a true and living faith. The language of their hearts seems to be this; 'Every sinner, however vile, is invited and commanded to believe in Christ, and to come to him for salvation: therefore I may and ought to come. I now feel very desirous of these blessings, which heretofore I despised, and would gladly embrace the gracious invitation. Lord, help me to believe, and teach me to come aright; for I dread nothing so much as coming short of thy salvation!'-Nay, those very persons, who, previous to deep convictions, have systematically perplexed their minds with nice distinctions and doubtful disputations, are often constrained, by urgent fears and desires, to act in direct opposition to their former scheme, and to apply to Christ in the manner above described!

If any thing be considered as a warrant for a sinner to believe in Christ, except the word of the gospel, it must be something of a holy nature: so that, if his convictions and desires be not holy, he is not warranted to believe. But this would fully justify that total unbelief, which the scriptures decidedly condemn: for certainly a man ought not to do what he is not warranted to do. It likewise sets a newly awakened person to resolve one of the most difficult questions in divinity. For he must so accurately understand the nature of true holiness, as to be able, in his own concern, under great discomposure of mind, to distinguish the minutest portion of it from all counterfeits; and clearly to ascertain its actual existence in his heart, amidst all the immense alloy of selfish and sinful passions! It would probably be found impossible

for the ablest theologian in Christendom certainly to determine such a question, in respect of many peculiar exercises of his own mind: how then can it be expected, that embrio converts, so to speak, should be able, during an overwhelming tempest, to make such accurate observations and nice distinctions?-The general proposal of the truth, and the scriptural exhortation and assurance, "Be"lieve on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt "be saved," exactly suit the case of such persons ; while the event will shew the nature of their convictions. Whatever better informed and more experienced persons may determine concerning the nature of saving faith, whether it be or be not a holy exercise of the heart; the convinced sinner can decide nothing of the kind in respect of his own experiences: nor can others determine the question for him; since many are alarmed, and convinced, and as far as we can see, appear even to be humbled, who never believe to the saving of the soul.

Two very small seeds may be essentially distinct in species, yet the best eyes, assisted by the finest glasses, can scarcely know one from the other: how then could a person, with very weak eyes and with a very dim light, certainly distinguish between them? But, when they are sown and grow up, the plants that spring from them will be easily and infallibly distinguishable. Thus it is with men's convictions: some are essentially different from others; but all our endeavours exactly to know such as are spiritual from such as are merely natural, except by the event, will answer little purpose. We must judge as well as we

can, and act accordingly: but we shall frequently find ourselves mistaken. How impossible then must it be for the alarmed inquirer after salvation to find a warrant from any holiness in himself, to encourage his application to Christ? And how wise and gracious the general language of scripture ; "Let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will, "let him take of the water of life freely!" While we proceed on the scriptural plan, the Lord will distinguish what we cannot. They that thirst for the pure "water of life, proceeding out of the "throne of God and of the Lamb," will be encouraged to approach and take of it freely; and others will either go back into the ways of open ungodliness, or be found among the stony ground hearers, resting in a false peace, without "sancti"fication of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus."

When the subject is considered in an abstract manner, the difference between a warrant to believe, and a disposition to believe, may at first glance appear trivial; but, viewed in its relation to experience and practice, it is immensely great and important. It can never discourage a trembling sinner, who honestly inquires "what he "must do to be saved," to describe the nature of faith, and explain the way of salvation; and then to invite, exhort, and persuade him to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, not doubting that in so doing he will certainly be saved. But, should we enter into a discussion concerning the nature of genuine convictions, gracious thirstings, and spiritual desires; maintaining that it would be unwarranted presumption for him to believe, unless

conscious that his experiences were of this nature; we should exceedingly embarrass his mind; take off his thoughts from the love of Christ, and the freeness and sufficiency of his mercy and grace; and give Satan an opportunity of tempting him to despondency, or of otherwise "taking the seed "out of his heart, lest he should believe and be "saved." Indeed, most deviations from scriptural simplicity may be traced back to this abstract way of discussing doctrines: and the subjects which chiefly perplex speculating men, and furnish the most materials for controversy, appear very easy and plain when applied to practical purposes, according to the state of mind they were intended to meet. So that the wisdom and goodness of God, in not arranging revealed truths according to the supposed exactness and consistency of human systems, are most illustriously displayed, when these truths are applied to the several cases to which they are suited, for conviction, instruction, warning, encouragement, or exhortation.

Whatever be the nature of divine illumination; or whatever may have been a man's previous thoughts about it; he cannot in general, when first divinely illuminated, very readily perceive any holiness in the change of which he is conscious. He now discovers, as it were intuitively, that he is a guilty polluted creature; that his supposed virtues were specious vices, and his religious duties formal, selfish, and hypocritical; and that his heart is "deceitful and desperately wicked :" and, in proportion to the degree of his illumination, is his conviction of these humiliating truths.

These recent discoveries (or these new perceptions of what perhaps he before assented to as a notion) occupy his thoughts: he can hardly conceive that the hearts and lives of other men are so bad as his own; still less can he think that real and eminent saints feel those evils of which he is conscious: nay, he can scarcely be convinced that his own heart was formerly so sinful as he now finds it to be. "Without the law sin was dead:" and the spirituality of the precept not only detects, but irritates, the depravity of nature; excites all manner of concupiscence; and sometimes even stirs up the dormant enmity of the heart into direct exercises of opposition to the holy character and righteous government of God.-This is also connected with a discovery of the hatefulness of sin, and a disposition to abhor it in all its forms; so that self-loathing becomes a predominant part of the new convert's experience. The stone is become flesh; and exquisite sensibility, in feeling and hating every sinful emotion, is united to a quickness of discernment in discovering sin where not before suspected; and its odious nature and numerous aggravations, which before were excused and palliated. Every thing, therefore, concurs to discourage, as well as to humble, a person in this situation; except the glad tidings of the blessed gospel and, should a self-complacent thought intrude itself, while he was reflecting on these new and more just views of his own character, he would reject it with alarm and detestation.

Thus at the very time when the sinner is made completely willing to welcome Christ and his whole salvation; so far from perceiving any warrant in