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inevitably condemned. When God riseth up in judgment you cannot answer him, or stand before him, save in the all-sufficient and prevailing merits of an incarnate and suffering Saviour, which have been thankfully embraced and dwelt upon by you.

2. You see to whom all the praise is to be given for the work of salvation. In this work man is nothing. He brings to it no strength, no merit, no claim of any kind. You are to ascribe the whole glory to that mighty Saviour who loved you, when you were dead in trespasses and sins, and interposed his power and his worthiness for you, when you were perishing, without strength and without hope. To him let your thanksgivings be every day addressed, as you are led on from strength to strength. In him let all your confidence be placed, for what he has promised to do for you, while you are passing the wilderness of life; and when you are brought to rest, in the presence of his glory, to him will you find yourselves constrained to offer all the honour and praise for what he has been pleased to undertake and finish in your behalf. He is the great object of universal praise; all the angels of God worship him; all the spirits of just men made perfect, ascribe honour unto him; and from our hearts he asks the same tribute of thanksgiving and honour. Give him glory before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and he turn the light which you look for, into the shadow of death. Be wise in making him your friend while his mercies are offered you in his word, and let the power of the gospel be for you a power

to save.

For reflect, I pray you, in conclusion, that the same power which the gospel has to save, it has to destroy. It increases the condemnation and misery of those who reject it, and it were far better, never to have heard its gracious invitations, than having heard them, to cast them voluntarily away. To this destroying power of the gospel for those who reject it,

Jesus refers when he says, "Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder." It has an irresistible energy. It comes with an overwhelming force upon those who have despised its mercies, and makes it better for such persons if they had never been born. This gospel must appear in the great day, as a witness for, or against every child of man. It will bear testimony for all who have accepted its invitations, that justice is satisfied, and all condemnation must pass away; that the lamb is worthy, and for his sake, infinite honour and glory must be bestowed on them. It must witness against all who have refused its mercies, that they are without hope; the law must take its course, while their condemnation and ruin have been awfully increased, by choosing death rather than life. With a destructive weight it falls upon such, to grind them to powder, to consign them over to everlasting ruin, and to bind them in chains of eternal darkness and death.

Happy will it be, for all before me, to have this powerful gospel, a witness of approbation and not of condemnation, in that solemn day.

**

LECTURE VI.

THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL TO CONDEMN.

Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.-ST. Matthew, XXI. 44.

It is an abiding promise of the Most High, "My word shall not return unto me void; it shall accomplish that which I please, and prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Not one of the divine purposes can fail; nor though men do not believe, can the truth of God ever be made of no effect. But such a promise has a special application to that word of reconciliation which is revealed in our Lord Jesus Christ; to those glad tidings of mercy which this divine Saviour has proclaimed to mankind. The preaching of the gospel, as the solemn and authoritative publication of the will of God, can never be made a matter of indifference to men. God's glorious designs will in no degree come short of their ultimate accomplishment, whether men will hear, or whether they will forbear. “We are unto God, a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish;" the instruments at all times of manifesting his power, and showing forth his glory. But it remains to be determined by men's acceptance, or rejection of the gospel which we preach, whether we shall be to them "a savour of life unto life, or a savour of death unto death." The gospel of Christ comes with all the weight of infinite autho

rity, to a world at enmity with God. And while for some, it effects its grand object, in their conversion unto God, as the power of God unto salvation; to others, it becomes the occasion of increased guilt and condemnation. In comparison with their new amount of transgression thus accumulated, it may be justly said, that had not its blessings come upon them, "they had not had sin, but now they have no cloak for their sin." "This is their condemnation, that light has come into the world, and they have loved darkness, rather than light, because their deeds are evil." The gospel is in every case a manifestation of divine power among men. To those who refuse its offers of mercy, it is still the power of God, though they pervert its influence, by their own rebellion, to their increased condemnation and more aggravated ruin.

This latter exhibition of the divine power in the gospel, our Lord describes in our text. He reminds the Jews of the testimony which the Scriptures had given unto him, as the chosen corner stone, which, though rejected by those whose duty it was to build upon it, was nevertheless exalted to be the head of the corner, in man's salvation; and which in this exaltation in defiance of the opposition of men, manifested the Lord's work, marvellous in human eyes. He warns them, that while their rejection of this chosen foundation of human hope, would not overturn his purposes, it would inevitably injure, perhaps finally destroy themselves. "Whosoever shall fall on this stone, shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder."

My design with this text, is to consider the power of God as exhibited in the gospel, upon those who reject its offers of salvation. It describes this exercise of power, under a twofold aspect.

I. Its present operation, in some respects beneficial to those upon whom it is exercised.

II. Its future operation wholly condemnatory and destructive.

The fact that men do thus reject the offers of the Gospel cannot be denied. Comparatively few to whom the truths which it reveals, are uttered, receive them with love, and are begotten again by their renovating influence, to that lively and glorious hope which the Gospel sets before them. Multitudes under the most faithful preaching of the Gospel, continue to harden themselves against the word, and remain impenitent for sin, and without a hope of the glory of God. The same divine testimony which is made to pluck some from eternal ruin, only furnishes arguments to others, by which they may resist its influence. The fire which melts the wax, is equally powerful and sure in its operation to harden the clay. The experience of numbers will testify, that the preaching of the Gospel has far less power over their minds now, than it had in some previous period of their life; and the difficulty in shaking off the serious impressions which it makes upon them, is continually growing less. But has this preaching of the truth therefore produced no effect upon them? Alas, far enough from this. The responsibility which they have assumed, is momentous. The consequences which must flow from their neglect of so great salvation, eternity can alone adequately reveal. The Son of man came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And yet it would be good for some, to whom he has come, if they had not been born. The main object of the Gospel, is to declare a free and finished salvation to guilty man, through the blood of God's dear Son; and to open thus to perishing sinners, a way of escape from the wrath to come. But when the attainment of this object is arrested by man's perversion, and sinful men count themselves unworthy of eternal life, the almighty power of the Redeemer is still displayed; and every knee is compelled to bow to him, and every tongue to confess his greatness, and his glory. Men may

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