equally an act of benevolence in event which ever took place. But Joseph's brethren? They were in- they did not mean so, neither did strumental in bringing to pass their hearts think so. They were great good, and did what God in- actuated by evil malicious inteutended they should perform.-Our tions of heart, were infinitely crimsubject affords an answer. God inal guilty of a most horrid act of meant it for good; but they meant it murder, and deserving an aggra for evil. And they were as criminal vated punishment. Hence we and as deserving of punishment, as may see the propriety and reasonthough all the evil which they in-ableness of God's punishing sintended in their hearts, had actually taken place. In the 10th chapter of Isaiah, God says to the king of Assyria, 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. Howbeit 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. Therefore, God saith, that after he had used him as an instrument in performing his whole work upon Mount Sion and upon Jerusalem, he will punish him for the evil intentions of his heart acted out in this work. I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. For he saith, by the strength of my hand have I done it, and by my wisdom, for I am prudent. ners for sins committed in performing those actions, which he did, before the foundation of the world, decree that they should perform. 3. From what has been said in this discourse, we may see that no duty performed by impenitent sinners can be acceptable to God. If they are praise or blameworthy not according to the good or evil which they are instrumental in producing, but according to the intentions of their hearts, then none of their actions can be acceptable to God, unless performed with right motives, with a single eye to the glory of God. But we are told by good authority, that every imagination of the thoughts of their hearts is evil, only evil, and that continually: and that they have carnal minds, which are enmity against God-are not subject to his law, neither indeed can be. Hence they must always act from evil intentions of heart; and, of course, are totally sinful in the performance of any duty. Accordingly we read, that the sacrifices and the prayers of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord. penitent sinners may perform every relative and social duty externally; they may be instrumental in building up society, and in disseminating happiness among their fellow creatures, and in promoting Christ's kingdom in the world; Im A passage of the same nature we find in the 2d chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, relative to the Jews, in the crucifixion of our Saviour. Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. In doing this, they acted according to the determin-but in all these things they appear ate counsel and foreknowledge of blame-worthy and criminal to him God, and were instrumental in who searcheth the heart. They bringing to pass, the most glorious are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful out- | ward, but are within full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. And woe be unto them if they die in this condition. Hence producing, but according to the intentions of their hearts, then the Ministers of the gospel are presented with an unfailing source of encouragement and consolation, in the faithful performance of the duties of the ministry. Though they are co-workers with God, and ambassadors of the Lord of life and glory, yet in fulfilling their ministry, they have many trials to undergo, and many difficulties to encounter. How frequently are the ministers of Christ constrained to adopt the lamentation of the prophetWho hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? How often do they labour, apparently, in vain, and spend their strength for nought? But if they are to be rewarded according to the intentions of their hearts, they have every encouragement to perform duty, with 4. We may see the necessity of regeneration, or a change of heart. God hath said, that without holiness no man shall see the Lord. And we have seen in this discourse, that every impenitent sinner is so far from being holy, that he is totally sinful. He is always actuated by wrong motives; all the intentions of his heart are evil. They are enmity against God, and would, were they to produce the designed effect, subvert and demolish his kingdom. All the intentions of the sinner's heart, though included in the great plan of God, yet are directly opposed to it. But God's counsel will stand, and he will do his pleasure. Hence it is utterly impossible for sinners to be happy with unrenew-right intentions of heart. For ed hearts. For all their plans will be frustrated, and their hopes must vanish, and all their exertions will counteract their intentions, and clothe them with shame and everlasting contempt. It is utterly in vain for people to think of being happy, of obtaining the Divine acceptance, and of making a preparation for Heaven, in the observance of any external forms whatever, unless the heart, the great fountain of moral