The reason of all these applications to sinful man, is that mentioned by St. Peter—­“The Lord is long suffering to us ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

II.  We are to consider some abuses of the revelation of divine goodness which is made to mankind.

There is no gift of God which depravity may not abuse.  The belief of the divine perfections, especially of the divine mercy and benignity is often made the occasion of sin.  Those whose “hearts are turned away from the Lord, when they hear the words of the curse, are wont to bless themselves in their hearts, saying, we shall have peace, though we walk in the imagination of our hearts, to add drunkenness to thirst.”  When called to repentance, they banish fear and lull themselves into security, with the revelation of divine grace and mercy which they find in the scriptures; making that a favor of death, which was ordained to be unto life—­“With the Lord there is mercy; with him there is plenteous redemption; with him there is forgiveness;” not that he should be feared, but that his fear should be cast off, and his terror not make men afraid to sin—­“God hath no pleasure in the death of sinners—­judgment is his strange Work—­he will not enter into judgment—­will not destroy the work of his hands.”  Thus mercy is made to absorb the other divine attributes, and sinners emboldened in wickedness.  By such considerations they make themselves vile without concern.  Some become so hardened and unfeeling, that the approach of death doth not alarm them.  By an habitual course of wickedness, their consciences are rendered callous, and they are insensible both to fear and shame, and continue so till death puts a period to probation, and seals them up for eternity!

These consequences are not apprehended at the entrance on a vicious course.  The young sinner designs only to take some youthful liberties, and not to stray very far away, or long to deviate from the path of duty; but the farther he goes in the wrong, the stronger are his attachments to the pleasures of sin—­the less his concern—­the weaker and more defiant his purposes of amendment.  He never finds the more convenient reason, which he promised himself at setting out in the way of wickedness; yea, the farther he proceeds in it, the greater is the difficulty of retracing his steps, and turning back from his wandering.  Many who thus turn aside from the path of truth, probably settle into a state of security, and continue in it, till they have time no longer.

Was man grateful, divine goodness would lead him to repentance; but under the influence of depravity, it hath a different effect—­is made the occasion of more ungodliness!  What baseness!  “Sin because grace abounds!  Whose damnation is just!  How can such escape?  The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness and ungodliness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.”