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here denounced, however free from unfeigned love of the brethren; see vice, or adorned with other virtues, that ye love one another with a his character may have been? Or pure heart fervently; being born will any one maintain, that the lib- again-by the word of God." erality of infidels to one another, Peter i. 22, 23. If a brother or from any motive, answers to our sister be naked, or destitute of daily Lord's words, "I was hungry, and food, and one of you say, Depart in ye gave me meat ;-for as much as peace, be ye warmed and filled : ye did it to the least of these my notwithstanding ye give them not brethren, ye did it unto me?"-In- those things which are needful for deed a measure of the same absur- the body, what doth it profit?" dities attaches to every other inter-" My little children, let us not love pretation of this passage: except in word, neither in tongue, but in that which goes upon the following deed and in truth; and hereby we principles, gathered from the several know, that we are of the truth, and parts of the Sacred Volume. There shall assure our heart before him." is no salvation for sinners, except James ii. 15, 16. 1 John iii. 18, 19. by the mercy of God through Jesus So that love of the brethren, shown Christ: no interest in this salvation in active kindness, is uniformly rewithout faith; no true faith, except quired as evidence of our faith in that which worketh by love; no Christ, and love to his name. love to Christ is genuine which is These reflections elucidate the not accompanied by special love to following Scriptures also, and are his disciples; and no love to the confirmed by them. Know, O brethren is unfeigned, which does vain man, that faith without works not influence a man to alleviate is dead." "The grace of God their distresses, supply their wants, that bringeth salvation-teacheth and do them good, as he hath op- us, that, denying ungodliness and portunity and ability. This love is worldly lusts, we should live sothe fruit of the Spirit: where the berly, righteously, and godly in Spirit of Christ dwells, all the fruits this present world; looking for of the Spirit will be produced: and that blessed hope, and the glorious If any man have not the Spirit of appearing of the great God, and Christ, he is none of his." A de- our Saviour Jesus Christ; who tail of particulars would not have gave himself for us, to redeem us suited the majesty of our Lord's from all iniquity, and to purify to description: the most prominent himself a peculiar people, zealous distinguishing feature of believers of good works." Titus ii. 11-14. and unbelievers was selected; and One most solemn and affecting thus an intimation was given of passage still remains to be consithe rule of judgment, sufficiently dered: "The Lord Jesus shall be clear to the humble student of revealed from heaven in flaming Scripture, though others may mis- fire, taking vengeance on them that take or pervert it. In this view of know not God, and that obey not it the whole is obvious, and coincides the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, with other testimonies of the sacred who shall be punished with everwriters. "We know that we have lasting destruction, from the prepassed from death unto life, because sence of the Lord, and from the we love the brethren." 1 John iii. glory of his power; when he shall Seeing ye have purified come to be glorified in his saints, your hearts through the Spirit, unto and to be admired in all them that

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believe." 2 Thess. i. 5-12. Wel III. To state more explicitly, and are here expressly informed, that at show more precisely, the rules of the day of judgment, all will be judgment, as delivered in the sacred condemned who have not known oracles.

God, and obeyed the gospel; but how It is most evident, that the Scripmany persons of moral character ture was intended principally for and external respectability will be those who bestow pains to underfound in that company! No excep- stand it: and this obvious reflection tions, however, are intimated; the illustrates the propriety of the desaints, even those that believe, will scriptions there given of the great alone stand accepted by the Judge; decisive day: for they certainly reand all else will be punished with late almost exclusively to those who everlasting destruction from his profess the religion of the Bible. presence. We cannot therefore infer any thing

I shall conclude this part of the from these descriptions, concerning subject, with the words which Christ those who have not been favoured spake to his servant John, "Be- with revelation, or have rejected it: hold, I come quickly, and my reward though other Scriptures give some is with me, to give every man ac- light on the subject. The holy law cording as his work shall be. I am is the unalterable rule of right and Alpha and Omega, the beginning wrong, in respect of all men, howand the end, the first and the last. ever distinguished; nor is it possi Blessed are they that do his com- ble, that God should judge of chamandments, that they may have a racters and actions by any other right to the tree of life, and may rule; for the law is the exact reflecenter in through the gates into the tion of his infinite holiness, and he city." Rev. xxii. 12-14. But to cannot deny himself. He can, howwhom does the title and privilege ever, pardon the guilty, and make of the Tree of Life belong? Surely allowance for unavoidable disadto the true believer, who loves vantages. They who know not the Christ, and keeps his command-will of God, and do it not, shall be 'Ye are my friends," says heaten with few stripes: but they he, "if ye do whatsoever I com- who know and refuse to do his will, mand you."

