"If thou hadst known, even thou, the things that belong to thy peace:" that is, if thou hadst diligently considered, and earnestly sought those things which would have procured for thee the peace and favour of God, his protection from thine enemies on earth, and his glories and love in the world which is to

come.

"But now they are hid from thine eyes." How is this, my brethren? Had not the inhabitants of Jerusalem after this period, any of the means of grace? Did God from this time cease to call them to himself by the preaching of the apostles, and the course of his providence? We know that even after the death of Jesus, the apostles remained in the midst of the city, working miracles in its streets, proclaiming the atonement made by Christ, and exhorting the people to "repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins." And if we believe the Jews themselves, in proportion as the time for the destruction of the city approached, God wrought new and more surprising prodigies in heaven and on earth, to reclaim them. How then could it be said, that the things which belonged to their peace, were hidden from their eyes? These facts are not at all inconsistent with this declaration of the Saviour. For these warnings, remonstrances, exhortations, miracles, would be ineffectual to remove the darkness which rested on the minds of the Jews, unless they were accompanied by the influences of divine grace. This grace, God, provoked by their continued impenitence, was resolved to withhold; and in consequence of this righteous procedure, the things that belonged to the peace of the Jews were hidden from their eyes, even whilst the light of divine truth was shining with lustre around them. "And when he came near, he beheld

the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known. even thou, at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes."

Having thus explained to you the text, let us

Dow,

II. Deduce from it two truths, in which we are most deeply interested.

1. The day of grace has its limits, and if we pass beyond them before our peace is made with God, our destruction is remediless.

2. The Redeemer is desirous that we should not, by our criminal neglect of this precious season, bring upon ourselves this destruction.

1. The day of grace has its limits, and if we pass beyond them before our peace is made with God, our destruction is remediless.

The text proves in the clearest manner, that this was the case with respect to Jerusalem. It assures us, that all those things which belonged to the temporal and eternal peace of this city, were granted to it for a certain limited time, called its day of visitation; that because the Jews despised, during this determinate period, the means of salvation which God bestowed upon them, they therefore were consigned to utter destruction; and though Jesus and his apostles afterwards preached within their walls, yet that grace which alone could render these discourses effectual, was withheld from them through the righteous judgment of God.

There are numberless passages of Scripture which show us that the conduct which God observed to Jerusalem, is that which he generally observes towards our race. Read that familiar and striking comparison employed by St. Paul, (Heb. vi. 7, 8.) "The earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh

oft upon it, and beareth thorns and briars, is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned." This earth is man; the rain which falls upon it, and the other cares which are employed by the husbandman, are the means of grace which he enjoys. If this man for a long season, give to God as all the fruit of his culture, only thorns and briars; that is to say, if he remain disobedient, notwithstanding all his spiritual advantages, he is rejected and abandoned by God, falls under the curse, and in future has nothing to expect but to be sentenced to devouring flames.

Consider the 12th chapter of St. John. This apostle there tells us, that although “Jesus did many miracles, yet the Jews believed not on him, that the saying of Isaiah might be accomplished, "Lord, who hath believed our report, and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed;" and he adds, that "they could not believe, because Isaiah had said again, "He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts, that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, nor be converted." (John xii. 37.40.) Here then are miracles which do not convince those who are the witnesses of them; and which do not have this effect, because in consequence of the long obstinacy of this people, God "has blinded their minds and hardened their hearts;" that is, (in conformity with the scriptural mode of speaking, by which God is said to do that which he does not interpose to prevent,) has righteously resolved to withhold from them that grace which would have enlightened and softened them.

Listen to that exhortation of Isaiah (lv. 6.) "Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near." Does it not clearly imply that there is

a time when the Lord is no longer near men, when he will not be found by them?

Attend to the solemn representation given us in the 3d and 12th chapters to the Hebrews, where the oath of God to Israel, and the conduct of Isaac to Esau, are represented as typical of the divine procedure towards sinners of the present day. The children of Israel, instead of obeying the revelations, and being melted by the mercies of God, tempted, grieved, and provoked him for forty years; and then the Lord, wearied with their rebellions, "sware in his wrath, that they should not enter into his rest." Esau at first despised the blessing; and afterwards in vain endeavoured to obtain it; for "when he would have inherited it, he was rejected, though he sought it carefully with tears." "These things happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."

Listen to the divine Wisdom, asserting in the 1st chapter of the Proverbs, the rejection of those who have long trifled with the admonitions and reproofs of God. "Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded: But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh: When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you: Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord: They would none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof: Therefore shall they cat of the fruit of

their own way, and be filled with their own devices." (Prov. i. 24-31.)

But it would be impossible to enumerate all those passages which declare, that "the Spirit of God shall not always strive with man;" (Gen. vi. 3.) that this Spirit may not only be grieved, and resisted, but entirely quenched ; ( 1 Thess. v. 19.) that those who perseveringly refuse to hearken to the voice of the Lord, are by him "given up unto their own hearts' lusts, to walk in their own counsels;" (Psalm lxxxi. 12.) that those who, "when they know God, glorify him not as God, neither are thankful, are often given up to vile affections, and to a reprobate mind;" (Rom. i. 21. 26. 28.) that on those who "receive not the love of the truth, that they may be saved, but have pleasure in unrighteousness, God sends strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned." (2 Thess. ij. 10, 11, 12.)

It is then evident, that the day of grace has its bounds, and is succeeded by a dark, a fearful, a stormy night. It is then evident, that the divine patience has its limits; that the holy and sovereign God will not for ever permit his secret inspirations and the suggestions of his Spirit to be rejected and treated with disdain.

Do you ask me to point out the precise bounds of this day? I acknowledge that I cannot do it. This is one of the secrets which God hath reserved to himself. We know in general that these bounds are different to different persons. In some cases this day extends even to the close of life; but in other instances, and especially among those who have had high spiritual privileges, it probably often terminates by the middle of our days. On this subject it be