C, 2 *'/ J REVIVAL SERMONS PREACHED IN PROTRACTED MEETINGS. BT REV. EMERSON ANDREWS, A.B., A.M., EVANGELIST. "Ye are my witnesses." — Isaiah. "Buy the truth, and sell it not." — Proverbs, BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY JAMES H. EARLE, No. 96 Washington Street. 1870. ^ Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, By EMERSON ANDREWS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. STEREOTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, 19 Spring Lane. TO GOD AND THE CHURCH, AND TO MY DEAB, PIOUS 310 THEE, Is Affectionately Dedicated BY THE AUTHOR. PREFACE. Having been often requested by many Christian friends and spiritual children to write out and publish my extempore Revival Sermons, I have at last com- plied, or shown my good will. Though short, simple, plain, condensed, abrupt, pointed, and truthful, mere skeletons of the originals, without the living voice, look, or gesture for illus- tration, and marked with many obvious imperfections, yet they are the best words I could present, under the circumstances. Unworthy as they may be, I trust the Holy Spirit will supply all the deficiencies, and sanctify the whole. After much hesitation, prayer, counsel, and hard labor, I give you, dear reader, the discourses which I have preached in substance, in more than two hundred and fifty " protracted meetings," and on other occasions, in divers parts of America, and in foreign countries. These have been signally blessed of God in refreshing Christians, in reclaiming back- sliders, and in the hopeful conversion of some forty thousand souls, of whom about ten thousand have celebrated the resurrection of Christ by their immer- sion. God works as he pleases, and shall have all the glory ! 5 6 PREFACE. As far as I am able and advised, I shall make this work, and those forthcoming, free gifts to apprecia- tive friends for their use, and for circulation gratui- tously over the world, as I have done my preaching. For good reasons, I choose to execute my own will, and to dispose of all my effects, as far as practicable, while living, rather than trust the same to proxy, to greater uncertainty, or to legal executors. By rich grace, my prosperity in spiritual blessings and in temporal things has far exceeded my early expectations. I now feel bound and ready to conse- crate my all anew to the Saviour's cause. Giving is receiving, and sowing bountifully ensures a glorious harvest. This is Christian experience and testimony. May we go out of self and bondage into the gos- pel, revival work, and give enough to do good, and to feel blessed in the Master's service. May those who read this book pray for us, for revi- vals, for the conversion of sinners, and for the millen- nium ; consecrate themselves and all afresh to Christ ; enjoy the presence, power, and graces of the Spirit ; and be living examples of Christian success, till Jeho- vah shall come in his kingdom, and crown us in glory, — is the prayer of your unworthy friend and servant in Christ, Emerson Andrews. Philadelphia, Pa., 1870. CONTENTS. PAGE SERMON I. REVIVALS 13 SERMON II. CONSTRAINING LOVE 18 SERMON III. CHRIST WEEPING OVER JERUSALEM 23 SERMON IV. FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT 29 SERMON V. THE NEW BIRTH. 35 SERMON VI. THE CHRISTIAN LAWSUIT 41 SERMON VII. THE IMPORTUNATE CRY 47 SERMON VIII. THE GREAT SALVATION 53 SERMON IX. SPIRITUAL FARMING 59 (7) 8 CONTENTS. SERMON X. THE SOUL'S GAIN OR LOSS *...... 66 SERMON XI. CHRIST KNOCKING AT THE DOOR 72 SERMON XII. THE SINNER'S HARD WAY .78 SERMON XIII. THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT 84 SERMON XIV. THE SPIRITUAL LOOKING-GLASS 90 SERMON XV. PREPARATION FOR MEETING GOD 96 SERMON XVI. EFFECTUAL PRAYER 102 SERMON XVII. POSSESSING THE LAND FOR GOD 108 SERMON XVIII. SIN HUNTING SINNERS 114 SERMON XIX. NOT CARING FOR SOULS 119 SERMON XX. ff THE BARREN FIG TREE . . 125 SERMON XXI. LOVE TO GOD 131 CONTENTS. 9 SERMON XXII. GOD'S INQUISITION FOR BLOOD 137 SERMON XXIII. SALVATION OFFERED 143 SERMON XXIV. THE TOKENS OF PERDITION 149 SERMON XXV. THE GREAT ELECTION DAY 154 SERMON XXVI. THE SOUL'S WORTH 160 SERMON XXVII. BRINGING IN THE TITHES 166 SERMON XXVIII. THE SINNER'S EXCUSES 172 SERMON XXIX. THE GENERAL JUDGMENT 179 SERMON XXX. GOD'S WITNESSES. 185 SERMON XXXI. THE RESURRECTION 190 SERMON XXXII. GOSPEL POWER 197 SERMON XXXIII. THE PRODIGAL SON 202 10 CONTENTS. SERMON XXXIV. A GOOD HOPE. . . . 208 SERMON XXXV. CHRIST'S KINGDOM 214 SERMON XXXVI. CHRISTIAN CONVERSION 220 SERMON XXXVII. GLORYING IN THE CROSS 226 SERMON XXXVIII. BAPTISM AND THE BAPTISTS 231 SERMON XXXIX. CHRISTIAN UNION 239 SERMON XL. THE CHRISTIAN BACE 245 SERMON XLI. THE SINNER'S SHIPWRECK 251 SERMON XLII. INTEMPERANCE. ... 257 SERMON XLIII. A MINISTER'S RESPONSIBILITY 266 SERMON XLIV. THE GREAT CHANGE 273 SERMON XLV. GRACIOUS ELECTION 278 CONTENTS. 11 SERMON XLVI. THE SPIRITUAL VOYAGE 284 SERMON XLVII. THE UNSPEAKABLE GIFT 290 SERMON XLVIII. BENEVOLENCE 296 SERMON XLIX. CHRIST IS PRECIOUS 302 SERMON L. THE EVANGELIST 307 SERMON LI. CHRIST OUR BELOVED , . . 313 SERMON LII. PASTORAL DUTIES 319 SERMON LIII. DIRECTIONS TO INQUIRERS 325 SERMON LIV. THE CHRISTIAN'S FAREWELL 331 REVIVAL SERMONS. SERMON I REVIVALS. " O Lord, revive thy work." — Habakkuk iii. 2. HABAKKUK was one of the best men that ever lived — a true watchman, a revivalist of the spiritual stamp. He saw things in the light of eter- nity, with an eye and mind filled by the Holy Spirit. The Lord's cause was neglected, and even profess- ors were in a low and worldly state. Sin and Satan ran riot. Judgments and destruction multiplied their voices and demonstrations. The wise prophet saw the only and timely remedy. He cried to God for a revival, a true reformation, wrought only by the merciful intervention of the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Pure religion is what God ordained. This is the duty and the privilege of man ; yea, the highest (13) 14 REVIVALS. glory of all. It needs reviving by God's Spirit, as the opening spring succeeds the cold and barren winter by the warming sun melting away the ice, and giving fertility. A revival is God's work, from beginning to con- summation — agencies, instruments, measures, and application. In this he employs the church as work- ers together with him. And by his power the earth shall help, aiid the world shall work for him and his people. A revival implies a refreshing ; the winter of cold and death is gone ; the sun of righteousness, with spring, summer, and autumn, has come, giving us new r light, life, and fruitfulness. The gracious rain, and the covenant bow, salute and embrace us at our thanksgivings. Converts are always included. When Zion travails, sons and daughters are multi- plied, truly converted. Revivals are necessary to the power and increase of the ministry ; to the efficiency of the church ; the growth of the Christian, —and the awakening of sin- ners, high and low. They are necessary in order to carry the holy war into all the haunts of wickedness, and to the battle-fields of a rebellious world — to conquer, convert, and save. They are all important to raise fallen man, to restore the revolted provinces, convert the wandering prodigals, reclaim the back- slidden, and awaken the sleepy virgins for the wed- ding supper of the Lamb. REVIVALS. 15 Objections to revivals are as numerous as they are futile, made up of ignorance, prejudice, and ill-will. One says, w There is too much chaff." But what is that to the wheat? Or, may he not be mistaken in his observation? "Too much excitement," says an- other. But how much compared with politics, war, business, or amusement? O, it is the kind and ob- ject disliked. "Costs too much," says the third. But how much compared with the antagonisms, pride, and prodigality of the world? "Keaction," says the fourth, "is a great fault." But where, when, and what? Surely there is action, advance, and success — increasing. All moral reforms have received their motive power, life-speed, and direc- tion thereby, through all past ages until the present. The hinderances to revivals are sin and Satan, the flesh and the world. Believe and obey, pray and yield to the Spirit, and the path is free and clear ; victory and life are sure. God is the origin of all pure revivals ; they are not by might or power, but by the Spirit, by his gospel, by means and providences. The Spirit em- ploys, as his agents, ministers, churches, Christians; yea, rules and overrules sinners for the promotion of his cause, makes them "hewers of wood and drawers of water for the children of Israel." The object of revivals is to glorify God in the sal- vation of precious souls, a single, unselfish aim to 16 REVIVALS. present all men perfect in Christ — for time and eter- nity — for glory. The time for a revival, and the set time to favor Zion, is when she feels her sin and burden, her re- sponsibility and her need, is penitent, reforms, and offers to Christ, for herself and sinners, the * effectual prayer of the righteous." Faith, confessions, and offerings open the windows of heaven. Pentecost is come ! We have ample encouragement to seek revivals — from Bible history, God's promises, observation, and experience. God is the same. History repeats it- self ; and we may ask of God with assurance for the future, as in the past. The effects of true revivals are only good, and that continually, making individuals, society, fam- ilies, churches, and the world better. They are seen to promote life, and health, civilization, com- merce, arts, science, literature, and good govern- ment, yea, and all real reformations for this and the world to come. Do we not need a revival ? Evidences of this want are apparent on every hand. God speaks. Is it not time to pray, to labor, and to look for a blessing? Do we confess, importune, travail, and care for Zion and souls? Are we burdened and agonizing? Are we ready for a revival? Are the tithes all in? Have we proved God ? God is not slack. It is not a vain REVIVALS. 17 thing to serve the Lord. The promise is sure. If v:e need a revival, how much more do sinners need the power of one for their conversion and salvation ! May the Lord restore to us the joys of his salva- tion, and uphold us by his Spirit ! Then we will teach sinners, and they will be converted. Christ will save. Lord, fill us with thy Holy Spirit, that we may have a pentecost ! God is more willing to give us all things than we are to give gifts to our children. O that sinners would repent, believe, obey, and be prepared to share a revival, and to meet God ! Now is the propitious time ; to-morrow may be too late. Lord, revive thy work ! 2 SERMON n. CONSTRAINING LOVE. "The love of Christ constraineth us." — 2 Cor. v. 14. PAUL speaks ; the apostle to the Gentiles thus testifies. Here are truth, doctrine, and expe- rience, rational, practical, divine. Believers are all one in Christ their head. Chris- tians of diverse names know this blessed text by- heart, and boldly testify by living words and deeds. The bridal rose is beautiful and sweet, called by whatever name, and yields a rich perfume. Love is the focal point of heavenly, Christian union. All our powers and precious fruits are from Christ, and for his glory. God is love. Christ is God with us. In him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. He is altogether lovely. Shall we be like him, without spot or blemish, as the bride prepared for the bridegroom ? So may it be ! Christ's moral attributes aud revelations are so many elements and manifestation^ of his love, as (18) CONSTRAINING LOVE. 19 truly as the many beautiful colors of the covenant rainbow are of the splendid natural sun. Love comprises goodness, holiness, justice, mercy, and truth, with all their intermediate qualities. Heaven is full of his love, and the world shall soon be filled with his glory. Behold him in creation, in provi- dence, in the Bible, in his church and kingdom ! His love is great, converting, adopting, unspeaka- ble, unchangeable, infinite, and eternal. " Were the whole earth a parchment wide, And every stick a quill, To write the matchless love of Christ Would drain the ocean dry, And reach from sky to sky." The love of Christ constraineth us. It is the soul, centre, and circumference of heaven, and all that is truly good, glorious, or reformatory on earth. This is the great moral heart, that beats night and day, high, deep, and wide ; the almighty, perpetual motion in the kingdom of Christ, moving, regulating, and harmonizing all in the moral and re- ligious world, as perfectly as the centrifugal and centripetal forces adjust the solar system. "Love fulfils the law." We love Christ, because he first loved us. All moving powers, whether physical, mental, or spiritual, are really known by their effects. The love of Christ is supremely excellent. It is 20 CONSTRAINING LOVE, the constraining motive power in all genuine moral or religious reforms. " The springs of God are in Zion," and rise high as their fountain. Like pro- duces its like. So it is with all the movements of the day, civil, social, or religious. Love is our high motive power, the Bible our only panoply, and the righteous our only fellow-helpers in con- verting the world, — bringing heaven down to earth, and earth up to heaven. What of all the powers, plans, and efforts of the wicked? Satan will not cast out Satan, nor will his children ; nor even reform themselves. Behold the heathen, infidels, outcasts ! O, the folly and sin of trusting the cause of temperance, moral re- form, or religion to unchristian teachers ! to leaders led captive ! No wonder that so many of their at- tempts at moral or spiritual improvement turn out poor enterprises or utter failures. They eat the fruit of their own doings. The divine principle is left out. Selfishness and the wisdom of the world are yoke-fellows. w Touch not, taste not " their dainties. Come out from them, and be ye sep- arate. Have no fellowship with their unfruitful works of darkness, but reprove them. Their best movements are only specious, spurious, galvanized, dead forms. Do not flatter the wicked in their vain, mischievous, suicidal delusions. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Can lost CONSTRAINING LOVE. 21 sinners convert themselves or others, or even pre- pare the way? No, never! What is the engine without steam or guide? What draws the passen- ger cars, or pushes on the cow-catcher to clear the track? Rebels will not so much as hew wood or draw water for our cause, but as they are com- pelled or overruled. We cannot give up or commit the worship of the blessed God to ungodly ministers, or time-servers, to unconverted and operatic singers, to mere Phari- sees, or formalists. Their substitutes and counter- feits will not pass with God. We will not aid or abet them in thus robbing God and destroying themselves. What a great sin to rob the true church of Christ of strength, money, time, talents, influence, and radiant glory, to encourage and ag- grandize rival pretensions, mere worldly and white- washed institutions, and thereby retard, depress, and disparage, or tend to eclipse, the bride of Christ! How many hypocritical fraternities, ungodly associa- tions and luxuries, fashionable games and amuse- ments, are but devices of the devil, singing the siren song, Lo here, or lo there ! Sin and stolen waters are sweet ! We cannot serve two masters, God and Mammon. We are friends or enemies of Christ; we gather or scatter. Surely there is enough of moral, spiritual work, gracious recreation, and glo- rious reward in the vineyard of Christ, in singing, 22 CONSTRAINING LOVE. praying, and laboring for souls, to convert the whole world to God. Love induces to repentance, faith, and every good work. " The love of Christ has been my theme, And shall be till I die." Love embraces power, wisdom, persistence, and all-sustaining grace. It never forgets ; it never tires ; it never fails. " Thou shalt love the Lord with all thine heart," is the rule in the Old Testa- ment, as in the New. Love moved prophets, apostles, angels, and men, and still moves his ministers to preach, and all Chris- tians to work and pray. It constrains us to be true witnesses, reformers, or martyrs. It makes sinners to hear, see, and feel their guilt and danger; to let go of sin, and to flee from Sinai to bleeding Calvary ; to forsake all for Christ and heaven ; to glory only in the Cross. This is our motive power in revivals. It shines, warms, melts, moulds, and adorns. It draws and animates the soul, magnetizes the heart, sends prayerful despatches to heaven, and brings joyful answers to all faithful pilgrims. What hath God wrought ! Look at Pentecost, the day of ref- ormation, the great awakenings, modern missions and reforms, and recent revivals ! May we by love honor the cross, the commandments, and ordinances of Christ, till grace shall crown us in heaven with glory ! SERMON m. CHEIST WEEPING OVER JERUSALEM. " And when he came near, as he saw the city, he wept over it, saying, if even thou hadst known at least in this thy day, the things that belong to thy peace ! but now they ARE HIDDEN FROM THINE EYES." — Luke xix. 41, 42. AS Christ, with his disciples, was journeying from the valley of Jordan, he opened the eyes of the blind, crying beggar at Jericho ; called Zaccheus down from the tree, abode as a guest at his house, and crowned him with salvation. Thus he made friends and followers. When Jesus came nigh to Bethpage and Bethany, at the mount called Olivet, he sent two of his dis- ciples to bring him a colt; and they did so. Then they spread their garments on the colt, and put Jesus thereon, and carpeted the way with their clothes, and travelled on. When he reached the foot of the mount, his disciples shouted forth praise to God at the sight of his miracles, saying, "Blessed be the King who comes in the name of the Lord ! Peace in heaven, (23) 24 CHRIST WEEPING OVER JERUSALEM. and glory in the highest ! " His friends are jubilant at his first ride in triumph. But the Pharisees were sorely displeased at this ebullition of feeling, great excitement, and high praises to Jehovah, and demanded that Christ re- buke his own followers, just as we see nowadays in revivals : when Christians are up, doing their duty, unbelievers, backsliders, and hypocrites are dis- turbed, and cry out against excitement, extra meet- ings, and genuine revivals. But as Christ rebuked and confounded the old Pharisees, he justified and commended his faithful disciples. So, in modern revivals, Christ rebukes and shames the gainsayers, approves and blesses revivalists. Our enemies say, "Any excitement, sacrifice, or jubilee, except spirit- ual ones." O, the carnal mind is, and always was, at enmity against God, his people, true religion, and pure revivals. Christ here rides in triumph, but despite of honor and hosannas, he weeps at the sight of the bloody, doomed city. The mighty God weeps ! There was ample cause. If this were weakness, where is strength? The Son of God is now in tears, and have we no tears to shed? King David weeps over his apostate, rebel son Absalom ; Jeremiah, over a backslidden people ; Jesus, at the grave of Lazarus ; good Rachel, over the murdered innocents ; parents, over erring chil- CHRIST WEEPING OVER JERUSALEM. 25 dren ; and Christians, over perishing sinners. All heaven beholds the Saviour weep ; hell writhes in bitter anguish at the sight, while the holy ones sympathize and rejoice. How Jesus cares for souls ! I. Why did Jesus weep ? Surely it was not for himself, for all power was his ; nor for his disciples, for all things were theirs ; nor for the throne, or the stability and success of his kingdom. No, not at all. But for a fallen people. O, Jerusalem, you have killed the prophets, stoned my messengers, grieved the Spirit, rejected mercy, and have well nigh filled up your cup of gall and misery ! Behold your unbelief, guilt, perversion, ruin, rejection of grace, and hopeless end ! Was there ever love or pity like this? Let hills and heavens speak! How Christ and Christians feel, pity, weep, and pray over modern backsliders, un- believers, and prodigals ! II. What things belonged to their peace? 1. Knowledge. Had they known the Bible, Moses, and Abraham, they would have known John and Christ, cherished the Holy Spirit, and recog- nized the glorious miracles. 2. Experience. They exercised no true repentance towards God, no living faith in the Bible, nor in the sacred Trinity ; but weighed in the divine balances, they were found wanting in love, the Christian 26 CHRIST WEEPING OVER JERUSALEM. graces, the new birth, without the mind, the holi- ness, or the spirit of Christ. Poor whited sepul- chres ! 3. Fitness. As unconverted rebels, they had no qualifications for heaven. Peace with God they knew not. Impenitent, unforgiven, unrenewed, un- justified, unsanctified, they were without prepara- tion, salvation, or eternal life. What sinful ignorance, cruel neglect, and penal self-murder ! But were they foolish, deficient, and wicked above all men? I tell you nay; for many now, with more light and opportunities, reject the gospel, and except they repent, and that shortly, they must all likewise perish. Without experi- mental and practical Christianity, you know of no true peace or preparation for glory. III. The Jews had their day of grace. The law and the prophets were proclaimed to them. John the Baptist, Christ, the disciples, and apostles preached the gospel to them ; the Spirit wrought many miracles before their eyes, and Christianity was doubly and irrefutably proved ; but they would not see, repent, and believe. Mercy's calls were oft repeated in plain words, striking figures, severe judgments, boundless good- ness, and moral convictions. Christ would often have gathered the Jews to his bosom, as a hen her chickens under her wings, but CHRIST WEEPING OVER JERUSALEM. 27 they would not; would not hear, or come to have life. So sinners now have their clay of grace and probation. They are taught, convicted, warned, directed, and exhorted by the Bible, Spirit, con- science, Christians, and providence, while salvation is offered; but they despise, and wonder, and per- ish. Here is suicide with a vengeance. Take for example a whirlpool. On the north-west coast of Norway, you see a large number of these, small and great. A young company of that kingdom were determined on a pleasure excursion from the sea-coast. They were counselled and dissuaded from this defined and dangerous course by all pilots and dear friends ; but having the boat and company ready, with time and blood up, they started in full glee. Old pilots and friends in life-boats watched them at a distance. Soon the young party were in the outer circles of a great maelstrom, going farther and inward with greater ease and speed. But, alas ! the crisis comes. The giddy youth awake from their reverie and frolic, behold their sin, fol- ly, danger, doom. They cry aloud for help, for mercy, then turn to the oars, and from side to side, from stem to stern, in consternation wild ; but an- other lurch, a sudden current, and the boat is on her beam ends ; out spills the guilty, suicidal company into the awful vortex ; their cries are hushed in the liquid grave ! Dead, doomed, and in the gulf of 28 CHRIST WEEPING OVER JERUSALEM. black despair, they awake, like sinners, to see their loss, end, and portion. Now, dear friends, is the time to escape the whirl- pool, and secure salvation. You are just now in im- minent danger, O sinner ; but Christ is willing, call- ing, ready to save you and all returning prodigals. You see the consequences of sin and folly. The harvest is thus past, summer ended, the door shut, the Spirit quenched, blessings hid, soul given over, cup filled, and suddenly destroyed. Lost, lost ! Their souls are gone forever. O, turn ye; why will ye die? " Did Christ o'er sinners weep, And shall our cheeks be dry? Let floods of penitential grief Burst forth from every eye." SERMON IV. PILLED WITH THE SPIRIT. " Be filled with the Spirit." — Eph. v. 18. EAVEN is full of the Spirit, and all the world must be, in the millennium. Spiritual things are spiritually seen and enjoyed. Paul was filled with the Spirit, and was in the Spirit; therefore he could understand, preach, and do mighty works. He knew the power of the Spirit, and enjoyed the fruits. Some others, hun- gering and thirsting, and feeling an aching void, had become drunken with wine, and exceeded the Christian rule of temperance. Herein they sinned against God, and offended men, and stultified them- selves. How many are alike guilty ! Paul means, in the text, that we should be filled with Bible truth, and with the Holy Spirit, and with all the blessings of Christianity. Are these en- dowments possible, and are we "weighed in the balances, and found wanting"? If grace is free, what excuse shall we render to God? We are (29) 30 FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT. powerless for good in proportion as we are desti- tute of the Spirit. O, may the Holy Spirit lead us into the truth ! Paul was a learned, logical, spiritual reasoner and preacher. He knew well that if his brethren were filled with the Spirit, by consequence they would be filled with all the fruits — the graces of the Spirit. He reasoned from cause to the effect. So we pray for suushine or rain, for governors or soul liberty, and for revivals, that all the blessed sequences may be enjoyed by us and ours. Thus Paul, by infallible inspiration, commands his brethren, and us all, too, to be filled with the Spirit ; and thereby to be filled with love, faith, hope, peace, truth, joy, humility, goodness, temper- ance, power, zeal, courage, gratitude, and success. O, for a heart like that of the apostle ! His is larger than a continent ; it embraces the world of mankind, and anticipates a heaven for the righteous. Are we like Paul, and are we following him as he taught us to imitate the Master? I. Notice why we should be filled with the Spirit. 