the mercy of God; but their piety infallibly proves like the "morning cloud and the early dew." As they are never slain by the law, so they were never made alive by Jesus Christ. This is doubtless one important reason why the effects of some revivals are temporary and unsatisfactory. The law is not presented with sufficient clearness and faithfulness; and sinners, although they may be alarmed and convinced of their danger, are not convicted of their guilt. But where the mind is brought, through the influences of the Spirit, to such a sense of guilt that it feels, and cheerfully and cordially admits, the sentence of the law to be just, it yields the contest, and receives a peace which the world can neither give nor take away. When sinners are brought

to this point, however severe their convictions have been, the contest is ended. By a usage that is uniform of this kind, the great Jehovah lets his creatures know that he is determined to maintain the spirit of his law. And it must be evident, upon a moment's reflection, that he can do no less, so long as he is determined to defend the honor of his character and government.

In view of this subject we see,

1. The importance of ascertaining what is the penalty of the law. If the gospel supports the entire demands of the law by declaring the righteousness. of God, and if faith be indispensable to justification, to all the impenitent and unbelieving this inquiry becomes one of fearful import. To evade the discussion because it fills us with painful forebodings is to betray our own immortal interests. "He that believeth not is condemned already." The question before us refers to nothing less than the extent of this condemnation. What then are the demands of justice or the law of God against impenitent and unbelieving sinners? In the answer to this question, reason and revelation perfectly agree. The train of thought by which we shall be led to a view of the testimony of both is plain and brief. It is a principle universally admitted, that the penalty of justice for the violation of a law is in exact proportion to its importance; and that the importance of a law is determined by the importance of the interests it is designed to secure. It is on this principle that the penalty of some laws is capital punishment, or imprisonment for life, while that of others is only a moderate fine. If some friend of yours had been barbarously murdered, and the jury had found the evidence against the murderer clear and decisive, and there was laid upon him a sentence only of an hour's imprisonment, would you not be shocked at the absurdity and injustice of such a sentence? Who would not see that if the violations of laws for the security of life were to be treated in this manner none would be safe? Who would not escape from such a government? Who would wish to live where his life would be estimated at no higher value? On the other hand; suppose your friend, by some indiscretion, had injured the property of his neighbor to a small amount, and the jury on his trial had decided that he should be imprisoned for life-under such a valuation of law you would consider yourself equally unsafe. Is not the rule by which the penalty of laws is to be determined, from these remarks, sufficiently plain? The penalty in order to be just, from the value of things, must be in proportion to the importance of the law. Now let us look for a moment at the importance of the law of God. It supports the broad principle that every being has rights according to his worth in the scale of existence. On this principle it requires us to love God with all our heart, and our neighbor as ourselves. Suppose this law should be brought into contempt throughout the empire of God (as

this is the direct tendency of every sin), what would be the effects? What would be the consequences were all its obligations annihilated? All holiness, justice, and equity, and of course all peace and happiness, would be blotted from existence. The character of God would be covered with an indelible stain, and his government would sink under everlasting disgrace. If the principles on which his government and his happiness are founded were annihilated, or if God had not power to maintain his law and his government, nothing could be safe in families, communities, or nations. There would be one unmingled scene of misrule and wretchedness over the whole field of creation, and the powers of darkness would shout one long and horrible note of triumph. Now what penalty will be in proportion to the importance of this law? Every violation of the law may be charged with the destruction of the principles of equity and holiness, and the government of God. The sinner that refuses to love God says to the universe by his example, that the command of God is unjust, that selfishness and neglect of God ought to prevail in the bosom of every moral being. It is nothing to his praise that this spirit is not universal. Now what penalty can we suppose sufficient to express the hatred of God towards such sin? Is it natural death? This, according to the opinion of many, is the penalty of the law. But is this an evil to be compared with the ruin of the law? Others suppose that the curse of the law is spiritual death, by which they mean to be dead in sin. This, aside from its consequences, is the sinner's crime; and we may as well suppose that cause and effect are the same, as that the sinner's crime and his punishment are the same. Spiritual death, aside from its consequences, is that in which his spirit of enmity delights. And is it rational to think that the resentment of the great Jehovah towards the violation of his law may be shown without displeasing the sinner? Others imagine that the penalty of the law is a limited period of punishment in hell. But what period can be named which, as an evil, will bear any comparison with the ruin of the law? Take the longest period supposed by these men to be intended by the phrases "ages of ages," or everlasting," and what is it when compared with the evil at which sin aims? It is far less, and the punishment would be more disproportioned to the crime than the senIf the sinner were to tence of an hour's imprisonment for wilful murder.

