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Essential Difference between the Righteous 
 and Wicked. 
 
 SERMON, 
 
 DELIVERED JAN. 14, 18 10, 
 
 tV TH-S 
 
 NEW SOUTH MEETING-HOUSE, 
 SALEM, 
 
 By brown EMERSON, 
 
 COLLEAGUE PASTOR OF THE THIRD CHURCH IN SALEMi' 
 
 SALSM: 
 
 rRZITTKD BY THOMAS C. CDSHINOt 
 1810. 
 
THOUGH the following discourse was hastily penned, without the 
 least view to its publication, and is destitute ofartificial ornament ; 3 et a 
 hope that it might contribute something to the promotion of evangelical 
 truth, at a time when error and iniquity abound, induced the author to 
 comply with the wishes of his friends, in submitting to them si copy 
 for the press. 
 
SERMON. 
 
 Genesis, XVIII. 25. 
 
 SHALL NOT THE JUDGE OF ALL THE 
 EARTH DO RIGHT? 
 
 The hiftory of Abraham is peculiarly interefting 
 and inftru(flive. He is moft diftinguiflied and ho- 
 nored among the ancient patriarchs. The fcriptures 
 do not inform us of any man, with the exception 
 only of Mofes, who was ever admitted to fuch fa- 
 miliar intercourfe with God as Abraham. Jolhua, 
 Ifaiah, and John the Evangelift, were favored with 
 perfonal exhibitions of Jehovah in glory ; but Abra- 
 ham and Mofes converfed with him face to face, as 
 a man converfes with a friend. 
 
 The palTage 1 have chofen for my text, is part of 
 a familiar converfation which Abraham had with 
 God, on the day before the deftruclion of Sodom, 
 and on the fubje(fl of that awful event. The de- 
 fcendants of Ham, it appears, had apoftatized in 
 general from the worfliip of the true God, early 
 after the deluge. Thofe of them who inhabited 
 Sodom and its neighboring cities, had become fo 
 extremely corrupt in the days of Abraham, that 
 the enormity of their wickednefs required, that God 
 ihould make them an example to the world of his 
 righteous judgment. This determination he was 
 pleafed to reveal to his fervant Abraham. Twenty 
 
four years after the father of the faithful had been 
 a firanger ai d a pilgrim in the land of Canaan, as 
 he fat in his tent door in the heat of the day, he 
 faw three men, with the appearance of travellers, 
 approach his dwelling. After a hofpitable recep- 
 tion and entertainment, according to the fimplicity 
 of the times, they proceeded on their way to- 
 wards Sodom ; and the courteous patriarch, leav- 
 ing his tent, accompanied them fomc diftance on 
 their journey. 
 
 As they proceeded together, one of the ftrangers, 
 who is fuppofed to have been the Son of God, as he 
 is called Lord, or Jehovah, difclofed his purpofe of 
 deftroying thofe wicked cities. At this information 
 Abraham was deeply affecled. The other two men, 
 who were miniftering angels, took their leave of 
 him, and fet their faces towards Sodom, leaving him 
 alone with the Lord. Perceiving in whofe prefence 
 he was, the holy man ftt himfelf to intercede for 
 the devoted city^ He was chiefly folicitous for the 
 people of God, who he imagined might dwell in So- 
 dom, notwithftanding i«.s crying fms. He might 
 feel a ftronger incitement to pray, on account of his 
 nephew Lot, who, with his family, had then re- 
 iided in Sodom twenty years. The principal argu- 
 ment he ufed in his interceflions, was a difplay of 
 the glory of divine juflice. He fuppofed the city 
 to contain a number of righteous perfons ; and if 
 they were deftroyed indifcriminately with the wick- 
 ed, the Lord's regard for right eoufnefs, and abhor- 
 rence of iniquity, would not dillinclly appear. He 
 therefore drew near to God, and humbly confefling 
 himfelf to be duft and aflies, faid, "Wilt thou de- 
 . ftroy the righteous with the wicked ? Peradventure- 
 there be fifty righteous within the city ; wilt thou 
 alfo deftroy and not fpare the place for the fifty 
 righteous that are therein ? That be far from tl;ec 
 
to do aftei* this manner, to flay the righteous with 
 the wicked ; and that the righteous Ihould be as 
 the wicked, that be far from thee. Shall not the 
 Judge of all the earth do right ? And the Lord 
 laid, if I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the 
 city, then I will fpare all the place for their fakes.*' 
 Abraham repeated his requeft, and reduced the num- 
 ber, till the Lord allured him, that if ten righteous 
 perfons were found in Sodom, it fliould be Ipared. 
 How great were the mercy and condefcenfion of 
 Jehovah ! The patriarch returned to his tent, 
 *' and the Lord," as the expreflion is, " went his 
 way.'* The tremendous event of the enfuing 
 morning is related in the nineteenth chapter of this 
 book. 
 
 It appears from the hiftory, that only one pious 
 perfou was found in all thofe populous cities, Sodom, 
 Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim ; and the deftroying 
 angels could do nothing, till that perfon was fafe in 
 Zoar. As the inhabitants of thole cities were fet 
 forth as examples luffering the vengeance of eternal 
 fire, to warn the wicked of every fucceeding gener- 
 ation, it was neceffary, that no child of God fliould 
 be deflroyed in the overthrow. 
 
 The righteous may often be involved with the 
 wicked in public calamities, without any impeach- 
 ment of the divine rectitude ; but from judgments, 
 that are dcfigned as perpetual warnings to the 
 ■world, the people of God mufk be exempted. Ac- 
 cordingly, when nations are fcourged with war, fa- 
 mine, or pelHlencc, the righteous are fharers in the 
 liifierings. When the Jews were carried captive in- 
 to Babylon, many pious perfons were carried with 
 them. But when the world was to be deflroyed 
 by a deluge, an ark was provided for the falvatiou 
 of Noah ; and when Sodom was to be confumed 
 
by fire and brimftone, angels were fent for the rc£^ 
 cue of Lot. 
 
 The plea, which Abraham ufed in his interceA 
 fions for Sodom, was grounded on this pofition ; 
 that it is right for God io make an ejfential di^erence 
 betiveen the righteous and the wicked. On this ground 
 explicitly, the Lord admitted his plea, and, there- 
 fore, gave the pofition the fanclion of his approba- 
 tion. "" To deftroy the righteous with the wicked, 
 and that the righteous {hould be as the wicked, that 
 be far from thee." 
 
 The proportion, that it is right for God to make 
 an eilential dllference between the righteous and the 
 "wicked, I propofe to explain, eftablifh and improve^ 
 
 The term ejfential is here ufed to exprefs the high- 
 eft degree. For God to make an effential difference 
 between the righteous and wicked, imports, that 
 his treatment of them is diverfe, in relation to their 
 grand interefts, computed on the fcale of their 
 whole exiftence. 
 
 In regard to the terms righteous and wicked, it 
 feems needful to remark, that 1 follow the infpired 
 writers in ufmg righteous, to diftinguifh thofe, who 
 are made children of God by regeneration and 
 adoption ; and wicked, to diftinguifh thofe, who. 
 are in a ftate of unrenewed nature. 
 
 Some are difpofed to prevaricate at this ufe of the 
 terms, on the ground, that none of mankind are 
 righteous, as all are tranfgrelTors of the divine law 
 and " concluded under fm." But it will be under- 
 ftood, notv/ithftanding the groundlefs cavils of per- 
 verfe and ignorant men, that when, in fcriptural 
 language, we apply the term righteous to believers, 
 we exclude the ideas of inerit, and oi finlefs perfeC' 
 tion. Believers are called righteous, becaufe, by 
 their faith in Chrift, they are juftified for the fak« 
 of his righteoufnefs, and, by the fanclifying influen* 
 
tes of the Holy Spirit, are, in a meafurc, conformed 
 to a righteous God. Unbelievers arc called wicked, 
 becaule, being deftitute of faith in Chrift, they are 
 under condemnation and the dominion of fin. 'ihe 
 fcriptures every where make this obvious diflinc- 
 tion. 
 
 That it is right for God to make an effential dif- 
 ference between the righteous and wicked, 1 Ihall 
 attempt briefly to prove by five arguments. 
 
 T. It is right, becaufe there is an eflential differ- 
 ence between their characters. 
 
 That moral agents ought to be treated according 
 to their moral characters, is an axiom, which has the 
 fan<5lion of univerfal confent. 
 
 For want of due attention to the inflru6lions of 
 fcripture, and of faith to receive them, a capital 
 iniftake is often made, in regard to the real charac- 
 ters of men; and that miftake leads to capital errors 
 concerning their moral flates and final deflinations. 
 It Ihould be confidered, that, in this matter, " the 
 Lord feeth not as man feeth ; for man looketh on 
 the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on 
 the heart." The apparent difference between the 
 righteous and the wicked is always much lefs than 
 the real. As we cannot fearch the hearts of men, 
 we cannot obtain abfolute knowledge of the pious 
 fmcerity of the righteous, nor of the impofmg hy- 
 pocrify of the wicked. The elfential difference in 
 the characters of the righteous and profligate fm- 
 ners, is fufHciently obvious ; but moralifts and hy- 
 pocrites may fo counterfeit the language and exter- 
 nal condudl of believers, as to be accounted fuch by 
 men, while the Lord, who knows the vilenefs of 
 their hearts, fees an effential difference. In our 
 eftimate, therefore, of the characters of the righ- 
 
f 
 
 teous and wicked, we muft be guided by tlic tefti* 
 mony of God in his word. This is our only fure 
 guide. If we advert to this teftimony, we find the 
 
 
 elTential difference between their characters defcri- 
 bed throughout the facred volume. It is not in the 
 power of language to exprefs this difference with 
 greater diflinclnefs and force, than we find it ex- 
 prelfed in the Bible. 
 
