ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN Production Note Project Unica Rare Book & Manuscript Library University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign 2015Compajfionate Letter POORER PART CHRISTIAN WORLD /i c? /Zoo/? fz/si'T* 6 / 7 // HONDO N, Printed for the Publick Good, and Promoting the Great Work of Reformation; The POORER PART of the Christian World. EAR Immortal Souls! Will you permit a Friend of yours to fpeak to you a little about your higheft and everlafiing Concerns ? It may be, nobody has fpo-ken to you about them a great while ; and I fear you will not mind them, without being earneflly and frequently fpoke to: And is it not "pity, and is it not fad, that you /liquid fit {fill, and negleit a great Salvation and glorious Eternity ? Eternity, did I fay! 01 who can men- tion Eternity without Admiration, and Fear, and Trembling ? Ah ! dear Souls! is it not ten thoufand pities, that for want of Knowledge, and Wifdom, and Care, you fhould lofe the Time of Life, and lofe a Day of Grace, and plunge yourfelves into eternal Definition ? O! who can bear the thoughts .of it ? Who can chufe but figh and weep, to think, that thoufands, and thoufands, that now live merry and jocund in a carelefs World, will e er long be ' turn’d into Hell with all them that forget God, and ,ord Jefus Chriil ? O, >bcy not, the Gofpel A that v! [4] that mine Eyes were Fountains of Waters, to run down Day and Night, for the Multitude of ignorant, profane, ungodly Souls, that dwell in our happy Land ! O, the Crouds of them that are every where to be found! How are our Cities, Countries, and Families fill’d with loofe, wanton, harden’d Sinners, that will not hear, and will not learn the things that belong to their endlefs Peace? How many Families live without Religion, and without the Word or Wor- iliip of God, and mind nothing but the World, and Vanity, and Sin, from one Week’s end to the other? What Numbers are there of wicked Souls, that live in Rioting and Drunkennefs, in Chambering and Wantcnncfs, ii^ Hatrcd, and Strife, and Envy 5 in Curling, and Swearing, and Uncleannefs, and never confide? what the dreadful End of all this Sin will be! O! how many thoufands are there, that live Without coni" ientious Hearing and Reading the Word and Will of God, without ferious Prayer to God, without folemn Thoughts, whether there be a God to be worshipped or no? or whether there be a Mediator between God and Man, or no ? or what the Mediator is, or where he is, or what he is doing ? ' .Ah! poor perifhing Mortals! what will become of you? where will you in a little time appear, if this Opurfe hold ? G ! give a Friend, yet a Stranger, leave to bemoan and bewail your woful Condition! O f fad Day, that brought you into the World, if in fuch a Condition you fhould go out of it! Woe to you that ever you were born, if you put not on Wifdom* Repentance, and Holinefs; before you die! OJ I be-feech. you, open your Eyes, and Ears ! hear the Word and Truth of God, and fee the things that he hath reveal’d! Behold the Love and Companion of the Bleifed God! Behold the Mercies and Grace of the Son of God! Behold the Glories of Heaven, and a-j the Sorrows of Hell! Behold the endlefs Life and/J endlefs Death that God hath fet before you ! O ! tiff? f/J Stupidity and Deadnefs of worldly fenfual Souls! | i \) •.4ft, . . c ¡ j how grieved and pained ara I for you! Gríeveybto think of the Joys that you forfeit and fcorn! Pain’d to think of the Hellifh Anguidi and Woes-that you are running into ! And how much morg griev’d' and . pain’d fhouidl be, had I more Love to you,- and'more clear and lively Belief of thofe Reports .that áre in the Word of God! I fhould then more reftlefsly cry out, O! my Bowels! my Bowels! O! how do they yearn over you ! how are;they dillurb’d and didrefs’d tor you, ray Brethren! and will ye not pity your-fclves ? Have you no Concern for your own Welfare, cr for the Deliverance of yourfelves from eternal Wrath and Ruin?' Alas! would you have God to fave you again!! your Wills ? or bring you to that Heaven that you will not like, or love, or fetflt ? Oí that I could help ye to fee your Cafe! and that I could do foraething to pull you as Brands out of1 the Fire! O! how does your Dedruclion haden! and tho you lleep and dream away your Life and Time, your Damnation ilumbers not. O ! what will you do, when God fhall fay of you, It is a People of no Un-derdanding 5 they will not underhand the things that belong to their own Peace and Salvation 5 arjfcl therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them 3 and he that formed them, will iliew them no Favour. Ifa.-x.xvii. 11.. Ah ! you invaluable Souls! do you confider this ? Who will fave you, or can lave you, if he that made you will not? Will any one diew you Favour, if he that form’d you will not d-o it ? Whofe Power is greater than his? and whofe Goodnefs and Mercy is greater than his? whofe Bowels of Companion are more tender than his ? And will the time come» when he will ihew you no Mercy, and no Favour? O dreadful! What wifi you do when the great Day of his Wrath is come ? Vhere will ye hide in the Day pf his fevered Indigestion? How can ye bear that that breaketb 'the Mountains to pieces, aji>4 bums down to the lowed Hell ? A 3 -Ah in ^ Ah' poor finning Mortals! How /hall I befpeak ye ? how fihall I pour out my Love to you, my Concern for you, and my Lamentations over you ? O ! that you were wife! wife for Eternity and for Salvation ! O !. come fit down, and let us reafon together ! What are ye doing? and what have ye been doing fince you were born ? What fort of Heart and Life have you ? what Spirit are ye of? whither are ye going? what will be the end of thefe things? what fort ©f World do you think to appear in next ? where will your Abode be for ever and ever ? Ah ! poor Wretches, do you think to eat and drink away the Time of Life, to ileep and trifle away the faireii Scafons that God lends you, and then conclude, that all will be well, and God and Heaven will be yours at laff ? O ?: defperate Delufion ! What Sin or Lull, what Villain or Devil put it into your Minds? Never believe it, that without Faith, and Repentance, and Holinefs, you ihall ever fee God, or enjoy the Corm-pany of t he Bluffed. O ! that you would be reconciled to Wifdom ! to that Wifdom that the Word of God will teach you ! Q ! that you would be reconciled to true Serioufnefs and Godlincfs ! Rouze up your Reafon, andSenfe, and Judgment! throw away the fooliih Conceits and wicked Prefumptions of this World ! apply your Minds to fomething good, and heavenly, and divine ! O! for your Soul’s fake! for the fake of your eternal Welfare and Happinefs, let me beg you to think a little, and ponder on fuch things as thefe! i. Bethinjk ye what you arc. What! Know -ye not your ownlelves ! Are you fo intent upon things without, tnat ye can never look within," nor confider your own Beings? Are ye not curious, excellent Creatures? Do you not fee a great variety of Creatures t lovier Aan y°u? f^ch that feem to be made on pur-1 pole.Rut you, and for your Ufe and Service? What * elie are the Birds of the Air, the Beads of the Field and the Fifh of the Sea and the Rivers? Are you not- much..[ 7 ] much better than they ? furnifh'd with greater Ex* cellencies and Powers? and who made you to differ ? who gave you more Knowledge, and Judgment, ami Confcience ? Who put the Sheep, and Oxen, and other Cattcl in fubjeclion to you ? Was it not fome great Creator and Diipofer of all things? was it not fome great Lord that is good to Man, and prepar’d him a well-furnifh’d World to dwell in ? Who made thefe curious Bodies and excellent Souls ? thefe Bodies of fuch good Shape, and of fo many Parts and Veffels? Who made this Head and Brain, that thus governs the Body, and guides the Motions of it ? who made the Stomach to receive the Food, and digeft.it* to nourifh thé whole Body ? who made, the Lungs to. breathe and blow , and the Heart to receive the Blood, and pour it out again into all the Members , and the Limbs ? O ! how wonderfully are you made ! Who form’d this Soul, that gives Life and Motion to the Body? that knows, and judges, and remembers? that is capable of noble Services, and of great Joys and Miferies ? O ! foolifh, unthankful Mankind, that fa forgets itfelf, its Original, and Creator! Alas! how ftupid and ileepy have you been all this while? howi have ye loft your Thoughts,, and Minds, and Souls,, amidit the Cares and Noife of the World ? and how dead and loll have yebeen to your Maker, and to all the Love and Service that you owe him? 2. 0! Confide? who God is! How. high and great and glorious he is that made you, and ordain’d all thefe things i He is indeed the high and lofty One* that inhabits Eternity : So great and vail is he, that the Heaven of Heavens cannotcontain him ! So bright and glorious is. he, that the pureft brighteft Angels-cover their Faces before him.! O! look up to the. Heavens, and coniider-the Wifdom and Power that fhines’there! What wonderful Wifdom and Power was that, that made this Firmament and Sky, that hangs over our Heads ! that made this great wanning Sun that ihines by day l that made.all thefe thouiands; oi C 8 ] of Stars that look down upon us at Night! O ! the Glories of the God of Heaven! Look round about you upon the Earth, and fee the Wifdotn, Power, and Goodnefs that dwells there! What Riches and Stores are there ? Grafs and Herbs for the Cattel 3 Bealls, Birds, and Cattel for Man 3 Seas and Rivers to water the Earth ? O! that Man would praife the Lord for his Goodnefs, and for his wonderful Works to the Children of Men! O ! how great and good is that God that thus made and ordered all thefc things! How great is his Goodnefs, and how great is his Beauty, and how great is his Holinefs and his Power ! and then, how^ great is his Love and Favour! and alfo, how great is his Juilice} and Wrath, and Indignation! O! who would not fear and glorify him ! O! how fad it is, that your Hearts are turned away from God! that ye have no more Delight in him, or Deiire after him! O! how fad it is, that you ihotild live fo ilrange to that God, who only can make this World a Comfort to you 3 and who alone can make you eternally happy! 5. 07 think what the Law of God is! The Rule that he hath given you to aft and live by! Has God made you fitao guide and govern yourfelves? And do you think he has given you noLaw7s, no Command to direil: you ? Does he juitly expeffc Honour and Wor-ihip from you ? and has he not taught you how to wor-fhiphim? Does your Confcience never accufe you, for having broken the Law of God? Don’t you find the Laws and Commands of God in your Bible ? Are not the chief of them fummed up in ten Heads, or ten Commandments? and fummed up fo, that you may the more eailly remember them, and think upon them? Yet when did you learn, or lludy the Law of God ? When did you think of the things that ar.e commanded or forbidden there ? When did you find that God’s Law is exceeding broad ? that it reaches the Mind, the Thoughts, and Confcience, and judges the Secrets of the Hearts ? Alas! how little have it V y°c *] ye loved your Duty and Obedience to God ! Do you think God has forgotten his Law as much as you have ? and that he will never call you to an account for your Ignorance, Stubbornnefs, and Difobedience to him ? O! confider, That the Judge of all the Earth will maintain his Law, and will do Right. 