ground of their condemnation,-but only the occasion of their remaining condemned on another ground.

2. It may express the sentiment, that unbelief itself is a sin, by which guilt is contracted, and condemnation incurred;—that "he that believeth not is condemned," not merely in consequence of his unbelief, but expressly on account of it.—That this latter is the principal meaning of the words, (although not of course to the exclusion of the other, which is inseparably connected with it) is evident from the terms of the 19th verse,—which is explanatory of the statement in the 18th, and a vindication of it from every imputation of severity or injustice:— "And THIS is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men have loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”—In these words there is no room for diversity of explanation. Unbelief, or the rejection of the gospel, is most unequivocally and strongly affirmed to have its origin in the love of evil in the human heart,

in one or other of its many varieties. The whole verse may be considered as a commentary on the apostolic phrase,-" an evil heart of unbelief.""

The "deeds being evil" is a phrase, which must not be restricted, in its application, to the openly wicked, to the notoriously and actively profligate. These are the characters, of whom people in general, when they hear such expressions, are apt to think. But the word "deeds” must here be understood inclusively of evil desires and affections, as well as of what are more properly denominated works of every principle, in short, from which disrelish of divine truth may be conceived to arise. In confirmation of this, it may be observed, that Paul enumerates amongst "the works of the flesh," not only wicked actions, but such evil tempers as 66 hatred," "wrath," and " envy."*-It is obvious, indeed, that, as outward actions are only indications of inward principles, it is

* Gal, v. 19-21.

not to the actions, but to the principles, that we must trace the dislike of whatever interferes with their indulgence. It is the principles that constitute the character; the actions are only the manifestation of it to others.

The clear affirmation of the text, then, is, that all unbelief of the gospel has a moral cause, and that that cause is evil. The language is so unequivocal and decisive, that I might safely rest the scriptural authority of the sentiment on this passage alone. It may not be amiss, however, to adduce a few additional proofs, from the Bible, of unbelief being held and treated by its Divine Author as a sin,—as involving guilt, and incurring condemnation.

In the first place, I may refer, in evidence, to the calls and invitations, with which the scriptures abound, to receive the gospel as the testimony of God, and to accept its offered blessings.-Such calls and invitations, of which it is needless to quote examples, must come with authority. They must carry

with them an obligation to compliance. Coming from the God of heaven, they cannot be supposed to leave the sinner, who has heard and has refused them, in the very same state in which he previously had been, -with no additional charge in the account he has to render. It is altogether inconceivable, that God himself should invite to the acceptance of favours, which his creatures, to whom the offer is made, are at liberty innocently to decline.

But secondly: The Bible does not confine itself to calls and invitations:-the acceptance of the gospel testimony is matter of explicit command:" This is his commandment, that we believe on the name of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."*-Although, then, in one view, every call and invitation of God must contain in it the essence and force of a command; yet here is something still more express. The gospel is a divine institute, as much as any legal order or pre

* 1 John iii. 23.

scription. It declares the divine will as to the way in which men are to be saved; and it has all the force of law. It is called, in contradistinction from the "law of works," the "law of faith." The former is that original constitution of things, according to which man, as a creature, held life on the ground of his own obedience, or works:the latter is that new constitution, to which the violation of the former has given rise, and according to which man, as a sinner, is accepted through faith in the merits of another. Both are alike divine, and have the sanction of the same authority. The latter is as really the law of God in regard to sinful man, as the former was his law in regard to man in innocence: and the refusal of the testimony and offers of the gospel is as direct a trespass against the new constitution, as the eating of the forbidden fruit was a transgression of the old.—On what principle a command to believe proceeds, will afterwards be considered: the present point is, to show that there is such a command.