unerring word of God. And "let God be "true, and every man a liar."

But the punishment here denounced, includes not only corporeal; but spiritual death. As the body has no life, but when united to the soul, so neither can the soul enjoy any thing that deserves the name of life, but when it is united to God; that is, when its will accords with His; when it feels the animating and comforting influence of his grace, and has all its faculties consecrated to his service. Then the soul enjoys a divine life; it inhabits an upper region; it dwells with God; receives His light; bears his image, and is "satisfied "with his likeness."-But when the soul forsakes God, it forsakes its only true happiness, sinks into baseness and impurity, and feels influenced by nothing, but by the most sordid, narrow, and contemptible considerations. It becomes the aversion of all wise and good beings; the mere creature of this perishing world; content to bury, here, all its high celestial hopes, and be, as the Scriptures awfully expresses it, “dead "in trespasses and sins."-Most deplorable case!-When I commit my beloved friend

to the dust, I can, scarce, bear up, under the afflictive stroke; and hasten, in silence and in solitude, to give vent to the fulness of my sorrow. But had he lived, and yet been dead to the fear and love of God; dead to all concern about his soul, and its eternal salvation, my heart should, then, have been pierced with far keener anguish.

-How did such a case, affect and melt the heart of the holy and compassionate Jesus! He cried, and wept while he cried;

"If thou hadst known, even thou, at "least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace!-but now, they are "hid from thine

eyes

Yet, how many such pitiable characters, do we daily meet with on every side!-Behold that slave of wealth! His whole time and attention are engaged in seeking what he may never obtain; and which, though obtained, can neither abide with him long, nor yield him real satisfaction during its abode. Suppose him to have, even, all the success which, in this vain world, can be enjoyed ;-suppose him continually adding

* Luke xix. 42.

"house to house and field to field;" yet will all this make him truly happy?—No, -there is still an aching void, which the whole world can never fill. His heart is severed from its proper object. Disappointment, and anxiety, and fear, prey upon his spirit. He is" without hope, and without "God in the world." He liveth in sin, and is dead while he liveth.

Behold, again, the man of pleasure! He covets only the coarse gratification of his senses. Terrene passion is indulged without controul, while heaven-descended reaşon seems neglected and forgotten. Where is the boasted dignity of his nature; what worth does he display, and what true pleasure does he enjoy ?-Loathsome wretch! I see only a walking monument of folly and shame; of pollution and guilt.—He too, is "without hope, and without God in the "world." He too, liveth in sin, and is dead while he liveth.

Behold, also, the slave of ambition! His sole object is earthly honour. To be talked of, to be applauded, to acquire, what is called, a name, he will plan, and labour, and

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sacrifice every thing. Egregious folly!But thus he lives, and thus he dies, and with a few vain words inscribed upon his grave-stone, he sinks into the dust and is no more seen. But, is this acting the part of a rational being? Is this living the life of an immortal?—It is grasping the shadow, and neglecting the substance. It is forfeiting true glory and honour, and courting disgrace, and degradation, and ruin.-Ah! infatuated man! thou too, art "without hope, and without God in the world." Thou too, livest in sin, and art dead whilst thou livest.

In the same melancholy, dreadful state, are all those, of every description, who "mind earthly things," and neglect the improvement and salvation of the soul,who neglect the "one thing needful." They are far from God, the source of good, the Fountain of life; and while far from Him, they must perish. Distance from God implies sin; and "the wages of sin is death.'

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But this death becomes far more awful, when extended to a future world. It is, then, called " the second death." Then,

there is not only deprivation of happiness; but positive infliction of incalculable misery. In every attentive and feeling mind, this must give rise to the most painful and melancholy reflections.-Millions of reasonable beings, naturally immortal and capable of infinite improvement, bereaved of all their hopes; cast away from God and bliss, and sunk in destruction!-What can be imagined more shocking? But here, even imagination fails. Presumption itself, dares not attempt description. It is as impossible to paint the horrors of hell, as the joys of heaven. When an object is infinite, the mind sinks under it, absorbed and confounded.

This is an awful subject, and it demands deep and serious reflection.-How should it rouse the careless; alarm the hypocrites, and stimulate even Christians!

HOW SHOULd it rouse tHE CARELESS!Strange! that any should be careless of their souls! of their immortal happiness Were we not all daily witnesses of the fact, we could not believe that a rational being could be careless, when life and death depended.