severe. But let any one examine all its prohibitions and all its commands, and he will find them all amounting in fact to these two; "Do thyself no harm;" and, "Seek to be as happy as thy heart can wish." If there be any thing in the Gospel which bears a different aspect, it is owing entirely to our ignorance of its real import. The more thoroughly the Gospel is understood, the more worthy of acceptation will it invariably appear.]

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The only true reason is, that they "hate the light"— [Till men are truly converted to God, "their deeds are universally evil;" yea every imagination of the thoughts of their hearts is evil, only evil, continually." Now the Gospel is a light which shews their deeds in their proper colours.

It reproves their ways.-They have been "calling good evil, and evil good; and putting bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter." In reference to these things, it undeceives them. It declares plainly, that they who do such things as they have done, and perhaps have accounted innocent, shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

It mortifies their pride.-It not only shews them that they are obnoxious to the wrath of God, but that they are incapable of averting his displeasure by any thing which they themselves can do. It brings down the proud Pharisee, and places him on a level with publicans and harlots. It requires every man to acknowledge himself a debtor to divine grace for every good thing that he either has or hopes for. All this is extremely humiliating to our proud nature.

It inculcates duties which they are unwilling to perform.Humility and self-denial, renunciation of the world and devotedness to God, enduring of shame and glorying in the cross; these, and many other duties, it enjoins, which to our carnal and corrupt nature are hateful in the extreme: yet the Gospel inculcates them with a strictness not to be lowered, a plainness not to be misinterpreted, and an authority not to be withstood.

These, these are the grounds on which the Gospel is rejected. If it would admit of persons following their own ways, or of their accommodating its precepts to their own views or interests, they would give it a favourable reception. But as it requires all to be cast into the very mould which it has formed, and will tolerate not the smallest wilful deviation from its rules, it is, and must be, odious in the eyes of the ungodly: "they love darkness rather than it; nor will they come to it, lest their deeds should be reproved."]

A just view of these things will prepare us for contemplating,

III. Their guilt and danger in rejecting it—

Doubtless every kind of sin will be a ground of "condemnation." But men's hatred of the light is that which chiefly, and above all other things,

1. Aggravates their guilt

[The Gospel is a most wonderful provision for the salvation of fallen man. It is the brightest display of Divine wisdom, and the most stupendous effort of Divine goodness. The rejection of this therefore, especially as proceeding from a hatred of it, argues such a state of mind as no words can adequately express. The malignity of such a disposition rises in proportion to the excellence of the Gospel itself. We presume not to weigh the comparative guilt of men and devils, because the Scriptures have not given us sufficient grounds whereon to institute such a comparison: but the guilt of those who reject the Gospel far exceeds that of the heathen world: the wickedness of Tyre and Sidon, yea, of Sodom and Gomorrha, was not equal to that of the unbelieving Jews: nor was the guilt of those Jews, who rejected only the warnings of the prophets, comparable to that of those who despised the ministry of our Lord. In like manner, they who live under the meridian light of the Gospel in this day will have still more, if possible, to answer for, than the hearers of Christ himself; because his work and offices are now more fully exhibited, and more generally acknowledged. And in the day of judgment the Gospel will be as a millstone round the neck of those who rejected it: not having been a savour of life unto their salvation, it will be a savour of death unto their more aggravated condemnation.]

2. Insures their punishment

[If men did not hate the Gospel itself, there would be some hope that they might in due time embrace it, and be converted by it. If they would even come to the light in order that the true quality of their works might be made manifest, then we might hope that they would be convinced of their wickedness, and be constrained to flee from the wrath to come. But when they dispute against the truth, and rack their invention in order to find out objections against it; when they indulge all manner of prejudices against the Gospel; when they withdraw themselves from the ministry of those who faithfully preach it, and say, as it were, to their minister, "Prophesy unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits;" what hope can there be of such persons? Their hearts are so hardened, that it is scarcely possible to make any impression upon them if a ray of light do shine into their minds, they will endeavour to extinguish it as soon as possible; they will go to business, to pleasure, to company, yea, to intoxication itself,

in order to stifle the voice of conscience, and to recover their former delusive peace. Alas! they are not only perishing of a fatal disorder, but they reject with disdain the only remedy that can do them good: they therefore must die, because they persist in drinking of the poisonous cup that is in their hands, and dash from their lips the only antidote and cure.]

