This book made available by the Internet Archive.

To the Ignorant orCareleft Reader.

SEeing the Providence of God hath command* ed forth thefe plain Difcourfes, 1 /hall hope f u%on Experience of hvs dealing in the like Cafes with me) that he hath fome work for them to do in the World. Who knows but they -were intended for the faving of thy Soul^ by opening thine Eyes? and awaking thee from thy Sin, who art now in reading of them! Be it known to thee it is the certain Truth of God, and of high Con* cernment to thy Soul that they treat of, and there" fore require thy moft fiber Cvnfideration. Thou haft in them (how weakly foever managed by tne) an Advantage put into thy Hand from God^ to help thee in the greateft Work in the World, even to prepare for the great approaching Judgment) and not to (light Chrtft andhvsGofpeL In the Name of God, I require thee caft not a~ way this Advantage : Turn not away thine Ears cr Heart from this warning that is fent to thee from the living God! Seeing all the World can~ \not keep thee from Judgment^ let not all the World be able to keep thee from afpeedy andferi* tits Preparation for it. Do it presently, left God tome before thou art ready. Do it ferioufly, left 'the Tempter over-reach thee 7 and thoufhouldft A 2 be

be found among thefoolifh Self-deceivers when it is pa do it bitter. , 1 mtreat this of thee i

en the bet) uf of thy Soul\ and as thou tender eft thy evirlafting Ptace with God, that thou would" eft afford thtfe Matters thy deepeft Confederate. on. Think onthem^ whether, they are not true ' and weighty : Think of them lying down and ■fifing upr And feeing this Jmall Book is fain into thy hands, all that I would beg of thee concerning it, is, that thou voouidft beftow now and then an Hour to read it, and read it to thy Fa- . mily or Tnends as weU as to thy felf: and as you go, confeder what you read, and pray to the Lord to help it to thy Heart, and to ajft ft thee in the Prattice, that it may not.rife up in Judgment ag&inft thee. If thou have not t leifure at other, take now and then an Hour on the Lord?s Days, or at Night to thatpurpofe : and if any PajTagejhrough brevity (Specially near the Beginning) feim dark to thee, read it again and again, and ask the help of an bijlruiier y that thou may eft under ft and it. Mty it but help thee out of the Snares of Sin, and promote the favr iHg of thy Immortal Soul, and thy Comfortable Appearance at the great Day of Chrift, I have the thing which I intended and defer ed. The Lord open thy Hvart, and accompany his Truth with the Blejfing of hh Spirit. Amen,

TO

\ Difcourfe of the Terror of the Day of Judgment*

Cor. 5. io, 11. For we mufk all Appear before the Judgment-Seat of Chrift, that every one may receive the things done in his Body t according to that he hath done, whether it be cood or bad. Knowing therefore the Terrors of the Lord) we perfwade Mep.

IT is not unlikely that fome of thofe Wits that are taken more with things new than with things ne-ceffary, will marvel that I choofe fo common at Subject, and tell me that they all know this already. But I do it purpofely upon thefe following Considerations, i. Becaufe I well know it is thefe com-non Truths that are the great and neceffary things which 'vlens everlafting Happinefs or Mifery doch moil depend upon. You may be ignorant of many Controvert ks and inferiour Points, withouc the Danger of your touls, but (o you cannot of thefe Fundamentals. 1. Becaufe it's apparent by the Lives of Men, that few enow thefe common Truths favingly, that clunk they know them. 3. Becaufe there are feveral Degrees of knowing the fame Truths, and the bed are imperfect in degrees the principal Growth in fenowledg chat we fhould look after, is not to know mu (riatccr* than we B knew

" e Atoew before, but to know that better and with a clearer Light and firmer Apprehenfton, which we darkly and {lightly knew before* You may more fafely be without any Knowledg at all of many lower Truths, than without fame farther Degree of the Knowledg of thofe which you already know, 4. Befides, it is known by fad Experience, that many perifh who know the Truth, for want of the Confideration of it, and making ufe' of what they know, and fo their Knowledg doth but condemn them. We have as much need therefore to teach and help you to get thefe Truths which you know, into your Hearts and Lives, as to tell you more. $. And indeed, it is the Imprefiion of tkefe great and Mafter-Truths, wherein the Vitals and Effentials of God's Image upon the Soul of Man doth confifi: and it is thefe Truths that are the very Inftruments of the great Works that are to be done upon the Heart by the Spirit and our felves. In the right ufe of thefe it is that the principal Part of the Skill and holy Wifdom of a Cbriftian doth confift * and in the diligent and | conftantllfe of thefe lieth the Life and Trade of Chri-ftianity. There is nothing amifs in Mens Hearts or Lives, but is for want of found Knowing and Believing, or well ufin§ thefe Fundamentals. 6. And moreover, methinks in this Choice of mySubjeft, I may expeft this Advantage with the Hearers, that I may fpare thatj Labour that elfe would be neceffaryfor the Proof of my Doftrine: and that I may alfo have eafier Accefs to your Hearts, and have a fuller Stroak at them, and with lefs Refiftance. If I came to tell you of any thing not Common, I know not how far I might expeft Belief from you. You might fay, Thefe things are uncertain to, us, or all Men are not of this Mind. But when every Hearer confeffeth the Truth of my Doftrine, and no Man can deny it, without denying Chriilianity it felf;. I hope I may expeft that your Hearts fliould the fooner* receive the Impreflion of this Doftrine, and the fooner yield to the Duties it directs you to, and the eafier

let

x ( 3 ) ltt go the Sins which from ft> certain a Truth fhall be difcovered.

The Words of my Text, are the Reafon which the Apoftle giveth both of his perfwading other Men to the Fear of God, and his Ctere to approve to God his own Heart and Life. They contain the Aflertion and Defcription of the Great Judgment, and one Ufe which he makes of it. It affureth us that judged we mull be f and who rauft be fo judged, and by whom, and abont what, and on what Terms, and to what End.

The meaning of the Words, fo far as is neceffary, I fhall give you briefly. We all, both we Apoftles thac preach the Gofpel, and you that hear it, mufl, willing or unwilling, there is no avoiding it, appear y (land forth, or make your appearance, and there have your Hearts and Ways laid open, and appear as well as we. Before the Judgment-feat of Chrifl, i. e. before the Redeemer of the World, to be judged by him as our Rightful Lord. That every one, even of all Mankind, which are, were, or (hall be, without Exception; may receive, that is, may receive his Sentence, adjudging him to hi* due; and then may receivethe Execution of the Sentence, and may go from the Bar with that Reward or Punifhment that is his dije according to the Law by which he is judged. Tht \ things donz in his Body, that is, the due Reward of the • Works done in his Body 5 or as fome Copies read it, I The things proper to the Body, i.e. due to the Man, even 1 Body as well as Soul, according to what he hath dene, whether \ it be Goo£ or Bad', i. e. this is the Caufe to be tried and I judged, whether Men have done well or ill, whilfl I they were in the Flefh, and what is due to themaccor-j ding to their Deeds. Knowing therefore, &c. i. e. be-1 ing certain therefore that thefe Things arc fo, and th3C I fuch a terrible Judgment of Chrift will come, we per-! fvvade Men to become Chriftians and live as fuch, that they may then fpecd well, when others fhall be deftroy-ed ', or as others, Knowing the Fear of tht Lord, chat is, 1 the true Religion, w pnfwade Men.

E-2 1 rinS. x.

(4 y

VoB. r. There Vvill be a Judgment. Dott. 2. Chrift will be the Judg. Doft. 3. All Men fhall there appear. Doff. 4. Men fhall be then judged according to the Works that they did in the Flefh, whether Good or Evil. Doff. 5. The End of Judgment is, that Men may receive their final Due by Sentence and Execution. Doff. 6. The Knowtedgand Confideration of the terrible Judgment of God* fhould move us to perfwade, ai d Men to be perfwackd to careful Preparation.

The ordinary Method for the handling of this Subject of Judgment fhould be this. ill. To (hew you what Judgment is in the General, and what it doth contain: and that is, 1. The Perfotis. 2. ThcCaufe. 3. The Aftions. 1. The Parties are, (r/J The Accufer. (j*) The Defendant. (3/) Sometime Affiftants. (4.} ihe Judg. 2. The Caufe contains, (1.) The Accufation. £2.") The Defence. £3.} With the Evidence of both. (4J And the Merit. The Merit of the Caufe is as it agreech with the Law and Equity. 3. The judicial Adions are, I. Introduftory, 1. Citation. 2. Compulfion, if need be. 3. Appearance of the Accufed. II. Of the Effence of Judgmenc, 1. Debate by, (iJ) Ihe Accufer. (2.) Defendant, called the Difcepcation of the Caufe. 2. By the Judg. 1. Exploration. 2. Sentence. 3. To fee to the Execution : Eut becaufe this Method is lefs fotablc to your Capacities, and hath foraething humane, I will reduce all to thefe following Heads.

1. I will fhew what Judgment is.

2. Who is the Judg: and why.

3. Whomuft be judg'd.

4. Who is the Accufer.

5. How the Citation, Conftraint and Appearance will be.

6. What is the Law by which Men fhall be judged.

7. What will be the Caufe of tie Day, what ihtf Accufacion, ami what muft be the jaft Defence.

8. What will be the Evidence'

9. Wha?

vX 57

What are chofe frivolous inefficient Excufes by j thich the Unrighteous may think to efcape. 4 10. What will be the Sentence, who (hall A>, and vho (hall fix*, and what the Reward and Puniftimcnc s.

11. What are the Properties of the Sentence.

12. What and by whom the Execution will be. In hefe particular Heads we contain the wholeDod.ine of his judgment, and in this more familiar Method (hall laodle it.

1. For the firfi: Judgment, as taken largely, compre-iiendeth all the forementioned Particulars; as taken .more flriftly for the Acl: of the Judg, ic is the Trial oj a introverted Cafe. In our Cafe note thefe things following. ' i. God's Judgment is not intended for any Difcovery xo himfelf of what he knows not already, he knows already that all Men are, and what they have done, md what is their Due: But it is to difcover to others and to Men themfelves the groujnd of his Sentence, that fo his Judgment may attain its End, for the glorifying his Grace on the Righteous, and for the convincing the Wicked of their Sin and Defert, and to fhew to all the World the ftighteoufnefs of tfie Judg, and of his Sentence and Execution. Rom. 3.4, 26. and Rom. 2.2.

2. It is not a Controverfy therefore undecided in the Mind of God, that is there to be decided •, but only one that is undecided, as to the Knowledg and Mind of Creatures.

3. Yet is not this Judgment a ban Declaration* but a Decifion, and fo a Declaration thereupon : the Caufe will be then put out of Controverfy, and all farther Expectation of Decifion be at an End ; and with the Ju-ftified there will be no more Accufatfcm, and with the Condemned no more Hope for ever.

II. For the fecond Thing, who fhall be the Judg $ lanfwer, The Judg is Godbimfilf by JefnsChrift.

B 3 iv Prin-

i. Principally, God as Creacor.

2. As alfo, God as Redeemer; the humane Nature of Jefus Chrift having a derived fubordinace Power. God loft not his Right to his Creature either by Man's Fall, or the Redemption by Chrift, but by the latter hath a new farther Right: but it is in arid by Chrift that God judgeth: For as mur Creator of innocent Man, God judgeth none, but hath committed all Judgment to the Son, who hath procured this Right by the redeeming of fallen Man, Joh. 5. 22. But as the Son only doth it in the neareft Senfe, fo the Father as Creator doth it remotely and principally.

1. In that the Power of the Son is derived from the Father, and fo ftandeth in Subordination to him as Fountain or Efficient.

2. In that the Judgment of the Son (as alfo his whole Mediatorfhip) is to bring Men to God their Maker as their ultimate End, and recover them to him from whom they are fain 5 and fo as a Means to that End, the Judgment of the Son is fubordinatc to the Father.

From hence you may fee thefe following Truths worthy your Confideration.

t. That all Men are God's Creatures, and none are the Workmanfhip oi themfelves or any other j or elfe the Creator (hould not judg them on that Right,

2. That Chrift died for All, and is the Redeemer of the World, and a Sacrifice for All, or elfe he (hould cot judg them on that Right, For he will not judg Wicked $4en as he will do the Devils, as the meer Enemies of his Redeemed Ones, but as being themfelves his Subjefts in the World, and being bought by him, and therefore become his own, who ought to fiave glorified him that bought them, 2 Cor. 5.14, 1$. 2 Pet. 2.1. 1 Cor. 6. 19,20. 1 John 2. 2. Heb. 2.9. I Tim. 2. 6, 7.

3. Hence it appeareth that all Men were under fome Law of Gra^e, and did partake of fome of,the Redeemer's

1 fl 7 ^ eemer's Mercy. Tho the Gofpel came not to all,yet all iad that Mercy which could come from no other Foun-ain but his Blood, and which fhould have brought them carer to Chrifl than they were, ^though it were not ufficient to bring them to Eelicf ) and which fhould lave led them to Repentance, Ro&ians a. 4. For he neglefting of which they juftly perifh, and not utrly for finning againft the Law that was given Ntm in nnocency: Were that fo, Chrift would not judg them is Redeemer, and that for the Abufe or not Iraprove-nent of his Talents, as he tells us he will do, Mat. 25. ptrtotum.

4. If God will be the Judg, then none can expeS >y any Shifts or indireft Means to efcape at that Day, For how fhould it be ?

1. It is not poflible that any fhould keep out of Sight, or hide their Sin and the Evil of their Aftions, and fo delude the Judg: God will not be mocked now, nor deceived then, Gal. 6. 7. they grofly deceive them-felves that imagine any fuch thing: God muft be Omni-fcient and All-feeing, or he cannot be God. Should you hide your Caufe from Men and from Devils, and be ignorant of it your felves, yet cannot you hide it from God, Never did there a Thought pafs thy Heart, or a Word pafs thy Mouth, which God was not acquainted with: and as he knows them, fo doth he obferve them. He is not as imperfed Man, taken up with other Bufinefs, fo that he cannot mind AH. As eafy is it with him to obferve every Thought, or Word, or Aftion of thine, as if he had but that one in the World to obferve -, and as eafy to obferve each particular Sinner, as if he had not another Creature to look after in the World. He is a Fool indeed that thinks now that God rakes no notice of him, E\el^ 8. 12. and 9. 9. or that thinketh thereto efcape in the Croud: He that found out one Guefl that had not on a Wedding-Garment, Mat.22.12. will then find out every unholy Soul, and give him fo fad a Salutation as fhall make him fpeechlefs. Job 11.11. For ke B 4 fyowtth

( 3 y.i '"

'tyomth vain hUn\ hifetth Wicfydnefs dlfi, and mil he not 'conftder it ? ' 1

2. tt is not poffible that any (hould efcape at that Day to any Tricks of Wit and falfe Reafoaing in their own Defence. God inoweth a found Anfwer from an unfound, and a Truth from a Lie. Righteoufnefs may be perverted here on Earth, by out-witting the Judgj but fo will it not be then. To hope any of this, is to hope that God will not be God. It is in vain then for the uilrdy Man to* fay he is holy, or for any Sinner to deny, or excufe, or extenuate his Sin •, to bring forth the Counterfeit of an\ Grace, and plead with God any Shells of hypocritical Performances, and to think to prove a Title to Heaven by any thing fhort of God's Condition: all thefe will be vain Attempts.

3. And asimpoffible will it prove by Fraud or Flattery, by Perfvvaiion or Bribery, or by any other Means, to pervert Juftice by turning the Mind of God who* is thejudg: Fraud and Flattery, Bribery and Importunity may do much with weak Men, but with God they will do nothing. Were he changeable and partial he were not God.

4. If God be Judg, you may fee the Cavils of Infidels are foolifh, when ttey ask, How long mil God be in trying and judging fo many Ptrfons, and taking an Ac-count of fo many Words, and Thoughts, and Deeds * Sure it mil be a long Time, and a difficult Wor\. As if God were as Man that knoweth not things till he feek out their Evidence by particular Signs. Let thefe Fools under-ftand, if they have any Underftanding, that the infinite God can fhew to every Man at once, all the Thoughts, and Words, and Aftions that ever he hath been guilty of. And in the twink of an Eye, even at one view, can make all the World to fee their Ways and their Defervings, caufing their Confcienccs and Memories to prefent them all before them in fuch a fort, as ftiali be equivalent toa verbal Debate, PJal. 50.21,22. he wiU fet them in Order before them.

5- It

i

5. If JefusChrift be the Judg, thin what a Comfort muft it needs be to his Members, that he fhali be Judg that loved them to the Death, and whom they loved above their Lives, and he who ivas their Rock of Hope and Strength, and the Defire and Delight of their Souls!

6. And if JefusChrift: muft be the Judg, what Con-fufion will it bring to the Faces of his Enemies, and cf all that fet light by him in the Day of their Vifitation ? to fee Mercy turned againft them, and he that died for them now ready to condemn them, and that Blood and Grace which did aggravate their Sin, to be pleaded againft them to the Increafe of their Mifery; How fad will this be?

7. If the God of Love, and Grace, and Truth, be Judg, then no Man need to fear any Wrong* No Subtlety of the Accufer, nor Darknefs of Evidence ; no

^Prejudice or Partiality, or whatfoever elfe may be irna* gined, can there appear to the Wrong of your Caufe* Get a good Caufe and fear nothing: and if your Caufe be bad, nothing can deliver you.

III. For the third Point, Who are they that wfl a judged f

Anfa. All the rational Creatures in this lower World;, And it feems Angels alfo, either all orfome: But be-caufe their Cafe is more darkly made known to us, and lefs concerns us, we will pafs it by. Every Man tha? hath been made or born on Earth (except Chrifh, who is God and Man, and is the Judg} muft be judged. If any foolifh Infidels ftiall fay, What [hallfo great a Number ftand * I anfwer him, That he knoweth not the rhings. Jnvinble j either the Nature of Spirits and fpiritual Baddies, nor what Place contaireth them, or hovx y but eafily he may knev; that he that gav them all a Beings i can fuflain them all, and have room Lv them all, aiid can a; once difclofe the Thought* of alL as Ifaid befc*e> J>

, < io>

The firft in Order to be judged are the Saints, \ Mat; 2$. and then with Chrift they fhall judg the reft of the World, i Cor. 6. 2,$. not in an equal Authority and Commiflion with Chrift, but as the prefent jfo Approvers of his righteous Judgment. The Princes of the Earth (hall (land then before Chrift even as the Peafants, and the Honourable as the Safe; the Rich and the Poor fhall meet together, and the Lord fhall judg them all, Prov. 22. 2. No Men (hall be excufed from ftandingat that Bar, and giving up their Accounr, and receiving their Doom. Learned and unlearned, young and old, godly and ungodly, all muft (land there. I know fome have vainly imagined that the Righteous fhall not have any of their Sins mentioned, but their Graces and Duties only \ but they confider not that things will not then be tranfafted by Words as we do now, but by clear Difcoveries by the infinite Light^| and that if GodAould not difcover to them their Sin^J he would not difcover the Riches of his Grace in the Pardon of all thefe Sins : even then they muft be humbled in themfelves that they may be glorified, and for ever cry, Not unto us Lord, but unto thy Name be the Glory.

IV. For the fourth Particular, Who will be the Ac-tufa?

Anfa. 1. Satan is called in Scripture the Accufer of the Brethren, Revel. 12.10. and we find in Job 1. and other Places, that now he doth praftife it even before God: and therefore we judg it probable that he will do fo then. But we would determine of nothing that Scripture hath not clearly determined.

2. Confcience will be an Accufer, though efpe-cially of the Wicked, yet in fome fenfe of the Righteous, fork will tell the Truth to all 5 and therefore fo, far as Men are faulty, it will tell them of their Faults.? The Wicked it will accufe of unpardoned Sin, and of Sin unrepented of j the Godly only of Sin repented of and

>ardoned. It will be 'a Glafs wherein every Man may *e the Face of his Heart and former Life, Rom. r.

:. ! -5*

'' ' 3. The Judg himfelf will be the principal Accufer; or it is he that is wronged, and he that profecutes the Caafe, and will do Juftice on the Wicked. God judg-sth even the Righteous themfelves to be Sinners, or dfe they could not be pardoned Sinners. But he judg-eth the Wicked to be impenitent, unbelieving, unconverted Sinners. Remember what I faid before, [that it is not a verbal Accufation, but an opening of the j Truth of the Caufe to the view of our felves and others, Jt that God will then perform.

Nor can any think it unworthy of God to be Mens Accufer by fuch a Difclofure, ic being no Difhonour to the pureft Light to reveal a Dunghil, or to the greateft Prince to accufe a Traitor. Nor is it unmeet that God j| (hould be both Accufer and Judg, feeing he is both abft> l^lute Lord, and perfe^ly Juft, and fo far beyond all fu-fpicioH of Injuftice. His Law alio doth virtually accufe, Job. 5.4$. but of this by it felf.

V. For the fifth Particular, How will tht Simtrs bt ulld to the Bar *

Anfw. God will not (land to fend them a Citation, nor require them to make their voluntary Appearance : but willing or unwilling he will bring them in.

r. Before each Man's particular Judgment, he fend-eth Death to call away hi* Soul, a furly Servant that will have no Nay : How dear foever this World may be to Men, and how loth foever they are to' depart, away they muft, and come before the Lord that made them *, Death will not be bribed. Every Man that was fet in the Vineyard in the Morning of their Lives, muft be called out at Evening to receive according to what he hath done ; then muft the naked Soul alone appear before its Judg, and be accountable for all that was done! in the Body, and be fent before till the final Judgment

Ml

( i2 v •,

to remain in Kappinefs or Mifery, till the Body be raifed again and joined co it.

In this Appearance of the* Soul before God, it feemerh by Scripture, that there is fome Miniftry of Angels j for Lu\e\6. 22. it is faid that the Angels carried Lazarus, that is, his Soul,, into Abrabm\Bo-fom. What local Motion there is, or Situation of Souls, is no fit Matter for the Enquiry of Mortals s and what it is in this that the Angels will do, we cannot clearly tmderftand as yet *, but moil certain it is, that as foon as ever the Soul is out of the Body, it comes to its account before the God of Spirits.

2. At the end of the World the Bodies of all Men fhall be raifedfrom the Earth, and joined again to their Souls, and the Soul and Body fhall be judged to eheir endlefs State $ and this is the great and general Judgment where all Men fhall at once appear. The fame Tower of God that made Men of nothing, will aseafilfl| then new-make them by a Refurre&ion, by which h^ will add much more Perfection, even to the Wicked in their Naturals, which will make them capable of the greater Mifery \ even they fhall have immortal and incorruptible Bodies, which may be the Subje&s of immortal Wo, 1 C0r.15.53. Jolln 5.28,29.

Of this Refurreclion and our Appearance at Judgment, the Angels will be fomeway the Minifters : as they fhall come with Chrift to Judgment, fo they fhall found his Trumpet, 1 ThefJ. 4 j$, and they fhall gather the Wicked out of God's kingdom, and they fhall gather the Tares to burn them, 4/4^.13.39,40, 41. in the End of the World the Angels fhall come forth and fever the Wicked from among the Juft, and fhall call them into the Furnace of Fire, Mittb. 17.49,50.

VI. For the fixth Particular, What Law is it that Me* flullbejxdgtdiy *

/Info.

Anfw. That which was given them toKve by : God's Law is but the Sign of his Will to teach as -what (ball be due from as and to its : before we felbhe gave us fuch a Law as was futable to our Perfeftion; when we had finned and turned from him, as we ceafed not to be his Creatures, nor he to be our Lord, fohedeftroyed not his Law, nor difcharged or abfolved us from the Duty of our Obedience. But becaufe we flood condemned by ■ that Law, and could not be juftified by it, having once tranfgreflcd it, he was pleafed to make a Law of Grace, even a new, a remedying Law y by which we might be faved from the deferved Punifhment of the Old. So we fhall be tried at Judgment upon both thefe Laws, but ultimately upon the laft. The firft Law commanded perfeft Obedience, and threatned Death to us if ever we difobeyed j the fecond Law finding us under the Guilt of Sin againft the firft, doth command us to reft pent and believe in Chrift, and fo return to God by him, ^ and promifeth us pardon of all our Sins upon that Condition, andalfoif we per fever e, everlafting Glory. So that in Judgment though it muft be firft evinced that we are Sinners, and have deferved Death according to the Law of pure Nature 5 yet that is not the llpfhoc of the Judgment. For the Enquiry will be next, whether we have accepted the Remedy, and fo obeyed the Law of Grace, and performed its Condition for Pardon and Salvation, and upon this our Life or Death will depend. It is both thefe Laws that condemn the Wicked, but it is only the Law of Grace that juftifieth the ► Righteous.

Obj. But how [hall Heathens be judged by the Law of. Grace, that never did receive it $

Anfw. The exprefs Gofpel fome of them had not, and therefore fhall not dire&ly be judged by it j buc much of jhc Redeemer's Mercy they did enjoy, which fhould have led them to repem and feek out after Recovery from their Mi fery, and to come nearer Chrift ^ and for die negleft and abufe of this they (hall be judge I

and

ind not meerly for finning againft the Law that was given us i!i pure Innocency : fo that Chrift as Redeemer fhall judg them as well as others \ though they had but one Talent, yet muft they give an account of that to the Redeemer from whom they received it. But if any be unfatisfied in this, let them remember that as God hath left the State of fuch more dark to us, and the Terms on which he will judg them; fo doth it much more concern us to look to the Terms of our own Judgment.

Obj. Bfit how [hull Infants be judged by the Goffil, that were uncapable of it ?

Anfw. For ought I find in Scripture, they ftand or fall with their Parents, and on the fame Testis 3 but I leave each to their own Thoughts.

VII. For the feventh Head, What will be the Caufe of the Day to be enquired after? what the Accufation, and^k what the Defence * V

Anfw. This may be gathered from what was laft faid. The great Caufe of the Day will be to enquire and determine who fhall die and who fhall live, who ought to go to Heaven, and who to Hell for ever, according to the Law by which they muft then be judged.

1. As there is a twofold Law by which they muft be judged, fo will there then be a twofold Accufation. The firft will be that they were Sinners, and fo having violated the Law of God, they deferve everlafting Death according to that Law * If no Defence could be made, this one Accufation would condemn all the World; <, for it is moft certain that all are Sinners, and as certain that all Sin defervcth Death. The only Defence againft this Accufation lieth in this Plea •, confeflirig the Charge, we muft plead that Chrift hath facisfied for Sins, and upon that Confideration God hath forgiven us * and therefore being forgiven, we ought not to be punifhed: To prove this we muft (hew the Pardon un-der God's Hand in the Gofpel. But becaufe this pardoning

doning Aft of the GQfpel doth forgive none but thofe that repent and believe, and fo return to God,' and to fincere Obedience for the time to come j therefore the next Accufation will be, that we did not perform thefe Conditions of Forgiventfs \ and therefore being VnUlie-vers, Impenitent and Rebels againft the Redeemer^ w have no right to Pardon, but by the Sentence of the Gojptl art liable to a greater Puni(hment for this Contempt of Chxift and Grace. This Accufation is either true or falfe: where ic is true, God and Confcience, who (peak the Truth, may well be faid to be the Accufers: Where ic I n falfe, it can be only the Work of Satan the malicious Adverfary, who, as we may fee in Job's Cafe, will not flick to bring a falfe Accufation.

If any think that the Accufer will not do fo vain a

Work,* at lead they may fee that potentially this is the

^Accufation that lieth againft us, and which we muft be

juftified againft. For all Justification implieth an atttal

or potential Accufation.

He that is truly accufed of final fmpenitency, or Unbelief, or Rebellion, hath no other Defence to make, - but muft needs be condemned.

He that is falfly accufed of fuch Non-performance of the Condition of Grace, muft deny the Accufation, and plead his own perfonal Righteoufnefs as againft | that Accufation, and produce that Faith, Repentance and fincere Obedience and Perfeverance, by which he fulfilled that Condition, andfois Evangelically Righteous in himfelf, and therefore hath part in the Blood of Chrift, which is inftead of a Legal Righteoufnefs to him in all things elfe, as having procured him a Pardon of all his Sins, and a Right to everlafting Glory.

And thus we muft then be juftified by Chrift's Satif-faftion only againft the Accufation of being Sinners in general, and of deferring God's Wrath for the Breach of the Law of Works j but we muft be juftified by our Faith, Repentance and fincere Obedience it felf, againft the Accufation of being Impenitent^ Vnbelievers

and

Znd Rebels dgainjt Chrift, and having not performed the Condition of the Promife, and fo having no pare in Chrift and his Benefits.

So that in fum you fee that the Caufe of the Day will be to enquire, whether being all known Sinners, we have accepted of Chrift: upon his Terms, and fo have Right in him and his Benefits or not ? whether they have forfaken this vain World for Wm, and loved him fo faithfully, that they have manifefted it, in part- 1 ing with thefe things at his Command ? And this is the meaning oiMat. 25. where the Enquiry is made to be, whether they have fed and vifited him in his Members or not ? that is,whether they have fo far loved him as their Redeemer, and God by him, as that they have manifefted this to his Members according to Op-portunity, though it coft them the Hazard -or Lofs of all', feeing Danger, and Labour, and Coft are fitter to exprefs Love by than empty Compliments and bareW Profeffions.

Whether it be particularly enquired after, or only taken for granted that Men are Sinners, and have de-ferved Death according to the Law oj Worlds, and that Chrift hath fatisfied by his Death, is all one as to the matter in hand A feeing God's Enquiry is but the Dif-covery and Conviftion of us. But the laft Que-ftion which muft decide the Controverfy will be, whether we have performed the Condition of the Gofpel ?

' I have the rather alfo faid all this, to fhew you in what fenfe thefe Words are taken in the Text, that every Man fhdl be judged according to what be hath done in the Flejh>wbe-tber it be good or bad. Though every Man be judged worthy of Death for finning, yet every Man (hall not be judged to die for it, and no Man (hall be judged worthy of Life ; <? his good Works: It is therefore according to the Go-pel, a.* the Rule of Judgment, that this is meant. They

at l.ave repented and believed, and returned to true, Uioughiinferftft Obedience, ftwll be judged cq everlafting

Life, according to thefe Works * noc becaufe thefe Works deferve it, but becaufe cbe /w Gi/f in the Gofpel through the Blood of Chrift, doth make thefe things the Con-dition of our poflefling it. They that have lived and died Impenitent, Unbelievers and Rebels againft Chrift, (hall be judged to everlafting Punifhment, becaufe they have deferve d it both by their Sin in general againft the the Law, and by thefe Sins in facial againft the GofpcL This is called the Mrit of the Caufe, that is, what is a Man's Due according to the true meaning of the Law, though the Due may be by free Gift. And thus you fee what will be the Caufe of the Day, and the Matter to be enquired after and decided as to our Life or Death.

VIII. The next Point in our Method is, to fhewyou, What nill be the Evidence oj the Caufe * u Anpv. There is a fivefold Evidence among Men. I*.* When the Faft is notorious. 2. The Knowledg of an unfufpefred competent Judg. 3. The Parties Confcffi-on. 4. Witnefs. 5. Inftrumcnts and vifible Effe&s of the Aftion. All thefe Evidences will be at hand, and any one of them fufficient for the Conviftion of the guilty Perfon at that Day.

1. As the Sins of all Men, fo the Iwpenitency and Re-; hellion of the Wicked was notorious, or at leaft will be then. For though fome play the Hypocrites, and hide the Matter from the World and themfdves, yec God fhall open their Hearts and former Lives to thenar felves, and to the view of all the World. He fhall fet their Sins in Order before them, fo that it fhall be utterly in vain to deny or excufe them. If any Men will then think to make their Caufe as good to God as they can now do to us, that are not able to fee their Hearts, they will be foully miftaken. Now they can fay they have as good Hearts as the beft : then God will bring them out in the Light, and fhew them to themfelves and all the World, whether they were good or bad* Now they will face us down that they do truly

repent,

repent, and they obey God as;vvell as they ean; but God that knoweth the Deceivers will then undeceive them. We cannot now make' Men acquainted with their own unfanflified Hearts, nor convince them that have not true Faith, Repentance or Obedience, but God will convince them of it; they can find Shifts and falfe Anfwers to put off a Minifter with, but God will not fo be drifted off. Let us preach as plainly. to them as we can, and do all that ever we are able to acquaint ^ them with the Impenitency and Unholinefs of their own Heart, and the Neceffity of a new Heart and Life, yet we cannot do it, but they will believe whether we will or not, that the old Heart will ferve the turn. But how eafiiy will G&d make them know the contrary ? We plead with them in the dark, for though we have the Candle of the Gofpel in our hands when we come to fhew them their Corruption, yet they (hut their Eyes and are wilfully blind ; but God will open their Eyesi*^ whether they will or not, not by holy Illumination, but by forced Conviction -, and then he will plead with them as in the open Light. See here thy own unholy Soul s canft thou now fay thou didft love me above all ? canft thou deny but thou didft love this World before me, and ferve thy Flefh and Lufts, though I told thee if thou didft fo thou [houldft die * Loo^ upon thy own Hurt now, and fee whether it be an holy or an unholy Heart, afpiritual orafie[hly Heart, a heavenly or an earthly Heart. Loo^ now upon all the Courfe oj thy Life, and fee whether thou didft live to me, or t§ the World and thy Flt(h. O how eafily will God convince Men then of the very Sins of their Thoughts, and in their fecret Clofets, when they thought that no Witnefs could have difclofed them! Therefore it's faid that the Books (hall be opened, and the Dead judged out of the Books, Rev. 20.12. Dan. 7.10.

The fecond Evidence will be the Knowledg of the Judg. If the Sinner would not be convinced, yet it is fuffici- | cnt that the Judg knoweth the Caufe j God needeth no farther Witnefs, he faw thee committing Adultery in

fecret,

fccret, Lying, Stealing, |brfwearing in fecret. Tf^ do noc know thine own Heart to be unholy, 'tis enough that God knoweth it. It you have the Face to fay, Lord) when did we fie tba hungry ? &c. Mat. 25.44. yet God will make good the Charge againft thee, and there needeth no more Teftimony than his own. Can foolilh Sinners think to lie hid orefcape at that Day, that will now fin wilfully before their Judg } that know every Day that their Judg is looking on them, while

11 they forget him, and give up themfelves to the World, and yet go on even under his Eye, as if to his Face they dared him to punifh them ?

