and, so far as it is fit, a faithful minister | ter. perfectly suited to our necessitous and guilty condition, as must render him the object of our supreme love and unreserved confidence. The first question that will always occur to an awakened sinner, hath been expressed by the prophet Micah in these words: "Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the High God?" And the only answer to this question, which an unenlightened mind can suggest, hath also been expressed by the same prophet, in the form of another question: | There God is represented in the of Christ will not be wanting to their ex- characters of condescension and grace, so pectation; for he has gathered nothing in all the stores of divine knowledge of which he is not willing that they should partake. But in common, this indulgence is entirely out of place. The plainest and most practical truths are first of all to be inculcated. Many more stand in need of these than of novelties in speculation; and even of those who call out for such, many make the demand with a very bad grace. They might be amused, perhaps, with a curious discussion; but what if their sense of divine things be dead? What if they need to have their Shall I come before him with burnt-ofminds stimulated, and their consciences alarmed with the terrors of God's word? When our Lord was asked by a curious inquirer, if there were few that should be saved? instead of answering directly to the question, he addressed the person with a practical exhortation, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able." If any of a similar character should attend our assemblies, let them not think it strange if we imitate so high an example, by preferring to impart to them the plainest and simplest, because the most necessary truths; especially as it cannot be doubted that the apostle's reproof in the text is still applicable to many hearers of the gospel:"For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.' Amen. SERMON LXXII. DIVINE AND HUMAN AGENCY. 2 COR. VI. 1.-"We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also, that ye receive not the grace of GoD in vain." ferings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my first born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" A conscience alarmed with a sense of guilt, naturally represents the Most High as clothed with terrible majesty, as a God of vengeance, a stern unrelenting creditor, demanding payment even to the uttermost farthing. And however the advocates for the light of nature may boast of their discoveries, it may be pronounced impossible for unassisted reason, proceeding on sound principles, to discover any means whereby guilty creatures can hope to satisfy the justice, or regain the friendship of their Maker. All our knowledge, with regard to this subject, must flow from revelation alone. The sanctions of justice may indeed be comprehended by human reason; but justice demands inexorably the punishment of transgressors. Justice admits no claim for the exercise of mercy. Nay, more, mercy does not even come within the strict conception of legal administration, but is an act of pure prerogative having no other measure than the will of the sovereign. "And who knoweth the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counsellor?" None else but the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, and hath declared him unto us: and this is the name whereby he hath made him NOTHING can be conceived more encourag- What the apostle says, (chapter v. verse preme Being disclosed by the apostle in 18.) has a stronger signification than is the concluding part of the former chap-commonly attended to. "All things are struments; and accordingly he styles himself, in the text, "a worker together with God," and in this character beseecheth the Corinthians, in the most earnest manner, "not to receive the grace of God in vain." The same exhortation I now address to which he had already said was committed to himself, and to his brethren in the apostleship. This plainly appears to consist of two parts. 1st. The declaration of an important fact, "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself." And, of God." It not only imports, that all things owe their existence to God, and are the effects of his creating power; but farther, that all the motives to exercise that power are of himself likewise. He finds them in his own perfect nature; and every exertion of power, whether for producing being or happiness to any of his you, deeming it peculiarly seasonable, in creatures, is the spontaneous act of his the near view we have of celebrating that essential goodness and benignity. Why | solemn ordinance of our religion, in which did God create a world? No other the grace of God appears in all its lustre answer can be given to this question, but and glory. It seems unnecessary to emthat it was his sovereign pleasure so to do. ploy many words in explaining the exhorNo other reason, but the same sovereign tation, its meaning being so clearly ascer pleasure can be assigned for man's exist- tained by the connection in which it stands, ence on earth, with all the honors con- as to be obvious to every intelligent reader. ferred on him at his first creation. And All that is needful to be observed, is, that now that man hath forfeited these honors, we are to look for the true import of the and incurred the penalty annexed to his grace of God, which the apostle beseecheth disobedience, whither shall he resort to the Corinthians not to receive in vain, in find an inducement for his Creator show-that ministry or word of reconciliation, ing him mercy? Can rebellion, outrageous unprovoked rebellion, furnish a motive to pity? Can deformity and pollution present any attractions of love? No; it is manifest, that after all our researches, we must finally have recourse to what God himself said to Moses of old, "I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy." Upon this principle the apostle proceeds in the passage I have quoted: "All things are of God," saith he, "who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus the fact, and complying with the exhortaChrist, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation, to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them." He it was who graciously spared those rebels whom his righteous vengeance might have crushed; and who, instead of requiring the fruit of our body for the sin of our soul, withheld not his own Son as the ransom of our transgressions, but gave him up to the death for us, that we might live through him. Having thus by his infinite wisdom, and self-moving goodness, opened a way for extending