wilt thou awake out of thy sleep?" I have not language to express my astonishment at the stupidity, the madness of men in sporting with their everlasting interests: I am often amazed at myself that I can reflect on the sinners danger, on the value of his soul, on the plenitude of that happiness which he despises, on the horrors of that hell to which he is hastening; that I can speak to him, or write to him with such indifference; I am often amazed that I can indulge a moment's ease, until I have aimed at plucking every thoughtless acquaintance, or neighbor "as a brand out of the burning." The Lord God of gods awake from his sloth every reader of these pages, lest "he sleep the sleep of death" eternal.

This doctrine may with propriety be applied both to sinners and saints. To the former permit me again to repeat the expos tulation," "how long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard, when wilt thou awake out of thy sleep?" Is not the time past of your life sufficient to have wasted in trifling, unprofitable pursuits; "laboring in vain and spending your strength for naught, and in vain?" How many weeks, and months, and years of a short, uncertain life are already gone, and charged to your account in the records of heaven? Who knows but a righteous God, grieved and provoked with your impieties, may be now asking "why should they be stricken," or admonished, or entreated "any more?" He may perhaps be chal

lenging the holy angels to attend, and witness the rectitude of his conduct in your immediate destruction, "what could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done to it: Behold! these three," or six, or twelve, or twenty years I have come seeking fruit on this, or" the other tree, "and find none; cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground?" I appeal to your own consciences whether this accusation might not in justice be brought against some of you. Ye who are parents and masters, must not some of you acknowledge that your families are no less strangers to prayer and praise, and the other duties of religion this year, than they were three, or six, or twelve years ago? I would carry my appeak to the hearts of the young, and ask, are not some of you as thoughtless about God your Creator, your kind Benefactor, your constant witness, your impartial Judge about Jesus the friend of sinners, the Saviour of the world, the only "Mediator between God and man;" about the Holy Ghost without whose sanctifying, sealing influence you cannot see the kingdom of heaven; are you not as inattentive to prayer, to the word of God, to self-examination now, as you were months or years ago? Remember, ye who continue thus unfruitful under all the means of cultivation, that nothing but the sovereign mercy of God keeps you out of hell; nothing but sovereign mercy restrains him from completing your perdition by cutting

short your day, and causing your sun to go down in endless night. "Is it not therefore high time to awake out of sleep, and turn to the strong holds while you are prisoners of hope?" With many of you possibly; with some of you "probably the night is far spent, and the day is at hand, the day" of righteous retribution when the Lord God "will render to every man according to his works,” and fix his state for eternity! “He who now waits to be gracious" may shortly summon you to his judgment-seat.-"He who is now exalted to shew mercy" may speedily execute the curse denounced, and "swear in his wrath that you shall not enter into his rest ;" and yet will you dare to be asking "a little more sleep, a little more slumber?" Is it prudent, is it becoming the dignity of your nature; is it consistent with that friendship which you owe your better part, your immortal souls, still to prostitute your precious opportunities? Must all your concern be confined to the body which is mortal; which will soon be as though it had never been? Will you reserve no time, or devote no attention to the interests of that spirit which never, never dies; which must shortly be translated to an endless, unchanging state of existence? "The stork in the heavens knows his appointed time” and diligently improves it, and shall man who was framed "after the image of God," and elcvated to a dignified rank among the crea tures of his hand, shall man "suffer his VOL. 4. C 2

harvest to pass, his summer to end without any fore thought" about his future, everlasting concerns? Do you believe that death is approaching, and yet unanxious about that solemn, interesting event? Do you believe that there is "a judgment to come," and yet not concerned whether you shall be acquitted or condemned on that occasion? Surely, if you had the prospect of a trial at a human bar; a trial in which your character, or property, or life were depending, you would be often thinking of it; you would be anxiously preparing for it; you would employ the best counsel, and make every exertion to secure a favorable issue; and have you no solicitude about your appearance before the "judgment-seat" of Jehovah; is it uninteresting whether you shall then be doomed "to everlasting punishinent," or awarded "to life eternal?"

Notwithstanding all that is past; although another year has been prostituted "in fulfilling the desires of the flesh," and following after the vanities of the world, a forbearing God continues to expostulate, "when wilt thou awake out of thy sleep?" In the immensity of his compassions he is still entreating, "how shall I give thee up Ephraim? Turn ye, turn ye, why will you die O house of Israel?" In God's name I ask you, WHY WILL YOU DIE? Is hell to be chosen in preference to heaven? Is the wrath of the uncreated, omnipotent Majesty more desirable than his loving kindness? Is the

society of evil angels and unbelieving, impenitent men "with the blackness of darkness for ever" more eligible than the fellowship of God, of Jesus, of elect, ransomed men, of elect, unsinning angels "with glory, and honor, and immortality?" WHY WILL YOU DIE? Has not the Lord God afforded every possible assurance "of good will to you" and his readiness to receive you? Is he not passing before you this moment through the mediation of his Son, and in the light of his gospel as "merciful and gracious, long suffering and abundant in goodness and truth?" As if he had said, "come and let us reason together, are you miserable, involved by transgression in ruin and woe? I am the Lord, the Lord God MERCIFUL: ‘I will be MERCIFUL to your unrighteousness, your sins and your iniquities I will remember no more.' Are you undeserving? Have you by wilful, repeated acts of rebellion forfeited every claim to my friendship, and exposed yourselves to my wrath? I am the Lord, the Lord God GRACIOUS; I am ready upon your return not merely to pardon your offences but to honor you with the adoption of sons, and give you a title to all the joys and glories of my kingdom." A free, a full, an everlasting salvation is "now brought near" in the ministry of reconciliation. Commissioned by the King of kings I reach forth the sceptre of grace, and invite you to draw near and touch it, and be reconciled, and live for ever. I stand in this