who sustain the character of Christian ministers should be employed in laboring to acquit him.

If a way of salvation were provided which did not provide for the glory of God, which did not abase, but flatter the sinner, and which did not require him to sacrifice his lusts, he would feel no want of power to embrace it. Nominal

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Christians, and mere professors, in all ages, have shown themselves able to believe any thing but the truth. Thus it was with the carnal Jews, and thus our Lord plainly told them I am come my Father's name, and ye receive me not: If another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. Because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God, heareth God's words: ye, therefore, hear them not, because ye are not of God. John v. 43 viii. 45-47. This is the true source of the innumerable false schemes of religion in the world, and the true reason why the Gospel is not universally embraced.

Unbelievers are described as disallowing him who is chosen of God, and precious. 1 Peter ii. 4-7. Now, either to allow or disallow supposes a claim. Christ claims to be the whole foundation of a sinner's hope; and God claims, on his behalf, that he be treated as the head of the corner. But the heart of unbelievers cannot allow the claim. The Jewish builders set him at nought; and every self-righteous heart follows their example. God, to express his displeasure at this conduct, assures them that their unbelief shall affect none but themselves. It shall not

deprive the Savior of his honors; for the stone which they refuse, notwithstanding their opposition, shall become the head of the corner. What

can be made of all this, but that they ought to have allowed him the place which he so justly claimed, and to have chosen him whom the Lord had chosen? On no other ground could the Scripture censure them as it does, and on no other principle could they be characterized as disobedient; for all disobedience consists in a breach of duty.

Believers, on the other hand, are described as thinking highly of Christ; reckoning themselves unworthy to unloose the latchet of his shoes, or that he should come under their roof; treating his Gospel as worthy of all acceptation, and counting all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of him. They are of the same mind with the blessed above, who sing his praise, saying with a loud voice, WORTHY is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. In fine, they are of the same mind with God himself. Him whom God has chosen, they choose; and he that is precious in his sight, is precious in theirs. Mark i. 7. 1 Tim. i. 15. Phil. iii. S. Rev. v. 12. 1 Peter ii. 4-7. And do they over-estimate his character? Is he not worthy of all the honor they ascribe to him; of all the affection they exercise towards him; and that, whether they actually receive it or not? If all the angels had been of the mind of Satan, and all the saints of the spirit of the unbelieving Israelites who were not gathered, yet would he have

been glorious in the eyes of the Lord. The belief or unbelief of creatures, makes no difference as to his worthiness, or their obligation to ascribe it to him.

It is allowed by all, except the grossest Antinomians, that every man is obliged to love God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength; and this, notwithstanding the depravity of his nature. But to love God with all the heart, is to love him in every character in which he has made himself known, and more especially in those wherein his moral excellences appear with the brightest lustre. The same law that obliged Adam, in innocence, to love God in all his perfections, as displayed in the works of creation, obliged Moses and Israel to love him in all the glorious displays of himself in his wonderful works of providence of which they were witnesses. And the same law that obliged them to love him in those discoveries of himself, obliges us to love him in other discoveries, by which he has since more gloriously appeared, as saving sinners through the death of his Son. To suppose that we are obliged to love God as manifesting himself in the works of creation and providence, but not in the work of redemption, is to suppose that, in the highest and most glorious display of himself, he deserves no regard. The same perfections which appear in all his other works, and render him lovely, appear in this with a tenfold lustre. To be obliged to love him on account of the one, and not of the other, is not a little extraordinary.

As these things cannot be separated in point of obligation, so neither can they in fact. He

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that loves God for any excellency, as manifested in one form, must, of necessity, love him for that excellency, let it be manifested in what form it may; and the brighter the display, the stronger will be his love. This remark is verified in the holy angels. At first, they loved their Maker, for what they saw in his works of creation. They saw him lay the foundation of the earth, and they SHOUTED FOR JOY. In process of time, they witnessed the glorious displays of his moral character in the government of the world which he had made; and now their love increases. every new occasion, they cry, HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD OF HOSTS: THE WHOLE EARTH IS FULL OF HIS GLORY. At length, they beheld an event, to the accomplishment of which all former events were subservient; they saw the Messiah born in Bethlehem. And now their love rises still higher. As though heaven could not contain them on such an occasion, they resort to the place, and contemplate the good that should arise to the moral system, bursting forth into a song: GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST, AND ON EARTH PEACE, GOOD WILL TOWARDS MEN. All this was

but the natural operation of love to God; and, from the same principle, they took delight in attending the Redeemer through his life, strengthening him in his sufferings, watching at his tomb, conducting him to glory, and looking into the mysteries of redemption. With a heart like theirs, is it possible to conceive, that we should continue impenitent or unbelieving? If, in our circumstances, we possessed that love to God by which they were influenced, it would melt us

into holy lamentation for having sinned against him. If the gospel-invitation to partake of the water of life once sounded in our ears, we should instantly imbibe it. Instead of making light of it, and preferring our farms and our merchandise before it, we should embrace it with our whole heart. Let any creature be affected towards God as the holy angels are, and if he had a thousand souls to be saved, and the invitation extended to every one that is willing, he would not hesitate a moment, whether he should rely on his salvation. It is owing to a want of love to God, that any man continues impenitent or unbelieving. This was plainly intimated, by our Lord, to the Jews: I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not. It is impossible to love God, and not to embrace the greatest friend of God that ever existed; or to love his law, and not approve of a system which, above all things, tends to magnify and make it honorable.

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"The affections included in divine love," says an able writer, are founded on those truths for which there is the greatest evidence in the world. Every thing in the world, that proves the being of God, proves that his creatures should love him with all their hearts. The evidence for these things is, in itself, very strong, and level to every capacity. Where it does not beget conviction, it is not owing to the weakness of men's capacities, but the strength of their prejudices and prepossessions. Whatever proves that reasonable creatures are obliged to love God and his law, proves that sinners are obliged to suitable