whole armour of God; let us fight the good fight of faith, that we may lay hold on eternal life which God of his infinite mercy grant, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Saviour!

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SERMON XVII.

INTERNAL EVIDENCE CONTINUED. DOCTRINE OF

CONVERSION.

"Repent ye, therefore, and be converted, that your sins máy be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord."-Acts iii. 19.

IN considering the peculiar doctrines of Christianity, our attention was last directed to that of divine influence. This will naturally lead us to another most important truth of our religion, namely, the doctrine of conversion, or that change of principle and of conduct; that turning from darkness to light, from sin to holiness, from forgetfulness and disobedience to God, to delight in his service, and obedience to his commands, without which, the scripture declares, we cannot enter into the kingdom of God. The term convert, when literally translated, signifies to turn to; and the meaning of conversion accords strictly with the original sig

nification of the term, being a change from one state to another; that is, from a wicked to a holy life. Thus we find the prophets exhorting the Jews" to turn from their evil ways; from the evil of their doings; to rend their hearts and not their garments, and to turn unto the Lord their God." The language of our Lord likewise was, "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath passed from death unto life." The apostles speak of this change as equally momentous. Their divine Master had taught them to preach to the Gentiles, that they might "turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God; that they might receive the forgiveness of their sins." Accordingly they acted under the persuasion, that "if any one erred from the truth, and one converted him, that he who converted the sinner from the error of his ways, saved a soul from death ;" and this conversion they considered as

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a deliverance from the power of darkness, and a translation into the kingdom of God." The

means of conversion are various; the author of it is God." Turn thou me," saith the prophet, "and I shall be turned." "Create in me a clean heart," saith David, "and renew a right spirit within me." The language of our own church on this subject is peculiarly strong.

To new create a sinner," saith our Church, "from a wicked person to a righteous man, is a greater act, than to make such a new heaven and new earth as are already made. We must needs agree, that whatsoever good thing is in us of grace, of nature, or of fortune, is of God only, as the only author and worker." Again, in the homily on Whitsunday, our church declares, It is the Holy Ghost, that quickens the minds of men; exciting in their hearts that which is agreeable to the will and commandments of God: this being the office and power of the Holy Ghost, to convert or regenerate men, and, as it were, to bring them forth anew, so that they shall be nothing like the men they were before." One of the means of conversion, is the word of God. "The law of the Lord," saith the psalmist, "is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is

"In Christ

sure, making wise the simple." Another means is the preaching of the Gospel. Jesus," saith the apostle,

"I have begotten

To these

To these may be

you through the gospel." added prayer, receiving the sacrament, and the various dispensations of God in his providence. The first step towards conversion is repentance, convincing us of sin; the next is faith, leading us to the Saviour, through whom we obtain the assistance of the Spirit to enable us to perfect holiness in the fear of God.

Having given this short sketch of the doctrine, it will be well to answer a few questions which may arise from it.

And first, is conversion absolutely necessary? If this question is to be decided by the uniform tenor of Scripture, surely it must, even from the passages already quoted, be answered in the affirmative. Notwithstanding it is not uncommon to find persons who suppose, that however necessary conversion may be, among heathen nations, it cannot be necessary in Christian country. Such a notion, however, must certainly proceed either from a very in