Alas!

guage to blaspheme their Maker's name? Many children who cannot work, are expert in sinning. your hearts are naturally far from God. astray as soon as you are born, speaking lies."

You "go

Be persuaded, therefore, to fly to the blood of Christ, the precious blood of Christ, "who loved you, and gave himeslf for you." He died upon the cross

to save you from the hell which you have deserved by your sins; and he graciously invites you, saying, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God." Blessed are those children who, like their Saviour, advance in wisdom as in stature, and " in favour with God and man.' 99 Let young persons in general remember, as they are growing up, that all the early opportunities of instruction which they have enjoyed, especially such as have been brought up under the inspection of pious parents, will greatly aggravate their guilt, if they continue to despise them. For this reason some, I wish I could not say many, are old in sin when they are but young in years. Wherefore, without further delay, betake yourselves to God in Christ; learn and love your Redeemer's name; and let the life that you live in the flesh be a life of faith on the Son of God and only Saviour of the world. Your early entrance on a religious life will make you regular, established, useful, fruitful Christians. if you are to continue long in the world, it will greatly contribute to the sweetness and serenity of life; and if it be the will of God that you should die soon, it will make you meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. There is something very terrible in the death (often the unexpected death) of young persons, in the bloom or middle of life, plunged in sensuality, inflamed with lust, and bent on sin of every kind. But, blessed be God, there are also some agreeable instances of young saints quickly ripened by divine grace, thoroughly mellowed by early affliction, resigning the world, not with submission only, but pleasure, and taking wing to a land of rest and peace, where "the inhabitants shall not say,

I am

sick;" and "the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquitty."

4. I must now preach the gospel to those who are old, who, having gone through many vicisitudes, are perhaps tottering upon the brink of the grave, and drawing near to "the house appointed for all living." And I do it because my office obliges me to preach the gospel to every creature. There is but little pleasure in addressing such, because there is but little hope of success. May I not suppose that some one, or more, may be led to peruse this discourse, who have many years resisted the calls of the gospel, and have been long accustomed to do evil? What cause have you to admire the mercy of God, that you are not now "in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone for evermore?" Have you not followed many of your equals in age to the church-yard, and committed their bodies to the dust? What preparation have you made, in consequence of the reprieve allowed you, and the admonitions given you? Hear then once more the joyful sound. Believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may have life through his name. Fly to his blood that you may obtain the forgiveness of your sins, and an inheritance among them who are sanctified. He, and none else, is able to deliver you. Cry to him, that he may breathe upon the dry bones, and they shall live. Though you are hardened in profanity, though you are besotted in sensuality, though earthly mindedness has overspread you like a leprosy, his right hand and his holy arm will get him the victory. He is able to create you anew unto good works; and, as you are already monuments of his patience and forbearance, to make you to eternity the happy monuments of his sovereign and almighty grace. Is there now any remaining objection? Is there yet any room for farther delay? Hath not time shed its hoary hairs upon your heads, and drawn its furrows upon your brows? Make haste, then, and fly for your lives, lest you lie down in sorrow, and make your bed in hell.

5. Let me preach the gospel to the self-righteous.

By the self-righteous, I mean those who trust in an outward, lifeless form of duties, in character formed upon worldly prudence, and a few of the most common offices of civility between man and man; especially those, if any such have persisted in reading this discourse to the close, who despise the doctrines of the grace of God. Do any of you lean to the fashionable scheme of irreligious, pretended morality; and, when you are at liberty, treat the doctrine of free grace, and of Christ's righteousness and merit, with contempt and scorn. As the full soul loatheth the honey-comb, so the self-righteous soul spurns at the riches of divine mercy, and likes not the incessant repetition of the name of Christ. Your guilt is of the darkest and deepest dye. Your danger it is impossible to conceive or express. What views have you in drawing near to a holy God in solemn worship? or what meeting do you expect with God, when he sitteth upon the throne of his holiness in the day of judgment? Do you ever, though in the slightest manner, make conscience of the duty of self-examination? May I not have some hold of you by that quarter! What satisfaction have you in your own hearts? Dare you tell us now what passes there? O the power of self-deceit ! You would be covered with confusion, did but the world know the foul pollution that lodges within you; how much less shall you be able to stand the strict and impartial judgment of the great Searcher of hearts?

