ters of " the children of God, and the children of the "devil." This divifion is the moft general and univerfal. It extends to all mankind, and by a claffification the most simple, reduces the innumerable diverfities of the human race into two orders. It enters this house, and arranges this affembly; it finds no individual in a state of neutrality; it inftantly blends each of you with thofe children of wrath, or with these heirs of glory.

It is alfo a divifion the moft ferious and eventful.. It overlooks every thing adventitious, and confiders only character. It paffes by the distinctions of speech, complexion, rank; and regards the foul and eternity. It views even the diverfities which arife from the endowments of nature, and the gifts of Providence, as nothing compared with those which fpring from faith and infidelity, holiness and fin. How foon will the difference between the learned and illiterate, tyrants and flaves, poor and rich be abolished! Death levels them all, and fends them into the world of fpirits, not as lords or vaffals; not faying, this came from a manfion, and this from a cottage. He separates by a more unchangeable rule of difcrimination. This was a true worshipper of God on earth, let him enter the temple above; this made the wicked his choice and his companions, let him be led forth with the workers of iniquity. Death decides the importance of every claim. Your true greatness is your final; and those distinc-; tions are alone worthy of your regard, which, being internal and spiritual, will adhere to you when you leave every thing else behind, and which will remain with you for ever.

Let us confider farther what refults from thefe relations. According as you are the children of God, "or the children of the devil," you are crowned with honour, or covered with difgrace. How did David prize an alliance which made him fon-in-law to the King! How vain are the people of their lineage and extraction! But to be fons and daughters of the "Lord Almighty," confers fubftantial dignity, unfading honour, in comparison with which all the glory derived from fecular nobility vanishes into fmoke. Upon this principle, what infamy attaches to the finner, who has for his father the devil, a rebel, a traitor, who forfeited his inheritance, and is bound in chains of darkness, a murderer, the most accurfed being in the univerfe! And what renders him more worthy of reproach, and draws from us execration where otherwife we should rather fhew pity, is, that this is all his choice, that he is not afhamed to acknowledge the relation; every time he fins, he calls him Father; every time he swears, flanders, takes revenge, obferve, says he, my pedigree, and behold the example I copy.

Upon thefe connections innumerable privileges or evils depend. Are you the children of God? Heaven is your home; it is your Father's house, where are many manfions. He has in referve for you an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away. And here you fhall want "no good thing." "Your heavenly Father knoweth what things ye have "need of before you ask him." Have you afflictions? He will pity you "as a Father pitieth his children." Have you infirmities? He will fpare you "as a man

"fpareth his own fon that ferveth him." Are you to be prepared for a "high calling?" You fhall" be all

taught of the Lord." Do you require care and attention? The angels fhall be your guardians: " are "they not all miniftering fpirits, fent forth to minifter "for them who fhall be the heirs of falvation?" But, my dear Hearers, I leave you to fill up the remaining article, and to think of the children of the wicked one. I leave you to reflect upon the miseries they endure from their perplexities, their fears, their paffions, and their pursuits in life. I leave you to look forward to the horrors which will devour them in a dying hour; to follow them HOME, and to contemplate their portion" WITH THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS." "The "WAY of tranfgreffors is hard."

"The END of

"these things is death."It is therefore above all things neceffary for you to know in which of thefe claffes you rank; and we are going to fhew,

II. The poffibility of afcertaining this. The children of God, and the children of the devil are MANIFEST. Observe, it is not spoken of as a future, but as a prefent discovery they ARE manifest. There is indeed a period of feparation approaching, when those who are now blended fhall be detached from each other, and mingle no more. It is called the man"ifeftation of the fons of God." "Every man's "work fhall be made manifeft, for the day fhall de"clare it." This will bring to light the hidden 66 things of darkness, and make manifeft the counfels "of the hearts, and then, fhall every man have praise "of God." "And THEN fhall ye return and difcern

"between the righteous and the wicked, between him "that ferveth God and him that ferveth him not." But even now they are to be discovered, though not fufficiently and perfectly known. They " are "manifeft." You afk, To whom?

Firft. They are manifeft to God. It is impoffible to impofe upon him; he " is not mocked." "His

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eyes are in every place, beholding the evil and "the good." He" knoweth them that are his;" "and he knoweth them that are not his; "nei"ther is there any creature that is not manifeft in "his fight but all things are naked and open unto "the eyes of him with whom we have to do."

Secondly. They are manifeft to others. The tree is known by its fruit. A good man out of the "good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good "things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure "of his heart bringeth forth evil things." The partakers of Divine Grace are defigned to be distinguished from others; they are to appear religious, as well as be fo; they are to hold forth the word of life; to reprove and convince others; their light is to "fhine "before men, that they may fee their good works, "and glorify their father who is in heaven." And furely there must be an obfervable difference between them and others. It is unreasonable to fuppofe that perfons whose principles and aims and rules of action, are not only fo widely different, but fo completely oppofite, can be undistinguishingly confounded together. The difference is not indeed fo confpicuous as it ought to be, but this arifes from the imperfect degree of their religion; for when they live as they ought,

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they declare PLAINLY that they feek a country;" "they are MANIFESTLY the epiftles of Jefus Christ, "known and read of all men.'

Thirdly. They are manifeft to themfelves. It will readily be acknowledged that it is not poffible for a man to be wicked without knowing it. He cannot live in the practice of fin, and in the omiffion of the various duties of religion; he cannot love the one and hate the other, and not be confcious of it. But is the fame true of a good man? In reply to this, fuffer me to ask two things. First. Is it not neceffary for him to be able to know his character? If promises are made to a religious ftate, how can he claim these promifes unless he can determine that he is in this state? If privileges are fufpended upon duty, how can he rejoice in these privileges, unless he can determine that he has performed this duty ? Secondly.. What is religion? An unintelligible mystery, a charm, an operation which paffes upon us and leaves no trace behind? Is it not the most serious and impreffive concern in which we were ever engaged? Does it not excite fears and hopes, joys and forrows, far fuperior to those which can arife from any other fource? Does it not involve us in a fucceffion of difficulties, oppofitions, and warfare? Is it not a general and continued courfe of action? The business of life, to which we endeavour to render every thing elfe fubordinate and fubfervient? Our prevailing aim? our chief care? And is this incapable of being known? But thefe are the views which you fhould take of religion, and by thefe your condition is to be tried; which brings us,