This may at least be sufficient to illustrate the declaration in the text; perhaps we may add also, to vindicate it. Not that any declaration of God is to be judged of by the reasons which fallible men may assign in vindication of it; his word is the same, whether we believe it or not; nor shall one jot or tittle of it ever fail.

This subject cannot but suggest to our minds the following reflections:

1. How few are there that will eventually be saved? Take the foregoing explanation of holiness, and compare it with the state of all around us: how awful the contrast! But God is true, and his word respecting the unholy shall surely stand. Let us, "seek then, yea, strive, to enter in at the strait gate, and to walk in the narrow path." Let us follow holiness with all our might. Whate ever we may think, it is in that way alone that we can behold the face of God in peace,

How needful is it that we should seek holiness in a right way!

The generality are extremely ignorant respecting the manner in which holiness is to be obtained; they have an idea that they must acquire it by some exertion of their own; whereas, they should seek it from Christ, through the operation of his Spirit in their hearts. They should first seek to be united to him by faith, as scions to the stock of a tree, or as a wife to her husband; then, by virtue derived from him, they will be made fruitful in good works, and be "changed into his image, in righteousness and true holiness."

THE BELIEVER'S DYING DAY BETTER THAN HIS BIRTH-DAY.

A good name, &c.-Eccles. vii. 1.

NEVER did any in a more lively manner represent the vanity of all sublunary things, than Solomon. He represents human life in its best shapes as a heap of vanity. All lasting consolation must be brought not from this, but

2. Whatever the saint of God has in hand, he has more in hope, and therefore his dying-day is his best, like an heir who has been torn from his father.

3. No wonder that sinners should desire to "die the death of the righteous," &c.

THE WRATH OF GOD TO SINNERS.

Because there is wrath.-Job xxxvi. 18.

In general it is the wrath of God.

1. Righteous wrath, if it be the wrath of God, it cannot be otherwise. "He is our rock, there is no unrighteousness in him, just and right is he;" he reveals his love and mercy to sinners in the clearest and fullest manner; sinners refuse and rebel, therefore it is just and righteous in God to pour out his wrath on the finally impenitent. Heb. x. 28. 31.

2. It is such a wrath as arises from the patience of God, tired and worn out by the bold iniquity_of_persevering sinners; he has revealed himself as the Lord God merciful and gracious, long-suffering. He now waits to be gracious, but he will not always keep silence; consider this, ye that forget God, he will at last say concerning obstinate sinners, as concerning the Jews, Jer. xv. 5, 6.

3. It is wrath without mercy, because they are a people of no understanding.

4. Everlasting.

Because there is wrath, where is it?

1. This wrath is revealed in the word. (Deut. xxix. 18.) As the love of God is revealed in the threatenings.

2. As wrath is heard from his mouth, so it is seen in his hand, wrath in the judgment of God, here. (Num. xvi. 46.) More especially hereafter, when the Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed from heaven, that is called the 86 great day of his wrath."

Because there is wrath, why is there wrath ?-sin is the cause; the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men,-rejecting of

happiness in time, but go with us: blessed are the dead, a good name," &c. and the day of death, than the day of one's birth. This may appear a paradox to some, but Solomon declares it. And we shall attempt to illustrate the truth. We learn that he who has a birth-day, whatever he is in his life, must have a dying-day; "It is appointed." A birth-day, however, is a good day; let us not do as Job, chap. iii. 3; or Jeremiah, xx. 14; but if we properly improve life, our dying-day may be still better.

1. The day of our birth clothes us with a body of weak and frail flesh, which is a clog to our better part; the day of the good man's death frees him from this clog. 2 Cor. v. 1-4; Luke ii. 29.

2. In the days of our birth we are helpless infants, incapable of social pleasure or spiritual delights. But the day of the Christian's death, he will show himself intelligent and active, a companion of angels. Heb. xii. 22; Luke xx. 36.

3. In the day of our birth we are exposed to danger, diseases and afflictions await us through every period of life, but the day of death sets the man of God beyond danger. Revelation vii. 14-17.

4. In the day of our birth we are born to die, but in the day of death the believer dies to live.

5. The day of the saint's death carries him into a better world than the day of his birth-a world of toil and labours, a wilderness-death carries him into a world of rest, a Canaan-a world of care and sorrow; a death, of ease and joy; a world of happiness, exceeding expectation,— " eye hath not seen," &c.

6. The day of a Christian's death settles him among better company than the day of his birth, the family of heaven.

7. The day of the saint's death brings him to, and settles him in better exercise and employment than the day of his birth. Rev. iv. 8.

Improvement,

1. That if a good name cost us something, it cannot be too dearly bought; it will make us cheerful and happy, and out-live every thing beside. Abraham was rich in silver and gold, but his good name has out-lived them all. Let us therefore be anxious for this good name.

2. Whatever the saint of God has in hand, he has more in hope, and therefore his dying-day is his best, like an heir who has been torn from his father.

3. No wonder that sinners should desire to "die the death of the righteous," &c.

THE WRATH OF GOD TO SINNERS.

Because there is wrath.-Job xxxvi. 18.

IN general it is the wrath of God.

1. Righteous wrath, if it be the wrath of God, it cannot be otherwise. "He is our rock, there is no unrighteousness in him, just and right is he;" he reveals his love and mercy to sinners in the clearest and fullest manner; sinners refuse and rebel, therefore it is just and righteous in God to pour out his wrath on the finally impenitent. Heb. x. 28. 31.

2. It is such a wrath as arises from the patience of God, tired and worn out by the bold iniquity of persevering sinners; he has revealed himself as the Lord God merciful and gracious, long-suffering. He now waits to be gracious, but he will not always keep silence; consider this, ye that forget God, he will at last say concerning obstinate sinners, as concerning the Jews, Jer. xv. 5, 6.

3. It is wrath without mercy, because they are a people of no understanding.

4. Everlasting.

Because there is wrath, where is it?

1. This wrath is revealed in the word. (Deut. xxix. 18.) As the love of God is revealed in the threatenings.

2. As wrath is heard from his mouth, so it is seen in his hand, wrath in the judgment of God, here. (Num. xvi. 46.) More especially hereafter, when the Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed from heaven, that is called the 86 great day of his wrath."

Because there is wrath, why is there wrath ?-sin is the cause; the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men,-rejecting of

Christ. If the word spoken by angels," he that though not, the wrath of God abideth on him."

mes;

-Beware of offending God, of rejecting Chris Beware, this intimates that though there be wrath, yet there is a way to escape; beware, fly from sin, come out from among the ungodly, embrace the Saviour, "kiss the Son," follow him in the regeneration, and thus flee from "the wrath to come."

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II. The argument to enforce the exhortation, lest he take thee away with his stroke, &c. Not, lest he strike thee; the Lord often strikes, not in wrath, but in love; but, lest he take thee away with his stroke.

"the axe

1. This intimates the certainty of the event, is already laid at the root of the tree;" the Lord has bent his bow, and if we attend not to his call, he will not only strike, but take us away with his stroke.

2. This intimates, not only that the Lord will do it, but he may do it suddenly, without any more warning; he once threatened, (Nah. i. 9.) that afflictions should not rise a second time; Nadab and Abihu, Lev. x. 1, 2; thus Herod, Acts xii. 23.

3. It imports, announces, and supposes, that it is not only certain, and may be sudden, but that it may be visible. Job xxvii. 20-23.

"Then a great ransom cannot deliver thee."

1. A ransom is that which is paid for the deliverance of a captive: thus Christ gave himself a ransom for sinners. There is a twofold ransom, the people of God are sometimes delivered by one, but always by the other. They are sometimes delivered by the destruction or ruin, of the wicked; hence Soloman, "the wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous;" for the Lord will destroy the wicked to deliver his own people. I will give Egypt for thy ransom ;" sooner than Israel shall not be delivered, the Egyptians shall be destroyed. Thus he makes the wicked a ransom for the righteous; "The righteous are delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead."

2. A ransom that never fails, is the blood of the covenant, "Ye are not your own-He gave himself a ransom for many :" this is a ransom that sets us free indeed.

But there are causes in which this ransom does not avail. VOL. II.