3. The third Evidence will be, m Sinners Confefftox God will force their own Confciences to witnefs againft them, and their own Tongues to confefs the Accufation. If they do at firft excufe ic, he will leave them fpeech-lefs, yea and condemning themfelves before they have

#cTone.

O what a difference between their Language now and then! Now we cannot tell them of their Sin andMi-fery, but they either tell us of our own Faults, or bid us look to our felves, or deny or excufe their Fault, or make light of it: but then their own Tongues fhall confefs them, and cry out of the wilful Folly that they committed, and lay a heavier Charge upon them than we can now do. Now if we tell them that we are afraid they are unregenerate, and left their Hearts are not truly fet upon God, they will tell us they hope to be faved with fuch Hearts as they have: But then, O how they will confefs the Folly and Falfenefs of their own Hearts ! You may fee a little of their Cafe even in defpairing Sinners on Earth, how far they are from denying or excufing their Sins. Judas cries out, / have finned in betraying innocent Bloody Mat. 27.' 4. out of their own Mouth fhall they be judged. That very

I Tongue that now excufeth their Sin, will in their Torments be their great Accufer. For God will have it fo to be,

4. The fourth Evidence willfoe xhtWltmfs of others. O how many thoufand Witnefltfcs might there be produced, were there need, to convince the guilry Soul at that Day 1

1. All the Minifters of Chrift that ever preached to them, or warned them, will be fufficient WitneGes againft them •, we muft needs teftify that we preached to them the Truth of the Gofpel, and they would not believe it. We preached to them the Goodnefs of God, yet they fet not their Hearts upon him j we (hewed them their Sin, and they were not humbled: we told them of the danger of an unregenerate State, and they did not regard us: we acquainted them with the abfo-lute Necefficy of Holinefs, but they made light of all: we let them know the Deceitfulnefs of their Hearts, and the need of a clofe and faithful Examination, but they would not beftow an Hour in fuch a Work, nor fcarce once be afraid of being miftaken and mrfcar-rying e We let them know the Vanity of this World, and y^t they would not forfake it, no not for Chrift and the Hopes of Glory : we told them of the everlafting Felicity they might attain, but they would not fee themfelves to feek it.

What we fhall think of it then the Lord knows, but furely it fecmeth now to us a matter of very fad Confi-deration, that we muft be brought in as Witneffes againft the Souls of our Neighbours and Friends in the Flefh. Thofe whom we now unfeignedly love, and would do any thing that we were able to do for their good* vvhofe Welfare is dearer to us than all worldly Enjoyments. Alas, that we muft be forced to certify to their Faces for their Condemnation 1 Ah Lord, with what a Heart muft a poor Minifter ftudy, when he confider-eth this, that all the Words that he is ftudying muft be brought in for a Witnefs againft many of his Hearers! with what an Heart muft a Minifter preach when he re-membreth that all the Words that he is fpeaking muft condemn many, if not moft of his Hearers 1 Do we de-

. fire

fire this fad Fruit of tour Labours ? No, we may fay vvithche Prophet, JtrJij. 16. 1 have not defired triwo-ful Day thou iyowefk: No, if we defired ic, we would not do fo much to prevent it, we would not ftudy, | and preach, and pray, and inrreat Men, that if it were poflible we might not be put on fuch a Task. And doubt-Jefs it fhould make every honeft Minifter fludy hard, I and pray hard, and intreat hard, and (loop low to Men, and be earned with Men in feafon and out of fcafon, that if it may be they may not be the Condemners of their Peoples Souls. Eut if Men will not hear, and there be no remedy, who can help it ? Chrift himfelf came not into the World to condemn Men, buttofave them, and yet lie will condemn thofe that will not yield tohisfaving Work: God takes no Pleafure in the Death of a Skiner, but rather that he repent and return and live, E^. 18v 23,32. and yet he will rejoice over thofe to do 1 them hurt, and deftroy them chat will not return, Dent. 28. dg. And if we muft be put on fuch a Work, he will make us like-minded. The Holy Ghoft tells us that the Saints fhall judg the World, i Cor. 6. 2, 3. and if they muft judg, they will jadg as God judgeth 5 you cannot blame us for it, Sinners: we now warn you of ic before-hand, and if you will not prevent ir, blame not us but your felves. Alas, we are not our own Maders! As we now fpeak not to you in our I own Names, io then we may not do what we lift our felves, or if we might, our Wills will be as God's WilL. I God will make us judg you and wirnefs againft you. Can we abfolve you when the righteous God will condemn you ? when God is againft you, whofe fide would you have us be of? we muft be either againft God or )ou\ and can you think that we fhould be for anyone againft our Maker and Redeemer? we muft either condemn the Sentence of Jefus Chrift or cendemi you: |tand is not there more reafon to condemn you than him ? \ Can we have any Mercy on you, when he that made )ou will not fave you, and he that formed ycu wijl

fhcvv

fhe,w you no Mercy? Ifa.27.x1.yc* when he that died for you will condemn you, fhall we be more merciful than God? But alas i if we fhould be fo foolifh and unjuft,what good would it do you? If we would be Falfe-vvitneffe$ and partial Judges, it would not fave you *, we^are not juftified if we abfolve our felves, 1O.4.4. how unable . then (hall we be againft God's Sentence to juftify you? If all the World fhould fay you were holy and peni- * tent, when God knows you were unholy and impenitent, it will do you no good. You pray every Day that his Will may be done, and it will be done: It will be done upon you, becaufe it was not done by you. What would you have us fay, if God ask us, Did you tell tbti Sinner oj the need of Ckrifi, of the Glory of the World to come, and the Vanity of this f Should we lie and fay we did not? What fhould vie fay if he ask us, Did not yen tell them the Mfery of their natural State, and what would , become of them if they were not made new * Would you have us lie to God, and fay we did not ? Why if we did not, your Blocd will be required at our hands, E\ e k' $$• &• ant * 3* l8 * anc * would ycu have us bring your Blood upon our own Heads by a Lie? yea, and to do you no good, when we know that Lies will not prevail with God ? No, no, Sinners s we muft unavoidably teftify to the Confufion of your Faces , if Ood ask us, we muft bear Witnefs againft you and fay» Lord, we did what we could 'according to our wba^ Abilities to. ■ reclaim them : indeed our own Thoughts of everlafting Things vtre fo low, and our Hearts fo dull, that we mnft conjefs we did not follow them fo do ft, nor fpea^ foearneflly as we fljould have done: we did not cry fo loud, or lip up our Voice as a Trumpet to awaken them Qfa. 58. \7) we confefs we did notfpea^to them with fuch melting Companion, and with fuch Streams of Tears befeecb them to regard, as a Matte)' ef fuch great Concernment fhould have been fpoktn with', we did not fail on our Knees to them, and fo earneflly beg of them for the Lord's fa^e, to have Mercy upon their own Souls as wt. fhould have dope, But yet we told them the Meffage vf God,

wt ftudied to fpea\ a to them as plainly and as piercing-) ly as we mid. Fain \ve would have convinced them of their Sin and Mifery, but we could not: Jain we would have drawn them to the Admiration of Chrift, but they made light of it, Mat. 22. 5. we would jain have brought them to the Contempt of this vain World, and to fet their Mind on the World to come, but we could not. Some Companion thou knoweft, Lord, we had to their Souls, many a weeping ani groaning Hour we have had in fecret, becaufe they would not hear and obey, and fome fad Complaints we have made over • them in public^: we told them that they muft (hortly die and come to Judgment, and that this World would deceive them and leave them in the Duft: we told them that the time was at hand when nothing but Chrift would do them good, and no-thing but the Favour of God would be fufficient for their Happinefs, but we could never get them to lay it to heart. Many a time did we intreat them to thinly foberly of Ms ' Life and the Life to cofhe, and to compare them together with the Faith of chrifiians and the Reajon of Men, but they would not do it: many a time did w: intreat them but to take novo and then an Hour in fecret to confider who made them, and for whac he had made them, and why they were fentinto this World, and what their Bufimfs here is, and whicher they are going, and how it will go with them at. , their latter End: but we could never get mo ft of them to fpend one Hour in ferious Thoughts of theft weighty Matters. Many a time did we intreat them to try whether thy were Regenerate or not, whether Chrift and his Spirit were in them or not, whether their Souls were brought bac^ to God by San-ttifieation 5 but they would not try: we did befeeth them to 'make fare Wor^ and not leave fuch a Matter as everlafting Joy or Torment to a bold and mad Adventure, but we could not prevail. We intreated them to lay all other Bujinejfes afidt t little while in the World, and to enquire by the Direction of the Word of God, what would become oj them in the World to come, and judg themselves before God came to judg fhem, feeing the) had the Law and Rjile of judgment before hm\ but their Minds were blindjd, and their Hearts were

hmineL

( 24 J hirdned, and, the Prtft, and Pleafure, and Honour of this Wytld did either flop tbtir Ears, jpr quickly [teal away their Hurts, f) that we could never get them to a fober Confident-, tion, nor everwm their Hearts to God.

This will be the Witnefs chac many a hundred Ministers of the Gofpel muft give in againft the Souls of their People at that Day. Alas, that ever you fliould cart this upon us! For the Lord's fake, Sirs, pity your poor Teachers if you pity*not your {elves. We had rather go i ooo Miles for you, we had rather be fcorned and abufed for your fakes,we had rather lay our Hands under your Feet, and befeech you on our Knees with Tears, were we able, than be put on fuch Work as this. It is you that will do it if it be done. We had rather follow you from Houfe to Houfe, and teach and exhort you, if you will but hear us and accept of our Exhortation. Your Souls are pretious in our Eyes, for we know they were fo in the Eyes of Chrift, and therefore we arc loth to fee this Day; we were once in your Cafe, and therefore know what it is to be blind, and carelefs and carnal as you are, and therefore would fain obtain your Deliverance. But if you will not hear, but v.e muft accufe you, and we muft condemn you, the Lord judg between you and us. For we can witnefs that ic was full fore againft our Wills. We have been faulty indeed in doing no more for you, and not following you with rcftlefs Importunity, (j:he Good Lord forgive . m) but yet we have not betrayed you byfilence.

2r All thofe that fear God, that have lived among ungodly Men, will alfo be fufficier.t Wkneffes againft them. Alas, they muft be put upon the fame Work, which is very unpleafant to their Thoughts, as Ministers, arc ! They muft witnefs before the Lord that they dia as Friends and Neighbours admonifh them j that they gave them a good Example, and endeavoured to walk in Hohnefs before them. But alas, the moft| did but mock ti;em, and call them Puritans and pre-cife Fools, and they made more ado than needs for their

Salvation:

Salvation: They muft be forced to certify, [Lord, we would fain have drawn them with us to hear theWoftf and to read ir, and to pray in their Families, and to fanftify the holy Day, and rake fuch happy Opportunities for their Souls * buc we could not gee them to • it: we did in our Places what we were able co give them the Example of a godly Conversion, and they did buc deride us, they were readier to mark every flip of our Lives, and coobferve all our Infirmities, and catch ac any Accufation that was againft us, than to follow us in any Work of holy Obedience, or Care for their everlafting Peace.] The Lord knows it is a moft heavy thing to confider now thac poor Neighbours muft be fain to come in againft thofe they love fo dearly, and by their Teftimony to judg them to Perdition. O heavy Cafe to think of, thac a Mafter muft witnefs againft his own Servant! Yea, a Husband againft his own Wife, and a Wife againft her Husband j yea, Parents againft their own Children, and fay, [Lord I taught them thy Word, but they would not learn ; I told them what would come on it if they returned not to thee, I brought them to Sermons, and I prayed with them and for them. I frequently minded them of. thefe everlafting Things, and of this dreadful Day which they now fee. But youthful Lufts and the Temptations of the Flefh and the Devil led them away, and I could never gee them throughly and foundly to lay it to their Hearts.] Q . you that are Parents, and Friends, and Neighbours, in the Fear of God beftir you now, that you may noc be put to this at that Day of Judgment O give chem no reft, nkeno nay of them till you have perftvaded their Hearts from this World to God, left you be puc to be their Condemned: It muft be now chat you muft prevent it, or elfe never *, now while you are with them,

Phile you and they are in the Flefh together, which ill be buc a little while : Can you but now prevail with them, all will be well, and you may meet them joyfully before the Lord. C 5. Ano«

?. Another Witnefs that will teflify againft the Ungodly at that Day, will be their fmful Companions, chofe that drew them into Sin, or were drawn by them, " or joined with them in ic. O little do poor Drunkards think, when they fit merrily in an Ale-houfe, that one of them mud bear witnefs againft another, and condemn one another I If they thought of this, methinks ic fhould make them have lefs Delight in that Company : thofe that now join with you in Wickednefs, fhall then be forced to witnefs, [I confefs, Lord, I did hear him swear and curfe, I heard him deride thofe that feared the Lcrd, and make a Jeft of a holy Life : Ifaw him in the Ale-houfe when he fhould be hearing the Word of God, or reading, or calling upon God, a*id preparing for this Day : I joined with him in flelhly Delights, in abufing thy Creature and our own Bodies.] Sinners, look your Companions in the Face the next time you are with them, and remember this that I now fay 5 that thofe Men fhall give in Evidence againft you, that now are your Affociates in all your Mirth. Little thinketh d:e Fornicator and luftful Wanton, that their fintul Mates muft then bear Witnefs of that which they thought the Dark had concealed, and tell their Shame before all the World. Eut this muft be the fruit of Sin. It's meet that they who encouraged one another in Sin, fhould condemn one another for it. And marvel not at it, for they fhall be forced to it whether - they will or no •, Light will not th n be hid: They may think to have fome eafe to their Conferences, by accusing and condemning others. Whett Adam is q< eftion-ed for his Sin, he prefently accufcth the Woman, Gen. 3. 12. when/^^r his Confcicnce was awakned, he runs to the Phanfecs with the Money that drew him to ir, and they cafl ic bsck in his own Face, See thou to if, Tsebutis that to us * Mat. 27. 4, 5, <5. O the cold Coii v fort that Sinners will have at that Day, and the littt Heafure that they will find in remembring their evil Ways! New when a Fornicator or a Worldling, or a

merryj

*

* 27 )

mtrry voluptuous Man is grown old, and cannot aft all his Sin again, he cakes Pleafure in remembring and pothers of his former Folly 5 vvhac he once was, and what he did, and the merry Hours that he had: but then when Sinners are come to themfelves a little more, they will remember and cell one another of :hefe things with another Heart. O that they did m know now how thtfe things will then affeft :hem !

4. Another Witnefs that will then rife up againfl :hem, will be the very Devils that tempted them : They ;hat did purpofely draw them to Sin, that they might Iraw them to Torment for Sin: They can witnefs that /ou hearkned to their Temptations, when you would lot hearken to God's Exhortations: They can witnefs hat you obeyed them in working Iniquity. But becaufe /ou may think the Accufer's Teftimony is not to be ta-^en, I will not ftarid on this. Though it is not nothing where God knoweth it to be true.

$. The very Angels of God alfo may be Witnefles 'gainft the Wicked ^ therefore are we advifed in Scrip-ure not to fin before them, Eccl. $6. 1 Cor. 11. 10. Tim. $. 21. I charge thee before the Eleft Angels, f rc. They can teftify that they would have been piniflring Spirits for their good, when the Wicked Jther chofe to be Slaves to the Sp rit of Malicioufnefs. The holy Angels of God do many a time ftand by you ^hen you are finning: They ice you when you fee jot them j they are imployed by God in fome fort br your good, as well as we. And as ic is the Grief of "Ifnifters that their Labours fucceed not, fo may we jippofe that according to their State and Nacure it is irs.' For they that rejoice in Hesven at the Cower* ]on of one Sinner, may be fiid to forrow, or to jfc thofe Joys when you refufe to be converted. r hcfe noble Spirits, thefe holy and glorious Attendants

Ittll wait upon him to Judgment, will p VVimwiles againfl rebellious Sinners to cheir C

( 2?")

fion. Sirs, you have all in you naturally a Fear of Spirits and invifible Powers: Fear them aright, left heark-ning to the deceiving Spirits, and refuting the Help oi the Angels of God, and wilfully finning before their Faces, you fhould caufe them at that Day, to the Ter^ ror of your Souls, to fland forth as Witneffes againfl you to your Condemnation.

6. €k>nfcience it felf willbeamoft effedual Witnefs againft the Wicked at that Day. I before told you it will be a Difcerner, and force them to a Confeffion a But a farther Office it hath, even to mtnefs againft them. If none elfe in the World had known of their fecret Sins, Confcience will fay, I was acquainted with them.

7. The Spirit ofChriftcan witnefs againft the Un^ godly that he oft moved them to repent and return^ and they rejefted his Motions \ that he fpoke to their S-Hearts in fecret, and oft fet in with the Minifter, and)! often minded them of their Cafe, and perfwadediS them to God 5 but they refifted, quenched and grieved t the Spirit, Atts 7.5 1. As the Spirit witneffeth with the; fl Spirits of the Righteous that they are the Children of h] God, Rom.S. id. fo doth he witnefs with the Confci- if ence of the Wicked that they were Children of Rebel-0 lion, and therefore are juftly Children of Wrath. This n Spirit will not alway ftrive with Men : at Iaft being vex-i n ed, it will prove their Enemy, and rife up againftie them, Gen. 6. 3. Ifa. 6%. 10. If you will needs grievem it now, it will grieve youthen. Were it not a Spirit of I •Grace, and were it not free Mercy thac ic came to offer ex you, the Repulfe would not have been fo condemning,^; nor the Witnefs of this Spirit fo heavy at the laftW Eut ic was the Spirit of Jefu?, that came * ith recover^ ing Grace, which ycu refifted: And though the Wagesifie of every Sin is Death, yet you will find that it will coMi j ycu fomewhat more to rejeft this Salvation, than mk-, break the Creator's Law of Works. Kindnefs, /hMk Kinunefs will not be rejected ac eafy Races.

ManJL

( *9 )

Many a good Motfon is now made by the Spirit 3 the Heart of a Sinner, which he doth not fo much as nceobfervej and therefore doth not now remember iem. But thin they (ball be brought to his Remembrance nth a witnefs. Many a thouftjid fecret Motions to epentance, to Faith, to a holy Life, will be then fee efore the Eyes of the poor, unpardoned, trembling inner, which he had quite forgotten: And the Split of God (hall teftify to his Confufion. [At fuch siSermon I perfwaded thy Heart to repent, and thou rouldft not; at fuch a time I fhewed thee the Evil of ;iy Sin, and perfwaded thee to have forftken it, but lou wouldft not j I minded thee in thy fecret Thoughts, f the nearnefs of Judgment, and the wtainty and weight f everhfting things, the need of Chrift, and Faith, ^ad Holinefs, and of the danger of Sinning # , but thou ^idft drown all my Motions in the Cares and Pleafures f the World, Thou harkenedft rather to the Devil nan to me ; the fenfual Inclinations of thy FJefh did prevail againft the ftrongeft Arguments tharTufed: .hough I fhewed Reafons, undeniable Reafons, from itiy Creator, from thy Redeemer, from Nature, from Tace, from Heaven and from Hell * yet all would noc • > much as flop thee, much lefs rum thee, but thou fmUifi go on * thou wouldefl follow thy Flefh, and now It it pay thee the Wages of thy Folly \ thou wGitldtji Is thy own Guide, and take thine own Courfe, and rbw take what thou getteft by it.] U Poor Sinners, I befeech you in the Fear of God, the |blt time you have any fuch Motions from the Spirit ef iod, to repent, and believe, and break off your Sins,

id the Occafions of them : confider then what a Mer-\i is let before you, and how it will confound you ac |-e Day of Judgment, to have all thefe Motions brought againft you, and that the Spirit of Grace it felf |ouid be your Condemner! Alas, that Men fhould fjioofe their own Deftruftion, and wilfully choofe it 1 iid that the Foreknowledg of thefe things ihould noc j.ovc them to relent, C ; So

So much concerning the Witnefs that will be brought in againfl the Sinner.

5. The fifth Evidence that will be given againfl the Sinner will be, The Infirumcnts and Efi'stts. You know among Men, if a Man be found murdered by the highway, and you are found ftanding by with a bloody Sword in your Hand; efpecially if there were a former Diflenfion between you, it will be an Evidence that will prove zflrong Prefmptim that you. were the Murderer , but if the Fad be certain by other Evidence, then many fuch things may be brought for aggravation of the Fault.

So a twofold Evidence will be brought againfl the Sinner from thefe things. One to prove him guilty of the Fad, the orher to aggravate the Fault, and prove that his Sin was very great.

For the former. 1. The very Creatures which Sinners abufed to fin, may be brought in againfl them to their Convi&ion and Condemnation. For though thefe Creatures (hall be contented with the laft deftroying Fire, which fhallconfume all the World \ yet (hall they have a Being in the Memory of the Sinner, (an tffe Cog-nitumy) the very Wine or Ale, or other Liquor which was abufed to Drunkennefs, may witnefs againfl the Drunkard. The fweet Morfels by which the Glutton did pleafe his Appetite, and all the good Creatures of God which he luxuricufly devoured, may witnefs againfl him, Luty 15.19,25. He that fared delici-oufly every Day in this Life, was told by Abraham when he was dead, and his Soul in Hell, [Remember that thou in thy Life- time receivedft thy good things, and likewife La\xtm evil things: but now he is comforc-cd, and thou art tormented.] Though their fweet Mor-fels and Cups are pad and gone, yet mud they be re-membred at Judgment and in Hell. [.Remember Son] faith Abrahams Yea, zwdrmmbir he mufl whether he will or no j long was the Glutton in finning, and many a pleafant bit did he ufle; and fo many Evidences of

his

his Sin will lie againft him, and the Sweetnefs will then * be turned into Gall.

^The very Clothing and Ornaments by which proud Perfons did manifeft their Pride, will be fufficient Evidence againft them : as his being clothed with Purple a-idfine Linen, is mentioned Luty 16. 19.

The very Lands, and Goods, and Houfes of Worldlings will be an Evidence againftthem: Their Gold and |j Silver^ which the Covetous do now prefer before the ■j'everlafting Riches with Chrift, will be an Evidence I againft them : J amis $. 1,2, 3,4. Go to now^ ye rich AUn, weep and howl for your Miferits that [hall come upon. . yon. your Riches are corrupted, and your Garments Moth-eaten *, your Gold and your Silver is cankered, and the Rufc *jtbim[haU beaWitncbagainjtyoU) and [hall eat'your Flefb as it were Fire ; ye have heaped Trtafure together for the 1 Uft Days. Behold, the Hire of the Labciuirs, which have 1 reaped down your Fields, which is of yon fypt bacJ^ by , Fraud, ctktb.\ and the Cries of them which have reaped, are entred into the Ears of the Lord oj Sabbath. le have ! lived h Plsafztt 0* the E? y th. aud been wantm*. vt }}$*)• nourished your Hearts as in a Day oj Slaughter. O thac ( Worldlings would wellyconfider this one Text; and J therein obferve whether a Life of Earthly Pleafure and 1 fulnefs of worldly Glory and Gallantry, be as defirable as they imagine, and to what Time and Purpofe they j now lay up their Treafuresj and how they mufl hear of thefe things hereafter} and what effect the review of their jovial Days will have upon their miferable condemned Souls/

%> The very Circumftances of Time, Place, and

rhe like, may evidence againft his Condemnation. The

Drunkard fhall remember in fuch an Ale-houfe, I was

fo oft drunk, and in fuch a Tavern I wafted my time.

The Adulterer and Fornicator fhall remember the very

j Time, the Plate, the Room, the Bed, where they

! committed Wickcdnefs. The Thief and Deceiver will

remember the Time, Place, and the Perfcns they wrong-

C 4 ed,

ed, and the things which they robbed or deceived them of. The Worldling will remember the Bufmefs which he preferred before the Service of God y the worldly Matters which had more of his Heart than his Maker and Redeemer had-, the Work which he was doing when he fhould have been praying or reading, orCa-techifing his Family, or thinking ioberly of his latter End. A thoufand of thefe will then come into his Mind, and be as fo many Evidences againft him to his Condemnation,

3. The very Effefts alfo of Mens Sins will be an Evidence againft them. The Wife and Children of a Drunkard are impoverifhed by his Sin *, his Family and tie Neighbourhood is difquieted by him. Thefe will be fo many Evidences againft him. So will the Abufe of his own Reafon, the enticing of others to the fame Sin, and hardning them by his Example.

One covetous unmerciful Landlord doth keep an hundred, or many hundred Perfons or Families in fo great Neceflities, and Care and Labour, that they are temptgfi by it to over pais the Service of God, as having fcarce time for it, or any Room for it in their troubled fe Thoughts s all thefe miferablc Families and Perfons, and all the Souls that are undone by this Temptation, tvili be fo many Evidences againft fuch Oppreffors.

Yea, the Poor whom they have negle&ed to relieve when they might j the Sick whom they have neglected to vifit when they might, will all witnefs then againft the Unmerciful, Mat. 2$.

The many ignorant, worldly, carelefs Sinners, that have perifhed under an idle and unfaithful Minifter, will be fo many WitnefTes againft him to his Condemnation! They may then cry out againft him to his Face, [I was ignorant, Lord, and he never did fo much as teach me, catechife me, nor tell me of thefe things s I was carelefs, and minded the World, and he let me go on quiet. ly, and was as carelefs as I, had never plainly and faithfully warned me, to waken me from my Security.] And

Co

(33 ) fo their Blood will be required at his hands, though -themfelves alfo (hall perifh in their Sins, £^,33.7,8.

2. And as thefe Evidences will convince Men of Sin, fo there are many more which will convince them of the greatnefs of their Sin. And thefe are fo many, that it would too much lengthen my Difcourfe to (land 00 them. A few I fhall briefly touch.

i. The very Mercy of God in creating Men, in giving and continuing their Being to them, will be an Evidence for the Aggravation of their Sin againft him. What, will you abufe him by whom it is that you are Men ? will you fpeak to his Difhonour that giveth you yosr Speech ? will you live to his Difhonour who giveth you your Lives ) will you wrong him by his own Creatures? and negleft him without whom you cannot febfift ?

2. The Redemption of Men by the Lord Jefus Chrift, will be an Evidence to the eKceeding Aggravation of their Sins. You finned againft the Lord thae bought you, 2 Pet. 2.1. When the Feaft was prepared, and all things were ready, you made light of it t and found Excufesand would not come, Mat. 22. 4, $* 6. Lu^e 14. 17,18. Muft Chrift redeem you by fo dear a Price from Sin and Mifery, and yet will you continue the Servants of Sin, and prefer your Slavery before your Freedom, andchoofe to be Satan's Drudges, rather than to be the Servants of God ? The Sorrows and Sufferings that Chrift underwent for you, will then prove the Fncreafe of your own Sorrows, As a negleded Redeemer ic is that he will condemn you* And then you would be glad that it were but true Do&rine, that Chrift never died for ym 7 that you might not be condemned for refuting a Redeemer, and finnhjg upainftbim thai: Ihed his Blood for you* Hov* deeply will his WOunds then wound your Conferences 1 I You will then remember that to this end he cothdkd*. rofe and revived, that he might be Lord ooth of the: Dead and the Living; And that he therefore died for

( 34 )

all, that they which live, fhould not henceforth live to themfclves, but to him that died for them and rofd again*, Rom. .14. 9. 2Cor. 5. 14,15. Mit. 28. t8,19, 20. 1 Pet. 1. 17, 18. You will then underftand that you were not your own, but were bought with a Price 5 and therefore fhould have glorified him that bought you with your Bodies and Spirits, becaufe they were hif, 1 Cor, 6. 19, 20. This one Aggravation of your Sin will make you doubly and remedilefly miferable, that you trod under foot the Son of God, and counted the Blood of the Covenant, wherewith you were fanfti-fied, an unholy thing, Hub. 10. 26-, 27, 28,29. and crucified to your felves the Son of God afrefli, and put him to open Shame, Rib. 6. 5, 6.

~ 3. Moreover, all the perfonal Mercies which they received, will be fo many Evidences for the Condemnation of the Ungodly. The very Earth that bore them, and yielded them its Fruits, while they them* felves are unfruitful to God. The Air which they breathed in, the Food which nourifti'd them, the Clothes which cover'd them, the Houfts .which they dwelt in, the Beads that laboured for them, and all the Creatures that died for their life ; All thefe may rife up againft them to their Condemnation. And the Judg may ti us expofiuiace with them, [Did all thefe Mercies deferve go more Thanks? Should you not have ferved him that io liberally maintained you ? God thought not all thefe coo good for you, and did you think your Hearts and Services too good for him? He ferved yours with the weary Labours of ycur fellow-Creatures '<> and fhould you have grudged to bear Iiio eafy Yoak ? They were your Slaves and Drudges, and you refufed to be his free Servants and his Sons : They fuffered Death to ktd your Bodies, and you would not fufifer the fhorc Forbearance of a little forbidden flefhly Pleafure, for the fake of him that made you and redeemed y<?«.J

( 35 )

O how many thoufand Mercies of God will then be

reviewed by thofe that neglefted them, to the Horror

of their Souls, when they (hall be upbraided by the

Judg with their bafe Requital! All the Deliverances

from Sicknefs and from Danger >, all the Honours, and

! Privileges, and other Commodities which fo much

contented them, will then be God's Evidences to fhame

them and confound them. On this Supposition doth

• the Apoftle reprove fuch, Rom. 2. 4, $, <5. Defpifefl thou

the Riches oj his Goodnefs, and Forbearance, and Long-

Miring, not \noveing that the Goodnefs of God leadetb thee

i to Repentance ? But after thy hardnefs and impenitent Hearty

|i ireajftreft up unto thy felj Wrath againfi the Day of Wrath,

and Revelation oj the righteous Judgment of God, who mil

■ finder to every Man according to his Deeds.

4. Moreover, all the Means which God ufed for j the Recovery cf Sinners in the Day of their Vifitation, I will rife up againfi impenitent Souls in Judgment, to their Condemnation. You can hear Sermons carelefly and fleepily now : but O that you would confider hew i the Review of them will then awake you! You now make light of die Warnings of God and Maft, and of j all the wholefom Advice that is given ycu, but God will ( not then make light of your Contempt. O what cut-' ting Quefticns will they be to the Hearts of the Ungodly, , ■ when all the means that? w^ere ufed for their Good, are brought to their Remembrance on one fide, and the j Temptations that dre^them to Sin on the other Side, and the Lord (hall plead his Caufe with their Confcien> ces, and fay, QWas I fo hard a Matter, or was my Work fo unreafonable, or was my Wages fo contempt** [ ble that no Perfwafions could draw you into Qiy-Service ? Was Satan fo good a Mafter, or was his VVork fo honeft and profitable, or was his Wages(o deferable,/ that you would be fo eafily perfwaded to do as he would 1 have you ? Was there more perfwading Reafon in his Allurements and Deceits, than in all my holy Word's, and all the powerful Sermops that you heard., or.all the

faithful

( a* ) '

faithful Admonitions you received; or all the good Examples of the Righteous, or in all the Works of God which you beheld ? Was not a Reafon fetch'd from the Love of God, from the Evil of Sin, the Blood of Chrift, the Judgment to come, the Glory promifed, the Torments threatned, as forcible with you, and as good in your Eyes to draw you to Holinefs, as a Reafon from a little flefhly Delight or worldly Gain, to draw you to be unholy ? 3

In the Name of God, Sinners, I intreat you to bethink your felves in time, how you will fufficiently an-fwer fuch Queflions as thefe. You (hould have feen God in every Creature that you beheld, and have read your Duty in all his Works*, what can you look upon above you, or below you, or round about you, which might not have fhewed you fo much of the Wifdom, andGoodnefs, andGreatnefs of your Maker, asfhould have convinced you that it was your Duty to be devoted to his Will ? and yet you have his written Word that fpeaks plainer than all thefej and will you defpife them all ? will you not fee fo great a Light ? will you not hear fo loud and conftant Calls ? fhali God and his Mini-fters fpeak in vain ? And can you think that you fhall not hear of this again, and pay for it one Day ?<you have the Eihle and other good Books by you *, why do you *ot read them ? Ycu have Mininers at hand *■ why do you not go to them, and earneftly ask them, Sirs, What mufti do to be^favtd? and intreat them to teach you the Way to Life: You have fome Neighbours that fear God *, why do you not go to them, and take their good Advice, and imitate them in the Fear of God, and in a holy Diligence for your Souls ? Now is the time for you to beftir your felves \ Life and Death are before you. You have Gales of Grace to further your Voyage: There are more for you than agajpft you. God will help, you: his Spirit will help you: his Ministers will help you: every good Chriilian will help you: the Angels themfelves will help you, if you will refolvcdly

fee your felves to the Work , and yet will yon not

ftir ? Patience is waiting on you : Mercies are enticing

you: Scourges are driving you : Judgment ftayeth for

you : The Lights of God ftand burning by you to

direft you: And yet will you not ftir, but lie in

Darknefs? And do you think you (hall not hear of

this? Do you think this will not one Day coft you

dear ? i

IX. The ninth part of our Work is to fhew you, What are tbofe frivolous Excufes by which the Vnrigirteous - may then indeavonr their Defend *

Having already fhewed you what the Defence muft be, thac muft be fufficieat to our Juftincation;

If any firft demand, Whether the Evidence of their Sin will not fo overwhelm the Sinner, that he will be fpeechlefsandpaftexcufe? I anfwer, Before God hath done with him, he will be fo , but k feems at firft his dark Underftandirg, and partial corrupted Confcience will fet him upon a vain Defence. For Mat. 7. 22, 23. Chrift telleth us, that [Many will fay to me in thac Day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophefied in thy Name, and in thy Name have caft out Devils, and in thy Name have done many wonderful Works? And then will Iprofeft to them, 1 never knew you, Depart from me ye Workers of Iniquity.] And in Mat. 2$. 11. the foolifli Virgins cry, [Lo/d, Lord, open tous.j And w.44. I [Then fhall they alfo anfwer him, faying, Lord, when

Ifaw we thee an hungred, or thirft, or a Scranger, or Naked, or Sick, or in Prifon, and did not minifter unto thee?] tiudverf. 24, 25. they fear noc to caft fo me of the Cauils of their negleft on God himfelf, [Then he \ which hart received the one Talent came and faid, Lord, I knew thou art an hard Man, reaping where thou haft not [own, and 'gathering where thou haft not ftrawed 5 and Lwas atraid, and w?nt and hid thy TaleiiC in the Earth i lo 3 there thou hail thac is thine. J

rmm> / ( 38")' ¥*F*™*f

Ic is dear then, that Excufes they will be ready to make, and their full Conviclion will be in order after thefe Excufes, fat leaft as in tjieir Minds, if not in Words) but what the particular Excufes will be, we may partly know by thefe Scriptures winch recite them, and partly by hearing what the Ungodly do now fay for tbemfelves. And becaufe it is for their prefect Benefit that I now make mention of them, that they may fee the Vanity of all fuch Excufes, I will mention them as J now meet with them in the Mouths of Sinners in our ordinary Difcqurfc : and thefe Excufes are of feveral forts \ forpe by which they would juftify their Eftate *, fome £>:cufes of particular Aftions \ and that either in whole, or in part; fome by which they would put by the Penalty, though they ccnfefs the Sin \ fome by which they lay the blame on other Men *, and in fome they would caft it upon God himfelf. I mud touch but fome of them very briefly.

