us for our transgressions. Whether our transgressions have been more or less heinous, his right is the same, and our danger is the same, if we be overtaken by his avenging arm. We may urge many pleas in extenuation of our guilt ; but they will be of no avail. We may not have been so bad as others ; but we "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God :" — " every mouth therefore must be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God." The very calling of Christ by the name, Saviour, is a plain confession, that in ourselves we are lost ; for " he came to save only that which was lost."
Further proof of this being unnecessary, we pro- ceed to observe next,
That there is but one way for our escape —
There were many cities in Canaan ; but none afforded protection to the man-slayer, except those which had been separated for that express purpose. We too may think that there are many refuges for us ; but all, except one, will be found " refuges of lies, which will be swept away with the besom of destruction." Repentances, reformations, alms- deeds, are all good and proper in their place ; but none of them, nor all together, can ward off the sword of divine vengeance, or afford security to our souls. Christ is the only refuge : his blood alone can expiate our guilt : " his name is the tower to which we are to run for safety ;" " neither is there any other name given under heaven whereby we can be saved." The man-slayer might perchance escape the vigilance of the avenger, or, if overtaken, might successfully with- stand him : but who can elude the search of the Almighty, or resist his power ? The hope is vain. We must flee to Christ, or perish for ever.
The urgency of the case is methinks a sufficient reason for our fleeing to Christ with all expedition. But if we need any further stimulus, let us reflect on the next hint suggested by the text ; namely,
That they who flee to the appointed refuge are safe for ever —
The man-slayer might stand within the gates of