you may vindicate yourselves as you will, and be as confident as you please ; but " God's word shall stand, and not yours ;" and the day shall surely come, when your pride, and unbelief, and rebellion, shall meet with their deserved recompence at
the hands of God It was the boast of the Jews that
they had antiquity and authority on their side °. But what did it avail them that " they had kings and princes on their side," and that they did nothing but what was done daily " in the streets of Jerusalem? " Did this lessen their guilt, or screen them from punishment? So, then, know ye also, that how- ever broad the way be wherein ye walk, it will lead you to destruction ; and that " though hand join in hand, the wicked, how great or numerous soever they be, shall not go un- punished."]
Let me now address,
1. Those who disregard our testimony —
[Whether it be in deeds only, or in words also, that ye reject our word, know ye of a truth, that it shall come to pass, and " a difference shall be put between him who serveth God, and him who serveth him not." What this prophet said to those who " refused to be ashamed of their abominations," and to every one of his instructions replied, " We will not hearken," that I say to you : "In the day that God shall visit for sin, ye shall be cast down, and perish p." You may say, as boldly as you will, " Let us break his bands asunder, and cast away his cords from us:" but God laughs at your pride q ; for " he sees that your day is coming." May God Almighty awaken you from your security, ere it be too late !]
2. Those who tremble at the word of God —
[This is a state of mind which becomes every sinner in the universe1. Cultivate it, I pray you, more and more : and, in any engagements which you may enter into with God, un- dertake nothing in your own strength. Be assured, that of yourselves you can do nothing ; and that all your ability, even for the most acknowledged duties, must be from the Lord alone. Yet, whatsoever ye have vowed unto the Lord, remem- ber to pay it : " It were better never to vow, than to vow and not pay." At the same time, take the word of God as your guide : whatsoever He commands you, do it, without consider- ing what its effect may be on your present interests. In an obedient attention to God's will you need fear no evil: for " who is he that shall really harm you, if ye be followers of that which is goods?" But, if you will dissemble with God,
0 ver. 17. p Jer. vi. 15 — 17. « Ps. ii. 3, 4.
1 Isai. lxvi. 2. s Jer. xlii. 11, 12. with 1 Pet. iii. 13.