writings, containing some matters confessedly above their comprehension; others too weak, irrational, and contradictory for their belief; and taken collectively, meriting only contempt, as destructive of human happiness and natural liberty. Such characters are incapable of any thing like it; and to attempt it, would be to act in flat contradiction to their own sentiments. Would they prohibit what they love, command what they dislike, and fix eternal punishment as the penalty of that in which they delight? If true, good men were the publishers; and would they say that they had received revelations from God which they had not? Could they impose upon themselves and others what was not pure and genuine? If then the Bible carries with it evident marks of its Divine origin-if it is calculated to instruct and benefit mankind--if men, wiser, better, and more cautious than ourselves, have minutely examined both its internal and external evidences, if they have cordially embraced it for themselves, built their hopes of eternal life upon it, and, from a full conviction of its worth and excellency, have earnestly recommended it to others—if multitudes of living and dying witnesses have proved its healing virtue in removing their miseries, and filling them with the strongest consolation-and if it cannot be made appear that any real injury arises from embracing it, we may rest assured, that such as make light of it, do by these means resist the operations of grace on their minds, and are guilty before God. The Spirit of truth inspired holy men to pen the scriptures, for the setting forth of his work, and our lasting good; he, therefore, who rejects them, rejects him, and his own happiness also. If the scriptures were read with due attention, and with a sincere desire for instruction, scepticism and infidelity would have little place among us; but the love of this present evil world is so deeply rooted in our hearts, and we are so unwilling to give it up, that we are careless of religious instruction; and being ignorant and inclined to evil, we become an easy prey to the insidious sceptic or infidel.

That there are subjects of a mysterious and extraordinary

nature recorded in scripture, and difficult to be understood, one of those writers himself acknowledges, 2 Peter, iii. 16. This, however, is no proof of imperfection, since the defect may be in ourselves. Our understandings are not capable of comprehending but by slow degrees and in regular order many subjects proposed to them in worldly matters; and shall we reject with disdain his holy word, because we cannot at first sight understand some of its mysteries? Are we capable of explaining the general phenomena of nature, or 'the reasons of his inscrutable providence? Can the most intelligent satisfactorily explain the properties of a grain of sand? Can they inform us of its true nature, its real qualities, its distinct and peculiar uses, the number of particles of matter it contains, how they are united, and why their connexion when dissolved cannot be restored; how it was first formed, whence arise its hardness and durability, what rank it holds in creation, and what proportion it bears to the universe; why so small a body cannot be annihilated, to what extent it may be carried on the ground of divisibility? &c. &c. If we are then surrounded with so much obscurity, it is rather a proof that the scriptures are of Divine origin by the depth of matter contained in them; but the fact is, the “natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God ; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned ;" and that is a medium they do not choose to seek or adopt, and this their folly is their ruin.

6. Future promises of amendment.-The love of life, and the desire of worldly good, greatly predominate in the unrenewed mind of man. He imagines that he will be a great loser by beginning to be religious, and if he see it necessary to have it before he dies, he will endeavour to put it off as long as he can. He therefore flatters himself that he has many years to spend in the world, that he will have plenty of time to serve God, and promises that he will sometime begin in good earnest, and when he does begin he intends to outstrip all others in sincerity, goodness, and diligence. In the mean time the world is eagerly followed, and such persons

are entangled in care and anxiety, commercial speculations, and close attentions to business; pleasure, gaiety, and company carry away their hearts, and cause them to forget their promises; while vexations, litigious suits, various disappointments and difficulties often occurring, banish the thoughts of God and eternity from the mind. It is true, that books, sermons, occasional conversations with religious people, the death of friends and neighbours, and other circumstances, may cause a few short reflexions on these subjects; but their hearts are soon enveloped in their former mists, and they cannot see through them to the day when they intend to surrender up themselves to the Lord. To which may be added, the many fruitless wishes which escape from their lips: 'I wish I was better than I am-I wish I was as good as such a one-I wish I was a good christian;' and saying of prayers, and repeating of creeds, by which the conscience is lulled into a sounder sleep, and the work of the Spirit stopt in the soul; for religious duties performed by any who are resolved to continue in their sins harden, by deceitful appearances, rather than amend the heart. Thus, in many ways, the Spirit of holiness is quenched and grieved, his gifts and graces rejected, and the heart of man, which by his refreshing and fructifying influences, would resemble a fruitful field, now ́remains as a dreary wilderness.

