gle course of iniquity, whatever his conduct may be in other respects, is certainly in an unconverted state; without holiness; destitute of religious principle. This voluntary and habitual disobedience in one thing, proves that his apparent obedience in others is altogether external; mere appearance, put on for some selfish purpose; proceeding from motives of worldly policy, self-aggrandizement, or mere instinctive propensity, and not from a real regard to the will and authority of Heaven. Every habitual sinner, whatever his sinful habit may be, is, in strict propriety of language, an impenitent sinner; an unconverted man; destitute of that fear of the Lord which is the very beginning of wisdom, the very foundation of virtue, the very commencement of religion in the soul.

I cannot here forbear to add, nearly in the words of that distinguished writer on Christian ethics whom I have already quoted in this discourse, that the essential difference between a child of God and one who has not yet been born of the Spirit, does not depend on the number of their sins, or the depth of their iniquity; but the precise difference is this, the true child of God allows himself in no sin whatever;" but he has declared war against sin in every form; and is striving, however feebly, yet without reserve or exception, against the various assaults of this enemy of the soul. To all, therefore, who live in the practice of any known sin, whether public or private, whether in word or deed, whether according to human estimation, greater or less, we address the exhortation of the text; to them we say: "Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out." Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die." "Know ye not, that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners," nor any other transgressors, who continue impenitent, and die in their sins, "shall ever enter the kingdom of God."

It is scarcely necessary to add, that a mere freedom from habits of open and positive transgression, such as we have named, is not sufficient to exclude you from the application of the text. You may be neither intemperate, dishonest, nor profane; you may have guarded against habits of positive iniquity and disgraceful vice; and yet be destitute of holiness and true religion. The young man who came to our Saviour, inquiring what he must do to be saved, had conformed, externally at least, to all the positive requi

sitions of the moral law; and yet he still lacked one thing essential to salvation, his heart was not right with God; his affections were still fixed on the world; he was still unconverted; he was destitute of holiness, and went away in sorrow.

Trust not, I beseech you, to a cold, formal, stinted, selfish morality. It will never save you. But see to it, that not only your external conduct but your inward principles, your motives, your feelings, your hearts are right with God.

To conclude. The subject of this discourse, my hearers, is not a vain thing unto you-any one of you. It is your life. It is solemn as eternity; and important as your souls are precious. For verily, verily, I say unto you, (and I here speak in language of authority,)—" Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." The question, the momentous question, for every one to settle for himself, is not, when was I born again? Nor is it, how, by what instrumentality, was I converted? But it relates, be it remembered, simply to the fact, have I, at any time, been born again; have I actually, and by any instrumentality, been converted to God; have I ever truly repented, and turned from sin unto holiness; and am I now living by faith on the Son of God; walking not after the flesh, but after the Spirit; growing in grace, and pressing forward by the mark toward the prize of the high calling of God? Settle this question, hearer; and the rest may be left. Settle this in the affirmative, and you may go on your way, rejoicing in hope.

SERMON LXXVII.

BY REV. SIDNEY DEAN,

PASTOR OF THE M. E. CHURCH, NORWICH FALLS, CONNECTICUT.

THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE STATE OF THE CHURCH.

First the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. Mark iv. 28.

OUR blessed Lord, in his teachings, accommodated himself to the minds of his hearers, in the use of figures or parables. One of the evangelists informs us, "that, without a parable spake he not unto them." As instances, we point you to the parables of the "Tares and Wheat;""The Lost Sheep" and "Piece of Silver;" "The Nobleman and his Kingdom;" and that of the "Prodigal Son." The parable from which our text is taken, is susceptible of more than one interpretation and application. Some of our commentators have understood it to mean, the seeds of divine grace sown in the heart, the germ, the maturity, and their harvest in heaven. But we think, on taking into consideration the circumstances under which it was delivered, as well as the one which succeeds it, that it was designed by our Lord to represent the rise, progress, and completion of the kingdom of God on earth.

