II. WHY WILL YE DIE, WHEN LIFE IS THE <lREATEST OF IILESSINGB? The life of the body, if accompanied by health and favourable circumstances, is desirable and delight- ful. No wonder that in Scripture the highest blessings of which the nature of man is capable are designated by the suggestive and comprehensive term "lire." The spirit that truly lives is open to all heavenly appeals and influence~, finds in the just exercise of its powers the fullest satisfaction, experiences the blessedness of fellowship with the ever-living God. Our Lord Christ himself came to this world, and wrought and suffered as he did, in order that "we might have life, and might have it more abundantly." The appeal of the text calls upon us to accept this priceless boon. Ill. WHY WILL YE DIE, SEEING THAT THE MEANS OF LIFE ARE WITHIN YOUR REAOH? There wonld be mockery in the appeal of the text were this not so. But he who alone can provide both the means and the end compassionately addresses those who have forfeited life and have deserved death, and urges upon them the remonstrance, "Why will )'e die?" It is a remonstrance which comes home with tenfold force to those who list.en to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, "the true God and the Eternal Life." Knowledge and faith, the Holy Spirit of God himself, and the truth which he reveals and applies to the nature of man ;-here a.re the means, here is the living agency, by which men may rise "from the death of siu unto the life of righteousness." When such means and such agency a.re provided, the guilt and folly are manifest of those who choose death rather than life. IV. WHY WILL YE DIE, WHEN GoD BD[SELI!' WISHES !!'OR YOUJl LIFE BATHER THAllT DEATH? The benevolence of the Divine nature finds expression in the virtual entreaty of the text. It is as though a kind of infatuated wilfulness were presumed to exist in the breasts of sinful men; as if, while their Maker and Judge wishes to be their Saviour, they were indisposed to accept the boon offered by his pity and loving-kindness. It is as though the eternal Lord himself, against whom sinners have offended, urged his own compassion upon those who have no pity upon themselves. V. WRY WILL YE DIE, WHEN CHRIST HAS DIED FOB YOU? He gave his life a ransom for many. The Saviour's death is represented as the redemption, the purchase price, securing the exemption from death of those who accept the provision of Divine mercy and love. The appeal is powerful which is made to sinful men not to refuse the boon so graoiously offered, a.nd secured at a price so costly. Christ died that we might live.-T. Vers. 1---4.-The Divine equity. The unbounded compassion of God is seen in his patience under human provocation, and in his repeated messages to rebellious men. There is "line upon line, precept upon precept." Every style of expostulation is adopted; every complaint silenced; for his "love is stronger than death," mightier than sin. I. GoD HAS SUPREME PROPBIETORBHil' IN MEN. "All souls are mine." This state- ment is prefaced by a "Behold!" for this was a fact overlooked by querulous men. As undisputed and irresponsible Proprietor of souls, God need give no account of his doings. Every lip of complaint ought to be dumb. And this truth has also an encouraging aspect; for as God accounts a human soul his precious property, he will provide for its security. Nowhere can we be so safe as in the hands of this Proprietor. II. GoD's SOLEMN ATTESTATION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, God's glory is his righteousness, and he deigns to make that righteousness understood and acknowledged by men. He loves to dwell in the esteem and admiration of his creatures; therefore he condescends to speak after the manner of men. He comes down to our level; and as in judicial cases we accept the testimony of men, given under the sanction of an oath, God attempts to scatter our doubts by speaking in a similar manner. That he is immacu- lately righteous, all the unsinning hosts of heaven affirm; and this shall all mankind ultimately confess. IIL SU."NING MEN ALWAYS ATTEMPT SELF-JUSTIFICATION. These murmurers in Chaldea felt the severity of their chastisement, but did not feel the gravity of their sin. They imagined that it must have been their fathers' sins which were being avenged in them. This state of mind has always been a characteristic of the sinner. "My punishment," he argues, "is in excess of my sin." Now, a part of the penalty of sin is the blinding of the mind, the perversion of the judging facultr, The man fastens hill attention on his suffering-loses si,gh.t of his secret sin, • OB. xvm. 1-32.) 'l'HE IlOOK OF THE PROPHE'r EZEKIEL. 3,'35
IV, VI0E IB ENTAILED FROM FATHER TO BON; GUILT 18 NOT ENTAILED. It has for nges been e. knotty problem among thoughtful men, whether children suffered for the sinij of their parents. Undoubtedly they suffer-they suffer in privation, in health, in reputation, in the tone of moral feeling, in the loss of high example and holy stim:1lus. But properly speaking, this is not guilt, this is not punishment. A man's vices are entailed to bis posterity. A child follows in its father's steps at first, until it learns to reflect; then often it turns away in disgust. But gui1t means sin in the light of law, and a man does not contract guilt until he understands the law and can distinguish between right and wrong. At this point, sin, if persisted in, becomes guilt, and suffering then becomes punishment. V. THE LAST PENALTY OF LAW IB ALWAYS THE EFFE0T OF PERSONAL GUILT, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die "-it, and not another in its stead. Other suffering-such as poverty, ill repute, a sickly body, an ill-furnished mind-all this is disciplinary; all this can be made the means of higher good. This is not penalty, though it is suffering. But the culminating stroke of punishment, viz. death, falls alone on him who is personally guilty. No guilty man shall escape. No innocent man shall suffer final destruction. This is God's equity.-D.