The valley of Hinnom. The terrors of hell demonstrated and the methods of escaping…The valley of Hinnom. The terrours of hell demonstrated and the methods of escaping…

But, you look for Demonstrations. I affirm to you, No Death so Formidable, as the Destructive Miseries of that HELL, wherein the wicked ⟨p. 26⟩shall be punished. Now, Listen to the Demonstrations; yea, Tremble at them.

First. Let Righteousness, Cry, and Equity put forth her Voice. 'Tis thus that she cries at the Gates of Death. Such Things as Wicked Men have most Unrighteously done unto Godly Men, have they not been very Formidable? Those Abominable Men, who have been, The Haters of GOD; What have they done to the People of GOD? The Best People in the World, falling into the Hands of the Worst, how barbarously have they been Tortured and Butchered? They have with Boots had the very marrow forced out of their Bones. They have been stretched upon Racks till they have been left in a swoon with their Bones all out of Joint. They have been broken on Wheels, and many Hours have passed, before the Coup de Grace has been given them. Slow Fires have roasted them to Death. Authors who have written, De Crucia••••• ⟨p. 27⟩Martyrum, have not a Page, but what is Formidable. What Formidable Things have been done upon the Best of Men, by that First-born of Tyrants, the Vile Person lately at Versailles, and the rest of his Brethren? What Formidable Things, in the Popish Inquisition? But now, We are taught of GOD; Cor. III. 25. He who doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done. The Question is, Whether there be a Righteous GOD? But GOD forbid, That ever this should be a Question! There were an Infandous Blaspheming in the Question. Well; since there is a Righteous GOD, and, Verily, There is a GOD who Judges in the Earth, it necessarily follows, There must be an HELL in which there must be a Punishment for the Wicked, at least as Formidable as the worst Things which the Godly have suffered from them; at least Proportioned unto the Wrongs which the Wicked have done unto the Godly. But this will soon infer something ⟨p. 28⟩that shall be vet more Formidable!

First. Let Righteousness, Cry, and Equity put forth her Voice. 'Tis thus that she cries at the Gates of Death. Such Things as Wicked Men have most Unrighteously done unto Godly Men, have they not been very Formidable? Those Abominable Men, who have been, The Haters of GOD; What have they done to the People of GOD? The Best People in the World, falling into the Hands of the Worst, how barbarously have they been Tortured and Butchered? They have with Boots had the very marrow forced out of their Bones. They have been stretch'd upon Racks till they have been left in a swoon with their Bones all out of Joint. They have been broken on Wheels, and many Hours have passed, before the Coup de Grace has been given them. Slow Fires have roasted them to Death. Authors who have written, De Crucia••••• ⟨p. 27⟩Martyrum, have not a Page, but what is Formidable. What Formidable Things have been done upon the Best of Men, by that First-born of Tyrants, the Vile Person lately at Versailles, and the rest of his Brethren? What Formidable Things, in the Popish Inquisition? But now, We are taught of GOD; Cor. III. 25. He who doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done. The Question is, Whether there be a Righteous GOD? But GOD forbid, That ever this should be a Question! There were an Infandous Blaspheming in the Question. Well; since there is a Righteous GOD, and, Verily, There is a GOD who Judges in the Earth, it necessarily follows, There must be an HELL in which there must be a Punishment for the Wicked, at least as Formidable as the worst Things which the Godly have suffered from them; at least Proportion'd unto the Wrongs which the Wicked have done unto the Godly. But this will soon infer something ⟨p. 28⟩that shall be vet more Formidable!

