methods of acceptance been propofed to the dying thief, what confolation could he have found? How little could he do in his few remaining hours! However he might have admired the goodnefs of God to others, he muft have utterly defpaired of mercy himself. But through faith in Chrift he was enabled to depart in peace and joy. As to the murderers of our Lord, how long muft it have been before they could have entertained any comfortable hope of acceptance! But the Gospel affords a profpect of falvation to the very chief of finners, and that, even at the eleventh hour. Nor is there any fituation whatever, in which the Gospel is not calculated to comfort and fupport the foul. Under first convictions of fin, what so, delightful as to hear of a Saviour? Under fubfequent trials and temptations, how would our difficulties be increased, if we did not know that "God had laid help upon One that was mighty!" The people of God, notwithstanding the hope which they have in Chrift, feel great and heavy discouragements on account of the power of in-dwelling corruption: they seem oftentimes to be rolling a ftone up the hill, which rushes impetuoufly down again, and neceffitates them to repeat their ineffectual labours. And what would they do if their dependence were not placed on the obedience and fufferings of the Son of God? Surely they would lie down in despair, and fay like those of old, "There is no hope; I have loved ftrangers, and after them will I go." Under the various calamities of life, alfo, believers find confolation in the thought that the falvation of their fouls is fecured by Chrift. Hence they are enabled to bear their trials with firmness: they "know how both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to fuffer need." And fhall not this recommend the Gospel? that there is no fituation, no circumftance whatever wherein it is not fuited to us? that while every other method of falvation increases our anxiety, and, in many inftances, drives us utterly to defpair, the Gofpel always mitigates our forrows, and often turns them into joy and triumph?

A farther excellency of the Gospel is, that it refers all the glory to the Lord Jefus Chrift. Every other plan of falvation leaves room for man to boast: but, on the plan of the Gospel, the most moral perfon upon earth must fubfcribe to the declaration of the Apostle," By grace "By grace are ye faved, through faith; and that not of yourfelves, it is the gift of

God."

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God." None, who have obtained an intereft in Chrift, will take the glory to themfelves; the voice of all without exception is, Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name be the praise." There is not any thing that diftinguishes true believers more than this, That they defire to glorify Chrift as the ONE fource of all their bleffings. In this their hearts are in perfect unifon with the glorified faints, who fing continually, "To Him who loved us and wafhed us from our fins in his own blood, to Him be glory and dominion, for ever and ever." And is not this another excellency of the Gofpel? Is it at all defirable that while fome in heaven are afcribing falvation to God and to the Lamb, others fhould afcribe falvation to God and to themselves? Surely the felicity of heaven is much increased by the obligation which they feel to Jefus, and the confideration that every particle of that blifs was “purchafed for them by the blood of God" himself; nor is there fo much as one amongst all the hofts of heaven who would confent for an inftant to rob the Saviour of his glory.

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Laftly-The lat excellency which I fhall mention as belonging to the Gospel, is, that it most of all fecures the practice of good works. Here is the chief ground of jealoufy with the world: and if the Gospel were indeed liable to the imputations caft on it, if it gave licence to men to continue in fin, we fhould not hesitate to difcard it as a fiction, feeing that it could never be the production of an holy God. But, as the Apofile fays, The grace of God which bringeth falvation teaches us, that denying ungodlinefs and worldly lufts, we fhould live righteously, foberly, and godly in this prefent world." If we appeal to antiquity, who was ever fo ftrenuous as St. Paul in afferting the doctrine of juftification by faith alone? and yet, who was ever fo abundant in labours of every kind? or who ever inculcated with greater energy and minutenefs the ncceffity of good works? If we come to modern times, we muft obferve that they, who now preach juftification by faith, are with the very fame breath accused of opening heaven to all, however they may act, and yet of flutting the door againft all by their unneceffary ftrictnefs: and they who receive the Gospel are condemned as licentious, while they are at the fame time blamed as too rigid and precife: nor is this by any means a flight proof of the efficacy of the Gospel on the hearts and lives of its profeffors; for if

their fentiments expofe them to the former cenfure, it is their holy conduct that fubjects them to the latter. We grant, and acknowledge it with forrow, that there are fome who name the name of Chrift without departing from ini-. quity but muft all therefore be reprefented as of the fame ftamp, and the Gospel itself be confidered as unfavourable to morality? Is it juft, that, while ten thoufand glaring fins pafs unnoticed in an unbeliever, the mifconduct of a few, or perhaps one fingle fault in "a perfon profeffing godlinefs" fhould excite a clamour againft all the religious world as hypocrites? But, thanks be to God! we can appeal to experience, that faith "does work by love," and "overcome the world," and "purify the heart :" we are therefore emboldened primarily and principally to recommend the Gofpel from this confideration, that while the zealous advocates for felf-righteoufnefs are miferably defective in all fpiritual duties, the Gospel of Chrift invariably ftimulates us to an holy, fpiritual, and unreferved obedience.