1. God enjoins and commands us to be filled with the Spirit ; therefore it is our imperative duty and high privilege. By the text we are strictly for- bidden to be drunken with wine, wherein is excess, and emphatically bidden to be filled with the Holy Spirit. How can we disobey God, and be happy? FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT. 31 2. You may be filled with the Spirit. The text itself is good proof on this point. But God declares that he is more willing to give us the Spirit than we are to srive £ood things to our children. So, if we lack wisdom, wo are invited to ask for it, with an assurance that we shall receive it liberally, and not be upbraided. If we do not know exactly how to pray aright, the Spirit is vouchsafed to supply our infirmities, and to make groanings for us, unutter- able. Here, too,, is evidence. What will the un- faithful say? What extenuation can we plead for any deficiency, or for non-success in religion? Look at some examples as evidences in point. The apostles and disciples were filled with the Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Yes, and the sisters as well as the brothers shared the wonderful endow- ment. So, afterwards, many Christian men and Christian women were also endued with power from on high. Thus may we tarry at the cross, and, like the primitive Christians, be filled with the Spirit. The old fathers and Christian martyrs knew what it was to have the Spirit upon them and in them, and to be filled with it, while preaching under persecu- tion, or while suffering martyrdom for Christ. Many of our early reformers, and some modern ones, have felt the power of the Spirit. They have seen and en- joyed things unutterable. Some thirty years ago, in a powerful revival in 32 FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT. Baltimore, Md., in the Sharp Street Baptist Church, there was a thrilling scene. A Mrs. L., a lady of wealth, accomplishments, and power, arose in the deepest weeds of mourning, very modestly, and asked prayers for her dear husband, saying that he was all she could wish, except he w r as not a Chris- tian, and that she had three unconverted daughters, near and dear to her as her own self, whom, she de- sired to be converted. Having made her requests, and saying, "If anything could be done for their sal- vation, she did not wish to go to heaven without her dear family;" and, raising her hands and voice, she led in prayer for the same objects. Soon the hus- band and daughters were converted. Wheii he opened his testimony for Christ, he laid- one thou- sand dollars on God's altar for the missionary cause, thus consecrating himself .an (Hi is all to God, as has been evinced by his continued rich benevolence. When in Mrs. L.'s family, seeing them all clothed and in their right minds, I asked her how she could speak and pray as she had done? "Why," said she, "I could do no less or more, though it be contrary to the minds of some brethren, and against the custom of the churches, for women to speak publicly ; " but said, feelingly, "the Spirit w T as upon me, and I was constrained to pray and to speak, and God blessed the effort." I thank God for this, and many other similar tes- FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT. 33 tirnonies. May my brethren enjoy the power of the Spirit ! 3. The Spirit is necessary to convict, convert, and sanctify souls ; yea, to call a Christian into the min- istry, and to enable him to preach, and to succeed in winning souls. It is essential for the church in her discipline, and in all her Christian developments. The Spirit is our guide, plrysician, and sanctifier. He is oil to our lamps, ointment to our eyes, water to our souls, a rainbow to our brow, and a crown for our head. II. Are we filled with the Spirit? We must be filled with something ; if not with the Spirit and his fruits, the opposite occupies their places. There can be no absolute vacuum. Christ has a right to the entire heart, temple, or house, and knocks for admittance. Has he been rejected? Has the world, the flesh, or the devil taken possession of any of our hearts ? How sinful and cruel to keep Christ out, and to grieve the Holy Spirit ! Shall an enemy turn out your family from their own house, and then take possession of it? How can you so drive out the graces of the Spirit by sin? Unbelief, pride, neglect, intemperance, covetousness, and all kinds of disobedience, may be as so many causes and effects, or signs of spiritual deficiency. III. Consequences of being filled with the Spirit. 1. You may be called crazy, or mad, as they ac- 3 34 FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT. cusecl Paul ; or be called drank, as were the Chris- tians at Pentecost ! I knew a good sister, Dougherty, called such names, because she was so singularly pious, though sane as others, they said, in business. 2. You will feel a burden for Zion, for backsliders, and for sinners. You will weep, like the Saviour, over the wicked. 3. You will suffer persecution. It is so decreed, and it is inevitable. 4. You shall have grace for your day, while trusting in God. 5. We shall, by the Spirit, see clearly how to pluck motes and beams from blind or sore eyes, and do them no injury. 6. We shall then have power with God and men, and ever prevail. So we shall enjoy revivals and reformations, the millennium and heaven. SERMON V. THE NEW BIRTH. "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." John iii. 7. NICODEMUS, like men of the world, was too busy or timid to visit the Great Teacher in the daytime. Well would it be with sinners if, like him, they would come to Jesus by night. A ruler of the Jews, ignorant of the first principles of wis- dom, ignorant of the alphabet of Christianity, is now an anxious inquirer. With great reverence and sim- plicity, convicted and blind, he asks for heavenly instruction. Jesus answers him, with breathing thoughts and burning words, " Except a man be born again, he cannot see, or enter, the kingdom of God. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." His soul is blessed, and he becomes a bold witness for Christ. What a pity that so many of our gifted rulers are without God and experimental religion? How unfit to govern ! How unsafe to lead ! May they, like (35) Sb THE NEW BIRTH. Nicodemus, seek and obtain the rudiments of wisdom and knowledge, and be prepared to rule well, and give their account with joy ! Every man must be born of the Spirit, born from above, or he cannot in- herit the kingdom of God. I. Notice what the new birth is not. It is no violation of Nature's laws, but rather a confirmation; not unreasonable, but supremely philo- sophic ; not fancy or fanaticism, but sober reality; not imagination, for no genius of art has power to conceive it. It is not mere opinion, but vital expe- rience ; nor education, for the wisdom of the world never taught it ; nor morality, — that the young man had, and lacked one thing. Can it be mere Ortho- doxy? No. Satan believed and trembled. Head religion will not suffice. Is it conviction? No. This you may have, like Felix and Agrippa, and not go through the strait gate. Nor is it ritualism, because the form, without power, is dead. But may it not be baptism? Believers must be immersed, but it is not the new birth ; a thousand baptisms cannot change the heart ; nor is it joining the church, be- cause profession is not progression; nor is it death, for there is no wisdom in the grave, and when a wicked man dies his hope shall perish ; nor is it res- urrection, for some shall come forth to shame and everlasting contempt, yea, those who have done evil, to the resurrection of damnation ; nor is this akin to THE NEW BIRTH. 37 the doctrine of restoration or purgatory, for the wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment, and there is an impassable gulf between such and heaven. None, nor all of these, constitute the new birth. Christians are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. II. Notice w T hat the new birth is* This is the great question. It is the great change; the divine, gracious, glorious, radical, profitable, qualifying, in- dispensable, visible, everlasting change. This is the one thing needful. Christians testify to this fact when clothed and in their right mind, enjoying their first love. Convicted sinners confess their want of it. They feel the " aching void the world can never fill." Godliness with contentment is great gain. Here is a focal and vital point of Christian union. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature. Now the old is gone, and all is new. They love God and each other.' The Evangelical Alliance, in London, in the year 1846, and all true revivals and believers, confirm this doctrine, with unity of spirit and faith. The new birth every Christian knows, for it is his own experience : A change of mind, a change of motive, a change of heart, a change of spirit, a change of purpose, and a corresponding change of life ! He is a new creature : old things are passed away ; behold, all things are become new. He is 38 THE NEW BIRTH. reconciled, loves God, keeps the faith, and ascribes grace and glory to the Saviour. III. Notice objections to the new birth. " Impossible ! " But you beg the question. With God all things are possible. " I doubt the doctrine." What sinful ignorance and presumption ! M It is mysterious." Granted. Yourself and the world are full of mystery. Will you believe verified facts ? Great is the mystery of godliness. "Many different opinions." So you may see upon all subjects, but the wise and successful are practically united. " Di- verse denominations." Well, please look at the rainbow, with its seven primary colors, and thou- sands of intermediate tints. How beautiful ! So Zion is comely, crowned with the " covenant-bow," from the Sun of righteousness. None but the igno- rant or blind will revile the Lamb's wife. " Many spurious professors." Well, what of it? Is this a valid objection? Did you ever know a man of wit or wisdom to counterfeit what was of no credit or use? The objector stultifies himself. If there were no genuine coin there would be no false. Why will you not accept the true religion ? w Men of talent and learning are opposed to it." So they are to you, and to each other, and they sometimes change for mutual good. w The majority of the world live without it." So the heathen majority live without civilization or morality. Are they right, and is THE NEW BIRTH. 39 Christianity wrong, because the heathen outnumber Christians four-fold ? What say you of the wicked antediluvians, Sodomites, and destroyed Israelites? Were the majority ?f justified? " O, let us all rather share with the righteous minority at the time of the flood, the rain of fire upon Sodom, or the conflagra- tion of the world ! w It is non-essential." Who is the Lawgiver? Who will dispute God, and accuse his elect? Repent, O, sinner, or you cannot enter heav- en. w It's no matter, if one's only sincere ! " Sup- pose you sincerely violate mutual or civil law and do wrong, will you not suffer the penalty? Look and see, and be wise for thyself. ?? I like substitutes better." Scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites, and all un- believers discard this doctrine, despise the cross, prefer the broad road, and at last have their part in hell. After so long a time God leaves them to their choice to believe a lie, and to their reward to be damned. Your knee must bow some time, and your tongue confess to God's glory. IV. Notice the necessity of the new birth. Man's mind, heart, soul, and life are all wrong till he is regenerated. He is totally unfit for worship, for death or heaven, having no love, no title, no song. It is of God, through Christ, by the Spirit and word, all of grace. Born not by might and power, but by the Spirit; begotten to a lively hope, and become first fruits by the word. A blind man yields to the 40 THE NEW BIRTH. oculist. The operation is painful ; a ray of light breaks in, then a pencil of rays, then the orb of day. He looks, he shouts, M Whereas I was blind, now I see ! " So may all who yield to Christ. Remarks. Have you this experience? Are you anew man? Have you the witness of the Spirit? Do you love Christians? Do you love God, and keep his commandments by faith in Christ? If so, I bid you God-speed? If you have not the evidence, it is high time to awake. Mighty motives from heav- en, earth, and hell now urge you to secure this indis- pensable, blessed new birth ! SERMON VI. THE CHRISTIAN LAWSUIT. ''Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art i>: the way with him." — Matt. v. 25. THE heavens and the earth reveal to us the First Cause of all things, even his eternal power and God-head. So sinners are without excuse. But the Holy Bible is superadded, revealing God, the Triune God, his attributes, his laws, his invitations, with rewards and punishments, for time and for eter- nity. It is admitted that God is infinite in wisdom and power, and that he governs the natural and moral world. It is admitted, too, that God is both a good and righteous Governor; that he will judge right, and execute righteous judgment upon all classes and beings, according to their characters. By conse- quence, as the ends of justice are not fully met in this life, and equality of retributions is not distrib- uted to the righteous or the wicked in this world, man must be immortal, and there must be some place 42 THE CHRISTIAN LAWSUIT. and time in the future for the vindication of divine justice, and for administering rewards and punish- ments. Unsophisticated common sense and logic add their corroborating testimony to the divine doctrine. The Scriptures, our infallible rule of faith and practice, reveal to us a heaven, a hell, a day of judgment, and the world to come, where each and all will be justly requited according to their deeds. Our imperative text refers to forensic usages, or courts of law and justice. There each party in dis- pute is adverse to the other, and is thereby an ff ad- versary." Christ is not our enemy, but our best friend ; yet sinners rebel against him, his government and laws, and count him their greatest adversary. The controversy must be settled. Christ enjoins all of- fenders against God or man to agree with him quick- ly, and to be reconciled, before going to court, to the judge, or to the judgment-seat of God. "If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself; but if thou scornest, thou alone must bear it," — or suffer the consequences. I. God has an action against sinners. His revelations and commandments are before you. Are you guilty, or not guilty? You anticipate the specific charges, and recriminate yourselves by law and conscience. You are guilty of omission and commission by the letter and the spirit. You have THE CHRISTIAN LAWSUIT. 43 not loved God with all your heart, mind, and soul, and your neighbor as yourself; nor by faith or spirit served God with all your powers and privileges. So you feel guilty. Again, you have violated God's law, perverted his blessings, and trespassed against sacred rights, borne false witness, treated religion with contempt, com- mitted moral treason, robbery, and murder against the Son of God. How will you or other criminals stand trial? How will the profane atheist and deist ; the hypocritical Universalist and Unitarian ; the rum, opium, and tobacco-men ; the gambling, play-going, and dancing company ; the libertine, infant mur- derer, the time-server, and soul-destroyer, and all classes of sinners, appear? If your hearts accuse and condemn you, how much greater is God ! How unprepared arc the ungodly and unbelieving for the great judgment-day ! You need the atone- ment. Are you sick of sin, penitent, and praying for pardon and restoration? The Lord direct and bless you. II. Notice the only terms of reconciliation and salvation. You must stop sinning, and turn about ; abhor iniquity, plead guilty, confess judgment before God, and cry for mercy ; in other words, you must repent, ask for grace, believe in Christ, submit to the Spirit, be born again, bow allegiance to God, trust the Sa- 44 THE CHRISTIAN LAWSUIT. viour, and keep his commandments. w Old things are passed away ; behold, all things are become new. 5 ' Be it so with you. III. Wliy you should settle your case "quickly." 1. Your cause is all-important. Your life, and soul, and eternal welfare are involved in the decisive issue. You are rationally conviuced, morally and spiritually convicted, and already condemned as a prisoner. You have virtually confessed to the in- dictment, and prejudged your trial and doom. Why do you not instantly accept of Christ as your Sacri- fice, High Priest, and Mediator? Now is the day of salvation. 2. Your day of final trial is already fixed. You have been duly notified to be prepared to meet God, and may at any moment be summoned to his bar. It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. Why not be ready for the Bride- groom ? 3. You are on the way, and nearer by every throb of the heart, and may be hurried by the angel of death, all unprepared, to the great court of assizes, from which there is no appeal. 4. You may now agree with your injured and mer- ciful adversary, secure a full and free pardon, and stop immediately your cruel suit, the endless cost, vexation, torment, and the final loss of your immor- tal soul. THE CHRISTIAN LAWSUIT. 45 O, there is peace in believing ! Think, fellow- sinner, how prayerless, careless, dilatory, and prodi- gal yon have been while sinning against the Spirit and the Saviour, amidst such imminent dangers. I beseech you, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. Now is the accepted time. 5. God has made all-wise and gracious conditions, and can be just, and yet the justifier of every true believer. He offers us terms of mercy freely, adapted to our situations. God gave his only Son to be crucified for sinners. Jesus arose from the dead, and ascended on high, and now sits on the mer- cy-seat. The Holy Spirit comes to convict, convert, sanctify, and glorify all who commit their souls and cases to Christ. Yea, and he has given us a pro- longed day of grace. What more could he have done in his vineyard that he has not done ? IV. Beware of deferring your suit to the judgment- day. Your cause is then aggravated to the last, and goes by demerit and default. You have no respite, no friend, no witness, no plea, no advocate — noth- ing for you, but all against ! You lose your case, your soul, and all for eternity. Day of judgment, day of wonders ! Arraigned at God's bar, your sins, and conscience, and memory all rise up against you ; the law and testimony, the charges on all the w counts " condemn you, and the Judge sums up the whole, and sentences you to the eternal prison. Then and there 46 THE CHRISTIAN LA WSUIT. a prayer meeting in hell with Dives will not avail you. Grace and hope are gone — gone forever. V. Behold the blessings of gracious reconciliation ! We sit at Jesus' feet, clothed, and in our right minds. Our debts are paid, our crimes blotted out. We experience a godly sorrow for sin, a precious faith, a rest of soul in Christ, and glory in the cross. Our peace is like a river, and our righteousness like the waves of the sea. We are heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, to inherit all earth and heav- en. He is our Friend, Physician, Captain, High Priest, and Saviour. Our souls are insured, and our passports signed for glory. Christ will be with us to the end, and give us the kingdom. He will be our Plea, Witness, Advocate, and Judge at the bar of God, and will say to us, through faith in his blood, w Well done, good and faithful servant, enjoy the mansions prepared for the righteous." w Glory to the Lamb ! He is our Beloved, and Advocate with the Father in heaven. Thrice blessed atonement ! " Dear brethren, let us preach, practise, and rejoice, and may sinners take heed to the text quickly. SERMON VII. THE IMPORTUNATE CRY. " O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear ! " Hab. i. 2. HABAKKUK lived for God, and was full of the Spirit. A vision rose up to his view — Zion captured and encompassed by the wicked ! His pious soul was burdened, and he importuned God for the promised deliverance. He is heard. The answer comes at the appointed time, and he glorifies God. What an eloquent and graphic description we have, in the second, third, and fourth verses, of the present condition of the church and the world ! O, look, pity, and cry to God for help ! Iniquity and infidelity are coming in like a flood. Let us im- portune God for his special intervention for the wel- fare of Zion, and for the salvation of sinners. The fields are all ripening for harvest. A dead faith, form without power, zeal and profes- sion without knowledge, profit nothing. Live faith and works, with effectual prayer, always (47) 48 THE IMPORTUNATE CRY, secure a speedy answer, the promised blessing, at the set time to favor Zion. Consistency and perseverance in duty will avail, without stint or slackness. Let us observe God's Word, and the signs of the times, and hope for re- forms, revivals, and the millennium. Trust the Lord, and be as Mount Zion. I. How long ministers may cry, and not be heard. We may cry, and not be heard, till we see and feel the worth of immortal souls, those for whom Christ died, with whom the Spirit strives, and to w r hose destiny the whole world is as nothing in comparison. We must feel, too, our individual responsibilities, as watchmen, to tell "what of the night," and of the day; and, as ambassadors of Christ, to beseech rebel sinners to be reconciled to God. Such labor avails much. We may cry, and not be heard, till we preach the pure gospel, in love, in faith, and in the Spirit, giv- ing the trumpet the certain sound, and to all men a portion in due season. Then sinners Will awake, as in the "vision of dry bones," and on the day of Pen- tecost. The Lord is not changeable, neither is his ear heavy, nor his arm shortened. Salvation is yet full and free. Let us go forth weeping, scattering the good seed of the kingdom beside all w 7 aters, and we shall re- THE IMPORTUNATE CRY. 49 turn with joy, bringing our sheaves with us. The word will not return void. We may cry, and not be heard, till we are truly meek as a Iamb, bold as a lion. Then, like Jacob, we shall prevail, as a prince, with God and with men. Before honor is humility. God will avenge his own elect, the poor and helpless, when they cry. A con- trite heart he will not despise. We may cry, and not be heard, till we are willing to do our utmost to win souls to Christ, and extend his kingdom, humbly depending on the office-work of the Spirit to consummate the blessing. Yea, we may cry, and not be crowned with stars, as those who turn many to righteousness, till we are willing to make every sacrifice, preach the whole truth, con- secrate ourselves and all to God, obey the leadings of the Spirit, and give him all the glory of our suc- cess. Then will revivals abound, and ministers wear a starry crown; but to God will we give all the glory ! II. How long Christians and churches may cry, and not be heard. You may cry, and not be answered, till you make the flesh and the world secondary, and ail tributary to your great mission. You must give Christ and souls your supreme regard, as the sole object of life. As with individuals, so with churches, — there must be consistency, or no jewels. You are the light 4 50 THE IMPORTUNATE CRT. of the world, and the salt of the earth, when your eye is single. Then you are fellow-helpers to the truth. You may cry, and not be blessed, till you ask with burning hearts, and with faith fired up, as a torch lit in heaven, like Elijah on the mount, and the disci- ples at Pentecost. Your duties are commensurate and run parallel with God's commands ; and his grace is promised to give success. You may cry, and receive not, till you are united in yourselves, with your own conscience, mind, and heart, with your brethren, in love, spirit, and object, and all with the Bible, providence, and creation. Suppose you have a pious guest, and you call in all classes of the wicked to entertain him with their peculiar conversation ; how long would he abide be- fore taking his exit ? Will the Holy Spirit stay and bless where neglect, strife, or wickedness dwells? or will he be grieved away ? If you harbor iniquity in your heart, or suffer sin in your camp, or in your neighbor, God will not hear and bless you. You must be Christ-like, and ask in his name. You may cry, and be denied, till you have done measuring and comparing yourselves with each other, with uncertain and false standards. Suppose you have a scale of one hundred degrees ; will you com- pare, and boast at zero? or stop between this low point and the maximum height, say, at two, five, or TITU IMPORTUNATE CRT, ' 51 ton degrees, and then eongratulate j'ourself? O, look up the other steps, and behold the example of Christ, and Paul following just behind him ! Now humble yourselves, that you may be exalted. The meek shall inherit the earth. You may cry, and not prosper, till you reject car- nal luxuries, the vitiating amusements, the false fra- ternities, and all the vain substitutes for devotion, and are conformed to the Bible rule. Live Christians, with focal points of vital union, increase in power and success while recreating in the garden of the Lord, dedicating time, talents, money, and all to God, with delight. The field is great, and real laborers are few. Do, my brethren, with all your might, w 7 hat your hands find to do, cheerfully, faithfully, instantty, and perseveringly, to present all men perfect in Christ. Surely God will be with you, and give you the king- dom. w Well done, good and faithful ! " III. How long convicted sinners may cry, and not be heard. They may cry in vain, while, like a drowning man holding on to snags beneath, they cling to heresy, a false hope, a dead faith, or vicious company. They may cry amiss, till they let go of sin, of whatever name or nature, and abjure the w 7 orks of the flesh, the world, and the devil. Without holiness no man can see the Lord. 52 * THE IMPORTUNATE CRY. They may cry in despair, like Dives in the pit, till they, without reserve, repent of sin, believe on Christ, and submit to the Holy Spirit, — willing and childlike, to obey God in all his commandments and ordinances. They may cry, and beg, and toil, without pardon, till they are willing, heartily and faithfully, to give God all the praise of their salvation — to glory only in the cross. Amen. SERMON VIII THE GREAT SALVATION. "HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE, IF WE NEGLECT SO GREAT SALVATION ? " Heb. ii. 3. IF man was not a sinner, he would need no Sa- viour : the whole need not a physician. If he were not a great sinner, indeed, he would not need a great Saviour. Great skill is not required when we are but a little sick. We are all moral agents, and accountable to God for our choice, or we should have no moral charac- ters ; should have no share of guilt or glory, and no share of rewards or punishments. Salvation implies retributions. The Saviour, with a heart of love and a tongue of kindness, asked his au- dience how they could escape the damnation of hell? The text implies a day of grace, and the great dan- ger of eternal death by delay. Paul said of certain sinners, K Their damnation is just ; " and now he asks, in the text, "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" (53) 54 THE GREAT SALVATION. Notice, first, the greatness of salvation. Salvation is of the Lord, from heaven ; from the Triune God ; from the bosom of eternity ; and is infinitely worthy of its origin. 