The great law of consideration: or a discourse, wherein the nature, usefulness, and absolute necessity of consideration, in order to a truly serious and religious life, is laid open: By Anthony Horneck, preacher at the Savoy.

CHAP. VII. A pathetical Exhortation to men, who are yet strangers to a serious, religious life, to con∣sider their ways; wilfulness of their neglect, how dangerous it is; How inexcusa∣ble they are, how inhumane to God, and their own Souls; How reasonable God's requests are, and how justly God may turn that power of consideration, he hath gi∣ven them, into blindness, and hardness of heart, since they make so ill a use of it, &c. (Book 7)

ANd now Reader, whoever thou art, that doest yet wallow, or allow thy self in any known sin, and art not sincerely re∣solved to close with the terms of Christs Eternal Gospel, let me adjure thee, by the mer∣cies of God, not to reject, or superciliously

to despise, what here we have propos'd. As thou art a man, and owest civility to all creatures, that have the signature of man upon them, be but so kind and civil to this Discourse, as to allow it some serious thoughts. Either thou hast a rational Soul, or thou hast not; if thou hast, let me en∣treat thee, by the Bowels of Jesus, to con∣sider, whether this present world be all the Sphere that God intended it should move in; If it be not, and if how to secure the hap∣piness of the world to come, be the chief thing, this thy Soul is designed for, why wilt thou frustrate God in his expectation? why wilt thou goe contrary to all creatures, and not prosecute the end, for which thy Soul was made, and shed into thy Body. That there is such a thing as a life to come, and an Eternity of joy and torment; the one promised to a strict and Heavenly con∣versation, the other threaten'd, to a loose and careless, or sensual life, cannot be call'd into question by him, that shall impartially reflect upon the premisses: it's certain, the things which concern that other life, are not discover'd by our sences, and therefore thou canst not hope to be affected with them that way. It's thy reason only that can, and must apprehend that future state, and so apprehend it as to work upon thy af∣fections:

But which way is it possible thy reason should so apprehend it, as to fright thee from thy evil courses, except it be im∣prov'd by consideration? Sinner, I do here, in the presence of God, conjure thee by all that's Good, and Holy, by the interest, and welfare of thine own Soul, by all the Laws of self-interest, by the Revelations of the Son of God, by all that God ever did for Mankind, by that love which transcends the understandings of Men and Angels, by the groans of those miserable Souls, which are now in Hell, by all the joys of Paradice, by the testimony of thine own conscience, by all the motions of God's Spirit in thy Heart, by all the mercies thou dost receive from Heaven, by that allegiance thou owest to God, by that Faithfulness, thou owest to thine own Soul; I do most seriously con∣jure thee to tell me, whether thou art not able to consider the evil of thy courses, the beauty of Gods ways, and the sad con∣sequences of sensuality; thou deniest thy own Being, deniest Gods Favour to thy Soul, deniest the Glory of thy Creation, de∣niest the most visible, and the most apparent thing in the world, if thou deniest thy abi∣lity in this point, and if thou art able to consider so much, what injustice can it be in God, to demand an account of this con∣sideration?

wherein doth he do thee an injury, if he doth ask what thou hast done with this power? wert thou in Gods stead, wouldst not thou require the same account of thy servant, on whom thou hadst bestow'd such a Talent? if thou art able, and wilt not take thy faithfulness into serious con∣sideration, can there be any thing more just in the world, than thy damnation? how ea∣sy were it for thee to lay home the danger thou art in, and seeing it is so easy, how just is it with God to let thee perish in that dan∣ger thou art resolv'd, in despight of all Gods endeavours to the contrary, to fall and sink into? O Christian, how dreadful will it be for thee, when Christ shall depart from thee, with this doleful exclamation; How often would I have gathered thee, as a Hen doth ga∣ther her Chickens under her wings, and thou wouldst not? wouldst not? This is it, that makes thy everlasting torments just. O Sin∣ner, that God should invite thee to Hea∣ven, and thou put him off with this answer, I will not! that God should carress thee to become his Darling, and thou voluntarily, and freely, list thy self in the Catalogue of the Devils favourites and votaries! that God should leave no means untried, to melt thy stuborn heart, and thou desperately fight a∣gainst his Heaven! and when he would thrust

