mercy so much prevails, there is often something very much like hell. In the next world, retribution will be perfect, and so there must be a hell.

9. The human mind may be brought, and sometimes is brought, into states of feeling, to be kept out of which evinces infinite goodness on the part of God.

10. God can do good by any means. He made Spira a great means of establishing many, and of converting some. Even Verger, who held a very rich bishopric under the Pope, was so wrought on in his visits to Spira, that he renounced popery, retired to Basle, and died a Protestant.

11. "He that endureth to the end shall be saved.' "If any man draw back, my soul hath no pleasure in him."

12. Are you a Christian? Spira used to say, "Do you, who are so assured of your right state, take care that it be such. Look to yourselves. It is no light or easy matter to be a Christian. Look narrowly to your lives. Make a greater account of the gifts of the Spirit of God than I have done. Be constant and immovable in maintaining your profession. Confess it even to death, if you are called to it."

Let us also beware how we give up our convictions of truth and duty as taught by God, and yield to the doctrines and solicitations of men, thus giving them dominion over our faith and lordship over our consciences. Matt. xxiii. 9; 2 Cor. i. 24. The united voice of the world is as nothing on a point of faith or practice, when we have a Thus saith the Lord to the contrary.

This commandment also forbids the giving of the praise of any good that has befallen us, or is possessed by us, to ourselves, to fortune or to idols. Deut. viii. 17; Dan. iv. 30; v. 23; 1 Sam. vi. 9.

All impatience under God's dispensations, all discontent and murmuring, all foolish and wicked speeches respecting God, are also sins against this commandment. Ps. lxxiii. 2-17; Jude 16; Phil. ii. 14; 1 Cor. x. 10.

Some never show cheerfulness in bowing to God's will. Others openly fret against it. Many sin by taking no thankful notice of mercies received and remaining. Leighton: "There is more joy in enduring a cross for God, than in the smiles of the world; in a private, despised affliction, without the name of suffering for his cause, or anything in it like martyrdom, but only as coming from his hand, kissing it and bearing it patiently, yea, gladly, for his sake, out of love to him, because it is his will so to try thee. What can come amiss to a soul thus composed?

"I wish that even they who have renounced the vain world, and have the face of their hearts turned Godwards, would learn more this happy life, and enjoy it more; not to hang so much upon sensible comforts, as to delight in obedience, and to wait for those at his pleasure, whether he gives much or little, any or none. Learn to be still finding the sweetness of his commands, which no outward or inward change can disrelish, rejoicing in the actings of that divine. love within thee. Continue thy conflicts with sin, and though thou mayest at times be foiled, yet cry to him for help, and getting up, redouble thy hatred of it and attempts against it. Still stir this flame of

God. That will overcome: 'many waters cannot quench it.' It is a renewed pleasure to be offering up thyself every day to God. Oh! the sweetest life in the world is to be crossing thyself to please him; trampling on thy own will to follow his."

Three other sins against this commandment should not pass without notice. One of them consists in resisting and grieving the Holy Spirit. How dreadful this sin is, may be learned from the fact that inspired men speak of it as if it were the sum of all wickedness. Thus said Stephen to his impenitent audience: "Ye stiff-necked, and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost." Acts vii. 51.

Another form of breaking this commandment is the rejection of Jesus Christ. Without him we can do nothing. John xv. 5. He is the sole and sufficient author of salvation to lost men. To reject him is to reject all the counsels of God for our restoration to the divine favour. The Scriptures employ the most alarming language respecting this sin. Christ himself says, "If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." John viii. 24. "He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses; of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?" Heb. x. 28, 29.

The last form of breaking this commandment is by insincerity of heart in religious worship. When Christ was on earth, he used more alarming and terri

ble language to hypocrites than to all others. Their case is indeed sad, and their guilt heinous. Hopkins: "The hypocrite calls on God to be an accomplice and partaker with him in his crimes; and so makes God to be the patron of sin, who will be the Judge and condemner of sin."

CHAPTER XV.

THE SECOND COMMANDMENT.

THOU SHALT NOT MAKE UNTO THEE ANY GRAVEN IMAGE, OR ANY LIKENESS OF ANYTHING THAT IS IN HEAVEN ABOVE, OR THAT IS IN THE EARTH BENEATH, OR THAT IS IN THE WATERS UNDER THE EARTH: THOU SHALT NOT BOW DOWN THYSELF TO THEM, NOR SERVE THEM: FOR I THE LORD THY GOD AM A JEALOUS GOD, VISITING THE INIQUITY OF THE FATHERS UPON THE CHILDREN UNTO THE THIRD AND FOURTH GENERATION OF THEM THAT HATE ME; AND SHOWING MERCY UNTO THOUSANDS OF THEM THAT LOVE ME, AND KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS.

OD never gave a command more solemn in its

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terms, or in the sanction connected with it. Nor are we left in doubt respecting the vast importance of this precept. On this point other parts of God's word are full and urgent. Let us first consider the sanction annexed to it. It is very weighty. The words in which it is delivered seem to have been chosen for the purpose of striking terror into the hearts of the rebellious, and of giving the highest encouragement to the obedient.

I. We have an assertion of God's rightful authority