not by the Holy Ghost, as every true Christian must say. And thus, though a little honour, in words, be given to God the Son and God the Holy Ghost, their real honour-which consists in trust and dependence of heart, and most of all in the time of trouble-their real honour is set aside. Nor are Joash's groves and idols more real abominations of idolatry in the sight of God, than is the self-righteousness at this day, even of those who keep up forms of Christian worship in the midst of it.

(5.) I have only to add another inference, which respects the goodness of God in giving warning before he punishes. He might in his justice have cut off Joash in his sins, when he turned to idolatry; but he sent prophets, and gave him earnest and friendly warning. This is the Lord's way; and oh that we may profit by it, accounting "that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation!" Joash's severe punishments, which we read of in the story we have reviewed, are so many awful preludes of the punishments which await sinners hereafter.

But I hasten to close, with a few words of application to persons more particularly concerned in the subject; which seem to me to be, first, those in more advanced life, who have not profited by a good education and early means of grace; and, in the second place, younger persons, who at present enjoy and prize those advantages.

First. To begin with the former: How is it with you, fellow-creatures? You were wont in younger days to have some pleasure in religion. When your consciences were more tender, and you were yet novices in the world, you durst not lie and deceive, and overreach in trade, as you do now. Poor benefit has the knowledge of the world given you, if you have gained thereby a stupidity of conscience! Recollect, if now you are at enmity with the people and ways of God, though you had been brought up in them, that you must have sinned dreadfully against light and knowledge. Retire inward, and consider whether, with all the supposed advantages you have gotten over the prejudices of education, you are not really more and more senseless of God and duty; less ashamed of sin; less concerned for eternity; more selfish and insincere in your dealings; and more fond of the world, than formerly. If this be growth in wisdom, may I be content to be a fool. Oh, consider that you have fooled away the precious advantages of early means of grace; that you are on the eve of dreadful punishments, such as fell on Joash; and therefore repent speedily, and remember what light you were early favoured with; for hell to you will be hell indeed.

A word, lastly, to young persons in this audience who have the benefit of godly education, and prize it in any measure.—Oh read and -consider well the character and case of Joash!

Do not be proud or confident of any present attainments. It is pleasing to see, indeed, the signs of grace in young hearts; but I would seldom place much dependance on them. Nothing is more common than for them all to die away in a little time. Beware, O young persons, particularly, of the love of praise. Young as you are, insincerity is natural to you it is quite natural for you to have a false sort of pleasure in religion, loving the praise of pious friends, who are delighted to see any marks of grace in you. They will be wise not to feed you with praise for your religious attainments. Oh consider, young persons, how well Joash acted, and how he became at last an idolater and persecutor! God forbid I should discourage; only be cautious, lest it be your lot to fall with him. Persevere in private prayer, if you mean to succeed. Divine strength can keep you from falling.

SERMON XXX.

THE ZEAL OF HEZEKIAH AGAINST FALSE RELIGION.

2 KINGS Xviii. 4, 5.

And brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it; and he called it Nehushtan. He trusted in the Lord God of Israel.

THE character and conduct of Hezekiah, king of Judah, are singularly memorable in sacred story. He had no sooner received the succession of the kingdom, which was left to him in a most weak, idolatrous, and miserable state, from his wicked father Ahaz, than he set about a godly reformation. He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves. He knew very well that there was no such thing as serving God and mammon. The false gods, and every idolatrous and selfrighteous refuge, must be forsaken, despised, and set at nought, or he could never worship the God of Israel. How he executed this noble plan; what pains he took with the people to restore them to the simple faith and worship of the God of Israel, and to cleanse them from

idolatry; and with what sincerity in his own person he trusted in a covenant God alone, when all help of all other kinds was taken from him; and how the Lord was with him, and prospered him in his righteous confidence; he who chooses, and has a spiritual discernment, may read with pleasure in the narrative of his reign, here, in the Second Book of Kings, and also in the xxixth and two following chapters of the Second Book of Chronicles.

Where God gives strong faith, he tries and exercises it with temptation, that his arm may appear; and that the believer, coming unhurt out of the fire, may be a pattern for the encouragement of others to put their trust in him. This was eminently the case with this godly prince, who, after a most glorious reformation, is yet visited with a terrible and dangerous war from the proud Sennacherib, and is reduced to the lowest scenes of distress. Yet he trusts still; and the destroying angel, who in one night made such havock of Sennacherib's army, explains the event. Surely it may be said of Hezekiah, that he trusted indeed in the Lord God of Israel. But it is not my design to enlarge on his character in general: great and blessed as it was, still, not he, but the grace of God in him, did the great things. That I may hasten, therefore, to the particular subject I have before me, I shall confine my attention to the points mentioned in the

text.