of your doings from before mine Eyes Cease to do evil and learn to do well saith the Lord and tho' your Sins be as Scarlet they shall be white as Snow tho' they be red like Crimson they shall be white like Wooll God will not pardon those who forgive and flatter themselves in their Sins but those who confess and forsake them shall find mercy 2. Sincerity of Obedience is accepted where Perfection is wanting When a Person with consent of Heart and serious endeavours strives to obey the Holy Will of God without the exception of any known Duty or the indulgence of any Sin God will spare him as a Father spares his Son that serves him 'T is not so much the Matter as the Allowance that makes Sin deadly Where there is guile in the heart it will be severely imputed 'T is not according to some particular Acts of Sin but the Tenor of the Life that the state of Men will be decided 3. Unfeigned Faith in the Lord Jesus that is such a belief of the Truth and Goodness of his Promises as induces us to receive him as our Prince and Saviour as purifies the Conscience the Heart and Life will free us from Hell and entitle us to Heaven according to the Covenant of Grace In short the final Resolution of a Man's Trial and Case will be this either he has performed the gracious Conditions of the Gospel and he shall be saved or rejected them and he shall be damned If it be objected that the terms of Evangelical Justification tho' in themselves comparatively easy yet are of impossible performance to Men in their natural sinful state The Answer is clear 1. That although the natural Man be dead in Sin without spiritual strength to resolve and perform his Duty and holy heat of desires to it and nothing is alive in him but his corrupt Passions that are like Worms generated in a Carcase yet by the Grace that is offered in the Gospel he may be enabled to perform the Conditions of it for in this the Gospel excels the Law the Law discovers Sin but affords no degrees of supernatural Power to subdue it and directs to no means for the expiation of its Guilt As the Fire in the Bush discovered the Thorns without consuming them But the sanctifying Spirit the true Spring of Life and Power is the concomitant of the Gospel as St. Peter declares With the preaching of the Gospel the Holy Ghost was sent down from Heaven And the Spirit by illuminating preventing and exciting Grace assists Men to repent and believe and is promised in rich and liberal supplies to all that humbly and ardently pray for it This our Saviour assures to us by a most tender and endearing Comparison If ye that are evil know how to give good things to your Children how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those that ask it 2. From hence it follows that 't is from the perverseness of the Will and the love of Sin that Men do not obey the Gospel For the Holy Spirit never withdraws his gracious assistance till resisted grieved and quenched by them It will be no excuse that Divine Grace is not conferr'd in the same eminent degree upon some as upon others that are converted for the impenitent shall not be condemned for want of that singular powerful Grace that was the priviledg of the Elect but for receiving in vain that measure of common Grace that they had If he that received one Talent had faithfully improved it he had been rewarded with more but upon the slothful and ingrateful neglect of his Duty he was justly deprived of it and cast into a Dungeon of Horrour the Emblem of Hell The Sentence of the Law has its full force upon impenitent Sinners with intollerable aggravations for neglecting the Salvation of the Gospel Concerning the Heathens the Scripture declares 1. That although the Law publish'd by Moses was not communicated to them yet there was a silent though less perfect Impression of it in their Hearts The Law of Nature in the fundamental Precepts of Religion and Society and Temperance was better known than obeyed by them Therefore the Apostle endites them for atrocious Crimes such as natural Conscience consenting with the Law of God severely forbids upon the pain of damnation Thus 't is said of the Heathens who knowing the Judgment of God That they which commit such things are worthy of death not only commit the same but have pleasure in them that do them And at the last Day As many as have sinned without the Law as delivered to the Jews shall be judged and perish not according to that Law of Moses but the Law of Nature that obliged them to do good and restrain themselves from Evil of which the counterpart was not totally deleted in their Hearts 2. Although the Revelation of Christ in his Person Office and Benefits is not by the preaching of the Gospel that is necessary for the begetting of Faith extended to all Nations yet the Grace of the Redeemer is so far universal that upon his account the indulgent Providence of God invited the Heathens to Repentance His renewed Benefits that sweetned their Lives and his powerful patience in forbearing so long to cut them off when their Impurities and Impieties were so provoking was a testimony of his inclination to clemency upon their reformation And for their abusing his Favours and resisting the methods of his Goodness they will be inexcusable to themselves and their condemnation righteous to their own Consciences We are next to consider the Sanction of the Law that enforces Obedience and it will appear that God is not extream but wisely and justly ordained Eternal Death to be the punishment of Sin This will appear by considering 1. The end of the Sanction is to preserve the Authority of the Law in its full vigour to render it most solemn and awful and consequently the punishment must be so heavy as to overpoise all Temptations that might otherwise induce the Subjects to transgress its Precepts Therefore to Adam the first and second Death was threatned upon his Disobedience and Fear as a Sentinel was planted in his Breast that no guilty Thought no irregular Desire no deceitful Suggestion should enter to break the Tables of the Law deposited therein Now since notwithstanding the threatning Man was so easily seduc'd by the insinuations of the Tempter to break the Law and disorder the Government of God in the World 't is evident that such a restraint was not over-rigorous to secure his Obedience I shall not insist on what is sadly visible since the first Apostacy that there is in Mankind such a prodigious propensity to sensual things that without the fear of Hell no Arguments are strong enough to prevent the bold violation of the Divine Law 2. 'T is consented to by common Reason that there ought to be a proportion between the quality of
