from the heavens-the anointed who was the desire of all nations has come, girded with the sword of the spirit and valiant for battle. (Is. 19; Mich. 5; Hag. 2; Is. 24.) He has declared the gospel of the kingdom-the word of his Father. He taught by precept and by the example of his unblemished life. (Mat. 4; John 7,13, 15.) He has conquered the mighty, and subdued the power of the devil; he bore our sins, abolished death, reconciled the father, and acquired for all the children of God, grace, mercy and eternal life. (Mat. 11; Luke 11; Heb. 2; Isa 53; 1 Peter 2; 1 Cor. 15; Col. 1.) He has been ordained by his Almighty and eternal Father as an om -nipotent King over the hoty Mount Zion. He has become the head of the church, a dispenser of the heavenly blessings, yea, he is an Almighty Ruler over all, in heaven and upon earth, (Isa. 2; Eph. 2; Heb.3,) and this is what Christ saith, the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.

Out of compassion and a sincere heart, I beseech you with the apostle Paul, that you take heed to this day of grace, and be obedient to the word of God, which says: "I have heard thee in an accepted time; and in the day of salvation, have I succoured thee. Behold, now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation." Let us, with Paul, give no offence to any one, that our ministry be not slandered, but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience in atilictions, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonment, in tumults, (understand this in relation to things which befall us,) in labours, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowl edge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness, in the right hand, and in the left by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known as dying, and behold, we live; as chastened and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing and yet possessing all things, (2 Cor. 6, 1, 10.) Oh my beloved sirs, friends and brethren, my mouth is open unto you and my heart is enlarged for your sake. I am much grieved that you are so careless, and pay no attention to these plain, intellegible scriptures-that you wholly contemn the word of the Lord, and suffer the precious time of grace to pass so shamefully away, and regard nothing more than to live according to the lusts of your flesh whilst

you bow to dumb idols. Alas! It is the time to awaken. The angel has sworn (Rev. 10) by him that liveth forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are therein and the earth, that after this time, there shall be time no more. We know not but that now, the present time, is the last vigil of the year, the last proclamation of the holy gospel, the last invitation to the marriage of the Lamb, which is to be celebrated and promulgated before the great and terrible day of the. Lord. (a) Hence we may conclude that the summer will pass, away and the winter approach. They, who like the foolish virgins, neglect to trim their lamps, will come too late, and knock, and shall be excluded.-(Math. 25.) Therefore, comfort not one another with idle comfort, and vain hope; even as some do who think that the word should be taught, whilst they reject the cross. I mean those who know the word of the Lord, but live not according to it. The lamb is slain from the foundation of the world, (Rev. 13.) yea, he did not only suffer, in his body, but he also through the cross and death, entered into that glory which he had left for our sakes. (Luke 24; John 17; Phil. 2.) If Christ then had to suffer such anguish, misery and pain, how can his servants expect peace, whilst they are in the flesh. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call those of his household? (Math. 10, 25.) All that would live godly in Christ Jesus, says Paul, must Cuffor persecution. (2 Tim. 3.) Ye shall be hated, saith Christ, by all men for my name's sake. (Matt. 10.)

Banish then all thoughts of delay from your heart, lest ye be deceived through vain hopes. I knew some who waited for more propitious days, to serve the Lord, but they did not live to realize their hopes. Had the apostles and the Fathers thus delayed, the gospel would, at this day be unknown and the word of the kingdom would be concealed. Oh, if you, who boast that you are christians and the children of God, were as you ought to be, you would say with Paul: Who shall separate us from the love of God, (Rom. 3.) For the flesh, the devil, sin, hell and death would all be subdued, there would be no desire to remain any longer in this depraved, wicked, sanguinary world. Ye would boast of nothing save the cross of Christ, (Gal. 6,) and like Paul desire to be delivered from

(a) This invitation or call seems to be the last.

B

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this body and live with Christ, (Phil. 2.) I cordially desire that you may awaken without delay; and may the gracious Lord give us liberty and joy, which we shall thankfully receive at his gracious hands; but should he withhold his blessings, still his great name must, and shall be praised eternally. We have all enjoyed the acceptable time of grace; for now is the day of salvation. Let us not, like ungrateful, disobedient, bloodthirsty Jerusalem, reject the divine peace, heavenly grace, but let us awaken, with sober hearts and hear the inviting voice and rise Now from the slumber of our offensive sins, for the Lord is at hand; the night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us therefore, cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light, let us walk honestly as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. (Rom. 13.) Let every one be vigilant, for now is the time which the grace of God has given for repentance. Ecce, nunc tempus acceptum, Ecce, nunc dies salutis. Behold, now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation.

