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ter, or exclusion from preferments which he might otherwise have expected. Many sincere friends to the truth are so influenced by this consideration, that they bring forward the peculiar doctrines of the gospel with a sparing and cautious hand, in hopes to insinuate them almost imperceptibly and few of those who now glory in the cross of Christ, will deny, that once their hearts rose in aversion against that humiliating subject.

Yet still, our God, who is love, perseveres in sending his message to sinners, even forcing it upon their attention, and requiring his ministers to venture their scorn and resentment by their intrusions and importunity! And at last, when the carnal heart still persists in rejecting the gracious proposal, "of his great love wherewith he loved them, even when they were dead in sin, he quickens them by his grace; and makes them willing in the day of his power.

When therefore we affirm that GOD IS LOVE, we may apply it, to the love of the Father in giving his only Son to become our Saviour; to the love of the Son, in assuming our nature, coming into this sinful world, and dying on the cross for our sins, that he might be our all-prevailing Advocate; and to the love of the Spirit, in regenerating, sanctifying and comforting our hearts: that so 66 'glory may be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end: Amen."

It would lead us too far to expatiate on the various instances of the Lord's unspeakable love to his believing people; his condescending regard to their minutest concerns; his tender sympathy with them in all their trials; his readiness to forgive even their renewed offences, and restore to them the joy of his salvation; his providential care, in restraining their enemies, moderating their temptations, supplying their wants, and answering their prayers; his kind acceptance of their feeble services; the consolations he affords them, especially in trouble; and his marvellous interposition in rendering their sufferings most efficacious medicines, and the king of terrors a messenger of peace. These and many other topics might be enlarged on, to illustrate the proposition that GOD IS LOVE. But we must,

III. Proceed to mention some perverse inferences which are frequently made from the text. If GOD BE LOVE,' say some men, may we not conclude that he will not make his creatures miserable?' Now this strange inference not only contradicts the general tenor of Scripture, the divine revelation of which it supposes; but it is refuted by undeniable facts: for most certainly sinful creatures do suffer many and great miseries. Not to mention the instances recorded in the sacred volume, concerning the Lord's dealings with fallen angels and sinful men; can we live in the world, and not both witness and feel the effects of the divine displeasure against transgressors? Are not whole cities and nations desolated by the scourge of war; or by famines, pestilences, and earthquakes? Do not various diseases continually sweep immense multitudes into the grave, after enduring most excruciating pains? Are not the survivors bereaved of their choicest comforts, and penetrated with exquisite anguish? Is not the earth, in every part, filled with sighs, tears, groans, and bitter complaints? And are not all these afflictions the appointment of God, as punishments of sin, comprised in the first sentence denounced on fallen man," in sorrow shalt thou eat bread all the days of thy life,-till thou return to the ground:-for dust thou art, and to dust shalt thou return?" Gen. iii. 16-19.

These sufferings are indeed turned into blessings to believers, and they are often useful in bringing sinners to repentance: but in themselves they are miseries, and frequently arise by natural consequence from men's vices; -so that it is most evident, that God doth punish sin with great severity. Hence we may learn, that we cannot judge concerning his conduct, from our own duty in apparently similar cases. In our private capacity, we ought not to inflict misery, or withhold relief when we are able to afford it, on ac

THE DIVINE LOVE.

count of any provocations whatever: but the duty of magistrates, in respect
of malefactors, much more resembles the case under consideration. We
should however frame to ourselves the most deplorable scenes imaginable;
and then inquire, whether a benevolent man would not have prevented or
And the answer to this
relieved such miseries, if it had been in his power?
inquiry must convince every one, who does not deny the superintending pro-
vidence of God, or blaspheme his name, that we are incompetent judges on
such subjects.

Yet many, who will not argue against these conclusions, would infer from the text, that God will not make any of his creatures finally and eternally miserable. But the deduction ought to be this: "GOD IS LOVE; therefore he will not cause any creature to suffer, unless some wise, holy, and benevolent purpose can be answered by its sufferings.' It would not consist with infinite love to give one moment's needless uneasiness; and it may consist with infinite love to make sinners eternally miserable; if the glory of God, and the interests of the universe through eternal ages, render it indispensibly necessary. Facts demonstrate, to all who allow God to be infinite in justice and goodness, that durable sufferings may be inflicted consistently with those perfections. Complicated and long continued miseries are very common; and death, the most dreaded of all temporal evils, cannot possibly be avoided. This seems to bring matters to extremities: for if the greatest punishment, which God hath threatened to inflict on sinners in this world, never fails to be executed; who can prove, or even probably conjecture, that the Lord will not accomplish his most tremendous denunciations of eternal misery? He is TRUTH as well as Love: and will any man seriously attempt to exalt his love by denying his Truth? He hath said, that "the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven-in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction;" for "they shall go away into everlasting punishment." Matt. xxv. 46. 2 Thess. i. 8. And surely "God is not a man that he should lie!-hath he said, and shall he not do it? hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" Numb.

xxiii. 19.