inexorable in his Justice and dreadful to Death that all hopes of obtaining his favour are lost As the Egyptian Darkness was not meerly from the absence of the Sun but from feculent Vapours condensing the Air that it might be felt So these dark and fearful expectations of the Divine Wrath are not only from the withdrawing the Light of God's Countenance but from the Prince of Darkness that foul Spirit And as we read of the Egyptians that no Man arose from his place for three days as if they had been buried in that darkness and deprived of all active power and motion so the despairing Soul sits down mourning at the Gates of Death totally disabled from prosecuting the Things that belong to its peace 'T is Hope inspires and warms us with alacrity encourages our Endeavours Despair is without edg and industry The Soul suffers the hardest Bondage and the condition is inexpressibly sad under the tyranny of this Fear O how enthralled how desolately miserable for despair doth meritoriously and effectually ruin the Soul For whereas there is no Attribute more Divine no clearer Notion of the Deity than Love and Mercy this Passion disparages his Mercy as if Sin were more omnipotent than his Power to pardon and all the Tears that flow from it are so far from expiating that they encrease Guilt and whereas the believing view of Christ would as compleatly and presently recover the Soul-wounded Sinner as the Israelites were by looking to the ordained visible Sign of their Salvation Despair turns away the Eye from our Deliverer and fixes it upon misery as remediless and final 4. How comes it to pass that Men are not always under the actual fear of Death but subject to the revolutions of it all their Lives The Seeds of this Fear are hid in the guilty Breasts of Men and at times especially in their Calamities break forth and kindle upon them In their leisure and Retirement intercurrent thoughts of Death and Judgment sting them by fits and make them uneasy The flashes of Conscience like moments of Lightning startle them but they relapse into their habitual stupidity And the account of it will be clear by considering the following Particulars 1. Men are apt to flatter themselves with the hopes of long Life and look upon Death at a great distance Tho' there be a dying disposition in the youngest and strongest Persons tho' we live in a world of Casualties and Death lie in ambush to surprize us every day yet we are secure because Evils affect us according to their apprehended nearness A Petty Constable that is troublesom and vexatious is more fear'd by his Neighbours than the Grand Signior with all his Executioners As remote Objects though of vast bigness are lessen'd to our sight so through the supposed interval of many years Death is lookt on with a diminution of its Terror But when Death presents it self before Men ready to dispatch them how formidable is its appearance Saul tho renouned for his Valour yet when he understood by Revelation that to morrow he and his Sons should be in the state of the dead there was no strength in him but he fell straight-way all along on the Earth struck through with fear before he was wounded by the Arrows of the Philistins Belshazzar in the midst of his luxury and jolity attended with a thousand Lords and his herd of Concubines inflam'd with Wine and therefore less capable of fear yet upon the sight of the fatal Hand writing on the Wall a few unknown Characters which his guilty Conscience before the Prophet Daniel came interpreted to be the sentence of present Death How fearfully was his Countenance changed pale as a Carcass How suddainly did his Blood congeal and his warmest quickest Spirits die in his Heart His whole Body was seized by such a vehement trembling that his joints were loosed and his knees smote one against another This is a representation of those who bid defiance to Death at a distance but when the fatal Hour is come and they hear the Sentence decreed against them God has numbred thy days and finish'd them thou art weighed in the ballance all thy words and Actions thy Thoughts and Affections and art found wanting and thy Soul shall be divided from thy Body the one sent to Hell to suffer the undying Worm of Conscience the other to the Grave to be a prey to the Worms of Corruption how are they overcome with horror 2. The continual succession of the Pleasures and Business of the World divert the mind from the attentive strong contemplation of Death and the consequences of it Pensive thoughts are unwelcome and we studiously endeavour to cancel the memory of such things as afflict us 'T is said of the Wicked that God is not in all their thoughts The consideration of the Holy Inspector and Judg of their Actions is tormenting therefore they fill their minds with earthly Imaginations to exclude the Divine Presence We read of those who to put far away the evil day chaunted to the sound of the Viol and drank Wine in Bowls They are rock'd asleep with the motion of phantastick Vanities And sleep takes away Fear but gives no safety 'T is recorded of Marius that after his