WE are told by the Wise Man what becomes of the Body and the Soul when they part at Death; how the Body that was fram'd out of the Dust of the Ground, returns thi­ther; and the Soul which is of Di­vine Original returns to GOD, the Father of Spirits, (to Elohim, which signifies a Judge as well as a Crea­tor,) to be dispos'd of by him in [Page 2]another World. Eccl. xii. 3 Then shall the Dust return to its Earth, and the Spirit to God that gave it. It is not to be annihilated, extinguished, or de­stroy'd, but returns to GOD as the final Arbiter of its Eternal State. That there is such a State of Hap­piness or Misery, of Rest or Tor­ment for departed Souls; and that both states are unchangable, is what this Parable may instruct us in. There is a Gulf fix'd between the Blessed and Miserable after Death, either sort unalterably Hap­py, or unchangeably Miserable. There is an irreversible Decree of Heaven to determine the Felicity of the Saints to be everlasting, and to conclude the Wicked in a state of Misery without Relief, or End. As there is no fear of Change for the Happy Souls in Abraham's Bo­som, so is there no hope of Alle­viation or Period of the wretched condition of Sinners in Hell. This is the Important Subject I would now Explain, Evidence, and Ap­ply. [Page 3]And can there be any that more deserves and calls for your most serious Attention.

It is one part of the Design, and Scope of this Parable of our Savi­our, concerning the Rich-man and Lazarus to affirm this. A Parable it must be granted, tho' mixt with somewhat Historical, as the men­tion of a Poor-man by name, who may be suppos'd to have been no­torious and known among the Jews, for his extream Poverty and Di­stress: The different State and Con­dition of Men departed this Life is express'd by our Saviour in a Para­bolical way, the more effectually to insinuate the Truths he would teach us with the greater Advan­tage to move the Affections of his Hearers.

From this Parabolical Descripti­on of the different Condition of the Souls of Men after Death, I would observe, First, That the state of Mankind after Death, is a Condition of Real, Positive Hap­piness, [Page 4]or Misery, of Comfort, or Torment. Secondly, That both these States are fixed and unchange­able. The Blessed shall never be Miserable, and the Miserable shall never cease to be so.

First, When the Union between the Soul and Body is dissolved by Death, the Soul of every Man pas­seth into a state of Happiness or Mi­sery. This we may plainly learn from this Parable, Ver. 22, 23. When the Beggar died, he was carry'd into Abraham's Bosom: And the Rich Man also died, and was buried, (it may be he had a pompous Funeral, the only Advantage, if it be one, of the Rich above the Poor, after they are dead) and in Hell he lift up his Eyes, being in torment.—The one had his good things here, the other his evil things: But now the one is comforted, the other torment­ed, Ver. 25.

This is an account of departed Souls before the Resurrection: for the Rich Man is said to be in Tor­ment [Page 5]while his five Brethren were alive; and he desired that One should be sent to admonish and warn them, that they might not come to this place of Torment. We read but of two sorts at the Day of Judgment, The Sheep and the Goats; the one pronounced Blessed, the other Accursed. The one to go a­way into everlasting Life, and the o­ther into everlasting Punishment. God hath told us, that he will render to every Man according to his Works. And as Man is capable by his Rea­sonable Nature, of giving an Ac­count of his Actions, and of being rewarded or punish'd in another World; those very Faculties which give him this Capacity, and distin­guish him from the inferiour Crea­tures, do suggest this; and fill him with Hopes and Fears accordingly. So that comparing the Righteous­ness and Justice, and the other Infi­nite Perfections of God, with the present Dispensations of Provi­dence, some such different state, by [Page 6]the very Light of Nature, as well as Scripture, may be expected hereafter.

The assurance therefore of God's being infinitely Wise and Just, gives us to expect that a Difference will be made between these in ano­ther World, which we see is not done now. And the rather because Civil Society can never be suppor­ted, if there be no Restraint upon the Lusts and Passions of Men; and these can never be sufficiently re­strain'd, without the Hopes and Fears of another World; and as these therefore are natural, we may conclude 'em true, and that there is another World, and a Future State of Happiness or Misery. We read in this Parable, of the different Character and Condition of the Rich Man and Lazarus in this World: But we read also of the Happiness of the one, and the Mi­sery of the other, as soon as they died. The Comforts of the one, and the Torments of the other, were doubtless unexpressibly great, tho [Page 7]we may allow an Addition to both, upon the Re-union of Body and Soul at the Resurrection of the Dead. But more particularly,

First, The Souls of good Men at Death, enter into a state of Rest, Happiness and Bliss. That of Laza­rus being carried into Abraham's Bo­som, Mat. xviii. 11. The meaning of that Expres­sion our Saviour seems to interpret in another place, when he says, Many shall come from the East, and from the West, and sit down with A­braham, Isaac and Jacob in the King­dom of Heaven. Alluding to a Feast, where the Guests sat so, as to be half kneeling, and the most honou­rable place was to be next to that of the Master, to lie as it were in his Bosom. As is said of the Belo­ved Disciple concerning Christ. If it denote an eminent degree of Bles­sedness in Heaven, it infers a posi­tive state of Happiness after Death; called the Bosom of Abraham, rather than of Adam, Enoch or Noah, be­cause the Promises were especially [Page 8]made to him; and to his Seed be­long'd the Covenant and the Adop­tion: And he is propounded as a Pattern of Faith and Obedience, and called, the Friend of God, and the Fa­ther of the Faithful: And they who imitate him, shall be gathered into his Bosom, and be made partakers of Blessedness and Glory with him. This is called Paradise by our Savi­our: Luk. xxiii. 43. And we learn from St. Paul, where this Paradise is, even in the third Heavens. The Ancients call the Place and State before the Re­surrection, The Porch of the Sanctu­ary, the Courts of the Lord, the hid­den Seats, or Tabernacles of the God­ly, the Place of Refreshment, the Rest of Security, an Habitation with God, &c.

From what our Saviour said to the Penitent Thief on the Cross, and from what we may gather from this Parable concerning Lazarus; the Immediate Happiness of the Souls of Good Men in another state is affirmed. That they are not to tar­ry [Page 9]for their Felicity till the Resur­rection. Acts vii. 59. So when the Body of Ste­phen falls asleep, the Lord Jesus re­ceived his Spirit. And the Apostle desires to be uncloath'd of this Earthly Tabernacle, 2 Cor. v 8. 1 John iv. 17. that his Soul might enter into the House not made with Hands. That he might be present with the Lord. He desir'd to be dissolved, that he might be with Christ, as what was far better; (much more better.) And the same Phrase, being with Christ, or being present with him, is us'd for the Happiness of the Saints after the Re­surrection, 1 Thess iv. 14, 17. intimating that it is the same sort of Happiness, and is so much preferrable to any present En­joyment of God in this World, that this is call'd an Absence from him. We likewise read of the Souls of the Martyrs, who came out of great Tribulation, and had washed their Robes, and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb, Rev. vii. 14. That they are before the Throne of God, serving him in his Temple: And that is inter­preted [Page 10]of his Immediate Presence in Another Place, for the Lord God Almighty, Chap. xxi. 22.and the Lamb are said to be the Temple.

How excellent a Change will Death make upon the Soul's leaving the Body? If it pass into a Glori­ous Paradise, and hear a Voice from him that sits upon the Throne, Enter into thy Master's Joy. Poor Lazarus was lately very miserable at the Rich Man's Door; now ve­ry happy in Abraham's Bosom: Lately cover'd with Sores and Ul­cers; now cloathed with Glory: Lately pining with Hunger; now all his Wants are supplied. His extream Poverty made him the o­ther day despised by the Rich Man; he could find no Entrance at his Gates, no Admission, no Relief; but now he is envy'd for his Happi­ness. The difference which depar­ted Souls will feel of their Happy State, from what they lately were, and the Sense they have of the E­vils they are Deliver'd from, will [Page 11]give an Accent to their Happiness. The fresh Remembrance of what they were in this World, will help their Joyfull Sense of the Happy Change: And to compare their own Condition with that of Lost, Mise­rable Souls: To think of the Hell they deserv'd, and others suffer; and they themselves did sometime fear; and compare it with the Rest, and Peace, and Joy, and Glory that they now partake of, will add to their Felicity. And who can tell how great that is, even before the Resurrection? For eye hath not seen, 1 Cor. ii. 9.nor ear heard, nor hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive, what God hath prepared for them that love him. It is represented in Scripture by, and above all such Pleasures as do most sensibly Delight us, to set forth the Joys of Heaven to be un­speakable and full of Glory. When the Divine Image shall be perfected, the Body of Sin and Death removed, all our Darkness, Impurity, and Cor­ruption healed. And if there were [Page 12]nothing else, but a perfect and eter­nal Freedom and Deliverance from Sin, with all the Causes, Concomi­tants and Effects of it, they to whom it is now the greatest Burden, Trouble, and Sorrow, must account it an Unspeakable Felicity.

But the Soul shall then awake as out of Sleep, to see and know things as really they are, and be in a state of more vigorous Activity than while it animated the Body: But what the Blessedness will be, of Faith turned into Vision, (when all the Powers of the Soul are enlarged, raised, and suited to the views of God's Glory by Christ, and made more receptive of Divine Communications) is what we want Words to describe, and can think, and speak of, but very imperfectly. For now we see thro' a Glass darkly, but hereafter Face to Face, without interruption or obscurity. This we know that they shall not only escape the Damnati­on of Hell, but enter into a state of Happiness, the Joy of their Lord. [Page 13]We read of Glory to be revealed in them, and Glory conferred on them. In general, as to real and positive Blessedness for the Souls of Good Men after Death, even before the Day of Judgement, we have not on­ly the Testimony of Scripture, but somewhat from the Light of Na­ture Mr. How's Blessedness of the Righteous, Chap. 10.. All the Philosophers who believ'd the Immortality of the Soul (and how few but did allow it?) they profess to believe the Happi­ness of the Souls of Good Men in separation from the Body: for knowing nothing of the Resurrec­tion of the Body, they could not dream of a sleeping Interval, till the Day of Judgment.

The like we may say of a state of postitive Misery for wicked Souls af­ter Death. Here in this parable is a Lost Soul condemn'd to Torment, assoon as departed this Life, before the Resurrection. And Torments so extream, as that the most incon­siderable Refreshment would be rec­kon'd a great Relief. The Discourse [Page 14]is fram'd according to the Nature of a Parable between the Rich Man in Hell, and Abraham in Heaven, and Lazarus with him. How fain would he now change Conditions with the Beggar, whom he neglect­ed and despised at his Door! What would he give to be comforted as he is! But he lift up his Eyes in Tor­ment, unexpressible Torment; and so the Scriptures every where repre­sent it. Rom. ii. 8. 'Tis call'd Indignation and Anguish, Tribulation and Wrath. 'Tis a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Psal. xi. 6.He will wound the Head of his Enemies. Psal. lxviii. 21. We read of a Lake of Fire, a Lake of Brimstone, a Furnace of Fire, of tearing in pieces, cutting in pieces, dividing in the midst, drowning in Perdition, of being bound hand and foot and cast into Fire to be burnt, of outer darkness, chains of darkness, the great Winepress of the wrath of God, &c. Be sure the Sufferings of the wicked in the other World are greater than we can endure for o­beying [Page 15]God in this, otherwise the threatning of such a Punishment would not be an effectual restraint from Sin. But how extream must be that Punishment, set forth by the violence of Fire enraged with Brim­stone, and prepared by the wrath of God, for the Devil and his An­gels? And the Sting of a guilty, en­raged Conscience, as the biting and gnawing of a Worm, on the most tender part? 'Tis represented in such a manner as is most proper to impress the quickest sense of terrour on our minds; to strike our Imagi­nation with the Extremity, as well as the Reality of those Sufferings. And if the Expressions be but Me­taphorical, they make the Torments the greater, as intimating rather that they are but faintly shadow'd by what is most grievous in this World.

We read of being tormented in Flames, and yet of Darkness. E­verlasting Fire, and See Dr. Light­foot's Ge­nuine Re­mains, 8^o. 1700. Ex­planation of difficult Texts. De­cad. 11 § 6. Outer Dark­ness: The fearfull state of Sinners [Page 16]under the Wrath of God describ'd by both. We read that the Aegyp­tians under the plague of Darkness, saw not one another, neither arose any from his place, Ex. x. 23. This the Psalmist gives an account of in these terms, Psal. 88.49. He cast upon them the fierceness of his Anger, Wrath, and Indignation, by sending evil Angels among them. The Indig­nation of God without any beam or spark of his Favour is Darkness in­deed. And the Devils may rage, and roar, and terrify, and yet Sinners be held in Chains of Darkness, that they cannot stir.

God is represented as a Consuming Fire, Heb. xii. ult.a Devouring Fire, and Sinners fall into his hands as an Avenging Judge. Isa. xxxiii. 14 We read of his Fiery Indig­nation to devour his Adversaries, of his Wrath and Power to be made known, Rom. ix. 22. and glorified in their De­struction. And who knows the Power of his Anger? said Moses, the Man of God, who saw his Glory. The Wrath of God is the Hell of Devils, [Page 17]and of all the Damned. If he be angry but a little, we can't stand, at the rebuke of his Countenance we perish; what then if he stir up all his Wrath, in the day of his fierce Anger, when he comes to ex­ecute Judgment and to render Ven­geance, from the Glory of his Pow­er, upon the Wicked fitted for, and reserved to Destruction?