1. Wisdom is a divine element in the great salva- tion. Behold the manifest wisdom of God m the heavens, in the earth, in our complex being, and in his providence. How sublime the exhibition . How magnificent the panorama of the universe ! But in this salvation, we behold the masterpiece of the man- ifold wisdom of God. As says the poet, — "God, in the person of his Son, Hath all his mighty works outdone." And Paul says, w Great is the mystery of godliness; God manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory." 2. Love is the supreme element of true greatness. This comprises all the moral attributes of God, re- vealed in nature and in grace, and combines all the untold blessings of salvation. Love plans, reveals, executes, saves. We love God, because he first loved us. Love fulfils the law. 3. Almighty power looms up in the greatness of salvation. God is mighty to save. Christ came into the world to save sinners. The Holy Spirit here convinces of sin, converts, sanctifies, and glorifies. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation to THE GREAT SALVATION. 55 every one who believes. The grace of God brings salvation. By this, we have power to become the sons of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven. Believe in Christ, and thou shalt be saved. How great the power of salvation ! It saves from sin, guilt, condemnation, and hell ; yea, more, it gives us new hearts and all the Christian graces, and, w T ith the heavenly panoply on, insures us a hundred- fold blessing in this life, and infinitudes in the world to come. 4. We argue the greatness of this salvation, not only from its origin, wisdom, love, and power, but from its price. We estimate earthly riches, honors, powers, and pleasures by counting the cost. But how infinite the cost of salvation ! The redemption of their soul is precious. Christ is the measure and exponent of our soul's worth and cost. Jesus Christ is our only Sacrifice, High Priest, and Saviour; — God's unspeakable gift. 5. Observe God's only begotten Son, in the womb of eternitj^, planning all things, and then executing all. Salvation was there conceived, and then brought forth. Christ fathers creation and salvation from be- ginning to consummation. Let there be light, said Christ, and light was. And w r hen he said, Let us make man, it w^as so. Again, when he said, I have found a ransom, the Saviour came. 6. Behold the God-man laying aside his robes of 56 THE GREAT SALVATION. royalty, descending to earth, going about doing good, persecuted, betrayed, crucified ! Behold the sacrifice of his body and soul upon the altar of his divinity ! The OTeat event of all a«;es : the attraction of three worlds ! Jesus Christ suffering, praying, bleeding, dying, to save sinners ! " Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world ! " Can we neglect so great salvation, and so costly? II. Salvation is worthy of all acceptation. In this salvation we have the highest display of wisdom, in adapting means to the best of ends. Sal- vation is not only intrinsically great, but wisely and wonderfully adapted to glorify God, and bless all classes of manhood. Here is a sure panacea for all sinners, a specific for every evil. The sick are re- stored to health, and the dead to life, and to life eternal. Now, will you accept salvation? or reject it, and be lost? 1. Redemption is free to all who believe, love, and obey Christ. Do you, in your heart, embrace him? How simple the terms of mercy! Come, drink the waters of life, without money or price. The wayfaring man has no excuse. Only look and live, give God your heart, repent and be baptized, deny self, bear the cross, and follow Christ, and all is well. The present is the auspicious moment, and the day of salvation. Now is the accepted time. To-morrow is God's time, but not ours. THE GREAT SALVATION. 57 2. Others arc interested for your welfare. The Triune Jehovah has wrought miracles for your salva- tion ; and asks what more he could do? Will you sell your soul for the world? Angels, too, are min- istering spirits to the heirs of salvation. And all Christians labor and care for souls. Should you not care ? Some sinners cry, Lord, be merciful to me a sin- ner ! Sirs, what must I do to be saved? Men and brethren, what shall we do? The prodigal returns, and is blest. 3. The invitation is repeated, Will you repent, and come to the w r eclding supper? All who accept salva- tion have manifold more, in this life, of real wealth, honor, pow r er, and happiness, and a blessed triumph over death; a glorious resurrection morning; a royal reception on the right of God's throne, and a final welcome to the marriage supper of the Lamb, with all the saints, to share the smiles of God, and the crown of glory forever ! 4. Question. How can you escape hell, if you neglect salvation? Did the sinners of the old world escape the flood? Did the wicked Sodomites escape the fire and brimstone? Did idolatrous, sensual Israelites escape the fiery serpents? Did the mur- derous Jews escape penal destruction? No. How, then, will modern sinners escape? By morality, formality, or infidelity? No. Impossible! There 58 THE GREAT SALVATION. is no escape ! As the old world perished by water, so the present one is reserved for fire, unto the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. O, be wise for yourself; if you scorn, you alone must bear it. Seek salvation now ! SERMON IX. SPIRITUAL FARMING. " Break vP your fallow ground." — Hosea x. 12. GOD'S method of instruction is always infinitely wise, gracious, and effective. How it becomes us, then, who are ministers or teachers, to imitate our divine Master ! Here we have our hearts and characters set forth under the simple figure of fallow ground. In another place the heart is called "God's ground," or barren, "stony ground," according to its fruit. (Matt. xiii. 4-23.) Again, "Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns ; circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your hearts." (Jer. iv. 3, 4) ; that is, clear or break up the heart or moral field. God created the heavens and the earth, and pro- nounced them good; all their movements, manifes- tations, and fruits were perfectly good. At last, God made man — a kind of microcosm — in his ow r n image and likeness, to farm the earth, to worship, (59) 60 SPIRITUAL FARMING. and serve him. The earth, how fruitful ! and, more- over, very good ! The garden of the world was delightful ; and man was holy and in his glory. Yea, God made Adam and Eve, the primeval pair and representative head, perfectly upright and happy as twain in one could be ; but they sinned against God, sought out many inventions, and brought down terri- ble curses upon earth, upon themselves, and upon all mankind. The awful marks of their sin are branded on all the creation. So now the earth and man need sub- jugation, restoration, culture, sowing, and reaping. We are doomed now inevitably to get our bread by the sweat of our face, and to suffer pain amid our greatest blessings, as our fallen family continues to live and multiply. But provisions are made by Christ, and time is granted for our improvement, recovery, elevation, and salvation. By grace, the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land ; and by justice, the idle and fro ward shall eat their own bitter fruits. I. Why we should break up the fallow ground of our hearts. Our natural hearts are carnal, hard, wild, evil only continually, and are under the curse, like the earth. It brings forth thorns, noxious plants, luxuriant weeds, and swarms of vile creatures. We have no need to sow tares, or to try to propagate them; they SPIRITUAL FARMING. CI will grow up, increase, and repeat themselves con- tinually. Just so it is with the issues of the natural heart. Now look at its fruits, the world over. We need not be taught falsehood, or to do evil; "we go astray from our birth, " and sow to the flesh. Our hearts must be converted, or we shall raise and eat bitter fruits. The term fallow ground, implies that it was once cultivated and fruitful ; but it has become cold and barren as a common. How is it with our hearts? Do we not need breaking up as much as did the old fields? Is it not high time to awake out of our sleep? to plough, sow, and reap? Lord, re- vive us ! II. How we may break up and cultivate the ground of the heart. We must examine our hearts, confess and forsake our sins, repent, believe, pray, and consecrate our all to God forever. We must have a spiritual clear- ing of the surface and the soil of our lives and hearts ; a gospel ploughing, harrowing, digging, fer- tilizing, and drilling. Then we shall be prepared to enjoy that first love, the rain, the sunshine, the re- freshing breath of heaven, and a precious harvest. K Wisdom is the principal thing" in religion, and in good farming ; and all should be done to glorify God, and to bless man. Spiritual farming, too, must be done lawfully, systematically, thoroughly, and timely. We must have, also, variety, rotation, and 62 SPIRITUAL FARMING. repetition ; and must keep the heart, and till the ground, with all diligence. We must use God's word, which is "quick and powerful," in penetrating, in breaking up, and in mellowing our hard hearts. We must invoke the Holy Spirit, which is so mighty, willing, and fruitful. We must have Christ, and imitate the great Teacher, Friend, and Husbandman — our only Saviour. Let us not be weary, or slack in exhaustive, continuous labor, and well-doing; for, in due time, we shall surely reap a glorious harvest, if we faint not. Therefore, let us hold on, and perse- vere. III. Special rules for securing a rich harvest, tem- poral or spiritual. 1. Plough deep and fine, without balking stones, stumps, or any hard places ; dig up and kill the weeds, briers, and quack grass ; and do not skip a vile root, nor skim over the bad spots and thorns. " If we cover our sin, we cannot prosper ; but if we confess and forsake our sins, we shall find mercy." The policy is good. 2. Let us sow "good seed," deep down in our own gardens, then in our neighbors', then sow broadcast over the whole w T ide world. Withholding niggardly, impoverishes ; but sowing and giving bountifully, enriches a hundred fold. How true ! 3. Begin early, and so prevent the evil weeds and insects, and forestall the enemy. Let us watch and SPIRITUAL FARMING. 63 pray, lest we enter into temptation. As little " flies destroy the ointment," so small insects eat out the germ, and destroy our choice hopes and best fruits. Sin eats like a canker, and is to our Christian graces what the worm was at the root of Jonah's gourd. Fence and watch against all broods of evil crea- tures, and be careful to shut out the " little foxes." We often, and very naturally, fortify against great enemies and dangers, but are criminally careless about common and apparently small evils ; yet the little foxes are ever destroying our vines and the souls of men. These pretty sins, popular, artful, fashionable sins, so often sanctified by some professed ministers and church members, and held up in their bosoms like lapdogs, will soon recoil, bite, sting, and devour like serpents. Beware of games, frolics, secrecies, rum, tobacco, opium, heresy, novels, thea- tres, and the like. w Be not deceived ; " what you sow you must reap, in kind, quality, and quantity. Be wise. 4. Begin at home the work of reform, and all improvements in your own garden, on your own farm, and thereby admonish, inspire, or teach your neighbors ; and begin just so in your own hearts and houses for reforming the world, and reaping a rich harvest. Take, for example, a poor farm, made worthless by neglect or bad tillage ; the house, fences, and landmarks all shabby and decayed ; the 64 SPIRITUAL FARMING. fields, cattle, and fowls poor and forbidding; car- riages, implements, furniture, broken, and all the household sick, or marked with squalid poverty. What lawyer, doctor, merchant, or mechanic could be induced to change his situation with such a farm- er? None. But let a farm just the opposite, with all the natural and acquired blessings surrounding a fine and happy family be exhibited to the eye, and every professional man, tradesman, and traveller would instantly mark, admire, and desire a like pos- session and home ; yes, even hasten to make an ex- change. How much so it is in religion ! and what is our example? Is our heart, life, and influence like the poor sluggard's garden, and the poor, unprofit- able, and uncomely farm? If so, let us turn over a new leaf in spiritual husbandry. On the contrary, have we manifested a Christian character uniformly lovely, devoted to God and souls? alive, cheerful, and faithful, with works praising us? Then thank God, take courage, and prosper. The more, and better, and oftener we do our duties, so much the easier and more delightful will they be to us, and ever instructive and refreshing to others. Our influence, too, wall be reflex with joy or sorrow, according to our characters and fruits. Let us then break up the fallow ground well, and in season ; sow beside all w 7 aters, and reap. SPIRITUAL FARMING. 65 IV. How we may bring in the sheaves, and shout them home. We must watch the signs of the times, preach the gospel, be filled with the Holy Spirit, work with our might, and require the cooperation of all others. He that wins souls is wise. The harvest is white r.nd great. Let us do God's will, know and enjoy Christ's doctrines and pure revivals. Let us bring in the offerings and tithes for God's altar and house, consecrate entirely our souls, bodies, property, honor, happiness, time, families, friends, hopes, and all to God and his cause, trusting to his promises and the Spirit for the full fruition. Then shall we realize the " promise of the Father, be endued with power from on high," and enjoy a Pentecostal revival harvest. The text, and the connected promises, we have often seen verified gloriously in more than two hun- dred and fifty revival seasons, distinguished by God's grace and power, in refreshing many Christians, and in saving thousands of lost sinners. Sing, Chorus " Saviour, visit thy plantation." : Lord, revive us. ,! Yours in the garden, and w r hite harvest field. 5 SERMON X. THE SOUL'S GAIN OR LOSS. " For what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, AND LOSE HIS OWN SOUL? Or WHAT SHALL A MAN GIVE IN EX- CHANGE for his soul? " — Mark. viii. 36, 37. HERE is a great question ; one of the greatest ever propounded to man. Christ is the su- preme author of this comprehensive interrogation, which is infinitely worthy of its origin, and as worthy of our consideration. The human soul is weighed in the balances of the sanctuary, and poised against the whole wide world. What a profound query ! Who will answer this divine problem? Where is the mathematician, or the true casuist? When shall the verdict be ren- dered? in time, or eternity? And which shall we ex- perience, loss or gain, in this and the other world? Man is a compound being, comprising soul and body, spirit and flesh, immortal and moral natures — wonderful combinations ! He is God's temple ; made in God's image. His soul is the mainspring of all (6C) THE SOU US GAIN OR LOSS. G7 his thoughts, resolutions; and actions. Our bodies arc of little worth; but our souls, when weighed in the scales of intellectual, moral, and religious worth, infinitely transcend our highest computations. The duration of the soul beggars all descriptions of words and numbers. Were each of the innumer- able stars to fall from the heavens, at the rate of one in a million of years, till all should be removed, the duration of the soul's happiness or misery would have only just begun. . Were we to multiply the sum of earth's population, grains of sand, drops of water, particles of air and light, by the number of the stars, and by all the moments since creation began, our cycles of bliss or woe would not have begun to cease ; this infinite sum, into years multiplied, does but be- gin the duration of the soul's development in eternal glory or eternal shame. Our souls will expand, burn, feel, enjoy, or suffer more and more, as long as God lives. Awful thought ! Are not our souls then of infinite value ? Christ, the only begotten of the Father, laid down his own soul and body on Calvary for us. He died, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God. Redemption is precious, and measures truly the worth of our souls. O, that men would be wise, and understand this, and consider their latter end ! Has not the gospel been preached, the Holy Spirit been given, prayer been offered, and a day of salvation been granted? Yea, 68 THE SOUL'S GAIN OR LOSS. have not God, angels, and saints cared for souls? and why should they be so interested, and you so careless? O, flee for refuge to-day, and seek Christ your Saviour? Have you not abundant evidence of your soul's worth and destiny ; of its danger, and only hope? Hear the testimony of Christians, full of the Holy Spirit ; and of convicted sinners, in re- vivals, and on their death-beds ! Do you ask more arguments for taking care of your soul? Let con- science speak ! O, be wise for thyself! The soul may be lost; eternally lost ! Lost to hap- piness ; lost to heaven ; lost to all hope ; lost with sinners ; lost with devils ! But how is the soul lost? By sin and Satan, the flesh and the world — on the broad road. Is your soul in jeopardy? Strive to enter in at the strait gate. To-morrow is too late. Now, what will it profit you, if you gain the whole world, and lose your own soul? Here is a mighty question, and is put upon the widest supposition. Well, what if you were to gain all the wealth, the honor, the pleasure, and the power of the w T orld? What would you do ? Would you be more content than a Nero, Alexander, or Napoleon? No, not at all. But, dear friend, you can gain only a small pittance, at most; and will you barter away your birthright for a mere morsel of meat, and sell your soul for the false and paltry husks of the world, THE SOUL'S GAIN OR LOSS. 69 or lor the vain things that perish? Stop, my dear friend, before you close the fatal bargain, or sign and seal your own death-warrant. All you can gain by this self-murdering specula- tion is temporal trash, carnal pleasures, deceptive honors, ephemeral power, vain, delusive hopes, and final bankruptcy. Will any or all of these pay ? How preposterous ! How wild and suicidal the ad- venture ! Don't gamble away your soul I There is no exchange or redemption for the lost soul, sealed for the second death. Dives lifted his eyes, and cried in hell, but there was no deliverance. A gulf barred him from heaven. There is no Saviour nor friend to come to your relief in that woful day. No price, no suffering, no tears, no prayers, or dura- tion of suffering, will then or there atone. None will suffice. All are powerless and unavailing forever. There will be no hope ; and all mercies will then be hid from their eyes. The world lost, heaven lost, the soul and all lost, lost in hell ! Awake, O man, and listen to the watchman's cry. He will tell you of wisdom, and warn you of the signs of the times. Nov: is the time and day of salvation. Be persuaded by the Holy Spirit, and the ambassa- dors of Christ, to repent and be converted, and be reconciled to God. Believe and be baptized, and consecrate all to Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved; you shall be rich, honorable, happy, and powerful; 70 THE SOUL'S GAIN OR LOSS. and all things shall be yours. May you trust Christ, and do good ; and your soul shall fare well for time and eternity. God will record and reward. Would to God that all might feel the worth of souls, and their responsibility ! In conclusion, How shall we, as Christians, profit by this lesson? How regard the duties of the hour, and the worth of souls ? Lord, help us ! Will you, dear brethren, gird on the whole armor for the gospel work? Help earnest and faithful min- isters and laborers in the vineyard, and strive, by true revivals, and by all gracious and reformatory means, to turn the world to God and heaven ? The fields are white for the harvest. We must work to save souls. We cannot be drones or idlers. What if others walk in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful? What if some soul-destroyers cavil, croak, criticise, or persecute? and, like the wicked Jews, hinder souls from entering the kingdom ? We cannot yield to wealth, power, fame, fashion, or pleasure ; nor strike hands with time-servers, w crying peace and safety," while souls are perishing by millions ! We must care for souls. Again, let us, as watchmen and ambassadors of Christ, do our duty ; tell the whole truth, in love and in the spirit ; sound the tocsin of alarm ; preach the law and gospel ; urge sinners to repent, believe, and THE SOUL'S GAIN OR LOSS. 71 be baptized ; direct them, by precept and example, to consecrate their souls and all to God, and -now enlist under the banner of Christ for the reformation and salvation of the whole world. We would not be like the hirelings, nor join with ignorant, barren dream- ers and anti-revivalists. They have their reward. Let us mind God, and stop our ears to Satan's min- istry, as did our Bunyan, crying, "Life, life eternal !" Let us clear our skirts from the blood of souls. God is for us, and we shall prevail. Amen ! SERMON XI. CHRIST KNOCKING AT THE DOOR. "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock." — Rev. iii. 20. CHRIST has called at your door. Will you en- tertain him ? This is a momentous question ; a most important crisis. Christ awaits your answer. The angel will record your decision, and you must meet it. Man is a house, with divers rooms and offices, all furnished and manned. It stands on a rock or on the sand, and it will abide the floods and the fires, or be destroyed. A Christian, or a visible church, is a house, the Lord's house, his building and temple. This is founded on the rock of salvation, and furnished with divers gifts, graces, provisions, and servants, occu- pied by the Spirit of the living God, and attended by the angels. Behold Christ, the Bridegroom, comes. He knocks. Will you receive him, and give him the highest seat? The heart is the door of the house, and this must be (72) CHRIST KNOCKING AT THE 1)0011. To opened and given up, or Christ will never come in. All our faculties of body and soul are under impe- rious obligation to wait on God, and to please him. The loving and faithful Christian quickly hears the calling signal, cheerfully responds, and welcomes Christ to his garden, to his house, to his home, and there shares a precious supper with the Bride- groom. But look at the sluggard's garden, at his house, all shut up and blinded, and imagine the family within, the furniture, the vocation, the daily entertainment, and see Jesus still at the door, crying ! Christ is now present in word, spirit, church, revi- vals. He calls on all sinners, by the voice of nature or the voice of grace, C! Unto yon, men, I call, and my voice is unto the sons of men." But he finds the door of the backslider and the sinner closed, bolted and barred, and a sign of " Xo Admittance n hung out. Sin and Satan, flesh and the world, pride and unbe- lief, prodigality and procrastination, have taken strong possession of the whole man, and locked his heart against the Saviour. K Christ came, and his own received him not." There was "no hole in the door," and the string was pulled in. 1. Christ knocks, rings the bell, shakes the door, and cries aloud. Do you ask how? By his word, his spirit, his providences, his works, your con- science, faithful Christians, and revival seasons. 74 CHRIST KNOCKING AT THE DOOR. Sometimes, for instance, a sermon, a prayer, an ex- hortation, the loss of property, death of relatives and friends, or some special call, arouses the sleepy soul, convicts him of guilt, and constrains him to open his heart to Jesus. Then, what a reformation within! What a feast! God, angels, saints, and Christians are entertained. I once tried to remove a choice sheep from some poor feed to a good pasture, but she faced about to see her lamb, and would not go. I caught up her pet lamb in my arms and walked on, while the moth- er followed with loud lamentations, till through the gate, and amidst the sweet clover, I gave the lamb to its mother, there to rejoice together. So God, in mercy, removes some darling one to heaven, and though the affliction be severe, the bereaved is often induced to seek a happy meeting in the heavenly world. 2. Christ calls and knocks, because he knows your soul's worth, your condition, and your destiny; yea, because he loves and pities lost men ; because he cares for your souls, the honor of his law, and the eternal glory of God. A Son is born, a Son is given, and sacrificed, and exalted, to save sinners. What more could the Lord do to awaken, convert, sanc- tify, and glorify immortal souls? 3. The Holy Spirit comes, calls, convinces, quick- ens, or begets souls, new born into the household of CHRIST KNOCKING AT THE DOOR. 75 faith, the family and tabernacle of the living God. Why should sinners grieve the Spirit, starve, and perish ? God's word is quick and powerful, and conspires with his providences to alarm the torpid sinner, open the door of his heart, and spread a rich table before him, to refresh and save his starving soul. 4. You should accept Christ's call and supper now. You have heard his knock, the signal call, or the alarm bell, and how sinful and dangerous it is to de- lay ; to lie supinely amidst siren songs and death, hugging the delusive charms of sin and earthly hopes. 5. Christ is God and Saviour, and is entitled to supreme regard, as the greatest ambassador and highest personage of the universe. As a duty to yourself, and to your God, you should open your door, honor him, and sup with him. He is worthy of all acceptation, and he exalts all his friends. 