its greatness.

pleased to "shew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness towards us by Christ Jesus." These displays of divine love, are addressed to the ingenuous feelings of human nature; and while they call our attention to our true interests, they are at the same time calculated to engage the confidence, and excite the gratitude of those who know the grace of God in truth.-The work of redemption furnishes the subject of profound research to the highest orders of intelligent beings; and opens to them sources of the noblest delight. "Angels desire to look into these things; the principali. ties and powers of heaven learn from the church the manifold wisdom of God." Shall we then refuse to attend to the heavenly doctrines revealed in the gospel? We, the children of men, for whose benefit the wondrous plan of redeeming grace was formed! We, for whom the Son of God came down to earth, took part of our nature, and died on the cross! The conduct of thoughtless sinners betrays, unquestionably, a worse than brutish stupidity and ingratitude. To them is strongly applicable that affecting charge, which God, by the prophet Isaiah, advances against his ancient people;

❝ the ox

may study or neglect as they choose. The gospel proceeds from God, and is enforced by his authority. This is the address of the wisdom of God, "To you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of men." "God who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son." He hath said

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they will reverence my Son." And he hath testified by a voice from the excellent glory, saying, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." It is "his commandment that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ." Hence it becomes our duty to attend with the most serious regard to the grounds and objects of faith. This duty no man is at liberty to decline. Inattention to the doctrines of Revelation indicates a persuasion that the gospel is either untrue, or insignificant; it is nothing less than to arraign the wisdom of God, to reject his testimony, and to make him a li

ar.

On so obvious a point it is unnecessary to multiply words. Know then, O inconsiderate man, that thy conduct too plain. ly manifests a presumptuous opposition to divine authority, an insulting contempt of the Majesty of heaven.

Inconsideration discovers an entire disregard of our true and noblest interests.-Such is the degeneracy of human nature, that there are many individuals on whose minds the considerations of reason and duty, however forcible, produce no im. pression. But men are generally governed by a regard to their interest. In this respect, 2X

This

the children of this world are wise in their generation. They grudge not the attention that is necessary to form their schemes, to balance interfering interests, and to choose the means that seem best adapted to accomplish the object of their wishes. prudent foresight is generally rewarded with success in life, and with the applause of the world; for 66 men shall praise thee when thou doest well for thyself." Whereas the imprudent thoughtless man, who pays no attention to his affairs, but allows them through his own negligence, to run into confusion, is regarded as a contemptible character, and suffers, unpitied, the consequences of his folly. Why then should not the same principle induce men to attend to the everlasting gospel; and to attend to it with an earnestness, suited to the incomparable value of the blessings which it brings? Is it consistent with prudence to regard only inferior interests, and to neglect those of superior importance? Are the objects which the generality of men pursue with so much ardor, at all to be compared with those which the gospel presents. Is it wise, to care only for the body, which is soon to return to its kindred dust; to seek the enjoyments of this world, the fashion whereof passeth quickly away; or to provide for the flesh in order to fulfil its baser lusts; and at the same time to despise altogether the welfare of the soul;-the soul which was originally formed after the image of God, which is still capable of alliance with him, and which is destined to live for ever? Can this conduct be justified on the principles of

rational self-love, and of that prudence, which leads a man to choose, according to their rela. tive importance, the objects of his pursuit.

But what are the specific advall. tages which christianity sets be. fore us? To men, guilty and condemned, it holds out the promise of forgiveness of sins and peace with God? To men, depraved, polluted, and enslaved by sin, it tenders that renewing grace, by which they may be raised to all the purity, and dignity, and liberty of his children. To men

whose connexion with the world is soon to be dissolved, and who are advancing apace to an eternal state, it gives the assurance of deliverance from the wrath to come, and opens to them the hope of heavenly blessedness and glory. Are benefits such as these, to be despised? Are they so obviously insignificant, that it is not worth while to employ one hour in seriously weighing their value and importance? Or is it possible to conceive bless, ings more adapted to the situation and necessities of those to whom they are proposed? Pretend not any more, inconsiderate sinner, to wisdom and prudence. Thy way is folly in the sight of God. It is folly altogether unparalleled. The apathy of brutes, unqualified by nature to apprehend religious truth bears no resemblance to it. The case of the maniac is pitiable indeed; but it is unaccompanied with, moral blame. Criminal and absurd, it undoubtedly is in a high degree, to reject christian. ity without inquiry; but it is a gradation of guilt and absurdity beyond this, to admit its truth and yet to undervalue its bless

ings; to profess the faith of the gospel, and yet never to reflect on its design; to call Christ Lord, and yet neither to do the things which he says, nor even to desire to share in his great salvation.

Inconsideration can scarcely continue to the end of life; or, if it should, it will certainly terminate in the loss of the soul.Were it possible for men to avoid reflection through every . period of their existence, and to suffer no loss from doing so, the necessity or propriety of pressing on their attention the truths of religion, it must be admitted, would be greatly dimin. ished. But experience shews, that, though the habit of incon. sideration may have been long indulged, it is not always possible for men to persevere in it to the end of life. Conscience, though overborne, is not destroyed. It only sleeps for a while; but many circumstances may yet rouse it from its slumber; and then it will speak to the sinner with an authority which he will be able to disregard no more. Seasons of leisure and retirement, in which unwelcome recollections and prospects may obtrude upon the mind, frequently occur to the busiest and gayest of men. The prosperous, but especially the adverse vicissitudes of life; the counsels of pious friends; the occasional perusal of the Scriptures, or other serious writings; the earnest expostulations of the ministers of the gospel; the exemplary life, and the comfortable death of sincere and lively Christians; the death of wicked men, and the visible judgments of God; advancing y ears, and the anticipations

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thereby naturally suggested; and finally, the Holy Spirit, concurring with any of these circumstances, separately combined, or without any such medium, may bring to remembrance the word of truth, and by his gentle, or awful applications to the conscience, lead the most obdurate sinner to serious reflection, and anxious concern about the welfare of his soul. On a bed of sickness, especially, the ear is open to discipline. And a bed of sickness may soon become a dying bed. The lan guage, the looks, and solicitude of surrounding friends betray their apprehensions ; and the sensible decline of all the vital powers, compels the man, however unwilling, to admit the probability of approaching dissolution. Wilt thou then, O man, who now livest despising the gospel and neglecting so great salvation, wilt thou be able to shut out those recollections, which shall, like a mighty torrent, rush upon thy soul; recollections of multiplied transgressions, unpardoned and un. forsaken; of precious opportunities misimproved; of days of salvation past, never to return? · Wilt thou still be fascinated by a world, whose vanity thou must now feel, and which is receding swiftly from thy view? Wilt thou be able to repress all alarm, when the throne of judgment, before which thou art about to stand, is opening to thy sight?-Yes: All this may hap pen. The man, forsaken of God, given over to a reprobate mind, blinded by Satan, and hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, may die as he lived; may go down to the grave with a lie in

But no farther

his right hand. than this can the refuge of lies avail him. His soul quits the body, and is alive at once to all the realities and horrors of his condition. He feels how ""fearful a thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God." He looks with dismay to the once compassionate, neglected Savior, but now the righteous and inexorable Judge. The period of The period of inconsideration is for ever past. But reflection has come too late. The gnawings are already felt, of the worm that never dies; and that remorse has commenced, which is to last throughout eternity.

Let no one say, that this is the language of enthusiasm and rant, that these scenes are the mere creature of fancy, the overcolored picture of a heated imagination. Many, who at the commencement of the preceding year, would have laughed to scorn the officious monitor, who presumed to interrupt their pleasure, by drawing their attention to prospects so gloomy and terrific, have, before its conclusion, found them awfully realized. This year also is doubtless pregnant with the fate of thousands. To the humble, watchful, diligent Christian, the intimation will give no alarm. "Amen," will he say, even so come Lord Jesus." But there

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what is the result? Wilt thou throw them aside with disdain, and return with greater ardor to the accustomed round of busi. ness or pleasure? No;' let some hitherto thoughtless soul be induced to say; 'I have been too long inconsiderate and fool. ish; I will be so no more. What must I do to be saved? The salvation of my soul shall henceforth be the great concern of my life. I will take no rest till I find it in Him who is able to save to the uttermost; who has declared that he will cast out none who come to him; and who will keep what I now commit to Him, till that great deci, sive day.' Rel. Mon.

INCONSISTENCIES OF PROFESSED

CHRISTIANS.

VERY frequently have the vi olent and ungovernable tempers manifested by some professors of religion been made the sub. jects of animadversion, and their inconsistency with the meek, lowly, and peaceable spirit of the gospel been ably pointed out. The frequency of such complaints, however, only proves the wide extent of the evil; and indeed this is pretty apparent. No one who looks with any de. gree of attention upon the body of those who aspire to be thought religious, can deny that the ma jority of its members are much more taken up with the speculative part of religion, than in bringing their tempers to a con. formity with the standard of the gospel, or aiming at that exalted degree of holiness which the gos. pel requires.

Now for an effect so generally prevalent, there must be an adequate cause; and I am afraid that this is to be found in the conduct of some popular preach. ers. The principal object of their fear seems to be self-righteousness, and therefore their principal aim is to guard against it. For this purpose they are continually bringing forward the great doctrines of the gospel; and upon these they perpetually enlarge almost to the utter exclu. sion of practical topics. this conduct, I fear, that they have, in a considerable degree, been at least accessary to that decline in practical religion practical religion which we must acknowledge to have taken place. Here I would not be misunderstood. I am

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so far from wishing to exclude doctrinal subjects from the pulpit, that I think a clear and luminous display of them of the most indispensable importance. Without it the heart will for ev. er remain unaffected and unchanged, and consequently there can be no radical reform in the character. But however essentially necessary the doctrines of christianity may be, they should by no means be dwelt upon to the exclusion of other topics. Would any sober builder content himself with only laying a foundation? Having finished this, will he not proceed to the superstructure? In like manner doctrines should be urged to their proper improvement, and the practical lessons which flow from them should be properly deduced. Scripture is profitable, not only for doctrine, but for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness. But of these, doctrine seems the

only one which by some is at all attended to. The great duties of self-examination, watchful. ness over our own hearts, jealousy of ourselves, &c. &c. are seldom made the prominent features of

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sermon. Practical subjects are rarely brought forward, and when they are it is often in such a manner as prevents, in a great measure, their good effect.

The bad consequences flowing from all this are evident. The hearers of sermons not being sufficiently warned of the dangers to which they are exposed, nor sufficiently stirred up to diligence and exertion, grow careless and lax in their walk and conversation. They are led to think that right doctrinal sentiments are every thing in religion, and that, these once obtained, sanctification must fol." low of course. They seem entirely to forget that the truth is often received in unrighteous. ness, and that we never can assuredly know that we are interested in the benefits which the gospel conveys, but as we are conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, and as we endeavor, under the influence of the Holy Spirit to adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things, and to live worthy of God, who has called us to his kingdom and glory. Heaven is not for those who sit still. It suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. It is a prize worthy of all our endeavors, and which demands and must have them. "If any man will come after me,” says our Lord and Savior, "let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me." We are to cut off a right hand, to pluck out a right eye, yea, to