their state as if there were no God to call them into judgment
But, Brethren, this is a most awful infatuation. You
do not wonder that King Belshazzar trembled, so that " the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another, when he saw the hand-writing upon the wall : but do you not wonder at your own insensibility, when ten thousand heavier judgments are written against you in this book? And what is written against you, there is no need of a prophet to interpret : it is expressed in terms plain and intelligible to the meanest capacity. Take but that one sentence : " The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the people that forget Godz." Will you not tremble at such a word as this ? Know ye as- suredly, that, whether you will believe it or not, it shall be fulfilled in its season ; and that, if it ever be executed upon you, it would have been " better for you that you had never been born." You may possibly be distinguished amongst men for rank and learning : but, if you were as great as ever Belshazzar was, yet should you find no protection from your greatness : for God's declaration is, that " though hand join in hand," and there were a confederacy of the whole world to protect you, " the wicked shall not pass unpunished."]
2. Those who are trembling for fear of the Divine judgments —
[Others may pity you because of the terror that has seized your mind : but I will congratulate you from my inmost soul. Not that terror constitutes repentance : for, in truth, it is no part of true repentance ; but it is often introductory to it : and the man that is " pricked to the heart," and led to cry out, " What shall I do ?" is " not far from the kingdom of hea- ven." Only let your sorrow for sin become more ingenuous, so as to feel like those of old: " We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us ; for we have sinned against the Lord our Goda;" and you need not fear but that " the hand- writing that is against you shall be blotted outb," and " your iniquities also be blotted out as a morning cloudc." Hear what God himself has spoken for your encouragement : " To this man will I look, even to him that is of a broken and con- trite spirit, and that trembleth at my wordd." Yes, God him- self will look upon you with complacency, and " all the angels around his throne rejoice in your behalf." Be of good comfort, then : and look to that Saviour " whose blood will cleanse you from all sin :" and fear not, but that in Him you shall be justi- fied from all the iniquities that you have ever committed6.]
7- Ps. ix. 17. a Jer. iii. 25. b Col. ii. 14.
c Isai. xliv. 22. d Isai. lxvi. 2. e Acts xiii. 39.