6. Christ came from a great distance, at a great sacrifice, and now waits at the bolted door of Jew and Gentile, till his head is filled with dew, and his locks with the drops of the night. How cruel it is, both to yourself and to the Saviour, to despise, in- sult, and shut out your best Friend, and grieve his Spirit ! 7. Behold, w T hat infinite condescension ! Christ lays aside his robes of royalty in heaven, and de- 76 CHRIST KNOCKING AT THE DOOR. scends to earth in humility, to suffer the just for the unjust, to bring us to ourselves, to God, and glory. Once he died for our salvation ; now he calls and in- tercedes to raise us from sin to holiness, from death to life, and to everlasting union in heaven. Let us awake, open the door, give Christ our whole heart, and thankfully partake of the everlasting supper he brings. O, there is none like it, so costly and satis- fying ! Come, open and eat. I w 7 as in Cork, Ireland, at the time of the potato blast and great famine. There I saw poverty and starvation, but met no scornful faces, cold hearts, or bolted doors. Yet I often heard eloquent benedic- tions from rich Irish hearts and tongues, poured forth like rivers of oil, upon their sympathizing benefactors in America. O, thought I, how differently the starving, scornful sinner treats Christ, the great ben- efactor of mankind, for time and eternity. 8. His terms are simple and easy to the willing, contrite, and obedient. O, hear, unbolt your heart, bow your will, "open your mouth, and you are filled." Christ invites freely: "Ho, everyone that thirsts, come. The Spirit and the Bride say, come." Let go the sinful bolts, and take the spiritual w r ater, wine, bread, and honey. Christ desires union, reci- procity, and dose communion; and so do all the lovely and faithful. What a mutual feast ! Behold the sin and folly of neglecting Christ ! CUEIST KNOCKING AT THE DOOR. 77 How Jews and Gentiles, and all modern sinners, sell their birthright, and eat their own fruits, and drink the cup to the dregs ! Sinners, you may confess, like one in Vermont, when it is too late. He said, "I was called at the age of twenty, at thirty, and at forty, and might have been saved ; but I delayed, and promised, till now it is too late ! Farewell wife and children, all," and died. My dear brethren, what a full, delicious suppei Christ, our beloved, gives us here at home, in pub- lic, and in revivals, and then raises us to heaven to enjoy an eternal banquet with God, angels, and saints ! Open wide the doors, and the King of Glory will come in. SERMON XII. THE SINNER'S HAED WAY. . " The way of transgressors is hard." — Prov. xiii. 15. SOLOMON ever teaches wisdom from God, from experience, and from observation. His instruc- tions abound with wisdom, pithy axioms, philosophy, and practical life. Let us read, digest, assimilate, reproduce, and be wise for ourselves. God made man in his own image, for obedience, use, and happiness; but under the seductive charms of sin and Satan, man has deviated and fallen, invent- ing divers ways of war against God's laws. Sin is the transgression of law. Sinners are trans- gressors, and their way is hard. They desire, ex- pect, and seek happiness, but always with selfish motives, and in the wrong direction. So they fail of success, yet often wonder why, crying like some idiots while biting their own finders. God's laws are good, and must be kept to be en- joyed ; and all other blessings must be rightly used, if we would be profited by them. The willing and (78) THE SINNER'S HARD WAY. 79 the obedient cat the good of the land, while God's enemies eat their own bitter fruit. Sinners make a great and woful mistake in their objects, selections, violations, and perversions, since no law of God, natural or revealed, can be neglected or broken with impunity. Your sin w 7 ill find you out. 0, be wise, my dear friends, and consider your condition and prospects. Enter the strait gate, and follow the Spirit, as Paul followed Christ. The faithful Christian ever enjoys the narrow path of pleasantness and peace, which culminates in heaven. 1. The way of transgressors is hard. God declares it : all Christians reiterate it. Every sinner confesses the fact directly or indirectly, and seeks some mitigation. But how unwilling is wicked man to leave the hard way ; to turn and live ! Mighty grace alone can convert him. Adam and Eve, for example, were doomed to severe afflictions and penalties, with only one glimmering hope, through a promised Christ, held out to view, as "a light in Zion's window;" while Cain, blood-red with fratricide, was branded with the marks of God's displeasure for the murder of righteous Abel, and felt that his punishment was greater than he could bear. Then behold those c< sons," given to the flesh, those rebels and scoffers against God and old Noah, grieving the Spirit, and committing the unpardon- able sin, till they were fitted for destruction and the 80 THE SINNER'S HARD WAY. sweeping deluge ! What a contrast to Noah and his family, so innocent and happy, soaring in the ark above the flood, and outriding the storm ! Let mod- ern sinners take heed. But what shall we say of Pharaoh, Achan, Esau, or Goliath? What of the magicians, Sodomites, and idolaters, or the wicked Jews? What of cruel Herod, Judas, Ananias, or the hypocrites and unbelievers? Shall I speak of the bloody Nero and his successors, persecutors, in- quisitors, and murderers of the martyrs? or of offen- sive warriors, oppressive tyrants, intoxicators, prodi- gals, wily gamblers, and vicious conspirators? We look, w T e feel, and blush with shame, as we read these sad omens and details. Modern infidelity and intemperance, slavery and crime, vile temporizing, castes, and clans, now de- fying and violating all law, human and divine, are condemned ; and never will be exempted from the fearful penalties of the text in time or in eternity. All ages have been rebuked by God's judgments. The old world perished by water ; Sodom and Go- morrah, by fire and brimstone ; and the present world is reserved unto fire and perdition of ungodly men. If what has been, and is now experienced, be so terrible and foreboding, how indescribably hard will be the sinner's end ! What a volume of instruc- tion and timely warning is now opened to us for our reformation, preparation, and salvation ! THE SINNER'S HARD WAY. 81 II. Wliy the way of transgressors is hard. Because it is the ungodly and sinful way. It is diametrically against God, his laws, his works, and his providences : continually opposed to the Bible, the Holy Spirit, and the only Saviour. Surely this warfare is hard and dangerous. No wonder that Paul yielded to Christ, and turned about, when he found it so intolerably hard to kick against God. By sin reason is dethroned, philosophy ignored, con- science defiled, while the sinner waxes mad against the Almighty. "Who can withstand God and prosper? The men who conspire, pander, cater, and succumb to iniquity, sell their virtue, manhood, and freedom, binding themselves in chains of slavery, under the old taskmaster, Satan ; even bartering away their souls for a morsel of meat, and signing their own death-warrants. Sin deceives them; the flesh, the world, and the devil are a threefold power, binding, driving, and drawing men to destruction. Folly, amusements, dissipation, and heresy, all come in to mitigate, stupefy, or blind their wretched souls for a while, but all earth cannot atone for their sin. Guilty and fearful, how hard, with more evil to come ! Like Kissame, the forger, fleeing, hiding, hungry, and cold, who said all bodily sufferings were nothing compared with that of his memory, heart, and conscience. Ira Wetherbee, who was so precocious in crime, and then matured, with his evil 6 82 THE SINNER'S HARD WAY. associates and victims, for perdition, indicated his marks, fears, and forebodings, till he in turn was as- sassinated by his own gambling and vicious frater- nity. His enemies were of himself and of his own house. Dr. Tyler, the abortionist, while on his death-bed, beheld a host of infants' skulls around him, and devils awaiting their cruel victim, and felt, he said, "as if they were pulling off his flesh with red-hot pincers," often crying out in anguish and despair. This is a verified case. What then will be the doom of modern infanticides, murderers of the young, or the unborn? The secret sins of dark- ness, and of all hearts, will be revealed and con- demned at the judgment. If the sinner's lot is so hard, and often terrible in this life, what will be his portion w^hen he drinks the cup to the dregs, with no hope in death, or in hell, for eternity? III. When sinners will remember, and consider the text. Some will be wise, remember their faults, and con- sider in their day of grace, like Adam, Eli, David, and others of the Old Testament ; and like Peter, Paul, and the prodigal, those of Pentecost, and those in New Testament times ; with myriads from the da}~s of the Apostles down to late modern times. Christ calls, the Spirit strives, Christians pray, and many sinners awake, and call on God for salvation, before all blessings are hid. THE SINNER'S HARD WAY. 83 Another class will remember and consider, when it is too late for mercy, like the wicked antediluvians and reprobate Israelites, the bloody Jews and out- casts, at the last day, at the judgment, and in hell forever. Here the unbelievers are hungry and dissatisfied, but hoping, seeking substitutes and opiates to make life tolerable ; but there all grace and hope will ever be gone. What will they profit by all the world, if they lose the soul? Hon. John Randolph, on his death-bed, cried out, Remorse ! George Richards, of Philadelphia, was convicted and condemned by his own conscience for preaching "no hell," and killed himself. Be not deceived. Strive to enter the strait gate. Secure the good part, a good hope, through Christ, the only way and life. SERMON XIII. THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT. " Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord." — Zech. iv. 6. JERUSALEM came down wonderfully. The tem- ple and walls are demolished. Zion's glory is spoiled, and she sits weeping in the dust. She looks to God. His word is true. Help comes. Zion again comes forth. Her temple and walls are again rebuilt, with shoutings for the Lord's house, from foundation to headstone, crying, Grace, grace un- to it! Modern Zion is depressed, and her house beset by enemies. She prays to Christ, her High Priest, and the blessing comes. Our extremity is God's oppor- tunity. Are we not the temple of the living God? He dwells in our hearts, in the midst of Zion. Christ loves his children, his bride, his church, giv- ing his family, help, house, home, and glory. It is our Father's good pleasure to give us the kingdom. Neither the world nor the gates of hell shall prevail (84) THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT. 85 against God's elect. Nothing in the universe shall separate us from the love of God. They who trust the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abideth forever. I. Christ's church must increase and possess the world. God's word is sure. The stone cut from the moun- tain shall crush every obstacle. The kingdoms of this world shall become kingdoms of our Lord. The heathen, and uttermost parts of the earth, shall be his possession. He makes, wills, and uses all things for his lovely household. Even the wicked and their wrath shall be overruled for our good and his glory. God has promised. Provisions are ample. Christ has once come, and will come the second time. Yea, he will come in glory, with saints and angels, to wel- come his bride to her eternal mansion. The signs of the times indicate, to the spiritual mind, that his reign is at hand. But how can such stupendous re- sults be accomplished ? How can the meek possess the earth? Not by our might of words, works, or wisdom ; nor by power of mind, money, or finite means, can w 7 e exorcise sin and Satan, and reform the world, or win souls to Christ, and sing the royal jubilee. No, by no means. We walk by faith, not by sight. We put not our faith in princes* We are engaged in a great work ; and when all is done, we will exclaim, What hath God wrought ! We may 86 THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT. plant and water, but God gives the increase. Not by might of men or angels ; nor by power of kings nations, or armies; nor by force of law, resolutions, or conventions ; nor by charm of poetry, music, ora- tory, or romance ; nor by discoveries, inventions, or combinations of all finite powers, can Christ's church be finished ! This is the glorious, sole prerogative, and office work of the Holy Spirit. II. The Holy Spirit is the divine agent in convert- ing the world. He employs angels and men, and diverse means. The Bible is given, and its authority proved by him. Christ and Christianity are attested by signs, won- ders, and miracles of the Holy Spirit. By his power the curtain of eternity is rolled up, life and immor- tality are brought to light, great truths are brought vividly to our mind, sin is made to appear exceed- ingly sinful and dangerous, the law and the gospel are flashed upon the sinner's mind as no human elo- quence could do it, and he is led by the spirit to re- pent, and receive the lovely Saviour. The soul is born anew, sanctified and glorified. The wise virgins seize the day of grace, repent, enlist for Christ, and enjoy salvation. The Spirit makes ministers, calls and qualifies them for their high vocation. Their special commission is imperative, and woe to the disobedient ; the blood of souls is on the skirts of the unfaithful. He sustains THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT. 87 his watchmen on the walls of Zion, to tell what of the night and the day. He furnishes his ambassa- dors with their outfit, to beseech sinners to be recon- ciled to God. He gives his soldiers their panoply, and all his servants their means of success. The Spirit qualifies us for baptism, and crowns the ordinance with his dove-like presence. He leads us to the Lord's Supper, breathes upon his disciples, and sanctifies the symbols. He establishes churches and their missions, giving some apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the building up of the bod} 7 of Christ, till we are all one in faith and knowledge, and become perfect men ; till we come to the meas- ure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. The Spirit makes the law a schoolmaster, and the gospel a conquering sword. By it the flesh and the world are vanquished, and every evil plant rooted, up ; infidelity, hypocrisy, vice, and crime are purged out. The cross is engraven on the contrite heart, and Christ reigns there supreme in the beauty of holiness. The Spirit makes all true reforms and soul-stirring revivals, like Pentecost, and the gospel to be the power of God unto salvation to all believers. The Comforter gives us the sweet promises, lights up our pathway to the grave, and gives us the victory, and 88 THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT a glorious resurrection. Then, in the likeness of Christ, by the Holy Spirit, shall we, with all the ransomed church of God, enjoy the heavenly king- dom. III. We will make a few practical reflections. All finite powers are totally inadequate to reform or convert the world. Every eftbrt to establish peace, liberty, or religion without the Spirit, proves abortive. What have governments ever accomplished by their legislation, resolutions, or appropriations for the extirpation of intemperance, vice, crime, or infi- delity? And what of all our civil laws, regulations, and popular movements? They may check, and ap- pear to mitigate some species of wickedness for a while, but the plague still remains, the roots of the cancer live anew. The Jews may fast and whitewash, Sanballat in- vite us to the plains of Ono, Pharisees build with wood, hay, and stubble on their sandy foundations, and the wicked say, Peace, peace, where there is no peace ; but as for us, we will depend upon the all- sufficient Spirit to renovate the heart, to breathe upon the valley of dry bones, and to make multi- tudes of dead souls come forth alive, clothed, and in their right mind. By the Spirit, John the Baptist, Peter, and Paul had power with God and with men in those primitive revivals. Thus all the early re- THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT. 89 formers preached, and gave God all the glory. So Whitefield, Knapp, Finney, Spurgeon, and the other modem evangelists owe all their revival success to the Holy Spirit, and grve God all the praise. Only by the Spirit can we preach, pray, sing, wor- ship, or do aught acceptably to God. Sinners may wonder that their costly, ingenious, splendid forms are not crowned with the smiles of Heaven ; but all is dead, odious, and ignored without the heart and spirit. The life and luxury of the -world is but woful dying. May ice be filled with the Spirit; and with lamps burning, be all ready to meet the Bridegroom ! SERMON XIV. THE SPIRITUAL LOOKING-GLASS. " For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass." James i. 23. GOD'S word is supremely perfect. His doctrine and method, like himself, are infinitely wise, just, and merciful. Christ and all his inspired teachers seized things of the earth and the heavens, of time and eternity, to make man wise unto salvation. The Holy Spirit, in giving us the Bible, makes all Nature, animate or inanimate, to pay tribute ; and constrains diverse professions, departments, and usa- ges to teach, illustrate, and enforce divine truth, to secure attention, to impress religion on our hearts, to stir up our minds by constant remembrance. The most common events and trivial things are often magnetized into living oracles of wisdom, happiness, and glory. The domestic looking-glass is here consecrated, (90) THE SPIRITUAL LOOKING-GLASS. 91 and held up to public view, as a spiritual mirror, a dignified instructor of God to man, assimilating the word, the law of liberty, the book of life. In these different mirrors we see ourselves ; in one we view the body, in this the soul. God reveals himself as the natural sun does ; and reveals man, and the plan of salvation, time and eternity, heaven and hell. What a revelation ! What a mirror ! The Bible is the divine looking-glass for the world. I. This is the great reflector of the inner and the outer man, of the inmost recesses of our hearts, and of all our outward acts. Our moral characters are photographed for eternity. Is the image of Christ engraved on our souls, and our names in the book of life ? It is designed to con- vince of sin and all moral defects, to guide us in securing and preparing our wedding garments, to save us from mortification and the pit, to adorn us for the great supper, and the bridal chamber of the Lamb of God. The qualities of this glass are wonderful. It is clear as crystal throughout ; revealing every moral feature of the human soul, and of all the world as clearly as sunlight. It is perfect in all its qualities and impressions, showing up a fac-simile of all hearts, beings, charac- ters, and their prospects ; not to magnify nor minify, 92 THE SPIRIUTAL LOOKING-GLASS. but to inake the sinner or the saint see himself as God sees him. It is infinitely important in burning with focal power the cross of Christ into our hearts, in engrav- ing His image on all our lives, in publishing us to all the world as faithful editions, and living epistles, to be known and read by all men ; as stars and bea- con lights, true revolving reflectors of the Sun of righteousness. Encircled with such burning mirrors and luminaries, the eternity-bound soul has no cloak for his sins, nor excuse for neglecting salvation. Besides the intrinsic merits of the perfect law of liberty, it is wisely, graciously, and justly adapted to all ages, classes, and characters, good or bad, Jews or Gentiles. The past, present, and future loom up before us with the brightness of the firmament. Are you prepared to meet God ? prepared for heaven? Have you the Christian evidence? II. How you may profit by using this looking-glass. You should give it the first place and a high posi- tion, as it is a gift-copy of Him who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Use earnestly all the light of nature and grace ; seek first the kingdom of God, and by faith yield to the power of the Spirit, and you will see your guilty soul washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. Believe and be baptized, and you shall be saved. Lay aside your veil, the veil of unbelief, and look. THE SPIRITUAL LOOKING-GLASS. 93 By this the Israelites were blinded, and shut out of Canaan, and sinners out of heaven. The sin of un- belief perverts and eclipses the vision of sinners till they submit to Christ. Then their eyes behold ; then they love to sit at his feet, clothed, and in their right minds, giving Christ all the glory. We see light in his light. Come up in front ; look squarely in the sacred glass, not away and obliquely, to see other sinners, but gaze at your own image, face to face, till your eyes water, and your heart melts, and you become a new creature. When you see Christ formed within you the hope of glory, old things give place to the new, you w may read your title clear," and sing, "Christ has paid it all ; " w How happy are they ; " and "Happy day, when Jesus washed my sins away." Eesolve, act, and reform. Never forget your vows, your lessons of duty, or your responsibility. Come under the burning lens of truth, and your heart will wax hot. While you muse the fire will burn. Wait on the Lord, and increase your strength. In this book are the thoughts that breathe, and words that burn. Use your knowledge and improve. If you do his will you shall know his doctrine. Delay not to follow Christ. Wash in the fountain of his blood, seek the robes of his righteousness, trim your lamps, and watch for the Bridegroom. Lo, he comes in all his glory with the holy throng, 94 THE SPIRITUAL LOOKING-GLASS. to crown you with his bride in heaven ! Then, as the rainbow spans the earth, Christ, with his covenant love, will openly embrace his redeemed and glorified church in his mansion above. III. Why so many sinners are not profited by the mirror. Sinners have wandered far off. Their eyes are weak, and sore, and blind. They hate the light, truth, and religion ; they refuse to come to the light, lest their deeds should be exposed and condemned. They are left to believe a lie. The unbelieving love darkness, error, and infidelity. They roll sin as a sw T eet morsel under their tongues, till it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder. Like the prodi- gal, they turn their backs on home and heaven ; seek evil ways, and wicked company, and perish. The worldly-wise seek wealth, pleasure, fame, power; glory in their delusions, pride, and pageantry; as- sume a form without true religious power ; die moral bankrupts, and beg in hell with Dives. Others, like cowards, would hide behind ministers, Christians, hypocrites, relatives, notables, or magis- trates, crying peace and safet}', till sudden destruction overtakes them. Like the foolish virgins, many are too late : the door is shut. They cry for rocks and mountains to cover them, but all in vain; their sins have found them out. They see • their guilt and doom, remember our sermons and their sins. THE SPIRITUAL LOOKING-GLASS. 95 The Bible looking-glass, like a revolving mirror or panorama, brings up all things to their astonished vision. The acts of all persons and nations, and the secrets of all hearts, are clearly revealed — seen in bold relief, testifying for or against. The record will stand, the Judge decide, and award them according to their works. O, be not deceived ! We shall soon see as we are seen, and know as we are known, and realize our destiny. The looking-glass is held up before us, and the light of eternity is upon us. What are our thoughts, hearts, lives, and prospects? With the past and future before us, how shall we appear at death? with hope, or no hope? How shall we come forth at the resurrection? to eternal life, or to shame and everlasting contempt? With the righteous in the likeness of Christ — satisfied? or with the wicked in damnation? Before this burning mirror, at the judgment, how shall we appear? on the right hand, or on the left? Adorned as the bride, and welcomed to heaven, or red with guilt, condemned, and sent to hell? Shall we, with the angels and saints, glorify God and sovereign grace, or wail with sinners and devils in black despair? Look in the glass : remem- ber, believe, obey Christ, and be changed into the same image and glory by the Holy Spirit. SERMON XV. PREPAKATION FOR MEETING GOD. "Prepare to meet thy God, Israel." — Amos iv. 12. WICKED Israel bad been well instructed, fa- vored, warned, and chastised, without being reformed. Some of their number also had perished by famine and by war, or like Sodom and Gomorrah ; yet those rescued, as brands plucked out of the burning, would not repent and return to the Lord. So God thus threatens to destroy the remnant, the unconverted, and commands all Israel to prepare to meet their God. # The text now r speaks to us, to you, to the w r orlcl. All divine injunctions, examples, and ordinances are for our instruction and profit, for warning and wisdom. A voice from the eternal world — from above and from beneath — cries aloud, Cf Mortals, be- ware ; be wise, and prepare to meet your God ! " The books of nature and grace unite their voices to alarm, convert, rescue, and save your souls. "Life is the time to serve God, and secure the (96) PREPARATION FOR MEETING GOD. 97 blest reward;" therefore, prepare to meet thy God, sinner. "It is appointed unto man once to die; " anc^ as there is no knowledge or wisdom in the grave, do with thy might what thy hands find to do, and pre- pare to meet thy God while you live. Because "there will be a resurrection of the just and the unjust," the righteous to eternal life and glory, and the wicked to condemnation and eternal shame, therefore prepare to meet thy God ; to see him, to be like him, and to be satisfied. " For we must all appear at the judgment-seat of Christ," to be requited according to the deeds done in this body; therefore, let us prepare to meet our God, to give our accounts with joy, and not with grief. As the day of judgment is divinely fixed, and due notice has been given and served upon us, all the guilty, delinquent ones are now summoned to pre- pare to meet their God. Sinners are already convicted and condemned : and the great day and righteous Judge are at hand. Pre- pared or unprepared, we must all settle with God, and each be welcomed to heaven or doomed to hell ; therefore let us be prepared to meet our God, and dwell with the glorified forever. I. Preparation is indispensable to meeting God in peace. 