The surest & safest way of thriving, or, A conviction of that grand mistake…

2. As the unmerciful are cursed here, so shall they be cursed hereafter. Jam. 2. 13. He shall have Judgment without mercy, that hath showed no Mercy. Such as have shut up their bowels of compassion against the necessities of the poor, God will shut up his bowels of compassion against them, and let forth his fury upon them, they shall have their portion in his plagues, and indignation, without the least drop of pity or Mercy. And at the day of judgment Christ will say unto them, Math. 25. 41. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels; There's their doom, and why? For I was an hungry, and ye gave me no meat, I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink. Oh dreadful sentence! every word whereof carieth much terror in it, and breatheth nothing but fire, and brimstone. What! must they depart from Christ the fountain of bliss and happiness? and into everlasting fire? Ah wretches! cursed indeed. For as the Prophet speaketh Isa. 33. 14. Who can dwell with devouring fires? who can dwell with everlasting burnings? An everlasting fever, or an but an everlasting tooth-ache, were a misery unspeakable. But what are these to the lying in that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone to all eternity? Oh methinks, the name of everlasting fire, and everlasting burnings should awaken all uncharitable men out of their security, and stir them up without any farther delay to bewail their former unmercifulness, to beg the pardon thereof, and unfeignedly to resolve, willingly to give out of their store towards the relief of the poor, proportionably to what God hath graciously bestowed on them. It may be, thou hast a plentiful portion of this worlds goods; but oh, what will it profit thee to live plentifully here, and to be eternally miserable hereafter? Seriously I cannot but stand amazed to consider, how men who do believe the words of Christ to be true, That all uncharitable men shall by him at the last day be sentenced into everlasting burning for their not feeding the hungry, nor clothing the naked; and yet can be so hard-hearted, as not to hearken to the cry of the poor.

2. As the unmerciful are cursed here, so shall they be cursed hereafter. Jam. 2. 13. He shall have Iudgment without mercy, that hath shewed no Mercy. Such as have shut up their bowels of compassion against the necessities of the poor, God will shut up his bowels of compassion against them, and let forth his fury upon them, they shall have their portion in his plagues, and indignation, without the least drop of pitty or Mercy. And at the day of judgment Christ will say unto them,