see all these together, there is no severing them. If therefore you would receive the Gospel to purpose, you must receive it as God has revealed it in his Word. Secondly. You receive the Gospel in vain when you receive it speculatively . I mean in distinction from experience and practice; for such a reception does not accord with the nature and design of it. The Gospel is not a mere narration of events of no interest; it is not the decision of a problem, or the determination of a question, the knowledge of which is merely necessary to inform the judgment. It brings us "glad tidings of great joy." Indeed the very scheme, taken as a scheme, is astonishingly sublime and glorious. God manifest in the flesh: Deity here for three and thirty years, walking up and down in flesh and blood: the journey of a God from heaven down to the cross, and from the cross back again to the throne: how sublime! And therefore the angels, who never sinned, and who never need repentance, desired to look into this; and they are never considered as naturalists and philosophers; but they dropped around the cross, and came to Calvary to learn the manifold wisdom of God.

All this is for our welfare; we are deeply, eternally concerned in every step of this humiliation and exaltation; it is "all our salvation," and should be "all our desire;" and it never can be properly received, unless it produces emotions that nothing else in the world can produce. Why, it is not given to teach you to dispute, but to pray; it is not given to exercise your ingenuity, but to change your hearts; it is not published to amuse your curiosity, but to nourish you up to eternal life. Jesus Christ was "made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law." This is not announced in order to raise your wonder, but that you may "receive the adoption of sons." Our aim therefore in reading and hearing the Gospel, should be the same with God's end in giving it. And why has he provided, why has he revealed a Saviour? In order that we may "behold, and wonder, and perish?" No, but that by "believing ye might have life;" that you may be disposed to say "Heal my soul, for I have sinned”— "Lord save or I perish." Fly then to this only refuge, this grand restorer, this Almighty Saviour, able and willing to save to the very uttermost, who has declared, "Whosoever cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out."

Oh my dear hearers, rest not in any thing short of this: take heed of a religion that consists in theory alone. True religion has something more, something to be known and felt. There is such a thing as real experience in divine things: "He that believeth hath the witness in himself." And this is what we are to seek after. "O taste and see that the Lord is good." We are told that the Publican went down to his house "justified;" he carried away the blessing itself. How different is this from many who hear the Gospel, who after hearing a discourse carry away the doctrine, but are regardless of the practice, and undetermined to consider whether they are interested in it. But this is the grand thing-to partake of the blessing sent, to know that we are pardoned through the blood of the cross. What will it avail us, or what will the Gospel avail us by all its teachings, if it has not taught us to "deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the world?" What has it done for us unless it has enabled us after all our hearing and reading to say with Paul—“ I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." This is the proof that we have not received it vain. "Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your ownselves." How did the Thessalonians receive it? "Why our Gospel,' VOL. 1.

says the Apostle, “came to you not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance." They did not receive the grace of God

❝ in vain."

Thirdly. The gospel is received in vain when it is received unperseveringly. Peter speaks of our receiving "the end of our faith, the salvation of our souls:" and our Lord says, "He only that endureth unto the end shall be saved." It is not the first step, but the last, in the journey that brings you to your home. Many have gone far, but not far enough: they have been informed, but not illuminated; they have been reformed, but not regenerated. The Galatians did run well; they began in the spirit; but the Apostle entertained fears concerning them, lest they should end in the flesh. And our Saviour says, “If ye continue in my words, then (alone) are ye my disciples; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

Apostacy from the faith and practice of the Gospel generally go together; sometimes the one takes the lead, and sometimes the other; but the other is soon after. Bad practices render bad principles desirable; and then you have recourse to infidelity as to a refuge, and a relief. You make the Bible your enemy, and then you question it because it does not prophesy good concerning On the other hand, "whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not you, but evil. in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God." It is a very easy thing to destroy your religious convictions if you please. There are two ways of doing it; the one is by assassination, the other by starvation; and in either of them you may completely succeed if you wish. God can let a man alone; the man does not like to retain God in his knowledge; his vain jangling is increased unto more ungodliness; he will make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience; he refuses the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of God ceases to strive with him on earth. God withdraws his restraints, in consequence of his provocations, and the man runs wild, denying the Lord that bought him, and bringing upon himself swift destruction. How many have we seen of this awful character during our lives? How many are there now lulled to sleep by principles that once made them tremble, and who can now turn into ridicule truths that were once to them as life from the dead. It had been better for them not to have known the way of Christ, than, after they had known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. The last state of that man is worse than the first. But that which is divine will always endure; that which came from God shall live to God. The devotion it produces will not be like a blazing straw, but like the fire on the Jewish altar, which was kindled by the breath of heaven, and never went out. It will not resemble the summer brook, but the perennial fountain. "The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.'

In the third place, let us notice THE REASONS OF THEIR ANXIETY AND EARNESTNESS. They "beseech you that ye receive not the grace of God in vain." There are two principles on which their importunities are foundedthe possibility, and the deplorableness, of the event.

They beseech you not to receive the grace of God in vain, because they apprehend the event which very commonly follows. In all ages God's servants have been compelled to complain, “Whɔ hath believed our report?" Four sorts received the very same seed, in the very same season, from the very same nand and what is the result? Only one of the four yields any thing to the

purpose. Why, you will say, This is very censorious. Nay, it appears to me that the application shows the candour of the interpreter: for I would now say Appeal to the lives and tempers and conversation of those who hear the word, and who hear the word of the Gospel too; and tell me what reason have you to hope that one in four of these who hear the Gospel believe? that one in four of the large number of hearers have received the grace of God to the salvation of their souls? Is it not awful?

