disgrace of those who had the best reason to expect comfort at their hand. They violate the strongest obligations to duty, and make themselves unworthy of the least confidence from men. They greatly provoke the author of their being, by their base conduct towards the instruments of it. God hath placed in his law the duties we owe to our parents next to those we owe to himself, and will severely avenge the neglect of them. How, then, can they escape punishment, who do not only neglect, but scandalously counteract these duties! If the injuries done to strangers, or inferiors, expose men to the displeasure of the Most High, what punishments hang over those that wound, in the tenderest part, the persons to whom under God they owe themselves?

Is God so careful to enforce the rights of parents upon their children, how careful should parents be to inculcate on their children their duty to God, the sense of which, in the minds of their children, is their own best security for that regard which is due to themselves.

If God be the father of the human race, and of Christians in particular, what fear is due to him? What monsters of undutifulness are they that provoke him to anger continually?

Ver. 27. Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.

There are many deceivers in the world, who make it their business to clothe error with the appearance of truth, and to weaken the motives to holiness which are set before us in the word of God. And the exhortation in this verse speaks to us as children, warning us to beware of their artifices and insinuations.

Error may be rendered very plausible, for the Devil himself came to men with Scripture in his mouth *; and

* Matt. iv.

no wonder if his ministers can presume to plead both Scripture and reason in behalf of their pernicious doctrines but a quagmire is not the less dangerous, because it is covered with beautiful verdure, and has the appearance of solid ground; nor is poison the less pernicious, because it is covered with honey. Error is error after all that can be said for it, and all the shapes which it can be made to assume.

It is, no doubt, our duty to prove all things, and to take nothing upon the mere testimony of men that concerns our precious souls, and it is the property of a sincere soul, like Nathaniel's, to be open to conviction, where there is danger of a mistake. But this does not imply that we are to be ever learning, without coming to the knowledge and assurance of the truth. The truth may be known, because it is plainly revealed in the Bible; and when we have found that which is good, we ought to hold it fast, that no man take our crown-to contend earnestly for it against all opposition, and to shut our ears against those instructions that would shake our regard to those things which are most surely believed amongst us.

It is dangerous for men to lend a ready ear to those that would exalt the dignity of human nature, to the dishonour of the righteousness and grace of Christ, or loosen the obligations of men to obey every law of God, because the corruption of our natures gives countenance to every thing that favours pride or carelessness; so that, when we think we are well fortified against the delusions of seducing spirits and false teachers, and rashly venture to hear what they can say for them. selves, we are in great danger of being perverted, and falling from our fancied stedfastness.

The apostle John tells us, that it is a great and dangerous sin, when a man comes to teach false doctrine, to receive him into our houses, or to bid him God

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speed; and Christ tells us, that his true sheep hear and know his voice, and follow him, but will not follow a stranger.

Perhaps you have already given too much ear to the teachers of corrupt doctrine. The exhortation is chiefly addressed to you, by him that knows your danger. Cease to hear such instruction. The time past is sufficient to have listened to it. Examine carefully how far your judgment or practice have been perverted, by comparing them with the Scriptures. Adjust your profession and practice to that unerring standard. Endeavour to know the present truth, and to be established in it. Learn by the word of God, and prayer, to distinguish between truth and error. Hear those teachers that are of God, and preach sound doctrine; and beware of itching cars, which would tempt you to drink poison into your ears and hearts, instead of the sincere milk of the word *.

Ver. 28. An ungodly witness scorneth judgment, and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.

This is not the first nor second time that Solomon has informed us about the wickedness of false witnes ses. It would be a great injustice to admit the testimony of a profligate wretch, against the life or fortune of his neighbour; for he neither regards man, nor fears God. He scorneth judgment, and has no reverence for the most sacred and venerable objects. He bids defiance to eternal justice, and swallows down the most enormous iniquities as if they were sweet wine; for his conscience is become hardened in iniquity, till a trifle will be a sufficient temptation to him to swear against innocent blood.

It is greatly the interest of a nation to take order that a sense of religion be preserved amongst the members

* 1 John iv. 1-6. Matt. vii. 15. 2 John 9.

of it. When men generally lose their reverence for an oath, the bonds of society are broken, honesty becomes a prey, and ruin advances with hasty steps.

Let all men beware of those sins that are counted little, for they are like little thieves that get in at the window, and then open the door for bigger villains to get in. When men learn to lie without scruple, because they hurt none but themselves, they will next learn to bear false witness, when they are tempted by love or fear, and from thence they will proceed to greater degrees of wickedness, till at length they will scarce put the devil to the trouble of tempting them to any sin, but drink iniquity like water. Every sin tends to harden the conscience, and a conscience long hardened in sin, will in time be seared as with a hot iron.

However stupid the consciences of ungodly men are, and whatever flatteries they use for deceiving themselves, their iniquity will in the end be found hateful. Ver. 29. Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools.

Scorners, in the pride of their hearts, think themselves secure from the vengeance of the law, and are sometimes so profane as to laugh at the threatenings of the Almighty. But the day is coming when their laughter shall be turned into heaviness. The God whom they despise, is the judge of all the earth, and it is his glory to exercise his high office in righteousness. He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but if they will not turn and live, they must die, and their blood shall be on their own head, and the Lord shall be known by the judgment which he executeth. The judgments that shall be inflicted on scorners, are already prepared, and determined for them. It is the triumph of lively Christians that they can look back to the days of eternity, and rejoice in the contemplation of a kingdom prepared for them before the foundation of the

world. But sinners have great reason to tremble with astonishment, when they reflect upon the immutable decrees of God, for an everlasting hell was designed in them for every unrepenting transgressor. As kings have their officers of justice, and instruments of vengeance ready to terrify profligate subjects into obedience to the laws, so the Everlasting King has every instrument of vengeance reserved among his treasures, to terrify men from sin, or to destroy them if they go on in their trespasses. Their punishment shall be disgraceful to the last degree, for stripes are prepared for the backs of fools. They shall suffer ignominious wounds as the basest of criminals, and their reproach shall never be wiped away.

Because sinners feel not the strokes of judgment, they foolishly think that they shall for ever escape. But did the old world of the ungodly escape, although they were spared an hundred and twenty years? Christ himself, the beloved Son of God, when he was bearing iniquity not his own, was not spared. Justice and judgment took hold of our blessed Surety, and he gave his back to the siniters, and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. If God spared not his own Son, will he spare stubborn transgressors ?

Perhaps you imagine, sinners, that vengeance will be long delayed, and that your sufferings are reserved to another world. Perhaps it may, and for ought you know, it may not be so. But, allowing that you should enjoy all the prosperity that your hearts can wish till you die, are you sure that you shall live another year, or another day? Your life depends absolutely on him whom you treat as an enemy; and when his much abused patience is at an end, where, O where are you!

Matt, xxv. 41.