g to
take possession of the vineyard of murdered Naboth, "humbled himself
and walked softly:" God signified his approbation of his legal
repentance and partial amendment, in preference to his former course;
though he afterwards cut him off in his sins.

These are unequivocal evidences that partial obedience, though
dictated by the servile principle of fear, is preferable, in divine
estimation, to allowed disobedience. God makes a difference in his
treatment of people here, on this account: suspends his judgments, and
mitigates somewhat of their severity, where he sees this kind of
relenting in sinners. If God doth this here, is there not reason to
believe that he will do it hereafter: The rules of divine
administration are doubtless uniform in time and eternity. Where he
gives a comparative preference here, he will do the same hereafter.
So we observe our Savior noting things commendable in some who did
not belong to his kingdom. When the young ruler who came to inquire
what he should do to inherit eternal life, declared that he had kept
the commandments from his youth up, he was viewed with comparative
approbation.--"Then Jesus beholding him, loved him." It is not
conceivable that his partial conformity to the divine law had not made
him to differ from those who had allowedly disregarded it--that his
character was as bad as theirs--though he soon made it evident that
the one thing needful was not found upon him. *

* Mark x. 17, &c.

Some suppose that the unrenewed can do nothing but sin against God
_with all their might_--that every purpose of their hearts is
_necessarily_ enmity against him, and all their volitions and actions
determined opposition to his law and government: But we conceive that
neither Scripture, nor experience justify the supposition--that were
such their state, they would be in no degree, the subjects of moral
government, and would not be addressed of God as moral agents.

Were mankind wholly given up of God, and his Spirit withdrawn from
them, such might become their state; but this is not the case. The
Holy Spirit strives with them. They are empowered to resist the
Spirit, or cherish its influences. This is manifest from the divine
exhortations addressed to them, and from their conduct. Sometimes they
pause in the way to destruction--listen to counsels and warnings--do
things which God requires, and deny themselves gratifications which
are in their power, because God hath forbidden and thre