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MED.

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by obeying the divine law-not by "submitting to human law. What has "been the consequence? I have sinned "and-am here."

The conclusion of this short reasoning is obvious:-" the soul that sinneth, it "shall die: the son shall not bear the

iniquity of the father, neither shall "the father bear the iniquity of the "son: the righteousness of the righ"teous shall be upon him, and the "wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him."

Here, then, prisoner! thou hast prepared a load of guilt for thine own shoulders. Thou hast been accumulating that guilt for many years. Thou wast conceived and born in sin; this truth, both nature and revelation taught thee, and thy experience hath confirmed it. But the goodness of God did not intend thee to perish. His infinite benevolence only proposed to try thee, and pointed out a road for that purpose: "this is the way, walk ye in it.",

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But that way you never found; you MED. never sought. One fatal sin was followed by another more fatal. Mountain was heaped upon mountain, till you thought yourself above all worldly fear. Yet the hour came, and you have fallen. "The fortress of the high "fort of thy wall hath God brought "down, laid low, and brought to the 66 ground, even to the dust *."

There is no position more necessary to be believed in the whole record of salvation than that death is the consé

quence of sin. We see it, and feel it, in our nature, we are taught it by revelation; it gives an impulse to our religious meditations, and, by divine grace, rescues us from final misery and ruin. If we go back to the history of the first man in paradise, we shall find it, however different in circumstances, little more than a transcript of our own. We indeed carry about us the marks

* Isaiah xxv. 12.

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MED. of his fall; but we find enough of disobedience attached to every thought, word, and action, to be satisfied that we have no merit of our own to present before Him who gave us faculties worthily to adore him. If we scrutinize our own hearts a little more narrowly, we shall discover further, that our failings are not merely of a negative nature; we possess a positive degree of iniquity, which renders us wholly obnoxious to the Divine displeasure. If Justice then be an attribute of Divinity, God is concerned to support his laws by the infliction of punishment; and as his justice is eternal, so is his punishment eternal also. "Oh! terri"ble voice of most just judgment * !" is the language of our Church; nor can any object to the exclamation, who feel the power of sin sit heavy on their souls.

This is the true point to which I would bring those who are sorrowing * Commination Service.

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for their sins; as it is only from hence MED. that they can spring forward for relief. We must first be sensible that we want help, before we think it necessary to hold forth our hand, and crave assist

ance.

"Cursed is every one that continueth "not in all the things which are writ"ten in the book of the law to do "them *." The things written in the book of the law rise up in judgment against us, who have transgressed them. The commandments of God are among the things written in the law, and are comprehensive of all other duties, whether they relate to God, our neighbour, or ourselves. If therefore we have, in any one instance, wilfully transgressed the law of God, (and, God knows! in innumerable instances we must acknowledge ourselves guilty) we are liable to punishment; and unless this punishment be remitted, without doubt

*Gal. iii. 10.

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MED. we must perish everlastingly. Whatever severity there may appear to be in this doctrine, it is absolutely true, if the Gospel itself be true. But “ it is "not the will of God that any of his "little ones should perish *." It is not the pleasure of God to drive his creatures to despair. A merciful intention is disclosed, and it is their own fault if they do not accept it. We have reason to bless God for this revelation of his will; and that salvation may be found by those who earnestly desire it: but then we must seek for it with an ardour equal to its value. We must believe ourselves on the point of perishing, otherwise we shall not exert that energy, or call for that support, which our critical situation demands. Is death the consequence of sin? Then let us renounce or avoid sin, as we would the mouth of the pit of destruction. But beware, sinner! of that self

* Matt. xviii. 14.

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