bleffings? The higheft ftrains of adoration, uttered by the united hearts and voices of men and angels, would not equal, in point of gratitude, the kindness exhibited to mankind, in giving his life a ransom for them. How ungrateful then thofe mortals, or rather monsters, who will not accept of so rich a benefit as the forgiveness of fins, on so easy terms as CHRIST propounds it to them! Did he require them to quit all they hold dear in the world; their habitations, friends, money, and life itself to partake of it, they ftill had but a fhadow of, not a fufficient reason for a refufal. But now what doth the Lord require of them, but that they repent and believe, in order to be forgiven? And can any thing be fo eafy as this, efpecially when he affifts them by his grace, in what he requires; for he is "exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance, as well as remission of fins‡.” 4. But let us review the whole, in reference to thofe to whom it belongs. And as it is undoubtedly true, that all have finned, and come short of the glory of GOD; fo while they continue thus circumftanced, the law of GOD lies against them; it expofes their fin, thews their danger, declares them deferving of, and fentences them to eternal death. And it is no refpecter of perfons, it exempts none from cenfure who act contrary to it, being impartial in respect of fins, extending to all forts and degrees thereof. It marks the firft rifings, and reaches to the utmost bound of every fpecies of evil. It takes cognizance of, and treats all who fuffer fin in their hearts as actual offenders. It pronounces the covetous idolitors, the haters of mankind murderers, the luftful lookers on adulterers. In † A&s, v. 31. fhort, 1 fhort, fin of every kind being a tranfgreffion of the law, the wages of it is death, is condemnation here, and damnation hereafter. 5. Who then can bear the awful declaration, can lift up his guilty head, when GOD fays, "The foul that fins fhall die." And, "Curfed is every one "who continueth not in all things which are written "in the book of the law to do them!" But who has done the whole law? Not one; for all have finned. What then will finners do? How will they ftand before the great GOD when he judges the world in righteoufnefs, and gives to every one according to his works? Alas! What can they do, for the law by which they must be judged requires complete conformity to it in heart and life, at all times, in all places, and touching all things; and, for one failure, condemns to death everlasting. This is the language of it, and it varies not; like its author it is unchangeable and without fhadow of turning. Wherefore, wherever it finds fin unforgiven, it finds matter to work upon. Nor will it ceafe to condemn; for though heaven and earth fhall pafs away, yet the law abideth for ever. So the finner remaining unforgiven, the fentence paffed upon him continues; being already condemned, if mercy interpofe not, all is eternally loft. For, "As I live, faith the LORD, every "knee fhall bow to me, and every tongue fhall con"fefs to GoD*." And, the wicked shall be turn"ed into hell§." At death, their fouls fhall defcend to the devil, and at the laft day their bodies fhall be raised from the grave to go into everlafting fire. A dreadful fentence this! Yet juft; for CHRIST will. O 2 defcend. * Rom. xiv. 11. § Pfm. ix. 17. defcend in flaming fire, taking vengeance on all "who know not GOD, and obey not the gofpelt." 6. In oppofition to this, what can impenitent finners do? They cannot make void the fentence, nor efcape the punishment. They must bear their judgment. 'Tis true, they generally repofe confidence in CoD's mercy, hoping he will not punish them as their fins deferve, and as he has threatened to do. But that it is to make the Almighty a liar. He hath faid, "Except ye repent ye fhall perish;" and his truth cannot fail. He is a juft GOD, hating iniquity, and will not clear the guilty. Sooner fhall the earth be removed out of its place, than a finner dying in his fin, not be damned. 7. But fome, to evade this, and arm against terrors, plead not guilty; or if guilty, not wholly fo, deferving as well to be faved as loft, having done as much good as evil. But this is falfe in fact; there is an impoffibility in the cafe. That would be to have ferved two mafters at once; which, we are told, can-· not be. Befides, finners are reprefented as having no righteoufnefs; for, faith the Apoftle," when ye were the fervants of fin, ye were free from right"coufnefs." I grant they may do many things materially good; but not morally or religioufly fo. They may feed the poor, cloath the naked, relieve the diftreffed; may hear fermons, fay prayers, give thanks, receive facraments, &c. But all these, and whatever elfe they do, is unacceptable to GOD while they continue in fin, the whole of a finner being an abomination to him. For, as GoD and his government are holy, II. Thef. i. 8. holy, fo a holy difpofition of heart, is abfolutely neceffary, as a qualification for a right difcharge of that service. But finners are unholy, their hearts are full of fin; and that being the principle of their actions, they practice like themfelves, all that they do is evil. Let no finner then boaft of his good works, forafmuch as he has none. Let him not build upon them, for they are but fand, and will let him fink into hell. 8. Art thou then nothing but fin? If fo, what wilt thou do? Or rather, what may the LORD do? Why truly, he may ftrike thee dead, and fend thee to the devil! And how wilt thou help thyfelf? Poor foul! Thou art in the gall of bitterness, and bond of iniquity. Death and destruction await thee. There is but a step, betwixt thee and the pit. Canft thou reft upon the brink of hell? Do not dream of fafety there. devils are near! Lo! A troop comes to pluck thee thither! For they are the meffengers of GOD to thee for evil, the executors of his wrath. And remember, GoD deftroyed the world of the ungodly by a flood; and rained fire and brimstone upon, Sodom and Gomorrah. The earth alfo opened her mouth and fwallowed up Korah and his company :: and three-and-twenty thousand Jews fell in one day. And art thou more fafe than they? I doubt not. They were but finners, and fo art thou. Yea, perhaps. thou art an old finner; if fo, how long wilt thou be out of hell? 'Till to-morrow? What may a day bring forth? Confider, it was once faid, "Thou fool this. night fhall thy foul be required of thee." 9. What then is to be done? Sinner, thine is a loft; cafe, if thou continueft thus. As the LORD lives, who cannot lie, thus dying, thou art damned. Think not of escaping in thy fins. But, if thou art determined to keep them, prepare for the worft. Fortify thy felf against a guilty confcience, the wrath of Gor, fire and brimftone, the tyranny of devils, and eternal torments. Expect no mercy in hell, nor mitigation of mifery; for there the worm dicth not, and the fire is not quenched. And muft the fire feed upon thee for ever? Alas! How much more cause haft thou to curfe thy day, than either Job or Jeremiah had! They laboured but under a temporary evil; but thou art under a fentence of eternal ruin. And art thou content to dwell with devils for ever? if thou dieft in thy fins. Do not think that the threatenings of GoD are bugbears to frighten children with; they are the effects of law and juftice again fin; and fooner will the Lord cease to be, than lie; his truth, like himself, endureth for ever.. Be fure that it will be fo, 10. But before the sentence take place, before thou art damned, confider whether it is not better to repent. it is faid, "When the wicked man turneth away "from his wickednefs, he fhall fave his foul alive." Art thou willing to repent? If thou art,. who can tell how foon thy fentence may be reverfed. Set about it. Leave off thy fins, and for fake thy finful companions. To-day; left to-morrow find thee other work. Left, 'death interpofing, thou art numbered with the damned. Rent thy heart, and let tears be a fign of thy forrow. Better weep now than hereafter. Spare none of thy fins, however profitable or pleasant. If they be as thy right hand, or eye, they must be cut off, or plucked out. If thou fpareft them, they will not fpare thee. One retained, may keep thee from pardon, and fend thee |