tribunal of justice, there is no rescinding of the condemnatory sentence,
but it stands above their heads, "he that believeth not is condemned
already." Justice hath condemned all by a sentence. He that doth not, in
the sense of this, flee unto Jesus Christ from sin and wrath is already
condemned. His sentence is standing. There needs no new one. Since he
flees not to mercy for absolution, the sentence of condemnation stands
unrepealed. You guilty souls who clear yourselves, God will not clear you.
And, alas! how many of you do clear yourselves! Do you not extenuate and
mince your sins? How hard is it to extort any confession of guilt out of
you, but in the general! If we condescend to particulars, many of you will
plead innocency almost in every thing, though you have, like children,
learned to speak these words that ye are sinners. I beseech you consider
it; it is no light matter, for God will by no means clear the guilty, by
no means, by no entreaties, no flatteries. What! will he not pardon sin?
Yes indeed! his name tells you he will pardon all kind of sins, and
absolve all manner of guilty persons, but yet such as do condemn
themselves, such as are guilty in their own conscience, and their mouths
stopped before God,--you who do not enter into the serious examination of
your ways, and do not arraign yourselves before God's tribunal daily till
you find yourselves loathsome and desperate, and no refuge for you,--you
who do flatter yourselves always in the hope of heaven, and put the fear
of hell always from you,--I say, God will by no means, no prayers, no
entreaties, clear or pardon you, because you come not to Jesus Christ, in
whom is preached forgiveness and remission of sins. You who take liberty
to sin, because God is gracious, and delay repentance till the end,
because God is long suffering,--know God will not clear you, he is holy and
just as he is merciful. If his mercy make thee not fear and tremble before
him, and do not separate thee from thy sins,--if remission of sins be not
the strongest persuasion to thy soul of the removing of sin,--certainly
thou dost in vain presume upon his mercy.

Now consider what influence all this glorious proclamation had on Moses.
It stirs up in him reverence and affection,--reverence to such a glorious
Majesty, and great desire to have him amongst them, and to be more one
with him. If thy soul rightly discover God, it cannot but abase thee. He
"made haste" to bow down and worsh