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ness,

he shews the perfect and sufficient atonement of Christ, and of its being accepted, by his ascension to heaven ; that our righteousness is imperfect; that we must be pardoned through faith in Christ; and makes this clearly appear, by shewing the flaws, defects, and wanderings of our best performances: and we are made to feel this keenly on sudden dangers, sickness, or the fear of death. He also causes sinners to dread the judgment of God, sets forth before them eternity in its two-fold state, makes their flesh tremble at the view, and with the dread of "dwelling with everlasting burnings."

Thus, in various ways, the Eternal Spirit strives with men, discovering to them their disease, and pointing out the remedy. And what must we infer from this, but that the state of man is truly bad, to require so many means to check our evil propensities to convince us of our folly and danger— to rescue us from the snares of the devil-to make sin loathsome to us to lead us in the paths of righteousness-to draw forth our gratitude and love to God-to cause us to delight in holiness-and to raise us to that communion with the Father and the Son which alone can prepare us for eternal life? Sin is a deep-rooted, obstinate, and wide-spreading evil; and can only be destroyed by Divine power. Much has been done for its destruction, and whoever avails himself of the helps prepared, and takes the true scriptural method, will be enabled from his own experience to declare, that he whom the Son makes free, is free indeed; and that, "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

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CHAP. VI.

SINS AGAINST THE GOSPEL.

Ignorance. Unbelief.-Trifling and licentiousness.-Hypocrisy.-Worldly spirit.—Erroneous opinions.

HAVING in the last two chapters taken occasion to shew how great an evil sin must be in the sight of God, to require such extraordinary undertakings and means for its detection, expiation, and destruction, I intend now to shew its aggravations, by the opposition it makes to the merciful designs of God in the gospel. For the great love wherewith we have been loved, and the displays of the Divine goodness, we should love in return; receive with all thankfulness the offers of mercy, and gladly avail ourselves of every help afforded us, till we shall have offered to him the purest love, and the most constant and cheerful obedience. But, alas, while the meaner creatures act in subserviency to the purposes of Heaven, we, sinful rebels, though purchased by "blood divine," are perversely and perpetually leagued with the powers of darkness, to oppose his righteous judgments and his most equitable government! It would be a difficult matter fully to describe the various oppositions the gospel meets with, not only from those nations who deny its authority, and reject its precepts; but from those who glory in the possession of it, and make their boast of the christian name. I have, however, selected a few of the principal ones; and the first I shall notice is

IGNORANCE.

By ignorance I would be understood as meaning not that which is unavoidable, but wilful; which arises from a hatred and disregard to Divine truth, through carelessness, prejudice, a bad education, the love of sin, or such like causes;

or from neglecting to improve our minds in Divine knowledge, when we are favoured with opportunities, through lightness, delays, and forgetfulness.

How great an evil this is in the sight of God may be gathered from the prophet's declaration: "Thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, and the alarm of war! Destruction upon destruction is cried-For my people are foolish; they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil; but to do good they have no knowledge." And for this ignorance heavy judgments are threatened, Jer. iv. 19, &c. And why was the Lord so displeased with this people? Was it not because he had provided by his word, priests, prophets, and ordinances, the means of Divine knowledge; and had strictly enjoined parents also to instruct their children in his precepts? Had they any reason to suppose that, on their rejecting the means appointed, he would instruct them miraculously, by the immediate inspiration of his Spirit, or by the ministry of angels? It certainly would have been highly reprehensible in them to have indulged such an expectation. The psalmist enquires, "What man is he that feareth the Lord? Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose." And, "the meek will he teach his way." Such may look to be led in the right and good way, but not the perverse. I do not wish to be understood here as though I thought the first saving light did not come from God, being fully assured that it does; for the 'light shineth in the darkness, when the darkness comprehendeth it not ;' and, it is in his light that we see light:' but I mean, that unless this talent be used according to the intention of the giver, we have no reason to expect an increase. To close the eyes, and shut the ears against God, is highly provoking; and we shall do well, "while we have the light, to walk in the light; for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth." But to proceed:

The truths of the New Testament are closely connected with, and formed upon the Old; that is, on the general prin

ciple, that there is a God, infinitely wise, just and good; who made, supports, sustains, and governs all things; and who will ultimately judge his rational creatures, assigning that state for each, which belongs to his disposition; and those rewards or punishments, which each will be entitled to, according to his true character, on the day of trial. Now, admitting that there is some general knowledge of these things among men, it is little valued, remarkably superficial, seldom reasoned upon, and consequently unproductive of the fruits of righteousness. How many years do multitudes spend in the world, surrounded as they are by the wonderful works of God in nature, without being affected by them, or acknowledging his power and wisdom; who are fed and preserved by his hand, without regarding it; who have the scriptures, without reading and meditating upon them; who have sabbaths and ordinances, without attending them; and who profess to believe in God, without worshipping him! Is it to be wondered at that such persons remain ignorant of God-that they are strangers to the covenant of promise? It would be very strange if they were not. How foolish it would seem for persons to enter upon any business of which they were ignorant, or concerning which they had very slightly informed themselves! What probability would there be of succeeding in such attempts? In general it requires years to learn the principles of trade, commerce, and the liberal sciences; and close application and experience are required to form the complete tradesman, the skilful pleader or politician, and the cautious merchant. Are, then, the things of the world of greater importance than the things of God? Are the interests of the body greater than those of the soul? Is there more difficulty in learning the various businesses of life, to which the commonest capacities are adequate, than in understanding the mysteries of the kingdom of God? As worldly knowledge is not attainable without labour, so neither is divine. Yet many act as though the knowledge of religion were of no importance, as if formal worship were quite sufficient, and a defective morality all the holiness it enjoins; and all

beyond this they regard as enthusiasm, and tending to distraction. Such is the wisdom of many modern christians! What is a state of mind like this to produce? Much the same kind of fruit it has always produced. It was having the understanding darkened, and because of blindness of heart, that the Gentiles were "alienated from the life of God, and walked in the vanity of their mind;" became "past feeling," and gave themselves over to the greatest abominations, following all kinds of " iniquity with greediness:" and much of the wickedness of the present day arises from the same cause.

It was losing the knowledge of the true God that introduced the worship of idols, and all the crimes connected with, or flowing from it. This the apostle hints at in speaking to the Athenians, observing that at the times of that ignorance God winked-comparatively shut his eyes at their follies till the gospel was proclaimed: and what gives rise to a thousand follies, fashions, amusements, and scenes of dissipation amongst christians, so called, in our day? What is it but ignorance of God? Who that knows him would be found in such company; or that knows his will, that would not blush and be ashamed to be seen in such irreligious pursuits, and at such time-devouring diversions ?

Ignorance of God is also the fruitful source of many foolish and hurtful desires, 1 Pet. i. 14; for if the affections be not placed on the supreme good, they will go after unlawful objects, or objects which become unlawful to them by being substituted in the place of the Divine favour. And what is there so vile, filthy, or execrable that is not followed, or would not be followed, if the fear of human laws did not restrain men? The blessings of God's kingdom are not sought, because they are unknown: yet peace and contentment of mind must be had some where; and, after many fruitless enquiries, in a sinful course, they are made to feel that "all is vanity and vexation of spirit."

It is this disobedience to light which led the Jewish rulers to oppose with so much envy and malevolence," the Holy One and the Just;" to kill "the Prince of Life," and to prefer

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