his fear in your hearts, from abusing his grace in licentiousness. "I will make an everlasting cove nant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me." Jeremiah xxxii. 40. Oh! precious promise! I cannot but think St. Peter had such promises particularly in his eye when he wrote the words of the text. May every believing soul, in humble faith, drop all prejudice, and admit all the everlasting consolation, which should result from such a promise!

I add two more precious promises, delivered by our Lord, in the days of his flesh. "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." John iv. 13, 14. The use of such a promise is this: Do you find yourself weary, longing for happiness; wandering from object to object, yet restless? If you will drink of the water of life which Christ bestows freely on all thirsty souls, you shall find what will quench your thirst, and satisfy you. You shall live freely to God in holy, pleasant obedience, and enjoy him everlastingly. Again, “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever be lieveth on me should not abide in darkness." John xii. 46. Are you dark in your soul; uncertain what to seek after, what to do, what to avoid? Stick fast by Jesus, make him your confidence. This darkness shall not remain; you shall have satisfying light.

Having given, perhaps, a sufficient specimen of the manner of handling the "exceeding great and precious promises" of Scripture, by faith in Jesus, and set forth the pleasant and blessed effect of them

in producing a healthy, victorious, divine nature, by which we escape the corruption that is in the world through lust; I would apply also to unbelievers, to careless people, the directions of the text. May God lead them also to Christ, that they may be real christians, and partake of the blessings of redemption. But how shall I speak to them? How shall they be made to feel their state, to own themselves unbelievers, and careless people? Ezekiel was bid to prophesy unto dry bones; and while I speak a few words unto them, the Lord can send them with power to their hearts; infix the arrows of deep conviction, and make them earnestly inquire "What must we do to be saved ?"

Will you take notice of the text? There are "precious promises" given in Christ Jesus, "by which you may be made partakers of the divine nature, and escape the corruption that is in the world through lust." Will you see, that this corruption reigns over you; that you are slaves of sin? Some of you can scarcely speak a word without cursing and swearing. Others of you place all your delight in drunkenness and lewdness. Some of you, perhaps, come to church once or twice at this season*, who have lived, in general, all the year round without any attendance on public worship at all. You have not a spark of love to Christ, have no idea of thanking God, from the heart, for sending such a Saviour into the world. You care not for God; you pray not to him; you taunt those who do, and call them by reproachful names. Some of you may be rather in genteel and decent circumstances: God has given you success in this world, and the more *Christmas.

you have prospered, the prouder have you grown. You have set your heart more and more on the world, become fond of its pomps and vanities, and are still greedy of gain, and as eager to get more money, as if you had reason to fear you should starve for want of bread. You have not, in life and conversation, shown gratitude and thankfulness to God; but have lived in your sins, notwithstanding all that he has done for you.

Others of you, O wicked, unconverted men! are poor, and perhaps have suffered many afflictions in your time; but they have not yet brought you to a stedfast, serious thought for your soul. You have not been thankful to God for the narrow escapes which he has favoured you with. It may be you have several times been in great danger of perishing by sea then, in extremity, you prayed for mercy, and formed resolutions, in your mind, how good you would be, if you were spared. For if you thought seriously, you could not but think you were very unfit to die. Yet after you were delivered, you thought no more of it. You drank, you swore, and were as profane as ever.

Let me speak also to you who labour at the public works about this town, if there be any such here. Are not too many of you living carelessly, and defying the Almighty with the most shocking oaths and curses? Providence has brought you to this place, some of you, perhaps, from far. What a blessing if the word of life reach your hearts as well as your ears! I would leave out no rank or quality of unconverted people, but would willingly engage the attention of all. Some of you, though young in

years, may be grown old in wickedness. You may think, perhaps, that your wickedness will be excused, because you were never properly instructed by your parents. Perhaps you have not so much as learnt to read the Bible. If this be the case, you are objects of pity. But might you not find ways and means of learning to read still? This is not difficult for the young, careless sinners to whom I am speaking. Think not, however, that your want of conversion to God can be excused by these things: you hear, and you ought to hear the sound of the gospel ; and if you would receive it, it will save you; if not your blood will be upon your own heads.

Now to all such, rich and poor, labourers and mariners, young and old, learned and unlearned, who remain unconverted, I say, there are precious promises made by God, in the name of the Saviour Jesus, who came to save sinners, as at this season, whereby you may be converted and live. But take. care of thinking that you may be saved by God's mercy as you are. Indeed this false hope is the greatest enemy you have. Men must be partakers of a divine nature, and escape the corruption that is in the world through lust, if ever they get to heaven. While you continue such as you are, it is not possible for you to arrive there, nor, were this possible, could you be happy there. In heaven the employment of praising and enjoying God would be as disgusting to you, as the work of religion is now. Oh! then reflect, that you need new hearts; and unless you are determined to stand out against all the Scriptures of God, set it down as a certain truth, that "except ye be born again, ye shall not see the kingdom of God:

except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." If the corruption that is in the world through lust still prevail in you, and you die unforgiven and unrenewed, you will be "turned into hell, with all the people that forget God." And ye swearers, drunkards, whoremongers, sabbath-breakers, scoffers at religion, have ye yet thought what hell is? Where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth; where devils will be your companions and tormentors; where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched; where you may beg in vain for a drop of water to cool your tongue! So often as you have called on God to damn your soul, have you yet thought what a horrible thing it is to be damned? How immense is his patience! You are still spared: and why will you die? For vengeance will overtake you at last, if you How many repent not. of you may be in another world, affecting thought! reserved in chains of darkness to the judgment of the great day, before the end of another year! Will you not now begin to seek the Lord, and, at the beginning of a new year, inquire how you may become new men?

སྐ

Let me again remind you of this, that without conversion you cannot get to heaven. Deceive not yourselves. If there be a word of truth in all Scripture, you will be miserable, and must be miserable to all eternity. It is not possible for you to be otherwise, except you be partakers of a divine nature, and escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. Jesus Christ took on him human nature, as at this time, and, if ever we enjoy him, we must have his divine nature, with a set of desires, inclinations,