meafure and degree, what God is, in his height, excellency and fülnefs. Great reafon therefore that fcripture fhould lay fuch great ftrefs upon this prin

ciple of good nature,

f

3dly, Unefs we be exercised in the practice of it here, we fhall be nowife qualified to become citizens of the heavenly Jerufalem hereafter: and fince it is the utmost improvement to be charitable, and a neceflary preparation, and qualification, for the entrance of a foul, in the ftate of eternity, unto glory; we fhall not wonder why the fcripture doth fo infift upon it; and that in this catalogue of mifcarriages, where there be eighteen titles or names, the mifcarriage in this inftance of love and goodwill fupplies twelve. Unless we be discharged of ill will; unlefs we be freed from ill-nature, we cannot have admittance or entrance into the heavenly Jerufalem. For, we fhould be a difturbance to that happy fociety, son of je n The pleafures of eternity are mental, intellectual and fatisfactory, without moleftation or conteft. An uncharitable chriftianity, unmerciful, void of good nature, is no more religion, dark fun is a fun, or a cold fire is fire, He only can dwell in God who dwells in love, 1 John iv, 16, If we would at all refemble God, partake of his nature; or be, in any degree fuch as he is; we muft root out of our natures all malignity, envy, malice, rancour, fpite, difpleafure. To be out of love and good will, is to be in the devil's form and fpirit. A chriftian must not be an enemy. 'Tis not compatible with chriftianity to bear ill-will, or (as we fay)

1

than a

to

to carry coals. Frowardness, peevifhnefs, malcontentedness are the most dangerous evils, because men warrant themselves in them, fuppofing that they are justifiable in it. Thus Jonah (chap. iv. vers. 9.) I do well to be angry. But, oft we find, upon after-confideration, not so much cause, as upon the fudden, we fuppofed; fo, have reason to unfay, and to undo. This is frequently the case of ungoverned minds, and of cholerick conftitutions. In this cafe, I ask these hafty furious perfons; do they confider the hurt they do to themselves, when they thus difpoffefs themselves of themselves, fo as neither to enjoy God nor themselves?If we would be fecure, we must refift the beginnings of this evil. Scripture gives us many cautions, fundry reafons, feveral precedents and examples, Prov. xv. I. and xvii. 14. Thus Jacob's preventing Efau's revenge, Gen. xxxii. Abigail's pacifying David's rage, 1 Sam. xxv..fo as that he bleffes God for her. What mifchief followed upon Hanun's mifreprefenting David's intended refpect? 2 Sam. x. What, upon Rehoboam's churlifh anfwer? 1 Kings xii.

Nothing more difcompofes the mind, than its own taking offence; which if it does, it is its own fault. He that conceives difpleasure in his breast, carries that within him, which doth corrode, and torment him.It is the unhappiness of some, that they are not born to the fame good nature others are. 'Tis more their burden than it is to others, to be of fuch bad natures. I would rather converse with such as are fo (tho' that be troublesome enough) than have it myself; for, then it is an evil without me:

if

if I have it myself, it is an internal malady,

If it were my difpofition from my infancy, I would study nothing but the moral virtues, till I had fubdued it. For, what is virtue given for, but to rectify crookedness of nature? Man hath his religion to little purpose, if, by it, he doth not mend his nature, and refine his fpirit. Such a one only makes a profeffion of it; takes a denomination from it.

There is great congruity between our well being, and the nature of things enjoined by religion. Thy law is truth, that is, fuch as it ought to be, Pfalm cxix. 142. Submiffion to the things of religion, is ready, kindly, regular; because our minds are caft into the fame moulds with them, framed into fuitableness and conformity. We worship God beft, when in our mind we are like him; when in refpect of God's communicable perfections, holiness, righteousness, and goodness, we imitate and refemble him. If we would be happy as he is, we are to be holy as he is, in our measure, degree, and proportion.

DISCOURSE LXVI.

The direful Vengeance which falls upon the Souls of incorrigible Sinners.

Ro M. i. the latter part of the 27th verse. Receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

His is the laft claufe in this chapter, that I fhall take upon me to speak to and this containing matter of great use, and in farther affurance of the truth I have formerly spoken to, I

cannot overlook it.

You may remember I have undertaken a vindication of the divine goodness and righteousnefs; and have endeavoured to make it appear, that God is neither the cause of the creatures fin, nor the creatures mifery and whofoever thinks otherwise of God, doth not God fo much as common right he doth not fay fo much of God, as one would think it fit to fpeak of a man of common honefty and uprightness. This portion of fcripture will give me great advantage to pursue this truth,that God is not to be charged with the creatures fin, or the creatures mifery. For whofoever fuffers or is punished, he doth but receive in himself, or from himself, that recompence of his error which is meet. The greatest fuffering that is, is not by any positive infliction of

God,

God, it is not of God's creation for God did not make hell, but it is the natural iffue of creatures mifcarriage, being wanting to themselves, and contradicting the principles of God's creation in them: and if this be true, I have at once faid enough to juftify God's goodnefs, righteousness, and holiness ; and to ftop the mouth of all gainfayers; and I have faid enough to justify all the principles of religion. There is a foundation laid of felf-condemnation to all evil doers. It is a form of words, that, when I well confidered them, I could not overlook them that finners do receive in (or from) themselves the recompence of their error. No one that fails or miscarries comes to mifery by any fovereignty, any foreign pleasure, any thing that is arbitrary, any thing that is in itself unavoidable. But the mifery that befals the creation of God, is of ourselves, it arifeth from within ; finners deftroy themselves. Men fhall not be able finally to fly in God's face, and to challenge him; either with neglect or hard meafure; for all that perifh fhall be felf-condemned; and it will finally be made to appear, that whofoever is loft, or perisheth, it is through his own felf-neglect, or the great abufe of himself.

But I am very well aware that it hath been a very old practice, for men to charge God with the ill-fare of men, that they might excufe themselves, and lay the fault upon God. The whole eighteenth chapter of Ezekiel is spent upon this occafion; and God by the prophet doth there vindicate himself; and the prophet in the name of God doth plainly affert, that God is no contriver of, nor hath any

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pleasure