same.

condemnable, so long as I outwardly observe the But God's law goes to the root, and to the heart, condemning me for the inward motion, though outwardly I live most holily. As for example: provided I kill no man, though in my heart I hate him, man's law condemns me not: but God's law does. And why? It sees the fountain whence the evil springs. If hatred were taken from the heart, murder could never be perpetrated. Inasmuch, therefore, as this outward evil springs from the inward corruption; and since God's law is spiritual, so should it be spiritually understood, if we would come to the true knowledge of our sins. For of this inward corruption, reason knows but little or nothing. I had not known lust to have been sin, says St. Paul, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. Let us, then, look into our hearts; and, seeing the foul spots with which they are stained, the sooner shall we be moved to sorrow and repentance.

But if, neither by prayer, nor by looking in God's law, thine unbelieving heart feels no sorrow for thy sins, turn thine eye towards the penalty. Cursed is every one, saith God, that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

Tell me, my brother, why do you so lightly consider God's curse, that for your sins past you are so careless, as though you had made a covenant with death and damnation, as the wicked did in the

days of Isaiah? Is not the anger of a king, death? And, is the anger of the King of all kings to be lightly regarded? Like as wax melteth at the fire, says David, so do the ungodly perish at the presence of God. If, then, his face be so terrible to the wicked, what, think we, is his hand? At the face, or appearing of God's anger, the earth trembleth; but we, earth, stones, flints, tremble not at all. If a lion roar, the beasts of the forest quake with fear but, worse than beasts, we quake not at the roaring of the lion of the tribe of Judah And why? Because the curse of God, hardness of heart, is already fallen upon us: or else we could not but lament and tremble for our sins; if not for the shame of them, yet, at least, for the malediction and curse of God, which, on this account, hangs over

us.

Look upon God's anger for sin in our first parents. Were they not cast out of paradise? Were they not subjected to sorrow, labour, death? Was not the ground cursed for their sake? Do we not all, men by labouring in the sweat of their brow, women in travailing with child, and all in death, mortality, and misery, do we not all, even in this life, feel the same? And was God so angry for their sin, and will he say nothing to us for ours? Alas! how much more horrible than eating but an apple!

In the time of Noah and Lot, God destroyed the whole world with water, and the cities of Sodom

and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone from heaven. Lot's wife, by looking back, was turned into a pil lar of salt; and will our looking back again, yea, our running back again to our wickedness, do us no hurt? Pharaoh's heart was hardened, so that no miracle could convert him: if ours were in any degree soft, we should begin to sob.

Of five hundred thousand men, but two entered into the land of promise: because, saith God, they have tempted me now these ten times. And think we that God will not swear in his wrath, that we shall never enter into his rest, who have sinned so many ten times as we have hairs upon our heads?

The man that sware, and he that gathered sticks on the Sabbath-day, were stoned to death. But, surely, we must think our swearing is no sin, and that our vain and often riotous amusements on the Lord's Day are pleasing to God; or we could not but reform ourselves.

Saul's malice to David, Ahab's displeasure against Naboth, brought their blood to the ground for dogs to lick yea, their children were hanged up and slain for these transgressions. But we continue in malice, envy, murder, as though we were able to wage war with the Lord.

David's adultery with Bathsheba, was visited on the child that was the fruit of their incontinence ; on David's daughter, deflowered by her brother; on his children, one slaying another; on his wives, defiled by his own son; on himself, driven out of

his realm in his old age; and in many other instances, although he most heartily repented. But we are dearer unto God than David, though he was a man after God's own heart; or, surely, we could not but tremble and repent.

Achan's subtle theft provoked God's anger against all Israel. And our subtlety, yea, open extortion, is so dexterously managed, that God cannot espy it.

Gehazi's covetousness, brought it not the leprosy upon him and all his seed? Judas, also, hanged himself. But our covetousness is of another description. If so, the same God will deal with us accordingly.

Who, then, art thou, that God should spare thee more than these? He hateth sin now as much as ever. The longer he spares, the greater will be his vengeance. The deeper he draws his bow, the shaft will pierce the sorer. But if thy heart be still so hardened, that all this will not move thee, thou art indeed in evil case, and I know no remedy. No remedy, said I? Yes, there is one, which is sure to serve, if any thing will serve; the passion and death of Jesus Christ. The cause why Christ became man, and suffered as he suffered, was the sins of his people, that he might save them from the same. Consider the greatness of the disease, by the greatness of the physician, and the remedy. Who was the physician? No angel, no

C

saint, no archangel, no creature in heaven or in earth, but He by whom all things were made; even God's own Son.

The Lord of lords, the King of kings, the brightness of God's glory, the Son of God, in whom he is well pleased, hangs between two thieves, crying, for thee and me, and for us all, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Look upon this? Look into the very heart of Christ, pierced with a spear, wherein thou mayest see and read God's borrible anger for sin. Woe to thy hard heart that pierced it. God so loved the world, says our blessed Lord himself, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. He says not, that some might have life; but ALL. Again he says, Come unto me all ye that labour and are heary laden, and I will give you rest. And know ye not who spake it? He who is the truth. Think ye, then, that he will be untrue to thee who art sorry for thy sins? No-Heaven and earth shall pass away, but His word shall not pass away. St. Paul says, God would have all men to be saved. He excepts none And to Titus, The grace of God bringeth salvation to all men. As from Adam all have received sin to damnation, so by Christ all have grace offered to salvation, if they reject not the same. As I live, saith God, I will not the death of a sinner. Art thou a sinner? Yes.