ments. "6

shall be beaten with many stripes. This view of the subject harmo- Luke xii. 47, 48. It will be more nizes the whole Scripture, and re- tolerable in the day of judgment for conciles those parts which seem to Sodom and Gomorrah, than for those be contrary to each other: but when who heard the doctrines and saw this centre of unity is overlooked, the miracles of Christ, and did not men either " go about to establish repent and believe the gospel. their own righteousness," or run The apostle therefore adds, a few into Antinomianism. These two verses after the text, 66 As many as extremes are the Scylla and Cha- have sinned without law, shall also rybdis, the fatal rock or dreadful perish without law." They have whirlpool of our perilous voyage. indeed violated the perfect rule of I have, therefore, endeavoured to duty: but as they had not the admark out the safe passage between vantage of the written word, they them; and may the Holy Spirit will not be liable to so heavy a guide us at a distance from these and condemnation as wicked Jews and all other dangers, on the right hand Christians: yet, as they acted against and on the left! We proceed, then, the dictates of their own reason and

conscience, those remains of the law rejected the gospel, and sought jusoriginally written in the heart, they tification by the works of the law. "will perish without law." For, Deists discard revelation, and rely being a law to themselves," their on their own moral conduct to reconsciences may indeed excuse some commend them to God; and various parts of their conduct, but they must descriptions of professed Christians condemn others; especially in the form a complex law of works out of day when God shall judge the se- the religion of the New Testament. crets of men by Jesus Christ: so But whatever system, men favoured that "every mouth will be stopped, with revelation may adopt, if they and all the world become guilty put the event of the great decisive before God." Rom. iii. 19. All, day, on their own works, as the except idiots, (who scarcely can ground of their confidence; they be thought accountable creatures), will be judged according to the holy know far better than they practise, law of God, and fall under its awful and might know much more, were curse. "Christ is become of none not their hearts set against the truth effect to them: they are fallen from through love of sin. All men must grace, and become debtors to do the therefore be condemned according whole law." Gal. v. 1-6. The to this rule, and the number and advantages such men enjoy, the aggravation of their crimes, com- crimes they commit, their proud pared with the measure of their aversion to the humbling salvation advantages, is the standard by which of the gospel, and the degree of their punishment will be ascertained, their enmity and opposition to the by the infinitely righteous Judge. truth, will determine the measure What the Lord may do in mercy of their guilt and punishment, acto any of his sinful creatures, it does cording to the decision of unerring not become us to inquire, beyond wisdom and infinite justice. what he hath seen good to reveal: Some observations have already but we have no ground to suppose been made on the case of those who that any who die without spiritual allow the doctrines of Christianity, religion can be happy in another renounce dependence on their own world; and neither Scripture nor works, and profess to expect pardon, history countenance the opinion, that righteousness, and eternal life, as the Lord gives his sanctifying Spirit, "the gift of God, through Jesus where he has not sent some measure Christ our Lord." Such persons, of the light of revelation. We are when the Lord shall come, will be sure, however, that the state of judged according to this profession; pagans will be far better than that and if their faith be shown to have of wicked Christians so called. been living and genuine, by its holy While we therefore rejoice in our fruits, according to the discoveries privileges, we may tremble, lest which have been mentioned, they they should increase our condem- will, as justified believers, receive nation: and the state of the nations, the reward of righteousness; and who still sit in darkness and the their future glory and felicity will shadow of death, should animate be proportioned to the degree of our endeavours, and excite our pray- their grace and obedience of faith. ers for their conversion. But if their conduct and disposi

The apostle adds, "As many as tions have proved that they were have sinned under the law, shall not true believers, they will remain be judged by the law." The Jews under the condemnation of the law,

aggravated by their abuse of the derest love; "How long, ye simple gospel; and so have their portion ones, will ye love simplicity, and with hypocrites and unbelievers. scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn IV. Then let us make some par-ye at my reproof, I will pour out ticular application of the subject. my Spirit unto you, I will make It has been before remarked, known my words unto you.' But that "we must all appear before ere long, he will frown on the imthe judgment-seat of Christ ;" and penitent and unbelieving, and say, let this reflection sink deep into " Because I called and ye refused, every heart. Men voluntarily break I stretched out my hands and no the laws of their country, but dire man regarded; therefore shall ye compulsion takes place, when they eat the fruit of your own ways, and are convicted and executed for their be filled with your own devices." crimes. The young man, rejoicing -"Oh that men were wise, that in his vigour and flow of spirits, they understood these things, that may give a loose to his passions; they would consider their latter but let him remember, that "for end." Prov. i. 19-31. Deut.

