guilty and in very great hazard and danger of being filled with the Wrath of God Rom. 1.32 Rom. 3.1 2 3 these â—o as it were Justifie those that have been guilty after God hath punished them and slight the Justice of God therefore you find God so sharply reproving these and declaring these more abominable in his sight Ezek. 16.47 53. Jer. 3.7 12. God is not wont to suffer such that harden their hearts against Examples of Wrath on others to escape his Wrath. Dan. 5.22 6. To them that live in Uncleanness whilst they make a high profession of Godliness they come and sit at the Table of the Lord and yet wallow in Uncleanness God that sees what they do in Secret sayes Shall not my Soul be Avenged of such as these Oh! in what great danger are Church Member Unclean persons If God will answer them according to their Abominations who set up their Idols in their hearts and put the stumbling block of their Iniquity beforâ— their face when they come to enquire of a Prophet Ezek. 14 4. What will the end of these â—e 〈◊〉 These have had impressions made by the Spiriâ— of God from the word on their Consciences and have been like the Earth that drinketh iâ— the Rain that cometh oft upon it and iâ— they do after all this continue to bring â—ortâ— briars and thorns may they not look upoâ— themselves nigh to cursing Heb. 6.8 7 To all those whom God hath suffered to escape long Unpunished in the pursuit of Unclean delights an awful symptome and grounâ— of fear that God intends to punish them Eternally Oh! many are glad at heart that they can sin unpunished and not be brought to shame and smart for it here truly such have awful ground to fear that God intends to Damn them Eternally The letting of Sinnerâ— go unpunished is threatned as one of the foresâ— Calamities inflicted in this world for the preparing of the Sinner for endless Torment Hosâ— 4.14 17. Let such read Rom. 9.22 23. And seâ— if they have any reason to account it any part of their happiness that they are suffered of God to escape long unpunished in such a way of sinning 8. To all those who cover their Uncleannesses with Lies to the doubling of their guiltiness These take a course to carry the guilt of their doings into another world with them Those that commit Adultery and walk in Lies will be as Sodom to God Jer. 23.14 Prov. 19.5 They are doubly an Abomination to God the Text doth once and again threaten those persons Here 's nothing but matter of awakening and terrour to all Unclean persons older or younger God saith that he will punish such as you are He will take you into his own hands Heb. 13.4 Oh! what reason have you to tremble and be afraid your Sin is Damning The damage it doth you is not only in this life and on your bodies but it destroyes your Souls and that Eternally Consider that Eternal Separation from God and every act of disobedience receiving a meet reward will make you perfectly miserable Here consider for your awakening 1. That the pleasures of sin will be dear bought You are now resolved to live a life of pleasure You are doubly guilty of folly as well as wickedness you make choice of pleasures that lye in common with bruits and refuse the joys of holiness and communion with God You chuse also those that you can enjoy but for a season they will be but as the crackling of thorns under a pot and they will cost you the loss of all happiness and the sustaining all misery You live a jolly jocund life now but what will you do in the end thereof Madness in your hearts whilst you live and after that you go to the dead 2. That God wont punish you for one sin only or but for a few but for all He will remember all your Iniquities and visit all your sins Eccles. 11.9 Amos 3.2 All your Uncleanness all your Sabbath Pollutions all your Sinful thoughts words and actions Oh! you will find it a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God under the guilt of Innumerable sins Can your hands and hearts indure under this Can you bear the wrath of God for numberless transgressions 3 God wont only bring you into misery but the Cup shall be full of wrath without any mixture of mercy that he will make you take and drink down Wrath wont fall heavily only on one member of the body but all not only on the body but Soul and Body too No friends to pitty you pray for you no comforts of this life to comfort you Rev. 14.10 Oh! how hard do afflictions sometimes come upon you now you say you can't live long under them if they are continued and yet you have many mercies mixt with your bitterest afflictions many comforts But then forsaken of all nothing but wrath not one single mercy 4. God will have no regard to any thing you can devise to alleviate your pain He will take no notice of any of the prayers you made or profession you made of Religion If you took lamps and went forth to meet the Bridgroom if you eat and drunk at his Table if in his Name you cast out Devils if you gave of your Estate to charitable uses if your Estate were laid out for the maintaining and upholding the Ordinances of God Worship and your natural or acquired parts and abilities were improved for the good of Gods Church your wisdom and your courage improved many years for the preservation and defence of Gods people it would not be Esteemed by God to prevent your Torment Matt. 7.21 22 23. and Matt. 25.12 God wont regard the Prayers of the most holy Ministers and Relations that prayed for you to ease you of your pains Jer. 15.1 Ezek. 14.14 God wont regard your earnest pleadings Matt. 25.11 12. Dives can't