closest friends that they must not only love God, but fear Him, and that because He is able to punish for ever. "I say unto you, my friends, fear not them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do; but I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: fear Him who after He hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, fear Him."

Now seeing that the Man Who thus warns His own friends, as His friends, is none other but He Whom God Himself gave to be a propitiation for mankind through His Blood; Who Himself said the words, "I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance,' seeing that it is none other than the meek, the humble, the loving Jesus Who thus sets forth the severity of God, and how His very friends must fear it, it is very clear that along with the Gospel of God's grace we must preach, if we would acquit our own souls, the terrors of God. "Knowing," says St. Paul, "the terrors of the Lord, we persuade men."

This is generally allowed. What is called Gospel preaching generally presupposes the preaching of hell torments, and that all men, no matter how morally blameless their lives and right their intentions, are in danger of them.

But this is not what I mean when I speak, as I am now doing, of the severe aspect of God's character and dealings, and of the need

that we preachers should set it forth, and that both you and we should apprehend it.

What I mean is this. Our Lord and His. Apostles on very many occasions set forth the difficulties of attaining salvation, and the danger of falling from God, and the judgment in which, at the last, God will render to every man according to his works-they set forth these things in all their bare, naked severity, without any consolation, any reserve, any mitigation, if one may so say, of any sort whatsoever.

I will give an instance. Our Lord says, with very great emphasis, "If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. If thy right hand, or foot, offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee. It is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, or one hand, or one foot, than to be cast into hell-fire; the fire that never shall be quenched." Now what means He by these words? He means this. If thine eye be lustful, or covetous, or envious, or grudging; if thou hast, that is, in thine heart these evil, sinful dispositions, root them out, and destroy them as determinedly as if thou pluckedst thine eye out of its socket. If thy hand offend thee-that is, if thou be given to dishonest, base practices; if thy foot offend thee-if, that is, thou walkest in any evil waycut them off; sever thyself altogether from these evil things, even if they are as much a part of thyself as thy hand or thy foot.

This is what the Lord meant, and yet He was the very same Lord Jesus Who said, "Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but to whomsoever little is forgiven, the same loveth little."

Now suppose that any one, at the inspiration of Satan, says in his heart, "I will go on in sin. I will indulge to the full my lusts, and give the reins to my evil desires, because I am sure God will be indulgent. I have such strong passions that I cannot think that He will condemn me"-does not His Son say, "To whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little?" Suppose that any one says this to himself, let him, as he values his soul, remember this, that these words of Christ were spoken to comfort one who was bathed in tears of bitter sorrow for past sin; but this very same Jesus said also, "If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee." And again He said, "Enter ye in at the strait gate." And again, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow

Suppose, again, that another man, equally at the instigation of Satan, were to say to himself, "I can never be forgiven. I have lived in sin. I have suffered mine eye to offend by lust, my hand by fraud, my foot by evil, godless walking. I cannot help myself. It is useless to hope even, for I have sinned past recovery." To

that man the Saviour says, "I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." "Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden, I will give you rest." All sins shall be forgiven unto men. If the man yet persists in saying, "There is no hope for me, for my evil passions are so strong,"-to that man the same Jesus says, "My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness."

Again, take another case. The Son of God, in a discourse recorded by St. Mark, speaks of the terms of forgiveness in such words as these; "When ye stand praying, forgive if ye have ought against any, that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive you your trespasses."

No words can be plainer, and there is not one word of qualification put in; not a word, for instance, about the efficacy of His own Blood, which was shed for many for the remission of sins; not a word respecting faith in His Blood as alone procuring forgiveness.

Suppose then that a man says to himself, "I am accepted through the merits of Christ, because I have exercised faith in Him," and all this while the same man's heart harbours malice, unkindness, thoughts of revenge and retaliation.

Let him assure himself that all the light which is in him is darkness, for the very Man

by Whose merits he is accepted, and by Whose Blood he must be washed, He has said, "If ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses."

Again, take our Lord's own description of what His procedure will be at the great day of account. He says that He will summon all before Him, and that He will say to those on His right hand, "Come, ye blessed children of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you: for I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: naked, and ye clothed me: sick, and in prison, and ye came unto me;" and that He will say to those on His left hand, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat."

Our Lord in this awful account pronounces the eternal condemnation of the selfish and hard-hearted. Observe that in this description he says not a word about the Gospel, not a word about His own Blood, not a word about faith or trust in His merits, not a word even about repentance.

Observe also that He does not say a word about purity, though elsewhere, with evident reference to the judgment and its effects, He had said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." He says nothing even about plucking out the eye of evil desire, or