nary Circumstances of the Cafe, for any alteration to happen to the Fortunes of the One, which fhall not very fenfibly affect the Other alfo. The fame Titles in Law, the fame Advantages in Trade, the fame Hazards of Perfon, are fhared between them. The fame Veffel at Sea, the fame Family on Land, the fame Shop in the City, contains both. So that it is not poffible, according to any Human Confideration, for Storms, or Fire, or Peftilence, or any other common Calamity, to fever between them.

Not only fo; but even in those Disasters, that are more Particular and Perfonal, the Wicked will have fome Partners, or Relations, or Friends, who must fuffer in them, or with them, or for them. Nay, they will fuffer fo much the more fenfibly, as themselves are better Men; becaufe fuch are proportionably more tender and compaffionate. For Virtue, above all things, foftens our Hearts, and fills them with kind and merciful Refentments. Religion is the highest Improvement of Humanity and Good-nature; and none, who is a Chriftian indeed, can fee the Sufferings, even of Them, who deferve most to fuffer, without Impreffion or Concern. So great a Mercy is it to the Righteous, that the Wicked are fpared at prefent. Because it faves them a multitude of Tragical and Afflicting Spectacles, which, if God fhould take swift Vengeance upon Sinners, would render Life a moft uncomfortable thing, and turn the World into a Scene of Grief and Horror, of Mifery and Blood.

From hence we fee, how impoffible it is, for even that Providence, which can distinguish exactly between the Good and the Bad, to punifh the Bad without the Good; except we fuppofe a Change to be made, in the Condition of all Human Affairs, and in the very Nature of Goodnefs it felf. For, as the mutual Relations and Concerns of Mankind are

ordered.

ordered, the Evil cannot fuffer without involving the Good, and drawing These into a part of the Punishment, by fuffering together with them. And, as the Temper of Religion now ftands, the Good will at least be touched with a feeling of their Miferies, and fo muft needs fuffer, and be afflicted, for them.

3. But Thirdly, Could the Tares be entirely gathered up without Danger and Detriment to the Corn, in either of the forementioned Refpects; yet it is the part of a provident Houfholder to let them ftand; because, by fo doing, the Price and Goodness of the Wheat is raised. Which is as much as to fay, That a Mixture of Bad Men ministers many occafions of Virtue to the Good, and gives them great Advantages of exerting Themselves, without fuch a Mixture never to be had. It is therefore, upon this account alfo, an Eminent Inftance of the Divine Wisdom and Kindness both, ftill to continue fuch a Mixture. The Deformity of fome Vices, the folly and unprofitableness of Others, the vanity of Luft and fenfual Pleasures, the Treachery and Difappointment of all worldly Expectations, would be but coldly reprefented in Words; if we had not living Examples, to furnish undeniable Demonftration of these things: Sad Monuments daily before our Eyes, to bring the truth of the matter home to our very Senfes. But when all this is done, we are then powerfully excited to decline our felves, what we cannot but pity, or defpife, or deteft in others. The feverer Difpenfations of Justice upon the Wicked, in the Natural, the Moral, the Providential, Confequences of a profligate Converfation, though exercised but fparingly at prefent, and neither upon all that deferve them, nor in all the Extremity, that fome may conceive reasonable; are yet frequent and fharp enough, to daunt the Daring, to fettle the Wavering, to raise the Satisfactions of a

refolved

refolved Good Man, and to convince as many as confider them, that God thinks himself concerned to take notice of Men's Actions: and that, at fome time, and in fome way or other, fuch as himself fees most expedient, he will not fail to execute a visible Vengeance upon every one, who hardens his Face, and walks in defiance to Him and His Laws.

It is confefs'd indeed, These are they that turn the World upfide down; the Inftruments of all the Mischief and Confufion we fee and lament in it. But then it must be confefs'd withal, that, were it not for that Rage and Villany, that Deceit and Disorder of theirs, fome Vertues would be abfolutely loft, and others could not but be very much eclipfed. Were there no Sons of Treachery and Malice, no violent Oppreffors, no Injurious or Slanderers; What would become of thofe noble Graces, which vindicate the Innocent, and deliver the Poor from Him that is too ftrong for him? Where should the recompenfing evil to no man; Where the Bleffing them that, without any caufe, curfe and rail at us; Where the forgiving of Wrongs, and loving of Enemies, find a place? So then, as is commonly obferved in Circulation of Trade, that, were there no Prodigals, little Encouragement would be left for the Frugal and Industrious: In like manner, it may be faid in Morality too, that every Virtue is more powerfully excited, and more fuccefsfully promoted, by fome oppofite Vice.

