be

to Worship can be confider'd no other (if I may allow'd the Expreffion) than affronting the Almighty to his Face; and that he the fame may take up Complaint as he did of old against the Jews, faying, This People draw nigh to me with their Tongues and their Lips, but their Hearts are far from me. And now the Worship is over, let us observe if we can hear any Remarks on the Sermon: No furely; that was not the Business that principally concern'd them; but the Fashions and Garbs of one another ingross the whole Observation, as soon as they are difmiffed, and are commonly the Subject of Converfation most part of the remaining Day.

But when we confider the Practice and Preparation of the foregoing Week, the Horror and Amazement we must certainly have been fill'd with, while we are reflecting, will cease; and we shall conclude with Regret, That better cannot be expected from People, while they remain in fuch an inconfiderate, irreligious, and unhappy Situation! The Impiety of a Life thus fpent in this Circle of Madness, Folly and falfe Devotion, is fufficient, one would think, to provoke and draw down the Indignation of the Almighty on the Heads of fuch Tranfgreffors, with whom he has long fuffer'd, in order to bring them to Repentance. And I have been led to admire and adore the long Forbearance and Mercy of the Majesty of Heaven, who is thus daily affronted and provoked by his Creatures; Creatures too of his Pleasure, whofe Life, Breath and Being depend on his Will; and who placed us here on this Earth to ferve him our Creator, by glorifying him with our Bodies, Souls and Spirits. But alas! instead of giving the Honour due to

his Name, or acknowledging him in all our Ways, as we are exhorted, 'tis impoffible that People in this Course of Life that I have described, can acknowledge God in any of their Ways; and that in the Room of having him in all their Thoughts, they take certain and fure Measures to exclude him from all their Thoughts. And when I have sometimes been reflecting on the common Expreffion made ufe of by many of these Sort of Chriftians, when they would confirm fomething they are going to affert for Truth, irreverently use these Words, As I hope to be Javed, I have been much affected; for how People, who pursue these Steps, can rationally hope to arrive at Heaven, I cannot conceive. But fuppofing it poffible to obtain it in their own carnal Way, how wou'd, or cou'd they relish the Pleasure faid to be at God's Right Hand, or delight in his Prefence, when they have had no Acquaintance, Communion or Fellowship, with him on Earth? What would they think of spending an Eternity in his Service and Praife, when the very Mention of Religion, and the Things of God, are irkfome and troublesome in Time? And it is now become unfashionable and mean, and the Mark of a pufillanimous Spirit, so much as to infinuate any Care or Concern about their poor immortal Souls. But let not any deceive themselves, and hope to obtain Heaven and Happiness on eafier Terms than the Almighty has propofed: For if we will credit the facred Writings, none but those who fincerely repented of their evil Ways, and turn'd from them; who have lov'd, and fear'd and ferv'd God here below, and who have gain'd the Victory over their finful Lufts and Paffions, can be admitted into this

glorious

glorious Manfion of Blifs (nor none but those who are properly qualified for a Part in the heavenly Choir, who can fing the Song of the Redeemed) where the happy Employment of the Righteous will be praifing God, and giving Glory to his Name; as John (call'd the Divine) teftifies; I faw, fays he, thofe who had gotten the Victory, with Harps in their Hands, finging the Song of Mofes, the Servant of the Lord, and the Song of the Lamb, faying, Great and Marvellous are thy Works, Lord God Almighty! just and true are thy Ways, thou King of Saints! Who shall not fear thee, O Lord! and glorify thy Name! And every Creature which is in Heaven praifed God, faying, Blessing and Honour, Glory and Power, be unto him that fitteth on the Throne, and to the Lamb, for ever and ever! And every Order of Angels continually crying, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hofts! And those who are redeemed, whofe Robes are wash'd in the Blood of the Lamb, who are arrived at this holy Habitation, not thro' Pomp and Luxury, but thro' great Tribulation, ftand before the Throne of God, and ferve him Night and Day in his Temple; and he that fitteth on the Throne fhall dwell amongst them, and lead them to Fountains of living Water, and God fhall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes.

If this be the happy Situation of the Bleffed above, as we have no Reafon to doubt but it is, examine yourselves, I befeech you, and fee how you are prepar'd and qualified for fuch a Place and Condition; and remember 'tis the Living only,thofe whom Chrift hath redeemed from the Power of the Grave of Sin, and quicken'd by the Refurrection

rection of his holy Spirit, to a Life of Holiness, that can truly praife God; those who are dead in Trepaffes and Sin, cannot celebrate his Praise, nor fing the Song of the ranfomed Ones. Therefore you who are asleep, in a carnal, easy and careless State, hear the Voice of the Son of God, which fpeaks in your Confcience, faying, Awake, arife from the Dead, and Chrift fhall give thee Life; fand in Awe, and Sin not; commune with your own Hearts, and be ftill; retire there, and fee how the Cafe ftands between God and your own Souls ; acquaint your felves with God, and be at Peace: For I teftify to you this Day, that I have witnessed his Peace and Favour to be better than Life; for which my Heart, as well as my Lips, have often return'd, to his great Name, high Praises and Thanksgivings! O that many may be made fenfible of his Favour to their Souls! that they may fee, and fear, and turn unto the Lord, and truft in his Name: You who are afar off from God, draw near, and behold his Goodness, and tafte it; and you who are near, with me, acknowledge his Might. Times of Ignorance God winked at but this Gospel-Day, he commands all Men, every where, to repent; as Life and Immortality is brought to Light, through the Gofpel of Jefus Chrift; whofe Gospel you profefs to rejoice in: But if those, called Chriftians (whom God hath known, above all the Families of the Earth) rebel against the Light, your Punishment will be the greater, according to the Proportion of Knowledge and Grace received: For that Servant who knows his Lord's Will, and prepares not himself,

E

;

now,

in

neither

neither does according to his Will, fhall be beaten with many Stripes.

Bring your Deeds therefore to the Light of Christ in your own Confciences, and fee if they are wrought in God: Remember why fome formerly refused to bring their Deeds to this Light; it was because it would manifeft that they were Evil, and therefore reproved by it. And tho' the Profpect may appear gloomy and unpleasant to fome, and you may be unwilling to break your falfe Peace, and disturb a Reft you have created to yourselves, and find a stronger Propenfity to gratify than cross your fenfual Inclinations and Appetites tho' ; you may be averfe to an Undertaking which is likely to prove troublefome; a Task fo difguftful and difagreeable, as changing our old Cuftoms and Manners; which you are told by the Apostle, must be done : All who are in Chrift Jefus, must be new Creatures; Old Things must pays away, all Things must become new, and all of God. These you may poffibly think hard Sayings; but remember, the Propenfities of Flesh and Blood cannot enter with you into the Kingdom of God; whose Love, when you are really in Poffeffion of it, will make hard Things eafy, and bitter Things (weet.

Many are discouraged and afraid to enter upon a religious Courfe of Life, as it will, they imagine, retrench their Liberties, and render their Lives unpleasant, gloomy and melancholy: This indeed is one of the Subtilties of Satan; one of his evil Reports of the good Land of Promife, which 'tis his Advantage to prevent your Entrance into. But don't believe him, nor his evil Spies; he was a Liar from the Beginning, and remains fo to this Day. Though