overthrow by Scylla he was always in consternation as if he heard the sound of the Trumpets and the noise of the victorious Army pursuing him And his Fears were no longer quiet than whilst charm'd with Wine and Sleep He therefore was continually drunk that he might forget Himself his Enemy and his Danger Thus Men make a pittiful shift to forget their latter End and whilst they are following either secular Affairs or sensual Pleasures are unconcerned for what is to be hereafter But this diversion will shortly be at an end for in their languishing hours when the wasted Body fails the carnal Mind and sensual Desires fail the Man then Conscience that spoke with a low Voice before is loud and terrible and like the rigid Exactor in the Parable that took his Debtor by the throat requires them to pay what they owe. 3. Some are so hardned in Infidelity that the Powers of the World to come make no impression on their hearts They mind but little and are less affected with invisible things They fortify themselves with gross thoughts that the Spirit of Man vanishes with his Breath that Death is the end of this Life and not the beginning of another and feed without fear Place one in the midst of destructive Evils but unseen or not believed and he is as fearless as a blind Person walking on the brink of a deep Pit Indeed there are none less disturbed with the terrors of Death than the eminently good or the extremely bad for the one sort have a blessed hope that Death will be to them an entrance into Life and live like the Angels with a joy unspeakable and glorious The others are as sensual and secure as the Beasts that perish
and Conscience that were so long under unrighteous restraints break the Fetters and terribly charge the sinner Then innumerable Acts which they thought to be innocent appear to be sins and Sin that they made light of to be infinitely evil and in the highest degree hateful to God And sometimes by the suggestions of the enemy of Souls they are overwhelm'd with despair and their last Error is worse than the first 5. Others are deceived with things that are short of true repentance and mistake a false peace for a true and asswage the anguish of Conscience by palliating remedies Their sorrowful sense of Sin their Prayers their resolutions of Amendments are the product of servile Fear that is ineffectual to Salvation And as 't is with crafty Tradesmen that take up much upon trust when they are ready to breaking so they are very liberal of their promises of Reformation when in their own apprehension near dying But how often does Experience convince us of the inefficacy of a sick-bed Repentance How many that were very penitent and devout with one foot as it were in the Grave and another in Hell and were as a Brand pluck'd out of the Fire and the fear of Death being removed all the pangs of Conscience the religious Affections that were felt and exprest by them vanish as the morning dew Now converting Grace is distinguish'd by its radication and efficacy not only from the meer pretences of those who know their own insincerity but from the real workings of Conscience and the imperfect dispositions to good that are in the Unrenewed And those persons who with the return of Health have returned to their Sins again if they had died with their religious resolutions would have presum'd that their repentance was unto Life and of their interest in the divine Mercy The Heart is deceitful above all things and above all things deceitful to it self 6. But supposing in the last hours there be an unfeigned closing with Christ according to the Gospel-Covenant and a cordial change from the love of Sin to the love of Holiness this person shall certainly not miss of Heaven but Death will be less comfortable than if he had in the course of his Life declared the truth and power of Grace in such acts and fruits as are suitable to it The sum is this the vain hope of living long and being reconciled to God when they please is the fatal foundation of Mens Sins and Misery They apply the Word of God against the Mind of God and securely provoke him as if they could take Heaven by violence in contradiction to the Gospel But they usually dispose of that time they shal never injoy or presume upon that pardoning Mercy and assisting Grace they shall never obtain We are commanded to seek the Lord while he may be found a sad intimation that 't is not in our power to find him to our comfort when we please He spares long but abused Patience will deliver Sinners to revenging Justice Sampson was three times in the Chamber of his Lust exposed to Treachery and escap'd but the fourth time he said I will arise but was surpriz'd by his Enemies and lost his strength and sight and liberty I doubt not that some are wonderfully converted and saved at last but these special Mercies are like our Saviour's passing in the Way and by his miraculous Virtue healing the two blind persons when great numbers remain'd uncured We read a prodigious story in the Book of Kings that a Captain and his fifty went to Elias to command him to come to the King and immediately a tempest of Lightning destroyed them Now who would think it possible that another Captain and his fifty should be so desperate that having the Ashes and Reliques of these miserable Carcases smoking before their Eyes as to make the same Citation to the Prophet yet they did and provok'd the Justice of Heaven to consume them And this is verified in thousands every day for notwithstanding they see sinners like themselves suddenly cut off in their evil ways they persist unreformed as if they were fearless of Hell nay as if resolved to secure their own Damnation I have insisted the longer on this because 't is so universally useful 2. The careful preserving our selves from wilful presumptuous Sins is an happy means to render Death comfortable to us The Spirit