The firft Excute. / am not guilty of thefe things which I am at m fed of, 1 did love God above all, and my Neighbour as my felf. I did ufe the World but for Neceffity^ but God had my Heart.

A'tfw. The All-feeing Judg doth know the contrary, and he will make thy Conference know it: Look back, Man, upon thy Heart and Life: How fcldom and how negleclfully didft thou think of God ? how coldly didft thou worfhip him, or make any mention of him ? how carelefly didft thcu ferve him, and think much of all that thou didft therein ? Thou father thoughteft that his Service was making more ado than needs, and didft grudg at thofe that were more diligent than thy klf; but for the World, how heartily and how cotiftantly didft thou feek and ferve it ? and yet vvoulaft thou now perfwade the Judg that thou didrf love God above all ? He will fhew thee thy naked Heart, and the Courfe of thy former Life, which fhali convince thee of the contrary.

The

The Second Excufe. 1 lived not in any grofs Sin, but only in (null Infirmities; J was no Murderer, or Adulterer, or Fornicator, or thief, nor did I deceive or wrong any, or tal>e any thing by violence.

Anfw. Was ic not a grofs Sin to love the World above God, and to negleft Chrift that died for thee, and never to do him one Hour's hearty Service, but meerly to feek thy carnal felf, and to live to thy Flefh ? God will open thine Eyes then, and fhevv thee a thoufand grofs Sins, wliich thou now forgetteft or makeft light of ', and k is not only grofs Sin, but all Sin, great or fmall, that deferveth the Wrath of God, and will certainly bring thee under it for ever, if thou have not part in Chrift to relieve thee. Wo to the Man that ever he was born that muft anfvver in his own Name for his fmalleft Offences!

The third Excufe. J did it ignorantly', 1 {new not that there was fo much required to my Salvation. I thought iejs ado might have ferved the turn: and that if I looted to my Body, God would ta^e care of my Soul', and that it was Hi tm to trufi him what would become of me hereafter, than to trouble my Mind fo much about it. Had I fyiown better, I would have done-better.

Anfw. If you knew not better, who was it long of but your fdf ? Did God hide thefe things from you? Did hs nor tell them you in his Word as plainly as the Tongue of Man can fpeak, That except you were regenerate and born again, you fhould not enter into the Kingdom of God ? John 3 3, $♦ That without Holinefs-none feould fee God, H$b. iv J 4* That you muft ftrive to enter in at the flraitGate -, for many (hall feel to enter, and fhall not be able, Luke 13. 24. That it you lived after the Fiefh, you fhould die ; and if by the Spirit ycu mortified the Deeds of the" Body, you Ihould live, Rom. 8. 13. That if any Man have noc the Spinr of thrift, the fame is none of his, Rom.%. 9. And to.be carnally minded is Death j but to be fpimualiy minded is Life and Peace, Ron). 8. $.

That

*vv**- • ( 40 ) ^ ^ ■

That you muft not lay up for your felves a Treafure on E<jy*th, where Ruft and Moths do corrupt, and Thieves break through and fteal, but muft lay up for your felves a Treafure in Heaven, where Ruft and Moths do not corrupt, nor Thieves break through and (leal, Mat, 6. 19, 20. That you muft feek firft the Kingdom of God and the Righ ten ufnefs thereof, Mat. 6. 2$. and not labour for the Food that perifheth, but for the Food that endureth co everlafting Life, which Chrift would have given you, John 6.27. That if you be ri-fen with Chrift, you muft feek thofe things which are above, where Chrift fitteth at the right hand of God, and not the things that are on Earth, CoL $. 1, 2, g. Yea your very Converfation fhould be in Heaven, PhiU 3.19,20,21.

What fay you ?. Did not God tell you all this and much more* and plainly tell it you? Turn to your Bibles and fee the Words, and let them witnefs againfl you.

2. And could you think with any Reafon, that your Souls being fo much more precious than your Bodies, you fhould'yet do fo much more for your Eodies than your Souls ? could you think all the Labour of your Lives lkch enough for a frail Body that muft lie fliort-ly in the Dirt \ and that your Immortal Souls (hould be no more regarded ? Could you think with any Reafon, chat your Souls fhould do fo much for a Life of a few Years continuance, and do no more for a Life that fhall have no end?

3. And whereas you talk of tufting God with vour Souls, you did not truft him: You did but on that ^re-fence, careltfly difregard them. If you truft God, fhewany Word of Promife that ever he gave you to truft upon, that ever an impenitenr, carnal, carelefs. Perfon (hall be laved : No; he hath cold you enough to the contrary. And could you think that ic was the Will of God that you (hould mind your Bodies more than your Souls, aad this Life more than chat to came I

Wnv

v. 4* ;

Why, he hath bid you ftrive, and run, and fight, and labour, and care, and feek, and ufe Violence, and all Diligence for the fafecy of your Souls, and foifcjie Life to come: But where hath he bid you do fo for your Bodies ?. No, he knew that you were prone to do too much for them *, and therefore he hath bid you [Care nor, and labour nor] that is, Do it as if you did ic not: and lee your Care and Labour for earthly Things be none in comparifon of that for heavenly Things. You know God can as wcil maintain your Lives without your Care and Labour, as fave your Souls without it: And yet you fee he will not, he doth not: You muft plough, and fow, and reap, and threfli, for all God's Love and Care of you, and not fay, I will let all alone and truft God. And muft you not much more ufe diligence in much grearer Things ? If you will truft God, you muft truft him in his own Way, and in the ufe of his own Means.

The fourth Excufe. Itvas never brought up to Learn* kg, I cannot fo much as read : nor did my Parents ever teach we any oj tbifi things, but only jit me about my worldly Bufinefs, and provide Food and Raiment for me: but never once told me that 1 had a Soul to five or Ufe, and an ever-lafting Lijt to provide and prepare jor, and tbenfore I could not come to the Knowhdg oj tkm.

A*:fw. The greater is their Sin who thus negle&ed you. But this is no fufficient Excufe for you. Heaven is not prepared for the Learned only j nor will , Chrift ask you at Judgment whether you are good I Scholars or not, no nor fo much as whether you could l write or read. But confider well, Was not God's ! Word fo plainly written, that the Unlearned might underftand it? Did he not put it into the moft famjL-I liar Stile, though he knew it would be offenfive to the proud Scholars of the World, of purpofe that he might fit it to the Capacities of the Ignorant ? And if you could not read, yet tell me, could not you have learned to read at 20 or 30 Years of Age, if you had

been

T427

been but willing to befrow now and then an Hour to I that end ? Or at leaft, did you not live near fome that \ coul^j read ? and could you not have procured them \ to f ead to you, or to help you ? and did you not hear I thefe things read to you in the Congregation by the I Minifter, or might have done if you would ? and if your Parents did negled you in your Youth, yet when you came to a fuller ufe of Reafon, and heard of the Matters of Salvation from God's Word, did it not concern you to have looked to your felves, and to have redeemed that time which you loft in your Youth, by-doubling your Diligence when you came to riper Years? The Apoftles gathered Churches among Heathens that never heard of Chrift before; and converted many thoufand Souls that were never once told of a SaviQur, or the Way to Salvation, till they had paft a great pare of their Lives. If you loitered till the

. latter part of the Day, it behoved you then to have heftirred your felves the more*, and nor to fay, Through the Fault of my Parents, I loft the beginruSg

-of my Life, arid therefore I will tofc a!! \ they taught rae not then, and therefore I will not learn now : Have you not feen fome of your Neighbours who were as ill educated as your felves, attain to much Knowkdg after* wards by their Induftry ? and why might not you have done fo, if you had been asinduftrious as they ? May not God and Confcience witnefs, that it was becaufe you cared not for Knowkdg, and would not be at pains to get ir, that you knew no more ? Speak truth, Man, in the Prefence of thy Judg j was thy Heart and Mind fet upon it ? Didft thou pray daily for it to God ? Didft thou ufe 2\\ the means thou couldft to get it ? Didft thou atte:*d diligently on the Word in pubiick, and think of what thcuhcardftwhen thoucameft home? Didft thou go to the Minifter, or to others that could teach thee, and intreat them to tell thee the Way to Salvation? Or didft thcu not rather carelefly negltft thefe Matters, and hear a Sermon as a common tale,

even

VCII WII_II 1

(43 )

iniHcr was fpcaking cf heaven or of He]]? It was not then thine unavoidable Ignorance, buc cgiigence. Yea further, anfweras in the PrefenceofGod; Didft thou obey (o far as thou did ft k* w w ? Or didft thou rot rather fin againft that Knowledg which thou hadft? Thou kneweft that the Soul was better than tlie Body, and everLtfting Life more to be regarded than this tranfitory Lifej but didft thou regard it accordingly? Thou fure kneweft that God was better than the World, and Heaven than Earth : at kail thou waft told of it, but didft thou accordingly value him, and love him more ? Thou kneweft Cure that there was no Salvation without Faith, and Repentance, and newnefs of Life, and yet they were neglected. In & word, many athoufand Sins which were committed, and Duties that were omitted againft thy own Knowledg and Con-fcience, will marr this Excufe.

The fifth Excufe. . I lived not under a powerful Mini-fa to tell m uf tbtfi Imgs \ but where tktrt was no freacfc kg at all.

Anfw. And might you not have gone where a powerful Minifter was, with a little pains ? Yea, did not the .very plain Word that you heard ivad, tell yon of • thefe things ? and might you not have had a Bible your fdves, and found them there ?

The fixth Excufe, 1 was a Servant, and had no time from my Labour to mind thele matters •, I lived with an hard • Afafter that required all his own Worf^ of me> hut would xU i low me no ti>m for the Service of God. Or elfe, J was a I poor Many and had a great Charge to loo^ after, and with j my hard Labour had much ado to (hij fo that I had no time I for heavenly things.

Anfw. ?. Who fhould be firft ferved, God or 'Man? What fhould be firft fought after, Heaven I or Earth? Did not Chrift tell thee, Om thing is necifr fjrry* Ln'^e to. 41, 42. Was it not as needful ,cp fee 1 dial you efcape Damnation, and get fare ta,Heaven

when

(44)

when this Life is elided, as to fee that you had Food and Raiment for your felves and yours ?

2. Did you fpend no time in Recreation, nor Idle-ncfs, nor vain talking ? why might not that at leaft have been fpent about heavenly things ?

$i Could you have taken no time from your reft, or eating, or at other Intermiffions ? Man's Body will not endure fo great Labours as have no Intermiffion. And why then might not Godlinefs have been your Eafe and Recreation ?

4. Or might ycu not have minded thefe things even when you were about your Labour, if you had but a Heart to them ?

5. At leaft you might have fpent the Lord's own Day in hearing, reading and pondering of thefe Matters, when you were forced to forbear your worldly Labours, even by the wholefom Law of the Land. Thefe therefore are all but vain Excufes * and God will fhortly make thee fpeak out and plainly confefs, it was cot fo much for want of Time or Helps, or warning, as for want of a Heart to ufe them well. I fhould have found fome time, though it had been when I fhould have flept, if my Heart had been but fet upon ir.

The feventh Excufe. Little did 1 thinly to havi feen this Day: I did not believe that ever God would be fo fevere. I thought his Tmeatmgs had been but to fyep Men in awe; and I fufocied cither that the Scripture was not his Word r or tlfe I thought he would be better than his Word. I thought all that I heard oj another Life had been uncertain \ and therefore was loth to let go a Certainty for an Vncertahty y and lofe mypefent Pleafures which 1 had in hand for the Hops of that which I mver did fee.

Anfw. He that will not know his Mifery by believing to prevent it, (hall know it by feeling to endure ic. You were told and told again what your Unbelief would bring you to. Did God's Word make Heaven and Earth L'doth it fupport them, and fecurethem? and

( 45 ) .

is not his Word fufficienc Security for you to have trufted your Souls upon? did you know where was any better Security to be had ? and where was any furer Ground for your Confidence ? And did you think fo bafely and blafphemoufly of God, that he would falfify his Word, left fuch as you fhould fuffer ? and that he was fain to rule the World by a Lie ? Did God make the World fo eafily ? and can he not govern k by true and righteous Means ? what need God to fay that which he will not do, to awe Sinners ? can he not awe them by Truth ? is it not juft that thofe fhould eternally perifh, that will entertain fuch defperate Thoughts of God, and then by fuch" wicked Imaginations encourage themfelves in Sin againft him ?

And for the Truth of Scripture, God did not bid you believe it without Evidence. He ftamped on it the Image of his own Purity and Perfection, that you might know it by that Image and Superfcription, if you had Eyes to fee them: He fealed it by uncontrouled Multitudes of Miracles: He delivered it down to your hands by infallible Witneffes, fo that he left you no room for rational Doubting.

And you knew that the Matters of this World were tiot only uncertain, but certainly vain and tranfitory, and would fhortly come to nothing, and leave you in diftrefs. If it had then been uncertain whether there were a Glory and Mifery hereafter, fas it was not) fhould not Reafon have taught you to prefer the leaft Probabilities of an everlafting unfpeakable Happinefs, before that which is certainly perifhing and vain ? Thefe vain Excufes will but condemn you.

The eighth Excufe. I was fo enticed and flrfoaded by Sinners to do as they did 7 that-1 could not deny them: they would never let me reft.

Ar.jw. And were you not as earneftly perfwaded by r God to forfake Sin and ferve him, and yet that would not prevail with you ? You could not deny the Devils and Fools, but you could deny God and all his ■Meffcif

c 40 ;

gcrs. Were not Minifters as earnest with you every Week to repent and amend ? What did Men entice you with? with a little deluding flcfhly Pleafure for a few Days ? Ami what did God entice you with ? with the Promife of endlefs unconceivable Felicity 1 And if this were a fmaller Matter in your Eyes than the other, then you have had your choice *, be content with it, and thank your felves. In your Life-time you had the good things which you chofe, ard preferred before Heaven, and therefore cannot expeft to have Heaven befides.

The ninth E'Xcufe. / lived among ungodly Per-fons, that derided all that ft and God 5 fo that if I had not done as they did, but had made any more ado to be faved, Ifhould have been the very Scorn oj the Place -when I lived.

Anfw. And was not Heaven worth the enduring of a Scorn ? Is not he worthy to go without it that thinks fo bafely of it ? Did not Chrift teilyou that if you were afhamed of him before Men, he would be afhamed of you before his Father and the Angels of Heaven? I Mi)\Z. 38. He fuffered more than Scorns for you: and could not you fuffer a Scorn for him and your felves ? feeing you chofe rather to endure everlafting Torment, than a little derifion from ignorant Men, take that which you made choice of. And feeing Co finall a Matter would drive you from Heaven, and pare God and you, as a Mock, as the Wind of a Man's Mouth, no wonder if you be commanded to Depart from him into everlafting Fire.

The tenth fcxeufc. Ihad ungodly Perfons to my Parents. ft /rfaftirS) or Landlord, or Govtrnours, who threatned to undo we, if 1 had addicted my filj to fo ftritt a Life, and if 1 would not believe and do as they did.

Anfw. What if they threacned you with prefenc Death ? Lid nctGodalfo threaten you with evtrlafting Death, if you were not ruled by him? And whole threading ihould you have chiefly feared ? Is Man more

' ( 47 ) dreadful than God ? Is Death more terrible than Hell i Did not Chrift bid you fear not them that can kill the Bi-dy, and afar that can do no more •, but fear him that k able to deflroy both Body and Soul in Hell-fire -, yea I fay unto you, i fear him/ Mat. 10. 28. Luke 12. 4,5. and Ifa. $1. 7. Fear ye not the Reproach of Men, neither be afraid of their Revilings. for the Moth (ball eat them up li\e a Garment, and the Worn [hall eat them like Wool: but my Righteoufmfs fhallbe forever, and my Salvation from Generation to Generation. Seeing therefore you have chofen rather to fuffer from God for ever tor your Sin, than to fuffer fmall Matters for well-doing for a Moment, you muft ever bear your own Choice. Chrift told you beforehand, that if you could not forfake al! the World and your own L : ves for him, you could not be his Difci« ; pies, Mat. 10. 57,38, 39. And feeing you thought i his Terms too hard, and would needs ieek you out a [ better Service, even take what you have ciiofen and found.

The eleventh Excufe. I faro fo many follow their

I Pleafure and their worldly Bujiuefs, and never looi^ ajterthefe

higher things, and fo jew go the other way, that I thought

fare God would not damn fo great x Part of the World, and

I therefore I ventured to do as the moft did.

Anfm God will make good his Word upon many or

; few. Did you dou.?t of his Will, or ot his Power?

I For his Will he hath told it you in his Word. For his

j Power he is as able to punifti many as one Man. Wiiac

is all the World to him, bur as the Drop of a bucket, as

the Duft of tht Ballance ? He told you before-hand

that the Gate was iirait, and the Way co Heaven was

narrow, and few did find it j and the Gate to Deftrudi-

/on v\as wide, and the Way was broad, and many did

enter in at it, Mat. 7.1^14. And if you would not

believe him, you mult bear what your Unbelief hath

I brought you to. What if you had twenty Children,

j or Servants, or Friends, and the greater part of them

fticuld prove falfe to you ; aud teek your Deftruftion,

<-4«)

op prove dilobedienr, and turn to your Enemy ? would you think it a good Excufe if the reft fliould do the like becaufe of their Example ? will you therefore wrong God becaufe you fee othess wrong him ? would you fpit in the Face of your own Father if you faw others dofo? God warned you, that you fliould not I follow a Multitude to do Evil, Exod. 2$. 2. And if yet J you uill do as moft do, you mud even fpeed as mod f fpeed. You fhould not fo much confider who they be, as what they do, and whither they go, and who theyforfake, and what they lofe, and what ftrength is in the Reafons that move them to do this. And then you would find, it is God they forfake, it is Sin they choofe j it is Heaven they lofe, it is Hell they run into: and it is no trueRcafon, but Satan's Delufion and fen-fual Inclination that lead them to it. And fhould Men be imitated, be they many, or be they few, in fuch a Courfe as this ?

The twelfth Excufe. I faw fo many Faults in thofe that -were accounted Godly, and faw fo much Divifion among them, that 1 thought they were as bad as others; and among fomany Opinions, J knew not what Religion to be of.

Anfw. 1. A Spot is fooneft feen in the faireft Cloth: And the malicious World ufeth to make fuch far worfe than they are.

2. But fuppofe all were true that Malice faith of fome, you could not fay the like by others.

3.- Or if you could, yet it was God's Law, and not Mens Faults that was made the Rule for you to live by: Will it excufe you that ethers are bad ?

4. And from their diverfe Opinions, you fhould have taken counfel at God's Word, which was right: Did you firft fearch the Scripture impartially, as willing coj know the Truth, that ycu might obey it ? and did you pray daily that God would lead ycu into the Truth ? and did you obey as much as you knew ? Did you join with the Godly fo far as they are all agreed ? they arc all agreed in the Fundamental Articles of Oviftiar ity

anc

S

(49-0 „ and in all things abfolucely neceffary to a holy Life, and to Salvation : that all known Sin is to be forfaken, and all known Duty to be done. Why did )/ou not fo far then agree with them ? Alas, the Imperfections of the Godly, and the falfe Accufations of the malicious World, will prove but a poor Cover for your wilful Ungodlinefs, and Chrift will convince you of the Vanity of thefeExcufes.

The thirteenth Excufe. Toe Scriptures wire Co d.v\ tbdt I could not undtrftand them. And 1 faw the wifefr '•Men differ fo much in the Exposition of them, tint I thought l lt was in vain for me to trouble my felf about them. If God \would have had us live according to tie Scriptwes, he wnld Sure have written them plainly, that Men might uUerftxni ^hem,

\: Anfw. i. Ic is all plainly written according to :he Mature of theSubjeft: But a prejudiced, difaffld i % yea or but untaught, difufedSoul cannot at firft u

land the plainert Teaching. The plaineft Greek or Hebrew Grammar that can be written, will be u cerly

>bfcure to him that is but newly entred the Eigli.1i

School > yea after man\ Years time that he TpenIs ia \ ^earning. Did you ftudy hard, and pray for God's ' ^aching, and enqa ; reof others, and wait paciertly ia

thrift's Schoil, that youmi^ht come to farcher Know-M:dg by degrees ? and were you willing co know even

lofe Truths that called you out to felf-denial, and thac '■/lid put you on the hardeft Hefh-difpleafing Duties? f ad you done thus, you would have admired the Light

;? the Holy Scripture, and now have rejoiced that ever y jSu faw them, and not have quarrelled at its feeming 1 arknefs. This Word might have made you wife to Sal-as ic hath done others, AS. 20. 32. 2 Tim* ft fklsj J 6-> 17* Tn' 1 * Law °f t!:e Lord is pi)'\?t1 y convmmg \ tbeTtftimony of the Lord is fare, making wife the J %*ple j the Statutes of the £ord are rights rejoicing the ' s Vart\ theConmandmmof the Cordis pute y enligbtning tbt

(5°) r

2. So much as is of Neceflky to Salvation, is as plain as you could defire. Yet if you be judged by thefe, >ou wili be condemned: For you did. not obey that uhich wasmoft plain. What Darknefs is in fuch Words as thefe, Ex apt ye repent, ye [hail all perifh, Luke 13. 3,5. Love not the World, nor- the things in the World: ij any Man love the World, the Love of the Father is not in him> 1 John 2.1 $. He that mU come after me> let him deny Hmfelf? &c. Mat. 16. 24.

3. If there had been nothing that feemed difficult to you, would you not have defpifed its fimplicity, ardhave thought your felves wife enough at the fir/l Reading, and needed no more ?

The fourteenth Excufe. There werefo manyfeeming Con-traditions in the Scripture^ and jo many ftrange improbable flings, that I could not believe it.

Anfw. The Contradictions were in your fancy, that did not underftand the Word which you read. Muft the raw unexperienced Learner defpife his Book or Teacher, as ofc as in his Ignorance he chinks he meets with Contradictions? Did you chink God was no wife* than you, and underftood not himfelf, becaufe you un-cierfrocd hirh not ? Nor could reconcile his own Words, becaufe ycu couid not reconcile them ? You woul$l needs be a Judg of the Law, inftead of obeying it, and fpeakevil of it rather than do it, Jam. 4.1 f.

2. And thofe things which you called improbable in the Word, were the Wonders of God, of purpofe to confirm it. If it had not been confirmed by Wonders, you would have thought it unproved 5 and yet now it is fo confirmed, you will not believe the Do-ftjine, becaufe the Witnefs feemsincredible. And that is, becaufe they are Matters above the Power of Man; as if they were therefore above the Power of God ! You (hall ar Lift have your Eves fo far opened, as to fee th&f<- feeming Contradictions reconciled, and thecer-;M ta uty of rftofe xhings which you accounred impro-J^i habit: that you may be forced co confefb the Folly ol

you

k

I

k

IK

Qj

Fci

ma

I

ih u m

\ y )

your Arrogancy and Unbelief: and then God will judg you in Righteoufnefs, who prefumed unrighteoufly to judg him and his Word.

The fifteenth Excufe. It femed fo unlikely a thing to me, that the merciful God (hould imn mofl of tht World to eyerlajling Fin, that I could not believe it.

Anfw. i. And did it not feem as unlikely to you, that his Word fhould be falfe ?

2. Should it not have feemed as unlikely that the Governour of the World fhould be unjuft, and fuffer his Law to be unexecuted, and the word to fpeed as well as the beft, andjto fuffer vile finful Pufl to defpife his Mercy, and abufe his Patience, and turn all his Crea-

[ turesagainft him without due Punifhment ?

3. Did you not feel Pain and Mifery begin in this Life?

4. You faw Toads and Serpents which had never firv-I red : And you would rather live in any tolerable Suffering than be a Toad, And is it not Reafon that ic fhould go worfe with contemptuous Sinners, than with

\\ thofc Creatures that never finned?

$. Could you expeft that thofc fhould came to Heaven, that would not believe there was fuch 2 State, but refufed it, and preferred the World before .it? And to be out of Heaven, is to be out of all Hap-pinefs: and he that is fo out of all Happinefs, and jknows that he loft it by his o*n Folly, muft needs tor-j ment himfelf with fuch Confiderations, were there no Jjocher Torments. And as Man is capable of greater

Felicity than Brutes, fo muft he needs be capable of ore Mifery. The fixteenth Excufe. the things which God promifed ,] : W Heaven, and threatntd in HtU y -were all out of my Sight: and therefore I could not heartily believe them. Had I but price Jeenthm, orfpofy with one that had feen them, Ifhouli ■havt been fatisfied } and have contemned the things $\ the {fold. (,

D 2 Mfw,

( 5* >'

Anfw. Will you not believe till you fee or feel ? Was not God's Word fufficient Evidence ? would ycu have believed one from the dead that had told you he had feen fuch things ? and would you not believe Stephen that faw them ? A6t. 7. $6. Or Paul that heard and faw them ? 2 Cor. 12. 3,4. Nor Chrift that came purpofe-ly from Heaven to reveal them? why Flefh and Blood cannot fee them. You fee not God : will ycu not f g therefore believe that there is a God ? Indeed, whatever you imagine, if you would not believe Mofes and the Prophets, Chrift and his Apoftks, neither would you have believed though one had rifen from the dead : For God's Word is more credible than a dead Man's: and Chrift did rife from the dead to atteft it. Blefled are they that have not feen, and yet believed. Noah faw no Rain when he was preparing the Ark : but be-caufe he believed, he made ready and efcaped, Heb. n. 7. when the World that would not believe did periftu But feeing God's Word was of no more weight with you, and no Knowledg would ferve your turn but by feeing and feeling ; you fhali fee and pel everlaftingly to your Sorrow.

The feventeenth Excufe. It was fo ftriii a Law that God would have ruled me hft and the Way to Heaven was fo jh\nt &nd difficulty that I could not endure it. I was not &ble to deny my Flefb, and live jucb a Life.

Anfw, 1. You were not able, becaufe you were not w Wing. W r hat was there but your own wicked Hearts that fliould make fuch a Life feem grievous to you? Every thing is hard and grievous to him wholoaths it, and whofe. Heart is againft it. The chief thing that God called you to, was to love him, and make him your Delight: and are Love and Delight fuch grievous things ? It was not grievous to you to love your Meat, or Drink, or Money : It was no hard matter to you to love a Friend that loved ycu > no nor to love your Sin, which was your Enemy:.-and what fliould make it feem hard to love God, but a wicked Heart ? Is not he

better

v. tta

In

m Ni

u /our

■v t S3-;

better and more lovely than ail) thefe ? And had you but loved him, all the reft of his Service would havefeem-ed eafy to you. To think of him, to fpeak of him, to pray to him, to praife him ; yea, to deny all and fuffer for him, would have been fvveet and pleafant to , .you, fo far as you \ud loved him. ft was not God ^therefore, but ycur own naughty Hearts that made his ■Work feem grievous to you, and the Way to Heaven ^feem hard. He told you truly, that his Yoak was eafy, jand his Burden light, and his Commandments were not grievous, Mat. 11.29. * 7°^ n $• 3' They that tried them found them the very Joy and Delight of their 'Souls y and why could not you do fo?

2. But what if the Way to Heaven had been harder than it was ? Was not Heaven worth your Labour ? Were you afraid of being a lofer by it ? Could not jGod requite your Labour or Sufferings? Doth any repent when they come to Heaven, that it cofl them fo dear to come thither? And is not Hell worfe than the hardeft Way to Heaven? Seeing you have chofenHcli 1 to fave you a Labour and Suffering in this Life, you muft have your Choice. And feeing you thought not I everlafting Life to be worth fo much as God required, ; that is, the accepting thankfully, and minding, and r ;feeking, and preferring it before this Life, you have none to blame for the lofs of it but your felves.

The eighteenth Excufe. It was God that made me of ; ^afenfual Nature: He gave me an Appetite to Meat, and v.Drin!*, and Eafe, and Luft: he gave me that Flefh which tjruled mi\ how then can he condemn me y for living according d \to the Nature which he gave me *

a Anfw. He gave that Appetite to be exercifed .mode-A'lately under the Rule of Reafon, for the Prefervatien Jjtind'Propagation of Mankind: But did he notalfo give j you Reafon to govern that Appetite? and the Revela-D tion of his Will to guide that Reafon ? He gave you your Flefh to be a Servant and not a Mafter. Your - Beafl hathflefhly Appetite without Reafon \ and therein i fore

(54) • fore God hath put him inder you, who have Reafon that you fhould rule him. Will you let your Beaft do what he lift, and madly run upon whom he lift, and fay, you do but let him live according to his Nature which God hath given him ? Why God that gave him fuch a Nature, did intend him to be ruled by a higher Nature, even by the Reafon which he gave to you: and fo he did alio by your Flcfh and fenfual Appetite.

The nineteenth Excufe. But 1 lived among fo many Baits which enticid this FUfhj that I could not rtfift them. My Meat was a Snare to me, my DrinJ^a Snare, my Clothes, my Houfe^ my Land a Snare, every Beauty that 1 fan? was * Snare: and the hettir all theje were, the (tronger was wy Snare, If God would not have had my Htart enfnared and drawn from him, he fhould not have put \o many Baits in my way. lea and they were fonezr to mt^ and daily with mi, that though J was refolved to forbear them before, yit when they were brought to my hand, I could not forbear.

Anjw. Is this the Thanks that God Vath for his Mercies? Be fent you all thefe as Favours from his own hand: he wrote his own Name upon them, that in them you might fee his Power, and Wifdom, and Goodnefs, and fo be led up to the Consideration of him, that you might fall in love with himfelf, who was the Fountain, the Life, the End of all. Acd do you overlook God in the Creature, and live as without him in the World, and dote upon that which fhould have drawn you to himfelf, and then lay the Blame on God ? If he fend a Sutor to fpeak to you in his Name, and write you a Love-Lecter wich his own Hand, will you fall in love with the MefTengers or the Letter, and ntgkd the Sender, and then blame him chat wrote his Letter on fo fair a Paper, or in fo neat a kand, or that fent it by fuch a comely Meffenger? Certainly, thefe Excufes are too grofs, to take with the wife and righteous God, or to feem fufficient to a well informed Conference, ^

2. And whereas yort fpeak of the Power of thefe Obje&s, waslthere noc much'more in God, inChrift, in thepromifed Glory, to have drawn your Heart another Way ? Why then did not thefe take as much with you as the other ? You could not choofe forfooth, but be enticed with fuch Baits as were fitted to your fenfual Apperite, and fuch things as a Dog, or a Swine may enjoy as well as a Man: but you could choofe y when Chrift and Glory were offered you: yea you did c\m.t to refufe the Offer, and tread them under Feet by your negiecT:. When Satan fet your Cupr, and your Harlots, and your Profits before you on one fide; did no: God fet his Favour and everlafting Happinefs on the other fide ? And was it wife or equal Dealing, to prefer your Lufts before that Glory ?

3. Moreover, it was net in the Power of any of thofe Baits to force your Will, or to neceflitate you to choofe them. They could be but Baits to entice you, and it was ftill in your own Choice, whether you would yield to the Enticement, and choofe them cr not. Shall every Man be falfe to God that hath any Bait to entice him from him ? will you excufr your -£hi!-J 05 Friend, if lie would be falfe to you, upon as great £tv ticements as thtfe ? If a Gup of Drink, or a Whore, or a little Gain, could draw him more than all youF Love and Intereft, I do not think you would hold h'm excufed.

And whereas you fpeak of the ruamfs and contwunce of thefe Allurements, I would fain know, was not God as near you, and continually near you, to draw yon to himfelf ? Faith might have feen him, though Fielh and Blood cannot. Did he not ftand by you when you were in your Cups and luftful Pleafures ? Did he not tell you of the Danger, and offer you far better things, if you would obey him and defpife thofe Baits ? But you would hearken to none of this , you fhould have remembred that he flood over you, and was looking on you, and you fhould haveTaid as jcfi}b> D 4 Gen,

Gen. 59.9. hm can I do this great Wicfydnefs, and fc againfi God .«? You had alfo Scripture neat you, and Reafonnear you, and Conicience near you, as well as the Bait was near you. And therefore this is a vain Excufe.

The twentieth Excufe. It vpos God that let loofe the Devil to tern ft me ; and he -was too fubtile for me to deal mth 5 and therefore what wonder ij I fmned and were over-com *

Anfw. r. Fie did not let loofe the Devil to conflrain you to Sin. He could but entice, and you might choofe whether you would yield. The Devil could neither make you fin againft your Will, nor yet neceffitate you to be willing.

2. You were a fure Friend to Chrift that while, that would forfake him as oft as you were tempted by the Devil. Is that a Friend or a Servant worthy to be regarded, that will difobey you, or betray you as oft as he is tempted to it?

$. Will you excufe your Servant if he leave your Work undone, and follow Cards, or Dice, or the Alc-ijouie, anci lay iwastemprea CO itby one that was cun-ninger than I ? Shall every Murderer or Thief efcape hanging, becaufe the Devil was too cunning for him in his temptations? Would you have the Jury or the Judg to take this for a good Excufe ?

4. And why did you not hearken to God that enticed you the other way ? You forget what Helps he afforded you to difcover the Wiles of Satan, and to vanquifh the Temptation? He told you it was an Enemy that tempted you: and would you hearken to an Enemy? He r*/dyouit was a Dream, a Shadow, a painted Plea-fure, aguildedCarcafs, alyingPromife, and deceitful Vanity by which you were tempted; and yet would you regard it before your God ? He told you that it was your God, your Saviour, your Hope, youreverla-fting Happinefs that the Tempter would beguile you of: And yet would you be beguiled? He told you, and

plainly,

i ■• C S7-)

plainly, ancfc often told you, that the Temper would lead you to eternal Fire, and,lindoyou everlaftingly before you were aware j and that a fatal Hook was covered with that Bait: And yet would you fwallow it ?

$. It is plain by all this that it was not your natural Weaknefs of Faculties that caufed you to be overcome by the Subtilties of the Devil, as a filly Child is deceived by a crafty Fellow that overwits him : But it was your Carelefnefs, Inconfideratenefs, your fenfual Inclinations, and vicious Difpofition, that drew you to a wilful Obeying of the Tempter, and rejecting the wholefom Advice of Chrift. This therefore is a frivolous Excufe of your Sin. The one and twentieth-Excufe. But I. hope you will

! not fay that all Men have Free Will! And if my Will were

I notjrte, bow could Ichoofe but fin ?

Anfw. i . Your Will was not free from God's Rule and Government. 2. Nor was it free from its natural Inclination to Good in general j for either of thefe were more properly Slavery. 2. Nor-was it free from the Influence of a dark Undemanding. 4. Nor free from its own contracted vitious Inclination. 5. Nor freed from the Temptations of the Flefh, the World, and

J the Devil.

But it was, 1. Free from any natural Determination

I to Evil, or to any thing that was doubtful. 2. And free

j from the Coa&ion or Violence of any. 5. And free from an irrefiftible Determination of any exteriour Caufe, at leaft ordinarily. So that naturally, as Men, you have the Power or Faculty of determining your own Wilis, and by your Wills of ruling your inferi-•ur Faculties in a great meafurey yea, of ruling the $ nfes and the Phantafy it felf, which doth fo much to difpofe of our Undemanding. And if your Wills, which are naturally free, are yet fo habitually vitious, that they encline you to do evil, that is not an Excufe, but an Aggravation of your Sin. But of chis more under the next,

D < The

■HTT

The two and twentieth Excufe. But 1 have not Power ef my ftiftt do any thing that is good : what i can the Creature do * -without Chrift we can do nothing. Jt is God that tnuft give me Ability\ or I can have none: and if he had given it we y I had not been an Unbeliever or Impenitent. 1 can no more believe of my felf> than 1 can fulfil the Law of my ftlf.

Anfw. i. Thefe are the vain Cavils of learned ^olly, which God will eafily anfwer in a Word. The Word [Power] is taken in feveral Senfcs. Sometime, and rnon commonly and fitly, for a Faculty or a Strength by which a Man can do his Duty if he will. This physical Power you hart, and the worft of Sinners have while they are Men on Earth. Were they a&ually willing, they might acceptably perform fincerc Obedience; and were they difpofnively willing, they might actually believe and will. And thus the Ungodly have Power to believe.

Somcrime the word [Power] is taken for Authority or leave, for legal or civil Power. And thus yon have ail not only Power or Liberty to believe, but alfo a Command which makes it your Duty, and a Threat-fling adjoined, which will condemn yow if you do not.

Sometime the Word [Power] is taken ethically, andjlefe properly, for a Difpofition, Inclination, Habit:, or Freedom from the contrary Habit or Difpofition. And in thi* Senfe it*$ tru*, that none but the effedually called have a Power to believe. Eut then ohferve, I. That this is but a Moral, lefs proper, and not a Physical proper Impotency : And therefore AufiiH chufeth rather to fay that all Men have power to believe, but all liave not a WiM, or Faith k felf ', becaufe we ufc to difference Power from Willingnefs } and WiUingnefs a&uat-*th the Power which we had before. And therefore our Divines choofe rather to call Grace a Habit when they fpeak exadly, than a Power \ and Dr. Twifs derides the Arounian* for wliing of a Pomr fubjefted in a

Pmer. 2. iNote that^his Impotency is but the fame thing with your Unwillingness and wilful Blindnefs in another Word. 3. Note that this Impotency is long of your felves as to the Original, and much more as to the not curing and removing of it. Hath God given you no means towards the Cure of this Difability, which you have neglefted ? 4. Note that this Impotency is not a juft Excufe, but an Aggravation of your Sin. If

I you were willing to be the Servant of Chrift, and yec were not able either becaufe he would not accept you, orbecaufe of a want of natural Faculties, or becaufe of fome other natural Difficulty which the willingeft Mind could not overcome, this were fome Excufe: But to be habitually wilful in refufing Grace, is worfe tha» to be mcerly aftually unwilling. If a Man have fo ao cuftomed himfelf to Murder, Drunkenncfs, Stealing or the like Wickednefs, fo far that he cannot leave it, will you therefore forgive him, or will any Judg or Jury hold him txcufed ? Or rather think him the more u/t fit for Mercy ? $. Note alfo that the want of a fuper^ natural Habit, no nor the Prefencc of the contrary-Habit, do not efficiently determine the Will to particular Ads, much lefs take away its natural Freedom, 6. And that till Habits attain an utter predominancy, (at leaft") there is a Power remaining in the Will to refift them, and ufe Means againft them. Though eventually the perverfe Inclination may hinder the ufe of it.

The three and twentieth Excufe. I have hsard from learned Mm, that God doth determine all Aftions, natural and

'fret, as the fir ft efficient phyfical immediate C aufe: orelje nothing could aft. And then it was not long oj nfe that 1 cfofe forbidden Objeffs, but oj him that irrefiftibly moved me thereto andwhofe Inftrument I was.

Anfw. This is a trick of that Wifdom which is Foolifhnefs with God, and to be deceived by vain Phi-lofophy.

i. The very Principle it felf is moft likelyto be falfe, and thofe that tell you this^ do err. Much more, I think, may be faid againft it than for it.

2 ; I am fure it is either falfe, orirreconcileable with God's Holinefs, and Man's Liberty and Culpability *, fo that its a mad thing to deceive your felves with fuch philofophical Uncertainties, when the Truth which you oppofe by it is infallibly certain. That God is not the Author of Sin, but Man himfelf, who is juftly condemned for it, is undoubtedly true : and would you obfcure fo clear a Truth, by fearching into Points beyond humane Reach if not unfound, as you conclude them ?

The four and twentieth E>xufe. But at leap, thofi learned Divines among us that doubt of this, do yet fay that the Will is mceffarily and infallibly determined by the practical Vnder(landing, and that is as much mrefiflibly neceffitated ty Objjfts: and therefore whatever aft was done by my Vnder-flanding or Will , was thus nectjfitated, and I could not help it. They fay, Liberty is but the Aftingtf the Faculty agreeably to its Nature: And it was God as Creator that gave Adam his Faculties, and God by providential Difpofe, that frefented all Objefts to him, by which bis Vndirflanding, and fo'iiis Will were unavoidably neceffitated.

Anfw. This is of the fame Nature with the former $ uncertain, if not certainly falfe. Were this true, for ought we can fee, it would lay all the Sin and Mi-fery of this World on God, as theunrefiftible necefli-tating Caufe 3 which becaufe we know infallibly to be falfe, we have no reafon to take fach Principles to be true which infer it. The Underftanding doth not by a neceffary Efficiency determine the Will, but morally; cr rather, is regularly a Condition or neceffary Antecedent, without which it may not determine it felf. Yea the Will by commanding the Senfe and Phantafy, doth much to determine the Underftanding. As the " Eye is not neceffary to my going, but to my going right, fo is not the Underfbnding's Guidance neceffary to

my

my mllin^ ("there the fimple Apprchenfion may fuf-fice} but to my right wiling. There are other ways of determining the Will. Or if the Underftanding did determine the Will efficiently and neceffarily, it is not every ad of the Underftanding that muft do it. If ic be fo, when it faith, This m(l be done, and faith it importunately j yet not when it only faith, This may be done, or you may venture on it, which is the common part which it hath in Sin.

I am not pleafed that thefe curious Objections fall in the Way, nor do I delight to put them into vulgar Heads j but finding many young Scholars and others that have converfed with them, affauked with thefe Temptations, I thought meet co give a Touch, and but a Touch, to take them out of their Way: As Mr. Finner hath done more fully in the Preface to his Hidden Manna, on this laft point, to whieh I refer you, I only add this.

The Will of Man in its very Dominion doth bear God's Im?ge. It is a felf-determining Power, though it be biafled by Habits, and needs a Guide. As the Heart and Vital Spirits by which it afteth, are to the reft of the Body, fo is it to the Soul. The Light of Nature hath taught all the World to carry the Guilt of every Crime to the Will of Man, and there to leave it. Upon this all Laws and Judgments are grounded. From Ignorance and intelleftual Weaknefs, Men commonly fetch Excufes for their Faults j but from the Will they are aggravated. If we think it ftrange that Man's Will fhould be the firft Caufe, fo much as cf a finful Mode, and an-fwer all occurring Objections : J it.may fuffice that we are . certain the Holy Majtfty is nut the Author of Sin j and he is able to make all this as plain as the Sun, and eafily anfwer all thefe vain Excufes, though we fhould be unable. And if we be much ignorant of the Frame and Motions of our own Souls, and efpecially of that high felf-determining Principle, free-Wiil, the great Spring of our Aftions, and the curious Engine by which God

doth

doth fapientially govern the World, 'it is nb wonder, con-fidering that the Soul can know it felf but by Refledion, and God gave us a Soul to ufe 9 rather than to know it felf \ and to know its Qualities and Operations, rather than its Effence.

The five and twentieth Excufe. No Man can befaved, nfff avoid any Si% nor believe in Chrift^ but thofe whom God bath predeftinated thereto. I was under an irreverfible Sen-tence before I was born: and therefore 1 do nothing but what I was predeftinated todo\ and if God decreed not to faveme^ bow could I help it ?

Anfw. i. God's Judgments are more plain, but his Decrees or fecret Purpofes are myfterious: And to darken Certainties, by having recourfe to Points obfcure, is no part of Chriftian Wifdom. God told you your Duty in his Word, and on what Terms you muft be judged to Life or Death; hither fhould you have re-courfe for Direftion, and not to the unfearchable My-fteries of his Mind.

2 . God decreeth not to condemn any but for Sin. Siu, I fay, is the Caufe of that Condemnation, though uot of his Decree.

3. God's Decrees are Ads Immanent in himfelf, and make no change on you, and therefore do not ne-ceffitate you to fin, any more than his Fore-knowledg doth. For both caufe only a neceflity of Confe-quence, which is Logical, as the Divines on both fides do confefs. And therefore this no more caufed you to fin, than if there had been no fuch Decree. And it's a Doubt whether that Decree be not negative; a willing Sufpending of the Divine Will, as to evil ; or at mofl a Purpofe to permit it.

The fix and twentieth Excufe. // it be no more, yet doth it make my Perdition unavoidable j jor even God's Fore-fyioveltdg doth fo ; jor ij he foreknow it> all the World cannot binder it from coming to pafs.

Anfw. Muft God either be ignorant of what you jvill do, or clfe be the Caufe of it ? If you foreknow

that

that the Sun wilfrife to morrow, that doth notcaufeic to rife. If you foreknow that one Man will murder another, you are not the Caufe of it by foreknowing it. So is it here.

The feven and twentieth Excufe. God might have kindred my Sin and Damnation ij he would.

Anfw. And will you wilfully fin, and think to efcape becaufe God doth not hinder you ? The Prince that makes a Law againft Murder, could lock you up, and keep you from being a Murderer. But are you excu-fable if he do not ? We are certain that God could have hindered all the Sin and t)eath, and Confufion, and Mifery that is in the Word : and we are as certain that he doth not hinderlt (but by forbidding it, and giving Men means againft it f) and we are certain that he is Juft, and Good, and Wife in all, and not bound to hinder it: And what his Reafons are, you may better 1 know hereafter: In the mean time, you had been better have looked to your own Duty.

The eight and twentieth Excufe. Hm could 1 be fav-edifebrijt did not die jor me f He died but for his Elett -, and none could befaved without his Death.

Anfw. He did die for you, and for more than his ; Elecl, though he abfolutely purpofed only their Salva-I tion. Your Sins crucified him, and your Debt lay upon him ; and he fo far ranfomed you, that nothing but your wilful Refufal of the Benefits could hav,e condemned you.

The nine and twentieth Excufe. It was Adam's Sin that brought mt into this Dtpravednefs of Will, which I can neithir cure, nor could prevent.

Anfw. r. If Adam cad away his Holinefs, he could no more convey that to us which he caft away, than a Nobleman that is a Traitor, can convey his loft Inheritance or Honours to his Son.

2. You perifli not only for your Original Sin, but for rcjeding the recovering Mercy of the Redeemer : you might have had Clirift and Life in him for the accepting.

( *4 ) t

The thirtieth Excufe. God will require no more thank gives. He gave me not Grace to repent and believe $ and without his Gift I could not have it.

Anfiv. 1. God will juftly require more than he gi-vethj that is, the improvement of his Gifts, as Mat. 2$. fhews. He gave Adam but a Power to perfevere, and not actual P er fever ana: Yet did he juftly punifh him for want of the Ad j even for riot ufing by his own WI1 the Power which he had given him.

2. It is long of your felf if God did not give you Grace to believe : It was becaufe you wilfully refufed fome preparatory Grace. Chrift found you at a gceat diftance from him, and he gave you Grace fufficient to have brought you neartr to him than you were \ you had Grace fufficknt to have made you better than you were, and retrained many Sins, and brought you to the means, when you turned your back on them: thothis were nor ffpeient to caufe you to believe, it was fufficient to have brought you nearer to believing -, and through your ow.. wilfulness, became not effectual, even as Adam had fufficient Grace to have flood, which was not effectual. So that you had not only Chrift offered to you, if you would but accept him ', but you had daily and precious Helps and Means, to have cured your Wills, and cau-fed you to accept him ; for negkffc of which, and fo for not believing, and fo for all your other Sins, you juftly pcrifh.

The one and thirtieth Excufe. Alas, Man is a Worm, a dry Leajf Job 13.2$. a fiUyjoolifb Creature ', and therefore his Atlions be not regardable, nor def&rve fo great a Fa* nifhmint.

Anfw. Though he be a Worm, and as nothing to God, and fooiifh by Sin, yet he is naturally fo noble a Creature, thatchc Image of God was on him, Gen. 12. 2 5. 2i:J 5. 1. James 3. 9. and the World made his Servants, and Angels his Attendants, Heb. 1. 14, fo noble that Chrift died for him, God takes fpecial care of him j he is capable of knowing and enjoying God,

K tf.5 )

and Heaven is not thought too good for him if he will obey. And he that is capable of fo great Good, mud be capable of as great Evil, and his Ways not to be fo overlooked by that God that hath undertaken to be his Governour. When it tendeth to Infidelity, the Devil will teach you to debafe Man, even lower than God would do.

The two and thirtieth Excufe. Sin is no Being : and fljall Men be damned for that which is nothing *

Arfw. i. It is fuch a Mode as deformeth God's Creature. It is a moral Being. It is a Relation of our A&ions and Hearts to God's Will and Law.

2. They that fay, Sin is nothing, fay Pain and Lofs is nothing too. You fhall therefore be paid with one nothing for another. Make light of your Mifcry, and fay, it is nothing, as you did of your Sin.

3. Will you take this for a good Excufe from your Children or Servants, if they abufe you ? or from a

?hief or a Murderer ? fhall he efcape by telling the ldg that his Sin was nothing? Or rather h*ve Death, hich is nothing, as the juft Reward of it ? T-C thrCC ^T.d £iro«h Excufe. But Sin is a tranfi-ent Thing. At le aft it doth God no barffl, and t'&rtyil £$ J fbouldbe do us fo much harm fork *

Anfa. 1. It hurts not God, becaufe he is above j hurt. No thanks to you if he be out of your reach. 2. You may wrong him, when you cannot hurt him. ! And the Wrong deferves as much as you can bear. If a Traitor endeavour the Death of the Prince in vain, his Endeavour deferves Death, though he never hurt him. You defpife God's Law and Authority, you caufe the Blafpheming of his Name, Rom. 2.24. He calls it a Preffing him as a Cart is preffed with Sheaves, Amos £, 13. and a Grieving of him.

3. And you wrong his Image, his Church, the pub-JickGood, and the Souls of others.

The four and thirtieth Excufe. But God's Nature is fo good and mtrciful> that fore be will not damn bis own Creature. Anfw.

FaS» a i'„V»M mCr B Ciful Judg wil ' fian « a Man for a aKffiS?"-' % *"*"*»*« -hat is due for

Wo;id Al, r?l DC f th an l Cafamit y which you fee in the world, comes from the Anger of this merciful God : Why then may not future Mifery come from it >

aJ'hu u °w Cth * is own Merc y be «er than you do; «nd he hath told you how &r it (hall extend. *

nw„ ™ m l te, y merciful; but it is to the Heirs 0/

Y u . 0t eo the finsl R^iefters of his Mercy. wirfi* rf 1 G ° d been mercifu! to-thee in bearing with thee fo long, and offering thee Grace in the Blood

rLS- ' " llthoudid ft wilfully rejeftit? Thou wile coniefsto thy everlarting Wo that God was merciful;

hplrv bc f? fo merci H thouwouldft not have been fo miferable for rejefting it.

msJ. if five and thi »ieth Excufe. 1 would not f* tormtnt mine Enemy my fetf,

Anfw No reafon you fhould. Is it all one to wrong } ou, and to wrong the God of Heaven i God is the on-Jy Judg of his own Wrongs.

The fixth and thirtieth Excufe. All Men art Sinners ; ana ijrat buttSinnir.

Anjw. All were not impenitenr, unbelieving, rebel-nous Sinners, and therefore all are not unpardoned, con-

fr S ! nners - Al1 did noc Iive afce r ^e Flefh, and retule to the lart to be converted as you did. God will

teach you better to difference between Sinners and Sinners.

The feven and thirtieth Excufe. But if Cbriji hive fatisfied for my Sins, and died for me, then how can ljuftly fufferfor the fame Sins .<? will God pmlh me Sin twice * '

Anfw. i. Chrift fuffered for Man in the Nature of Man ; but not in your Perfon, ror you in him. It was not you that provided the Price, but God him-fclf: Chrift was not Man's Delegate in fatisfying, and therefore received not his Inftruftions from us, nor did

( -6-1 )

' it on our Terms, but his own. It wgs not the f*m

lr thing which the Law threatned, that Chrift underwent: for that was the Damnation of the Sinner himfelf, and

: not the Suffering of another for him ; it cannot therc-

; fore be yours but on Chrift's own Terms. He died for thy Sin, but with this intcnr, that for all that if thou

5 refufe him, thou fhalt die thy felf. It is therefore no wrong to thee to die, for it was not thou that diedft

' before, and Chrift will take it for no wrong to him: for he will judg thee to that Death, h is for refufing

> a Chrift that died for thee, that thou muft perifh for 1 erer.

The eight and thirtieth Excufe. But I did not refufe Cbrifi. I believed and truftedin him to the la[i ; and repent-ed of my Sins, though I fometime was overtaken with them.

Anfw. Had this been true, thy Sin would not have condemned thee. But there is no mocking God. He will fhew thee then thy naked Heart, and convince rhoufands that thought they believed and repented, that indeed they did not. By thy Works^alfo will this be

1 difcovered, that is, by the main bent and fcope of thy Life, z%Mat. 2$. throughout, and Jam. 2. The nine and thirtieth Excufe. 1 did many good

■ Worlds \ and I hope God will fet thofe againft my-evil Works.

Anfw. Thy good Works were thy Sins, becaufe in*

( deed they were not good, being not done in fincerity of Heart for God. The beft Man's Works have fome Infirmity, which nothing can cleanfe but the Blood of Chrifl, which thou haft made light of, and therefore haft no part in. If all thy Life had been fpent in per-

: fed Works except one day, they would not make fatif-

! fadion for the Sins of that Day, For they are but pare

: of thy Duty. Wo to him that hath no better a Saviour at Judgment, than his own good Works.

The fortieth Excufe. / lived in Poverty and Mfiry 01 Earth, and therefore I hope 1 have bad my Sujferinghere,

and {hall not fuffer in this Woild and another too.

i. By that Rule all poor Men and Murderers, and Thieves that are tormented and hanged, fhould be fav-ed. But as Godlinefs hath the Promife of this Life and that to come, fo Impenicency and Wickednefs hath the Threatning of this Life and that to come.

2. The Devils and the damned have fuffered much more than you already s and yet they are never the nearer a Deliverance. When thou haft fuffered ten thoufand Years, thy Pain will be never the nearer an end. How then can a Jitile Mifery on Earth prevent it ? Alas, poor Soul, thefe are but the Foretafts and Beginnings of thy Sorrow. Nothing but Pardon through the Blood of Chrift could have prevented thy Condemnation*, and that thou reje&edrtby Infidelity and Impenitcncy. His Sufferings would have faved thee, if thou hadft not refuted him*, but all thy own Sufferings will yield thee no Relief.

So much for the a towering of the vain Excnfes which poor Sinners are ready to make for themfelves *, wherein I have been fo large* 25 that this part I confefs is difproportior*ab!e to the reft: but it was for thefe two Reafons.

i. That poor carelefs Souls might fee the Vanity of fuch Defences ^ and confider if fuch a Worm as I can eafiiy confute them, how eafily and how terribly will they be all anfwered by their Judg ?

2. I did it the rather, that godly Chriftians might the better underftand how to deal with thefe vain Ex-cufes when they meet with them: whicli will be daily, if they^eal with Men in this fad Condition.

X. We have done with that part of the Judgment which confifteth in the Exploration or Trial of the Caufe: we now come to that which is the Conclufion and Confummation of all * and that is, to fhew you

whit the Sentence wilibt, and on whom.

And

• ( *9 )

And for this, wc muft go ftrait to the Word of God for our Light, ic being impoffible for any Man to have any particular Knowledg of it, if Chrift had not there revealed it unto us. Indeed almoft all the World do acknovvledga Life after this, where it ihallgo well with the Good, and ill yvith the bad. But who fhall be then accounted righteous, and who unrighteous, and on what Terms and Grounds, by whom they (hall be judged, and to what Condition, they know Hot.

The Sentence in Judgment will be, i. Either on thofe that never had Means to know Chri/t. 2. Or onthofe that had.

1. For the former, as it lefs concerneth us to enquire

of their Cafe, fo it is more obfcurely revealed to us in

I the Scripture. It is certain that they (hall be judged

according to their life of the Means which they had,

Rom. 2. n,T2,13, 14,15,16. and the Talents which

|l they received, Mat.2$* But that it ever falleth out that

!ie that hath but the one Talent of natural Helps, doth mprove it to Salvation m , or that ever they who knew notChrift, are juftified and faved without that Knovv-

! fcdg* G^ing ac A 8 e am * Ufe °f foafen} I find not in the Scriptures. I find indeed that £as many as have finned without Law, fhall alfo perifh without Law: and as many as have finned in the Law, (hall be judged by the

I Law, Rom. 2.12. but not that any are juftified by the Works of Nature, fuch as are here faid to be without Law.] I find alfo, that (JThey have tiie Work of the Law written in their Hearts, their Confeience alfo bear-

| ing witnefs, and their Thoughts the mean while accufing,

I or elfe excufingone another, in the Day vim God (hall judgthe Secrets of Men by Jefus Chrift, according to the Gofpei] Rom. 2. 1$, id. And I believe it is a juft

1 Excujs y ana not an unjufi which is here meant. Eut it will be but an Excufe fo far as they were guiltlefs .-and that will be but in tinto, and not in toto, in part only j and fo not a full Juftification. A Heathen's Confeience may excufe him from thofe Sins which he was

never

never guilty of * but not from alL But no more of

them.

2. The Cafe of thofe thac have had the Gofpel, is more plainly opened to us in God's Word. Their Sentence is opened in many Places of Scripture, but moft fully in Mztth. 25. whence we will now colled it.

There we find that Jefus Chrift the Redeemer, as King of the World, fhall fit in Judgment on all Men at the lad s and fhall feparate them one from another, as a Shepherd divideth the Sheep from the Goars, and fo fhall pafs the final Sentence. This Sentence is twofold, according to the different Condition of them that are judged. To them on the right Hand, there is a Sentence of Juftification, and Adjudication to everlafiing Glory : To them on the left Hand, there is a Sentence of Condemnation to everlafting Punifh-ment.

The Sentence on each of thefe containeth both the Scate which they are judged to, and the Reafon or Caufe of the Judgment to that State. For as God will nor judg any to Life or Death without juft Caufe, fo he will publifh this Caufe in his Sentence, as it is the manner of Judges to do. If you fay, Cbrifl will not ufe 1 Voice; let it fatisfy, that though we know not the manner, yet if he do it but by menral Difcovery, as he (hews Men what fhall everlaftingly befal them, fo he will fliew them why it fhall fo befal them.

1, The Sentence on them on the right Hand, will contain, 1. Their Juftification and Adjudication to Blejfed-nefsy and that both as generally denominated, and as particularly determf?*ed and defcribed. 2. And che Caufe of this Judgment.

1. In general they fhall be pronounced Bleffed. Satan would have had them curfed aod miferable: the Law did curfe them to Mifery \ many a fearful Thought hath poffeffed their own Breads, left they fhould prove ac laft accurfed and miferable: but now they

hear

( hi )

hear the contrary from their Judg. All the Promifes in the Gofpel could not perfeftly overcome thofe their Fears \ all the comfortable Words of the Minifters of the Gofpel could not perfectly fubdue them; all the tender Mercies of God in Chrirt did not perfectly fubdue them j but now they are vanquifhed all for ever. He that once had heard his Redeemer in Judgment call him bhfftd, will never fear being cur fid more. For he that Chrift bleffeth, (hall be bleffid indeed.

The Defcription of their Bleffednefs followeth, 1 Com inhtrit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation oj the World. And alfo they are called Blefled of the Father. Here is the Fountain of their Bleffednefs, the Father j and the State of their Bleffednefs in being ! the Father's: for I fuppofe they are called the Bleffed J the Father, both becaufe the Father bleffeth them, that is, makes them Happy, and becaufe thefe bleffcd Ones are the Father's own. And fo Chrift will publifh it to the World in Judgment, that he came to glorify the Father, and will proclaim him the principal Efficient, and ultimate End of his Work of Redemption, and the Bleffednefs of his Saints , and that himfelf is (j$s Me-' diator) but the Way to the Father. It is the Father chat j prepared the Kingdom for them, and from the Foundation oj the World prepared it; both for [them] &scboftnones, l and for them as future Believers and righteous Ones. Ic is I called a Kingdom, partly in refpeft to God the King, j in whofe Glory we fhall Betake ia our Places \ and | partly metaphorically, from the Dignity of our Condi-| tfon. For fo it is thac our felvesare laid to be made \ Kings, Rev. i. 6. and 5. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 9. and noc that we are properly Kings j for then we muft have Sub* : je&s who muft be governed by us.

Thus we fee thejr Bleffednefs in the Fountain, End

and State of Dignity. As to the recepcive Aft on

their Parr, ic is exprefled by two Wordsj one fignifyinjj

their firft Entrance on ic, Come: the other their Pof-

i feflio^ Inherit: That is, poffefs it as givea by chc Fa-

( ?2)

ther, and Redeemed by the Son, and hold it in this Tc nure for ever.

The true Believer was convinced in this Life, that indeed there was no true Bleffednefs, but this Enjoyment of God in the Kingdom of Heaven. The Lord revealed this to his Heart by his Word and Spirit: And therefore he contemned the feeming Happinefs on Earth, and laid up for himfelf a Treafure in Heaven, and made him Friends with the Mammon of Unrigh-teoufnefs, and ventured all his Hope in this Veffel. And now he findeth the Wifdom of that Choice in a rich Return, God made him fo wife a Merchant as to fell all for this Pearl of greateft Price: and therefore now he fhall find the Gain. As there is no other true Happinefs but God in Glory , fo is there nothing more finable and welcome to the true Believer. O how welcome will the Face of that God be, whom he loved, fo:/ght, longed and waited for ! How welcome will that Kingdom be which he lived in hope of, which he parted with all for, and fuffered for in the Flefh! How glad will he be to fee the bleffed Face of his Redeemer, who by his manifold Grace hath brought him unto this 1 I leave the believing Soul to think of it, and to make it the daily matter of his delightful Meditation j what an unconceivable Joy in one Moment, will this Sentence of Chrift will fill his Soul with ? Undoubtedly it is now quite part our Comprehenfion \ though our imperfed Forethoughts of it may well make our Lives a continual Feaft.

Were it but our Juftification from the Accufations of Satan, who would have us condemned either as Sinners in general, or as impenitent, unbelieving Rebels, againft him that redeemed us, in [fecial, it would life up the Heads of the Saints in that Day: After all the Fears of our own Heartsr,rand the flanderous Accufarions . of Satan and the World, That we were either impenitent Infidels or Hypocrites, Chrift will then juftify us and pronounce us'righteous* So much for the Condition to which they are judged. 2. The

(73)

2. The Reafon or Caufe of this Juftification of the Saints, is given us both, i. In a general Denomination, and 2. In a particular Defcripcion. i. In general, it is becjufe they were righteous, as is evident. Mat. 2 5. 46. The Righteous (hall go into Lift ever taping. And indeed it is the Bufmefs of every juft Judg to juflify the Righteous, and condemn the Unrighteous. And fhall not the Judg of all the Earth judg righteoufly ? Gen. 18 2$. God makes Men righteous before lie judges them fo : and judgeth them righteous because they are j fo. He that, abominateth that Man who faich to the Righteous, Thou art wicked j or to the Wicked,' Thou art righteous , who juftifieth the Wicked and condemneth the Righteous, will certainly never do fo ihimfelf.

fndeed he will juflify them that are Sinners, but net againft the Accufation that they are Sinners, but againft the Accufation, that they are guilty of Pmifyment for Sin: but that is, becaufe he firft made them juft; and fo juftifiable, by pardoning their Sin, through the Blood of Chrift.

And it's true alfo, that he will juftify thofe that votre wicked, but not thofe that are wicked: but Judgment findeth them as Death leaveth them, and he will not take them for wicked, that are fanftified and ,cleanfed of their former Wickednefs. So that Chrift will firft pardon them before he juftify them againft the Charge of being Sinners in general , and he will firfi give Men Faith, Repentance and new Obedience, before he will juftify them againft the Charge of being Impenitent, Infidels or Hypocrites, and confequently unpardoned, and doubly guiky of Damnation. This twofold Righteoufnefs he will firft give Men, and fo jconftkute them juft, before he will declare it, and/*/!-We them juft.

2. The Reafon of the Sentence, particularly de-

[fcrib d, is from their Faith and Love CO Chrift, ex-

preff.d in their Obedience, Self-denial, and forfaking

E all

(75 )

all for him. For 1 was hungry and it fed toe \ I was My-fiy and yt gave me &ain\; I was a Stranger and yt tool^ me in-, naked and ye clothed me: I was fic^ and ye vifi-ted me: 1 was in Prifon and ye came to me. Verily 1 fay mto you, inafmuch as ye have done it to one of the leaft of thefe my Brethren, yt have done it unto me, Mat. 2$. 35 to 41. Here is, 1. The caufal Conjuftion for. 2. And the Caufe or Reafon it felf.

Concerning both which, obferve. 1. How it is that Man's Obedience and Self-denial is the Reafon and Caufe of bis Juflification. 2. Why it is that God will have the Reafon or Caufe thus declared in the Sentence.

For the firft, obferve that it's one thing to give a Reafon of the Sentence, and another thing to expreft the Caufe of the Benefit given us by the Promife, and judged to us by the Sentence. Man's Obedience was no proper Caufe why God did in this Life give Pardon of Sin to us, or a Right to Glory, much lefs of his giving drift to die for us. And therefore as to our con-ftitutive Juftification at our Converfion, we muft not fay or thinly that God doth juftify us, for, or btcaufe of any Works of our Obedience, legal or evangelical. But when God hath fo juftified us, when he comes to give a Reafon of his Sentence in Judgment, he may and will fetch that Reafon partly from our Obedience, or our Performance of the Conditions of the new Covenant. For as in this Life, we had a Righteoufnefs confiding in free Pardon of all Sin through the Blood of Chrift, and a Righteoufnefs confifting in our perfonal Performance of the Conditions of tbe Promife, which giveth that Pardon and continueth it to us if * fo at Judgment we fhall accordingly be juftified. And 2s our evangelical perfonal Righteoufnefs, commonly called inherent, was at firft only in our Faith and Repentance, and Difpofition to obey, but afterward in our a&ualfincere Obedience, in which Senfe we areconfti-tuuvely juftified or made righteous here bv our Works,

(74)

in J amis his fenfe, J arms 2.24. fo accordingly a double Reafon will be afligned of owr fentential Justification 5 one from our Pardon by ChrifVs Blood and Merits, which will prove our Right to Impunity and to Glory j the other from our own Faith and holy Obedience, which will prove our Right to that Pardon through Chrift, and to the free Gift of a Right to Glory: and fo this Iaft is to be pleaded in Subordination to the former. For Chrift is become the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him, Htb. $. 9. He therefore that will be faved, mud have a Chrift to fave hira as the Author, and an Obedience to that Chrift as the Condition of that Salvation 3 and confequently both muft be declared in the judgment.

The Reafon why the Judg doth mention our good Works rather than our believing, may be becaufe thofe holy felf-denying Expreffions of Faith and Love to Chrift do contain or certainly imply Faith in them, as the Life of the Tree is in the Fruit: but Kaith doth contain our Works of Obedience but only as their Caufe. The Works alfo are a Part of the perknal Righteoufnefs which is to be enquired after, that is, we fhall not be judged righteous, meerly becaufe we have believed, but alfo becaufe we have added to our Faith Vertue, and have improved our Talents, and have loved Chrift to the hazard of all for his fake. For it is not only or principally for the Gooduefs of the Work confidered in it felf, or the Good that is done by J,.] it to the Poor \ but it is as chefe Works did exprete our J] Faith and Love to Ch. lft by doing him the moft coftly ro J and hazardous Service; that by Faith we could fee [ ' Chrift in a poor Beggar or a Prifoner, and could love Chrift in tbefe better than our worldl) Goods or Libera ties, which we muft part with, or hazard by the Works that are here mentioned.

2. The Reafons why Chrift will fo publickly declare the perfonal Righteoufnefs of Men, to be the Reafon or C^ufe of hi§ juftifying Sentence, is becaufe

it is the Eufinefs of that Day, not only to glorify God's meer Love and Mercy, but eminently to glorify his remunerative Juftice* and riot only to exprefs his Love to the Eleft> as fuch, but to exprefs his L6ve to them as faithful znd. obedient, and fuch as have denied all for Chrift, and loved God above all 5 and to (hew his Jyftice to Men, ax?d Faithfulnefs in fulfilling all his Promifes, and a'fo his Holinefs, in the high Eftima-tion of the Holinefs of his People. I fhall exprefs this in the Words of a Learned Divine (t)r. Twifs againft Mr. Cotton, pag. 40.) Was there no more in God's Intention when be defied fome, than the Manifeflation of the Riches of his glorious Grace f Did not God furpofe alfo to ma.iift(l the Glory of his remunerative Jufiice ? Is it not undeniable that God will befiow Salvation on all his Elett, fof ripe Tears J by way of Reward, and Crown of Rigb-tewfnefsy which God the righteous Judg will give ? 2 Tim. 4. 2 Theff. 1. It Is great pity this is not considered, as ufn-ally it is not, efpecially for the momentous Consequence thereof in my Judgment. So tar he.

So much of the Sentence of Justification which (hall be paffed by Chrift at Judgment upon the Righteous.

2. We are next to confider of the Sentence of Condemnation which fhall then by Chrift be patted on tiie Unrighteous. Which is delivered to us by Chrift, Mat. 25. in the fame Order as the former.

The Sentence contained!, 1. The Condemnation it felt 2. The Reafon or Caufe of ir.

The Condemnation exprefleth the Mifery which they are judged to. u Generally in the Denomination, Cuffed. 2. Particularly by Defcription of their cur fed State.

Tobc curfed, is to be a People deftinatcdand adjudged to utter Unhappinefs, to all kind of Mifery with-cix remedy.

2. heir curfed Condition is defcribed in the next Words, Depart from me into everlafting Fire prepared for the

• ( 77 ) -

I. Depart: From whom ? from the God that made them in his Image; from the Redeemer that bought them by the Price of his Blood, and offered to fave them freely, for all their Unworthinefs, and many a time intreated them to accept his Offer, that their Souls might live: From the Holy Ghoft, the Sanclifier and Comforter of the Faithful, who ftrove wich their Hearts, till they quenched and expelled him. O fad Departing ! who would not then choofe rather to depart from all the Frierds he had in the World, and from anj thing imaginable; from his Life, from himfelf, if it were poflible, than from Chrift ? Depart: from what ? why from the Prefence of the Judg, from all farther Hopes of Salvation for ever, from all poflibility of ever being faved, and living in the joyful Inheritance of the Righteous. Depart: Not from God's Eilcntial Prefence, for that will be with them to their everla-fting Mifery, but from the Prefence of his Grace in that Meafure as they enjoyed it. Depart: Not from your fleflily Pleafures, andHonours, and Profits of the World j thefe were ail gone and part already: and there was no farther need to bid them depart (ran thefe : Houfes and Lands were gone. Mirth and Recreations were gone. Their fweet Morfels and Cups were gone. All the Honour that Men could give them was gone before they were fet at Chrift's Bar to be judged. Eut from all Expectations of ever enjoying thefe again, or ever tafiing their former Delights j from thefe they mud depart: not from their Sin y for that will go with them } but the Liberty of committing that part of it which was fweet to them, ( as Gluttony, Drunkennefsy Whoredom, Idlenefs, and all Volupmoufnefs; from thefe they mull depart. Luc this isccnfequentul j it is Chrift and the Poffibility of Salvation, that they are fentenced to dtpart from. • But whither muft they depart * i. Into Fire. 2. Into that Fire which was prepared for the Devil and his Angels, 3. Into everlafting Fire.

. ( 78 ) .

t. Not into a purifying, but a tormenting Fire, Whether elementary or not ; whether properly or metaphorically called Firty let us not vainly trouble our [elves to enquire. It is enough to know, that as Fire is one of the moft grievous Tormentors of the Flefh, fo grievous will be thofe infernal Torments to the whole Man, Soul and Body; fuch as is moft fitly reprefented to us under the Notion of Fire, and of Burning. It is eafy for a fecure unbelieving Soul to read and hear of it; but Wo and ten thoufand Woes to them that muft endure it! In this Life they had their good things, when it went harder as to the Flefh with better Men ; but now they are tormented, when the Godly are comforted, asLufy 16. 25.

2. But why is it called a Fire prepared jor the Devil and bis Angels ? r. What is this Devil that hath Angels ? 2. Who are his Angels ? $» When was it prepared for them ? 4. Was it not alio prepared for wicked Men? To chefe in order.

1. It feems by many Paflages in Scripture, that there is an Order among Spirits both good and bad ; and that there is one Devil that is the Prince over the reft.

2. It feems therefore that it's the reft of the evil Spirits, that are called his Angels. And fome think that the Wicked who ferved him in this Life, fhall be numbred with his Angels in the Life to come. Indeed the Apo-ftle calls him the Ged of this World, 2 Cor. 4.4. as is ordinarily judged by Expofuors; and the Prince of the Power of the Air, the Spirit that now worJ^eth in the Children of Difobedience, Eph. 2. 2. And hecalieth falfe reducing Teachers the Mnifte?s oj Sit in, 2 Cor. 11. 15. But that wicked Men are here meant as part of his Angels, is not clear.

3. If it be the Preparation of God's Purpofe that is here meant, then it was from Eternity: but if it be any Commination of God as Ruler of the Angels, then was this Fire prepared for them conditionally, from

the

the beginning of chat Comminution, and was due to them at their FalK

4. It feems that the Reafon why here is no mention of preparing Hell-fire for the Wicked, but only for the Devils, is not becaufe indeed it was not prepared alfofor the Wicked -, but to note that it is the Torment which wasfirfi prepared for, op afligned to the Devils, thereby (hewing the greatnefs of the Mifery of the Wicked, that the Devil and his Angels muft be their Companions : Though fome think, as is faid before, that the Reafon why wicked Men are not mentioned here, is, becaufe they are part of the Angels of the Devil, and fo included. And fome think it is purpofely to manifeft God's general Love to Mankind, that prepared not Hell for them, but they call themfelves into the Hell prepared for the Devils. Euc the firft feems to, be the true fenfe.

And how apparently Righteous are the Judgments of the Lord! that thofe Men who would here entertain the Devil into their Hearts and daily Familiarity, fhould be then entertained by him into his Place of Torments, and there remain for ever in his Society ! Though few entertained him into vifible Familiarity with their Bodies as Witches do, who fo make him their Familiar: yet all wicked Men do entertain him into more full and conftant Familiarity with their Souls than thefe Witches do with their Bodies 5 how familiar is he in Thoughts, to fill them with Vanity, Luft or Revenge ! How familiar is he in their Hearts, to fill them with Covetoufnefs, Malice, Pride, or the like Evils! and tobanifhall Thoughts of returning to God, and to quench every Motion that tendeth to their Recovery I V How familiar is he with them, even when they feem to be worfhipping God in the publick Aflemblies, fteal-ing the Word out of their Hearts, filling them with vain and wandring Thoughts, blinding their Minds that they cannot underftand the plaineft words that we are abletofpeak to them, and filling them with a proud R 4 Re-

•J

( «o ) Rebellion againfl the Direction of their Teachers, and an obflinate Refufal to be ruled by them, be the Matter never fo neceffary to their own Salvation ? How u-miliarzrethefe evil Spirits in their Houfes, filling them with Ignorance, Worldlinefs and Ungodlineis, and turning out God's Service, fo that they do not pray together once in a Day, or perhaps at all! Howfr#w7i-arlydoth Satan ufe their Tongues, in Curfmg, Swearing, Lying, Ribaldry, EackbicingorSlandring ! And is ic not jufl with God to make thefe Fiends their Familiar sin Torment, with whom they entertained fuch Familiarity in Sin ? As Chrift with all the bleffcd Angels and Saints will make but one Kingdom or Family, and /hall live altogether in perpetual Delights * fo the Devil and all his heilifh Angels and wicked Men (hall make but one Houfhold, and (hall live altogether in perpetual Mifery. O poor Sianers, you are not troubled now at his Preftnce and Power in your Hearts! but v\i!I . you not then be troubled at his Prefence and tormenting Power? As long as you do not fee him, let him do what he will with you, it grieves you little or nothing at all 5 but what will you fay when you mufl fie him, and abide with him for ever ? O Sirs, his Name is tafily heard, but his Company will be terrible to the fkmteft Heart alive. He flieweth you a tailing Face when he tempteth you, but he hath a grimmer Face to (hew you, when Temptations have conquered you, and Torments mufl fucceed. As thofe that write of Witches, fay, he appeareth at firft to them in fome comely tempting Shape, till he have them fall tied to him; and then he beats them, and affrights them, and feldom appears to them but in fome ugly Hew, Believe it, poor Sinners, you do not hear or fee tfie worft of him, when you are merry about your finful Pleafures, and rejoicing in your Hopes of the Commodities or Preferments of the World : he hath another kind of Voice which you mufl hear, and another Face to (hew you, that will make you know a Jirtic

better

y

'( 81 )

better whom you had to do with ! You would foe afraid row to meet him in the Dark : what will you be to Jive with him in everlafting Darknefs ? Then you will know who it was that you entertained and obeyed, and plaid with in your Sins.

3. And as the Text tells us, that it is a Firt prepared for the Devil and his Angels: So it telleth us, that it is an everlafting Fire. It had a Beginning, but it fhall have no End. If thefe Wretches would have chofen the Service of God, they would have met with no Difficulty or Trouble, but what would have had a fpeedy End. Poverty and Injuries would have had an End : Scorns and Abufes would have had an End: Fafting, Humiliation, Sorrow for Sin, watching and fighting againft our fpiritual Enemies, would all have had an End. Bur to avoid thefe, they chofe that Eafe, that Pleafure, which hath brought them to that Torment which never will have end. I have faid fo much of thefe things already in my Book called the Saints Reft, that I will now fay but this much. It is one of the Wonders of the World, how Men that do believe, or think they do believe this Word of Chrift to be true, that the Wicked [hall go into evirlafling Fire, canr yet venture on Sin fo boldly, and live in it fo fearlefly, or fleep quietly till they are out of this unfpeakable Danger ! Only the commonnefs of it, and the known Wickednefs of Mans Heart, doth make this lefs wonderful. And were there nothing elfe to convince us that Sinners are mad and dead as to fpiritual Things, this were enough j that ever the greateft Pleafures or Profits of the World, or the moft enticing Baits rhaz the Devil can offer them, fhould once prevail with them to forget thefe endlefs things, and draw them to fejeft an everlafting Glory, and caft themfelves defpe-rately inco everlafting Fire; Ye& ; and all this under daily Warnings and Inftruftions j and when it's told them beforehand by the God of Truth himfelf! Fcr the Lord's fake, Sirs, and for your Souls fckes, if you

( 82 )

care not what Minifters fay, or what fuch as I fay, yet will you foberly read now and then this 2$th Chapter of Matthew, and regard what is told you by him that muft be your Judg ! and now and then bethink your felves foberly, whether thefe are Matters for wife Men to make light of ; and what it is to be everlaftingly k Heaven, or in Hell-fire.

2. We have feen what is the Penalty contained in the Sentence againft the Ungodly : The next thing that the Text direfts us to, is the Caufe or Reafon of the Sentence, w. 42. For lypa$ hungry^ and ye gave me m Meat, &c. The Reafon is not given exprefly, either for their Sin againft the Law of Works, that is, be-caufe they were Sinners, and not perfeftly innocent', fior yet from their Unbelief, which is the great Sin . againft the Law of Grace,: But it is given from their not exprefliog their Faith and Love to Chrift in Works of Mercy and Self-denial. And why is this

1. We muft not fuppofe that thefe Words of Chrift do exprefs the -whole judicial Procefs in every Poinc \ but the chief Parts. It is fuppofed that all Men are convifted of being Sinners againft the perfed Law of the Creator, and that they are guilty of Death for that Sin -, and that there is no way but by Chrift to obtain Deliverance, But becaufe all this muft be acknow-i ledged by the Righteous themfelves, as well as by the Wicked 5 therefore Chrift doth not mention this, but that only which is the turning Point or Caufe in the Judgment. For it is not all Sinners that fhall be finally condemned, but all impenitent, unbelieving Sinners, who have rebelled finally againft th;*v Redeemer.

2. And the Reafon why Faith it felf is not expreffed, is, x. Becaufe it is clearly implied, andfois Love to Chrift as Redeemer; in that they fhould have relieved CMj!himfelfinhi$ Members: That is, as it's expreffed, •MfoiQi 42. tfieyftiould have received a Prophet in the

• """ Mima

Mam#»

: \ AS' )' Name of a Prophet, and a Difdple id the Name of a Difciple; all fhould be done for ChrifVs fake, which could not be, unlefs theybelieved in him,and loved him. 2. Alfo becaufe that the bare Aft of Eelieving i9 not all that Chrift requireth to a Man's final Juftification and Salvation •, but holy felf-denying Obedience muft be added. And therefore this is given as the Reafon of their Condemnation that they did not fo obey.

We muft obferve alfo, that Chrift here putteth the J fpecial for the general \ that is, one way of feif-denying Obedience and Expreffion of Love, inftead of fuch Obedience in general: For all Men have not Ability to relieve thofe in mifery, being perhaps fome of them poor rifemfelves. But all have that Love and Self-denial, which will fome way exprefs it fdf. And all have Hearts and aDifpofition to do thus, if they had Ability , without fuch a Difpofmon none can bz~ faved.

It is the fond Conceit of fome, that if they have any Love to theGodly,orwifh themwell,it is enough to prove them happy. But Chrift here purpofely lets us know thac whoever doth not love him at fo high a rate, as that he can part with his Subftance or any thing in the World, to thofe Ufes which he (hall require them, even to relieve his Servants in want and Sufferings for the Mailer's fake, that Man is none of Chrift's Difciple, nor will b$ o^ned by him at the laft.

XL The next Point that we come to, is to fhew you-the Properties of this Sentence at Judgment.

WheH Man had broken the Law of his Creator a? the firft, he was liable to the Sentence of Death, and » God prefently fat in Judgment on him, and fentenced > him to fome part of the Punifhment which he had de* ferved 5 but upon the Interpofition of the Sot^ he before the reft, refolvcd on a Way that might tend to ; his Recovery ; and Death is due yet to every Sinner for every Sin which he. comstify tf U a RwtaB do acquit:

hilar

him, Buc this Sentence which will % pa& on Sinners ac the laft Judgment, doth much differ from that which was palled on the firft Sin, or which is due according to the Law of Works alone. For,

i. As to the Penalty, called the Pain of Lofs, the firft Judgment did deprive Man of the Favour of his Creator, but the fecond will deprive him of the Favour both of the Creator and Redeemer: the fir ft Judgment deprived him of the Benefits of Innocency s the fecond deprives him of the Benefits of Redemption, the lofs of his hopes and poffibility of Pardon, of the Spirit, of Juftification and Adoption, and of the Benefits which conditionally were promifed and effered him y thefe are the Punifhments of the laft Judgment, which the Law of Works did never threaten to the firft Man, or to any, as it ftood alone,

Alfo the lofs of Glory as recovered, is the proper Penalty of the violated Law of Grace, which is more than the firft lofs. As if a Man fhould lofe his Purfe the fecond time, when another hath once found it for him} or rather as if a Traitor redeemed by another, and having his Life and Honours offered him, if he will thankfully accept it and come in, fhould by his Refufal and Obftinacy, lofe this recovered Life, which is offered him j which is an Addition to his former Penalty.

Befides that the higher Degree of Glory will be loft which Chrift would beftow on him, more than was loft atiirft. The very Work of the Saints in Heaven, will to praife and glorify him that redeemed them, and the Father in him j which would not have been the Work ctf Man, if he had been innocenr.

2. As to the Pain of Senfe, the laft Judgment by-the Redeemer will fentence them to a far forerPunifh-ment than would have befaln them, if no Saviour had been offered them, Htb. 10. 29. The Confcience of Adamtf he had not been redeemed, would never have tormented him for rejecting a Redeemer, nor for re-'"'" fuficg

fufing or abufing his gracious Offers, and his Mercies h nor for the forfeiting of a recovered Happinefs j nor for refufing of the eafy Terms of the Gofpel, which would have given him Chrift and Salvation for the accepting *, nor for neglefting any Means that tended to Recovery: no nor for refufing Repentance unto Life, nor for difobeying a Redeemer that bought him by his Blood. As all thefe are the Penalties of the Redeemer's Law and Judgment, fo is it a forer Penalty than Confcience would have inflifted meerly for not being perfeftly innocent: and they will be far foarer Gripings and Gnawingsof the never-dying Worm for the abufc of thefe Talents, than if we had been never trufted with any after our firft Forfeiture. Yea and God him-felf will accordingly proportion his Punifhments. So that you fee that privatively and politively, or as to their Lofs and their Feeling, the Redeemer will pafs on them a heavier Doom than the Creator did, or would have done according to the firft Law to perfeft Man.

3. Another Property of the Judgment of Chrift is, that it mil be final, peremptory, and excluding all farther Hopes or Polfibilities of a Remedy.- So was not the firft Judgment of the Creator upon fain Mati. Though the Law of pure Nature knew no Remedy, nor gave Man any Hope of a Redeemer, yet did it not exclude a Remedy, nor put in any Bar againft one j but God was free to recover his Creature if he pleafed. But in the Law of Grace he hath refolved, that there fhall be no more Sacrifice for Sin, but a fearful looking for of Judgment and Fire which fhall devour the Adver-fary, Neb; 10. 26,27. a °d chat the Fire fhall beever-lafiing, the Worm fhall not die, and the Fire fhall not be quenched, Mat. 2$.ult. Mat. 13.42, $0. John 5. 27. Mat. 5. 26. Mat. 3. 12. and Lu\e 3. 17. Marl^y. 43,44,45,46,48. He that now breaketh that pure Law that requireth perfed Innocency, ("as we have all done} may rty to the Proraife of Grace in Chrift, and

appeal

appeal to the Law of Liberty or Deliverance to be I judged by that. But he that falls under the Penalty of that Law which fhould have faved him, as all final Unbelievers and impenitent ungodly Perfons do, hath no other to appeal to. Chrift would have been a San&uary and Refuge to thee from the Law of Works, hadft thou but come in to him : But who (hall be a Refuge to thee from the Wrath of Chrift ? The Gofpel would have freed thee from the Curfe of the Law of Works, if thou hadft but believed and obeyed it: But what (hall free thee from the Condemnation of the Gofpel ? Had there no Accufation lain againft thee, but that thou wafHn general a Sinner i that is, that thou waft not perfe&ly innocent, Chrift would have anfwer-ed that Charge by his Blood. But feeing thou art alfo guilty of thofe fpecial Sins which he never fhed his Blood for, who (hall deliver thee from that Accufati-on ? When Chrift gave himfelf a Ranfom for Sinners, it was with this Refolution both in the Father and himfelf, that none (hould ever be pardoned, juftified or faved by that Ranfom, that did not in the time of this Life fincerely return to God by Faith in the Redeemer, and live in fincere obedience to him, andper-fevering herein. So that he plainly excepted final Infidelity, Impenitency and Rebellion from Pardon: He never died for the final Non-performance of the,,Con-ditions of the New Covenant. So that his Judgment for thefe will be peremptory and remedilefs. If you fay, Why cannot God find out a Remedy for this Sin, as well as he did for the firft ? I fay, God cannot lie, tit. 1.2. He muft be true and faithful, as neceflarily as he muft be God, becaufe of the abfolute Perfe&ion of his Nature*, and he hath foid and refolved, that there (hall be no more Remedy.

Many other Properties of God's judgment general there are, as that Righteoufnels, Impartiality, Inflexibility, and the like, which becaufe I would not make myDifcourfetoolong, I will pafs over, contenting my

felf

felf with the mention of thefc which ate proper to the Judgment of the Redeemer according to his own Laws in fpecial.

XII. The twelfth and laft thing which I promifed to unfold, is, The Execution of this Judgment: Here I fliould fhew you both the Certainty of the Execution, and by whom it will be, and how : but having done all this already in the third Part of the forefaid

Boo^ °f *'A * ^ a11 now onl y 8 ive th * s brief Touch of it.

No fooner is the dreadful Sentence part, Go yt curfed into everlafting Fire, but away they muft be gone: There is no delay, much lefs any Reprieve to be expefted j and yet much lefs is there any hope of an Efcape. If the judg once fay, Taf>e him Jailor ; and if Chrift fay, Tafy him Devils, you that ruled and deceived him, now torment him: all the World cannot refcue one fuch Soul. It will be in vain to look about for help. Alas, there is none but Chrift can help you •, and he will not, becaufe you refufed his help : Nay, we may fay, He cam§t 5 not for want of Power, but becaufe he is True andjuft, and therefore will make good that Word which you believed not. It is in vain then to cry to Hills to fall on you, and the Mountains to cover you from the Pre* fence of him that fitteth on the Throne. It will be in vain now to repent, and wifh you had not flighted your Salvation, nor fold it for a little Pleafure to your Flefh. It will be then in vain to cry, Lord, Lord, open to us, 0 ffare us *, 0 pity us , 0 do not caft us into thefe hideous Flames/ Do not turn us among Devils! Do not torment thy redeemed ones in Ms Fire / All this will be then too late*

Poor Sinner, whoever thou art that readeft or heareft thcfe Lines, I befeech thee in Compaflion to thy Soul, confider how fearful the Cafe of that Man will be, that is newly doomed to the Everlaflkg Fire, and is haled to the Execution without Remedy! And what

mad

mad Men are thofe that now do no more to prevent fuch ' a Mifery, when they might do it on fuch eafy Terms, and now have fo fair an Opportunity in their hands.

The time was when Repentance might have done thee good: but then all thy Repentings be in vain. Xiow while the Day of thy Vifitation lafteth, hadft thou but a Heart to pray and cry for Mercy, in Faith and Fervency through Ch rift, thou mighteft be heard. But then Praying and Crying will do no good, fhouldftthou roar out in theExtremity of thy Horror and Amazement, and befeech the Lord Jefus but to forgive thee one Sin, or to fend thee on Earth once more, and to try thee once again in the Flefh, whether thou wouldfl not love him, and lead a holy Life, it would be all in vain. Nay, fhouldft thou beg but one Hour before you were caft into thofe Flames, it would not be heard j it would do thee no good. How earneftly did a deccafed Gentleman, Lu\e\6. 24. beg of Abraham for one Drop of Water from the Tip of La\arus , s Finger to cool his Tongue, becaufe he was tormented in the Flame: And what the better was he ? He was fent to remember that he had his good things in this Life *, and that Remembrance would torment him more. And do not wonder or think much at this, that Chrift will not then be entreated by the Ungodly. You fhall then have a Remember too from Chrift or Confcience. He may foon flop thy Mouth, and leave thee fpeechlefs, and fay, Remember Man, that 1 did one Day find thee a Meffagt of Peace, and thou tvoiddft not hear it. 1 once did ftoop to befeech thee toytfurn, and thou-wouldfl not hear. I befought thee by the tender Mercies of God *, I be fought thee by all the Love that J had flawed theft, by my holy Life, by my curfed Death, by the Riches of my Grace, by the Offers of my Glory -, and I could not get thee to for fake tbt World, to deny the Flefh, to leave one beloved Sin for all this. I be fought thee over \ and over again: I fent many a. Mnifter to thee in my flame: 1 1 waited on thee many a Day, and Tear, and all would not do: tbm wQuldji not confider, return and, live: and

( 89 ) ; [

i w*> it is tod late, thy Sentence if paft, and cannot be n-, called: array frem me thou Worker oj Iniquity , Mac. 7. aa> 23.

Ah Sirs, what a Cafe then is the poor defperate Sinner left in ! How can I write this, or how can you that read or hear it, without trembling, once think of the Condition that fuch forlorn Wretches will be in ! When they look above them, and fee the God that hath forfaken them, becaufethcy forfook himfhft*, when they look about them, and fee the Saints on one hand ' whom they defpifed, now fentenced unto Glory j and the Wicked on the other hand whom they accompanied and imitated, now judged with them to everlafting Mifery: when they look below them,and fee the Flames that chey muft abide in, even for evermore : and when the Devils begin to hale them to the Execution : O poor Souls! Now what would they give for a Chrift, for a Promife, for a time of Repentance, for a Sermon of Mercy, which once they flept under, or made no account of! How is the Cafe altered now with them! Who would think that thefe are the fame Men that made light of all this on Earth, that fo ftoutly fcorned the Reproofs of the Word, that would be worldly, and flefhly, and drunk, and proud, let Preachers fay what they would j and perhaps hated thofe that did give them warning. Now they are of another Mind ; but all too late. O were there any Place for Refinance, how would they draw back, and lay hold of anything, before they would be dragged away into thofe Flames! But there is no refitting *, Sitan's Temptations might have been refitted, but his Executions cannot: God's Judgments might have been prevented by Faith and Prayer, Repentance and a holy Life ', but they cannot be refifted when they are not prevented. Glad would the miferable Sinner be, if he might but turn to nothing, and ceafe to be ; or that he might be any thing rather than a reafonable Creature : but thefe Wifh,e c are all in vain. Then is om Timi> and one Way of

Sirml

Sinner's Deliver ime\ if he fail in that one, he peri(hetk\ for ever: all the World cannot help him after that.] 2 Cor. 6. 2. I have heard thee in a time accepted: and in the Day of Salvation have I favoured thee: Behold now is the accepted Time-, behold now is the Day oj Sal-vation. Now he faith, Rev. 3.20. Behold, I (land at the Door and knocl^-, if any Man hear my Voice and open the door, 1 will come in to him, and will fup with him, and he with me. But for the time to come here* after, hear what he faith, Prov. 1.24,25, 26. Becaufe I have called, and ye nfufed, I have fir etched out my hand, and no Man regarded \ but ye have fet at nought all my Counfels, and would none of my Reprooj: I alfi will laugh at your Calamity, twill moc^when your fear cometh', whm yw fear cometh as a Deflation, and your D>(truftion cometb as a Whirlwind; when Difirefs and Anguifh cometh uoonyou: then fhall they call upon me, but 1 will not anfwe* *, they fhall feel^ me early, but they (hall not find me: for that they hated Knowledg, and did not choof the Fear of the Lord > Shey would none of my Counfels: they dtfpifed all my Reproofs -, therefore (hall they eat oj the Fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own Devices: for the t-urnfog away of the Simple [hall flay them, and the Profperity of Fools fhall deffroy them -, but whofe btartyeth to me fhall dwell fafely, and (hall be quiet from fear of Evil. I have recited all thefe Words that } ou may fee and confider, whether I have fpoke any other thing than God himfelf hath plainly told you of.

Having faid this much of the Certainty of the Execution, I fhould next have fpoke fomewhat of the Manner and die Inftruments, and have fhevved how God will be for ever the principal Caufe, and Satan and their own Confciences the Inftruments in part *, and in what manner Confcience will do its part, and how impoffi-ble it will be to quiet or refift it. But having fpoke fo much of all this already elfewhere, as is faid before, I will forbear here to repeat it, leaving the Reader that defireth it, there to perufe it.

The

(91 )

J MtVfts.

Vfi i. Beloved Hearers, ic was not to fill your Fancies with News that God fenc me hither this Day: nor to tell you of Matters that nothing concern you: nor by fome terrible Words to bring you to an Hour's * Amazement and no more : But it is to jell you of ! i things that your Eyes fhall fee, and to forecel you of : your Danger while ic may be prevented, that your precious Souls may be faved at the laft, and you may Hand before God with Comfort at that Day. But becaufe this will not be every Man's Cafe, no nor the Cafe of mod, I muft in the Name of Chrift defire you to make this Day an Enquiry into your own Souls, and as in the Prefence of God let your Hearts make anfwer to thefe few Queftions which I fhall propound and debate with you.

Qu. i. Do you foundly btlitvt thli Dattrint which 1 hdvt preacbtd to yon f What fay you Sirs? Do you verily bt-lieve it as a mod certain Truth, that you and T, and all the World muft (land at God's Bar and be judged to everlafting Joy or Torment ? I hope you do all in fonts fort believe this: but blame me not if I be jealous whether you foundly believe it, while we fee in the World fo little of the Effeft of fuch a Belief. I confefs lam forced to think that there is more Infidelity than Faith among us, when I fee more Ungodlinefs than God-linefs among us: And I can hardly believe that Man that will fay or fwear that he believeth thefe things, and yet liveth as carekfly and carnally as an Infidel. I know that no Man can love to be damned * yea, I know that every Man that hath a reafonable Soul, hath naturally fome love to himfelf, and a fear of a Danger which he verily apprehendeth: he therefore that liveth without all fear* I muft think liveth without all appre-henfion of his Danger. Cuftora hath taught Men to

hold

hold thefe things as-the Opinion of the Country; but ii| vC1 Men foundly believed them,furely we fhould fee ftrangei L Effe&s of fuch a Faith, than in the mod we do fee. L Doth the fleepy Soul that liveth in Security, and L followeth this World as eagerly as if he had no |J greater Matters to mind; that never once trembled at 1 the Thoughts of this great Day, nor once asked I his own Saul in good Sadnefs, My Soul, How dcji I thou thinly then to tfcape i I Jay, doth this Man believe I; that he is going to this Judgment ? Well Sirs, whether you believe it or not, you will find it true: and believe it you muft before you can be fafe. For if you do not believe it, you will never make ready. Let me therefore perfwade you in the Fear of God to confider, that it is a Matter of undoubted Truth.

i. Confider that it is the exprefs Word of the God of Truth, revealed in Scripture as plainly as ycu can defire. So that you cannot be unbelieving without denying God's Word, or giving him the Lie, Mat.\$> 38, 39, 40, 41,42, 43, 49, 50. Mat. 25. throughout, Rom. 2*$,d,7,9,10, id. and 1.32. /afa $. 28,29. The Hour is coming in which all that are in tin Graves [hall hear his Voia> and [hall come forth: they that have done good, unto the Refurrtttion of Life', and they that have done evil, unto the Rejkrreltion of Damnation. Heb. 9. 27. It is appointed to all Mm once to die, and after this the Judgment. Rom. 14. 9,12. So then every one of us [hall give account of bimfslf to God. Rev. 20.12. And 1 faw the dead 7 fmall aid great (land before God: and the Booths were opened: and another Beol^was opened, -which is the Bool^ojLije'j and the Dead were judged out of thoje things which -were -written in the Booths according to their Works. Mar. 12. 36, 37. But I fay unto you that every idle Word that Men [hall fpeakj they [hall give account thereof at the Day of Judgment: For by thy Words thou [halt be jujiified, and by thy Words thou [halt be condemned. Many more moll exprefs Texts of Scripture do put the Truth of this Judgment out of all queftion to all that believe the Scripture, and will

under*

( 93 )

jnderftand it. There is v no place left for a Contro-/erfy in the Point: It is made as fure to us as the Word of the living God can make it: And he that will queftion that, what will he believe ? What fay you Sirs! Dare you doubt of this which the God of Heaven hath fo pofnively affirmed ? I hope you dare not.

2. Confidcr, it is a Mafter-part of your Faith, if you are Chriftians, and a fundamental Article of your Creed, that Chrift (hall come again to judg the quick and the dead. So that you muft believe it or renounce your Chriftianity, and then you renounce Chrift and all the Hopes of Mercy that you have in him. It's impoffible that you fhould foundly believe in Chrift, and not believe his Judgment and Life everlafting: becaufe as he came to bring Life and Immortality to Light in the Gofpel, 2 Tim. i. io. fo it was the End of his Incarnation, Death and Refurre&ion, to bring you thither; and ks part of his Honour and Office which he pur-chafed with his Blood, to be the Lord and Judg of all the World, Rom. 14. 9. Joh.$. 22. If therefore you believe not heartily this Judgment, deal plainly and openly, and fay you are Infidels, and caft away the hypocritical Vizor of Chriftianity, and let us know you, and take you as you are.

3. Conftder that it is a Truth that is known by the very Light of Nature, that rhere (hall be a Happinefs

, for the Righteous, and a Mifery for the Wicked after I this Life : which is evident,

1. In that we have undeniable natural Reafon forir. ,(1.) God is the Righteous Governour of the World, and therefore muft make a difference among his Sub-je&s, according to the Nature of their Ways: which we fee is not done here, where the Wicked profper, and the Good are affli&ed 9 therefore it muft be hereafter. (2/) We fee there is a Neceflity that God fhould make Promifes and Threatnings of everlafting Happinefs or Mifery, for the right Governing cf the World; for we

cer-

(;-:t

. ; ( 94 ) certainly perceive that no Idwer things will keep Men from deftroyingall humaneSociety,and living worfe than brute Beads; and if there be a Neceflity of making tta fuch Threats and Promifes, then there is certainly a Neceflity of fulfilling them. For God needeth no Lie or Means of deceiving, to rule the World

2. And as we fee it by Reafon, fo by certain Expe^ £ rience, that this is difcernable by the Light of Nature;! >flo for all the World, or almoft all do believe it. Even thofe Nations where the Gofpel never came, and have nothing but what they have by Nature, even the moft barbarous Indians acknowledg fome Life after this, and a Difference of Men according as they are here $ therefore you muft believe thus much, or renounce your common Reafon and Humanity, as well as your Chriftianity. Let me therefore perfwade you all in the Fear of God to confirm your Souls in the Belief of this, as if you had heard Chrift or an Angel from Heaven fay to you, 0 Man^ thou art hafting to Judgment.

£u. 2. My nextQueftion is, Whether you do ever fo~ berly conjtder of this great Day * Sirs, do you ufe when you are alone to think with your felv©6, how certain and how dreadful it will be, how faft it is coming on, and what you (hall do, and what Anfwer you mean to make at that Day ? Are your Minds taken up with thefe Considerations? Tell me, is it fo or not?

Alas Sirs! Is this a Matter to be forgotten? Is not that Man even worfe than mad, that is going to God's Judgment, and never thinks of it ? when if they were to be tried for their Lives at the ne&t Affize, they would think of it, and think again, andcaft ioo times which way toefcape. Methinks you fhould rather forget to go to Bed at Night, or to eat your Meat, or do your Work, than forget fo great a Matter as this.

Truly I have often in my ferious Thoughts been ready to wonder that Men can think of almoft any thing

dlfc

- ( 95 )

elfe,when they have fo great a thing to think of. What, forget that which you muft remember forever! forget that which fhould force Remembrance, yea and doth force it with fome, whether they will or not! A poor defpairing Soul cannot forget it: He thinks which way ever he goes he is ready to be judged. O therefore ■Beloved, fix thefe Thoughts as deep in your Hearts as Thoughts can go. O be like that holy Man, that thought which way ever he went, he heard the Trumpet found, and the Voice of the Angel calling to the World, Arife ye Dead, and come to Judgment. You have \ warning of ft from God and Man, to caufe you to remember it s do not then forget it. It will be a cold \ Excufe another Day, Lord> I forgat this Day, or tlfi I ' might have been ready: you dare not fure truft to fuch '' Excufes.

Qu. g. My next Queftion to you is, Rtvo are yon ; &ffetted -with the Confideration oj this Day f Barely to think j of it will not ferve: to think of fuch a Day as this wich a dull and fenflefs Heart, is a Sign of fearful Stu-h pidity. Did the Knees of King Belfba\\ar knock together with trembling, when hefavv the Hand-writing on the Wall? Dan. $.5. How then (hould thy Heart be i affe&ed that feeth the Hand-writing of God as a Summons to his Bar?

When I began to preach of thefe things long ago, I confeis the Matters feemed to me fo terrible, that I j was afraid that People would have run out of their Wics I with Fear y but a little Experience fhewed me, that | many are like a Dog that is bred up in a Forge or j Furnace, that being ufed to it, can fleep though the Hammers are beating, and the Fire and hot Iron flaming about him, when another that had never feen it, would be amazed at the light. When Men have heard us 7 Years together, yea 20 Years, to talk of a Day of Judgment, and they fee knot, nor feel any hurt, they j think it k but talk, and begin to make nothing of it.

Thins their Thanks to God for his Patience: Becaufr his Sentence is not executed fpeedily, therefore their f Hearts are fet in them to do evil, Ecclef. 8.11. As H God were flack of his Promife, as fome Men accounc SJacknefs, 2 Pet. 3. p. when one Day with him is as a 1000 Years, and a 1000 Years as one Day. What i\ we tell you 20 Years together that you mull die, will to you not believe us, becaufe you have lived fo long, and feen no Death coming ?

Three or Four things there be that fliould bring any Matter to the Heart. 1. If it be a Matter of exceeding Weight. 2. If it concern not others only, but our felves. 3. If it be certain. 4. If near.

All thefe things are here to be found, and therefore IA how fhould your Hearts be moved at the Confideration of this great Day \

1. What Matter can be mentioned with the Tongue, of Man of greater moment ? For the poor Creature to ftand before his Maker and Redeemer, to be judged to everlafting Joy or Torment ? Alas! ail the Matters of this World are Plays, and Toys, and Dreams to this 9 Matters of Profit or Difprofit are nothing to it, Matters of Credit or Difcredit are unworthy to be named with it ', Matters of temporal Life or Death are nothing to it. We may fee the poor brute Beafts go every Day to the Slaughter, and we make no great matter of it, though their Life be as dear to them as ours to us. To be-judged to an evtrlafting Death or Torment, this is the great Danger that one would think fhould fhake the ftoucert Heart to confident, and awake the dulled Sinner to prevent it.

2. It's a Matter that concerneth every one of your felves, and every Man or Woman that ever lived upon the Earth, or ever fball do , lam not fpeaking to you of the Affairs of fome far Country that are nothing to you EVthc but only to marvel at j which you never faw, nor |^ ever Jhalldo: no, it is thy own felf, Man or Woman, \H that heareft me this Day, that (halt as furely appear be-

forr

1 2, b is ik

fore the Judgment-feat, of Chrift, as the Lord liveth, and as he is true and faithful j and that is as fure as

r thou lived on this Earth, or as the Heaven is over thee.

: That Man that heareth ail this with the moft careleis

; blockifh Heart, (hall be awakened and (land with the

i reft at that Day j that Man that never thought of ir, but fpent his time in worldly Matters, fhall leave all ,and there appear ; that Man that will not believe thefc things to be true, but make ajeft of them, fhall fee

j and feel what he would not believe, and be alfo fhall be there *, the Godly that waited in Hope for that Day,

- as the Day of their full Deliverance and Coronation, they fhall be there \ thofe that have lain in the Dufl

• thefe $ooo Years fhall rife again, and all ftand there.

i Hearer, whoever thou art, believe it, thou maift better think to live without Meat, to fee without Light, to

! efcape Death, and abide for ever on Earth, than to

i keep away from that Appearance. Willing or unwilling thou fhalt be there. And fhould not a Matter then thatfoconcernethf^/?//, go near thy Heart, and awake thee from thy Security ?

g. That it is a Matter of unqueflionable Certainty, I have partly ffiewed you already, and more would do if I were preaching to known Infidels. If the carelefs World had any juft Reafon to think it were uncertain, their Carelefnefs were more excufable. Methinks a Man fhould be affe&ed with that which he is certain fhall cometopafs, in a manner as if it were now in doing, i Ihff. $.2. Te perfectly know that the Day of the Lord Jo Cometh, &c. faith the Apoftle. , 4. This Day is not only certain, but it is near 3 and therefore fhould affed you the more. I confefs, if it were never fo far off, yet feeing it will come atlaft, ic fhould be carefully regarded: But when the Judg isac the Door, James $. 9. and we are almoft at the Bar,

1 and it is fo fhort a time to this Aflize, what Soul thaw-is not dead will be fecure ?

1.

Alas Sirs!. what is a little time when it is gone ? howl? .quickly (hall you and I be all in another World, and our^Souls receive their particular Judgment, and fo wait till the Body be raifed and judged to the fame Con* dition? Ic is not ioo Years in all likelihood, tilleve-*y Soul of us fliall be in Heaven or Hell: and it's like, not half or a quarter of that time, but it will be fo with the greater part of us; and what is a Year or two or ioo ? how fpeedily is it come ? how many a ? Soul that is now in Heaven or Hell, within ioo Years K \ dwelt in the Places that you now dwell in, and fat in • the Seats you now fit in ? And now their time is paft % what is it? Alas, how quickly will it be fo with us! You know not when you go to Bed, but you may be Judged by the next Morning s or when you rife, but you may be judged before Night : but certain* !y you know that fhortly it will be 5 and fhould not this then be laid to Heart > Yea the general Judgment will not be long: For certainly we live in the End of the World.

lid «

0'

i,

to:

hi t la

Qu r 4. My next Queftion is, Whether are you ready fyi this dreadful Judgment -when it comes, or not * Seeing it is y our felves then mufl be tried, I think it concert you to fee that you be prepared* .How often hath Chrifl warned us in the Gofpei, that wc be always ready y be-caufe we know not the Day or Hour of his coming I JMtittk.24. 44,42. and 25. 13. 1 Tbejf.^6. and told us how fad a time it will be to thofe that are unready, Vto. 25.11,12. Did Men but well know what a Tvleetingand Greeting there will be between Chriftand an unready Soul, it would fure ftartle them, and make them look about them. What fay you, beloved Hearers, arc you ready for Judgment, or are you not? Me* thinks a Man that knoweth he fhall be judged, (hould ask himfelf the queftion every day of his Life y am I ready to give up my Account to God ? Do not you ufe 6 to ask this of your own Hearts ? unlefe y#et be carelefs 1

v\te-

\ yy J • , " whether you be faved or damned, methink8 you fhould, and ask ic ferioufly.

Qu. But wbt be they tbxt are ready * how [hall I t*nd& whether I bi ready or not i

Anfw. There is a twofold Readinefs. I. When you are in zfafe Cafe. 2. When you are in a comfortable Cafe, in regard of that Day. The latter is very defira* ble> but the firft is of abfolute Neceftty; this therefore is it that you muft principally enquire after.

In general, all thofe, and only thofe are ready for Judgment, who (hall bt juftified and faved, and not I condemned when Judgment comes •, they that have 2 good Caufe in a Gofpel-fcnfe. It may be known before I hand who thefearej fer Chrift judgeth, as I told)on, 5 by his Law. And therefore find out wbom it is that the ( Law of Grace doth juftify or condemn, and you may j certainly know whom the Judg will juftify or condemn i j for he judgeth righteoufly.

i If you further ask me who thefe are j remember I that I told you before that every Man that is perfonally righteous by fulfilling the Conditions of Salvation in ^thcGofpel, (hall be faved i and he that is found unrighteous, as having not fulfilled them, (hall perifh at ; that Day.

j| Qu. Who are thofe?

i Anfw. I will cell you them in a few Words, left yotf jfliould forget, becaufc it is a Matter that your Salvatioa MM Damnation dependeth upon. J] i. The Soul that unfeignedly repetiteth of his for-1 jtner finful Courfe, and tarneth frcim it in Heart and iiLife, andloveth the Way of Godlinefs which he hated, e imd hateth the Way of Sin which he loved, and is be-. borne throughly a new Creature, being born again and 1^ an&ified by the Spirit of Chrift, (hall be juftified ; i ^put all others ftiall CGrcaioly be condemned. B !i Good News to repenting converted Sinners: buc i ad to impenitent aad him that knows not what this : nean^. ; ' F 2, Tko;

( ICO )

2. That.SouI that feeling his Mifery under Sm, and die Power of Sataji, and the Wrath of God, doth be-; lievewhat Chrift hath done and fuffered for MariV Reftauration and Salvation, and thankfully accepcethL him as his only Saviour and Lord, on the Terms that! J he is offered in theGofpei, and tothofe Ends, even tol! juflify him, and fandify and guide him, and bring him at lad to everlafting Glory; that Soul ftall be jufii-fied at Judgment: and he that doth not, fhall be condemned.

Or in fliort, in Scripture-phrafe, He that belkvitb fballbe faved, and be that believetb net fhall be condemned, Mar. 15. 16. ~"

3. The Soul that hath had fo much Knowledg of the Goodnefs of God, and his Love to Man in Creation, Redemption, and the following Mercies, and hath had fo much Convi&ion of the Vanity of all Creatures, as

-thereupon to love God more than all things below, fo that khath the chiefeft room in the Heart, and is preferred before all Creatures ordinarily in a time of trial} tfiat Soul (hall be juftified at Judgment, and all others fhall be condemned.

4. That Soul that is fo apprehenfive of theabfolute Soveraignty of God as Creator and Redeemer, and of the Righteoufnefs of his Law and the Goodnefs of his holy Way, as that he is firmly refolved to obey Win before all others, and doth accordingly give up him-felf to ftudy his Will, of purpefe that he may obey; ir, and doth walk in thefe holy Ways, and hath fo far mortified the Flefh, and fubdued the World and the Devil, that the Authority and Word of 6od can do more with him than any other \ and doth ordinarily prevail againft all the Perfwafion and Intereft ol the Flefh, fo chat the main Scope and Bent of the Heart and Life is ftill for God \ and when he finneth he rifeth again by true Repentance s I fay, that Soul, and that only, (hall be justified in Judgment, and be faved,

5, Ttat

( io) )

$. That Soul that hath filch believing Thoughts cS he Life to come, that he taketh the prornifed Bleffed-iefs for his Portion, and is rcfolved to venture all elfe ;pon it, and in hope of this Glory, doth fet lighc /ornparatively by aH things in this V/orld, and waiteth or it as the Fnd of this Life, choofiqg any fuffering'that Sod fhall call him to, rather than to lofe his hopes of :rut Felicity, and t-lius perfevereth to the End: I fay,, .hat Soul, and none butthar, fhall be juftificd in Judg* iod efcape Damnation.

In thefe fi?e Marks I have told you truly and briefly y who fhall be juflified and faved, and who fhall be condemned at the Day of Judgment. And if yoa would have them all in five Words, they are but the Defcription of thefe five Graces, Repentance, Faith,. Love, Obedience, Hope.

But though I have laid thefe clofe together for your mfe, yet left you fhould think that in fo weighty a Cafe I am too fhort in the Proof of what I fo determine of, I will te]J you in the exprefs Words of many Scrfptur* Texts, who fhall be juftiSed, and who fhall be con* demned.

[John ?. 3. Except a Man be born again, he cannoe enter into the Kingdom of God, Htb. 12. 14. Withouc Holinefsnone fhall fee God. Luf>e 13. 3, 5. Except ye repent, ye (hall all likewifeperilh. Acts 26. 18. I fend thee to open their Eyes, and turn them from DarknejS to Light, and from the Power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgivenefs of Sins, and an Inheritance among the fanclified by Faith that is in me. John 3. 1 $, 16,17, 18,19. Whoever believeth in him fhall not perifh, but have everlafting Life : he that believeth on him, is nor condemned s he that believeth not, is condemned already, becaufe he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God , and this is the Condemnation, that Lighc is come into the World, and Men loved Darknefs rather than Light, becaufe their deeds, were evil. John 5.28, 29* The He

is coming, in which all that are in the Graves fliall hear his Voice, and fhall come forth * they that have done good to the Refurreftion of Life, and they that have done evil to the ftefurreaion of Damnation. Mat. 25.30. Caft the unprofitable Servant into outer Dark* nefs, there fhall be weeping and gtwfhing of Teeth. Luke 19. 27. But thofe mine Enemies which would not that I fhould reign over them, bring hither and flay them before me. Mat. 22. 12, i£. Friend, how cameft thou in hither, not having on a Wedding-Garment? And he was fpeechlefs. Then faid the King to the Servants, bind him Hand and Foot, and take him away, and caft him into outer Darknefs, &c. Mat. 5. 20. For I fay unto you, that except your Righteoufnefc exceed the Righteoufnefs of the Scribes and Pharifees, ye fhall in no wife encer into the Kingdom of Heaven. •Mat.']. 21. Not every one that faith, Lord, Lord, fhall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven * but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven. Htb. $.6. He is become the Author of eternal Salvatios to all them that obey him. Rev. 22. 14. Bleffed are they that do his Commandments, that they may have right co the Tree of Life, and may enter in by the Gate into the City. Rom. 8. 1, 13. There is then no Condemnation to them that are in Chrift Jefus, that walk not after the Flefh, but after the Spirit. For if ye live after the Flefh, ye fhall die : but if ye through the Spirit do mortity the Deeds of the Body, ye fhall live. Rom. $. 9. If any Man have not the Spirit of Chrift, he is none of his. Gal. 5.18. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the Law. Gal. 6. 7, 8. Be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatfoever a Man foweth, that fhall he alfo reap: for he that foweth to the Flefh, fhall of the Flefh reap Corruption s but he that foweth to the Spirit, fhall of the Spirit reap Life Everlafting. Mat. 6. 21. For where your Treafure js, there will your Heart be alfo.3 Read Pfal. 1 . and maty other Texts to this purpofe, of which fome are

, .cited in my Dire&ions for Peace of Confcience ', Kr. H. p. 115,1 16.

And thus I have toW you from God's Word, how yon

may know whether you are ready for Judgment, which \m the fourth thing that I would advife you to enquiry safcer.

; O Sirs, what fhift do you make to keep your Souk ) from continual Terrors, as long as you remain unready

for Judgment ? How do you keep the Thoughts of Sk out of your Mind, that they do 1 not break your "z&leep, and meet you in your Bufinefs, and haunt you : every way you go, while Judgment is fo near, and i you are fo unready ? But I fh^JU proceed to my uexc j Queftion.

&tt. j. And in the laft place, to thofe of you that are not yet ready, nor in a Condition wherein you may be fafe at that Day; my QueAion is, How are you re-folved to prepare for Judgment for the time to come ? Will you do no more than you have done hitherto ? Or will you now fet your felves with all your Might, to prepare for fo great a Day ? methinks you fhould be now pad all Demurs, Delays, or farther Doublings about fuch a Bufinefs; aud by the Confideration of what I have faid already, you fhould be fully refolved to lofe no more time, but prefently awake, and fet upon the Work* Methinks you fhould all fay, We will do any thing that the Lord fhall direct us to do, rather than we will be unready for this final Doom. O that there were but fuch Hearts in you, that you were truly willing to follow the gracious Guidance of the Lord, and to ufe but thofe fweet and reafonable Means which he hath prefcribed you in his Word, that you may be ready for that Day! Aias, it is no hard matter frr me to tell you, or my felf, what it is that we mud do if we will be happy •, and ic is no very hard matter to do it fo far as we are truly willing j but the Difficulty is to be truly and throughly wilting to this Work. If I fhall tell you what you F 4 mud

muft do for Preparation, fhall I not lofe my Labour ? Will you refolve and promife in the Strength of Grace, that you will faithfully and fpeedily endeavour to pra-ftife it, whoever (hall gainfay it? Upon hope of this, I will fet you down feme brief Directions, which you muft follow, if ever you will with Comfort look the Lord Jefus in the Face a* the Hour of Death, or in the Day of Judgment,

The firft Direction h this, See that your Souls be [merely efiabiifhrd in the Beliej of this Judgment and everlafling Lije : For if you do not foundly believe it, you will not feri-oufly prepare for it. If you have the Judgment and Eelief of an Infidel, you cannot have the Heart or the Life of a Chriftian, Unbelief fhuts cut the moft of the World from Heaven: fee that it do not fo by you. If you fay you cannot believe what you would : I an-fwer, Feed not your Unbelief by Wilfulnefs or Unreafo-nablenefs; ufe God's Means to overcome it, and fhut not your Ejes againft the Light, and then try the Iffae, Mb. 3. 12, I3,I5,i6>I7>i8,i;.

The fecond Direction. Labour diligently to have a found Vnderftanding oj the Nature of the Laws and Judgment of God.' On what Terms it is that he dealeth with Mankind: and on what Terms he will judg them to Life or Death: and what the Reward and Punifhment is. For if you know not the Law by which you muft be judged, you cannot know how to prepare for the Judgment. Study the Scripture therefore, and mark who they be that Godpromifeth to fave, and who chey be that he threatneth to condemn. For according to that Word will the Judgment pafs.

The third Direftioo. See that you ta\e it as the very Bujinefs of your Lives, to ma\e ready for that Day. Un-derfland that yoa have no other Bufinefs in this World, but what doth neaffarily depeid on this. What elfe

have

. ( ioy 5

hare you to do, but to provide for ererlafting, and to ufe Means to fuftain your own Bodies and others, of purpofe for this Work, till it be happily done ? Live therefore as Men that make this the main Scope and Care of their Lives $ and let all things elfe come in but on the by. Remember every Morning when yoi* awake, that you muft fpend that Day in Preparation for your Account, and that God doth give it you for that end. When you go to Eed, examine your Hearts,, ivhat you have done that Day in the Preparation for. your laft Day : And take that time as loft which doth nothing to this end.

The fourth Direftion. Vfi frequently to thinly of the Certainty, Nearnefs and Dreadfulnefs tf that Day,, to fyep{ Lift in your Affections and Endeavours, left by Inconsiderate* ntfsyour Souls grow ftttpid and negligent. Otherwife, be-caufe it is out of fight, the Heart will be apt togrov* hardned and fecure, And do not think of it (lightly* as a common thing, but purpofely fet your felves to I think of it, that it may rouze you up to fuch Affeftions and Endeavours as in fome meafure are anfwerable tQ , the Nature of the thing,

r

The fifth Direction. Labour to have a lively Feeling on

I thy Heart, 9] the Evil and Weight of that Sin winch thou art

I guilty of and oj the Mifery into which it hath brought thee y

\ and would fur ther bring thee if thou be not delivered, and fa

I to feel the Need of a Deliverer*. This muft prepare chee

[to partake of Chrift now 5 and if thou partake

not of him now, thou canft not be faved by him

then. It is thefe Souls that now make light of their

Sia and Mifery, that muft then feel them fo heavy,

as to be preffed by them into the infernal r lames*

And chofe chac now feel little need of a Saviour* chey

■fhzilthen have none tofavethem, whentlfey feel their

•Need.

( re* )

The fixth Direction. Vnderftand and belkve the fup 'fciency of that Ranfom and Satisfaction to Juftice, which £hrifi hath made for thy Sins and for the World, and how. freely and univerfally it is offered in the Gofpel. Thy Sin as not uncurable or unpardonable, nor thy Mifery re-snedilefs* God hath provided a Remedy in his Son Chrift> and brought it fo near thy Hands, that nothing &ut thy neglecting, or wilful refuting it, can deprive thee of the Benefit. Settle thy Soul in this Belief.

The feventh Direction. Vnderftand and believe, that for all Chri^s Satisfaction, there is an abfolute Necejfity of found Faith and Repentance to be in thy own fetf, bejore thou ianfl be 'a Member of him, or be pardoned, adopted or juftified 'ly his Blood* He died not for final Infidelity and Impe-tiitency, as predominant in any Soul. As the Law of his Father which occafroned his Suffering, required perfeft Obedience or Suffering: So his own Law, which lie hath made for the Conveyance of his Benefits, doth require yet true Faith and Repentance of Men themselves, before they fball be pardoned by him , and fmcere Obedience and Perfeverance, before they fhall be glorified.

The eighth Direction. Reft not therefore in an mnnew-\ed, unfxnfiified State', that is, till this Faith and Repen* time hi wrought on thy own Soul, and thou be truly broken off jrom thy former finful Courfe, and from all things in this World j md art dedicated, devoted and nftgned unto God. Seeing this Change muft be made, and thefe Graces muft- be liad, or thou'mufl certainly perilh: in the Fear of God, fee that thou give no eafe to thy Mind till thou art thus changed. Be content with uothing till this be done. Delay not another Day. How canft thou live merrily^ *>r fleep quietly in fuch a Condition, as if thou fliouldft die in it, thou (houldft perifh for ever ? Efpecialiy when tfeou an every H§ur ugjffijgig whether thou fhalt fee

P

( ?07 )

| mother Hour, and not be prefently fnatch'd away by 3tath. Mechinks while thou art in fo fad a Cafe,

Lvhich way ever thou art going, or whatever thou arc doing, itfhouJd ftill come into thy Thoughts, 0 whit if / (bould die befort I be regenerate, and hau part i%

The ninth Direction. Let it be tht daily Care of th% to mortify thy fltfhly Defirss, and overcome this World 5 and live as in a continual Cortfiitt with Satan, which will not be ended till thy Life do end. If any thing deftroy thee by drawing away thy Heart from God, ic will be thy carnal Self, thy fiefhly Defires, and the Allurements of this World, which is the Matter that they feed upon. This therefore mufi be the earneft Work of thy Life to fubdue this Flefh, and fet light by this World, refift the Devil, that by thefe would deftroy thee* Ic is the common Cafe of miferable Hypocrites, that at fir ft they lift themfelves under Chrift as for a Fight, but they prefently forget their State and Work s and when they are once in their own Conceit regenerate, they think themfelves fo fafe, that there is no farther Danger; and thereupon they do lay dowa their Arms, and take that which they mifcall their Chriftian Liberty, and indulge and pleafe that Flelft wheh they promifed. to mortify, and clofe with the World which they promifed to contemn, and ft give up themfelves to the Devil, whom they promifed co fight againft. If once you apprehend that all your Religion lieth in meer Eelieving, that all (hail go well with you, and that the Eitternefs of Death i% part, and in a forbearance of fome difgraceful Sins, and being much in the Exercife of your Gifts, and in externa! Ways of Duty, and giving God a cheap and plaufibte Obedience in thofe things only which the Flefh cam fpare j you are then fain into that deceitful Hypocrifv, which will as furely condemn you, as open Profanenefs, if yon gee oqc quc of ic* y<w maft live as iq a Fighc, ;

( to8 )

or you cannot overcome. YoU mfl live loofe from ail things in this World, if you will be ready for pother. You mft not live after the Flefli, but mortify it by the Spirit, if you would iret die, but live for ever, Rom.S. 13. Thefe things are not indifferent, but of flat NeceflGty.

The tenth Direftion. Do all your Works as Men that r mfl be judged for them. It is not enough (at leaft in point of Duty and Comfort") that you judg this Preparation in general to fee the main Bufinefs of your Lives, but you fhould alfo order your particular Affions by thefe Thoughts, and meaiure them by their Refpefts to this approaching Day. Before you venture on them, enquire whether they will bear weight in Judgment, and be fweet or bitter when they are brought to Trial i "both for Matter and Manner, this mtift be obferved. Othat you would remember this when Temptations are upon you, when you are tempted to give up your Mfnds to the World, and drown your felves in earthly Cares: "Will yon bethink you foberly whether you would hear of this at Judgment, and whether the World will be then as fwcet as now, and whether this be the beft Preparation for your Trial ? When you are tempted to be drunk, or to fpend your precious time in Ale-houfes, or vain unprofitable Company, or at Cards or Dice, or any finful or needlefs Sports*, bethink you then, whether this will be comfortable at the reckoning ? and whether time be no more worth to one that is fo near Eternity, and mud make fo ftrift an Account of his Hours ? and whether there be not many better Works before you, in which you might fpend your time to your greater Advantage, and to your greater Comfort when it comes to a review ? When you are tempted to Wantonnefs, Fornication, or any other flefhly Intemperance, bethink you foberly, with what Face thefe Aftions will appear at Judgment, and whether they will be then pleafant or difpleafant to you. So

when

109 )

when you are tempted tonegleft the daily Wcrfhipping of God in your Families, and the catechifing and teaching of your Children or Servants, efpecially on the Lord's Day, bethink your felves then, what account you will give of this to Chrift, when he that entrufted you with the Care of your Children and Servants* fhall call you to a reckoning for the Performance of that Trufl ?

The like muft be remembred in the very manner of our Duties. How diligently, fhould a Minifter fludy 5 how earneftly fhould he perfwade *, how unweariedly fhould he bear allOppoficions and ungrateful Returns*, and how carefully fhould he watch over each particular Soul of his Charge (as far as is poflible]) when he remember that he muft fhortly be accountable for all in Judgment ? and how importunate fhould we all be with Sinners for their Converfion, when we confider that we our felves alfo muft fhortly be judged ? Can a Man be cold and dead in Prayer, that hath any true Apprehenfion of that Judgment upon his Mind, where he muft be accountable for all his Prayers andPerformances? O remember, and ferioufly remember, when you ftand before the Minifter to hear the Word, and when you are on your Knees to God in Prayer, in what a manner that fame Perfon, even your felves, muft fhortly ftand at the Bar of the dreadful God ! Did thefe Thoughts get throughly to Mens Hearts, they would awaken them out of their fleepy Devotions, and acquaint them that it is a ferious Bufinefs'to be a Chriftian, How careful fhould we be of our Thoughts and Words, if we believ-ingly remembred that we muft be accountable for them all I How carefully (hould we confider what we d9 with our Riches, and with all that God giveth us ? and how much more largely fhould we expend it for his Service in Works of Piety and Charity, if we believingly remembred that we muft be judged according to what we have done, and give account of every Talent that we receiver Certainly the believing Cocjfidcratioi ol

Juugmenr,

( 110 ) 'judgment, might make us all better Chriftians than we are, and keep our Lives in a more innocent and profitable Frame.

The eleventh Direftion. As you will artmly renew your Failings in this Life, fo he fure tbatyw daily renew )dr Repentance, and fly d&ily to Chrijl for a renewed Pardon, that no Sin mzy leave its fting in your Souls. It is notvour firftPsLfdon that willferve the tum for your htt/r Sins. Not chat you tmxft purpofe to fin, and purpofe to repent when you have done, as a Remedy: for that is an hypocritical and wicked Purpofe of Repenting, which is made a Means to maintain us in our Sins $ but Sin muft be avoided as far as we can j and Repentance and Faith in the Blood of Chrift muft remedy that which wecculd not avoid. The Righteoufnefs of Pardon in CbrifVs Blood is ufeful to us only fo far as we are Sinners, and cometh in where our imperfed inherent Righteoufnefs doth come fhort •, but muft not be purpofely chofen before Innocency : I mean, we muft rather choofe as far as we can, to obey and be innocent, than to fin and be pardoned, if we were fare of Pardon.

The twelfth Direftion. In this vigilant, obedient, penitent Courfe, with-Confidence upon God as aTPa-tber, reft upon the Promife of Acceptance and Re-miffion, through the Merits and Interceffion of him that redeemed you : Look up in-hope to the Glory that is before you, and believe that God will make good his Word, and the patient Expe&ation of the Righteous fhall not be in vain. Chearfully hold on in the Work that you have begun : and as you ferve a better Mailer than you did before your Change, fo ferve him with more Willingnefs, Gladnefs and D ; elight. Do not entertain hard Thoughts of him, or of his Service, but rejoice in your uufpeakable Happinefs of being admitted into his Family and Favour through Chrift. Da Bgt ferye him ia drooping Petition and Djfccurage-

; ( tit )

ment, but wiih Love, and Joy, and fi!ia>Fear. Keep in the Communion of his Saints, wherejhe ischearfully and faithfully praifed and honoured, and where is thegreateft vifiblc Similitude of Heaven upon Earth ; efpecially in the Celebration of the Sacrament of Chrift's Supper, where he feals up a renewed Pardon in his Blood, and where unanimoufly we keep the Remembrance of his Death until he come. Do not caft your felves out of the Communion of the Saints, from whom to be caft out by juft Cenfure and Exclufion, is a dreadful Emblem and Fore-runner of the Judgment to come, where the Ungodly fhall bt caft out of the Prefence of Chrift and his Saints for ever.

I have now finifhed the Directions, which I tender to you for youf Preparation for the Day of the Lord; anil withal my whole Difcourfe on this weighty Point. What ErTeft all this fhall have upon your Hearts, the Lord knows 5 it is not in my Power to determine. If you are fo far blindecf and hardned by Sin and Satan, as to make light of all this, or coldly to commend the Do&rine, while you go on to the End in your carnal worldly Condition as before j I can fay no more, buc tell thee again that Judgment is near, when thou wile bitterly bewail all this too late. And among all the reft of the Evidence that comes in againft thee, this Book will be one which fhall teftify to thy Face before Angels and Men, that thou waft told of that Day, and in-treated to prepare.

But if the Lord fhall (hew thee fo much Mercy as to open thy Eyes, and break in upon thy Heart, and by fober Confideration turn it to himfclf, and caufe thee faithfully to take the Warning that hath been give thee, and to obey thefe Dire&ions, I dare aflTure thee from the Word of the Lord, that this Judgment which will be fo dreadful to the Ungodly, and the Beginning of their endlefs Tcrrour and Mifery, will be as joyful to thee, and the Beginningof thy Glory* TheSaYigur chat thoa haft believed; jiq aud fincerely

( 112 > obe^d, wiH. not condemn thee, PfdL i. $•,<£. Rom. 8. i. John 3. id. ^cis part of hisBufinefs to juftify thee before the World, and to glorify his Merits, his Kingly Power, his Holinefs, and his rewarding Juftice in thy Abfolurion and Salvation. He will account it a righteous thing to recompenfe Tribulation to thy Troubles, and Reft tc thyXelf 5 when the Lord Jefus fhallbe revealed from ;r ^ven with his Mighty Angels, inflaming Fire, taking Vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey r.ot the Gofpel of our Lord Jefus Chrift v who (hall be punijhed-with everlafting Deftru&ion from the Prefence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his Power : Even then fhall he come to be glorified in his Saints, and to be admired in all them that believe in that Day \ even becaufe his Servants Teftimony, and his Spi-> ritsamong them was believed, 2 ThtfJ. 1. 5, 7,8, 9,10. That Day will be the great Marriage of the Lamb, and the Reception of thee, and all the Saints into the Glory of thy Beloved, to which they had a Right at their firft Content and ContraS upon Earth: And when the Brides groom comes, thou who art ready fhalt go into the Marriage, when the Door fhall be ("hut againft the fleepy negligent World; and though they «y, Lord, Lord, open fa us^ they fhall be repulfed with a Verily I fyow you not> J&£.2$. 10,11,1-2*13. For this Day which others fear, mayeft thou long, andhope, and pray, and wait, and comfort thy fel£ in all Troubles with the Remembrance of it, 1 Cor. i$.$5,$S$7,$8. 1 Ito/4.17,18. If thou wert ready to be offered to Death for Chrift, or when the time of thy Departing bat hand, thou mayeft look back on the good bight which thou haft fought, and on the Courfe which thou haft finifhed, and on the Faith which thou haft kept, and mayeft confidently conclude, that henceforth there is laid up for thee a Crown of Right eoufnefs^ which the Lord the Righteous Judg fhall give thee at that Day , and not to thee only, but unto all ihem alfo that love his Appearing, 2 Jim. ,4.5,7,8. jE&pji'j com Lord JtftiSy Rev. 22. 20..

c m

fhe Danger of flighting ChriQ; and his Gofpel.

Mat. 22. 5. But they made light of it.

