f the vileness of
sin, of its direct opposition to a holy God, and his most holy will, of
its woful soul-damning effects, as may convince the most profane and
stout-hearted carnalist, and awake him out of his soul-destroying sleep of
security and presumption. Here are so glorious evidences of God's free and
inconceivable love to the world, in Christ Jesus the Son of his love, as
are able to enlighten with the light of consolation, the sadliest dejected
and casten down soul, under the apprehension of the curse and wrath of God
due to it for sin, and raise it up to the hope of mercy in and through so
clearly a revealed Saviour. In a word, here are to be found convictions
for atheists, piercing rebukes to the profane, clear instructions to the
ignorant, milk to babes in Christ, strong meat for the strong, strength to
the weak, quickening and reviving for such as faint in the way,
restoratives for such as are in a decay, reclamations and loud oyeses(221)
after backsliders to reveal them, breasts of consolations for Zion's
mourners, whether under the first convictions of the law, and pangs of the
new birth, or under the challenges and compunctions of heart for
recidivations and relapses after conversion, even while they are groaning
under the power and burden of the body of death, Rom. vii. And to add no
more, here are most excellent counsels and directions to serious seekers
of fellowship with God, to guide them in their way, and help them forward
to the attainment of that fulness of a joy which is to be had in
fellowship with the Father and the Son. That the Lord may bless all such
to whose hands these sermons shall come, with blessings suitable to their
soul's condition, especially the serious Christian, for whose soul's
furtherance and advancement these sermons were first penned, and now
printed, is the most affectionate desire of,

Thy servant in the gospel of our dearest Lord and Saviour, A. S.

Sermon I.

1 John i. 1.--"That which was from the beginning, which we have
heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked
upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life."

It is the great qualification of a disciple, or hearer, to be attentive
and docile, to be capable of teaching, and to apply the mind seriously to
it. It is much to get the ear of a man. If his ear be gotten, his mind is
the more easily gained. Therefore, those who professed eloquence, and
studied to persuade men