them in the lake of fire and brim. ftone, into which they will be caft. It will prey upon their fouls like the vulture, and give them no reft day nor night, forever and ever. It is a punishment peculiarly suited to the foul, as that of fire is to the body. How fitly may this horror of confcience be represented by the worm, which dieth not! "The fpirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear!" Thofe, who have felt shame and disgrace, and the lashes of an ac cufing confcience to ever fo great a degree, but have not at the fame | time had any true loathing and abhorring of themselves, as finners, ❘ have never experienced any thing different from this legal repent-❘ ance, of which we have been fpeaking. They have had no different feelings and exercises from those, which the wicked in mifery and despair, now have, and once had here in the body. While in this world, they had these same feelings of shame and remorfe ; and all the wicked will awake to ftill greater Shame and everlasting contempt, and will experience these stings and horrors of a guilty confcience more and more fevere and dreadful through eternity. count of perfecuting the church of God and wasting it. The threatening and flaughter, which he breathed out against the difciples, he felt to be against Chrift himself, when the melting accents from the Lord reached his heart, "I am Jesus whom thou perfecutest." But mere legal penitents have nothing of these feelings and exercises in their repentance. They look little, or no further, than the awful consequences of fin, the everlafting pain and mifery, to which it exposes them. If these could only be averted from them, they would no longer have any of their present fears and diftress, but would indulge in fin without reftraint. This is the real case with all persons under ever so great convictions. If they are even brought, as they often are, to fee that their fins are directly against God, yet their being, against him, as a holy being, will not be the ground of their high anxiety and trouble, but the evils and wrath, which they apprehend he will inflict upon them. And the more light is let into their minds, and the more they underftand of his true character, the more will they rise in enmity against him, and will often even eurse and blafpheme him in their hearts. In this respect it is with them, in certain stages of convic 2. In evangelical repentance, the fubjects forrow and mourn for fin on account of its being committed againft a holy God, and ❘tion, something as it is with the damned in hell. They are convinced that their fins are againft God, and they know more of his true character; and what is the because of its own evil nature and tendency. David when repenting for his fin of adultery and murder, confidered it to be against | God, and exceedingly evil. "A-effect of it in their hearts? They may even go so far as to fee that it would be perfectly just in God, and feel that their mouths ought to be forever shut, if he plunged them in endless misery; and yet it may be nothing of the nature of saving repentance, as they do not difcern the moral beauty of, nor feel reconciled to this justice of God. If they accepted of the punishment of their iniquities so far as to feel reconciled to the justice of God in their own condemnation, they would be truly penitent for fin: But while they go no further than to see this justice, but do not at the fame time, feel refigned to it, they have no more than a legal repentance. According to scripture representations, all the wick gainst thee, thee only, have I finned, and done this evil in thy fight, that that thou mighteft be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest." The Apoftle Paul, had the fame views and feelings in his repentance on ac look upward, and curse their God and their King. And fo the finner in this world, under an apprehenfion of the wrath of God, and feeing more of his real character, may have his heart rise in still greater and greater oppofition, un til he will inwardly blafpheme his Maker, as the wicked in mifery do. In the first stages of convic-❘ tion, persons minds are usually more tender: they think more of death and a future judgment, are afraid of being cast off from God and doomed to everlafting punishment; and they can scarcely speak of these things without tears in their eyes. But after a while these tender feelings commonly fubfide, as greater light is let into their minds and their knowledge of God increafes, their hearts will rife more and more against him, 'till they may almost lose those sensible fears of mifery, with which they were first alarmed, though these are the real ground of their enmity; for if they supposed God ❘ed in hell will fee the justice of loved them, and meant to make them happy, their inveterate opposition would cease. But God is the same holy being, whether they conceived that he defigned to have mercy upon them, or to leave them in righteous justice, to perish in their fins; and they would be under as real obligations to repent and love him. While therefore, they first want to know whether he means to save them, in order to love him, and oppofe him in their hearts in view of the eternal, holy wrath, which they fear he will pour out upon them, they have nothing of the nature of true repentance for their fins ❘ sciences of all the ungodly will then be fo awakened, and they will fee the juftice of God so plain God plainly in their eternal de. ftruction, but they will in no sense, be reconciled to it. The man who went in to the marriage feast, and had not on the wedding garment, was speechless when the king came in to fee the guests, and commanded his fervant to bind him hand and foot, and cast him into outer darkness, where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth. And in the day of judgment, when all the wicked shall be arraigned before the bar of God to hear their final doom, every mouth shall be stopped and the whole world become guilty before God. The con against a holy God. As perfons may be brought to fee that their fins are against God, ❘ly in their everlasting mifery, that and this not be the ground of their concern, so they may be brought to fee the evil of fin in a great degree, and this not be the reason of their distress, but the everlasting evils to which it fubjects them. Confcience, when it is awakened, may give men a high sense of the evil of fin. They they will be speechless and feel themselves to be without excufe. Their mouths will be forever shut with respect to the divine juftice, but their hearts will be wholly unreconciled to it, and they will forever blafpheme their God and their king for executing his juftice upon them. But true penitents, whose hearts are humbled to accept the punishment of their fins, are not only convinced of the juftice of God in their condemnation, but they difcover the moral beauty, amiableness and glory of it; and though they could not be pleased with mifery in itself, nor be willing to become enemies to God like the damned, yet they would be reconciled to his justice, even if they themselves were to be caft down to hell. This it is conceived, is the effential difference between the views and exercises of gospel penitents, and those who have only a legal repentance. With the former, vindictive juflice is an amiable, glorious attribute of the divine moral nature, and to revenge themselves on all who had been concerned in bringing them to condign punishment. Does all this look like repentence in criminals for the crimes which they have committed? and would the government think of pardoning them on the ground of fuch a repentence? Does it then look like true repentence in finners towards the holy God, to be convinced of his justice in dooming them to everlasting mifery, and yet be wholly unreconciled to it, and in their hearts even curse and blafpheme his holy name, in view of his executing it upon them? and can they indulge the hope that he will pardon and save them, on their exercising such a repent their being themselves, the objects | ence towards him? Even the har dened Pharaoh had as good a repentence as theirs, while they are unrefigned to the divine justice and enemies to the divine government. During the plague of the hail and thunder, he fent and called Mofes and Aaron, and faid unto them, " I have finned this time, the Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked. Intreat the Lord for it is enough, that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail, and I will let you go." He faw the justice of God plainly, but his heart was not humbled to accept the punishment of his fins. And had he had no expectation of the judgment's being removed by the intreaty of Mofes, he would have of it, would not alter their refignation to it. With the latter it is the reverse; and their views and feelings with refpect to it, are no better than those, which hardened criminals have with refpect to the justice of human governments. When they are convicted, they doubtless see the juftice of their fentence; but in their hearts, they are the more envious towards the government for inflicting it upon them, and, even while they are fuffering a deserved punishment, will often break out in expressions of their implacable malice and revenge. If they juftified the government, and exprefsed a reconciliation to the justice of their fentence, though they | blafphemed God because of the plague of the hail, as those defcribed in the Revelation, on whom the vials of divine wrath were poured out. But as foon as he saw that the rain, and the hail, and thunders were ceafed, he finned could not be pleased with the punishment itself, there would be evidence of penitence in them. But while they are unresigned to it, and envious and revengeful in their hearts towards the government, they can have no true repentence | yet more, and hardened his heart. for the crimes of which they have And this was the cafe with him, been guilty. Were it only in from the first to the last of the their power, they would attempt | many and grievous plagues, that were brought on Egypt, until it proved his temporal and eternal deftruction. Thus it was with the hardened Pharaoh, and thus it will be with all those, who have no more than a mere legal repent- | ance. However they may be convinced of the juftice of God | in the condemnation of finners, acknowledge the Lord is righteous and they are wicked, as he did; if they are not brought to difcern the moral beauty and amiableness of divine justice, be reconciled to, and pleased with it, or what is the fame thing, be hum.. bled to accept the punishment of their iniquities, they