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I
TWO'
TREATISES
Tending to awak
Secure Sinners.
i. The Terror of the Da$
of Judgment, from j a Cor.
5, so.
2. The Danger of (lighting
Chvift and his Gofpel,frorn
Matth 11. 5.
— : V*-. ■
By RICHARD BAXTER.,
The Gift of the- Author.
LONDON,
Printed for Jtms Ltmtliy at the Three Bibles
in Little Lkcolns-1'iri-fnld;. i6$6.
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 Ca-
fes 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 Judg-
ment) 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 Pt ace 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 J mall Book is fain
into thy hands , all that I would beg of thee con-
cerning it, is, that thou voouid ft 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 aj ft ft thee
in the Prattice, that it may not. rife up in Judg-
ment 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, 1 1 . For we mufk all Appear be-
fore 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 alrea-
dy. But I do it purpofely upon thefe following Con-
siderations, 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 de-
pend upon. You may be ignorant of many Controvert
ks and infer iour 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
i 2 )
" 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 with-
out 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 re-
ceive 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 terri-
ble 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 Sub-
ject 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 Accu-
fer. (j*) The Defendant. (3/) Sometime Affiftants.
(4.} ihe Judg. 2. The Caufe contains, (1.) The
Accufation. £2.") The Defence. £3.} With the Evi-
dence 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. Ci-
tation. 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 Exe-
cution : 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.
1 1 . What are the Properties of the Sentence.
12. What and by whom the Execution will be. In
hefe particular Heads we contain the whole Dod.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 al-
ready 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 Sen-
tence 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 Ma-
ker 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 wor-
thy 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 Re-
deemer'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 igno-
rant 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 no-
tice 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 Sa-
lutation as fhall make him fpeechlefs. Job 11. 1 1. 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 Flat-
tery, 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 Impor-
tunity 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 In-
fidels 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 infi-
nite 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 Memo-
ries 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 Com-
fort 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 Sub-
tlety 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 Num-
ber ftand * I anfwer him, That he knoweth not the rhings.
Jnvinble j either the Nature of Spirits and fpiritual Bad-
dies, 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 Au-
thority 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 be-
fore 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 Righ-
teous, 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, un-
converted 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,
J t 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 ac-
cufe, 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 Judg-
ment 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 Mi fery \ even they fhall have immortal and in-
corruptible Bodies, which may be the Subje&s of im-
mortal Wo, 1 C0r.15.53. Jolln 5.28,29.
Of this Refurreclion and our Appearance at Judg-
ment, 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.
i
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 Crea-
tures, 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 re-
ft pent and believe in Chrift, and fo return to God by him,
^ and promifeth us pardon of all our Sins upon that Condi-
tion, 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, whe-
ther 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 Wic-
ked, 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 Re-
covery 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 de-
termine 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 cer-
tain 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 par-
doning
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 there-
fore 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 Un-
belief, 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*
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. 1 2. 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
1 1 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 Tor-
ments be their great Accufer. For God will have it fo
to be,
4. The
4. The fourth Evidence willfoe xhtWltmfs of others.
O how many thoufand Witnefltfcs might there be pro-
duced, 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 Deceit fulnefs 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 Enjoy-
ments. 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^.
1 8v 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 judge th 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 Made rs! 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 con-
demn 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 con-
demn 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, 1 O.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 impeni-
tent, 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 unavoi-
dably 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,
\( 2 3 )
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. Ma-
ny a time did we intreat them to try whether thy were Rege-
nerate 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 Mini-
sters 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 un-
der 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 :
Q 2 5 )
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 Opportu-
nities 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 Conversi-
on, and they did buc deride us, they were rea-
dier 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 youth-
ful 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 per ftvaded
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«
( is :)
?. Another Witnefs that will teflify againft the Un-
godly 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 prepar-
ing 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 mar-
vel 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 accu-
sing 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 no-
thing 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. 1 1. 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 Spi-
rits 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 perfwaded iS
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-
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 Spl-
it 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 thar Tufed:
.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 high-
way, and you are found ftanding by with a bloody
Sword in your Hand; efpecially if there were a for-
mer 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 Evi-
dence, then many fuch things may be brought for ag-
gravation 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 Sin-
ners 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 Glut-
ton 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 Evi-
dence againft them : as his being clothed with Pur-
ple 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 Treafures j and how they mufl hear of
thefe things hereafter } and what effect the review of
their jovial Days will have upon their miferable con-
demned 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 Evi-
dence 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 care-
lefs, and minded the World, and he let me go on quiet.
