hypocritical, with tempted and triumphing souls. This is rightly to divide the word of God, when we speak as having to do with saints and sinners, the unregenerate and born again, the children of wrath and sons of God. This most important of distinctions we would mainly attend to. It runs through our Lord's sermons and parables, the discourses of his apostles, those finished models of gospel preaching. Without it, ours will be defective, will be pernicious. The vague and undistinguishing manner tends to cherish presumption, and lay the conscience asleep; it seems to suppose, and thereby flatters with the destructive conceit, that the hearers are all Christians indeed, when they are not so. That if a little further reformation is necessary, and improvement of habits, by their own industry they may be easily attained to. Thus, by such loose and general harangues, they are led to walk in the light of their own fire, and sparks which they have kindled, till they lie down in disappointment and sorrow. We proceed to consider,

III. The respect due to the gospel message, and those who bear it. How beautiful are the feet of such! How welcome was the officer who blew the trumpet, and proclaimed the jubilee in the land of Judea !-the sound of which extinguished debts, returned the mortgaged fortune, and let the bond-servant go free from his master. With what open arms would the courier be received, when, hastening from town to town, he published that Israel's captivity was over; that oppressed weeping exiles might return to their native country, their desired friends and home, and to mount Zion, the joy of all their land? Some such regard, it is supposed here, is due to those who preach the gospel, and bring glad tidings of better things. Whatever amiable excellencies a minister may be possessed of, and however worthy of esteem, an additional share may be claimed for his office' sake, and pursuing the purposes of it. For being sent by Christ, he speaks in his name, and is supported by his authority. He treats with sinners, not about the concerns of time, but immortal interests;

he is embarked in the same bottom with his hearers; has the same prize of eternity at stake; and the loss of it to any, through his fault, dreadfully endangers his own. Hence are those exhortations: "And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake," 2 Thess. v. 12, 13; "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account,” Heb. xiii. 17.

I shall now proceed to a few reflections on this subject. I. Is a grateful respect due to the message and ministry of the gospel?-is it a privilege and truly desirable to meet with this?—then popularity is far from being a term of reproach. Nor is it a blemish on our character, or hinderance to our work, but the contrary, that we are not despicable, but received as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Such was the reception the apostle met with at Galatia; and how earnest is he to find the same credit and kind acceptance elsewhere: "I beseech you, brethren," says he to the Christians at Rome, "for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints." In every other character and station, from the monarch down to the mechanic, such credit is thought no dishonour or infelicity; nor is it so in ours. It is not recorded as a blot upon a great prince in Israel, that "whatsoever he did pleased the people;" nor of a much greater than he, that "the common people heard him gladly." No doubt, this influence may be courted by means unworthy and base; and, like other good things, abused to purposes as unworthy. But a favour it is from heaven, and to be made subservient to the great ends of our office. To be unacceptable, therefore, to our flock, or detested by them, must be a sorry mark of merit, or superior worth; and an abandoned mind that minister must have, who can pique and value himself upon such an excellence.

II. Having seen this principal part of our work, let us be persuaded, my dear brethren, to give ourselves wholly to it. When publishing the news of salvation, we should be attentive, that our authority and intelligence be good, derived from the pure fountain of light, the Scriptures of eternal truth; these are they that testify of Christ. If ever we succeed in reforming any of our hearers, in turning their hearts to God, and holy living, it is the voice of mercy through a Mediator, that will most powerfully allure the labouring thoughtful soul to return. It is the promise of his mighty Spirit for mortifying sin, and enabling to holy practice, that will animate a feeble sinner to attempt it. It is the attractive view of glory, as revealed in the gospel, that most effectually moves the soul onward, and animates it to make its way through the smiles and terrors of the world. This is that foolishness of preaching by which God hitherto hath converted and saved. The wanton wit of man may refine, new-model, or explain it away; but, from the beginning to the end of revelation, this appears to be the scheme approved by the wisdom of God. It would be highly unseasonable at this day,—it would be criminal complaisance to the infidel tribe, and contribute to increase their growing number,—if we, the preachers of Christianity, did conceal or mince the peculiar glories of it. The more spitefully that Deists run these down, with proportioned zeal should we illustrate, establish, and support the honour of them.

III. Nor should we confine this work to our public ministrations, and the Sabbath, but preach by our daily practice:-and in this sense some understand the words, "How beautiful are their feet!" signifying the exemplary purity of their conversation who preach the gospel. And without this, the former, it is likely, will not be fruitful, or have great force. It will be allowed, that, upon our sacred profession, there lie additional obligations to a holy life; that, by our very employment, we are more conversant than others with motives to piety and grave deportment. If these are observed to operate faintly upon us, it will, in all likeli

hood, wholly defeat them upon others. For instance, did we pay little regard to the Lord's day, family religion, and the like; no wonder if others contemn them. Are we found, in the appearances of evil, often bordering on the confines of vice?—this will have a fatal tendency to lead others a step further, and throw them headlong into it. On this account I conceive the card table, and other amusements, the most known murderers of precious time, can have little sanction from us; the stage none at all, but rather our frown:-the stage, I say, that artful engine to banish the sober, the manly, the devout, from among ministers and mankind. Of such infinite importance is it, that, through the week, we hold forth the word of life which we preached on Sabbath; that we take heed to ourselves, as well as to our doctrine, that in so doing we may save our own souls, and those that hear us. Amen.

SERMON III.

CHRIST THE SINNER'S REFUGE.

HEB. vi. 18.-"That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.'

WHAT John the Divine says of his epistolary writings, may be said of evangelical doctrines in general, "they were written that the Christian's joy may be full." In particular, the immutability of the covenant of grace,—the consideration that it is ordered in all things, and its mercies sure, are a source of abundant comfort, as well as a powerful inducement to duty. However precious the promises of God may be, were he man that he could lie, or the son of man that he could repent, what ground of perplexity were this! What bitter waters would such a fountain send forth! But the soul that has taken hold of his covenant, and knows that it is unchangeable, may enter into rest. And so the apostle would have us to understand the matter, from these words which I have read: "That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us." Whence I shall attempt to give some account,

I. Of this hope set before us.

II. Of this figurative expression, and the character contained in it, of flying for refuge to lay hold upon this hope.

III. The nature, qualities, and ground of the consolation of those who have thus fled. And then some improvement.