the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch^." " The worm," that is in their consciences, "shall never die ; and the fire that shall torment them shall never be quenched"."]
See, then. Brethren,
1. What need there is to examine the real state of your souls —
[Nothing would be more easy than to ascertain this, if you would listen to the voice of conscience : but what a fearful thing will it be to dream of heaven, till you awake in hell ! '']
2. What need there is to hve in a preparation for the eternal world —
[Whilst you are here, your character may be changed, and your bliss secured: but in the grave there is no work," &c. As you are found in death, you will exist for ever.]
f Mai. iv. 1. e Mark ix. 43—48.
'' Unfold the idea contained in Matt. vii. 22, 23.
PklCCLXXXV.
Matt. iii. 15. Thus it hecometh us to fulfil all righteousness.
TO consult, in difficult circumstances, the judgment of wise and good men, is doubtless very advisable : but to place implicit confidence in any is not expedi- ent ; since even the best of men may err. We have a very remarkable instance of the fallacy of human judgment, in the case of the Apostle Peter; who would have dissuaded the Lord Jesus from subjecting himself to those sufferings which were about to come upon him ; and who, on account of the carnality of his sen- timents, incurred the marked displeasure of his Lord^ We do not impute any measure of such blame to John the Baptist, for the unwillingness he expressed to comply with the wishes of our Lord : for he was evi- dently under the influence of a most becoming spirit, and had good grounds for the advice he offered : but still he erred ; and our blessed Lord overruled his objections, declaring, that the administration of
a Matt. xvi. 21 — 23.