mutability of any action with regard to the first particular, namely its matter or substance; yet with regard to the second, its effect or continuance, there will be room for a contrary supposition of its reversibility, and first with regard to the subject doer, or perpetrator himself, as aforesaid.

For sin, considered as a property now pervading the whole earth, and continued in the generations of its inhabitants, will consist, like other properties, in the repetition of one act which was the first transgression, and of one thought which was the first defection, and of one word which was the first renunciation in reference to the divine authority; all which, like other acts and properties, must be perpetual in the constitution of the subject, agent or owner, until they either run on to perdition, or be regularly killed or ejected, "that the body of sin might be destroyed" (Rom. vi. 6). In this case, the order of cause and effect having been instituted by a superior authority, and founded in the nature of things, there may indeed be some reason in maintaining, that neither the progress of guilt is to be restrained by any human interposition, nor the alliance between sin and suffering to be dissolved by any human tribunal, whether lay or ecclesiastical. "There be some that put their trust in their goods, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches (thinking to buy a pardon with them, or it may be, a plenary indulgence). But no man may deliver his brother, nor make agreement unto God for him" (Ps. xlix. 6, 7). All the world could not purchase a pardon in the case, or a divorce between sin and suffering. "For it cost more to

redeem their souls: so that he must let that alone for ever" (Ib. 8): man can have nothing to do with it. At the same time it were foolish to suppose, that this order may not be interrupted, and this alliance dissolved by the same authority by which they were instituted and cemented.

If through the prevalence of evil habits on the one hand,

:

and of an evil principle or beginning to which they are due on the other, the elements of the soul have been thrown into disorder; if its dissolution or disorganization has been even completed, there can be no reason against the restoration of this, which will not equally militate against the restoration of the natural body after its dissolution by death and if you suppose the body to have been once created, you cannot deny the possibility of its restoration or second creation by the Author of the first: and the same of the other; if you suppose the soul to have been once created, you cannot deny the possibility of its restoration or second creation after it was "dead in trespasses and sins." There is no way to avoid such a conclusion, but by ascribing the origin of both bodies, v. g. of the spiritual and the natural, to that indescribable chimera, known by the name of Chance. And even admitting the omnipotency of chance, who can say that chance too may not restore what chance has created? or, that chance, having given one existence to the human soul and body, may not give them a second after the first has yielded to another sort of chance. For if the reality of a Creator be denied, that of a destroyer will be denied of course: when the work of destruction as well as of creation must be all a matter of chance, and chance must be every thing; which in fact is nothing but the chimera of fools.

Or if the question should turn, not on the possibility but on the probability of a ruined soul being restored by its heavenly Author; whoever shall take upon himself to declare against a probability of this sort can only allege for his justification an extraordinary insight into the mind of his Creator: and then he becomes obnoxious to the reproof of Eliphaz, "Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills? Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself? What knowest thou that we know not? What understandest thou which is not in us?" (Job xv. 7, &c.)

Without pretending to a share in the particular secrets of the Almighty, one might confidently refer to his intimations and promises respecting it, as authority on this head; and not only for the probability, but for the absolute certainty of his both absolving the guilty, and likewise abolishing the effect of sin, so as to restore in those for whom it is predetermined the ruined elements of the soul; as that intimation by David, " Behold I was shapen in wickedness, and in sin hath my mother conceived me. But lo, thou requirest truth in the inward parts, and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly. Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow" (Ps. li. 5, &c.); and that by Isaiah, "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah i. 18); and by St. Paul," though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day" (Cor. II. iv. 16.) "Therefore, if any man be in Christ he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (Ib. v. 17). And

-2, With regard to the effect or continuance of an evil action on its direct and immediate object, the sufferer who in the nature of causes is liable to be most permanently affected thereby; if it were not possible to undo what is done maliciously against the innocent, and defeat the ends of successful villainy even when it triumphs in the present ruin of its object; such an impossibility would appear to the best of our judgment a defect in the machinery of the kingdom; as it did to David, when he saw the ungodly in such prosperity (Ps. lxxiii. 3): though no man of a modest and sober mind, whatever appearance things might have, would presume to decide on the inscrutable measures of divine Providence, or to arraign the conduct of that Holy One, "Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number" (Job ix. 10).

It is not necessary, to the credit of Omnipotence, that all its proceedings should be level to a common apprehension however sincere; much less, that they should be so to the faithless and ill disposed. "WISDOM IS JUSTIFIED OF HER CHILDREN" (Matt. xi. 19): and that may be enough; no matter for others-Her children have the privilege to consider the present life only as an incipient state, of which the fulness or maturity is to be found in another: consequently, that no evils incurred in this life can be conclusive for the next with regard either to continuance, diminution, or increase. "The end is not yet" (Ib. xxiv. 6). It may be SAID generally at the closing of the present scene upon such men, "The righteous is delivered out of trouble; and the wicked cometh in his stead" (Prov. xi. 8): it is to be BELIEVED with regard to the future, that the wicked in delivering his rival out of this troublesome life has done the very contrary of what he intended, by hastening him on to a better.

Thus it appears, how an evil action may be also undone with regard to its effect on the party most immediately aggrieved by it: and in every respect the part of undoing may be admitted so far as it concerns the effect of a deed, which is the most weighty particular; though with regard to its matter or substance, that part, as we have seen, cannot be admitted. And, considering the prevalence of evil all over the world, it is hoped that this prospect of undoing what has been done amiss in the weightiest respect, however faint such prospect may ap pear, will prove acceptable to those who can feel an interest in the truth. In cases of middling atrocity the offender may also be admitted to share as an instrument in the honour of undoing his own misdeed by means to be mentioned: though in extreme cases like that of Cain, which has just been considered, he can have no share in undoing by any means whatever; as far as it regards himself the case is without remedy; he has done what he cannot undo, and ABRIDGED HIS OWN PREROGATIVE in the

highest respect that of showing mercy. God himself is the only undoer to be looked to in such a case; as He is also the only undoer to be absolutely dreaded: "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; (says our Saviour) but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matt. x. 28).

Naturally all our doing is of the nature of death, God's only, of life: the good of undoing, therefore, will relate to man's doing, the evil to God's; and the evil of doing, to man's undoing, the worst of all to God's. Good reason have we to pray, that he would not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Give us new life, O heavenly Father, and let thy will be our doing, or our doing thine !-Of those who aspire to a place in his kingdom of Christ an otherguise life will be required, to what is generally led by some who seem to think themselves already at the top of it, because they happen to have a few unmeaning titles, or a little unmerited reverence in the kingdoms of the earth. "For I say unto you, (said he in his sermon to the disciples and others,) That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. v. 20); and again, "That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God" (Luke xvi. 15). We must have not only fewer exceptions in our conduct, but also purer motives-a very great revolution will be required among the objects of our regard, and the degrees in which they are preferred" many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first" (Matt. xix. 30); and in general a new will altogether with new sentiments and other appendages-or shortly, a new heart, as it is called in Scripture-before we can have any chance of the kingdom of God in Christ; meaning such a kingdom as that which he has taught us to contemplate in futurity.

This is a very great help to the kingdom, and as much a gift of God by the Holy Ghost, as faith, light, love,