mine, if ye neglect this advice. I cannot, I will not suppose, that a single soul can treat it with levity or derision. If ye neglect exhortations and admonitions of this kind, ye may have to lament it to eternity: I, also, shall have to lament, that the truly warm and affectionate spirit which has dictated many discourses from this pulpit, and this discourse in particular, has not produced the intended effect. But I solemnly appeal to that God of all wisdom and knowledge, whose precious and glorious attributes I have been laying before you this day with the Gospel of His Son, that no earthly thing in which I am concerned could give me one-thousandth part of the gratification which I should receive on finding, that, not the few, but the many, not the little, but the great flock in this city were manifestly growing in grace and the knowledge of their Saviour—were turning from dead works to serve the living God-were praying incessantly, with the Apostles in my text, for an "increase of faith ;"-and that, therefore, after this our pilgrimage on earth was finished, we were all of the number of those who should meet together again in the blessed mansions of everlasting rest.

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SERMON VIII.

PROV. xiv. 9.

Fools make a mock at sin.

THE original of this passage will bear another translation, not, indeed, materially different in sense: nevertheless, it may deserve to be mentioned, as it has a tendency to illustrate the views of the inspired writer. "Fools make a mock at sin." The other translation is, "Fools have a method of interpreting, palliating, excusing, or explaining away their sins." No doubt this method of treating sin, by which men strive to hide its real enormity from their own eyes, as well as from the eyes of others, is, to all intents and purposes, treating sin with levity, making a mock at sin, turning it into a jest, and making the most serious subject in the world a matter of diversion and merriment. To hear a man, for example,

undertake to defend falsehood, debauchery, duelling, under the specious names of discretion, address, spirit, and courage, what is all this but making a mock at sin?

I propose not, however, to insist on any alteration in the translation; for the more usual sense of the words in the Book of Proverbs, where they occur in various places, is, to make a mock at sin, or to sport with sin; to deride or scorn sin; and the like. The other sense, however to excuse, to interpret, and explain away sin-may very well be included, as it seems to illustrate the manner in which foolish men make a mock at sin. Such men see nothing of its destructive nature. Sin appears to them a trifle: and their own personal sins are very slight matters indeed; there is in them nothing on account of which they think it worth while to be very uneasy. Then they have very much to say in defence of them, or at least in their palliation. There are scarcely any enormities, however dreadful, but they can put some plausible colour on them. Now all this is really making a light thing, a jest, a mock of sin. Such men scorn and deride those who view sin in a serious light, as a great evil, offensive to God

and destructive of human happiness. Moreover, at bottom it is a detestable and most unholy pride of heart, attended with much contempt and much ignorance of God's attributes, which leads men to this conduct and in this way it is that "fools make a mock at sin.'

I know not that I should go too far, were I to affirm that this method of treating sin was never more fashionable than at present. Certainly there are not many sinful practices you can mention, but they have some advocates, some vouchers, some who scruple not to defend or palliate them. They find out that either the thing itself is not so enormous, but admits of much extenuation; or the circumstances under which it was committed were

very unusual, and very trying. "It was an unhappy thing," say they; "it was unfortunate: but the temptation was great: we must not be harsh judges of one another; the best of us might have fallen into the same sins, had we been in the same situation."-There is no end of this way of talking and reasoning; there is no length to which it may not proceed; and it is the effect of that deplorable, common ignorance of Scripture

principles which prevails among both the higher and lower orders of people; the effect of that neglect and contempt of catechising youth, and of disciplining them by Bible rules from their infant years. Hence it is that the consciences of men are become so stupid and senseless, notwithstanding all the affectation of extreme sensibility. Hence the fear of God is looked on as superstition, and the love of God as enthusiasm. Alas! brethren, what can I say, to induce many of those who have had opportunities for years of opening their eyes to Gospel light, yet still go on and "make a mock at sin"-what can I say, to induce them to consider seriously the subject before us? There is no want of charity in the charge which I now venture to make: one may always make the very same charge upon any considerable congregation throughout this whole country, which nevertheless calls itself Christian,-so little is there among us of true practical Christianity. God be praised! the light of the everlasting Gospel has shone into many hearts; yet not so but that there is yet too much reason to ask, "Lord, are there few that be saved?" and too much reason to