152 REFORMATION OF MANNERS. troyed them ; rememberthey will give youno,quarter, and there- fore youmust give them none. The second thing proposed, is to shew youwhat will be the dreadful consequence of prevailing iniquity : But what tongue can sufficiently describe them, or what ears endure the descrip- tion ? When sin reigns and triumphs over a nation, the con- sequences are fatal and inflnite,.ruinous and everlasting. The destruction extends far, it reaches to the flesh and spirit, it involves posterity with the present age, and has a" terrible influence upon all the evils of the world to come ; if we take but a little prospect ofa few of them, it mayserve to awaken our fear, and provoke our drowsy zeal to activity that we may pre- vent them. I. Great dishonour to the name of God, and perpetual af- fronts to the Divine Majesty will abound amongst- us. IfAma- lek prevail, the God of Israel will be blasphemed. If the authorityof man and human punishments, whichare visible and sensible, be not employed to restrain sinners, they will grow up to a contempt of the authorityof God who is unseen, anddespise his most awful threatenings ; and because their execution is de- layed, his law will be hourly and impudently violated: If magistrates who behold wickedness will not punish it, the all- seeing eye of God will be called inquestion, and his judgment- seat disbelieved ; how doth God know, will the wicked say, can ,he judge through the dark cloud `.t: T/nclç clouds are . a covering to him that he seeth not, and he walketh in the circuit of the heavens, that is afar off, aboveus, and takes no cognizance of our actions ; 'Job xxii. 13, 14.. The fools will say in their hearts there is no God; Ps. xiv. 1. Thenby degrees his providence will become a jest, and all his invisible terrors a matter of derision. Now who is there of us willing to bave our ears filled with such lan- guage of hell, with public and loud curses against our heavenly Father, our Redeemer, and our Sanctifier ? Can we bear to liave all that is sacred and divinely dear to us, exposed to mock- ery ? All that we infinitely value, namedwith contempt ? All thatwe fear and worship, treated with insult and ridicule ? When God'sholy name and attributes are made the song ofthe drunk- ards, our hearts-may grieve within us, and our consciences will smite us inwardly with a sharp reproach, that we never as- sisted the reformation : While rivers of tears shall flow down your eyes, your lips will take up this doleful reflection, "Alas ! Howmuch share have tin the guilt of these wild and open blas- phemies of my God, because I never did any thing to prevent them." II. Universal difficulties and discouragements will attend the practice and professionof piety ; for the more men improve
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