world and you, so that to the whole camp of Israel you are patterns of courage and fidelity0? Be assured, your conduct must resemble theirs : your faith, your hope, your love, your zeal, must operate to the production of a life like theirs, if you would attain the same testimony from God, and the same happy issue of your labours ]
2. What will your state very shortly be ?
[Death is spreading its desolations far and wide ; and, whether by sweeping judgments or a more silent process, is terminating the career of thousands ; so that in the space of forty years a whole generation, as it were, passes away from the face of the earth. But do all go to one place 1 O ! could we but follow the spirits of departed men into the pre- sence of their God, as we follow their bodies to the grave, what scenes should we behold ? In some happy cases, we should behold them seated on thrones of glory, and crowned with immortal bliss: but in how many cases should we see them hurled from the tribunal of their God into the bottom- less abyss of hell, and cast for ever into the lake that burnetii with fire and brimstone — sad monuments of human folly, and objects of God's everlasting wrath and indignation! Indeed, my Brethren, this is no vain conceit ; it is a reality : it is an event that is taking place every moment ; and in the space of another day may be realized in you. Is it not time for you to inquire, whether you have turned unfeignedly to God, as reconciled to you in the Son of his love ; or whether you are
" sinning stillp?" Remember, that " the goodness and
patience and long-suffering of God, which have been so long exercised towards you, are intended to bring you to repent- ance*1." I pray you, despise not these mercies, as the Israelites did in the wilderness, and as thousands around us do : but " to-day, whilst it is yet called to-day," bear in mind the doom that befel them, lest " ye also, having the same promise of entering into God's rest, should at last come short of itr."]
0 Numb, xxxii. 12.
P Here the particular dispensation, whether of war, famine, pes- tilence, sudden death, or any other calamity, may be urged as a call from God to personal self-examination, and preparation for death.
<J Rom. ii. 4. r Heb. iv. 1.