GOD'S MARKING INIQUITY. 51 tremble, and cry out, " O Lord, who shall stand l" Hence we lay down this proposition: In a sin - perplexed soul's addresses to God, the first thing that presents itself is God's marking sin according to the tenor of 1/ì.e law, which is likely tofill the soul wide DREAD AND TERROR. The Lord speaks of some, who, when they hear the words of the curse, yet bless themselves, and say they shall have peace. Dent. 29 : 19. Let men preach and say what they will of the terror of the Lord, they will despise it. This conduct God threatens with utter ex- termination. Generally it is with sinners as it was with Gaul the son of Ebed, when he was fortifying Sichern against Abimelech; Zebul tells him that Abime]ech will come and destroy him. Let him come, saith Gaal, I shall deal well enough with him; let him bring forth his army, I fear him not : but upon the very first appearance of Abimelech's army he trembled for fear. Tell obdurate sinners of the wrath of God, and that he will come to plead his cause against them ; for the most part they take no notice of what you say, but go on as if they were resolved they should deal well enough with him. Notwithstanding all their stoutness, a day is coming wherein fearfulness shall surprise them, and make them cry out, " Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire, who among us,shall inhabit everlasting burnings`?" Yea, if the Lord be pleased in this life, in an especial manner, to draw nigh to any of them, they quickly see that their " hearts cannot endure, nor can their hands be strong." Ezek. 22 : 14. Their hands hang down, and their stout hearts tremble like an aspen-leaf. He who first sinned was a striking instance of what we have affirmed. " He heard the voice of God." Gen. 3 : S. So he had done before, without the least trouble or consternation : he was made for communion with
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