Secondly. We have seen HELL begun upon Earth; And from thence we may gather, how Formidable, and much more painful than any Death, will be the Punishment of the Wicked, in that HELL to which they are going down. If the Raised Bodies of the Wicked, must feel Pains at least Equal to what they gave unto the Bodies of others here, and be used no better than some Inhumane Caribbeans do their Slaves, they will now be worse of it, because their Souls will feel, what the sufferers from them here, did not undergo. The Horrors raised in a Guilty Conscience, what are they but some sparkles of HELL shot into the Souls of Men? But these Horrors, How Intolerable! How Intolerable! It was long since observed; Prov. XVIII. 14. A wounded Spirit, who can bear? Persons under the Horrors of a Guilty Conscience, how Formidably are they Cruciated? They Roar by Reason of the Disquietness ⟨p. 29⟩of their Heart. Yea, They choose Strangling rather than Life. One among us, kept fearfully crying out, I am all on Fire under the Wrath of GOD! and went, and hanged himself. Some that have wounded their Conscience by sinful Compliances and Apostasies, have been so unable to bear the Wounds, that they have Retracted what they have done, and have gone and have told, the Tormentors, No Death you can inflict, is a thousandth part so bad, as the wounds which we feel in our Souls! Yea, How often have People under the Horrors of a Guilty Conscience, grown lean, and pale, and ghastly; and been mere Magor-Missabib's, a Terror to themselves, and all about them! How often, have they professed, That Burning in the Fire on the Hearth, would be a Mitigation of their Miseries! One of them over hearing People speak, about Burning in the Fire, cried out, Oh! That is but a mere Metaphor for what my […] Endures! Now, In HELL, the ⟨p. 30⟩Horrors of a Guilty Conscience do seize upon the Souls of the wicked, in the fullest Efficacy, and with a vast Enlargement of their Faculties, to receive the lashes of the Furies. GOD has an Instrument of His Vengeance in the Conscience of a Wicked Man. And Oh! the Scourges, Oh! the Scorches, which it will give unto him, when the Vengeance of Eternal Fire falls upon him! Can any Death be so Formidable, as what is felt from a Conscience armed with Guilt, and in the Name of the Holy GOD upbraiding a Sinner with a Fiery Indignation?

Secondly. We have seen HELL begun upon Earth; And from thence we may gather, how Formidable, and much more painful than any Death, will be the Punishment of the Wicked, in that HELL to which they are going down. If the Raised Bodies of the Wicked, must feel Pains at least Equal to what they gave unto the Bodies of others here, and be used no better than some Inhumane Caribbaeans do their Slaves, they will now be worse of it, because their Souls will feel, what the sufferers from them here, did not undergo. The Horrors raised in a Guilty Conscience, what are they but some sparkles of HELL shot into the Souls of Men? But these Horrors, How Intolerable! How Intolerable! It was long since observed; Prov. XVIII. 14. A wounded Spirit, who can bear? Persons under the Horrors of a Guilty Conscience, how Formidably are they Cruciated? They Roar by Reason of the Disquietness ⟨p. 29⟩of their Heart. Yea, They chuse Strangling rather than Life. One among us, kept fearfully crying out, I am all on Fire under the Wrath of GOD! and went, and hanged himself. Some that have wounded their Conscience by sinful Compliances and Apostasies, have been so unable to bear the Wounds, that they have Retracted what they have done, and have gone and have told, the Tormentors, No Death you can inflict, is a thousandth part so bad, as the wounds which we feel in our Souls! Yea, How often have People under the Horrors of a Guilty Conscience, grown lean, and pale, and ghastly; and been meer Magor-Missabib's, a Terror to themselves, and all about them! How often, have they profess'd, That Burning in the Fire on the Hearth, would be a Mitigation of their Miseries! One of them over hearing People speak, about Burning in the Fire, cried out, Oh! That is but a meer Metaphor for what my 〈…〉 Endures! Now, In HELL, the ⟨p. 30⟩Horrors of a Guilty Conscience do seize upon the Souls of the wicked, in the fullest Efficacy, and with a vast Enlargement of their Faculties, to receive the lashes of the Furies. GOD has an Instrument of His Vengeance in the Conscience of a Wicked Man. And Oh! the Scourges, Oh! the Scorches, which it will give unto him, when the Vengeance of Eternal Fire falls upon him! Can any Death be so Formidable, as what is felt from a Conscience arm'd with Guilt, and in the Name of the Holy GOD upbraiding a Sinner with a Fiery Indignation?