4. Confider what Sin is. ’Tis your Unfuitablenefs and Contradiction to the Law of God j your Difagree-ment and Difobedience to God’s good, and holy, and fpiritual Law ; and if Treafon and Rebellion againfc an Earthly King deferves Death,what muft be the Wages of Treafon and Rebellion againft the Holy God ? What! will you bid defiance to the Majefiy of Heaven? will you fcorn hisrWifdom, and Goodnefs, and Power? What! will you trample upon his Mercy, and Patience, and Love? will you dare his Vengeance, and provoke him to his face? O! poor Souls! think what ye are doing! Do ye think God will not hate Sin, and that he will not be revenged on all the Workers of Iniquity? O! how much Evil and Guilt there is in one Sin ! And O! how much more in a whole Life of Sin! And how much more, if you live and die in Sin without Repentance! O i dreadful! what! will you go out of the World, and go to the Bar of God, and tell him, that you did well to iln againft him, and that you never heartily repented of finning againft him. 5. Confider what Confcience is. It will make you fotne time or other confider 5 it will not always be choak’d and filenc’d. Have you no Confcience ? would you have the World to know you have none? How fit-are you then to be turned out of the World ! Have you no inward Shame for any thing you fay or do ? can you lie without Confcience ? have ye no Fear of God, no Refledb'on on yourfelves, no Regard to the Law of God ? Can you contentedly murder all that Hand in your way, or be unclean, or fteal, or fori wear, if you thought you fihould not be difeovered ? O ! what Hearts have you! how unfit to live among Mankind! Does.[•io*3 Does Confcience neyer accufe you ? do ye never tremble at the Voice, of God, in Thunders, Lightning, Earthquakes, Storms, Famines, and Plagues? Oi f what a. feared Confcience have you ! - If you have .no Confcience, how much worfe are you than the Brutes that have none! and that becaufe you are likely to |i do much worfe Mifchief! If you have a Confcience, b what is the Language and Meaning of it? Does it not * tell you, that there is a holy and terrible God ? that you have offended him, and want to be reconciled, and to be at peace with God ? does it not tell you that you have Souls to be faved, and Work to be done for Eternity ? does it not tell you that Death is coming, and you are unready, and know not what will become of you for ever ? O ! for more Confcience in the World! Sad! that Men that mult die, and go to Judgment, have loll their Mind and their Con-fciences! Did you never feel the Pains and Pangs of Confcience? If you ever did, O! coniider how imaged and pain’d it would be, if God fhould open Confcience more, and fet your Sins in order before your eyes, and make you feel the Weight of them ! O ! I what a pained, troubled, reftlefs Confcience tvould !' you then have? It wo-uld give you no reft Day nor Night 3 it will be a conftant Torture to you, and as a j Worm that never dies. O! ftand in awe of your Con- * fcience, fee that it be reconciled to God, and purged from dead Works, that you may comfortably ferve the Living God 1 6. See ivhat a Sinful, you did but know the is a finful World, continually breaking God’s Laws. 5 O! how 1 ittle of the Fear and Love of God dwells /j there! O! how little Aim and Deiign for God is * there to be found I but Sin and Ungodlinefs every where reigns. Can we wonder then, that God is an- i gry with fuch a World as this, and that he fends Punishments, Woes, and Plagues? We find fome complain of- Poverty and Wants, fome of Sicknefs and , - • Pain, Woeful World you live in! If Law of God, you would fee itPain, others of Sham® and Reproaches $ fome are wrong’d and opprefs’d : almoil ail have their Groifes, Difappointments, and Vexations, in one kind or other j and Death atlaffc infallibly comes, and cuts down all. And fhould we be fond of fuch a World as this? a failing, withering World ! a vain, vexatious, dying World! Ah! poor Mortals ! will ye not feek a better World than this ? will ye fell your Souls for this ? What ihall it profit you to gain fuch a World as this, and then loie your own Souls, and perifih. for ever? O! what need have ye to be faved from this prefent evil World, and to fet your Hearts, and Hopes, and Expectations upon a better! 7. Confide; what Religion is. The Way of ferving and pleafing God. Confider what the Chriitian Religion is. That Way of ferving and pleafing God, which is -eilabliihed in and by Jefus Chriit, and which is taught to the World by him, and is contained in the New Tellament. Do you take care to learn your Religion from thence? or have you no Religion? If you have none, are you not Hypocrites ? for do you not profefs fome Religion or other ? If you have no Religion, fure you have no Confcience 5 and if no Confidence, fure no Reafon, nor Judgment, but live like iilly Bealls. If you have Religion, where is it? from whence do you learn it? from the Cuitoms and Commandments of Men ? from your Parents and Education? Alas! are Cuiloms always good? ■; Education always agreeable to the Word of ChriiV? Alas! do you pretend to be Chriilians, and yet not know what Chriilianity is, and what it means! are ye Strangers to the Religion you pretend to be of, and by which you hope to be faved ? O! what Ignorance is here * Do you think, that a Religion you do not underilam , will do you any good ? or that it is enough to have the Name, and make a noife about Religion, when you have none of the Power and Pra&ice ? O! how eafily do poor Sinners delude their own Souls, and cheat them into eternal Darknefs! ■*' ..i.l ' 3. Bethink11*] S. Bethink your felves who the Lord Jefus Christ is. How oft do you lpeak of him, and yet not know him or think of him? What! know ye not Chriil? Is he the Head and Author of your Religion, and yet not know him? Are ye called by his Name, called Chri-itians! and yet not know who Jefus Chriil is? What do you think of him? is he God, or Man, or both? What are his Excellencies ? or has he none , in your eyes ? What do you think of his Peri on, of his Office, and Work, and Deiign ? What do you think of his putting on our Nature, and coming into our World? What do you know of his Life and Death ? of his Miracles, and Rightecufnefs, and Spirit? What do you knew of his dying for our Sins, and for our Redemption? of his Riling from the Dead, and going up into Heaven, and fending down his Holy Spirit * to convert and fanHify the World unto himfolf? What do you know of his reigning and interceding in Heaven ? and of his Deiign to come again to judge this whole World? O! foolifh, ungrateful Chriitians, that will not know Jefus Chriil, their Lord and Mailer! O ! blind Negledtors of your own Souls, that will not know and remember him that came to redeem and fave you! O ! how will you look him in the face, when he comes again! 5». Confider what the Bible is. The Book that God has feat you, to teach you the way to Heaven, and Kappinefs, and himfelf: The Book that is to make you good and wife3 yea, wife for Salvation : The Book that contains the Law of God, and Gofpel of Chriil: The Law of God, and what he commands you, as your Duty, and Obedience, and Thankfulnefs to him: The Gofpel of Chriil, and the Way in which you are to be pardoned, and faved, and accepted with God. There you are told what God has done in the Creation, Prefervation, Redemption, and Government of the World: There you are told how God dealt with Man, when he had made him good and happy: There you are told what God has done, in fendingC *3 3 fending his Son for the Redemption of the World 5 and what the Son of God has done to redeem and recover us to God: There you learn how Holy Men have walked with'God, and ha ve been loved and blef-fed by him j and how evil Men have offended him, and have been curfed and punifhed by him: There you are taught how to believe, and repent, and obey, and overcome the World, and be eternally happy and bleifed. O Bleifed Kook, how is it (lighted and defpifed ! O wicked World, that will not value and {fudy, and learn the Book of God, the WTord of Truth, and Word of Salvation! O the Patience of God, that fo bears with the World, that difregards and foriakes his Law and Covenant, his Will and Grace, difeover’d to perifhing Mankind. to. Confides ivhat Convsrfion, Repentance, and Regeneration are. It may be, you often hear the Names, but little know the Things. Do you know what it is to be converted unto God? Do you know what that Repentance is, that fets your Heart againft Sin, and lets it towards God ? Do you know what it is to be new-born, or born from above, or to have a Heart and Mind renew’d by the Spirit of God ? - Know you not, that you have need that a great change fhould be made upon your Hearts and Conicience, before you can be fit to enter into Heaven? See you not, that you mull be mightily alter’d in Temper and Spirit, before you can be fo holy as feme others are 5 and before-you can love God and Chriil with all your Mind, and Might, and Strength? Do you not perceive how vain and foolifh, how carnal, and worldly, and corrupt you are? Do you not lee, that you have need to be new Creatures, to have new Hearts, new Spirits, new Affections, that you may be fuch as the Word of God requires, and fuch as may be prepared for Death, and appearing before God? O! how long will you continue in your Sins! in the Love and Praflicc of Sin! How long will ye live Enemies and Strangers to God, without Converfion, or a real turning to the B ,^LMnS[ 14 ] living God! O turn ye, turn ye!, why will ye die, G Houle of Ijrael! you that live in a Land and Country of Light, and of the Golpel. 11. Conjider what Mmijiers are, and what they are for. Are they not to be AnibalTadors for God, and to intreat you to return, and be reconciled to God ? Are they not ordained and appointed to teach you the Way to God, and Life, and Heaven? and will you not hear them? will ye not-learn and receive from tiicm, the Preaching and Inilrudlion, that is for your Good, and the Peace of your Souls? 12. Bethink ye what baptifm is. Do you live in a Chriitian Land ? and have ye been baptized ? and f now ye not what Baptifm is? Know ye not, that ye were iigned and fealed with Water? iigned for God’s Servants, and iealed in Covenant with him ? Was not Water apply’d to you, to tell you, that now'you mull be pure and clean, purg’d from all Filthinefs ofFlefh and Spirit, perfecting Holinefs in the Fear of God ? Aon were baptized into the Name of the Father, to oblige you to love the Father, and to be faithiul in all Obedience to him: You were baptized in the Name of the xSon, to oblige you to chufe the Son for yohr .Redeemer and Saviour, and to be Followers of him to the Death : You were baptized into the Name of the Holy Ghoil, to oblige you to accept the Holy Ghoft f for your Guide and Sandfifier, and to give up your- 1 elves to his fandlifying Operations. And have you forgot and negledted all this? O perverfe Souls! will nothing tie you to God? will no Bonds be ilrong enough to fccure you to him? O the Faifehood and | Treachery of the baptized World! O how fad it is, * that fo many thoufands that have been baptize^ to jj God and Chrift, fhould be Slaves to Sin, aiiS. led j Captive by the Devil! and that baptized ones, thofe: that have been given up to the Father, and to the BleffedSon, and to the Holy Spirit, fhould at lait b,e j found among the Devils, and doom’d to their Flames I s.nd Deitrudlion 1 ' i f i;. 0 V’Cm3. 