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signs; nor can this enmity and aversion be conquered but by the grace of God. Till this light is received, sin and the world will be loved; these will be their treasure, and where that is, there will their hearts be also. They adhere as closely to them as ivy to its favourite tree; and what is there that can dissolve the charm but the Spirit of truth? If he prevail not, they of course must perish in their rebellion. And this is done by

4. Enforcing the “ministration of condemnation," or by bringing the law to the sinner's conscience, shewing him his numerous defects, and the danger of continuing under its power; to which belong warnings, threatenings, commands, or any thing which enforces obedience to the Divine law, that proves a curb to our sinful inclinations, reproves us for past disobedience, or threatens the offender with the displeasure of God in this world, and intolerable wrath in another. As we are naturally "carnal and sold under sin," inclining altogether to this present evil world, and under the power of our own passions and desires, submitting to sin as slaves to a tyrannical lord, and fond of our slavery; when the Spirit of God thunders, as from mount Sinai, in the sinner's ear, "Thou shalt," or, "thou shalt not," he is constrained to tremble, while the flashes of Divine truth and light discover to him his guilt and danger, and constrain him, at least, to acknowledge that his way is evil, and that he ought before God to sustain a very different character. Here the struggle between nature and grace begins. Those who "are in the flesh," or under the power of corrupt nature, no soon-, er begin to feel the restraints of the law upon them, but there is a greater resistance than ever, and "the motion of sins," which are made known by the law, "work in their members,” with renewed strength, "to bring forth fruit” which is doubtless "unto death." The things which, when committed, gave us no concern, now, for fear of consequences, affect us greatly, at least for the moment. Our inatten. tion, and neglect of duty now stare us in the face; and con -science, thus rouzed, reproves and sets them before us in their

aggravating circumstances. The good we have disapproved of and hated, seems, while it presents itself to our minds, to upbraid us for our folly in preferring sin before it. All this is frequently increased by some outward corroborating circumstances already noticed; as affliction of body, death of near and dear relatives or acquaintances, cut off suddenly and unexpectedly; some alarming accident befalling ourselves or others; an awakening sermon; a meditation on eternity, or perhaps sudden views of the Saviour's agonizing sufferings; a striking scripture, a sharp reproof, &c. We are made by these means to be ashamed of our sinful nature and vain practices, as unworthy of men, and especially of christians. "What fruit had ye then (said the apostle) in those things whereof ye, are now ashamed?" This illumination is instantly obeyed by some, and genuine repentance takes place. They see their vileness and ingratitude, feel the hardness of their hearts, begin to enquire after the ordinances and people of God, and are by simply following the directions of the Spirit of truth, soon freed from their guilty fears, obtain victory over all outward sin, and “rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." Nor do they ever complain of the sharpness of their convictions, since the "exceeding sinfulness of sin" is thereby more clearly seen, the motives for avoiding it in future stronger, and the beauty of holiness proportionably brighter. Oh how well it would be for the world were this blessed light submitted to and received! Instead of this, the greatest part resist and quench it, and still follow the course of the world; closing their eyes, lest they should be converted and healed. It must, how. ever, be observed, that God exercises great patience and long-suffering, and continues from time to time, to shew them their sinfulness, and embitter to them the things they delight in, spoiling their vain pleasures, and bringing great fears upon them and painful reflections. A sense of sin is thus kept alive in many for years, sometimes weaker, sometimes stronger; so great is the mercy of God towards his rebellious subjects, and so unwilling is he to strike the venge

ful blow. Yet, whatever forbearance he may shew, or how long soever he may shew it, he will not spare the impenitently guilty, but ultimately punish them the more for their ingratitude and hardness of heart.

CHAP. II.

MAN'S OBSTINACY.

How Grace is resisted-Advantages of Conversion.

