Upon good Men, because this is the best Inheritance they can leave them, and gives them the best Title to the Care and Bleffing of Providence. 2. The other Part of the Application concerns Children, i. e. Thofe that are grown up to Years of Difcretion and Knowlege to dif cern between Good and Evil: This lies a very great Obligation upon them to avoid the Evil Examples, and to imitate the Virtues of their Parents. If they obferve any Wickednefs in their Father, this fhould instill a fecret Horror into them; and they fhould confider, that it is more dangerous for them to be Wicked (I mean as to this World) for when Wickedness is entailed, the Punishment of Wickedness is entailed too; and the longer Judgment has been delayed, the nearer it is, and the more fevere it is like to be. And this Confideration ought to be particularly remembred in this Matter; that a wicked Son of a wicked Father cannot promife himfelf to escape fo well as his Father did; becaufe his Father's Sins ftick clofe to his Poffeffions ; and fince he imitates him therein, both call for a more speedy Vengeance: Either to put a Stop to Exemplary and Incorrigible Wickedness; or to root out a wickked Family, and to pull down the Leprous House. On the other Hand, what an Encouragement is here given to the Children of Righ teous teous Parents, to imitate the Virtues, and to make good the Characters, and to perpetuate the Memory of their Family, that fo they may inherit, not only their Eftates, but their Honours and Bleffings. We think it a great Advantage for Children to inherit the Fruits of their Parent's Care and Induftry; but to inherit the Rewards of their Virtues is infinitely greater. And this none but virtuous Children can do. A Prodigal Son may inherit the Eftate of an Induftrious Father, but he cannot keep it: And a Wicked Son of a Virtuous Father caufes Shame to his House, and forfeits his Inheritance. In fhort, though fome good Men meet with very little or no Reward in this World; this gives reasonable Hopes to their Children to expect the more For an Exemplary Virtue fhall have its Reward one time or other, even in this World and what the Father fuffered or loft, fhall be repaid to the Son, and the Son's Son, in a Line of Virtuous Succeffion. Good Men have the Reward of their Sufferings in Heaven, and their Children upon Earth. And for much may serve to have been spoken to the Second Thing under this Head, viz. The fingular and remarkable Punishments, which God has threatened, and inflicts upon the notorious Sins of Injustice, Oppreffion and Cru elty in this World. I proceed now, very: briefly to the Third and Last, viz. ་ 3. The terrible Sentence and Doom they will receive from God in the other World. Indeed the Confideration that these Sins fel. dom go unpunished here that God moft certainly remembers them, and makes future Generations to account for them, ought, one would think, to be fufficient to deter Men from the Commiffion of them: But this is a mean and low Confideration in Comparifon of that Account which God will exact of them in the other World. Alafs! what is a Temporal Punishment upon Pofterity? What is it that our immediate Defcendants are profufe and Extravagant; that they are Poor and Beggarly, and Scandalous; that what we unjustly amaffed together, is as profufely fpent? Nothing of thefe will affect or reach us in the other World. When we are gone to the Grave, we know not who rules over our Subftance, whether he be a wife Man, or a Fool: But the Remembrance of our Ill-Deeds; the Guilts of our Injustice; the Cries of our Oppreffions; thefe will stick clofe to our Confciences; Gall and Wound us with everlasting Horror and Remorfe. And Ch. s. 1. therefore faith St. James. Go to, je Rich 2.3.4. Men, weep and bowl for your Mifery which fball come upon you. Your Riches are corrupted, and your Garments are Moth-eaten : Tour Gold and your Silver is cankered, and the Ruft of them fhall be a Witness against you, and and fhall eat your Fleft as it were Fire: Te have heaped together Treafure for the laft Days. Behold, the Hire of the Labourers which have reaped down your Fields, which is of you kept back by Fraud, crieth; and the Cries of them which have reaped are entred into the Ears of the Lord of Sabboth. Dreadful Words, my Brethren now; but how much more dreadful, when we shall hear them from the Mouth of our Judge (in the Great and Solemn Appearance of the World) audibly pronounced against all the Injuftices and Oppreffions committed in the Earth: When Chrift will take upon him the "Patronage of the Poor and Unbefriended; "and plead the Cause of thofe that have "been oppreffed with Wrong. When he will difplay all the Secret Frauds or open Violence done unto them ; and fay unto those that are Guilty; I know 1 know you not, De- Mat: z5. part from me, ye Workers of Iniquity, into 41. everlafting Fire, prepared for the Devil and bis Angels. Wherefore take we heed in time, and out of that awful Regard we have to the Temporal Judgments of this World; and much more, to the Final and Eternal Sentence of God in the next: Let us be careful to avoid thefe beinous Sins of Injustice, Oppreffion, and Violence, which have fuch a loud Cry, and fuch a Damning Guilt: Let us always keep |