mercy to of fenders, consistent with the honor of his perfections, he proceeds to complete the gracious plan, by sending forth some of the apostate race, as ambassadors for Christ, to beseech sinners in his own name, and in Christ's stead, to be reconciled to God. Paul was one of these chosen in 2dly, An exhortation founded on this fact, We pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God." Hence it is evident, that receiving the grace of God imports neither more nor less than believing tion; and consequently every thing short of this is receiving the grace of God in vain. Without any further explanation, therefore, I shall now proceed to press the exhortation, by the most powerful arguments that I am able to present to your minds. Let me beseech you, then, not to receive the grace of God in vain, by the consideration of the misery and abject bondage of your condition, while you continue thus perverse and ungrateful. I will not enter into any speculative disquisition with regard to the pretensions of natural religion. Whether those who never heard of the grace of God revealed in the gospel may yet be saved, by the efficacy of an unknown atonement, is a question with which we have little concern. I speak at present to those whose fate has nothing to do with the determination of this ques and disgraceful condition, while tion. What say the Scriptures of truth | freedom from those restraints to which with respect to them?" He that believeth the religious part of mankind are subject. on the Son hath life." Ponder what fol- But be assured this is no proof that your lows," he that believeth not the Son shall shackles are not real and binding. The not see life, but the wrath of God abideth tyrant to whom you are subject rules by on him." How awful are these words! deceit still more than by force; and all his "God is angry with the wicked every day. artifices are used to blind the eyes of his He hath bent his bow and made it ready; prisoners. Nay, it may be asserted with he hath also prepared for him the instru- confidence, that if you have not felt your ments of death." And O how hopeless chains, if you have not been conscious of a warfare is that which you have under- a struggle in getting free of them, your taken! Is there any that ever hardened redemption is not yet begun; for violence himself against God and prospered? Is there must be, and violence that cannot there any stronghold or lurking place, but be felt ere the usurper of your liberty where the enemies of his government may be dethroned. Such then is your unhappy be safe? Go, try the whole creation round. Ascend to heaven, and he is there in the brightness of his majesty. Go down to the regions of darkness, and he is there in the severity of his justice. Take the wings of the morning, and fly to the uttermost parts of the sea, even there his boundless dominion extends; even there his right hand shall hold thee a prisoner to his vengeance. Go, ask protection from the highest angel, and he will tell you that one sin ruined myriads of his companions; and how then should he protect you from the penalty of multiplied transgressions? And if so exalted a being cannot help you, what can you hope from any other part of the creation? (( Surely in vain is salvation looked for from the hills and from the mountains." There is no other deliverer than this Jesus whom we preach. He is the alone surety that can pay all our debt; and even he can profit us nothing, till we receive him into our hearts by faith. Till that happy moment, the weight of all our sins lies on ourselves: and nothing but the brittle thread of life suspends us from sinking for ever into the pit where there is no hope. 2d place, Let me beseech you not to receive the grace of God in vain, by the consideration of the happiness of those who give it a full and cordial reception. Every one of this happy number is justified from the guilt of all his iniquities; and say, whether you have well weighed the value even of this lowest privilege of believers? I am aware that thoughtless transgressors can have no conception of its importance; in their mad and desperate folly, they even make a mock at sin, and deride the fears of the contrite and penitent. But go ask the pardoned sinner what he thinks of the benefit of forgiveness. Hear the grateful accents of one who spoke from deep and thorough experience: "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity:-For day and night thine hand was heavy on me, so that my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. Thou hast brought up But the prospect of impending misery is not the only circumstance that characterizeth your unhappy condition. Present bondage, distracting and disgraceful bondage, is no less a just description of your state. The enemy of God and man rules my soul from the grave; thou hast kept in your hearts, and by his imperious comme alive, that I should not go down into mands, all your inclinations and actions are the pit; thou hast put off my sackcloth, swayed. It is possible, indeed, that this and girded me with gladness. Therefore shameful slavery may be unknown to your shall every one that is godly pray unto selves. You may flatter yourselves with thee, in a time when thou mayest be a supposed liberty, and even boast of your found; and I will give thanks unto thee, bliss. O Lord my God, for ever and ever." But | to behold his glory, and to partake of his this forgiveness, precious and invaluable as it is, is only the introductory blessing be- And shall these considerations be still stowed on those who give the grace of insufficient to determine your choice? O God a full and cordial reception. Being wonder not at the unbelieving Jews, who justified by faith, they have peace with persecuted and slew the Lord of life. Let God, and peace with their own conscience. not your indignant sentiments rise at their The cause of enmity being removed, they injustice and cruelty. Their sin and folly are restored to friendship with their Maker. were light compared with yours, who now God is not ashamed to be called their reject his counsel and despise his grace. Father, nor reluctant to bestow on them Their scorn was excited by his mean apall the blessings and honors that pertain pearance, and they hid their faces from to his children. Hence the rapturous him, because disguised in the form of a gratitude of the apostle John, too big for servant. But I will tell you a thing more expression, and yet, by the very want of horrible and astonishing. The Son of expression, more forcible than the most God, clothed in all the mild glory of an descriptive eloquence. "Beloved, now exalted Saviour, and stretching forth his are we the sons of God; and it doth not hands to bestow all the blessings puryet appear what we shall be, but we know chased with his blood, is still despised and that when he shall appear we shall be rejected. And thou, O impenitent sinner, like him, for we shall see him as he is." art the man guilty of this contempt and The meanest individual, nay, the most ingratitude; yet, blessed be God, though abandoned sinner that now hears me, may you may justly be charged with this almost yet become an heir of God, and a joint incredible guilt, I am still warranted to heir with Christ, a king and priest unto beseech you, in the God, and a pillar in the heavenly temple, never to be removed. Let your desires soar to the greatest height, stretch your imaginations to the utmost-yet the liberality of God will be still more unbounded. Much he hath promised to bestow on his people, and many similitudes he hath condescended to use, that their slow minds might be assisted in conceiving his bounty; but nowhere hath he said, this is all your portion, or beyond this no more is to be expected. No, his bounty will be an everlasting fountain, and benefits for ever shall nourish eternal gratitude in the bosoms of the redeemed. "For he that spared not his own Son, but gave him up to the death for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things." Peruse the valedictory discourse of our Lord to his disciples, and learn from it what you may lawfully expect from a reconciled Father. All your prayers shall be heard. The Comforter, even the Holy Ghost, shall come into your hearts, and lead you into the knowledge of all truth. Ye shall be made fruitful in the works of righteousGod himself shall make his abode with you. Ye shall be kept from the evil of the world while in it, and at last ye shall be where your exalted Redeemer is, ness. 3d and last place, Not to receive the grace of God in vain, by the consideration of the riches of his long-suffering and forbearance. Long as his mercy has been insulted, it is still in your offer. I need not appeal to particular passages of Scripture to confirm this comfortable truth. It appears conspicuously through the whole tenor of revelation, every page of which contains the language of love and compassion to sinners. Review the history of Jesus, and after you have seen what he hath already done for our sakes, try if you can possibly question his goodwill. Did he condescend to be clothed with our mortal flesh, and will he disdain the entertainment of an affectionate and grateful heart? Did he bleed and die on the cross for our sins, and will he fail to perfect his work in our salvation? It was a powerful argument which the apostle Paul employed on a certain occasion with Agrippa, "Believest thou the Prophets?" So say I to you, Do you believe the history of your Saviour, as recorded by four evangelists? How do you read them? What was it that affected him with grief? was it not the hardness of men's hearts? What was it that drew tears from his compassionate eyes? was it not the view of Jerusalem, that impenitent city, which knew not, or regarded not, the day of its merciful visitation? Nay, what was the errand on which he solemnly declared himself to be come into the world? was it not to "seek and to save them who were lost?" and O will ye counteract by your obstinate folly, all these gracious intentions on his part? Will ye persist in rejecting his until ye have extorted vengeance grace, and indignation from him whose heart is love? How dreadful, in that case, must your doom be! As ye love your souls, be warned in time against this desperate, this ruinous madness. The gracious call still resounds in your ears, To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts." And we, as ambassadors, are still charged to "beseech you, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." And now let me ask, what impression these plain and obvious remonstrances have made on your minds? What may be their effect, I cannot foretell. This I know, that could I hope to succeed better, I would with pleasure come down, and address each of you, even on my bended knees, obtesting you by every solemn, every ten der argument, to fly from the wrath to come. I easily foresee the time when the remembrance of this offered grace shall either fill you with joy unutterable, or with fruitless and everlasting anguish. For whatever thoughtless sinners may imagine, no word of God shall ever return to him void, but shall accomplish the purpose for which he sends it. "We are a sweet savor to God," saith the apostle Paul, "in you that believe, and in you that perish; to the one we are the savor of life unto life, and to the other of death unto death." I am aware that pleadings of this kind are sometimes treated with ridicule; but the time is at hand when the scoffer shall be made sober. The view of death may do it -the day of judgment certainly will. Now then is the accepted time. Now you may obtain an interest in this Saviour; and if you apply to him, as sure as God liveth, you shall find mercy. Thus far I can go, but one step farther I cannot proceed upon sure ground. I cannot promise you on any future time. If you reject the counsel of God now, I cannot assure even FROM these words I propose, by divine assistance, I. To describe that excessive or sinful love of the world, from which the apostle here dissuades us. II. To inquire wherein the malignity of this sin consists. III. To lay before you a few symptoms of a worldly mind, and examine some of the apologies upon which men flatter themselves with being free of it. And, IV. To enforce the exhortation, and give some directions how to get this undue affection towards earthly things mortified and subdued. I. It will readily occur to you, that the exhortation is to be understood under certain restrictions. The place of his works which God has appointed us to inhabit, cannot in itself be supposed an object deserving our aversion or dislike. This would be to impeach the goodness of our Creator, and to tax his handiwork with imperfection. We may lawfully love the world, as it is the workmanship of God, and the mirror in which we behold the perfections of the invisible Creator. Creation is a large instructive volume, and the sense of every line is God. The proper use of all the creatures is to lead us upwards to him that made them, and to kindle in our souls the warmest gratitude to that unwearied Benefactor, who has provided so liberally for our comfort and happiness. They are naturally the means of supporting our bodies while we are employed in those duties which we owe to God, and they also enable us to supply the |