Thirdly. The Punishment of the Wicked in the HELL ordained of old by the King of Heaven for them; From whence will come the Principal ⟨p. 32⟩Infliction of it? O Hearken to me! The Principal Infliction of the Punishment on the Damned, will be with an Immediate Impression from the wrath of an Infinite GOD upon the Soul that is fixed in an Aversion for Him. O most Formidable Punishment! At the mention of it, will not our Souls Tremble, and our Hearts be removed out of their place? The Punishment of Sin in HELL, will be nothing less than the Wrath of an Almighty GOD, making a direful Impression on the Soul of the Sinner. The Sinner shall not be delivered over into the Hands of only Finite Executioners: But the Almighty GOD Himself, will take him into His own Hands, and make him feel such scalding strokes of His Wrath, as will be more torturous than flaming Sulphur, or than running Bell-Metal. What will be the Fire of the Damned? There is an awful Intimation; Heb. XII. 29. Our God is a consuming Fire. Oh! 'Tis GOD approaching to them, as ⟨p. 33⟩a Revenger, that will make their plagues wonderful. There will be wonderful Dolours in the Punishment of Sin, which will not be inflicted by the Administration of Creatures; But they shall be Immediate Emanations from a Provoked, Omnipotent, Omniscient GOD, Penetrating like Hot Lightning into the Damned Soul; Immediate Coruscations from GOD, acting as a Consuming Fire. O Wicked Ones, I my self▪ will fight against you, with a strong Arm, even in great Wrath, saith the Lord. The great GOD Himself will shoot the Thunder of His Wrath into the Desolate Soul of the Sinner; GOD with His burning Wrath shall draw near to the Desolate Soul, and fill it with a Confusion that no words can describe unto them who are yet in the Flesh. Lord, Thou wilt make them as a Fiery Oven in the Time of thine Anger! The Lord will swallow them up with His wrath; so the Fire shall devour them. Arrows from the Wrath of GOD shall enter into ⟨p. 34⟩the Soul of the Sinner; the Poison thereof, Oh! how it shall Inflame and Enrage the Spirit! Oh! The Groans of the Malefactor, when the Wrath of GOD shall be breaking of him; O GOD, Thy-Wrath lies hard upon me; Thy Fierce Wrath, O GOD, is going over me! Can any Death be so Formidable? Can thy Heart Endure, or thy Hands be strong, when I shall deal with thee? saith the Lord.

Thirdly. The Punishment of the Wicked in the HELL ordained of old by the King of Heaven for them; From whence will come the Principal ⟨p. 32⟩Infliction of it? O Hearken to me! The Principal Infliction of the Punishment on the Damned, will be with an Immediate Impression from the wrath of an Infinite GOD upon the Soul that is fixed in an Aversion for Him. O most Formidable Punishment! At the mention of it, will not our Souls Tremble, and our Hearts be removed out of their place? The Punishment of Sin in HELL, will be nothing less than the Wrath of an Almighty GOD, making a direful Impression on the Soul of the Sinner. The Sinner shall not be delivered over into the Hands of only Finite Executioners: But the Almighty GOD Himself, will take him into His own Hands, and make him feel such scalding strokes of His Wrath, as will be more torturous than flaming Sulphur, or than running Bell-Metal. What will be the Fire of the Damned? There is an awful Intimation; Heb. XII. 29. Our God is a consuming Fire. Oh! 'Tis GOD approaching to them, as ⟨p. 33⟩a Revenger, that will make their plagues wonderful. There will be wonderful Dolours in the Punishment of Sin, which will not be inflicted by the Administration of Creatures; But they shall be Immediate Emanations from a Provoked, Omnipotent, Omniscient GOD, Penetrating like Hot Lightning into the Damned Soul; Immediate Coruscations from GOD, acting as a Consuming Fire. O Wicked Ones, I my self▪ will fight against you, with a strong Arm, even in great Wrath, saith the Lord. The great GOD Himself will shoot the Thunder of His Wrath into the Desolate Soul of the Sinner; GOD with His burning Wrath shall draw near to the Desolate Soul, and fill it with a Confusion that no words can describe unto them who are yet in the Flesh. Lord, Thou wilt make them as a Fiery Oven in the Time of thine Anger! The Lord will swallow them up with His wrath; so the Fire shall devour them. Arrows from the Wrath of GOD shall enter into ⟨p. 34⟩the Soul of the Sinner; the Poison thereof, Oh! how it shall Enflame and Enrage the Spirit! Oh! The Groans of the Malefactor, when the Wrath of GOD shall be breaking of him; O GOD, Thy-Wrath lies hard upon me; Thy Fierce Wrath, O GOD, is going over me! Can any Death be so Formidable? Can thy Heart Endure, or thy Hands be strong, when I shall deal with thee? saith the Lord.

