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You might as well think that the Ethiopian can change his skin, as suppose it possible that man by nature can love God. Can he love holiness when he delights in sin, and is held by it-can he love the law that condemns him-can he love the lawgiver that threatens him and frowns him from his presence ?

And yet it is absolutely necessary that man must learn this temper if he is to dwell beyond the skies after death; he must learn to love God then. There are not a few who know this truth and value it beyond all price; and it is very evident that all who would be happy must seek to know it in time. How shall we get this knowledge, how shall we learn a better spirit than that which leaves us only more wretched than before? Can it be that our Maker denies it to any of his creatures, seeing that it is not in one of us by nature? Can he and will he bestow it, though we have never yet served him aright, never yet manifested any better temper than that of bondage? If we are in earnest, this should be the frame of mind in which we seek some method of receiving a blessing. But where is it to be sought and how? In the first place do we understand what we want. Do we wish for some motives to obedience. If we do, then we must seek them, not in ourselves, but in him who requires that implicit obedience. There is no pretence that the law is not to be satisfied. Christ came not to destroy, but to fulfil the law. "If ye love me," said the Saviour whom Moses typified when the law was given on Sinai, "if ye love me, ye will keep my commandments." Now his word expressly declares, "that he is the same yesterday, today, and for ever." And again we read, "I am the Lord, [ change not," and yet further"He abideth faithful; so that

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obedience must be rendered as the criterion of any one loving God. But since men have already violated the law, their future obedience must be null and void, were it ever so perfect. Justice requires that the law, from the time of its infringement shall work wrath; which in fact is the origin of all the evil that presents itself either felt or witnessed; it is all the result of a violated law. Christ, it is true, became a curse for us, in one sense; but it is equally true, that we live in a world under condemnation,— as every world, how fair soever, must be that "lieth in wickedness." The world generally, has been penetrated with light; but light if not improved, adds to the curse under which unbelievers lie, when they will not come unto Christ to have life. Men may perish, and alas are perishing in unnumbered thousands in the midst of light, sinning against light, condemned because they had light; and were not the better for light: "this is the condemnation,—men loved darkness better than light, because their works were evil."

And thus we have another instance of man's miraculous mistake; thus we learn that knowledge of duty is not the same as the performance, or in any way connected intimately with it: the regeneration of individuals, like that of our species, in the aggregate, is nothing forwarded by civilization, without religious motives and religious influence.

In the case of these Ephesian converts, it was necessary that they should be reminded to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they were called-worthy of the teaching which they had received. They, in their life and conduct were to present a contrast to other Gentiles who walked in the vanity of their mind, aliens from the life of God. They had not so learned Christ. They had been taught their need of Him by the law

which served to give the knowledge of sin: "The law was a schoolmaster, to bring them to Christ." It was not in themselves to seek Him; it was not in themselves to learn of Him. There is that overwhelming blindness in the natural heart, that keeps men ignorant though Christ is an all-sufficient Teacher. Light is come into the world; but men are blinded, so as to glory in their ignorance of revelation because it only condemns them,-Christ being the way, the truth, and the life, pre-eminently, and solely if men reject Him, they wander, are deceived, and perish. He that rejects Christ shall not see life," the wrath of God abideth on him." But the Apostle declares of those to whom he wrote, that they had been taught by him. Therefore their hearts had been softened; stubborn pride had been dishonoured; unbelief had been exchanged for humble resolute faith; many a mountain obstacle had been removed; and it might seem a thing easy of performance that the old man, which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts should be put off, and that they being renewed in the spirit of their mind, might put on the new man, which after God is created (by power more than natural,) in righteousness and true holiness. By whatever means, in whatever way, all this was to be brought about, it was absolutely, indispensably necessary. Other blessings connected with conversion might follow, and doubtless would follow, -but this was a blessing which cast all others into the shade; without it man had better never have been born, than live unchanged, and come to an accursed end; without it, eternal life would prove but eternal anguish. Having this blessing they had escaped that peril; being taught of Christ they were not left in the darkness of their understandings; they were delivered from the blindness of their

