contented with the truth of grace, when we ought to long for the riches and fulness of grace. Let us apply to him who giveth liberally and upbraideth

not.

IV. THE RECEIVING THIS GRACE IN VAIN.

The Apostle exhorts the Corinthians not to receive the grace of God in vain. This implies that many hear of, yet never benefit by this grace.

Mark then, 1. The persons who receive this grace in vain; and 2. Their inexcusableness.

1. THE PERSONS WHO RECEIVE THIS GRACE IN VAIN.

There are various and very opposite classes, who, however they may differ in other respects, agree in this, they all receive the grace of God in vain. UNBELIEVERS prefer darkness to light because their deeds are evil. Thus the Jews at Antioch, when they saw the Gentiles crowding to hear the word, were filled with envy and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. (Acts xiii. 45.) So again in Iconium, the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. (Acts xiv. 2.) The Apostle says, We preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Gentiles foolishness. (1 Cor. i. 23.) The root of this unbelief is

the love of sin, and it is the love of sin therefore which you must especially watch and pray against. O take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. (Heb. iii. 12.)

SELF-RIGHTEOUS PERSONS think so well of themselves that they do not see their need of this grace; it may be very proper and suitable they suppose for the wicked, but their goodness will help them, and so they reject the grace that brings salvation-Going about, the most impracticable of all attempts that sinful man ever made, to establish their own righteousness, they submit not themselves to the righteousness of God.

CARELESS PERSONS also receive the grace of God in vain. They are like the way-side hearer; the the truth comes before them, but it sinks not into the heart: and, as Gallio, they care for none of these things; if their temporal interests were affected, they would be all alive, but as it only concerns the soul, they are inattentive, and indifferent, and unconcerned. There are others who may be called TEMPORARY BELIEVERS; in them the seed of the word is sown as on a rock, for a while they believe, but in time of temptation they fall away. There may be great joy and excitement for a season, but it is soon lost, and they become less impressible than ever. WORLDLY MEN in general receive the grace of God in vain ;

the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. There are others who are great TALKERS IN RELIGION, they can speak most fluently on religious subjects, speculate about them, dispute for them, and admire them, they say but do not; these also receive the grace of God in vain. There are some even WHO PERVERT THE DOCTRINE OF GRACE, and make them an occasion of sin; and turn the grace of God into licentiousness.

O my brethren, I cannot but fear that there are now before me persons who under one or other of these descriptions are trifling with or trampling upon the grace of God. Search and try your ways; pray earnestly to God in the words of David, Examine and prove me, O Lord, look well if there be any way of wickedness in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. For consider,

4. THE INEXCUSABLENESS OF THOSE WHO REJECT THIS GRACE.

It is a case of most fearful guilt and danger. Every moment's delay increases the danger, as it shortens the time between them and ruin. If they are spared year after year, through the intercession of the Lord Jesus, yet while they cumber the ground, the last year will soon come, and with it an accumulated load of guilt. Solomon thus describes their state: Because I have called, and

they shall

ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof; I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh. When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when destruction and anguish cometh upon you: Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; seek me early, but they shall not find me. (Prov. i. 24-28.) Here too is an alarming aggravation of their misery; they had a day of grace, the proclamation of mercy sounded in their ears; but they rejected all till there was no remedy. Our Lord assures us that it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for those who had heard and disregarded his gospel. They shall be left without excuse, and as the man who had not on the wedding garment was speechless, so shall they be without one plea, when they are bound hand and foot, and cast into outer darkness, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Despise not then the riches of the goodness and loving kindness of God: wait on him with all earnestness for a part and share in his salvation, and rest not till this great stake be secure.

Do you ask how you may receive the grace of God effectually, and what is the character of those who do so? we proceed to consider,

V. THE RECEIVING OF THIS GRACE EFFECTUALLY.

The Apostle beseeches them not to receive the grace of God in vain, that is, to receive it effectually, in the season in which it is brought before us.

That we may have a better view of this, we will notice some seasons of receiving grace which you should watch for and improve.

SABBATHS in general are God's seasons-what a mercy it is to have one day entirely set apart for attending to the concerns of our souls. Now if thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and shalt call the sabbath a Delight, the holy of the Lord, and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. (Isaiah lviii. 13, 14.) Duly observe the sabbath, diligently seek God's grace on his own day, and in his appointed ordinances, and you shall not fail to receive it. O neglect not the sermons which you hear on the sabbath. When the gospel of Christ is faithfully preached, sermons are special seasons of grace. Faith cometh by hearing,

and hearing by the word of God; yes, all the rich

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