Page images
PDF
EPUB

1

dience. "Then fhall we know, if we follow on to "know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning and he fhall come unto us as the rain, as

[ocr errors]

the latter and the former rain upon the earth.” "He that hath my commandments and keepeth them,

he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me fhall “be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and manifest myself to him."

Thirdly. There are fome of you, in whofe hearts the Holy Ghost has fhed abroad the love of God. By a difplay of infinite benevolence, he has flain the enmity of your minds, enlightened your understandings, and renewed your difpofitions. It is now your chief aim to please and to enjoy him. And your language is, "whom have I in heaven but thee, and there "is none upon earth that I defire befide thee, The "Lord is my portion, faith my foul, THEREFORE WILL .. I HOPE IN HIM.

"Yes; and you have rea

fon to do fo. Let the exercise of this hope be conftant and increasing. Though you have much in poffeffion, you have infinitely more in reverfion. In whatever sense you are poor, in one you are certainly richHOPE. From the emptiness of the creature you can turn to the fullness of the Word, and say "Thy testi"monies have I taken as my heritage for ever, for

66

they are the rejoicing of my heart." You have now supplies, and in a little while you will be "Lord "of all." Give vigour and scope to this principle in all the circumstances which can awaken thy concern. Hope for strength equal to thy day. Hope for fuccour in trouble; for affiftance in duty; for help in death. Hope for a joyful refurrection, a bleffed

immortality, a crown of glory that fadeth not away. "Now THE GOD OF HOPE FILL YOU WITH ALL 66 JOY AND PEACE IN BELIEVING, THAT YOU MAY

66

ABOUND IN HOPE, THROUGH THE POWER OF THE "HOLY GHOST."

SERMON XV.

THE PARABLE OF THE TWO SONS.

MATT. xxi. 28. 38.

What think ye? A certain man had two fons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to-day in my vineyard, he anfwered and faid, I will not; but afterward he repented and went. And he came to the fecond, and faid likewife. And he answered, and faid, I go, Sir; and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father; they say unto him, the firft.

My Brethren, it is no very easy thing to lodge an obnoxious truth in a mind armed with prejudice. "Lovers of themselves," men are averse to the knowledge of their imperfections, and remain "willingly ignorant" of discoveries which would interrupt their purfuits, or difturb their flumbers. Hence the wife have contrived a fpecies of inftruction by which they conceal their defign, till the fentiment they wish to convey has taken poffeffion of the mind." Then they strip off the disguise, and exhibit their meaning; and the man finds to his furprise and con fufion, that he has admitted a conclufion which crim

inates himself, and that out of his own mouth he is condemned. He is led on unconsciously step by step, till he finds his retreat cut off, and he is compelled to furrender.

He who "fpake as never man fpake," excelled in this as well as in every other mode of tuition. A memorable inftance is now before us. His adverfaries had asked our Saviour, by what authority he had commenced reformer, and had purified the temple. He engages to fatisfy them, provided they will answer him one question, namely, Whence John derived his authority to preach and baptize? They found themfelves equally in a dilemma, whether they acknowledged the origin to be human or divine. "If we fhall

[ocr errors]

fay, from Heaven; he will fay unto us, why then "did ye not believe him? But if we fhall fay, of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a "prophet." Hence they affect ignorance, and remain filent. Our Saviour perceiving their perversenefs, refuses their inquiry; and by a familiar reprefentation induces them to pafs judgment on themfelves. "But what think ye? A certain man had "two fons; and he came to the firft, and faid, Son,

go work to-day in my vineyard. He anfwered " and faid, I will not; but afterward he repented, and CC went. And he came to the fecond, and faid like"wife. And he answered, and said, I go, Sir; and Whether of them twain did the will of

"went not.

"his father? they fay unto him, the first.".

The parable has a particular application, which be thus explained. John preached to the Jews. His audience confifted of two claffes; the profane,

may

and the pretending. Some among his hearers were profligate. Such were publicans and harlots. These made no profeffion of religion; they never spake of the Meffiah, or hoped for his kingdom. But when they heard John, they received his doctrine; were humbled by it; and obtained repentance and remiffion of fins. Others were fanctimonious. Such were the Scribes and Pharifees. They affumed extraordi nary appearances of devotion, obferved every punctilio of the law, wore a peculiar dress, used a fingular gait, crucified their countenances, made long prayers and frequent fafts, gave tithes of all their poffeffions, and pretended a high regard for the writings of Mofes and the prophets, who all teftified of Chrift. But when his forerunner came and announced his fpeedy approach, they inconfiftently rejected his ministry. Thus far we cannot be mistaken, for we follow an infallible Guide" Jefus faith unto them, Verily, I fay "unto you, that the publicans and harlots go into the "kingdom of God before you. For John came un"to you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed "him not; but the publicans and harlots believed "him. And ye, when ye had feen, repented not af"terward, that ye might believe him."

દ્વંદ

By a more extenfive allufion, it applies to the Jews and the Gentiles. The Gentiles were the children of difobedience; they had lived without God in the world, and the way of peace had they not known; but when the Gospel was published among them they obeyed from the heart the form of doctrine which was delivered to them and being made free from fin, they became the fervants of righteousness."

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

ડેટ

PF

« PreviousContinue »