tions; who has glorified in GoD, as his all-sufficient Portion, his Sun, his Shield, and his exceeding great and everlasting Reward; and who has been favoured with signal deliverances and comforts, in manifest answer to his believing prayers. To sin against such mercy and love as this, to rebel against so gracious a Father and Friend, seems to form the highest aggravation of transgression that can be conceived. Thus the sins of believers, instead of being slight offences, are in fact the most inexcusable of all crimes: and the conviction of this, even in respect to those failures which bring no scandal on religion, powerfully tends to keep the true christian humble before his Gon; as well as to enhance his admiring gratitude for the riches of pardoning grace.

This was especially the case with David. He had been taken from the sheep-fold, and raised to the throne. He had been honoured in providence; made a prophet; and inspired as "the sweet singer of Is"rael," to compose songs of praise for the use of spiritual worshippers through successive generations. But above all, he had enjoyed such consolation-in his own soul, while employed in the worship and service of his GOD; as dictated language so animated, and even rapturous, that to this day it seems unequalled. And yet after all, this very person had to say "Against thee, thee only, have I sinned!" For he had despised the commandment of his GOD; yea, he had even despised God himself, who "had comforted him on every side;" and who was ready to add still more, and that abundantly, to all his former benefits!

And have not some, here present, had occasion in many instances, though not so awful as this of David, to look back on the LORD's past kindness, and the comforts they have enjoyed in communion with him: and then to confess, with shame and sorrow, that they have most basely treated their gracious Benefactor with contempt and ingratitude? And can the violation of any other tie, be so heinous, as thus sinning against the LORD?

Take into consideration, then, my brethren, the majesty and authority of GoD; his holiness and excellency; our relations to him as our Creator, Governor, Benefactor, and Judge; and all our obligations to him, as rational creatures, as distinguished in his providence, as favoured with his gospel, and, some of us at least, as having been made joyful in his salvation and then, form your estimate of the evil of sin, as committed against GOD; and endeavour to enter into the spirit of the emphatick language used in the text, "Against thee, thee only, have I "sinned."

III. I proceed to consider the evil of sin, as committed against GOD, and as violating all our obligations to him.

After what has been already stated, there is no occasion to be very particular on this part of our subject. For who does not perceive, that, however moral, amiable, or respectable, he may have been in his conduct among men; yet if he treat GoD with neglect, or set him at defiance, he must be the object of his indignation and abhorrence? If we consult the Scripture, we shall find one crime in particular,

which is constantly called an abomination; and treated as the most heinous and provoking of all others, affording the clearest proof of men's hating GOD. Yet it is a crime not directly and necessarily injurious to men, at least in their temporal concerns: I mean idolatry. That this should be the highest offence, may be easily understood on our principles: but on those, which make utility the standard and test, it is entirely unaccountable. And therefore those pagan moralists, who had some notions concerning the Unity of GOD, and the vanity of the popular theology; not only saw very little evil in the grossest idolatry, but, by precepts and example, shewed that they even thought they did right in conforming to it!

In every government, submission to the supreme authority is the first social duty, and treason the highest crime: nay, other crimes in general are punished, not merely because injurious to individuals, but because they are acts of disobedience against the Sovereign, or the State.

If a person be ever so amiable in private life; if he be punctual in his payments, upright in his dealings, faithful to his engagements, kind to his relations, a good master or a good landlord, compassionate and liberal to the poor, and courteous to all: yet, if he have committed high treason, having failed in his highest obligation, the other parts of his conduct are not considered by his judges; his life is forfeited, and nothing but mercy, even the mercy of the prince against whom he has offended, can deliver him from condign punishment.

The same might be fully shewn by other illustrations. Nothing can make amends for a failure in the leading obligation: nothing can excuse or counterbalance, unfaithfulness in a wife, or disobedience in a son while the more affectionate and excellent the husband or father, the more aggravated is the offence. And to persist, against repeated pardons and kindnesses, in such conduct, would stamp the offender, as a monster of ingratitude, however moral and wellbehaved in other respects.

But many endeavour to excuse themselves, by saying, that they do not mean to offend GOD, in this or the other action; for they never thought about him. And thus the very sin, with which they are especially charged, is pleaded in extenuation of other crimes! It is the grand criminality in the conduct of men, that they forget GOD. Every object we behold, proclaims his existence and glory: our own consciousness, nay, reflection on our own bodies and souls, is suited to bring him to our thoughts. We live every hour on his bounty, and are continually upheld by his arm; yet we forget him, and excuse our other sins on the ground of that forgetfulness! But remember, my fellow sinners, that "The wicked shall be turned "into hell; and all the people that forget GoD."Can there be a more unequivocal proof of ingratitude, contempt, and aversion, than this habitual forgetfulness of our glorious Sovereign, and our daily Benefactor?

If your child loves you, does he forget you? And should a son, whom you had tenderly and carefully educated, and with great expence situated in a very

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comfortable manner, and then charged, as he valued your favour and happiness, to avoid this, and to attend to that, particular: should he, I say, persist in a conduct, in all respects diametrically opposite to your will; and then plead, that indeed he did not mean to offend you, for he had forgotten both you, and your kindness, and your counsel; what would you think of his behaviour? Would you not suppose, that he meant to add insult to disobedience? "The "carnal mind is enmity against GOD." This carnal enmity is the source of our forgetfulness; and it is also an aggravation of our guilt.

Ingratitude is generally allowed to be one of the basest and most detestable of crimes, where man onlyis concerned but what are our obligations to our best earthly benefactors, compared with those which are hourly conferred on us by our heavenly Father and Friend? yet who can justly say, he has not been ungrateful to GOD?

It is indeed a melancholy truth, that the more benefits God bestows in his providence, the greater neglect and ingratitude do men commonly manifest. Hence it is, that the prosperous are far more apt to forget God than the afflicted; the rich more in general than the poor; the healthy more than the sick; and we are never in so much danger of impious contempt of him, as when he lavishes so many benefits upon us, that we have every thing according to our own mind, and "more than heart can wish.”

This is not only the case, in respect of different persons placed in more or less prosperous circumstances, but in the same persons: even he that is