There was a general murmur of assent.
“And now tell me,” said Thorn, speaking more earnestly, and looking around him as he spoke, “which of us can plead not guilty to the charge of having broken these great commandments—broken them often—broken them every day of our lives?”
No voice was raised in reply—conscience was bearing silent witness against all. Thorn continued: “The Almighty has a claim to our greatest love; He has created us, preserved us, redeemed us—He has deigned to say, My son, give Me thy heart! but which of us have obeyed the heavenly call? Has it been our delight to serve Him, to pray to Him? have we thought on Him with reverence, gratitude, and love; seeking His glory before our own pleasure, making His will the law of our lives? This it is, my children, to keep the first commandment: if any one present feels in his heart that he never has wilfully broken it, let him now raise up his hand in token that he can say Not guilty to this charge!”
Every hand remained motionless and still.
“And who has loved his neighbour as himself? Who has never done an unjust action, nor spoken an ill-natured word, nor harboured an envious thought in his heart? Guilty, all guilty we stand before our God! we have broken His commands, we have offended against His holiness; alas! who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin!”
“And now,” continued Thorn, after another solemn pause, “which of you here can give me a verse from the Word of God which tells us the just punishment of sin?”
Seth answered, in a very low voice, which would not have been heard but for the great silence which prevailed through the room, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die!”
“Then what is to become of us all?” cried William Browne, who had but lately joined the school; “must all be punished, as all have sinned? is there no hope of escape?”
“Our hope is in the blessed Son of God, who came down to earth that He might raise us to heaven—who bore our punishment that we might share His bliss. Through faith in Him even the chief of sinners may be saved—the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin.”
“But then,” said Nayland, “if those who have sinned much, and those who have sinned less, may all go to heaven if they only believe, it seems as if it did not matter whether we tried to obey or not—as though, the Lord having done all, we have nothing left to do.”