You may fancy the most terrible things can be dreaded; of Fire and Brimstone, Wracks and Tempests, boiling Pitch, scalding Lead, or a burning Furnace, and being kept a­live for a long time to suffer such exquisite pains: But all we can hereby reach to conceive, of the Pains of Hell, falls as much short of the Torments of the Damned, as one little spark of Fire on the hand, compared with the furious rage of Nebuchadnezzar's Furnace, heated seven times hotter than ordinary. 'Tis impossible for the most awake­ned Conscience to conceive the [Page 18]Horrour of it. Who can tell how God can punish, or what the guilty Soul can be made to suffer under the Wrath of a provoked God! when he comes to be revenged for all his abused Mercies, for all the Con­tempt of his Authority; when he will shew forth his Wrath. Oh! fear him, who after he hath killed the Body, hath power to cast Soul and Body into Hell. ‘We have heard, (as J. Coo­per. Pro­spect of the Heavenly Glory, Ch. xi. 8vo. lately prin­ted. one expresses it) of some who have endured breaking on the Wheel, ripping up of their Bowels, fleaing alive, racking of Joynts, burning of Flesh, pound­ing in a Mortar, tearing in pieces with Flesh-hooks, boyling in Oyl, roasting on hot fiery Grid­irons, &c. And yet all these, tho' you should superad [...] there­to all Diseases, such as the Plague, Stone, Gout, Strangury, or whatever else you can name most torturing to the Body; together with the most Inhumane Cruel­ties [Page 19]prodigious Butcheries, exe­cuted by the most bloody Perse­tors upon the Martyrs of Christ in any Age, they would all come infinitely short (tho' they were all collected into one extreamest Torment) of that Wrath, that Horror, that unconceivable An­guish which the Damned must inevitably suffer every Moment, without any Intermission of their Pains, in Hellish Flames.’

What a terrible change must Death then make in one that fared deliciously every Day, and was cloa­thed in Purple and fine Linnen (his Winter and Summer Garment,) to be stript of all his pleasant things? To be reduc'd to the greatest Extre­mity, as in one Moment to sink from an Earthly Paradise into a Lake of Fire: After so much Plen­ty and Abundance, Luxury and Superfluity, to awake in Flames, to want a drop of Water to cool his Tongue. The Poor Man suppli­cated [Page 20]in vain for Relief from him a little while ago, but now he begs some Relief of the Poor Man. Father Abraham, have Mercy upon me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his Finger in Water, and cool my Tongue. Son, remem­ber, (saith he) that thou in thy Life­time hadst thy good things, but La­zarus evil things; but now he is com­forted and thou art tormented. What's become of his delicate Wines, and various Dishes, his rich Ornaments, numerous Attendants, and all the Particulars that went to accommodate his Pomp and Plea­sure, and maintain his Luxurious Living? Now he is dead he lifts up his Eyes in Torment. What a terrible change will it be for one that in this World was Loved, Ca­ress'd, Respected, liv'd in Plenty and Abundance, and wanted no­thing to eat, drink, and be merry? What a Change, for such a one to die, and his Soul awake in Tor­ments! [Page 21]At the very moment that she leaves the Body, to find she's extreamly miserable, and lost for ever, separated from all the Good she loved and delighted in, and plung'd into an Abyss of unspeak­able Misery.

The Remembrance of good things past, will make the Suffe­rings of Evil to be much more in­tolerable. There is much of Tor­ment in the remembrance of their past Enjoyments and Actions: what they have had, and what they have done, and what they have lost: To remember how fair they once stood for Heaven; but forfeited, neglected and despised it: The Re­membrance of their past Opportu­nities which are gone, will be their Torment: If they could never think of the past Mercies of God, or of the Grace, and Love of Christ, that called them to Repentance, and offered them Salvation, it would ease and mitigate a great part [Page 22]of their Torment: Whereas they shall know, and remember, and think of it; how they were called, advised, and warned: But there was some Trifle which they pre­ferr'd before Heaven: They shall be convinc'd, fully convinc'd, that they deserve all the Miseries they suffer, and have none to blame but themselves: That 'tis just with God to banish them from Heaven, out of the Region of Light and Joy: And this they shall reflect up­on, to their unspeakable Anguish; for the knowledge of the Soul will be more clear, and lively, and ex­tended, when separated from the Body: And accordingly, the Pas­sions of the Soul will be more vio­lent and impetuous. Their Eyes shall be opened, and the Vail upon their Hearts removed: Their Sins shall be set in order before them; and they shall know, how much God hates Sin, and what is the Obliquity, Deformity, and Injustice [Page 23]of it: What Opposition to the Ho­liness of God; and what Ingrati­tude for all his Mercies, is included in it; with all the other Aggravati­ons of their Guilt; as against Know­ledge, Convictions, Promises, &c. And they shall not be able to forget any thing of this; or to free them­selves one moment from such thoughts. They shall see nothing, and think of nothing but what shall afflict them. They shall re­member for what momentary Plea­sures, they lost the Joys of Heaven, and are driven from the presence of the Lord. What plain warnings they once had, but they would not hear­ken nor consider. As is according­ly threatned, Isa. LXV. 12, 13, 14. Be­cause when I called ye did not answer, but did evil before mine eyes; There­fore, thus saith the Lord God, Behold my Servants shall eat and drink, but ye shall be hungry and thirsty. Behold my Servants shall rejoyce, but ye shall be ashamed. Behold my Servants shall [Page 24]sing for joy of Heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of Heart, and shall howl for vexation of Spirit.

And in the Extremity of their Sufferings, we read, that they shall gnaw their Tongue for pain, and blaspheme the God of Heaven because of their pains, Rev. xvi. 10, 11. You may judge a little of the Ex­tremity of their Sufferings by what we have heard or seen of the An­guish of a Distressed Conscience, when but a Spark of the Divine Dis­pleasure falls on the Soul: how Confounded and Amazed, how Restless and Terrify'd are Men in such a Case? when they shall cry out, Psalm lxxviii. 6.7, 15, 16, 17. Job xvi. 12, 13, 14. Thy Wrath lies hard upon me: thy fierce Wrath goeth over me: While I suffer thy Terrors, I am di­stracted, and ready to die. It is not possible fully to understand, what Fears and Agonies, what Trem­bling, what Horror, what Despair that Man must feel within himself, who apprehends his Soul is lost, [Page 25]or like to be lost. For the real Be­lief of the Immortality of the Soul, with some awakened Apprehensi­ons of God's deserved, threatned Vengeance, when brought home to a Man's own particular case, must needs distress him, and fill him with Amazement. What can you speak to him, or what can be done for him, to give him Ease, a­ny further than you can give him Hope? 'Tis an Evidence that this is little believed and considered, because there are no more who cry out in such Terror and Distress of Soul. But several under the sense of one Sin have been perplexed in Conscience, so as to be in Danger of Destroying themselves, and of being swallowed up in Despair. God can set it on with such a sense of Guilt, that shall rend the Heart in pieces with the most desperate Rage, and none of the Pleasures of Sense, no Musick, no merry Com­pany, no nor the Spirits of Wine, [Page 26]shall be able to stifle the Convicti­ons, or cure the Fears, or silence the Reflections of an accusing Con­science: Which can make a Man so very miserable, as to wish he had never been, or that he might cease to be; or that he might be any other Creature. Nay, some have wish'd that they were rather in Hell than in their present Horror. And if it may be thus for Mr. Bol­ton. one Sin: Oh! what restless Anguish? what intolerable Wrath? what gnashing of Teeth? what gnawing of Conscience? what despairing Roarings? what horrible Torments may every Impenitent Sinner ex­pect, when the whole black, and bloody Catalogue of all his Sins, shall be marshal'd together at once against him, and every one keen'd with as much torturing Fury, as the infinite Anger of Almighty God can put into it, after that he hath with incorrigible Stubbornness out­stood the Day of his gracious Visi­tation? [Page 27]If a little Sense of God's Wrath hath such direful Effects in this World, what will it be, when all his Waves shall go over them? Now they may sip a little drop of the bitter Cup; they may taste a little of the uppermost part of it; and they can't live under this; what will it be in Hell to drink the Dregs of that Cup of Trembling?

You may guess somewhat by what Francis Spira said in his de­spairing Anguish, under the Guilt of his Apostasie. ‘Oh! that I were gone from hence! Oh! that some body would let out this weary Soul! Never was Man alive, a Spectacle of such Misery! I feel God's heavy Anger; it burns like the Torments of Hell within me; and afflicts my Soul with Pains unutterable. Verily Desperation is Hell it self. — The Damned in Hell, I think, endure not the like Misery.’— He being sound in his Mind and Memory, he yet [Page 28]wished to be in the case of Cain, ‘or Judas.— Oh, saith he, if I could but conceive the least spark of Hope in my Breast of a better state hereafter, I would not refuse to bear the most heavy wrath of the great God for two thousand Years, so that at length I might get out of misery— Oh! that God would let loose his hand upon me! I would scorn the threats of the most cruel Tyrant, and bear Torments with the most invincible Resolution, and glory in the outward Profession of Christ, till I were choakt with the Flame, and my Body burnt to ashes.’

You may have now, a wounded Spirit, and an uneasie Conscience, but a plentifull Estate, and compa­ny of Friends, and many other things to lessen your burden. The Arrows of the Almighty strike now but one part, and not all: But when all thy Sins shall be set in or­der before thee, and God shall stir [Page 29]up all his wrath, thy Terrour, Di­stress and Anguish, without any thing to alleviate or abate it, will be unexpressible, and unsupporta­ble.

Secondly, Let us now consider that both these States of Happiness and Misery are Ʋnchangeable and Everlasting. The state of Lazarus in Blessedness, and of the Rich Man in Torment, were neither of them to be alter'd. There is an un­passable Gulf fixt by the Eternal Coun­sel, and irrevocable Decree of God. That the Damned shall never as­cend to Heaven, nor the Blessed ever sink into Hell. The Calami­ties of the one, and the Felicity of the other shall never cease! 'Tis Everlasting Life; 'tis Everlasting Destruction. The whole Frame of the Christian Religion is built up­on this Truth, That Life and Im­mortality are brought to light by the Gospel, as to the Blessedness or [Page 30]Misery after Death. We must re­nounce our Christianity, and throw up our Bibles, condemn the Son of God for an Impostor, and the Holy Scriptures for a Fable, and all the wisest men that have ever been in the World, as Fools, for believing the Gospel of Christ, if there be not two Eternal States, of Blessed­ness or Misery after Death. Our Lord's account of the proceedings of the Last Day, Matt. xxv. and the Issue of the Final Judgment is express in this matter. And it is called Eter­nal Judgment, Heb. vi. 2. Not for the continuance of its Administra­tion, but in regard of the Effects and Consequences of it: For tho' we know not how long the Day of Judgment will last, yet the Execu­tion is to follow, of Eternal Re­wards, and Punishments.

First, As to the Blessedness of the Saints. They that would pass from us to you cannot, saith Abraham. [Page 31]Not that any would chuse for one hour to be absent from God in Heaven, if they might; but upon supposition they would, they can­not. If Abraham had desired La­zarus, and Lazarus had been wil­ling, yet the Gulf was fixt: Accor­dingly we read of Everlasting Life, Joh. vi. 27.40.47, 51, 54, 58. Ch. viii. 51 Ch. xi. 26. Heb. xiii. 14. 2 Cor v. 1. Heb ix. 5. 1 Pet. i. 4. 2 Pet i 11. Rev xxi. 4. 1 Cor. xv. 57.Eternal Glory, Eternal Salvation, an Eternal Inheritance that fadeth not away, the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Everlasting Habitations, a Continu­ing City, a House Eternal in the Hea­vens, Pleasures at God's Right Hand for ever. And that they that be­lieve on Christ shall never taste Death. That they cannot dye, for they are equal to the Angels, who always behold the Face of their Heavenly Father, and abide in the Light of his Countenance. That they shall bear the Image of the Heavenly Adam, who should never dye, and by whom at last, Death shall be swallowed up in victory.

After millions of Years and Ages, the Felicity of the Saints shall be as far from ending, as when their Souls were first received into Para­dise. The Infinite Love of God, the Everlasting Merit of Christ, and the Unchangeableness of the Cove­nant of Grace, assures us they shall be Happy for ever. They shall eat of the Tree of Life, in the midst of the Paradise of God; Ro iii. 12. and be Pil­lars in the Divine Temple, and go out no more. To live for ever in the Light, and Love, and Joy of Heaven; Oh! what a Thought is that! How may it swallow up all our other Thoughts! If one day's Communion with God on Earth, be better than a thousand else­where; what shall we think of im­mediate, Everlasting Communion with God in Heaven? When we shall see him as he is, and love him more than we can now think; and that not for a Day or a Week, but for thousands and millions of Years, [Page 33]yea for a long and blessed Eterni­ty, that will never be over. For it is an Immortal Inheritance, 'tis an Everlasting Kingdom. We shall reign with God, and with the Lamb for ever. We shall see him, love him, praise him, and enjoy him for evermore. What we shall see and know, will ne­ver lessen in our Eye and Esteem: What we shall love, will never cease to be lovely: What we shall praise, will always deserve our praise: And what we shall enjoy, we shall never be weary of enjoying: God shall be All in All, to fill every power and ca­pacity of the Soul, that there shall be nothing to incline, nor cause a change.

It is a little thing, to say the Blessedness and Joy of the Saints shall last as many Years, as there has been drops of Rain faln from Heaven since the beginning of the World: for it shall endure as [Page 34]long as there is a God in Hea­ven; and He is the same who was, and is, and is to come, from Everlasting, to Everlasting. Our God shall live for ever: Our Sa­viour will never die; and we shall live for ever, in his light, and love, and likeness; Blessed­ness and Eternity shall be united. How great a thing is this, to say my God and Saviour, and for e­ver mine? Eternal Life is all the World in one word, and more than ten thousand Worlds. To be ever with the Lord; to have an immovable Happiness in the presence of the ever-living God; To say, my Portion is sure, and can never be lost. It is mine for ever; what a glory is this! Now I may lose my Health, or Credit, or Friends, or Life; but the Gift of God by Jesus Christ is Eternal Life. Nothing shall ever sepa­rate us from the Love of God in Christ. This is the very Spirit of [Page 35]Heaven, the Crown of the Bles­sedness of the Saints: To be for ever the objects of his Infinite Love; to enjoy a Felicity that shall never decay, or be diminish­ed; never be forfeited, or lost. It will rather always encrease; for we cannot possibly know God all at once: New Beauties will still discover themselves in an In­finite Object; and therefore we shall love him more and more, by knowing him more; and so our Joy will continue and en­crease, without fear, or danger of a period: But we shall know, and love, and rejoyce more and more, without end. Oh! how imperfectly do our weak and shal­low Thoughts conceive of this Blessed Eternity! To be Blessed with the Lord in Glory, and ne­ver dye: To rejoyce with Joy unspeakable, and ever to rejoyce: To live for ever belov'd of God, and to be joyfull and happy in [Page 36]his Love for ever: Oh! what Hearts have we, that can admit the hopes of this, without a Trans­sport? without despising all those things that people call Great up­on Earth, but are ended with us in a dying hour? ^*

Secondly, The Gulf is fixt, as to the Misery and Torment of the Wicked. They have no Expec­tation of Release; Eternal and Everlasting are joyn'd with the Torments of Hell, as well as with the Blessedness of Heaven. These shall go away into Everlasting Pu­nishment. Though their Bodies be held Prisoners in the Grave till the Resurrection, their Souls are in misery, waiting for their final doom. And at the last day of the World, they shall be found in the same state, as at the day of [Page 37]Death, and then be punish'd with Everlasting Destruction. The ter­rible Sentence is, Depart ye cursed into everlasting Fire. This is the acknowledged Doctrin of the Christian Church in all Ages, and most expressly asserted in the Ho­ly Scriptures. We read of a Worm that never dies, of a Fire that shall never be quenched, Everlasting Pu­nishment, Eternal Damnation, E­verlasting Destruction; the Black­ness of Darkness for ever; a Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone, where they shall be tormented Day and Night for ever and ever, and where the smoke of their Torment ascendeth up for ever and ever. This Doctrin is very cunningly undermin'd by some, upon the account of their corrupt Princi­ples; and boldly deny'd by o­thers, for the sake of their ill Practices.

