tered our territory. "The fnorting of his horfes was heard "from Dan; the whole earth trembled at the found of the "neighing of his fireng ones; for they are come, and have "devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city and thofe "that dwell therein ?" Had we attended in time to the meafures proper, made fuitable preparation for defence, thefe evils might have been averted; but now our cafe is irremediable, our deftruction inevitable.

Thus we have a view of the words in their primary refer ence, which was to a temporal and civil falvation. But by an eafy accommodation of this text, it expreffes with great force the unhappy and miferable state of a foul which has outfat its day of grace. The lofs of fpiritual as well as temporal falvation in refpect to this wretched people was probably comprehended in this defpairing lamentation. Their feafons and opportunities for fecuring eternal falvation in a great measure expired with the deftruction of their country and the lofs of their national privileges, both civil and ecclefiaftical. God had hewed them by his prophets and flain them by the words of his mouth, yet they obftinately perfevered in impenitency and wickedness. They were now removed beyond the found of a prophet's voice, where there was no temple in which they could worship or prieft to offer facrifice. None to folicit their repentance or effay their reformation. Now the want of fpiritual falvation, and the lofs of the means of obtaining it, are vastly greater and more confiderable, than the fame in a temporal fenfe; hence we may juftly fuppofe the prophet intended both in this awful and heart breaking lamentation. For what is the lofs of the former in comparison of the latter? What is the destruction of a town, the facking of a city, or the ruin of a nation, to the wrath and vengeance of an infinite God, which will be inflicted upon loft fouls forever and ever. The inten tion of the words, tho' originally applied to a community, yet with great propriety they are applicable to perfons living un

der the gofpel, enjoying the means of grace, and continually neglecting and mifimproving the fame. This is matter for the deepeft lamentation, mourning and woe. To think of perfons having been long favoured with a feafon of grace, and opportunities for fecuring the falvation of their fouls, and all have been neglected, the cafe is truely deplorable; death approaching, time expiring, and the greateft ufnefs of life ftill unperformed. We are not to pronounce any man's day of grace paft, while they continue in this world, yet there is reafon to fear, it may be the melancholy fituation of many. Every man must look into his own heart and judge for himfelf. Here we may enquire,

First, into thofe circumftances and symptoms which render it probable, that thofe on whom they are found, their day of grace is past.

Secondly, evince that this is a ftate both lamentable and dangerous.

Before I proceed further in this fubject, I would beg leave to make two preliminary remarks. First, we would not pretend to undertake to define the limits and bounds of the day of grace in reference to any people, or any particular perfons. This is beyond human adjustment, and is alone proper to omniscience. We have no ftandard of the divine difpenfations in inftances of this nature.

Secondly, we premise, that there may be a great difference in respect to the termination of fuch a day. It may be over with a collective body of people, when it may not be past with every individual appertaining to fuch a body; and it may be over with particular perfons in a place, when it is net paf with that people in general. We preceed now,

Try to enquire into the circumstances and fymptoms which reret it newb, that the day of grace is paft with thofe on when they are found.

Fit, if perfons have lived for a long feries of years under fchland powerful miniftry, and yet have not made any al improvement, or received any fpiritual benefit there. This cafe, however common, certainly wears a black ard gloomy afpect, and must be apprehended at leaft to afford fome ground to fear refpecting the fad conclufion. Thefe perfons have long enjoyed a faithful miniftry; their condition with all the consequences of it, has often and plainly been flated before them in their intrinfic dread and horror, and they have been warned to cfcape for their lives, and to flee to the hope fet before them. This hope and the method of deliver ance thro' the mediation and facrifice of Chrift, the fon of God and the Saviour of the world, has been clearly, according to the fcriptures, reprefented unto them. They have been entreated with all the variety and powers of language, to embrace the offers of mercy by faith, to relinquith their iniquities by repentance, to give up their hearts in love to God, and engage in the duties of religion fincerely. And notwithstand ing all the pai ns which God has taken with them for a multitude of years, the y have ftill remained inconfiderate, fecure and unimpreffed. What could God have done more for fuch, than that he hath dene? We have an awful illuftration of the judgment which awaits thofe perfons in the epifle to the Hebrews. "For the earth which "drinketh in the rain which cometh oft upon it, and bringeth "forth herbs, meet for them by whom it is dreffed, receiveth "blefling from God; but, that which beareth thorns and "briars is rejected, and is nigh unto curfing, whofe end is to "be burned." We here belicid the excellency of the word of the gofpel. It is compared to rain which refreshes the earth and renders it fruitful. We fee alfo the different effects of it

