200 THE WORLD TO COMES thy diligence to follow the methods ofhis grace, and hadst sought earnestly for divine aids : For there is no man among the damn- ed is able to say, " I have doue every thing that was in my power to do :" No man shall be condemned for what was utterly im- possible for him to avoid : It 'is confessed indeed thou art laid under some hardships and difficulties by the sin of thy first fa- ther ; yet it is thy own actual and personal crimes for which thou art here condemned at this judgment, wherein every one shall be judged and rewarded according to his works ; 2 Cor. v. 10. It is for many wilful offences against the law of God, and for sin- ning against the offers of divine grace ; it is for obstinacy against thy own conscience, and all the outward and inward monitions of thy duty, that thou art fallen under this sentence, and because thou didst not labour and strive against sin, and resist it even to the end of thy state of life and trial. Thou hast had many an inward reproof for sin, many a secret or public call to virtue, and perhaps loud and fair warnings of thy danger ; but thou hast turned a deaf ear to them all, and it is thy own folly, obstinacy, and iniquity, that have brought thee into this misery, and thou must eat the fruit of thy own works. If there should be any person found indeed among Jews, gentiles or christians, who justly complain, " I have not had a fair and full state of trial, and yet I am condemned." I think we may grant that the righteous God will release such from their misery, after they have worn out a proper number of years in punishment proportionable to their past crimes ; and that there shall be a fair, and full, and proper state of trial appointed to them before they shall be utterly and irretrievably miserable : But if no such person be found there, if there be no such just complaint to be made among the millions of the damned, then they may be still continued in their prison and punishment with- out any imputation upon divine justice and equity. III. Whensoever any such criminal in hell shall be found making such a sincere and mournful address to the righteous and merciful Judge of all, if at the same time he is truly humble and penitent for his past sins, and is grieved at his heart for having offended his Maker, and melts into sincere repentance, I cannot think that a God of perfect equity and rich mercy will continue auch a creature under his vengeance ; but rather, that the perfec- tions of God will contrive a way for escape, thought God has not given us here any revelation of such special grace as this. But on the other hand, whatever melting and moving speeches may be made by sinners here on earth, in compassion to the sinners who are gone before them to hell ; yet if no such person be ever found in hell, truly and humbly repenting of his sins, nor have we any reason to think there ever will, why should a righteous God be obliged to cease punishing a rebel who only is vexed and
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