Never was reNever were the The gospel makes a simple and intelligible proposal to men, which it requires no long time to consider and decide upon. A longer life would only the more dispose men to procrastination, to which they are already but too much inclined. Mankind are better by reason of the shortness of the term they live, and probably more are saved than would be, if the average of life was longer. It was when men lived a thousand years, that "the earth was filled with violence," and became so corrupt that a deluge was necessary to cleanse it. pentance so rare as in the world before the flood. righteous so small a minority. Never so few were saved from any generation. We ourselves are proofs that life is long enough. It has afforded us an opportunity of becoming acquainted with the gospel, the way to be saved, our duty. Now, if we have complied with the plain requisitions of the gospel, we have lived long enough. To die to-day would be gain to us. If any have not complied, will they say that it has been for want of time?—With every disposition to repent and believe the gospel, will they say that they have lacked the space and opportunity? Has it not rather been for the want of heart to repent, that they have not repented? But will the lapse of time supply that defect? 9. Finally, if life be such as it has been represented, especially in regard to its uncertainty, it follows clearly and conclusively, that the most important business of life, if it can be ascertained, should be attended to first. Our life is such a vanishing vapor, such a fleeting shadow, and we are so frail, that we are in danger of dying and leaving some things undone. Now all things are not of equal importance. We had better leave some things unaccomplished than others. What is that which we had better by all means not leave undone ? Find out what it is, and do that first, whatever it be. Is it not reasonable that you should do so? If the more important thing be not repentance, the seeking of the influences of the Holy Spirit, the surrender of the heart to Christ, the making of the soul's peace with God on the terms of the gospel, then by all means do not begin with this work, but put it off until you have done that other thing, which is more important than repentance and reconciliation to God, and by and by repent and make your peace with Him. But if, in your search, you find nothing more important than repentance and the application of the heart to religion, nothing so important, nothing that dying you would more regret having left undone, nothing that you can leave undone with so much injury, then begin with this-repent first, mind religion now. Do you not see that you ought? and will you not? Come, resolve to day, to do first that which is most important. Begin with this resolution. Dare to make it. Then, having made it, lay your hand upon your heart, and lift up your eye to heaven, and tell me if the most important thing be not, that you come to God through Jesus Christ, and devote yourself entirely and forever to his service. And is not the interval, in point of importance, between this and every thing else immeasurable? What remains then but to act conformably to your own decision? May God, for Christ's sake, by his Holy Spirit, incline you 30 to decide and do. You are to stand, re Beloved youth, suffer the word of exhortation. It is morning with you, bright and cheerful morning-and may it be noon, clear and cloudless; and afternoon serene and unportending; and may your sun go down in glory; and the twilight of your evening melt into the twilight of the morning of an eternal day. I wish you this, but you know this wish may never be realized. The morning may be all the day for you. What then will you now do? Will you decide in favor of that which has been recommended? member, before the judgment seat of him who said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness." Will you obey? And you who are at the noon of life, the middle-aged, do you never wish, when wearied with the toils of business, and borne down by the weight of incumbent care, that you had attended to religion in the morning? Tell your children this. But as you did not attend to it then, will you now presume to put it off till evening? What infatuation! Because you have put it off so long, (already too long, as you confess,) will you put it off longer? Because you have done wrong once, will you do so again ?—Ah, there may be no evening to your day; or if an evening, it may be gloomy and unpropitious. What if, at the third hour, when Christ said "Go ye into the vineyard," you went not, he comes out and calls also at the sixth hour? Will you now obey? But there are those with whom it is already afternoon, evening, almost night. A word I have for you also. There is a little working time left-work then in haste-for the soul—for eternity! The evening is a part of the day, though it be the last part of it. And if you have stood idle all the day hitherto, O, be industrious for God and heaven now. You surely have no time to lose. For, behold the Judge standeth at the door. And "This is the summons that he brings, NATIONAL PREACHER. No. 8. VOL. 8.] NEW-YORK, JAN. 1834. [WHOLE NO. 92. SERMON CLIX. BY MARK TUCKER, D. D. TROY, N. Y. SOLEMN REBUKE TO THE UNGRATEFUL AND BACKSLIDING. LUKE xvii. 17-Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? In the original, were not "the ten cleansed," the word has the particle before it, referring to those recently healed: and in the Syriac version, the next verse is read interrogatively—Are there none found returning to give glory to God, but this stranger? The incidents in this narrative are interesting. It is matter of gratitude that there were those who followed the footsteps of our Savior to relate both what they saw and what they heard. On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus passed through the confines of Samaria and Gallilee. As he approached one of their villages, there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off. The leprosy was a loathsome disease, an emblem of sin, which may be called the leprosy of the soul. The lepers, by the Jewish law, which was strictly enforced, were excluded from cities and the society of men, though they might consort together; which sufficiently accounts for the number mentioned here. A community of suffering created a community of interest. The fame of Jesus had spread