ly, and was as carelefs as I, had never plainly and faith-
fully warned me, to waken me from my Security.] And
Co
(33 )
fo their Blood will be required at his hands, though
-themfelves alfo (hall peri fh 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 giv-
ing and continuing their Being to them, will be an Evi-
dence 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 Crea-
tures? 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 Aggrava-
tion of their Sins. You finned againft the Lord thae
bought you, 2 Pet. 2. 1. When the Feaft was pre-
pared, 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 Drud-
ges, rather than to be the Servants of God ? The Sor-
rows 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. 2 Cor. 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 cru-
cified 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 Condem-
nation 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 -Ser-
vice ? 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 be-
think 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 An-
gels 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 Wor-
kers 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 un-
to 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 Be-
nefit 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 cold-
ly 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 dili-
gent 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 con-
vince 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 Adul-
terer, 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 ne-
ver 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 cer-
tainly 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 ignorant ly ', 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 re-
generate 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. $.
That
*vv**- • ( 40 ) ^ ^ ■
That you muft not lay up for your felves a Treafure
on E<jy*th, where Ruft and Moths do corrupt, and
Thieves break through and fteal, but muft lay up for
your felves a Treafure in Heaven, where Ruft and
Moths do not corrupt, nor Thieves break through and
(leal, Mat, 6. 19, 20. That you muft feek firft the King-
dom of God and the Righ ten ufnefs thereof, Mat. 6. 2$.
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 Rea-
fon, 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. Hea-
ven 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 Hea-
thens that never heard of Chrift before; and convert-
ed 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 edu-
cated 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 thcuhcardft w hen thou cameft home? Didft thou
go to the Minifter, or to others that could teach
thee, and intreat them to tell thee the Way to Sal-
vation? Or didft thcu not rather carelefly negltft
thefe Matters, and hear a Sermon as a common tale,
even
V C II W II _ 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 Life j 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 Sal-
vation without Faith, and Repentance, and newnefs
of Life, and yet they were neglected. In & word, ma-
ny 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 pow-
erful 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 •
Af after 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
i[.
(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 Mat-
ters, 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 fever e.
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 there-
fore 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
is
( 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 eter-
nally perifh, that will entertain fuch defperate Thoughts
of God, and then by fuch" wicked Imaginations encou-
rage 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 con-
tent with it, and thank your felves. In your Life-time
you had the good things which you chofe, ard prefer-
red 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 Gene-
ration. 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 before-
hand, 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 mali-
cious World, will prove but a poor Cover for your wil-
ful 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 Tpen Is 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\ theConmandmm of the Cordis pute y enligbtning tbt
$r pau? - 7 ' 8 - 2 —
(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 Won-
ders, you would have thought it unproved 5 and yet
now it is fo confirmed, you will not believe the Do-
ftjine, becaufe the Witnefs feems incredible. 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
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IK
Qj
Fci
ma
I
ih
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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 Suf-
fering 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. 1 2. 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, what-
ever 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 who loaths 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 re-
pent 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 there-
in 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 high-
er 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 Mer-
cies? 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 righ-
teous God, or to feem fufficient to a well informed
Conference, ^
2. And
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 ano-
ther 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 bet-
ter 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 be-
fore you were aware j and that a fatal Hook was cover-
ed 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 over-
come 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 In-
clination 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 Crea-
ture 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 phy-
sical Power you hart, and the worft of Sinners have
while they are Men on Earth. Were they a&ually wil-
ling, they might acceptably perform fincerc Obedience ;
and were they difpofnively willing, they might actu-
ally believe and will. And thus the Ungodly have Pow-
er to believe.
Somcrime the word [Power] is taken for Autho-
rity 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 Phy-
sical 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 parti-
cular 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 no-
thing 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.
1. The
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 agreea-
bly 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 Vndir flanding, 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 Ante-
cedent, 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 com-
mon 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 Temp-
tations, I thought meet co give a Touch, and but a
Touch, to take them out of their Way : As Mr. F in-
ner 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. Up-
on this all Laws and Judgments are grounded. From Ig-
norance and intelleftual Weaknefs, Men commonly fetch
Excufes for their Faults j but from the Will they are ag-
gravated. 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 una-
ble. 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 dar-
ken 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
C 9iJ
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 kin-
dred 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 bet-
ter 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 con-
demned 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 Inheri-
tance 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 there-
fore 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 Crea-
ture. 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 Crea-
ture. 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 Sin-
ners.
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
it
( -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 In-
firmity, 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 Savi-
our 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 pre-
vent 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 Suffe-
rings will yield thee no Relief.
