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der unto them a récompence, O Lord, according to the work of their hands. Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse upon them. Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the Lord." These persons, in praying for the destruction of the wicked, were not influenced by a spirit of revenge and malevolence. They prayed as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. In answering such holy prayers, although the wicked be destroy.. ed, the goodness of God will be gloriously manifested.

Finally, The righteous praise God for destroying the wicked. When God had destroyed Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, Moses and the children of Israel sang a song of praise. In this song they say unto God, "Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy. Who is like unto thee among the Gods? Who is like unto thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" In the song, which God gave to Moses for the children of Israel, he commands the nations to rejoice in view of his vengeance on his enemies. "Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people; for he will avenge the blood of his servants and will render vengeance to his adversaries." Having described the desperate wickedness, and fearful perdition of the ungodly, the Psalmist says, "The righteous shall rejoice, when he seeth the vengeance." When the seven angels appear with the seven last plagues, the

saints are described as having the harps of God, and as singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb. In this song they sing, "Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou king of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? For thou only art holy for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest." At the destruction of mystical Babylon, God says, " Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye, holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her." John then says, "I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia, salvation and glory and honour and power, unto the Lord our God for true and righteous are his judgments for he hath judged the great whore, who did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the

four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God, that sat on the throne, saying, Amen, Alleluia! And a voice came out of the throne saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and all ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of many thunderings, saying Alleluia! For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." Since all holy beings praise God for destroying the wicked, it is

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evident that in their destruction he manifests his goodness. While he renders "indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, unto every soul of man that doeth evil," it will be for ever known to all his rational creatures that he has no pleasure in the death of him that dieth. The wicked as well as the righteous will be convinced, that God is influenced by the purest benevolence, in shewing his wrath and making his power known upon the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction; as well as in making known the riches of his glory, upon the vessels of mercy afore prepared unto glory. AMEN.

SERMON II.

LUKE XIV. 17.

Come; for all things are now ready.

OUR Saviour commonly taught his hearers, by parables, the important lessons which he desired them to learn. His parables were suited to awaken their attention, and to impress his instructions on their minds. One of his parables contains the text. A man, who sat at meal with him, having heard his words, said unto him, "Blessed is he, that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. Then said Jesus unto him, a certain man made a great supper and bade many and sent his servant, at supper time, to say to them that were bidden, come; for all things are now ready." From what the servant said to the persons, who were bidden to the supper, it appears that all things were prepared, in the best manner, for their entertainment. The supper, which is mentioned in this parable, represents the provision, which God has made in the gospel, for the salvation of sinners. And the text represents the message which is to be delivered to sinners, by the ministers of the gospel. The words of the

text then plainly teach us-That God has done, in the best manner, what was necessary that sinners might be saved. To illustrate this doctrine it is proposed,

I. To enquire what was necessary to be done, that sinners might be saved.

II. To show that what was necessary, that sinners might be saved, has been done. And,

III. To show that what was necessary, that sinners might be saved, has been done, in the best manner.

I. Enquire what was necessary to be done, that sinners might be saved.

All mankind are under a law, which binds them to love their Creator with all their hearts; and to love their fellow creatures as themselves.

Eternal life is promised to every one, who perfectly obeys this law. And eternal death is threatened to every one, who in the least transgresses it. As it is written, "Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, that the man, who doeth these things, shall live in them." It is also written, "The soul that sinneth, it shall dic. The wages of sin is death, Cursed is every one, who continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them." Now all mankind, by nature are sin ners. For it is written, "The whole world

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