since then the expiation of sin by the sacrifice of Christ is a doctrine not only taught in the Gospel itself, but enforced also by him who came only to prepare the way for it; it is evident, from the care taken to apprize the world of it even before Christianity was promulgated, how important and essential a part this must be of that divine religion.

Lastly,

3

* Luke, i. 29.

† John, iii. 36.

Lastly, it will be of use to observe, what the particular method was which John made use of to prepare men for the reception and the belief of the Gospel; for whatever means he applied to the attainment of that end, the same probably we shall find the most efficacious for a similar purpose at this very day.

Now it is evident that the Baptist addressed himself, in the first instance, not to the understanding, but to the heart. He did not attempt to convince his hearers, but to reform them; he did not say to them, go and study the prophets, examine with care the pretensions of him whom I announce, and weigh accurately all the evidences of his divine mission; he well knew how all this would end, in the then corrupt state of their minds. His exhortation was therefore, "Repent ye, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand." It was on this principle he reproved with so much severity the pharisees and sadducees who came to his baptism, whom one would think he should rather have encouraged

and

and commended, and received with open arms. "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth, therefore, fruits mect for repentance*." Till you have done this, till you have purified your hearts and abandoned your sins, my baptism will be of no use to you, and all the reasoning in the world will have no effect upon you. In perfect conformity to this, Josephus informs us, that John exhorted the Jews not to come to his baptism, without first preparing themselves for it by the practice of virtue, by a strict adherence to the rules of equity and justice in their dealings with one another, and by manifesting a sincere piety towards God.

This is the preparation he required; and thus it is that we also must prepare men for the reception of divine truth. We must first reform, and then convince them. It is not in general the want of evidence, but the want of virtue that makes men infidels; let them cease to be

*Matt. iii. 7, 8.

wicked,

wicked, and they will soon cease to be unbelievers. "It is with the heart," says St. Paul (not with the head)“ that man believeth unto righteousness*." Correct the heart, and all will go right. Unless the soil is good, all the seed you cast upon it will be wasted in vain. In the parable of the sower we find, that the only seed which came to perfection was that which fell on good ground, on an honest and a good heart. This is the first and most essential requisite to belief. Unbelievers complain of the mysteries of revelation; but we have the highest authority for saying, that in general the only mystery which prevents them from receiving it, is the mystery of iniquity.

We hear, indeed, a great deal of the good nature, the benevolence,, the generosity, the humanity, the honour, and the other innumerable good qualities of those that reject the Gospel; and they may possibly possess some ostentatious and popular virtues, and may, keep clear from flagrant

*Rom. x. 10.

But

flagrant and disreputable vices. whether some gross depravity, some inveterate prejudice, or some leaven of vanity and self-conceit, does not commonly lurk in their hearts, and influence both their opinions and their practices, they who have an extensive acquaintance with the writings and the conduct of that class of men will find no difficulty in deciding. If however this was the decision of man only, the justness of it might be controverted, and the competency of the judge denied.. It might be said, that it is unbecoming and presumptuous in any human being to pass severe censures, on large bodies of men; and, that without being able to look: into the heart of man, it is impossible to form a right judgment of his moral char racter. This we do not deny. But if he who actually has that power of looking into the heart of man, if he who is per fectly well, acquainted with human nature, and all, the various characters of men; if he has, declared that men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are