so much at being wise above what is written, that they would hardly endure for a minister to expostulate with sinners after the same manner. I rejoice that you, my beloved friends, have not so learned Christ, and I trust you will help me by your prayers, while I endeavour to reason with the inconsiderate part of my auditory, and plead the cause of God with them that have not yet submitted to his holy claims. I well know that I shall address them in vain, unless he opens their hearts to receive instruction; for though it is my duty to enforce the call of God as earnestly as if I had only to trust to my own powers, yet I would depend as entirely on him as if I were commissioned to prophesy to dry bones. While I request the prayers of God's people for success, let me, in the most affectionate manner, conjure those who have hitherto neglected religion, to give me their attention while I,

FIRST, Illustrate the description.-A climax may be observed in the expressions, which justly delineates the progress of impiety.

First, Many are simple, and they love simplicity. They give themselves up to thoughtless inconsideration. The sinner does not love to think of divine things, of God, of duty, of death, and the world to come; of things that may restrain his appetites and sensual inclinations. These are things that may make him uneasy, or occasion his being laughed at. He loves to be thought good-natured by his bad acquaintance; he loves to gratify his tempters, and to be gratified himself, by such lying vanities as may call off his mind from God. He would be like others, and so follows bad precedents, though they are really the children of the wicked one. He begins to imitate them, even in things wherein they can urge no plea of either profit or pleasure; such as prophaning the name of God. He begins to think those to be his enemies, or at least to be over rigid and too particular, who would restrain him. He begins to be ashamed of the appearance of religion, to neglect the forms of duty he once respected, and to try to suppress the thoughts that used formerly to restrain him from various sinful practices. Thus he is led on by degrees to a greater distance from God,

and a greater aversion to true religion, till he arrives at the next stage; and,

Secondly, Ranks among the scorners, who delight in scorning. At first he presumes not to ridicule religion himself, but is pleased to hear it done by others; and after awhile he begins to join them. He begins with noticing the inconsistencies of professors, and their real or apparent defects. Then he charges the faults of individuals on the whole body of professors, insinuating that they are all alike, all hypocrites; and himself and others, who do not pretend to religion, are much better. At length he derides religion itself, all inward experience, evangelical doctrines, and holy practice. Now he soon reaches the summit and joins,

Thirdly, The fools, who hate knowledge. He hates to hear the word faithfully preached; prefers a smoother strain of preaching, that may not disturb his conscience, but afford entertainment to his fancy, while he continues estranged from God, and denies or forgets the most important and most humiliating truths. He is gratified if teachers encourage him to think well of himself without heart-felt religion. If that cannot be obtained, public worship is gradually neglected, and the serious perusal of the scriptures. A sinner in this state of mind, will eagerly listen at objections against the principal doctrines of the Bible, especially against those which are most opposed to the evil bias of his heart, according as he may most incline to the lusts of the flesh or of the mind. Perhaps he will imbibe prejudices against the very existence of the Bible, as a revelation from God, or though seldom attacking the whole at once in a way of argumentation, he will gladly seek for difficulties and apparent contradictions, and cavil at particular facts, doctrines, or precepts. Thus he will soon learn to revile all preachers and professors, especially the most faithful ministers, and the most conscientious and zealous Christians. As far as he can, he will even become a persecutor of them for righteousness' sake, saying all manner of evil against them on account of their religion. Now he becomes an advocate for infidelity and irreligion, labouring to seduce others, and make them as bad as himself. I would now,

And now let

SECONDLY, Enforce the expostulation. conscience testify whether I have sketched a just picture of any one present.