have nothing of the nature of saving repentance, and must forever sink in the overwhelming wrath of God. Some perhaps, may, be ready to object that this is saying the finner must first be willing to be damned, before he can be saved. But it is thought, the fubject has been sufficiently explained by diftinguishing between the penitent's being reconciled to the juslice of God in his eternal condemnation, ❘ and his being displeased with the misery itself, and unwilling to become unholy and an enemy to God. It is not poffible, that the true penitent should be pleased with mifery in itself, nor that while holy, he should be willing to become unholy, and an enemy to God at heart, to look up and curfe his God and his King, as the damned in hell do; yet it is believed, that he must be brought, not only to see the divine justice in his own condemnation, but to feel reconciled to it, fo that he could justify, and even praise God for his juftice, if he were to cast him off, and make him the vessel of his wrath. The redeemed in • glory praife God for his juftice on the wicked in hell, while they The fee the smoke of their torment afcend up for ever and ever. fong of Mofes and the Lamb, in which they unitedly join, is the fong of God's justice in his judgments on finners. The devils and the wicked in hell, are under as real obligations to praise God for his glorious justice, as the holy inhabitants of heaven; and their being themselves, the miferable objects of it, neither alters, nor lessens their obligations to praise him; so that with respect to justice, they ought to praise God because he executes it upon them in their own eternal damnation. Though it is certain, that the gospel peni. tent, who is brought to difcern the moral beauty and loveliness of God's justice, and to feel fubmiffive and reconciled to it, will not be made the vessel of the divine wrath and indignation, yet this will not alter these views and feelings which he has, to the glorious justice of a holy God. Let all then, be careful that they have this saving repentance, which is unto life eternal. and his glorious plan of govern- | Christ's kingdom or not, and to ment; they are all fanctified by the fame spirit, all drink at the fame fountain, are all engaged in the fame intereft, are journeying to the fame place, and are all fubjects of the fame kingdom; having Jefus Chrift, for their king and head; who is king of kings, and Lord of Lords. Reason would suppose that those, who are thus really united in heart, would come out from among those of this world, and appear united in love in a confpicuous manner, and would be feen like a city that is on a hill that cannot be hid. But is it not a folemn truth, that profeffors are often heartily engaged in the vain pursuit of riches, honors, and pleafures; and mingling with the friendship of this world? which is enmity with God, are they not many times found uniting with the world, in their innocent amufements, (as they call them,) joining the festive circle, in the exceffes of eating, drinking, telling and hearing, trifling anecdotes ? how often are they found abforbed in the political disputes of the day? appearing champions in difputation and ridicule; apparently forgetting that Christ's kingdom is not of this world; and that he poffeffes all power in Heaven and on earth; and rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will; and that there is none that can stay his hand; and though clouds and darkness are round about his works, yet he will make all things work together for good to them that love him. Do not many, who are favored with wealth and honor, chuse the affluent for their constant companions and visitants? without regarding whether they belong to tally neglect to visit the humble cell of the meek and lowly followers of Jefus; and thereby give no evidence of that love by which all men may know that they are Chrift's disciples: Do they not often appear to prefer dealing with the men of this world? when they might on as good terms, and as conveniently deal with their brethren, and by this means fall into the practice of the wicked of not punctually fulfilling their engagements, which brings an awful reproach on the blessed cause they profess: Does not all this in a great measure flow from the neglect of Christian communion and conference, and in choofing the pious for their constant companions? Perhaps at this present day no duty is more universally neglected than Christian fellowship; in vifiting each other in meekness and fear, converfing, reading, finging psalms and hymns, and uniting in addreffing the throne of grace. If profeffors were conftantly in the habit of joining together in love, it would be a striking evidence to the world, that they belong to the same family, and are engaged in the fame interest in heart and practice: In this way they would be continually watching over each other, they would reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long fuffering and doctrine; they would bear each others burdens, they would support the weak, fuccour the afflicted, comfort the mourner, bind up the broken hearted, and universally strengthen the caufe. Difcipline which is so much relaxed, would be invigorated, and churches would foon look forth like the morning; charity that fuffereth long and is kind, would : |