Immagini della pagina
PDF
ePub
[ocr errors]

and an all sufficient Comforter. More than this cannot be expressed in human language, "Happy "art thou, O Israel; who is like unto thee, O people, saved by the LORD? the Shield of thy "help, and the Sword of thine excellency." "The eternal GOD is thy Refuge, and underneath are "the everlasting arms." And the blessings he hath bestowed "shall be in thee a well of water "springing up into everlasting life." Begin, therefore, and go through, every undertaking in this confidence and dependence; with prayer and thanksgiving; and you will soon be made "more "than conquerors, through him that loved you." In addressing you thus fully concerning the promise of the Holy Spirit, I wish it always to be understood, if not particularly mentioned, that this promise is given and fulfilled, only through the merits and mediation of CHRIST. But without the Spirit of CHRIST, we can have no saving benefit from his mediation.

And now imagine to yourselves a large company, a whole nation, a continent, all the human race, universally receiving the gospel under the teaching and influences of the Holy Spirit; with deep repentance, lively faith, genuine humility, fervent love, and a heavenly mind: would not a large proportion of the miseries, which now desolate the earth, be terminated? Would not the remaining troubles be alleviated? Would not peace and harmony, and mutual good offices of every

kind, with temperance, purity, and enlarged benevolence, effectually meliorate the state of human society? Now from whence can that be, except from GOD, who is Love, which, if duly attended to, would fill the earth with holiness and happiness? Can we shew our philanthropy more effectually, than by promoting this genuine Christianity? And if we have little else in our power; can we do better than pray continually, "that the Spirit may "be poured out upon us from on high;" and that "the gospel may be preached, with the Holy "Ghost sent down from heaven," in every region, which is enlightened by the beams of the sun?

And now, brethren, " May the grace of our "LORD JESUS CHRIST, and the love of GoD, and "the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with us "all evermore, Amen."

SERMONS

ON

FAST DAYS.

"Are there not with you, even with you, sins against the

"LORD

your God?"

2 Chr. xxviii. 10.

SERMON I.

ISAIAH, V. 4.

What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? Wherefore when I looked, that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?

My brethren, let none of us forget, that humi

liation before GOD for our sins, as individuals and as a nation, constitutes the great business of this day. We should not have the least reason to doubt of the divine protection against the assaults of all our enemies; did not our manifold offences against GOD render us deeply deserving of his righteous indignation. Instead, therefore, of calling your attention to party-questions, which generally lead men to "fast for strife and debate," I would attempt to assist your meditations on

* Preached on the fast day, April 19, 1793, at the Lock chapel.

« IndietroContinua »