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persuasion, that we may not neglect so great salvation. It is thus he would endeavour to win us to our own interests. He not only proposes, but urges on us the acceptance of his gracious offers: we shall do well to pause and consider what attention we have paid to them, what has been our practical belief of the importance of the Gospel, and what influence we have allowed it over our hearts and actions. The condescension of God in his manner of addressing us, and urging on us obedience to his will, has been too often abused; his message of reconciliation through the blood of his Son, preached as glad tidings by his ministers, has often conveyed to the thoughtless and inconsiderate an idea of acquiescence and consent on our part being sought after, nay, perhaps even necessary. And yet is it possible so wild a proposition could be for one moment seriously entertained by any one? The Gospel, indeed, addresses itself as a message to each individually :-divest yourself for a moment of the idea of its

addressing itself to another,-all its invitations, all its calls are yours, and by yourself shall you stand or fall. Can you then for a moment suppose that your refusal to listen to God's gracious offers can in any manner affect your situation as a responsible being? Can you be so contemptibly vain of your own importance, as to imagine that your consent or your approbation is either asked or regarded, or that the high mysteries and truths of the Gospel are submitted as a question of debate for your consideration? No, my brethren; one truth is certain, and must be certain to any one capable of thinking. Your neglect of the Gospel may, and indeed must destroy you, but is as totally unable to shake, as it is to affect the truths which it reveals. You might as well, adopting the simile of an eminent and pious writer, expect that refusing to believe the powers of gunpowder would save you from its effects; or averting your eyes from the danger, deliver you from the rage of an infuriated lion.

No, my brethren, God speaks to you in his Gospel. Take not your neighbour for your guide or support, but examine for yourself the truths God has revealed to you: whatever others may see in it, however the wisdom of this world may blind them, do not deceive yourself by endeavouring to find shelter under their errors. St. Paul addressed himself to those who were wise in their own imaginations, but professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. He addressed himself to philosophers, and those most distinguished for learning, whose wisdom and whose writings are even in our age the subject of admiration. Leaning on their own dogmas, they received the Gospel as they would have received any new system of philosophy: they questioned, and cavilled, and disputed; till tired of a subject, which they made one merely of the lips, and not of the heart, they did as might be expected from the mere worldly-wise, they rejected it. What effect did this produce? did it retard the

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Gospel? on the contrary, the word of God grew mightily and prevailed. Against themselves only did it operate; they rejected the gracious offers of salvation, and must hereafter render an account of the opportunities they neglected, the talents they abused.

As addressing itself to the world, the Gospel is a personal question; it is a question between you and your God. So simple are its truths, that he who runs may read; and that wisdom which the worldly-wise, the disputers of this world, shut their eyes against, is revealed, and may be easily understood by the poor, the humble, and the meek; "for if any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God." If any one be sincere in his endeavours to obey the truth, he shall find no difficulty in comprehending his duty. Such is the simple manner in which the Scripture disposes of this self-raised difficulty. It is in you, not in the Scripture, the difficulty exists. Are you poor and unlearned? read your

Bible, and ask yourself what difficulty there would be, if the depravity of your own heart would permit you to follow it: what part of it is there that is not calculated to make you a better man, and to secure your happiness no less in a future world than in the present. Are you learned, and wise, and distinguished in this world?-then I say to you, examine the Scriptures, search them diligently, compare them with any other system or theory, with what the highest efforts of your reason can conceive would form the subject of a divine revelation, and you can but come to the apostle's conclusion, "it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;" it is a glorious system, in which the Almighty power and goodness of God are displayed for the salvation of every one that believeth. Well then may the apostle say, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, but am prepared to shew it to be the power of God unto salvation." It may not fall in with your prejudices, it may not suit your

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