22 FIRST SERMON incorrigible. " Why should you be smitten any more ? you will revolt more and more," Isa. i. 5. If men be settled on their lees, and will not be reclaimed, there cannot a heavier punishment light upon them, than to be without punishment; to be left to themselves and the fury of their own wills, speedily to work out their own perdition, that their own pleasures may become their plagues, and the liberty of their own . lusts their sorest bondage. God may take away in wrath that which he sent in anger, Hos. xiii. 11. as on the other side he may punish sin then when he for - giveth it, and may visit iniquity with rods then when he will " not utterly take away his loving kindness from a people," Psal. xcix. 8. lxxxix. 32, 33. 2. If a judgment be removed, so long as sin re- mains, either the same or a worse is likely to succeed, for God will overcome when he judgeth. Pharaoh's stubbornness did but increase his plagues. God will not endure that the pride of man should outvie his justice. If we do not take Christ's warning_ to go and sin no more, we have great cause to fear his inference, that " a worse thing will come upon us," John v. 14. If we do yet exalt ourselves, God will yet plead with us. If we will walk contrary unto him, he threateneth to do the like unto us, and to punish us seven times more for our sins. If we do not turn unto him that smiteth us, then his anger in smiting shall not be turned away, but his hand shall be stretched out still. God can bring clouds after rain, distresses in Ireland after distractions in Scotland, and distrac- tions in England after distresses in Ireland, mischief upon mischief, and counsel against counsel, Manasseh against Ephraim, and Ephraim against Manasseh, to vex, and weary out a sinful people, till they pine away in their calamities.
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