Discourses, or, Sermons on several Scriptures

I. ¹Because they see so few Instances of God's dread Wrath and Vengeance executed on Sinners in this Life; and those rare ones that are extant and visible, they impute rather to Chance, than to the Retribution of Divine Justice: And therefore, upon their own Impunity, and the Impunity of others, they conclude, that certainly Sin is no such heinous thing as some sour, tetrical People would fain persuade the World to believe: And so they cry Peace, Peace, to themselves, ²though they go on in the Frowardness of their Hearts, adding Iniquity to Sin. Because God so long ⟨p. 25⟩winks at them, they conclude him blind, or, at least, that he doth not much disallow those Sins which he doth not presently punish. Indeed, it would be somewhat difficult to answer this Argument, were this present Life the appointed Time of Recompense. No, but God reserveth his Wrath and Vengeance to a more public, and more dreadful Execution of it, than any can be in this Life. Though now thou feelest no Effects of God's Wrath, yet, believe it, the Storm is but all this while gathering: But when thou launchest forth into the boundless Ocean of Eternity, then, and perhaps never before then, will it break upon thee in a Tempest of Fury, and drown thy Soul in Perdition and Destruction.

I. ¹Because they see so few Instances of God's dread Wrath and Vengeance executed on Sinners in this Life; and those rare ones that are extant and visible, they impute rather to Chance, than to the Retribution of Divine Justice: And therefore, upon their own Impunity, and the Impunity of others, they conclude, that certainly Sin is no such heinous thing as some sowre, tetrical People would fain persuade the World to believe: And so they cry Peace, Peace, to themselves, ²though they go on in the Frowardness of their Hearts, adding Iniquity to Sin. Because God so long ⟨p. 25⟩winks at them, they conclude him blind, or, at least, that he doth not much disallow those Sins which he doth not presently punish. Indeed, it would be somewhat difficult to answer this Argument, were this present Life the appointed Time of Recompence. No, but God reserveth his Wrath and Vengeance to a more publick, and more dreadful Execution of it, than any can be in this Life. Though now thou feelest no Effects of God's Wrath, yet, believe it, the Storm is but all this while gathering: But when thou lanchest forth into the boundless Ocean of Eternity, then, and perhaps never before then, will it break upon thee in a Tempest of Fury, and drown thy Soul in Perdition and Destruction.