the greatest disadvantages, should so soon overspread the world, without arts or arms, without any force, or any motive of an external kind? Is it possible, that any kind or degree of enthusiasm could influence, not a few, at one time, or in one place, but multitudes, of all ages, sexes, tempers, and circumstances, to embrace a profession which, in proportion to the strictness wherewith it was followed, was always attended with reproach and suffering? Those places which were most noted for opposition to this way, have been long since buried in the dust: but a succession of those whom the world counted "not worthy to live," and of whom the world was not worthy," Acts xxv., Heb. xi., has always subsisted, and still subsists. Had you lived in those days when Jesus Christ assured a company of poor disregarded fishermen, that neither the power nor the policy. of the world, nor "the gates of hell should ever prevail against them," Matth. xvi., you might have been less inexcusable in refusing to believe him. But now-when you have the accomplishment of this promise before your eyes, and well know (for you are book-read) what various attempts have been made, with what steadiness and formidable appearances they have been for a while carried on, to render these words vain, but how at length all such attempts have totally failed, and ended in the confusion and ruin of those who engaged in them-what tolerable reason can you assign for the part you act? Does the tendency of the Gospel displease you? Is it an enemy to that virtue you are so fond-to talk of? On the contrary, we are ready to put it to the proof, that here are not only the sublimest maxims of true virtue, but that the practice, or even the real love

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of virtue, are quite unattainable upon any other scheme; and that the most specious pretences, independent of this, are no more than great "swelling words of vanity," 2 Pet. ii.-I speak the more freely upon this point, because I speak from experience. I was once as you are. I verily thought that I "ought to do" (or at least that I might do)" many things against Jesus of Nazareth," Acts xxvi. None ever went farther than I, according to the limits of my years and capacity, in opposing the truths of the Gospel. But the mercy of God spared me; and his providence having led me through various changes and circumstances of life, in each of which I had a still deeper conviction of my former errors, has at length given me this opportunity to tell you (O that I could speak it to your hearts!) that at the name of Jesus every knee," sooner or later, "must bow," Phil. ii.; before him every heart must either bend or break that he is full of mercy, love, and pardon, to all that submit themselves to him; but that ere long, he shall be "revealed from heaven in flaming fire, to execute judgment, and to convince ungodly sinners of all the hard speeches they have spoken against him," Jude.—I would, 2dly, address those who, while they profess to believe in the Lord Jesus, do, in their works, manifestly deny him, Tit. i. This is, if possible, a worse case than the other: yet how frequent! You believe that Jesus Christ came into the world, both to be a propitiation for sin, and also to give us an example of a godly life, and yet continue contentedly in the practice of those sins for which he poured forth his soul, in the pursuit of those vices which the Gospel disallows, and in the indulgence of those desires which your own consciences condemn.

Think, I entreat you, of these words in the 50th Psalm: "Unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do, that thou shouldst take my covenant into thy mouth; seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee?" This question is now proposed to our consciences, that we may be aware in time of the danger of insincerity; and not "perish with a lie in our right hands,' Isa. xliv. If we cannot answer it now, what shall we say in that awful hour when God shall speak it in ten thousand thunders, to all who, in this life, presumed to mock him with an empty outside worship, "drawing near him with their lips, when their hearts were far from him?" Isa. xxix. For the day is at hand, "the day of the Lord," when God shall bring "every hidden thing to light;" when every man's work shall be tried and weighed; tried in the fire of His purity, weighed in the balance of His righteousness; and as the issue proves, so must the consequence abide to all eternity: a trial and a scrutiny which no flesh could abide, were it not for the interposing merits of Jesus Christ, our Saviour and our Judge. But he has already told us, that he will then own none but those who were faithfully devoted to his service here. To the urgent cries and strongest pleas of others, he will give no other answer, but "I know you not; I never knew you," Matth. vii.; "depart from me, ye accursed, into everlasting fire," Matth. xxv.— What will it then avail to plead our privileges, when, if this be all, we may read our doom already? "And that servant who knew his master's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes: for unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required; and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. O con

sider this, ye that forget God, lest he tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver." Luke xii.; Psalm 1.

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Finally, Let those who through grace have attained to worship God "in spirit and in truth," be careful to adorn and hold fast their profession. You see your calling, brethren:" let the name of Christian always remind you of your high obligation to, and continual dependence upon, the Author of your faith. faith. Use it as a means to animate and regulate your whole behaviour; and if, upon some occasions, you find undeserved ill offices, or unkind constructions, wonder not at it: thus it must and will be, more or less, to all who would "exercise themselves in keeping a conscience void of offence," Acts xxiv. Yet be careful to model your actions by the rule of God's word. Our Lord says, "Blessed are ye when men revile you, and say all manner of evil against you, falsely, for my sake," Matth. v. Observe, first, the evil spoken of you, must be false and groundless; and, 2dly, the cause must be "for the sake of Christ," and not for any singularities of your own, either in sentiment or practice, which you cannot clearly maintain from Scripture. It is a great blessing when the innocence and simplicity of the dove is happily blended with true wisdom. It is a mercy to be kept from giving unnecessary offence in these times of division and discord. Endeavour that a principle of love to God, and to mankind for his sake, may have place in all your actions; this will be a secret, seasonable, and infallible guide, in a thousand incidents, where particular rules cannot reach. "Be sober, be vigilant;""continue instant in prayer;" and in a little while all your conflicts shall terminate in conquest, faith shall give place to sight, and hope to possession. Yet a little

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while, and "Christ, who is our life, shall appear, Col. iii., to vindicate his truth, to put a final end to all evil and offence; and then we also, even all who have loved him, and waited for him, "shall appear with him in glory." Isa. xxv.

SERMON IV.

ON ALL THINGS BEING GIVEN US WITH CHRIST.

ROM. viii. 32.

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

VARIOUS have been the disputes and various the mistakes of men, concerning the things of God. Too often, amidst the heat of fierce contending parties, truth is injured by both sides, befriended by neither. Religion, the pretended cause of our many controversies, is sometimes wholly unconcerned in them: I mean, that "pure religion and undefiled,” that "wisdom which, coming from above," abounds with proof of its Divine original, being "pure, peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good works, without partiality, and without hypocrisy," James iii. Religion is a serious and a personal concern. It arises from a right knowledge of God and ourselves; a sense of the great things he has done for fallen man; a persuasion, or at least a wellgrounded hope, of our own interest in his favour; and a principle of unbounded love to him who thus first loved us. It consists in an entire surrender of ourselves, and our all, to God; in setting him