and then he shall have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another.

The mind of man, notwithstanding its present degeneracy and corruption, even in the most unenlightened savage, maintains so much of its native freedom, dignity and glory, as to spurn from it all violence and force. It shrinks back with abhorrence and indignation from all tenets and opinions, obtruded upon it by external pains or penalties.

Witness, ye noble army of Saints and Martyrs of every age, that no man's judgment was ever convicted by stripes, by imprisonments, by racks or by flames! Nay witness, even ye unenlightened tribes of Mexico and Peru, that the murder of millions, for the pretence of religion, hath served for nothing more than to rivet the unhappy survivors still deeper in their tenets, whether of Truth or of Error; and to convince them that a good and gracious God could never be the author of that religion which can sanctify such enormities and barbarities!

Whatever may be the pretence, all such methods as these, dishonour our master Christ, whose whole Gospel breathes only the spirit of Love; and it is as repugnant to this spirit, to persecute the most erroneous as the most sound Believer!

How long, O merciful Father of the human race, how long!-But I forbear-Blessed be God, the Church, of which we are members, hath not so learned Christ. Nay all churches, in the present philosophic and enlightened day, are approaching nearer to each other in Christian Charity; and those garments

which were once rolled in blood, are now undergoing a daily and silent ablution!

But besides this external compulsion, of which we have been speaking; there is also an internal compulsion attempted by many, which is alike unjustifiable; namely, the dressing out the pure religion of the Gospel in a way that offers salvation without obedience to its moral precepts; and strives to persuade men that they may become Christians on easier terms than Christ hath appointed. And, under this head, I cannot but mention those who, in order to draw or compel numbers to their party, enter the houses of weak and unstable persons; flatter their particular passions or prejudices; lay the stress of religion on some favourite Tenets or Shibboleths; neglect to make known the whole counsel of God; and seek to preach themselves, more than their master Jesus Christ.

But turn we from all such methods as those which the Gospel will not justify; and come we to a more joyous and important subject-the consideration of those methods which it not only justifies but com. mands; whereby all of us, both clergy and laity may be instrumental, through the help of God, in compelling others to the profession of the Gospel, and the practice of its Divine Precepts; and this we may do

1st. By special instruction and exhortation;

2dly. By living example; and

3dly. By the decency, devotion, fervency and solemnity of our forms of public worship, and by

embracing every opportunity for their further im provement.

First, concerning instruction and exhortation; although the laity ought on all proper occasions to invite and persuade men to the practice of true reli gion, as it is in the Gospel; yet I shall consider this duty chiefly as it concerns the Clergy, who are those servants more particularly addressed in the text, and commanded to go forth, as special messengers, not barely to instruct and exhort, but vehemently to urge and to press, and by all just and Christian methods to compel others to come in; displaying to them, with faithfulness and unwearied zeal, the whole counsel of God-the terrors and judgments of the law, as well as the marvellous grace and rich mercies of the Gospel-the duties of Love and Evangelical Obedience, as well as the divine virtues of Faith and Heavenly Hope!

A preacher of the gospel, truly animated with these exalted subjects, impressed with the weight of eternal truth, glowing for the good of his fellow-creatures, and convinced of the immense value of their immortal souls, has noble opportunities of touching the hearts of men, and even of constraining, or compelling them to the love of God.

To describe aright that unbounded goodness which created this world; to trace the ways of that Providence which directs all events in it with unerring wisdom; to show forth the patience and longsuffering of the Almighty with his fallen and sinful creatures, through the various ages of the world, and

all the marvellous workings of his love to reclaim and save them; but, above all, to set forth the peculiar glory and sufficiency of that method of Salvation which he hath declared to us in Christ Jesus, who hath blotted out the dreadful sentence of condemnation the hand writing that was against us; who hath delivered us from the burden of ceremonies and sacrifices under the old Law, and hath given us a new Law, simple and pure, in its stead, and founded upon the one complete sacrifice of himself for the sins of the whole world!

O love unspeakable, which astonishes even Angels, and hath broken the kingdom of Devils! What can ever move, constrain or compel, the human heart, if Love like this hath no effect? Think you that if a servant of God, really inflamed with this Love, were proposing its rich overtures, even to the most unenlightened Gentile, in a language and sense intelligible to him-he would not cry out-O the heights and the depths thereof! O blessed Saviour! I desire to taste of this Love of thine-I am ready to follow thy divine call, and the calls of thy faithful servants, who speak in thy name-Draw me, I beseech thee, more and more by this constraining Love-Draw me and I will follow, nay I will run, after thee!

It is in this sense only that the messengers and ministers of God can be said to be enjoined to compel men to come in; namely by giving them just and ravishing views of God's goodness; by being urgent and pressing on the subject, by setting forth the beauty of holiness and the great importance of the Christian Revelation; the duties which it commands,

the vices and impurities which it forbids, the support which it offers us in life, the comforts in death, and the prospects of joy through immeasurable eternity!.

I come now to the second kind of compulsion, which, by God's grace, is in the power of us all, both Clergy and Laity; and that is, by our constant endeavours to become strong and living examples of all goodness; which is indeed our highest duty, and most reasonable service. For since, as hath been before said, our lot is cast among the highways and hedges of this new world, we should consider ourselves as peculiarly addressed in the text, "to be blameless and without rebuke in the midst of a perverse and crooked generation;" to be shining lightsillustrious examples of the power and efficacy of the Gospel-a testimony to the heathen around us of the truth and purity of its doctrines; that they, "seeing our good works," may be powerfully led or compelled to embrace such a holy Religion, and "to glorify our Father who is in heaven."

Let this then, my Brethren, both of the Clergy and Laity, namely, our works and living example, be the mutual test of our Faith and of your Faith-For it will not be so much a question at the last day, of what Church we were, nor whether we were of Paul or of Apollos, but whether we were of Christ Jesus, and had the true marks of Christianity in our lives? Were we poor in Spirit, humble, meek, and pure in Heart? Did we pray without ceasing? Had we subdued our Spirits to the Spirit of God, and lifted our affections above earthly things? Have we nailed our