SERMON XXI.

Preached at Brixham

January 23, 1658.

PSALM 1x. 17.

The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget GOD.

I

CANNOT fpend time in opening to you

the connexion of these words, with those that go before. In the words themselves you have these two things more especially remarkable; to wit, the defcription, and the doom of wicked men. Their defcription you have in these words, that they are fuch as do forget GOD; and their doom is, that they fhall be turned into hell. So that accordingly there are two obfervations that offer themselves to our view from this Scripture.

FIRST, That it is the property of wicked men to forget GOD. And,

SECONDLY, That it fhall be the portion of wicked men, who forget GOD, to be turned into hell. Thefe two I intend to handle together in this order.

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1.

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II.

I. I SHALL fhew you what we are here to understand by the wicked.

II. WHAT by forgetting God.

And then, III. I SHALL evince unto you, that they are wicked perfons, who do forget God. And then,

IV. THAT fuch wicked Perfons shall be turned into Hell. And fo make use and application of the whole together.

I. I SHALL briefly fhew you what we are to understand by these wicked, that the text speaks of. In the

I PLACE, negatively, we are not to underftand by the wicked here, all persons that have fin in them. There are a fort of men in the world, that will confefs themselves finners; who yet dare to acquit themselves of wickedness. Thus David fpeaks; I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my GOD. Every man that hath fin in him, is not presently a wicked person.

2. WE are not to understand it neither of only grofs finners. As we are not to extend the fignification of the word, fo as to take in the former; fo nor must we so much narrow it, as to take in only the latter. We are not to think that they are only spoken of as wicked ones, who live in grofs, and profane wickedness; fo as that every one may characterise, and point at

them

a Pfal. xvIII. 21.

them as wicked perfons. No, there are wicked SER M. ones that pass under the notion of honest, and XXI. good men, according to common estimation;

and there is fuch a thing as heart-wickedness, which is hidden and concealed from the eyes of the world, fo as that others cannot take notice of it.

AND therefore, affirmatively, by the wicked here we must understand unregenerate Perfons whoever they are, that are in a state of unregeneracy. Whether they be open and grofs finners, or fecret finners only, it is all one for that : if they be fuch as the work of renovation hath not yet paffed upon, they are those whom this Scripture doth here intend by wicked ones.

II. In the fecond place we are to inquire what is meant by forgetting of GOD. The character, by which these wicked perfons in the text are described, is, that they are fuch as forget God. Wherein then does this forgetting GoD confift? That is what we are next to confider.. And in order to find out what we are to understand by it, our directest courfe will be to confider, what is to be stated in oppofition hereunto. And it is obvious at first fight, that it is thinking of GOD; as not to think of GoD, is to forget him. But here we must a little more particularly inquire what is this thinking of GOD, to which the forgetting him must be understood to be oppofed here? And, negatively,

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1. WE are not to underftand by it a conti.II. nual thinking of GOD; that is, always, every moment, and without ceafing. This you may eafily imagine to be impoffible, and I need fay no more of it.

2. YET, on the other hand, we are not to understand by it neither a thinking of GoD flightly and feldom. Superficial, and overly thoughts of GOD, now and then, may well enough confift with that forgetting of GOD, which is here spoken of.

AND therefore, affirmatively, this forgetting of GOD ftands in oppofition to frequent and or dinary, ferious and heart-affecting thoughts of GOD. That perfon is here spoken of as a wicked man that forgets GoD, who does not think of him frequently and with affection; with fear, and delight, and thofe affections, that are fuitable to ferious thoughts of GoD. How precious (lays the Pfalmift) are thy thoughts unto me O GOD! how great is the fum of them! If I should count them they are more in number than the fands. When I awake I am still with thee. - Thefe thoughts of GoD, of which the Pfalmift fpeaks, are fuch as God is the object of; as plainly appears from what is added by way of antithefis, when I awake I am still with thee. My thoughts are ever working towards thee, as foon as ever I awake. Now here is this twofold character of fuch thoughts; to wit, that they are precious, and they are numerous.

Pfal. cxxxix. 17, 18.

(1.)

(1.) THEY are precious thoughts; fuch as af- SER M. fect a man's heart, and ravifh the foul. Now XXI. in oppofition to this, perfons that forget GoD have no fuch thoughts of him'; that is, they have no joyous, pleasant, and delightful thoughts concerning GOD, fuch as the Pfalmift fpeaks of;, who also fays, My meditation of him shall be sweet, I will be glad in the Lord. So that it is fuch a forgetfulness of GOD, which is here spoken of, that stands in oppofition to fuch a remembrance of him as reaches the heart, takes the foul, and turns all that is within a man towards GOD. And then,

(2.) THEY are numerous thoughts, as well as precious ones. They are not only fweet and pleasant, but they are frequent alfo. If I should count them (fays the Pfalmift) they are more in number than the fand. Such are my thoughts of GOD, fo frequent and numerous, and they fo flow into my foul, and fo often recur again and again; that if I go to count them, I may as well attempt to count the fands on the fea-fhore; how great is the fum of them! Now it is in oppofition to fuch thoughts of GOD that this forgetfulness must be understood. They are forgetful of GOD; the wicked perfons, whom the text fpeaks of, who have not fuch thoughts of GoD frequently recurring upon their fpirits, fo as to affect and ravifh them, as you heard before. And thus you fee what this forgetfulness of GoD Dd 3

15,

Pfal CIV. 34