Finally. There is this to render the Punishment of the Wicked in HELL beyond all Imagination Formidable. Do you know of any Period for the Punishment? Only an Aching Tooth, holding One for a Month together, how grievous! But the Exquisite Miseries of the Damned, will they hold no more than a year? or will they come to a Period in a Thousand years? or after as many Millions of years, as there are Leaves upon the Trees, or Drops in the Sea, or Sands on the Shore; will they then come to a Period? or, could a Scroll as wide as the ⟨p. 35⟩System of Our World, filled with Figures, contain the Number of years, which the Wicked are to see passing away in the Wrath of GOD! We know nothing of any Period. This we know, That our SAVIOUR has called it, Mat. XXV. 4•. An Everlasting Punishment. And there is a consideration, which the mind of a Christian cannot hear proposed, but he must like Moses before the Burning Mountain of old, cry out, I exceedingly fear and quake, at the mention of it! It is this; 'Tis plain, That our Mediator unto whom GOD has committed the Judgment, will adjudge the Wicked unto a Punishment which will be Formidable. 'Tis plain, That our Mediator at the Time of the End, when He delivers up his Kingdom to His Father, Leaves the Wicked still under their Punishment. If ever the Wicked be Released from their Punishment, it must be after the Son of GOD, shall cease to act as a Mediator. Now, when the Mediator has left ⟨p. 36⟩them, in the Devouring Fire, and in the Everlasting Burnings, Who, who will there be to bring them out? Or, Is there any likelihood, that Souls, which have outstood their Time for Probation, and are fixed in all Malignity, should ever be changed, and brought back unto an unchangeable GOD, who has finally Rejected them? O Punishment hopeless of a Period? Certainly, No Death can be so Formidable?

Finally. There is this to render the Punishment of the Wicked in HELL beyond all Imagination Formidable. Do you know of any Period for the Punishment? Only an Aking Tooth, holding One for a Month together, how grievous! But the Exquisite Miseries of the Damned, will they hold no more than a year? or will they come to a Period in a Thousand years? or after as many Millions of years, as there are Leaves upon the Trees, or Drops in the Sea, or Sands on the Shore; will they then come to a Period? or, could a Scroul as wide as the ⟨p. 35⟩System of Our World, fill'd with Figures, contain the Number of years, which the Wicked are to see passing away in the Wrath of GOD! We know nothing of any Period. This we know, That our SAVIOUR has called it, Mat. XXV. 4•. An Everlasting Punishment. And there is a consideration, which the mind of a Christian cannot hear proposed, but he must like Moses before the Burning Mountain of old, cry out, I exceedingly fear and quake, at the mention of it! It is this; 'Tis plain, That our Mediator unto whom GOD has committed the Judgment, will adjudge the Wicked unto a Punishment which will be Formidable. 'Tis plain, That our Mediator at the Time of the End, when He delivers up his Kingdom to His Father, Leaves the Wicked still under their Punishment. If ever the Wicked be Released from their Punishment, it must be after the Son of GOD, shall cease to act as a Mediator. Now, when the Mediator has left ⟨p. 36⟩them, in the Devouring Fire, and in the Everlasting Burnings, Who, who will there be to bring them out? Or, Is there any likelihood, that Souls, which have outstood their Time for Probation, and are fixed in all Malignity, should ever be changed, and brought back unto an unchangeable GOD, who has finally Rejected them? O Punishment hopeless of a Period? Certainly, No Death can be so Formidable?

IV. But All have Sinned! And What? Is there no Remedy nor Escaping? Yes, my Friends; I bring you good Tidings of great Joy! An Improvement is now to be made of these Faithful sayings: Which are also how Fearful ones! The FEAR of GOD, is now to be prescribed unto you, as the only Method of your Deliverance from the Destructive Miseries which the Punishment Of Sin is big withal. Every One will take it for granted, That the GOD who is Able to Destroy both Soul and Body in Hell, is a GOD forever ⟨p. 37⟩to be Feared. Who shall not Fear thee, O Lord, and Glorify thy Name? Certainly, A sorry Worm crawling upon the Earth, urging us to Sin against Him, cannot be so worthy to be Feared, as He. Think of this, O all you, whom the Fear of Man, may be likely to draw into any Snare of Sin. But I am now to advise you, That if you would be delivered from the Destruction of both Soul and Body in Hell, it must be by the Fear of GOD. So we are instructed, Prov. XIV. 27. The Fear of the Lord is a Fountain of Life, to depart from the Snares of Death. O our Gospelized People; You must come into the Fear of GOD Immediately, if you would not be destroyed both Soul and Body in Hell, and if you would not perish wonderfully! We may justly make that Exclamation once made by the Man of GOD; Lord, Who so considers as to know what Power thy Anger has! Yea, even according to thy Fear so is thy flaming Wrath. Souls, According ⟨p. 38⟩as the Fear of GOD is in you or not, so shall the Wrath of GOD be dispensed unto you. You are on every side surrounded with persuasives to the Fear of GOD, persuasives Enough to render your Destruction as Demerited as Unavoidable, if you continue the Children of Unpersuadableness. But what is now insisted on is this; Oh! may you now be persuaded unto it, Knowing the Terror of the Lord. Come into the Fear of GOD, moved by this, Destruction from GOD, is a Terror to me!

