278 SEEMON PREACHED ON THE ISLAND. 
we neglect those means which God, of his 
infinite mercy and goodness, has been pleased 
to put within our reach? the only means 
which, by the divine blessing, can make us 
wise unto salvation: for 'faith,' we are as- 
sured, ' cometh by hearing, and hearing by 
the word of God.' Open the Bible, and you 
can scarcely look upon a page that does not 
inform you of our wretched state by nature, 
and by actual transgression. It asserts that 
' by one man's transgression many were 
made sinners ; ' that ' the heart of man is 
deceitful above all things, and desperately 
wicked ; ' and it declares in unequivocal lan- 
guage, ' The soul that sinneth, it shall die.' 
Dreadful as this view of the subject may 
appear, and dreadful it really is to the im- 
penitent offender, yet, blessed be God! 
wherever in his holy word He has pronounced 
a curse against sin, an offer of pardon to the 
sinner, if he will turn from his evil way, 
invariably follows. So far from desiring the 
death of a sinner, God hath declared, ' It is 
because he is God, and not man, therefore 
we are not consumed.' And again, ' O 
Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but ia 