The Adversaries of the Divi­nity and Satisfaction of Christ [Page 38]would have the Punishment of the Wicked at the Day of Judg­ment, to consist in ^* Annihilation, a total and eternal Dissolution of their Persons; that they shall be eternally destroyed, and consu­med, so as to exist no more. [Page 39]Whereas the Scriptures sets forth the Misery of Sinners in the next World, under such Expressions as plainly denote the Existence of the Sufferers. Would any one describe Annihilation, by being plung'd into a Lake of Fire and Brimstone; where they shall have no Rest Day nor Night for ever? The word Perdition, Destruction, Death, us'd for the Sufferings of the Wicked in another World, do manifestly import extreme Mi­sery, and not Annihilation. God is said to destroy Nations, when he brings great Calamities upon them. An Oppressour may de­stroy many Persons and Families, and yet is not supposed to Anni­hilate them. The Prodigal is said to perish for Hunger, tho' he were yet alive. So for the Ex­pression of losing the Soul; for a Man to lose his Soul, is to perish eternally in the other World, in our Saviour's sense of that Ex­pression; [Page 40] Matt. XVI. 26. What shall it profit a Man to gain the World, and lose his Soul? The word we render lose, signifies to have a Mulct inflicted on him: to lose it in a way of Punishment, to be punish'd in his Soul: And 'tis brought in as an Argument, why a Man should not fear Tem­poral Death; but lay down his Life, when our Saviour calls him to it: Because if he should save his Life, and yet lose his Soul, as to the other World, though he gain'd as much as can be suppos'd of this World; He would be a miserable Creature, and make a foolish Bargain. To understand the losing of the Soul, only of a Temporal Death, would be to destroy the Argument which our Lord brings it for: yea it would be a Reason against their doing that, which in the foregoing Verse he tells them they ought to do, even lay down their Lives for him.

As to the Expressions, The Wrath of God abideth on him, Joh. iii. 36. and he shall not see Life, which are likewise objected; I would ask, How can the Wrath of God be executed, so as to abide on One who hath no Existence, but is An­nihilated? Their abiding under Wrath, doth not deny, but sup­pose their Existence, and Conti­nuance in Being. So of that Ex­pression, Matth. iii. 12. the Chaff shall be burnt up with unquenchable Fire: for if the burning this Chaff be to con­sume and annihilate it, why is it by a Fire that cannot be quench­ed? when it has done its work, it should be put out.

Besides, To suppose the Wic­ked shall be Annihilated at the Day of Judgment, is to equal all Sinners, as to any Punishment af­ter the Day of Judgment, for one Man cannot be more Annihilated than another. Whereas the Scrip­ture is express, That it shall be [Page 42]more tolerable in the Day of Judg­ment, for some, than for others. Yea this would infer a very un­just Inequality of Punishment: for then the case of those who died in their Sins at the beginning of the World, would be very hard in comparison of such as died to­wards the end of it. Suppose one died the last year, or month, before Christ's Coming, and ano­ther that died in his Sins before the Flood; the former, (I suppose the greater Criminal,) would come to an end of his Sufferings in a very short time; whereas the other, (and suppose a less Offen­der,) who died in the beginning of the World, has been suffering the Wrath of God for some thou­sands of Years. If the Damnati­on of the Wicked at the Day of Judgment be Annihilation, what account can be given of this Ine­quality of Punishment?

But the Endless Misery of the Wicked in another World, is po­sitively affirmed by our Saviour no less than five times in six Ver­ses of one Chapter; Mark IX. 43-48. and in many other places. Not only is the Fire said to be Everlasting, where they shall be tormented; and so Ab­solutely Everlasting, as never to be quenched: But so certain that it shall never be quenched, that the Smoke thereof shall ascend for ever and ever. The Sentence of their Condemnation will never be reverst: Their Condition is never to be alter'd; but their Torments will be endless, and their Misery eternal.

If you believe the Holy Scrip­tures, and the Gospel-Revelation concerning the Design of Christ's Coming into the World to save Sinners from future Wrath, you will less wonder, that they, who deny the Divinity of Christ, should [Page 44]endeavour to put out the Fire of Hell, and make the Eternal Dam­nation of Sinners a meer Fiction. For what need of the Son of God to come from Heaven, and take our Nature, and dye for our Sins, to deliver us from Wrath to come; if there be no such Wrath to come after the Day of Judgment? There is reason to fear, that ma­ny who hearken to the Socinian Principles, as to Christ's Deity and Satisfaction, little know the ten­dency of their Doctrine. For what can the scoffing Atheist desire more, than to lose his Being for ever; since an happy one in ano­ther World, he does not expect? If the professed Belief of what the Scriptures so plainly speak, con­cerning the Torments of Hell, hath no more Influence to restrain men from Sin; but the World be still so bad, how much worse would it be, if there were no­thing at all of this to be fear'd? [Page 45]'Tis manifest that the Providence of God in all Ages, has made use of this Doctrine to preserve Hu­mane Society from ruine, by out­ragious Wickedness. And there­fore they that would take away this Fence, and deliver Mankind from these Fears, as groundless and unreasonable, do most effec­tually serve the Design of the De­vil, to promote Sensuality and Licentiousness, and turn serious Religion out of the World. For 'tis found by Experience, that the Promise of the Heavenly Fe­licity does not so much affect us, as threatned Damnation. 'Tis to escape the Latter, men are brought to consider the Certainty and Greatness of the Former: And it is one of the great Motives made use of in the Gospel to restrain Men from Wickedness, and a­waken them to give all Diligence to work out their own Salvation; but if they were once set free [Page 46]from the Fear, and Belief of Eter­nal Punishments, one of the most powerfull Restraints from Sin▪ and Motives to Religion is Re­mov'd.

But there are Others who op­pose this Doctrine, because a Vi­cious Life hath made it their In­terest to do so. They desire to follow their Pleasures without being disturbed by any such Fear, and so would fain perswade themselves, that there will be no such Everlasting Hell hereafter: Nay, there be many who have made bold with Conscience, and contracted such Guilt, that if the Holy Scripture be true, they must be undone in another World: And are forc'd to flee to Infide­lity, or Socinianism, as a Refuge after Shipwrack; to make them­selves easie, or at least to lessen their Fears, when they think of dying. And who doth not know what a Byass upon Men's Under­standings, [Page 47]Interest, and Inclina­tion will cast? How easily do we believe what we desire should be true? and how hardly are we perswaded of the Truth of that, which in its Consequences speaks Terror to our own Case? But whatever shifts any such may make for a little while, to keep Conscience quiet, they will find e're long to their Eternal Sor­row, all their little Cavils and Objections answered, if they will not now consider things in order to their Conviction.

Did they better know the Evil of Sin, and the Infinite Majesty and Glory, Purity and Justice, Authority, and Soveraignty of GOD, who is Despised, Affront­ed, and Disobeyed by Sinners; they would sooner understand the weakness of their Pleas a­gainst the Christian Faith. They would not lay so much stress on what they pretend; That they [Page 48]would not serve any of their E­nemies in such a manner, if it were in their Power: They say they would not punish any Inju­ries and Affronts against them, at that Rate, as we suppose God threatens to do. No, surely they ought not: For what is an Of­fence, Affront, and Injury a­gainst a Weak, Perishing, Sinful Worm, compar'd with Obstinate and continued Contempt of GOD? The Glorious and Eter­nal Majesty of Heaven and Earth? Have you any such Dominion and Soveraignty over your Ene­mies? Any such Propriety in them, and Right to their Obedi­ence? Can you Challenge that from them, which God may De­mand of us? Have you ever ob­liged them with any such Bene­fits, as he hath loaded us withall? It is from slight Thoughts of the Evil of Sin, against the Holy Ever-Blessed GOD that makes us think [Page 49]it hard for GOD to punish finally Obstinate Rebels, with Everlasting Wrath. We should rather be Thankfull that he hath so faith­fully warn'd us of it, and bid us to fear him, who is able to cast Body and Soul into Hell. And by how much the more ter­rible and severe such threatned Punishment is, so much the kin­der is GOD to give such repeated warning of it; and so much the more Inexcusable are Sinners, that will not consider it, and lay it to Heart.

'Tis from Ignorance of GOD, and how much he is above us, that they dare talk so boldly of Divine Justice, and Goodness: And declare that the Everlasting Pu­nishment of the Wicked is incon­sistent with either, or both. GOD knows better than we, what it is to be Just; and what is Consistent with his Goodness and Mercy. His Word is express and plain [Page 50]concerning the State of Sinners, when the Day of Mercy is ended. The measure of Punishment with respect to Crimes, is not to be ta­ken alway from the Quality and Degree of the Offence, much less from the Time and Duration of it, but from the Ends and Rea­sons of Government, to deter men from the Breach of the Law. The greatest Sins may often be committed in a short space of Time, as Murder. So that to ar­gue from the Disproportion be­tween Temporary Sins, and Eter­nal Punishment, will not conclude against the Justice of GOD. Can we think, that God would threa­ten Sinners with a Punishment, he could not inflict without In­justice? Cannot GOD be Just, and Good, and Merciful, except he save the Wilful and Disobedient, who continue to despise the Of­fers of his Grace, and persist in their Contempt and Rebellion to [Page 51]the very last? Hath he not told us, how far his Mercy shall reach? Thousands of Holy Souls shall know to their Eternal Comfort, that GOD is infinitely Good, tho' he render Vengeance on them, that slighted his Mercy, and died without Repentance? They had a time of tryal: Mer­cy was offered them: They were entreated to accept it: GOD waited with much Long-suffering and Patience; and often renew­ed his Calls, and Warnings, and Invitations, to perswade them to flee from Wrath to come: But they would not accept his Mercy in time.

If they plead that the endless Punishment of Sinners doth not answer the proper Ends, and De­sign of Punishment, viz. to re­form the Sinner, or to admonish, and warn others against the like Offence. It must be considered, That this is not all the End and [Page 52]Design of Punishment: But that when God hath declared his Will to punish, one great End of that Punishment, is to vindicate his Ho­nour as Governour of the World, that is injured and affronted by the Sins of Men: And there's a great deal of difference between the Ends of Punishment in this Life, which very much respect the Community, and those in ano­ther World. And yet even here, God as the Governour of the World, may vindicate the Rites of his Honour and Soveraignty, by inflicting Punishment: But in the next Life, they who are pu­nished are Obstinate Offenders, that would not take warning, or be reclaim'd by all the Mercies and Judgments of God, either as to others, or themselves.

Moreover supposing the Im­mortality of the Soul; and the remaining Wickedness and Impe­nitence of Sinners; (and Death [Page 53]will not change the ill Temper and Disposition of Men's Minds, but they that were filthy and un­holy will be still so, as well as they that were Unrighteous and Unjustify'd.) A sinful Soul, if it be Immortal, must needs be un­changeably miserable. He will never Repent; there is no pro­mise of Mercy to encourage it: And therefore, if he shall never die, he must be miserable for e­ver. And what reason is there to expect, that God should Annihilate those that are incurably Wicked? especially when he has so ex­pressly declared the contrary, Matt. xxv. ult. and in the same Terms express'd the Duration of the Punishment of the Wicked, as the Everlasting Life, and Happiness of the Righ­teous. Of the many that sleep in the Dust, some shall awake and a­rise to Everlasting Life, and others to Shame, and Everlasting Con­tempt. Dan. xii 2. There cannot be Perpe­tual [Page 54]Shame, and Everlasting Con­tempt, without the Everlasting Existence of the Persons. How can they continue for ever under Shame and Contempt, unless they continue in their Being?

Let us therefore urge this upon our Minds and Hearts, as what we ought to believe, and seri­ously consider, and therefore in­stead of replying against God, whose Terrors should make us a­fraid, and whose Truth endures for ever, let us think of it in time, and put the Questions to our selves, we often meet with in the Scripture, which can never be an­swered. Who can stand before him, when he is angry? Can thy Hands be strong, or thy Heart en­dure, when he shall execute Ven­geance? Who can dwell with a De­vouring Fire? Who can dwell with Everlasting Burnings? Can You, or You? You, who have lived in Ease and Pleasure all your Days; [Page 55]and by a sharp fit of Pain but for one half Hour, would groan as if your Hearts would break; could you abide Everlasting Fire? An Everlasting Toothach, Stone, or Cholick, or a much less Pain, but suppos'd Endless, is insupporta­ble, what then is Hell! However you may ask another Question, which, blessed be God, may be Resolv'd, and that is, What shall we do to be saved? How shall we escape this Intolerable and Ever­lasting Wrath? And this brings me to the Application, by Infe­rences of Truth and Duty.