seals our Pardon and title to Heaven as the holy Spirit his Testimony that we are the Children of God and Heirs of Glory is concurrent with the renewed Conscience and distinguish'd from the ignorant presumptions blind conjectures and carnal security of the unholy As the sanctifying Spirit he distinguishes true Christians from the lost World appropriates them to God confirms their present interest in the Promises of the Gospel and their future hopes Briefly Grace is the most sensible effect and sign of God's special Favour the fruit of Election and the earnest of Glory and the truth of Grace is most clearly and certainly made evident by the continual efficacy of it in the Conversation The observation of our Hearts to suppress unholy affections and of our senses to prevent them a constant course of Holiness in our lives tho many frailties will cleave to the best is usually rewarded with greate peace here God has establish't a connexion between our Obedience and his Comforts Those that keep themselves pure from the defilements of the World have the white Stone promised the bright Jewel of Assurance of God's pardoning and rewarding Mercy We read of Enoch that the walk't with God was a Star shining in a corrupt Age the tenour of his Life was holy and he was translated to Heaven without seeing Death Tho this was an extraordinary Dispensation yet there is a peculiar reward analogical to it for those who walk circumspectly they shall not see Death with its terrors but usually have a holy Chearfulness a peaceful Joy in their passage through the dark Valley to Heaven But presumptuous Sins against external and internal restraints the convincing Law of God and the directions of Conscience grieve the Holy Spirit and wound our Spirits and if continued sequester us from the comfortable priviledges of the Gospel and render us unfit for the Kingdom of Heaven And when they are retracted by Repentance yet there often remains a bitter remembrance of them as deep Wounds tho cur'd yet are felt in change of weather And somtimes a spring-tide of doubts and fears breaks into humble penitent Souls in the last hours tho Death brings them safely yet not comfortably to Heaven 3. The zealous discharge of the Duties of our place and calling the conjunction of our resolutions and endeavours to glorify God and do good according to our abilities and opportunities of service sweetens the thoughts of Death to us For the true end and perfection of Life is the Glory of God and when with fidelity it is employed in order to it Death brings us to the blessed Rest from
deceive God He is intimately present with the Souls of Men that are unsearchable to the most discerning Angels of Light and knows all their most secret Designs and Desires The Pharisees in whom Pride was the first Property and Hypocrisy a second Nature could not with all their saintly shews impose upon our Saviour for he knew what was in Man He discover'd their Alms to be not the effect of Charity but Ostentation and their specious Acts of Devotion to be a train to surprise some rich Prey And this Divine Knowledg of Men and their Actions is in order to Judgment Thus the wise King declares Doth not he that ponders the Heart consider it and he that keepeth thy Soul doth not he know it And shall not he render to every Man according to his Works And God himself testifies I the Lord search the Heart even to give to every Man according to his Works For this Reason he is said to keep a Register of Mens Sins Thus he speaks of the impure Idolatries of the Jews Behold it is written before me to signify his exact and actual knowledg I will not keep silence but will recompense even recompense into their Bosoms And at the Day of Judgment he will declare his Knowledg of their Sins before all and the most secret shall be made evident as if written in their Foreheads in the most plain and legible Characters And all the goodness of the Saints shall then be revealed by the Judg. Their greatest Excelcellencies are invisible to the Eyes of Men the sanctity of their Aims and Affections which gives Life and Value to all the Acts of Obedience their secret Duties wherein the sincerity and ardency of their Souls is most exprest are only known to God And such is the excellent humility of the Saints that the more they are enrich'd and abound with the gracious influences of the Spirit the less they discover to the World as the Celestial Bodies when in nearest conjunction with the Sun and most fill'd with his Light are least in appearance to the Inhabitants of the Earth But there is a Book of Remembrance before him for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his Name And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in the day when I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a Man spares his Son that serves him 3. The Conscience of every Man shall then be open'd and give an accusing or excusing testimony of all things for these Acts of Conscience in the present Life have a final respect to God's Tribunal And tho the Accounts are so vast there shall be an exact agreement between the Books of God's Omniscience and of Conscience in the Day of Judgment Now indeed the Conscience of Man tho never so inquisitive and diligent in examining and revising his Ways is unable to take a just account of his Sins As one that would tell the first appearing Stars in the Evening before he can reckon them others appear and confound his Memory with their number so when Conscience is seriously intent in reflecting upon it self before it can reckon up the Sins committed against one Command innumerable others appear This made the Psalmist upon the survey of his Actions break forth in amazement and perplexity Mine Iniquities are more than the Hairs upon my Head therefore my Heart fails me But it will be one of the Miracles of that Day to enlarge the view of