OF SINCERE AND TRUE REPENTANCE.

In the second place we exhort you in the language of Christ, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Math. 4.) Oh thou faithful word of divine grace and love, thou art read and sung, and preached with the mouth, with life, and death, and proclaimed in different parts of the world, but thy power so few desire; (a) and what is more deplorable, those who receive thee, are made a prey by an ungodly world. Beloved, it will avail us nothing to be called christians and boast of the

(a) The world speaks of repentance but denies its power.

Lord's blood, merits, grace and gospel, as long as we are not converted from a sinful life. It is all in vain that we are called christians, or that Christ died, or that we were born in the days of grace, and baptized with water, if we walk not in obedience to all the commandments of God, therefore let us awaken from the slumber of sin. Behold the world lieth in wickedness. All around may be seen sensuality, pride, lying, fraud, avarice, strife, incontinence, murdering, hypocricy, blasphemy, idolatry and false worship. (Ps. 31; Ezek. 22; Mic. 6; Hos. 4; Rom. 4) In short, the efforts of a sinful world are directed against what God commands. Who can . relate the alarming condition of the present times. Yet the wicked want to call themselves the holy 'christian church! Oh no! they who do such things, saith Paul, will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Rom. 1; 1 Cor. 6; Gal. 5; Eph. 5; Rev. 21; John 3.) O ye men, awake from your slumbers, for thus saith the Lord, verily, verily I say unto you except ye be born from above ye shall not see the kingdom of God. Again, verily, verliy I say unto you, except ye be born of water and spirit, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Again, verily, verily, I say, except ye repent and become as little children, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven, (Matt. 18) What does it profit to speak much of Christ and his word, if we do not believe him and obey his commandments. Again, I say, awaken, banish accursed unbelief with all unrighteousness from your hearts; live a pious, penitent life according to the scriptures; for Christ says, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (Luke 13.) Here do not understand such a repentance as is taught by an erring world, which is only an outward appearance, consisting of human righteousness, such as hypocritical fasting, pilgrimage, praying and reading of Pater Nosters and Ave Marias, hearing frequent masses, auricular confessions and the like hypocricy, which Christ and his holy apostles did not teach and command, and therefore, instead of profiting, it will tend to provoke and excite divine displeasure. Such doctrines are fruitless and unavailing the commands of men-the enchanted wine of • Babylonian whoredom, which those, who have dwelt upon the earth have drunk for so many ages. (Rev. 17.) But we speak of a repentance possessed of power. That which was taught by John, to the Jews-" Bring forth fruits meet for repentance, and think not to say within yourselves we have Abra

ham for our father, for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now al-o the axe is laid at the root of the trees; thefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire."

Behold, dear reader, the repentance we teach, is to die unto sin, and all ungodly works, and live no longer according to the lusts of the flesh. Do as David did, (2 Kings 12, 22, 24) when he was reproved by the prophet on account of his adultry, and for numbering the people: He wept bitterly, called upon God, forsook the evil and did so no more. Peter sinned very grievously but once, and no more. Matthew, when. called by the Saviour forsook his former way of life. (Matt. 16;) Zaccheus and the sinful woman did not again return to the sinful works of darkness, (Matt. 9.) Zaccheus made restitution to those whom he had defrauded, and gave one half of his goods to the poor and distressed, (Luke 10, 8.) And the woman wept bitterly; she washed the feet of the Lord with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; she anointed him with precious ointment, and sat humbly at his feet to listen to his blessed word. (Luke 7; 10.) These are the precious fruits of that repentance which is acceptable to the Lord. Therefore it was said unto David, (2 Kings 12;) that the Lord removed his sins from him. To Peter it was proclaimed that the Lord had arisen from the dead. (Matt. 9; 10.) Matthew was called to be an apostle. Zaccheus was told that he had become a son of Abraham. Magdalena was commended for choosing the better part which would never be taken from her, (Luke 10.) And Christ said to the adultress to depart in peace and sin no more.

Such a repentance we teach and none other. Nainely, that no one can count himself pious, and glory in the grace of God, the forgiveness of sin, or the merits of Christ, unless he has truly repented. It is not enough to say, we are Abraham's children, that is, that we profess to be christians and be esteemed as the followers of Christ. But we must do the works of Abraham, that is, we must walk as all the true children of God are commanded to walk. John says "If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another: and the blood of Christ, his son, cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1, 6, 8.) I