goodness in preserving him from evil, and in the enjoyment of

his love.

The second reason which I would offer for the above assertion is; God through grace has promised to reward all the acts of obedience done to the gospel of Christ, at the great day of account. Which rewards will be eternal.

So saith the apostle, "our light afflictions which are but for a moment, work out for us a far more, exceeding, and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which ar● seen," &c

Again, saith the apostle, "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that which he hath done; whether it be good or whether it be evil."

Therefore, we think we may safely conclude, that we are not indebted to sin, for our happiness, love to God, or eternal salvation.

Totally the reverse; and every one ought to consider our highest happiness consists in our union with God, and our obedience to his divine precepts, which he by grace, enables us to perform and which he has condescended to promise, and to reward us with the highest state of felicity in glory.

Therefore, under this consideration of the subject of repentance, we may urge with rationality the importance of repentance; and more especially, when we consider that sin is the procuring cause as all evil which is in this life, and that which is to come, and is in its nature opposed, to all that is intrinsically good.

Having made a few brief remarks on the doctrine of repentance, we shall turn our attention to the declaration of the apostle, made use of in the text, viz. “And be converted, that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come, from the presence of the Lord."

Here it seems the apostle places conversion, before the remission of sins. And it is seldom, if ever this term is used in scripture in the sense which it is used in the church at the present day. That is, to signify a person regenerated, or born of God, but it seems the apostle Peter, makes use of the term convert, in the same sense which our Lord used it, in speaking to Peter, that is, "when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." And in the same sense, which the apostle James uses the term, in his epistle, the 5th chapter, and 19th and 20th verses, "Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and on convert him, let him know, that he which converteth the sin ner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, an shall hide a multitude of sins."

Consequently, we may suppose that some errors with the

practices connected with them, become a fatal bar to the forgiveness of sin. And therefore must be removed, in order to receive pardon. Therefore we shall inquire after those errors and practices, which seem to be the most fatal hindrances to our receiving remission of sin. First, one of the most general causes appears to be unbelief, and especially unbelief under the glorious light of the gospel; for God has made such rich discoveries of his power, wisdom and grace, by the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ; and especially when it is accompanied with the energies of the Holy Ghost to the consciences of men, that this sin is as much spoken against, as any in the whole volume of God's Word This sin of unbelief, is gene. rally accompanied with hardness of heart, and almost every abomination is the natural fruit of this soul damning sin, unbelief. But may we not inquire whether there were not some sins committed by those characters whom Peter was addressing which was at least some of the causes of their darkness and unbelief? We shall answer the question, in the affirmative, we hink there really was; for Peter, although he acknowledges their ignorance in crucifying the Lord of glory, yet the apostle does not fully excuse them; for if the apostle had fully excused them, there would seem to be no propriety in the apostle's exhorting them to repent and be converted, for there can be no ground for repentance, where there can be no knowledge of wrong done.

And when we take into consideration the situation of the Jews, we shall not be at a loss to know wherein their guilt consisted, that is in their former obstinacy, for our Lord informs us, that if he had not come among them and done the works that no other had done, they had not had sin, but now, they have no cloak for their sin. This must at least intimate to us, that this sin was their capital or damning sin. That is, in rejecting the light manifested to them-consequently sunk them into a state of darkness, and hardness of heart.

We shall now for a moment consider the two expressions connected together, viz. Repentance and conversion. From the error of our ways, as we have explained the expressions, great caution should be used by us. not to make a self-righteousness of repentance, and turning from the error of our ways, for these cannot be esteemed so excellent in the sight of God as innocency If repentance and conversion were as eminen qualifications to prepare us for heaven as innocency itself, we should stand in no need of the righteousness of Christ, and his atoning blood, to prepare us for that state of felicity and glory But we must be esteemed guilty in the sight of God, noteithstanding our deepest penitency of soul, and our most so

emn determination to renounce all our former practices, and to turn to God with a full purpose of heart. I say all this cannot purchase pardon for past offences, nor purge the conscience from guilt, nor prepare the fallen soul for the solemn and rayishing delight of heaven. And when we have said all this, we must leave this subject almost untouched, as to the evil nature and most dangerous consequences of sin.

Therefore we ought to feel the most deep humiliation of heart, for past offences, in that it has brought such a blot upon our consciences, that nothing but the mere blood of Christ, can erase it from the soul, and purge the conscience from dead works, to serve the living God. And when we consider our nonconformity to the just and gracious requirements of thegospel in times past, under all the peculiar privileges and advantages which we have enjoyed, which are no less than the purchase of the blood of Christ, and when we consider our noncompliance and nonperformance, of all those evangelical precepts for which nothing can make amends but the righteousness of him who died for us and arose again. Under all these considerations, we ought to consider that no cross is too great for us to bear, nor no labour too hard for us to endure, which grace will enable us to perform; when we consider ourselves so much involved by sin, and so much indebted to grace, for those inestimable privileges which we have been made the partakers of.

