enmity to God has been clearly revealed, and will continue to be revealed, wherever the gospel is preached and the character of Christ is exhibited. His character will always display the character of God, and, of consequence, draw forth the native malignity of mankind towards the supreme Sovereign of the universe.

In the second place, the exhibition of Christ necessarily discovers the secrets of men's hearts towards themselves, as well as towards God. Christ in the course of his life, and more especially at his death, laid open the guilt and ill desert of sinners. He told them in plain terms, that they were serpents, and a generation of vipers, who deserved the damnation of hell; and he confirmed these declarations, by his sufferings and death on the cross. Before he appeared on earth, the false prophets and blind guides had daubed with untempered mortar, and led sinners to entertain a high opinion of the purity of their hearts. But he exposed their inward turpitude, selfishness, and hypocrisy; which,in words,they denied and resented,but, in conduct clearly expressed. The life of Christ condemned the lives of sinners, the preaching of Christ condemned the hearts of sinners, and the death of Christ demonstrated, that they deserved the wrath of God both in this life and in that which is to come. And the gospel, which contains the history of the character, conduct, and sufferings of Christ for this rebellious world, is a mirror in which all may discover their moral depravity and just desert of eternal destruction. God means, by exhibiting Christ through the gospel, to undeceive men with respect to themselves, and make them sensible of their guilty and wretched condition.

Besides, thirdly, the exhibition of Christ as a mediator, discovers men's feelings in regard to the terms of salvation. God has made love to the

person and character of Christ an indispensable condition of granting pardon to sinners. He declares, wherever he sends the gospel, that "whosoever believ eth shall be saved; but whosoever believeth not shall be damned." And he says, "if any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema, maran-atha." By thus exhibiting Christ as the sole foundation of forgiveness, he tries the hearts of sinners respecting their willingness to be saved. They naturally imagine, that they are very willing to accept of salvation; but when the true character of Christ is displayed, and love to his character is proposed as the term of divine acceptance, then the secrets of their hearts are disclosed, and they find that they would rather die eternally, than submit to that condition. Our Lord told sinners in his day, that they would not come unto him, that they might have life. And he illustrated this, by several striking parables; especially by the parable of the marriage feast, in which he represented those that were invited, as refusing to attend; and by the parable of the vineyard, in which he represented the husbandmen, as defrauding the owner, abusing his servants, and slaying his Son. The same spirit of opposition to the terms of the gospel still reigns in the hearts of sinners. So that God still tries, and will continue to try their hearts, by exhibiting Christ as the way, the truth, and the life, and the only name given under heaven through which they can find favour in his sight. The next thing proposed is,

II. To show that God tries the hearts of men through the medium of Christ, in order to fix their future and final state. "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many." God intends to make men happy or miserable forever, according to the feelings of their hearts towards the Son of his

love. This Christ expressly and abundantly taught in the course of his ministry. He said, "The Father lov eth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: but he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." Indeed, the whole New Testament represents God as determining to fix the eternal condition of all men under the gospel, according to their receiving or rejecting the Saviour whom he has provided. And we find this important truth confirmed by many plain and solemn facts. God fixed the final state of the inhabitants of Capernaum, Chorazin, and Bethsaida, according to their internal feelings and external conduct towards Christ. They finally fell, by opposing and rejecting his holy child Jesus. God fixed the final state of the Jewish nation according to their treatment of Christ. It was for their violent opposition to Jesus of Nazareth, and their avowed unbelief, that he cut them off, and cast them out of his vineyard. Christ was verily set for the fall of the Jews, and the rising of the Gentiles. And God is now exhibiting Christ before men, in order to fix their eternal state. He means to save, or destroy them, accordingly as they receive, or reject him who died for them. Their views and feelings respecting Christ in time, are to determine what shall be their views and feelings to all eternity.

And there appears to be a propriety in God's treating men according to their love, or hatred of Christ, because their feelings towards Christ afford a proper criterion of their true characters. If they love Christ, they love God; but if they hate Christ, they hate God. If they love Christ, they love the good of the universe; but if they hate Christ, they are enemies to all good. The character of Christ is the most infallible test of all

human characters. And by fixing the final state of all who enjoy the gospel, according to their love, or hatred of Christ, God will justify his conduct before the eyes of all intelligent beings. Saints and angels will approve of his finally rejecting those, who hated Christ without a cause; and the finally miserable themselves will be constrained to approve of his saving those, who loved the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.

IMPROVEMENT.

1. Since it is God's design in exhibiting Christ before men, to try their hearts and prepare them for their final state, it becomes the ministers of the gospel to make Christ the main subject of their preaching. His character, in all its branches, runs through the whole of divine revelation, and comprises the essence of the gospel. It is impossible to preach the gospel, in all its weight and importance, without bringing Christ into view, as the only name given under heaven among men, whereby they can be saved. This was the constant practice of the Apostles, who were able and faithful ministers of the New Testament. They ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ on every occasion. Yea, they determined to know nothing among their hearers, save Jesus Christ and him crucified. Accordingly we find, that their preaching had a most powerful effect. By preaching Christ, Peter converted three thousand souls at one time. By preaching Christ, Stephen cut his hearers to the heart. And by preaching the unsearchable riches. of Christ, Paul approved himself to every man's conscience in the sight of God, and converted myriads among both Jews and Gentiles. If ministers mean to be faithful to God and to the souls of men, they must follow the example of the apostles. and make Christ the primary subject of their preach

ing. This will make their discourses reach the hearts and consciences of their hearers, and cause the most stubborn sinners to tremble, and cry out, in anxiety and distress, What must we do to be saved? And this will make them become unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved, and in them that perish.

2. If it be God's design in exhibiting Christ before men, to try their hearts and prepare them for their final state; then it is much to be desired, that the gospel should be preached to all nations. There is no ground to hope, that any of the Heathens will be saved, while they remain totally ignorant of the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent. It does not appear from the past dispensations of grace, that God ever sends his Spirit where he does not send his gospel. Though the apostle declares, "There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him;" yet he demands, "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" The whole tenor of scripture plainly intimates, that all, who are living in Pagan darkness, are strangers to the covenants of promise, and without God, without Christ, and without hope in the world. It is, therefore, as much to be desired, that these guilty and miserable creatures should have the gospel preached to them, as that they should escape the wrath to come, and secure the salvation of their souls. If the character of Christ were exhibited to them, they would have an opportunity of exercising that faith, without which it is impossible to please God, and obtain eternal life. For faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Though God intends to give unto his Son the heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for