SERM.IV ing Punishment; but the Righteous into Life eternal.

Let us fuppofe, that Mankind were to live here for ever: Let us suppose, that fome of them were become abandoned and incorrigibly bad: Would it be any unjustifiable Severity to confine Them for ever in Prison, that they might not feduce or an noy the rest of the Creation; or even to inflict pofitive Punishments upon them, in their Confinement, adequate to their Of fences, in order to deter others? It is only therefore to suppose, that the Soul is in it's own Nature defigned for an immortal Du ration; that thofe, who are configned to everlasting Misery, are fuch as by a continued Course of Sinning have so disabled all the Powers of the Soul, that it is morally impoffible for them, without the extraordinary Grace of God, to cease from Sinning: And then if it be no Injustice, as undoubtedly it is not, that every Sinner fhould be a Sufferer; there can be no Injustice, that every habitual, eternal Sinner hould be an eternal Sufferer.

This Confideration, I think, takes off the Force of the Objection, viz. That there is no Proportion between temporary Crimes,

and eternal Punishments. But, fince fome SERM.IV. have laid great Strefs upon it, I fhall confider it further.

ift, Let it be confidered, that though the outward Acts of Sin be temporary; yet the Defilement and Habit contracted by a Repetition of thefe Acts is, if we die in a State of Impenitence, eternal. And as

eternal ill Habits are the Source of eternal Torments; it will follow that the Impe-nitent have entailed upon themselves everlafting Mifery. If, when Death has closed the Scene, there be no After-game to play; if all Overtures of Grace then cease; if Vice be stamped upon the Soul in indelible Characters; if he that is filthy, must be filthy ftill; then it is an undeniable Confequence, that be, who can never cease to be wicked, can never ceafe to be miferable. The veteran Sinner is fteeled against all Impreffions, and the Mifer does not ceafe to love this World with all his Soul, and with all his Strength, even when he stands just upon the Verge of another. How often have we feen Men, that, however inconfiftent in every thing else, have been very confiftent in obeying one ruling, habitual Paffion from first to laft? Nay, we have furprifing

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SERM.IV. furprifing Inftances upon Record, befides that of a dying Mifer; that even at the Clofe of Life, the grand and important Crifis, that is to determine a Man's Happiness or Misery; even then this ruling Paffion would bear no Rival, no Competitor near the Throne. Even then, like a domineering. Favourite, who has long maintained the Afcendant; it would not, for fear of being fupplanted, admit any thing to his Death-bed, but what countenanced it's Interefts, and was fubfervient to it's Orders. What our Saviour faid to St. Peter, may be applied to an old habitual Sinner. When thou waft young, thou girdedft thyfelf, and went whither thou wouldst; but when thou art old, another hall bind thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldst not. His Sins shall bind him, and carry him into Captivity. He will be apt to think, if he thinks at all to the Purpose; Why had I not the fame Sentiments when young, as I have now? Or why have I not now the fame vigorous Strength, which I had then, to break my Bonds afunder? Some have fo much enfeebled the Powers of the Soul, that their Reason, like the Light of the Sun, when the Face of Nature is over

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fpread

fpread with Fogs, is juft ftrong enough to fhew and render vifible the melancholy Scene, but not strong enough to overcome and difperfe the Vapours.

SERM. IV.

Thus often in this World Habits feem to be incorporated into the Soul, and to be, as it were, Parts of our Selves: And if we carry our Enquiries farther, with the Light of Revelation in our Hands, we shall difcover, that they are for ever rooted in the Mind in the next World. St. Paul, in the xiiith Chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians, difcourfes upon Charity, not as an occafional Act, but as a ruling, ftanding Principle. If I give, fays he, all my Goods to feed the Poor, and have not Charity, it profiteth me nothing: i. e. Though I should practise fome occafional Acts of Charity, however great; yet unless it be a fettled Principle, it will be of no Avail. Well, what becomes of this habitual Charity? Charity never faileth; but whether there be Prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be Tongues, they shall cease; whether there be Knowledge, it shall vanish away. That is, Prophecies, Languages, and our imperfect Knowledge, which is but Ignorance in Comparison, fhall end with

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SERM. IV. with this World: But the Habit of Charity shall remain beyond this tranfitory Scene of Things, and accompany the Mind into Heaven, and there remain with it to all Eternity; as immortal as the Soul, and as extenfive as the Creation. Now if good Habits fhall follow their Poffeffors into another World, and there abide with them then ill Habits will, by Parity of Reason, do fo too.

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This appears farther from the Cafe of those Angels, which kept not their first Eftate. Could any thing have reduced thofe accurfed Spirits to a State of Submiffion to their Maker ; one would have thought, that the Fruitleffness of their former Attempt, the fevere Vengeance they already felt, and the Dread of a much feverer that hung over them, if they perfifted in their Wickednefs; and the Hopes of mitigating their Doom, if they defifted might at least have made them paffively obedient: But though they believe and tremble, yet ftill they go on to act contrary to the Conviction of their own Minds; ftill they go about feeking whom they may devour; still they proceed in a State of Hoftility to their Creator: So ftedfaft is Malice, fo unconquerable

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