Notwithstanding all your tears of contrition, and your briny tears of sorrow, and your pungent sensations of guilt, joied with your best endeavours for a reformation of life, and your most solemn surrender to God, in the deepest state of humiliation, can never, never purchase pardon for a guilty soul.

Yet, sinner, you need not despair one moment; although your case may seem to be desperate, yet you may join in part with the disembodied saints of glory, in "Crying glory to him that sitteth on the throne and the Lamb, for ever and ever; for thou hast redeemed us with thine blood." And this bleol is infinitely precious and ready to be applied by the power of the Holy Ghost, to the blotting out of your sins; and the washing and purging your consciences from all pollution, although they be of a scarlet colour, and of a crimson dye, they shall be made white as the snow, and the wool.

Therefore, "Repent and be converted, that your sins ma be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come, fro the presence of the Lord, and he shall send Jesus Christ wh was before preached unto you;" for he is faithful and jus forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousne for whom the Son shall make free shall be free indeed.

this life we may be made free from the guilt of sins that are past, which lay as a mountain upon the conscience. And if thoroughly purged by the all-efficient blood of Christ, may be sanctified and purified from in-dwelling pollution so that we can bear witness, experimentally, with the great apostles Paul and John, "that there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus; who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit -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 we may add, by blotting out our sins, and purging our consciences, he hath condemned sin in the flesh, both in its practice and nature one; we could witness by our present experience that the carnal mind was at enmity with God; it was not subject to his law, neither in deed could be, whilst we yielded ourselves as servants to sin; but having our sins blotted out by the all atoning blood and merit of Jesus Christ the spirit witnesses with our spirit, that we are the children of God, and if children, then heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled. And have our fruits unto holiness, and the end thereof everlasting life; for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." And again, "the sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law but thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. If any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creature-old things are passed away; and behold all things are become new.' A new bend of the will, the understanding enlightened, and the exertions changed, new hopes, new joys, new fears, new desires, new treasures, new views, new objects, and new companions. Therefore it may be said with the greatest, propriety, as to the new born soul, all things are apparently new; he loves God with a flame inexpressible and full of glory, and in many things, which he once hated, he now loves, and takes the greatest delight.

We shall now proceed to make more particular remarks on the "divine refreshings,' referred to by the apostle. First, I think the times of refreshing which the apostle had particular reference to, may be divided into three particular periods or seasons. The first period frequently spoken of by the prophets, unquestionably had reference to the time in which Peter delivered this great discourse, or in other words, in the first ages of christianity. And the second, the last ages of christianity; when Satan shall be bound a thousand years. And the third, at the restitution of all things. These three periods of divine refreshings, have been spoken of by the mouth of all the holy prophets, since the world began; but perhaps, it would

be impossible for any divine, at the present day. to divide and explain those prophecies, so as to decide in all cases which of those times they referred to, but some of those prophecies are clear and distinct.

These three times of refreshings, are so peculiar, and shine so illustrious under the reign of the Messiah; after all power in heaven and on earth, is given unto him,to rule and reign in his mediatorial capacity, that all of the prophets have spoken of them. Either collectively, or individually, for the strengthening and confirmation of our faith, and hope, in God our Saviour. Consequently, we shall turn our attention to a few leading passages of scripture, which Peter seems to allude to in his discourse. The first passage we shall take notice of, is quoted by Peter, on the day of pentacost, from Joel the prophet, and recorded in the 2d chapter of the acts of the apostles.

"But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

"For these are not drunken as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

"But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel.

"And it shall come to pass in the last day, (aith God) I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old wen shall dream dreams :

"And on my servants and on my hand maidens, I will pour out in those days of my spirit, and they shalì prophecy.

"And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in earth beneath; blood and fire, and vapour of smoke.

"The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come."

That this prophecy in part has reference to the first days of refreshing, is evident, for the apostle quotes it in defence of the church in its infantile state which was abundantly blessed with the fullness of the divine spirit at the opening of the christian dispensation, which unquestionably was intended by the wise Ruler of the Universe, to raise a proper criterion of the christian faith, and to exhibit to the world a proper specimen of the wonderful displays of divine wisdom, power, and grace, under the fullness of the gospel of Christ.

The next passage we shall take notice of, is recorded in the 40th chapter of the prophesy of Isaiah.

"Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.

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Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that the warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned;