can they reasonably expect or imagine, but that they should feel the Weight of Solomon's Obfervation, in the fulleft and moft Extensive Sense of it; Prov. xvi. 18. Pride goeth before Destruction, and an haughty Spirit before a Fall? Á Fall into Eternal as well as Temporal Destruction; a Fall by so much the Deeper and more Dreadful, as the Crimes which give Occafion to it, do more nearly resemble thofe of that Murtherer from the beginning, the Devil, whofe Infolence and Ambition threw him headlong out of Heaven into the Lake of Everlasting Fire.

For what Foundation can there be of Hope, that God will forgive a Flagrant Sin, without the Sinner's Repentance? Or, how is it to be conceiv'd, that a Man fhould Truly Repent of a Sin, which he dies in the very Commiffion of? The Arguments which have been advanced in Opposition to this Plain Truth are Infignificant and unworthy of Regard. They prove that the Authors of them carried the Notions of Cha

rity beyond all Juft Bounds; and That Bb 3

is

is the Only Conclufion to be drawn from them, unless this Dangerous Confequence fhould be added to it, that their Groundlefs Expreffions of Charity towards him who dies in his Sin, may perhaps Encourage Others to follow his Example.

There are some other Sins, befides that of offering direct Violence to a Man's Life, which have ufually been accounted Branches of Self Murther, as Intemperance, or the Indulgence of any other Vice, which Impairs the Health, and Destroys the Life. And there are other Aggravations of this Sin, which I forbear to insist on, as being of Less Weight and Moment, than those which I have endeavour'd to Illuftrate. And therefore I proceed to represent,

Thirdly, The Guilt and Danger of engaging in Duels; which, being Manifeft Inftances of Wilful Murther, do therefore expofe the Perfons engaging in them, to the Severities of God's Indignation denounced against it. Those who die in fuch Engagements, go into the other World, not only Void of Charity (which is abfolutely Neceffary to

1

their Happiness There,) but glowing Hot with Wrath and Fury; And when thefe Qualities have the Laft Poffeffion of their Souls, what Society of Spirits can That be, which their Souls are Qualified to be taken into, and to bear a Part with, for ever and ever? Or, if they fhould not Immediately perish in the Conflict, yet is their Guilt the Same in the Sight of God, the Searcher of Hearts, who judges of Mens Wicked Attempts, not by the Success or Event of them, but by the Designs and Intentions from which they proceed. And is it worth a Man's While, to run into fuch a Hazard as this, the Hazard of fuffering Eternal and Unfpeakable Mifery, for the Sake of resenting an Affront, or of redreffing an Injury, how great foever it may be? Or, is it a Rational Conduct, for the Sake of avoiding a Groundless Imputation of Cowardice, for a Man to run all this Hazard, and teftifie his Falfe Courage, by Infulting the Lord of Heaven and Earth, and spending the last Efforts of his Strength and Life, in an Act of Defiance and Rebellion against him that

Bb 4

gave them.

'Tis

'Tis very furprizing, that This Practice which was fo far from being allowed, that it was never heard of among Perfons of High Quality and Good Breeding, or even the lower Ranks of the People, in the Politest Parts of the Heathen World, or indeed in any Nation, till thefe Later Ages, fhould at laft prevail, and that under the Glorious Light of the Gofpel, which we are indifpenfably required to Obey. If it fhould be granted, that Duels are the only poffible Means of redreffing fome Kinds of Injury, (and furely the Injury cannot be very great which the Laws of Humane Society have taken no Care to Redress) it would by no means hence follow, that Recourfe fhould be had to them, by Those who call themselves Chriftians, and acknowledge the Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures, wherein it is written, Avenge not your felves, but rather give Place unto Wrath. Vengeance is mine, I will repay, faith the Lord. If the World hath advanced fome mistaken Notions, in a Direct Oppofition to God and the Gofpel, can Thofe, who

espouse

efpouse and are acted by fuch Notions, be Properly number'd amongst the Servants of Chrift, as if the Friendship of the World were not indeed Enmity with God, or as if the Holy Spirit intended nothing in prefcribing this Rule to All Chriftians, Be not Conformed to this World? Every Man, who profeffeth the Gofpel, is bound, in the Strongeft Terms, to an Inviolable Exercife of Patience and Meekness,. and Forbearance, in Imitation of our Lord and Saviour, under the various Circumftances and Occurrences of Life. How then should it be thought confiftent with his Profeffion, to run in with the Vogue, and be Governed by thofe False Notions of Honour which the World hath set up in a full Contradiction to the Fundamental Rules of his Duty? And yet those Notions (agreeably to the Deceitfulness of Sin in other Inftances) do Introduce that very Inconvenience, which they pretend to Remove. For whofoever does Faithfully and Conftantly adhere to Virtue and the Pofitive Commands of God and neglects and despiseth all the Imputations and Reflections which are levell'd against him

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