so wide that even these lepers, secluded from the world, had heard of him. In the hope of obtaining relief from the dreadful malady that afflicted them, they lifted up their voices and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. Distress made them earnest; a prospect of help gave them energy; and a common affliction united their hearts in the request. The Savior would teach them that salvation is of faith ;without pronouncing a cure, he directed them to go and show themselves to the priests, and "as they went they were cleansed." By going they evinced their confidence in his power. In the 19th verse, he says to the one that returned, Thy faith hath made thee whole." To make them feel their responsibility and to illustrate the methods of grace, he directed them, before the cure was effected, to go to the priests. He would al ways have us feel we are free agents; and yet dependent upon him for salvation. It appears that one of them, after they were healed, was so overcome with a sense of Divine goodness, that he at once returned to express his gratitude. He turned back and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks. His voice was now as loud in praise, as before in prayer. But it is melancholy to think that this humble Christian is found alone-the rest had not returned to make grateful acknowledgments to their Divine benefactor. Jesus turning to him said, Were not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? These affecting incidents suggest a series of remarks, suited to the occasion and the times, and especially suited to those who have united themselves to the church by profession. I. The work of God upon the heart imposes a high obligation to live to his glory. This is obviously implied by our Savior's pointed inquiry, "Are there none returned to give glory to God save this stranger?" It seems to denote surprise, as though nothing could be more reasonable than such an expression on the part of those who had been cleansed. The bestowment of kindness always carries with it an obligation to make a return; the obligation is great in proportion as the bounty is large, gratuitous, purely benevolent. Where it is undeserved, and bestowed from pure motives, every ingenuous heart will respond to the claim of gratitude. If we simply consulted nature, we should be taught this truth. Hence nothing is considered among all nations so vile as ingratitude. Some of the heathen poets have described it in terms that should crimson a Christian's cheek with shame. Look now at the peculiar obligation resting upon one "born of the Spirit," to glorify God. It may be illustrated by the case of the ten lepers. They were reduced to the lowest point of human wretchedness-shut out from friends and the endearments of domestic life. They suffered excruciating pain. The plague-spots showed that they were withering under the judgments of God. From all this degradation and misery, Christ delivered them. Could you have witnessed the change, you would feel the point of the inquiry, "Where are the nine?" Surely some expression of thanks is due from such men to such a Benefactor. What then does God expect of those who are rescued from a condition of which the poor lepers' state was only a faint emblem; of those who are "brought out of darkness into marvellous light? 1. If you would feel the obligation, you must look at the greatness of the favor. And to estimate this, take into view the lost condition in which you were found. Here we wish you to remember the impression made upon your mind by the Spirit of God:-you felt all the strong figures employed in the Bible to describe your natural state, to be true-you were, in a fearful sense, in a "horrible pit," under sentence of death— justly condemned by the law-your hearts were desperately wicked— your bosoms agitated with a tempest of passion. Have you not still in remembrance the wormwood and the gall? Look also at the magnitude of the change. You were taken out of that horrible pit. The sentence of the law was reversed-you were acquitted-received into divine favor. -adopted into the family of God-sealed with the Spirit, the earnest of your inheritance. Is there nothing due for such blessings bestowed upon such a sinner? 2. Think of the glorious Author of your deliverance. Obligation is great in proportion to the character of the Benefactor. He is so infinitely exalted that he needs not our services. The motive for aiding us was found only in himself. So that salvation is all of grace. What less can we do then, than to speak forth his praise? If he pitied us when we were enemies, shall we not, when reconciled, live to his glory? We should honor his word by trusting in it—we should honor his providence by committing all to his care-we should honor his laws by obeying them -we should honor his church by serving it faithfully. 3. It is the express object of this work to bring praise to God. Jesus Christ did not enjoin it upon the lepers to return-true gratitude would have prompted them—so great a blessing, so remarkable an interposition, affecting the whole subsequent life, essentially changing their relations and destiny, called for a suitable return; but we are not left to spontaneous feeling; God has signified his design in calling us into his kingdom. He says to his children, I have spared your lives, and ye shall be mine. Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit. He imposes his command, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven. For this is the will of God, that with well-doing ye put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. Common justice would lead to an acknowledgment of mercies bestowed under such circumstances, but the appeal is to every high and honorable feeling in our nature. How right and reasonable that we come to his feet, and inquire, Lord what wilt thou have us to do? "And he was He could He was II. Those of least promise often shine the brightest. a Samaritan." He belonged to a nation that was despised. have known but little of the character or claims of the Messiah. the last that might have been expected to return. While the others forgot their benefactor, "this stranger" gave the most gratifying evidence of the depth of his humility and the strength of his love. Often has this been exemplified in the church of God. While many who run well for a season, have turned back to the world, while some of those most confi |