and bless them, as a peculiar people, on the ground of their obedience: Exo. xix. 5, 6. And that their enjoying the divine favor, and inheriting life, depended on their obedience. Deut. xxx. chap. He further informed them that if, after they had sinned, they repented, returned to the LORD, and became obedient to his voice, he would have compassion on them, and restore them to to the enjoyment of his favor, For (saith he) the LORD thy God is a merciful God. chap. iv. 29, 30, 31. He also taught that God would not accept those who continued disobedient; but inflict on them his terrible judgments. chap. xxviii. The Mosaic writings also show that Enoch was translated on account of the superior ex · cellence of his moral character; Gen. v. 24 for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God: Heb. xi. 5. that Noah found peculiar favor with the LORD, and escaped the destruction which came upon the world of the ungodly, because he was a just man; for God testified, Thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation: Gen. vi. 8, 9. & vii. 1. that Abram became righteous by believing what God revealed, and by doing what he commanded, that on this ground he inherited the blessing chap. xxii. 18.

- David describes God as forgiving sins on the ground of his mercy, asserts that he will give to his creatures that which their moral state renders most fit for them to receive, and that the LORD recompensed him according to his righteousness, and according to the cleanness of his hands: he supposed

nothing but penitence necessary on the part of a sinner in order to his being pardoned, and that moral' excellence was the only condition on which the divine favor could be enjoyed. Psal. xxxii. 1. & ciii. 3—8. 2 Sam. xxii. 25, 26, 27. Psalms xv. & xxiv. & cxii. & li. 16. 17.

Solomon, at the dedication of the temple, in the prayer which he uttered in the hearing of the whole congregation of Israel, 2 Chron. vi. chap. though a considerable part of it relates to God's forgiving the sins of the people, mentions no condition of pardon but penitence and prayer. He speaks of God's acting towards men according to their moral state, even in the article of forgiveness: v. 30. of his rendering to every man according to all his ways. The only condition he mentions Pro. i. 23. of sinners being made wise and happy is their turning at God's reproof. He declares that the good man shall be satisfied from himself. chap. xiv. 14. The only condition of obtaining mercy he represents to be confession of sin and amendment. chap. xxviii. 13. In stating the whole of what relates to man, both his duty and happiness, he only mentions the fearing of God and the keeping of his commandments. Ecclesiastes xii. 13.

The Prophet Isaiah clearly states the availableness of repentance, for the acceptance of sinners with God, without any other consideration but the divine mercy. On condition of their amending their ways and doings, he assured the people that, though their sins were as scarlet, they should be white as snow,

though they were red like crimson, they should be as wool: chap. i. 18. i. e. that the foulest stains should be washed out on the condition of genuine repentance. He represents God's showing mercy, and pardoning sin, simply on the ground of the sinner's forsaking his evil ways and returning to him: chap. lv. 7. and his looking to, and dwelling with the humble and contrite, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones, chap. lvii. 15. & lxvi. 2. He describes God as saying that he will defer his anger, and spare sinners, not from any consideration distinct from himself, but purely for his own name sake, from a regard to the glory which results to him from the exercise of his mercy. chap. xlviii. 9-11, When describing those who shall be secured from the awful judgments of heaven, he represents their safety as the consequence⚫ of the goodness of their moral state. He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly, he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, and shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil: he shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: chap. xxxiii. 15, 16. Throughout his prophecies he represents God as acting towards nations and individuals according to their moral state. It was the want of virtuous principles and righteous conduct among the people that he so warmly reproved, not their neglect of sacrifices. This Prophet having so clearly expressed himself on the foregoing points, a few detached passages in his

writings ought not to be construed in favor of opposite sentiments.

1

The Prophet Jeremiah was much employed in calling the Jews to repentance. A prominent feature in his writings is, that without repentance nothing can save a sinful people from destruction; and that, on the ground of his mercy, God will pardon and accept those who are penitent. Only acknow-' ledge thine iniquity- -Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal yonr backslidings- -O Jérusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved- If ye thoroughly amend your ways, and your doings; if ye thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; if ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever. chap. iii. 13,-22. & iv. 14. & vii. 5, 6, 7. Such was the language of this Prophet, when speaking in the name of Jehovah, to a sinful people. He also plainly teaches that God will rescind his threatenings, whenever those against whom they are denounced turn from the evil of their ways. chap. xviii. 7, 8.

The Prophet Ezekiel plainly teaches the efficacy of repentance, that it is the only consideration. God requires in order to his admitting the sinner to mercy. If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely lice, he shall not

die: all his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righte ousness that he hath done he shall live. When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.

the wicked, thou shalt surely die:

When I

When I say unto

if he turn from his

sin, and do that which is lawful and right; if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live. chap. xviii. 21, 22-27. & xxxiii. 14, 15, 16. From these passages it is evident the Prophet had no idea of any consideration being required, in order to a sinner's attaining life, but repentance and obedience. It should be noticed that, though the LORD had threatened the sinner with certain death, he positively declares, that upon his repentance he would rescind the threatening: and that all his sins should be cancelled upon his return to the paths of virtue.

Daniel, when confessing the sins of his people, and imploring forgiveness of the LORD, mentions no consideration but what ariseth from the character of God: on that ground simply he intreated pardon and acceptance, saying, O LORD, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments

OLORD, righteousness belongeth unto thee-To the