So much for the a towering of the vain Excnfes which
poor Sinners are ready to make for themfelves *, where-
in 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 judg-
ed, 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 fin-
ned 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 excufing one 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 man-
ner of Judges to do. If you fay, Cbrifl will not ufe 1
Voice; let it fatisfy, that though we know not the man-
ner, 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 con-
tain, 1. Their Juftification and Adjudication to Blejfed-
nefsy and that both as generally denominated, and as par-
ticularly determf?*ed and defcribed. 2. And che
Caufe of this Judgment.
1. In general they fhall be pronounced Bleffed. Sa-
tan 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 Founda-
tion 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 Words j one fignifyinjj
their firft Entrance on ic, Come : the other their Pof-
i feflio^ Inherit: That is, poffefs it as givea by chc Fa-
I ther
( ?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 in-
deed there was no true Bleffednefs, but this Enjoy-
ment 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 wel-
come 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 Sin-
ners 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 impeni-
tent 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 in-
deed 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$. God makes Men righteous before lie judges
them fo : and judgeth them righteous because they are
j fo. He that, abominateth that Man who faich to the
Righteous, Thou art wicked j or to the Wicked, '
Thou art righteous , who juftifieth the Wicked and
condemneth the Righteous, will certainly never do fo
ihimfelf.
fndeed he will juflify them that are Sinners, but net
againft the Accufation that they are Sinners, but againft
the Accufation, that they are guilty of Pmifyment for
Sin: but that is, becaufe he firft made them juft; and
fo juftifiable, by pardoning their Sin, through the Blood
of Chrift.
And it's true alfo, that he will juftify thofe that
votre wicked, but not thofe that are wicked: but Judg-
ment findeth them as Death leaveth them, and he will
not take them for wicked, that are fanftified and
,cleanfed of their former Wickednefs. So that Chrift
will firft pardon them before he juftify them againft the
Charge of being Sinners in general , and he will firfi
give Men Faith, Repentance and new Obedience, be-
fore he will juftify them againft the Charge of being
Impenitent, Infidels or Hypocrites, and confequently
unpardoned, and doubly guiky of Damnation. This
twofold Righteoufnefs he will firft give Men, and fo
jconftkute them juft, before he will declare it, and/*/!-
We them juft.
2. The Reafon of the Sentence, particularly de-
[fcrib d, is from their Faith and Love CO Chrift, ex-
preff.d in their Obedience, Self-denial, and forfaking
E all
(75 )
all for him. For 1 was hungry and it fed toe \ I was My-
fiy and yt gave me &ain\; I was a Stranger and yt tool^
me in-, naked and ye clothed me: I was fic^ and ye vifi-
ted me : 1 was in Prifon and ye came to me. Verily 1 fay
mto you, inafmuch as ye have done it to one of the leaft of
thefe my Brethren, yt have done it unto me, Mat. 2$. 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 Sen-
tence.
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 giv-
ing 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 Obedi-
ence, or our Performance of the Conditions of the
new Covenant. For as in this Life, we had a Righteouf-
nefs 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 Pro-
mife, 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 Repen-
tance, 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 for-
mer. For Chrift is become the Author of eternal Sal-
vation to all them that obey him, Htb. $. 9. He there-
fore 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 J udg 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 de-
clare 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 there-
of in my Judgment. So tar he.
So much of the Sentence of Justification which
(hall be paffed by Chrift at Judgment upon the Righ-
teous.
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 Denomina-
tion, Cuffed. 2. Particularly by Defcription of their
cur fed State.
Tobc curfed, is to be a People deftinatcdand adjud-
ged 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 de-
part 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 Re-
creations 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 De-
lights 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. In-
to that Fire which was prepared for the Devil and his
Angels, 3. Into everlafting Fire.
E 3 1. Nor
. ( 78 ) .