7 98 PREPARATION FOR MEETING GOD. Children make preparation for school ; students tor the college and seminary ; lawyers and their clients for the court ; guests for the feast and wed- ding ; friends and neighbors for the funeral and the church; why will not all of you, dear friends, imme- diately prepare to meet God, with the assembled uni- verse? We must be truly converted and born again, have on the wedding garment, be justified and sanctified, to stand acquitted at God's bar, and be prepared for heaven. Are you a Christian, and all prepared and awaiting the final call — the voice of the Bridegroom and the glorious welcome? Then, glory to the Lamb ! II. This doctrine is often denied by sinners. The atheistic fool says in his heart, "There is no God," and thereby denies the necessity of a prepa- ration. What a reprobate ! The deist, blind as the owl in the sun, or as the stupid ostrich, with its eyes in the dark or head in the sand, fancies that all is well. He denies the exist- ence of eternal justice and reward, and, like some thieves and night-walkers, vainly hoping themselves hid from detectives, he falsely and foolishly cries out, "No God seeth me." This he says because he is wicked and deceitful, has pleasure in sin, and is given over of God to believe a lie and to be damned. As the infidel makes his sophisticated reasoning and defiled conscience his infallible rule of judgment, PREPARATION FOR MEETING GOD. 99 he suicidally denies the eternal First Cause, the his- tory of creation and of redemption, and repudiates all revelation and testimony which he wickedly fails to understand. Blind leaders of the blind ! Notice their fruit and their end. The hypocrite, professing religion or belief in the Bible, denies the eternal divinity and person of Jesus Christ, or the personality of the devil, or the neces- sity of the instantaneous new birth and holy living, or the eternity of rewards and punishments, or prac- tically says, "It is vain to serve God." But the whited sepulchres are bin for a season, and are doomed to destruction. The vain scejptic, the rationalist or moralist, may each construct their visionary castles, and climb their favorite and deceitful ladders only for sad disappoint- ment, Babelite confusion, and a hopeless fall. Fatalists, Pharisees, or purgatorians may think, reason, and work hard, or make vain and great sac- rifices, and thereby wilfully deny the glorious cross, the Christian's experience, and the absolute need of personal piety and qualification to meet God in peace. But all these unbelievers are morally ignorant, de- luded, and lost, and the "evident tokens of perdi- tion" are upon them. They have grieved the Spirit, or perhaps quenched it, to their eternal misery. O, that fearful, unpardonable sin ! O, sinners ! you, like Israel and the Jews, have 100 PREPARATION FOR MEETING GOD. your day. Will you now prepare to meet God, 01 neglect salvation, as they did, and lose all? III. Why preparation is necessary. God demands it. It is obligatory. What a privi- lege ! All sinners, weighed in the balances, are found wanting; unwashed, naked, destitute, con- demned. Without preparation you have no place or ground to stand on. Not on law, for you have not kept it. You have not loved God supremely, nor kept the commandments inviolate. Yet, if you offend in one point, you are guilty of all. You cannot be justified then by the deeds of the law. Neither by the gospel, till you believe in Christ as your High Priest and Saviour. So you have no sure hope or footing, but are now sinking clown to the bottomless pit. O cry, "Lord, save, or I perish!" You are, clear sinners, without the graces of the Holy Spirit, the earnest of heaven, the title, song, or fitness. What if you were cast up into heaven, just as you now are, all sinful and unprepared? Would you be happy and at home, or experience the opposite? But no sin or sorrow can enter there. Neither can you without regeneration, without Christ as your Sacri- fice and Advocate, ever enter the kingdom of God, nor share the unspeakable bliss and glory of heav- en. You w r ould have no son^. Conclusion. Having wandered afar off, like Adam, the Jews, the prodigal, and the stray sheep, PREPARATION FOR MEETING GOD. 101 it is high time to mind the warning voice, and now prepare to meet thy God. O, let go of sin, break away from sinners, resist the devil, and turn, and trust, and flee to Jesus ! Prepared to meet God, we are just fit to live and to make the world better, and to prevail with God and man, like Jacob, as a prince. Having peace like a river, and righteousness like the waves of the sea, we shall triumph over sin, death, and hell, all through Christ, and be prepared for the glorious mansion, with saints, and angels, and God, in the heaven of heavens. Questions. Fellow-mortals, of all classes, indi- vidually, are you safe? Are you holy? Have you the Christian evidences ? Are you ready to meet God? Will he greet you with the welcome plaudit, "Well done"? SERMON XVI EFFECTUAL PRAYER. "The effectual fervent prater of a righteous 3ian availeth much." — James v. 16. PRAYER is the offering of the heart to God, through Christ, by the Holy Spirit, according to his word. Do we make this prayer? Here is our duty, and the measure of our prosperity. See well to it. Effectual prayer secures the object. Correspond- ing means or agencies are always employed. We appreciate the effective farmer, mechanic, doctor, or minister ; but the inefficient we reject as unprofita- ble. Effectual prayer never fails, but avails much. Here we record our assurance, experience, and living testimony. What an unspeakable privilege ! A. righteous man is one who loves God, trusts his word, and obeys his commands. He has a willing mind to serve and please God ; and all things work together for his good. The prayer of his heart is ever fervent, melting with love and holy zeal ; and (102) EFFECTUAL PRAYER. 103 he profits thirty, sixty, and a hundred fold. The Christian measure is full, running over, infinitely more than his tongue can express forever. All are bound to make effectual prayers ; to prove God's promises ; to glorify God, and bless man. Without religion, all attainments are vain, and worse than lost. The sanctifying power of prayer is the soul's life, heart's pulse, and spirit's breath, by which we have union with God and his people, conquer the flesh and world, and possess the kingdom. The elements of effectual prayer. Knowledge is power, and never more mighty than in prevailing prayer. God is revealed in nature and in grace. The blind Athenians worshipped Pan, and an f? unknown god ; " but with all their wisdom they knew not God. They needed the preaching of Christ and of the resurrection by Paul. Heathens and sinners ask and receive not, because they ask amiss. By grace we behold God, his word, and at- tributes, in bold relief, as the noonday sun and the rainbow. Holiness of heart and life becomes us, as precious jewels ; without this virtue the bride is not adorned for the wedding. I once knew a man at f ' the White House " excluded from the presence-chamber of the President because of rum in his breath. How infi- nitely more offensive to God is sin in our hearts ! The Psalmist knew and declared if he harbored iniquity 104 EFFECTUAL PRAYER. in his heart God would not hear him. The pure in heart shall see God. How just and imperative are God's commands ! The ivhole lieai t is essential to this prayer, and no part must be left out, or otherwise occupied. "My son, give me thine heart." When we cry with all our heart, he hears us : means and end are thus united, and crowned. Right motives must pervade the soul, and the eye be single, or we cannot enter the presence-chamber of Gocl. Whether Ave eat or drink, or whatever Ave do, it must be done for his glory, and our hearts will oA^erflow with grace. God looks to the heart and the intents thereof. Selfishness perverts all, grieves the Holy Spirit, and brings a false and evil report of God's kingdom. The vale of humility is consecrated ground, ren- dered sacred for sealing heavenly treaties ; here Christ meets and binds up the broken heart. Before honor is humility. Zaccheus, come doAvn ! Pride goes be- fore destruction ; the humble are exalted ; the publi- can is justified, rather than the Pharisee. Simplicity is usually a characteristic of effectual prayer, and eA r er comports Avith true sublimity and the majesty of godly devotion. We hold audience with Deity : Iioav unworthy our offering ! Hoav sim- ple and child-like should be our petitions ! " God, be merciful to me a sinner;" "Lord, have mercy on EFFECTUAL rRAYER. 105 me ; " " Lord, save, or I perish ; " " Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" — are effectual prayers; not too simple, direct, or short. Confession and fasting often attend this prayer. Confess your sins to God, and your faults to each other. If we cover our sins, we shall not prosper; but if we confess, and forsake them, we shall find mercy. Some evil spirits go not out except by fast- ing and prayer. Specification in prayer is reasonable and scriptural. Why not be as specific in our petitions to God as we are in our dealings with men? Let us be more point- ed. Elijah prays for rain, and it comes ; Daniel prays for knowledge, and it is given ; Habakkuk cries out for a revival, and God sends a refreshing; Christ, in the garden, prays for relief, the angel strengthens him. Let us ask bread or meat, and God w T ill not give us stones or serpents, nor turn us away empty. The present tense in prayer is consistent with faith and fervency. Its use is in place and time for the blessing. To-morrow may be too late ; now is the time. Fervency is an element of life and power in pre- vailing prayer. See Moses pleading, Jacob wres- tling, Christ sweating, Paul praying, and sinners crying, — and deliverance comes. Be fervent in spirit, and zealous in serving God. Importunity and perseverance are twin sisters in 106 EFFECTUAL PRAYER. securing the blessing ; they imply conviction and hope of success. See the widow and the judge, Peter's release from prison, and our powerful revi- vals. We, too, shall reap in due time, if we faint not. Submission and consecration to God and his will are prerequisites to communion in prayer. Thy will be done, is our cry ; and Christ will no more deny us, than he will deny himself, or his own will. God's will is revealed in nature, and especially in the Bible. Let us read, and understand it. Plead the promises, and we shall prevail. It is God's will. The Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary to this effectual prayer. Those who worship him must do it in spirit and in truth. We know not how to pray aright, but the Spirit supplies our infirmities, and makes intercession for us, with groanings unutter- able. Be filled with the Spirit. Then we can pray, sing, teach, and have revivals. Faith is a cardinal grace, without which all is sin, and without which we cannot please God. We must believe that he is, and is the rewarcler of those who truly seek him. Have faith in God. As your faith is, so will be your success. O, ye of little faith ! Christ's name crowns our prayers. He is our Ad- vocate and High Priest. Whatever prayer we offer to God, whatever draft we make on the bank of EFFECTUAL PRAYER. 107 heaven, with his name indorsed, secures us the bless- ing. What we ask in his name, believing, we shall have. His constraining love embraces and embalms the whole. Christ is all and in all to us. Effectual prayer prevails, and avails much. Thus it was with the ancient worthies, with the primitive apostles, and later reformers ; and will be with mod- ern Christians, in reforms and in revivals, in pros- perity and in adversity, in experience and hope, in conflicts, in life, and in death ! SERMON XVII. POSSESSING THE LAND FOR GOD. " There remaineth yet very much land to be possessed." Josh. 13 : 1. JOSHUA was truly just and perfect. God di- rected, sustained, and blessed his efforts. Moun- tains, rivers, and enemies were no obstacles. He obeyed the command of God, conquered legions of rebels, took divers cities and lands, and yet there was much more of the country to be possessed. Joshua was old, and his time short. We may adopt the language of the text, with equal propriety, in view of our Christian commission, con- quests, and prospects. Much missionary work has ' been done ; much more remains to be done ; and what we do must be done quickly. Now is the day of battle and salvation. Sin and Satan must give place to Christ and his kingdom. I. Notice the land to be possessed by God's peo- ple. The field is the whole world, and when the inhab- (108) POSSESSING THE LAND FOR GOD. 109 itants are subdued and evangelized, the whole domain is our rich and free possession. So we will begin at home, and end abroad. How is it with our own hearts? Are they subdued by God's word, and all sanctified by the Holy Spirit? Is it well with thee? Have you the joys of salva- tion? Then how are the members of your family? Do thejr love and profess Christ? Let no one ask, as did wicked Cain, "Am I my brother's keeper?" The responsibility is upon us all. Is it well with thy husband, wife, or child? Can you say with the Shunamite, " It is well." May you say, as did old Joshua, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." The Lord help us ! Next, are your neighbors converted to God ? Or what are their feelings and prospects? O, let no one then say, "No man cares for my soul." Christ cares. Now observe the state of society on every hand : how few are Christians ! Search our cities, and tell me one tithe of their moral desolations, and their need of religious culture ! Lastly, look at the coun- try, the state, and nation : how much remains sinful and unsanctified ! Behold, too, the kingdoms of the world ! With the ten hundred millions of souls yet unevangelized, unsaved! Brethren, there is work before us ; a battle, a Captain, and a final victory. 110 POSSESSING THE LAND FOR GOD. II. The field must be possessed and consecrated. The whole world belongs to God and his people, and must yield somehow, either by grace or by wrath. Zion will arise and trinmph. " The meek shall in- herit the earth." The wicked are only tenants at will. All who can be made willing by God's word, Spirit, and providence, shall possess the heavenly land. Christ's bride shall have her promised dowry. Sin and error shall be rooted up, w T ith every evil plant. Satan and reprobates will be drawn out, and Jesus shall reign in universal empire. III. Notice the obstacles in the way of our prog- ress. Our own sins of heart and life are our worst hin- derances and enemies. "O, Israel, thou hast de- stroyed thyself!" Next to these come our faint, fickle, or false brethren, like the old ten spies, Achan, or Judas. "A man's enemies are those of his own house." Hypocrites, traitors, and cowards see giants and lions in the w 7 ay, and retreat. May the Lord, by mercy or judgment, remove the stumbling-blocks ! For the Calebs and Joshuas must conquer. At last we meet the outside enemies. They ap- pear quite formidable. Their number is enormous; they are deeply intrenched in wickedness ; they are strongly fortified w 7 ith sin, heresy, infidelity, or heathenism ; they are heterogeneous, mutinous, full of deceptive strategy, having legions of devils, with POSSESSING THE LAXD FOR GOD. Ill their fiery darts, false lights, and pirate flags at their head. Death and hell will come in their train, but they are all our conquered foes. Be not terrified by your adversaries ; their tokens of perdition are re- flective signs of our salvation. We have a severe warfare, a perfect panoply, a holy company, ample provisions, and a glorious, all-conquering Captain. IV. Notice the encouragement to our progress and entire conquests. The holy prophecies and promises insure our pos- session of the entire world. Christ will be with us, and "give us the kingdom." The kingdoms of the world shall be transformed into a heavenly home. This is a decree, and all of grace ; it is only a ques- tion of time. Watch for it. Our resources are ample, available, effectual. God has commissioned us, provisioned us, and armed us for this glorious missionary enterprise, and we are fully able to go up, rout, or subdue our foes, till we take entire possession of the field, and raise in tri- umph the gospel banner. The precious stone, cut from the mountain, shall roll through and fill the whole world with peace, plenty, and good-will. All history, experience, and observation, confirm the promises, and crown our faith, hopes, and labors of love with evident foretastes of millennial glory. If we trust in the Lord and do good, we shall dwell in the holy land, and be fed. Our reward in this life 112 POSSESSING THE LAND FOR GOD. is a hundred fold, and, hereafter, the infinitudes of heaven ! For our examples, look to Moses going through the Red Sea ; Caleb and Joshua surmounting all ob- stacles, taking cities and towns, subduing myriads of enemies, and possessing their land. See how the three hundred of Gideon's men broke their pitchers, blew their trumpets, and cried, "The sword of the Lord and Gideon ! " and possessed the field. Listen to our Lord's great commission to his disci- ples, and his farewell address on the Mount of Olives. Read the records of the pentecostal revival, and the times following. Behold what conquests Christianity has already made, is now making, and shall make over the world ! Now, after all these displays of matchless grace and spiritual successes, have we not abundant en- couragement, and full assurance of enjoj'ing the promised millennium? Surely, religious progress, moral reforms, the cause of temperance and freedom, modern improvements and discoveries, the prophe- cies, the revivals and signs of the times, all indicate a speedy and glorious consummation, a day of liberty and love, the world's jubilee. V. Notice hoiv we may advance and get posses- sion of the whole field. We must get rid of sin, the dead-weights, stum- bling-blocks, and all evil parasites, and then count POSSESSING THE LAND FOR GOD. 113 the cost, trim our lamps, put on the whole armor, and follow Christ, glorying only in the cross. Let us o'et our own Christian graces full and right: labor next for the souls of our families and friends ; and then go onward through the world, and upward to heaven, shouting the trophies, and the "harvest home ! " Dear friend, will you enlist under the white flag of Immanuel? Take the cross and follow him. Xow is the time for consecration, action, and victory. Effectual prayer prevails with God and man, keeps the armor bright, and gives us sure success and vic- tory. Great faith realizes the promises and pleases God; it subdues kingdoms, raises the dead, and crowns our efforts with glory. So constraining love is our effectual motive power, while yet the Holy Spirit leads, sanctifies, and glori- fies the victors. The gospel is our theme, sword, and song of triumph. Sinners, will you join us, stand up, and shout for Jesus? Sing, if you please, " Am I a soldier of the cross, A follower of the Lamb ? " 8 SERMON XVIII. SIN HUNTING SINNERS. "Be sure your sin will find you out/' — Num. xxxii. 23. OIN is the transgression of law, a perversion of K_3 powers and privileges, rebellion against the word and government of Jehovah. All sinning is against God, directly or indirectly, and he will re- ward. Guilt flashes upon the sinner's soul. He casts around, and seeks a hiding-place. He flees, under the goading convictions, like Adam or Jonah; but, alas, his sins find him out ! The hope of the wicked shall perish. They cover their sins, and are cut down in their folly, as the silly ostrich, hotly pur- sued in the chase, thrusts his head into the sand, and fancies all is well, till he is smitten down by the hunter. They eat their own fruit. Sin most certainly overtakes the sinner. The wicked flee when no enemy pursues. He destroys himself; his sins pounce upon him like a tiger. "Murder will out," is the old proverb. It is only (1H) SIN HUNTING SINNERS. 115 a question of time. There is no escape ! God sees and speaks, conscience feels and echoes, and memory haunts the miscreants on earth, and down to hell. Marshall, the murderer, said, that after committing the bloody deed, he could not look a man in the eye ; that his hand trembled so badly that he could not write ; and that he was like the troubled sea, without rest, till he gave himself up. How Dives remembered and felt, and cried in hell-torment ! Sin kills. The soul- that sins shall die. The law knows no mercy, and sin has none. But for the gospel, all would be darkness here, w T ith no hope for the future. The sinner's sins, either public or private, will come forth to view for settlement in the day of grace, or day of wrath. Iniquity comes in like a flood, like an enemy by night, like rapacious animals, ready to destroy you. O, flee to Christ ! The acts and devices of sinners will hatch out and repeat themselves, like vipers' and cockatrices' eggs ; and continue to multiply, scent, and follow the vile perpetrators, as so many avengers of blood. "O, guilty souls, strive for the gate, the city of refuge ! What is the doom of murderers, fornica- tors, idolaters, liars, drunkards, and their makers, and of all the vile and unbelieving? What but the -- lake of fire — ■ the second death " ? 116 SIN HUNTING SINNERS. I. Notice how sinners try to hide themselves. One class of the wicked aim to cover their sins, and escape punishment, by embracing atheism, de ism, manism, or noism, and like the hooting owl, " choose darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil." Another class of sinners seek to shelter themselves with hypocrisy, professions, formalities, false hopes, vain excuses, and broken vows. All which delusive refuges shall be swept away by the breath of God, as the spider's web by the storm, or darkness by the sun. The stupid ass, in the fable, might strut and revel for a while in the "lion's skin," till, alas! the wind blew off his covering. How naked and ashamed ! So the pleasure of sin is but for a sea- son, and the glorying of the wicked is short. O, their cruel folly ! If these, already convicted and condemned, are not given over of God, let them now reform and accept salvation. Christ is our only sure hope. Turn ye to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope, for why will ye die? II. Sin will surely overtake'all classes of sinners. Look at Cain, and the antediluvians; Achan, the magicians, Haman, and Pharaoh; idolaters, the Sod- omites, Absalom, Judas, and the Jews. Behold the awful days of their visitation ! They had their day of grace. They quenched the Spirit, fitted them- SIN HUNTING SINNERS. 117 selves for destruction, and drank the bitter cup to the dregs. Here is a dreadful lesson, full of warning and in- struction to modern sinners. God is the same, and the Bible is the same. Now is the only day of sal- vation, and Christ is the only Saviour. If you neg- lect, there is no escape from your sins, or from sudden destruction. The prophecies are fast fulfil- ling ; the signs of the times are portentous ; the wise understand, and prepare for heaven, while the foolish virgins delay, and lose the f ' wedding." "The end of all things is at hand." Death, the great confla- gration, and the judgment, will soon come, when sinners will cry in vain to rocks and mountains. III. Notice when sin will find out the sinner. Sin will find out the wiser class in their day of grace. Behold, for example, Father Eli, Joseph's brethren, King David, the converted thief, the prodi- gal son, pentecost converts, Saul of Tarsus, the jailer and his household, and hosts of others, who felt their guilt and load of sin, and repented, and cried in faith for mercy, just in time for deliverance and salva- tion. Here is gracious encouragement to any who have not quenched the Holy Spirit ; who have any convic- tions for sin, or tenderness of heart; mighty motives from three worlds urge you to repent immediately, and be a Christian. 118 SIN HUNTING SINNERS. Another class will be overtaken in their sins when there is none to deliver, when it is too late for salva- tion. Their day of grace is over, the Spirit is gone, and the door shut ! Behold, for example, the reprobates of the Old and New Testament times ; infidels and desperadoes, in modern history, and in our own age. Note. A Universalist minister in Philadelphia, Pa., under a sense of guilt and despair, committed suicide. A wicked physician saw murdered infants, and felt the forebodings of hell on his death-bed. Sin has found out, and will, all infidels, drunkards, and adul- terers, like Tom Paine, and other vile unbelievers, on a death-bed, or in perdition. Will you die with your sins upon you, as did a robber of the dead in a tomb? Your works will testify at God's bar. Christ is our only rock and refuge. Escape for your life ! Sing, " That awful day will surely come." SERMON XIX. NOT CARING FOR SOULS. " NO MAN CARED FOR MY SOUL." — Ts. CXlii. 4. ^HIS is the language of David, when shut up in the cave of Engedi. Here his enemies had pursued, caged, and surrounded him, while his friends w r ere afar off, unable or afraid to assist him. Taught by necessity and grace, he cries to God for help, and is delivered. All evangelists and true reformers, while faithful to their Master, to vows and principles, striving against the wiles of the devil and craft of wicked men, are often hemmed in by gainsay ers, and beset on all sides by human wolves, soul-destroyers. Our old friends and brethren, where are they? Are they few r , fearful, or unavailable? We learn by the Bible and experience to call on God for help, and soon it comes, with victory and glory. Faithful pastors and missionaries, who are ever anxious and active for the perfection of their flocks and the salvation of the world, are frequently tried, (119) 120 NOT CARING FOR SOULS. burdened, and shut in by obstacles, amidst false brethren and open enemies. Where are the Aarons and Hurs? "In nothing terrified," but "shut up to the faith," we cry to God in prison or in secret, and are rewarded openly. Revivals and reformations come, and we are embraced by friends and converts, as by rainbows after the thunder showers. Live Christians, who rebuke all sins, and all classes of sinners, and feel anxious for Zion and souls, when persecuted and bereft, let us follow the Spirit to some sweet promise in his word, and open our mind and heart to Christ. We soon forget our sorrows for heavenly joys. God is love. The backslider, who breaks his covenant vows, and yields to the flesh and world, is shut up by his own sins, conscience, and accusers, and like a sluggard in his garden, or the lazy man in rags, he feels de- serted, heartless, and imprisoned. But by grace, when he confesses and forsakes his sins, his pardon comes, and with it a blessing of God on his re- formed heart and life. The anxious sinner, who is deeply convicted by the word and Spirit, finding the " way of the transgressor hard," and that his "sins have found him out," comes to his reason, like> the prodigal, Saul, or the jailer, and cries to Jesus for mercy, and is saved. Once he cared not for his own soul, and accused all others of guilt, but now enjoys light, liberty, and love, NOT CARING FOR SOULS. 