all these things God will bring him xxxii. 29. into judgment."-You may now But will any of you, with this forget God, but he will not forget solemn season of discovery and you, or any of your works. You decision before your eyes, delibemay affront his justice, and despise rately put the event of it upon the his mercy but he will shortly say, goodness of your hearts and lives? "It is a people of no understand- Is there not in your very soul an ing: therefore he that made them involuntary shrinking from so strict will have no mercy on them." and awful a scrunity? Do you not Isaiah xxvii. 11. Now is the day feel a disposition to say, "Enter of the Lord's patience, but the day not into judgment with thy servant, of wrath and perdition of ungodly O Lord?" " If thou, Lord, shouldst men approacheth: now he invites mark iniquity, O Lord, who may you to draw near to his throne of stand?" As you value your immorgrace; shortly he will summon you tal souls, do not now insist on any to his awful tribunal. "Seek ye plea, which you feel to be inadmisthe Lord while he may be found; sible in the great day of righteous call ye upon him while he is near. retribution. Stand not on any disLet the wicked forsake his way, and tinction between your case and the unrighteous man his thoughts, that of your fellow-sinners. Seek and let him return unto the Lord, above all things an interest in the and he will have mercy on him, and atonement and righteousness of to our God, for he will abundantly Christ; and count all but loss that pardon." "Strive to enter in at you may win him, and be found in the strait gate, for many-shall him. Disregard the scorn and reseek to enter in, and shall not be proach of an unbelieving world; anable. When once the master of ticipating that day, when every eye the house is risen up, and hath shall see the despised Redeemer, shut to the door;" it will be for and his favour be universally alever in vain for those that stand lowed of more value than ten thou

without, to cry, Lord, Lord, sand worlds." Let every one," open to us." Now the Saviour however, "that nameth the name pleads with you, in accents of ten- of Christ, depart from all iniquity.”

"If we say that we have faith, and have not works, will faith save us,'

SERMON X.

HAPPINESS.

in the day when the Lord shall GODLINESS THE ONLY SOURCE OF TRUB render unto every man "according to his deeds?" Alas! a dead faith, a presumptuous hope, and an unsound profession, will only increase the anguish and shame of THE desire of gain, in one form or final condemnation. another, is universal; for though no

1 TIM. vi. 6.-Godliness with contentment is great gain.

Even if we be true believers, neg-one can seek the true riches for ligence and loose walking will cloud himself, without disinterested love our evidence, and weaken our war- to God and his neighbour: yet love ranted confidence: while the great to himself, and thirst after happiest possible encouragement is given ness, cannot be extinguished: being to all genuine good works, by that essential to our nature as God origivery system which excludes boast-nally constituted it, and not supering, and allows none of our services induced by the entrance of sin. If, the least share in our justification be- however, the apostle's compendious fore God. "Not a cup of cold water maxim were generally believed, given to a disciple, from love to how many vain projects would be Christ, shall lose its reward." He superseded! What fatigues, danwill accept every kindness to those gers, anxieties, envies, contentions, whom we look upon as his brethren, frauds, oppressions, wars, murders, even as if we had done it to him in and mischiefs, might be prevented! person: and while we forgive injuThe context is worthy of our peries, love enemies, deny ourselves, culiar attention. The servants in endure hardships, or bear any cross, those days were generally slaves; from love to his name, and desire and it frequently happened that to adorn and recommend his gospel; Christians were the property of he notices our poor services, and Pagans. Such a condition is comwill applaud and reward them be-monly thought very wretched, and fore men and angels.-Nay, if he slaves have seldom escaped cruel observe that we form plans and usage: yet the apostle elsewhere make attempts to promote his cause, says, "Art thou called, being a serand be serviceable to his people; vant! care not for it."-The Chriseven though he see good to disap-tian slave is Christ's freed man ; point our endeavours; he will for, "if the Son make you free, then kindly accept the zealous intention, are you free indeed:" but the unand openly say, "Thou didst well godly master is in deplorable bonthat it was in thine heart." "Let dage; "for he that committeth sin, as not therefore be weary in well- is the servant of sin." doing, for in due season we shall In this view of the subject the reap, if we faint not:" and "may apostle says, Let as many serwe all find mercy of the Lord in vants, as are under the yoke, count that day of retribution," and have their own masters worthy of all an abundant entrance into his king-honour: that the name of God and dom of everlasting glory and feli-his doctrine be not blasphemed.' city. For if Christian servants behaved less respectfully to their masters than others did, the heathens would blame their religion, as teaching