THE bleffcd Son of God, that thought not enough to die for the World, but would himfelf alio be the Preacher of Grace and Salvation, doth comprize in this Parable the Sum of his Gofpel. By the King that is here faid to make the Marriage, is meant God the Father that fent his Son into the World to deanfe them from their Sins, and efpoufe them to himfelf. By his Son for whom the Marriage is made, is meant the Lord Jefus Chrift, the eternal Son of God, who took to his God-head the Nature of Man, that he might be capable of being their Redeemer when they had loft themfelves in Sin. By the Marriage is meant the Conjunction of Chrift to the Soul of Sinners, when he giveth up himfelf to them to be their Saviour, and they give up then> Pelves to him as his redeemed Ones,to be faved and ruled by him ; the Perfection of which Marriage will beat the Day of Judgment, when the Conjunction between the w hole Church and Chrift (hall be folemnized. The Word here tranflated Marriage, rather fignifieth the Mar> iagi-Feafti and the meaning is,that the World is inviced by the Sofpel to come in and partake of Chrift and Salvacion, which comprehendeth both Pardon, Justification and Right to Salvation, and all other Privileges of the Mem-

bers of Chrift. The Invitation is God's Offer of Chrift andSaIvatioh\w theGofpel* the Servants that invite! them are the Preachers of the Gofpel, who are Tent forth by God to that end 5 the Preparation for Ac

. Feaft there mentioned, is the Sacrifice of Jefus Chrift, tml the enading of a Law of Grace, and opening a Way for revolting Sinners to return to God. There is a mention of fending fecond Meffengers, btcaufe God ufeth not to take the firft Denial, but to exercife his Patience till Sinners are obftinate. The firft Perfons invited are the Jews s upon their obftinate Refufal they are fentcnced to Punifhment ; and the Gentiles are invited, and not only invited, but by powerful Preach* ing, and Miracles, and effectual Grace compelled, that

rjs, infallibly prevailed with to come in. The Number ©f them is fo great, that the Houfe is filled with theGuefts; many come fincerely, not only looking at the Pleafure of the Feaft, that is, at the Pardon of Sin, and Deliverance from the Wrath of God, butalfo at the Honour of die Marriage, that is, of the Redeemer, and their Profeffion by giving up themfelves to an holy Convention : but fome come in only for the Feaft, that is, Juftification by Chrift, having not the Wedding-garment of found Refolution for Obedience in their Life, and looking only at themfelves in believing, and not to the Glory of their Redeemer: and thefe are fenteuced to everlafting Mifery, and fpeed as ill as thofe that came not in at all *, feeing a Faith that will not work, is but like that; of the Devil ; and they that look to be pardoned and faved by it, are miftaken, as James fheweth, cb. 2. 24.

The Words of my Text contain a Narration of the ill Entertainment that the Gofpei findeth with many to whom it h fent, even after a firft and fecond Invitation. They make light of it, and are taken up v.ich other things. Though it be the Jews that were firft guilty, they have too many followers among us Gentiles to this ©ay.

Doft.

; ( m* )

B Doft. For all the wonderful Love and Mirty that Ooi hath .Manifefled in giving his Son to be the Redeemer of the World,aud mbick the Son hath manifested in redeeming them by his Blood j for all his full Preparation, by being afufficient Sacrifice for the )Sins of all ; far all his perfonal Excellencies, and that full and "glorious Salvation that he hath procured ', and for all his fret ', Offers of thef$, and freqient and earnsft Invitation of Sinners: [yet many do vxafy light of all this, and prefer their worldly '^Enjoyments before it. Tm ordinary Entertainment of all is \by Contempt.

Not that al! do fo, or that all continue to do fo who ; were ortce guilty of it: for God hath his Chofen whom ) he will compel to come in. But till the Spirit of Grace | overpower the dead and obftinace Hearts of Men, they jhear the Gofpel as a common Story, and the great Matters contained in it go not to the Heart.

The Method in which I fhall handle this Doftrine is this.

i. I fhall fliew you what it is that Men make light of.

2. What this Sin of making light of it is* i 3. The Caufe of the Sin.

4. The Life of the Doftrine.

I. The thing that carnal Hearers make light of, is, .ix. The Do&rine of the Gofpel it felf, which they hear regardlefly. 2. The Benefits offered them therein: which are, 1. Chrift himfelf. 2. The Benefits which he giveth.

Concerning Chrift himfelf, the Gofpel, 1. Declareth his Perfon and Nature, and the great things that he hath done ^nd fuffered for Man j his redeeming him from the ■ Wrath of God by his Blood, and procuring a Grafit of 'Salvation with himfelf. Furthermore, the fame Go-ifpel maketh an Offer of Chrift to Sinners, that if they 1 will accept him on his e4fy and reafonable Terms, he • will be their Saviour, the Phyfician of their Souls, their Husband and their Head.

( *Itf )

a. The Benefits that he offereth them, arethde.Iy r r. That with thefe bleffed Relations to him, himfelf,! ^ and Intereftin him, they (hall have the Pardon of all l^ ft their Sins part, and be faved from God's Wrath, and! p ] be fet in a fure way of obtaining a: Pardon for all the Sins that they fhall commit hereafter, fo they do but obey fincerely, and turn not again unto the Rebellion of their Unregeneracy. 2. They fhall have the Spirit to become their Guide and Sanditier, and to dwell in their Souls, and help them againft their Enemies* I y and conform them more and more to his Image, and j ^ Heal their Difeafes, and bring them back to God, I -3. They fhall have Right to everlafting Glory when this Life is ended, and fhall be raifed up thereto at the Iflft *, befides many excellent Privileges in the Way, in Means, Preservation and Provifion, and the Foretafle of what they (hull enjoy hereafter: all thefe Benefits the'Gofpel offereth to them that will have Chriftonbis reafonable Term:. The Sum of all is in 1 John 5. 11, x-2. This U the Rtcord that God hath given us eternal Lift, and tbu Life is in his Son : He that hath the So* hath Life, and he that hath not the Son hath not Lift,

II. What this Sin ofmatyng light of the Gofpel Is ? 1. To. make light of the Gofpel, is to take no great heed to what is fpoken, as if it were net a certain Truth, ox elfe were a Matter that little concerned them, or as if God had not written thefe things for them. 2. When the Gofpel doth not afiett Men, or go to their Hearts:, but though they feem to attend to what is faid, yec Men are not awatyntd by it from their Security, nor doth it work in any meafure fuch holy Paflion in their Souls, as Matters of fuch everlafting Confequence fhculd- do }, this is making light of the Gofpel of Salvation, When we tell Men what Chrifl hath done and differed for their Sou's, and it fcarce moveth them : We tell them of keen and cutting Truths, but nothing will pierce them 5 we can make them hear, but we

cannot

rnrr

cannot make them feel j cur Words take up in the ■ Porch of their Ears and Fancies, but will net enter into the inward Parts; as if we fpake to Men that had no Hearts or Feeling •, this is a making light of Chrift and Salvation. AttsiS. 26,27. Hearing ye fliall hear, ' end fhail not underftand; feeing ye {hall fee, and fhall I not perceive: For the Heart of this People is waxen : grofs, and their Ears are dull of hearing, their Eyes areclofed, &c.

3. When Men have no high Eftimation of Chrift and Salvation, but whatfoever they may fay with their Tongues, or dreamingly and fpeculatively believe, yet

I in their ferious and pra&ical Thoughts, they have a I liigher Eftimation of the Matters of this World, than they have of Chrift and the Salvation that he hath purchafed ; this is a making light of him. When Men account the Do&rine of Chrifi to be but a Matter of Words and Names, as Gallio, Affs 18.4. or as Fefttts, Affs 25.19. a fuperftitious Matter about one Jcfus who was dead, and Paul faith is alive: or ask the Preachers of the Gofpel as the Athenians, Atts 17. 18. What mil this Bablerjiy / This is a Contempt ot Chrift.

4. When Men are informed of the Truths of the Gofpel, and on what Terms Chrift and his Benefits may be had, and how it is the Will of God that they fhould believe and accept the Offer * and that he commandeth them to do it upon Pain of Damnation ^ and yet Men mil not confent, unlefs they could have Chrift on Terms of their own: they will not part with their worldly Contents, nor lay down their Pleafures and Profits, and Honour at his Feet, as being content to take fo much of them only as he will give them back, and as is confi-ftent wkh his Will ar.d Intcreft, hut think it is a hard faying, that they muft forfake all in Refo/urion for Chrift j this is a making light of him and their Salvacion. When Men might have part in him and all his Benefits if they would, and they mil not unlefs they may keep the World too j aad are refolved to plea£ their Flefh,

what-

J

whacker comes of ic j this is a high Contempt c* Chrift and everlafting Life. ^^."13.21,22. Lukt 18. 23. you may find Examples, of foch as I here defcribe.

5. When Men will promife fair, and profefs their Willingnefs to have Chrift on his Terms, and to forfakc all for him *, but yet doftic^ to the World and their fin-fuICourfesj and when it comes to Practice, will not be removed by all that Chrift hath d®ne and faid: this 15 making light of Chrift and Salvation. Jer. 42. 5. compared with 43, 2.

III. The Caufesof this Sin are the next thing to be enquired after. It may fcem a Wonder that ever Men that have the ufe of their Reafon, fhould be fo fottifti as to make light of Matters of fuch Confequence. But the Caufe is \

1. Some Men understand not the very Senfe of the Words of the Gofpel when they hear it, and how can they be taken with that which they underftand not? Though we fpeak to them in plain Englifh, and ftudy to fp^k it as plain as we can \ yet People have fo eftrang-ed themfelves from God, and the Matters of their •own Happinds, that they know not what we fay 5 as if we fpoke in another Language, and as if they were under that Judgment, Ifa. 28. ix. with ftammering Lips, and with another Tongue, will he fpeak to this People.

2. Some that do underftand the Words that we fpeak, yet becaufe they are carnal, underftand not the Matter: for the natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them, becaufe they are Spiritually difcerned, 1 Cor. 2.14. They are earthly, and thefe things are heavenly, John g. 12. The things of the Spirit are not well known by bare hearfay, but by a fpiritual Tafte, which none have but thofe that are taught by the Holy Ghoft, 1 Cor. 2.12. that we may know the things that are given us of God.

3. A

. ( "9* "

$. A carnal Mind apprehendech not a Sutablenefs in thefe fpiritual and heavenly things to his Mind, and therefore he fets light by them, and hath no mind of them. When you tell him of everlafting Glory, he heareth you as if you were perfwading him to go play wich the Sun: they are Matters of another World, and out of his Element $ and therefore he hach no more Delight in them than a Fifh would have to be in the faireft Meadow, or than a Swine hach in a Jewel, or a Dog in a piece of Gold: They may be good to others, but he cannot apprehend them as futable to him, becaufe he hath a Nature that is otherwife inclined; he favour-eth not the things of the Spirit, Rom. 8. 5.

4. The main Caufe of the flighting of Chrift and Salvation, is a fecret Root of Vnbeliej in Mens Hearts. Whatfoever they may pretend, they do not foundly ind throughly believe the Word of God: they are taught in general to fay, theGojpelJs true j but they never faw the Evidence of its Truth to far as throughly to perfwade them of it; nor have they got their Souls fertlec 1 on the Infallibility of God's Teftimony, nor considered of the Truth of the particular Doftrincs revealed in the Scripture, fo fer as foundly to believe them. O did you all but foundly beVeve the Words of this Gofpel, of the Evil of Sin, of the Need of Chrift, and what he hath done for you, and what you muft 'be and do if ! ever you will be faved by him, an i what will become of you for ever if you do it not *, I dare fay, ic would cure the Contempt of Chrift, and you would not make fo light of the Matters of your Salvation. But Men do not believe while they fay they do, and would Ucc us [[down that they do, and verily think that they do tiiem-ifclves. There is a Root of bitternefs, and an evil Heart rjof Unbelief that makes them deparc from the living jfiod, Heb. *12. and 4.1, a, 6. Tell any Man in this Congregation, chat he Hull have a Gift of 10000 pounds, [■if he will but go to London for it ; if he believe you, he ■will go} but if ke believe apt, he will not; aud if he

will not go, you may be fare he believeth nor, iuppofing that he is able. I know a flight Belief may ft and with a wicked Life: Such as Men have of the Truth of a Prog-noftication, it may be true and it may be falfe; but a true and found Belief is not confluent with fo great Negleft of the things that are believed.

5. Chrift and Salvation are made light of by the World becaufe of their defperate hardnefs of Heart. The Heart is hard naturally, and by Cuftom in finning made more hard, efpecially by long abufe of Mercy, and negleft of the means of Grace, and refifting the Spirit of God. Hence it is that Men are turned into fuch Stones: and till God cure them of the Scone of the Heart, no wonder if they jeel not what they know, or regard not what we fay, but make light of all,5 'tis hard preaching a Stone into tears, or making a Rock to tremble. You may ftand over a dead Body long enough, and fay to it, 0 thou Carcafe, when thou hafi lain rotting and mouldred to Dufl till the Refurreffion, God will then call ^le to account for thy Sin 9 and caft thee into ever* lafling Fire, before you can make it feel what you fay, or fear the Mifery that is never fo truly threatned. When Mens Hearts are like the High-way that is trodden to hardnefs by long cuftom in Sinning, or like the Clay that is hardned to a Stone by the heat of thofe Mercies that fhould have melted them into Repentance j when they have Confciences feared with an hot Iron, as the Apoftle fpeaks, 2 Tim. 4. 2. no wonder then if they be part feeling, and working all Uncleannefs with greedinefs, do make light of Chrift and everlafting Glory. O that this were not the Cafe of too many of our Hearers I Had we but living Souls to fpeak to, they would hear, and feel, and not make light of what we fay. I know they are naturally alive, but they are fpiritually dead, as the Scripture witnefleth, Ephef.2.%* O if there were but one fpark of the Life of Grace in ^ them, the Doftrine of Salvation by Jefus Chrift would appear to them to be the weightieft Bufinefs in the

World,

13 "

br:

Bi

[be

if,

r

fir

tK;

r ■ I

* . 1!

r • «;:.'

i

k ■

■

( 121 )

World, O how confident fhould I be methinks, to prevail with Men, and to rake them off this World, and bring them to mind the Matter of another World, if I (pake but to Men that had Life and Senfe and Reafon 5 but when we fpeak to Blocks and dead Men, how fhould we be regarded ? O how fad a Cafe are thefe Souls : 5 in, that are fallen under this fearful Judgment of fpi-rituai Madnefs and Deadnefs! To have a blind Mind, <and an hard Heart, to be fottifh and fenflefs, Mir^. 12. John 12.40. left they fhould be converted, and ( 3 their Sin* fhould be forgiven them, : <5. Chrift and Salvation are made light of by the " ; -World, becaufe they are wholly enflaved to their Senfe, f *and taken up with lower things : the Matters of another World are out of fight, and fo far from their Senses, that they cannot regard them* but prefent things i are nearer them, in their Eyes, and in their Hands t • there mud: be a living Faith to prevail over Senfe, be-' fore Men can be fo taken with things that are Dot feen, ' though they have the Word of God for their Security, :■ is eonegleft and let go things that are ftill before their : £yes, Senfe works with great Advantage, and there-:: "ore doth much in refifting Faith where it is. No won-t ler then if it carry all before it, where there is no true ■■ ind lively Faith to refift, and to lead the Soul to high-•> t?r things : this Caufe of making light of Chrift and Sal-ration, isexprefled here in my Text*, One went to his «arm, and another to his Merchandize: Men have Hou-i *es and Lands to look after: they have Wife and Chil-> kren to mind, they have their Body and outward Eftace d regard *, therefore they forget that they have a God, Redeemer, a Soul to mind; thefe Matters of the '■- World are ftill with them. They fee thefe, but they-: -e not God, norChrift, nor their Souls, nor everlafting : }Lory. Thefe things are ntir at hand,and therefore work it }.axu,rdly, and fo work forcibly ; but the other are thought n as a great way off, and therefore too diftant to wort ft m their Affe&ions, or be at the prefent fo i;u$h regarded «j>

( 122 )

cd by them. Their Body hath Life and Senfe; and therefore if they want Meat, or Drink, or Clothes, will-feel their Want, and tell them of it, and give them no reft till their Wants be fupplied \ and therefore they cannot make light of their bodily Necefli-ties: but their Souls in fpiritual Refpefts are dead, and therefore feel not their Wants, but will let them alone In their greateft Neceflities -, and be as quiet when they are ftarved and languifhing to Deftru&ion, as if all were well and nothing ailed them. And hereupon poor People are wholly taken up in providing for the Body, as if they had nothing elfe to mind. They have their Trades and Callings to follow, and fo much to do from Morning to Night, that they can find no time for Matters of Salvation. Chrift would teach them, but they have no leifure to hear him: the Bible is before them, but they cannot have while to read it: A Minifter is in the Town with them, but they cannot have while to go to enquire of him what they fhould do to be faved: And when they do hear, their Hearts are fo full of the World, and carried away with thefe lower Matters, that they cannot mind the things which they hear. They are fo full of the Thoughts and Defires, and Cares of this World, that there is no room to pour into them the Water of Life: The Cares of the World | do choak the Word, and make it become unfruitful, Mattb. 15.22. Men cannot ferve two Matters, God and Maunmon, but they will lean to the one, and de-fpife the other, Mattb. 6. 24. He that loveth the: World, the Love of the Father is not in him, 1 John 2. 15, i5. Men cannot choofe but fet light by Chrift and Salvation, while they fet fo much by any thing on Earth. It is that which is highly efteemed among Men, is abominable in the Sight of God, Lufy 16. 15. O this is the Ruine of many thoufand Souls! It would grieve the Heart of any honeft Chriftian, to fee how eagerly this vain World is followed everywhere, and< ! "w little Meu fet by Chrift, and the World to come I

( 1*3 )

to compare the Care that Men have for the World,

with the Care of their Souls •, and the time that they lay out on the World, with that time they lay ouc for their Salvation: To fee how the World fil's their Mouthy their Hands, their Houfes, their Hearts; and Chrift hath little more than a bare Title: to come into their Company, and hear no Difcourfe but of the World s to come into their Houfes, and hear and fee nothing but for the World, as if this World would Iaft for ever, or would purchafe them another. When I ask fometime the Minifters of the Gofpel how their Labours fucceed, they tell me, People continue ftill thp fame, and give up themfelves wholly to the World, fo that ItStf mind not what Minifters fay to then* nor will give any full Entertainment to the Word, and all betaufe of the delude jijf World. And O that too many Minifters themfelves did not make light of that Chrift whom they preach, being drawn away with the Love of this World! In a j Word, Men of a worldly Difpofition do judg of things, Recording to worldly Advantages $ therefore Chrift jh flighted, Ifa* 53.3. He is defpifed and rejected of Men ; ]they hide their faces from him, and efleem him n»t> as fee* \ing no Beauty or Comelinefs in bim, that they (hould defirt \him.

j 7. Chrift and Salvation are made light of, becaufe .Men do not foberly confider of the Truth and Weight of jjthefe neceflary things. They fuffer not their Minds jfo long to dweli upon them, till they procure a due J Efteem, and deeply affeft their Heart \ did they be-jlievethem, and not confider of them, how fhouldthey ji work ? O when Men have Reafon given them to think J and confider of the things that mod concern them, and yet they will not ufe it, this caufeth their Contempt.

8. Chrift and Salvation are made light of, becaufe

Men were never fenfible of their Sin and JMifery, and ex-

turn Neceffity of Chrift and his Salvation: Their Eyes

were never opened to fee themfelves as they are; nor

G 2

r^n 1

their Hearts foundly humbled in the Senfeof their Condition: if this were done, they would foon be brought ro value a Saviour. A truly broken Heart can no more , make light of Chrift and Salvation, than a hungry' i Man of his Food, or a fick Man of the Means that ttould give him eafe; but till then, our Words cannot have Acce/i to their Hearts. While Sin and Mifery is made light of, Chrift and Salvation will be made light of j but when thefe are perceived an intolerable Burden, then nothing will ferve the turn but Chrift. Till Men be truly humbled, they can venture Chrift and Salvation for a Luft, for a little worldly Gain, even for lefs than nothing: butwhea God hath illuminated them, and broken their Hearts, then they would give a World for a Chrift j then they mufi have Chrift, or they die, all things then are Lofs and Dung to thim in regard oj the excellent Knowledg of Chrift, Phil. 3.8. When they are once pricked in their Hearts for Sin and Mifery, then they cry out, Men and Brethren what (hall we do * Afts 2. 37. When they are awakened by God's Judgments, as the poor Jaylor, Alts 16.29. then they cry out, Sirs, what (hall 1 do to be faved i This is the Reafon why God will bring Men fo r low by Humiliation, before he bring them to Salvation. 9. Men take occafion to make light of Chrift, by the Commonnefs of the Gofpel', becaufe they do hear of it every Day, the frequency 'is an Occafion to dull their Af/caions; 1 fay, an Occafion, for it is no juftCaufe. Were it a Rarity, it might take more with them j but now, if thev hear a Minifter preach nothing but thefe faving Truths, they fay, We have thefe every Day ; they make not light of their Bread or Drink, their Health or Life, becaufe they poifcfs them tvii v da) \ they make not U^t of the Sun, becaufe ic ftrineth every day -, at kafl they fheuldnot, for the Mercy is the greater : but Chrift and Salvation are made light of, becaufe they hear of them ^fcen ', This is, fay they, a goad plain dry Sermm; P^ls are crod in the dire where they are common hi

(I2 ^

mon\ they loath this dry Manna, Prev.2f.f. The full Soul loaths the Hony-co-mb •, but to the Hungry Soul every bitter thing is fweet.

10.. Chrift and Salvation are made light of, beraufe i of this disjunctive Preemption, eicher that he is fure enough theirs d--eady 3 and God that is fo merciful, and Chrift that hath fufftred fo much for them, isfureiy re-folved tofavethem, orelfe it may eafily be obtained at any time, if it be not yet io. - A conceited Facility to have a part in Chrift and Salvation at any time, doth occafion Men to make light of them. It is true, that Grace is free, and the Offer is univerfal, according to the extent of the preaching of the Gofpel ; and it is true that Men may have Chrift when they will j that is, when they are willing to have him on his Terms: but he that hath promifed thee Chrift, if thou be willing, hath not promifed to make thee willing \ and if thou art not willing now, how canft thou think thou fhalt be wilting hereafter? If thou canft make thine own Heart willing, why is it not done now ? Can you do it better when Sin hath more hardned it, and God may have given thee over to thy felf? O Sinners, you might do much, though you are not able of your felves to come in, if you would now fubjeft your felves to the working or the Spirit, and fet in while the Gales of Grace continue! But did you know what a hard and impoffible thing it is to be fo much as willing to have Chrift and Grace, when the Heart is given over to it felf, and the Spirit hath withdrawn-its former Invitations, you would not be fo confident of your own Strength to believe and repent 5 nor would you make light of Chrift upon fuch foolifh Confidence. If indeed it be fo eafy a Matter as you imagine for a Sinner to believe and repent at any time 3 how comes it to pafs that it is done by fo few, but moft of the World do perifli in their Impeni-tency, when they have all the Helps and Means that we can afford them ? Tt is true, the thing is very reafona-ble and eafy in it felf to a pure Nature 5 but while Man

( 126 )

is blind and dead, thcfc things are in a fort impoffible to him, which are never fo eafy to others. It is the eafieft and fweeteft Life in the World to a gracious Soul to live in the Love of God, and the delightful Thoughrs of the Life to come, where all their Hope and Happi-nefs lieth: But to worldly carnal Hearts it is as eafy to remove a Mountain, as to bring them to this. However, thefe Men are their own Condemners: for if they think it- fo eafy a Matter to repent and believe, and fo to have Chrift and Right to Salvation, then have they no excufe for negleclingthis which they thought fo eafy. O wretched impenitent Soul 1 what mean you to fay, when God fhall ask you, Why did you not repent and ■ lone your Redeemer above the World, when yon thought it fo eajy that you could do it at any time f

IV. Vft i. We come now to the Application. And .hence you may be informed of the Blindnefsand Folly of all carnal Men: how contemptible are their judgments that think Chrift and Salvation contemptible; and how little Reafon there is why any fhould be moved by them, or difcouraged by any of their Scorns or Contradictions.

How fhall we fooner know a Man to be a Fool, than i f he knows no difference between Dung and Gold ? Is there fuch a thing as madnefs in the Word, if that Man be not mad, that fets light by Chrift and his own Sal- j ration, while he daily toils for the Dung of the Earth ? | And jet what pity is it to fee that a Company of poor ignorant Souls will be afhamed of Godlinefs, if fuch Men as thefe do but deride them ! Or will think hardly of a holy Life, if fuch as thefe do fpeak againft it 1 Hearers, if you fee any fet light by Chrift and Salvation, do you fet light by that Man's Wit, and by his Words, and hear the Reproaches of a holy Life, as you would hear the Words of a Mad- man \ not with regard, but with a Compaffion of his Mifery.

( mw

Vfi 2. What wonder if we and our preaching be de-fpifed, and the beft Minifters complain of ill fuccefs, when the Miniftry of the Apoftles themselves did fucceed no better ? What wonder if for all that we can fay or do, our Hearers fiilJ fet light by Chrift and their own Salvation, when rhe Apoftles Hearers did the fame ? They

I that did fecond their Doftrines by Miracles. If any Men could have fliakenand torn in pieces the Hearts of Sinners, they could have done it: If any could have laid them at their Feet, and made them all cry out as fome, What (hall wi do ? it would have been they. You may fee then that ic is not meerly for want of good Preachers

I that Men make light of Chrift and Salvation : the firft News of fuch a thing as the Pardon of Sin, and the Hopes of Glory, and the Danger of everlafting Mifery, $ould turn the Hearts of Men within them, if they were as traftable in fpiritual Matters as in temporal: But alas, it is far ocherwife. It muft net fecm any ftrange thing, nor muft it too much difcourage the Preachers of the Gofpel, if when they have faid all that they can de-yife to fay to win the Hearts of Men to Chrift, the mofl do ftill flight him; and while they bow the Knee to him, and honour him with their Lips, do yet fet fo light by him in their Hearts, as to prefer every flemly Pleafure or Commodity before him. It will be thus with many: let us be glad that it is not thus witb all

Vfe $*■ But for clofer Application. Seeing this is the great condemning Sin, before we enquire after it into the Hearts of our Hearers, it befeems us to begin at home, and fee that we who are Preachers of the Gofpel be not guilty of it our felves. The Lord forbid that they that have undertaken the facred Office of revealing the Excellencies of Chrift to the World, fhould make light of him themfelves, and flight that Salvation which they do daily preach. The Lord kaovvs we G 4 arc

( *23 ) are *11 of iisfolowin our Eftimationof Chrift, and do this great Work {o negligently, that we have caufe to be afhamed of our beft Sermons; but fhould this Sin prevail in us, we were the mod miferable of all Men. Brethren, I Jove not Cenforioufnefs •, yet dare not befriend fo vile a Sin in my kU or others under pretence of avoiding it, efpecially when there is fo great Necef-fity that it fhould be healed ftrft in them that make it their Work to heal it in others. O that there were no caufe to complain that Chrift and Salvation are made light of by the Preachers of it! But, i. Do not the cegligent Studies cf fome fp**ak it out ? 2. D'&th not their dead and drowfy Preaching declare it? Do not they make light of the Doctrine they preach, that do it as if they were half afleep, and feel not what they fpeak themfelves ?

3. Doth not the Carelefnefs of fome Mens private Endeavours difcover it ? What do they for Souls ? how flightly do they reprove Sin ? how little do they when they are out of the Pulpit for the faving of Mens Souls ?

4. Doth net the continued Neglect of thofe things wherein the Intereft of Chrift confifteth difcover It? 1. The Churches Purity and Reformation 5 1. Its Unity.

$. Doth not the covetous and worldly Lives of too many difcover it, lofing Advantages for Mens Souls for a little Gain to themfelves ? and moft of this is becaufe Men are Preachers before they are Chriftians, and tell Men of that which they never felt themfelves. Of all Men on Earth, there are few that are in fo fad ^Condition as fuch Minifters: and if indeed they do believe that Scripture which they preach, methinks it fhould be terrible to them in their fhidying and preaching k.

Vfi 4, Beloved Hearers; the Office that God hath called us to, is, by declaring the Glory of his Grace, to

help

help under Chrift to the faving of Mens Souls. I hope you think not that I come hicher to Day on any other '' Errand. The Lord knows I had not fee a Foot out of Doors, but in hope to fucceed in this Work for your Souls. I have-confidered and often ccnfidered, what is the matter that fo many thoufands fhould perifh when God hath done fo much for their Salvation 5 and I find this that is mentioned in my Text is the Caufe. It is one of the Wonders of the World, that when God hath fo loved "the World as to fend his Son, aud drift hath made a Satisfaction by his Death fufficient for them all* and offereth the Benefits of it fo freely to them, even-without Money or Price, that yet the mod of the World fhould perifh; yea the moft of thofe that are thus called by his Word ! Why here is the Reafon, whea Chrift hath done all this, Men make light of it. God hath (hewed that be is not unwilling;. and Chrift hacli (hewed thai be is not unwilling that Men fhould be raftered to God's Favour and be faved y but Men are actually unwilling themfelves. God takes not fleafun in the Death of Sinners, but rather that they return and live, £v£*33» **• But Men take fuch fleafun in Sin, thac-they will die before they will return. The Lord Jefus was content to be their Phyfician, and hath provided I themafufificient Plaifter of his own Blood: but if Men : make light of it, and will not apply it, what wonder I if they perifh after all ? This Scripture giveth us the |] Reafon of their Perdition. This Ld Experience tells 1 us the. moft of the World is guilty of. It is amoftla-. nientable thing to fee how moft Men do fpend cheir Ga their Time, their Pains for known Vanities, while God *nd Glory are c%ft afi'de : That he who is *#, htould feem to them as nothing ; and that which is nothiftg % ihould ffcemco them as good as dl\ that God (houidlo: van-kind in fuch a.Race where Heaven or Heil is ciieir cerjaia End, and that they fhould fit down, and loice sjfter the childifh Toys of the World, and forget *he Prize that they fhould run for.

( 13© )

poifible for one of us to fee the whit of this Bufinefs, as the All-feeing God doth* to fee atone View, both Heaven and Hell which Men are fo near, and fee what mod Men in the World are minding, and what they are doing every Day, it would be the fadded fight that could be imagined. O how fhould we marvel at their Mad-nefs, and lament their Self-delufion! O poor didra&ed World ! what is it that you run after ? and what is it that you negleft ? If God had never told them %vhat they were fent into the Word to do, or whither they were going, or what was before them in another World, then they had been excufable \ but he tiath told them over and over, till they were weary of it. Had he left it doubtful, there had been fome excufe j but it is his fealed Word, and they profefs to believe it, and would take it ill of us if we fhould quedion whether they do believe it or not.

Beloved, I come not to accufe any of you particularly of this Crime: but feeing it is the commoned Caufe of Mens Dedruftion, I fuppofe you will judg it the fitted Matter for our Enquiry, and defervirig our greateft Care for the Cure. To tfhich end I fhall, i. Endeavour the CmvMon of the Guilty. 2. Shall give them fuch Confiderationsas may tend to humble and reform them. 3. I (hall conclude with fuch Diredion as may help them that are willing to efcape the deftroying Power of this Sin. And for the fird/ confider,

1. It is the Cafe of mod Sinners to think themfelves freed from thofe Sins that they are mod enflaved to 3 and one reafon why we cannot reform them, is, becaufe we cannot convince them of their Guilt. It is the Nature of Sin fo far to blind and befool the Sinner, that heknoweth not what he doth, but thinketh he is free from it when it reigneth in him, or when he is committing it: It bringeth Men to be fo much unacquainted jwkh themfelves, that they know not what they think, or what they mean and intend, nor what they love or fr 3 re. much left vyfacthey are habituated and difpofed

to. They arc alive to Sin, and dead to all theReafott/ Confideration and Refolution that fhould recover them, as if it were only by their finning that we mud know they are alive. May I hope that you that hear me to Day, are but willing to know the Truth of your Cafe* and then I fhall be encouraged to proceed to an enquiry. God will judg impartially \ why fhould not we do fo2 i Let me therefore by thefe following Queftions, try whether none of you are Slighter* of Chrift and your own Salvation. Andfoliowme, I befeechyou^ by putting them clofe to your own Hearts, and faithfully anfweringthem*

i. Things that Men highly value will be nmmhnd v they will "be matter of their freeft and fweetefl thoughts 5 this a known Cafe.

Do not thofe thep make light of Chrift and Salvation,' -that think of them fo feldom and coldly in compari-fon of other things ? Follow thy own Heai t Mafi^ and eb* > ferve what it daily runneth out after? and then judg . whether it make not light of Chrift.

We cannot perftvadeMen to one Hours fober Con* fideration what they fhould do for an Intereft in Chrift^ or in Thankfulnefs for his Love, and yet they will no^ believe that they make light of him,

2. Things that we highly value will be Matter of our * Difcourfe; The Judgment and Heart will command the Tongue: Freely and delightfully will our Speech run after them: this alfo is a known Cafe.

Do not thdfe then make light of Chrift and Salvation^? , that fhun the mention of his Name, unlefs it be in a > vain or finful life ? Thofe that love not the Company where Chrift and Salvation is much arik'd of, buc think it troublefom precife Difcourfe j that had rather hear fome merry Jefts, or idle Tales, or talk of theig 5 Riches or Bufinefs in the World : When you may follow them from Morning to Night, and fcarce have a, fa-voury Word of Chrift, but perhaps fome (light and weary mention of him ftraecimes 5 judg whether thefe makenotjightof Chrift and Salvation, How ferioufiy

aochey talk of the World, PfaL 144.8, n. and fpeak Vanity! but how heartlefly do they make mention of Chrift and Salvation?

3. The things that we highly value, we would fecure the Pofleffion of, and therefore would take any convenient Courfe to have all Doubts and Fears about them well refolved. Do not thofe Men then make light of Chrift and Salvation, that have lived 20 or 50 Years in Uncertainly whether they have any part in thefe or not, and yet never feek out for the right Resolution of their Doubts ? Are all that hear me this Day certain they •fhall be hved ? O that they were ! O had you not made light of Salvation, ycu could not fo cafily bear fuch Doubtings of it j you could not reft till you had made it lure, or done your beft to make it fure. Have you no Body to enquire of, that might help you in fuch a Work ? Why you have Ministers that are purpofely appointed to that Office. Have you gone to them, and told them the Doubtfulnefs of your Cafe, and asked their Help in the judging of your Condition ? Alas, Mnrifters may fit in their Studies from one Year to another, before ten Perfons among iooo will come to them on fuch an Errand ! Do not thefe make light of Chrift and Salvation ? When the Gofpel pierceth the Heart indeed, they cry out, Men and Brethren, what (hall we do to be fated? Afis 16. go. and 9. 6. trembling and aftonifhed Paul cries out, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do * And fo did the convinced Jews to Peter, Atts 2.37. But when hear we fuch Qaeftions ?

