PUBLICATIONS OF DR. ABBOT.

Memorial of Divine benefits: a Sermon preached at Exeter, on the 15th, and at Haverhill on the 29th of November, 1798, days of public Thanksgiving in NewHampshire and Massachusetts.

Traits of resemblance in the people of the United States of America to ancient Israel: a sermon at Haverhill, Nov. 28, 1799, on the anniversary Thanksgiving. Eulogy on the Life and Character of Washington, delivered by request, before the inhabitants of the town of Haverhill, on his birth-day, 1800.

The duty of Youth; a Sermon occasioned by the death of Miss SARAH AYER, April 7th, 1802, at Haverhill. The Mariner's Manual; a Sermon preached in Beverly, March 4, 1804.

A Discourse before the Portsmouth Female Asylum,Aug. 9, 1807.

A discourse delivered at Plymouth, December 22, 1809, at the celebration of the 188th Anniversary of the landing of our Forefathers.

Sermons to Mariners, (a duodecimo volume,) 1812. An Address before the Massachusetts Society for suppressing Intemperance, June 2, 1815.

Discourse before the Missionary Society of Salem_and Vicinity, and the Essex South Musical Society, October 2, 1816.

Discourses on Baptism.

The Parents' Assistant, and Sunday School Book, 1822. Charge at the Ordination of Rev. BERNARD WHITMAN; February 15, 1826.

Address before the Berry Street Conference, May 31,

1826.

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Ecclesiastical peace recommended; a Discourse before the annual convention of Congregational Ministers of Massachusetts, May 13, 1827.

The example of the first preachers of the Gospel considered; a Sermon at the Installation of Rev. ABIEL ABBOT in the Congregational Church in Peterborough, N. H. June 27, 1827.

Letters written in the Interior of Cuba, between the mountains of Arcana, to the East, and of Cusco to the West, in the months of February, March, April, and May, 1828-Boston, 1829.

SERMON I.

THE GRACE OF GOD BRINGING SALVATION.

TITUS II. 11-xiv.

For the grace of God, that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that, denying ungodliness and wordly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

It was on this comprehensive passage, that one of the greatest of men,* who had accurately surveyed almost every department of science and literature, held in the highest estimation among men, and whose name was venerated throughout Europe, amidst all the learning, and all the wisdom he had collected from ancient and modern languages, is said to have reposed with the greatest satisfaction, and to have found in it, the only effectual solace of a dying hour. There are

*Mr. Selden.

few things of substantial importance in the christian dispensation, which may not be said to be included in it. It declares

I. The wonderful grace of God in the Gospel, and the universality of it;

II. The excellent purpose for which it is given;
III. The coming of Christ to judgment;
IV. The end for which he died; and,
The character of his peculiar people.

V.

I shall attempt a brief discussion of these five particulars :

1. This weighty passage declares the wonderful grace of God in the Gospel, and the universality of it. "The grace of God, which bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men." We perceive, that the grace of God is the original cause of salvation; there was none to move him to his purpose of mercy; he was self moved. He so loved the world, as to provide for its salvation. The motive, the scheme, the whole was of God; the party offended was the first to seek reconciliation. How benign and paternal appears his character. Has it not been without due respect to the text, and similar passages, which are innumerable, that God has been represented as wrathful and vengeful towards sinners, till pacified by the more merciful son? It is quite observable, that in all the passages of scripture, where reconciliation is mentioned, the reconciling of men to God is uniformly intended, and not of God to men. Men are the estranged, and alienated party; God is kindly disposed, desires not the death of sin

ners; but their salvation and happiness." You," saith the apostle," that were sometime alienated, and enemies by wicked works, now hath he reconciled;" and again" all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing to them their trespasses; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you, by us; we pray you, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." Such is the affecting language of the New Testament. It is God, who desires our reconciliation to himself. He has sent his own Son to accomplish this blessed end; and he again employs ministers as his ambassadors, and all to reconcile us to God. We find, among men, that the offending party is the most difficult to be reconciled, and that it is usually harder for the injurious to accept of forgiveness, than for the injured to grant it. And is it not so with our gracious and offended Heavenly Father? Such is "the grace of God which bringeth salvation."

This grace hath appeared unto all men.-The Greek verb here used signifies, to shine forth as the sun. The grace of God in the gospel, "hath shone forth like the sun, and giveth light to all." Hence Christ, the author of the gospel, is called "the day spring from on high," "the sun of righteousness," "the light of the world." The blessings of the gospel were not intended for one nation alone, as the Jews hoped, nor for a