them from off the face of the earth. Of the diffembling congregation of Ifrael in the days of Mofes, he folemnly affirmed; They shall not fee the land. I have fworn in my wrath, that they fhall not enter into my reft. Of the Jews who diffembled when they enquired concerning his will by Jeremiah, he pronounced; Bebold I will fend Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon; and will fet his throne in Egypt. Ye fhall die by the fword, by the famine, and by the peftilence, in the place whither ye defire to go and to fojourn. None shall escape. All these predicted judgements were punctually accomplished. So fhall be accomplished every word of God. Where are all the unrepenting diffemblers of all paft ages now? They are referved in chains and darkness unto the judgement of the great day. Where fhall be all the unrepenting diffemblers of the prefent age? They fhall be referved in the fame chains under the fame darkness to the fame judgement. All liars, faith the Lord ;and who is of all liars the moft guilty, but he who diffembleth with his God?-All liars fhall have their portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone (ƒ).` Whoever thou art, who diffembleft in thine heart with thy Judge; look forward to the hour that (f) Rev. xxi. 8.

awaiteth

awaiteth thee if thou abideft in thy diffimulation. Look forward to the hour, when thofe dreadful words, Thou haft not lied unto men but unto God, at the found of which Ananias fell down dead, fhall be to thee the sentence of death eternal.

And is hope then excluded? Is the diffembling heart irreclaimable? There is one, to whom nothing is impoffible. There is one whofe transforming power hypocrify itfelf cannot escape. The preparation of the heart is from the Lord (g). In his hand the ftone becomes flesh, the fcarlet white as fnow. In his hand all things are renewed. Cleanfe your hands, ye finners: purify your hearts, ye double-minded (b). Behold, we were born in sin : how fhall we be cleanfed? We are altogether vile: how shall we be purified? Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, faith the Lord of Hofts. I am with you, faith the Lord of Hofts. According to the word that I covenanted with you, my Spirit remaineth among you. Fear ye not (i). Alleluia! Glory be to thee, Lord God Omnipotent! Light is arifen on my darkness. I can do all things through Christ who ftrengtheneth me. Do we yet lin

(g) Prov. xvi. 1. Haggai, ii. 4, 5.

(b) James, iv. 8,

(i) Zech. iv. 6.

ger?

ger? Come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord (k). Let us be wife, while there is yet time for wisdom. Let us rend our hearts and turn unto the Lord: let us fear and ferve him in fincerity and truth. Let us defer not to pay our vows unto the Moft High. Let us join ourfelves unto the Lord in a perpetual covenant that fhall not be forgotten (!).

(k) Philipp. iv. 13. Ifaiah, ii. 5. Joshua, xxiv. 14. Eccl. v. 4. Jerem. 1. 5.

(1) Joel, ii. 13.

SERMON IX.

On the Nature and the Confequences of Excufes for not giving up the Heart to Religion.

LUKE, xiv. 18.

And they all with one Confent began to make

IN

Excufe.

NSTRUCTION poffeffes peculiar force, when derived from incidents which intereft the mind. Facts feize upon the memory more powerfully than precepts. The recollection of the former recalls the remembrance of the latter. The precept, thus recalled, prefents itfelf under characters of animation and propriety, which confer additional energy on its native importance.

It was the ufual practice of our Saviour, when favourable opportunities arose, to take advantage of circumstances immediately paffing before the eyes of his followers for the

purpose

purpose of impreffing religious truth. When he spoke the words which have been recited, he was fitting at meat at the table of a wealthy Pharifee. From the antecedent part of the chapter it appears that he had already taken occafion twice, from incidents which occurred at this entertainment, to deliver an important leffon to those who were present. Firft; in reproving the pride which impelled them eagerly to contend for the places accounted the most honourable; he taught the excellence of humility in the fight of men. as well as of God. And afterwards, he admonished them not to be anxious, when they prepared a dinner or a fupper, to affemble their opulent relations and neighbours, in order that they might be themselves invited to feafts in return: but rather to call to their table the poor, the blind, and the diftreffed, from whom they could look for no retribution, that God, the friend of the wretched, might bless them, and recompenfe them at the refurrection of the juft. A person of the company was confiderably ftruck with these discourses; and exclaimed, Blessed is he that fhall eat bread in the kingdom of God: bleffed is he who fhall receive the inftruction of the promised Redeemer; and after having been admitted as a member of his kingdom upon earth,

Q2

1