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ces of sinners, by opening the eyes of their understandings, and changing their hearts. He makes them willing to surrender themselves to the blessed Saviour. By his power, they give themselves up unto the Lord, in the bonds of the everlasting covenant. This Spirit is as much promised in the Gospel, as Christ was under the Law. All who ask him of the Father, in sincerity and truth, shall receive him. He convinces of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He takes of the things which belong to Christ, and shows them

to us.

Thus, without enlarging, you see the propriety of calling the Gospel period a day in which the things belonging to our peace may be known. For in the Gospel we find our actual situation exhibited to us, and the cause of our want of peace explained. Here also we find a remedy adequate to our wants, by which we can regain our peace. Here we are informed in what manner we can avail ourselves of the remedy, so as actually to obtain peace.

This Gospel you enjoy, my Hearers. You, then, in this your day, may know the things which belong to your peace. Re

serving a particular application to the afternoon, I merely wish now to remind you of your privilege, and the necessity of improving it aright. You are not left in the dark on any subject connected with your salvation. The Gospel addresses itself to the understandings, and approves itself to the hearts of men. You therefore have no excuse which reason or conscience can sanction, for neglecting so great salvation. Your all, for time and eternity, is at stake, and depends upon your knowing the things belonging to your peace. AMEN.

SERMON III.

THE REDEEMER'S TEARS OVER LOST

SINNERS.

(Continued.)

LUKE XIX. 41, 42.

And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

WE now pass on to the more restricted sense in which the term " day" is used.

2. All who hear the Gospel, enjoy a season which may emphatically be called their day. This day is, when the Gospel is

preached with peculiar clearness and force of reasoning; or when the preaching of the Gospel awakens conscience; or when multitudes around them are pressing into the kingdom.

First, They to whom the Gospel is preached with peculiar clearness and force of argument, enjoy a day in which the things belonging to their peace may be known.

The treasure of the Gospel is committed to "earthen vessels, that the excellency of "the power may be of God, and not of "us"." The ministry of reconciliation is committed to persons of various talents. Each is fitted for a particular niche in the temple of grace. One is persuasive, another vehement: one is argumentative, another pathetic: one is eloquent, another didactic. He, however, who expresses himself with the most clearness, exhibiting the truth in a manner level to the capacity of the feeblest hearer, as well as satisfactory to the best informed: he who, with this clearness, combines vigour of reasoning, so that he can

a 2 Cor. iv. 7.

establish truth victoriously, and carry conviction to the understanding, more especially may be considered as affording the people who hear him a special season for knowing the will of God. Such a ministry penetrates the darkness of human intellect, and dispels the mists of human passions; so that, whilst light is conveyed to the mind, a glow of feeling, arising from that light, is communicated to the heart.

Such was the ministry of Christ, emphatically and pre-eminently. He spake as never man spake, confounded his adversaries, and constrained many to ask, "Is not this "the Christ?" Such was also the ministry of Paul, the great apostle of the Gentiles. Such, in later times, was the ministry of Calvin, Owen, and Edwards.

Secondly, When the preaching of the Gospel awakens conscience in any person, he enjoys a day in which the things belonging to his peace may be known.

I readily give my assent to their opinion, who consider that every person who sits under the ministry of reconciliation enjoys such a day. There is no one of this description who does not, sooner or later, 8

VOL. II.

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