all the ungodly who "receive the grace of God in vain," or "turn it into lasciviousness." They do not perish because the gospel is a lie with respect to them, but "because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." God, to punish their rejecting the truth, permits that they should "believe a lie, that they all might be damned, who," to the last hour of their day of grace, "believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

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The latitude of our Lord's commission to his ministers demonstrates the truth of this doctrine: "Go into all the world, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Hence, those gracious and general invitations: "Ho, every one that thirsteth" after happiness, come ye to the waters" "If any man thirst" after pleasure, "let him come to me and drink:" "Come unto me, all ye that labour" for want of "rest, and I will give it you: "Whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely:" "Ye adulterers, draw nigh unto God, and he will draw nigh unto you:" "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man open, I will come in and sup with him:""Go out into the highways and hedges: "Preach the gospel to every creature, and, lo, I am with you to the end of the world."

If you compare all the preceding scriptures, I flatter myself, honoured sir, you will perceive that as the redemption of Christ is general, so there is a general gospel, which is more or less clearly revealed to all, according to the clearer or more obscure dispensation which they are outwardly under.

This doctrine may appear strange to those who call nothing gospel but the last dispensation of it. Such should remember that, as a little seed sown in the spring is one with the large plant into which it expands in summer, so the gospel, in its least appearance, is one with the gospel grown up to full maturity. Our Lord, considering it both as sown in man's heart and sown in the world, speaks of it under the name of "the kingdom of heaven," compares it to corn, and considers first the "seed," then "the blade,"

next "the ear," and, last of all, "the full corn in the ear."

I. The gospel was sown in the world as a little, but general, seed, when God began to quicken mankind in Adam, by the precious promise of a Saviour; and when "he said to Noah," the second general parent of men, "With thee will I establish my covenant; blessing him and his sons" after the deluge.

2. The gospel appeared as corn in "the blade," when God renewed the promise of the Messiah to Abraham with this addition, that, though the Redeemer should be born of his elect family, divine grace and mercy were too free to be confined within the narrow bounds of a peculiar election; therefore, " in his seed," that is, in Christ," the Sun of righteousness," ," "all the families of the earth should be blessed;" as they are all cheered with the genial influence of the natural sun, whether he shines above or below their horizon, whether he particularly enlightens the one or the other hemisphere.

3. The gospel word grew much in the days of Moses, Samuel, and Isaiah; for "the gospel," says St. Paul, 66 was preached unto them as well as unto us," though not so explicitly. But when John the Baptist, a greater prophet than they all, began to preach the gospel of repentance, and point sinners to "the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world," then "the ear" crowned the blade, which had long been at a stand, and even seemed to be blasted.

4. The great Luminary of the church shining warm upon the earth, his direct beams caused a rapid growth. The Favonian breathings and sighs which attended his preaching and prayers; the genial dews which distilled on Gethsemane during his agony; the fruitful showers which descended on Calvary, while the blackest storm of divine wrath rent the rocks around; and the transcendent radiance of our sun, rising after this dreadful eclipse to his meridian glory; all concurred to minister fertile influences to “the plant of renown." And on the day of pentecost, when power came from on high, when the fire of the Holy Ghost seconded the virtue of the Redeemer's blood, "the

full corn was seen "in the" mystical "ear;" the most perfect of the gospel dispensations came to maturity, and Christians began to bring forth fruit unto the perfection of their own economy.

As some good men overlook the gradual displays of "the manifold gospel grace of God," so others, I fear, mistake the essence of the gospel itself. Few say, with St. Paul, "The gospel, of which I am not ashamed, is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth with the heart unto righteousness," according to the light of his dispensation; and many are afraid of his catholic doctrine, when he sums up the general everlasting gospel in these words: "God was not the God of the Jews only, but of the gentiles also; because that which may be known of God," under their dispensation, "is manifest in them, God having showed it unto them. For the grace of God, which bringeth salvation," or, rather, xapis nowanpros, "the grace emphatically saving," "hath appeared unto all men; teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, justly, and godly in this present world."

