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wholly of God; and yet it was by the word of God. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God." Again, "Of his own will begat he us, with the word of truth."

Sinners do indeed attend to the means and motives of the gospel. Even infidels are excited to attend, and to learn the truth. And were not this the case, how could they ever be convicted and converted to Christ? But they never attend with a hearty approbation of divine truth; and with a desire to be holy. For they often cavil with the doctrines of salvation; and if they are overcome at last, it is by the exceeding greatness of the power of the Holy Spirit. These appear to be some of the scriptural ideas respecting the means of grace and salvation. This is God's general method of calling his elect into his kingdom,

On this important point, we may further observe; As respects those who live under the light of the gospel in particular, and perhaps, as respects all mankind, of adult age, the means of grace are represented in the scriptures, as being necessary to salvation. This doctrine appears to be stated and proved in the tenth chapter to the Romans. Here a general maxim is stated; "Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." To such is salvation limited, both in the Old and New Testaments. "But how shall they call on him, in whom they. have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear, without a preacher ?" The conclusion is, "So then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing, by the word of God." And is it not a fact, verified by universal observation, that without the means of grace, none of the fruits of grace appear? No convictions of sin, no conversions are witnessed; no accessions to the visible church, none of the fruits of the Spirit; and in short, NO RELIGION. When God's ancient people forsook his word and ordinances, he declared, that they perished for lack of knowledge; and it is expressed, as a general truth, that, "Where there is no vision," no divine revelation," the people perish." This is a truth obvious to us all. For who does not see, and deplore, the perishing state of the heathen? And who that has any latent spark of benevolence and compassion, does not feel the importance of

making every possible effort to spread the gospel throughout a perishing world? Inexpressibly important are the means of grace! By them, mankind are enlightened, and indoctrinated; so that, if they ever become the subjects of special grace, they are, at once, prepared for duty and usefulness. The means of grace, under the common influences of the Holy Spirit, keep alive some degree of conviction of sin, and some sense of the importance of real religion. They are also the principal barriers of civilization and morality. They therefore, claim the attention of all, however inclined the wicked are to pervert them to their own aggravated condemnation.

3. From this subject we learn, that for sinners to flatter themselves, that they are waiting and wishing for a spirit of prayer, and for converting grace, while they live in the neglect of all religious duty, and improvement, is a gross and dangerous delusion. They demonstrate, by their conduct, that there is no such wish in their hearts. The language of their conduct is," I pray thee, have me excused." "I desire not the knowledge of thy ways." If, in the neglect of all duty, any flatter themselves that they love the brethren, and desire to become the subjects of divine grace; they confirm the testimony of the prophet, that "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?"

4. No sinner is willing to be pronounced utterly inexcusable. The support and comfort of all sinners are their excuses. But excuse, in the neglect of duty, is an absurdity. Sinners in general, profess to be well disposed, and to do the best they can, hoping that God will ena ble them to persevere. Thus the blame is cast on God. And instead of doing their best, they do their worst. "Behold thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldst."

Finally. The consideration of this subject ought to produce, at least, an amendment of morals. To this, there is no want of motives. To this no objection can be offered. In a depravity of morals, no one can dare to excuse himself. All profess to be advocates for morality. Happy would it be, if all should practice according to this profession! But, in fact, true religion and morality are inseparable; as appears by the noted ex

hortation of the prophet; "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, who will have mercy on him, and unto our God, who will abundantly pardon.

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....AMEN.

IN the whole system of practical subjects, none holds a higher rank, none claims a more profound attention, than that of the holy sabbath. The sabbath is to be called a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable! If, in point of importance, one command has the preference to another, the sabbath has the preference to all others. No other command is so abundantly repeated in scripture, nor expressed in terms so peremptory. "Verily, my sabbaths ye shall keep." Still we are challenged, by 'some who profess the christian religion, to prove, that the law of the sabbath is in force, at the present day.To prove this great practical point, we may attend to the following arguments.

