Say unto them, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

IT hath been the astonishing wonder of many a man, as well as me, to read in the holy Scripture, how few will be saved; and that the greatest part even of those that are called, will be everlastingly shut out of the kingdom of heaven, and be tormented with the devils in eternal fire. Infidels believe not this when they read it, and therefore must feel it. Those that do believe it, are forced to cry out with Paul, Rom. xi. S3. "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of GOD! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out ? But nature itself doth teach us all to lay the blame of evil works upon the doers,

and therefore when we see any heinous thing done, a principle of justice doth provoke us to enquire after him that did it, that the evil of the work may return the evil of shame upon the author. If we saw a man killed and cut to pieces by the way, we should presently ask, O! who did this cruel deed? If the town were. wilfully set on fire, you would ask, what wicked wretch did this? So when we read that the most will be firebrands of hell forever, we must needs think with ourselves, how comes this to pass? and who is it the fault of? who is it that is so cruel as to be the cause of such a thing as this? And we can meet with but few that will own guilt. It is indeed confessed by all, that Satan is the cause: but that doth not resolve the doubt, because he is not the principal cause. He doth not force men to sin, but tempt them to it; and leaves it to their own wills, whether they will do it or not: He doth not carry men to an alehouse, and force open their mouths, and pour in the drink; nor doth he hold them that they cannot go to GOD's service; nor doth he force their hearts from holy thoughts. It lieth therefore between GOD himself, and the sinner; one of them must needs be the principal cause of all this misery, which ever it is, for there is no other to cast it upon and GOD disclaimeth it; he will not take it upon him: And the wicked disclaim it usually, and they will not take it upon them. And this is the controversy that is here

managed in my text.

The Lord complaineth of the people; and the people think it is the fault of GOD. The same controversy

is handled, chap. xviii. where ver. 25, they plainly say, "that the way of the Lord is not equal ;" and GOD saith, “it is their ways that are not equal.” So here they say, ver. 9. "If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how shall we then live?" As if they should say, if we must die and be miserable, how can we help it? As if it were not the fault of them, but GOD. But GOD in my text doth clear himself of it, and telleth them how they may help it if they will, and persuadeth to use the means; and if they will not be persuaded, he lets them know that it is owing to themselves: and if this will not satisfy them, he will not therefore forbear to punish them. It is he that will be their judge, and he will judge them according to their ways: they are no judges of him or themselves, as wanting authority, and wisdom, and impartiality. Nor is it their cavilling with GOD, that shall serve their turn, or save them from the execution of justice, which they murmur at.

The words of this verse contain 1. GOD's clearing of himself from the blame of their destruction. This he doth not by disowning his law that the wicked shall die, not by disowning his judgments and execution according to that law, or giving them any hope that the law shall not be executed, but by professing that it is not their death that he takes pleasure in, but their returning rather, that they may live: And this he confirmeth to them by his oath. 2. An express exhortation to the wicked to return; wherein GOD doth not

only command, but persuade, and condescend also to reason the case with them, why will they die? The direct end of this exhortation is, that they may turn and live. The secondary or reserved ends upon supposition that this is not attained, are these two: First to convince them by the means which he used, that it is net owing to GOD if they be miserable: Secondly, to convince them from their manifest wilfulness in rejecting all his commands and persuasions, that it is the fault of themselves; and they die because they will die.

The substance of the text doth lie in these observations following:

Doct. 1. It is the unchangeable law of GOD, that wicked men must turn or die.

Doct. 2. It is the promise of GOD, that the wicked shall live, if they will but turn.

Doct. 3. GOD laketh pleasure in men's conversion

and salvation, but not in their death or damnation : he had rather they would return and live, than go on and die.

Doct. 4. This is a most certain truth, which because GOD would not have men to question, he hath confirmed it to them solemnly by his oath.

Doct, 5. The Lord doth redouble his commands and persuasions to the wicked to turn.

Doct. 6. The Lord condescendeth to reason the case with them, and asketh the wicked, why they will, die?

Doct. 7. If after all this, the wicked will not turn, it

is not owing to GOD that they perish, but themselves; their own wilfulness is the cause of their damnation; they therefore die, because they will die.

Having laid the text open before your eyes in these plain propositions, I shall next speak somewhat of each *of them in order, though briefly.

Doct, 1. It is the unchangeable law of GOD, that wicked men must turn or die.

If you will believe GOD, believe this; there is but one of these two ways for every wicked man, either conversion or damnation. I know the wicked will hardly be persuaded either of the truth or equity of this. No wonder if the guilty quarrel with the law. Few men are apt to believe that which they would not have to be true; and fewer would have that to be true, which they apprehend to be against them. But it is not quarrelling with the law, or with the judge, that will save the malefactor. Believing and regarding the law might have prevented his death; but denying and accusing it, will but hasten it. If it were not so, an hundred would bring their reasons against the law, for one that would bring his reason to the law. And men would rather give their reasons why