when truth is set before them, they reply, "This is a hard saying: who can hear it?" Especially if they be called to renounce self altogether, and to glory in Christ alone, they have no ears to hear it: they are like those of whom our Lord said, "Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my words P."]

2. Indisposes them for walking according to the light they have

[Much, doubtless, they may see: but they are kept in bondage by "the fear of man that bringeth a snare." As far as relates to a speculative view of the truth, they may have a strong conviction of it; so strong as, in the common acceptation of the term, to be said to possess faith. Thus we are told, respecting many who beheld our Lord's miracles: "Among the chief rulers, many believed on him: but, because of the Pharisees, they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." Here their incapacity to give themselves up to Christ is marked as proceeding from the very same cause to which it is ascribed in the text: "They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." Thus it is that this evil principle operates in ten thousand instances, keeping men from an attendance on public ordinances, from the society of the Lord's people, and from that public confession of Christ, whereby they ought to glorify his name.]

3. Leads them into courses directly contrary to the truth

[A desire of worldly favours draws men, of necessity, not only to a neglect of what is good, but also to the positive commission of evil. The world will never be satisfied, till they bring us, in some measure at least, into a conformity with their views and habits. The compliances which they first desired are perhaps innocent: but gradually they increase their demands upon us, till they ensnare our feet, and defile our conscience, and lead us to dishonour our holy profession, if not altogether to renounce the faith.]

Now let me make this subject

1. A matter of appeal

[Our blessed Lord appeals to the persons themselves, whose spirit he reproves. And I also will venture to ask of you, my brethren, Whether you have not found in your converse with others, that a love of man's applause, wherever it has obtained, has proved a bar to the introduction of light into q John xii. 42, 43.

• John vi. 60.

P John viii. 43.

their souls; so that either you could produce no conviction upon their minds, or, if you have silenced their objections, you could not prevail upon them to act agreeably to the light they had received? I ask also, in reference to yourselves, Whether, if at any time you have suffered your minds to be influenced by that unworthy principle, it has not rendered your views of truth obscure, and your compliance with it difficult? I will yet further ask, Whether a carnal and a spiritual mind be not opposed to each other, as darkness to light; and whether the prevalence of one must not, in proportion as it prevails, dispel the other? Yes: it is an acknowledged and unquestionable truth," that we cannot serve God and Mammon." If, then, the intimation in our text be confirmed by all that we see in others, and all that we experience in ourselves, let it be treasured up in our minds as a rule of action, and be referred to continually for the regulation of our hearts and lives.]

2. A ground of exhortation

[Look not for the honour that cometh of man; for it is not to be obtained without sacrifices that are far too costly for so worthless an acquisition. Let your hearts be right with God. Let his revealed will be your sure directory: and regard nothing in opposition to it. Seek to please him at all events, though you should displease the whole world. I mean not by this, that you should not listen to good advice: for it is highly desirable that you should "walk wisely in a perfect way." But let that advice alone be followed, that is founded on the word of God. And be careful to keep a conscience void of offence and so to walk before God, that you may be approved of him, and receive from him at last that testimony of his approbation, "Well done, good and faithful servant: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."]

MDCXXXIV.

UNBELIEF REBUKED.

John v. 45, 46. Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.

THERE is nothing more painful to a pious Minister, than to reflect, that, instead of having to present all his hearers to God as his children, saying, "Here am I, and the children thou hast given me," he will have to stand at the bar of judgment as an accuser of

by far the greater part of them, and to appear as a swift witness against them. To the majority of them, the most successful minister must say, with our blessed Lord, "If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin but now they have no cloak for their sin." But, whether they be called as accusers or not, the inspired writers will undoubtedly execute that painful office; as our Lord here testifies to his unbelieving audience: "Think not that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuses you, even Moses, in whom ye trust: for had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me."

Let me now, in faithfulness to your souls,

I. Set before you the charge which the whole inspired volume brings against us—

Strong was that charge which Moses exhibited against the Jews

[Much "had he written respecting Christ." The whole ceremonial law was one typical adumbration of him the moral law itself, as denouncing a curse against every one that should transgress it in the slightest instance, was, in fact, intended to shew men their need of Christ, and to shut them up to that way of salvation which he should open for them. The prophecies which he revealed were many and clear: he set forth Christ as "the seed of the woman who should bruise the serpent's head;" and as "the seed of Abraham, in whom all the nations of the world should be blessed;" and above all, as "that prophet who should in due time be raised up like unto himself; to whom all must take heed, at the peril of their souls."