IV. But All have Sinned! And What? Is there no Remedy nor Escaping? Yes, my Friends; I bring you good Tidings of great Joy! An Improvement is now to be made of these Faithful sayings: Which are also how Fearful ones! The FEAR of GOD, is now to be praescribed unto you, as the only Method of your Deliverance from the Destructive Miseries which the Punishment Of Sin is big withal. Every One will take it for granted, That the GOD who is Able to Destroy both Soul and Body in Hell, is a GOD forever ⟨p. 37⟩to be Feared. Who shall not Fear thee, O Lord, and Glorify thy Name? Certainly, A sorry Worm crawling upon the Earth, urging us to Sin against Him, cannot be so worthy to be Feared, as He. Think of this, O all you, whom the Fear of Man, may be likely to draw into any Snare of Sin. But I am now to advise you, That if you would be delivered from the Destruction of both Soul and Body in Hell, it must be by the Fear of GOD. So we are instructed, Prov. XIV. 27. The Fear of the Lord is a Fountain of Life, to depart from the Snares of Death. O our Gospellized People; You must come into the Fear of GOD Immediately, if you would not be destroy'd both Soul and Body in Hell, and if you would not perish wonderfully! We may justly make that Exclamation once made by the Man of GOD; Lord, Who so considers as to know what Power thy Anger has! Yea, ev'n according to thy Fear so is thy flaming Wrath. Souls, According ⟨p. 38⟩as the Fear of GOD is in you or not, so shall the Wrath of GOD be dispensed unto you. You are on every side surrounded with perswasives to the Fear of GOD, perswasives Enough to render your Destruction as Demerited as Unavoidable, if you continue the Children of Unperswadableness. But what is now insisted on is this; Oh! may you now be perswaded unto it, Knowing the Terror of the Lord. Come into the Fear of GOD, moved by this, Destruction from GOD, is a Terror to me!

There are Three Things to be more particularly in the Fear of GOD, now pressed upon you.

There are Three Things to be more particularly in the Fear of GOD, now press'd upon you.

First. In the Fear of GOD, make your Flight unto your only SAVIOUR, that you may be delivered from the Wrath of GOD and from the Destructive Miseries in that HELL which your Sin, has deserved for you. This, This is the Fear of GOD, in the Evangelical Notion of it; Such a Dread of the Divine Displeasure whereto our Sin Exposes us, as to Compel our Flight unto the only ⟨p. 39⟩SAVIOUR from Sin, that by Him we may be Saved from it, Thus we read, Psal. CXLVII. 11. The Lord takes pleasure in them that Fear Him, in them that hope in His Mercies. Our Hope in a Glorious CHRIST, is our Hope in the Mercy of GOD. Without this Hope, there is no Genuine Fear of GOD. O People in Danger of a Damnation that slumbers not; You are to Remember, That there is a JESUS who delivers from the Wrath to come. You are to Remember, That we have a Great SAVIOUR who has willingly undergone the Essentials of that Punishment which was due to His chosen for their Sin. You are to Remember, That when the Blood of our Great SAVIOUR is applied unto his chosen, to rescue them from their Punishment, He always inclines and strengthens them, to Confess and Forsake their Sin, and Return unto GOD. Now, you must in the Fear of GOD, fall down before your Great SAVIOUR, ⟨p. 40⟩and with a wondrous Importunity beg it of Him; O my SAVIOUR, Do thou Reconcile me, […] GOD, and Lead me in the Paths of Righteousness. My Friend, Except thou dost Wrestle hard for this, and as it becomes an Israelite indeed, Weep and make Supplication to GOD for it, thou never shalt be Justified.