hearts. It was a deliverance; because if left alone, they would have continued as the other Gentiles, God only making them to differ. It was a deliverance, because if not preserved by grace omnipotent, they would have returned in heart to Egypt, and the house of spiritual bondage. It was a deliverance, because they were not abandoned to the curse of a violated law which worketh wrath. It was a deliverance, because they had not received the spirit of bondage, which compelled them to fear, when they had it once-not that again. They had been brought into the glorious liberty of the children of God-not a liberty which allows sin, but liberty which admits of holiness, and renders it possible of all attainment. If Adam before the fall was free to do good,

the second Adam was undeniably so; and if our great surety, pattern and guide were free to do good, it follows that His people when the glorious work is perfected in them are free also, and in this sense servants-not to sinbut to holiness. We need not trouble ourselves with the question of man's free agency in the abstract. Enough for us, that the Apostle exhorts those to whom he writes, as if they were free to "put away lying" (as in the verse following) and to speak every man truth with his neighbour; free to abstain from stealing,-free to work the thing which is good, and to give to him that needeth,-free to abstain from corrupt communications,--free to cherish the opposite graces,-free to abstain from grieving the Holy Spirit,-free to put away all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, with all malice, and to be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake had forgiven them. If the renewed man has not this freedom, neither are angels free; they serve God in that perfection of holiness which the

great and good Creator intended when He made them; in the other case there is a righteousness imputed to the believer, and a strength made perfect in weakness. If it be said that the apostle Paul exclaims against the "body of death" as if he were not delivered from it; it should be remembered that he subsequently declares that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Rom. vii, viii.) had made him free. And in what did that freedom consist? Was he not free from the law of sin and death? (v. 2.) For, he goes on to say, "for what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh." And for what purpose?"That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled, (not obviated,) in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Now all this is perfectly consistent with what our Lord himself says concerning the power of the truth, in other words His own infallible teaching "the truth shall make you free."

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We may take it therefore as a criterion, whether or not any one has been taught of Christ: is he still in bondage to the beggarly elements, which the child of God must not make the ground of his hope, or is he the servant of holiness, being free from sin? Is the spirit of bondage still prevailing and keeping him an alien from the commonwealth of Israel; perplexing him with the knowledge of religious duties, without motive to the performance, save those which are unworthy of one who bears the name of Christ; or in the place of this temper has he received the spirit of adoption. And since the question is one of moment, one in which we are all interested, it becomes us to propose it to our own hearts and consciences, with all possible fideli

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ty-to endeavour to answer it with all patience; not even to rest satisfied then, but if we find it with us otherwise than we could wish, ought to desire the mighty change, as that which alone marks us out as those who have learnt Christ. That desire ought to arrest all our faculties; it ought to summon all our efforts; it ought to keep alive from time to time our relaxing energies. It is not enough that we are called by the name of Christ; we might as well to all intents and purposes be called by the name of Mahommed unless, Christ being formed in us the hope of glory, we are cultivating the spirit of Christ. If any man have it not, "He is none of His;" because if Christ be our great Teacher, that man has never learnt of Him-has never yet been taught what the law requires: Christ in his gospel alone can teach it, and in that sense he is alive without the law. It may be in his possession, it may be mastered by the understanding; but it has been a dead letter to which the heart has been a stranger. And yet that man professes to have learnt Christ, calls himself his disciple, owns his ignorance of many things, and acknowledges that Christ is an all-sufficient Teacher. How is it that he is still in darkness? Has he not put himself in the way of getting light poured upon his understanding? Brethren, if we make a difficulty of this, every thing which we witness in the experience of divine things, will seem an anomaly equally as striking. Is it not what we see every day exemplified? Has not sin such power, and our nature such frailty, that unnumbered circumstances such as this

may be found? We know that

outward observances often find
their votaries among those who
never think of inward devotedness.
It is so in society at large, it is so in
that narrower circle in which re-
ligion is more openly professed

as the badge that distinguishes a party. Religion has nothing to do with the follies of one class or the other. There are many, I cannot doubt, whom the world considers as no better than themselves, and only following the multitude in the eager pursuit of worldly advantage, but who have received an unction from the Holy One, by which they understand all things relating to their peace; and by which they are by some miracle of deliverance kept from the evil that is in the world, and eventually brought off more than conquerors over such overwhelming contingencies. And, on the other hand, there are many false professors of religion among those, who with every religious advantage, and every chance in their favour, so to speak, having shut themselves out from the world, have never had that depravity removed which nullifies every Christian ordinance, makes religious privileges leave them still unblessed, and must finally ex

clude them from the presence of their Maker. But wisdom is justified of her children: they have not so learned Christ, as to remain without His Spirit.

