mit sin.

And yet, all this might take place without true conversion resulting. Many are frightened at times about religion, who never are converted into its experience. But, brethren, after all, if there come then, the still small voice, the Saviour's voice of gentleness and mercy, the offers of his grace, the promises of his Spirit, the doctrines of his salvation, distilling on the soul, like the gentle dew on the tender grass-if the Holy Spirit bring its message of mercy and of love home with power to the heart-then it is wonderful how soon the pride which struggled against the storm, and only drew its mantle more closely around, becomes softened and melted by the mild beams of the Sun of Righte

ousness.

Now, is it thus, you who are out of the way of duty? Do you hear the gentle voice of mercy, which addresses you in the Gospel of Jesus Christ? He came not on the wings of the wind; no earthquake announced the birth of the Prince of Peace: no lightning flashed about his manger: but the angelic voice announced "good-will to men :" a star, with its mild beams, lighted the shepherds to his lowly birth-place; a gentle virgin was his mother. Mark his character, as described in prophecy. "He shall not cry, nor lift up his voice; a bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax he shall not quench:" his words were gracious words; he was meek and lowly in heart. Mark his patience under privations, the greatest ever offered to man: observe his forgiveness to his enemies: hear his mild expostulations with those who would not come, who will not come to him, that they might have life. See him weeping over the impenitent city, Jerusalem: hear his dying prayer on his cross for his murderers: and then say, can we refuse the invitations of such a Saviour? For mark how he still invites you: you have witnessed judgments ere now, which display his power; you know he might come to you in the thunders of judgment, and in the fires of indignation; but he loves rather, even to this very day, he loves rather to come in the still small voice of entreaty and affectionate persuasion. He sends his ministers among you: and though in the discharge of our duty, we are to tell you of the law broken, of God offended, of hell deserved, of death impending, yet we would never leave you thus: our main theme is the Gospel of peace, the message of salvation, the offer of eternal life, through the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. Sinner, at once hardened and careless, what sayest thou to this? What! will not such pity as this touch thine hard heart? Only yield to God's entreaties, enter into his thoughts of love towards you; consent to his gracious plan; believe in the love of God towards you in Christ Jesus, and be saved.

Such is one lesson for one class of persons that may be present, to be derived from this subject.

Again, the subject also brings a lesson to true and faithful Christians, who may yet be at present not acting up to their former spirit, but falling back into a wrong and perverse temper of mind. Let none say, "There is no danger of this:" if Elijah fell back, may not you? Nay, do we not find in Scripture, that believers have lamentably failed in the very graces, for which they were once the most distinguished? You have all heard of the patience of Job; and you may hear, and read also, of the impatience of Job. Abraham was the father of the faithful; and yet there were occasions in Abraham's life in which he acted unfaithfully. Moses was the meekest of men; yet he spoke once, very

unadvisedly with his lips. Who confessed Christ more nobly than Peter; and who more shamefully denied him? In fact, if any grace has ever appeared in any of you, in a very eminent manner, the enmity of Satan is moved, and he will, if he can, excite you to pride and self-confidence, respecting that very grace. Then he will send you very strong temptations, so that unless you watch and pray, you may sadly fall. And this may have been the case with some very recently; it may be even their state of mind at the present time: in a very unsatisfactory and restless state of mind; with no rejoicings in God, no delight, as once, in his service; they may be brooding over real or fancied injuries and privations, angry with an ungodly world, desponding for the state of the Church of Christ, fancying they are left almost alone and comfortless in the world, and almost longing for the wilderness, the cave, the solitary place, or even speedy death. Christian, what dost thou here in this state of mind? How shall I help to restore thee to duty, to peace, and comfortable state of mind? Is it by the whirlwind, the earthquake, and the fire; by telling thee of God's displeasure with a godless world, and also with thy present declensions from him? I come rather, as my Lord bids me, and as the example before us, with the still small voice, which, if a believer indeed, thou hast already heard in other and happier days. I am to ask, "What dost thou here? Is this the way of duty?" I am to urge thee to turn again to thy rest, to go back to active service; to use God's messages of mercy to thyself, to use kindness, and mercy, and all mild persuasive arts, recommended by the Gospel of peace. Let it be with you, as it is always with backsliders truly returned to God, a greater tenderness and gratitude filling the soul, a livelier sense of sin penetrating the spirit, a stronger and more simple faith pervading the heart, a closer and more humble walk with God characterizing the life.

Let this subject next speak a word to any who may be excessively discouraged at the aspect of the times. There are some who think that we at this day are almost entering another golden age of liberty, of intellect far surpassing in wisdom any of our forefathers, of liberality, and even of religious improvement. There are, at the same time, others, who think our liberty is fast degenerating into licentiousness, our intellectual wisdom into practical folly, our liberality into infidelity; and as to religious improvements we scarcely see our tokens as we once did. Such as those, to whom I now speak, are tempted almost to despond in activity, to forsake the foundering vessel, and to betake themselves to the solitary rock, to mourn in secret. "How are the faithful minished from among the children of men!" But, if in this spirit, we must hear the question, "What dost thou here Elijah? Is this the post of duty?" If times are bad, it is every Christian's duty to try to mend them: we want our Elijahs in the midst of the busy stir of men. If a man has Scriptural principle, now let him express it firmly, yet meekly, with John the Baptist's boldness, and with John the Evangelist's love, for Christ and for his cause. Let each return to practical duties, and carry them out in Christian life, and God will not be wanting to his Church: though an Elijah may be removed, his mantle shall fall with a double portion of the Spirit upon Elisha.

Therefore let no pious Christian despair, despair cuts the very nerves of effort; fear paralyzes all exertion. If the enemies of truth and righteousness are active, let us be active also, but in a better spirit, and depending on a better

strength. And let not pious Christians think they stand alone in the world; the Lord is with them; and if he is with them, who can effectually be against them? Oh, lie has still his secret ones, whether we know them or not; there are still more than seven thousand who will not bow their knee to the god of this world. And even if the ungodly are at times more numerous, the pious servants of God have a weight of influence which ungodliness never can possess. The same subject would bring a word to those in that other state of mind, who are expecting the world to be regenerated, (I believe they use the very word, though it is a Scriptural word)-to be regenerated by principles which hardly pretend to be derived from revelation-who talk of the Scripture as suited only to the Jew, who think they have found some new remedy for the moral misery of men. Such may see the whirlwind scatter ruin and desolation around, they may see the foundations of the earth put out of course; they may have the fire of intellect and eloquence; but remember the Lord was not in the whirlwind, in the earthquake, and in the fire. God's method for improving man, for regenerating sinners, for regenerating the world, if the world is to be regenerated-God's method is, the still small voice of revealed truth: if this is heard and heeded, if this penetrates the hearts and influences the lives of individuals, if this breathes in the spirit and character of a country, then those individuals are happy, that country is blessed. But if men will not hear this still small voice, then comes impending wrath-the whirlwind, the earthquake, and the fire in desolating judgments.

Sinners, unconverted sinners, I have hardly hinted at that thought which our subject may yet bring home, because I would rather win you by the voice of mercy but will it not be thus in the end with them who persist in impenitence and sin? Now is indeed the time for the still small voice, which speaks to you by ministers, which breathes in the very air of the gentle Sabbath as often as it comes round, which whispers continually in your conscience, which winds round and round the heart, as if anxious to find a place of admittance. Then it speaks to you in sickness and pain, in the painful feeling of declining health, in the pallid countenance; nature seems to second the call of nature's God, and bids you accept the Gospel, that still small voice of mercy which tells of a helper in sickness and sorrow, of a strength in weakness, of a joy full of immortality even in death itself. Some of you have heard that voice in other ways: the loss of a beloved friend caused you to hear that still small voice which speaks to you of Christ and his consolation: your trials in business might have had this same meaning: the instruction of pious parents, with their fervent prayers, all desire that you should hear and attend to this voice. And yet, brethren, I say, here you are unconverted and impenitent still. Oh, I can tell you of judgments to come if you will continue such: but I almost shrink from the painful duty; I linger still, in hopes that you will even yet hear this still small voice of mercy and of peace. It still speaks of pardon and salvation; it still offers all the love of Christ to sinners, and all the blessings which he has procured. It speaks from that piercing look from his mild eye; it invites you to the joy of having his Father for your Father; it implores your pity for that precious soul, which once lost, can never, never, be brought back into life again. "Why will ye die?" And if still proud and impenitent, and determined to go away careless as you came, then, I would address you again and again,

if the opportunity be found. I would give you no rest in your sins until you accept of Christ and his salvation. I would come, if I could, in some future moment, when trouble and affliction may have somewhat softened that proud spirit: but do not trust to opportunities which we may never see; but "behold, now is the accepted time; now is the day of salvation."

