believe that the law will be executed, then it follows, in the prefent' cafe, that the threatenings of God fhall certainly be executed at laft. For God cannot lie, nor make it the duty of mankind to believe a lie. He has no need of fuch base means to keep the world in order. If the penalties, as they are defcribed in the law, be confiftent with the goodness of God, the inflicting of them at last cannot in reafon be sustained as an

objection against it.. -Say then, O finner, what farther haft thou to allege against God? The appeal is made to you in the text, and a challenge given to you to bring forth all your objections against his laws and government.-Do you blame him, in the

4th place, For the temptations you meet with in the world, and thofe circumftances of danger with which you are furrounded? Let us confider a little the justice of this complaint. The strongest temptations, you must allow, have no compulfive efficacy; all that they can do, is to folicit and entice us: And are there not addreffed to us far more weighty arguments and folicitations

to

to forfake fin, and to walk in the paths of wifdom? If we cannot refift the devil and the flesh, how can we refufe what God demands, who pleadeth with us by infinitely ftronger motives than they can present to us? for he fets before us the endless joys, or the endless torments, of a future state of existence. Doth not the undefiled inheritance of the faints, in light, infinitely tranfcend all that earth or fenfe can promife us? and yet fhall we pretend to justify ourfelves, when, contrary to all reafon, we prefer the pleafures of fin, which are but for a moment, to the eternal happiness and glory of the world to come?-Once more,

in the

5th place, Do you object that you cannot reclaim or convert yourselves? that man can do nothing towards his converfion, unless he shall receive power from on high? that therefore you are excufable until God fhall impart his affiftance? and that if you perifh, it is not your fault?

My brethren, we must not fpeak falfely even for God; nor fupprefs or disguise the doctrines of his word, however they

may

may be abused by carnal and obftinate fin

ners.

It is true, that man, in his natural ftate, cannot do any thing that is fpiritually good for "they that are in the flesh can"not please God." It is equally true, that God is a debtor to no man, but is the free difpofer of his own grace, giving it when and to whomfoever he pleafeth. But it is no less true, that there are certain means of his appointment, in the use of which alone we have reason to expect his aid; and he who doth not improve thefe faithfully, complains with a very bad grace, at least, and is justly chargeable with his own damnation.

You cannot convert yourselves;-but cannot you forbear to curfe and blafpheme the name of God? Cannot you reftrain yourfelves when your nature is duly refreshed with meat and drink? Cannot you keep at a distance from evil company, and avoid many occafions of finning, and temptations to fin? It is certainly in your power to perform many of the external acts of religious worship. You can go to church, if `VOL. III.

F

you

you are fo difpofed, as eafily as you can ftay at home, or ride abroad for your amusement. You can go to your clofet as eafily as to the tavern. What hinders you to read your Bible, as well as any other book? to meditate on what it contains, and on its vaft importance to your everlasting interest?

Have you then done these things, or have you not done them? Have you avoided the tempting occafions of evil? Have you ufed the means of grace, and attended feriously upon the ordinances of God's worthip?

If you have neglected to employ the powers you poffefs, whom can you blame for it, that you have not obtained more extenfive powers? God will make you one day to know, that it was not he who carried you to the haunts of riot, intemperance, and lewdness; that it was not he who tempted you to fwear profanely, or to rail at goodness, or to quarrel with the Word that should have faved you; but that all this was owing to the voluntary and obftinate wickedness of your own corrupt hearts. And, whatever excufes finners may now feign to themselves, they must all stand fpeechlefs at last. None fhall be able to

plead,

plead, Lord, I applied to thee for converting grace, but it was refufed me.' No, God will be clear when he judgeth; and every mouth fhall be stopped in that day when he paffeth fentence on an affembled world.

Thus have I examined and endeavoured to refute fome of the most plaufible objections which are commonly alleged against the mildnefs and equity of the divine administration; and from all that has been faid, I hope it now appears, that nothing can be more unreasonable or blafphemous, than to lay the blame of the finner's destruction God. "The foolishness of man," upon faith Solomon," perverteth, his way; and "his heart fretteth against the Lord.' (Prov. xix. 3.) This is the true account of the matter. The finner deftroys himfelf by his own wilful and obftinate folly, and then he accufes God, as if he were the, caufe of his mifery; although God hath done every thing to fave him, which could have been done by the righteous Lawgiver and Governor of the world.

The lying lips fhal ere long be put to fi