The grandest display of the love of God doth equally declare his justice and holiness: and will not men allow that he is love, unless he will, as it were, abdicate his throne, dishonour his name, and neglect the interests of his obedient subjects, in order to preserve impenitent rebels from deserved punishment? These reflections ought rather to convince us, that there is a malignity in sin, of which men are not aware; seeing God, who is love, so terribly threatens, and severely punishes his offended creatures, and yet rescues a penitent remnant in so stupendous a manner!

But some men will still contend that God will save all sincere persons, each in his own way; and support this anti-scriptural opinion by the words of our text.-Leaving at present the case of those, who never were favoured with the clear light of divine revelation: let it be observed, that if they who are fully informed, or might be, did they properly improve their advantages, will persist in neglecting the way of salvation revealed in the Scriptures, to depend on their moral virtues, rational schemes, or self-invented observances; if they treat the truth of God as a lie, and count that wisdom, which angels adore, to be foolishness; if they regard the stupendous love of God in giving his Son to be the Saviour of the world as needless; and then pretend that he will condemn no man for unavoidable errors: let them look to it, for evil is before them. The whole Scripture declares such unbelief to be the offspring of pride, and the love of sin: and that such men continue under the unqualified sentence of final condemnation.

Sincerity is an ambiguous term: sincerely to hate infinite good and despise infinite excellency; and thus to be very sincere in fighting against God, and persecuting his saints, is surely very different from sincere repentance, faith in Christ, love of his people, and obedience to his commands. Yet men

either artfully or ignorantly confound these distinct ideas; and then pretend that sincerity is all that is necessary to salvation.

But this short specimen must suffice; though many more false inferences from the text might be mentioned; the wise man has, however, summed them all up in one verse: "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the hearts of the sons of men are fully set in them to do evil." Eccles. viii. 11.

IV, Let us in the last place make some practical use of the subject.

The view of the unfathomable love of God, which hath been given, should increase men's abhorrence of sin, and dread of its consequences. The more glorious and excellent the Lord appears to be, the greater degree of odiousness must be contained in every transgression against him; and crimes committed under the clear light of the gospel, must on that account be peculiarly inexcusable. While therefore sinners should take warning to flee from the wrath to come, (for how will "they escape if they neglect so great salvation," and harden themselves in disobedience, because our God is merciful?) it is incumbent on us all to humble ourselves more and more for all our numberless offences, as most hateful and unreasonable, because committed against infinite goodness and excellency.

On the other hand, the subject is most delightfully suited to encourage the poor trembling penitent, how many or heinous soever his sins may have been. Poor desponding soul, remember that GoD is LOVE. Consider what he hath done to make way for the honourable exercise of his mercy. There were two obstacles in the way of our felicity; namely, his justice, and our proud obstinacy. He hath removed the former by "not sparing his own Son," but giving him a sacrifice for our sins; and he overcomes the latter when he "gives us repentance to the acknowledging of his truth." If then thou dost now submit to his righteousness, confess thy sins, and apply for salvation according to his merciful invitations; thou mayest assuredly expect a gracious reception; for he who commended his love to his enemies, by giving his own Son to die for them, cannot reject the weeping contrite supplicant, who pleads the all-prevailing name of Jesus, in humble faith, and fervent desires of finding mercy and grace through him.

Here again we may learn the standard of true excellency. The most shining characters, which genius hath selected to immortalize, have commonly been illustriously mischievous; and the unqualified admiration with which they are often mentioned, exceedingly misleads inexperienced youth. But God is LOVE; and the more we resemble and imitate him in this endearing attribute, the greater real excellency we unquestionably possess. Let us then be "followers of God," and "walk in love," after his pattern, in all the various displays of it which have been considered: then we shall certainly be known and approved as his children, and found meet for the eternal inheritance of his heavenly kingdom.

Finally, if we be conscious of having fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us in the gospel, let us receive the trials allotted us, as the wise and holy appointments of divine love; let us not judge of the Lord's dispensations by our feelings or reasonings, but by his holy word; and let us submit to his will, whatever he may withhold, take away, or inflict; assured that he manages all our concerns in that manner, which is most conducive to our eternal interests, and best suited to illustrate the riches of his paternal liberality.

