monsters of antiquity; that so succeeding ages might see, in a more affecting view than we could otherwise have done, how weak the human mind is in its best estate, and the need which the greatest as well as the meanest of mankind have, of being taught by a revelation from above. Permit me to remind you, that while you are daily conversing with such monuments as these, (as I know some of you are,) and are also surveying the evidences of Christianity in a larger and more distinct view, than it was proper for me here to propose them, you are under peculiar obligations, to be very thankful for the Gospel yourselves, as well as to compassionate the case of those to whom it has never been offered, or by whom it is slighted. And this leads me to another reflection:

2. What reason have we to pity those, who reject this glorious Gospel, even when they have opportunities of inquiring into its clearest evidences?-Such undoubtedly there are in our own age and nation; and surely we should sometimes bestow a compassionate thought upon them, and lift up an humble prayer for them: if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are now led captive by him at his pleasure. We should pity Heathens and Mahometans, under their darkness and errors; but how much more deplorable is the case of those, who, though they dwell in Emmanuel's land, and in the valley of vision, turn it into the valley of the shadow of death, by closing their eyes against so bright a lustre, and stopping their ears against the voice of the charmer! They are indeed in their own conceit the only people,

and wisdom will die with them; so that to be sure they will scorn our pity; but who can forbear it? Is there a more melancholy thought than this, that the Son of God should have done so much to introduce and establish the Gospel, and his Spirit so much to perpetuate and increase its evidence, and that, after all, it should be contemptuously despised, even by creatures who are perishing without it? That the blessed Jesus, instead of being received with open arms as the great deliverer, should either be treated as an empty name, or, if acknowledged to be a real person, should then be represented as a visionary enthusiast, or a wicked impostor; for there is no other alternative! and this, not only (though I believe most frequently,) by men of profligate and abandoned lives, but sometimes by persons of external morality and decency, of great humanity and sweetness of temper, (for such I know are to be found amongst them,) as well as men of wit and genius, of politeness and learning, of human prudence and experience in affairs. I may also add, that it is the case of some, who were the children of pious parents, who were trained up in religious exercises, who once discovered serious impressions, and gave very encouraging hopes. Alas, whither are they fallen! And whither have we reason to fear they will at length fall! How shall we shelter those that were once our brethren, that are perhaps still our friends, from the awful sentence which the Gospel denounces against all that reject it, without any exception? As to the wretches, that add insult and derision to their infidelity, I tremble to think of that load of guilt which they are bringing on themselves,

and how near they approach to the unpardonable sin, if they have not already committed it. For the rest, who behave in a more modest and sober manner, it will no doubt be a very difficult task to convince them; and so much the rather, as some of them, by too easy a transition, have renounced many of the most important principles of natural religion, nay, I might add, even the whole of it, together with the Christian revelation. But the influences of divine grace are almighty; let us recommend them to these, and omit no other proper method, either of recovering those who are already seduced, or at least of securing those who are not yet infected, but may be (as most of the youth are, especially in the most populous places) in imminent danger of the contagion. To this end let me add,

3. How reasonable is it, that Christians should form a familiar acquaintance with the great evidences of our own common faith.It is what we so apparently owe to the honour of God, to the interest of Christ, to the peace of our own souls, and the edification of others, that I hope I need not urge it at large; especially considering what was said in the introduction to these discourses. In consequence of all, let it be your care to make the evidences of Christianity the subject of your serious reflections, and of your frequent converse: especially study your Bibles, where there are such marks of truth and divinity to be found, that I believe few that have familiarly known them, and have had a relish for them, were ever brought to make shipwreck of the faith as it is in Jesus. Above all, let it be your care to act on the rules which are here laid down;

and then you will find your faith growing in a happy proportion, and will experience the truth of our Saviour's declaration, that if any man will resolutely and faithfully do his will, he shall know of the Christian doctrine whether it be of God. I verily believe, it is the purity of its precepts which lies at the bottom of most men's opposition to it; or a natural pride of heart, which gives them an aversion to so humbling a scheme, or a fond affectation of seeming wiser than others, in rejecting what most of their neighbours do at least profess to believe. When these unhappy prejudices and conceptions are by divine grace conquered and rooted out, the evidence of truth will daily appear with an increasing lustre; as the light of the sun does to an eye recovering from a film, with which it had been overgrown, and which before had veiled it with midnight in the midst of noon. Once more,

4. How solicitous should we be to embrace and obey that Gospel, which comes attended with such abundant evidences!

I may undoubtedly address myself to most of you, my friends, and say as Paul did to King Agrippa, Believest thou the prophets? and I may add, the evangelists and the apostles?-Yes, I know that you believe them: yet let me entreat and charge you, not to rest here, but attentively to examine how far your hearts are affected and your lives regulated by such a belief. The Christian revelation is a practical thing; and it is heard, it is believed, it is professed, and even defended in vain, if it be not obeyed.Therefore do we so frequently read of obeying the truth, and obeying the Gospel, as a matter of so great importance.

In this Gospel, the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men; but it is revealed with redoubled terror against that audacious sinner who holds the truth in unrighteousness. In this Gospel, the Lord Jesus Christ is exalted both as a Prince and a Saviour; and it is not with impunity that the impenitent rebel can reject his yoke, and trample on his blood for if he that despised Moses' law died without mercy, of how much sorer punishment, than even a capital execution, must they be thought worthy, who have poured contempt on such a Sovereign, and on such a Redeemer?

Oh let it be most seriously and frequently recollected, that this Gospel is the touchstone, by which you are another day to be tried; the balance in which an impartial Judge will weigh you; and must on the whole prove your everlasting triumph, or your everlasting torment. The blessed God did not introduce it with such solemn notice, such high expectation, such pompous miracles, such awful sanctions, that men might reject or dishonour it at pleasure; but it will certainly be found, to the greatest and the meanest of those that hear it, a savour of life unto life, or a savour of death unto death.

Let it therefore be your immediate care, to inquire which of these it is likely to prove to your souls; since it is so far from being a vain thing, that it is really your very life. If it has hitherto been despised, and that blessed Redeemer, in whom it so apparently centres, has been neglected; remember that all which has been said in confirmation of its truth, does but in effect prove that the hand-writing