0 think ivhat Death is! Think on it, for it is-coming a-pace} it i^well if it docs not come and feize you before you have well thought of it. .Will it not come and divide your Soul from the Body? Will it not come, and cur down the Body, and lay it in the cold Earth? O deluded, befotted Sinners, that will not think of that, that will be here lb fhortly! O who.has bewitched you, that you ihould not prepare . for fuch a Meffenger, that is coming to carry you into another World! O how ilioukl 1 weep over dying Mortals, that will not think whither they are going! O devilifh, tempting World, that will not fufifer Men to look and prepare for Death! O cruel Sin and Fleih, that lull Souls aileep, and bind them up in Sloth and Darknefs, till they are landed in endlcfs Darknefs and Defpair ! O dear Friends! awake,, roufe up Senfc and Reafon, and bethink you where you will be in a little while ! Alas! how many Funerals do we fee, and how many Mourners go about the?' Street! Alas! in how few Days mull your Faces be changed, your Eyes and Lips be elofed, this warm and walking Body ilretched out, as a cold, iijtFCorpfe, and fo coffin’d up, and laid down in a dark Grave, out of fight! And will you then be proud, and vain, and frothy, and gay, as you are now ? O good, dear Brethren of Mankind, think of Death, and make all wife and holy Preparation for it. 14. Think what Heaven Is. But who can tell the 'Joys and Pleafures that arc there? O that you would be willing to go and fee, and feel them there! O how {hall I adjure you to be in good earned for Heaven! Then will you find at lad, that it was well worth all your Pains and Care. There is the Fountain, and all the Springs of Life, and Peace, and_Blifs: There dwells the Eternal God, in whofe Prefence is Fulnefi of joy for evermore: There dwells the Lord Jefus5 Who will fill you with Happinefs from the Light oi his Countenance : There dwell the happy Angela whofe Company will be very picafant and delightful B T? Y [ 16 ] There dwell the holy Souls, that are gone from the World, and are now madeperfc£l and will make you joyful. If all this good Company will not make you ilrive for Heaven, in good truth, you deferve never to come thither. Shall Heaven, and all its Inhabitants be defpifed by you? O remember this, in the Day when you are fhut out from thence ! 15.O Conjider what Hell is ! Confider, that you may not come there. God make you willing to efcape thofe Torments. O what Tongue can tell, or Heart conceive the Sharp nefs, and Severity, and Length of them 1 There is the Abode of the Devils, and damned Spirits, that are hated and cur fed by the Holy God : And how great is the Power of his Wrath, and the Weight of his Fur}! How dreadful, doleful, and terrible, muft his Jullice, and Indignation, and Revenge be! O the Worm that is there and will never die J Q the Fire that is there, and will never be quenched! O the Lake of burning Brimilone, that flames and torments for ever and ever ! O the Cries and How-lings that are there Night and Day! O the Weeping, and Wailing, and Gnaihing of Teeth! O the Pains and Stings of Confcience! O the Horror, Anguifh, Confufion, and Defpair ! Lord, evermore fave us from that Place of Torment ! O make us willing to be and do ail that is needful to fave us from the Wrath to come ! O fit down, poor Mortals, and bethink ye what if ye fhould be in Hell, before this Month is ended! O how unconceivably fad will our Cafes be to all eternity ! And why not we as well as thoufands that are there already, and thoufands more that will come there hereafter? What do we do more than others? how little care do we take to prevent Damnation ? O ; awake, all you that have Souls to be faved ! For Godh fake, for thofe dear precious Souls fake, have a care of running into the Woes and Flames of Hell. 16. Corfider, for the Lord Je fus Chr’Sl's fake, confider-the Day of eternal judgment. The Day when all Mankind mull be doom’d to their eternalState and Abode. m. ' aC'i7 ] O blcffed! O doleful Day! The moil bleffed that ever came to fome the moil doleful that ever was to others. Q! who can tell the Sorrows or the Joys of that Day ? A Day, one would think, fhould continually keep the World in awe. G! how will you look the Judge in the face ? How will you do, when the Arch-Angel’s. ; Voice and Trumpet fhall open your Graves and fla.r-tle you there, and draw you forth to appear before ■ all the World? How will ye be able to behold all that Company ? how will your Confciences then bear you out2 how will you endure to have your Names called over, your x\ccounts called, your Talents of Time, and holy Means and Mercies reckon’d for? What account can you give of what you have been doing in the Body, everlince you were there? Ohow will you bear the Judge’s Voice, and the eternal Sentence he will pronounce ? O poor Sinners, that forget that Day! O ilupid, fenfelefs Souls, that will not remember that the Lord is a coming, and coming to judge the World in Righteouihefsl Now, beloved Brethren of Mankind, will you a little think on thefe things? Arc they not things fit and worthy to be thought of ? Will not the Meditation, of them do you good? Will it not tend to make you better and wifer, more fit for Death, and a better World? The Lord help you to underhand, and love the things of your Peace. What Knowledge have you got? Is it not very fmall, and lame, and lifelefs? Does it fet you upon rhe Love of God, upon Praying to him, and keeping his Commandments? If it does not, What is it good lor? Will fuch a Knowledge, or fuch a Faith lave you? It may be, you fome times repeat the Creed, (or the Le-l:ef J and the Lord's-Prajfer, and the Tee Ct»muiKel-tfiii)Uj but do you underflahd-them,'and love the-Truths,'and Rcqueils, and Duties contain’d there? Can ymiY Minds go along with the Words ? or do you lay . them Uy rote, as Parrots, without knowing the mean-C 18 ] ing? Some ignorant Folkstake theBelief to be a Prayer ; and fome take the Commandments to be fo too. 0 the Ignorance in fome Chrinian Countries! Give me leave to examine you in thefe things a little! let me help you to look into your own Hearts, and lee what Knowledge or Darknefs is there, what Evil or what Goodnefs is there ! Let each of you then, that reads this Letter, ferioully and honeitly examine your-felves upon thefe three Parts of Ghriitianity, thus: i. I believe in Cod, the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Eanh. Do I believe there is a God ? O how much Atheifm dwells in my Heart! How little have 1 liv’d as if 1 did believe that there is a God! How ready have 1 been to fay in my foolifh Heart, ri here is no God ? or elfe to wifh that there was no God ? How loth am I, that there ihould be a God ? loth to be troubled with Religion and Godlinefs! How glad fhoii’d I be, if I might live as I lift, ana not be call’d upon to fear and worihip God ! Alas! how little have 1 known and believed the Nature and glorious Perfections of God, his Purity, Light, Wifdom, Power, and Love! How little have I coniider’d, that he is fuch a Father as has an eternal Son! that he is Father of Angels and Men, by making them fo like himfelf! that he is Almighty, and can do whatever he pleafes ! that he is Maker of the wide and beautiful World, that we fee ! G how oft have I feen the Heavens, and never thought on him that made them! Seen the Sun, and Moon, and Stars, and never thought on that Wifdom and Might that framed them, and hang’d them there! How oft have I feen the Earth and Seas, the Mountains and Rivers, and never thought on the great Creator! How oft have I feen the Meadows cover’d with Grafs, the Fields with Corn and Grain, and never remembred that good God that made all thefe things! How oft have I feen the Bealls and Cattel,. the Flocks and Herds, and not coniidered who made ince made or no, or who of Men! If I have believed[ 19 ] lieveti thefe things, how vain and ineffe&ual, howdead and unthankful has all my Faith been? 2. And in jcjus Chrift, his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghojt, born of the Virgin Mary. When did I coniider all this, and endeavour to under-iland it ? Do I really believe that there was once fuch a Perfon in the World, as Jefus Chrill? that about fe-venteen hundred Years ago, he lived in the Jews Country, called Canaan ? that there he was born, particularly at a Town called Bethlehem?, that there he preach’d and did abundance of mighty Miracles, went up and down doing good, inilrucling Sinners, and fa-| ving Souls ? Do I believe that he is the Son of God in fuch a manner, as no other Men are ? that he is the eternal Son of God ? that he is the eternal Word and Wifdom of the Father, and, with him, the Maker of all things that are made 1 that he is therefore Lord and Heir of all things ? Have I believed, that this blefTed Son of God, for us, and our Redemption, took on him our Nature, was united to fuch a rational Soul a$ we have, and to fuch a Body of Flefh, and Blood, and Bones as we have? O wonderful CondefcenfionÍ Do ! I believe therefore, that he is both God and Man, in two diilincl Natures, and yet one Perfon, one Redeemer? Have I confider’d, that he is juftly called Jefus, that is, Saviourj bccaufe he muff and will fave his People from their Sins? And juitly called Chrill too, that is, Anointed ; becaufe he is appointed and prepared of God, to be the Saviour of the World and that he is the Meffiah, the great Deliverer, that was of old promis’d to the Church of the jews? O how great and flrange is it to believe, that the human Nature, or the united Body and Soul of Jelus Chrill, were form’d by the Power of the Holy Ghoil, in the Virgin’s Womb! that they were conceiv’d there,, and fo, that he was brought forth, and born of a pure and holy Virgin •' one, whofe Name was Mary, fup-pos’d to be the Daughter of one Heli, and afterwards efpoufcd to one j°jefh, who was by Trade a Carpenter,C 20 1 and the Sonoionc Jacob! Have I known, and ponder’d, and believ’d thel'e things concerning Jefus Chrili ? 5. Who Juffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried, and descended into Hell. Have 1 believed this ilrange Report ? have 1 conlider’d the great Compailion and Love of the Son of God, who would forrow and futfer for us ? have I coniider’d what he fuffer’d, and for what he fuifer’d ? how great his Sufferings were, and for what end, and ufe, and purpofe ? He iuffered all his Life long 5 was born to Sorrows and Grief: He fuffered from God, from Men, and Devils : He fuffered from private Perions, and from the Minifters, and Ma"iilrates, and Courts of Juilicc j all were Enemies to him, who came to bear our Sins : He fuffered from the Jews, his own Countrymen, and from the Gentiles, that were Strangers to him j particularly he fuffered under the Government, and in the Court of one Pontius Pilate, one that was a Roman, and was fent by the Emperor of Rome, to be Governour of the Jews, who were then under the Power of the Romans. This Pontius Pilate declar’d Jeius Chriil to be innocent, and yet deliver’d him to the Jews to be crucified. O horrible Death ! to be nail’d by the Hands and Feet to a Tree, and there to hang in Pain, and Hunger, and Shame, till Life can lall no longer! A reproachful Death this was, to hang with Thieves between Heaven and Earth : A eurfed Death this was, pronounced accurfed by the Law of God. And then, when he was dead, he was taken down from the Crofs, and laid in a new Grave, and his Soul departed from his Body, and w>ent and appear’d among the Dead, among the Spirits that were loofed, and gone from this World 3 among them he appear’d, as one that had receiv’d the Wages of Sin, as a Lamb {lain for us. Q the Love and Grace of the Lord Jefus!. All this he endured for our Redemption 5 that he might redeem us from Sin, and Death, and Hell, and from the ever- < failing Wrath and Curfe of God. O how hard it is to believe this Love, and Mercy, and Grace! that the' Son[ 21 ] Son of God fhould fuffer, and bleed, and die for fuch a poor, worthlefs, unthankful Sinner i Lord, increafe my Knowledge of Jefus Chrifly and of him crucified! Lord increafe my Faith! 4. The Third Day he rofe again from the Dead. How great a piece of Divine Do&rine is this, that Jefus Chrift lliould rife again from the Dead ? that his Soul Ihould return from Paradife, and be united to the Body again, and enter with it upon an eternal Life ? How great a Confirmation is this, that our Jefus Chrift was the Son of God, was a Light and Teacher fent of God, and fo was own’d by him, to be the Saviour of the World? O excellent Truth! Is Chrift rifen, then he has conquer’d Death, and will give his Servants the Victory. Did he rife from the Dead the third Day, that is, the third Day from his Death ? that muft be the firft Day of the Week : for all the Jews Sabbath, (which was the feventh Day, and our Saturday) he lay in the Grave. Did he rife on the firft Day of the Week ? how honourable is that Day ? O how plea-fant Ihould it be to me, to think of the Saviour’s Re-furretlion from the Dead ? 