other things as well as the atonement of Chrift equally myfterious, yet undoubtedly true. They who believe this earth hangs poised in the air, on the credit of philofophers, cannot reasonably reject the idea of Chrift's atonement, on the credit of fcripture. Since then God Almighty hath thus put the means of our falvation, in a manner, in our own power, by leaving us at option, whether we will accept, or not, the terms he hath offered: let us not be fo loft to ourselves, as to go on in any finful course, till at length our Sin find us out; but let us manfully endeavour to find it out firft, wherever it lurks among the deceits of our own hearts, or among the temptations of the world ---Infidelity, where proper means of obtaining evidence have been neglected, is certainly a high of fence. This fin, and whatever elfe we detect, lèt us bring to the throne of grace, and implore God's pardon through the merits of Chrift. When we have done our utmost to discover our fins, ftill it is to be feared, our best endeavours will not be wholly effectual, Many ignorances, and negligences will ftill be left behind; and each of us, in the true spirit of chriftianity, fhould lay his hand, on his breaft, and in the language of the penitent publican, cry out, God be merciful to me a finner! THEY HAVE FORSAKEN, THE RIGHT WAY, AND GONE ASTRAY; FOLLOWING THE WAY OF BA- AVAGES OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. ST. PETER, in this paffage, alludes to a very extraordinary man, and a very extraordinary ftory, the story of Balaam, which I have just been reading to you in the leffon of the day: and as it may, in some parts, be apt to mislead you, I thought it not amifs to accompany it with an explanation. In the following difcourfe, therefore, I shall firft explain to you the character of Balaam; and fhall |