glorified, but by the grace of the Gospel. What then must become of you ? Rejecting the counsel of God against yourselves, “ nothing remains for you but a fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall destroy the adversary.' Having neglected to improve the opportunity vouchsafed to you for working out your salvation, you must be left to the consequences of your sin. You must be condemned as incorrigible enemies to God, and cast into that lake of fire which he has prepared for the devil and his angels. Let me then, as a worker together with God, beseech you, brethren, by the riches of divine mercy; by the love of Christ; by the value of your never-dying souls; by the hope of glory; by the weeping and gnashing of teeth which awaits the slothful and wicked servant, “ that ye receive not the grace of God in vain." Use the means, embrace the opportunity, improve the privi, leges so freely, so graciously bestowed upon you. Let not the Lord is spread out his hand all the day unto a rebellious people. Let him not say “ I called, but they refused. I stretched out my hand, but no man regarded.” Close with his offers. Accept his grace. Yield yourselves to him as of you, willing subjects. Delay not to do it. Take notice of the words which follow the text. “ Behold now is the accepted time : behold now is the day of salvation.” May this be the accepted time! May this be the day of salvation to us for his mercy's sake in Jesus Christ! SERMON IV. THE GRAND DIRECTION AND PROMISE OF THE GOSPEL, Acts, xvi. 31, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. This was the answer which St. Paul gave to the affrighted jailer at Philippi, when under a sense of his guilt and danger he anxiously enquired, 56 What shall I do to be saved ?" The question, we must allow, was most important. It was, in fact, the same as if he had asked, “How shall I escape the dreadful punishment, which my sins deserve ?' My brethren, have we not all need to ask the same question ? Surely, if we know aright our guilt and danger, we shall every one of us enquire as anxiously, as this selfconvicted sinner did, “ What shall I do to be saved ?" And to every one who asks this question the same answer must be given, « Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” These words, indeed, contain the sum and substance of the Gospel ; and therefore demand universal attention. We may consider them as setting before us two things. 1. The Grand Direction of the Gospel, « Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.” II, The Grand Promise of the Gospel, , • Thou shalt be saved.” I. The Gospel is a covenant of mercy, Man when he was first created, had no need of mercy; for he was not a sinner. He was then under the covenant of works; that is, he was promised life upon his obedience : « This do, and thou shalt live.” But when he had once broken the divine commandment, this covenant was at an end for ever. He was no longer promised life on his obedience; because obedience was no longer in his power. He was become wicked and unwilling to obey God's law. And indeed, if this had not been the case, if he had still been capable of doing his whole duty for the time to come, yet future obedience would not make amends for past disobedience. He was now a sinner: as such he had lost the promise of eternal life; and by no doings of his own could recover it. But then it was, that mercy interposed Then it was that God made known the Gospel. He graciously disclosed another way of obtaining eternal life, in the room of that which had been lost. He revealed the Covenant of Grace. He promised to Adam a Saviour, by believing in whom both he and his posterity might be saved. From this time then Salvation has been, not of works, but of faith. The Kingdom of Heaven has been opened to all believers : not to those, who try to make themselves righteous; but ; to those, who by faith accept the righteousness which God has provided for them.St. Pauly in the tenth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, very clearly states this point: “ Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the Law, saying, that the man which doth these things, shall live by them.” But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, “ If thou 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." —Hence it is that the same Apostle, in answer to the question, " What shall I do to be saved ?" says in the text, “ Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Observe what is to be the object of our faith, the Lord Jesus Christ. Every truth, which God hath revealed, " D |