D1SCOURSÈ VI. Ig7' on earth, are now become their only retreat and shelter ; but it is a very vain and hopeless one. " When I see such awful appearances in nature, huge and lofty rocks hanging over my head, and at every step of my op.: }roach, they seem to nod upon me with overwhelming ruin when my curiosity searches "far into their hollow clefts, their dark and deep caverns of solitude and desolation, methinks while I stand amongst them, I can hardly think myself in safety, and at best,. they give a sort of solemn and dreadful delight : Let me im prove the scene to religious purposes, and raise a divine medita. tion. Am I one of these wretches, who shall call to these hugs impending rocks to fall upon me? Am I that guilty and misera" ble creature who shall entreat these mountains to cover me front him that sits on the throne, and the Lamb Q' Am I prepared to Meet the countenance of the blessed Jesus, the judge in that clay ? Have I such an acquaintance with the Lamb of God; who takes away the sins of the world, such a holy faith in his mediation, such a sincere love to him, and such an unfeigned repentance of all 'my sins, that I can look upon him as my friend and my refuge, and a friend infinitely better than rocks and mountains, for he not only screens me from the divine anger, but introduces' me into the Father's love, and places me in his blissful presence for ever ? V. " What hideous and everlasting mischief is contained in the nature of sin, especially sin against the gospel of Christ, against the methods of grace and the offers of salvation, which 'exposes creatures to such extreme distress ? The fairest and the Most flattering iniquity, what beautiful colours soever it may put on in the hour of temptation, yet it carries all this hidden mis- chief and terror in the bosom of it, for it frights the creatm4 from the sight of his Creator, and his Saviour, and' makes hint fly to every vain refuge. Adam and Eve the parents'' of our race, when they lost their innocence and became criminals, fled 'from the presence of God whom they conversed with before itî holy friendship. Gen. iii. 8. They hid themselves among the trees of paradise, and the thickest shadows of the garden .x but the eye and the voice of God reached them there : The curse found them out, though that was a curse allayed with the promised blessing of a Saviour. Guilt will work in the come science, and tell us that God is angry, and the next thought is; " Where shall I hide myself from an angry God ?" But when the mercy of God has taught us where we may hide ourselves; even under the shadow of the cross of his Son, and we refuse to make him our refuge, there remains nothing but a final horror of soul, and a hopeless address to rocks and mountains to hide us from an offended God and a provoked Saviour. Whensoever, Oh my soul, thouhalt find or feel Mine flat-
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