APPLICATION

In so saying, thou reprovest us—

[Behold! we declare unto you, that light, even the glorious light of the Gospel of Christ, is now come into the world

Ye lovers of darkness, reject not this blessed Gospel. Little can sin contribute to your happiness, even while you are most capable of tasting its pleasures: but what it can do for you in a dying hour, or in the day of judgment, it is needless for me to say. Let it not then keep you from coming to the light. Surely it is better that "your deeds should be reproved,' while you have opportunity to amend them, than that you should continue in them till you experience their bitter consequences. You would not travel in the dark when you could enjoy the light of day, or refuse the assistance of a guide that would lead you into the path which you professed to seek. Only then act for your souls as you would do in your temporal concerns, and all shall yet be well. Believe in Christ, and you shall yet be saved by him; as well from the commission of sin, as from the condemnation due to it.

Ye who profess to love the light, be careful to "walk as children of the light." Bring every thing to the touchstone of God's word. Try your spirit and temper, as well as your words and actions by this test. See whether you take the precepts of Christ as your rule, and his example as your pattern. For the sake of the world too, as well as for your own comfort, you should come continually to the light. If you would conciliate their regard for the Gospel, or remove their prejudice from yourselves, you should "make your works manifest that they are wrought in God." You should let your light shine before men, that they, seeing your good works, may glorify your Father that is in heaven.]

MDCXIII.

CONVERSION OF SOULS A GROUND OF JOY.

John iii. 29, 30. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.

OF all the passions in the human breast, there is none more hateful than envy. When suffered to reign without controul, there is not any thing which it will not perpetrate. The rage of Cain, the conspiracy of Joseph's brethren, the implacable enmity of the Jewish priests against the Lord Jesus Christ, clearly shew to what cruelties it will impel those who are under its dominion. Doubtless in those who have the smallest degree of piety, this malignant principle is weakened, and in a measure subdued: but it is not eradicated: it is one of those corruptions, which, by varying their appearances, retain possession of us under the semblance of good: nor, till we have made very considerable advances in the divine life, are we able fully and effectually to guard against its deceitful workings. We are assured that Joshua was truly pious; yet from an envious zeal for his Master's honour he was desirous of silencing those who by divine inspiration prophesied in the camp". The Disciples of our Lord were actuated by no better principle, when they forbad a person to cast out devils in his name, because he did not follow with. them. The complaint which John's disciples also made to him respecting the multitudes who submitted to the baptism of Jesus, originated in the same feeling. Some Jews had taken occasion, from Jesus rebaptizing the disciples of John, to represent John and Jesus as " opposing each other; and, from the difficulties of determining which of the two was right, they maintained, that it was better to adhere to the lustrations appointed by Moses, than to comply with

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a Numb. xi. 27-29.

b Mark ix. 38.

the rites which these rival innovators were introducing. The disciples of John, fearing that their Master's credit would suffer, and his influence be subverted, come to him to complain of Jesus for usurping an authority that did not belong to him, and for undermining the authority of John, from whom, in fact, he had, as they thought, derived his influence. In answer to this complaint, John reminds them, that the very testimony which he had borne to Jesus, was sufficient to shew them their error: for he had from the beginning represented his own office as a short and temporary one, which was to cease, as soon as the attention of men should be turned to Him, whose forerunner he was: and consequently, that the accomplishment of this great object should be to them a source, not of pain and grief, but of gratitude and thanksgiving. This idea he illustrates by the similitude of a bridegroom delighting in his bride, and thereby exciting in his friends, not an envious repining, but a sympathetic joy. As for the diminution of his own influence, this, he tells them, was agreeable to the very design of his coming; and, like a star which had served its purpose in the night, he was contented to be eclipsed, now that the Sun of Righteousness had risen to illumine the world.

From this general view of our text, we observe, I. That the conversion of souls to Christ is a ground of joy

The success of a bridegroom who has obtained possession of his bride, is usually deemed a ground of joyful congratulation. Now the conversion of a soul to Christ is fitly represented under this similitude. The Scripture often speaks of him as the Husband of his people, and of the Church as his bride. To mark this correspondence, is needless: indeed, it is better to take it in a general view, than to attempt to trace it in particulars. Suffice it to say, that the

c Isai. liv. 5. Hos. ii. 19, 20. d Eph. v. 23, 25-27, 31, 32. e The greatest delicacy should studiously be observed on all such subjects as these.