thee into it, violently to break loose from him, and lay force upon damnation! How inexcusable will this make thee? What Man, what Angel, can, or dares plead for thee. af∣ter such horrid wilfulness? by it thou shutst up all mens compassion against thee; were thy error an infirmity, or had invincible ignorance caused thy folly, some or other possibly might be moved to speak in favour of thy concerns, but that thou knowing the will of God, and having power to think, what the end of thy courses will be, and power to avoid the danger, and power to pray for help, a gracious God to encou∣rage thee, a glorious reward to entice thee, Eternity to fright thee, the everlasting gulph to startle thee, shouldst in despight of all these motives, wilfully and maliciously shun thine own cure! this is a malady, which no crea∣ture can justly shed a Tear, or frame an apo∣logy for. Be astonish'd, O ye Heavens, and tremble O thou Earth! ye Angels that re∣joyce at a sinners conversion here on Earth; O all ye that pass by, behold and see, whe∣ther there be a sorrow, as such a sinners sor∣row is? We have read of men that have eaten their enemies, of Monsters that have devour'd their own Children, but here is one devours himself; inhumane to a pro∣digy! one that contrives how to shut himself

out of Heaven, plots how to undermine his everlasting Salvation, and studies how to sink into the dungeon of desperation.

Sirs, what is it, that we are exhorting you unto? is it to dig down Mountains? is it to exhaust the Sea? is it to pull down the Sun from his Orb? is it to reverse the course of Nature? is it to work miracles? is it to un∣hinge the Earth, or to stop the flux and re∣flux of the Ocean? one would think by the earnestness, and vehemency of expressions we are forced to use, that it must be something beyond the power of man: but no, all that we keep this stir for, is only, that you would consent to be happy, contrive how to in∣herit an incorruptible Crown, and think se∣riously how to escape your own torment; and needs there any intreaty for this? one would think you should run to us, break down the doors of our Habitations, pull us out of our studies, interrupt us, though we were never so busy, and importune us, as that Widdow did the Judge, and follow us day and night to be satisfied; the thing is of that importance; And O, did you but believe an Eternity, you would do so. Be∣lieve? why what should hinder you from believing it? what arguments can you de∣sire that you have not? can there be any thing surer than the word of God? can

there be a greater witness, than the Son of God? God cannot deceive you, he cannot impose upon you, he cannot delude you, dare to believe him: though you have not look'd into Hell, yet certainly there's one, though you have not seen the joys above, yet such joys there are, and to consider, to study, to ponder how to arrive to them is the great thing we press upon you, as be∣ing sensible of your danger, sensible that death will arrest you, before you are aware of it, sensible that many thou∣sands are for ever miserable for neglect∣ing such exhortations. O Sirs, we do not envy your worldly happiness, we dare assure you, that it is not any grugde, we have against your prosperity, that makes us put you in mind of these unwelcome Lessons; we have a God calling upon us, to stop you in your earnestness for the world, woe to us, if we give you no warning! woe to you if you take no warning! If making provisi∣on for the Flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof, would make you happy, if rioting and drunk∣enness, chambering and wantonness, and roul∣ing in all the pleasures, that your flesh does promise, and your fancy pay, could con∣tribute any thing to your felicity if sola∣cing your selves in the wanton streams of sensual delights, would lead you into Pa∣radise

we promise you, we would not mo∣lest or disturb you in your ways; nay if you had not Souls to be saved, did your Spirits dye with your Bodies, we would not stint you in your jollities; But oh, can we read how the wrath of God is revealed from Hea∣ven against all ungodliness, and unrighte∣ousness of Men, and see you fall a prey to that indignation? Can we read how tribula∣tion and anguish shall certainly fall upon every Soul that doth evil, and not speak to you to prevent it? Can we read, how the Lord Jesus will e'r long, come from Hea∣ven in flames of Fire, to take vengeance of those who have continued to disobey his Gospel, and to punish them with everlast∣ing destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his power, and not call to you, Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand? Can we read how the unprofitable Servant, that made no use of his Talent, but buried it under ground, and would not watch, or make himself ready to meet his Master, shall be thrown into outward darkness, where there is howling and gnashing of Teeth, and not beg of you to trim your Lamps, and arise from the dead, that Christ may give you Light? Can we remember how many millions lye now roar∣ing under the fears and terrors of their own

Consciences in another world, that would not be perswaded to part with their Dar∣ling, bosome sins; till death tore them away from them, and not testify unto you, least you also come into that place of torment? Can we see you stand upon the brink of de∣struction, and be so cruel, as not to acquaint you with the bottomless gulph thats under∣neath? Would you have us to be as tyran∣nical to you, as you are to your own Souls? Or would you have us leap into everlasting burnings with you, for not reclaiming you from venturing into that fire?