1. That the church has a weekly sabbath established by divine authority, ander the present dispensation of the gospel, as well as under all former dispensations, is evident from the scriptures. Heb. iv. 9. "There remaineth therefore, a rest to the people of God." The word, rest, is several times used in this chapter and its connections, and in every other instance, a Greek word is used which signifies rest in the ordinary meaning of the word. But here the Greek word is different, and is a word, strictly meaning the holy sabbath. "There remaineth therefore, a sabbath to the people of God; or to the christian church." This text alone, proves distinctly, that the christian church has a sabbath, which remaineth to them. It is not a new institution; but it is the essence of the original institution which remains, and will remain perpetually. In the verse next to the one quoted, we have a sufficient reason assigned, why a sabbath should remain to the people of God. "For he that is entered into his rest," that is, Jesus Christ, "hath

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ceased from his own work," that is, the work of redemption, as God did from his ;" that is, from the work of creation. God ceased from the great work of creation, and then appointed a day of rest, and sanctified it, as a holy sabbath. Christ likewise, ceased from the great work of redemption, and then appointed a day of rest, set apart, and remaining perpetually as a holy sabbath. There is no more obscurity or doubtfulness with respect. to the establishment of the christian sabbath, than with respect to the establishment of the original sabbath. It is a holy sabbath which remains, and will remain to the people of God, so long as the resurrection of Christ is remembered and believed. The institution of the christian sabbath is, therefore, established on as firm ground as that of the original sabbath. Accordingly, to establish this important law, and to render it obligatory on all generations, we observe,

2. It was made a distinct article in the first table of the moral law, which was given to Moses, and proclaimed in the ears of the people at Mount Sinai. This was the law which Christ came to magnify and make honourable. As well may we expunge the first, or any other command from the sacred decalogue, as the fourth. To the ten commandments, our Saviour had particular reference, whenever he spoke of the law; and, on some occasions, he recited several of the commandments; "Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, honour thy father and thy mother." Christ also was very careful, by his example, to enforce the observance of the holy sabbath. Can it be supposed, that, by his coming to fulfil all righteousness, he designed to abolish any one of the ten commandments? Certainly not. Our Saviour in his abridgment of the decalogue, reduced the ten to two great commandments. But did he, in his abridgment, aim to leave out, or exclude the fourth commandment? Had he found this to be a useless and unnecessary precept? Then his experience was contrary to the experience of all others. Had it been the will of God our Saviour, to abolish or repeal the law of the sabbath, it would certainly have been done, in the most explicit terms. No more doubt would have remained, than remains respecting the abolition of the ceremonial law.

3. Another argument in support of the law of the sabbath is, that no law or commandment whatever, appears to be so much insisted on, so often and so powerfully inculcated; and enforced with so heavy penalties, as the law of the sabbath. Old Testament and New set forth the infinite importance of the celebration of the holy sabbath. Well may we conclude, on this ground, that "there remaineth a sabbath to the people of God." And not only is the law of the sabbath urged more frequently, and more powerfully than any other law of God; but important reasons are assigned. One is, that it is a sign between God and his people. It is a test, or signal, by which the true church of God is distinguished from the ungodly world. On this ground, the law of the sabbath is most abundantly enforced in the holy scriptures. In the book of Exodus, we read, over and over, very repeatedly, "Verily, my sabbaths ye shall keep; for it is a sign between me and you, throughout your generations; that ye may know, that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you." "Ye shall keep my sabbath therefore, for it is holy unto you. Every one that defileth it, shall surely be put to death." Was the sabbath so infinitely important at that day; and was it to be kept for ever, as a perpetual statute, throughout their generations? How then can any one imagine, that it was a leading object, in the ministry of the divine Saviour, to abolish this holy statute? Reason revolts at the absurdity. This command, so much repeated in Exodus, is often inculcated by most of the prophets; and especially by the prophet Ezekiel, in his twentieth chapter. The following is a specimen: "I' am the Lord your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them. And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know, that I am the Lord your God. Notwithstanding, the children of Israel rebelled against me, they walked not in my statutes-they polluted my sabbaths. Then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish mine anger against them." It was particularly, for the profanation of the sabbath, that God punished his people with seventy years' captivity in Babylon. They were carried away, that the land, which had groaned under their ava rice, might enjoy her sabbaths. This was solemnly recognized by Nehemiah, after the restoration from the

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