ward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, and the earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be burnt up. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent, that ye may be found of him in without spot, and blameless." Nothing can be added to the weight and solemnity of this exhortation. But I may conclude the subject, by saying to every one present, "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart, that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

peace,

Amen.

SERMON XII.

NEUTRALITY RESPECTING JESUS CHRIST IMPOSSIBLE.

MATTHEW xii. 30.

He that is not with me, is against me; and he that gathereth not with

There was

THE Occasion of these words was this. brought unto Christ a man possessed of a devil, who was both blind and dumb: and he healed him, in so much that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. Though the miracle excited the admiration of the people in general; yet it raised the enmity and opposition of the Pharisees, who maliciously charged him with casting out devils by Belzebub the prince of devils. Christ completely refutes this charge, by showing the absurdity of supposing, that Satan should cast out Satan, and act against the interest of his own kingdom, for the sake of joining with him in building up the kingdom of God; and by showing the still greater absurdity of supposing, that he should act in concert with Satan, whom he knew to be his most malignant and powerful enemy. For says he, "He that is not with me, is against me; and he that gatherth not with me, scattereth abroad." To be with Christ, or against him, naturally signifies to be with him, or against him in some design. Merely loving, or hating a person is not commonly considered as being with him, or against him. But this phrase generally signifies being united with, or opposed to a person in some design he has formed and is pursuing. And in this sense Christ evidently meant to be understood in the text. For he was then actually carrying on that great and important design, which al

is

ways has employed his thoughts, and always w employ them, until it is finally accomplished. In relacice to this design he said, "He, that is not with: against me; and he that gathereth not with me, tereth abroad." We may, therefore, justly conch

t

That no man can be indifferent towards the design which Christ is carrying on. I shall,

I. Show what design Christ is carrying on; and

II. Show that no man can be indifferent towards it. I. I am to show what design Christ is carrying on. He never had, and never will have but one design; and this design was concerted in the council of heaven, from the early days of eternity. Though all the persons in the sacred Trinity are united and engaged in this design yet the most conspicuous and important part of it belongs to the office of Christ to fulfil. He has engaged in the work, and done much to accomplish it. He has come from heaven to earth, assumed human nature, suffered and died, risen from the dead, ascended up to heaven, taken the government of the world into his hands, and continues to act the part of a prince and saviour. But still the question recurs, What has he done, and is still doing all these things for? or what end or design is he carrying on? I answer, the great design of saving sinners. The work of redemption comprises all the works of creation and providence. Christ engaged from eternity, to accomplish the work of man's redemption. This is the scriptural representation of Christ's design. As soon as the great deceiver had brought about the apostacy of our first parents, God graciously promised them, that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head, destroy the works of the devil, and save all who were predestinated to eternal life. Accordingly, when he appeared on earth, he declared that he was the son of God and saviour of the world; that he came to give his life a ransom for many; and that whosoever believed in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. After his resurrection from the dead, he said to his disciples, "All power is given unto me in heaven and

earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And, lo, I am with you alway even unto the end of the world." And the apostle declares, "God hath raised Christ from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the Church." Thus it appears, that the supreme and ultimate design, which Christ has undertaken, which he is carrying on, and which he will finally accomplish, is the promotion of the glory of God and the holiness and blessedness of his eternal kingdom, in the salvation of all penitent and believing sinners. And this must be allowed to be the greatest and best design, and the most interesting to all intelligent beings, that ever could be formed and executed. Therefore I go on to show,

II. That no man can be indifferent towards it. Christ expressly declares, "He that is not with me, is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth abroad;" which plainly implies, that every man either approves, or disapproves his design, and inwardly desires to promote, or obstruct it. And that no man can be indifferent towards it, will appear, if we consider the following things.

1. The design, which Christ is pursuing, is the greatest of all possible designs in every point of view. It is great in its origin. It was concerted in the early days of eternity, by the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and is as great a design as their united and infinite wisdom could form. It is great in extent. It reaches to and comprises all beings and objects in the universe. It is great in its duration. It began to operate from the beginning of the world, and it will continue to operate to the end of the world, and from that period to all eternity, and produce effects the most interesting to

every intelligent being, who will always be a spectator of them. Now, it is not conceivable, that any man should be indifferent towards this great and comprehensive design, which Christ is carrying on, and which will deeply and eternally affect the minds of the whole intelligent universe.

2. The great design, which Christ is pursuing, is totally opposed to all the selfish designs of mankind. Every man is naturally disposed to seek his own things and pursue his own interests, independently of, and in opposition to, the interests of others.

This

selfish spirit reigns more or less in the hearts of all the children of men, and leads them to form ten thousand selfish and sinful designs, which they regard as very important to themselves. But the perfectly wise and benevolent design, which Christ is pursuing, opposes and counteracts all the selfish designs of mankind. Their selfish designs respect their own good; but his design respects the glory of God. Their selfish designs respect temporal things; but his benevolent design respects eternal things. Their selfish designs respect nothing but happiness; but his benevolent design respects holiness as well as happiness, through all the periods of time and all the ages of eternity. So long as Christ lived in obscurity and concealed his great and benevolent design in coming into the world, he grew in favour with God and man. But as soon as he made known his design, and pursued it in open opposition to the views, the purposes, and selfish interests of the Jews, they hated him, reviled him, and opposed him, with the utmost virulence, till they finally imbrued their hands in his blood. And wherever the gospel has made known his design, it has never failed of exciting the enmity and opposition of the wise and unwise, of the learned and unlearned, of kings and of kingdoms. It was foretold, that Christ in pursuing his great design, should raise the general resentment and opposition of mankind. "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together