Sirs, what is it that doth discourage you from a sincere consideratiori of your Spiritu∣al condition? What are you afraid of? Why doe you loiter? Why doe you deliberate whether ye shall or no? Why doe ye dis∣pute the case? Why doe ye stand musing? What hinders you? Is there any impediment that you may not remove, if you will? Had you been but a quarter of an hour in Hell, would not you call all those men sots, and fools, that now excuse their wilful neglect of this work? Would not you see the va∣nity of their pretences? Would not you confess, that all those pretended cloggs are meer cobwebs, which may be broke through with the greatest ease? Would you be frighted from this duty by any tem∣poral

losses, as now you are? Are you afraid men will laugh at you for being serious? Had not you better be laugh'd at here, than be scorn'd by God, and his Holy Angels to all Eternity? Had not you better be jeered here, than have the great King of Heaven laugh at your endless calamity, and mock when your everlasting fears do come upon you? If a fool laughs at you, do you re∣gard it? and why should you regard such mens scorn any more, than the laughter of fools? Alas! they are distempered in their brains, they see not the things which belong to their peace, they know not what Reli∣gion means! Will any man give over the study of Divinity, or Law, or Physick, be∣cause the ignorant Peasant sneers at him? Will a Tradesman leave his Calling, be∣cause such a man makes Songs and Ballads upon't? if you are perswaded that Conside∣ration, and looking after your Spiritual con∣cerns, is the way to real happiness, Will you be miserable, because another man would not have you to be happy? Will that man who laughs at you for despising the world, save you harmless at the day of Judgement? Will he bail you out, when Gods thunder shall break out upon all dis∣obedient sinners? Will he undertake for you, when God will be abused and mocked

no longer, and the day of his wrath doth come? Will he be your Advocate, when you shall have your Consciences pleading against you? Alas, poor forlorn wretches! he will not be able to answer for himself, how then should he plead your cause? and if he can do you no service, cannot secure you against the anger of the Almighty, why will you be perswaded by the anger or displeasure of a man, though never so great and powerful, to omit that, on which your Eternal welfare doth depend?

Sinner, as light as thou makest now of this serious reflexion on thy Spiritual con∣cerns, thou must consider them one time or other, if thou wilt not here, God will force thee to do it in Hell, whether thou wilt or no: here consideration may do good, but there it will but aggravate thy torments; here it may snatch thee like a brand out of the fire, there it will increase thy flames; here it may be a means to enlighten thee, there it will be a means to confound thee forever. Proud, self-conceited man, who canst find no time for serious consideration here! in Hell thou wilt have time enough, and O how many sad hours will it cause to consider, how thou hast mispent thy time, how thou hast flung away so many precious hours, up∣on thy unlawful pleasures, how thou hast de∣rided

such a Sermon, harden'd thy Heart upon such a discourse, slighted Gods moti∣ons to repentance, smother'd the checks of thine own conscience, preferr'd the World before Heaven, obey'd Man more than thy Creator, suffer'd every trivial outward re∣spect, to call thee away from Devotion, mistrusted Gods Providence, taken his name in vain, laugh'd at the wholsome Counsels of thy Parents and Teachers, despised thy neighbors, censur'd, their actions more than thy own, taken thy fill of sin, been weary of following Christ, backward to any thing that's good, delighted with nothing but vani∣ty and folly, dishonoured God, disgraced Re∣ligion, exposed it to contempt and scorn, drawn others into vice, laugh'd Men into folly, dragg'd them into Hell, murther'd their Souls as well as thine own, neglected thy Prayers, disregarded the Poor, oppressed the needy, been greedy after the World, and undervalu'd the pains and cost, God did be∣stow to entice thee to enter into his Rest! At this time thou'lt be forc'd to consider, how great a blessing thou hast refus'd, what comfort thou hast depriv'd thy self of, what a wise course those took, that would not be perswaded by the vain careless world, to cast Gods Law behind them; but alas! these con∣siderations will then be too late; time was

when thou mightst have consider'd the odi∣ousness of sin, and turn'd from thy evil ways; time was, when thou mightst have consi∣der'd the absolute necessity of despising the world, and dedicated thy Self, thy Children, thy Life and Wealth to Gods service; time was, when thou mightst have considered, that Gods Mercy and Patience did lead thee to Repentance, and so have turn'd to God with all thy heart, and this had been to secure Gods Favour, and to enter thy name in the Book of Life; but in Hell, such thoughts do but gnaw and sting thee more, there they doe but augment thy sorrow, and in∣dignation against thyself, there they do but make thee weary of thy life, and the worst of it is, , that there thou canst not be rid of these considerations, they'l come into thy mind against thy will: here thou didst take pains to keep them out, there thou canst not hinder them from burthening, and oppres∣sing thy Soul; here business and mirth di∣verted them, there thou canst not shake them off, with all the industry and labour thou canst use; thou needst no accuser there, these considerations will be sufficient witnesses a∣gainst thee, there, there thou'lt wish, O that I had believ'd the Preachers of the Word! I find those men were in the right, I find they saw more than I did, I find they were

