ing forward all the great truths and doctrines of revelation, rendered them doubly solemn and affecting. The doctrine of human depravity, for instance, when presented not with a view to make out a system of divinity; but for the clear purpose of making men feel their depravity, and thus to lead them to the Saviour would come home with dreadful interest. They would not probably retire extolling the preacher, or congratulating themselves on account of their orthodoxy; but condemning themselves on account of their sins. Such was the devotion of the apostle to his object, that it could not be concealed. He compels you to look to the end he is pursuing, and not at him. This rises and is magnified, till it fills the mental vission, and you know not, and care not, by whose instrumentality the image is presented. It seems not to be St. Paul, but the Judgment which makes Felix tremble. Not St. Paul, but his reasoning, which almost persuades King Agrippa. Not St. Paul, but the truth he declared, which made the Jews" cry out, and cast off their clothes, and throw dust into the air."

It is true that the highest effect of eloquence is not to be attained by a single trait or characteristic of the speaker; but there is, to say the least, something noble, something truly affecting, to see a great man willing to forget himself;--who in his concern for others, is willing "to impart to them, not the gospel of God only; but his own life also;" -who compels you by his own example to overlook the littleness of private interests, and fix your admiring eyes on scenes momentous as the judgment, and solemn as eternity.

Such is a concise view of the eloquence of St. Paul. If the principles which we have laid down and endeavoured to illustrate are correct, we have the foundation for several interesting remarks.

First. We see the reason why so many attend more to the preacher, than to the truths he delivers. Louis XIV. once said to Massillon, "When I hear other preachers, I usually go home praising them, but when I hear you, I go home condemning myself." It is a lamentable fact, that the preaching of the gospel, which was ordained of God as the instrument of snatching immortal souls from perdition, should be converted into the mere instrument of charming their fancies. O, it is dreadful, to see an assembly of candidates for eternity, sitting for an hour to speculate on the preacher!

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to watch his motions, to be delighted only with the melody of his voice, the smoothness and grandeur of his periods, and the sprightly im ages of his fancy !-and then carelessly retiring from the house of worship, remembering only what they never should have noticed, and praising what perhaps ought rather to be condemned, the manner of the preacher! But so it is. must the fault be attributed to the people alone. Shall not the hearers attend to what the preacher does? If his object be to please by his gestures, his language, or his wit; shall they not be pleased with his language or his wit? How can he expect that his hearers will be solemn when he trifles? How can he expect that even the truth will go to their hearts when it does not come from his own?

When a minister sees in his audience an air of levity or indifference, here an idle gaze, and there a wanton smile-he ought to pause and ask himself-am I preaching in God's stead to this assembly? Do I feel for their welfare? Am I preaching for Christ? He ought to consider, whether he and his people are not too justly described in the language of God to his prophet; "They come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words,

The rich man in the world of misery is represented as seeing Abraham afar off, and the poor beggar whom he had despised in this world enjoying the most perfect felicity in his bosom. He then cries, in the most earnest manner, that Abraham would have compassion on him, and provide some way to relieve him from that insupportable pain which he suffered. If no greater favour can be granted him, he earnestly begs that Lazarus may be sent, even with one drop of water to cool his parched tongue. After Abraham informed him that there was no communication between those two worlds, he intercedes, in the most feeling manner, in behalf of his five brethren who were still in the land of hope. The unhappy man, ruined and in despair, entreats that Lazarus may be sent to testify to his brethren concerning the awful realities of the invisible world; that, by exciting them to repentance, they might escape the wrath to come. But this entreaty was equally unavailing with the former. Abraham says to him, If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.

Perhaps some may imagine that if Lazarus had gone from the invisible world, and informed those five men of the wretched condition of their brother, and also of the happy state to which he was exalted, they would have repented of their sins, and made effectual preparation for death. Infidels doubtless suppose, that if one of their deceased friends should arise from the dead, and solemnly declare to them that there is indeed a heaven and a hell,-that the Gospel is a revelation from God, and that, without faith and repentance they must be forever miserable, they should then embrace the religion of the Gospel, and love and obey the God whose character it unfolds. But in this they greatly mistake. They would be no nearer embracing the gospel than they now

are. Those who reject the gospel, against the overwhelming arguments by which it is supported, would not be persuaded if one should actually arise from the dead; or even if an angel should come down from heavto confirm it. The witness of saints or angels would indeed be great. But the witness of God is greater. Testimony is borne, in God's word, to the same things which would be told us by one that should come from the dead. He that rejects this testimony makes God a liar.

I shall take occasion from the text to examine the reasons why mankind refuse to believe the gospel. These reasons may be divided into two classes, negative and affirmative. In examining the negative reasons, I observe,

1st. That men do not reject the gospel because there is any defect in the character of God as it is there revealed.

Every attribute of the divine character, as disclosed in the gospel, is such as becomes the infinite Jehovah. The scripture writers have not, in a solitary instance, given any account either of his nature or actions, which is not perfectly suited to the most exact, and most exalted ideas which can be formed of perfection. Nothing debasing, nothing unworthy, nothing but what is infinitely excellent has any connexion with the Jehovah of the gospel. To his character nothing can be added, and from it nothing can be taken, to render him more deserving of the highest love and adoration of the whole intelligent universe. Whenever he is described as acting, he acts like a God; and whenever as speaking, he speaks like a God. God said, let there be light; and there was light. He spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. All his actions are dictated by boundless wisdom and benevolence. All the powers of his infinite mind are supremely devoted to produce the greatest possible good to the moral universe. "The

Bible forms the only portrait beneath the sun in which is seen the likeness of a God."-Mankind then do not reject the gospel because any defect can be found in the character of God. Nor,

2ndly. Do men refuse to believe the gospel because any fault can be found with its design.

