O Brethren, what a day will that be, when Christ shall come in person with thousands of his Angels, to sit in judgment on the rebellious world, and claim his due which is now denied him: when Plaintiff and Defendant Witnesses and Jurors, Councillors and Justices Judges, and all the Princes on Earth, shall stand equal before the impartial Judge expecting ⟨p. 54⟩to be sentenced to their unchangeable state: then if a man should ask you, [what think you now, Sir, of living to God? Is it better to be devoted to him, or to the flesh? which now do you take for the better master? what would you do now, if it were all to do again?] what would you then say to such a Question? how would you answer it? would you make as light of it as now you do? O sirs, you may hear these things now from your poor fellow-creature, as proud-hearted Gallants, or as self-conceited Deriders, or as besotted worldlings, or senseless blocks, or secret Infidels, that as those Deut. 29. 19. do bless themselves in their hearts, and say, We shall have peace, though we walk in the imagination of our hearts: But then you will hear them as trembling prisoners! Read the 20 verse at leisure. Such a sight will work, when words will not: especially words not believed, nor considered of. When you shall see the God that you disowned, the Redeemer whom you neglected the Glory which you forfeited, by preferring the pleasures of the flesh before it, the Saints triumphing whom you refused to imitate, and a doleful eternity of misery to be remedilessly endured, then Saints will seem wiser men in your eyes, and how gladly would• you then be such? but O too late! what a thing is it, that men ⟨p. 55⟩who say they believe such a judgment, and everlasting life and death, as all Christians, profess to do, can yet read, and hear, and talk of such things as insensibly, as if they were dreams or fables! I know it is the nature of sin, to deceive, and of a sinful heart to be too willing of such deceiving; and it's the business of Satan by deceiving to destroy, and with the most specious baits to angle for souls; and therefore I must expect, that those of you that are taken, and are nearest to the pit, should be least fearful of the danger, and most confident to escape, though you are conscious that you live not to God, but to your selves:
O Brethren, what a day will that be, when Christ shall come in person with thousands of his Angels, to sit in judgment on the rebellious world, and claim his due which is now denyed him: when Plaintiff and Defendant Witnesses and Jurors, Councellors and Justices Judges, and all the Princes on Earth, shall stand equal before the impartial Judge expecting ⟨p. 54⟩to be sentenced to their unchangeable state: then if a man should ask you, [what think you now, Sir, of living to God? Is it better to be devoted to him, or to the flesh? which now do you take for the better master? what would you do now, if it were all to do again?] what would you then say to such a Question? how would you answer it? would you make as light of it as now you do? O sirs, you may hear these things now from your poor fellow-creature, as proud-hearted Gallants, or as self-conceited Deriders, or as besotted worldlings, or senseless blocks, or secret Infidels, that as those Deut. 29. 19. do bless themselves in their hearts, and say, We shall have peace, though we walk in the imagination of our hearts: But then you will heare them as trembling prisoners! Read the 20 verse at leisure. Such a sight will work, when words will not: especially words not believed, nor considered of. When you shall see the God that you disowned, the Redeemer whom you •eglected the Glory which you forfeited, by preferring the plesures of the flesh before it, the Saints triumphing whom you refused to imitate, and a dolefull eternity of misery to be remedilesly endured, then Saints will seem wiser men in your eyes, and how gladly would• you then be such? but O too late! what a thing is it, that men ⟨p. 55⟩who say they believe such a judgment, and everlasting life and death, as all Christians, profess to do, can yet read, and hear, and talk of such things as insensibly, as if they were dreames or fables! I know it is the nature of sin, to deceive, and of a sinfull heart to be too willing of such deceiving; and it's the business of Satan by deceiving to destroy, and with the most specious baits to angle for souls; and therefore I must expect, that those of you that are taken, and are neerest to the pit, should be least fearful of the danger, and most confident to escape, though you are conscious that you live not to God, but to your selves:
