of man! How impartial are the fountains and rivers that flow through our thousands of hills and valleys to water the face of the Earth for the blessing of man and beast! When we look into the wisdom of God, and the boundless favor of his universal providence, how grateful ought we to feel for such goodness! When we look into the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are doubly inspired with love to our Maker. We there find that the gospel corresponds with all his works in nature; and we see that the universal goodness of God, is as impartial in the grace of the gospel as it is in nature. They are equally dispensations of his blessings to the creatures which he has made. This doctrine harmonizes with the very law of heaven. Hear the commandments which God gave; "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, with all thy soul and with all thy strength, and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law, and the prophets.' Here, my hearers, the doctrine of divine grace corresponds with the universality of this command. No human being can yield obedience to this law, without being blest to the full extent of his capacity.

Look at the temper, spirit, and disposition of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was "the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person," and learn if there be any such thing as inconsistency, partiality, or cruelty, in what he teaches. What was the language of that man, the Son of God, on the cross. He had at that time ex

erted against him, all the cruelty which the malice of his enemies could instigate; and, in that situation, what was the language of our Saviour? "Father! forgive them, for they know not what

they do!" This is the spirit of the religion of Christ. This is the spirit of the doctrine of the gospel, which he preached, and God can no more be changed from that wra'h and enmity towards his creatures, than the sun can be changed from the brilliancy which his glorious rays emit, to a flood of darkness; for God is unchangeably the

same.

We are told, that the blessed Saviour, who came into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved, will, at another time, be clothed with the garment of vengeance and wrath, will tread down his enemies beneath his feet, and sink them to everlasting torment. Oh! my hearers, then is his goodness overcome indeed! Then, at last, will the cross on which he suffered, become the curse of those whom he died to save. And he who suffered for our sins on the tree of death, will condemn us, when on the throne of God, to everlasting misery! What a detraction is this, from he dignity, the glory, andt the grace of God! "Moreover, the law entered, that the offence might abound; nevertheless where sin abounded, grace doth much more abound; that as sin hath reigned unto death, so might grace reign. through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. v. 20, 21.

"I certify you brethren that the doctrine which is preached by me is not after man ;" and as man did not contrive it, but invented a different doctrine, in the spirit of his own creed he will abuse the doctrine of heaven, and call it not of God, and he will endeavour to stigmatize all those who profess it. He will hold up his own creed in preference to the creed of heaven, and his own wisdom in preference to the wisdom of the Almighty; but, my hearers,

you are called upon to exercise the reason and understanding which God has given you, to judge carefully and impartially on these subjects. Decide for yourselves; independent of the force of education, of the influence of superstition and bigotry, search the scriptures, to see if these things are so. Remember this, my beloved friends, if you are blessed with the belief of God's universal impartial goodness, be cautious that you conform to the principles of it; and do not profess only, but conform to this doctrine, and live agreeably to it. Be impartial and kind to your fellow creatures; act upon the noble principle of your faith; observe the doctrine of God our saviour, and observe the harmony of the language of the inspired apostle; "The grace of God, which bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared; teaching us that we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world."

May God give you grace and wisdom, that you may improve by all you have heard, live to his glory on earth, and be prepared to dwell with him in an eternity of bliss.

SERMON VIII.

PSALM IX. 17.

THE WICKED SHALL BE TURNED INTO HELL, AND ALL THE NATIONS THAT FORGET GOD.

The attention of this Christian audience will be directed to the subject under consideration with a peculiar motive. To understand the true signification and import of these words, my friends, is it not reasonable, even for our opposers to suppose that we are as much interested as any people can be? Would they suppose, that we have adopted the sentiments which we believe without a careful reference to all such passages of Scripture as the one under consideration? and can they persuade themselves to believe we have adopted our sentiments without being able to satisfy ourselves upon such subjects? If they reasoned correctly on this subject, their conclusion would be far otherwise; but they have no doubt satisfied themselves that the right manner in which to explain this passage is, that the everlasting and interminable punishment of the wicked in the world to come is taught by it. The usual practice is (a few excepted) for them not to hear how we understand these words, -they do not give us an opportunity of explaining these subjects in their houses of worship, nor do they allow their congregations the privilege of hearing for themselves how these things are understood by us. As it respects ourselves, our thoughts

of God-our thoughts of eternity, are quite as weighty, quite as full of solemnity to us, as they can be to any people in the world. We cannot satisfy ourselves by giving the Scriptures a sort of cant, by inventing for them a peculiar turn in order to give them force and pungency. No, we have no such disposition. We value our happiness too highly for this. If there is any testimony in Scripture against the doctrine we have adopted, we desire to know where it is; we desire to understand the true sense and meaning of it; and if it be of sufficient authority to disprove the doctrine we profess, there is no people more deeply interested in knowing such Scripture than we are. On the one hand, the speaker shall by no means allow himself to pass over one point slightly. On the other the hearer shall not be allowed to make less or more of any particular point of the text, than the text makes of itself, when compared with the Scriptures on the same subject. I have one more remark to make before I proceed, and that is by way of caution. I would caution you, against the influence of prejudice. You all know that it is highly improper for a person to sit as a Judge in a case, where he has pre-judged that case-It is highly improper for him to act as a Judge, if he is to allow prejudice to decide the case when tried. I therefore ask you to lay aside all prejudice with respect to the passage now under consideration. It has been usually considered that this passage signifies never ending torment in the world to come. But this evening, at the cominencement, I humbly ask you to lay that opinion aside, and say within your own minds, "we will examine, we will look at the subject and see if any thing else is the meaning." This is the fair way of investigat