geance will call for his blood, except the great Saviour present his own blood as the ground of pardon and acceptance. Unless his sins be cast into the depths of the sea as it were, in consequence of the Saviour's sufferings and death, they will appear in judgement for his condemnation. Nor can rebels of Adam's race appear without consternation in the invisible state of retribution, except the great and glorious Mediator between God and man, make intercession for them in the solemn presence of their offended Sovereign. They will not be able to stand before the Son of man, unless Immanuel plead their cause, and acknowledge them before his holy angels and an assembled universe as his redeemed ones from

among men. Hence, then, mankind for a future day, need an atoning Saviour; and an advocate with the Father at the great court of heaven.

Having made some observations to show what men need for a future day, I proceed to notice in the second place, how they may lay up a store to supply their future wants. And will not all be anxious to know how they may make such rich provision, and attain this great and desirable end? Will not every one be ready, to comply with almost any condition? or unremittingly pursue the hardest labours, and encounter the greatest difficulties, even through the whole of their lives? The gain would be unspeakably great to any who would thus engage? But the pearl of great price, a store of never fading treasures, may be obtained, even by rebels against the King of the universe, by doing the most reasonable things in the world. The terms are the lowest, the most favourable and suitable, that can possibly be made. And I would observe the first thing to be done, by those who would make preparation for a future day, is to repent of their sins. Their immediate duty is to look into their wicked and rebellious hearts, and exercise repentance, to loathe and abhor themselves for their transgressions. It is morally fit and suitable for all

who have departed from God, by walking in the paths of disobedience, to exercise true, evangelical repentance on the account of the malignity of their actions, and thus begin to walk in newness of life. And surely the great and infinitely blessed Jehovah could not possibly receive his guilty creatures into his favour, to treat them as his friends, on any other ground, consistently with the honour of his name, and the glory of his kingdom. if the Lord should raise a heart of enmity, a spirit of rebellion against him to a mansion of glory, while in impenitence, he would virtually declare to the universe, that his requirements had been unreasonable and cruel, and that the sinner must be justified to the reproach of his Maker. Nor could a sinner find soul-satisfying enjoyment, even in the abodes of the blessed, if his heart of impenitence should follow him there. How reasonable and suitable then, for those who would lay up a store to supply their future wants, immediately to exercise that repentance which the gospel requires, and which is unto life eternal.

2d. Saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the reasonable duty of every one, and what entitles to salvation. Since Christ has died, the just for the unjust, to make a sacrifice for sin, how reasonable for all to love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, and embrace him as their God and Saviour. And it is unreasonable for any to demand of the Father, that he would pardon and save them, while they continue to reject his Son, by refusing to exercise that faith, which worketh by love, and purifieth the heart. God the Father would tarnish his own glory, if he should save one gospel sinner, who refuses to have the Saviour reign over him; for, by so doing, he would announce to the universe, that the race of Adam might as well have been saved without the death of his Son. It is necessary for the honour of the divine law, and for the righteousness and consistency of the divine conduct, that gospel sinners believe on the Lord Jesus

Christ, or be damned. Infinite was the condescension of Jehovah, in devising the great and glorious scheme of man's redemption through Jesus Christ, and the great term of salvation, even faith in his name, is the lowest or most reasonable, that can póssibly be made. Mankind must cheerfully comply with this, or else they must pray God to let them on in the devices of their depraved hearts, and in the sight of their own eyes, without seeing any form or comeliness in the Saviour, that they should desire him.

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3d. Perseverance in well doing, will secure a heavenly and never failing treasure. Through grace, in consequence of the atonement which Christ has made, mankind may receive an everlasting reward for all those works, which imply true obedience. Then why stand ye here all the day idle? To those of the sixth, ninth, or eleventh hour, says the divine Redeemer, Go, work in my vineyard. To him, that endureth to the end, eternal life is the reward, for they received every man a penny. The obedience of the heart, and perseverance in well doing, will gain an immortal prize. Thus we may see how mankind may lay up à treasure of durable riches, and have something substantial in store to supply their future wants.

I now proceed in the third place, to offer some reason to show, that they ought now to be greatly engaged, in preparing for their future well-being..

1st. God, their heavenly Father, commands them immediately to engage in the work. When the Lord speaks, his intelligent creatures are bound to hear and obey. An earthly parent considers his child to be under obligations to yield obedience to his wise and reasonable requirements; but how much greater the obligations of men to yield entire and cheerful obedience to the righteous commands of the great, the infinite Parent. Shall any think to excuse themselves from their moral obligations of obedience

évén of immediate compliance, by pleading, that they have lived in disobedience for many years, and have no disposition to obey? Would a disobedient child be excused, for not returning to his father's house, and rendering filial obedience to his parent's commands, if he should observe, that he had voluntarily strayed from his Father's house, and openly trampled upon his authority? Or, shall mankind be free from guilt and blame, if they plead the secret enmity of their hearts against God, and their averseness to all his reasonable requirements to be so great, that they cannot love and serve him? How many times, and in how light a manner, are such heavendaring excuses made by a God-provoking world! Perhaps some one is ready to say, I am greatly af fected and alarmed at the awful wickedness and stubbornness of my heart, lest it finally sink me in perdition; hence my plea is made with great seriousness. Yes! and let me ask, What would you think of a child, who, in a very serious and solemn manner, even in the sincerity of his heart, should declare to his Father, that he hated him with perfect and fixed hatred; and that he could not be persuaded to love and obey him, even by the most solicitous and endearing entreaties and persuasions? When you seriously and candidly decide this point, then judge how vain and wicked are all those excuses, which are made by mankind, for not turning to the Lord, and cheerfully engaging in his service with all the powers of their souls, since he commands them immediately to engage in the all important work of preparing for their future well-being.

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2d. The patience and forbearance of God, is another reason why they should not delay to engage in the work. It is an affecting consideration, that they who defer laying up a treasure for a future day, despise the riches of God's goodness, and forbearance, and long suffering. The Lord grants sinners space for repentance, and lengthens out their for

feited lives, that they may turn unto him and live. But they who abuse his supporting and governing agency, by continuing their impenitence, and hardness of heart, do weary his patience, and provoke his awful vengeance. And are there not some, who have long abused the long-suffering of God, and who have often tempted him to show his wrath, and make his power known? The miser, after many years of covetous success; and the clouds, just before a storm, do greatly increase in their treasure. So they, who have long abused the glorious compassion, and marvellous long-suffering of God, are making hasty strides in the road to ruin; and their treasure is fast increasing and rapidly redoubling to be repaid in sorrow. But is there nothing neither in the character nor conduct of the ever blessed God, which will lead men to take heed to their ways, and to lay up in store a goodly and never fading treasure? If his justice will not excite them, must it be that they will not be moved neither by his grace, nor his mercy, nor his forbearance and patience towards them? Have redeeming grace and dying love no attractions in the view of the sons of men? Must the pleas and intercessions of yon glorious and exalted Saviour, be set at nought and spurned? Shall it be that they, as barren fig-trees, will bring forth no fruit unto God? Mankind not only act unwisely, by refusing to engage in the great and all important work of laying up in store a treasure upon which their souls may feed after death, but they do very wickedly, by abusing the divine patience and forbearance.

3d. Mankind ought to be immediately and greatly engaged in this work; for it is that, in which they are most highly interested. They, who engage in this work, have eternal life begun in the soul; and a few years perseverance at most, will put them in full possession of a glorious and an eternal inheritance. Short, indeed, the term for laying up a treasure; but great and glorious the reward. How do men labour