t. Not into a purifying, but a tormenting Fire, Whe-
ther elementary or not ; whether properly or meta-
phorically 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 com-
forted, 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 Spi-
rits, 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 Chil-
dren of Difobedience , Eph. 2. 2. And hecalieth falfe re-
ducing 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
I 19 )
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 De-
vil, and fo included. And fome think it is purpofely to
manifeft God's general Love to Mankind, that prepar-
ed 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 Tor-
ments, 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 Mat-
ter never fo neceffary to their own Salvation ? How u-
miliar zrethefe 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, Swear-
ing, Lying, Ribaldry, EackbicingorSlandring ! And is
ic not jufl with God to make thefe Fiends their Fami-
liar sin Torment, with whom they entertained fuch Fa-
miliarity 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 perpe-
tual 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 torment-
ing 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 Commo-
dities 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 Fir t 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 Dif-
ficulty 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 won-
derful. 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 ob-
tain 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, unbeliev-
ing 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 ad-
ded. 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 re-
lieve 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 be-
fore 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 Sin-
ners ac the laft Judgment, doth much differ from that
which was palled on the firft Sin, or which is due ac-
cording 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 fe-
cond 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 pro-
per 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 ac-
cepting *, 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 Re-
deemer'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. 1 2. 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 Re-
fuge 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 Go-
fpel ? 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 him-
felf, 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 Re-
deemer, and live in fincere obedience to him, andper-
fevering herein. So that he plainly excepted final In-
fidelity, 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 Na-
ture*, 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, Inflexi-
bility, and the like, which becaufe I would not make
myDifcourfetoolong, I will pafs over, contenting my
felf
, . ( 8 7 )
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 , ffare us *, pity us , 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 Fer-
vency 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 Gen-
tleman, 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 remem-
ber 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 fr em 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 accompa-
nied 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 no-
thing, 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 Re-
proofs -, 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 Exe-
cution, I fhould next have fpoke fomewhat of the Man-
ner 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 for ecel you of
: your Danger while ic may be prevented, that your pre-
cious 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 de-
bate 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
t 9Z ) u
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, whe-
ther 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 ap-
pointed 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 open-
ed: and another Beol^w as 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. 1 2. 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 Incar-
nation, 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 hy-
pocritical 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-
ita
(;-: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 Ne-
ceflity 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 Be-
lief of this, as if you had heard Chrift or an Angel
from Heaven fay to you, 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 Consi-
derations? 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 rea-
dy 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 Trum-
pet 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 re-
member 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 toge-
ther 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 Sum-
mons 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 flam-
ing 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. 1 1. 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 exceed-
ing 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 I A
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 Sin-
ner 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
\ 91 )
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 unwil-
ling 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 Hea-
rers, 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 un-
righteous, 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 to l!
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 con-
demned.
Or in fliort, in Scripture-phrafe, He that belkvitb
fballbe faved, and be that believetb net fhall be condemned,
Mar. 1 5. 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 pre-
ferred 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 ordina-
rily 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 Inheri-
tance among the fanclified by Faith that is in me. John
3. 1 $, 16, 17, 1 8, 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, be-
caufe their deeds, were evil. John 5. 28, 29* The He
F* l
( i02 ) ,
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-Gar-
ment? 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 in-
to the City. Rom. 8. 1, 13. There is then no Condem-
nation to them that are in Chrift Jefus, that walk not
after the Flefh, but after the Spirit. For if ye live af-
ter 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 de-
ceived, 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 ma-
ty 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 Judg-
ment 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 Judg-
ment. 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.
i'
( 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 them-
selves, 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, 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 up-
on. 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 regene-
rate, 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 Pre-
paration 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 Pre-
paration 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, whe-
ther 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 Com-
fort when it comes to a review ? When you are temp-
ted 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 teach-
ing 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 all Oppoficions and ungrateful Returns*,
and how carefully fhould he watch over each particular
Soul of his Charge (as far as is poflible]) when he remem-
ber that he muft fhortly be accountable for all in Judg-
ment ? and how importunate fhould we all be with Sin-
ners 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 ac-
countable for all his Prayers andPerformances? O re-
member, and ferioufly remember, when you ftand be-
fore 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 re-
membred 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 profi-
table 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 hypocriti-
cal and wicked Purpofe of Repenting, which is made a
Means to maintain us in our Sins $ but Sin muft be avoid-
ed 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 par-
doned, 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 en-
tertain hard Thoughts of him, or of his Service, but
rejoice in your uufpeakable Happinefs of being admit-
ted 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 Remem-
brance 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 dread-
ful 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 An-
gels 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 Judg-
ment 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. $•,<£. Rom. 8.
i. John 3. id. ^cis part of hisBufinefs to juftify thee
before the World, and to glorify his Merits, his Kingly
Power, his Holinefs, and his rewarding Juftice in thy
Abfolurion and Salvation. He will account it a righ-
teous thing to recompenfe Tribulation to thy Trou-
bles, and Reft tc thyXelf 5 when the Lord Jefus fhallbe
revealed from ;r ^ven with his Mighty Angels, inflam-
ing Fire, taking Vengeance on them that know not God,
and that obey r.ot the Gofpel of our Lord Jefus Chrift v
who (hall be punijhed- with everlafting Deftru&ion from
the Prefence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his
Power : Even then fhall he come to be glorified in his
Saints, and to be admired in all them that believe in that
Day \ even becaufe his Servants Teftimony, and his Spi->
rits among them was believed, 2 ThtfJ. 1. 5, 7, 8, 9, 10.