not mistaken; if I had follow'd their advice, I had built my House upon a Rock, I find they spoke no more but reason, I find they exhorted me to nothing but what was safe, and beneficial to my Soul. Forgive me, ye Men of God, pardon my contempt of your Zeal and Fervency; O send some Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; if your Prayers, if your Tears, if your Entreaties, if your Inter∣cessions can prevail with God, O help, help, for I perish in this gulph; Plead with your God, sollicite for me at the Throne of Grace double, treble your cryes and sup∣plications; try whether God will have mer∣cy on me, who have had no mercy on my self, I am frighted, I am troubled on every side, I would stab my self and cannot, dye and must not, escape and dare not; pity, pity a poor miserable worm! will none re∣lieve me? doe all forsake me? doe Men and Angels leave me? is there no body to speak comfort to me? is there no door for Conso∣lation open? are all the avenues to mercy shut? Hear, hear ye Inhabitants of Heaven! are you deaf to my groans? are you grown strangers to compassion? where is your wont∣ed clemency? will no repentance touch the Heart of God? will no sorrow move him? will no anguish melt him? where is that

Joshua that prayed for the Suns standing still, and it stood still in the midst of Heaven? hath he no Prayer left to stop my calamity, and to give a truce to my torments? where is that Elijah, that pray'd, that there might be no rain, and there came no rain, for three years, and six months? and cannot he pray that this fire may goe out?

A thousand such cries will then be in vain; Consideration now would most certainly prevent those cryes; this would represent the groans of those wretches in that dismal prison, in such lively characters to thy mind, that thou wouldst be restless, till thou didst get into the strait-way, that leads to life, and art not thou ready to embrace it? what Fiend, what Enemy, what Devil, what Charm quenches the fire of thy resolutions? Dost thou own God for thy Creator and Gover∣nor, one that hath greater reason to com∣mand thee, than thy Prince, or Master, or Parents, and dost thou refuse to obey him? Dost thou believe, that what ever is in man, and can challenge obedience, is more eminently in God, and dost thou scru∣ple to comply with his Will? wilt thou prove a Rebel to thy Prince, a prodigal Son to thy Father, an unfaithful Servant to the best of Masters? why shouldst not thou

trust God with thy Soul? why shouldst not thou run at his call? what is it sinner, that would make thee take thy ways into seri∣ous consideration? would a miracle do it? why, thou hast as great reason to believe, that those miracles which are recorded in the Gospel, to have been wrought for confirma∣tion of Christs sayings, were really wrought and perform'd, as thou hast to believe the reality of a miracle, if thou shouldst see one wrought before thine eyes; either thou be∣lievest that those miracles were wrought by Christ and his Apostles, or thou dost not; if thou dost not, why dost not thou examine the circumstances to be satisfied? if thou dost, what need there any more miracles? if those miracles will not perswade, thee, how should a new miracle do it? nay, how shall we be sure that the sight of a new miracle would work upon thee? how soon would time wear out the memory of it, and leave thee as careless as it found thee? thou feest mira∣culous providences every day, and yet they move thee not; that God spares such a rebel∣lious sinful wretch as thou art, so long, and after so many thousand provocations, is a miracle; thou seest Water turn'd into Wine every year; for the insipid Liquor of the Vine is changed into a different taste; thou feest how from a dry Acorn, a mighty Tree doth

grow, which gives protection to Men and Beasts, and to the Fowls of the air; thou knowest how from that liquid Principle Job doth speak of, A man clothed with skin & flesh and fenced with bones and sinews rises; what mighty miracles would these be, if they were not common? and yet none of all these stir thy Soul to reflect seriously, what thou must doe to be saved? Would an audible voice from Heaven doe it? why, how couldst thou be sure it came from Heaven? and should a voice come to thee from the regions of bliss, should God vouchsafe thee such a message, immediately from the Clouds, as this, Wash ye, make you clean, put the evil of your doings from before mine eyes: why it would be no more, but what God hath said already, it might for the present surprize and startle thee a little, but if that Precept written, can∣not work upon thy Soul, it's to be fear'd, the Precept spoke from Heaven, would make no very lasting impression upon thee. Thou art sufficiently assured, so assured, that a man of reason cannot justly desire better grounds, that God hath spoke those words to thee al∣ready, and if Gods repeating this Duty so often in his Word, can do no good, what hopes is there, that repeated again, it would draw thy heart away from sin, and from the world? would a mans rising from the dead

