appointed for us both summer and winter, the spring, and likewise the fall of the leaf again; so hath he ordained a time of light and a time of darkness, a time of salvation and a time of destruction. And no man may say unto him, Why dost thou thus? These things seem good in his eyes, and therefore what art thou, O man, that will call God to account why he doth this, or why he doth that? Rom. ix. Thus it pleaseth God, and standeth with his good will, oftentimes to show us his light, and the glory of his gospel; and oftentimes again to take the same from us, and leave us altogether in blindness, altogether in ignorance, altogether in utter darkness.

For so he hath said by Amos his prophet, I will send hunger upon the earth, not the hunger of bread, nor the thirst of water, but hunger to hear the word of the Lord; so that they shall go from one sea to the other, yea, from the north to the east, running about to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it, Amos viii. Christ himself also, in the gospel, saith, The kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, Matt. xxi.

Good people, let us consider that God, of his goodness, hath sent unto us this acceptable time, the time of mercy and grace; that he hath delivered us from the horrible thraldom that we sometime lived in; that God hath put away the blindness, and dispersed that great darkness whereunder the whole world was sometime whelmed, that we may now worship him in spirit and holiness, without superstition or idolatry; that we may now walk in the light without any error or wandering. And this great blessing of his, whoso seeth not, I pray God open his eyes, that he may both see and understand it.

Let us not, good brethren, let us not take this grace of God in vain; let us not despise this gospel of Christ, whereby the whole world is saved. God knoweth how long this acceptable time, this time of grace, this time of salvation, shall last and continue amongst us. And what knowest thou, O thou man, whether by one only sermon many may not be converted, and won to the faith of Jesus Christ? St. Peter, by one only sermon, converted five thousand people.

St. Jerome hath a saying worthy to be noted, and it is this: "I know not whether that soul may be saved, which is negligent in hearing the word of God and the gospel of his salvation preached." I now not, saith he, whether such a

soul may be saved! Alas! good brethren, we are not able to save you; God is your only Saviour and Redeemer; we are but God's messengers, sent unto you; we are but helpers appointed to exhort you to the gospel of God, and to open unto you the glory of your salvation.

If you then will wilfully refuse to hear God's holy word, and will not embrace the same, we cannot save you; we are not able to work your salvation. I myself rose up ever betimes, to warn my people, saith God by his prophet, Jeremiah vii.; I myself stand all the day at the gate, crying unto them to commune with them, yet would they not hear; I called unto them, yet would they not answer me.

O my dear brethren, God knocketh; let us open the gates of our hearts unto him; he calleth, let us hear him; he crieth, and willeth us to come up to him. O therefore let us run, let us make haste, let us fly unto him. I have ever stretched out my hands to an unfaithful people, saith God by his prophet, Isaiah lxv.; all the day long have I stretched out mine arms unto a people that will not hear me; all the day long have I stretched out mine hands unto them, and yet they will not know me; I have sent you the acceptable time; I have given you the days of grace, the days of mercy, the days of salvation.

O then let us not receive this acceptable time in vain; let us not take this grace of God in vain; let us remember how many thousands of people perish this day for want of the gospel of God, and knowledge of his holy word. We are they whom God hath called to be his children, whom he hath appointed to be saved, whom he hath received to his grace and mercy.

If we have any great policy; if we have any great knowledge; if we have any learning, riches, wealth, and felicity in this world; let us consider that we have them from God alone; that God giveth us our policy; that God giveth us our knowledge; that God giveth us our learning; that he alone giveth us our riches, our wealth, and all other felicity that we have in this life. O then let us not take these great gifts of God in vain; let us not take these graces of his in vain. Let our lives so shine before men, that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father which is in heaven. Amen.

THE END.