But efpecially, to name One Inftance more only, Christian Patience and Fortitude are a plain Evidence of this Point. For it is to the Refractory and Perverse, the Barbarous and Bloody, that the brightest Crowns in Heaven are in fome meafure owing. Had not those Tares been fuffered, not only to ftand with, but even to top it over, and fhed their Venom upon, the Wheat; the Truth could never have triumphed in her noble Army of Martyrs. Nay, which

is

is the highest we can poffibly go, The Redemption of Mankind by the Death of the Bleffed Jefus, and that moft perfect Pattern of all Goodness, is a Confequence of this Mixture. For, how could a Perfon so excellent have been treated fo ignominiously, how that inimitable Meekness have fhone fo gloriously, had not God permitted the Treachery of an Apostle to betray Him, the Subornation of Pharifees to teftify falfly against Him, the Cowardice of a Time-ferving Judge to condemn Him, and the unrelenting Cruelty of an inflamed Rabble to crucify Him? Nothing more can be needful to fhew, of what Importance it is, that God fhould think fit to forbear very Bad Men: Or how much Virtue is beholden to Vice, for its Luftre and Force: Since even the Cruelty and Malice of them who wish it worst, awaken its Powers, render the Examples of it more illuftrious; and fo, in Fact and in Event, exalt and beautify, while their Intention and Endeavour is, to darken and suppress, it.

Thus much may fuffice to be fpoken, of the Reafons for God's permitting a Mixture of Tares in this Common-field of the World, fo far as the Safety and Advantage of the Wheat is confulted by fuch Forbearance; That is, The Benefit of thofe Good Men, among whom the Wicked have Dealings and Converfation. I now proceed to a Second fort of Reasons, fuch as relate to the Wicked themselves.

And of Thefe my Subject leads me to Two, than which no more are neceffary to be mentioned. Because the One illustrates the Goodness, the Other, the Juftice of God, in this Difpenfation.

1. First, The Goodness of God is very manifest, in that, by this method, Sinners have longer Time allowed them, to recollect and to reform in. For it is an Obfervation of confiderable weight in the prefent Argument, that the Cafe of this Myftical, differs greatly from That of the Natural, Growth, There,

what

whatsoever is once a vicious and unprofitable Seed, can never change its Quality; but Here, thefe Tares may, by the Grace of God, and their own better Confideration, ennoble their kind, and, after standing long among the Wheat, at last become Wheat themfelves. That this is an effect intended by all delays of Punishment, St. Peter plainly declares; when rendring this Account of our Lord's deferring to come to Judgment, The Lord (fays he) is not 2 Pet. iii. 8. flack concerning his promife, as fome men count flackness, but is long-fuffering to us-ward, not willing that any fhould perish, but that all should come to repentance. And, that this is the Improvement proper to be made of all fuch Delays, is no lefs evident from St. Paul; who, in his Epiftle to the Romans, rebukes the Jews, for defpifing the riches of God's goodness and forbearance, and long-fuffering, and reprefents their not knowing, that is, not confidering that the goodness of God leads men to repentance, as a mark of their hardness and impenitent

Rom. ii. 4, 5.

beart.

The longer fuch People are fpared, the more leifure and opportunities they have for Amendment. The Examples of Others, the various Difpofals of Providence, the fignal Mercies and Severities of it, are fo many fresh Arguments, continually offering them felves, and ftirring up new Thoughts and ferious Reflections. And every Judgment, that ftops fhort of utter extirpation, is an awakening Call; an Expedient for cherishing the Principles of a fpiritual Life. The lopping off luxuriant Branches, and cutting the Stock down low, as well as digging about and dunging the Tree, are methods of Pruning and Cultivating. But plucking up by the Roots, and cafting into the fire, cannot become a Mafter of the Vineyard, till all other Experiments have been made ufe of to no purpose. And, fince it would ill agree with the

Cha