pollutions, be cleansed. For if the fountains be impure, all the streams must be defiled. Accordingly Christ said to the blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. He likewise declared, with an emphasis, that except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. when this is duly and truly performed, though Israel be not gathered yet they will be glorious in the eyes of the Lord. They will in no wise lose their reward. Every sigh, every groan, every tear and every effort, flowing from a benevolent heart, to promote the kingdom of the blessed Redeemer, will be registered in Heaven. and receive a rich reward. All the well directed exertions of the Ministers of Christ will be a sweet smelling savour unto God, both in them that are saved and in them that perish. Finally. Let all be invited to apply this subject to themselves, and indulge a serious enquiry whether they have experienced that renovation of heart which will render their actions acceptable in the sight of God. Serious and solemn will be the 5. If mankind are to be reward-period of final decision and retried, not according to the good or bution And to that moment all evil which they are instruments in our conduct has an ultimate refer ence. Whatsoever a man soweth, that also shall he reap. If to the flesh-destruction-if to the spirit-life eternal. render it probable that our action will be acceptable in the sight of Him who searcheth the heart Infinitely interesting is the enqui man How then does the case standry, and solemn as eternity will be between God and us? In what the decision, when every preparation are we to stand before shall receive according to the his judgment seat? Are we actu deeds done in the body, whether ated by supreme love to God and they be good or bad. H. D. benevolence to man? Are the inAMEN. tentions of our hearts such as to REPLY TO MIKROS ON THE SABBATH. | spread abroad his fame, for doing [Concluded from page 287.] what was in their view a breach of The Jews, it is well known, the Sabbath?" But I would ask, brought their sick to Christ, when whether Mikros supposes it possithe sun was set. Mikros says, ble, for a person to perform mira"There is no intimation that they cles in public at that period, or viewed it unlawful, to heal on the this period, or any other period of Sabbath, but the contrary; and no time, without its being known ia intimation that that was the rea- other places; without having his son of their bringing the sick to fame spread abroad; whether the Christ in the evening." He pro- miracles were considered as a ceeds: "They knew that he heal- breach of the Sabbath or not? But ed on the Sabbath, for he had heal- admitting, that the common peoed two that day; one in the Syna- ple did not consider it as a breach gogue, and Peter's wife's mother of the Sabbath, to heal diseases in the house. And when he went upon that holy day; it would not out of the synagogue into Peter's follow, that they stood in no fear house, where she lay sick anon of the Scribes and Pharisees. The they tell him of her, and besought | Scribes and Pharisees certainly him for her,' that he would heal opposed Christ, for healing on the her. But would they beseech him Sabbath; and it is not at all probto do what they considered unlaw-able, that the common people were ful, and a breach of the Sabbath? But who besought Christ to heal Peter's wife's mother? Undoubtedly Peter and others, who were Christ's friends and followers. If they had been under a mistake, with respect to the propriety of healing on the Sabbath, it is altogether probable, that Christ before this, corrected their mistake. After the case of the demoniac is mentioned, whom Christ cured in the synagogue, it is added; and immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Gallilee." Mikros asks: "would they have very willing to provoke the leading characters of the nation. It is true, that Christ often put the Scribes and Pharisees to silence; but he did not destroy the enmity of their hearts. Admitting that they never opposed him for healing on the Sabbath, "from conscientious scruples," still it was well known, that they did oppose him for it. Of course, all, who feared the Scribes and Pharisees, would be equally afraid to bring their sick to Christ, till the Sabbath ended. If they brought their sick to him, when the sun set, that day; we have reason to be lieve, that they considered the Sabbath as ending at that hour. Mikros says: "In Christian countries many observe the day, with much more strictness than the evening;" and he thinks this "might" have been the case with the Jews. But, the Jews might have known, and they undoubtedly did know, that the evening belonging to the Sabbath, ought to be kept as strictly, as any part of holy time. If the evening succeeding the day, belonged to the Sabbath, the Jews might have known, and they undoubtedly did know, that the Scribes and Phari sees, would find as much fault with Christ for healing, and of course as much fault with the people for bringing their sick to him to be healed, after sun-set Sabbath evening, as before. Mikros