It is further to be observed of the law, that all its promises are conditional. Its language is always like this; "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land." But if all the promises of the gospel be conditional, what can it do more than the law? We hear it sometimes asserted by professed preachers of the gospel, that there is not an unconditional promise im the whole Bible. We will, therefore, notice this point the more particularly. St. Paul in Gal. iii. 16, 17, 18, speaking of the promise to Abraham, which in the 8th verse he calls the gospel preached unto Abraham, observes, "Now 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. And this I say, that the Covenant which was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise." The apostle's argument here is, if the inheritance be of the law, which must be conditional, for the law can propose on no other terms, it could not be of promise. It follows then that if it be of promise, it is not conditional; for if it be conditional, it is on no surer ground than an inheritance by the law. The same apostle in the 6th chapter to the Hebrews, argues the unconditionality

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of the promise in the following language? "For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, saying, Surely, blessing, I will bless thee; and multiplying, I will multiply thee. And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly, to shew unto the heirs of promise the immuta bility of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us; which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the vail. The unconditionality of gospel promises are evident from the idea of their being fulfilled by grace and not of works. "By grace," says the apostle, "are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." "And if by grace, then is it no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more of grace; otherwise work is no more work." "Who hath saved us and called us with an holy

calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." All these passages tend to prove the unconditionality of gospel promises. The salvation and calling being according to the purpose and grace of God, excludes all conditionality of any works whatever, performed by man. When Christ speaks of his sheep, instead of saying, I offer unto them eternal life,' he says, "I give unto them eternal life." A gift always presupposes something more than an offer. It presupposes the recipient of the offer to be the actual receiver of the thing offered. He must be the actual receiver when it is called a gift, or it must be made sure to be a gift. An aforementioned text speaks of a salvation, given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, which was long before the actual reception of the gift, that yet through him was sure to be bestowed. In the same manner was it said of Abraham, "I have made thee a father of many nations, before him whom he believed, even God who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were."

The new covenant that God will make with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, differs from the old, in that it proposes no conditions which the people could violate, but stands alone upon the word of Jehovah: "I will put my law in their minds and write it in their hearts." It was also

gaid of Christ without the mention of any condition, “He shall save his people from their sins."

salvation.

But when I would reason against the idea of any conditions in the gospel, which christian people so generally believe, it is not to be understood but what the gospel embraces the use of means. Whenever a work is designed to be accomplished, or a gift bestowed, the design must necessarily embrace means adequate to the accomplishment of such designs, or in the design, there would be discoverable a want of proper wisdom. The doctrine of faith and repentance is clearly embraced in the gospel as the proper means of But where in the scripture is faith or repentance ever called a condition by which eternal life is offered? I know of no such scripture, and yet our brethren of different denominations insist upon it, in almost every discourse. But they will say, salvation must be on condition, because without condition it cannot come. But this is not a fair conclusion. It is true salvation comes not without them, but this proves not that. they are conditions. Should a man of wealth design to erect a building for his habitation, being sensible he possessed means adequate to such design, would his workman think of inferring, because there must be materials and labor, that the erecting of the building is on these conditions? Perhaps their wages may be on the condition of their labor, but the

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condition would then have nothing to do with the building. If the first laborers employed did not fulfil their duty, by the command of their master, they would have reason to expect they must givé place to those that would. He that possessed wealth and wisdom would not abandon his design until he had accomplished it. It is not at all probable, that Solomon proposed to his workmen, saying, on condition you will perform the several labors I allot to you, I will build a Temple. Yet the Temple could not be built without adequate means, though there should be no conditions concerning it. So in the salvation of sinners, we find embraced, without conditions, a godly sorrow for sin, faith, repentance, and regeneration or the new birth. These are the proper means that lead to that end.

One scriptural idea, that merits consideration at this time, is how the law, that requires nothing but good, may be said to work wrath. "Now the law worketh wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression." The law is likewise called a ministration of death and condemnation. But it should be observed; when the law worketh wrath, death, and condemnation, it is through disobedience. To the obedient the law worketh life. "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. The transgression of the law proves wrath to the sinner; it condemns him by pronouncing him disobedient,