It will readily be perceived, that hors that which is evil. His judgthe old companions of such a man ment and taste are gradually formed will pass away. Even when rela- upon God's word; his memory is tive duties, and other causes render replenished with divine truths, and some intercourse with ungodly per- his imagination employed in realizsons unavoidable, it will become ing invisible things. The company less cordial and intimate. When of his choice, the places of his such opposite characters meet, one willing resort, the books he prefers, of them must be out of his element: his select topics of discourse, the all those associates therefore of the use he makes of his time and talents, new convert's former years, who the manner in which he conducts have no interest in continuing the his business, and enjoys the comacquaintance, will drop off, as leaves forts of life, might be enlarged upon, from the trees in autumn: and he to show in what respects" all things will find, that the society of his are become new.' For the real most agreeable old companions is Christian desires, “that whether become irksome; for they seem far he eat or drink, or whatever he do, more profane and frivolous than he may do all to the glory of God." they used to be. The extent of the apostle's mean

Time would fail, should we par- ing may however be further illusticularly consider how the new trated, by stating how the believer convert's former discourse is passed does the same things in a new away and how his idle, slander- manner, in respect of that which ous, profane, or perhaps polluting was the best part of his former conwords, are exchanged for such as duct, and that which is the worst of are pure, peaceable, and edifying. his present.-He used perhaps to Eph. iv. 29; v. 1. Col. iv. 6. James attend on religious ordinances; and i. 26. iii. And it is needless to though his heart was not engaged, insist on it, that his old course of nor his professions sincere, he rebehaviour also is finally renounced. turned home well satisfied with The particulars that have been having done his duty, or elated mentioned may serve for a speci- with an idea of his own goodness. men; and it should be remembered, But now, when his prayers and that in every respect in which praises are the language of his ha"old things pass away, all things bitual judgment and desires, and become new:" for the apostle, by he is upon the whole a spiritual inserting the word behold, hath em- worshipper; he is continually humphatically demanded our attention bled for the unallowed defects and to this circumstance. evils of his services, and seeks to have them all washed in the atoning blood of Christ.

This too might be illustrated by considering the various operations of the believer's mind, and the On the other hand, it must be objects of his affections. He hopes allowed that sin dwelleth even in and fears, grieves and rejoices, feels the true convert; and he may posdesires and aversions, in a new sibly fall into the same evil, in manner, and concerning new ob- which he once habitually indulged jects. He fears the wrath and frown with little remorse. But in this of God; he hopes for glory and case he is filled with anguish, he immortality; he mourns for his own deeply abases himself before God, sins, and the miseries of other men: confesses his guilt, deprecates dehe rejoices in God, hungers and served wrath, submits to sharp thirsts after righteousness, and ab-correction, craves forgiveness, and

new.

prays to be restored to the joy of certain in this matter? I answer, God's salvation, and upheld by his by a consciousness that "he is in free Spirit.' Even in these re- Christ a new creature, that old spects, "all things are become things are passed away, and all things are become new." When our In short the proposition is uni- Lord forgave the sins of the paraversal; and the true believer in all lytic, he enabled him to carry his things acts from new motives, by a bed; this proved his sins forgiven, new rule, and to accomplish far other both to himself and others. And purposes, than he formerly had in in like manner, when we know that, view. But the more particular in consequence of having applied examination of the subject must be to Christ for salvation, we abhor left to your private meditations, all sin, love the ways of God, and while we conclude at present with delight in pious company; we have a brief application. a witness in ourselves, and the tes

There are persons professing to be timony of God in his word, that we Christians, who avowedly disregard partake of the gift of righteousness this subject; and if we speak of by faith. The clearer this evidence regeneration, or the new creature, of our new creation appears, the are ready to answer, "how can these fuller ground of assurance we posthings be;" or perhaps to retort an sess; we are therefore exhorted indiscriminate charge of enthusiasm." to give all diligence to make our But do you intend to answer your calling and election sure:" but Judge in this manner? Do you ex-without this, all impressions and pect to enter heaven, by disproving supposed revelations, declaring our the truth of his most solemn and sins to be pardoned, are manifest repeated declarations? Is your delusions; for they contradict the judgment the standard of truth? express testimony of God in his Can nothing be needful to salva- holy word.