do it? Why, Christ is risen from the dead, and is become the First-fruits of them that slept, and he doth, with all the protestati∣ons, that are fit for a God to make, assure thee, that he that believes not, that is, shews his Faith by his Works, shall be damn'd, and would engage thy mind to ruminate upon that threatning, and to think which way thou mayst flee, and be freed from that de∣struction he speaks of; and why wilt not thou give credit to what he saith? nay, if thou shouldst see a Spirit, the Ghost of one that hath been thy acquaintance formerly, a Ghost that should by woeful experience inform thee, that those things the Scripture speaks of, are undoubtedly true, and that God will proceed exactly, according to what he hath promis'd, and threatned there, it would more satisfy thy curiosity, than ad∣vance thy Piety: and the question still may be, whether it would satisfy thy curiosity? for its possible thou mayst imagine, that it might be a deception of sight, and so for∣get it, and slight it, and make little of that motive. Thou confessest Christs resurrection, and why he should not be believed before a Spirit, especially when a Spirit could say no more, than he hath said, I cannot well con∣ceive.

Sinner, who seeth not, that all these pre∣tences, are like the wishes of sickly men, that wish for this or that Fruit, for this or that Dish, and when it is brought, it is so far from curing them, that often it makes them worse, and increases their distemper? who sees not, that these are but inventions, to give some colour of reason to thy unwilling∣ness, to shake off the sins which do so easily beset thee? who sees not, that these are on∣ly arguments suggested by the Devil, to keep thy Soul from her true food and nourish∣ment? and who is the looser all this while? thou wouldst fain impose upon God, and make him believe, that it is not want of Will, but want of Assurance, that this serious consi∣deration of thy wayes is necessary, that makes thee stand out against it. And alas! the cheat thou seek'st to put upon God, thou putst upon thine own Soul; and is thy Soul so in∣considerable a thing, that thou makest no∣thing of deluding, and circumventing it?

What thinkest thou Sinner? suppose thou didst see a Senate, or Parliament, made up of very grave, wise, sober, judicious men, who should unanimously give their verdict in a Cause, and determine it; and while these men, after serious deliberation, give their judgement in the case propos'd to them in comes the malefactor, against whom they

have given sentence, accuses the Decree of the Senate of injustice, charges their Vote with a lye, and takes a great deal of pains, to make the world believe a tale of his own making; whom wouldst thou be∣lieve, that grave, wise, judicious Senate, or the Malefactor? the Senate sure; and then when God Angels, and Men, the wisest, the gravest, the learnedst of them, do all unanimously determine, that without a seri∣ous consideration of thy Spiritual concerns, thou canst not arrive to any sincere refor∣mation of life, canst never know the dan∣ger thou art in, or what thou must do to escape unquenchable fire; and that without it, thou art a truly miserable man, and dost take the way that leads to destruction, hast thou the impudence to oppose thy sick∣ly opinion, which arises from a distemper'd, ed head, and a more distemper'd conscience, to the grave, sound, and orthodox judge∣ment of Men, infinitely wiser than thy self? when all with one consent affirm, that thou art sick to death, and nothing but con∣sideration can recover thee; wilt thou can∣cel their verdict, by prescribing to thy self medicines of thine own making? all cry out against thy inconsiderate course of life, God doth not justify it, Angels do condemn it, the Preachers of the Gospel confute it,

Philosophers arreign it, thy Reason hath arguments against it, thy Conscience chides thee for it, thy sober neighbors reprove it, and wilt not thou subscribe to their sentence? what insolence is it to think thy self more knowing, than he that knows all things? Behold sinner, here lies the way to Heaven, God is intreating thee to walk in it; the Devil is busy to discourage thee from it, God saith, Here I will be found, the Devil suggests that the Sons of Anack dwell there, God wishes thou wouldst yield, and live; the Devil, that thou wouldst stand out and dye; God seeks to crown thee, the Devil to rob thee of thy Diadem; God assures thee that this is the Garden, where thy Graces must grow; the Devil argues, that nothing but Weeds and Thistles grow there; All the dispute is, who shall have thy Soul, God or the Devil? think sinner, for God's sake, think who is the Rewarder, and who is the Tormenter, who is the King that can save thee, and who is the Executioner that studies only to ruine thee shall not God prevail? wilt not thou give him thy heart? and shall Satan goe away with thy Soul? shall he possess that Treasure, which Angels are ambitious of? for shame, let not God goe away empty; think what a condescen∣sion it is in God, to be willing to accept of

