670 / 674
650
TII$
ETVANAL
DUEATION,
[DISC.
XIII.'
snares of
the
devil,
and
to 'enlarge his
own
heavenly
kingdom. But
I
answer further,
Ans.
II.
It
must
be
granted
that
the tempers
amen
are
various, and
it
is
possible
that
some may be
of
so
inge-
nuous
and refined
a
disposition,
that
the
Words
of
love'
and
grace, witholtt any terror, might
reach
their
hearts,
and through the
influences
of
heaven,
touch them
effec-
tually
:
but
as.
for the
bulk'
of
mankind,
while
they con-
tinue
in
their
sins,
daily
experience
convinceth
us,
that
they
are best awakened
by
the terrors of
the
Lord,
by
a
representation
of
the,gnawing
"worm
which
never
dies,
.
and the
fire
which
shall
not
be
quenched."
I
never
knew
but
one 'person
in
the whole
course of
my
ministry
who
acknowledged;
that
the
first
motions
of
religion
in his
own
heart
arose from a
sense
of
the goodness
of
God,
end that
he
was
gently and
sweetly led
at
first to this
inquiry,
"
What
shall
I
render
to
the
Lord
who
bath
dealt
so
bountifully
with
me
?"
Ps.
cxvi. 12.
But I think
all
besides,
who have
come within
my
notice,
have
rather
been
first
awakened
by
the passion of fear to
fly
from the
wrath
to come.
If, therefore,
we will
practise according
to
the ex-
ample
of
Jesus,
the
greatest
and the wisest
prophet of
his
church, and
his
'holy apostles,
and
the best
of
preachers
in
all ages
who have followed
him
;
if
we
would
obey
the
dictates
of
long experience, and our
best
observations
on
the methods
of converting
grace,
I
think
we
must proceed
to
denounce
these
eternal terrors,
of
the Lord against the transgressors of
his
law and
the
despisers
of
his gospel.
This seems
to be the
appointed
and
most effectual way
to
rouse
their
consciences to
seek
a
deliverance from the
curses
of
the
law,
which
carry
in
them everlasting punishment. This appears to
be the
first
spring
of
religion
in
sinful
men, and
the first
motive
to receive the
glad tidings
of
salvation which
are
displayed
in
the
New.
Testament. This spurs
on
their
passions to
escape
the
vengeance
of God,
by
flying
to
his
gospel,
where
there
is
rich and
abundant
grace
to
encourage the hope of rebellious creatures
in
their
re-
turns
to
God
by
Jesus Christ,
the
Saviour.
To
Jesus,
who
is
the
awful messenger
of
his
Father's
terrors,
and
the
prime minister
of
his love, be
glory
and honour
to
everlasting
ages.
Amen.
END
OF
THE
SECON
D
VOLUME.