The four last things viz. death, judgment, heaven, hell, practically considered and applied in…

1. Sometimes Religion exposes the Professors of it to the loss of all temporal Enjoyments, and of Life it self. And when the Honour of our Saviour requires such a Service of us, when that Confirmation is necessary to recommend Divine Truth to the Belief and Affections of others, when our cheerful and courageous Example in suffering would animate those that are fearful to Constancy and Confession, then from Cowardice to withdraw our Testimony, is to betray him again. When our Duty is attended with extreme Dangers, then the sincerity and perfection of our Love to Christ is brought to the strictest trial. As true Carbuncles ⟨p. 255⟩are discovered in the Night, for the Darkness redoubles their Splendour; so the fidelity of Christians is evident in Persecutions that inflame and excite their Zeal to magnify the Name of Christ in the sight of the World. There is no Fear in Love, ¹but perfect Love casts out Fear. But Fearfulness hinders the expressing acts of Love to Christ, and betrays to Apostasy. For as every Passion is a Perturbation, so especially Carnal Fear that blinds and disturbs the Mind, and hinders the serious consideration of the Reasons of our Duty, and those Motives to persevere in it, that are the Fountains of our Strength. From hence the timorous are often treacherous, and Faith lies buried under the cold pale Ashes of Fear. Now the irregularity of this Passion is best cured by directing it to the most powerful Object. As the Rod of Moses swallowed up the Rods of the Magicians, so a stronger Fear will subdue that which is in a weaker degree. Our Saviour therefore threatens those that for the fear of Men (who can but kill the Body) dare not own and defend his Truth and Cause, that he will renounce them before his Father in the great ⟨p. 256⟩Day, the immediate consequence of which will be the destruction of Body and Soul in Hell. ²If Earthly Potentates had a Jurisdiction over Heaven, if Men were to be tried by their Laws at the last Day, if their Power extended to Eternity, they might exact unlimited Obedience to their Wills; but Conscience is a more desirable Friend and terrible Enemy than Caesar; and all temporal Tribunals are subordinate and accountable to the Supreme and Eternal: there is one Lawgiver and Judg, who is able to save, and to destroy for ever.