606 TXft NA?V]tt dr THE PUNTSI MEN773-PN xrt"t. Ditsv. grr. not been entirely cut off from the land of hope, and sent down tot his destruction. Blessed be the name and the grace of God for ever and ever. " While there are thousands who have been sent down to the place of punishment, whence there is no redemp+ Con, before they had continued so long in sin as many of us have done, what a peculiar instance is it of divine long-suffering and goodness, that we are not actually put under the sting of this living worm, under this fiery ven= geance from the hand of God ? What was there in us that should secure us from this destruction, while we continued in our state of guilt, rebellion and impeni- tence ,? Have we not seen many sinners on our right- hand, and on our left, cut off in their sins, and to all appearance they seem to be sent down to the place of sorrows? What is it but the special mercy and distin- guishing favour of God that has dealt thus kindly with us, and spared and saved us, week after week, and month after month, while we continued in our iniquities, and has given us space for repentance and hope? What shall we render to the Lord for all his patience and long-suf- fering, even to this day? How often have we incurred the penalty of the law of God, and the fiery sentence of condemnation by our repeated iniquities, both against the authority and the grace of God ? And yet we are alive in his presence, and are hearing-the words of hope and salvation. O let us look back and shudder at the thoughts of that dreadful precipice, on the edge ofwhich we have so long wandered. Let us fly for escape to the refuge that is set before us, and give a thousand glories to the divine mercy that we are not plunged into this perdition. ReflexionVI. Let us learn from this description ofhell, and our imminent danger of it, " the infinite value and worth ofthegospel of Christ :" This gospel; which calls us aloud to fly from the wrath to come, and points out to us the only effectual way to escapeit. Whatcan all the riches of the Indies do to relieve us under the guilt and distress into which sin had brought us ? What can the favour of princes; and the flattering honours of the world do to rescue us from this danger? What can the highest gust of sensuality, and the most exquisitedelights of flesh and
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