man thus profoundly asleep is a striking representation of the unconvinced, thoughtless sinner. "His accepted time, his day of salvation" passes insensibly away. Slumbering in the cradle of security, or dandled on the lap of sensual ease and enjoyment, he permits all the opportunities which are afforded for securing his salvation to pass unimproved. He scarcely thinks upon the days, and months, and years of his life which are already spent, or looks forward to death, and judgment, events which are certainly and rapidly approaching. Intoxicated with his present enjoyments, or future prospects he occasionally addresses himself in the flattering language of the rich man related in the parable, "soul, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry, thou hast much goods laid up for many years." He thus insensibly advances from childhood to youth, from youth to manhood, and from manhood to old age: When he has arrived at the period of forty he imagines himself as young, and is no less devoted to the pursuits, or pleasure of the present life, and regardless of his future destination, than at twenty: When he has attained to the age of fifty, or sixty, or seventy, he still amuses himself with the hope of multiplied years, and postpones the great work of salvation. He fondly flatters himself that "to morrow shall be as this day," and the next year as the present year, "or much more abundant."

3. The person asleep is unmoved by any YOL 4.

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dangers which surround and threaten to injure him. The thief may enter his house, the murderer may approach, thirsting for his blood, the fiammes may be kindling over his head, or the lightnings blazing fearfully around; but he is neither alarmed nor disturbed.-An awful image of the sinner who is stupidly inattentive to every warning given, or obstinately refuses to return and live. He disregards alike the terrors of di vine wrath, and the entreaties of mercy.Grace may invite, and expostulate in language the most soothing and insinuating; justice may denounce her curses in a manher the most awful and alarming, without any lasting effect. If, like the Roman governor, be trembles for a moment; if conscience, by her powerful voice, should succeed to startle bin from his delusive repose, he endeavors to dismiss these unwelcome fears by postponing the work of repentance until a more convenient time, and afterwards becomes more secure, more hardened in transgression than ever.

4. Natural sleep, however profound or quietly enjoyed, must ere long he disturbed. It is no matter how securely the person rests; it is no matter how agreeably his inagination entertains him with ten thousand pleasing dreams, the light of the morning at last approaches, and irresistably breaks the enchantment: Neither shall the security of the sinner last for ever, but dismay, and confusion and destruction must be his latter

end. "He that being often reproved Lardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. For when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail up.on a woman with child, and they shall not escape. These things," saith God, at length provoked by their contempt of all his warnings and entreaties, "these things hast thou done, and I kept silence: thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself, but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes." Men may slumber securely in their sins; they may neglect the various means which are appointed for their instruction and salvation; they may remain deaf to the voice of conscience, to the admonitions of the word and Spirit of the living God, and still amuse themselves with the prospect of happiness at last; but ainidst all this delusion "their judgment lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not." Each year, each month, each day, each hour hurries them on towards their dreadful retribution. They may shut their eyes against the light of the gospel, and close their ears against the calls of the ministry, but the light of the judgment day must be admitted, and "the trump of the archangel" must be heard and obeyed. Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished." How did the soul of the compassionate Saviour melt while he contemplated the guilt, and foresaw the doom of the unbelieving,

incorrigible Jews? "He beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, if thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things that belong to thy peace, but now they are hid from thine eyes. As it was in the days of Noah, they did eat and drink, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was in the days of Lot, they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all :" Such is the infatuation, and such, without preventing mercy, must be the doom of thousands under the dispensation of the gospel: They go to "their farms, or merchandise," or amusements; they yield to one temptation after another, and never embrace the overtures of divine love, until death overtakes them, until their judgment be executed, and their damnation unalterably fixed.

We proceed,

II. To shew the guilt and danger of indulging this security. "How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?"

1. To indulge this security is inexcusable in the extreme, because we thus disobey the command of God, and rob him of that service and glory which he requires. Our own ease and enjoyment were not the principal

end for which we were created. The Lord God formed us, and prescrves us for mSELF; "that we should be unto him for a name, and a praise, and a glory." Therefore to live in sloth and indifference; to waste our precious moments in serving and gratifying ourselves, is a species of robbery upon God our Creator, and defeats his puipose in giving us existence. Should not this consideration rouse us from our slumbers? Might it not constråin us to return without delay to that beneficent and gloiious Being, from whom we have shamefully departed? "A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master; if I be a father, where is mine honor? if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts." Open thine eyes, beloved reader, and survey the other parts of the divine" dominion." Behold the angels" who excel in strength," how cheerfully they perform the pleasure of their Creator! They readily go abroad at his command to execute his purposes, either of love to his children, or wrath upon his enemies. See even the inanimate parts of his creation; how uniformly they perform his will? Do not the rain and the snow descend, and visit and refresh the earth at his command! Do not the waters of the deep ebb and flow at his command? Does not the sun at his command hasten from the east, and "run his race" to enlighten and cheer the nations of the earth? And shall man, the most favored inhabitant of this lower world; man, whom