capable of affording prefent alleviation! How wretched muft be the fituation of man by nature; prefent forrow, defpondency as to future happiness, dread of future punishment. In the midst of these miferies the Gofpel addreffes you. What is its voice? The voice of comfort. What is its intelligence? Glad tidings of great joy to all people: to all people; for to all it offers comfort; on all it beftows the power of profiting by the good tidings which it conveys. It fets before all people a Saviour, who died for the fins of the whole world: who invites every man to come unto him for comfort: who promifes to receive all that come unto him; who beftows upon all moral ability to come unto him that they may have life. “Come "unto me," faith your Redeemer," and " all your maladies fhall be remedied, all

your neceffities shall be supplied. What ແ though you have committed numberless "fins? I offer to you unlimited pardon. "What though the law of God which you "have violated, the law to which you can "render no fatisfaction, denounces its curfe

upon your head? Fear not. I have "turned the curfe afide from you: I have "borne it myself in your behalf.

I have

"fulfilled the law: I have made an atone

ment.

What though you are immersed

"in weakness and corruption; unable to "think any thing good of yourself; un"able to will or to do ; unable to discover "the method of pleasing God; unable to "continue in the path of righteousness 66 were you placed in it? In your weak"nefs my ftrength fhall be made manifeft "and perfected. Your corruption I will "cleanse, in the fountain which I have "opened for uncleannefs and fin. By "the Holy Ghoft the Comforter, whofe "influence is at my difpofal, I will enlighten your understanding and renew

your heart. From Me you fhall learn "the will of my Father: from Me you "shall have grace whereby you may serve "Him acceptably. What though you are "surrounded by prefent evils? I am head "over all things. All things fhall work (c together for good to you in the end. I "lead you to a world where there shall be "neither pain nor forrow nor death. "Your friends who fleep in Me fhall God "bring with Him. Your light afflictions "which are but for a moment, shall work "for you a far more exceeding and eternal "weight of glory."

not the

Are not these glorious offers? Are not these promises of comfort? Is glory difplayed to every man? Is not the comfort placed freely within the reach of every man? Well may the Gospel be pronounced good tidings of great joy to all people!

The

II. But will all men attain to the glory? Is the comfort fealed to every man? Scriptures conftrain us to answer, "No." They who at the great day fhall receive the fentence, Depart from me, ye curfed, into everlasting fire, for ever fall fhort of the glory; have had no effectual intereft in the comfort. To whom then are the glorious confolations of the Gofpel to be applied? The Lord God himself anfwers the queftion: "Comfort ye, comfort ye, My people." My people are the perfons, my people are the only perfons, who fhall be admitted into My kingdom of glory. My people are the perfons, My people are the only perfons, to whom during their continuance upon earth the comforts of the Gofpel belong.

Who then are the people of God? That is the momentous queftion.

To render you at prefent one of the people of God is it fufficient to have been baptized

IQ

baptized into the Chriftian church? Is it fufficient speculatively to believe the truth of Christianity? Is it fufficient to avow yourself a Chriftian, and to attend Chriftian worship? Is it fufficient to feel pleafure in difcourfe concerning religion, and to be eager in frequenting a multitude of religious ordinances? If no one of these particulars is by itself fufficient to prove you to belong to the people of God; are all of them together sufficient? Turn to the Scriptures. Propofe your question. Who are the people of God? Receive the anfwer from the Holy Ghoft by the mouth. of St. John. Beloved! be that doeth good is of God a). He, and he only, is one of the people of God, who in heart and life is truly a Chriftian. He, and he only, is at prefent entitled to the comforts of the Gospel; he and he only fhall receive eternal confolation in heaven; who has that genuine faith in Chrift which worketh by love; who demonftrates that he belongs to God by faithful obedience to his commandments.

Beloved! he that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil, hath not feen God;

(a) 3 John, 10, II.

understands

understands not God, belongs not to Him. Is this the only paffage in which St. John declares that faithful obedience is the teft by which you are to judge, whether you are of the people of God? Let the Apostle reply for himself. Little children, let no man deceive you. He that doeth righteoufnefs is righteous: he that committeth', fin is of the devil. In this the children of God are manifefted, and the children of the devil: whofoever doeth not righteousness is not of God. Every one that doeth righteousness is born of God. Every one that loveth God and his neighbour is born of God. And this is the love of God, that we keep his commandHe that keepeth his commandments, the commandments of Chrift, dwelleth in Him. If any man love the world, the luft of the flesh, and the luft of the eyes, and the pride of life; the love of the Father is not in him. If we fay that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness; we lie (b). But perhaps you deem St. John fingular in this doctrine. What then faith our Saviour? If a man love me, he will keep my words: be that love. h me not keepeth not my fayings.

ments.

(b) 1 John, iii. 7, 8. 10. ii. 29. iv. 7. v. 3. iii. 24. ii. 15, 16. i. 6.

He