3. How does it appear, that Sins are thus the Caufe of Judgments?

1. Sin brought Mifery in general upon Mankind, at first, Gen. iii. 16,17,18,19. for, 1. Man at first was made as Upright, fo happy, Gen. i. 26. Ecclef. vii. 29.

2. Tho' he was made perfect and upright, yet was He mutable, and liable to fall from that State of Perfection He was created in.

3. Hence, GOD, to awe Him to Obedience, threaten'd him with Death, if he finned, Gen. ii. 17.

4. But Man, notwithstanding this Threatning, fins.

5. Man having finned, GOD could not but in Juftice inflict the Punishment threaten'd, Gen. xviii. 25.

6. Hence all Mankind became liable to all the Judgments of GOD.

2. Sin is the Caufe alfo of all the particular Judgments; as appears,

1. From Scripture, Pfal. cvii. 17. Ezra ix. 13, c.

2. From Reafon; for,

1. All Judgments come from an offended GOD, Lam. i. 12.

2. Nothing offends GOD but Sin. 3. From Experience; the old World, Sodom, &c. being remarkable Inftances hereof.

USF. S.

Wherefore, in time of Adversity confider,

Ecclef. vii. 14.

1. Our Sinfulness against GOD.

2. His Sovereignty and Power over us, Isa. xlv. 7. Amos iii. 6.

3. The Danger of incurring His Difpleafure, Ifa. xxxiii. 13, 14.

4. The fad Effects of Sin in the World. 2. Rent your Hearts, and turn unto the Lord, Feel ii. 12, 13.

1. Rent your Hearts.

1. For Sin, 1 S. Pet. v. 6.
2. From Sin.

2. Turn unto the Lord,

1. By Prayer.

2. By Repentance.

3. By Obedience and a Holy Life.

III. How we are to behave ourselves, when we are deliver'd from any Judgment.

1. We are presently to refort to the publick Ordinances.

1. To make publick Confeffion,

1. Of our Sins in offending GOD, 2 Chron. vii. 13, 14

2. Of GOD's justice in afflicting us, Pfal.

li. 4.

2. To make publick Acknowledgment of our Thankfulness to GOD;

1. For His Power,

2. For His Mercy, in delivering us, Lam.
iii. 22.

3. To make our publick Prayers to GOD;
1. For the Pardon of those Sins, whereby
we have deferv'd His Judgments.
2. For a Bleffing upon His Judgments to-
wards us.

3. For Grace to live like those who have
been under the Rod.

2. It must be our greatest Study and Endea

vour to fin no more.

1. How fin no more?

1. Not with Love to fin, nor Delight in it, Pfal. cxix. 113. Rom. vii. 22.

2. Nor with Allowance of it.

3. But do our utmost to avoid the Commission of it.

2. What must we do to keep ourselves from Sin?

1. Search the Scriptures, S. Joh. V. 39.
2. Frequent the publick Ordinances, Rom.
- X. 17.

3. Avoid the Occafions of Sin; as,
1. Vain Thoughts.

2. Idle Words, 1 Cor. xv. 33.

3. Loofe Company.

4. Have a particular Care of leading
Sins, that feldom go alone; as,

1. Defire of Applaufe, S. Joh. v. 44.
and xii. 42, 43.
Earthly-mindednefs, 1 Tim. vi. 9.
3. Idleness.

2.

5. Be much in Prayer, S. Fam. i. 5.
6. Examine thyself often.

!

7. Frequently meditate upon Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell, and the fad Effects and Confequences of Sin.

MOTIVES against Sin.

1. The odious Nature of it.

2. The dreadful Confequences of it. 3. The Obligations we have against it. 1. GOD hath affrighted us with Judg

2.

ments.

allur'd us with Mercies. 1. In laying temporal, and not eternal Judg

ments upon us.

2. In affording us longer time to repent in, Ifa. v. 3, 4.

4. It is not long, but we must answer for every Sin, 2 Cor. V. 10.

5. We have finned too long already.

6. Sin no more, left a worse Thing come. For,

IV. GOD hath yet worse Judgments in store for us, if we still go on in Sinning, Levit. xxvi. 15, 16.

1. Temporal; and those either

National; as,

1. A worse Plague, Numb. xvi. 49. 2 Sam. xxiv. 15.

2. A worse Fire, Gen. xix. 24.

3. A worfe Sword.

1. A Civil-War, Levit. xxvi. 37. Judg. vii.

22.

2. An Invasion by a foreign Enemy, Lam.i. 1, 2, 3.

4. A worfe Famine, 2 Reg. vi, 25.

5. Overflowing Floods, &c.

Or elfe Perfonal; for,

1. He can curfe our remaining Bleffings, Mal. ii. 2.

2.

3.

or deprive us of them.

or fend a languishing, tormenting Disease upon us, Job ii. 7, 8. A&t.

xii. 23.

2. Spiritual Judgments.

1. He can remove His Ordinances, Rep. ii. 5. 2. Or withdraw His Bleffings, Matt. xxi. 19. 3. Or blind our Eyes, Ifa. vi. 9, 10.

4. Or fuffer us to be led into Herefies, 2 Theff. ii. 11.

5. Or with hold His restraining Grace, Rom. i. 24, 25, 26, 27.

6. And let us alone in our Sins without Controul, Hof. iv. 17. Ifa. i. 5.

7. Or harden our Hearts under His Judgments, Exod. iv. 21. 2 King. vi. 33.

8. And startle and affright our Confciences into Defpair, Prov. xviii. 14.

3. Eternal Judgments, S. Matt. xxv. 41. faying,

1. Depart, Pfal. vi. 8. S. Matt, vii. 23.
2. Ye curfed,

3. Into Fire, 2 Theff. i. 8.

4. Everlasting Fire, ibid. ver. 9. Isa. 33. 14. 5. Prepar'd for the Devil and his Angels.

S. Jöн.