to bear the blame of rejecting it. They stand forth as sin's apologists and cast all the blame on God. The folly, for they defeat their own ends and betray the guilt they would conceal. The ruinous tendency, for they apply all their strength to resist conviction, and thus to prevent the possibility of an escape from death. If they can succeed the soul is inevitably lost.

(2.) We see that stupid sinners are in a most guilty, forlorn, and unprotected state. They are stripped of all excuse and left naked under the eye of an omniscient God. That pure and penetrating eye finds them without a covering and pierces them through and through. Not one word of apology can they offer for all their years of sin, for all their hatred of God, for all their hardened impenitence, for all their stubborn rejections of a Saviour. They have no plea to make. They must be "speechless." They must bear all the guilt forever. And what a world of guilt it must be when every extenuating circumstance is removed.

(3.) Let me beseech my poor impenitent hearers never to make another excuse to eternity. It can do you no good. It will only betray your folly, and increase your guilt, and ruin your souls. If you have any pity on yourselves, instead of resisting, strive to increase conviction. Court it and do not repel it. Lie down under it and draw it over you with all your might. Take all the shame and blame to yourselves and clear your Maker. In no other way can you find pardon. You must be convicted thus or perish forever.

(4.) Here then you stand without one excuse for rejecting the Gospel another moment. Why then will you not accept it at once? Do you begin to name a reason? but that is taken from you. You have none left. Do you say, your wicked heart will not consent? But my business is with that wicked heart. Why will not you, O stubborn heart, now submit? Hardened rebel, why will not you lay down your arms? If you have no reason for holding out, why will you hold out any longer? O remember the conclusion of the parable. He lifted his hand and swore that not one of those that were bidden should taste of his supper. While you delay, that sentence may proceed against you. Remember the rebels in the wilderness. You are now brought to the border of the promised land. Refuse now and you die; accept now and you live forever. Amen.

SERMON XVIII.

LET US REASON TOGETHER.

ISAI. 1. 18.

Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crim. son they shall be as wool"

It is the boast of man that he is a reasonable being, and it is his duty and dignity to act a reasonable part. God addresses himself to that reason, and condescends to expostulate with his rebellious subjects. Standing with his commission in my hands, I have it in charge to pursue the same course,-to commend the service of my Master to the conscience of my hearers and to justify the ways of God to man.

Come then and let us reason together. My business at present is with impenitent sinners. I would single them out from the crowd, and take them aside, and say in their ear, "I have a message from the Lord to deliver to you. I am sent to reason with

you in his name about the high concerns of a future world, about your interests a thousand ages hence, about the claims which the Sovereign of the world has upon you, and the long score of uncancelled charges which he has against you." Let Christians stand by and assist me with their prayers, while I attempt to recall from death this interesting multitude.

My poor hearers, you have often considered an address from the pulpit as a matter of course, and felt no personal interest in it. But it must not be so now. I have a solemn errand from the Lord to do to you one by one. While you are suspended between two eternities, I have one word from the Most High to say to you before your fate is decided. Drop every other care; lend me your whole attention; put your minds into a most solemn frame; and for a few moments feel as though you stood before the bar of God.

Here then you are, the creatures of God, bound to eternity, and destined to be happy or miserable forever. Raise your heads out of this infant state and look abroad on the amazing scenes before you. Here you lie crushed under the mountains of guilt, for which the God that made you has condemned you to eternal wo. Did ever man address an audience under more solemn circumstances? Your case is such as calls for an immediate remedy,-a remedy in which you yourselves must be active. What then is to be done? Will you lend me your whole attention?

I have it in charge from God to inform you with