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Every sin that a man doeth," says the Apostle, "is without the body;" that is, it affects something more essential than the body, namely, the soul; and many sins affect this only. It is here, indeed, that the influence of sin is so infinitely to be dreaded. It is here that it operates the most fearfully. It is here that its most destructive ravages are to be traced-that its wages are the most fatally earned. "Horrible is the end of the unrighteous generation." How much better then is it to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy "the pleasures of sin for a season;" for "what is a man profited, if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" Only observe how sin produces neglect towards God, and injustice towards man: how quickly it transforms beauty into deformity, converts innocence into guilt, truth into a lie: how it betrays its victims into dangers, which ultimately excite in them the most appalling apprehensions;" over them is spread a heavy night, an image of that darkness which shall afterwards receive them; but yet they are unto themselves more grievous than that darkness." Such are "filled with no joy and peace in believing; their way is as darkness; they know not at what they stumble." They have received "the wages of sin," namely, spiritual death.

Again-We not only see how the mind is weaned by sin from the contemplation of religion, but also how it is associated with everything that is calcu

lated to drag the imperishable soul down to the habitation of "the worm that dieth not." It seduces us into disbelief, into doubt, into uncertainty; and, it is by means of the gloom in which these jarring conflicts of the mind involve us, that the revolting deformities of sin lie so securely hidden from our view. These, the light of truth only can bring in all their native hideousness before us. That tyrant, whose wages are so punctually paid to the ungodly, encourages us to be sceptical, where conviction had almost set scepticism at defiance; and once to doubt is, in fact, to reject. To question the truths of religion, is virtually to deny them altogether; and it is universally the province of sin to triumph in the ruin of its slaves. Profession will not stamp validity upon our faith. If we profess, but disbelieve, we are spirtually dead, and "the truth is not in us." Thus "they that sin are enemies to their own life." "In their punishment there will be no remedy, for the plant of wickedness hath taken root in them."

Further-How does sin stifle the conscience, our very best "ruler and guide," because it is the medium through which the Holy Spirit vouchsafes to us its most sanctifying visitations! How does it excite the evil principle within us in every shape and under every allurement! How does it shut out all spiritual communion with the Redeemer of our souls and bodies, by whose merciful benedictions alone we can become heirs of eternal life and

inheritors of the kingdom of Heaven! It continues us in the odious degradation of "children of wrath," and, while we remain its servants, prevents us from becoming "children of grace." How does it stifle our prayers, damp our holy aspirations, and prevent them from "going up as a memorial before God"! How does it turn our thanksgivings into idle declamation, our offerings into "vain oblations," our supplications into empty formalities, our praises into a mere formal service of the lips without any responsive utterance from the heart! How does it hush holy thoughts when they arise within us!--how instigate us to encourage the lustings of the flesh!-how incite us to question the truths of Revelation, and frequently to deny the Apostle's testimony, "that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for instruction in righteousness"! How does it addict us to cavil-how actuate us to accommodate religion to our pursuits, rather than our pursuits to religion-to "believe a lie," only that we may "receive the greater damnation"!" They who do such things," writes the Apostle, "are worthy of death." Such, in truth, are spiritually dead: and how shall the spiritually dead escape "the wrath to come," if they have ever studiously avoided to do that by which they might be made alive? They who have no vital religion can have no spiritual life, and sin is the author of this spiritual death. The spirit does not strive with such, because they resist his motions; and

where the spirit does not strive, Satan has secured his conquest. "The wages of sin" shall then surely be received, and "the wages of sin is death."

We are, lastly, to consider how sin is the cause of eternal death. This is obvious to all, at least to all who believe the gospel. To the impenitent wicked there is no peace" For though they live long, yet shall they be nothing regarded, and their last age shall be without honour. Or, if they die quickly, they have no hope, neither comfort in the day of trial."

The divine word had sent forth the doom of eternal death against us for the sin of Adam, and until redemption was offered by the Saviour, this doom was universal. It is now partial only, "thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." But among such as "have been baptized into his death," to those only he "giveth the victory," who "manfully fight under his banner against sin, the world and the devil, and continue his faithful soldiers and servants unto their lives' end.". The tremendous penalty against man in Paradise, will be inflicted only upon such-and this, indeed, is the pious Christian's especial consolation-as by their continued iniquities render "the blood of the covenant an unholy thing," inasmuch as they fail to make it available to their salvation. If we see that spiritual and temporal death do accrue from sin, it is a sufficient proof to us that eternal death will ;

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because, if God has shown us, as far as we are capable of seeing it realized in his life, that "death is the wages of sin," and has so far fully consum→ mated his decree as to make it evident to the experience of us all, that these wages are received by the sinner here, what can we reasonably conclude of it in the life everlasting, when he has pledged his immutable word that it shall await the obstinate sinner there?"For the ungodly, and him that de lighteth in wickedness, doth his soul abhor. Upon them he shall reign snares, fire and brimstone, storm and tempest; this shall be their portion to drink.", daga di sub or vods

I need scarcely observe here, that eternal death does not suppose an utter annihilation of body and spirit, but an everlasting exclusion of both from the sight and favour of God."

This, then, will infallibly be the lot of the im penitent wicked, for "the Lord is not a man, that he should lie, nor the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said and shall he not do it, or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good? Do not let us imagine, that uniform and persisting sin ban receive an adequate punishment in this world. If we die in such sin, is it natural that we should rise again in righteousness? What can there be in the grave to purify the unregenerate soul for the Paradise of God? God is a hater of iniquity, and what he hates he must hate everlastingly, and as long as he hates, he will naturally punish it. He will,