is a controversy between you and reason for rejecting the gospel than another, those, who do reject the gospel, must be highly criminal.-— The invitations of the gospel are perfectly free; the conditions are plain and easy; and sinners are able to embrace it. But still they reject it. How great must be their criminality! How aggravated their guilt! They are a thousand fold more criminal, than if the provisions of the gospel had never been made. When they come to meet the Judge of all the earth, at the last great day, how must their souls shrink with horrour, to remember their abuse of his offered mercy! They must, surely, call upon the rocks and mountains to fall on them and hide them from the face of Him that 7. We learn from our subject, sitteth on the throne, and from the that it is highly proper and imporwrath of the Lamb. For them the tant to persuade sinners to embrace great day of his wrath will come; the gospel. Since one sinner has and who will be able to stand? It no more reason for rejecting the gosis vain for any to plead, that they pel than another, and multitudes are willing, but God is unwilling; in times past, and at the presthat they want religion, but cannot day, have embraced the gospel, have it. These are all false and there is good reason, and it is highwicked pleas. The fault lies wholly proper, that every sinner under ly within themselves. They are just as able to embrace the gospel, and secure eternal blessedness, as they are to remain in impenitence. If they continue to reject the gospel, and finally go down to hell, their blood will be upon their own heads. They may say, "These are hard sayings, who can hear them ?" I know they are hard sayings to the selfish, rebellious heart. But they are no more hard, than just and true. They take the blame from the holy and glorious Jehovah, and place it where it ought to be placed; at the sinner's own door. And now let me ask, will any rise up and charge the eternal GOD with injustice and cruelty? Will any say, He is arbitrary and tyrannical.. Who will dare to open his mouth, and say, that the infinite omnipotent WISE and HOLY GOD requires more of his creatures then they are able to perform? Ah! sinner, there the light of the gospel should be persuaded to embrace it. Unless sinners do embrace the gospel, they must die in their sins. They are already hastening down to the chambers of eternal death. Unless they repent and embrace the gospel, the wrath of God will soon pursue them to the lowest hell. Hence, we find, in Scripture, such moving and pathetick language to persuade sinners to flee from the wrath to come. God says to sinners, "Ho every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no moncy, come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk, without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, and he will abundantly pardon." Again he says, "How shall I give thee up, Ephraim ? How shall I deliver thee, Israel? How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim ? Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together." And Paul says, "Knowing the terrors of the Lord, we persuade men." sinners, then, be affectionately persuaded, and entreated to embrace the gospel. Let them escape the impending and dreadful storm of God's wrath which awaits them. O sinner, "escape for thy life; look not behind thee; neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountains, lest thou be consumed. " Let 1 Finally. We may learn from our subject, that sinners who reject the gospel, will have no reason to complain of God for sending them to eternal perdition. They have no more reason for rejecting the gospel, than those who have embraced it. They have as fair an opportuuity to secure their salvation, as those had, who have already gone to heaven; and as those, who are only waiting to drop their tabernacles of clay in order to be received into the joy of their Lord. What reason then, will impenitent sinners have to complain of God for sending them to hell? They have abused his forbearance, slighted his offers of mercy, and destroyed their own souls. God may well say unto them, "Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded it; but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh ;when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind." They have pursued the way of their own wretched choice, and can surely have no ground of complaint, when they are filled with their own devices. MATHETES. But in a general sense, every Christian is spiritually minded."To be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. The real Christian has the carnal mind conqueredbrought under restraints but not slain. The old man is crucified, but not put to death. The Christian has a principle of spiritual life implanted in him, and a degree of spirituality is essential to the Christian character. But the question now before us respects a growth or increase of spirituality. It supposes that we have experienced that change of heart which might denominate us spiritual, in comparison with what we were by nature, and in comparison with the mass of mankind. And surely it becomes us by prayerful self-examination to ascertain whether this be the fact. The question, however, supposes that though we may have some degree of spirituality of mind; yet that degree is small in comparison with what it should be. And it is presumed that each of us can say, "I see my need of growth in grace." "I see my need of means to promote my spirituality." While we hope that by divine grace we have some love for spiritual and heavenly things; and particularly for the glorious character of onr God and Saviour, and the truths which specially relate to his kingdon and salvation; we konw that our love is languid and cold in comparison with the worthiness of the object beloved. And doubtless we may all say, the more we think on our want of suitable feelings of heart toward Christ and the way of life through him, the more we find occasion to blush and humble ourselves before Him. And hence the need that onr meetings should be so conducted, as to promote our spirituality. I would next give some hints, which it is hoped, may be profitable in this respect. I think a récollection, before we assemble, of our high calling as Christians and as ministers of Christ, might be profitable. It is certain that when we are most impressed with the grace and love of God in calling us out of nature's darkness into his marvellous light, in recononciling us to himself and bringing us unto the responsible office of ambassadors for the Prince of glory; we are then least inclined to employ our speech in a way unprofitable. And here let me remark, that the tongue has much influence to render our meetings profitable or un-profitable. But could we, before we meet, obtain