22 SERMONS upon Serm.111. mankind to make his Creature good and happy, if nothing hinder him from it, ifthere be no impediment in the way. From hence we may fee how incongruous it is to the Wifdom of God, who permitteth no diffonancy or difproportion in any of his dilpenfa- tions, to admit a feparation of there natural relatives; if there were no other Teftimony of this, yet the difpofitions of our own hearts would evince it, for there we have fome obfcnre fhadorrs, of the properties which are in God; we compaflionate a miferable man, who is nude fo by the iniquity of the times, and we elteem him not deferving his mifery. And we are moved with indignation again( one, who by evil arts is fortunate and fue- cefsful, but altogether unworthy of the happinels which falleth to his (hare; which is an apparent proof, that men are (-enable of an excellent Harmony, and natural order which is between there two things, Vertue and Felicity, Sin and Mijry, and to fee them fo fuit- ed doth exceedingly pleafe us : Now this fheweth hoW fitly there two couples are join- ed, fin and death, Grace and Life. . 2. Let us confider the ÿuflice of God, as the Judg of the world, and fo mull and will do right,Gen. -t8. 25. Shall not the fudg of all the earth do right ? It belongeth to his general lattice, that it be well with them that do well, and ill with them that do evil. God is readily inclined to provide happinefs fdr man, who is his creature, if there were no fin to fop thecourfe of his bounty; and if fin had not entred into the world, there had been nothing but happpinefs in the world 5but when fa enured into the world, death prefently trod upon thilteels of it, Rom. 5. it 2. As by one man fin entred into the world, and death by fin ; fo death paffed upon all, even for that all have fanned. Now men are of different forts, fome recover out of the common Apoltacy,and their curled eftateby fin,and live holily; others wallow in their filthinefs 1till. Therefore it is agree- able to Gods general juftice to execute vengeance on the one, and to reward the other ; at leaft,.the punifhment is juft, Rom. 2. 9, 10. Tribulation and anguifli upon every foul of man that doth evil, but glory, honour and peace to every one that worketh good. So that the Jultice of God maketh an infeparable connexion between Sin and Death. 3. Let us confider the Purity and Holinefi of God, which inclineth him to hate evil and love that which is good ; the fiat we are molt concerned to prove, Pfal. 5.5. The foolifh( hall not (land in thy, fight, thou batelr all the workers of iniquity. But the other is true alfo, the upright are his delight, Prov. t e. 20. Well then, if God loveth good and hateth evil, he will one way or other exprefs his love and hatred5this he doth by promi- fng life to the good, and threatningdeath to the evil. Out of all this difcourfe about the Wifdom, jufaice and Holineers of God, we conclude the fuitablenefs of Death to Sin. That the difference between good and evil, is not more naturally known, than it is alto evidently known, that the one is rewarded and the other punned: Other cannot be looked for, if we confider the Wifdom of God, which fuiteth all things according to their natural order; therefore fin which is a moral evil, is punifhed with fuffering, fome what that is a natural evil,that is the feeling fomething that is painful and affli&ive to nature; or if we confider the 3afíice of God, which dealeth differently with men that differ in themfelves: And the Hotinefsof God, who will exprefs his love to the good in making them happy, and his Deteftation of the wicked in the mifery of their punilhment. 2. The certainty of this, connellion of fin and death was the Second Thing propo- fed. r. Reafon lheweth in part ,That there is a fiate of torment and blifs after this lift, or, Eternal Life and Death. Al l men are perfwaded there is a God, and very few have doubted whether he be a punifher of the wicked and a rewarder of them that diligent- ly Peek after him ; now neither the one or the orher is fully accomplifhed in this world, even in the judgment of thofe who have no great kaowledg of the nature and malig- nity of fin, or what punilhment is competent thereunto. Therefore there muff be fome time after that of fojourning in the body, when men (hall receive their full pu- nifhment and reward, lance here we fee fo little of what might be expelted at the hand of God. Surely if man be Gods Subjea, when his work is ended he muff look to receive his Wages accordingly as he performed his duty, or fail in it ; now our work is not over till this life be ended, then God dealeth withus by way of Recom.pence, giving us eternal life, or the wages of fin, which is death. 2. Confcience bath a fenfe of it. Confcience is nothing elfe but ferious and applicative reafon; now the Confciences of fanners ftand in dread of eternal death, Rom. r, 32. Whoknowingthejudgment of God, that they which commit fich things are worthy of death. This
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