Читать книгу Plain Parochial Sermons, preached in the Parish Church of Bolton-le-Moors онлайн

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You perceive here the object of the Apostle’s preaching; it was, that all mankind, we among the number, might be brought acquainted with the glorious scheme of eternal redemption, and be made partakers of its unspeakable blessings. And is there a heart so cold, as not to beat with gratitude, in the remembrance of such mercy; as not to take an interest in such a testimony of divine love? If we knew no particulars respecting it, the very announcement and promise of an infinite treasure, of a treasure in the mansions of eternity, were sufficient to awaken our most profound attention: it often does so, when carried by the missionary to the heathen and the stranger; they, who never heard before the good tidings of salvation, are arrested by the voice of the messenger, and hang upon his lips with a longing anxiety, and receive his message to the comfort of their souls: and can we remain unmoved by such considerations; we, who know the purport of the heavenly message; we, who profess to believe that it is sent for our everlasting salvation from sin and death; to reconcile us to an offended God, to deliver us from the intolerable bondage of Satan, to make us happy while we live, happy when we die, happy for ever in another world, in the kingdom of heaven? Though the mercy is too great to be adequately understood, though “the love of Christ passeth knowledge,” shall this prevent us from contemplation and enquiry? shall we not rather, on this very account, entertain a more fervent desire to understand and know, of this mystery of goodness, all that is possible to be known? Whoever, indeed, has not this desire, cannot take any lively interest in the revelation which he professes to believe, cannot have sincerely embraced it; knowing, as he does, the subject and purpose of the gospel, he is in a worse situation than many an ignorant heathen; his heart more hard and unimpressible; his eyes more closed against the light; his affections more difficult to be roused and engaged. May the Lord touch the heart of all such heedless professors; or the very publicans and sinners, the darkest and most despised of the earth, will “enter into the kingdom of heaven before them.”