so inconsiderable a Present, as thy Heart? what is thy Soul to him? what benefit doth he receive, by offering thee his bosom? if thou hast such a mind to be the Devils slave, what need God take pains to rescue thee from that bondage? dost thou think he cannot live without thee? dost thou think thy being in his Heaven, doth add any thing, to his felicity? cannot he as well be glorified in thy Torments, as he can in thy Salvation? cannot he make his Justice, tri∣umph over such a stubborn wretch as thou art? wherein doth his advantage lye? may not he be God, and Great, and Glorious, and admired by Angels, while thou friest in Hell? thou hast very highly obliged him, indeed, that he need be at all this trouble to make thee in love with his ways? shouldst not thou stand amazed at his Favour? shouldst not thou wonder, that this im∣mense, and infinite Majesty will vouchsafe a gracious look to so vile a worm as thou art? and canst thou see a God court thee, and grow coy? doth God offer to kiss thee with the kisses of his Lips, and dost thou scorn his embraces? canst thou see him car∣ress thee, and turn away thy face? wilt thou prefer the motions of a lying Devil, before the Oracles of the Great God of Heaven? hadst thou rather goe along with him, that

will murther thee, than accompany him that will encircle thy Head with a Crown of Glory? shall God magnify his Mercy upon thee, and wilt thou fall in love with his enemy? doth God intend by making love to thy Soul, to give a character to the world of his infinite goodness, and com∣passion, and darest thou be so bold, as to lessen that character, by thy contempt and ingratitude?

Behold sinner, God is willing to lay aside his Flaming Sword, thou shalt hear of him no more in the Earthquake, or in the Storm, or in the mighty Wind, that breaks the Rocks in pieces, but in the still small voice, the voice of Boanerges shall sound no more in thy ears, he'll blow his Trumpet of War no more, all his frowns shall be done away, he'll fright thee no more with Hell∣fire; if his Grace, his Mercy, his Compassi∣on, can but allure thee to bethink thy self, and close with him, and so to consider the concerns of thy Soul, as to resign thy self altogether to his guidance, and direction; his Aspect shall be kind, his Countenance shall be nothing but smiles, his Face shall be a perpetual Sunshine, if by considera∣tion of thy ways, thou wilt become sensi∣ble of thy former folly, and throw it away, and take up with him alone: if his kindly

Beams can thaw thy frozen Heart, if his calm can win thee, and make thee prostrate thy self before the Lion of the Tribe of Ju∣dah, Heaven and Earth shall be no longer in conspiration against thee, and thou shalt not need to look any more for Thunders and Lightnings from that Heaven; stand still sinner, and see the Salvation of God; be∣hold Grace and Mercy lies weeping at thy Feet, the free, the soveraign, the extensive, the attractive Grace of God comes wooing to thy Soul, and doth bespeak thee in this manner; Hold, Hold thou poor besotted creature, whither dost thou run? Hear, hear, I bring thee the joyfullest tidings, that ever were brought to the ears of Men; God will be thy Father, the Lord Jesus thy Savi∣our, the Holy Ghost thy Comforter, the An∣gels thy Companions, thy Life shall be a perpetual Holyday, thou shalt be a friend of God, an Heir of Heaven, and Coheir with Christ, thy sins shall all be done away, thy iniquities shall be remembred no more, all the promises of the Gospel shall be thine, God will vouchsafe to live with thee, the Holy Ghost will make thy Soul his Temple, thou shalt have strength to overcome Hell, and Devils, Flames and Swords, and be more than a Conqueror through him that loved thee, the Lord Jesus Christ: ask a Heaven,

and thou shalt have it, a Crown, and it shall be thrown into thy bosom, a Kingdom, and it shall be thine, ask all the Treasures of Glo∣ry, and they shall not be denied thee; from this time forward thy name shall be inrolled among the Favourites of Heaven, and in thy Soul, as in Jacob's Ladder, the Angels shall be continually ascending, and descend∣ing, and thy Head like Gideon's Fleece, shall be water'd with the dew of Heaven, while the unbelieving World shall be dry, and all this shall be thine, if my Love, my Mercy, my Kindness can prevail with thee, and en∣gage thee to think seriously, what thou must do to please God, and to be happy for ever. O sinner, had those who now lye sweltring under the burning wrath of Almighty God, such an offer as this, how would they leap and triumph, and agree to so reasonable a condition, and thank God upon their bend∣ed knees, day and night, and praise him with∣out intermission, that he will vouchsafe to receive them on no harder terms than these! O sinner, is thy heart of stone, that it doth not dissolve at this Gracious Message? Can the Rock hold out against these bowels of compassion? poor stubborn wretch! were not thy Heart all steel, were not thy Con∣science seared, how couldst thou forbear be∣ing prick'd at the heart, hadst thou but the