tion which you do not experience? Too many profess the gospel, who If God be indeed glorious in holi- give no evidence of this gracious ness: if the society and joys of change, and stumble others by their heaven be holy, and if man be un-Junholy lives: but the text at once holy; an entire change must, in cuts off such men's pretensions; the very nature of things, take place, and the reproach ought to rest on before man can possibly delight in themselves, and not on the holy God or enjoy heaven; were there doctrines which they disgrace. no other obstacle to his salvation. But as "the path of the just Let me therefore earnestly beseech shineth more and more unto the you to reconsider the subject: let perfect day," I would earnestly me prevail with you to search these and affectionately caution the seriScriptures, and to, beg of God to ous inquirer, not to undervalue the show you the true meaning of them; feeble beginnings which he experiand to grant, that if these things be ences; hut to take encouragement indeed true and needful, you may from them to press forward, in the know them by your own happy diligent use of the means of grace; experience. that the change may be rendered Again, some religious people pro- more evident, and that he may fess to know that their sins are for-abound in hope by the power of the given, and others are anxious to Holy Ghost.

obtain this assurance. If then it Let discouraged souls likewise, be asked, how can any man be thus who feel sin to be their burden,

grief, and terror, and who are ready unanimously attest that the psalm to say to the Saviour, "Lord, to before us was written at least a whom shall I go, thou hast the thousand years before Jesus of words of eternal life:" let such Nazareth was born.

fainting and feeble-minded be- It may therefore be useful in the lievers, learn to derive encourage- first place to call your attention to ment from their very fears, jealou- this remarkable prophecy of things sies, sighs, groans, and tears, be- already accomplished, or hastening cause of the sin that dwelleth in to an accomplishment.-" Why do them;" and "because they cannot the heathen rage, and the people do the things that they would:" for imagine a vain thing? the kings of these are without doubt, effects and the earth stand up, and the rulers evidences of the new creation. take counsel together against the Finally, my brethren, if you can Lord, and against his anointed." rejoice in the assurance that you Let us hear the apostle's application are partakers of these inestimable of this passage: "For of a truth benefits, show your gratitude to against thy holy child Jesus, whom God, by endeavouring to communi- thou hast anointed, both Herod cate the same blessings to your and Pontius Pilate, with the Genfellow sinners: knowing that his tiles and the people of Israel, were mercy and grace are sufficient for gathered together, to do whatsoever them also; that he makes use of thy hand and thy counsel determined reconciled enemies, as instruments before to be done." Acts iv. 25. 28. in reconciling others also to himself; These concluding words are well and that he preserves them in life worthy of our notice: as they illusespecially for this most gracious trate the plan of divine providence in

purpose.

SERMON VII.

THE DANGER OF REJECTING THE

GOSPEL.

the government of the world. We are apt to wonder, that wicked men should be permitted to triumph as they often do; not considering that the Lord employs even rebels to PSALM ii. 12.—Kiss the Son, lest he that, contrary to their own intenfulfil his righteous purposes; and be angry, and ye perish from the tion, they are made the execuway, when his wrath is kindled but tioners of his vengeance, or used as a little blessed are all they that his chastening rod. Even atheists put their trust in him. and infidels, yea, the haughtiest WHATEVER were the immediate and most self-willed of his enemies, occasion of this psalm, it evidently are permitted to prosper, till they contains a most remarkable pro- have inflicted condign punishment phecy concerning Christ, and the on sinners, perhaps less criminal divine vengeance to be inflicted on than themselves, and then they those who opposed the establish- are consigned to more tremendous ment of his kingdom. The Jews vengeance.-Nay, the Lord even were the peculiar objects of the makes use of wicked men to accom threatened indignation; and they plish his designs of mercy to the are also the witnesses of the au-church. Thus the Jewish rulers thenticity of those Scriptures, in and priests, with Herod, Pilate, and which the prophecy is contained; the people of Israel, though before for by them the Old Testament has at enmity with each other, combined been preserved; and they now together against the Saviour of the

