But what is the recompense which the soul enjoys who loves God? Answer, it is God himself. "God is love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him." In an exact proportion to the love which the heart exercises towards God is it recompensed with this richest of all rewards. There is no other object, on which the affections of the heart can be placed, that is so sure of returning a recompense, in all respects equal to the degree of love which is exercised.

Companions may love each other most tenderly, but by unavoidable circumstances they may be separated, so as to render their affection even painful. Again, there may be love to creature objects where no return of affection is received. But who ever loves God cannot be separated from him, nor can he ever experience any want of love in God. The soul that truly loves the divine Being is blessed with the presence of the object of affection. There is no place nor condition that can exclude the mind from this enjoyment. Though we were banished from the society of man, if we loved God he would be present with us; would be a well of water springing up into everlasting life. How of ten do we see our brethren and sisters in the hour of death, rejoicing in a present Saviour, and cheerfully resign life and all earthly things for the enjoyment of God.

What is this rich recompense designed for in the divine economy? It is designed for the only end that divine love can possibly have in view. It is to promote love and enlarge its enjoyments in the soul that is exercised by it.

As there are secondary cases in which righteousness manifests itself, so there are secondary recompenses corresponding with them. As consequences growing out of love to God, we notice those virtuous actions, and propriety of conduct, which are attended with effects which sufficiently

recompense and amply bless the agent in his deeds. Who ever loves God, will love truth; he will love honesty; he will love justice; he will love mercy; he will love wisdom and knowledge. Now as he loves these things he will speak the truth; he will be honest; he will do justly; he will be merciful; he will endeavour to acquire wisdom and knowledge, and he will consider all these things as durable riches and righteousness.

Now as these virtues are all calculated to reward us for all our exertions in their principles, so it is evident that our recompenses must be according to our merits. Accordingly as a man loves the truth, and speaks the truth, he enjoys the divine sunshine in his breast; and in addition to this sure and ample reward he generally is believed by others, and confidence is placed in his word. In the same proportion as a man is honest what he does, he has the enjoyment of his own conscience, which is a treasure that the honest man prizes far above silver or gold. And in addition to all this he has the satisfaction of being esteemed by others for his honesty, which is worthy of high estimation.

Those, who do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God, who seek for wisdom as for hidden treasures, and find out knowledge of witty inventions, enjoy a constant income of moral and intellectual wealth which is far richer than the revenue of silver, or the merchandise of the most precious spices.

The design of these rich rewards, in the economy of the divine government, is to induce moral beings to labour with all possible diligence to perfect themselves in the love of God.

We may now ask what recompense the divine government is pleased to render to the wicked, and what is the design of such a recompense.

As wickedness is exactly the reverse of righteousness, so the recompense of the former must be the reverse of that of the latter.

If we have no love to God we cannot enjoy him. The thought that he exists and exercises universal dominion, and controls all things by his Almighty power is a source of infelicity. The soul, in room of being refreshed with the sweet waters of life,is suffused with anger, wrath, strife, and bitterness. In the room of peace, there is trouble. "The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked."

Such is the establishment of moral rectitude in the human soul, by the hand of our Maker, that our reason is compelled to acknowledge the dignity of divine justice, the purity of all the virtues, and the excellency of righteousness. But where the affections of the heart are not devoted to these holy qualities, the soul is forever under condemnation. Self accusation, self reproach gnaw like the vulture within.

In an exact proportion to the distance the soul is in, from that love to God and our neighbour, which is the fulness of the divine requirement, is measured the recompense due to the sinner. There is tribulation and anguish to every soul of man that doeth evil; and this tribulation and anguish are in proportion to the evil for which they are a recompense.

But why should the divine government so ordain, that sin should be recompensed with so much misery? Why does it not please God to adminis ter comfort, peace, and joy to the sinner, in his sins? What is the design of the divine economy in this thing?

We may find a solution of these queries in our similitude of health and sickness. Health is the reward of that kind of food, which is nourishment to the body, of that temperance and exercise which our nature requires; while food that is unwholesome, or that is rendered injurious by art, together

with intemperance, and the want of proper exercise, are recompensed with those natural disorders with. which the human body is afflicted. It is necessarily so in the nature of things. It seems impossible that it should be otherwise. And it is the certainty of these consequences, which induces the prudent to abstain from intemperance and idleness.

The evil consequences resulting from wrong practices, are designed, by divine wisdom, for the same benevolent purpose as the good effects which are the recompense of doing well. When we do. well we enjoy the pleasant fruits of righteousness, and this enjoyment opperates as an inducement to continue in well doing. On the contrary, when we do wrong we suffer the recompense of our error, and this suffering is wisely appointed as a mean to wean us from that improper indulgence of inordinate appetites and passions in consequence of which we suffer, and to warn us to take heed to our ways. The prophet Jeremiah, speaking to the wicked, seems to express this idea with great plainness. He says; "Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee."

In our reasoning on the subjects of the recompensing of the righteous, and of rendering to the wicked according to their works, attention has been paid more to what we may term the internal fruits of righteousness and sin, than to outward blessings and calamities with which divine Providence has in all ages of the world expressed his approbation of righteousness, and his disapprobation of sin. We shall now contemplate the subject more generally, noticing some of the divine promises and threatenings, connecting the subject with the consideration of that part of the testimony of our text which informs us, that the recompense of both the righteous and the wicked is in the earth.

It may be proper, before we proceed further, to apprise the hearer, that the arguments which are

to follow will be found directed to disprove the common doctrine, which teaches that those who are righteous in this state of existence, will be recompensed for their righteousness with immortality and eternal life in the future state; and that those who are sinners in this life will be recompensed with endless perdition hereafter. This we feel fully authorised to undertake by the divine authority expressed in many more passages than can be cited in one sermon; this authority is evidently expressed in our text, in that it certifies us that both the righteous and the wicked shall be recompensed in the earth; for it surely seems unreasonable to suppose, that they are recompensed here in the earth, and after this recompensed to all eternity. In fact this idea is a most palpable absurdity; for any thing short of deserts is not a recompense; nor can that which is more than deserts be called a recompense.

With a view to bring this general subject before the hearer in as plain a manner as is convenient, let a few questions be asked, and let reason and experience answer them.

1. In a state like this, in which we are possessed of inclinations, passions, and appetites, which, if not properly chastened, duly restrained, and wisely governed, will most assuredly lead us into sin, in order to influence the mind, and bring its fortitude into proper action, and the inclinations into the right channel by the hope of a favourable recompense, is it best to place this recompense in this present life, or in a future state? Professors of religion in general, and even preachers contend, that unless the recompense for well doing is in a future state, virtue is not worth pursuing, as there is not in virtue itself and in its good consequences in this life a sufficient reward for its duties. The question now before us inquires whether it would not better secure the object to have the recompense in this life? In favour of its being here may be urged,