They are

These workers together beseech you not to receive the grace of God in vain because they dread the event as deplorable. They know, whatever you may think of the case, that nothing is so much to be dreaded as this. affected with the thought, and they are affected on three accounts. First, by the thought of it on God's account: they know how he is dishonoured, his authority despised, his commands to believe disobeyed; how his infinite wisdom and goodness are reflected upon; how they frustrate the grace of God, and make Jesus Christ, as it relates to themselves, to have died in vain. They are affected with the thought of it on your own account: they know what your infirmities are; they know that hence will arise your chief sin and your chief condemnation; they know that in consequence of this it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for you; they know that you cannot escape if you neglect so great salvation. And this will be found the savour of death unto death; that is, you will have to endure the condemnation of the Gospel added to the condemnation of the law; the one, because you have transgressed it, the other because you have neglected it. They are affected with it on their own account. It is painful in the extreme to plant and not to gather, to sow and not to reap. How distressing it is to labour in vain, and to spend your strength for nought! There is a sense in which this is not painful; for they are not answerable for their success, but for their fidelity and diligence and zeal; they are unto God a sweet savour, both in them that are saved, and in them that perish. See, therefore, that they may be able to hail you in the day of Jesus Christ as their joy and crown of rejoicing. This gospel early reached our highly favoured isle; and, notwithstanding our national sins and manifold provocations, it has continued among us to this day; and "to you is the word of this salvation sent:" "Receive not the grace of God in vain.” Let me then speak to you freely for a moment. I would not address you indiscriminately, and it does not become me to address you hopelessly: but, after all the allowance that tenderness requires, is there not enough to alarm? Some of you have had a religious education; you early kneeled around the family altar; from children you have known the Scriptures; prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things that you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the things you hear, and have not heard them; but blessed are your eyes, for they have seen, and your ears, for they have heard. What opportunities have some of you enjoyed! Where are they all now? Have you forgotten them? Have you not, knowing the value of them, trampled them under your feet? Is there not an awful responsibility on your part touching these things? Is there not an awful insensibility amongst many? some, while they hear the Gospel constantly, walk according to the course of this world? Do not some attend the house of God and places of dissipation? Do not some endeavour to serve God and Mammon? Wearing the form of godliness, but denying the power of it, some get rid of all their early impressions. There was a time when under the preaching of the Gospel

Do not

they, like Felix, trembled; but they don't tremble now: there was a time when they were afraid; they are not afraid now: there was a time when they loved retirement to meditate and to seek God; but now they wish to shun him; and in actions, if not in words, they say, Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways."

66

Allow me to address you with all that compassion you ought to have for your own souls. How good has God been in sparing you through all this! "Tis of his mercies you are not consumed. Why is it your harvest is not past, and your summer not ended? Can you imagine God has protracted your lives only to get money, to eat and to drink, and to adorn your bodies? Oh no; he has a far more noble object in view: the long-suffering of God leadeth to repentance; it is your salvation; and despisest thou the riches of his goodness and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance; but, after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God?

To say that these are things you never regard is not your excuse, but your crime: you know you ought to regard them, and you can regard them, and you know you can; and it is in vain therefore for you to say that it is not in your power, for you know this is not the principle you act upon; and you know that even inability can be remedied. How remedied? In a moment: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For if ye being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him." Oh that you may make use of this blessed promise. Newton says, "When I was first awakened, I read this promise, and I reasoned thus- If this book be true, this promise also of the Spirit is true: then if I ask I shall obtain.' I did ask, and did obtain." You should be induced to do We beseech you, in the bowels of Jesus Christ, and in the name of your perishing souls, no longer to oppose or disregard these truths. "No longer," says God, "spend money for that which is not bread, nor labour for that which satisfieth not; but hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your souls shall live: and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David."

the same.

THE BLESSINGS OF THE GOSPEL.

REV. J. PARSONS,

TREVOR CHAPEL, BROMPTON*, JANUARY 30, 1834.

'And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ."-ROMANS, xv. 29.

THE opinions which have been formed by men in different ages respecting the system of Christianity, have in various ages, and are still now very different in degree. Some have rendered to the system a heart-felt homage, as possessing the very highest authority, and as comprehending in it those principles which are the one rule of duty, and the one source of happiness. Some again have accorded to it a loose and general approbation, from which the fervour and the feeling of personal piety have been absent, and which has been associated with practical carelessness, aad practical neglect. Some have again denounced it as a system all whose pretensions are erroneous, and all whose results are pernicious to the general interests of mankind. Here are perhaps not a few by whom any controversy with regard to the merit of these different conclusione would be regarded as trifling and insignificant; but I trust that none are now in the presence of God, who do not at least theoretically admit, that a just estimate of their different merit must be regarded as of transcendant importance, especially as the reception or rejection of Christianity must lead to our eternal happiness or torment in a future state of being.

The writer from whose language it is our intention this evening to address you was led to form for himself such a system of Christianity, or of Gospel truth, and to commend, at the same time, the same system to others, who acknowledge it the one governor of the heart, and the one great blessing of the human soul. That system we are prepared to state, and you doubtless are prepared to agree, from unimpeachable evidence must be regarded as perfectly conclusive and right. It arose from the direct agency of the Spirit of God on his soul; it was secured by the same agency on the minds of the persons who went out as companions with the Apostle that they might be the devoted champions of the Christian cause in the world, and it must be by all men as essential to whatever is tormenting in misery, and delightful in felicity. There are, perhaps, few portions in the writings of the apostle Paul, in which the majesty of the revelation of Christianity are more beautifully vindicated than in the chapter from which we now address you; and there are few expressions in which more of the value of Christianity can be regarded as comprised than the expression at the close of the verse on which your attention is to be directed-" I am sure that when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the For the Irish Evangelical Society.