They would not frame their doings to turn to the Lord—would not confider at all. The gospel offereth every motive to perfuade, every argument to convince, and every affiftance to enable us to comply with its terms. Sinners muft labor for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life. They muft strive to enter in at the ftrait gate. The means of grace have not been ordained in vain. It is not in vain that God calleth upon finners, "Seek the Lord while he may be found. Confider your ways. Search the "fcriptures. Receive with meeknefs the ingrafted "word. Watch that ye enter not into temptation. "Quench not the Spirit. Wait at wisdom's gates." They can contemplate God in his works and providence, and in redemption-can deliberate on the confequences of their own volitions and actions. Among the gracious words of him, who spake as never man fpake, are thefe: "Afk, and ye fhall receive: Seek, "and ye fhall find. Your heavenly Father giveth the

holy Spirit to them who ask him, much more than" an earthly father giveth bread to his children. Saith the divine Redeemer, "Behold, I ftand at the door, "and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open "the door, I will come in to him, and fup with him, "and he with me." Open to him, therefore, while he waits for admiffion: Otherwise you do but treasure up wrath. How can thofe efcape, who neglect fo great falvation? The great worth of the foul appears from the price of its redemption. But the unbeliever thinks the terms of the gofpel fevere, though its author gave his own life to fave a loft world. When we confider him, who was in the form of God, and yet humbled himfelf, and became obedient unto the death of the cross for our redemption from fin and death, we certainly could not object, if he called us to lay down our life for his fake. Eternal life will compenfate the lofs of temporal. Unfatisfying and tranfient as worldly gain, glory and pleasures are, they are purfued

through all obftacles and perils. Yet it is matter of complaint, that there are difficulties and felf-denial to encounter, when eternal life is the end of our faith. The cares of this life, the deceitfulness of riches, and the luft of other things, ftifle any conviction of the dif eases of their hearts-any impreffions of eternal realities. The foul is given in exchange for every vanity.

Have any-imbibed, from their early days, a tendernefs of confcience? Have they had a character for good morals? Have they, at some seasons, had awakened in them a lively fenfe of the value of gofpel blefsings, and much folicitude for their fpiritual ftate? They may not therefore conclude that they lack nothing. It is well that they have been kept from visible scandal, and inured to any seriousness of mind-have been led to enquire, What fhall I do to be fayed? But what muft we fay, if, when the terms of falvation are faithfully declared, they wish to have them abated, or altered? or think of pleading their exactness in other points as a reafon for indulgence in their own iniquity? Or because they may not be indulged in this, think Chrift an hard Mafter? They know not what they afk, when they request fuch indulgence. When they prefer fome earthly good to eternal life, they judge wrong. They choofe perdition. We may not expect to enter into life without difficulty. We must determine, if it be poffible, to enter in. Thofe who engage in any worldly bufinefs of moment, arm themfelves against difficulties and hazards, and are not diverted from their purpose. Those who are indeliberate, unprovided and unarmed in worldly pursuits, are difcouraged when obftructions and dangers arife. The end with them is fhameful, however engaged they were in the beginning. Thus it is in the higher concerns of another life. The multitude, who faw the miracle of the loaves, cried out, "This is of a truth "that prophet who should come into the world." But they foon went back, and walked no more with Chrift.

The reason was, they were intent on the meat that perisheth, not on the meat of eternal life. When our Lord turned to the twelve, and demanded, "Will ye alfo go away?" obferve their conftancy-how they preferred the life which he giveth. "Lord, to whom "fhall we go? Thou haft the words of eternal life.' If the fcriptures, which convey to us the hope of eternal life, are the word of God who cannot lie, then every facrifice ought to be made to this hope. It is the height of folly and madness to object to the way or terms of life-to beg to be excufed at prefent-or to confent to part with Chrift and lose our fouls on any confideration whatever. If the foul's immortality is not in our thoughts, or is thought upon with indifference; if that which demands all our thought and care, is either excluded from our thoughts, or makes but a feeble and tranfient impreffion, we are like the beafts that perish.

