ordinarily proceed to these dreadful lengths. But while the blind stumble in the noon of day, MESSIAH's people fhall walk in confidence and peace*, and fhine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation †.

IV. The third verse of this chapter foretells, and therefore fecures, the converfion of the Gentiles or Heathens. The times and the seasons are in the difpofal of God, but the fcriptures must be fulfilled. Much was done in the first age of Christianity. A fingle instrument, the apostle Paul, as he himself informs us, preached the faith, which he formerly laboured to deftroy, from Jerufalem round about to Illyricum ‡, and probably much farther afterwards. And the Lord, who appointed him to this fervice, accompanied his meffage with his own power; fo that he had fignal fuccefs, in turning men from darkness to light, and from the worship of dumb idols, to ferve the living and true God; and in planting the gospel, and gathering churches in every province. The gofpel found an early reception at Rome, which facilitated its fpread into the different parts of the Roman empire. And we have reafon to believe it * Pfal. lxxxix. 15, 16. † Phil. ii. 15. Rom. xv. 19.

was

was introduced into our ifland, in a few years after our Lord's afcenfion. And though what was called the converfion of Heathen nations in fome following ages, went little farther, than to prevail on them to affume the name of Chriftians, and left them, confidered as nations, as deftitute of the spirit and bleffings of Chriftianity, as it found them; yet, I cannot doubt, that wherever the New Teftament, and the fufferings of MESSIAH were known, fome individuals, at least, experienced a real and faving change. And we are warranted to hope for ftill greater things; for a time when the grofs darkness, which as yet covers a great part of the world, shall be difpelled; and the Redeemer's kingdom, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, as a stone cut out without hands, fhall become a great mountain, and fill the whole earth *. But this pleafing fubject will come more directly under our. confideration hereafter.

V. The call in my text, may be taken in a general sense, like that of the apostle, Awake, thou that fleepest, and arife from the dead, and Chrift fhall give thee light. Natural light requires eyes to perceive it. It would be ab

* Dan. ii. 35.

† Eph. v. 14.

furd,

furd to point out the beauties of an extensive profpect to a blind man. To him the face of nature prefents only a univerfal blank. But the light of the gofpel, not only discovers the most important objects to those who can fee, but has a marvellous efficacy to open the eyes of the blind. It is the appointed instru→ ment of Divine power for this purpose. In vain would be the labour and expectation of the husbandman, if God did not afford the rain, and the snow, to water the earth, and the enlivening influences of the fun, to draw forth the tender blade, and to ripen the corn, Equally unsuccessful would the preaching of the gospel prove to finful men, though in itself it be eminently the truth and wisdom of God, exactly fuited to their state, and of the highest importance to their welfare, if he had not promised that his word, where fimply and faithfully delivered, in dependence upon his bleffing, shall not be spoken in vain, but shall certainly accomplish the end for which he has fent it. This promife, together with the experience of its truth in our own case, and our knowledge of its uniform effects in every age and country where the doctrine of the

crofs has been preached, encourages minifters to persevere in publishing the glad tidings, in defiance of all the oppofition and disappointments we meet with. We lament, but cannot wonder, that the golpel is fo generally neglected. As a difpenfation of grace, it offends the pride of man; as a difpenfation of holiness, it contradicts his defires and paffions. His fpirit is degraded, his heart is pre-engaged, he loves the prefent world, and has no more taste or inclination for a life of communion with God here, and such a heaven as the fcripture propofes hereafter, than the beafts of the field. But the Lord has faid, I will work, and who shall let it *. When he is pleafed to clothe the word preached, with the influence of his Holy Spirit, and to apply it to the confcience, it is quick, powerful, penetrating, and irresistible as lightning; it conveys a voice, which the deaf, yea, the dead, must hear; it forces a light upon the mind which cannot be evaded. Then things are seen as they are. The nature and defert of fin is apprehended, and then the gofpel is found to be the only balm for a diftreffed and wounded confcience. Therefore having the Lord's

*Ifai. xliii. 13.

com

command and promife, we are not to be difcouraged by the careleffnefs or obftinacy of those who know not what they do. We are aware of the difficulty, yea, the impoffibility of fucceeding in our endeavour to fave the fouls of our hearers, if we had only to depend upon our own arguments or earnestness. We are not to reafon, but to obey. Our business is to deliver our message, and in our happier moments to water it with our prayers and tears. When we have done this we can do no more. The event must be left with him in whofe name we fpeak. We must not suppress nor disguise what we are commanded to declare; nor wilfully make any additions of our own, to accommodate it to the taste or prejudice of our hearers Let those preach smooth things who will venture to answer, at the great tribunal, for the fouls that have mifcarried under their miniftry, we dare not. Let thofe be ashamed of the gospel of Chrift †, who feel no obligations to him for his dying love; we cannot, and by the grace of God, we will not. will glory in it. God forbid that we should glory in any thing elfe! Like Ezekiel, we * 2 Cor. iv. 2. + Rom. i 16.

We

Gal. vi. 14.