least spark of good nature left in thee, what might not these Golden Chains, these Silken strings, these Cords of Love, doe with thy immortal Soul? The only reasons that the Servants of Benhadad had, to humble them∣selves to the King of Israel, was this, We have heard that the Kings of Israel are mer∣ciful Kings. Sinner, hast not thou both heard and seen, and seest it to this day, that the true King of Israel is a merciful King, and will not this prevail with thee, to throw thy self down at his feet, and kiss his Scep∣ter, and consider thy imprudence, in devia∣ting so long from the end of thy Creation and Redemption, and make thee contented to part with all the strong holds of iniquity within thee, and with all imaginations, that exalt themselves against the obedience of Christ Jesus?

O doe not tell me, that thou wilt most cer∣tainly bethink thy self sometime hereafter, when sickness and approaching death shall take thee off from thy worldly businesses; Vain foolish man! How dost thou know thou shalt live till tomorrow? for, What is thy life, even a vapor that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away? How many thou∣sands are cut off, as they are going up the hill, in the noon of their days, before half their race be run? and what Patent hast

thou from Heaven, that it shall not be thus with thee? God laughs at that repen∣tance, which men begin, when they can keep sin and the world no longer; he sees it is forc'd and squeez'd, and weak, and feeble, and will God accept of thy Devotion, when thou hast exhausted the cream and marrow of thy Bones in the Devils service? How sin∣ner? consider thy ways upon thy death-bed? Mad man! dost thou know what Conside∣ration means? the Soul must be in its full strength, that considers the sinfulness and sad consequences of her life. Doest not thou see how in sickness the Soul sympathizes with the Body? how the Mind languishes with the Flesh? how weak, how feeble the thoughts are upon a Death-bed? how the mind is employed with thinking of the pain and an∣guish, and uneasiness of the Body? how Mens weakness scarce gives them leave to repeat the Lords Prayer intire, without in∣terruption? how setling their Estates, and disposing of their worldly affairs, and sorrow, and vexation, that they have not managed their secular concerns, with greater pru∣dence, takes up their cogitations? and how transitory, and superficial mens thoughts of sin, and of another world are, except they have gotten a habit of Heavenly-minded∣ness, by a long and constant practice of Ho∣liness,

in the time of their health, and li∣berty before? And doth Salvation deserve no more, but a few slight and skin deep re∣flexions, when thou liest a dying? Canst thou have such low thoughts of everlasting Glo∣ry, as to let Consideration of it, come behind all the satisfactions of thy flesh? Canst thou entertain such pittiful, sneaking conceits, concerning that mighty Heaven, God out of his singular, and unparallell'd mercy, hath condescended to promise to his Saints, as to delay thy contemplations, and thy taking a view of it, till thy Heart-strings break, and thy throat begins to rattle, and the House is falling? Goe ye cursed into ever∣lasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. Alas! when men are a dying, the time of working is past, that's the night, wherein no man can work; that's the time indeed to reap comfort of our former con∣scientious practises, but not the time to work out our Salvation in; that's the time of re∣joycing, because our redemption draws nigh, not the time of setting out from the Gates of Hell; that's the time to finish our course with joy, not the time to begin a Holy life. Alas! the strength and vigor which must be used in a Heavenly conversation, is then gone, and men are just upon the point of reckoning with God, their accounts must

then be ready, not to make up, so that if thou art not ready now, to take thy Spiri∣tual concerns into serious consideration, thy heart will be hardened every day more and more, and the longer thou livest, the less mind thou wilt have to set about it; and if thou dost not think it worth thy trouble, to spare now and then an hour from thy worldly businesses, to mind this one thing necessary, thou doest as good as tell God, that thou wilt have none of his Heaven, and judgest thy self unworthy of Eternal life.

O Sinner, the present time is the day of Salvation, this is the acceptable time, now strike, and thy sins will fall, now strive, and the Crown will be thine, now fall to work, and promise thy self Eternal Rest; thou canst call no time thine own, but the pre∣sent time, that's only in thine hands; make use of that, and save thy self from this un∣toward Generation. Extricate thy self from the delusions of the flesh, take courage, and be gone, stay not in Sodom, now accept of Mercy, now lay up thy Treasure, and secure thy right to the Tree of Life, now remem∣ber thy Creator, and God will remember thee, when he makes up his Jewels, and spare thee as a man would spare his own Son that serves him.

