624 THE ETERNAL DURATION OF [DISC. XIrr. them from their miseries, since the justice and the holi- ness, the righteous government and authority of God in his law require and demand their due honour, as well as his goodness. Dowe not see these honours of divine justice, and of God's hatred of sin, have been continu- ally demanded and executed in the infinite and innume- rable evils, sorrows, miseries, diseases and deaths, that have been spread over this world almost six thousand years because of sin ? Nor does his goodness forbid or hinder it. And let it be remembered too, that all this immense variety and long succession of plagues and terrors arose originally from the just indignation and resentment of God against one sin, even that of the first-man. Who was it that burned Sodom and Gomorrah with fire from heaven ? Who was it that chained fallen angels in dark- ness to a more terrible judgment? Was it not a God of supreme goodness? Who sent famines and pestilencies, and slaughters all over the earthin many distinct genera- tions, whereby mankind have been made abundantly wretched and plunged into millions of distresses? And yet the goodness of God abides for ever. And while the great God is acting according to the glories of his nature and government in punishing rebellious creatures, his goodness will feel no soft and sensible impressions from all their groans and outcries ; but if I may so express it, will be changed intojust indignation without end. And the language of it to those impenitent wretches will be this : " Because I have called and ye refused, ye have set at nought all my counsel and would none of my re- proof : I will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh ; when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall ye .call upon me but I will not answer; ye shall seek me early, but ye shall riot find me : for ye hated knowledge, and did not chuse the fear of the Lord: Ye would none of my counsels, ye despised all my rebukes ; therefore shall ye eat of the fruit of your own way, and be filled with your own. /devices ;" Prov. i. 24-31. Take them,, angels, " bind them hand and foot, and cast them into everlasting fire and utter darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing.of teeth f' Mat. xxii. 13. Let us cease then tomurmur against the threatenings
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