SERM. THE one tranfgreffes under a fixed Perfuafion, that his Mifconduct is not offenfive, nor can affect his Title to Happiness; a fatal Error, which muft effectually prevent his ftriving to do better. The other is fenfible of his Faults even at the Time he commits them, and is tempted to commit them only with the uncertain Hopes, that he shall not be condemned for them: But as he may eafily be brought to apprehend his Danger as well as his Guilt, it feems not very difficult to reduce fuch a Wanderer into the fight Way. Where the Miftake lies in the Judgment, it takes the deeper Root, the more it is dwelt upon,--though where the Irregularity proceeds from the Affections, the Man is more open to Conviction, and by a tolerable Measure of Thought and Application likely to discern the Abfurdity of fuppofing, that the moft Holy will in his particular Cafe allow that Action to be innocent, on which he has fet an indelible Mark of his Displeasure. To what has been already urged from Reason, we have this additional Argument against a partial Obedience; that it not only leads to an univerfal Corruption, but also does does it give Occafion to the making every SERA. Sin exceeding finful. When the Lufts and IX. Paffions are permitted to range at large, and to be folicited by every occurring Gratification, they ferve as Checks and Re! ftraints to one another,----eager to take dif ferent Roads, and drawing off in contrary Directions, they retard their own Progress, and are many times hindered from too ex ceffive an Indulgence. But when a few gain the Superiority, and have either fub dued the reft, or brought them into their Intereft, muft they not have Power to run greater Lengths of Malignity?. And the more fo, when it is likewife taken for granted, that there is no Harm done in pursuing a favourite Luft,--gratifying a darling Paf fion,----neglecting a troublesome Duty; and that God will be fatisfied with any Remains of Service. What in fuch a Cafe fhall prevent Men from being as wicked as they defire, if they may fafely give a Loofe to an admired Temptation (which is all the Generality are fond of) and yet fecure God's Love and Esteem by obeying him in those Inftances, in which they have no Inclination to tranfgrefs? And muft not the End of this be, that the Sin, which doth fo eafily befet each of us, fhall abfolutely SERM. Overcome us, and make us Slaves to it beIX. yond Redemption? But after all, what Neceffity is there for hunting far abroad for Evidence in the Affair upon Trial, when the Criminals are fo very forward to appear as Witnesses against one another? Every one readily fees the dangerous Guilt of any finful Practice in the Perfon of his Neighbour, whilft he is fo prepoffeffed in his own Favour, as to fancy an Exemption for himself. Let Offenders fpeak their Sentiments of others, and they will be fure to give a right Testimony, though a vicious Self-love as furely leads them to represent Things wrong, where they are most interested in a right Reprefentation. THUS, fhould the Covetous be asked his Opinion of Prodigality, he would not hesitate to declare, that it was defervedly condemned as a mif-fpending of our Talent, and an Abuse of the Divine Bounty, and that it it fit Poverty fhould come on fuch Perfons as on one that travelleth, and their Wants as an armed Man (e). On the other Hand, hould we defire the Prodigal to fpeak his Thoughts (e) Prov, xxiv. 34. Thoughts of Covetoufnefs, he would at once SERM. anfwer, that St. Paul himself has ftyled it Ido- IX. latry (f),----that it is a Vice hateful to God and Man, and that it cannot and ought not to escape the Vengeance of Heaven. Move the Adulterer to difcover his Mind in Relation to Difhonefty in Trade and Dealing," and one may engage for his acknowledging, that the Lord is the Avenger of all fuch as go beyond or defraud their Brother in any Matter (g). And that his Juftice is confpicuous in nothing more, than in punishing Injustice,---in denouncing a fevere Wee on him that buildeth his Houfe by Unrighteousness and bis Chambers by Wrong (b). Put the Queftion to the griping Oppreffor concerning Adultery, and he will very honeftly pronounce upon it, that Uncleanness is a Crime, which ought not to be named, with fo much as the least Approbation, among Saints (i),---that nothing can be more contrary to the Divine Purity,---that under the Jewish Law it was justly punished with Death (k), and that if the Guilty meet with a milder temporal Pu nishment under the Gofpel, yet there will come a Time, when they fhall more feverely fmart for their Enormities; for Where (f) Col. iii. 5. (b) Jer. xxii. 13. (k) Lev, xx. 10. (g) 1 Theff. iv. 6. (i) Ephef. v. 3. mongers 4 SERM. mongers and Adulterers God will judge (1). IX. So again, let us but ask the Gluttonous and the Drunken, what they think of the Envious and Malicious, and they will not scruple to tell us, that fuch Wretches have a very near Refemblance of the Parent of all Evil, and that the foul Crimes they are addicted to, are peculiarly reckoned to be the Works of the Devil,---or, fhould we afk the Envious and Malicious what Judgment was to be paffed upon the Gluttonous and the Drunken, they will freely pronounce them fit Objects of God's Wrath, and fairly ranked among fuch Sinners, as fhall not inherit the Kingdom of God (m). In the fame Way of thinking of each other are the Hypocrite and the Pro phane, This being charged with living without God in the World, and That with difowning his Attributes, if not denying his Exiftence, And in Fact a wicked Perfón is rarely to be met with, who will not peremp* torily fentence all other Sins befides his own to Condemnation, yet blinded by a partial Fondness for himself, fpeaks Peace to his own Mind; tho' he confeffes, that as to all the World of ungodly Men elfer there is no Peace as faith the Lord, unto the Wicked (n) { |