ADVANTAGES OF CONVERSION.

ALTHOUGH there is great unwillingness among men to be converted, we ought not to conclude that a state of conversion is destitute of privileges or advantages. The cause of their neglect may be ignorance, incredulity, prejudice, or love of the present evil world, &c.; in which cases, though the diamond may be thrown away as glass, its value is unchanged and undiminished, and their choice is as foolish by continuing to live in sin, as it would be wise, suppose they left it off and chose the fear of the Lord. There is nothing in the one state but what loudly calls for repentance, and what must be succeeded by sorrow; but, in the other, many

things which satisfy the soul here, raise it above the common evils of life, and prepare it for the more perfect enjoyment of God for ever. I shall begin by observing that to be truly converted always ensures

1. The Divine favour.-If the favour of others is to be es timated in proportion as it is calculated to promote our interests, and to call forth the best feelings of our souls, no favour can be more desirable than that of our gracious God; for this is better than life itself, and always promotes the perfection and happiness of our nature; and gives full scope to the finest sentiments, the sweetest reciprocality of affection, the best society and fellowship, the most unbounded confidence, the profoundest secrecy, the most ennobling thoughts and desires, the most grateful returns, the most unchangeable acquaintance, and the most lasting delight towards, and in God himself; and the fairest opportunities of pleasing and honouring him by an attention to the persons he loves, the ways which he approves, and in the imitation of his mercy and benevolence towards all that come into the circle of our knowledge or acquaintance. If we are in his favour he "will reveal himself to us as he does not to the world;" he reveals himself to the world in continual acts of kindness in a temporal sense, but this revelation is in a spiritual one. We shall, through his light, before we are called to stand in his presence, behold his glory in the face of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen we shall love; and through believing, rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory;" nor will he withhold any manner of temporal good, having declared that he will never leave nor forsake us. He will attend to the voice of our supplications upon all occasions, accept our sacrifices of praise and gratitude, and render them and all our meditations subservient to the happiness of our souls. He will place his everlasting arms underneath us, and support us under the various pressures, burdens, and difficulties of life. His Spirit will comfort, help, and direct us. No weapon formed against us by any enemy, or directed to us from any quarter, will ever pros

per. He will acknowledge us for his special treasure: will call us his sons and daughters, and permit us to claim and call him our Father. Noah, Job, and Daniel found favour with God; and though they were placed in peculiarly trying circumstances, he supported them through all, and gave them a complete deliverance at last; and he will do the same for us, by giving us victory over all our enemies, and bringing us to his holy hill and dwelling-place. It was this which supported St. Paul in his severest conflicts. "My grace is sufficient for thee" turned his sorrow into gladness, and made him take pleasure in the things most painful and trying to human nature. It was this which caused him to challenge the world, armed with all their malice, and to defy them to disunite him and his pious friends from their beloved Lord. "Who (said he) shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." Thus the favour of God raises us above all fear, supports us under all anguish, delivers us from every enemy, gives us boldness and access to his throne, secures to us all good, affords the most blessed prospects into futurity, brings peculiar marks of his love and condescension; and, in short, his favour is upon all occasions, and in all circumstances, to be preferred to all other considerations whatever.

2. It introduces us into a new covenant with God.-The old covenant is most dreadfully severe, not from any evil in itself, but from the weakness and depravity of fallen human nature, which, in its present state, is incapable of answering its demands; all, therefore, who belong to it, and that is the case with all who have not fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before them, are under the curse, and consequently exposed to eternal death, while they depend upon it, conform to it, or reject the Lord Jesus as he is offered in the gospel; who hath redeemed us, that is, those that believe in him, from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. For those that believe in him, through the law, or its sen