 Believers are called children of God ; unbelievers 
 are called children of the Wicked One, and the feed 
 of the ferpent. Believers are called the friends of 
 God; unbelievers, his enemies. Believers are cal- 
 led lovers of God ; unbelievers, lovers of this world 
 and of their own felves. Believers are faid to be 
 quickened and raifed with Chrifl to newnefs of life ; 
 unbelievers are faid to be dead in trefpalTes and fins. 
 Believers are declared to be citizens of the common- 
 wealth of Ifrael, and joint heirs with Chrifl to the 
 promifes of the new covenant ; unbelievers are de- 
 clared to be aliens from the commonwealth of Ifraei, 
 ftrangers to the covenants of promife, without God 
 in the world, and children of wrath. Believers are 
 temples of the Holy Ghofl, and their members are 
 inflruments of righteoufnefs unto God ; unbeliev- 
 ers are fubject to the abfolute dominion of Satan 
 and their own corruptions, and yield their members 
 as inftruments of unrighteoufnefs unto fin. In 
 fliort, the Bible reprefents believers as being habi- 
 tually actuated by a principle of fupreme love to 
 God and fmcere regard to his glory ; while it re- 
 prefents unbelievers as being deflitute of this gra- 
 cious principle and benevolent motive, and actuated 
 by a principle and motive holHle to the glory of 
 God and the true interefts of his kingdom. 
 
 With declarations equivalent to thefe, the facred 
 volume abounds. Reference is not given, in thefe 
 fpecimens, to chapter and verfe, becaufe every per* 
 
fdn, accuftomed to read the fcriptures with any 
 attention, knows the reprefentation to be juft. 
 How wide, how radical, is the difference of charac- 
 ter between tlie righteous and wicked ! 
 
 As difference ot moral character is the proper 
 ground and reafon for difference of treatment, how 
 reafonable is it for God to make an effential differ- 
 ence, in his treatment of mankind, between the 
 righteous and wicked ! 
 
 II. It is right for God to make this difference, 
 bccaufe the principles of goodnefs and juffice re- 
 quire it. 
 
 Concerning the nature of thefe attributes, many 
 entertain erroneous conceptions, and form perverfe 
 conclufions. 
 
 Goodnefi is an attribute, whofe chief ultimate 
 end is the greateft good of community. A good 
 government is one which promotes and fccures the 
 beft interefts of the nation. A good ruler makes 
 this the grand object of his adminiftration. A good 
 God will certainly govern his univerfe fo as to ac- 
 complifli this benevolent and vaft defign. But this 
 delign cannot be accompliflied without making an 
 effential difference, in the difpenfation of rewards 
 and punifhments, between the obedient and difo- 
 bedient. To this truth, our penal ftatutes, our 
 courts of juftice, our prifons, and houfes of correc- 
 tion, bear unequivocal tcftimony. What would be 
 thought of the magiftrate, who, in violation of equi- 
 ty and law, fliould make no diftinction between the 
 loyal patriot and the feditious rebel ? The princi- 
 ples of goodnefs and juftice are the fame in both 
 human and divine government. Every fmful aftion 
 is injurious to the general good, and that principle, 
 which aims at the general good, demands a puniih- 
 
10 
 
 ment for the finful agent, proportionate to his 
 crime. 
 
 Juftice is an attribute, which aims at the fame ul- 
 timate object as goodnefs. It, therefore, equally 
 requires an eflential difference in the divine conduct 
 towards the righteous and wicked. Without mak- 
 ing this difference, it would be impoffible for God 
 to difplay before the univerfe hi« unchangeable love 
 to holinefs, and his utter and everlafling hatred of 
 fin. Without this difference, he would not be ma- 
 iiifeflly either good or juft. Between all the divine 
 perfections fubfifls the utmofl harmony. The molt 
 perfect exercife and difplay of every attribute of 
 God, will be forever made, without the leaft facri- 
 fice of one to another. 
 
 Thofe egregioufly miltake, who imagine that di- 
 vine juftice is not amiable and glorious. It aims at 
 nothing fliort of the higheft good of the univerfe. 
 Its nature is, therefore, the pureft benevolence. 
 Juftice is no lefs eflential to the perfecT;ion of the 
 divine character, no lefs amiable and glorious, than 
 goodnefs and mercy. But, as in human, fo in di- 
 vine government, when fubje6ts perfift in breaking 
 over the reftraints of law, goodnefs and juftice re- 
 quire, that the welfare of the individual fliould be 
 facrificed to the public good, by the execution of 
 condign punifhment on incorrigible tranfgreffors. 
 
 III. It is right for God to make this difference, 
 becaufe the honor of his name, as fupreme Law- 
 giver, requires it. 
 
 The honor of God is deeply concerned in the 
 execution of his law. On the broad bafis of the 
 law reft the ftability and excellence of his govern- 
 ment. Make void his law, and you proftrate for- 
 ever his honor and his empire. Accordingly, a 
 divine expofitor fays, " Till heaven and earth pafs. 
 
11 
 
 one jot or one tittle fliall in no wife pafs from the 
 law,, till all be fulfilled." Of what avail are penal 
 ftatutes, if their penalties are never to be executed 
 on condemned criminals ? Where is the honor of 
 God as Letrifl^tor and Governor of the world, if 
 rebellious men may trample his law under their 
 feet with impunity ? 
 
 The mediatorial righteoufnefs of Chrlft, it is true, 
 has honored the divine law, and, of courfe, the 
 Legiflator ; fo that finners may be pardoned and 
 faved for Chriif's hkc. But this, it is ever to be 
 remembered, gives no affurance of falvation to an 
 impenitent finner ; for it is equally true, as the 
 goijpel uniformly declares, that this atonement will 
 be of no avail for any, who are not fubjects of the 
 new birth, and of true faith in the Divine Media- 
 tor. 
 
 IV. It is right for God to make an eflential dif- 
 ference between the righteous and wicked, becaufe 
 they are not fitted to dwell together. 
 
 It has been fhown that there is an cflential differ- 
 ence in their characters. Perfons of oppofite prin- 
 ciple, motive, inclination, intereft, defign, and pur- 
 fuit, cannot dwell in the fame fociety, without dif- 
 cord and war. Enmity will fubfilt between the 
 feed of the woman and the feed of the ferpent. 
 The church of God and the wicked world have 
 been in perpetual conflict from the days of Cain 
 and Abel to this day ; and the war will not ceafe 
 till God fliall put a final feparation between them. 
 For important purpofes, hereafter to be more fully 
 difclofed, divine wifdom has appointed their refi- 
 dence together in this world. Wheat and tares 
 muft grow in the fame field till the harvcft. Hea- 
 ven win confummate the happinefs of believers ; but 
 unbelievers could enjoy no peace or plcafure in that 
 
holy place. The fpirltual worfhip and fcrvlce of 
 God, imperfect as it is in this world, the wicked 
 cannot endure. They have no tafte for fuch enter- 
 tainment. How then could they be happy in a 
 fociety, from which fin, in all its forms, is entirely 
 excluded ? Were impenitent men admitted to 
 heaven, they would turn that blifsful realm into a 
 region of rebellion and mifery. It is right for God 
 to place mankind in fituations for which they are 
 fitted. 
 
 V. That it is right for God to make this differ- 
 ence, is evident from what he has faid and done. 
 
 We may form many fafe conclufions concerning 
 the government of God, from the perfections of 
 his nature. We may have the fullefl alTurance, that 
 all his declarations are ftridly true, becaufe he " can- 
 not lie.'* We may be equally certain, that what- 
 ever he does is perfectly right, becaufe he cannot do 
 wrong. If he have told us, that there fhall be an 
 eflential difference between the righteous and wick- 
 ed, we may be fure it ought to be made. And 
 if it appear, in any inftances, to be actually made, 
 the fact is a fufhcient ground for the conclufion that 
 it is made in ri^^hteoufnefs. 
 
 If we turn our attention to the word and provi- 
 dence of God, we find both declarations and facts 
 to juftify this difference. To this point, the text 
 and context afford a molt decifive teflimony. God 
 admitted Abraham's plea, explicitly on the ground of 
 the juftice of this difference. " That the righteous 
 fliould be as the wicked, that be far from thee." 
 In Ifaiah iii. lo, 1 1, Jehovah gives this command to 
 his prophet : " Say ye to the righteous, it fhall be 
 well with him, for they fliall eat the fruit of their 
 doings. Wo unto the wicked ! it fhall be ill with 
 him ; for the reward of his hands ftiall be given 
 
15 
 
 him." Quotations of the fame purport from the 
 facred oracles might be multiplied almoft without 
 end. But this our prcfent Hmits will not admit. 
 Read the parable of the talents, of the net, of the 
 ten virgins, of the marriage of the king's fon, of 
 the tares, of the wicked huibandmen, of the rich 
 man and Lazarus, and the twenty-fifth chapter of 
 Matthew. 
 
