ceeds alone from myself? My God, remove this difficulty and lay open to me this important truth." Suppose, my brethren, that having presented this question, God should answer in the following manner:-"The frailty of your minds renders this matter incomprehensible to you; it is impossible for men finite as you are, to comprehend the whole extent of my decrees, and to see in a clear and distinct manner the influence they have on the destinies of men but I who formed them perfectly understand them; I am truth itself as I am wisdom; I do declare to you then, that none of my decrees offer violence to my creatures, and that your destruction can proceed from none but yourselves. You shall one day perfectly understand what you now understand only in part; and then you shall see with your own eyes, what you now see only with mine. Cease to anticipate a period which my wisdom defers; and laying aside this speculation, attend to practice; fully persuaded that you are placed between reward and punishment, and may have a part in which you please." Is it not true, my brethren, that if God had answered in this manner, it would be carrying, I do not say rashness, but insolence to the highest degree to object against this testimony, or to desire more light into this subject at present? But God has given this answer, and in a manner infinitely more clear than we have stated it he has given it in all those passages of his word, which attest his willingness to save man; and therefore, notwithstanding this

objection, it still appears true that the sinner has destroyed himself.

But a second objection is urged. It is founded on the inability of man. "God," says the sinner, "does not deal fairly with us: he is a hard master, gathering where he has not strawed.' He requires of me certain duties which I cannot performand then because I do not perform them, sentences me to woe." This is the objection in its full force. We make but a single observation in reply to it. This inability instead of extenuating your crime is the very essence of your guilt.

Inability is of two kinds, natural and moral. Natural inability consists in a defect of rational faculties, bodily powers, or external advantages: this .excuses from sin. Moral inability consists only in the want of a proper disposition of heart to use our natural ability aright this is the essence of sin. We will illustrate this point by a familiar example. A beggar applies for relief to two different persons; the first says to him-"I perceive your misery; I know that you ought to be relieved, but I do not possess any property, and therefore I am totally unable to relieve you." Here is an instance of natural inability, and it perfectly exempts the person from the sin of uncharitableness. The second says to him— "I perceive your misery; I know that you ought to be relieved; I have a sufficiency of money; but

I have such a dreadful hardness of heart that I cannot pity your distresses, and that I am totally unable to relieve you." Here is an instance of moral inability; instead of excusing from sin, it is that which constitutes the very essence of the sin, and which renders the man uncharitable.

Now then, sinners, let us examine under which species of inability you lie. If under the first, you are excusable; if under the second, you are inexcusable. Natural inability then consists in a defect of rational faculties, bodily powers, or external advantages. If you were without any reason to understand the truths of the gospel, without any external senses by which these truths could be conveyed to your mind, without any opportunity of ever hearing of these truths, you would not be blamable for not closing with the gospel offers of salvation. But that understanding which is employed in the investiga. tion of natural truths, is capable of being employed in the investigation of spiritual truths; but that love which is exercised upon the creature, is capable of being exercised upon the Creator; but your outward senses and external situation are such that you have known these things there is then no natural inability in your case; you labour only under a moral inability. The question then recurs, does this excuse you? On the contrary, it is this which constitutes your sin. sin. Moral inability consists, as we have said, in a want of a proper disposition of heart to.

use our natural ability aright-Moral inability consists in viciousness of heart and depravity of disposition. When you say therefore, "I am excusable, because I am morally unable to repent, to believe, to love God;" you say in other words, "I am excusable, because I have so dreadfully guilty and corrupted a heart, that I have no disposition to repent, to believe, to love God." What says conscience to this plea? What would a civil judge say to such an apology in the case of murder or theft? No, sinner, this impotency is so far from excusing you, that it aggravates your guilt; the greater our moral inability, the greater is our disposition to evil, and therefore the greater our crime. Notwithstanding this objection then, it still appears that the sinner destroys himself.

And now, sinners, what shall henceforth be your conduct? You have seen that if you are lost, you must voluntarily embrace perdition. perdition. Will you still act so much against the instincts of nature, so worse than brutishly as to choose destruction. Do you say, I do not choose destruction; destruction is hateful to me. In itself I grant that it is so; but he who knows that perdition is inseparably connected with any course of conduct, and yet will pursue this course of conduct, loves perdition, if not for its own sake, yet for that which is annexed to it. He that will drink a pleasant potion, though he knows it to be impregnated with poison, surely chooses

death. I affectionately and importunately beseech you not to act so cruelly to yourselves. In the name of my Master, I once more offer to you all the benefits purchased by Christ, and all the glories of heaven. If you neglect this proffer, remember that we must soon meet at the tribunal of God, and I summon this assembly then to bear testimony that you have rejected an offered Jesus.