upon him. He wilfully perfeveres with open eyes in refufing to discharge the demand which he confeffes to be juft. Is this man a good fubject? What if he shouldsay to you; "I obey all the other laws; " and therefore I may gratify myself in dif"obedience to this one law ?"-" All the "laws of the land," you would reply, "reft on the fame authority. In wilfully breaking one of the laws you are guilty "of setting at nought the authority of all, A good fubject will pay equal obedience " to every law. You are not a good fubject: "the punishment which hangs over you. "is deferved." My brother! If you live. in the habit of wilfully difregarding any one of the commandments of God; apply this cafe to yourself. You acknowledge yourfelf the fubject of Chrift. You acknowledge that every branch of his law is holy and. juft and good. You are entreated by his minifters to obey him faithfully in all things. You are warned that in breaking any one of the precepts of the Gospel you are guilty of rebellion against the authority of Chrift, which equally requires the obfervance of all that no person is a real Chriftian, who does not refolve and ftrive. to obey them all. In pronouncing fentence against

9

against the disobedient fubject you have paffed judgement upon yourfelf. You are not a fincere Christian: you deferve the condemnation which awaits you.

Attend to another example. Suppofe a foldier, regular in his general obedience to the orders of his fuperiors, to refuse to march upon a particular fervice to which he is appointed. He is requested to reflect on the nature and on the confequences of his conduct. He is admonished that the fervice is in the line of duty; that it is abfolutely neceffary; that it is required from him by his lawful commander. All thefe truths he confeffes: but perfifts in refufing to obey. Will you say that, becaufe he has obeyed his officer in every other point, he is at liberty not to obey in this? Will you fay that he does not deferve fignal punishment? Since your baptifm you have avowedly been the foldiers of Jefus Chrift. You have promised obedience in all things to the Captain of your falvation. If you refuse obedience to Him in any one point, under pretence that you obey Him in all the reft; are you a faithful foldier? Do not you fet at nought his univeríal authority? Is not the judgement, which impends over you, deferved? Q2

Turn

Turn your thoughts to the duty of a fervant. Suppofe a fervant to be in his ordinary proceedings attentive to his Mafter's directions. But fuppofe also that some particular injunction of his employer he wilfully tranfgreffes. He acknowledges that the business in queftion appertains to his place. He acknowledges that his master has repeatedly ordered him to execute it. But he perfeveres in difregarding the command. Shall he allege; "I have per"formed the other work of my station; "and therefore I will not perform this? I "fubmit to my mafter's authority in other "things in this point therefore I may

defpife it?" Shall he not be told that, in defpifing his mafter's authority in one point, he defpifes it altogether, and fets himself above it? Shall he not be told that no one is a faithful and good fervant, who is not ready to perform his master's will in all things lawful and pertaining to his office? Shall he not be immediately difmiffed from the family? You profefs yourfelves the fervants of God through Chrift. If you obftinately refuse to obey Him in any one point; do not you radically deny his authority, and exalt your own will in oppofition to it? Why call 4

ye him Lord,

Lord;

Lord; and do not the things which he fays? Shall you not be expelled, as unfaithful and rebellious fervants, from the houfehold of God?

Let me prefs upon you one example more. Suppofe a child to be in the ufual tenor of its conduct obedient to its parent. In one point however it is refractory. The parent repeats his command. The child perfectly underftands it; difcerns it to be good, and intended for his own good; and is thoroughly confcious that in every particular confiftent, as this command is, with the divine law he is bound to obey his parent. But he ftill refufes to obey. Curfed be he, faith the Scripture, who fetteth light by his father or his mother (b). Is this child a dutiful child? What if he obeys in many things? By prefuming in a single inftance to determine according to his own choice whether he will obey his parent or not, does he not fet parental authority altogether at nought? Shall he, who in a fingle instance wilfully perfifts in refufing obedience to his parent, claim any fhare of thofe rewards which the parent has provided for his dutiful children? You profess yourselves to

have become through Chrift the children of God. Are you obedient children, if you have not respect unto all his commandments? If there be any one of his injunctions to which you ftubbornly refufe to bend your neck; will you justify yourself by pleading that in other cafes you have fubmitted to his will? Why do you not submit in this point alfo Because you have not the -diposition of a dutiful child. Because you prefer your own wilful inclination to the authority of your Father who is in heaven. Shall you be received into heaven? Shall obftinate rebellion inherit the recompence of the righteous? Verily the wrath of -God cometh upon all the children of difobedience.

III. You are now prepared, I apprehend, to acknowledge that when St. James in* ftructs you that to defpife the authority of God in one point is to be guilty of defpifing sit in all points; and that no man, who wil fully perfeveres in tranfgreffing one of the commandments of Chrift, has grounds for expecting to be received by Him into glory at the last day; the Apoftle delivers a doctrine. which is perfectly reasonable. It is a doctrine which in the parallel cafes of fubjects,