Many more excellencies of the Gofpel might be mentioned: but if thofe that have been stated will not endear it to us, it is in vain to hope that any thing which could be added would procure it a favourable reception.

And now, as there are many in this Affembly who are already engaged in the fervice of the fanctuary, and many others who are deftined in due time to undertake the facred office of the miniftry, and as the words of my text are in a moré especial manner applicable to perfons fo circumftanced, fuffer me, with humility, yet with freedom and faithfulness, to addrefs myself in a more efpecial manner to them; and let me intreat you to bear with me if I " ufe great boldness of speech."

I would befeech You then, my Brethren, to confider, that as the eternal welfare of our fellow-creatures is fufpended on their reception or rejection of the Gospel, fo their acquaintance with the Gofpel muft depend, in a great measure, on thofe who are authorifed to teach it: for "Faith cometh by hearing; and how thall they hear without a Preacher?" Be not offended then if I afk, whether you yourfelves have "received the truth in the love of it? If you have not, how can you properly commend it to others? How can it be expected that you fhould "contend carneftly for that faith" which you yourfelves have ever embraced; or that you fhould

labour

-labour with becoming zeal to convert your hearers, when you yourselves are unconverted? O let it be a matter of deep and serious enquiry amongst us, whether we have felt the force and influence of the Gofpel? Have we ever been convinced of unbelief? Have we feen the equity and reasonableness of the judgments denounced against us while in that state? Have we, under a deep conviction of our guilt and helplessness, "fled to Chrift for refuge?" Have we discovered the tranfcendent excellency of this falvation; and do we feel in our inmoft fouls its perfect fuitableness to our own neceffities, and its tendency to promote the interests of holiness? Can we fay with the Apoftle, that "what our eyes have feen, our ears have heard, and our hands have handled of the word of life, that, and that only, we declare" unto our people? In short, while we profefs that "the miniftry of reconciliation has been committed unto us," do we experience this reconciliation ourfelves? The falvation of our own fouls, no less than that of our fellow-finners, depends on this: indeed we are more interested in the Gospel than any; for if we continue ignorant of it, we perith under the aggravated guilt of rejecting it ourselves, and of betraying the fouls of others into irretrievable ruin. We, of all people under heaven, are most bound to diveft ourselves of prejudice, and to labour with our whole hearts both to enjoy the bleffings of the Gospel, and to fhew ourselves patterns of its fanctifying influence. Let us then, in compliance with the divine command, "take heed to ourselves, and to our doctrine, that, in fo doing, we may both fave ourselves, and them that hear us.'

But let others alfo be aware, that though they may have no responsibility attaching to them as minifters, they have as Chriftians. I muft beg leave therefore to fay unto all, that as "baptifin is not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the anfwer of a good confcience towards God," fo the faith which they profess cannot fave them, unless it be accompanied with a renovation of heart and life. Do not then be hafty to conclude that you are true believers: "examine yourfelves whether ye be in the faith; prove your own felves." Be affured, it is no eafy matter to believe: it is by no means pleafing to flesh and blood: there is not any thing to which we are naturally more averfe: what our Lord faid to the Jews of old may be addreffed with equal propriety to

the

the greater part of nominal Chriftians, "Ye will not come unto me, that ye may have life." But let it be remembered, that, however humiliating it may appear to our proud nature to renounce all felf-righteoufhefs and felf-dependence, and to look for acceptance through the merits of Chrift alone, it must be done: it will profit us little to have received the qutward feal of his covenant, unless we poffefs alfo "the faith of God's elect." Our lofty looks must be humbled, our haughtinefs maft be brought down, and the Lord alone muft be exalted:" we muft bow before the feeptre of his grace, or we shall be "broken in pieces with a rod of iron." If we truly and cordially "receive Him, we fhall have the privilege of becoming the fons of God; and if fons, then heirs; heirs of God and joint-heirs with Chrift." But But "what shall our end be, if we obey not the gofpel?" What profpect have we, but to be "punished with everlasting deftruction from the prefence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power?" Behold then, life and death are this day fet before you. Bearing, as we do, a commiffion from the Lord Jefus to preach his Gospel, debtors both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians, both to the wife and to the unwife." In his facred Name, therefore, we deliver our meffage; we are conftrained to deliver it with all faithfulnefs, "whether ye will hear or whether ye will forbear.". He, who with a penitent and contrite heart believeth in the Son of God, and, by virtue of that faith, is enabled to confefs him before men, and to honour him by an holy life, he fhall "receive the remiffion of his fins, and an inheritance among them that are fanctified by faith in Chrift." But he, who believeth not on the Son of God, however moral he may have been in his external conduct, and whatever pleas he may urge in extenuation of his guilt, he, I fay, "fhall not fee life, but the wrath of God thall abide upon him :" he hath practically faid, "I will not have this man to reign over me;" and the despised Saviour will, ere long, iffue this vindi&tive fentence," Bring him hither, and flay him before me." The decree is gone forth, nor fhall all the powers of heaven or hell reverfe it, "He who believeth and is baptized, fhall be faved; but he that believeth not, thall be dainned."

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