get one drop of water with all his pleadings Your descending from Godly Parents and that you were the Children of the Covenant won't procure any abatement of pain The rich man crying out in torment though he crys Father Abraham and is called Son yet hath no ease Luk. 16.25 5. God won't only rank your sins before your eyes but he will make them manifest to your contempt before the world God will reprove you and set your sins in order before your eyes when he comes to execute Vengeance as Matt. 25 41. Psal. 50.21 22. He will also make known to the world what manner of persons you were to your disgrace and reproach Psal. 52.6 7. Luk. 12.2 3. All your Secret sins wicked thoughts your Hypocrisy and Apostacy will all be proclaimed before all the world You would be ashamed to be seen in any company if the wickedness of your hearts and thoughts if the wickedness committed by you in Secret were known to all Oh! how do those that seemed to be without shame hang down their heads How shy are they of
these their sins are of a scarlet and crimson dye aggravated iniquities filling up the measure of other sins not barely transgressions and violations of a holy Law of God but breaches of his Law with such aggravations that ripen for Damnation 1. Uncleanness is an aggravated iniquity filling up the measure of other sins Prov. 2.18 this appears 1 In that it is a sin that God leaves the abhorred of his Soul and reprobates to a wallowing and continuing in Eccles. 7.26 Prov. 22.14 A Sin that he leaves them to that he never intends good to these are left of God to go the way to Hell and not escaping these sins they may not think to escape damnation Prov. 7.27 Prov. 5.5 these expressions that the abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein plainly intimates that many previous and foregoing sinful courses have provoked God to jealousie and hot displeasure and that he will leave them to this sin to prepare them for a day of Vengeance 2. A Sin that takes away the heart from God and that which is good Hos. 4.11 It alienates and estrangeth the heart from God and the holy Commandment it causeth sinners to disregard and slight promises and threatnings it takes away the heart from thinking and meditating of God and his Word from delighting in God and his Commandments from contriving and studying how to please God and obey his voice so that they will not hearken to his voice they will none of him when the heart is thus taken off from God and that which is good the measure of sin will be filled up apace Prov. 2.17 3. In that they are addicted and accustomed to this Sin are hardened persons and seldome truly repent Prov. 2.19 Prov 7.13.23 the Scripture speaks of these as the most impudent and shameless sinners yea as those that refuse to be ashamed many of these past feeling Eph. 4.18 19. Now when any are hardened from Gods fear they will fall into mischief and the heart of those will be set in them to do evil 4. A Sin that hath ruined and made desolate Nations and Lands guilty of it It drowned the Old World it brought down Fire and Brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah Gen 19.13 Sodom had many other sins as Pride Idleness c Gluâ—tony but this sin of Uncleanness made it a desolation and a sin that eternally ruins and undoes the Soul Prov. 6.32 2. Murder is an aggravated Sin filling up the meaâ—uâ—e of other sins other sins treasure up wrath against the day of wrath This sin ripens for cutting down finisheth the transgression and brings forth death this appears in 1. That the cry of this sin pierceth the very heavens and brings down the Curse of God Gen. 4 10 11. he sinned in his wrath against his Brother he finished that sin in the murder of him God admonished and warned him for his passionateness and angryness but when he had committed this sâ—n saith God Thou art cursed from the earth 2. Inasmuch as usually they are hardened against Gods â—ear and contemners of God that are thus guilty Gen. 4.9 he doth not fall down and cry out against himself for his own guiltiness but as though it were a light thing to break with God he adds sin to sin he lies to hide his murder and takes up God disdaiâ—fully Am I my Brothers Keeper A Parent a Master a Prince would account such language from a Child Servant or Subject unallowable sawciness and contempâ— He speaks as though it was an affront to put such a question to him and therefore after God denounced a Curse on him he doth not bewail the greatness of his sin he doth not relent or manifest sorrow that he had sinned against God as he had done only faith My punishment is greater than I can bear and instead of busying his mind to get his sin pardoned by building a City he diverts his mind from contemplating on his guiltiness 3. In that God will not permit Murderers to liâ—e here but causeth them to dy before their time Blood thirsty men shall not live out half their days Exod. 21.14 Flying to the horns of the Altar shall be no sanctuary or security to them Numb 35.31 there can be no compensation mâ—de for the explaâ—ing of guilt as to this life God will have no man plead that the natural life of such aâ— one may be spared Prov. 28.17 4. In that a whole Land cannot be innocent but polluted that suffer innocent blood to cry against it in neglecting the Execution of Justice for such a transgression In that a whole Land shall smart for sparing a convicted Murderers Life When Murder is uncertain as to the author of it see what is incumbent on a people for the preventing the Wrath