That Day will be the great Marriage of the Lamb, and
the Reception of thee, and all the Saints into the Glory
of thy Beloved, to which they had a Right at their firft
Content and ContraS upon Earth : And when the Brides
groom comes, thou who art ready fhalt go into the Mar-
riage, when the Door fhall be ("hut againft the fleepy neg-
ligent World; and though they «y, Lord, Lord, open fa
us^ they fhall be repulfed with a Verily I fyow you not>
J&£.2$. 10,1 1,1-2*1 3. 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 Mar-
riage 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 him-
felf 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 in-
vited 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 Num-
ber ©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 Par-
don 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 believ-
ing, 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 the f$, and freqient and earns ft 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 Mat-
ters 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.
2. The
( *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. 1 1,
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 Sal-
vation, 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 in-
to 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 Con-
tents, nor lay down their Pleafures and Profits, and Ho-
nour 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 Spi-
rit of God, neither can he know them, becaufe they
are Spiritually difcerned, 1 Cor. 2.14. They are earth-
ly, 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. 1 2. that we may
know the things that are given us of God.
3. A
1
. ( "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 De-
light 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 ne-
ver 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 con-
sidered of the Truth of the particular Doftrincs reveal-
ed 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. * 1 2. 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, 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 Glo-
ry. 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 pre-
vail 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 ano-
ther World are out of fight, and fo far from their Sen-
ses, 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 regard-
ed «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 there-
fore 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 be-
fore 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 unfruit-
ful, Mattb. 1 5.22. 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 no-
thing 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 Con-
tempt.
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 Con-
dition: 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 awaken-
ed 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 t vii 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 com-
mon 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 con-
tinue! 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 Mat-
ter 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. How-
ever, 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 Salva-
tion, 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 Sin-
ners, 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 Go-
fpel be not guilty of it our felves. The Lord forbid that
they that have undertaken the facred Office of reveal-
ing the Excellencies of Chrift to the World, fhould
make light of him themfelves, and flight that Salva-
tion 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 be-
friend 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 ^Con-
dition 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
: ( I29 } e\ \
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 ra-
ftered to God's Favour and be faved y but Men are actu-
ally 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 whi-
ther 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 whe-
ther they do believe it or not.
Beloved, I come not to accufe any of you particu-
larly of this Crime : but feeing it is the commoned Caufe
of Mens Dedruftion, I fuppofe you will judg it the fit-
ted 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 Na-
ture 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 commit-
ting 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
( 13V 1 )
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 whe-
ther none of you are Slighter* of Chrift and your own Sal-
vation. 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 fol-
low 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 conve-
nient 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 Er-
rand ! 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 Con-
sideration
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.
$. Our Eftimation of things will be feen in the dili-
gence of our Endeavours. That which we highlieft va-
lue, we fhall think no pains too great to obtain. Do
not thofe Men then make light of Chrift and Salvation,
that think all too much that they do for them, that mur-
mur at his Service, and think it too grievous for them
to endure ? that ask of his Service, as Judas of the Oint-
ment, Wliat need this wafle * cannot Men be faved mthoutfo \
mnch ad$ ? 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 dili-
gently 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 Scho-
lars, 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 ig-
norant 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 of-
fered 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 mag-
nified. 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 procur-
ed 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 Hea-
ven 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 trem-
ble, 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 Salva-
tion 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 won-
der 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, with-
out 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-
( T 4o )
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 Fel-
low, 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 Sin-
ners, 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 cer-
tain 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, 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 Sal-
vation 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 com-
mon 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. 1 5. 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 Fa-
ther 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 Solvati-
on 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. i p.
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 Ordi-
nances. 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 ma-
ny 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 upor thai : 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 Sal-
vation, 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 Evi-
dence to prove our hearty Eftccm 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 whe-
ther 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 Com-
panion 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 Sal-
vation 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 hypocriti-
cal Profeffion inftead of the Heart and fpiritual Service
which he commandeth. He will have the Heart or no-
thing y and the chief JJoota in the Heart too. Thefo
m*tftbcha& H If
1
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 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 Salva-
tion, 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 Ex-
hortations and Prayers. WiH you ufe hereafter to go „
to your Minifters privately, and folicite thera for Ad-
vice ? 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 Phy-
ficians, 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 Know-
ledge 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 Mem-
bers.
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 1 8. 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 appear ia any gggd Ufcs.that
God
God calls you't* be liberal hi, according to your Abili-
ties ? 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
Ik
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 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, ai id 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 onfu tabic fucii Endeavours are to the Reward -, and
fc'lhat.Chrift aod^lvaupn fkmid not beVo flighted. I
will fay no more feu trruVat 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
it
( iV )
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
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