Conscience to all their Sins And O the formidable spectacle when Conscience enlightned by a Beam from Heaven shall present to a Sinner in one view the sins of his whole Life Now Conscience is a Notary in every Man's Bosom and tho 't is not always vocal yet writes down their Actions The Sin of Judah is written with a Pen of Iron and with a point of a Diamond 't is graven upon the Tables of the Heart But then it shall be compell'd to give a full Charge against the Guilty Of this we have an infallible presage in this world when Conscience turns the point against the Brest of a Sinner and enforces the Tongue by a secret instigation to accuse the Person And this Information of Conscience at the last will make the Sinner speechless for the Book of Accounts with Divine Justice was always in his own keeping and what-ever is recorded there was written with his own hand And how will those hardned Sinners that now kick against the Pricks of Conscience be able to repel its strong and quick Accusations before that terrible Tribunal 4. Other numerous Witnesses will appear to finish the process of that Day Not as if God that knows all things wants information but for the publick conviction of the Wicked Satan will then bring a bloody Charge against them Such is his Malignity that he is a Complainer of God to Man and by calumniating the Blessed Creator seduc'd our first Parents and he is the Accuser of Men to God He is stiled the Accuser of the Brethren before God day and night Sometimes falsly as when he taxed Job that his Piety was mercenary and often truly to provoke the Divine Displeasure But tho his Charge be just against them as Sinners yet as Penitent Sinners they are absolved by the Judg upon the Throne of Grace This we have represented to the Prophet Zechary Joshua the High Priest a Type of the Church standing before the Angel of the Lord and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him for that was the place of Accusers But Christ the Blessed Reconciler interposed And the Lord said to Satan the Lord rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee But he will principally act the part of an Accuser at the Last Judgment This is intimated in that fearful imprecation Let Satan stand at his right hand When he is judged let him be condemned He is now an active watchful Spirit whose Diligence is equal to his Malice and by glittering Snares or violent Temptations draws Men to sin But then he will be their most bitter Accuser not from zeal of Justice but pure Malignity Then he will aggravate their Crimes by the most killing Circumstances tho in accusing them he endites himself their sins being usually done by his sollicitations And the Wicked themselves will accuse one another In this World Fellow-sinners usually conceal one anothers Wickedness restrain'd by their own obnoxiousness But then all that have been jointly engaged in the commission of Sin will impeach each other The voluptuous Sinners that have excited one another to Lust or Luxury Come let us take our fill of Love till the Morning Come I will fetch Wine and we will fill our selves with strong Drink for to morrow shall be as to day and much more abundant All the Charming Companions and Associates will with fierceness charge one another And the malicious cruel Sinners that say Come
their consummate degrees Our Obedience supposing it perfect is of no desert When we have done all we are unprofitable Servants but his Obedience was infinitely meritorious by the union of the Deity with his humane Nature and is the foundation of the excellent Reward Not that his Merits derive a value to our Works to make them worthy of eternal Glory as some noble Mineral infused into Water that is in it self without taste or efficacy gives it a medicinal tincture and virtue for this is impossible since the infinite Dignity of his Person and his most perfect habitual and actual Holiness that are the fountains and reasons of his Merits are incommunicable to our persons and works For this would render us equal to our Saviour and our works to be divine as his But the active and passive Righteousness of Christ is so satisfactory and meritorious that God is pleased graciously to reward with the Crown of Life the mean services of those who are by a lively and purifying Faith united to him 2. Sincere Obedience that is an uniform and entire respect to all the Commands of God will alone be accepted in that day for his Authority runs through all and binds them on the Conscience David had this Testimony from God himself that he was a Man after his own heart that fulfilled all his Will And St. John refers the decision of our state to this If our hearts condemn us of any allowed Sin of omission or commission much more God will who is greater than our hearts and knows all things But if the illuminated tender Conscience condemns us not of insincerity we have confidence towards God that he will spare and accept us notwithstanding our frailties and give free and safe access into his presence The lives of many are chequer'd with a stran◠disparity they are restrain 〈…〉 some Sins of apparent odiousness but indulgent to others they are strict in some duties but loose and slack in others as if they hop'd by way of commutation to be accepted of God to expiate their Delinquencies in one kind by supererrogating in another Some are painted Pharisees in the duties of the first Table very exact in the formalities of outward Devotions but gross Publicans in the duties of the second careless of Justice and Equity and Charity to Men Others are in appearance strictly moral in the discharge of their duties to Men and negligent of their obligations to God But partial obedience can never endure the trial of Conscience much less of God For what is the weak light of our minds to the pure eyes of his Glory It will make us liable to inward rebuke now