Repentance And Life.

We can no more separate repentance, faith, and life in their beginning in the soul than we can make a division in time between a footfall and the track that is left. The track was made by the footfall; so repentance is a sign of faith and life, and an immediate accompaniment of these:for "the entrance of Thy Word [which is faith] giveth light," and the light must show me what I am-a sinner, which is repentance. And by the same Word I am born again,-that is, have life. How long it may be ere the soul is clear in its apprehensions is another thing. Quickened is made alive-born again, and there can not be life from God, divine life in the soul, without activity of the new life toward God. There could not be, therefore, life without repentance (however much the repentance may be deepened afterward,) any more than repentance without life. There may be conviction and exercises, and the will yet unbroken, but that is not conversion; it is not life, not repentance, not faith,-like the prodigal pinched by famine, but not yet broken-not yet come to himself. When he is, he says, " I perish:" that is repentance; and " How many hired servants of my father's have .bread enough and to spare!" that is faith. And he turns to go to his father's house; he is converted. That is,'conversion, life, repentance, and faith are different features (though this is an inadequate term) of what begins in the soul by the entrance of the Word. The soul is quickened by the Word, which is light; and could; not enter without producing repentance.