gospel wholly forbids. We are not inclined by nature to humanity, meekness, forbearance, long-suffering, and self-denial. But the gospel plainly enjoins these duties, and insists on our performing them; and in case we refuse, it threatens us with everlasting destruction in the prison of hell. He therefore, who is conscious that he does not perform these duties, and that he has no heart to perform them, whenever he opens his bible, reads his own condemnation on every page. While men continue in sin, and in the indulgence of their lusts, the gospel affords them not even one ray of hope or comfort. On the contrary, they find it full of the most awful judgments denounced against them for their impenitence and unbelief. They read that God is angry with the wicked every day; that they are reserved for the day of destruction; and that they shall be turned into hell, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. Behold, the day cometh when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not his gospel, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power. Horror shall cover them, and shame shall be upon all their faces. And the smoke of their torment shall ascend up forever and ever. These, and the like dreadful threatenings the sinner finds throughout the scriptures. He there reads also that he is accountable, not only for his words and actions, but likewise for his thoughts. We need not then be surprised that so many of our fellow men reject a book, whose doctrines, and precepts are so contrary to their natural dispositions, and so opposed to those practices which they supremely love. If any of my audience are guilty of rejecting the gospel, let me in application of the subject, request them to consider seriously on what ground they stand. I entreat you to examine faithfully the arguments by which the truth of the scriptures is supported. Spare no pains here. Remember that your immortal souls are concerned, that your all is at stake. On the decision of the question, life and death, heaven and hell are depending. Examine them thoroughly before you decide. If you reject the gospel because you wish it were not true, as is the case with all infidels, your folly is supreme. Will your wishing the bible to be false, prove it to be so? If you can persuade yourselves into the belief that the gospel is not from God, do you imagine you shall be safe and happy? Do you think the bible is all that makes your situation alarming, and that by rejecting it, you are out of danger? Be not deceived. Remember that truth is not founded on the gospel; but the gospel on truth. If the things revealed in the bible concerning God, and the character and future destiny of our race, are now true, they would have been equally so, provided no revelation had been given. The nature of truth cannot be altered, whether you believe it or not. It is a gross mistake to imagine that your danger arises from the bible. It is there only made known to you, and the method of escape. If there is any danger with the gospel, it is equally great without it. If God is now determined to cause the wicked to lie down in everlasting burnings, he was so determined before a revelation was given. In vain then do you hope for safety by rejecting the gospel. In all doubtful cases, (even admitting this to be a doubtful case,) wisdom directs that you should také the safe side. There can be no danger in embracing the gospel. But in rejecting it, your danger may be infinite. Even if the Bible were not true, still he who be lieves it, and conforms his life to its precepts, will be just as well off in the end, as he who rejects it. Annihilation admits of no distinction. If it should be true, what will become of infidels ? How unwise! how infatuated is he who rejects the gospel! How ought the infidel to tremble, to weep, and mourn in view of those awful sufferings which are soon to be his portion! His situation is dreadful. His prospects are replete with horror. He will go down to the grave, hopeless and in despair. He will lose his immor tal soul. He will lose beaven; and with the loss of heaven, he will lose his all. But, my brethren, there is another class of men besides open infidels, who are guilty of virtually rejecting the gospel. Those who compose this class may be called practical infidels, or men of a mere speculative faith; such as profess to believe in the truth, but do not obey it. Permit me to remind you, my hearers, who belong to this class, that your situation is peculiarly dangerous. You will doubtless say that a mere speculative belief is better than downright infidelity. In one sense it is. But if, by its being better you intend that it is more likely to justify you before God, you greatly mistake. If you appear in the presence of your Judge, having never exercised a belier different from this, you will no more be admitted to heaven than you would be, had you been infidels in the most absolute sense. Such persons are like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass. For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straitway forgetteth what manner of man he was. In the language of another.