and to open confusion at the last St. Paul's rejoycing was from the Testimony of his Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity he had his conversation in the World and as he expresses it in another place it was his daily exercise to have a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards Men. Tho our conquest of Sin be not compleat yet our resolution and endeavours must be to mortify it in every kind Tho' our obedience has not the perfection of degrees we must be equally regarding the Divine Law If there be any secret-favoured Sin either of omission or commission it will render our Petitions unacceptable at the Throne of Grace and our Persons at the Throne of Judgment If I regard Iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my Prayer The Law requires the performance of our Duty without abatement or denounceth the penalty without allay or mitigation the Gospel has not relax'd the strictness of the Law as 't is the Rule of Life but as it was the condition of obtaining Life Sincere obedience is accepted by that gracious Covenant where the Legal Perfection is wanting but that is indispensibly required of all I may illustrate this by a passage of Alexander the Great who being desirous to learn Geometry applied himself to a skilful Instructer in it But his warlike disposition made him more capable to conquer than to measure the Earth so that tired with the first Propositions he desir'd his Master to make the Scheme more clear and plain and easy to him To whom the Master replied that the Theorems of that Science were equally difficult to all and requir'd the same attention of mind to understand them Thus the Gospel of Mercy requires of all sincere Sanctification and serious endeavours to perfect Holiness in the Fear of God and without this none shall be exempted from Condemnation To the sincerity of Obedience I shall add a more restrained Notion of it as respecting Religion The duties of Piety consist of an outward and inward part and the one without the other is but as a Carcass without a quickning Soul Now there will be an exquisit Anatomy of the Heart in that Judgment a discovery of all the Principles and Motives by which Men were acted and then he that is a Saint inwardly in the Spirit who with pure aims and holy affections hath served God shall have praise of him And those who have us'd God to injoy the World that have assumed pretences of Piety for secular ends shall be reproved This will be a cause of wonder in that day that many who are highly esteemed by Men as excellent Saints shall be an abomination to God That in the broad way to Hell thousands go thither is sad beyond expression but not strange at all but that in the path of Heaven any should descend to Hell is astonishing That those who live without God in the World in the prophane neglect of his Worship in a dissolute disorderly course should fall under Condemnation is believed of all but that those who have appeared zealous in Religion shall be at last rejected is contrary to universal expectation And not only the gross Hypocrite that deceives others but he that deceives himself by the external practice of holy Duties without correspondent lively Affections that prayes with that coldness as if he had no desire to be heard and hears with that carelesness as if he had no desire to be sanctified by the Word and is conversant in other parts of divine service in that slight manner as if he had no design to be saved shall by a convincing upbraiding Light see his Wickedness in dishonouring that God whom he pretended to worship and neglecting his Soul When the Upright as pure Gold shall be more radiant by the Fire the Insincere like reprobate Silver shall not endure that severe trial 3. The frequent discussion of Conscience and reviewing our ways is necessary in order to our comfortable appearing before our Judg. This is a duty of constant revolution for while we are in flesh the best Saints notwithstanding all their vigilance and diligence are overtaken by surprisal and sometimes overborn by strong temptations and 't is more necessary to beg for daily pardon than for our daily bread Under the Law if any one had by
strength we are enabled to mortify the deeds of the Body to crucify the Flesh with the affections and lust thereof And to perform holy Duties with freedom alacrity and zeal in such a manner as is acceptable to God In short saving Grace is distinguisht from that which is common to the unregenerate by its prevalency and constancy There may be a declination in the Saints tending to a downfal but the Seed of God that supernatural Grace that remains in them will by the power of the holy Spirit recover the supremacy Others may be enlightned and feel some good motions and transient touches as Saul had his rapture among the Prophets but they are not truly entirely and perseveringly converted to God They are not proof against the allurements or terrors of the World They make a fair profession till they are try'd by temptations Congealed drops of water appear like solid Chrystal till the warm beams of the Sun dissolve them and discover the hypocrisie of the Chrystal False Jewels may seem to have the luster of Diamonds till they are broke by a fall and discovered to be Glass Thus the Riches the Honours and Pleasures of the Flesh melt some and temporal Evils break the resolutions of others and make it evident they were not sincere Converts But where the holy Spirit savingly works he is said to dwell he is not like a Passenger or a Tenant at will that neglects the House and suffers it to fall into ruine but as the Proprietary and Owner he keeps perpetual residence in true Christians and by his continual influence preserves them from final Apostacy Now from hence we may judg whether we have an interest in Christ and his Benefits For the Apostle clearly tells us that