emboldened primarily and principally to recommend the Gospel from this consideration, that while the zealous advocates for self-righteousness are miserably defective in all spiritual duties, the Gospel of Christ invariably stimulates us to a holy, spiritual, and unreserved obedience.

Many more excellencies of the Gospel might be mentioned: but if those that have been stated will not endear it to us, it is in vain to hope that any thing which could be added would procure it a favourable reception.

And now, as there are many in this Assembly who are already engaged in the service of the sanctuary, and many others who are destined in due time to undertake the sacred office of the ministry, and as the words of my text are in a more especial manner applicable to persons so circumstanced, suffer me, with humility, yet with freedom and faithfulness, to address myself in a more especial manner to them; and let me entreat you to bear with me if I "use great boldness of speech."

I would beseech you then, my Brethren, to consider, that as the eternal welfare of our fellow-creatures is suspended on their reception or rejection of the Gospel, so their acquaintance with the Gospel must depend, in a great measure, on those who are authorized to teach it: for "faith cometh by hearing; and how shall they hear without a preacher?" Be not offended then if I ask, whether you yourselves have "received the truth in the love of it?" If you have not, how can you properly commend it to others? How can it be expected that you should " contend earnestly for that faith" which you yourselves have never embraced; or that you should labour with becoming zeal to convert your hearers, when you yourselves are unconverted? O let it be a matter of deep and serious inquiry amongst us, whether we have felt the force and influence of the Gospel? Have we ever been convinced of unbelief'

b Preached before the University.

Have we seen the equity and reasonableness of the judgments denounced against us whilst in that state? Have we, under a deep conviction of our guilt and helplessness, "fled to Christ for refuge?" Have we discovered the transcendent excellency of this salvation; and do we feel in our inmost souls its perfect suitableness to our own necessities, and its tendency to promote the interests of holiness? Can we say with the Apostle, that, "what our eyes have seen, our ears have heard, and our hands have handled of the word of life, that, and that only, we declare" unto our people? In short, while we profess that "the ministry of reconciliation has been committed unto us," do we experience this reconciliation ourselves? The salvation of our own souls, no less than that of our fellow-sinners, depends on this: indeed we are more interested in the Gospel than any; for if we continue ignorant of it, we perish under the aggravated guilt of rejecting it ourselves, and of betraying the souls of others into irretrievable ruin. We, of all people under heaven, are most bound to divest ourselves of prejudice, and to labour with our whole hearts, both to enjoy the blessings of the Gospel, and to shew ourselves patterns of its sanctifying influence. Let us then, in compliance with the Divine command, "take heed to ourselves, and to our doctrine, that, in so doing, we may both save ourselves and them that hear us."

But let others also be aware, that though they may have no responsibility attaching to them as ministers, they have as Christians. I must beg leave therefore to say unto all, that as " baptism is not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God," so the faith which they profess cannot save them, unless it be accompanied with a renovation of heart and life. Do not then be hasty to conclude that you are true believers: " examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith; prove your ownselves." Be assured, it is no easy matter to believe: it is by no means pleasing to flesh and blood: there is not any thing to which we

are naturally more averse: what our Lord said to the Jews of old may be addressed with equal propriety to the greater part of nominal Christians, "Ye will not come unto me, that ye may have life." But let it be remembered, that, however humiliating it may appear to our proud nature to renounce all self-righteousness and self-dependence, and to look for acceptance through the merits of Christ alone, it must be done : it will profit us little to have received the outward seal of his covenant, unless we possess also "the faith of God's elect." Our lofty looks must be humbled, our haughtiness must be brought down, and the Lord alone must be exalted:" we must bow before the sceptre of his grace, or we shall be "broken in pieces with a rod of iron." If we truly and cordially "receive Him, we shall have the privilege of becoming the sons of God; and if sons, then heirs; heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ." But "what shall our end be, if we obey not the Gospel?" What prospect have we, but to be "punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power?" Behold then, life and death are this day set before you. Bearing, as we do, a commission from the Lord Jesus to preach his Gospel, "we are debtors both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise." In his sacred name, therefore, we deliver our message; we are constrained to deliver it with all faithfulness, "whether ye will hear, or whether ye will forbear." He, who with a penitent and contrite heart believeth in the Son of God, and, by virtue of that faith, is enabled to confess him before men, and to honour him by a holy life, he shall "receive the remission of his sins, and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in Christ." But he, who believeth not on the Son of God, however moral he may have been in his external conduct, and whatever pleas he may urge in extenuation of his guilt, he, I say, "shall not see life, but the wrath of God shall abide upon him:" he hath practically said, "I will not have this man to reign over me;" and the despised

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Saviour will, ere long, issue this vindictive sentenceBring him hither, and slay him before me." The decree is gone forth, nor shall all the powers of heaven or hell reverse it, "He who believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned."

MCCCCLXII.
MCCCCLXIII.
MCCCCLXIV.
MCCCCLXV.

See the end of CLAUDE'S ESSAY, where there are four different Skeletons on this same text, to illustrate the four different modes of discussion, by Explication-by Observationsby Propositions and by perpetual Application. These, it is hoped, will throw considerable light upon the Composition of a Sermon, as an art or Science, and facilitate the attainment of it.

JOHN THE FORERUNNER OF JESUS.

Luke i. 17. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

THE Mosaic dispensation may be called the age of prophecy; for under it was foretold every thing which should be accomplished to the end of time. The nearer the prophets arrived to the commencement of the Christian era, the more minute and circumstantial were their predictions respecting it. Other prophets had spoken largely of the Messiah ; but Malachi, the last of them, points out his harbinger; and closes the prophetic canon with announcing the mission of one, who should prepare the world for his reception. Accordingly, about the time that Christ was to come, it was expected that Elijah, or at least some prophet like unto him, should first appear. Hence, when the angel was sent to Zacharias to inform him, that he in his old age should have a son, who was destined by God to the office of introducing the Messiah; he cited that very prophecy of Malachi, and cast the true light upon it: he told him, that this son of his should go before the Messiah in the spirit and power of Elias, and have the honour of announcing to the world the Messiah's advent.

a Mal. iv. 5, 6.

Hence those questions put to the Baptist, John i. 21. and to our Lord, Matt. xvii. 10—13.