the true God, Elijah ftands fingle. The trial is made, and the grand queftion determined by a vifible token of the divine prefence. The nation returns to it's duty, idolatry is punished in it's votaries, the heaven gives rain, and the earth brings forth her increase.

On the banks of Jordan we behold, in the perfon of St. John*; another Elijah, reproving the people of Ifrael, again departed from the Lord their God, while fome, as the Pharifees, were hypocrites, and others, as the Sadducees, were unbelievers. Equally a ftranger to fear and partiality, and endued with a prophetical power of difcerning that ferpentine fubtlety and malignity * See Matt. iii. 7, &c.

which lurked under a fpecious outfide, he rebukes them fharply, if by any means he might convince them of fin, and lead them to true repent"O generation of vipers,

ance.

"who hath warned you to flee from 66 the wrath to come?" You, who feem to have taken poffeffion of the inheritance, as if Meffiah would never appear to claim it; you, who truft in yourselves that you are righteous, and defpife others; come you to me, to be baptized with publicans and finners? What can be the reason of all this? What can be your motive The bufinefs in hand is not one to be trifled with. Hypocrify has no place here; nor will the external fhew, without the internal work, in this cafe, avail to any thing,

but

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but condemnation. Bring forth "therefore fruits meet for repent"ance:" be not barren, but "bring "forth;" bring forth not leaves only, or fair profeffions, promifes, and defigns, but " fruits," or good deeds; and fuch as may be "worthy" of the tree on which they grow; fuch as may advance to maturity, and ripen into holiness. "And

"think not to fay within yourselves, "We have Abraham to our father:" many will hereafter fay that, to little purpose. A defcent from the loins of Abraham will profit none, but those who are like Abraham. His true children are reckoned by faith, not confanguinity. Imagine not

that the favour of heaven is hereditary and indefeasible in the line of

Abraham

Abraham according to the flesh, or that the divine promifes muft fail, if not made good to you; "for I fay "unto you, that God is able of "thefe ftones to raise up children "unto Abraham;" by the power of his grace he can make converts of nations at prefent utterly barren, unfruitful, obdurate, who fhall inherit the bleffing which you reject. Nor let the confideration, that Meffiah has fo long delayed his coming, induce you to be careless and negligent: "for now is the axe laid to "the root of the tree:" believe me, he is at hand; your trial will foon be over, and your fate determined; the decifive and irremediable stroke will be ftruck, if not prevented by a timely repentance, a fpeedy and

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real change of heart and manners; every tree which bringeth not "forth good fruit fhall be cut down "and caft into the fire." Hitherto God hath born with your errors and iniquities, but he will do fo no longer. The law hath been given, and the prophets have been fent; but they are not regarded; and therefore he is coming, after whom no other meffenger is to be expected from above. He will be the Saviour of all, who, from a fense of their fins, fhall be ready to embrace him as fuch. I am not that perfon, but the least and lowest of his fervants, fent before to give notice of his approach, and prepare you to receive him. "I "indeed baptize you with water "unto repentance;" but it is he

who