The vain religion of the formal hypocrite, and the mischief of an unbridled tongue…

1. Thou art one of the most self-condemned stigmatized slaves of Satan in the world. Thou bearest openly so undoubted a brand of wickedness, that there is no room for any rational Hope in thy self, or any of thy friends, that ever thou shouldst be saved, if thou die in such a state: Some Hope is left that yet thou mayst be converted; but none, that thou shouldst be saved without conversion. It is possible with God that can do all things, that yet thy ⟨p. 183⟩wilful blindness may be cured, and thy tongue may unsay all that thou hast said; and thou mayst cry out of thy folly, and cry shame against thy self, for that which now thou gloriest in. It is possible for God of such a stone, to make a child of Abraham! and to melt that hardened heart of thine, and lay it bleeding at the feet of Christ, and make thee wish with tears or groans, that such thoughts had never entered into thy heart, nor such words of malice proceeded from thy mouth. And happy art thou, if God will have so much mercy on thee, that hast derided mercy, as to vouchsafe thee such a change. And pray for it, and pray hard, and pray again, if thou love thy soul: For this is thy Hope: and thou hast no other. For that ever such a wretch as thou shouldst be saved, in the state that now thou art in, is as impossible as for ⟨p. 184⟩God to lie; and as impossible as for the Devils to be saved. I wonder (but that such a forsaken soul, is a senseless block, and as a lifeless carcass) that thou dost not quake with the fears of Hell, which way ever thou goest; and that thou art not still thinking whither thou art going, and how the Devils are ready to take thy soul, as soon as Death hath opened the door and let it out, into Eternity! As carelessly or scornfully as thou sittest here, I wonder that thou dost not tremble to consider, where it is that thou must shortly be, and where thou must abide for ever? It is one of the most notable discoveries of the powerful craft of Satan, that he is able to keep such a Garrison as thy heart in so much peace, and to quiet a poor wretch, that is uncertain to be one hour out of Hell! That thy sleep is not broken with ⟨p. 185⟩terrible dreams, and that thou dost not eat thy meat in terrors; and that ever a smile should be seen in thy face! That thy business, or company, or sports, or pleasures, should once put out of thy mind thy endless misery.