times so trying, should conduct himself so as not to fall into the condemnation pronounced against the lukewarm, half Christian.

But this would lead us into an inquiry, of which the present time will not allow.

I will only say, that the subject is not a fanciful one, but one of solid practical importance-at least if it be of importance to us to know whether or not we are true members of Christ's spiritual body, and whether our life and practice be such as will (not satisfy other people or ourselves, that possibly they may do; but whether they are such as will) evince us, in the last day of account, to have been (however imperfect yet) sincere, loving, and zealous disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ.

SERMON XXI.

FEARLESSNESS UNDER GOD'S JUDGMENTS.

JER. XXXVI. 24.

"Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words."

PERHAPS one may venture to say, that there is no part of the Old Testament more worthy of the careful attention of all serious persons, than that which relates to the history of the Jews, during the period from the death of King Solomon to the Babylonish captivitybeing a space of about three hundred and seventy years.

For immediately after Solomon's death, that great revolution took place, when, owing to the folly of his son and successor Rhehoboam, together with the pride of the people engendered by long prosperity, ten tribes revolted, and established for themselves a separate kingdom under Jeroboam the son of Nebat. Two tribes only remained faithful to their lawful sovereign.

Thus were there two rival kingdoms-Israel containing ten tribes, and Judah only two, constantly (as might be expected) at variance with each other, and so taken up with worldly politics, as to become, as time went on, more and more estranged from the pure worship of Jehovah their God. Of these two kingdoms Israel was the worst-a fact not difficult to account for, as from other causes so from this, that Jerusalem and its holy temple being within the kingdom of Judah, it was always an object with the kings of Israel to restrain their subjects from going thither to worship. They therefore erected and encouraged, what one may call, schismatical places of worship (or as they are called

in the book of Amos, chapels), in two parts of their dominions, namely, Bethel in the south, and Dan in the north, as much more convenient, and making of the lowest of the people priests of the high places, they effectually loosened in men's minds all practical regard— first to the ordinances of Jehovah, and then to Jehovah himself. Thus the kingdom of Israel grew corrupt very rapidly, and by God's just judgments was carried captive into Assyria, never more to be restored, after they had subsisted as a distinct nation, from Jeroboam the the first king to Hosea the last king, about two hundred and fifty-four years. But Judah was allowed to remain another century in all (as I said), three hundred and seventy years, and then the measure of her iniquity also being filled up, she was carried captive to Babylon, for an appointed term of seventy years, the city and temple being destroyed, and the whole land laid utterly desolate.

Just as this eventful crisis was coming on, the wicked Jehoiakim being then king of Judah, this word came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, "Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day. It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin." See here the infinite mercy of our heavenly Father, how does he declare himself ready to change his purposes of punishment, if we will but return from our evil way.

All these warnings, Jeremiah, being "shut up," could not deliver to the people. Whereupon he directed his faithful scribe Baruch to execute the commission for him.

"Go thou (said he), and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the words of the Lord, in the ears of the people, in the Lord's house, upon the fasting-day."-"It may be they will present their sup

plication before the Lord, and will return every one. from his evil way: for great is the anger and the fury that the Lord hath pronounced against this people." Baruch accordingly did as Jeremiah commanded him, both then and (as it appears) the next year after. For in the first verse of this chapter compared with the eighth, it is mentioned that it was the fourth year of Jehoiakim, when the writing of the roll and first reading of it took place. And then again from the ninth verse it appears in the fifth year, in the ninth month, a solemn fast being proclaimed for all Judah, Baruch took the opportunity to read once more the solemn threatenings denounced by Jeremiah, before all the people, as they stood in the great court of the temple.

Of his having done this, word was brought to the king's chief counsellors of state, mentioned by name at the twelfth verse-and they immediately sent to Baruch, desiring him to bring the roll, and let them hear it also. "And it came to pass (the history says), when they had heard all the words," that is, the threatenings denounced against Judah and Jerusalem, "they were afraid both one and other, and said unto Baruch, we will surely tell the king of all these words." Being themselves (for the time at least) deeply affected, they thought it their duty to let the king know all the circumstances; at the same time, being aware of his cruel disposition, they advised Baruch and Jeremiah to conceal themselves. They went in to the king into the court, not however taking the roll with them-perhaps apprehensive that he might injure or destroy it, but they told all the words in the ears of the king; "all the words," that is, the purport of all the prophecies. So the king sent a person to fetch the roll, probably even then intending to show his bold presumptuous contempt of God and his warnings.

For thus the history proceeds. "The king sat in the winter-house, and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him. And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, and though three of his counsellors made intercession to him that he would not burn the roll, he would not hear them, but cut it with VOL. I.-17

the pen-knife and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth."

"Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants, that heard all these words."

To all persons, who have on their hearts any serious sense of religious truth, any reverence for the great name of God, any awe of his judgments-such conduct as this must appear both fearful and surprising—surprising, that men should hear such tremendous denunciations of the divine vengeance with indifference, and fearful, at the apprehension of that seven-fold wrath of the Almighty, which must surely await those who so dare to despise and defy him-must await them, I say, if not in this present world, yet certainly in that day, when it will be too late to repent.

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Now then, whosoever of you are sincerely anxious to preserve your hearts a deep and lasting sense of the ineffable majesty of the great Almighty God, and of the terribleness of his judgments against sin and sinnerslet me ask you, whether it is not plainly one of the signs of these times, that men are so much disposed, like the wicked Jehoiakim and his servants, to encourage in themselves, and in one another, a spirit of fearless, shameless, unfeeling defiance of our great God and Savior, of his judicial warnings, and his righteous laws: they will not be afraid, nor rend their garments, though they have heard all these words;" a spirit, surely, in some respects more alarming even than that of pretended infidelity itself. For with the infidel there is at least the name of reason, the profession of being open to conviction; but for him who allows the truth of God's word, and the sure approach of a day of account, and and yet deliberately lives as if these things were no concern of his-what more can be done? what remedy can be thought of.

If you urge on the thoughts of such an one the terrors denounced in Scripture against those who obey not the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, he will answer that he