cher. He taught that to do the will of God, and seek to be like him, is the only way to gain admittance into his kingdom, that the condition of forgiveness is our forgiving others, and that the man who heareth his sayings and doeth them builds on a good foundation, that our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees or we shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. (See Mat. 5, 6 & 7 chap.) When he upbraided the cities in which most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not, he spoke of their impénitence as the sole cause of their destruction, chap. xi. 20-24. He taught that men will be accepted or rejected according to the use they make of the talents intrusted to their care; that when brought to judgment, they will be received to glory, or doomed to punishment, according to their works. chap. 25. Throughout his ministry he taught men to expect salvation, and every blessing, on the ground of the love, mercy and favor of God, solely on the terms of repentance and obedience to the gospel. He accepted those as his nearest relatives who did the will of his heavenly Father. Mark iii. 35. When a young man enquired of him what he must do to inherit eternal life, he directed him to keep the commandments of God. chap. x. 19. He informed the lawyer who tempted him that if he kept the commandments he should live. Luke x. 25-28. He represented God as accepting penitent sinners, on the ground of his free mercy, just as a compassionate father would his

offending child when he saw him turn from his folly. Luke 15 chap. He said to his disciples if ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them: John xiii. 17, which implies that happiness can be attained only by obedience. He taught them that they should continue accepted if they continued in his word, and that if they did not they should be rejected. chap.

xv. 1-8.

· Peter called upon the crucifiers of Jesus to repent and be converted, that their sins might be blotted out. Acts iii. 19. He said to Simon the sorcerer, Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray to God, if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee. chap. viii. 22. He testified to Cornelius and his friends, of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. chap. x. 34, 35. This shows that God will always accept the obedient. In his second Epistle (chap. i. 5-11.) he shows that it is by their obedi ent conduct christians are to make their calling and election sure, and obtain an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Je sus Christ.

James declares that pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and keep himself unspot" ted from the world. James i. 27. He asserts that a man is justified by works and not by faith only, and

that faith is dead and useless if it be alone, chap.. ii. 14-26.

John teaches that God forgives sins on the ground of penitential confession. 1 John i. 9. He cautions christians against being deceived by the supposition that they might be made righteous without personal obedience, and assures them that he who doeth righteousness, and he only, is righteous. chap. iii. 7. He asserts that he who doeth good is of God, and that he who doeth evil hath not seen God. 3 John 11.

Paul declares that the tenor of his preaching was, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ: (Acts xx. 21.) and faith, or believing, in the New Testament, means a practical credence: hence it is evident he maintained the efficacy of repentance, and that men are accepted as they become obedient. He shows that God is no respecter of persons, that he will render to every man according to his deeds, that if the uncircumcised Gentile, obeyed him, according to the light of nature, he should no more beexcluded from his favor than the circumcised Jew, Rom. 2 chap. He says, we labor that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 2. Cor. v. 9, 10. This is evidently teaching that final acceptance will take place on the ground of obedience. The same sentiment appears, Gal. vi. 7, 8. Be not decciced, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a

man soweth, that shall he also reap: for he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption: but The that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting. As it is in the dispensation which Christ -hath introduced and confirmed by his death, at the head of which God hath placed him, that we are brought nigh and accepted; and as we are brought to repent, believe and obey by the gospel, from which we receive all our knowledge of divine grace and salvation; and further, as it is by our becoming like Christ in our temper and conduct that we are approved of God; we are said to be inade accepted in him. Eph. i. 6.

This mere glance at what Jesus and his Apostles taught, respecting the way of acceptance with God, may be taken as a specimen of what may be found in the New Testament at large. If the whole be carefully examined, it will be found that the divine placability is uniformly maintained, the infinite love of God to his creatures constantly asserted, his rich grace and free mercy exhibited, as the only ground of hope to sinners, and of everlasting consolation to christians. It will be found that the first teachers of the gospel insisted on the necessity of repentance, faith, and obedience, in order to the attainment of salvation and acceptance with God that they maintained the efficacy of repentance in fitting the sinner for the reception of divine mercy, and that all who obey, according to the light and ability given them, are accepted. Such appears to be the substance of what

Moses and the Prophets, Curist and his Apostles taught, respecting the way of acceptance with God. If we do but depart from iniquity, cast ourselves upon the divine mercy, obey to the extent of our knowledge and ability, we need not fear that God will reject us; for HE IS LOVE, and delighteth in mercy. His mercy affords refuge for all the miserable, and all the riches of his favor are provided for those who do his will. Christ, because he obeyed him in all things, was declared his beloved, or approved, son, and those who become the most like him, will be most. approved of God,

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