 God not only makes abundant declarations of this 
 difference in his word ; but, in fome inflances, he 
 has actually made it in his providence. Sodom and 
 the old world, as examples to the ungodly of every 
 fucceeding age, are a dreadful comment on the in- 
 fpired declarations concerning the wicked. Though 
 they generally go unpunifhed in this world, as this 
 is not a Hate of retribution, but of trial, thofe in- 
 ftances of exemplary vengeance are recorded on the 
 iacred pages, to warn the wicked of the certainty 
 and awfulnefs of that wrath, which, without fea- 
 fonable repentance, will feparate them from the re- 
 deemed people of God. 
 
 We now proceed to an improvement of the fub* 
 jea. 
 
 I. If it is right for God to make an efTential dif- 
 ference between the righteous and wick^, for the 
 reafons affigned, he will certainly make it. " The 
 Judge of all the earth luill do right.'* But that it is 
 made, according to character, in this world, no rea- 
 fonable man will pretend. 
 
 It is a notorious faft, that the honor, power, 
 wealth and pleafure, of this world, in all their varied 
 forms, are, in every age, almofl exclufively enjoyed 
 by the wicked ; while poverty, reproach, and per- 
 fecution, with their train of woes, are bitter ingre- 
 dients in the cup of the righteous. A view of this 
 
u 
 
 faft ftaggered the faith of fome of the ancient faints, 
 " Wherefore,'* fays Jeremiah, '• doth the way of the 
 wicked profper ? Wherefore are ah they happy that 
 do very treacheroully r" Job was led to the fame 
 inquiry. "Wherefore do the wicked Uve, become 
 old, yea, are mighty in power ? I'heir feed is eila- 
 bliflied before their eyes, their houfes are fafe from 
 fear, neither is the rod of God upon them." 
 
 The parable of the rich man and Lazarus moil 
 clearly Ihows, that this life is not a fealon for retri- 
 bution. Indeed, there are numberlefs difpenfations 
 of Providence, which cau by no means be reconciled 
 with the fuppofition, that this w^orld is the only ftate 
 of retribution. If the effential difference between 
 the righteous and wicked did not extend beyond 
 the prefent life, God w^ould be manifeftly partial to 
 the wicked. His providence would contradift his 
 word. All thofe judgments, which, at different 
 times, have fwept millions into eternity, were acls 
 of diftinguifliing favor towards thofe rebellious 
 CTeatures on wdiom they fell. If the antediluvians 
 were, by means of the deluge, immediately deliver- 
 ed from the fms and troubles of this hfe, and taken 
 to a ftate of perfect happinefs, how much better 
 was it to be drowned in the waters of the flood, 
 tlian to be preferved, as Noah was, to experience, 
 during hundreds of years, the forrows and woes of 
 this evil world ! The polluted inhabitants of So- 
 dom and its cities, on whom the Lord rained fire 
 and brimftone, w^ere far more highly favored than 
 righteous Lot. Is it not a greater favor to be fud- 
 denly taken to perfect reft and glory, than to re- 
 main, as Lot did, a poor exile of the mountains, to 
 fuffer the calamities of a wearifome pilgrimage ? 
 How much better was it to be overwhelmed in the 
 Red Sea with cruel Pharaoh, or to be crufhed, in a 
 moment, between the open jaws of the earth, with 
 
15 
 
 impious Korah, than to endure the fuffcrings of a 
 forty years' travel, in the hoftile defert of Arabia ! 
 The iniquitous Amorites, who fell by millions be- 
 fore the fword of Joflma, and the proud hoft of 
 Sennacherib, which the angel of the Lord dellroyed 
 in one night, were i\\r more flivored than the "con- 
 querors of Canaan and the men of Hezekiah. Bloo- 
 dy Herod, whom God fmote with a dreadful difeafe, 
 which foon ended his life, was, for his impiety, a 
 favorite of Heaven. And the crucifiers of Chrift, 
 on whom his blood was avenged by the Roman 
 fword, and other fignal judgments, were blellcd far 
 above the apoftles and chriftians. 
 
 If the Judge of all the earth did thus, would he 
 do right ? Would he nut be partial to the wicked ? 
 Would not fuch a courfe of providence be the great- 
 elf encouragement to fm ? Would it not, on this 
 ground, be the part of wifdom, to give ourfelves 
 up to the moft enormous and daring crimes, in 
 order to provoke the Almighty, by fome fudden 
 ftroke, to take us immediately to heaven? What 
 glaring abfurdity ! No. That be far from God, to 
 do after this manner ; to favor the wicked above 
 the righteous, or that the wicked fliould be as the 
 righteous. The Judge of all the earth will do right. 
 As the eflential ditference is not made in this world, 
 it will be made in another. 
 
 The above abfurd conclufion inevitably refults 
 from a denial of future retribution ; a conclufion no 
 lefs impious than abfurd. This conclufion cannot 
 be evaded by ailirming, that the terrors of death, 
 and the attachment of mankind to the world, render 
 life, in their eftimation, a precious privilege, and re- 
 moval from it a fore calamity. For, however it may 
 be efteemed, if perfect felicity always commence at 
 deatli, removal from the world is, in fad, the highell 
 imaginable privilege. 
 
16 
 
 But to avoid the fliocking conclufion, it may be ad- 
 mitted, that the wicked will be puniflied in another 
 world, but that their puniiliment will have an end. 
 The idea of reftoration after death from purgatory, 
 is not without its advocates. To this there is one 
 reply, which is forever fufficient and unanfwerable ; 
 namely : The word of God gives no fuch intima- 
 tion. There is not a fyllable in the Bible, which 
 gives fo much as one obfcure hint of a day of grace 
 to the wicked beyond the grave. But, on the con- 
 trary, ther€ is ample teftimony, that the prefent 
 life is the only feafon of gracious trial. The opi- 
 nion, therefore, of thofe who believe in a reftora- 
 tion after death, is not only entirely deftitutc of 
 fcriptural warrant, but formed in dircd: oppofition 
 to the declarations of eternal truth. 
 
 Let us beware that we neither " change the truth 
 of God into a lie," nor " turn the grace of our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift into lafcivioufnefs.'* - 
 
 But, not to anticipate too much, we infer, 
 2. That if it is right for God to make an effen- 
 tial difference between the righteous and wicked, 
 it is right for him to make the difference eternal. 
 
 If he does right ever to make fuch a difference, 
 he does right to continue it, fo long as the reafons 
 which juftify it remain. The principal reafons I have 
 endeavored to fpecify and explain. The validity of 
 thefe reafons will never be deflroyed. If it is right 
 for God to make this difference now, becaufe there 
 is an elTential difference between the characters of 
 the righteous and wicked, it will be always right ; 
 for this difference of character will always remain* 
 " He that is filthy, let him be filthy ftill ; he that 
 is holy, let him be holy ftill." A radical change in 
 the moral charader of a {inner, depends on the fo- 
 vereign grace of God 5 and unlefs God have uae- 
 
17 
 
 equivocally promired to produce tlils change in evc- 
 ty linner, the conclufion, that it will be produced, 
 is a bold and groundlefs prefuniption. But fuch a 
 promife is no where to be found. 
 
 If it is right for God ever to make the difference 
 in view, becaufe the wicked are unfit to dwell with 
 the righteous^ it will be always right ; for, as their 
 charadlers will remain unaltered, their unfitnefs will 
 forever continue. If the honor of God, as fupreme 
 Lawgiver, and the principles of goodnefs and juftice, 
 require this difference, the fame reafons will remain 
 forever in unabated force. The good of God's 
 kingdom will require perpetual tokens of his ever- 
 lafting abhorrence of fin. The perfon who clofes 
 the term of his probation in a flate of impenitence, 
 can have no other than the difmal profped of end- 
 lefs punifhment. The Bible, inflead of containing 
 a fingle promife of pardon and falvation to fuch, is 
 full of declarations of a contrary import. " Thefe 
 fhall go away into everlafling punifhment, but the 
 righteous into life eternal. — Their worm dieth not, 
 and their fire is not quenched. — When the wicked 
 man dieth, his expectation fhall perifh.'* They who 
 obey not the gofpel " fhall be punifhed with ever- 
 lafling deflruction from the prefence of the Lord 
 and the glory of his power. — The fmoke of their 
 torment afcendeth up forever and ever." At the 
 general refurre^lion, fome, we are afTured, will 
 *' come forth to fhame and everlafling contempt.'* 
 And the inhabitants of Sodom and of the old world 
 " are fet forth for an example, fuffering the ven- 
 geance of eternal fire." 
 
 Infpired declarations like thefe, which abound in 
 the fcriptures, admit no plaufible evafion. Sophif- 
 tical gloffes and artful perverfions may impofe on 
 the credulity of fome, whofe inclinations llrongly 
 favor the deception j " but he that is fpiritual judg- 
 
IS 
 
 cth all things." The perpetuity of the finner*s pu- 
 nifliment and of the faint's felicity, is expreffed in 
 prccifely the fame terms ; and if the former may 
 have an end, fo may the latter. Where then would 
 be the chriftian's hope in the prornifes of eternal 
 life f EVerlafting punifliment is, indeed, a tremen- 
 dous doctrine j but it is taught in the Bible. 
 
 3. If God does right in forever making an gG^ctX" 
 tial difference between the righteous and wicked, 
 and has declared this to be his will ; then minifters 
 of the gofpel ought faithfully to inculcate this mo- 
 mentous truth on their people. 
 