First, 'Tis then obvious, that Now or Never is the season to pre­pare for Eternity, seeing both States are unchangeable after Death. The Gulf will then be fix'd, there is no Possibility for Repentance, or hope of Pardon beyond the Grave; 'twill be in vain to cry with the Foolish Vir­gins, [Page 56] Lord open to us, when the Door is shut. Now you are en­couraged to pray for Mercy, earnestly invited, and entreated to work out your own Salvati­on; and warn'd of your Danger: Now is your time to hearken to good Counsel. Many of you have mispent a great part of your Life past; you shall not live it over again: You are not cer­tain of the Future: You may be in an Unchangeable State e're you are aware; so that to defer it one Week or Day longer, may be your undoing. You have now a Promise of Forgiveness, if you Repent, and the Hopes of God's Grace, if you seek it. You have yet an Opportunity to make Peace with God: This is your accept­ed time, and Day of Salvation: The Door of Mercy, and of Hope is yet open, but e're long it will be shut, and your State Immuta­ble. Whatever is to be done in [Page 57]Preparation for Eternity must be Now or Never. Now quickly or it will be too late; now presently, and without Delay, or it may be too late. Is he not a bold Man that will venture to deferr, if he believes both States after Death to be Endless and Unchangeable? How can he be satisfy'd to live in such a state, wherein he is as near to Hell, as he is to Death? You have reason to be Thankful, that when others have been snatch'd away in their Impeni­tence; Others, it may be, of your Companions, and possibly lesser Sinners than you; that you are yet spar'd. You must think him to be a miserable Man, who when he dies, shall be miserable to all Eternity: And can you think him Wise, who will careles­ly put it to the venture, and will not bestirr himself to prevent it? Now you have, besides the Call of God's Word, and Providence, [Page 58]many Helps by Friends and Mini­sters ready to assist you, and the Spirit of God has not yet forsa­ken you; but if ye will shut your Eyes, and stop your Ears, and har­den your Hearts, and are resolv'd to go on; Remember you are faithfully, and plainly warned.

Secondly, How valuable a Ta­lent then is our Time? How great a Sin is Idleness, and the mispense of Precious, Irrecoverable Time, on which depends our Eternal Happiness or Misery? What have we our Time given us for, but to provide for our Eternal State? If HEAVEN and HELL be great Realities, and no such Insignificant Words as Infidels would make them; If Endless Joy, or Misery be the Consequent of Improving, or Mispending our Time, how ought we to value it? Within the compass of this little, uncer­tain Time, must the great Questi­on [Page 59]be decided, where we shall have our Portion for ever. Doubtless God hath given every Man, sufficient Work in this World for all his Time: And he that is unfit to die, or uncertain of Salvation, hath Work enough to do; and should be ashamed to live, as if he knew not what to do with his Time. Very few consider, that of all their Prodi­galities, this of their Time is the most impossible to be Redeem'd. And what they would give, when they come to die, for a little of that Time, that they Now are at a loss how to throw away. If a­ny of those who have left this World might have a Time of Try­al again, what different Appre­hensions would they have of the value of it. But whether we Be­lieve it or no, Redeem it, or Mi­spend it; it is not long, e're we shall know and find, how much our present Time is worth.

How many young Gentlemen, and Others, live an Idle, Sensual Life, and so in a Continual Course of Sin, against the Uni­versal Law of God, with the for­feiture of his Protection, and their Daily Bread? As if they had no Business in this World to mind, but Recreation and Pleasure? No God to serve, no Soul to save, or Eternity to provide for? They consider not, that it is not only Whoremongers, and Idolaters, and Drunkards, and Notorious Cri­minals, Matt. xxv. 13. Chap. xii. 22. but the Slothful and Ʋn­profitable Servant, that shall be bound Hand and Foot, and cast into outer Darkness, where shall be weeping and wailing, and gnashing of Teeth.

A Life of Idleness is contrary to the great Ends of God, both in Creation and Redemption; for every Man is to honour God in the World, and do all the Good he can to others: To provide for [Page 61]his own Salvation, and promote the Welfare of Humane Society; which can never be done by an Idle Life. And Christians are un­der special Obligation to be a pe­culiar People, zealous of good Works. Let any Man be as fru­gal of his Time as he can, and he will find himself advanc'd in Years, before he hath got a Com­petent Fitness for the Place and Station the Providence of God has put him in; and it may be will arrive to Old Age (if he do not die sooner,) before he hath liv'd to any such valuable Purpose, as by that time he will wish he had done.

I speak not against all Diversi­ons, and Recreations, which, with­in the Bounds of Moderation, are needful to keep the Body and the Mind in a due Temper for Ser­vice: But too many make that a Business, which should be only a Diversion, and turn Recreation [Page 62]into a Calling; by employing their whole Time in it, which is neither becoming them, as Men, or as Christians. And as to Sports and Pastimes in general, the best of them come so near to Idleness, and the worst of them to Vice, that as the Latter should have no part, the Other should have but a small Proportion of our Time, only as our Health, and fitness for Busi­ness does require. For when we come to leave the World, we shall think otherwise of the value of our Hasty Time, than now we do. Then you will bitterly la­ment the many precious Hours you spent in Vanity; saying, ‘Oh that they might be recall'd! Oh that the Opportunities of Mercy, and the Invitations of Grace that once I had, might be made me again! Oh that God would try me a little lon­ger! How strictly and seriously would I employ my Time in [Page 63]Preparation for Eternity? even that Time, that I was wont to spend in Idleness and Folly, in Vain Company, and Sensual Mirth; in Chaffering for the World, or making Provision for the Flesh, to fulfill the Lusts thereof! But it may be then too Late.’

Thirdly, How Awful a thing is it, and of how great Consequence must it be, for any Man to die, and leave this World? Especially with what Dread should we ad­mit the Consideration, of the Change by Death of one that dies in his Sins? The Apprehension and Thought of Death, with one of these two Consequences, must make this Change more Affecting, Solemn, and Serious to every Considering Person, than com­monly it is. We hear of the Death of many; we follow seve­ral of our Friends and Acquain­tance [Page 64]to the Grave, One after A­nother; we talk of it in common Conversation, Such a Man is Dead; such a Woman is Dead; such a Relation, such a Friend is Dead; but we do it oftentimes so slightly and carelesly, as if there were no more in it, than that Such and Such were gone a few Days Journey into a Neighbou­ring County; or at most, gone beyond Sea for a few Months: But 'tis a great thing to Die, 'tis an awful thing to be Dead: Be­cause the Soul must be saved or lost for ever. Such a one is Dead. O Sirs! what is that to say? What do ye mean by such words? Why, the Soul of such a Friend or Acquaintance of mine, is gone to Heaven or Hell. He or She, whom we lately convers'd with, is now unspeakably Blessed, or intolerably Miserable, and shall be so to all Eternity, according to what their State and Condition [Page 65]was, when they left this World. If we miscarry in this great Affair, and don't Die well, do not die the Death of the Righteous, we are lost for ever. Death will de­termine our Everlasting State. It is the way of all Living; the way of all the Earth: But it hath two Turnings, the one on the Right­hand to Everlasting Joy and Bles­sedness; the other on the Left, to Everlasting Sorrow and De­struction. How Serious and Im­portant a thing then is it, for any of us, for every of us to die, if we believe the Everlasting World, and the Consequence of Dy­ing!

When a Man comes to die, and is apprehensive of his Eternal State, then he cries out, ‘Oh Fool, and Wretch that I have been, to trifle away my preci­ous Time; to forfeit all my Hopes of Heaven, by forget­ting, or contradicting the End [Page 66]of Life! How madly have I spent my Days, without look­ing to the Endless World! where is now the Gain and Plea­sure of all my past Folly? What fruit have I of those things, which I am now a­sham'd to review, and am go­ing to answer for? O that I I had liv'd in a Wilderness, or in Rags and Beggery, and ne­ver seen the Face of those Companions, by whom I have been ensnar'd, seduc'd, and ru­in'd! Oh that God would spare me a little longer!’

How differently do the same Truths relish? What other Ap­prehensions doth the view of Death give us? You may not be able upon a Bed of Sickness, to stifle or lay aside those Reflections on Religion, and another World, which now we would urge you to admit. Your Thoughts are now diverted by fond Imaginati­ons [Page 67]and Conceits, by false Princi­ples and foolish Hopes, by sensu­al Delights and Recreations, by Carnal Mirth and ill-grounded Peace, and ensnaring Company: But all these will then have left you, to dwell alone with your Pain and your Conscience. But how much worse will HELL be, than a Sick-bed. You may have many things to alleviate, relieve, or assist you in this World; but Oh the Change that Death will make!

The Careless and Secure, who now fear not the Wrath of God, dread not his Displeasure, value not his Favour, matter not whe­ther he be their Friend or Ene­my; who are Stout-hearted, and far from Righteousness, and under the Power of horrible Presumpti­on, without thoughts of an Af­ter-Reckoning, and an Eternal State; who never say, Where is God my Maker? but live in a Con­temptuous [Page 68]Forgetfulness of him; yet when they die, their Souls re­turn to him, they fall into his Hands. They must awake, and know God, and Themselves. They shall presently have their Eyes open, and not be kept in Quiet by Ignorance, and Forget­fulness as now; but recollect all their past Sins, with their Aggra­vations: Remember their past Mercies, with their Mis-improve­ment; their past Seasons and Op­portunities of Grace, which they have lost: They shall bitterly ac­cuse, charge, shame, and condemn themselves, under the actual Wrath of God, for the present; with fearful Expectations of com­pleat and endless Misery, after the final Sentence of the last, great Assize. How much better had it been for such they had never been born than thus to die, and fall in­to the Hands of Divine Justice? Better they had never liv'd in this [Page 69]World. They shall then think so, and wish so; wish they had never been born to see the Light; or that they had expir'd, as soon as they began to breath; and had their Names enter'd into the Bills of Mortality, as soon as they came into the World.

Such Thoughts as these would rectify our Judgments, cure our Vanity, and help us to overcome the World, and mortify the Flesh; and fortify us with Strength to resist Temptation, and excite us in earnest to provide for Eternity. But how few will be perswaded to admit such Thoughts! Men like not to be jogg'd, to be awak'd; they are ready to quarrel with us, for disturbing them; they are an­gry we will not let them alone, to sleep the sleep of Death, till they awake in the Flames of Hell: And then with what an Accent of Sorrow, will it be said? Lo! Psal. lii. 7.this is the Man, who made not God his [Page 70]Strength! Lo! this is the Man. This is the miserable, deceiv'd Man, that was so wise in his own Eyes, so obstinate in his own Way, who would not be advis'd, and he hath not now a Word to excuse himself, nor a Friend to speak for him, nor a drop of Water to quench his Thirst, or cool his Tongue.

I know very well, some Subjects may be helpt by chosen Words, by Figures of Rhetorick, and Af­fecting Eloquence: But there are Others, too great for Words: And this is one, Of the Ʋnchange­able State of Mankind in another World. The Thing it self, the Change that Death will make, exceeds all our weak Idea's. No Human Language can express the thousandth part of the Rea­lity of the Matter: As when we speak of the Blessed GOD, and his Perfections, his Love, or his Wrath; so of the Blessedness of the [Page 71]Saints; and the Intolerable Ago­nies of the Devils and Damned Spirits; the Subject is too big for our Scanty Words: We can find out none that will fully ex­press the thing Mr. Blackall, of the Sufficiency of Scripture Motives. 2d Sermon of Mr. Boyle's Lecture for the Year 1700.: For what Tongue can utter, or Heart con­ceive the horrible State of such a forlorn Creature? depriv'd at Death of all Earthly Comforts, and separated for ever from the Joy and Glory, the Light and Comfort of God's Blessed Pre­sence, and the Felicity of the Saints; depriv'd of all Good that others enjoy, and he was once capable of; and never to see the Face of God, but fall under his Vengeance, without any Alloy of Comfort, or Hope to mitigate his Sufferings: Not only banish­ed from Heaven, but sent accur­sed [Page 72]into Everlasting Fire, with the Devils. No wonder if there be horrible Lamentations, dole­ful Cries and Screetches, despai­ring Rage and Fury, when such are made sensible of their Folly, and of their Misery; sensible of what they have lost, and of what they begin to suffer, and must for ever suffer without In­termission or End: All the Pains and Miseries, and Torments, that any of Mankind, or all of them put together, in all Ages and Generations of the World, did ever endure here upon Earth, if all were join'd and united, for one Man to suffer, will be infi­nitely less than the Punishment of every Impenitent Sinner after Death. Let us say all we can, and heap up Superlative upon Su­perlative, we must speak De­fectively of the Misery of lost Souls. Let us enlarge our pre­sent Thoughts never so much a­bout [Page 73]it, there's still a great deal more and worse, than we can ima­gine, or fear. The best Orator upon Earth, yea the higest An­gel in Heaven cannot describe it.

What a dismal Spectacle then is it, to see an Impenitent Wick­ed Creature, upon a Bed of Sick­ness, without any Concern about his Everlasting State? gasping for Breath, unable to live, ready to pass into another World, un­der the Guilt of all his Sins, and so under the Condemnation and Curse of God? The Devils then wait for their Prey; what a Mi­serable Portion must such a Man have, before his Body be Buried, or put in a Coffin? He passes into another World, where is neither Wine, nor Women, nor Sports, nor Pleasures, nor Friend, nor Comforter; but falls under the Wrath of God, Remediless, In­supportable Wrath: when but a [Page 74]little before, it may be, he had Hopes of Heaven. And certain­ly, of all the lamentable Sur­prizes that Humane Nature is ca­pable of, there is none so terrible, as that of the Death of a Presu­ming, Deceiv'd Sinner; who is confident of the Favour of God, that he is in the way to Salvati­on, and shall go to Heaven: For such a One, one Moment after Death, to be seiz'd by the Devil, and carry'd into the place of Torment. Oh dismal Thought! to have the Confidence of a whole Life broken in pieces in one Moment! How terrible to be found at Death, under the Wrath of God, when they would never believe it, nor consider it, till too late! You can now Read or Hear a Sermon of an ^*Everlast­ing Hell, and of the Misery of [Page 75]a Lost Soul, as one can bear a terrible Description of a Ship­wrack, who never was at Sea; but it will be quite another thing, if when you expect to be sav'd, you drop into Hell.

