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God, in

the life and fufferings of Chrift, to have enquired of the aged apoftle concerning the events which had befallen the moft diftinguished adverfaries of his Lord. "Did Herod, who fought to murder the new-born Saviour at Bethlehem, defcend to the grave in peace ?" "He died, fmitten by the hand of agony and defperation; baffled in his attempt to cut short his miserable existence'; worn away by the lingering horrors of a difease unexampled in loathsomeness and anguish (g)." "What vengeance overtook the traitor Judas ?" "He perished by his own hand!" "What was the end of that other wretch of the name of Herod, by whom Chrift, a fhort time before his crucifixion, was derided?" "He was ftripped by the Roman emperor of his property and of his kingdom, and was driven into perpetual exile (b), "What befel the iniquitous judge, Pontius Pilate?""Recalled in difgrace from his government, and condemned to banishment, he took away his own life." "The city of Jerufalem, which nailed its king to the cross; does it furvive ?" "Not one ftone of it is left upon another!" "Where is now the Jewish nation?" Cut off by unequalled calamities;

(g) Jofephi Opera, edit. Hudf, vol. ii. p. 768. 770, &c.. (b) Ibid. p. 820, 1067.

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or scattered in bondage and infamy over the
face of the earth!" Within the span of St.
John's life all these examples of divine justice
and truth were displayed. What if we con-
tinue the enquiry lower? What befel the
Roman empire; which firft fhed the blood
of the Master, and then perfecuted his fol-
lowers? It bowed to the ftandard of the cross;
it dishonoured by fin the Christian profeffion;
and was swept away by the deluge of barba-
rians which the Dragon, "the Old Serpent,"
is reprefented in the book of revelations as
having poured forth for the destruction of the
Christian church. But were those pagan in-
vaders permitted a long triumph over Chrift-
ianity? The earth opened her mouth, and swal-
lowed up the flood (i). Their names are nearly
vanished from remembrance; nation after
nation speedily worshipped within the pale
of the church which it came to destroy; and
among their defcendents, deeply as the majo-
rity of them has been funk for many ages in
the bitter dregs of a corrupted religion, are to
be found peoples and languages eminent for
evangelical purity of faith. What is the pre-
sent state of those pre-eminent antagonists of
Jefus, the votaries of the Papacy and of Ma-
homet? To the fervants of Jefus they are still
(i) Rev. xii. 15, 16.

formidable

formidable foes. They have not yet fulfilled the appointed period, to the conclufion of which, conformably to the dictates of Prophecy, they shall have power to afflict the faints of the Most High. But the ftone, which, in the visions of Daniel, was cut out of the mountain without hands, fhall affuredly become a great mountain, and shall fill the whole earth (j). However tremendous may be the temporary triumphs in reserve for papàl Rome; even now we behold her, after the lapfe of centuries, staggering under that concuffion which was a prelude to her irrecoverable fall. Even already we behold in the waning crefcent of Mahomet the tokens of its perpetual extinction. Even already we begin to exclaim, in the rapturous anticipations of affured and exulting hope; "Great and marvellous are thy "works, Lord God almighty! Just and "true are thy ways, thou King of faints. We praise thee, we bless thee, we glorify thee; "we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.

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Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hofts! "The whole earth is filled with thy glory! "King of kings, and Lord of lords! "Thou haft taken unto thee thy great

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power, and haft reigned. The kingdoms "of this world are become the kingdoms of (j) Daniel, ii. 34, 35⋅ 45•

our Lord and of his Chrift; and He fhall ἐσ reign for ever and ever (k).”

In the face of these admonitory demonftrations of the truth of the divine threatenings against tranfgreffors, prefumeft thou to think, O ungodly finner! that thou shalt escape the judgement of God? Knoweft thou not that after thy hardnefs and impenitent heart, thou art treasuring up to thyfelf wrath against the day of wrath? Flames and vengeance, tribulation and anguish, shall be upon every foul of man that doeth evil. The ftone, at which thou ftumbleft, fhall fall on thee, and grind thee to powder, Mercy has been preffed upon thee, bleffings have been bestowed upon thee, in vain. The counfels of God for thy falvation thou haft rejected. The blood of thy Redeemer thou haft despised. The Spirit of grace thou haft grieved. The chains of fin are multiplying around thee. The fhades of death eternal are clofing over thy head. Yet now, even now, it is not too late. Thy Saviour still waiteth to be gracious. He ftill invites, ftill encourages, thee to fly to him for pardon and deliverance and peace. Today, if ever thou wilt hear his voice, harden not thy heart. The prefent call may be thy last, Arife, and flee for thy life.

(k) Rev. xi. 17. xv. 3. xvi. 7. xix. 16. 、 Isaiah, vi. 3,

SERMON II.

The Chriftian Method of Juftification explained and vindicated.

ROMANS, iii. 20-22.

By the deeds of the law there fhall no flesh be jus tified in his fight: for by the law is the knowledge of fin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifefted, being witneffed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jefus Chrift.

Το

O understand the value of a benefit, we must estimate not only its intrinsic amount, but the amount alfo of evil which it mitigates or removes. If a distressed man would appreciate the real worth of a donation bestowed upon him; let him confider the mifery from which it rescues his family and

himself

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