nable ages of eternity, and on his sovereign pleasure it depends whether you shall spend your eternity in heaven or hell. You cannot be disconnected from him if you would. You are in his hands, and you must remain in his hands to eternity.

O my dear hearers, my flesh and blood, you have not sufficiently considered these things. There is no realizing sense of one of these truths in minds that can remain at ease in a state of enmity against God. You have not considered who sent you into the world, and for what end,-who supports your lives, and for what end they are supported,-who redeemed you from death, and why you were redeemed. You have not considered what God has earnestly commanded you to do, and what connexion you must have with him to eternity. These things you have not considered; but God considers them all. He indeed keeps silence, because this is not the state of retribution, but of trial. He keeps silence, but is angry. He is angry, and he will one day speak. He will speak in a manner which does not admit of present description, but it will be such as fully to assert his rights and wipe off the stigma which his long silence has occasioned, that he is "altogether such a one as" yourselves. He will take account of his servants to whom he committed the talents. Every work" shall be brought "into judgment, with every secret thing whether it be good orevil." At the close of all he will command them to cast "the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

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And now what will you say to these things? Has

not every word been calmly addressed to your reason, and been supported by positive declarations from the word of God? If then the Bible is not a a fable, if it is the book by which you will be judged at the last day, your case is such as calls for immediate attention. God has a very heavy account against you. There is wrath gone out against you. It behooves you to get the sentence repealed without delay by deep contrition and application to the blood of atonement. Do you thing it will answer for you to live any longer idle under the very eye of your Master? At this late hour ought any more time to be lost? I wish I knew what resolutions you are forming. My dear hearers, what do you intend to do? What use will you make of this exhortation when you retire? Some, I fear, will think no more of it until it meets them in judgment. Others may be impressed for a season and afterwards return to stupidity. But will not some one be wise enough this once to believe God? O God, if any are hesitating, interpose and fix their resolves! Nay, let not that thought arise again, When I have got a little more of the world I will attend. So thought Felix, but the thought was fatal. A resolution to postpone, is half a resolution to die as you are. If it were not so pressing a case, I would not be so pressing. But you have souls capable of amazing happiness or amazing wo, and they are now under sentence of eternal death. "He that believeth not is condemned already." Can a rational being rest in such a state? You see also what pressing claims your Creator and Redeemer has upon

you. Most of you would be agonized at the thought of defrauding one of your fellow men. But will you be scrupulous to "render-unto Cesar the things which are Cesar's," and feel no concern to render "unto God the things that are God's?" O that this sentiment might vibrate in your ears and be deposited at the bottom of your hearts, "Render-unto God the things that are God's." Let every thing ingenuous in you be stirred up at the names of Father and Redeemer, and excite you to “render-unto God the things that are God's." Then will he no longer frown, but smile upon you as dear children, and our joy on your account will be full. Amen.

SERMON XVII.

EXCUSES.

LUKE, XIV. 18.

And they all with one consent began to make excuse.

In the parables which describe the treatment that the Gospel receives from men, the Saviour drew several prominent features of the race. In one place he represents them as making light of the invitation, in another as getting rid of it by frivolous excuses. A man made a great supper and gave out an extensive invitation. When the guests were sent for, "they all with one consent began to make excuse." One had purchased a piece of ground, another had bought five yoke of oxen, another had married a wife; not one had leisure to attend. At this the master of the house was angry; and after filling his apartments from "the streets and lanes of the city," from "the highways and hedges,"— he lifted his hand and swore, that not one of those that were bidden should taste of his supper.