found in God only; the conviction is juft, but it is completely useless; for you are "forfaking the Foun"tain of living waters, and hewing out to yourselves "broken cifterns, cifterns that can hold no water." You confefs there is a hell, and that its mifery is extreme, but you never take one step to avoid it. We cry, "death is rapidly approaching you; and the Judge "standeth before the door :" you answer, yes, and flumber on. Your life is a perpetual contradiction to your creed; you are not happy, and contrive not to be miferable. O what a waste of means and privileges have you occafioned! Why did you not inform us from the beginning that you never intended to regard these things, then we could have turned to others; you have robbed them of fermons which they would have heard to purpose, and which you have heard in vain. I need not fay, you are not christians, that you are wholly unlike them; that you do not "war a good "warfare ;" that you do not "run the race fet before 66 you; for you are acquainted with all this ;" you do not mistake your condition; you know you are in a state of condemnation, and are still at ease!! O what a paradox are you! Nothing can be fo hateful to the Supreme Being as this state of inactivity. He would you "were either cold, or hot." Since you know your Lord's will, and do it not, you will "be beaten "with many stripes." "It will be more tolerable for "Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment than "for you." No inftance in the Scripture is recorded of the conversion of perfons in your peculiar circumftances. You are fermon-proof. A bible has poured forth all its treasures before you; it has thrown down at your feet heaven and hell, but it has excited neither hope nor fear. Surely you have reafon to apprehend that means fo long applied in vain, will be always ufelefs; for what probability is there that the word which has done nothing already, fhould prove efficacious nów? Will the fword of the Spirit become keener? Will the remedy acquire more virtue to heal? This illuftration of our fubject leads us to fuggeft the following inferences. Firft, If woe be to them that are at eafe in Zion," furely they are highly criminal, who countenance and promote fuch a ftate. And of this number are minifters, who preach fo as never to give offence, or excite alarm. "For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people flightly, faying, Peace, peace, "when there is no peace; therefore fhall they fall .. <6 among them that fall; in the time of their visitation they fhall be caft down, faith the Lord." "A won"derful and horrible thing is committed in the land : "the prophets prophefy falfely, and the priests bear "rule by their means, and my people love to have it "fo: and what will ye do in the end thereof?" O how dreadful will it be in the day of judgment to hear the reproach, "There is the man that deceived me, "and thereby deftroyed me. Curfed watchman, you "never announced my danger till the enemy had fe"cured his prize." Of this number are all thofe characters, who will never feize an opportunity to warn a fellow-creature, or a friend, of his condition; and who will fuffer a foul to perish, rather than incur a reflection, or a frown, by the exercife of faithful kindness. "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine wife rebuke thy neighbour, "heart; thou fhalt in any 66 Secondly, If "woe be to them that are at ease in "Zion," let none be troubled when they find their connections distreffed and alarmed with a sense of their fin and danger. "This fickness is not unto death;" this pain is a fign of returning life; this "want" will make the prodigal think of home, where "there is "bread enough and to fpare." When people of the world fee their friends and relations in fpiritual anxiety, they fear approaching derangement, or melancholy; they are eager to fend them into company; or to order them to the theatre. But those of us who have been through this state of mind ourselves, can rejoice while we fympathize, knowing that it is the common method of the Saviour to wound before he heals; to humble before he exalts; and hoping that this process is the preparation for that mercy, which is never prized till we are made to feel our mifery. Such was the difpofition of the apostle-" Now I rejoice not that ye were "made forry, but that ye forrowed to repentance; "for godly forrow worketh repentance to falvation "not to be repented of; but the forrow of the world "worketh death." Thirdly, If "woe be to them that are atease in Zion," there is nothing fo much to be dreaded as falfe fecurity in religion. I know that there are many alarms which never iffue in falvation. I know that many fear hell, who never fear fin; but ftill these diftreffing convictions are hopeful; they produce exertions which may receive a heavenly tendency; they look like the harbingers of religion; they are bloffoms if not fruit; and though they may be blighted or fhaken off, we cannot help hailing them. Some are afraid of their trouble; we wish they were afraid of their peace. They are glad when by company, or amusement, they have freed themselves from certain painful impreffions; whereas this is rather a judgment, than a mercy. They rejoice, fays an old divine, to get rid of a shaking ague, though it has left them in a deep decline. There is nothing fo fatal as the careleffnefs and indifference of a man who was never distressed about fin, or deprived of one hour's reft, by faying, "what have I done?" It is terrible when a man is struck with spiritual fenfeleffness. Better for God to ruin your eftate, to bereave you of your friends, to destroy your health, than fuffer you to have a "feared confcience," or a heart" hardened "through the deceitfulness of fin." It would have been well, if the foolish virgins had been roused from their sleep before the midnight cry, had it been done even by the intrufion of robbers. This induces us to be fo urgent in this cafe; anxious if by any means to produce in you that falutary alarm which will lead you to precaution and remedy; and by destroying the peace of fin, fecure to you "the peace of God, which "paffeth all understanding." Fourthly, If" woe be to them that are at eafe in "Zion," there is confolation for them that are diftreffed there. Nothing is more common than to find gracious fouls filled with difcouraging apprehenfions and fears, and frequently "they refuse to be comfort"ed." We do not admire and applaud all their doubts and their dejections; but these painful fcruples are eafily accounted for, and they lie on the safe fide of religion. They are very diftinguishable from unbelief; and arise, 1. From their view of the importance of the concern; it is nothing less than the everlasting salvation of their fouls. Such a thing cannot be flightly determined; they are always fufpicious; they can never have fufficient certainty; they require evidence upon evidence. "This is the only opportunity to enfure; what, if I fhould be mistaken ?" 2. From a conviction of the deceitfulness of their own hearts, which have often impofed upon them. 3. From a recollection that many live and die in their delufion; and what if they should be of the number? Thus they can hardly argue themselves into eafe; and while others do not fear at all, these fear too much; while others will not preceive the faddeft evidences of fin, these will hardly difcern the fairest evidences of Both are blame grace. Both able, but they are not equally dangerous. The one lofes his peace for a time; the other lofes his foul for ever. It is better to have a burdened, than a benumbed conscience; it is better to have à fcrupulous, than a licentious mind; they are not likely to perish, who are afraid of perishing. But after all, christians, your God is concerned, not only for your fafety, but for your happiness; and many advantages would arise from your spiritual joy. Jefus is "appointed unto "them that mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for "ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment "of praise for the spirit of heavinefs." He has promifed "another Comforter, who fhall abide with you for "ever." He has written this book for your "learn"ing, that you through patience and comfort of the "Scriptures might have hope." To his minifters He |