 When God fays it fliall be ill with the wicked., i^ 
 men fay it fliall be well, they contradid God and 
 oppofe what is right. It is charad:eriftic of falfq 
 teachers to "declare unto the people fmooth things, 
 to prophefy deceits;" and too often the "people love 
 to have it fo.'* But the preacher, who regards the 
 truth of God, and the welfare of immortal fouls, 
 will plainly declare the truth, however it may wound 
 the finer fenfibilities of his heart. The miniftry of 
 the gofpel, in this refped, is analagous to the prac- 
 tice of phyficians. The medicines they adminifter, 
 and the operations they perform, though neceffary, 
 are often painful both to the phyfiician and the pa- 
 tient. 
 
 It is an important part of the duty of watchmen 
 upon the walls of Zion, to warn the wicked of their 
 danger, and point them to the true refuge. They 
 Jftiould, indeed, be warned with tender folicitude. 
 But though the utmoft tendernefs will not fecure 
 a faithful minifter from the reproach of feverity, he 
 has it to confider, that he cannot withhold his 
 warnings, without the guilt of cruelty. Though 
 the profeifed preacher of the gofpel may not have a 
 fufficient regard for God and perifliing fouls, to in- 
 
duce him to a faithful exhibition of the truth ; yet 
 it fhould feem, that the fear of appearing in judg- 
 ment, with his garments encrimloned with blood, 
 muft deter him from going before the people as their 
 guide in the broad way to perdition. 
 
 4. If it is right for God to make the difference 
 that has been confidercd, then the wicked will have 
 no juft ground to complain. 
 
 It is furely wrong to complain of what is right. 
 When the Judge, on the great day, fliall pronounce 
 the irrevocable fcntence, " Depart, ye curfed, into 
 everlafting fire," the miferable fouls, ag:unft whom 
 it fhall be pronounced, will be fpeechlefs, as to any 
 complaint of feverity in the doom. On that day, 
 we are afTured, " every mouth will be flopped." 
 All will be fully convinced of the jullice of the fen- 
 tencc, and the wicked will then know themfelves to 
 have been their own deflroyers. Tremendous as 
 the doom will be, the myriads of faints and angels 
 about the judgment feat, will hear, and fay, Amen. 
 It will then be manifeft, that God is chargeable with 
 no partiality in giving fome repentance unto falvaJ 
 tion, and in punilhing others according to the de- 
 merit of their crimes. Many will not believe till 
 that day, that it is no crime to be jufl. 
 
 If the wicked will then have no ground to com- 
 plain, they have no ground to complain now, when 
 miniflers of the gofpel and others exhibit before 
 them their true characters, and point them to that 
 impending doom, which they are warned to efcape. 
 For a chriflian, efpecially a chriflian miniftcr, to 
 forbear to warn the impenitent of the confequences 
 of pcrfifling in their fmful courfe, would be inex- 
 cufably criminal. Yea, thofe who flatter and de- 
 ceive the wicked, in this great concern, the wicked 
 themfelves will moil bitterly execrate, when they 
 
^0 
 
 Ihall fee, that everlafting deftru^lion, from the pre- 
 fence of the Lord, is coming upon them without 
 remedy. 
 
 5. If it is right, that an effential difference fhould. 
 be made between the righteous and wicked, and it 
 is not made in this world ; we infer the neceflity of 
 a general judgment. 
 
 It the wicked are to be forever feparated from 
 the righteous, and fuffer eternal punifliment, the 
 ground and juftice of the feparation ought dillindly 
 to appear. In this world, the real ground is often 
 concealed from the view of men, and is never fully 
 difcovered. " God hath," therefore, " appointed a 
 day, in which he will judge the world." As he 
 will bring every work into judgment, and every 
 fecret thing, the charafters of men will be exhibited 
 in aU their extent, and the world will be manifeftly 
 judged in righteoufnefs. The true reafons of the 
 different fentences pronounced upon the righteous 
 and wicked, will fully appear, to the conviction of 
 every mind. What furprifmg things will that day 
 difclofe ! Every difguife will be flripped from the 
 characters and actions of men. The dark receffes 
 of iniquity will be laid open. The fecret machi- 
 nations of the wicked will be brought to light. 
 The vile works of hypocrify will be revealed, and 
 the pious fincerity of the righteous made manifeft. 
 Thoufands, undoubtedly, who are thought, and 
 think themfelves, to be heirs of glory, will be found 
 on the left hand. Saints will bow with reverent 
 acquiefcence at the righteous decifions of the Judge, 
 while confternation and defpair will be depicted in 
 the faces of the wicked. BlefTed and holy are they 
 who have part in the firfl refurredion, on whom 
 the fecond death will have no power. 
 