121 and ill his right mind praises God. Glorious change ! Evangelists, pastors, Christians, backsliders, and anxious sinners, — what say you of your positions and straits? of yourself, souls, or enerny? Jesus cares for souls, and his blood cleanses from all sin. He pays all the debt, and proclaims liberty to all believing souls. No power of Satan or prison bars can hold the captive when Christ shall bid him be free. We must, by faith, mind God, care for souls, and endure to the end. Let us be wdse, confess all know 7 n sin, declare the whole truth, and cry might- ily to God ! He will graciously hear and bless us. His constraining love will give success, victory, and glory. I. Shall sinners ever recriminate any of us ? 1. Will any of us ministers neglect souls, daub or flatter, and cry peace and safety w r here there is no peace, or heal the hurt of sinners slightly, or "w^alk in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the w 7 ay of sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful?" or be like the wicked Achan, Jews, hirelings, or dumb watch-dogs, that care not for the flock of souls, and let the wolf and enemy catch and destroy them ? Shall reprobates cast their blood on any of our skirts ? See to it. 2. Christian professor, will you neglect duty and 122 NOT CARING FOR SOULS. souls, and hear lost souls cry out in despair, and cast their sins in your teeth, and accuse you to your face? 3. Parents, will you betray your sacred trust, and see your child lost forever, and doomed to hell, cry- ing out, "You never cared for my soul"? Look, hear ! How will you feel, and how will you answer? Shall sinners in prosperity taunt you, or in adversity complain, or on a death-bed cast their sins, guilt, and damnation on your head? Hear a dying lad of four- teen summers, in Pennsylvania, address his parents : "Father, you have been very good tome, but I've never heard you pray. I'm going to die ; will you pray for my poor soul ? I'm a sinner, I can't pray ; O, I'm not fit to die ! " The father turns his back and leaves. " O, mother ! " cries the dear boy, "will you pray God to have mere}' on me ? I'm dying." The mother, dumb, guilty, weeping, left the boy to die ; and but for a friend stepping in, to die alone. A girl, also, in Connecticut, on her death-bed threw up the blood of her soul in her father's face, who had bought it, she said, with a silk dress. O, what parents ! and what responsibilities ! O, what bloody accounts at the day of judgment ! O, repent and wash your skirts ! 4. Unbelieving sinners, will you neglect your im- mortal souls, sell your birthright for carnal pleasures, or the whole world? Will you destroy your soul and others'? Will you eat your own fruit, and have your NOT CARING FOR SOULS. 123 own reward? Alas ! what self-reflections, mutual re- criminations, and gnashing of teeth, at the bar, in hell, and for eternity ! Sinners, of all classes, and devils railing and accusing each other, and then reflecting upon themselves, with increased venom, K O, I have destroyed myself! " O, what a Pandemonium ! The heathen will rise up against you, O, sinner ! Your con- science, memory, works, heaven and hell will frown upon 3*011. God and eternity ! O, take care to-day ! II. Have we cared for souls, ours and others'? Do we care for our own souls, and for others', as God bids us, and watch always for them, and seek first his kingdom ? Do we ask after the welfare of the souls of the family, of friends, and of neighbors, as after temporal things? You care For riches, houses, power, pleasure. Do you care as much for the soul, and as much more as the soul is worth more than the world? What are the claims of the mortal body, compared with the mind, heart, soul — the immortal part? You care for the lost child, sheep, bird, and coin. All well ; but how unwise and careless about souls ! Souls are of infinite value. Behold their origin, immortality, expansion, education, capacity, cost, destiny, eternity. Have you cared for them as for meats, drinks, dress, and amusements? The old worthies, apostles, and reformers cared for souls. Did they care too much? Christ and angels care, and so do evangelists, and all true w-atch- 124 NOT CARING FOR SOULS. men and ambassadors. Do you care? tell me ! The sinner may be anxious in youth, revivals, at the sick or dying bed ; but does he truly care for his own soul, and give it to Christ for insurance? How many delay, despise, and perish ! Souls lost in hell ! III. Do you care for souls now, to-day? Watch- man, what of the night, and of the day? Have you instructed and warned the sinner? Well done ! And as an ambassador, have you, in Christ's stead, be- sought sinners to be reconciled to God ? Continue faithful, and you shall be clean from their blood, and wear a starry crown. Christians and parents, responsible as you are, have you discharged your individual and mutual duties, at home and abroad, and in faith? God bless you ! Popular men, endowed with wealth and power, do you care for souls? If so, your reward, or legacy to posterity, is richer than gold or fame. But, O sinner, will you neglect and sell your soul? Your blood will be on your own head forever ! SERMON XX. THE BARREN FIG TREE. "Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this FIG TREE, AND FIND NONE." — Luke XlH. 7. JESUS CHRIST made his vineyard, and planted it. He came for three years seeking timely fruits, and found none. He consents, by grace and forbearance, to wait another year for the barren tree to become fruitful. Then, if it does not, it shall be cut down, as a cumberer of «£he ground, and fit only for the fire. Is it not the last year and moment with many barren fig trees? How is it with you? or with your partners, children, or servants? Is it well 9 I. Characters indicated by barren fig trees. 1. Reprobate Jews. As a vineyard, when Christ looked for the grapes, behold, they brought forth wild or sour grapes. As the fig tree, they too were barren of any good fruit, or adequate returns for his goodness and grace. As a nation, they were fruit- less, wicked, and hypocritical; and, after great for- bearance, they were cut down. (125) 126 TEE BARREN FIG TREE. 2. Dead professors. Mere theory and sound creeds are not sufficient to make Christians. God requires spiritual experience and gospel practice, with all perseverance. Whited forms, without the power of religion, are vain, wicked, and condemned. Ministers and churches do well to examine them- selves, and prove their professions and titles pure, true, clear, and fruitful. Are we cold, or lukewarm? We shall receive according to our work and faith, and feast or starve on the fruit of our doings. 3. Non-professors. Unbelievers are barren of all the Christian graces or fruits. They are proud, self- ish, worldly, and prodigal, rejecting the law and the gospel of God, grieving the Holy Spirit, and fitting themselves for destruction. Jesus yet waits; he knocks at their hearts, calling for a response, and for some grateful return from the vineyard. But, lo ! they bear but deadly leaves, and mock even the blessings of providence and grace, quench the Spirit, reject the Saviour, and are cut down and cast into the fire. O, beware, dear sinner, lest you reject the last call. Christ is passing by ; he has called once, twice, and thrice, and now may be the last year, month, or moment of grace. I once felt that I had received my last call, and had my last opportunity to accept salvation ; and by grace I did yield to the Spirit, and believe on Jesus. I was like a w brand plucked THE BARREN FIG TREE. 127 from the burning." Do, my dear friends, repent and trust the Saviour. II. God claims of us Christian fruits. Provisions are ample, and God has a right to ex- pect corresponding fruits ; nor can they be withheld with impunity. He will justly inquire, judge, and requite. Christ brings salvation, the Spirit works, the word reveals, and providence speaks, and all things unite for the good of obedient subjects. How responsible we are ! Probation is granted to all moral agents. Soon as the child knows good from evil, right from wrong, before God, it must repent of the first sin, or suffer the penalty. Time, talents, means, and motives, at whatever age, hold us responsible to God. Accord- ing to our endowments, so are the requirements. Do ministers, professors, parents, and children duly consider this subject, and rightly acknowledge God's claims? How is it with our teachers and men of business? As stewards, you are endowed and pro- moted, and must soon account to the Master, and be blessed or be " cursed." Conscience speaks, the Spirit strives, the gospel calls, judgments warn, mer- cies invite, and revivals exhort; and what more can be done for your salvation and your fruitfulness ? Has not God visited you many times by afflictions and by blessings, and knocked loudly at your w lodge," bearing long with the unfruitful vine and 128 THE BARREN FIG TREE. fig tree? Awake, O sluggard, and call upon God, lest this be your last call and opportunity of grace. No fruit yet, no warrant of to-morrow, no excuse, and no hope ! The angel of death is commissioned, and the sword of justice is already drawn and up- lifted. How will you escape? III. God waits long for the fruits of the vine- yard. Mercy waited long for the antediluvians to yield forth fruit ; but they remained barren, trifled with grace, and fell victims to folly, sin, and death. Wicked Israel were ploughed, sown, and tilled, but brought forth nought, except leaves and wild fruit — 2;ood for nothing but to be cast out and burned. What awful judgment swept off the barren fig trees ! What admonition to modern sinners ! The reprobate Jews tried the patience of God, per- verted every blessing, mocked the good husbandman, stood in the way of others, and fitted themselves for destruction. Awful examples! How many professed ministers and church mem- bers, old-hope cases and backsliders, bear no fruit! Then, what of convicted sinners and hypocrites? Will God spare them another year, or cut them down ? IV. Barren souls are marked for destruction. They are " at ease in Zion," with a w r oe upon them : their fruit is wild and sour, all in the shade, false, THE BARREN FIG TREE. 129 and condemned to be cast into the pit. Fitted and exposed to ruin, "their foot will slide in due time." Their cup is well nigh full, and the tokens of perdi- tion are on them. Examine and spy out your defi- ciencies, signs, or spots, and prepare to meet God. Your time is short. V. Vengeance falls suddenly on fruitless souls. For example, see the old world, Sodom and Go- morrah, idolatrous Israel, and the murderous Jews. What examples of warning and instruction to modern Gentile sinners ! The flood, the fire, the sword, and the 'axe obey the mandate of Jehovah. The tares, the dead branches, the chaff, and the barren fig trees are cast into the lake of fire. How many sinners are ripe and dead, barren fig trees under the axe, waving and ready to fall w T ith a mighty crash into the unquenchable fire ! Say no more, "Peace and safety in the short pleasures of sin," while sudden destruction cometh. Awake, and be ready for the coming of the Bridegroom, lest you be too late. Remarks. What more could infinite w r isdom, power, and grace have done for you, and for your eternal welfare? God challenges you. Why then be a barren fig tree, a sloth, or drone? You are amenable, and cannot escape the righteous retribution of God. Why procrastinate? Why hazard your life, soul, and body over the billows of hell? It is 9 130 THE BARREN FIG TREE. folly, shame, cruel, murderous, thus to do. Be per- suaded now to yield up your will, heart, soul, and body, everything to God, and consecrate your life to religion, to win souls to Christ. " The day of reckoning will soon come. For, in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man Com- eth." Brethren in the ministry, let us be ready, with our lamps and our sheaves. Christians, sow and reap, and shout the harvest home. Parents, take care of your children, seek and secure their conver- sion. Friends and neighbors, see to it now that you are full of good fruits, and not found wanting. Then shall we eat the precious fruits, drink the delicious wine, wear the white robes, and glorify God in his kingdom. SERMON XXL LOVE TO GOD. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." — matt. xxii. 37. LOVE is the active, ruling principle in heaven, and must prevail on earth. It blends in Christ, our example, his attributes, human and divine, and all the excellences of the universe. Man is not only a physical, mental, and social being, but moral, religious, and immortal. God has made ample provision for his body and soul, adapted to all his wants. Man was made to be happy; to love, serve, and adore God; and he will inevitably love some being or object, God or Mam- mon, Bible truth or a spurious doctrine. Duty re- quires man to love God supremely, and his brother as himself, because God's attributes are perfect, and all his works infinitely good. I. Notice what God is. God is a spirit, and he is love. Christ is our God (131) 132 LOVE TO GOD. revealed. He is the only living and true God. Not what idolaters imagine, nor what false philosophers conceive ; not what foolish infidels suppose, nor what the vain, unbelieving world would think. These are all in the dark, with every faculty vitiated and per- verted. They are carnal, blind, and dead, and can- not discern God till they are born of the Spirit. But the righteous know him and his doctrine. Angels be- hold him, and all Christians, led by the Spirit, see God in creation, providence, revelation, and salvation. Do you love God, the Eternal and All-wise, and obey him ? II. Notice what love to God is. It is a holy exercise, experimental, practical, ra- tional, and divine. It is not mere fancy, wonder, ecstasy in romance, nor superficial experience and admiration, nor such exercises as make false hopes, transient converts, backsliders, hypocrites, or apos- tates. No, it is not the dire principle of the foolish virgins and builders, but the vital heart-element of the wise and godly. Christians of divers names unite in this central point : they love God, and by conse- quence love each other. It is constraining love, a bond of union and perfectness, the fulfilling of the law. This love is the fountain of all our Christian graces, the tree of life, and all good fruits ; it is the heart and soul of our success in reforms, missions, and revivals ; the living power of Christianity. LOVE TO GOD. 133 Have you experienced this blessed love? If not, repent, submit, and believe now. III. Notice how love to God is produced. It is not born of nature ; if it were, heathendom would present a happy family. It comes not of arts, science, and power; otherwise Greece and Rome might have stood unrivalled and immortal, the focal union of all blessings on earth. It is not the result of law, learning, or argument, nor the distilled spirit of wars, trials, and sufferings. No. If such could make love to God, then all Christendom, free of her spots and plagues, would now wave in the beauty of holiness, and the whole world shout with joy un- speakable and full of glory. Nor is this emotion pro- duced by all the combined wisdom of finite beings or doings. But love is of God, a gift of grace, in Jesus Christ, by the Spirit, through faith, cheerfully exer- cised by moral agents, according to his word, and in sweet harmony with creation and providence. We love God because he first loved us. May the Spirit lead us into all truth, make us Christ-like, and crown us in heaven. Would that sinners might yield to Christ's melting love while salvation calls. It is ours to use all the gospel means, and look to God for sure rewards. IV. Notice some reasons why we should love God. The reasons are infinite, imperative, and essential. God is &\\-icorthy , in his person, in his plans, and in 134 LOVE TO GOD. his works. Salvation is of the Lord, and calls for acceptation and gratitude. Duty is a privilege to the wise, equal to their knowledge and facilities ; it is commensurate with and runs parallel to God's commands and bestow- ments. Where much is given, so is the indebtedness to him. To whom much is forgiven, the same loves much. Nature and grace, on every hand, teach us so plainly that we have no excuse for neglect. It is enough for the growing child of God to know his will, and appreciate it by faithful obedience. All things work for good to those who love God. Reason re- quires this, philosophy approves it, while Christian experience seals the blessing sure. In love to God we enjoy on earth a hundred fold, and in heaven in- finitude. To love a brother is delightful, but to love God is peace like a river. Blessed reciprocity ! Like begets like, and so we love God. There is a moral fitness in gratitude for favors shown to us poor mortals. God deserves our highest regards, for he is love itself, loving and lovable. Behold him in heaven and on earth ; in creation, providence, revela- tion, and salvation ; yea, behold the Lamb of God — on the cross, in his church, in his ordinances, in re- vivals, in his millennial and eternal glory ! God has clone great things for us, whereof we are glad. But our love is so cold, and our returns so small, we pray to God for grace. LOVE TO GOD. 135 The law and gospel come with their high behests, but the Holy Spirit alone melts the hard heart into love divine, and sanctifies the contrite soul to the ser- vice and homage of God. Under his dispensations, as rational and moral agents we act freely in forming our moral character, and cheerfully in rendering homage to God. If we love God, we shall love our neighbors. The golden rule is engraven on our hearts and lives. Love is the philosopher's stone ; a live principle, a perpetual motion, useful, powerful, glorious, and everlasting. The more we love God the more we enjoy the exercise, and abound. Thus we seek to kn6w more of God, his word, his people, and more of revivals, and Zion's prosperity. How we desire the salvation of sinners ! Consecrated to Christ, we think, we study, and pray, till our hearts wax hot, and the fire burns. Love denies self, bears the cross, and follows Christ. From it grow faith, hope, charity, wisdom, goodness, and perseverance, and all other Christian graces. It gives us travail of soul for Zion and souls, and sure deliverance comes. Zion is refreshed, sin- ners converted, and God glorified. This is the main- spring, central power, blending heart, and harmo- nizing power in all Christian union, effort, and success. This is the " Eureka," — I have found it ; this is the true " E pluribus unum," — many in one. 136 LOVE TO GOD. It satisfies the soul. We read, walk, talk, pray, and sing, till we come to the full stature of perfect per- sons in Christ our Saviour. Great is the mystery of godliness, and glorious the day when peace and love shall crown the world. How is it with you? Do you love God, his word, his ordinances, his service? Have you the evidences, internal and external? Do you grow in grace, and succeed in winning souls to Christ? Thrice blessed the Christian with all the witnesses ! " With mind and heart I love the Lord, The brethren, prayer, and holy word; His Spirit and my soul attest, Till mighty grace shall give me rest." t SERMON XXII. GOD'S INQUISITION FOR BLOOD. " When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them." — Psalms ix. 12. )LOOD, the sign of violence, crime, and guilt, cries out against the sinner. Justice will in- vestigate all the evil deeds, and reward the criminal. Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. The innocent have been murdered, the righteous slain, and Christ Jesus has been crucified. God, in clue time, will make inquisition for their blood. But "he will not forget the cry of the humble." The wicked, taking encouragement from God's forbear- ance, have fully set their hearts to do evil ; but their day is short. The pleasures of sin are but for a short season. The day of reckoning will soon and surely come. The blood of murdered bodies and souls calls aloud for retribution, as when righteous Abel was killed. Iniquity, crime, vice, and infidelity have come in like a flood. So the w 7 orld is blood-red, and full of (137) 138 GOD'S INQUISITION FOR BLOOD. the evident tokens of perdition, fitting fast for de- struction. The righteous weep, as did Christ over Jerusalem, at the sight of modern rebellion, capital crimes, cruel infanticides, daring robberies, intemper- ance, briberies, temptations, and the perversion of law, gospel, reason, and judgment. God's elect of all ages cry day. and night to him against crime and all wickedness, and for divine in- tervention. w God will remember his own elect," and avenge them speedily, and will be a refuge for the oppressed in times of trouble. When the world shall be baptized in fire, God's people will not be burned, and like the ancient worthies in the fiery fur- nace, they shall come forth without harm, or the smell of fire on their garments. But the blood-guilty ! Hark, hark ! God and conscience cry out, "Blood, blood!" Your sins have found you out; your sin is on you, and your doom is come ! Sudden destruction overtakes the manslayer, and there is no escape. 1. God makes inquisition for blood. The sin of Adam, the crime of cruel Cain murder- ing his brother Abel, the rebellion and sensuality of the old world, called to God for investigation, justice, and the flood. God remembered Adam and Noah, and gave them Christ and the ark. The theft of Achan, the sacrilege and idolatry of the wicked Israelites, soon brought down the pelting GOD'S INQUISITION FOR BLOOD. 139 stones and fiery serpents. Pharaoh filled up his cup, and was drowned. Absalom rebelled, and was hung. Old Herod, Judas, and the bloody Jew r s all had their day of grace, and day of visitation. Behold ye, now, these examples of blood, warning, and recompense ! Son, remember your life, liberty, means of happiness, and opportunities for usefulness. But how you have perverted them all, stained the world by sin, murdered your own soul, and the im- mortal souls of your fellows, and crucified the only Saviour ! Are you yet guilty ? In the acts before or after the facts ? Is the plague-spot of sin and shame upon you? O, behold the Lamb of God ! He alone can take awaj' the sin of the world. All classes of crime will come forth, like floods, fire, insects, and earth- quakes, and while sinners "cry peace and safety," the avenger of blood overtakes them without the city of refuge, and cuts them down as vile manslayers, or as cumberers of the ground. So there they lie, welter- ing in their sin and blood. Mercy is clean gone, and God has visited their crimson crimes upon them. Beloved Christians, what wonderful love, match- less grace, and infinite wisdom come to our timely rescue ! Christ is our " Passover and High-priest." 2. Where God will find the blood of souls. Fear not, flee not, ye holy men of Jesus ! There are no terrors for you ; there is no scarlet blood on 140 GOD'S INQUISITION FOR BLOOD. your skirts. " The righteous are bold as a lion, but the wicked flee when no man pursueth." God, in the great day of inquisition, will find no blood on the faithful minister or Christian ; none on the watchful and obedient. But tremble, ye careless ones, ye unfaithful watchmen, formal professors, and delinquent members ! You are now suspected. The search-warrants are already issued, and are on the way for execution. " Agree quickly," and accept Christ as mediator, or your case will go to the judg- ment, and your soul to prison. Sinners unwarned and uncared for by you are lost, and their blood rests upon you. God requires it at your hand. But what of antichrists, hirelings, hypocrites, and infidels, when God shall rise up and inquire for the blood of their souls, and those deceived and lost under their influence? How responsible, how crimi- nal, how bloody ! Blind, and leaders of the blind, condemned and doomed to the pit ! Look at the rum-maker, seller, and drinker ! Has not God pronounced the woe, and will he not search for the blood of the victor and the victim? Where is the tyrant, the libertine, the extortioner, the miser, the robber of property, of honor, and the jewels of virtue, the murderer of infants and adults? Where are the principals and conspiring abettors? God will search them out with the lighted candle of the day of judgment. How will the blood-guilty GOD'S INQUISITION FOR BLOOD. 141 criminals appear at God's bar, when the secrets of all hearts are revealed, and myriads of the universe shall testify against them — all bloody and self-con- demned? Blood, bloody, red all over — what a hor- rible sight! They see in the eternal glass, and then sink to hell. O, what reflections ! What company ! What torments ! 