him at the expence of his soul; as "if his gold or his silver would be able to deliver him in the day of the Lord's wrath;" another appears utterly secure and indifferent; he is asking "a little more sleep, a little more slumber, a little more folding of the hands to sleep," as if this momentary ease could profit him at the hazard of never-ending confusion and pain. Now, Lord, thou hast created all things, rational and irrational, for advancing the glory of thy perfections; thou art the wise, the righteous and uncontrolable Disposer of all; "none is able to stay thy hand," to resist thine operations, or dare "challenge, what doest thou?" I resign them wholly to thine adorable sovereignty; I must acknowledge that thou wouldst be just in suspending any farther treaty, in calling home thy messengers of peace, and "swearing in thy wrath that henceforth they shall not enter into thy rest. -But who is a God like unto thee that pardonest iniquity?" Is not judgment thy strange work? art thou not rather exalted shewing mercy do not the honors of thy grace brighten in proportion to the worthlessness, and wretchedness, and obstinacy of the sinner reclaimed? I pray thee, therefore, to spare them in thy divine forbearance a little longer, and grant another opportunity of reproving and exhorting if peradventure they will hear. I adore thy goodness in offering reconciliation at a price so amazing as the sacrifice of thine own Son; I admire

thy long suffering in importuning with simners of the human family from year to year, when thou canst not be profited by our obedience; "but thou art God and not man, and thy ways, therefore, are not as our ways;" in thy name I will again address them, but if they continue careless and obstinate I know that their ruin is unavoidable, and that their misery through eternity will be increased in proportion to all the earnestness with which thy messengers have entreated them in time; I know Lord, that thou art bound by thy word, thine oath, by all the glories of thy throne, "to pour upon the incorrigible rebel the fury of thine anger and the strength of battle," and thy servants must lift up their HALLELUJAH, acknowledging, "righteous art thou, Lord, in the judgments which thou art executing." Brethren, must I return with such a message to him who hath appointed me to this ministry? My lips quiver, trembling seizes my bones, and my heart within me melts at the very thought; my feeble frame cannot bear the impression that any of you should be anathema, maranatha, accursed at the appearance of Christ, or be doomed to "suffer the vengeance of eternal fire;" I rather entertain the pleasing hope that you will "yet consider your ways," and therefore add the following directions which may tend to your spiritual advantage.

1. Be persuaded that the Lord God entertains designs of mercy towards you; that

he is not willing that any of you should perish, but that all should come to repentance." What other or higher proofs of good will on his part could you possibly conceive than are actually afforded in scripture?" Through his tender mercies, the day spring from on high hath visited our world;" his own Son "is set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, that he may be just, and yet justify the ungodly who believes.". Does he not pledge his word again and again; has he not sanctioned it with the greater solemnity of an oath, to remove every possible doubt, "that he has no pleasure in your death," but wishes you "to return and live?" Does he not pursue you in your soul-destroying career, and expostulate, "O my people, what have I done unto thee, wherein have I wearied thee, testify against me?" Does not his Spirit appear grieved, melted within him, humanly speaking, when the sinner becomes altogether incorrigible, when neither judgments nor mercies, admonitions nor entreaties will reclaim? "How shall I give thee up Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee, Israel? How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I make thee as Zeboim ? Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together." Does he not ordain men of your own family," of like passions" with yourselves to stand forth as ambassadors and treat in his name, praying you to be reconciled?" Does he not instantly behold, does he not fondly cherish

the first meltings of the sinner's heart, his first inclination to return?" Surely I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; I heard him;" his ears are open to the first penitential cries, and joy overflows his heart; he beholds the prodigal as soon " as he comes to himself;" he runs to meet him, "when he is yet a great way off; he falls on his neck and kisses him;" he invites angels to mingle their exultations at the return of the alien to his Father's house. "There is joy before the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." Meditate on these considerations, on all the pains which the great God has taken for our salvation, on all the expressions of love which he has afforded, and try to be persuaded that he really" waits to be gracious to you, that he is really exalted, glorified in shewing mercy, and that judgment is his strange work;" having pondered these things over and over, cast yourselves on his mercy; resolve there and only there to be found living and dying. "One shall say I am the Lord's; they shall join themselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten."

2. Reflect that "nothing, nothing" can possibly be gained by persevering in your present enmity and maintaining the warfare; but all that is valuable both in time and eternity must necessarily be forfeited. Can "any harden themselves against” God, and reasonably expect "to prosper?" Or can

Fading, feeble flesh keep the field "when the Lord of hosts mustereth the hosts of the battle?" How full of grandeur, how full of terror is his challenge uttered by the prophet! "Who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them up together; all the rage which can be manifested," as if he had said, "and all the opposition which can be made by mortals, by ten thousand worlds, is only fit fuel for the fire of my indignation. For behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch." No present advantages, no energy of body, no fortitude of spirit, no affluence of fortune, no dignity of station can possibly secure in the hour of his wrath. He touches the strongest arm and it is instantly unnerved; one flash of the lightning of his fury cleaves the stoutest, the most impenetrable spirit; the mere "breath of the blast of his nostril" sweeps the monarch from the height of his throne to the depth of perdition. Behold the dread confusion, hear the wild uproar of his enemies when the Lord of hosts cometh forth

to judge the nations. "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bond man and every free man hid themselves in the dens and in the VOL. 4.

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