this, and he will be at a lofs for an anfwer-He knows of no other faith, than fuch an affent of the mind to the truth of the gospel, as those perfons in my text gave to CHRIST, upon feeing his miracles.

Alas! how many Chriftians are there, that are starving upon this barren and unprofitable faith? how many, who live in open violation of the plaineft precepts of the Gospel? who cry, "Ho"fanna to the Son of David," with their lips, but crucify him in their conduct; who would fain be enrolled in the number of his difciples, but are loth to part with their favourite lufts to obtain this honour: who would have their ministers preach foft things, and prophefy deceit, rather than break in upon their finful repofe, by any falutary alarms and reproofs? How many are there too, who content themselves with a cold formal round of outward ob

fervances;

servances; who, instead of worshipping GOD, make a god of their worship; who are so careful to preferve every punctilio of outward devotion in their behaviour and deportment, that they never once think of any reigning depravity of heart; who are fo well fatisfied with the praises of men, that they forget to seek for the applause of God? How many are there, that do indeed believe in the Name of CHRIST, but at the fame time avail themselves of their profeffion, as a cloak for the basest and most horrid designs; who under the folemn guife of extraordinary fanctity, conceal the most selfish, proud, and malicious hearts?

These are some of the characters among profeffing Chriftians, that bear a strong resemblance to thofe mentioned in my text. If any of you, my brethren, fhould think, that you discover some of your own features in the picture, I pray

GOD

GOD that you may be enabled to carrect them. Strike not the hand that probes your wound;-blame not your ministers for speaking the truth! Better is it for them to expofe themselves to your cenfures by their boldness, than by their filence to win your praises, at the expence of your eternal falvation, and their own. We know not your hearts; we can only judge by appearances and wherever thefe are favourable, Christian candour and charity will give them chearful credit. You You may, indeed, deceive us; and I believe religious deceits are as frequent, if not more fo, than any other-but, remember, you cannot deceive or elude our Mafter's allfeeing eye. Naked and stript of every artful guife, your thoughts, your fecret principles and motives of action, lay open to his view. He knows what "is in man:" he knows the deep deceit and defperate wickednefs of the human

heart.

heart. He knows by what amazing ways the hypocrite is led to deceive others, and in the end himself. His intimate knowledge of your hearts fhould make you tremble, then, left he should refufe to commit himself to you, as he did to the Jews in my text. And are you aware of the dreadful confequences of fuch a refufal? Do you know, that you are loft and undone, if JESUS does not commit himself to your fouls? fouls? If JESUS is not your friend, who is to be your advocate at the bar of GOD? If JESUS does not interpofe, what arm can fhield you from the Vengeance of Heaven?

66

But are there any among you, who have not only their understandings convinced of the "Truth as it is in 'JESUS," but their hearts engaged in the practice of his religion; who not only "believe in his name, because of "the miracles which he did," but live

and delight in the doctrines which he preached, and the life which he led ; who not only affent to Christianity as true, but embrace it as good; who not only defire CHRIST for their SAVIOUR, but own him for their Sovereign? To fuch perfons, I may venture to declare, he will commit himself, with all the Riches of his Grace, with all the Wonders of his Love: to fuch fouls, he is united by the tendereft ties: they are "sheltered under his wings,

66

they are fafe beneath his feathers, "his faithfulness and truth is their "fhield and buckler;" they repofe all their confidence in him; to him they unbofom all their cares; from him they look for all their comforts-And this is the language of their love"The Lord is my Strength and my "Salvation-whom then fhall I fear? "The Lord is the Strength of my Life, "of whom then fhall I be afraid?

"The LORD is my Shepherd, there

"fore