character. Its very first object is to distinguish, between the clean and the unclean, between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not. Then the christian discovers that he is in Christ Jesus, and takes the comfort of it; and the unregenerate learn that they are in the gall of bitterness, and under the bonds of iniquity, and feel the pain of it, and apprehend the danger of it. He will have many a song, and they feel many a pang, under such a gospel; he may have high hopes of future blessedness, and they many strong anticipations of the wrath

to come.

A gospel that is not distinguishing, by building up a worldly church, withholds from sinners one of the mightiest means of grace. There is nothing that so much affects men, as to see religion embodied, and acted out by the people of God. The gospel then presents itself to their consciences in a living shape, and carries with it an influence that is irresistible. There the law is, and there the gospel is, right before their eyes all day, in their houses, and in their streets; and they must die or embrace it. But under a loose and indistinct gospel, there is no such example, and of course no such influence exerted. If there should be some few in the church, who honour the religion they profess, which is not very likely under a gospel that does not feed them with the truth, still their influence will not be felt. They will be nicknamed, and despised, and cast out, as sour, unsocial, and austere beings, of whom none

may speak kindly, and with whom none will assocìThus the ungodly, under such a gospel, lack one of the most efficacious means of grace.

ate.

Hence under such a gospel there is no reason to hope, that sinners will repent, and turn to God, and five. Men will not be alarmed till they know their danger, nor will know their danger, till they learn their true character. Hence under a gospel, that does not distinguish, that rears not a pious christian church, that mixes up the Lord's people with the world, calls, the whole congregation brethren, and deals out the promises without descrimination; sinners cannot be said to enjoy the means of grace, will never become alarmed, and will never repent, and will die in their sins, and where Christ is they can

never come.

To the people of God, who are under a process of sanctification through the truth, it is of unspeakable importance that they enjoy a distinguishing gospel. Eise they will ripen but slowly for heaven, will not enjoy the comforts of religion, nor be extensively useful. To place them under a tame and temporising gospel, is like the attempt to grow plants in the shade. They may just live, but they can neither be vigorous nor healthful. Place the men of heavenly birth, where they can have the whole truth, and feel its full influence. Then they "spring up, as willows by their water-courses." Every day advances them in the divine life. Their religion is healthful and vigorous, and there is rea

son to believe that they will feel the blessed effects forever. They will be when they die better prepared for heaven, will take a higher station, and shine more illustriously in the celestial firmament.

O, then suffer not a christian for a world, to spend his days under a loose and indiscriminating gospel. Advise him to sell all he has, and buy a better gospel, or go where the truth is proclaimed, that he may daily feel its influence, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ," Amen,

SERMON 9.

SINNERS MADE USEFUL TO GOD'S

PEOPLE,

ISAIAH X. 5-12.

O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. Horobeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few. For he saith, are not my princes altogether kings? Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus? As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria; shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols? Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion, and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks."

We sometimes discover, in a scrap of sacred story, a rich and lucid comment upon the essential doctrines of revelation. The simple statement of facts, dissipates the darkness that obscured the ways of God, and removes the cloud behind which

roll the wheels of providence. Let us only read of what God, by his immediate agency, or by the agency of others, has done, and we shall find very little mystery in all he has said. The doctrines are nothing more than the general principles of the divine administration. The moment men put themselves in the attitude of quarrel with what God has said, they invariably tax themselves with the necessity of denying what he has done. The father who returns to his house, and finds his beloved child a and still denies the sovereignty of God, proves himself a pitiable reasoner. A doctrine so pointedly illustrated, can no longer be matter of doubt, unless he choose to believe a lie.

corpse,

The history of the Assyrian invasion, forseen and described by the prophet in the text and context, is one of those expository scriptures, which illustrate and confirm, what are erroneously termed the hard doctrines of revelation. God is here seen in the attitude of administering correction to his people, and using wicked men as the staff, destined like any other rod to be commited to the fire, when the children are reduced to obedience. If instead of intending to bless the people of God, they mean not so, mean no service to their Maker, but their own elevation, intend to injure whom they hate, all this does not disqualify them to be the sword of the Lord. There is something fearfully interesting in the divine sovereignty, thus illustrated by the very finger of God himself. We must either believe