5. Can any power or policy of men prevent his requiring sin? [Let us first avert death from our bodies, or provide an answer to Job's question Not earth and hell combined can prevent the punishment of one sinner "— -] APPLICATION [Let us see how deeply we have been involved in this guilt Let us consider to what an extent we may commit sin even by our thoughts— Let us flee for refuge to the hope set before us If we believe in Christ, God will never require sin at our hands " A believer may not only think this in his heart, but express it with his lips Such expressions so far from pouring contempt on God will greatly honour him— God is not more honoured by any thing than by the humble confidence of a believer o Let us all therefore lay our sins on the head of the true scape-goat So shall they never be required of us in the day of judgment P-] 1 Job ix. 4. Prov. xi. 21. n Acts xiii. 39. P Mic. vii. 19. • Rom. iv. 20. V. MAN'S ABUSE OF GOD'S PATIENCE. Eccl. viii. 11. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. SIN is in itself an evil of a crimson dye Nevertheless its malignity may be greatly increased by the aggravations with which it is attended One can scarcely conceive any thing that can enhance its guilt so much, as the committing of it in hopes that God's mercy will pardon it Yet this is the very ground on which the world indulge themselves in the commission of it-" Because," &c. I. The extent of man's wickedness That sin exists in the world is visible to all But But the degree in which it prevails is very little known-Men sin 1. Habitually [All are not equally vicious in their lives— But all forget God, and neglect their own souls-- [It were well if we never sinned, but through ignorance or inadvertence But what schemes have we formed for the accomplishment of sinful purposes ! How often have we seen the sinfulness of our desires, and yet gratified them b! The very bent and inclination of our souls has been towards wickedness -] 3. Without restraint [A regard to our reputation or interests may impose some restraint A fear of hell may also prevent the gratification of some desires But few are kept from evil, like Joseph, by the fear of God d That is the only restraint which proves uniformly effectual-] 4. Without remorse [We must at times have felt some convictions of conscience But we, for the most part, stifle them by company, amusements, &c. Many attain to dreadful hardness of heart and impenitence f The prophet's descriptiou may well be applied to each of us 8-] Thus are "men's hearts fully set in them to do evil" [They walk after the imagination of their own hearts— Neither mercies nor judgments can prevail with them to do otherwise-] If their sins were followed by a visible and immediate punishment, men would not dare to live in this mannerBut God defers the execution of his judgments II. The occasion of it God is not an unconcerned spectator of sin He has appointed a day for the revelation of his righteous judgment— At present he forbears to inflict vengeance This very forbearance emboldens men to sin-“ because, therefore" From the delay of punishment men think 1. That there is but little "evil" in sin [God indeed calls sin "an evil work "— But his forbearance towards sinners is thought to indicate indifference h This however is a fatal delusionHe has marked the evil of sin in awful instances many He will soon undeceive this blind infatuated world -] 2. That there is no "sentence gone forth against it [Men would gladly persuade themselves that they have no cause to fear— The temptation whereby the serpent beguiled Eve, is cherished by them *_ But the wrath of God is indeed denounced against sin Every species and degree of sin renders us obnoxious to his displeasure—] 3. That the sentence (if there be any) will never be "executed" [Since God defers punishing, it seems possible that he may decline it altogether The apparent disproportion between the offence and the punishment seems to countenance this idea To confirm our hope we are apt to compare God with ourselves " But, however long God delay, he will surely strike at last —] Thus they take occasion from God's forbearance to persist in their evil ways [David mentions this effect as arising from it in his day?— St. Peter foretells the prevalence of this iniquity in the last days 9 Experience proves how universally it obtains at present-] INFER 1. How great the folly, as well as wickedness, of unregenerate men! [If [If there were a bare possibility of eternal punishment, how mad were it to continue in sin! But God has pledged himself that he will inflict it on the impenitent1 Every moment's continuance in sin increases the condem nation What extreme folly then is it so to abuse the forbearance of God! May we be ashamed of ourselves, and repent in dust and ashes-] 2. What need have we to be cleansed by the blood and spirit of Christ! [What but the blood of Christ can ever expiate the guilt we have contracted ?— What but the spirit of Christ can ever deliver us from such habits? t That we can never renew our own souls is certain 3. How dreadful must be the state of those who continue impenitent! [There is a certain measure of iniquity which sinners are left to fill up When this is full, nothing can avert the divine vengeancez Already are the arrows of divine Justice pointed at them Eternity itself will be the duration of the punishment The time is coming when Jurusalem's state will be oursLet us then tremble lest we exhaust the divine patience Let us diligently improve this day of salvation] VI. THE IMPROVEMENT TO BE MADE OF THE DOCTRINE OF A FUTURE JUDGMENT. 2 Cor. v. 10, 11. We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. TIME is generally thought to be of little use, except as it may be employed in amusements or in the prosecution of worldly business→→→ But But its value, as it stands connected with eternity, exceeds all calculation The manner in which every hour is spent is recorded in heaven Every moment, as it were, increases our eternal happiness or misery This consideration made the apostle solicitous to redeem time himself, and to improve it for the good of others: "We knowing therefore," &c. a I. The apostle's account of the day of Judgment "Christ" is the person who shall judge the world [He who stood at Pilate's bar is exalted for this purpose -Our Lord himself plainly and repeatedly affirmed it—] He will erect his "tribunal" in a solemn and public manner C [Daniel spake of this in very exalted terms — Our Lord also has declared it -] Before this "we must all appear" [All who have ever existed from the beginning to the end of the world shall stand at his bare None shall be able to elude or to withstand the summons -] -1 All that we have done in the body will then be made manifest [The secrets of every heart shall be disclosed %. The mask will be taken from the face of the hypocrite The tears and sighings of the contrite will be declared before all] Then shall every one receive according to his doings, "whether they be good or bad" [The seeming inequalities of the divine government will then be rectified The godly will not then be any more condemned, or the wicked be justified They who from faith and love have obeyed God shall be rewarded They who have been disobedient and unbelieving shall be punished1-] The rewards and punishments shall be respectively proportioned to the good or evil that has been done [They Dan. vii. 9, 10. f John v. 28. 1 Rom ii. 5-11, |