SERMON V.

ON REPENTANCE.

ACTS, XXVI. 19, 20.

Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision: but shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

THE propriety and address of the apostle Paul's speech before Agrippa, Festus, and that august assembly, in whose presence he stood as the prisoner of Jesus Christ, have been generally admired: but the faithfulness and courage, with which he pleaded the cause of the gospel, are perhaps still more deserving of our attention. He paid no court to his illustrious auditors; he attempted not to ingratiate himself with them, or even to shun their contempt or aversion: while he used the most effectual means of convincing them, not only that Jesus was the promised Messiah, but that faith in him was absolutely necessary to salvation, and that all men without exception ought to "repent, and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance." Having given a brief narration of his own miraculous conversion; he produced his commission to preach the gospel to the Gentiles:-" I have appeared unto thee," says the divine Saviour, "to make thee a minister and a witness, both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which 1 will appear unto thee: delivering thee from the people and the Gentiles, to whom now I send thee; to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. Whereupon," says the apostle, "I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but shewed," first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles, "that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance." He did not think that in doing thus, "he was disobedient to the heavenly vision:" whence we may assuredly conclude, that in his view of Christianity, these practical subjects entirely consisted with the doctrines of faith and grace, with which his epistles abound. The several Christian graces may, and should be distinguished, as they have their appropriate nature and use: but they cannot be separated in the person who possesses them. For instance, an impenitent believer, and an unbelieving penitent are ideal characters: true faith is a penitent faith, and true repentance is believing repentance: yet the nature and use of repentance and faith should plainly be distinguished. This will appear more evidently, while from the text we take occasion to consider,

I. The importance of the subject, as it appears from the Scriptures.
II. Certain things which are implied in it.

III. The peculiar nature of repentance and turning unto God.

IV. And lastly, The works meet for repentance.

I. Let me call your attention, my brethren, to the importance, or prominence of this subject, as it appears from the Scriptures, especially from the New Testament.

John the Baptist was the predicted forerunner of the Measiah, who was sent to prepare the way of the Lord when he came in human nature among his ancient people the Jews: but how did he execute his important office? He came preaching, "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Let me entreat your serious attention to this circumstance :-notwithstanding the advantages of that favoured nation, with all their notions and forms of godliness; there was no order of men, no religious sect, no individual whatever, that did not want repentance, as a preparation for welcoming the Messiah, and sharing the blessings of his spiritual kingdom. Insomuch, that the Baptist said to the Pharisees, as well as to the Sadducees, "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our Father." Matt. iii. 7-10. Not long after, our Lord himself condescended to preach the gospel; and he too said, "Repent; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." When the apostles went forth at his command, they "preached every where that men should repent:" and it appears from part of his discourse to the seventy disciples, that they were charged with the same commission; for he said on that occasion, "Woe unto thee, Chorazin, woe unto thee, Bethsaida; for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in thee, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes." Luke, x. 10-14.

Does our Lord say in one place, "The Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost?" He elsewhere explains it, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Does the good Shepherd rejoice and call his friends to rejoice with him, when he has brought home the lost sheep?" So likewise is there joy in heaven," even among the angels of God,' "over one sinner that repenteth:" and when the prodigal, returning to his father, was graciously welcomed, all the family was called on to rejoice; "for this, my son, was lost and is found, was dead and is alive."

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On the other hand, Christ " upbraided the cities, in which his mighty works had been done, because they repented not." He told the people, "that the men of Nineveh would rise up in judgment with that generation and condemn it; because they repented at the preaching of Jonas: and behold a greater than Jonas is here." He warned the Jews, that "except they repented, they would all likewise perish." And he summed up the reasons of his gentleness to notorious sinners, and his severity in rebuking the Pharisees, in this remarkable passage :-" A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first and said, Son, go to work to-day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented and went. And he came to the second and said likewise: and he answered and said, I go, Sir; and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, the publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of heaven before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and harlots believed him and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterwards, that ye might believe him!" Matt. xxi, 28–32.

When our Lord was risen from the dead, and about to ascend unto the Father, he said to his apostles on one occasion, "Go ye, preach the gospel to every creature: he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved: and he that believeth not shall be damned." At another time he instructed them in this manner. "Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." Mark xvi. 15, 16. Luke xxiv. 46, 47. We may know how the apostles understood their Lord, after they were filled with the Holy Ghost, if we attend to Peter, on the day of Pentecost, thus addressing the convinced Jews, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins:" and afterwards, "Repent and be converted, that

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