er far the fources of contemplation, which offer themselves to the mind.

From this little height I now discover with pleasure what those persons are employed about: They are fishing; but the scene is agreeably changed; that before was angling, this with the net: which putteth me in mind of the gospel, that is in scripture beautifully compared to a net, and the preachers of it to fishermen, Matt. xiii. 47. Mark i. 17.

In what respects the gospel, or kingdom of heaven is compared to a net, and the preachers of it to fishermen, are at present under my view.

Yonder net just let down, or rather caft into the water, is in order that it may enclose and bring to land many of the finny tribe; so the gospel, or glad tidings, is fent down from heaven to earth, and spread forth in the world by the ambassadors of Jesus; in order that sinners may be enclo fed in it, and thereby drawn out of an estate of fin and mifery, and troubled fea of human life, to the shores of eternal blifs.

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The mesh of that net, I perceive, is only fuited to catch fish of a certain fize; all below which (though the net furround them all alike) remain without being caught. In like manner, though the gospel net be spread far and wide by the preachers of it, and freely offered to finners of every defcription, none but the elect are enclosed therein, and brought to heaven: And that the rest of mankind are not caught by it, is not owing to any deficiency in the gospel itself, (which is perfectly fuited to sinners of every fize, the greatest as well as the least; none are excepted, all are invited, nay, commanded, and made welcome to come and be saved: and for our encouragement, the blessed Saviour himself hath faid, Him that cometh to me, I will in no wife cast out, John vi. 37.) but wholly owing to their own unbelief, and not being willing to comply with the gospel terms, Mark xvi. 16. Matt. xxiii. 37.

That any indeed close with Christ, is ow⚫ing to the infinite grace of God; but their rejection of him is of finners themselves. Fallen man, it is true, cannot merit salvation; but can damnation: "No man can " come unto me, except the Father which " hath sent me draw him," faith our everblessed Saviour: And again, "ye have not " chosen me, but I have chosen you," John vi. 44. and xv. 16. "For by grace are ye "saved, through faith; and that not of "yourselves, it is the gift of God," faith the man who was caught up to heaven, Eph. ii. 8.

Many indeed by a nominal profeffion are enclosed in the net of the gospel, and dragged a while through life, who shall be like the fishes that were bad in the parable, cast away at last, Matt. xiii. 48.

Yonder fishermen, I observe, fouling the stream to darken the water, so that the fish may be more easily furrounded and taken in the net. Faithful minifters of the gospel, tho' they foul not the stream of human nature, point out the corruption, defilement, and darkness it hath imbibed by the fall; so that men may become sensible of their loft and undone state, and embrace the light of the glorious gospel.

Those men I observe with poles, are searching under every brow, root, and covert; in order to push out the fish, so that they may run into the net: Exactly so do the minifters of the word by the means of the law, search out all the refuges of lies under which guilty men endeavour to shelter themselves; so that they may be driven from these haunts, and enclosed in the gofpel net.

The general mercy of God is a covert under which many endeavour to shelter themselves: God is merciful, say they, and he never made any of the human race to be damned; he is infinite in goodness, and therefore we hope he will never destroy us : "Because sentence against an evil work is " not executed speedily, therefore the heart " of the fons of men is fully fet in them to " do evil," Eccl. viii. 11. saying, with those scoffers mentioned by the apostle, "Where " is the promise of his coming? for fince " the fathers fell asleep, all things continue " as they were from the beginning of the " creation," 2 Pet. iii. 4. such despise the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long fuffering; not knowing that the goodnefs of God leadeth them to repentance, Rom. ii. 4.

In order to push finners from this general covert, minifters of the gospel, these fishers of men, useth the word of inspiration, which declareth that God will by no means clear the guilty: and the wicked shall be turned into hell, Exod. xxxiv. 7. Pfal. ix. 17. And in God's fight shall no man living be juftified, Pfal. cxliii. 2. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jefus Christ, 2 Theff. i. 7, 8. and there is no peace, faith my God, to the wicked, Ifa. lvii. 21.

Thus by terrors of the law they are driven from under the prefumptuous covert of God's general mercy: but no fooner are they fo, but they fly under another shelter equally dangerous, even confidence in the flesh, and begin to rest in external performances and carnal privileges, hoping these things will commend them to God.