Are there none of you so inconsiderate as to live without God in the world? leaving him out of all their thoughts? living to no purpose but to gratify those appetites which they have in common with the beasts that perish? "How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicty?" How long will ye neglect your chief end? Many years have been thus trifled away, and perhaps but few remain; and will you still go on to procrastinate and put off your main business; while one delay is big with another, and that with a train of them, which we fear will last till the blackness of darkness overtake you for ever? You stand in a slippery place; nothing but divine patience keeps you out of hell; and you have no promise that it shall last a day longer. And even if it does, you are likely to get nearer and nearer to hell; to become more and more hardened in sin, and soon to arrive at such an advanced state of impiety, as would now perhaps make you tremble. Now is the accepted time! Now, in your youth, is the time to be saved. Your youthful days may be all that you will see. Oh, beware lest Satan get you soon in the chair of the scoffer. This year you are simple enough to neglect religion; in two or three more you may begin to ridicule it, and at last to persecute it. Beware! I hope there are few or none here that have proceeded to the greatest lengths of infidelity and impiety-if there were I would make my appeal even to them. Are you really happier now than formerly, when you had some restraint laid on you by a religious education? Have you a better standard of morality than Christians? Have you a better prospect beyond the grave? More decisive evidence that there is a future state? that your state will not be miserable, but happy? Have you the knowledge of a plan of remission of sins, more consistent than that in the gospel of Christ? Or more certain aid in the practice of virtue, and more evident preparation for endless bliss? Or, are you snatching at the wretched consolation that there is no futurity, no God, or at least that he exercises no moral government? that he considers you

free from all responsibility, and will never bring you or any one else to judgment? and that death will completely extinguish all conscious existence, and terminate both hopes and fears? Oh wretched! Is this all that infidelity can do for you? But if you are mistaken! If you should find out your mistake when it is too late, and God should fulfil that list of threatenings at the end of the chapter from which the text is taken......what will you do then?

Oh that you may rather turn at his reproof, and find the accomplishment of the promises; for God hath said, Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my Spirit upon you, I will make known my words unto you." Amen!

XXXI.

THE PLEASANTNESS OF RELIGION.

PROV. iii. 17.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths

are peace.

THESE words are spoken of wisdom, by which Solomon evidently intends, not that partial sagacity which may be somewhat serviceable in the management of our temporal concerns, but that true wisdom which will direct a man in the pursuit of his chief end, and enable him to secure his eternal interest. For no man who exercises his reason aright can controvert the truth of the first position in the Catechism of the Assembly of Divines, That man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him for ever. Wisdom is therefore the same thing with true religion, or the spiritual, experimental, practical knowledge of God in Christ.

Christ himself seems sometimes immediately intended under this title; especially in the 8th chapter of this book; which is considered by some of the most ancient Christian writers, and of the most learned modern critics,† as directly referring to the Messiah: to him "in whom are hidden all

Justin Martyr, in his Dialogue with Trypho the Jew, about the middle of the second century.

+ Dr. Campbell.

the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; who is unto them. which are called, (that is, to all who have been influenced by the Spirit to obey the call of the gospel,) Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." He is the subject, the object, and the author of true wisdom; in whom we have the fullest displays of the divine perfections and counsels; who by his Holy Spirit imparts that wisdom to the mind, which chiefly consists in the knowledge of himself and of the divine glories, as manifested in his redemption. It will come to just

the same thing, whether we apply the text to Christ himself, or to that true religion, which consists in the knowledge of divine truth, as taught by him, and centering in him. Nor is it material whether we consider these two clauses as perfectly synonymous, repeating the same truth in different words, to impress it more deeply on the mind; or whether we suppose the sentiment to be a little diversified. In both clauses, the plural number is used, to show that the doctrine of the text will hold good in the most extensive sense. Let us, therefore, take take two or three different views of the subject, that we may see how ample an accomplishment it will receive.

FIRST: We may apply it, both to the ways which the wisdom of God has taken to bring sinners to himself, and to the paths in which he has enjoined them to walk before him.

First, Consider what wisdom, beauty, and attractive loveliness are displayed in the purchase of salvation.

Oh! it was a kind errand on which incarnate wisdom came into this world, to make peace between God and sinners; and the Saviour has executed his work in a manner fitted to charm our souls. 66 We have redemption in the Beloved, through his blood, according to the riches of his grace, wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence." How pleasant is it to see the harmony of all the divine perfections, each adding lustre to the rest! The cross of Christ" magnifies justice in the way of pardoning sin, and mercy in the way of punishing it. It shows justice more awful than if mercy had been excluded, and grace more amiable than if justice had been dispensed with." It