who, though defirous to efcape the wrath to come, would not abandon their fins, and bring forth fruits meet for repentance. It was in vain that Jefus Chrift addressed himself to that self-righteous race, who trusted in their own imaginary merits, and despised the offered atonement of a Saviour. My fon, if thou wilt incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding: if thou feekeft her as filver, and fearcheft for ber as for hid treafures: then shalt thou underftand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and underftanding. When with reverence and fubmiffion have liftened to the words of wifdom, recorded from his mouth in the Gofpel, ftrive, through the influence of his Holy Spirit, to obey them as an affectionate child obeys its parent. Let your faith prove itself by its fruits. At the fame time that you are found in doctrine, be a pattern of every good work. So fhall you be the children of wifdom: fo fhall you justify wisdom. So fhall you evince that Chrift Jefus is made unto you, wisdom, and righteoufnefs, and fanctification, and redemption. So fhall you glorify God in the way of fal you Prov. ii. 1-6. vation, vation. So fhall you recommend the way of falvation to mankind. If you thus juftify wifdom, behold the hour approaches, when before the affembled world wifdom fhall justify you. Fear him who can caft both body and foul into hell. But fear ye not the reproach of men: neither be ye afraid of their revilings. Behold the hour cometh, when Chrift shall render to every man according to his deeds. Then fhall the righteous man fland in great boldness before the face of fuch as have afflicted him, and made no account of his labours. When they fee it, they shall be troubled with terrible fear: and fhall be amazed at the firangeness of his falvation, fo far beyond all that they looked for. And they, repenting, and groaning for anguish of Spirit, fhall fay within themfelves; "This was he whom we had fometime "in derifion, and a proverb of reproach. We fools accounted his life madness; and his end "to be without honour. How is he numbered "with the children of God: and his lot is แ among the faints* !” * Wildom, v. 1—5. SERMON IV. On coming unto JESUS CHRIST for life. JOHN, V. 40. Ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life. SUPPOSE a legiflator, anxious to deter his fubjects from the commiffion of a particular crime, were to annex to it, as a penal confequence, the total confiscation of property. Suppose an individual, forėwarned of the impending effects of difobedience, wilfully to commit the crime.. Confifcation enfues. The inheritance defigned for his children is intercepted. Suppofe the children arrived at manhood, and treading in the fteps of their father. Suppose them habitually trampling upon ftatutes, which they feel themselves bound by ties of duty to obey; and manifefting by efforts of impotent treafon inherent malevolence malevolence against the legiflator. Suppose that legiflator, however rigorous in juftice, equally abundant in mercy: however refolute to maintain the honour of his law, equally folicitous to remove every impediment to the exercise of overflowing kindness towards tranfgreffors. Suppofe him, however arduous the talk, to have devised a method, by which, without encroachment on the principles of rectitude, without depreciation of his authority, without encouragement to offences, the forfeited inheritance may be restored; every accesfion of punishment which has been incurred be averted; and new poffeffions, far furpaffing the patrimony which by guilt was loft, be fuperadded. Suppose the attainment of these bleffings, the gifts of free mercy, to be effectually placed on equitable and eafy conditions within the reach of the offenders. What if you were to hear that the bleffings are defpifed; that the offer is rejected? Should you credit the intelligence? Should you conceive that the annals of the world could furnish many examples of fimilar infanity? Should you apprehend that in the most enlightened regions fimilar infanity is frequent at this hour? Should you believe that it is but needful needful to caft your eyes round the circle in which you move, to witness many a correfponding spectacle of frenzy? Should you believe that at this hour there may be exhibited a kindred fpectacle of frenzy by yourself? He Our Saviour, as we learn from the former part of the chapter before us, had given extreme offence to the Jews by expreffions which they juftly understood as a diftinct affirmation of his divinity. proceeded therefore to declare to them the glorious and pre-eminent power, with which he was, in his human nature, entrufted by his Father. One branch of this power was to raise all mankind from the grave. As the Father raifeth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even fo the Son quickeneth whom he will. Another was to judge the world. The Father judgeth no man, but bath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men may honour the Son even as they honour the Father. To thefe declarations our Lord, after fome collateral and explanatory difcuffion, fubjoined the emphatical words of the text; re will not come unto me, that ye might have life. In these words three facts were implied. First: That the Jews were not at that time poffeffed of life; nor capable VOL. II. F of |