things. We have broken the second, by mean unworthy thoughts of God, neglecting his instituted worship, and preferring our own or other human inventions. The third, by irreligion and profaneness, and irreverence to the sacred name of our God. The fourth, by neglecting to keep holy, and by actually profaning his day in worldly employments, trifling engagements, or carnal indulgences. And all the rest by misbehaving ourselves in relative life; being injurious to the persons, connexions, property, or characters of our neighbours; by covetous, sensual, ambitious, revengeful imaginations, wishes, purposes, conversation, and behaviour. Thus, without supposing you guilty of any gross and scandalous wickedness, (which, nevertheless, I fear many of you have been and are) let your own conscience determine whether I have not proved you and myself guilty of transgressing all the ten commandments, and under the condemnation of the whole law.

On this account, death reigns and triumphs.-" By "one man sin entered into the world, and death by "sin, and so death passed upon all men, in that all "have sinned."-Death is no debt of nature, as some affect to call it, but a debt to divine justice. A publick execution implies previous condemnation and criminality. Having sinned, we are condemned. Hear the sentence, "Dust thou art, and to dust "thou shalt return." Death is the execution of that sentence. Nothing, but the hatred which a God of holiness bears to sin, could induce him to destroy the admirable work of his own hands; for, in the ener

getick language of the Holy Spirit "it repenteth "him, that he hath made man."

Many crimes injurious to society are thought deserving of an ignominious and violent death, which is all the punishment that man can inflict:-" Having "killed the body, he hath no more that he can do." But what are all the little concerns of men, compared with the glory of God, and the interests of his universal and everlasting kingdom? And what are all crimes against society, compared with the malignity of the creature's rebellion against his Creator, the infinitely glorious God? The injustice, ingratitude, contempt, enmity, opposition, and perverseness that is in every sin, can only be estimated by his infinite mind, who sees every thing and every character in their true colours, and judges of every thing according to truth. And he who deems sin deserving of the everlasting punishment of body and soul in hell, hath denounced this sentence against all sinners, and will certainly execute it upon all who do not repent and believe the Gospel.

Left under this awful sentence, all must have inevitably perished. We could have contrived no method of salvation, which might consist with the honour of God: we could have made no atonement to divine justice for our sins: the depraved disposition of our heart even precluded all sincere endeavours to attain unto that "holiness, without which no man shall see "the Lord:" nor could we ever have rectified the temper of our hearts, any more than Satan can recover his former rectitude, and rise by his own power to be a holy angel. Nay, left entirely to ourselves,

we should every day grow more wicked, sink deeper under condemnation, and increase the weight of our eternal misery. Nor do I hesitate to say (what I trust is warranted by the word of God,) that, as certainly as all men sooner or later must die, notwithstanding all human contrivances and endeavours to the contrary: so all men must have perished for ever, without help from themselves or others, had not a gracious God interposed. The plan of redemption by the blood of the Son of God, and recovery to holiness by the new creating power of the Holy Spirit proclaims this humbling alarming truth: and a deep conviction of it is the only preparation of the heart for understanding, embracing, and valuing the Gospel. They, who are not thus humbled, count the preaching of the cross foolishness: and without thus preparing our way, ministers may preach even the love of Christ without cffect: "For, every mouth must be stopped, and all "the world found guilty before God.”

Thus condemned to everlasting punishment, without help or hope from ourselves, we stand on the brink of eternity. One after another is by death transmitted to the judgment-seat of God, and fixed in his eternal state. For, what the general judgment will be to the world at large, that, death proves to every individual. In the New Testament, the coming and day of the Lord are represented as at hand. Many ages have already clapsed, and many more shall doubtless yet succeed, before that grand and solemn scene; for the prophecies of scripture must needs be fulfilled. But what is that to individuals? The numerous inhabitants of the earth through all these, succceding

generations, already know and have entered upon, we soon shall know and enter upon, an eternal unchangeable state. The resurrection of the body, and the general judgment will complete the felicity or misery of that state, and display to the whole universe the glory of God therein. As then, death and judgment are so connected in reality, we cannot associate them too closely in our ideas and expectations. Meanwhile, being respited by the long-suffering of God, we are under a dispensation of mercy. Not the uncertain conjectures of reason, but authenticated revelation assures us, that God is merciful, and that "there is forgiveness with him." Mercy so rich and abundant, forgiveness so large, that no degree of guilt excludes the offender from sharing it.-Mercy and forgiveness exercised in a way far beyond, and even contrary to, all our conceptions and contrivances, but devised in his manifold wisdom; expressive of his perfect holiness; honourable to his righteous law; vindicating his awful justice; worthy of himself; calculated to stamp sin with eternal infamy; to humble and fill the pardoned sinner with admiring love and gratitude, and to produce and enlarge all holy affections in his soul." Without controversy great is this mys"tery of godliness, God was manifested in the flesh." "His name was called Emmanuel, God with us." "He was wounded for our transgressions, was bruis"ed for our iniquities," "and suffered once for sins, "the just for the unjust," "that God might be just, "and the justifier of him who believeth in Jesus.” "For herein is love, not that we loved God, but that

"he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation "for our sins."

Having, in this grand event, displayed in one view ⚫his infinite abhorrence of sin, and love of sinners, he can now honourably pardon and save ail who accept of this salvation, and come unto God through him, who being risen from the dead, "ever liveth to make "intercession for us." This salvation the Lord proclaims in his word: "he commands all men every "where to repent," "he warms them to flee from "the wrath to come:" he instructs them "to flee "for refuge unto Jesus Christ by faith;" who invites "him that is athirst to come, and whosoever will, to "take of the water of life freely:" he exhorts the wicked to forsake his wickedness, and turn unto him; to "strive to enter in at the strait gate," and to use the means of grace: he engages "to give his Holy "Spirit to all who ask for him;" that the power of corruptions and evil habits, or temptations, may neither excuse him that despises, nor discourage him who desires, this salvation: he assures them, that Christ" will in no wise cast out him that cometh, "but that whosoever believeth shall be saved:" he allures them with exceeding great and precious "pro"mises: " confirms them with the covenant and oath of God, "that they might have a strong consolation, "who flee for refuge to lay hold on the hope set be"fore them:" he counsels them "not to neglect such great salvation, for how then can they escape?" and he tenderly expostulates with them; "As I live, saith "the LORD, I have no pleasure in the death of the

wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way, and