if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his By this sacred Signature we are appropriated to Christ and visibly distinguish'd from the World For tho the secret and pure influences of the Spirit in the soul are only known to the person that feels them yet his active inspirations are declarative of his presence and power in the outward conversation As the Wind that is of so thin and subtil a nature that 't is invisible in it self but we certainly know from what point it blows by the course and way that the Ship makes thus the Spirit of God who is compared to the Wind is discovered by an infallible Indication his fruits and effects in a holy Life And those who have communion with Christ by his Spirit have a share in his Victories and may with confidence meet the last enemy Death For we are assured If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in us he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken our mortal Bodies by the Spirit that dwelleth in us A preparative conformity to Christ in Grace will be followed with a consummate in Glory But those who never felt the sanctifying efficacy of the Spirit in their hearts and lives tho they are Christians in profession yet they have no other union with Christ than a dead Branch with a Tree that receives no sap and virtue from it or an artificial Member joyned to the Body that may have the outward clothing and ornaments proper to that part but derives no life and sense from it Whoever is in Christ is a new Creature And only those who partake in the first resurrection from Sin shall be exempted from the power of the second Death and upon just grounds are freed from the terrors of the first To apply this point let us 1. Consider our dear Obligations to our blessed Saviour who to free us from the sting and enslaving fear of Death submitted to it with all its terrors from God and wicked Men. He felt a sadness to an Agony in his Soul and suffered the equal extreamities of Ignominy and Torment in his Body The Favour of God was intercepted from him that it may shine upon us in that gloomy hour And all his terrible Sufferings tho foreknown by his enlightened mind could not weaken his determined Will to undergo them for us But when Peter regarded with a more tender eye his Life than our Salvation he was repell'd with indignation Unparallell'd Love no less than divine transcending all the instances of humane affection The highest kind and excess of Love amongst Men is to die for another and the highest degree in that kind is to die to save an Enemy and of this our Saviour is the singular Example Love incomprehensible it passes knowledge and all understanding but his who exprest it His Love was equal to the heighth of his Glory from whence he descended and the depth of his sufferings that he sustained in our stead By washing us from our sins in his Blood he makes us Kings dignifies us with spiritual Soveraignty over not only defiling but disturbing passions The freest and most confident Sinner in the World that rebels against the Divine Laws without restraint is a slave not only under the chains of his imperious Lusts but in that he is liable to the scourgings of Conscience when ever awaken'd and to the servile fear of Death every day But the sincere Christian has a clear and sweet peace a blessed tranquillity from the tormenting apprehensions and fears of Death that are the just consequents of guilt One of the ancient Romans highly celebrates the Astronomers who discover'd the true Causes of the Eclipses of the Sun and Moon and freed the World from the double darkness of Ignorance and Fear which believed the obscuring of those great Lights were the fainting fits of Nature and mortal symptoms threatning an universal Calamity But what Praise and Blessing is due to our Saviour who hath given us infallible assurance that the death of the Righteous is not as the heathen World imagin'd an irreparable loss of Life but a short eclipsing of this low and mean Light that is common to sensitive creatures to be restored more excellent and permanent in Heaven where those Stars shine in the Divine Presence for ever Thanks be to God which gives us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. This should render him infinitely precious to us and inflame our Hearts with desires equal to our Obligations to serve him 2. Let us make it the main business of our lives to remove from our Souls the just fears of Death 'T is one of the solemn follies of the World to fear where there is no cause As if a Sentinel should mistake Gloworms in the Night for lighted Matches and give a false Alarm but 't is a worse folly tho pleasing not to fear when there is the greatest reason to excite it And 't is so in the present Case for the most are without the fear of Death that should make them serious in preparing for it nay to maintain their security are as unwilling to hear Conscience declare the wretchedness of their condition with
respect to Eternity as Ahab was the Prophet Michaiah who always foretold evil things to him 'T was the chief design of the Philosophers by Principles of Reason to fortify themselves against all frightful Accidents and with a masculine Mind and an Heart ardent with generous Spirits to encounter this inevitable Evil. When one of them was threatned by the Emperor Antigonus with present Death he boldly replied Threaten this to your dissolute Courtiers that are softned and melted by sensual pleasures and easily receptive of terrible impressions not to a Philosopher to whom Death is contemptible in any appearance This was a piece of affected Bravery for Pagan Philosophy could never furnish them with Armor of Proof against the Dart of our last Enemy But the Gospel assuring us that Death is an entrance into Immortality makes that to be the reality of a Christian that was a vain boast of the Philosophers Now that