and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thine hand." This is the commandment of God; this is his word; this, then, is the rule of our duty; not our feeling, nor the sinner's feeling, but the word of God, "At thy word I will let down the net."
4. Feeling is made the ground of duty when Christians allow themselves to be discouraged in view of the forbidding aspect of things as the disciples, in the case before us, might have been discouraged; they had toiled hard all night, &c. It is true there are discouragements, when we reflect upon ourselves, and look around us at the stupid state of the church and the daring rebellion of sinners.
But I have thought lately, that from God's word, if we would only listen to that, we have no discouragement. Here we see that the cause in which we are engaged is a good cause—it is the cause of God, a cause which will bring to him a revenue of glory, and eternal salvation to the souls of men. Here we see that greater is he that is with us than they which can be against us. We have all truth on our side; all wisdom; all virtue; all the power of omnipotence; all the strength and influence of the hosts of heaven. And what is against us? All falsehood, all vice, all folly and moral impotency. Look at God's word, and we have every encouragement. Let us say, then, with Peter, "Nevertheless at thy word, we will let down the net."
II. I come to show, that the revealed will of Christ, or of God in his word, is a sufficient reason
