Actions of rational Beings? For what is there worthy of his Attention, if they be not? Thefe Confiderations, confirmed by our inbred Senfe of the ill Defert of Wickedness, yet oppofed again by Inftances of its feeming Impunity, and by the frequent Calamities of the good, raised in the Minds of Men, from Age to Age, perplexing Doubts concerning the Providence of God; to which however all other things around them gave full Testimony. Sometimes they folved the Difficulty, by difcovering that the feeming Happiness of the Wicked was not real: fometimes by obferving that it soon ended in great Mifery. Yet they were often forced to take Refuge and intrench themselves in their general Affurance of the Divine Justice; though when and how exercifed, they knew not. But there being no Appearance at all of a conftant and proportionate Exercise of it in this Life, the wifeft and best of them reasonably concluded, there must be another, designed to rectify whatever was wrong here. Yet a future and unfeen State of Existence, in which we were not to share, till our prefent Frame was diffolved, had the Look of an Object too remote for human Faculties to discern with Certainty: fo that many good VOL. IV. D Men Men were tempted to question it; and thofe of an oppofite Character too easily brought themfelves to difbelieve it. At least the Convictions and Prefages of it, which they industriously ftifled, had no uniform Influence on their Conduct. And therefore, after various Intimations of this great Truth given from above, to the earliest and following Ages, for fome Confirmation of what Reason fuggested, God hath made it fully known to us Christians that he hath appointed a Day, in the which he will judge the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he bath ordained: a Day of Wrath and Revelation of his righteous Judgment; when he will render to every Man according to his Deeds: to them that obey not the Truth, but obey Unrighteoufnefs, Indignation and Wrath, Tribulation and Anguish, upon every Soul of Man that doth Evil. So that now, to use the Words of Job, Hell is naked, and Destruction hath no Covering*. Here then is a Confideration, before which all that can be faid or imagined in Favour of Sin vanishes at once. And were it conftantly as productive of Pleasure and Profit and Efteem in the World, and as confiftent with Peace in our own Breafts, as it ufually is the contrary. Acts xvii. 31. i Rom. ii. 5, 6, 8, 9. * Job xxvi. 6. yet yet would not a Moment's Deliberation be neceffary in order to renounce it. For what God will punish, never let Man hope to be happy in. The very Apprehenfion of his punishing, the fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation', which no one, who believes in God and disobeys him, can poffibly avoid long together, is enough to four the very fweeteft of unlawful Enjoyments, and in the Midst of Mirth to fink the Heart with Heavinefs. Let every Sinner confult his own Heart, if it be not. Or how little foever he may feel or dread this at present, yet no one can tell, how soon and how deep the Arrows of the Almighty may be fixed within him, the Poison of them drink up his Spirit, and the Terrors of God fet themselves in Array against him". Or could he go on fpeaking Peace to himself through Life, yet the Approach of Death may roufe him on a fudden from this Dream, and croud fuch Horrors into the small Remainder of his Days, as will far exceed the longest Enjoyments of paft Sin; Horrors accompanied with the infupportable Aggravation, that fo far as Man can judge, they feize him too late to do Good. ¡ Heb. X. 27. D 2 m Job vi. 4. But But what avails it, if the wicked could escape the previous Fears of Judgment, fince they cannot escape the Judgment itself? For behold the Day cometh, that shall burn as an Oven, and all that do wickedly shall be Stubble; and the Day that cometh fhall burn them up faith the Lord of Hofts". As to the Particulars of this Punishment, Curiofity is by no means the Disposition it was intended to raise: and for the Degree and Duration of it, we are incompetent and partial Judges of our own Deferts, even in our most ferious Hours; and much less are we qualified in the Seasons of thoughtless Gaiety and bold Self-confidence. God alone knows what is juft and requifite: and from his Declarations we must learn our Fate; whofe Threatnings are in all Respects as alarming as Words can defcribe; and we may affure ourselves they will not be found vain Terrors. Undoubtedly the Sufferings of Men will be as different hereafter, as their Guilt is here. But whofoever shall fin prefumptuously in Hopes of a light Punishment, will by that very Punishment merit a heavy one. And who is able to conceive, to what the lowest Degree may amount, of the Mifery that will then proceed, from the final ■ Mal. iv. 1. and and exemplary Vengeance of Omnipotence on impenitent Offenders, from the bitter Reflections of their own Confciences on their Folly and Vileness, in firft difobeying God, injuring their Fellow-creatures, perverting themselves, then refusing the Reconciliation which their Creator offered them, their Redeemer died to obtain for them, their Sanctifier was ready to apply to them; and laftly from the Abfence of all Comfort and all Hope in those Regions, where their Worm dieth not, and their Fire is not quenched? For fuch are the Dwellings of the Wicked; and this is the Place of him, that knoweth not God. Can thy Heart endure, or can thy Hands be ftrong, in the Day that I shall deal with thee? I the Lord have spoken it, and will do it". The Subject is much too dreadful to be enlarged on farther: and it would ill become, did not the Ministry committed to us require it, one Sinner to denounce against another, Terrors like thefe. Far be it from us to make the Heart of the Righteous fad, whom God hath not made fad; or affright the penitent, humble, vigilant Believer with devouring Fire and everlafting Burnings, instead of teaching them to Ifa. Ixvi. 24. Mark ix. 44, 46, 48. P Job xviii. 21. s Ifa. xxxiii. 14. rejoice |