nations of christendom, I unhesitatingly affirm that it may be committed now, and that it is committed every year by hundreds and thousands of poor obstinate wretches who shall never--never be forgiven. For though our relations to a former dispensation and to other institutions are not precisely those of the Jews, yet our relation to the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the same. The same word that was preached unto them, is preached unto us. The same duties which were required of them, are required of us. The same Spirit which gave efficacy to that word and prompted to christian duty then, is in operation now. The laws of our nature and of the economy of grace are the same now as they were then. And why then may not the same unpardonable sin be committed at the present day? It is true we have not the evidence of miracles performed in our own presence to resist. It is true we have no selfish and erroneous conceptions of an expected Messiah to lead us on to infidelity. But we have evidences equal if not superior to those against which the Pharisees sinned. They had the evidence of miracles, we have the accumulated evidence of centuries.

Again, all the essential circumstances connected with this sin, and all the indications which it furnishes we have every day exhibited to our senses. I believe that ministers and pious people often mistake in attributing a want of success in Gospel efforts in any particular community to some deficiency in pulpit performances. The fault may sometimes be there; but more frequently in the incorrigible tempers of those who attend them. The Gospel is not altogether omnipotent. Its success depends a great deal more upon the manner in which it is received, than the manner in which it is presented. I do not underrate wisdom and fidelity in the ministry. But I cannot resist the conviction, that the frequent and final apostasies of men who seemed to set out well in the christian course, and that heaven-daring and resolved suppression of religious feeling and determined and unconquerable opposition to the claims of God and of the soul shown by so many, exhibit all the features of the unpardonable sin. How frequently do we meet with men of honorable feelings and genteel deportment in all their worldly associations, who are characterized with a most incorrigible hardness as regards the claims of religion and the soul. We see them passing through the most trying and impressive scenes, without once being melted by the most moving exhibitions of Divine tenderness,

or the least alarmed at all that is appalling in the Divine judgments. Their hearts seem totally dead to all moral sensibility. If we hold up to their view the crimson wickedness of their natures and lives, they exhibit no relentings nor remorse. If we paint to their imaginations in all solemnity the horrors which await the impenitent in eternity, they pass it off with a smile. If we point them to the sunny land of promise and tell them of the joys of the ransomed, they sigh in consciousness that such are not their joys, but then turn away their eyes in utter forgetfulness. Nothing seems to seize upon their minds, or to wake up the least emotion in the dark chambers of their sullen hearts. All the enginery of truth plays upon them to no effect. And I have no doubt that every faithful minister in the land, or in the world, can testify to the existence of such characters. Upon what ground then is this sad state of things to be accounted for? Where is an explanation of this remarkable phenomenon to be found? My hearers, the history of such men in their relation to the Gospel is obvious and uniform. They are themselves the monuments, the living records of their own conduct. Wherever you meet with one of them, lay it down as a thing decided without any further inquiry, that he has committed, or is on the verge of committing the unpardonable sin. The Gospel of Christ with every one of them has been the object of most decided opposition. They have opposed it until opposition to sacred things has become the prevailing bent of their nature. They have resisted the Spirit until all its influences are quenched. They have acted against the clear convictions of conscience, until conscience and their whole moral constitution has been blunted and "seared as with a hot iron." You may see the Cain-like scowl upon their brows which their own hands have set as the index of approaching perdition. They have given moral death a hold upon their vitals which can no more be broken. And just as dead bodies float in unconsciousness down a stream of water, so they now glide along the stream of time only to be aroused to the true sense of their condition as they sink into the vortex of eternity. And by running your recollection round the sphere of your own acquaintance, no doubt every one of you can single some individual whom you know to have encountered many a hard struggle with the Spirit of God, and to have received many a heavy arrow of conviction deeply into his heart; but who has carried on his opposition to

God and the light of his own conscience until he has no more feeling on the subject of religion than if his heart were carved of adamant. Whatever others may call this, I contend that it exhibits. all the essential features of the unpardonable sin of which the Bible speaks, and proves beyond question that it may be committed even in our day.

There are yet a few other aspects of this subject which it would be interesting to consider. But with all the brevity with which I have been able to present what you have now received, a brevity too which I fear has done some injustice to the argument, I find that my hour is past. In conclusion then permit me to ask, what effect has the delivery of these truths produced upon your minds? Have they inspired you who still oppose the claims of religion upon your souls with the sentiment, that your depravity has not yet reached its highest pitch, and consequently you are yet safe for heaven? Have they led you in any shape to lay the flattering unction to your souls, that the unpardonable sin has not yet been added to the catalogue of your crimes? Do you still feel composed and serene? Is there this moment no agitation in your breasts? Have you no serious apprehensions that probably you have gone too far? I will not express a fear that any now before me have passed the bounds of forgiveness; for such seldom have either interest or curiosity enough to enter the enclosures of the sanctuary. But I will say, in the name of the God who hears me and will finally judge me, if these awful truths do not make you serious or excite your fears, you have but one step more to take and your damnation will be inevitable!. A few more insults to the Spirit--a few more suppressions of the voice of conscience-a few more refusals to repent and the conflict will be over but the victory forever lost! Already some of you can listen to all the touching scenes of the Savior's history without the kindling of a single emotion. Already can you listen to all the moving tenderness of a beseeching God without the slightest disposition to obey him. Already you can look the swelling judgments of the Almighty-the solemnities of death--the imposing realities of eternity directly in the face with an unflinching calmness. All this betokens that the precious harvest time of your salvation is near its close. One slender shred alone sustains your hopes of heaven. It is not the purpose of repentance at some future day. Your present conduct is to decide

the bliss or wo of your immortality? If you rush at once to the feet of your injured Savior, heaven shall yet be your home. If you yield and submit to him now, the harps-the robes--the palms --the crowns which glitter in the promises shall yet be yours. But if you resolve now again to postpone the matter, the Scriptures do not warrant me to say there is any hope for you. Then by all that is moving in tenderness-by all that is solemn in death and judgment--by all that is horrible in hell-by all that is glorious in heaven, I conjure you to repent-repent-Repent! Now!

LECTURE XV.

THE ESSENTIAL ACCOMPANIMENTS AND HIGHEST STATE OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER.

Heb. vi. 9-12. But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: that ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

THE apostle having expatiated as we saw in the last lecture, upon the utter hopelessness of those who should apostatize, here softens down his address into a most friendly application to those to whom he more particularly wrote. He calls them "beloved," and expresses his happy persuasion that such would not be their conduct and doom, but that they would go on with a diligence and faith which would eventually result in salvation. Nor does he make this remark as a rash presumption. The grounds upon which the persuasion is based, are the good works and labors of love which they had wrought for the name of God. They had contributed, and were yet contributing to the support and comfort of the poor christians, who were suffering persecution in Judea. This was a purely disinterested charity, flowing from their love to the Lord Jesus; and was one of the things which evinced their common sympathy and identity with the cause of christianity. Seeing them thus committed on the side of the Savior, and bringing forth some of the fruits of christian life, Paul was led to hope that they would not renounce the faith and thus render themselves undone eternally.

One lesson taught us in the text, which I here announce as the first proposition of this discourse, is, that all true christians always have some marks by which they are designated. It was a custom of some of the ancients to wear physical marks of their religion.— They frequently tattooed their faces and hands, or other portions of the body, by drawing the images, or writing the names of their gods, or by giving some sign which showed the order of their re