Do but open the book of God, and what page will not condemn you? This sentence stands uncancelled against you, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them. Out of your own mouths will you be judged, ye wicked servants. Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?" Bring forth your boasted morality, and let it be put to the trial. Will you, or dare you say, "I have loved the Lord with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind, and with all my strength?" Will you say, "I have loved his worship, and served

him in public, in my family, and in secret, and I hope he will accept of it?" I think I am authorized to answer in his name, "Was it worshipping me to be singing psalms with your mouths, and not once remembering their meaning? to be thinking of an hundred vain things when you were in the house of God? to be praising without thankfulness, confessing without sorrow, and asking blessings without desiring them? and to be more attentive to the faces and dresses of others around you, than to the frame of your own hearts? Was it hearing my word, to be criticising the style and manner of the speaker, and laying hold, with the utmost eagerness, of every improper motion or ill-chosen expression, as a fund of entertainment for yourselves and your companions over your cups and bowls? Or do you call your careless, hasty, drowsy prayers, with long intermissions worshipping me in secret?"

But, perhaps, you will rather choose to trust to the duties of the second table, and what you owe to your neighbour. Perhaps you will say, I have been honest in all my dealings, and never wronged any man; nay, I have been kind and charitable, have dealt my bread to the hungry, and supplied the wants of the afflicted and poor. I answer, in the name of God, "Many have been your defects even in these duties; but supposing it to be so, you have not feared me. It might be from pride, from fear of censure, from prudence: but it was not in obedience to me, for I was not in all your thoughts. Was it your duty to your neighbour to make a mock at his sins, to lead him into intemperance, to despise him in your hearts, and ridicule him in your conversation?" In one word, Do but examine all your righteousness, they will" be found as filthy rags before God." Trust not in such a refuge of

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lies." The bed is shorter than" that a man can stretch himself on it, and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it." Believe it, there is no salvation in any other than in Christ. His atoning blood will reconcile you to God; his grace and love will captivate your souls; his holy and blessed Spirit

will write his laws in your hearts. Believe in him, and you will be more holy than ever, and yet stand astonished at your profane and blind pride and vanity. He will create in you a clean heart, and you will then blush at the thoughts of your remaining pollution. you will apply yourselves to his service with zeal and diligence, and yet still say you are unprofitable servants. One view of the cross of Christ will make sin more odious than a thousand fine descriptions of the beauty of virtue, which commonly serve only to nourish and fortify the pride of man. If ever you desire to see the face of God in mercy, or to dwell in his presence, believe in Christ, for there is no other way

to the Father.

6. In the last place, suffer me to preach the gospel to the chief of sinners. It is the glory of our Redeemer, that he “saves to the uttermost all that come to God by him." The dignity of his person, the greatness of his sufferings, and the infinite value of his atonement founded on both, makes him" mighty to save." Let such sinners attend to this who are without excuse, whose hearts have been a sink of the greatest impurity, whose lives are stained with the foulest and grossest crimes, whose sins have been numerous, and heinous, and scandalous; who have no plea to offer, but are sensible that they have justly merited the wrath of God in its utmost rigour. Let such attend to this as are trembling at the thoughts of a righteous judgment, and saying, " It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.-Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Behold I bring you good tidings of mercy unmerited, pardon unsolicited, a full and free remission of all your sins; " I have blotted out thine iniquities as a cloud, and as a thick cloud thy sins: return unto me, for I have redeemed thee." Receive this testimony, and "set to your seals that God is true."

Think not to do injury to the grace of God, by weaving a self-righteous cobweb, and refusing to believe