First. In the Fear of GOD, make your Flight unto your only SAVIOUR, that you may be delivered from the Wrath of GOD and from the Destructive Miseries in that HELL which your Sin, has deserved for you. This, This is the Fear of GOD, in the Evangelical Notion of it; Such a Dread of the Divine Displeasure whereto our Sin Exposes us, as to Compel our Flight unto the only ⟨p. 39⟩SAVIOUR from Sin, that by Him we may be Saved from it, Thus we read, Psal. CXLVII. 11. The Lord takes pleasure in them that Fear Him, in them that hope in His Mercies. Our Hope in a Glorious CHRIST, is our Hope in the Mercy of GOD. Without this Hope, there is no Genuine Fear of GOD. O People in Danger of a Damnation that slumbers not; You are to Remember, That there is a JESUS who delivers from the Wrath to come. You are to Remember, That we have a Great SAVIOUR who has willingly undergone the Essentials of that Punishment which was due to His chosen for their Sin. You are to Remember, That when the Blood of our Great SAVIOUR is applied unto his chosen, to rescue them from their Punishment, He always inclines and strengthens them, to Confess and Forsake their Sin, and Return unto GOD. Now, you must in the Fear of GOD, fall down before your Great SAVIOUR, ⟨p. 40⟩and with a wondrous Importunity beg it of Him; O my SAVIOUR, Do thou Reconcile me, 〈…〉 GOD, and Lead me in the Paths of Righteousness. My Friend, Except thou dost Wrestle hard for this, and as it becomes an Israelite indeed, Weep and make Supplication to GOD for it, thou never shalt be Justified.

Secondly. The Fear of GOD, when 'tis wrought in a Soul, there is the Life of GOD begun in that Soul. O make out for, O make sure of, such a Vital Touch from GOD upon your minds, as will Quicken you to live unto Him. These always go together; Eccl. XII. 13 Fear GOD and keep His Commandments. The Fear of GOD infused into the Heart, will make a New Heart of it, and a clean One. Oh! Let that cry ascend from you with a matchless Agony, Create in me a Clean Heart, O GOD! The Fear of GOD, will dispose you to be afraid of every Thing which the Light of GOD within you, shall ⟨p. 41⟩pronounce a sinful Thing. It will dispose you, to fill your Lives with continual Acknowledgements of GOD, and make it your main Design, to please Him, your main Business to Serve Him, and Acknowledge Him in all your ways. It will dispose you, to acquiesce in the Will of GOD, and behave your selves as under the Eye of God, and as those who must give unto Him an Account of your Behaviour. It will dispose you to follow the pattern of your SAVIOUR, and rejoice in an Imitation of Him, a Conformity to Him. It will dispose you to Love your Neighbour▪ and still do to him, as you would own it Right for him to do unto you. Without these Dispositions, you cannot look for Admission into those Gates, which are set open for none but the Righteous Nation. If you cannot show such Tokens of Salvation, you shall never be received unto the Feast in the mount of GOD. Should a Soul without these Dispositions be taken ⟨p. 42⟩into Heaven, that Holy Place would soon purge it out, clear it self of so disagreeable a Nuisance. Wretched Soul, Heaven is a Soil, that cannot bear such a venomous […] in it. A Soul that has these Dispositions wrought in it, has Heaven it self inwrought into the very Temper of it; and if it were possible for such a Sanctified Soul to be thrown down into HELL, it would carry Heaven thither with it. Now, If any of you lack this wisdom let him ask it of GOD!

Secondly. The Fear of GOD, when 'tis wrought in a Soul, there is the Life of GOD begun in that Soul. O make out for, O make sure of, such a Vital Touch from GOD upon your minds, as will Quicken you to live unto Him. These always go together; Eccl. XII. 13 Fear GOD and keep His Commandments. The Fear of GOD infused into the Heart, will make a New Heart of it, and a clean One. Oh! Let that cry ascend from you with a matchless Agony, Create in me a Clean Heart, O GOD! The Fear of GOD, will dispose you to be afraid of every Thing which the Light of GOD within you, shall ⟨p. 41⟩pronounce a sinful Thing. It will dispose you, to fill your Lives with continual Acknowledgments of GOD, and make it your main Design, to please Him, your main Business to Serve Him, and Acknowledge Him in all your ways. It will dispose you, to acquiesce in the Will of GOD, and behave your selves as under the Eye of God, and as those who must give unto Him an Account of your Behaviour. It will dispose you to follow the pattern of your SAVIOUR, and rejoyce in an Imitation of Him, a Conformity to Him. It will dispose you to Love your Neighbour▪ and still do to him, as you would own it Right for him to do unto you. Without these Dispositions, you cannot look for Admission into those Gates, which are set open for none but the Righteous Nation. If you cannot shew such Tokens of Salvation, you shall never be received unto the Feast in the mount of GOD. Should a Soul without these Dispositions be taken ⟨p. 42⟩into Heaven, that Holy Place would soon purge it out, clear it self of so disagreeable a Nusance. Wretched Soul, Heaven is a Soyl, that cannot bear such a venemous 〈…〉 in it. A Soul that has these Dispositions wro't in it, has Heaven it self inwrought into the very Temper of it; and if it were possible for such a Sanctified Soul to be thrown down into HELL, it would carry Heaven thither with it. Now, If any of you lack this wisdom let him ask it of GOD!