thinks "they might not have had time after the synagogue service, and Christ's fame reached them, to bring their sick before evening." But Christ's fame might have reached, and undoubtedly did reach the inhabitants of Capernaum, where Jesus was at that time, before the synagogue service commenced. For it appears from Matthew, that Christ had performed at least one miracle in that city, before he healed the demoniac in the synagogue. If his fame did not reach them before the synagogue service commenced, it might have reached them, and undoubt edly did reach them, immediately after it closed, when the people returned from the synagogue, who had just seen Jesus heal a demoniac. If Jesus had time after the synagogue service, to go into Peter's house, and heal Peter's mother-in-law, before sun set; I should suppose, that the people in that city had time, after the synagogue service, to bring their sick to him. As I have intimated above, it appears from the eighth of Matthew, that Christ healed the Centurion's servant, before he went into the synagogue. If he did, the inhabitants of that city undoubtedly knew, that he was able to heal the sick, long before Sabbath evening at sun-set. If he did not heal the Centurion's servant, before he went into the synagogue, then he must have healed the servant after the synagogue service had closed, and before he went into Peter's house. If he had time to do all this, between the close of the service and the close of the day, then the people might have had, and they undoubtedly did have sufficient time to bring their sick to Christ, before sun-set. Mikros says again, that "they might bring them in the evening, out of regard to their comfort." But they might have known, and they probably did know, that the air could not be more healthy at sun-set, while the dew was falling, than it would be, an hour or two before sun-set: even admitting, that, in that hot country," as Mikros says, "the air in the evening," after the dew has fallen, "is more wholesome, than in the heat" [or middle] of the day." Though Mikros tells us, that they might have brought the sick in the evening, because they kept the evening less strictly than the day;' and that they might have brought them in the evening, because they had not time, after the synagogue service, to bring them before sun-set; still, it seems, even Mikros himself does not feel satisfied with either of these reasons. For he says, it is more probable, that they brought them in the evening, out of regard to their comfort. If Mikros thinks it is probable, that they brought the sick in the evening, out of regard to their comfort, he must think it is equally probable, that the reason why they brought the sick after sun-set, was not, because the 66 day observed by Christians; and that the Jews are not content with observing a different day only, but they must observe the evening preceding the seventh day as belonging to their Sabbath, merely because Christians observe the evening succeeding the first day of the Jews kept one part of holy time, less strictly, than they kept another. If he thinks it is probable, that they delayed bringing the sick till after sun set, out of regard to their comfort, he must think it is equally probable, that they had sufficient time, after the synagogue service, to bring them before sun-week, as belonging to their Sabset. Though Mikros has assigned three reasons, of which, he thinks the last reason might have prevented the Jews from bringing their sick to Christ till after sunset; still I think he might have assigned a better reason. The people not merely might have been, but they undoubtedly were afraid to offend the Scribes and Pharisees, by bringing the sick on the Sabbath. bath. But why should the Jews Why, Mikros says: "After they [the Jews] had crucified the Lord of Glory, their enmity to Christians might lead them to observe a different evening as well as a different day from the Christians, as the Sabbath." "And after all their dispersions and changes,"he thinks "it is hardly worth while for us, Christians, who have the whole scriptures of the Old and New Testament in our hands, to go to them to learn Gospel institutions." Does Mikros mean, that their enmity to Christians led the Jews to observe, as holy time, a different day, from that which they had observed originally; and that the day originally observed by them, is now observed by Christians; and also that the same enmity led the Jews to change the hour at which the day commenced, as well as to change the day itself? Sure-gan their Sabbath, without its bely this cannot be his meaning; ing known by Christians? If Christhough it seems to be conveyed in tians did know when the change the language used by him. Per- was made, why is it, that neither haps he means, however, that the any historical, nor any traditionary Jews, by continuing to observe the account can be given of that event? seventh day of the week, as their If the Jews made the change beweekly Sabbath, have always ob-fore their dispersion, they must served a different day, from the have made it within forty years |