There are, indeed, burning lips, which sometimes accompany a wicked heart. There are some fulsome hypocrites, whose religion wholly consists in the talk of the lips. These often expose religion to contempt by an improper manner of urging it into conversation. Be ye not like them. But then if you feel an aversion to serious dicourse, and a disposition to divert it, whenever it meets you, How dwells the love of God in you?

What you esteem will influence your practice. That which you make your great end, will chiefly govern your actions. If your heart is set on any particular object, whether it be honour, wealth, or pleasure, that object you will pursue with an engagedness proportionable to the estimation which you make of it. Enquire then ; Do the blessings of the gospel command your desires ?-Do its promises animate your hopes?-Do its threatenings awaken your fears?-Do its precepts guide your steps ?—If you are strangers to this holy influence of the gospel, how can you say, you do not despise it? The world is not viewed with indifference. If this has the highest place in your mind, the gospel is despised. You cannot serve God and mammon. If you hold to the one, you despise the other.

You are solicitous to acquire an interest in that which you esteem most valuable. Your love of the world prompts your diligence to get a share in it. Your affection for a particular person makes you studious to please him. If you value the gospel of Christ, you will feel a deep concern to obtain the gcat salvation which it reveals. You will be careful to understand the terms of it. You will renounce every thing, which you know to be contrary to it. You will count all things but loss in comparison with it. You will cut off your right hand, and pluck out your right eye, when it causcs you to offend. You will not run the hazard of

losing your soul, though you might thus gain the whole world. Such a price you will judge infinitely too great for the purchase. The world cannot be given back in exchange for the soul.

If you value an object, you will be careful to as certain your interest in it. The husbandman will not purchase a farm of him, who cannot make him a good title. The merchant will not trust his wares to those who appear unable to pay him. If one should tell you, your title to your estate was precarious, you would not rest till you had examined it, taken advice upon it, and made it as secure as possible. If you should hear, that some principal debtor was like to fail, you would take measures immediately to save your debt. If you have the same value for the blessings of the gospel, as you have for the interests of the world, you will be as prudent and diligent to secure them. You will axamine yourself, whether you are in the faith, and whether Christ is formed in you. Every doubt which arises in your mind, will give you sensible concern, and put you on new enquiry. You will give diligence to the full assurance of hope.-How do you find the matter?-Can you live from month to month, and from year to year, careless, and unconcerned, without a clear, or even a probable evidence of your title to the great salvation of the gospel? Let me tell you, most certainly you despise it. You would not remain thus indifferent, if any considerable worldly interest was in the same precarious situa tion.

What you chiefly value, you will spare no pains or expense to secure. To this you will make all other interests subservient. Go then, imitate the wisdom of the husbandman, who, having found a treasure hid in a field, sold all that he had, and purchased that field-adopt the prudence of the merchant, seeking goodly pearls, who, having found VOL. II.

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one pearl of great price, sold all his goods to procure it. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Lay up treasures in heaven. Imagine not that a few transient thoughts, cold petitions and lifeless endeavours, will entitle you to glory. If your seeking rises no higher than thus, it is but neglect. In the salvation of the soul there is such an evident and undisputed superiority to every worldly interest, that this indolent seeking of the former, while the latter is pursued with ardour, is little better than direct contempt. And how will you escape, if you neglect this great salvation? A salvation declared to be great by the price which the Redeemer has paid for the purchase of it, by the affectionate importunity with which he has urged your acceptance of it, and by the joy of heaven over those who obtain a share in it.

Once more. What we esteem, we ordinarily choose that others should esteem too. We are pleased when they approve our judgment. It grieves us to see them despise the interests which we value, and to hear them reproach the friends whom we honour. If we love the gospel, we shall desire that all men would embrace it. We shall openly profess our belief of, and attachment to it. If we have, by any means, cast a stain upon it, we shall, on conviction, immediately wipe it off by a voluntary confession of our error. We shall recommend this gospel to others by a regular attendance on its ordinances, and exemplary obedience to its precepts. When we hear men reproach its heavenly doctrines, or see them trample on its sacred institutions, our hearts will be warmed with holy indignation. We shall wish to see its influence among men more extensive and powerful, and shall gladly contribute our aid to this important purpose.

Enquire now, how it is with you, Can you rest contented without a profession of the gospel, and

an attendance on its ordinances? Can you plead, or patiently hear others plead in defence of licentious opinions, or in excuse of ungodly practices? Can you listen with smiles of pleasure, or even stand with silent indifference, when men cavil at the evidences, ridicule the doctrines, and vilify the institutions of the gospel? Can you take a part in, or refrain to bear testimony against the impious slanders, which profane sinners wantonly throw out against it?-You certainly despise it.-Beware then, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets, Behold ye despisers, and wonder and perish.

To open and apply this warning, will be the business of our next discourse.

SERMON VIL

The wonderful Destruction of those who despise the

Gospel.

ACTS, xiii. 40, 41.

Beware therefore lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets; Behold, ye despisers, and wonder and perish : For I work a work in your days; a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it to you.

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our preceding discourse we illustrated the character of these despisers, whom the Apostle in our text, so solemnly warns of their danger. We proceed,

II. To shew in what respects, it may be said, They will perish wonderfully.

Here are two things asserted: That destruction awaits contemptuous sinners; and that this destruction, when it comes, will be wonderful.

First, Destruction awaits contemptuous sinners. The Apostle says, "If righteousness come by the law, Christ is dead in vain." If salvation is attainable by the mere strength of nature, and by the works of righteousness which we already have done, or in future shall do, in vain is the gospel plan con