fear hath influence with us, is to dishonour God, to regard him as if he were weak, and not the Lord of Hosts, who is mighty in strength; it is to deal by him as if he had less power to help, than man has to hurt us. Let us take arms against this ungodly fear, and we shall most assuredly prevail against it, as our hearts are better acquainted with the thunder of God's power.

But secondly, the almighty power of God is at stake for the execution of gospel threatenings. Shall I need to prove this? Let these passages stand for a full proof," Behold the day cometh, when the Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and they that do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven, against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; and our God is a consuming fire; who, though hand join in hand, will not suffer sin to be unpunished. He that believeth not shall be damned, in that day when the Lord shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those who know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.

I need not stand upon a point so manifest; every body knows it, every sinner, at seasons at least, feels the influence of it. Consider this ye that forget God, the same almighty arm which will fulfil the promises,

will execute also the threatened judgments of the gospel. Consider what Almighty power can do. Who can stand before it? It can separate the soul and body in a moment; this hour it can lay you in the dust, and when you are there, it can call you forth again, and bring you trembling to judgment, and cast your soul and body into hell, and even reach you there, and afflict you with sad, intolerable, eternal anguish, yea, shut you up in that dark and dismal prison everlastingly. O, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God! Why will you not think how unable you shall be to stand when the great day of his wrath is come?

Would God all such of you, as must need be sensible, from your manner of living, that your names are not yet written in the book of life; would God ye might consider the thunder of God's power. It is that power which at a word made the heavens, and fashioned the cumbrous earth. That power that supports, every moment, every thing in the universe. That power that killeth and maketh alive; that speaketh to the world in lightnings, and thunders, and storms, and earthquakes; that shall wrap up the heavens as a scroll, and consume the world with the breath of his mouth; that matchless power which reserves the wicked in chains; that power to which all things are possible. O what are ye, that ye can dare contend with the Almighty? Be persuaded it is far better the Almighty God were your friend and your Father, than your enemy and your avenger. Far better, that he should exert his power over you in making you partake of the promises, than in execut

ing the threatenings of the gospel. Far better, that his everlasting arm should be underneath you, to bless and protect you in the courts of heaven, than to vex and curse you in the pit of hell. Be persuaded, as sure as you now live by God's power, if you will but return you shall live with him for ever. O how will ye bless this happy day in all the ages of eternity if ye now repent. How will ye praise God for ever for this word, which, however terrible it may now sound in your ears, convinced you of your danger, and brought you home to him, who came to save lost sinners. May the Lord of all power and might, cause it to be thus effectual to your salvation for Christ's sake.

SERMON IX.

THE HOLINESS OF GOD.

Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts: Isa. vi, 3.

"LORD of Hosts," regards God's power whereof we have spoken lately. The other part of the words regards God's purity, which I intend now to treat of. What were power without holiness? It were a lawless violence. Majesty must have a law to guide the might it possesses; and this law is the holiness of God. Without this, were God any how impure, all his perfections and dealings would be unbecoming; his patience would be an indulgence to sin, his mercy a fondness, his wrath a madness, his power a tyranny, his wisdom cunning and subtilty. But holiness holds all right; this gives a becomingness to all. And what is this holiness but the integrity of God, whereby he wills every thing in a manner agreeable to his own glory, and does every thing in righteousness and equity, holding the reins of his dominion in that exercise of his power, mercy, and patience, which shall glorify himself, and maintain and preserve the dignity of his government, and the allegiance and submission. of his subjects. God, whether he be considered as he

is himself, or as he is in his doings, in both is holy. Had no creature ever been, holiness were the same essential property of God, for God is holy in himself, without blemish, without passions, and in such manner perfect in every attribute, as that in the whole of them he is most pure, and therefore a most blessed God. In his works of creation and government, holiness is also manifest, and I may say holds the rein, and directs every step of the divine administration, as in the most holy manner, so to the great end of his own glory. As in himself, so in all his doings God is holy. "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts;" it is three times repeated, as it were to set a peculiar mark upon it, as if this were the very life of God, as indeed it is; he would not be God without it, however mighty, wise, merciful, all were confusion without it. What is an earthly governor whose heart is corrupt? If he have not integrity, he will exercise power with cruelty, or mercy to the hurt of himself or his subjects. In treating this matter of God's purity and holiness, I will,

I. Lay down some propositions for the illustrating it.

is

II. I will make some improvements of it.

I. I will illustrate it in a few propositions. He in his nature-in his hatred of sin-in the law, and the gospel.

pure

1. God is pure in his nature. He is said in Scripture to be holy, the holy one, to be only holy. "The Lord our God is holy, he is the Lord our holy one;" "thou only O Lord art holy." "Far be it from God," saith Elihu," that he should do wickedness, and from