revealed religion as it is the first effect created in us, through the administration of the word. We hear and faith is the first consequence, the most immediate, natural and unchangeable result. The Scriptures say (Rom. 10-17), "faith cometh by hearing," and our experience confirms this. The principles of the Gospel are always the same, for the same purpose, and invariably taught in the same order. Repentance of all sin is the second principle of the unchangeable {137} plan through which salvation is promised. Peter, the Apostle, tells the gathered multitude on the day of Pentecost, who already believed that Jesus was the Christ, and who then asked what they should do, that they should _repent_, and be baptized every one of them. (Acts 2-38). Repentance, according to the Scriptures, follows faith. But is it necessarily so? It is, for we cannot repent before we believe; we cannot repent of sin against God, until we believe that there is a God. We cannot repent of a wrong done by us, against our fellow-man until we believe we have wronged him. The propriety of the advice of the Apostle is very apparent. His hearers, under the influence of the power which rested upon the Apostles, believed that he whom they had crucified was the Christ. Repentance of the part they took in that great wickedness was to be expected. Baptism, being promised after repentance, and the history stating that many were baptized, we must conclude that repentance was a result of the preaching, and that effect agrees with the organization of our natures. Baptism is the third principle of the Gospel of Christ, and follows repentance; Peter places it there when he says, "Repent and be baptized," and John preached the "Baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." (Mark 1-4). A little reflection will show how consistent the Scriptural citations are. Baptism is an ordinance of the Gospel, administered for a special purpose--as well as being simply a commandment, namely: for the "remission of sins." It is not reasonable to suppose that any person could receive the remission or forgiveness of sins without repentance, or that any one would desire baptism that his sins might be washed away (Acts 22-10) without having already repented. Baptism necessarily follows repentance, as through its administration the sins repented of are remitted: thus our necessities, and the Scriptures are in unison. This order must be right, as each principle follow as an effect of the one preceding it.