a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of chil dren. Herein, indeed, is love, not that we loved God, but that be loved us, and fent his Son to be the propitiation for our fins. And let Gethsemane tell-let the scenes of infamy and infult, through which the Saviour paffed, from thence to mount Calvary, tell-and let Calvary itself, and the cross tell, what the price of our redemption coft the Son of God. Here is love that many waters could not quench! Love that all the billows of Jehovah's wrath could not drown! Love stronger than death!-My bretren, let this love of God and his Son Christ, constrain you to estimate your fouls in a proper manner, and flee from the wrath to come, upon the plan of the gospel.

3. This fubject teaches us the precious nature of the ordinances of the Gospel. I particularly mean here the inftitutions of God's public worship on the Sabbath, the word and facrament. These are the means he has instituted and ordained for the recovery of loft fouls to the Divine favour, and their restoration to his holy image. For after that, in the wifdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleafed God, by the foolishness of preaching, to fave them that believe. And you elsewhere read, that fuith cometh by bearing, and bearing by the word of God. The great truths taught in the faithful preaching of the word, and in the administration of the Gofpel-facraments, are the means the Holy Spirit uses for these gracious purposes; they are the means by which he effects and promotes that change in the heart and life, in which Gospel-holinefs confift; and the duties there taught are the guide of the Chriftian's life.

I beseech you, therefore, my brethren, that you estimate these ordinances of God- thefe inftitutions of mer

cy,

cy, in a fuitable manner; adore God for them-rejoice in them as your ineftimable privilege-make confcience of attending upon them from Sabbath to Sabbath; but above all, fee that you improve them for the great purposes of your personal purity, your comfort in the ways of God, and for holding a delightful intercourse with the Father of your fpirits while here upon earth, that you may be prepared for dwelling with him in glory.

4. We are taught by this fubject the folemn nature of the charge committed to those who have the care of fouls. -This is the charge of Gospel-minifters. Hence that apoftolic injunction: Obey them that have the rule over you, and fubmit yourselves; for they watch for your fouls, as they that must give an account; that they may do it with joy, and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you. The value of the fouls committed to their care, fhews the importance of the charge. They are of more worth than a world. For what is a man profited if he fball gain the whole world and lose his own foul? Or, what fhall a man give in exchange for his foul?

It farther appears from the high danger finners are in of lofing these fouls, as already illustrated, and from the awful nature of the lofs when fuftained. All these unite in fhewing the neceffity of watchfulness, diligence and faithfulness in the minifters of Jefus Chrift. I beseech you then, my brethren, let us have your pity and your prayers, your countenance and your affiftance in the difcharge of our great truft. Be ye helpers together by prayer for us.

Parents also have a folemn charge in the fouls of their children, and mafters and miftreffes in the fouls of their fervants. Be entreated then to inftruct them with careto watch over them-to pray for them and with them

and

and to set an example of piety and good morals before them.

I only add once more,

5. The important truths you have heard, loudly call upon finners to awake out of their fecurity-to fhake off their floth-to feek the Lord while he may be found, and to call upon him while he is near.-Think, O think of the numerous and probable ways by which men may lofe their precious fouls, and by which they are daily lofing them, and that for ever!-And is there no danger of your lofing your fouls, in fome one or other of these ways? Pause a moment upon this important question! It is too important to be trifled with, and too interesting to be delayed! Your fouls-your precious fouls are at ftake!

These truths alfo call upon profane finners of every class and description to break off their fins by repentance, and turn unto the living God, through his Son Jefus Chrift. They addrefs you, O finners! in the following authoritative, yet tender language of inspiration. Awake, thou that fleepeft, and arife from the dead, and Chrift shall give thee light-How long, ye fimple ones, will ye love fimplicity and the scorners delight in their scorning? and fools bate knowledge. Turn ye at my reproof; behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you-I will make known my words unto you. As I live, faich the Lord God, I have no pleafure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: Turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O boufe of Ifrael!

Do not wonder that the minifters of Jefus address you with folemnity and tenderness-that they mingle tears with their entreaties, when befeeching finners to have mercy upon their precious fouls. Indifference in fuch a cafe would be the height of abfurdity in us, and the greatHh

eft

eft cruelty to you. Now then, we are ambassadors for Chrift, as though God did befeech you by us, we pray you in Chrift's ftead, be ye reconciled to God. And may this be the effect of the prefent address, through the riches of free grace in Christ our Lord. Amen and Amen.

SER

SERMON XXXIV *.

SANCTUARY BLESSINGS.

BY

JOHN H. LIVINGSTON, D. D. S. T. P. One of the Minifters of the Reformed Dutch Church, city of New-York.

EXODUS XX. 24.

In all places where I record my name, I will come unto thee

A

and bless thee.

SAVIOUR was early revealed. Immediately after the fall the promise was given to our first parents, in a short, but very comprehenfive fentence against the ferpent. I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy feed and her feed; it fhall bruife thy head, and thou shalt bruife his beel. This was afterwards gradually unfolded through all the preparatory discoveries of fuc

*This Sermon was preached, July 4. 1790, in the New or Middle Dutch Church, which had been ruined during the war, and having been repaired, was that day dedicated anew to the fervice of God.