of God Deut. 21.1 â—â— 10. A people have no reason to expect that it will goe well with them liâ— they neglect execution of Judgment for this sin Deut. 19.11 12 13. Numb 35.33 the conniving at and suffering of such sins greatly moved God to wrath against Israel Jer. 2.34 5. In that the very light of nature teacheth that God is not wont to suffer this Sin to go unrevenged Acts 28.4 the Wrath of God is not only revealed from Scripture light against this Sin but the Barbarians by the light of nature judge it too great an offence for the Judge of the World to permit long unrevenged here USE I. Of Information 1. What great reason they have to be humbly thankful to God that are restrained and kept from these Sins Every one by nature hath the seeds of all Sin and disobedience Its God that witholds all as well as Ahimelech Gen. 20.6 Religious Education our own wisdom and resolutions can't restrain even from such wickedness Its God that makes us to differ one from another that keeps from such pollutions many of the Wise and Learned of the World many that make a profession have been guilty We are not to be unthankful for restraining gracâ— we are humbly to acknowledg God when he keeps back from presumptuous sins 2. What great reason Ministers Parents and Heads of Families have to warn all under their Charge against and to restrain them from such sinful practices and courses These Sins will not only expose theirs to such calamities in this life that will make the ears of them that hear to tingle but render them obnoxious to Eternal Damnation 3. How they are to blame who suffer and permit such things under their eye and roof that are leading occasions to such Sins They are to blame that suffer and allow their Children and Servants in the black and dark night to be absent from the Religious Orders of their Families to be going the way to such houses they are to be reproved who bring up their Children and Families in Idleness which doth occasion the abounding of sin even this sin of Uncleanness Idleness occasioned Sodâ—ms being so vile Heads of Families are to be reproved that see Young Ones Children or
more undiscorned God layes his plagues on some mens Souls when he layes them on other mens bodies He sends leanness into some mens Souls when he sends leanness on others Estates Haâ—'t God let you alone and poured upon you a Spirit of deep sleep given you eyes that you should not see nor perceive nor be converted to this day To be left of God to go on stupidly in impenitency is a very great testimony of Divine Wrath. Soul plagues are the forest plagues 4. The longer ago your sins were committed the more hazardous your unconcernedness about â—epenting of them getting a Pardon of them God wont be patient alwayes though he is â—ometimes long suffering if he waites on Sinners till they bring forth briers and thornes he would have them know they are nigh to Cursing Yea such as are impenitent after much long suffering may fear that they are Vessels fitted to destruction Rom. 9.22 God sayes I come three years looking for fruit and find none cut it down why cumbereth it the ground Luk. 13.7 ult 2. Some are ready to argue that their sins are but little if they had been left to gross acts of Fornication or Adultery they acknowledge they should have had need to have haltened to Chrst for a pardon but they were only guilty of some wanton dalliances therefore they don't think God is very angry with them 1. Though some sins comparatively considered are little yet no sins absolutely considered are little and small because against an Infinite God and Violations and Transgressions of his holy Laws and Commands 2. Such little sins if your Consciences were awakened and enlightned would fill you with great perplexity and distress As long as the commandment did not come with Convictions of its exactness and spirituality on Pauls Conscience he was alive and could do well enough but when such an exposition as Christ put upon the Commandment came sin revived and â—e dyed he was slain and could justifie himself no longer 3. God finds stubbornness rebellion which are as that Sin of Witchraft where Sinners can see only humane frailty and sins of Infirmity 1 Sam. 15.23 Saul saith he had obeyed theâ— he had a good end in varying from the command or the people are to blame but God tellâ— him of rebellion and stubbornness which were to him as Witchcraft and Idolatry God tellâ— him that he had in so doing rejected the Word of the Lord. Christ tells us he that looks upon a Woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her in his heart Hear what account God makes of that which you call a look a cast oâ— the eye a little thing Isa. 3.16 17. 4. The more madness to break with God and expose your Souls to Hell Torment for these things that had but a little of pleasure to entice Ezek. 13.19 5. Little Sins make way for greater One Sin allowed stupifies and makes way for great ones the greatest Sinner began with that which you call little Eve first saw that the tree was good Cain was first wroth with Abel and then slew him 3. Some are arguing thus God is long-suffering and patient no hazzard of present danger Eccles. 11.8 If God strike Sinners dead presently they should be afraid to put off Repentance but God waits and forbears he waited long on the Old World on Sodom on many wicked men of old they don't doubt but God will yet wait on them they see no appearance of wrath as yet to this Consider 1. Is not this to despise the riches of Gods Grace and Patience to the treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.4 5. can't you be content without a treasure of wrath that you can find in your heart thus to delay Repentance 2. God did not exercise any patience towards the Fallen Angels and he is under no obligation to exercise any towards you Jude 6. 