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SERM. ing of a Deity, or which is much the XI. fame, denying that he has any thing to

do in the Government of the World ; and becaufe the Way to prevent great Sins is to avoid fmall ones, let us rather guard against that which we think the moft minute: and inconfiderable, left for want of being kept under they borrow Strength from Indulgence, and grow at laft unconquerable. As to the particular Sin of Murder a Man cannot come at it without wading thro' a deal of Malice, Envy, Hatred, &c. These Avenues are therefore in the firft Place to be taken Care of, as they deferve our most serious Confideration. That Abel found Favour with God, when Cain could not, was the first thing that ftirr'd up his Envy, which for want of being check'd, foon took Malice and other Companions to its Affiftance and at length broke out into the deadly Crime mention'd in the Text. If at any time then we find this to be the Cafe, that things go better with other People than ourselves, let, our Anger begin at home, and be employ'd upon the Evil of our own Hearts, to which it properly belongs; and let us, before we envy others, deferve better ourselves. Which that we may all do, God of his infinite Mercy grant for the fake of Jefus Chrift, &c.

SER

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SERMON XII.

ACTS xxiv. 25.

As he reafoned of Righteoufnefs, and Temperance, and Judgment to come, Felix trembled, and anfwered, Go thy way for this Time, when I have a convenient Seafon I will call for thee.

Ighteoufnefs, and Temperance, and SERM. R Judgment to come, are very un- XII welcome Doctrines to a Sinner

that has not loft all Senfe of Shame and Remorfe, and especially the laft of these. For what Pleasure can he, who has been always accuftom'd to indulge his Defires and Appetites, poffibly take in hearing Lectures upon Temperance and Righteousness, that are fo oppofite to this. Certainly these Sounds must be very grating to a sensual Ear, efpecially fince there is to be an After-Reckoning for thefe Things, where K k Punish

SERM. Punishment, which is upon the whole due XII. to Sin, will certainly overtake it, whatever

it does in this Life. "Tis no wonder then to find the Perfon in the Text fet a trembling when St. Paul touch'd upon thefe Points. The greater Wonder is ftill behind, which is this; that, when his Confcience had reprefented thefe Things in fo frightful a manner, he fhould notwithstanding put off the Confideration of them to another Time. And yet fo great a Wonder as this is, it was not his Cafe alone, but the Cafe of many Sinners ever fince, who are apt enough to be ftartled to hear of Virtues they never practis'd, and tremble at the Mention of a Judgment to come, which they hardly ever thought of. But then this is only a fudden Fit, too violent to laft long, and therefore they foon get rid of it, as well as of the Occafion of it; and a Meffenger of fuch unwelcome Truths is fure to be difmifs'd like the Apostle, with a Go thy way for this Time; when I have a convenient Seafon I will fend for thee. In difcourfing upon the Words of the Text, I will fhew

I. That there is a Punishment due to Sin, and a Confcioufnefs of it at one time or other in every Sinner.

II. The

II. The Folly and Danger of refufing to SER M. give a proper Attention to the Suggeftions XII. of a guilty and terrified Confcience.

The firft appears from the Goodness of God, or, which is the fame, his Goodness consider'd as exerting itself for the Good and Welfare of the whole Creation. For if God, as he is the great Creator, is alfo the Governor of the World, and intends the Happiness of it, 'tis neceffary that fomething fhould be done for the Security of this Happiness; i. e. that a fufficient Controul or Check fhould be put upon whatever would deftroy it. NowEvil is the only Thing that can obftruct the Happiness of the World. SomeConftraint must therefore be put upon it to hinder it from doing fo. Accordingly the great Governor of the Universe has thought fit to order that Punishment fhall be the natural and certain Confequence of Sin or Evil; that every Degree of Evil fhould be attended with a Degree of Punishment proportionable; and the everlasting Laws of Righteoufnefs, which are the Security of the Good and Happiness of the Univerfe, are bound to fee this done. Nor is this any Argument against the Goodness of God, but a very ftrong one for it; for should Evil go unpunished, it would foon deftroy the Happiness of theUniverse, which Good

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SERM. Goodness, by the Notions we have of it, XII. fhould prevent. To imagine therefore that Goodness fhould not punish Evil, is the fame thing as to fay that Goodness should not be what it is: For fhould Evil go unpunish'd, there would be a manifeft Injury done the Whole, which Goodness is concern'd to prevent. To remit the Pain therefore of Evil as fuch, must be inconfiftent with all the Notions we have of Goodnefs. to ftrike up a Friendship between two Oppofites, whofe Nature it is always to oppofe one another. So far as there is room for Pity, fo far you conceive lefs Evil, and confequently there will be a proportionable A. batement of Punishment; but to fuppofe in Evil, as fuch, that the Punishment of it can be remitted by Goodness, is an impoffible thing. We are now got fo far as to know that Punishment is due to Sin: And it will be no Objection to this, that the Sinner is often feen to enjoy the good Things of this Life, to indulge like Felix in unlawful Pleafures, to revel in Bowls, and rejoice at the Sound of the Organ; for thefe Pleasures are what he has no Right to, they don't belong to him; he muft therefore become Debtor for them, and pay them back with Intereft; for Punishment is due to him, which, if it

does

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