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And such are the instructions of revela

tion, respecting Christ-his meditorial office and work, and the way and manner of the sinner's salvation by him. And many persons have had their minds much exercised in the early part of life with the descriptions of the divine holiness, and abhorrence of sin; with their own sinfulness and exposedness to the wrath of an infinitely holy God; and have been much affected with the descriptions of the wonderful condescension and sufferings of Christ for the guilty sons of men; and when these things were set before them, either in reading or hearing God's word, they have been much moved, and perhaps partially reformed. But after a time these same persons have felt little, or no influence upon their minds in the view of the same solemn things. The same may be said in respect to every part of God's holy word. When they heard God speaking to them in his word, they feared to disobey. Though they did not approve and love the divine precepts, and cordially comply with them; yet such a sense had they of their purity and holiness, and of their danger in disregarding them, that they would pay some outward respect to them. Yet these same persons after a time could hear the same precepts, and totally disregard them without any fear or concern. Thus with regard to the divine threatenings, they alarm the consciences of those, who have not, by long resisting the truth, become callous and unfeeling. The heart of the sinner is indeed always hard; but his conscience is not always seared. Divine threatenings are alarming; and it is only by a course of sin, that

persons get beyond the fear of these threatenings. A stupid conscience is acquired by a course of sin, in opposition to the threatenings of God. This habit of sinning fearlessly, in the face of the terrors of God's law, is acquired by some sinners, earlier than by others. Some persons arrive at such degrees of wickedness, and are so unapprehensive of danger, that they go on in their sinful ways, with but little fear while young. But, with sinners in general, the longer they disregard the divine threatenings, the less fears they have, until at length they can mock at the most awakening truths,, and defy all the terrors of the Lord. Are there not some among us, who think it beneath them to be restrained from the commission of any sin, which their wicked heart prompts them to commit, by any threatenings revealed in the bible against sinners ?-If such there be, they are evidences of the truth of the doctrine under consideration. Such stupidity of conscience has been acquired by a course of sinning against the truth. That there is but little hope of the reformation of old sinners, is supported by scriptural testimony, and confirmed by the observation and experience of all generations of men. True, there has been here and there an instance; but they have been seldom, and not brought about by common means, and cannot therefore be considered as an objection against the truth of our doctrine. They indeed show, that sinners never get out of the hand of God. That the conscience is never so stupified, but that God can awaken it, and bring the sinner to consideration, and pluck him by his grace from the pit of destruction. Such instances are doubt

less designed to display the sovereignty and efficacy of divine grace-to make it appear that the grace of God, and the merits of Christ are sufficient for the greatest sinners; and so to keep the sinner, whose conscience is awake, from total despair of the mercy of God. But notwithstanding all this, it follows from the spirit of the text, and the natural tendency of sin, when indulged, in opposition to repeated calls and admonitions, that there is comparatively no hope of the reformation and salvation of old sinners.

But to this it may be objected, that God is as able to convert an old sinner as a young one-that it is no more in the power of means to change the heart of the young sinner than of the old-that success in both cases dépends on divine efficacy. To this it may be answered, that though it be true, as it doubtless is, that it is not in the power of the best means ever used to change the heart; that this is effected by the regenerating influences of the Holy Spirit-and though it be granted further, as it ought to be, that divine power is as sufficient to conquer the opposition of the greatest sinner, as of the least-I say, granting all this, which is agreeable to declarations of scripture, yet it will by no means follow, that the reformation and salvation of old sinners are as probable as others. Which appears

1. From the express declaration of the inspired preacher in the text.

2. The conclusion from the objection is contradicted by experience and observation. We do not see the reformation of old sinners, as we do of others. Do we not see persons, who contract vicious habits, and in

dulge in them until the decline of life, generally carry them to their graves? If a man has been a careless, in- `attentive hearer of the gospel until old age, do we see him become otherwise? If he has disregarded the sab.. bath until then, he generally does until he dies. If he be a profane man-a dishonest man-a false man until he becomes old, how rarely does he reform!

3. To conclude that it is as likely, that old sinners will be reformed, as others, because God is able to prepare them for heaven, is as unreasonable a conclusion from the power of God, as to suppose, that stones shall be turned into children of Abraham, because God is able to do it. If we speak simply of strength, God. can as easily turn a stone into a christian, as he can change the heart of a sinner, and make him a saint. But every one can easily see, that they are events not equally probable, because they are equally objects of power. But

4. The conclusion, that the reformation of old sinners is as probable as that of others, because divine power is the cause of both, is unreasonable; because it implies that God will in fact do, what he has power to do. Is there not a mode of divine operation, both in the kingdoms of nature and grace? Will the husbandman plant his corn in autumn, or winter, because God can produce a harvest ?—Or will he scatter his seed upon the hard, unbroken soil, because God can cause it to spring? Is there not a season when every purpose, or work may be attended to, with the most probability of success?-God is bountiful; but will his bounty secure the husbandman a crop without

seasonable labour and attention? God alone can give the increase, and yet does not the hope of a crop diminish just in proportion, as the proper season of planting is neglected Has not the indolent husbandman, less and less reason to expect an harvest, every day he neglects his planting, after the proper season? Little indeed can be expected from unseasonable attention in any pursuit. If youth is suffered to pass away, in idleness, and neglect of the means of education, the proper season to acquire information is lost; and little hope remains that it will ever be sought or obtained. So the longer a person is surrounded with the means of conviction and remains stupid, the less hope there is, that his conscience will ever be awakened, and his heart impressed, and he led solicitously to inquire, what he shall do to be saved; and therefore less prospect of his ever becoming a new man.

These reasons are abundantly sufficient to account for the assertion in the text; and to show, that there is but little hope of his becoming a servant of righteousness, who has long been a servant of sin.

One solemn consideration more may be added, which is, that sinners by long resisting the means, which God uses with them in his word, and providences, expose themselves to be given up of God to a reprobate mind, and final impenitency. By often resisting the strivings of the divine Spirit, they grieve him to forsake them utterly; and this, we are informed, has been the case with obstinate sinners. This was the case with many of the Jews in the time of our Saviour, who persisted in rejecting the clear light of