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will. It is not, indeed, at once, but generally by gradual advances that men reach that state of stupefaction in which they make no exertions to get free. There are few perhaps of those who are finally inslaved, who do not often feel that inward anguish and remorse, and those fears and perturbations which rouse them to serious resolutions, and put them on some course of means to obtain deliverance. But their resolutions being hastily made, and finding the expedients they have adopted to be too painful and expensive to the flesh, they gradually decline from both, till at last they consent to wear their chains forever, rather than struggle any longer.

Do not mistake me, my brethren, as if what I have now said, intends those only, who are devoted to the grosser appetites of sense, and have thrown off those restraints which arise from the common dictates of reason, and natural religion. By no means: I include all men who have not submitted to the laws of the gospel, for, the principles of corruption are essentially the same in all; and though different constitutions may be ruled by different passions, there is in every man by nature, a propensity to sin, a dislike to pure religion, and a love of this world, strong enough to operate his ruin, if not prevented by the grace of God. And this may be the case with those of the calmer, as well as the more turbulent passions;

with the man of taste and science, the fair professor, and the blameless moralist, as men commonly speak of morality, as well as the unrestrained transgressor, all men are become unprofitable; there is none that doth good, no not one. Each one has his master passion, which maintains its authority in the heart, and brings all the others under tribute and the world, in one view or another, has the mastery of the whole, shutting out the light of divine wisdom, and keeping the heart fast bound in the servitude of sin. And, let the malady appear with what symptoms it may, it is still mortal in its nature, a sickness unto death, if not cured by Jesus Christ, who alone can heal our diseases, and redeem our life from destruction.

It is then, natural to ask, in a case so universal and dangerous, is there no remedy provided; no power that can controul the tyranny of the ene, my, and liberate those whom he hath led into bonds and imprisonment, and detains in darkness and vassalage? Cannot the strength of reason, or the refinements of education, or the precepts of philosophy, strike off their chains, and rescue them into liberty? No; their combined force is not sufficient to produce so great an effect. They have had time enough to try all the virtue they possess; but they have never yet, turned one soul from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God. Nor will they ever do it. If they

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have controuled the grosser passions, they have as often fostered pride, and self-confidence, and ambition, as inconsistent as the others with the laws of the gospel, and as disqualifying for the happiness of heaven.

Many of the best instructed of the heathen, saw and lamented the disorder of the world; but they neither knew the extent of the evil, nor the means of correcting it. It was reserved for Jesus Christ, who had received the spirit without measure, and was invested with all power, both in heaven and on earth, to effect that great deliverance which the world so much needed, and to which no other means had been found adequate. And this leads me

Secondly: To consider the particular import of the acceptable year of the Lord.

The words evidently allude to the year of Jubilee among the Jews, which was the fiftieth in course; and because of the many benefits that attended it, was called the acceptable or welcome year. It commenced on the evening of the day of Pentecost, and was ushered in with the sound of trumpets throughout the land.

There were three particular advantages which attended it all debts were then remitted; all slaves and prisoners were set free; and inheritances were restored to their original owners, or the families to which they belonged..

The dispensation of grace by Jesus Christ, is to all to whom it is proclaimed, if properly improv ed, the acceptable year of the Lord, in a sense infinitely more important than the year of Jubilee to the Jews, many as were its advantages: this afforded only temporal blessings; the christian Jubilee brings those which are spiritual and eternal.

First Christ came into the world to discharge the debts in which sin had bound men to the justice of God.

Every transgression brings the transgressor under an heavy penalty, even the forfeiture of his soul; for the law is, the soul that sinneth shall die; and if this be the penalty of a single sin, how heavy must be the debt which every man contracts through the course of a life of transgression? Especially when the sins of the heart, which may be committed by secret inclination and passion, by motives and intentions that are never carried into act, are added to those of the conversation and conduct. The heart, indeed, is the great source of sin, and our Lord plainly declared, that concupiscence and covetousness, and anger, causeless or excessive, subjected those who were guilty of them to the utmost penalty of the law. On this principle, to what an enormous amount may the under the fairest character beIngratitude, unbelief, vanity and

sins of men rise,

fore the world?

pride, avarice, ambition and envy, and neglect of the secret exercises of piety, though unnoticed by the world, and compatible with the most decent external demeanor, are yet high offences in the eye of God, and will come equally into judgment with those of the most disreputable character, in the estimation of men. Indeed, every man owes

divine justice; and not

This

ten thousand talents to having a mite to pay, must either go to prison and there remain, without hope of release, or be discharged from his debts by an act of grace. inestimable benefit has been promised by Jesus Christ, who assumed our debts, and bore the punishment of our sins in his own body on the tree. As the proxy of sinners, in their stead he made atonement for their sins, of sufficient merit to cancel the most aggravated guilt, nailing to the cross the hand-writing that was against them. Though their sins were as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they were red like crimson, they shall be as wool. So that, to every penitent transgressor, Jesus Christ speaks that gracious language which conveys life, and health, and peace to the heart, be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee.

Another most acceptable benefit of the year of Jubilee was, that

Secondly: It proclaimed liberty to all slaves and prisoners throughout the land.

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