2. For though to maintain upon the mind a just sense of our unworthiness, and to express a suitable forrow and humiliation for our paft fins, when under the immediate fcourge of divine Providence, is fo far good and acceptable in God's fight; and, as I before obferved, the most likely method to remove the calamity: Yet it must be owned, this is all but mockery and grimace, if it last no longer than the fmart is upon us; and fhews plainly that we were much more grieved at the punishment of our fins, than at the guilt of them. So that in this case God may very justly inflict fome more dreadful evil upon fuch as defpife his chaftening And it is but reasonable to expect that he will do it. For it were much better to impute the affliction to misfortune, chance, and accident, or any other caufe befides the divine judgment; than, after we have acknowledged it to be fuch, and hum

bled

bled ourselves under it, immediately upon it's removal to renew our affronts, and aggravate our offences. This indeed is to abuse mercy by a fenfeless ingratitude; which is ever the most ready way to haften vengeance. Nay, it may please God in fuch a case to punish us yet more feverely, out of mere loving kindness to prove us by sharper discipline; to deliver us unto Satan, (as St. Paul did the incestuous perfon) for the destruction of the flesh; that, if we be not utterly incorrigible, we may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

;

But here it is obvious to remark, how exceedingly prone men are in general to fail in this momentous point; rejecting the counfel of God against themselves, and frustrating his judgments. 'Tis true in the time of our trouble we call upon Him; pain and distress extort this from us: But how foon do we forget as well

the correction as the deliverance? Of this we have a notorious instance in the people of Ifrael; "whom when the Lord "flew, then they fought Him; and they "returned, and enquired early after "God: And they remembered that God "was their Rock, and the high God "their Redeemer. Nevertheless, they "did but flatter Him with their mouth, " and they lied unto him with their For their heart was not tongues.

right with him, neither continued they ftedfaft in his covenant. Yea, they "turned back, and tempted God, and "limited the Holy One of Ifrael. They "remembered not his hand, nor the day "when he delivered them from the ene"my."-And 'tis to be feared the greater part of Chriftians do in this refpect but too much resemble that obftinate people; repenting only by fits, as they happen at any time to be afflicted; and when they are made whole, turning again to their

fins, as foon as they are recovered from the effects of them. Hence may we frequently see malefactors dragged a second time to the place of execution, from which they had once been reprieved; and where without doubt they lamented the confequence, though, it should feem, were little concerned about the iniquity, of their courses.

The use I would make of this obfervation is, to caution men how they venture to defer their repentance till that gloomy season, when distress and anguish come upon them: Not only, because they know not how God may accept of such a refuse offering, after that they have denied Him the better and more ferviceable part of their lives; but because too they may themselves be mistaken in the very point; not knowing affuredly, unless it fhall please God to grant them space for farther trial, whe

ther

ther they make Him any real oblation or not: i. e. whether their repentance, vows, and resolutions, be merely the effect of their fears, which like morningclouds might foon pafs away; or whether they are founded upon religion and truth; a thorough fenfe of the horrid nature of fin, and the immutable attributes of God.

But, laftly, Though to begin our repentance at such an unseasonable time, be extremely hazardous and prefuming; yet as men must neceffarily begin it then, if they have not done fo before; let no one however in this cafe neglect to perfevere in his amendment, after that he is delivered from his distress, or to pay the vows which he promised when he was in trouble. For think not (O! Man) that thy past sufferings and short-lived forrow were fufficient to expiate the guilt

that