O look into the other World! make the Supposition of your own Death, and what is like to follow! Admit the serious Thoughts of it for a few Mo­ments: Retire sometimes on pur­pose for this. But with how few can we prevail for so much as this? You will not be perswa­ded to it, lest it spoil your Mirth, damp your Pleasure, make you Melancholly, and Sorrowful; but if you die in Sin, there will be nothing but Sorrow after Death. And in your present Case, I may say, As the Lord lives, and as thy Soul lives, there's but a Step between thee and Death; between thee and Intollerable, Endless Wrath. Now if you are [Page 76]a little awaken'd by a serious Ser­mon, Book, or Providence, and Conscience begins to trouble you, and make you uneasie, you have many things to divert and quiet it; but hereafter there will be nothing of all this. How little is this believed by such as talk with a seeming Bravery, of lay­ing violent Hands upon Them­selves: And in case of extream Pain, or any great Disappoint­ment, to put an end to their own Lives, to dispatch themselves, and die by their own Hands. Is not this to proceed without the Leave of the great Governour of the World, whose Propriety they destroy, and against whose Pro­vidence they Rebel, by such an Act ^*? But if there be a Heaven or Hell to follow Death, which the [Page 77]greatest part of Mankind in all Ages, (at least of all Christians ten thousand to one) have be­lieved, how hazardous and de­structive is their Folly?

Fourthly, We may hence take our Measures of Wisdom and Fol­ly, according to Mens Conduct and Care with reference to the other World, and the two Eternal States of Mankind. One would wonder how things of so great Moment should be forgotten, and not alwaies in our Minds. Would it not be strange ^*, if a Man who was to be judg'd to morrow, and receive the Sen­tence, either of a Cruel Death, or of a Rich and Honourable E­state, should not keep in mind the Business of the next approa­ching Day, without tying a scar­let [Page 78]thread on his Finger, to mind him? Is it not strange, that the Infinitely greater things, of E­ternal Life or Death, should not be remembred, and thought of, when we know not what a Day may bring forth? Will not the Folly be Inexcusable, as well as the Punishment of Sinners Dread­full, who shall feel Everlastingly, what they would not be perswa­ded to fear. Suppose a Man, much desirous of Sleep, and in his perfect Mind, should have an Offer made, of one Nights sweet Rest, on condition to be punisht an hundred years for it; would he accept of Sleep on such terms? And do not they far worse, and make a more foolish Choice, who for the short Pleasures of Sin, will lose Eternal Life, and ha­zard the enduring of Endless Mi­sery! What is it that makes our Cares and Fears so Preposterous? That we are afraid of a little [Page 79]Suffering here, and not of Hell? That we are Anxious about to morrow, and Thoughtless of E­ternity? That we dread the Light­ning, and slight the Thunderbolt?

What Name can be given to that Folly, for a Man to own his Soul may be lost for ever, and yet take no Care to save it? To believe an Everlasting Heaven, and yet be at no Pains to obtain it? To own the Horror of God's Eternal Wrath for Impenitent Sin­ners, and yet Live and Die with­out Repentance? These are Ex­travagancies beyond common Madness, and of more Dangerous Consequence. What will be­come of that Man's Wisdom, who is not Wise enough to prevent Eternal Misery? Who liv'd with some tolerable Reputation, as a Wise Man in this World; and yet so Dies, as to call himself Fool for ever, and suffer to all E­ternity the Effects of his Folly.

‘Can the World, and all that I shall gain of it, save me from Wrath to come? Bring me off when I appear before the Barr of Christ? Prevent the Sen­tence of Condemnation? or Release me from the Pit of Hell, if I am once sent there? Or will it be any Refreshment in the place of Torment, to think what a brave Figure I made on Earth? How many Hundreds a Year I had; How Large, and Beautifull, Plea­sant, and Convenient a Dwel­ling; How much I was Ho­nour'd; How many Servants to Attend me; How many Thousand Pounds I got, spent, or laid up, or had the Dispo­sal of: Will the Thoughts and Remembrance of these things give me any Comfort in Ever­lasting Burnings? What's all this to me, if once my Soul be Lost? Let us then judge Righ­teous [Page 81]Judgment, and we can­not but conclude that is Wi­sest, and Best, which will prove so at Last.’

Not to Believe the Eternal Tor­ments of Hell, after such Clear Evidence, and Repeated Decla­ration of the Word of God, is egregious Folly: But not to Dis­believe them, and yet do nothing to escape, is more Astonishing. Who would drink a Draught of cooling Liquor, if told there is Poison in the Glass? And yet Men go on in Sin, and Drink in Iniquity like Water, though they are told the Wages of Sin is Eter­nal Death. All the Pleasures of many Years in a course of Sin, cannot compensate for a Man's Burning in a Furnace at the End of that time, though but for four and twenty hours: How is it then, that the repeated Threatnings of Everlasting Destruction, should not weigh more to keep us from [Page 82]Sin, than the Gain of a little Mo­ney, or the pleasing a Friend, or gratifying an Appetite, in the short Enjoyment of a forbidden Pleasure? Who would chuse to to be treated like a Prince, or a King, for one Day, or Week, or Month; if he knew he must at the end of that time be rackt and tortur'd to Death, and finish his Days in Exquisite Torments? And what is this in Comparison of Dying the Second Death?

Suppose that Origen's Opinion should be true, ^* That Cursed Souls should have a Period to their Tortures, after a Thousand Years, would it not be madness to chuse the Pleasure, or Wealth of a few Years now, (with Dan­ger, Trouble, and Uncertainty,) and for this to endure the Flames of Hell for a Thousand Years? [Page 83]When no Man hath Pleasure for a Hundred Days together, with­out some intervening Trouble; or at least a Weariness and Loath­ing of the Pleasure. A Thousand Years is a long while to be in Torment. We find a Fever of one and twenty Days to be like an Age in length: But what's that to the Duration of an Into­lerable Misery; for ever in the Height, and for ever Beginning? When ten thousand Years shall have spent no part of its Term.

The Comparison of this Life with the other, of Time with E­ternity, whether in Happiness or Misery, is of so much Moment, and Use; may serve to so many Excellent Purposes, and produce such wise Thoughts and Reflecti­ons, that I wish we would consi­der the one and the other, more seriously and frequently: How little a while we are to abide here; and that after Death, we must [Page 84]abide for ever in Abraham's Bo­som, or in Torments; with God in Endless Glory, or in Everlast­inst Fire, with the Devil and his Angels.

Oh think a little, how Incon­siderable a thing is the longest Life of Man on Earth compar'd with an Everlasting Duration! The Psalmist tells us, Psal. xxxix. 5, 6. Thou hast made my Days as an Hands breadth, and mine Age, (my Life, my little Time on Earth) is as nothing unto thee; compar'd with thy Duration, which is without Beginning or End. Old Jacob, when he had pass'd one hundred and thirty Years, saith, Few and evil are the Days of the Years of the Life of my Pilgrimage. What was that to Adam's nine hundred and thir­ty Years, after his Creation in full Strength and Maturity? or to Methusaleh's nine hundred and sixty Years? But what a Moment [Page 85]is that to the Divine Eternity! A thousand Years, in thy sight, are but as one Day; or as Yesterday when it is past, Psal. xc. 5, 6. If it had been said, ten thousand millions of Years are but as a Mi­nute, it had been as true. Ac­cording to this Computation, a Thousand Years as one Day; sup­pose a Man had been born above five thousand Years agoe, he is in God's sight as one born five Days agoe. If the first Man were now a­live, he would not be six Days old, by that Reckoning. And by the same Account, he that hath liv'd in the World sixty two Years hath liv'd but an Hour and half: And he that was born forty Years a­goe, is but as if he came into the World this present Hour. Yea, e­ven as a Watch in the Night: A thousand Years in God's sight, is but as two or three Hours: And so threescore Years is but as five or six Minutes. But ten thou­sand [Page 86]millions of Years in Compa­rison of GOD's ETERNITY, are less than one Unite, one Mi­nute. How awful and useful may it be, to make the Compari­son between the longest Life; and Eternity?

Upon the whole, who would not pray with David, that God would teach him to number his Days, and value his little Time, so as to apply his Heart to Wis­dom, that he may walk in the way of Life, that is above to the Wise, Prov. xv. 24. and depart from Hell be­neath.

Lastly, How unspeakable a Ha­zard do they run, who delay their Repentance, especially to the last Hour, to a Death-Bed? Have they any Assurance they shall not die suddenly; but be warned by Sickness? How many are dispatch'd to the Grave and Hell, in the midst of their Hopes [Page 87]of living to Repent hereafter? The true reason of deferring it to hereafter, is not because they intend to begin then, but because they have no mind to begin now. And unless They be then in a better mind than at present, which by adding Sin to Sin is un­likely, they will be for deferring it still, even to their last Sickness. But do they know what kind of Sickness their last shall be? What if it be not a surprizing Apoplexy; yet in a stupid Lethargy; or a Raging Fever, they will have no Opportunity, or Leisure to Re­pent? And if they should, they may not apprehend any Danger in their present Sickness, as if it would end in Death: Or they may not have the Grace (which they have so often forfeited,) to employ that time to so good a Purpose.

The common pretence, is the Example of the Thief on the [Page 88]Cross, that he upon a short Pray­er found Mercy at last, and was promis'd an Admission into Para­dise that very Day: But think a little how extraordinary that Case was, as to the Time of it, when our Lord was Dying for Sinners; then to give such an In­stance of the Royalty of his Grace? The like Season can ne­ver happen again: And there is but this one Instance mention'd in the whole Bible. Besides the ma­nifest Proof which he gave of his Conversion, as to Repentance, Faith in Christ, Love to him, Charity to his Fellow-Sufferer, and the extraordinary Prayer which he made to Christ, not­withstanding all manner of Dis­couragement, from what he saw, or heard at that time; makes his Case to be very different, from the ordinary Condition of Men upon a Sick-Bed.

First, As to any thing he saw: What was there as to outward Appearance, that represented Christ as the Son of God, and the King of Glory, while he suffered as a Criminal; hanging on a Gib­bit, or a Cross, between two Ma­lefactors? (And in the midst of them as the Chiefest of the three.) What Relation could this poor Man see between these Sufferings, this Ignominy, this wretched Death; between the Outrages, Reproaches, Scorns and Curses which he endured, and his Glo­ry and Divinity, his Power and his Kingdom? And yet he owns him for his Saviour, tho' under the same Condemnation with himself. He sees him nailed to the accursed Tree; and yet prays to him, as if he were upon a Throne. He beholds him suffe­ring a Cruel Death, and yet a­dores him as Lord of Glory.

Have we found such Faith in Israel; or amongst Christians? even among those of Christ's own Family, who have heard his Heavenly Doctrine and seen his Miracles; and had enjoyed Fa­miliar Converse with him? Yet they forsook him, when he comes to be crucify'd. But here's a poor Penitent, who beholds him on the Rack, despised by his own Country-men, condemned by the Romans and Jews, reject­ed by Men of Learning, Credit, and Authority; and Calumnia­ted and Reviled by a multitude of By-standers: Yet owns Him for a King; speaks of his King­dom elsewhere; and ventures his Soul on his Power and Grace to make him Blessed after Death, tho' he saw him expire, and die in his view, and before his Eyes.

O amazing Instance of a Di­vine Faith! when there was so much to be seen at that Time to [Page 91]discourage it. But neither the Face of Authority in his Con­demnation; nor the cry of the Common People for his Cruci­fixion, nor the Scorn of the Chief Priests and Rulers, nor the Jeers of his Fellow-Sufferer, nor any the least Jealousie of his being unable to save him, could stop his Mouth: but by a most vigo­rous Act of Faith he pours out this Prayer with his last Breath, Lord, Remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom.

Let us think a little, what could this poor Penitent behold, in our Dying Saviour, that should make him believe, that his Re­membrance of him could avail him in another World? What was there in Appearance, for which he should take him to be the Son of God, or so much as an Innocent Man? Was there a­ny thing to an Eye of Sence, that did bear Testimony to the Dig­nity [Page 92]and Excellency of his Per­son? Could the Majesty of his Countenance demand Reverence and Respect? was not his Face disfigured? What Royal Purple was there; but that of his own Blood, which trickled down from his Wounds? What Symptoms of his being Lord and King; that he should think him to be such in Reality, while the Jews and Romans call'd him so in Scorn? What Crown had he on his Head, but one of Thorns; which was put on him as a mark of Infamy, and not as a Badge of Honour; not as a Royal Ornament, but as a Token of Reproach? In the Judgment of Sence, what Trea­sures had he in his Hands to dis­pose of; when both his Hands were pierc'd, and fastened to the Gibbit with Nails? If he be a King in the other World, where are the Cherubims and Seraphims, the Angels and the Heavenly [Page 93]Host, to make up his Retinue? If he be a King, where is his Crown and Scepter? his Guards and Train of Attendants; when his own Disciples left him; and his Cross was encompass'd with rude Soldiers, to prevent his be­ing deliver'd, if any should at­tempt it: And to render his Suf­ferings the more publick and shameful; and yet by the Power of a Divine Faith, he cries out, Lord, remember me, &c.

Secondly, Tho' he saw nothing that was Royal and Magnificent like a King, to encourage his Faith and Prayer, yet 'tis probable he might hear something of that Nature: But if we reflect upon the History of his Passion, we find no such thing. What Words did he hear him speak upon the Cross, that might discover him to be the Messiah; or but an extraordina­ry Person? He heard him say, I [Page 94]thirst; but was such Weakness and Infirmity agreeable to one that was the Son of God? Could he be thought able to dispose of the Kingdom of Heaven, that needed a little Water to quench his Thirst? He heard him say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? But could he judge him to be the beloved Son of God; and yet hear him thus complain, of his being forsaken? He heard him say, Behold my Mother: But how could he think that the King of Heaven, and Lord of Glory was born of a Wo­man, his own Creature? What, in short, did he hear, or see, that might encourage him to believe, that he was able to dispose of the Heavenly Kingdom? And yet he desires to be remembred by him as the Sovereign of it. What then can we think, or say as to his Case, but that he was taught of God, by the Holy Spirit, en­lightened [Page 95]into the Mystery of the Cross, as the way to the Crown; and perswaded, that this was the true Messiah, who was to be num­bred with Transgressors, and wounded for Transgressions, and to make our Peace by his own Blood. His Senses, you see, could not help his Faith in this Case.

Thirdly, Let us further consi­der the Excellency of his short Prayer; and how different from the common Lord have mercy, of dying People after a wicked Life: Lord, remember me when thou co­mest into thy Kingdom. The Mat­ter, Manner, and all the Circum­stances of his Request, are very Extraordinary. He does not beg to be deliver'd from his present Pain. He prays not to be sav'd from that shamefull Death. He requests not to be taken down from the Cross. That the Nails might be pluckt out of his Hands [Page 96]and Feet: Or that his sense of Pain might be mortify'd; or his Sufferings shortned: That he might not feel his Torments at all; or but for a little while. No, he seems to have no Concern about the Sentence executed on him in this World; but begs that Christ would be kind to him in the next. Lord, remem­ber me, &c. Is this the Voice of a Malefactor; or the Faith of a Disciple? A strange Request, from such a Person, at such a Time; to our condemned, cru­cified, dying Lord! That a Cri­minal, under the Sentence of Death, should make such an Ad­dress to one that suffer'd as a Malefactor too! and venture his Eternal State on his Power to save him! By begging to be remem­bred of Christ in his Kingdom, he owns his Ability to save him; and that notwithstanding the shamefull Circumstances of his [Page 97]Humiliation, he was a Glorious King. Hereby he testifies his Hope, and Expectation of a fu­ture Blessedness after Death; and in this Prayer professeth his Be­lief of it, in the midst of Tor­tures, in the midst of Calumnies, in the prospect of Death, before a vast Assembly of Scorners. He is not discourag'd, but speaks it aloud before them all, not caring who heard him: Lord, remem­ber me when thou comest into thy Kingdom. He was not scanda­liz'd at his reproachfull Death. As if his Eye had been fixt on his Resurrection, Ascension, and Glory: And therefore talks of being remembred by him, as one who had Power to save him, and who was to be the Judge of quick and dead. Lord, remem­ber me, &c.

Which way soever we view this Prayer, it is admirable, and astonishing. How weighty is the [Page 98]Matter? How copious, full, and significant the Sense of every Word? And yet how humble and modest the Expression? I say how modest the Expression! Lord, remember me: i. e. Lord, I can presume to crave nothing higher, nothing greater, nothing more of thee, than a bare Remem­brance. O Lord, I beseech thee remember me; and I leave it to thy Pleasure to determin how, in what Manner, and to what Purpose, thou wilt remember me: He acknowledgeth the Wis­dom of Christ, as fittest to chuse what Favour to grant him: with a Sense at the same time of his own Unworthiness of any; and owns the Mercy of Christ, as able to overlook that Unworthi­ness; and that he had Power to grant and confer the Blessedness which he prays for.

Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom, i. e. [Page 99]Lord, Remember to receive my departing Soul: Remember to shew Pity to a dying Creature, that now, more than ever, needs it. ‘O Lord, I am passing into another World, my Joynts are stretched, my Heart pants, my Breath grows faint, I am even ready to dye: But my great Request, my earnest, my only Petition now is, that thou wouldest Remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom. Lord Jesus, this is what I most humbly beg, that whither thou goest, I may go. That where thou shalt be, I may be. That I may have a Place with thee in Paradise. That I may be with thee in the other World in thy Kingdom. That then and there thou wouldest remember me; and be gracious to me, and mercifully receive my Spi­rit. Accept me now in the A­gonies of Death; and remem­ber [Page 100]to acquit and own me af­ter Death, and let me dwell in thy blessed Presence and King­dom for ever.’

Something of all this seems im­ply'd, and comprehended in his short Prayer, Lord, remember me, &c. Upon the Considerati­on of the whole, can any Encou­ragement be justly taken from this Example, for Men to delay their Repentance and Conversion to God till Old Age; or a Sick-Bed, and the Approaches of Death.

As we have seen how extra­ordinary this Prayer was, we read how effectual it was also! How speedily did he obtain a gracious Answer, for our Lord tells him, This Day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Nothing can match or parallel the won­derful Grace of this Prayer, but the Kindness and Bounty of our Lord's Answer; This Day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. He [Page 101]craves a Remembrance of him, but our Lord promises him pre­sent possession: He begs a Favour, as of one that was Absent, Lord, remember me, &c. but Christ assures him, that he shall that very Day be present with him in the Happy Receptacle of Holy Souls depart­ed. This Day shalt, &c.

There is no ground then from the Case of the Penitent Thief, for any man to count much upon future, dying Repentance, be­cause His was Effectual, and Ac­cepted at the last Hour.

I grant, the Promises of For­giveness are made to Repentance, to Confession of Sin, and Reso­lutions of forsaking it: But I fear it is not enough consider'd. That what we read of this in the New Testament, doth especially con­cern ^* New Converts to Christia­nity, [Page 102]who were brought to con­fess the Christian Faith, and of­fer'd themselves to be Baptized. Professed Repentance was re­quir'd of the Gentiles, on their first Entrance into the Christian State; and therefore Repentance is mentioned amongst the Funda­mentals, which the Catechumens were to be instructed in before, and in order to Baptism. Heb. vi. 1, 2. With this they were to begin the Chri­stian Life: But for Baptized Christians, they are obliged to all holy Conversation and Godli­ness. And is there no hazard for Christians to think to Finish where the Pagans were to begin? to think to enter into Heaven by the same Door, by which the Heathen entred into the visible Church?

I deny not the Possibility of a true and saving Repentance at last, for who can limit, or set bounds to the Free Grace of God; [Page 103]but certainly a Death-bed Repen­tance is a very Deceitfull thing. Who can be assured that it is safe in it self? or know that God doth accept Mens Repentance, and Sorrow for Sin, after a Sin­full Life, when they can Sin no more? That instead of a whole Life of Obedience to God, he will at last accept a few forced Tears and Prayers, with some fair Pro­mises and Resolutions to live well, when the Men are Sick, and must Die, and can live no longer, to sin as formerly, if they had ne­ver so much a mind to it? 'Tis almost as reasonable to ^* expect that the Sun should cross the or­der of Nature, and rise in the West, as that the Son of Righ­teousness should arise with Heal­ing in his Wings upon an habitual obstinate Sinner, at the last Hour.

There needs an Extraordinary Grace, if their Repentance be true, to render it Comfortable to the Dying Penitent. For tho' we must follow a Judgment of Charity, yet God onely knows whether the Heart be changed, and whether the Life would be, if the Person Recovered. We have seen many seem Penitent and Devout upon a Sick Bed, who after they have been unex­pectedly restored to Health, have plainly proved their Repentance was not unto Life. I may ex­press this in the Words of a ^* Great Man. ‘Though Sincere Repentance at last be possible, it is almost impossible for the Party himself, much more for others, upon any good ground to judge when it is Sincere. God who knows the Hearts [Page 105]of all Men, only knows the Sin­cerity of it. I have therefore no great Opinion of that extra­ordinary Comfort, which some have upon a sudden Repen­tance for great Crimes, because I cannot discern any sufficient Ground for it. I think great Humility and Dejection of Mind, and a doubtful Appre­hension of their Condition, would much better become them; because their Case is re­ally so very doubtful in it self: Let them exercise as deep Re­pentance as possible, and bring forth all the Fruits meet for it, as are possible in so short a time: And for the rest, hum­bly commit themselves to the Mercy of God in Jesus Christ. Let them imitate, as near as they can, the Behaviour of the Penitent Thief, the only Exam­ple the Scriptures have left us of a late Repentance that pro­ved [Page 106]Effectual. He gave the greatest Testimony of his Re­pentance; but we don't find in him any signs of extraordi­nary Comfort, much less of Confidence: But he humbly commended himself to the Mer­cy and Goodness of his Savi­our, saying, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom.’

This may primarily refer to the Case of Criminals, condemn'd to Death by the Civil Magistrate, but is applicable to any Man's sudden Repentance upon a Sick-Bed, after a Wicked Life. It must needs be uncomfortable, be­cause 'tis so exceeding hazardous and doubtful.

Exhortation, under two Heads.

First, Labour to be establish'd in the Belief of these Truths; and to be suitably affected with [Page 107]them, viz. These Important Truths of the two Eternal States. That we may soundly Believe, and se­riously consider them. The In­fluence upon our Affections and Practice will be according to our Faith. Doubtless if we had such a certain view, such a clear Ap­prehension of the great things of the other World, as the Christi­an Faith may give us, it would break the Snare of most Tempta­tions from Earthly things. If we did indeed believe the unspeak­able Glory of Heaven; and the Intolerable Misery of the Wicked in Hell; and the Eternity of both; as we believe, and are per­swaded of the Truth of what we see, and feel, and know by our our Senses. Let us then consider, whether these things are true, or no; and apply them to our selves. Let us not apprehend the Distance to be very great be­tween the present Pleasures of [Page 108]Sin; and the threatned Sufferings of another World; for how short and uncertain a thing is the Life of Man? Let us not think it will be only the miserable Portion of a few; when we have so much rea­son to think, that but very Few will be Eternally saved; in Comparison of the many that will perish. Let us not think in General, that this Misery is only for such, who are greater Sinners than we are. For if Hell were open to our view, we might see such there, as once thought themselves, in as fair a way for Heaven as we: And when they left the World, it was as little thought by their surviving Ac­quaintance, that they were Dam­ned, as it would be supposed of us, if we should now die.

Let us not delude our selves by a Foolish Thought, as if the Judgment-Day was a great way off, and the Sufferings of the Wicked are not to be compleat [Page 109]till after that: For when the Wic­ked die, they are deprived of all they lov'd, for ever separated from the Objects of their Affecti­ons; and awaken'd to review their Sins, and understand their Folly. They Remember the Grace and Glory they have de­spised; the Happiness they wil­fully rejected; and all the Means and Helps they once had to es­cape Damnation. And so their own Conscience must needs ac­cuse, condemn, and reproach, for their Wilfulness, and Obsti­nacy: That they were warned to flee from the Wrath to come, and they were offered Heaven, and Eternal Life: That they were urg'd again and again, not to lose their Season of Mercy, and Day of Grace: That they were entreat­ed in time, to consider the things that belong to their Eternal Peace, &c. And must they not then suffer terrible things in the [Page 110]State of Separation, under the Lash of a Condemning, Immor­tal Mind, without any Hope of escaping the Tribunal of their Judge, or of avoiding, or defer­ring the Execution of his terrible Sentence? How dreadful must it be, to lose the Favour of God for ever, and lie in Torment un­der his Wrath, with the weight of this killing Thought; ‘That this is the Effect of my own Madness; the Fruit of my own Choice; 'tis a Rod of my own making; 'tis Misery of my own procuring: I have undone, and destroy'd my self?’

And some will be able to say further: ‘I was convinc'd of Sin, and resolv'd to turn from it. I had many Struglings of Conscience, and many Brea­things of the Divine Spirit: I did begin to seek after God: I was almost perswaded; there was a time, when I was not [Page 111]far from the Kingdom of God: But I return'd again to Folly, and harden'd my Heart. I had Knowledge, I had Time, I might have had Assistance and Helps, of many sorts: I had repeated Warnings; I was faithfully admonished; and for some time I profess'd Re­pentance; I confess'd Sin; I wept for Sin, I pray'd against it: I went so far as to own my Baptism, and enter into So­lemn Covenant with God; and renew it at his Table: But I lov'd my Sins and Lusts, and quickly broke all these Bonds, and harken'd to my old Com­panions and Acquaintance, and was worse afterward than be­fore.’

Let us think often with our selves, How certain is the Bles­sedness of the Saints? How inevi­table and intolerable the Misery of Sinners, on whom the Wrath [Page 112]of God shall abide? Be not de­ceiv'd with the foolish talk of In­fidels, who are undone for ever, if the Holy Scriptures be the Word of God; I say, for ever, (as hath been prov'd from the Old and New Testament) without Re­lease, or Period. Abraham did not go about to comfort the Rich Man in Hell with any such false Stories; That after he had suf­fer'd a while, he should be Re­leas'd: But tells him, the Gulf was fix'd. This will be the kil­ling Accent of their Sufferings, to have no Hope of End; but after having suffer'd as many Millions of Ages, as there are Sands on the Sea-shore ten thousand times told; yet an Eternity of Suffe­rings is still to come: After ha­ving endured Torment, for as ma­ny Millions of Years and Ages, as there be drops of Water in the Ocean, yet not one Moment nearer the End of their Torments. [Page 113]The Continuance of their Misery shall not be measur'd by Time; but by the Immutability of Di­vine Justice, and the boundless Abyss of Eternity. Rev. ii. 11. Rev. xxi. 8. 'Tis the se­cond Death, (not the turning our Souls and Bodies into nothing,) but such a Death, by which they may be hurt. They that die that Death shall be hurt by it, which could not be, if they were to be Annihilated: A Lake burning with Fire and Brimstone, is the second Death.

A Death without the Power of Dying; and yet with the perpe­tual Desire of it, whose Sting can never be taken out. whose Ter­ror is as Everlasting, as the Joys of Heaven. There's nothing of Life remaining in this Death; but the Sense of Misery, and the Knowledge of that to be Endless. And that this Dark Night shall never be succeeded by the Light of any Morning. They shall e­ver [Page 114]live, to be ever miserable; to feel Torments unto Infinite Ages, to a boundless and never­ending Eternity. They shall wish, and endeavour not to be; and yet subsist, and not die. Always suffer without ever ceasing to live and suffer. Rev. ix. 6. They shall seek Death but not find it; Death shall flee from them. They shall never be able to say, the Bitterness of Death is past: It will be Wrath to come after numberless Ages. These are terrible things to hear of, but how much more to experience. What Heart can endure these Thoughts, without Fear and Trembling? Who for the Plea­sures of Sin for a season, would hazard the enduring this endless Wrath? Better to suffer all the Pains and Miseries we are capable of in this World, for a thousand Years; than the Pains of Hell for one Hour. But to endure them for ever; without Hope of [Page 115]End! this sinks the Soul under Anguish and Despair, that none of our Words or Thoughts can reach.

Oh Eternity! Eternity! Is it true, or can it possibly be false, after so many express Scriptures to assert it? that there will be no Period to the Misery of Sin­ners: That the Fire shall burn to all Eternity: That the Worm of Conscience shall gnaw for ever: The Truth of this would sup­pose it an unspeakable Favour, to be releas'd after a Hundred or a Thousand Years; after a Milli­on, or ten thousand Millions of Years and Ages. To have any Hope of an End 'twould be some support: But this word Never, Never End, will make the Dam­ned Rage, and Roar with An­guish: There is not so much as a Possibility of Deliverance to fast­en their Hope upon. 'Tis Ever­lasting Destruction: The Gulf will [Page 116]be fix'd; the Bridge will be drawn; the Door will be shut; every Anchor of Hope broken: 'Tis for ever; it is to all Eternity. Oh think of it, as not more Ter­rible than Certain!

