"I AM THE LORD THY GOD, MIGHTY, JEALOUS, VISITING THE INIQUITY OF THE FATHERS UPON THE CHILDREN TO THE THIRD AND. FOURTH GENERATION OF THEM THAT HATE ME, AND SHOW ING MERCY UNTO THOUSANDS OF THEM THAT LOVE ME, AND KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS."] In this concluding clause of the first commandment, two things occur which demand exposition. The first is, that whilst, on account of the enormous guilt incurred by the violation of the first commandment, and the propensity of man towards its violation, the punishment is here properly proposed: it is also appended to all the other commandments. Every law enforces its observance by some sanction, by rewards and punishments; and hence the frequent and numerous promises of God, which are recorded in Scripture. To omit those that we meet almost in every page of the Old Testament, we read in the Gospel: "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments;" [1] and again: " He that doth the will of my Father who is in heaven, he shall enter heaven;" [2] and also; " Every tree that doth not yield good fruit shall be cut down and cast into the fire;" [3] " Whosoever is angry with his brother shall be guilty of the judgment;" [4] " If you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your of fences." [5] The other observation is, that this divine sanction is to be proposed in a very different manner to the spiritual and to the carnal Christian: to the spiritual who is animated by the Spirit of God, [6] and who yields to him a willing and cheerful obedience, it is, in some sort, glad tidings, and a strong proof of the divine goodness: in it he recognises the parental care of a most loving God, who, now by rewards, again by punishments, almost compels his creatures to adore and worship him. The spiritual man acknowledges the infinite goodness of God in vouchsafing to issue his commands to him, and to make use of his service to the glory of the divine name; and not only does he acknowledge the divine goodness, he also cherishes a strong hope that, when God commands what he pleases, he will also give strength to fulfil what he commands. But to the carnal man, who is not yet disenthralled from the spirit of servitude, and who abstains from sin more through fear of punishment than love of virtue, this sanction of the divine Law, which closes each of the commandments, is burdensome and severe. He is, therefore, to be supported by pious exhortation, and to be led, as it were, by the hand, in the path pointed out by the Law of God. These two classes of persons the pastor, there-
