"all, how shall he not with him alfo freely give us all things." Allow me that God hath fent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might have life through him; and then say, is there another favour fo costly, you fhould think it beyond the reach of his benevolence? You may perhaps fay, that he hath already done fo much, that conceive how he fhould do more.

that

you cannot But I will

afk you this, Why did he confer the first favour? Was it only to fave appearances to his creatures? Do you conceive of it as of that constrained kind of benevolence which we fometimes fee in the world; a man paying the debts of another, and then setting him adrift to do as he best can in the world? No, I will tell you what it rather resembles, if a refemblance to it can be found in this felfifh world. It resembles a man taking up a helplefs orphan. He at firft clothes and feeds him; by and bye he conceives an attachment for him. Having done fo much, he is unwilling to leave his work imperfect; he makes him worthy of his care, by inftilling good principles into him. In time he adopts him into his family; at last he makes him his

heir, and leaves him all he has. Whoever knows the human heart, knows that this is the natural progrefs of affection. He that gives, cherisheth his own benevolence by the gift; and to have conferred one favour is a reason for continuing and adding others. I fay not this, as if God's thoughts were to be measured by ours. I have a better warrant for ufing this comparison—“ be

ing confident," as an Apoftle hath expreffed it," of this very thing, that he who hath be

gun a good work in you, will perform it "until the day of Jefus Chrift.-Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the fons "of God-and if fons, then heirs, heirs of "God, and joint heirs with Jefus Chrift."God commended his love towards us, in "that while we were yet finners, Chrift died "for us.-Much more then, being now jufti"fied by his blood, we fhall be faved from "wrath through him: For if when we were "enemies, we were reconciled to God by the "death of his Son, much more being recon"ciled, we shall be faved by his life."

But

But here, my brethren, I find the subject rifing and widening beyond the reach of my thoughts, or feeble illuftrations. "How great, "O God, is that goodnefs which thou haft "laid up for them that fear thee, which thou "haft wrought for them that trust in thee, be"fore the fons of men."

One other inference from what hath been faid we cannot omit, being the inference of the Apostle himself in the context.

"Be

"loved, if God fo loved us, we ought alfo to "love one another." I will not inquire whether this is an exhortation to universal bene-` volence, or an exhortation to Chriftians to love their brethren; certain it is, that the difciples of Chrift are exhorted to both of these amiable difpofitions. Of whom are we bold enough to fay, that he may not be one of those for whom Chrift died; that he may not become, through grace, one of the excellent ones of the earth? If thou art a veffel of mercy, confider who it was that filled thee; and may not the fame fountain fill him-fill any of the race of Adam? Let your benevolence, then, extend to the whole of mankind but let your love be fpecial towards

the

the household of faith. Love them for the image they bear-love them for the ties by which you are connected together. Let your love to them be fervent and active. Impart to them every affiftance of friendship, efpecially of that friendship which regards the interefts of their fouls. Exhort one another daily, left any be hardened through of you the deceitfulness of fin. Continue together in one accord, in prayer and supplication, forwarding one another in your way to Zion, and finging fongs of comfort as you go along.

On the whole, you fee how much the religion of Chrift applies itself to the best affections of the human heart. To whom does it direct our worship?-To the God of love, the God who is love, and who manifefted his love to us, in that he sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. What doth it require of us, but that we fhould love him who firft loved us; that we should yield ourselves to be his, and trust in him for all good things. Are ye willing? The pledges of the covenant are at hand, and may God feal them to your fouls. Amen.

SER

SERMON XVII.

299

ACTS, viii. 39.

and he went on his way rejoicing.

'HE person of whom this account is giv

THE

en was a man of Ethiopia, who poffeffed a place of great truft and authority under the queen of that country. It appears from the hiftory, that he was a profelyte to the Jewish religion; for he had come as far as Jerufalem, to attend on the worship of the God of Ifrael. The manner of his converfion to Chriftianity, by the miniftry of Philip the Evangelist, is circumftantially related in the preceding verses; and as there are several ftriking incidents in this paffage of history, I shall point out a few of them which are chiefly remarkable.

ift, We are told, that when this officer of the Ethiopian queen was about to take his departure from Jerufalem, God fent his angel

to

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