Conscience is as plain and positive with them, that they must either return, or perish. The scripture confirms the testimonies of both, by telling them plainly, That the end of these things is death ; liom. vi. 21 . It is downright folly and madness, by the vote of the whole ration- al and sober world, for any man to conclude, or hope he shall be hap- py in the world to come, whose life is drawn through, and finished in allmannerofobscenity,filthiness, and profaneness in thepresent world. For let the case be brought into the light of your own reason, as dim as it is, and let it freely judge, when you are belching out your black and horrid blasphemies against God, imprecating damnation from him upon your own souls, wallowing in beastly lusts, vomiting and roaring in taverns and ale-houses : ask, I say, your own reason, conscience, or the scripture, whether all, or either of them, will al- low you to say or think, ' Now we are in the right way to eternal blessedness ! This is the very course that will bring us to happiness in the world to come ; this pleaseth God better, and is a surer path to glory, than repentance or faith, mortification, prayer, or reforma- tion. No, no, as blind as your reason is, and as seared as your con- sciences are, you will never bring them to comprobate, or subscribe such absurd and horrid conclusions as these.
But, on the contrary, they will tell you, that if you will have the pleasure, you must have the pain and torment of sin. That it is mad- ness to say, you are afraid to burn, but not afraid to sin ; that you are loth to be damned, and yet challenge the almighty God to his face, to damn you : as much a folly, as to drink a baneful dose of known poison, and think to feel no painful gripes afterwards.
As for the scriptures, they appeal to the reason of men in this case, as a most known and allowed thing, scarce imaginable to lie hid from any man. 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. ' Know ye not, that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Be not deceived ; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abu-
478 THE REASONABLENESS OF PERSONAL REFORMATION.
sers of themselves with mankind ; nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God;
It would make the bowels of a compassionate Christian to roll and yern within him, to behold multitudes of souls of invaluable worth, running greedily on to their eternal ruin, wilfully stopping their ears all the way, to the voices of their own reason and conscience, as well as to the voice of God in his word ; not once making a pause, till they fall into that gulf of eternal and intolerable misery, into which, with great precipitation, they are casting themselves.
§ 10. And then, for the community to which they belong ; how dangerous, yea, how destructive such persons are to it, cannot possi- bly be hid from any wise and serious observer. For if one sinner de- stroys much good ; if one Achan trouble the whole camp of Israel ; how mucli more will whole swarms and droves of drunkards, blasphe- mers, and adulterers, as now fill every place, pull down the judg- ments of God upon those states and kingdoms wherein they breathe? If our fears and dangers were greater than they are, yet reformation might save us, Jer. v. 1. * Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if you can find a man, (i. e. a public man, a man in autho- rity,) if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth, iand I will pardon it.' And if our hopes and confidences were much higher than they are, yet unrestrained sin would undo us. King- doms and commonwealths are not so much endangered by the pow- ers and policies of their enemies without them, as they are by the nnreforniedness of profligate wretches within, and amongst them. Reformation quickly recovers the antient glory of kingdoms, and makes them the terror of their enemies.
For though there will be still too much sin privately committed imder the best laws, and the most vigorous and impartial execution of them ; yet abundance of sin would thereby be prevented, and the sins that are committed would not become national, but person- al only ; and these would not so much concern and hazard the pub- lic weal and tranquillity of the state.
Moreover, states and kingdoms are in no small hazard by the pub- lic debauchery, and common profaneness of their subjects ; foras- much as in this very sink and puddle of their lusts, the manly wis- dom, sprightly courage, and true gallantry of their subjects, are quenched and drowned, their spirits softened and effeminated. It is hard to imagine those men will engage far in the cause of reforma- tion, when reformation itself is the only thing they hate and fear.
Nor need we wonder to find men intimidated, and low-spirited, in times and places of imminent danger, who not only carry about them so much guilt, (which is the fountain of fear) but are wholly addicted to sensual pleasures, which they are loth to hazard upon pub- lic accounts and considerations, these being the only heaven they
THE REAS0NABLEVES3 OP PERSONAL REFOUMATION. 479
have, or hope for : < Whoredom, and wine, and new wine take away the heart,' Hos. iv. 11. It is in the very nature of these sins, to make men sottish, and in the very nature of guilt to make them pusillanimous.
Seneca observes, (and his observation is true) * « That the con- science of a wicked man is a terrible scourge and torment to him, perpetually lashing him with solicitous thoughts and fears ; so that he distrusts all securities, and knows not where to be safe." Hence it comes to pass, that many men of good extraction, liberal education, and excellent natural endowments, become so useless, yea, so perni- cious as they are ; who, could they be recovered but to temperance and sobriety, would become both excellently useful, and ornamental to the nation where they had their birth, and to the safety and hon- our whereof they owe their service.
§ 11. The most desirable recovery and reformation of profane de- bauched persons, is not simply and absolutely impossible: And if ma- gistrates and ministers were every where exemplary themselves for so- briety and piety, zealous and impartial in the discharge of their respec- tive duties, a general reformation would not be difficult. But when those, whose office it is to suppress wickedness, shall associate them- selves with lewd and profligate persons, and vie with them in their profane courses, or discourage more conscientious persons in the dis- charge of their duties ; this makes reformation morally impossible.