as he is, can experience the joy of the spirit of adoption : But when, under an afflicting consciousness of his guilt and ill desert, he can throw himself on the mercy of his God and Judge, and lie at the feet of gracious sovereignty, he is less fearful of being deceived. He has a more deep, and full sense, of his being, where he ought to be; and from this spot, he can look with a mild eye, and contemplate with a tender, melting feeling of soul, the infinite condescensions of divine compassion and forbearance, and lie in quiet, at the feet of sovereign, adorable mercy. At the feet of this mercy, must every sinner be brought voluntarily to cast himself, if he would ever indulge the hope of pardon. But no sinner will do this, until he is brought to feel, that his ruin is unavoidable without it. Nor has any sinner under such a state of feeling, ever cast himself in vain upon the mercy of his Maker. Many have plead with God, that he would show them mercy, when they have been alarmed at the consequences of sin, when they have been influenced by the fear of endless misery But there is a difference between being moved, from a sense of sin, and of a just desert of punishment, and a dread apprehension of suffering only, to cry for mercy. The worst of beings may cry for mercy, for the sake of being relieved from torment. The dread of pain, is a feeling, deeply rooted in the selfishness of our natures. But where the cry

for mercy, arises from a sense of ill desert, by reason of a deep conviction of sin, it is not the prospect of suffering that occasions distress of mind; it is the consciousness of guilt, as justly exposing to suffering.

The truly humbled and genuine penitent comes as his own accuser, as the witness against himself, pronounces his own sentence of condemnation, and then, under the overwhelming impression that nothing but mercy can reach his case, awaits the decision of his Judge.

Have you ever done so, my impenitent friends? O, will you ever do so? Where must you find your portion in eternity if you do not? I remember, that one did cry from the midst of tormenting flame in the eternal world-" Father Abraham have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue.” Here was

a cry for mercy that was not heard. It was the unavailing cry of a sinner in despair. And what did he ask? Not that his soul might be delivered from the place of his suffering. To this, his agony would have driven him, if in his view, there had been the least prospect of success. He who was in the torments of another world felt that there was no hope of deliverance; but he did hope that a drop of cold water might have been imparted. In this request, however, a request that seems to address itself most powerfully, to every feeling of sympathy and benevolence, he was not heard. He complains of his sufferings, but not of his sins. He feels his pain, but says nothing of his guilt.

Perhaps some who hear me, have raised an unavailing cry to God, under a state of feeling, very similar to that of the rich man. You have been reduced to a bed of sickness. Death has looked you in the face. A dread eternity has appeared to be just opening upon you. You expected shortly

to go, and appear before your Judge. You felt yourselves unprepared. You raised your cry for mercy. You entreated that your life might be spared you, and promised-I will not say what-You know, and God knows. In a little while death will come again, and not only look upon you, but will fasten, also, his arrow, in your heart. You will then look again to God. You will raise again your cry for mercy. Will you promise again? Will you dare think that God will believe you? The mercy you seek after, consists in being saved from suffering, not from sin. Such cries for mercy, God cannot hear. He hates sin with a perfect hatred, and he will only regard those, who, like the publican, feel that they are sinners, that they deserve to die, and are ready to throw themselves into the hands of sovereign, adorable mercy. To this mercy, in the name of the God of love, would I most tenderly commend your souls.

SERMON XII.

"Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him; for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Wo unto the wicked, it shall be ill with him; for the reward of his hands shall be given him." ISAIAH, iii. 10, 11.

THE inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judah at the time this prophecy was delivered, were exceedingly corrupt. They had so far departed from God, that he had given them up to become a prey to their enemies. The immediate precursors to the ruin threatened, are mentioned in the preceding context.

"For, behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem, and from Judah, the stay, and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water. The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient. The captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator. And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them." "Wo unto their soul! for

they have rewarded evil unto themselves."

CC