deep and affecting views of our holy calling as sons of God and his ambassadors, our conversation and devotional exercises would be more suitable to our office. A recollection that the eyes of the unseen world are upon us has a salutary influence upon our minds. Were we conscious of the presence of the arch foe of God and man, we should unquestionably place a greater guard upon our conduct. And could we see the legions who often meet with the sons of God, we should constantly watch, lest they should gain an advantage over us. But And could we see holy angels now waiting around us, hearing our words, watching our movements with holy solicitude for our best interest, and that of our respective charges; it would produce such a frame of mind, as would prove an effectual barrier against levity_in conversation and manners. especially, did we now behold Immanuel seated in the room with us, taking cognizance of all our thoughts words and deeds, of the motives which brought us together, of the measures we pursue for our own improvement and the salvation of our people, the sight would fill us with solemn awe. It would banish from our minds every vain and foolish thought; it would impose a restraint upon our lips; it would fire our hearts with love to our glorious Visitant. Love too would be excited, toward his people, and toward the souls for whom he shed his precious blood, but who are yet in their sins. We should all feel and express the deepest humiliation of soul in view of our unholiness and unfaithfulness in his cause. Yes, if grace were in exercise, we should all be prostrate at his feet, begging for his pardoning mercy and for grace to help in future. Now, Brethren, have we not reason to conclude that the enemy of our souls presents himself in this place, that he may discover our On Spirituality. zeal, or the want of it, in the cause of our Divine Redeemer; that he may learn our designs of storming his kingdom, and thus be prepared himself for the attack-that he may prepare, to prevent all the good we might derive from this meeting, and the good we may attempt to accomplish among our charge.Yes, he learns our designs by our conversation and movements, and he proceeds accordingly. And have we not reason to conclude that holy angels are waiting around with deep solicitude for our best interest, and that of the people to whom we minister? They watch for our good. They watch to learn what methods we will devise to glorify their Lord and ours. And here sits the Lord of angels! Behold, his eye pierces our hearts. He sees and approves every prudent and scriptural measure we may adopt, to save the souls of men and to promote his kingdom in the world. He beholds and disapproves all unholiness of motive, thought or deed. Yes, here is the blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, constantly witnessing our operations with approbation or frown, and will not a recollection of of the unseen the fact that the eyes world are upon us, tend to promote our spirituality? a A recollection that we are forming characters for eternity would prove salutary. We are forming our own characters for heaven or hell! Not a day passes, but brings us nearer to our eternal home; and as we hasten thither, we are growing into a fitness for it, whether that home be blessed or miserable. We are also, in a very important sense, forming the characters of hundreds around us, to sit with Christ in his kingdom; or sink with the tempter to endless wo. are a savor of life unto life, or of death unto death. As we cultivate holy affections in ourselves; as we faithfully discharge the duties of We our office, and live for Christ; our our To avoid all light and humorous conversation is absolutely necessary to our maintaining a spiritUnder this ual frame of mind. head I would rank all anecdotes which have no tendency to illustrate divine truth, inform the understanding, or improve the moral taste.Doubtless we have all frequently lost a solemn and devotional frame of mind, by yielding to the temptation of relating or hearing some huBut on us, morous anecdote. surely not less than others, lies the "Let your speech injunction, be always with grace seasoned with salt," and to us the Lord hath said, "For every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judg ment." And a command of the Holy One, should certainly tend to promote spirituality in us, "Be ye holy; for I am holy." am holy." Sufficiency of business is important, if we would keep our minds spiritual. And a recollection of the example of Christ and his apostles, would have a salutary effect, when we assemble in our ministerial capacity. What would our blessed Lord do in such a meet ing? What would be the subjects | of his meditation? What the themes of his conversation? What the temper of his mind? But after all, it may be enquired, how are we, in futue, to remind ourselves of these things, which tend thus to promote spirituality? My brethren will, in their prudence, devise some means to effect it. from whom shall we derive strength and grace to discharge any duty, but from the Lord? To him, then, we should humbly go for grace to render us heavenly minded, and keep us so; and for grace to perform every incumbent duty. I have used great freedom in giving these hints. But I am with brethren, with Christian brethren, and they will faithfully but kindly I would however remark, that secret prayer immediately preced-reprove what is wrong, and forgive. ing our meetings, would tend to remind us of the most important means to promote this object, and also would in itself be one of the They will bear with me still, if I hint, that our present and future peace, our usefulness and comfort in the ministry, our acceptance with our glorious Lord and Master, and our future crown of glory-all call us to see that we grow in spirituality. Nay, the time past is sufficient that we, who assemble at stated periods as ministers of the gospel, and ambassadors of the Lord of hosts, have been too far under the influence of a worldly temper, and that our meetings have been productive of but little good. Christian Mirror. tercourse and conversation with them, we neglect intercourse with him. But if we practise the various duties of Christian love towards our brethren, Christ receives it as done to him, and as an express ion of our love for him. The cultivation of brotherly love, therefore is highly pleasing to Christ; and just in proportion as this grace flourishes in any church, love to Christ there abounds. But it may be asked, when the members of a church are generally in a state of spiritual declension, and exhibit little of the spirit of Christ, how can I cordially love them? I answer, imitate Christ, love them as he loves them, love them as he loves you. When you have sinned, has Christ ceased to |