But if you will not hear it, if any here will live and die impenitent, ungodly persons, then there must come the whirlwind of desolation, sweeping away your hope, with all its plans and excuses, as with the besom of destruction. The earth will quake to its very centre, and in vain will you then call to the mountains and the rocks to cover you from the face of the Lamb; and then, too, will be the fire which never shall be quenched, the lake of brimstone, the worm that never dieth. And will there be no still small voice of mercy then? There will for some; there will for all who now repent and believe the Gospel. You have many a message of mercy now on earth, in that still small voice of God, in his word, and in his grace, speaking home to the heart: and in that day, amid the tremendous terrors of judgment for the enemies of God, for you there will be a voice, soft, gracious, penetrating, saying, "Come ye blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." But no such voice as that will ever speak peace to the lost; "Depart from me, ye cursed, I know ye not," shall be their sentence.

But choose now that better part. My last words this evening must be again and again the message of grace: I almost thought that I had lost it. I was almost afraid that some to whom I have preached this evening would be among the lost for eternity. My God says, "How shall I give thee up, Ephraim?" (this is the still small voice again) "How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together." Therefore in the spirit of our God's own words, "Turn ye, turn ye," I ask, "why will ye die?" Hear yet the voice of mercy; be persuaded yet to repent; open your heart to receive Christ in his offers of mercy; and go and realize through him, and through the blessed influences of his Holy Spirit— go and realize for yourself all the joys of salvation, and all that peace which passeth understanding.

THE SPIRITUAL SLAVERY OF MAN.

REV. T. BINNEY.

KING'S WEIGH HOUSE CHAPEL, AUGUST 1, 1834.

"If the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."-JOHN, viii. 36.

It is unnecessary to enter into any explanation of the occasion of our present service. I observe that the most of you are those that were here this morning ; and you are aware that we assemble in this place to-day, to celebrate that great act, to which reference has been already made, by which eight hundred thousand of our fellow beings in our West India Colonies, hitherto held in unjust and degrading bondage, enter upon a new state of liberty and enjoyment. The subject was largely adverted to this morning, and it is not my intention to go over that ground again. Indeed, after two or three introductory observations, I wish almost to lose sight of the West India slaves altogether, and I wish to come to another sort of slavery; I wish to come to another subject nearer home; and I desire, by the help of God, which I humbly implore, and desire you to implore for me, to close the services of this day, by seeking some spiritual improvement, some practical advantage, by taking the subject of the emancipation of the slaves, and turning it to ourselves, to our spiritual condition with respect to sin, and whether we have realized the beautiful representation of the text " If the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

I mentioned that I should do this after two or three introductory observations. I do not wish to damp the joy that pervaded the assembly this morning, and that I doubt not is felt now by many hearts, in which I sympathize myself, and which I wish to cherish; but I think it right to state, that there are two or three circumstances which very materially moderate our joy and feeling to-day. It is proper to remember, that the great mass of the slaves do not enter to-day upon absolute freedom: they enter upon a middle and a mitigated state; the provision is, that they are to enter on a state of apprenticeship-a sort of middle state, between absolute slavery and absolute freedom. I give no opinion, but I merely state the fact. In one or two of the Colonies, however, they have gone further than the Act itself; in Antigua, especially, where they do not enter upon the apprenticeship state, but to-day they enter upon full, unfettered, perfect liberty and in the Island of Antigua, according to account, this day is to be set apart, on which all the churches and chapels are to be opened, and the service of God performed, for the purpose of expressing the high joy of the population who enter on absolute freedom. With respect to the others, they enter on a

: