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XVI.

SERM. it be remembered, that this is only in ap. pearance in appearance, I must admit that it does too often happen, but never in reality; those who bow lowest to the grandeur of the prosperous villain, cannot really honour him; but, though mean enough to pay outward homage to his possessions, they, in their hearts (sordid wretches as they are) despise and detest the man,

I will dismiss this subject, by observing, that the instances of successful wickedness are single, while in the common and usual course of worldly affairs it meets with its deserved punishment; here and there, a particular villain may be pointed out, who has escaped the punishment of the laws and the open contempt and detestation of his fellows, while there are numbers who are yearly falling sacrifices to public justice, and multitudes of less atrocious criminals, who are overwhelmed with justly merited infamy.

All

All the other arguments which the devil SER M. may bring forward to persuade us, when

he is tempting us to sin, of the impunity of it with respect to our persons, fortunes, and characters, might be easily refuted, if we reasoned with unbiassed minds; but, while our passions are engaged on his side, he seldom fails to subdue us.

Let us then, whenever we find ourselves tempted to do what our conscience suggests to be wrong, be aware that we are not then in a proper state to argue on the innocence or guilt of it-let us stay till a cooler moment-and, even then, let us recollect how much the devil is interested to deceive us;-let us be upon our guard against his wiles ;-and let us, in addition, call in to our aid the fear of God and so we shall be fully able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one.

XVI.

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SERMON XVII.

DELAY OF PUNISHMENT THE CAUSE OF SIN.

ECCLESIASTES Viii. II.

Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

WHEN the punishments which are de- SERM.

nounced against impiety and vice are so alarmingly dreadful, it seems hard to conceive that any men should be found so inattentive to their own interest, as to venture to provoke them. The text informs us whence this arises; it tells us that this temerity and madness is owing to the

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XVII.

SERM. delay of justice, it is because the exaction

XVII.

of the penalty does not immediately follow the commission of the crime, but that some uncertain space intervenes. - “ Because "sentence against an evil work is not exe"cuted speedily, therefore the heart of "the sons of men is fully set in them to " do evil."

It is the purpose of this discourse to set before you some of the conclusions that men draw from this delay of punishment, by which they encourage and harden themselves in their sins, and to shew the falsity of such conclusions-their folly and ingratitude.

1

And first, there are said to be some, who, on seeing the sinner uninterrupted in his wickedness for a long time, conclude that there is no God, or, if there be one, that he takes no notice of what is doing upon earth; but as I am addressing a Christian congregation, I need not set myself to

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