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he will give you over to a strong delusion to believe a lie."* According to that which is written, none of the wicked shall understand;"† and this is the meaning of that saying, "therefore they could not believe because, he hath blinded their eyes and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heel them."† Most certainly, this awful Scripture is fulfilled too often even in this Christian land. At least it is most certainly too common to find grown men and women, and sensible men and women too, who can understand most worldly matters readily enough; who, having had the Scriptures to read all their lives, and having heard the gospel of Christ all their lives, plainly and faithfully delivered, are, nevertheless, at last, not gross sinners only, but even greatly and grossly ignorant of the truths which should convert them:----who abide by all the misbelief and absurd error of the utterly careless part of mankind, as if they had never heard a word against it, and have as much yet to learn of Christ, as children five years old. And are not these dropping off and dying day after day with this veil upon their heart? Indeed, this is not the fault of these people's teachers: it is their own doing--their own devotedness to things with which an effectual knowledge of the truth cannot consist, and which indispose men from coming to the light, and drive them to close their eyes against it. Act up to what you know: this is the sure way to increase knowledge, and indeed, the only way to retain as much as you have already got. If you will let your sinful appetites grow upon you, they will do so till you are so filled with them, and besotted by them, that you will no longer be able to rouse yourselves to attend to truth, and will be past enduring sound doctrine. You may then indeed die quietly, like one who departs in a slumber, but hope in your death you can have none, and once dead you will be past hope for ever.

*2 Thes. ii. 11.

+ Dan. xii. 10.

+ John xii. 39, 40.

2. But use the light as you should; and, saith our Lord, ye shall be the children of the light.

Here is a gracious promise, not to those alone who have long lived godly in Christ Jesus ; but even to the sleeper also who will this day suffer himself to be awakened. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, and so ini

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quity shall not be your ruin." * that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light."† If you have never cared for your souls till now, begin to day; if ye have never heard God's voice to effect before, hear it now. Look at once to the "Sun of righteousness, who is risen with healing on his wings."‡ "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world," § this instant. Before you turn to any thing else, fall down upon your knees, and say unto him, "Lord save us we perish;" and he will save you. Pray unto him, "create in us a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within us;"|| " and a new heart he will give you, and a new spirit he will put within you; and he will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and give you a heart of flesh, and put his spirit within you;” ¶¶ and then "you shall walk in his statutes and keep his judgments and do them;" and, walking in the light, be the children of the light:his children who is the light; and "if children, then heirs-heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ." **

"Awake thou

* Ezek. xviii. 30.

† Malac. iv. 2.

Ps. li. 10.

† Eph. v. 14.

§ John i. 29.

Ezek. xxxvi. 26.

** Rom. viii. 17.

Bethink you what you lose what a pearl you throw away. Is it nothing to be the sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty? Is it not to be taught, and fed, and guided, and supported, and protected, and comforted; and to have all things that befal you, of whatever sort they be, turned into blessings? Is it not to rejoice in hope all your lives long: and then to have far more than ever you did hope for explicitly, realized to you for eternity? Is it not to be made like God, and to see God, and to dwell with God, and to have God himself for your portion and your "exceeding great reward?" And are not all the figures and images which can be collected of riches, and pleasures, and grandeur, and glory, and beauty-are they not confessedly weak and feeble representations, the best that can be used, but still infinitely inadequate to elevate your minds to so some conception of this glory which is to be revealed ?

But it is yours: this crown of happiness, supreme and indescribable, it is yours if ye will accept of it. For it is yours if you will "only let your conversation be as becometh the gospel of Christ,"* which revealeth it. And that you may do, because he who calls you to a gospel life, saying--"Be ye clothed with humility," * "Put on charity," ↑ "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof,"§ is able, and willing, and pledged, and by his own word bound, to work every grace in you which he requireth of you, to hear your prayer, if you will pray, and to keep you steadfast unto the end in answer to your prayers, in the way of his commandments.

* Phil. i. 27.

* 1 Pet. v. 5.

+ Col. iii. 14.

† Rom. xiii. 14.

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