But such conduct, if persisted in, will one day meet
a suitable reward —
[As God cannot be deceived, so neither \^dll he be mocked : if he have a day of grace, so has he also a day of vengeance; and that day is hastening on apace. However secure the sinner may think himself, there is an hour of " desolation, and of consequent distress and anguish coming upon him." Perhaps
a Jer. xliv. IG. b2
it may come in this life ; on a dying bed he may be filled with terror and remorse; and though, like Judas, he may confess his sill, or, Hke Esau, pray for a revocation of his sentence, his prayers may be cast out, and God laugh at his calamity. Often does God threaten this, and often has he executed his threat- enin'r ; " Go to your gods wliom ye have chosen," said he to his p'eople of old ; let them deliver you ; for I will dehver you no more"." So now does he often suggest to the mind of an awakened, but unconverted sinner, ' What will the world do for you now? What will your pleasures, your riches, or your honours profit you in this day of my wrath 'i What do you think of the seed which you have been sowing, now you begin to reap the fruit thereof?' But if God deal not with us thus in this world, most assuredly he will in the world to come. That will indeed be an hour of distress and anguish when these despisers of mercy shall stand at the tribunal of their Judge : and oh! how will he then " laugh at their calamity! how will he mock at all their fear" and terror ! ' You would not believe my word : now see whether it be true or not. You would not be persuaded that I would ever vindicate my insulted Majesty: What do you think of that matter now ? You despised me, and said, " Depart from me ; I desire not the knowledge of thy ways ! " You shall have your request : I will depart from you; and you too shall depart from me: depart, accursed, into ever- lasting fire : and though you should pray to all eternity for a mitigation of your pain, you shall never have so much as a drop of water to cool your tongue,'
Would to God that men would realize these things, and be persuaded to beheve that God is true ! But whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, we must declare what God has spoken : and, however an ignorant world may deride it as folly, we will aver it to be the " counsel of true wisdom," and the declaration of an unerring God.]
Application —
1. Let all adore the divine goodness —
[Which of us must not plead guilty to the charge of despising God ? Which of us has not persevered in a course of disobedience to him in spite of all his messages of mercy ; and i/iat too, not for days merely, but for months and years ? Yet has God exercised forbearance towards us ; and at this very instant renews to us his gracious invitations. Let us con- sider how many thousands have been cut off in their sins, while we are yet spared to hear the tidings of salvation : and " let the patience and long-suffering of God lead us to repentance."
•' Ho has threatened it, Mic. iii. 4. Jer. ii. 27, 28 ; and he lias executed it, Zech. vii. U — 13. Judg. x. 13, 14.