government of the tongue attend to this. The want of that self-command argues a radical want of the vital principle of love : and the want of that principle vitiates all that we can either do or suffer, and renders it of no value in the sight of God. He has warned us beforehand, that " he will take account even of every idle word that we speakf," and much more of every uncharitable word ; and that " by our words we shall be justified, and by our words we shall be con- demned8."]
In reflecting on this subject, we cannot but ob- serve,
1. In what an awful state they must be, who have not even the appearance of religion —
[I know that persons who have no desire after vital god- liness will bless themselves because they are not hypocrites. But is it to the credit of any, that they do not even pretend to have the fear of God in their hearts ? Is it to the credit of any, that whilst they name the name of Christ, they do not so much as profess to depart from iniquity, or to take his yoke upon them ? What is this boast, but an avowed acknowledg- ment that they are rebels against God, violaters of his laws, haters of his Christ, and contemners of his salvation ? Go ye on then, and glory that ye are not hypocrites ; — though it were easy enough to prove that you are the basest hypocrites, because you profess yourselves Christians, and would be indig- nant with any one who should dispute your title to Christian ordinances and Christian burial, whilst you give the lie to that profession by the whole tenour of your life and conversation ; — I say, go on, and glory that ye are not hypocrites. Then you shall not be condemned as hypocrites. But ye are rebels ; and, as rebels, ye shall be condemned : and that Saviour whom you now despise, will shortly say, " Bring hither those mine enemies, who would not that I should reign over them, and slay them before me." Yes, verily, if those who have so much religion as to stand high in the estimation of the Christian Church on account of it, may yet deceive themselves, and have their religion vain, much more must you deceive yourselves, if you hope to escape the judgments of God in the eternal world. If their religion will not save them, much less will your irreligion save you. Repent then, and turn unto your God in sincerity and truth. Yet look not to your reformation to save you, but to the Lord Jesus Christ, who expiated your guilt by his own blood, and offers you by my mouth the forgiveness of your sins. As an ambassador from him, I beseech you in his stead,
f Matt. xii. 3G. s Matt. xii. 37.