2 Pet. 2.5 What reason can you give why God should wait any longer on you can you do him more Services God is very arbitrary in his waiting longer or shorter on Sinners 3. God doth not ordinarily wait so long on Gospel Sinners Rom. 9.28 no Sinners ripen sooner for cutting down in vengeance than Gospel Sinners God makes very quick work with some Acts 13.46 how quick and sudden was God with Ananias and Saphira 4. God threatens to make quick work with them that harden themselves in Sins in hopes of long-suffering Ezek. 12.27 28. So that you have no security in putting off repentance it s very hazzardous 4. Some will reason thus with themselves God is very gracious and merciful and pardons great Sins and Sinners God pardoned Manasseh and Mary Magdalen and other great Sinners If God had not proclaimed his Name to be gracious and merciful slow to anger forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin they should be afraid of delaying repentance but inasmuch as God is so very merciful they hope it will be no very hard thing to perswade him to pardon afterwards To this consider 1. That he is a just and righteous God too and pardons no Sinners but such as are penitent it 's true God gives great Sinners encouragement to turn to him and upon their repentance he will forgive their iniquities yea multiply to pardon but remember he is a just God too when he proclaims his Name with so much encouragement to repenting Sinners he subjoyns that he will not at all acquit the guilty Nahum 1.3 as merciful as God is he will not shew mercy and grace to the wronging and injuring of his Justice 2. You take a course to be shut out of all mercy and to have God appear shutting up all bowels and pitty from you Deut. 29.19 Such reasonings are to be abominated Rom. 6.1 surely you turn the grace of God to wantonness when you improve it to encourage you on in ways of sin and rebellion 5. Some plead for themselves that they are weak and ignorant God hath not given them muck knowledge as others wherefore their sin is not so provoking to God as the sins of them that have more knowledge they hope God will pity their weakness and not be so very severe with them 1. One sin won't excuse you for another a gracious act presently after a sinful one will not excuse you before God surely the pleading of that which is a sin will be no security for a sin It 's true the more any sin against knowledge the more aggravated is their sin but ignorance is no defence against Gods anger especially in such as you that have had your Education in New-England under the plain convincing preaching of the Gospel You must of necessity have refused to attend to the Word preached that remain ignorant as to the plain principles of Religion you must have set at nought Gods Counsels and closed and shut your own eyes What excuse will it be for you if you are willingly ignorant you did not see because you shut your eyes and would not 2.
otherwise They say they shall sollace themselves with love and take their fill of love But in these words you see what God appoints them too not to a bed deckt with coverings of tapistry with carved works with fine Linnen of Egypt perfumed with myrrh aloes and cinnamon but to a lake burning with fire and brimstone a righteous allotment from God to all them that burn in their filthy lusts here In these words by an elegant Antithesis we have represented to us the differing frame of the wicked from the godly and the differing portion of these from the godly the Godly in the foregoing verse are described from their constancy and perseverance in opposing whatever was contrary to the holy nature or holy Law of God and happiness in its full complement or perfection is promised them of God The Ungodly spoken of in these words are such as are for preâ—ent ease and endless sorrow and pain are threatned to them In which words we have as it were a Catalogue of those that are appointed to Wrath or a very severe Commination or Threatning c. With the Subjects thereof 1. The Commination or Threatning shall have their part c. an absolute peremptory threatning shall have not that its probable or who can tell but it may be so they are in danger its very much to be feared it will be â—o but they shall have their part Part share or portion so much as hath been demerited by their sins and is appointed them of God who will give to every man according to the fruit of his doings Lake figuratively put for the place of Torâ—ent Hell wherein the reprobate shall be â—ormented Burns with fire and brimstone denoting the â—xtream torments of Hell when 't is said they â—hall have their part c. 