5. He cftended up into Heaven, and fittethon the Right Hand of God the Father Almighty. O how highly is our Lord Jefus Chrift exalted ? how high is he in the Favour and Love of God ? Is he gone to Heaven ? Alas! how little have I thought of the Heaven to which he is gone ? How great and glorious is the Company there ? Surely there is one kind familiar Friend, fince our Lord Jefus is there? Is he at the Right Hand of God ? how happy is he after all his Sufferings and Sorrow? for at God’s Right Hand are Pleafures for evermore. O that I could think of Heaven more ! fince Jefus Chrift is there! O that I could C‘t my Heart and Affections on Heaven, fince he is there! Surely he will remember his Servants, and fpeak a. Word on the behalf of his Beloved, fince- he is fate down at the Right Hand of God.C « ] 6. from thence he [¡ball come to judge both the Quick and the Dead. O Grange, wiil Jcfus Chriil come again? he that fuffered, and was crucified, and ilain, will he come again ? He that is fet down at the Right Hand of God, will he come again to this World ? furely he has fomc great Work to do 5 and O how great it is, to judge the whole World! O who is able for fu :h a Work? who can remember the Thoughts, and Words, and Deeds that have been in the World, from the Begin-ing of the World to the end of it? Who can know all Mens Hearts, and Deiigns, and Aims ? Who can know all the Tongues and Languages that have been in the World? Yes, who can tell all the Men, and Women, and Children that have been in the World, and will be to the end of the World ? All this does Jefus Chriil know, or he cannot judge the World in Righteoufnefs. Alas! how little do we think of this? how oft do we mutter over this Belief, without thinking and believing that Jefus Chriil is corning to judge the World ? O what will become of the Dead, when they ihall be called to an account? O what will become of the Quick, of thole that fhallbe found alive, when Jefus Chriil comes? What will they do, when the Earth fhail quake under them? when Flames /hall fly round about them ? when the Heavens ihall open over their Heads, and they ihall fee the Son of God come with all his Angels, and with mighty Power, and great Glory? O ailoniihing Day! Why is the World fo fleepy and fecure? O how little have I believed that Day ? how little fitted and prepared my-felf for it ? O what ihall I do. then, and where ihall I appear? in what Condition ihall I then be? how ihall I bear the Judge’s Face, and Voice, and Sen^ Lord teach me to prepare for that Day. 7. I believe in the Holy Ghojl. Did I ever betlnnJc myfelfwho the Holy Ghoil is? If not, how can I proofs to believe in him ? Have I heard and confider’d whether there be any Holy Ghort or no ? If I have, who is he ? Surely he is one that is excellent and pure, :fin.eefince he is called Holy, one that is in himfelf invifible and immortal, fince he is called Ghojl or Spirit $ one that is a Perfon, fincc I mull believe in him and trull him j and a Divine Perfon too, fincc I mull believe in him, for fpiritual and everlalling BleiTingsj mull believe in him, as in God the Father, and the Lord Jefus Chrilr. Do I believe the Holy Gholl, and the things h e has reveal’d in his Scripture ? For Holy Men of God fpakc as they were mov’d by the Holy Gholl. Do I believe in the Holy Gholl, and depend upon him for the Work that he has to do ? for the Work of San&ifi- cation, and making me meet for Heaven? Have I been baptiz'd into the Name of the Holy Gholl ? fure-ly I fhould remember my Dedication to him, ihould honour and ferve him, as one to whom I have been devoted. O how little have I remembred, and regarded the Holy Gholl, or Holy Spirit of God! 8. The Holy Catholick Church. This Church I am to believe, tho 1 believe not in it j I place not my Hopes, and Trull, and Confidence there, but in the living God. I have often heard of the Church, but what is it ? It is fomething pure, and devoted to God, for it is holy: So then, that which is not holy, fee ms not to belong to the Church : and then, they that are pot holy, are not properly of the Church. Alas! how-many that call themfelves Chrillians, are cut off from this Church? and furely ’tis not, in the Compafs of it, a little narrow thing. ’Tis Catholick, ’tis Univerfal and General : ’tis not like the Jews Church, confined to one Land, or Country, or People ; it is fprcad into divers Nations and Countries. So then it ihould fecm, that all who are Holy in any Land or Country belong to the Church, to this Church of God. Owhat a good Company is that? how well may I believe, that there is fuch a Church as that, fince Gcd will have a Seed to ferve him j and Chrill will fee of the Travail of his Soul, and bring many Sons to Glory. 9. The Communion of Saints. Who are thefe Saints? Are there any fuch now in the World? I fometimcs hearC *4 3 hear of Popes making Saints 5 and fometimes I heat' the Name call upon People by way of Contempt, as if they were not what they profefs to be, or as if it were fcandalous to be a Saint: And yet 1 mult believe there are Saints, and that there is a Communion of them: Frequent mention is made of them in Scripture. Who then can they be ? Can they be any other than trueChriitians? they that are Lovers of God and Chriit ? They that are holy, are Saints. Then all the Members of the Holy Catholick Church are Saints. O happy Company that is made up of Saints ! Surely thefe fhould live and walk in Communion 3 they. fhould own one another as Members of the fame Body and Church, and as belonging to the fame Lord and Head: They fhould love one another, relieve, and | fuccour, and pray for one another: Surely they fhould help one another in the Holy Way to Heaven. 1 c. The lorgivenef > of Sms. And will God indeed forgive Sins? How unwilling are Men to forgive Injuries j clone to them? O how glorious is God, who might demand the full Puniihment of our Iniquities! Is there Forgivencfs with God? O how glad fhould fuch a poor Sinner be! one that is lo laden with Corruption, and Sin, and Guilt! one that has fuch an evil, wicked Heart and Nature ! one that is prone to Unrighteouf-nefs and Difobeeience, as the Sparks fly upwards! one whofe Life has been fo idle and vain, fo far from the Law and Love of God} and will God forgive me? O what need then have I to arife and go to him for hjs Forgivencfs? Woe to me, that ever I was born, if God will not forgive me, and pardon me I O how fhould I Iludy, and feek his Forgivencfs, and fluey the way in which ?t may be found ? Upon what fcore will God forgive me? How will his Juflice be clear’d, and fat’siva, and glorify’d? O there is a P/iediator with Finland a great High Priefl, that has preferred him with an atoning Sacrifice, and has poured out his Soul an Offering for Sin ! This is the Son of God, w ho has by himielf purged away cur Sin 5 and fo we havef E is 3 have Redemption, even Remiftlon, or Forgivonefs of our Sins, through his Blood. O that I might now heartily repent of my Sins, and turn from them to God, and embrace Jefus Chrift the Saviour, and fo go to God for his Forgivenefs of all my Sins! 11. The RefurreEtion of the Body. Q dear! mull this Body be rais’d from the Dead? What! when it has lain rotting divers Years in the Duft? and when iio Man can tell where the Parts of it arc ? O! what vail Knowledge muft find them out? what mighty Power mu if put them together, and give them Life ? What! mull all the Graves be open’d ? muft all Mens Bodies be raifed ? O what a vaft number will then meet together ! O! who believes this Report ? who ftrives by all means to gain a happy Refurreaionffom the Dead? 0 that I might mortify the Lulls of the Body! O that 1 might keep it chafte, and pure, and clean, that it ma'y have a bleiled Refurredfion ! O that I could believe this Article more, and live in the Expedition of, and Preparation for the Refurredfipn of this Body. 12. And the Life everlajlinv. Amen. What! is there another Life after this? a Life that is everlafting, and will never end ? O ! what does the foolifh World think of? O how ftrange muft that be, that is everlafting! how far different from this! How inconceivable is an endlefs Life ! how unexpreflible, whether it be fpeht in Joy or Torment J Tho an endlefs Life in Torment, is rather called everlafting Death. O how afraid am I to die! and yet how little do I fear everlafting Death ! How willing am I to live, ar.d yet how negligent of everlafting Life? O! what will it be to live for ever with the blefted God, and with the blcifed Saviour, and with the blefted Angels? with the Holy Catholick Church, when it /hall be made blefted ? with all the Saints, when they /hall be in a blefted Communion? O what a Life will this be! O thatl had all this while more believed this Life 1 O blefted God, evermore teach me the Way to this Life! O good Minifters and Preachers, open to us the Words C ofI •of this Life ! awaken, alarm, and rouze us, and fet us on Peeking this everlafting Life ! Amen. Thus, Brethren, have you confider’d how you have believed ? Have ye believed in vain ? have ye not believed with fueh an idle, lazy Faith, that will do you no good, and will not fave your Souls ? O the lifelefs, fruitlefs Faith of Chriilians ! Is it not much fuch as St .James {peaks.of, that is without Works of Obedience and Holinefs, and is not much better than the Faith of Devils ? O how deceived and difappointed will many Chriilians be, that have believed no better! And have ye prayed any better than ye have believed? have not your Prayers been as dead, and empty, and heartlefs as your Belief? You fay you believe in God, the Father Almighty} but when did you go down upon your Knees, and humbly andferioufly pray to your Almighty Father? when did you, and where did you iblemnly and heartily honour and worfhip him, and pour out your Souls before him? O the Emptinefs and Hear-tldTheis of Chriilians Prayer and Worfhip ! It may be, you fometimes fay the Lord’s-Prayer, or hear it faid by others5 do you underhand it? and does your underilanding Heart pray over the Petitions and Contents of that Prayer? Are your Hearts call into the Mould of that Prayer? are they fitted and prepared according to the holy Requefts that are there made ? If not, how can you pretend to pray according to that Heavenly Prayer? Therefore let any one examine himfelf and his own Mind, and try and fee, if that Prayer, and the facred Petitions of it, are writ upon his Heart. Confider, and reflect thus : i. Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy Name. O how little have I confider’d that God is Father of the World, and particularly of Mankind? that we are the Offspring of God, having been made in his holy Likenefs! and that God is rtill providing for, and taking care of Man! that he gives us our Life, our Breath, and our All! and that he is our redeeming Father too, having fent his Son to redeem and fave us! Oc *7 ] 0 how high and glorious is God, who dwells chiefly in Heaven, tho the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him! but how little do I think of his Throne and holy Habitation, when I come before him ! how little do I think of his Honour, and of his honourable Perfections, when I come to pray, that his Name may be hallowed! ’’How great is his Name, and how great things are fignify’d thereby! his Name furely fignifles to us his Greatnefs and Majefly, his Attributes and Glories! But how little have I been concern’d for the Name of God, or for any thing whereby he makes himfelf known ! how7 little have I cared whether his Name be known on Earth or no ! or whether his Excellencies be made known to Man or no ! or whether his Gofpel be fpread in the World or know7! or whether Men know, and fear, and reverence him or no ! Alas! how hypocritically have I pray’d, that his Is! ante flhould be hallowed and fan ¿lifted, when I have fo little cared for his Name, and Honour, and Glory ! Is it my Heart’s Deflre that Religion fhould flourifb, that Men fhould fanclify God in their Hearts, anti make him their Fear and their Dread ? How elfe can 1 pretend to pray, Hallowed he thy Name ? O how7 little has my Heart accompanied this Petition! a. Thy Kingdom come. Do I love God’s Kingdom? and would I have it to come in the World? Surely where God reigns, Godlinefs mull reign: And would I have Godlinefs to reign? Then how holy mull our Towns and Countries be! Then we mull lave more Reading and Preaching, than we have rnw; more and better Praying and Singing of Pfalms, than we have now : And fhall 1 like that? Am I not ready to think we have too much of that already ? have not I been ready to think, we have too many Sabbaths, and Fail-Days, and Thankfgiving-Days already ? and „vhat fhould we have, if God’s Kingdom fhould come? Surely this Petition is little conflder’d. Can I negleil Godlinefs myfelf, and^defpife it in others, and yet pretend to pray, Thy Kingdom come ? Am i ready towon- C 2 der,[ a8 ] der, what makes People be fo ftri6l and foie win Tome-times in and about Religion, and yet do I pray, Thy Kingdom cone ? How holy mufl God’s Kingdom be! How holy mufl Men be, when they are hearty Subjects to God ! How holy will the Kingdoms of this World be, when they arc become the Kingdoms of God, and of his Chriil 5 How holy Will Princes, and Magiftrates, and Minifters, and Mailers of Families then be! The Kingdom of God is Religion and Righteoufnefs, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghoil 3 and have I delired thefe things ? Lord, forgive me, that I have fo often ignorantly and hypocritically mention’d this Petition! and that my Heart gives my Mouth the Lye, when I fay, Thy Kingdom cornel 3. Thy Will he done on Earth as it is done in Heaven. Alas! If I love not Godlinefs and the Kingdom of God, how can I pray, that God’s Will may be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven ? God’s Will is juft, and holy, and pure; God’s Will is, that we put away all Sins, and Lufts, and Corruptions : God’s Will is, that tie ihould deny all Ungodlinefs and worldly Lufts, but now we muft fit forrowful and difeontented ; Ijrael will not be gathered. The Sinners of Mankind will not return and be laved. O hard-hearted Men and Brethren, who are refolv’d that you will be none of our Crown, none of our Joy, none of our Crown of Rejoicing in. the Day of the Lord Jefus.. Ah 1[ 44 ] Ah! dear Souls! how /hall l befpeak ye ? how /hall I make any impreilion on you? Are you refolv’d you will not read this Letter? or if you do, that you will not think on’t, or regard it? No wonder you will not, ixnce you will not mind nor regard the Word of God. How /hall Man, a little iinfulDuft, expe£f to be heard, when the eternal God may not be heard ? But how then /hall I mourn over you ? Will weeping for you do you any good ? I hope I ihould then be willing to weep Tears of Blood for you, if they would but help you to Heaven and to eternal Life. But alas! the Saviour has wept over and over, and ye will not hear 3 he has fweat Drops of Blood trickling down to the ground, and ye will not hear j he has pour’d out hisSoul unto Death, and yet ye will not fohear and fee, that you may ever live. N ow, dear Souls, what do you think of thefe things ? Will you not arife now, and go to your heavenly Father? will ye not bethink yourfelves of living better, and fpending your time better for the future ? This Letter can do but little towards it, but Books enough there are in the World, that might be Bleilings to your Souls. O how happy is our Land in {lore of good and pious Books of all Sorts and Subjeils ! How diligent and laborious have abundance of God’s Saints and Servants been, in meditating and writing Books for us, and for the Good of our Souls! What Nation under Heaven can compare with us for multitude and variety of found, fweet, heavenly, practical Difcourfes. And is it not fad, that they fhould lie rotting and moulding in Shops, and not be madeufe of. As many as they are, do you not want one more to invite and perfuade ye to perufe thofe that are already written ? O that ye might more value a good Book ! Take up and read, laid the linging Ynice to St. Auftin in the Garden. O learn to get more alone, and converfe with a fearching, quickning, fanitifying Book ! How muchTime isfpent inVanity, Trifling, and Sin! How much Time is fpent in Taverns, in Ale-houfes, Cofifee-houfes, in impertinent Yifits, idle Games and Sports, that might be much[ 45 ] much better [pent in a Charpber, in a Clofet, with a good, ferious Book! A good Book would help you to know God better, and to underhand his Word better 3 it would help you to know more of Chriit, and Heaven, and eternal Life: It would help you to know more of yourfelves and Sins, more of your Hearts and. Ways, more of God’s Commands, and your Duty to him: It would teach you to love God and Man, to overcome the World, and live by Faith: It would teach you to hear better, and pray better, to be holy in all Converfation, and to be better prepared for Death and Judgment. O that you were reconciled to the Reading of fuch good Books as thefei Dr.Owen’s Treatife of Indwelling Sin 3 Mr .^oj. Allen’s Sure Guide to Heaven 3 Mr. Baxter's Treatife of Converjicn, and his Directions to prevent mifearrying therein 3 Wir.Buck. Allen's feveral Treatifes, called, The Vindication of Godli-nefs3 Mr. Law, on's Magna Charta 3 Mr. Dyke’s Deceit-fulnefs of the Heart j Bp Reynolds’s three Treatifes j The PraChce of Piety 3 Mr. Scudder’s Daily Walk 3 Air. Pink's Tryal of Love to Chrijl 3 Palmer's Memorials of Godhnefsj Gurnall's Chrijiian Armour 3 Mr. Ambrofe's Looking unto lyefus, and his Firjt, Middle, and Laft Tilings3 Dr.Sills's Soul's Conflict3 YOr.Owenon Spiritual-mindednejs’-, Mr.'Baxter's Crucifying the World by the Crofs of Chrijl, and his Saints Rejt. To which may be added many more of Sills, Prejrotiy jof. Symonds, Tho. Gouge, Bp Hopkins% Mr. Clarhfon, and others. O how have good Men ftu-died, and laboured, and wrote, that they might do fomething to fave your Souls! And /hall all their Labour be loll ? They would fain have you come to the fame Heaven and Happinefs to which they are gone. And will you unkindly refufe all their Help and Labour of Love! Ah! poor Souls, what will become of you at laft ? How many Helps, and Means, and Aids have you to give an account of, at the great, the laft Day of the World! How many holy Lives of God’s Saints and Servants have you feen, which ihould have quickned and encouraged you in the Way to Heaven;[ 4* ] How muchTime and Labour have they fpent for you!; How many Prayers and Tears have they pourecf out i for you! How many great and holy, pleafant and! profitable Works have they left behind them, byl which they Hill fpeak to you, and preach to you, and give warning, and counfel, and direction to you ! O hear them! if you will not hear us! Hear the Dead, if y ou will not hear the Living. O with what Voice and Language would they fpeak to you, were they to come again from the Dead! O how earneft w7ould they be with you, to efcape thofe Flames that they have efcaped! and to enter into thofe Joys, into which / they are entred! O what Defcriptions could they give you of Heaven and Hell! At what a rate could they reprefent the Love of God, the Grace of Chrift, the Glories of the Bleffed! but they muft not. You muft learn to live by Faith, as they did, and to trull.' the Word and Truth of God, as they did : You mull follow them, that thro Faith and Patience inherit the Promifes. How can you, without a melting Heart, fee and hear thofe compailionate Words of the good God, faying to you, Why will you die, 0 Hov.fe of Ifrael! The Houfe of Ifrael was the Church of God, the Company of thofe that had the Book of God, the Covenant and Ordinances of God among them. And yet God asks them why they would die and be loft for ever, ouppofehim asking you the fame Queftion ? you pro-fefted Chrifiians! you that now belong unto the Ifrael of God ! you that have the Means of Grace and Glory! O why will ye die? why will ye fin on, and refufe Mercy and Peace, and run yourfelves wilfully into eternal Death and Damnation ? Cannot you fuppofe, that that compailionate, mo-ymg Queftion does contain in it many more ? Suppofe you heard the living God arguing the Cafe with you, and pleading for the Life of your Souls in luch Lan-" ’’ '”,T " " ~ of Ifrael! guag< Why will V hoiij&o) Does ['47 1 Does it not feem as if God was more concern’d for vour Life and Happinels, than you are for your own? Does it not look as if God was willing to fave the Life of your Souls, and that you are willing to throw away Life, and Soul, and Salvation and all ? Does it not intimate, that Death creeps into the Houfe of If-rad, even into the Church of God? and does it not intimate too, that it’s pity the Houfe of Ijrael ihould die ? Pity, that they that are fo near to God, and have received fo much from God, Ihould at laft fall /hort of the Glory of God, and periih for ever ! For is it not pity, you fhould go at lail without the great, eternal Bleffing, to which ye have been called by the Word and Book of God? that you fhould lofe the Bleffings ofMbraham, the Blefitng of the eternal Inheritance? Is it not pity, that you ihould lofe the Benefit of all thole facred, fandlifying Privileges ye have enjoy’d in the. Houfe of God? How long have ye fat there ! how many holy Ordinances have ye feen and tailed there! and ihall they all be unprofitable and vain? Is it not pity, you fhould wound and grieve the gracious God? How compaffionate and loving is he to you? how ready, in his Companions, to fay, How fall I give thee up, 0 Ephraim J how ihall I rglinquiili my Interell hi thee? Hozv fhall I deliver thee up, 0 Iirael! How ihall I refign thee into thy Enemies hands! My Heart |h turn'd within me; I can fcarce bear the thoughts oi ejecting and renouncing thee. My Repenting arc kindled together. My Bowels yearn over thee. I am ready to repent of the Evil I thought to do againft thee, lof. xi. 8. Is God thus tender and compaffionate ? nd is it not pity you ihould grieve him and die? Is t not pity you ihould lofe your Profeiiion and all your Pretences to Religion ? yea, that all your Profeiiion hould appear atlailto be Hypocrify, to be all Guile nd Deceit, as itmuil.be, if you are loft, and periih t lail? And how will you bear it, to have all your how ot Religion, and all your Forni of Godlinefs to laid open a< lail,,apd laid naked before Angels andi 48 ] and Men ? to be expofed as mere Cheat and dark Hy-pocriiy? Is it not pity, that all your Services in Religion Jhould be loit ? that all your Prayers and Devotions ihould be loit ? that all your going to Church, and hearing Sermons ihould be loit, and ihould do vour Souls no good for ever ? that all your Charity and Kindnefs to the Poor ihould be loit and avail nothing to your Salvation ? that all your Labours, and Sorrows, and Sufferings in the way of Religion, ihould iignify nothing at the great Day ? O how lad it is, you fnould be fcorned, and reproached, and reviled for Religion, and yet at lait it ihould, appear, that you had none, or none in good eameii! Pity it is, you ihould lofej your Hopes and Expectations! How ready are you to lay, As 1 hope to hejaved! As 1 hrpe to go to Heaven'] As if you did not queition, but you ilia.Il be faved, and ihall go to Heaven. And is it not now a thoufand pities, that you fnould lole your Hopes and AP'urance! and that at laP you ihould not be faved, nor go to Heaven? O what will you do, when your Hope ihall make youaihamed, and ieave you confounded tor ever! Is it not pity the Savour of Life ihould be turned into a Savour of Death to your Souls ? and that the gracious Gofpelof ChriP ihould increafe your Miferv and Condemnation 1 Is it not a thoufand pities, that the Redeemer himfelf ihould be for your more dreadful Ruin, and deeper Downfal ? that be ihould fall uponi you with all his Power, and Weight, and Wrath His Power is Prong, his Wrath is great, and his Weigh: exceeding heavy. Woe to them on whom he falls j On zvhcmjbcver he Jljall fall, he will grind him to Fozvde Is it not pity, that all your fair Progrefs in the Wa to Heaven, ihould be loit and come to nothing ? 11 may be, you have made a fair Beginning } have btj gun to run well, and feem to Part fair for Heavenarr for eternal Life. O what a thoufand pities it is, yci ihould fail of the Grace of God, and come Piort | Heaven at lait 1 It may be, you have efcaped tl* Corruptions that are in tne World thro LuP: It[ 49 ] be you have learnt many Virtues and Duties? are obedient to Parents, hcneft to all Men, fair in your Dealings, chafte in your Converfation, true in your Words and Promifes, and far from coveting other Mens Goods and Poifeflions: Perhaps you can fay, as the virtuous young Man did to our Lord, Allthefe things have 1 kept from my Youth up. And is it not ten thou-fand pities now, that all this fhould be loll for want of one thing more? for want of Chriil, and doling with him according to his Covenant and Gofpel ? Is it not great pity indeed, that rhey that are not far from the Kingdom of God, fhould at laft lofe the fight of it, and never come there ? Is it not pity that they that lack but one thing, fhould mifs that one thing, the only thing needful, and fo never enter into eternal Reft ? O how fad it is, that they tbat'are within one Step of Heaven, ftiould mifs that Step, and tumble down to Hell! O fad, that any of you, my Brethren, fhould be lift up to Heaven in holy Favours and Privileges, and yet at laft fink down into the bot-tomlels Pit ofendlefsDeath and Perdition! Is it not pity that the Devil fhould run away with thofc that have been called the People of God, and have borne the Name of God in the World? Know ye not, that Hypocrites and Unbelievers mull be doomed at laft to the Place, and the World of the Devils? Go ye,Cur-fed into ever la (ting Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. And is it not ten thouland pities, that they that have been baptized into the Name of the eternal God, have flocked together into the Houfe of God, and been openly dedicated to God, fhould at laft fall into the Devil’s hands, and be carried by him into his own Dominions, and into eternal Flames? Is it not pity that your Cafe fhould bewerfe at laft, than if you had never been of the Houfe of if rad ? never been Members in the Church of God? Is it not pity that your Cafe fhould be worfe, than if you had been Turks or Heathens? O how much forer rnuft your Judgment and Condemnation be ? It jljcdl he more tole- E ruble' . [ 50 ] rablefor Tyre ¿«dSidon, than for you : More tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah, than for you. O dreadful, that your Condition ihould be more intolerable than ^ that ot Sodom ? How unfpeakably intolerable mull it thenbe ? Was there a more wicked, abominable Town on Earth, than that of Sodom ? in any Town or City more branded for Sin and Wickednefs, in all the Book of God, than that of Sodom ? Did any Town luifer more dreadful Judgments in this World, than Sodom did % It met with a Hell upon Earth. It Suffered lbmewhat like the Vengeance of eternal Fire. It was confumed by Fire that rained down out of Heaven upon it. If Sodom waspunifhed with a Hell upon Earth, and if your Lot and Woe mull be more intolerable than Sodom's 5 O what a hot, dreadful,'unconceivable Hell mull you meet with at laiF J if in Hell you ihould lift up your Eyes! Do you not fee then, that ’tis ten thoufand pities , that you of the Houfe of Ifrael, you that live within the Church of God, ihould die and periih for ever ? \khy then will you die, 0 Houfe of Ifrael! O confider, and meditate the Extent and Importance of this Queflion ! How many more are contain’d in the Bowels of it, or may be drawn fuitable thereto? Many ferious weighty Queflions may be ask’d you, upon every Word in the Queflion of the Text j as 1. Upon the Word die, relating to that Death and Mifery, that you are fo willing to run into, a. Upon the Word you, relating to the People and Folks, that are here fuppos’d fo willing to die. 5. Upon the Word why, inquiring into the ilrange Reafons, that move you to be willing to die, (1.) Confider, what Queflions may be propofed to you from the Word die i why will ye di&'l what is this 'Death, that you are fo ready to continue in and bring j upon yourfclves? Do not fuch Queflions as thefe thence arife for your moil ferious Meditation ? Why \ will ye diel 1. Why will you continue fpiritually dead, dead in your Guilt, andTrefpaffes, and Sins? dead in your Ignorance,[ 51 1 norance, Unbelief, and Hardnefs of Heart? dead to G’od, and to Religion, and all the Ways of God ? Is .there no fuch thing as fpiritual Life? no Inclination and Affection of the Soul to God, and Heaven, and Goodnefs ? Is there no luch thing as Communion and Intercourfe with God ? What does the Gofpel then fignify, that profetfes to lead you to luch high and heavenly Communion and Enjoyments? Is there no fuch thing as a Convocation in Heaven? What mean then all the holy, heavenly Lives of God’s Saints? Do they not declare plainly, that they feek a better Country ? that they have Hopes, and Hearts, and Joys above? And will you be dead to all thefe ? dead to Chriil, and Heaven, and the Happinefs of Saints ? And will you be alive only to Sin and to the World ? to the Lulls of the Fleili, and the Pride of Life ? O why will ye continue dead to all that’s good, and holy, and divine? 2. Why will ye refufe the Author of Life, the living God, that gives Grace to his Saints, and Glory to the Blefied ? His Spirit gives Life, the Light of his Countenance gives Life and Joy. With him there is the Fountain of Life and Peace. Why do ye put him thus to complain, My Teo-ple will have none of me ? none of my gracious, quickning Prefence? They will not corns to me that they may have Life. Why are ye unreconciled to the God of Life, and why will ye die, Q Houfe of Ifrael! 3* Why 'do you rejefl and refufe the Way of Life ? the good Way, that will bring ye fafely unto eternal Life ? God has ihown you that Way. The Path of Life he hath made known to you. His Law his good, and leads.to Life. His Commandments are everlailing Life. Holinefs is fpiritual Life, yea it is eternal Life begun. Why do you hate that Life, and Hand at a diiiance trom it ? Why do ye ilarve, and wound, and ruin your Souls? And why will you die, OHoufe of ifrael l 4* Why will you embitter your own Death? your natural Death that is approaching apace? You can-tiot prevent it indeed, but you may make it more bit- E 2 terC 50 ter and more dreadful. O what a terrible Death will you die, if you die in your Sins 1 A Death far unlike that of the Righteous! They go to lleep 3 they die in Peace, and go^o joyful Reit with God* But you die under the Curfe and Wrath of God 3 under the Hatred and Anger of God. O whatPoilon and Stings do you put into your Death! How ghaftly and frightful will the King of Terrors look upon you? what Pains and Racks will be in your Confcicnce, when ye are to leave the World? Is not Death, ofitfelf, fad and grievous enough ? but you will make it worfe. O why will you chufe the molt terrible Paffage out of the W7orld ? and -why will you die, O Houle of Ifrael! 5. Why will ye venture upon unfpeakable, endlefs Death? Ah! dear Souls! do you know what the Wa- ■ ges of Sin is ? Do you know what the Power and Wrath of an offended God is ? Do you confider what it is to lie | under the Weight of his Frowns, of his Terrors and I fiery indignation for ever ? O that you may never know ' by your own Senfe and Experience! But are ye not running into thofe Flames ? areye not deflroying your-i'elves, and bringing Damnation on your own Souls? O pity yourfclves! O hailen out of the Jaws of everlaif-ing Death ! for why will you dte, 0 HcuJ'e of Ifrael! (2.) Conhder what Enquiries arifefrom theWorcbyo«, in this facred Expoilulation. Queftionsrelating to the People and Perfons, here fuppofed thus willing to die: \V hy wi Vi you die ? you that came under fuch Characters and Conliderations as thefe? 1. You that are fuch noble, rational Creatures, why will you die? you that are the Beauty and Firft-born of this World and Creation? you that are fuch Products of divine Power and Skill? How curiouily and wonderfully are you framed and wrought! You may . each of you fay to the great God, Thy Hands have made , me and fafjioned me. In thy Book were a" my Members f written 3 when as yet, none of’em were drawn out and figured. Read the Plillory of your Creation, and fee if there is not good reafon to argue the cafe with you, f" WhyC 53 3 Why ye will die ? God made Matt (the Body ofManJ cut of the Dttii of the Field. A curious Body, you fee 5 he hasJnade it, compofed of many curious Parts 3 fit for many curious Motions, Employs, and Exercifes 3 fit to be the Companion and Habitation of a noble Soul. And will ye deilroy fo curious a Body ? Is it not enough that it mull diifolve, and lie rotting in the Grave for many Years ? but would you have it alfo lie rack’d and tortur’d in Hell for evermore? God then breath’d into Man the Breath of Life, a living Spirit , whereupon he became a living, always living or immortal Soul. And fhould imdiortal Souls die and pe-rifh under the Wrath of God? You are knowing, rational Creatures, and will you die ? You can underhand what Death is, and can know how to efcape it 5 you can forefee it, and fear it, and haften from it. Let Brutes die, they know not what Death means. Their Death is nothing in comparifon with yours. Let wild Bealls and Cattel die 3 they were made to be taken and deilroy’d. -Are not you of much more value than they ? They cannot make an atonement for your Sin,, cannot ranfom your Souls 3 cannot be inform’d and in-ftrufled as you are: They know nothing of Life or Death, nothing of Time or Eternity, nothing of a future State and World 3 He teacheth you more than the Beafls of the Earth, and mafeth you zoifer than the Fozvls of Heaven^ Job xxxv. ri. He has made you for noble Ends and Lies 3 and why then will you die ? You are capable of immortal Life and Joy. Is not Immortality written upon your Natures? upon your Minds, and Memories, and Confciences? Let thofe Things die, whofe Spirits mull go downward 3 but why will you die, whofe Spirit mull go upward, and mult return to God who gave it? a. You that are put into a Redeemer’s hand, why will you die ? Know ye not that ye have been bought with a Price? that the Lord Jefus died, and role, and revived, that he might be Lord of the Dead and of the Living ? Is he your Lord ? and is he Lord ot Life ? E 5 . andt 54 ] and will ye die? Has he bought you into his hands, that he may prove you, and try you, and yet will ye die ? Is he willing to refpite the Curie of the Law for a u'hile ? willing to try you with Patience, and Mercy, and Counfeljfor a little Seafon? Does he fet you in a State of new Tryal and Probation, to fee how you will aft towards him, and how you will carry it for an happy Eternity? and are ye refolv’cl to abufe his Good-nefs, and to die at laft ? O poor Souls ! fhall a Redeemer do ye no good ? fhall a Mediator be loft, and all his Care and Love be forfeited ? O you Redeemed of the Lord ! why will ye die ? 3. You that have the Bible, the Book of God, t© lead you unto Life, why will ye die? You that have the Words of Grace, and Words of Life, w'hy will yefor-fake all, and run into eternal Death? What advantage then hath the Houj'e of Ifrael above all other Nations and Feofle ? Much every way 3 chiefly, that unto you are committed the Oracles of God. He has not dealt fo with other .Lands and Countries. How many large N ations on the Earth fit in Darknefs, and in the /hadow of Death ? Did you know how great a Part of this World is without the true Knowledge of God and Chrift, furely you would pity thofe that dwell there 3 and furely you’d be aftonifiled at the ftrange Providence of God, and be provoked to improve and employ your Bibles and your Light much more. God feems to wink at their Ignorance, and to carry it towards them, as if he were not much concern’d whether they live or no. But he deals not fo with you 3 he calls you into marvellous Light 3 brings Life and Immortality to light unto you5 gives you leave to look into the Myftery of his Will, into the Myftery of redeeming Love, ordain’d for your Glory. Pie gives you a Profpefl into Heaven, into the moft holy Place. Gives you leave to fee and content • plate the things that Angels deiire to look into. And iltall the living Oracles be in vain ? fhall the Spirit of Infpiration be given to the Church in vain ? O you in-ftruffed, enlightned Souls, why will you die and pe-rifh. forever? 4- You E 55 1 4. Tou that have Life fo frequently and frankly offer’d to you, why will ye die ? Eternal Life offer’d you by the God of Life ? O! are not they juftly reckon’d wilfully to die, that wilfully refufe Life, when ’tis fet before them ? Can you fay that Life, bleffed Life has not been offer’d to you ? will not your Conlcience declare the contrary ? will not the Bible and your Mink-llers witnefs the contrary ? Is not eternal Life offer’d you in the Covenant of God, and together with the ¿on of God ? in the Covenant of God, which is a Covenant of Life and Peace with poor Sinners. Does not the God of Life there call to you, Ho! Every one that tbirjleth ! Ah 1 poor indigent, dying Mortals, you that want all fpiritual, faving Bleflings! Come you to the Waters. Come to the Fountain of living Waters 5 to the Fountain of Life, and Grace, and Glory: and He that hath no Money j no Merit or Worth of his own j Come buy and eat. Come and take freely ! come, and receive, and embrace the Bleffingsof Life and Peace 5 Incline your Ear, (be not Hill dead and obilinate jj Come to me, and I will make an everlajiing Covenant with you j even the Jure Mercies of David. I will covenant with you to give you the lure Mercies of David1 And what are the lure Mercies of David? Is there not among them Life for evermore ? How can ye defpife the Covenant of God? Is not the Son of God, and Life with him, offer’d unto you? Does not the eternal Father fay,'Here is my beloved Son, hear him? Receive him. There is Life in the Son. He that hath the Son, hath Life. Let him be yours, and all is yours j eternal Life, eternal Joy, eternal Blifs, and Glory is yours. O poor Souls ! why will you die, to whom eternal Life is fo freely and kindly offer’d ? 5- You that have a Saviour (landing and knocking-at your doors, why will you die? O what is the Mortals Privilege in this Day of Grace! The Saviour waits, and calls, and knocks. O how few Nations have him fo noar, and fo loudly knocking at their doors, as you have? How kind is his Voice, and courteous hi$ Car*[ 5^ 3 Carriage? Do you not hear him faying, Open to mer my Beloved ? Open your Minds and Hea.tts to me, and [ will come in and flip with you, and you with me. And how richly will he entertain you ? with the Foretafles of glorious Life and Heaven. How frequent are his Mef-. Pages of Love! how inviting are his Providences! how open are his Arms to embrace ye! how full are his Pro-mifes, and how ilrong his Importunities! And after all-this, Will yerefolvedly die, O Houfe of Ifrael! 6. Lou that have a divine Spirit ifil 1 driving with you, why will you die? A Spirit of Life, in fome measure, moving upon your Souls? Is he not if ill leading you unto God, and Religion, and holy Life! Does he not tell ye, that now ’tis high time to awake out of Sin Sloth? and time to look after Life and Eternity? Does he not put you upon repenting and turning unto God ? Does he not tell you of your Sins, and convince ye of your Unrighteoufnefs, and Rebellion againil God ? Does he not tell ye, that -he is ready to Hand by you, and help in all your Motions towards Heaven and eternal Life? Does not he foi.netimes'give you good Thoughts and Intentions ? good Deiires and Refo- I lutions? does concur with the Word of God many times, and make it good and fweet to you ? And ihall j all thefe Works be loll ? will you always grieve the ! Spirit of God ? will you rejedl him, till you have quite quenched his Motions and Operations ? O why will you be fo hardned againft God and Goodnefs ? and why will ye die, O Houfe of ifrael. 7. You that have the Miniifry attending you, to call ye unto Life-, why will ye die ? Let thofe die, to whom the Mcifengers of God are not fent, and are not allow’d to behold the beautiful Feet of them that bring the glad Tidings of Gofpel-Peace. But why ihould you die, to whom they come with Words of Life and joy ? They come to call you to Repentance, that you may live 3 come to call you to Faith in our Lord Jefus Chrifl, that you may have Life by his Name 3 come to call you to Reconciliation with God, that you mayI [57] live with God for ever. And will nothing of this do, after all 3 will ye wilfully die? 8. You that have the great God arguing the Cafe with ye, why will you die ? Do you know what it is to have the loving and living God pleading with you ? He that fpake in Thunder, and Lightning, and Earthquake totheantient Houfe of Ifrael, comes in a mild, compaHionate way to plead wi th you. He might tell you, you ihall die, whether you will or no: He might tell you, you fhall be loft and damned without remedy 3 that it ihall no longer be offer’d to your choice, whether you fhall live or no. But he pities you amidft your Sins and Folly, and condefcends to reafon with you, why ye will die. O what Condefceniion and Goodnefs is here! Will the eternal God ftoop to argue and plead with contemptible Duft and Aihes? Will he ihow more regard to our Welfare, than wet© our own ? O how will ye anfwer him ? what reafon will ye give him, why ye are fo willing to die, and to be deprived of his Prefence and Glory ? Does he call ye to live ? does he plead and intreat, that you would be concern’d for your Souls? and yet will ye die, O Houle of Ifrael! 9. You that live within the* compafs of the Chriftian Church, why will you die? you, whofe Lot is fallen within the Church of God, fince the Redeemer came into the World ? Of the two, it was more tolerable, that the antient Houfe of ifrael fhould die, than that you fhould. They that lived in the World, and in the Houfe of God, before the Mediator was born, their Death might be more excufable than yours 3 they had not that open Light and clear Difcoveries of divine and heavenly things, that you have. The Church of God was then like an Heir under Age, deprived of many Privileges and Enjoyments you are admitted to. They were held under more Fear and Terror, under Types, and Shades, and dark Ceremonies, till the time of Reformation. But when the Meffiah, the Mediator came, the times of Reformation came alfo. Now[58 ] Now more Light fhinesinto the Houfc of Israel 3 now Types and Shadows are fled away 3 now ye arc allow’d to behold the King in his Beauty 3 now ye fee Jefus, for the- Suffering of Death made lower than Angels, but now crown’d with Honour and Glory. You are call’d to take a large view of the Redeemer born into the World, converiing in all Goodnefs and Holinefs among Men 3 confirming his Do£lrine with mighty Miracles 3 laying dow'n his Life for your Jufti-fication and Pardon 3 riling again from the Dead for his own Juftification and yours 5 afeending into Heaven, taking his place at the Right Hand of God, interceding with the Father for fuch as) ou, and deiign-ing to come again with all his Angels and Saints at the Lail-Day. You are allow’d to look more into the Counfels of God, into the Ark of the Covenant, into the Court of Heaven, and the Company, and the Pleafures there. The Mvftery that has been hid from Ages and Generations, is made known to you for the Joy of Faith, and for the Obedience of Faith. And yet will ye die ? will none of tnefe things lead ye unto Life? You, that are under the New Teitament, under the Reign and Kingdom of the afeended Redeemer, why will ye die? you that are of theprefent Ifrael of God ? Has not God provided fome better thing for you, that they without you fhould not be made perfect ? And yet after all, will ye die for ever? 10. You that dwell in the purer part of the Houfe of ifrael, why will you die ? You that belong to Judah, rather than apoilatized ifrael? you, whofe Lot is gra- • ciouily caff within the pale of the Reformed Churches? O how happy is your Portion there, unlefs you make it miferable by your Sin, and Sloth, and Folly ! Flow great a Part of the Chriilian World lies in doleful Ignorance, Superilition, and Idolatry ! How many Kingdoms are enilaved to the Pope, and to the Errors and Abominations of Popery! How little do they know of the Perfon and Mediation of the Lord Jefus ! ^ Flow ready to fet up other Mediators together with him I[ 59 ] him ! and to fly to the Interceflion of Saints! How little are they inftru&ed in the Merits and Fulnefs of his Death and Righteoulnefs! in the Sufficiency and Power of that Sacrifice, by which he has for ever perfected them that are iandlfiied ! Alas! how are poof Souls, in thofe Lands, cheated with Maifes and Latin Services! with the pretended Merits of Saints, and Prayers for the Dead, and Stories of Purgatory! and fo are fadly led by the Blind into the Ditch of Death and Definition. And are not they enough to be deceived and die ’ Will you perifh as well as they ? You are brought into more Light $ you are allow’d to fee the Error, and the Vanity, and Deceit of their Religion. And do not your Souls pity them? And do you not feriouily pray, that God’s Kingdom may come among them? if not, why do you pretend to be Protefiants ? Is the Reformation no B [effing to you ? Is the Purity of the Scriptures, and of heavenly Doctrine, no Mercy to you? O carnal Hearts, if you can think fo! You are called to fearch the Scriptures themfelves 5 and to fee with your own Eyes the Way to Life; You are taught the Way of Forgivenefs and Pardon thro the Blood and Redemption of the Lord Jefus You are taught the purer Worihip of God j and yet will you die? O how fid! that Protefiants, that Inhabitants in the Reformed Churches, fihould lofe Heaven and their Souls, and die for ever! ir. You that live in the Land of Great Britain, why will you die ? that live in that happy Iile, that God has fo lov’d, and chofe to blefs? ()! what has the good God done for us! How foon did he fend his Gofi-pel hither, and how long has he continued it, and by what wonderful Deliverances has he preferved it! What mighty Works of Salvation have our Fore-fathers feen, and declared to us! What firange Revolutions and A£ls of Divine Providence have we feen, and had reafon to admire! How oft have our Lives, and all our Enjoyments been endangered! but God hasfecured them 1 How oft have we efcaped, as Birds out[¿O ] out of the hand of the Fowler! how few Campaigns and Summers pad, but we have abundant reafon to blefs God for Deliverances, Succefl.es, and Vi&ories! And fliall the good God thus fhow, that our Lives are dear to him, and fliall welofe them at laft ? fhall he fecure iacrcd Privileges for our Souls, and ihall we lol'e’em all? fliall he watch over us for good, and Ihall we ruin all his Care and Watchfulnefs ? O you indulg’d, faved, privileg’d Inhabitants of thisliland! why will you die ? 12. You thatread this Letter, why will you die ? If it be not worth your reading, throw it by, and take a better Book. If it be worth reading, is it not fo, only becaufe it calls you to confider what you are doing, and whither you are going ? And will you not coniider ? Are yourefolv’d to gocarelefly on, like a Beaft to the Slaughter? Will nothing move ye ? no Conflderations awake ? Will you read, and yet perifh and die ? Then let me ask you a few other Queflions ; fuch that may arife from the third Word in the Text, JVhy, Why wifi you die'i Let me enquire into the Reafons of this Will, or Wilfulnefs of yours. Have you any Reafon to give theblefied God , who thus expoflulates ■•with you ? Have you any Realon to give the Lord Jefus, A\hen he fliall come to judge the World, and when he fliall ask you, why you would die, and would not come to him, that you might have Life ? Have you any Reafon for one that would ask you in their Karnes, why ye will die ? Let Confcience fee and fay, whether thefe that follow' are any of the Reafons why you will die, and lofe your Souls and Life for ever ? i. sire you rejolv'd that the hleffed God flail have no \ Glory in your eternal Life and Salvation ? Are you fuch an Enemy to all his Glory, that you intend he fliall I have none in you and by you ? Have you heard how well-pleaflng it will be to him to fee you in Heaven ? Have you heard and read what his Son, that came from Heaven, has told ye? That the Father rejoices when a poor Soul is returning thither ? that he is rea-[ tfl ] dy to call all the Family together, and to fay to ’em, It is meet that we Jhould rejoice and be glad, for this your Brother was dead, and is alive, and was loB, and is found. And are you refolv’d that you will not return to fo loving a Father? that he ihall have no Joy in you, no Comfort in your Salvation ? Are you fo fallen out with-him, fo unreconciled to him, that you are refolv’d he iliall not be glorify’d in you ? ihall never fee the Glo -ry of his Wifdom, and Love, and Grace in you ? O ungodly Soul! Will you die out of envy and fpight, refolv’d that the God of Heaven iliall have no Honour, nor Glory, nor Praife by you, or by your Salvation ? 2. sire you ref oh'd that the Redeemer pall have no Joy nor Sattsfaftion in you ? Have you heard, that the Father has promis’d him a Seed toferve him ? have you heard, that he is to fee of the Travail of his Soul, and to be fatisfy’d ? But do you mean, that he iliall be dif-appointed in you ? Do you refolve in you, he iliall not ice the Travail of his Soul ? and that in you he ihall never be fatisfy’d ? Are you refolv’d, that, as far as in you lies, you will fpoil the Deiigns of his Death, and ruin all the Fruits of his Blood, and bloody Sacrifice? Is it your aim to do all you can, that he fhould die in vain, and pour out his Soul an Offering for Sin, in vain ? Are you fo difpleas’d with him, that you are refolv’d that you will be none of thofe that fiand about his ihrone, and call down their Crowns before him, and love him to eternity ? Are you refolv’d, that you will never fing the Song of Mofes, and of the Lamb ? that you will never give Glory, and Honour, and Salvation, and Praife to him that was flain and redeem’d you by his Blood ? O cruel Souls ! why will you die ? 3. sire ye rejolv'd that the holy slngels pall have no Joy, hi, and by your Company ? Have you been told, by a Mcflenger from Heaven, That there is Joy in the Prefence of the slngels, over one Sinner that repents and lives ? And are you refolv’d thereupon to blaif their Hopes, and fpoil their Joys? Do you envy their prefent Hap-pinefs, and reckon they have fo much, that they .(hall F hav*[ ] have no more for you, nor from you • Ah ! poor Souls i what have they clone to you, that you are fo cnvious.at their Blifs ? wherein have they deferv’d your Ill-will and. Splec n ? Are they not gojod enough for you, or fit to bear you company ? What’s the matter you are fo loth to let them have your Company and Converfation in Heaven? Have they injur’d you, or done you any wrong? what fault do you find with thofe good Spirits, that you will not let them have that little Satisfaction and Solace, that may arife from your Prefence and Society ? Why will vou deny them fo fmall a matter, or fo great a pleafure ? and why will you mil's of Heaven? and why will ye die, O Houfe of Ifrael! Or, 4. Do you dejign that the Devil and damned Spiritsfall have your Company for evermore ? Are you more pleas’d with them than with the heavenly Society ? and are you more willing to oblige and gratify them? What Service do you owe the infernal Spirits? Have you found their Company fogood, that you intend to have it for ever? Have you found their Service fo pleafant, that you will oblige them with your Company in their fiery Manfions? What have they done for ye? have they help’d you to dome of the Pleafures of Sin ? It may be they have 5 and will you therefore go and dwell with them in their Habitation? Have they help’d ye to fome Trade, and made ye rich ? It may be they have. There is a deal of Trade carried on by the Devil’s Counfel 3 and many are made rich by the Way that he puts them into. You know what he offer’d the Saviour himfelf: He fhow’d him the Kingdoms of the World, and their Glories, and told him, AU thefe will I give thee, if thou wilt pall dovon and zvor-foip me ? Mat. iv.9. And has the Devil given you any of thefe things ? and will you therefore die, that you may humour and gratify him? or, have you made a Covenant with Death, and an Agreement with Hell ? Have you (as fome poor Wretches are faid to have done) enter’d into a Contrail with the Devil, to be his, and to live with hint ?[ *3 1 him ? elfe what is the matter, and who hath bewitch’d you, that you ihould thus wilfully run in the Way to eternal Death and Kell ? 5. Is it not enough in your eyes, that Angels have finned and died, but you tnuB die too? They have died, es they are capable of dying, and as your Souls mull die. They are call out of their Manlxons of Life and Glory j thrown out of the glorious, gracious Prefence of God 5 thrown out of holy, joyful, heavenly Life .: God fpared not the Angels that tinned, butcaii them down to Hell, and deliver’d them unto Chains of Death and Darkncfs, to be referv’d unto the Judgment of the Great Day, 2 Pet. ii. 4. Angels are tumbled down into the fecond Death, Revel.xn. 14. And Death (all that were dead) and Hell (ali that were in Hell) were call into the Lake of Fire; that is, the fecond Death. And is not this enough for you ? O how many were cad dou n! Millions and Legions of Angels j enough to £11 the Earth 3 for they are every where, in all Nations, feeking whom they may devour } enough to £11 our Air, for they are the Powers of the Air, working in the Children of Difobedience. And are not thefe enough to miter the Vengeance of eternal Fire? are they not enough without you ? are you refolv’d to join your-felves w ith them ? have you a mind to bear them company ? are you willing to hear that dreadful Sentence, Go ye Cur fed into everlafti ng Fire, prepared for the Devil andh'ts Angels ? If the Devil and his Angels are enough to go into that Fire, why will you go there? and why will you die, O Houfe of ifrael! 6. Is it not enough that your firfl Parents died, but you mujt die too ? Is it not enough that Death is brought upon you by entail, but you mull bring it upon your-lelves alio, by your own Folly and Wilfulnels? Knotv ye not, that by one Man Sin entred into the World, and Death by Sin? and that Death pafifes upon all, forafmuch as all have finned? But alas! poor Mortals ! is it not enough to have Death derived upon you. Tom that one Man, (even from old Adam?') But will F z you[ ¿4 ] you voluntarily derive it onyourfelves? Do you fcom to be guilty of Death at fecond hand, by another’s Crime ? will you be guilty by your own alfo ? will nothing lerve your turn, but a refolute pulling down of Death and Defiruftion upon your own heads ? Know ye not, that God is now letting you upon a new Foundation ? He now fets you upon your own bottom j he treats with your Perfons, with your perfonal Under-ilandings, Wills, and Hearts 3 he offers to you Life through his Son, the feeond Adam 3 and in the fecond Covenant, eilablifhcd upon better Promifes. If you now die, you lhall not die merely as one that finned in Adam, and fell with him in his firilTranfgreffion 3 but this will be your Condemnation, That Light is come into the World3 and Life is come into the World, and has been offer’d unto you, and you would not have it. And will nothing ferve your turn, but a forer Condemnation, an aggravated Death 1 Are you reiolv’d to die as Self deilroyers ? and as wilfully ac-ceffary to your own Death ? why elfe will you die, O Houfe of IJraell 7. Is it not enough that the old World died, hut you muft die toot. How long-lived was that World! how well ilored with Inhabitants 1 How long-lived ? Six or fe-ven hundred Years was an ordinary Life. How well-filled ? The Earth Purely was replenifhed abundantly. 'The Earth was filled with Violence, Gen. vi. ii. As if it were full of violent, bloody Inhabitants. But what a violent Death ruffl’d in upon them, all 1 God/pared not the old World, but brought m the Flood upon the World of the Ungodly. And Death came with the violent, irre-fittibie Waters 3 no Shelter nor Refuge for poor Sinners, in Hduf^fp Courts, nor Caftles 3 no Refuge in j W oods, or on highcil Trees or Mountain-tops 3 no Refuge in Grotrs, or Dens, or Caves of the Earth : Death 1 weeps down and wafhes away a whole World before „ it. And then how fail did Souls die, as well as Bo- | dies? then Hell filled apace: ’Twas a World of Ungodly ones. And how many then went hence to lift up, C 65 ] up their Eyes in Hell! what Work was there for the Devil and his Angels, to receive fuch throngs of Souls, that came from this World of ours! O how vaftly was the Dungeon of Hell filed all on a fudden! And what a Change was here, for Souls to launch out of the Water into the endlefs Flames! out of the rolling Waves into the Lake that burns for ever and ever! And were' not thefe enough to die? thoufands and thoufands that went down to the bottomlefs Pit! Was it not enough that a World thus .died, but you mult add yourfelves to their number, and you mull die too ? Moreover, was it not enough that Sodom and Gomor-and other Cities of the Plain died, and dreadfully died, but you mu ft die too ? O what a dreadful Death was theirs-1 Go.l rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah Brimftone and Fire out of Heaven. And he overthrew thefe Cities, and all the Plain, and-all the Inhabitants of thofe.Ci ties. Gen. xix. 24, 25. And how many might thoieInhabitants be? Probably thoufands and thoufands. And what a Death was theirs ? A Hell on Earth, Fire and Brimftone rained upon ’em out of Heaven. Tins was juft like the Vengeance of eternal Fire, And are not thefe enough in your eyes to die, but you muftincrealc the Company, and die too ? 8. Is ¡t 7iot enough that the Redeemer died, but you muß die tool What! would you have the Surety die, and the Debtor too? O how painful, fhameful, and grievous was his Death ! and will not that ferveyour turn? His Sorrows made him figh, and gr$an, and pray, that if it were poftible, that bitter Cup might pafs from him. In his Sorrows, he was heavy and fore amazed, and fweat Blood dropping down to the ground. He was laih’d and fcourg’d in a cruel, bloody manner; he was nail’d in his Hands and Feet to theCroTsj his Side w as launc’d wTith a Spear, to let out the Blood of his Heart 3 he bore the Curfe of his Father’s Law ; he breath’d out his Soul in lamenting after his Father’s Eight, and Favour, and Love3 Fly God, my God, ivhyhafh thou forfahnme ? And was not here Death enough fort*