in their power, for instance, to retrieve their affairs, to recover their health and character, at least in good measure; yet real reformation is, in many cases, of no avail at all towards preventing the miseries, poverty, sickness, infamy, naturally annexed to folly and extravagance, exceeding that degree. There is a certain bound to imprudence and misbehaviour, which being transgressed, there remains no place for repentance in the natural course of things. It is, further, very much to be remarked, that neglects from inconsiderateness, want of attention, * not looking about us to see what we have to do, are often attended with consequences altogether as dreadful as any active misbehaviour, from the most extravagant passion. And, lastly, civil government being natural, the punishments of it are so too; and some of these punishments are capital, as the effects of a dissolute course of pleasure are often mortal. So that many natural punishments are final to him who incurs them, if considered only زوه *Part ii. ch. 6. The general consideration of a future state of punishment most evidently belongs to the subject of natural religion. But if any of these reflections should be thought to relate more peculiarly to this doctrine as taught in Scripture; the reader is desired to observe, that gentile writers, both moralists and poets, speak of the future punishment of the wicked, both as to the duration and degree of it, in a like manner of expression and of description, as the Scripture does. So that all which can positively be asserted to be matter of mere revelation, with regard to this doctrine, seems to be, that the great distinction between the righteous and the wicked, shall be made at the end of this. world; that each shall then receive according to his deserts. Reason did, as it well might, conclude that it should, finally and upon the whole, be well with the righteous, and ill with the wicked: but it could not be determined, upon any principles of reason, whether human creatures might not have been appointed to pass through other states of life and being, before that distributive justice should, finally and effectually, take place. Revelation teaches us, that the next state of things after the present, is appointed for the execution of this justice; that it shall be no longer delayed: but the mystery of God, the in his temporal capacity; and seem inflicted by natural appointment, either to remove the offender out of the way of being further mischievous, or as an example, though frequently a disregarded one, to those who are left behind. These things are not what we call accidental, or to be met with only now and then; but they are things of every day's experience; they proceed from general laws, very general ones, by which God governs the world, in the natural course of his Providence. And they are so analogous to what religion teaches us concerning the future punishment of the wicked, so much of a piece with it, that both would naturally be expressed in the very same words and manner of description. In the book of Proverbs, for instance, Wisdom is introduced as frequenting the most public places of resort, and as rejected when she offers herself as the natural appointed guide of human life. "How long," speaking to those who are passing through it, * how long, ye simple ones, will ye love folly, and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn ye at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you, I will make known my words unto you." But upon being neglected, "Because I have called, and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh; when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me great mystery of his suffering vice and confusion to prevail, shall then be finished; and he will take to him his great power and will reign, by rendering to every one according to his works. * Chap. i. in their power, for instance, to retrieve their affairs, to recover their health and character, at least in good measure; yet real reformation is, in many cases of no avail at all towards preventing the miseries poverty, sickness, infamy, naturally annexed to foll and extravagance, exceeding that degree. There i a certain bound to imprudence and misbehaviou which being transgressed, there remains no pla‹ for repentance in the natural course of things. is, further, very much to be remarked, that neglec from inconsiderateness, want of attention, looking about us to see what we have to do, often attended with consequences altogether as dre ful as any active misbehaviour, from the most travagant passion. And, lastly, civil governn being natural, the punishments of it are so 1 and some of these punishments are capital, as effects of a dissolute course of pleasure are ( mortal. So that many natural punishments final † to him who incurs them, if considered * *Part ii. ch. 6. + The general consideration of a future state of puni most evidently belongs to the subject of natural religion if any of these reflections should be thought to relate m culiarly to this doctrine as taught in Scripture; the re desired to observe, that gentile writers, both moralists ets, speak of the future punishment of the wicked, bot the duration and degree of it, in a like manner of ex and of description, as the Scripture does. So that a. can positively be asserted to be matter of mere revelatio regard to this doctrine, seems to be, that the great di between the righteous and the wicked, shall be made a of this world; that each shall then receive according serts. Reason did, as it well might, conclude that finally and upon the whole, be well with the righteou with the wicked: but it could not be determined, principles of reason, whether human creatures migh been appointed to pass through other states of life before that distributive justice should, finally and effect. place. Revelation teaches us, that the next state siter the present, is appointed for the execution of th that it shall be no longer delayed: but the mystery &* G w warca God Probe wel the natural course of us Pro Lev re à umiogous to what reil Teaches is concerning the ture punisament of Ricked - much a nece with it, that both aturaly be expressed in the very same words mannert Lescription. In the book of Profor instance. Wisdom is introduced as fre30st pubic places of resort, and a ders herself as the natural ap"How long," speak"how when she Tade of human ..ie. hose who are passing through it, * simple ones, will ve love folly, and the delight in their scorning, and fools hate Turn ve at my reproot. Behold, I will spirit upon vou, I will make known into you." I have called, and ve refused, I have But upon being ueglected. my hand, and no man regarded; but at nought all my counsel, and would reproof: I also will laugh at your ca mock when your fear cometh; when eth as desolation, and your destruc a whirlwind; when distress and aon you. Then shail they call upon not answer; they shall sick me safering vice and confusion to prome r ter. thusi t. it is y are. :ssness he golly ac m can at men 1, that ptuous, r, may ng born e of no e of the ', as any execution ome other or bring ian death? en with renever been on for people s if they had. D2 early, but they shall not find me." This passage, every one sees, is poetical, and some parts of it are highly figurative; but their meaning is obvious. And the thing intended is expressed more literally in the following words: "For that they hated know ledge, and did not chuse the fear of the Lord; therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the security of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them." And the whole passage is so equally applicable to what we experience in the present world, concerning the consequences of men's ac tions, and to what religion teaches us is to be expected: in another, that it may be questioned which of the twe was principally intended. Indeed, when one has been recollecting the proper proofs of a future state of rewards and punishments, nothing, methinks, can give one so sensible an apprehension of the latter, or representation of it to the mind, as observing, that after the many disregarded checks, admonitions, and warnings, which peo... ple meet with in the ways of vice, and folly, and extravagance; warnings from their very nature; from the examples of others; from the lesser inconveniences which they bring upon themselves; from the instructions of wise and virtuous men; after these have been been long despised, scorned, ridiculed; after the chief bad consequences, temporal consequences, of their follies, have been delayed for a great while; at length they break in irresistibly, like an armed force; repentance is too late to relieve, and can serve only to aggravate their distress: the case is become desperate; and poverty and sickness, remorse and anguish, infamy and death, the effects of their own doings, overwhelm them, beyond possibility of remedy or escape. This is an account of what is in fact the general constitution of nature. It is not in any sort meant, that according to what appears at present of the natural course of things, men are always uniformly punished in propor |