your day, the things that belong to your peace, before they are hid from your eyes. Luke xix. 42. 2. The impenitent are in a state of distance from God.

In the scriptures all are represented as wanderers from God. We all like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one unto his own way. Isa. liii. 6. We have forsaken the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. Jer. ii. 3. Since Adam fell, every son and daughter of Adam is averse to good and inclined to evil. Not only is the understanding darkened, but the will is perverted, and the affections are corrupted. Instead of seeking happiness from God, the everlasting spring of all blessings, we naturally seek it in the foolish devices and imaginations of our own hearts.

This distance from God, our Lord sets forth in a just comparison, Matt vii. 13, 14. Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there are that go in thereat. Let me beg you to pay a particular attention to this remarkable scripture. In the broad way, there are many separate paths, which all run to the same dreadful end. The inclinations and passions of ungodly men may lead them to different follies and vices, while they are all living without Christ and far from righteousness. In

the broad way is the path of gaiety, full of amusements and diversions. What glittering toys! what alluring vanities! what tempting baits are here held out to catch the careless, or to entice and delude the young. This flowery path, so plentifully furnished with enchanting charms, is travelled by all who are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. Near the path of gaiety, is the path of profligacy, in which are prodigals, wasting their substance in riotous living; adulterers and drunkards, glorying in their shame; liars and swearers, whose mouths are full of falsehood, cursing, and bitterness; gamesters and thieves, who live by plunder and violence, neither fearing God, nor regarding man. In the broad way, is the path of self-righteousness. This indeed is very lofty, and has a fair and showy appearance, but it is exceedingly dangerous. Here are the proud and high-minded, who boast of their good works, and dream of obtaining heaven by their own fancied merit. In the broad way are the crooked paths of deceit, full of traps and snares, and covered pit-falls. Here travel smooth-tongued dissemblers, and painted hypocrites. The path of covetousness is crowded with sordid worldlings, heaping up riches and lading themselves with thick clay. Now all these paths lead to destruction. This is not an airy

fancy, but a certain fact. The words of Christ will be found true, whether you believe them or not. Consider, reader, whether you are not yet in this broad way. It is a thing which may be known, and ought to be determined without any delay. Perhaps you have passed from one path to another, but are still rushing on in the downward and dangerous road. O stop, presumptuous sinner, in your mad career! With the deepest concern, and the tenderest affection, I would admonish and persuade you. If it were possible for me to save you by force, as the angel laid hold of Lot to lead him out of Sodom, I would gladly do it. But all I can do is, to reason with you, and try every argument and motive the most likely to reach the understanding, and touch the heart. It is probable you have heard many a loud call, and felt many a sharp check, and yet you drive on with fury! Whither are you moving with such hasty strides! What will be the end of your present course? Ah! you are fast going, perhaps far gone toward eternal perdition! There is but a step between you and death; and not a step between death and despair! The voice of heaven calls you to turn to God, from whom you have so deeply evolted. Except you be converted, and become as a little child, you can in no wise enter into the kingdom of God.

3. The impenitent are in a state of deep pollution.

There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthiness. It has been said, "Man is a polished mirror, with one slight speck, vanity, and that speck is wiped off by death." According to this fine flattering comparison, sin, it seems, must not be called a blot, nor even a stain, but a speck, a slight speck. Let us now examine what the word of God says respecting human nature, in its present state. He who sees into the heart, and will be the judge of all in the last day, must be allowed capable of giving the most just account of man. Turn to Gen. vi. 5-12. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. If it should be thought this passage is a proof of the depravity of those only, who lived before the flood, turn to Job xv. 14, 15, 16. What is man, that he should be clean, or he that is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints, yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight; how much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh in iniquity like water? Our Lord, who perfectly knew what was in man, opens that fountain of corruption, that forge of

iniquity-the carnal heart. Mark viii. 21, 22, 23. For from within, out of the heart of man, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within and defile the man. Nor can it be truly said, that some are free from depravity and sin. Every branch from the stock of Adam is corrupt, though every branch does not bring forth the same quantity of bad fruit. For proof of this, look into Rom. iii. 9

12.

What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise; for we have before proved, both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin. As it is written, there is none righteous-no, not one; there is none that understandeth: there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way; there is none that doeth good, no,

not one.

Examine with care the scriptures just repeated. Here is a painting of man, drawn by hands which could not err! It is not suited to flatter selflove and vanity. Sin does not appear as a slight speck; it is the dark colouring that overspreads the whole piece. Do not turn away with levity or scorn, as if it no way concerned I have you. purposely held up this picture to your view, that you may try if you cannot perceive your own