bim be Anathema Maranatha *. He must and will fall under the curfe and condemnation of the law, and be punished with everlafting deftruction from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of his power. To day, therefore, while it is called to day (for tomorrow is not ours) may you hear his voice, and flee for refuge to the hope fet before you! Car. xvi. 22. SER SERMON IV. THE LORD COMING TO HIS TEMPLE. MALACHI iii. 1-3. The Lord, whom ye feek, fhall fuddenly come to his temple; even the messenger of the covenant in whom ye delight: Behold, he shall come, faith the Lord of hofts. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's fope-And he shall purify the fons of Levi-that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. WHEREUNTO fhall we liken the people of this generation, and to what are they like? I represent to myself a number of perfons of various characters, involved in one common charge of high treafon. They * Luke vii. 31. are are already in a state of confinement, but not yet brought to their trial. The facts, howeyer, are so plain, and the evidence against them so strong and pointed, that there is not the least doubt of their guilt being fully proved, and that nothing but a pardon can preferve them from punishment. In this fituation, it should feem their wisdom, to avail themselves of every expedient in their power for obtaining mercy. But they are entirely regardless of their danger, and wholly taken up with contriving methods of amufing themfelves, that they may pass away the term of their imprisonment with as much chearfulness as poffible. Among other resources, they call in the affistance of mufic. And amidst a great variety of fubjects in this way, they are particularly pleased with one. They chuse to make the folemnities of their impending trial, the character of their judge, the methods of his procedure, and the awful fentence to which they are expofed, the groundwork of a mufical entertainment. And, as if they were quite unconcerned in the event, their attention is chiefly fixed upon the skill of the composer, in adapting the style of his mufic, to the very folemn language and fubject ject with which they are trifling. The king, however, out of his great clemency and compaffion towards those who have no pity for themselves, prevents them with his goodness. Undefired by them, he fends them a gracious meffage. He affures them that he is unwilling they should suffer: he requires, yea, he entreats them to fubmit. He points out a way in which their confeffion and fubmiffion fhall be certainly accepted; and in this way, which he condescends to prescribe, he offers them a free and a full pardon. Butinstead of taking a fingle ftep towards a compliance with his goodness, they set his message likewife to mufic; and this, together with a defcription of their prefent ftate, and of the fearful doom awaiting them if they continue obftinate, is fung for their diverfion, accompanied with the found of cornet, flute, harp, fackbut, pfaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of inftruments *. Surely, if such a case as I have fuppofed could be found in real life, though I might admire the mufical taste of these people, I should commiferate their infenfibility! * Dan. iii. 5. But VOL. I. |