4. The things that we value, do deeply affeft us, and fome Motions will be in the Heart according to our Efti-mation of them. O Sirs, if Men made not light of thefe things, what working would there be in the Hearts of all our Hearers ? what ftrange Afteclions would ic raife in them to hear of the Matters of the World to come! How would their Hearts mek before the Power of the Gofpel! what Sorrow would be wrought in the Difcovery of their Sin! what Aftopifhment at the Consideration

V ill J fideration of their Mifery! what unfpeakable Joy at the glad Tidings' of Salvation by the Mood of Chrift ! what Refolution would be raifed iti them upon the Difco-very of their Doty ! O what Rearers (hould we have if it were not for this Sin i Whereas now we are likcr to weary them, or preach them afleep with Matters of this unfpeakable Moment. We talk to them cf Chrift

I and Salvation, till we make their Heads ake: Little would one think by their carelefs Carriage, that they

I heard and regarded what we faid, or thought we fpoke at all to them.

$. Our Eftimation of things will be feen in the diligence of our Endeavours. That which we highlieft value, we fhall think no pains too great to obtain. Do not thofe Men then make light of Chrift and Salvation, that think all too much that they do for them, that murmur at his Service, and think it too grievous for them to endure ? that ask of his Service, as Judas of the Ointment, Wliat need this wafle * cannot Men be faved mthoutfo \ mnch ad$ ? this Is more ado than needs. For the World they will labour all the Day, and all their Lives; but for Chrift and Salvation they are afraid of doing too much. Let us preach to thjem as long as we will, we cannot bring them to relifh or refolve upon a Life of Ho-Iinefs. Follow them to their Houfes, and you fhall noe hear them read a Chapter, nor call upon God with their Families once a Day; nor will they allow him that one Day in feven which he hath feparated to his Service. ButPleafure, or worldly Bufinefs, or Idlenefs muft have a part. And many of them are fo far hardened, as to reproach them that will not be as mad as themfelves. And is not Chrift worth the feeking > Is not everlaft-ing Salvation worth more than all this? Doth not that Soul make light of all thefe, that thinks his Eafe more worth than they ? Let but common Senfe judg.

6. That which we moft highly value, we think we cannot buy too dear: Chrift and Salvation are freely given,

and yet the moft of Men go without them, becaufe

they

(134)

they cannot enjoy the World and them together. They are called but to part with that which would hinder them from Chrift, and they will not do it. They are called but to give God his own, and to refign all to his Will, and let go the Profits and Pleafures of this World, when they muft let go either Chrift or them > and they will not. They think this too dear a Bargain, and fay they cannot fpare thefe things \ they muft hold their Credit with Men , they muft look to their EftStes, how (hall they live elfe? they muft have their Pleafure, whatfo-ever becomes of Chrift and Salvation: As if they could live without Chrift better than without thefe: as if they were afraid of being Lofers by Chrift, or could make a faving Match by Iofing their Souls to gain the World, Chrift hath told us over and over, that if we will not forfake all for him, we cannot be his Difciples, L&k} 14* 33» ^ ar are thefe Men from forfaking all* and yet will needs think that they are his Difciples Indeed.

7. That which Men highly efteem, they would help their Friends to as well as themfelves. Do not thofe Men make light of Chrift and Salvation, that can take fo much care to leave their Children Portions in the World, and do fo little to help them to Heaven ? that provide outward Neceffaries fo carefully for their Families, but do fo little to the faving of their Souls? Their ne-glefted Children and Fritnds will witnefs, that either Chrift, or their Children Souls, or both were made light

of.

8. That which Men highly efteem, they will fo diligently feek after, that you may fee it in the fuccefs, if it be a Matter within their reach. You may fee how many make light of Chrift, by the little Knowledg they have of him, and the little Communion with him, and Communication from him * and the little, yea, none of his fpecia! Graces in them. Alas-, v w many Mir.ifters canfpeakit to the Sorrow of tb ir <-:.. than many 9f their People kaow ahiioft noti brift, chough

shey

:hcy hear of hini daily, nor know they what they nuft do to be faved I If we ask them an account ; of thefe things, they anfwer as if they underftood not • what we fay to. them, and tell us they are no Scholars, and therefore think they are excufable for their ' Ignorance. O if thefe Men had not made light of Chrift and their Salvation, but had beftowed but half fo much Pains to know and enjoy him, as they have done to underftand the Matters of their Trades and Callings in the World, they would not have been fo ignorant as they are: they make light of thefe things, and therefore will not be at the Pains to ftudy or learn them. When Men that can learn the hardeft Trade in a few Years, have not learned a Catechifm, nor how to underftand their Creed, under twenty or thirty Years Preaching, nor cannot abide to be queftion-cd about fufth things; doth not this fhew that they have flighted them in their Hearts? How will thefe Defpifers of Chrift and Salvation be able one Day to look him in the Face, and to give an account of thefe Neglefts ?

Thus much I have fpoken in order to your Convifti-on. Do not fome of your Confciences by this time fmite you, and fay, 1 urn the Man that have made light of my Salvation .<? If they do not, it is becaufe you make light of it ftill for all that is faid to you. But becaufe if it be the Will of the Lord, I would fain have this damning Diftemper cured, and am loth to leave you in fuch a defperate Condition, if I knew how to remedy it, I v\ill give you fome Confiderations, which may move you, if you be Men of Reafon and Underftanding to look better about you j and I befeech you weigh them* and make ufe of them as we go, and lay open your Hearts to the Work of Grace, and fadly bethink you what a Cafe you are in, if you prove fuch as make light of Chrift. ^

Confider, r. Thou makeft light of him that made not light of thee who didft deferve it. Thou waft vvor-

( 13* )

thy of nothing but Contempt* A* a Man, what arc thou but a Worm to God? As a Sinner, thou art far viler than a Toad: yet Chrift was fo far from making light of thee and thy Happinefs, that he came down into the Flefh, and Jived a Life of Suffering, and offered himfelf a Sacrifice to the Juftice which thou hadft provoked, that thy miferable Soul might have a Remedy. It is no Ids than Miracles of Love and Mercy that he hath ffiewed to us : and yet fhall we flight them after all ?

Angels admire tkem, whom they lefs concern,, i Pet. r. 12. and /hall redeemed Sinners make light of them ? What barbarous, yea devilifh, yea worfe than deviJifh Ingratitude is this ? the Devils never had a Saviour offered them, but thou haft, and doft thou yet make light of him ?

2. Confider the Work of Man's Salvation by Jefus Chrift is the Mafter-piece of all the Works of God, wherein he would have his Love and Mercy to be magnified. As the Creation declareth his Goodnefs and Power, fo doth Redemption his Goodnefs and Mercy j he hath contrived the very Frame of his Worfhip fo, that it fhall much confift in the magnifying of this Work ; and after all this, will you make light of it ? His Name is Wonderful, Ifa. 9. 6. He did the Work that none could do, John 1 $• 24. Greater Love could none flievv than this, John 1$.13. How great was the Evil and Mifery that he delivered us from! the Good procured for us! all are Wonders from his Birth to his Afcen-fion \ from our new Birth to our Glorification, all are Wonders of matchlefs Mercy, And yet do you make: light of them i

g. You make light of Matters of greatefl Excellency and Moment in the World : you know not what it is that you flight j had you well known, you could not have done it. As Chrift faid to the Wcman of Samaria, John 4. io. hadft thou known who it is that fpeaketh to thee, thou wouldft have asked of him the Waters of Life: had they knvpn % they would not have crucified

the

( 137 ) the Lord of Glory, i Or. 2. 8. So had you known whatChriftis, you would not have made light of him 5 Had you been one Day in Heaven, and but feen what they poflefs, and feen alfo what miferable Souls muft endure that are tout out, you would never fure have made fo light of Chrift again.

OSirs, it is no Trifles or jefting Matters that the Go-fpel fpeaks of, I muft needs profefs to you, that wlien 1 have the moft ferious Thoughts of thefe things my felf, I am ready toonarvel that fuch amazing Matters do not overwhelm the Souls of Men : that the Grcat-nefs of the Subjeft doth not fo overmatch our Under-ftandings and AfFedions, as even to drive Men befide themfelves, but that God hach always fomewhat allayed it by thediftance j much more that Men Qiould be fo block!fh as to make light of them. O Lord, that Men did but keow what everlafting Glory, and ever-lafting Torments are * would they then hear us as they do ? would they read and think of thefe things as they do ? I profefs I have been ready to wonder when I have heard fuch weighty things delivered, how People can forbear cryitig out in the Congregation 5 much more, ' how they can reft till they have gone to their Minifters ' and learned what they ftiould do to be faved, that this ; great Bufmefs might be put out of doubt. O that Heaven and Hell fhould work no more on Men ! O that I Everlaftingnefs fnould work no more! O how can you I forbear when you are alone, to think with your felves i what it is to be everlaftingly in Joy or in Torment! I j wonder that fuch Thoughts do not break your Sleep ; I and that they come not in your mind when you are about I your Labour! I wonder how you can almoft do any ; thing clfe! How you can have any Quietnefs in your Minds! How ycu can eat, or drink, or reft, till yon 1 have got fome Ground of everlafting Confolations! Is tfaat a Alan or a Corps that is not affefted with Matters of this Moment? that can be readier to fleep, than to tremble, when he heareth how he muft ftand at the Bar of

God!

( I3» )

God ! Is that a Ms.n % or a Clod offj&i, that can rife and lie down without being deeply afYefted with his ever-la/ling Eftate ? that can follow his worldly Bufmefs, and make nothing of the great Eufinefs of Salvation or Damnation; and that when they know it is hard at hand. Truly Sirs, when I think of die Weight of the Matter, I wonder at the very beft of God's Saints upon Earth, that they are no better, and do no more in fo weighty a Cafe. I wonder at thofe whom the World accountedi more holy than needs, and fcorns for making too much ado 5 that they can put off Chrift and their Souls with fo little , that they pour not out their Souls in every Supplication 3 that they are not more taken up with God * that their Thoughts be not more ferious in preparation for their Account. I wonder that they be not an hundred times more drift in their Lives, and more laborious and unwearied in driving for the Crown, than they are. And for my felf, as I am afhamed of my dull and carelefs Heart, and of m£ flow and unprofitable Courfe of Life ; fo the Lord knows, I am afhamed of every Sermon that I j preach: when I think what I have been fpeaking of, and. who fent me •, and that Mens Salvation or Damnation is fomuch concerned in it. lam ready to tremble, left God fhould judg me as a Slighter of his Truth, and the Souls of Men, and left in the beft Sermon I fhould be guilty of their Blood. Methinks we fhould not fpeak a Word to Men in Matters of fuch Confequence, without Tears, or the greateft Earneftnefs that poffibly we can : were not we too much guilty of the Sin which wc reprove, it would be fo. Whether we are alone, or in Company, methinks our End, and fuch an End, fhould ftill be in our Mind, and as before our Eyes % and weftould (ooner forget any thing, and fet light by any thing, or by all things, than by this.

Conftder, 4. Who is it that fends this weighty Mef-.

fagetoyou? Is it not God himfelf? Shall the God

©f Hcavsa fpeak, and Meo make light of it? You

« would

( 139 )

would not flight the Voice of an Angel or a Prince.

$. Wvofe Salvation isic chat you make light of? Is*ic

notyourown? Are you no more near or dear to your

felves, than to make light of your own Happinefs or Mi-

) fery ? Why Sirs, do you not care whether you be fayed

or damned ? Is Self-love loft ? Are you turned your own

1 Enemies ? As he that flighteth his Meat doth flight his

Life; fo if you (light Chrift, whacfoever you may think,

; you will find it was your own Salvation that you flighted.

1 Hear what he faith, Prov. 8. 36. All they that hate me>

love Death.

6. Your Sin is greater, in that youprofefs to believe

; the Gofpel which you make fo light of. For a profeffed

' Infidel to do it, that believes not that ever Chrift died,

or rofe again, or doth not believe that there is an Heaven

1 or Hell, this were no fuch marvel ; but for you that

make it your Creed, and your very Religion, and call

your felves Chriftians, and have been baptized into this

Faith, and feemed to ftand to it, this is the Wonder,

and hath no Excufe. What! believe that you (hall

live in endlefs Joy or Torment, and yet make no more

I of it, to efcape Torment, and obtain that Joy. What!

! believe that God will fhortly judg you, and yet make no

•more Preparation for it. Either fay plainly, / am no

iCbriftian, I do not believe tbtfe wonderful things, I mil be*

uieve nothing but what I.fee 5 or elfe let your Hearts be

laffe&ed with your Belief, and live as you fay you do be-

Jieve. What do you think when you repeat the Creed,

and mention drift's Judgment, and everlafting Life I

7. What are thefe things you fet fo much by, as to (prefer them before Chrift, and the ftving of your Souls ? Wave you found a better Friend, a greater and furer ^Happinefs than this? Good Lord ! what Dung is itthac Men makefo much of, while they fee fo light by ever-rafting Glory! What Toys are they that they are daily xaken up with, while Matters cf Life and Death are ne-glefted! Why Sirs, if you had eveny one a Kingdom po your Hopes, what were it in comparifon of the ever-

lafting Kingdom ? I cannot but lookapon all the Glory and Dignity of this World, Lands and Lord (hips, Crowns and Kingdoms, even as on feme brainfick beggarlv Fellow, that borroweth fine Clothes, and plays the Pare of a King or a Lord for an Hour on a Stage, and then comes down, and the Spore is ended, and they are. Beggars again. Were it not for God's Kitereft in the*! Authority of Magistrates, or for the Service they mighef ! do him, I fhould judg no better of them. For as to their own Glory, it is but a Smoak : what matter is ic whether you live poor or rich, unl'efs ft were a greater Matter to die rich than it is ? You know well enough that Death levels all: what Matter is it at Judgment, whether you be jo anfwer for the Life of a rich Man, or a poor Man ? Is Dives then any better than L&\ams ? O that Meti knew what a poor deceiving Shadow they; grafp at, while they let go the everlafting Subftance ! The ftrongeft and richeft, and moil voluptuous Sinners, do but lay in fuel for their Sorrows, while they think they are gathering together a Treafure. Alas, they are aflcep, and dream that they are happy 5 but when they awake, whac a Change will they find ! Their Crown is made of Thorns: their Pleafure hath fuch a Sting as will flick in th« Heart through all Eternity, except un<| feigned Repentance do prevent it. O how fadly willj thefe Wretches be convinced ere long what a foolim| Bargain they made in felling Chrift and their Salvation! for thefe Trifles! Let your Farms and Merchandize theni fave you if they can, and do that for you that Chrift! would have done. Cry then to thy Baal to fave thee.; O "what "Thoughts have Drunkards and Adulterers, &o\ of Chrift, that will not part with the bafeft Lull for| him \ For a piece of Bread, faith Solomon, fuch Men doj tranfgrefs, Prov.id. 21.

8. Tofet fo light by Chrift and Salvation is a certain Mark that thou haft no part in them, and if thou fo continue, that Chrift will fet as light by thee: thofe tliac honour him he will honour, and thofe that defpife him

(hall

( Hi )

fhall be lightly efteemed, i Sam. 2. go. Thou wilt feel one Day that thou canft nor live without him. Thou wilt confefs then thy need of him *, and then thou mayeft go look for a Saviour whcr thou wilt, for he will be no Saviour for thee hereafter, that wouldft not value him, and fubmit to him here. Then who will 1 prove the Lofer by thy Contempt ? O what a thing will : it be for a poor miferable Soul to cry to Chrifl for Help ( in the Day of Extremity, and to hear fo fad ai Anfwcr as this! Thoudidft fet light by me and my Law in the ; Day of thy Profperity, and I will now fet as light by 3 thee in thv Adverfity. Read Prov. 1. 24 to the end. ; Thou thac,'as Efau, didft fell thy Birth-right for a Mefs of 1 Pottage, fhakthen find n* Place for Repentance, though [ thoufeek it with Tears, Hib. 12. 17. Do you think \ that Chrift fhed his Blood to fave them that continue to make light of it ? and to fave them that value a Cup of Drink, or a Luft, before hi& Salvation ? I tell you \ Sirs, though yon fet fo light by Chrift and Salvation, God doth not fo: He will not give them on fuch Terms „ as thefe: He valueth the Blood of his Son, and the J everlafting Glory * and he w91 make you value them, ■ if ever you have them. Nay, this will be thy Condem* \ nation, and leaveth no Remedy. All the World cannot J fave him that fets light by Chrift, Mb. 2. 3. Lm\} 14-| 24. None of them (hall tafte of his Supper, Mat. 10. J 57. Nor can you blame him to deny you what you J made light of your felves. Can you find fault if you mifsof the Salvation which you flighted?

?. The time is near when Chrift and Salvation will

not be made light of, as now they are. When God harh

(haken thofe carelefs Souls out of their Bodies, and you

muft anfwer for all vour Sins in your own Name 5 O

then,what would you give for a Saviour! when a thousand

Bills fhall be brought in againft you, and none to relieve

j you, then you will confider, 0 Chrifl weald now have

I find between me and the Wrath tf God: bad InotdtjplfiA ,

j bi/n } In wonld have anfwered all. When you fee the World

hath

C H2 )

hath left you, and your Companions in Sin havr deceiv-ed themfdvcs and you, and all yodr merry Day* are gone -j then what would you give for chat Chrift and Salvation that now you account not worth your Labour ? Do you think; when you fee the Judgment fee, and you are doomed to everlafting Perdition for your Wicked-nefs, chat you fhould then make as light of Chrift as now? Why will you not judg now, as you know you ftiall-judg then? Will he then be worth ten thoufand Worlds, and is he not now worth your higheft Eftimati-on, and deareft Affedion ?

10. God will not only deny thee that Salvation thou madeft light of, but he will take from thee all that which thou didft value before it: He that mod highly efteems Chrift, (hall have him and the Creatures fo far as they are good here, and him without the Creature hereafter, becaufe the Creature is not ufeful; and he that fets more by the Creature than by Chrift, fhall have fome of the Creature without Chrift here, and neither Chrift nor it hereafter.

So much of thefe Confiderations, which may fhew the true Face of this heinous Sin.

What think you now, Friends, of this Bufinefs ? Do you not fee by this time what a Cafe that Soul is in that maketh light of Chrift and Salvation ? What need then is there that you fhould take heed left this fliould prove your own Cafe ? The Lord knows it is too common a Cafe. Whoever is found guilty at the Iaft of this Sin, it were better for that Man he had never been born. It were better for him he had been a 7#r£ or Indian, that never had heard the Name of a Saviour, and that never had Salvation offered to hiqj: For fuch Men have no cloak for their Sin, John 15.22. Eefides all the reft of their Sins, they have this killing Sin to anfwer for, which will undo them. And this will aggravate their Mi-fery, That Chrift whom they fet light by, muft be their Judg, and for this Sin will he judg them. O that fuch would now confidei'how chey will anfwer chat Queftion

that

c *43 ;

that Chrift puts to their Predeceffors, Matth. 23. 33. Jfow mil ye efcape the Damnation of HdU or Heb. 2. 3. ! How (hallryt efcape if ree negkcT, fo gnat Salvation ? Can ■ you efcape without a Chrift? or will a defpifed Chrift fare you then ? If he be accurfed that fets light by Father or Mother, Deut. 27.15. what then is he that fets light by Chrift ? It was the heinous Sin of the Jews, that among them were found fuch as kt light by Father and Mother, E\eJ^ 22. 7. but among us, Men flight the Father of Spirits. In the Name of God, Brethren, I be-feech you to confider how you will then bear his Anger which you now make light of? You that cannot make light of a little Sicknefs or Want, or of natural Death, no not of a Tooth-ach, but groan as if you were undone, hovsr will you then make light of the Fury of the Lord, which will burn againft the Contemners of hisGrace ? Doth it not behove you beforehand to think of thefe things I

Hitherto I have been convincing you of the Evil of the Sin, and the Danger tfiat followeth: I come now to know your Refolution for the time to come. What fay you ? Do you mean to tet as light by Chrift and Solvation as hitherto you have done? and to be the fame Men J after all this ? I hope not. O let not your Minifters that would fain fave you, be brought in as Wfcnefcs againft you to condemn you. At leaft, I befccchyou ! put not this upon me. why Sirs, if the Lord fhaU j fay to us at Judgment, Did you never tell thefe Men I what Chrift did for their Souls, and what need they had I of him, and how nearly it did concern them to look to 1 their Salvation, that they made not light of it ? we mull: *r,eedsfay the Truth: Yea Lord, we told them of k *s plainly as we could j we would have gone on our Knees to them, if we had thought it would have prevailed j we did intreat them as earneftly as we could to confider thefe 1 things: they heard of thefe things every day •, buc al*>,we could never get 'em to their Hearts: theygave us the hear* - jng, bw they made light of all that wecould fay co them.

( '44 ) O fad will it prove on your fide, if you force us to fuch an Anfwer as this.

But if the Lord do move the Hearts of any of ycu, and you refolve to make light of Chrift no more: Or if any of you fay, We do not make light of him; let me tell you here in the Conclufion, what you muft do, or elfe you fhall be judged as Slighters of Chrift and Sal-vation.

And firft, I will tell you what will not ferve the turn.

i. You may have a notional Knowledg of Chrift, and the Neceffity of his Blood, and of the Excellency of Salvation, and yet perifh as Neglefters of him. This is too common among profeft Christians. You may fey all that other Men do of him, What Gofpel-Paf-fages had Balaam .^ Jefus I know, and Paul I know, the very Devils could fay, who believe and tremble, Jam. 2. ip.

2. You may weep at the Hiftory of hisPaffion, when you read how he was ufed by the Jews \ and yet make light of him, and perifh for fo doing.

3. You may come defiroufly to his Word and Ordinances. Herod heard gladly *, fo do many that yet muft perifh as Negle&ers of Salyation.

4. You may in a fit of Fear have ftrong Defires after a Chrift to eafe you, and to fave you from God's Wrath, as Saul had of David to play before himj and yet you may perifh for making light of Chrift.

5. You may/obey him in many things, fo far as will not ruine you in the World, and efcape much of the Pollutions of the World by his Knowledg 5 and yet negleft him.

6. You may fuffer and lofe much for him, fo far as leavetti you an earthly Felicity *, as Ananias, the young Man. Some Parcels of their Pleafures and Profits many will part with in Hope of Salvation, that (hall perifh everlafiingly, for valuing it no more.

7. You •

7. You may be efteemedby other* Man walou for thrift, and loved'and admired uporthai: account and ytt be one that fall perifh for maWR Ugh* of wm.

8. You may verily think yourfelves, that you fce more by Chrift and Salvation rhan'ny thing, and yet he mirtaken, and be judged as Combers of him: Uirift juftifiethnotall that juftify themfives.

o. You may be zealous Prefers of Chnft and Salvation, and reprove others fir this ncgltft, and lament the Sin of the World in the like Exprethon as I have done this Day ; and yet if >ou or I havenonctrer Evidence to prove our heartyEftccm of Chrift and aalv* tion, we are undone for al this,

. You hear, Brethren, what will not ferve the turn; ITwlll you now h$ar what Perfcns you mufl be if you would not be condemned as Slighters of Chnil ? O fearch whether it be thus with vour Souls or no,

r. Your Efteem of Chrift and Salvation, mufl be greater than yoar Efteem of all the Honour, Profits or Pieafures of this World, or elfe you flight him: XoJefsmll be accounted fincere, nor accepted to'your i Salvation: Think not this hard, when there it no Companion in the Matters efteemed. To efteem the great-eft Glory on Earth before Chrift and c verlafting Glory, is a greater Folly, and Wrong to Chrift, than to e-j fteem a Dog before) our Prince, would be Folly in you, and a Wrong to him. Scripture is plain in this, Muttb. 10. 37. He thit lowth Father or Mother, \vife % , Children, Houfe, L&nd^ vr bis own Life more than wf, is not worthy ej me, and canwt be my Difciple, as Lu^e 14. 26.

2. You muft manifeft this Efteem of Chrift and Salvation in your daily Endeavours and feekirg after him, and in parting with any thing that he fall r< quire o{ you. God is a Spirit, and will not ukc an hypocritical Profeffion inftead of the Heart and fpiritual Service which he commandeth. He will have the Heart or nothing y and the chief JJoota in the Heart too. Thefo m*tftbcha& H If

u : ( 14S )

It you fay that $ u do not make light of Chrift, or will floe ^ereafrer, Jct^e try you in thefe few Particulars, .whether indeed youneanas you iky, and do not diffem-

!• wil1 you for the tme to come make Chrift and Sal-

^! 10 n the chiefcft M ** of y° ur Care and Scud y ?

-inruft them not out of £ ur Thoughts, as a needlefs or

MpprofitableSubjea 5 nor s*t 0 w it only ftme running (light

•a noughts, which will no affed you. But will you

jnake h your Bufinefs once a Day to bethink you fober-

ly when you are alone, whatChrift hath done for you j

and what he will do if you fc not make light of ic i

and what it is to be everlaftitoly happy or mifcrablc?

and what all things in this Worki are in comparifon of

your Salvation? and how they will flio^ly leave you?

and what mind you will be then of, and how you will

efteemthem? Will you promife me now and then to

make it your Bufinefs to withdraw your felves from

rile World, and fet your fdves to fuch Confiderations

as thefe? If you will not, are not you Slightcrs of

Chrift and Salvation, that will not be perfwaded foberly

to think on them ? This is my firft Queftion to put

you to the Trial, whether you will value Chrift or

nor.

2. Will you for the time to come, fet more by the Word of God, which contains the Difcovery of thefe excellent things, and is your Charter for Salvation, and your Guide thereunto ? You cannot fet by Chrift, but you muftfet by his Word: Therefore the Defpifers of « are threatned with Deftruftion, Prow. ig. 13. Will you therefore attend to the publick preaching of this Word? will you read it daily? will you refolve to obey it wharever it may coft you ? If you will not do this, but make light of the Word of God, you fhall be judged fuch as make light of Chrift and Salvation, whatever you may fondly promife to your felves.

^. wrii you tor tne time to come cuccm m^v. **■ . .he Officers of Chrift, whom he hath purpofely ap-«' poinrcdeo guide you to Salvation? and will you / make ufc of them for chat end ? Ala!, it is not ito gfve the Minifter a good Word, and fpeak well of him, and pay him his Tithes duly, that will ferve the turn: It is for the NecefTity of your Souls that God hath fet them in his Church ; that they mav be as Phyficians under • Chrift, or lis Apothecaries to apply his Remedies to your fpiritual Difeafes, not only in publick, but alfoin private : That you may have fometo go to for the re-iolving of your Doubts, and for your Inftruftion where you are ignorant, and for the help of their Exhortations and Prayers. WiH you ufe hereafter to go „ to your Minifters privately, and folicite thera for Advice ? and if you have not fuchof your own as are fie, get Advice frcftn others > and ask them What you (hall a* to be faved f bow to prepare for Death and Judgment ? and will you obey the Word of God in their Mouths? If you will not do this much, nor fo much as enquire of tftofe that fhould teach you, cor ufe the Means which Chrift hath eftablifhed in his £hwrch for yeur help, your own Confidences fhall one Day witnefs, that yo« were fuch as made light of Chrift and Salvation. If any of you doubt whether it be your Duty thus to ask Counfel of your Teachers, asfick Men do of their Phyficians, let your own Ncceffities rcfolve you * let God's exprefs Word refolveyou: fee what is faid of the Priefb of the Lord, even before Chrift's coming, when much of their Work did lie in Ceremonials •, Mai. 2. 5, 6* My Covenant was with him of Life and Peace: and 2 gave them-to him £to Levi J for the par wherewith hi, feared "w*, and was ajraid before my Name. T»e Law of Truth was in bis Mouth, and Iniquity -was not found u his Lip; ht -walked with me in Peace and Equity ■ and did, turn many away from Iniquity. Fev the Priefts Zips fhould keep Knowledge and they (houldfce^ the Lzw at his Mouth; fir ht is tbt Miffenger of the Lord ofHo$s. H 2 " Nay,

( rtf )

Nay, you muff not only enqifire, and! fubmit to their Advice, but alfo to their juft Reprehenfions and Churciv Cenfures: And without proud Sepining fubmit to the Difcipfine of Chrift in their Hands, if it fall be afed in the Congregations whereof you are Members.

4. Will you for the time to come make Confcience of daily and earneft Prayer to God, that you may have a Part in Chrift and Salvation? do not go out of Doors till you have breathed out thefe Defires to God \ do not lie down to reft till you have breathed out thefe Defires: fay nor, God knoweth my Necefllty without fo often praying; for though he do, yet he will nave you to know them and feci them, and exercife your Defires, and all the Graces of his Spirit in thefe Duties: It is he that hath commanded to pray continually, though he know your Needs wichour, 1 Theff, $. 17. Chrift him-felf fpent whole Nights in Prayer, and encourageth us to this Courfe, LuHy 18.1. If you will not be pcrfwad-cd to this much, how can you fay that you make not light of Chrift and Salvation ?

$. Will you for the time to come refolvedly caft away your known Sins at the Command of Chrift ? If you have been proud or contentious, or malicious and revengeful, be fo no more. If you have been Adulterers, or Swearers, or Curfers, be fo no more. You cannot hold thefe, and yet fet by Chrift and Sal-wtion.

What fay you? Are you refolded to let them go? If not, when you know *cis the Will of Chrift, and he hath told you fuch fall not enter/into his Kingdom, do not you make light of him ?

6. Will you for the time to come ferveGod in the Hurtfi as well as the chtaptjl part of his Service ; not only with your Tongues, but with your Purfes and your Deeds? fall the Poor find that you fet more by Chrift Chan this World? fiiall it appearia any gggd Ufcs.that

God

God calls you't* be liberal hi, according to your Abilities ? Pure KeligiSn and undefiled before God is this, to vifit the Fatherlefs and Widows in their AfHiftion, Jam. i . nit. Will you refolve to flick to Chrift, and make fure this Work of Salvation, though it coil yoa all that you have in the World ? rf you think thefe Terms too dear, you make light of Chrift, and will be judged accordingly.

^ 7. Will you for the time to come make much of all things that tend to your Salvation j and take every help that God offereth you, and gladly make ufe of all his Ordinances? Attend upon his /lengthening Sacraments, fpend the tord's own Day in thefe holy Imployments. Inftrud your Children and Servants in thefe things, &tut.6.6ii. get into good Compaay that fet their Faces Heaven-ward, and will teach you the way, and help you chither: and take heed of the Company of wicked Scorners, or foolifh, jolupruous, fleflily Men, or any that would hinder you in this Work. Will you do thefe things ? Or will you (hew that you are Slighter* of Chrift by neglefting them ?

8. Will you do all this with Delight, not as your Toil, but as your Pleafure ? and take it for your higheft Honour that you may be Chrift's Difciples, and may be Admitted ro ferve and worfhip him \ and rejoice with holy Confidence in the Efficiency of that Sacrifice by which you may have Pardon of all your Failings, and right to the Inheritance of the Saints in light I If you will do thefe rings fincerely^ you w>li fhew that you fet by Chrift and Salvation s elfe not.

Dearly Beloved in the Lord, I have now done that v Work which I came upon-, what Effecl it hath, or will have upon your Hearts, I know not, nor is it any further in my Power to accomplifh that which my Souldefircth for you. Were it the Lord's Will that I might have my wifli herein, the Words that you have this Day heard fhould fo ftick by yon, that the Secure fhouid

be awakened by them, and none of you fliould perifh by the flighting of your Salvation. } cannot now., low you to your feveral Habitations, to apply th: Word to your particular Ne'ceffitiei: but 0 that Icou! make every Ma a a Preacher to himfelf, u

if might do it, which is ever with you 9 that the ne time you go pfayerkfs to Bed, or about yo* finefs, Confidence rni i it cry out, Dofi then fit no ■ by Chtiftand by Salvimn? that the next time you are tempted to think hardly of an holy and diligent Li?> will not fay to deride it as more ado thannttdi) C ence might cry out to thee, Dolt the* fit fo light by i and thy Salvation / na. the next rime you are *~±r~ to rufh upon known Sin, aiid topkafeyour flefhl fires againft the C n.and of God, Confcicuce m cry out, Is Chrifl and Salvation no more worth, -to caft them, away or venture thttn for thy Lufts ? when you are f< ■ ng cne World with your r eager Ochres, f< rag ihe World to come and Change that is a before you, Confluence m

cry out to' you, rift and Salvation m monn

than fo* Th i are flex* fpending the Lo

Day in Idl< Sports, Confcience might teu

vou what nt,g. In a Word, that in all your

Neglefis of Duty, 5 our ftic- ir.g at the funpofed Labour orCoft of a £' d , yea m all your cold and lazy

Prayers and Performances, Confcience migh^.tell you how onfutabic fucii Endeavours are to the Reward -, and fc'lhat.Chrift aod^lvaupn fkmid not beVo flighted. I will fay no more feutrruVat this time, k is a thoufand PiuVs that when Ged hath provided a Saviour for the World, and when Chrift hath fuffered fo much fa? :■ their Sins, and made fo toll a Satisfaction to JufL rand purctoafcd fo glorious a Kingddta for his Saints, all this is offered fo freely to Sinners, to loft unwor. Sinners, even for nothing, that yet fo many Milk ftould evcrlafUn^iy perifh beeaufe they maty light

Saviour and Salvation, and prefer tbi vain World and

. Lufts t'fire tbm. I have delivered my Mtflage;

Lorti open your Hearts to receive it: I have perfwa*

you vvich the Word of Truth and Sobeinefs-, the

|wd oerfwade you more effectually, or elfe ail this is

■

wm&

~

■m

\tv$