more to the credit of Christians, wherever it is professed, than the appearance of these virtues. "Love is every where a cover to a multitude of faults," and more effectually than perhaps any thing besides," puts to silence the ignorance of foolish men."-1 Pet. ii. 15. As it cannot fail of making favorable impressions of a religion which enjoins, that next to loving God with all our heart, we should love our neighbor as ourselves; " being kindly affectionate to one another, preferring one another in love." Happy, therefore, the people that are in such a case!-happy the church and nation, whose benevolence is a prevailing law. It shall flourish like a tree, whose root is watered by the streams beneath, and whose leaves are moistened by the dews of heaven. I shall conclude this subject with two short remarks 1. We see the excellency of the Christian religion, and its favorable influence on the happiness of mankind. It is the only religion in the world that we know of, that makes it one of the first and most necessary duties of men, that they should care for the interests of one another. Many indeed, who never knew this divine system of doctrine, have said much on the obligation, beauty, and advantages of benevolence and disinterestedness; but it is the Christian religion alone that has publickly enjoined it as a duty to all men, however different from us in opinions, and external situation. And though it has unhappily been the case, that many who have professed Christianity, have been so little influenced by this Heavenly principle, as not only to neglect the good of others, but to act directly against it, with a malicious and diabolical pleasure; though it evinces their profession to be nothing but a name, it is no disparagement to the religion they profess. This leads me to observe, 2. That a profession of Christianity, without a benevolent and generous regard to the good of others, is utterly a vain and hypocritical profession" Ye are my friends," said Christ, the teacher and example of benevolence, "if ye do," &c. John xv. 14. "And this is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you." John xv. 12. SERMON III. JOHN V. 40. “And ye will not come to me, that ye might IT was the descriptive prophecy of the Saviour of the world; "he is rejected and despised of men." When he appeared, in the fulness of time, bringing life and immortality to light, it was said of him, "he came to his own, and his own received him not." Nor was this unthankful treatment of their greatest benefactor, peculiarly exemplified in his reception among the Jews: The whole human race have "set themselves against the Lord and his anointed, refuse his kindest overtures of grace, and will not come unto him that they may have life." In the preceding verses our Lord had esta blished his divine authority and convinced the Jews of their unreasonable conduct, in refusing his person and doctrine. The text may be considered as a strong reproof of their absurdity and inconsistency. I In treating the subject, I propose with a view to its universal application, I. To give some account of that life which is to be had from Christ. II. To point out some instances by which men evidence their unwillingness to come to Christ for life. III. To show some of the reasons why men will not come to Christ for life. I. To give some account, &c. 1. The text evidently implies that previous to their coming to Christ, men are without life, or there could be no meaning in the reproach uttered against them. In order therefore, to set the passage in a just and important light, it will be necessary to consider, in what sense mankind are naturally without life-1st, All men as sinners have forfeited their original right to life, under the government of God, by an express law of which it is determined and settled, that the "soul that sinneth shall die;" let the criminal be allowed by an act of mercy, to live ever so long after the perpetration of his guilt; yet in reference to the penalty of the law he has broken, he may be properly said to be dead, in the same sense as he who has bro ken a capital law of the civil government under which he lives, is said to be a dead man, though the penalty be for some time suspended. In this state the sinner is not condemned to utter extinction or loss of being; but which is, in many respects, a much greater punishment, the loss of God's favor and protection, of peace of mind, society and communion with the holy family of heaven, and all the original privileges and benefits of God's rational creatures. Thus a criminal in civil society may, by the pleasure and mercy of the judicature to which he is amenable, be permitted to live, to enjoy the light of the sun, the free air, a necessary subsistence, to walk about in his prison yard, and enjoy the conversation of his friends; while, at the same time, he is incapacitated to bear any of the offices, or enjoy any of the higher advantages and benefits of a citizen; and is liable, whenever the judge so determines, to suffer the full infliction of the penalty incurred. 2d. In addition to this misery, men are by nature, in consequence of sin, incapable of those higher employments and satisfactions which constitute the truest and noblest life of rational beings. The soul hath lost its native taste for communion with God, and all the sublime offices and plea-. sures of devotion; and in the room of this, hath contracted an immoderate fondness for the grosser objects of animal desire. The contemplation of God, admiration of his character, and delight in his service, are strangers to the natural mind; indeed it is so far from delighting in the law of God, that it is not subject thereto; nor can be, |