with sin, and either walk like brute beasts, according to the instigations of their wicked lusts; or, instead of the word of God, regulate their lives by the pattern of the polite world, as it is called; and imitate the ill example set them in all the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, whatever their religious sentiments may be; whether they are utterly ignorant of the truths of religion, or have a knowledge of them attended with conviction. that every one, at this description, would ask himself, 'Lord is it I? And if his conscience should accuse him, may he be the more ardently desirous of learning, how he shall benefit himself by this last penitential sermon of our blessed Lord.

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In the first place, examine thyself, whether thou hast placed the whole of thy religion in railing against Judas, the chief Priests, and their officers, against Pilate and his soldiers, and in execrating their impiety; and, on the other hand, in expressing a natural compassion for Christ, as an innocent and just man, &c. Mauy there are who, from such natural emotions, conclude themselves to be good Christians, and that their hearts are well disposed towards their Saviour; whereas they never gave any real proofs of their love towards him or his members. But notwithstanding all these symptoms, they are only hypocrites, and often enemies to the cross of Christ. Beware therefore, that thou do not account these as infallible marks of thy state of grace; for as mere nature, especially in persons of a delicate constitution and tender disposition, often produces such effects, to be accounted a true disciple of Jesus Christ, thou must do something more.

Rather be awakened by these words of Christ: Weep not for me, but weep for yourselves!' Turn thine eyes on thyself, and, in humble prayer to God, request the assistance of the Divine light, in order to search the inmost recesses of thy heart. And be assured, that if thou dost not flatter, nor wilfully deceive

thyself, thou wilt have great cause to weep for thyself and thy numberless sins. If God is pleased to grant thee a thorough insight into thy deep guilt, thou wilt not be able to look on thyself otherwise than as a dry, sapless, dead, and barren tree, without the least fruit of the spirit which may be pleasing to God, and beneficial to thy neighbour; or, at most, with only a few leaves of an external profession of the truth, and observance of the outward worship, as a covering to thy reproach and nakedness. If, under the conviction of thy natural sterility and indisposition for any thing that is good, thou wilt lift up thine eyes, and examine the dire threatenings of the law, and there find how the divine justice threatens all dry and barren trees with the last fatal stroke; the voice, which says cut it down, why cumbreth it the ground? will throw thy conscience into the utmost consternation.

This terror will also be greatly increased by reflecting, how the justice of God hath, on account of imputed sin, proceeded with Jesus Christ, the green tree of life. Behold, God has not spared his own son, but punished in him, with the greatest severity, the sins of the world, which he had consented should be imputed to him; and caused him to discharge to the utmost farthing those debts, for which he had become a security. No favour was shewn him, though he was the son of God. For as he had taken on himself the whole burden of sin; so was he likewise obliged to bear the whole weight of God's displeasure. Alas! how did he totter under the enormous load! how did he tremble and despond when he was to drink the cup, which was full of bitter sufferings! how, instead of sweat, did the sanguine streams issue from his sacred body, and run down to the ground! how was he reviled, insulted, abused, mocked, and spurned, as if he had been the most impious wretch, by the merciless hands of men! The meanest servant was allowed to treat him with contempt. At length, after he had tasted the bitterness

of the most painful sufferings, he was lifted up (as a curse) betwixt heaven and earth, and gave up the ghost in the greatest disgrace and ignominy. When thou dost seriously consider, O man, how thy sins have brought all those sufferings on him, thy awakened and terrified conscience will soon teach thee to make this inference, If they do these thing in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?' thou wilt resemble a malefactor standing before his judge to hear the sentence of death pronounced against him. Thou wilt feel something of that anguish of mind, which Christ describes in these words; then will they begin to say to the mountains, fall on us! and to the hills, cover us !' thou wilt b ready, for shame and dread of the offending deity, to hide thyself, if it were possible, from his presence, in dens and caves of the earth; being convinced that a wretch, who has crucified the son of God, is not worthy to walk on the earth, or behold the light of the sun. This is indeed the legal use of Christ's sufferings, when, as a mirror of sin and wrath, they terrify the consciene, and occasion an unspeakable anguish of mind. But, according to our present situation, we must begin with this method of considering them. Man naturally enjoys himself in full security, though he is the object of God's displeasure. He says, I have peace; I am in no danger, even when divine vengeance watches him like a lion. But God has in scripture shewn many severe examples of his wrath against impenitent sinners. The first world was drowned by the waters of the deluge. On Sodom and Gomorrah he rained down fire from heaven, Corah's impious adherents were swallowed up alive by the earth. Lastly, Jerusalem, which he permitted to be rased to the very ground, proclaims the di vine Justice, and teaches us that the Lord is greatly to be feared. The heavy judgments which God poured on the Jews, should be a parricular admonition, calling out to us, behold the severity of the

