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