1. Those who disregard his Gospel —
[The Gospel of Christ ought to be universally received as " glad tidings of great joy :" but the greater part of mankind feel an aversion to it. Some dislike its fundamental doctrine of salvation by faith, and represent it as injurious to the interests of morality. Others hate the duties it enjoins, and traduce it as requiring a state of mind totally incompatible with the discharge of our offices in social and civil life. Many even of those who approve of the Gospel in their judgment, are yet very far from experiencing its power in their souls. They enjoy not its promises, they fulfil not its precepts, they know not its renovating, sanctifying effects. It may be asked, Are all these persons haters of Christ? Let Christ himself answer that question. He states, that a practical renunciation of his authority is a proof, that they are enemies to him in their hearts, and will cause them to be treated as his enemies in the day that he shall judge the world0.]
2. Those who neglect his ordinances —
[Our Lord has promised his peculiar presence to us while we seek him in the ordinances of his own appointment. Should not then the hope of enjoying his presence endear the ordinances to us, and make us regard them as our most in- estimable privilege? But how are they regarded by the generality amongst us ? Does not worldly business or pleasure often detain us needlessly from the house of God ? And when we are assembled for worship, do not our thoughts rove to the very ends of the earth, so that, though we " draw nigh to God with our lips, our hearts are far from him ? " Are not almost all persons cold and remiss in secret prayer ? And is not family religion either banished altogether, or conducted with such formality as to render it irksome and unprofitable? Our Lord left it as his dying command that we should often partake of bread and wine in remembrance of his body broken and his blood shed for us. Yet is not his table either shamefully deserted, or else profaned by impenitent, unsanctified commu- nicants ? And what construction must we put on such con- duct? Our Lord plainly tells us, that he considers them as his enemies, and that none of those who thus despise his invi- tations, shall ever taste of his supper d.]
3. Those who persecute his people — [Persecution is not carried now to the same extent that it
has been in former ages. But has it ceased ? Experience proves that there is the same enmity in the hearts of men against the faithful servants of God as ever there was. There
<• Luke xix. 14, 27. <> Lukexiv. 18, 24.