some at least among us, that they have never yet so attended to and believed the word of God, as to be led by it to forsake sin-to repent of their transgressions-to be earnest in seeking forgiveness of them through Christ Jesus to be diligent in endeavouring to bring their conduct into conformity with the mind and will of God? My brethren, if you are living thus, be assured that your state is a state of danger, and before it is for ever too late, "con"sider your ways.' Repent and turn from your evil way." Hear the Saviour's words with obedient faith, that so you may not "come into condemnation, but have everlasting "life."

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And if we have reason to hope, that we have thus heard the words of Christ, then let us learn to consider more, how great are our obligations to him, who thus speaks to us in the language of grace and peace. Let us meditate upon his unbounded goodness, in providing for us the hope of everlasting life; and while our hearts are cheered by the glorious prospects which his love has revealed to us; let our minds dwell on them, and let gratitude fill our souls. Let it lead us to devote ourselves more and more to the service of our God. Let us make it the one grand business of our lives

to please and honour him in all our conduct: and thus let us, in humble confidence, look forward to that blessed period, when all our hopes and expectations shall be abundantly realized, in the full enjoyment of that everlasting life, which the Lord Jesus has promised to all his believing, obedient people.

SERMON XI.

REGARD TO GOD'S WORD A TEST OF
CHARACTER.

ST. JOHN viii, 47.

He that is of God, heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

OUR blessed Saviour is here addressing the Jews, in the language of solemn reproof. They were professedly the people of God. They alone, of all the nations of the world, had been favoured by the Most High, with the inestimable gift of his holy word. Among them alone the ordinances of God were administered; and that, in the very form and manner which he himself had been pleased to appoint. On these accounts, they highly valued themselves. They fancied that they had an exclusive claim to the favour of the Lord, and they treated all others with scorn and contempt: yet are these

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persons held up in scripture as warnings to us. In them we are reminded, that religious advantages may be separated from the real spirit and grace of religion: and that we may have the word of God in our hands, and his ordinances may be administered among us, while yet we know nothing of such a religion as will bring the soul to heaven. Notwithstanding their acquaintance with the scriptures, and with the prophecies relative to the character and actions of the promised Saviour, their minds were so blinded by pride and prejudice, and love of the world and of sin, that they understood not the scriptures; and when Jesus appeared among them, bearing precisely the character, and performing exactly the actions, which had been foretold, they knew him not, but indignantly rejected him: thus fulfilling the very words of the prophet, who many hundred years before had predicted, that he should be "despised " and rejected of men.

Such being the conduct of the Jews, our Lord saw it necessary, on some occasions, to address to them the words of reproof; and in the chapter from which my text is taken, we find recorded, some very remarkable language which he used, for the purpose of bringing before them the guilt of their conduct, and the danger to which it exposed them. He says,

"I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and "shall die in your sins; whither I go, ye can"not come. Then said the Jews, will he kill "himself? because he saith, whither I go, ye "cannot come. And he said unto them, ye "are from beneath; I am from above: ye are "of this world; I am not of this world. I said "therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your "sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye "shall die in your sins." That is, if they refused to believe that he was the promised Messiah, they should perish everlastingly; since there is no other Saviour than he, through whom the transgressions of sinful man can be pardoned by a holy God. Again, in reply to their assertion, that they had "one Father, " even God," he says, "If God were your father, ye would love me: for I proceeded "forth and came from God; neither came I of Ye are of your

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"myself, but he sent me. "Father the devil, and the lusts of your father

'ye will do." And afterwards he subjoins the words of our text, "He that is of God, heareth "God's word: ye therefore hear them not, "because ye are not of God."

This declaration of our Lord calls upon us to inquire in the first place, What is the import of the expression "He that is of God?" secondly,