him pursue the enquiry somewhat farther, Do I feel myself a guilty, helpless, condemned sinner? Do I renounce all dependence on my own wisdom, strength, and righteousness? Do I see that there is in Christ a fulness suited to my necessities? And do I daily, with humility and earnestness, beg of God that "Christ may be made unto me wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption?" These questions are easy enough to be resolved; and by the answer which conscience gives to them we may know assuredly whether we be in the way to heaven or to hell. And who does not see how great an excellency this is in the Gospel-salvation? Who does not see how strongly this circumstance recommends the doctrine in our text?

Another excellency in the Gospel is, that it is equally suited to all persons in all conditions. Had any self-righteous methods of acceptance been proposed to the dying thief, what consolation could he have found? How little could he do in his few remaining hours! However he might have admired the goodness of God to others, he must have utterly despaired of mercy himself. But through faith in Christ he was enabled to depart in peace and joy. As to the murderers of our Lord, how long must it have been before they could have entertained any comfortable hope of acceptance! But the Gospel affords a prospect of salvation to the very chief of sinners, and that, even at the eleventh hour. Nor is there any situation whatever, in which the Gospel is not calculated to comfort and support the soul. Under first convictions of sin, what so delightful as to hear of a Saviour? Under subsequent trials and temptations, how would our difficulties be increased, if we did not know that "God had laid help upon One that was mighty!" The people of God, notwithstanding the hope which they have in Christ, feel great and heavy discouragements on account of the power of indwelling corruption: they seem oftentimes to be rolling a stone up the hill, which rushes impetuously down again, and necessitates them to repeat their ineffectual labours. And what would they do if their dependence were not placed on the obedience and sufferings of the Son of God? Surely they would lie down in despair, and say like those of old, "There is no hope; I have loved strangers, and after them will I go." Under the various calamities of life, also, believers find consolation in the thought that the salvation of their souls is secured by Christ. Hence they are enabled to bear their trials with firmuess: they "know how both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need." And shall not this recommend the Gospel? that there is no situation, no circumstance whatever wherein it is not suited to us? that while every other method of salvation increases our anxiety, and, in many instances, drives us utterly to despair, the Gospel always mitigates our sorrows, and often turns them into joy and triumph?

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A farther excellency of the Gospel is, that it refers all the glory to the Lord Jesus Christ. Every other plan of salvation leaves room for man to boast; but, on the plan of the Gospel, the most moral person upon earth must subscribe to the declaration of the Apostle, "By grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." None, who have obtained an interest in Christ, will take the glory to themselves; the voice of all without exception is, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name be the praise." There is not any thing that distinguishes true believers more than this, that they desire to glorify Christ as the ONE source of all their blessings. In this their hearts are in perfect unison with the glorified saints, who sing con

tinually, "To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, to Him be glory and dominion, for ever and ever." And is not this another excellency of the Gospel? Is it at all desirable that while some in heaven are ascribing salvation to God and to the Lamb, others should ascribe salvation to God and to themselves? Surely the felicity of heaven is much increased by the obligation which they feel to Jesus, and the consideration that every particle of that bliss was "purchased for them by the blood of God" himself; nor is there so much as one amongst all the hosts of heaven who would consent for an instant to rob the Saviour of his glory.

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Lastly-The last excellency which I shall mention as belonging to the Gospel, is, that it most of all secures the practice of good works. Here is the chief ground of jealousy with the world: and if the Gospel were indeed liable to the imputations cast on it, if it gave license to men to continue in sin, we should not hesitate to discard it as a fiction, seeing that it could never be the production of an holy God. But, as the Apostle says, "The grace of God which bringeth salvation teaches us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live righteously, soberly, and godly in this present world." If we appeal to antiquity, who was ever so strenuous as St. Paul in asserting the doctrine of justification by faith alone? and yet, who was ever so abundant in labours of every kind? or who ever inculcated with greater energy and minuteness the necessity of good works? If we come to modern times, we must observe that they, who now preach justification by faith, are with the very same breath accused of opening heaven to all, however they may act, and yet of shutting the door against all by their unnecessary strictness and they who receive the Gospel are condemned as licentious, while they are at the same time blamed as too rigid and precise: nor is this by any means a slight proof of the efficacy of the Gospel on the hearts and lives of its professors; for if their sentiments expose them to the former censure, it is their holy conduct that subjects them to the latter. We grant, and acknowledge it with sorrow, that there are some who name the name of Christ without departing from iniquity: but must all therefore be represented as of the same stamp, and the Gospel itself be considered as unfavourable to morality? Is it just, that, while ten thousand glaring sins pass unnoticed in an unbeliever, the misconduct of a few, or perhaps one single fault in "a person professing godliness" should excite a clamour against all the religious world as hypocrites? But, thanks be to God! we can appeal to experience, that faith "does work by love," and "overcome the world," and "purify the heart:" we are therefore emboldened primarily and principally to recommend the Gospel from this consideration, that while the zealous advocates for self-righteousness are miserably defective in all spiritual duties, the Gospel of Christ invariably stimulates us to an holy, spiritual, and unreserved obedience.

Many more excellences of the Gospel might be mentioned: but if those that have been stated will not endear it to us, it is in vain to hope that any thing which could be added would procure it a favourable reception.

And now, as there are many in this assembly who are already engaged in the service of the sanctuary, and many others who are destined in due time to undertake the sacred office of the ministry, and as the words of my text are in a more especial manner applicable to persons so circumstanced, suffer me. with humility, yet with freedom and faithful

ness, to address myself in a more especial manner to them; and let me entreat you to bear with me if I " use great boldness of speech."