Now to these writings our blessed Lord appealed continually, in confirmation of his divine mission. But the Jews, whilst they pretended the highest veneration for Moses, actually made their regard for him their plea for rejecting Christ. But this shewed that they did not understand the writings of Moses, and that they did not, in fact, believe any one of those things which he had spoken: for if they had understood him, and believed his testimony, they would of necessity have believed in Christ, of whom he testified. We may suppose him, then, as accusing these people before God the Father to this effect: “Thou seest, O God, what a zeal they profess for me: but it

a Rom. iii. 21, 22. and Gal. iii. 22-24.

is all hypocrisy; for, instead of receiving my testimony respecting their Messiah, they shut their eyes and ears against every word that I have spoken; and make no other use of my testimony, but to pervert it, and to found upon it their rejection of that very Saviour whom I have revealed."]

But stronger far is that charge which the whole inspired volume brings against us

[We profess to believe in the written word, both of the Old and New Testament: and if any one were to brand us with the name of infidels and deists, we should be filled with indignation against him, as uttering a gross calumny. But how do we manifest our faith? The Scriptures tell us, that "except we repent, we must perish." But who believes it? Who is stirred up, by that declaration, to real penitence and contrition? The Scriptures tell us, that we must look to Christ for salvation, as the wounded Israelites did to the brazen serpent. But where do we find that intense earnestness to obtain relief, and that utter renunciation of every other hope but that revealed to us in the cross of Christ? The Scriptures require us to live by Christ, exactly as the Israelites lived by the manna which they gathered, and the waters of the rock that followed them. But where do we find persons making this continual use of Christ, if I may so speak; and living altogether by faith in the Son of God, who loved them and gave himself for them? The Scriptures tell us, that "having been bought with a price, we must glorify Christ with our bodies and our spirits, which are his." But where do we find persons employing every member of their body, and every faculty of their soul, for the glory of Christ?

Behold, then, what an accusation the whole inspired volume brings against us. 'See, Lord, this people! Thou knowest how fully thy holy will is revealed in every page of thy word: yet who regards it? Who regards any word contained in this volume, provided he has any interest to serve, or any lust to gratify, by the violation of it? I accuse the whole Christian world, with the exception of a very few, as hypocrites: for, with all their professed regard for thy revealed will, they violate it in all its most essential points; and with their boast of being Christians, they live altogether as if they were downright heathens.']

Now then, having stated the charge, I will proceed to,

II. Put you upon your trial in relation to it

Of the little flock who believe in Christ, I will say nothing. I will confine myself to the great mass of

my hearers, who

the grace of God.

have never yet been renewed by And I ask,

1. Is not the charge true of you?

[Look, I pray you, and examine the matters before proposed. See in what state you are, as it respects repentance for sin, and faith in Christ, and holy obedience to the commands of God. Compare yourselves with the Scriptures which ye profess to believe: see whether you are "cast into them, as into a mould;" and whether ye are really living as the Apostles did? I will not ask whether you have attained the eminence of Paul; for to that none of us can pretend: but are we followers of him, as he was of Christ? And if he were to see the daily habit of our minds, would he acknowledge us as imbued with the same spirit with him, and as treading in the same steps? It is evident, then, that we are guilty before God; and that the accusations which Moses, and the Prophets, and the Apostles, are exhibiting against us, are true.] 2. Are ye not then deeply criminal?

[We are in the habit of reprobating infidels as amongst the vilest of men. And far am I from intending, in any respect, to lessen the abhorrence with which they are viewed, and should be viewed. But it may well be doubted, whether the great mass of Christians be not in a worse state than they. For infidels, however profane, are at least consistent: they do not profess to believe the Scriptures: they regard them all, and every thing contained in them, as "a cunningly-devised fable." But the Christian world profess to receive the Bible as the word of God, and to expect that men shall be dealt with in judgment according to the plan proposed in it: yet do they in their lives give the lie to all that they profess. If they really believed in that word, they would believe in Christ, and love him, and serve him, and glorify him. Could a man believe that his house was on fire, and ready to fall upon him, and not flee out of it? It is a delusion altogether: and in pretending to believe at all, they only lie unto the Holy Ghost.]

3. Are ye not utterly inexcusable?

[What excuse can you offer in vindication of yourselves? Is not every part of the inspired volume brought before you in its season? Ye know that "we have kept back nothing that was profitable unto you," but "have declared unto you the whole counsel of God." But, at all events, the inspired volume has been in your hands, and ye might have drunk water at the fountain-head. It has been accessible to you at all times: and

b See John xii. 48. where all this is plainly asserted.