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full of pardon to the penitent and humble believer. He came to seek and to save that which was lost; yet search the Holy Scriptures and you will find no Saviour to the impenitent and wilful transgressor. At the same time "if they turn and repent of their evil ways" they can be saved. And let it be remembered that a Saviour is above, and will be merciful unto us, and deliver us from the bondage of sin, as much as he did the prophet from a watery grave; but a day is coming, we know not how soon, when He will judge us in righteousness, which at that day will end in the heaviest sentence upon those who have persisted in doing evil, who have despised the mercies of God-the message of his Son, and have only thereby treasured up for themselves wrath against the day of wrath. Who have indeed observed "lying vanities" and so forsook " their own mercy." Our blessed Lord hath told us "to whom much is given of them will much be required." From the heathens much, from the Jews more, but from us Christians most of all; for we have had bestowed upon us the clearest knowledge of the will of God, with a power aided by God's blessing of treading in that path, which leads to life eternal.

2nd.-Jonah's joyful determination to serve the Lord. The prophet had made a vow when in the Whale, and now that he is released from his uncomfortable situation he will pay that he vowed. He will sacrifice with the voice of thanksgiving for “ Salvation is of the Lord." Jonah is conscientious: he was ready to perform all that he stated he would when in his deepest distress. "When thou

vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in them that observe "lying vanities:" pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay." There is nothing more difficult than to convince men of their frailty, for I know "that the way of man is not in himself, it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." To convince men who are indulging in fleshly lusts which war against the soul, who are pure in their own eyes, and yet not washed from their filthiness, that a day will come when they will

be afar off from God. "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." When the vanities which had been to them on earth a constant scene of transitory happiness, the very means of quenching God's mercy, and stirring up his everlasting indignation. Salvation by works only will not avail, and surely not salvation without works: we must feel like Jonah, and look up to the giver of all good, and exclaim "Salvation is of the Lord." But here I would offer one caution to all, not to depend solely upon the mercy of God; for at that rate they might pursue wickedness because of expected pardon through Jesus Christ; neither to flatter and deceive themselves with the notion, that because God has offered a full and plenteous redemption by the coming and death of Christ that sin may reign in their mortal bodies. No, my brethren, we have received much, and by it our responsibility is the more increased. The sacrifice of Christ will only benefit the humble and penitent believer-not the transgressor and the habitual wilful sinner, who reckons that Salvation will be given to him by Christ, as much as to the real practical Christian which is a very erroneous mpression; for let it be remembered that Jonah was not saved until he had brought forth fruit-his work was prayer, and aidea by God's Spirit, he was preserved. What does St. Paul say? "Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father." What can be plainer than this? Here faith and works are joined together, proceeding from "labour of love." Many in the present times endeavour vainly to separate them. I admit (and I wish this principle to be clearly understood) that "Salvation is of the Lord" but does not extend to the Sinner who does despite to the Spirit of Grace. Such a one must not err day by day-week after week-year after year, with the prospect of Mercy being held out to him; for such is a very great mistake. "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. The power "to will and to do" must come from above, as also every

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other perfect gift. But many who may possess such by God's grace quench it by perpetual sin, dreaming that all will be right at the last day "If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live." Therefore if we are desirous for acceptance-if we are real professors of Christ, and possess a true love for him, we shall show it by our deeds; "A tree is known by its fruits," and most assuredly we shall reap like Jonah, a plenteous remission of our sins. What then can we expect, after having been enlightened and prepared, after the great atonement and intercession made for us by the Son of God upon the cross, we "suffer sin to reign in our mortal bodies," if we yield our members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin? why God's holy Spirit which we have grieved will forsake us, when we feel its value the most. And when thou O Lord withdrawest thy Holy Spirit from us, where shall we obtain refuge in the day of thy coming? To view less then the attractions of this present evil world and its many lying vanities" is the only means of enjoying real happiness in the present life, and the forerunner of greater in the next. And what so likely to wean us from vanities and to stimulate us in walking worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called, and to place our reliance on the mercy of God through Jesus Christ; than by being shown that they are actually vanity, and can produce only vexation of spirit? When we see our relatives and friends taken to a more enduring scene, how desirous we must be to follow them? When we behold our riches making themselves wings and flying away as eagles; are we not more zealous for laying up those treasures in heaven, "where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal." When we find our plans perhaps long-cherished and devised in the most careful manner, apparently certain, and yet fail of success, should we not be more eager in committing our ways to the Lord, to whom all things are possible? Once prove to a man as was the case with Jonah that the ship in which he is embarked is not sea-worthy, he will immediately hasten into port-in like manner when the effects of this world's pleasures are fully known and felt, men will then hasten to seek that "house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." Let us like Jonah," sacrifice unto God with the voice of thanksgiving, and pay that which we have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord."

3rd.-Jonah's happy deliverance by God through prayer. And the Lord spake unto the fish, aud it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land. Sufficient has been advanced to render his deliverance an encouragement to christians at the present time, that however greatly trouble may assail them, the Lord will deliver those, who put like Jonah, their trust in him. We observe the sincerity of Jonah's Prayer in the deliverance vouchsafed to him ; which proves that were the Almighty does not perceive such sincerity, no salvation will follow, "I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also." Prayer must come from the heart or it will avail nothing. Are we then on the side of the world, or of God, still lingering in the waters of destruction, or on the shores of God's everlasting protection? Are we squandering away our time, which is unutterably important while it lasts, and when once departed, is altogether irrevocable ? Oh, my brethren, be extravagant if you choose in parting with your worldly possessions; but I bid you earnestly to be parsimonious of your days; husband your precious hours. They are fleeting, and fly immediately to God, who records them for a future account. They will be a sure pledge of everlasting glory, if improved; unprofitably spent or wasted, a sad preface, and decisive forerunner of never-ending misery, "where their worm dieth not and the fire is never quenched." And let the resurrection of Christ from the dead, and the equal merciful and wonderful resurrection of Jonah, from the inmost recesses of the deep remind and encourage us of our resurrection. The sea and the grave shall yield up their dead, and shall no more retain us than they did Christ or the prophet, at that day" when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord." Let it not be said that you were wise and prudent for time, but careless of eternity. Let it not be said that you were recklessly indifferent to those eternal interests, which will force themselves upon you, when you awake from the grave, and for your unfaithfulness to the trusts committed to you, receive the fruit of those things, whereof ye will at that awful period be ashamed, "for the end of those things is death." While then you know this; while you can feel the importance of obtaining mercy, and while you are anxious to be faithful,

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let not temptation hinder you from realizing what you desire. The youngest, and the meanest are capable of doing something for the glory of God, and the good of his Church. Neither riches, nor poverty, neither rank, nor wealth, will be brought to judgment; but the manner in which you have appropriated them most assuredly will. Finally If you are in trouble, remember the efficacy of prayer as exemplified in the prophet Jonah. Copy his sincerity. Beware of "lying vanities." So will you be cheered in the midst of sorrow, and like Jonah be rewarded for all your faithfulness. "Strengthen the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, be strong, fear not; behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense, he will come and save you. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation."

Chelmsford,

27th May, 1845.

A. M. W.

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