SERMON XXX.

NEGLECT OF WARNINGS.

DEUT. xxxii. 29.

"Oh that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end.

THERE is one great sin, which, neverthe

less, may not be amongst the number of those, of which we are sensible, and of which our consciences accuse us; and that sin is the neglect of warnings.

It is our duty to consider this life throughout as a probationary state: nor do we ever think truly, or act rightly, but so long as we

have this consideration fully before our eyes. Now one character of a state, suited to qualify and prepare rational and improveable creatures for a better state, consists in the warnings, which it is constantly giving them; and the providence of God, by placing us in such a state, becomes the author of these warnings. It is his paternal care, which admonishes us by and through the events of life and death that pass before us. Therefore it is a sin against providence to neglect them. It is hardiness and determination in sin; or it is blindness, which in whole or in part is wilful: or it is giddiness, and levity, and contemptuousness in a subject, which admits not of these dispositions towards it, without great offence to God.

A serious man hardly ever passes a day, never a week, without meeting with some warning to his conscience; without something to call to his mind his situation with respect to his future life. And these warnings, as perhaps was proper, come the thicker upon us, the farther we advance in life. The dropping into 3 M 2 the

the grave of our acquaintance, and friends and relations; what can be better calculated, not to prove, (for we do not want the point to be proved) but to possess our hearts with a compleat sense and perception of the extreme peril and hourly precariousness of our condition: viz. to teach this momentous lesson, that when we preach to you, concerning heaven and hell, we are not preaching concerning things at a distance, things remote, things long before they come to pass but concerning things near, soon to be decided, in a very short time to be fixed one way or the other? This is a truth of which we are warned by the course of mortality; yet, with this truth confessed, with these warnings before us, we venture upon sin. But it will be said, that the events, which ought to warn us, are out of our mind at the time. But this is not so. Were it that these things came to pass in the wide world only at large, it might be that we should seldom hear of them, or soon forget them. But the events take place, when we ourselves are within our own doors; in our own families; amongst those, with whom

we

we have the most constant correspondence, the closest intimacy, the strictest connection. It is impossible to say that such events can be out of our mind; nor is it the fact. The fact is, that knowing them, we act in defiance of them which is neglecting warnings in the worst sense possible. It aggravates the daringness; it aggravates the desperateness of sin: but it is so nevertheless. Supposing these warnings to be sent by providence, or that we believe, and have reason to believe, and ought to

believe, that they are so sent, then the aggra vation is very great.

Even

We have warnings of every kind. youth itself is continually warned, that there is no reliance to be placed, either on strength, or constitution, or early age: that, if they count upon life as a thing to be reckoned secure for a considerable number of years, they calculate most falsely and if they act upon this calculation, by allowing themselves in the vices, which are incidental to their years, under a notion, that it will be long

before

before they shall have to answer for them, and before that time come they shall have abundant season for repenting and amending; if they suffer such arguments to enter into their minds, and act upon them, then are they guilty of neglecting God in his warnings.— They not only err in point of just reasoning, but they neglect the warnings which God has expressly set before them. Or, if they take upon themselves to consider religion as a thing not made or calculated for them; as much too serious for their years; as made and intended for the old and the dying; at least as what is unnecessary to be entered upon at present, as what may be postponed more suitable time of life: whenever they think thus, they think very presumptuously. They are justly chargeable with neglecting warnings. And what is the event? These postponers never enter upon religion at all, in earnest or effectually. That is the end and event of the matter. To account for this, shall we say, that they have so of fended God by neglecting his warnings, as

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