Oh that I could perswade you, to Believe, and Apply these things to your selves. That under the Profession of Religion, with so much Light and Knowledge, you may not be undone, by Inconsi­deration. For if we would but think a little, what Eternity is; and consider the Difference be­tween Heaven and Hell, it must needs have some Effect. If there were only a Possibility of the Truth of things so vastly Great and Important, (tho' we had no certain Revelation,) it should be enough to deter us from Sin, and awaken us to utmost Diligence to prepare for another World. He is not reckoned a Wise Man for the World, who lays up no­thing [Page 117]against Old Age when it is in his Power, tho' it's possible he may not live to be Old: But ha­ving such Assurance of Eternal Life; and the Blessedness of the one State, and the Misery of the other, being so unspeakably great; how should our Minds and Hearts be intent upon what relates to that World, more than upon the Affairs of this? Oh beg of God to strengthen your Faith, and fix the Consideration of these things on your Minds and Hearts. One would wonder that Men can sleep, and wake, lie down, and rise, and go from Week to Week about the Affairs of their Calling, and the Business of the World, as if there were no Truth in any thing of all this; or no Danger of their losing Heaven, and fal­ling under the Sentence of Con­demnation! What can we say to it, that professing to believe a Heaven and Hell, we yet live as [Page 118]if we were certain there was nei­ther? We walk with the same Security, Peace, and Joy, in the way to Hell, as if we were per­swaded that all that is said of it were only a Romantick Story. We lose the Kingdom of God with as much Indifference, as if we believ'd nothing of it. Me­thinks the very Name of Eterni­ty, with Men of any Faith, or Reason, should blast all the Beauty and Glory of this World; and weaken the Force of the most Powerful Temptations. Methinks one Thought of Eternity should awaken, quicken, and make us serious, when we are most cold, dull, or sleepy. To be for ever, ever, ever with the Lord in Glo­ry, or under his most heavy Wrath: What Words are these! what Things? what Thoughts are these! Shall I not reflect, and enquire, which of the two is like to be my Portion? What if I [Page 119]should die suddenly, in the State I am now in, will my Immortal Soul be lost or sav'd? Am I a Stranger to Faith and Regenera­tion, unreconcil'd to God, in a state of Damning Ignorance and Unbelief? or what Evidence can I give of Repentance towards God, and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ?

If the Blessedness of Heaven will not draw me, let me sometimes try the Thoughts of Hell to awaken my drowsie Sowl: Let me not fear to make use of that Motive, to work upon my Fear; Heb. xii. 29. even our God is a Consuming Fire. Some weak and deceiv'd People sup­pose it legal, and below the Spi­rituality of a Christian, to preach, or think much of the Damnation of Hell: But they consider not, that the Punishment of Sinners in onother World, is oftner threa­ten'd, and more largely describ'd in the New Testament, than in [Page 120]the Old. Our Saviour has said more, of an Everlasting Hell, than all the Prophets: And therefore to dislike, or condemn this Help, to work upon our Fears; is in ef­fect to make themselves wiser than GOD, more Evangelical than Jesus Christ; and more Spi­ritual than St. Paul and the rest of the Apostles.

But the most are loth to apply such Thoughts for another Rea­son, for fear of the Sentence their own Conscience will pass upon them now, rather than of the Condemnation that God will in­flict hereafter. Such Truths, if admitted to be certain, and ap­ply'd to a Man's particular Case, who lives in Sin, would disturb his Peace, and damp his Plea­sures; would chill, and cool his Carnal Mirth; would check his pursuit after fleshly Lusts, and turn his foolish Jollity into Me­lancholy Darkness. He can't [Page 121]think of such things, without a sad misgiving Heart. Even they that seem to despise, and deny all this, yet owe all their Peace to their not thinking of it. For not­withstanding all their false Cou­rage in Company, they tremble when alone. If they dare think of Death, and another World in the Darkness of the Night; they find by their own Thoughts, that the Candle of the Lord within them is not extinguished.

Secondly, Let us follow the Counsel of Moses and the Pro­phets, of Christ and his Apostles; I mean, let us hearken to the Word of God in the Holy Scrip­tures, if we would not come into this place of Torment, but have our Portion in Abraham's Bosom. This I gather from the Close of this Parable. The Believing Consi­deration of the two Eternal States would engage us to this. It is im­ply'd [Page 122]methinks in the Desire of the Rich Man in Torment, to prevent his Brethren's falling in­to the like Ruin; (by his sending one into the other World to con­vince them,) that the not belie­ving or considering a future State was that which was like to undoe them. They did not live accor­ding to the Word of God, be­cause they did not believe or consider the other World. He thought there was so much strength in this Argument of Hea­ven and Hell, to bring Men to Repentance; that he did not que­stion, but it would prevail on his Wicked Brethren: If one went from the Dead, and told them what he suffered; and what would be their sad Condition hereafter, if they did not now prevent it. Doubtless he thought as to himself, that if he had been permitted to live again, he should have been another Man, and [Page 123]liv'd another sort of Life; and so concluded, that they would also, if they did but believe the two Eternal States; and that if one came from the Dead, they would believe it.

We have commonly the same kind of Thoughts, that such ex­traordinary means would prove effectual: But Abaham's final An­swer to the Rich Man's Request, tells us our mistake; that if we be­lieve not Moses and the Prophets, neither should we be perswaded, tho' one came from the Dead. The Ordinary means, by the Word are sufficient for our Conviction; and they that will not by them be perswaded, do unreasonably, and in vain desire Extraordinary. I say unreasonably, for it would destroy the End and Efficacy of Miracles, by the two great fre­quency of them; and make God's Almighty Power to become Cheap, if at every turn, it were [Page 124]to be thus employ'd, for the sa­tisfaction of every man's Doubts and Scruples. There is almost the same Reason, why Miracles should not be so common; as there is, why there should be A­ny at all. And it may be we de­ceive our selves in thinking we should be certainly perswaded, by such a Miracle. If One might come from Heaven with the Light and Glory of the Lord shining in his Face, and speak of the Plea­sures, Honours, and Felicity of the Saints above: We think that then we should believe what is said of Heaven. Or if One of those miserable Creatures that are past Hope, should appear in some frightful Shape, Roaring and Yelling under the Wrath of God, with despairing Cries and Scree­ches, and should tell us with his Flaming Tongue and Breath; what is the sad Portion of those that know not God, and obey [Page 125]not the Gospel; we conclude, we should then no longer doubt of Hell, or continue to live as if we disbeliev'd it. But we are here told, that the Testimony of God in the Holy Scriptures is à more certain Evidence than that can be. If such a One should come from the Dead, what could he tell us of Heaven and Hell, more than has been told us already by Moses and the Prophets, by Christ and his Apostles? Can there be greater Arguments made use of to bring Men to Repentance, than are in the Holy Scriptures? Can we hear of a better Heaven, or a hotter Hell than is described in the Word of God? Or may we hope for the Concurrence of God's Grace with that, rather than with his Word? Such an Apparition may affect our Senses, and strike our Minds a little for the present; but would not turn the Will, nor change the Heart, [Page 126]nor reform the Life. We see that by the Case of Pharaoh, who had several Miraculous Plagues, one would think enough to convince him, but he harden'd his Heart still. We see it in the History of the Jews, who notwithstanding the sight of continu'd Miracles for for­ty Years, they are complain'd of as a Stiffneck'd, Ps. lxxviii. 22, 23, 24. & Rebellious People. Yea our Lord himself rose from the Dead, and his Resurrection was confirm'd by Five Hundred Witnesses, and yet how few Be­liev'd it? We cannot have such Certainty of a particular Appari­tion, as of the Resurrection of Christ. And you'd find it hard to distinguish a true Miracle in that case from a Counterfeit. How many in the Church of Rome are deceived by Stories from the Dead? If you had your Desire granted in this, would you not be tempted to take it for a Spectre, a Phantom, a waking [Page 127]Dream, a melancholy Mormo? But if you should believe it, and it should affright you for a little while, yet 'tis very probable that the Impression would by degrees wear off. As we find by the Re­covery of Persons from the Brink of the Grave, who apprehended themselves in the very terrour of Death, and the Pains of Hell did almost compass them about, they were then full of Sorrow for Sin, made many Resolutions against it; but we find upon restored Health, it quickly comes to no­thing, they relapse into their old Sins, and are not perswaded, even by their own Convictions.

If Lazarus had been sent to the Rich Man's Brethren, was it likely they would have Believed him? Might they not have plausibly rejected the Message, and suppos'd it to be a Cheat? How could they imagin that A­braham would take such a one in­to [Page 128]his Bosom, as poor Lazarus; or employ him on such an Er­rand? 'Twould have been a Disgrace to their Family, to Be­lieve such a Report of their Bro­ther's Damnation; especially when brought by such a Messen­ger. It may be they would no more have hearken'd to Lazarus, now testifying from the other World, than heretofore when begging at their Brother's Door. The Lusts and Vices of Men would very likely hinder the Suc­cess of such a Miracle as this, and find ways and shifts to evade the Force of it, as well as resist the Evidence and Force of what is laid down in the Scriptures.

What is said here in the Para­ble, to be denied to One Lazarus, was granted as to Another; that is, our Lord did raise one of that Name from the Dead, after he had been Dead four Days, and yet some of them who knew him [Page 129]before, and when he was Dead, and Risen again, and convers'd with him afterwards, yet were not convinced by that Miracle of Christ, to Believe on him: for we read, Joh. xi. 53. That from that very Day of raising Lazarus, The High Priests and Rulers took Counsel to­gether, how they might put him to Death. And we read of One, blind and dumb, and possessed of a Devil, who was healed by Christ, Matth. XII. 22. (where were three Miracles in one,) and yet it did not convince, for we read, ver. 38. Certain of the Scribes and Pharisees say unto him, Ma­ster we would see a Sign. And af­ter our Lord had miraculously fed Five Thousand Persons, with Five Loaves and Two Fishes, Joh. VI. some of those very Men who had seen the Miracle, and eaten of it, and were so far convin­ced for the present, as to say to one another, This is of a Truth the [Page 130]Prophet, that should come into the World. Yet the next Day, or within a Day or two, when he told them, they followed him for the Loaves, They say unto him, What Sign shewest thou, that we may See, and Believe; as if he had never wrought a Miracle be­fore. Yea the Disciples of Christ himself, who were Witnesses of so many Miracles, were not so far perswaded by them, as not to forsake him, nay not to deny him.

To Conclude, We are not to expect any such Extraordinary Method for our Conviction, while the standing Revelation of the Will of God in the Scriptures is sufficient; and the Doctrin there taught hath been abundantly con­firm'd by Miracles. And if one should rise from the Dead, and appear to us, 'tis probable enough it would not perswade us to Re­pent, if the Word of God will not perswade us. But no other [Page 131]Sign, our Lord says, shall be given, but that of Jonas the Prophet. That is, what's signified by it, the Resurrection of Christ. And that hath been Confirm'd by numerous and undeniable Miracles, by all manner of Evidence and Proof, that such a matter of Fact is capa­ble of. Which will leave us without Excuse, if we Believe not his Doctrine; the Truth of which is sealed by his Rising from the Dead. We should therefore study the Holy Scriptures, and the Rational Grounds of our Belie­ving Christ to be the Son of God; and consequently that All that he hath told us of the Other World, will most infallibly come to pass. His Resurrection con­firms the Truth of all. And we are not to expect Any more to Rise from the Dead, till We our Selves do, unto our Last Judge­ment. The Book is seal'd, as the Gulf too is fixt: And they that [Page 132]hear not Moses and the Prophets, Christ and the Apostles, are not like to be perswaded at all. But if the Gospel continues to be hid, 2 Cor. iv. 3.it is hid to them who are Lost.

AS to our Deceas'd Friend, Mr. Shatterden Thomas, whose Repentance and Death oc­casion'd this Discourse, and at whose Desire I preach'd, and pub­lish it; what I shall say concern­ing him from my Self, shall be more in the General, because se­veral Particulars, I apprehend will be mention'd with more Advan­tage, from the Account given of him by a very Worthy and fit Person, who frequently visited him in his last Sickness; whose Acquaintance with him, Love to the Memory of his good Mother, Respect for his Family and Rela­tions, and tender Compassion to his Case, made her willing to [Page 133]discourse him, and give that se­rious Counsel and Advice, which oftentimes is better and more ef­fectually receiv'd from such a Friend, than from a Minister. And his just Regard for her Qua­lity and Character, made him likely to be Impressed by what she said to him. I hope it may have the like good effect upon Others, to recite a part of what she had wrote down, tho' at first only for her own Satisfaction, and the good of her Children.

I am glad I have leave to sub­joyn that Paper, because not on­ly many of the same things I mention'd to him, are there re­peated, and enlarg'd with his more distinct and particular An­swers: But several will more can­didly receive, and regard the Re­lation of such Passages, from the Mouth of a dying Penitent, when confirm'd by such a Testimony, than they would from my single [Page 134]Report. I know the Scepticism of many of our Age is such, as to reckon that a Minister speaking on such a Subject, doth it but in Form, according to his Profession; and that it is an Art to carry on, what they call, his Trade. But all such Cavils, Prejudices, and Objections will be hereby prevented, when I give you the Relation of what pass'd, between him and that Pious La­dy, as plainly and faithfully set down by her own Pen, and in her own Words, without alte­ring any of the Phrases; which as they need not to be alter'd, so to attempt it, would be to weaken the Spirit, and Beauty, and the Pungency of the Discourse of a Serious Christian, with a Dying Friend.

But before the Recital of that Paper, I have Some things to im­part which I observ'd my self, and Some which he desired me [Page 135]to mention. And if I should here use the greatest Freedom, as to Particulars, I had not only Leave, but Order, (as several can witness,) not only Liberty and Allowance, but a Charge, often repeated to me, by our Deceased Friend, Not to spare him, Not to spare him; in Hope, that tho' he had not honour'd God by his Life, He might by his Sickness, and Death.