Lord to those who are fallen!" If God has not spared the natural branches, what assurance have we that he will spare us? (Rom. xi. 21, 22.) But never has God so awfully manifested his great anger against sin, as in the sufferings of his beloved Son; there, O sinner, thy conscience must first be awakened, and filled with terror and anxiety at this affecting consideration. "This terror, says the pious Luther, must arise from the consideration of the severe displeasure of God against sin, and his rigour in punishing sinners; since he would not acquit his own beloved Son, to whom the sins of the world were imputed, without such a severe expiation. What will be done to actual sinners, if the beloved Child is thus chastised? Inexpressible must be that guilt, which requires a person of such transcendent dignity for a satisfaction." Happy is he, who, from the sufferings of Christ, is filled with a salutary dread! Happy is he, who is induced thereby to weep for his sins, and to apply to God for grace and forgiveness. Such a one will have no occasion, in the day of wrath, to call on the mountains and rocks to fall on him, and hide him from the face of him who sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, (Rev. vi. 15, 16, 17.)

Now he that is thus awakened from his carnal security, and has a settled fear of the wrath of God, ought further to know the advantage, which a penitent soul may derive from this penitential sermon of our blessed Lord.

A penitent person is one, who from his heart is terrified at his own depravity, and the heavy wrath of God which he has deserved by his sins; who acknowledges himself a dry and unfruitful tree, fit only for the fire; who inwardly abhors and detests all sin, which caused the green tree of life to be so ignominiously and barbarously treated; who now makes it his ultimate wish that the sentence of God to cut it down may be reversed, and that, by the vital juice of the true vine, he may be made a vegitating, fruitful, and flourishing tree.

If this, O man, be the state of thy mind, then deeply lay to heart this thy Saviour's last penitential sermon. Turn unto him, and represent to thyself thy merciful Redeemer turning to thee, and, with a look of the tenderest affection, addressing himself to thee in these or the like words: "Weep not for me, thou poor compassionate sinner; for so glorious will be the consequences of my bitter sufferings, that thou hast greater cause thankfully to praise God for them. I have discharged the debt of thy sins; I have abolished the curse denounced against them; I have inclined the heart of God to look upon thee with affectionate love; finally, I have obtained eternal life and salvation for thee. The severe punishment which thou didst deserve I have borne, that thou mayest have peace, and be healed by my wounds. Therefore weep not for me! For thyself, indeed, mayest thou well weep; since thou hast brought innumerable pains and indignities on me, by thy sins. But all this I forgive thee from the bottom of my heart. It was of my own good will, that I freely took upon me thy sins, and the punishment that was due to them. I am the Lamb of God that taketh away thy sins, and I am the messenger of the covenant that bringeth thee pardon and grace from my Heavenly Father. My blood does not cry for vengeance like that of Abel: On the contrary, it continually intercedes for reconciliation between God and man. It does not rend the heavens with a noise of thunder; but rather restrains the instruments of the Divine vengeance, and restores peace, friendship, and tranquility. Therefore wipe thy overflowing eyes: thou hast wept enough for thyself. I have counted thy tears, and put them into my bottle. Thy mother has no cause to wish that she had never bore thee; For by my merit I have removed the sentence of condemnation denounced against thee at thy birth, and by my painful death, I have renewed thee to an eternal life. Art thou for seeking safety among the rocks? I will hide thee from