Now brethren, it were well to ask ourselves, in what way we have learned Christ; are we bondslaves, or those whom the truth hath made free? Let every one here satisfy himself on this point, and let him not delay. Let every one here say to himself, it is essentially necessary that I know my real state before that God to whom, my reason tells me, as well as revelation, I am accountable for the light I possess. Have I any real and lasting advantage from my knowledge of Christ? If I were to go hence and be no more seen what would revelation profit me? How has the day of grace been spent by me? If it found me a debtor to the divine law, and under its wrath, would it leave me so still, and so Christ be made of none effect as far as I am concerned?

ZONA.

UNTHANKFULNESS A HINDRANCE TO CHURCH REFORM.

THE following comment of the pious and excellent Samuel Hieron on Psalm li. 19, appears to me so appropriate to the existing state of things amongst ourselves, that I cannot but wish to see it reprinted in the Christian Guardian, The work from which it was taken was published in 1617.

Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness; with burnt-offering and whole burntoffering; then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

'At what a high rate we ought to value this freedom and liberty of serving God publicly in peace !.. We are herein for the most part exceeding faulty, even that we esteem not this mercy of God as

we ought to do. God hath given a long time of rest to us in this nation, during all which time, in places where the means have been afforded, there hath been a comfortable liberty for all men to give their due attendance at the posts of the Lord's doors, and for the spouse of Christ to pasture by the tents of the shepherds. We have not been fain to do as Christians of our profession in other countries, to assemble by stealth, and privily, in vaults, and woods; or else to go armed to the churches, for the prevention of some sudden surprise. The re-edifiers of Jerusalem after the captivity, with one hand did the work with the trowel, and with the other held the sword; (Nehemiah iv, 17.) we are

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not put to any such strait. There be many of God's dear servants in the world, who if they might, would redeem the one half of our freedom, even with the most of their estates. But how do we reckon of it? I do but appeal in the fear of God, and in his sight unto your souls and consciences, to say When did we rouse up our spirits, when we have been in meditation by ourselves, to thank God for the liberty of his gospel, for the free use of his word, for the peace of profession? truth is, there be many things wanting amongst us, many defects and blemishes in matters of the church; but I am persuaded, if we were more thankful than we be for so much as is enjoyed, God would go on in his mercy to us: but because of our general unthankfulness herein, and our not prizing the goodness of God, as it doth deserve, we are more like to be deprived of that we have than to enjoy more. Why should the Lord suffer us to see more of Sion's beauty, who are not so in love with this we see as we should? I beseech you, let us think with what heart David spake this here,

Then shall they offer calves upon thine altar, and shall the gates of thine house stand open, and there shall be free access unto thine altars; and let us labour for the same affections. Oh, that we would once truly thank God for the glorious gospel of his Son; and that for the sound of trumpets, and roaring of cannons, which our neighbours in other countries have been used to,* we have had the noise of bells calling us to the house of God, to be partakers of his word. . . . . Alas, (I know not how) plenty hath made us wanton, and the ordinances of God begin even to wax stale; men can let pass and neglect many opportunities, and oft-times let the altars of God be naked upon small occasions. If once God should shew himself angry with Sion, and lay down the walls of Jerusalem, it may be we would then desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but shall not see it (Luke xvii. 22.) so is the Lord wont to punish, not to give that which is desired, when being given, it is not valued as is fit.'

* Alluding to the state of the French Protestants in those times.

THE ATONEMENT.

BY THE REV. PREBENDARY TOWNSEND.

THE following observations on the duty of preaching without reserve the doctrine of the Atonement, appear in a charge delivered by the Rev. Prebendary Townsend, to the Clergy and Churchwardens of the peculiar of Allerton.

Before I mention the error to which I allude, and the arguments, if such they may be called, by which it is defended, I will submit to you the view I have always taken of the one great duty of a clergyman, and the manner in

which that duty is taught in the pages of revelation, and enforced in the services of our Church.

Our ministry, my Christian brethren, is the ministry of reconciliation to God. It is the office of effecting the reconciliation of man to God. Before reconciliation there must have been enmity. Man by reason of sin was at enmity with God. This enmity arose from two sources, fear because of guilt, and fear because of the consciousness of continued sin.

Our

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