't is as much as though â—t had been said they shall be adjudged to a most grievous Damnation by an irreversible Sentence Second Death Eternal Death c. Damnation of Soul and Body in Hell concludes under it the separation of the whole man Soul and Body from the glorious presence of God and the delivering of the Sinner to endless pain and torment in Hell 2. The Subjects of this doleful Commination Fearful Such as through fear of man swerve from the holy profession and practice of Godliness comprehending all those who are afraid from the encouragements of the Gospel to commit their Souls to Christ who dare not on Gospel Encouragements believe on Christ. Unbelieving all that remain in a Christless and Impenitent State on whatever consideration whether from sloth love of sinful pleasures or contempt of Christ and his Glorious Grace Abominable Those that are left to sin against nature and such as are guilty of Sodomy and Beaâ—tiality Murderers Those that unjustly take away the life of others or do that which hath a tendency thereto those that offer violence to the blood and life of others Whoremongers Unclean persons whether married who are termed Adulterers or unmarried who are called Fornicators Sorcerers Witches those that have familiar amity with Evil Spirits Idolaters Idol worshippers that use Idols in Religious Worship Such also are all that put the Creature in the room and stead of God All Lyars Such as are deceitful and dissembling who speak otherwise then they think and do otherwise then they speak such as accustom themselves to speak falsly comprehend those that fall into Heresie and all practical Lyars as Hypocrites who profess that they know God yet in works deny him any dying under the guilt of these sins are the Subjects of this Commination Any living under the single guilt of any one of these heads of sin are at present under a Sentence of Death and nothing but unâ—eigned repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ can prevent their being the Subjects of this threatning eternally DOCTRINE Murder and Uncleanness are sins that God punisheth men and women dying under the guilt of with Eternal Damnation Or thus That Impenitent Murderers and Unclean persons will â—e made the Subjects of Hell Torments Hell Torments will be the portion of all Impenitent and Unclean Persons I have singled out these two rather then the rest because God in his Providence calls me to â—ear testimony against these and to warn one in a peculiar manner convicted of both these and under a just Sentence of Death speedily to repent and get a pardon in the blood of Christ. Uncleanness and Murder are Sins that God punisheth not only in this life but in the world to come when the natural life of these shall be expired and that by Divine Appointment worse sorrows then ever they endured here shall seizâ— upon and apprehend them the sufferings of wrath here and loss of liâ—e by divine vengeance will not expiate guilâ—iness but divine wrath will pursue and abide on the guilty in the other world One Death will lead to another the First Death makes way for the Second God don't punish the Guilty only with Damnation but Everlasting Damnation Sinners dying under the guilt of these sins shall not only be Damned but everlastingly Damned Quest. How doth it appear that God will punish them that dye under the guilt of these sins with Everlasting Damnation 1. From Scripture Threatnings and Comminations God is not a man that he should lye nâ—ither the Son of man that he should repent hath he said and shall he not do iâ— Or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good God that said of old that he would Chastize as their Congregation had heard God who is truth and cannot lâ—e who after he had threatned his impâ—nitent people in ancient times for their Aposâ—acy warned them against flattering themselves with hopes of impunity by saying the Lord have spoken it this God hath in his Word threatned thus to deal with Unclean Sinners commanded them not to deceive themselves with hopes of a less punishment 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Gal. 5.6 these Exclusions from the Kingdom of Heaven comprehend in them positive punishments even the punishment of Eternal Damnation If Sinners hearing the curses and threatnings of Gods Word embolden themselves with promising themselves happiness they will find themselves in the issue separated to all evil Deut. 29.19 20. For heaven and earth shall sooner pass away than one jot or tittle of Gods word fail of its accomplishment 2. Because these are Transgressers of the Holy Law of God and Damnation is due to them on this account Rom. 6.23 Rom. 1.13 Every Sin is a transgression of the Holy Law of God it s therefore a meet and a reasonable thing that they should have their due Hell and Damnation are as really due to them and deserved by them in this their last end as ever wages were to a man at the end of his days work God is neglected slighted his holy Law trampled upon for a little present carnal satisfaction so that the Justice of God is concerned thus to deal with them 3. Because
Adultery Drunkards are often Unclean 4. Beware of giving way to other sins against the motions and strivings of Gods Spirit So did this poor Condemned Woman before she was left of God to this Sin of Murder for which She must Dye So did Herod and he imprisoned and murdered John the Baptist. Seven worse and more wicked Spirits often enter into such and so their last end is worse than their beginning Mat. 12.44 45. 5. Consider that all your ways are before God and the darkness hideth not from him Prov. 5.21 6. Beware of indulging your selves in secret sins you must endeavour to be cleansed from secret faults if you would not have presumptuous sins have dominion over you 2. To warn them that have fallen into these sins not to delay repentance to beware of doing any thing to the continuing of the guilt of these sins upon your Souls and Consciences Oh hasten escape for your lives fly for refuge to Christ. Look not back with a desire after them 1 You have been antecedently guilty of many other sins ripening you for these besides the guilt of these sins you have the guilt of many other 2. God will else tear you in pieces and none shall deliver you Psal. 50.22 3. All your former righteousness and religigiousness will be disowned if you live impenitent under these sins Ezek. 18.24 32 12 13. 