tion before him, unless you soften the expression so, that he may think, if it should be his lot to go thither, he will not find it so terrible as some suppose. If you speak of it, though it should be only in the words of Christ and his apostles, he will surely be offended, or, at least, will turn what you say into a jest. "What! you will frighten me into heaven, I suppose. How come you to make so free

with hell and damnation?"

Alas, poor man! who makes so free with it as himself, who thinks to avoid it by a sneer from the seat of the

But to return: If at any time a serious thought fixes upon him, he stifles it as soon as possible. He sits uneasy under an awakening sermon; and if something that he hears is peculiarly applicable to him, he thinks that the minister, who, perhaps, never heard of him, draws his picture out of spite; for he has no idea that if a minister has studied his own heart, he can tell all men theirs too, because we are all alike by nature, all cast into the mould of Adam's corruption.

Nevertheless, if the word of God, that is sharper than a two-edged sword, to divide the words and thoughts of men, makes, at any time, a slight wound in his seared conscience; he binds it up immediately, either by resolving to read a few more prayers, and give some alms, or go to the Lord's table the next sacrament-day, which he supposes will be quite sufficient to put him in a fair way to attain heaven. Or, he puts all off by exclaiming, "Who can be a Christian at this rate? This doctrine is too severe; I know I am not very good; but, I thank God, I am not very bad neither; many are worse than I am! What man is there that sins not? why should I then fear more than others? Was I not baptized? Is not God merciful? Did not Christ die for sinners? Besides, were I to grow so serious, and so good, all mine acquaintance would deride me, and ask whether I also will turn enthusiast, and enter on the melancholy way of religion." By these and the like thoughts, the poor sinner, who began to awake, falls asleep again; shuts his eyes, which the Lord had begun to open, that he might see his danger;

and will not probably open them again before death stares him in the face, and hell, as the prophet expresses himself, is moved from beneath to meet and swallow him up; unless indeed God strikes his impenitent heart with some fearful judgment, and makes him also cry out, "Lord, save, or I perish."

Suppose again the Spirit of God gently strives with him, as is the case sometimes, especially when the sinner is disengaged from business and pleasure: if he feel himself unhappy; if the emptiness of his heart make him confess that he wants something; is it likely he will acknowledge that he wants God? or that he will apply to Jesus Christ, the great physician of souls? No: it will be time enough, he thinks, on his death-bed, to call earnestly for mercy, and ask “the peace of God that passes all understanding." What does he do then? Why, he runs away from himself and God, if I may so speak, endeavours to divert himself from his melancholy, and raise his low spirits, for this is the name which he gives to those dawnings of conviction; and obtains an unhappy relief by plunging into business, diversions, or drunkenness; perhaps also by reading unprofitable books, having recourse to trifling company, or overcharging himself with the cares of this life.

Thus does the natural and unawakened man frustrate all the strivings of God's Spirit to show him his danger; thus he remains the willing servant of sin, content with the bondage of corruption, inwardly and outwardly unholy, and satisfied so to be, not only not conquering sin, but not endeavouring to conquer, especially that sin which so easily besets him.

Such is the state of every unawakened man, whether he be a gross, scandalous transgressor, or a more reputable and decent sinner, having the form, though not the power, of godliness.

0 you who are in that condition, if I have showed you in some measure the state of your hearts, let me beseech you not to harden them the more on that account; rather give place to conviction. For Christ's sake, let conscience be heard, if it cries, "Thou art the man," be not ashamed