3. Wlien God will make inquisition for blood. While Christ is on the mercy-seat, while the Spirit strives, while the day of grace lingers, and w T hile our hearts are contrite. So God searches us, convicts and converts ; yea, acquits and sanctifies us in the day of salvation. Thus it is by the blood of Jesus he washes aw 7 ay all our guilty stains, and adorns us with bridal robes for the supper of the Lamb; Here, for example, David, Peter, Paul, Pentecost, and modern revivals testify. What deep convictions, and what marked conversions ! Glory to the bloody cross ! Again, God will visit lost sinners when it is too late for mercy, too late to repent, too late to get oil in their lamps, too late to enter the kingdom of Christ. The Spirit is quenched, the harvest is past, their cup is full, and their souls red with tokens of perdition. The end is at hand ; it is come. Death lays hold of its victim. Christ comes in triumph, and raises the dead, and burns up the world, and reigns upon the throne of judgment. What a day 142 GOD'S INQUISITION FOR BLOOD. of inquisition ! Behold the wicked of all classes and ages, arraigned at God's tribunal, all marked and crimson with the blood of souls and of the saints ; seeing and being seen, burning in the sunlight of eternity. Shocked at their affrighted vision, they shrink back in despair, and strike up their eternal death wail, with devils and their company in hell. If, now, these figures and descriptions seem so hor- rible, how awful must be the eternal reality ! Then, convicted sinners and careless worldlings, how will you appear? O, repent now, and wash in the fountain of Jesus' blood ! But, ye infidels, sceptics, taskmasters, gamblers, rum men, fornicators, impostors, men of darkness and of blood, what is your doom, and what shall I say to you? O, look at your life, your lost birth- right, your company, }^our home and record, in gar- ments dyed with blood. " turn ye, O turn ye, for why will ye die? " SERMON XXIII. SALVATION OFFERED. u TO TOU IS THE WORD OF THIS SALVATION SENT." — Acts xiii. 2Q. )AUL kindly assures his Jewish brethren, and all God-fearing men in their midst, that the word of salvation is sent to them. He then preaches to them Christ, his crucifixion, and resurrection. The prophets, John the Baptist, Christ and his apostles, also bear testimony. Now r salvation is offered to you. Beware of re- jecting it, as they did. Jews and Gentiles are now equally and fully invited to accept of this salvation. Why you should accept this salvation. It is necessary. Fallen, ruined, and depraved, you need salvation, as the sick, wounded, and dying man needs a good physician or timely medicine. Have you this? The word is sent. Good news, peace and recon- ciliation are proclaimed by gospel heralds, and sung by saints and angels. Will you embrace the truth? (143) 144 SALVATION OFFERED. 1. It is of high authority. God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit gave plan, birth, and publicity to this salvation. No angel Gabriel, or created being in God's universe, could begin to conceive the plan for man's restoration. But says Christ, "I have found a ransom." God can be just, and the justifier of all believers. How can needy, invited sinners re- ject Jesus? 2. His messengers are employed. Angels are ministering spirits to all God's heirs : prophets, ministers, and all Christians proclaim the gospel message, witness before the world, and exhort sin- ners to accept of this great salvation. Will anj^ of you despise, wonder, and perish in sight of the prize ? 3. It is our only remedy. There is none other name or plan given or found among men whereby we can be saved. Inventions, discoveries, and ex- periments have often been tried in vain, or have been detested and rejected by the wise ones. None other can cure diseases of heart and mind but this alone. 4. It is full of wisdom. Creation and providence present, in bold relief, the sublime evidences of God's infinite wisdom and power in the heavens, in the earth, in harmonious arrangements for the glory of God and the good of man. But " God, in the gift of his Son, hath all his mightiest works outdone ! " SALVATION OFFERED. 145 In this full salvation wc have the masterpiece, the precious compendium, of the manifold wisdom of the Triune Jehovah. O, be wise for yourself! If you scorn the rich proffers of Heaven, you alone will bear the loss. 5. It is all of grace. No works or merits of man, or of finite spirits, could atone for man's sin; nei- ther begin to rescue the fallen, or encourage a sinking soul, or save one from eternal death. Grace, mighty grace, stretches out her hand, dipped in the blood of Jesus, blots out all our sins and debts, washes white our spotted garments, and bids us trust in Christ, and live forever. "Grace, 'tis a charming sound!" Do you enjoy it? How precious to young converts! Yea, in- creasedly and superlatively so to older saints ! 6. It is great. Stupendous are the works of God ; but this salvation excels and eclipses all, and opens a new w T orld to view. The veil of eternity is rent asunder, and the Sun of righteousness now shines on our hearts and hoty pathway. Sin, guilt, Satan, and hell are conquered foes ; while the Saviour sprinkles his blood upon the mercy-seat, advocates our cause, and sends us the Word, the Comforter, with life, joy, and heaven. Thus, to save us from a guilty con- science, the terrors of the law, the terrors of a sin- ner's death, and the torments of an eternal hell, is indeed a great deliverance. But what a salvation 10 146 SALVATION OFFERED. that ! To be restored to life, to our right minds, to peace like a river, to joy unspeakable and full of glory, to become conquerors of death and the grave, to arise in the likeness of Jesus in the glorious mil- lennium, to stand in white robes and receive God's benediction at the judgment, to sit with Christ, angels, and the blood-washed in heaven, to sing the joys of salvation forever ! How unspeakably great is this salvation, and how glorious ! Then, O sinners, how w T ill you escape hell if you neglect so great salvation? How? 7. It is so adapted. Intrinsically good and mag- nificently glorious in contemplation, salvation is infi- nitely more excellent in participation. Here is a sure specific, a universal catholicon, and an everlast- ing preservation for the soul. O, now accept and enjoy it ! How can you hesitate? 8. Its cost is infinite. The gift of worlds, and all within them, were a price infinitely too small to pur- chase one soul's redemption. None but Jesus, born and crucified, and now raised and exalted, could pay the price. The only begotten Son of God, bleeding on Calvary, is the precious price of redemption, the exponent of the worth of the immortal soul, and the measure of eternal bliss. The redemption of their soul is precious. What will it profit you, if you gain the whole world, and lose your own soul? Cal- culate, thou man of reason : w T ill you sell your birth- SALVATION OFFERED. 147 right for nought, and beg, as a lost bankrupt, in hell? O, consider, and seize the boon. 9. The terms are reasonable. No wealth, nor wis- dom, nor fine dress, nor speech does Christ require ; only repent. "Is that all?" Yes, Jesus paid my debt, and all. O, hear the old pilgrims testify the same. 10. The invitation is free. The Spirit and the bride say, Come. Ho, every one that thirsteth, come and accept the waters of life freely, and delight your soul in fatness, in the joys of salvation. Here the innate desire of our soul is satisfied. All things are ready ; come to the marriage-supper of the Lamb. 11. It is worthy. The word and good news of salvation are infinitely worthy of acceptation, by the high or low, old or young, and by all. 12. Now is the day. To-morrow may be too late. The door of mercy will soon close. Idola- trous Israel, rebel Jews, and reprobates were left to themselves. The present is yours, and wisdom cries, "Give God your heart; why will you de- lay?" Behold, for example, the lost antediluvi- ans, as well as the unbelieving Israelites and Jews, or wicked Gentiles. And what will be your doom ? 13. There is glory in acceptation. Salvation is our prose and poetry, our food and raiment, our work 148 SALVATION OFFERED. and armor, our watchword, wealth, power, glory, and everlasting crown ! Brethren, here is our hope, if by faith we read our titles clear. Dear sinners, make salvation sure ! SERMON XXIV. THE TOKENS OF PERDITION. 11 Which is to them an evident token of perdition." Phil. i. 28. TOKEN is a sign of something, good or bad, Adversaries to Christianity evince the tokens of perdition; but valiant, faithful Christians, the tokens of salvation, and that of God. What are your tokens? Good, or evil? Are they positive and fixed, or comparative, mixed, and changeable? Look in the gospel-glass. What are your spiritual tokens of heart and life? Are they good and perfect through Christ, or evil only? Is your soul red "as crimson" — covered with leprosy? Examine yourselves, and be wise. Behold your con- dition : your culmination or depression, as your evi- dent tokens ripen to infinity ! Will you be spotless, and adorned as the bride of Christ in heaven, or be stained by sin and blood with reprobates in hell? Where ? What are your prospects ? You must be born again. Christ is our only hope, (140) 150 THE TOKENS OF PERDITION. physician, and Saviour; the Holy Spirit, our guide and sanctifier ; grace, our balm, our boast, our glory ; and this, our only day of salvation ! O, see to it ! Notice the evident tokens of perdition. A false hope is a token of perdition; vain, decay- ing, and dangerous, like a leaky ship in a storm, or a pirate on the sea. It is a rope of sand ; the delusion of a drowning man, catching at straws. "The hope of the unjust man and the hypocrite shall perish." The false cry of peace and safety is a carnal sign, and a Satanic charm of perdition ; the insane ecstasy and premonition of eternal death. A dead faith is a sure sign of perdition ; a mere profession, without life-work or godliness ; a cold creed, without the burning torch of love. This death-veil of unbelief blinds the sinner's mind, till he stumbles headlong over the precipice into the pit of woe. "Their foot shall slide in due time." Self-righteousness is a manifest indication of "double sight," confusion, and perdition; as truly as that of the Babelites and Pharisees ; and except your righteousness shall exceed theirs, you cannot enter heaven, but must sink to hell. How will you es- cape ? Trusting old impressions or experience, without fresh evidence of piety, is a premonitory sign of final death. It is castle-building on ice and sand ; a mock- ing dream, or giddy reverie in a whirlpool. Better THE TOKENS OF PERDITION. 151 trust to old almanacs, dress in worn-out clothes, live amidst earthquakes, eat the old crumbs of charity, and die without "benefit of clergy," than to deceive your own soul ! What a fool was that old Mr. Talkative, who boasted loudly of " his old written-out experience " ! He was challenged by the preacher ; so he got the roll from his garret, and on opening it, found his " old experi- ence" all eaten up by vermin. O, how surprised! O, how will you appear at the judgment? Beware ! "Behold the Lamb of God!" Broken votes are awful forebodings of perdition ; solemn perjuries, voluntary, reckless suicides. Such traitors, having no love for God, holiness, or heaven, must ever eat the sad fruits of their own doings with backsliders and apostates. Having no care for the soul is an evident symptom of eternal misery. He has no desire or emotion of life, or tenderness of conscience, but is past feeling, reprobate, unpardonable ! Grieving the Holy Spirit is a fearful token of per- dition, and to quench it seals the soul's destruction sure ; like the wicked under the preaching of Noah, Lot, Christ, or revivalists. Convictions without conversion are dangerous signs of continued procrastination and final perdition. Such know their duty, and yet rebel against reason, law, gospel, and God, till they fall, and beg in the pit of woe. What burning reflections in despair ! 152 THE TOKENS OF PERDITION. Habitual seriousness, without the new birth, is intensely delusive, and abounds with most critical symptoms of perdition. The case is not acute and tangible, but chronic and unyielding. The old dis- ease and signs are deceitful as consumption ; Satan in his angelic garb. O, flee, dear soul, from sin and flattery ! Strive for the w city of refuge " ! Ease and sleep in sin are alarming indications of fatal stupor ; precursors of eternal death. No physi- cian, no medicine, no friend can reach that sinner's case; he is now let alone — joined to his idols. " Woe to them that are at ease in sin ! " They have in hand the price of wisdom, but have no heart to it. Prosperity in sin is an evident sign of perdition. "They have their request, their pleasures of sin for a season, their good things here," like hirelings, old Herod, and Dives. O, seek first God's kingdom, and lay up treasures above ! Adopting and advocating infidel sentiments are manifest indications of perdition ; of K being left to strong delusions to believe a lie, and to be damned, because they take pleasure in unrighteousness." Such are left to their blindness. Great boldness in wickedness is a virulent symp- tom of perdition, of Satanic occupation, the last struggle, or desperate throes of death, like Sam Patch, desperadoes, drunkards, and suicides. Hardening under judgments is an evident plague, THE TOKEXS OF rERDlTIOX. 153 spot, and a mark of destruction, like the case of Pharaoh, the Jews, and all reprobates. Open opposition to revivals of religion is a break- ing out of malignant diseases of the heart, and indi- cates a speedy, terrible crisis, like that of Saul of Tarsus, the Jews at Pentecost, or rebels fitting for destruction. A miracle of grace or perdition ! Living in known sin is daring God, and defying his justice, with suicidal symptoms of perdition, as prodigals, hypocrites, and idolaters. Having no disgust to sin indicates likeness to sin and Satan, the flesh and the world, akin to death and hell. Old age in sin, growing gray in unbelief, ripening without hope in Christ, are evident marks of swift destruction, as the "old tall oak," with lightning struck, foils, riven down w^ith a mighty crash. Lost ! No hope ! Rejecting Christ and his calls is signing your own death-warrant and eternal doom, like the son of per- dition. O, exchange bad tokens for good, and embrace salvation, or you cannot escape eternal perdition ! SEEMON XXV. THE GREAT ELECTION DAY. " Choose ye this day whom you will serve." — Josh. xxiv. 15. WHILE all Christendom is talking about polit- ical elections, why should we not speak of elections more important to the whole world? Some elections and victories are temporal and lim- ited. Others are eternal, and concern all mankind. As the common people understand so well the terms and figures used in these campaigns, why- should not we be wise in winning souls, as the chil- dren of the world are in their operations? Wisdom is the principal thing. Would that all our principal men were men of principle and religion ! Then the people would rejoice. Let us vote for such rulers. Wisdom is justified of her children. Wisdom is the adopting of means to the best of ends. May the Lord help us in discerning the signs of the times, and in the right use of all things. Paul reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and the judgment to come. Eeligion is truly rational, (154) THE GREAT ELECTION DAY. 155 philosophic, divine. Come, and let us reason to- gether about the blessed Jesus and his services. Look, if yo\i please, at the coming elections and victories, so eventful to the souls of moral and ra- tional citizens. Two kingdoms comprise the whole world, when justly analyzed and summed up — the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of the world. These are diverse and antagonistic, as truth and error, virtue and vice, joy and misery. O man, seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness. Two absolute claimants assert their respective rights to universal dominion. Behold the contest- ants, Christ and Satan ! The issue must come. For whom will you vote, and for whom will you elec- tioneer? These are opposed to each other, as com- manders of contending armies, diametrically opposite in being, character, object, work, and destiny, as heaven and hell. To which Side do you belong? Be not deceived ! God is the rightful sovereign, and justly claims your hearty vote and service. But the devil is a vile usurper, an implacable enemy to God, and to all mankind. Whom will you elect? Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and him only shalt thou serve. How can you sell your liberty ? You are all moral agents, and free to vote upon the most momentous subject. This is a severe crisis 156 TEE GREAT ELECTION DAY. in your history ; you are amenable to the judgment, and will receive according to your suffrage and ser- vice. You are invited by each candidate to cast your final vote for himself. Vote you should, and vote you will, for Christ or Belial, good or evil, heaven or hell. Now is the accepted time, and now is the day of salvation. Choose Christ to-day as your Euler, King, and Saviour, and let saints and angels rejoice at your adoption. Reasons for electing Jesus Christ to be your King. Christ's origin entitles him to the highest considera- tion. He is of the Triune Jehovah, of heaven, of eternity ; the Alpha and Omega. But what shall we say of the devil? He is a fallen spirit ; a murderer from the beginning. Lo, the an- gels worship Christ, and so should all rational beings. How do you vote? Christ's character is spotless and lovely. He chal- lenges investigation and comparison, and is admitted to be the chief among ten thousand, and altogether lovely. But what of Satan? He is evil, and ugly only, continually. Choose ye the Lord and Saviour. He is infinitely worthy of all acceptation, and should be elected unanimously/. Christ's merits are infinite. He is Creator of all things, the Preserver, the Revealer, the Saviour. But what of Satan? He is a rebel, and the father of lies. Having eyes, do j-ou not perceive? Why halt between two opinions ? THE GREAT ELECTION DAY. 157 Christ's glorious object is to save sinners, to sanc- tify and glorify believers ; and he will perfect his work. Bat Satan's object is to corrupt, kill, and de- stroy. The contrast is world wide. How can you withhold your electoral vote from Christ? Look to it. Christ's laics and institutions stand out in bold re- lief as holy, just, good, and practical. O, repent, and be baptized, and become citizens with the saints. Satan is the conspiring chief of outlaws and lynch- laws, and leads captive, at his will, the children of disobedience. The law of the Lord is perfect, con- verting the soul. The love of Christ constrains us. Whom will you serve, Christ or Belial? Christ's measures are merciful, and wisely adapted to glorify God and to bless men's souls. But Satan's w r ays are hard, deceptive, and deadly. Fly for ref- uge to Christ, and escape Satan's snares ! Christ's promises are blessed and sure ; but Satan's are, like himself, false. How he tried to bribe Christ on the mount, when he owned not a foot of the globe ! O, his unmitigated lies ! How will you escape, if you neglect so great salva- tion? Christ calls for your vote. Christ, too, is available, and will eventually be elected and crowned over all the world. The kins;- doms of the world are to become the kingdom of the Lord; and he shall reign forever. Satan is soon 158 THE GREAT ELECTION DAY. bound, and cast into prison with the wicked. Behold, our Christ is elected King triumphantly, and he reigns evermore with his devoted saints and angels, in his holy, universal empire. Hallelujah, for the Lord God omnipotent reigns. Blessed be Christ ! and eternal blessings on our souls that we loved and chose him, because he first loved us ! Reasons for choosing Christ as King to-day. The day of grace is come. Christ calls, and the door of mercy is now open, and will soon be shut. The great election polls are now open, and will soon be closed. Each one votes for or against Christ. We cannot serve two masters ; you gather with him, or scatter. Do you glory in his cross? Have you chosen him ? The votes must be sealed up till the appointed time, opened and counted by the Judge at the bar, in the presence of witnesses, and declared to the world. The election is ratified. Have you testi- fied for Christ? Your deeds, as so many votes, will be unsealed and counted at God's bar. Hear the declaration ! Will you shout, among the faithful, at your names' call? You must serve, for time and eter- nity, whom you elect. You are servants to him to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey. Will you choose Christ or Satan to-day, and serve in heaven or in hell forever? Vote to-day; it is death to halt. Look, see ! Christ and Satan, good and evil, truth and error, liberty and slavery, heaven THE GREAT ELECTION DAY. 159 and hell, are before you ! What are your prospects? Are you now satisfied? Is your final vote recorded? O, look again ! Is your title clear? Will you share in life, in death, in the judgment, in heaven with the saints and angels, and with Christ for eternity? or will you live and die in sin? come forth to shame, and be condemned to hell, with the devil and his final voters, forever? How great the crisis ! Be wise to- day. So make your calling and election sure. I SERMON XXVI. THE SOUL'S WORTH. : The redemption of their soul is precious." — Psalm xlix. 8. AN is a kind of double, or complex being, comprising body and soul, flesh and spirit, mortal and immortal natures. These are myste- riously blended in the highest workmanship of God, the last of creation, and the first image of Jehovah. Man is fearfully and wonderfully made. He was made upright, but has sought out many inventions, and now lost his primeval character. Fallen man needs now to be converted, and changed into the glorious image of the Lord, by the Holy Spirit. How we should view the soul's worth ! Our re- sponsibility and destiny ! O, for wisdom ! The soul is that part of our being which thinks, reasons, chooses, wills, perceives, acts, executes, re- members, suffers or rejoices, for time and eternity. It is the great sensorium, and our mainspring. The sentient, immortal soul is worth infinitely more than (100) THE SOUL'S WORTH. 161 the mortal body, as eternity is longer than time. What is the shell to the kernel? The husk to the ear of corn? The house, compared with the family within ? Or what is this transient, combustible world, and all the things that perish with the using, com- pared with the elements and destiny of the soul ? The things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal. Life and immortality are brought to light by the gospel. Here is our guide. The redemption, through Jesus Christ, is the ex- ponent of the soul's worth. Now, if redemption is precious, the soul is of infinite value. Let us look at the w t orth of our souls. 1. The soul is immortal, and therefore invaluable. If you enjoy possessions for a limited period, you can appraise them ; if for a longer and an indefinite time, you may appreciate them accordingly, and enhance their price. The soul must exist as long as God lives, either in heaven or hell. Who of us can measure its duration? Who can tell it by numbers or by figures? When once the soul is passed into the eternal world, millions and billions of years might roll away, and your eternity of happiness or misery would not begin to waste. Hail Christ and souls, supreme and immortal ! 2. I would argue, also, the worth of the soul from its expansive nature. Property increasing, or rising 11 162 THE SOUL'S WORTH. in value, is highly appreciated. As the soul is ex- pansive from infancy to old age, without ever ma- turing, I argue from analogy, that as the soul grows, and shakes off this mortal coil, it will expand for- ever, in weal or in woe. Is it not worthy of your highest regard? Watch and pray ! 3. The soul's proficiency in knowledge is another high consideration. The infant soul increases in knowledge, from the rudiments up to the highest graduation in the world, and then pants for further attainments in the boundless ocean of the future. Arts, science, and literature will not suffice. To know Christ is life eternal. Will you know more of his salvation in heaven, or more of your sin and loss in hell? You will see as you are seen, and will know as you are known. Will your every increase of knowledge augment your joy or your sorrow? How vast the store, and how diverse our rewards ! 4. Consider the exhaustless energies, and the in- fluence of the soul, for good or for evil. Who can make the record of its deeds, or picture its fruits? How will you view your works, and where eat the fruit of your doings ? Is not your soul worth insur- ing? Look and see. The capacity of the soul for enjoying blessings, or for enduring evils here and hereafter, is beyond all comprehension. Doubtless at some period in heaven one soul will have enjoyed THE SOUL'S WORTH. 1G3 more happiness than has been experienced on earth hitherto; and at some time in hell one lost soul will have suffered more pain than could be endured on earth from Adam to the end of the world. How re- sponsible you are, with a soul so growingly capa- cious ! Take care of it. If thou art wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself; if thou scornest, thou alone must bear it. Our powers culminating, and all fruits mul- tiplying ! 5. We argue the worth of the soul, from positive testimony. God, angels, and saints testify, and all agree. Sinners often confess it while in health, and on their death-beds express their convictions, and record their dying testimony. Will you voluntarily, for Christ and souls, testify to the truth, and the w r hole truth, by your words and deeds? The Lord help you ! 6. The provisions for the welfare of the soul indi- cate the Lord's estimate of its worth. Look at crea- tion, providence, revelation, and salvation, and be- hold the gospel means, and the day of true grace ! There is no excess and no stint. How accountable you are, dear soul ! And will you give your last account with joy, or with grief? 7. The great commission is another valid argu- ment for the soul's worth. God sent his Sou and the Holy Spirit into the world to save souls. Minis- ters are spiritually called and sent forth, as watchmen 164 THE SOUL'S WORTH. and ambassadors, and the brethren are constrained to be fellow-helpers to win souls to Christ, while the angels are ministering spirits to the heirs of sal- vation. Shall all the great, the good, and the wise care for your soul, and will you undervalue it, and sell your birthright for a morsel of earth ? Take care of your soul, and seek first God's kingdom. 8. The worth of the soul, and its future destiny, are strongly set forth by Christ's interrogation: What shall it profit a man to gain the world, and lose his soul? or what shall a man give as an ex- change for his soul? The whole world, with all things real or imaginable thrown in, is no equivalent for the worth or the loss of a single soul. Let not the blood of souls be found on your hands or skirts. Make vour calling and election sure. Christ is our only refuge. 