of his own imperfection and depravity, he most humbly implores the mercy of God to grant him his grace and holy Spirit, to accomplish a consummation so devoutly to be wished: then we have every reason to believe, that God Almighty in his goodness, observing this pious disposition in the heart, will have compassion on that man, be he whom he may, and that he will experience very little mental affliction in life. For as God only punishes with a view to induce holiness of character in man, when that holiness is evinced by a life of temperance, chastity, piety, charity, and good-will to his fellow-creatures, and a diligent attention to the duties of his profession or vocation, then both the letter and spirit of Scripture justify the supposition, that God will not deem it necessary to punish such a man severely, any more than a physician would deem it necessary to order the same medicine to a man much recovered from a fever, as he ordered him whilst his fever was raging and at its height. But the case is exceedingly altered, when men, instead of considering themselves as reprieved culprits and needy beggars, who subsist from day to day only by the alms of God, presume to think they have a right to various gratifications, and to murmur if they are not granted, just as if they had given God an equivalent for them; when they forget the God who made them, and that they are such unprofitable, such sinful servants, that, as the prophet Jeremiah observes, " it is of the Lord's mercies 66 we are not consumed." When they thus utterly forget their duty to God, their obligations to him, and their dependence on him; and, because he has been graciously pleased to make them free agents, not content with this, they presume to conduct themselves as if he had likewise made them independent agents, as lords and governors, instead of stewards only, of the things committed to their charge, and for the use of which they are responsible: (an arrogance this, highly displeasing to God, and naturally attractive of his displeasure :) when they act in this haughty and ungrateful manner, they are then in a very diseased state of mind indeed, and they require the infliction of adversity to correct their folly and presumption. For example; how many noblemen and other men are there, who, enjoying the rank, honours, and riches of this world, prove by their actions that they have no love or fear of God existing in their hearts: and when they stand on the lofty steps before the portal of their superb mansion, and view from thence the noble park, the deer, and fine piece of water which adorns that park; and, extending their view as far as it can reach, see nothing but their own land on all sides; how seldom we may, without breach of charity, presume from their conduct, does it enter into the hearts of many of these men gratefully to address their Maker in some such terms as these: "O Lord God! to thee "alone I am indebted for every advantage "and accomplishment of body or mind "which I possess; for the elevated rank I "hold in society; for the great sublunary 66 power with which I am invested; for this house, this park, this land. I have given "thee no equivalent for any of these bless 66 ings, neither can I shew the least preten❝sion to them, or make the least claim to "them; but I most humbly thank thee for "them; and entreat, that thou wilt grant me 66 66 grace, when I view these thy gifts, to look up to thee as the bounteous Giver of them; " and that I may evince my thanks and gra ❝titude by loving thee, honouring thee, and 66 obeying thy holy will, whilst I have life or "being; ever remembering my humble ori"gin, and that I should have been as the " earth on which I tread, but for thy gra"cious bounty to me." The conduct of too many of these rich men proves they have no love of God; for the infallible consequences of love are, frequently thinking of the object beloved; enumerating the favours and obligations received; acknowledging them with heartfelt pleasure and delight; being in the highest degree desirous not to offend, and anxious in the same degree to please, the object of their affection. It is equally clear from their conduct that these men have no proper fear of God, by their entire inattention to, or violation of, that sabbath their God has most peremptorily ordered them to keep holy; by their loose and lascivious conduct, when their God has told them in his Scriptures that no adulturer shall enter into his kingdom; and by neglecting to read those Scriptures, which, where they are promulgated, he requires all men to do. But instead of an humble and submissive compliance with his injunction in this respect, they despise these Scriptures and their contents; and likewise the acquisition of that holiness, without which God has declared no man shall be admitted into his presence. Now if God is pleased to visit one of these men with some affliction, deep enough to correct his sins and ingratitude, and to induce him to acquire, before he dies, that holiness of character, so indispensably necessary to the enjoyment of the happiness of a future state; what he considers punishment, is in reality the greatest mercy that can be shewn him: from whence this inference is fairly to be drawn, that before we find fault with the misery that prevails in the world, we ought to admit, for the general and individual welfare of mankind, and for the keeping in any tolerable order such a rebellious, unreasonable, sensual, ungrateful character as man frequently is, that it must be just as necessary for God in his moral government of him as a free agent, capable of doing wrong, and continually doing so, to inflict a great deal of discipline and punishment on him, as it is necessary for a monarch on the throne, or for a general of an army, to do so. For what robbery, pillage, and murders, would be committed in a state, and what mutiny and disorder would prevail in an army, if the delinquents in each were never punished : |