speak the truth of God, "whether men will hear, or whether they will forbear*^." And when men say to us, " Prophesy mi to us smooth things, prophesy deceits®," our answer must be like that of Micaiah, " As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak *^." God has plainly told us, that "if we seek to please men, we cannot be the servants of Jesus Christ s."]
2. It is of the utmost importance to all to whom we speak —
[It is to be expected that men who look to us for instruc- tion will imbibe the sentiments we convey. And if we deceive them in relation to temporal matters, the mistake, though injurious, may be rectified : but if we mislead them in their everlasting concerns, the consequence must be fatal. It is doubtless a great misfortune to any, if, like Ahab, they be betrayed by false prophets and by blind guides : but, like Ahab, they will reap the bitter fruits of such erroneous coun- sels. Oui- blessed Lord, by a very simple figure, conveys to us this truth in a most convincing way : " If the blind lead the bluid, shall they not both fall into the ditch''?" We cannot doubt of this, in relation to this world ; nor is there any more reason to doubt of it in relation to eternity. It will be no excuse to any, especially to any who have had the Scriptures in their hands, that they were deceived. They had access to the fountain of knowledge ; and they might have obtained by prayer the influences of the Holy Spirit to instruct them : and therefore they are altogether responsible for the errors they have imbibed, and for the counsels they have followed. In them will surely be fulfilled that declaration of the prophet, "The leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed'."]
3. The salvation of our own souls depends upon it —
[As from God we have received our commission, so to God are we responsible for our execution of it. In truth, so awful is our responsibility, that nothing but a conviction that " a dispensation is committed to us," and that we are " called to it by the Holy Ghost," could prevail upon us to undertake the office of ministering to immortal souls. Hear what God him- self has spoken to us : " Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel : therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked. Thou shalt surely die ; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked
d Ezek. ii. 6, 7. « Isai. xxx. 9, 10. f ver. 14.
e Gal. i. 10. ^ Matt. xv. 14, * Isai. ix. 16.