1. Remember them against your selves so as to be heartily judging and condemning of your selves for them If you would not have God to loath you loath and abhor your selves for your Violations of his holy Law If you would not have God remember against you former iniquities you must remember them against your selves Your iniquities must be before you and you must be judging your selves before God for them So did Ezra Chap. 9.15 So did David Psal. 51.3 4. This we are counselled to 1 Cor. 11.31 Thus did repenting Ephraim Jer. 31.18 2 Follow and trace the footsteeps of these your sins till you find out your Original Sin your impure Nature Psa. 51.5 Unless men come to see and know the plague of their own hearts they will be partial and feigned in their repentance They that dont turn with their whole hearts will fall back again when a suitable Temptation and Occasion is offered and presented 3. Beware that you dont flatter your selves as though you had repented before you have repentance is not a saying before God with tears that you are sorry for your transgressions many turn but not to the most High 4. See that Christ as a Sanctifier and Justifier be sought after by you in respect of the guilt you lie under you had need improve Christ as a Justifier and as an Advocate Oh! then go to Christ as to him who only can Justify acquit and absolve you from the guilt of Sin 1 Joh. 2.1 2. Joh. 1.29 From the consideration of the Power and Dominion of Sin you have need of Christ as your only Sanctifier Your Prayers Reformations Tears won't Justifie you Christ must be a Satisfyer for you or Gods Justice can't be Satisfyed And you have no way to get power against corruption but by going to Christ as your Sanctification Your Vows Promises Resolutions Fastings won't mortifie and kill any one sin in you 't is Christ must subdue your Sin in you and for you 5. Improve present influences from the Spirit of God to draw you to Christ. Unless God by his Spirit draw you you will never come to the Son the Number of your Sins won't make you go to Christ the Greatness of your Sins won't make you go to Christ natural desires of happiness and escaping Wrath Hell won't bring you to Christ these may cause you to play the Hypocrite but they won't bring you to Christ times of common Calamity Judgment won't drive you to Christ thoughts and apprehensions of Deaths drawing near and just at hand ready to arrest you won't prevail with you to go to Christ. You that delay and put off your repentance when God is striving with you take heed you can't convert your selves when you will without Gods Spirit Look upon this poor object before your eyes and then consider whether any or all the forementioned things will make you fly to Christ. Improve the Spirit while it is at work on your Souls 6. Beware that you don't hearken to vain words and reasonings tending to the lessening of your guiltiness and your danger of Gods wrath and Judgment Eph. 5.6 Oh! know that for these things cometh the wrath of God upon the Children of disobedience And since the Apostle hath cautioned thus as to this sin I would particularly warn you to take heed that you don't by vain reasonings prevent your speedy repenting and turning to God And shall in a few particulars shew you the Vanity of such reasonings as have a tendency to extenuate and lessen your sin and danger that you may not hearken to them and deceive your own Souls 1. Some are ready to reason away apprehensions of Divine anger because 't is so long since they were guilty of them if they had committed these sins to day yesterday or but a few weeks ago they should be afraid and concerned to get them pardoned but it s so long since that they have almost forgotten them and if God had been much provoked he would not have born with them thus long 1. Consider God remembers them all as though committed but yesterday they are sealed up among his hid treasures God said Psal. 50. That he can set them in order before the sinners eyes God won't only punish for a few of your latter sins only but for all If they were committed when you were Young he hau 't forgot them for he sayes He will bring you into Judgment for all your Youthful sins Eccle. 11.9 They that have gone to God aright have gone for the pardon of former sins sins of Youth as well as latter transgressions 2. God punisheth some men a long time after they have committed their sins 'T is true because Sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed that the hearts of the Sons of men are set in them to do evil it s no argument that you shall escape punishment because God hath not yet punished you Though God did not destroy the people in the Wilderness presently but bore with their evil manners for forty years yet he wasted that Generation Hear what God sayes Exod. 32.32 God waited on and warned his people for twenty three years by his Prophet and yet after all he destroyed them in his anger Jer. 25.3 7. Jude verse 5. 2 Pet. 2.9 3. It may be you have been under a Judicial process ever since Sinners are sometimes stupid and don 't observe the Strokes of God upon them hear how unobservant they were that had been for so long a time under a course of Judgment Jer. 44.19 compared with 20â—â—â—24 The Judgments of God are sometimes more Spiritual and so