Thirdly. Take the Warnings of DYING MEN, against those Transgressions of the Wicked, which may say within our Heart, There is no Fear of GOD before the Eyes of those who practise them. To Fear GOD, and […] Evil, are Things that for ever go together. We are told, Prov. XVI. 6. By the Fear of the Lord Men depart from Evil. And will not the Fear of the Lord, then cause you to Depart from such Evil as you hear Stigmatized in the Lamentations ⟨p. 43⟩of Dying Men, who become sensible of what Evil they have Committed, and what Evil they have Incurred, by their wanting the Fear of GOD? You cannot be drawn into the Fear of GOD, by any thing more Effectually, than by taking up, The Thoughts of a Dying Man. Oh! That every One in this great Auditory would be prevailed withal, at least for this one Instance and Action of Discretion; To Think seriously, If I were to Dye this Day, how should I wish that I had ordered my Life? Then take up steady Resolutions to Live accordingly, and so to walk in the Fear of GOD! But then, methinks, The Words of a Dying Man, should have some Effect upon you; and particularly, One who is to Dye this Day, and is within a few Minutes to go whence he shall not Return! 'Tis not Enough that the Ruin of this poor Man does loudly call upon you, to avoid such Paths of the Destroyer, as have brought him into ⟨p. 44⟩Destructive Miseries; but his own penitent and pathetic Request is added, That a great Notice may be taken of what is therein spoken unto you. Behold, A poor Man from the midst of the dark shadow of Death crying to you, with all the Anguish of a Dying Hour upon him▪ O Fear GOD, O Fear GOD, Lest He destroy you Body and Soul in Hell, as He will all them that Fear Him not! Being under Condemnation he so far does Fear GOD, as to beg it of you, that you would, Not cast off the Fear of GOD. Shall I say unto you, That if the Fear of GOD, will not prevent your Profaning the Day of GOD, and your Neglecting the House of GOD, you shall mourn at the last; and be in utmost hazard of being shut out from the Rest of GOD, and from the Congregation of the Righteous! Shall I say unto you, That if the Fear of GOD will not Govern your Anger, you shall be the Froward Ones, who will fall into mischief▪ ⟨p. 45⟩and fall under the Anger of GOD?

Thirdly. Take the Warnings of DYING MEN, against those Transgressions of the Wicked, which may say within our Heart, There is no Fear of GOD before the Eyes of those who practise them. To Fear GOD, and 〈…〉 Evil, are Things that for ever go together. We are told, Prov. XVI. 6. By the Fear of the Lord Men depart from Evil. And will not the Fear of the Lord, then cause you to Depart from such Evil as you hear Stigmatized in the Lamentations ⟨p. 43⟩of Dying Men, who become sensible of what Evil they have Committed, and what Evil they have Incurred, by their wanting the Fear of GOD? You cannot be drawn into the Fear of GOD, by any thing more Effectually, than by taking up, The Thoughts of a Dying Man. Oh! That every One in this great Auditory would be prevail'd withal, at least for this one Instance and Action of Discretion; To Think seriously, If I were to Dye this Day, how should I wish that I had ordered my Life? Then take up steady Resolutions to Live accordingly, and so to walk in the Fear of GOD! But then, methinks, The Words of a Dying Man, should have some Effect upon you; and particularly, One who is to Dye this Day, and is within a few Minutes to go whence he shall not Return! 'Tis not Enough that the Ruin of this poor Man does loudly call upon you, to avoid such Paths of the Destroyer, as have brought him into ⟨p. 44⟩Destructive Miseries; but his own paenitent and pathetick Request is added, That a great Notice may be taken of what is therein spoken unto you. Behold, A poor Man from the midst of the dark shadow of Death crying to you, with all the Anguish of a Dying Hour upon him▪ O Fear GOD, O Fear GOD, Lest He destroy you Body and Soul in Hell, as He will all them that Fear Him not! Being under Condemnation he so far does Fear GOD, as to beg it of you, that you would, Not cast off the Fear of GOD. Shall I say unto you, That if the Fear of GOD, will not prevent your Profaning the Day of GOD, and your Neglecting the House of GOD, you shall mourn at the last; and be in utmost hazard of being shut out from the Rest of GOD, and from the Congregation of the Righteous! Shall I say unto you, That if the Fear of GOD will not Govern your Anger, you shall be the Froward Ones, who will fall into mischief▪ ⟨p. 45⟩and fall under the Anger of GOD?