His Repentance appear'd to be so unfeigned and sincere, that he matter'd not if his own Name did suffer, so he might but Ho­nour God, and Vindicate Religi­on, by any thing I could say of him, that had a Tendency to pro­fit the Living. But I shall not need, for that end, to mention any more of his Faults than is requisite to illustrate his Repen­tance, and render me Faithful in the Charge I receiv'd. I shall touch that part with more Soft­ness [Page 136]than he desir'd, or than I am sure he himself did, in ex­pressing his Detestation of his past Life. I have too much Com­passion for his surviving Ac­quaintance, (who may profit by the Example of his Repentance, and I heartily beg they may,) than to say any thing that may obstruct it, by Shocking and Pro­voking them. The very Parable whereof the Text is a part, for­bids me to act otherwise: for our Saviour conceals the Name of the Rich Man, whose Character is represented with such Severity: And Abraham calls him Son, tho' a lost and undone Wretch, whom he could not help, either to re­lease from his Torments, or procure the least mitigation of them.

I hope they who knew Him, especially who were often in his Company, will remember the profess'd Change of his Senti­ments, [Page 137]and the serious Counsel he gave to Several of them. God grant they may make such just Reflections, Application, and Improvement of what he said, as he desir'd. And a Dying Man's Advice may by some be more minded, than any thing they hear from the Pulpit. He gave that Reason why he would have me print, because some of his Companions, who would not hear what I should Preach, he hop'd, would read what was Prin­ted of his Repentance; and take Warning. He chose to take that way to speak to them All; but discovered a very particular Con­cern for Some of them, who he thought might have been the worse for his Company.

After many Advantages, by his Parentage and Education, for the Knowledge and Practice of Seri­ous Religion, (which were not improv'd to the best Purposes) [Page 138]He was for some time sunk so far into a Careless Neglect of it, as made him more easily be over­come by these Temptations, to which Persons of his Age and Circumstances are commonly ex­pos'd. But God was Merciful, not to cut him off in that unhap­py State, and at last to favour him with a lingering Sickness of several Months, which gave him Time, and a Call to Repent. And during all that Space, wherein he gradually declin'd and con­sum'd, he had his Mind clear, and his Thoughts free, with little or no Bodily Pain, to discompose him: So that the Change of his Opinion and Judgment of things, and what he said in the Professi­on of his Repentance, was not the effect of Vapours, or a dis­order'd Head. But he had Death and the Grave so long in view be­fore him, as gave him a favou­rable Opportunity, as well as [Page 139]Warning to prepare for the Other World; which, tho' he never disbeliev'd, yet he had liv'd too much without any serious Consi­deration and Concern about it.

He was very well pleas'd, and very thankful to God, that seven or eight Weeks before he dy'd, his Physicians advised him to change the Air, and come from Highgate to London: This he pre­sently comply'd with, having his Mind more awakened than for­merly, to prepare for his great Change, and glad to be assisted in so important a Work; for which he hoped he might here have more Advantage and Help. I had wrote to him with Faith­fulness, and Affection some Days before this, which I found was well receiv'd; and he heartily thank'd me for it, upon his com­ing to Town; tho' he had not Strength, he told me, to read much of the Book I recommend­ed, [Page 140]as suitable to his Case. How­ever he acknowledged, that it was owing to that Letter, that he came to die at London: And before that, it had put him upon Secret Pray­er, which before he had too much neglected. And it made way for his using me with less Reserve, than any other Relation, and to speak his Mind to me with more Freedom, than to any other Mi­nister who attended him.

Before he came to London, and was brought so very low, apt Endeavours had been used to fasten upon him some more sense of his Danger, and more serious Thoughts of another World, than he seem'd to discover. But till God by his Grace was pleas'd to awaken him, and soften his Heart, they seem'd to have little effect. The Necessity of that Grace he often acknowledg'd, in his last Sickness. When I told him that our Lord Jesus Christ [Page 141]was exalted as a Prince and Savi­our, to give Repentance as well as Remission of Sins, and that he must seek to him for Grace to Re­pent, as well as for Pardon: He said, he knew very well that a good Education alone would not doe; nor Sickness, without the Effectual Grace of God, to change the Heart of an habitual Sinner, who was accustomed to doe Evil: And that this Grace was not ordi­narily to be expected at last, by those who neglected God in their Health, and did not seek after him, till they came to dye. I encourag'd him to hope for Mer­cy; and told him, We are saved by Hope, and without it, we must perish. I discoursed to him of the Riches, Freeness, and Sove­raignty of God's Grace, and the General Call and Invitation of the Gospel. I minded him of the In­stance of the Penitent Malefactor, who was Crucify'd with Christ, [Page 142]and his Effectual Prayer at last. Lord, Remember me when thou co­mest into thy Kingdom, &c. He did not yield to the Temptation to Despair, though he had a just, and great Remorse for his past Offences against God; for his Neglect and Contempt of him, and for Sins of Omission, aggravated by his Education, and Knowledge of the Principles of Christian Re­ligion, whereof he had a great share. And which is the more to be pity'd, he had withall con­siderable Natural Parts; so that if he had apply'd himself to Bu­siness, and Diligently endeavour'd to Cultivate and Improve his Mind, he might have liv'd to have been very Serviceable in the World. This he himself reflect­ed on, and mentiond with Sor­row.

When I told him I was the more encouraged to assist him and pray for him in his last Sick­ness, [Page 143]because of his Parentage and Family, as descending from good Parents, who had devoted him to God, and often pray'd for him, &c. He answer'd, that in some Respects it was an Encou­ragement; but, saith he, it is the aggravation of my Folly and Sin, that after such Advantages, I have liv'd no better.

Under such Apprehensions of himself, and his nearness to ano­ther World, you'll easily believe that he spent much of his Time in Prayer. His Heart was lifted up to God continually Day and Night, when others thought he was Asleep, and sometimes when they thought he was talking to himself.

He discover'd a great Value for the Holy Bible, and Recommend­ed the Reading and Studying of it, above any other Books of Reli­gion; which are all, but to help us to understand, and improve [Page 144] that, and to imprint upon our Minds and Hearts, the Truths con­tain'd in the Holy Scriptures. He frequently lamented the Case of such, as were Ignorant of the Principles of the Christian Reli­gion, saying, what can be done for them, upon a Sick Bed, when there is no Foundation of Scrip­tural Knowledge? ‘A good Education in the Knowledge of the Principles of Christianity, he said, might be of Use, one time or other. It will help to preserve us from some Sins, (as I know by Experience) and we cannot so easily, or so soon fall into others, and may very much assist our Repen­tance afterward. And though the Advantage of it do not pre­sently appear, it may be of use, even in the last Scene of a Man's Life.’ As was very Evident in his own Case.

He spake often of the Happi­ness of a Good Man's Condition, who lives a Regular, and Un­blameable Life, and hath Hope in God, through Jesus Christ, for another World; and the vast Difference between the Case of such, and of those who live in Sin, and have no well-grounded Peace; especially after a good Education, and against Know­ledge. These, saith he, have commonly a very uneasy time of it, by reason of the Checks and Challenges of their own Consci­ence. He sadly owned, that of late Months, he had had many Uneasy and Restless Nights; for he had often gone against his Con­science to divert it. And thought the Disturbance of his Mind had been a great hindrance of his Re­covery. He profest that he had more Peace and Comfort now, in his Repentance and seeking after God, and could sleep better, [Page 146](tho' he was not certain what God would do with him,) than for six Months past: He loathed his past Life, saying, He would rather die than live so again: And was the less desirous to live, lest he should again fall by Tem­ptation, tho' as far as he knew his own Heart, he should detest and abhor to do so; for he had now, other Thoughts of the Ho­ly Scriptures, of the Lord's-Day, of Sin, and of the World, of Mi­nisters, of Preaching, &c. than formerly.

God had mercifully kept him from some sorts of Youthful Lusts, by which many others have been defiled, insnared, and un­done. He could not be charged with Lewdness and Debauchery, as to Women; altho' by Bodily Temper and Constitution, he was less inclin'd to that Sin, yet Intem­perate Drinking, he said, doth so commonly introduce, and make [Page 147]way for Uncleanness; (These Sins are so seldom separated,) that it was not owing to himself, but to the Providence, and Re­straining Grace of God. He did not therefore go about to excuse himself, but acknowledged his own Vileness. ‘Tho' some, he said, will be ready to lessen my Faults, and say of me, that I have not liv'd so ill as many Others: I have not been guil­ty of such notorious Crimes, as several Young Men; Only Drinking: But this is one of the greatest Sins, because it leads to all Other; and many Others are involv'd in it. I have neglected God, and liv'd as without him in the World, and tho' I did not Swear, Curse, and Blaspheme, yet I did not Worship, and Obey God.’

As to Excess in Drinking, He said, 'twas Idleness and Company led him to it; adding, that the [Page 148]want of an Employment lays a Man open to all Temptations. His good Temper and Disposition, made him less able to resist that of Company. He directed me thereup­on, to warn Others against it, in his Funeral Sermon. Particularly a­gainst that Cursed Practice (I use his own words) That Cursed Practice, of going to a Tavern on the Lord's Day, and order'd me to recommend the strict Observation of the CHRISTIAN SABBATH, the Neglect, or Profanation whereof, makes way for all o­ther Wickedness; and provokes God to leave Men to the Power of Temptation. Let Men pre­tend what they will, he said, if they have no regard to the Sab­bath, I am sure their Religion is vain.

This I hope will be remem­bred, is none of the Peculiar Te­nents of Protestant Dissenters, but the receiv'd Doctrine of the Na­tional [Page 149]Church: ^* That all good Christian People should rest from their common Daily Business, upon the LORD's DAY, or Christian Sabbath, and use it holily, and also give them­selves wholly to the Heavenly Ex­ercises of God's Holy Religion and Service. You will not wonder, if the Socinians who deny the Eternal Punishment of the ^† Wic­ked, do deny the Religious Ob­servation of a Seventh Day, to be of Divine Right, and Obligato­ry under the Gospel. But with­out raising any Difficulties about the Morality of the Fourth Com­mandment, I beseech you, do but spend that Day, as believing you owe God as much Service as the Jews, or as the Ancient Christi­ans, who employ'd the whole of it in Publick and Private Devoti­on; [Page 150]as knowing what the Com­mon Principles of Christianity and Reason oblige you to, if you believe another, an Everlasting World; and that this is all the Time you have to prepare for it; and that you have lost a great deal; and that One Day in Seven is but a small Proportion of Time. Employ that Day, as taking more Pleasure in the Service of God, than in Earthly Business, account­ing it the most honourable and delightful Work to be so em­ploy'd; and that accordingly you may expect the Divine Blessing all the Week after, and you will surely find it.

And here I cannot but take Oc­casion to justify, and praise the Attempts of the Worthy Societies for Reformation of Manners, in and about this City, one part of whose Business is, to suppress and punish such a Liberty in Publick Houses upon the Lord's Day, as [Page 151]is contrary to the Commandment of God, and the Law of the Land; and tends to ruin the Souls of Men. I can easily believe, what I am told, That they find more Difficulty and Opposition in this part of their Work, than in any other, especially in the Out­parts of the City: But the Word of God, and the Testimony of Men's Consciences, when awa­ken'd to a Sence of Sin, is on their side, and should encourage them to proceed.

I am far from reflecting upon All his Acquaintance, as if none of those who were frequently in his Company, but were notori­ous Drunkards, and Prophaners of the Sabbath: I know divers of them, of a very different Cha­racter. None but the Guilty can apprehend themselves concern'd, in any thing he said; or I say of him: I shall be heartily glad, if there be very Few, who have rea­son [Page 152]to accuse Themselves, and that they may All profit by his Example, and Counsel.

It would not be difficult, to en­large on the many Evils that at­tend Drunkenness, and the many Sins it leads to, as disposing to the violation of almost all the Commandments of God. I beg you would consider the sad Ef­fects of that Vice even in this World. How it makes Men de­spis'd by their Inferiours: How it impoverisheth Families: How it occasions Quarrels: How it wea­kens and destroys the best Consti­tution of Health, and is often followed with manifold Diseases: How it debases the Humane Na­ture; overturns our Reason, and so far destroys the Natural Image of God, upon the Soul; which is a greater Affront to the Maje­sty of Heaven, (as one well says,) than if a Subject should deface the King's Arms, or Image, and [Page 153]set up the Image of a Swine, or Dog in its room. How it runs Men into Extravagancies, for which they beg Pardon the next Day; and are forgiven, with the like Shame and Contempt, as we pardon Fools, and Madmen. How it betrays the Secrets of our Heart, which Duty and Interest obliges to conceal; and those of our dearest Friends, which it may be, we have vow'd never to disco­ver. I beg you to consider, how it unfits for all holy Thoughts, Words, and Actions; and is di­rectly contrary to the being filled with the Holy Spirit: How it be­sots the Mind, and hardens the Heart, so as to render a Man weak, and unable to make good his Resolutions; for though af­ter a Debauch, he resolves the next Morning, never more to com­mit the like Folly, 'tis ten to one but he yields at the Summons of the next Temptation. And fur­ther [Page 154]let it be considered, that by a Man's opposing his Light, and breaking his Vows and Resoluti­ons, by repeated Instances of Guilt in this sort, his Conscience must needs be uneasie and clamo­rous. And hereupon he is easily perswaded to stupify himself with Wine, that he may be armed a­gainst the Apprehensions of his own Mind: and returns to hard Drinking, as needful for his Cure and Relief; to defend himself a­gainst his own Accusing Thoughts, and try to forget his ill Conditi­on: 'Till at last an Habitual Sot­tishness saves him the Labour of a daily Conflict and Skirmish with his Conscience. Which is the deplorable Case of many who have harden'd themselves, by Custom and Continuance in Sin, so as to be past Feeling, and un­likely ever to be brought to Re­pentance. And yet the Scripture is most express, as to the other [Page 155]World, that Men of this Charac­ter, without Repentance; shall never inherit the Kingdom of God. 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. Gal. v. 21. Matt. xxiv. 49, 51.

I am charg'd by the Deceased to speak at this Rate, in hope of calling Some to Repentance for their past Sins, and of warning Others against Temptation. I hope it will be consider'd as the Faithfull Admonition of a Dying Penitent. But I have promis'd you a further Account of his Last Sickness from Another Hand, which is as follows.