He had just entered upon his important mission on earth; had proclaimed himself the Messiah of the world by his miracles and teachings; and it became him to unfold the counsels of God to the race which he was to redeem. The long looked for time had come; the man had appeared of whom the holy prophet had said, "unto him shall yeh earken." He sat down in a ship on the quiet waters of Galilee, and, to the assembled thousands upon the shore, began to unfold the great purposes of ths Almighty in relation to man. In the parable of our text, "the kingdom of God," that is, the reign of grace, or his kingdom established in the earth over the hearts of men, is as if a man should cast seed into the ground, and rise night and day beholding its growth and ma

turity. And, as we understand the text, "For as the earth bringeth forth her fruit; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear," so in the kingdom of God on earth, we find its commencement, progression, and final completion. The parable of the minute "Grain of Mustard," which immediately succeeds the one of our text, cast into the earth, rising from its bed, and shooting out its branches as a resting place for the fowls of heaven, must, we think, strengthen and elucidate the doctrine we have taken from our text. Considering it in this light, it will be our design to present to your consideration THE THREE STATES OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH ON EARTH.

And here let us pause and render thanks to God for a history of the past, transmitted to us through the dark ages of error, uncorrupted by the hands of wicked men, while we join also in thanksgiving for a revelation of the glorious future, which stamp its teachings with the impress of God. Looking into this, we find that, in consequence of sin, a fearful gloom had gathered over our guilty world. 'Twas the cloud of Jehovah's displeasure. Hell triumphed, and, doubtless, "held a jubilee" when it had accomplished the estrangement of man from his Maker. But God had thoughts of mercy; and, while the earth was sending forth its first groan under the curse, and ere the guilty pair had left the sacred enclosure of Eden, he laid the foundation of his kingdom on earth, in the promise of Him who was to be "a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, and a sure foundation." The glimmering rays of "the day star from on high" was dimly seen shining through the promise, kindling a ray of hope, and exciting emotions of gratitude and love in the guilty heart. Under this light, a righteous Abel ministered at her altar, and fell a martyr to her truths. A translated Enoch was found within her pale; and the sacred historian informs us that "then began men to call upon the name of the Lord." Farther on in the history of the kingdom we find a Noah, a preacher of righteousness, standing with his family as the only connecting link between the antediluvian and patriarchal age of the church. While a peopled earth had perished by thousands without her pale, one family were spared to fulfil the promise, and spread on the altar of Ararat an offering to the Lord. This state of the church was like the faint scintillations of a star seen through the thickest darkness of a midnight sky, or, to apply our text, like the bursting earth parting to throw out "the blade." Passing in

to the patriarchal age, we find a holy cluster gathering at her altar, and standing as a strong bulwark in her defence. Of Abraham it was said, that he desired to see its brighter light, that is, the day of Christ; "and, elevated on the wings of a soaring faith," he saw it and was glad." Coming down still farther in her history, and we find Moses gathering the scattered company of God's elect; delivering them from the oppression of the multitude, and leading them away to the promised rest. The shooting blade came near finding the darkness of earth again at the waters of the Red Sea, and in their journeyings across the arid desert. Now marching freely under the guidance of the mystic pillar; and anon struggling against contending foes. Now gazing with delight upon the symbol of God's presence between the cherubims; and again falling by thousands in the caverns of earth for transgression. Now marching with rapid strides to their long-sought rest; and again encamping beneath the brow of Sinai, worshipping the molten calf. Here drinking water with a murmuring heart at the rock of Meribah; and there perishing by thousands with the flesh they lusted for, and by the bite of the venomous flying serpent. Their obedience and blessing, their disobedience and curse, formed a chequered scene in all their journeyings till they reached the land; and two pillars only of the original church entered the promised inheritance. 'Twas but the blade. If our limits permitted, we would speak of the age that succeeded, coming down through the line of kings and prophets, discerning only here and there the opening blade preparatory to the coming "ear."

Gross idolatry had seized the hearts of the people; an estrangement from God ensued, and a curse and rejection followed in its track. They were led captive by thousands, their splendid temple desecrated or utterly demolished, and the glory of their church and nation dying away under the repeated strokes of the divine displeasure. But here could be seen a weeping Jeremiah, pouring forth his tears between the porch and altar of the desecrated sanctuary; a seraphic Isaiah, lifting the cloud of darkness, and gazing into the brighter glories of that day that was to succeed this night of the church. A supplicating Daniel, also, could be found, recording his prayer in behalf of the scattered tribes of his countrymen, and receiving his answer from the heavenly world. The sceptre was crumbling in the hand of Judah, and a lawgiver was gasping in death between his feet, when we find the ushering