seem to reign in this place; and in order to recover and secure you therefrom, I beg leave to impress upon your minds the consideration of the amazing worth of your precious and immortal souls; I mention this in particular, because nothing can do you any good until you sensibly feel the force and importance of this consideration.

Christ, who well knew the worth of souls, says, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" The worth of souls appears from many considerations. I shall just mention these thirteen.

1. The soul proceeded from God in a different sense and manner from any part of the creation besides.

2. The soul hath in itself an intrinsic excellency, worthy of that divine original from whence it sprang.

3. It is a subject capable of grace and glory. 4. The great preparations God makes for souls in his kingdom, speak their infinite worth.

5. The price with which they are redeemed, proclaims their value in the most expressive manner. Christ shed his own most precious blood to redeem and save the souls of men from sin. O dear souls, if you think little of yourselves, God did not think lightly of you, or he never would have sent the darling of his heart to suffer such shame and pain on your account. The blood of God, as it is called, Acts xx. 28, is of infinite value; and yet no less a price than

this would answer the purpose; no, "not thousands of rams, and ten thousands of rivers of oil," nor could our first born, and the choicest fruit of our bodies, take away the sin of our souls. O ponder seriously upon this! I have been exceedingly astonished when I have heard men make a jest of the concerns of their souls, tri- . fling with them in the most careless manner, and selling them for vanity and songs, when I considered the price that has been paid for them. God was not in jest when he gave his only begotten Son out of his bosom; Christ was not in jest when he lived and died for the good of mankind; and, oh! what madness is it for men to neglect and trifle with their own souls!

"He that

6. Eternity itself seems stamped upon the very actions of men, and even upon their words and thoughts; they pass not away unnoticed, I but follow them into the other world. In this world we sow, in the next we reap; soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting; he that soweth iniquity, shall reap vanity; they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same; they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind; they that sow in tears, shall reap in joy; sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." This evidences the dignity and transcendant worth of the soul, that all its actions here are like 'seeds sown for a future state.

7. Both heaven and hell strive for the soul of man, and this contention speaks it a most precious and invaluable treasure.

8. There is great joy in heaven among the angels, and great rage in hell among the devils, when a soul turns to God; and that which makes Christ, saints, and angels rejoice, is no light or trifling thing; and therefore it is evident that the soul is very precious.

9. The institution of gospel ordinances, &c. (compared in the scripture to a lamp fed with golden oil) for the express purpose of saving souls, is no small evidence of their value. The preciousness of the light of the gospel shows that the work to be accomplished by the same is of the greatest importance.

10. The great encouragement and rewards that God promiseth to them that win souls proclaim their worth, and the great value that God sets upon them.

"He that winneth souls is wise; and they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righte ousness, as the stars for ever and ever."

11. The dreadful threatenings of God against such as neglect souls are great proofs of their worth. These thunder bolts are found in many places in scripture, but especially in Ezek. iii. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. and chap. xxxiii. from the beginning to the end of the 9th verse, where God assures the unfaithful watchman, that the blood of those who perish through his neglect shall be required at his hand. O dreadful thought! Therefore I desire to clear my gar

ments of your blood, which is my intention in this serious address; and I beg you all to take the warnings that I give you, that you may be

saved.

12. The tender care that God manifests for souls and the concern that he has for their welfare, are great evidences of their worth; for why should the Lord manifest a great regard for the soul, except it were exceeding precious?

"O that they were wise! that they understood this! that they would consider their latter end!" This is the language of a kind and. compassionate God, and shows that he highly values the souls of men. And he forbids us all to do any thing that may occasion the loss or ruin of our precious souls.

Lastly, and to mention no more evidences of the worth of souls: the angels of God being their guardians and attendants, is sufficient to shew that they are exceedingly valuable.

These things which have been mentioned, are only short hints; a volume might be wrote upon the subject; but what has been said is sufficient to show the worth of your souls, and that it is the greatest madness in the world to neglect the care of them.

O what an immense loss must it be to lose your souls! Let me plead with you, in the most earnest and affectionate manner, no longer to trifle with such important concerns as those of salvation are. I could freely come upon my knees, to beg that you would attend to this one thing needful," the care of the soul; for

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this I am willing to labour night and day; to suffer reproach and scorn; yea, I am willing to spend and be spent, if I might be instrumental in bringing you to a proper concern about the salvation of your souls. Oh! how have I been often shocked to hear poor wretches call upon their Maker for damnation upon their precious souls! what! does that damnation, that for a long time neither lingreth nor slumbereth, come so slow, that they must needs call for it so earnestly, and frequently! Oh! if I could weep even tears of blood, they should be shed for the folly and madness of those who thus cast themselves away, and value not their souls at all, tho' the glorious God values them so highly.

If you desire the salvation of your souls, pray be kind enough to take the following advice ! :

Quit all vain company and conversation as much as possible, for until you do this, all serious advice is lost upon you; as vain, trifling, foolish talking and jesting, naturally tend to root out at all serious consideration.

Keep company as much as possible, with such who are truly in earnest for themselves and others.. It is more dangerous to keep company with light, vain and carnal professors of religion, than with the people of the world in general, for they sometimes draw you more effectually into levity than the openly profane would do. Beware of infidelity, and of those who profess and plead for it; the chance is wholly against them; for should they who deny revelation be in the ight (the contrary of which is easily proved)