Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub
[ocr errors]

love; he is still inviting us by his word, and striving by his grace. Another season of his holy time he is adding to the number already given. The Saviour of the world is here again in the midst of a few assembled in his name. To those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, he is ready to minister that precious balm which alone can heal their sickness. Thanks be to God, that the battle, we may believe, is not yet lost; though foiled and often repulsed; though even retreating, we are yet in the field, and under that Captain of our Salvation, who is able and willing to conduct us to certain victory. However weary in the conflict, or heavy laden with a sense of guilt, come unto him, and he will give you rest. "Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be like wool; though red like crimson, they shall be white as snow." "If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Why are we

If it then be so; if the Lord be so merciful and long-suffering, why are we not saved? Why are we still in doubt, and sin, and unbelief? not rejoicing in hope? "Why then," (concludes the prophet,) "is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered ?" This, brethren, is a close and heart-searching interrogation, from which especially, we should make the improvement of our subject. If the Lord does still continue to us the seasons of mercy and the day of salvation; if the medicine for a sinful soul be still prepared, and the physician ready to give it; if the arms of God's mercy be yet open to receive; the hand of Christ held out to lead, and his Spirit ready to strengthen us, what reason have we

to offer for not being saved? Why are not all Christians? Why does any one continue without hope, and without God in the world? The prophet had no occasion to answer this question. It is left to our own conscience; the reason is too obvious; the fault is wholly ours. "Ye will not," (saith Jesus,) "come to me, that I should give you life." On his part "all things are ready," but we refuse to come. We trust in Egypt; our hopes, our treasures, our hearts, are in the world. The love of the world, and its various amusements; an intemperate pursuit of its wealth and honours; a destructive fondness for a vain show; a routine of dissipation and scenes of pleasure; habits of levity, mirth and laughter; too much thought for the morrow, and anxious fears of want and suffering in the time to come; these are among the principal causes of the low state of religion, and of our profiting so little by our religious privileges, Hence it is, that our spiritual state, far from being as it should be, better, is, we may well fear, worse, more cold and dead, than it was the last year.

And are we content with this state of things? Do we intend thus to live, and thus to die? Does it awaken in us no solicitude or alarm, that while we are walking blindfold on the brink of the grave; while we know not but the next moment we may be called to the eternal world, we have no assurance that we shall be saved in Christ, or accepted of God? For such a condition of the daughter of God's people must not his prophet be hurt? While his labours are thus unfruitful, the blackness of discouragement will darken around the minister of Christ, and fill his soul with astonishment and grief.

subject to trust less Look no more back

Let Christians learn from our in the world, and more in God. to Egypt, but rejoice that you are delivered from its bondage, and in the Lord's strength go on conquering and to conquer. While there yet remains so much land to be possessed; so many evil desires and vicious habits to be subdued; so many noble, godlike virtues to be attained, let us put on the whole armour of God, and by patient continuance in well doing, go on to perfection. This subject we ought to apply, each one, who knows the plague of his own heart, individually to his own case, The blindness of mankind, or their disregard of their immortal destinies, is a strange infatuation. The children of this world in their generation, even the birds of the air, are wiser than men in their religious concerns. "The stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle, and the crane, and the swallow, observe the time of their coming, but my people know not the judgment of the Lord." All the unnumbered mercies which we daily enjoy; our bibles and our Sabbaths, our sacraments and sermons, without a due improvement, will but add to our condemnation. Our boasted privileges of light and liberty, do but increase our guilt and shame, if we walk still in the darkness of sin, and are slaves to evil passions. Every additional mercy which flows from the fountain of divine goodness, leaves the sinner without excuse.

God forbid that we should be left without hope; God forbid that this blessed season of grace should with any of us be also lost. While balm remains in Gilead; while the "fountain for sin and uncleanness," remains open; while the Lord, with patient

goodness, is still stretching forth his hand to a disobedient and gainsaying people, let us not despair of salvation; but rather repair without delay, to the physician of our souls, that our health may be speedily recovered. And to the God of our salvation; to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, be rendered eternal praise.

SERMON XXVI.

ON THE WORTH OF THE SOUL.

Matt. xvi. 26.

What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

IN discoursing on a subject so common, and so familiar to a Christian congregation as these words propose, novelty will not be expected. To awaken your serious attention to truths which it equally concerns all men deeply to consider, is what in the present discourse will be, the Lord permitting, attempted, and we hope, through his blessing, that it is all which on the preacher's part will be ne

cessary.

That we, respected friends and brethren, during our short continuance in this mortal state, have a soul to dispose of; that our immortal destiny depends on our choice and conduct in this present world, is a consideration in itself, sufficient to awaken in every reflecting mind the utmost solicitude, and the deepest concern. Our Lord having put such a question as this now before us, had no occasion to give the answer; it is very evident that no price of equal value

« VorigeDoorgaan »