looketh on the outward appearance, the Lord looketh only on the heart." But our message is "a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation;"

ye "have the treasure in earthen vessels," and their splendour cannot enhance, nor their meanness and feebleness depreciate its value. On the ground of its divine authority, we challenge your attention and reception of it, according to those awful words of our Lord to the first ministers of his Gospel, "He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me."

On this head of our subject, we may remark that here you are furnished with a criterion to judge of our ministerial addresses; "Thou shalt hear the word at my mouth," saith the Lord, "and warn them from me." When therefore you have been attending the instructions of the sanctuary, imitate the noble Bereans, and "search the Scriptures daily whether those things are so;" for as it is excellently expressed in the sixth article of our church, "Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation."

To this touchstone we intreat you, beloved hearers, bring all our doctrines, and exhortations, and warnings; "to the law and to the testimony;

for if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." If in any thing you find them inconsistent with the sacred word of God, reject them; but if upon examination you find that our message accords with Scripture, and is waranted by it, then be not offended at its plainness, its strict requirements, or its awful terrors; but, as you value your souls, receive it not as the word of man, but as it is in deed and in truth, the word of God, which, having received at his mouth, we declare unto you.

II. I proceed to the second remark on the words of our text. Here we perceive the principal aim of the Gospel ministry,-The conversion of sinners. unto God. This is the charge of God to his ministers, "Warn the wicked from his way." This duty appears to include the three following particulars; that we should point out to our hearers, their state, their danger, and their remedy.

It is necessary, first, that we should bring home to every one his character and state; for in vain shall we publish the alarm to sinners, while they put away from them the application, and shut themselves up in their strong holds, their refuges of lies. The Gospel message, you will observe, is addressed to sinners; and in all the Bible there is not a single sentence, whether of warning, counsel, promise, or encouragement, addressed to any child of Adam in any other character than that of sinThe offers of mercy, suppose misery ;-of

pardon, guilt;-of deliverance, thraldom ;-of support, weakness.

Commanded therefore to preach the Gospel to every creature, and finding that the Gospel is only suited to sinful creatures, we may naturally conclude that all are sinners; and this awful truth the word of God abundantly confirms. "The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God. They are all gone aside; they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no not one... All have sinned and come short of the glory of God...that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God." Yes, my brethren, we are all sinners, and all need to be warned from our way, according to the command of God, "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, shew unto my people their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins."

We may not be so flagrantly wicked as many around us, "extortioners, adulterers, unjust;" our character may be decent and amiable in the sight of men, but be assured from the unerring word of God, that our hearts, while unrenewed by his grace, can never be right in the sight of God. We are sinners both by nature and practice; we bring into the world with us a corrupt nature, derived from our guilty head; for "by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners." Adam's children are all "born in his own likeness;" for

"who can bring a clean thing, out of an unclean? not one." And how early did we consent, by actual sin, to our first father's transgression! were not the first dawnings of reason perverted to selfwill and disobedience? have not our whole lives been a course, perhaps of rebellion, at best of a very imperfect sin-stained obedience unto God? "Woe is us for we have sinned... Enter not into judgment with thy servants O Lord, for in thy sight no flesh living can be justified.... If thou, Lord, shouldst be strict to mark iniquity, O Lord, who shall stand?....Lord we are vile, what shall we answer thee!" Oh may we be taught by the Spirit of God, deeply and sincerely to feel our state as sinners, and be preserved from the dreadful hypocrisy of publicly confessing before God that we are miserable sinners, tied and bound with the chain of our sins, while our hearts harbour the thought of self-righteousness!" God I thank thee that I am not as other men are."

Having thus stated the description that includes all our characters as sinners before God, I proceed, secondly, to point out the danger and misery of that state.

Sin is the "abominable thing that God hateth." It is sin and only sin that can draw from him (who is emphatically styled "the Father of mercies, and the God of all grace") the most awful denunciations of his vengeance. "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness, and ungodliness of men... The wages of sin is death.”

Listen then, oh sinner! to the awful expressions of God's displeasure against sin, and, oh may they rouse thee to flee from the wrath to come! "God is angry with the wicked every day... God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; the Lord revengeth and is furious; the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind, and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet... Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him... He will pour out his wrath upon the heathen, and upon the families that call not upon his name...Their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord... The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God... Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire, and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup... He will whet his glittering sword; he hath bent his bow and made it ready; his hand will take hold on judgment, he will render vengeance to his enemies, and will reward them that hate him."

Say, now, oh hardened and impenitent sinner! (whose impious rebellions seem to fly in the face of Jehovah and dare Omnipotence to do its worst,) "Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thun.