Affliction, danger, or the near view of death awaken the fentiment of eternal judgment. If the fentiment be a juft one, why fhould it not be cherished when the mind can beft attend to the weight of it ?— fo attend as to lay a good foundation of fupport and comfort in the evil day? We know not the day or hour when we may be fwallowed up in eternity. The choice we now make, the course we now purfue, will determine whether our eternity fhall be happy or miferable. If we will not come to Chrift, and confent that he should reign over us, we judge ourselves unworthy of eternal life. "He that believeth fhall be faved; but he that believeth not fhall be damned."

The stages and fituations of life, which might favor the great enquiry in the text, are wont to be wafted in other enquiries. The morning of life, fuperior rank, health, plentiful circumftances, are often neglected and abufed. The beft feafons and advantages for gathering fruit to life eternal, are devoted to criminal or to empty pursuits. A view of the high importance

of the fubject before us, impreffed on those in early life, in elevated stations, in affluence, on influential characters, on those in health, would perfuade them to attend seriously, and above all things, to the good part, which fhall never be taken away. Why should they forget it, or be indifferent to it? They enquire, "Who will fhew us any good?" All their enquiries must be fruitlefs, until fome fatisfying, permanent good is the centre of their wishes. Eternal life is this good. All fources of comfort fhort of this are broken cifterns. We have an unquenchable thirst for enjoyments fuperior to fenfitive-immortal enjoyments. This thirft was not implanted in us in vain. Enjoyments suited to it are provided. "Whofoever will, may come and take freely of the waters of life."

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Favorable intelligence refpecting our fecular concerns is as cold waters to a thirsty foul. Sinners, fainting for the wells of falvation, feeing that they are ready to perish, receive with lively joy the glad tidings to all people, "Peace on earth, good will towards men." With lively faith and gratitude fhould every foul contemplate the ranfom provided by God for our guilty race the provision for our renovation after his image, and the eternal redemption obtained for us.

Placing before us the end of life, and the fecond coming of our Lord, our converfation will be in heaven, from whence we look for him. In the day of death, our faith in him giveth the victory. Humble faith and hope appropriate the language, "I will behold thy "face in righteousness; I fhall be fatisfied, when I "awake, with thy likeness." The prefent union of foul and body muft foon be diffolved. But after this diffolution, they will be reunited, in the refurrection at the last day, never more to be feparated. Their final state thenceforward will be according to the deeds done in the present state of union. An indefcribable intereft is therefore committed to our care in this short and precarious ftate of probation.

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When we have been contemplating the emptiness and uncertainty of our most valuable enjoyments on earth and our own frailty, the forrows and miferies to which we and all mankind are fubject, we can be relieved only by turning our reflections on the hope of the gofpel. All ambition is vain, compared with an ambition to be joint heirs with Chrift to the inheritance referved in heaven. In a well grounded, hope of eternal life, our apoftle, fpeaking of a time of perfecution, faith, "Our light affliction, which is but for "a moment, worketh out for us a far more exceeding "eternal weight of glory: While we look not at the things which are feen, but at the things which are "unfeen. For the things which are feen are tempo"ral; but the things which are unfeen are eternal.”. Were this uncertain life to finifh our exiftence, how gloomy the profpect! It must embitter every prefent delight; joy muft wither in the midst of all our pleafant things. But why should our heart be troubled, if we believe that perfect health and reft, glory and joy, fhall fucceed to prefent pain and languishment, forrow and reproach? If fuch health and foundness, joy and glory fhall be immortal, we may welcome the temporary pain and languifhment, grief and reproach which are the requifite means of qualifying us for that world where there is nothing to offend.

When we attempt to speak of eternal life, language and imagination fail. The fame must be faid, when we would fpeak of the price paid for our eternal redemption the crucifixion of the Lord of glory, to purchase eternal life for the heirs of fin and death. Can we have a fenfe of human guilt and mifery, if we reject his invitation to come to him, that we might have life, and that abundantly? if we have not learnt to account all things lofs for Chrift? The troubles of life fall with double weight on those who have no hope in him. Croffes and difappointments, pains and difeafes, things not joyous, but grievous, are to