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of any kind. For the success of all you speak or do, trust not in yourself, but in the great Author of every good and perfect gift. Therefore, while you are speaking, continually lift up your heart to Him that worketh all in all. And whatsoever is spoken in the spirit of prayer, will not fall to the ground.

6. So much for the spirit wherewith you should speak when you reprove your neighbour. I now proceed to the outward manner. It has been frequently found that the prefacing a reproof with a frank profession of good-will has caused what was spoken to sink deep into the heart. This will generally have a far better effect, than that grand fashionable engine,—flattery, by means of which the men of the world have often done surprising things. But the very same things, yea, far greater, have much oftener been effected by a plain and artless declaration of disinterested love. When you feel God has kindled this flame in your heart, hide it not: Give it full vent! It will pierce like lightning. The stout, the hard-hearted, will melt before you, and know that God is with you of a truth.

7. Although it is certain that the main point in reproving is, to do it with a right spirit, yet it must also be allowed, there are several little circumstances with regard to the outward manner, which are by no means without their use, and therefore are not to be despised. One of these is, whenever you reprove, do it with great seriousness; so that as you really are in earnest, you may likewise appear so to be. A ludicrous reproof makes little impression, and is soon forgot; besides, that many times it is taken ill, as if you ridiculed the person you reprove. And indeed those who are not accustomed to make jests, do not take it well to be jested upon. One means of giving a serious air to what you speak, is, as often as may be, to use the very words of Scripture. Frequently we find the word of God, even in a private conversation, has a peculiar energy; and the sinner, when he expects it least, feels it "sharper than a two-edged sword."

8. Yet there are some exceptions to this general rule of reproving seriously. There are some exempt cases, wherein, as a good judge of human nature observes,

Ridiculum acri fortius ;

a little well-placed raillery will pierce deeper than solid arguBut this has place chiefly, when we have to do with those who are strangers to religion. And when we condescend

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to give a ludicrous reproof to a person of this character, it seems we are authorized so to do, by that advice of Solomon, " Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.”

9. The manner of the reproof may, in other respects too, be varied according to the occasion. Sometimes you may find it proper to use many words, to express your sense at large. At other times, you may judge it more expedient to use few words, perhaps a single sentence; and at others, it may be advisable to use no words at all, but a gesture, a sigh, or a look, particularly when the person you would reprove is greatly your superior. And frequently, this silent kind of reproof will be attended by the power of God, and, consequently, have a far better effect than a long and laboured discourse.

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10. Once more: Remember the remark of Solomon, word spoken in season how good is it!" It is true, if you are providentially called to reprove any one whom you are not likely to see any more, you are to snatch the present opportunity, and to " speak in season or "out of season;" but with them whom you have frequent opportunities of seeing, you may wait for a fair occasion. Here the advice of the Poet has place. You may speak

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Si validus, si lætus erit, si denique poscit :

When he is in a good humour, or when he asks it you. Here you may catch the

Mollia tempora fandi,

time when his mind is in a soft, mild frame: And then God will both teach you how to speak, and give a blessing to what is spoken.

11. But here let me guard you against one mistake. It passes for an indisputable maxim, "Never attempt to reprove a man when he is intoxicated with drink." Reproof, it is said, `is then thrown away, and can have no good effect. I dare not say so. I have seen not a few clear instances of the contrary. Take one: Many years ago, passing by a man in Moorfields, who was so drunk he could hardly stand, I put a paper into his hand. He looked at it, and said, "A Word-A Word to a Drunkard,—that is me,-Sir, Sir! I am wrong,-I know I am wrong,-pray let me talk a little with you." He held me by the hand a full half-hour: And I believe he got drunk no more. 12. I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, do not

despise poor drunkards! Have compassion on them! Be instant with them in season and out of season! Let not shame, or fear of men, prevent your pulling these brands out of the burning: Many of them are self-condemned:

Nor do they not discern the evil plight
That they are in ;

but they despair; they have no hope of escaping out of it; and they sink into it still deeper, because none else has any hope for them! "Sinners of every other sort," said a venerable old Clergyman, “have I frequently known converted to God. But an habitual drunkard I have never known converted." But I have known five hundred, perhaps five thousand. Ho! Art thou one who readest these words? Then hear thou the words of the Lord! I have a message from God unto thee, O sinner! Thus saith the Lord, Cast not away thy hope. I have not forgotten thee. He that tells thee there is no help is a liar from the beginning! Look up! Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world! This day is salvation come to thy soul: Only see that thou despise not him that speaketh! Just now he saith unto thee, "Son, be of good cheer! Thy sins are forgiven thee!"

