4. From all the penal consequences of sin —
[At the very bar of judgment itself they stand with great boldness. The curses of the Law infuse no terror into their minds ; because they can point to " Him who has redeemed them from its curse, having liimself become a curse for them'." " To them there is no condemnation ™ : " to them remains nothing but unbounded, everlasting bliss — ]
Address —
1. Those who have confidence without fear —
[This is the state of the world at large But such
confidence is presumption " : it is " the broken and contrite
soul, and that alone, which God will not despise ;" To
them, therefore, would I say, " Awtike, and arise ; and Christ will give you light °."]
2. Those who have fear without confidence —
[Brethren, you should not so dishonour your Lord and Saviour. If only you have such a fear of God as humbles you before him, and makes you desire truly and unfeignedly to serve him, what reason have you to entertain any doubt of his v.'ilUngness to save you ? Has God become a man for you, and died upon the cross for you ; and is he ordering every thing for you, both in heaven and earth ; and should you not trust in him? Be ashamed of entertaining such unworthy thoughts of him, and cast yourseh'es altogether upon him both for time and for eternity ]
3. Those who have the happiness of uniting both — [This is the state in which you should both live and die.
It is the due mixture of fear and confidence which will bring you to that holy frame in which God most delights p. Pie would have you ever to " rejoice with trembhng," and to tremble v/itli rejoicing — ]
1 Gal. iii. 13. n^ Rom. viii. 1.
n Deut, xxix. 19, 20. and 1 Tliess. v. 3. ° Eph. v. 14.
P Actsix. 31. and Ps. cxv. 13.