to confess to God your mistake about your spiritual state. Turn the text into a prayer, and say, "Lord, have mercy upon me! I am a mere natural man still; I never understood the things of thy Spirit; they have been foolishness to me, neither could I receive them, for they are spiritually discerned, and I want thy Spirit; but spare me a little, and let me recover thy favour in Christ, before I go hence and be no more seen. Wake my soul to righteousness; and that I may never more plead for sin, or wilfully and knowingly transgress against thee, give me that knowledge of thee wherein standeth my eternal life.' I own it to my shame, I am a stranger to it; but, Lord, spare me a little, teach me, and let me obtain in this world the knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting."" Nothing, brethren, but the desire I have that you should thus pray from a feeling sense of your wants, has made me use such plainness of speech. Be not displeased, then, at my endeavours to awaken you, and open your eyes. You are undone for ever, unless your wound be probed in such a manner as will make you see and feel the necessity of applying in time to him. that can heal you, even the Lord Jesus Christ. In Him you shall find all that you want in yourselves: he is the second Adam, from whom you must derive a new nature To him your souls must be united in one Spirit; from him you must receive pardon and life and power, grace, holiness and happiness. He is ready to bestow all these things upon you, if you are but willing to ask him sincerely. And he requires but one proof of your sincerity, and that is, not to seek your happiness in the world, and in created things any longer, but in him alone. Begin then to deny yourselves those sinful gratifications which separate God from souls; and choose rather to mourn now in hopes that you shall be comforted, than to enjoy the pleasures of the world for a season. If you have not resolution enough to make that happy choice, to desire, with St. Paul, "to know nothing but Jesus, and him crucified;" O look to yourselves, see the horror of your state. You are heirs of the curse entailed upon every child of Adam. By nature you are children of wrath;

your

Now, in you delay to leave all Can you spend one mogrant you true repent

you wander like lost sheep in the wilderness of this world; you are "dead in trespasses and sins." You have sold yourselves to the prince of the air, who leads you to perdition as a sheep is led to the slaughter; and you know neither who leads you, nor whither you are led. In a word, you are as yet without God and without Christ in the world; and Adam's sin, with your own, of which you never truly repented, removes you every moment further from God, and nearer eternal misery. such a desperate condition, can your sins and apply to Jesus? ment without beseeching him to ance and his Holy Spirit? Can you think any terms too hard to be complied with in order to obtain an interest in the blood of the covenant, a happy passage into eternity, and an inheritance among the saints in light? O do not say that this doctrine is too severe. Do not go away from this place of worship, as some of our Lord's disciples did from him, complaining, "This is a hard saying, who can bear it?" Ah! will not that saying, "Depart from me, ye cursed," be much harder to hear, and everlasting burnings much harder to bear? And do you think that life is so long, and so sure, as to be depended upon with safety? or that your strength or health will screen you from the wrath of God in your unawakened state? O, you are mistaken; death, by grasping your mortal body, before you are aware, may plunge you, in an instant, where there is no place for repentance, mercy, and salvation. Hang no longer in suspense, then: if the world and the devil, the prince of the world, be gods, follow them; but if Jehovah, if Jesus Christ, is the Lord, "deny yourselves, and sin not;" according to his command, "take up your cross daily, and follow him" till you overtake him, and he blesses you with the pardon of all your sins, and a new heart. Seek him till you find him in your souls; walk with him till you cleave to him, till you can say with the true spouse of Christ, My beloved is mine, and I am his;" till you abide in him as a branch in the vine, and are enabled "to bear much fruit," even all the fruits of "righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."

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This is the kingdom of grace within us, through which we shall infallibly enter into that of glory through Jesus Christ our Lord.

SERMON II.

Awake, thou that sleepest. Ephes. v. 14.

I DESCRIBED, in my last discourse, the state of an unconverted man, called in scripture "a natural man;" or, in other words, the state of one who neither loves no fears God, who, hanging over everlasting destruction only by the thread of life, lives unconcerned, being buried in worldly cares or pleasures, and bound down in his spiritual grave by stupidity, presumption, and sin; who fondly thinks that he shall go to heaven without becoming a new creature, and in that hope securely sleeps on upon the very brink of eternal ruin, fancying, perhaps, that the false peace which he enjoys is "the peace of God which passes all understanding." And I proved, that if his false peace be not broken; if he be not awakened out of that. deep spiritual sleep he is in; if he be not convinced that he is in a state of condemnation, and cannot escape the second death, unless Christ causes him to pass from darkness to light; he has not the least ground to hope that the curse which follows every natural man shall not overtake and sink him into hell in the day of judgment. Now, the next thing we must do is to consider how he may be awakened into a real desire to "work his salvation out with fear and trembling." It is not in his power, brethren, or in that of any man living, to do that work of himself; here must the omnipotence of God begin to interpose the Spirit of Jesus must make the wound, as well as bind it up; ; for he is alone the "author and finisher of our salvation." It is true, he has various ways of calling a sinner, and of crying to him, while he hides himself behind the trees of his performances, and the pitiful figleaves of his own righteousness: "Adam,”-natural man,

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