stewardship. We may be so covetous of earthly gifts, as to exclude our souls from spiritual and eternal blessings. Yes, we may be so glued to the enjoyments of this life, that instead of their causing our souls to ascend with gratitude and thankfulness to heaven, they will drag them down to hell. There have been instances of persons in time of fire, war, shipwreck, and other perilous situations, who, foolish and presumptuous to save their goods, have lost their lives. So may we be so heavily laden with the earth, that our souls will be unable to ascend to heaven, and lay hold on eternal life.

How kind the exhortation, then, to spend a suitable portion of Mammon in deeds of piety and charity, that many being benefited by these gifts, may pray for blessings on us as their benefactors. With what satisfaction may the faithful steward expect the hour of dissolution and the coming of his Lord, and anticipate the joy of being then welcomed by such friends to the regions of perfect felicity. But if men idolize their riches, and spend all upon themselves, they may expect to be turned out of their stewardship, and cast into outer darkness, where shall be weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. If we do not have mercy on the poor, in vain may we hope for mercy from God. "For if any man have this world's goods and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" The cries of the oppressed and neglected poor, will testify against unfaithful stewards, to their condemnation; but the prayers of widows and orphans for their pious benefactors will testify for them, that they were wise and faithful stewards. And when they shall leave this world, such as shall have died before them and gone to glory, may be considered as standing ready to welcome them to their everlasting habitations.

The distresses of mankind give an opportunity, of exercising some of the most refined and noble

affections of the human breast. They who are in a state of comfort, may gratify the most delicate sympathies; whilst the objects of their charity may indulge the most tender and grateful emotions. The very different situations, in which men are placed by Divine Providence, serve to endear and strengthen the ties of society, and to enlarge and perfect the social feelings of our nature. They do also afford us a blessed means, whilst in time, to grow rich for eternity.

Earthly riches may be exchanged for heavenly; and temporal goods, for those which are eternal. The poor, the needy, and distressed, give us an opportunity of acquiring inconceivable gain. And who would not part with perishable objects, for those which are imperishable? Who would not give or lend things of trifling value, for a moment, and then receive those of inestimable value? Desperately foolish and amazingly guilty must every soul be, whose actions declare, that he prefers the everlasting poverty of hell to the durable riches of heaven. How benignant and blessed the exhortation of the Saviour, "Make to yourselves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations." Amen.

SERMON XIII.

THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL, AND ITS DESIRABLE EFFECTS.

MARK XVI. 15.

Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every

creature.

WE have presented in these words, the commission of the divine Redeemer to his Apostles. After that he had risen from the dead, he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat. But shortly he was to ascend up into heaven, to sit at the right hand of the throne of God, no more to be bodily present with his disciples on earth. And although this charge was given to the immediate attendants and personal followers of the blessed Saviour, yet it is equally applicable, and addressed to all who should henceforth sustain the character of his publick ministers. The same original phrase, which is translated every creature, is also rendered, the whole human race. The latter is doubtless the most rational and correct translation. Hence, the commission of the Apostles of Christ, extends to every creature throughout the world; so that wherever a human being is found, they are authorized and commanded to preach to him the gospel. They and their successors are to go forth with unwearied exertions to the ends of the earth, as heralds of the gospel, till every nation, kindred, and tongue under the whole heaven, should enjoy its rich blessing. This is in accordance with the declaration of the Lord to the shepherds who were keeping watch over their flock by night. And the angel said unto them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people."

Before the advent of the Saviour, the glorious privileges of divine revelation were chiefly confined to the Jews. And while he continued in the flesh, few of the Gentiles, comparatively, had the gospel preached to them; but, before the end of time, from the rising to the setting of the sun, both Jew and Gentile must enjoy its divine and meridian light. The gospel is good news, for to a guilty and ruined world it opens a door of hope, and publishes the way of salvation. This is the glorious and blessed channel, through which the inexhaustible fountain of divine grace pours forth its exuberant streams to a perishing world. Hence, to preach the gospel, is to announce the counsels of heaven revealed to man, that he may be saved from sin and death, and made an heir of eternal life. But to accomplish this great and glorious end, its essential doctrines and duties must be clearly unfolded, that God may be exalted and glorified, while sinners are saved.

The first important doctrine, in preaching the gospel, is to unfold the character of God.

The being and perfections of Jehovah should be held forth clearly to the view of mankind, that they may form consistent and exalted views of his absolutely perfect, his infinitely glorious and amiable character. His eternity and infinity, his self-existence and independence, his omnipotence and omniscence, must be maintained; while he is proclaimed the supreme, moral Governour of all finite, intelligent beings, their great law-giver and final Judge. His most holy nature, must be declared as that moral perfection of his character, which renders him worthy of the supreme love of all created intelligences, and which is well pleased with righteousness; but, which hateth all the workers of iniquity with perfect hatred. Grace and mercy must be proved to be perfections, belonging to the moral character of God, or in vain would be the attempt to show, that he could possibly be reconciled to any of his moral subjects, who had

once rebelled against him. The first and fundamental doctrine of revealed religion, is that of a God, as the only proper object of religious worship, the first cause and last end of all things, and who possesses every infinite, possible perfection.

2dly. The character of fallen man must be faithfully exhibited, in the preaching of the gospel.

Unless the deeply rooted depravity of the human heart, and the helpless, hopeless condition of man by the deeds of the law, be made to appear, he will in vain seek to be justified by works. The law must be set home upon his conscience in its spirituality that he may feel the force of the declaration, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things, written in the book of the law to do them." Except mankind see the plague of their own hearts as an infectious and deadly leprosy, they will never desire to be delivered from its indwelling corruptions as from a body of sin and death. If they are not brought, through the influence of the gospel, to realize that sin is exceeding sinful, they will never admire and highly prize divine grace; nor exclaim, "God be merciful to me a sinner."

3dly. To preach the gospel, it is essential that the person and character of Christ be clearly exhibited.

He

This subject was so important in the view of the apostle Paul, that to the Corinthians, he says, "I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified." considered his character, his holy life, and efficacious death, as the centre, the substance, and foundation of the gospel. His atoning sufferings and death are the only ground of pardon and acceptance with a holy and offended God for any of this guilty and ruined world. And how important, that perishing sinners have clear conceptions of the only foundation of their hopes for deliverance from endless wo. How can a sinner, sensible of his own guilt and wretchedness, trust his immortal interest in the hands of a Saviour without a full conviction, that the Father was well pleased with