to observe is this that early piety is peculiarly acceptable to the God of your lives and mercies. He takes it kind-O wonderful condescension! O touching motive! he takes it "kind: I remember thee, the kind"ness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when "thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land "that was not sown."

You are forsaking the world, and willing to follow him whithersoever he goeth. You are pressing through a thousand allurements and seductions to reach him, and to say, kneeling at his footstool," whom have I in "heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I "desire beside thee." You give him the first-born of your days, the first fruits of your reason and affections And I say again-he takes it kind-"I love them "that love me, and they that seek me early shall find "me." He will guide you with his council, and afterwards receive you to glory. Should life be spared to a late period, it will only extend your course of usefulness, and with pleasure you will look back upon a life of mercy, and grace, of communion with him, and dedication to him. Found in the way of righteousness, he will view your hoary head as a crown of glory. When the day's come in which many will say, we have no pleasure, it shall be otherwise with you. Under the decays of nature, and the loss of friends of which time has robbed you; when every thing earthly has become distasteful; and you are made to possess months of "vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed unto you" -with humble boldness you may plead "cast me not "off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my "strength faileth. O God, thou hast taught me from my youth and hitherto have I declared thy won"drous works. Now also when I am old and grey"headed, O God, forsake me not: until I have shew"ed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come." And he will answer you: "even to your old age I am he and even to

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"hoary hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will "bear: even I will carry, and will deliver you.

"I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the "love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me "in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown." Amen.

DISCOURSE XXVII.

THE MISERY OF CONTENDING WITH

GOD.

Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker.-Isaiah xlv. 9,

THE life of man is held forth by various images; and it is worthy of our observation that they will apply equally to the righteous and to the wicked. For in

stance.

The christian is a traveller-and so is the sinner: only the one is journeying to heaven and the other to hell.

The christian is an husbandman-so is the sinner: both sow; only the one sows to the flesh and shall "of the flesh reap corruption; while the other sows to "the spirit, and shall of the spirit reap life everlasting."

The christian is a soldier, and we read in the scrip. ture of his commander, his enemies, and his arms; of his fightings without, and of his fears within; of his toil and of his triumph.-But if the life of the christian be a warfare, so is the life of the sinner: but there is this difference between them. The one wages a good warfare, and is crowned with glory, and honor-the other is engaged in a cause the most infamous, and covers himself with shame and confusion. The one is sure of victory-the other is certain of defeat. The one fights for God-but the other against him-and66 woe unto him that striveth with his Maker."

Let us first, mention some instances in which the sinner strives with God. And, secondly, consider the wo which his opposition necessarily entails upon him.

And, O! let me beseech you this evening to hear, not only with seriousness, but with self-application, that while I am endeavoring to lay open the crime, and the curse, you may individually ask yourselves in the presence of God, whether you are chargeable with the one, in order to determine whether you are exposed to the other.

First, let me specify some instances in which the sinner may be considered as striving with God. And here I hardly think it worth while to mention atheism, which opposes his very being, and tries to banish him from the world which he has made. Some indeed have supposed that a speculative atheist is an impossibility. I have often thought, that if such a monster can be found, he is to be found, not in a heathen, but in a christian country. How far God may give up a man to strong delusion to believe a lie, who has despised and rejected the advantages of revelation, it is not for us to determine-but "if the light that is in thee be darkness, how "great is that darkness!"

It is undeniable however that we have a multitude of practical atheists that is; we have thousands who live precisely as they would do if they believed there was no God; and are no more influenced by his presence and perfections, than if they were persuaded the scripture was a cunningly devised fable. Yea, they not only live without God in the world, but they live against him? wherein ?

First, they strive with him by transgressing his holy and righteous law. And this is done, not only by the commission of those sins which it forbids, but also by the omission of those duties which it enjoins. The man that does not love his neighbor, and strive to do him good, is therefore criminal, as well as the man who robs and oppresses him. This law is also broken by the desires of the heart as well as by the actions of the life; it is so spiritual as to apprehend murder in angry words, and adultery in wanton looks. Now every instance of disobedience is a contention with God; a da

ring struggle to determine whether we shall be govern ed by his will, or by our own.

Secondly, the sinner strives with God, by opposing the gospel. The gospel is a scheme of mercy designed to glorify God in the salvation of man, and is made known for the obedience of faith. It calls us to repentance. It calls us to renounce our own righteousness. It calls us to flee for refuge to the Saviour of sinners. If therefore we go on in our impenetency; if we endeavor to establish our own righteousness and save ourselves; if we endeavor to build a shelter, instead of repairing to the only refuge provided-we are striving with God. In the gospel, God says, come and let us reason together; but the sinner says, "depart from us, "we desire not the knowledge of thy ways." The language of the gospel, as a token of willing submission is, kiss the son the language of the sinner is, "we will "not have this man to reign over us." The language of the gospel is " go and wash in Jordon seven times; "and be clean"-the language of the sinner is, "are not "Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than "all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them and "be clean?" No. And the reason is, that your cure can only come from God, and he has determined to save you in his own way: he has revealed only one remedy ; to this the promise is made; to this he requires you to submit: and if you refuse this method, and think of becoming your own physician, you are at variance with God. And even after persons have some serious concern about their souls, they find it no easy thing to yield up themselves unreservedly to this sovereign plan? Such is the pride of reason, and the force of legality; such a difficulty is there in relinquishing all apprehension of some worthiness, and strength of their own; and such a disposition have they to make themselves. better before they rely on the Saviour that they are often detained long in opposing this gracious scheme, till increasing conviction compels them to acquiesce. And though the force of it be broken, something of the