have with gladness observed; hoping they have been, and may be, an inducement to many to consider religion in a manner different from what they did before; and that not only for the sake of the person who did recommend them, but also for the matter recommended-the Life of God in the Soul; lost by the first Adam, restored by the second Adam, in whom the fulness of it dwells.

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BISHOP BURNET, in his preface to "The Life of God in the Soul of Man," by Henry Scougal, after speaking in general terms of the benefits of true religion, and the enslaving and corrupt effects of vanity and sin, says:-" My design in this "preface being only to introduce the following Discourse, "which was written by a pious and learned countryman of mine, for the private use of a noble friend of his, without "the least design of making it more public. Others seeing "it were much taken both with the excellent purposes it con"tained, and the great clearness and pleasantness of the style, "the natural method and shortness of it, and desired it might "be made a more public good; and knowing some interest "I had with the author, it was referred to me, whether it "should lie in a private closet, or be let go abroad. I was "not long in suspense, having read it over; and the rather, "knowing so well as I do, that the author has written out "nothing here, but what he himself did well feel and know; "and, therefore, it being a transcript of those divine impres"sions that are upon his own heart, I hope the native and "unforced genuineness of it, will both more delight and edify "the reader. I know these things have been often discoursed "with great advantages both of reason, wit, and eloquence; "but the more witnesses that concur in sealing these divine

"truths with their testimonies, the more evidence is thereby "given."-Extract from Gilbert Burnet's Preface,

At this I am willing to hope the authors mainly drive, and not barely at certain religious habits of mind, wherein various restraints may be upon the vile affections of men, that too oft enslave the soul, and tyrannize over the understanding and its other noble faculties; yet these restraints I would by no means discourage or be accounted to disesteem.

In the observations I shall make upon the aforesaid tracts, or any other that may be mentioned, I do not design to question the good intent of either author, but to show, were this the inquiry of well-intended Christians, rather than the clamorous noise of parties one against another, about opinion, ceremony, and external rites, it would sooner reconcile our differences, and restore the charity too often wanting among the pretenders to religion.

"Religion," says the said author, "is an union of the soul with God, a real participation of the divine nature, the very image of God upon the soul; or, in the Apostle's phrase, it is Christ formed within us."

If, then, religion, I mean that which is the life of it, is that which thus unites the soul to God, it must be some divine operative power, a living vital principle, sufficient not only to begin, but also to carry on and perfect a work so great, so glorious, and accompanied with so many advantages as shall both produce glory to God, and joy unutterable to the souls of men.

And, by the way, to obviate objections, and prevent being misunderstood, I would next a little mention what I intend, by this sufficient power that must complete so great a work;

and I would be always understood to mean the same divine principle, when at any time in this Discourse I may treat of it, under any of those Scripture names by which it was known to the holy men of old, in either dispensation, when hinted at in parables, or laid down in terms more plain; which terms or expressions noting to us this lively efficacious power, are not a few. It is called the Word, Wisdom, Truth, Leaven, the Seed, the Spirit, the Comforter, the Light, the Grace, the Life; and with this last I first begin.

"I am come," said Christ, "that they may have life." What life was this but a divine life, which they had before and since the fall?-but in the fall their understandings were darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their hearts."

Christ enlightens them that had sat in darkness, opens that eye which the God of this world had blinded, brings men again to the knowledge of, and subjection unto, the life of God, from which they had been alienated in the wicked works.

And as thus the Apostle treats of unregenerate men, so to those that were in some degree turned to Christ, he writes, "If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." Here is a being quickened, and that by the Spirit.

And the Spirit is life and giveth life; this, then, is the life men have by Christ, who are born of his Spirit; and concerning this life, and a being united thereunto I conceive the aforesaid author treats.

But then it fairly follows to enquire how is this work begun by Christ; as with respect to our regeneration, how carried on, and how completed?

First, let us a little view ourselves as fallen by transgression; many are brutish as the beasts that perish. We have, indeed, more rational faculties than they, but which of our faculties are not (in one degree or other) depraved, and subjected in some to more brutal lusts than they; so that a great disrelish of goodness, a strong aversion to piety and virtue has too generally prevailed on men, and ungodliness of various sorts. Men are not only lapsed into, but love, delight in, and are unwilling to forego.

That this depraved estate should render men unmeet for paradise and heaven, need not be wondered at, whilst their joys consist in vice, which is excluded there; and that they thus should justly dwell in woe, who for the vain and sinful pleasures here on earth, do slight and disesteem the joys that are eternal. And yet, alas! too generally is this the sad estate of man, and so must always have remained, had not our merciful and most gracious God found out a way for man to be regained from this depravity.

And here begins our benefit by Christ, for whose sake, through the forbearance of God, we are not suddenly cut off in our transgression. But the Lord sometimes waits long on men and nations, ere he ceases striving with them by his Spirit, so as to give them up to a reprobate sense, or to destroy them in their rebellion.

And during this day of God's forbearance, many are his visits to the souls of men, to deter the wicked from their ways, by his Light giving to man some sight of his depravity and loss; many times by his reproofs bringing anxiety and trouble of soul, causing many in their serious thoughts to say, "Lord be merciful to me a sinner." Yet, alas! too

few do heed this inward work; and such is the corrupt state of many, they rather choose by some diversion to avoid that inward sense of misery they might improve to their amendment, did they turn to him that smites, and hearken to his voice by whom the Father now speaketh in the secret of the souls of men, commanding all men everywhere to repent. Not only to be sorrowful for their sins, but also to forsake the iniquities sorrowed for.

In whomsoever this work is thus begun, I hope none will deny Christ to be the workman; and he that thus by his Light or Holy Spirit does begin the work, let none say he is unable or unwilling to carry it on, and to complete it, as an humble subjection is yielded to his power and will manifest in man, where this work was wanting.

And those in whom this work comes to be completed, that is to say, such who not only repent of their transgsession, but become converted from evil courses, to newness of life and fruits of holiness, who can doubt of these enjoying the benefit of the coming, sufferings, and death and life of Christ? Or in the Apostle's sense, remission of sins in the name of the Lord Jesus.

And who can doubt of those, but that as they continue under the guidance of this divine power or life, they will be more and more partakers of the divine nature, be united unto God, and bear the heavenly image, as they have borne the image of the earthly?

This is the being broke off from the wild olive tree, and the grafting into Him who is the true Vine, and becoming branches in him, not to bring forth leaves only,-a shew of religion, a bare profession of holiness, neglecting Christ the