Shall I say unto you, That if the Fear of GOD will not produce your Prayer to GOD, and cause you with your Families to call upon His Name, the Wrath of GOD shall be poured upon you, and upon your worse than Paganizing Families? Or shall it be said unto you; O our YOUNG PEOPLE, if you will not be the Early Seekers of GOD, and Followers of your SAVIOUR, He will permit the Destroyer to do sad Things upon you, and hurry you on to a Fearful End! All these Things are no other what this poor Man does Entreat me to speak from him unto you all, and beseech you to take Notice of them. From him there is now this cry in the midst of the Assembly made unto you all; O Fear GOD in such Things as these, lest He destroy you wonderfully!

But, O DYING MAN, as I have now spoken from you, 'tis Time that I once again speak to you! ⟨p. 46⟩Once again!—But as never to do it again. The last Words, my Friend, The last Words of your own FUNERAL SERMON, are now to be addressed unto you.

But, O DYING MAM, as I have now spoken from you, 'tis Time that I once again speak to you! ⟨p. 46⟩Once again!—But as never to do it again. The last Words, my Friend, The last Words of your own FUNERAL SERMON, are now to be address'd unto you.

Having been so concerned,—and it is no Bad sign to be so concerned, That your Neighbours may by the Fear of GOD, be preserved from the HELL, wherein the Wicked shall be Punished, Every One will take it for granted, that you have made it your own main Concern to be preserved from that Place of Dragons. You are aware, 'Tis the Fear of GOD, that must preserve you! If you have the Fear of God now at last wrought in a Soul, which has been for Three or Four and Thirty years destitute of it, and Lying Dead in Trespasses and Sins; Then, Then, is your Grand point secured. Oh! Lift up an unpacified cry to the GOD of all Grace; Lord, Unite my Heart for thee, and for the Fearing of thy Name!

You have upon you some Symptoms! ⟨p. 47⟩of a Begun Repentance, which comfort the Servants of GOD, who have been Travailing for you. But, Oh! Be inexpressibly solicitous, That it be a Thorough Repentance. Man, It must be a very Heady Repentance. It will not be a Right work, if it be not an Heart-Work. O Tremble, O Tremble, Exceedingly; Lest the Confusion of, A Deceived Heart, prove your Portion after all.

You have upon you some Symptomps! ⟨p. 47⟩of a Begun Repentance, which comfort the Servants of GOD, who have been Travailing for you. But, Oh! Be inexpressibly sollicitous, That it be a Thorough Repentance. Man, It must be a very Heady Repentance. It will not be a Right work, if it be not an Heart-Work. O Tremble, O Tremble, Exceedingly; Lest the Confusion of, A Deceived Heart, prove your Portion after all.

Wherefore, Commune with your own Heart, and let your Spirit make a Diligent Search. O Examine; Is there no SIN, but what is become odious to me? Examine; Is a whole CHRIST, with all His Benefits precious to me? Examine! Is there nothing I so much long for as to have my Heart filled with the Love of GOD, and have GOD Reigning in my Soul? O make a Severe, Exact, Thorough Scrutiny!

Wherefore, Commune with your own Heart, and let your Spirit make a Diligent Search. O Examine; Is there no SIN, but what is become odious to me? Examine; Is a whole CHRIST, with all His Benefits precious to me? Examine! Is there nothing I so much long for as to have my Heart fill'd with the Love of GOD, and have GOD Reigning in my Soul? O make a Severe, Exact, Thorough Scrutiny!