certainty as to the measures to be pursued. Would you determine wifely? Would you fee the path of duty diftinctly? Would you maintain peace of inind and a tranquil confcience? Refolve with deliberation. Ponder all your plans, fix all your pur pofes, with a cautious regard to the commandments of God: and bind not yourself to any ftep of importance, until you have reverently and impartially examined, according to the degree of attention required by the nature of the cafe, and with a mind humbly lifted up to God, whether you are not plunging into temptation or entangling yourself in tranfgreffion.

Fourthly, mark the heinoufness of fearing man rather than God. What fin is 'more general? What fin is more confpi- · cuoufly arrayed in the attributes of folly? How frequently do men knowingly deviate from the line of fincerity, or partici pate in fome deed of wickedness, left they fhould give offence to a perfon from whom they have expectations. How often do they yield to intemperance, to extravagance, to diffipation, to fashionable follies or fashionable crimes, left they thould be ridiculed by their companions, or lofe in the opinion of the neighbourhood, fome

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portion of modifh repute! Dull of hearing to the voice of their God, with how quick an ear do they catch the rumour of contempt! Purblind to the injunctions of their Saviour, with how fufpicious an eye do they look around for the glance of derision! How often do they remain filent, when they ought to bear their teftimony against unrighteoufnefs! How often, when religion is fneered at or mifreprefented, do they shrink through false shame and carnal fear from speaking the truth in its vindication! Remember the guilt of Saul: tremble to imitate it. Who art thou that art afraid of a man that fhall die, and of the Son of man which shall be made as grafs: and forgetteft the Lord thy Maker? Let the Lord be your fear; let Him be your dread. Fear Him, who can caft both body and foul into hell. Fear Him, who has declared that, unless you confefs Him upon earth, He will not confefs you at the day of judgement. Fear Him, who has forewarned you that, unless you are stedfastly willing to renounce and comparatively to hate all things for His fake; you cannot be His difciple, you cannot be washed in His atoning blood.

Laftly:

Laftly: Let the example of Saul admonifh you to frequent meditation on the confequences of difobeying God. Thou fhalt know, like that unhappy king, that in every refpect thou haft done foolishly, whenever thou haft not kept the commandment of the Lord. Thy worldly projects which thou hopeft to forward by tranf greffing the rule of duty, fhall by that very ftep be defeated. Or if for a time they appear to have been promoted by thy fin; ere long thou fhalt find that they have been promoted to thy forrow and confufion In difappointment and in fuccefs thou shalt equally reap thy punishment. But are these the heavieft effects of obftinacy in tranfgreffions? Prepare thyself for feverer judgements. Prepare thyself for the most dreadful of the tokens of divine

indignation. Prepare thyfelf for the departure of the Holy Spirit of God. Shall the heart determinately harden itself against Jehovah; and fhall he not abandon it to itself? When the Pharifees refused to liften to the Son of God; he directed his inftruction to the publicans. When his countrymen at Nazareth perfifted in unbelief; he no longer wafted his miracles upon them. When the Jews at Antioch rejected the preaching of

St.

St. Paul; the Apoftle turned, under the guidance of the Holy Ghoft, to the Gentiles. Behold in thefe examples, the establifhed courfe of the divine counfels. Grace, perfeveringly neglected and abused, is withdrawn. If God fhall withdraw his grace from thee; thou shalt become, like Saul, the fervant of another master. An evil spirit, that evil fpirit who is the author of fin and mifery, fhall feize thee as his prey. Then who fhall break thy chains? Enflaved to Satan, thou fhalt perform his pleasure here: thou fhalt fulfil his work, adding iniquity to iniquity: and into his kingdom fhall death remove thee, there with him to be tormented for ever and

ever.

My Brethren; knowing the terror of the Lord, we perfuade men. Reflect and be perfuaded. Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God. Forget not the bleffings of redemption. Glorious as was the earthly dominion to which Saul was exalted; how faintly does it fhadow out the kingdom which the Lord of glory has purchased for you! Be faithful unto death, that He may give you the crown of life.

SERMON XVI.

On religious Comfort.

ISAIAH xl. I.

Comfort ye, comfort ye, My people, faith
your God.

IT is thus that the prophet Ifaiah announces the Gofpel to the people of Ifrael. To his evangelical eye, enlightened by the spirit of Jehovah, futurity becomes prefent. Through the obfcurity of remote ages he beholds the fun of righteousness glowing with unclouded beams. What he beholds he reveals. He avers to the twelve tribes that the word of their God ftands fast for ever; that at the appointed hour, however diftant, God will establish the covenant made with their forefathers; that He will fend the promised Redeemer, who fhall feed his flock as a fhepherd, preach

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