3dly. THE folly of replying against GOD, appears from the accumulated guilt and misery, which it will bring on the sinner.

By every reply, against infinite wisdom and holiness, he sinks his feet deeper into the horrible pit and the miry clay. He finds no sufficient excuse—no justification of his temper or practice—no bar against the execution of GOD’s purposes—nor any delay of the penalty which is threatened. All objection are ineffectual for

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these purposes and only serve to increase the sin, guilt and penalty. As the power of the Lord cannot be resisted, so neither can his justice be influenced or his knowledge and wisdom blinded.

The first sin of man, was an opposition to the law of GOD, and the longer this is continued, the greater is the guilt and the misery that is deserved. Such is the connection between the law and gospel, and such their conformity in moral requirements, that there is a growing sin, by every moment’s delay of evangelical obedience. Let not sinners be quiet because there is a dispensation of grace. Let them not think, that there is a better chance for iniquity in their disobedience to the gospel call, than there is for their transgression of the holy law. Why will it be wore tolerable, in the day of judgment, for Tyre and Sidon, and for Sodom and Gomorrah, than for the inhabitants of Judea to whom CHRIST preached? Surely, because the latter had more knowledge of their duty and a better acquaintance with the gospel reconciliation. Perhaps there is no cause, which so rapidly and awfully increases the sin and guilt of men, as an opposition to gospel light and invitations. This is that unbelief, which carries more sinners down to the pit of utter despair, than all the other crimes which men commit. To reply against the terms of grace, which are offered by a merciful Redeemer, produces greater guilt, and exposes to a far heavier punishment; than all the crimes against the law of Moses, where there is not a knowledge of the gospel. The highest elevated saints in the kingdom of the redeemed, and the most miserable spirits of the condemned, will be from among those, where the doctrines of the gospel have shone with the brightest light. He that despised

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To reply against the manner and terms of the dispensation of grace, is considered by GOD, as the greatest sin which men ever commit; and to those who do this, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries. There is a reason why unbelief should be thus esteemed ; for to oppose GOD’s own method of grace, shows a most fixed enmity against the law, and is practically saying, "we will not be saved by grace, while the law of holiness remains in force." If there was guilt in the first instance of transgression, this conduct proves sin to be exceeding sinful, and worthy of the death with which it is threatened, without any palliation. As Paul said that, the commandment, which was ordained to life, he found to be unto death; so many sinners, under gospel light, will find the gospel, which is a savor of life unto life to the saved, to be to them, a savor of death unto death. It is a most difficult thing, to preserve men, from turning the grace of GOD into a cause of licentiousness.

MANY appear to think, that all the words of CHRIST’s ministers, ought to be smooth and soothing to the feelings of men; and that preaching the terror of the law is a departure from their commission. But who ever exceeded the Saviour himself, in preaching terror to a guilty world ? While he and the harbingers of his advent, proclaimed peaceo n earth, and good will to men;

did also solemnly denounce the danger of eternal death. Hear him telling men, that they are condemned already, that except they were born again they could not enter the kingdom of heaven; that if he had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin, but now they have no cloak for their sin; that this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. Hear him summoning all before the bar of GOD ; describing the process of the day of judgment; and sentencing the unbelieving and impenitent to everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. Hear him warning, and denouncing the judgments of GOD against the formal Pharisees, who received not his gospel in all its spirituality. "WOE unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?" These are the denunciations of the glorious author of grace; and he enjoined on all his followers to warn and teach the same. From consulting the apostolic writings, we determine, that all who were faithful, complied with the injunction. They taught, that disobedience to gospel light, and replying against the manner and terms of salvation., sinks men to deeper misery, than they could ever have felt, if a Saviour and his grace had not been proclaimed. The increased danger and guilt, and more aggravated misery of the impenitent, where the gospel is taught, demonstrate the folly of replying against GOD.

WE have considered the folly of this conduct, as it is unreasonable; as it is ineffectual to answer the wishes of the replying sinner ; and as it increases his sin and guilt, in the punishment

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he must endure, to satisfy the justice and magnify the law of an injured lawgiver and Redeemer.

—And hath not enough been said to show that this is the greatest extreme of folly? To show that all, who enter into a contention with the Almighty, will be confounded by their own excuses; and that if they attempt to justify themselves, the very pleas they offer will condemn them.

