humble not thyself as an undone sinner, and flee not for refuge to the Lord Jesus Christ, the vengeance of God shall overtake thee; and thou shalt experience the fate which thou art so ready to award to others.]
2. How aggravated their guilt !
[God has graciously exercised much " forbearance and long-suffering " towards thee ; and thou takest occasion from thence to conclude well of thy state, and to sit in judgment upon others who appear less favoured than thyself. But is this the end for which God has borne with thee, and displayed towards thee all the riches of his goodness? Was not tliat the proper tendency of all " his goodness?" Should it not have humbled thee as unworthy such mercy ? Should it not have filled thy heart with gratitude for such distinguishing favour ? Should it not have quickened thee to return to God, and to requite him to the best of thy power ? Consider, " O man," whether such be not the improvement which thou shouldst have made of all these mercies ? and ask thyself, whether the neglecting to improve them thus be not in fact to " despise them ?" Yes : in overlooking thine own sins, and in passing judgment upon others, thou art "hardening thyself in impenitence," and pouring contempt on God himself. Alas ! thou hast little thought what guilt thou hast been contracting. Thou worldly man that judgest the religious, and thou reli- gious man that judgest the world, when wilt thou turn thy thoughts inward, and pass judgment on thyself? Know that, till thou art brought to a more equitable spirit, as it respects thyself, and a more charitable spirit as it respects thy neigh- bour, thou art a despiser of God, an usurper of his preroga- tive, and " a judge of the law itself," even of that law whereby thou thyself art to be judged*1. But this most awfully aug- ments thy guilt, and prepares thee daily for a more aggravated condemnation.]
3. How fearful their prospects !
[There is " a day wherein God will judge the world in righteousness." Man has his daye, and God has hisf. The present is a day of grace : but that which is coming is " a day oiivrath." What a fearful appellation is this ! a day of wrath! or, as it is elsewhere called, " the day of the perdition of ungodly meng!" O hear it, and tremble, all ye who are judging others, and neglecting to judge yourselves. Against this day ye are heaping up wrath : ye are adding to the mass day by day : load upon load, mountain upon mountain, ye are piling up;
d Jam. iv. 11. e 1 Cor. iv. 3. See the Greek.
f 1 Cor. iv. 5. « 2 Pet. hi. 7.
vol. xv. D