[2.] His justice movetli him to punish it. As holiness belongeth to his nature, so his justice to his office : his holiness is the fundamental reason of punishing the wicked, his justice is the next cause ; his holi- ness is indeed the fundamental cause, as appeareth by the fears of sin- ners : 1 Sam. vi. 20, ' And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy God ?' And by the security of sinners : Ps. 1. 21 , * These things hast thou done, and I kept silence : thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself ;' but the nearest cause is his justice as rector of the world, declared both in his laws and provi- dence : Rom. i. 32, 'Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death,' &c. ; Gen. xviii. 25, ' Shall not the judge of all the earth do right? '
[3.] His unalterable trutli, which is firmer than heaven and earth: if he threaten, will not he accomplish ? The truth of his threatenings is as unchangeable as the truth of his promises, for in both God is one : 1 Sam. XV. 29, ' The strength of Israel will not lie nor repent, for he is not as man that he should repent ; ' it is spoken in the case of depos- ing Saul for his disobedience to God. The doubt is this, God's threaten-
376 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VI. [SeR. XXIV^
ings do not always foretel the event ; they show the merit, but not the event. I answer, the object is changed, but God remaineth for ever the same. If from impenitent we become penitent, we are not liable to his threatenings, but objects of his grace, and capable of the benefit of his promises. A man walking in a room upward and downward hath sometimes the wall on his right hand, sometimes on his left ; the wall is in the same place, but he changeth posture.
[4.] His irresistible power. God is able to inflict these punishments upon them : Deut. xxxii. 39, ' There is none that can deliver out of my hand ;' 2 Thes. i. 9, ' Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power ;' Eom. ix. 22, ' "What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known.' We cannot conceive what God is able to do in punishing sinners, but the event declares it. Use 1. Information.
[1.] That believers need to consider the fruit of sin, that thereby they may be moved to fears of God, and more careful avoiding of sin. They are not to think of it in a slavish tormenting way, as if God desired the creature's misery ; no, they are warned of it that they may escape it. Though love must be the chief spring and principle of our obedience, yet fear hath its use ; the threatenings declare the holi- ness of God, as well as his promises ; and we need to know his hatred to sin, as well as his love to righteousness, to breed an awe in us.
[2.] It showeth the folly of them that bewitch themselves into a groundless hope of impunity in their sinful courses : Deut. xxix. 19, ' And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace though I walk m the imagination of my heart, to add drunkenness to thirst.' They take from God the honour of his holiness, justice, and truth ; God's glory is advanced in the world by acts of justice as well as acts of mercy ; and besides, they open a gap to all impiety.
[3.] That all sins are in their own nature mortal ; for ' the wages of sin is death.' In comparison some sins are greater than others, and sO' more deserving punishment ; but simply, and considered by them- selves, all are mortal, if not in the issue and event, yet in their own nature. God pardoneth the penitent ; their sins are not deadly in the event, but they deserve damnation in their own nature. There are sins of infirmity, and wilful sins ; but nothing should be light and small to us that is committed against the great God. Some are lighter, fome are heavier ; but all are in their nature damnable ; they are a breach of the law of the etefnal God. Though the gospel reacheth out mercy to penitents, offering to them pardon of sins and eternal life, yet all deserve damnation ; and were it not for Christ and the new covenant we should not be a moment out of hell. Use 2. Direction.
[1.] To the impenitent, that yet go on in their sins. Oh ! repent of it speedily, and cast out sin as we do fire out of our bosoms, and sleep not in the bonds of iniquity ; ' Your damnation sleepeth not,' 1 Peter ii. 3. You are invited earnestly : Ezek. xviii. 30, ' Why will ye die^ O house of Israel ?' Oh ! then, pass from death to life. If you refuse this call, you do in effect love death : Prov. viii. 36, ' He that sinneth