WHEN Stephen was pleading the cause of his Lord before the Jewish council, he boldly charged them with acting the same impious part which their predecessors had acted before them, "Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did so do ye." Many, from age to age, tread in the same steps; and this is the reason why virtue and piety are so rare in the world. Let us consider some of the things by which grace is resisted. One is

1. A secret dislike to the holy law of God.-As we cannot know sin but by the law, for we had not known lust, evil desire of any kind, unless the law had said, "Thou shalt not covet," therefore we oppose it; and as persons carrying on bad designs in the night, hate the appearance of a light, and him that carries it; so the law which reproves us, and he that enforces it, are hated by us also; and the reason is, the more we discern of the evils of which we are guilty, the more terror and anguish we are made to feel. The law is holy, and the commandment holy, just, and good, and cannot cease from condemning all that violate its righteous precepts; yet it is not, strictly speaking, that which is made death to us, or it is only accidentally so; for it is not possible that any

harm could be intended by the great Legislator in giving or appointing the law. It is sin that brings death. The law discovers the defection; but sin gives death its sting and all its terrors. Through this mistake men love sin and hate the law; whereas the law is worthy of their highest veneration and regard, and sin, as the cause of all evil, should meet with their greatest detestation and abhorrence. Sin shews itself to be sin by thus working death in us by that which is good, taking occasion, when the law is not seen, to increase our guilt and condemnation; and when it is seen, by causing us to hate it, that we may transgress the more quietly and securely; and this gives particular power to our besetting evils. In the absence of the law sin appears to be dead: when its spirituality is unknown, or not adverted to, we see not the evil of our nature, "we are alive," in no apparent danger; sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceives us, either by endeavouring to set it wholly aside, or by some partial compliances with its general precepts; and thus persuading ourselves how harmless and how good we are. In this, however, we are greatly deceived, forming a wrong estimate of our state altogether; imagining ourselves to be such characters as we are not in the sight of God. Now, when the commandment comes, by the power of the eternal Spirit, to our consciences, sin revives, and we die; we see and feel that we are no longer the good, or amiable, or harmless characters we thought ourselves to be, knowing that we fall short of its demands, and come under its condemnation; and the commandment which was ordained unto life we find to be unto death. Had it been perfectly and unremittingly obeyed, the reward would have been a life of happiness; but the smallest violation of it, effectually exposes us to condemnation and death. In this state, by doing that which we would not, we consent unto the law that is good; but, as in our flesh, our corrupt nature, dwellc'h no good thing, for though to will may be present with us, yet how to perform that which is good, through ignorance or weakness, we find not, the good we would do, we do it not; but the evil which

we would not, that we do. See Rom. vii. On the discerning of these things, we have no other alternative, than either to comply with the offers of grace, or still to persist in our sin, ful course, with greater trouble of mind, and general dissatisfaction. This is an awful state to be in, where the love of sin predominates; and did not the dresser of the vineyard intercede for a longer space of repentance, it would be more awful still. We can scarcely conceive what numbers are in these circumstances, especially, if they attend a heartsearching ministry; and, to those that know the consequences, it is an afflicting consideration. To see a creature disgusted at perfect beauty, and in love with filthiness and deformity, is truly shocking!

2. Yielding to the temptations of the evil one." The strong man armed, keeping his palace, his goods are in peace; but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils." This is descriptive of the sinner's heart when first visited by Divine grace, and when completely brought over to the Lord Jesus. The strong man armed is Satan opposed to Christ, and seeking the soul's destruction in all the deceiveableness of unrighteousness: his palace is the sinful heart, where he is enthroned, served, and worshipped: his goods are corrupt imaginations, idle and vain thoughts, unholy tempers and dispositions, and all that springs from depraved human nature; and Christ, in the power of his Spirit, is the conqueror that takes away his armour, and claims possession. While we incline to sin, Satan has the advantage; when we sincerely turn to the Lord he is completely dethroned, and driven from the heart. Hence, it is the grand device of the devil to keep the will inclined to evil, and to effect this, he uses a variety of wiles and stratagems. He represents the service of Christ as gloomy, distracting, and useless; his word as dark, contradictory, and severe; his servants as mercenary, proud, and uncharitable; his followers as mean, despicable, and the off-scouring of all things; that there is no such thing as in

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