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decide upon this question with himself out of view-if he were to look at the equity and importance of the law, and his own case were not concerned in the decision, he would say, without hesitation, that for the violations of it, nothing short of endless death would be an adequate expression of divine disapprobation.

Our next inquiry is for the testimony of Scripture; for after all our reaThe Law sonings, every question of this kind must be referred to the Bible. giver is manifestly better acquainted with the importance of his law, and the penalties which are requisite to guard it, than his creatures; and a reference to the Scriptures will show us that he has not been backward in giving his decision. The proper course for us is to endeavor to ascertain his decision, as the views of criminals are of little weight in deciding their own characters or desert of punishment. It would seem that the Scriptures are sufficiently explicit on this subject. We may obtain an answer to the question before us in few words. "The wages of sin is death." In order to show what kind of death is intended, it is placed in direct opposition to everlasting life—“ but the gift of God is eternal life." I am aware that there

is much pains taken to show that the terms " everlasting," ," "eternal," and the like, as used in the Bible do not mean endless. But let me ask, what would be the opinion of a being from some other world, one who is not personally interested in the decision, after acquainting himself with our language, should he set himself to decide this question from the terms that are used in the Bible? Let a man go to the Bible as an honest citizen to a law that has just been penned, to find out what the legislators did rather than what they should mean. Let him read that the wicked "shall be punished with everlasting destruction"-that they "shall go away into everlasting punishment"-that "their worm shall not die, nor their fire be quenched❞—that they "shall be destroyed"—that they "shall be destroyed without remedy"—that their hope shall perish-that they "shall utterly perish"-that they shall not be forgiven either in this world or that which is to come. Now what must be his conclusion from an examination of phrases of this kind, if he honestly desired to know the mind of God-there cannot be a remaining doubt. If any thing less than endless punishment be the " wages of sin," the Bible, on this subject, will mislead the honest reader. Further, when the Scriptures speak of the "love of God," and the " mercy of God," it would be considered as being both absurd and impious to assert that any thing less than infinite love and mercy were intended. What then must be the meaning of such phrases as the "wrath of God," and the " anger of God?" Besides, regeneration is represented as essential to salvation, and as being effected only by the Holy Spirit. But there is not the slightest hint in the Bible that the Spirit will strive with sinners for their conviction and conversion in the future world. Painful as the truth may be to the mind of the impenitent sinner, there is every variety of expression and every kind of metaphor used in the Bible to show that the penalty of the law can be nothing less than everlasting death.

2. It is plain from this subject that the penalty of the law is no arbitrary appointment of the Almighty. Some are convinced that the doctrine of endless punishment is taught in the Scriptures, who yet feel that it is hard and unjust, and that it is supported by the mere sovereignty of the Almighty. We have seen, however, that the law depends on relations as imperishable as the nature of things, and that upon every principle by which we estimate the desert of crime among men, the penalty of sin must be everlasting death. The sinner, it is true, does not accomplish an evil equal to such a penalty; but the criminality of men is not measured by their power or success in the work of evil. It is a principle universally admitted, that criminality is to be predicated wholly on the intention or design. Is the man who endeavors to steal your property, and by being discovered is prevented, as guilty as though he had succeeded? Is the man who designs to burn your house, and destroy your life, and the lives of your family, and is prevented, as criminal as if he had effected his purpose? Does the man who endeavors to overturn the govern ment, and is defeated, deserve to be treated as though he were successful?then is the sinner who breaks the least of God's commands and teaches men so, guilty of the whole;-then is the man who heeds not the authority of God-who profanes his name or his holy Sabbath-or refuses to give his whole heart to God, as guilty as though he had effected the ruin of the law, No thanks to him that his spirit does not prevail in the bosom of every dependent moral being. It is the spirit with which he is pleased, and to which he has given all the influence of his own example. Sinners have shown what

they would be willing to do, had they the power, when they put the crown of thorns upon the Savior's head. They would cast contempt, everlasting contempt, on his name, and character, and errand into the world. I do not mean simply the men that crucified him, nor the vilest and bitterest of his enemies at the present day. The statement is true in reference to the most moral among the impenitent. By refusing to accept of him as their Savior, they say that he is not to be compared with the world as an object of affection— that he has wholly mistaken their case, for they stand in no need of any righteousness but their own—that they have some excuse for violating the law which entirely removes their desert of blame. This is said by every sinner in a manner to exert the greatest influence; for in no way can a man show so certainly the feelings of his heart as by his example. If the character of our Lord, and his design in giving himself a sacrifice for sin, were to be estimated according to the treatment he receives from sinners, what could be more odious, or less deserving our attention? Indeed if the sinner could have his desires in relation to the character and government of God gratified, holiness would be banished from the universe. Now if sinners are to be viewed according to their desires, does not sin, from a principle uniformly admitted, and from the nature of things, deserve everlasting death?

