ture, "dead to fin," as a corpfe is to the delights and concerns of life. "The dead know not any thing, "neither have they any more a por"tion in any thing that is done un"der the funt."

STRANGE, therefore, as St. John's appearance and manner of life might at firft feem, they were presently explained, when he began to preach a doctrine harsh and distasteful to flesh and blood, as the garment he wore, and the food on which he fubfifted. "Repent ye;" that is, Be converted, or changed, in heart and mind, in principle and practice, from error to truth, from fin to righteousness, from the flesh to the Spirit, from the world to God; "for the kingdom of hea+ Ecclef, ix. 5, 6.

* Rom. vi. 2.

ven is at hand*;" a new and hea venly kingdom is about to be fet up amongst you, with new and heavenly laws, under a new and heavenly king, the promised Meffiah; and none but men of new and heavenly tempers and difpofitions can poffibly become the fubjects of it. I am the perfon commiffioned to prepare you for your happy change, by calling you to repentance, and to my baptifm, which is "the baptifm of repentance, "for the remiffion of finst," through faith in him "who cometh after me," to confer pardon and forgiveness. I am the meffenger foretold by Mar lachi and Ifaiah, fent in this manner to prepare the way of him who is your King, your Lord, and your

Luke iii. 2.

M

† Ibid. iii. 3.

God,

God, now ready to be revealed, as the Saviour of men.

66

Repent ye,

"for the kingdom of heaven is at "hand." Thus did St. John lay the foundations of the evangelical edifice in mortification and felf-denial; nor did his bleffed Mafter afterward propofe the glories of a crown to any but those who should be ready to take up their crofs in the way to them.

THE appearance of fanctity, put on by every impoftor, is a proof of the influence, which it hath, when genuine and unaffected, over the minds of men. The preacher will always be attended, who conforms to his own doctrine, and exemplifies it in his life, be that doctrine ever fo rigid. No fooner was it known, that Johu,

the

the fon of Zacharias, was come forth from the defarts, and had begun to preach, but "there went out unto "him Jerufalem, and all Judea, and "all the region round about Jordan, "and were baptized of him in Jor

dan, confeffing their fins *." The difcourfes of the Baptift were sharp and piercing as lancets. He applied them home to the human heart, fwollen with pride, and full of iniquity. And indeed, much anxiety and wretchednefs might be relieved, much despair and fuicide might be prevented among us of this land, if the members of our church would but follow her direction, and as often as their minds were oppreffed, and they could not quiet their own con* Matt. iii. 5, 6.

fciences, go "to fome difcreet and "learned minifter of God's word, "and open their grief, that they

might receive the benefit of absolution, together with ghoftly coun"fel and advice."

THE wisdom and goodness of God are seen in his manner of proportioning his aids to the exigencies of his people, and raising up reformers, when religion most needs their help, to revive the true fpirit of it among men. If we view the state of things in Judea at two different periods, we shall foon perceive how feasonably Elijah was fent at one time, and John the Baptift, that fecond Elijah, at another. Each was an era of diftinguished corruption, but corruption of a different fpecies. During the

former,