56 .A CALL TO been no need of Christ. And what ifGod ~ithdraw his patience and sustaining power, and let you drop into hell while you are quarrelling with his word, will you then believe that there is a hell? 4. If sin be such an evil that it requireth the death of Christ for its expiation, no wonder if it deserve our everlasting misery. 5~ And ifthe sin of the devils deserved an endless torment, why not also the sin of man? 6. And methinks you should perceive that it is not possible for the best of men, much less for the wicked, to be competent judges of the desert of sin. Alas! we are both blind and partial. You can never know fully the desert of sin, till you fully know the evil of sin; and you can never fully know the evil of sin, till you fully know, 1. The excellency of the soul which it deformeth. 2. And the excellency of holiness which it obliterates. S. The reason and excellency of the law which it violates. 4. The excellency of the glory which it despises. 5. The excellency and office of reason which it treadeth down. 6. No> nor till you know the infinite excellency, almightiness and holiness of that God against whom it is committed. When you fully know all these, you shall fully know the desert of sin besides. You know that the offender is too partial to judge the law, or the proceeding ofhis judge. We judge by feeling which blinds our reason. We see, in common worldly things, thatmost men think the cause is right which is their own, and that all is wrong that is done against them; ancl let the most wise 01·just impartial friends persuade them to the contrary, and It is all in vain. There are few children but think the father i'S unmerciful, or dealeth hardly with them if he whip them. There is scarce the vilest wretch but thinketh the ehurch <loth wrong him if they excommunicate him: or scarce a thief or murderer that is hang~, but would accuse the law and judge of cru1 elty, If that would serve their turn. 7. Can you think that an unholy soul is fit fb.:r
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