The fure Trial of Vprigbtnefs. the Applica<ion of it to themfelves, and will acknowledge the Obligation,of it in the gencr_al, ~nd with refpeCl: to others. Now the Law of God wnrren m Mans_ Heart ne. celfanly Infers a Judgment upon the Ttanfgrelfors of it, and the Judgment mcludes a Punifhmenr becoming rhe Majefiy of the Lawgtver th~t ordains It, and the extent ofhis Power rhar executes it. Divine Revelation make& tlus Truth much more clear and certain, The Apofl:le tells us, If we live after the Flejh, 1ve jhall die : And will God ceale to be holy, and j uft, and true, th a~ m~p.em~cnt ~111~1crs may efcape Pumfhment? But there arc fome poifonous Pnnc1ples tnfus d mto rhc Hcarrs of Men, rhar encou~ rage them in their Sins, norwirhil:anding their A1Tcnt to the DoCtrine of a future Judgment. Some cannot perfwade rhcmfelvcs, that God will be fo fl:rict and fevere, tha~ for a Jingle forbidden Pleafure, when they refpeCl: othet Commands of his Law, he will condemn them for ever. The ~ecrer Prefi.Imption that one Tranfgrcffion wdl not provoke their Judge to extream Wrarl_1, hardens them in a finful courfe. But Sr. James declare~, He tbat offends i~ one Pofn~ tS guilty of_all. One known allowed Si.n that a Ma? habitually commits, mvolves lum iR the Gudt of Rebellion aga i!lil: the Dtvi~le Aurhonry th~t made rhe Law. Ir was obferv'd before, Herod did fome dungs accord111g to John's DIvine Intlructions, but he would not part with 1-:lerodias, and that one Sin denominated him wicked. Many arc like him, they obferve fomc Rules of Religion, perform fomc Duties, are zealous againfi: fornc Sins_, but there is an E-Ierodi~s, a Sin plcafa11:r to the Tail:c of their Temper, that they wdl ~lot relinq_uifh, and ~vt rhout any Prom.tfe, nay againll the Threa tnings of God, they believe he will be merctful to them notwtthfianding their Wickedn~fs. This Prcfumpr~on is an unnatural abu~c of God's Mc~cy. This cxafJ~crates that h1g.h and tender Attnbure : For what ~an be more provokmg tl~an to jmag111c that the Dtvi ne Mercy fl10uld encourage Sin, and proteCt unreform'd Stnncrs from rhe Arrell:s of Vind iCtive Jufrice? The Blood that Ahab fpar'd in Benhadad induc'd a deadly Guilt, as that he fpilt of Nabotb; as God fpake by the Prophet ro him, Becaufe thou bajl Jjared that Man, wbom I ~{!eotrr: ~r~~";~;r·~o~l;.ttea~~~r,fsi~~e;ifon~h{u~rir;~~a~:;;;e~~.~~~a~n;~a~~ the cloiCr Nature, or any carnal Inrerefr fo endears to Men, that they do not fincerely dcfirc and endeavour to mortifie and forfJke, will be fatal to rhem for ever. Some habitual Sinners when terrified with the Apprehenfion of. future Judgmen t, (for Go~ fOmcttmes thunders in rhe Confcic t!ce a~ wel.l as m t~1e A1t) endeav~ur to quiet t he" Fears by prefuming rhat the Death of Clmfl Will reconCile offended Jufl1ce, and his Blood cleanfe them from all Sin. They will lean upon rhe Crofs ro fave them from falling into the bottomlefs Pit, but not cmci~e one Lufl: on it. The Vanity of this has been fl1ewed before : I fl10ll only add, that 'ns mofl opprobrious to the Son of God, and m oft defiruCtive ro Sinners; for 'tis w make him the Minifl:er of Sin, as if he came into the 'World to compofe a Church of rotten and corrupt Members, and unite it to himli::lf : Such a Myflical Body would be more monflrqus than Nebucbadnezzar's Image, 6f whreh the Read was Gold, and Feet were M~ry Clay. And tlm Will be mofl deflruCl:ive t? their Souls; for by turning the Remedy. of Sin into an occafio.n of finn ing, they deriYc.a wofid Guile. from the Death of Chnil: inil:ead of the precwus Benefits purchafCd by It for rrue Believers. For an unreformed Sinner to oppofe the Blood of Chrifl to the Fears of'Damnation, renders his Condition defperate. The moO: who continue in a finful courfe, {hive to elude the Warnings of Confcience, by refolving'.thar afrer rhe Seafon of finning is pafl, they will refonn, and apply thcn~fClves to feck the. Favour and Grace of God. .But how Haza.rdous, how incongnto~s 1s the delay of fenous Repentance? How hazardous? The Lrves of Sinners are foifetrcd in Law, rheir rime is a Reprieve depending mccrly upon the Favour of the Judge, how can they have a "_'arrant for a Day? Bu.r they are yo.ung, and firong, and think the Day of Dearh and therr.la11 Account ro be at a great diflance. Vain Security! as if Death were not m every place, and every hour, as near RebelliOus Sinners as their Sins that defervc it: If tbou doefl E'Vil, fays God to Cain, Sin is r~t tbe Door. Damnation is· t cady to tread upon the f!eels of .Sinners, and if Divine Clemency and Patience did not 111terpofc, would immediately fetze upon them. God fomerimes flwots from rhe Clouds, and breaks the flrongefl Buildings into Ruins : It is riot the Error of his Hand, ~)ut lus P1ty, that impenitent Sinners efcape his vifib!c Vengeance. Bur who can ailim~ them of future time ? ~e fi~~s, fuppofc that Sinners who hate to be reforrn'd whilfr. preiCnt Temptations arc· [~P~;~~:~~~; )::~,~~~e~[etl~[ l;:;;~; ~~d i~h:tfea~;~~ti~;~ ~r~~~i~~o~~mJ,l~~a~~~~ ing
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