Hear then this, Men, Fathers, and Bre∣thren; the God of your Fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob hath sent us to you, to tell you, that his Supper is ready, and the doors are open, and the Guests are come, and yet there is room, and that you may fill the room which is left, is the message we come to acquaint you withal from him, who delights not in the death of a sinner, but would have him turn, and live. Hear this ye Great ones, ye Nobles, ye Mighty Men, and consider your ways: Consider, whether that voluptuous life you lead, is like that life which that Sa∣viour, in whom you pretend to believe, doth prescribe in his Gospel? Consider, whe∣ther you are not obliged to practice all those Vertues, and Duties, that the meaner sort perform? and whether in framing to your selves, a new way to Heaven, a way differ∣ent from what the word of God doth re∣present, you are like to be happy in those Castles of Air you build, and like to arrive to that Glory, which you wish for, and hope to be receiv'd into? Consider, what your pride, and sensuality will at last con∣clude in? and whether you will dare to brave it at the great Tribunal, as now you doe on Earth, where you have no body to controul you? Ye that are Magistrates, whom

providence hath placed over others to exe∣cute justice, and to shew a good example, Consider your ways. Consider, how heavy your connivance at the most notorious sins, Sins, that offer to pluck, even God out of his Throne, will lye upon your Consci∣ences one day! Consider what hurt you do, how many Souls you ruine, by your de∣bauch'd and luxurious lives! Consider, whe∣ther you can satisfy God, as easily as you can do Man, and whether that injustice, that oppression, that covetousness, that lewdness you make nothing of now, are not sins weigh∣ty enough to bear you down into the Burn∣ing Lake? Ye Learned Men, whether Mini∣sters or others, who see and know more than the Vulgar do, Consider your ways. Consider whether that great Knowledge you have, will not procure ye double stripes, if you improve it not into a higher degree of seri∣ousness, than common people use; Consider what a ridiculous thing you make Religi∣on, if being perswaded and convinced of the rationality of it, you doe not express the power of it, in your conversations. Con∣sider, whether building Heaven with your voices, and Hell with your behaviour and de∣portment, will not bring down upon you the severest Plagues, that are written in the Book of God! Ye that are hearers of the

Word, and frequent the Temple of the Lord to be taught his Statutes, and his Ordi∣nances, Consider your ways. Consider, whe∣ther so many entreatings, warnings, reproofs, and admonitions, in season, and out of sea∣son, which you take no notice of, will not be brought in one day, as evidences to ju∣stify your everlasting condemnation? Con∣sider, how God is like to resent your bar∣renness, and unfruitfulness, under the richest means of Grace, under the droppings of his fatness! Consider, how justly God may pu∣nish your not digesting, and applying his Commands and Precepts to your selves, with hardness and blindness of heart, and whether this judgement be not more fre∣quent, than the world is aware of, and whe∣ther you do not participate of that judge∣ment? Hear this, all ye that carry rational An∣gelical Souls in your Breasts, Consider your ways. Consider, what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and loose his own Soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his Soul? Sirs, you stand upon the brink of a bottomless pit; who, but a man, whose brains are crack'd, would not look about himself? the least push, or thrust sends you thither; who would not take some pains to get into a Harbor? the Ship is ready to be cast away, the Masts are split, it's leaking

on every side; who would not lay hold of a Plank to save himself from drowning? If you know not what to do with that power of Consideration, God hath given you, mar∣vel not, if God takes it away, and since you will not bethink your selves, how to be freed from sin and misery, protests in his an∣ger, that you shall not be able to make use of that power any more, in order to obtain Eternal life; since you will not take up that sword of the Spirit, to cut the cords of Sin and Disobedience, no wonder if God blunts and dulls the edge of it, that it shall be of no use to you, when you would em∣ploy it. O Christians, there is no jesting with a merciful God; where the greatest mercy is scorn'd and rejected, what can ye expect but the severest judgements? Be wise therefore, before the black Decree be irreversibly Signed and Sealed against you, you'll bless the hour, and the day, which bears the Date of your entire and sincere a∣greement to Gods Will, in this particular; and when you shall find by blessed experi∣ence, that this serious consideration of your ways is the Gate to Paradise, you'll admire the Bounty, Wisdom, and Goodness of God, that moved your hearts to embrace the motion, and you will not be able to for∣bear breaking out into singing the Song of

Moses, and the Song of the Lamb, Blessing, Honour, and Glory be unto him that sits upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb, for, ever and ever.