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ert of wrath, upon the sinner's single self. Let us make him see and feel that he can go to hell only as a self-destroyer that it is this fact, that will give those chains their strength to hold him, and those fires the anguish of their burning. Let us if we can, make this conviction take hold of his spirit, and ring in his conscience like the note of the second death. If he trembles at the sound in his ears, then let us point him to that mercy which a dying Jesus feels for him, and tell him with the sympathies of men who have been in the same condemnation, that he need but to love and trust HIM, and heaven is his inheritance. Without derogating from the work of God's Spirit let us urge him to his duty to his duty-to his duty, as a point-blank direction to business now on hand and now to be done. With the authorised assurance that 'peradventure God may give him repentance,' let us make known to him the high command of God "strive to enter in at the strait gate”—and make him hear every voice of truth and mercy in heaven and on earth, echoing the mandate.

Then shall the ministers of reconciliation be clad with truth as with a garment, and delivering their message not only in its substance but in its true manner and form, shall commend themselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. Having his strength perfected in their weakness, they shall go forth as archangels strong,' and bidding the wide earth receive God's salvation, the bands of hell shall break, and a redeemed world return to the dominion of its God.

Finally, I cannot conclude without remarking, how fearful are the condition and prospects of the sinner. His sin is his own. He yields himself by his own free act, by his own choice, to those propensities of his nature, which under the weight of God's authority he ought to

govern. The gratification of these he makes his chief good, immortal as he is. For this he lives and actsthis he puts in the place of God-and for this, and for nothing better he tramples on God's authority and incurs his wrath. Glad would he be, to escape the guilt of it. Oh-could he persuade himself that the fault is not his own, this would wake up peace in his guilty bosom. Could he believe that God is bound to convert and save him; or even that he could make it certain that God will do it, this would allay his fears, this would stamp a darkens, and thun

bow on the cloud that thickens, and ders damnation on his guilty path. But his guilt is all his own, and a just God may leave him to his choice. He is going on to a wretched eternity, the self-made victim of its woes. Amid sabbaths and bibles, the intercessions of saints, the songs of angels, the intreaties of God's ambassadors, the accents of redeeming love, and the blood that speaketh peace, he presses on to death. God beseeching with tenderness and terror-Jesus telling him he died once and could die again to save him-mercy weeping over him day and night-heaven lifting up its everlasting gates-hell burning, and sending up its smoke of torment, and the weeping and the wailing and the gnashing of teeth, within his hearing,-and onward still he goes. See the infatuated immortal !-Fellow sinner,

IT IS YOU.

Bowels of divine compassion-length, breadth, height, depth of Jesus' love-Spirit of all grace, save him-Oh save him or he dies forever.

END.

Minister presenting his people to Christ:

A

SERMON;

PREACHED AT THE ORDINATION

OF THE

REV. WILLIAM C. FOWLER,

AS PASTOR

OVER THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH AND SOCIETY

IN GREENFIELD, MASS. AUG. 31, 1825.

BY ELEAZAR T. FITCH.

NEW-HAVEN:

PRINTED BY T. G. WOODWARD AND CO.

Sermou.*

COLOSSIANS I. 28.

Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching. every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

THE mighty energy of benevolence ran through the ministrations of that beloved servant of Jesus, the Apostle Paul. A distinct and settled purpose of his benovolence, appears in the declaration, made concerning himself and his fellow Apostles, which I have now read to you. He had previously spoken of the nature of the Kingdom of Grace which had been established on earth under Christ Jesus, and of its consummation in the presentation of the redeemed to Christ at the last day in perfect holiness; and had represented the proclamation of this mercy as not confined to his brethren the Jews, but extended to "every creature

This Sermon was also delivered at the ordination of the Rev. JOEL H. LINSLEY, over the Second Congregational Church and Society in Hartford, Feb. 25, 1824, and at the ordination of the Rev. SETH BLISS over the Congregational Church and Society in Jewett-City, June 15, 1825.

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