It is the design of the gospel to accomplish the salvation of an endless multitude of immortal beings. To rebels against the divine government, and heirs of eternal death, it brings tidings of pardon, deliverance, and acceptance with God. In whatever point of view we examine the design of the gospel, we shall find it, like the character of its divine Author, infinitely benevolent. Wherever it is believed and obeyed, there good, and good only is done. Let the religion of the gospel be embraced by a family; how benign, how heavenly are its effects! Disobedience to parents, and abuse of children cease, and parental affection, and filial obedience ensue; and the whole circle is full of peace and joy. Spread it through a nation; and how soon would fraud, oppression, and party spirit cease; and the people, however much at variance before, live together like brethren. Diffuse it over the world. Let all be under its influence, and governed by its dictates; and a scene would ensue the most glorious, the most lovely that the world ever saw. The wilderness and solitary place would indeed be glad; and the desert rejoice and blossom as the rose. The design of the gospel then cannot be urged in justification of those who reject it. Nor,

3dly. Do mankind refuse to believe the gospel because there is any thing unreasonable in its requisitions.

We are required in the gospel to love the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind, and with all our strength. Now if the character of

God is so excellent as has been described, there surely is nothing unreasonable in this requisition; so far from it, that it is the demand of infinite wisdom and goodness. As God possesses every perfection both natural and moral in an infinite degree, he is certainly an object worthy of our supreme love. It must be remembered also that we are his by creation and preservation; more completely so than any thing can be ours. Even the air we breathe is the gift of God. So that not only the inherent excellence of God's character requires us to love him with all the heart, but also our relation to him as dependent beings. Are any of us, my hearers, so completely depraved, so utterly lost to every particle of virtue, as to esteem it unreasonable to love such a Being,-a Being who feeds and clothes us,-who sent his son to redeem us, and whose pure and exalted character will be celebrated with joy and ecstasy by the redeemed throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity? If we have such hearts let us no longer deny our depravity.. Let us no longer contend even for one spark of native goodness. Hearts that will not love such a God, are hard indeed. Depravity is written on them in capitals, so that he who runs may read.

The gospel also requires us to exercise a spirit of universal benevolence; to love our neighbour as ourselves; to do good to all men, whether enemies or friends. However repugnant the exercise of such a disposition may be to the natural feelings of the human heart, still it is the most lovely, the most godlike disposition which can be possessed by man. The benevolence of God is the glory of his character. be benevolent therefore is to be like God, like angels, like all beings who have any moral excellence of character. In this way we renounce our native loathsome character; we abandon our supreme selfishness, which is so infinitely

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odious in the sight of God, and assume a character which all holy beings admire; a character like that of the assembly of the first-born in heaven. Who then has the impiety to pretend that the gospel requires an unreasonable service when it demands of us supreme love to God, and to love our neighbor as ourselves? He, who has, is wholly destitute both of wisdom and virtue, is an enemy of all good, and an outcast from the divine kingdom. The gospel further requires of us faith and repentance. If sin is an infinite evil,-if it is destructive of the happiness of the universe, and abominable in the sight of God; and if all mankind are sinners, rebels against the divine government, and subject to the condemning sentence of a most righteous law; who will charge the Almighty with unreasonableness in requiring us to repent and forsake sin and to exercise faith in the Redeemer as the only condition on which we can obtain forgiveness of our sins, and find acceptance with God. ?

It must be remembered also that all the requisitions of the gospel tend directly to promote the best good of him who complies with them. What joy can be compared to that which arises from loving God with all the heart, and serving him with a willing mind? What can be more amiable, more heavenly than the exercise of a spirit of universal benevolence? What is so becoming, so honorable in such guilty beings as we are, as to humble ourselves before a sin-hating God, to weep, and mourn, and rend our hearts for our sins, and repent in dust and ashes? Say not with Hume, that repentance is meanness. All meanness is sin. God requires us to repent; but never requires us to siu. What! is it an act of meanness to sorrow that we have offended the infinite Jehovah, and by our sins crucified the Lord of glory afresh, and ruined our souls forever, unless this great

and good Being is pleased to extend his arm to our relief? He who says this, he who thinks this, has no experimental acquaintance with the subject. Such a person is still in the gall of bitterness, a captive under sin, and led about by satan at his will. Repentance, in itself considered, is indeed painful. But when we take into view its reasonableness and the blessed effects which follow, it is pleasing. As it is beautifully expressed by Mrs. Steele:

"Let humble, penitential woe,
"In painful, pleasing anguish flow."

4thly. Mankind do not reject the gospel because the evidence of its divine origin is not of the best, and most convincing nature.

We know, my hearers, that the gospel which we preach to you is true. We know that it is not a cunningly devised fable. Its truth is supported by such unquestionable arguments as, on any other subject, would remove every doubt. At one time we appeal to a series of prophecies, some of which were written more than than three thousand years ago, and are daily fulfilling before our eyes; at another, to a train of miracles wrought on various occasions and before multitudes of people, recorded by men who were themselves eye-witnesses; men of sound judgment, and strict integrity. At one time we present to your view the purity, the sublimity, and the harmony of the scriptures; at another, the sincerity, competency, and goodness of the writers. At one time we appeal to the success of the gospel, destitute of every worldly recommendation, and in the face of the most powerful opposition; at another, to the blood of the best of men, and the consent of men of the greatest genius and learning. Each of these arguments is in itself conclusive; but all of them united bear down like a mighty torrent, every thing that opposes. We affirm then that no better evidence