would propose is plainly here implied. It would say thus: Let Ephraim be given up. Let him be given up to ruin, as an incorrigible son is given up to be disinherited, or an incurable patient is given over by his physicians. Let Israel be delivered, delivered to the hands of the enemy, as a lamb to the lion, to be torn in pieces and devoured. Let him be made as Admah; let him be set as Zeboim; the two cities which, together with Sodom and Gomorrah, were destroyed by fire out of heaven. Let him be utterly and irreparably ruined, and be made like these cities in desolation, as he has made himself like them in sin and wickedness. He deserves to be thus abandoned, and the Almighty in dealing thus ⚫ with him will do him no wrong!'-Such are the proposals of Justice. Attend next to the opposition which Mercy makes to these proposals. • How shall I do this? How shall I cast off my poor untoward son? He is indeed untoward, but he is • still my son. He was once a dear son, ⚫ a pleasant child:" and how can I give him • up? He deserves indeed nothing less. He is ripe for ruin: judgements stand ready to fall on him. Nothing is wanting but my giving him up. The enemy is

ready to seize and devour him. If I deliver him into their hands, I do no more than is just. But how can I do it? How can I find in my heart to destroy him? Peradventure if I spare him a little longer, he may yet repent, and reform, and re"turn to his duty. How then can I give him up?'-Thus Mercy pleads; nor does she plead in vain. The Lord describes himself as graciously relenting at the mention of these severe proceedings. "Mine heart is turned within me; my repentings are kindled together." I cannot go on to execute the judgements, which I had purposed to bring on this devoted people. My bowels are troubled for them. I cannot find in my heart to consume them.

Observe next the determination of this debate. After a long struggle between Mercy and Justice, Mercy prevails. It is decreed that the reprieve shall be lengthened out still. "I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger: I will not return to destroy Ephraim." That is, I will not do these things now. I will spare him a little longer. Though I am angry with him; though he shall not go utterly unpu nished; yet I will not suffer my whole displeasure to arise. I will mitigate the

Gospel? have we
This is the point
Are we willing
may have life?

we have seen
We will not

sent to the terms of the cordially embraced them? for our serious examination. to come to Christ, that we If we do not come to Him, what it is that prevents us. come. And let us further observe from whence this our unwillingness arises. It arises from the natural enmity of the heart to God. It arises from a cause, perhaps bitherto unknown to, and even unsuspected by ourselves, from our dislike to the holy and humbling commands of the Gospel; and from our secretly loving some earthly, worldly, sensual object, better than that heavenly, eternal life, which Christ offers to bestow on us. Look again at those examples before noticed. Why was Balaam unwilling to do what his enlightened understanding showed him that he ought to do? Why, when so desirous to die the death of the righteous, was he so averse to live the life of the righteous? Because he loved the wages of unrighteousness. His heart ran eagerly after its covetousness. Money was his idol. The love of gain had possession of his soul, and kept him back from God. He could not find in his heart to renounce his worldly prospects for the sake of the Divine favour, and the happiness of

heaven. So he would not come.- What was the case with Felix? How came it to pass that he resisted the motions of God's Spirit on his heart, and refused to come? He was a sensual, licentious man. He lived in the gratification of fleshly lusts. He knew, that if he came to Christ, he must deny and mortify these. He must live a sober, righteous, and godly life. But this he had no mind to do. Greatly as he was terrified, he could not bring himself to give up his wicked pleasures. And so he would not come. Enquire next of Agrippa the cause of his unwillingness to become à Christian. Why did he refuse to give way to his convictions? Agrippa was one of the great men of the earth. He was fond of power and applause. These things lay nearest to his heart. He "loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." How then could he consent to come to Christ? The consequences of such a step would have been disgrace and infamy. By taking it, he would have reduced himself to the same level with the poor persecuted prisoner who stood before him; for Paul's only crime was being a Christian. Pride therefore forbad Agrippa to give way. While this principle ruled in his heart, it was impossible that he could willingly come to

Christ. To adopt our Saviour's remark in connection with the text, "How could he believe who received honour from men, and sought not the honour that cometh from God only ?"- We see, then, in all these persons, what made them so unwilling to embrace true religion. They all secretly loved something, the love of which was contrary to true religion. And let us be assured, that if we come not to Christ, the case is the same with us. We have some idol in our heart, however little we may suspect it, which will not let us cordially embrace the Gospel. There is some favourite indulgence, some beloved lust, some besetting sin, with which we are not willing to part; and which a sincere consent to the Gospel would compel us to renounce. Hence arises our unwillingness to come to Christ. Let us search the matter to the bottom, and we shall find it so. And may we not only discover what it is, which keeps our heart from Christ, but may we also have power to subdue and overcome it! For let us consider, till we have come to Him, till we have really embraced the Gospel, and are sincerely practising it, how great is our misery, and how great is our sin !

Our misery is great, for we have not life. Not having come to Christ, we are still in a