like manner abandoned and debauched S ERM. perfons, on the other fide, feem indeed XIV. fometimes for a feafon, to have full Eafe and Satisfaction in their Folly: But This Ease, never is the Acquiefcence of Reason : It is the Stupidity only, of a Lethargy or Mortification: Not at all a Freedom from the Difeafe, but merely a Senfelessness of the prefent Destruction. Reafon will be heard;

Sooner or later,

and Truth will For, what is the

force itself upon them.
Hope of the Hypocrite, when God taketh
away his Soul? Job xxvii. 8. I fpeak not
here of the Punishments in a future State,
but of the Just Apprehenfions which at-
tend Wickedness in the prefent. The Spi-
rit of a man will fustain his infirmity, but
a wounded Spirit who can bear? Prov.
xviii. 14.
And I lvii. 20; The Wicked
are like the troubled Sea, when it cannot
reft, whofe waters caft up mire and dirt :
There is no Peace, faith my God, to the
Wicked.

SERMON XV.

The Character of oppreffive Power
in Religion.

[ Preached on the 5th of November.]

DAN. vii. 23.

Which shall be diverfe from all Kingdoms,
and shall devour the Whole Earth, and
fhall tread it down, and break it in
pieces.

Y Defign in This Place, is notS ER M.
M to enter into a particular In- XV.
terpretation of the Prophetick
Language; much lefs to pro-
pose any uncertain Conjectures, concern-
ing the Times and the Seafons which the
Almighty has
put in his own Power; but

SER M. to confider only a general Character, which XV. runs through a long Series of Prophecy

ch.vii. 21.

ver, 25.

both in the Old Teftament and in the New, of a certain great Power, formidable and lafting, of large Extent and of long Duration, and in its Nature and Kind, different from all Other Powers and Kingdoms in the World. The Character is fuch, as shows plainly one principal End and Defign of the Prophecy to be This; to give men repeated Warnings to take great Heed, that they neither fall (if poffible) under the tyrannical Oppreffion of this dreadful Power, nor Themfelves have any Share in exercifing it over Others.

THE Character or Defcription given by the Prophet, of this fingular and extraordinary Power, is in the following words. He fhall make War with the Saints, and prevail against them: And ke Shall Speak great Words against the most High, and fhall wear out the Saints of the moft High, and think to change Times and Laws; And they shall be given into his ch. xi 36, band for a long Seafon, even till the Judgment fhall fit. He fhall exalt kim

ver.26

27

Self,

felf, and magnify himself above every God, SER M. and fhall Speak marvellous things against

Neither fhall be re

the God of Gods:

gard the God of his Fathers,

XV.

magnify himself above All;

divide the Land for Gain.

3, &c.

FROM this defcription given by the Prophet Daniel, is plainly taken the character St Paul lets forth, of a Man of Sin 2Thefs. ii. to be revealed, the Son of Perdition: Who oppofeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped: So that He, as God, fitteth in the Temple of God, fhewing himself that he is God: Whofe Coming is after the working of Satan, with all Power, and Signs, and Lying Wonders, and with all Deceivableness of Unrighteousness: Teaching men to give 1 Tim. iv. heed to feducing Spirits, and doctrines of* Devils: Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from Meats, which departed, God hath created to be received Thanksgiving, of them which believe, know the Truth.

with

and

THE fame character is likewife evidently intended by St John, when he prophecies of a wild Beaft, or Tyrannical

Z 4

Power,

I

1,3.

* Δαιμο

vian, Souls

Saints.