13. Lastly: You that are diligent in this labour of love, see that you be not discouraged, although, after you have used your best endeavours, you should see no present fruit. You have need of patience, and then, "after ye have done the will of God" herein, the harvest will come. Never be "weary of well-doing; in due time ye shall reap, if ye faint not." Copy after Abraham, who "against hope still believed in hope." "Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days."

14. I have now only a few words to add unto you, my brethren, who are vulgarly called Methodists. I never heard or read of any considerable revival of religion which was not attended with a spirit of reproving. I believe it cannot be otherwise; for what is faith, unless it worketh by love? Thus it was in every part of England when the present revival of religion began, about fifty years ago: All the subjects of that revival, -all the Methodists, so called, in every place, were reprovers of outward sin. And, indeed, so are all that, "being justified by faith, have peace with God through Jesus Christ." Such

they are at first; and if they use that precious gift, it will never be taken away. Come, brethren, in the name of God, let us →begin again! Rich or poor, let us all arise as one man; and in anywise let every man "rebuke his neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him!" Then shall all Great Britain and Ireland know that we do not "" go a warfare at our own cost: Yea, "God shall bless us, and all the ends of the world shall fear him."

SERMON LXVI.

THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

"Ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" Matthew xvi. 3.

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1. THE entire passage runs thus: "The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather; for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to-day; for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" 2. "The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came: In general, these were quite opposite to each other; but it is no uncommon thing for the children of the world to lay aside their opposition to each other, (at least for a season,) and cordially to unite in opposing the children of God. "And tempting;" that is, making a trial whether he was indeed sent of God; “desired him that he would show them a sign from heaven;" which they believed no false prophet was able to do. It is not improbable, they imagined this would convince them that he was really sent from God. "He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather; for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to-day; for the sky is red and lowring." Probably there were more certain signs of fair and foul weather in their climate than there are in ours.

"O ye hypocrites,"-making profession of love, while you have enmity in your hearts,-"ye can discern the face of the sky," and judge thereby what the weather will be; "but can ye not discern the signs of the times," when God brings his first-begotten Son into the world?

3. Let us more particularly inquire, First, What were the times whereof our Lord here speaks; and what were the signs whereby those times were to be distinguished from all others? We may then inquire, Secondly, What are the times which we have reason to believe are now at hand; and how is it that all who are called Christians do not discern the signs of these times?

I. 1. Let us, in the First place, inquire, What times were those concerning which our Lord is here speaking? It is easy to answer: The times of the Messiah; the times ordained before the foundation of the world, wherein it pleased God to give his only-begotten Son, to take our nature upon him, to be "found in ́fashion as a man," to live a life of sorrow and pain, and at length to be "obedient unto death, even the death of the cross," to the end that "whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life." This was the important time, the signs whereof the Pharisees and Sadducees could not discern. Clear as they were in themselves, yet so thick a veil was upon the heart of these men that they did not discern the tokens of his coming, though foretold so long before.

2. But what were those signs of the coming of that Just One which had been so long and so clearly foretold, and whereby they might easily have discerned those times, had not the veil been on their heart? They are many in number; but it may suffice to mention a few of them. One of the first is that pointed out in the solemn words spoken by Jacob a little before his death: (Gen. xlix. 10:) "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come." All both ancient and modern Jews agree, that by Shiloh we are to understand the Messiah; who was therefore to come, according to the prophecy, "before the sceptre," that is, the sovereignty, 'departed from Judah." But it did, without controversy, depart from Judah at this very time ;-an infallible sign that at this very time Shiloh, that is, the Messiah, came.

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3. A Second eminent sign of those times, the times of the coming of the Messiah, is given us in the third chapter of the prophecy of Malachi: “Behold, I send my messenger, and he

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