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"afar off," with an impassable gulph fixed between them, and shall beseech them by all their former love to send them one drop of water to cool their tongue, and shall find them deaf to all their entreaties. O children, sinners,-old and young,—will not this be a most distressing hour? Hour, did I say ? a most distressing eternity.

Are there any present under the calls of the divine Spirit? You see why you have so long striven in vain, and how you may strive to better purpose. The present is the crisis of your existence, and probably good and bad angels are anxiously watching the issue. Do not calculate too confidently on a change in your favor, and thus relapse into stupidity. Thousands have sought as earnestly as you to enter in and have not been able. Cast down the weapons of your rebellion at once and submit to God. Can you bear the thought of being at last in the condition which has been described?

It is painful to disturb the ashes of the dead;but are there not some present who in former months or years were awakened by the Spirit of God, but relapsed into stupidity, and cannot now be moved by all that is passing before their eyes ? Wretched men! you little know how they who understand your case tremble for you, lest you should be of the number of those who sought to enter in and were not able. There is reason to fear that your eyes will never more be opened. But if they are not forever sealed, open them this once before you die, and behold the dangers among which you are sleeping secure. Could you see one who was

known to be abandoned of God, with what feelings would you regard him! And yet how know you but this is your condition? Many, for resisting the Spirit as you have done, have been sealed over to destruction. But if your fate is not already fixed, it is in imminent danger of soon becoming so. O that one could speak so that the dead would hear: "Awake, arise, or be forever fallen."

One word to professing christians. Many of the visible church will seek to enter in and will not be able. Many will go down from sacraments and confident hopes to everlasting burnings.

Let impenitent sinners of every description attend. I could hope by this time that you are all convinced of the importance of striving for the kingdom of heaven first or last; but when will you begin? You have often had this conviction, but being disposed to delay, it has passed off like "the morning cloud and early dew." Thus it has doubtless been with thousands now in hell. Take care that delay does not prove your ruin. After all, this is the rock on which many of you will probably split. But will not some, wiser than the rest, be induced to escape to day? The Saviour's arms are yet extended to receive you. The compassions of God say, Come. O come, for why will ye die?

SERMON XIV.

GOSPEL DESPISERS PASSED BY AND THE HEATHEN TAKEN.

MAT. VIII. 11, 12.

And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and west and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

This was originally spoken with reference to the rejection of the Jews, (who by profession and dedication had constituted the visible kingdom of God,) and the calling of the Gentiles. The occasion was this. When Jesus, at a certain time, entered into Capernaum, a centurion, (a Roman officer who commanded a band of a hundred soldiers,) who was himself a Gentile, came to him and entreated him to heal his servant. And when Jesus promised to go with him the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof, but speak the word only and my servant shall be healed;" and subjoined what imported that diseases

known to be abandoned of God, with what feelings would you regard him! And yet how know you but this is your condition? Many, for resisting the Spirit as you have done, have been sealed over to destruction. But if your fate is not already fixed, it is in imminent danger of soon becoming so. O that one could speak so that the dead would hear: "Awake, arise, or be forever fallen."

One word to professing christians. Many of the visible church will seek to enter in and will not be able. Many will go down from sacraments and confident hopes to everlasting burnings.

Let impenitent sinners of every description attend. I could hope by this time that you are all convinced of the importance of striving for the kingdom of heaven first or last; but when will you begin? You have often had this conviction, but being disposed to delay, it has passed off like "the morning cloud and early dew." Thus it has doubtless been with thousands now in hell. Take care that delay does not prove your ruin. After all, this is the rock on which many of you will probably split. But will not some, wiser than the rest, be induced to escape to day? The Saviour's arms are yet extended to receive you. The compassions of God say, Come. O come, for why will ye die?

SERMON XIV.

GOSPEL DESPISERS PASSED BY AND THE HEATHEN TAKEN,

MAT. VIII. 11, 12.

And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and west and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

This was originally spoken with reference to the rejection of the Jews, (who by profession and dedication had constituted the visible kingdom of God,) and the calling of the Gentiles. The occasion was this. When Jesus, at a certain time, entered into Capernaum, a centurion, (a Roman officer who commanded a band of a hundred soldiers,) who was himself a Gentile, came to him and entreated him to heal his servant. And when Jesus promised to go with him the centurion replied, "Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof, but speak the word only and my servant shall be healed;" and subjoined what imported that diseases

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