For sins of ignorance, and those into which men were surprized by unexpected temptations, sacrifices were ordered in the law, and pardon, on certain conditions, promised:  But it was not promised presumptuous sinners.  To them the law spake nothing but terror.  “The soul that doth ought presumptuously—­the same reproacheth the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from his people.  Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall be utterly cutoff; his iniquity shall be upon him.” *

* Numbers xv. 30, 31.

The person who lives in all good conscience, may hope in the divine mercy for the pardon of involuntary errors:  But with what face can the willful offender ask mercy of God?  No plea which is not affrontive can he make before him—­“Shall I not visit for these things, saith the Lord:  And shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?”

That awful threatening, or prophetic denunciation, “The Lord will not spare him; but the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses written in this book [the law] shall lie upon him,” regards willful sinners, flattering themselves with expectation of divine favor. *

* Deuteronomy xxix. 20.

When St. Paul would magnify the riches of divine grace in the salvation of the chief of sinners, he exemplifies it in himself—­“Who before was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious—­Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.”  But he subjoins an alarming hint that those who sin wilfully, have no reason to express like mercy from God.  “But I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.”  That no mercy would have been shewn him had he done those things presumptuously, is here intimated with sufficient plainness.  This deserves the attention of those who sin presuming on divine mercy.  Surely they cannot reasonably expect mercy from him “who is no respecter of persons,” if Paul “obtained it because he did those things ignorantly in unbelief.”  If this is duly considered, Will not presumptuous sinners believe and tremble?  Will they not perceive their hopes to be vain?

2.  Another abuse of the revelation of divine mercy is the universal scheme which is built upon it.  The text and similar passages of scripture are alleged as evidence that none can be lost.

To help the argument, it is said—­“To be influenced to obedience by fear is low and mercenary; and God would not urge men to duty by so unworthy a principle.”