we may be establish'd in that blessed Tranquillity that Death cannot discompose the following Directions are infinitely useful 1. We must give all diligence to be in a state of Reconciliation with God The things requisit to that are as the Apostle declares Repentance towards God and Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance includes a Godly sorrow for Sins past with a detestation and forsaking them sincerely without hypocrisy and entirely without partiality in the heart and conversation 'T is call'd Repentence from dead works the proper name of our Sins that deserve eternal Death By repentance we return to Obedience that is due to God our Maker and Lawgiver Faith respects the Redeemer who by his Blood shed on the Cross and pleaded in Heaven reconciles God to penitent Sinners The belief of his merciful and powerful Mediation for our acceptance and Pardon works by Love and constrains us to dedicate our selves in a devoted propriety to his Glory and Service and to live according to that Dedication These two are absolutely necessary to the vital and salvifical state of a Christian. And as soon as a person sincerely repents and believes he is justified before God and if he dies will certainly obtain eternal Glory This should be the early and most speedy work of our Lives for the delay of Repentance and neglect of securing the Favour of God arms Death with more stings and terrors 1. 'T is direct Rebellion against God who commands us to hear his Voice to day obediently and immediately upon no less penalty than being excluded from his blessed Rest for ever Yet the self-flattering Sinner preaches another Gospel to himself and runs in hazard of Damnation and the eternal Curse every hour 2. 'T is the most provoking Abuse of his Mercy and Patience that should lead Men to Repentance He can in the twinkling of an Eye in the beating of a Pulse cut off the Sinner 't is as easy to his power as to will it And there 's no consideration should be so meltting and moving as his Clemency We reade of David that he had more than once in his power Saul his unjust and implacable enemy and spared him the effect of it was that Saul became so softned and under such compunction of spirit that he wept confest his guilt and desisted from persecuting him overcome by that unexampled Love If a Man find his Enemy will he let him go And yet Men take advantage from the goodness of God securely to despise his Laws 3. How justly will this render divine Mercy inexorable to their Prayers and Tears in their extremity When a Roman Gentleman that had wasted a great Estate by Luxury and was wont to revel in the Night and sleep in the Day petitioned the Emperor Tiberius to relieve his poverty he was dismist with this upbraiding Answer Sero experrectus es You are risen too late He never opened his Eyes to see his Condition till it was past remedy This is the sad case of many Souls that waste the seasons of Grace and are careless of their Duty till they are upon the point of perishing and then address themselves to God for his Favour and Pardon but are justly rejected with the reproaches of their obstinate neglect of Salvation in the time of their lives 4. Repentance that is indispensibly required to qualify us for Mercy is far more difficult and hazardous by Mens deferring of it The last guilty disposition that seals up the Damnation of the Sinner is Impenitence Now he that delays the returning to his Duty shall have more cause to repent hereafter but less will and power For the continuance in Sin hardens the heart and that which is indisposition will become averseness and obstinacy The heart with difficulty changes its last end Actions may be suddenly changed when there is a disability to perform them but the inward inclination to Sin without supernatural Grace remains And is it reasonable to expect the least breathings of the Spirit any divine Assistance after long resisting his holy Excitations God threatens My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with Man And to the forsaken Sinner the seasons of Grace are as irrevocable as his wasted mis-spent time The Delayer does not trust but tempt divine Mercy 5. The numerous Examples of those who have deferred Repentance and Reconciliation with God and at last died in their sins should terrify Men if they are not wrought on in a more excellent way 1. Some presume upon the vigour of their Youth or Complexion and think when they have satiated themselves with the pleasures of Sin when they have the freest vacancy and are retir'd from the affairs of the World there will be a convenient season for making their peace with God And how often are they suddenly cut off the first symptom of their sickness is Death and what the Angel with such solemnity declared that time should be no more is verified concerning them by an unexpected dissolution 2. Some that continue a while in sickness and languishings do not apply themselves seriously to God upon the hopes of recovery And this hope is cherish'd by the mortal love the cruel deceit of friends who are unwilling to let them see their danger lest their spirits should sink under it And thus many die in an unprepared state 3. Others that are guilty and graceless tho distant from Death and Hell but a few hours are secure as Jonah who slept in the midst of a Tempest at Sea The tenour of their lives discovers this to be divine Vengeance they are seiz'd with a spirit of slumber and pass without fear into the state of everlasting desperation 4. Others who have lived in careless security as if they had made a Covenant with Death yet upon the near approaches of it when they see Death before them attended with Judgment and Judgment Hell as we read of Sisera who from extream Fear past to extream Security so on the contrary these self-deceivers from extream Security have fallen into extream Fear Then Truth