the decisions of our courts against him. Every member of the community, of whatever denomina- tion or description, is sure to have his cause atten- tively heard, and impartially determined.
These things cannot but create a love to our con- stitution in the mind of every man, who rightly appreciates the blessings of civil and religious liberty. And I pray God that the laws of our country may ever continue to be thus respected, and to be thus dispensed.
The observation now made, has been suggested by the first part of Eli's admonition. Another obser- vation we may offer, arising from the obvious con- nexion which subsists between that and the latter member of the text ; namely,
II. That there are many things, not cognizable by human lazos, which zaill be brought to trial before the Judge of quick and dead.
Man's tribunal is erected principally for judging things which particularly affect the welfare of society ; and, in criminal causes, respect is had to actions rather than to thoughts, or at least to actions as the evidences of our thoughts. But at the tribunal of God, every thing which affected the divine govern- ment will be brought forward, the sins against God, as well as sins against our fellow-creatures ; the sins of omission, as well as of commission ; the sins of thought and desire, as well as those of purpose and of act. There is not any one action of our lives that will not then be weighed in the balance of the sanctuary ; there is not a word of our lips, which will not then bear its proper stamp of piety, or trans- gression : there is not so much as a thought of our hearts, that will not receive its just mark of appro- bation or displeasure. We are expressly told, that " God in that day will judge the secrets of men ; that he will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the heart ;" and that " he will then reward every man according to what he hath done, whether it be good or evil ;" " to