21 
 
 6. The truth which has been the topic of this 
 difcourfe, is calculated to afford comfort to the peo- 
 ple of God. 
 
 What can afford greater fatisfaclion to a benevo- 
 lent mind, than the affurance, that the Judge of all 
 the earth will do right ? They are in a meafure, 
 and they wifh to be entirely, conformed to the will 
 of God. They choofc to fubmit every thing to his 
 judgment and difpofal, and as he orders every cir- 
 cumflance throughout his dominion in the beft 
 manner to accomplifh the grand objects of his go- 
 vernment, the delires of their hearts are gratified. 
 *' Clouds and darknefs," indeed, " are round about 
 him,'* in refpecl to many of his ways, as they ap- 
 pear to us ; " yet righteoufnefs and judgment arc 
 the habitation of his throne." 
 
 Chriftians, God will do right with you. He will 
 order your prefent allotments, and difpofe of your 
 eternal intereft, in perfedl wifdom and righteouf- 
 nefs. And what more for yourfelves can you de- 
 fire ? If he correct you, he does right. His pa- 
 ternal rod, though painful, is always falutary to 
 his children. If he throw you into poverty, fick- 
 nefs, reproach, or bereavement, he does right. By 
 fuch means he weans you from the world. If he 
 give you wealth and honor, or fuffer you to fall 
 into fnares and temptations, he does right. By 
 fuch means he tries the conftancy of your love to 
 him. If he hide his face from you, he does right. 
 It will teach you the necefTity of watchfulnefs, and 
 the worth of his gracious prefence. It will be 
 right for him to recompenfe your faith and felf-de- 
 nial with endlefs refl and glory : and this he has 
 promifed to do. 
 
 He does right with the Church. It is right that 
 he fliould permit fo many herefies, fchifms, perfe- 
 cutions, and trials, to perplex, wound and rend 
 
the body of Chrifl;, in its militant ftate. THe wif- 
 dom; of fucli difpenfations, though much concealed^ 
 at prefent, will hereafter be feen and celebrated by' 
 the inhabitants of heaven, as great and manifold. 
 In the work of redemption^ all the perfections of 
 Cod will be forever moft glorioufly difplayed. 
 
 He does right with the World at large. The- 
 dreadful conflicT; of nations, the rife and fall of> 
 ftates and empires, and the complicated miferies ofr 
 the human race^ are ordered in infinite righteouf- 
 nefs, and will be made fubfervient to mofl impor- 
 tant ends. The renowned ravagers and butchers' 
 of mankind j who make the earth groan under in- 
 ceffant wars, rebellions, revolutions, and conquefts, 
 are inftruments of accomplifliing the great pnrpofes'" 
 of God, though nothing is farther from their de- 
 fign. God will caufe the wrath of man to praife 
 him, and reftrain the remainder. 
 
 lie does right with impenitent men. It is rights 
 for God to endure, with much longfufFering, the 
 vefTels of wrath ; and fometimes to make them 
 examples to the world of his holy indignation at 
 iin. If they perfeveringly refift his Spirit, he does 
 right to withdraw his gracious influence, and leave 
 them in blindnefs and flupidity, to fill the mea- 
 fure of their iniquity, and ripen for their fearful 
 doom. If they place their hearts upon the unrigh- 
 teous mammon, and purfue it as their portion, he 
 does right to give them the reward they feek, that, 
 like DiveSi tliey may experience a more woful 
 change. Having the Bible in their hands, which 
 fo fully prefents the terrors of the law and over- 
 tures of the gofpel,- if they rejeft and contemn the 
 truth of God, he does right to give them up to 
 ftrong delufions, till " the hail fliall fweep away the 
 refuges of lies.'* 
 
r 
 
 23 
 
 God will be forever glorified by every child of 
 Adam, either in their falvation or deftruction. 
 
 Wait, my chriftian friends, for the perfect day, 
 which will doubtlefs bring a full difclofure of the 
 wifdom and rectitude of all the divine conduct. 
 While you fee and deplore the fruits of fin in the 
 world, lofe not the comfort of this truth, " the 
 Judge of all the earth will do right/* But let not 
 this confoling truth reftrain your efforts to promote 
 his glory by doing good to men. It will not ; it 
 cannot. Your love to God and men will, efpecially, 
 conftrain you, in view of perifliing fouls, to fend 
 your fervent cries to heaven for their falvation. 
 
 To conclude. Let every impenitent perfon, to 
 whom a refpite from endlefs perdition is yet mer- 
 cifully granted, ferioufly confider and apply the 
 fubject of the prefent difcourfe. Abandon every 
 objection againft the truth and government of God, 
 and penitently view your true chara6ter and con- 
 dition. A voice from the eternal throne utters the 
 decree, " Except ye repent, ye fliall — perifh." But 
 the fame voice directs you to the hope of the gofpel. 
 *' God fo loved the world, that he gave his only be- 
 gotten Son, that whofoever believeth in him fhould 
 not perifh, but have everlafting life." " Turn,*' 
 therefore, " turn to the Strong Hold, ye prifoners 
 of hope.'*