never I would offer some things to your consideration for your conviction of guiltiness and need you have to get your peace made with God You are by nature a Child of Wrath and guilty of Adams Sin you brought a guilty defiled Soul into the world with you You were shapen in Iniquity and in Sin did your Mother conceive you You have long refused and slighted Jesus Christ and would none of him as your Prophet your Priests and your King and so are under a Sentence of Death from the Gospel as well as the Law by your unbelief you have sealed down the Wrath of God upon your own Soul you have fallen also into great Land-polluting moral evils Lying Stealing Adultery and Murder You would not hearken to the voice of your eminently pious Father-in law warning of you You have accustomed your self to these ways of sin tho' you Lived under the convincing preaching of the Gospel You closed your eyes and would not see tho' for many years you Lived under an eminently Soul-searching Ministry you have given up your self to these sins in the day that God was pleading his Controversie and hedging up your ways with thorns in the day of the Lords anger you have sinned more and more when God had driven you out of one Plantation into another by the Enemy when God had taken away your first Husband by Death and suffered your second to be carried into Captivity when he was in bondage you were wantonly doting on your Lovers yea though you could not look out an your door but the Garrison and Souldiers before your eyes proclaimed it to be a day of Gods anger your sin is very great in your violating your Marriage Covenant You have relapsed after God filled your Soul with horror for these abominations and turned again as a Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire You refused to be prevented from Murder by covering your Adultery with lying though so solemnly admonished and cautioned You have unnaturally murdered the fruit of your own body what in you lay its Soul have abused patience and long suffering exercised towards you of God multiplying lying and hardening your heart have not feared God being under a righteous Condemnation and Sentence of Death but to this day continued in lying You have slighted the Word of God quenched the Spirit of God refused Christ and have by these things filled up the measure of your sins so that you must Dye that the Land be not guilty None may stay you from death and suffer you to live least the Land be greatly polluted And you are now Enjoying your last Opportunity in Gods House you that have idled slept away yea whored away part of so many Sabbaths and Lectures shall have no more You that have disregarded Gods Counsels how righteously might God say I will laugh at your calamity and mock when your fear comesâ— Yet he sayes after all these things turn Jer. 3.7 For the life of your body your case is hopeless Your sin is so heinous that your life can't be saved without injustice Well then since you can't live guiltless labour to die penitent since your Body can't be saved alive endeavour that your Soul may be saved alive in death there is yet a possibility that your Soul may be saved See Prov. 1.20 22 23 24. Jesus Christ the essential wisdom calls after such an one as you to come to him though you have been long sinning lov'd and delighted in sinning yea tho' you have hated knowledge you are called upon encouraged to come God in Christ is shewing how ready he is to show you mercy upon your repentance and to help you in your repentance he offers you the best help and help suitable Oh then come away to Jesus Christ now left upon your refusal the after verses be made good against your Soul Direction Come away to Christ now upon the call and encouragement of the Gospel Stay away no longer Don't think your Prayers good promises and others praying for you will save you But hasten away to Christ There is no other Name given whereby you can be saved Act. 4.12 And no other way of being saved by Christ than by coming to him or believing on him You are called this day in an Ordinance of Christ to come for Reconciliation 1 Cor. 5.19 Christ came to save guilty sinners It s a faithful saying and worthy of your acceptation that Christ came into the World to save Sinners chief of Sinners The greatest sinners have been justified in this way 1 Cor. 6.11 So Manasseh that shed much innocent blood Consider for your encouragement that Christ fully accepts of them that ran far from him that refused to come as long as they could retain any hopes of being saved in any other way upon their coming to him Luke 15. God won't upbraid you upon your coming Jam. 1.5 Yea he that comes unto me I will in no wise cast out though he have been a great and an old Sinner though he have sinned away many Convictions yet if he come he shall have mercy Christ Jesus calls you to come not to sell you pardon but give you Grace Matth. 