thing else could accomplish; he has effected for them, what Paul did for Eutychus,-raised them to life and to themselves again.

3. It is worthy of remark, that he causes them to be introduced to his saints. The young man was brought in alive, and they were not a little comforted. With what pleasure must they have regarded him, as one risen from the dead; as a new proof of the power of God; as a new honour put upon the ministry of the apostle Paul. And when he has raised a great sinner, he puts him among the children; he makes his followers hail him into their society; he teaches them to say, Come in, thou blessed of the Lord, why standest thou without? and then they all rejoice over him, as having escaped innumerable ills, and as now walking in an honourable path to heaven. Yea, angels themselves rejoice over the quickened dead, for the whole church exults with pleasure that God is making additions to its numbers; and he himself exults with pleasure in the brands which he plucks from the burning; in the sinner he saves by his grace; in the impoverished whom he enriches; and in the dead whom he has raised to life. He holds up these characters as spectacles worthy of the regard of enlightened men, and as occasions of joy to all them that believe.

How absurd is it to doubt the doctrine of the Resurrection! Eutychus was raised, so shall all mankind, even by the same power of God. Why should it be thought a thing incredible, that

God should raise the dead? But the dead are raised for different purposes.

Saints live for ever in the enjoyment of perfect happiness.

Sinners must feel the bitter pangs of eternal death.

Let each of us say,

"O may I stand before the Lamb,

When earth and seas are fled;

And hear the Judge pronounce my name,

With blessings on my head."

Amen.

SERMON XVIII.

PREACHED JUNE 20, 1810.

66

TITUS II. 11, 12.

FOR THE GRACE OF GOD THAT BRINGETH SALVATION, HATH APPEARED TO ALL MEN, TEACHING US THAT DENYING UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY LUSTS, WE

SHOULD LIVE SOBERLY, RIGHTEOUSLY, AND GODLY, IN THIS PRESENT WORLD.

IF any thing is calculated to excite the tears of commiseration from a generous mind, surely the wretched state of the lost sons of Adam must produce such an effect. Placed upon the stage of life as they are, with a propensity to evil, and pursuing, as they do with eagerness, the desires of the flesh and of the mind; surely when we recollect that state of primeval dignity and eminence in holiness from which they have so awfully, so deeply fallen, we must say, "How is the gold become dim, how is the most fine gold changed!" The children of men, from their natural depravity, and the influence of habits acquired by continuance in sin, are

all unholy and impure; the image of God, which was once impressed in such lively and pleasing characters upon the heart of their first parent, their head and representative, is now entirely lost, the glory is departed. Sin, that abominable thing which God's righteous soul hateth, which breaks his law, opposes his government, and insults his Spirit, is the delight, the unhallowed source of pleasure to the creatures he has made. He looks down from his high throne in glory, he sees men walking in a vain show, and he says concerning us, considered in the condition in which we were born, "There is none that doeth good, no, not one.' Well may we then look around us for help; it surely becomes us to enquire what shall raise us from this abject state of sin, and deliver us from those iniquities which prevail against us. How shall our tempers, which are by nature evil, become excellent and divine? How shall our conduct, which is that of the children of disobedience, be so changed as to become that which men shall love, angels admire, and God himself approve?

Shall we sit at the feet of heathen sages? They will, indeed, give us excellent precepts, but they cannot touch the springs of action; they cannot reach the heart. Their advice may be excellent, but the reformation which it can accomplish is, after all, but partial; it arises from no noble principles it is imperfect, it is unacceptable in the sight of God. Shall the law of Moses produce in us that holiness, without which no man shall see

:

the Lord? Its commands are, indeed, represented by the pen of inspiration, as holy, just, and good: it is a transcript of the divine mind; it is an exact rule for the conduct of men; but instead of possessing power to render us Israelites indeed, in whom there is no guile, its office is, by its own spirituality, to show us our exceeding sinfulness, to condemn us, and to declare to us that we are accursed, because we have not continued in all things written in the book of the law to do them. Whither then shall he who hungers and thirsts after righteousness direct his attention? Where shall those of us, who, sensible of the plague of our hearts, and the sins of our lives, long for purity, and grasp after holiness, find that which we so eagerly desire? It devolves on me to show

you

that it may

be found in the gospel of Jesus. Descending from the skies, it points out to us the path of piety and peace; it shows us the mount of holiness, bids us climb it, and gives us strength to reach its summit. This holy guide, then, shall direct our enquiries, yea, it shall do more, it shall influence our hearts. It is not enough that we hear a voice, saying, "This is the way, walk ye in it;" but we, wretched and depraved as we are by nature, must, by the potent, the blessed influence of the glorious gospel of the blessed God, become holy in all manner of conversation and godliness. Then shall we display to the world, the triumphs of grace, the genuine effects of religion, and the vast superiority of the gospel, to all the schemes that men devise.