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185 the preaching of the gospel, to those who reject it as well as to those who embrace it. It is indeed true, "God willeth that all men should be saved," yet from the unalterable constitution of his government, the salvation of every man cannot but depend upon his behaviour, and therefore cannot but depend upon himself, and is necessarily his own concern, in a sense in which it cannot be another's. All this the Scripture declares in a manner the most forcible and alarming: "Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself? Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him that thou makest thy ways perfect?" Job xxii, 2, 3. "If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it," Prov. ix. 12. "He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear," Ezek. iii. 27. And again, "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear: but if any man be ignorant, i.e., wilfully, let him be ignorant," 1 Cor. xiv. 38. To the same purpose are those awful words of the angel, in the person of him to whom "all judgment is committed," John V. 22; "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be," Rev. xxii. 11, 12. The righteous government of the world must be carried on; and of necessity, men shall remain the subjects of it, by being examples of its mercy or of its justice. "Life and death are set before them, and whether they like shall be given unto them," Eccl. XV. 17. They are to make their choice, and abide by it; but whichsoever their choice be, the gospel is equally a witness to them; and the purposes of Providence are answered by this witness of the gospel.

From the foregoing view of things, we should be reminded, that the same reasons which make it our duty to