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world; they thought evil against puny attempts to subvert his kinghim and his church, "but the Lord dom and counteract his sovereign meant it for good." Genesis 1. purposes.-" Then shall he speak 20. And they could only do what unto them in his wrath, and vex his hand and counsel had deter- them in his sore displeasure." Let mined before to be done." us see how this prophecy was fulfil'The kings of the earth stood led. The Jews crucified the Lord up, and the rulers took counsel to- Jesus for declaring that he was the gether against the Lord, and against promised Messiah, the Son of God. his anointed," or his Messiah: But behold he demonstrates himsaying, Let us break his bonds self to be that glorious Redeemer! asunder, and cast away his cords He dies indeed, but he rises from from us." "All the power and policy the dead, ascends into heaven, takes of man seemed to be leagued toge- possession of his exalted throne, ther, with a fixed determination to and sends forth his Spirit upon his destroy Jesus, and extirpate his doc- apostles, that they may be empowtrine. His numerous and formida- ered to establish his religion in the ble enemies unanimously resolved world. The Jewish rulers and peothat "they would not have this man ple, however, having blasphemed to reign over them." The priests his miracles and condemned him to and rulers excited the people to the cross, persist in their enmity, demand his crucifixion with unre- oppose his ambassadors, and perselenting vehemence. They aimed cute his harmless disciples.-But to blot out the remembrance of him what is the consequence ?—The and his spiritual dominion from gospel rapidly gains ground; persethe earth, that they might have no cution drives believers into remote authority but that of the magistrate. regions, to convey the glad tidings "We have no king but Cæsar; to mankind; the dying martyrs, whosoever maketh himself a king confirming their testimony by their speaketh against Cæsar." Observe, harmless lives and patient suffermy brethren, what was their princi-ings, show the excellency of their pal objection to the religion of Jesus, principles, and expose the odious and whence it arose. They hated cruelty of their adversaries. At the law and government of God; length the day of vengeance arrives: and therefore they rebelled against he that sitteth in the heavens had the kingdom and authority of his poured contempt upon his impotent Son. Thus men still reject the foes, and triumphed gloriously, notgospel, because it magnifies and withstanding their feeble though honours the law and justice of God, determined opposition: but now, condemns all their former transgres- "he speaks to them in his wrath, sions, and with the proposal of a and vexes them in his sore displea"" Jerusalem is surrounded gracious pardon, implies an obliga- sure.' tion to obedience in future: and in by the Roman legions, the executhis respect the same part is acted tioners of the sentence which had over and over again, from generation | been pronounced: miseries till then unknown are inflicted on the deto generation. But mark what follows; "He voted nation; eleven hundred thouthat sitteth in the heavens shall sand persons perish in the siege; laugh, the Lord shall have them in the survivors are sold for slaves, derision:" He looks down with till no more purchasers can be contempt and disdain upon their found; the city and temple are

entirely destroyed, and the sacred all lands, and shall ye be deliverhill of Zion given up to be hence- ed ?"---But God will answer them forth" trodden under foot of the as he did the proud Assyrian, “I gentiles," according to another me- know thy abode, and thy going out morable prophecy, which hath now and thy coming in, and thy rage been fulfilling for near one thousand against me. Because thy rage eight hundred years! Luke xxi. against me, and thy tumult is come 24. An apostate emperor attempts, up into my ears: therefore I will in defiance of Christ, to rebuild the put my hook into thy nose, and my temple and restore the Jews; but bridle into thy lips; and I will turn his design is frustrated by earth- thee back by the way in which quakes, and the signal interposition thou camest.-The zeal of the of heaven while the Jews them- Lord of Hosts shall do this;" for selves, scattered through all nations, he hath said, and he will accomplish and almost every where oppressed, it, "Yet have I set my king upon are reluctant witnesses to the truth my holy hill of Zion." Isaiah xxxvii. of the Scriptures, and monuments 10, 11, 28-38.

of divine vengeance on the despisers But the prophecy still further of the gospel. expands itself; "I will declare the The Roman emperors also ex-decree: the Lord hath said unto erted their extensive and absolute me, Thou art my Son, this day have authority in opposing the establish- I begotten thee. Ask of me, and ment of Christianity; and it is I will give thee the heathen for remarkable, that several of those, thine inheritance, and the uttermost who are celebrated for virtue, were parts of the earth for thy possesthe most determined persecutors! sion. Thou shalt break them with -But what was the event? from a rod of iron, thou shalt dash them that time this mighty empire was in pieces like a potter's vessel. Be undermined, and at length Christi- wise now therefore, O ye kings, be anity was established, as it were, instructed ye judges of the earth." upon its ruins! The counsel is addressed to kings, It would not be a difficult task to because monarchy was the more show, from the history of succeed-general kind of dominion in those ing ages, that God hath fulfilled his ages and nations: but all invested promise, in maintaining his church with authority are evidently meant, against the most virulent rage of by whatever titles they may be her numerous and powerful ene-distinguished. They are the judges mies; according to the next words of the earth, whose judgment is of this prophecy, "Yet have I set submitted to in all the secular conmy king upon my holy hill of Zion:" cerns of mankind. These dignified and the event will be the same with personages are admonished to be all other rulers and nations, who set wise, and welcome instruction; themselves to oppose the kingdom especially in respect of the kingof Christ.-For a season they may dom, which the Lord hath estabprosper, boast, and blaspheme; and lished under the government of his say, with Sennacherib, to the ser- only begotten Son.-It therefore vants of the Lord, "Let not your follows, "serve the Lord with fear, God in whom you trust deceive and rejoice with reverence." you, saying, Ye shall not be deli- Submit to the authority of God: vered into my hands.-Behold ye bow your sceptres to the sceptre of have heard what I have done unto the Messiah: employ your power

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