2. A willingness to embrace the offers of salvation —
[This necessarily follows from the former. A man, who feels himself perishing, cannot despise an offer of deliverance. One who had not committed homicide, might view a city of refuge with indifference ; but one who saw the pursuer of blood close upon him, would flee to it with all his might ]
3. A readiness to receive and improve the aids of God's Spirit —
[No one can view the " exceeding breadth of these com- mandments," without feeling the impossibility of keeping them by any strength of his own. While he thinks the law extends no farther than to the outward act, he supposes himself capable of performing all that is required: but when he sees that it reaches to the heart, he is easily persuaded, that he needs the agency of God's Spirit to qualify him for a due discharge of his duty. He therefore will be glad to hear that God has " promised the Holy Spirit to them that ask him." He will think it no indignity to stand indebted to a Divine agency: on the contrary, while his approbation of the commandments inclines him to obey them, he will thankfully accept the proffered influences of the Spirit, and rejoice in the prospect of being "able to do all things through Christ who strengthened him."]
These things necessarily resulting from a just know- ledge of the law, and being the characteristic marks of those who embrace the truth, they must needs be also good preparatives for the reception of the Gospel.
[Such was our Lord's judgment in reference to the Scribe, when he had heard his approbation of the moral law. And to every one who manifests such a disposition, we may say with our Lord, " Thou art not far from the kingdom of God."]
We shall now conclude with a word,
1. Of caution —
[Surely they who indulge prejudices against the truth, and cavil at the Gospel instead of" embracing it, should well con- sider how awful their condition is: for if one who, like this Scribe, yields to conviction, and acknowledges that conviction before his ungodly companions, and exposes himself thereby to shame and reproach for conscience' sake, may yet be only near to the kingdom of God, and not a partaker of it, what must be the state of cavillers, and of those who reject the truth ?
They also who approve of the truth in their hearts, and shew a decided regard for those who preach or profess it, should take care not to rest in such a state. For to what purpose is it to