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4. Despiser of the grace of Jesus, in what mans ner do these angels regard you? They were inno. eent; for them it was not necessary that Jesus should die, that the blood of the covenant should flow; yet they treated not his atonement with indifference; they announced his birth with rapture tó Zechariah, to the Virgin, to Joseph, to the shep herds; they descended from heaven to felicitate the earth upon it; they attended the Redeemer in the wilderness, and the garden; they rolled away the stone from the sepulchre, that mortals might learn with joy that the Saviour had risen from the dead; they were with him when he rose refulgent from the holy mountain; they still make his praise their theme and their delight; and notwithstanding the extent of their powers, they see such glories and such won. ders of love in the mysteries of redemption, that they constantly search more deeply into them. (1 Pet. i. 12.) If such have been their sentiments and conduct, notwithstanding they were secure with out the sacrifice of Immanuel, with what mingled indignation and pity must they look at you? What must they think of the baseness; the ingratitude, the madness of your conduct? Could tears be shed by them, they would surely weep, when they beheld guilty, unhappy mortals, exposed to a misery that has no other bounds than eternity, yet despising the grace that would save them, neglecting that? Redeemer who died for them, breaking through the re straints that divine mercy has placed between them

and the world of torments, and wading through the blood of Jesus flowing between them and hell, that they may seize upon damnation. Oh! be not so ungrateful to your Lord, such cruel enemies to your own felicity. At last renounce your sins, and accept the offers of salvation: then the angels, who are now in the midst of us, shall rejoice over you, and shall shout, "Our brother was dead and is alive again, he was lost and is found."

5. Finally, how much happier is the meanest, and most despised christian, than the most prosperous sinner. Ye worldlings, who are surrounded with riches, with dignities and acquirements, come, and for a moment compare your situation with that of the humble followers of Jesus. Enlightened by the revelation of God I look at invisible things: you both are surrounded by bands of powerful spirits; but the host that attends you has risen from hell; they flatter and delude you that they may lead you into the abyss; they tell you that religion is useless or false; that there is no necessity of a strict regard to the duties of piety; that the threatenings of the gospel need not terrify you; that you may be saved without a change of heart, the application of the blood of Jesus, and the influences of the Holy Spirit : thus they whisper to you; you believe them, and charge God with falsehood, who has taught you otherwise; you follow their suggestions, and prepare to share their fate: shortly death will come :

stripping you of this body, it will remove from your eyes that veil which hides from you your present companions: they will seize upon your shuddering soul, and while they, the fierce executioners of God's wrath, exercise upon it their malignant fury, they will laugh you to scorn, because you were so foolish as to believe them, when God and his Spirit, and his people, and his ministers, warned you of your danger.

This is your situation, unhappy man: contrast it now with that of the humble christian whom you despise. The most glorious and holy part of creation daily and nightly encamp around him; feel for him the most ardent affection; guide him during all his pilgrimage; and when death comes, own him as a brother, and carry him in triumph to their Lord. Sinner, I appeal to your own conscience, which of these two states is preferable? Ah! you cannot avoid wishing for the lot of the righteous; hasten then, and seek the favour of the Lord of angels, and of Jesus Christ their prince. Thus, and thus only, will they become your friends.

SERMON X.

LIFE OF ADAM.

GENESIS V. 5.

"And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died."

IN the holy scriptures, God has used a variety of methods to teach us our duty, and to touch our hearts. Sometimes we read those plain and unequiv ocal precepts which declare his will, and at other times we are instructed by an interesting parable. Now we are allured by the voice of mercy, which sounds from Zion; and then we are alarmed by the thunders which roll over Sinai. Heaven is here unveiled to us, and we almost hear the harps of angels, and the hallelujahs of the glorified saints; hell is there uncovered, and the shrieks of the despairing vibrate on our ears, and the smoke of their torments rises before our eyes. Here prophets look down the long current of years, and predict things which are to come; there, inspired historians shew us the accomplishment of these predictions. Here the merits of the Redeemer, and promises sealed with blood, are reached forth to us by our heavenly Father; there the deep pollution of our hearts, and the de

merits of sin are developed to us. Every method is employed to bring back rebellious and revolted man to God, and to happiness. The understanding, the heart, and the conscience, are by turns addressed in language the most forcible, and by motives weighty as eternity. But the inspiring Spirit, well knowing the frame of man, well knowing how strongly we are stimulated by example, has especially chosen to communicate instruction to us from the lives of others. The greater part of the sacred volume, is historical; and the histories which it relates, are not intended merely to excite a barren admiration, or to gratify an idle curiosity; but are designed and calculated to cherish the love and the fear of God, to teach us what he is, and what we are, and to give new warmth to all our devotional feelings. Properly speaking, they are not so much the history of particular men or nations as the history of God, of his nature, his perfections, his providence and will, as exemplified in these particular instances; and they therefore when properly considered are eminently calculated to lead the heart and the affections to him. When the blighted beauties of Eden are presented to our eyes, it is not that our regrets may be excited from contrasting it with its former beauty, but that we may be made to shudder at the guilt of sin, and tremble at the danger of disobeying the Most High. When we behold Noah riding on the back of the swelling surges, secure amidst the desolation of a world, it is our duty not merely

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