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3. This subject shows that no minister can fulfil his duty as a messenger of the Lord of Hosts" without frequently and faithfully preaching the law, with all its obligations and penalties. What can be more vain than to imagine that sinners may be persuaded to repent before they are sensible that they are guilty? It is impossible. Of what will they repent till they are convinced that they are sinners? If the law be, as we have shown it to be, the standard by which God will determine the character of all moral beings, is it not impossible that men should know their own character, and equally impossible that they should be induced to repent, or possess any just views of the grace manifested if they should receive pardon, till they have some proper views of the law? It is seriously feared that on this point the preaching of many who are regarded as zealous and faithful at the present day is extremely defective. Carefully look at the multitudes that occupy our houses and throng our streets, ascertain their views and feelings on this subject, and how little will you find them acquainted with the depravity of their hearts ? Do they act at all under the impression that they are responsible to God? and that their character and destiny are to be determined by his holy and just law? Could it be inferred from their conduct that they felt themselves under a law that regarded every sinful feeling as exposing them to the penalty of everlasting death? Now if God be just, and if the iniquities of men " will find them out,” should not every measure be taken to show them their sins while they may repent and obtain pardon? Till men are made acquainted with the law, they will remain ignorant both of the number and character of their sins. And what is it but cruelty to conceal from them the fact, that for those sins over which they sleep as quietly as though nothing were at stake, unless they repent, and the guilt is cancelled in a Savior's blood, the interests of holiness and heaven will demand their eternal death. Let sinners be convinced of their guilt, and that God will call them to account, and there is some hope that, by presenting Christ before them, they may be persuaded to turn and live; but so long as they are blind to these facts, there is no hope in their case.

It is important also for the people of God frequently to contemplate the

claims and penalties of the law. We can form a far better opinion of the character of our hearts from our feelings towards the law than from our feelings towards the gospel. Let the gospel be proclaimed in a loose and indefinite manner as it is proclaimed when its conditions are kept out of sight, and it is represented as in opposition to the law-and it is no evidence that we love God that we are pleased with such a gospel. That man of the world who, to increase his wealth, can trample upon every command of God-that unfeeling miser who, for the same purpose, can grind the faces of the poor-that hardened profligate whose greatest anxiety is to escape detection-that drunkard who reels along the streets-yea, that midnight ̧murderer-indeed any one, however sunk in guilt and abandoned of God, would be pleased with a gospel like this. It was not the exhibition of such a gospel that led Felix to tremble. It was a gospel that derived all its value from just views of the law. Let men be told that the blood of Christ can never be applied to any but such as love the law and justify its obligations and penalties, and none but good men, such as Paul, will be pleased.

4. If we have taken a correct view of the law, how fearfully important is the present life. Every view we have taken of the law indicates that this life is a state of trial, and that the state of retribution to which it points is interminable. This life, when compared with eternity, is but a point; and upon this point are suspended all the future interests of the soul. The shortness and uncertainty of time have led many to doubt whether such immense interests are depending on it as the Scriptures represent. But this objection is far more specious than solid. Where is the sinner who does not decide, short as his time on earth may be, whether he will submit to God? Wherein would his condition be amended by a longer life or a longer time of trial? Do men lose their alienation of heart as they advance in life? Does their opposition to holiness and heaven wear out with their years? Neither can the uncertainty of life be viewed as an objection of any weight. On this question also we may appeal to facts. Are men more solicitous to secure the favor of God under the impression that life is secure, or under the feeling that it is uncertain? The mere statement of this question is a sufficient answer. The providence of God will be found to be just and holy. It will be seen that it was not for want of opportunity, my hearers, if you continue to neglect the great salvation and sink for ever under the penalty of the law. That interests so extensive and overwhelming should be suspended upon a single point is a plain indication that the whole plan had its origin in the wisdom of God. Impenitent sinners will feel, when they look at the equity of God's law, that the trial with them is a fair one, and that when they are condemned no injustice is done them. But with the saints the magnitude of the danger to which they are exposed will greatly and eternally increase their admiration of the mercy by which they were saved.

5. If the view we have taken of the law be correct, how great is the mercy of God in the gift of his Son! The extent of mercy and compassion in the provisions of the gospel is just equal to our demerit according to the decision of his law. He could not give up his law-that would have been a greater sacrifice than to have suffered this whole world to have sunk under its penalty. He has made a declaration of his righteousness which will sustain its holy and equitable claims; while all such as repent and do him the honor to trust in his word may be saved with an everlasting salvation.