difgrace and punishment with which it will certainly be attended.

The fame may be faid of "whoremongers and adulterers, whom God will judge." For though fuch tranfgreffors commonly plead the violence of temptation; yet, as I have already obferved, this by itself cannot excufe from prefumption, unless the temptation be fo fudden and surprising, that it gives the perfon no leifure to exercife his reafon; which I am perfuaded is feldom or never the cafe. Thefe works of darknefs are usually gone about with greater caution and fecrecy than are confiftent with mere paffion; fo that Reafon hath been employed, though in a wrong way and this is one of thofe ingredients that render fin prefumptuous.

We may likewife fay of drunkenness, that in most cafes it is prefumptuous. It is an excefs which one can fcarcely be furprised into, unless the liquor be mixed with fome pernicious drug, or hath fome peculiar quality with which he is utterly unacquainted. But this, I fuppofe, is a cafe that rarely happens. It ufually takes fome

time before a perfon be intoxicated; and drunkenness comes on by fuch gradual advances, that one hath fufficient opportunity to observe its approach, and to make his escape, if he is not otherwife determined.

So that all these fins are evidently prefumptuous; and as they are too commonly practifed among us, I thought it my duty to mention them in particular, for the fake of those who know themselves to be guilty, that they may not waste their precious time in seeking after excufes to defend them against the heavy charge of prefumption; but may, without a moment's delay, humble themselves in the prefence of that God whom they have fo grievously offended, imploring his pardoning mercy for what is past, and his powerful grace to restrain them for the future.

THE great importance of his restraint to us all, or how much it concerneth us to be kept back from every prefumptuous fin, was the fecond thing I propofed to illuftrate. And this will appear from two confiderations.

t, That fuch fins are most heinous in

their nature; and, 2dly, most pernicious in their effects and confequences.

It, They are most heinous in their nature. The language of the proud finner is, Who is Lord over me? He either difowns the authority of God, or bids him defiance, and provokes him to jealoufy, as if he were ftronger than he. Thus it is written, Numbers xv. 3. "The foul that "doeth ought prefumptuously, reproach"eth the Lord:" reproacheth his knowledge, as if God was ignorant of his wickednefs; or his juftice and truth, as if he would not punish it; or his power, as if he could not. And what horrid impiety is this! finners, think of it: your known wilful fins cannot poffibly be vindicated from this charge: all I have now faid, and a great deal more, fhall be made good against you at laft, when God fhall enter into judgement with your fouls. It is vain for you to plead, that you do not directly intend these things. I verily believe you think fo; for, proud and ftubborn as you are, I am confident that you dare not utter fuch blafphemies before God,

nor

do not.

nor even avow them to your own hearts. But doth it follow from thence, that you are not chargeable with them? The fallacy of this reasoning can easily be detected. Tell us, do you intend your own damnation?I need not wait for an anfwer; I am fure you do not. Pray, then, what meaning have you at all? wilfully tranfgrefs the laws of God, but you do not intend to be punished for it; on the contrary, you fhudder at the prospect of suffering, and would certainly oppose it with all your might. This is one fide.

-You

On the other hand, you fay, that you have no direct intention to injure or infult the majesty of God; you mean no prejudice to his authority, nor to any of his perfections, his wifdom, holiness, justice, or almighty power. --Can any body reconcile these two oppofites?—You are unwilling to be miferable; and yet you are willing that God fhould poffefs those tremendous attributes, by the exercise of which you must be made miferable. This is a flat contradiction.—The cafe is plain, whether you perceive it or not: you would certainly dethrone

dethrone God if you could; you would reverfe his laws, or difarm his power, that you might follow your inclinations without fear or controul: And this is the difpofition of every prefumptuous finner, though perhaps his heart may be so hard and unfeeling as not to perceive it. These remarks may fuffice to fhow, of what a heinous nature prefumptuous fins are.I added, in the

2d place, That they are likewife most pernicious in their effects and confequences.

Every wilful fin hardens the heart, and renders it lefs penetrable than it was before: one conviction overcome, makes way for the conqueft of another, and that of a third, and fo on; the finner by degrees waxeth ftout against God, till at length every bond that should restrain him is broken afunder, and his heart becomes "fully fet in him "to do evil." This is the natural effect of prefumptuous finning: confcience being often violated, grows callous and infenfible, or, in the language of fcripture, "feared "as with a hot iron;" fo that it not only lofeth