ment, and fhall be fecured from the infults of wicked men. And especially they have it in their power to fet a good example of seriousness, sobriety, of justice, truth, and piety; always remembering, that there is not a greater affront to the Divine Majefty, than for a man to make ufe of the authority which he has received from God, to the difhonour of him whofe fubftitute he is. And if the Athenian lawgiver had reason for this maxim, That magiftrates fhould obey the laws, as well as the people the magiftrate, as they expected the government to laft long; if this was true reafoning with refpect to human laws, much more is it neceffary to be observed with refpect to the laws of God. For the law of God knows no refpect of perfons; all are fubject to its fanctions, none are exempt from its penalties; and they that escape them here are fure to meet with them hereafter, And indeed it would be a moft mischievous privilege, with regard to the publick, if any one might fin without rebuke, and confequently draw down judgments upon the whole community. This was the very case of the Ifraelites: Did not Achan fin, faith the fcripture, and wrath fell upon the whole congregation? which could not be stayed till he had not only fuffered for his iniquity, but had given glory to God in a free confeffion of his fin; acknow ledging ledging, that God is to be feared more than all earthly powers, and his judgments to be dreaded more than death. From which Chriftians may fee, that if minifters and magiftrates fhould neglect their duty, and should forbear to call offenders to an account, yet this would indeed be no favour; unless we fhould be fo weak as to think it an advantage to avoid fhame and trouble in this life, which we may have juftly deferved, and to meet with confusion and punishment eternal in the next. Punishment is the due reward of fin; and every fin must be punished either here or hereafter; and although the punishments and cenfures which either the magiftrate or the church inflict, have not always their wishedfor and faving effects, yet they are neither of them to be laid afide for that reason, or defpifed. They will always have this good effect; they will ftop the judgments of God from falling upon the fociety, while the governors thereof, who are in the place of God, do take care to punifh wickedness. They have this good effect befides; thofe in power do their duty, and deliver their own fouls. And if we enquire into the reasons why punishments and cenfures have not their due and faving effects, we fhall find, that it is owing chiefly to the contenance finners meet with from fuch as fhould avoid them, as the Spirit of God exprefsly requires them to do. A finner FF 2 A finner must be ftrangely hardened indeed, who, being denied the means of falvation, the free converfation of all fober Chriftians, and the comforts of fociety, is not awakened, by the want of these bleffings, into a sense of his intereft and duty. And as fure as this gofpel which I have in my hand is true, this is true; that to countenance notorious evil livers, or fuch as rebel against that difcipline which Chrift has ordained for the falvation of finners, is to be partakers with them in their evil deeds. And they will fooner or later, without a bitter repentance, fhare in their punishment... It is indeed to make a jest of fin, of God's word, and his threats therein contained; it is to make a mock of hell and damnation. It is juft doing what the Ifraelites did, in bringing a Moabitish woman in the fight of Mofes, and the whole congregation: as if men were not only not afraid of men, nor of God, but as if they defied him, his authority, and his anger; as if they were refolved to live in the profeffion of chriftianity with all the vices of heathens, on purpofe to make the Christian religion more contemptible. Thefe are generally the laft fins; and when it is come to this, men are then filling up the measure of their iniquities. But to return to our fubject. God is the author and fountain of authority, both in the 11o 2 John x. 1Ii • Numb, xxy, church church and in the ftate; these must therefore fupport one another in all lawful things, or both of them will fuffer. And then, and then only, they answer the end of their inftitution, and the order of providence, when both concur to promote the honour of God, to fupprefs the growing vices of the age, and to prevent the wicked from infecting the good. And one would think it should be as reafonable to keep notorious finners from corrupting others, as it is to prevent fuch as have the plague from infecting those that have it not. To conclude:-Whoever does prevent any degree of fin, does certainly prevent fome degree of judgments and mifery to a nation; and is fo far a benefactor. May it please God to awaken all that are in authority, whether in church or state, and make us fenfible that we are answerable for all the fins which it is in our power to prevent, and that we have more fouls befides our own to answer for. Now to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. SERMON |