swallow up and annihilate every other consideration of it, as the meridian sun reduces to non-existence, as it were, the twinkling of a star. It is from this consideration of it that every sin derives its chief enormity. Dropping therefore any further reference to David's crime, we shall endeavour to shew in general,
I. The malignity of sin as an offence against God — Men in general think little of sin, except as it affects the welfare of society : as an offence against God, it is scarcely ever deemed worthy of notice. But every sin, of whatever kind, necessarily strikes at God himself: it implies,
1 . A forgetfulness of his presence — •
[He is omnipresent ; nor is any thing hid from h's all-seeing
eye But, when we commit sin, we lose all recollection
that God's eye is upon us ; we say in our hearts, " The Lord shall not see; neither shall the God of Jacob regard if":" *' How shall God know? Is there knowledge with the Most High*^? " " Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he cannot see®." This is no deduction of ours, but the declaration of God himself : and the truth of it is evident : for, if even the presence of a fellow-creature is sufficient to overawe men, so that they cannot perpetrate crimes to which they are most strongly tempted ; much more would the presence of Almighty God restrain us, if vve were conscious that he was inspecting and witnessing all the secrets of our hearts.]
2. A contempt of his authority —
[God, as the great Lawgiver, requires obedience to his laws, every one of which bears the impress of divine authority upon it. But in violating his commands, we trample on his authority, and say in effect, " I am at my own disposal : who is Lord over me*^?" "Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice? I know not the Lord; neither will I obey his voiced :" " 1 will not have this man to reign over me"^." We have a striking exemplification of this in the conduct of the Jews, who, con- trary to God's command, would go down into Egypt: "As for the word that thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord, (said they to Jeremiah,) we will not hearken unto thee; but we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth'." Thus, as God himself says, '^We not only forget him, but cast him behind our back''."]