are "Atheists in the world V But what impiety is this! yea, and what folly too ! If, indeed, we could withstand his power, there were some kind of excuse for us: but "will our hands be strong in the day that he shall deal with us? or can we thunder with a voice like his ?" Alas ! we must assuredly stand at his judgment-seat, and " receive from him according to what we have done in the body, wdiether it be good or evil." I call you, then, to stand in awe of him, and to tremble at his presence : for, if you refuse to fear him now, oh ! think what trembling will come upon you, when you shall be summoned to his bar, to receive your eternal doom. I pray you despise not this warning; but to-day, while it is called to-day, implore his mercy, lest he leave you to the hardness of your own hearts, and give you up to final impenitence.]
2. For encouragement —
[God is, indeed, in his holy temple, ready to hear the weeping suppliant, and mighty to save his repenting people. To the Jews of old, access was denied, yea, was denied even to the high priest himself, except on one day in the year, to the more immediate presence of their God : but for you the way into the holiest is made clear ; so that you may come with boldness and confidence to the very throne of God, whenever a sense of your necessities, or of his mercies, inclines you to approach him. When your Redeemer died, the vail was rent in twain, in order to represent to you this delightful truth. In Christ, your God is reconciled unto you : in Christ, he is ever nigh unto you, and ever ready to impart unto you all the blessings of grace and glory. Nay: He will make even your own hearts his temple ; and "will dwell in you," and "manifest himself unto you." To you, then, I will rather reverse the direction in the text, and say, "Keep not silence; but rather plead with him, and give him no rest, day or night1," till he grant you the desires of your heart. " Be not straitened in yourselves; for ye are not straitened in him." "However wide you may open your mouth, he will fill it," and will " give you exceeding abundantly above all that you can ask or think." In reference to his dealings with you, indeed, you must keep the most reverential silence : for " his ways are in the great deep;" "nor are his thoughts" at all in unison "with ours." But I again say, in reference to all your own necessities, you can never ask too much, nor ever expect too much. Only look to him as "your God;" and you shall surely find him " a God unto you."]
k Eph. ii. 12. The Greek. « Isai. Ixii. 6, 7.