* "They know the gospel in theory, but they are strangers to its divine efficacy. Of all the various characters we have to deal with in our ministry, these are the most unlikely to ensure success. When *Jay. we endeavour to convince the ignorant, or to rouse the unthinking, we feel some hope. But as for those of you who have heard the gospel from your infancy, or have sat under it long enough to learn distinctly and familiarly all the truths it contains,-who know every thing we can advance-who believe every thing we can prove,who can even contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, and rest satisfied, regardless of the influence of these things on your hearts and lives, you, are the most likely to drive ministers to despair. We preach. You acknowledge, and admire. But you discover no more concern to obtain the one thing needful we propose, than if you were persuaded we called you to follow a cunningly devised fable. You confess that there is a hell, and that its misery is extreme. But you never take one step to avoid it. We say, death is rapidly approaching you, and that the Judge stundeth before the door. You answer yes, and slumber on. I need not say you are not Christians, that you are wholly unlike them; for you are acquainted with all this. You do not mistake your condition. You know that you are in a state of condemnation; and are still at ease! O what a paradox are you! Nothing can be so offensive to the Supreme Being as this state of inactivity. He would that you were either cold or hot. Since you know your Lord's will, and do it not, you will be beaten with many stripes. It will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for you. What means do you ever expect will prove effectual to your conversion? You are sermon-proof. A bible has poured forth all its treasures before you. It has thrown down at your feet heaven and hell. But it has excited neither hope nor fear." Let me entreat you, my fellowsinners, no longer to remain indif ferent to the great truths of the gospel. Give yourselves no rest, think of no rest, till you find in a well grounded hope that you are of that happy number who believe to the saving of the soul. Call to mind that your opportunities for becoming savingly acquainted with God will soon be gone forever. You know not how soon your last Sabbath may set in darkness, and the last sound of mercy die upon your ears. Remember that you are going on to eternity as fast as the wheels of time can carry you. The interposition of a world could not retard your progress. You are hastening also to the judgment. Soon, very soon will you stand before the bar of God. Of what avail then will be your mere speculative faith, your cold, heartless morality? How will you then need to be clothed in the pure white robe of the righteousness of Christ, and to have this Almighty Advocate to plead your cause? I enentreat you, my dear hearers, to reremember that beyond the grave, no gospel will be preached. No voice of mercy, in the future world, will ever reach your ears. No Saviour there will expiate your sins, and no forgiving God receive your souls. O that you were wise, that you understood this, that you would consider your latter end! To the Editor of the Christian Spectator. The question which has been so often discussed with great zeal, whether Saturday evening or Sunday evening is to be regarded as a part of holy time, seems to be not much agitated at present, though the same difference of opinion prevails as formerly. If the question cannot be clearly settled, as its history seems to show that it cannot, by a reference to the scriptures, it might perhaps, in this age of catholicism, be determined on the ground of expediency. If either of the disputed evenings should make a part of the Sabbath, it is obviously desira ble that Christians should be agreed which; since in the existing state of things,neither will be kept as it should be. It not unfrequently happens that people are ignorant of the practice of each other, and while one sets apart Saturday evening that he may "remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy," he is interrupted by the unfinished worldly business of his neighbour, with whom holy time does not begin till the following morning or while the inmates of one family are listening on Sabbath evening to the instructions of its pious head, who would fain keep the day holy to the end thereof, they are broken off by the intrusion of others who end their Sabbath at the tea-table. This diversity of opinion not only disturbs the practice, but unsettles the minds of many in relation to the subject. If I am not mistaken, there are some even among serious people, who would be at a loss to answer the enquiry, which of the two evenings they do profess to keep. Both are reduced in their minds, to a kind of medium quality, half way between holy and secular time; and while they would be pained at the thought of breaking the Sabbath, they do not feel free to devote either evening entirely to wordly purposes, but yet do many things on both, which if done while the sun was above the horizon, they would regard as a will only add, as long as the present profanation of the Lord's day. I difference of opinion shall exist, "let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind," and let his decision be made known. This is his duty not only to Him who "blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it," but also to his pious neighbor, who would neither interrupt his devotions nor be interrupted in his "'Tis a thousand pitties, that by the Dispute about the Two Evenings before and after the LORDS-DAY, the LORDS DAY itself should suffer any Injuries. The Lords-Day has an Evening that belongs, as a part of Holy Time, unto it. But Good men, and some very Godly Observers of the Lords-Day, are not agreed, which Evening is to be observed, that which goes before, or that which comes after: And the corruption of many (who I suppose would count it a very hard Law, which was Enacted as long ago as K. Edgars Time in England, That the Sabbath should begin on Satureday at three a Clock in the Afternoon and continue till break of Day on Monday :) takes occasion from this Disagreement, for to keep no Evening at all; Yea, between two neglected