A sermon preached at New-Ark, in New-Jersey, before the Synod of New-York and Philadelphia,…

When sinners are the subjects of great convictions of conscience, and a remarkable work of the law; 'tis only a transacting the business of the day of Judgment, in the conscience before hand: GOD sits enthroned in the conscience, as at the last day he will sit enthroned in the cloud of heaven; the sinner is arraigned, as it were, at GOD's bar; and GOD appears in his awful greatness, as a just and holy, sin-hating and sin revenging GOD, as he will then. The sinners iniquities are brought to light; his sins set in order before him; the hidden things of darkness, and the counsels of the heart are made manifest; as it will be then: Many witnesses do, as it were, rise up against the sinner under convictions of conscience; as they will against the wicked at the day of judgment: And the books are opened, particularly the book of GOD's strict and holy law, is opened in the conscience, and its rules applied for the condemnation of the sinner; which is the book that will be opened at the day of Judgment, as the grand rule of Judgment, to all such wicked men as have lived under it: And the sentence of the law is pronounced against the sinner; and the justice of the sentence made manifest; as it will be at the day of Judgment. The conviction of a sinner at the day of Judgment, will be a work of the law, as well as the conviction of conscience in this world▪ And the work of the law (if the work be merely legal) be sure, is never carried further in the consciences of sinners now, than it will be at that day, when it's work will be perfect, in thoroughly stopping the sinner's ⟨p. 22⟩mouth. Rom. iii. 19. Now we know, that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before GOD. Every mouth shall be stopped by the law, either now or hereafter; and all the world shall become sensibly guilty before GOD; guilty of death, deserving of damnation.—And therefore, if sinners have been the subjects of a great work of the law, and have thus become guilty, and their mouths have been stopped; it is no certain sign that ever they have been converted.

When sinners are the subjects of great convictions of conscience, and a remarkable work of the law; 'tis only a transacting the business of the day of Judgment, in the conscience before hand: GOD sits enthroned in the conscience, as at the last day he will sit enthron'd in the cloud of heaven; the sinner is arraigned, as it were, at GOD's bar; and GOD appears in his awful greatness, as a just and holy, sin-hating and sin revenging GOD, as he will then. The sinners iniquities are brought to light; his sins set in order before him; the hidden things of darkness, and the counsels of the heart are made manifest; as it will be then: Many witnesses do, as it were, rise up against the sinner under convictions of conscience; as they will against the wicked at the day of judgment: And the books are open'd, particularly the book of GOD's strict and holy law, is open'd in the conscience, and its rules applied for the condemnation of the sinner; which is the book that will be open'd at the day of Judgment, as the grand rule of Judgment, to all such wicked men as have lived under it: And the sentence of the law is pronounced against the sinner; and the justice of the sentence made manifest; as it will be at the day of Judgment. The conviction of a sinner at the day of Judgment, will be a work of the law, as well as the conviction of conscience in this world And the work of the law (if the work be meerly legal) be sure, is never carried further in the consciences of sinners now, than it will be at that day, when it's work will be perfect, in thoroughly stopping the sinner's