'tis, that when Innocent and Vertuous Ser.VI. Men fall under Calamity or Oppreffion, tho' we are no way interested in them ; yet we can't choose but beftow upon them kind Wishes in their Dangers, and Pity and Compaffion in their Sufferings: Whereas if we fee the Murderer and the Villain, the Hypocrite and the Cheat brought upon the Stage to encounter Danger and deferv'd Sufferings; we behold the fpectacle fometimes with Joy and Satisfaction, and generally without any tender Refentments or Affections of Mind. For these and other Reasons 'tis, that the Law of God is called Holy, and Rom. vií: Juft, and Good: That to delight in it is called the approving things that are excellent; Phil, 1. 10. and to follow after Vertue, is to follow after those things that are Praife worthy, Honeft (i.e. Graceful) Lovely and of good Report. And now tell me, you that make a mock of Sin, you that sport and wanton in it, as an innocent Diverfion, Can you believe, that there is no Evil in the Corruption and Depravation of your Nature? Can you believe that there's no Evil in the defacing the Divine Image in you, and ftamping upon your Souls that of the Devil? Can you believe that the CharaEter of Slave and Fool, which is the Ef fential 4. 16. Vol.II. fential and Genuine one of a Sinner, has no fhame or reproach in it? Can you imagine that when the Diseases or Diftortions of the Body are generally loathfom and its decays contemptible, the Deformities and Ruins of the Mind should not be more deteftable, being the Depravation of our better Part, and a voluntary one too? Do you think that our great Creator can behold the disorder, the Ruin of that beautiful Structure which himself has rais'd with Satisfaction? Or will a Holy God be pleas'd with the Leprofie and Ulcers, which good Men hate, and even wicked Men are asham'd of? IV. Sin is extreamly injurious to our Neighbour, almoft all the Calamities which infeft Mankind may be charged upon Sin; for they are either fuch as naturally flow from our Sins, or fuch as God inflicts upon us for them. To these we are to impute Fires and Plagues, Storms and Deluges, Defeats and Loffes. James iv. Whence come Wars and Fightings among ft us? 〃 Whence our Divisions and Contentions? What What Friendship does it not diffolve? Ser. VI. What Relation does it not divide? What Good does it not blaft? What Enjoyment does it not imbitter? By Wisdom is an Prov.xxiv. Houfe built, and by Understanding it is efta-3. blib'd; but a Fool pulls it down with his Hands. Irregular Lufts and Paffions waste and confume, embroil and confound all Things. Righteoufnefs exalteth a Nation, but Sin is a Reproach to any Peo-34ple. Reflect upon the Complaints of Princes or People, of Fathers or Children, of Husbands or Wives, of Masters or Servants, of Widows and Orphans, are they not all occafion'd by Sin? This is an Argument fo often insisted upon, and fo self-evident, that I need not enlarge upon it; 'tis univerfally avow'd in all civiliz'd and well-govern'd Nations, all Laws whatever being either for the explicating and defining what Juftice and Virtue are in the feveral Inftances thereof, or for the enforcing the Practice of them upon the World, or for the maintaining the Authority and Obligation of them; there being no Lawgivers fo deftitute of Experience and Reafon as not to fee that the Peace and Safety, the Security and Pleasure of Human Society, and (in a word) of Human Life, whether in Prov. xiv. A 25. Vol. II. in Publick or Retirement, confifts in the ~Practice of Virtue, and Confcience of our Obligation to it; fo that every Sinner is a Disturber of the Peace, an Enemy to the Security, and a Reproach to the Order and Beauty of all Earthly Communities. And when we reflect on the Enormities practis'd by Sinners, and the unfpeakable Mifery and Confufion with which they fill the World, can we think that God will not vifit at the last Day for Gen.xviii. thefe Things? Shall not the Judge of all the Earth, one time or other, do Right? Shall not the forrowful Sighing of the Needy and Oppreffed come before him? Will he not punish Injustice and Wrong? Will not he make Inquifition for Blood? And will not he exclude the Difobedient and Unclean, and every Worker of Iniquity, from the new Heaven and the new Earth? And what but Tribulation and Anguifb can be Pfal. xciv. found any where else? O Lord God, to 1, 2, 3, 4. whom Vengeance belongeth, O God, to whom Vengeance belongeth, fhew thy felf. Lift up thy felf, thou Fudge of the Earth: render a Remard to the Proud. Lord, how long shall the Wicked, how long fball the Wicked triumph? How long shall they utter and speak hard Things? And all the Workers of Iniquity boast themselves? Ser. VI. From what has been faid I infer, 1. That we are henceforth to look upon Sin as an unfpeakable Evil, as the highest Provocation of and Enmity againft God, and therefore as the most ftupid Folly and vileft Ingratitude, as an intolerable Depravation of our Nature, as the Incendiary and Plague of Human Society; and if it appears thus loathfome and deteftable to us, what muft it do to a good and holy God, who is infinitely greater and purer than our Confciences, who is Light it felf, 1Joh. i. 5 and in whom is no Darkness at all? If a good Man can't reflect upon it without Abhorrence and Indignation; if a Penitent can't call his Sins to Mind without Remorfe and Sorrow with what Eyes muft GOD behold Sin in the obftinate Impenitent, efpecially then when the Day of Grace is over, an and he no longer regards the Sinner as his Creature, but as an Enemy and Rebel, never to be reconcil'd, never to be reclaim'd? 2dly, Let us never flatter our felves that God will not be as fevere as his Threats, and that Hell will not be as K in |