not they the very tokens of fin and damnation upon them? And yet are as easy as if they were to be faved without any concern of of their own. Pray hear what God declares, by his prophet: To this man will I look, [that is, in mercy] even to him that is poor, and of a contrite heart, and trembleth at my word. in And why are these difpofitions neceffary to obtain the favour of God in Jefus Chrift? The reasons are plain: 1. That men, reflecting upon the mifery of their condition, may truly value the favour of their deliverance. 2dly. That the power of God may appear the converfion of finners, who had no power to help themselves. 3dly. That those who have felt the burthen of a troubled confcience, and have been once truly afraid of the wrath of God, may ever after walk more circumfpectly. And lastly; That, being truly fenfible of the danger they have escaped, the duties of religion, which are otherwise uneasy to flesh and blood, may be more chearfully embraced. And now you see how neceffary it is that we should be convinced of the mifery of our condition, and of our own inability to help ourselves, before we can even be difpofed to look upon the gospel as a real bleffing, much lefs receive it with that joy and thankfulness which fo great a favour requires. You fee how people come to differ; fome believing, and 1 Ifaiah lxvi. 2. others others lighting, the very fame truths. The plain account of which is, that some fear God, and are afraid for themselves, and are concerned for what may come hereafter; while others live at all adventures, and fear no evil, nor are they concerned to prevent it. Hence it appears, that it is not always for want of reasons that men do not believe, but very often from an unwillingness to receive. the truth. Therefore Jefus Chrift is faid to be a ftumbling-block, because men of wicked lives and principles could not receive his doctrine. Hearing, ye shall hear, and not underftand, because of their obftinacy, pride, worldly-mindednefs, &c. Now; this the fcripture affures us," was their condemnation, which could not have been, unless the will of God had been fufficiently made known to them, fo as that a well-difpofed perfon might have éafily perceived it. And the conclufion of all will be, that nothing in nature is fo proper to beget a true faith in Jefus Chrift as a true and lively fenfe of our condition, a feeling and an affurance that things are moft wretchedly amiss with us. For when we are once indeed convinced, that our fins make us altogether unworthy of God's favour;-that our weaknefs, without his grace, will expofe us to all manner of wickedness;-that our fins make us liable to a fevere account, which, unless his mercy in terpofes, will fink us into everlasting ruin;why then, Jefus Chrift will be thought a bleffing, because he only can cure us of these fears, he only can help our infirmities,-he only can teach and enable us to please God while we live, and make death a bleffing to us when we die. In one word; he only can cure all our. fears, except fuch as are neceffary to keep us awake, and ease all our burdens. After all, I beseech you do not imagine that the only end of Chrift's coming into the world was to ease us of our fears. For affuredly, one great end of his taking our nature upon him was, to free the world from wickedness, and that blindness and grofs ignorance which occafioned it. For this purpose, (faith St. John, iii. 8.) was the Son of God manifefted, that he might destroy the works of the devil.. Whoever are not difpofed to let the gospel have this effect upon them, to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, will have no reason to rejoice that the gospel is preached unto them; which contains threatenings, and much feverer punishments, than ever the law of Nature could fuggeft, or the law of Mofes made mention of. Weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, for ever and ever, are punishments not to be spoken of, not to be thought of, without fear and trembling. God God Almighty fill all our hearts with fuch an holy fear of his judgments, that we may look upon the gospel as a bleffing, fince it we are shewn a way to escape, and enabled to work out our own falvation, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. To whom, &c. be glory both now and for ever. Amen. SERMON SERMON XVII. THE DUTY OF THE MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL, AND THE UNHAPPY STATE OF THOSE WHO HOLD THE TRUTH IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. O God, terrible in judgment, how ought I to tremble, when I undertake to perfuade others to fear thy displeasure, when the knowledge of thy word and judgments have had fo little effect upon myself. Pardon, O merciful God, this finful security in myself, and all that preach thy word, and in all that shall hear us; and enable us fo effectually to perfuade others, both by our life and fermons, that it Is an evil thing and bitter to be under thy displeasure; that seeing our danger, and feeling our misery, and the disease we labour under, we may thankfully embrace the means which thy goodness has provided for our recovery, and joyfully close with that gracious invitation of thy Bleffed Son-" Come unto me, all ye that labour and are "heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” Grant this, for his fake, O Bleffed God. Amen, 2 COR. V. II. KNOWING THE TERROR OF THE LORD, WE PER- THERE never, fure, was a time more necessary to set the terrors of the Lord before men, than this, when the generality of those who call themselves Christians either do See Ifaiah lxi. 1. lxvi. 2. Pf. xxxiv. 18. xc. 11. cxix. 118. Ecclef. xii. 4. Matth. xi. 28. Luke xii. 5. John vii. 37. Phil. ii. 13. Gal. v, 19. James ii. 19. not |