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condemn you. How righteous, how rational, is the judgement of Holy Writ! How equitable is the condemnation which the Scriptures pronounce against those who love the praife of men more than the praise of God! Chrift is not like the world, an undifcerning, a capricious, an unjust, a forgetful mafter. Be ye His fervants: feek His favour. Give no real occafion to others to speak evil of you. from the appearance of evil. anxiety cease.

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Abftain even

There let ceafe. Be not uneafy as to the opinions of men. Be not depreffed by the lofs of human approbation. Be not elated nor enfnared by poffeffing it. Let it be your main folicitude to be found among thofe whofe praife is not of men, but of God. The Lord will come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifeft the counfels of the heart : and then fhall every man, every true Chriftain, have praife of God. That praife is praise indeed. That praife endureth for

ever.

Thirdly: Juftify wisdom, justify true religion, by manifefting yourselves to be her children. Draw not from the preced

Rom. ii. 29. 1 Cor. iv. 5,

ing obfervations a conclufion which they do not warrant. If you are cenfured by the world on account of your opinions, or your conduct respecting religion, imagine not that the cenfure is a proof that you are religious. The cenfure of the world, though often misplaced, is not always misplaced. If you are charged with having judged erroneously, it may be that you have judged erroneously. If you are accufed of having acted amifs; you may have acted amifs. If enthufiafm or fanaticifm be imputed to

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you; perhaps you more or lefs deferve the imputation. Let the cenfure and the praise of others equally fend you to your Bible. Search the word of truth. Compare your religious opinions, your religious practice, with the doctrines and commandments of your Lord. Confult him, in his revealed word, with an humble, contrite, and teachable heart, as a child liftens to its inftructor, It was in vain that John the Baptift preached to the fcornful and hardened Pharifees; that generation of vipers, who, though defirous to escape the wrath to come, would not abandon their fins, and bring forth fruits meet for repentance. It was in vain that Jefus Chrift addreffed himself to that self-righteous race, who trufted

in their own imaginary merits, and defpifed the offered atonement of a Saviour. My fon, if thou wilt incline thine ear unto wifdom, and apply thine heart to understanding: if thou feekeft her as filver, and fearcheft for her as for bid treafures: then fhalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge ̧ and understanding When you have lif

tened to the words of wifdom, recorded from his mouth in the Gospel, ftrive, through the influence of his Holy Spirit, to obey them as an affectionate child obeys. its parent. its fruits.

Let your faith prove itfelf by At the fame time that you are found in doctrine, be a pattern of every good work. So fhall you be the children of wisdom: so shall you justify wisdom. So fhall you evince that Chrift Jefus is made unto you, wisdom, and righteousness, and fanctification, and redemption. So fhall you glorify God in the way of falvation. So fhall you recommend the way of falvation to mankind.

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If thus juftify wisdom, behold the hour approaches, when before the affembled world, wisdom fhall juftify you. Fear him who can caft both body and foul into

* Prov. ii, 1-6.

hell.

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But fear ye not the reproach of men: ither be ye afraid of their revilings. Behold the hour cometh, when Chrift fhall ender to every man according to his deeds. Then fhall the righteous man ftand in great boldness before the face of fuch as have afflicted him, and made no account of his labours. When they fee it, they fhall be troubled with terrible fear: and fhall be amazed at the ftrangeness of his falvation, so far beyond all that they looked for. And they, repenting, and groaning for anguish of Spirit, shall say within themselves; this was he whom we had fome-· time in derifion, and a proverb of reproach. We fools accounted his life madness; and his end to be without honour. How is he numbered with the children of God: and his lot is among the Saints *!

* Wisdom, v. 1-5.

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1807

SERMON IV.

On coming unto JESUS CHRIST for life.

JOHN, V. 40.

Ye will not come unto me, that ye might bave life.

SUPPOSE a legiflator, anxious to deter his fubjects from the commiffion of a particular crime, were to annex to it, as a penal confequence, the total confifcation of property. Suppofe an individual, forewarned of the impending effects of disobedience, wilfully to commit the crime. Confifcation enfues. The inheritance defigned for his children is intercepted. Suppose the children arrived at manhood, and treading in the fteps of their father. Suppose them habitually trampling upon ftatutes, which they feel themselves bound by ties of duty to obey; and manifefting by efforts of impotent treafon inherent malevolence

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