9. Lastly, we argue the worth of the immortal, expansive, intelligent, capacious, redeemed soul from the infinite price paid for its salvation. Who would unnecessarily give more than prop- erty, liberty, or life is worth? But nothing finite, in heaven or on earth, could purchase one soul. The great Sacrifice is precious. Jesus Christ left heaven for earth, suffered on Calvary, arose from death, ascended to heaven, and there intercedes for our souls. God's only Son died, and prays for us: THE SOUL'S WORTH. 165 "Father save these my disciples, and all who believe their report!" Let us glory in the cross of Jesus Christ. But look ! That great redemption will cease to sinners, infidels, and reprobates, when left of God, let alone, as Ephraim and the blind leaders ! Also when the spirit is quenched, when death or the last judgment overtakes the rebel sinner. How will your soul be saved, if you neglect salvation ? How ? SERMON XXVII BRINGING IN THE TITHES. " Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse." Mai. viii. 10. GOD gave his people possessions and privileges, temporal and spiritual, civil and religious, and required of them returns equal to their endowments. Israel, however, did not obey the commandments and sacred injunctions, but rebelled, withheld the tithes and offerings, and committed sacrilege, and then jus- tified themselves ; nay, they said M it Avas vain to serve the Lord." The tithes were one-tenth of their productions. These were required to support the house and wor- ship of God, the services of the w holy sanctuary." The storehouse was a receptacle for all gifts, goods, and proceeds to be used in the holy service of the living God, the sacred, meet depository. Israel disobeyed and perverted their blessings > and he chastised them sorely. They now complain, and actually slander God and religion, as if they were mad. (166) BRINGING IN THE TITHES. 167 God charges them with robbery and cursing of themselves ; challenges them to prove him and his holy word, and see if he will not redeem his prom- ises, and grant them a signal blessing. O unbelief, perversion, sacrilege, murmuring, evil report, self-justification, and self-infliction ! How many Jews and Gentiles have drunk your bitter cup ! How many professed Christians have fallen under the same K curse " with the robbing Israelites. Then where are we? And what shall we do? I. Who are the characters guilty of robbing God? Cain and the old world, Achan and Israel, Jews and Gentiles, false professors like Ananias and Sap- phira, Simon Magus, the sons of Sceva, Judas Iscar- iot, all hypocrites and apostates, backsliders, and cold, worldly, delinquent professors ; all unbelievers, infi- dels, moralists, formalists or prodigals, these are all guilty. They are bound to love God with the whole heart, and to serve him with their might. But these they did not, and thus rob God. Whatever they may pretend, all is false, mere flattery or mockery, without hearty obedience. Their character is rebellious, sac- rilegious, pharisaical, and hypocritical; and unless they reform, and bring forth the required fruits, they must be cut down like the barren fig tree. "Be not deceived, God is not mocked." Are any of us guilty of the charge of robbing God ? Have we withheld the tithes and offerings? Have 168 BRINGING IN THE TITHES. we perverted our privileges, and joined hands with God's open enemies? Have we said, by words or deeds, cc It is vain to serve God, or to keep his ordi- nances?" What have been our lives, our influences, our fruits ? Do we stand up for Jesus or for Beelze- bub? II. What tithes God demands of us. All we have and all we gain must be consecrated to God for his service and glory, directly or indi- rectly, as God instructs and provides, positively and punctually. The whole man must be laid upon God's altar. Yea, the whole heart, the resolving will, the entire life, devout homage, holy motives, and active faith are imperiously demanded for God's holy ser- vice. Our time, talents, learning, property, influ- ence, honor, position, and power should be entirely consecrated to the Lord, according to his bidding. This is our privilege. Like good old Joshua, we should and will testify, w As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Unfurl, then, the gospel banner, and follow the Captain of our salvation. Cast your all on Jesus, and bind all your sacrifices upon his altar. Have you done so ? And has God iccepted your gift? Is it well with thy wife or hus- band ? Is it well with thy parents ? Is it well with thy children, with thy servants, and with thy neigh- bors? Like the " Shunamite," may you say, "It is well ! " What an unspeakable blessing to have BRING IXG IN THE TITHES. 1(59 all our possessions, relatives, and friends given up to God, and insured for service, success, and glory ! Ill But when shall we dedicate and consecrate all to divine service? Now, to-day, just here upon the spot ; then in our closets, at the family altar, in soci- ety, at religious meetings, in the church, and before the world, everywhere and always. There is truth and rest in God. All is committed to God, and all is safe. All is really yours, and yields a hundred fold here, and in the world to come life everlasting. IV. Why we should bring all the tithes to God. As God commands, so it is our duty to observe and obey. Truly, it is our high privilege ; yea, our meat and drink. Duty, wisdom, and right- eousness demand the sacrifice, and we must com- ply- The charge of robbery is terrible and penal. By reformation you may erase the bloody charge, se- cure the pardon and smiles of God, and escape the poverty, loss, guilt, and curse of robbing God. Though your sins be as scarlet and crimson, you may become white as wool and snow, and be happy. O, bring in all the tithes, and prove God. This is due to his character, and to religion, which you have aspersed and dishonored. Test the promises. They never fail. Every jot and tittle must be ful- filled. 170 BRINGING IN THE TITHES. Let God's " storehouse " be filled, and the holy altar be amply supplied with our first fruits ; then will the unchangeable God demonstrate his veracity, and goodness, and mercy. Good characters court investigation, and all right- eous persons demand close examination and severe tests to prove and verify their genuineness and good- ness. So does God. Let us prove God's word, promises, and spirit, and have a glorious Pentecost. Will you thus honor God, enjoy the feast, and bless your race? Provisions are ample, and promises sure. By complying with God's demand you turn the key, you unlock heaven, you move the heart and arm of Jesus, you pierce the clouds and open the windows of heaven, and God pours you out a copious blessing, a deluge of revival grace, so mighty that you cannot receive or hold it. The clouds break, the streams overflow, and all the gardens and fields are again watered and made fruitful. A Pentecostal shower now baptizes the whole domain of the bride of Christ ! My heart is full, and flows out to my family and friends, and they in turn are full and overflowing. This mighty wave flows through the church and through the world, and up to heaven for eternity, cleansing, and carrying on its swelling bosom scores, hundreds, thousands, millions of blood- washed souls into the Pacific Ocean of eternal glory. BRINGING IN THE TITHES. 171 Remarks. O, despise not the day of small things. The acorn is the parent of the tall oak, and the little child is father to the greatest man. Hail the small voice, or the rushing, mighty wind, and bring in your offerings. Drops, rills, rivulets, rivers, seas, and then the ocean ! So bring in the tithes and offerings, and then the sheaves. Let God's house be supplied with right sacrifices, and we shall be filled, and the world saved. SERMON XXVIII. THE SINNER'S EXCUSES. "And they all with one consent began to make excuse." Luke xiv. 18. JESUS CHRIST came on earth and established his kingdom. He calls religion a great feast, and invites all classes of men to come and partake of the rich gospel supper. Christ insures all his disciples a hundred-fold blessing in this world, and infinitudes in the heaven to come. How rational, wise, and God-like to ac- cept and appreciate the gift; such a costly, soul- ennobling, gratifying, precious, glorious wedding supper ! Religion is exhibited, recommended, and enjoined by the most pure, forcible, and endearing terms, figures, motives, and relations. What a panorama ! But they all with one mind excused themselves, by their vain, false, sinful, suicidal apologies and excuses. These are sad examples of modern signers reject (172) THE SINNER'S EXCUSE. 173 ing Christ, and refusing to become Christians. How lamentable ! Reprobates despise the cross, and write their terrible doom. I. Mark some of the divers excuses of sinners. w I am an Atheist." What, when the heavens and myriads of living witnesses declare the glory of God ? For his "invisible attributes, from the creation of the world, are clearly seen and understood by his works, even his eternal power and God-head." But the fool hath said in his heart, "There is no God." He is a chaotic, dark, depraved world in himself, without light, hope, or God. Poor soul, you have no excuse ! "I am a Deist." Yes, like another fool, you say, "None seeth me; the Lord seeth us not." So the cuttle-fish spues out his black liquid to cover his re- treat. The sneak-thief fancies that no detective's eye sees him. The stupid owl sees and hoots most in the dark. So does the deluded, filthy dreamer. If you choose sin and darkness, you will have your request and your doom. " I am a Rationalist." But where is your infallible reason and supreme stand-point? How sinful and unreasonable you are to ignore the divine authority of the Bible, to assume the judgment-seat ! Madness is in your heart, and reason is all perverted. Just look at the fruits of your miserable scepticism, in awful contrast with the blessings of Christianity, and be converted. 174 THE SINNER'S EXCUSE. " I ain a Restorationist." Yet the Bible tells you not to fear the murderer, but to " fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." So the wicked go into everlasting punishment, just as long a time as the righteous are in heaven. For the same Greek term defines alike the duration of both life and death. But reprobates are deluded, given ovei to sin, to believe a lie, and to be damned, because they have pleasure in unrighteousness. There is likewise an eternal gulf between hell and heaven. "Religion is a great mystery." Well, so thought Nicodemus ; but Christ told him that " he must be born again, or he could not enter into the kingdom of God." Great is the mystery of godliness. There- fore you must repent, believe, submit, and experi- ence religion, to understand and enjoy it. "I am moral and respectable." So was the "young man;" but Christ said to him, "One thing thou lackest." Paul had been very moral and formal, but he renounced all self-merit, prayed to Christ, and soon gloried in the cross. " One thing is needful." Except your righteousness exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you cannot enter the kingdom of God. " I am unable to be a Christian." What, able to be a sinner, and to disobey God, as a moral and re- sponsible agent, and then plead inability for a cloak ! Does God ever require what he know 7 s you are never able to do? Will you face God, and charge him with THE SINNER'S EXCUSE. 175 injustice? "You will not come to Christ for life," nor yet obey him. Your inability is all in your car- nal heart and will. Yon always blame others for not doing right, and thereby condemn yourself, as a five, moral agent, for not doing so to God and man. God commands you, and yet you virtually throw your sins in his face. "I have no time." Y r ou have all the time to serve God. Is not that enough? Has Christ demanded your service, and threatened you with terrible penal- ties for neglect of duty, and given you no time? Take care, lest you aggravate your sin and guilt, by replying against God. How long time w T ould it re- quire to give your heart to God, and to obey him, if you were now ready and willing to do it ? Love to God is an imperative duty, and indispensable to your happiness; yet "you have no time." God knows better, and so do you. You may say, "I am busy at my farm, house, shop, office, school, study, travel- ling ; " but death will soon knock at your door. You will then confess, and cry out for mercy. "My heart is so wicked and sinful." Sin is the transgression of law, and so is all unrighteousness. God does not condemn us for constitutional natures, but for the wrong use of our powers and privileges. The murderer, sensualist, robber, extortioner, or drunkard has no plea or excuse for being so full of sin; neither have you. If it w r ere otherwise, pity 176 TEE SINNER'S EXCUSE, would be deserved, and Satan receive it. You should be converted before you are worse. Don't apologize for jour depravity. Repent, and the blood of Christ will cleanse you. "I am willing, but — " Why not be decided and become a Christian now? " If there is first a willing mind, it is accepted." Do not children obey their parents when willing? So will youthen obey God. God's Spirit is striving, and grace is ready. "I must wait God's time." You may wait out your day of grace. God urges you by motives from three worlds, to start and obey ; but you yet delay, and sin on, provoking God. Jesus will not repent for you. Now is the time of salvation. You must "turn or burn" quickly; your house is on fire. O, turn ye ! " My heart is so hard and deceitful." What would you do, if a stubborn little child should say, "My heart is so hard and insensible, and my will is so stiff, that I can't mind you, father, teacher, and I won't?" O, give up your heart and will to Christ, and trust him. He is the "great Physician." Don't fight against God, vex the Spirit, and destroy your soul. "I have tried it, and can't succeed." What hin- dered your reformation? God is willing, and grace is free. How did you try? Without faith or firm resolve? Without giving up your heart? No won- der then at such a failure. But try, and believe with THE SINNER'S EXCUSE. Ill all your heart, and you will succeed, as they did at Pentecost. W I am afraid there is no mercy for me." Why not? Christ died, and no^y intercedes for you. Only be- lieve, yield, and comply with God's terms. Others have sought for a new heart and a right spirit, and they now testify. "I am afraid I can't live a Christian life." Well, you cannot, if you won't begin. So, then, you will go on, sin and fight against God, despise grace, and neglect religion, will you? O, the sophistry of the devil ! He tells you w it is too early ; " then " too late ;" now you are "too young," and then "too old ; " but he is a liar and a murderer. Get rid of your sinful excuses and unbelief; break away from sin and Satan, and Christ will save you. " I want more conviction." Will you wait for the lash of conscience, and the terrors of the law, and to feel more distressed? What if a disobedient child should wait for the rod before he is willing to obey, and cry for the smart of conviction when he knows his duty? How foolish to wait! You know your duty ; now obey, escape the rod, and be happy. "My circumstances are singular." But w r hat of business, matrimony, temperament, temptations, in- conveniences? Thus others have thought, felt, and said ; but they have conquered. So may you be converted by faith, and the blood of the cross. 12 178 THE SINNER'S EXCUSE. "I am staggered by the different sects." Then look to Christ and the Bible ! Real Christians are agreed on the great elements, lines, and cardinal points in religion, more than business men are in their occupations. Only get inside of the kingdom, and experience a full Christianity, and all doubts, and excuses, and sin will flee, as darkness before the rising sun. SERMON XXIX. THE GENERAL JUDGMENT. " For we must all appear before the judgment-seat op Christ." — 2 Cor v. 10. THIS is a most solemn, awful, and momentous subject. I feel my need of special grace to think, write, speak, or act upon this important theme. " Day of judgment, day of wonders!" Yes, to all the world, the universe. Our civil and criminal courts of justice secure deep interest from all concerned ; and why should not the great K Court of Assizes " engage paramount attention ? w Things seen are temporal ; but the unseen are eternal." We must die, each and all of us ; the time is ap- pointed. We shall be buried, but not remain in our graves. The archangel's voice and the trump of God will awake the dead, and they shall come forth to their rewards. The resurrection morning precedes the judgment; for all, the righteous and the wicked, must there appear. (179) 180 THE GENERAL JUDGMENT. The clay is fixed > and will soon be known. It will dawn upon us with glory or with gloom. A personal trial we must have before the bar of God, and all will be judged and awarded according to their deeds, either good or bad. Prepared or unprepared, there will be no escape ; willing or unwilling, we must all meet the Judge. ct That awful day will surely come," and will not tarry. * Lo, he comes in robes of judg- ment ! " We have been duly notified, and faithfully warned, and affectionately exhorted to be ready for the meeting of the coming Bridegroom. Are any of us without the wedding garment? How many of us have al- ready trimmed our lamps? The Lord has often sum- moned us to make Christian preparation. Soon he will issue the judgment summons, and it must be served. Clwist is our Judge. He will come upon his white throne ; call forth the living and the dead ; assemble the nations, and judge the whole world. Behold the scenes of the general judgment-day ! The final day is now come ; the affairs of earth are run, and time is ended. Our work is done ; our characters formed and fixed for eternity : either righteous and holy still, or unjust and filthy still ; all fitted and finished for heaven or hell. It is done ! All acts and records are complete. What a surjirising day ! It comes to the wicked THE GENERAL JUDGMENT. 181 like a thief in the night; and falls upon all unbeliev- ers and reprobates suddenly, as voracious animals pounce upon their careless victims. Sinners not awakened by mercy, are now aroused by wrath and consternation. Dear friends, are we prepared with new hearts, and new lives, and good hopes, to abide the day of Christ's coming? This is the great, notable day of destruction, " when the heavens shall roll up like a scroll, the earth melt with fervent heat, and the things therein burned up ; " yea, and the wicked all destroyed by the breath of the Almighty. What a terrible day ! day of astonishment ; day of fright and frenzy ; day of conviction and retribu- tion ; a day of mourning, anguish, and untold misery ; when the wicked, overtaken in their sins, "cry out for rocks and mountains to cover them." O, guilty, polluted, ruined sinner! what will be your doom when arraigned at the fearful judgment? This day includes the resurrection, — a day when all in their graves hear and come forth ; the living become suddenly changed; the just and unjust all congregated before the judgment-seat of Christ. Behold the general assembly of the "first-born," and all the universe ! the great meeting of all intelli- gent, rational, moral beings of three worlds. God is there, in the centre, sitting on his burning throne. 182 TEE GENERAL JUDGMENT. Angels and saints from heaven come before Him in bright array, and sit at his right hand. Satan and all the sons of perdition muster before the august Judge, and appear in gloomy silence at God's left hand. O, the myriads of millions, that "no man can number," gathered from all quarters and classes of creation, to be judged ! We have seen enormous mass-meetings in Wash- ington, London, Paris, and elsewhere, which made us feel solemn ; but how utterly insignificant are all these, and all the thirteen hundred millions on the globe, compared with the monster meeting at the judgment ! Awful day! tremendous sight! The great pano- rama of heaven, earth, and hell, of time and eternity, all comes up before us. O, how do you appear? Now is the time to make the soul's best preparation. O, be wise. The day of reckoning is come. Can you "stand the trial?" The books are laid wide open, and another book is opened. Memory lives, conscience speaks, and the secrets of all hearts are revealed. God's witnesses from without testify ; the King re- views the multitudes ; the light of eternity breaks in upon every soul, and we see ourselves before the Bible-mirror. The all-wise Judge sums up the facts and evidences, and proclaims to all a just and final decision ! How many ears must tingle, and hearts swell with anguish, while others rejoice. THE GENERAL JUDGMENT. 183 A solemn day is before us. Each and all destinies are now lixed and declared, irrevocably and forever. O, what a short space of time shapes our different fortunes and our homes, for endless weal or woe ! What a heart-rending day of separation ! Here parents and children, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, friends and neighbors, part to meet no more. Notice the grief of parting with our dear friends for a month, a year, or for life, how inex- pressible ! The scenes at some death-beds and funerals, how distressing to the bereft ! But to be rent asunder from loved ones, and without any hope of reunion, how intolerable and bitter for the wicked ! What torment to the soul, beyond all imagination ! What excruciating reflection upon their convictions in youth, under devoted parents, and in revival days ! While others chose the "good part, and the things needful," these wickedly neglected their own souls, till the Spirit was quenched, and the day of grace all gone forever ! Memory and conscience echo, " Son, remember how you sold your birthright." O, the wicked of all classes and degrees, from Satan down to the lowest rebel, have their sentence, "Depart, ye cursed," and are doomed to hell for eternity. This is a day of exultation for the righteous. The battles all fought, and the victories won ! They shout "Grace, grace, from foundation to top-stone; not by might or power, but by grace and the Spirit 184 THE GENERAL JUDGMENT. of the Lord ! Glory in the highest ! " Hark, now ; hear what Christ, the Judge, proclaims to the righ- teous of all classes : w Well done, good and faithful, enter ye into the joys of your Lord." Behold, now, the Lamb's wife, robed in white, with a starry crown, singing: the "new song" to God and the Lamb for- ever ! Behold the redeemed and the holy angels casting their crcnvns at Jehovah's feet, shouting, " Crown him Lord of all ! " What a day of consummation! The righteous, who were regenerated and sanctified, " glorying only in the cross," with but a foretaste of heaven, now share their full fruition around the throne of God. But the wicked, "having all their good things here," and only some forebodings of their future woes, now and forever drink their full cup of misery in hell. Dear souls, repent and look to Jesus, and prepare to meet God ! Let us sing, " When thou, my righteous Judge, shall come, To call thy ransomed people home, Shall I among them stand? " SERMON XXX. GOD'S WITNESSES. "Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord." — Isa. xliii. 10. THE word witness is a forensic term, used in the forum, courts of law, civil life, and religion. A true witness is a person telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, about the case at issue, God helping him. All are bound to witness for God and his cause ; they have their birth- rights and their responsibilities. Oaths, pledges, and professions never originate moral duties. According to established ethics, we learn our obligations from the book of Nature and the Bible, and only ratify them by our vows and acts. Can the unbeliever ex- onerate himself from all Christian duties because he has neglected the first — the new T birth? No, never. One sin cannot sanctify another sin. Suppose a false witness : he stands up in court, takes the oath, and kisses the Bible; but, as to the case at issue, he is dumb, or comical, or ironical, or two-sided; or gets angry, and contradicts himself; or turns lawyer, then (185) 186 GOD'S WITNESSES. judge and jury, like the infidel, hypocrite, backsli- der, or Pharisee. Behold the perjured wretch ! He knew his duty, and did it not. The wicked are mad, deceitful, rebellious, and will not testify for God, unless constrained by love or compelled by wrath. Willing or unwilling, every knee must bow, and every tongue confess to the glory of God, in time or eternity. A true witness is a loyalist, a volunteer, summoned by love and truth, justice and mercy, full of the Spirit, "standing up for Jesus," and for the salvation of souls. Faithful Christians are competent witness- es, united in one precious body, of which Christ is the eternal head. We know of our Redeemer, our new birth, our baptism, and hope of the resurrec- tion, the witness of the Spirit, and the crowning success. I. Notice what great truths Christians witness to. God's children, with open eyes, know their heav- enly Father, see his eternal power and Godhead in nature and his word, and love to testify before the world. The Bible is our true revelation ; Christ is our God and Saviour ; the Holy Spirit our teacher and sanctifier, to make us living witnesses for God on earth and in heaven. We can tell of conviction and condemnation, and of the strivings of the Spirit, and his converting power, and of constraining love, matchless grace, and the bloody cross. We will GOD'S WITNESSES. 187 tell you of our experience, regeneration, faith, and hope ; of the privileges of gospel baptism and the Lord's Supper, and of our growth in all the Christian graces. Do you testify against sin of all kinds, and at all times? Have you testified to the worth of souls, the danger of sinners, the necessity and excellency of experimental and practical religion? What of your testimony, living or dying? Jack, the colored brother, said, "My master has not gone to heaven, for I was his body servant, and always knew my master's intentions and doings ; but master never wrote, talked, or dreamed or prayed about heaven, nor made any preparation. If he were £oin