First, As they regard the particular Case in View, and account for the Juftice of God in fufpending his Judgments. To fee the full Force of the Reason in this refpect, it is necessary to understand what fort of Sinners are spoken of: For this Reason is not applicable to all Cafes, many Sinners are spared upon other Accounts than this which is given us in the Text. The Sinners intended in the Text are spared merely on Account of the Righteous, that they may not be involved in the Punishment due to the Sins of others: But fome Sinners are fpared out of a Mercy which regards themselves, in hopes of their Amendment. Thus St. Paul has taught us, that the Riches of God's Goodness, and Forbear ance, and Long-fuffering, lead to Repentance. The Sinners, who are represented by the Tares in the Text, are fuch of whofe Re pentance and Amendment there is no Hope; for Tares, let them grow ever so long, will ftill be Tares, they can never turn to Wheat. And our Saviour has told us in the Clofe of the Parable, that these Sinners fhall certainly be punished at the laft; which cannot certainly be faid of any but incorrigible Sinners, for he that repenteth, and forfaketh the Evil of his Way, fhall fave his Soul alive.

The

The Sinners therefore being confidered as incorrigible, there was no room to justify the Delay of Punishment from any Circumstances arifing out of their own Cafe. Even the Mercy of God was excluded in this Circumstance; for if the incorrigible Sinner be the Object of Mercy, no Sinner need fear Punishment. Our Saviour therefore gives them up entirely, and juftifies the Wisdom and Goodnefs of God in fparing them from other Motives. The Interefts of good and bad Men are so united in this World, there is such a Connection between them in many Refpects, that no fignal Calamity can befal the Wicked, but the Righteous must have his Share in it. It is out of Mercy therefore to the Righteous that God spares the Wicked, left, whilst he gathers up the Tares, he should root out the Wheat alfo. This was Abraham's Plea when he interceded with the Lord for the Men of Sodom, Wilt thou alfo deftroy the Righteous with the Wicked? The Reafon of which Plea was so strong, that had there been ten righteous Persons in the City, the whole had been preserved from Ruin. In public Calamities it is evident that all must be Sufferers without Distinction: Fire and Sword, Famine and Peftilence, rage indifferently in the

Borders

Borders of the Righteous and the Sinner, and sweep away one as well as the other. Thus far then the Reason of the Text most certainly extends, and fhews us the great Mercy of God in forbearing to appear against Sinners in fuch vifible and exemplary Punishments, which would deftroy whole Countries, and bring even upon the best of Men the Punishments due only to the worst.

But are there not, you will fay, many Ways of punishing Men without including others in the Calamity? Do not Fevers, and many other Distempers, carry off fingle Perfons without fpreading farther? And would not these be proper Meffengers of Providence to fingle out defperate Sinners, in which Cafe there would be no Danger of involving the Righteous in the Punishment of the Wicked? And if the Wicked are spared only for the fake of the Righteous, why are they exempted from these Punishments, in which the Righteous have no Concern or Connection with them?

In Answer to which feveral Things may be faid: And, Firft, to him that afks the Question, an Answer may be returned by a like Question; How do you know but that the Wicked are often and commonly thus

punished?

geance

but that

punished? and that the Thing is done every Day, which you complain of as never done? Wicked Men die every Day, and die in the Way you speak of, some by Fevers, fome by other Distempers or Accidents. Can you distinguish which of them fall in the common Way of Nature, and which are taken away by the fecret Judgments of God? Can you tell by the Pulfe when a Fever is to be reckoned among the common Accidents of Life, and when to be afcribed to the Venof God? If not, how can you tell every Hour may produce fuch In-, stances, as you complain are very rare and fcarce to be found, and the Want of which you think fo great an Objection against an overruling Providence? As to outward Appearance, the fame Casualties attend both the Good and the Bad; but he has thought very little, who cannot fee that the outward Appearance is no Rule to judge by in this Cafe. Lazarus died, and the rich Man died alfo: Thus far there was no Diftinction in their Fate; the Lookers on could not fay which was taken away in Mercy, and which in Judgment: But the very next Scene cleared all the Doubt, and fhewed how terrible a Judgment Death was to the rich Man,

up

how

Borders of the Righteou sweep away one as wel far then the Reason of tainly extends, and shev of God in forbearing t ners in fuch visible an ments, which would c tries, and bring even u the Punishments due o But are there not, Ways of punishing Mc others in the Calamity? many other Distempers, fons without spreading not these be proper Mef to fingle out desperate Cafe there would be no the Righteous in the Wicked? And if the only for the fake of the they exempted from th which the Righteous Connection with them