days which some squander in profligate profusion, as if life were endless, or its duration at their own command. Is any careless and forgetful of escapes and deliverances from danger, by which Providence has lengthened out his days, and the Judge postponed his coming? Let him think better and more seriously on matters so serious and so critical. For "he that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy;"* and “the Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but is long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance: but the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night."† Does the rich man glory in his riches? the wise in his wisdom? the mighty in his might? These things, it is true, are all blessings: every creature of God is good, and men may, and under due restrictions and limitations may lawfully, serve themselves by means of them at this present time, and to the increase of their own temporal enjoyment. But let them remember these things were given chiefly as talents, wherewith to serve God-as means of usefulness, wherewith to serve their fellow creatures-and as affording opportunities, in the just use of them, for laying up treasure in heaven for themselves. And Prov. xxix. 1. + 2 Peter iii. 9, 10. therefore let them further remember him,* who was "clothed in purple and fine linen," and in his lifetime "received his good things, making his wealth his idol and his portion. And let them consider well his doom; and his also, who, when his grounds brought forth plentifully, forgot God and the poor, and hoarded all up for himself for years to come, when he had not another day to live. Let people make unto themselves friends. of the unrighteous mammon, and bear it ever in mind that they are but stewards of God's gifts, and moreover that it is required of stewards that а man be found faithful. And in the selfsame way let all deal with respect to spiritual advantages. For if the Gospel be not a savour of life unto life, it is a savour of death unto death ; it would be better not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from it. The heaviest wrath of all is the wrath of the Lamb, who is willing to take away the sin of the world, and to give power to become sons of God to as many as receive him; but who says of himself nevertheless, "Whosoever shall fall upon this stone shall be broken, but upon whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder." doubt, by many. and we are safe. He is made a minister of sin, no Christ hath died, they think, *Luke xvi. 19. + Luke xii. 16. Matt. xxi. 44. yet longer for us, and when at length we turn to God by him, all will be well; and thus, "because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." But it is writtenand such presumptuous abusers of divine grace would do well to think of it-that when any shall "bless himself in his heart, saying, "I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of my own heart-the Lord will not spare him, but the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against him, and the Lord will blot out his name from under heaven." And as he says to Israel, “Behold, I send an angel before thee to keep thee in the way. Beware of him, and obey his voice; provoke him not, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him."-So he delivers the like warning explicitly to ourselves, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure."§ Finally, then, my brethren, "quench not the Spirit." Let all the comforts of the creatures draw you nearer to the author of them. Let crosses and convictions do the same. Let the love of Christ constrain you to live unto him that died for you, and be ever asking, concerning every privilege and blessing, whether spiritual or * Eccles. viii. 11. † Deut. xxix. 19, 20. ‡ Exod. xxiii. 21. Phil. ii. 13. temporal, how may we best use and improve this to God's honour and our neighbour's good? The effect then will be, that God will bless all things to you your blessings and your crosses also. His end will be answered, and your reward secured through grace; and instead of sharing the sad lot of those who receive their good things wholly below, you will have to praise him for ever for all your privileges and advantages, because, though such peculiar mercies were indeed awful things, and to be rejoiced in with trembling, whilst the period of trial lasted; the trial being over at length, the danger is over also; and ye can never fall more from the high estate towards which you have been brought forward by their means. And God grant, my brethren, that it may so prove with all of you of His tender mercy, and for His sake who died to make atonement for our sins. 63 SERMON IV. LOVE THE FULFILLING OF THE LAW. (Preached on the first Sunday in Advent.) ROMANS xiii. 8-9. "Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another, hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." In our Lord's most solemn account of the day of final judgment, he intimates that special inquiry will be made respecting works of charity. Our church, therefore, whose intent it is, by the proper services of the present season, to prepare us for judgment, has selected for our meditations a portion of Scripture in which this most excel |