I would beseech you then, my brethren, to consider, that as the eternal welfare of our fellow-creatures is suspended on their reception or rejection of the Gospel, so their acquaintance with the Gospel must depend, in a great measure, on those who are authorized to teach it: for "Faith cometh by hearing; and how shall they hear without a preacher ?" Be not offended then if I ask, whether you yourselves have "received the truth in the love of it?" If you have not, how can you properly recommend it to others? How can it be expected that you should "contend earnestly for that faith" which you yourselves have never embraced; or that you should labour with becoming zeal to convert your hearers, when you yourselves are unconverted? O let it be a matter of deep and serious inquiry amongst us, whether we have felt the force and influence of the Gospel? Have we ever been convinced of unbelief? Have we seen the equity and reasonableness of the judgments denounced against us while in that state? Have we, under a deep conviction of our guilt and helplessness, "fled to Christ for refuge?" Have we discovered the transcendant excellency of this salvation; and do we feel in our inmost souls its perfect suitableness to our own necessities, and its tendency to promote the interests of holiness? Can we say with the Apostle, that "what our eyes have seen, our ears have heard, and our hands have handled of the word of life, that, and that only, we declare " unto onr people ? In short, while we profess that "the ministry of reconciliation has been committed to us," do we experience this reconciliation ourselves? The salvation of our own souls, no less than that of our fellow-sinners, depends on this: indeed we are more interested in the Gospel than any; for if we continue ignorant of it, we perish under the aggravated guilt of rejecting it ourselves, and of betraying the souls of others into irretrievable ruin. We, of all people under heaven, are most bound to divest ourselves of prejudice, and to labour with our whole hearts both to enjoy the blessings of the Gospel, and to show ourselves patterns of its sanctifying influence. Let us then, in compliance with the divine command, heed to ourselves, and to our doctrine, that, in so doing, we may both save ourselves, and them that hear us.'

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But let others also be aware, that though they may have no responsibility attaching to them as ministers, they have as Christians. I must beg leave therefore to say unto all, that as "baptism is not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God," so the faith which they profess cannot save them, unless it be accompanied with a renovation of heart and life. Do not then be hasty to conclude that you are true believers: "examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves." Be assured, it is no easy matter to believe: it is by no means pleasing to flesh and blood: there is not any thing to which we are naturally more averse: what our Lord said to the Jews of old may be addressed with equal propriety to the greater part of nominal Christians, " Ye will not come unto me, that ye may have life." But let it be remembered, that, however humiliating it may appear to our proud nature to renounce all self-righteousness and self-dependence, and to look for acceptance through the merits of Christ alone, it must be done it will profit us little to have received the outward seal of this covenant, unless we possess also "the faith of God' elect." Our "lofty looks must be humbled, our haughtiness must be

brought down, and the Lord alone must be exalted:" we must bow before the sceptre of his grace, or we shall be "broken in pieces with a rod of iron." If we truly and cordially "receive Him, we shall have the privilege of becoming the sons of God; and if sons, then heirs; heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ." But "what shall our end be, if we obey not the gospel?" What prospect have we, but to be "punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power?" Behold then, life and death are this day set before you. Bearing, as we do, a commission from the Lord Jesus to preach his Gospel, "we are debtors both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise." In his sacred Name, therefore, we deliver our message; we are constrained to deliver it with all faithfulness, "whether ye will hear or whether ye will forbear." He, who with a penitent and contrite heart believeth in the Son of God, and, by virtue of that faith, is enabled to confess him before men, and to honour him by an holy life, he shall "receive the remission of his sins, and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in Christ." But he, who believeth not on the Son of God, however moral he may have been in his external conduct, and whatever pleas he may urge in extenuation of his guilt, he, I say, "shall not see life, but the wrath of God shall abide upon him :" he hath practically said, "I will not have this man to reign over me;" and the despised Saviour will, ere long, issue this vindictive sentence,-" Bring him hither, and slay him before me." The decree is gone forth, nor shall all the powers of heaven or hell reverse it, "He who believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned."

DISCUSSION BY EXPLICATION.

Mark xvi. 15, 16. He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature: he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

MANY are prejudiced against the fundamental doctrines of Christianity

Hence, while its authority is maintained, its mysteries are suppressed

But the declaration before us is of infinite importance— I. Explain its import

The meaning of the terms being fixed, the whole will be clear

Salvation comprehends the everlasting happiness of the soul [It cannot be limited to any temporal deliverance—

Believers have been often subjected to persecutions and cruel deaths-Nor was the deliverance of the saints in Jerusalem a matter of universal concern

Its import is properly expressed by St. Paula-]

This is to be obtained by "believing" in Christ

[The faith here spoken of is not a mere assent to the gospel

The devils themselves assent to truths at which they trembleb

To believe aright, is to receive Christ in all his offices

And such faith has the promise of eternal lifed

Not that it is more meritorious than other graces; but it unites the soul to Christ-]

Damnation, on the contrary, imports everlasting misery

[The punishment of the wicked is elsewhere said to be eternale— And the contrast in the text fully expresses its duration

Our Lord himself puts this point beyond a doubt-]

This will be our portion if we "believe not" in Christ

[It is not reserved only for avowed infidels and scoffers

They are in unbelief, who are destitute of saving faith—

And therefore must want that salvation that is annexed to faiths-] To faith, baptism, when practicable, must be added

[The believer must openly profess his allegiance to ChristBut no observance of outward ordinances will profit an unbelieverh-] The objections ignorantly urged against this gospel lead us to II. Vindicate its reasonableness

To ascribe salvation to good works, and damnation to evil works, would be thought reasonable enough

But to connect the former with faith, and the latter with unbelief, is deemed absurd and delusive

This is intimated by the omission of baptism in the latter clause of the text.