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in their own imaginary merits, and defpifed the offered atonement of a Saviour. My fon, if thou wilt incline thine ear unto wifdom, and apply thine heart to understanding: if thou feekeft her as filver, and fearcheft for her as for bid treasures: then halt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wifdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding * *. When you have lif tened to the words of wisdom, recorded from his mouth in the Gospel, ftrive, through the influence of his Holy Spirit, to obey them as an affectionate child obeys its parent. Let your faith prove itself by its fruits. At the fame time that you are, found in doctrine, be a pattern of every good work. So fhall you be the children of wisdom: so shall you justify wisdom. So fhall you evince that Chrift Jefus is made unto you, wisdom, and righteousness, and fanctification, and redemption. So fhall you glorify God in the way of salvation. So fhall you recommend the way of salvation to mankind.

If you thus juftify wisdom, behold the hour approaches, when before the affembled world, wisdom shall justify you. Fear him who can caft both body and foul into

* Prov. ii. 1-6,

hell.

hell. But fear ye not the reproach of men: neither be ye afraid of their revilings. Behold the hour cometh, when Chrift shall render to every man according to his deeds. Then fhall the righteous man ftand in great boldness before the face of fuch as have afflicted him, and made no account of his labours. When they fee it, they fhall be troubled with terrible fear: and fhall be amazed at the ftrangeness of his falvation, fo far beyond all that they looked for. And they, repenting, and groaning for anguish of Spirit, fhall fay within themfelves; this was he whom we had fometime in derifion, and a proverb of reproach. We fools accounted his life madness; and his end to be without honour. How is he num

bered with the children of God: and his lot is among the Saints!

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SERMON IV.

On coming unto JESUS CHRIST for life.

JOHN, V. 40.

Ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life.

SUPPOSE a legiflator, anxious to deter his fubjects from the commiffion of a particular crime, were to annex to it, as a penal confequence, the total confifcation of property. Suppofe an individual, forewarned of the impending effects of disobedience,' wilfully to commit the crime. Confifcation enfues. The inheritance defigned for his children is intercepted. Suppose the children arrived at manhood, and treading in the fteps of their father. Suppose them habitually trampling upon ftatutes, which they feel themselves bound by ties of duty to obey; and manifesting by efforts of impotent treason inherent malevolence

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malevolence against the Legislator. Suppofe that legiflator, however rigorous în juftice, equally abundant in mercy: how ever refolute to maintain the honour of his faw, equally folicitous to remove every im pediment to the exercife of overflowing kindness towards tranfgreffors. Suppose him, however arduous the tafk, to have devised a method, by which, without encroachment on the principles of rectitude, without depreciation of his authority, without encouragement to offences, the forfeited inheritance may be reftored; every acceffion of punishment which has been incurred be averted; and new poffeffions, far furpaffing the patrimony which by guilt was loft, be fuperadded. Suppofe the at-1 tainment of these bleffings, the gifts of free mercy, to be effectually placed on equitable and eafy conditions within the reach of the offenders. What if you were to hear that the bleffings are defpifed; that the offer is rejected? Should you credit the intelligence? Should you conceive that the annals of the world could furnifh many examples of fimilar infanity? Should you apprehend that in the moft enlightened regions fimilar infanity is frequent at this hour? Should you believe that it is but needful

needful to caft your eyes round the circle in which you move, to witness many a correfponding fpectacle of frenzy? Should you believe that at this hour there may be exhibited a kindred fpectacle of frenzy by yourself?

Our Saviour, as we learn from the former part of the chapter before us, had given extreme offence to the Jews by expreffions which they juftly understood as a diftin&t affirmation of his divinity. He proceeded therefore to declare to them the glorious and pre-eminent power, with which he was, in his human nature, entrufted by his Father. One branch of this power was to raise all mankind from the grave. As the Father raifeth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even fo the Son quickeneth whom he will. Another was to judge the world. The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement unto the Son: that all men may bononr the Son even as they honour the Father. To these declarations our Lord, after fome collateral and explanatory dif cuffion, fubjoined the emphatical words of the text; Ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life. In these words three facts were implied. Firft: that the Jews were not at that time poffeffed of life; nor caVOL. II. pable

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