11.29 I will give you rest Christ aimes at your present gain and not at his own and therefore if you have no money yet you may have the mercy you want Isa. 55.1 Consider 1. That Christ don't call you to come to him to be Punished but Pardoned Christ in the Gospel comes to you to save you calls you to come to him to be pardoned It s true if you refuse the calls of Christ in this life he will call you in the next life to be punished and condemned Oh! Christ calls you and you need not be afraid to come to him now for he doth not call you to come to be punished for sins alâ—eady committed but that he may pardon and forgive them blot oâ—t the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against you May you have a free and full pardon of so many and great sins upon coming then delay no longer 2. Jesus Christ calls you to come not to pass a Sentence of Death upon you but to take it off from you There will be no Condemnation against your Soul when once you are gotten into Christ. Rom. 8.1 yea Christ says such shall not enter into Condemnation for they are passed from death to life there is a sentence of death gone out against you in the Law 't is a holy and righteous sentence too now the Gospel offers no mercy to the repealing and taking off this Sentence of Condemnation without coming to Christ. 3. Christ calls you to come to him not to shut you up in the Prison of Hell but to set you at liberty Oh! Christ would bring you out of the pit wherein is no water for Christ received a Commission from the Father to proclaim liberty and the opening of the prison doors to them that are shut up Isa. 61.1 2.
the prison and dungeon of Hell is the place you will assuredly be shut up in if you stay away from Christ but the Son will set you at liberty if you come to him who don't chuse liberty and enlargement before prisons and dungeons 4. Christ calls you not to feed you with the bread and water of Affliction but to feast you Rev. 3.20 Luk. 15.23 Here 's bread which if you eat of you shall never hunger Is not bread to the hungry Soul desireable Why should you stay away when you are ready to perish with hunger Christ Jesus will feast you if you come to him Christ hath Spiritual delicacies to entertain you withal 5. Jesus Christ don't call you to cloath you with Raggs and bring you to shame and disgrace but to cloath you with his righteousness Christ won't take away any thing that is good and desireable and worth keeping but to give you Grace and Glory Nor to speak angrily but to speak comfortably to you not to put you to drudgery and ignominious service for ever but to stand before him to do him Service in Praising and Glorifying his Name See what you are counsel'd to come to Christ for Rev. 3.18 1. Come to him for that which he came into the World for to be your Sanctifier to have Sin taken away that he would give you repentance Christ is Exalted at the right hand of the Father to give repentance unto Israel and remission of sins God hath sent him to bless his people in turning them from their iniquities His Name is JESUS and he will Save them that come unto him from their sins You want Christ for this how can you else think of going into the holy Heavens Nothing that defiles enters there Without Holiness you can't see God Oh! then let that be upon your Soul to have Christ for Sanctification 2. Come to him as a poor guilty polluted Creature come therefore self Condemned They that come because they have made so many Prayers and have gotten something good are not like to be accepted Remember the poor Publican that went down to his house justifyed he was one that smites upon his breast the Lord be merciful to me a Sinner he don't say be merciful to me who was once a great Sinner but I have reformed my life I have made many an affectionate prayer I have taken a great deal of pains but he comes as guilty sayes not a word to justify himself So the Prodigal when he come home he comes judging condemnning himself for what he had done that he was so guilty that God might now justly put him by he does not say I did displease but I have now done something to turn away thine anger and to procure thy favour See what he sayes Luk. 15.18 19 21. And yet â—â—e what wellcome he met with Verse â—2 And don't you think to go because you have sorrowed mourned and kept from Sinful coâ—â—â—es See how David went to God Psal. 51.3 4. 3. Come as a helpless shiâ—tless lost Creature Oh! Consider that in him the Fâ—â—â—erless findeth Mercy As one that must have all â—â—om Christ. Oh! go to him as one that is lost and knows not what to do of your self Christ came to seek and save the lost 4. Justifie God in all his comminations threatnings and curses against sin and sinners So did David Psal. 51.4 5. Come to him from the encouragements of the Gospel from what encouragements Christ gives you in his Word nor because you have gotten a heart to haâ—e sin love God or because you are not quite so bad as you have been 6 Come to him to be Saved from the wickedness of your heart Oh that you may be Saved from the unbelief hypocrisie worldliness hardness and carnality of your heart So did David Psal. 51.1 Create in me a câ—ean heart 7. Come to him with a desire to be put into his Service to do work for him so did the Prodigal make me as one of thy hired Servants You will say what work can I do that am just going out of the world Oh consider that you may Serve Christ in making confession of you sin warning of others justifying God oh come away consider that Christ will call to you from off the Mercy Seat no more after a few hours if you refuse now how will you dare to make your appearance before the Throne of Justice If you are afraid to come to Christ so affectionately calling you to come to him where he is Sitting on his Throne of Mercy holding forth the Scepter of Divine Grace Oh! Come behold now even now is yet an accepted time Come and give your self to Jesus Christ. Oh! Lift up your heart to God to draw you to turn you and we will lift up our hearts and desires to God with you and for you that he would draw and turn you FINIS