IT remains that those, who have attended to this subject, make a serious application to themselves, and enquire whether they be not convicted of folly by the remarks that have been made. It is much easier to say to another, thou art the man; than it is to feel concerning ourselves, I am the man reproved. Men will very quietly hear others reproved, and join in the censure administered on their neighbors, while they excuse themselves, though chargable with the same sin; and they would be highly irritated, to have it said, it is probable they must fail of eternal life. But to determine who will attain, or who fail of eternal life, there is a Judge, who is high above the selfish and prejudiced wishes of men. While mercy and truth go before his face, justice and judgment are the habitation of his throne.—Justice, is to him, a perfection dear as his mercy; and he will not suffer the truth of his threatenings to fail. Let those, therefore, be afraid of their own folly, who deny the essential parts of a work of grace on the heart. When they say, that what is commonly called a moral life, without a special work of grace on the heart is sufficient for a hope of salvation; when they decry the need of the awakening, convincing, and sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit; when they reject the self-denying and soul humbling piety of the gospel, in a life of weanedness

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from the world and its vanities; when they think that men can forget their end and their obligation constantly to seek the glory of GOD, and at the same time, walk in the christian path of godliness, prayer and watchfulness ; or when they suppose that the design of GOD and the terms of salvation, are so comprehensive, as eventually to embrace all men When any or all of these sentiments are embraced, they are replying against the revealed counsels of GOD.

MANY, who embrace these unscriptural ideas, are doubtless persuaded that reason is on their side, and they glory in their own scheme, as being the only one, which a rational mind can approve. But let all men remember that human reason, under the influence of a depraved heart, is a most frail and dangereous guide. A sinful heart hath influence on men’s opinions, as well as on their practice. We often see those, who judge truly in other matters, strangely blinded in divine things, by their, own perverse disposition. The reason of this is, that they have been accustomed to approve and believe, on the sight of something, which they esteemed to be beauty in the object or truth approved; but with their unholy hearts, they could see no beauty in holiness, not even in the character and law of GOD, which are infinitely glorious in the sight of a holy mind. They could see no beauty, in that method of salvation proposed in the gospel, by which the law is magnified and all the perfections of GOD made honorable. This state of mind is described by the apostle Paul in what he, says of the wise Greeks. " For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved, it is the power of GOD. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the

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undersanding of the prudent. Where is the wise ? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world ? Hath not GOD made foolish the wisdom of this world ?—For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom But we preach CHRIST crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, CHRIST the power of GOD and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of GOD is wiser than men.—But GOD hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.

—that no flesh should glory in his presence.— Here is a just picture of that human reason, by which the world boastingly go down to eternal death. They are so wise, in their own estimation as to arraign the purposes and the plan of infinite wisdom. Those Greeks had been accustomed to judge with unsanctified hearts, and to form an opinion of truth from their own sense of moral beauty, and by a prevailing unholiness they took darkness for light. They were proud of their rational attainments; still they saw nothing in the christian salvation, which inclined them to esteem it, either the power or the wisdom or glory of GOD. It is thus with modern disbelievers; for being surrounded with an alluring world, and supposing they have the fairest prospect of doing much for, themselves here, and having no relish for the pleasures of the kingdom of GOD, they prefer what they think to be reason to all the precepts of evangelical piety. And when conscience, with a little degree of fidelity to its author, remonstrates against the folly, they sooth its terrifying voice by thinking, that as they are endowed with reason to determine for themselves, and as they can see no beauty, nor taste any delight in the christian temper and practice, it is

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therefore, unnecessary for salvation. They think GOD to be altogether such an one as themselves.—With what amazing astonishment, will a multitude of unbelievers open their eyes in the light of eternity ! How they will be surprised at the fallacy of reason in depraved creatures! Then they will find, that the god in which they trusted, hath led them down to the shades of everlasting darkness ! The event will teach them, that all their speculations, formed under the power of kit and an alluring world, were vain—vain indeed! and that they were amused with the shadows of earthly bliss, to lose the substance of eternal felicity. And is it thus, O boasted human reason, that thou art leading thy blinded votaries to an end they will ever lament? Is it thus that understanding and reason, our natural image of the creator, are rendered blind by our loss of his moral likeness ? Then we will pray the merciful creator and Saviour of sinners, to deliver us from ourselves—to give the illumination of his Holy Spirit, whereby we may be taught to discern the glory of GOD in the face of JESUS CHRIST, and find experimentally, that what the world, in the folly of their sin call foolishness, may be made to us the wisdom of GOD and the, power of GOD unto salvation. To him who can humble human reason; who can stain the pride of all glory; to him who can bring the creature to take his place at the foot of divine sovereignty, let us ascribe all power, praise and dominion, now and ever. AMEN.