age amongst an ungodlj', Christ-despising people, ma}' awhile prorogue the judgment and reprieve awhile the life of sueh a people ; but if there be no change made upon them for the better, ruin must needs break in upon them.
Secondly, Consider of these few gracious ones found amongst us, that em- brace the gospel, how many are new converts, such I mean as the gospel hath of late days won to Christ ? I am afraid you will find this little number of saints chiefly to consist of old disciples, such as were wrought upon many years since. Alas! the womb of the gospel hatli been in a great measure shut up of late as to the bringing forth of souls by a thorough solid work of conversion. Indeed, if they may pass for converts that baptize themselves into a new way and form of worship, or that begin their religion with a tenet and an opinion, we have more than a good many to shew of these ; but in this old age of England's withered profession, how great a rarity is a sincere convert ! We cannot deny but God is graciously pleased to bring the pangs of the new birth now and then upon some poor souls in our assemblies, that his despised servants may have his seal to confirm tlieir ministry, and stop those moutlis which are so scornfidly opened against it ; yet, alas ! it is but here and there one : and doth not this prophesy sadly to this nation ? I am sure, when we see a tree that used to stand thick with fruit, now bring forth but little, may be an apple on this bough, and another on that, we look upon it as a dying tree. Leah com- forted hei-self from her fruitfulness, ' that therefore her husband would love her, and cleave to her,' Gen. xxix. 34. May we not, on the contrary, fear that God will not love, but leave a people when they grow barren under the means of grace ? God threatens as much, Jer. vi. 8 : ' Be instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee;' and if God departs, then he is upon his re- move as to his visible presence also ; so indeed it follows, ' lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited ?' O my brethren, those golden days of the gospel are over, when converts came flying as a cloud, as the doves to their windows in flocks. Now gospel news grows stale, few are taken with it. Though a kingdom hath much treasure and riches in it, yet if trade cease, no new bullion comes in, nor merchandise be imported, it spends upon its old stock, and must needs in time decay ; our old store of saints, the treasure of their times, wears away apace : what will become of us, if no new ones come in their room ? Alas ! when our burials are more than our births, we must needs be on the losing hand. There is a sad list of holy names taken away from us ; but where are they which are born to God? If the good go, and those which are left continue bad, yea, become worse and woi'se, we liave reason to fear that God is clearing the ground, and making way for a judgment.
Thirdly, Consider the unhappy contentions and divisions that are found among the people of God yet left upon the jilace : these prophesy sadly, the Lord knows. Contentions ever portended ill. The remarkable departures of God, recorded in Scripture, from the church of the Jews, found them wofully divided and crumbled into parties, and the Asiatic chm-ches no less. Christ sets up the light of his gospel to walk and work by, not to fight and wrangle ; and, therefore, it were no wonder at all if he should put it out, and so end the dispute. If these storms, which have been of late years upon us, and are not yet off, had but made Christians, as that did the disciples, Mark vi. 48, ply their oars, and lovingly row all one way, it had been happy ; we might then have expected Christ to come walking towards us in mercy, and help us safe to land ; but wlien we throw away the oar, and fall to strife in the ship, while the wind continues loud about us, truly we are more likely to drive Christ from us, than invite him to us; we are in a more probable way of sinking than saving of the ship and ourselves in it.
Section III. — UseZ. A word of exhortation; and first to you who yet have not closed with the terms of the gospel. Be persuaded to receive the message of the gospel kindly, believingly into your hearts ; it is the best news you can send back to heaven, as a gratulatory return for the glad tidings that the gospel brings from thence. Thy embracing Christ jJreachcd to thee in the gospel, will be as welcome news to heaven, I can tell thee, as the tidings of Christ and salvation through him can be to thee. There is joy in heaven at the conversion of a sinner. Those angels which sang Christ into the world, will not want a song when he is received into thy heart, for he came into tlie world for this end. Chri.st descended
g^O "^^^^ GOSPEL OF PEACE.