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the circumstances in which the Apostle once was, in his unenlightened and unconverted state, and in a similar situation are all hypocrites, deluded professors, and secure sinners under the gospel.

Here you behold the tranquility, peace, and comfort of a sinful state. My plan is not to unveil its fatal dangers at present. A conviction of its evils will be matter of future consideration.

The hints now given, shall be improved in a few remarks upon a state of security in sin. The

First remark on this discourse is, that persons whose state is ill, may possess a strong confidence that it is good. This is abundantly exemplified in the case of the Scribes and Pharisees. Who more confident than they, that they were high in the friendship of heaven? They had Abraham for their father, and felt sure from the promises, they were eminent favorites of God.Was ever wickedness so great, delusion so strong, mistakes so gross, and opinions of goodness so high, as in this fatal instance?

Another instance we have in the parable of the foolish virgins. They had no doubt of the goodness of their state, that they were interested in the love of God, and would find a sure admission, into his kingdom. But how did their hope turn out when the bridegroom came? They had no oil in their vessels with their lamps. They held the lamp of profession in their hands, but had not the oil of grace in their hearts. Their confidence vanishes, and their souls perish. The whole scope of the parable bears this intimation that the case our Lord describes is very common; that many persons maintain a full security that they are in a safe condition, while in reality they are mistaken, deceived, and fatal disappointment will be the issue.

The Church of Laodicea, is an undeniable proof and flagrant example of our doctrine. They imagined themselves rich, en

creased in goods, and standing in need of nothing. They were confident of their goodness, and that their future happiness was well secured. But Christ the judge, who searches the heart, entertains a different opinion of them. He pronounces them poor and miserable, wretched, and blind, and naked; quite the reverse of what they supposed themselves to be. Many are of a similar character, and under the same deception in all ages.

Thus a high boasting confidence may be an evidence of a state of life and security in sin, while it affords no marks of a gracious condition. A strong persuasion of being the favorites of God, may be a delusive fancy, a mistaken conception, and the very reverse of reality. This delusive persuasion may be continued to the moment of dissolution, and then the discovery of truth is too late.

Let us then be cautious and jealous with regard to the foundation of our hopes. It is not the greatest security that is an evidence of our goodness, but the scriptural grounds whereon it is

built.

How often do we see poor careless sinners, whose conduct and practice clearly evince that they have no inward sense of God upon their souls, and yet have no misgivings of heart, but all will be very safe with them at last. They live chearful and gay, indulge themselves in mirth, pleasure and jollity. There is a natural propensity in man to think well of himself; and a natural aversion against every disturbance of their ease and comfort. Let us beware, lest we should be ruined by groundless hopes, by fatal security, and the indulgence of vain imaginations.

A Second remark is, that the reason why sinners live so secure and unconcerned about the salvation of their souls is, that they are without the law. This the Apostle assigus as the cause of his own former security. And this is the case with respect to all others. The law has not been set home upon their hearts; they

have not seen its extent and spirituality, nor felt its strictness and severity; hence they perceive not the evil and malignity of sin. They have no sense of the deep depravity, and desperate wickedness of their hearts. They consider not they must be convinced, regenerated, and converted, by the powerful operations of the Holy Spirit, in order to enter into the kingdom of heaven. From hence, we see that the preaching of the law, in all its spiritual extension, is absolutely necessary to a proper preaching of the gospel.

A Third remark is, that all the security and confidence in the gospelised world, that persons indulge about the goodness of their state, results from their inattention to, and ignorance of the law. Perhaps it may be here enquired, how shall it be discerned, when person's security and good opinion of themselves, arise from an insensibility of the law. The answer is easy.— Sometimes the security suggests the thought, it is an easy thing to get to heaven. Notwithstanding it is expressly said, straight is the gate and narrow is the way, that leadeth thereto. In others, their quietude and hopes proceed from a feeble knowledge of the evil of sin. They consider it not so dreadful a thing in its nature and effects as represented. They believe not the ministers of the gospel, and what is more, they believe not God.Blindness, of mind creates security of heart, and security is the fruitful womb of foolish confidences and delusive hopes.

There is a disinclination in sinners to attend to God, their souls and things spiritual, hence ignorance broods upon their hearts, and stupidity gives them support. and self-conceited sinners, you compass yourselves about with O proud, thoughtless sparks of vanity, and this will be your fate at the hand of God, that you must lie down in sorrows.

Let us beware, my brethren, lest we be liurled into the gulf of destruction, whilst we are securely expecting eternal felicity. How awful must it be for a poor creature flowing along in the

delights of life, and living sumptuously every day; carnal plea sure and mistaken hopes filling up his whole time; fine prospects entertain him, till we hear of him lifting up his eyes being in torment. O what a reverse of fortune! Stript of all your pleasures, joys and prospects in a moment, and unexpectedly doomed to exquisite and everlasting anguish and horror. Behold for a moment the exalted professor, towering on the pinacles of hope, whose house stands high upon the sand of his own imagination; the little assault of death, sweeps away his foundation, and plunges him into that gloomy world, out of which there is no redemption.

O my brethren, let us attend and beware of security; St. Paul was shook from his foundation. May God grant that we may be all shaken from the fatal grounds of security.

SERMON XXI.

THE NATURE AND USE OF CONVICTIONS.

ACTS XVI. 29, 30.

Then he called for a light and sprang in, and came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out and said, sirs, what must I do to be saved?

VARIOUS have been the conjectures and opinions of divines, eminent for learning and experience, and also among common and sensible christians, about the nature and use of those distresses and exercises which frequently take place, previous to regeneration, commonly called convictions. As to ignorant and wild enthusiasts upon this head, who have no intelligible judge ment, or any decisive sentiments upon the subject, a rational christian ever passes them by with neglect, yet with a tenderness of feeling for their weakness and infirmities. In no christian country, has the doctrine of previous or legal convictions, been so particularly attended to as this. And the discussion of the subject was conducted, with what now appears to be unchristian warmth, about sixty years ago.

Some have believed that all convictions were, as they express it, saving convictions, and a person under concern about his state, it was a sure evidence that he was in a state of grace.— Others have found, by abundant experiments, that there have

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