Evenings, the Lords-day falls to the Ground. I will not here undertake to decide the Controversy; I will concede unto both Opinions, & yet you shall Suffer me a little, and I will show you, that I have yet to speak on Gods behalf. First, Those of you, my Brethren, that won't allow the preceding Evening, to be a part of the Sabbath; altho' you cannot but confess, it was of old so: Yet, Syrs, You will allow, that there should be, A Preparation for the Sabbath. It seems implied in that word, Remember the Sabbath day; Be mindful of it, make Ready for it, Let it not surprize you unprepared for it. It was the Custome of the Jews, to begin that præparation at Three a Clock in the Afternoon. And shall we Christians, do nothing for Preparation! When the Lords-day is coming the Lord Himself is in some sort Coming; And, Wilt thou not prepare to meet thy God, O Christian? The Lord Jesus Christ calls to thee afore-hand, as to Zacheus, Make haste, and come down, for this Day I must be with thee. Dispose and Dispatch thy Encumbrances off thy Hand, yea, and off thy Mind also, as the Lords-Day is approaching. And be Engaged in suitable Devotions, on the preceding Evening. Certainly, 'Tis a proposal that cannot be Cavilled at! At least, the Renowned Churches of Bohemia, I am sure, did not think it so, when they made and kept such strict Orders, about this Evening, as we know they did. People sometimes continue drowned in the Hurries of this World, after 'tis Dark, the Evening before the Sabbath. Ask 'em, and they'l tell you, They have not yet begun the Sabbath. Alas, man, at this rate, I am afraid, Thou wilt But never Begin a Sabbath at all. more dreadful word than that, cannot be spoken? a Secondly Those of you my Brethren, that won't allow the Ensuing Evening to be a part of the Sabbath; but suppose that the Stars of Heaven are hung out for to proclame unto us, a liberty to return unto the Things of Earth: Yet, Syrs, you will allow, that Serious Christians, will be loth to let the Impressions of the Sabbath, wear off immediately. It is a Lamentation, and should be for a Lamentation, unto all the Friends of God, That there is more Sin against the Lord committed the Ensuing Evening after the Lords-Day, than perhaps on any one Day of the Week beside; and that we so often then let our Children and our Servants, run much Temptation. Christian, Why should we lose the Heat of the Day, (as one aptly Expresses it,) in the cool of the Evening? Why should we let useless Discourses, hurtful Distractions, carnal Excursions, in the Evening, Extinguish the Frame which the Devotions of the Day had Enkindled in us? Why should we not confine our selves to Savoury Conferences, if we must Salley forth to Conferences; and confine our Houses to a Regular Discipline, that the Lords-Day may not be buried in its Evening, & be put out in obscure Darkness? Bells, and Saints, of a good Metal, will keep the Sounds when the into SO Strokes are over. In brief, much of Scandal might be prevented if the Two Evenings were less Invaded. And less Invaded they would be, if our Delight in God were what it ought to be. Delight in God would make us on the Lords-Day, even to say, if we could with Joshua Thou Sun, stand still! Or to wish at least with a Jewish Rabbi, Let my portion be to begin the Sabbath with those of Tiberias. who begin it sooner than others; and to conclude it with those of Tsepphore, who continue it longer than others. Miscellaneous. How extensive the works of God are, cannot be determined. As the light of the fixed stars is primary, and not reflected, and as the sun, if removed to an equal distance, would appear equally small, it has been inferred that the stars are suns to other systems, inhabited by other orders of intelligent creatures. : But allowing that all these worlds, with their inhabitants, exist, this world is, doubtless, more distinguished by divine goodness, than any other in the wide range of cretion for it is certain the Son of God did not take on him the nature of angels," and it is not reasonable to suppose, that he has more than one body, or that he has suffered more than one death. In no other world, then, has the Son of God become incarnate: in no other has divine grace been displayed in providing an atonement for sin : to the inhabitants of no other is the prospect opened of so glorious and blessed an immortality. that there is so great a multiplicity But there are reasons to doubt, of inhabited worlds. It appears to be the object of God in his works to accomplish a design, in which his perfection shall be most fully displayed and the greatest good produced. It is not necessary to infinite goodness to bring into existence as many creatures as are capable of happiness; more than it is necessary to infinite power to create all things possible. That God has never caused this world to be fully inhabited is a presumptive evidence, that he has not created other similar worlds merely to increase the number of crea tures. Other reasons may be assigned for the creation of stars, than that they are suns to other inhabited plan ets. They are are highly ornamental and useful, and expressive of the great wisdom and power of God. If without them this world would not be perfect, then, as immense bodies of light, placed at inconceivable distances, are necessary to form stars, they were not created in vain. But should their shining in the night, and other purposes to which they are subservient for the instruction and advantage of man, not be considered sufficient reasons for their creation, especially as the light of some of them has been but lately discovered, and as many of them are distinguished only by telescopes, and around some of them planets |