DISCOURSE XII. author or cause of those sins. It is granted, that his universal providence has a concern in every thing that is transacted among amen ; but since he has informed us in what a dreadful manner he will execute his vengeance against sinners in the world to come; it is insolence and indignity against the blessed God to represent him as introducing sin into our world. Let God be true, though every man be a liar ; Rom. iii. 4. let God be pure, and righte- ous, and holy, though every man be found guilty and criminal : otherwise how shall God judge the world 2 verse 8. How can he inflict such torments on rebellious creatures, if he constrain or influence them to practise this rebellion ? All opinions there- fore, that allow of such an inference, as though " God were the author of sin," must be pronounced false and pernicious to men, as well as injurious to the justice of God ; for these no- tions throw a vile imputation on the blessed God, and charge him with heinous insincerity, to forbid the commission of sin by all these terrors, and yet suppose him to influence men to the practice of them. III. " How reasonable is it for us to believe, that such a hell as I have described is prepared for impenitent sinners, since there are so many appearances of the beginnings of it here on earth," so many indications and signs, and forerunners of such misery and torment inflicted on sinful men : Survey the remark- able executions of God's judgments on the world in several ages and nations ; look back to our first parents, who were thrust out of paradise, the garden of pleasure, and banished from the gates of it for ever, upon the account of the first sin, and the entrance of it was guarded by a flaming sword to forbid their return. Behold the flood of watry vengeance in the days of Noah breaking up from the vast caverns of the earth, and pour- ing down from the windows of heaven to punish sin : Deep calls unto deep; Ps. xlii. 7. in the tremendous noise of these water- spouts, which spread death and desolation over the face of the whole earth, because all flesh had sinned against God their Creator. Turn your eyes to Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities of the plain, sufering the vengeance of heaven with light- ning and devouring fire bursting from the clouds to punish the unnatural crimes of that country ; Gen. xix. 24, 25.. . See the fiery flying serpents, as the messengers of divine anger to punish the rebellion of the Israelites in the wilderness : l iark what multitudes in the camp of Israel received their mortal sting, and were given up to destruction and death. Numb. xxi. 8. Cast your eyes abroad over the nations, and what records have we of all former ages, which do not manifest the vengeance of God pursuing the iniquities of men, by wars, and famines, and pestilences, and every thing that is bitter and dreadful to human nature ? See Jerusalem, the city of God all in flames, and the
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