unto men.

But the blasphemy against the

Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of Man it shall be forgiven him but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world nor in the world to come." And this he said in replying to the Jews, who had accused him of performing his miracles by a concert and confederacy with the devil. From all this how careful should we be not to reproach the Lord, or magnify ourselves against him; not to object against the gospel of Christ, and endeavour to hinder it; not to detract from those glorious operations of power and grace which the Holy Ghost works in the souls of men; lest we incur the guilt of blasphemy, and become exposed to the terrible judgment here denounced.

Finally let us beware lest we cause others to blaspheme. We may lead them to curse by irritating their passions, or provoking their rage, and we may cause them to speak evil of the Lord and his ways by the commission of

any such sin as shall bring discredit upon religion. See a melancholy instance of this in the history of David, and the heavy charge brought against him on this very account, "Because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme." Hear the strong reproof of the Apostle Paul to the Jews who lived not according to the principles and precepts of their law, "The name of God," he says, "is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you." And alas, it is charged upon many Christians, to their great reproach and shame, that they have lived in foreign lands among heathens, Mahometans, and other rejecters of our holy faith, in a manner so negligent of religion, and so dissolute in morals, as to cause them to be more full of contempt of Christianity and of hatred to it, than they would otherwise have been. The same effects may be produced by those who live at home; and it is to be feared that many a one has been encouraged in sin, hardened in heart, and driven to greater enormities in profane swearing and cursing, and every breach of

God's holy laws, and many a one also turned out of the way, and stopped in their course, when beginning to walk in the ways. of Christ, by the irreligious and immoral lives of persons professing and calling themselves Christians, or by the scoffing and contemptuous manner in which they have spoken of religion. How great is the guilt of such, who not only individually sin against God, and ruin their own souls, but also cause that his name is dishonoured and blasphemed, his laws broken, his authority disregarded, his gospel despised around them, and the souls of others brought into imminent peril or deadly loss by their evil communications.

And let it be remembered that the influence of a holy life and conversation is equally great in its tendency to promote the increase of true piety and holiness in others, and thus God is glorified, as by a contrary conduct he is blasphemed. To this our Lord exhorts, "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." For this the Apostle entreats, "Dearly beloved, I beseech

you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation." What a holy ambition of character would this be, that God may be glorified by others through its influence upon them! What a sacred desire to be seen of men! The Lord grant that this desire may be strong in our hearts, and that this holy and happy influence may be gained by us.

SERMON XIV.

THE JUBILEE YEAR.

LEVIT. XXV. 10.

Ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man to his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.

THE whole state of the Jewish nation, civil, political, and religious, was of a very peculiar nature. The Lord God was their governor and king, till in the pride of their hearts they would not be content with his sovereignty, but desired to have a king to rule over them as the other nations had. Yet he himself appointed their laws and ordinances and ceremonies. And while they were taught by this to consider themselves as under his