[91] SERMON VI. ROMANS ii. 4. Defpifeft thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long fuffering,-knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? So fays St. Paul. And ECCLESIASTES Viii. II. Becaufe fentence against an evil work is not executed speedily; therefore the heart of the fons of men is fully fet in them to do evil. TA AKE either as you like it, you will get It is a terrible character of the world, which Solomon is here accounting for,—that their hearts are fully fet in them to do evil.—And the general outcry against the wickedness of the age, in every age, from Solomon's down to this, fhews but too lamentably what grounds have all along been given for the complaint.— The disorder and confufion arifing in the affairs of the world from the wickedness of it, being ever fuch,-fo evidently seen,-fo feverely felt, as naturally to induce every one who was a spectator or a sufferer, to give the melancholy preference to the times he lived in; as if the corruptions of men's manners had not only exceeded the reports of former days, but the power almost of rifing above the pitch to which the wickedness of the age was arrived. How far they may have been deceived in fuch calculations, I fhall not enquire;-let it fuffice, that mankind have ever been bad,— confidering what motives they have had to be better; and taking this for granted, instead of declaiming against it, let us fee whether a difcourfe may not be as serviceable, by endeavouring, as Solomon has here done, rather to give an account of it, and by tracing back the evils to their firft principles, to direct ourfelves to the true remedy against them. Let it here only be premifed,- that the wickedness either of the prefent or past times, whatever scandal and reproach it brings upo chriftians, ought not in reason to reflect dif honour upon christianity, which is fo apparently well framed to make us good,—that there is not a greater paradox in nature,→ than that fo good a religion fhould be no better recommended by its profeffors.-Though this may feem a paradox,-'tis ftill, I fay, no objection, though it has often been made use against christianity;-fince, if the morals of men are not reformed, it is not owing to a defect in the revelation, but 'tis owing to the fame causes which defeated all the use and intent of reason,-before revelation was given. -For fetting afide the obligations which a divine law lays upon us,-whoever confiders the state and condition of human nature, and upon this view, how much stronger the natural motives are to virtue than to vice, would expect to find the world much better than it is, or ever has been.-For who would fuppofe the generality of mankind to betray fo much folly, as to act against the common interest of |