SERMON II. Sin is founded in hono jucundo, fomething that is deleClable to the Carnal Nature. 'tis the univerfal Character of Carnal Men, !hey are LO'Uers of Pleafure more than Lli'l!;rs of ~~~n !u~ ~~~~~~~~~~~en~~d Z]~l\t:~~;ng"'i,~:~· to ;k~eJ:,n!.J1:)o~l~~:Jf:1: fore in Hea'Uen,, wen: away for!Oivful, as if he had been offer'd to his lofs. To others, the Pleafures that m finctPropnety are fenfual,. are mol\ charming. Love is the Weight of the Soul that turns 1t, not hke a dead We1ght of the Scales, but with EleClion freely to its Object: in the carnal Ballancc t he preient Things of the World are of confpicuous Moment, and out-weigh Spiritual and Eternal Bleilings. Altho' the Favour ofGod be eminently all that can be defir'd,. under the Notion of Riches, or Honour, or Pleafure, and every Atom of our Affect!GillS due to hurt; yet Carnal Men think it a cheap Purchafe to obtam the good Thmgs of tins World, by finful means, with the lofs of his Favour. This their Actions declare. Prodigious Folly! as if a few Sparks firuck out of a Flint, that can neither afford Light or Warmth, were more defirable than the Sun in its Brightnefs. And how contumelious and provoking it is to God, he declares in Jer. l.u, z;. the mofr moving Exp_reflions : Be aflonifhed, 0 ye Heave"' at this, and /;e horribly ~fraid, !Jeye "Very defolate, fazth tbe Lord. For my People htn~e committed two E'!Jils; they ba7J' for.foken me the Fountazn of lt•vzng. Waters, and hewed t}Jem out /;roken Cif/erns that can hold no Water. This immediately was charg'd upon the Jews, who fet up Idols of)ealoufy, and ador'd them, rather than the glorious JehO'Uah: and in proportion 'tis true of all Sinners; for every vicious Affection prefers fome vain Object, before his Love, and the Enjoyment of his glorious Prefence, that is the Reward of Obedience. . 5· The Sinner difparages the impartial Jufiice of God. In the Divine Law there is a Connexion between Sin and Punifhment ; the Evil of doing and the Evil of fuffering. This is not a meer Arbitra ry Confiitution, but founded on the infeparable Defert of Sin, and the Rectitude of God's Nature, which unchangeably loves Holinefs, and hares Sin. Altho' the threatning does not lay a firict neceility upon the Law-giver always to inflifr the Punifhment; yet God having declar'd his equal Laws as the Rule of our Duty, and of his Judgment, if they fhould be ufually without Effect upon Offenders, the Bands of ~o~~e~~~irl>e~:r;~~~~ f,fs ~i~~~~~nd~ffi~en;e{~r'~~ 1:nt~fi-e~t~~I0X~t~[b~~~ ,;~1\:~~ g~~~~ fpondence of bis Will and Actions with his Moral PerfeClions ; and as Soveraign Ruler, he is to preferve Equity and Order in his Kingdom. Now thofe who voluntarily break his Law, prefume upon Impunity. The firfi rebellious Sin was committed upon rhis Prefumption : God threatn'd, Ifyou eat the forhidden Fruit, you foa/1 die: the Serpent Jays, Eat, andyou fha/1 not die; and affenting to the Temptation, Adam fell to Difobedience. And ever fince Men are fearlefs to fin upon the fame Motive. God chargerh PI•!. ro. the wicked, lhou tboughtej/ tbat I WdJ altogether fitch a one 4J tbyfelf; not concern 'd to punifh the Violation of his facred Laws. The Sinner commits the Divine Attributes ro fight again!l: one another, prefuming that Mercy will difarm Jufiice, and fiop irs ternDeue ' '· "' ~~~~~~~f,~~~~:i~~;~~~e~; tl>~?;~~~s.si7?,~~~ ~ ~r~~/':;.cteJ!~7etZ~~~T:.~of:o:~~!~t ' '• >o. and when the Curfe of the Law is declar'd and denounc'd againfi Sin, the Wicked Uef. jeth himfelf in h~ Heart, faying, I foa/1 ha7Je Peace, tho' I walk in the Imagination of my Heart, to add Drunkennefi to Thirj/. ThiS calls fuch a foul Blemifh upon the )ufi1ce of God, that he threatens the [everefi Vengeance for it. 'The Lord will not fpare him, but tbe Anger of the Lord and"" 'Jealoujie foal/ fmoke againj/ that Man, and all the Curfer zontten in th~ Book foall be upon him, and the Lord foal/ Uot out his Name from under He••"· p[d. ro. Co•fd~,:~i's[~;;;f!;IT~t?;~e~?e/~~",;,{'O~~f{:[;~~e~ 11d;(~';.~ f: [;;r, t~ ~:,;~~de adhering to Sin, that it cannot endure the Light of the Sun, or the Light of Confc1encc, but feeks to be conceal' cl under a Mask ofVertue, or a Vail ofDarknels. There are very few on this fide Hell, [o transform'd into the likcnefs of the Devil, as to be im~enetrable by Shame. What is faid of the Adulterer and Thief, Sinners of greater GUilt~ and deeper Dye, is true in proportion of every Sinner : If a Ma1t fees t/;em, ~hey are tn the Job; 'Terrors of the foadow of Death. Now from whence is it that many, who 1f they were furpriz'd in the actings of their Sins by a Chdd or a Stranger, would blufh and tremble, yet alrho' the holy God fees all their Sins in order to judge them, and Will JUd~e in order to punifl1 them, are fecure without any fearfu l or fl10mefu l Apprehenflons ofh!S Prefence? Did they 1\ed!afily beheve that thC!r foul Vd lames were open to lm p•erc•nlJ, pure and fevere Eye, theY rnuO: be firuck with Terror~, and. cov~r'd \~trh ~onfu(to1111• Will be force ,tbe Q;}een hefore myFace' Was the Speech of t he Kmg mAam d w1th Wrar , ond the Prologue of Death agamlt the fallen Favourite. Would Men dare ro ·~~;:
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