through His poverty, might be made rich: that, through the merits of his voluntary sufferings, we, who deserved nothing but wrath and punishment, might be restored to the favour of God, and might receive the promise of an eternal inheritance. But, O what manner of love is this! What return does this rich, this free, this sovereign grace require at our hands! Are we not constrained to devote our souls to Him who has redeemed them by His own blood from death and misery everlasting? We are not our own, we are bought with a price. The surrender of all our poor and worthless services is a sacrifice justly due to Him, who gave himself a sacrifice for us. Does God so commend his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us? Where sin hath abounded, does grace so much more abound? By nature and by practice enemies of God, are we brought nigh by the blood of Jesus? Is pardon, present, full, everlasting pardon, freely offered to us for all our sins? And can we hear these glorious truths without emotion? Is there a spark of gratitude, a spark of generous feeling in our bosoms? Surely it must kindle into a flame of love, and inspire us with a holy resolution of no longer living unto ourselves, but unto Him, who died for us, and rose again.

Anxiously would I hope, my brethren, that

such, at this moment, is the resolution of your minds. Anxiously would I hope, that whatever your sentiments on this subject may hitherto have been, you now perceive and feel, that the solemn dedication of yourselves to God, to live to His glory, to be employed in His service, to be resigned to His will, is a duty which, as men and as Christians, you are bound by the most imperious obligations to discharge. O then, by the mercies of God, by the love of Christ, by the value of your immortal souls, let me beseech you, that you permit not these favourable impressions to be effaced: that you neglect not, that

you defer not, the performance of a duty, so forcibly recommended, so strongly urged. Suffer not your ardour to abate, till you have rendered unto the Lord this reasonable, this acceptable service: till, presenting unto him your souls and bodies to be a lively sacrifice, holy unto God, you have joined yourselves unto Him in u perpetual covenant, that shall not be forgotten. Be not discouraged because you feel unworthy to approach Him, and to offer unto Him any sacrifice. Such a feeling of your own unworthiness is the best preparation for coming into His presence, the surest earnest of a favourable acceptance at his hands. If he has disposed your heart in faith and love to render to him this tribute of praise and service,

!

he will not reject the offering because of its little value, or of your imperfection in presenting it. He will not weigh your merits, but will pardon your offences. He will graciously receive your mite, because it is your all; and for the sake of the motives, which dictate the surrender, will overlook the intrinsic worthlessness of the gift.

SERMON XVI.

ANGELS REJOICING OVER THE PENITENT

SINNER.

LUKE, XV. 10.

Likewise I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one Sinner that repenteth.

THROUGHOUT the Scriptures the strongest encouragements are given to the returning sinner. The most gracious calls, invitations, and promises, are employed to dispel his fears, and to inspire him with confidence. In illustration of this remark, we may appeal to the chapter from which the text is taken. In three successive parables, differing in some minute particulars, but agreeing in the general scope, our blessed Lord proclaims the grace and mercy of the Gospel, and the readiness of God to receive and pardon the penitent offender. In the text, which is the conclusion of one of these interesting parables, the conversion of a Sinner is represented as

furnishing renewed matter for joy to the angels, who surround the throne of God. What woman, having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light the candle and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost. To which our Lord adds, as an application explanatory of his meaning, Likewise, I say unto you, There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

This representation is calculated to impress us with lively convictions of the efficacy and the importance of repentance. Do those holy spirits, who excel in strength, who dwell in the presence of the Almighty, and do his will, do they rejoice over one sinner that repenteth? What a blessed, what a glorious work is repentance! How beneficial to the Sinner! How pleasing to God! May the Lord be with us by his Spirit, while I endeavour to set before you,

I. A description of the Sinner that repenteth.

II. The grounds of that joy, which the angels feel over a person of this description.

I. In describing the Sinner that repenteth, I would begin with observing, that repentance,