lected that which you owe to God-" art thou not a transgressor of the law?" and do not the Scriptures expressly declare, " Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the law to do them ?"-Oh! remember that God says, that, not only those whom we may call "wicked," (as having committed gross outward sins) but, "all the people that forget" him, "shall be turned into hell."—"Recollect too, my friend, (as I lately read in an excellent little work) that you are God's servant. "Now, if you had a servant who paid no attention to you, but just employed his time according to his own pleasure, should you think it excuse enough for him to say when called to account-I do my duty by my fellow-servants, they have no fault to find with me; I am honest, and true, kind and obliging in my dealings with them? You surely would not. Then do not deceive yourself with supposing, that such a plea will avail before God

see why Belshazzar was found wanting, when weighed in the balances! "The God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified." Dan. v. 23. Oh! then cease, I entreat you, from building your hope for eternity on such a sandy foundation. May God shew you your error, and drive you from "your refuge of lies," ere it be too late. Give up your vain endeavours to justify yourself in the sight of a holy and heart-searching God, rather humbly acknowledge your past transgressions, your utter forgetfulness of him, and that you deserve nothing at his hands but punishment. Then, in the deepest humility and most earnest repentance, implore his mercy, for the sake of him, "who came into the world to save sinners"-and who "is able to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by him.” seech him to wash away your sins in his blood;plead his merits and righteousness as your only ground of hope; and pray for that "new heart and right spirit," without which you can never be "meet to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light."

Be

S. L. A.

On the Nature of Repentance.

TON THE NATURE OF REPENTANCE.

MR. EDITOR,

11

555

As I know you are always ready to answer the queries of your correspondents, I take the liberty of troubling you upon a question, which has often been much upon my mind, viz. the best manner of speaking to the poor, the ignorant, and the thoughtless, of those things "belonging to their peace."-Situated in a parish where the poor around me are indeed very illiterate, I feel it a duty to endeavour, by God's grace, to benefit them. I desire to keep closely to the Bible; but it is only by comparing one part of Scripture with another, that we can "rightly divide the word of truth;" and I have many doubts and fears whether I do this-and especially, whether I give them a true Scriptural representation of repentance. I always begin by endeavouring to shew my poor neighbours, that they are all under the curse of God's holy law, which threatens eternal punishment to all who break it, which they must confess they have often done, and that in innumerable instances. I then say, "How do you hope to be saved ?" They almost invariably answer, "That they must repent, and pray God to forgive them;" and this without seeming to have the least idea of the necessity, or the work of a Saviour. For when I have said, "You can do nothing to save yourself; without the grace of God, you cannot repent and that will not atone for your past transgressions. True it is, that the Bible declares, 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 ;' but then, for whose sake alone will God forgive you, if you repent?" They seem quite at a loss very frequently. I believe they grievously mistake the true nature of repentance. A drunkard may become sober from worldly considerations. A man, as he advances in years, may forsake many of the sins of his, youth, because he finds no further inclination to commit them-the qualms of

conscience, or the fear of suffering, may lead to an outward reformation-and in all these cases-in the judg ment of others, and of his own self-deceiving heart, a man may be deemed a penitent, whilst there is in all this no "godly sorrow" for sin. I would not "be wise above that is written," by making light of any motive which the Bible holds out as an encouragement to holiness→→→ and certainly it often addresses itself to our fears, and warns us, to "flee from the wrath to come:"-but still, though "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," I cannot but think, that religion which is prompted only, or chiefly, by the fear of hell, will not, unless it be afterwards sustained by far higher motives, be found abiding and permanent in its effects upon the character, nor, by its influence upon the heart, make us gradually" meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints." My view of the subject is, that although there may be a mere legal repentance before saving faith, a dread of sin, because of its awful consequences to ourselves-genuine sorrow for it is the fruit of faith in a crucified Saviour:-looking to him whom we have "pierced," then only shall we mourn for sin-or really hate and abhor it. If this be, as I trust it is, a correct view, I yet find it very difficult to simplify the matter to the poor. If I saw a person evidently in earnest about the salvation of his soul, really weighed down under a sense of sin and deserved condemnation, I should not for a moment hesitate to declare in all its fulness and freeness, the blessed truth, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved;"-because, such a mind would be prepared for the reception of the Gospel and this truth, received into the heart by God's grace, would certainly produce love, repentance, and holy obedience. But when, alas! as is too often the case, men seem quite indifferent, or comfort themselves with the idea that the saying a few prayers, or merely leaving off the outward commission of some sins is all that is required of them, I dread, lest I should lead them to rest in a mere notional belief,-that

On the Nature of Repentance.

557

dead "faith" which they may have in common with the very devils themselves; I therefore say, it is true that God will forgive you for Christ's sake, if you repent and believe in him; but remember, this faith is the gift of God; and you must ask him for it. It is not merely saying, "I believe," that will save you; but I F tell them that they must examine themselves whether they have this faith, by the effects it produces on their hearts and lives; that if they in their hearts believe that the Son of God really died to save them from hell, it must make them love him; that, if they love any person on earth, they naturally endeavour to please him; so if they love their Saviour, they will shew it by "keeping his commandments." I tell them also that a living faith will make them very sorry for sin, not merely because it deserves punishment, but chiefly on account of its being committed against their heavenly Father; and being so hateful in his holy sight, that nothing but the dreadful agony and sufferings of his own beloved Son, could have procured their pardon. I tell them the word repentance means a great deal more than they are apt to think; that it implies that change of heart "by the Spirit of God," without which our Lord himself declares, "ye cannot enter into the kingdom of God." I wish by God's grace to steer my course betwixt two opposite errors; that, on one hand of leading men to trust in an Antinomian profession of the Gospel; and, on the other, of clogging the sinner's path to the Saviour, who invites all to come and buy freely, "without money and without price;" and thus dishonouring the glory of his finished work, by leading men in any degree to trust in their own doings. I do not suppose that this letter is calculated for insertion in the Cottage Visitor; but it would be a great comfort to me, if it produces some remarks bearing on the subject from your able pen, and which I am sure would prove of real service to many who read your useful little work. If I am in error, I shall be very thankful to have it pointed out to me; and it would be no small

relief to my mind, to know whether you think my way of proceeding Scriptural; for I dread exceedingly giving false or partial views of those fundamental truths on which our salvation depends;-and far better were it wholly to abstain from teaching others, than to be the instrument of leading them into error. Trusting you will excuse the liberty I have taken, I remain, Sir, with great respect." N. H.Dad

We feel unable to put this subject in a better light than our Correspondent has done, and therefore we print the letter.-ED.

L

ON THE FORMATION OF ORCHARDS.

By the Author of the Domestic Gardener's Manual.

The writer refers to "a paper from No. 19, of the British Farmer's Magazine, on Orcharding, as a means of increasing the produce of small farms, by Mr. Reid,' with approbation, and proceeds to give directions for the choice of trees, &c. for a piece of land, about a quarter of an acre; (referring for useful ideas to the article in the 1st No. of the Horticultural Register, abridged in the Cottager's Monthly Visitor for October, 1831. p. 461.”)qi "THE sorts of apples-Keswick codling and hawthorndean, as profuse and early bearers, an equal number of each. Ribston pippin, as particularly estimable for its flavour and texture till Christmas; and also for the high price it usually commands. The winter pearmain, for durability, and excellence of flavour in the spring. The Norfolk beaufin, as one of the best kitchen and preserve apples; and the French crab, for its extraordinary durability, and, therefore, one of the most useful of apples for culinary purposes.' 77696

The piece of land was a grass paddock, of an irregular, and somewhat triangular figure, and required to