the feelings and actions to that moment, so far as they partake of a moral nature, must be sinful. So far as the moral Governour is at all affected, He is disgusted and offended till the very moment of the change.

(2.) It follows that the unregenerate, even under their highest convictions, and however near they may have approached the time of conversion, still lie at the uncovenanted mercy of God. By this I do not mean that no promises are held out to them on condition of their returning; I only mean that nothing which they now do has the promise of any reward or notice from God. The moral Governour of the world cannot pledge Himself to reward sinful actions, nor actions barely neutral. A temporal king may consistently engage to recompense actions which have only a fair exterior; but for God to do this would be to relinquish His right to search the heart. While acting as temporal head of the Jewish nation, (an office which He never bound Himself by promise to sustain, but held in sovereign condescension to the weaknesses of the people,) He visibly rewarded actions good only in the sight of men; and to present to the eye a picture of Himself in His providence, He may do the same. now but He never promised that nation a sheaf of barley, nor a hin of oil, but on condition of sincere and holy obedience. The following passage reveals the sole condition, (unless you profanely suppose two conditions, like the two prices of the petty merchant,) on which all temporal blessings were

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promised that people: "And it shall come to pass, if you shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, To LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD, and to serve Him WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, that I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil."* Indeed love to God and man made so conspicuous a figure in the Mosaick code,† that this condition was necessarily implied in all the promises suspended on general obedience. The sum of that code was this: "And now Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul." "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart,-but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."||

There is another insuperable difficulty in the way of extending promises to the unregenerate; they are not united to Christ. The great bond of union is faith; but "whosoever believeth-is born of God." "If any man be in Christ he is a new creature." Now it is obvious that none who are not united to Christ can partake of the promises; for like the oil on Aaron's head that descended to the skirts of his

*Deut. xi. 13-15. † Deut. vi. 5, 6. and vii. 9. and x. 16, 19. and xi. 1, 13, 22. and xiii. 3. and xix. 9. and xxx. 2, 6, 16, 20. Josh. xxii. 5. and xxiii. 11. + Deut. vi. and xi. and xxviii. and xxx. Lev. xix. 17, 18. Deut. x. 12.

garments, the promises are all poured upon Christ, and descend only to His members. "To Abraham and his Seed were the promises made; He saith not, And to seeds, as of many, but as of One, and to thy Seed, which is Christ :" "that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." "that the Gentiles should be -partakers of His promise in Christ." "All the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him amen," -in Him who was given "for a covenant of the people." "The Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe."* How then can any promise reach those who are out of Christ? The promise chiefly contended for is one that shall ensure to the unregenerate an answer to their prayers: But if such prayers are answered it must be without the influence of Christ; of course they might have been answered if Christ had never died. Why then did He die? If one prayer of a sinner could ascend to God without going through Christ, a whole soul might, and if one soul might, a whole world might. If in one act a sinner can be accepted without a Saviour, he may be so accepted in his general conduct; and if one may, a whole world may: why then was a Saviour provided? But far from us be such a thought. Infinite Purity cannot commune

* Isai. xlii. 6. 2 Cor. i. 20. and v. 17. Gal. iii. 14, 16, 22. Eph. iii. 6. 1 John v. 1.

with pollution, (no not in a single instance,) nor look upon a sinner except through a Mediator. What mean you to contend for the privilege of going to God without a Mediator? to contend for the privilege of being pagans? Hope a prayer may reach the mercy seat without going through Christ! -if this is not self-righteousness expunge the word from the language. Further, a promise implies a reward. Now if the unregenerate are rewarded they are rewarded before they are pardoned. They receive tokens of favour while they remain objects of wrath. And for what are they rewarded? Not for the merits of Christ, for they have no part in Him; but for their own works,-works too which are indifferent or sinful. This is "confusion worse confounded." But charge not this upon the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation no such promise is found. "Ask and ye shall receive," is indeed said to all; but when you inquire the meaning of that condition, the answer is, 66 ASK IN FAITH, NOTHING WAVERING." It is said indeed that "the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force;" but if you have yet to learn what violence is meant, an OldTestament saint shall tell you: "My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee, so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures ;

then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God." In short all the promises addressed to the unregenerate are summed up in either of the following texts: "Ye shall seek me and find me, when ye shall search for me WITH ALL YOUR HEART." "If-thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him if thou seek Him wITH ALL THY HEART, AND WITH ALL THY SOUL."*

*Deut. iv. 29.

xvi. 24.

Prov. ii. 1-5. Jer. xxix. 13. Mat. xi. 12. John

James i. 6.