of defects and weaknesses, soon broken and laid aside-and why is this? that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us. (2 Cor. iv. 7.)

A divine power attends the feeble ministry of man. To them that are saved the preaching of the cross is the wisdom of God and the power of God. Preaching is the Divine Ordinance in which God is wont to pour out his Holy Spirit. O if you had right views of this ordinance how highly would you esteem-how diligently attend the ministry of the gospel, looking for and expecting the Holy Ghost. This, this is our aim-not that our preaching may be with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that as our sufficiency is of God, so that sufficiency may be continually seen in turning you from sin, and building you up in your most holy faith. It is his promise Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power; O that the power may be put forth even in our ministry, to the conversion and salvation of your precious souls.

THE MEASURE GIVEN, is just as it pleases d; to some more, to some less: To every one is is given grace according to the measure of gift of Christ. Just as the gifts of the Spirit

are bestowed on each according to the Divine sovereignty, and all these worketh that one and the self same Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will; so the graces of the Spirit are according to the gift, freely given of God-ask and ye shall have. Be not content with a small measure of grace. O how little, how very little most of us have, and how satisfied we are with that little, instead of hungering and thirsting for more and more, that grace and peace may be multiplied, we sit down contented with the truth of grace, when we ought to long for the riches and fulness of grace. Let us apply to him who giveth liberally and upbraideth not.

4. THE RECEIVING THIS GRACE IN VAIN.

The Apostle exhorts the Corinthians not to receive the grace of God in vain. This implies that many hear of, yet never benefit by this grace. Mark then, 1. The persons who receive this grace in vain; and 2. Their inexcusableness.

1. THE PERSONS WHO RECEIVE THIS GRACE IN VAIN.

There are various and very opposite classes, who, however they may differ in other respects, agree in this, they all receive the grace of God

in vain. UNBELIEVERS prefer darkness to light because their deeds are evil. Thus the Jews at Antioch when they saw the Gentiles crowding to hear the word they were filled with envy and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. (Acts xiii. 45.) So again in Iconium, the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. (Acts xiv. 2.) The Apostle says, We preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Gentiles foolishness. (1 Cor. i. 23.) The root of this unbelief is the love of sin, and it is the love of sin therefore which you must especially watch and pray against. O take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. (Heb. iii. 12.)

SELF-RIGHTEOUS PERSONS think so well of themselves that they do not see their need of this grace; it may be very proper and suitable they suppose for the wicked, but their goodness will help them, and so they reject the grace that brings salvation-Going about, the most impracticable of all attempts that sinful man ever made, to establish their own righteousness, they submit not themselves to the righteousness of God.

CARELESS PERSONS also receive the grace of God in vain. They are like the way-side hearer; the truth comes before them, but it sinks not into the heart: and, as Gallio, they care for none of these things; if their temporal interests were affected, they would be all alive, but as it only concerns the soul, they are inattentive, and indifferent, and unconcerned. There are others who may be called TEMPORARY BELIEVERS; in them the seed of the word is sown as on a rock, for a while they believe, but in time of temptation they fall away. There may be great joy and excitement for a season, but it is soon lost, and they become less impressible than ever. WORLDLY MEN in general receive the grace of God in vain; the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. There are others who are great TALKERS IN RELIGION, they can speak most fluently on religious subjects, speculate about them, dispute for them, and admire them, they say but do not; these also receive the grace of God in vain. There are some even WHO PERVERT THE DOCTRINES OF GRACE, and make them an occasion of sin; and turn the grace of God into licentiousness.

C

O my brethren, I cannot but fear that there are now before me persons who under one or other of these descriptions are trifling with or trampling upon the grace of God. Search and try your ways; pray earnestly to God in the words of David, Examine and prove me, O Lord, look well if there be any way of wickedness in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

For

OF THOSE WHO

It is a case of most fearful guilt and danger. Every moment's delay increases the danger, as it shortens the time between them and ruin. If they are spared year after year, through the intercession of the Lord Jesus, yet while they cumber the ground, the last year will soon come, and with it an accumulated load of guilt. Solomon thus describes their state: Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; but ye set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof; I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh. When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when destruction and anguish cometh upon you: Then

have