you in the Son of his love If however, after careful
self-examination, you have an evidence of a work of grace u^Jon your souls, then press forward for the attainment of more grace, and for a more perfect restoration to the divine image. If you do this in earnest, then even this present world will be less a scene of confusion to you than it was in your unconverted state; and, in the world to come, the glories of Paradise shall be for ever yours. You shall be admitted into the sweetest intercourse with your God ; and " be fully like him, because you shall see him as he is^"]
" Col. iii. 10. X Eph. iv. 24. y Prov. iv. 18.
z 1 John iii. 2.
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 filly set in them to do evil,
SIN is in itself an evil of a crimson dye; neverthe- less its malignity maybe greatly increased by the aggra- vations 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 the degree in which it prevails is very little known. In what way men sin, we may judge from the ex- ceeding depth of colouring which there is in the picture before us. They sin,
1. Habitually —
[All are not equally vicious in their lives, but all forget God, and neglect their own souls. Successive years serve only to confirm this habit. We may all adopt the confession of the church of old ^.]
2. Deliberately —
[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 ^ ! 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 ^ : that is the only restraint which proves uniformly eflfectual ^.]
4. Without remorse —
a Jer. iii. 25. »' Rom. i. 32. '^ Job xv. 16.
"1 Geii. xxxix. 9. ^ Jam. ii. 11.
838.] man's abuse of god's patience. 377
[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 impeni- tence '. The prophet's description may well be applied to each of us s.]
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 imme- diate punishment, men would not dare to live in this manner ; but 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 ven- geance. This very forbearance emboldens men to sin — " because" " therefore" From the delay of punish- ment 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. This how- ever is a fatal delusion. He has marked the evil of sin in many awful instances ^ : he will soon undeceive this blind infatuated world '.]