"But how does this saving grace teach us?" By proposing to us the saving truths of our dispensation, and helping our unbelief, that we may cordially embrace them; for "without faith it is impossible to please God." Even the heathens, who "come to God, must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him; for there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek, the same Lord over all being rich unto all that call upon him."

Here the apostle starts the great Calvinian objection: "But how shall they believe, and call on him of whom they have not heard?" &c. And having observed that the Jews had heard, though few had believed, he says, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God," which "is nigh, even in the mouth and in the heart" of all who receive the truth revealed under their dispensation. Then resuming his answer to the Calvinian objection, he cries out, "Have not they" (Jews and Greeks) "all heard" preachers, who invite them to

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believe that God is good and powerful, and, consequently, that he is the rewarder of those who diligently seek "Yes, verily," replies he, "their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world." If you ask, "Who are those general heralds of free grace, whose sound goes from pole to pole?" the scripture answers, with becoming dignity, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy work. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night anto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech or language," no country or kingdom, "where their voice is not heard. Their" instructing "line went through the earth," their vast parish, "and their words to the end of the world," their immense diocese. For "the invisible things of God," that is, his greatness and wisdom, his goodness and mercy, his eternal power and Godhead, “are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made" and preserved; so that the very heathens, who do not obey their striking speech, "are without excuse; because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful."

This is the gospel-alphabet, if I may be allowed the expression. The apostle, like a wise instructer, proceeded upon the plan of this free grace, when he addressed himself to the heathens. "We preach unto you," said he to the Lycaonians, "that ye should turn from these vanities to serve the living God, who made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things therein; who," even when he "suffered all nations to walk in their own ways, left not himself without witness;" that is, without preachers, according to that saying of our Lord to his disciples, "Ye shall be my witnesses," and "teach all nations." And these witnesses were the "good" which "God did," the ❝rain he gave us from heaven, fruitful seasons," and the "food and gladness with which he filled our hearts.”

St. Paul preached the same gospel to the Athenians, wisely coming down to the level of their inferior dispensation. "The God that made the world dwells not,” like a statue, "in temples made with hands, nor hath he need of any thing; seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and

all things. He hath made of one blood all nations of men who dwell on all the face of the earth," not that they might live like atheists, and perish like reprobates, but "that they might seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him and find him." Nor is this an impossibility, as "he is not far from every one of us, for in him we live, and move, and have our being, as certain of your own poets have taught," justly asserting that "we are the offspring of God." Hence he proceeds to declare, that "God calls all men every where to repent," intimating that, upon their turning to him, he will receive them as his dear children, and bless them as his beloved offspring.

These, and the like scriptures, forced Calvin himself into an happy inconsistency with Calvinism. "The Lord," says he, in an epistle prefixed to the French New Testament, 66 never left himself without a witness, even towards them unto whom he has not sent any knowledge of his word. Forasmuch as all creatures, from the firmament to the centre of the earth, might be witnesses and messengers of his glory unto all men, to draw them to seek him; and, indeed, there is no need to seek him very far, for every one might find him in his own self."

And no doubt some have; for although "the world knew not God" by the wisdom that is "earthly, sensual, and devilish;" yet many have savingly known him by his general witnesses, that is, "the wonderful works that he doeth for the children of men;" for "that which may be known of God," in the lowest economy of gospel grace, "is manifest in them," as well as "shown unto them."

"What! is there something of God inwardly manifest in, as well as outwardly shown to, all men?" Undoubtedly; the grace of God is as "the wind," which "bloweth where it listeth;" and it listeth to blow with more or less force successively all over the earth. You can as soon meet with a man that never felt the wind, or “heard the sound thereof," as with one that never felt the divine breathings, or heard "the still small voice," which we call the grace of God, and which bids us turn from sin to righteousness. To suppose the Lord gives us a thousand tokens of his eternal power and Godhead, without giving us a