on different perfons; it is to fome a favour of life unto life, while to others, it is a favour of death unto death. Some, after all the showers of the gospel, remain barren and unfruitful; they are nigh unto curfing whofe end is to be utterly con fumed. "He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, "fhall fuddenly be deftroyed and that without remedy."

Secondly, when perfons have paffed thro' special seafons of the out pouring of the Spirit of God; when many have been awakened and converted, and fouls have flocked to Jefus as doves to their windows, and they have continued still secure and unconcerned. Surely their cafe must have an unhappy appearance. These are the most likely feafons of getting. faving good, and of engaging effectually in the fervice of God. Perfons who have fat thro' various fuch times, and still going on thoughtlessly in worldly purfuits or carnal pleasures, have great cause to be afraid and to tremble by reason of the danger of their condition.

Then he faith

Thirdly, when perfons have been the fubjects of powerful convictions, and have had the workings and ftrivings of God's fpirit, and after all have returned to their former deadness and fecurity in fin. This certainly is a cafe as dreadful and threatning as any yet mentioned, and perhaps more fo. This is ftated in a tremendous light by our Lord. "When the "unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh thro' "dry places feeking rest and he findeth none. "I will return into my houfe from whence I came out, and "when he is come he findeth it empty, fwept and garnished; "then goeth he and taketh with himself feven other spirits "more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell "there; and the laft end of that man is worse than the first.” Hearken to the threatning of Jehovah in fuch an inftance. "Because I have purged thee, and thou waft not purged, thou "fhalt not be purged from thy filthinefs any more, till I have "caufed my fury to rest upon thee."

Fourthly, if perfons have formed a falfe judgment of their ftate, and have taken up a hope that they are religious, upon infufficient or delufive grounds; and have long buoyed themfelves up with the vain confidence of their piety, while their habitual irregularities of life too ftrongly indicate the contrary. They proceed on in their unfounded hopes, partake of the moft foleran and fealing ordinances, and they become more blind, confident, and void of all fufpicion, until the fatal hour of death diffolves the charm. This was the cafe of the pharifees of old, and continues to be the condition of many hypocrites down to the prefent day. "Thefe are they who are "pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their "filthiness. They proclaim their own goodness, and are apt to thank God, they are not as other men are." Thefe are among the number of those to whom God gave a space for repentance and they repented not. Behold the flowing tears of a weeping Saviour over a people who had outlived their day of grace; and hear the heart rending mean bursting from his compaffionate lips. "O' that thou hadst known, even "thou at leaft in this thy day, the things that belong to thy peace, but now they are hid from thine eyes. The harvest is "over and the fummer is paft, and they are not faved."

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"Fifthly, when a gospel ministry and gofpel ordinances are removed from a people, this wears a dreadful and dangerous afpect. The means of grace and falvation are taken away, the ftrivings of God's fpirit have ceafed, and fuch a people are prepared for judgments. God is about to inflict upon fuch the punishment of irreclaimable Ephraim, and fay, "All their "wickedness is in Gilgal, for there I hated them; for the wick"edness of their doings, I will drive them out of mine house, "I will love them no more. Give them, O Lord, what wilt "thou give?--give them a mifcarrying womb and dry breafts." Or the fatal ftupidity of impenitent Ifrael. "Make the heart "of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and fhut their